TITLE: A Hard Days Night (with apologies to the Beatles)

NAME: frogdoggie

E-MAIL: frogdoggie@hotmail.com

CATEGORY: SRA

RATING: NC-17 and than some.

SUMMARY: 'A boy's night' out forces Fox Mulder to deal with his real feelings regarding Dana Scully. This story is rated for adults only. If you object to any bodily functions whatsoever, do not proceed beyond this point. Of course, there are scenes of a sexual nature featuring balls out sex between a couple of the characters. No, I'm not going to tell you who, you're going to have to read the story. This is my first attempt at X-Files fan fic, so I hope you all like it. Comments, and suggestions are always welcome. But, be kind, you can't knock a guy for trying.

TIMESPAN/SPOILER WARNING. Spoilers would be a bit of 'Anasazi' and 'The Blessing Way'. I would like to think the story is set just before the events in 'A Christmas Story' and 'Emily'.

KEYWORDS: story romance angst Scully Mulder NC-17

DISCLAIMER: Fox Mulder, Dana Scully, Byers, Langly, Frohike, and Walter Skinner belong to Chris Carter, Ten-Thirteen Productions and 20th Century FOX Broadcasting. No copyright infringement is intended and no profit is being made from their use.

A Hard Days Night

by frogdoggie

Fox Mulder munched on the slice of pizza as his eyes wandered around the dimly lit and noisy pub. Flurries from an early snow were falling gently outside the front windows and Mulder had a view of them from his booth. He sighed slightly as he watched the woman and her companion enter the pub and shake the snow from their coats. The woman was petite, red haired and professional looking. Her resemblance to Scully was enough to distract him into thinking it had been her as she came in the door.

On closer study of course, it hadn't been his partner, but Mulder's thoughts stayed focused on Scully nonetheless. The conversation of his three companions continued unabated and he was only half listening as it continued.

"Ok, Langly, so which one do you think is better then, 1, 2 or 3?" Frohike growled, putting down his beer with a thunk. "You've been sitting on the fence for an hour."

The skinny long haired blond pushed his glasses up the bridge of his nose and glared back at the shorter, gnome-like Frohike. "All right, all right for crying out loud - 1 - because of the t-shirt scene." he answered "if I have to vote using your standards." he added crabbily. "For cinematic quality and non-stop action, I'd have to say 2 though'" "By my standards." he added to make his point.

Byers grinned around his half consumed pizza slice "Well, those reviews are definitely right along party lines." he commented turning to the distracted FBI agent "What do you think Mulder?"

"Hmm, what?" Mulder replied coming back from his reverie "uh, what was the question?"

"Which Alien film did you think was the best, G-Man?" Frohike chimed in. "We'd like your educated opinion if you can come down to earth long enough to give it to us."

'Ah yes, the Alien Retrospective'. It came back to him then, of course. 'A typical Friday evening for Fox and his friends' he thought. Retro SciFi film (While you're waiting for Alien: Resurrection, see the film that started it all!), and then pizza and beer (coffee for him since he was driving), at DeVito's pub around the corner from the art house cinema. Mulder usually enjoyed himself on these excursions. But not tonight.

It had been a tough day at the office as the saying went. Paperwork was piling up, and Scully had taken the day off as she occasionally did since her close encounter of the almost terminal kind. He had talked to her regarding some of their recent case summaries but she had sounded tired and he hadn't kept her on the phone for very long. Besides the natural fatigue hanging on from a major illness, Mulder knew Scully needed some time to deal with her recent sterility diagnosis. If she wanted to take a day off here and there who was he to begrudge her the slack time. Besides, he'd felt terrible too since she'd gotten the word from her doctors. He wanted to kill the black hearted sons of bitches with a secret agenda that had stolen any chance Scully had of conceiving a child. He had vowed that he was going to protect her from the horror of that knowledge for as long as he could. Preferably, forever. Still he had had trouble looking in her eyes when she had confided her diagnosis to him.

So, he had continued to worry about her, and his guilt in a formless, aimless sort of way, pretending to push papers around until a phone call summoned him to Ass't Director Walter Skinner's office. To make his lousy day complete, Skinner had proceeded to call him on the carpet for some minor procedural gaff he had made. Yessir, it had been a really rotten day all around.

The three Lone Gunman editors were usually enjoyable, if sometimes annoying companions on a Friday night. But this evening, even Frohike's randiness was getting on his nerves. The movie, pizza and bantering conversation usually took him away from the bureau and Scully's recent health problems. But tonight that distraction seemed unattainable and his mind wandered, especially to thoughts of Scully. With an effort he pulled himself back into the discussion, a trifle guilty for not paying attention. After all, he didn't want to ruin the evening for everyone.

"Best?" "Gheez, I'd have to agree with Frohike on that one, Langly. Alien, without a doubt. You'd better just call me horny for Sigourney, I guess." He deadpanned eliciting a terrific guffaw from Frohikie and a grunt from Langly.

"Ah ha!" Frohike pounded on the table triumphantly, causing the beer glasses, pitchers, remaining pizza and empty coffee cups to jump in protest. Several people glanced their way despite the noisiness of the pub. "I knew that would be your choice! After all, we have the same taste in woman." he finished, smilingly wickedly just to make sure Mulder knew who else he was referring to besides the statuesque Sigourney Weaver.

Mulder gave Frohike a baleful, slit-eyed stare at the veiled suggestion regarding his partner. He couldn't believe the guy could be so tactless sometimes. Frohike's smile only widened further causing Mulder to decide to go ahead and deliver some type of appropriate retort. "Taste? Maybe, but when it comes to Sigourney, I don't think you'd meet the height limit for the ride, Frohike."

Langly and Byers both burst into laughter at that point, Byers blowing beer out his nose in a consumptive splatter as he grabbed for several napkins.

"Hey, watch it there Mr. FBI" Frohike groused, "great things come in small packages." he finished defiantly, stubbled chin jutting aggressively in Mulder's direction.

'Oh oh', Mulder thought, 'maybe I misjudged the amount of beer Frohike had swilled over the last few hours'. Once in a while the guy could get testy if he'd had too much to drink. "Hey, sorry, Frohike, truce, I didn't mean it. Really. Your reputation as a stud is still intact, no question." he back-peddled rapidly while Langly and Byers suppressed their remaining chuckles.

"Apology accepted" Frohike smiled somewhat dizzily, inclining his head. He was obviously feeling a bit high and didn't want any petty argument to bring him down from what for him was a pretty pleasant time. To punctuate the comment he burped lustily.

It was Mulders turn to laugh "I'll take that as a sign of your sincerity." he coughed out through his half swallowed coffee.

Byers glanced at his watch, stifling a yawn "Hey, I should get going. Early day tomorrow." He rose to get his coat from the stand next to their booth.

Langly rose also, "Yeah, we gotta finish editing the next edition tomorrow" he added, referring to their conspiracy journal, The Lone Gunman.

"And we're a little behind." Byers said finishing his sentence for him.

"You want to share a cab, Frohike?" Langly asked the inebriated Frohike pointedly. Obviously they wanted his help in editing the delayed publication.

Frohike, either ignoring or missing the point looked over at Mulder and asked bleerily, "You in a hurry to leave, Mulder? Because I could use some coffee, I think."

"No, I was thinking of having another cup myself." he answered. What the heck, it was barely past 1 AM and Mulder didn't think the fish would worry about his whereabouts.

"Ok, you guys go ahead without me, I'll see you tomorrow." Frohike told his two departing compatriots. "Early." he promised showing he had, after all caught the drift of their previous query.

"Later, gentleman." Byers offered as a parting good-bye. He and Langly pulled out some cash and placed it on the edge of the table. "This should help cover the damages." Langly quipped as the two stalked across the pub to the door. They passed the table with the attractive redhead and her older companion on the way out. Mulder's eyes followed them but stopped to linger on the figure of the woman, who was laughing, her eyes sparkling, at some pleasantry from her companion. Mulder's mind wandered again until a polite cough from the still present Frohike startled him.

"Man, you have it bad." Frohike said, bringing Mulder's attention immediately back to the here and now.

"What are you talking about?" he asked too quickly, regretting the question almost immediately.

"Cut the crap, Mulder, you know what I'm talking about." Frohike replied, gesturing towards the redhead. "I was serious about our similar tastes in women, you know."

Mulder apprehensively looked at the grizzled photographer as the waitress came back to their table, coffee pot in hand. "More coffee gentleman?" she asked.

"Better leave the pot, gorgeous." Frohike replied leering up at the attractive blond. Mulder was somewhat amazed to see his comments have the opposite expected effect. The waitress smiled broadly as she placed the pot down and hurried off. Strange, Mulder thought briefly, as Frohike turned one of the empty cups over and made a move for the full pot.

Mulder continued to stare at Frohike blinking for a moment, bewildered by the waitress's actions and still worried by Frohike's comments. When he didn't say anything, the grizzled surveillance specialist continued, lowering his voice. "Hey, listen, I'm not talking lust here buddy. Forget it. I mean.." he stopped a moment while he filled his coffee cup. "I was worried about her too." he finished letting out an enormous sigh. He looked at Mulder shyly then and said "I've never said this to anyone G-Man, but well, she is really something special. I don't just mean she's a great looker either - I mean she's a lady, Mulder. A queen. Hell, Sigourney Weaver couldn't hold a candle to her in my book." he finished swigging the coffee like he had his beer to add emphasis.

Frohike stared down at his cup, and it was obvious to Mulder that the photographer was very deeply embarrassed. Maybe the combination of alcohol and the fact that they were alone together loosened Frohike's, tongue. In any event, Mulder was pretty sure he was going to be privy to some of Frohike's inner most thoughts here - whether he liked it or not.

Mulder swallowed his own coffee very carefully. He had known Frohike since 1989 but it seemed maybe he really didn't know him. He was beginning to think that behind all Frohike's gruff cockiness, a deep loneliness was hiding. Mulder could relate to it. The loneliness of the outsider. The geek, the freak. It pulled them together and made them a bit more than acquaintances, maybe for the first time Mulder realized - it made them friends.

Mulder had always figured that Frohike's imagined reputation as a ladies man and stud was probably a sad little act to cover up his inadequacies with women. His new revelation regarding Scully only made it more sad. 'This could get a little touchy' Mulder thought. He didn't really know what to say. And as sometimes happened with Mulder, he went for the sarcastically trite rather than anything sincere or meaningful in his reply.

"Frohike, I didn't know you cared." He immediately regretted his triteness when the Lone Gunman's face swiftly lifted from his coffee cup. He was beet red and glaring.

"God damn you Mulder, if she only looked at me the way she looked at you..." his voice stopped abruptly as he rose in anger, beer breath reaching all the way over to Mulder's side of the booth. Mulder gulped in shock. He had never seen Frohike display violence of any sort before. As heads turned he grabbed the much shorter man's arm from across the booth and hissed forcefully "Sit down."

The pressure of Mulder's hand and the urgency of his voice acted like an electric shock to Frohike's beer numbed but coffee stimulated brain. He plopped back into the booth's cushions with a slight thwacking sound.

"Cool down, Frohike, I admit that was a bad choice of words. I can be a shit heel sometimes, all right?" Mulder whispered in way of an excuse. "What I meant to say was "I didn't realize your feelings towards Scully were, well..."

"Anything but prurient?" the bantam weight photographer offered quietly from his nest in the cushions.

"Ah, yeah." Mulder answered, pulling at his lower lip with his teeth. And then before he thought better of it he added "and what did you mean by I have it bad?" His fatigued and preoccupied mind took a lurch. 'Shit, wrong question', he thought, but it was too late.

"Boy, you must be as thick as a brick, Mulder. You gotta realize that Scully adores you by the way she looks at you." Frohike replied in a rush. "I can't believe you're too dim to notice it." "I only wish she would even look in my direction." he added glumly.

Mulder shook his head slightly. He had asked for it. He had even known the answer to his question. Frohike was close to the truth about at least part of the quandary that had preoccupied Mulder's mind all evening. What were his real feelings toward Special Agent Dana Scully? Special indeed. He was all too aware that Scully was special. He was achingly aware of it, in fact. His emotions towards Scully were so complicated, raw and confusing that he just didn't want to cope with the issue, especially not now with the beer soaked Frohike.

Early on in their relationship Mulder had of course, experienced a healthy sexual attraction to Scully. Attraction was to be expected between two partners of the opposite sex. Mulder had handled the sexual tension by successfully maintaining his professional distance from Scully. Scully had seemed content to do the same. As their friendship grew and they shared so much together however, the sexual attraction became coupled with deeper feelings for Mulder. These new emotions forced Mulder to insist to himself that he and Scully were just good friends willing to support and comfort each other for the sake of their job and their mutual respect. They were valued partners, a smooth working team and that was all. But lately, the professional control was harder to maintain, and after Scully's brush with death, almost impossible.

That night in the hospital ICU, when Mulder had broken down at Scully's bedside he had almost wished he had awakened her. He wanted to tell Scully what was going through his mind, to hold her, comfort her and confess all remaining truths to her. If knowing that the person she trusted with her life would love her beyond death gave Scully the strength to face what lay ahead then it was a great injustice not to tell her his true feelings. Besides, Mulder was unsure whether he could live for the rest of his life with the memory of not telling her. But instead of waking the sleeping Scully, Mulder had sobbed quietly at her side, too indecisive, embarrassed, impotent and afraid to share with her that last innermost truth.

He was ashamed of himself in the end. Scully was the only one he truly trusted and he felt like he had betrayed her. With the reinsertion of the neck implant that saved her life, Mulder pushed all his tortured feelings down into the darkness of his subconscious and held them carefully at bay there. The Agent Scully emotions, like his sister Samantha emotions, were just too agonizing. He told himself he felt better suppressing those unwanted emotions - every single one of them.

Frohike, reading the expression on his face, interrupted Mulder's thoughts. "See, maybe I was right after all, you do have it bad."

It was Mulder's turn to show some anger. "Frohike, let's not talk about this now, OK. You don't have a clue about it, anyway. And besides, you're lit"

Frohike blinked myopically from behind his glasses. "Well, excuse me." he said. "I thought maybe we were going to have a meaningful conversation there for a second. I mean mano a mano. Compadre to compadre, and do I hesitate to presume, friend to friend... Oh shit...." he stopped as he clumsily spilled some coffee onto the table. Mulder reached for a napkin and helped Frohike clean up the wandering puddle. "But I guess if you don't want to talk to someone whose known you for years about something that's clearly bothering you, then who am I to argue with you, hey?" Frohike choked out dabbing at the last of the spilled coffee.

Mulder considered the comment and had to admit that Frohike was probably trying to be helpful in his own way. He was trying to be a friend and lend a sympathetic ear. After all, Frohike really didn't have many true friends. For crying out loud, Mulder was probably one of only three people that came under that category. He resigned himself to unburdening just a bit to the Lone Gunman. The guy was half crocked after all. He probably wouldn't remember what they discussed in the morning anyway.

"Listen, Frohike, I appreciate the concern. You're right, I really have been worried about Scully. She seems to be out of the woods now with the cancer but well, you know...." he let his voice trail off.

Frohike looked back at him, real concern on his face. "Yeah. Man, I was scared shitless while she was in the hospital. I went over there to see her but they were only letting her immediate family into ICU."

"I saw her". Mulder replied, strain in his voice.

"Well.. you're almost family." Frohike replied quietly taking a sip of coffee. Silence followed and suddenly both of them felt awkward in the booth. The pub was emptying out. Mulder glanced over to see that the red haired woman and her escort were long gone. He looked at his watch. Two AM. The waitress came back to the table.

"I hate to say it guys, but we're closing." she said.

"So I closed the joint again, huh?" Frohike smiled up at her, his expression a bit more charming this time and less pornographic. For a moment Mulder thought he almost looked like a regular sort of guy. He smothered a grin at the thought as the waitress smiled back at Frohike. "Hey, you know you're welcome to do that anytime, Frohike." she laughed and put their check on the edge of the table near the money Byers and Langly had left.

Mulder raised and eyebrow and asked in amazement "You know her?"

Frohike took the tone of the question with a grain of salt this time. "Linda?" "Oh yeah, we go way back." Frohike admitted, reaching for his coat. Seeing Mulder's mouth hanging open he added grinning "not that way you ass hole." "She's just a friend. We've taken in a few movies together. I come here a lot for dinner and a beer anyway."

Mulder figured he really came here to see Linda, but he didn't dare say it. The 'I don't know everything about Frohike' thought he'd had earlier was becoming more of a truism by the minute. "Nice scenery though." he laughed and Frohike laughed with him.

Both of them shouldered their coats and left enough cash on the table to pay the check and tip. Mulder grabbed the red thermal stocking cap from it's hook and jammed it onto his head. Frohike pulled a black stocking cap over his ears and they both braced to meet the cold and snowy evening.

Once outside it quickly became obvious that the storm had intensified while he and Frohike had drunk their coffee. Mulder figured DC was in for one of those freak early November snowstorms as he searched his pocket for his car keys.

"A night fit for neither man nor beast." Frohike growled, pulling the collar of his navy p-coat around his neck.

"You've got that right." Mulder said gritting his teeth against the bitter blowing wind. 'Should have brought some gloves' Mulder thought as he looked up and down the street.

"You're going to have trouble getting a cab at this time of night and in this weather. Why don't you let me give you a lift, Frohike." he offered. Mulder felt it would be just Frohike's luck to pass out and die of hypothermia while waiting for a cab. "No sense standing around on the curb freezing your nuts off."

"No shit." the photographer answered gratefully. "Thanks." and the two trudged off to Mulder's car a half block down.

As Mulder negotiated the car out of the slippery parking spot, Frohike settled himself comfortably into the passenger seat and fastened his seat belt.

"Nice wheels, G-Man." he commented, taking in the cars interior. "I didn't even have to adjust the seat belt much."

"It's a lease." Mulder replied, easing on the brakes as they drove through a drift. "And I should have gotten four wheel drive for this weather." he added. 'And that's usually where Scully sits.' he thought to himself.

"I hear you. I'm just sorry I live across half the frickin' city on a night like this." he added.

"No problem." Mulder replied gamely, straining forward against his own seat belt to crank the cars heater up a bit against the cold.

They drove along in silence as Mulder concentrated on the road. Once they were off the tiny side streets where the neighborhood theater was located it was obvious the plows and salt trucks hadn't been out yet. "Your tax dollars at work' Mulder thought sarcastically. The wider boulevards were no less snowy and slippery. He stopped for a red light and Frohike spoke up.

"Listen, Mulder, I'm sorry if I was out of line back there, about Scully, I mean." It's really none of my business."

Mulder answered, staring ahead at the intersection. "That's ok, Frohike. I respect your opinion, really. It's just that, well, it's a private matter."

"Hey, nuff said." Frohike replied, boozily. It was clear however from his tone that despite the words he was reluctant to let the topic drop.

Mulder sighed and added in an attempt to get the guy to shut up "Besides, things have been a bit... he hesitated... complicated lately with Scully and....." his voice trailed off again as the light changed to green and Mulder accelerated gently into the intersection.

"You mean you're sleeping with her?" Frohike asked his voice raising an octave at the end like a teenager suddenly hitting puberty.

Mulder's foot depressed the gas pedal a bit too quickly in punctuation and the car swerved violently towards the curb as it found one of the roads many slippery patches.

"Oh fuck!" Mulder blurted, struggling to control the fish-tailing Ford as Frohike bleated in distress. Isolated car horns blared. Only luck and Mulder's adroit steering kept them from going over the curb and hitting a light pole.

"Holy Mother of God!." Frohike gasped as the nose of the auto came to a graceless halt, inches away from the pole. He was slammed violently forward and than back, the seatbelt cutting into his chest and knocking him breathless. His next immediate reaction was to vomit beer and half digested pizza all over his coat.

"Oh crap." Mulder exclaimed as much to cover his fright at almost totaling the car as with his annoyance at Frohike. "For crying out loud, Frohike!"

"Jesus, I'm really sorry Mulder" the embarrassed Lone Gunman replied. "But I couldn't help it. You're lucky I didn't do something a lot worse - I thought you were going to wreck this heap, for God's sake."

Mulder stared in chagrin at the now wet and stinking Frohike, the question that had brought them into this situation almost driven from his mind. Holding back his own gorge at the smell in the car's close confines, he came to an instant decision.

"Look, Frohike, I'm going to take you over to my place OK? It's almost 3 AM, the roads really suck, and man, you stink to high heaven." Mulder said in a nasal voice as he desperately tried to hold his breath. It was the least he could do after scaring the guy into blowing chow all over himself.

"Hell no, I don't care" Frohike replied, gratefully. And than again, "I'm really sorry."

"Ok, don't worry about it, I understand." Mulder answered, rolling down the driver side window. They were silent as he concentrated on getting them to his apartment in one piece.

At around 3 o'clock Mulder was turning the key in his lock as Frohike stood well back like he was now all too aware of the odor he was giving off. He gratefully followed Mulder into the warm, dark apartment and collapsed onto the sofa.

"Get the hell off there." Mulder yelped, turning on a small lamp by the couch. Frohike jumped up like a scalded cat.

"Oh shit, yeah, sorry. Got any Tylenol?" he asked quickly.

"Yes, in the can" Mulder answered gesturing towards the short hallway on the right. "You're welcome to use the shower too." he added pointedly as Frohike beat a hasty retreat.

In a few moments, Mulder heard the shower begin to run. 'I hope Frohike makes it quick', he thought. Mulder's coffee consumption was making his kidneys ache and the sound of running water wasn't helping any. Luckily, the sounds stopped before Mulder was at the leg crossing stage. He quickly hung up his hat and coat and headed for the bathroom. An underwear clad Frohike was just exiting the room as he reached the door.

"Look, I have to take a leak, I'll join you in a minute." he said gesturing with his head towards the living room.

"OK, Mulder." the freshly scrubbed Frohike replied, heading in the direction of Mulder's gesture.

The FBI agent entered the bathroom and prepared, at last, to take care of business.

As Mulder pulled out his penis and emptied his aching bladder, he stared at his face in the mirror over the back of the toilet. In the harsh light he looked just like everyone's stereotype of a mug shot - unshaved, dark circles under the eyes, and an expression like a deer caught in headlights. Their near collision had obviously left it's imprint with the rest of his 'delightful' day all over his face. Frowning, he shook himself off, rearranged things and zipped up his zipper. Still frowning he noticed Frohike had attempted to clean off his coat and had hung the rancid thing over the shower curtain to dry. 'Probably showered in it', Mulder thought nastily as he washed his hands. However, the rest of Frohike's outside clothing was neatly folded and sitting on top of the toilet tank. 'Well, maybe not', Mulder reconsidered as he eyed the neatly placed garments. Mulder turned towards the bathroom door at a sudden sound. He thought he could hear Frohike rummaging through something in the living room. Mulder hastened to see what he was doing now.

"Hey, Chopper Chicks in ZombieTown!" Frohike exclaimed from his now seated position in a chair. He had been rummaging through Mulder's video collection. Frohike had turned on the standing lamp next to the chair so that he could get a better look at the tape. "I didn't know you had this one!"

"Yeah, I've had that tape for a while. It's a great film." Mulder replied tiredly. "and a hell of a lot more funny than Debbie Does Dallas." he added, moving to turn off the lamp by the couch.

"Hey, can we watch it?" Frohike asked.

"It's almost 3 AM, Frohike." Mulder grouched, sitting down on the couch. "I want to get some sleep." He busied himself by untying his shoes and kicking them off.

"Well, you can go ahead and go to sleep if you want. I'll turn the sound down low."

"Don't be stupid, Frohike," Mulder replied firmly. You look like shit. You'd better try to get some sleep if you're going to help Byers and Langly edit anything later."

"Oh, ok, I'll turn in then." Frohike replied placing the tape down on the floor next to the chair and preparing to curl up on the chair's seat.

"Frohike, I do have a bed, you know. Just because I sleep on the couch doesn't mean I don't own one. The bed is for guests, anyway." Mulder admonished as he stood up and walked over to turn off the other light.

"Oh, I didn't know that." Frohike replied as if he felt even more stupid. He had seldom been beyond the front rooms of Mulder's apartment in all the years he had known him.

"Ok, whatever." Mulder replied yawning as he went back and flopped down on the couch. "See you later."

As Frohike got up and walked towards the bedroom he turned and said into the darkness.

"Mulder before I turn in I have to ask you something, and don't panic about it, ok?."

Mulder, too tired and sore to raise any barriers replied "Yeah, what, Frohike."

"Are you interested in Scully at all, I mean romantically?" he asked hesitantly.

Mulder could tell from the tone in his voice, Frohike was nervous but sincere. He couldn't blame him in view of Mulder's possible reaction to his question. After all, the agent had almost smashed both of them and the car to smithereens just a short time earlier. Mulder was afraid to say anything further but his exhaustion, the warmth of the room, the darkness and the comfortable cushions of his couch combined to weaken his defenses.

"I told you it was complicated, Frohike."

Words came out of Mulder then, in a rush, like gouts of fire from a flame thrower. "Frohike, I don't know. I'm not sure what to say. I keep telling myself Scully and I are just friends you know, professionals with a great working partnership. We protect each other and trust each other just like any other FBI team would. She's like a rock, Frohike. An anchor for me. I can count on Scully, yes, indeed." he stopped abruptly realizing he was babbling.

"Whoa, Mulder, hey." Frohike responded quickly and sincerely.

"Mulder plunged on, suddenly aware that he wanted to get some of the burden off his chest, even if he had to resort to telling his troubles to Frohike.

"But lately, after this cancer thing. Jesus, I was so scared I was going to lose her. It was...terrifying. Her illness made me finally admit feelings for her I've buried down deep for a long time." Mulder finished.

"What, like you're in love with her?" Frohike asked.

Mulder considered thoughts of love, maybe honestly for the first time. It made him feel as nervous as a pubescent school boy. "Yup, it had to be love.' he thought wryly, 'no one feels this uptight and hot over a woman all at the same time for any other reason.'

Mulder shook his head affirmatively. "till my last dying breath," was his answer to Frohike. But please, don't say anything to Scully, OK? I have to figure all this out first. I need to talk to her and I don't know when or how. 'It was going to be a slightly difficult discussion all things considered', Mulder thought. He could just hear part of it now, 'Yes, Scully I love you madly and I haven't been able to admit it to myself much less to you. And as an extra added attraction, by the way - ta da - I knew someone stole your eggs and that's why you'll never be able to have a child.' 'But, I haven't been able to tell you that either'. What he said to Frohike however, was a little different.

"I don't want to risk ruining my friendship with Scully." Mulder added.

"Your secret is safe with me." Frohike replied "Besides, how would you think I'd feel if she ever found out I felt the way I do about her." he finished quietly.

"Shit, Frohike, I'm sorry." Mulder said. "I guess I didn't take you seriously before. You really do like her then, don't you?"

"Like her? I worship the ground she walks on, God help me." Frohike chuckled. "But if you say anything to her, I'll kill you and then myself." he added with a depreciating laugh.

The humor took some of the pressure off the situation. Mulder grinned a bit in the dark. It was sort of nice having someone to talk to about this, man to man, even if Frohike was a self described paranoid nerd. And Mulder had to admit, he really did have pretty good taste in women.

"Can I ask you something, Frohike?" Mulder asked. And don't take offense, but if you worship Scully what's with the....?"

"The dirty old man shtick?" Frohike interrupted.

"Yeah."

"Because I'd die if she ever knew how I really felt, you moron. You can relate to that, can't you?"

Mulder shook his head in the affirmative again and then remembering that Frohike couldn't see him in the dark, added "Affirmative to that, I guess."

"And you don't have to worry about Scully not feeling anything for you, man, because I know it isn't true."

"How?" Mulder asked surprised.

"You remember when you had that little adventure in New Mexico, in the boxcar I mean, and we all thought you were dead?" Frohike began.

"Only too well." Mulder replied.

"Well, I got up the guts with the help of a bottle of scotch to go over to her place one night. I had that clipping about Ken Soona to show her anyway but I really wanted to make sure she was OK - you know...." he admitted.

"So..."

"So, I was pretty high but she let me in. She was upset, Mulder. I could tell she had been crying a little. We shared what little scotch was left and I gave her the information about Soona. We talked for a while, and you know her feelings about you were real obvious even though she didn't say anything in so many words."

"Then how could you tell?" he asked.

"I could tell, Mr. FBI, I could tell." something in Frohike's words made Mulder reluctant to press the man any further on that point. Something else must have been lurking in Frohike's past as well. Some painful incident that Mulder would never be privy too.

"So, I gave what meager words of comfort I could and got the hell out of there." Frohike finished. "I could tell at that moment that I would never have a chance with her, Mulder. She was unattainable because she had pledged her heart to another." he added. It sounded corny but was straight from Frohike's heart.

Mulder was silent as Frohike turned around and finally headed for the bedroom. "Good night, you lucky son of a bitch." he said as he headed down the hallway towards the waiting bed, boxer shorts flapping around his skinny legs.

Mulder stared after his receding back in shock. Could Frohike be right? He wondered. The guy had proven to be pretty perceptive during the course of the evening - even with his boozed soaked brain. He had really surprised Mulder. If Frohike was right it was going to make Mulder's life a whole lot more complicated, and if he was wrong - well, it would be the same.

Mulder sat up and bent to undo his belt. Standing , he slipped out of his pants, letting them slide down into a pool of cloth on the floor. He sunk down into the couch cushions again, pulling a pillow under his head and the light blanket from the back of the couch onto his lanky body.

His muzzy mind wandered towards sleep and unbidden as he drifted off, Scully came suddenly into his troubled conscious. He was beginning to dream. The dream was one he had probably had before but forgotten - until now. He was with Scully in a hotel room somewhere in the Southwest and she was ministering to his healing shoulder wound. She looked so beautiful and bright in the shafts of molten sunlight that crept around the drawn shades. The sight took his breath away. As she swabbed his chest with an alcohol soaked gauze pad he could feel the galvanic jolt of her touch with each swipe of her fingers. When she stopped and turned to pick up the alcohol bottle again, he gently took her wrist and said quietly....

"Don't stop." Scully looked down at him with a questioning look in her eyes. A look of hope and desire and...part of Mulder wanted to stop the dream right there but another part of him, the truthful part, encouraged him to go with it and he sighed quietly in his sleep.

Scully put the sterile swab down on the bed and turned to stroke Mulder's chest again, this time not in the professional Doctor Scully manner at all. This time it was a sensual stroking that drove desire through every inch of Fox Mulder's body.

Things progressed and as Scully and Mulder explored each other's bodies in the dream, Mulder felt himself become incredibly aroused, and half asleep, let his hand stray towards the newly tented area at the front of his boxer shorts. Winding his hand through his fly, he began to stroke his rock hard penis from base to tip slowly imitating the action of the dream Scully's mouth as he moaned softly. He pulled his swollen hard on free of his shorts and began to pump it in earnest, sweat prickling his upper lip.

He had never done this before under these circumstances his sleep soaked mind told him. Sure he had jacked off to the ubiquitous porno tape or 900 fuck phone conversation. But he had never let himself think of Scully in any of those situations. He had just concentrated on what was in front of him, pulled his pud and hoped for the best.

This sudden thought brought him fully awake and he suddenly realized in horror that he had reduced his feelings for Scully into just another of his self-fuck fantasies. His mind came crashing down to reality in one mother of a hurry. His body, in some sort of sleep induced delay, however, didn't quite give up the ghost. Mulder turned on his side as he gave up a warm jet of semen, groaning raggedly into the pillow to keep from waking Frohike. "Damn it." he whispered as soon as he was under control. "Nice move, Mulder." he added sitting up and looking down to examine his sticky crotch.

Swinging his long legs over the side of the couch, he pulled his semen dampened shorts off with one hand while he used his other to dry himself off with the blanket. With a grunt of disgust he flung the boxers under the couch. He supposed he could retrieve them later before Frohike could see them. At least he hoped so. 'Shit, it probably wasn't the first time Frohike had seen come stained boxers', he thought. 'Not fair, Mulder, low blow', he mentally jabbed himself, wincing. 'Misery loves company, I guess'. And then he surprisingly felt tears spring into his eyes. He pressed his eyelids shut, lay back down, and began to drift back into sleep. The masturbatory relief had acted as a natural sedative . His last waking thought was of Scully, glowing in the sunlight.

Mulder awoke, feeling crusty and uncomfortable to stealthy noises coming from his kitchen. Before he could grab for his service automatic he remembered Frohike and sniffed noisily. Was that the scent of coffee, bacon and eggs he smelled? Mulder got up and plodded into the tiny kitchen. It was only until he scratched his naked ass that it dawned on him that he didn't have his boxers on. He could imagine just what he looked like sans shorts and wearing only his t-shirt.

Frohike turned at the noise behind him, spatula in hand and taking in Mulder's state of undress laughed like hell.

"Christ on a crutch, Mulder, when Scully gets a look at that thing she's gonna duck and cover."

Mulder peeked below his waist, red faced. Of course he was partially erect with the typical morning need to empty his bladder. 'God, he would never live this down' he thought.

"Can it, Frohike" the embarrassed Mulder managed to comment as he turned to leave the room.

"Yeah, on second thought maybe she'll need a magnifying glass." Frohike crudely threw at his back. Clearly the old, familiar Frohike had returned this morning. Mulder was actually more relieved. He knew how to deal with this version.

He quickly returned to the living room, retrieved his underwear and blanket and beat a hasty retreat to the laundry basket in the bathroom. Lifting the lid he tossed the shorts in with a small slam dunk. The blanket followed after them. After taking a piss he decided to brush his teeth, shave and take a quick shower. He usually didn't shave on the weekend but he really wanted to feel clean after last nights sexual debacle. He told himself shaving might help. His clean-up completed, Mulder went back into his bedroom to don sweat pants and a clean t-shirt. Returning to the kitchen he realized his stomach was growling. He concentrated on the appealing breakfast smells and his hunger as he tried to crush his experience from the night before back into the recesses of his mind.

Frohike, obviously in the same mood, was diligently applying the spatula to some eggs in a skillet.

Mulder sat down at the tiny two person kitchen table and smiled saying.

"I didn't know you were so domestic, Frohike."

"Yeah, well after you've been single for as long as I have you had better learn to cook something." Frohike jokingly grouched. "But, I'm not that good really. Like, I hope you like your eggs scrambled, because I can never manage to keep the damn yolks intact."

"Scrambled is fine, I could eat a horse." Mulder grinned as he poured himself a cup of coffee from the pot Frohike had thoughtfully placed on the table.

"I see you found the uncracked mugs." he jested knowing he was poorly short of crockery.

"Hey, let's put it this way, I know what to get you for Christmas." Frohike replied chuckling.

The two passed the time in a little more sparring conversation until they were suddenly interrupted by the ringing of Mulder's door bell.

"I wonder who that can be at - 10:00 AM on a Saturday morning", Mulder pondered, glancing at his watch. Crap he had barely gotten any sleep. He wondered how Frohike was even mobile much less fully dressed and able to cook breakfast. 'Gheez'.

"Excuse me a minute" he said in an off handed manner as he headed for the front door.

"Sure," Frohike replied at last succeeding in ladling the eggs onto two plates. "Toast?"

"Sounds great." Mulder called back as he reached the front door. "Who is it?" he asked loudly looking through the peep hole.

Standing outside, looking fresh and clean just like the cold November air, and holding a take-out bag from the deli down the street stood Special Agent Dana Scully, G-Woman of his dreams.

"It's me Mulder." she answered. "I just thought I'd take a chance and stop by. I've got coffee and bagels." she waved the bag under the peep hole, expectantly.

Mulder back pedaled quickly in panic. Frohike's expression jumped unbidden to his lips - "Christ on a Crutch". He couldn't face her right now. Not after everything that had happened last night. Hell, it felt like the proverbial morning after even if it had only been in his dreams. And he was mortally regretting the whole incident now anyway as another manifestation of his imagined sick psyche.

"What did you say, Mulder? Did I come at a bad time?" Mulder winced at the word come. "Are you all right in there?" Scully added tenseness in her voice.

'Oh wonderful, he didn't want to have her start worrying about him', he thought protectively. So, swallowing his chagrin, he replied.

"No, Scully, hang on, I just woke up, let me get the latch here." and unbolting the door he swung it slowly open. Scully smiled up at him from the confines of her hooded winter parka. Mulder gulped again and shoved all thoughts of how pretty she looked right back down there where they belonged. She kept smiling at him as he stood there stupidly.

"Can I come in, Mulder?" she finally asked quizzically.

His stomach suddenly lurched over and he began to bumble his greetings ushering her past him and into the apartment.

At that moment, Frohike came out of the kitchen protesting loudly. "Hurry up and get rid of whoever it is Mulder, your breakfast is getting cold, and I ...." he stopped dead in his tracks when he saw Scully placing the bag down on the coffee table in the den.

"Oh shit." he exclaimed lamely, eyes wide behind his spectacles.

"Frohike?" Scully asked carefully. "Frohike, how are you?" she added recovering her aplomb gracefully. "What are you doing here, is everything all right?" she asked concerned.

"Oh everything's, OK, no problem, really." Mulder stammered.

Frohike looking increasingly red and embarrassed started to sputter his own explanation. Except unfortunately his words got all tangled up. "Yea, we're fine, really Scully, it was snowing so badly Mulder offered to let me sleep with him last night and I just , shit I mean... he invited me to stay, I mean...he gulped suddenly, his mouth slamming shut with a snap.

Mulder stood by helplessly gaping at them both.

"Would you like some coffee, Scully?" Frohike asked desperately trying to salvage the situation.

Scully looked at them in amazement and then burst out laughing as she waved the hovering deli bag at Frohike.

"I brought the coffee, you guys." she laughed at them. Frohike made a hasty retreat into the kitchen. "I'll set out another uncracked mug." he tossed back valiantly over his shoulder.

Mulder grinned sheepishly at Scully as she set the bag back down and removed her coat and gloves. She glanced at Mulder giving him one of her patent peeved Scully looks. Mulder noticed she had on thermal hiking boots and small pools of water were forming around them as she looked over at him. To his relief, she did seem a hell of a lot more rested than the last time he had seen her. Scully continued to stare, obviously waiting for him to say something.

"What is it?" Mulder asked.

This caused Scully to break into another laughing fit which she stifled only with great effort.

"You should see the look on your face, Mulder." "It couldn't be worse then if I really had caught you in some kind of compromising situation with Frohike." she grinned. And then guffawed again. "I don't care what you boys got into last night, really, forget about it." she said emphatically stifling a fit of giggles. The thought of Mulder and Frohike engaged in any sexual encounter seemed to have amused her to no end.

"Whatever." Mulder grouched annoyed at himself more than Scully. To cover his feelings he joked lamely, "Well, I really didn't think you'd believe my first homosexual experience would be with Frohike." "I hope you'd think I had better taste than that at least." 'Damn, that didn't quite come out right', he thought. Christ, he hoped this wasn't going to be a preview of his conversational abilities this morning.

Scully picked up the deli take-out bag and laughing, walked past him quickly into the kitchen. She caught him with a wicked wink and said,

"Don't worry, Mulder, your status as a manly, man is safe as far as I'm concerned."

"Oh, Sculleee, you send me." Mulder whined playfully as he followed his partner into the kitchen.

"I nuked the eggs, Topo Gigo," Frohike said as they walked in. He was standing at the counter eating from his own plate like a starving dog. Sorry you guys, I couldn't wait."

There were two settings placed carefully on the tiny table and Mulder looked somewhat balefully up at Frohike as he sat down. Frohike shrugged at Mulder and continued to scoop up eggs and bacon with renewed haste.

"Why this is really nice, Frohike, thank you." Scully looked up at the little man with sincere appreciation.

"Didn't realize he was so domestic did you?" Mulder said, and then thought, 'Ouch, poor choice of words - again!'

"No, I didn't." Scully said, trying to sound oblivious to Mulder's foolhardy innuendo. "I don't usually eat a big breakfast, but this looks wonderful. Thank you for being so considerate, Frohike"

"You're welcome, Scully." Frohike answered with relief. He soon finished off his food with a flourish of his fork.

"Well, you two, I had better get going. I do have to help edit 'The Lone Gunmen'." Frohike mentioned quickly. "Byers and Langly will be pissed enough that I'm late."

Mulder looked at him desperately, willing him not to leave. His veiled looks were not getting through. Or if they were, Frohike was deliberately ignoring them.

"Ok, I'll see you out" he said through gritted teeth. "Excuse me a sec, Scully."

"Sure" his partner answered somewhat bewildered. She looked very suspicious Mulder thought with alarm as he left the room.

"Frohike, come back here, you scumbag." Mulder whispered as Frohike cleared the living room and headed for the bathroom. He knew what Frohike was trying to do, of course. Although a part of his mind dreaded being left alone with Dana Scully, another part desperately wanted it.

"Good-bye, Mulder" Frohike said as he came back into the living room struggling into his mostly dry coat. "I'm sure I can catch a cab."

"Damn it, Frohike. You can't leave me alone with her now." Mulder begged.

Frohike opened the front door and Mulder stepped after him into the hall way.

"Look, I want to leave you two alone, OK. I feel like a third wheel in there." "She's here, you're here, talk to her, Mulder." Frohike advised, pulling his coat on and turning to go. And then, just so Mulder wouldn't forget who he was talking to he tossed back, "And don't do anything I wouldn't do." as he left the building.

Mulder's shoulders slumped as he stepped back and closed the apartment door. 'Doing anything was the last thing he wanted to think about right now' he sighed as he turned to go back into the kitchen.

Scully sat right where he had left her, sipping her coffee. "I nuked your eggs again Mulder" she said. "They were getting cold."

"You didn't have to wait for me" he told her gesturing towards her still full plate.

She glanced down and replied.

"This? Oh, I'm really not that hungry". She said. "I just didn't want to hurt Frohike's feelings."

"If he had stayed would you have gagged all that down then?" he asked grinning at her.

"Every last bite." she laughed in return. "But don't stand on ceremony..." she added inclining her head towards Mulder's plate.

"Oh yeah." he said tearing his eyes away from her. "I guess you're probably tired of hearing my stomach growl."

"You have that right, Mulder." Scully agreed taking another sip of her deli coffee. They sat silently together, Mulder wolfing down his food, and Scully still staring at him with a slightly puzzled expression. Finally she broke the silence.

"Just what did happen last night, Mulder? You can tell me, you know. I mean, if I did interrupt you and Frohike, it's ok, really, I would understand." she finished fishing for some type of answer.

Mulder reacted to the question like he'd been bitten by a snake. He jerked, kicking the tiny kitchen table just enough to knock the entire pot of coffee onto the floor with a crash. The pot hadn't been very full, luckily the ever economical Frohike had only made enough for them to have a cup or so, but it was enough to make a mess of coffee and not to mention, glass, on the floor.

"Oh my God, Mulder, I am so sorry, are you all right? Oh, the hot coffee. Oh no" "Watch out for the glass." Scully stammered jumping to her feet. She was obviously afraid she had scalded as well as embarrassed her stunned partner and herself all in the same moment.

Mulder danced back and forth desperately pulling the front of his coffee splattered sweat pants away from his sensitive bits. "Oh, ow, oh" he yiped loudly and than made a dash for the bathroom.

Scully trailed behind him entreating him as she went "Mulder, please, are you all right, did it scald you, come on... say something besides Ow, ow - please."

Mulder threw himself into the bathroom's shower stall and turned the cold water tap on full force. He plunged the front of his sweats under the forceful stream, instantly cooling the hot coffee and his embarrassment in one sharp shock. He thanked his lucky stars for decent water pressure in the building as he placed his head against the tile wall, sighing with relief.

"Mulder?" Scully asked plaintively from just outside the open bathroom door.

"I'm OK, Scully don't worry, no damage done." And then "Since I'm all ready in here, I'd better clean up, would you mind closing the door." he asked mustering his dignity again. "It'll only take a minute, and then we can talk, OK?"

He could hear the chagrin in Scully's voice, still there after her earlier conversational malapropism. "All right, Mulder, can I get you anything? You aren't burned are you?" she asked closing the bathroom door.

"No, really, I'm fine." he told her. Except for having you think I'm experimenting with homosexuality now, he thought. He shook his head. What a fine mess he'd gotten himself into. "Just wait in the living room. I'll be there in a minute." he finished keeping his voice as light as possible. 'I'd better think fast if I'm going to get myself out of this one', he thought, stripping off his soaked sweat pants and t-shirt. As he turned the hot water on and listened to Scully's receding footsteps he debated the pros and cons of 'honesty is the best policy' and the old saying 'to lie like a rug'. When he was done he wrapped a towel around his waist and padded down to his bedroom.

Mulder rummaged around in his dresser for clean underwear and socks. He also retrieved a pair of black jeans and a clean white T-shirt. He sat down on the bed to put on the socks and noticed it was freshly made with clean sheets. Another Frohike surprise he pondered in amazement, standing up to pull on his jeans. The guy must have hardly slept at all. Catching a glance at himself in the dresser mirror he thought he looked casual enough to comfortably bluff his way through the conversation with Scully. Buttoning his fly he exited the bedroom and headed back towards the living room. 'Well, here goes nothing. Or maybe everything.' he said to himself.

Scully was standing at the living room window when he came in. She turned and immediately asked. "Are you sure you're ok, Mulder, even superficial burns can be very dangerous."

"Scully, I'm fine." he repeated once again and moved to sit down on the couch. "And I am not gay." he added busying himself with placing the pillow back against the couch arm.

"Oh, Mulder." Scully replied sympathetically, leaving the window and taking a seat in the chair nearby. "It wouldn't matter if you were, I mean we're friends - partners. I value that friendship too much to let sexual preference make any difference." she added quickly in a very PC and proper by the book response. Mulder let out a weary breath and sagged down onto the couch.

"Oh, Scully" he groaned taking his head in his hands. "I'm not gay, please believe me, and when I said we needed to talk I didn't mean about Frohike and me, I meant about us, you and me I mean, the two of us." he blurted out.

"Mulder, I didn't think you were gay, not really. I was just well, confused about the situation that's all. Quite frankly, you're confusing the hell out of me." She added, a trifle bit of annoyance creeping into her voice.

"Well, that makes two of us then." he replied.

"Well, maybe you should start at the beginning, Mulder." "I want to help. You know I'm here for you." Scully said.

Mulder looked over into her face and saw nervous anticipation. He decided in that instant to go for broke.

"Look, Scully," he began. "It started with your illness, you know. I just, well, I just can't stop thinking about what I would do if you were gone... if I really lost you." he said quietly, staring at his hands.

"Mulder, you would go on, of course. I know you wouldn't give up. You're not that kind of man." she replied with confidence.

He shrugged slightly. "I'm not so sure, Scully."

"I know it's been hard on you" Scully interrupted. "I know you felt out of control during my illness and, I know how you really hate that feeling. My family didn't help matters either, I guess. Bill was just rotten." she finished, attempting to deny the real meaning behind Mulder's words.

Mulder looked up at her then and made his point perfectly, painfully clear in words neither of them would be able to deny.

"What I'm trying to say, Scully, is, I'm in love with you and if you'd died a big piece of me would have gone right along with you, ok?" and he bent his head to stare at the floor again in self consciousness.

There was silence then and eventually it caused Mulder to look up, irrationally worried that Scully may have quietly exited the apartment. But no, she was still sitting in the chair, the only difference now were the tears flowing silently, weakly down her cheeks.

Mulder rose and strode over to her, concern in every inch of his body as he knelt helplessly beside her.

"Oh, Scully, please, the last thing I wanted to do was upset you.' he said taking her hands in his. "I must be crazy. How could I do this? How could I even expect someone like you to love a sick fuck-up like me?"

"Mulder!" Scully blurted out in a shocked and angry voice. "Don't you ever let me hear you say that about yourself again!" "Sick fuck-up?" "You are the most caring, beautiful human being I know" she said frankly, choking back her tears.

Mulder looked up at Scully then and saw the look of naked concern and yes, it was there, the proverbial look of love, on her face. He smiled tentatively and then he bent his head and gently kissed her small hands.

Scully inclined her head, rubbing her cheek in his soft brown hair as she felt the touch of his lips. Releasing her hands, Mulder sat down on the floor at her feet. He rested his head in her lap and she stroked his hair. He said nothing, just savored the moment and the feel of his body against her legs.

The clock ticked on and Scully murmured his name telling him it was all right, and not to worry, she loved him and it was good and right and honest and damn well about time they admitted it. Mulder sat, content, enjoying the feel of her hands on his head, her taunt, toned legs and the sweet feminine smell of her. He wished he could just stay like that forever. But questions still plagued his mind. Had he really done the right thing? Now that he knew Scully loved him he felt caught in a nervous limbo of what to do next. Should he tell her more, reveal to her the gruesome facts behind her sterility? Would it be best to leave that a secret now that they had to face this new turn in their relationship? He didn't know where to take things next.

As a last resort Mulder resorted to something routine to diffuse the situation. Clearing his throat, he said.

"Listen, Scully, I had better clean that mess up in the kitchen before one of us cuts the hell out of our feet." and he rose and left her side, leaving her dumbstruck.

As he stood in the kitchen doorway, he sensed Scully's approach behind him. As he stared at the spilled coffee and broken glass, Scully's hand came up and rubbed him between his shoulder blades. "Mulder, please, don't shut me out." she said quietly.

Mulder shuddered as she continued to massage his tense back muscles. "I'm sorry, Scully, this is just so difficult for me." "I don't want to compromise you... to hurt you... to.... well, think about the implications of all this for a minute. I don't want a relationship between us, no matter how much I want it, to possibly jeopardize your safety in any way. You know as well as I do that the regulations against fraternization were written partly to keep partners from getting involved which each other and then losing their perspective in dangerous situations."

"Mulder, shut up ok?" Scully slapped his back gently. "I should be the one spouting that crap."

Mulder chuckled ruefully.

"I'm a big girl, you know." "Give me some credit for knowing the FBI rules and regs on fraternization between partners and the reasons they were written."

"Yes, but..."

"No, listen" We've known each other for four years, Mulder. We're a team and I count on your professionalism. I don't think our feelings for each other are going to jeopardize our job performance." "For crying out loud, I give you more credit than that."

"Well, I guess I give you credit as far as that goes too..."

"Gee, thanks..." Scully gave him another, slightly harder jab this time in the ribs. "If you think the fact that I love you is going to cause me to become a simpering idiot during our next fire fight, you are sadly mistaken."

Mulder turned around to face her then and replied, "Well, that's me most of the time, sad and mistaken.". "And I'm more worried I'll be the one to act like an idiot." he hastened to add.

"Oh for heaven's sake, Mulder, get a life." Scully admonished.

"That's what I'm trying to do here, Scully." he answered quietly.

They stood looking at each other then and Scully impulsively reached up and touched his tight jaw muscles.

"God, Mulder, you are so tense." she observed. She turned and walked into the living room, seating herself on the couch. "Come here", she commanded gesturing for Mulder to join her. As he drew near she pointed to the floor in front of her and added, "Sit here with your back to me."

Mulder dutifully sat down, willing to obey any command by her at that moment. He sat back slightly against her knees. Scully reached down and began to kneed his shoulder muscles. "Close your eyes and relax, all right." She whispered, using her small hands to un-knot every tight spot.

Mulder did as told and the massage had it's desired effect as it began to relax him.

"Wow, Doctor Scully, you certainly have some bedside manner."

"Ah huh" Scully replied as her hands worked his muscles over. Mulder sat back and enjoyed her attentions.

"They didn't teach you this at Quantico, Scully. At least I don't remember the course."

"Med school, massage 101." she answered, humor in her voice.

"Well, you must have gotten an A, Doc." he replied as her hands worked on the tendons of his neck.

"A+" she replied.

Mulder knew where this could lead. Scully's proximity, her touch, the scent of her, it was all very sexually exciting. And, he wasn't sure he wanted to go there. Maybe Scully wasn't ready to explore that area of their relationship he thought. Maybe he wasn't ready either.

"Ah, Scullly, you know, I'm, ah, I'm really enjoying this, maybe a little too much." he said in way of warning.

"Mulder?" she asked a hopefulness in her voice that really made him melt with desire.

Mulder picked himself up off the floor and sat down on the couch next to his partner. 'Partner?' he thought. What was going through his mind gave a whole new meaning to the word."

"Scully, don't take this the wrong way, ok. I mean, I can't deny you are extremely attractive to me. God, I've been lonely and horny for over 4 years and now I really want to drop the professional bull shit and bed the woman I love. It's just that I don't want you to think that I'm saying I love you just to get you into the sack. I mean, maybe it's not a good time. Maybe neither of us is really ready to go there, you know. Shit, I mean - I just don't want you to think...he trailed off.

"That you won't respect me in the morning...." she grinned slightly, teasing him.

"Something like that - God that sounds so stupid."

Scully smiled at him then and put a finger to his lips. "Shut up, Mulder.

She sighed and said "Well, if this is truth or dare time here, you might as well know that I've done my share of staring at your tight ass over the last four years."

Mulder broke into a grin, "So, you think my ass is nice, Scully?"

"The view, as they say, was worth it, yes."

"Oooh, now I am blushing."

"Not as much as I am." she admitted, and when he looked into her dancing eyes he saw it was true.

After that, one thing lead to another. They started to neck like teens in the back seat of a car at a drive in movie. All scared and hot as hell at the same time. Mulder drank in every inch of Scully. She was more than happy to reciprocate. Both of them were breathing heavily when Scully took him by the hands and lead him back towards the bedroom, a radiant smile playing about her lips.

Once in bed, any doubts or fears Mulder had regarding Scully's feelings for him or his feelings for her quickly vanished. They joked, teased and laughed just like they did every day - except this time it was all foreplay and they were about to express their love for each other in the way lovers had since the beginning of time. Mulder let himself go with the flow, all troubling thoughts temporarily lost in their mutual naked heat.

Mulder let himself wander over Scully's body from the tiny sensitive scar on the back of her neck to the tattoo on her lower back and beyond. They became lost in the mutual pleasure of his touch. He delighted in the feel of her alabaster skin and her reactions to his hands and mouth. He was slow and gentle and thrilled when Scully reached her first, gasping orgasm for him. Scully for her part returned his delight and passion. Her mouth roamed over his restless body, finding all the erogenous places that until then he had mostly had to explore on his own. Her mouth on his erect penis was unbelievably incredible and he moaned her name as he entwined his hands in her shining red hair.

Soon, it became obvious that things were progressing towards the inevitable. Mulder held Scully close to him and stroked her thigh. Out of consideration he wondered if he should ask her about protection. He knew he had some condoms around the apartment somewhere. Under the circumstances though, he hardly thought he needed to broach the subject. Disease wasn't really an issue for either of them and Scully knew it as well as Mulder. Pregnancy was going to be a sore point. Mulder didn't want to risk royally messing things up at this juncture. It would probably be a stupid move to ask about protection. 'Maybe I should just drop the whole subject' he advised himself.

Scully had been trailing her fingers through his pubic hair as thoughts of rubbers ran through Mulder's head. She lightly let her finger wander up to the tip of his penis and back down again. When she started to tickle his balls he grabbed her hand and laughed.

"Umm, doctor what did I say before about your bedside manner..." "I've changed my mind, you're a sadist."

Scully chuckled and said. "I love the feel of your flesh, Mulder. You feel just like hot steel covered in velvet." And then as if she read his mind, she said. "I want to feel you inside me, just like this, hot and hard."

When he finally entered her it was with deliberate and luxurious slowness. He wanted to prolong the moment forever. He wanted to remain connected to her, inside her, for as long as he could.

Scully touched his back as he rested his weight on his elbows and sighed gently into her hair. "God, Mulder, you feel so good...she whispered. Her hands traveled down his prone, muscular body, "Mulder, please, Fuck me, now. I...Please, I can't wait any longer."

The words were like a bolt of lightening from Scully's mouth directly down to his cock. They bypassed Mulder's hormone juiced brain all together. His reply was a mostly animal groan as he thrust into her. "Oh God....." he managed to choke out as Scully arched her hips to meet him and her legs gripped his thighs. She had a death grip on his ass as well urging him forward, moaning, taking all of him in and suddenly repeating his Christian name 'Fox', over and over again in a mantra of raw lust.

She picked up his rhythm and he concentrated like hell in order to stay with her and not orgasm too quickly. He wanted her to come again first, to heighten the experience for her even more. She bit her lower lip, eyes closed. Soon both their bodies were slick with sweat. He shifted position slightly finding the spot above where his striving penis was going. Scully's nails raked his back as the pressure of his body further stimulated her swollen labia and clitoris.

"Oh Lord, don't ever stop. Harder, Yes, Mulder, Oh, Fox, harder please, please, oh fuck..." all her comments were lost in a primal wail as she reached the first waves of an explosive orgasm. She thrashed under him and Mulder concentrated on pounding deep into Scully's hot, wet, tightness letting her ecstasy travel up his penis and through his entire body. "Jesus, Dana, it's good, so good.. was about all he managed to groan as he felt his own orgasm approaching.

Scully gasped encouragement, urging him on, telling him she wanted him to come for her, wanted to feel his hot come inside her. Mulder slammed into her and with several final deep thrusts, he exploded, calling out incoherently as he erupted into his lover's body with great shuddering spasms.

Later, they lay spooned together, Scully cupped against the front of Mulder's body. He held one arm protectively across her breasts. Mulder slept, quietly snoring a bit, relaxed and happy for the first time in a long time. The hours passed unnoticed in pleasant sex satiated sleep.

At some point, subliminally, Mulder felt Scully gently extricate herself and leave the room. He vaguely heard a toilet flush down the hall. Rolling onto his back he drifted back into slumber. When he next opened his eyes, Scully was cuddled next to him, quietly watching his face.

"Well, I guess I don't have to worry about my morning run." he said looking up at her, grinning loopily.

"That goes double for me, Agent Mulder." she giggled. God, you are one incredible lay." she added grinning.

"So the earth moved for you too, Ma'am?" he drawled.

"I think the pen slid off the seismograph" she replied, brushing the hair away from his forehead.

Mulder laughed. "What time is it?" he asked.

"Around 6 o'clock." Scully said glancing at the clock."

"Damn, Scully, you must be starving!" he exclaimed. "Why didn't you wake me sooner?" "I could have fixed you something to eat, or at least gone for take-out."

"I didn't have the heart to wake you. And anyway, after that incredible performance I thought you deserved the rest." Scully quipped.

Mulder stared into her eyes. He could really get lost in their blue depths he thought. Happily lost forever. He owed her so much. The last few hours had been a dream come true for him. He couldn't let anything remain hidden between them any longer.

"Scully." he began "I need to tell you something else..." he began.

Again she placed her finger to his lips. "Mulder, let's not talk, ok. Don't take this the wrong way, all right, but I don't want this to be about talking right now. I just want it to BE. Please?" she whispered. He kissed her fingers.

"All right, Scully." he replied. The truth would still be out there after all. It could wait.

EPILOGUE:

Fox Mulder finished his slice of pizza as Frohike lifted another slice from the pie sitting between them. Mulder pushed back from the table's edge and rubbed his stomach with a contented sigh.

"Frohike, don't ever let me forget that this place has the best pizza in town." he insisted as Frohike wolfed his piece down.

"No problemo, Mulder. I couldn't agree with you more."

It was only the two of them that Friday night. Byers and Langly had business elsewhere. Mulder planned to join Scully later at her place, but Frohike had really wanted to see Alien: Resurrection and Mulder had accepted his invitation to join him.

Mulder glanced at his watch. "Hey, Frohike, I should get going." "I still have some paperwork to do tonight, and Scully said she'd give me a hand with it. I don't want to keep her waiting."

Frohike looked back at Mulder and grinned mischievously. "Paperwork?" "Uh, huh." he replied with a knowing tone. Mulder smiled but didn't reply.

"So, kay Mulder," Frohike continued. "I have other plans myself." he added, standing up to take his wallet out of his back pocket. "Will this be enough?" he asked fanning some bills in Mulder's direction.

"Sure, thanks." Mulder replied.

"Well, good luck with your 'paperwork', Mulder." Frohike added, winking to make his point. "And I know you'll give a special hello to Agent Scully for me, won't you?" he finished turning to leave before he got an answer.

Mulder watched Frohike as he walked over to the bar and straight up to the attractive, blond waitress, Linda. He said something to her and she actually laughed and than looked at her watch. A moment later she was getting her coat, joining Frohike, and the two of them headed for the pub's door.

As they walked by Mulder's booth Frohike turned slightly and gave Mulder the thumbs up sign. Mulder knew he was staring and as his mouth gaped open, Frohike grinned from ear to ear and placed a hand on the small of Linda's back, gently guiding her towards the pub's entrance.

Mulder burst into pleased laughter, "Sometimes there is justice in the world after all." he thought, grabbing his own coat and heading home to Scully's waiting arms.

-THE END-