From: "Ram" Date: Sun, 6 Jun 1999 20:01:06 +0100 Subject: NEW:fanfic: Tricky Business 1/1 Title: Tricky Business Author: Joey R. Rating: PG Category: MSR, non-x-file case. Disclaimer: Not mine, all CC's though why anyone would want Fowley, I don't know. Original characters are mine and are staying mine. DD and GA also kinda own Moose and Squirrel. Well, they should. Spoilers: Nope. Summary: Here goes: Mulder and Scully assist on a routine case that becomes personal. There. I'm not spoiling it, read it. Archive: Please do. Let me know where, though. Feedback: All welcome at Joey@PPoS.zzn.com or Joey@Ram32.freeserve.co.uk Dedication: This may take a while: Lisa (my Beta reader), Jen, guys on the lists. And these people:Kimi, Mary, Lisa M, Rach, Ang, Tanja, Jo, Mer, Kaila, Eileen, Amy, Caroline, Donna, Haty, Em, Lauren, Mae, Diana, Kate and Mary. Sheesh. There's a lot there! Note: This story has nothing to do with any other stories written by me. I also started this in 1996/7 and only just found it on disk - I'm still surprised my computer let me open it! Visit my stories at: www.geocities.com/hollywood/park/1240/index.html Tricky Business PART ONE. The crime scene photographs were black and white but the violence and tragedy of the murders were transparent. It was clear that all three women had died a wrongful death, their lives were all tragically cut short. The thing that had involved the F.B.I. was the surprising link that joined them together - the fact that they all worked for the same company, the same woman. That was why Special Agent Fox Mulder was in the New York police station, looking at the crime scene photos with the smug Detective Matthew Connor hovering at his shoulder. Neither man was concentrating on the pictures they had already searched frantically. Both of their minds were on the same woman, a very beautiful woman though not one of the victims. The only difference between the two was that one had a close relationship with her. Connor was tall and had dark eyes, dark eyes that followed the woman's every move. All he wanted was a bit of fun and she looked like the kind of woman he could easily wrap round his finger. He was wrong. Mulder watched Connor watching the woman before turning his gaze to her. She was beautiful and it put him on edge to notice other men picking up on something instantly that it took him years to notice. He had very nearly failed to notice how perfect for him she was until it was too late but luckily he'd been forced to face up to his feelings before he lost her. When another man threatened to take her away, he had realized how deep his feelings for her were and he'd put a stop to his rivals romancing of her. It was only after he'd blurted out he loved her that she soothingly told him she wouldn't have left with her ex-boyfriend as she had fallen in love with him. The two spent hour after hour talking and then they'd spent a whole weekend in each others arms. Still, knowing she cared for him wasn't very comforting when other men eyed her up or made suggestive comments. Mulder tried not to let it bother him, he didn't want to become the possessive boyfriend but it unnerved him more now they were a couple than it had when they'd just been friends. Another thing about realizing his feelings was that he wanted to be with her constantly. It killed him seeing her, like now, but not being able to hold her or kiss her in front of everyone. Mulder looked at her innocent smile. He wanted her bad, he craved the feeling of his hand running softly over her silky smooth skin as they kissed hungrily and he wanted to be able to feel her draw imaginary pictures on his as he breathed in the ever so familiar scent of her hair mingled with that of her perfume........... Mulder tore his intense hazel eyes from her, telling himself that his lusting after her would end in a few more hours if only he could wait for their days work to be over. He ran a hand through his medium brown hair and tried to get her image from clouding his mind but that was an incredibly hard thing to do, especially as she was standing across the crowded room talking with another Detective about the case. He was brought from his thoughts by Connor talking to him - about the woman he couldn't erase from his mind. " So how long have you known her? Your partner, I mean," Connor asked suddenly, his eyes bright with interest. " Four almost five years," Mulder shrugged as if it was no big thing. " Why do you ask?" " Just curious," Connor's eyes remained glued to the F.B.I. Agent talking just a few feet away. " Is she single?" " No, she's got a boyfriend. I hear he's quite protective of her, beat up a guy once," only half of Mulders answer was true. " Why? You interested?" " It doesn't matter," Connor gave a sigh of disappointment. " She's out of my league anyway, too sophisticated and intelligent." Mulder hid a smile. He had once thought like that but he knew better now. A lot better. Mulder was so lost in his thoughts he barely noticed Connor walk away and Dana Scully approach. It was only when she spoke that he realized she was beside him instead of across the room. " What are you smiling at?" She asked, her soft and soothing voice startling him out of his daydream. He turned and looked in her deep baby blue eyes, smiling slyly at her as he answered. " Just a woman," he told her innocently. " Anyone I know?" She looked at him suspiciously. He was a very attractive man. Square-jawed good looks and broad shoulders with boyish charm. She still found it amazing how much they had learnt about each other in the last few months that they'd been oblivious to years before hand. " Yeah, go look in a mirror and you'll see her for yourself," he lowered his voice and took her arm, his eyes never leaving hers. This was the woman who's image was stuck in his mind, the woman he longed to be with. Her flame red hair framed her flawless face and her smile could easily turn any man into a pool of nerves. She was a bit shorter than him and had a very delicate look about her, one that made her feel very delicate in his arms. " You almost ready to go back to the Motel?" " Almost," Scully pushed at a lock of hair that had escaped from the gold clip in her hair. " You seem very eager to leave, especially for someone who is supposed to be obsessed with his work." " I'm more obsessed with you," he murmured quietly. " Which is strange for two partners who aren't supposed to have anything more to do with each other that business." " You win," she had to smile at his cunning. She could read the longing in his eyes that she knew would be reflected in her own. " So what's up? You look distant, you didn't even notice me come over." " Don't sound so concerned. I was just thinking about you and how much I need to talk to you in private," he assured her tugging on her arm. She shook her head in wonder and laughed warmly. " You just want to get me alone and risk being caught doing something we're not supposed to," she teased only half jokingly. " Yep, and usually you're all for it," he risked putting a hand down the side of her face as they stopped in an almost deserted corridor. " I just don't like guys like Connor staring at you when I can't tell them that we're a couple." " I'm not something you can own and show of. Besides it's because of your work on the x-files that we can't come out in the open," she reminded him with a sigh. She softened her voice when she continued, her shoulders slumped in resignation. " I feel just as you do about it but we have to keep us secret for the time being." " But not forever," he interjected. " I promise you the x-files are not going to keep us in hiding forever." " I know," she leaned against the wall and gazed up at him. " I know." " If you ever feel I'm putting work before you or ignoring you in any way, tell me," Mulder took a chance and put his arms round her thin waist. He kissed her forehead before he carried on. " I don't want anything to ever come between us. I've almost lost you enough times to know that you're the most important person in my life and nothing would be the same if you left it." PART TWO -------------------------------------------------------------- ------------ Mulder and Scully were forced by their duties to get their minds off each other and on to their work. His words stayed with them for the rest of the day, the truthfulness of them stabbing at their thoughts as sharp as a needle would. They knew that there was an element of danger in their jobs. One or both of them could be killed in the line of duty, but in a way that danger, that fear of losing one another, that kept them closer than ever. Neither wanted to imagine what it would be like without the other so they rarely thought about what could happen whilst out on a case. They talked about it sometimes but it always brought them together, never tore them apart. They were grateful for every moment they had together so they never thought about the consequences of what being together could bring except for the happiness, security, strength and love that they shared between them and that bound them together for eternity. --------------------------------------------------------------- ------------------------ Mulder and Scully stayed at the police station for a few hours before they decided to call it a night and head back to their motel. Mulder drove their white rental car for a while before the silence that had fallen over them was disturbed. " Mulder," Scully was the first to speak. " What?" He kept his gaze on her. " You're supposed to be watching the road, not me," she retorted as he continued to watch her instead of the road in front of him. " I can't help it. You're very watchable," he teased lovingly. " And that's what I'll say to the insurance company if we get into a accident." " I don't think that'll go down too well with your insurance company or the Bureau," she smiled at his innocent little boy look. He turned his attention back to the road. " I doubt it'd go down too well with your brother either," he muttered under his breath. " He'd probably kill me." " You can ignore my brother, or at least my big brother. You haven't met Charles," she told him softly. " Do you blame me? For your sisters death or your abduction?" He spoke so quietly she had to strain to catch his words. " We've been through this. I do not blame you for anything. I couldn't blame you if I tried!" She answered firmly. " Can we drop this conversation please? It always makes us argue and I don't like fighting with you." " But when we fight, we always get to make up," his charm returned with his cheeky grin. " And I know you like doing that as much as I do." " We don't have to fall out to make up," she matched the grin with a smile of her own. " We don't have to fight to do that." " What are you suggesting?" Mulder raised an eyebrow but she remained silent. They didn't speak again until they got to the motel. Mulder looked over at her occasionally but she wouldn't return his gaze. He did, however, try to get her attention by putting a hand on her knee which she did nothing about. --------------------------------------------------------- ----------------- Later that night Mulder and Scully lay together in bed. Mulder was awake, Scully wasn't. He held her close and listened to the sound of her gentle breathing. Her head rested against his shoulder and his arms were wrapped around her waist. Mulder was happy being like that, being with her alone. It was at times like this that he knew his life would be incomplete without her. No one could take her place, they'd been through too much together to find anyone else. Mulder knew everything about her just as she knew everything about him and they had a lot in common besides work. He loved everything about her and hated the thought of her with anyone but him. That was why the next few days were going to be a test, a test of his trust in her own strength. He had to trust her judgment and trust her to come to him when she needed help. If that trust wasn't as strong as it needed to be, they could quite easily lose each other for good. ------------------------------------------------------- ------------------- Scully and Mulder went to the station when they were called by Detective Connor. Another woman was dead but someone had come forward with some valuable information. Scully followed Mulder into a small office and the two were introduced to Isabelle Hayse. " Ms. Hayse worked with all of the victims until recently. I'll let her tell you the rest, I have a press statement to make," Connor told them with a sigh. He looked exhausted, the case was really wearing him down. He left the two agents with Isabelle and Scully took the seat opposite the frightened young woman. She had mousy brown hair and green eyes rimmed with red. " I can't stay long, if Amanda found out she'd kill me," Isabelle sniffed. " Amanda Tyler?" Mulder asked. " Is she your boss at the studio?" " Yeah, she is. It's her fault all of those women are dead but she only cares about the money," Isabelle looked around the room. " She owns the designing studio and hires all the staff. Only women can work for her, the designing is just a front." " A front for what?" Scully studied the woman in front of her. " All of the customers are male, getting things made for their girlfriends or wives. Amanda wanted some more money so she started an escort service. We're all involved in it, if we weren't we'd be fired instantly. She wants me to go next and I'm scared what'll happen if I go," Isabelle broke down. The room was quiet apart from her sobs. Mulder and Scully waited for her to continue. " Amanda said she has to do it to pay off some debt and that she can't be sure which of the clients it is. It's always requested for by phone or letter and it's paid for in cash. If I don't go along tonight, I'll be fired." " Where is it you have to be?" Scully asked. " At the Hitz club tonight at seven, he said he'd make all the arrangements and meet me inside," Isabelle answered. " Is there any way you can contact him?" Mulder pressed. " No. He didn't leave a number or anything," the woman looked up. " I don't want to go but Amanda knows people, she said if I backed out she have me dealt with." " Would you consider leaving town for a few days? Could you stay with some family?" Scully asked. " I guess but I haven't got any money to get there with," Isabelle looked into Scullys understanding eyes. " We'll take care of that," Scully promised. " One more question. How many others like you are there?" " Only me and Amanda," Isabelle shrugged. " She's interviewing some new employees today. The only requirements are that they're female and pretty. Can I go now?" " Sure, you can go," Scully smiled encouragingly. " We'll get someone to make travel arrangements with you." Isabelle left and Mulder went over to Scully. He pulled her to her feet and took advantage of being alone with her in a windowless room. " I don't like that look in your eye," he whispered close to her ear. She pulled away and looked at him. " Someone needs to work for Ms. Tyler and find out what kind of a business she's running," Scully pointed out. " You," he sighed heavily and she put a hand on his arm. " If no one else will do it, yes," she murmured. " No one else could. You're the only one beautiful enough," he commented. " I don't want you to do this. I don't want you to be alone with a guy who could be a murderer." " You'll be able to keep an eye on things and it's not like I'll be completely defenseless. I know how to look after myself," she objected. " Besides, I bet I'm the only one who worked in a design studio before." " It's times like this that I wish you hadn't told me you once worked for your uncles studio," he tipped her face up with a gentle hand. " I guess if you're sure." " Good," she smiled sweetly and took a deep breath. " I guess we should go and tell the others." She started to go but he stopped her by taking hold of her hand and pulling her towards him. He held her tightly and kissed her hungrily and passionately. When the kiss turned more intense, she broke away to catch her breath. " If someone walked in............" her voice trailed off as he kissed her softly. He cupped her face in his hands as if it was a delicate flower and kissed her again, erasing any subconscious fear either had that their love was not strong enough to survive if the world discovered them. " Mmm, you think anyone would get suspicious if I hired you for a couple of hours?" Mulder asked slyly. Scully hit him jokingly and broke away. " I think I'd prefer it if you didn't have to hire me but I guess I'd rather it be you than any stranger," she sighed. " I'm going to follow you everywhere and if it looks like the guy's going to turn violent, I'm cutting in," he informed her softly. " I don't like this one bit and I won't hesitate in stepping in." " Mulder, I'm not going to be standing on a street corner. I'll tell you where I'm going to be and I'll let you know if I need any help." " Fine but you're not meeting anyone in a crowded area," he told her in a no nonsense tone. " Fine," she agreed. " Besides, I think most of Ms. Tyler's clients would have been frightened off, leaving only the man we're going to catch." " One more thing," he called after her as she started to go. " You don't go undercover whilst you're undercover." " Excuse me?" Scully looked at him with an arched eyebrow. " You know what it means. You only go under the bed-covers with me," he retorted coolly, earning a Look. She rolled her eyes and left. PART THREE ------------------------------------------------------------ --------------------------- Tyler's Designs was situated in the home of it's owner, Amanda Tyler. That was where Scully spent the afternoon, being interviewed by someone not at all interested in her qualifications. " So, Dana. Is there a man in the picture or are you single?" Ms. Tyler asked in a business-like tone. Scully took a deep breath before composing herself. " I'm single at the moment," she smiled winningly and lied convincingly. " But I'm looking." " I think you'll fit in just fine here. We are a little short handed at the moment but we'll get through," Ms. Tyler smiled back. " How many workers are there?" Scully questioned. " Just me and you. My other employee left without telling me this morning," Ms. Tyler apologized. " One more thing, I run another business as well. An escort agency. I expect my employees to work both the early shift and the late shift." " Sure, I understand," Scully faked a smile. " I need the money. So when do I start?" " Tonight. Here's a number, call and work out a time and a place with your first client. He's paid in advance and I'll give you your cut tomorrow," Ms. Tyler handed her a piece of paper and stood. " If you'll excuse me, I have a client to meet." " OK," Scully forced herself to sound sweet and innocent and left the Tyler residence. She drove to her motel and wasn't surprised to find Mulder in her room making himself comfortable on her bed. He was half-heartedly leafing through a magazine he'd found in her room and looked up when she stepped into the room. " Did you get the job?" He asked barely moving from his lying position on the bed. " Yeah, remind me never to come to you for support if I ever go for another job," she muttered sarcastically. She shrugged out of her black velvet jacket and sat down on the bed. " Sorry, I'm just not very enthusiastic about it," he sat up and embraced her from behind. " You OK?" " She gave me a number to ring. I'm meeting someone tonight," she answered softly. " What are you reading?" " A magazine of yours with a quiz in it that you filled out," he answered. " I now know what to do to be your perfect date." " You already are my perfect date," she responded. " You should make the call so we can set things up," he kissed her bare shoulder as the thin strap of her cream top slid down her arm. " You can't put it off forever. I want this thing to be over as soon as possible." " I do too," she took a deep breath and put the strap back in place. She then dialed the number given to her into her cell phone. The phone rang twice before it was answered by a smooth voice. " Are you an employee of Ms. Tyler?" The voice asked calmly in a mesmerizing tone. " Yes, I am," she replied. " I assume you're my date for this evening," the voice droned on. " I had planned for us to go out to a club but Ms. Tyler informed me you were more sophisticated than that." " I guess," Scully faltered. She didn't know what to say as this was unlike any situation she had been in before. " Well, I expect you to be in room 32 of the Hitz Hotel next to the club," the voice didn't change from it's original seductive tone. " Be there for seven thirty. I'll decide when it's time to leave and maybe I'll pay extra if I like what I see. Does that fit in with any plans you have?" " It'll have to," she responded, trying to keep the bitterness out of her voice. The stranger on the other end of the phone hung up seconds before Scully. She rested her hand in her lap and leaned her head against Mulder's shoulder. " What did he say?" Mulder asked soothingly as he kissed her neck. " Tonight at seven thirty, room 32 in the Hitz Hotel," she heaved a troubled sigh. " I guess our plans for tonight are over." " No, they're not," he told her lovingly. " Our plans are still on. After this creep is arrested, we'll come back here and have our room service meal and champagne." " Champagne? I take it we'll be ordering it and paying for it ourselves, not letting the Bureau," she murmured. " We'll go half and half," he continued kissing her neck. She closed her eyes tightly. " And for the strawberries, of course." " You have been reading that magazine," she accused, opening her eyes and swatting him playfully with her hand. " Yeah but your answers were very vague so there are a lot of things I'm going to be experimenting with over the next few weeks, a lot of things you're not going to know about," he teased moving round to face her. He sat next to her and pulled him towards her for a very long, very passionate kiss before glancing at his watch. " It'll take about an hour to organize things, right?" " Right," she answered slowly. " Why?" " That means we have three hours to do what we want," he suggested slyly. " Three whole hours, you know what we can do in three hours?" " No," she put her hands on his shoulders and he lowered her down. " Why don't you show me?" " It would be my pleasure," he whispered before lowering his mouth down as their lips met in a hungry kiss. _______________________________________________ Two hours later, Mulder was standing up by rummaging through Scully's wardrobe as she watched him from her bed. " He said you had to look sophisticated," it was more of a statement than a question. " But you also have to look the part." " You sound like you know a lot about the subject," she bit back a grin. " I am able to chose what to wear." " I don't want you looking to sexy, Miss Scully," he responded. " But then again I don't want him working out you're just acting. That could be trouble." " You said I could wrap any man around my little finger," she pouted as she walked up behind him. She looked round him at the few clothes she had with her. " How about this?" She reached in and pulled out a short black dress. It had straps that crossed at the back and felt like it was made out of satin or silk. He gave her a look of distaste. " That's what's worrying me," he told her softly. " How come you've never worn any clothes like this for me? I mean, you've got loads of clothes in your apartment that I haven't seen you wear." " We never go anywhere I can wear them," she reminded him. " Give me an example," he challenged. " Well, there's all of those short skirts and shorts that you keep trying to get me to wear. I can't wear them at work and I can't wear them in D.C cause it's too cold," she retorted with a pretty smile. " So, unless you plan on us going any where hot, you can forget it." " If you want hot, we can either go in the shower or just spend some time locked in a bedroom," he shot back. " It doesn't even need to be a bedroom for us to turn up the heat." " Are we going to stay here all night or are we going to get this over and done with?" She stood on her tip toes, kissed his cheek and went through to the bathroom to prepare for the evening. She appeared a short time later looking incredibly beautiful. Her hair was held upon her head with a bronze clip and the black dress showed off her figure without revealing too much - one of the things Mulder was grateful for. " So, how do I look?" " Too good to go out with a total stranger," was his honest reply. " Good enough to stay in with me and spend the night forgetting about the rest of the world." He put his arms around her and held her for a few moments before she pushed him away. " Did you call the station?" She asked. " Is everything set?" She paused. " What's wrong? You've got that look in your eyes." " What look is that?" He put a hand down one side of her face. " The look where you're dreading telling me something," she replied warily. " Well, there is something. The guy left a message, he said he was on to us and that if he wasn't pleased with the result of his evening, he would torture his date before murdering her," he gazed deeply into her eyes. " Before murdering you. I don't want you going, Dee. Everyone would understand if you backed out of it." " I am not backing out, not now," she told him firmly. " Nothing is going to happen to me. You are going to be downstairs in the reception area by the phone. I will call if and when I need help." " You'll be speaking on the phone until he gets there and if you get nervous, I will be there in an instant." " I know you will," Scully smiled reassuringly. " Don't worry about me." " I try not to but I still do," he agreed. " But you're a big girl and you can look after yourself." " But there's still a part of me that needs looking after," she gave him a sweet and innocent little girly look. " And you're just the guy to do it." " Do what?" He asked suggestively. Scully stayed quiet. PART FOUR ------------------------------------------------------ ---------------------- The Hitz Hotel was a big, old fashioned building. All of the rooms were decorated in oak furniture and grand colors. Scully paced room 32 nervously as she waited and waited and waited. The phone in the room rang and she jumped. She picked up the receiver as her heart pounded in her chest. " Hello?" She breathed into the phone. " I'm here," the voice she recognized from the earlier phone call she had made that day answered her. " Sweetheart, I'll be up in a minute." " Where are you?" Her voice snagged in her throat, sounding raw. " You were supposed to be here twenty minutes ago." " I am there," the stranger chuckled. " In spirit. Now might be the best time to tell you, I know who you are and I'm going to kill you, with or without anyone there to protect you. No one can help you now. Those officers down in the reception area, they won't get to you in time to stop me from killing you. One pull on the trigger is all it'll take, my dear. And I should tell you, I'm already in the hotel so watching the doors aren't going to help you now." The line went dead and Scully wasted no time in calling Mulder. The murderer's words had unnerved her in a big way. " Mulder," he answered instantly. " Get up here now," she instructed, her voice shaking almost as much as she was. " Dee?" He sounded puzzled at her tone. " He's in the Hotel, he's been here for a while, before we started keeping an eye on the place," her words tumbled out of her mouth in a hurry. " He just called. Get up here now. Please." " I'm on my way," he assured her before hanging up. Scully paced the hallway so she could keep an eye on the door. Her heart began to race as the door handle began to slowly turn round. Instinctively, she reached for her gun which wasn't there. She cursed under her breath, why was it she never had it with her when she needed it? The door edged open and her heart caught in her throat as a hand appeared round the edge. " Guess who's here!" The murderer sang as he stepped into the room. " Oh, don't worry, Hon. You're little body guard won't be here in time to save you now." " Who are you?" Scully demanded, backing down the hall. The man was masked and his heavy breathing came out in short rasps. " That's of no concern to you," he answered locking the door behind him. Scully's heart sunk deeper down into the pit of her stomach, especially when he withdrew a gun similar to the ones she and Mulder owned from behind his back. " You're going to die. It is a shame though, you are a very beautiful woman." His ice blue eyes sliced through her as he ran a hand through his bleached blond hair, pulling the mask off in the process. " Why am I going to die?" She tried to keep calm. " Why do you have to kill me?" " Because of your beauty," he hissed. " Because you have an unfair advantage over everyone else. You, my dear, are unique. They say beauty only runs skin deep but you seem to be the exception that proves the rule." " How do you know that? You don't even know me!" She exclaimed, backing further towards the room at the other end of the hallway. She heard footsteps outside the room and heard Mulder call her name. " Who's that?" The killer asked loudly. Mulder evidently heard this as he started trying to open the door. " Go away!" The stranger yelled fiercely. " She's mine now, until she dies." Scully took advantage of the distraction and ran into the room, shutting the door behind her and throwing herself against the door. She knew it wouldn't stop him but it would give Mulder some time to get himself into the room. The murderer pushed at the door and managed to move it slightly. He realized he didn't have a lot of time left. The man in the corridor would find a way into the room, he would try and stop him from completing his task and then he'd be a failure. He wanted to rid the world of beautiful women, get rid of beautiful women like his wife who had left him three months ago for another man. Gerald Greyson had been a devoted husband but his wife had hurt him still. After all he had done, she left him for a younger version of himself. That was why he did what he did, that was why he took his anger out on beautiful woman. He had to stop them from hurting some poor and innocent man, from putting someone else what he'd been through. Though he sensed his new target wasn't like that, he had to put an end to the power she wielded with her beauty. ___________________________________________________ Mulder kicked at the door again. His leg ached from the toe upwards but he didn't care, he had to get to Scully. He hadn't yet seen the man he was up against but that didn't matter. From evidence gathered from previous cases, he knew the murderer would have a gun and he knew that would give him an advantage over Scully. The door began to splinter as Mulder became more determined to get in and help Scully. He knew she'd be delaying the murderer but he had no idea how long she'd be able to keep that up. As the door began to weaken, Mulder hoped he wouldn't be too late, he wished she was all right and would be all right until he got there......................... ------------------------------------------------------- ---------------------------- The door moved a little bit further open whenever the man on the other side pushed it. Scully made a quick decision to give up trying to stop him from getting in. She knew in a few seconds time the man would be able to squeeze in through the gap between the wall and the door. When he did, she'd be helpless to stop him from firing at her. She had to find another method of defense. Scully stood on shaky legs, still throwing all of her weight against the door. She looked around the room and saw nothing that could help her a great deal. There was a vase within arms reach and a chair but that was all. Deciding that was all she had, she reached for the chair and propped it up against the door handle. She backed away from the door, holding the vase tightly, her eyes never leaving the door. The chair was only working slightly, helping to delay the time it took Greyson to get to her. Scully had been in situations similar to this one before and she knew every second counted, either for or against her survival. Her eyes widened and her grasp on the vase loosened slightly as Greyson heaved himself against the door again, successfully pushing it open and knocking the chair away. _______________________________________________ Mulder felt the door give way as he threw himself against the door again. By now, the whole of the left side of his body ached and was most likely bruised. He told himself. The door swung open, the lock breaking with a loud crack. Mulder made it into the room just as Greyson disappeared into the room at the bottom of the hallway, his strides angry and urgent with his gun drawn. Mulder felt his heart pounding as he raced after him, hoping to get there before Greyson had a chance to fire his gun. ____________________________________________ Scully backed away. Greyson had his gun drawn and it was pointed right at her. She stared at him as his finger edged closer and closer to pulling the trigger. " You don't have to do this," she told him, taking another step backwards, knowing the vase in her hand was a useless weapon in comparison to his gun. " Oh, I do." Greyson nodded, a mad glint appearing in his eyes. " I just wish we'd had some more time together, you're a really beautiful woman. Shame your bodyguard arrived so soon, we could have had some fun, you could have lived a little longer." He edged closer, aware that he didn't have much time left. Mulder burst through the door, momentarily distracting Scully. A moment was all it took. Greyson leapt towards her and wrapped an arm around her neck, holding her tightly against him. He pointed his gun at her head, knowing if he shot her or let her go, her 'bodyguard' wouldn't hesitate in shooting him. Greyson watched the emotions playing out on Mulder's face with some amusement. >They're involved.> He realized, an evil grin spreading slowly across his face. " You deserve better than her, y'know," Greyson spoke up, addressing Mulder. " I doubt it," Mulder held his gun, aiming at Greyson but reluctant to fire in case he missed his target and hurt Scully. " She'd break your heart, they all do," Greyson tightened his grip around Scully, choking her. " Let her go!" Mulder shouted, his eyes widening at the sight of Scully gasping for breath. " She's done nothing!" Greyson loosened his grip very slightly. " I'm talking from experience. They all do it!" " They?" Mulder asked, trying not to sound doubtful. " Who are they?" " All beautiful women, like this one," he pulled her round roughly so she was standing directly in front of him. " They pretend they love you, they use you until they find someone younger and richer and then they leave you. They just leave. You wake up one morning or you come home from work and they 're gone. They've taken everything you've bought them and they've vanished into the sunset with their latest love." All throughout the speech, Greyson was tapping the gun against the soft flesh of Scully's neck, evoking nervousness in both partners. Scully urged with her eyes. He answered with a discreet shake of his head. Scully bit her lip to stop herself crying out in pain as Greyson dug the gun into her neck. She couldn't contain her pain when he pressed it harder into her. " I'm going to kill her now," Greyson announced. Scully closed her eyes and waited for it all to be over. ________________________________________ A shot rang out loudly, echoing throughout the hotel room, sending guests in other rooms out into the hall, scared and mildly curious at the sound. Mulder dropped the smoking gun and ran over to his girlfriend. She hadn't moved since being thrown to the floor and her eyes were clenched shut. Greyson lay not more than a few feet away, the blood running out of his head wound. A single to shot to the forehead was all it had took. Greyson's life left his body as his blood stained the carpet. " Dana?" Mulder whispered fearfully, as he touched her shoulder. He wondered if he had missed something, if Greyson had managed to hurt her before falling backwards. Slowly, after seconds that seemed as long as hours, she turned and sat up slowly. Her eyes were dazed as they searched his and he realized she'd hit the floor pretty hard and could be suffering from concussion. " I'm fine, Mulder," she murmured softly. " I'm fine." " Sure you are." Mulder pulled her into his arms, surprised when she protested. " What's wrong?" " Someone could see us," she whispered, referring to the back-up team who had only just arrived. " A lot of help they were," he murmured quietly before turning his attention back to her. " I don't care who knows, Dana. I almost lost you again, I don' t think it matters if they know or not. As long as you're watching my back and I'm watching yours..." Scully silenced him with a soft kiss. She pulled away and rested her head on his shoulder as he held her, both thankful that they'd lived through another case together. _______________________________________________ Mulder and Scully returned to Washington DC shortly after the conclusion of the case. They had decided not to go on hiding their relationship once they were home, they wanted to be able to tell their friends and her mother that they were involved and they were happy. Mulder had also convinced Scully that coming out into the open would just be confirming what the 'Shadow government' already thought so they wouldn't be placing each other in an extra danger. Scully leaned into Mulder on the plane that was taking them home. Although she was confident that they could and would get through whatever was thrown at them together, she couldn't help but wonder what the future held. ________________________________ End of story.