From: Michael Preston Date: Thu, 25 Jul 2002 16:04:42 -0500 Subject: Wolf 4 Surprises Source: atxc Wolf Universe 4 Title: Life is full of Surprises Author. Mike Mike0666@ Hotmail.com AU. Post Episode Alpha. Rating: NC-17 Category: SR AU Scully/Other, MSR, Schmoop Spoilers: None Disclaimer: The Usual Drill. No Money being made, merely an appreciation of the characters owned and developed by Chris Carter and Fox. Summary: Scully another reason to like Mulder. Recipes. Bad Jokes. Surprises. Chapter 10 1:00 PM Sunday Mulder's Apartment Scully humphed as she began putting the vegetables Mulder had bought at the country vegetable stand. The refrigerator was certainly not clean, but it didn't smell, so she could put the food away without worrying to much about botulism. "Hey, I've seen your fridge. This isn't any worse." "Mine's cleaner." "And even emptier." "Mulder, how are we going to announce this?" "I thought maybe quarter page ads in the Post and Star, a dozen billboards and flyers on everyone's desk at the Bureau. Something tasteful but noticeable, 60 point type on shocking pink. We could use the same layout for the ads and flyers. It would only cost a few thousand. Registered letters to the Consortium, of course. We can have everything out by Wednesday." "You goof." "You don't like that?" "How will this affect the job." "I've got that section of the regulations memorized. The section header says that it is to prevent agents from unwanted sexual advances and sexual harassment, and to preserve decorum while representing the Bureau." "So I have to keep my hands off of you at work?" "It says unwanted." "I'll let you explain to Skinner why I was fellating you at high noon on the front steps of the Hoover." "That probably comes under decorum." "What about on the road?" "After the work is done, we're probably free. It might not be a good idea to rub it in the noses of local law enforcement. Hey, for the same money, instead of two rooms, we can get one nice room." "Skinner in the morning?" "Yes. Butch, would you like some lunch? We didn't have any breakfast." "Perhaps something light. I'm still a little nervous about all that money." "Don't be. It's for us to use, not for it to use us. Come in the kitchen and we can talk while I fix something. Soup and sandwiches OK?" "That will be fine." He pulled out a blender and measured out a cup of white wine and a tablespoon of oil into the blender. He let that set while he chopped up two tomatoes, half an onion and a small cucumber. He then shelled a half dozen pods of green peas into the blender and began making corned beef and Cheddar sandwiches. When the sandwiches were done he put the chopped up veggies in the blender and added salt, pepper and the juice of a lemon, then turned the blender on. When he poured the Gazpacho out, Scully said, "Fox, where did you learn to cook like that?" "My Mom has an abiding dislike for English cooking. The summer before I went to Oxford, she taught me to make simple stuff. She didn't want her baby poisoned with toad in a hole and bangers and mash." "Remind me to write her a thank-you note for that." He smiled, set the sandwich plates down and filled two wine glasses. "Have you told your Mom yet?" "No, I was going to call her this evening. You?" "I'll get off a letter tomorrow. We don't talk well." "Do you think she'll approve of me? I know my Mom likes you." "Well, she might be a little ambivalent, because she doesn't like me much, but you are proof positive that I'm not gay, which she's been worried about." "You're kidding." "Nope, ever since she went to a friend's son's wedding and sat on the bride's side, she's been worried. Of course that wedding was a little over the top, the kid was a screaming queen and the friends of the bride and groom were, ah, not staid." Giggling, she said, "I can just imagine it. And your mother." "It marked her for life. To hear her describe the Biker wannabes, transvestites and assorted odd-balls is a hoot. Especially the lesbian Dominatrix that tried to pick her up. If I show up with a nice Catholic girl at a family ceremony, she will fall on your neck in tears of relief. You do want a family ceremony?" "I don't care, I just want to get married." "The wedding is your choice. Anything you want, including the National Cathedral." "That brings us back around to money. Mulder, I'm scared of that much. I mean it's attractive, but I don't want it to come between us." "To paraphrase a good friend, `Love me, love my money.'" "The best I can do is work up a real serious like." "Butch, what did you think I was worth when you accepted my proposal? What did you say about the ring?" Quietly she said, "Not to bankrupt yourself." "No, what you said was `Not bankrupt us.' I won't." "You're not going ring shopping with without me. I also said nothing gaudy. Knowing you, I'd have to hire someone to carry around my hand." "If you're free for lunch tomorrow, we could start looking." "That I'll do. Where are we going to live? "One time you mentioned the suburbs with a white picket fence." "Just an idle daydream, and tied into that was a blonde proctologist and an Irish Setter. None of which worked out. Instead I'm in love with a brown-haired asshole and a wolf. You said something about your Georgetown house?" "We can certainly look into that. It does have a nice big yard for the mutt, and is close to work." "OK, now the real nitty-gritty. Kids." "I want exactly as many as you can have. I'm open to adoption if you want more than that." She sat there stunned. "Fox, tell me true, is that really what you want." "Dana, what I really want is you. Everything else is gravy or details. The money makes you uncomfortable? I can give it away and never look back, if you walk away with me. Kids? I'll cry with you, if you'll let me be the shoulder you cry on, and I'll cry too, because it means I'll never have children of my body either." "Where to live? I'll live in a cave with you, especially if you'd wear a rabbit fur bikini. The job? I can't do it without you, and I don't even want to try." She got up with shiny eyes and sat on his lap, put his arms around her neck and whispered, "I love you so much." "Now, Dana, when?" "When what?" "When's the wedding?" "I have to talk to Mom, but I don't see how it can be any earlier than the end of the summer. We can have it in my Mom's backyard, with just a few friends and family. We will have to go through Pre-Cana conference with Father McCue." "Will I have to convert?" "Just agree to raise any children Catholic." "I can do that, although they might pick up some heretical attitudes from me." "Anything else we need to settle tonight? It's eight-thirty, and I'll have leave here before six in the morning to get to work on time." "Dana, I've just gotten in a very loving mood." "Good. Hold that thought while you walk Wolf and I call my Mom." --- "Here's Mulder now, Mom." "Hello, Mrs. Scully." "Yes, I finally got off the dime." "Whenever you like, although it is a matter of some urgency." "No, she's not pregnant, we're just anxious." "My guests will number a couple of dozen. There might be some duplicates from Dana's list." "Bye, Mrs. Scully." "OK, bye, Maggie. Here's Dana back." "Mom, I've got to go now. Love you." --- "Fox, do you have anything for me to wear to bed?" "Me." "That's assumed, but I can't parade around your apartment naked, I wouldn't feel comfortable." "Let me dig." He came out in a few moments later with a pair of green scrubs in his size. He mumbled, "From one of my hospital stays." She took the clothes and walked towards the bathroom. He called after her, "Need me to scrub your back?" She threw over shoulder, "Maybe another time." --- When she came back, she had rolled up the legs, and pulled the drawstring at the waist tight. The scrubs still looked like they were about to fall off of her, and the V-neck showed more d,colletage than usual, but the familiar feel of scrubs made her easier than she would have thought. She sat on the chair opposite the couch and looked at him sprawled, with his bare feet on the coffee table. "Mulder, we've got to talk." He looked at her obvious body language, defensive and fearful, and thought, "Fox, I love you, but my behavior has been awful. I've been attacking and teasing you this weekend, without any consideration of what you want, and I'm afraid that you've just been responding to my obvious need, not letting your true emotions show." "Scully, when was the last time you saw me do something I didn't want?" "Well, not often, but I'm afraid." "Afraid of what?" "Not being what you want, messing this new thing up, that they're going to split us up, that this is just the result of propinquity, just afraid." He reached out and took her hands in his. Wolf felt her fear and came over and sat, facing outward to guard her. "Scully, I can't promise you physical safety, we have a dangerous job. I can promise that I'll do everything I can to provide you with emotional safety. I love you. I always will. What we both have to do is communicate with each other, tell each other what we feel, what we need." "We are two different people. I'm not going to promise you eternal sweetness and light, or a perfect storybook romance. We are going to argue, be angry with each other. I'm going to be a moody, selfish, obsessed bastard all my life, subject to fits of depression, irrational anger and setting the new roll of toilet paper on the bathroom counter. You're going to be argumentative and sarcastic and rule bound all of your life. But I love you, and we fit together personally as well as professionally. I don't want a Stepford wife, I want you." She launched herself at him, hugging him tightly. He ran his hands up and down the taut musculature of her body, trying to soothe and reassure her. His teasing sarcasm bubbled to the fore, and he heard himself say, "Propinquity, Dana?" with a chuckle of amusement. She fisted him in the short ribs, hard, and said, "It happens. Now kiss me." He pulled her into his arms and kissed her. As his hands drifted over her, feather light, he felt the soft smoothness of her skin over the hard muscles underneath. When he worked his way down to the drawstring, she stiffened and pushed his hand away. "Fox, not tonight. You're a big man and I'm a small woman, and I've got a few sore muscles this evening." "Did I hurt you?" "Nothing that a little rest, then practice, won't cure. I'd guess there are two problems, the orgasms you gave were so intense that my internal muscles have cramped and then the rubbing of the bicycle seat." "I'm sorry." "Don't be. I had a really good time. A really, really good time." "What can I do to help?" "Just hold me. I'm sorry I can't this evening." "A couple of things. My love for you isn't just sex, I love all of you and I have for forever. Second, do you have any idea what an ego boost it is to learn that that I've made you so sore? You're going to have to slap me down when I start strutting around the Hoover like a rooster." "That I can do." "How about a massage. I'll keep it perfectly Platonic." "That would be nice, as long as you stop making puns." "My whole world is just paths leading off from Ledborough Lane," he grumped. "Let me check Wolf's paws while you go get your liniment. He did over twenty miles on pavement, and I'm worried he may have done himself a damage. If anything, he's more stubborn and uncommunicative than you about being hurt." "Hey, it's a guy thing." "Go." While Mulder was rummaging around in the bathroom, Scully examined Wolf's feet. The appeared to be OK, although the left front seemed to be a little tender. When she ordered him to walk around the apartment, he didn't favor that paw, but he seemed a little less bouncy than usual. "Wolf, I think we are going to limit you to short runs on pavement. If we do anything extended, there will have to be grass available." He was standing behind her with a sheet and a handful of tubes. "Butch, it'll just take a little while to acclimate. A couple of week's running with you in the afternoons and he'll be fine. Now shuck those clothes and let me get my hands on you." "Sundance, I said nothing doing tonight." "Might I suggest that a massage through a set of scrubs might be somewhat less than effective? I have no intention of doing anything except trying to relax you." He helped her disrobe and put her down on the sheet. "Aspercreme OK? It usually works on my sore muscles." "That will be fine." Chapter 11 Basement 9:15 AM Monday To: DKSCULLY@FBI.GOV From: FWMULDER@FBI.GOV Subject: Redheads Only two things are necessary to keep a redhead happy. One is to let her think she is having her own way, and the other is to let her have it. What do you call a Redhead with an attitude? Normal How do you get a redhead's mood to change? Wait 10 seconds How do you get a redhead to argue with you? Say something FWM To: FWMULDER@FBI.GOV From: DKSCULLY@FBI.GOV Subject: RE Redheads Snort. Misuse of Government Resources. I'll have to discipline you. As a matter of fact, you do know when you've sexually satisfied a woman? A Blonde will swallow her gum. A Brunette will start talking about china patterns. A redhead will untie you. DKS To: DKSCULLY@FBI.GOV From: FWMULDER@FBI.GOV Subject: RE: RE: Redheads OOOOH! Kinky!Scully. Whip me, beat me, make me write bad checks in Mississippi. FWM To: FWMULDER@FBI.GOV From: DKSCULLY@FBI.GOV Subject: RE: RE: RE: Redheads Give me my way, get started on those files. And stop wasting my time, love. Johnny Cash? I thought you were an Elvis fan. DKS --- Basement Monday 11:45 AM Mulder looked at his watch, the pile of work on his desk, and then Scully. "Let's break for lunch. I've got some shopping to do." His eyes were lit with glee. "Take me with you." They walked out the front door, and Mulder steered her towards the bank. "Butch, I'm keeping in mind your admonition to not bankrupt us. I'm just going by the lock- box at bank." "What now, a suitcase of hundreds nobody knows about?" "Ah, you spoiled my surprise." After going through the routine of gaining access, Mulder took her and the box to a small room on one side of the vault. He handed her a small velvet box and said, "Butch, this was Gram's, my Grandmother Mulder's. She died right after I got back from England, and left her jewelry in trust for my wife, except for the engagement ring, which came directly to me. This is the jewelry, and I thought the need for an engagement ring would be the perfect time to show it to you. It's a lucky ring, Gram got it new, and lived thirty-seven happy years with Gramps. I'm sure she'd like to see it on you." Scully opened the box and saw a beautiful two and a half carat round cut diamond in a very plain setting, designed to draw attention to the stone, rather than hide its flaws. "Mulder, I don't know what to say." "Yes? We've already got an appointment to have it cleaned and sized at 12:15." "What was your Gram like?" "You remind me a lot of her. She had grey hair all the time I knew her, snapping black eyes, and she was a small woman but she commanded every eye when she walked into a room. She filled the room with love." "This means a lot to you doesn't it?" "Yes." "OK." "Let me show you the rest of what's in here. Here's the ruby set," handing her a necklace box. "Rubies and diamonds, with ruby earrings the size of my thumbnail. Where would I wear that, Fox?" "Here's the sapphire. Gram always thought it was gaudy, and only wore it when she needed to do gaudy." "Fox, that single stone must be twenty carats and the earrings must be five carats apiece." "I said gaudy. That's just the way it's cut. It's only 17 carats, pendant cut. The star in the middle is just the color of your eyes. If you don't like those we can always have something made from Gram's running stash. Hold out your hand." He proceeded to pour a dozen investment grade ten carat diamonds into her palm. "These aren't inventoried or registered. Gram's family got out of Russia in '17, and she always kept a running stash handy." She very carefully put them back in the envelope and said, "The ring is more than enough. Please put these back in the safety deposit box." "There's a bunch of earrings, bracelets and rings, some cameos, gold necklaces, that kind of stuff. What I always thought was neat was her `flapper pearls'." "What are flapper pearls?" "A single strand of pearls that reached to her knees. She usually wore it tripled, but she wore it as one strand when she taught me the Charleston the summer I was fourteen. The pearls are all 8mm." "We will go through them after the wedding. You said we had an appointment?" "You sure you don't want to take these with you?" "Absolutely positive. I'm not taking these out of here until I can rent an armored car. Mulder, do you have any idea what these are worth?" "Everything but the running stash were appraised at a little under two million in 1987. You could probably realize about three quarters of a million from the running stash, three times that if you put them in legitimate channels." "Left in trust for your wife?" "Yep, I've got to write a letter to Bank of Boston trust department every year saying that I'm not married and I have the stuff under lock and key. They even came down two years ago to do an inventory." "Is this part of the $38.2 Million? "Nope, this was held in trust for you." At the jewelry shop the ring was sized in just a few minutes. The jeweler remarked on the quality of the stone and stuck it in the sonic cleaner for a moment, saying it had obviously been put up clean. As they walked back to the Hoover, they grabbed chickpea pitas from a roach cart and ate as they walked along. "Only eighty bucks, I don't think that will bankrupt us." "Fox, it's beautiful, but I'd be happy with the glow in the dark alien head." "Skinner at three, he was busy this morning." "How should we handle it?" "Straight up. We're engaged. Does he want an invitation when we decide on the date? Discretion until after the ceremony." "What if they split us up?" "We'll burn that bridge when we come to it." --- 2:58 Skinner's Office "Good afternoon, Kimberly. We have a three o'clock appointment." "Go right in, Agent Mulder, he's expecting you." "Mulder, Scully. Sit down. It's your meeting." "Sir, Scully and I came to announce our engagement." He stood up, smiled, and extended his hand. "Congratulations." He continued as he sat, "I'm sure that you've read the relevant regulations. Normally we don't assign married agents to the same division, but since you two are the division, there shouldn't be any problem with favoritism. I will do both performance evaluations, of course. I expect you to be discreet on duty. Your private life is your own, unless it starts to impact on your work." "One more thing. I will have to monitor your quarterly solve rate. If it starts to fall below average, we will revisit your being assigned together. Will I get an invitation?" "Yes sir." "Thank you. Is this common knowledge yet?" "No sir, you're the first in Bureau we've told. We're not keeping it a dark secret, but we're not taking out advertisements." He smilingly escorted them to the door, and gazed fondly as they left. "What was that about, sir?" "Just Scully and Mulder announcing their engagement." "About time." "Yes, isn't it. Would you sit on the information until tomorrow? I think they're going to tell a few friends this afternoon." "Yes, sir." 4:50 Basement "Scully, you up for supper out tonight?" "I'm up." Mulder picked up his cellphone and glanced at Scully. She gave him a number. "Wilhelm, this is Fox Mulder, Doktor Scully's friend. Will you have room for us this evening? Yes, Doktor Scully and Wolf." He covered the phone mouthpiece and said "8:00?" She nodded. He said into the phone, "That will be fine. We'll see you then." "Mulder, pick Wolf and me up at 7:45. Bring your toothbrush and a clean shirt. Dress just a little more casual than the office please." --- Mulder was nervous when he knocked on Scully's door with his garment bag over his shoulder. He was afraid that his grey slacks and tweedy blazer were too casual, especially since he hadn't worn a tie. He was relieved to find her in sleeveless beige linen sheath, brown coach leather shoes, purse and belt and a softer, curlier hairdo than she wore to work. "Um, Butch, have I mentioned in the last thirty seconds that you're beautiful, I love you, and you can read my mind?" "Flattery will get you a long ways, Sundance, but I'm hungry. "If you don't mind dinner with yuppie scum, I'm ready." --- Wilhelm was waiting for them. Under the marquee, Scully flashed her ring at Wilhelm. He narrowed his eyes, and addressed Mulder. "I assume congratulations are in order?" "Yes, for me. She's agreed to marry me. You may want to offer your condolences to her." He grinned. "You will take good care of her." It wasn't phrased as a question. "Yes, of course." "This way to your table. Peterson will be your waiter tonight." Davie came out with an ice bucket and two glasses. He pulled a champagne bottle out, and said "Compliments of the house. Doctor Scully, Mr. Mulder, everyone wishes every happiness." Mulder said, "Thank you, Davie. Could you bring another glass and call Wilhelm over. And have the guys lift one for us after work." He shook hands, and passed Davie a fifty. "You wished to see me, Mr. Mulder?" "Yes, friends celebrate good news together. Join us in a glass of wine." Wilhelm lifted his glass, proposed, "Health, happiness and love." Everyone took a sip, then Scully said, "To friends, old and new. Sharing joy doubles it, sharing sorrow halves it." Wilhelm sipped, then made his excuses and rose to leave. "Fox, that was incredibly sweet. I've never seen you like that before." "Hey, I wasn't raised by bears. Besides these folks all love you. Now tell me about the dates you brought here." "Jealous?" "A little." "This is one of the very few restaurants that makes me feel comfortable as a woman dining alone, so I come here often. Mom and I do Sunday Brunch here about once a month. I've brought exactly two guys here in the five years I've lived in Georgetown. One was a Dentist, the son of friend of Mom's. The single most boring man I've ever met." "The other was a SEAL friend of Bill's. Bill deliberately chose the most practiced womanizer of his acquaintance, a real slimeball, to seduce me away from you. I didn't trust him, so we came here for lunch. Before we were even seated, he'd insulted every guy in here, including Wilhelm. When I had to slap him and tell him I wasn't a floozy from a joint at the front gates, he was escorted outside. Very vigorously. I heard he went back to duty in three weeks." "I promise I'll be on my best behavior." "That only applies here, of course." "Agent Scully, are you coming on to me?" "Certainly not, Agent Mulder, but Fox might get a very different answer if he asked that question of his fianc,, Dana." She kicked off her shoe, and ran her stockinged foot up and down his calf. He gasped and a dazed look flowed across his features. He managed to murmur, "God, I hope that's not Wolf." "We'll have to run comparisons this evening, until you can be sure." *** As they drove up to Scully's apartment, she began plotting. "Fox, why don't you take Wolf for a walk while I slip into something more comfortable." She rested her hand on his thigh and breathed in his ear, "I'd really appreciate it. It's late, and I get nervous walking him this late." "Sure. This will be the last walk this evening?" "Unless you get too hasty. Then I'll have wake you up in the middle of the night to do it again." When she opened the door, she had on a new robe. Cream silk, not quite translucent. He goggled at it and a wave of unreasoning lust was obvious on his face. <$300 at Better Lingerie was worth it. This says I want you, but doesn't say put the money on the dresser before you take off your pants.> As soon as Scully locked the door of her apartment behind her, Mulder swept her up in an overwhelming kiss. This kiss wasn't about the worship she was used to from him. This was hot, demanding, powerful. He was squeezing the breath out of her. She had known intellectually that he was much bigger than her, but now she felt helpless and overpowered. He hitched her higher in his hug, with her feet dangling, he carried her into the bedroom, continuing kissing her. He began undoing the sash on the robe. When the robe hit the floor, she squirmed and said, "Don't you think you're a little overdressed?" "Patience, love. It will be a while I take my clothes off. You are mine tonight, to pay for all the teasing earlier. I don't handle teasing well, and I'm going to get my revenge." His eyes were dilated with lust, but the intensity of his visage was something she had only seen a few times before. He was looking at her like she was the goal he had sought his whole life. But it wasn't a look of spiritual awe, it was earthy, almost feral. His fingers gently touched her lips. "Mine. Only Mine." He kissed her, this time with reverence she was used to. Suddenly, the kiss became demanding. She whimpered when it ended, wanting to never end. His fingers began moving down her body, butterfly soft, barely touching her. They drifted down to her breasts, gently touching her breasts. His fingers lingered on her already erect nipples, teasing them to greater heights. Suddenly he pinched the nipples, drawing another whimper, then a gasp as her labia opened and began dribbling moisture. He silenced the gasp with a kiss while his fingers drifted lower. He began circling her clitoris while he kissed her, teasing her and arousing her. He hadn't touched her clitoris, and she'd never been hotter in her life. He stood and began disrobing. When he was done, she had obvious physical evidence of his regard. She reached for it, but he pushed her hands aside. "Wait. I'm not done getting my revenge." Again, his feathery soft touch began traveling down her body, followed closely by his kisses. She was writhing in unmet need as his kisses traveled down her body, closer and closer to where she needed stimulation. His hands softly began traveling up towards her breasts as his kisses drifted lower. His mouth reached her clitoris as his hands began teasing her breasts. She reached down with both hands and pulled him tighter against her. He took the hint, and sucked her engorged clitoris into his mouth, nipping it lightly and pinching her nipples. "Aww, Aww, Mulder, don't stop. More, more." She convulsed, barely able to keep her wits about her. "You'll get more. Much, much more. I'm not nearly done with my revenge." He dove down again, this time moving his hands to her thighs, slowly tantalizing the inside of her thighs as he sucked her clitoris and teased it gently with his tongue. He suddenly inserted two fingers into her, immediately rubbing against her G-spot, and nipping on her clit as he did. . "Aieeee." "Hush, love, we haven't even started the good part yet." He moved up her body, looming over her. When he was at her mouth, he kissed her deeply. She tasted herself on the kiss, then he raised his fingers to his mouth and lapped the juices off of them. He cradled the back of her neck and kissed her, forcing her into his lips. With his other hand, he guided himself into her. She moaned as he entered, causing him to stop and ask, "Am I hurting you?". "NO! It feels too good. Deeper!" She wrapped her legs around his ass, pulling him deeper. "So tight, so hot, so wonderful. I love you, Dana." He began slowly moving in and out, dragging himself over her clitoris, driving her higher and higher. She tried to kiss him, but could only reach his clavicle. She kissed there for a moment, the he pushed himself up on his arms, changing the angle so that the he was rubbing against the G-Spot and pounding against her cervix. Screaming, she convulsed and babbled, "Oh, Mulder, Fox, I love you. I love this. Ohhh." When she stopped convulsing, she realized he was still hard, still moving in and out like the piston of a steam engine. He was covered in sweat and had a grimace of concentration on his face. He lifted her legs until they rested on his upper arms, and drove him self deep into her and held as he rolled them over to the side. Still buried in her, he slipped around behind her and spooned up to her, one hand clasping her firmly to him and the other idly teasing her nipples while he nuzzled her neck. When she began squirming and moaning again, he pulled her to her hands and knees and resumed his relentless, steady motion. She fought back the only way she knew, contracting herself around him, milking him. He began speeding up, reaching around and stimulating her clitoris. She wailed as she began to come, "Come, love. Fill me, please." He began jackhammering into her, pressing against her clit and causing her to lose all strength. He held her up as she wailed through another orgasm. *** Cuddling afterward, she murmured into his ear. "I'll never tease you again on a school night." "Huh?" "Can you imagine what will happen to my `Ice Queen' reputation when I wander around the Hoover tomorrow bowlegged, with a dazed and goofy grin on my face?" "I'll just kill any guy that makes a remark. Goodnight love." Thus Endeth Part the Fourth. Wolf Universe 5 Title: Sweater Author. Mike Feedback: Please at Mike0666@Hotmail.com AU. Post Episode Alpha. Rating: NC-17 For the whole, this is PG-13. Category: SR AU Scully/Other Affection, MSR, Schmoop Spoilers: None Disclaimer: The Usual Drill. No Money being made, merely an appreciation of the characters owned and developed by Chris Carter and Fox. Summary: Scully finds another reason to like Mulder. Schmoop. Recipes. Bad Jokes. Dancing. Section 5 - Sweater Chapter 12 6:00 PM Friday Afternoon Atlanta Airport Gate E47 Boarding Area "What would you like to do this weekend, Scully." "Snuggle and sleep. The weather is supposed to be cold and nasty, I'm haven't had a decent night's sleep in three days, my feet hurt, and I miss my dog and my boyfriend." "Who're you going to snuggle with, the dog or the boyfriend?" "Depends on who makes the best offer." "Mercenary little thing, aren't you. How about a foot-rub, my famous clam chowder tomorrow and carrying your laundry to the dry cleaners." "Sounds good. It almost offsets the fact that Wolf's normal body temperature is four degrees higher than yours." Mulder's Apartment 12:30 PM Saturday in May, 1999 "Mulder, I'm cold. Do you have a sweater I can borrow?" He paused in stirring the pot of chowder and said, "Sure. The cardigans are in the bottom drawer of my bureau." "Cardigans, Mulder?" "My mom's a big Perry Como fan." Scully rummaged through the bureau, looking for something that wasn't cashmere or lamb's wool. Way in the back she found a stiff Navy blue sweater in a cleaner's bag. She pulled it out and saw that it was a letterman's sweater. Martha's Vineyard Regional HS Mulder '79 She pulled on a burnt orange cashmere cardigan, pushing the sleeves to the middle of her forearms and strode into the kitchen carrying the letter sweater. "Mulder, you said you had a lousy High School. Now I find you lettered in three sports and were in the National Honor Society." "It was just an attempt to find acceptance. The guys on the teams treated me decently, not buddies, but a level of acceptance. The girls, or more especially their parents, were a little reluctant to let their daughters go out with a stupid kid doing a Heathcliff imitation." "Mulder, from what I remember from High School, you could have gotten through the entire Cheer Leading Squad by Thanksgiving." "The cheerleaders were so dumb that the sum of the IQ's wouldn't begin to approach yours. Do you have any idea how exquisitely painful it is to try to keep a conversation going with someone so dumb they have to use most of their brainpower to keep breathing. I swear, hair bleach causes brain damage." "We've covered what you did while school was in session, what did you do in the summer?" "Country Club." "Expand on that a little." "The Country Club had a summer program for the nearly abandoned rich kids. Tennis from Eight to Nine, golf from Nine-thirty to noon, swimming from Two to Five, Monday through Thursday. Miss Cabot's dancing and deportment from nine to noon on Friday. Every Friday during the summer except for holidays, and Saturday morning during the winter. Forty-five Lessons a year, for Six years, from the time I was 10 until I was sixteen. Two Hundred and Seventy dancing lessons. Two Hundred and Seventy deportment lessons. I got back at her though." "How?" "Saturday afternoons there was a tea dance for the Junior Cotillion. Dinner jackets and everything. The third time I made a summer girl pass out during a Tango, Miss Cabot told me I had to go to the adult dances on Friday evening." "Mulder, does your dinner jacket still fit?" "Not that one, but I do have one that fits. Why do you ask?" "You are taking me to dinner and dancing next Saturday." "Any particular place?" "Anywhere where they play the forbidden dance of love." "Do you think you can handle it?" "I'm a little tougher than most teenage girls." "Scully, you're tougher than the guys on the HRT." "It sounds like your mother was doing her best to raise a decent kid." "After the divorce when I was fourteen, she got her real estate license and was busy during the days. I guess she wanted me kept busy while she was working." *** "Mulder, this chowder is sinful. What did you do?" "Two pounds of cooked potatoes, whipped with a pint of heavy cream and half a stick of butter. Half a pound of cod fried with salt pork and onions, mix in the zest and juice of a lemon and garnish with the tops of the scallions. It's real simple, and an old New England receipt." "You realize Wolf and I are going to have to run fifty miles this weekend, in the bitter cold, to work this off. How can you abuse that poor innocent puppy like that." "Hey, it's fifty degrees and a little drizzle, not bitter cold. Besides, he's made to run. And he's running more with me than you anyway." "Mulder, think San Diego. Beaches. Surfing on Christmas vacation. Not a rainy island in the middle of the Arctic Ocean. This isn't May weather. This is a bad January weekend." *** "So why not football? You could have been a tight end." "Scully, when I entered the ninth grade, I was 5'10" and 132 pounds. No decent coach would let me on the field, even as a water boy. Besides, my mom wouldn't give me permission to play. She said 'No contact'. She was obviously unfamiliar with the style of basketball played in the Cape and Islands League. Those guys from Nantucket weren't looking for a game, they were looking for a brawl." "Skinny is an advantage in Cross Country, stamina is a real advantage in Basketball, and tall is an advantage in a first baseman, especially one who hits .340. What were you like in High School? Cheer Leader and class officer?" "Mulder, when I went into the ninth grade at Saint Patrick's, I was 4'10" tall, and 80 pounds, most of which was braces and a mop of curly carrot hair. I was painfully shy. The closest I ever got to cheer leader was tutoring one for chemistry. I was on the field hockey team, and was in gymnastics until my junior year, when I sprouted hips. They threw off my balance so badly I didn't go out my senior year. Other than that, it was National Honor Society, German Club, Science Club and Chess Club. Real Nerdsville." "Where did you learn to Tango?" "Four semesters of Ballroom Dancing for my PE requirement in college. And I never saw anyone pass out on the floor." "And all of the guys were very nicely dressed, in color coordinated pastels." "So you're claiming a certain mutual animal attraction is required?" "Mmm, yes." "That sounds like a dare to me." "Mmm, yes." "OK, buddy, you're on." "Scully, do you want a whole evening of Tango, or would you like it interspersed with other things?" "I guess a mix would be nice. A couple hours of Tango might be a little strenuous." "Becky Beauregard is having her annual dinner/dance for my Rugby team next Saturday. I usually go alone and fill in for the guys that don't dance, but if you'd go with me. She issues the invitations "Black Tie". It will just be friends and their wives and dates." *** "Dana, our hosts, James and Rebecca Beauregard. This is Dana Scully." The tall slender blond extended her hand and a brilliant smile. The Marine Colonel in dress blues gave her a more subdued smile and extended his hand. "Oh, Dana, we're so glad to finally meet you. Fox goes on and on about you. Fox, I've put you near Tom and Iris and Jeremy and Cindy. Remember, save a dance for me, you and Jeremy are the only tall men here." "Colonel, Mrs. Beauregard." "Oh, it's Becky and Four." "Four?" "James Oglethorpe Beauregard the Fourth. Five is upstairs with Nintendo and his brothers." Mulder and Scully began circulating, Mulder proffering his arm and Scully resting her hand on it. "Mulder, this is a beautiful house." "It's Becky's, she was one of the summer girls I didn't make pass out. When she saw my name in the paper a few years ago, she recruited me for this old farts Rugby League. There's Jeremy." "Dana, I'd like to present Major Viscount Greystoke, Jeremy Remington, Household Cavalry. Jeremy, Dana Scully." Scully took in the magnificence of full mess dress, then extended her hand and Jeremy bent over it, barely brushing the back of it with his lips. She looked up and saw a pair of sparkling brown eyes laughing at her flush. "He does that so well, doesn't he? You'd never believe he was a hooligan door-kicker in real life." It came out in a strong Baltimore accent. "I'm Cindy Barnett, his fiance." "Pleased to meet you. I'm Dana Scully." Jeremy broke in, "Mulder you ass, you know I'm assigned to the SAS and am assistant military attach, not some chinless wonder from the Household Cavalry." "Jeremy and I met at Oxford. He taught me Rugby and I taught him Basketball." "Rugby and Mulder's basketball were both very handy during unarmed combat training." "Hey, what are friends for?" Next was a Marine Staff Sergeant in dress blues. "Dana, I'd like you to meet Charlie Connelly, our hope for a decent scrum next year. Charlie, Dana Scully." On her heels, she looked Charlie straight in the eye, but he was at least twice her weight without a bit of fat. "And this is Joan Roberts, my guest this evening. She's a grad student at Georgetown." "Oh, what field?" "Computer Science. I've been tutoring this lug. You know Marines, anything more complicated than a rock is beyond them." "Very nice to meet you." "Mulder, I see he's in the reserves, what does he do in real life? And why the uniform?" "He's a tax accountant. Actually he's my tax accountant. He saved me about half a million this year. He's in the middle of a 60 day active call-up. There's Iris, let me introduce you." Mulder headed towards a tall, slender black woman in ivory satin and ballet shoes. "Dana, this is Detective Lieutenant Iris Washington, DCPD. Iris, may I introduce Special Agent Dana Scully." "Dana, I'm Iris. And I'm so glad there's another woman cop here. I'm so tired of all these doctors and lawyers and such. There's Tom." A wiry little redhead with male pattern baldness and the sharpest blue eyes she'd ever seen came up and handed a wine glass to Iris. "Dana, this is my partner, Detective Sergeant Tom O'Leary. Tom, this is Dana Scully, Mulder's partner." "Hey, cousin, nice to see you here." "Tom, they actually let you on a police force? What were they thinking?" "They never caught me in a felony, and I've cleaned up my act." "Mulder, Tom is one of my Dad's cousin's boys. He had an exciting youth, and I never figured he wind up a cop. Last I heard, he was doing hard time in a seminary." "Dana, the real world offered more enticements than a seminary, and I was a little to argumentative to make a good student." Scully caught Mulder's grin out of the corner of her eye, and gave him the full 'Shut up, Mulder' glare. Iris and Tom shared an amused glance, Iris shaking her head ruefully. "Mulder, save a dance or two for me." "Sure, but Dana's already claimed all the Latin tunes." *** Becky surveyed the table, saw that everyone was finished and rose, striking her water glass with her dinner knife. She raised her wine glass, and said "The game, and the men who play it and whom we love." All the women sipped their wine, then Four rose. All the men rose, and Four said, "To the women in our lives. You give us the courage to go out and play the game, the courage to go out and face life, and are always there to bind our wounds when we fall." "Hear, hear." Becky gathered up the women with a glance, and went into the parlor. Four was passing around cigars and the port, while the catering staff cleaned up and removed the tables. "Joan, Dana if you could join me for a minute?" She took them into the library and sat them down. "Dana, you probably know all this, but Joan needs to hear my theory. Joan, how long have you known Charlie?" "Six months." "What do you think of him?" "I've never known anyone like him. Strong, gentle, wonderfully intelligent, caring about his work and overwhelmingly masculine." "You're toast, aren't you?" "Oh god, yes." "Dana, you've known Fox for a while." "We've been partners for six years." "How do you feel about him?" "About the same, but I've known him long enough to have seen the rusty spots in his armor. He's pig-headed, arrogant and foolish and tries to protect me when I don't want it." "You've twigged. Joan, Dana, every one of them is a goddamn knight in shining armor. Every girl's dream turning into every woman's nightmare. When all you want is to cuddle up, he's on the other side of the world chasing the grail of truth, justice and the American way. If he comes back, it will only be until his wounds heal and he rides out again. Involvement with them will cause tears. Tears of pride in your hero, tears of agony for his pain, tears of despair for your pain. You've got to decide if the tears are worth the glory. I'll not try to make the decision for you, but you need to know the downside. One of the upsides is he'll kick brainless bimbos with itchy twats out of his way to come and cuddle you." Scully murmured, "It's to late. Mulder recites poetry when he cuddles." "Oh, you are so toast, gal. It's hopeless, isn't it." "Yes." "Let's see if they have the dancing set up." *** The dining room had been set up as a ballroom, with a five piece band at one end, and a half a dozen small round tables at the other. The band broke into the heated opening strains of a Tango. Mulder pulled Scully to the middle of the dance floor and assumed the opening position. She turned her head away in the classical pose, and he began stalking her. Tension and release, tension and release to the rhythmic beat of the music. He subtly used his physicality to seduce and capture her, not physically forcing her but commanding her, against her rational will. The song ended with them in an embrace, she was bent over backwards and enfolded in his arms. The second song of the set was even more primitive in its beat. In this one, she stalked him, coaxing him out from his defenses with the lure of passion. She danced, danced as a flame, with him drawn in as helplessly as a moth. The hypnotic lure overcame his defenses, causing to cast aside all caution, all thought but her and the promised passion. The tension was the pull of her passion, the release was his pulling away from it, fascinated and awed at the same instant, then mindful of some duty that wouldn't allow him to go to the passion. The kaleidoscope of emotions was reflected in his posture and body language. The song ended with him standing with his head hung down and her hands on his face, forcing him to look at her upturned face. The band went immediately into the last song of the set. This one almost had a samba beat, dark and rhythmic, with nothing but a deep drum and the bass guitar, with a plaintive minor thread from the accordion. They moved as one, with none of the chasing and luring. The tension and release was from the body language alone. They stepped closer to each other, colliding into a magnetic field that only they could feel, but everyone could see. Each movement was mirrored by the other. They held eye contact for the entire dance, lost in their own world. When the music stopped, the world stopped. Then they heard the applause and came to themselves. Scully smiled and curtsied to the audience, then smiled up at a dazed Mulder. She led him to their table and he seated her. She then asked him to get her a glass of something cold. Iris leaned over and whispered, "If your Momma saw you doing the like of that that without a marriage license she'd have your hide, girl." Becky came over, and didn't whisper when she said, "Whoowhee, Dana. I've known folks with a house full of kids who've never been that intimate. You sure you don't need to go wring out your panties?" "Is that the way Mulder danced back in the Vineyard?" "Nothing like that, or I'd have a house full of Mulders now. I was fifteen, he was sixteen, and he was considered dangerous. Long dark hair, tall, perfect, if distant, manners, wonderful dancer. Perfectly tailored Tux, and an air of suffering, not the usual teen angst, but real, bone deep pain. Every girl I ever met on the Vineyard thought he needed them to soothe his pain." "Did he really make three girls pass out? I find it hard to believe." "I know the real story about that. The first one hadn't eaten in three days, and the other two wanted to swoon. He did it, but the whole story is less dramatic than he tells it." Mulder came back with a tall glass of sparkling water, handed it to Scully and sat down beside her. Becky grabbed him and said, "Come on tall boy, dance with the old married lady." The gentle strains of Strauss began wafting through the room. Becky leaned close to whisper in his ear, and garnered a laugh and a tricky step. She followed beautifully with a wide grin. They kept the regulation four inches between them, with him leading only with his hands. Becky closed her eyes at the sensation, trusting him. With a final twirl the music stopped, the were on the edge of floor near the tables and Becky's right hand was resting lightly on his extended left forearm. He escorted her back to her table. Four stood and pulled out a chair for her. She chattered gaily, "Fox, you dance wonderfully, as always. I thought the magic was gone after being friends for so many years, but after seeing you and Dana, I realize there was never any magic. I'm so happy for you." Another waltz started, and Mulder quirked an eyebrow at Scully. She nodded and rose, going to the floor with Iris and Tommy and Jeremy and Cindy. Jeremy had put on his white gloves, and Cindy had caught a loop in her floor length gown to hold it off the floor. Scully wished her well of her storybook prince, but preferred her own quirky, battered knight. Iris was superbly graceful, but Tommy seemed less than sure of himself. The had just arrived back at the table when the band started a boogie woogie beat. Iris lit up and said, "C'mon Mulder, they're playing our song." Mulder gave a rueful glance to Scully as Iris dragged him to the floor. Scully looked at Tom as he gazed hungrily at Iris. "You really like her, don't you Tommy." "Yeah." "Go for it. Mulder's my partner, and I trust him now more than ever. Where are Charlie and Joan?" "In the library, playing hearts. Charlie and I usually partner and do pretty well, Charlie counts cards and I read folks pretty good, but Charlie and Joan are ridiculous. The third time in a row Joan did a laydown, Rafe and Susie just got up and came back to the dancing, and Rafe doesn't dance." "I didn't meet them." "Rafael Martinez, the guy in the pink shirt with the black lace edging on the ruffles. The big blonde is his wife, Suzanne Frankowski. Rafe does Protective Services at the State Department and Suzanne's an OB-GYN in Arlington." "That brings up a thought. How many people tonight are armed?" "Well Iris and I are, I assume you and Mulder have something. Rafe almost certainly, The Colonel is, and Becky doesn't stray more than a few steps from a shotgun when she's not carrying. Pete, almost certainly, he's a US Marshal, maybe Cindy, she's a Prince Georges county assistant DA, and just finished a very ugly drug case. Charlie usually carries, but if he's not, he knows where the Colonel keeps the M-16. Jeremy probably has some little 7MM European abortion, and he's a Zorro with that sword. I know at least four more that have permits, but they're probably not carrying tonight." "Ever seen any problem?" "Just one. The first game Iris saw, year before last, I took a good lick, a fair hit but a good lick. Iris was down on the field, screaming like a Valkarie and trying to arrest the guy for assault. I took some major teasing for that, and it embarrassed the hell out of Iris." "And she still comes to the games?" "Yeah, and brings her boys." "And she loves you too." "Huh?" "Most women are supremely disinterested in a thirty man brawl, disguised as a game they know nothing about. But it's important to their man, so it's important to them. Iris brings her boys because she wants them to see what a real man and his friends are like, not gang-bangers or pimps or welfare daddies. Iris or the kids ever get any grief from any of the guys?" "No. Not even Mike. He's from backwoods Mississippi, and his wife Abby makes sure their boys play with Iris's, although she's always sneaking an American football in. She goes on a tirade about her boys are going to learn real football, not about old farts trying to get hurt to prove their masculinity." "Is Abby the little tiny thing with long black hair that Iris is hugging, next to the skinny guy with the big Adam's apple?" "Yeah, that's Abby and Mike. He's eaten up with quick and full of mean. He's an IRS criminal investigator, and claims to play Rugby to relieve the tensions of not being able to kill the assholes he investigates." "So I've spent the night in the company of some very dangerous men. Why don't I feel frightened?" "You've spent the last six years with Mulder, who's as dangerous as any of them? You realize that as Mulder's guest, any of them would die to protect you, or cut off their hand before offering insult? You know that they recognize you as being as dangerous as themselves? Pick your answer, they're all true." "That sounds so primal." "You want primal, give Becky a couple of shots of rye and ask her about caves and saber tooth tigers. She's got this theory that the real reason for marriage is put the husband in the cave mouth to protect the women and babies from saber tooth tigers. She's a cynic, so she doesn't expect the tiger to lose every time, but she does expect the husband to give the tiger a real rough row to how. Actually it kind of makes sense, she's an assistant professor of cultural anthropology at Georgetown. Not real popular with the PC crowd, but she has tenure, so she's there for another twenty- five years." *** Becky made the announcement, "It's midnight, the witching hour. Fox and Dana have agreed to give us Tango lessons." "Scully, you go ahead, you're the teacher." "OK, everyone. The Tango is not about poses or steps. It's really just mime to a three four beat. It's a mime about seduction. Classical Tango is about the man's masculinity and power overcoming the woman's reluctance. It is not rape, it is seducing the woman with the man's power." "Watch these first steps. It starts in a regular waltz position, then the woman looks over her shoulder to avoid the burning gaze of the man." "She feels the gaze, even if she's not looking at it. The man takes command, pulling her tightly to him, remember in three four time. She pushes away. He lets her go, but keeps a hand on her wrist to prevent her from totally escaping. Remember tension and release. Remember, she's not a slut and he's not a rapist. A little frisson of anxiety, not fear." "Now try the first few steps yourself. Chuck, just the beat." "One, two three rest. Tension, two three release, tension two three release. Remember guys, gaze at her as if she's the most desirable woman you've ever seen, tension, two three release. Thanks, Chuck." "There are a number of standard steps and poses in the Tango, but none of are required and certainly not in any particular order. Usually the first is for the man to pull the woman tightly and swiftly against his chest, or in Mulder's and my case, my chest against his abdomen. Dancing several steps rubs my breasts against him, causing my nipples to erect. I gasp, and push away again, Mulder keeps hold of my wrist, allowing me some distance. Of course at this point, Becky may just grab the good Colonel and drag him behind a locked door." "Don't think I'm not tempted, girl." "The usual next step is for the man to insinuate his knee between the legs, dancing along and rubbing his thigh against the woman's private parts." "Dry humping, Dana? I'm not sixteen any more." "Iris, on the dance floor? In front of everyone? In a reasonably legitimate dance step? Tell me that wouldn't give you a thrill." "You can go two ways from this point. If you don't like the guy, because of BO or lack of tact, just raise the inside knee swiftly, and walk from the floor. If he's not displeasing, raise the outside leg and caress the back of his thigh and leg. It works best with a short or split skirt." "Scully, you've got on a long, full skirt, and it's working really, really well." "Male point of view is heard from. In either case, the woman has gained control of the situation. If you're staying around, strut away from the man, pulling him along, then dance some more, with you pulling him into where you want him." *** "Oh, Mulder, that was a wonderful evening. Why didn't you tell me you had friends like that?" "I didn't think you wanted to know about my personal life." "Well I do now. Those were wonderful women. The guys were neat, but the women were wonderful. I could be friends with all of them." "So you don't mind that I play Rugby? I was afraid you might object to the chance of injury." "I'm not ecstatic about it, but you're a big boy now." "The women have a softball team that starts in a couple of weeks. The guys take care of the kids and cook while the women play. Want me to talk to Abby?" "No, I'll approach her through Iris, they seem to be good friends." To Be Continued Wolf Universe 6 Title: Tea and Baseball Author. Mike Feedback. Please. Mike0666@ Hotmail.com AU. Post Episode Alpha. Rating: NC-17 for series, This part PG-13 for violence and suggestive language. Category: Story Romance Adventure AU MSR. Spoilers: None Disclaimer: The Usual Drill. No Money being made, merely an appreciation of the characters owned and developed by Chris Carter and Fox. Summary: Scully Shines. And not Mulder's Shoes. Chapter 14 Monday Morning Basement Office 8:30 AM "Lieutenant Iris Washington, please." [Who may I say is calling?] "Special Agent Dana Scully, FBI." [One moment, please.] Muffled, [Hey LT, there's a fibbie named Scully on two for you.] [Hello, Dana. What can I do for you?] "Iris, I need a personal favor." [Sure Dana, anything in my power.] "I'd like an introduction to Abby Simpson. I understand she's organizing a softball team this summer, and I'd like to try out." [Dana, that's real simple. Have Mulder make a pot of his baked beans and take you to the First Baptist Church in Alexandria at one O'clock this Saturday. That's Mike and Abby's church, and where they hold the organizing picnic.] "Thanks, Iris, I really owe you. And I owe Mulder too." [Dana, Mulder may have not gotten the word, the primary purpose is to organize the women's softball team. Give me your home phone and private e-mail and I'll make sure you get on all the lists. That reminds me, I'll have to call Charlie and make sure Joan gets invited.] "OK, I won't beat Mulder to badly. Thanks for the info. Will the other women think I'm pushy?" [No, they'll be glad. Mulder makes good baked beans. And if you've got a decent glove, they'll be real glad. We really need a shortstop.] "Just sandlot with my brothers and church league until I went off to school, nothing special, although I did play shortstop. Thanks again, Iris. Bye." [Bye, Dana.] *** Mulder wandered in and set a tall cup of Starbuck's, sweet and light, on her desk. "Good Morning, Scully, sorry I'm late. Anything happening?" "Mulder, working hours are from nine to five. Coming in at 8:59 and leaving at 6:00 isn't pushing the envelope too much, especially since we work twenty hour days on the road. The bureau expects 2000 hours a year from us, and I'm already at 1500 in May. I expect you've got more than that. "No, nothing happening about work. Your Rugby team does have a family picnic this Saturday, and you're to bring your baked beans." "Scully, I gave your home phone to Becky Beauregard yesterday evening, I'd expected her to call this evening. She called last night?" "No, I just got off the phone with Iris. Dinner at my place tonight?" "Sure. What can I bring?" "A healthy appetite. Dinner at seven. Casual." *** Scully's Apartment 6:55 PM Monday, Late May, 1999. Scully slid the sixteen ounce Filet onto Mulder's plate, then the eight ounce one onto hers. The salad and breadsticks were already on the table, and the baked potatoes were underneath the broiler staying warm. "Medium rare, just like you always call for." "Butch, you said you couldn't cook." "Broiling a steak and making a salad isn't cooking, just assembling ready ingredients. " "But you've managed to do my favorite meal." "Sundance, living with Wolf has been an eye opener. You and he are just alike. A little red meat, a little affection, a little vigorous physical activity and you're supremely happy." "Exactly what sort of physical activity did you have in mind this evening." "You'll find out." The phone began ringing, and Scully reluctantly pulled her hand from where Mulder was nibbling on the inside of her wrist. [Dana, this is Becky. When you get in, or when Fox pulls out, give me a buzz at 555.] "Becky, this is Dana. Has anyone ever told you that you have a potty mouth." [A lady, like Iris or Abby, would refer to it as speaking candidly.] "I'm slightly less enamored of euphemisms than you. What can I do for you." [Oh, God, Dana, we are going to have a great time. You're even more sarcastic and acerbic than I am. Abby and Mike Simpson are hosting a Bar-B-Q for the Team's families at their church Saturday. One O'clock, First Baptist Church of Alexandria. Take the King Street East Exit from I-395, and it's a couple of blocks on the south side of the road.] "To organize Women's Softball, right?" [That's one reason. If you're interested, bring your glove. The main reason is to get Fox there. He brings really good baked beans, and can organize the pubescent girls to do a really good clean-up.] "So I get to watch teenage girls drooling over Mulder and their Mommas drooling over his cooking while I get sweaty and strawberries trying to make the team?" [Well, yeah, but don't worry about the girls, they get drafted onto the team as soon as they turn sixteen, so it's just little girls. Come, it's a lot of fun.] "OK, we'll be there." [Thanks, Dana. Bye.] "Bye, Becky" *** Scully walked into the kitchen to find Mulder scraping the last plate and setting it into the dishwasher. She wrapped her arms around his waist and said, "You'd make a good roommate. Are you seeing anyone?" "What's for dessert, Butch?" "You've got a choice, blueberry cobbler and ice cream or me." "Can I have both?" "Which do you want first?" "You." "Good answer." He twisted in her arms, bent down to kiss her. She rose onto her toes to meet the kiss. The phone rang again. "Sundance, let me answer this." [Dr. Scully?] "Speaking." [Dr. Scully, this is Abby Simpson. We've not met, but my husband plays Rugby with Mr. Mulder.] "Oh, yes. You're a friend of Iris Washington's." [Yes. Isn't she the strongest, sweetest woman you've ever met.] "I've just met her, but I really like her." [Dr. Scully, the reason I'm calling is to invite you and Mr. Mulder to the team family barbecue this Saturday. It's at our church, First Baptist Church of Alexandria at one. East bound exit off of I-395 onto King, then seven blocks on the right. We'll start serving at 4:30. We're organizing the ladies softball team if you'd like to tryout. We'd be happy to have you join us.] "Can we bring anything?" [A side dish would be nice, but we'll understand if your schedule doesn't allow.] "We'll be there, with a big pot of Mulder's New England baked beans." [Thank you, Dr. Scully, I'm looking forward to meeting you.] "And I you, Mrs. Simpson." [Good-bye] "Good-bye" "Mulder, that was another invitation to the picnic Saturday. We're going." "Sure. Need to borrow a glove?" "First Baseman's? For your ham hands? Not a chance. I've got a good fielder's glove in my Mom's attic. Get your mouth set for Annapolis tomorrow." "Right now my mouth is set for something else." "Cobbler?" "And other things." The phone rang again. Mulder turned her loose, muttering under his breath about ripping the damn thing out of the wall. "Good Evening." [Dana, help. Elizabeth Jurgenson just went into labor.] "Becky, I don't have much experience with obstetrics. Call 911." [Oh, that's no problem. She's at the hospital. The problem is our High Tea Society meeting Wednesday, and you're the only person that works near downtown that I haven't already dragged in.] "What does this entail?" [Once a month, we host a High Tea for bright high school juniors and senior girls. The biggest problem for them on job hunts and admissions interviews seems to be a lack of social skills, so we mentor them in those at a high tea. You just drink tea and chat for an hour with four bright seventeen and eighteen year old girls.] "Becky, I don't even own a pair of white gloves any more, let alone have a suitable tea dress." [Oh no, nothing like that. Business Professional attire. I rarely change from class clothes before going.] "Who will be there?" [Me, Margo Hill, a lawyer from Transportation and Pete Hill's wife, Abby Simpson, Leah Greenberg, who's Charlie Connely's Partner and John Lindsey's wife, Elizabeth and Iris.] "What does Abby do?" [She's our only real business woman. She's got a custom gunsmith shop in Alexandria. She's a BS in Mechanical Engineering from Mississippi State. Her shop specializes in combat tuning pistols and custom grips and holsters for women in law enforcement.] "I think I'm free. Hold on a minute while I check my Daytimer." Scully put Becky on hold, grabbed her Daytimer, saw that she was in town all week and had nothing scheduled and said to Mulder, "Are we in town Wednesday? Do we have any meetings or anything?" "No." "Becky?" [Yeah, I'm here.] "I'll be able to do it, I've got nothing planned. You understand that I sometimes have emergencies." [I know, and I can work around it, if necessary, but I really don't want to. It wouldn't be fair to the girls.] "When and where?" [The Willard at 3:00. Ask for the Beauregard Tea. If you show up a few minutes early, I'll introduce you to everyone.] "I'll be there." [Thanks, Dana, you're a lifesaver.] "You're welcome, Becky. Bye." "Not now, Mulder. I've got to call my mom." "Hello, Mom." [Dana, how are you?] "Just fine, Mom. May Mulder and I visit for a couple of hours tomorrow evening?" [Certainly, dear. But why just for a couple of hours?] "I need my softball glove. I'm going to try out for a team Saturday. You've still got my box full of stuff in the attic, don't you?" [Yes, of course. How is engaged life treating you?] "Oh, it's wonderful. I'll tell you all about it when we get there." [Are you bringing your dog?] "If that's OK." [Oh, yes, he's such a well behaved dog. What would you like for supper?] "Nothing special. I just fed Mulder a steak tonight. Soup or sandwiches will be fine." [Dana, you've got to remember you're feeding a man now, not a little slip of a woman. A big, active man like Mulder needs 3000 Calories a day, every day.] "Actually, Mom, he's feeding me. He's a wonderful cook, and you know my cooking skills have atrophied." [And he's cooking to your taste and going hungry himself. Don't worry, I'll have something suitable.] "Yes, Mother." [What time will you be here?" "Before 6:30. We'll leave straight from work, but traffic is bad during rush hour. We'll probably leave around nine. If something comes up, I'll give you a call as soon as I know." [I'll see you then dear. Bye.] "Bye Mom." "Mulder, I love you dearly, but we've got to schedule this week." She pulled his hands from around her waist and waved the Daytimer in his face. "Let's see. Tuesday after work, we're going to Mom's. She said she'll have a good supper for you. Probably just dried crusts and water for me, she doesn't think I'm taking good care of you. "I'd drive a lot further than that for your Mom's cooking, although I'll agree about the taking care of me part." "Work first. I've got a tea Wednesday afternoon. Can I count on you to bat fungo for me Wednesday, Thursday and Friday evenings? I need to get back in the groove." "Sure. Batting practice?" "That's not a big deal in softball. Tuesday we'll need to stop and get a half a dozen softballs and some neatsfoot oil for the glove. Oshman's on the way back." "OK." "What do you need for the beans?" "I'll need to start soaking them Friday morning, and cooking them Friday night." "OK, Grocery store run Thursday evening after dark, which is good, because the put out the fresh stuff Thursday morning. Thursday and Friday night at your place. Do you have a ball field or park suitable for practice near your place?" "Yes. Do you have any idea how much TakeCharge!Scully turns me on?" "Mulder, I've watched melting icicles turn you on." "Only because I was imagining you sucking the melt water off of them." "Mulder, we can have the Blueberry Cobbler later. Right now I'm going to fill some needs of mine, although you might enjoy it." *** Annapolis, MD Mrs. Scully's House Tuesday 8:00 PM "Maggie, this is a wonderful pot roast," said Mulder as he took another helping of the roast and the potatoes, carrots and onions that had been cooked with it. He also took another thick slice of the bread fresh from the bread maker. "Oh Fox, it was nothing. I didn't even come into the kitchen between eight and five today, because of the crock pot and bread maker. I'll give the recipes to Dana." "Dana, did you find everything you needed?" "Yes, Mom. Your usual organization made everything simple to find." Mulder interjected, "Your Mother's organized too? I'm suddenly afraid, very afraid." "Fox, I taught all my children that life goes a little smoother if you plan ahead. Dana learned well. Now tell me about your Rugby team. I have a vague familiarity with the sport, but I'm really interested in the people." "It's just a bunch of guys who like the game. They're OK. Good guys, and I like them. Dana likes their wives and girls." "Mom, most of them are military or law enforcement of one kind or another. Tommy O'Leary from Richmond is on the team." "Tommy O'Leary, your father's cousin?" "Yes, he's in the DCPD now. Detective Sergeant. His partner, Iris Washington is really a wonderful woman." "I haven't seen him in fifteen years, just before he went off to Seminary. I did hear he left, but not the reason why." Mulder listened while they prattled about the wives of the Rugby team. When Maggie reiterated how she had always like Tommy, and the fun Charlie and he had had when he stayed that summer with them in San Diego, he interjected, "Maggie, the Rugby club is going to have a family picnic this Saturday, would you like to come?" "Oh, I couldn't intrude, Fox." "No intrusion. Dana's trying out for the softball team, and Tom is going to be stuck watching two pre-pubescent boys. I'll be lonely." "Tommy has children?" "No, the boys belong to his partner, Iris. Iris is on the softball team, and she's going to be defending her position as pitcher. Rumor has it that Michelle Martinez has a sizzler fastball. She's just coming up from the girls league," "Are you sure it's no imposition?" "Absolutely none. These picnics always remind me of the miracle of loaves and fishes. You always go home with more than you take." "Dana?" "I'm sure you'll be welcome. One of the reasons Mulder is invited is because he supervises the teenage girls in the cleanup. I'm going to be trying out for the softball team, and I'd really like someone with my interests at heart there." "Dana, Fox would never hit on little girls." "I know that, Mom, it's just that he's so sweet, the girls will fall in love with him. Trying to find an equivalent will blight their lives forever." Mulder blushed, then said, "I'm sure everyone will be happy to meet you, Maggie. We'd really like you to come." "Dana, I'll be at your place Saturday about eleven. Should I bring anything?" "No, Mom, Mulder is bringing a big pot of beans." *** Willard Hotel, DC 2:00 Wednesday Scully strode up to the concierge and said, "Beauregard Tea." "The Jackson room. Front!" The bellboy operated the lift, and escorted Scully to the second floor and the Jackson room. She tipped him $5, squared her shoulders and entered the room. "Dana, I'm so glad you could make it. Come over and let me introduce you." "Everyone, this is Dana Scully. She's a pathologist with the FBI. Dana, you know Iris, this is Margo Hill, she's a lawyer with the Transportation Department, Leah Greenberg, she's Charlie Connely's business partner, and Abby Simpson. Abby has the sweetest little gun shop in Alexandria." Scully looked at the tiny little woman with long black hair and snapping black eyes, extended her hand and said, "How does a gun shop get to be sweet?" "Mainly I just try to keep it clean and pitch my products and displays towards women, both LEO and civilian. Shooting instruction is geared towards females, and the clerks have to be clean and neat, no black ops wanna-bees, no torn T- shirts that read "Kill `em all and let God sort them out." "Why haven't I heard of it?" "Probably because Joe in the FBI armory is as good a gunsmith as there is on the East Coast. His repertoire is a little limited, but he's wonderful with service weapons." "He's the one that recommended my Glock 30, with the 36 as off-duty." "Oh my, those are nice pieces. You don't fool around do you? .45 ACP with a woman your size? How do you like it?" "It's great, as long as I get the grip right. I've scratched the stocks so I can feel when I'm right." "Come on by the store one day, and I'll make you stock that will make it impossible to get your grip wrong." "When are you open?" "Ten to six Tuesday through Friday, 7:30 to Noon on Saturday." Scully was about to set up and appointment for next Saturday when there were shots and shouts from just outside the door, then a burst of full auto. She pulled out her pistol and cell phone and looked over to Iris, who already had her phone out. "Dana, call the FBI, I'm already ringing Central Dispatch. The rest of you, start stacking furniture in the corners." She hit her speed dial button. "Mulder, patch me through to the ready team. Shots fired, Willard hotel." [OK, I'll make this a conference call.] [Ready Team Room.] "Scully, Badge 72-2120. Shots fired, Willard Hotel, probably second floor, full auto fire. DCPD response en route. I'm in the Jackson Room, on the south side with a DCPD Detective and four civilians. We are barricaded in the far corners of the room." [Hang on this line, Scully, we're on our way.] "Bells and whistles all the way, DCPD is en route." [Gotcha, Scully.] [This is Mulder, Scully's partner. Could you route this call to my cell phone, I'm on my way too.] [Is your locker properly stocked?] [Inspected two weeks ago, passed fine.] [OK, we'll bring your Tac gear.] "Bring mine too." [Scully, they didn't ask if your locker was OK.] "They know it will be." *** Scully plugged her "Hands Free" into her cell phone and scanned the room. The upholstered furniture had been piled in the corners. She saw that Iris was still talking and gestured the others over. "Take the straight chairs and lay them down in front of the door to tangle up the feet of anyone that rushes in. Who's armed?" Abby and Becky answered in the affirmative. "Becky, you and Margo go to the west corner with Iris. Abby and Leah, come with me to the east corner." Iris nodded at the allocation of people. [Scully, you still there?] "Yes Mulder." [I'm out front in the communications van, sitting next to Tom O'Leary who will be talking to Iris and DCPD. Tommy's getting a roll call from Iris, I want you to give the physical layout.] "We're in the Jackson room, a small event room with South facing windows. Approximately twenty-five feet wide and forty feet long. Ten feet of floor to ceiling windows, no way to open them. Furnished with upholstered conversation areas and six small tables and dining chairs. We've stacked upholstered furniture in the two corners near the window, and laid the straight chairs in front of the door. The door is locked. Two of the civilians are armed." [Abby and Becky, right?] "Yes." [Describe mental states as you can see them.] "Everyone seems calm. Iris seems a little irritated at Tommy." [He's doing protestations of undying love.] "Over an open channel? Now? No wonder she's pissed." [I'm glad I took care of that this morning. How is everyone armed?] "I've got my service piece and two clips, twenty-five rounds. Abby has the biggest snub-nosed revolver I've every seen and three, no four speed loaders, that makes thirty rounds for Abby. Becky has a big double stack 9MM, one extra clip, about thirty rounds. Iris has what I assume is her service piece and one extra clip. Twelve Rounds. Per Clip. Twenty- five" [I'm not even going near that side of the building until you give the personal all clear. That is scary.] "Why scary?" [Abby's been a finalist for state champion on the combat course for the last four years. Becky is a pointer, not an aimer, but makes up for it with volume of fire. Iris is as good as you, if not better. The first twenty guys through that door are dead meat.] "Mulder do you have any idea what's going on?" [The Secretary of Commerce was supposed to be addressing a group of about twenty businessmen just down the hall from you, but something came up and he's been located in his office. The businessmen are missing. We don't know if the Secretary is the target, or one or all of the businessmen, or if it's random crazies. They're trying to get cameras going to gather intelligence, but they've not gotten any data to me.] "Mulder, should Iris and I do a sneak and peek?" [Not yet. Give the tech guys a chance. Wait a minute, they're feeding something to my monitor. It looks like the hall is clear. No, there's one guy with an AK-47 at the door of the room the businessmen were in. Just hold on, Scully.] "I'm holding, Mulder." [Scully, more info. Is everyone still calm?] "Yes. Even Iris doesn't look mad any more." [Here's what we plan. One of the HRT guys is going to rappel down from the roof, cut out the window and extract you from it, replacing you with a team of door kickers. We've tested the sight lines on the other side of the building, and we'll be fine as long as we stay close to the wall. We need some more info on the room.] "Tell me what you need." [First check out the window. Is it double pane, single pane, insulated, what ever you can tell.] "It looks like insulated, double pane. Here's a brand name, Thermoflex." [Great, Scully. Now describe the walls. Are they real walls, or just the dividers used to break up a big room into smaller pieces?] "The East wall appears to be solid, it's papered to a wood chair rail about three feet high, paneling below. I have no real way of telling what's under the paper or paneling. The West wall appears solid also. It's papered clear to the baseboard." [Scully, do you have your knife?] "Yes." [Dig through the West wall on your side only, got through one side only. Be sure to stay away from electric outlets. Tell us what it's made of.] "It appears to be ordinary sheet rock, Mulder." [Great. Just to increase your fund of irrelevant knowledge, the HRT has tentative plans to cut out the sheet rock and enter the room to the West of you, getting cameras going in the wall that room shares the with the hostage scene.] [OK, Scully, the man just went off the roof. Black Fatigues with a Kevlar vest, Yellow FBI embroidered front and back. Tell Abby and Becky not to shoot him.] "Mulder, they have better judgement than that." [Do you have any idea what a 44 Magnum Snubbie loaded with speedballs sounds like? Indoors?] "Listen up everyone, there's going to be a guy in black fatigues and FBI on his vest at the window in a moment. Don't shoot him. I'll watch the window, you three watch the door." [Scully, we have teams in the stairwells and the elevator. Your outgoing is patched into their net. If you need them yell `go' three times.] Scully was watching the climber place suction cups on the window when she heard a disturbance at the door. She whirled around and saw a hostage pushed in. He stumbled and fell on the chairs and four gunmen rushed in. She shouted "Go, Go, Go." and raised her weapon. Iris was shouting "Hostage, Hostage." and Abby was standing in a Cooper stance, shrieking "Armor, Armor." Boom, pop, pop, pop. Boom, pop, pop, pop. Boom, pop, pop, pop. Boom, pop, pop, pop. Scully went from left to right, but the targets were falling faster than she could aim. Everyone was on the floor. She ran to the hostage to check him out. Leah ran with her and they dragged him behind the barricade. Scully was panting into her microphone, "Four gunners down, one hostage recovered." "Is everyone OK?" Becky said, "It looks like Margo has been shot in the ass, but I'm OK." Scully headed over after checking her side of the room. The hostage seemed a little dazed, but Abby and Leah were OK. "I'm OK." Iris said. Becky was switching out magazines and Abby calmly dumped her cylinder and reloaded from a speed loader. Scully looked at Iris trying to tend Margo, and said, "Mulder, talk to me. Is the hall clear? We need paramedics up here. It appears to be a minor flesh wound, but it's bleeding profusely." [Final check being run on the floor now. The EMT's are waiting for the all clear. How's Charlie, dangling on the rope?] "A couple of AK47 rounds went through the window, but Charlie appears OK." [I'll get you a tape of his commentary. It's hilarious.] "Margo, this appears to be just a graze of the fleshy part of the buttocks. It's painful as hell, I know, but no bones and no vital organs. It won't even show in a swimsuit unless you wear thong bottoms. You should be on your feet in a few days and back to work, with a doughnut, in a week or two." [Scully, the all clear just sounded. There were five gunmen, four are down in your room, one captured when the teams responded. All the hostages are OK, although some, including yours, seem to be bruised and dazed, but no signs of drugs, just shock. We've not gotten the reason from the prisoner yet, but he's as American as apple pie. You ladies can go back to your tea party now.] "Mulder!" [All the husbands and boyfriends are down here, nervous as hell. ] Scully heard from the door, "FBI, don't shoot." "This is Agent Scully, come in with your hands clear." "Are you ladies OK?" "One bleeding flesh wound, we're waiting for the paramedics. Would you ask your guys to watch for a team with a female member and send them here?" "You guys catch that? Send an EMT team with a female member to the Jackson room. Send the coroner's guys down here too. I'm sorry Agent Scully, you're still broadcasting on our net." "Mulder, I'm shutting down now. See you in a few." [OK, Scully.] "Now the fun part, shooting incident reports and interviews. They will be done with a team of an FBI Agent and a DC detective. They will be short and sweet, there's no question what happened, but it must be done." "Can we go to another room? I'm a pathologist, and the mess is starting to get to me. I imagine the civilians are quite distressed." "Sure, as soon as EMT's get here and give everyone a cursory check. Here they are now. " He stood up. "Ladies, we're going to have a quick check by the medics, then your husbands are waiting outside. Please don't leave yet, we have to do a short interview before we can let you go." Willard Hotel 10:30 PM Wednesday Evening "Mulder, Scully, I've reviewed all the reports. Very impressive piece of work. You both conducted yourselves in a very professional and competent manner. The Director and the Mayor have both asked me to extend their thanks." Scully said, "Thank you sir, but it was just what needed doing, and most of the time I being talked through my actions by Mulder." "But both of you knew what needed doing, and did it well. Scully, I noticed your statement that you didn't fire your weapon. This isn't a criticism, but I'd like to know why." "Mrs. Simpson and I were on the east, and Lieutenant Washington and Dr. Beauregard were on the west. I was watching the window. By the time I'd turned around, the terrorists were already down. What shots were fired?" "Mrs. Simpson fired four rounds. Her hits were obvious, all in the head, on all four subjects. There is nothing subtle about a 44 Magnum hollow point to the head. Her statement said she didn't fire at anyone not standing. Dr. Beauregard fired nine times, and Lieutenant Washington three. There were two bullets caught in the protective gear, the rest were in the head or throat. We haven't determined who got the hits, both were using 9MM. Both said they only fired a standing people. Charley Griffin's statement backs that up, he said it was over in two or three seconds. How well do you know Mrs. Simpson? "Mulder knows her better than I, sir." Skinner cocked an eye at Mulder. "How can such a tiny woman handle that howitzer?" "Abby has a custom gunsmith's shop in Alexandria. She claims that with the proper grip and training, anyone can handle the biggest gun. She's usually in the state finals in for the combat hand-gunning competition. She uses that custom snubbie with full powered loads instead of a gun optimized for the course, and calls it advertising. I've done Hogan's Alley with her, and she's the quickest I've ever seen." "Well, it's getting late. I don't want to see either of you until after lunch tomorrow. I'll give you both the advice I gave your friends, take your phone off the hook tonight, this going to be a big story and reporters are going to go crazy. You have a press conference scheduled at 2:30 tomorrow. Meet with the Press Office at one." *** Chapter 13 Thursday Afternoon Rock Creek Park Baseball Field "Thanks again Sundance, for doing this. I really need the practice." "Hey, Butch, spending time with you is always great. Do you think Wolf will keep it under control?" "If not, we can tie him to the dugout." Mulder watched as she started the fielding practice. He was starting easy, gentle hits right in front of her. She had the basics down well, step in front of the ball, both hands down. And she was beautiful without a speck of make-up, her ponytail pulled through the back of a Padres cap, and the ugliest cleats he'd ever seen. "Hey Butch, where did you find cleats in 5 narrow?" "Children's sizes. Now start varying where you're putting those things, and put some muscle into it." Wolf was chasing the balls, racing out after Mulder's hits and racing back when Scully threw the balls back against the backstop. When one got by her, he raced after that, bringing it to her to return. Mulder had a huge grin on his face, enjoying how much she was enjoying this. She had a constant smile, laughing when Wolf returned the ball to her, grimacing when she missed a ball. "Butch, that's about it. The light is starting to go." "Just a few more, and this time really put some pepper on it." "I'll do the best I can with this tiny bat." "That bat fits me, not an oversized ape like you. Hit the ball, Sundance." He hit it low and hard, so that it would sizzle in ankle height after one bounce. The ball took a bad bounce and flew up in her face. She landed on her ass with a shouted curse. "Scully, are you alright." "It took a bad hop, that's it for the evening." "Do you need to go to the emergency room? Do you need an ambulance?" "Take a chill pill. The ball took a bad hop and I'm going to have a bruise tomorrow. Let's go home and put an ice pack on it." *** When Mulder came back the ice pack, Scully was standing in the middle of his living room, doing her stretches. "Should you be doing that?" "Mulder, I'm just stretching out the kinks. If I don't, the waste poisons will stay in my muscles and I'll be hobbling like an old lady tomorrow. And if you don't stop hovering and blaming yourself, I'll tell everyone I fell while I was fulfilling your perverted lusts for the uneven parallel bars and fat free Thousand Island dressing." "You're an evil woman, Dana Scully. And I still feel responsible." "Sundance, I knew the risk when I went out on that field. I took the risk. I've come back from fielding practice with half a dozen bruises worse than this. Anyway, this is a lot more normal than a gun fight during High Tea at the Willard. Now get your wallet and car-keys, we've got to go grocery shopping. Where's your list?" "List, we don't need no stinking list." "Well I do. Get a pencil and pad and tell me what you plan to buy." As he was telling her what he needed, his voice drifted off and a far away look came into his eyes. "Earth to Mulder. Where did you go?" "Add Blue Cheese dressing to that list, I like it much better than Thousand Island. I think I can get a gym for a few hours late Sunday evening." "Mulder, you're a pervert." "But I'm your pervert." "Have you planned supper?" "No, I was going to pick something up at the Deli Counter this evening." Thus Endeth Part the Sixth