From: ScullyK8 Date: 21 Aug 1999 04:00:14 GMT Subject: NEW: Spellbound (1a/3) Title: Spellbound Authors: Kate G., DanaK, Jasper, April Classification: X-file, MSR(sorta) Rating: PG-13 (nothing too harsh...) Summary: Mulder and Scully seem to be drifting apart until a case brings them back together in a way neither of them ever imagined. Spoilers: The movie, everything Fowley(ggrrrr), takes place before they get the X-files back in season 6. Feedback: YES! It makes us feel happy! Send your comments (good or bad) to me, Kate at kkg112@psu.edu, I'll make sure that the rest of the writers get your comments. Hey, we'll even write back. : ) Archive: Sure, just let us know where, so we can visit. Disclaimer: We know that Mulder and Scully are not ours...but if they were, I'm pretty sure that they would be happy in our shipper world! CC can keep Kersh. We don't own anything related to Anne Rice either. Author's Notes: When we started this project in February, none of us knew where it would lead. Well, 5 months later we got this beauty of a fanfic. We all really enjoyed ourselves writing it, we hope that you enjoy reading it. Thanks to Dana for writing the summary, to Jasper for the title, to April for turning it supernatural, and to me for slapping it all together! Special thanks to my mother for her great beta-reading. Enjoy! Xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx Spellbound August 1999 Part 1 Dana Scully slammed the apartment door behind her and shrugged out of her black coat. "Damn him...who does he think he is?" She muttered under her breath as she dropped her briefcase and laptop on the kitchen table and put on water for tea. Still muttering swear words under her breath, she walked into her bedroom and changed into comfortable leggings and an oversized shirt. Returning to the kitchen she poured herself a mug of tea. She sat down on the couch and switched on the TV not really noticing what she was watching. Mulder had been driving her crazy all day and after a huge fight with him in their newly assigned cubicle, she had stormed out of the office furiously, leaving a dumbfounded Mulder and several equally astonished FBI agents behind. On her way home her cell phone had been ringing constantly, but she had not had the nerve to answer it. She knew that it had to be Mulder and she did not want to talk to him. Scully sipped her hot tea and with a shock realized that she did not even remember what their fight had been about. Returning from their odyssey in Antarctica and her making her decision to stay with the X-files she had expected their relationship to change somehow...after all, they had nearly kissed in Mulder's hallway before the, as she had come to refer to it, 'Damned-bee-incident'. She certainly had not expected a turn for the worse though. After the news that Spender and Fowley would be in charge of the X-files, and their own subsequent re-assignment to other cases, their relationship had begun to deteriorate before their very own eyes. Scully now realized this and sighed at the thought of it. "But then what do I expect?" She asked herself briefly, "And moreover, what do I WANT?" She wanted HIM. When Mulder had said those words in the hallway, when his soulful hazel eyes had looked so deeply into hers, her heart had started to beat wildly in her chest and she had thought, 'This is it...'. She had been anticipating his kiss, ready to step that last boundary with him. When she thought about it now, she came to realize that she had WANTED that kiss from him for a long time. Wanted to feel that full lower lip of his under hers...in that one brief moment she had admitted to herself for the first time, that she loved Fox Mulder. Deeply, with all her heart and soul...and she wanted him...not as a kindred spirit or friend, but as HER Mulder, her lover, her soulmate. "What has happened?" Scully asked herself. During the last few weeks they had fought about everything and nothing at the office. Minor disagreements turned into huge issues. Mulder wouldn't accept her position, she in turn would contradict his theories, and it was ridiculous, really. The other agents, who had from the beginning turned their backs to Mr. and Mrs. Spooky, must have had the times of their lives today. Scully took another sip of her tea and tried to figure out what had ticked her off today to act like she had. Mulder and she had been discussing some minor fraud case in Baltimore... nothing to fight over really, when...ah, she remembered. Mulder had told her about some woman he had met at a bar after his weekly basketball game with some guys. He had asked Scully if she thought he should call this Cassie, or whatever her name was, and ask her out on a date. She had exploded then...out of jealously she now had to admit to herself. She switched off the TV and got up and put a CD into the player. Soon Vivaldi's "Four Seasons" enveloped her and she curled up in a corner of the couch. It gnawed on her that she had reacted that way with Mulder. It was so totally unlike her to freak out like that, she...the shrill ringing of the phone interrupted her thoughts. "Scully?" "Hey, Scully, it's me!" Mulder's cheerful voice called out. He sounded as if they had never even had that fight. "What?" "Ah, how fast can you be packed and at the airport?" She put her mug down and sat up, "Why?" "Because we have a case down in New Orleans, a serial killer who has obviously read one too many Anne Rice novels..." "WHAT?" "Yeah, he leaves little messages signed with 'The Vampire Lestat'...anyway, Scully, there is a flight leaving at 10:30, from Dulles, Gate A, can you make it?" She looked at her watch, 9:15, and sighed. "Yes, Mulder, I am almost there." "Good...and Scully...bring something nice to wear...New Orleans is supposed to be nice this time of year!" Before she could give a stingy reply he had hung up on her. "Something nice, right," she mumbled and got up reluctantly. As she was expertly putting her business suits, shirts, jeans and shoes into her suitcase, her gaze fell on her black spaghetti strap dress that she had bought on a shopping spree with her mother. She decided and went into the bathroom to get what she needed from there. When she had dressed in jeans and a black button down cardigan she looked at the dress again. "Oh, all right, why not?" She asked herself and took the dress off of the hanger, "After all, we ARE going to New Orleans!" xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx Part 2 Scully pondered over her fight with Mulder the whole cab ride to the airport. It was ridiculous for her to be mad at him. Certainly she would never involve herself with another man as long as she felt this way about him, but why should he stop looking for someone to share his soul with? she thought to herself. Scully sighed and placed her head against the window that was now covered with rain droplets. She traced a small heart in her breath that had stuck to the inside of the window. What way do I feel about him? She asked herself. She looked at the heart that she had just drawn. It was love. She definitely loved Mulder, and had loved him for a long time now. And her love had grown deeper and more profound after Antarctica. Mulder had come to find her; he had drug her unconscious body through his lifelong obsession, the Little Green Men. He had found his proof, but he chose to save her instead. Even before then too, Scully reminded herself. He told me that I completed him, that I made him a whole person. Did he know though, that he was describing how I felt too? We almost kissed; our lips were so close. I still want to pick up that kiss where we left off. But now Mulder seems so distanced from me, and I'm terrified to tell him how I feel. Every time she felt like they had gotten close to the point where she could finally expose her soul to him, something had come along that stopped her. Mostly though, it was Diana Fowley. At first, when she had come back, Scully recalled in her mind, she made me so jealous that I couldn't see straight. Now that I know what a backstabbing two-face she is, I just hate her. I hate the control that she has over Mulder; I hate that he is blind to her ways. Before her, I felt like Mulder and I were one person. Now she drives an unseen wedge between us. Every time that she calls him "Fox" or touches his hands, I can FEEL the swing of the invisible sledgehammer that pushes the wedge further between us. Every good woodchopper knows that the wedge will eventually split the log in two. But does Mulder want the wedge to be gone? Does he even realize that it is there? Have my skeptical ways finally pushed him over the edge? Does he want to be with someone who thinks the same as he does? Scully could feel little butterflies in her stomach as she thought that. Then she thought how good Mulder's big hands would feel resting on her stomach, massaging the butterflies away. At least the thought made her smile a little. Frames of memories passed quickly through her mind of all the times that Mulder had put his hands on her back. The times he had led her through a doorway or helped her in a car, or when he was trying to get her attention. Scully realized that she was smiling in earnest now and she noticed that the cab driver was looking oddly at her in the rearview mirror. She looked away quickly and then looked back at the window and the now fading heart. Oh no, is that what is happening with Mulder and me? Is his heart fading away from me because of my science? Or does he think that I am not interested in his weird life anymore? This is bad, she thought. Whatever happens in New Orleans, after it is over, I have to tell him how I feel, before we go back to Washington. I need to tell him when Diana is hundreds of miles away. I wouldn't feel comfortable pouring my heart out, only to have him reject me and run straight into the open arms of...her. That would kill me. But then again, telling him may also kill me. I have never felt like this before about anybody, that scares me. A shiver ran up her spine just as the cab driver announced, "Okay miss, end of the line." "Thank you," she told the driver after he had got her luggage out of the trunk and she had paid him. The thought of Mulder's voice, "Bring something nice", made her think that maybe she would need that black dress after all. The butterflies were back with full force. "I just hope that I can act semi-normal around him," she murmured as she picked up her suitcase and started walking to the terminal. At the crowded gate she stood on her tiptoes and looked around. She spotted him looking around for her. She took a deep breath and started walking over. xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx Part 3 Little was said as Scully and Mulder boarded the plane. They were barely in the air when Mulder handed her the case file to peruse. She only read two pages before closing the file in exasperation. "Mulder? How exactly did you manage to convince Kersh into letting us have this case?" she asked, blue eyes flashing. Mulder began to squirm, Scully knew this wasn't a good sign. "Well, actually Scully...he didn't. I swiped the case file off Spender's desk and..." "Dammit Mulder!" Scully was angry, she stood up trying to step over Mulder's legs needing to walk away for a moment and get her rising temper back under control. The plane chose that moment to lurch violently to the right, throwing Scully off balance. Mulder reached for her instinctively. "Scully!" He yelled, managing to grasp her waist, but not before she hit her head on the interior wall of the plane with a sickening thud. /*/*/*/*/*/*/*/*/*/*/*/*/ Consciousness returned slowly for Scully, her head pounding, as she carefully stood up. She was further confused by the fact that she had her black dress on. Running her palms down over the silken material it became apparent she wasn't wearing anything underneath. "I was beginning to think you weren't going to wake up, my dear." The voice came from her left, sending chills down her spine. Turning, she came face to face with the man. Scully wanted to scream, but the sound died in her throat. His skin was pasty white with dark circles around his eyes. His lips, however, were red. Lips so red they reminded Scully of a candied apple. Somehow she managed to find her voice. "Who are you? Where's Mulder?" "He's here, my dear. IN fact you are going to be his first..." "First what? What are you talking about?" The man pointed and Scully turned to see Mulder crouching only a few feet away, his head bowed, his face hidden from her view. "Mulder?" She called out hesitantly. Mulder's head lifted, his gaze fell upon Scully's feet and slowly moved up until his eyes caught hers. Scully felt so strange, it was almost as if a million tiny fingers had touched her body. Tracing a path from her toes to the top of her head, her nipples hardened instantly. Mulder's gaze dropped down taking in her aroused state. His voice when he spoke was a desperate plea. "DAMN YOU! You promised she wouldn't be hurt. You said if I gave up willingly and joined you that you'd let her go..." The other man stood behind Scully now, using the back of his right hand to caress her arm and shoulder, up and down. His other hand tangling in her silky hair, holding the strands up to his nose. "I did...didn't I? But then again...haven't you heard the old saying...trust no one?" Scully moaned softly, her whole being aching for release. The other man whispered in Scully's ear and she tilted her head allowing her creamy neck to become more exposed. He brushed his lips lightly across the tender skin, before pulling away. In the blink of an eye Mulder was before her, his fingers tenderly stroking through her hair. She began to sinuously rub her body against Mulder's, her hands teasing. She turned, continuing to glide up and down, her back to Mulder's front. She could feel him trembling, fighting for control. "Take her...she is willing. Let her join us..." The other man spoke, willing Mulder to comply. Mulder spun Scully around, his hands cupping her face, thumbs stroking her cheeks. Her lips were parted to offer an invitation. Mulder couldn't refuse, he dipped his head seeking and finding her lips with his own. Scully seemed to melt against him. His hands journeyed, one up to cup the back of her head allowing his continued seduction of her mouth. The other hand splayed open against her lower back and buttocks, pressing her firmly into his own arousal. He paused, breaking contact with her lips...he looked beyond Scully's shoulder at the other man, tears in his eyes. "Why are you crying? She wants you. And I know you want her...I could taste it...every thing you felt, is in me now. I share your craving as you now share mine..." "Mulder? Look at me...I want this...I want you..." Scully breathlessly spoke, dragging Mulder's attention back to her face. "Oh...Scully..." Mulder kissed her swollen lips once more before trailing his own along her jaw to her ivory throat. Scully threw her head back in ecstasy. He could feel the pulse of her blood beneath his lips... Xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx Part 4 Scully wrinkled her nose. Her hand flew to her throat. That smell...God, it was horrible. She opened her eyes slowly. Mulder hovered over her, his worried lips curved in a half-smile. "Scully? You're back?" Back form where, Scully wondered. When did you stop kissing me? Why did you stop kissing me? Was that it? I waited six years and now I can't remember anything after...that man who was there, red lips, touching her... Scully's mind whirled. "Mulder?" Her voice trailed off, her eyes making a quick sweep of her surroundings. High-back airplane seats, cloaked in a blue-weave fabric...her feet were bare, her legs clad in jeans. Scully ran her hand across her stomach. Cotton, her cardigan. She looked up at Mulder-her head was in his lap, one hand in her hair, the other holding a broken packet of smelling salts. Scully sat up, quickly, too quickly. Sharp pain crashed into her temples. "Scully, lay down." Mulder eased her back across the three seats she had been occupying, cradling her head gently. "You don't want to make it worse." "Make what worse?" Scully said anxiously. She felt the color drain from her face. What could be worse, she moaned inwardly. The embarrassment of fainting, of lying sprawled across your lap, of moaning...omigod, she thought. It wasn't real-am I delusional? A nightmare? Geez, the closest I've gotten to sex with anyone, most especially this man, in years and it's a friggin' fever dream?! "Scully, calm down. You were standing up when the plane hit some bad turbulence. You knocked your head on the side of the plane." Mulder looked down at her warmly and pushed a few strands of hair off her cheeks. "A bad hit to the noggin. You'd have been better off standing in the aisle," he added, a smile reaching to his eyes. "Your head never would've reached the overhead compartments." Scully's eyebrow rose slowly. She said nothing, her focus less on how it happened and more on what she had experienced when she was unconscious. Her eyes locked on Mulder's. "How long was I out?" She asked. Mulder returned the look. "About 5 minutes. You were so still, then you began shaking and the stewardess brought smelling salts." "Flight attendant," Scully murmured. She was growing conscious of how comfortable Mulder's lap felt. It was late, wasn't it? Close to her bedtime? Maybe that explained that whole thing in her head with Mulder and...red lips, pasty face, vampire, Lestat. This so-called case. Omigod! Tom Cruise! Mulder squinted at his partner. Her eyes were half-closed, her voice drifting off. "Yeah, like domestic engineer. Whatever." Mulder touched her cheek. "Scully?" Scully's voice was soft. Mulder leaned down, his nose almost touching hers. "Tom Cruise..." Mulder's eyes widened. Head injury, moaning, Tom Cruise? He could have sworn he heard Scully say "Mulder" while she was unconscious. While he knew he spoke her name aloud during his dreams, Mulder hadn't dare imagine she would do the same. His need for Scully, even in dreams, had made him wary of sleeping in the same room with her, dozing on planes or in the car. For six years, Scully had stolen catnaps in his presence, an endearing loss of control, but never once had she mumbled a name. And certainly never his name, much as he'd hoped to hear it. But now she's talking about a movie star? America's dreamboat? Great, it takes my pissing her off so she gets hurt and now I find out she's dreaming about the wild thing with Mr. Top Gun? Mulder cleared his throat. "Uh, Scully? You really shouldn't fall asleep. You may have a concussion." Scully smiled up at Mulder. Okay, so it was a dream, a hallucination. Life was back to normal, almost. Normal was not stretched out across three airline seats, her head in Mulder's lap. She could get used to the latter, especially if her moved the scratchy airline pillow. "You're not a doctor, but you play one on TV, right?" When Mulder returned a hesitant smile, she felt her stomach flip-flop. Either he's really uneasy with my head on his lap or I said something incriminating while I was out. "Mulder, this really isn't very comfortable for you, is it? Here," she said shifting away and curling her legs up, "I'll use these seats. I know you need the aisle for your legs." Mulder raised his hand in protest, his lap immediately missing her warmth. Crap, he thought, if I were 5'6" like old Top Gun, she wouldn't worry about my need to stretch out. "Besides," she added, "it doesn't look right. You're a man with a love life. What's her name-Cassie?" Mulder froze. His right hand held out the pillow that she'd abandoned when she'd left his lap. Every ounce of energy Mulder had put into keeping himself from really enjoying the feel of his partner's head on his lap dissipated as Scully's words hit him. God, you thought that I was serious? Scully, I was kidding. Trying to see if you cared if it mattered to you. You've been pulling away for months and here it is in a nutshell. You'd rather have a plastic armrest for your head than my lap? Mulder looked past Scully as she took the pillow from him. "Yeah, right." A blonde flight attendant, her blue uniform perfectly color-coordinated with the seats' upholstery, leaned over. She handed Scully a plastic bag of ice. "Are you feeling better, ma'am?" Oh, just peachy keen, thought Scully. My partner is planning to jump-start his sex life while, I; I just keep on driving. No, thanks, I'll just watch. Dammit. Want me to pass out again so you can spend a little more time with him too? "Yes, thank you for all your help." The attendant smiled. Caps, Scully thought. Thousands of dollars of mouthwork so you can snag a rich husband. Guess what a G-man makes? "No problem, ma'am. I'll have to ask you to sit up though, and buckle your seat belt. We're in for a rough ride tonight." Tell me about it. Scully sat up slowly. She looked at Mulder, she knew he'd want to make sure she was OK to sit up. But he didn't look at her. His hands sat in his lap. Scully nestled into the seat and buckled up. She tentatively held the bag to her head. As she did, she heard his voice. "We have to end this." Part 5 At that same moment the captain announced that they would be landing shortly and Scully turned her head at her partner, one eyebrow raised "Pardon?" 'What now' she thought, at his speaking through clenched teeth. Mulder raised his head and looked into her blue eyes, his own cold. "We have to end this, Scully," he shook his head in defeat, "I want to stop what's going on between us..." She started saying "Well, so,..." but he held up one hand and took a deep breath. "This is obviously not working anymore, Scully, we are not working anymore. I don't know... things are different not ... strange...anyway I think when this case is wrapped up, we should talk about going separate ways..." Scully turned her head sharply in response but immediately she felt the sharp pain in her temples and gasped. 'How dare he? What the hell is wrong with him?' she thought but only said "Sure, Mulder, fine, whatever!" The voice of the purser sounded through the cabin announcing their arrival in New Orleans and wishing them a joyous and relaxing time. She gave Mulder another icy look as he handed her her carry-on bag. 'Sure', Scully thought 'we are so going to have the time of our lives.' /*/*/*/*/*/*/*/*/*/*/*/*/ They rode to the hotel in silence, each of them staring out their respective windows. Mulder wondered just what was going on between them and what the hell had happened to Scully when she had passed out. She had clearly muttered his name, he was certain of that. Her cheeks had been flushed and she had smiled warmly and then muttered his name. But where the hell had Tom Cruise come from? The hotel was only a block from Bourbon Street. It had a wrought iron balcony and an interior courtyard full of flowers. The heavy scent of whiskey and magnolia hung over the whole structure and Scully suddenly felt sorry. 'Too bad all this will go to waste.' She and Mulder had still not spoken and when they were handed the keys to the adjoining rooms she glanced briefly at Mulder. He still didn't look at her and after a very brief goodnight they both entered their rooms, which both overlooked Bourbon Street. Scully opened the French doors and stepped out on the porch, glancing at the people down below, listening to the jazz and blues music that seemed to assault her from every angle. She thought about the dream she had had when she had been unconscious. Of course Tom Cruise would come from Anne Rice's "Interview with the Vampire" - but it had been so vivid. She could still feel the vampires cold gaze on her, Mulder's soft hands caressing her. A shiver ran down her spine at the thought of his hands on her skin. 'They were about to make him one of them!' the thought came unbidden and for the first time she wondered if her dream had been more premonition. 'NO!' she told herself firmly and stepped inside again, moving to the door that separated her bedroom from Mulder's and knocking on the door. "Mulder? I think we should go over the case again...Mulder?" "Leave me alone, Scully, I don't want to talk..." She could hear the television in the background. "Fine, Mulder, if you feel up to it, you know where to find me..." She turned to the bathroom and decided that a hot bath would be just the thing. Minutes later she glided into the hot water, closing her eyes and sighing quietly to herself. /*/*/*/*/*/*/*/*/*/*/*/*/ She was back in that room. Mulder's red, swollen lips were nearing her throat, kissing her cheek, the corner of her mouth, tracing her jawline gently, seductively. In the corner she could see the other guys glowing red eyes. Mulder's tongue darted out and caressed her lips and she could feel arousal building up deep inside her once again. He caressed her neck and slowly wandered from her throat to her pulse, lighting little fires along the way. "Take her!" the bodiless voice tempted, "she wants you". She could feel Mulder's warm breath against her, his cold hands against hers. And then she felt cold fangs touching her neck... and Dana Scully screamed... Mulder was lying on the queen bed when he heard her scream on top of her lungs. He jumped up and ran to the adjoining door, knocking it over in the process. "SCULLY!" He reached her room and frantically looked around. SHE WASN'T THERE, the bedroom was empty! Mulder looked around and opened the door to the bathroom and there she was, sitting in the tub, bubbles swirling around her alabaster white body, her red hair was plastered to her skull. Her cobalt blue eyes stared into nothingness, filled with terror, her scream piercing the air around them. Mulder rushed to her side and grabbed her shoulders, shaking her. "Scully! It's me...SCULLY!" Her eyes focused on him and the screaming stopped, she shook her head, blinking. "Mulder? What's going on..." she didn't bother to cover herself, she just stared up at him. He couldn't help but notice the shine of her soft skin and round, full breast, and her smell. "I could ask you the same question, what happened..." He helped her get up, wrapping her into one of the large, soft towels and guiding her out of he tub and back into her bedroom, where they sat down on the large, four poster bed. Scully was still shaking and she looked up at Mulder, fear in her eyes. "I don't know...it was the same ... thing ... just like on the airplane..." she shook her head. He put a damp lock of red hair behind her ear and touched her cheek lightly. "On the plane? What happened?" She took both his hands and he could feel their cold. "There was this man, he was beautiful ... but he was also ... I don't know... cold...scary, he was very pale with very full, red lips, his hair was in a blond ponytail. His voice... it seduced me... seduced you...until you were seducing me... I felt your hands on me, you breath touching my body. I was ready for you and he kept urging you to take me... I was going t o be your first ... he was a vampire, Mulder, just like Tom Cruise in that movie ... he was like Lestat!" Her eyes grew wider and she started shivering again. Mulder flipped back the covers. 'At least now I know where Mr. Top Gun came from!' he thought as he tucked her beneath the covers. "It was a nightmare, Scully!" "No, Mulder, it was too real ... something is going on here, I ... I can feel it ... we should get out of here...!" "Sshh... it's going to be OK!" He caressed her cheek softly and planted a kiss on her forehead. "Sleep now, we'll talk in the morning." "No, Mulder...please stay," her eyes were large, full of fear "please stay with me, I can't be all by myself tonight!" He thought of her naked body under the smooth silk covers and thought 'Oh, this is not good!', but he obliged, sliding off his socks and cotton pants and sliding under the covers with her. He could feel the heat radiating from her body, her arms slipping around him as she cuddled up to him, her head on his chest, one leg almost draped over his thighs. "This feels so much better" she murmured, while her hand caressed his neck, his ear and slid into his hair. He was lost for words. This was Scully, in his arms, this was the moment he had fantasized about a million times. "Scully, I ..." She pulled herself up on one elbow and looked at him, he could feel her breasts through his shirt. Scully looked at him, he was beautiful, his dark hair framing his face, his mouth slightly open, his breath coming in short gasps. He was clearly aroused by their closeness and suddenly all her fears about their relationship were gone. She wanted him, wanted his touch, wanted to feel that mouth on hers, that body close to her. He mumbled something and she held one finger up, touching his lips "Shut up, Mulder," she whispered, "shut up and kiss me!" For a moment she saw astonishment in his darkened eyes but then he flipped her over, pinning her on the mattress. "Kiss me, Mulder!" she urged "NOW!" and he did. Her world began to spin as she lost herself in his kiss. 'This is it,' she thought. Across the street a lone figure was watching them, kissing, touching, making love. The tall, pale man snickered slightly as he watched the dark haired man and his red-haired companion becoming lovers. "Soon!" he whispered "soon, you will be MINE!" xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx Part 6 Scully threw her head back against the soft pillow behind her as Mulder kissed behind her ears and down to her chin. "Mmmm, Mulder, I have wanted this for such a long time," she murmured as his lips continued their dance down to the top of her neck. His lips felt warm and silky against her still wet skin. "Scully...," he whispered against her cheek as he caressed it with his lips. Kissing her felt amazing to Mulder. He saw her exposed neck and ran his tongue down it, making her moan lightly in the process. It was exhilarating. Scully could feel Mulders lips running closer to the base of her neck. She kneaded her fingers into his shoulders as reward. His teeth took tiny nips at the translucent skin near her clavicle. Scully thought to herself, Just as she was thinking that an alarm went off in her head. She stopped kneading his shoulders and pushed on them as hard as she could. He went flying off of her, not expecting the movement. She gathered her towel around her damp body and wiggled out from the covers and flew into the bathroom, slamming the door and locking it behind her. She saw her clothes in the corner and she started putting them back on. She heard the inevitable pounding on the door and the loud boom of Mulders demanding voice. "Scully! What's going on? Are you okay? Please let me in!" "No, Mulder. I'm okay, so please just go back to your room for a while, I need to think, please," she begged him through the thin door. She hoped that he would do what she had asked him to. She could almost feel his hesitation. "Are you sure that you are okay?" "Yes, I'm fi-, I'm okay. Just go back to your room to, um, cool off. I'll be over in a minute." "All right, but hurry up." She heard the adjoining door open, but not shut behind him. Shaking, she sat down on the closed toilet seat. "Ohmygod, oh my god," she chanted while running her fingers through her hair and over her eyes. she thought, Gnawing on one of her fingernails she remembered his icy attitude towards her on the plane and during the cab ride to the hotel. "What the hell was going on out there?!" Did this have something to do with her dreams, she wondered? Had she been right in saying that they should leave this place? Something was definitely going on in this town. It was affecting both of their minds. After 6 years together, why would she suddenly throw herself at him like that? And more than that, she wondered, why would Mulder want to suddenly leave her? He had been so devastated when I told him that I was leaving, there would be no way that he would leave me, she told herself. She unlocked the bathroom door and walked into her bedroom. The bed was still all messed up from where they had almost made love a couple of minutes ago. It made Scully kind of sad that it had to stop, but it wasn't her mind in that bed, just her body. "I just hope that Mulder understands why I stopped," she whispered aloud. She walked into Mulders room to find him sitting on the edge of the bed looking extremely upset. He jumped up when he saw her enter. "Scully, you okay? What was going on a couple of minutes ago?" "Mulder, I am so sorry that I shoved you away, but that wasn't us in the bed. At least it wasn't me. I would have never acted that ah, demonstrative all of a sudden. I have no idea what got into me. I'm sorry." "No Scully, don't be. I understand completely. I mean, I was so mad at you on the plane, and it was for the dumbest reason. And then I acted all weird and mean when we got here, that's not me. At least not usually," he finished giving her a half smile. "Mulder, something is going on here. I'm not sure what, but it's like someone was in my head giving me those dreams and they were controlling me to kiss you. I did want you to stay in my room with me, I was scared. But why I suddenly acted like that I have no idea." "What, you didn't want to kiss me Agent Scully," he asked jokingly. She smiled at him and put her hand on his arm. "Mulder, I, um, always want to kiss you...and more. But not just because you are in my bed and I am wearing nothing but a towel, that's not me." She sighed and leaned her forehead against his for support and continued talking. "Mulder, I think our behavior has something to do with this case. My dreams, your reaction to my dream, everything. I have had a funny feeling ever since we got here. I think that we should solve his case and get the hell out." The pale man stood near them, his red eyes glowing. This was not supposed to happen. They were stronger than he thought. His anger was great and he rolled his head around as the next part of plan went underway. Xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx Part 7 Mulder rubbed his head, settling his gaze on his partner. "Scully, you've actually read Anne Rice? You..." a slow grin spread across his face. "You, a good Catholic schoolgirl, are a fan of vampire fiction?" Scully pursed her lips and nodded. This, she thought, was just the bone he's been waiting for. "Yeah, Mulder, I may not believe in 'em, but I like to read about them.' She caught his look of surprise and smiled ruefully. The visage of a toothy sheriff came to mind. "Y'know Mulder, Chaney, Texas, was a lot of things, but we never really proved that Ronnie Strickland was a vampire." Mulder stood up and walked over to the desk. "That's right," he smirked. "But we were drugged, after all." He pulled open the desk drawer and reached in for the phone book. He thumbed through the Yellow Pages, his mind moving faster than the thin pages could fall. "Hey, Scully, you think we were drugged last night? Got some bad food on the plane?" Rifling through her suitcase, Scully came across her little black dress. She pulled out underware, jeans and a T-shirt and headed for the bathroom. "Drugged? By whom? You still haven't told me how we got this case. And as for the plane food, I didn't eat anything. Maybe recirculating air? I know it didn't smell so great on the flight." Mulder looked at her. "Yeah, well, rethermed cajun never smells too great. Have you been to New Orleans before?" Scully closed the bathroom door. "Ok, get dressed. I want to hear about these dreams." Her voice muffled by the thin wood door, Scully called out, "Mulder, just what is it you're looking for in the Yellow Pages? You really think you're going to find better 900 numbers here than in D.C.? "My fingers didn't get their regular exercise tonight, so..." Mulder voice trailed off. "Look, these dreams you're having started with a bump to the head. You're a doctor. Should we check you out for a concussion?" At Scully's vehement no, Mulder continued. "I didn't bump my head and though I'm not having dreams, I am acting erratically. At least toward you. More than usual." Scully emerged from the bathroom in jeans and a ribbed Naval Academy t-shirt. Mulder looked up from where he sat in the desk chair and watched her walk toward him. Scully sat down on the bed, leaned forward and took his hand. She no longer noticed how large his hands felt, wrapped around hers. How warm and secure she felt when she grasped them. She rubbed her thumb into his palm. "Mulder, since I bumped my head both of us have experienced mood swings at opposite ends of the spectrum. You were angry with me, angry enough to end our partnership. I needed you badly enough to pull you into my bed and start seducing you." Scully raised her eyes to his; his brow furrowed in confusion; his eyes sparkled in intensity. "Those are things I don't think..." her voice trailed off, her fear reflected in his eyes. "Would you ever end our partnership, our relationship?" His voice was shaky, but firm. "I would never end us. I never want to see us ended." "That's what I thought." The air in the room grew still as the unspoken question hung between them. Scully spoke first, her voice hushed. "And while I need you, and may have on occasion thought about us that way, I would never want it to happen like that." Mulder blinked and looked away. He opened his mouth and spoke, so quietly that Scully could barely hear it. "Thank you." They sat quietly for a minute, their hands gripping each other's tightly. Despite their words and the emotions they laid bare, the pale man thought, they looked for all the world like a pair of mourners. A pair too smart when they were together. Pulling them apart was the only way to make his plan work. Once he had one, the other would soon follow. He was sure of it. Of course, she was the prize. And she would be his, soon. He turned and opened the French doors. The silence hung there for several seconds until loud noises of the French Quarter pulled the partners back to reality. They looked at each other and then toward the open doors. "Did you...?" they asked simultaneously. Mulder let go of Scully's hand and walked quickly to the door. He looked outside, stepping carefully onto the balcony. Despite the reverie down below, the balcony was dark, its floors sloping. He squinted, then reached toward the doorframe. "Mulder? What is it?" Scully walked toward him, her hand reaching toward the desk where her gun lay. "Nothing. Just a piece of cloth." Mulder stepped back into the room, fingering a scrap of black cloth. "It was caught on the door jamb. Let's drop it off at the field office and make a house call." "At one in the morning?" "Yeah. Hey, it's New Orleans. The night is young, especially to a psychic." Mulder avoided Scully's eyes. "And grab a sweater. It was really chilly on the balcony." He was walked into his room and started rummaging for clean socks and a sweater. He was washing his face when he noticed the scratches on his neck. "Scully?" Xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx Part 8 Overcome by a sense of dread he turned on the light above the bathroom mirror and looked at his reflection. "SCULLY!" His voice reflected the panic that threatened to grab him. "Mulder?" She was knocking on the bathroom door. "Come in! Look at this!" She stormed in and was shocked when she looked at him. His eyes looked haunted, the scratches on his neck stood out a bright red. "Mulder, what is that?" She stepped closer and gently touched his neck. "I DON'T know, you tell me..." "It's a deep scratch, like from a fingernail..." "It's not a bite mark, is it!" She motioned for him to sit on the rim of the bathtub as she took a closer look. He could feel her warm breath on his neck and despite the acute fear that had crept down his spine. He felt his skin ripple with pleasure at her touch and he was confused as to if that was a real emotion or just another strange occurrence. "No, Mulder it is NOT a bite mark..." She said softly and let her hand rest on his cheek briefly. "But it's a deep scratch...here let me clean that." With a couple of quick, professional moves she had cleaned the wound. "There you are, good as new!" Scully placed both hands on his shoulders and looked down at him. "Thanks!" She took a step back but he held on to her hand. "Scully... what you said before...that you had wanted to kiss me...that you wanted me..." he let his voice trail off, uneasy as to how to continue. She hesitated only briefly. If there had ever been a time to open up, this was it. "Yes, Mulder, I have wanted to kiss you for...I don't even know for how long. But I also meant it when I said it that this out there wasn't me...I think when we finally cross that line it should be special, not just sex, but making-love... " He drew her into a warm embrace, wrapping his arms around her, his head pressed to her stomach. He mumbled something inaudible. "What?" Mulder looked up at her; his eyes had lost their haunted expression. "I said I could never love anyone like I love you, Scully!" '...I could never love Cassie...' he thought. Scully bent down so that her noses almost touched. "I know..." she whispered back "I love you, too." His hand wrapped around her neck as he drew her close and their lips finally touched. It was the softest kiss, tender and warm and Scully felt like coming home. This is where she belonged. They parted and she smiled at him. "I think we should get some sleep, Mulder, it's been a long day, we can drop off that piece of cloth tomorrow morning." He nodded and walked back to his room after squeezing her hand reassuringly. Scully changed back into a long, comfortable shirt and brushed her teeth. When she switched off the light in the bathroom, she saw that Mulder had turned off the lamps in his room, but had left the adjoining door open. She climbed into bed and stared at the changing patterns of light on the ceiling. Mulder had closed the French doors to the balcony, but she could still hear the music and laughter of the Quarter outside. Her mind wandered back to the events of the day and she felt chilled. Something strange was going on and more was about to happen and there didn't seem to be anything she could do about it. She hated that feeling and felt suddenly lonely and frightened. She threw back the covers and padded through the dark into Mulder's bedroom. "Mulder? Can you hold me tonight?" She was surprised at how small her own voice sounded. He didn't answer; he just moved aside and lifted the cover to let her slide in. Soon she felt his arms around her heard his even breathing, his steady heartbeat and she finally fell asleep. Mulder woke with a start. The room was dark and cold, the wind blowing in from an open window or door. He turned to Scully only to find that she was gone. "Scully!" Seconds later he was out of bed and in her room. The French doors were wide open and there she was, standing on the balcony in a black dress that whirled around her bare feet. "Scully!" She didn't turn and then he saw him. A man dressed entirely in a black suit and crisp white shirt. His long, wavy hair was swept back from his forehead. He took Scully's hand and she stared up at him. Hypnotized. Her face was calm and pale, her eyes lifeless. Mulder crossed the room with quick steps but when he stepped out into the cool night air they were gone. "NO!" Few people looked up at him from the still busy street. He looked around frantically, trying to find them again. The dark man and the beautiful redhead. Scully. There they were, strolling casually along the street as if they had just left one of the many jazz bars. Frantically, Mulder ran back to his room and pulled on his jeans. Grabbing his jacket and gun he raced downstairs, past the surprised reception clerk and out on the street. He burst into a group of people. "Hey, man, what's your problem?" Mulder didn't care; he elbowed his way through the crowd and ran down the street. Scully and the dark man were nowhere to be seen. He stopped pedestrians and prostitutes asking if they had seen the pair. But nobody could remember. They seemed to have vanished just like they had from the balcony. After an hour of searching and asking people on the street Mulder finally realized that he had indeed lost them. He would have to rely on his capabilities in profiling and go through the case files again. Maybe the clue to their whereabouts was in there. Scully woke slowly as if from a trance and looked around. She sensed immediately that she was not in the hotel, in Mulder's bed, in Mulder's arms. The sheets beneath her seemed to be silken and felt cool around her. It was dark but she could make out the flicker of a candle beyond what seemed to be curtains. A draped four poster bed? She slid to the edge of the bed and opened the drapes. A dark room lit with hundreds of candles. They were set in niches on the wall, on the windowsill, in chandeliers and dozens of ornate candleholders. Gold framed mirrors and pictures lined the rough walls and across from the bed was a Louis VI table with two chairs, lined with blood-red velvet. The room looked like the set of "The Phantom of the Opera". Scully looked down on her self and shrank back. She was wearing her black dress and nothing underneath. "Oh my God," she muttered. Fear gripped her but she forced herself to get up and make herself more familiar with her prison. The heavy wooden door was locked as expected. In a corner there was a vanity with several flacons of perfume, brushes and make-up. On the table was a silver pitcher filled with water and a wine crystal decanter with two wineglasses. Her mind raced as she tried to find a way out of this, if this was gonna be anything like her dream she was in trouble. And Mulder was in trouble. Had they taken him, too, had they made him one of them, like in the dream? "Mulder! Where are you? I need you!" Her voice echoed off the thick walls. The door opened and a man entered. "Ah, I see you are awake my dear!" Scully spun around. It was he. The man from her dream, the vampire. He was tall, dark and very handsome, had it not been for his pasty pale face and red-rimmed eyes. His hair fell to his shoulders in a golden wavy mass. His eyes seemed to glow green from within. "Who are you? Where is Mulder? Where have you taken me?" "That is an awful lot of questions..." His voice was well modulated and he had a slight accent that she couldn't quite place. "Sit down, my dear, relax, would you like some wine?" Scully took a step back. "NO! I want you to tell me what the hell is going on here!" He shook his head lightly and shrugged, pouring himself a glass of dark red-wine. Her eyebrows rose at the sight and as if he had read her thoughts he said "You have read too many books, dear Dana, we can drink wine, we can smoke and we can even find ways to leave the house during the day...this is after all the nineties!" She shivered and took a step back against the vanity. "You're not a real vampire! You are a serial killer, who has read one too many Anne Rice novels himself!" She had crossed her arms in front of her chest and looked up at him, trying to hide her fear. "Oh no, I AM a vampire, be certain of that, we do exist and there are a few people out there who will tell you that! But enough about me, it's you I am interested in, my dear!" He placed the glass back on the table and was at her side so immediately that she didn't see him taking the steps. "You are the most beautiful, strong-willed woman I have seen in centuries..." His pale hand came up to caress her cheek. Her heart raced and she wanted to scream. She looked up and saw no life in his eyes, only a cold, dark fire. "Where is Mulder? What have you done to him?" Her voice quivered ever so slightly. "Oh, don't fear, my love, he will be with us very soon ... I had to leave him behind but when the time is right I will allow him to find you...to find us!" His other hand snaked around her back and drew her close. He was tall and her face pressed against his muscular chest. She tried to wriggle free but his grasp was iron. With his index finger placed under her chin he tilted her face up. His hand caressed her bare back and against her will she felt a pleasant shiver down her spine and was acutely aware of the silky material of her dress, caressing her bare breasts. "Look at me Dana!" His voice seemed to sound deep in her brain and she looked into his green eyes as if in a trance. Against her will, she began to succumb to him. "NO!" her mind screamed. Her body whispered another language as he drew her closer, his hand moving down to cup her breast. And then his lips were on hers, cold and strong and she was drawn into a whirlwind of emotions. "NO! DON'T!" Her mind resisted one last time before she answered his kiss. "NO!" Scully's voice echoed in his mind together with his own and Mulder jumped from the chair. He must have fallen asleep because the papers he had been reading were strewn around him. He shook his head and then the dream came back to him. Only it hadn't been a dream. Scully in what seemed like a mansion, standing in front of an antique dresser...and him, the dark man, playing with her, seducing her, hypnotizing her. Mulder saw it clearly as if watching a movie. He could feel Scully's fear, then confusion as the dark man drew her deeper and deeper into a trance. He kissed her and she succumbed...and then the voice of the dark man. "Soon, Mr. Mulder, she will be mine!" And then he knew. Mulder got up and left the hotel once again.The dark man was calling him Xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx Part 9 Mulder ran quickly from his hotel room once again into the night of New Orleans and he hailed a cab. Now almost dawn, the city was winding down. Mulder felt the same way. It had been a thoroughly exhausting past two days. Starting all the way back to his first fight with Scully. But after all that had happened and all that they had gone through Mulder's adrenaline was pumping still. He was mentally willing the cab driver to go faster as he shouted out directions of where to turn left and right. he thought to himself, /*/*/*/*/*/*/*/*/*/*/*/*/ Scully felt her eyes close lazily and her pulse beat against the side of her neck. It felt as if all the blood in her body was coming into that particular vein. Her mind clouded with the image of her...attacker? That word seemed funny to her as she thought it. she told herself, "Oh can you, my dear?" The pale man asked out loud. Scully found herself trying to open her eyes to look at him, but her eyelids felt like steel. His image still played in the recesses of her brain. Tall, handsome, pale with green eyes sometimes glowing red when he looked at her. His skin was like alabaster, much like her own. She was not afraid of him, or maybe she was, she couldn't be sure right now. All that she knew was that she needed Mulder here with her, but that she should warn him somehow that this man was dangerous. "Oh, he knows that I am dangerous, he knows, but since you are here, he will come. You are his greatest weakness my dear, do you know that?" The pale man asked Scully as he traced his long finger along her jawline. Her head felt so heavy now, almost as heavy as her eyelids before and her neck went limp unable to support her head anymore. She could feel it roll around against her chest in an ungraceful manner. The pale man tightened his grip on her, unwilling to let her fall. His strength took her breath away. She gasped as his hands continued their journey over her body. "Don't worry, my dear, he will be with us very soon. Then you will be mine...both of you." /*/*/*/*/*/*/*/*/*/*/*/*/ Mulder paid the cab driver with a twenty-dollar bill and told him to keep the change as he slammed the door on the cab and started up the tall steps of the mansion they had passed on the cab ride from the airport. He had only noticed the old house in passing and he was going to mention it to Scully because he knew that she liked that kind of stuff, but he had been to mad at her at that time. "Oh Scully, please be okay." He said into the early morning air, the cold air making his breath visible. She had only been wearing the small black dress and he hoped that wherever she was that she was warm. He had seen her freezing cold a couple of times before and they had not been pleasant times. His legs slowed almost to a dead stop in front of the door to the old mansion. he thought chuckling slightly. He pushed at the door tentatively fearing the worst, but he lucked out, it was unlocked. Was it luck or was the pale man waiting for him? Mulder wasn't sure that he wanted to know the answer to that one. He walked inside the doorway and gaped at the long hallway with a hundred doors that seemed to mock him, laughing at him, saying "Go ahead and look for Scully, but it may be too late!" He started down the hallway carefully opening every door and finding nothing but darkness in each. He started whispering softly, calling out to the woman that meant everything in the world to him, "Scully...Scully, can you hear me? Scully, if you can hear me say s omething!" His words had no effect on the darkness. He continued down the hallway. /*/*/*/*/*/*/*/*/*/*/*/*/ "Ah, yes, Dana darling, your Mulder has arrived. I can feel his presence, I believe that you can too. He will be with us shortly. Then my ultimate plan goes into effect!" "Please...please let us go, we have nothing to offer you. You can still let us go with no repercussions, no questions asked," Scully tried pleading with him. "Oh, Dana dear, I know your true thoughts! You are not really thinking that, you want to leave, yes, that's true, but you will return with manpower and weapons. Surely, you know how I can see in your head." The evil laugh that he let out make Scully shake and whimper. He was still so close to her. He was the only thing keeping her from falling into a mass of black silk and fiery red hair on the stone ground. "But don't worry about that now, darling, Mulder is just about to arrive, and all your dreams from the past couple of days are about to come true..." "No...please, no," Scully whimpered and she broke into a true sob as she heard footsteps coming closer to the room where she was being held. /*/*/*/*/*/*/*/*/*/*/*/*/ Mulder could see a faint white glow coming from under the door closest to the end of the hall. Then he heard what sounded like sobs. He turned his careful walking into a run towards the door. Then he heard the thing that brought him to anger and tears at the same time. "Mulder, MULDER!" He had heard her scream like that only once or twice before and he knew how terrified that she must be to scream. And he knew that she was warning him. "Mulder, run away, go!" As long as she was in the room with that...monster he was going in after her. /*/*/*/*/*/*/*/*/*/*/*/*/ "Dana, dear that was a very bad thing for you to do," the pale man told her as he angrily pushed her down on the bed behind them. "You will pay for that." He quickly grabbed her hands to tie them into the restraints that were all ready tied to the headboard of the bed. "That was not part of the plan! You should not have startled him by yelling." Scully yelled out in pain as the pale man roughly tied the cloth cord tightly against her wrist. Mulders first kick on what he discovered to be a locked a door came at the same time as Scully's first bellow of pain. It made him kick all the harder. Over and over he kicked as he heard Scully yell out only once more. "Dana, the PLAN was for both you and he to be willing, and corruptive. Not unwilling and insubordinate! It was going to be so nice, but you had to go and ruin it! I wanted Mulder to be here when I did this to you, I wanted him to join in, that is unlikely now!" "Scully! Can you here me?!" Mulder kicked at the door two more times. This was nearly impossible; the door was heavy, old and rusty. He kept kicking though; he had to get to Scully. "Scully, listen to me, fight him, don't give in so easy, you don't want what he is offering!" He called to her hoping that she could hear him. Scully had told him that she was more than willing in her dream, and he didn't want to burst in there to find the worst. Scully yelled again as the pale man straddled her on the bed. "Get OFF me!" She told him fiercely. "I may have wanted this in my dream, but this is NOT my dream. Get OFF me!" Xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx Part 10 The door gave way with a shudder, falling open in a cloud of dust and rust. Mulder squeezed shut his eyes, feeling his way through the archway. He gripped his gun tightly, the safety off, his finger trembling on the trigger. Slowly he opened his eyes. "Scully?" his voice came out in a whispered scream. She lay before him on a black wrought-iron bed, satin sheets gathered around her, their whiteness contrasting with the black dress, which lay still upon her body. Her eyes were closed, her hands bound, tied to the bedposts. Mulder gasped and dove to her side. the chant in his head outpaced his heartbeat. He touched her cheek and her eyes fluttered open. "Mulder?" "Scully, I'm here, you OK?" She wrenched herself up. Her eyes bored into Mulder's. "He's here. He wants to control us." Mulder left hand continued tugging at the ropes binding Scully's wrists. His eyes and gunhand swept the room. A dresser, a candelabra, a red velvet chair and a painting. He looked back to Scully. "Let's just get you free. I saw a door..." "Mulder, he knows what we're thinking," cried Scully. She slid off the bed. "Don't think. Just do!" "She's right Mr. Mulder." The two agents whirled around. Their host stood in the doorway. "Surely, you don't think it can be that easy to escape, to outwit the mind that has captured thousands over the past 400 years." Scully's eyes widened. "Yes, Miss Scully. Just as you feared, the supernatural is real." The thin, red-eyed man walked toward them. "And now it is time to enter that realm. Both of you. With me." He reached a hand toward Mulder. "Come, my master profiler. Come see the world you've only investigated." He gestured at Scully. "Besides, don't you think it's time to take what is yours?" Mulder stood frozen. He was trying desperately not to think, to give himself or his plan away. But as the man drew closer, he felt himself drawn to him. His muddled mind was interrupted by Scully's scream. "Mulder, don't let him touch you!" She threw herself between the men, knocking all three to the floor. She grabbed Mulder's hand and pulled him toward her. "Don't listen. Don't let him touch you. He poisons your mind." Mulder picked up his gun and pointed it at their foe. "Don't take another step, or I'll have to shoot." Lestat rose up to his full height, a smirk on his lips. "Now, now, Mr. Mulder. You of all people should know just how ineffective even modern-day weaponry is against my..." he smiled, revealing a mouthful of long yellow teeth, "talents." Mulder smiled. "I guess you're right, Mr. Lestat. That whole cross thing failed me last time around. Of course, maybe it was just the lack of holy water in the crazy bread." he chanted in his mind. "But maybe what we needed was this." With his left hand, he pulled a gun from his pocket and pulled the trigger. Lestat cowered, hissing and writhing in agony as the drops of holy water hit his face and hands. Mulder didn't take his eyes off the man as he shouted, "Run, Scully, now!" "Mulder, come on!" She grabbed his hand and together they turned and ran out the door. Mulder led her through the unfamiliar hallways, trying to retrace his steps. A scream echoed through the house. "My face, what you've done to my face!" They turned the corner, heading for the front door. Suddenly, there was Lestat, his face dripping, his skin literally puddling where the holy water had hit him. His eyes burned a fiery red. "No!" he bellowed. "You will not escape me. You will pay for this with a life worse mine--he stepped toward them, extending both of his red, blistered, oozing hands. Mulder pulled his gun. Before he could speak the hands were too close. He fired four shots. Lestat crumbled at his feet. The two agents clasped hands and ran through the door into the dawn. The casing from Mulder's silver bullets lay on the floor, to be filed later as that week's X-file. Xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx Part 11 Mulder felt his body being jarred around on the cab ride to the hotel. This whole investigation was unbelievably trying, for both of them. He remembered when they first ran out of the old mansion Scully weeping openly. It had scared the hell out of him. But at the same time, it made him feel happy that she could show her feelings around him. She had been doing that more and more lately. Scully was pulling at his hand and crying as they ran down the path to the waiting cab. Thank God he had told the cab driver to wait. At the cab he took the lead and practically threw Scully's small, shaking body into the cab. He had taken off his jacket and put in on her chilled body, she was wearing only that small black dress. She continued to shake the whole way back to the hotel were he planned on packing their bags and high tailing it back to the airport. While her shaking continued, her sobbing had stopped the minute that he put his arms around her to try and keep her warm. At the hotel she sat on the bed as he put all their clothes back into their respective suitcases. He left out a pair of jeans and a sweater for her to change into. "Scully, you should probably get changed now. We need to get to the airport...Scully?" He stopped packing when he noticed that his words had no effect on her; she was still just sitting there with her tiny hands on her lap, staring at the floor. He approached her slowly and kneeled down in front of her. He gently placed his hands on her bare knees. They felt cold to his touch. "Scully..." "Get OFF me!" She cried as she pushed her arms in between his, making him lose his balance and fall on the floor. She leapt to her feet quickly. "Oh, Mulder! I am so sorry. You didn't get hurt did you?" She asked him as she offered her hands to help him up. "No, no, I am fine. Just a bruised ego...and a bruised butt. I keep telling you that you knock me off my feet. You okay?" "Yeah, I'm fine, really okay. Just kinda having a little flashback. I think that I need to get out of this dress." She pulled her hands away from him and went to turn away to the bathroom, but he grabbed her by the waist and pulled her to him. "Before you get out of this dress and pack it away, never to be seen again, I just wanted to tell you that you look beautiful in it." He expected her to push him away jokingly, but instead she wrapped her arms around his waist, laid her head on his shoulder and pushed her nose into the crook of his neck. "Thank you," she mumbled, her breath warm and moist on his neck. He wasn't sure, but he thought that he felt a tiny kiss from her lips on his neck. He pulled her face up to look at his own, cupping her cheeks in his hands. "You always look beautiful to me. UberBeautiful, " he told her, running his lips over her forehead. "Well, thank you for that too, but I meant thank you for coming to get me. There was no way for me to get out of that one alone." She said, bringing one of her own hands up to brush against his stubble covered cheek. "Anytime partner. Anything for you Scully, always." His memory banks flooded to the almost-kiss in his hallway last summer as he looked into her blue eyes. They were standing in almost the same position and Mulder felt his face lowering to hers almost unconsciously. "Scully?" He whispered. "Yes, Mulder..." she whispered back, her eyes closing. "I love you..." he whispered just as his lips lowered down to caress hers. It started out slow and warm as their lips glided together and apart, together and apart. Mulder felt her tongue reach out and stroke his bottom lip after a few moments and he released everything he had been holding back. He pulled his head back to look into her eyes again. He no longer saw a fragile woman from before, this time he saw his Scully, strong and brave, and extremely beautiful, fire playing in her eyes. This kiss was intense and deep, nothing sweet and gentle about it. Her hands were running up and down his spine, while massaging the back of his neck. Then making a journey to his hair where they stayed as she combed through it with her fingers. He groaned as her hands went south to his hips where they rested playfully while tugging on his T-shirt. His hands were equally as busy as he brushed his fingers through her hair, only to find it tangled and knotted from their ordeal and they went to her back instead. He mimicked her movements from before on her spine, running his hands from the top of her neck to the small of her back. When Mulder's hands reached there, he was greeted with a sigh from Scully's lips that had still not broke contact with his. Suddenly hers hands grasped his and he thought that she was going to push him away in anger. Instead he was surprised again when she led them to the zipper on the side of her dress. He could barely believe what was happening...was this for real? "Schullleee..." he muttered finally breaking contact with her full lips. "Are you sure that this is you, or it some residual effect from the, um, vampire?" He asked, unsure what her answer would be. She looked deep into his eyes with such love, not lust like before that he knew it must be her, but still... "Mulder, this is all me, nothing else. Now kiss me again, please..." He kissed her lips again with a newfound passion. He wrapped his arms around her back and cradled her to his chest as he slowly lowered them onto the bed behind them. Scully smiled up at him as he was about to move his lips to her neck when the shrill chirping of his cell phone startled both of them and they jumped apart like a couple of nervous teenagers. Quickly diving across the bed to the nightstand Mulder grabbed the phone up and answered, practically yelling into the receiver "Mulder!" Scully could hear the voice on the other end of the bed and Mulder had to hold the phone away from his ear. "Where the hell are you?" A voice boomed from the other end of the line. "Ah, just about to get on a plane to DC, see you in a few hours, sir." "You better bring back Agent Spender's file with you Agent Mulder!" The line went dead after that. "Um, Scully...Get changed. We've got to catch a plane NOW!" He told her holding her jeans and sweater out at her. She reached out to take them from him, but his arm suddenly pulled back. "But first make me a promise that when we get back to DC that you will let me take you out for a fancy dinner with you wearing that dress, " a diabolic grin on his face. "Sure thing G-man." She replied taking her clothes from him and heading to the bathroom to quickly change. She came out a minute later with a frown on her face, black dress in hand. She addressed Mulder who was now standing at the door with their bags in hand. "You know Mulder, this dress kinda brings back some crappy memories for me, so I think that I'll trash the dress and dinner." "What, Scully, you promised, I mean..." he was cut short with one look from her. "Hey, listen, you didn't let me finish! I was thinking...why bother with fancy dresses and dinner? We have waited long enough. How about no clothes and breakfast in the morning, sound good to you?" she asked tossing the dress casually over his arm. "Okay! Let's get moving so we can get in and out of Kersh's office and get started on our date!" He cried, basically pushing her out the door. "Oh, and Mulder," she said looking back over her shoulder, "No 400 year old vampires, okay?" "Anything for you, partner." "Oh, and Mulder...bring the squirt gun though!" The End Xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx Well, if you have stuck around this long, you should be proud. We really hope that you liked the story. Oh, and in case anyone is actually interested, here is who wrote what part... DanaK: parts 1, 5, 8 Kate: parts 2, 6, 9, 11 Jasper: parts 4, 7, 10 April: part 3 Let us know what you thought, mail to kkg112@psu.edu Thanks!