From: "Samantha Stewart" Date: Wed, 08 Aug 2007 14:49:00 -0500 Subject: A Late Night Offer by Poor Queequeg Source: direct Title: A Late Night Offer Author: Poor Queequeg Email: Poor_Queequeg@hotmail.com Categories: SR Rating: R Spoilers: One line from Season 9 episode TrustNo1 (just in the Author's Notes not in the story) Keywords: Mulder/Scully romance Summary: Mulder and Scully have returned to DC after a case, and Scully finds she has to make a choice - will she allow their relationship to continue as it has in the past or is she prepared to make a change. Author's Notes: This story was inspired by the line from the Season 9 episode TrustNo1 where a character tells Scully that "I know that on one lonely night you invited Mulder to your bed." This is simply one version of how that invitation might have come to pass. Any and all feedback is appreciated. Thank you. *** Their flights had gotten delayed three times and the agents had spent almost all day traveling. Scully and Mulder were both completely exhausted when they finally landed at Regan International airport at almost two in the morning. While Mulder continued to enjoy his work on the X-Files, he would happily do without the constant travel. Luckily, both Scully and Mulder traveled light. They simply grabbed their carry-on bags and headed out to hail a cab. Mulder gave the taxi driver Scully's address. She gave Mulder a soft smile in return, appreciating the gesture of letting her get dropped off first. The traffic at this time of night was fairly light. The cab driver glanced in the rearview mirror at his two tired passengers. "You look as if you had a hard flight?" he said in a softly accented voice. "Is it that obvious?" asked Scully as she rubbed her forehead. The cab driver chuckled softly. "I know how it is. My family - still back in Kenya. Whenever I fly there, oh, terrible! Tell me, do you have crying babies?" Both agents gave the cab driver a quizzical look. "Oh your flight," he explained, "did you have babies who cry?" "Two," said Mulder, "and the guy next to me kept stealing my armrest." There were times when Mulder hated working for the federal government, and those times when he was forced to fly coach were high up on the list. The cab driver and Mulder continued to trade airport horror stories, until Mulder became aware of a familiar heaviness on his left shoulder. He looked over to see that Scully was fast asleep. The cab driver glanced into the rear view mirror to see why Mulder had stopped speaking so abruptly and saw that Mulder's attention was now on his sleeping partner. The driver smiled and the rest of the drive to Scully's apartment was made in silence. The city lights blinking by the cab windows illuminated Scully's pale face. After years of working together Mulder knew ever curve of her face by heart and yet as he studied her peaceful visage he was once again reminded of his partner's beauty. Mulder could see her eyes moving under her eyelids and he wondered about her dreams. Mulder gently brushed a strand of her hair out of her face. Scully sighed and snuggled closer to him, but didn't wake. Mulder smiled. He felt so content just sitting in that cab with the lights of DC flickering by the windows and feeling her soft even breathing against his side. The cab pulled in front of Scully's apartment building, but Mulder didn't have the heart to wake her. He paid the driver the fare, being careful as he went for his wallet to not jostle her too much. He then carefully extricated himself from the cab, leaning her head against the back of the seat as he left. He quietly whispered to the cab driver an offer of some more money if the driver would carry their bags inside, so that Mulder could carry Scully in. The cabbie nodded his agreement. Mulder turned back to his sleeping partner and carefully he reached into the back seat and lifted Scully out of the cab and into his arms. It amazed him how this woman, who could stare down aliens, monsters and the worst government conspiracies known to man, could feel so light and fragile as he cradled her in his arms. As Mulder walked to Scully's front door, the cabbie followed with their luggage. "I am sure you and your wife are glad to be home," he whispered. Mulder thought about correcting him, but as he looked down at Scully's face leaning against his chest, he realized he didn't want to have to say the words. Mulder knew in his heart, that he would gladly die to protect this woman, and that he would sacrifice everything he had just to make her happy. Wasn't that enough, or must he always be forced to admit that he and Scully didn't share the romantic relationship he wished they did? Instead of denying the driver's statement, he simply whispered. "Could you get the key for the door? It will be in her coat pocket." The driver carefully fished the keys out and unlocked the door and set the suitcases inside. He set Scully's keys on top of one of the bags. Meanwhile, Mulder gently lay Scully down on the couch, so he could give the driver a tip and his thanks. The driver left closing Scully's apartment door behind him. Mulder went to Scully's bedroom and flicked on the lights and turned down the sheets and then went back to the couch. He gently lifted her and carried her to her waiting bed. He pulled off her shoes, marveling that anyone could ever walk much less run in the high heels she was always wearing. Mulder looked at her lying peacefully in her bed, still dressed in her suit and coat. He imagined that these would not be the most comfortable clothes to sleep in and while he desperately wanted that fact alone to be sufficient excuse to remove them, he knew that there were two good reasons why he shouldn't. The first reason was a simple practical reason. Although Scully could fall asleep easily, as demonstrated countless times during their late night stake-outs, Mulder also knew that his partner was, in reality, a fairly light sleeper. A light touch or word was usually enough to rouse her. He was actually amazed that he had gotten her inside without her waking up, and he was sure if he began pulling at her clothing to undress her it would wake her. It had been a long day. Mulder wanted her to rest. Yet here was a second reason he knew he couldn't undress Scully. In the past, when Mulder was ill, Scully had undressed him, yet she seemed capable of do so with a medical detachment to what she was doing. He knew he would have no such detachment. If Mulder were to start to undress his partner, a thousand sexual fantasies that he had had of her would suddenly spring to mind at just a glimpse of her pale skin. Even as he sat here now on the edge of her bed pondering the idea, he felt a tightness in his boxers that affirmed the fact that it would be a bad idea. So with a sigh, he lifted himself from her bed and gently tucked the covers around her. He leaned forward and kissed her on the forehead. He was about to turn and leave when he noticed her necklace. The gold cross necklace that she almost always wore glittered there against her skin. Mulder worried about letting her sleep in it. If she moved the wrong way it could choke her or the chain could cut into her skin. He could see the clasp along the side of her neck and Mulder bent down to try to unhook it, but as he pulled on the chain, it pulled some of her hair that was entangled in the chain. "Oww!" she cried with a start. "Oh Scully, I am sorry." Mulder said softly. "I was trying not to wake you." "I know you were, but you'll have to do better than that if you want me to sleep through everything," she said as a sly smile played on her lips. It took Mulder a moment to realize the truth and when he did he couldn't help laughing. "OK, so how long have you been faking it?" "Oh, just a little while," she said innocently. "How long?" demanded Mulder. "Long enough to know that there is a cab driver out there who thinks that you're Mr. Scully." "You've been awake that long!" Scully laughed. "I know you tried, but I woke up when you were pulling me out of the cab." "Why didn't you let me know?" "Why should I walk if I can get carried instead," she teased. "Next time I'm going to make you carry me," said Mulder in mock indignation. Mulder was enjoying the playful banter with his partner, he always did, but in the back of his mind he knew he needed to go. "Well, it's late. I should go call a cab and go to my apartment. Let you go to sleep ... for real this time." Scully smiled, but as he turned away from her, her expression changed to mirror her inner conflict. She wondered, should she or shouldn't she? Mulder was at the door when she finally got the guts to call out to him. "Mulder wait!" Mulder turned back to Scully who hoped desperately that none of her current internal thoughts could be seen in her face. "Tomorrow is the weekend, we don't have to get up for work, and it's late," she said glancing at the clock which showed the time as 2:43am. "Why don't you just sleep here, you could go to your apartment in the morning?" Mulder thought for a moment and then nodded. "Thanks, I would appreciate it." She smiled. Mulder went into the living room. He opened his suitcase and began to change his clothes. Scully closed her bedroom door, and began to take off her suit, but all the while her mind was reeling as she thought back on the events of the night. *** Scully remembered getting in the cab, and the friendly discussion that ensued. She remembered how the sound of her two companions' voices became more and more dim to her as she felt sleep overtake her. Then she was in Mulder's arms, kissing him passionately as she felt him move inside her. It was gentle love making and she sighed as she enjoyed the pleasure of every thrust. He gently brushed the hair from her eyes. She sighed as she enjoyed the smell of his skin and his every caress. She moved forward to kiss him again, when suddenly she felt his strong arms gently lifting her. It took her a moment to realize that this feeling was not part of her dream. She didn't open her eyes, but the sound of the footsteps on the pavement and the quiet rustle of leaves let her know that Mulder was really carrying her in his arms. So many times when she woke from her sexual dreams and fantasies of Mulder, it was to the cold reality that she was in bed by herself, and more often than not, separated from Mulder by the thin, plaster and wood divide of yet another hotel room wall. So, as the reality of her current situation dawned on her, she couldn't bear to open her eyes and end the charade, but instead she moved her head closer to his chest enjoying the sound of his heart beating and the feel of his arms around her. "I am sure you and your wife are glad to be home." It took all of Scully's control, not to let a sad sigh escape her lips at the sound of the cab driver's statement. She kept her eyes closed and her breathing regular as she waited for the inevitable. How often had it happened: some witness or member of law enforcement would suggest that she and Mulder were husband and wife or girlfriend and boyfriend and those statements were always corrected either by Mulder or herself, by stating that, no, in fact, they were just partners, co-workers, friends, never the lovers that they were in her dreams. Scully kept her eyes closed and waited to hear Mulder offer up their standard correction. "Could you get the key for the door? It will be in her coat pocket." If there was ever a moment during the entire evening when her eyes almost came open it would have been now. He didn't correct him. Scully knew in her heart that it didn't change the truth. They weren't married. He wasn't her husband. She wasn't his wife. But still - Mulder hadn't corrected him. He hadn't denied it. As she felt him gently lower her on to her couch, she felt a warm feeling wash over her at that thought. In some ways she felt silly that it should have such a big effect on her. She knew it wasn't true, but it allowed her to live the fantasy. When he lifted her up from the couch and walked her to her bed, she allowed herself to fantasize that he was, in fact, her husband and that when he placed her down in that bed he would slowly undress her and then make love to her. But reality set in, as she knew it had to, when instead of undressing her, she felt him pull up the covers. She expected to hear his footsteps heading toward the door, but instead she felt his lips gently kiss her forehead. She suddenly realized she didn't want him to leave and she was just pondering whether or not she should open up her eyes and reveal her con, when the painful tug of her necklace on her hair decided the matter for her. *** Mulder had changed into a t-shirt and pajama bottoms, and was about to make himself comfortable on Scully's couch, when Scully entered. She was wearing a soft green cotton nightgown. The nightgown itself was pretty basic. Spaghetti straps, a simple neckline that showed only a hint of cleavage, no frills or ruffles, and a hemline just above her knees. It clung nicely to her curves while not being too tight. This was definitely not negligee, but at the same time Mulder had seen Scully dressed for bed before and knew she usually wore more full coverage pajamas. Scully walked into the kitchen and Mulder could hear the sound of Scully getting herself a glass of water. Mulder took that moment to check if his enlarged cock was noticeable under his pajama bottoms, luckily they were loose enough, he didn't think she would notice. He was amazed how, when it came to Scully, he didn't need anything really provocative for him to get turned on. The fact that she looked young and beautiful in her nightgown was enough tonight. He took a deep breath and tried to calm down as she reentered the room. Should she or shouldn't she? The question was still going through her head as she reentered the living room. She had gone to get a drink of water not because she needed it but because she was still deciding. She was nervous now as she approached Mulder. "Getting ready for bed?" she asked in what she hoped was a calm voice. "Well, getting ready for couch," said Mulder with a smile as he indicated the couch. Mulder had already grabbed a pillow and blanket from the hall closet. Scully had expected this. Mulder had, after all, slept on a couch every night for the first five years she had known him and who knows how many years before. He would naturally interpret her invitation to stay the night as an invitation to bunk out on her couch. But what if that wasn't what she wanted? Should she or shouldn't she? She wondered for about the ninetieth time since feeling Mulder's gently kiss on her forehead and knowing that she didn't want him to go home. But it was more than that, more than not wanting him to leave. She wanted to live that dream that had almost felt real tonight. She wanted to never have to say to another person, no we aren't lovers - we're just friends. She finally wanted to break the wall that was between them, but should she? She took a deep breath and dove into the deep end. "I know you are use to sleeping on the couch and if you would be more comfortable here that's fine, but if you want to sleep on a bed I can make room." Scully had tried to say it in a light way, as if she wasn't quite offering what she was offering. There was a pause and it seemed the longest in her life as Scully wondered what Mulder could be thinking about her presumptuous offer. She felt compelled to break the silence. "I just thought if you are 'Mr. Scully' that maybe you should..." she found she couldn't finish the sentence. She smiled trying to keep up the facade that this was all just easy going banter and not her heart on her sleeve. Yet suddenly she felt embarrassed and scared, she turned to make a quick retreat to her bedroom, but Mulder's quickly grabbed her wrist to stop her. "You're right," he said, "if I am in fact 'Mr. Scully,'" she smiled at his use of her phrase, "I need to start acting like it." He took a couple quick steps to bridge the distance between them. She held her breath as he stared into her blue eyes. He then bent down and kissed her. All the passionate kisses she had had with Mulder in her dreams were cold shadows compared to the real fire she felt when his lips meet hers. She felt the kiss deepen and their arms encircled each other. When they finally broke the kiss, both partners examined each others faces for any signs of hesitation or regret. But there was none to find. Scully smiled up at Mulder who smiled back at her. He leaned down and gently gave her cheek a kiss. She took his hand and whispered. "Come on, let's go to bed." ***