From math.ohio-state.edu!cs.utexas.edu!swrinde!newsfeed.internetmci.com!newsxfer2.itd.umich.edu!portc01.blue.aol.com!newstf01.news.aol.com!newsbf02.news.aol.com!not-for-mail Wed Aug 7 10:13:55 1996 Article: 22461 of alt.tv.x-files.creative Path: math.ohio-state.edu!cs.utexas.edu!swrinde!newsfeed.internetmci.com!newsxfer2.itd.umich.edu!portc01.blue.aol.com!newstf01.news.aol.com!newsbf02.news.aol.com!not-for-mail From: raenright@aol.com (RaEnright) Newsgroups: alt.tv.x-files.creative Subject: REPOST REVISED: Tomorrow Is Another Day 1/5 Date: 5 Aug 1996 19:09:07 -0400 Organization: America Online, Inc. (1-800-827-6364) Lines: 163 Sender: root@newsbf02.news.aol.com Message-ID: <4u5uuj$gb2@newsbf02.news.aol.com> Reply-To: raenright@aol.com (RaEnright) NNTP-Posting-Host: newsbf02.mail.aol.com Status: RO This came about as a discussion about custom and tradition through email between myself and Michelle Hiley. We got the idea and started bouncing it back and forth, and finally wrote something up. It was originally posted to the atxc instead of any one mailing list because we wanted it to show up ON February 29th, and the lists usually have a week or more turnaround time. Mulder and Scully and the rest belong to the Big Karterhuna. We don't *want* to infringe, but we just can't help ourselves, we gotta write!!! Feedback goes to either me at RaEnright@aol.com or Michelle at fbi_basement@hiley.demon.co.uk. Compliments and constructive criticism will be graciously replied to, chocolate will be eaten, and flames will be sent from one to the other and laughed over before being deleted calmly. So sit back, relax, and enjoy! Tomorrow Is Another Day Part 1/5 by Ra and Michelle ***** It's that time again! A leap year, the one day in 1,460 where--well, I'll let you read and find out what I'm talking about. ***** The shrill jangling of the telephone startled Dana Scully out of her thoughts, making her drop the apple she was slicing for her dinner into the sink. Cursing lightly under her breath, she grabbed the telephone. Nobody called this late in the evening unless it was Mulder. So, best to be formal- "Scully." She answered, expecting to hear her partner's voice telling her about some wonderful new case he'd found, that couldn't wait till tomorrow, or better yet, till Monday. "You're getting a little formal, aren't you, Dana?" "Kathy?" Scully asked. Her friend the cellist, the one she hadn't seen since the time she was shot tracking John Barnett. "I'm glad I caught you before tomorrow, I seem to have lost your work number." "I don't have one, really, most of the calls go through my partner." "Right, the one who almost shot me. Listen, Dana, I've got some Symphony tickets and a deal for a dinner afterwards, I was wondering if you'd like to go. I'm not playing, but still..." She could almost see her friend grin on the other end of the line. "Well, sounds good. What day is it?" "It's...uhm...the 29th." Dana scowled at the calendar. "The 29th? Of February?" "No, of March. Of course, February." "That's tomorrow night. As in, less than twenty-four hours away." "That's the idea, yeah." "I can probably make it, unless a case comes up suddenly and we have to leave town." "Great!" Kathy said exuberantly, before her tone modulated to gossipy. "So, who're you going to ask?" "Ask?" Dana heard her voice go up a notch. "What do you mean?" "Well, dear, I do have THREE tickets. And since I figured I owed you guys one for saving my life--hey, why don't you ask out the guy you work with? Mulder, right?" "Ask out *Mulder*?" She didn't like where this was headed. Not at all. "Yeah, sure. Tall, cute, carries a big gun, shoots people? Hey, it's the 29th, isn't it?" "So?" "*So*, Dana, that's supposed to be the day in ancient tradition on which women are allowed to ask men out, or to propose to them." "You must be kidding. Or should I remind you that we live in the 90s?" "Don't be such a spoilsport. Just tell him that tradition dictates that he has to say yes." Kathy encouraged. "Look, if you don't want to, I will. He's gorgeous." Like Mulder would date Kathy, Scully thought jealously. Well, maybe he would. There had been Phoebe-- "Wait a minute." She slowed down. "Don't call him and start drooling just yet. You are asking me, to ask my *partner*, the man I *work* with, out on a *date*, and you're tagging along?" "It's set, then. You ask him, and I'll call you back with the details of when and where." Before Dana could protest, the line disconnected, and she was left holding a telephone blaring the dial tone. Dana glared at the phone and debated calling back. She did not want to go on a date with Mulder with Kathy tagging along. piped up a voice in her head. But, she didn't want Kathy to ask Mulder, either. They weren't right for each other. . Well...this was the 90s. And since Kathy was going as well, maybe she could convince Mulder she wasn't asking him out on a proper date.... She sat and thought about it. Clyde, sensing her mood, climbed onto her knee. The truth was, she wanted Mulder to go to that concert with her. She wanted to see him outside work. And she'd been patiently waiting for him to ask her out for almost four years. At this rate she'd be drawing her pension before he made a move. Scully sighed and stroked Clyde's fur. "Do you have any idea how much simpler life is for dogs?" she told him. Clyde just wagged his tail. *** He was there before her the next morning, glasses on, reading a paper. "Good morning." "Morning Mulder." Ok Dana. Get it over with. Her breathing seemed to be coming in gasps. She put her briefcase down and steadied herself against the desk. "Mulder....do you know what today is?" "Thursday." "No, I mean the date." "Erm...February 29th according to this calendar." "And do you realise the significance of that date?" She held her breath. He grinned. "It's not your birthday again is it? Sheesh, it seems like only a week ago you were 32..." "Fine". She couldn't do this. She sat down at her desk and opened her case. She heard him come up beside her. "Scully, are you angry?" He sounded puzzled and hurt. Scully winced. "No. I'm sorry. It's just...I wanted to ask you....." "Of course!" Suprised, she looked up at him. "How could I be so stupid! I'll be glad to." "You will?" She stared at him, dumbfounded. "Yes. And I'll show you how to alter it yourself, so in four years you don't have to ask again." He picked up the cheap clock on her desk, which was showing March 1st. "I'll set it back to Feb 28th again. We ought to get you a new one, that recognises leap years." Smiling he bent down to show her how to adjust it. Dana just stared at him. Mulder watched Scully out of the corner of his eye as he walked back to his desk and picked up a file he'd been looking into. She was glaring at him. What, what had he done now? He'd fixed her clock. What more could you ask of a guy? He reminded himself. Surreptitiously he looked at her again. She'd stopped glaring, and looked like she was slightly out of breath. What was going *on*? Maybe she was sick. No, she didn't look sick. She didn't even look tired. Just slightly flustered. And she still looked angry at him. He set the file down. "Scully, is something wrong?" "Wrong?" She looked up abruptly. "What makes you think that?" "I set your clock and you looked like you were going to bite me. Is this about that missing expense account from the file we turned in to Skinner last week?" She sighed. "Sorry. No, it's not." "So what's wrong?" She took a deep breath. He waited. She let it out. He waited. Another breath. "Come on, it can't be that bad." He joked feebly. Oh, lord, what was going on? Was she going to tell him she wanted a transfer? That she was sick, or something was wrong with her mother? He felt himself shiver. Please, let her not have gotten a transfer.... "It's...it's the 29th." She repeated. End part one. From math.ohio-state.edu!howland.reston.ans.net!newsfeed.internetmci.com!in3.uu.net!newstf01.news.aol.com!newsbf02.news.aol.com!not-for-mail Wed Aug 7 10:13:54 1996 Article: 22457 of alt.tv.x-files.creative Path: math.ohio-state.edu!howland.reston.ans.net!newsfeed.internetmci.com!in3.uu.net!newstf01.news.aol.com!newsbf02.news.aol.com!not-for-mail From: raenright@aol.com (RaEnright) Newsgroups: alt.tv.x-files.creative Subject: REPOST: Tomorrow Is Another day 2/5 Date: 5 Aug 1996 19:30:31 -0400 Organization: America Online, Inc. (1-800-827-6364) Lines: 224 Sender: root@newsbf02.news.aol.com Message-ID: <4u606n$h6g@newsbf02.news.aol.com> Reply-To: raenright@aol.com (RaEnright) NNTP-Posting-Host: newsbf02.mail.aol.com Status: RO i. This is Michelle, and I'll be your intro writer for tonight. And I'm a compulsive introduction rambler. This is the second part of our Leap Year story. Thanks to all those who wrote after part one and asked for more, here it is, although it's still ongoing, and we haven't decided what will happen yet. So if you want more, write and tell us what you'd like to see happen. Although we promise to finish it anyway. If you didn't read part one, well you'll have trouble following it all, but Ra ended the last part with Scully telling Mulder it was February 29th. And for those that asked, yes Ra is unofficially a part of the family, we're very fond of her, and we cyberadopted her internet self, though she also has a real family. No, I'm not really old enough to have a 16 year old daughter. A certain person, i.e. Madam Enright, has been telling people a variety of different ages for me (thanks to those that congratulated me on my 21st birthday recently, but you're seven years late). For the record, I was 28 this St Patrick's Day. And I will get my own back, dear Ra..... Yes, I do exist, I am not a figment of Ra's imagination (at least I don't think I am. Am I?). Ok, quick usual junk..Scully, Mulder etc belong to the Carter earthling, no infringement intended, this story belongs to Ra and Michelle, we hope you enjoy. Comments to Ra at RaEnright@aol.com or Michelle at fbi_basement@hiley.demon.co.uk Praise gratefully received, flames laughed at because we think you're sad, chocolate eaten (though when Ra said that last time nobody sent any. At least not to me. And she *said* there wasn't any....) BTW, quick thank you to Vickie Moseley, who was available when I realised at 2am I didn't know the correct American word for something. Bless you Vickie, I slept better that night.:) On with the story. I'm picking up where That Mad Californian left off, with Scully's line about the date being February 29th.... Tomorrow is Another Day. Part 2/5 by Ra Enright and Michelle Hiley. Mulder looked at her, baffled. "So you said. Did I forget something? Am I supposed to be somewhere, or do something today? Because if we arranged something, and I forgot, I'm sorry, Dana. But you're going to have to give me a hint." He got up and crossed over to her desk. Scully looked at him. He was still wearing his glasses, and a strand of hair had fallen across his forehead. She was abruptly reminded of the first time she'd seen him, here in this office. "Mulder.....will you go out with me tonight?" He thought he'd been prepared for whatever she might say. But he'd been wrong. Go out with.....had his partner, had *Dana Scully* just asked him out on a date? "Out?" he croaked. he thought. Scully had turned red. "Mulder, it's February 29th. It's traditional for women to ask men out. My friend Kathy had three tickets for the symphony. Her, me...and you." He stared at her, trying to get her meaning. "Dana, are you trying to set me up with your friend Kathy?" "No!" Oops. She hadn't meant that to sound so vehement. She looked down at her hands, unable to face him. Suddenly she felt a soft touch on her cheek, as Mulder tilted her face up towards him. Reluctantly she met his gaze. "So, what time do you want me to be ready?". He smiled. Scully's heart leapt. "I'll pick you up at seven. OK?" "OK. But I have to warn you....my mom expects me home by ten." He had fled back to his desk by the time Scully had grabbed a heavy file. *** Dana regarded her wardrobe with consternation. Whatever was she going to wear? She unearthed a simple black dress, knee length. Long enough to wear to the symphony, short enough to show off her legs. . She rummaged amongst her jewellery for sapphire earrings, and a matching pin. Perfect. Elegant and sexy. She hoped. Maybe she should have worn the blue dress.... That was a thought she firmly suppressed, at least for now. Clyde, watching, yawned as she began tidying her hair again. She smiled at him. "I'm going out. On a date." Clyde regarded her with interest. She laughed, and patted him. "Sorry, but you can't come along. I'll see you later. I think you'll approve of him." Clyde's reaction to that was curtailed by the telephone ringing. Calming the excited little dog down, Dana answered it. Hey, does that mean that if I threaten to kick someone into tomorrow, that they'll hit you? Ah well....let me see.... "Hello?" She said into the reciever, still trying to control the little furball. "Dana, it's me." Her friends voice scratched over the phone line. "Something's come up." "Are you all right, Kathy?" She asked, concerned. If Kathy weren't able to come...well, that wouldn't be *completely* bad, she decided. "Oh, I'm fine, looking forward to tonight. Unfortunately...I'm now looking forward to *playing* tonight." Kathy replied. "Playing?" "Seems like half the string section just came down with the flu and they're short a few players. They called me and asked--begged, really, I couldn't refuse, Dana." She sounded apologetic. "So...I'm still going to *be* there, I'm just going to be onstage instead. That is okay, isn't it?" "Oh, that's all right. I was looking forward to seeing you....but we still will, right?" Dana restrained the urge to laugh. "Mulder will be disappointed." "So you *did* ask him." Kathy said. "I knew you would." "Yes, I asked him, are you happy now?" "Completely. I'll see you at the party, then? There's a get- together for the performers afterwards." "I guess." Scully temporized. "We'll see." "If you don't want him, Dana--" "Go tune your cello, Kath." *** Mulder thought to himself as he sifted through the rack of dress shirts. He pulled one jacket and pants set out of the closet, which was mostly filled with piles of things rising from the floor. Just shy of a tuxedo, but definitely more formal than a business suit, the black jacket didn't look worn at all. Most of his suits had some stain or other from bile or weird alien goo or sea water. But since he barely dressed up anyway.... He was still buttoning his shirt when someone knocked at the door. Damn, she was early. Well, of course she was, Scully was never late. "Give me a sec..." He tripped over a pair of running shoes and stumbled to the door. Dana Scully stood there, in a knockout black dress, smiling. Damn, he should try to get asked out by her more often, if that was the kind of thing she wore outside of work. He couldn't see all of it under her coat, but what he could see was mostly leg. Very nice leg. He reminded himself. "Mulder?" She asked, blushing slightly. He pulled his chin off the floor and stepped back, letting her come in. "Hang on a minute, I just need to get my jacket--" "And this?" She held up a black bowtie, that had somehow gotten draped over the couch. "And that, thanks." He fumbled with it, nervously trying to tie it. She was laughing at him, he could see it. Finally, he stopped and glared at her. "Well, you do it, then." She took the bow from him, and he immediately regretted it. She had to reach a ways to loop it around his collar, stretching dangerously close to him. He held his breath. "My dad taught me how to do this so that I could help Bill and Charles out when we had to go to Sunday school." She said absently, fingers tangling the tie into a proper knot. If she moved one inch closer, he was going to crack... Finally, it was done, and she backed away. He uncoiled slightly, picked up his coat, and gestured to the front door. "We going, then? Where's your friend?" "She...uhm..." Dana cleared her throat. "She got called up to play at the last minute, so we're going alone. But she'll still be there." She added, almost cautiously. He gave her a warm smile. "Sounds great." As they drove to the concert, Dana kept her eyes firmly on the road. This was embarrassing. True, it was also exhilarating, but a small part of her worried frantically. She had always felt that women had every right to ask men out, but when she had put it into practice, it was a nerve racking process. She wouldn't look at him while she was driving. She needed to concentrate. What did he think of her? . Asked him out. Oh, God, she had asked him out. What was she going to say to him all evening? She wanted him so much, and now she had asked him out she was terrified of making the wrong move. Did he even like her? When Kathy had been coming along, she had felt that was some kind of safety valve, a limit on the evening's possibilities. She had liked that. She concentrated harder on the road. She'd worry about it when they got there. Mulder watched the emotions pass across her face, observing her from the corner of his eye as he pretended to watch the passing traffic. He was still shocked by the events of the day. This was one leap year he wouldn't forget in a hurry, that was for sure. This morning he had been terrified she had got a transfer, and now he was sitting in her car going on a date. A date. With Dana Scully. He smiled at the thought. He'd wanted to ask her out so often, but she was his partner. He didn't dare. It's not that, he argued, it's just... Yes. He didn't want her to feel harrassed. He'd wanted her to see he treated her as an equal. . Now what? He didn't know. . Mulder sighed to himself. He'd worry about it when they got there. As they walked through the lobby, they were both very aware of each other. Dana had taken Fox's arm almost without thinking as they entered, and now the gentle pressure was giving them both a lot to think about. As they took their seats an usher approached them. "Ms Scully? I've been asked to pass this to you." He handed her a note. Under Mulder's unashamedly interested gaze, Scully flipped the paper open. "Saw you both coming through the lobby. You look great. Dana, he's gorgeous, and if you have any sense you'll take him home later and spend the night enjoying him. Before you do, don't forget there's a party backstage after the performance, and you're both invited. Ply him with a bit of champagne, and you might get your wicked way with him! Kathy." Dana felt herself begin to blush again. Mulder was still watching her. "Problem?" He asked. "No. It's from Kathy, she's invited us both to a party after the concert. Want to go?" He smiled at her. "I'd love to. If you're happy to, that is." Dana regained some composure and smiled back. "Sure. It'll be fun." At that moment applause signalled the entry of the performers. As they got ready to begin, Dana glanced sideways at her partner. He was smiling mysteriously to himself, watching the stage. She wished she knew what was going on in his mind. As the music began she settled back to enjoy, and almost started as she felt a hand softly take her own hand. End Part Two From math.ohio-state.edu!cs.utexas.edu!news.sprintlink.net!news-stk-200.sprintlink.net!usenet.kornet.nm.kr!news.postech.ac.kr!news.kreonet.re.kr!news.dacom.co.kr!arclight.uoregon.edu!usenet.eel.ufl.edu!news-res.gsl.net!news.gsl.net!hunter.premier.net!ne Wed Aug 7 10:13:54 1996 Article: 22458 of alt.tv.x-files.creative Path: math.ohio-state.edu!cs.utexas.edu!news.sprintlink.net!news-stk-200.sprintlink.net!usenet.kornet.nm.kr!news.postech.ac.kr!news.kreonet.re.kr!news.dacom.co.kr!arclight.uoregon.edu!usenet.eel.ufl.edu!news-res.gsl.net!news.gsl.net!hunter.premier.net!news.cais.net!newsfeed.internetmci.com!newsxfer2.itd.umich.edu!portc01.blue.aol.com!newstf01.news.aol.com!newsbf02.news.aol.com!not-for-mail From: raenright@aol.com (RaEnright) Newsgroups: alt.tv.x-files.creative Subject: REPOST:Tomorrow Is Another Day 3/5 Date: 5 Aug 1996 19:17:30 -0400 Organization: America Online, Inc. (1-800-827-6364) Lines: 245 Sender: root@newsbf02.news.aol.com Message-ID: <4u5vea$gm9@newsbf02.news.aol.com> Reply-To: raenright@aol.com (RaEnright) NNTP-Posting-Host: newsbf02.mail.aol.com Status: RO Hi! Us two again. Who are we, you ask? What, forgotten us already? Oh, right. Well, anyway, here's part three of Tomorrow Is Another Day. If you're missing parts 1 or 2, you can get them from us. In return for a fee, that is....'fee'dback . Comments, Questions, and Eclairs (we actually got Belgian chocolate last time!) can be directed to fbi_basement@hiley.demon.co.uk or raenright@aol.com where we will thoroughly enjoy them or cry over them accordingly. Flames will be read and then ancient Celtic curses will be brought down upon the flamers. Fox Mulder, Dana Scully, and Kathy whomeversheis belong to Chris Carter and company. This story, however, is ours. It's incomplete so far, but we're working on it. Thanks! Tomorrow Is Another Day 3/5 By Michelle Hiley and Ra Enright This bit is from the last part... At that moment applause signalled the entry of the performers. As they got ready to begin, Dana glanced sideways at her partner. He was smiling mysteriously to himself, watching the stage. She wished she knew what was going on in his mind. As the music began she settled back to enjoy, and almost started as she felt a hand softly take her own hand. ----------------------------------------------------------------------- It startled her enough that she almost jumped, but managed to stop herself. He was still smiling, staring straight ahead, for all the world as if he were deeply engrossed in the music. But his hand was clasping hers lightly, thumb on her palm. She relaxed again - no reason he couldn't hold her hand. They were partners, they'd seen each other in every imaginable situation and a few that defied imagination. They were outside of work. Where was it written that partners couldn't hold hands when they *weren't* being stalked by killers or standing in the room with a dead body? His hand was warm, and where it rested on hers she felt small tingles run up her arm. It was going to be a long concert. Mulder could have whacked himself if his hand wasn't on Dana's. He hadn't *meant* to do it, of course he hadn't. He was going to sit and enjoy this concert, and not think about the beautiful woman sitting next to him. He was going to be Agent Mulder who was always a gentleman and wouldn't dream of coming on to his partner, even though he would dearly like to. Fat chance. Before he knew it, his hand had reached out and settled on top of hers, tracing her lifeline with his thumb. He felt her tense and almost drew back, but then she seemed to relax. He kept his eyes riveted on the stage, pretending to search for Dana's friend Kathy. He hoped the house lights were low enough that she couldn't see the red creeping across the bridge of his nose. That was *not* something he had want--had planned to do. Well, he couldn't say he hadn't wanted to. After a few seconds, she squeezed back gently, and he glanced sidelong at her. She was looking straight ahead too, ignoring the hand on hers. There wasn't anything *wrong* with it, he rationalized. He was a man and she was a woman and they were out at a concert and nobody would ever know. Nobody cared that he was holding his partner's hand because nobody knew that they were partners. So why did he feel like the eyes of everyone in the house were on him? Rebelliously, he leaned over and whispered in her ear. "This is great, Scully. Thanks for asking me." "N-no problem." She glanced up at him. "My pleasure." "Really." He quirked his lips up in one of his most annoying smiles. "Well, anything I can do...." She was either going to slug him or kiss him. She hoped he hadn't caught the slight stammer in her voice when she answered him. But his hand on hers, and his breath near her ear, was driving her crazy. For half a second she considered replying "You can do anything" to his trailing comment, but thought better. Instead she settled for, "I'll keep that in mind." There, that wiped the smug smile off his face. Mulder was still pondering the implications of that when abruptly the house lights went up. He jumped, as if shot, and let go of Scully's hand. "Mulder? You OK?" "Er...yeah. I wasn't expecting the lights." "It's the intermission. They put the lights on to help you find the bar." "Oh. I didn't realise the time. I guess I was lost in the music." "Did you enjoy the Prokofiev?" "Loved it. Would you like a drink?" "Please." *** By the time they reached the bar, the awkwardness was getting to Mulder. "Two glasses of wine please. The lady's paying." "I am?" "Hey, you asked me along. You think I'm just some cheap date?" "I didn't know I'd be paying for everything. You could at least offer to pay half." "I didn't want to offend your pride". He grinned at her. She smiled back. "OK, I'm paying." She handed over the money and they retired to a side table. "Thanks." He sipped at the wine. "I guess one of us better go easy on this, especially with the party afterwards. One of us has to drive." thought Dana. . She flushed. Uh-oh. Now she'd done it. She couldn't look at him. "Dana? Are you OK?" Scully regained control, looked up and smiled. "I'm fine. It's just..it's a little hot in here. And with the wine, I felt a little light headed. I've been thinking, maybe we could get a taxi home. I can pick my car up tomorrow. It seems a shame to go to a champagne party, and have to stay completely sober." "Sure. I guess you're right. In that case would you like some more wine? I'll pay this time, just to show I'm not a gold-digger." "The bell's about to go to end the intermission, so no thanks. Come on, let's go back in. We'll have time to socialise afterwards." She gave him the smile that he always thought of as her enigmatic Dr Scully smile. The Mona Lisa had nothing on her when she did that. As they retook their seats, he was painfully aware that he wasn't going to hear a note of the second half either.... This time, when he took her hand she didn't start, didn't jump. If he was going to hold her hand for the entire second half of the concert as well, then by god she was going to enjoy it for once. That settled all of her conscience, except for the little section that wanted to know just why she thought it would be a good idea to lean against his shoulder as the lights went down again, and the other little part that answered that this was what people *did* on dates, didn't she recall what a date was? Which were both drowned out by the third section that was telling them to shut up and enjoy being seated next to--correction, against--the most handsome guy in the house. That seemed to settle it. He was right, he wasn't going to hear any of the second half of the concert, either. Mulder had thought that perhaps he would have gotten used to the admittedly new sensation of acting like...like a guy on a date around his partner, at least in the department of holding hands. He could...erm, handle that, pardon the pun. But then she decided to be cute, or wonderful, or something, and lean against him as the house lights went down. Must've been the champagne, because his head was spinning. He really needed to learn that he simply couldn't hold his drink. Of course, one glass of wine had never done this to him before, but then he'd never had to sit with Dana Scully directly afterwards, either. Oh, what the hell. He felt her head rest on his shoulder and leaned his own down on top of it. That *had* to be the alcohol talking. **** thought Kathy. The lights had gone up, the rest of the audience had left, and there they were, asleep in each other's arms. She shook her friend. "Dana. *DANA*!" Scully opened her eyes blearily. "Huh?" "Well, it's good to know our performance was so riveting! Still, music hath charms etc. Now I know how Orpheus felt, lulling the savage beasts to sleep." "Kathy? What...?" "I came straight round to collect you for the party. You and he," she jerked her thumb at Mulder "had dozed off. Very comfy you looked too." "Oh! Kathy, I'm sorry! It was just, well I had a glass of wine, and so did he..and well..." "And he was warm and soft and you felt safe?" "No! Yes. I..look, help me wake him up. I don't remember how drunk he was." Mulder however proved suprisingly easy to awaken, and perfectly sober. Dana regarded him with suspicion. Had he *been* asleep? "So, Kathy. Good to see you. Dana mentioned a party?" "If you feel up to it, sure." Mulder grinned. "It was only a small amount of wine. I feel wide awake. Dana?" Scully yawned and stretched. "After that sleep, I feel stone cold sober." Kathy took their arms. "We'll soon fix that....." **** "More champagne, madam?" Scully shook her head. Across the room, Mulder was placing his glass on the table. He came over to her. "Hi. How are you doing? Enjoying the party?" She nodded. "It's been fun. But I don't want to stay too late." "You're right. We have work tomorrow." "Oh! I didn't mean that you had to...." He interrupted her. "I know. But I've had enough too. And we may as well share that taxi. I assume that's still the plan?" "Yes. I'm pretty sober, but I don't want to take the risk." "Gee, you mean you didn't drink all this champagne either?" he gestured at the bottles. "Well, I only had two glasses. So who drank our share?" Scully pointed to a chair in the corner, where Kathy lay snoring. "Let's go. The others will see she gets to bed. I'll call her tomorrow." **** "TAXI! At last!" They climbed in. "Where to?" Mulder opened his mouth, but Scully leaned across and gave her address. "Going back to your place huh?" Fox glanced at his partner. "Should I worry for my virtue?" "Dream on Mulder. I'm just closer, that's all." "Do I at least get a coffee? To discuss the concert?" She shrugged, "If you like." They both looked out of the window in silence until they drew up outside the apartment block. Mulder paid the fare, while Dana unlocked the door, very aware of when Mulder came up behind her. "Let me help." He pushed on the door as she turned the key, her hands beginning to shake with the nearness. Mulder wasn't sure he could control himself much longer. She looked gorgeous in that dress, and he'd wanted to touch her all evening and now..now she was turning in his arms as he reached past her for the door, and.... And.. thought Dana.