Disclaimers: Scully and Mulder belong to CC and FOX and 1013 just in case
you have been hibernating in a bile and newspaper cocoon for the past couple
of years and remain completely clueless. I borrowed them for this story and
I promise to put them back where I found them... a lot happier and more
relaxed. ::snicker::

Yep folks... The Purple Rhino has run into that dreaded Writers Block on her
serious and well researched piece, so as per her usual methods, she's
throwing out a bit of absolutely frivolous 400% Mind Candy. Yep that means
if you are under 17 you gotta close your eyes and not peek. If you don't
much care for reading about loving, consensual sex... get out now. I know...
there's been a lot of this stuff lately... but I use it as therapy to help
crumble that damn writers block... so I might as well share with those not
bored of it yet...

This is part of what's turning out to be a series, but it - or any part of
it - can be read independently without the reader being too lost. The
previous story was "Linen and Steel", and that was a loose follow up to a
serious case file called "WATCHED". They all take place in the same
universe. Just accept that Mulder and Scully have become lovers.

Warning! Sex, Sex, and more sex. And M&S sex at that. If this bores or
offends you then why are you still reading? If you like this sort of thing,
read on, and drop me a line. I love to hear from readers. Constructive
criticism welcomed, flames used to toast marshmallows but otherwise
completely ignored.

Thanks also to Nancy and Kiry, my editors.

Oh and a BIG Thanks to Nancy Lemieux who inspired me. Nancy... you are
dangerous girl!

And now.... on with the show...

THE GRAPES OF WRATH
by Rhondda Lake (a.k.a. The Purple Rhino)


Dana Scully was having a heavenly dream. She was swimming in the ocean. The
saltiness of the water sharp on her lips, the waves washing over her naked
form. Pulling her. Pushing her. Flowing around her. The cool water caressing
every inch of her skin as she swam, languidly. Unafraid and relaxed.

The ocean suddenly formed solid arms that wrapped around her. Not
threatening, but uplifting. Warm, comforting arms. Then hot, soft lips that
kissed the back of her neck. She smiled brightly, closing her eyes and
letting the sensations take over.

She opened her eyes to her bedroom. The sunlight filtering softly through
the window. Laying on her stomach she reached out, still smiling, to find
the other side of her bed conspicuously empty. The white linen sheets cool
against her palm. The top sheet pushed aside. 

Her smile disappeared  as she lifted her head from the pillow. The bathroom
door was open, and the lights off.  No sound. She turned to look at the
clock on her nightstand. It was ten in the morning. However it was Saturday
and a late, and happily exhausting, night removed any traces of guilt over
being a slugabed. She saw the sunlight sparkle of the edge of one of the two
wine glasses still sitting on her dresser and smiled once more. Nope... not
the least little bit guilty.

She slid out of bed and grabbed her terrycloth robe from the closet.
Wrapping it about herself she cautiously left the bedroom. As soon as she
opened the bedroom door she was overwhelmed by the wonderful smell. Coffee..
and something else...

She peered around the kitchen door to see a strange man in her kitchen. Oh
she'd know that tall, lanky frame anywhere. Know every intimate detail, as a
matter of fact.  Every texture of the dark brown hair that was even now
sticking up in any and every direction, and how the satin of his skin
tasted. What she did not know was the light, bounciness to his movements -
that was strange. And... was he humming?  Yes... he was humming. She
couldn't make out the tune, because he was evidently trying to be quiet. Fox
Mulder, her friend, partner and for the past few months - lover, didn't hum.
Ever. 

She leaned against the door, content to watch him move around her kitchen
without being noticed herself.

He grabbed a pan off the stove and flipped it with an expert wrist action,
turning the pancake over without the benefit of a spatula. Scully was
impressed. Not only with the movement, but from the fact that she didn't
have any pancake mix in her cupboards, which meant he had made the batter
from scratch. She shook her head in amazement. No matter how often she saw
it... tasted it,  it was impossible to reconcile the man who had Quick-E
Pizza on his speed dial, and who knew the names of everyone who worked at
the local take out Chinese and Thai restaurants - not only could cook, but
could preform miracles in the kitchen. 

He'd told her once he didn't like to cook for himself. "Not many recipes
say; serves one, Scully." He'd chuckled at it, but there was an underlying
hurt, loneliness to that simple statement. He did, however, cook for her on
occasion. And while he usually joked around any compliments she gave him in
that area, she knew he was delighted that she liked his cooking. Such a
simple, intimate part of himself he didn't share with anyone else.  

He turned to put the pancake on one of two plates on the counter and caught
sight of her. He smiled. One of those rare, thousand kilowatt smiles. 

"Breakfast is almost ready. Can you grab the jelly and butter for me?"

Scully reached into the cupboard and frowned. All she had left was grape
jelly. She didn't much care for it, and had originally picked it up by mistake.

She sat it on the table anyway and watched as Mulder spooned freshly sliced
strawberries and their juice on top of both plates of pancakes.

"Ok who are you and what did you do with the real Fox Mulder?" She crossed
her arms and looked at him grimly. He saw the amusement in her eyes, however.

"Oh he's offline. This is personality number fifty six, Bobby." 

She just rolled her eyes and poured the coffee. He set the plates on the
table and joined her. Two strawberry pancakes, with the strawberry topping,
and a slice of toast. 

"So if Bobby is the one who feeds me like this... who was I with last
night?" She added cream to her coffee. 

"That was the original Mulder... he likes to keep you all to himself. He
makes the rest of us come out to do the hard stuff... like cooking or
scrubbing the toilet."

She tasted the pancakes. The strawberry flavor was wonderful and the
pancakes had a light texture. "Oh... I want Bobby chained to my stove."

"You seem to have developed a taste for restraints haven't you Scully?" He
smiled at her from across the table. 

They finished the pancakes in silence. Mulder wolfed down his while Scully
ate at a more leisurely pace. He buttered both slices of toast and reached
for the jelly. After spreading the toast he looked across the table and
Scully saw something dangerous. His was the look of a ten year old trying to
decide if a risk was worth it, adding a shine to the eyes. What the...

She was answered immediately by the cold, squishy blob that smacked right
next to her nose. The weapon from which this missile had been launched shone
in her partner's hand, still bearing the purple film of guilt.

She reached up and scooped the jelly from her face, examining it on her
finger tips. Glistening and dark, cool and slick and just a touch sticky.
She appeared to examine the offensive blob clinically. Hearing Mulder's low
chuckle across the table she looked up and flicked her fingers at him.

The splatter pattern was impressive for such a relatively small glop of
grape jelly. One dot hit the tip of his nose. Another just above his left
eyebrow, and yet another on his chin. He didn't seem to be angry... instead
the first stirrings of fear crept into Scully's heart. He smiled wider, his
eyes sparkling... and HE was holding the jar of jelly...

He dipped one long, tapered forefinger into the dark purpleness in the jar,
hooking a large glob. Seeing him draw it out of the jar, Scully stood up,
fast enough for the back of her knees to hit her chair, sending it skidding
back against the linoleum.

"You wouldn't DARE."

His grin never faltered as he stood as well, taking a step toward her. She
hated that she took an involuntary step backwards.

"You would have to go and make it a dare wouldn't you?" He flung the mass at
her. She felt it connect wetly on her collarbone before sliding - cool and
slick - down into the front of her robe. She felt it slither down the valley
between her breasts.

"You are going to regret that." She managed through clenched teeth. 

"Really?" he wore a self-congratulatory smirk as he stuck his finger in his
mouth, sucking off the remains of the jelly. "It seems to me that I have all
the armaments in this little skirmish. The balance of power seems to be in
my favor."

He stuck his middle finger into the jar, reloading.

"Mulder..." She warned, feeling the previous mass sliding down her stomach
and stopping where her belt cinched her robe closed.

She had been edging backwards, so when he let fly this time she opened the
fridge door and heard the splat of the jelly connecting with the appliance.
Quickly grabbing a can off the door shelf she emerged from her cover...
shaking the object in her hand. 

"You wouldn't..." He took a step back. It was her turn to smile as her thumb
popped the cap off, sending it off somewhere into the kitchen, her finger
coming to rest on the nozzle. "You would." He found his back against the
sink as she stepped up to him. One hand grabbed the neck of his t-shirt,
pulling it forward as the other sprayed the whipped cream into the opening.
She laughed.

"You think that's funny?" He asked. Her answer was a giggle and smacking her
hand against his chest, listening to the squishing sound with satisfaction.

He dug three fingers into the jelly, drawing out almost half the jar in his
hand. He smirked as her eyes went wide. She tried to step back but his arm
shot out, catching her left wrist and pulling it around to her back, drawing
her closer with his arm around her waist. His other, jelly filled hand
smacked the goop onto her collar, rubbing it downward, reaching into her
robe to rub slick, sticky fingers over her right breast. It was gross. He
chuckled at the face she made. She tried to wriggle away but he held her
fast. So she fought back with a grin. She stuck the nozzle of the can of
whipped cream down the waistband of his boxers and let loose. He yelped and
let her go. That stuff was COLD. 

She laughed and made a break for it. He grabbed for her again and they
crashed, a tumble of limbs and food products to the floor, laughing as they
went. Jelly and whipped cream started to get applied at every opening. They
were both laughing so hard their sides hurt and cheeks ached. 

Eventually they both ran out of ammunition around the same time as they ran
out of breath, collapsing side by side.

Mulder propped himself up on one elbow. "Looks like we made a mess of your
kitchen."

"And you are gonna help clean it too." She glared at him before giggling at
the the whipped cream damage - on the tip of his nose, smeared from chin to
ear and a fluffy white rosette adorning his hair just above his right ear.

"I think I'll start right... here." Before she could guess his intent his
mouth descended on her. With the tip of his tongue he traced a path along
the curve where her neck met her shoulders sending a wave of shuddering
sensation through her, settling somewhat south of her navel. It was the
barest of caresses. He had managed to hold himself up so that nothing
touched her but the tip of his tongue.

She groaned and slid her hands up his arms, resting them on his biceps
lightly. He chuckled and continued to nuzzle her neck, running his lips
lightly over every inch of her throat. Pausing to teasingly lick at smeared
jelly until she was no longer chilled by the sticky stuff, but getting
decidedly warm, very rapidly.

He moved his weight onto his elbows as his fingertips traced her arms
through her ruined robe. He took her hands from his arms and intwined his
fingers with hers. He continued to lift her arms over her head, pinning her
neatly. He rested his body over hers. One knee nudging her legs apart
insistently. She parted for him, and he settled himself against her, seeming
to ignore the little squish of the whipped cream in his clothes. He lifted
his head to look down at her with half hooded eyes. He pressed himself
against her sensitive bud, only his cotton boxers between them. She
whimpered softly as little electric shocks of pleasure shot through her body.

"You like that?" His voice had deepened, as had the color of his eyes. 

She licked suddenly dry lips, trying to regain her equilibrium. He licked
his own lips in imitation of her gesture, adding a soft sheen to his
slightly pouty bottom lip. He lowered his head again and began to link away
the jelly on her throat and upper chest. The feel of his hot, wet tongue
contrasting with the rasping of his stubbly chin on her overly sensitized flesh.

"You know, I used to love grape jelly as a kid. It was my favorite." His hot
breath caressed her now moist neck and throat, teasing the wisps of her hair
on her neck. His fingers unwound from hers. One hand moved to pin both of
her wrists, the other flowed down her arm, her side, leaving a train of heat
through her robe until it fell on the knot of the belt at her waist. He had
it untied in seconds.

"Wasn't it every kids?" She tried to sound a lot calmer then she felt. She
was fairly certain her voice shook despite her best efforts.

"Maybe." Little featherlight kisses rained along her jaw, under her chin.
When he reached the pulse point behind her ear he stopped to suck softly on
it, sending the heartbeat under his lips into overdrive. Ceasing the torment
he blew softly on the spot, drying the skin with conflicting sensations of
hot and cold. "But as you grow older tastes change. I never particularly
sought it out." Sticky fingers pushed her robe aside, bareing her body to
him. The slick, smeared purple stuff glistened on curves and hollows. "I
think my tastes may have changed again."

He didn't head down though. Instead he nibbled at her bottom lip then
brushed his lips against hers, slowly, so slowly. Then his mouth turned
hungry on her own. He burned her with his tongue, plunging deep into her
mouth- filling her - then leaving her empty and wanting more. When he
invaded her mouth again she captured his tongue and suckled greedily.

His free hand moved over her hip, then past the curve of her waist, over her
ribs before his slightly sticky fingertips brushed the underside of her
breast. The heel of his hand lifted the weight of her breast and his
fingers's spread out over it's jelly smeared surface, touching everywhere
but where she most wanted him to touch. Then, just briefly she felt his
middle finger flick over the tip, back and forth. Intense, erotic pleasure
shot from her breast to her aching center. All the while his mouth tormented
her own. Using lips and teeth and tongue in endless, deep kisses that stole
her breath and her sanity.

Her body had begun to thrum hotly with her own rapid heartbeat. She could
feel him through his boxers - pressed tight against her. His erection
unmistakable, and he rubbed it against her in a combination of a tease and a
promise.

He stopped kissing her, dragging his mouth from her's with a moan close to
anguish. Immediately she felt his mouth on her again. Fierce licks, hot
breath, seeking mouth. She squirmed against him. His mouth laving and
flicking her breasts, devouring her soul along with every trace of jelly. At
last he took one tip into his wet lips and tugged. She arched upwards,
pressing herself more firmly into his mouth, rubbing against his arousal as
the tide of pleasure shot through her. So intense, yet managing to leave her
wanting more. 

She tugged her wrists free of his confining grasp and reached for his
t-shirt - pulling it up. 

Mulder released her, bringing his head up to look down at her. "Delicious."
He licked his lips. "Best breakfast I've had in a long time."

She leaned up to flick her own tongue against the tip of his nose. "You know
you may be right." She rolled so that he was soon beneath her. She yanked
the shirt the rest of the way off. "Those strawberries we had definitely
needed some whipped cream." He had been slowly driving her mad long enough.
It was HER turn. She slipped the sleeves of her robe off, leaving herself
completely naked. 

She began to lick away the mess on his chest, tasting the creamy sweetness
of the foam mixing with the salty tang of his skin. She tasted the sparse
hair against her tongue, then the pebbly texture of one flat male nipple. He
was making the most amazing sounds now. A moan that was almost a whimper.
She felt the shudders that moved through his tense body and looked up to his
face to see his eyes glazed over with passion.

"You know too many sweets are bad for you Mulder." She worked upwards to
lick and nibble at his adams apple.

"I promise, we'll work it off." His hands moved over her, they were both a
mess, and at that moment neither of them much cared. With one hand under her
chin he tilted her face to his, claiming a kiss. Jelly and cream exploded
briefly before being washed away in a taste that belonged only to them, only
to them together.

She moved down again, running her hands over flesh recently licked clean,
allowing her fingers to trace along the smooth definition of muscle. "Oops.
missed a spot." She teased as she bent to lick, then nip just above his
navel. His gasp made her smile.

"Well looky here Mulder... It seems I missed quite a bit." Her thumbs hooked
the elastic of his boxers and gave a tug. He arched up a bit to help her
remove them.

She set to work immediately. Licking and sucking the mostly melted whipped
cream from dark curls, licking at his thighs as she listened to the gasps
and mewling sounds he made when she did something just right. She tormented
him by 'cleaning' everywhere but were he wanted her mouth the most. He was
beyond aroused and actually close to suffering by the time she took him into
her mouth. Teasing the last bits of whipped cream away from him until she
tasted the small bead of saltiness on her tongue. She moved away then.

"There you go. All done." One coppery brow arched teasingly.

"Hardly." He claimed her in another deep, drugging kiss as he rolled her
beneath him once again. His hip banged against the leg of the kitchen table
but he ignored the mild discomfort as he assaulted her mouth with his own.
His hands flowed over her body. Guided by instinct as much as any conscious
knowledge, knowing just where to stroke, to tease. 

At long last he guided his pulsing, rigid length into her body, and she
welcomed him home with tiny spasms. He paused for an eternal moment,
gathering in the tattered shreds of his self control, wanting to make it
last, needing to bring her to completion even more then he needed his own. 

Dana whimpered in the back of her throat, her hips pushing up into him,
begging him to continue. At last he obliged. Long, agonizingly slow strokes
as he caressed the tips of her aching breasts with his fingertips.

"God... Mulder." She tried to circle her hips, to urge him faster, to make
him bring about the release she could feel just on the other side of the
slowly building, sweet agony he was inducing.  But he would have none of it
and she groaned in frustration. She almost got angry at the low, throaty
chuckle coming from him. But her anger dissipated as he took one breast into
his mouth, grazing the nipple with the edges of his teeth. She arched her
back, throwing her head back so that the back of her head pressed against
the hard floor almost painfully. She began to keen in a low whimper as the
storm between her thighs accelerated with each slow, deliberate stroke,
turning her mindless, and tearing away all vestiges of control.

Tears sprang to her eyes as he finally stepped up the pace, pushing into
her, filling her, then drawing back almost completely. Her legs wrapped
around him, her heels digging into his thighs as she urged him onward. He
stopped stimulating her breast , instead he hovered over her, looking down
at her, watching her face. He bent down to wipe away the tears with the tip
of his tongue.

His strokes became harder, fiercer as she cried out in soft gasps each time
he drove home. At last the storm broke in a cataclysmic shattering of her
senses. Lightening bolts drove through her spasming body as she imploded and
convulsed around him. 

The veins in his neck stood out as he drove into her one more time, pressing
just past the entrance to her womb. He cried out his own piercing climax.
They both shuddered into smaller aftershocks.

His weight pressed her into the floor as their hearts and breathing slowed
to something close to normal. With a groan he moved to the side, taking his
weight from her and slipping out of her at the same time. She moaned at the
loss even as his arms wrapped around her, warming her with the security and
love she felt coming from him.

"That was fun." He murmured into her hair.

"Mmm-hmm. But you still have to help me clean the kitchen." She mumbled into
his chest. "And when that's done we have to clean ourselves up."

"I thought we just did that." She felt his grin more then saw it. 

"Ahhh but I'm sure a shower would do it better." She leaned on one elbow,
resting her head on her hand as she looked at him.

"Showers can be fun." He drawled, his expression amused.

"Alone. Because I have plans Mulder. Big plans." She smirked. The little
shiver he gave warming her.

"Oh? Anything to do with whatever you bought with those handcuffs?" 

"Everything to do with it. But we have to clean up first." She almost
laughed as he managed to gain his feet in record time. He held out his hand
and helped her up. 

"So gonna tell me what else you bought?" He scooped up their clothes.

"Nope. You'll just have to wait." Her small smile held promise.

*********************
End.