AMUN-RA
By: L. M. Shard

Agents Dana Scully and John Doggett arrived in Cairo, Egypt just after noon. Kersh had sent them as soon as he got wind of the discovery of some sort of alien craft in the middle of the Egyptian desert. He was met with some resistance by a handful of Egyptian officials and thus was even more interested in sending his agents over to investigate. It was a long trip on short notice, but nevertheless both Doggett and Scully were highly interested in seeing this alleged spacecraft. Doggett was skeptical, but Scully thought it would give more proof to the truth she and Mulder had been searching for all these years. They were in agreement about one aspect of the trip though: they were both excited to be going to such an exotic country, filled with significant historical sites and ruins. They hoped that if they could wrap this case up quickly, they would be able to at least have one day to play tourist and see some of the country's most famous sites, namely the Great Pyramids, the Nile, and some of the temples and tombs.

A young driver named Amir picked them up at the airport in a rather small, beat-up looking car. He was quite talkative and assumed the role of tour guide during their drive, naming some of the passing sights and informing them that 16 million people lived in Cairo. This they could believe, seeing all the congestion. The way the Egyptians were driving was quite scary, not to mention crazy. If, for instance, there were three lanes, the locals would make five and just squeeze in anywhere there was a bit of space. The consequence of this accepted method of driving could be seen on all the cars, which invariably had many dents. No one bothered to use their signals or even regarded the street signs, but they did use their horns quite frequently, so much so that the air was continuously filled with the cacophony of impatient beeps. The agents were relieved when they arrived safely at their hotel, the Cairo Marriott.

Doggett tipped the driver, who quickly took out their luggage, setting it on the sidewalk. Practically within seconds several men came up to them offering to carry their belongings into the hotel. Doggett kindly refused since they were only traveling with one suitcase apiece and he could easily handle them on his own. Before walking into the lobby of the Marriott, Scully and Doggett took a moment to let the beauty of what was before them sink in.

The main building of the hotel was the Gezira Palace, built to commemorate the opening of the Suez Canal in 1869. It was large and beautiful with many gilded columns lined up in the front courtyard. A garden promenade was off on the side.

"This sure beats the seedy motels we usually get to stay in," Doggett remarked.

"I'll say," Scully agreed, feeling more like on vacation than on a case.

"Let's check in," he said and they walked into the main lobby.

The lobby was just as beautiful as the outside with dark marble floors and plush rugs. They checked in and took the elevator to their rooms on the eleventh floor. Surprisingly, the rooms were not very impressive, more like something one would find in an American roadside Holiday Inn and certainly not what they had expected after seeing the outside and lobby of the hotel. But they were adequate and considering they were both incredibly tired after their long flight they didn't much care. After all, this was a business trip, not a luxury vacation.

Doggett put Scully's suitcase at the foot of her bed and said, "We're meetin' Ahmed at 3:00 in the lobby so we have about two and a half hours down time. You hungry?"

"Yeah, but I'm more tired than hungry. How about we meet at 2:30 and grab a quick bite at the cafeteria restaurant I saw downstairs? I think all I want to do right now is get a shower and a nap," Scully said, the jet lag catching up with her.

"Sounds good. I'll be doin' the same," he said and walked out of her room to his, which was right next door.

After she took a refreshing shower, Scully set her travel alarm clock for 2:15 and fell asleep promptly. Before she knew it, her alarm was already ringing and she reluctantly got out of bed, amazed at how quickly the two hours she had slept passed. She felt groggy, knowing her internal clock was completely out of sync with the local time. Quickly she brushed her teeth and hair and walked over to her suitcase. Although the thought of wearing shorts and a tiny top was tempting in the incredibly hot climate, she knew that in this Arab country she'd be severely ogled, since the local women wore conservative clothes that covered their arms and legs and even wore colorful scarves covering most of their hair. She did not want to stand out too much, so she chose loose- fitting, tan-colored slacks, a white tank top, a matching tan jacket, and tan flat sandals.

Just as she had buckled her second sandal, there was a knock on the adjoining-room door. She grabbed her bag, which contained the FBI file on the case, as well as some of her personal items and a bottle of water, and opened the door.

Doggett stood before her in black jeans and a cream-colored polo shirt. It looked like he thought it was too hot for a business suit as well, not that Scully minded, since he looked quite handsome in casual clothes, a fact that she had been noticing more and more lately. Actually, the man looked damn good in anything he wore and she secretly wished she'd one day get to see him in nothing but his birthday suit.

He gave her a big smile as he took in the sight of her. She looked radiantly beautiful as always. He had to make a conscious effort not to comment on her beauty, for the last thing he wanted to do was step out of line. It was almost two years now that he had known Dana Scully and he knew from the moment that he first met her that she was something special and he wanted her. But with Mulder around he did not know where he stood and did not want to get in the way of her relationship with Mulder, whatever it was. He did know that if they had never found Mulder alive, he would have told her his feelings by now. But Mulder was alive so he spent much energy on keeping his feelings for her to himself -- not an easy feat, since they seemed to grow stronger with each passing day.

"Hope you're ready, 'cause I'm starvin'!" he said, still smiling.

"Then let's eat!" she replied, returning his warm smile. There was something about John Doggett that always made her feel good when she was around him. She was glad that she was chosen over Monica Reyes to go on this case with him. Although no longer officially Doggett's partner, there were some cases that she still partnered with him on because of her scientific and medical background. This was one of those times. Reyes had taken a few days off to be in her brother's wedding and there was always the possibility that Scully's scientific skills would come into play to determine metals or alloys or even living tissue that might be found in the alleged spacecraft. Whatever the reason, she couldn't have been happier about being able to be with Doggett on this case. She actually missed working with him on a daily basis since she had started her teaching at Quantico, and had just recently admitted to herself that it was more that just working with him that she missed. She missed seeing him, hearing his low, raspy voice, just being with him, and that thought scared her, for her heart was trying to tell her something her brain was not entirely ready to accept yet. She had loved Fox Mulder for so many years, and now John Doggett had stepped into her life, with his straight-laced views, his honesty, his integrity, and his protectiveness toward her. He had treated her with consistent respect, no matter how far-fetched he thought her ideas or theories were. The more she got to know him, the more she was attracted to him and her attraction to him at this point was incredibly high, so high that she had been having erotic dreams about him several times a week for the past few months. She would wake up flushed and with an elevated pulse, occasionally even having orgasms in her sleep.

They ate a hearty meal then promptly at 3:00 they arrived at the lobby. Ahmed was already there and approached them. He informed them that he'd be driving them to the outskirts of town, where they would then travel separately in two Jeeps deep into the desert. His English was passable, but when Scully asked him more specific questions, especially scientific ones about the discovery, he shook his head, not understanding. She decided she'd get her answers herself at the site.

About an hour later, after passing miles and miles of seemingly endless sand dunes, they pulled up to a roped-off area literally in the middle of nowhere. There were about a dozen other people there, hunched over and brushing sand carefully off of something that gleamed in the unrelenting sun. There were also a couple armed military personnel and some official-looking government types.

As Doggett and Scully approached the area, they got a feel of how enormous the object was. It looked like it was approximately the size of half a city block and it was not even entirely uncovered yet.

The agents stood in awed silence as they tried to wrap their minds around what was before them. With great excitement, Scully pulled out a brush and fell to her hands and knees, brushing the remaining sand off of a particular spot.

In an awestruck voice, Doggett said, "This is like nothin' I've ever seen before."

"I've seen this before. These are just like the markings I saw on the spacecraft in the Ivory Coast," she said excitedly, looking over at Doggett, who was now kneeling beside her.

He touched the otherworldly-looking object before him, a million things running through his mind. Could it be? Could it really be? Even with this thing in front of him, he still had a hard time believing it.

She pulled out a small camera from her bag and snapped a couple pictures. When she looked up she saw one of the government officials staring at her quite disapprovingly and got the feeling that she and Doggett were not completely welcome here. But she brushed the feeling aside, her excitement of the craft before her overtaking all other emotions.

"You're sure?" Doggett asked skeptically.

"Yes. See this and this?" she asked, tracing over several of the shapes carved into the metal, "Those are the exact same symbols I saw on the other spacecraft, the one I made the rubbings from." She handed Doggett the other brush she had brought with her and said, "Help me get all the sand off of this area; I want to see how far the similarities go."

He took the brush and started his work. The hours passed and by now sweat had stained their shirts and beads of perspiration lined their foreheads. They had drunk most of the water they had brought with them and didn't trust the water offered to them by the locals. They knew that if it wasn't purified water, they'd most likely get what was referred to as the "Pharaoh's Curse", more commonly known as the "runs". This was something they did not want to risk, so they only drank their own bottled water.

Scully was thoroughly enjoying working side by side with Doggett like this. She found herself stealing many glances at him, watching his tanned biceps flex and relax. The perspiration on his arms made his skin glisten in the sun, defining his muscles even more. After several of these glances, she would chastise herself for even thinking such thoughts about her partner, and that she as thinking them now in the midst of what very well might be an other-worldly discovery, made her feel all the more guilty. She sighed and continued her laborious work.

Doggett heard her sigh and looked over at her. Sometimes he wished he could hear the thoughts of this beautiful woman besides him. What ran through her head at moments like this? He knew she was excited about this discovery, but he could tell that something else was on her mind as well. Perhaps she was wishing Mulder were at her side right now instead of him. That thought saddened him, so he quickly pushed it out of his mind. He was here with her now and he still had the entire case and the long flight back home to be close to her. He would take what he could get.

Just then she looked over at him and threw him one of her rare, but radiant smiles. His heart melted and he returned her smile. It was moments like these that he lived for these days.

As their shadows grew longer, Scully's initial excitement turned increasingly into puzzlement. The more of the craft she and Doggett uncovered, the more she began to doubt its authenticity. Although several of the shapes and patterns were concurrent with the rubbings she had made of the other craft, there were also many shapes that were entirely new to her and seemed completely random. She also noticed places on the craft where the metal pieces were, for lack of a better word, welded together, something the craft from the Ivory Coast completely lacked. That one had been perfectly smooth like the spacecraft had been carved out of one piece of metal. She was beginning to wonder if this thing they were standing on was alien at all and she whispered her doubts to Doggett.

"I wouldn't be surprised if this was bogus," he said quietly. "Several of those men over there have been eyein' us suspiciously ever since we arrived. I don't think we're exactly welcome."

Scully was starting to feel the same way on both counts.

Suddenly it looked like the locals were packing up for the day, although sunset seemed to be about two hours off.

"Shall we head back too? I don't think we should still be drivin' after the sun sets," Doggett said, a certain uneasiness in his voice.

Scully heard that uneasiness, but disregarded it. "We still have a bit of time. There's a few more areas I'd like to check out and I have the feeling that we won't be invited back here, so I want to make the most of this opportunity."

"Okay," he said, knowing they probably wouldn't be allowed back again, yet he had a nagging feeling in the back of his mind.

Ahmed came up to them and informed them he was leaving.

"We won't be much longer," Scully said. "Thanks for guiding us out here. We've got a compass, so we'll be able to find our way back."

"Okay," he said. "Good luck." He left and within five minutes the rest of the men had gone as well. Scully and Doggett were now completely alone.

That nagging feeling Doggett had was getting worse by the minute. Why would these men, who didn't seem to want either of them to be here in the first place, leave them here entirely alone and unobserved? Something was off, but he just couldn't put his finger on it.

"I think we better get goin', Dana," he said, trying hard to hide his concern. He did not want to worry her if his feelings were wrong.

But Scully heard the worry in his voice and it complimented her own. She snapped a several more shots and said, "You're right, let's get out of here."

They climbed into the Jeep and turned it in the direction they came from. "We should be right at the city outskirts as the sun is settin'," Doggett remarked, glad to be getting out of there.

"Good. There's something off about this whole thing," Scully said, deep in thought.

"Yeah. I feel it too."

They sat in silence, trying to figure out what exactly it was.

About five minutes into their drive back, the Jeep suddenly started to shake and rattle.

"What's wrong?" Scully asked alarmed.

"I don't know," Doggett said, frantically looking at the controls.

Suddenly the Jeep sputtered to a full stop. Doggett turned the ignition again and again, but the vehicle remained lifeless.

"We're outta gas!" he exclaimed in consternation.

"What? I thought we had a full tank when we left!" Scully remarked, just as baffled.

"We did! I double-checked it," he replied. "What the hell's goin' on here?"

"I thought I saw some gas cans back here," Scully said, searching though the back of the Jeep, but coming up empty.

Doggett got out of the vehicle, slamming the door behind him. He looked at its underside and was shocked to find the gasoline line cut.

"Goddamnit!" he cursed. "Those fuckin' bastards!"

By this time Scully was out of the car as well. "What is it?"

"Someone cut the gas line. They set us up, Dana. This whole thing was a hoax!"

"But why?"

"I don't know yet, but I'm sure as hell gonna find out!" he said, his anger rising. "Damn!" he cursed and slammed his hand hard into the Jeep. He was about to ramble off some more-than-colorful language when he reminded himself that Scully was present. It took all his energy to calm himself down a few degrees. He did not want to worry her unnecessarily and didn't want his anger to get out of control in front of her.

He was extremely mad at the bastards who did this to them, but he was even more mad at himself for not trusting and acting on his own instincts and, by disregarding them, he put Scully in danger, and for that he could not forgive himself. Protecting her had become part of his life, and it was the one thing he never wanted to fail at.

Scully noticed that Doggett was trying very hard to control his anger and approached him. "John, it's going to be all right. It was only about a one hour drive, so we can walk back."

"Yeah, you're right," he sighed, calming down, "but we're gonna hafta wait 'till mornin' or else we're gonna be walkin' in pitch blackness.

"We can leave as soon as the sun comes up," Scully said and then noticed blood dripping off of a cut on his hand. "Let me see that," she said, gently taking his wounded hand in hers.

"It's nothin'," he said, rather embarrassed that he had punched the Jeep like an out-of-control kid.

"I've got something for it," she said, opening the Jeep door and rummaging through her bag. She emerged with her water bottle and a scarf.

"Here," she said, taking his hand again. She was about to pour some water over his wound when Doggett stopped her.

"No, Dana. Don't. We need every drop of water for drinkin'." He knew they were very low on water and that was the one thing they really needed to get out of the desert alive.

She knew he was right. "All right. Let me just wrap it in this scarf to keep any further dirt out."

With great care she wrapped his hand. Doggett watched her intently and a wave of emotion hit him as he observed her tender ministrations on him. They way the waning light played on her face, making her skin glow and the red in her hair reflect strands of gold, made his body burn with longing. She looked so soft and beautiful to him and he had a great desire to bend down and kiss her.

She looked up at him, having finished her makeshift bandage, and caught him staring at her. His eyes locked onto hers and she was pulled into the intensity of his gaze. It almost hypnotized her and she suddenly felt a heat that started in her core and spread to her extremities like a wildfire. She felt her face flush and she slowly stuttered, "All…done," yet did not let go of his hand.

He mumbled, "Thanks," drawing the word out so slowly as if his mouth were filled with thick molasses. He made no move to withdraw his hand and instead unconsciously leaned his body closer to hers.

His close proximity was making her heart beat rapidly and her lower lip began to tremble, the fiery need within her giving an outward sign. More than anything she wanted to feel his lips on hers at that moment, but even as she leaned closer to him, she suddenly became timid and unsure of herself and looked down to their joined hands, breaking the spell. She felt very vulnerable and at the same time was mentally kicking herself for not allowing to happen what she so desperately desired.

Doggett's heart sank as he saw her hesitation, but he was sure that just moments before he had seen raw desire in her eyes and that gave him hope. He would wait for her until the end of the world, if that was what it took, for his heart was already utterly lost to her. He put his free arm around her gently and turned her to the setting sun.

"It's beautiful, isn't it?" he breathed.

She looked at the horizon with the golden sun burning brightly, creating streaks of pink, purple, and orange. It was the most beautiful sunset she had ever experienced. "Yes," she replied, then chuckled to herself. Here they were, stuck in the middle of the desert without gas, food, and only a little water, and yet she was completely at peace. She was watching a spectacular sunset, in Egypt--a country she had long wanted to visit--in the arms of a man she was falling in love with and that was all that seemed to matter right now.

Doggett heard her chuckle and asked, "What's so funny?"

She smiled, still staring at the magnificent sight before her, and said, "I know it's weird, but even though we are in this potentially dire situation, I feel totally at peace."

Doggett smiled as well. "It's not weird; I feel the same way." He knew the only reason he felt this way was because of the woman besides him. Having his arm around her and his hand in hers brought him an inner peace he had not experienced in many years.

They stood there together, relishing each other's closeness, until the sun slipped below the horizon.

Scully turned towards him, once again, and said, "I've been thinking. Of course I'll have to confirm this, hopefully with the photos I took, but I think you might be right when you said that this was all a hoax."

Doggett looked at her, urging her to continue with his gentle gaze.

"I have a nagging suspicion that this thing out here in the desert is not alien after all, but the Egyptian government wants people to believe it is."

"Why the hell would they want that?"

"Maybe because since the massacre at the Temple of Hatshepsut on November 17, 1997, and the terrorism from September 11, tourism has been way down. They rely heavily on the tourism industry and maybe they just built this "alien spacecraft" as a way to pick up tourism and bring foreign money into the country."

"Well that would explain why they didn't want us as FBI agents to come here at all and why Kersh was so hot on us checkin' this out."

"And that's why they left us here to die in the desert so we can't go back home and tell everyone that this is all just a big hoax."

"I think you're right about everythin', 'cept one thing," Doggett said.

"What's that?"

"We're not gonna die. We're gonna walk back to the city in the mornin' and give Kersh a call then head back to DC with those photos you took as proof."

Scully smiled. "They don't know who they're dealing with. I've survived an alien abduction and even worse in Antarctica, so we're sure going to survive an all-day hike through the desert!"

"That's right!" Doggett agreed. He was glad that she was feeling so positive about what lay ahead of them, even if he wasn't. Although it seemed simple enough, he had a feeling that there would be some unexpected obstacles they were yet to encounter. But no matter what, he was going to keep this woman besides him safe.

Doggett noticed her shiver and saw goose bumps forming on her bare arms. "You're cold."

"Yeah," she said simply.

Without even thinking about it, Doggett took his hands and rubbed them up and down her arms in an effort to create some heat. She responded by falling softly against his chest and he firmly wrapped his arms around her, gently rubbing her back. God did that feel good! The heat that they had both felt between them earlier, resurfaced quickly, and the bumps on Scully's skin turn from goose bumps to bumps of desire in reaction to his touch.

He misread them though for he then said, "Let's sit in the Jeep. It should still be warm from the day's heat."

A bit disappointed for losing the feel of his arms around her, she said, "Okay," and they climbed into the vehicle.

The sky was almost black now and the light from outside minimal. Doggett turned on the Jeep's light above the rearview mirror. At least the battery worked. He was hungry and before he could banish the thought from his head, his stomach rumbled loudly as a reminder.

"You wouldn't happen to have anythin' to eat in that bag of yours, would you?" he asked rather sheepishly.

"Actually I do," she said smiling and produced two energy bars.

He was rather surprised that she had anything at all, but since it was so little he thought they had better save it until tomorrow. Who knows what lay ahead for them and when they'd get their next meal? He had a feeling that they needed to be as conservative as possible.

"Looks great, but I think we better save it for tomorrow," he said, looking around the cabin of the Jeep. "So we have two energy bars, and about two liters of water."

"And a roll of breath mints," Scully added. "Want one?"

"Don't mind if I do," he said with a grin, taking one from the roll. Scully popped one into her mouth as well.

She looked at the man sitting besides her. She had learned a lot about him over the last two years, like his values, his work ethic, that she could trust him in every way, even about his son's murder, but she knew very little about his personal life and his family. She wondered if he'd share some of his background with her and said, "You know, John, I don't know that much about you on a personal level…and I'd like to."

He was surprised at her apparently out-of-the-blue statement, but was pleased that she was interested in him. "What would you like to know?"

That question and the several that followed brought about an insightful conversation that lasted for a couple hours. They talked and talked, totally losing track of time and feeling closer and closer to each other. Scully was in the midst of telling him about a considerably funny event in her and Melissa's childhood when a sudden loud shower-like noise startled her out of her memories and into Doggett's arms-- which was quite a feat since they sat in bucket seats and the manual stick shift lay between them.

"What was that?!" she exclaimed, frightened by the sudden noise in the still night.

"I'm not sure," he said and turned on the car's headlights.

All they saw was a cloud of sand before them and the density of the sand was getting greater and greater by the second. The sound of it hitting the Jeep was becoming increasingly louder as well, and the whistle of high wind echoed in their ears, joining the sound of sand scratching all around them.

"It's a sandstorm," Doggett stated.

"I've read about these. They can be deadly, even bury you alive within minutes." Scully's fear was rising, but she tried hard not to show it. As a display of confidence, she removed herself from his arms and sat stiffly in her seat, but her death grip on the door's armrest was a dead give-away.

Doggett noticed her fear and said soothingly, "Dana, I won't let it come to that. I'll keep goin' out and diggin' us free if I have to."

She gave him a feeble smile. He took her left hand in his and she automatically turned her body to face him, curling her legs under her on the seat. The warmth of his hand on hers comforted her immediately and the warm, protective look in his eyes wiped away the last bit of fear she harbored. What was it about this man that made her feel so safe and secure no matter what situation they found themselves in? She suddenly wished that they were sitting in a bench seat so she could sit right next to him and feel his heat over even more of her body.

"I feel safe with you," she said, not caring that she sounded like a feeble little girl. When it came to John Doggett, she found herself letting down her armor more and more lately. She realized that she was slowly allowing him in and it felt good.

"I'm glad," he whispered and brushed the back of his fingers over her cheek. Her skin was like silk and touching it sent shivers of pleasure through his body. How often he had thought of what it would be like to kiss her. How often he had dreamt of making love to her, thinking the dream was real, just to wake up and be incredibly disappointed. He'd end up jacking off to her image in the shower the next morning, lest he see her at the office and his body betray his intense attraction toward her. When it came to Dana Scully, his physical reaction in her presence was more like that of a thirteen-year-old boy than a man in his early forties.

Scully gazed into the blue of his eyes intently, noticing they seemed to get darker by the second. Her senses appeared to have become keener, for she could hear his steady breathing even over the cacophony of the storm around them. She could smell the mint on his breath and every nerve ending in her hand and cheek screamed in pleasure. If these small touches could generate so much desire, what would a kiss do to her? Her body trembled involuntarily at the mere thought.

"You cold?" he asked, feeling her quiver. He removed his hand from her cheek.

She almost screamed out at the loss, but instead answered his question, "No," she whispered, so far from cold she was about to melt. If he only knew.

Maybe he did, for in the next instant he leaned slightly toward her, his gaze unwavering, and before she knew it she had leaned in to meet him and their lips were only centimeters apart. He breathed in her sweet warmth as he watched her lips quiver at his closeness. He cupped her face in his hands, causing her eyes to slowly close, and he bridged the gap between their mouths, slowly, tenderly brushing his lips on hers. The sensation was electrical and the heat he felt from this gentle touch was almost too much to bear. Gently he pressed his mouth more completely against hers and she immediately parted her lips, inviting him in. The tips of their tongues met and a small guttural noise escaped him. This prompted her to deepen the kiss and he felt her tongue slick over the roof of his mouth, sending a lightning bolt of pleasure directly down to his groin. He felt dizzy with intoxicating desire and explored her mouth with leisure, burning every contour, every taste, every meeting of their tongues to memory. When they parted, their eyes locked, speaking all their mouths could yet not.

"John…" she breathed, her emotions coursing wildly through her body. She was visibly shaking again, so affected was she from his kiss. There was nothing she would not have done for him at that moment. Her heart was completely his and her body desired him so ferociously, it almost hurt.

He saw her shaking form and he yearned to pull her to him, crush his mouth against hers, and make love to her all night long, but he sensed she was vulnerable and he felt it was too soon: this was not the time nor the place.

Instead he said, "Let's get some sleep," and motioned to the back of the Jeep where they could stretch out.

She understood and climbed over the seat into the back. He turned out the light and followed her. They found each other quickly in the pitch-black darkness and he pulled her against him. Her body still trembled uncontrollably. Never before had a kiss caused such a strong reaction within her and she made every effort to calm her body, but to no avail. In defeat she found his lips again, giving in to her desire in a crushing, passionate kiss. Doggett met her with the same passion and their tongues tangoed in fiery harmony. Upon parting they knew that if they continued, they would not be able to stop, so they remained encompassed in each other's arms and slowly, finally fell asleep.

A wide beam of sunlight shone into the Jeep, waking Scully. She turned from her left side to her right, facing Doggett. She had expected him to still be asleep, but found herself staring directly into his inviting indigo eyes.

"Good mornin'," he said with a grin.

"Good morning," she replied, the memory of their kisses flooding back to her in a torrent. She suddenly felt shy and embarrassed about the way her body had reacted to those kisses and averted her eyes. Never had she felt more attracted to a man than she felt toward John Doggett, and it was leaving her completely vulnerable, something she rarely allowed to let happen.

Although Doggett had the great desire to kiss her and experience the sensuous feelings her mouth upon his gave him again, he noticed her sudden shyness and did not want to frighten her away. He knew their relationship had just taken a turn for the serious and he did not want to do anything to stop its progression in that direction. Instead he asked, "Sleep well?"

"Very," she replied, looking up at him again. All of a sudden her eye caught the sight of the window behind him.

"Oh my God, we're buried!" she shouted, her eyes darting from one window to another. The entire back of the vehicle was covered in sand and now that she had noticed that she even heard the metal creak from the weight of it.

She was about to look at the front of the Jeep to see where the light came from when Doggett said soothingly, "Not completely." He immediately moved from her side to the front and looked at the passenger side window. It was only partially covered with sand. "We'll be able to squeeze outta here no problem."

Scully suddenly felt silly for having overreacted. "You're right. My eyes hadn't gotten that far yet." She felt like a fool. So much for that tough exterior she usually kept up.

Doggett felt very lucky that they did have an escape route. With the kisses they had shared and having his arms and body wrapped around her all night, he had forgotten his promise to keep digging them out had it been necessary. And necessary it would have been had the slightest twist of fate occurred. He mentally kicked himself for his lack of alertness.

He gave her a warm smile. "We should probably head out as soon as possible."

"I agree."

"Nature calls, so I'm gonna climb out now. Just holler when you're ready to get out," he said, already rolling down the window. Sand spilled into the front seat, covering a good portion of it.

"I'll gather up our stuff," she said, glad she'd have a chance to run a comb through her hair and check her face, unobserved.

"Great," he said and slipped his lean body through the window.

She collected all their belongings and stuffed them in her bag. Then she sat herself in the driver's seat and adjusted the mirror so she could see her face. She combed her hair and pulled it into a ponytail, then smoothed on some lip balm, and popped a mint into her mouth. Without water or a toothbrush, that would have to do.

"I'm ready," she called out to Doggett, who promptly appeared at the window. Climbing over to the window, she handed him the bag then grabbed his hands as he easily pulled her from the Jeep.

He placed her on her feet directly in front of him, his hands now resting on her slim waist, and his gaze met hers. She was beautiful and his heart skipped a beat as he saw her blue orbs fill with great warmth. Once again he was overcome with the intense desire to kiss her, but he refrained, knowing that they had better get going if they wanted to arrive before nightfall.

"Ready?" he asked gently.

Was that disappointment he saw in her eyes at his "change of subject"? "Right after I'm finished with my call of nature," she said and slipped from his arms to the other side of the car.

He turned his back toward her, giving her privacy. Within minutes she was at his side again, her jacket wrapped around her waist, compass in hand. He offered to carry her bag, which she relinquished, and they started their trek back to civilization.

Both Scully and Doggett were rather silent during the first part of their journey. They wanted to conserve their energy, but more than that, they each needed some time to think over the changes their relationship was taking.

Doggett was incredibly thrilled about how close they had become during this case. Now that he had finally found some closure to Luke's murder, he felt he was ready to move on and let love in his life again, something he had not allowed room for -- not even had interest in -- since his son's death and his subsequent divorce from Barbara. In the years that followed, he had had plenty of opportunity for sex, romance, even love, but he could not, would not let it in and abstained completely. Instead he poured himself into work and looking for Luke's killer. It was what drove him, what kept him from checking into the funny farm. But now he was free and, despite his avoidance of affairs of the heart, he had fallen for Dana Scully from the start, perhaps because he thought she was out of reach and "safe", but now with the kisses they had shared everything had changed. He wanted her; he wanted to be able to love her in mind and in body, and he wanted it in return from her. He still did not know where exactly he fit in this picture with Mulder in her life, but now he was willing to put his heart on the line and pursue her.

Scully was also very thrilled about the new direction their relationship was heading in. She had finally admitted to herself that although she loved Mulder and always would, he could not give her what she needed, what she craved, in this point in her life: security, stability -- yes, even the white picket fence -- and most of all a focus on her and them as a family and not his eternal quest. She needed this, not just for herself, but for William as well. John Doggett could give her this, and if the looks that she had seen in his eyes, and his lingering gazes over the past two years were any indication, he wanted to. She wanted him in every way. She was ready for romance and love and family, something she had been denied as well for far too long. A good man like Doggett was not easy to find.

They had hiked for a good three hours, seeing nothing but miles and miles of endless sand dunes in every direction. The sun had become stronger as the minutes ticked by and sweat was already pouring from their bodies. They knew the heat would only get worse and that there would be no relief until nightfall. Exhausted, they decided to take a much-needed break. Scully untied her jacket from her waist and she and Doggett sat on it side by side.

Scully grabbed her bag from Doggett's shoulder and rummaged through it, retrieving one of the water bottles. She offered Doggett a drink.

"Thanks," he said, eyeing the water like the most delicious morsel he'd ever seen. He took several gulps, although he easily could have drank the entire bottle, and handed it back to her. She also drank from it sparingly then set it down between them.

"About ready for that energy bar?" she asked. Her stomach had been complaining for the last hour that it was empty.

"Oh, yeah!" he said, taking it out of her hand and opening the wrapper. She opened her bar as well and they ate them slowly, trying to make them last.

"Umm, this is delicious!" Doggett exclaimed, smacking his lips.

"Really?" Scully asked, quite surprised he'd like the energy bar at all; after all, she considered him more a meat and potatoes kind of guy, not a yogurt-eating, tofu-enjoying health nut. Then, as if in reply to her thoughts, he confirmed her theory.

"Oh, yeah. It's my favorite meal: a giant piece of New York steak -- medium-rare, of course -- a big helpin' of garlic mashed potatoes, and a pile of steamed veggies." He gave her a big grin and took another bite, rolling his eyes as if his taste buds were in sheer heaven.

Scully grinned back, his playful mood a breath of fresh air in the stifling heat of the desert sun. "Oh, that does sound good, but mine's even better," she said, deciding to play along. "I'm having linguine with a light olive oil, garlic and basil sauce, sprinkled with sun-dried tomatoes and just a bit of freshly shredded Parmesan." She licked her lips in emphasis of her "meal's" scrumptiousness.

Doggett watched intently as her tongue traveled from one corner of her mouth, over her upper lip, then her lower lip, and back to the original corner. Her lips were reddened and plump from the heat and looked incredibly inviting. Just the mere sight of them at this close range, aroused him.

"Good we're both havin' garlic, that way it cancels out our breaths," he said, watching her intently.

"Oh, yeah? And why would that be pertinent?" she asked, continuing the playful mood.

"In case we were sittin' close together like this," he said, moving closer to her, "and I touched your face with my hand," he continued, doing so.

His gaze followed his hand across her skin and she immediately felt the electricity from his touch.

"And if I were then to touch your face," she continued the game, her fingers grazing over the stubble of his cheeks. Their eyes met and locked, the rest of the world falling away from their consciousness.

"And then if I let my thumb graze over your lips," he said, allowing himself the luxury of just that.

"And if I were to part my lips in response…" she whispered, her body automatically doing so.

"And if I were to lean in…" he said, moving even closer so that their lips were just centimeters apart. They breathed each other in, smelling the sweat, salt, and heat—not from the sun, but from their arousal. "…And linger…"

Scully closed her eyes in anticipation, her desire to feel the silky firmness of his lips moving upon hers, his tongue slinking its way past her parted lips and into the heat of her mouth to tangle with her flesh and cause her feelings of pleasure so intense she'd melt into his embrace. She could almost taste it and at this moment there was nothing else she wanted.

Doggett wanted it badly too, but decided that an added bit of sexual tension would make for an even better kiss later on, and whispered, "then it would be a good thing that we both had garlic in our meals."

She had not expected him to continue their "game" and was utterly disappointed when he slowly pulled back, just far enough to look into her eyes again. He saw her disappointment and it excited him further, knowing she wanted him. His groin had already tightened and he knew that if he did not change the subject this second, he'd be sporting all his emotions in his jeans for her full view.

She held his gaze, noticing the sexy dark fleck in the blue of his iris, and desperately tried to recover from her building need. "I'll make a note of it," she murmured, using all her strength not to let her voice tremble like her insides were. What was it with this man that just the thought of kissing him gave her body such a strong emotional reaction? She wanted him with every ounce of her being, and as of yet, they had only shared two kisses.

His lips spread into a wide grin and his eyes darkened in intensity and desire. "We better get goin'," he whispered, standing up. Extending his hand to her, he pulled her to her feet and their gazes locked again. He could feel her warm breath on his chin and the energy flowing through her hand to his. The looks they bestowed upon each other were so passionately charged, the sexual tension was almost tangible. He nearly gave into it, but instead bent down to retrieve her jacket from the sand and handed it to her.

"Thanks," Scully mumbled and tied it around her waist. "Oh," she said, remembering, "I need to put on some sun block, or else I'm going to be fried to a crisp in this sun." She reached into her bag, retrieving the bottle.

"You brought sun block with you?" He was amazed that she had thought of it, but then remembering his ex-wife, recalled that women tended to carry almost everything in their purses.

"Of course. I knew we'd be working in the sun, I just didn't think we'd be in it this long!" she said, rubbing it on her arms. "Want some too?"

"Yeah, I better," he said. They preceded to hand the bottle back and forth between themselves. Since his shirt was already soaking wet, he decided to just take it off, applying the sun block to his arms, chest, face, ears, and neck.

Scully did not fail to notice Doggett's sudden state of undress and her heart skipped a beat as her eyes drank in the tempting sight before her. The man's physique was exquisite; there was no better word for it than that. She had observed him applying the lotion, stealing glances when he was not looking. Her eyes, hungry for more, watched as beads of perspiration turned heavy and ran down his chest, going over finely sculpted hills, valleys, and rippled stomach muscles before reaching the waistband of his jeans. She was melting on the spot and the sun had absolutely nothing to do with her current condition.

Somehow, even with the major distraction of a half-naked Doggett, Scully had successfully covered all her exposed skin, except for a spot on her back where her tank top scooped rather low. She did not want to wear her jacket again in this heat and, although she knew that if she asked him for his help she would once again be affected by his touch, especially after having just taken in the sight that was John Doggett before her, she asked anyway. "Umm, could you please put some lotion on my back? I can't seem to reach it."

"Sure," he said, squeezing the product on his palm. He then stood behind her as she lifted her ponytail up and smoothed the cream over her heated, silky skin. His eyes roamed freely over her back, taking in the tightly fitting tank top that showed off the side curves of her breasts and hugged her all the way down to her slender waist. Then his eyes traveled to her up-stretched arm, following the curve of the muscles to her delicate fingers woven in her hair. Her skin glowed and glistened from the combination of the heat and the lotion and his eyes drank in every detail, like a man thirsting for water. Immediately he felt his groin tighten again and he ended up rubbing the lotion in a bit longer than necessary. It felt so good to touch her, and when he stopped and she turned around to face him, he could see in her eyes that his touch had affected her as well. They shared another moment of intimate intensity, neither saying a thing, until he remembered that his back also needed protection now that his shirt was off.

"Could you?" he asked, holding the bottle up between them.

"Of course," she said, glad to have the opportunity to actually touch the magnificent physique that her eyes had been feasting on just moments earlier.

He turned around and she squeezed a liberal amount into her hand and applied it to the skin of his back. At first touch she thought she was going to turn into a puddle at his feet, but she took a deep breath and forced her mind to concentrate on the task at hand and not the perfect specimen before her. But her attempts were futile and with each stroke along his broad back, her temperature rose higher and higher. When she reached the area just above his waistband, she had the tremendous urge to plunge her hand past it and down to his hard ass. But that was one move she did not allow herself and instead she said, "All done."

He turned to face her again and saw that her cheeks were even redder than before and her lips were a swollen hot pink. His desire to kiss her was so great, his hands trembled and his temperature skyrocketed. He knew that if he didn't do something soon, the bulge in his pants would become a prominent embarrassment, so he took the sun block from her hand, put it back in her bag, and threw it over his shoulder.

They continued their journey, walking without a word between them, although several stolen glances in each other's direction were taken.

Scully was glad to have time again to contemplate all that had just happened between them. Her body was still humming from the arousal and her mind was in a whirlwind of emotions. He wanted her; she had seen it clearly in his eyes, and she knew she had allowed him that same insight. But there was something nagging at her in the back of her mind, and she wanted to clear it up once and for all. It was time to clarify her relationship with Mulder to him. God only knew what he thought.

They had been hiking close to two hours since their snack break, with only occasional small talk, when Scully broached the subject. She wasn't sure how to bring it up, or how to start it, so she just blurted out, "I saw Mulder a few days before this assignment."

Doggett was surprised at her sudden topic and looked at her as they walked, giving her his full attention. "Really? He came outta hidin'?"

"Yeah."

Why hadn't she told him? Did she still not trust him after all he had proved to her time and time again? Doggett felt a bit hurt, but reminded himself that she was telling him now, something she surely did not have to do. "Did you notify Skinner and Kersh?"

Scully noted the slight sign of pain reflected in his eyes and it hurt her seeing it. She knew that in the past she had not put her trust in him when she had had no reason not to, and she was becoming more and more aware that not trusting him, after he had proved himself trustworthy to her countless times, had hurt him deeply. This was all the more reason for her to tell him everything and show him that she did trust him completely.

"No, because he basically came to me to tell me goodbye," she said softly, knowing that had her answer been "yes", she would have seen further hurt in his eyes.

"What? You mean like he's never comin' back?" Doggett was dumbstruck.

"Yes. He thinks it's safest for William and me if he says away, and he also wants to pursue his quest for the truth unhindered and without worry about our welfare. So he stayed with me that night and left the morning before our trip here."

Hearing that Mulder and Scully had spent the night together, shot instant daggers of pain through Doggett's heart. He had always suspected them of being lovers, but to hear it from her own lips caused him more heartache than he ever could have imagined. Suddenly his hopes of being with her in a romantic relationship were dashed. Even if Mulder never returned, it would take her a long time to get over him. Yet regardless, he knew he would wait, as long as it took, if he only knew she would one day want him.

"You mean to tell me that he's choosin' his quest over his lover and his son; that that is more important than the family he created with you?" Doggett just couldn't understand this; he would have done anything to have kept his family whole and intact.

"We're not lovers; we never have been." There she had said it. Whatever mystery there was about Mulder and her relationship, it was over now.

Doggett stopped in his tracks, looking at Scully in total disbelief, "What? But isn't William your and Mulder's son?"

"Yes, conceived through invitrofertilization." She remembered that moment when she had asked Mulder to be the father of her baby, and had hoped--even though she had mentioned making the donation into a cup--that he would at that point have shown interest in creating the child the old fashioned way. She had loved Mulder for so long and had yearned to broaden their friendship, their kinship, into a romantic relationship as well, but it just never happened.

Doggett just stood there, looking at her, speechless.

"Don't get me wrong: I love Mulder and he loves me. We're soul mates and we'll be connected through the rest of our days, not just by the bond we share in William, but by the bond we have for each other within our hearts. I will always love him and although I had wanted us to become lovers, we never did, and I know it will never happen. Now that I have William, I can no longer follow him to whatever crazy place his quest takes him and I cannot wait for him. I will not wait for him. I've given him nine years of my life, of my unrequited love; I will not give more. I need something more in my life…" That last sentence she almost whispered, suddenly realizing how open, how vulnerable she had just made herself.

Doggett also realized what she had done and was thrilled that she had opened up to him so freely. The hope that had died just a moment ago was rebuilt at her words. His heart was heavy for her that her love for Mulder was never realized in the way she would have liked, but he was also happy that she was truly free now to love another--hopefully him. He knew in his heart that he could make her happy, give her what she seemed to want: love, stability, and security. He wanted to provide her with that and so much more.

He did not know what to say and wrapped his arms around her in a tight hug. Then what he thought was just a thought in his head, manifested itself into words: "He's a fool," he whispered.

They hugged for several seconds more and then Scully said, "John, we have to keep moving or we won't make it."

"You're right," he agreed and they continued their trek.

Several minutes later, Doggett thought it was time to share some of his hidden past with her as well, considering her openness toward him.

"Barbara was the one who divorced me," he said out-of-the- blue.

This time it was Scully's turn to be surprised at the change of topic.

"After Luke was murdered, I threw myself into work and the search for his killer. I stayed at the office or was out on leads almost all the time. I was rarely home, even spendin' the night at my desk several nights a week. And this at a time when Barbara needed me with her--and I needed her too--but I just blocked that out and would not, could not rest until I had found out why, who, how, and all those other million questions that floated around in my head, hauntin' me. I felt massive guilt for not havin' been able to prevent the murder, for not bein' there to protect my only child. And I withdrew from Barbara, my friends, my family. Technically she lost me durin' that time and that, coupled with the loss of our son, was too much for her, so she filed for divorce just six months after his death." He hesitated, reliving the pain from that time.

"I'm so sorry, John," Scully whispered empathetically. "You were alone as well."

"Not entirely, although that's what I wanted at the time, what I thought I deserved. But no matter how much I pushed her away, Monica was always there for me."

Monica Reyes. Scully had always wondered about the kind of relationship the two of them shared and was loath to admit that she was a bit jealous of her.

"I resisted her friendship and help so much, but in the end it was she that kept me sane and alive. I know that if it were not for that determination of hers, I'd be six feet under now along with my son. I'll always be grateful to Monica and I love her." He paused and let out a small laugh. "You know, under other circumstances, we'd probably be married by now," he sighed, "but I couldn't let her--or anyone else for that matter--into my heart. I had closed it off completely to that kind of love, even desire. Lucky for me, she was able to squeeze her friendship into me, practically kickin' and screamin' on my part."

"And now, John? Why aren't you two together now?" Scully was hesitant to ask, afraid that perhaps there was something more between them, but she had to know. Was his heart free to love her?

"Sometimes I get the feelin' that she'd still like somethin' like that between us, but I just can't. She represents a time in my life that was so utterly painful, so void of emotion other than pain, grief, guilt and anger, and its somethin' I can't go back to, especially now that I've finally found Luke's killer and have been given some release from his murder and all that followed. I'll always love her, but I'm not in love with her," he said, thinking that another woman, one Dana Scully, had taken that spot in his heart.

"I understand," she said softly. And she did. She loved Mulder, but was no longer in love with him.

The sun was high in the cloudless sky now and their shadows were short. It must have been close to noon by now for the intensity of the sun burning down on them was merciless. Sweat dripped from their tired bodies, yet they trudged along, knowing that if they did not make it to the city by nightfall, they'd be surrounded by pitch black and be at the mercy of the night with its sandstorms and potential other unknown dangers.

Scully's feet were getting swollen in the heat and the straps of her sandals dug deeply into her skin. She cursed herself for having worn them instead of sensible shoes, but never in a million years had she thought they'd be making an all-day lone trek through the desert. She knew she was getting blisters and it was just a matter of time before the straps started to draw blood.

"Hold on a minute," she said, breathlessly, as she stooped to take off the offensive shoes. Finally free of their restraints, her feet eased into the heated sand, the kernels slipping between her toes. "Better."

They continued on, speaking little for it took too much energy to do so, and energy was something they were both running considerably low on. It was only a few minutes later that the sand became too hot for her feet to handle and although the thought of squeezing her tired and now very swollen feet back into the strappy sandals appalled her, she knew she had no other choice.

"John, hold on," she said, "The sand's too hot, I've got to put my sandals back on." She plopped to the ground and tried squeezing her foot into the shoe. It seemed to have shrunk two sizes.

Doggett saw how her feet had swollen in the heat and the red telltale signs on the sides of her big and pinky toes that were sure to produce blisters if further irritated. A bit embarrassed, but knowing no other way to help her out, he offered, "If you don't mind the dampness and smell, I'd be more than happy to lend you my socks and you can walk in those."

Scully looked up at him and was touched by his thoughtfulness. How sweet his unconventional offer was! And as for the dampness and potential smell, she could care less. Anything to relieve the dilemma her feet were in. "If you're sure not wearing them won't give you blisters, it'd be a relief for me to wear them."

"I've worn these shoes in; they won't give me blisters," he said, sitting down and undoing the laces of his shoes. "But I warn you, they may not smell like flowers, considerin' I've been in them since yesterday mornin'." He flashed her a rather shy grin.

"At this point, John, I really don't care," she said, smiling at his obvious embarrassment.

He handed her the socks and she put them on her feet. They were warm and damp, but as for a smell, she didn't notice one.

He stood up and extended his hand to her. Accepting it, he pulled her to her feet. "Ahh…much better," she said gratefully. "Thank you." She gave him a radiant smile that warmed him more than the sun ever could.

"Glad I could help," he said, returning that smile. He moved a strand of hair that was stuck to her cheek behind her ear. Even drenched in sweat, she looked so lovely to him, and he couldn't help but touch her. He wanted to see her like this-- her skin glistening in sweat, her lips red and plump--beneath him as he made love to her. Suddenly he felt ashamed of where his mind was wandering to and he quickly changed the subject, hoping she hadn't been able to read his mind. "Let's go."

"Yeah," she said, having noticed an odd look in his eyes; they had seemed to have an almost feral look to them for a moment, and she wondered just what he had been thinking.

Several hours had passed and there still was no city in sight. Both Doggett and Scully were thoroughly exhausted and their water supply had run dry. Unable to continue, Scully fell to her hands and knees in utter fatigue.

"John, I can't," she said, breathing hard, a droplet of sweat running down her straight nose and falling off the tip to the scorching sand below. She couldn't imagine taking one more step in this endless expanse of desert ruled by the merciless sun. The wrath of Amun-Ra was just too powerful and she felt like she was losing the battle.

He kneeled down besides her, feeling the same way, but he knew that they had to keep going. Since they were now completely out of water, it was imperative.

"Let's take a short break," he suggested.

She sighed heavily. "That's not enough. I just can't. I'm too tired, too thirsty, too hot." She lay back completely, not caring about sand in her hair, and closed her eyes. God, it felt good to close her eyes. She never wanted to open them again and yearned to just let herself drift off into an endless sleep. She felt drowsy and dizzy.

Doggett felt her arm, noticing that it was very hot to the touch. It also looked quite red, but since she had slathered on a lot of sun block earlier, he didn't think it was a sunburn. He was getting very worried about her; it was not like Scully to complain when things got tough. He feared she might be suffering from heat stroke and if that were the case, there was absolutely nothing he could do for her out here without any water or shade. The only thing he could think of was to keep moving to reach the city. He was sure they were not far from it.

He hovered over her on hands and knees, attempting to shade her body with his own. "Dana," he said, trying hard to keep the worry out of his voice. She did not respond. He shook her gently. "Dana."

Slowly she opened her eyes. They looked somewhat disoriented. "Umm…so much better in the shade…" she murmured, then closed her eyes again.

"Dana, baby, please." In his concern for her "baby" had just slipped out, but she did not seem to notice. He decided to lay it out straight for her, since she was a doctor. "Dana, open your eyes. Look at me." She did. "I'm afraid you might be startin' to suffer from heat stroke. Since we have no water and there is no shade, we have to just keep movin'. I think we're close to the city; it shouldn't be too much longer." There was an urgency in his voice and Scully noticed it, but felt too tired to care.

"John…too tired…sleep…"

"Damn it, Dana! Think of William! He needs you! Gather your strength and do this for him!" He was not going to let her die in the desert. He'd carry her the rest of the way back if he had to.

The mention of her baby made Scully's eyes fly open and she propped herself up on her elbows, her face now inches from Doggett's. She had to survive this, for so many reasons.

"You can do it," he said encouragingly. "Lean on me."

She put her arms around his neck and he lifted them both to their feet. Amazingly Scully found a modicum of strength and managed to continue their trek, keeping William at the forefront of her mind for added motivation.

Luckily, Doggett had been right: about thirty minutes later they saw the outskirts of Cairo and another thirty minutes put their tired feet on concrete.

"We did it," she said breathlessly as she leaned her full weight into Doggett.

"Yes. I knew we could do it." He also knew he had to get her water fast. He steered her to a shady spot next to the wall of a nearby building and sat her down. No one was around and he felt she would be safe here in the few minutes he'd be gone. "I'm gonna go get us some water. You stay here; I'll be back as soon as I can."

"Okay," she said, a small smile on her face. She took his hand in hers and squeezed it weakly and then he was gone.

He ran through the city, using what little energy he had left. The thought of Scully's dire need of water urged him on. He finally found a small food mart and rushed inside, going straight to the refrigerated water. He grabbed six large bottles, placing them on the checkout counter two by two and paid for them. Throwing them in a plastic bag he also had to purchase, he ran out of the store with the goods. About ten minutes later, he was at Scully's side again. Her eyes were closed and he quickly opened one of the bottles and poured it over her body. The coldness of the water awakened her and her eyes sprung open in surprise.

"Drink," he said urgently, pressing another bottle to her parched lips. She did as told, gulping almost half the bottle at once. The cold water felt like the most delicious thing that had ever passed her lips. She drank even more, greedy for it, somehow not able to get enough of it.

It was not until Scully had finished the entire bottle that Doggett took his first drink. Her welfare was his first and only concern.

"I think I better take you to a hospital and have them check you out," he said, still concerned even though she was looking much more focused and alert.

"No, John, I'm fine now. I feel good. But I would like some more water," she said, eyeing the full bag.

"Of course!" he said, handing her one. "But are you sure you shouldn't be checked out, just to be safe?"

She smiled warmly at him, appreciative of his concern. "No, I'm feeling good." She then proceeded to dump half the bottle over her head, relishing the refreshing coolness against her scalp and body. "Ahh…"

Doggett found the act quite amusing and let out a loud laugh. In the midst of his glee, Scully poured the other half of her bottle over his head. "Hey!" he yelled out in surprise, then poured part of his bottle over her in retaliation.

Laughing, she scrambled over to the plastic bag and grasped a fresh bottle, hurrying to open it, but before she could, Doggett pinned her down to the ground, forcing her to let the bottle go. "Uncle!" she yelled as he threatened to pour more of his bottle over her.

He gave her a devilish smile and just as he was about to let the water fall on her face, she rolled out from under him, arming herself with the bottle he had forced from her just moments ago. Now they both stood face-to-face, big smiles on their lips, water bottles ready.

"Truce," he said, watching her intently, utterly relieved that she was indeed fine now.

"How can I trust you?" she asked playfully. "It's not like you put down your "weapon" when I called "uncle" earlier."

He looked at her smiling face, so full of vitality, and watched as the water droplets dripped from the ends of her hair, down her collarbone, over the swell of her breasts, and into her low-cut tank top. He was suddenly overcome with a feral urge so great, he could not fight it.

"Because of this," he said, his voice lower than usual, as he grabbed her by the waist and brought his mouth to hers in a scorching kiss that burned hotter than the sun above. Instantly she melted into him and let him devour her whole. She swooned at his almost animalistic passion and clung to him in desperate desire. Minutes later they parted: pounding hearts, flushed faces, reddened lips. Had they been anywhere in private, there would have been no stopping them.

"Let's get back to the hotel," she said, her body once again shaking from the fiery passion they had just shared.

"Yeah," he breathed, picking up the bag of water bottles as well as her bag.

They hailed a taxi and were driven in comfortable silence back to the hotel, holding hands the entire way. Stopping off at the cafeteria restaurant, they hurriedly ate some sandwiches and fruit, easing their monumental hunger.

Doggett noticed a sign advertising an Egyptian beer called Stella. Their slogan read: "That which does not kill us makes us stronger". He pointed it out to Scully.

"Pretty weird beer slogan, eh?" he said amused, thinking he might want to avoid that brand.

She looked to where he was pointing and grinned. "Yeah, but isn't it the truth!"

He took her hand in his, so grateful that she had survived their desert trek. "Sure is." An overwhelming feeling of love hit him and he squeezed her hand, letting that love shine through his eyes.

She smiled, warmed by his gaze.

"Let's go. You need to get some sleep," he said tenderly.

Finally they arrived at their rooms, completely exhausted, the strenuous journey of the day overriding the brief energy they had experienced just forty minutes ago as they had kissed.

"John, I'm so tired. I think I'm just going to shower and fall into bed," Scully stated as she unlocked her door.

"Me too, but first I'm gonna give Kersh a call and tell him what's goin' on. I know he'll be anxious to hear what we've learned."

"Good," she said. She had almost forgotten about their duty with the perilous adventure they had just survived. "See you later," she said, falling into his arms. He hugged her back, then watched her disappear into her room, smiling to himself as he noticed she was still walking around in his socks.

He walked into his room as well, threw himself on the bed, and kicked off his shoes. He was beat and his feet ached. How good it felt to be lying on a clean, cool bed, no sand or sun in sight. With a groan he rolled over and grabbed the phone, dialing Kersh. About ten minutes later, he ended the call, having told Kersh the entire story, what they suspected, and what was done to them.

Still lying on the bed, he unwrapped the scarf that covered his hand. The memory of Scully tending to his wound flashed before him and suddenly he missed her, even though they had only been apart for about fifteen minutes. He shook his head and smiled at the silliness of his thoughts as he headed to the bathroom and washed his wound. The cut was minor and had already formed a scab. It didn't even require a bandage. He rinsed out her scarf in the sink, using some of his shampoo as detergent, then hung it carefully over a towel rack to dry.

In the mean time, Scully was in the shower, letting the water- -which she had purposefully only set at a lukewarm temperature--run over her, washing away the sand, sweat, and grime. She let her tired mind linger over the memory of the kiss she had shared with Doggett. It was so incredibly passionate, so feral and wild, she couldn't get it out of her head and knew she wanted more--much, much more. But not tonight, tonight all her body could stand was sleep, lots and lots of sleep.

She turned off the water, wrapped a towel around her body and stepped into the bedroom. Suddenly, from out of nowhere, a hand clamped firmly down upon her mouth and a strong arm wrapped around her waist. She struggled against her attacker, trying desperately to free herself from his grasp, but her body was too exhausted and the man was too large and powerful to budge. All of a sudden she felt the unmistakable cool sharpness of a blade at her throat.

"No make a sound or you dead," the man whispered in broken English.

She froze and realized that in her struggle to free herself, the towel that she had loosely wrapped around her body was now at her feet. She stood completely naked in the arms of her attacker and another type of fear rose like a geyser within her.

Her apprehension was confirmed in the next moment when she felt the hand that was on her waist travel upwards to her right breast and fondle it. She cringed and let out a whimper, only to have the knife at her neck dig into her flesh and draw blood.

"You no hear well, woman. I said you dead if you make a sound," the man said in a tone that sent shivers of terror down her spine. He continued to fondle her breast then let his hand fall down to her crotch. Before she knew it, he had his finger inside her and her mind screamed in agony and repulsion, but she was too afraid to move.

"You American women all whores anyway," he sneered as he continued to thrust his finger deep inside her. She felt his penis harden against her back and sheer horror ran through her again and again. Then in an abrupt move he pulled his finger out of her and forced her to the bed, where he put all his weight down on top of her. With one hand holding the knife against the artery in her throat, he used the other one to undo his pants.

She knew he was only seconds away from penetration and she screamed despite the danger to her life. Her action threw him off guard for a moment, and in that instant she managed to pull his hand that held the knife away from her throat.

Doggett was about to peel off his clothes and hit the shower when he heard Scully's sudden scream. Alarm ran through his body and a mere moment later he came crashing through their adjoining door. The scene before him shocked and terrified him, and at once he ran to the man who was straddling Scully, grabbed him, and threw him off of her. The attacker went flying against the wall, the impact knocking the knife out of his hand. Instantly Doggett was on top of him, pounding his fists into the man's face. But the man was very large and strong and gained leverage, rolling Doggett under him. But before he was able to throw his first punch, Doggett pushed him off of himself with his leg and sprang on him again. His fury boiled over and with his rushing adrenaline giving him almost super-human strength, he beat the attacker into unconsciousness. He would have continued with his punching had he not heard Scully's whimpering. Immediately he sprinted to her side and noticed she was completely naked.

"Dana, are you hurt? What did he do to you?" Doggett's eyes scanned her body, looking for signs of injury. He noticed a small cut on her neck, but nothing else. He was afraid to ask his next question, fearing her answer would be "yes". "Did he rape you?"

She shook her head from side to side, her body trembling uncontrollably. "No…but almost," she whimpered.

A wave of relief passed over Doggett at her words and he gathered her in his arms, holding her tightly against him.

"If you hadn't come in…at that second…" she sobbed, "…he would have and then would have killed me…"

"My God, Dana; I'm so sorry. Oh, baby…" he rocked her back and forth, imagining the horror she had just lived through. He didn't know what he would have done had he not been able to save her from rape and worse.

"He…he…put his finger…inside me…" she was repulsed at the memory, but felt the need to tell Doggett everything.

A tidal wave of anger rose within Doggett again and he sprang up from the bed and over to the attacker, still lying unconscious on the floor. He was about to swing his fist into him again when Scully's urgent plea stopped him.

"No! Please, John! No! Leave him; he's not worth it!" She knew he would have killed him had she not stopped him and the thought of him in jail because of that scum terrified her.

Doggett hesitated, his anger still boiling, but one look at the pleading in her eyes coupled with the her next words stopped him.

"I need you," she said, her naked body trembling.

He rushed over to her again, grabbed a robe he saw lying at the head of the bed, wrapped it around her, and took her in his arms. "Oh, God, Dana. I'm so sorry. I'll never let this happen to you again. Never!" He was feeling massive guilt building up inside him that she had been so close to complete violation and that she had had to experience that bastard's filthy finger inside her most private area. How could he have let this happen? Why hadn't he known the moment the attacker was in her room?

"It's not your fault, John." She could already see in his eyes that he was blaming himself.

"But it is! I should've known; I should've prevented this entirely!"

She took his face in her hands and forced him to look at her. "John, I didn't scream until the last minute. How could you have known? What counted is that you saved me, you were there for me, and that is what matters."

"Oh baby, oh baby…" Here she was soothing him when she was the one traumatized. "What can I do for you?"

"Just hold me and…don't leave me," she whispered, needing him now more than ever.

"I'll never leave you." He held her tightly against him, burying his face in her wet hair and letting his tears flow.

A moaning abruptly caught Doggett's attention and he jumped up and strode over to the man sprawled on the floor. He was coming to and Doggett knew it was high time to call the authorities. He grabbed the phone off of the nightstand and carried it over to where the man lay. Within minutes he had called the police and was assured that they were on their way over.

Scully put her arms through her robe and tied it securely at her waist, trying to cover all of her exposed flesh.

Doggett grabbed some pillowcases and tied them tightly around the attacker's wrists and ankles. By this time the man was conscious again.

Doggett held the knife up to him and said, his voice hard and angry, "How dare you attack and touch my partner! I should kill you for it, you dirty bastard! You sicken me."

The man grinned evilly and said, "She's just a whore."

Doggett punched him, then spat in his face. It took all his willpower not to beat him senseless again. "You're the filth here! What else did you come for?"

The man stared at him with hatred in his eyes, but said nothing.

"Answer me!" Doggett demanded, pressing the knife to his throat.

"John," Scully said. She had just noticed that the contents to her bag were strewn over the bedspread. "He stole the rolls of film I took at the sight yesterday."

Immediately, Doggett patted the man down, finding the film in his pockets. He threw them over in Scully's direction, just as the police arrived.

Doggett and Scully showed the police their ID's and explained what had happened in detail. Doggett never left Scully's side during the questioning, keeping his arm around her in a protective gesture. One of the policemen wrote down all Scully said and seemed sympathetic towards her. He assured her that the man would be punished for his crime.

When they left, Doggett was still at Scully's side. "I feel so dirty," she said quietly. "I've got to take another shower, but…" her voice trailed off.

"But what?" he asked gently.

"But…could you…" She felt like a fool for what she wanted to ask.

He understood and offered, "I'll stay right here on this bed while you shower. I'll make sure no one comes in. You'll be safe; I promise."

She smiled, so thankful that this loyal, precious man was in her life. "Thanks," she whispered.

He kissed her forehead and released her from his embrace. She walked slowly into the bathroom and shut the door behind her.

Doggett paced the floor, his anger having resurfaced. How could this happen? How could he have let this happen? He should have known that there might have been someone sent to retrieve the film. He should not have let her out of his sight. He should have been there to protect her! He was just so thankful that he had not been in the shower when she had screamed, or else he certainly would have arrived too late and then he could not have lived with himself, nor ever forgiven himself.

Scully let the water wash over her body. She scrubbed it fiercely, giving her right breast and crotch special attention, but no matter how hard she scrubbed or how much soap she used, she still felt dirty. She could still remember the God- awful feeling of that scum's finger inside her. Her vagina ached and she had noticed a drop of blood on the lower part of her robe where she had been sitting on it. She knew it must have come from her vagina since she was completely dry when he penetrated her and she remembered feeling a sharp fingernail scrape her insides. She shuddered at the thought and her face grimaced at the horrible memory. She lathered up again, inserting her own soapy finger gently into her vagina to completely clean it out. Then the tears came: tears of fear, tears of being violated, tears of self-pity, tears of relief that she got off with as little injury as she did. About twenty-five minutes later, she turned the water off, toweled herself dry, and donned the cotton pajamas she had set out on the sink counter earlier.

Doggett noticed that Scully was taking an unusually long time in the shower and hoped she was okay. He imagined her sitting on the shower floor in the fetal position crying. He was tempted to go in and check on her, but the last thing he wanted to do was cause her anymore discomfort or embarrassment; he was just so desperate to help her and wasn't quite sure how to.

Finally Scully stepped out of the bathroom and Doggett was at once on his feet and walked toward her. He could tell that she had been crying, and it broke his heart. He didn't know what to say, so he tenderly put his arms around her. Letting his embrace encompass her, she pressed herself against him.

"I just can't seem to get clean," she whispered.

He closed his eyes tightly at her words and his heart ached for her. "You are clean; you are beautiful; you are safe," he said softly into her damp hair. She hugged him tighter and felt so lucky to be in his arms. Just being in them brought her comfort he could never imagine.

"Do you think you can get some sleep?" he asked gently.

She nodded her head against his chest and he walked her over to her bed, turned back the covers, helped her climb in, and tucked her in.

She looked up at him, her eyes red-rimmed, but big and blue, a million emotions reflecting within them.

"I'll keep the adjoinin' room door open and I'm gonna take a quick shower, but I'll leave my bathroom door open as well, so I can hear you should you need me," he offered, hoping these gestures would give her somewhat of a sense of security.

She nodded. "Thank you, thank you for everything, John. I'm so grateful to you for stopping that man when you did, for being here with me, for comforting me. Your presence has helped me more than you know."

Doggett felt good upon hearing that, for that was all he wanted to do for her: provide her safety and comfort…and love. He smiled warmly at her, then kissed her forehead. "Goodnight," he whispered.

"Goodnight," she repeated and watched him walk to his room, making sure that he did not close the door. She listened to the water hit the shower floor as he turned it on and suddenly missed his presence intensely. Although she was dead tired from their dangerous journey and the emotional turmoil her attacker caused her, she was now wide- awake, hearing every sound around her. She suddenly couldn't wait until Doggett turned off the shower and realized that she wanted--needed--to be in his embrace in order to feel safe enough to drift off into sleep.

True to his word, Doggett's shower was short and she waited a while for him to get dressed. Then she sat up in bed and was about to stand up when Doggett's head peaked around the adjoining door. He was surprised to find her sitting in bed awake instead of sleeping and walked over to her.

Clad only in a pair of boxer shorts, Scully couldn't help but notice his chiseled chest and muscular, powerful thighs and arms and yearned to be held next to them safe and at peace. She took her notice of this as a sign that she would be able to get over this terrible event sooner rather than later.

"I was hopin' you'd be sleepin' by now," he said gently, then kneeled down before her.

"I couldn't sleep. I guess I'm just paranoid tonight."

"That's understandable. But you're perfectly safe now. I'll make sure of it."

She smiled warmly at him then got the nerve up to ask him what she really needed, "Could I…could I sleep with you in your bed tonight?" She lowered her eyes and felt her cheeks turn crimson. Ashamed, she tried to explain: "I would feel safe with you next to me…I--"

He noticed her embarrassment and interrupted her justification, "Shh…of course you can. Come on."

They walked into his room and she quickly climbed into his bed. He pulled a clean T-shirt out of his suitcase and put it on, something he would not have done had he been sleeping alone, but he wanted to make her more comfortable. Then he turned off the light and climbed into bed as well.

"John." Her voice sounded meek in the darkness. "Could you please hold me?" She felt like a silly child, but her need for his comfort, the security he could provide, negated any attempts at pride this night.

"Of course," he said, knowing how much it must have taken her to ask. It was what he had instinctively wanted to do the moment he got into bed, but he had not wanted to be presumptuous.

He wrapped his arms securely around her, her back to his chest, and she laced her arms and legs with his, wanting to feel him tightly against her every limb. Almost immediately a sense of peace washed over her and she felt incredibly drowsy.

"Thanks," she mumbled as sleep claimed her wholly.

Doggett smiled into her hair, happy that he could bring her enough comfort and security that she found it easy to fall asleep. He, on the other hand, would have a more difficult time falling asleep. After all, it was not every night he got to lay in bed with and wrap his body around the woman he loved, in fact it was the first time with Dana Scully and although the thoughts were not appropriate at this time, his body still hummed at her nearness. But eventually sleep claimed him as well, and the two of them slept in utter peace in each other's arms.

It was late morning when Doggett felt Scully stir against him. He had been up for almost an hour now, thinking about how good it felt to have her in his arms, in his bed. He had marveled at the position he had found themselves in upon waking: he was lying on his back and Scully was turned toward him, her leg between his two, his arm around her, her arm draped over his stomach, and her head on his chest. It was simply heaven, but what it had taken for her to end up in bed with him last night, was something he never would have wished upon her.

He had also spent the last hour thinking about the events of the previous day. It was a day from hell in so many ways, but it had surprisingly brought them closer to each other on many levels. That they had survived their almost day-long journey through the relentless heat of the desert, that Scully had escaped heat stroke by a slim margin, that he had prevented her rape and possible death by a couple moments were all things he was very thankful for. Since losing his son, he had lost his connection with God, but this morning he prayed and thanked God for what they had survived, for what He had given to him in Scully.

She stirred against him again and he gently entwined his fingers with hers, joining their hands on his stomach. He felt so close to her and knew without a doubt that he was head- over-heels in love. She squeezed his hand and nuzzled her head in his chest, not wanting to move from this position for anything.

"Didn't mean to wake you," he said softly.

"Umm," was all she said. He was amazed at how comfortable she was in his embrace, in his bed. After all, they were not lovers--yet. But he felt the same way and took the liberty to stroke her hair with his other hand.

"How're you feelin'?"

She stretched her neck up and found his gaze immediately. It was loving and warm and so much more. She smiled, amazed at how good she felt, considering what horrendous events took place the day before. It was almost like one night next to him in bed, one full night in his arms, cured her of all her troubles and pain. "Much, much better," she whispered.

His heart lightened at her words and he returned her smile. "I'm so glad."

She propped her head up on her bent arm. "I don't know how to thank you properly for all you've done for me. You saved me twice yesterday and I owe you so much."

"You owe me nothin'," he said sternly. He would die for her; didn't she know that? "And as for thanks, seein' you safe and happy is all I want."

She smiled again, then leaned toward him and planted a soft kiss on his lips. It was tender and lingering, and she wanted to convey how very much he meant to her through it. "Thank you," she said again as she pulled back.

Their eyes met and he knew without a doubt at that moment, that she loved him too.

He wanted to tell her right then that he loved her, but since they were in bed together it might lead to love-making, and with the almost-rape of last night he did not think she was ready. The last thing he wanted to do was push her to yield to something she was not quite ready for. He also wanted their first time not to be overshadowed by such a terrible experience. He wanted to tell her that he loved her when the time and place were special and memorable, and he wanted their consummation of that love to be even more special.

"Our plane doesn't leave 'till late tonight," he said, changing the subject that dominated his mind and perhaps hers. He had called the airline right after he had called Kersh last night. "Since this whole case is most likely a hoax and there's nothin' left for us to do on this end business-wise, is there somethin' you'd like to do or see before we get outta here?"

Scully smiled at what popped into her head at his question. Impulsively she wanted to kiss him passionately, tell him she loved him, and make love with him all day until it was time to leave for that flight. But on second thought, she didn't want that to happen here, in the room next to where she was almost raped. She wanted it to happen in a place that she had only good memories of, a place where she and the man she loved could create special memories untainted by evil and hatred. But she definitely wanted it to happen, and by the love she saw in Doggett's eyes every time he looked at her, she thought he wanted it too.

"I'd love to play tourist and see some of the sights, like the pyramids and temples. I'd hate to leave here having seen nothing but that bogus spacecraft and enough desert sand to last the rest of my life."

He smiled brightly at her and said, "Then let's do just that! We'll make it a day to remember."

"Great," she said happily and sat up abruptly. The sudden motion shot aching pain throughout her body. She felt as if every single muscle within her were sore. A groan escaped her before she knew it and Doggett's face turned from glee to concern in a millisecond.

"You're hurt?"

"I'm just sore. I guess I forgot for a moment what my body went through yesterday," she said, rolling her shoulders back, trying to loosen them up. "You must be sore too."

"Just a bit," he said, knowing that she had gone through much, much more than he had yesterday. The concern hadn't left his face yet and he offered, "Can I do somethin' for you, like massage your muscles?"

She was touched by his concern for her and his offer sounded incredibly tempting. "Well, if you don't mind…"

"C'mere," he said and she turned her back toward him. He started the massage right away, first on her shoulders, then her shoulder blades, her back, and down both her arms. He knew her legs must have been sore as well, but he could not go there without sexual overtones, especially in the thigh region, and that was not what this massage was intended for. Nevertheless, touching her like this was arousing him greatly, and he was thankful that her back was to him and that the sheet still covered his boxers.

The feel of his fingers digging into her flesh was pure heaven. Her muscles eased under his pressure and a feeling of well- being overcame her and coursed through her body. She felt limp and utterly relaxed. The man had magic fingers and she could only imagine what else he could do with them, especially in the lower regions of her body.

"Umm…much better," she cooed. Now a hot shower and her body would be ready for the adventures of the day.

"I better hit the shower and get ready before our whole day is gone," she said, moving off the bed. Her feet ached as she placed her weight on them and she made a mental note to wear sneakers today--with socks.

"I'll do the same," he said, but did not get off the bed yet.

She gingerly walked over to the adjoining room door and looked into her room. The images that were thrown back at her from the night before stopped her in her tracks. The rumpled bed, the dispersed contents of her bag, the towel still lying on the floor, were all reminders of what had happened there.

Doggett noticed her hesitation to enter her room and guessed the reason. "Lemme get your things for you and why don't you use my shower and room? There's really no need for you to go in there again."

She smiled at his thoughtfulness. John Doggett was a sensitive man on top of his many other admirable traits. "That'd be great," she said and walked away from the door.

He got out of bed and pulled on a pair of jeans, but not before Scully noticed that his boxers seemed fuller than when she had seen him in them last night. She smiled to herself, pleased that she was able to arouse him so easily, and walked into his bathroom.

Moments later, he was at the bathroom door with her toiletries and a fresh towel. He informed her that her suitcase was on his bed and that he'd be getting ready in her room, so she'd have some privacy.

A half an hour later, they were both ready to head downstairs for a late breakfast. At the hotel cafeteria restaurant, they gorged themselves on food, considering they had not had much the day before.

With bellies full they met the tour guide Doggett had hired to take them around the city for the day. His name was Sallah and they climbed into his old Mercedes, which had no seat belts of course--"in Shalla" as the Arabs said. Since they did not have much time left in this country, they wanted to see the highlights of Cairo and have its rich history explained to them.

First they were taken to the Egyptian Museum and entered through the second floor where all of King Tutankhamun's treasures were kept. They were exquisite, so detailed and richly gilded, and Doggett and Scully were truly in awe. Unfortunately, they didn't have time to see more of the large museum, but they were happy that they at least got to see what they considered the most important part.

Next they went to the Citadel, which was built in the 12th century by Saladin for the defense of Cairo. Within the Citadel they visited the Mohammed Ali Mosque. They were required to remove their shoes before entering, staying with Arab tradition. The mosque was beautiful with high ceilings covered in mosaics and a gigantic chandelier hung in the center. The floor was completely carpeted with red throw rugs and the smell of bare feet permeated the air. There were many school children inside who gathered around them, welcoming them to Egypt. They were dressed in colorful clothing and they allowed a delighted Scully to take their picture. Next they saw a beautiful Coptic church and a Jewish synagogue, covering three religions in one day.

The best was saved for last. Sallah drove them to the plateau of Giza, where the Great Pyramids of Cheops, Chephren, and Mykerinos stood looming at the edge of the desert. They were unreal! Doggett and Scully stood there, holding hands, in awe and amazement. How could people from so long ago have built these? The task seemed so incredible! Colorfully saddled camels with persistent riders congregated at the base of the pyramids, offering tourists rides. They declined, but captured their images in many of their photographs.

Doggett was having such a terrific time seeing Scully's excitement over the many beautiful and ancient sights they had been seeing. The fire in her eyes was like that of a child's at Christmas morning and her unhindered spirit was loose for the day, delighting in all around her. He was glad that this day was giving her a break from the torment she had endured the day before. He would have done anything to erase those awful memories for her and hoped that by making some new, wonderful ones with him here that it would ease the vile ones when they returned.

About a half a mile away stood the Great Sphinx, a creature with a human's head and a lion's body. It was a majestic sight, especially since it was now dusk and the red sunset's glow colored the vast sky and the pyramids silhouetted in the background. They stood, hand in hand, taking in this most gorgeous sight before them. Several times throughout the day Doggett had grabbed Scully and kissed her, her passion for her surroundings making her even more desirable. This was one of those times as they stood looking at the Great Pyramids and the Sphinx one last time. He turned to her, her face glowing amber in the waning sun and looked deeply into her sapphire eyes.

"I love you," he whispered.

The smile that lit up her face upon hearing those words was brighter than any smile he'd seen on her face that day--and that was no easy feat!

"Oh, John, I love you too," she breathed and he claimed her mouth with his in a kiss so passionate, he was grateful that the remaining light was dim, for such public affection was far from the norm here. They let their kiss linger, drinking from each other, sharing their souls without words, and sealing the love they felt. Their hearts beat in time as one and when they parted, breathless and impassioned, the quickly fading light allowed one last glimpse into each other's eyes in a gaze that spoke volumes without a sound.

They shared one more kiss, gave the majestic sight before them one last glance, then headed over to Sallah's Mercedes, where he was waiting patiently for them. They got in the car and Sallah drove them back to the hotel. After thanking him profusely for the wonderful tour and giving him an extra large tip, Doggett helped Scully out of the car and they walked into the Marriott.

They ate a barbeque-style dinner at "Roy's" then quickly went up to their rooms and finished packing. After paying the balance of their room bills, they hailed a cab and were driven to the airport.

Two hours later they were in the air, reminiscing about the day's adventures.

"This was one of the best days I can ever remember," Scully said sighing. She felt so happy and alive.

"For me too," he said, squeezing her hand that had already been in his since the plane had taken off.

"I'd love to come back one day with you and see all the things we didn't have time for, like Aswan, Luxor, the Temple of Karnak, the Valley of the Kings and the Valley of the Queens, King Tut's tomb, and maybe take one of those Nile cruises for a few days."

"And ride in a felucca," he added with a smile.

"Yes! I'd love that!"

"Well then, I promise you one day we'll be back on our own time so we can stay as long as we want and get to see all the places on your mental list," Doggett said, excited that she was already seeing them traveling together for pleasure in the future.

"That sounds great, but for now, I'm ready for home, having had enough of Amun-Ra to last me a long, long time," she said, thinking once again of their hike through the hot desert. It was an experience she would never forget, one that she never would have survived without John Doggett at her side.

They talked for a while longer then Scully was beginning to feel very sleepy. Without thinking about it, her body gravitated toward Doggett's--as much as it could in an airplane seat--and her head fell against his shoulder. She was asleep almost instantly.

Doggett gently covered her with a blanket and felt a special joy inside that this woman he loved seemed to be completely comfortable with him and didn't hesitate to cuddle up next to him. Soon, he too, fell into a sound sleep.

They both slept for a good portion of the flight and when awake talked flirtatiously with each other. The sexual tension between them was growing by the minute and the long flight seemed to fly by with their preoccupation with one another.

Finally they arrived in Washington DC in the morning and Doggett drove Scully to her apartment. She unlocked her door and he carried her suitcase inside.

"Thanks," she said, looking at him, standing only about three feet from him.

"Sure," he replied. "I'll take this film you took in and have it developed and enlargements made. Maybe we can find that proof we're lookin' for."

"Thanks. That'd be great."

Suddenly there was an aura of nervousness and shyness between them. Although they had not even kissed once during the flight, they had shared a great intimacy and now that they were back home, neither of them wanted it to end.

More than anything Doggett wanted to pick her up and carry her to the bedroom, but he didn't want to rush things. Instead he stood there like an awkward teenager trying to find the right words to ask her out. This sudden self-consciousness was not like him for usually he was a confident man, but right now, with the beautiful Dana Scully before him, he was tongue-tied.

"I should let you settle in and get some rest," he said, kicking himself. The last thing he wanted to do was leave, especially without making a plan of when they would meet again.

"Yeah," she said softly, not wanting him to go. She wanted to take him by the hand and lead him to her awaiting bed.

Did he see a tinge of disappointment in her eyes? "Yeah," he repeated and slowly turned toward the door. Why was he suddenly so shy? Perhaps because he had never asked Dana Scully out on a date before and he desperately wanted to. Perhaps because he was already deeply in love with her and he didn't want to mess anything up. Perhaps because he was so out of practice when it came to love and romantic relationships. Perhaps because if she rejected him he'd never be able to get over it.

The butterflies that fluttered around in Scully's stomach were mixed with shots of disappointment as she realized he was actually leaving. She didn't want him to go. She had been with him almost constantly since they had left for the case and to now suddenly be without his company seemed too foreign to handle. She was already missing him and he hadn't even stepped a foot out her door yet.

"Dana," he said, turning toward her again. His eyes met hers and he noticed they seemed full of hope and warmth. "Would you like to go out to dinner with me tonight?" There he had said it. "What was the big deal?" he asked himself.

"I'd love to," she said, her face radiant.

"Great," he beamed. "How 'bout the Velvet Orchid?"

The Velvet Orchid: fancy, expensive, intimate. She'd have to wear something dressy and slinky. It sounded wonderful! "Sounds great."

"Good. I've always wanted to try it out, but I've never had the right person to take," he said, suddenly feeling awkward again at what he had just blurted out. "How's 7:00?"

"7:00 is good."

"I'll pick you up then." He headed toward the door again and was about to step out when on impulse he quickly turned around, grabbed Scully by the waist, pulled her to him, and planted a passionate kiss on her awaiting lips. He had wanted to do this throughout their long flight and certainly ever since they had stepped into her apartment, and now he felt as if he were in heaven with her hot mouth on his and their tongues tasting each other intimately. They kissed each other fiercely, pressing themselves tightly against one another, letting their hunger take control.

Scully let out a tiny involuntary whimper when they parted and Doggett gave her one last look, a big grin on his face, and disappeared out the door. She was left standing in her living room, heart pounding wildly, legs trembling, pupils dilated, and lips swollen pink. Somehow she managed to close the door and walk to the couch where she sat and curled into a ball, trying to regain control over her body. It never failed: that man's touch always left her a trembling putty in his arms. Kissing him was like the most powerful aphrodisiac she'd ever experienced and her core was left churning and hungering for more. She felt like an addict going through withdrawal as she sat there, her body humming. It was a good fifteen minutes before she was able to pick herself off the couch and call her mother.

Doggett, too, was quite affected by the kiss they had just shared and he was grateful that he did not pass anyone on the way to his truck, for one look at him and it would have been obvious how aroused he was. He sat for a while in his truck, waiting for his erection to ease before he drove himself home. The hold this woman had on him was amazing. He knew he'd do anything in the world for her, starting with tonight. He hurried home for he had a lot to do to make their first date perfect.

Mrs. Scully drove to her daughter's apartment right after hanging up the phone with her. She carried William in her arms and Scully grabbed him immediately when they arrived. She was so thrilled to see him and couldn't stop kissing him and cuddling with him. After the heartwarming reunion between mother and son, Scully told her mom all about the trip: the case which was most likely bogus, the perilous trek through the desert, and the almost rape. Her mother was aghast at what did and almost did happen to her daughter and was so thankful that Doggett had been there to save and comfort her.

"John sounds like a special man, Dana," her mother remarked. She had noticed that throughout their conversation that whenever her daughter mentioned his name there was a certain sparkle in her eye. She was beginning to wonder if they were becoming more than just partners and friends. She knew that during Mulder's absence, Doggett had been there for her, and apparently he was there for her now as well.

Scully smiled shyly, knowing what her mom was getting at. "He is, Mom." She had left out the part about sleeping in Doggett's bed after the attempted rape, but she had a feeling her mom had read between the lines as she spoke. It was becoming harder and harder to hide her emotions when it came to John Doggett, so she decided to just let her mother in on her feelings for the man.

"On our last day in Cairo we had time for some sightseeing," she began. "It was awesome and John and I had a great time together. The last sight we saw was the Sphinx at sunset and that was when John told me that he loves me."

Mrs. Scully smiled. She knew it; she knew John Doggett loved her daughter, but the big question was: did her daughter love him or was she still in love with Fox. Mulder? "Do you love him?"

Scully smiled radiantly. "Yes, Mom; I love him very much."

Mrs. Scully was thrilled and gave her daughter a big hug, squeezing William between them. "Oh, Dana, I'm so happy for you, for both of you!"

"Thanks, Mom. He makes me so happy. In fact, even with all the terrible things that happened on this case, I can't remember ever being happier. Just being with him…it's the best feeling in the world. I know, I sound silly, don't I?"

"No, not at all. This is wonderful, dear! You deserve happiness. You deserve that comfort, stability, security, and love I know he offers you. I'm so glad you found it with him."

Scully just smiled, then remembered. "Oh, I have a favor to ask. He wants to take me out to dinner tonight, and I know I just got back and you've been with William--"

"Of course I'll watch the baby for you! You go out and have some fun. I can take him with me now and bring him back in the morning, that way you can maybe catch a nap and have some time to get ready for your date."

"Thanks, Mom. You're the best."

By now William was asleep and Scully gently put him back in her mother's arms. She kissed them both goodbye and locked the door after them.

She spent the next hour unpacking and then as she was about to take a much-needed nap, the phone rang.

"Hello?"

"Hi, Dana, it's me," Doggett said excitedly.

"You got the photos back?"

"Sure did," he said, "and you're never gonna believe what one of the enlargements showed." Doggett smiled to himself as he looked at the photo in his hand.

"What? The suspense is killing me!" His excitement was rubbing off on her.

He chuckled. "Well I saw some tiny markin's that didn't look like any of the other shapes and patterns on the craft, so I had that portion of the photo blown up and…get this: it said, 'Made in Taiwan'!"

"No!" Scully shrieked into the phone in disbelief.

"So unless the Taiwanese are aliens, that piece of junk out there in the desert is definitely from this world."

"I can't believe it!" Scully exclaimed, laughing. "How can they be so…stupid?"

"That's why they didn't want us or any other foreign officials examinin' that so-called spacecraft. They wanted to pawn it off as the real thing and make some money off of it."

"Yup! So our suspicions were right after all. Did you tell Kersh?"

"Not yet. I wanted to let you know first. I'll go tell him now, then head home for a nap."

Scully was touched that he had told her first even before their boss. "Thanks, John."

"See you tonight," he said cheerfully.

"'Till tonight," she replied and they hung up.

She shook her head and laughed, thinking about the ridiculousness of the "spacecraft". And that was what they had risked their lives over!

She finally headed to her bedroom, climbed into bed, and was asleep in minutes.

At 5:30 she felt refreshed from her nap and stepped into the shower. That simple act brought back the memory of the long shower she had taken in Egypt after that man had attempted to rape her. She shuddered as the painful memories came flooding back and cringed in disgust as she touched her breast and crotch where the man had violated her. She tried hard to push those ugly thoughts out of her mind and it was only when she thought of Doggett touching her there, lovingly, passionately, that she was successful.

Finally she stepped out of the shower, her spirits high again. She was not going to let that horrible incident put a shadow over her life, especially now that she was in love.

Looking through her closet, she was having a hard time deciding on what to wear. Usually she didn't have this problem: she just grabbed one of her many suits and threw it on for work, but tonight was definitely not an occasion for a suit. In fact, she rarely ever went to a place that required fancy dressing.

After trying on several outfits, she finally settled on a simple, yet elegant sapphire blue sheath dress. It fell just above her knees, was sleeveless, but was held up by two-inch wide straps. The neckline was in the shape of a V and plunged just low enough that a hint of cleavage showed and the back mirrored the front with a V-shaped dip just as low. Satisfied, she laid the dress back down on her bed and returned to the bathroom to apply her makeup. When that was done she donned the dress again then styled her hair into a French twist, letting a few tendrils hang down around her neck and ears. She put some diamond stud earrings into her lobes and hung a small, simple matching diamond pendant around her neck. The earring and pendant set had been a gift from her parents upon her graduation from medical school. Finally she slipped her feet into a pair of high-heeled strappy sandals. Luckily her feet were back to normal after that torturous journey through the desert, mostly due to Doggett's lending her of his socks.

Doggett, too, was taking extra care in getting himself ready for his date. When he was satisfied with his appearance, he stopped off at the local florist and bought a dozen long- stemmed red roses. He knew he might be overdoing it a bit at this stage in their relationship, but he didn't care: he was so in love with her and he liked what the red roses signified. Besides, after all Scully had endured in Egypt, he wanted to make this night extra special for her.

Promptly at 7:00 Doggett knocked on Scully's door. When she opened it several seconds later he was awestruck at the sight of her. She was absolutely gorgeous, her rather shy smile almost clashing with the sexiness of her dress, and he was left speechless. He couldn't tear his eyes from her and he knew his mouth must have been hanging open in awe.

She, too, was speechless. Although she saw him in a suit almost everyday at work, tonight he looked even more dashing than usual. He wore a finely tailored navy suit with a crisp white shirt and a kind of water-colored patterned tie with dominating burgundy, yellow, and indigo colors. His eyes almost glowed and their blue hue was more intense than usual.

"You're a vision," he finally managed to get out. "Gorgeous," he added, finding it difficult to find the right words to describe the beauty before him.

Scully smiled shyly and looked at her feet. She was definitely not used to getting such compliments and she could feel her cheeks burning in reaction.

"You look very handsome yourself," she said.

Remembering the flowers, he said, "These are for you," and handed them to her.

"Thank you! They're so beautiful!" she exclaimed, burying her nose into them and inhaling their potent scent. Never before had a man given her a dozen red roses. She knew exactly what they symbolized and her heart overflowed with joy.

"Their beauty is nothin' compared to you," he said, looking directly at her.

Once again she blushed profusely and gave him an awkward smile. "Thanks," she whispered under her breath. "I better put these in water."

She headed towards the kitchen, pulled out a large vase from one on the cabinets, filled it with water, and set the roses in. Then she carried them to her dining room table, placing them in the center.

"Thank you, John."

He smiled warmly at her. "So William's with your mother?"

"Yes. She was kind enough to look after him tonight."

"I know you missed him so much. We could've stayed here tonight if you wanted to be with him," Doggett offered, angry with himself that he hadn't offered it before. He had been so in the moment when he had asked her out, her wanting to be with her baby had slipped his mind. He felt like a selfish pig.

"No, I spent this morning with him and my mother will be bringing him over tomorrow morning again. Besides, I wanted to spend tonight alone with you." Oh my God, what had she just said? She blushed again.

He gave her a lopsided grin, his heart beating faster at her words. "Then shall we?" he asked extending a bent arm.

"Gladly," she replied, hooking her arm in his.

He drove them to the restaurant in a kind of nervous excitement. They entered the establishment and were at once pleased with its ambience. The mood was very romantic, with dimmed lights and soft music. On the left there was a small dance floor with a piano at the far end, and on the right was the bar. Many people were already seated there and they looked like they were having a good time. In the center of the room were the majority of the tables, which were draped in white, topped with smaller cream-colored tablecloths. Each one had a candle in the center, further adding to the romantic mood.

At once they were greeted by the maitre 'd, gave their name, and were seated by a window that overlooked the beautifully lit and sculptured gardens outside. Their table offered some privacy from the other diners and Doggett, for one, was happy about this. It was what he had hoped for.

They sat down and were handed their menus. Scully noticed that hers did not have any prices on it.

"This is really nice, John. Thank you for taking me here." She smiled at him, watching his eyes sparkle in the candlelight as they met hers.

"I'm glad you like it," he said smiling.

Just then their waiter arrived, greeted them, and informed them of the house specials for the evening. Doggett ordered a bottle of wine and the waiter left to retrieve it.

"So what looks good to you?" he asked, perusing the menu.

"Hmm…everything. It all sounds so delicious, but I think I'll go with the sautéed salmon. What about you?"

"I'm gonna have the prime rib, but I think I'll pass on the garlic mashed potatoes since your meal doesn't come with them," he said with a roguish smile.

"Really?" she said, arching her eyebrow. Her body sang at the mere suggestion that he wanted to be close enough to her tonight to kiss her.

"Really," he answered confidently and flashed her the sexiest smile she'd ever seen on the man. The evening was heating up and they hadn't even ordered yet.

Moments later the waiter arrived with their wine, poured it, then took their order. Doggett took the liberty of ordering for her and then for himself.

"May I propose a toast," Doggett began, lifting his glass. Scully lifted hers as well. "To tonight; may it only be the beginnin'--"

"Of us." Scully couldn't resist adding those words; she felt so strongly about the two of them together.

"And may there be no end," he finished, pleased that she was thinking along the very same lines as he.

They clinked glasses and sipped their wine, never breaking eye contact. They then spoke no more words, but instead just gazed at each other, soaking one another in.

Doggett was overcome with Scully's beauty. The way the candlelight played in her hair and made her eyes sparkle and her skin glow aroused him and he felt the urgent need to touch her. Her hand was lying on the table and he gently took it into his own. It was warm and silky soft. Her thumb tenderly stroked his thumb and the touch sent waves of pleasure through him. He knew his heart was hopelessly lost to her when such a small gesture could bring forth such strong emotions within him. They stayed like this, gazing into each other's eyes, speaking without words, and holding hands until their meals arrived. It seemed like only seconds ago that they had ordered, so were they oblivious to the world around them.

They ate their dinner, thoroughly enjoying each morsel, and let the wine flow freely. Before they knew it, the bottle was empty and their bodies hummed with a slight smoldering burn, as much from their attraction as from the wine.

"So it really said, 'Made in Taiwan'?" Scully chuckled at the thought.

"Sure did!" Doggett laughed. "Oh, I almost forgot; I brought that photo for you to see," he said fumbling in his jacket pocket and producing the evidence.

Scully studied it and burst out laughing, the wine having made her feel quite dizzy. "And this is what we risked our lives for!"

Doggett stopped laughing. This was what Scully had almost died for. This is why Scully was almost raped. He took her hand in his, his face reflecting loving concern.

"Dana…how are you dealin' with…what happened?" he asked gently.

She saw the deep concern in his eyes and knew he was talking about the attempted rape. She squeezed his hand. "I'm fine," she said, then admonished herself for shutting him out, like she had done to Mulder countless times in the past. She saw a tinge of hurt in Doggett's eyes at her words and knew he didn't believe them for a second.

"No, actually I'm going to be fine," she said, revising her statement, then opened herself up to him even further. "I won't lie to you. When I was taking my shower today I thought about what happened, what he did to me, where he touched me, but I'm resolved not to let it get in the way of my happiness. After all, I was quite lucky; you saved me and I will be eternally grateful for that." Maybe it was the wine allowing her to talk so openly about her feelings, but the honesty freed her.

Doggett was touched that she had opened up to him about this painful subject and he wanted more than anything to make everything better for her. "Dana, I'm so sorry you went through all that. I want you to know you can tell me anythin'. I want to help you, but I don't really know how."

She gave him a warm smile. "You already do help me, John, just by being with me, listening to me. I know I can always count on you. Besides," Scully added, wanting to change the mood back to carefree and romantic, "being with you makes me happy."

He grinned broadly and gave her hand another squeeze. "Likewise."

About half way through their meal a pianist started to play beautiful music. Several couples danced to the songs, most of which were romantic-sounding ballads.

The waiter came by with a selection of decadent desserts. Scully and Doggett chose a piece of Khalua chocolate mousse tort to share.

With the plate between them they took their first bites, Scully rolling her eyes as she savored the divine morsel. "God, this is good," she said. Almost as good as sex.

"Umm hmm," was all Doggett could say, taking another big bite.

He held a piece of the tort on his fork and extended it to her. She smiled at the idea of being fed and he watched intently as she slipped her lips over the chocolate and slid it into her mouth. He watched her savor the texture and intense flavor with her tongue and couldn't help but wonder what magic her tongue could do on him. She swallowed the bite and let the tip of her tongue poke out and lick the corners of her mouth. In his heightened state of arousal, watching that act was almost too much for him and he knew he had to feel her against him right now.

"Shall we dance?" he asked, his voice rumbling and rough.

"I'd love to," she answered and they walked to the dance floor hand in hand.

Doggett gathered her in his arms and their bodies meshed like puzzle pieces as they danced slowly in time to the music. This was their first time dancing together and it was a euphoric experience for both of them. Doggett looked deeply into her eyes, wanting to see every nuance of emotion passing through her body and he allowed her see every one of his. Her eyes were dark and her lips full and he felt her quiver every now and then, her body grinding softly into him. Holding her like this, feeling every movement of her body against him, created and inferno of heat within him and a desire that had no limit.

Before he knew what he was doing, he leaned closer to her and whispered into her ear. "I want you."

His words, delivered in a thick, deep, raspy voice, caused Scully to melt at once. Eyes blazing with desire, she smiled seductively and breathed, "Not as much as I want you."

The tightening in his groin that had begun the moment she had touched her body against him on the dance floor was now tightening even more at her provocative words. Her lips were mere centimeters from his and it was all he could do not to kiss her. "Let's get outta here," he breathed, practically into her mouth.

"Let's," she murmured, feeling his need and giving into her own.

Doggett paid the bill and they were out the door within minutes. He opened his truck door for her and lifted her to the seat, letting his hand graze deliberately over her bare thigh. Automatically her legs spread for him and when he was about to remove his hand she put her hand down on top of his, softly urging it higher.

She was so aroused by his touch that she couldn't believe the words that came out of her mouth in the next moment. "I want you to touch me, feel how much I want you." Her voice was almost unrecognizable to her; it was so low and sultry.

Lightning bolts of desire ripped through him at her proposition and his hand slowly moved up and under her dress, despite what he said next. "I'm not gonna be able to drive."

She smiled seductively and her eyes locked on his as his fingers finally reached her apex, pushed aside her drenched panties, and buried themselves within her slick folds, one finger plunging deep within her fiery core. It took all her effort at that point not to throw her head back, close her eyes, and lose herself in the pleasure, but she wanted to see his reaction, and she did. His eyes darkened to almost black, his lips parted, and she could have sworn she heard a slight panting. Then he slowly removed his fingers and brought them to his lips, sliding the finger that was still burning from her core into his mouth and licking off her sweet juices.

The sight aroused her even further and she was about to pull him into a kiss, when he grinned mischievously and closed her door. He walked around to the other side, sat down, easing his prominent erection to a more comfortable position, and started the truck. He was still grinning as he drove them to her apartment, and her heart pounded in wild anticipation of what was yet to come, her body screaming in need of his touch, not wanting to be patient even for a few more minutes.

Finally they arrived at her place and he opened the door for her. Taking her hand, they almost ran into the building and stepped into the elevator. The moment the elevator door shut, Doggett pressed Scully against the wall and kissed her hungrily, his hands roaming up and down her sides until one came to rest on her buttocks and the other on her breast. She moaned at his touch and moaned again when he started kneading her breast.

It took them a couple moments to realize that the elevator had arrived at her floor and the door was wide open. When they did, he took her by the hand and they walked to Scully's front door. As she dug around in her evening bag for her keys, Doggett nibbled on the back of her neck and nipped her ear. She giggled at the sensation and found the keys, only to drop them in her haste to get them inside. Doggett bent down to retrieve them, and on his way back up he ran his tongue up her inner thigh, eliciting another gush of pleasure from Scully. By this time Scully's body was trembling considerably in a high state of arousal and she was thankful that Doggett was the one fitting the key into the lock for she knew that that simple task would have been impossible for her in this state.

The door finally open, she walked through it with Doggett right behind her. He closed it, and the keys and her evening bag both dropped to the floor as they immediately came together in another kiss. Many moments later they parted and Doggett looked her deeply in the eyes.

"I love you," he said, his voice so thick and guttural she barely recognized it.

She smiled at hearing those precious words again as bliss spread throughout her entire being. "I love you."

It was his turn to smile, actually beam, and he lifted her up in his arms and carried her to the bedroom. Setting her gently back on her feet, he swooped down for another passionate kiss as his fingers fiddled with the zipper at the back of her dress. Within seconds the dress was unzipped and in another couple seconds, it lay in a heap at her feet.

Doggett took a moment to absorb the beauty he saw before him. She was perfect, absolutely perfect. The sight of her matching sapphire blue lace bra and panties against the creamy glow of her porcelain skin, put his senses on overload and all he could think of was to touch her, smell her, taste her, drink her.

"You're so beautiful," he breathed as he descended into her cleavage and licked their swells. His hot tongue on her bare skin was like a trail of fire that shot down to her center. She suddenly had the need to feel his skin entirely on hers and started frantically pulling at his shirt, finally ripping it off as buttons flew in every direction. Then she quickly unhooked her bra, throwing it away from her. At the first touch of his almost-naked body against hers, she almost couldn't breath from the sheer sensory overload it caused. It was like silk and every nerve ending in her body screamed in pure pleasure.

"Oh God," she moaned as he then lowered his mouth to her bare nipple engulfing it in his heat. He licked and nipped and sucked it, giving her pleasures that shook her to her very core. She collapsed into his arms, her legs no longer able to hold her and he laid her down on the bed. Hurriedly tearing off his boxer briefs, whose tightness was becoming increasingly uncomfortable, then pulling her drenched panties off as well, he quickly covered her body entirely with his and kissed her with a passionate fury.

She felt his erection slide along her stomach as he moved and took it tightly into her hand, eliciting a low moan from deep within him. She moved her hand up and down from its base to its tip, then pushed him back with her other hand so that he was now lying with his back on the bed. She tore her mouth from his and in one quick movement descended her mouth onto his engorged penis, engulfing it whole.

"Ohhhh…" was all Doggett could utter as the sensation drove him to oblivion. How many nights he had dreamt of feeling her hot mouth on him like this and for it to be a reality now was something his mind could hardly grasp, especially in the throws of passion. Reflexively his hips pumped into her eager mouth in time with her ministrations. She cupped his balls, then gently rolled them around in her hand, getting a series of guttural moans from her lover in response, which only grew louder when she then took the delicate package into the inferno of her mouth, sucking, licking, and gently nipping at them.

Doggett was about to explode if she continued this for even a moment more. It had been a long, long time since he had made love to a woman and he knew he definitely wanted to come inside Scully for their first time. When she released him for a split second to catch her breath he pulled her up to him and kissed her greedily, his hands running over the expanse of her naked figure on top of him. Then he rolled her over and lavished her breasts with his tongue and lips, letting his teeth nip at her erect nipples. She writhed under him in sheer ecstasy, her juices flowing freely from her center. Suddenly he ceased his ministrations on her nipples and let his tongue travel south to her apex, leaving a scorching trail of fire burning on her hypersensitive skin. As his face hovered by her core, she automatically spread her legs, suddenly needing to feel him touch her there more than anything. He breathed in her sweet scent and it made him dizzy with desire. She glistening with wetness and his groin tightened painfully as he realized her arousal was because of him. His mouth salivated at the thought of finally tasting her and he drew in another deep breath, filling his nostrils with her perfume, as he licked the moisture off of her swollen, slick lips. She shuddered at his first touch as currents of pleasure rushed through her body like ignited gasoline. He then plunged his tongue into her burning core and drank, lapping her up as her arousal heightened and her wetness continued to gush. With long strokes he licked her from her opening to her nub over and over again, until she moaned almost continuously. Then his tongue concentrated on her sensitive bundle as his finger simultaneously slid in and out of her easily in a continuous motion, first slowly, then faster and faster, until she was writhing in pleasure and whimpering in rapture. Seconds later Scully screamed in sheer ecstasy as a huge orgasm took control of her body, making her tremble, her muscles contracting violently around his finger. It was then, in the middle of her peak, that he removed his finger and pushed his throbbing penis deep within her. She cried out at the sensation and size of him, her body still contracting around him as he pumped into her, lengthening her orgasm and driving her into sheer oblivion. She met his thrusts with her hips and tied her legs around him, digging her heels into his back to push him even deeper within her.

The sensation of being surrounded by her tight, wet internal inferno clamping down around him drove Doggett over the edge much faster than he would have liked. His orgasm rocked him like none ever had in the past and he arched his back groaning in ecstasy, thrusting fiercely into her delicious heat. She was still coming as he came, fueling her pleasure even more as she felt his hot seed shoot deep within her, igniting her further. He thrust until he could no more, then gently let his spent body fall onto hers as she encompassed him in her wet embrace. Their hearts still pounded so quickly they could feel each other's through their chests.

Doggett nuzzled his face in her neck, trying to catch his breath, as her fingers drew lazy patterns across his slick back. He raised his head and found her lips, letting his own melt into hers in a slow, devouring, and leisurely kiss, sealing the complete union of their bodies and souls. They parted and he looked deeply into her still-darkened blue orbs. He was so profoundly and completely in love with this woman and he couldn't imagine her not being in his life. He knew that this was the woman he wanted to marry someday…someday very soon.

"God, I love you so much," he whispered, still breathing hard.

She smiled the most radiant smile and replied, "I love you too."

His smile met the radiance of hers and he descended upon her in a crushing, soul-touching kiss. They consumed each other hungrily and she could feel his penis, which was still inside her, harden again quickly. She ground her pelvis into his in a way that made his cock touch her every inner wall. Without breaking their kiss or their heated connection at the hips, she rolled them over so that she was now on top. Then her mouth traveled from his lips to his ear and she let her tongue lick its outer rim, causing him to moan against her. His ears were highly sensitive, just as she had guessed, and she continued her ministrations there, finally plunging her tongue into the center.

Doggett's body bucked up at that sensation, the hot wetness sensitizing his entire being. "Ohhh…" he moaned, unable to hold back his pleasure. At that point she moved to his other ear and gave it the same attention as the first, all the while slowly pumping her body onto his rigid cock. His body quivered at the immense pleasure and he knew it would be over soon if she continued what she was doing.

"Oh, baby…" he managed to croak out.

"Hmmm…" she hummed into his ear, the vibrations sending more shock waves of pleasure directly to his iron-hard cock.

"I'm not…gonna…last…if…"

"Come for me. Don't hold back," she murmured in his other ear.

"But…" He wanted to give her the pleasure of another orgasm as well and squeezed his hand between their wet bodies, finding her clit.

She moaned. "Come, John; I've got you." She was so close herself.

At those last words and the vibrations that they caused in his overly sensitive ear, Doggett could hold back no longer and came violently, spewing his heat within her tight core.

She sat up on him, still pumping him as he rode out his climax, and within seconds she followed him down that same path of pleasure as he watched her gyrate on top of him in ecstasy.

Her eyes met his and they were wild with rapture. "You're so beautiful," he said as her muscles continued to spasm around him.

She smiled and closed her eyes, riding out the last of her pleasure, then fell against him to be immediately enveloped in his arms.

"I love you," she breathed, looking at him. She then kissed him tenderly and rolled off of him, snuggling up next to him.

"You make me so happy," she said, a feeling of pure love and contentment surrounding her.

"Umm, baby," he whispered, wrapping his arms tighter around her. "You make me so happy."

"You're everything I've ever wanted in a man," she said, amazed at how open she was being. But then this was John Doggett and loving him made all the difference.

He smiled, his heart singing at her words. "Makin' you happy is what I wanna do more than anythin' and I promise to put you and William before all else."

"You already do, John, you already do."

He kissed her, the joy in his heart overflowing, and they then both feel asleep, secure in their love and in their future.

THE END

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