From: smartin@goodmedia.com (Sheryl Martin) Date: Sun, 14 Mar 1999 11:14:02 -0500 Subject: NEW-Two Reasons (1/1) Please Archive... grin... All Characters copyright of TenThirteen Productions and Chris Carter. No infringement intended on any part... go ahead, take me to court... I'm using the insanity defence... heh, heh, heh... Comments, complaints and just plain talk to sheryl_martin@goodmedia.com Summary: What it all comes down to is why... Spoilers: none... Rating: G, Story... Two Reasons (1/1) by Sheryl Martin Dana Scully sat up in bed with a jolt; one hand flying towards the pistol within easy reach on the night table beside her, the other to her throat as she gasped for air. With one hand resting on the butt of the weapon she waited a long minute before moving, her eyes scattering across the room like shotgun pellets as she forced her breathing back to normal. A thick pounding echoed down the hallway. Someone was at her front door. And at this hour unlikely to be the neighbour looking for sugar. As she slid out of bed she reached for her terry cloth robe; tying the knot firmly around her waist as she tucked the pistol into her right hand pocket. Her fingers curled casually around the weapon, feeling the cool metal warm to her touch. Running one hand through tangled and knotted hair, she slowly made her way down the corridor in darkness as the hard knocking started again. Standing to one side of the door Scully moved slowly to peer through the spyhole, pulling away as soon as she had an image. Relaxing her grip on the weapon she swung the door open; one eyebrow already reaching skyward. In front of her Fox Mulder wavered unsteadily on his feet. Water dripped from his leather jacket onto the wooden floor of the hallway; his hair soaked and plastered to his forehead and face. "Hi, Scully..." The thick voice mumbled. "Did I wake you up again?" "Mulder..." Taking ahold of his sleeve she pulled him inside. "You're going to catch a cold..." "I remember you saying..." Standing still as the petite woman manoeuvred the jacket off his shoulders; arms hanging back as she eased it down and off his lanky frame. "I remember you saying that a cold is caused by bacteria, not by exposure to the elements..." "I might have, but I'm surprised you remember that much right now." Walking down the corridor with the wet coat she ducked into the bathroom. "Don't move..." He nodded, weaving back and forth like a pendulum as he concentrated on not moving his feet. Reappearing suddenly, she tossed him a towel. "For your hair. Now sit down on the couch and I'll get you some coffee." Obeying her quietly he rubbed at his damp hair weakly; feeling a thick blanket settle around his shoulders. His hands fell away, replaced by a gentler touch. "Oh, Mulder..." The quiet voice held a hint of laughter. "How did you survive this long without me?" "I didn't..." The mumbled reply came from under the thick fabric as she expertly ran the towel over his head and face. Pulling it away, Scully smiled at the tousled dark hair swaying every which way atop her partner's scalp. "I know..." Putting a hand up, he forced most of the damp hair into place. "I had the same problem when I was younger. Can't keep it too short; can't keep it too long..." "Yes, well..." Reaching up she flipped a stray lock back into place; stroking it lightly to convince it to stay down. "Welcome to the club." Getting up from the sofa she headed for the kitchen, the shrill whine of the kettle signalling a need for her attention. Mulder sat quietly for the few minutes that it took for her to make up the instant coffee and return; twisting the damp towel in his hands before finally tossing it across the room onto a chair. "So... what brings you to my place in the middle of the night? And..." She wagged a finger in his face as she placed the steaming mug of coffee in his hands. "Don't ask me to just get dressed. I'm not falling for that this time." Staring down into the mug he shrugged. "Well, it worked once..." His eyes followed the swirl of milk as it dissolved in the coffee. "I just... Are you ever..." His voice faltered and he took a sip of the hot liquid; rolling it around in his mouth like it was scotch. "Why do you stay?" "Stay?" One edge of her mouth curled up. "Mulder, I live here..." He shook his head, his lower lip jutting out as he pondered his words. "I mean... don't you ever get mad? Angry? Fed up with the entire thing?" "Which thing is that?" Leaning forward, she entwined her fingers together and stared at him intently. "This..." A free hand waved across her coffee table and took in the expanse of the living room. "All that we do; all that we've seen... what's happened..." His voice trailed off as the train of thought derailed. "All that hasn't happened..." Leaning back on the sofa the redhead frowned. "I do, Mulder... I get damned angry at times..." The soft smile returned. "Just because I don't kick wastepaper baskets around the office and yell doesn't mean I don't get mad..." "But..." He mumbled. "Why do you stay?" "I thought we went through this before..." Reaching over she picked up her own mug and sipped the coffee. "I won't let them win. I can't let them." "Why?" He stared at her, his eyes wide and unfocused. "Why can't you?" "Because it would be wrong..." Setting the mug back down, she leaned forward again; staring at him. "The bad guys don't win. You know that..." "No..." He locked eyes with her, his voice low and sad. "I don't. Tell me why you stay with me when these things keep happening to you." She stared at him; unable to break away. Her mouth opened slowly, then closed. A swipe of her tongue moistened suddenly dry lips as she started to speak again. "I have to, Mulder." Her voice was unsteady and wavering. "If I don't... bad things will happen. These people will keep killing; keep infecting innocent people with whatever that virus is. The truth needs to be told; these monsters dragged into the light. And as for the cases..." The words began to lose their momentum; sticking on her lips like warm honey. "You need me on the regular cases. You're my partner." He nodded, still not moving away; his eyes still locked with hers. "Two reasons?" He mouthed, the words a whisper. "To save the world and to save me?" The edge of his mouth twitched upwards. "I'm flattered, Agent Scully..." "And what do you do it for, Mulder?" Leaning back on the sofa, Scully turned her head to face him. "What makes you go to work every day? Other than to improve your golf score on the computer, that is..." Laying his head back on the cushion he stared upwards at the ceiling. "I don't know at times. I just don't..." A thick exhaling as his left hand came up to swipe at a still-damp lock of hair awkwardly sticking out to the side. "Some nights I lay awake and think about what I could be doing - but then I realise I don't know what that would be like; that I don't know what normal is anymore." Rolling his head to face hers he sighed. "That scares me, Scully. That if we ever finish this race that I'll just go on to the next one and the next one after that and forever keep racing to catch something I don't know if I want." "Being normal?" Propping her head up with one hand she pursed her lips. "I don't know what that is anymore myself, Mulder. But I do know that I think it might be fun to try at some point - if only for the novelty of it all." He grinned. "Let me carry you over the threshold this time, hmm?" Before she could answer he had reached down and taken ahold of her free hand; cupping both of his around it. "I just don't know why you put up with me. Put up with this. You could be doing so much else someplace else..." Letting his fingers dance over her smooth skin she shook her head slowly; a deep sigh escaping her lips. "There's no choice here. I made it years ago and I stand by it, Mulder. Besides, this has never been all about you." The answering smile echoed itself on her face. "It's about innocent people being in danger and that's what I want to do something about. Need to do something about. Have to do something about. And with you." The last few words came out as a light whisper; exhaled into his face. "But..." One finger began to trace a circle in her palm. "I treat you so badly at times, Scully. I sat there at the bar tonight and wondered why I'm such a bastard at times... and I couldn't think of a single reason why. Or why you keep putting up with it." The soft circling continued; his thumb stroking the top of her hand as she listened. "I can't figure it out..." "Then don't." Her reply came; accentuated by a gentle smile. "Just accept it for what it is and we'll make up the rest as we go along." "Hmm..." Rolling his head onto her shoulder he looked up at her with a grin. "That doesn't sound very scientific, Agent Scully..." He snuggled into the thick terry cloth with a weary sigh. "And it still doesn't answer the question as to why you put up with me..." "Because I want to." Wrapping her arm around him she pulled him nearer, feeling the slight trembling in his body as he tried to relax in her hold. "That's not too complicated, is it?" "Why Good Women Choose Bad Partners..." The weary mumble came at her neck. "Next on Springer..." Dipping her head down she placed a soft kiss on his forehead. "Why Good Women Choose Partners who Need Them..." "Why Good Women Don't Walk Out On Partners Who Are Assholes At Times..." The whispered reply came. Her lips met his suddenly; the kiss so quick that he might have imagined it if not for the peppermint tang of toothpaste left behind. "Shut up and go to sleep, Mulder..." Forcing his eyes open, he grinned. "You're not going to take advantage of a drunk, are you?" "Not a chance." She whispered back, her face scant inches from his. "Darn..." Closing his eyes he snuggled deeper into her shoulder. "Maybe next time..." "Maybe." The quiet reply came back to him as he slipped into sleep. "And that, Agent Mulder, is the second reason explained..." *********** the end... ************************* "Heart of a warrior, mind of a fool... soul of a romantic..." - Jackie St. George ************************* Come visit The Dragon's Lair at http://www.geocities.com/Area51/Chamber/7976 - sent via an evaluation copy of BulkRate (unregistered).