ICED TEA: An Alternate Scene

The Scene: Sitting in a car during a stakeout on Eugene Tooms, Agents Dana Scully and Fox Mulder discuss the case. In the process, they stumble upon more intimate matters...

Scully's blue eyes were solemn as she said, "I wouldn't put myself on the line for anyone but you."

The expression on Mulder's face was one of mild shock, but the feelings that had erupted inside him were far from unpleasant. He did have to admit that after shunning intimacy for so long, he wasn't sure how to take this. He stared at Scully, her expression earnest. He thought he should smile, but his facial muscles wouldn't comply. So his reaction was more a reflex than anything else.

Gesturing to the brown paper bag she held in her hands, he replied, "If there's iced tea in that bag, it could be love."

Scully's lips quirked and he could see a rosy flush begin to climb up her pale neck. He watched with fascination as her throat convulsed several times as she swallowed hard. Blinking rapidly, she quickly rolled down the top of the bag. All this happened in the space of a heartbeat, but Mulder was always a quick observer. Scully was good, but she wasn't that good. They hadn't been partners for very long, but he knew her well enough. Besides, he was a psychologist.

She's panicking, he thought amusedly.

"You should get going," she said, averting her eyes. "I've got some work to do."

"Scully," he coaxed gently. "What's in the bag?"

She cleared her throat . Running a hand across her lips, she mumbled something completely unintelligible. He leaned towards her and proferred his ear. Finally, she released a defeated sigh.

"A sandwich and a drink," she replied, holding the bag out and still refusing to meet his eyes.

"What kind of drink?" he asked, enjoying himself.

"What do you think?" she answered testily. Her fingers grazed the door handle.

Grinning, he opened the bag and pulled out a bottle of iced tea.

"I knew it," he said teasing. "I could tell by the looks you were giving me, Scully. I felt in in my bones."

"Is that what you call it?" she retorted. "Are you finished? Cause I really think you should go."

"But, Scully we just got started..."

She pinned him with an irritated look. "This is the last time I ever do anything nice for you."

"Aw, Sculleeeee..."

"Shut up, Mulder."

She looked away again and it was then did he see how unbalanced she really was. It wasn't just discomfort she was feeling. His smile faded and his eyes narrowed as he studied her intently. She felt them boring into the back of her head, but she refused to meet his gaze.

"Scully?"

"Yes," she said with a long-suffering sigh.

"You love me?"

She snorted and looked at him defiantly. "At this moment, I don't even think I like you very much." But her eyes told him a different story.

This time it was he who swallowed hard. Eyebrow raised, she threw him a patented Scully-look.

"What now?"

"Nothing. I think I'll get going. Thanks for the chow." He handed the bag back to her. "But I think you're going to need it more than I will."

She nodded bemusedly, unsure of how to take that, and held out the keys to her car. He took them and shot out of the car as if he couldn't get ouf of there fast enough. Scully watched him get into the other car and shook her head.

"Spooky," she murmured.

As he drove back to his apartment, Mulder usually dour countenance was replaced by a thoughtful one. It was such a cliche that partners of the opposite sex slept together and he always thought that he and Scully would be beyond that. She was a perfect foil for him and he didn't want to ruin the perfect balance they had. But this new revelation was unsettling. Not because he found it distasteful. Quite the contrary.

It's perfect, he thought before he could stop himself.

But he couldn't do anything about that yet. There was too much to be done. He had to find Samantha. He had to keep on working on the X-Files. There was no time for a relationship, even if it was with her. More importantly, he didn't think he was ready for it. He had a feeling that a relationship with Dana Scully would engulf him, probably change him into a better--and well-adjusted--man. He wasn't ready for that yet. He didn't want to destroy something that could be forever and he didn't want to hurt her. So he decided that for now, he'd tuck this secret in the back of his mind.

Until it was time to take it out. When he was ready for that kind of happiness in his life.

As he parked the car, he thought of the expression on her face earlier and he smiled.

She's going to be one lucky lady....

THE END