Title: San Francisco - The Aftermath of the aftermath Author: Hummbugg E-Mail: humm.bugg@hotmail.com Website: http://geocities.com/x_sanfrancisco_x Rated: NC-17 Disclaimer: As usual all credit to CC and Co. NOTES: I've been somewhere between busy and sick for the past few weeks which is why I haven't been online. Anyway for those of you still interested in this here it is LOL. This chapter is about sexual healing basically LOL. Pretty much a truckload of smut a few fluff filled moments and a break through with the vaccine. Basically this latest edition was written to wrap up the miscarriage and put all four characters back on even ground. Anyway on with the show X What in the world has come over me? What in heaven's name have I done? I've broken the speed of the sound of loneliness I'm out there running just to be on the run John Prine X Mulder lay awake in bed appreciating the full moon which bathed the room in shimmering silver light. The woman sleeping beside him remained oblivious to his indulgent gaze. He watched carefully as she inhaled softly through her arrogant little nose. Her smooth brow furrowed in sleepy concentration. Mulder wondered where her dreams were taking her tonight. It didn't take long for her to 'tell' him. He watched as a smirk developed upon her soft generous lips. They parted slightly to permit the escape of a low slur. "Mulllderr they don't exist." A grin broke over his face in response to her own slumbering smile. He imagined somewhere in her dreams they were back in D.C. tossing about theories. Mulder was relieved to finally witness her pleasant dreams. Far too many nights, over the last two months since her miscarriage, had contained haunting nightmares and long tiresome bouts of silence. He knew it was sometimes difficult for Scully to open up. Despite being a warm, affectionate and all together completely beautiful woman inside and out; Scully was fairly green when it came to long lasting romantic attachments. He understood and empathized completely. He didn't exactly have a proven track record either. Mulder had respected her need for space as best as he could while living under the same roof. Without verbally acknowledging it they had set intimacy on the back burner. They hadn't made love once since her miscarriage. Two months, two long frustrating months had begun to take its toll. Mulder knew he couldn't hold her at fault. Scully couldn't be blamed for her lack of sexual drive. His appreciation for her feelings didn't make it any easier. Seven long years without touching her had been less difficult to endure than this. In the past he had no idea what it was like to be allowed free access to her delightful body. The lack of knowledge had worked in his favor. It was different this time; he had memories of every sweet moment they had taken to drive each other over the edge. Her scent and taste were branded on his senses and like an addict all he craved was another hit. For her benefit he refused to let his frustration show. He didn't want Scully to come to the conclusion that he held petty irritation toward her. It wasn't her he had the problem with; it was the entire situation. Mulder was still dealing with his feelings from the events of two months ago. His appetite for her hadn't diminished but he felt his grief affect him in other ways. Watching Charlie dote on three year old Jasin hit close to home every time he witnessed her maternal activities. It simply wasn't fair to see one of the 'Scully' women lovingly going about her motherly duties while his own version quietly suffered through her lack of maternal outlet. Scully wanted to be a mother with a quiet but sure desperation and the need grew inside of her daily. His own desire for a family was tied very closely with Scully's yearning for motherhood. Mulder simply wanted to give her that which she desired and reap his own benefits in return. He would have the chance to raise a child the way he *should* have been raised. The Mulder's had been a fairly affluent bunch but holidaying in Europe and a silver spoon were nothing compared to the love and guidance of a sincere parent. Mulder knew his mother loved him in her own way; but she had always been too wrapped up in her shroud of secrecy and denial to provide a normal upbringing for her son. Mulder vowed to do better with the next generation of the Mulder family. There would be no lies and secrecy in their household. Of that he was sure. The icing on the cake was the mother he had chosen for his future offspring. Scully had always been the glue that kept everything together. He had no doubt that she would embrace her role as head of a family with the utmost dedication. The woman truly was above reproach. Having her made all his past injustices seem worthwhile. The smirk had finally faded from her lips. Her face was once again slack with sleep. Sometimes deep in the night, wrapped in the peacefulness of slumber Scully looked so completely innocent that he was fortunate enough to catch glimpses of the girl she surely would have been. He envied her of the fairly normal family life she had been blessed with as a child. He knew the Scully clan had operated as tight family unit back in its day. Despite all their constant relocating the Scully's always had a haven in each other. These days Scully had found her haven elsewhere. He was her touchstone just as much as she was his. Mulder knew he was guilty of taking advantage of that fact in the past but he believed his reasons had always been justified. This conspiracy of invasion was too important to allow hard feelings to get in the way. That had been the true test of their partnership. Right from the start she had to endure the constant ditching and paranoia. Most colleagues would have packed up and shipped out. Not Scully; even from the beginning she refused to bow out. She didn't like being left behind but she had quickly come to understand and pretty much accept that it came with the partnership. The work was his life and everything else took a back seat. Scully had passed the test with flying colors. She had proved to him that she could allow her own feelings and frustration take a back seat and get on with the job. Their little 'situation' with Diana had been a different story, but he knew her feelings regarding Diana had been of a more personal nature despite the work related front she had attempted to put up. Somewhere along the way she had become his life just as much as the work. The back seat contained no traces of her in this present life. She was securely buckled in upfront right beside him. They faced everything equally and always together. Mulder reached out to softly trace the bridge of her nose. It wasn't a perfect nose but it fit her face beautifully. His fingers danced slowly over the slope of proud, slender cartilage. He had never been one for conventional beauty. Many of the women he found himself attracted to had been oozing with sexual appeal but couldn't be classed as a generic face in the classic crowd. Mulder had always found himself attracted to a crooked smile over a perfect one, or eyes that screwed up delightfully in times of mirth. Mulder appreciated a face with expression and character. Scully's face certainly packed a punch. The longer one studied her striking features the more exquisite they became. His fingers left her nose to journey lovingly over her cheekbone. He hadn't meant to wake her and was momentarily startled when her eyes fluttered open. She blinked silently a couple of times. When her awareness settled in her voice emerged full throated and husky with sleep. "Mulder?" "Yeah it's me. Go back to sleep." He watched her blink again then raise her head to peer at the alarm clock on his side table. She dropped her head back to the pillow and reached out to run a warm hand through his hair. "Can't sleep?" He smiled. "You know me. Go back to sleep, I didn't mean to wake you." "Too late. Besides I'm awake now." She continued to caress him with her fingers playing softly against his scalp. Mulder closed his eyes and sighed contentedly. He missed the feel of her magic fingers scraping against the sensitive skin beneath his hair. The pleasure of making love to her wasn't the only part of their intimacy that he missed. Communing through touch had always brought with it a sweet almost overwhelming closeness. That is what he longed for the most. He wasn't going to put any pressure on her to unlock the invisible gate she had surrounding her body but letting her know that she was still desired wasn't such a bad idea. If she was internally questioning her self worth since her miscarriage he wanted to put a stop to it immediately. Without opening his eyes he spoke to her. "I miss you." Her tender ministrations didn't falter but she took her time in responding. "I'm sorry." "You have nothing to be sorry for." "I know I haven't been paying much attention to you lately." Mulder grinned and opened his eyes. He harbored no hard feelings. "You'd be amazed at how much I can get done without you distracting me." Her smile was small but no less effective. "I miss that too." He stroked her smile affectionately with his thumb. Scully's hand left his hair to push gently against his shoulder. Once he was on his back she moved toward him. Her head came to rest on his shoulder and an arm circled his chest. She slid one of her legs between his and pressed a tender kiss beneath his jaw. "Do you miss this too?" "Naaaah." She poked him in the ribs and he yelped. "Okay okay I miss this too." "That's what I thought." He felt her yawning against his neck and began a light circular rubbing motion between her shoulder blades. "Go back to sleep Scully. I won't be far behind." X Well there's no need to analyse this kind of emotion Cos it comes naturally. A simple case of feeling love and devotion. So tell me tenderly; I wanna give my life to you I wanna feel my love run through you And oh I wanna touch you. Over and over and over again John Farnham X Tuesday had turned into one of those extremely rare days where Michael was at home with his wife without their children around. Mark, Dana and Dani were at school. Three year old Jasin was at day care and the house was blissfully silent. Charlie had no lectures scheduled for the day. Normally she would still be at work reading over assignments, grading papers, checking over Mulder's study program for the semester and meeting with her students. Today she had decided to leave Mulder and her students to their own devices, keep her paperwork at home and actually put her feet up for once. Of course she was still reading over assignments and grading papers but at least she was doing it from the comfort of her couch. Michael's office had been at home for the last couple of years. In the past they had traveled a fair bit as a family basing themselves in foreign cities for months at a time while Michael enjoyed the glory days of his career in international political journalism. Their home had always been San Francisco and that is where they always returned. During their years 'on the road' as she fondly referred to them the kids had been 'home' schooled. They were both quite proud of themselves. Their kids were bright and well read. They spoke Spanish and French quite comfortably and were obviously fluent in their native tongue. Michael was a sought after figure and his popularity had allowed him the luxury of having his family accompany him on long assignments. These days he was happy to work from home freelancing for a number of large publications. Charlie had put in her time as a stay at home mother in the early days barely managing to make all her classes and hand in her assignments. She didn't just share those pretty Scully looks, she had the brains to boot. His wife had always amazed him with her determination to make something of her life. She would never be satisfied being 'just mom'. Charlie had a second chance at life after her cancer. A mature, thoughtful, responsible and ambitious woman had emerged from the ruins of her virtually destroyed nineteen year old body. There was no one else on earth he could imagine in her place. No one could have handled the hardships and appreciated the rewards of their life like her. He valued the rare occasions when the house was empty and they were alone together. It didn't happen nearly enough. The last two months had been hectic. Charlie was often out with Scully while Michael spent his free time entertaining Mulder. They had been too concerned with their originals to take any time for each other. Hopefully that would change some time in the next five minutes. He needed to distract her from her work long enough to rope her into spending some 'quality' time together. He knew just what to do. Food worked every time. It couldn't be just any kind of food. If he wanted to successfully drag her away from her papers he needed something delightfully sinful to entice her with. He pulled open the fridge searching for the contents of his seduction. It didn't take him long to locate what he was looking for. He pulled out the bowl of fresh strawberries and the unopened tub of thickened cream with a wicked smile. With a quick twist of his wrist the lid was off the cream and he peeled back the foil keeping it fresh and in place. "Charlie." Silence. "Chaaaarlie." More silence. "Here kitty kitty kitty." He heard a faint snort drift in from the living room. "Get your butt in here O'Neil." "I'm trying to work Michael." "But I've got something for you." He whined this time. "You're the worst kind of pain you know that?" He heard her voice grow in volume as she shuffled toward the kitchen. He quickly dipped a strawberry in the mouth watering, full fat, heart attack in a tub. She moaned as she eyed the sinful treat. "That's gonna go straight to my ass." He reached out to slap said ass and gave the stinging flesh a firm squeeze. "But it's a nice ass." He sat on one of the stools at the bench and pulled her onto his lap. "Open up." He watched as her mouth remained closed while her thighs spread open over his lap. "Ha ha. Very funny Professor." She paused for a moment. Michael never called her Professor. That was a Mulder trait. She peered at him over her shoulder. "You are my husband right?" At the confused look on his face she grinned. "Nevermind. Now where were we?" "You were about to open up." She smiled wickedly and he heaved a huge put upon sigh. "I meant your mouth." "We could do that too." "Who said anything about doing anything? Can't a man spoil his wife without there being an ulterior motive?" "Sure; but I know you too well and not only that, if the distinct bulge I feel pressing into my ass is anything to go by you've been waiting for an opportunity to pounce for awhile." She laughed at his sheepish grin and squirmed around on his lap to straddle him. Finally she did as requested and opened her mouth to accept the cream covered fruit. Michael watched as she wrapped her lips around the top half of the strawberry and delicately sucked at the cream. Her eyes closed as she hummed in appreciation. She withdrew her mouth briefly and felt his cock twitch as she swiped at an appropriately positioned dab of cream with her tongue above the left corner of her upper lip. Charlie began rocking slowly against the hard flesh trapped between their clothes and her now tingling center. She took a bite from the firm fruit he still held in his hand and wrapped her arms around his neck. She gently worried the red delight with her molars until it was bruised and soft. Maintaining the rhythm she had established against his lower half she brought her lips forward to meet his and they shared the sweet juice and tender pulp where their mouths met and parted. She felt his tongue enter her mouth to greedily lap at the remaining traces of sweetness on the insides of her cheeks and the flat of her tongue. He dropped the green leafy base of the fruit onto the bench and brought his hands around to cup her ass. He pulled her tightly against him as he pressed up with his hips. Michael's mouth left hers to dance along the tender skin of her neck. "You need to quit your job so we can stay at home and do this all day." "It wouldn't be this much fun if we did it all the time." She reached down to grip the bottom of her tank top and yanked it off her torso. Michael dipped two fingers in the tub of cream to scoop up a generous amount and smeared the mouth watering substance over the swells of flesh that emerged over the cups of her bra. He heard her purr as the warmth of his tongue and parted lips came into contact with her coated skin. "Mmm weren't you supposed to be eating strawberries with your cream?" He paused in the middle of his journey over her excited flesh. "I'd rather eat you with cream." "Oh do you remember that time with the jalapenos?" She watched as Michael's eyes glazed over. "That was good." "Ooooh the powdered sugar." "That was pretty creative." She pushed her breasts toward him again and he wasted no time in applying his talented mouth to her eager body once more. His arms rose around her back to unclasp her bra and drop it on bench. He cupped the tear drop mounds in his palms and using his mouth spread the remainder of the cream over her tense peaks. She felt a flood of warmth coat the keen flesh pulsing between her legs as he latched onto a nipple. "Oooh.. Michael.. If you die before me I'm taking your tongue to a taxidermist." She felt him release her nipple as he began to laugh against her breast. "Did I say you could stop?" Michael caught her lips with his own to silence her and slipped a hand beneath her sweats and into her panties. His fingers danced briefly over the small swell of flesh over her pubic bone and made to venture further south but stopped before he could slide between her honey dipped folds. She watched the momentary confusion on his face as he caressed the baby smooth skin. His face transformed into pleased surprise. "Charlie you're bare." "I know." "You never go completely bare." "Nothing wrong with trying something different every now and then. You like it?" He worked his long fingers further into her panties. He stroked against her swollen clitoris a couple of times before sliding both digits into the wet cavern waiting for other parts of his anatomy. He answered her when he heard her gasp. "Very much." While he slid those two fingers slowly in and out of her, he brought his other hand down to join the fun. He worked against her clitoris in counter rhythm to his well timed internal stroking. "So when did you go all bald on me?" Gasp. "Yesterday." Punctuated by a little moan. "I got waxed." "Ouch." "Ooooh that's perfect but do it harder." He increased the pressure of the two fingers working inside of her. "No the other hand." He pressed the pad of his thumb firmly against the small bundle of nerves he was fondling with his other hand. Up and down. Up and down. Up and down. She preferred that to circling. He only circled when he wanted to tease her or pull her back from the edge a little. His intimate knowledge of her worked in his favor; he felt the muscles in her legs tighten up as she rocked against him with increased fervor. "Michael we were having so much fun with the cream. Lets go back to that, there's no need to hurry." "Your hips are contradicting your words O'Neil." When she spoke again it was through gritted teeth. "Stop it's going to happen too soon. I want it to last." "We have all morning Charlie. Round two will be served it's just you and me and this tub of cream, and our empty house where you can be as loud as you like." "Oooh.. Mmm.. You're so right." "I'm always right." "Oh.. Mmm.. in your dreams.. Jesus.. Michael.. stop." "No way." "Stop!" With all the will power she could muster she placed her feet firmly on the metal bars circling the halfway point of the stool and lifted her lower half off him. She groaned in frustration and he pouted as his hands lost contact with her body. Charlie slid from his lap to stand in front of him. "Now get out of those pants before I chew 'em off." She shoved her own sweats and panties down her legs as she growled her order to him. His laughter was accompanied by the sharp hiss of his fly opening. She dove for the button and ripped it open. Before he could think of standing to remove his jeans her hand dived into the opening, wriggled down the front of his boxer briefs and drew him out of his hiding place. She squeezed around the middle of his huge throbbing shaft. "Okay you're normally hung like a horse but what's with THAT?" She was eyeing his straining erection gleefully. "It's been awhile since we got around to this." "I can see that." "We've been very busy lately." She brought herself back on track from her momentary distraction. "So you promise we can play with the tub of cream after?" "You have my word." "Good now get inside me before I kill you." Charlie boosted herself up on to the kitchen bench and parted her thighs when he moved to stand between them. She wriggled to the very edge of the counter and wrapped her legs around his waist for support. She placed her palms face down and flat either side of where she sat and lifted her pelvis and ass clear off the bench. Michael's arms circled around her hips and he placed both hands securely under her ass to take most of her weight off her arms. Once she was happily balanced he lined them up accordingly and pushed forward. Her moan started the second he entered her and ended when he was buried to the balls. "Don't be gentle this time." "No?" "No. I want.. I want you to fuck me." "That can be arranged." He drew back fluidly and rammed home again. Then again and again and again. "Yesss just like that." He could feel the firm muscles in her small round ass clenching as her hips jerked up and down in time with his measured fury. He watched her breasts bouncing beneath their combined effort. The slender column of her exposed neck came into view as he slid his eyes upward. He wanted to lean forward and bite the creamy skin but that would upset their balancing act. He quickly grew tired of not being able to touch her or lean comfortably in any direction. "You want to be fucked?" "Oh.. oh..yes." She was stuck on the edge and couldn't quite topple off. He knew a change in angle would be good for the both of them. "Then let me do it properly." He slid from her and lowered her to the bench momentarily. Michael kicked the denim pooled around his ankles off to the side and pulled her down from the bench. "Hands and knees get on 'em now." As she complied she felt him follow her down. As soon as her palms hit the floor and her arms were locked straight he slammed back inside of her beckoning body. This time he was in deeper and his freedom of movement was greater. Charlie could hear his ragged breathing over shoulder as he delivered blow after blow to her throbbing lower half. Each thrust sent an explosion of white hot pleasure rocketing through her abdomen. She cried out her desire as his hand wound through her long hair. He pulled her head back until her spine curved to compensate for the tilting of her neck. She felt his lips at her ear as he spoke to her. "Louder Charlie." She moaned her pleasure for him but he wasn't satisfied. He pulled back tighter on her hair. The slight thrill of pain nudged her just that little bit closer to her final destination. "I said louder Charlie." He increased the strength and speed of his pace to his maximum capabilities and yanked back hard on the silky blonde strands wound around his palm. Her spine was bent so far back she could barely touch the floor with her hands. Charlie realized suddenly that she was naked and on her knees in the middle of the kitchen floor being laid, correct that, fucked by 'Encino Man'. She felt nasty and dirty and all kinds of wonderful. The volume of her moans escalated to a level he seemed to be pleased with. The hand that held a firm grip on her hip slid around to her stomach and ventured between her legs. He pressed down on her highly strung clitoris rhythmically and couldn't suppress a predatory smile when she all but screamed his name amongst a few choice cuss words. Charlie slapped at the tile beneath them with the palm of her right hand and called out to him wordlessly. He could feel her contracting around him as the pleasure bloomed and broke; poring through her like a giant mushroom cloud. He jerked back hard with the hand in her hair this time lifting her palms clear off the floor. Her arms floundered mid air for a second before she reached out to balance herself against one of the lower cupboard doors. Michael bowed his head and bit down hard on her shoulder as the motion of his hips turned from measured violence to frantic loss of control. Her pain and desire exploded in the form of a hoarse shout and a moment later he felt a few small drops of blood enter his mouth where his teeth had split the surface of her smooth skin. He finally released her hair and used that hand to brutally squeeze a warm breast. Michael finally felt his own pulsating draw to a head. Before he could wrap his mind around it he spilled into her with a long deep groan of relief. He was grinning even before his orgasm subsided. X He's leaping buildings in a single bound I'm reading Shakespeare in my place downtown Come on down town and make love to me I'm Jimmy Olsen not a titan, you see He's faster than a bullet, stronger than a train He's the one who got lucky, got his cape around miss Lois Lane I can't believe my dilemma is real I'm competing with the man of steel. Lois Lane please put me in your plan Yeah, Lois Lane you don't need no Superman Come on downtown and stay with me tonight I got a pocketful of Kryptonite Spin Doctors X 2 Days Later (Thursday) Dinner at the Moore household had turned into a weekly occurrence for Mulder and Scully. Pizza night was still a tradition. The number of guests had grown in time to transform the already busy household into a flurry of cheery noise and activity. Most of the Friday guests were children. Charlie had initiated a Thursday night ritual for Mulder and Scully which could easily be cancelled or confirmed. Neither couple cancelled often and when they did it was with good reason. Each time it worked the same; Charlie would provide the meal and venue and Scully would bring the wine and dessert. Scully had felt a little uncomfortable with the arrangement at first. Charlie and Michael had four children, two careers and resistance duties to juggle she felt they didn't need the added stress of having to entertain even more guests during the week. Her discomfort subsided when she realized that Charlie didn't feel obliged or burdened. She genuinely enjoyed their visits. Currently they were standing by the front door with Mulder repeatedly jabbing the door bell. He knew it annoyed Charlie and that was as good a reason as any. They heard rapid little footsteps approach the door. After a moment of silence a toddler called out to his father. "Door ringin! Daddy door ringin!" Scully smiled and Mulder could see a touch of sadness swimming in her eyes. Another voice, a female one, floated through the door. "What's the matter JJ? Can't reach the handle yet?" The door finally swung open to reveal one of the twins and her younger brother. On closer inspection Mulder worked out her identity; it was young Dana. She grinned and stepped back so they could pass. The toddler jumped up and down happily. "Iz Daaaaaaaaaynah 'n' Mulllllller." He wrapped his little arms around Scully's legs and grinned up at her sweetly. The adoration shone from his gray puppy eyes. Scully bent down to pick him up and once he was settled in her arms he deposited a sloppy kiss on her cheek. "Sorry it took so long for someone to let you in-." Before Dana could finish her explanation they spotted Michael striding purposefully through the living room with a laughing Charlie hanging over his shoulder. "Michael if you throw me in that pool you wont live to tell the tale." "Empty threats aren't going to get you out of it this time O'Neil." "Put me down!" "Nope." He continued his way to the large glass sliding door leading out to their backyard. "We don't live in a cave you can't just man handle me whenever you feel like it!" She started struggling through her laughter and hammered his back with closed fists. "You weren't complaining the other day." "That was different now PUT ME DOWN!" He hefted her up again before she could successfully squirm her way to the ground. "I told you it's the pool for you OR you can tell me the truth." "I'm still pleading the fifth." He slid the glass pane open. "Suit yourself." Mulder and Scully exchanged an amused glance Michael stepped outside into the backyard. "It's not really warm enough for a swim today I wouldn't want you to catch a cold. We COULD do this the nice way." Charlie was too busy struggling to get down to answer him. Michael grinned. "Or maybe not." He started out for the pool striding deliberately over to the gate that ensured the safety of their little boy. Once he had it open he felt her hands grip tightly on the waistband of his jeans. If she was going down she was taking him with her. He stepped inside and allowed the gate to snap closed behind him. A short struggle ensued. Charlie allowed her body to become a limp dead weight against his shoulder and made sure to cling securely to the back of his pants. Michael was attempting to pull her off him so he could toss her in the pool without being dragged along behind her. Mulder and Scully had ventured out into the backyard to take in the antics of their decidedly more playful clones. Scully had Jasin perched on her hip as he happily twirled strands of her silky red hair around his fingers. Mulder began to laugh when Charlie's voice rang out in surrender. "Okay fine I'll admit it. I ate the last Oreo. Are you happy now?" Michael grinned but didn't allow her to slide to the ground. "No I'm not happy. You have committed a wicked deed and should be punished accordingly." "Surely you can think of more exciting ways to inflict punishment. Tossing me in the pool is completely unoriginal." She pinched hard with her fingernails on his left buttock and managed to land feet first on the ground as he yelped and reached for his ass. Using his momentary distraction to her advantage she gave him a mighty shove in the middle of his chest and he stumbled backward landing ass first in the pool with a loud splash. She whooped gleefully as he surfaced and broke into a little victory dance. X An Hour Later: Mulder pushed his plate away to fold his hands behind his head with a content sigh. Scully rubbed his stomach affectionately and shot him a sweet smile before turning back to her own food. Charlie was trying to heap another helping of spaghetti marinara on his plate. "Are you trying to kill me?" "If I was I wouldn't be so obvious about it." Mulder laughed and declined her offer for more. She skipped by Scully who was still battling through her mountain of delicious pasta. Her two girls declined but Mark who ate like a bottomless pit and somehow managed to stay lean held out his plate eagerly. "At least my son loves me enough to eat my food." Michael snorted. "He'd eat the legs off the table if you let him." Scully paused with her fork halfway to her lips and grinned. Michael winked and offered her the basket of bread rolls. She laid a hand over her stomach and shook her head. "I'm fine thank you. I don't think I'll even finish this." Michael eyed her plate and frowned. She had barely choked down three mouthfuls. Over the last two months her appetite had diminished greatly. Her weight loss was evident. He recognized the low cut black knit top she wore. It used to cling appealingly to her breasts, now it hung limply from her slight frame. Michael wasn't a fan of the gaunt look. Ever since Charlie's cancer frail women turned his stomach. The females of the species were supposed to have a healthy glow on their cheeks and hips without sharp dangerous bones jutting out of them. He'd be willing to bet he could count every rib and vertebrae if he stripped Scully naked. The thought of stripping her naked was usually an enjoyable one but it was now marred by concern for her health. All he could think about was force feeding her until the radiance returned to her skin and the glow returned to her normally luminous eyes. Michael realized with a start that he was openly staring at her. He had been too wrapped up in his thoughts to notice. She was staring right back at him with a mixture of curiosity and concern gracing her familiar but no less enchanting features. "Is something the matter?" Michael shook his head and cleared his throat. "No I uh I was thinking.. I got a little lost in my head for a second." Mulder snorted and placed his wine glass down on the table. "Not a hard thing to do with this head." He wrapped his knuckles lightly against his temple and stretched an arm out along the back of Scully's chair. His hand came up to absently twirl strands of red silk around his finger. Jasin wasn't the only victim of that habit. Michael smiled relieved to be off the hook for now. His daughter saved him from any further embarrassment. "Dad I've got this huge assignment due tomorrow.." "Yeah yeah you guys can go do your own thing now." It only took two seconds for the three eldest siblings to disappear. Charlie grinned and plopped Jasin down on Michael's lap. "They grow up too fast. One minute you're their entire world and then you blink." "And they don't want to know you." Michael finished for her. She laughed and swooped in with a damp cloth to clean the face and hands of her little boy. "Yucky Mommy!" He tried to push her hands away. When that didn't work he tried to squirm off his father's lap but Michael had a firm hold on him. "Too smart for you kid." He scowled and tried to turn into Michael's chest to escape Charlie's merciless cloth. She blew a raspberry at him and cooed when he smiled. "You're not going to grow up are you? You're going to be my baby forever." Scully pushed her still full plate away and attempted a small smile before excusing herself to the bathroom. Mulder's concerned eyes tracked her until she disappeared from the room. When he turned back to the other two Michael's expression was apologetic and Charlie was clearly sad. He sighed and fiddled with his empty glass. "She's been dealing with it in her own quiet way. I think it creeps up on her when she's not expecting it." It was Michael who spoke up. "She's lost a lot of weight. She didn't have any pounds to spare to begin with." Mulder nodded in accord and sighed. "It's not like I can ram food down her throat. If she's not hungry I can't make her eat. She's as stubborn as a damn mule and she should know better." "Do you think we should call it a night?" This came from Charlie. "No.. I'm a doomed man if she thinks I'm coddling her." Charlie snorted and ruffled his hair. "She'll soon learn there are perks to coddling besides I have some coddling to do of my own tomorrow whether she likes it or not." "Whether she likes what?" Scully re-entered the kitchen with her cool composure safely in place. Charlie looked startled for a moment. Her eyes cut to Mulder's and he read the message there 'that was quick' his own eyes responded before returning to Scully 'she doesn't take long'. Charlie turned toward Scully with a smile. "Can you get away from work tomorrow afternoon around four?" "Am I going to like the reason why?" "Just answer the question you'll find out soon enough." "It might be a possibility as long as the PD don't have anything up their sleeve." "Good. You let me know tomorrow and I'll let you know if you're going to like it or not." X Could you be the most beautiful girl in the world? Its plain to see you're the reason that God made a girl How can I get through days when I cant get through hours? I can try but when I do I see you and I'm devoured. Who'd allow, who'd allow a face to be soft as a flower? I could bow and feel proud in the light of this power Prince X Friday 7.00PM It was odd at first to catch sight of herself in passing store windows. The familiar vivid red no longer gleamed back at her. Her image projected the color of her youth. The full bodied warmth of cinnamon framed her pale oval face and settled like silk just past the line of her shoulders. Charlie had been right; it looked amazing. She hadn't put much stock in the therapeutic value of simply changing one's hair color. Surprisingly enough she did feel new and improved. She hadn't realized how much she needed something like this. Somewhere amongst all the mind bending secrets they'd uncovered and the sorrow they'd been burdened with Scully had lost touch with herself. Somewhere beneath it all there was a woman, a changed woman who needed release. She wasn't content with sweeping her problems beneath the carpet and shutting herself off in self defense. This Dana Scully had a husband at home who was willingly providing her with all the time and space she needed to establish herself once more in her comfort zone. Over the last couple of days she had started to feel a touch of guilt over her lack of sexual drive. Mulder knew without having to ask that intimacy was the last thing she wanted to be sharing. Tonight would hopefully bring about the end of their dry spell. Scully was finally ready to share herself once again. Charlie dropped Scully off at home with a wink and a sly smile. "Now you get in there and make his toes curl. I expect a full report by ten a.m. tomorrow." Scully's smile was genuine. "You've been really supportive through all of this.. Michael too he's been great. I don't know how to thank the two of you." "You don't have to. I know you guys would do the same if our roles were reversed." Charlie brought her hand up to stroke Scully's hair. "Would it be conceited of me to say you look really lovely?" "Probably, but I wont tell anyone." Charlie laughed and dropped her hand. "Time's a wastin woman. He's waiting for you." "Bye Charlie." "Later Hot Stuff." Once Scully had the door closed behind her Charlie drove away with a wave and a cheerful smile. Scully shook her head and turned toward her house. She allowed herself a moment to stare up at it fondly. They had worked so hard to get to this point. Finally life had fallen in to place. She straightened her black jacket neatly over the cream shell underneath and smoothed her black pants over her thighs. With her keys in hand she made her way up the front steps and into the house. As she made her way to the kitchen she walked by the door leading to the basement stairs. Mulder had insisted on using the basement as a study. In true Mulder fashion he had his 'I want to believe' poster pinned to the wall beside the bookshelf amongst all the new clippings of supernatural phenomena he'd managed to collect during their time in their home. She could hear his heavy keystrokes drifting up their stairs and through the open door. With a smile she remembered the first time she had walked into the lair to meet the beast. An unexpected bout of playfulness seized her as she made her way quietly down the stairs. She stood silently on the bottom step and watched as he stared raptly at an e-mail of what looked to be a picture of big foot. Deliberately schooling her features into a polite smile she wrapped her knuckles against the wooden rail of the stair case. "Agent Mulder?" Mulder jerked slightly in surprise and swiveled around in his chair to face her with a pen hanging from his full lower lip. His mouth had started to form a smile but when his eyes landed on her he froze. Scully maintained her polite smile but couldn't hide the sparkling mischief in her expressive eyes. Mulder continued to stare at her wordlessly. He was waiting for her to tell him that they'd somehow managed to jump through a time loop and land in nineteen ninety two. The dark shade of reddish brown framed her face much the same as it did on their first case. She wore it sleek and shiny and straight with the ends settling on her shoulders. The effect was incredible if he didn't know better he'd swear blind the woman standing before him was in her late twenties. Finally he bounced back from his momentary shock and when he spoke it was to play along. "Nobody down here but the F.B.I's most unwanted." "So tell me Mulder do you believe in the existence of extraterrestrials?" Her voice dropped to a playful stage whisper. A grin split his face and she watched as his eyes lit up. "Logically I'd have to say no. A space craft's capabilities-." "Oops there you go with your text book reply. You may as well spare me the lecture because I'm just going to tease you about re- writing Einstein anyway." Mulder was laughing now. "I don't know where you get this idea that I was a smart ass when I met you Scully. I remember being polite and very hospitable toward you." Her eyebrow arched so rapidly he was concerned she might sprain it. "Polite? Hardly. Hospitable.. well you did offer me a seed." "You make me sound like a schmuck. Lets not forget I was a consummate professional when you came to my room in the middle of the night begging me to check out your ass." "Only after eight years, and a whole lot of sex between that night and now, have you teased me about it. What does that say about you?" "It says that I am, and have always been, a perfect gentleman." "You're wrong." "No I'm not." "You're dead wrong." "I am not." "Oh yes you are. You never teased me about that night because you were chicken." "Chicken? Me? Sorry it just doesn't add up." He was smirking at her as she began to advance toward him from the bottom of the staircase. "What were you afraid of? A sexual harassment suit? Or the.. possibilities?" "Oh but you see I wasn't afraid." She made her way around the desk and leaned her butt against the solid wood. She stood in front and to the side of him, facing him, as she had done a hundred times in the past. Mulder gazed up at her from his reclined position. He kicked his legs up on the table and neatly crossed them at the ankles while his hands folded behind his head. She regarded him affectionately as he swung back on his chair. She smiled and reached over to straighten his tie. He hadn't changed from work yet. She noted this happily. Cooking was not on her agenda for the evening and after not eating all day she actually felt hungry for a change. "Want to eat out tonight?" He swatted at the hands adjusting his tie. "You know I have never tolerated tie fiddling from any other woman except you." "What makes me so special?" She slapped at his hands and reclaimed the tie to finish her work. He forced himself to sit still beneath her ministrations. "Your tie fiddling was one of those rare gestures that reminded there was a woman behind the partner who cared enough about me to take care of the little things." Scully's smile was shy and her eyes remained glued to the freshly tightened knot. Her occasional bout of coyness never failed to amuse or excite him. He reached up to run a hand through the ruddy silk framing her face. "You look amazing." "Thank You." Her eyes finally ventured to meet his. "Why the change?" She shrugged. "It was time." He nodded; understanding without having to ask her to clarify. "C'mere." He opened his arms and offered his lap as a seat. Scully lowered herself into the embrace and pressed her face to the warmth of his neck when his arms circled her firmly. "Now what were you saying before? You want to eat out tonight?" "Yeah. No cooking tonight." "Sounds great." "Should I be offended?" He grinned into her sweetly scented hair. "No. I just feel a little guilty because you're always the one slaving in the kitchen. If I tried cooking for you I'd probably have to rush you to the emergency room." Scully laughed and tilted her face up to look at him. "It's okay you have other ways of earning your keep." He imitated her famous eyebrow maneuver. "What exactly are you saying?" She waited a beat before slowly leaning forward to cover his smirking mouth with her own. In the midst of her lazy, unhurried kiss Mulder realized that the time had come. Scully was ready to resume all aspects of their relationship. They were ready to move forward from their latest tragedy. He returned her kisses slowly. This was the first time she had come anywhere near him in this manner in eight weeks. There was no need to rush after waiting this long. As tempting as a quickie in their new basement office sounded he wanted to shelve that particular delight for another time. Scully was still smarting from the events of the previous two months. She deserved more than a quick screw on their desk, and so did he. After delivering a few more lingering nibbles to her upper lip he pulled back to press a kiss to her forehead. "Food first then the spa. We've only used the thing twice since we moved in. It's lonely up there all by itself. Besides now you have a chance impress me with your witches brew." He was referring to the many bottles of bubble bath, essential oils, bath crystals and various other 'girlie' substances lining the window sill in the bathroom. "Sounds like you've put some thought into this." "Yeah my wife is out tonight. You might have seen her on your way in; she's about your height, cute as a button with red hair." Scully smirked. "Funny Mulder." "You're lucky she's not here. She doesn't like brunettes." Not that her hair was quite brown enough to be considered truly brunette. "What makes you say that?" "I took a survey. I phoned Phoebe, Bambi and Diana. They all commented on her lack of hospitality." Being able to rib Scully over her little episodes of past jealousy was a definite perk now that they were married. "Detective White was a blonde and I'll bet your wife didn't like her either." Mulder laughed at her good natured response. "I must say despite the planetary alignment I was quite flattered." "I'll bet you were." "It's not everyday a woman knocks on my door and jumps me." "I still don't know if I believe that story." "Trust me I was as shocked as you were. Just before you came barging in unannounced I was trying to divert her attention with Key Stone Cops." Mulder was laughing as he stood up; dragging Scully along with him. She paused for a moment. She had been pleased Mulder was dressed and presentable so they could make a quick getaway but on second thought the spa sounded like a much better idea. "Spa first then food." "Downtown or local?" "Local that way we can indulge in a little red and walk to Luigi's." "Good idea Scully." "I thought your wife went out?" Mulder grinned. "Sorry force of habit." He gestured to the stairs. "After you *Dana*." X 2 Glasses of wine later: "Aaaah this is so good. This fulltime autopsy routine has been killing my neck." Mulder watched from his end of the tub as she rolled her head over her shoulders attempting to work the stiffness from her neck. Her little feet were settled on top of his thighs and Mulder's legs were stretched out with his feet braced against the porcelain either side of her hips. The each had their backs supported by opposite ends of their spacious spa. "So all those 'girlie' treatments Charlie drags you to aren't working?" "I'd need one every day to keep my neck loose." Mulder smiled and found her delicate ankles beneath the hot bubbling water. He circled each one with well placed fingers and gently tugged her forward. "Mulder!" her glass tilted as she jerked forward and half of the red deep red liquid sloshed over the side. "I think I might be able to help you." He released her ankles when her butt was seated securely on the porcelain between his thighs. Her legs were splayed open and bent at the knees with her feet braced against his hips. Now that they were closer Mulder pulled the wine glass from her hand and placed it beside his own on the wide part of the ledge behind him. Mulder's other hand reached out and slid behind her neck. Scully moaned blissfully when his fingers dug in to the tight knots of neck muscle. "You weren't exaggerating." "If you stop I think I'll cry." "We wouldn't want that." Without breaking the kneading of his fingers he leaned in to capture her lips with his own. They shared a deep thorough kiss leisurely taking their time to savor each one. Pleasure shimmied straight to the hard flesh waiting for her attention when she began to suck delicately on his tongue. Using the tips of her fingers she traced wide loops and whirls over his chest and shoulders. His nerve endings were set ablaze in the wake of her light contact. Both of his hands were busy massaging the tight knot of bunched muscles in her neck but were eager to move on to more pleasurable activities beneath the surface line of the turbulent water. Mulder shuddered lightly as he felt her fingers skimming over his stomach and dancing playfully along his lower abdomen. She was a scant two inches from where he needed her touch the most and she was fully aware of that not so small part of his anatomy. She didn't bother with torturing him for long. Two months without her had been torture enough. Both of her hands slid south; one ventured down to cup his aching balls and the other wrapped around the thick generous length of his cock. His hands halted as a wave of pleasure caused his brain to momentarily evacuate his skull. When he came back to himself he moaned his appreciation for her into her eager mouth. She began a measured rhythm over his excited flesh, steadily stroking him from base to tip. Eventually the hand caressing his sensitive balls slid up to join her other hand. She used them together to tug and stroke him enticingly through waves and waves of pleasure. Mulder pulled his mouth from hers and took in a hearty lungful of oxygen. "I don't need any encouragement you know." Scully grinned deliciously and ran a tongue over her swollen lips. "This isn't for your benefit." She delivered a firm squeeze around his girth before resuming her caress. "I need to get reacquainted." Mulder laughed happily. "Welcome back." "It's good to be back." "It's good to have you back." Finally his hands left her neck and slid slowly over her chest beneath the water. He cupped a breast in each palm and ran his thumbs over the taught little peaks greedily awaiting his attention. "It's good to have these back too." Scully snorted. "I'll bet." Mulder caressed her breasts idly for a few moments. "Wanna get out?" She looked surprised. "What's wrong with the tub?" "Nothing. But the bed would be a lot better for what I have in mind." "Should I be worried?" Mulder laughed and pinched a nipple. "What do you say?" "Fine by me." Scully released her hold on him and got to her feet. She felt tall momentarily as she stood over him. He killed the fantasy when he rose from the water to tower over her. Scully found herself staring at the drops of water rolling down his beautiful chest. Naked and vulnerable with bare feet she rediscovered her love of feeling so tiny compared to him. Before he could make a move to step out of the spa she reached out to wind her arms around his waist. "I missed you too Mulder." The raw quality to her voice was not lost on him. He brought his arms around to circle her as she pressed her face into his damp chest. They stood together content to embrace each other flesh to flesh. Mulder sighed happily and kissed the top of her head. "C'mon we'll freeze if we don't get dry." He released her to step carefully from the tub. Once on steady ground he reached for a towel and spread it open for her. Scully hit the button to stop the water from bubbling and reached down to release the plug from the drain. She exited the tub and stepped into the waiting towel. She stood still for him with a patient smile as he dried her off. Mulder snuck in a quick squeeze to her ass before he completed his task. Scully took the towel from his hands and returned the favor. She shamelessly indulged in feeling him up in return. Once they were both dry he laced his fingers through hers and escorted her down the hall to their bedroom. He shot a quick glance at the alarm clock. It was 7:30pm. Hopefully they would be able to drag themselves from the bedroom in time to eat out. Then again he was sure Scully wouldn't care if they wound up at McDonalds. Her number one priority for the time being was to get 'reacquainted'. He had no objections whatsoever. Mulder stretched out on top of the bed with his hard length standing tall and unabashedly in front of him. He watched as Scully took a moment to take in an eyeful before getting up close and personal. When she spoke to him her voice was soaked through with amusement and desire. "I'm not sure where to start. Everything looks so wonderful." She crawled on to the bed and stretched out beside him. "I know where I want to start." Mulder moved around until he was once again stretched out beside her but this time his face was in line with her lower half. Using a strong hand he guided her to lift her left leg up and in toward her body so he could rest the side of his face against the inner thigh of her other leg. He squirmed a little to get more comfortable then lowered her leg down to rest across his ribcage. Her heard her gasp as he buried his face against her neglected center. Scully caught on to his intentions quickly and wrapped a hand around his straining erection to guide it into her wet mouth. They groaned into and around each other as their mouths began to work at the stimulated flesh well within reach. Mulder was especially fond of this way of bringing each other pleasure. Scully had confessed to him months earlier that she had never particularly enjoyed this act in the past. She had always felt a little awkward when put in this position. It didn't take much persuasion to get her to try it again. The real challenge for him was to get her to enjoy it. Fortunately he was the kind of man who knew there was a particular art to the age old sixty nine. It only took him once to change her mind. There was definite satisfaction in knowing that she enjoyed making love that way because of him. Scully was grinding away happily against his face as her mouth plunged over him with cheeks hollowed through firm suction. She could feel the sensitivity in him. He was close to the edge already. A few swipes of her tongue over his sensitive glands on a backstroke would certainly push him over. It didn't take her long to decide what she wanted to do. They had plenty of food in the house going out had been a stupid idea. Staying in and making love all night sounded much better. Maybe later on she could whip something up and feed it to him. Then they could make love all over again. She had a feeling this weekend was going to be pleasantly exhausting. She felt his tongue cease its ministrations. "Scully stop I'm uh.. it's been awhile." He chuckled sheepishly and moved to pull away from her. "Uh uh. You're staying right here. Get back to work." "But -." "No buts Mulder. Please?" He didn't answer her, he simply captured her sensitive bud between his lips once more. She released a deep throated groan to express her gratitude. Her mouth wrapped around the thick head of his cock again and she swirled her tongue over and around him. "Jesus Scully. That mouth of yours should be illegal." Her laughter hummed around his shaft as she happily enticed him with wet deliberate strokes. It only took mere moments for their mutual pleasure to escalate. Mulder slid a hand up to his lips and spread her pink folds open with two gentle fingers. He worked the flat of his tongue over her fraught nerves. She cried out around him as he lapped hungrily. The vibration of her vocal gratitude is what sucked him under. "Scully gonna cum." He managed to force the warning out through gritted teeth. She didn't pull away or hesitate instead she maintained the pace she knew he liked. His balls clenched and fire raced up the length of his shaft. He bit down and sucked hard against the tender flesh of her inner thigh as he exploded hotly in her mouth. She cried out in surprise at the pinch of teeth around her skin and began to swallow as he filled her mouth. He released the abused flesh of her thigh and moaned. Scully felt one of his hands reach down to run through her hair. She continued to suckle at his spent flesh until the sensations became unbearable. He tugged at her hair gently to pull her face away from him. She released him from her mouth almost remorsefully and rose on an elbow. Scully raised her leg from his ribcage to reveal his blissful face resting against her other thigh. His eyes were closed and a small content smile played around his lips. "Better than sex huh?" A grin possessed her features and her eyes sparkled happily. He cracked one eye open to peer at her. She watched him watching her with a fond expression gracing his features. "Scully that was mediocre at best. You're going to have to do much better than that to impress me." She reached down to pinch one of his small nipples and he slapped her hand away with a grin. "You're an asshole Mulder." Her eyes grew big and sad and her bottom lip stuck out in a fairly convincing pout. Mulder lazily pulled himself to his knees and rolled her on to her back. He maneuvered between her outstretched legs and spread them wide with two strong palms. "Let the Master show you how its done." He was beyond happy to be engaging in their familiar bedroom antics. For eight years they had teased each other; it didn't stop at the bedroom door. He lowered himself to the mattress to finish what he started. "The Master?" She scoffed. "Don't talk yourself up. It's not flattering." Any thoughts of continued banter flew out the window as Mulder applied his wicked tongue to her overly hyped flesh. X And I don't think I have ever seen a soul so in despair So if you want to talk the night through Guess who will be there? So don't try to deny it Pretty Baby You've been down so long You can hardly see When the engines stall and it won't stop raining It's the right time to Roll to me Spin Doctors X Monday Morning Mulder strolled down the hallway toward Charlie's office nodding at the students he recognized as he made his way through the long corridor. He had a spring in his step and a happy smirk playing over his lips. Two months.. Two long months they had remained locked in a dry spell. This weekend had given new meaning to the phrase 'when it rains it pours'. The dry spell was officially over and they were experiencing dam bursting floods. The initial downpour had been intense to say the least. It was odd to experience withdrawal symptoms from Scully's body. He'd worry about it if he didn't find it so amusing. Mulder knocked on Charlie's door and just barged in anyway. Working with her was similar and yet completely different to working with Scully. Regular invasions of personal space were common occurrences, any attempts to rope her into paper work failed and they fought over the radio. Mulder had taken to spending more time in Charlie's office than his own. He didn't like the silence of his office, he had grown accustomed over the years to having someone to annoy. "Mornin Blondie." "Hi! Oh My God look at you." "What?" "You may as well get I GOT LAID tattooed on your forehead." Mulder waggled his eyebrows and deposited his 'gifts' on her desk. She eyed the large paper cup of steaming coffee and the bagel she discovered after poking at the white bag. She peered up at him with a smirk. "Feeling generous today Mulder?" "Just a small token of my appreciation." "Oh? What could I have possibly done to deserve this?" Her eyes twinkled at him from behind the cup of coffee she raised to her lips. "She feels ten years younger thanks to your little hostage situation at the salon." Charlie laughed delightedly and took a bite from her bagel. "Aaaah I'm going to have to get you laid more often. A breakfast service could come in handy. Oh! I'm glad you're here! I almost forgot. The new guy started today. They wanted to know if they could kick you out of your office and move you in here. We're a little cramped with the renovations going on and he needs desk space. I volunteered you to share with me. No one else around here understands the finer points of 2B Darts." A grin blossomed over Mulder's features. "You only volunteered me because you're trying to stir the pot over at the administration office. I know all about the saucy things those office wenches say about us. It's worse than the Bureau around here. You've been lapping up every minute of it." Charlie's grin matched his. "Busted." Feeling generous herself she pushed the remaining half of the bagel toward Mulder and took one more sip of the delicious hot coffee before pushing that toward him as well. She watched him eyeing the cup with one eyebrow elevated. "Don't give me that. You've been swapping identical spit to my own all weekend. Drink from the side I didn't touch if it makes you feel better." Mulder swiveled the cup to the side that didn't contain the lipstick imprint of her bee stung lips and took a healthy gulp of caffeine. "Eat the rest of the bagel too." "Half a bagel isn't going to do you any good." Nagging Scully about eating was a hard habit to kick; especially when his new partner in office crime looked so much like the old one. "Neither are the hash browns Michael fed me this morning but you don't see me complaining. Anyway I'm afraid the office is all yours for awhile. I'm up for a morning lecture." She stood and retrieved her black tailored jacket from the back of her chair. After settling into her garment and smoothing the front of her knee length black skirt down her thighs she picked up a stack of papers and tossed an air kiss his way. "One o'clock. Lunch. You're mine." "Usual place?" "Don't forget the handcuffs." Mulder growled at Charlie as she made her way to the door. Her cheery laughter followed her out of the office and into the hall. Mulder grinned and took another swig of coffee. Life was good once more and he had Scully back on the same page. Other than a solution for the impending alien invasion (beside the vaccine) and a baby in her womb there was nothing more he could ask for. Everything else was perfect just as it was. His new cell phone chirped. He could assign individual ring tones to the numbers stored in the memory. He loved that option because he knew exactly who was calling him without having to look at the phone. Scully had been somewhere between horrified and amused when she discovered her special ring tone was the theme from Close Encounters. He grinned at the familiar tune and thumbed the answer button. "What's the matter? Can't get enough?" "No but that's not the reason why I'm calling." He could tell by her tone of voice that she was excited. "Okay I'm all ears." "Our hard work has paid off a little. We've managed to successfully tweak the vaccine." "That's good keep it simple not too much sci-babble." Scully laughed breathlessly and continued. "People injected with the modified version will pass their immunity on to any offspring they produce after the vaccination. If we can successfully distribute the vaccine before invasion we wont need to do it again. It makes slight structural changes to the human DNA which is carried into the offspring and in turn their offspring and so on." "Scully this is amazing news." "You don't need to tell me." "You are a genius." "Mulder teams of scientists have been working on this for months. Besides you're the genius remember? I'm the Doctor." "When do you start administering the new dose to organization members?" "We're not sure yet. We've got a few more tests to run then weeks of meetings no doubt. Hopefully in a couple of months if all goes well." "This is incredible. This is huge." "It's a start and hopefully we'll continue to progress." "I have no doubt." "I better let you go Mulder. There's so much going on down here." "Okay I'll see you tonight." He was just about to hang up when he heard her voice once more. "Hey Mulder?" "Yeah?" She paused for a beat and when her voice emerged it was sweet and filled with sincerity. "I love you." His smile was involuntary. Those words spoken from her mouth were enough to cause a physical reaction without requiring any help from his brain. "You know occasionally you tell me that but I'm still convinced you just want me for my body." As soon as the words were out of his mouth he wanted to snatch them back. He knew she wasn't offended and her chuckles spoke of her amusement but making light of her rare declarations was a habit he didn't want to fall into. She didn't often verbally express her feelings without some form of prompting. He wasn't completely clueless; he knew encouragement and reciprocation worked a whole lot better than humor if he wanted her to remain unguarded and open to him. He heard her clear her throat quietly. "Busted you caught me. Can you ever forgive me?" "For using my body to satisfy your wanton urges? Sure no problem. For stealing my heart? I don't think I can forgive you for that one." "I think we're even on that score." "Well in that case I love you too. More than you'll ever know." Without saying goodbye as was custom for their telephone conversations they both thumbed their disconnect buttons with a smile. Mulder retrieved Nixon from Charlie's bottom drawer and pinned him neatly to the corkboard and set about sharpening her stash of pencils. Yes indeed life was good and if anyone had any doubts all they had to do was take one look at Mulder's happy face and quiz him on the list of ways he was going to make her scream when she arrived home that night. End for Now