From 71022.1045@CompuServe.COM Sun Jan 05 11:56:27 1997
Aftermath (NC-17 S/S) by D. Street
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Hi Ho, Everyone!
I'm posting this story, "Aftermath," on behalf of the
author, who is not on-line. It's a relationship story between
Skinner and Scully. You can send all comments to me and I'll
forward them on. The e-mail address is listed below. Enjoy!
Kathy
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Okay to forward to a.t.x.c. and okay to archive.
Spoiler warning: Some references to the third season.
Rating: NC-17 (one adult scene)
Classifications: S (Story), R (Romance) Skinner/Scully
Summary: The following is a romance story between Skinner
and Scully, wherein Skinner has been injured.
I would appreciate any comments or criticism. Thank you.
Please e-mail to: 71022.1045@compuserve.com
The characters and situations of the television program
"The X-Files" are the creations and property of Chris Carter,
Fox Broadcasting and Ten-Thirteen Productions, and have been
used without permission. No copyright infringement is intended
and no profit will be made.
Aftermath
D. Street
Slowly, carefully, Walter Skinner, Assistant Director of
the FBI, moved down the steps of the Hoover building. He'd
come back to talk to Scully, but Mulder had been alone in the
tiny office; his partner was at the cemetery, putting flowers
on her sister's grave. He'd given Mulder the business part of
his message and left; he'd save the more personal part for
later, when he saw the red-haired agent.
Now he was trying to decide if he should go across to the
cafe for lunch... somehow, that didn't appeal, given the fact
he'd been shot there two weeks before. Or, he reflected, he
could go to his car and relive the excruciating experience of
driving home. Finally he decided to go back up to his office
and do some paperwork. God only knew how much had accumulated
during his absence.
"That shouldn't take too much effort." he decided,
turning around.
Skinner contemplated the mountain of steps and almost
gave up. Then he heard a familiar voice behind him.
"Excuse me, sir... would you like a lift home?"
He turned slowly to see Dana Scully leaning out of her
car window, smiling uncertainly at him.
They hadn't talked, really talked, since he'd gotten out
of the hospital. She hadn't been to his house to see him and
wasn't returning his calls, which was what had prompted his
surprise visit to the X-Files office. The AD felt a very
important, if new, part of his existence slipping through his
fingers and he seemed powerless to do anything about it.
Hesitantly, he took a step toward the car.
"I..." he licked suddenly dry lips. "I don't want to take
your time, Agent Scully." That wasn't what he wanted to say,
"I mean, you undoubtedly have--"
"Get in, Walter." She smiled slightly, opening her door
and sliding to the pavement.
"I'm all right," the AD objected as she helped him around
to the passenger side, settling him in the seat.
"Sure you are," she murmured, clicking his seatbelt in
place. As she leaned across his chest to fasten the belt,
Scully breathed in the familiar scent of his cologne and her
stomach tightened. Then she steeled herself; they had to deal
with this. She went around to her side and climbed behind the
wheel.
"Home?" she questioned, quirking an eyebrow at her lover.
Skinner nodded, eyes straight ahead.
"Right," Scully murmured, putting the car in gear.
The ride across town was made in comparative silence.
Walter took off his glasses, gently massaging the bridge of
his nose.
"Dana," he began, fitting the wirerims back over his
ears. "I'm sorry about Melissa."
He felt her tense beside him.
"I- I just saw Mulder and he told me you were at the
cemetery..." he stopped, uncertain why he had ventured into
such sensitive waters and now, how did he get out of them? "I,
um, was playing catch-up in my office, and went down to the
basement..."
She studied his profile out of the corner of her eye.
"Is that why you came in? Paperwork? Or did you come to talk
to me about what happened?" She spared him a look. "Mulder
gave me your message."
"Scully... Dana," he began, but stopped as they pulled up
in front of his house.
"We're here, sir." She opened her door and stepped out,
into the driveway.
*"Shit,"* Skinner muttered under his breath. *"You may as
well kiss this relationship off, Walter,"* he told himself,
resigned. *"You can't win this one."* He realized Scully had
his door open and was waiting. He took her proffered hand and
carefully edged his way out of the car.
He put as much weight on the cane as he could, but Scully
had to pull as her boss maneuvered himself up and out of the
car.
"You should be in bed," she scolded.
Walter snorted, biting back the reply on his lips.
"Alone," she stressed.
"Yeah, well, that goes without saying, doesn't it?"
Skinner immediately regretted the words, but dammit! why did
he always have to be the one in control. He knew the answer
before the question had been completely processed; because
that was the only way he knew to survive... anything.
"Come on." Dana was pulling gently at his arm and he
allowed her to lead him to his door.
Using her key, the FBI agent swung open the door and
ushered her companion into the living room.
"Sit down while I try and rustle up something for
dinner."
Skinner took off his trenchcoat, tossing it carelessly
over the back of the sofa.
"There's not much in there, Dana." He looked vaguely
around the room, then carefully lowered himself into his
favorite chair. "Don't bother."
She stood, contemplating her lover. She could almost see
the blanket of depression that had wrapped itself around the
assistant director.
Taking a breath, Scully knelt in front of him, a hand on
his. "Walter... we need to talk."
He regarded her in silence, watching. Waiting.
"The reason I didn't return your calls--"
"You don't have to give me an explanation, Scully."
Walter told her. "I... I can guess why you haven't wanted to
have anything to do with me, and I understand. Because of my
job, I'm the bad guy. I'm the one who tells you what you can
and can't do. I was ready to close your sister's murder case.
You told me what you thought of that... and me... that last
night we were together."
Dana cringed at the memory of their fight. It had made
Hiroshima look like a skirmish.
"That's not it," she insisted, clasping a large hand in
her own, bringing it to her lips. "I needed time... Mulder
kept me informed of your progress... I knew you were
recovering."
The sad smile that crossed his features; touched the dark
eyes... wrenched her heart.
"I had to have some time alone to sort things out and to
grieve." Tears pooled in her eyes and she blinked them back.
"Things were happening so fast with us... I needed time to get
the rest of my emotions in order before I could deal with
something as important as, as..." She bit her lip.
"As what, Dana?" He reached out to cup her cheek, sending
a shiver through her.
"Before I could deal with the fact that I... I might be
falling in love."
His jaw slackened and Skinner swallowed hard.
"But I'm okay now and I know you did everything you
could," she went on, quickly.
Skinner opened his mouth to object, but a slender finger
hushed him.
"You did. You put your life in danger because you
wouldn't let it go." She held up a hand as he started to
speak. "And don't tell me it's your job."
Blue eyes searched his, piercing through to his soul and
Skinner wanted to take her in his arms and make all the pain
'They' had caused her vanish.
"You've put yourself on the line for us a lot and I
appreciate it." She leaned forward, hands pressing gently on
his legs as she kissed him.
The first kiss was feather-like, barely felt; even so, it
sent a jolt through Skinner that made his hands tighten on the
arms of the chair. It took all his self-control to push her
back.
"Don't, Dana."
She pulled back, puzzled.
"Not out of gratitude. That's not what I want from you."
A smile pulled at the corner of her mouth.
"What do you want?" she whispered, a tapered finger
running the length of his jaw.
"You." His voice was hoarse and he cleared his throat.
"But because we care about each other, not because you feel
you owe me something. It's bad enough that I'm above you--"
"Not always," she grinned.
Totally non-plussed, Walter stared at her. "What?"
Scully laughed, moving forward to cover his lips with her
own, leaning into him, careful not to put weight on his
stomach. Suddenly forgetting his train of thought, Walter
opened his mouth to her, allowing her tongue to caress his,
losing himself for the moment in the sensuous dance.
When Scully pulled back, she studied his face, lower lip
caught between her teeth.
"You were saying?"
He cleared his throat.
"I was saying that I don't want you to feel you owe
me..." He gestured lamely, "If you come to me I want it to be
because you... feel... something--"
"Say it." She demanded, eyes darkening.
"What?"
"Say the word, Walter."
He drew in a shaky breath. Why the Hell did this scare
him so much? He'd had relationships before. Why was Dana
different? Maybe because none of them had been as important as
this one.
"Walter?"
"I want you to love me, Dana." He spit the words out
before he could think about them. "As much as I love you."
There, he'd said it. He could tell by the way her blue eyes
widened that she was as startled by the confession as he was.
"That's all I wanted to hear." She smiled, fingernail
trailing across his throat and dipping under the collar of his
dress shirt. "Something has to be real in my life, Walter."
She told him seriously. "I have to have someone I can trust.
Someone solid I can hold on to when things get too weird. I
trust Mulder and I trust myself."
Skinner smoothed her hair. "You can trust me, Dana. You
should know that. Even if I have to do it covertly, to hide it
from prying eyes, I always try and do what's right for you and
Mulder."
She nodded. "I know that." She shrugged, "Mostly we both
do. But you and I need to figure out how much we want this
relationship, because it's a risk we can't take casually."
His fingers tightened in her silky hair.
"It's never been casual for me," he whispered.
Skinner leaned forward to kiss her and stopped, the
physical reality of his injury burning in his gut.
"Don't." She pushed him back. "It's too soon."
"No," he protested, but her face settled into the
uncompromising mask he knew only too well. With a sigh he
nodded.
"Why don't you move to the sofa?" she suggested. "Are you
hungry?"
He shook his head. "Not really. Just tired."
"Want me to rub your shoulders?" she offered, helping him
lever himself out of the overstuffed chair.
"Aren't you working today?" he asked, a smile lighting
the dark eyes.
"Nope. Mulder's covering for me." She grinned at him.
"And I have a very understanding boss."
"Do tell."
Skinner undid his tie and loosened the top buttons on his
shirt. "We still have to talk about this," he told her.
"Soon."
Dana knelt by the sofa, reaching up to unbutton the rest
of his shirt.
"I know. When you're feeling more yourself." She
carefully pulled his shirt out of his trousers, noting the
grimace of pain he tried to suppress.
"Sit sideways," she instructed, and slipped behind him on
the couch, supporting some of his weight. "You weren't
supposed to be back at work for another two weeks."
"I had to see you. You didn't return my calls... I was
frantic. I thought I'd lost you."
"No." She kissed his shoulder. "This won't work. Lay
down."
"Dana--"
She rose and pulled his shirt off, then gently pushed him
onto his back.
"Relax."
Skinner closed his eyes as she smoothed her palms across
his chest, fingers playing casually in the silky hair. In
ever-widening circles, Dana massaged him, softly kneading
tight muscles, fingertips occasionally dipping under his
waistband, then smoothly moving up, away from the erogenous
area.
Walter closed his eyes, drifting on the waves of
relaxation her touch brought. He tensed when she ventured too
low, then stilled as she returned to safer territory.
Scully watched him, seeing the tension lines smooth away
as he relaxed, making him seem, somehow younger, and more
vulnerable. Carefully she removed his glasses and Skinner
brought a hand up to rub tired eyes.
"You need to rest," she repeated. "It's been a long few
months."
"It's been a long few years," he corrected, dully.
Her eyes saddened at the loneliness in his voice.
"You could have asked anyone at the Bureau out," She said
softly, cupping a nipple and caressing. "Why didn't you?"
"I didn't want to," he said simply. Dark eyes opened to
meet hers. "I think I've loved you almost from the time you
joined the X-Files. It was only a matter of working up the
nerve to breech Bureau policy." He smiled at her, reaching up
to tuck a strand of red hair behind her ear. "And prepare
myself for the rejection I felt sure I'd get."
Dana smiled, amused. "Why?"
"Because you're beautiful. And smart and could date
anybody you wanted." He stroked a cheek. "And I half thought
you were with Mulder."
Scully chuckled. "Wrong."
She bent to cover a nipple with her mouth, lips pulling,
teasing, teeth gently nipping.
At his sharp intake of breath, she grinned. "I assume
that, except for your abdomen, you're uninjured?"
He caught the devilment in her voice, even though he
couldn't see her face.
"Completely."
"Good."
While one hand fondled his left nipple, Scully's lips
worked their magic on his right.
Skinner lost himself in the sensations that washed over
him. It had been nearly a month since they'd last been
together and he felt familiar stirrings in his groin.
Stirrings that brought with them pain.
"Dana."
"Humm?" Her tongue moved down the center of his flat
stomach to tease at the beltline.
"Let's not start something I'm not going to be able to
finish."
"Oh, don't worry about that." She said sweetly,
unbuckling the leather belt. "I'll finish it for you."
"Dana--"
She sat back on her heels, meeting his eyes.
"For once just relax and enjoy, Walter. This is from me
to you. To kind of make up for the Hell I've put you through
the last few weeks."
When he didn't speak, her features softened. "Besides, I
don't want to you forget what I feel like."
"No danger there."
"We do need to talk about it and we have to be careful,
but right now, just let me love you."
Skinner frowned, Scully thought, to hide the wetness that
suddenly filled his eyes.
"Shh." She smoothed them shut and returned to her
ministrations.
Pulling the belt from its loops, she unzipped his
trousers and slipped a hand under the elastic of his shorts.
Skinner's chest filled with breath, excitement filling
him at her touch. Who was he kidding? He wasn't going to be
able to lay here and docily let her play with him any more
than he could stand by and let anyone at the Bureau hurt her.
He reached down and pulled her on top of him, carefully
settling her along his body.
"Walter, I don't think--"
"Shut up, Agent Scully," he said in his best AD voice.
"Yes sir," she murmured, lowering her head as a large
hand guided her mouth to his.
He pressed her lips to his, tongue urging them apart,
entering the moist haven. Their tongues dueled and caressed
while his hands slid along her back, stroking her through the
cotton of her blouse, redefining the curves he knew so well.
Dana was careful of his body, not wanting to hurt him,
but she reveled in his warmth and snuggled against him.
Parting for breath, Walter gazed up, into her face.
"We can't do this now," he told her. "I'm already feeling
it."
Immediately she became Dana Scully, doctor.
"Pain?"
"A little. Nothing serious."
She sighed and lay her head on his chest.
"I guess we're just going to have to talk first and fool
around later."
Skinner laughed. His first real laugh in weeks. It pulled
at his gut, but Dana's warmth against him soothed it.
"I guess so." He stroked her hair, feeling its silkiness.
"I know you don't like me feeling protective, Dana--"
"I don't mind that." She corrected him, raising her head
to meet his eyes. "I just don't want you to keep me from doing
my job. Mulder and I take risks, that's what we do. I don't
mind you worrying about me, just don't try and wrap me in
cotton wool and keep me safe."
"I am trying not to." Skinner told her. "But sometimes,
when I'm safely in my office and you're out there, chasing God
only knows what--"
Scully's laugh was sharp with irony. "Safe in your
office?" Carefully she maneuvered herself off Skinner to sit
on the floor beside him. The AD kept hold of her hand and she
leaned her head against his hip, looking up at him.
"Do you know how much I've worried about you since we
started this?"
"About me?" His brow furrowed. "Why?"
"Why?" She fairly yelled shouted at him. "Because I'm
falling in love with you, you idiot!"
Skinner stared at her as she laughed.
"Let me recap." The model of an Academy lecturer, Scully
held up her hand folding down a finger with each point. "Let's
see, in the last four months you been; shot," she nodded to
his stomach, "Threatened twice."
"That's just talk," Skinner objected.
"Shut up, I'm not done. And those are just the times I
know about." She nailed him with a hard gaze. "You've gotten
the Hell beaten out of you on two occasions, once for Mulder
and once for me."
"Oh, but you should have seen Mr. X," Walter told her
with a smile.
"You're awful." She shook her head, then resumed. "And I
don't even want to know how many times you've had a showdown
with Cancerman." She gave him a mock glare. "Now, shall we
talk about who's safe and who's not? At least I have Mulder
with me."
Skinner made a disgusted sound. "Sometimes I think that's
a liability, the way he goes rushing off without thinking."
"I'm just saying that I'm not the only one who worries;
it's a two-way street."
"All right. Enough talk for now."
Skinner reached out to touch her face. Suddenly he felt
bone tired.
"I think I need to sleep."
Instantly concern shadowed the woman's eyes and she
helped him to stand and guided him to the stairs.
"I can make it, Dana." He picked up the cane he'd bought
and mounted the first step.
Scully slipped under his arm, taking his weight on her
shoulders.
"Come on, you'll still be trying to get upstairs by
morning."
"It's not that bad," Skinner protested, but didn't object
any further. Truthfully, he'd missed her and didn't want her
to leave. "I should have taken you to dinner."
"Are you hungry?" She asked, as they defeated another
step.
"No. Just very tired."
When they reached the landing, Scully waited while he
undressed and took a shower.
When he came back into the bedroom, clad in pajama
bottoms, he stopped.
The bed was turned down and Special Agent Scully lay
under the covers, clad in one of his USMC t-shirts.
"Dana," he warned.
"I just thought you might want some company."
She met his eyes and Skinner was moved by the neediness
he saw there.
"I really don't want to sleep alone tonight, either," she
said softly, patting his side of the bed. "We don't have to do
anything. Just hold me."
Scully's display's of vulnerability were so rare that it
disturbed him a little, but only for a moment. Skinner had to
admit that he hadn't been looking forward to another night
alone, either.
He climbed into bed and switched out the light. Rolling
onto his back, he drew Scully to him.
"Ummm, this is nice," she murmured, settling against him,
her cheek on his shoulder, body molding to his. "G'nite,
Walter."
"Goodnight, my love."
Skinner kissed her forehead and closed his eyes. Before
long they were both asleep.
The end
(
geocities.com/hollywood)