From lone_jaguar@geocities.com Thu Dec 12 22:14:24 1996 ------------------------ Sleeping While You're Awake All characters belong to CC, TTP and FOX Broadcasting... No infringement is intended... Sure, take me to court... I'm sure they'll believe you when you tell them I stole someone named Fox... Okay, number... 5 in the Bed Series... I hope this one's better than Double Decker... I thought that one kind of sucked and for some reason, not matter what I do, I can't beat Two Agents... I think I need some consulting... Got any ideas Kate??? Credit goes to Rachael-the Exterminator-McMillian (burn 'em!), whose parent's bed inspired this one... I hope it's as good as parts 1-->3. Rating: PG Summary: Mulder and Scully rent a room in a seedy motel and Mulder gets a healthy dose of paranoia... Comments, suggestions and flames are always welcome. Though, I should add, the flames will be used for various things. Warm my house, roast weenies, toast marshmallows (even if I don't like them that much) and well... amuse me because I love fire. :-) Enjoy. Sleeping While You're Awake Nicole van Dam aka The Warfarine Dealer lone_jaguar@geocities.com Cheyenne, Wyoming The Sleep Center 12:30am Mulder and Scully pushed through the glass doors of the motel after a long, and trying flight. Neither had spoken on the way from the rental car outlet to the hotel. And Mulder kept glancing at his partner. He couldn't shake the fact that for the past four cases they had somehow managed to embarrass or humiliate the other while they were sharing a bed. They shared it because they had to of course. The first, Mulder's waterbed broke so he *tried* to share Scully's but ended up on the floor. The second, they were told that there was only one room left, but that there were two beds in it. When they got into the room, there only happened to be one bed in there so they shared it, this time Scully ending up on the floor. The third, Scully blantanly asked for only one room, Mulder thought, so she could get back at him, which she did by locking him up in a wall bed. And the last, they shared bunkbeds and Mulder got her back nicely by making her fall off the top bunk. So now this was their fifth case, well not really. They did have cases in between which allowed them to sleep in their own houses, thank God. However, Mulder was still feeling a little uneasy. He knew it was his turn... to get it, that is. The motel was deserted except for the seedy-looking man behind the counter who was taking way too much pleasure in looking at Scully. He had a toothpick in his mouth and flicked it from side to side. His white shirt was stained in various places from various kinds of things and neither agent wanted to know either way. Scully raised an eyebrow at him and walked up beside Mulder. "Can we get a couple rooms please?" her partner asked. The man watched them with a glint in his eye; his tongue coming out to rescue the toothpick. "Sorry," he said. "Can't do it. Only got one." Then he smiled at Scully, looking her up and down and raised his eyebrows. "Can come stay in mine sweetcakes. Can't guarantee you'll sleep though." Dana had to fight every urge in her body not to vomit. "No... Thank you." "We'll take the one." Mulder glanced at his partner with wide eyes. He swallowed hard. ================= Scully opened the door to their room and looked it over. This had got to be the seediest hole they'd ever been in. A lousy air contitioner that sounded as if it would explode at any given time choked in the window that was glowing from the red neon sign outside. The floor looked as if it hadn't been cleaned in all of about ten years and the small agent swore she saw something move in the corner. "Fantastic," she said. "Bambi'd have a field day in here." The only thing that was in actual working shape was the bed... said a lot about what this hotel was famous for. Mulder half heard her comment and paused outside the door. he thought. He skulked into the room, dropped all but one of his bags and ducked into the bathroom. Scully heard the door shut and turned around quickly; noticing his bags carelessly left just indside the door. she thought. She smiled. ================ Mulder pressed his back against the bathroom door and took a couple deep breaths. he told himself. He straightened his jacket. He slapped himself in the forehead. He reached into his bag and pulled out his customary pair of jogging pants and tee-shirt to sleep in. he told himself. He knew he had. Undressing and dressing again in his chosen sleep wear, Mulder took a deep breath and walked out into the bedroom. There he saw Scully sitting in the bed, her laptop in front of her. He stopped and closed the door, staring at his partner type something out. She wore a pair of shorts and a tee-shirt not unlike his own. Feeling his stare, Scully raised her head from the screen and looked at him. "What's wrong?" she asked. Mulder snapped to attention at the sound of her voice. "Nothing!" he blurted out. Scully frowned. "Are you sure?" Mulder strode to the table in the room. "Yes... Yes... I'm fine. I'm... great." Dana raised an eyebrow. "Don't you want to go to sleep?" she asked. "It is one in the morning." His head snapped up and looked at her with wild eyes. "No," he told her. "I think I'd like to ah.... Go over the case file." She smiled slightly, noticing the empty table in front of him. She knew he was freaking out over the whole 'throwing people out of the bed' game. She actually felt kind of sorry for him. He was so paranoid most of the time anyway and now four cases later, he's a complete basket-case. "Come on Mulder," she said, patting the place next to her. "You need the sleep. You look terrible." "I'll be okay." "Mulder..." She was using that Doctor tone again. That tone that, even if he wanted to, he could never argue with. Ignoring every screaming nerve in his body, Mulder walked over to the bed and climbed underneath the blanket. He pulled the cover to his chin and froze. There was no way he was going to move from this spot. Dana had to bite her lip to keep from laughing. He was so cute when he was paranoid. "Hey Mulder," she said. Only his eyes moved to address her. "This is an inflatable bed." He frowned. "What?" "It's an inflatable bed. I found it out when you were in the bathroom. You can inflate or deflate your side of the bed... Watch." She reached for a control that looked like those that were associated with Laz-E-Boys and pushed the down button. Mulder's eyes widened and he braced himself with his hands. Scully chuckled. "Easy Mulder," she told him. "Nothing's going to happen." Scully's side was deflated. There wasn't much of a difference between the two, but it was different enough. Mulder made her inflate his side again; he wanted to be as far from her as he could. He stared at the ceiling and took a deep breath. "No disasters?" he asked. Scully chuckled. "No disasters," she replied. "No pushing me off the bed?" "Nothing at all." "Go to sleep Mulder." Mulder's eyes shifted to her several times; unsure if her should take her seriously or not. During the past four cases that this game had gone on for, his impression of her had changed dramatically. She was dangerous now. Scully turned on her side so her back was facing him and settled in. Mulder watched her out of the corner of his eye until he was satisfied that she was asleep, then he decided he would rest his eyes... ================= Dana said to herself. She watched the neon sign outside flicker and waited for a second. She smiled and rolled over gently, making sure it was like she was just shifting her position. She lifted herself up in her left elbow and watched her partner sleep for a minute. He was only slightly higher than she was because his side of the bed was inflated. And that was exactly how she planned it. She smiled. She lifted her right hand and traced the outline of his ear. He twitched slightly, becoming accostumed to the feeling. Her finger continued its way down his jawline and across his cheek. She heard his breathing speed up a bit as she moved back to his ear. she thought. She was right. Mulder's... suggestive dream involving his partner was beginning to feel like it was the real thing and he just *had* to find out if it was. Scully smiled faintly when she saw his eyes open slowly and before he could focus on anything, Scully lay back down and closed her eyes; pretending she was asleep. Mulder looked over at her and frowned; wiping his face of the remnants of his dream. He knew she had been doing something, but whether he dreamt it or not was another story altogether. He had felt it, but... she was asleep... wasn't she? Mulder reached over and nudged his partner. "Scully?" he whispered. No answer. He frowned again and shrugged. Giving up, Mulder closed his eyes. He had only been asleep for what felt like fifteen minutes before she did it again. He sat up this time and looked down at Scully. he thought. Mulder's dream was becoming much more vivid and he wasn't sure if he was going to be able to take much more of it. This time he woke up to the feeling of fingers weaving themselves through his hair. While it didn't feel all that bed, he was positive he hadn't been dreaming it. Yet, his partner was sound asleep. He even flicked her forehead and she didn't even flinch. <... Ohhhh, he's paying for that one...> Scully had to fight every urge not to deck him when he did that, but she was determined that her revenge on him, while halfway through, would be so much better. Mulder, becoming very suspiscious, if not a little frustrated, laid back down and closed his eyes, telling himself he was just going to look like he was asleep... ... Fat chance. Scully opened one eye first, just to check that he wasn't watching her. This time, she didn't bother propping herself up, she just lifted her right hand and pointed a finger. she thought. She paused for a second, reflecting on his serentity... Then, having enough of it, she poked him... hard. Mulder's eyes shot open and he jerked to the side. Unfortunately, this caused him to turn toward his partner, who looked to him to be sleeping soundly. However, when he rolled off his inflated side of the bed, he landed on her. Scully's eyes opened slowly and looked directly into his face, which was about an inch from hers. She smiled faintly. "Why Mulder," she said drowsily. "Are you trying to take advantage of me?" Mulder immediately lifted himself off her. "No!" he exclaimed. "No, I'm not... I would never do such a thing." He stuttered something incomprehensible and got off the bed. He grabbed a pillow and the blanket at the foot of the bed. "Uhh..." He looked around. "I'm ah... just going to let you have the bed tonight... I'll sleep... over there." And he dashed toward the armchair in the corner. He positioned himself under the blanket and closed his eyes, trying fitfully to fall asleep again. Dana smiled and settled back down under the cover. She put her hands behind her head and sighed. ============== THE END November 9, 1996 ============== "... look like the innocent flower, But be the serpent under't." --Lady Macbeth "Of all the things I've lost, I miss my mind the most." --dmulder "Creativity is sparked by the need for something to do when there's already something to do." --The Warfarine Dealer's motto Death to Ratboy!! >:-)