Title: The Catalyst
Rating: PG-13 through NC-17
Category: MSR, RST, Scully Angst (challenge-fic) Spoilers: nothing very specific but up through season seven.
Summary: Scully thinks her hopes of a future with Mulder are dashed when she finds him out on Friday night with a lovely brunette.
Archive: Yes, please do- just let me know where please.

Disclaimer: Not mine, never were, make no profit, have no money- do not sue.

Author's Notes: Please forgive any mistakes that my spell-checker may have omitted. I did not have this beta-read by my wonderful Aussie friend Belle as this was a fic challenge she put forth to me. She asked for Mulder to be out on a date, yet not a Mulder/other story, and for Scully to bumble about trying to see what was happening. I'm afraid Belle had something more humourous in mind, more like Meg Ryan in French Kiss. Well, I tried. I really tried but the angst seeped through and I ended up with the following story. Hope you like it Belle.

*~*~*~*
The Catalyst
By xenoprobe

Scully sat at her kitchen table, portable phone in hand. Her brow was furrowed and a frown tugged at her glossed lips. She couldn't quite wrap her brain around what had just happened.

She had dialed Mulder, hoping to chat or maybe arrange to get together later. She'd planned it all out; there was a prospective case she was going to use as a pretense for inviting him over. They would sit and laugh and gab over Chinese take-out and an x-file. But when she called him, a woman answered. A woman.

She was teaming with emotions. Scully placed her phone down and took a large bottle of spring water from the fridge. Taking a mouthful, she then wiped her mouth with the back of her hand. Her universe was on its side- Mulder had a woman over in his apartment. It couldn't be just any woman either; it was someone that Mulder was comfortable with, comfortable enough to ask her to answer his phone. She hadn't known what to say, upon hearing that soft low voice- she was momentarily stunned silent. Scully tried to remember what it was she'd mumbled, something like 'tell him I called' as if that made any sense to anyone but Mulder or herself.

Scully placed the Evian on the counter and walked down the hall to her bedroom. She couldn't discern what was more unnerving, her initial plan to lure Mulder over when she had really just wanted to spend some time with him or the mounting jealousy she was feeling about the woman in his life. She slipped out of her sweatshirt and scrubs and stood in front of her mirror for a moment.

Her body was smooth and slender, her breasts, although small, were still firm and full. She had curves in all the right places, her tummy was flat and strong, defined muscles shaped her slender arms. Fit and feminine. Scully wondered if, after all these years of avoiding her feelings for Mulder, he'd lost his interest in her. Could it be that he was tired of waiting in this game of her denied emotions and had moved on to something less complicated. Mulder was an attractive man, a very attractive man- it would not be difficult for him to find someone.

She ran her hands over the contours of her body and sighed. It gnawed at her from the inside out- just who was Mulder entertaining? With a frustrated puff, she turned to her closet and pulled out a shirt and jeans. She slipped into the pant-legs and lay back on her comforter to button up. The navy and white striped shirt suited her, she'd bought it years ago and had not worn it more than twice in as many years. It had a boat neckline, open shoulder to shoulder, showing of the fine sculpture of her collarbone.

At her back door, she slipped on a pair of sneakers and grabbed her leather jacket and car keys. She was going to find out what was going on before her curiosity killed her.

*~*~*~*

Scully pulled into a spot across the street from per partner's building. She could clearly see the lights on in his living room from where she sat. On her drive to Alexandria, it had started to rain and the early evening sky cast a purple glow, making everything look surreal. Scully looked down at her hands. How had she reached this point? She was spying on her partner, all because of a woman. Another woman.

All the feelings she had endured- that visit from Phoebe all those years ago, Diana Fowley's resurfacing. She had thought it was all behind her after Diana's death. But there she sat leaning low across the passenger seat, craning for a better view up to his apartment.

That's when she noticed the lights were now off. Scully started the car in a panic and pulled out into the street. The last thing she wanted was for Mulder to come out of the building and see her staked out across from his front door. She drove around the block and slowly made her way back to his address.

Mulder had indeed come out into the evening rain but not alone. At his side was a young looking woman, she had her arm wrapped under his as they approached his car. He held a black umbrella over their heads and even escorted her to her side of the car before he collapsed it and tossed it in behind the driver's seat.

Scully pretended to park as she waited for Mulder to pull away- she then resumed her tracking from a few cars behind.

The couple didn't venture very far. Mulder pulled into a parking lot and assisted the woman from the car and held the door open for her as they entered a cozy looking Italian restaurant. Scully's temper flared. She cursed her irrational reaction to the whole situation, she had laid no claim to her partner. They had never even discussed the bond between them. She clenched her fists, willing the jealousy to recede but she found herself incapable of calming down.

He had never brought her to a quaint restaurant, had never coddled her to or from the car, they had never walked arm in arm like old lovers. Her cheeks flared with an angry blush and she smoothed her hands over her thighs, trying to push the tension from her limbs.

Mulder had hinted at feelings for her though. Scully couldn't fathom that she'd imagined it all. It was true her feelings for him were powerful, they had been for years and she had never felt they weren't reciprocated. That is until today.

He had tired once to kiss her, in his hallway- desperation and passion brimming at the surface of their skin. She had imagined later that the kiss would have consumed them both had the bee not stung her, triggering all hell to break loose. Then on New Year's eve she had only a flash of warning that Mulder was leaning into a millennial kiss. It was a soft kiss, the gentle brush of his lips had sent a thrill through her but their contact remained chaste. She was sure he could read her disappointment only moments afterward, when the passion failed to take them over.

Scully sat in the rain, her heater on and her breath fogging the windshield, as she contemplated all the moments she and Mulder had shared. Moments of truth, of love, of trust- they made up the bulk of her romantic experience over the past seven years. She felt their validity slipping away, thinking about the brunette dining with her partner.

She watched the digital clock and sighed.

A half-hour passed before she realized just how badly she had to pee. Scully scanned the street, no coffee shops, not even a gas station in sight. She would never last the drive back home either. She pushed her door open and stepped out into the pounding rain.

*~*~*~*

In the few seconds it took her to run to the entranceway, Scully was soaked to the skin. She took a step into the restaurant and peeked into the dining room where sure enough she saw Mulder and his date seated near a fireplace. The amber light cast a glow over the pair and Scully's heart skipped a beat at the sight. The woman was tall, even seated her height was noticeable; her hair was long and thick, a deep brown that shone with natural gleam. Her eyes seemed a paler brown from where Scully stood, perhaps even hazel. Her lips were full and painted with a deep red that appeared even darker in the low light of the room. Scully shook her head, half from the cold rain, half from the sight before her- she needed to get to the bathroom and get out of there. She politely asked the hostess for the use of the facilities and made her way across the back of the room.

Under the glare of the fluorescent lights Scully stared at her reflection- she felt old. Worse than old, she felt pathetic- how had she allowed her jealousy and curiosity to carry her to these lengths? She went to the bathroom and sat, head in hands for a moment, collecting her strength. To her horror, she realized there was no toilet paper left. The evening was spiraling out of her control.

Someone entered the stall beside her and Scully cleared her throat.

"Um, excuse me but could I trouble you for some tissue? I seem to be out over here." Her voice was gravelly with embarrassment.

"No problem" the voice replied. Long delicate fingers tipped with red polish appeared under the divider, handing an entire roll to Scully.

"Thank you." In a moment, Scully darted out to the sink, rushing in an attempt to avoid meeting the stranger from the stall. She wasn't fast enough. The woman, Mulder's date, stepped up beside her, smiling.

"Don't you just hate when that happens." She offered. Scully nodded, remarking just how young this person really was. Her stomach flipped and she placed both hands to the counter, leaning in toward the mirror. Mulder's lady friend looked at her with concern. "Are you feeling alright? You look a little pale."

Scully waved her off. "Its nothing, I just got caught in the rain- I'm fine." Her voice rang in her head and the click of the woman's heels on the tiled floor was like listening to her biological clock winding down as the young woman left the washroom.

"This is ridiculous." She muttered in self-defeat. She resolved to go straight home. A warm bath and some wine was in order. She had to put this pitiful night behind her and get the thought of Mulder and that woman out of her mind.

She opened the bathroom door, her head low, lest Mulder see her. No sooner did she step into the corridor to the front entrance; she crashed into a waiter and sent a tray of dishes crashing to the ceramic tiles. The noise was colossal and heads snapped up all over the room. For an agonizing millisecond Scully held Mulder stare, his eyes wide and confused upon seeing his partner in the thick of this disaster.

She ran out into the rain, taking in gulps of air to fight the tears she knew would prevail. In her car Scully cursed her stupidity, her foolishness, her neediness. This was the last time she would ever even considered her feelings for Mulder. From then on, she would just have to live with her dirty little secret. Her love would go unrequited and she would never show Mulder just how vulnerable she was.

The drive home came and went, her bath did not sooth her and the wine only added to the bitter taste in her mouth. She readied for bed and lay there, wide-eyed in the moonlight for a while. The tears crept up slowly and she let them take her over, crying softly as the minutes turned to hours.

*~*~*~*

The phone was ringing. Scully's mind barely registered the sound as she rolled over and flung her arm out to the receiver.

"Scully." She sounded drugged with fatigue.

"It's me." She sighed heavily putting a hand over the mouthpiece. All the events of the previous night came to her in a vivid rush. She did not want to have this talk right now. "Scully? You still there?"

"I'm here Mulder."

"I was thinking Scully." He paused as if trying to choose his next words. "I think you should come over."

"When, now? I only just woke up Mulder, I'm in no shape."

"Its important Scully." He was not going to relent, she knew him too well.

"I'll have a shower and be right over." The resignation was more than clear in the hush of her voice. "I'll see you soon."

"Yeah."

"I'll see you soon."

Scully shook her head. She shuffled into the bathroom and turned on the shower. Standing under the hot spray she began to feel sick to her stomach, Mulder would most certainly want to know what she was doing at the restaurant last night. He would ask her all sorts of questions, interrogating her. She could feel the burn of embarrassment on her cheeks even in hot water.

She did not bother to do her hair, she felt far from her usual professional personae, why try to emulate something she felt incapable of. After all, she was in for a long morning under Mulder's scrutiny; maybe her disheveled appearance would distract him a little. She wore a lavender button-up sweater and jeans; her sneakers were still somewhat damp from the rain- she didn't care. Each moist, cold footstep to his door would be a reminder of her foolishness- she considered it penance

The brass number 42 glared at her. Her arm felt like lead as she lifted it to knock. She trained her eyes to the floorboards and saw Mulder's bare feet when he opened the door. She didn't look up, just stepped across the threshold and into his territory.

"Scully." The sound of her name on his lips was soft and sweet. She lifted her head but still averted her eyes, the coat rack suddenly seeming interesting. "I want you to meet someone."

Her head snapped to attention and their eyes met briefly. He could see the blues deepen and his heart warmed. She felt the sudden urge to implore him to let her leave- she didn't want to meet 'someone', she wanted to crawl into a cave and die. He must have seen it on her. He touched her arm gently, then urged her to move into the living room.

Seated on the couch was the same beautiful woman she'd seen the night before. At her feet was an overnight bag.

"Scully, I want you to meet Krista." The woman smiled at Scully knowingly. Mulder took a few steps towards the couch then paused looking back at his partner. "My cousin."

Scully felt the room spin. The embarrassment compounded layer upon layer, making her feel like she was being screwed right into the floor. As shiver ran through her and she visibly shook for a moment. She cleared her throat and stepped forward extending her hand.

"Pleased to meet you, Krista." Her smile was weak but genuine.

"You too- Mulder's told me so much about you." Mulder made a mock coughing noise and shot his cousin a glance.

"Krista was in town for a job interview. She called me after work yesterday and since she was unable to make it to mom's funeral, she wanted to come see me."

Krista stood up and smoothed her skirt.

"I'm actually just leaving now, I have a plane to catch and my friend will be outside any minute to pick me up. It was really nice to meet you Dana, I mean Scully... I mean-"

"Scully's just fine"

"Well, it was really great to meet you Scully. I hope I didn't ruin any weekend plans for you." Krista nodded apologetically before turning to Mulder. "Goodbye Fox, next time I promise it won't be another nine years before I visit again." She kissed his cheek and he opened the door for her.

"That's a promise I intend to enforce. Take care Krista, I'm glad you called." She gave a tiny wave to them both and strode down the corridor.

The door was barely shut when Scully made to leave as well.

"I can't stay." She spoke hurriedly.

"Oh no you don't." Mulder blocked her exit with his arm against the jamb. Scully looked up at him. He was smiling.

"I have to go." She tried to make her voice strong, convincing.

"You, Scully, are not going anywhere." The words came out in a chuckle. She turned her back to him and crossed her arms like an obstinate child. "Come in Scully, have a seat." She didn't budge.

Mulder took her by the elbow and lead her into the apartment. Scully took a few steps further and stood at the desk, looking out through the window.

"So," he began, "what did you do for diner last night Scully?" She could hear the smugness in his voice, he was dripping with it. "get some take-out? Some Italian food maybe?" Scully whipped around on her heel.

"Oh shut up Mulder" she spat. Mulder broke into a full laugh, aggravating her further. "I'm in no mood for this Mulder- knock it off."

"I can't help it Scully... what on earth happened in that restaurant last night?" He shook his head, his laughter animating all his gestures. "I pained over how to ask, but..." He forcibly curtailed his giggles, the look on his partner's face was anything but light.

"Mulder I can't- can't do this. Please, let me go home." She tried to side step him but he caught her by the shoulders. He pulled her body back against his, her back to his chest.

"Aw, Scully. Please don't go. I've waited all night to see you. If Krista hadn't stayed I would have been at your doorstep last night." He didn't release his grip. "What were you thinking Scully, that I was out on a date?"

"Your cousin's a very striking woman Mulder." Scully said flatly shaking with the effort it took to speak.

"Yes, she is. And she's my cousin. And she's twenty-two. And the last time I saw her she was a child." His arms slipped around her, one across her chest, the other around her waist and he held her tight. Scully's fingers curled around his forearm and she rested her chin against them. The combination of her embarrassment and sheer relief she felt was too great to bear any longer and hot tears spilled from her closed eyes. "Scully, Scully..." His lips were at her ear, whispering her name over and over, as he rocked her in his sway.

Scully was about to push him away again when something wet dripped on her neck, Mulder was crying too. His tears blazed on her skin and the raw emotion was overwhelming. His laughter was gone, replaced by a deadly seriousness, as he continued to press her whispered name to her ear.

"I love you Scully. Oh Scully." Mulder's arms relaxed and she turned to him in his embrace. His hands flew up to frame her face and his light touch skimmed over her lips and cheeks. His shoulders raised in a shrug as he brought her face up to his. Mulder kissed the tears from her eyes, lingering, tasting the salty tang of her hurt. "I love you." He breathed into her.

Scully searched his eyes for any sign of fear, of resignation. He reflected only the same elation she was feeling and she smiled for the first time since she'd left work the day before. Only this smile was altogether new to them both.

His lips came down upon hers, soft and gentle and searching. This was somewhere between the New Year's kiss and the one Scully had envisioned in his hallway all that time ago. It was perfection. Her hands reached around him, sliding up his back, under his T-shirt and she scratched her fingernails along his skin. Mulder responded by deepening the kiss. He still held her head in his palms as he walked her backwards until she met with the doorjamb to his bedroom. He pressed into her parting her lips with an insistent tongue. She moaned, raking her nails over his sensitive flesh.

Their mouths met in hungry kisses, tasting each other, tongues dancing over teeth and probing everywhere. Their bodies betrayed all the years of hiding and denial, growing hard and wet and expectant all at once. Mulder thrust his hips and groaned as his erection pressed into her belly. In turn Scully's hands travelled downward, gripping his ass and urging him on. His hands began to wander switching from a soft and tender touch to a demanding, forceful one. His lips trailed along her jaw line and down her neck; he grabbed her shoulders and slammed her against the wall. Scully's head dropped back, her mouth open wide, breathing heavily- she was saturated in need.

"Mulder..." She could think of nothing other to say. That name contained all the meaning she wished to convey. All the years of trust. All the moments of silent communication. They knew each other so well that their names took on entire scripts of emotion.

Mulder unbuttoned her top to find a delicate ivory bra. He stepped back a second and inhaled sharply.

"God you are beautiful" he murmured before peppering her cleavage with nips and kisses. Scully slid her fingers through his hair, guiding his head to her breasts where he bit her through the lace and fabric. Her nipples ached.

Mulder snapped the bra open and ripped it from his partner's body. His hands gripped at her waist then climbed slowly up her body to cup her breasts. He looked overwhelmed and Scully could do nothing but smile at his open jawed expression. His fingers kneaded her flesh, pinching her nipples to even greater attention. His lips descended, taking a stiff nub into the heat and haven of his mouth. She moaned. He smiled around her nipple.

Her body twitched with electricity, every tug at her nipples felt like shooting stars. Mulder's mouth sucked slowly up her body again, her pulse point alive under his tongue. It was as though the flood of her rushing blood was transferred into him through the patch of tender skin at her neck.

"God Mulder..." She seemed to purr as his lips followed her jaw-line and to her mouth. They tangled tongues again, kissing madly as they twisted together, joined in a seductive dance toward the bed.

At the foot of the mattress Mulder took a step away. He held Scully's hands, fingers intertwined, and lifted her arms up and out. She stood there in jeans and shoes and nothing else. He inhaled deeply as if trying to balance the sway of his body. The pull to touch her was cosmic.

"Sit down Scully." He whispered and she complied. Mulder knelt down at her feet and removed her shoes. Slowly, he pulled her socks off and caressed her bare feet in turn. She giggled and music filled the room. He stood again and pulled her to her feet, their bodies connecting briefly as her weight tipped toward him. His hands rested at her hips then he carefully unbuttoned her jeans, zipping down and pulling the fabric over her behind. As he bent down, tugging the material from each leg, Mulder stalled to look at the visibly damp material of her underwear. He lingered, eye level with the apex at her thighs. "Turn around." His voice was raspy and deep.

He slipped his fingers under the elastic waistband of her panties and oh so slowly pulled them down. Scully was trembling, they could both feel it as the silky garment met with the floor. She stepped out of her underwear, legs spread apart just a tiny bit.

"Oh Scully..." Mulder's hands smoothed over the softness of her buttocks and the breath hitched in Scully's throat. He sat on his knees, running his palms down the backs of her legs and up again to cup the fullness of her ass. He leaned forward to kiss the baby-soft skin of her left cheek. He repeated the reverent act on the right side then continued to pepper kisses all over her. He parted her legs further and ran a finger delicately up the inside of her thigh until he could feel the dampness there. His kisses took on a different pattern, as he pushed her apart from behind, trailing his tongue down the crease of her bottom. It took every ounce of her strength not to squirm and twist under his ministrations. Scully felt his hand cup the mound of her curls between her legs and she let out a long breath that she'd been holding. He didn't move, he just rested there feeling the moisture on his palm. He was delirious, exploring her from behind.

"Muh... Mulder. Oh God... Not fair." She shifted her weight side to side, trying to detach her partner from her body. He pulled away and trailed open-mouthed kisses up her spine, his hand tracing up her body from between her legs. His teeth came down on her earlobe and Scully arched her back and felt the rock hardness of Mulder's erection through his jeans. She rubbed against him and he groaned in her ear.

Scully turned around taking his face in her hands and pulled him down into an exquisite kiss. She was gentle yet still demanding; her fingers disappeared into his hair, raking over his scalp as she sucked on his tongue suggestively. Mulder's hips bucked involuntarily and she laughed into his mouth.

"Too many clothes Mulder." Scully began pulling his T-shirt over his head, she tossed it aside as her fingers deftly worked at his pants. Mulder wiggled his hips, sending his jeans to the floor and they both giggled at his little dance. The laughter died in his throat as Scully cupped his cock through the fabric of his boxers. "Still too many clothes" she murmured. She reached in, taking his girth in the palm of one hand and pulled the garment away with the other. He gingerly stepped out of the puddle of clothes at his feet.

Scully sank down into the softness of Mulder's bed. Sitting at the edge, she reached around her naked partner and pulled him close, hugging his thighs. She kissed his legs and into the crease of his groin, feeling his hairs tickle her face. Her small hands cupped his balls, feeling the weight and heat of them in her palms before moving on to grip the length of his shaft. Each minute movement elicited a noise of pleasure from Mulder's parted lips.

Scully tipped her head up to look at his face, his head was bowed to her with a faint smile mingling with his look of hunger. She smiled and he watched those perfect lips part and take the tip of his cock into her mouth. He growled. Scully opened wider, taking in as much as she could manage then slowly, she began to suck. Her cheeks hollowed and Mulder felt as if he could explode right then and there but the sheer elation of the situation made him want to savour the torture for as long as possible. He tangled his hands into her hair resting against the back of her head as she pumped his engorged cock in and out of her lips. The sight of it was the most erotic thing Mulder had ever seen and he was suddenly no longer jealous of her tofuti rice dreamsicles. Scully increased the tempo and soon she could feel his testicles tighten with every stroke so she let his cock slip from her lips while she kissed and licked its glistening head.

"Scuhllee..." He tugged at her hair, tilting her head back to look at him. There was a craziness in his eyes, a look she recognized from a few occasions when she'd arrived at his apartment unannounced or had woken unnoticed on a stakeout. She smiled at him and his heart soared. He bent down to kiss her and reconnecting with her lips was as sweet as all their kisses had been that night. He pushed her back to the sheets, using his body like a blanket over her. They inched up the bed and came to rest side by side facing one another.

Mulder ran the back of his hand down her cheek and whispered.

"I love you Scully." The freedom with which he spoke unleashed what was left of her inhibitions.

"I love you." Her voice sounded child-like in her ears and she cleared her throat and said it again. "I love you." This time it conveyed all the seriousness and meaning her honeyed voice could muster. He touched her lips with the pads of his fingers and she watched his eyes close and open again.

"I'm going to make love to you."

His declaration stirred something primal in them both. Scully felt her body come alive all over again and Mulder's erection bobbed between them. He rolled over, getting on all fours and climbed over her reclined frame. He took her nipples between his teeth again and she made the most beautiful sounds in the back of her throat. He tugged and laved her breasts until a flush of crimson had engulfed her flesh. He kissed the hollow of her neck then started down her torso, stopping once to dip his tongue into her navel. She laughed and held his head to her tummy, catching her breath. Every second from there on was filled with thick anticipation of what was coming next.

Mulder parted her legs at the knees, forcing her open and wide. He took a long lingering look at the vision before him. Scully, the most beautiful thing he'd ever known, was completely relaxed in her nakedness before him. She lay on his sheets, her head thrown back, her gorgeous throat like an offering to a vampire. She was the embodiment of sensuality.

He slipped a finger between her folds and was instantly flooded with her arousal. He grinned slyly. Triumphant. He pulled her apart layer by layer and traced slow circles around her clitoris, watching her hips twitch every time he came close to touching it. He could not go on teasing, his hunger to taste her was too fierce. He lowered his face to her, inhaling her sweet and musky scent. He half wished he could bottle this aroma, he'd use it every day. Mulder's lips came down around her clit and he sucked it gently between his teeth.

"Oh fuck..." She breathed. "Mmmmulder..."

He eased two fingers into her and her muscles tightened around them, urging him in deeper. As his tongue worked magic over her, his fingers massaged and probed, finding the spot that made her buck her hips. With each of her thrusts Mulder buried his face into her and flicked his tongue expertly over her clit. Scully felt the rigidity taking her over. It started at both her head and her toes until she was frozen all the way to her core in a shattering blaze of white light. She came hard, impaling herself on his hand.

He was so hard it had begun to hurt. Mulder inched back up her body kissing her madly everywhere his lips made contact. When he reached her mouth she was still panting.

"God Scully- you're... you're... beautiful when you come." She flashed a proud smile then grabbed his face to kiss him. The desperation was palpable. She sucked her flavour from his kiss, making hungry keening sounds as he positioned himself between her thighs.

"I have to have you Mulder. Now. I want you inside me."

"Far be it from me to deny the woman I love." He gripped his cockand slowly guided the head into her slick opening. "Gaawwwd Scully- so good." He exhaled bending his face to the crook of her neck as he pushed his way in.

He felt enormous and wonderful and completing. She began whispering his name over and over, calling to him, pleading to have him all- body and soul. There was no need for her to beg. He looked into her as he picked up the pace. His neck muscles jutted with the exquisite strain of his thrusting. Her eyes were clear and Mulder felt he could see right into her. In his mind he cried 'my life, my life...' until the words came bubbling forth.

"My life... oh Scully, my life... my love..." He pounded into her violently, each stroke matched by her own fury. Her hips lifted from the sheets, enveloping him to the hilt, pulling him into her. She felt inside out with the sheer exertion of their lovemaking. It was both the best sex and the most intimate connection each had ever shared.

Sweat dripped from Mulder's furrowed brow, mingling with the tiny pool of perspiration in the hollow of Scully's throat. His climax was imminent. His face was twisted in concentration and she watched him through heavy-lidded eyes.

"Mulder... come. Oh come for me Mulder." She panted the words, feeling the swell of another orgasm taking her over. Her mouth opened wide and her head slammed against the pillow but no sound came forth until her spasms began to subside, Then the rumble of her ragged cries spilled from her full lips. Mulder's mouth slammed against hers, sucking the sound into his body only for it to escape in his own howl as the first bursts of his orgasm swept him away.

He threw his head back and bellowed her name as he filled her with liquid fire. Her lips kissed frantically over his neck, his shoulders, his chest.

They were both too overcome to speak. Instead they checked each other in a deep unrelenting stare. He could see a golden glint in her eyes and his were still teary. The longer they stared the darker the room around them became. It was still bright outside, the sun even shone over the curtains but the bubble around their sated bodies was dark and comforting and sheltered from everything beyond their eyes.

"I love you Mulder" she whispered.

"God yes."

She smiled as a gurgle of laughter triggered something wonderful. They laughed and laughed, rolling in the dampened sheets as the full weight of their union claimed them.

"I can't believe you thought I was on a date." The statement stunned her silent for a moment.

"What would you have done... Somehow I think you might have thought the same Mulder- admit it." He pretended to look pensive and she smacked him in the arm.

"Ok. Ok... I probably would have staked out your apartment all night." He kissed her cheek sweetly. "I'd have sat there fuming, grappling with whether to show you my feelings by confronting you or burying my love for you even deeper than it already was."

"And how deep was that?" Her innocent smile radiated.

"I was afraid I'd buried it alive Scully. I've loved you for so long. I can't remember a time when I didn't anymore. When I saw you at that restaurant I could hardly contain myself. I think I talked Krista into a stupor about you."

"Well we're out of the closet now." Scully laughed. "And I love you even more now than I did yesterday if you can believe it."

"Oh I believe Scully. I believe."

FIN