TITLE: The Easiest Thing in the World (1/3) AUTHOR: Rafferty FEEDBACK: rafferty@highstream.net RATING: NC-17 for sexual situations and a few explicit words CATEGORY: MSR SPOILERS: Millennium, all things, Hollywood A.D, Brand X, Je Souhaite, Requiem, Per Manum, Three Words, Existence; basically the second half of S7, some S8-- specifically dealing with the M/S relationship KEYWORDS: Mulder/Scully Romance, First Time ARCHIVE: Please email me so I'll know where it's going DISCLAIMER: These characters belong to the collective geniuses of Chris Carter, 1013, FOX, David Duchovny and Gillian Anderson. No money is being made. Yadda yadda yadda. SUMMARY: Mulder and Scully experience the natural progression from a platonic relationship to acknowledgment and demonstration of their deeper feelings. Sounds kind of dry, doesn't it? What can I say. It's my first summary. I promise the story is better than this. NOTES: I'm a fanfic author virgin. If you choose to read this, you'll be sharing my first experience with me, and I am grateful. In my convenient XF world, Mulder's neurological disease, or whatever it was, is a non-issue because he had found a doctor in NC who was treating him to stabilize it and this treatment wasn't recorded in the medical records researched after his disappearance. He went out of town weekends during May to receive treatment. This frees him up to enter into a relationship guilt- free. Also, S9 doesn't exist for me either. This story is one of hundreds, maybe thousands, attempting to fill in the gaps of an implied relationship in S7/S8. Also, I'm as vague about timelines here as Chris Carter was. Part 1 is probably only PG. The yummy stuff happens in parts 2 and 3. FEEDBACK: Is the only way I guess I'll know if I did something right or wrong, so please, please let me know what you think. And please be gentle with the criticism ;-). Thanks!!! XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX The Easiest Thing in the World (1/3) By Rafferty Mulder's Apartment March 2000 She went to him in the middle of the night. She had nodded off on his shoulder while they were waxing philosophical about where their respective paths had taken them. When she awoke to a room lit only by the bright glow of the fish tank with a crick in her neck and cold feet, she had padded to the bathroom where she faced the decision of whether she was going to go home and sleep in her own bed, or sleep with him in his bed. It came as no surprise to her when she made her decision and realized that she had never really considered going home an option. He had looked so peaceful as she quietly approached his bed in the dark. His long masculine form partially hidden by covers represented to her all that was warm and safe. She noticed a t- shirt he had laid out for her at the end of the bed and took a moment to turn her back to his sleeping form and remove everything but her underwear and slip the shirt over her head. When she finally got up the courage to approach him and sit gently next to him, his eyes slowly opened to focus on her. "Hi," he whispered in a sleepy voice. "Hi," she replied with a tender smile. For a few moments they simply stared at each other as he waited patiently for her to let him know why she had awoken him. She swallowed down a hot lump of nerves that had suddenly risen up her throat. "I can't sleep on your couch," she informed him huskily. He took a few seconds to absorb that statement before he scooted his body back about a foot and folded back the covers to indicate she could crawl into bed beside him. She could smell his intoxicating maleness and feel the heat radiating from the spot he offered her. Her eyelids lowered and raised in a languid blink as she reconsidered whether or not sleeping with Mulder was a good idea. He was her best friend, she rationalized. They were both mature adults. She was too tired to drive home at this hour. She was getting pretty cold and knew his vacated spot on the bed would be so warm. She had pretty much convinced herself that it would just be wrong *not* to sleep with him. She was only human after all. She crawled in and laid her head down to face him on the pillow he was sharing with her. He brought the covers over her up to her shoulders. When he felt her cold feet instinctively pressing up against his chins he wrapped one long leg around hers, an arm about her waist, and pulled her up against him. She was both relieved and a little disappointed to find that he wasn't naked under there--he was wearing boxers. He hissed when she tucked one ice-cold hand underneath his torso and the other one between his upper arm and his side. She had to smirk at him, silently questioning whether or not he was going to whine, but he didn't complain. He took it like a man. "Cold hands, warm heart, right Scully?" he said tightly. "You know it, Mulder," she responded with a smile in her voice. After a few minutes, they both had warmed back up and were relaxed again, hazel eyes searching blue as if they held all the mysteries of the universe. He brought his hand up to brush a strand of hair behind her ear. "I've missed you," he whispered. They both knew that he wasn't really referring to his recent trip to England, but rather to the tense couple of weeks prior that they had spent after she had voluntarily disappeared with Spender. During that time they had fought like cats and dogs, neither willing to compromise their positions. "I've missed you too," she echoed with an unsteady voice. "I'm not...happy...when we're fighting." His eyes searched hers as he processed the meaning behind what she had admitted. "I can't lose you, Scully," he said quietly, this justification being the bottom-line defense for him, for his behavior. She wrapped her arm more fully around him to embrace him and told him both the truth and what she knew he wanted to hear. "I'm not going anywhere, Mulder." He graced her with a grateful smile, then raised his head to bring his mouth to hers in a slow and moist but still relatively chaste kiss. He nuzzled her nose briefly with his own, then tucked her head under his chin. "Go to sleep," he gently ordered. She was already being lulled into dreams by the warm cocoon he had wrapped her in. "I promise I'll behave," he added. Her last thought before she drifted off was, *When did I ever ask you to behave, Mulder?* XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX A Couple of Weeks Later Hollywood, California They went out to dinner, courtesy of the bureau credit card of course. They made it a nice one, complete with candles and wine and an intimate little half-circle booth tucked away in their own private corner of the elegant restaurant. He had continued to lament the way that the bungling Hollywood idiots had portrayed them in the movie. She teased him about the way both Tea Leoni and Garry Shandling were ogling him all evening. Of course, she neglected to mention how badly she had wished she had her weapon with her when Miss Leoni had linked her arm through Mulder's and proceeded to whisper God knows what into his ear as she drew him into the theater. They had finished their meal and paid the check and were sitting back in the booth, barely twelve inches separating their bodies, enjoying their last glasses of wine. Neither was drunk or even tipsy, they were just feeling very relaxed and content. "So, Scully. You don't really have a thing for A.D. Skinner, do you?" Mulder said out of the blue, referring to the on-screen romance between her character and that of Skinner's. To her credit, Scully kept a straight face as she replied, "Why wouldn't I, Mulder. He's intelligent, educated, well-built..." Mulder drew his lower lip between his teeth in concern as she went on...and on, "professional, handsome, well-mannered, a perfect gentleman as a matter of fact." Scully pretended not to notice that Mulder was starting to pout. Teasing him was so much fun. "There's only one thing he's missing to be the perfect catch in my book," then she left her statement just dangling out there. Of course he took the bait. "Don't just leave me hanging here, Scully. What's he missing?" She had to grin like the cat that caught the canary. "A sense of humor, Mulder. There's nothing sexier than a man with a sense of humor." He didn't even skip a beat. "So," he began. "A priest, a rabbi, and Satan go into this bar..." She rolled her eyes and moaned, "Mulderrr..." "Oh, so you've heard that one?" he asked innocently. She just chuckled softly and shook her head at him. He was such a pro at flirting--she could barely keep up. "What? You aren't impressed by my sexy sense of humor, Scully?" He was grinning at her. Her chin dipped and her smile smoothed into one of gentle tenderness for him. She was feeling emboldened by his playfulness, so she lightly placed her left hand on top of his right one, which was resting on the table. She began to stroke the backs of his fingers with her index fingertip. He watched fascinated as her hand caressed his. "Mulder, you don't have to work that hard to get my attention," she informed him in a husky voice. Blue eyes rose languidly to meet hazel. "You already have it," she confessed in a hushed whisper. He searched her gaze intently for the meaning behind her words. Slowly he turned his hand over under hers until their palms were touching. He flexed his fingers out to capture hers between his, then closed his fingers around hers so that their hands were touching at every available quarter inch of skin. He began to caress the back of her hand with his thumb. Both of their nervous gazes were now watching their entwined hands on the table. His voice had dropped a full octave when he said, "Well, then I'm the luckiest man on earth." When she raised her eyes to meet his, hers were full of wonder and hesitancy. Her heart was beating triple-time and she was having a hard time breathing. She searched his face desperately for signs that he meant what he said and what he implied by holding and caressing her hand. What she found in his features was nothing but affection and honesty so she allowed one corner of her mouth to tilt up in a smile. He leaned toward her slightly and attempted to make her feel a little more comfortable again by lightening the mood. "Whadda ya say we blow this joint, Scully?" Her half-smile turned into a full-fledged grin and she nodded her agreement that it was time to go. He squeezed her hand gently before releasing it and escorted her from the restaurant with a familiar hand at the small of her back. XXXXX The ride in the car from the restaurant back to their hotel was short and silent. They hit only one red light on the way, and while they were stopped there Mulder glanced over at Scully to evaluate the emotional climate, so to speak. She was gripping her purse in her lap and staring out the passenger side window, so he assumed she was fine but just unnerved by what transpired at the restaurant. God knew, he was a bit in shock himself. He had flirted with her pretty much constantly for the last seven years, but tonight, for the first time, he actually got a response out of her. A positive response. A hand-holding, I-admit-I'm-noticing-you kind of response. He had to work very hard to pay attention to traffic rather than do a giddy victory dance right there in the car next to her. He had meant what he had said. If he had read her right, and he usually did, she had admitted tonight that she was attracted to him, and if so, he really did believe he was the luckiest man on earth. Of course he knew she cared deeply for him. He also had been fairly sure that they had opened up a door to a possible whole new dynamic for their relationship during the past few months with the IVF attempt and their meaningful yet platonic reconciliation in his bed a couple of weeks after she had gone off with Cancer Man. But for her to admit verbally that he had her "attention" was quite a milestone. He couldn't quite believe that he felt this attached, this intimate with a woman he had never dated or slept with, or even really kissed. Hopefully that would change tonight. Oh, he knew she wasn't ready for physical intimacy, he doubted *he* was actually ready for that with her, but he had high hopes that they might seal this deal tonight with a Real Kiss. Hey, a man's gotta have dreams, right? XXXXX They were in the elevator of the hotel on their way up to their floor. Not a word had been exchanged since they had left the restaurant. Actually, she had been so unprepared by what had transpired at dinner that she had barely had the nerve to look at him since. The few times she had glanced at him, it had been like sticking her finger into an electrical outlet--the hairs on the back of her neck stood on end, she suddenly couldn't keep her hands still, and her eyes would involuntarily dart down to his mouth for some unknown and wholly embarrassing reason. Needless to say, so far she wasn't handling this whole situation quite as maturely as she usually prided herself on being. Not good. Not good at all. Of course, the entire time they had been in the elevator she had felt his steady gaze on her. *Isn't this affecting him at all? Maybe this just doesn't mean as much to him as it does to me. Maybe he's just toying with me.* *Okay, I need to get a grip* she admonished herself. *He's my best friend, the person I trust most in this world. He would never purposely take advantage of how I feel about him.* Once she remembered this it was easier for her to relax at least a little more and actually look at him fully. His head dipped in an unconscious effort to bring his eyes more level with hers. "What are you thinking, Scully?" he asked. *Ooooh, wouldn't you like to know, Mulder? I'm thinking about how much I want to touch you and kiss you, and how just thinking about it makes me so nervous that I feel like a 16-year-old virgin all over again.* Nope. Couldn't tell him all that. So, she opted for an entirely different tactic. "I'm thinking about Associate Producer Skinner," she informed him cheekily. She had to hide her grin when she saw his jaw drop just as she exited the elevator onto their floor. *Take that, Mulder. I told you. I'll always keep you guessing.* XXXXX *Associate Producer Skinner?* He didn't buy it for a second. He gave her what she expected, a properly indignant response, but he knew her too well to believe she'd been thinking about Skinner. She'd been thinking about himself. About them. Just as he had. He didn't even try to pry his gaze from the womanly sway of her hips as he followed her to her hotel room door. He fervently tamped down the brief surge of lust which had suddenly pooled in his loins. This was no time to go animal on her, not even at the thought of what just might happen if she let him into her room. Besides, she deserved so much more than that. More than him. He'd known that for years, which was partly what kept him from pressing for more from her, but now that he knew that she might be actually *choosing* him, he was just too selfish not to explore all the possibilities. If she cared enough for him to overlook all of his many faults, all the times he had put her in danger, all the times he had wittingly or unwittingly caused her pain, then the least he could do was be patient enough to let her set the pace. But that wasn't going to stop him from trying out a little friendly persuasion. She had removed her card key before she even came to a stop in front of her door. His room was right next to hers but unfortunately they didn't have connecting doors. How would he respond if she asked him why he had followed her to her door tonight? Something utterly witty like, 'Because I need to check under your bed for flukemen,' or maybe, 'Because you look like you need to be tucked in.' Thank God she didn't ask. But she stopped the movement of her hand, which was just about to insert the card key into its slot. Mulder leaned sideways against the doorjamb beside her to more fully see her face. She shot him The Eyebrow in response. He couldn't help it. Her hesitation contrasted by the brave little eyebrow thing was just too irresistible. It brought out all manner of testosterone-driven urges. The urge to protect, the urge to meet a challenge. Most of all, the urge to pursue. His voice was low and persuasive when he gently commanded her, "Invite me in, Scully." XXXXX Scully only paused a moment before inserting the card into the slot and turning the handle. True to form, Mulder raised an arm from behind her and pushed the heavy door out of her way so that she could enter the room before him. She would never, ever admit to anyone how much of a thrill it gave her every time he ushered her into a room. It always made her feel cherished. She crossed the room and removed her jacket to lay it neatly on the bed. She took a moment to steel her nerves, then turned around to find him standing only about two feet from her. His nearness made her feel flustered all over again. "This is natural, isn't it?" she began in an unsteady voice. She cleared her throat before continuing, "I mean, we've known each other for seven years. Practically lived in each other's pockets." A bright red flush spread from her chest to her forehead. Her eyes searched his for agreement. "We've saved each other countless times. Care...deeply...for each other. We've even tried to create a baby together. So it's natural that we would feel some attraction to each other at some point in our relationship." He took a step closer so that only inches separated them. He lifted a hand, tenderly slipped his index finger about an inch inside her sleeveless sweater's armhole at her shoulder and lightly ran that finger from her shoulder to the outer swell of her breast in one slow, sensual caress. He had watched his finger against the pale creaminess of her skin during its entire journey. When he heard her breath catch, he dropped his gaze briefly to the unsteady rise and fall of her breasts, where her nipples had suddenly hardened into visible peaks. Then he met her gaze. "It would be the easiest thing in the world to become involved with you, Scully," he told her intimately. They stood there staring at each other, no longer touching in any way, communicating in that magical silent method they had long ago perfected. Her eyes asking him if this was really happening. His eyes telling her that it was, and that he was with her every step of the way. "Have you...thought about this before?" she quietly asked. Mulder tenderly tucked a tendril of hair back behind her ear as he responded softly, "Thought about it. Dreamed about it." His eyes took on a naughty gleam briefly, "Fantasized about it." His expression turned serious again as he paused. "Ached for it." Scully was breathless at his admission. She was overwhelmed by the response her heart, her entire body, was having to what he was telling her. Mulder slowly caressed her lower lip with his thumb. "I want you to start thinking about this too, Scully," he told her in a soft yet commanding voice. "Think about how we're going to make this work. I won't risk losing you...so I need you to be very sure this is what you want." She couldn't verbally respond. Her eyes were swimming with unshed tears, her throat burning with emotion, so she gave him her ascent with an almost imperceptible nod of her head. Before she could even process the enormity of what was happening, he was leaning down to gently brush his lips against hers in a chaste but breathtaking kiss reminiscent of the ones they had shared on New Years and in his bed a couple of weeks ago. "Goodnight, Scully. See you in the morning," he whispered against her lips before he turned and began to leave. His hand was on the knob by the time she had gathered her wits about her and had found her voice. "I've thought about it too, Mulder," she confessed in a husky alto, and he turned around to face her, one eyebrow raised and a slight smile of approval on his face. "Good. You'll let me know when you're ready then," he answered. She merely smiled an entirely womanly smile as he left. *Ready. I've been ready for about six and a half years. I'm so ready that I think I'll go insane if I have to wait just one more day. I know I didn't come off as self-confident as I would have liked tonight, but that's just because he caught me off guard. Well, now I'm ready.* *Really.* XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX A Couple of Weeks Later Hoover Building, X-Files Office Friday, 5:15pm They had spent the past couple of days in the office catching up on paperwork. It had been a couple of weeks since they had attended the Hollywood premier of the movie, since she and Mulder had basically admitted their attraction to each other and Mulder had asked her to think about how they were going to work "this" and to let him know when she was ready. Of course, she had thought of little else in the days since. She had felt ready to start something that night in L.A., had actually felt like she could be ready for more for years now. But being the analytical woman that she was, not prone to rush into anything, especially something this monumental, she had taken the time to ponder the ins and outs of how she believed they could make this work. And now she was ready to discuss it with him. She had studied him in silence from across the room for the past several minutes, trying to figure out how she was going to approach him about this. Finally she decided that it was now or never, so she shutdown her computer, got out her purse, and crossed the room to his desk. He looked up at her, a hint of awareness in his eyes, as she came around to his side of the desk, leaned against it as she crossed her ankles, and looked him squarely in the eyes. "I've been doing some thinking, Mulder. I was wondering if you have some time this weekend so we could discuss our...situation." He obviously knew which "situation" to which she was referring. His expression was at once hopeful and hesitant. "How about dinner. Tomorrow night," he offered. Scully released a pent up breath she hadn't realized she had been holding. "Sounds fine. Seven o'clock. I'll cook." He quirked an eyebrow at her display of self-confidence. He gave her a slight, knowing smile before she turned to leave the office, saying on the way out, "See you tomorrow night, Scully." XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX Saturday, 6:55pm Scully's Place Mulder had gotten back into town with just enough time to run home, shower, shave, and grab the bottle of wine he had picked up on his way home yesterday. He couldn't quite believe he was standing here, just outside Scully's apartment door, about to enter and have the most important conversation he had ever had in his entire life. The Talk. About whether or not they were going to become a Couple. Damn, but he was nervous. Part of him, the insecure part that never forgot that he hadn't had sex with another person in about six years, was sure she was going to tell him all the reasons they shouldn't start something between them. Another part of him, the more optimistic and reasonable one, kept telling him that she wouldn't have strung him along for weeks letting him think she was considering it if she really wasn't. After all, when she had invited him to dinner yesterday, she hadn't exactly looked like a woman with bad news to impart. No matter what, though, even if she told him they needed to just remain friends, he was convinced he could accept that, because her friendship was as essential to him as breathing. He would do *nothing* to screw that up. He refused to even think about what would happen if she told him they couldn't become involved *and* she didn't think they could be around each other anymore because of the tension. That way laid insanity. He lifted his hand to rap out his usual knock on her door. As he waited, his feet shifted restlessly and the hand that wasn't holding the bottle was in his front pants pocket jingling change. He darted a quick glance down the front of his body in a last- minute inspection. White t-shirt not on backwards--check. No drool or food on the black Henley he was wearing over the t- shirt--check. Jeans fly zipped--check. Socks match--check. Jesus, what was taking her so long? Suddenly he heard her deadbolt scrape and the door opened and there she stood, looking all flushed and soft and so womanly it was almost painful just to look at her. His eyes began a slow perusal down her body, starting at her delicate collarbones peeking out of the neckline of an incredibly sexy white, fitted, long-sleeved blouse unbuttoned far lower than he was used to seeing on her. His gaze followed the trail of buttons down the blouse to find below it those soft, faded jeans that he loved. The ones that cupped her ass exquisitely and made her look about twenty. God bless Levi Strauss. When his perusal reached her feet, he noticed she was wearing light blue fuzzy terrycloth slippers with stars and moons embroidered on them. Awww. He could just eat her up she was so sexy and adorable. His eyes took on a wicked gleam as he wondered what she would do if he just scooped her up and carried her to the bedroom. Probably sock him one. When he finally returned his gaze to hers, she was doing that thing with the eyebrow that never failed to bring him to attention. And there was a smirk on her face. Ooops. Too much gawking. It was a shame, really, because she was so very gawk-worthy. "Are you going to stand there all night staring, Mulder?" He put on his most endearingly boyish smile and held the bottle out to her as he stepped across the threshold. "I may stare all night, Scully, but I can do it from inside your apartment if you'd like," he quipped. She took the bottle and headed toward the kitchen with him following, but not before he noticed the little smile his comment had brought to her lips. She turned her back to him and lifted a lid off a saucepan to stir what looked and smelled like a mushroom sauce. "It was nice of you to bring wine, Mulder. I already have a bottle opened, but I have the feeling we're going to need another one before this night's over." He studied her back intently for a moment before responding, "Nervous?" She replaced the lid and turned to face him with a rueful smile on her face. "Yeah. I am," she confessed. "It's just me. As long as you're not telling me you're transferring to Utah, we should have no problem," he said in an attempt to ease her anxiety. Then his voice lowered intimately, "If it makes you feel any better, I'm nervous too." This earned him a full-fledged Scully-grin. "Thanks. That does make me feel better." Their gazes locked for a moment before she snapped out of it and went back to work over the stove on dinner. He looked around the orderly kitchen, took mental note of the table already set with cloth napkins in rings, water glasses full of ice water, a wine glass at one of the settings, and a couple of thick candles already lit in the middle of the table. Whatever she was cooking smelled heavenly. She smelled heavenly too. Not like perfumes or creams or powders, just like warm pure Scully. Yummm. He picked up his wine glass and filled it from the bottle on the kitchen counter. "Anything I can help with?" he offered. She put him to work finishing up the salads. As he bent over his task, he ruminated briefly over how cozy this felt, preparing food quietly together in her kitchen, the soft sounds and smells of 'Home' surrounding them. He closed his eyes for a moment just soaking it all in, allowing the emotions inside him momentary free rein to clog his throat and swell his heart. God, he ached for this. For her. XXXXX Twenty minutes later they were sitting down at the table eating bowtie pasta with creamy mushroom sauce and chicken breast, salad and French bread. Actually, Mulder was eating with gusto since his body was always so starved for real home-cooked food. Scully, however, was picking at hers, eating only the occasional bite, the butterflies that had taken up residence in her stomach sometime yesterday afternoon not quite calm enough to allow her to feel hungry. "Are we going to discuss this during dinner?" Mulder abruptly asked. Scully looked up from her plate to notice that his was nearly empty and that he was studying her intently. She opted to temporarily ignore the question. "There's more if you want it," she evaded. This time it was Mulder's brows that headed north. "I'll take that as a 'no'." "I'd prefer to wait until after dinner, if you don't mind," she finally answered quietly. "No problem." They finished their dinner in silence, Scully acutely aware that Mulder was watching her every move. When they were done, he offered to help her clean up and she accepted, both moving efficiently around her small kitchen and dinette until the rooms were spotless. After she finished drying her hands on the dishtowel, she turned to find Mulder effectively blocking her exit from the kitchen. "Scully, you're killing me here," he stated softly as he tenderly tucked a loose curl behind her ear. "Are we going to do this or not?" Well it wasn't eloquent, but it was honest. The least he deserved was an honest answer. "Yes, I think we are," she informed him. She worried her lower lip between her teeth as she watched a wolfish smile slowly spread across his face. He was obviously pleased with her answer. "We are," he repeated. "Yeah. Unless you've changed your mind." He looked at her as if she had just sprouted another head. Then he got a predatory gleam in his eye as he took a step toward her. His head dipped to come closer to her level. "Whadda ya say we seal this deal with a kiss then," he proposed with a gleam in his eye. She held up a hand to stop him in his tracks about a foot from her. "First we have to discuss the rules." "The rules?" "We can't let this interfere with our work," she began. "I think that goes without saying, Scully." "I just don't want any misunderstandings. Also, we have to be honest with each other, Mulder. If things start going...if one of us wants to stop this we have to agree to tell the other before it gets ugly. That's the only way we can preserve what we have now." He was studying her seriously as she spoke. He nodded his agreement. "And I want to take this fairly slow. It's been a while since either of us have been involved with anyone and I think we might be rusty." She added that last part with a self-deprecating smile. "You mean it's not like riding a bike?" he asked in mock innocence. She gave him The Brow. "We can take this as slowly as you want, Scully," he assured her. Then he tilted his head a little more toward hers as he warned her in a low tone, "But I'm not going to promise that I won't try a little....persuasion." *Mmmm*, Scully thought, already caught in the spell. *Persuade me, Mulder. Please.* She paused for a moment, suddenly fascinated with his beautiful lips. When Mulder realized she was done enumerating their Rules, one corner of his mouth lifted in a smile. She smiled in return as her gaze shot to his and her eyes began to sparkle as if they were partners in crime about to embark on the heist of the century. Which to them, they were. When he took a step to close the space between them to mere inches, she inhaled the heady masculine scent of him. God, he was just so....Male. Her heart rate began to speed up and she knew she must be blushing from her head to her toes, but she didn't care. This was Mulder, her Mulder, and suddenly she had the right to touch him. To kiss him. God, she'd be lucky if she didn't swoon. XXXXX His heart was pounding hard as he brought his hands up to gently cup her face. He had honestly never seen anything as beautiful as the way she was looking at him right this moment. He had thought about kissing her so many times over the years that now that the moment was actually upon him, he was almost paralyzed by anticipation and performance anxiety. He slowly brought his face very close to hers and she reached out to grab handfuls of his shirt to steady herself. Both their eyes closed as he began to nuzzle her nose softly with Eskimo kisses, inhaling her unique scent, taking in each little breath that puffed out of her slightly-parted mouth in an irregular cadence. Jesus, it was so intimate, breathing her in this way. He could almost taste her. "Seven years is a long time, Scully," he whispered a scant quarter inch from her lips. She chuffed a little laugh in agreement against his lips. "Yes, it is." He caressed her cheek with his nose one last time, then felt a smile lift the corners of his mouth as he teased, "Be gentle with me." When her lips parted from surprise at his statement, he closed the small space between their mouths and covered hers gently with his own. Her lips were bare and warm as he brushed his own back and forth slowly across hers, getting them both used to the sensation. He felt a hot surge in his groin when she held her breath as he ran his tongue just along the inside of her upper lip. He had coveted that upper lip for years, and now it was finally his to conquer. He sucked on it tenderly for a moment before moving on to further uncharted territory. His tongue forayed just past her lips, silently searching for its mate. He didn't even realize he'd been holding his own breath until her tongue finally stroked against his hesitantly and he let out a low groan. "Mmmmm hmmmm," was her response as she began to tangle her tongue with his more enthusiastically. That's when everything else around him disappeared and the tastes and textures of their joined mouths became his entire universe. XXXXX *Oh, God,* she thought. *I feel like my bones are melting.* Scully snaked her arms up Mulder's chest and around his neck so she could literally hang on him since her legs seemed to have lost the ability to hold her upright. The kiss had quickly segued into something not quite wild, yet not quite tame either. What it was, she decided, was seven years of wanting finally rearing its needy head. He tasted exactly as she had always thought he would--dark, rich, masculine. He kissed her like he was making love to her mouth, the way she had always wanted to be kissed. Slowly. Sensually. With passion. She barely even registered that his hands were smoothing down her back and waist until they ventured south to mold around the curve of her buttocks. He had no way of knowing this yet, although she suspected he was a quick learner about this particular subject, but her backside was her big weakness. Feeling Mulder's big, warm, strong hands curled around her rear made her center suddenly feel very hot and open. Of course that also could have something to do with the fact that their mouths were currently having what could be considered hot sex. When she felt his hands slip a little lower to the backs of her upper thighs and start to lift her she broke the kiss out of surprise. "Mulder...," she questioned as he turned and sat her down on the countertop, with him ending up standing between her spread legs. She gave him a knowing smile when she realized he was just trying to make them more comfortable. His hands were back on her ass now and he slowly slid her toward the edge of the counter, toward his body, until she came up fully against him and could feel the hard ridge of his erection press against her aching core. "Much better, right, Scully?" he asked with a wicked gleam in his eye. Knowing that she had him this aroused gave her the heady feeling of being a seductress. She was proud of her boldness as slowly rolled her hips against his once causing him to suddenly sober and inhale on a hiss. "Mmmmm....much better, Mulder," she crooned in reply. Mulder groaned as he rested his head in the crook of her neck. It was her turn to sport the slightly wicked smile. She splayed her fingers through his hair and coaxed his head back up to hers. "I think you can handle it, Mulder," she informed him just before she brought his mouth back to hers for another thorough entanglement. His hands began roaming again, and she began to squirm slightly against him in an unconscious attempt to get closer to the one thing within reach that could ease the growing ache inside of her. Both of them lost track of all sense of time and space. There was only the two of them and an endless melting of mouths and souls as they finally showed each other all they meant to one another after years of keeping it pent up inside. When Scully felt Mulder's hands stroke down the sides of her back, his thumbs straying forward to trail down the outsides of her breasts, a little shiver went through her and goosebumps broke out over her body from head to toe. Mulder broke the kiss when he felt her shiver and leaned his forehead against hers as they both tried to regain their breath and their bearings. His head shifted against hers as he looked down at their bodies, specifically hers and the way here nipples were now standing out like little pebbles for all the world to see. "God, this is going to be so good," he groaned. She only chuckled and wrapped her arms around him to pull him fully against her in a hug. After a few moments, he backed away from her a few inches and ran a hand over his chin as he looked at her like she was some kind of bewitching goddess or something. "If this is slow, Scully, I don't think I'm going to survive it," he said mock-ruefully. He stroked her bottom lip with his thumb. "As painful as it is to say this, I think I'd better go before I drop to my knees and start begging pathetically for something you're not ready to give." One corner of her mouth quirked up in understanding as she nodded her agreement. He leaned toward her once more, carefully keeping his lower body from pressing against hers, as he gave her a chaste but sweet kiss. "Goodnight, Scully," he breathed intimately against her mouth. "Dinner was wonderful, and the company was....breathtaking." With that, he gently brought her knees together and lifted her to stand on her own on the floor. She followed him to the door where he picked up his jacket and keys, and watched him leave her apartment, not quite looking back at her, but sporting an obvious erection. When she turned around to face her apartment, she didn't really see anything around her. Her mind was still back on their kisses, and his hands, and him pressing against her between her legs. She could feel her own moisture pooling in her panties, and her breasts felt heavy and tender. She felt like she was sixteen again and had just spent two hours in a heavy makeout session in the backseat of her current crush's car. It felt wonderful, actually. *He's right,* she thought. *This is going to be sooo goood.* XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX Several Days Later "You can sheathe your claws now, Scully," Mulder leaned toward Scully and informed her as they were descending the stairs. Scully stopped dead in her tracks, both feet firmly planted on the next to last step before the landing. *Oh, no. I don't believe he just said that. Am I that transparent?* They had arrived here this afternoon in B.F.E., Nevada, and had just finished talking with the local pathologist who had done the autopsy on their current case earlier in the day. Of course, the pathologist just happened to be a female with impossibly luxurious long brunette hair, a chest that all but demanded "pet me", and legs practically up to her chin. And she obviously thought Mulder would be a nice little diversion after a long day cutting up a dead guy. Mulder had stood there tongue-tied, drinking in every technical term that Dr. Busty threw his way, and now he had the nerve to accuse her of being jealous? What, has he got a death wish? Even if she was jealous, that was information she fully planned on taking to her grave with her. Deny everything. In the past few days, Mulder had treated her practically the same as he had most everyday for the past seven years. Except there had been a few more meaningful touches, a few more intimate phone calls late at night, and one more kissing session that had left her breathless and aching for more. She was just becoming secure in the knowledge that Mulder was becoming hers. And already, barely four days into their "involvement," someone was trying to come between them. She was, of course, also ignoring the fact that she had started her period today and thus was feeling slightly irrational. But only slightly. The rest of this was entirely justified. *Sheathe my claws, indeed.* "What are you talking about, Mulder?" Scully queried in a tone that would freeze lava. Mulder had stopped on the landing and turned around so that they were now on eye level with each other. He was looking way too much like the cat-that-ate-the-cream for Scully's tastes. He leaned over conspiratorially, as if about to confide some secret with her, "You were jealous back there." "I. Was. Not," she replied with all the sincere deadpan she could muster. *Just because that hussy was flagrantly flirting with you, giving you bedroom eyes, laying her hand on your arm-- with me standing right there next to you--why would I be jealous?* *Besides, I have no right to be jealous. Do I?* Mulder wasn't buying her denial. "You. Were. Too." And then he really risked a serious ass-kicking by leering at her and stating, "And I just can't seem to muster up regret that I'm so turned on by it." Scully's jaw dropped and she was speechless for a moment. Finally, she came back to her senses, decided the best course of action right now was to not encourage him, and calmly demanded, "Let me by, Mulder. We have work to do." She wasn't entirely surprised when both his arms spread to grasp the handrails on either side of them, trapping her from continuing down the stairway. "Real mature, Mulder." "Talk about the pot calling the kettle..." but he didn't get to finish his sentence since she had promptly turned her back on him and started going back up the stairs. Of course, he went up after her, snagging her hand, turning her around to face him. They were a stair tread apart, once again on eye level, although by the look she was giving him right now he kind of wished he wasn't in so direct a path for the glare. He was still holding her hand, not taking any chances that she was going to flee again. "Scully, if you want to drop this, we can drop it. But first I want you to think about something." He gave her a moment to protest, and when she didn't he went on. "I did nothing back there to encourage her. I was as surprised as you probably were by how blatant her advances were, especially right in front of you. But I *didn't respond*." Scully remained quiet, eyes darting from one of his eyes to the other, searching for any sign that he wasn't being honest with her. God, she didn't want to be angry with him. She didn't want to be a crazy jealous monster either. She had never been jealous with any of her previous relationships so this feeling was totally foreign to her, and beneath her in her own opinion. And if she was really honest, he hadn't flirted with her. He had looked like he was just as surprised as herself at the unprofessionalism of the pathologist. Finally, she calmed down and let out a big sigh. Mulder's grip on her hand loosened a little and his other hand came up to cradle her nape and pull her head toward his. He spoke gently against her ear, "We've known each other for seven years. You know you've spent more time with me than anyone, and you know that some beautiful women have crossed our paths throughout the years. But in all that time, have you ever seen me come on to anyone? Anyone besides you, Scully?" Scully raised her head to search his face. *God he's so beautiful. How could someone that beautiful want plain old me?* She was having a hard time believing he would prefer her over someone like Matreya or Dr. Busty. Then she remembered something. Something painful. It was so mortifying to reveal her insecurities this way, but she needed to know if he was turning to her because he was pining away for someone from his past, or if he really did feel something for her. So she gathered up her courage and went for broke. "I saw you kissing Phoebe. And you were very....close...to Diana." XXXXX He exhaled a heavy sigh of resignation and ran a frustrated hand through his hair. He had known they would have to have this conversation eventually. He just didn't know it was going to be here in this sterile stairwell, in the middle of some God- forsaken case. It was so early in this delicate bud of a possibility of a romantic relationship. He was seriously worried that whether or not they really became involved relied completely on the next few words out of his mouth. Well, he reasoned if she was going to be brave enough to bring this up, then he could be brave enough to give her an honest answer. "The last time I saw Phoebe was what...seven years ago, Scully. I barely knew you then, and I'll admit, I was...lonely...and allowed myself to wax poetic about the history we'd had." He offered her a self-deprecating smile. "It didn't take long for me to remember why Phoebe and I were a bad combination. And I haven't, for one minute, thought of her since." He carefully studied her face for signs of understanding as he continued. "And as for Diana...I know you don't want to hear this, but you and Diana were alike in some ways. When we were...together...I was attracted to her intelligence, our common interests with the paranormal, and what I thought was integrity. It took me a long time to figure out that she wasn't quite as loyal as I had thought. And when she came back, I didn't feel the attraction I had felt before, but I did have hopes that she had changed and that we could be allies." His voice took on a sad tone, "I have so few people on my side, Scully. It was easy to hope." He looked regretful now as he raised a finger to trace her eyebrow. "I'm sorry that I treated you badly during that time, Scully. I can be such an ass sometimes. I feel its only fair to warn you in case you haven't figured that out by now." Her eyes were sad too, and her expression was rueful, but she tried to lighten the situation out of reflex, "Well I know *that*." He had to chuckle. She was such a balm for his pathetic, bedraggled soul. Now that he had all that off his chest, knowing he wasn't really off the hook, but that she would need time to chew on all the information, he felt the need to reiterate his earlier point. "So, if we discount Phoebe and Diana for a moment, have you ever heard me ask anyone else if we should be picking out china patterns? Or tell them they're my one in five billion? Or that they're my touchstone? Or blurted out "I love you" in slightly- drugged vulnerability?" He had to smile at her look of surprise that he had remembered that last one. Obviously she had thought he was doped to the gills when he had let that one slip out. In reality, he had only just started feeling the effects of the medication, just started feeling his bones growing warm and his heart feeling free when he had told her he loved her. He had meant what he had said, but obviously she hadn't thought so. "Yes, Scully, I was well aware that I said that. And I meant it too." When her eyes welled up with unshed tears he gently kissed her forehead. "Mulder, I don't know what to say," she admitted hoarsely. He was right. She had never seen him really flirting with anyone but her. Could it be that he had felt this way about her for years and never said anything, never done anything about it? His eyes roamed over her face. God she was the most beautiful person he had ever seen. And he knew he would always feel that way. "Just tell me that we can work through this. I need to know that you realize that you're the only one I want." For a moment she just looked at him with such love in her watery eyes that he felt his heart swell to almost bursting. Sometimes it was so painful just to look at her. Then she placed her hands on each side of his face and brought his lips to hers for a kiss that was both apology and forgiveness. He greedily drank every drop of emotion she poured into him through her kiss. He actually started to tip to the side like a drunken fool, which is what his head felt like right about now, and used one hand to grab onto the handrail. Of course, his other arm snaked around her waist of its own accord and pulled her against him so that they were touching from chest to calves. He could really get used to kissing her on stairs--the way it brought their mouths to the same level was definitely something to appreciate. He could have cheerfully gone on kissing her there all day, but eventually she broke the kiss and gently swiped her fingertips across his lips in an attempt to erase lipstick smears. As for her, he thought she looked just fine the way she was. Hair slightly mussed, face flushed with desire, and her sweet pouty lips smudged and even more swollen than usual. Yep, she looked like she'd just been kissed and kissed well, and it made him feel like Superman to know that he had put that look on her. He guessed they were okay now, because she tenderly took his hand and laced their fingers. Then together they descended the stairs in silence, breaking apart only when they exited their private little stairwell into the public hallway. XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX Continued in part 2