From: Kirsten Kerkhof Date: Wed, 16 Feb 2005 15:19:13 -0800 (PST) Subject: New story submission Source: direct TITLE: "The Mater" AUTHOR: Kirsten Kerkhof * kirsten_xf@yahoo.com RATING: R, for a few adult situations CLASSIFICATION: Mulder-Scully Romance KEYWORDS: S R SPOILERS: none DISCLAIMER: Not mine ... and I make no money from the story either ... Laura Lava belongs to Henk Kuijpers at http://www.franka.nl/ Visit my own site for a picture of Scully's dress as modelled by Franka. XD SUMMARY: Mulder and Scully attend a posh Mulder-family get-together to meet the Mater of the family FEEDBACK: Mulders on offer since Fox doesn't need him anymore. At ARCHIVING: Gossamer I'll do myself, others, just drop me a line, 'kay? WEBSITE: http://www.cluich.net/X-Files.htm XxXxX Basement Office FBI Headquarters Tuesday, 12 July, 4.31 p.m. "But ... but I thought you said you didn't have any relatives? Where the heck did she come from?" Scully's amazement is palpable, and reasonably so. After all, it's not like I have ever made any efforts to make her think the opposite. "Well, it's nothing really. She's like an aunt of my mom's cousin's uncle, 30 times removed or something. I don't think I've seen the Mater before or since I was about five," I reply, as I start another game of Bubble Shooter on the office PC. To say that work is slow would be an understatement. I'm bored out of my skull. "So, what does she want from you?" Scully goes on, obviously intrigued. Hell, I can't blame her, it's an opportunity to expand her knowledge of that extremely elusive Mulder family. "Nothing. But she wants to give stuff away, and apparently I'm included in the gift-giving. Weird, I know." "What's she giving away then?" "Millions in cash and bonds, Vineyard mansions, Roll-Royces, and mink coats by the armfuls, things like that," I say, with admirable cool. I hear Scully's gasp and mentally score one for me. "Mulder!" "Yeah, she's been real useful for sponsoring the few relatives that managed to stay in her favour. Seeing that my mom and dad managed to do so says enough about the old crone, but I wasn't exactly complaining when she gave me that chance to escape to England." "I always thought your dad paid for that," she says softly, just this side of hurt. I immediately feel guilty and my ego-trip deflates. And rightfully so, I don't have the kind of family anyone should be, or should pretend to be, proud of. "Well, yeah, he did, but the Mater helped. Dad had the connections and the funds to support me over there, she just provided the financial security. I guess she was just as eager to get me out of the way as anyone else." "Why? Why would they want you out of the way?" Scully asks softly. I look at her, quitting my game of Bubble Shooter, and find she's completely abandoned the expense forms she'd been working on, even though we both know they're perfect already. Her face is soft and a little sad. Or no, she looks hurt. For me. "Dunno," I answer just as softly, touched by her expression. Actually, I do know, but it's too depreciating to think of. "I never asked. I just jumped at the possibility to get away from my father's crushing presence and go wild in Oxford, I guess." "I'm sorry ..." I smile wryly. "No need, I wasn't exactly helping them to change their minds about me. And at least I got my degrees within reasonable time so I guess I haven't fallen totally from her grace." She smiles a little in reply. "So, when are you going then? Where does she live?" "Greenwich, New York, so not too far from here actually. The family's been invited to drop by next Monday." "The family?" I grin at her unabashed surprise. Then it's my turn to be surprised when her expression becomes decidedly hurt. "I thought you had no family left, why didn't you ever tell me?" she asks softly and sighs. "I've been feeling so sorry for you ..." I feel like a total jerk now. "Scully, I don't know these people at all. When I said I had no family left, I was talking about relatives I'd see more than once per lifetime. People who felt any connection at all to me or my mom and dad. Who actually gave a shit when Samantha was taken. I know the Mater never cared when Sam disappeared, I guess she just figured it would be one less hawk coming after her money." Her eyes are shiny. "I'm sorry," she says again, very softly this time. I sigh, smiling lop-sidedly. "I wouldn't be if I were you. My family ain't exactly worth your pity." She doesn't reply right away, just looks at me for a bit longer, her eyes incredibly sad. Then she takes a deep breath and goes on, her voice fake-bright. "So, you're going then, aren't you?" "Yeah, I'd better." "Is anyone going with you? Or are you going by yourself? It's not that far." I look at her and smile. "Actually, I was kinda hoping that you would come along." XxXxX Fox Mulder's apartment Monday, 18 July, 9.26 a.m. Okay, I'll admit it now so we'll have it out of the way by the time such a revelation becomes painful or improper: I know all of Scully's sizes. Shoe size, dress size, glove size even. Bra size, too, though I won't get into how I got to know *that*. A guy's entitled to a few secrets. But it did come in handy when I had to go dress- shopping for her. Because I know for a fact that she does not possess the kind of gown the Mater expects to see on the first night. And, besides, Scully was way overdue for a little treat from Yours Truly anyway. I'm currently checking to see if I forgot anything, but it's just for a few days so I didn't exactly need to pack a great deal and I manage to get it all in one fair- sized suitcase, apart from my tuxedo and her dress which are hanging in a garment-bag on the closet-door. I put on my wool overcoat and sit down on my couch, waiting for Scully. She should be here any moment now. We decided to grab a cab to the airport with her calling by my place to pick me up. It would've been a waste of money to take two taxis, and besides, she makes good company. As I'm sure you already know. I'm just getting up to feed my fish, when my cell- phone rings. Scattering some flakes into the tank, I answer it. "Mulder." "It's me, we're almost at your place. You coming down or do you need me to come upstairs?" "No, I'll be down in a minute." "Okay." We disconnect. I put my phone in my coat pocket, grab my suitcase and garment bag, and head out. I'm actually looking forward to this more than I'd anticipated. Just when I pull the front door shut and step onto the pavement, I see a taxi swerve around the corner. Instictively I know it's Scully. The taxi stops and the driver gets out, taking my luggage to put it in the trunk. I oversee it for a moment, then get in the back to join Scully. "Nice suit," I say with a smile. She's wearing her new cream suit, I notice, as the cab pulls away from the curb. She smiles. "You said we had to look classy so I decided this suit wouldn't hurt. What tie are you wearing?" I grin. "Relax, Scully, I'm wearing a very conservative neon pink tie with glow-in-the-dark space ships." She yanks the front of my coat open, her face pale with shock. "You're not!" Then she sees the dark blue silk tie I am actually wearing and sighs in obvious relief. "You're not!" She lightly swats my shoulder. "You nearly gave me a heart attack, Mulder!" I smile easily. "I'm sorry." "No, you're not," she protests, but already I can see the corners of her mouth turning up. Then she gives in and laughs softly. "You really had there me for a moment. Is this the way you're going to be for the whole trip? 'Cause in that case, I ain't coming!" "I was thinking about it, but since you're a sharp- shooter and qualified to handle every kind of knife known to mankind and then some, I figured I'd better not," I grin. She gives a short nod. "Damn right!" she says curtly, but I can see her eyes twinkling in the morning light. XxXxX The flight was decidedly uneventful, with just the expected 30-minute delays here and there and thankfully little turbulence. I've rented a Lincoln, more than slightly upclass from the normal sedans the Bureau will pay for. But we have an impression to make and if Scully feels pampered by it, it's all for the better. "You're really showing off, aren't you?" she says, smiling widely as she settles in the luxurious leather passenger seat. "We should have one of these cars more often!" "Ah, but where would the feeling of luxury go?" I tease as I, too, marvel at the sensation a decent car seat can offer. She's not kidding! "That's true," she replies, buckling in. I drive the car off the rental company plot and head for the freeway. Scully is silent, looking out of the passenger side window as we leave the city behind us. When we've reached the freeway and I finally have a chance to relax, I turn to look at her. Seeing her profile I remember our discussion on Friday when she was wondering if she'd live up to the Mater's aristocratic expectations. I managed to reassure her and that, even if the old witch would be disappointed, it would never be Scully's fault. I know now, as I have known for so long, that not many so-called noble ladies can match her beauty. Yes, I do think Scully's beautiful, and I don't think I've ever made much of a secret of that. And it's not just her little roman nose, her fiery blue eyes or that gorgeous golden- red mane that blow me away and assure me she'll be able to keep up with the best of the ladies she'll meet. No, it's her posture, her air that belies her petite 5'2". It's her whole attitude that puts everyone right back in their places and shows that she doesn't need illustrous ancestors to keep her own. I'm in love with her. "You okay, Scully? You're pretty quiet." She turns to look at me, smiling, her eyes calm. "I'm fine. Just thinking." "Thinking about what?" "Nothing really. Just how nice it is to be out of the office again. About your family, wondering what they'll be like. Thinking about you and me really." I smile. "I think a lot about us as well," I say in a low voice, curiously grateful for the exit I have to take so I won't have to see her face. Makes a guy wonder why really ... "So, erm, what can I expect?" she asks, serious now. "In what way?" "What're your relatives like? Do you think they'll like me?" I don't answer right away because I know she'll need all the charm she can muster to make them like her. I haven't felt like disowning my family on multiple occasions for nothing. "They ..." I begin, then falter. "What?" I look away from her. "I don't think they'll approve." Scully frowns. "Approve of what?" I sigh. Ah shit, this is not happening to us now! "Of ... of your background," I say softly, waiting a second before I dare look at her. She looks hurt and I sigh again, gripping the steering wheel, my fingernails leaving indentations in the tan leather cover. "Why?" she asks softly. "Because, for some insane reason, they'd only approve of people from within their own tight-knit circle. It's ridiculous, utterly ridiculous," I say with clenched teeth. "Well, maybe it isn't. If you're raised with that idea in mind, it makes a lot of sense," she says in a low voice, looking at her hands. I chuckle incredulously. "Scully, don't defend them! Their views are hopelessly old-fashioned. In fact, I don't know if I even want to see them anymore. Let's just go back and ignore them, I don't need the Mater's money anyway." I'm angry now. We're silent for a while. I don't know what she's thinking of course, but I myself only feel angry towards these people. Hell, I'm related to people I don't relate to! How stupid is that? And if they'd only know the fantastic background Scully comes from, titles or no ... "You don't want to go back," she then says, a hint of a smile tugging at her lips. I frown. "What?" "Mulder, they already know who I am, if not in person. I'm sure of that. And by going back home and not showing up, you're giving them exactly what they want anyway, and you know it!" She smiles, raising an eyebrow. "If you're giving in, you're not half the man I thought you were." I must be gaping and she chuckles. "Drive on, Mulder, let's show them." I reach out and take her hand, softly squeeze it, then rest our hands on the centre console. You gotta love this woman. XxXxX The Mansion The Green Room Monday, 18 July, 7.14 p.m. I'm in our room, fiddling with my bowtie. It's been a gratefully long time since I had to wear one of these, but the drawback is that you lose all routine. The door to the bathroom opens and Scully walks out, wrapped in an over-sized towel, drying her hair with a smaller one. We're sharing a room since it has two separate king-sized beds. Moreover, it may be old- fashioned or over-protective, but I'm not letting Scully handle the lunatics I call relatives all by herself. I don't mind monsters, serial-killers, or aliens, but these people I just don't trust. Whether it'll be Scully or them who'll eventually suffer, I haven't yet decided, but I just want to be there to catch most of the stings for her. "Mulder, what am I supposed to wear tonight?" "Did you bring a dress along?" I ask, straightening my tie, then checking the whole. "I brought a couple, but I'm not sure they'll be fancy enough, seeing that you're wearing a tuxedo. They're just normal dresses," she answers, pulling something black and obviously far too short for this occasion from her suitcase. It doesn't need a close inspection to show that that dress would indeed never do. I have no doubt that the other dress she's brought will be equally unsuitable. Which is good, I think with an internal smile. I walk over to the garment bag and open it, revealing the dress inside it. "Maybe you'd fancy this dress then?" I say, trying to keep my excitement within bounds. I know I loved the dress, but will she? Her gasp is all the answer I need, as she rushes up to the gown and carefully fingers the fabric. "Mulder, it's gorgeous!" She pushes the bag open a bit further to look at the label and gasps anew. "My God," she breathes, " it's a Laura Lava ..." She pulls the towel from her hair, letting it flow down freely across her shoulders and upper back. It's wavy and dark copper and, in my humble opinion, absolutely beautiful like this. She, meanwhile, seems entranced by the white silk dress. "So, erm, d'you like it?" I ask softly, tracing the jewellery that forms the neck-line. She slowly turns her head to look at me, as if she has to forcefully tear her gaze away from the dress. She's smiling like a kid who's been locked up in a toy store. "Are you kidding me? It's incredible!" Then she frowns as if she realises something for the first time. "This dress must have cost you an absolute fortune!" "If you're saying that it wasn't cheap, you'd be just about right," I answer, smiling. She pulls away from the dress, suddenly looking crestfallen. "Mulder, I can't accept this. It's too much, I can't wear it." "Why not? You haven't even tried it on yet," I say softly, rather confused. She looks at me, her eyes brimming with tears. She's obviously fallen in absolute love with this dress, but for some imaginary reason thinks she can't wear it. She looks down at the floor. "I'm not worth spending so much money on, Mulder, I thought you knew that by now ..." I can't help laughing incredulously now, even when my heart breaks for her. "Scully, you must be joking! You're worth every dollar I own!" She's not looking at me, instead backs up until she hits my bed and she can sit down, all the while shaking her head. Then I get a shock when she buries her face in her hands and begins to cry. Jesus ... What on earth have I done? I mentally slap myself for this act of selfish thoughtlessness. I, of all people, should know better than to land it on her like this. She's not used to it, to being treated in such an literal way. Being drowned in love and affection is something she can handle like a pro, having learnt that well from her parents; being showered with professional acclaim she has learnt to handle ever since she entered the Bureau - even as the team-mate of the FBI pariah - but being doted on in such a blatant materialistic fashion is something she has been taught to steer well clear from. And the narcissistic devil in me just conveniently chose to forget that. I sit down on the bed next to her, gently moving her hands away from her face and making her look at me. "Scully," I say very softly, stroking her hair. She slowly turns to look at me. "Scully, I'm sorry ..." "Why did you buy that dress? I have dresses myself I could have worn ..." I smile a little, brushing some strands of hair away from her face. "I know. And I also know I've chosen just about the worst way to surprise you with this in the world." She huffs adorably. "Yes, you have ..." she answers, making me smile a bit wider. "Why did you do it?" I think for a moment. Then I decide to tell her the truth. "Because I actually saw a different dress in a shop window and when I went in to enquire after the price of that dress, I saw a woman trying this particular dress on. And I could just see you in it, how the colour of the gems would reflect the colour of your eyes, the green and blue gems contrasting so fabulously with your hair. I knew at that moment I had to have that dress no matter what and I prayed the woman wouldn't like it enough, or think it was too expensive, or something like that, and I'd have the chance to purchase it." "How much did it cost?" I grin. "I'm not going to tell you, no matter how much you press me." "At least let me pay something towards it," she says determinedly, her tears having dried up now and her eyes slowly losing their redness. "I can't let you buy something this expensive for me!" "Of course you can," I say. Then softer, "I've wanted to treat you so many times before, but you're kinda hard to buy presents for, you know. You never let me. That's why I surprised you like this. Even though my original plan royally backfired." She looks hurt at first, but then sighs. "You're right. I'm just not used to accepting expensive gifts from men. I never wanted them to buy me rings or jewellery or expensive dinners or things like that. It felt as if, that way, they could buy their way into my bed and I wouldn't be able to refuse them ..." I'm shocked. "Scully, I haven't bought this to get you to sleep with me! I thought you knew me better than that!" She frowns, looking at me, her eyes pleading with me to understand. "I do! You know I do. It's just so hard to break a habit of a lifetime ..." "And it's a good habit, it's just that I respect you far too much to force myself on you," I say, wrapping my arm around her shoulders and gently pulling her into my side. The towel she's wearing is slipping dangerously low and I have to tell myself to look away. "Let's just put it this way," I then say, resting my head on top of hers, "I believe you're an absolutely gorgeous woman, both physically and even more so in personality, who deserves to be treated better and more than I ever could. And I'd be a very proud and happy man if you'd do me the honour of accepting this dress and wearing it tonight." She looks at me, stunned. I, in return, smile widely, my eyes telling her I'm telling her the truth. It makes her smile as well, a wide, beaming smile. Then, still smiling, she reaches up and kisses me softly on the cheek. I guess I've been forgiven. "Oh Mulder ..." she says softly. "Thank you ..." "You're welcome," I answer, reluctantly letting her go from my embrace. "You should get dressed and do your hair and make up. They'll be expecting us soon." "You're right," she says, sitting down at the vanity and picking up her hair dryer. I smile a little. "I suppose I can't talk you into letting your hair dry naturally and keep it wavy?" She shakes her head. "Nope. It wouldn't be dry in time and I don't think it would be suitable to the occasion either. Especially not wearing a dress like that." She focuses on her bangs for a moment, then continues. "Erm, Mulder, about that dress ..." "Yes?" "I can't wear a bra with it." I grin. "No, you can't. Do you mind?" She laughs as she puts the blow dryer away. "Always more than you do." She gets up and walks up to me, crossing the room. When she's reached me, she bends down, leans her hands on my thighs and speaks in a conspiratorial whisper, "Living a fantasy with this dress, Mulder?" I feather-touch the top of her breasts with the tips of my fingers and whisper back, "Only if you leave your panties off as well ..." She blushes, but doesn't seem embarrassed. She cuts a quick look at the dress and when our eyes meet again, hers twinkle dangerously. "You know, seeing that dress, I just might have to do that ..." And with that she casually saunters towards the gown. I meanwhile have serious trouble breathing ... "Turn around, Mulder, I'm going to dress," she orders and I obey willingly. Sure, an impromptu strip- tease from my partner may be a favourite fantasy of mine, but if I want to make it to that blasted party tonight, I need to get some control back right now! "You can turn back," I hear her say behind me and I turn to look at her. "What do you think?" Holy Mary, Mother of God ... She's a dream, a fantasy, she must be. And, ridiculous as it is, the first thing that enters my mind is 'Man, if only the guys at work could see her now!', but I quickly tamp that stupid thought down. "Scully, you look ..." I falter, frantically searching my mind for an adequate term to describe what I'm feeling. The bias-cut silk hugs her figure like a glove and the extremely low neck, held together by the gems, reveals the perfect amount of skin. "What?" she says. I shake my head and make a helpless little gesture with my left hand. "You look ... exquisite. My God, Scully, you are so beautiful!" I finally manage to say. Then I get up and walk up to her, weaving my fingers through her hair. I was right, the colours of the gems make her eyes look even more blue than they already are, and her hair is alight with fire. "I'm sure you want to put on some make-up, but you are leaving your hair down tonight." She frowns a little. "Do you think that's appropriate?" I smile. "It is now." She smiles back at me. "Alright then. Just let me put on a little make up and we'll be ready to meet the family," she says, picking up the long white gloves that come with the dress and heading back towards the vanity. Oh yes, my family ... I'd almost forgotten why we were here in the first place ... XxXxX The Mansion The Ball Room Monday, 18 July, 9.53 p.m. "You know, I kinda liked the Mater," Scully says, looking at the glass of champagne in her hand. We're standing a bit to the side, avoiding the biggest crowd. I have a larger family than I thought - and I know next to none of them. It's pathetic, I know, but I can cope. "You do? Scully, she's a witch, nobody likes her!" I answer. She smiles. "Don't be so harsh on her. She's just ... old-fashioned, Victorian, different. What's wrong with that?" I laugh incredulously. "What's wrong with it is that she's a skin-flint of a lady, sitting on millions and spending not a penny of it. I think this whole event is just her way of seeing who can kiss up to her best, and who isn't worth including in her will. Agatha Christie would have a field-day with this, it has all the ingredients of a cheesy detective story." She grins. "That is true actually. Who do you think is planning to 'bump her off' then, to use a phrase from an Agatha Christie novel, if not all of them?" I smile widely. "You've read those stories?" "Oh yeah, I used to love them. It wasn't all heavy serious literature for me when I was younger, you know. Moby Dick is a good book, but hardly the stuff you curl up on the couch with. You need a notepad, pen and background literature for that book." I chuckle. "I should have known that you read other stuff ..." She bends closer to me, glances sideways quickly as if she doesn't want to get caught and then whispers, "You wanna know a secret, Mulder?" "What?" I whisper back. She moves right up to me, making me bend down. "Don't tell anyone, okay? On stormy nights, when I've just taken a long bath, I love nothing more than curling up in the corner of my sofa with a glass of wine and a trashy, smutty novel." I fake bewilderment. "Scully, you don't!" She giggles. She's not drunk, not by a long shot, but she's definitely bordering on tipsy. And it's making her loosen the rigid hold on her control just enough. I'm enjoying this immensely. "Oh yes, you have your videos, I have my smutty novels. Gotta have something to soothe the urges, right?" For some inexplicable reason that comment makes me very sad. And of course she notices it immediately. "What?" I smile at her. "Nothing." Oops, wrong answer. "No no, Mulder, something's up and I want to know what it is." "Really, it's nothing," I try lightly, but I can see she's not falling for it. Then, stupidly enough, I lie again. "I was just remembering how we were talking about who wanted to kill the Mater for her money." She knows I'm lying through my teeth and I'm shocked to see her face harden as she put up her mask. Shit, the hole I'm digging is just getting deeper and deeper. Okay, Fox William Mulder, you'd better start coming clean, I tell myself, or you've screwed up worse than you ever expected of yourself! "Scully, I'm sorry, I was lying to you and I know I shouldn't have ..." She frowns. "Why were you lying? Because I knew you were." I run my hand over my face before I answer. Okay, out with it, I tell myself, there's no way around it. Make a fool of yourself if you have to, but stop hiding! "Don't you think it's ... it's sad?" "What is sad? I don't understand what you mean." I sigh. Shit shit shit, this is laden with potential for misunderstanding. "That ... that we need videos and smutty novels?" She looks surprised. "Nope, still confused," she quips mildly and I feel a bit better and infinitely grateful because of it. "Well, you know, that ... we're so close, you know, and still ..." Realisation dawns on her, I can see it. She bites her bottom lip, catching it between her teeth. It's a little gesture that has always driven me wild. "... and still we're not ... that close, you mean, so we need ... help?" "Yeah ..." She looks at her shoes for a moment, and when she looks up again I swear I can look straight into her soul. I've seldom seen her this open. "Do you ... do you want that?" she whispers. "More?" My breath catches in my throat. Jesus, this is it! "Yes," I try to say, but it comes out in a really embarrassing squeaky voice. I sigh inwardly. Yay, here I am, I'm trying to tell the woman of my life I want to progress in our relationship and the geeky teenager I used to be decides to make a reappearance ... She bursts out giggling, and I fake a frown. "Yeah yeah, make fun of my embarrassment, why don't you ..." "I'm sorry, Mulder, but it was just ... that was funny!" I smile despite myself. "Yeah, I guess it was ..." I grab my champagne and drain the glass. Man, I need something a lot stronger than this! "So, erm," she starts, serious again. I guess I didn't screw up as badly as I thought then. "What is it that you want, Mulder?" I take a deep breath and my eyes travel over her as she stands before me. Oh, I want more, I realise that now more than ever. I want this gorgeous woman, all of her: her razorsharp mind, her lightning-bright intelligence, her stunning body, all of her, all she has to offer. "I want more ... more than what we have now," I say softly, barely able to meet her eyes. "More?" Now it's her time to squeak. I smile because of it and nod. "Yeah ..." Then I frown. "Heck, Scully, it's time!" She gasps softly. "Time to ..." I decide to finish her sentence for her, raising my hand to cup her cheek. Another light gasp escapes her and the expression in her eyes becomes warm. "... to move on. We can make this work!" Quite of its own will my thumb traces her bottom lip and I feel a shudder rip through her. My body reacts strongly to it, but I choose to ignore it as much as I can for now. I swallow hard as I realise what I need to tell her next. God oh God oh God ... "I love you so, Scully ..." Her eyes pop open and she sucks in a hard breath. I decide to continue before she can answer. After all, better spill it all so she knows what I feel, I can hardly get into more trouble now, can I? "It's true, I can try to hide it, I will if I need to, but you gotta know it because it influences everything I do when it comes to you. I can pretend to be just your friend, to you and to the outside world, but the truth is that I'm in love with you. I have been for a long time, and, hell, I'm not ashamed of it! I just ... tried to hide it because ..." I falter and my hands falls away from her face. "Because ... what?" she whispers, but then she answers before I can. "Because of our friendship?" I nod and look down. These starched collars get incredibly hot, I never noticed! "Yeah." She smiles, I can just see that even though I seem to find the tips of my shoes awfully interesting. "That makes two of us," she replies softly. I look up at her, my expression making her smile even wider. "Of course!" I smile in relief and she chuckles. "Oh, Mulder, is that such a surprise to you?" Oh yes, I think, but decide not to say so. But, of course, it shows on my face crystal-clear and she smiles, taking my hands in her own. I chuckle, trying to hide a feeling of nervousness with it. Oh God, is this really happening? "Mulder ..." I look at my partner. She's smiling a little, but it's her eyes that really blow me away. "Mulder, are you ever going to kiss me?" Yes, why on earth am I waiting? What am I waiting for? I move my hands back to her face and we look at each other for the shortest of moments. Then I tell myself to dash it all and move in. Gotta beat that insecurity devil inside me, the reward is more than worth it, I know. I smile at her just before our lips meet, and her returning smile is all the permission I need. We have certainly waited long enough for this. Our kiss is soft, sweet, affectionate and to be honest rather chaste, neither of us, apparently, wanting to push the barriers too quickly. Then I huff to myself. Yeah, right! I've waited over a decade for this, and here I'm thinking I want this slow? Heck no! I lift my face away from her, just gauging her reaction. "Mulder, why did you stop?" she asks, her voice so low and sultry it nearly sends me clawing the walls. I smile. "Just checkin'." She lifts an eyebrow and I cheer inwardly. "Checking what?" "That it's you," I reply. She smiles a dazzling smile. "Nobody else, partner, you'd better get used to it!" "Oh, I am," I whisper, leaning in for a much more intense kiss. Or so I thought ... "Fox Mulder, Ms Scully," I hear behind me. I don't need to look around to know who it is. The Mater. Scully and I move apart so we can face her. "To be continued," I whisper and Scully laughs softly. "You'd better believe it," she replies in an equally soft tone. Yup, I was right, it's the Mater in all her Victorian splendour, two elderly relatives right by her side. You gotta hand it to her, she did preserve herself well. "Yes, Mater," I say. Scully is silent. "I would like a word with you," the Mater says. "Yes, Mater," I say again. No one says no to the Mater. We follow her to the magnificent drawing room next to the Ballroom. The high ceilings of the drawing room are decorated with splendid gilt and white mouldings, and exquisite oil paintings, gilt mirrors, and gobelins line the walls. Versailles has nothing on this house. "I presume you know why you were asked to come here?" the Mater says stiffly. I don't think this woman ever smiled ever in her life. "I was under the impression this had to do with your inheritance," I answer, truthfully. For once I'm glad about the ample amounts of cash my dad left me. Hell, it may be blood-money, but at least I won't have to kiss up to this bitch for some of *her* money. "You were right," she says as she cuts a quick look at the women beside her. They don't seem to know how to get out of the room fast enough. Apparently privacy is called for. Oh well. She continues when the women have left the room. "I take it you are just as keen as the other vultures I call relatives to grab my money and waste it on idle pursuits?" The viciousness of her words comes as quite a surprise to both Scully and myself. We look at each other and suddenly I can't help a smile. Heck, I'm used to this kind of venom from daily experiences at the Bureau, I can handle this! "Actually, no," I reply, "I have enough money myself, we just came along for a chance to party." This answer clearly surprises the Mater and, lo and behold, she almost seems to soften. Or at least I think she does. And if she were at all capable of softening, that is. "So you praise yourself on not needing my money then, Fox Mulder," the old lady says. "It should not surprise me, really, as your late father certainly knew how to amass some considerable fortune which has, in time, come to you. Although I gather you have a sister whom you have to share your inheritance with?" The mention of Samantha is a painful sting and I feel how Scully moves closer to me. "My sister has been dead for a number of years now. She went missing when she was eight and was never found." "I regret hearing that," the Mater says, but she doesn't appear too sorry. The icy facade is back with a vengeance. Then she turns to Scully. Shit, this wasn't what I wanted ... "Ms Scully, how about you?" "Yes, Madam?" "You can call me Mater," she snaps and I cringe inwardly. I knew it, I knew it was a wrong idea to bring Scully along! "Yes, Mater?" "How about you, do you need my money?" "No, Mater." "Why do you not? Did your parents leave you a fortune of your own just like Fox's parents did?" "No, Mater." "Then what do you live on if your parents have not given you money?" Apparently this old witch hasn't been out of the house since the Victorian era when a woman could only live on her parents' money, her husband's money or a convent's money. It's disgusting me. "I have a good job, Mater, it brings me all the money I need," Scully answers calmly. The serial killers and homicidal maniacs we've encountered over the years have been well worth it; any lesser woman - or man for that matter - would have been reduced to a blubbering mass of panic by now, but not my partner. God, I'm proud of her ... "So it does," the Mater says. "Who are your parents?" She looks at me, confused, and I decide to answer for her. "Her late father was a captain in the US Navy, her mother is a housewife. She lives in Baltimore, Maryland." "Is that so?" the Mater comments icily. 'Not our kind of people,' I know she's adding mentally. I wonder why she's not just saying it out loud, it wouldn't have surprised me. "Ms Scully, what is your relationship with this man?" I breathe in sharply, but refrain from commenting. I wasn't asked, therefore I'm not supposed to answer. "We work together at the FBI, Mater," Scully answers. The Mater looks briefly at me, but it seems her interrogation of Scully isn't over yet. "The FBI," she just says. "Yes, Mater." "And your job is, what? His secretary?" It's all I can do not to gape at her bluntness. I hear Scully gasp, but she keeps her cool. This, too, is something she has learnt to handle well, with the various small-town yokels we've come across on cases, who dared to question her autopsy findings on account of her having breasts, being just the beginning. "No, Mater, we are partners of equal status. We work in field investigation. I am also a qualified medical doctor and forensic pathologist," she answers calmly. I can see, however, that she's close to seething. I actually feel sorry for the Mater now, this is Dana Scully at her most dangerous. But the Mater doesn't seem unduly impressed. "I see." She studies us for a few minutes, none of us saying a word. Then suddenly she waves us away. "You can go." "Yes, Mater," I say, but Scully doesn't say anything. We waste no time in leaving the room. The hallway outside the drawing room is refreshing in its atmosphere. "Mulder, can we go for a walk? Like, right now?" Scully says and I sense her intentions. She's close to exploding but doesn't want to do it here inside the house. "Yeah, of course. The gardens?" I suggest and she nods. "The gardens will be fine." XxXxX The Mansion The Gardens Monday, 18 July, 10.23 p.m. We have been walking among the flowerbeds for some ten minutes before either of us says anything. I sensed, not unreasonably, that Scully needed some time to calm down. We stop in front of some absolutely spectacular roses and I reach out to touch the petals. I'm not a guy who is into flowers and all that, but no one could be insensitive to these particular roses. They are magnificent. "These roses are quite beautiful, aren't they?" I say softly. For once I don't know what she's feeling and I don't want to ruin her evening any more than the Mater already has. Better stick to a safe topic of conversation. She looks at me, her eyes calm again, and she smiles. "They are gorgeous," she says softly, reaching out herself. She stops just before she touches the rose and chuckles. "Stupid gloves," she smiles, stripping off the gloves. I take them, roll them up and stuff them in one of my trouser pockets. Then she touches the rose petals, too, cupping the flower head in her hand. "It's pretty heavy, I never realised that." "I don't think we could afford to buy this kind of rose on our salary," I smile. "Do you want one?" "Oh no, it would be a shame to pick one," she says, pulling back. "You sure?" "Absolutely." I feel her hand creep into mine and together we continue our walk through the magnificent gardens. The air is still warm, but the lateness of the hour makes that it is also refreshing. "I'm sorry about the Mater," I say as we stroll along the manicured grass paths. "She's a dreadful witch." With my free hand I pull my bowtie loose and undo the top button of the shirt. Ah, much better ... Scully smiles. "I find it incredible that there are still people out there with such old-fashioned ideas. You know, even if, deep down, one still thinks a woman's place should be below the man's, not many people will actually express these feelings. But she does, and she doesn't seem to mind." "Oh, I don't think she does mind, or cares to change her ideas. In her view of the world, a woman always comes after the man. And her husband sure made certain she wouldn't forget that either," I reply. "Her husband? What was he like?" "Oh, at least ten times worse. It was such a good thing they didn't have kids," I grin, looking at her. We have reached the Serpentine, a river-like pond that meanders through the grounds of the estate. As with everything it is in perfect condition. Actually, I'm glad I won't need to claim any of Mater's money or property, the death-duties are going to be enormous. "Unbelievable," Scully smiles. "This is such a beautiful place, I didn't know it existed here. I mean, I'd expect a mansion and garden like this in England or France, but not in America. Everything looks like it came straight from a picture book." "Yeah ..." We are silent for a bit. The three-quarter moon is reflected in the still waters of the pond and the air is filled with the chirping of crickets. A light breeze ruffles the leaves on the nearby trees. I like the city, but sometimes it's really nice to let Nature put in a few words ... "It's pretty romantic, too," I hear her say. Ah, so she's feeling it too. "Yeah ... makes a guy wonder ..." "Wonder what?" We're still only holding hands, standing side by side by the water's edge. "Wonder what a beautiful woman like you is doing with a guy like me," I answer, grinning. She swats my arm. "Yech, Mulder, that is so trashy!" she laughs. "But thanks for the compliment." I laugh too. "Scully, you are stunning, I think I told you as much when you first put on this dress." I let go of her hand to rest my hands on her hips, gently pulling her towards me. "And it isn't just the dress," I continue, my voice low and serious, "because it didn't look even half as good on that woman in the shop as it does on you." She smiles sweetly, understanding just what I mean. She wraps one arm around my waist, the other hand coming to rest on my shirt, just over my heart. "You know, I like you almost as much in a tux as I like you in your jeans and turtleneck," she whispers back, making me smile widely. "Thank you," I say very softly. "You know, there was something we were doing just before the Mater came up to insult you." "Oh, I remember that," she smiles, her eyes sparkling in the sparse late-evening light. The moonlight is reflected in the brilliant whiteness of her dress and catches in the gems that encircle her neck. "Come here, beautiful man." I can't help but smile as we move in together, meeting half-way. But unlike our previous kiss, this is no longer a kiss between loving friends, as we could have explained that other kiss away. This is a kiss to be shared between lovers, long, slow and wet, tongues sliding together for the first time. It is two people discovering each other's tastes, textures and rhythms. It's intoxicating and I don't want it to ever stop. But, of course, it does as it inevitably must. At least this time I don't have to remember to look happy, because I know I am, and I'm sure it shows. Scully's face, meanwhile, looks a bit pink. "Wow ..." she merely says and I grin. Then I gather her to me and just hug her. God, it's good to have someone who cares this much for me ... I bury my face in her hair, close to her ear. "I love you," I say softly, feeling a lump in my throat from the sheer force of the emotions, the extent of my affection for her. I feel her hand on the back of my head and I look at her, lifting my head away from her just far enough so our eyes can meet. "I love you too," she whispers in reply. She chuckles, shaking her head slightly. "Honestly, Mulder, I wouldn't know what I'd do without you." She stops, grins at me and then laughs. "God, that was schmoopy, wasn't it?" I laugh out loud at her choice of words. "It was rather, wasn't it?" I grin. "Yeah, I guess it was," she smiles, just before a violent shiver runs through her. "Brrr, it's getting chilly out here." I don't feel it as much because I'm wearing far more clothes than she is, with just that thin silk dress, but I can feel a cold breeze starting to pick up. I glance at my watch. Well, no wonder, it's close to 11 at night. I take my jacket off and offer it to her. "Here, put this on." "But, what will you wear then?" she protests. "It's all right, I've worn it all night, I'm okay. Go on, take it." She smiles in consent and I slip the jacket on her. It's far too large for her, but she doesn't seem to mind. "Mmmm, it's still warm," she says, her eyes closed. Then we look at each other and laugh. "Let's go back into the house." I slip my arm around her shoulders and feel her arm come around my waist. Slowly, taking our time, we head back towards the brilliantly lit house. The party is still in full swing, but we don't go back to the ballroom. After that wonderful enchanting half-hour in the garden, the last thing we feel like is going back to the drunken mess that is no doubt to be found in and around the ballroom. "I'm a bit tired," Scully says, her arm still around my waist. "You want to go to our room then?" I ask. She looks at me. "Unless you want to go back to the party," she replies softly. I smile. "We can have our own party upstairs, if you like. I don't need these people anyway." She smiles back. "They're not too bad, they're actually pretty ... normal." I chuckle. "That must be it ..." She laughs in return. "We're sad, you know that? One would think we'd jump at every opportunity that comes by to be normal, but instead we duck and hope that this so-called normal life passes us by without noticing we're hiding under the table." I think for a moment. "Does ... does that bother you?" "What do you mean?" "That we don't have that 'normal life'? Even *our* job doesn't make it impossible, although it does make it harder to have a social life." I look down. "Am I stopping you from having a normal life, Scully? Because that is the last thing I want to do, you know." She smiles at me, raising her hand to my face. "I'm having all the life I want, Mulder." I smile wryly. "Don't put up a brave face for me, I know I'm not exactly giving you much of a chance to get away from me." "Mulder, I don't know what you're talking about. Granted, I'm not going out every week, or keep a dozen friends, but that's okay. I have a few good friends that stick by me, and I have a fantastic family. And, well, I've got good man." She says this last comment almost shyly. "That makes up for much." "You know, that ... that means a lot to me," I answer, "but don't you ever feel like having ... normal friends to hang out with? Women whom you can just ... go out with and have a laugh and a chat and a drink with? I sometimes feel I'm stopping you from seeing friends because I keep dragging you along on cases all the time." She smiles widely. "Trust me, Mulder, if I were in any way unhappy with the way I live my life, you'd be the first one to know." She raises up on tip-toes and kisses me softly on the lips. "Do you think they'll notice if we grab a bottle of something and two glasses for a little private party in our room?" I grin. "I have this feeling that half the liquor consumed at tonight's party isn't drunk in the ballroom at all." "Oh good, then get a bottle of something good and meet me upstairs," she says, her eyes sparkling. XxXxX The Mansion The Green Room Monday, 18 July, 11.52 p.m. I find the door to our room open, which is very convenient, seeing that I'm not just carrying a bottle of champagne and two champagne flutes, but also a plate of various little snacks I managed to nick from the ball room. I'm kinda having my hands full. "Scully, are you in here?" I ask. "Mulder, is that you? I'm in the bathroom," I hear her answer and I walk into the room, setting the plate, the champagne and the glasses on one of the mahogany sidetables. I pull my bowtie from the collar and undo the cuffs of the shirt. Then I lie down on my bed. Man, this bed is good! Much better than my couch. At that moment Scully emerges from the bathroom, still dressed in her Laura Lava gown, but her face is now clean of make up and her hair has started to get wavy again, giving her a girl-like appearance. It's a startling combination. She looks at me as I'm lying on the bed and a smile curls her lips. "What?" I say, wondering what that smile means. She smiles even wider. "Oh, nothing," she replies airily, giving me a quick raise of her eyebrow. Now what the heck is going on inside that head of hers? I get up from the bed. "What are you thinking, Scully?" She walks to the sidetable where the champagne is and pours two glasses. Then, with the glass in her hand, she faces me, leaning lightly against the sidetable. I'm surprised by the mischievous expression on her face, one I have seldom, if ever, seen before. "Nothing that you can ever get me to tell you." I pick up on her challenge immediately. "Yeah, right," I huff with a grin, walking towards her. I'm throwing my height and weight into the game because I know she's expecting nothing less of me. "I have ways of making you tell me, you know." She sips from her glass before she answers, but I know it's not to buy herself some time. I'm dead-sure she had an answer ready before I even said anything. "I'll bet you say that to all the girls you interrogate ..." Her eyes dare me to answer in kind. A drop of champagne clings to her lip and I swallow the urge to dip in and kiss it away. But, no, she's perfectly able to do it herself, nearly sending me clawing the wall with desire as she licks her lips. I smile, moving closer, invading her personal space, but this time she's not moving away. I raise my right hand and touch my fingertips to her collarbone. As I mentioned before, this dress is extremely low-cut in the front and the back, and I plan on taking full advantage of the ample amount of Scully-skin on show here. Slowly I dip my hand downwards, and one by one my fingers lose contact until only the tip of my index finger is teasing her skin. I barely make contact, trying to keep the touch lighter than a feather. She's resting her hands on the sidetable, the champagne now forgotten, as she follows my finger as it dips into her cleavage. "Mulder ... what are you doing?" she whispers. Her breathing is fast and shallow and I can see her hardened nipples under the silk of her dress. Hell, I bet I'd even see them if she had been wearing a bra. "Seducing you," I say in a low voice. "Trying to make you tell me what you were thinking when you smiled that huffy smile at me." She laughs, sounding breathy. I know she's aroused, anyone could see that, and I marvel at how fast it went. Then again, it's not like my own body is far behind. On the contrary actually, I'm hard as a rock. I slip my finger under the shoulder strap of her dress and slowly slide it down her arm. She moans ever so softly and catches her bottom lip between her teeth. "Mulder, I'm ... I'm not wearing a bra ..." "I know," I can only answer as I start to slide the other strap down. I have to see her, I want to see her. "Come on, Scully, what were you thinking when I came in?" She moans louder now, closing her eyes and leaning her head back, baring her throat to me. I can't help but lean in and touch my lips to the vulnerable soft flesh there. It's gesture of such trust ... "Oh God ... I can't believe this is happening now ..." she breathes. I pull back a little, reality coming back to me hard as I hear her words. Man, what am I doing? I swallow hard. I mean, I haven't even asked her if she wanted this! "Oh Jesus, I'm sorry, Scully! I don't know what I'm doing!" She comes back up and she looks at me as she licks her lips. Her pupils are dilated and she looks ... wild. "Wh- what?" I quickly pull the shoulder straps of her dress back up after which I move away from her. I hit a bed - I don't know whether it's mine or hers - and sit down, horror-struck. "Mulder, what are you doing?" she asks, moving towards me, a frown on her face. The straps of her dress are still only haphazardly clinging to her shoulders and she makes no moves to adjust them properly. "What ..." I avoid her eyes. God, I'm such a swine. I buy her this incredibly sexy dress, which she's kind enough to wear for me - because I begged her to, for Goodness sake! - and the moment she acts just the slightest bit cheeky, I start pawing her like a horny teenager. It's disgusting. "Scully, I'm sorry for what I did," I say softly, still not looking at her. "I have no excuse except for a filthy mind and clearly a total lack of respect where you're concerned ..." She's standing in the middle of the room. Her feet are bare and the dress grazes the hardwood floor. "Mulder." I just sigh. God, I hate myself. "Mulder, look at me." I turn my head to the wall and groan in frustration. What does she want from me, why hasn't she already left the room? I really don't understand why she would possibly want to stay here now. "Jesus, Mulder, I'm not going to kill you! Why won't you look at me?" I sigh again, burying my face in my hands. My erection has thankfully gone so at least the chances of me pouncing on her are over for now. I'm such an ass. "Fine, then don't look at me!" she snaps. Stupidly enough, that does make me look at her. She's furious, absolutely livid. "Jesus, Mulder, what happened here? What's going on?" I bark out a dry laugh. "Scully, I nearly ... I was undressing you and I hadn't even -..." "Not that," she interrupts me angrily, "what happened *after* that! One moment you've got me bending backwards on that table, mere inches from an orgasm, and the next moment you're sitting on that bed, beating yourself up. What the hell are you thinking?" I open my mouth, then close it again because I honestly can't think of an answer. "A striking resemblance to guppy-fish at feeding time ..." she deadpans, one eyebrow raised. At other times I'd laugh at her comment, but I'm feeling too shitty now. She walks towards me. "Can I sit down or are you going to bolt if I get too close?" she asks, her voice softer now, although she still sounds a little angry. I take a deep breath. "You can sit down," I say softly, looking at my hands as they lie in my lap. "Of course you can sit down." "Thank you." I feel the mattress dip slightly as she sits on the bed next to me. We are silent for a little while. I can feel how she looks at my face, but I'm not ready to meet her eyes. Then she reaches out and takes one of my hands. It's all I can do not to pull away. "You're such a mess," she says softly. "I wish I could help you ..." I manage a lop-sided smile. "I'm too far gone, Scully, not even you can do anything about it." She sighs softly. "The trouble is, you're not even letting me try." "Why would you want to?" She keeps holding my hand with one of hers, the other coming up to brush my hair away from my temple. "Because I have no choice but to try. I love you too much to just give up on you. It's not even an option," she says, her voice shaky. This time I can look at her. Her eyes are soft and brimming with unshed tears. "It hurts me so much to see you beat yourself up, Mulder," she whispers, swallowing heavily as if to keep from crying. "I live in constant fear of seeing it happening again, because I have no way of preventing it from happening or stopping it when it does happen and it breaks my heart so hard it hurts. It hurts like hell, Mulder, you have no idea. Every time I see it happening I want to scream ..." She sucks her lips in and bites down on them, but it doesn't prevent a tear from escaping. Jesus Christ ... She pulls her feet up onto the bed and wraps her arms around her knees, her face on her knees. Her shoulders start shaking and I realise with a shock that she's crying. Hard. Oh my God ... "Oh, Scully, I'm so sorry ..." I choke out. I feel how my throat blocks up and I pull her against me. "Oh God, Scully ... Dana ..." She lets go of her knees, instead wraps her arms around my neck. She murmurs something against my shoulder, but I can't make out her words. I rock her gently, my body, my whole being wanting nothing more than to wrap her up in me, shelter her, cradle her. I'm touched beyond comprehension by the extent of her love and affection for me and, let me tell you, it's very humbling. Very very humbling ... We sit huddled together for a long while, but eventually she calms down. "God, Scully, I'm so sorry ..." I whisper when she's ready to let go of her frantic embrace. She sits back on the bed, her arms still loosely around my neck, her eyes strangely disturbed. "Why are you apologising?" I open my mouth but for a while nothing comes out. This is the one question I did not expect. "Because ..." She shakes her head. Her eyes are gentle but brutally honest. "Because you're beating yourself up again." She sighs but lets out an incredulous chuckle. "You're such a sadist, Fox Mulder." I raise my eyebrows in confusion. "A sadist? I've been called some names in my life-time, but ... a sadist?" "Yeah, because I told you it hurts me to see you beat yourself up, and you just don't seem to get it, do you?" I sigh. "You're right," I reply in a soft voice. "It's ... I think it's gonna take some time to get rid of that, you know, I've been doing it all my life." She smiles gently. "I know, and I shouldn't expect an overnight change from you." She yawns. "You know, it's late, and I'm really exhausted now. How about we move this party to the bed?" I smile, grateful for her change of subject. "Good idea. Do you need to use the bathroom?" She shakes her head. "No, I already took off my make up and brushed my teeth. That champagne isn't going to hurt. It's all yours." She yawns again. I snicker. "Ooo, I see a little girl who needs a bed!" She smiles, rolling her eyes. "Don't push your luck, Agent Mulder! Go on, but make it snappy." "Aye aye, cap'n," I grin, avoiding a pillow by ducking into the bathroom. Inside, I take a minute or two to study my reflection in the bathroom mirror. I'm not particularly pleased by what I see, but then I shrug. Man, I've been such an ass-hole tonight. How or why on earth Scully is still in that room, I honestly can't comprehend, but if there's a god, he deserves more than a lousy candle for saving my ass here tonight. I wonder if they still accept animal sacrifices. I shake my head at this ludicrous idea. Apparently I'm way too tired to think straight. I undress in the bathroom, thankful for the privacy. Then I realise I need some clean underwear and I didn't bring it with me into the bathroom. Shit ... I poke my head around the corner. "Scully?" I can't see her. "Scully, are you still here?" She appears. She's wearing a black silk pyjama top that reaches almost to the middle of her thighs. "What is it, Mulder?" "I ... erm ... I need a pair of boxershorts," I say a bit sheepishly. "Would you mind grabbing some for me?" "Yeah, sure. Does it matter which ones?" she asks, walking over to my suitcase. "No, any pair will be fine, thanks." She hands me a dark blue pair and I go back into the bathroom, pulling them on. Then I take a deep breath to steady myself and leave the bathroom. I frown when I see Scully on my bed. "Scully, didn't we ... you know, agree that this was my bed?" She smiles, her expression slightly defiant. "Yes, we did." "Then what changed it?" I'm very confused here. "Nothing did. This is still your bed. And now it's mine too." I feel my eyes widen and my mouth fall open. "Scully ... you can't be serious!" She sits up on her knees and cocks her head. "I'm deadly serious. Why shouldn't I be?" "Because ... how on earth am I going to keep my hands off you if you're sharing that bed with me?" She shrugs. "I don't know. What I do know though is that I have no intentions of sleeping in any other bed than the one you're sleeping in." I groan. "Jesus, Scully, I'm not joking here! What are you thinking? That I'm made of stone? That I can just sleep through the night, totally oblivious to you being only inches away from me? You must be kidding me, and I don't appreciate it." She looks me straight in the eye. "I don't know what you're thinking, but I know what I'm thinking: we shared the most fantastically erotic kiss this evening, one that had me shaking on my feet - and I can tell you, that is a first - " I can't help a light chuckle, making her smile as well. "... and then after we got back from the garden, you had me aroused so fast I didn't know what hit me, but, boy, was it ever damn good! And now, when I know what you can do, and how easily you can you do it, you're sending me back to my own bed? You're insane. Gorgeous but clearly totally mental ..." She smiles a toothy smile at me. I laugh out loud, which I'm sure was exactly what she was hoping for. I walk towards the bed and sit down on it. She moves to sit behind me, wrapping her arms loosely around my neck. "You may have noticed that I'm not naked," she says softly, her voice calm, "nor have I demanded that you would be. And I don't need that to change either, but I do want us to be together tonight." She kisses me on the cheek. "Okay?" I sigh with a smile. "Okay. But I still think I'm going to be in trouble." She chuckles. "I'm more than capable of dealing with that. Let's go to bed." XxXxX The Mansion The Green Room Tuesday, 19 July, 9.26 a.m. I gotta share this with you, because I'm damn proud of myself: I didn't touch her once all night! Okay, God knows I wanted to, and God knows I was tempted, but I didn't. Na-uh, I kept myself in check. Someone out there must really like me. I realise this joyful fact when I see the sun peeping through the slit between the heavy velvet curtains which, otherwise, do a splendid job of keeping the daylight out. I turn around and see Scully still sleeping fast. She looks really cute - better keep that thought to myself - and better still, she doesn't stir any more feelings of desire in me than she always does. Which means I might even make it out of this bed, into the bathroom and into my clothes for the day. All without laying a single hand on her. I get up to answer nature's call, and when I get back from the bathroom I walk towards the door, planning to get us some breakfast. But, no, this won't do at all, leaving her here like this. She's been really considerate tonight and I'm just going to walk away from her? I must be mad. Besides, it's nearly half past nine, I might as well wake her up. "Hey, gorgeous," I whisper, stroking her hair away from her face, then bending down to kiss her cheek, "time to wake up." "Mmm?" is all I'm getting from her. "Whassatime?" I grin. "9.30. You gonna wake up for me?" She stretches like a kitten. "Mmmyeah, I'd better ..." She sits up and blinks a few times. "Did you sleep well?" Amazingly, I did. "Slept like a baby," I answer, getting back up from the bed. I grab a pair of jeans and a T-shirt from my suitcase. When I look at her I'm surprised to see her smile wickedly. "A baby? I never knew babies did things like that when they're asleep." I freeze as the implications of her words sink in. Shit, did I really ... I never noticed ... "Oh, Jesus, Scully, did I ... I didn't mean to ..." She smiles, shaking her head. "I'm sorry, Mulder, I'm just pulling your leg. You've been a perfect gentleman and I shouldn't have said that." I let out a long breath as I put on my jeans. She climbs off the bed and wraps her arms around my bare waist, facing me. "But neither should I have let you sleep," she says in a low voice. "By being such a gentleman, you've been awfully cruel on me, I didn't know I deserved that." I frown. "What do you mean?" She rises up on tip-toes. "I still want you. That doesn't go away, you know, no matter how much you beat yourself up." She gives me the once-over. "Especially not when you walk around like this." "What do you want from me?" I ask, weaving my hands through her hair. Sometime in the past minute or so my T-shirt has landed on the floor, but I have no recollection of it ever going there. She meets my eyes without a moment's hesitation. "What I want from you?" she says, wrapping her arms around my neck and making me bend a little so our faces are closer together. "I want to make love to you, that's what I want. The question is, what do you want?" And with those words she lets go. Is this my cue to let go as well? Hell, no! I pull her roughly towards me, the silk of her pyjama top slippery under my hands. With one hand I keep her body fused to mine, while with the other hand I tilt her face up so I can attack her lips with mine in a none-too-gentle kiss. But she hardly seems surprised by it, instead begins to kiss me back with fervour. God, this is good ... "Mulder ..." she murmurs, only just breaking the kiss. She's panting and her face is flushed. "What?" Now who else is panting as well, I wonder? "I haven't brushed my teeth yet. And neither have you." Damn ... "You're right. Do you-..." "Oh damn it all, I don't care!" And with those words she's back on me, kissing me hard and daring me to return the favour. I chuckle inwardly. I know better than to let her get one on me! Our first kiss was definitely chaste, and our second kiss may have been a lover's kiss, but it was still gentle. These kisses, however, are lover's kisses ram-packed full of lust and desire. Roughly she breaks the kiss. Her hair is mussed from my hands, her lips are pink and slightly swollen from our kisses, her pyjama top is askew and she looks ... wild. Wild and wanton. Jesus ... "God, I've been waiting for this for a long time." I smile, my hands roaming under the soft silk of her pyjama top. "Me too," I can just say before our mouths meet again. Still kissing, I feel her hands starting to undo the button fly of my jeans, and it wakes me up from the haze that comes with kissing this woman. "Scully ... are you sure? 'Cause if you go on, there will be no stopping me, you know ..." I make her look at me. I have to be absolutely sure that this is what she wants, otherwise I will stop right now. She begins to laugh softly, but sobers down when she sees this is anything but a joke to me. "I want you, I think I told you that before," she whispers, lightly sliding her hands over my chest and stomach. "There will be no regrets, Mulder, not from me and not from you." Her eyes take on a decidedly wicked look. "I've been checking out that body of yours for years, I want to know what it looks like naked." I chuckle. "You've seen me naked." She smiles widely. "Yeah, but you never reaped the benefits of it. Neither did I, for that matter. And you weren't exactly in any condition to do anything with it, were you?" She blushes as the possibility of a double- entendre slips from her lips. I can't help it, I have to respond to it. Call me a pig, call me anything you like, but this is stronger than I am. "So you're sure I can do something with 'it' now?" I gasp as she cups me in her hand, stroking me through my jeans. Jesus ... She's grinning. "Sure feels like it," she says smugly. I chuckle, remembering something, and take her hands. "I think we'd better slow down, Scully." She frowns when she looks at me. "Why? Don't you want this?" I snicker. "I thought you just had the evidence to the contrary quite literally in your hand, sweetheart, but the maids will be in pretty soon and ..." "And what?" I bend closer to whisper in her ear. "... I would like some privacy for what I've got in store for you, gorgeous ..." XxXxX The Mansion The Green Room Tuesday, 19 July, 7.23 p.m. Another night, another party, though this time it's a less formal occasion than yesterday. Thank God. I'm straightening my tie, while, behind me, Scully is trying to find the shoes she apparently wants to wear tonight. "God damn it!" she mutters and I hear the lid of her suitcase slam shut. I turn towards her. She's wearing her black dress right now, and a pair of sheer thigh-high stockings - with lacy tops and a garter-belt I found out, God help me - but still very much shoe-less. "Hey, relax," I say, smiling, "they've got to be here in the room somewhere. Are you sure you brought them with you?" She nods, sitting down on the bed. "Positive. I don't understand why I can't find them. And walking around without shoes will probably put a run in my stockings as well." She sighs dramatically and flops down onto the bed. I can't help a grin at her theatrical approach, and begin my own quest for the elusive footwear. It doesn't take long before I locate them next to the dresser. "Found them," I announce with just this bit too much male pride. She smiles and takes the shoes, slipping them onto her feet. "Thanks, I knew they had to be in here somewhere." She then gets to her feet and walks towards the vanity and checks her appearance. "What do you think, should I wear my cross or not?" she asks, not looking away from her image in the mirror. She reaches behind her neck to undo the fine gold necklace. "It looks kinda bare without some kind of necklace, doesn't it?" I reach into my suitcase. "Funny you should mention that," I begin, my voice a bit rougher than normal. I don't think she'll accept this, but I have to try. "Because I have something that may just solve that problem ..." I move to stand behind her and carefully clasp the diamond and ruby necklace around her neck. I smile slightly when I hear her gasp. "Mulder!" "It's pretty, isn't it?" I say as I watch her reflection. "Do you like it?" She sighs, looking stricken. "What are you doing to me? You know I can't ..." Anger flares inside me and I have to take a deep breath to steady myself. "Oh yeah, I remember now," I say, my voice soft but nonetheless angry. "Jesus, Scully, what do you want from me if I can't even give you presents?" She bites on her lip, then opens her mouth, but she doesn't speak. I can see how she's fighting an internal battle here and feel myself soften. I'm still standing behind her and I wrap my arms around her waist, leaning my head on her shoulder, sighing, then softly kissing the bare skin. Shit, I'm such a moron ... "It's a family heirloom," I say very softly, "it would have been Samantha's after mom died, but, well, you know ..." She makes a soft sound of compassion and turns around in my arms. We move in and I hold her gently, holding her head to my shoulder. We are silent for a bit, and I have no doubt we're both thinking the same thing: how much we lost over the years, the cost of our quest and our life-style. And whether it was worth it. Have we gained enough out of it to make up for all we've lost? I don't think we'll ever get the answer to that particular question. I don't think we're supposed to. I'm first to speak again. "You can have it or you can borrow it," I whisper, "but personally I can't do anything with it except lock it up in a safe. And mom asked me ..." I fall still. "Asked you what?" she whispers, looking at me. I take a deep breath. "To give her jewellery to the woman of my life, to someone who'd deserve it ..." Her mouth opens and her eyes become so soft and touched that it tears me up inside. "I ... I can't force you to accept this jewel, I don't want to force you, but ..." "But what?" I close my eyes and lean my head on top of hers. God, I used to hate these jewels so much, to me they represented everything cold and heartless I found in my parents and grandparents. Could it be that they could ever hold something positive? If anyone could give them their shine back, who'd be better at it than my very best friend? I sigh. "This is gonna sound weird, but ... you'd make these jewels look so pretty again. They have never been beautiful to me, Scully, but somehow I think they could be. I want to see them beautiful, being worn by someone who deserves them. Not because she has wealth or status, but because she ..." I look at her again, and nearly drown in her eyes. "... because she has a kind of nobility that comes only with a thoroughly good heart ..." She's stunned, she looks stunned. Well, what else was I expecting anyway? Then she sighs and wipes her hand over her eyes, just before she presses herself into me. "Oh, Mulder, thank you ..." "Does that mean you'll wear it tonight?" It makes her laugh sweetly. "Yes, I will wear it tonight." I feel so relieved now. "Will you wear it after tonight as well?" She nods. "Of course I will." She reaches up and gives me a lingering kiss. "Thank you." I smile widely. "My pleasure." XxXxX The Mansion The Ball Room Tuesday, 19 July, 9.04 p.m We have become momentarily separated during the party, with me being abducted by a bunch of nearly or very drunk male cousins, while Scully has been adopted by a number of nieces, cousins, and aunts. I can see her standing and talking to them about 30 feet away, but all I can hear is their laughter. Well, at least she seems to be enjoying herself which is more than can be said about me. "So," a cousin I've come to know as Eugene - gad ... - addresses me, "you're in the FBI, right?" I take a sip from my beer. "That's right." The guy grins stupidly. "Cool! Does that mean you're packing?" I nod and do an internal eye-roll. "I have a gun if that's what you're asking, yeah." The man's eyes widen. "Right now?" I shake my head. "I'm not on duty." "Makes sense." Then he turns around. "Hey Karl, you gotta check this out!" he shouts. Another relative of mine comes closer. "What?" the guy known as Karl asks. He looks too dim-witted to be closely related to me, my direct family surely never grew this stupid. "Old Fox here is an FBI agent, did you know that?" Eugene asks, a bit too excitedly to my taste. "Wow," Karl says in a slow voice. "Does the Mater know that?" "She does actually," I reply, draining my glass. "What did she say?" Eugene asks, grabbing two beers from a tray one of the servants is carrying around. "Did she approve?" "I don't think she did," I answer. "Aren't you going to change your job then?" Karl asks. I cut a quick look at Scully who's clearly still having the greatest time. She meets my eyes and I'm nearly blown away by the happy expression on her face, her full-blown smile and sparkling eyes. Am I going to change my job? Hell no! Karl and Eugene seem to have noticed how Scully and I looked at each other and clearly they're not yet inbred enough to have missed our silent rapport. "She looks hot," Eugene says. "Who is she?" "She's my partner at the Bureau," I reply, looking at the two guys. They give me wide-eyed stares. "You work with that?" Eugene says. "She's pretty," Karl manages to say and I feel disgusted. How stupid can you be before you're officially denied as a human being, I wonder? I see how she breaks away from the women she was talking with and walks up to me. "You look like you're having fun," she smiles at me, totally ignoring the two monkeys by my side. "I'm having a ball," I say with a light snicker. "You seemed to be enjoying yourself back there, why did you leave them?" She opens her mouth, then closes it again and smiles a bit. "You looked like you could use some company, and since I noticed that ..." She turns to Eugene and Karl: "Would you two mind getting me a drink, please?" making them scurry away. Then she turns back to me, a smile on her face. "... that the only company you were having up till now was not exactly up to par, I thought I'd better rescue you." I smile widely. God, you gotta love this woman. "Thanks," I grin. She looks around the room, then back at me. "How about a walk?" I place my glass on a nearby table and smile. "Sounds like a good plan." I offer her my arm and she hooks her arm through mine. "How about I show you round the house?" "Yeah, if you don't mind," she says, looking a bit surprised by the idea, but clearly looking forward to it. She glances around and we see our two pals about to return. She smiles and tugs at my sleeve. "Come on, let's go before we have to deal with those two zoo escapees again." I grin at her choice of words and we make our way to the nearest door leading out of the Ballroom and into the corridor that runs alongside it. The corridor is nice and cool compared to the sweltering Ballroom. It's so much more quiet as well. "Thanks for coming to my rescue," I smile. "Don't tell me you're related to those idiots," she grins. I shrug. "'fraid so," I grin back. "Pretty amazing, huh?" "I wonder what the Mater makes of them." I hadn't even thought of them in that context, but she's right. Surely the Mater can't consider giving those morons any money. Oh, what the heck do I care anyway? "I think that in her opinion even the FBI would be preferable over such obvious lack of any braincells," I laugh. I take her hand and we start our way down the long corridor. As we walk towards the far end of the corridor I show Scully what I know of the building and its history. I may not have visited this house very often, or for a long time, but some things just never fade. For once my memory ceases to be a curse. "What's this room for?" she asks as we peer into a small ante-chamber next to the Ball Room. I push the door open further and I follow her inside. "I think this is a kind of drawing room. Oh wait, this is where the ladies gathered before they went into the Ball Room." "Really?" I nod. "Yeah." I point out the windows under the side-tables. "Do you know what those mirrors are for?" She frowns. "Those are weird," she says, "why would anyone put mirrors down so low? All you can see in them is your feet." We move to stand in front of one that has a mirror above the table as well, with me behind her and we both look at our feet as they are reflected in the gilt-framed mirror. "In the olden days," I say, wrapping my arms around her waist, "when ladies wore their long dresses, they used to wear a number of petticoats underneath." "Crinolins," Scully says and I nod. "That's right, but even then they still wore a couple of petticoats on top of the crinolin. And it was said that, when a woman showed her petticoats from under her upper skirt, it meant she was looking for a husband." She looks around and I can see her smile. "So these mirrors were a kind of ..." "Last minute check, yeah. Just to make sure the lady in question wasn't giving out any unwanted signals," I smile back. "That is priceless," she answers with a grin, "why did you remember that?" I tap my head. "I'm afraid I can't help but remember it," I say a bit wryly, "but it's a good story so, yeah ..." I see how she slides the hem of her dress up a bit. It used to reach just below her knee, and suddenly I understand what the commotion about rising hemlines was all about some hundred years ago. That one totally insignificant inch or so absolutely takes my breath away. "Too bad no one wears petticoats anymore," she murmurs and smiles, looking back at me. I smile back. "Why? Are you trying to tell me you need a husband?" She blushes at my words and I mentally slap myself. Jesus, me and my big mouth ... "Well, that all depends," she answers. Our eyes meet in the mirror. "On what?" I see her smile. "On whether you're looking for a wife." I gasp, I can't help it. I turn her around, because I need to see her now. Jesus Christ, what have I started here? She smiles a bit, looking embarrassed. "I'm sorry, that remark was way out of line," she says softly. I frown slightly. "What do you mean?" "I ... By saying that, I know I put too much pressure on you. It was unfair of me to say that and I'm sorry." I smile. "Well, you're right about the pressure, but I don't think you need to be sorry. After all, I started it." She nods. "Yes, you did." She takes a deep breath. "But this is still not the place or time to talk about marriage, I should think." Unfortunately, she is right. But I'm not about to drop the subject just like this, even if it is indeed not the place to ask her to marry me. "I guess it isn't," I smile, "but it would be interesting to see what you think would make a good husband for you." She smiles. "Like to live dangerously, don't you?" I shrug easily. "Guilty as charged. So, will you answer my question?" She chuckles. "I guess so." She thinks for a moment. Then she smiles and looks at her feet. She looks for all the world like she's shy, and that is pretty rare. "I think ..." she begins, but then she falls silent. I carefully brush a loose tendril of her hair back. "What?" She looks up to meet my eyes, still hesitant. "I think ... that basically what I've always been looking for is ..." She takes a deep breath. "... right what I've found in you." I smile, I can't help it. "Really?" She nods. "I don't think I would have stayed with you for this long if you hadn't been what I'd always looked for in a man." She chuckles. "Even when it was anything but obvious to me or anyone else. And then I just chose not to see it. Which was a crying shame in a way." We smile easily at each other. "So," she then goes on, "what would make the perfect wife for you?" I gently pull her towards me. "You, and that's no secret. Especially not after what has happened since we arrived here." She blushes adorably and I smile. I bend down. "I still want you, you know," I whisper in her ear, making her shiver. I feel how she gently holds my head down. "Trust me, I want you more," she replies equally softly, her breath hotter than usual. Jesus ... It's really but a small distance now, so I turn her face towards me and kiss her. And although I've taken the initiative, she's the one who makes it clear in no uncertain ways that she isn't prepared to stop here. What a lucky coincidence. She pulls away after a while and our eyes meet. She smiles a toothy smile. "That ... was good." I chuckle. "You'll be pleased to know there's an unlimited supply, you know." She laughs. "Really?" Then she wraps her arms loosely around my neck. Her eyes lose their playful expression, instead they grow sultry. "I assume there is ... more ... you have to offer a girl?" I smile a little. "More than you can imagine," I say in a low voice. She smiles back an easy confident smile. "I dunno, I can imagine quite a bit." I grin. "Is that a challenge I hear?" She licks her lips. "It is if you think you're up to it, yeah." "Oh, I'm up to it," I reply in a slightly rough voice. "No pulling back this time, Mulder, I won't have it," she says seriously. I snicker. "Don't you worry about that, I want this way too much." "Good," she says with a nod. She takes my hand. "Let's go." Call it a guilty pleasure, but a woman who takes charge can make my knees buckle. XxXxX The Mansion Starting somewhere in an abandoned corridor Tuesday, 19 July, 10.17 p.m. I thought that after all this, we wouldn't know how to make it back to our room fast enough, but I really ought to know better by now. If there is one thing that typifies our relationship, it must be that there is never a predictable moment. "Come on, you gotta catch me if you wanna have me!" Scully tosses over her shoulder as she makes another beeline for the nearest door, window, pillar or whatever new object she's found to hide behind. Objective of this whole charade: some illicit nookie half-hidden from view. I feel like the teenager I never even was, making out with the prom-queen on a gorgeous summer night. I take off after her, but she lets herself be caught way too easily. I put my hand on her shoulder and she whirls around, lightly panting, but mostly laughing. Her eyes are glittering with joy and arousal as she lets herself be pushed gently against one of the Ionic pillars that line the wall of just another corridor we've discovered, and our mouths meet again in a frenzied kiss. "Scully ..." I pant when we have to break the kiss for a moment, "I don't know how much longer I want to play this game ..." She swallows once before she replies. "How far are we from our room?" I smile ruefully. "Way too far for my sake." She imitates my smile. "Oh God ..." Her hands have continued to roam all over me - as have mine actually - and she's rubbing herself against me like a kitten. "What do we do?" I've started kissing her neck, nibbling then soothing the little bites with my lips and tongue. Jesus, I'm so aroused I am never going to make it to the other side of the house. But, what else can we do? "I don't want to finish this here," I say against her skin. I feel how she shakes her head. "Neither do I," she says softly. Her voice sounds a bit strained, but I know she agrees with me. I lift my face away from her so I can look at her. She smiles gently, even though the fierce flush on her face, neck, and chest reveals the real intentions of her body. "Shall we make a dash for it?" I groan. "Scully, I've done enough running for one night," I whine, but frankly I'm only joking. If she's the prize I'll happily run around the world. "Well, I don't mean we actually have to run," she smiles, "but I do think we shouldn't waste too much time. I don't think I could bear that." And with that she cups my ass firmly in her small hands and crushes our groins together. I can't help a groan in response. Then she lets go and darts away from me, half-walking half- skipping backwards, beckoning me to follow her. I set off in hot pursuit, and she lets me kiss her whenever I can. This way, and with me steering us in the right direction, we eventually make it back to the corridor where our room is. "Wait," she suddenly says, stopping me in my urgent trek towards the privacy of our room. I stop dead in my tracks. Wait? Why? I'm sure my expression betrays my confusion and she smiles. We have once again found ourselves in a manic embrace against a wall, now only paces away from our door. "Before we go in, and forget about everything else," she smiles, wrapping her arms around my neck, "I just want to thank you for another great evening." I smile and bend down for a quick kiss. "You're very welcome," I answer. Then I nod towards the door. "Shall we?" She nods eagerly. "Hell yeah ..." And with that she pushes me backwards against our door. Blindly I reach behind me and miraculously find the door handle so we can stumble into the blissful privacy of our room. God, I've been waiting for this all night. XxXxX The Mansion The Green Room Wednesday, 20 July, 10.08 a.m. I wonder what time it is ... What a difference, by the way, from yesterday morning. Yesterday I was happy just to have made it through the night without touching her. Today, well, today I'm more than pleased to know that I have touched her. And a lot more than that too, forgive the smile. Today we're leaving the Mansion. Beautiful though this place may be, after a mere three days here I already feel like choking. This is not the place for us. Speaking of 'us', where the heck is Scully? I haven't had more than a minute or so to worry about this, when the door to our room opens and she comes in. She's wearing her satin dressing gown and she's carrying a tray with what looks like some sandwiches and a pot of coffee. "Good morning," I smile, sniffing the smell of the coffee in appreciation. She smiles back. "Good morning to you, too." She sets the tray on the bed, then reaches over for a quick kiss. "I got us some breakfast." "I can tell. Why didn't you wake me up?" "What should I have woken you up for?" she asks, pouring us both a cup of coffee. "Besides, I enjoyed looking at you as you slept. Then, after a little while, I grew hungry and I went in search of something to eat." I can't help a smile. How totally Scully. "It looks good." "It does, doesn't it? I enlisted the help of Maria, the chef, to get me some of the good stuff for our sandwiches. She was pretty determined to cook us a full breakfast, but I managed to convince her that we really didn't need that much food." "I'm surprised that Maria wanted to cook us such a big breakfast. She never wants to do anything for anyone apart from the Mater. What on earth did you do to tap into her soft side?" She shrugs and smiles. "I think she rather fancies me," she replies matter of factly. "And really, after last night I really couldn't care less about whether or not taking advantage of this infatuation was right or wrong. Sandwich?" I shake my head. "No," I answer, leaning in to her. "I want you." Maybe it's sick, but I just can't resist her when she throws caution and good sense, not to mention political correctness, to the wind and just goes for it. Perhaps it's because this happens so seldom, or perhaps it's just me, but it really sends my blood boiling. She smiles and sighs in mock-exasperation. "Mulder ..." "Ah, so you want me too," I grin, taking the sandwich from her fingers and putting the plate and tray safely to one side. I sit behind her and start kissing her neck and then her shoulder, easing the dressing gown out of the way. One of my hand is on her hips and I feel how she covers it with a light one of hers, the other one landing on my hand on her shoulder as I slowly push the soft satin down her arm to make room. She moans ever so softly, but I can hear it anyway. "We have ... we have things to do ..." she says in a strained voice. "No, we don't," I reply in a low voice as I move to the other shoulder to repeat my actions. "We just need to pack and leave this place, that's all." "So we have things to do," she protests softly and slowly backs out of my embrace. I can't help a groan when I feel her warm body move away from me. She turns and looks at me. "Don't look so disappointed." "But I am," I say, smiling a little. Then I put on my best puppy-dog look. I know it's cheating, but I don't want to stop here. She sighs in defeat, smiling widely. "You're playing dirty, you know that?" I grin, admitting it readily. "I do actually." Then I reach for her and this time she doesn't resist. "C'mere, make me pay for it." XxXxX Some five hours later we're in the Mater's room again, awaiting her final comments. No one dares to leave this place without having the Mater's approval and, even though I'm not at all interested in her money, neither do I possess the guts to go against this woman. "I gather you were well taken care of during your stay here?" the Mater says stiffly. She's sitting in her customary chair and her two ladies-in-waiting are right back by her side. She may have sent them flying last time Scully and I were forced to talk to her, but they're back now. "Oh yes, absolutely," I answer and it's true. There is nothing in the Mater's household that could even come close to failing. "Ms Scully, do you consider yourself pleased with the service as it was offered to you?" I see her nod. "I think I speak for both of us if I say that we had an absolutely splendid time here, for which we are very grateful to you." The old witch doesn't move a muscle. How jaded can you get I wonder if even such a compliment doesn't affect you. Then she turns back to me. "Fox Mulder, I will ask you the same question I have asked the others: why should I include you in my will?" Ah, so it is definitely about the inheritance. I knew that before we even got here, of course, but now there is no doubt whatsoever anymore. I smile. "Apart from the fact that I have no need for your money or possessions?" She eyes me intently. "If you are speaking the truth, you are a fool," she says, her voice dangerous. I shrug. "I've been called worse," I reply. "But I will answer your question then: I do not desire to be included in your will. I have no need for your money and I have no mind to ever possess it. However, should you feel a compelling need to leave me anything, I'd suggest you leave it to my partner or donate it to a charity." "I do not appreciate being addressed in that tone, Fox Mulder!" she says, a warning in her voice. Too bad I really couldn't care less. "I can imagine," I only say. Too bad for the old crone if she doesn't like it, but I'm not kissing up to her. She turns to Scully. "In that case, Ms Scully, I must ask you the same question about my will. Answer me." I look at Scully, who meets the Mater's gaze squarely. "As far as inheriting any of your possessions, I must decline. I am not family, therefore I do not think it is my place to lay claim to any of it." "Do you want it to be?" She shakes her head. "No, Mater, I do not." I look at Scully and in silent communication we agree that it is time to leave this place. "I wish you health, Mater, and we appreciate the excellent service we enjoyed during our stay." I put my hand on the small of her back and together we walk towards the door. Reflecting in the mirror by the door I see how the Mater follows us, an undecipherable expression on her face. It's time to go home. XxXxX Dana Scully's apartment Saturday, 27 August, 10.12 a.m. It's still pretty early on a Saturday morning when I am woken by Scully sitting back down on the bed. "Morning," she smiles. "Sorry I woke you up." "'s alright," I mumble, stretching to get the sleep out of my limbs. "What's that?" "The mail," she answers, flipping through the small stack of envelopes. "You want some breakfast?" I yawn before I can answer, making her smile again. "In a bit." I pull her gently towards me and she comes easily until she's sitting in the V of my legs, her back resting against me. "Anything interesting?" "Actually, yes," and she holds up a cream- coloured envelope. It's clearly an expensive one. "Do you recognise this return address?" I take it and study the address for a moment. I'm amazed when I recognise it. "It's from the Mater." She turns her head to look at me, frowning a little. "The Mater? What does she want?" "Dunno. Want me to open it?" She hesitates. "She's not dead, is she?" "I doubt it. She looked in pretty good nick last time we saw her, but then again who knows." I take the envelope and tear it open, taking out the letter. Together we read it. The contents are actually quite surprising. "I can't believe she's giving us another chance to consider inheriting her money and property," Scully says. "It makes no sense," I add, frowning, "I thought we made it clear enough that we didn't want it." We are silent for a bit, no doubt both wondering what this letter could possibly imply. Then she breaks the silence. "Perhaps she liked our honesty." It makes me smile. "Knowing her, it would surprise me, but you could be right. I have no doubt we were just about the only ones who weren't kissing up to her in order to get to her cash. She may have actually appreciated it." "So, what do we do now?" she says. "What do we tell her?" "Do you want the money?" I ask. "I don't know, I wouldn't know what to do with it to be honest." "How about if we told her it was all up to her? That we don't need the money, that we won't ever ask to be included in the will, but that, in the end, she is the one who can decide and that we won't fight the decision?" I propose. She smiles, turning around. "That sounds like a good plan." She kisses me softly,then moves away from me, clearly planning on getting out of bed and make breakfast, but I stop her. She looks at me in slight confusion. "What? I thought you wanted some breakfast," she says. I grin. "I've changed my mind. I want some Scully." A wide smile shines up on her beautiful face. "You're incorrigible, Agent Mulder, you know that?" I match her grin. "Yeah," I say smugly. "C'mere." And she does. THE END Kirsten Kerkhof The Netherlands (c) 6 February 2005 1