TITLE: Respecting the Journey EMAIL: cybill@pacbell.net AUTHOR: Cybill RATING: NC-17 CLASSIFICATION: MSR, SMUT SPOILERS: Squeeze (small one for the Pilot) KEYWORDS: Mulder/Scully Romance DISCLAIMER: If I owned them, they'd never make it out of bed to investigate. SUMMARY: Sometimes a journey leads to more places than one. It's Season One smut! What more could you ask for? WEBSITE: www.cybillxfilesopus.com FEEDBACK: Means so much to a writer. It's quick, easy, and cheap for you, but it's priceless to the person you're sending it to. Beta Thanks: Thank you for busting this beta out for me in an evening. I appreciate you doing a run through for me with such short notice. Now Tali won't have to poke me for it! This fic was created for the challenge posted on the Fandomonium board for a Virtual Season of Smut! If you give lots of feedback you might end up getting the benefit of reading a Virtual Season of Smut Season 2! Think about it, you know you can't live without the smut! XXX Washington, DC East Harbor Café "So how are you doing? Have you had any close encounters with the third kind?" He smiles and laughs a bit. My defense mechanism picks up on Colton's sarcasm instantly. "Is that what everyone thinks I do?" I look him directly in the eyes. "No, of course not," he says with an apologetic tone. "But you do work with Spooky Mulder." He grins. "Mulder's ideas may be a bit out there, but he is a great agent." Not to mention strikingly handsome. Where did that thought come from? I shake my head a bit to knock the strange response from my mind. "Yeah, well I've got this case that's out there," he continues. XXX Baltimore, MD FBI Bureau "Maybe you wouldn't have to be Mrs. Spooky anymore." Colton's words from yesterday morning repeat in my mind as I watch our suspect, Eugene Tooms, through the two way glass. I couldn't get our conversation out of my mind and spent most of the night tossing and turning on the implications of what that meant. I like my job. I have a great partner, even if his methods of investigation are unorthodox. He inspires me, makes me work for those scientific answers I so dearly trust. Trust, I think he's finally beginning to trust me. I know that's a major issue with Mulder and we're becoming closer. Mrs. Spooky. It's those two little words alone that unsettle me. I can see it so clearly now even as Mulder's shoulder brushes against mine. A shiver runs up my spine. I'm attracted to him. I shouldn't be, he's my partner, and it's unprofessional. Oh, but just a glimpse of a smile from him and I melt. The way he takes that plump bottom lip between his teeth and nibbles when he's focused on a case report is inexplicably sexy, just as he's doing now while watching Tooms. Shake it off Dana. This is Mulder and you're in the middle of an investigation. I lift my head and stare at Tooms through the glass. His face holds no emotion as he dutifully answers the questions being asked to complete the lie detector test. He's almost finished when a couple pop questions are asked that Mulder gave to the agent before she entered the room with Tooms. The results come back in Eugene Tooms favor with flying colors. All the questions were answered correctly besides the ones Mulder had her ask. Colton and his superior react in anger as Mulder states that Tooms is indeed the killer. Colton's boss then chooses to degrade Mulder while Colton tries to protect me. He calls Mulder insane and wants me off the X-files. He reacts as if he's my father coddling his little girl. I thank him politely for allowing me the opportunity to work with the VCS and remind him that I am officially assigned to the X-files division and that I can take care of myself. He leaves in a haze of anger. XXX "You knew they wouldn't believe you, why did you push it?" I say with a hint of irritation. Why does he do this? It's completely exacerbating. "Maybe because I thought you caught the right guy," he says quickly. We make our way to the inner- workings of the building. "And maybe because I run into so many people who are hostile just because they can't open their minds to the possibilities that sometimes, the need to mess with their heads outweighs the millstone of humiliation." He smiles and opens his arms slapping them to his sides once again. "It seems like you were acting very … territorial." Stupid, stupid, stupid. Why did I say that? "I don't know, forget it," I say weakly. He grabs the necklace dangling between my breasts and tugs me toward him. I hold my breath. "Of course I was." He's still holding my necklace. It's reacting like a tether, pulling me toward him. I hold off the urge to move closer. He drops it against my chest and it thuds in quick succession against my silk blouse. "In our investigations, you may not always agree with me," he touches my necklace again, halting its movement against me. His fingers lightly skim my breast, although I don't think he meant to. The action still made my breath catch in my throat. "But at least you respect the journey." My mouth goes completely dry. What the hell is happening here? He continues on his diatribe about working with Colton but I'm still confused as to why he was touching me that way. I'm stunned stupid for a second and then he touches my hand and is moving away from me and up the stairs. I say something ridiculous about wanting to know more about whatever bizarre theory he has and catch up to him. He provides me one of those megawatt smiles and lays his hand on my lower back leading me up the stairs. It binds me to his side as we walk out of the building together. XXX The next day offers no resistance from my earlier discomfort over being attracted to Mulder. The urge to touch him is becoming more and more irritating. He's my partner, and we work well together. So well it seems like everyone around us is either mocking our efforts or making immature jokes, while our solve rate is the highest the bureau has ever known. Despite my spinning thoughts I've made it to the archives room. Mulder is going through the microfiche. His suit jacket is off, the first button on his dress shirt is open, and his sleeves are rolled up his forearms to the elbow. God he's beautiful. We debate a bit about his theory on Tooms being over one hundred years old. I explain that genetics may play a part in all of this. He smiles but I continue my skepticism over the likelihood of someone being over a hundred and not looking a day over thirty. This banter between us is familiar. It's calming my overheated thoughts until he makes a comment about me being the head of the bureau one day. I never knew he thought that highly of me. I mean, it sure sounded as though he meant it. Heat swirls in my belly, hot and heavy as if he strikes a match within me. Dana, damn! Get a hold of yourself. The man complimented you, not offered his hand in marriage. I just need to get my mind focused on the case and not the way my partner looks with his glasses on. I always was a sucker for a tall, dark and handsome man in spectacles. We part ways to search the microfiche for more detailed information on one Eugene Victor Tooms. We find nothing but the record of the lead investigator on an old murder that Tooms was suspected of committing thirty three years ago. After visiting with Frank the investigator from the old X-File, we didn't have much more to go on but the verification that Tooms indeed looks the same now as he did thirty years ago, and that he lives at the same address. We visit Tooms address on Exeter Street and find his cave and what looks like the missing possessions the victim's family noted in the previous case report. We also came across a wall of newspaper and bile that Mulder suggests Tooms hibernates in until he needs to kill again. According to Mulder he hides away for years, which explains the time between killings. Me, well I still believe the idea seems too fantastic and that science will have a better answer than the concept of a genetic mutant who feeds off the living three times a century. We leave Tooms's hideout and while Mulder's staking it out, I get into a fight with Colton about the waste of manpower staking out a building that has been abandoned for the last ten years. He just doesn't understand that sometimes you have to take a leap of faith or follow your gut. Mulder has taught me that. After our fight all I can think about is going home and taking a nice long bath. I make it back to my apartment, pick up the phone, and call Mulder to tell him how much of prick Colton really is. He's not home so I leave a message. Where is he anyway? I figured he'd come over here to complain about Colton the minute he found out that the stakeout was cancelled. XXX Georgetown Dana Scully's Apartment As I prepare my bath bile falls onto my hand from the ceiling vent above. Oh God no… I run to the living room and reach for my gun. After finding it I notice that everything is unnervingly quiet. I can hear my startled breathing as I creep towards the bathroom. I point my gun at every possible entrance, especially the vent near the ground which any normal human being wouldn't possibly be able to squeeze through. Just as I turn around an arm pops out of the vent and throws me to the ground, my gun tumbling in front of me. I back away from the vent and see Tooms's head and outstretched arm. Within a blink of an eye his entire body shoots through the vent as if shot from a lit cannon. Before I can reach my gun, he's on top of me trying to pin my arms down. I punch him and gouge his eye sockets with my thumbs as hard as I can. He screams and yanks my arms away from his eyes and over my head with unbelievable strength. He holds my wrists with one hand and straightens his fingers in the shape of a karate shop about to strike my abdomen. I struggle with every ounce of strength in me before I hear my front door being kicked in and Mulder's voice. "Scully!" I hear from down the hall. Thank God. Tooms jumps off me upon hearing Mulder's voice and breaks the bathroom window in an attempt to escape. Oh no you don't you slimy bastard. I jump up and grab him before he can leap out. Tooms grips me by the neck as Mulder enters and handcuffs him. He tries to get at Mulder and I grip his wrist and handcuff him to the bathtub faucet as Mulder draws his gun. Tooms struggles against his restraints, growling like a rabid dog. "Are you alright?" Mulder says concerned. I'm leaning against the wall as if I'm going to fall of the ledge of a ten story building. My adrenaline is pumping through me so fast I can hardly breathe. I think I'm hyperventilating. I nod to Mulder as I try to catch my breath. He's looking at Tooms as though he'd prefer it if he did squeeze out of those cuffs so that he could shoot him and claim self-defense. "He's not going to get his quota this year," Mulder says triumphantly. XXX After the FBI was called, Tooms was removed from my apartment. I made my statement of events and retreat to the solace of my bedroom. I can hear Mulder finish his version of events to the last of the investigators. Colton had enough intelligence to stay the hell away. I unbutton the top button of my blouse and pull it over my head. Disgusted, I toss it into the hamper. I do the same with my dress slacks. I feel better just removing the clothes that the bastard touched. Two raps on the door and Mulder opens it without waiting for an invitation. Respecting ones privacy is not one of his better qualities. I stand there undaunted by my lack of clothing. I'm too emotional to care and besides, he's seen me before. "Oh, Scully, I'm sorry. I didn't … uh … realize that you were changing." After staring at me for longer than one normally should when accidentally walking in on someone half-naked, he lowers his head. "I'll just, I'll … uh … be in the living room when you're done." "No, Mulder … it's … its okay." I take a long tired breath. "You've seen me before, remember?" He looks up so slowly I can't help but blush in the semi-dark room. He nods and nibbles on that beautiful lower lip. My breath hitches and he notices it instantly. "Scully, I'm sorry…" "Mulder, I almost died tonight." His gaze reaches mine. "If you hadn't, if you hadn't shown up…" my voice quivers as I realize just how close I really was to losing my life. My emotions are starting to take over and tears cloud my vision. He's before me in a few quick steps hauling me into a fierce hug. "Scully, don't … just don't even say it." He squeezes me to him so tightly you couldn't slip a piece of paper between our embrace. "Jesus, Scully, don't even think it." "But … but, Mulder, he was going to…" and my words are cut off by Mulder's lips on mine. They're soft, wet, and so tender. I gasp as the reality of Mulder kissing me sets in and he takes that as an invitation to further his kiss. Everything around me goes dark and all I can comprehend his tongue against mine, his fingers sliding up and down my unclothed back, the feel of his groin pressed to my belly. It's too much and not enough all at once. I bring my hands up to his neck my fingers passing through the hair on his head as he tips my face to the side to deepen our kiss. I feel as though he's swallowing me whole and it's the most amazing thing I've ever experienced. I move my hands down to his jacket and slip it off his shoulders. It falls to the ground in a heap. He breaks our kiss and moves to the tender patch of skin behind my ear. His breathing is labored as I pull the tie out of its loops and around his neck. I slowly start unbuttoning his shirt. He puts his hand to my chin and brings my lips back to his for another deep kiss. It almost makes me forget what I was doing … almost. Once I have his shirt completely open I scrape my nails down the smooth expanse of his muscled chest. He moans into my mouth. I slip my hands down to his pants and pull the buckle from its latch. The noise startles him and he breaks away and leans down to my ear. "Scully, what are we doing?" His words betray his hesitant tone as he cups my ass. "Let's not analyze this, Mulder," I whisper in return and free the belt from his pants and dropping it down to the growing pile of clothes at our feet. "But, Scully … oh … mmmmmmm," he says as I lick his nipple and bite down lightly on the raised patch of skin effectively halting his words. I kiss my way up his chest and curve my lips around the cartilage of his ear. "Do you want me?" I ask almost afraid of his answer. Maybe he really doesn’t want this between us, but he couldn't turn down a half-naked woman. "Oh God, Scully, ever since the day I first laid eyes on you," he says and rubs against my body like a cat in heat. I smile and unbutton the clasp on his pants. I put my hand inside and cup his very impressive erection. Boy, am I in for a treat. "Scuuullllyyy," he breathes out. I slip my hands out of his pants and let them fall to the floor. I take a step away from him and reach around my back and unclasp my bra. His eyes go wide as my breasts spring free. He licks his lips like a man who hasn't had a drink in ages and has just been given a glass of water. I crook my eyebrow up and slip my thumbs into the edge of my panties and shimmy out of them kicking them and the pile of clothes out of my way. I stand there waiting for him to do something. He looks me up and down, his hands to his sides clenching and unclenching. "You're the most beautiful woman I have ever known," he says with a hint of awe in his voice. My lip quivers and he grabs my hand and brings me against him. Skin touches skin and sparks fly. I grip his boxers and yank them down, my foot reaches up to push them the rest of the way down. His lips are crushing mine in a fierce, hot kiss. I pull away and he leads me to the bed. "Are you sure?" He's giving me one last out. "I need you, Mulder." With that statement something in him snaps and his kisses become feral, wanting, hurried. He nips his way down my neck and shoulders and finally places his mouth over one pink nipple. The sensation is unnerving. Desire plucks at me from every inch of my body. It's as if my entire body has become super sensitive and every kiss, lick, nip, and caress is better than the last. He tugs at my nipple with his lips and swirls his tongue around the tightened tip. He moves to the other providing it the same treatment but this time using his fingers to stimulate its twin. He's definitely a multi-talented man. After he's had his fill, my moans urge him on. He moves down my body kissing the soft skin of my abdomen reverently. He makes it down between my legs and slides my legs apart. He holds them open as he finally lifts his gaze to mine. I am shocked at what I see. Pure, hot, desire. I've never been looked at like that from any man in my entire life. I lick my lips and the motion makes him lean down closer to the apex of my sex. I nervously lick my lips again and without moving his eyes from mine he flattens his tongue and takes one long swipe against me. My vision blurs for an instant or maybe a minute and when I open my eyes his face is completely between my legs, his mouth and tongue doing the things to me I've recently fantasized about. This is pure heaven but I want him joined with me, feeling what I'm feeling. It takes a minute but I grip the sides of his hair and he looks up at me concerned, possibly even frightened I'm going to make him stop. "Together, Mulder." He understands as I knew he would and crawls back over my body. I pull my legs up and over his hips bringing him to my center perfectly. He looks at me and kisses me softly. I nudge his hips with my knees and in one smooth motion he's within me. Deep, so deep. We both take a calming breath and smile at our joining. I kiss him and he starts to move. After what seems like an eternity of pleasure, him bringing me to the crest, backing off, and repeating the cycle, he finally picks up the pace effectively pounding me into the mattress. The pressure against my center sets me off into a climax that feels as though it's never going to end. Before my orgasm stops, his movements become sloppy and his breath is ragged in my ear. A few more jerks and he's entered his own utopia of ecstasy. He slumps down on top of me and I welcome the heat, slickness and weight of his body. I caress his back, enjoying the feeling of touching him freely. We're both quiet for several minutes before he takes a deep breath and pulls his head away from between my breasts. He looks into my eyes, "Are you still going to work with me?" Now where did that come from? I look at him confused. "You're going to leave now aren't you?" "Mulder, no, this doesn't change anything at work." He looks as if someone's deflated the air out of his birthday balloons. "Really, I have no intention of leaving the X-files, unless of course you want that." He looks at me as if he's been burned. "No. God, no." I grab him and pull him back down to my chest. Maybe not looking at me will help him say what he needs to say. "It's just, Scully, you're the first partner I've had that actually respects the work…" "I respect you too, Mulder." He takes a deep breath. "Even now?" "Especially now. After all that's said and done, will you still respect *me* in the morning?" He lifts up quickly and then stares at me. "Of course. I don't want to lose you. You can't know what that would do to me. It's just now, things will be different," he says softy and looks out at a point across the room. "Yeah, we'll both have a better and healthier way of getting out our frustrations at the bureaucracy and jackasses like Colton we deal with regularly." I laugh lightly. He sits up and straddles my body without leaning his full weight on me. "You mean, you want to continue … this?" He gestures between us and the bed. For a moment panic runs through me. I nod taking one of the biggest risks of my life. He smiles the biggest I've seen, full teeth, a bit giddy and then pounces on me. His lips come down onto mine with the speed of a locomotive. I'm surprised and pleased. He wants this too. We'll work it out … together we can handle this new change between us. XXX He's standing in front of Tooms room in the psych ward, hand above his head against the wall as he peers into a small circular window. "Look at him, he's building another nest." "You'll be interested to know I've ordered some genetic tests. The preliminary medical exam revealed quite abnormal development in the muscular and skeletal system, as well as continually declining metabolic rate. It dips way below the levels of deep sleep." He's not even listening. He's staring at Tooms through the tiny window. Apparently sex didn't cure all of our demons over this man. "Did you hear what I said, Mulder?" He doesn't look at me. "All of these people putting bars on their windows, spending good money on high-tech security systems trying to feel safe. I look at this guy and I think…" he stops for a moment searching for the right words. "It isn't enough." I can tell that he's replaying in his mind what happened before we were alone last night. I slide my hand to his shoulder and clasp his bicep. The gesture is more intimate and it breaks him out of his reverie. He turns toward me with sad eyes and I only wish to kiss that grief from his mind but fear stops me. We agreed that we would keep our relationships a secret from everyone, at least for the time being. He sighs and follows me down the hall. Another day, another X-File awaits. The End