From: "Nicknoc" Date: Wed, 16 Feb 2000 21:08:04 +1100 Subject: xfc: New: Stain of Purity (6 of 11) Source: xfc From: "Nicknoc" Stain of Purity by Nicknoc All parts can be found at http://members.xoom.com/nicknoc/ Part 6 of 11 Scully's Bedroom Rockhampton, Indiana 13th April, 2000 7.30AM Scully stretched as she woke, relishing the feeling of lengthening her stiff muscles. Rolling over, she looked at the clock by the side of her bed. 7.30! Doing quick calculations, she realized she'd slept for about nine hours. That would have to be a recent record. She lay there for a few moments longer, appreciating the quiet morning noises. The sounds were different here. In her apartment, she was greeted in the mornings by the sound of cars. Here, she could make out a child laughing, birds and a clinking noise from the kitchen. Was Mulder making breakfast? The noise of him moving around made her feel bitter-sweet. It reminded her of times long past when she actually had someone in her life to make her breakfast, and wake her up with a cup of coffee. It was the thought of coffee that got her out of bed, and into the shower. She was still toweling her hair when she entered the kitchen. The good thing about her new hair style was that it could dry naturally before she curled it. Mulder was standing over the stove with a spatula in his hand, and a dish towel thrown over his shoulder. He had on old jeans, and no shirt - he'd obviously showered just before her, as his hair was still damp. Whatever he was cooking, he'd certainly made a mess doing so, she thought, taking in the bowls, empty egg carton, spilt milk and various dirty utensils littered around the kitchen. He turned around as when he heard her enter. "Hey there. You must have slept well." "Mmmm," she responded, searching for the coffee pot. She wasn't much of a conversationalist until she'd had her first cup of coffee in the morning. "It's over there," he said, indicating the coffee. "Sit down, I'll get it." She sat down and watched in bemusement as he poured her coffee and brought it to her. Mulder and domesticity were not two images she had previously juxtaposed, and frankly, she was finding them a little hard to reconcile. "I'm making Russian Pancakes for breakfast. My Mom used to make them when we were little. I called her for the recipe, and after a couple of false starts I think I'm getting the hang of it," he said. "I know you only eat light for breakfast, but I thought you might like these. I got maple syrup as well, in case you just want them plain," he added hopefully. She smiled, and nodded again, sipping her coffee. The thought of something so sweet for breakfast turned her stomach slightly, but she wasn't going to tell him that. Not when he was looking so cute, and trying so hard to please her. She sat there, watching him cook, enjoying the rippling of the muscles in his back as he mixed something in a bowl. When she'd had enough of a caffeine hit, she spoke. "Mulder, what are you doing today?" "More interviewing, Scully. I'm going to drop last night's surveillance tapes off to Harradine, and pick up some blank ones. Also, I need to check whether the investigation team have come up with anything more on the Harper brothers. Although they have an alibi, I just feel uneasy about them. What will you be doing?" "Making myself known around town, I guess. I might do some snooping myself; get to know people, find out what the local gossip is about the murders." "Scully, I'm shocked. I wouldn't have picked you for a gossip." "All women are gossips, Mulder," Scully said dismissively, but with a smile. "The only reason that men are not is because their level of conversation still hasn't passed the 'this is how much beer I drank on the weekend' and 'what are the football scores?' stage." "I *never* talk about the football scores, Scully," Mulder protested. "Football, basketball, baseball - it's all the same, Mulder. When was the last time you and the Lone Gunmen discussed your *feelings*." Mulder shuddered. "Scully, ..." "See," she said. "Men don't have real conversations with each other. Women do. Now is my breakfast ready, or will I have to start chewing on my own hand?" He presented a plate to her with a flourish. She looked at it doubtfully. It contained three pancakes rolled around a white creamy mixture. He'd dusted the top with powdered sugar. "Yum," she said gamely. There was no way she would be able to finish all three, and she had her doubts about even finishing one. Aware that he was watching and waiting for her reaction, she cut off a small portion. A fine shower of powdered sugar floated through the air; caught on a waft of her breath as she put the pancake in her mouth. She bit down, and allowed the taste and texture to sink in - thin pancake wrapped around a slightly sweetened, lemony cream cheese mixture, studded with raisins. It was surprisingly good, but far too rich for her morning tastes. "These are great, Mulder." He grinned, delighted with her reaction. "You really like them?" She nodded, and beckoned for him to join her. "Come and have some." He grimaced. "Ugh. I couldn't eat something so sweet for breakfast." The sound of his cell phone ringing drowned out her snort of incredulity. When he left the kitchen to answer the call, she quickly tipped the other two pancakes into the trashcan and hid the evidence with newspaper. She wasn't an FBI Agent for nothing. He returned, wearing a puzzled look. "Did Harradine tell you they'd put an extra surveillance camera in the living room?" "No. I thought they were putting one on the front porch, and one in the bedroom." "So did I. It seems they managed to get their hands on an extra one - it's hidden on a shelf above the TV." She shook her head, ruefully. "Well that's embarrassing. I hope I didn't drool on your lap," she joked. "At least there's no sound on those things." She looked up to see him frowning into the distance. "Mulder? You okay?" "Hmm? Sorry, I wasn't listening. Uh, I'll just do these dishes." Scully stared at him for a moment, before leaving the kitchen. And he accused *her* of being moody. After breakfast, Scully was still fixing her hair when Mulder came into the bathroom. He watched for a moment as she teased the curls into a wilder halo. "I'm going now, Scully. Do you have all your tracking devices on you?" She nodded. "And before you ask, I'll carry my gun in my bag, and I'll have my phone with me." She smiled at his reflection in the mirror. He came up behind her, watching their reflection. "Be careful, Scully," he whispered. She reached back and grasped his hand briefly. "I will, Mulder. You know I will." He bent down and kissed her cheek, taking a moment to breathe in her scent. "I'll see you later, then." Scully's day passed uneventfully, but pleasantly enough. She made a token appearance at Kokomo College in the morning, but then returned to Rockhampton. In the local supermarket, she struck up a conversation with the owner, a large woman in her late 50's. When she made a casual inquiry about the Harper brothers, the woman's face clouded over. "Ooh, they're odd boys, those ones. They keep to themselves, they do. Not very friendly at all. They live in this community and they don't even do their shopping here," Patti said in righteous indignation. "They prefer to do it at some fancy place when they're out with their truck. It's their sister I feel sorry for. In all this time, I've only seen her once. She's a little mouse of a girl, and from what I've heard she rarely leaves their farm. They probably use her for their own personal slave - cooking, cleaning. No, a pretty young thing like you don't want to be getting involved with one of the Harper boys." Scully smiled demurely. "I was just interested, because I noticed one of them the other day. Redheads tend to notice other redheads. Besides, I'm already involved with someone." "Ooh, yes. Your man came in this morning to get some maple syrup. He's quite a looker, isn't he?" she said, leaning over the counter. "I think so," answered Scully, impishly. "He makes good pancakes too." Patti laughed, her flesh jiggling. "You hold onto him, girl. He sounds like a good one." As Scully left the shop, she remembered something Mulder had mentioned to her. She turned back and asked, "The girl you were talking about, the Harper girl, she has a baby doesn't she?" Patti's eyebrows shot up, and her eyes brightened with this piece of gossip. "Ooh, not that I'm aware of. What makes you say that?" Scully shrugged. "I thought I overheard someone mention it. I'm probably wrong." Scully left the supermarket mulling over the conversation. She entered a few more shops, buying things she didn't need, so she could chat to the shop assistants. All of them had heard of the nearby murders, but none of them had anything to offer other than their fervent hope that whoever it was would get caught. In the meantime, Mulder had dropped off the video surveillance tapes to Harradine, and sat down to sift through the files again. He was sure he was missing something, or just not seeing something the right way. After a couple of frustrating hours, Harradine interrupted him. "Hey, we've just got word from one of our men that David Sharp was spotted by one of Sarah Phillips' neighbors, apparently on the day of her abduction. The woman who lives next door to Sarah is a notable busy-body, and she swears that she saw him visiting Sarah. We're bringing him in for questioning now. Also, I think we've got something on the surveillance tapes. Want to come and see?" The surveillance tape from the living room showed he and Scully sitting on the sofa, reading. Mulder watched himself pat his lap, and Scully lie along the sofa, her head on his legs. He grimaced slightly at the thought of what was coming up and glanced at the others in the room. Harradine remained poker-faced as he stared at the screen, but he detected a faint smirk on Woodford's face. "There!" exclaimed Harradine. "It's brief, but distinct." He re-wound the tape, and played it again in slow-motion, pointing to the window in the background. A shadow passed across the window; it was clearly a human form. Mulder shivered slightly and cursed himself for going out on the porch. If the killer had been there and had seen him, then Scully's cover was blown, assuming the killer was someone Mulder had interviewed. At least he'd worn a hooded jacket, which would have prevented most of his features from being seen. Except maybe his nose. He asked for the video to be re-wound again, but he was unable to make out anything from the shadow that might identify the person. "Is there anything else?" he asked. "No, that's it," replied Harradine. Mulder couldn't help but breathe a sigh of relief at not having to watch any more of the tape. He knew the others had watched it in full, but he didn't relish watching it in front of them. It was embarrassing enough that they'd seen him kissing Scully. God forbid that she see the tape. Harradine ejected the tape from the video, and handed it to Mulder. "Here, I'm sure Agent Scully would like to see it." His face was perfectly straight as he said it, but Mulder detected a snicker from one of the officers leaving the room. "Thanks," he muttered, slipping the tape in amongst the files. Hell would freeze over before he showed Scully the tape. An officer poked his head into the room to let them know that David Sharp had arrived. Mulder and Harradine entered the office that doubled as an interrogation room to find an ashen-faced David Sharp. "I didn't kill her," he blurted the moment Mulder walked in. Mulder crossed the room, and placed his hands on the desk opposite David. "You'll have to do more than that to convince us otherwise at this stage, I'm afraid. Why didn't you tell us that you knew Sarah Phillips?" "I was scared. I knew she was missing, and I thought you'd blame it on me. I was over at her house on the day she was taken, but when I left her she was fine," he said desperately. "What were you doing over there?" David started shaking, and his eyes flickered around the room frantically, falling on Harradine pleadingly. "I think I should speak to a lawyer." Mulder stared at him, stony faced. And then it hit him. "The baby was yours wasn't it?" David didn't have to respond. The look on his face gave Mulder his answer. "Did you already know? Or did she tell you that day? Did you have an argument with her, David?" "I want to speak to a lawyer," answered David shakily. Mulder snorted slightly in frustration, and left the room with Harradine on his heels. "Do we have enough to keep him in custody?" asked Harradine. "It's not him," responded Mulder shortly. "He didn't kill those girls, and he didn't kill Sarah Phillips. He's just a frightened kid who's in a very bad situation, but he's not our man." Mulder drove around for an hour, trying to fit together the pieces of the puzzle. He didn't know why he was so sure it wasn't David. But he was sure. He shook his head. Harradine had been taken aback, pointing out that David fit Mulder's profile *and* he had admitted to being at Sarah's house on the day she disappeared. But it didn't seem right. David Sharp had practically fallen to pieces in the interrogation room. The person they were looking for had abducted nine girls, some in broad daylight, without leaving any evidence. The person they were looking for was organised and self- composed. The person they were looking for was *not* David Sharp. When Mulder arrived back at the house, Scully was already home and cooking again. The smell of food and the sight of her slight form buoyed his spirits. "Hey little woman," he said, in a booming voice, "What ya got cookin'?" "Mulder, why is it that you have this insane desire to be shot by me again? I didn't think the last time was a particularly pleasant experience for you." He came up behind her, and wrapped his arms around her waist. "Well, it got me into your bed, didn't it? A man's gotta try, Scully." He doubled over in mock-pain as her elbow connected with his solar plexus. "Jeez, Scully," he whined. "Shut up, Mulder, and get the cutlery out. Dinner's almost ready." Dinner was stir-fry chicken with rice. Mulder began eating with gusto, remembering how hungry he was. "I thought this stuff only ever came delivered in little cardboard boxes. I didn't realize it was possible to actually cook it." She shook her head at him. "You are such a philistine sometimes, Mulder." He grinned. "So how was your day, dear?" he asked with saccharine sweetness, through a mouthful of stir fry. "Fine, snookums. Yours?" She raised an eyebrow at him. "Okay, seriously. What did you do today? Find out anything interesting?" "Not really," she replied. "Only that the townspeople are pretty disturbed by the murders, but nobody has any theories. Nobody's pointing the finger, making up stories, spreading rumors. It's bizarre really. Oh, and the woman who runs the supermarket thinks that the Harper brothers are unfriendly, and that you're cute." "Well, she's right about the last thing. Actually, she's right about the first thing too. I spent most of the day going through the files again, trying to find something we may have missed. I also interviewed David Sharp. A neighbor identified him as being at the Phillips' house on the day of Sarah's abduction. He was the father of Sarah's baby, Scully." Her eyebrows shot up in surprise. "Did he tell you that?" "Not in so many words. He refused to say much without speaking to his lawyer. I don't think it's him though, Scully. It just doesn't feel right. Oh, and Harradine spotted something on the surveillance tape," he added casually. "Not much really. Just a flash of a shadow outside the window. Somebody must have been looking in." Scully's eyes widened. "Do you have the tape here?" Mulder paused. He could lie to her. But he knew Scully too well. If he said no, she'd just ask Harradine for it when she saw him next. That would be even more embarrassing. "Um, yeah. I think I've got it somewhere," he said vaguely, avoiding her eye. "You can't really see anything; just a shadow reflecting on the blind. You can't make out any features, or even a clear body shape." "Still, I'd like to see it," she insisted. "Okay, we'll look at it after dinner." Mulder spent the rest of the meal only partially listening to Scully's conversation. The rest of his mind was focussed on trying to think up a way of distracting her when dinner was finished. End Part 6 From: "Nicknoc" Stain of Purity By Nicknoc All parts can be found at http://members.xoom.com/nicknoc/ Part 7 of 11 Kiah St residence 8.50PM After dinner, Scully had a quick shower and changed into the more comfortable jeans she had bought earlier that day. Although the pair she had been wearing during the day were flattering, they were a little too tight to spend the evening in. She quickly slipped into her plain black bra, and buttoned her cotton shirt. She wanted to see that video. As she entered the living room, he looked up and smiled. "Hey, Scully, do you want to go for a walk?" She frowned. "A walk?" "Yeah, it's a nice night out there." She was puzzled. Mulder was suggesting a walk. For no reason. "Why, Mulder?" "Why does there have to be a reason, Scully? I just thought it would be nice for us to go for a walk. "What if someone sees you?" "It's dark. I'll stick a cap on. Jeez, if you don't want to..." he muttered. "No, I want to," she said quickly. "I'll just get my sweater." Slipping her sweater on over her head, she followed him out the door, still puzzling at his motives. In her experience, Mulder was the type of person who preferred to sloth in front of the TV after dinner, not go for romantic strolls. Maybe the full moon was affecting him, she thought, noticing the moonlight. They walked in silence for a while, making the odd remark about their surroundings. Scully was vividly aware of Mulder's arm brushing against hers as they walked. She felt like a schoolgirl again, wondering if the boy was going to hold her hand. Breathing in the crisp air, she looked up and noticed how many more stars were visible in the sky than were in DC. "Look at the stars, Mulder," she commented, pausing to lift her face to the sky. He looked up. "Wonder how many of them are inhabited?" he mused. She shook her head. Typical. "So Scully, do you think you'd like to live in a place like this?" She tilted her head as she considered her response. "No, I don't think so," she said finally. "Sometimes when everything gets too hectic in DC, I wish that I could live in a small town, in a cute little house, with a dog and a nice garden." And a child, she thought to herself, a familiar squeeze in her chest. "But whenever we come to a small town for a case, I find the reality doesn't seem to match my fantasy. In the end, a small town is often just that - small. Populated with small-minded people, isolated from the rest of the world and serving only bad coffee. So no, I think I'm a city girl." "Ouch, Scully. That's a bit harsh. Small-minded people?" Mulder resumed walking, and she fell in beside him. She shrugged, feeling slightly embarrassed at her assessment. "Okay, that's a bit mean. But sometimes the attitudes that I'm confronted with when we come out on these cases really irk me. What about you, Mulder? Could you live in a place like this?" He chuckled softly. "No, although I admit to having similar fantasies when it all gets too much. Hiding away in the country, with someone by my side." He reached down and took her hand in his. She felt warmth spread up her arm and across her entire body as he stroked his thumb over her hand. "But in the end, I guess I care more about who is with me, than where I am. So I'm happy in DC. And you're right, the coffee's better." She laughed, and gripped his hand slightly tighter. She knew what he was saying to her - home is where you are, Scully. Did she feel the same way? She considered the last couple of days. Although she and Mulder spent a lot of time together, they had never spent so *much* time together. It was only slightly surprising that she was enjoying their domestic intimacy so much. She liked having him with her after work. She liked curling up on the sofa together, reading, and she loved seeing his sleep-crumpled face in the morning. Somehow she had always known that she would enjoy sharing these moments with him. Did this mean she was ready to share her life with him? They walked back to the house, hand in hand, both engrossed in their own thoughts. Scully's mind ran in circles, considering the pros and cons, and then the pros again, of a relationship with Mulder. She could only guess that Mulder was also thinking about her. When they got back to the house, she remembered the video. "Can you show me that surveillance video now, Mulder?" "Um, I'll just see if I can find it," he mumbled. She watched as he rifled ineffectually through his files. She could see the video poking out from under a pile of papers. What was he hiding? "Mulder, it's just there," she pointed out. "Oh," he said, with a weak grin. He slipped the video into the player, and perched himself onto the arm of the sofa. She glanced at him. He couldn't be seated much further from her if he tried. What was all this about? Scully winced slightly as the tape began - she hated seeing herself on camera. She smiled ruefully as she watched the image of herself laying her head on Mulder's lap. I wonder how many tongues wagged after watching that, she thought. Mulder cleared his throat. "It's coming up soon. Just keep your eye on the window behind us." Her point of focus shifted to the window, until she noticed the on- screen Mulder caressing her face. Her mouth opened slightly in surprise. She watched his fingers trace over her cheeks and then her lips. "There! Did you see it, Scully?" She turned to him, slightly dazed. "No, Mulder. I didn't see it," she said quietly. "I'll rewind it for you," he said, reaching for the remote control. "No." He stopped at the sound of her voice, and she turned to the screen again. As she held her breath, she watched Mulder bend over her sleeping form and press his lips to hers. And then again. This time the kiss was longer, and it seemed that she was responding. Then he pulled back, and slipping out from under her, he left the room. She turned to him. His face was bright red, and he looked miserable. "Mulder?" She wanted an explanation, and she was prepared to sit in silence until he said something. Anything. He sighed. "I don't know why I did that, Scully. Well, I do know...but I don't know why I did it then - while you were sleeping. I'm sorry," he whispered. She patted the sofa cushion, and reluctantly he slid off the arMr.est and moved to sit next to her. She sat there patiently until he finally met her eye. She wasn't angry, but she was disappointed with him, on so many levels. Disappointed that he'd kissed her when she was asleep, giving her no say in the matter. Disappointed that he'd done it in front of a surveillance camera, albeit unknowingly. And even more disappointed that he had obviously tried to avoid showing her the tape. "That's why we went on the walk, wasn't it Mulder?" she asked suddenly. The look in his eyes gave her his answer. That hurt. She'd enjoyed their walk, their conversation, and the way he'd held her hand. She'd been totally focussed on him during their walk, and he...well he'd been trying to come up with new excuses to not show her the tape. "Scully, I admit that I suggested the walk in the hope that you'd forget about the tape, but for what it's worth, I really enjoyed it. I enjoy being with you, Scully. I would spend so much more time with you, if you let me." No, Mulder. This is not about me. This is about what you did - don't try and turn the tables. "It was a bit cowardly of you, don't you think?" He placed his face in his hands, propping his elbows on his knees. Speaking through his fingers, he said, "What? Not telling you what I did, or *doing* what I did?" She ducked her head to hide the smile that arose at his dejected tone. "Both, but I was referring to you kissing me while I was asleep." He sighed, and turned to look at her again. "Scully, with the notable exception of New Year's Eve, I don't have great success with trying to kiss you." "Maybe not, but at least the other times I had some say in it." He laughed hollowly. "Yeah, and the other night you told me to take a cold shower." "Mulder, you kissed me in the middle of an argument!" she cried indignantly. "What did you expect?" "It's just that I never know what to expect, Scully," he murmured. Her breath caught when he took her hand in his. "I used to believe that I could tell what you were thinking just by looking in your eyes. I used to think that I knew you better than I knew myself. But now I just feel lost whenever I look at you. Sometimes I think you want the same as I do, and other times I sense you pulling away from me. Tell me what you want, Scully." Scully heart quickened. This was it. They were finally discussing the issue they had danced around for seven years; the pink elephant that both of them avoided looking at. And she didn't have an answer for him. "I don't know, Mulder," she whispered. "I don't know what I want." "I don't accept that, Scully," he responded harshly. "You do know what you want, you're just scared to face it." She flinched, as if he'd slapped her. "Mulder, this is not as simple as you make it out to be." She pulled her hand away from his. "Nor is it as complex as you make out," he retorted. Softening, he took her hand again, and said quietly, "If you can't tell me what you want, Scully, then tell me what you are thinking. Tell me why this is so hard for you." His hazel eyes begged her, and she knew this was her moment to finally find her courage and tell him how she felt. She felt a little dizzy, as if she was falling. Gripping his hand tighter, she said, "Mulder, I'm scared of losing you. You're the one person who understands me, the one person who knows what I - what *we* - face everyday. My sister is gone, and I can't tell Mom. She worries about me enough. Bill is useless, and Charlie is never here. You're the one, Mulder. You're it for me. What if I didn't have you anymore?" He reached out and stroked her cheek with his knuckles. "Scully, no matter what happened between us, you would always have me. I would never stop being your friend, and I would *never* hurt you, I promise." She shook her head. "You can't promise that, Mulder. And anyway, I'm not asking you to make promises. I know that you would never intentionally hurt me. But you have done so before, Mulder." Her eyes clouded as she thought of Diana, and how she'd felt when he'd taken her side. He nodded in acknowledgement of her comments. "You're right, Scully. You could get hurt. So could I. Are you telling me that you don't want our relationship to move forward over fear that you may get hurt?" She closed her eyes. He was making her sound like a coward. It was bigger than that - why couldn't he understand? "Mulder, that's not what I'm scared of. You've hurt me in the past, and I'm still here. You're still here. That's my point. As friends, we can get past the pain. As lovers, maybe the wounds will be too deep. It's not the pain I fear, it's losing you," she whispered. "I've come so close to losing you, Mulder, that I don't know if I'm willing to take that risk." "But you're willing to give up something that could be the best thing that ever happened to us?" She shook her head slowly. "You can't give up what you don't have," she said, her voice tight with unshed tears. "And anyway," she added, brushing away a rogue tear that had squeezed out of the corner of her eye, "I *like* what we have." She watched as Mulder got up from the couch. Standing in the middle of the room, he took off his sweater and threw it towards the TV. It landed on top of the surveillance camera, and to anyone watching, his action would have appeared accidental. But Scully knew it wasn't an accident, and she held her breath as he approached. He knelt in front of her. "I refuse to spend the rest of my life wondering 'what if?'." Placing one hand on her thigh, and another around the back of her head, he pulled her toward him. "Fair warning, Scully. I'm about to kiss you." He paused for a second, and then pressed his lips against hers. She tried to say his name against his mouth, but for what purpose she didn't know. Now that his lips were on hers, she didn't want him to stop. Instinctively she opened her mouth to him, and he responded by seeking out her tongue with his. She moaned softly, swept away by the sensation of Mulder's tongue in her mouth. This was better than the other night, when she had been taken by surprise. This was better than *anything*. His other hand moved down and he spread her knees apart, moving into the vee of her legs. She snaked her arms around his shoulders and pulled him closer, pressing her breasts against his chest. He moaned slightly at the sensation and she smiled into his mouth. As he pressed his lips more firmly into hers, Scully tilted her head to gain better access to his mouth. She wanted to taste every inch of him. Her tongue stroked at his inner cheek, and then tickled the underside of his tongue. He was making low humming sounds in the back of his throat that caused her breathing to quicken. She gasped slightly as Mulder's hands gripped her waist tightly. Deftly he lifted her, and sliding onto the sofa he deposited her on his lap. She snuggled down to get more comfortable, seeking out his lips again. They continued their deep kisses, and she moaned softly. He was right. To miss out on *this* because of fear, no matter how real or how great that fear was, would be wrong. The greatest risk takers reaped the greatest rewards, and Mulder was without a doubt her greatest reward. "God, Scully," he muttered into her mouth. "Don't talk," she whispered back. While he talked, his tongue couldn't do the delightful things it had been doing to her mouth just a few seconds ago. He twined his fingers through her hair, and gently pulled her head back. "Scully, I want you to know that I'm not going to push this. We can go as slow as you want. I don't care if we spend another seven years just kissing, so long as we *are* kissing." His voice was husky and his eyes tender as he looked down at her. She would have laughed, if the sentiment hadn't been so sweet. Did he think she was some 16 year-old virgin? "Mulder," she said with a grin, "While I appreciate the sentiment, if we're not naked and sweaty in the near future, I think I'll explode." His expression was comical; a mixture of surprise and arousal. She ran her fingers over his now slightly swollen lips. "Mulder, you must know me well enough to realize that although it may take a while for me to see your point of view, when I finally do, I support you one hundred percent," she murmured, a twinkle in her eye. "Well...I see your point of view, Mulder." She clambered up so she was straddling him, not taking her eyes from his for a moment. An aroused Mulder was a breathtaking sight, one that she wanted to imprint into her brain for future reference. His hair was tousled from where she had been running her hands through it, and his chest was heaving. Even under the golden hue of his skin she could see he was flushed, and his lips were puffier than usual. She leaned forward and ran her tongue lightly around the whorls of his ear. His hands clamped on her hips in reaction, and she smiled. Ticklish ears. Nibbling at his earlobe, she moved her hands up his torso until they were resting on his chest. Gently she squeezed his pectoral muscles. God, she'd been wanting to do that for years. After a few seconds of rubbing and squeezing his chest, she thought hazily, "No good." His t-shirt was in the way. Pulling back, she didn't even get a chance to voice her problem before he'd whipped his shirt over his head. Smiling gratefully, she continued her exploration of his body with her tongue and hands. Mulder's head flopped back on the sofa. He groaned and then slightly whimpered as she bit hard into a nipple. If his brain had been working as normal, he would have felt slightly embarrassed at the guttural sounds emitting from his throat. But the part of his brain that controlled logical thought was on sabbatical, and all that was left was his screaming nerve endings sending messages to his brain along the lines of ohgodohgodmoreScullyohScullyohgodohgod. He moaned as she slid off his lap so she was crouched before him, her head moving lower, trailing kisses down his stomach. He had a sensitive stomach, and Scully was doing all the right things. He squirmed in pleasure as she nipped at his tender flesh, and traced patterns with her tongue. She then buried her face in the creases of his stomach, and lay there a moment, pausing to inhale his scent. With trembling hands, he cradled her head, gentling lifting it so he could look at her. "I can't believe we're really doing this, Scully," he croaked. "Neither can I," she responded, her eyes shining. She slid back up his body, and kissed him tenderly on the lips. "But it feels right, doesn't it." She said this as a statement, not a question, and he nodded, tracing her lips with his finger. Capturing his finger gently between her teeth, she sucked on it until his eyes closed and his head fell back again. Chuckling, she worked her way down his body once more. When she reached his belt buckle and began undoing it, she looked up and said wickedly, "Think we should remove your sweater from the camera and start our own video collection?" He half laughed, half gasped. If only she knew how many times he watched his porn wishing it was Scully on the screen. "Maybe later, Scully. Right now I'm not letting go of you." He clamped his legs around her to emphasize his point, but made a mental note to ask her about the video thing another time. Just the thought that there *would* be another time almost sent him over the edge; never mind the small fingers that were brushing against him as she fumbled with his fly buttons. Finally she got them undone, and he gasped when her cool hand reached into his boxers and released him. "Ohhh, Sculllly," he groaned. She smiled at his reaction, and flicked her tongue out to taste the droplet of moisture on the end of his cock. His hands were back on her head, and he fought to stop himself from pulling her face down into his groin. Control, he thought. Control. He lifted his hips obligingly as she tugged at his jeans and boxers, and then lay back on the couch, legs sprawled on either side of her kneeling form. He watched her as she gazed with appreciation at his naked body. "You're gorgeous, Mulder," she breathed, before licking her lips lightly. He opened his mouth to respond, but unless the words were "oh" and "Scully" and "Ohhhh Goddd" he appeared to have lost his ability to speak. When her hot, moist mouth enclosed the head of his throbbing cock he no longer cared at his inability to voice his thoughts. He had no thoughts, save from those recording the sensations radiating from his groin. She nibbled, and licked, and sucked until he knew that he was about to tip over the edge. With his last vestiges of willpower, he pulled her head up. "Stop," he gasped. Pausing to reign himself in, he finally said, "I do believe you are fully clothed, Scully. Stand up," he ordered, in a low voice. She did as she was told, standing before him uncertainly. "You look tired, Scully. Why don't you let me take care of this? I suggest we start at the feet." Scully blinked at him. Why did that sound so familiar? Then she remembered; the other night in the bath. Mulder was about to undress her. Obligingly she took off her shoes and socks. Unlike Mulder, who could walk around with bare feet without noticing the cold, she had thick socks and warm shoes on. Impatiently she tugged at the laces, cursing herself for tying double knots. When she got them off, she straightened up apprehensively. Her heart was beginning to thump a little harder, partially from arousal and partially from nervousness. She was not a sexually shy person, but usually clothes were pulled off in the midst of passion. Standing before Mulder, taking her clothes off piece by piece, subjecting herself to his scrutinizing gaze - well, that unnerved her. "Shirt next, Scully," he demanded huskily. Slowly she unbuttoned her shirt, watching his reaction as she did so. He was stroking himself lazily, his glittering eyes boring into her. As she watched him, her nervousness began to fade. His reaction to her slow striptease was incredibly erotic. When she'd undone all her buttons, she paused for a moment, tilting her head down and looking at him through her eyelashes. Smoothly, she shrugged her shoulders and her shirt slipped to the floor, revealing her black bra. Thank you God for making me put on a nice bra, she thought. She'd almost put on her frayed gray cotton bra, and made a mental note to throw it out. A slow smile crept across his face as her shirt fell. "Now your jeans, Scully." She shook her hair back, and undid the top two buttons of her jeans, folding down the denim so he could see the top of her lacy panties. Then she turned so her back was facing him, and swayed her hips slightly. At his groan, she smirked. She'd caught him staring at her butt once or twice. Bending over slightly so her bottom jutted out, she undid the rest of the buttons, and then slowly slipped her jeans over her hips. She turned to look over her shoulder at him, her jeans still resting half- way down her bottom. His mouth was hanging open, and his breathing was coming out in quick pants. Slowly she slid her jeans the rest of the way down, and then kicked them off before turning around to face him once again. Standing there before him, in nothing but panties and bra, she felt magnificent. She gloried in his obvious adulation; in the fact that the man she had fantasized about so many times was now reduced to a quivering puddle of arousal by the sight of her. He was caught in her thrall, and she was going to make the most of it. Slowly, Scully ran her hands up her body, over the front of her hips and her rounded belly, up and over her breasts and then down again, until they rested on her panties. She hooked her thumbs into the elastic. "So what next, Mulder?" she asked in a smoldering voice. "Panties?" She tugged them slightly lower, noting his cock twitch under his hand as she did so. She paused. "Or would you prefer my bra?" His mouth fell open in an obvious struggle to speak. "Bra," he finally grunted. She released the elastic on her panties, and turned around again. She could almost feel the heat of his eyes on her back as she undid her bra and let it drop to the floor. Then she turned to face him again, holding her arms crossed in front of her breasts. She raised her eyebrows at him, grinning at the expression on his face. "Scully, nobody likes a tease," he eventually said. "C'mere." She took a step closer, and gently he pulled her arms away, holding them outstretched so he could look at her properly. Releasing her arms, he ran his hands over her breasts, and she gasped. They were slightly rough against her tender flesh and the sensation was nothing short of divine. He leaned forward until his mouth was a hair's breadth from her right nipple. "You're beautiful, Scully." His hot breath against her nipple caused it to harden, and she groaned slightly. The tip of his tongue flicked out and wet her nipple, and then he pulled back to look up at her. "Now who's the tease, Mulder?" she groaned. "You're not naked yet, Scully." He ran his warm hands up the back of her legs and slipped them under the material of her underwear so he was cupping her bottom cheeks. Pulling her closer, he ran his tongue across the top of her panties, where the elastic met her flesh. She shivered at the feeling. Languidly, he planted hot, open mouthed kisses across her pubic mound, pausing at the edges of her underwear to lick her skin. Scully reached down for his shoulders as her legs began to tremble. She opened her mouth to ask him to let her sit down, when he pulled the material of her panties to one side and touched her with his tongue. This time her legs trembled so violently they buckled, and she pitched forward onto the sofa. Without missing a beat, he flipped her over onto her back, and pulled her remaining piece of clothing off. He spread her legs, so she was mirroring his position of earlier; slumped in a seated position, head back against the sofa and legs sprawling. He positioned himself between her legs and sat back on his haunches to admire her. She watched him looking at her, and felt a flush rise up her chest and neck. She'd seen this look on Mulder's face before; one of intense concentration, when she knew he was imprinting every detail of what he saw on his brain. She always found that look sexy, but never imagined what it would feel like to have it trained on her naked body. When he leaned forward and began stroking her with his tongue, she was lost. "Mulder," she cried, louder than she had intended. She could swear she felt his lips curl into a smile against her, but she didn't care. The insistent movement of his tongue was driving her to heights of pleasure she hadn't felt in a long time - if ever. A feeling of total abandonment swept over her, and she cried out again, partly in joy that she could. She could feel the waves of her orgasm begin, and for a second she wanted to stop. She wanted to feel him in her when she came. But when he slid two fingers into her, her body took off, and she floated away on the undulations of her orgasm, calling his name. Mulder left his fingers inside her, even as he felt her muscle twitches subside. The feeling of her muscles clenching around his fingers had been one of the most erotic experiences of his life, and he didn't want the moment to end. But when he looked up and saw her half-lidded gaze on him, his cock reminded him of other equally erotic moments that he had yet to experience. She shifted so she was lying lengthwise on the sofa, and pulled him on top of her. The experience of full body contact caused them to both pause in their movements, reveling in the warm, silky sensation of their bodies pressed together. Then Scully moved her hips under him, and he knew he had to be in her. "Now, Scully." She nodded, and obligingly lifted her legs and wrapped them around his waist. He closed his eyes as she reached down and guided him into her. The sensation of her hot, slick muscles enclosing him nearly made him come instantly. He frowned in concentration, trying to salvage a modicum of control. And then she whispered into his ear, "I want you to lose control in me, Mulder. We've got plenty of time for soft and slow." A deep, guttural groan tore from his throat, and his hips began pumping of their own accord. Her fingers dug into his buttocks, and he increased his pace. Deeper, deeper, God he needed to bury himself in her. He thrust into her, sweat dripping and pooling between their bodies, slipping and sliding over her. He felt the familiar tightening in his balls, and opened his mouth as a half-cry that resembled her name escaped. "Open your eyes," she gasped. His eyes snapped open and locked on hers as he spilled into her. As his orgasm diminished, his eyes fluttered shut, and he slumped over her. She was whispering in his ear, but he couldn't make out the words through the blood roaring in his ears. When he regained his faculties, he realized she wasn't whispering, but humming softly and out of tune. Another thing he could add to his knowledge of Scully; she hummed after sex. He found that incredibly endearing and he didn't move for fear of breaking the spell. She broke it herself, however. "Mulder," she whispered. "You're heavy, and I think I'm lying on my shoe." He propped himself up on his elbows, gazing at her sweat-sheened face. "Shower, then bed," he decreed. She nodded, and he helped her up from the couch. He held back, allowing her to walk ahead of him, so he could admire her finely muscled back, and round bottom. Even the imprint of a Nike shoe in her lower back didn't diminish from her beauty. His body felt sluggish as he followed her into the bathroom. He wasn't a young man anymore, and sex like that made his body scream out for sleep. But he wasn't going to miss the opportunity to shower with Dana Scully. Scully smiled at the doped look on Mulder's face. He was dead on his feet. She tenderly helped him into the shower and then proceeded to lather him with her soap. "Apples," he murmured, his eyes closed and head nodding forward. She tilted her head up and kissed him gently on the lips. Her sleepy, golden Adonis. She smiled at the thought. It had been so long since she'd had sex with someone she loved that she'd forgotten how mushy she felt afterwards. Someone she *loved*. How had that thought slipped by her defenses? She shook her head. Love. Too much, too soon. Let's deal with sex first, she thought. Better yet, let's deal with getting Mulder to bed. She turned off the water, and led a heavy-limbed Mulder out of the shower stall. He pulled her to him in a bear hug, burying his face in the crook of her neck. "I can't dry you if you don't let me go," she said, trying to sound stern. "Don't wanna be dry, just wanna hug you," he muttered into her neck. She squirmed out of his embrace, and quickly ran the towel over him, then herself. "Let's go to bed, Mulder," she said with a yawn. The post-coital exhaustion was now starting to hit her. Hand in hand, they made their way to the bedroom, and she slipped gratefully under the sheets. Mulder pulled her into his side, and she curled up against him, head heavy on his chest and one leg draped over him. His arm curled possessively around her. "No regrets, Scully?" His voice was tentative, and her heart squeezed a little that he could still feel so unsure about her reactions. "None whatsoever, Mulder," she said firmly. "Only that we're not 15 years younger and able to do it again instead of falling asleep." He chuckled and kissed the top of her head. In the space of a few heartbeats, they were sleeping. End Part 7 From: "Nicknoc" Stain of Purity By Nicknoc All parts can be found at http://members.xoom.com/nicknoc/ Part 8 of 11 Scully's room Kiah St residence 14th April, 2000 5.30AM Scully woke with a jerk, pulling away from Mulder until she realized where she was, and why he was with her. Mulder's arm tightened around her shoulder in response to her movement, but he didn't wake. She glanced at the clock radio. It was still early; they didn't have to get up for over an hour. She tilted her head, and rubbed her face into his chest, as if to make sure he was real. Part of her still couldn't believe that she was lying naked in a bed with her equally naked partner. Her hand wandered over his chest and stomach, appreciating his silky skin, warm from sleep. Unable to resist, her hand traveled lower, and bumped into his erection. Her eyes widened. Morning erection. She looked up, but he still appeared to be sleeping. This was an opportunity she wasn't going to miss. Gently, so as not to disturb him, she lowered the sheet so he was uncovered. Slowly, she propped herself up on one elbow. He snuffled a bit at the movement, and she paused, expecting him to open his eyes. He didn't and her gaze shifted to his body. He was gorgeous. The insecure teenager inside her, who had never fully disappeared, gazed in awe. How had *she* managed to end up with someone so beautiful? Glancing at his face again to make sure he was still asleep, she wriggled down until her face was level with his groin. Penises fascinated her. They were at once ridiculous looking and erotic. She looked at it closely. She had seen many flaccid penises, mostly on dead men, but her experience with erect penises wasn't as extensive. It appeared normal. Normal. She chuckled at herself. Hell, she was a doctor. She couldn't help it. Was it big? She'd always assumed he would be big. It seemed big to her - at least it was larger than any she'd experienced previously - but she didn't think it was abnormally large. She'd seen a bit of porn in her time, and John Holmes he wasn't. She glanced at his balls. Balls were funny things. They moved of their own accord and the skin looked like a plucked chicken. Dismissing them, she went back to his penis. Rosy in color, the skin was thinly draped over bulging veins. She wondered what it looked like when it was flaccid. A slight noise made her look up, directly into Mulder's laughing eyes. "Doing some investigations, Agent Scully?" She blushed furiously and sat up. "Just making sure everything's okay, Agent Mulder." "And are you satisfied that all is in order, Agent Scully?" "Very satisfied." She emphasized the word 'satisfied' and raised her eyebrows suggestively. He laughed, and sat up, pulling her to him. Nuzzling her neck, he whispered, "Feel like a little more satisfaction, Scully?" In answer to his question, she pressed her lips against his. This time their love-making was slow and languorous - a gentle exploration of their bodies. When they were both sated, they dozed for a while longer, until Scully's alarm went off, reminding them that the real world was waiting. ****** Kiah St residence 11.30AM Scully was frustrated. She had spent the morning walking around town, speaking to the locals and making a few inquiries about the Harper brothers. She refrained from asking too many questions, realizing that it would look suspicious if she started to do the 'Agent Scully' thing. Mulder was conducting more interviews, in the hope of picking up information they had missed the first time around. She knew he was starting to get desperate, but she had faith they would find this guy. She looked at her watch. Too early for lunch. She needed a run. She hadn't exercised for a week, and her legs were stiff. Looking down at her legs, she wondered if they only looked short to her because of the angle she always viewed them from. Probably not, she sighed. She was five foot two. That meant short legs. Quickly she changed into her running gear. She didn't have a tracking device in either her running shoes, or her exercise bra, so she put on one of her 'good' bras under her exercise bra. Double the support, she thought, although she would have preferred not to sweat into her expensive underwear. Too bad. Mulder would kill her if she went out without at least one tracking device on her. She considered taking her gun, but decided against it. She had nowhere to put it, and she didn't intend to run far. She would stick to the main streets of the town, and she would remain alert. Besides, it was the middle of the day. As she ran, her mind mulled over the details of the night before. There had been some awkwardness between them this morning, as they both tried to deal with their new situation. As Mulder left, he had leaned forward hesitantly to kiss her, and then pulled back, obviously thinking better of it. She, however, had wanted his kiss, and pulled him down to her lips by his tie, thereby fulfilling another of her fantasies. She couldn't even count the number of times she had imagined tugging his head down to hers by means of one of his garish ties. Her legs were beginning to burn, and she could feel the endorphins pumping. A little longer and she'd start to get a runner's high. God, she loved that feeling. She used to think it was better than sex, but after last night she might have to reconsider. Up ahead, she spotted a moving van parked outside a house. A large 'Sold' sticker was placed over the For Sale sign on the front lawn, and she saw a red-haired man sling a box into the back of the truck. It must be the Harper brothers, she surmised. She remember Mulder saying they had their own furniture moving business. Slowing down to a walk, she headed in his direction. "Mornin'," he said to her, as she approached. "Good morning," she replied, with a wide smile. She stopped near the back of the truck, and glanced into its dark interior. Her eyes darted about as she searched for the other Harper brother. He must still be inside the house. "Someone leaving?" she asked. "Yep, they're off to the bright lights of the big city. It's taken us all morning to get their stuff into the back of this truck. You're new here," he said, his eyes flickering over her body. "I'm Rob Harper." "I'm Dana," she replied. She was starting to feel uneasy, and wished she had her gun on her. Where was the other brother? A slight noise behind her alerted her to his presence, but it was too late. She turned sharply, just in time to see a large hand swoop down over her mouth and nose. Rob grasped her around the waist, and together they manhandled her into the back of the truck. Her last thought before she blacked out was that she had forgotten to leave a note telling Mulder where she was going. ****** Mitchell Rd Between Greentown and Rockhampton 1.05PM Mulder jumped slightly as his cell phone rang. He'd been deep in thought as he was driving, mulling over the previous night with Scully. He picked it up with his free hand. "Mulder." "It's Harradine." His pause was ominous. "We think something may have happened to Agent Scully." Mulder slammed on the brakes, and pulled over to the side of the road. "What?! What do you mean?" "The surveillance team just contacted me. Agent Scully had been moving around the town. There was nothing irregular in her movements. The tracking device showed her leaving the town via the main road. It appeared by the speed of her movement that she was driving. The officer on duty at the time assumed she was going to the college, so he left the surveillance room for a while to complete some paperwork. When he came back, the tracking indicator was in the same place on Mitchell Road. It hasn't moved. Officer Nugent is organising the mobile surveillance van and he said he will meet you at Mitchell Road. I'll be there shortly." Mulder closed his phone with trembling hands, and fumbled with the keys to start the car. Panic gripped his heart. She'd had an accident. Or she was gone. With screaming tires he pulled back out into the road. ****** When Scully came to, she blinked to clear the picture before her eyes. The light was dim, but she could make out a group of red-headed young women in a semi-circle around her. They were all naked, apart from panties. Distantly, she realized that she was naked too. "She's waking up," one of them said. "Get her some water," instructed another. Gentle hands moved her into an upright position, and brought a glass of water to her lips. She drank gratefully and then cleared her throat. "Do any of you know where we are?" They all looked at her, in various states of distress. Finally one of them spoke. "No. They blindfold us when they...when they take us in and out." Scully looked down at her naked body, and crossed her arms over her torso protectively. "Why are we naked?" The same girl who had spoken before answered her question. "It makes it easier for them to...do it." She looked down at her body, unembarrassed about her nudity. "We're allowed to keep our panties on so we don't get dirty for them, I guess. It's pretty dusty in here." Scully felt bile rise in her throat as she took in the girl's words. She looked around and realized there were no windows. The only light came from a dim bulb hanging from the ceiling. There was a basic toilet, shielded for some privacy by a hanging sheet, and a basin. Thin mattresses were scattered around the floor. And there was something else. Something she hadn't noticed when she had first woken. Most of the girls appeared to be pregnant. She glanced at each of them separately, quickly noting how far into pregnancy each girl was. Her heart lurched when she realized the girl sitting closest to her appeared to be only 16 or 17, and she was about eight months pregnant. She indicated towards the girl's belly. "He did this to you?" she asked softly. The girl nodded. "One of them. I don't know which one. There's three of them. My name's Jolie." "I'm Dana," responded Scully. "I'm ... I'm so sorry." The girl shrugged slightly, and said nothing, but her eyes caught Scully's. They were scared, and filled with pain. Instinctively, Scully reached out to her. "It's okay. I'm with the FBI. There are people searching for you. For us. They're going to find us." A pale, thin girl laughed hollowly. "In how many years? I don't know how long I've been here, but I've already had a kid. Nobody has found us yet, and nobody will." Scully's mouth fell open in horror. Finally she stammered out, "Where's your child?" The girl just shrugged. "Don't know, don't care." Scully covered her face with her hands. She couldn't believe what she was hearing. They were baby farming. For whatever twisted reason, these men had abducted these girls to produce children. She felt a hand on her shoulder and looked up into Jolie's eyes. "It's okay Dana," said Jolie. "They won't come for you straight away. They usually give the new girl a week to get used to it before they do." Scully smiled weakly at the girl's kindness. "How far along are you, Jolie?" Jolie's eyes clouded over. "I'm not sure. We try to keep track of the time, but it's hard; we don't know when it's day or night. But I think I'm almost due. I'm scared of giving birth," she added in a whisper. "One of the girls died giving birth." Scully's stomach heaved, but she said in a strong, calm voice, "That won't happen to you, Jolie. I'm a medical doctor; I've delivered babies before." Well, *one* baby, but a little white lie wouldn't hurt. "In any event, we'll be rescued before then, Jolie." She turned to look at the other girls, and repeated, "We're going to be rescued, soon." They just looked at her with dull eyes. A small girl, who could only have been 15, began weeping quietly. A few of the girls glanced at her, but nobody moved to comfort her. She realized they had lost all hope. Apart from the fact that their hearts were beating, it appeared as if they had lost all life. They sat and stared at her listlessly. She knew she had to do something. "Listen to me," she said in a loud voice, "We *are* going to be rescued. You have to believe that. My partner will find us. He has a brilliant mind; he will figure out who is doing this, and he will find us. I have complete faith in that." She noticed one of the girls smile slightly. She directed her next question at her. "What's your name?" "Darcy." "Tell me about yourself, Darcy. I'd like to get to know you all." One by one, the girls began to talk. They told Scully their names, their favorite movies, the names of their boyfriends, cats, sisters. Inwardly, Scully sighed with relief. As they talked, sparks of life began to seep back into their eyes. Even the weeping 15 year-old, Lisa, stopped crying and joined in. ****** Mitchell Road 7 miles outside Rockhampton Mulder spotted the surveillance van up ahead. It was pulled to the side of the road, and the men were hopping out. They had obviously only just arrived. He hopped out of his car, and ran toward them. PleaseGodpleaseGodpleaseGod. He thought of the smirk that would cross Scully's face if she knew he prayed in times of stress. Well actually, he only did it when Scully was in danger. If her God existed, it couldn't hurt to appeal to Him on her behalf. Nugent looked shaken, as if he couldn't quite believe that this had happened in his town. He placed a hand briefly on Mulder's shoulder. "We'll find her. She hasn't been gone long." "This is as specific as I can get," explained the technician to Mulder. "She could be anywhere within a 150 yard radius of this point." The men looked around them, squinting in the bright light. They were standing by the road, and there was nothing that stood out as a hiding place for a woman. "Spread out," directed Mulder. "He may have found the tracking device and thrown it out. We need to comb this place." Mulder stood in one place, contemplating his surroundings. If the killer had wanted to hide something...or someone...this wasn't a good place to do it. It was too obvious, and the risk of a car driving by was too great. So chances were, whatever he'd hidden, he'd done so in a hurry. Which meant whatever they were looking for was close to the road. Mulder began walking slowly along the side of the road, scanning the dirt and vegetation for any marks out of the ordinary. He didn't acknowledge Harradine as he pulled up and began consulting with the surveillance technician. After only 20 minutes, Nugent yelled out. "I've found something!" Mulder head snapped around to see him dragging a plastic bag out from under a gnarled bush. Immediately he sprang into action, his long legs bringing him to Nugent's side in a matter of seconds. Instinctively he reached for the bag, but Harradine ran over before he could open it. "We don't want to disturb any forensic evidence. Let's take it back to the van, and put some gloves on." Mulder ran his hand over his face. Harradine was right. He cursed, but followed the officers to the van. Inside the van, Harradine slipped some latex gloves on, and gingerly opened the bag. Mulder closed his eyes briefly, unable to look. A collective sigh of relief caused him to open them again. "It's her clothes." Looking around, Mulder realized they had all been expecting the same thing - a body part. He almost broke into a smile, until the implication hit him. She was naked. He had taken her clothes from her. She was naked, and she no longer had the tracking device on her. End Part 8 From: "Nicknoc" Stain of Purity By Nicknoc All parts can be found at http://members.xoom.com/nicknoc/ Part 9 of 11 Harper's Farm 19th April, 2000 Scully woke to a rough hand pulling her upright. She blinked, and found herself staring at one of the Harper brothers, wearing a long black robe. "Get up," he ordered. "It's your turn." Fear and panic began rising in her belly. She'd known this time would come, and she'd desperately hoped that Mulder would come before it did. Automatically she lashed out, only to received a back-handed slap across the face. Jolie cried out, "Dana, stop!" Quieter, she said, "They just hurt you if you fight them. It's best to just do it." His large hand clasped her upper arm and pulled her to her feet. She didn't resist as he blindfolded her and tied her hands, and then led her up the stairs. It was a short walk across an open field before they got to another building, presumably their house. When he took her inside, she smelled air heavy with hot wax and fear. She could sense the pain and horror of the girls that had been taken here before her. Despite herself, Scully felt tears welling under the blindfold. No, please God, please, don't let them do this to me. Not this. Anything but this. Her heart beat furiously against her chest. She could feel her body trembling violently, but she was powerless to stop it. Surprisingly gentle hands lifted her, and lay her back on a table. Her wrists were untied, only to be pulled apart and bound to the table legs. Her legs remained unbound, but firm hands held them down. Her head lolled back heavily, hanging over the edge of the table, but she didn't notice the pain. All her senses were focussed on the chanting voice of the man who was circling her. "Unto the pure, all things are pure," he intoned in a deep voice. She could hear the sound of matches being lit, and through her blindfold could see the blurred glow of candles being lit. She jerked when cold water was poured over her head, and then started coughing when some of it entered her mouth. Ashes. The water had ashes in it. Blood would be next. "Hold her legs," the deep voice commanded. "Yes, Melchizedek." She felt the callused hands grip her knees. The man with the deep voice moved away, and then came back again and leaned over her. She smelt his sour breath and she flinched away from him. "Do not struggle. This is your destiny. Our destiny. Together we will maintain the purity of our seed." Scully bucked as she felt the first warm circle of blood being painted on her stomach. She opened her mouth to scream, but a hand closed over it. "Unto the pure, all things are pure," he intoned again, with each daub of blood. When he had finished, he released his hand from her mouth and pulled her underwear to her knees. There was a long period of silence, while Scully bucked under their hands. "She is menstruating," one of them finally said. Embarrassment and relief flooded Scully instantly. This was quickly overtaken by fury. How dare they do this to her! How dare they invade her privacy like this. "Fuck you," she screamed. Instantly, she was hit across the face, causing her to moan in pain as her neck cracked against the table. "Get another one." Scully heard one of the other brothers cluck in annoyance. "Can't we just use her?" "No!" he roared. "She is unclean and any man who has intercourse with her will also be unclean. Get another one!" "Yes, Melchizedek," replied the brother in a contrite tone. Rough hands pulled her up, and yanked her underwear back into place. When they returned to the bunker, she was thrown unceremoniously in a corner and the blindfold and hand ties were ripped off. The red-haired man looked around, until he found Lisa. Pointing his gun at her, he said, "You. Get up." She started to weep uncontrollably, and Scully stood up. "Leave her alone, you bastard. She's only 15." Slowly, he turned to stare at her menacingly. "Fine," he said evenly. "Who do *you* think I should choose?" Scully flinched, but didn't drop her gaze. "I won't do your dirty work for you, you fucking animal." Out of the corner of her eye, Scully saw Darcy stand up hesitantly. "Take me," she said quietly. "Take me instead of her. I'm not pregnant yet." Scully watched, trembling, as the man tied her hands together and blindfolded her. When they left, she sank to her knees, overcome with guilt and horror. For the next hour she sat in the corner, consumed with visions of Darcy being raped in her place. When Darcy was returned, Scully crawled over and folded her arms around her. The girl trembled in her arms, jerking so violently that Scully almost had trouble keeping hold of her. But she calmed to Scully's soothing caresses, and her whispered words. Eventually, she fell asleep. Some hours later, Scully moved to the basin to clean the blood from her stomach. Mechanically she wet the washcloth under the cold water, and rubbed it against her skin. When her stomach was clean, she still kept on rubbing, until her flesh was pink and chafed. The pain was somehow cleansing. She picked up the toothbrush to brush her teeth. They had one toothbrush between all of them. At first she had been reluctant to use it; in fact the thought of using it had revolted her. But after a couple of days with furry teeth she had decided that using a communal toothbrush was better than disgusting breath. Now she cleaned her teeth with the same ferocity that she had washed her stomach. As she rubbed the toothbrush against her teeth and tongue, her mind kept reliving the voices she had heard. Melchizedek. The name struck her as familiar. It had some religious significance, she was sure. As she rinsed her mouth, it came to her. Melchizedek - King of Righteousness. It was the name given to a man who was both a King and a Priest. Her stomach heaved at the thought of the twisted premise behind their 'religion', but she breathed deeply and kept her stomach contents down. They didn't feed them enough to lose any nutrition. She took a tampon out of the large box provided for them, her hand shaking slightly. Her period usually only lasted for four days. She knew she didn't have much time before they came for her again. She shook her head violently. No. Mulder would find her first. "Dana!" Scully was snapped out of her thoughts by the sound of Jolie screaming her name. "Jolie, what is it?" she asked, as she rushed to her side. "My baby. I think it's coming. I've got contractions." "Did your water break?" asked Scully. Jolie shook her head. "You might be having Braxton Hicks contractions. They're not real contractions; or rather, they don't mean the baby is coming," explained Scully. She held Jolie's hand as the girl panted in fear. "I don't want to have it," she started crying. "Not now. Please God, not now." Scully pulled Jolie to her, and wrapped her arms around her. Rocking her back and forth, she whispered, "It's okay, we'll be rescued soon. It's okay." "I don't know if I believe you anymore," Jolie sobbed. "I want to...but I don't know if I do." Scully's eyes filled with tears. She was starting to understand why the girls had succumbed to hopelessness. She looked around, and caught Darcy's eye, who was awake again. As if sensing her mood, Darcy moved over and sat in front of them. "Tell us about Mulder," she asked softly. "Tell us why he'll find us." Scully looked at her in awe. Darcy's resilience amazed and moved her. She smiled at her gratefully. She'd told them about Mulder before; how intelligent he was, how good he was at his job. She could see that Darcy sensed they needed to hear it again. "He challenges me," she began with a far-away look in her eye. "And he'll find us because...because he always finds me. He once traveled all the way to Antarctica to find me. If he can find me there, he can find me here. He'll put the pieces together, and he'll work out who these men are. I believe in him, more than I believe in anyone. Sometimes even more than I believe in myself." "How long have you been together?" asked Darcy. "We've been working together for seven years," responded Scully, taking care to emphasize 'working'. "But it doesn't really seem that long." "So is he good in bed?" asked Darcy, with a wide smile that only barely hid the pain in her eyes. "Darcy!" admonished Jolie, through her fading tears. "You can't ask people things like that." "Yes I can," she retorted. "So spill, Dana. What's he like?" Scully could feel the blush burning on her face. "How did you know?" she asked finally. Darcy smiled and shook her head. "It's obvious, Dana. You've got it for him bad. So what's he like? No wait - start at the beginning. What's he look like?" Scully pursed her lips, and was about to refuse to answer, until she noticed all the girls looking at her, with varying degrees of amusement. They were all hanging on for her answer, but more importantly, they all looked happier. Normally she wouldn't have answered, but the thought that she might take them out of their misery for a while changed her mind. And...talking about Mulder seemed to bring him closer to her. "He's tall, and kind of skinny, but nicely muscled. He's very good looking, which is strange because his features are all a bit unusual. He has a really long nose, and a small chin, and his bottom lip is huge, but put together, they look great. He had brown hair, which is usually cut badly-" Lisa started laughing. "So far you haven't made him sound that great." Scully smiled. It sounded great to her ears. "You'll just have to take it from me until you see him for yourself." She ignored the snorts of laughter, and continued. "He is beautiful and caring. His policy is trust no one, but in some respects he is almost too trusting. He is obsessive, and single-minded, and the most loyal person I know. He has a bizarre sense of humor, and he loves sunflower seeds. He is *always* eating the damn things." Darcy laughed. "Okay, so when did you two first get together?" "How do you mean?" asked Scully, starting to blush again. Darcy sighed in exasperation. "Okay, let me try and be clearer. When did you first kiss?" Scully thought. Should she include the almost kiss in the hallway? Or the kiss on New Years Eve? They probably didn't count. In which case, it was the kiss during their argument the other night. "Not long ago - I'm not sure exactly when," she replied evasively. "Okay, Miss Cagey, when did you first have sex with the man?" Now Scully really was blushing. "Do I have to answer that?" "Yes!" came a chorus from all of them. She smiled weakly, and briefly considered lying, but then said, "Okay. It was the night before...before I was taken." Immediately a hush descended. "I'm sorry," said Darcy, immediately contrite, "I shouldn't have asked." "Don't be silly," said Scully briskly, realizing the mood was beginning to deteriorate again. "It's not like it was our last time or anything. He'll find us - trust me on this one. Think about it - the man traveled all the way to Antarctica to rescue me, and we hadn't even kissed then!" Darcy burst out laughing, relieved that she hadn't upset Scully. "That good huh?" Scully smiled widely. "Ooh yeah. That good." Her lascivious grin emitted a few giggles from the girls watching her. "So is he the best you've ever had?" called out one of them. Scully laughed. "Without a doubt," she responded. Darcy butted in. "Yeah, but that says very little about the quality of his love-making. For all we know, your previous encounters could have been all duds." Scully smirked. Ever since Missy had died, she hadn't had anyone to girl-talk with. Despite the circumstances, she was quite enjoying the conversation. "Well, let's just say I'm 36 and I've had my fair share of experience, although not in the last seven years I might add. But in my twenties I sampled a few, including a couple of duds, so I think I have some yardsticks to compare with. And I'm telling you, Mulder is definitely the best." "The best 'yardstick' huh?" snorted Jolie. "Hey you - mind out of the gutter," giggled Darcy. "Me?!" retorted Jolie, wincing slightly as another, smaller, contraction passed. "You started this conversation way down in the gutter girl, not me." "I know - it's great isn't it? So Dana, what makes Mulder a great lover? We want details." Scully pulled her legs up to her chest, and rested her chin on her knees. What made Mulder a good lover? She thought about their lovemaking, which now seemed like eons ago. She thought about the gentleness of his caresses, the urgent way he kissed her, the feeling of his skin against hers. But in the end, it had nothing to do with technique, and everything to do with the emotions behind every touch. "It's his passion," she said finally. "His passion for me." Darcy smiled slightly, a far away look in her eye. "Love makes all the difference, doesn't it? When my boyfriend and I make love, I feel as if I'm the most beautiful woman in the world." Scully nodded, and put her arm around Jolie, who had pressed up against her. She looked around at the others, all engrossed in their own thoughts. She wondered how many of them had never experienced real lovemaking. Jolie for sure. She had confided in Scully that she was a virgin before now. Her only experience of sexual intercourse was rape. Turning her head, Scully pressed her lips against the girl's hair. She closed her eyes and prayed that this girl would one day experience what she and Mulder had. ****** Mitchell Road Approaching Rockhampton 2.15PM Mulder drove along the highway, his hands gripping the steering wheel to stop them from shaking. It had been five days, and time was speeding by. A sick feeling in his stomach told him that if he didn't find her soon, it would be too late. Too late for what, he wasn't sure. His cell phone rang, and he grabbed at it frantically, only just keeping the car on the road. "Mulder." "Mulder, it's Harradine. I just interviewed Janine Taylor. It took us a while to track her down. She's the person who hired the Harpers to move her furniture on the day Agent Scully was taken. She said she was inside most of the time, supervising the packing. But she went outside when they loaded the last item and she saw nothing out of the ordinary. She said she remembered looking briefly into the truck as they were loading the last box, but she didn't see anything unusual. Just her furniture and boxes. She didn't hear any noises from the truck either. Frankly, Mulder, I know you think they have something to do with this, but they have watertight alibis." "Scully was near that area," Mulder replied stubbornly. "Woodford said the tracking device placed her moving within 500 yards of that house. They could have grabbed her. It was the middle of the day," he continued heatedly, "and most people would have been at work. Anyone at home was probably watching Oprah. The chances of someone seeing her are slim, but that doesn't mean she wasn't there." "Okay, okay," soothed Harradine. "I know she was near there. It's a shame our equipment wasn't more sophisticated, or we would know if she was on that street." He sighed into Mulder's ear. "I'm just trying to say that I don't think you should focus all your attention on the Harpers. At the moment, we have nothing on them, and unless you can give us something concrete we can't just bust in and arrest them." "I'll speak to you soon," replied Mulder coldly, not bothering to respond to Harradine's comments. "Fuck!" he swore as he placed the phone back on the passenger's seat. He had been back to interview the Harper brothers twice since Scully's abduction. The second time Rob Harper had been quietly aggressive and threatened to report him for harassment if he returned. Harper had smugly pointed out that they had steadfast alibis for the last three abductions, including Scully's. And he was right. But that didn't stop Mulder's gut telling him that the Harpers were hiding something. Mulder had petitioned to get surveillance placed on them, but without any evidence, he had been refused. He was missing something, he knew it. It was right in front of him - why the fuck couldn't he see it? He ran his hand through his hair, and only then did he really notice how badly it was shaking. Lack of food, he thought. When was the last time I ate? Scully would kill me. It was only the thought of Scully's disapproval that caused him to pull into a convenience store. He wandered the aisles searching for sunflower seeds; Scully probably wouldn't classify them as food, but they were the only things he could face. As he walked down an aisle, his eye was caught by a packet of red hair dye. He picked it up, and looked at it. The first victim had dyed her hair; she wasn't a natural redhead. He turned the packet over and over in his hand. He had a feeling that was important, but he wasn't sure why. Finding the sunflower seeds, he bought them and the hair dye. On the drive back to Rockhampton he kept glancing at the hair dye that he had thrown on the passenger seat. His mind ran over the facts again. The first girl had been six weeks pregnant when he killed her. She had become pregnant *after* she had been abducted, so presumably the killer had impregnated her. She wasn't a natural redhead. The second girl had already been pregnant when she was abducted, although not enough to be very visible. Unlike the other girl, she had only been missing a few days before he body was found. It appeared she had been killed shortly after she was taken. She was a natural redhead. What had Scully said about the first girl? She hadn't realized at first that she wasn't a natural redhead, because her roots were only just becoming noticeable. Apparently she had enough auburn in her hair to cover the fact that she dyed, until there was a good inch of regrowth. Mulder thought about what he knew of hair growth. Hair grew about a half-inch a month. If that was right, then from the time she was abducted to the time she was killed, her hair would have grown enough for her regrowth to be noticeable. With sickening ease the pieces of the puzzle fell into place. He hadn't killed the first girl because she was pregnant, he'd killed her because she wasn't a real redhead. It had taken two months for him to notice that. As for the second girl, although she was a real redhead, she was carrying someone else's child. This man was taking these girls to procreate; to create children in his own image. Immediately Mulder got on his cell phone. When Detective Harradine picked up, he said, "Harradine, he's taking the girls to impregnate them. We're looking for someone with red hair, not someone with red-haired parents, or a red-haired girlfriend. The killer has red hair, and he's probably been teased about it, ridiculed because of it." A thought occurred to him. That child in the Harper's house. Was that why nobody had been aware of the sister's pregnancy? Was this a child they had created? "John and Rob Harper. I need to speak to someone who knew them as children." Shortly, Detective Harradine patched Mulder through to the local Police Department in the Harper's home town. "Sergeant Litton? This is Special Agent Fox Mulder, FBI. I need some information from you. I need to speak to anyone who went to school with John and Rob Harper." "Well you're in luck then, Agent Mulder," chuckled Adam Litton. "I did. What can I do for you?" "Tell me what you know about them. What were they like?" asked Mulder, trying to hide the urgency in his voice. "They were a funny lot, the Harper triplets. Bill was always a bit stranger than the others. He had funny ideas, and I think the others were a bit scared of him. When we were kids he wouldn't let the boys, or their sister, play with any other kids. He said it would spoil their purity. He used to hold sermons that he made up at lunch time - he would refer to the rest of us as 'Satan's Issue' and would drone on and on about how he was the Chosen One." Litton chuckled at the memory. "We all thought it was a riot, y'know?" "Sergeant Litton, were they ever teased about having red hair?" "God yes. I mean, we were kids you know? And their hair was *really* red. There were always rumors floating around that their father wasn't really their father, y'know what I mean? I went over to their house once to drop something off for my Mom, and I heard their father screaming at them. He was calling them Devil's Spawn, and telling them they were unclean, impure. I think that's where Bill got his funny ideas about purity - some sort of rebellion thing. He used to tell anyone that would listen that they were a pure race, that they were special." I hear they're all running a furniture moving business together. I never-" Mulder interrupted. "I think you're mistaken. We were told that Bill Harper is living in Europe." This time Litton laughed out loud. "No, I don't think so. I saw Bill in their truck just recently. I was surprised actually - I often see the other two driving around, but this was the first time in years I'd seen Bill. It's kind of hard to tell them apart, but Bill has a mole on his cheek, so I knew it was him." Mulder felt a cold trickle of fear run down his back. It was them. That was why John and Rob had alibis - on those occasions Bill had abducted the victims. "Sergeant, you've been a great help. Thanks." Quickly Mulder hung up, and called back Harradine. "Harradine, it's the Harpers. Bill is *not* out of the country. I'm heading straight for their place. Send back up and ambulances. I'll wait until you arrive." Ending the call, he cursed. Why hadn't their investigation revealed Bill's whereabouts? He had asked someone to track that down! It would have been so simple. Fuck. Within 20 minutes, Mulder was at the Harper's farm. The temptation to run in alone and rescue Scully was almost overwhelming, but for once he held back. This was too important to stuff up. There were three of them and only one of him. The time it took for back up to arrive seemed interminable, but in reality it was only about ten minutes. Urgently, Mulder explained the circumstances. Within minutes they had the farmhouse surrounded. Mulder slammed his fist against the door. "FBI, open up! You're under arrest!" When they received no answer, he kicked the door down and ran in. A shot was fired out back; one of them had tried to escape through the back door. Mulder found the other two in the living room, calmly sitting on the sofa. Bill, thought Mulder, noticing the small, dark mole on his cheek. "Where are they?" screamed Mulder, pointing his gun at Bill's head. "I don't know what you're talking about," he responded coolly. "Don't fuck with me!" Mulder grabbed him by the collar, spittle flying from his mouth. "Where's Scully?!" Bill met Mulder's stare calmly, and said nothing. "They're in the barn, there's a trapdoor," Rob said finally. "It's over, Bill. They're gonna find them anyway." Releasing Bill, Mulder flew out the back door, screaming to the others, "They're in the barn. Bring the ambulances around!" After 30 seconds of frantic searching, Mulder spotted the trap door. Lifting it, he nearly tumbled down the steps, calling Scully's name. The sight that confronted him almost caused him to vomit on the spot. A group of naked young women were clustered in the room, most of them in various stages of pregnancy. "Mulder." The sweet sound of Scully's voice caused his head to whip around. "Mulder. She's in labor. We need to get her to a hospital, now!" He moved towards her, and she briefly squeezed his hand, as if to say "Not now, but soon." Mulder understood, and simply brushed his hand over her hair in greeting. He peeled his jacket off and gave it to her, and she slipped it on gratefully. Quickly he unbuttoned his shirt and draped it over the young girl trembling in the corner. The bunker became a flurry of activity as jackets and shirts were handed out to cover the girls, and they were herded into waiting police cars and ambulances. As Jolie was placed on a stretcher, she screamed, "Dana, don't leave me. Please, don't leave me." Scully rushed to her side. "Don't worry sweetie. I won't leave you. I'm coming with you to the hospital." She glanced at Mulder to see if he heard and he nodded at her. "I'll get your clothes, and bring them to the hospital," he said, glad his voice sounded stronger than he felt. When all the girls had been removed, and the forensics team started their work, Mulder's knees buckled, and he sat down on the step. He didn't know whether or not Scully had been raped. End Part 9 From: "Nicknoc" Stain of Purity By Nicknoc All parts can be found at http://members.xoom.com/nicknoc/ Part 10 of 11 Rockhampton General Hospital Rockhampton, Indiana 4.10PM Scully quickly slipped on the clothes that Mulder had brought for her, avoiding his eye. She knew if she looked at him she would cry, and she needed to be strong for Jolie. "I'll see you soon," she whispered, before entering Jolie's room. Jolie whimpered as Scully approached her, and Scully ran her hand over the young girl's brow, whispering assurances to her and smoothing aside her sweat-soaked hair. The young girl grunted as another contraction overtook her. "Agent Scully?" Scully looked up to see a police officer shuffling nervously before her. "What is it?" she asked calmly. "The young woman's parents are here. They want to see her." "No!" shrieked Jolie, her eyes wide. "They can't see me like this! Don't let them!" She began crying noisily, and Scully wrapped her arms around her, nodding to the officer who left gratefully. "Jolie, it's okay. It's okay. I'm going to leave you for a minute with the nurse, to talk to your parents. I promise I won't bring them in unless you want me to." Slipping out of the girl's embrace, Scully went outside to where a distressed looking couple stood with another red-haired girl. Jolie's sister, surmised Scully. "Mr. and Mrs. Griffith?" They nodded and Mrs. Griffith began to cry. "We heard her," she sobbed. "She doesn't want to see us." "Agent Scully," said Mr. Griffith in a trembling voice, "Could you give Jolie a message for us?" Scully walked back into Jolie's room, blinking back the tears in her eyes. "Hey," she whispered to Jolie, who had closed her eyes. "Your Mom and Dad wanted me to pass on a message." Jolie opened her eyes, and glanced quickly around the room, as if assuring herself that her parents weren't there. "What did they say?" she asked in a quavering voice. "They said they love you very much, and they're very proud of you for getting through this." Scully's voice broke slightly, and she cleared her throat. Reassembling her professional mask, she continued, "They said to tell you that if you choose to keep your baby they will love it too, because any baby of yours will be just as sweet and innocent as you were when you were born. And they said if you choose to put the baby up for adoption they will support your decision and help you through it. Jolie, they love you so much." Jolie started sobbing again. "I want my Mommy," she whispered. "Please." Quickly Scully went to the door of the room, and beckoned Mrs. Griffith in. "Mommy, I'm scared," sobbed Jolie and her mother rushed toward her. "I know sweetie," soothed her mother, wrapping her arms around her and kissing her forehead. "I was *terrified* when I had you. Absolutely petrified. But it's really not that bad, and I'm here now. It's okay darling, everything's going to be okay." Scully left the room, fighting to keep the lump down in her throat. She approached Mr. Griffith, and said in a soft voice, "Your daughter is a very special person, Mr. Griffith. You should be very proud. She'd going to be okay." Before he could respond, she turned and walked down the long corridor. She made out Mulder's form slouching against the far wall. At her approach, he stood up straighter and began walking toward her. Scully felt her chin start to tremble, and she clenched her jaw to hold back the tears. He started to jog slowly toward her and she stopped, feeling the energy draining from her. When he reached her, and wrapped her tightly in his arms, she pressed her face hard into his chest. Concentrate on breathing, she told herself, inhaling a lungfull of his musky scent. He hugged her tightly to him and rocked her back and forth. "Scully, Scully," he murmured in soothing tones. His hands rubbed her back and hair, and he kissed the crown of her head repeatedly. Now that she was safe, her body started trembling. She gripped handfuls of skin on his back, trying to ground herself. Mulder pulled back from her and cupped her face in his hands. "Scully, I have to know. Did they...?" She shook her head, and he closed his eyes in relief. "Thank God." He leaned forward and planted a gentle kiss on her lips. He tasted familiar, and she wondered if he could taste the cold dust that seemed to cling to every inch of her. "The detective said he can wait until tomorrow to speak to you. Can I take you back to the house?" She nodded, and wrapping his arm tightly around her, he steered her to the exit. ****** Kiah St residence 5.45PM Scully couldn't remember the last time she'd enjoyed a bath so much. Although she had tried to keep clean with the single washcloth they'd been given, she was washing away more than just dirt. She smiled as Mulder knocked tentatively on the door. "It's okay Mulder, you can come in." He poked his head around the door and smiled shyly. "You sure I'm not intruding?" "I'm sure," she said softly. He perched himself on the edge of the bath and handed her a glass of red wine. "Red wine as requested, and pizza with extra anchovies on the way." She groaned low in her throat. "I never thought I'd be so happy at the thought of pizza." Taking a mouthful of red wine, she closed her eyes and sent a quick prayer into the ether that she had come through unscathed. Briefly her mind flitted back to her dark prison, but she shut down that train of thought. I will not think about it. Not tonight. "Nice wine?" he asked. She opened her eyes and nodded. "Want to try some?" When he nodded, she took a mouthful and then reached up to pull his head toward her. Pressing her lips to his, she waited until his mouth opened and let the wine flow between their lips. Instantly his tongue probed into her mouth, and she knew it wasn't the wine he was seeking. She moaned and opened her mouth wider to let him in. His tongue stroked the roof of her mouth, and his hand wandered down her neck until it was resting lightly on her chest. Suddenly he ripped his mouth from hers. Panting slightly, he said, "Scully, I wasn't going to do this. Not tonight. You don't need this from me." "You're wrong, Mulder," she said throatily. "This is exactly what I need. I want to feel your hands and lips on me. I want to feel you in me." She placed her wine glass on the floor, and pulled his head down to meet hers. As he leaned toward her, he slipped and partially fell into the bath, catching himself with his hand, but drenching his t- shirt and boxers. Scully smirked. "Smooth move, Mulder." "Luckily there's room for two in this bath, Scully," he said, climbing in fully clothed until he was lying on top of her, his feet dangling over the end of the bath. Water splashed over the sides, soaking the bath mat and the towel she had placed there. "Boy, are you gonna be in trouble when I have to clean this bathroom," she murmured, running her fingers lazily over his back and then under his soaked t-shirt. "Well, I'd better make this worthwhile then," he whispered, before kissing her deeply. She could feel him harden against her as his tongue slid against hers, hot and demanding. She kissed him back with equal fervor, tasting his lips and teeth. "Think we can do it in the bath?" she asked, sliding her hand down between them and grasping his cock. "I think we can give it a good try," he muttered against her mouth, lifting his hips slightly so she could gain access into his boxers. While he balanced himself above her, she pulled his boxers down, first with her hands and then with her feet. Then he sat up on his knees, wincing slightly, and pulled his t-shirt off. "That's better," she said admiringly, running her hands down his chest. "Now get back down here." He lowered himself back down on top of her, ignoring the fact that sex in a bath was, really, an inherently uncomfortable activity. If she wanted it in the bath, he thought, then she was gonna get it in the bath. Mulder kissed his way down her chest until he was suckling her nipple, but she pulled him back up so they were face to face. "I know I said I wanted to feel your hands and lips all over me, but I lied, Mulder." For a split second he looked crestfallen, until she whispered huskily into his ear, "I just want to feel your cock in me." She saw the slight surprise that her words provoked, but also noted his increased arousal. So Mulder was turned on by dirty talk, she thought. Well she was flying high on a mixture of desire and exhilaration at being alive, and she was going to make tonight a night to remember. She lifted her legs and hooked them over the sides of the bath, so she was wide open for him, and then guided him into her. He willingly began thrusting, gently at first, but picking up pace when her fingernails dug into his buttocks, urging him on. Waves of water sloshed over the edges of the bath. "Harder Mulder," she whispered, between gasps for air. "Fuck me harder." He hadn't thought it possible, but her words spurred him on, and he thrust into her with wild abandon. Briefly he wondered if he was hurting her, but when she groaned into his ear, "God, you're so good, Mulder," he discarded that thought. He pumped into her, willing himself not to come. Suddenly she gasped. Her hips lifted to grind their pelvises together, he felt her tighten around his already too painful cock, and then his name was bouncing off the tiled walls in surround sound. It took only a few more seconds before he followed her over the edge. They lay there, the sound of their ragged breathing the only noise that could be heard, until Scully groaned slightly. "Scully? You okay?" came Mulder's muffled voice from between her breasts. "I feel great, but my body is complaining a bit. I think it just decided it's too old to have sex in the bath. How are your knees?" "Sore as all hell. I'd get up if I had any movement left in my body." "Roll over," she instructed. Mustering all his energy, Mulder did so, and then sighed happily as he leaned back against her, and she wrapped her arms around him. Their peaceful post-coital slump was interrupted by the pizza delivery boy arriving. "That'll be for you," said Scully, when she heard the rap on the door. Knees cracking in protest, Mulder got up and grabbed a towel to wrap around his waist. Scully admired his lean body and then reluctantly followed him out of the bath. Woman cannot live on sex and baths alone, she thought, as she got the first whiff of pizza. Drying herself quickly, she wrapped her bathrobe around her, and combed her hair back. Mulder was sitting in the living room, the pizza box laying in front of him. For the first time ever he hadn't started eating, and instead was sitting against the sofa waiting for her. He beckoned her over, and pulled her between his legs. "Hungry?" he asked into her ear, as he dragged the pizza box onto their laps. "Starving," she responded, watching him open the box and pick up a slice. He brought the steaming slice of pizza to her mouth, and she obligingly opened her mouth and took a bite. "I *can* feed myself," she said as she chewed, savoring the delightfully salty taste. "I know," he murmured into her ear, his mouth also full. "I've seen you do it before." He kissed her temple, leaving a greasy spot behind, which he wiped off with his tongue. She smiled at the sensation. He raised the slice to her mouth again, and she took another bite. Nuzzling back into his warm body, she sighed. This was nice. They ate in silence for a while, until Mulder said, "Do you want to talk about it?" "No," she replied quickly, and firmly. He said nothing, but she could sense his disappointment. "Mulder, not tonight. Please." She twisted to face him. "I'm not going to keep it to myself. I *will* talk to you. But I can't face it tonight. I just want to be with you." He nodded, looking at her solemnly. "Y'know Mulder, I never doubted that you'd find us," she said, running her fingers down his cheek. "It was only my knowledge that you had such faith in me that gave me confidence, Scully. I had the courage of your convictions," he replied softly. She smiled in recognition of his words. "We'll talk about it, Mulder. I promise. But tonight I just want to finish this pizza, and go to sleep." End Part 10 From: "Nicknoc" Stain of Purity By Nicknoc All parts can be found at http://members.xoom.com/nicknoc/ Part 11 of 11 Rockhampton Police Station 20th April, 2000 2.00PM Mulder leaned over the large desk and stared into the expressionless eyes of Aletha Harper. "Did you know what your brothers were doing, Ms Harper?" he asked. "Yes." "Why did you do it?" She tilted her head and frowned, as if puzzled that he would even ask such a question. "A man is not a man until he procreates, Mr. Mulder. My brother was ordained by God to expand our bloodline. In order for our bloodline to remain pure, I should have been the mother of our children, but..." she paused and looked down at her hands. When she looked back up at him, her eyes were tinged with pain. "...I was unable to bear children. This was the only way." Mulder hands shook. For a brief second he wanted to pick her up by her frail shoulders and throw her against the wall, and the strength of his emotions frightened him. "There are many women in the world who are unable to bear children," he answered tightly. "That is true, Mr. Mulder. But it is irrelevant to God whether or not they bear children." "I've heard enough," spat Mulder in disgust. He turned to Harradine. "You can continue this." Mulder stalked out of the room, willing himself to calm down. He went back into their temporary office, and slumped into a chair. Moments later, Scully entered the room. "Hey, how was the hospital?" he asked. "Full of too many pregnant young girls," she replied softly. "Most of them are still in hospital, suffering from delayed shock. Darcy was released. She's not pregnant, and she just wanted to go home. Jolie had some complications while giving birth. She lost a lot of blood, but she'll be okay. I wasn't able to see her." She paused, obviously trying to compose herself. "The baby that you heard at the Harper's house...one of the girls gave birth to her. Christine. She refused to see her. She became hysterical when one of the doctors suggested it. She kept screaming "She's not my baby, she's not my baby..." I'll guess they'll make the child a ward of the state until they decide what to do..." Scully's voice cracked, and she ran her hand over her eyes. Mulder stood up and wrapped his arms around her. She stiffened slightly and pulled back. "I'm fine, Mulder. Not here," she said, looking around. "Someone might come in." She sat in the chair next to his, and pulled him down next to her. "So, did he talk?" Mulder grimaced. "He talked all right. Preached is probably the better word for it. Preached and boasted, which is a singularly distasteful combination. He claims to be Melchizedek, which I understand is a name given to a man -" "Who is both priest and king," finished Scully. "I know, I heard one of the brother's call him by that name. I remember reading about Melchizedek in a book about religion and myth. Melchizedek is thought by some to be a precursor to Jesus, while others think that the name Melchizedek is just another name for Jesus." "Well he is certainly a man with a Jesus complex. And his brothers and sister are his slavish followers. He appears to have brainwashed them into believing they are the chosen ones. He believes himself to be ordained by God to produce a pure race of people." Mulder paused, uncertain how much to tell Scully. "His sister believes she was destined to be the mother to their children. However, she was unable to conceive, so they moved on to abducting girls in their image." He glanced at her. Her expression remained passive, although her shoulders stiffened. "Because the girls weren't of 'pure' stock," he continued, "they had to purify them." "Hence the cow's blood. The red heifer has always signified purity," murmured Scully. "He painted a spot of heifer blood for each point of the cross over their womb, and poured water sanctified with the ashes of the heifer through their hair." Mulder reached for her hand. It was clear she was speaking from personal experience. "Want to tell me about it?" She drew her hand away from his and picked up a paperweight from the desk, turning it over and over. "They blindfolded me and took me into the house. There were burning candles in the room - I could smell the wax. They tied me to the table and the whole time he was chanting "Unto the pure all things are pure"." She shivered almost imperceptibly. "I felt them paint the blood on, and then they poured the water through my hair. They had tied my arms to the table, but not my legs - they were just holding them down. I knew what was coming next...Mulder, I was terrified. Rape...rape is more horrifying to me than death." She glanced at him with haunted eyes, and he knew she was thinking about the experiments they had performed on her. Medical rape was no less abhorrent than physical rape. He squeezed her forearm, trying to impart some comfort, but he didn't draw her to him. She needed to tell him this in her own way. She pulled away from his touch, and walked over to the window, still holding tightly to the paperweight. "When they pulled down my underwear, I had my period. I hadn't even realized it was due." She gave a hollow laugh and rubbed her thumb over the glass paperweight. "Many religions consider a menstruating woman to be unclean. They took me back, and raped Darcy instead." "Scully," he said gently, "You know that's not your fault." She nodded, her head down. "I know. But that doesn't make it feel any better." He walked over to her, and turning her around so they were facing, he bent to rest his forehead against hers. "Scully," he whispered, bringing his hands up to smooth her hair back from her face. "Scully." "I'm fine, Mulder. I'mfineI'mfineI'mfine." Her words tumbled out through gritted teeth as she struggled to hold herself together. "I'm fine." He pulled her into his embrace and rocked with her, letting her attempt to convince them both that she was fine. She was just fine. ****** Rockhampton General Hospital 23rd April, 2000 Mulder glanced over at Scully. Her hands were gripping the magazine so tightly that her knuckles were white. He could tell that she wasn't reading the words. "Hey," he said softly. She looked up with a small frown, as if surprised to see him there. "You're nervous aren't you?" She nodded. "I don't know why. I guess I'm starting to have second thoughts. Maybe she won't want to see me because I'll remind her of what happened, or maybe she's just so destroyed by what happened to her..." Mulder reached over and grabbed her hand. "She'll be okay. People are very resilient. You of all people know that." They both looked up when the doctor approached them. "She's ready to see you now." Mulder held back to allow Scully to go in before him. He felt a little uncomfortable about visiting Jolie himself, but Scully had insisted. She was sure that Jolie would want to meet him. His fears were allayed by the big smile that spread across Jolie's face when she saw them. "Dana!" she shrieked, holding her arms out wide. Scully walked over and hugged her, while Mulder stood stiffly at the end of the bed. Scully turned, flashing him a smile. "This is Mulder. Mulder, this is Jolie." "Hey, Jolie." "Hi, Mr. Mulder," said Jolie, suddenly shy. "It's so nice to meet you. I heard a lot about you." Jolie and Scully locked eyes, and Jolie started giggling. Mulder frowned. He was obviously missing something here. Scully reached out and squeezed Jolie's hand. "I heard you had a boy." Jolie's smile diminished slightly, but she tilted her head up bravely. "Yes. I'm not keeping him." She paused, gauging their reaction, and then continued, "I discussed it with my Mom and Dad, and I decided I was too young to be a mother. So he's being adopted, and I've already met his new parents." Her eyes glistened slightly with tears. "They seem like really nice people. They know what happened, and they don't care. They said they'd send me photos, and I could visit if I wanted to. It's called an open adoption." She took in a deep, shaky breath before continuing. "I said I wanted to name him, and they said I could." She glanced at Scully, and then Mulder. "If he was a girl, I would have called him Dana. When I found out he was a boy, I was going to name him after you Mr. Mulder, but then I found out your name...sorry, but I just couldn't do that to a kid." Mulder burst out laughing. "Thank God for that. Why do you think everyone calls me Mulder?" "So, I named him Todd. It means Fox." She grinned, waiting for Mulder's reaction. He shook his head. "Why didn't my parents think of that?" Scully smiled at him. Turning her attention back to Jolie, she leaned over and kissed her on the cheek. "Take care, Jolie. I know it may seem hard to believe at the moment, but this will feel less painful after some time has passed." Jolie nodded. "I know," she whispered, suddenly close to tears. "That's what my Mom keeps saying. Dana, I'm glad you were there. I mean, I'm not glad...but you know what I mean. Part of me wants to say 'keep in touch', except most of me just wants to forget this ever happened. But I'll always remember you." Scully ran her hand over the girl's hair. "I'll remember you too, Jolie." She kissed Jolie one more time, and then reached a hand out to Mulder. He pulled her toward him, and smiling his goodbyes at Jolie, led her out of the room. Scully was quiet on the trip to the airport and throughout their check-in. When they had settled into their seats, and flipped the arMr.est up between them, Mulder turned to her. "You're thinking about the baby, aren't you?" She looked up, startled, and he knew he'd read her correctly. His heart clenched at the knowledge that she felt the pain of her infertility every time she was confronted with birth. She nodded, and then turned to gaze out the window. He leaned over, and with one finger on her chin, turned her head so she was forced to meet his eye. Her blue eyes shone with unshed tears, and her bottom lip was twisted under her teeth. Gently, he smoothed out her lip with his thumb. He gathered her in his arms, pulling her stiff body close. Staring out the window at the dull gray tarmac, he realized there was nothing he could do to ease this particular pain. Only time could do that, and those seconds were counted in every ragged, controlled breath from Scully. ****** Scully's Apartment 25th April, 2000 10.30PM Mulder's eyes followed her as she entered the bedroom, still looking flushed from the shower. It was cooler in DC, and she was wearing flannel pajamas that made his hands twitch in anticipation of cuddling her. He pulled back the covers, and spread his legs apart, indicating for her to sit between them. She complied sleepily, crawling over the bed and snuggling up against his chest. "This is nice, Mulder," she sighed. He hooked his arm under her legs, and pulled her a bit closer, getting them both comfortable. If she'd given him a sign, he would have been undressing her in an instant, but he sensed she just needed some quiet closeness. He was happy with that - holding Scully was second on his list of favorite pastimes. He stroked her hair, waiting for the small sighs he knew would come. Scully was like a dog when she was being petted; cuddly and contented. He half expected to see her leg start to twitch. She tilted her head up and looked at him with a small smile. His hand stilled expectantly. "What?" he finally asked when she said nothing. "Mulder, I feel a bit guilty. I told the girls something that was personal between you and me. Something that you need to know." She placed a tender kiss on his lips, lingering slightly to lick his bottom lip. "What?" he asked, a little nervously. "I told them I love you, Mulder." He smiled, and ran the back of his hand down her cheek. "Thank God for that," he joked gently. "I thought you were going to say you'd told them the gory details of our lovemaking." Scully blushed, and Mulder's eyes widened. "You didn't! Scully, I would never have taken you for a kiss and tell kind of woman," he admonished, laughing. Blushing furiously, she protested, "I'm not, I swear. But...well, they asked, and we had to talk about *something*." He kissed her, still smiling at the expression on her face. "Well it's just as well that I love you too, or you could be in real trouble." He paused, and then asked, "So did you tell them I was good?" She raised an eyebrow at him, and then shrugged. "I told them you were okay, Mulder." He gasped in mock horror and wrestled her to the mattress. He pinned her to the bed with his body, delighting in the feeling of her shaking with laughter under him. "Just okay, Scully? I nearly broke my knees for you in that damn bath the other night and you say I'm just *okay*??" Now she was laughing so hard that tears were trickling out of the corners of her eyes, and she was gasping for breath. He let go of her hands and tucked his arms under her body, laying his head on her chest. He sighed in contentment, listening to her laugh. Scully laughing. If he could capture just one moment in his life to preserve for ever more, this would be this one. THE END.