Suspicious Minds

Posted originally on the Archive of Our Own at [Link]

Rating: Explicit
Archive Warning: No Archive Warnings Apply
Category: F/M
Fandom: The X-Files
Relationships: Fox Mulder/Dana Scully, Fox Mulder & Dana Scully
Characters: Fox Mulder, Dana Scully, Walter Skinner
Additional Tags: Undercover, Fake Marriage, Smut, Fluff, one bed, Fake/Pretend
Relationship, Slow Burn, Wedding Fluff
Language: English
Collections: The X-Files Undercover Fanfic Exchange (2022)
Stats: Published: 2022-10-01 Completed: 2022-10-04 Words: 90,518 Chapters:
8/8
 Suspicious Minds
by Skinfull

Summary

Mulder and Scully pretend to be in a relationship to join a collective in California and

investigate a possible drug smuggling operation.

** I'm taking a break from the retro fic posting to post this fix exchange. This one has 8
chapters, but needs some proofing / editing. I'm aiming for daily updates or more.

Notes
See the end of the work for notes
 Chapter 1

Blue Ford Taurus

Detroit
Tuesday

Mulder reached forward and flicked the wipers on to clear the windscreen but it was
immediately covered again from the heavy falling snow. He took in a deep breath and
released it audibly then rolled his head against the rest to look over at Scully.

She had fallen asleep almost an hour ago and soon after that he draped his overcoat over her
when he saw her huddling on the seat and slipped her joined hands between her thighs. Her
head was bent at such an angle that her cheek was almost on her shoulder and he knew she
was going to wake up with a crick in her neck that she would take out on him.

He had convinced her this would be a worthwhile surveillance session and for the first two
hours she had been cheerful and expectant. She indulged him in his word games and
answered his asinine questions but as the snowfall got heavier and heavier it seemed to weigh
down her mood more and more.

She had grumbled a little about being cold and focused her attention on the case file on her
lap for a while then curled up in her seat and fell asleep. He eased the file out of her lap, and
left it on the dashboard then draped his coat over her.

The case was a simple one. Or so he thought. A nursing home on the outskirts of Detroit had
reported multiple sightings of residents who had passed on. Always at the same time and in a
cluster on the edge of the property, where their ashes had been spread. It hadn’t been simple
to convince her it was worth pursuing. It was even harder to convince Skinner. Ever since he
took back ownership of the X-Files, he was being particularly choosy with which cases he
approved for them to investigate. But somehow he approved this one so Mulder made little
work of booking tickets and getting them on the road.

After they landed they went straight to the home and spent the day speaking with staff and
living residents of the nursing home. Then Mulder bought her favourite dinner to sweeten the
deal and drove her out to survey the scene. Unfortunately the usual reported time of the
sightings had come and gone and as the snowfall got heavier it was getting hard to see
anything, living or dead.

Mulder checked his watch. Two twenty am. About time to concede there was nothing to see
here and they could salvage what was left of the night by sleeping in bed rather than in the
car.

He looked over at Scully again then reached across her for the seatbelt. He slowly pulled it
around her then moved his coat aside to click the fastening into place. As he leaned over her
he could get the faint whiff of her shampoo. It was the citrus one she was using this week and
it made his brain fizz with the need to inhale whenever he was this close. He closed his eyes
and indulged. Just for a moment, while he had the opportunity to do so without having to
scramble for an excuse.

He lowered his head just enough to brush his nose against her hair and took in a slow long
breath to surround himself in her essence. He held it there for a moment or two then slowly
released it, making her hair ruffle and when he flickered his eyes open he looked down to see
her watching him.

“Uh…” Mulder leaned back, fiddled with her seat belt fastening then reached back for his
own.

“Mulder…?” she said.

She hadn't moved from her curled up position and watched him with a curious expression and
a barely there smile. He focused on fixing his own seat belt then turned on the ignition and
glanced at her.

“Looks like this is a bust,” he said as he fiddled with the keys in the ignition and pressed his
foot to the brake. “We can try again tomorrow but-”

“Mulder,” she said, a little more firmly and sat up as he checked his mirrors and prepared to
pull out onto the road.

“Hmm?” he said distractedly though he knew exactly what she was trying to get him to focus
on. Never before had he wished more for a UFO to land in front of them as a quick escape
from the awkward tension expanding in the car right now.

Thankfully he didn't need to rely on a UFO as his phone rang in his pocket, the shrill ring cut
through the silence. He reached into his inside pocket and glanced down at the screen. He
looked at Scully and mouthed “Skinner” before he connected the call.

“Sir,” Mulder said as a form of greeting. “Either Detroit is much further from DC or you are
up super late.”

“Mulder, I need you both back in DC.”

“Sir?” Mulder glanced at Scully and offered her one shoulder shrug.

“And I mean now.”

“What's going on?” Mulder asked but Skinner had already hung up.

“What?” Scully asked when Mulder looked down at the phone to confirm the call had ended.

“Skinner, needs us back in DC.”

“What's going on?” she asked.

“I dunno, as you could probably tell, he wasn't very forthcoming with the information.”
“Did you-”

“No!” he said and glanced at her as he put his phone back into his jacket pocket. “I didn’t do
anything that might piss him off. I’ve been a model agent!”

“Model agent?” Scully said as she resettled on the seat and pulled his overcoat up to hold it
under her chin. “Based on who?”

“Elliot Ness,” he said with a waggle of his eyebrows.

“He wasn't FBI.”

Mulder scoffed and focused on driving slowly through the snow.

“What’s the earliest flight to DC?” he asked as he leaned forward to wipe the inside of the
screen to rid it of condensation.

Scully wrested her arms out from under his coat to reach for the heating dials and turned their
focus to the windscreen then huddled back under his coat again.

“I’d say about 6am.”

“I’ll call when we get back to the motel…if we get back there. It's really coming down now.”

Scully glanced out the window then turned her attention back to Mulder. She woke in the seat
next to him and was immediately hyper aware of him. His deodorant had faded enough to
allow his true aroma to come through and it was this smell she much preferred. His natural
woodsy essence that made her want to snuggle in closer and nap.

The few times she had caught him watching her, prolonged gazes that made her lose her train
of thought, lingering fingers on her back or her arm that made her think of other places she
wanted to feel his touch, were burned in her mind. She could recall them at a moment's notice
and did so often. She felt a small smile curve her lips so she looked away in case he saw.

“You didn't miss anything by the way,” he said as he navigated the empty streets.

“Hmm?”

“The surveillance back there,” he said with a sharp jerk of his head over his shoulder.
“Nothing happened.”

“I’m shocked,” she deadpanned without looking at him.

“Three nights in a row those visitors were seen.”

“Visitors?”

“Three nights Scully. Then the night we get there, nothing happens? I call foul play.”

Scully whipped her head around to face him and frowned. “Wait, what did you just say?”
“C’mon Scully,” he said with a glance at her before turning back to the road and increasing
the speed of the wipers. “You know I have the same doubts as you.”

“Not quite the same.”

“Doubts, you know I have doubts.”

“But now…?”

“I think it was a goose chase, to get us out of DC, to get us out of the way of whatever it was
Skinner was calling about.”

Scully laughed, almost a little relieved to hear he wasn't the sceptic she was, but was instead
focusing his belief, or rather this paranoia in another direction.

“And what was it you think Skinner was calling about?”

“You know he has been having those meetings with Director Wells all week.”

“Director Wells?” Scully asked. She sat forward a little and frowned as she reeled through
her internal rolodex to place the name. “Who is that?”

“Director Michael Wells oversees the Department of Special Operations at the DEA.”

“DEA?”

“And last week he met with a group of agents, none of whom were FBI.”

“How do you know?”

“Because I saw them. They were all DEA.”

“How do you know that?”

“Because they had the look.”

Scully scoffed. “Agents from FBI, DEA, CIA…they all look the same Mulder.”

“Maybe to a pedestrian, but with my analytical mind and keen investigative skills…” he
tapped his temple with two fingers and Scully rolled her eyes then settled back into her seat
and under his coat, surreptitiously taking a long inhale of his scent from the collar.

Mulder glanced over with a crooked smile then turned back to the road before he continued
speaking. “I saw his appointment sheet when I dropped in the 302 for this case.”

Scully chuffed a laugh and conceded silently it still counted as investigative skills.

“Dinner and fifty bucks says Skinner wants us on a joint task force with the DEA.”

“Undercover?”
“Probably.”

“You’re on.”

Hoover building
DC
Tuesday

“You sure you didn't want to go home to shower and change first?” Mulder asked as he undid
his seatbelt and turned off the engine.

“Are you saying I smell bad?”

“No,” he said with a chuckle as he reached into the back seat for her coat and case then
repeated the motion to get his own. “But I know how you like to be pristine for Skinner.”

Scully rolled her eyes and climbed out without responding further. Mulder was chuckling as
he hurried to catch up and was still fixing his collar when he pushed the door open for her.

“Remember the bet?” he said as she preceded him down the stairs.

“Fifty bucks.”

“And dinner,” he added as she unlocked the basement office and they both walked in.

“C’mon, let's get up there right away.”

She hung her coat up and left her case on their desk. She pulled down the front of her blazer
and smoothed her hands over her skirt as Mulder tossed his coat over the back of his chair
and dropped his case next to hers. He fiddled with his tie, making it more skewed than it was
before then placed a hand on her back to guide her up to Skinner's office.

They had managed to get a flight at 4am, which had them running on no sleep other than the
naps they caught at thirty thousand feet. Skinner had called them twice to confirm their
arrival and urged them to come right to the office when they landed. His sense of urgency
made both of them uneasy, more so when he refused to divulge any information on the
reasons for their urgent summons.

Mulder noticed Scully's eyes were rosy with weariness and her skin was paler than usual. He
knew he looked wretched himself and hoped whatever it was Skinner was about to land them
in was not going to result in them being separated for too long, if at all.

Finally they were away from Kersh, and Skinner was a little more open to the fantastical
which was both worrying and relieving when he summoned them to his office. He didn't want
to get distracted. He really just wanted to spend time with her, getting back into their usual
groove. A groove they hadn't hit in a long time.

The Hoover building was just starting to come alive and only a few agents roamed the halls.
Those that were here carried cups of coffee and pastries and Mulder wondered briefly how
much any of them would charge him for their goods when he realised it had been way too
long since either of them ate anything.

They walked into the anteroom of Skinner’s office and he was surprised to see Kim sitting
behind her desk. She also looked tired and overworked and Mulder glanced at Scully to see if
she noticed the same. Kim didn't offer them a smile, but she nodded then rose and walked to
Skinner’s door. She knocked softly then pushed the door open and stepped just inside the
threshold.

“AD Skinner,” she said, her voice a little lower than normal as if the early hour called for it.
“Agents Mulder and Scully have arrived.”

“Show them right in.”

Scully walked through first and was immediately struck by the sight of Skinner standing in
the middle of the room, his tie gone, his shirt rumpled, his sleeves rolled up to his elbows.
His eyes were red rimmed and narrow and the ridge between his brows was deeper than she
thought she had ever seen it.

“Sir,” Scully said curtly and Mulder simply nodded his head once in a way of a greeting.

“Thank you for coming in so quickly,” he said as if he had given them a choice.

He ushered them over to the large table at the side of the room which was strewn with
binders, loose pages and several half empty cups of coffee.

“Are you going to finally tell us what this is about?” Mulder asked and he pulled out a seat
for Scully then sat in one himself.

Skinner took a deep breath and moved his hands from his hips to the back of the chair he was
standing behind as he leaned forward and looked at them for a moment.

“I need you both on an assignment.” He looked at them both for a reaction then continued.
“For the last three weeks I’ve been working with the DEA on a joint commission to break up
a drug trafficking operation in California.”

Mulder moved his foot to tap it against Scully’s as he leaned forward and rested his forearms
on the desk. His eyes scanned the folders on the table but there was no writing or legible
pages to garner any information on what was about to happen.

“What's the case?” Scully asked, never one to be left in the dark when there were unanswered
questions ripe for plucking.

“There is a commune in California, just outside LA that has been supplying a new
intoxicating substance at an alarming rate.” Skinner reached for one of the binders and
flipped it open. He moved the pages aside until he got what he needed then turned the binder
round so they could read the top sheet. “They are a close knit community living on a
compound-”

“A compound?” Mulder glanced at Scully then back to Skinner.

“There is no reason to believe they are operating a cult, nor have they triggered any flags for
amassing firearms.”

“It says here the leader Troy King has a clean record,” Scully said as she read through the
binder Skinner had shown them.

“No priors, no one on the compound has any priors, by all accounts they are model citizens.”
He reached for another binder and flipped it open to a random page then dropped it in front of
Mulder. “Profiles for everyone living there.”

“Is it a closed community?” Scully asked as she handed Mulder the first binder and took the
profile one out of his hand to flip through the pages.

“No, it's open. They welcome visitors. They host a monthly arts and craft market. People are
free to come and go. Rules on the compound seem to be few other than no children.”

“No children?” Scully looked up then back to the profile pages before her and flipped
through them quickly to confirm they were all adults.

“Any couples living on the compound leave when a child is born.”

Mulder frowned and leaned over towards Scully to read some of the profile pages she had
open in front of her.

“What narcotics are we talking about?” She asked

“A mix of opioids and hallucinogens.” Skinner reached for another binder and passed it to
Mulder without opening it.

Mulder glanced down, realised there were three more untouched binders and he couldn't help
but wonder how much more information was about to be thrust upon them.

“They are generating a huge volume but not generating the expected income from sales,”
Skinner said.

“They are giving the drugs away?”

“Flooding the market, reducing the value of anything else available,” Skinner said with a half
shrug and a hint of derision in his normally stoic voice.

Scully reached over for the binder Mulder was leafing through and swapped it with the
profile binder she had.
“Sounds like they are doing god’s work,” Mulder mumbled as he looked over Scully's
shoulder to keep reading the binder she took from him.

“Regardless of your stance on controlled substances, we have an operation planned.”

“Operation?” Mulder glanced up. “If you know they are making the goods, why not just raid
the compound?”

“It's not clear the actual source of the drugs.” Skinner reached for another binder and Mulder
mentally tallied two to go as he reached out to take it from Skinner's outstretched hand. “This
outlines all suspected sources, and the three key players involved.” Skinner leaned on the
back of the chair again, his hands holding the leather in a grip strong enough to turn his
knuckles white.

“So…” Mulder said as he handed the binder to Scully before she could take it from him then
leaned back in his chair and connected his hands on his lap. “What makes this a suitable case
for the crackpot duo from the basement?”

He felt Scully’s sideways glare even though she didn't turn to face him and kept her eyes
peeled on the pages in front of her. Finally Skinner reached for the last two binders and he
turned them right way round then passed one each to Mulder and Scully.

“Partnered infiltration,” Skinner said.

They each reached for the folder in front of them and slowly opened them to the top sheet.
Mulder quickly scanned the information then glanced at Scully's page to see it almost
mirrored his own.

“Undercover,” Mulder said as if it needed clarifying.

Skinner nodded and his eyes moved between them both.

“Sir,” Scully said as she put the binder onto the desk and looked up for the first time in a
while. “Is there a reason we were specifically chosen for this case?”

Skinner coughed lightly then pulled the chair he had been holding onto away from the desk
before he slowly sat down. He locked his hands together on the table and looked at them
both.

“There is an element of this case that lends itself to the…the paranormal.”

Mulder sat forward, interest piqued but Scully made no response.

“Troy King,” Skinner said and he tapped the folder containing the profile with two fingers
before he continued. “It's been reported by some people who left the compound that he
exhibited some unexplainable abilities.”

“What?” Mulder asked and he opened the binder again to Troy’s profile. “What abilities?”
“The reports are mixed, but some have reported that he was able to…to hear and project
thoughts,” he said as if reluctant to say it aloud.

“Hear thoughts?” Scully asked with an arched eyebrow.

“Another report stated he was telekinetic.”

“That's preposter-” Scully started to say but Mulder cut her off.

“Read minds in what way?” he asked and he glanced at her sideways as he leaned forward
and focused on Skinner’s response.

“The reports are all in the file,” he said and pointed at the first binder he had handed them
when this meeting started.

Scully leaned back in her chair and crossed her arms over her chest in a clear show of
defiance. There was no way this was happening. She glanced at the profile she was to assume
and her eyes focused on the line titled relationship status which read “engaged”.

Almost six years they had been working together and in some ways they had never been
more solid. But in other ways, it felt like they were never more distant. Ever since Diana
Fowley came on the scene she felt some barrier between them grow and expand. Something
she never thought would manifest after everything they had been through. Even during their
first case, after a rocky start and obfuscatory responses to her questions, he eventually told
her everything. He told her all about Samantha, about how he found the X-Files, why they
were so important to him.

At least, she thought he told her everything. He failed to mention the person standing next to
him through it all. And then he failed to explain their relationship when she returned. Scully
licked her lips and resettled herself on her seat in an effort to refocus her thoughts on what
Skinner was saying about their case.

Undercover. As an engaged couple. Living on the compound.

Right, perfect, she thought as she picked up her profile and read through it again.

Her assigned name was Donna Reilly. She was a nurse at an elementary school. She looked
over at Mulder’s profile then picked up his folder to study it more closely. Matt Whitford. He
was an English teacher at the same school.

“Something wrong Agent Scully?” Skinner said when he noticed her rifling through the
binder.

“The profiles state that we work in an elementary school in New York,” she said as she
tapped the portion on the page where it had Mulder’s job listed. Mulder leaned forward to
look at what she was pointing at. “Are we to actually work in a school near or on the
compound, or is there a story we’re supposed to know for why we no longer work there?”

Skinner’s lips almost disappeared and he hummed in frustration. He leaned forward his
forearms on the table and hands connected with interlocking fingers.
“The risk of having you both placed in a school so soon to the infiltration of the commune
was too high and we cannot wait to move on this investigation.”

“So what's the backstory for us no longer working in a school?” Scully asked.

“Do the residents at the compound work outside?” Mulder asked.

“No, they are pretty self sufficient, living off the grid and all of them work on the grounds.”

Scully sat back in her chair and Mulder jostled in his next to her bumping her shoulder with
his own as he got comfy again.

“Thoughts?” Skinner asked after a moment of silence.

“How long?” Scully asked.

“It's unclear. Depending on what information you can collect. I imagine it will be a number of
weeks.”

“Extraction of information…” Scully started as she rummaged through the profile page again
to find the information she needed. “It says here email contact only. How safe is that?”

“You’ll be given a laptop and a portable drive. There is a library in Los Conejos which is a
small community fifteen miles north of the compound. You can take the drive there, connect
it to the network and upload your notes.”

“We won't be able to do that daily without arousing suspicion,” Scully said.

“No, a couple of times a week if possible.”

Mulder and Scully exchanged glances. He could tell she was reluctant though he wasn't
entirely sure why other than the fact that it took them away from the X-Files. That thought
made something in his belly churn but it turned sour, like it always did, when he remembered
the look on her face when she found out who Diana really was. He shook his head slightly to
refocus his thoughts and looked up to Skinner.

“When-” he started to ask but it was as if Skinner anticipated the question.

“Immediately.” Skinner stood and started to close the binders. “There is a flight to California
in five hours. You will be met on the other side by the UC team who will give you the
hardware equipment you’ll need.”

“Can we have a moment to talk about this?” Mulder asked without looking at Scully.

Skinner looked between them then nodded his head and stepped away from the desk.

Mulder stood up and waited for Scully to join him then took her elbow and guided her out to
the corridor. The morning bustle was just getting started so he guided her down to a small
alcove where a long leather cushioned seat was set snugly between two large potted ferns. He
sat down after her and nudged her knee with his own until she looked up.
“What are you thinking?” he asked, the words feeling foreign on his tongue, to his ears, when
usually he could tell what was going through her mind without having to ask.

“I’m thinking there are a lot of unknowns about this case.”

“Isn't there always with us?”

“I’m thinking…” she glanced at him then looked back to her legs as she crossed them slowly.
“After everything that's happened recently...”

“And by everything you mean…?”

“You know exactly what I mean,” she said without looking up and she winced slightly at her
sharp tone. She took a slow breath and calmed her vibrating nerves. “I was looking forward
to getting back to just…” just us she almost said but caught herself in time. “To just working
on the X-Files again.”

Mulder hummed as if he knew she had censored herself and slowly nodded.

“We could refuse the case.”

She glanced at him and brushed one hand over her knee, clearing it from any lint or fluff.
“Skinner has selected us specifically.”

“He said it had an unexplainable edge,” Mulder said with a half smirk. “But he could be lying
to make us take the case.”

“Do you want to take the case?” she asked without looking up from her knees.

Mulder frowned and wondered why she was taking a passive role in this case selection.
Usually she didn't shy away from sharing her opinion on whether or not they should take a
case and more often than not fought her corner to make herself heard. This was just another
case assignment from Skinner and nothing in the outline was a huge cause for concern. The
group they were being sent to investigate seemed to have no violent tendencies. The
compound they would be living in seemed to have a friendly open door policy with little or
no restrictions. He couldn't point out what her reluctance was and he didn't want to sign them
up for anything without fully understanding them.

“I think you have reservations,” he said calmly. “And I don't want to go on this case if you
are in any way reluctant.”

“Reluctant, not to investigate, but the circumstances of our undercover profiles.”

“Oh,” Mulder said and he looked away, suddenly aflush with understanding. “You think it’ll
be that hard to be engaged to me?” he said only half jokingly as he nudged her knee again
and smiled but when she looked at him sideways his smile disappeared.

“It doesn't matter,” she said and stood up before she brushed her hands down the front of her
skirt. “Let’s just-”
“Wait a second,” he said and he grabbed her forearm before she could move away. “Talk to
me Scully, what’s wrong?”

“Nothing. Skinner thinks this is a good case, let's tell him we’ll take it so we can get started.”

“You don't want to take this case,” he said, a statement, not a question. He was still sitting on
the bench and his legs had moved a little further apart when he tugged on her arm to give her
room to step in closer.

“If Skinner thinks we should take it then we should.”

“Since when were you happy to take assignments from Skinner?”

“Since he took over the X-Files again.”

Mulder’s fingers tightened around her arm. With his tips on her pulse point he was sure he
could feel it speeding up. He just wasn't sure if it was because she was annoyed or another
reason. He missed the times when he could read her like a Sunday paper, but if he was honest
with himself he hadn't felt that in a long time. Certainly not since Antarctica.

Maybe this case was an opportunity to get back to where they were. To work closely on
something that they could both focus on without the threat of Kersh watching them, waiting
for them to mess up. Well, for him to mess up, he realised.

“If you don't-” he started to say but she was already shaking her head.

“We should take this case,” she said and tugged her arm out of his grasp then took a step back
to needlessly fix her top. “Let’s put Skinner out of his misery.”

“You know what this means?” Mulder said and when she frowned one side of his mouth
turned up into a smile. “You owe me fifty bucks. And dinner.”

“Add it to my tab.”

She turned on her heel but Mulder stalled a moment before he stood and hurried after her.

Skinner was characteristically stoic when they agreed to take the case and he handed them
both their profile binders. He took a large padded A4 envelope out of another binder and
handed it to Scully.

“Your ID cards are all in there as well as your flight tickets.”

Mulder looked over her shoulder at the envelope but she just put it in her binder and held that
under her arm.

“I’ll need your badges and guns,” Skinner said and glanced at Mulder’s hip holster with tight
lips.

“Ah, finally, the real reason for this assignment,” Mulder said with a chuckle. “I trust the
basement office will remain secure in our absence.”
Skinner huffed and all but rolled his eyes as they both placed their badges and guns in the
centre of the table. He picked them up then walked over to a safe behind his desk and locked
them in.

“Everything will be waiting for you, exactly how you left it.”

“Well, feel free to finish up any pending paperwork,” Mulder said as he shucked his trousers
and slipped his hands into his pockets.

“Check in when you land and before you get to the compound,” Skinner said and Scully
nodded. “Stay safe agents.”

LAX Airport
Los Angeles
Tuesday

Scully couldn’t believe it was still Tuesday. She lost count of how many time zones she’d
been in since midnight, or how many times she had to update her watch. It was one of her
steps to quick acclimation. As soon as she sat on the plane, she would fix her watch to show
the local time for her destination. Mulder teased her about it endlessly and often never
changed his watch for the duration of their trip, instead relying on her to have the right time.
Sometimes grabbing her wrist and twisting it so he could read her watch instead of looking at
his own and doing the quick maths to determine the time.

So much had happened since she woke up in that car outside that nursing home that she could
barely believe it. They had gone their separate ways after the meeting with Skinner and both
of them had gone home to pack, though were instructed to only bring personal underwear,
some casual clothing and toiletries. They were to be given all the clothing they needed when
they met with the UC handler, who they found out was called DEA Agent Rob Chambers.
Scully wasn't sure what was about to happen, and her brain was fizzing over with too much
information and too little sleep.

Mulder was quiet for the duration of the flight. He feigned sleep. She knew he wasn't really
sleeping because he was so still. Mulder was a sleep-twitcher. He would shift and move,
moan, whisper, whimper, and when his sleep was really deep, he would snore softly and sigh.
But she let him fake it. She needed the reprieve from his forced joviality anyway.

He had been trying so hard to get everything back the way it used to be. She wanted that too
but she couldn’t bring herself to let her guard down again. At least not as far down as he
wanted it to be. So instead she focused on their professional partnership and fixing that as
best she could. Which so far was proving more difficult than she anticipated.

They both arrived at the airport in jeans, t-shirts, and he wore a sweater while she had a
cardigan. In DC these were silly clothing choices, but as they walked out of the arrivals
terminal into the warm LA sun, she was just thankful she wasn't in pantyhose and heels.

Mulder reached for the sunglasses that were dangling from the neck of his sweater and
slipped them on as he looked down at her with a wide smile. Scully was already wearing her
shades and she nodded her head in the direction of the car rental building where they were
planning to meet their Agent Chambers.

“So…Donna…” Mulder said as they crossed the road. “Or should I call you Reilly?”

“I think Donna makes more sense, considering.”

“And that makes me Matt?”

He pushed the door open and jerked his head for her to enter first. She slipped in under his
outstretched arm and looked around for the right desk. They had a couple of hours debriefing
ahead of them, then profile and check in review before they were given car keys and
unleashed. She wanted to focus on what was needed right now and not pander to Mulder’s
jokes. But when she looked over her shoulder at him and saw how he had pushed his shades
up over his forehead into his hair dislodging it in different directions and it made her heart
pulse in triple beats until she looked away.

She took a few long breaths then focused on the task at hand.

As predicted, the next few hours were filled with information gathering. The group in the
compound were thought to be mostly benign. People who lived there previously reported that
it was a quiet community, focused on working the land, community enrichment with little or
no religious overtones. They were to infiltrate the community and get people talking as much
as possible while observing in particular Troy King who was thought to be the instigator for
all of the drug trafficking.

They were supposed to email all the relevant information they discovered a couple of times a
week. The laptop they were given was old and refurbished but had everything they needed.
Mulder focused on the surveillance bugs they were given so he’d be able to place them
somewhere useful around the compound. They were separated for a while to check out the
provided wardrobe and tried on enough clothes to find suitable ones to pack then were
reunited with Agent Chambers their handler for some final guidance.

After all the advice was shared, and they had poured over their profiles in great detail, they
followed the UC group to a hotel near the airport. It was too late now to go to the compound
which was hours away so they crashed in one of the rooms already booked by the DEA.

Scully walked into the room first and tried not to look over at the large double bed against the
back wall. Instead she dropped her bag on the luggage stand and went straight into the
bathroom. Mulder grabbed the remote from the TV and turned it on then fell back onto the
bed with a long moan that seemed to roll up from his feet. He toed off his shoes and left them
where they fell, then spread his arms out and closed his eyes.

It had been a long day. An aeon had passed since they caught that flight to DC. And another
since they landed in LAX. His neck ached, his back throbbed, his legs were tired and heavy.
Not from overuse, but lack thereof. He hadn’t been for a run in days. He heard the toilet flush
then the taps run, then after a few moments of silence the bathroom door opened and she
emerged.

“Bathroom is all yours,” she said and she went over to where she dropped her bag.

“Nah,” he muttered without opening his eyes. “I might go for a run actually.”

“A run?” She checked her watch and saw it was almost eleven. “You know we are on pacific
time now?”

Mulder scoffed and lifted himself up onto his elbows to look at her. “Pacific, Atlantic, what’s
the difference?”

“Three hours.” Scully turned back to her bag and started to remove her toiletries and
pyjamas.

He scoffed again and lifted himself up further then with hands braced on his knees he stood
with a groan. He crouched at his own bag to pull out his shorts then stood up and pulled off
his sweater and tee in one motion. He started to unbutton his jeans then paused. Perhaps
undressing to his boxers while she stood only a couple of feet away wasn't the best option. He
hurried into the bathroom but didn't close the door fully before he pulled off his jeans and
underwear then tugged on his shorts. When he came back out to the bedroom Scully was
standing in front of the TV watching an infomercial about some home gym equipment.

“Looking to invest?” he asked as he crouched down again to get some sports socks and
trainers.

“Hmm?” she turned round to see him topless, sitting on the floor at the foot of the bed and
pulling on his socks. “Um, no,” she mumbled as she looked back at the TV. “Are you really
going for a run?”

“Just a short one. To dust off the cobwebs.” He stood up and started to stretch, pulling one leg
then the other up behind him. “You wanna come?”

“For a run?” she said with a laugh as she turned back to him. “I’ve barely got the energy to
crawl into bed. I’m dead on my feet.”

Mulder chuckled. “Me too. But I need to run.”

“Well, enjoy that, I’m gonna shower the stench of multiple flights off my weary body, then
I’m going to crash.”

Mulder smiled. He took the room key and zipped it into the back pocket of his running
shorts.

“I’ll try to be quiet when I come back.”

“I think a marching band could come through the room and I wouldn't wake up.”
Mulder chucked again. “G’night Scully,” he said as he opened the door and stepped out.

She watched the door close slowly and stood staring at it for a few moments before she went
into the bathroom, still not fully ready to recognise there was only one bed in this room and
somehow she was going to curl up there to sleep before Mulder came back from his run. His
topless run.

She turned on the water and undressed quickly. Her body was so exhausted she was sure the
moment she got into the bed she would sleep and she wanted to be in as deep a sleep as
possible before he returned.

Mulder ran faster than he meant to. Harder than he meant to. For longer than he meant to. By
the time he rounded back into the hotel car park he was weak and weary, panting heavily and
with an almost overwhelming urge to puke. He took a few moments against the concrete wall
to catch his breath before going back to the room. He was dreading what he was going to be
greeted with. Either she would be curled up in the middle of the bed, or on one side leaving
room for him.

He wasn't sure which one he was more afraid of.

He brushed his hand down the sweat slicked front of his chest then combed his hair back
before he took a few steadying breaths and pressed the keycard into the slot. The beep before
the snick of the lock opening seemed to be loud enough to wake the dead and Mulder winced
as he slowly pushed the room open.

Scully was curled up on one side of the bed. The main light was off, though she left on a
lamp on the other side with the blankets turned down, in a clear invitation for him to climb in
beside her. It’s not like there were any other options with the room being so small and no
viable space for him to lie down without waking up all folded and broken like a stale pretzel.
He closed the door softly and locked it then saw she left the bathroom light on with the door
ajar. Mulder smiled as he crouched by his bag to grab his pyjama bottoms then carried them
and his toiletries into the bathroom to shower.

Washed, dried, dressed, and with his teeth brushed Mulder rubbed his damp hair once more
with a towel before he draped it over the shower curtain and turned off the light. He creaked
the door open and carefully padded across the room to his side of the bed. He tried his best
not to jostle too much as he slid in under the blanket then reached out and turned off the light.
His whole body sank into the mattress and he released a soft sigh as his muscles started to
relax.

He needed that run. He needed that escape to get ready for what was about to be a real test of
his partnership, his friendship, his anything-ship with Scully. He needed to get his mind in
order. Get it ready to be surrounded by her 24/7. To play her doting fiance, and be ready for
her to play his. He wanted to moan but he was hyper aware of her lying next to him. Heat
was rolling off her body in slow languid waves. Her ass was near his hip and the soles of her
feet near his knee.

Mulder laced his hands together on his stomach and closed his eyes and he tried to slow his
rampaging heart. It always got like this when he was in her proximity, especially when she
was asleep. Mulder puffed a breath out of his nose when he heard that thought rattle through
his mind and wondered if that would sound as creepy out loud as it did in his head.

He rolled onto his side with his back to Scully and curled one hand under his pillow. He
needed to sleep. He needed to relax. He needed to…figure out a way to get her back to a
place where she could trust him enough to let him in again. Mulder sighed deeply and felt his
body turn heavy and liquid as a blanket of sleep draped over him.

Scully heard him sigh and wondered if he was finally falling asleep. She jerked awake the
minute the hotel door opened and it took all her strength not to open her eyes and turn to see
him walking in. She heard him shower, and listened to his low humming as he washed and
dried. His soft footfall as he crossed the room followed by the gentle shake of the bed as he
climbed in then settled. She could hear the cogs in his head turning and it was on the top of
her tongue to ask him what he was thinking about. When he rolled onto his side she felt
relieved and knew he would fall asleep shortly.

Now all she could hope for was that this case would flourish, the information would fall into
their laps, and they could get back to DC. Back to the X-Files. Back to where they should be.
She got stuck on that thought and struggled to shake it. It felt like a long time since they were
where they should be. She didn't think just being back in DC would be enough.

Scully took in a long shaky breath and released it with a soft sigh. Her mind was a maelstrom
of thoughts but her body was exhausted. She felt a deep sleep covering her and didn't fight it.

Star Lane Motel

Los Angeles
Wednesday

Mulder woke up slowly and struggled to clock all the sensations he was feeling. His whole
body ached. His legs felt like lead pipes. His neck felt like a coiled spring. His head was
heavy and foggy. But the most confusing of all sensations was the soft satin skin under his
hand. He opened his eyes and blinked a few times until he was able to keep them open.

He had one hand on his own stomach, his pinky and ring finger under the elastic band of his
pyjama bottoms. His other hand was on her stomach, under her t-shirt, resting on the soft
roundness of her belly as it rose and fell with the slow relaxed rhythm of her breathing. They
had both kicked the blankets down the bed and it covered only their feet. Her t-shirt had
ridden up but exposed nothing except her stomach. She had one arm on the pillow over her
head, and the other dangled off the edge of the bed. Her face was relaxed and open, her lips
parted, her eyes twitched under her lids as she dreamt.

Mulder wanted to keep his hand there. Hell, he wanted to move it, higher or lower but he
didn't want her to wake with him touching her like this. It was bad enough when she woke in
the car yesterday as he leaned over her, smelling her hair. As carefully as he could he lifted
his hand off her stomach and rolled away. He quickly pulled his feet out from the blanket
then hung his legs out of the bed and stood. He peeked out of the curtains and saw it was
bright outside.

The activity in the car park was as expected with some people checking out, others carrying
towels to the pool area. He fixed the curtain again and looked back at Scully before he
crouched by his bag and grabbed his clothes for the day. He went into the bathroom to piss
and change and breathe and hoped against hope she would be up and dressed before he came
back out.

Scully woke slowly and stretched her limbs as best she could. She ran her hand along the
mattress where Mulder had been lying and noted the warmth he left in his wake. She leaned
up on her elbows and blinked her eyes a few times as she started to wake up more and more.
She kicked the blankets away and hung her legs over the side before she combed her hands
through her hair and puffed her cheeks out with a deep rooted sigh.

When the bathroom door opened she looked up and saw Mulder emerge in a pair of faded
levi jeans and a plain moss green t-shirt. He looked like he wet his hands then combed them
through his hair. He still had sleep wrinkles on one cheek and his eyes looked red and tired.

“Morning sunshine,” he said as he crossed the room to his bag then shoved his pyjama
bottoms in along with his toiletries before he pulled out clean socks.

Scully smiled then stood and went over to her bag to get her things ready.

“What time do you want to leave?” she asked over her shoulder as he tied his laces.

“Agent Chambers said he’d meet us for breakfast in about twenty minutes, finish up any last
minute checks, then we can head off to the compound.”

“Okay,” she said as she carried her stuff into the bathroom.

Shortly after she emerged they made their way down to the café by the check in desks and
Mulder spotted Agent Chambers across the room sipping coffee. He nudged Scully with his
elbow and pointed him out and they both wove their way through the tables to sit down.

“Sleep well?” Agent Chambers asked with a mischievous smile as he pushed an empty plate
aside and settled back into his side of the booth.

“Like the dead,” Mulder said and signalled to a waitress for some coffee.

“Do you have any more questions?”

Mulder and Scully looked at each other then back to Chambers and they both shook their
heads.

“We’re ready,” Mulder said with nothing but conviction in his voice.

“It's been great having you here,” Chambers said in an effort to make their conversation more
natural and take it away from the UC points they needed to cover as the waitress arrived with
a carafe of coffee. “It's been too long since we hung out.”

Mulder looked up at the waitress and upturned the cup in front of him to move it closer to
her. “Yeah, it's been a while.” He moved Scully’s cup closer for her coffee too then passed
her the small jug of milk knowing how she liked it.

“And you managed to get a girl to agree to marry you, finally,” Chambers said and Mulder
glanced at him in time to see him swallow his smile but not the glint in his eyes.

Scully blushed and glanced at the waitress who smiled in response. “We’re not married yet,”
she said with a crooked smile as she took the coffee and added some milk. Chambers laughed
and reached across the table to slap Mulder’s shoulder.

“Oh wow brother, you better get those nuptials over with soon, before she runs for the hills.”

Mulder looked at Scully, his mouth agape, his eyes wide open. She smiled back and nudged
him in the ribs with her elbow. He lifted his arm and draped it over her shoulder. There was
no way he would let her get away with teasing him like that without some repercussions.

“You wouldn't do that, would you?” he said and he kissed her temple. He felt her stiffen in
his hold and smiled against her. He’d mark that score up for himself. He kissed her temple
again then pulled away and looked at the waitress with a wide smile. “Full breakfast plate for
me, and scrambled egg whites with wheat toast for the wife to be.”

The waitress lifted one eyebrow and looked to Scully, who nodded to confirm he got her
order right. When the waitress left to put their orders into the kitchen Mulder laughed then
took his arm back and bumped his shoulder against hers in a teasing manner.

“You guys are too good at that,” Chambers said with a soft chuckle and a shake of his head as
he finished his coffee. “You’ve been together for 6 years?”

“Partners, yeah,” Scully said and Mulder tried not to bristle at her rapid correction.

Together? Partners? Was there a difference? he thought.

“So you are all set. Email check-ins when you can, remember to place the bugs in high traffic
areas,” Chambers said as he pushed his now empty coffee cup aside.

Mulder sipped his coffee and nodded his head slowly. Scully did the same and Chambers
smiled.

“Okay, I’m going to head out to the post, I’ll be sure everything is set up for your first check
in.”

“Thanks.”

“Talk to you soon.”

Chambers rapped his knuckles on the table a couple of times then slid out of the booth and
left the café. The waitress approached, halting any comment Mulder or Scully had to share
and they leaned back from the table to make room for their breakfast.

They ate in silence for the most part and she couldn't help but notice how he seemed to linger
over his coffee. Usually he was the first to finish and she had to hurry to keep up with him
but this time he had barely finished his food and was still sipping his first cup of coffee.

“Nervous?” she asked without looking up.

“About what?” he said and put his cup down as he turned slightly in the booth to face her.
“An undercover assignment with barely enough time to prepare? An unknown target with
unknown…abilities?” She raised her eyebrows at his comment but said nothing, sure that he
wasn't finished yet. “Being taken away from our work for an unknown amount of time? Or
perhaps having to pretend to be in a relationship with my partner who looks like she'd rather
scrape me off the bottom of her shoe than hold my hand.”

Scully frowned. What? Is that what he thought? She tried not to show how her brain fritzed
from his words and wondered what it was she had done to make him think like that. Maybe
she had been on the cold side of professional, rather than the warm side he was used to
receiving from her.

“Are you sure about this Scully?” he asked softly and kept his eyes fixed on her as he awaited
her response.

“About…what?” she said, chickening out of the confrontation which made her brain stutter
again.

“About this assignment. It's not too late to pull out.”

“Why would I want that?” she said as she avoided his eyes and dapped her lips with a paper
napkin. “Skinner assigned us for a reason, and he mentioned there was an element of…”

“The fantastical?” he said with a smirk.

“Unexplainable phenomena.” She looked around the room then turned her attention back to
him.

“What?” he asked when she watched him silently for a moment.

“Is it wise to go undercover to investigate a drug trafficking ring where we have reports on
the leader who we suspect can read minds?”

Mulder frowned. He wasn't sure if she was mocking the scenario, the possibility that this man
could have the ability to read minds, or if she was genuinely concerned with the predicament
they were about to step into. He waited for her to say anything else but instead one corner of
her mouth quivered as she tried to hold back her smile and he felt a wave of relief sink from
his scalp to his toes.

She looked at his plate which he had pushed aside. “Are you done?”
Mulder nodded. He took the keys Chambers had left on the table for them and they paid
before returning back to their room. They hurriedly packed up the rest of their things and he
carried both of their duffle bags out to the car. Scully followed right behind, a stack of papers
in her arms that they would need to discard before reaching the compound but they had a
three hour drive before then to take it all in.

He stowed their luggage in the boot and climbed into the driver's side. They each took a few
moments to settle in their seats and when they were both buckled in Mulder turned to her, one
hand on the ignition, the other holding the steering wheel, a wide smile on his face.

“Ready honey?”

Scully lifted one eyebrow then turned to look out the window and shook her head slowly.
“Let’s go.”
 Chapter 2

La Quinta Beach
Los Angeles
Wednesday

It had been a long drive. Scully read out the file to him and he asked her to focus on the
reports of the mind reading incidents. He noticed how she tried to keep her voice neutral as
she recounted from the report how one witness felt Troy King, the compound leader, had
known facts they had never shared. But she wasn't able to hide her scepticism when another
witness detailed how they could hear thoughts in their head that weren't their own. The scoff
in her voice was unmistakable when she read out another incident that described how it felt to
have Troy pressing against his mind, rummaging for thoughts.

“Rummaging?” she said and Mulder glanced over in time to see her roll her eyes. “How can
anyone recognise conscious versus subconscious thoughts?”

Mulder smirked. He was delighted to have her engaged in a lively debate. It made him ache
with the familiarity of it all. The easy back and forth between them, a communication style he
had missed from her, and craved more and more the longer she withheld from him.

When she slapped the file closed he chuckled and wondered if now was a good time to ask
her how they should interact with each other during this case. She seemed reluctant to discuss
that angle and every time he tried to bring the conversation in that direction, she would
change it.

An hour outside of their destination he pulled into a garage and while Mulder went inside to
get snacks and drinks, Scully tossed the file papers out into a communal trash can. They met
back at the car and he leaned against the hood, his ankles crossed as he opened a can of ice
tea and handed it to her.

“Thanks.”

“Twizzler?” He offered her one extended from an open pack. She seemed to hesitate and
glanced at him before she reached up and took it out.

“Thanks.”

Mulder took one out for himself and they both ate in silence watching the slow hustle of the
garage forecourt. He wanted to ask her what boundaries were in place before he crossed one
he couldn't step back from. But she was more shut off from him now than she had ever been.
Even during their first case she was more open, more…vulnerable.

“Scully,” he said as he took the twizzler out of his mouth and bumped his arm against hers.
She looked over and he couldn't help but smile at her looking at him with the red candy
protruding from between her pursed lips. “What do you like in a boyfriend?”
Her face froze and he couldn't help but smile again.

“What are your thoughts on PDA? Pet names?” he persisted, despite the frozen look still on
her face.

“Well, I uh…” She took the candy from her mouth and blinked a few times as she licked her
lips and tried to respond. “I dunno, I never really thought about it.”

“You’ve had boyfriends before right?” he said only half joking.

“What? Yes!”

Mulder chuckled. “So, tell me what you liked.”

“I…” She looked away and Mulder waited for her to respond. “I’m not a huge fan of pet
names.”

Her voice was low and though Mulder could hear her, he still leaned a little closer.

“Check on no pet names. PDA?”

“To a degree,” she admitted and cursed the heat she could feel spreading across her cheeks.
“Hand holding is ok, even an arm over my, um, over my shoulders, but…”

“No tongues in public?” he said with a smile and nudged her elbow with his own.

“Yeah.”

“Yeah? To tongues in public?” he said, weighing his voice down with shock and surprise.

“No!” She said and whipped her head round to face him then saw him grin and she rolled her
eyes.

“Last chance,” he said softly as he put the candy back in his mouth and sucked on it.

“For what? Tongues?” she quipped and he almost choked. Satisfied she had the upper hand
again, Scully put her candy back in her mouth and pushed away from the car to walk around
the other side and climbed in.

Mulder took a moment longer to recover before he sat into the driver's side. She was still
smiling when he buckled his belt and started the engine.

“Alright Donna,” he said and pulled out of the garage and back into traffic. “I hope you’re
ready to shower me with unadulterated love.”

Scully scoffed. “That's what you like from your girlfriends?”

“Doesn't every guy?”

“What do you like?”

Mulder smiled and glanced at her. He liked women who took control. He liked it when they
gave it to him too. He liked it rough. He loved it soft. He needed to feel wanted, valued. He
hated to admit it and he was pretty sure she would hate to hear it, but he wanted to be the
protector, the knight in shining armour. Rescuing her, saving her, holding her, shielding her.

“I like the same as everyone,” he said and offered her a one shouldered shrug without really
admitting to anything.

“Pet names?”

Mulder smiled again then scrunched his nose and shook his head.

“PDA?”

“Not so much,” he said and that answer surprised her.

He was so tactile, always holding his hand against her back, touching her arm, or shoulder
and standing way closer than was necessary. She had always imagined him to be even more
tactile while in a relationship. A clingy ball of static that jumped from one limb to the next
when you tried to brush it aside.

“It's been a long time since I was in a relationship,” she muttered and he wondered if she
meant to say it aloud.

“When?”

“Five almost six years ago,” she admitted almost reluctantly knowing he would do some
quick maths and realise it was just when she started working on the x-files.

“Long one?”

“A couple of years.” She turned to him by rolling her head against the rest behind her.
“You?”

“Eh, well, yeah, about seven years ago.” Mulder shifted in his seat and his hands tightened on
the steering wheel. He suddenly wished they hadn’t started this conversation and knew if he
even whispered Diana’s name into this car the slight thawing of her mood he thought he
could feel would freeze up quicker and harder than it had before.

“Long one?” she asked, repeating his question, using his phrasing.

“A while,” he admitted and made a show of checking his mirrors before indicating and
overtaking the truck in front.

Scully noticed his discomfort and wanted to press him further but she had an idea of the
relationship he was referring to and wasn't sure that was a conversation she wanted to have
yet.

“How did you propose to me?” she asked and rolled her head back to look out the window.
“Maybe you proposed to me?”

Scully chuckled. “If I did, we’d already be married.”

“What? Why?”

“Because it said on our file we’ve been engaged for fourteen months already.”

“That's too long?”

“Definitely too long.” She looked at him again. “We have been working at the elementary
school for three years, and engaged for half of them? That's a whirlwind romance, with a long
engagement.”

“You think we’re doomed?”

“Maybe that's why we quit our jobs and joined this commune.”

“Is that how you want to play it?”

“It's just an observation.”

“I proposed to you on the ferris wheel on Coney island.”

Scully laughed and looked at the hand he moved to the console between them, palm up
fingers spread in invitation.

“Coney Island?”

“On our third date.”

“Third?” She looked away from his hand and up to his face to see him smiling softly.

“First date we went to Brooklyn Zoo.”

She glanced down and saw his fingers move as if beckoning her to grip on. She hesitated a
moment then knowing she would have to get used to this eventually, moved her hand against
his. Her fingers slid along his palm until they went between his and he curled his fingers to
grip her tighter.

“Second date we went to the food market in Williamsburg.”

Scully smiled and shook her head ever so slightly. “Third date we went to Coney Island. And
you proposed?”

“I knew.” He said and shrugged again. “I just knew.”

“If you knew, then where is my ring?” she said and squeezed his hand.

Mulder looked down at their hands and turned hers over to look at her finger. “We’re non-
traditional.”
Scully chuckled and squeezed his hand but when she tried to release him and take hers back
onto her lap he held on to her.

“Wasn't there a ring in the profile kit?”

“Well, there was one,” she said and looked out the window. “But it was…gaudy.”

“Gaudy?”

“It was a huge fake diamond with a thick band and it didn't fit too well anyway.”

“Not your style?”

She shook her head. “We’ll go with your non-traditional line.”

“Until I can afford to buy you a proper one. Can't get much on a g-man's salary,” he said with
a half shrug then quickly corrected himself. “An elementary school teacher’s salary,” he said
with a crooked smile.

Scully chuckled and squeezed his hand. He wanted to keep a hold of her but he knew she was
about to pull away and he had to let her. They had maybe thirty minutes before they made it
to the commune and he wanted to give her the time she needed to get into character, settle the
nerves he knew she was feeling and be ready to…to hang on his arm? Let him hold her and
touch her more than he usually got away with? Let him look at her longer than he usually
would? Or longer than he usually lets her see.

When her hand slipped away Mulder moved his back to grip the wheel again and tried not to
overthink anything. It was going to be very important in the coming days, or weeks, hell
months if it was needed, that he didn't overthink anything. At least anything relating to both
of them. He knew it was going to be a huge challenge especially if she amped up her soft
touches and long gazes in the same manner he was planning to.

They drove the rest of the way in silence until she saw the entrance for the commune grounds
and pointed it out. The gate was large and ornate with a cast iron arch declaring everyone
welcome. They were open and covered in colourful bunting with signs declaring fresh
organic produce and eggs for sale or trade.

“This looks like the place,” Mulder muttered as he turned into the drive and slowly brought
the car forward.

The road was paved with loose gravel that crunched and crackled as they moved forward, and
either side of it were fields filled with row after row of vines being tended to by a few
workers.

“The maps were accurate.”

Mulder hummed and remembered the detailed maps that were shared of the compound. The
buildings, the land, the fencing and all points of entry or exit they could use at any time. He
had studied those maps for a couple of hours but nothing in the 2D representation prepared
him for the bountiful surroundings he could see now. As they reached the end of the drive,
the view opened to the small collection of buildings with some cars parked haphazardly in
front of them. He pulled up between a couple of work trucks and killed the engine, then
looked over at Scully and nodded his head.

“Ready?” he asked.

“Yeah.”

They climbed out and met behind the car and Mulder ran his hand down her forearm to her
hand and interlocked their fingers in a tight grip. He looked up to see two men come out of
the main building and approach them. He lifted her hand and kissed her knuckles then started
to walk towards their greeters.

“Hello,” one of them said with a wide smile.

He was tall, taller than Mulder and with wide shoulders and chiselled muscles that seemed
borne more from hard labour than a gym. He wore a white henley top with blue sleeves and a
pair of faded blue denim jeans with a battered pair of converse hi-tops that had seen many
years of wear. His companion wore a denim shirt tucked into a pair of jeans with sneakers
that had similar wear. Both of them had sandy, sun bleached blonde hair but where one was
shaggy and unkempt, the other had it cut tight enough to make Mulder think he was ex-
military.

“Welcome,” the man in the denim shirt said.

“Hi,” Mulder replied with a smile and held his hand out.

“I’m Josh,” the guy said as he shook Mulder’s hand then slapped the back of his hand on his
companion's chest. “And this is Sean.”

“Matt. This is Donna,” Mulder said and he released her hand so she could shake with both of
them but quickly reclaimed it again.

“Are you visiting? Passing through?” Josh asked and he ran wide fingers through his shaggy
hair as he offered them both a crooked but welcoming smile.

“We’re actually…” Mulder began and glanced at Scully with a smile. “We’re looking for
somewhere to fit in.”

“Oh!” Sean said and his smile widened. “Then hopefully you’ve come to the right place.”

“Come in, come in,” Josh said and he started to back away from the small group but
beckoned them to follow with his hands. “Let’s get out of this heat and get to know each
other.”

Mulder put his arm around Scully’s back, his hand on her hip, his fingers pressed into her just
enough to be felt there. He hoped it was reassuring and nothing more as they followed both
men into the main house. It was rustic in its decoration with function over form for almost
every piece of mismatched furniture he spotted. They were led through a wide foyer into a
large kitchen that had an island in the centre that was big enough to have five stools across
one side.

“Sit, sit,” Josh said. Can I get you a lemonade?”

“Please!” Scully said with a smile and Mulder nodded too as he held his hand on her back to
support her when she climbed onto the stool, then sat onto the one next to her.

Josh got a jug from the fridge and glasses from the press and Sean opened a tub of cookies
and smiled.

“Looks like Beth made a fresh batch,” he said as he inhaled deeply and basked in the fresh
cookie aroma.

“She’ll kill you if she catches you,” Josh said with a smile.

“She has to catch me though,” Sean smirked as he took a cookie and bit into it.

Josh shook his head and passed the lemonade he poured to Mulder and Scully and took a seat
across from them.

“So what brings you to the west coast?”

“West coast?” Mulder said with one quirked eyebrow.

“That’s an east coast accent you got,” he said with a smile.

“Wow,” Mulder chuckled. “I thought I managed to get rid of it.”

“Not entirely.”

“We’re from New York.”

“You’re from New York,” Scully said and nudged him with his elbow. “I just live there.”

Sean chuckled and sat next to Josh. “Where are you from Donna?”

“San Diego. But I’ve been in New York for a long time.” She sipped her lemonade and
glanced at Mulder to see him looking at her with a glint in his eyes.

“What do you do in New York?”

“We worked at an elementary school. That's how we met,” Mulder said as he moved one arm
to circle her shoulders and pulled her close enough to kiss the top of her head.

“I was the school nurse, he teaches English.”

“Or I did,” he said with a half shrug and he reached down to pick up his lemonade for a long
drink.

“So you came out west?” Josh asked.

Mulder nodded. He looked at Scully to see if she was going to take up the rest of the story
but she looked back and seemed to wait for him to continue.

“We needed a change of scenery. We wanted a fresh start without being bogged down by
expectations or familial responsibilities that shouldn't even be ours.”

Scully reached a hand out and placed it on his thigh. She felt a pang of something flash
across her chest and knew he was talking about Samantha.

“We met a guy in a park in Brooklyn, and he told us about a place outside LA where a
community worked for a simple life, taking only what you need and giving back tenfold.”

“Who did you meet?” Sean asked as he dug into the tub for another cookie.

“His name was Kevin Hunter,” Mulder said and felt Scully’s hand tighten on his thigh.
“Retired accountant, living in a retirement village in Brooklyn.”

“Ahhh Kevin!” Josh shook his head laughing. “He was the best of us.”

“He taught us how to make moonshine that first year,” Sean said with a laugh. “That season
we got so little work done.”

Mulder chuckled. “So how does it work here?” He looked at Scully and moved his hand to
cover the one she still rested on his thigh. “We, um, we don't have much, but-”

Josh waved his hand to stop Mulder from talking. “It's a community. You don't need to pay to
stay here, you just need to work with us.”

“Do you have much need for English teachers?”

“No, but we always need extra hands.” Josh stood up and placed his hands on the ceramic top
of the island. “Let me show you round.”

Sean took one more cookie out of the tub then sealed it up and placed it back on the counter
where he found it. “I’ll go back out to the stables. It was lovely to meet you.”

He waved his hand and left through a back door as Josh came around the island and gestured
at them to follow. He led them back out to where they parked and was standing with his
hands on his hips as he looked out at the vineyards below.

“This is the main house. Most of us live here.”

“How many people live in this community?” Scully asked as they came up beside Josh and
looked around.

“At the moment we have thirteen people.”

“Families?”

“Some people are married, some single,” Josh said as he started to walk around the house.
Mulder reached over and took her hand again as they walked next to Josh.

“No kids?” she asked though she knew the answer.

“No, that's probably our only rule.”

“No kids allowed?”

“No.” Josh stopped walking and turned to them with a curious look on his face. “You’re
not…pregnant are you?”

“No, um, no I’m not.” Scully said and she looked away. Mulder's hand squeezed hers and he
pulled her a little closer. “I…I…”

“We can’t have kids,” Mulder said plainly, shouldering half the torment he knew she was
feeling as if it was both of their problem.

“Oh, right,” Josh said. He let his words settle between them then continued walking. “We
have stables, with five horses. We rent them out for trails and kids parties but for minimal
cost. Just enough to cover their care.” He pointed at a large stable which had the doors open
and they could see Sean leading a horse out into a pasture. “Over there we have our vegetable
patch,” he said and pointed in another direction where there was a garden plot and Mulder
wondered if now would be the right time to announce his black thumb that killed every plant
he ever tried to care for.

“There was a sign on the main gate that you sold produce.”

“We sell what we won’t eat. We compost the rest,” Josh said as he pointed at a compost pile
behind the stable.

“Do you grow everything?”

“Yeah,” Josh said with a proud smile. “Everything we eat we grow.”

“So this would be a vegetarian community?” Mulder said and tried not to let his grimace be
heard.

Josh chuckled. “No, we eat fish, chickens, and some beef if we can trade for it.”

“Oh, ok.”

“You seem relieved,” Josh said.

“Matt is a carnivore,” Scully said and she patted the centre of Mulder’s chest.

“Don't get me wrong, I too am a carnivore. I love nothing more than a rare steak,” Josh said
and he kissed the tips of his fingers in a dramatic gesture. “But it's expensive, so it's a rare
treat.”
“Sounds like your diet is about to improve,” Scully said to Mulder and she looked up at him
with a smile.

Mulder smiled back though only because her smile was wide and genuine and showed no
traces of the difficult topic they had just overcome.

“Over here we have a chicken coop,” Josh said as they approached a small fenced off area.
“These ladies give us more eggs than we could ever use. There is a steady stream of locals
every morning to buy them though so there is little to no wastage here.”

He continued to show them around the land and then towards a couple of small cabins that
were set away from the main house, and a larger one that looked like a bunkhouse. He
opened the door to the nearest cabin, and it was a one room studio style cabin with a
kitchenette in one corner, a bed in another, a small couch at the foot of the bed in front of a
small fireplace.

“If you choose to stay you can live in one of these cabins, or the main house.”

“What's the difference?” Mulder asked as he walked further into the room.

“The main house has a generator. The only power in these cabins is for the fridge. The cooker
is a fire powered range, though even if you chose to stay in the cabin, you can always join us
for the communal dinner in the main house.”

“So all the cabins are off the grid?”

“There is plumbing of course,” Josh said with a chuckle, and he walked over to the sink to
turn the tap as if he needed to prove it. “Though we try to conserve as much water as
possible.”

“Quick or shared showers huh?” Mulder said as he came up behind Scully and put his hands
on her hips.

Josh laughed and Scully rolled her eyes as she elbowed Mulder behind her but it just made
him pull her back against him with a chuckle.

“There is also the bunkhouse, which is mostly empty, but it's exactly as it sounds. Bunk beds
line the walls, enough to fit ten adults, a small but functional bathroom, and an even smaller
kitchenette. We usually only use it for summer help. I think you’d be more comfortable in the
cabin.”

Mulder and Scully followed him out of the cabin, he moved his hands up to her shoulders as
he took his place behind her, and they all stood outside the main house as Josh gestured
around at their surroundings.

“So what do you think?” Josh asked and waited for them to make a decision.

“I think Kevin knew what he was doing when he sent us here,” Mulder said and though he
continued to hold Scully against him, his grip moved down her back, onto her hips then
softened as his hands circled her slowly.
“Like I said,” Josh began and nodded his head slowly. “He was the best of us.”

“We’d love to stay for a while, if you’ll have us,” Scully said and she covered Mulder’s
hands that were joined on her belly, with her own

“Absolutely!”

“What can we contribute?” Mulder asked.

“We’ll find a space for you,” Josh said with a wave of his hand to stop them from worrying.
“You can try your hand in the stables, in the vineyard, with the vegetation until you find out
where you're supposed to be.”

“This…this sounds too good to be true.” Scully spoke slowly and Mulder’s arms tightened
around her.

“Other than no kids…what other rules are there?” he asked.

“Nothing you won't already be used to,” Josh said as he walked back out of the cabin and
Mulder released Scully so they could follow. “Treat everyone with respect. No violence, or
weapons permitted. Take only what you need. Give back what you take.”

“Are there rules about leaving the compound?”

“No, not at all, you are free to come and go as you please, except for one night a month.”

“Oh?”

“Once a month we have a community town hall. Everyone is expected to attend.”

“What happens at the town hall?”

“It's like a community meeting, we discuss any plans for the compound, opportunities for
trade, everyone gets to vote on the decisions we make and it's a full democracy. If you miss a
vote, then we presume you no longer want to be part of the community.”

“And everyone is there for the meeting then?”

“Yeah.”

“Is there no leader?” Scully asked.

“Not officially no. Though the land belongs to Troy King.”

“Troy King?”

“He opened his land up to community refuge about thirty years ago.” Josh spoke softly and
his voice took on a lyrical tone which highlighted to Mulder and Scully that this was a
practised story. “The first family to move in, were survivors of the Santa Monica wildfires in
sixty-two. Troy opened his land and gave them somewhere to stay while their homes were
rebuilt but then when it was time to leave, they didn't want to.” Josh chuckled and both
Mulder and Scully smiled. “Soon more people came and more and more until we had a full
thriving community.”

“But no kids,” Scully couldn't help but ask.

“No. Troy lost his family in those wildfires. His wife, and two sons were caught in
crosswinds which changed the fire direction and cut them off from their escape.”

They reached the back door of the main house and Josh opened it wide to gesture them in.
Back in the kitchen Mulder and Scully hovered by the island until Josh ushered them to sit
and he leaned on the counter across from them with his forearms.

“So what do you think?”

Mulder and Scully looked at each other as if trying to decide if they would stay or not. They
knew Josh was watching and they both knew they were going to stay but they had to make it
seem like a decision was being made.

“We’d love to stay,” Mulder said, keeping his eyes on Scully and moving his hand to her
shoulder before he turned to face Josh with a smile.

“Brilliant!” Josh stood and clapped his hands just as the back door opened again and Sean
entered. He was dusting his hands off the back of his trousers and beelined for the sink to
start washing his them.

“Has Josh given you guys the full tour?” he asked as he lathered soap between his fingers.

“Yeah,” Scully said and she leaned into Mulder whose arm moved across the back of her
shoulders.

“And you have decided to stay?” He grabbed a towel from inside the door under the sink and
dried his hands off before he slung it over his left shoulder then rested his hands on his hips.

“Yeah, we’re going to give it a try anyway, and help out where we can.”

“That's great. So the full moon orgy didn't put you off?” He rounded the counter and leaned
against the side of it with one hip as his hand rested flat against the ceramic top.

“The…what?” Scully asked and Mulder felt her tense.

“Most people are ready to run out the door as they hear about that, and the rest run when they
hear about the naked dancing at the bonfire.”

“Naked?” Mulder moved his arm lower and his hand rested on her hip.

“Sean,” Josh said in a warning tone with a shake of his head.

Both Mulder and Scully looked back and forth between them, then Sean burst out laughing
and slapped the counter.
“I’m just fucking with you,” he said through his laughter. “You should see your faces
though.” He pointed at them both and continued to laugh as he dropped the towel onto the
back of a chair and walked out of the room.

“Sorry about that, he’s an ass,” Josh said as he shook his head and rolled his eyes.

Mulder smiled and waved his hand in forgiveness. He was relieved and still felt residual
shock coursing through him and based on the stiffness in Scully’s shoulders he knew she felt
the same.

“We’re not survivalists,” Josh said. “We don't have any religious affiliation nor do we
exclude any religious activity. There are two Muslims in our community right now, and three
practising Catholics. Everyone else is either lapsed, or was never involved in any church.”

Josh smiled at them both and Mulder felt his nerves settle a little more.

“We don't enforce any gender stereotypes, everyone is welcome to try out any of the jobs we
have available. It's only important to the community that the work gets done. We don't have
any fashion rules so you just wear what you feel comfortable in or whatever is practical for
the jobs you take on.”

“It sounds like a utopia,” Mulder said. “How do you keep it on such a small scale?”

“People come and go. It's a transient community. I’ve been here for a few years, Sean too.
Beth arrived last year, most others have only been here a few months.”

“Except for Troy King?”

“Except for Troy.”

“He lives and works with the community too?” Scully asked.

“Yeah, though his outdoor hours are limited these days.” Josh rounded the counter and
Mulder and Scully turned on their stools to follow him.

Mulder dropped his arm from around her and it fell to his lap. Josh stood in front of them and
rested his hands on his hips.

“It's a bit of a culture shock. It's a quieter life. Some people think they crave it but ultimately
need to get back to the rat race. The only thing we ask is that you leave us in better condition
than you found us.”

“How can we do that?” Mulder asked and his other arm moved around Scully now that they
were facing the other way.

“Teach us something new,” Josh said with a smile. “A recipe, a planting technique, a dance,”
he was chuckling now. “The only thing we don't want to know…” he said and he caught both
of their eyes before he continued. “Is how to make koolaid.”

Mulder snorted and Scully sighed.

“C’mon, let me help get you set up.”

Josh preceded them out of the main house and over to their car. Mulder opened the trunk and
lifted out both of their bags.

“That's all?” Josh asked with arched eyebrows.

“Fresh start,” Mulder said and he put his arm around Scully's shoulders again. He couldn't
help himself after she had given him permission for this type of PDA. “We didn't want our
proverbial baggage to be actual baggage too.”

“So would you like a cabin? Or the main house?”

“A cabin I think,” Mulder said and he looked down at Scully. “We’re pretty quiet and we like
our time together to be just us where we can.”

Scully smiled and looked up at him. She rested her hand in the centre of his chest and rubbed
him there before she turned back to Josh.

“A cabin would be great,” she said and Josh smiled.

“This way.”

He led them back to the cabins and picked one that was a little back from the main set and
backed only by a lush patch of trees, next to the chicken coop.

He showed them how the lamps worked. Some were kerosene lamps, others were kinetic
with a wind up handle to generate power. He showed them the press where they could get
fresh linen and explained how the washing machine was in the main house and free to use
though warned them about saving water where possible. He showed them the bathroom
which had a toilet and sink combo that recycled water from hand washing into the toilet tank
for the flush, and finally a shower unit that combined rainwater and a supply from the main
plumbing system.

“We’ll plan a community dinner this evening to welcome you fully. Take the rest of the day
to get to know your cabin, explore the compound and see if any of the tasks catch your eye.
Come back to the main kitchen for six o’clock and meet everyone for dinner.”

“That sounds wonderful,” Mulder said and he held his hand out to Josh who took it and
shook it firmly. “Thank you so much, for everything.”

“It's really wonderful,” Scully said as she came up to Mulder's side and held her own hand
out for Josh to shake.

“It's our pleasure to welcome you to the community.” He released her hand and moved back
towards the door. “See you for dinner.”

Josh left and closed the door behind them and Mulder and Scully turned to face each other.

“This is…” he began.

“Weird.” she finished for him.

Mulder looked around the small cabin. The double bed was pressed against the wall and the
couch was a two seater that had its back against the foot of the bed. The fireplace was stacked
with paper and kindling and ready to be lit. The kitchen was small but looked functional
though the range seemed complicated and he hoped Scully had some experience with
operating it or they were likely to be living off sandwiches and cold salads.

There was a small bookshelf above the fireplace lined with books that seemed to be dime
store mystery or romance novels. Some thicker Stephen King books and some “how to”
books about vegetation or water filtration.

“What's weird about it?” he asked after he circled the room to get a closer look at everything
as she lifted their bags onto the bed and started unpacking.

“It's weird how normal they all seem.”

Mulder chuckled and came up beside her to help her get their equipment set up. “It just seems
like a community of people living off the grid.”

“Who we believe to be running a major drug trafficking operation.”

“We should explore the area this afternoon after we get this all set up and see if we can-”

“Find the shed where they are storing all the drugs?”

Mulder laughed again. “Hiding in plain sight.”

“Here, plug this in so we can put together our initial report,” she said and handed him the
laptop and a power strip.

Mulder went over to the fridge and plugged it out, then plugged into the power strip and
plugged the fridge into that. He plugged in the laptop and stretched the cable the short
distance to the couch.

“Done,” he said as he crossed the room back to her side.

She glanced at the couch and abandoned their duffle bags in favour of getting her thoughts
down while they were fresh. In the few moments it took for the laptop to boot up, Mulder
pulled the drawers under the bed open and started to put away their clothes.

“I’ll just put all your stuff in here, yeah?” he said without really waiting for her response.

“Huh?” she looked over her shoulder to see him crouching next to the open drawers. “Yeah,
sure,” she said and turned her attention back to the laptop.

Mulder emptied his own case quick enough, and tried not to pay too much attention to her
underwear as he grabbed handfuls of it to put into the drawer then quickly covered them with
her t-shirts, jeans, and socks. By the time he had emptied both of their duffle bags he
crumbled them up and found a place under the couch to store them then fell onto the seat next
to her with a sigh.

“Okay, we met Josh and Sean,” she said as she started to type.

“They said we should meet everyone else later at dinner.”

“Yeah,” she said half listening as she focused on getting her thoughts in order.

Mulder leaned closer as he read what she was typing over her shoulder, then pointed at a
typo. “I after E Scully,” he said.

“Shh,” she said. “Okay…” she fixed her typo, then hovered over the save button. “Look ok?”

“Yeah.”

Scully saved the message, then turned off the laptop and closed it. She placed it on the floor
then sat back in the seat. “We’ll need to go into town tomorrow and connect at the library to
send this, and whatever intel we get later.”

Mulder nodded and didn't say anything as he let her thoughts percolate a little longer but
when he couldn't take it anymore he bumped his shoulder against hers.

“Thoughts?” he asked.

She remained silent for a moment then closed her eyes as she recalled the hours that passed
since they arrived at the compound. She was surprised by how Mulder’s hands seemed to be
on her no matter what, despite his statement in the car that he wasn't a fan of PDA. Could
have fooled me, she thought.

“Josh and Sean seem nice. Settled in the community.”

“Young too, to be settled in such a place.”

“Young?”

“They looked to be in their late twenties, at a push.”

Scully made a face like she wasn't sure she agreed but she didn't offer an alternative age
guess.

“Let’s go check the place out,” Mulder said and he pushed himself up off the couch. He half
turned back and stretched his hand out for her to take and when she did, he tugged her to her
feet and started to lead her out of the cabin.

“Wait,” she said and she pulled her hand out of his.

Mulder tried not to be disappointed by her disconnect and watched as she stepped back to the
couch and picked up the laptop then carried it over to the fridge and put it on top then
covered it with tupperware and hid the wires out of sight.
“Better safe than sorry,” she muttered as she crossed the room over towards him again and he
smiled. Without hesitation he held his hand out to her again and he felt a wave of relief
course through him when she took it.

He interlocked their fingers and pulled her close and Scully wondered if all this was for show
or if it was his natural tactile tendencies inflated as they got more and more into the
undercover relationship they were portraying.

She tried not to overthink it. This was what was needed for the undercover profiles to be
believed. This is what was needed for them to seem like an engaged couple, who were madly
in love. This was what was needed for them to…she hesitated in admitting her final thought,
even just to herself, in her own mind and without an audience, but she knew it to be true. This
is what was needed for them to reclaim the easy connection they once had. The easy
connection that shattered, splintered, and dissolved the second she found out about his hidden
history with Diana.

Scully took a long breath and turned her head away from him as she slowly released it. She
felt her hand squeezed and turned back to see him pointing out a large barn but then he led
her in another direction towards the edge of the compound.

They walked the perimeter and pointed out things that caught their eyes. They went into the
stables and Scully spent some time rubbing the horses while Mulder kept his distance. At the
chicken coop she tossed a handful of seeds from a bucket into the chickens and Mulder
watched with a smile. At the vegetation section she bent to examine the small signs to see
what was being grown while Mulder scuffed his sneakers off the side of the planter. They
walked the vine rows and explored the pastures then returned to their cabin where Scully
opened the laptop and started to write it all down.

“Looks like you’re going to fit in just fine here,” Mulder said as he fell onto the couch and
she sat at the table writing.

“What do you mean?” she asked and looked up at him with a slight frown.

“I mean you seem to be fearless with those animals, and it looked like you knew what to do
with the vegetation.”

“Oh,” she said with a slight chuckle. “It's not so different from the housing we had on the
base in San Diego. Mom kept a vegetable patch, and our neighbour had chickens.”

“You keep unfolding like a flower, Scully,” he said and lifted his head enough to look over at
her.

She was crouched over the laptop again writing notes from their walk and he took a moment
to watch her. He didn't mean to be so handsy with her all day but he just couldn't help it. He
had already told her he didn't like PDA which he could admit to himself was a bare faced lie
but he said it as a survival technique because if he touched her as much as he actually wanted
to touch her, then he would cross the boundaries she had put in place. To a degree, she had
said when he asked her about PDA. He didn’t think his hands on her ass, or curled up from
the back of her neck into her hair to cup her head would be quite the degree she had
envisioned.

His neck started to ache but he was enjoying watching her so he rolled over on the couch and
rested his chin on the arm.

“Hey Scully,” he said and he waited for her to look up but when she didn’t he tried again.
“Donna.”

“Hmm?” She looked up and smiled at the sight of him curled up on the tiny couch with his
knees bent and his chin on the arm. “Comfy?”

“Absolutely not.”

“What?” she said when she turned back to the laptop and finished the last note she had been
taking, closed it over and sat back in the chair to look over at him.

“What job do you think you’ll take?”

“I dunno,” she said as she crossed the room to the bed and slipped the laptop under one of the
pillows and Mulder wondered if that was her way of staking her claim to that side of the bed.

“What about me? Which job should I take?”

“You didn't seem to love the animals,” she said as she came around the front of the couch and
hit his legs until he unfolded them to sit up and make room for her.

“I don't love animals that are bigger than me.”

“The chickens weren’t bigger than you.”

“Those beaks looked sharp.”

“So not the animals, and I already know about your black thumb, so definitely not the
vegetation.”

Mulder chuckled. “Do you think they have any call for a criminal psychologist?”

Scully chuckled and patted his knee. “I’m sure you’ll find something.” She looked at her
watch and saw they had about forty minutes before dinner would be on in the main house.
“I’m going to take a shower.”

Mulder hummed in acknowledgement and moved his legs to make room for her to pass. She
took her clothes out of the drawer and he heard her chuckle then she carried them into the
bathroom. He lay across the couch again with his legs over the arm, bent at the knee and
swinging idly as he heard the water start.

He wondered if she would wash her hair or if it would be a quick shower and when the water
turned off only minutes later he knew her hair would be dry, but curled from the steam and he
smiled in anticipation. He loved when her hair was mussed and curled from a steamy shower.
When she would crawl onto his bed while they were on a case so they could eat food and
watch a movie to unwind. When she would hurry out to the car to catch an early morning
flight and not bother to wash her hair in her morning routine.

She emerged from the bathroom and her cheeks were a little flush and he guessed she had
rubbed some cream on her face from the soft sheen of her skin.

“It's all yours,” she said as she folded the clothes she had been wearing onto the bed. Mulder
grabbed some clean clothes too and hurried into the shower as Scully pulled one of the bags
out to store their soiled clothing in, until they had enough to take to the laundry.

She tried not to dwell on the tiny bed they were going to have to share. There was barely
enough floor space for her to lie on, let alone Mulder. And the couch was definitely too small
for either of them so sharing the bed was going to be the only option. But it was going to be
fine, she decided. They had shared a bed numerous times before and nothing had ever gone
wrong. She had woken up lying against him in cars and planes, this would be no different she
told herself. When Mulder emerged from the bathroom in a plain green t-shirt that made his
eyes shine she looked away and hoped her cheeks didn’t blush.

He sat on the couch and pulled on a pair of socks then slipped back into his sneakers. Scully
came around and fixed a light blue cardigan over her plain white t-shirt and smiled.

“Ready, Matt?”

“Sure thing, Donna.”

With one last check to be sure none of their surveillance equipment was left in the open they
left the cabin and crossed the short distance to the main house. The noise of a small crowd
was already noticeable before they got to the porch.

Mulder put his hand on her forearm and slid it down to her hand to interlock their fingers in a
manner she was quickly coming to realise was his favourite way to hold her hand. He
squeezed it and pulled it to his chest as they climbed the stairs to the door. Mulder hesitated a
moment then knocked lightly on the door before he opened it and preceded her in.

The kitchen was full. People moved around carting things from the counter to the large
dining table, setting plates and cutlery down around tubs of food and jugs of lemonade. A
radio on the counter played soft rock and a few people sang to the tune making it fill the
room.

“Hello,” Mulder said and he tugged Scully in far enough to close the door behind her.

“Matt, Donna!” Josh said and he approached with open arms. “Come in, come in.” He guided
them into the throng and urged them to take a couple of seats in the centre of the table as
more and more people sat down too. “Everyone, come meet our newcomers.”

Everyone who wasn't already sitting moved to the table and crowded round.

“This is Matt and Donna who joined us this afternoon.”

Everyone cheered and waved, and Mulder and Scully waved back and said hello with soft
smiles. He was still holding her hand but now had it on his lap and clasped his other hand
around hers when he dropped it after waving at everyone.

“So Matt, Donna this is…” Josh took a deep breath and moved his hand round to the head of
the table and pointed at the guy sitting there. “Mark, Beth, Juan, Charlie, Sean, Max, Julie,
Angie, Larry, Jackie, and Lucy.”

Mulder and Scully both followed his hand as he pointed at everyone and named them in turn.

“I hope you remember all that, there will be a test later,” Sean said as he stood up and
grabbed a spoon to dish out the potatoes.

Everyone chuckled and the lady sitting beside him, who Josh had called Charlie, slapped his
shoulder.

“Don’t mind Sean. About half of the words that come out of his mouth are bullshit.”

“And the other half are horse shit,” Max said who sat on Sean’s other side.

The food started to be handed round the table and people served themselves. Mulder had to
release Scully's hand when she reached for the potatoes and struggled to keep his hand off her
thigh. When everyone was seated there was still one empty chair at the other end of the table.
There was a place setting ready and Mulder wondered if Troy was finally going to make an
appearance.

“So Matt, Josh said you were an English teacher.” Max asked as he started to tuck into his
food.

“Yeah, at an elementary school.”

“Teaching kids about Steinbeck?”

“Not quite. More like teaching them about nouns and adverbs.”

“That's the one that is descriptive right?”

“Um, no, that's an adjective.”

“Oh, it's the one that is an action?”

“No,” Mulder said with a slight frown, his fork full of potato hovering near his mouth.
“That's a verb.”

“Don’t listen to him Matt.” Beth was sitting next to Mulder and he remembered that she was
the one who baked the cookies from earlier. “Max was a professor of English literature at
Brown university.”

Mulder looked over at Matt and saw he was smiling wide as he chewed his vegetables.
“I’m beginning to think that maybe Sean isn't the only one that is full of shit.”

Max let out a bellow of a laugh and nodded his head. Mulder continued to eat and glanced at
Scully who was watching him with an amused smile. She knew Mulder was well versed in
English literature and would relish the opportunity to flex those muscles. When the door
behind them opened everyone turned to see an elderly man walk in.

“Troy!” a few people called out and waved. Beth stood up and greeted him with a hug then
helped him into his seat and proceeded to dish his food onto his plate.

Immediately Scully felt like the air pressure in the room changed. She looked around the
room but no one seemed to take any notice. She felt like she was in a decompression chamber
and she waited for her ears to pop. She looked over to Mulder to see if he was feeling the
same but he was watching Troy with subtle interest.

“Hey everyone, how was the day?” Troy said as he picked up his cutlery and started to eat.

“Spirit threw a shoe, but we got it sorted,” Sean said. “It might be time to get the farrier out
again though.”

“We got a great haul from the vegetable garden,” Lucy said. “We should reap more fruit in a
week or so.”

“We got two newcomers,” Josh said and he gestured to Mulder and Scully who were both
waiting for their introductions.

Troy looked up with a wide warm smile and sought them out around the table until he found
them.

“Oh! Welcome, welcome to our community.”

“Thank you,” they both said softly.

Scully put her hand on Mulder’s thigh and squeezed it. She felt him glance at her and the
pressure returned, spiked then faded.

“Hopefully you got the grand tour.”

“Yeah, Josh took the time to show us around today,” Mulder said and he glanced at Scully
then draped his arm around her back, his hand on her hip as he pulled her infinitesimally
closer.

“And you weren't put off by the naked bonfire dances?” he said with a glance over at Sean
who started laughing.

“Sean already tried that one,” Josh said and everyone around the table laughed.

“Dangit,” Troy said and he snapped his fingers.

Mulder laughed and shook his head. Scully smiled and looked at him as she patted the centre
of his chest. She felt Troy watching her and she was so sure he could see right through their
façade. Right through the profiles they were trying to convince them were real and her heart
quickened in her chest.

“I’m not sure if he’s disappointed or not that they aren't real,” she said, focusing on keeping
her voice neutral and calm, and a few people laughed.

“We can light a fire for you any time Matt!” Sean said with a smile. “You just let me know.”

“You’ll be the first one I’ll call,” Mulder said.

The chatter around the room was lively as people asked them questions, and shared their
stories of how they made it to the community. The mood was welcoming and excited. People
were open with them and both Mulder and Scully were natural in their responses after the
hours they had spent with their profiles. They had kept to the truth where they could and
more often than not Scully was surprised to feel Mulder’s hand on her. On her back, her leg,
her shoulder. Each time she felt him touching her she also felt a flutter of sparks shoot over
her spine that made the hairs on her arms stand up.

When everyone was finished eating, the group stood and started cleaning. Leftovers were
closed into tubs for storage or freezing and soon, with everyone chipping in, the kitchen was
clean again. Beth brought the tub of cookies over to the table where a few people sat again.

She opened the tub and put it into the centre of the table then snatched it back and peered
inside. “Sean!“ she bellowed but Sean, who was anticipating her response was already
halfway out the door laughing. “Sean!” she yelled again and chased him.

Max laughed as he pulled the tub closer and took a cookie out.

“Those two are about two more fights away from sleeping together,” he said as he moved the
cookie tub over to Troy who was sipping a whiskey.

Troy took a cookie and passed the tub over to Mulder.

“I think they are already sleeping together,” Troy said with a wave of his eyebrows.

Mulder took a cookie out and handed it to Scully who was sitting next to him then he pushed
the tub over to Josh who sat at the other head of the table. Everyone else slowly moved out of
the room and the faint yelling from Beth in the yard could still be heard.

“Are you two married?” Troy asked as he waved his cookie at Mulder and Scully.

“Engaged,” she said and when Troy looked at her hand she smiled nervously.

“I’m saving up for a ring,” Mulder said.

“I don't need a ring,” she said and she turned to him then cupped his cheek with one hand and
kissed him lightly on the corner of his mouth. “I just need you.”
Mulder was clearly flustered by her response and she smiled then turned back to Troy who
was watching them with a soft smile.

“You remind me of my Susie,” he said with a slight sigh. “She never needed anything. She
just wanted to be together…as a family.”

A quiet hum fell over the room and Scully wanted to ask more but she decided now was not
the time. She glanced at Mulder who was still watching her with a curious expression she
couldn't decipher on his face.

“Well it's been a day,” Troy said as he finished his whiskey and his cookie then stood up from
the table with a slight groan. “It's great to meet you Matt, and Donna. I look forward to
getting to know you more.”

“G’night Troy,” Josh said with a wave and Max stood too.

“I’m going out to check my zucchinis.” Troy waved and walked out the back door.

Again Scully felt the air pressure turn and the compression she felt in her chest, her mind,
evaporated. She felt like she needed to pant to regain oxygen into her blood. She felt her
body sag and tried not to lean against Mulder. She stiffened her back and leaned on the table
with her forearms to seem relaxed.

“So, you two still want to stay?” Josh asked.

“Even though there is no naked dancing,” Mulder quipped and Scully turned to slap his
shoulder but he caught her hand and held it against his chest as he laughed. “I think we can
find a place to fit in here.”

“Did you find anything out there to interest you?”

“I’d love some time to work with the horses,” Scully said. “I have some experience, but I’ll
need to learn more.”

“Great! Sean is always looking for help out there. What about you Matt?”

“I’m not great with animals. And everything I water dies. But I’ll give anything a shot.”

“There’s always a need for general help. Working with people who come into trade, fixing
fences, maintenance around the cabins. Don't worry, we’ll find something for you.”

Mulder nodded and smiled.

“Why don't you come find me out in the pasture tomorrow morning and I’ll get you started
somewhere.”

“Sounds great.”

“And Donna, you go right out to the stables and Sean will get you started.”
“Sure!” she said and she couldn't help the bubble of excitement in the pit of her stomach.

“Anyway, time for me to go and crash. It's been a day, as Troy said, it's been a day.”

Josh stood and left. He closed up the cookie tub and put it aside then left the room. Mulder
and Scully listened to his footsteps fade away then looked at each other.

“Shall we go back to the cabin?” he asked and she nodded.

They walked slowly out of the house and on the porch he took her hand again, despite there
being no one around. They walked slowly across the compound to their cabin which was now
darker in the setting sun. Mulder closed the door behind them and realised only then that
there was no lock. He thought about propping a chair up under the handle but decided against
it.

“So, rundown?” Scully said as she toed off her sneakers and sat into the centre of the bed.
She pulled the laptop out from under her pillow and opened it ready to add more notes.

“Everyone seems nice,” Mulder said as he walked over to the fireplace, picked up one of the
kinetic lamps and wound it up. When it emitted light he moved to the bedside table and
wound that one up too.

“Too nice?” she said with an arched eyebrow.

Mulder sat at the foot of the bed and leaned back on his hands with his elbows locked
straight.

“I don't have much experience in this space,” he said with a chuckle. “But they all seem like a
dysfunctional but happy family.”

Scully chuckled. “What about Troy?” she asked, trying to determine if he felt the same
sensation she did when Troy came into the room. The same focus, boring into her mind. She
wanted to hear it from him first before she admitted to her own discomfort.

Mulder shook his head with a smile. “He seems like the picture perfect family tv show
granddad.”

“Grandpa Walton?”

“Exactly.”

“So not the prime suspect in a massive drug trafficking operation then?”

“Can you see it?”

Scully hesitated and Mulder sat up a bit.

“What?” he asked and bumped his shoulder against hers. “Scully,” he pressed when she
remained silent, her hands still hovering over the keys but not typing anything. “What is it?”
“It’s nothing,” she said and tried to shake the unease from her mind.

Mulder narrowed his eyes and knew she wasn't being fully truthful. Historically he would
push her to admit what it was she was keeping from him but since Diana he felt like if he
pushed her enough, she would walk away and that shot bolts of terror through his core. But
he needed to know what she saw, what she felt, what he missed.

“Tell me,” he urged, his voice low.

“Really, it's nothing,” she said and she closed the laptop but leaned back on her hands instead
of moving off the bed as he expected. “I just felt something-”

“Felt?” Mulder sat up straighter and focused on her face as he tried to decipher what she was
telling him.

“When Troy came into the room, it felt like…like my ears were going to pop,” she said with
a chuckle to hide her discomfort.

Mulder frowned and didn't say anything. He waited for her to continue.

“I felt like we were on a plane, taking off or landing, the air pressure just…changed.”

Mulder tried not to gape. He felt nothing like this from Troy and he was half disappointed to
have missed the experience and half blown away that she was admitting to the sensations she
had felt.

“What was it?” he asked, equally afraid of pushing her too far as he was of her not telling
him every detail.

“I…I’ve no idea.” Scully admitted and she fell back against the headboard with a frustrated
sigh. The words were so foreign on her tongue. She always tried to make some plausible
hypothesis for what they were seeing, or feeling but this time she had to admit she was
stumped. She never felt anything like this before and she wanted to process it a little more
before getting there.

“We’ve only been here half a day,” Mulder said in an effort to keep her from spiralling over
this confusing experience. “Maybe we’ll see another side to them in a day or so.”

Scully hummed non committedly as she moved the laptop off her legs and slipped it under
the bed. She checked her watch and saw it was just past half nine. Too early to curl up in bed.
At least one she was going to share with Mulder. She had already showered so that excuse
was out of the equation. Even though a few of the lamps were lit, it was still too dim to read,
and they didn't have a tv or vcr in the room.

Mulder hadn’t moved and watched her carefully. He could see the cogs turning in her head
and had a pretty good idea what notions were churning in there. The same ones churning in
his own head. He thought about asking her if she wanted to go for a walk, but he wasn’t sure
if he could hold her hand any more. Not after that display in the kitchen when she kissed him.
“Troy was right,” Mulder said and he sat forward to stretch out his back as he curled up in
two. “It has been a day.”

Scully chuckled. “That it has.”

“So…” He said as he stood up and turned back to face the bed. “How do you want to do
this?”

“Do what?” she asked and a hot flush of unexpected desire coursed through her as various
images flashed to the forefront of her mind.

“Inside or outside?” he asked and gestured to the bed.

Scully looked at the bed and frowned. “I always sleep on this side,” she said and patted the
mattress beside her hip.

“No, you don't!”

“Yes, I do!”

“No, you don't!” he said and waved at the other side. “You sleep on that side at home.”

“What? No!”

“Scully, I’ve been in your room, your books and glasses are on the locker on that side.”

“So is my alarm clock, so I have to wake up and move over to turn it off.”

“Scully!” he said laughing. “This side is my side.” he gestured at the side she was currently
sitting on. “Everyone knows that.”

“Everyone?” She lifted her eyebrows.

“You! You know that. This side is my side.”

“I know nothing of the sort,” she said as she burrowed down on the bed and crossed her arms
over her chest.

“Scully!” he said, a warning tone diluting his voice. “I should sleep on this side.”

“Why?”

“It’s closest to the door.”

“So you can protect me?”

“No,” he said, though in his head he screamed YES! “So I can wake you if something comes
in.”

Scully laughed. “How about we take turns?”

“Swap sides? Every other night?”

“Yeah.”

He pondered it for a moment then said “Okay.” He wondered if he would be able to sleep on
her pillow, surrounded by her scent and decided he would just swap pillows too.

“You take the inside tonight,” she said as she slapped his arm and climbed off the bed. She
went into the bathroom and he heard her starting her night time routine.

“Sure,” he muttered as he dropped face first onto the bed in the space she just vacated. “I’ll
just lie in the bed, where you just lay, inhaling your scent, pretending I’m not bothered by it.”

“Mulder?” Scully said and he whipped around to see her standing by the door to the
bathroom, her toothbrush dangling out of her mouth.

“Huh? What? Are you done in there?”

“I came out to grab my bedclothes. Who are you talking to?”

“Myself, God, the universe.” He rolled over onto his back and looked up at the ceiling. He
watched from the corner of his eyes as she crouched by the bed and opened the drawer to
take out her pyjamas then carried them silently into the bathroom.

“Nice one, let her think you’re losing it just before she climbs into bed with you.” Mulder
screwed his eyes closed and cursed between gritted teeth. He kicked his legs off the bed and
leveraged his body to follow. He grabbed his own sleep gear and moved to the couch so he
wouldn’t be lying on the bed when she emerged.

When she did, she draped her jeans and t-shirt over the back of the chair by the table and put
the underwear she had been wearing into the duffle bag she assigned for laundry.

“Bathroom is all yours,” she said and Mulder clicked his tongue then pushed himself off the
couch. He tried his damndest not to look at her but just as he got to the door he looked over
his shoulder to see her crouching by the bed rummaging through the drawer with her clothes.
The sleep shorts she was wearing were pulled taut across her ass and the cami on her top half
was stretched high enough to show a band of pale alabaster skin broken only by the colourful
circular tattoo that he craved to see up close. When she stood he looked away quickly and
stepped into the bathroom.

Scully pulled the sheets back and stood by the bedside. She didn't want to sleep on the inside
because she knew if she rolled away from the wall she would curl up right into him. Whereas
if she was on the outside she wouldn't feel so trapped and was less likely to roll into him. His
heat, his soft, reassuring, well toned, comfortable heat.

Scully groaned and covered her face with both hands. If she curled into bed now he would
have to climb over her so she backed away from the bed and went to the kitchen. She poured
out a glass of water and took a long slow drink. When she heard the water running in the
bathroom and Mulder gargling then spitting she smiled. A beat of silence was followed by
the door opening.

Mulder stepped out in a pair of pale yellow pyjama bottoms and no top. He dropped the
clothes he had been wearing onto the same seat as hers, albeit with less care, then went over
to the bed as he scratched the back of his head slowly.

“So you want the inside tonight?” Mulder asked over his shoulder.

Scully chuckled. “No, that's all yours.”

“You sure?”

“Yeah, and if anyone comes in during the night, I’ll be sure to wake you up.”

Mulder pulled back the bed sheets and climbed in. Even with his shoulder and side pressed to
the wall he looked over and realised there was still less than half of the bed left for her. She
rinsed her glass out and left it on the draining board then went to the fireplace to turn off the
lamp he had lit earlier.

Slowly she made her way over to the bed and though it only took a few steps to get there, it
felt like a chasm she was crossing. She picked up the lamp on the bedside table and held it
up.

“You want this on?”

“Huh?” Mulder turned his head to look at her. He had been lying on his back but facing the
wall with his eyes closed. He couldn't deal with seeing her climb into bed. His blood felt like
it was on fire. “Yeah, no you can turn it off.”

With one flick of the switch the room plunged into darkness and Mulder waited for the sound
of her movement but nothing happened. She stood by the side of the bed and waited for her
eyes to adjust. This utter darkness was different to what she was used to in DC and the motels
they stayed in around the country had perpetual neon signs that shooed away the darkness on
those nights.

“Scully?” he said. He didn't expect his voice to sound so loud but he figured that had
something to do with the silence currently in the room.

“Yeah, just trying to see.”

Mulder chuckled. He grabbed the top of the blankets and pulled them aside.

“Get in, it's going to get cold soon.”

“Is that your way of saying you plan to use my body heat to stay warm?”

Mulder's breath caught in his throat and he swallowed hard around a lump that formed there
as the bed shifted and she climbed in. It was higher than most beds with the underside
transformed into drawers so she had to hop a little and it meant the bed jostled more than
usual.

“I’m pretty sure it's you who will be stealing my body heat,” he said, though he heard the
comeback in his head and he knew it was lame. Her soft chuckle and the shaking of the bed
as she got comfortable were just about bearable until her foot brushed against his shin and her
hip bumped into his.

“Sorry,” she muttered.

“Scully, this bed is tiny,” he said with a soft laugh. “There is no way we’re not going to end
up sprawled across one another by morning.”

Scully narrowed her eyes as she looked at him and then realised it was so dark he wasn't able
to see her face so she relaxed her features.

“If you’re uncomfortable I’ll curl up on the couch, or we can take turns in bed. Hell, I’ll ask
Josh if we can use two cabins, and give them some religious reason for not sleeping together
while we’re engaged.”

He shifted on the bed to roll over onto his side, so he could press his back to the wall and
give her more space, but Scully who thought he was getting up to leave the bed shot her hand
out to grasp his arm, but as he moved her hand planted into the centre of his chest.

“No!” she said, an almost frantic tone to her voice to stop him from climbing out. “It's fine.
We’ve been partners for six years, I think we can handle a few nights sharing a tiny bed.”

“Are you sure?” he asked though he wondered how he was able to form coherent sentences
while her hand was over his heart and he was using all his brain power to keep his pulsing
beats slow.

“I’m sure Mulder,” she said.

He could hear the smile in her voice even if he couldn't see it, though he never wished to see
her smile more than right this very moment. He moved his hand to cover hers which was still
on his chest. He curled his fingers around hers and squeezed.

She moved on the bed again to settle in and reluctantly he released her hand. She tried to get
comfy on her back but decided it was too much with his presence so close and so
overwhelming so she rolled onto her side facing away from him, tucked her hands under her
pillow and bent her legs a little as if trying to make herself a smaller target.

Mulder unknowingly mirrored her position which left about a foot of distance between them
and he wondered how soon after he fell asleep would he reach out for her. He screwed his
eyes shut and let his mind reel through the facts of the case. One by one he ticked through
everyone they met at dinner, and connected it to the profiles they had read before they arrived
here.
An hour or so later he was still wide awake, scrolling through the casefile in his mind and
remembering in vivid detail everything she said about Troy, when he heard a soft long sigh
from Scully followed by a low snore. He opened his eyes and looked at her, though it was
still too dark to make out anything other than the faint outline of her silhouette. He was about
to close his eyes when she sighed again and this time followed it with a whimper and rolled
onto her back.

“Scully?” he whispered softly. He wanted to check if she was awake but not wake her if she
was still sleeping. At the sound of his voice she turned towards him and curled into a ball
facing him. Her head rolled off the pillow and tucked into his chest under his chin and she
sighed again, though this one sounded more like a purr.

Mulder held still and stiff and cursed himself for saying her name. She always did this. In
cars on stakehout, in planes on long journeys. He would reach over to fix her coat or the
blanket that was draped over her and she would curl into his warmth, ultimately leaning on
him and seeping the heat she craved from him.

Usually he wouldn't mind, the turbulence from the flight, or the cold from the car would
wake her up soon after, but even if it didn't, at least his lower half was a safe distance away,
separated by the console in the car, or the armrest in the plane. Now she was nestled into him
with her shins against his thighs, her knees dangerously close to his crotch which was only a
few rogue thoughts from really giving her something else to curl into.

“Shit,” Mulder cursed. He wondered if he would be able to manoeuvre her back onto her own
side of the bed but first…

He lowered his head to bury his nose in her hair and took a long inhale to bask in her for a
moment. Whatever distance was forming between them since…well since Diana came back
from Europe he admitted, he needed to snatch these moments to bask in Scully when he
could. He closed his eyes and focused on every point in his body she was touching. Her
forehead on his collarbone, her breath caressing his already over heated chest. Her hands
clasped themselves but rested against his stomach, her knees at his hips, her shins on his
thighs, her toes brushing his knees.

He was going to get uncomfortable pretty soon if he couldn't straighten his legs or move his
left arm which was bent under his pillow but right now he would just bask. Mulder closed his
eyes and took another breath to steal her essence once more.
 Chapter 3

Community Compound
Los Angeles
Thursday

Scully woke slowly and took a few moments to wonder why she couldn't hear the usual
hustle and bustle of Georgetown traffic. It was a few moments later before she realised she
couldn't move. There was a heavy weight on her torso and her legs were caught up, tangled
in…strong warm hard…hairy…legs.

She opened her eyes and blinked a few times to adjust to the daylight streaming in the
window above the bed. One of her arms was stretched out with her hand dangling over the
side of the bed. The other was curled around Mulder’s back with her thumb hooked into the
back of his PJ bottoms. He was curled up around her, practically lying on top of her, his head
on her chest, nestled in under her breasts, his slow steady breaths sending wave after wave of
hot air across her bare midriff. He had one arm under her, the other across her hips with his
hands curled around her thigh and holding her close. One of his legs was bent under both of
hers and the other was stretched out so low she could see it dangling over the back of the
couch at the foot of the bed.

She had no idea how they managed to get into this position without waking, how they had
curled up in this manner in their sleep and she was equally baffled on how she was going to
extract herself without waking him. That was going to be an impossible feat. Hell, even if she
closed her eyes and tried to get back to sleep, there was no way he would move away without
waking her either so she decided there was only one way to handle this. Head on.

“Mulder,” she said as she moved the hand she had near his ass and put it onto his head to
slowly wake him.

He made no response so her other hand moved to his shoulder and tapped him a couple of
times. He moaned, a guttural sound that reverberated from his gut and she felt his arms
tighten around her as his head nuzzled into her stomach.

“Hey, Mulder,” she said a little louder now and shook him a little harder too. “Wake up, you
gangly oaf,” she said, hoping to inject some humour into their current predicament.

“Hmmm,” he said and nuzzled into her again but she could tell he was waking up now as his
limbs which were heavy and languid became stiff around her.

“Morning sunshine,” she said and smiled as wide as she could as she waited for him to look
up.

“Morning,” he muttered against her chest and she tried not to react.

He moved the hand from her thigh to the bed and pushed himself off her then slipped his
hand out from under her as he rose up further. She looked up to his sleep wrinkled face and
tried not to think of him as hovering over her.

“I appear to have rolled over in my sleep,” he muttered.

Scully smiled and nodded her head.

“However, in my defence,” Mulder continued as he extracted his legs from hers and sat up
fully, to hook his arms around his knees and give himself a moment to wake up more. “You
do appear to be on my side of the bed.”

Scully sat up a bit and leaned back on her hands as she examined her position. While she
wasn't fully on his side, she was definitely not quite on her side either. She chuckled as she
swung her legs off the bed then patted his shoulder and climbed off. She dug through the
drawer to gather some clothes that would be suitable for working in the stables, then carried
them into the bathroom to get ready for her day.

Mulder fell back onto the bed with a sigh and dug the heels of his hands into his eyes until he
saw spots. He lifted the blankets to look down and confirm the erection he was feeling was in
fact real and cursed his luck. This was the first night of God knew how many. He had to
figure this out otherwise she was going to start complaining.

He glanced at the bathroom door and could hear her brushing her teeth. He jumped out of the
bed and dropped his bed clothes then snagged a pair of briefs from his drawer. He wanted to
be wearing his jeans at least before she emerged so he could avoid the horror of brushing past
her with his cock hard.

He had just pulled his jeans up, and was fastening the button fly when the bathroom door
opened and she emerged in a pair of snug Levi's with a black long sleeve top.

“I guess we should go to the main house for breakfast first?” She said as she put her bed
clothes onto the pillow then started to shake out the blankets to make the bed. Mulder
grabbed a top and pulled it on over his head and agreed then hurried into the bathroom to
brush his teeth.

By the time they were walking out of the cabin a few minutes later, he was delighted to find
his erection had lessened somewhat though it hadn’t disappeared entirely. He conceded
though that it was always somewhat present when they were in such close quarters, so this
was his natural state.

He put his hand on her back as they approached the house and she glanced up and smiled at
him. She opened the door and the same group with the same hustle and bustle were in the
kitchen. Some were eating cereal, leaning on the island and chatting. Some were sitting at the
long table, eating eggs and toast, sipping juice or coffee. Beth was by the cooker dishing out
food and Sean was walking around pouring coffee.

“Morning!” Josh called out from the table. He waved a fork towards Beth. “Help yourself,
Beth has eggs, cereal on the counter, Sean has the coffee.”

Mulder and Scully smiled and moved towards Beth.

“Hey you two, how did you sleep?” she asked as she grabbed a plate and dished out a large
portion of eggs for Mulder.

“Really well,” Mulder said with a wide smile. “That bed is super comfortable.”

“But tiny,” Scully added as she shook out some porridge oats into a small bowl. She glanced
around the room and tried to ignore the bubble of nervous energy fizzing in the pit of her
stomach in anticipation of seeing Troy again but he wasn't there.

Beth chuckled. “Yeah, those cabins are cosy, but it helps us save on heat when you snuggle
close!” she said.

“Oh we weren't cold,” Mulder said and he nudged Scully with his elbow who chuckled and
rolled her eyes.

With their breakfast ready they walked over to the table and sat down to eat. Mulder listened
to the idle chatter around the room while Scully spoke with Sean about the work in the
stables. He could tell she was excited to work with the horses and he wondered what he
would end up doing.

When everyone started cleaning up and moving on about their tasks, Scully stood with Sean
and added her dishes to the pile in the kitchen.

“We’ll start mucking out the stables, and making sure there is enough feed, then we can take
them out to the pasture and get some exercise for them,” Sean said as he placed a hand on her
shoulder and guided her towards the door.

“Sounds great!” she said and she glanced at Mulder who was helping gather the rest of the
dishes from the kitchen table. She lifted a hand to wave as Mulder approached.

“Hey…Donna…” he said and she paused at the door. Mulder put the dishes on the counter
and came over to her side. He stepped out onto the porch with her and Sean continued on his
way towards the stables. “Be careful.”

“In the stables?” she asked with one arched eyebrow.

“Yeah, just,” he stammered and reached out to take her hand. “Look, just be careful ok?”

Scully squeezed his fingers. “I will, don't worry.”

The door behind him opened and Josh stepped out. “You ready Matt?”

“Yeah, yeah I’m ready.” He looked down at Scully again then leaned in to kiss her temple
before he squeezed her fingers and released her. She smiled at him then at Josh before she
hurried down the steps to catch up with Sean.

“She’ll be fine,” Josh said as he slapped Mulder's shoulder. “Sean is great with the animals
and he won't let anything happen to her.”
“Yeah, I know, she can look after herself.” Mulder turned to Josh and offered him a tight
smile. “I guess I’ve just been used to seeing her all day, by my side.”

“You spent a lot of time with the school Nurse?” Josh teased as he nodded his head for
Mulder to follow.

“Way more time than I needed,” he said with a smile. “I had to convince her I was the guy for
her.”

“How did you manage that?”

“To be honest,” Mulder said. “I don't even know.” He laughed and Josh did too as they
walked around to the front of the house where the vineyards were.

“Right, so today we’re going to explore where you fit in.”

“Sounds good. Put me where you need me.”

“I talked to Max who oversees the vines, and he said he’ll give you a crash course. So spend
a couple of hours with him this morning.”

“Sure,” Mulder said and he looked over the fence to see Max crouching by the vines.

“I’ll come get you soon,” Josh said as he slapped Mulder’s shoulder and walked away.

Mulder nodded and quickly climbed the fence to hop over onto the other side. He waved at
Max as he approached and Max slowly stood with his hands on his knees and a deep rooted
groan.

“Matt, you’re my vine buddy today.”

“Looks like it.”

“What do you know about vines?”

“Not a thing.”

“Great!” Max said. “I love a blank slate!”

After spending a couple of hours mucking out stalls, then adding fresh hay, then leading the
horses out to pasture Scully felt like every muscle in her body was throbbing and twice its
normal weight. Her limbs were heavy and slow to react and Sean smiled as he handed her the
hose after he took a long drink himself. Scully relished the break and bent over to drink the
water then rubbed her face with her forearm.
“How are you feeling?” he asked as he turned off the water and wound up the hose.

“Like I’ve been run over by a ten tonne truck?”

Sean laughed. “You’ll get used to it.”

“So you’ve been here for three years?”

“Two.”

“What brought you here?”

“A bus,” he said with a laugh. “I was in the army, but medically discharged and had nowhere
to go. I jumped on a bus in Texas and got off in LA. I hitched north and ended up here.”

“My father was in the navy,” Scully said almost wistfully and immediately regretted it.

“Was?”

“Yeah, um, he passed away a few years ago.”

“I’m sorry to hear that.”

Scully nodded in acknowledgement of his words but didn't want to offer up any more
information. “So you were injured?” she asked.

“Yeah,” he said and he tapped his head. “TBI. My squad was hit by an IED. Out of eight of
us on patrol that day, only three of us made it back to base. Only two of us made it back
stateside.”

“Oh, I’m sorry,” Scully said and she reached out to touch his arm, an impulse to connect with
him. “I shouldn't have asked.”

“No, it's fine. It took me a long time to figure out how to deal with it.” He patted the hand she
had on his arm. “I was changed when I came back first. I was so angry. Riddled with grief
and guilt. But this place, this community…Troy…really helped me.”

Scully felt a prickle of something on the back of her neck. Sean released her hand and moved
towards the pasture where the horses were grazing. He leaned one foot on the bottom rung of
the fence, and crossed his arms over the top rung.

“How?” she asked as she approached and matched his pose.

“The quiet. The support. Troy has this way of looking into your eyes and just knowing what
you need.”

“Knowing?” She felt goose bumps break out on her arms and she tugged her sleeves over her
hands to be sure they couldn't be seen.
“When he lost his family, I think he opened himself up to the pain and grief in such a way
that now he sees it in others. He sees it and he knows how you can overcome it.”

“You mean like a therapist?” she asked.

Sean chuckled. “In the most unconventional way, yeah, I guess.”

“I don't understand,” she said, aware that she was on the edge of being too pushy.

“You will,” Sean said. “When you need to, you will.”

He patted her shoulder and moved away from the fence back into the stables. Scully took a
moment to process everything he said then turned on her heel and followed.

It was a few hours later, when her limbs were aching and useless that Sean guided her
towards the kitchen for lunch. She wasn't sure she would be able to lift any food into her
mouth, or that she had the energy to chew it but she definitely could do with a coffee and she
wouldn’t say no to sitting still for a while.

Sean preceded her into the kitchen and made a beeline for the sink where Beth was elbow
deep in sudsy water washing dishes. Scully smiled at the sight of them quietly whispering,
then turned to the table behind the door and saw Mulder sitting on a chair with a cup of
coffee in one hand and a chocolate muffin on the table in front of him, with Max sitting
across from him in the same pose, with the same treats.

“What's all this?” Scully said with her eyebrows arched and her hands on her hips.

Mulder paused, a chunk of the muffin in his fingers hovering outside his mouth. “Donna, hey,
you’re here.”

“Have you been in here all morning?”

“No!” Mulder protested. “We just got in from the vines.”

“Oh? Back breaking work?” she said as she stepped closer and took the chunk of muffin from
his fingers and ate it herself.

“Like you wouldn’t believe!” Mulder said with a smile.

“You’re such a cheat,” she said as she reached over his outstretched legs for another chunk of
his muffin.

Just then Sean came over with a fresh pot of coffee and slapped her on the shoulder making
her stumble. She planted one hand on the table and the other on Mulder’s shoulder and quick
as a flash his hand moved to her leg then up to her thigh and landed on her ass to keep her
steady.

“Whoa!” Sean said as he placed a hand on her arm to help her back up. “Your legs are a bit
jelly like huh,” he said with a chuckle as he dropped a mug onto the table and poured out
some coffee for her.
“Yeah, everything is.” She muttered and she moved back a little though Mulder kept one
hand on the back of her thigh.

“You ok?” Mulder asked her softly. She nodded her head and took another step back forcing
him to drop his hand. “Here, sit,” he said and pulled the chair out for her then wrapped her
bicep with one hand and guided her to sit down. He moved her coffee closer and slid the rest
of his muffin in front of her.

“Thanks,” she said as she picked the coffee up with shaky hands.

Beth came over to the table and placed a hand on Sean’s shoulder. She reached over for his
mug and sipped his coffee then handed it back to him.

“Donna, did the guys give you the right shampoo stuff yesterday when they gave you the
tour?”

“No, is there a certain product I should be using?”

“Yeah, as our water is recycled and reused for the community and to feed the horses, we need
to use only certain compounds. I can give you a kit after lunch if you need it.”

“That would be great.”

“And did they tell you about the spring?”

“No.”

“Seriously Sean, you’re going to be fired from giving tours,” she said with a slap across the
back of his head.

“It wasn't me, it was Josh.”

“Remind me after lunch Donna, I’ll get you what you need.”

“That would be great, thanks.”

“Leftover lunch today,” Max declared as he slapped his hands on the table and stood.

“It’s always leftover lunch when it’s your turn to make lunch,” Sean groaned.

“If you want to cook, we can swap days.”

“And just get leftovers another day?” Sean scoffed and waved his hands at Max who laughed
and moved into the kitchen to start preparing food.

Soon the room was filled again as people wandered in from their daily tasks. Max reheated
dinner left overs from the night before, and added some fresh bread and butter to the table.
People took plates and moved out onto the porch to enjoy the sun and the music playing from
the radio helped generate a relaxed atmosphere. Everyone caught up on the tasks they had
completed and Josh took note of anything still pending.
Sean explained how their afternoons were pretty free as long as all the necessary tasks were
complete and Josh usually handed out the remaining tasks on a rotational basis. As the food
was finished and people started clearing everything away Max declared Mulder a certified
novice for vine maintenance and everyone laughed.

“I don't get it, what's so funny?” Scully asked as Max sat at the table again with a fresh cup of
coffee.

Mulder shook his head. “I basically tied ribbons around the vines to secure them to the guide
wires. A chimpanzee could do it.”

“Noooooo!” Max said with an exaggerated waggle of his finger. “You demonstrated a keen
ability for the soft touch,” he continued and smiled. “I’m sure you Donna are aware of that.”

Scully blushed and looked away and Sean wadded up a napkin to toss at Max.

“Booo! Max, Boo!” he said with a laugh.

“Hey Donna, c’mon I’ll get you the stuff you need,” Beth said.

Scully smiled, relieved to be moving away from the table and followed Beth out through the
pantry where the laundry room was located. It was a long narrow room with a washer and
dryer just inside the door. The walls were lined with shelves piled high, all stacked with
boxes clearly labelled to indicate their contents such as canned food, pickled fruit, cleaning
supplies, and showering products.

“So this detergent is organic, and won't contaminate the water.”

“What are the rules around washing? I know you are trying to conserve water.”

“Yeah, we are,” Beth said with a chuckle. “But not at the cost of living in filth.”

“Okay, good to know,” Scully said with a relieved sigh.

“The cabins have soap already, if you need more, you can grab it here.” She tapped her hand
on a box on a high shelf.

“Do you make it here?”

“Yeah Juan showed us how to make it a few months ago. It's wonderful.” She pulled another
box off the high shelf and rested it on the washer. “This is the hair care box. Do you use a
conditioner?”

“Yeah.”

“So here you go,” she said and pulled out two bottles of liquid with sharpie labelling. “Juan
showed us how to make this too. It won't contaminate the water, so you can use it in the
cabin, though if you’re washing your hair more than once a week, then you should use the
spring.”
“Okay.”

“What about tampons, pads?”

“Oh I don't-”

“Some of us use diva cups, but it's not to everyone's taste.”

“I don't need…I mean…” Scully said and she could feel her cheeks warming from the
unexpected personal topic.

“Oh, I’m sorry, I shouldn't-”

“It's fine. I, um, I can't have children. I had a procedure done and as a result…”

“Me too.”

Scully frowned and looked up.

“I mean I didn't have a procedure or anything. I had a miscarriage. It was pretty severe and I
needed an operation, which resulted in my needing a hysterectomy.

A moment of silence settled between them and Beth moved the box backup onto the high
shelf.

“So, now that we’ve shared that most intimate detail of our lives with relative strangers, tell
me…how good is Matt in bed?”

Scully choked on a laugh and rested a hand on her chest to regain her composure. Beth
laughed at her reaction. Scully smiled and shook her head.

“He’s…generous,” she said knowing that Mulder was thoughtful and generous anyway and
would likely be in bed too. “How about Sean?”

“Sean?” Beth scoffed and moved to the other side of the small room to grab another box.
“I’m not sleeping with Sean.”

“Anymore? Or yet?”

“Neither!” she said but the red hue on her cheeks told Scully otherwise.

“Okay, okay, I'll believe you.”

“Why?” Beth said and turned to Scully with a strange look on her face. “Did he say
something about me while you guys were working in the stables?”

Scully’s smile widened. “No, he didn't.”

Beth looked some combination of relieved and disappointed and Scully tried to stop her smile
from widening further.
“You mentioned the spring…where can I find it?”

“C’mon,” she said with a wave of her hand. She walked back out of the pantry and into the
kitchen where Mulder, Max and Sean were still chatting. “I’m taking Donna down to see the
spring. You coming, Matt?”

“Yeah!” Mulder said with more excitement than he meant to add to his voice. He carried his
mug over to the sink and washed it out then hurried out the door after Beth and Scully.

“So what kind of products are you using Matt?”

“Products?” Mulder asked confusedly and looked between them both.

Scully smiled and patted his arm. “Toothpaste, and soap is about the height of it.”

“No shampoo?”

“You mean other than the soap?” Mulder asked.

“Okay, well the soap in the cabin can be used to your heart's content. If you want to treat
yourself to something a little more exotic, then I gave Donna the products to use.”

“And the spring is part of the compound?” Mulder asked. They had walked the perimeter the
day before and he didn’t notice any water bodies.

“No, it's about a quarter kilometre off the compound to the north,” she said as she pointed her
hand in the direction they were walking. “It's thermal so it's perpetually warm. But we have
to be careful not to contaminate it with anything other than natural products.”

Beth brought them across the compound through a thicket of trees and bushes along a small
worn out path that forced them to walk in single file. They climbed up a small incline then
emerged onto a plateau which immediately reminded Mulder of a volcanic ring that looked to
be about fifteen foot wide in diameter filled with a shimmering pool of turquoise water.

“Wow!” Scully said. She looked around and noticed how secluded it was. Surrounded by
trees and bushes with only one entrance which obviously wasn't widely used.

“Is there any sort of schedule for use?” Mulder asked.

Beth chuckled. “Nothing official. Though there is an unwritten rule that if you don't want to
be disturbed, leave some clothing at the end of the trail, before the break in the trees.”

“Ahhh, like hanging a sock on the door at the dorms,” Mulder quipped.

“Pretty much,” Beth said.

Scully moved closer to the edge of the water and put her hand in. It was warm and inviting
and she had to hold herself back from just diving in right now.
“I’ll leave you to it,” Beth said with a smile. She patted Mulder on the shoulder and when he
looked back at her she smiled wider. “Be the generous man I know you are Matt, and help
soothe her aching muscles.”

Mulder frowned and looked back at Scully who was keeping her eyes away. Beth walked off
and he listened to the bustle of vegetation until he couldn't hear it anymore then he turned
back to face Scully to see she was still stirring the water with one hand.

“Warm?” he asked as he approached.

“Yeah,” she said and she looked up with a smile as he crouched beside her and put his own
hand in the water.

“Wow,” he muttered. “Do you think it's safe?”

“Safe? Yeah, sure.”

“I thought these things were…I dunno…toxic?”

Scully smiled and looked over at him. “If it was toxic we’d already know about it.” Mulder
frowned. “It would smell really really bad. If it doesn't smell bad, then the danger is in the
temperature, but this water is just right.”

Mulder smiled and looked at her. “Are you getting in?”

“I dunno,” she said and she glanced over her shoulder in the direction Beth had left.

“C’mon, it’ll help with the aches,” he said and he nudged her with his elbow. “From all that
stable work.” She looked like she was contemplating it so Mulder added “besides you need to
conserve water so you can’t use the shower in the cabin again.”

Then he saw her make up her mind as a small smile curved her lips and she nodded her head.

“I’ll keep watch,” he said as he turned his back to the pool but sat cross legged on the edge of
it to give her the privacy she needed to start undressing.

He closed his eyes when he heard the rustle of her clothes and the rasp of the zipper lowering
on her jeans almost made him groan but he bit his lip and held it all in. He opened his eyes
again when she heard the water splash and glanced over his shoulder in time to see her
submerge fully under the water.

“Scully?” he said cautiously as he turned more fully to the water. He could see the bubbles
emerging and her red hair floating below the surface then suddenly with a loud gasp, she
breached the surface and combed her fingers back through her hair. “Feel good?”

“Oh my god Mulder,” she said and the timbre of her voice shot right to his cock.

He noticed her bra straps on her shoulders and presumed she was still wearing her underwear
too though he wanted nothing more than to confirm that thought. She moved to the edge of
the pool and crossed her arms to make a cushion for her head.
“Did you find out anything today?” he asked in an effort to focus his thoughts and make this
moment more professional, no matter how hard his cock was getting.

“I spoke to Sean a lot about what brought him here, he’s ex-army, medically discharged,” she
said and she lifted her head off her arms to look at him. “He said something about Troy.”

“What did he say?” Mulder asked and focused his eyes on hers to stop them from wandering
to the water where the curve of her breasts were just breaking the surface.

“He said that he has a way of looking at you and knowing what you need.”

“Looking at you? You mean like he’s psychic?”

Scully chuckled. “I don't think the man is psychic. If he was, wouldn't he have known we
were lying yesterday? I think he's just observant, empathetic.”

Mulder hummed and looked at his hands as they fiddled with some loose pebbles on the
ground between his feet.

“What about what you felt yesterday when you met him?” Mulder asked without looking up
but when she didn't respond immediately he raised his eyes to look at her from under his
brow.

“I felt…like the air was taken out of the room,” she said. She looked away from him and
splashed the water with one hand skimming over the surface. “I think, I think I was just
nervous, undercover, and trying to remember everything about our profiles.”

Mulder pondered her response for a moment and decided not to push. He slowly nodded his
head and picked up more pebbles to let them cascade out of his hand, between his fingers.

“What about you?” She asked and he looked up with a question in his eyes. “Did you find out
anything?”

“Max is…a strange guy,” he said. “He is obsessed with Jack London and I think that's why he
left his job to come here. Well he said he was on his way to Alaska and ended up here.”

“Any talk of the drugs?”

Mulder shook his head. “No, nothing.” He lifted up the few pebbles and tossed them aside
then looked up at her.

A stifled silence settled between them and Scully rolled around in the water to lean her head
back on the rock lip and let her body float.

“Beth said she is not sleeping with Sean, but she clearly wants to,” Scully said with a crooked
smile.

“How do you know that?”

She tipped her head back enough to look at him and raised one eyebrow.
“I want to spend more time with Troy,” he said as he picked up a few more pebbles from the
ground and rattled them round a loose fist like a couple of dice.

“Remember those town halls Josh talked about yesterday? Sean said there is one tomorrow
night.”

“Oh?”

“And that Troy was planning a trip to a farmers market in the morning.”

“I should see if I can go on that trip with him.”

“Did you really spend the whole day with Max talking about Jack London and tying vines to
guide wires with ribbons?” She asked as she rolled over to face him again.

“Yeah,” he said with a laugh. “Sounds like you had a much more labour intensive morning.”

“I think my arms and legs are going to be useless in the morning.”

“Sore?”

“Like you wouldn't believe.”

“The spring isn't helping?” he asked and he leaned forward to swirl his hand in the water next
to her.

“Oh, it's helping,” she said but she pushed herself back from the edge to look down at her
fingers, which were wrinkled and pruned on the tips. “But it's time to come out.”

Mulder leaned up and held out a hand to her. She glanced at the hand he offered her and
weighed up her options. If she asked him to turn away and climbed out herself she would no
doubt scramble on the rocky edge and likely fall back in. But if she took the hand he offered
then he would see everything. Everything he had already seen before anyway.

She took his hand and he hauled her out, placed one hand on her hip to steady her when she
was on her feet. Her hand landed on his chest and one of her feet stood on his.

“Ok?” he asked.

She nodded her head and looked down, unable to look into his face while she was so
underdressed and dripping wet.

“I’ll just…” She let go of his hand and dropped hers from his chest. “Give me a sec.”

“Yeah, yeah, I’ll be over here,” he jerked a thumb over his shoulder towards the trail. “I think
the kitchen is a prime location for one of the bugs Chambers gave us,” he said over his
shoulder, as if he wasn’t overwhelmed with her proximity and state of undress.

Scully smiled as he turned and walked away a bit to give her room to change then hurried to
pull on her jeans which were stiff and awkward over her wet legs.
“Yeah, I think the stable too, Sean took some phone calls while I was there, and part of the
stable loft seems to be a makeshift office.”

She tugged on her long sleeve but didn't bother to tuck it in. She looked down and noticed
how the soft material of her top was instantly wet from her bra and clung to her breasts but
there was nothing she could do about that now. She resisted the urge to cross her arms over
her chest and instead just tugged the material away from her chest and fanned it out slightly.

“Okay,” she said as she slipped into her sneakers but balled her socks up and carried them.
“I’m decent again.”

“Decent?” Mulder said with a smirk.

“Shut up,” she said and pushed his shoulder to propel him to get moving back along the trail.

They walked back to the compound and over to their cabin. Mulder fished out the laptop as
Scully grabbed some clean clothes and went into the bathroom to change. By the time she
was dry and sat with him on the couch he had the next instalment of their report all typed up
again. He handed her the laptop to review and add her own perspective as he moved to the
kitchen to get a glass of water. He returned to her side and read over her shoulder then
nodded when she asked for his approval before she saved it then transferred it to a small
portable drive and handed that to him.

“What now?” he asked as he slipped the drive into his pocket, then took the laptop back from
her and replaced it in its hiding spot.

“We need to get that sent off.”

“I can go to the library and send it.”

“Good,” she said. “I need a nap.”

“A nap?” He scoffed as he came back to the couch and dropped onto it heavily, half leaning
against her.

“Mulder,” she whined and nudged his shoulder with her arm to get him to move away.
“Everything hurts, I need to lie down and not move for ten minutes.”

“Remember that day at the academy? Final certification day?” He said and he rolled his head
against the back of the couch to look at her with a crooked smile. “Remember how they made
us run up all those stairs at the stadium? Then swim all those laps at the pool?”

“Yeah, why?”

“Remember how the next day your limbs would feel like jelly?” He lifted his hands up off his
lap and dropped them heavily as if he didn't have strength to hold them up. “And it would
take about three days before you could control them properly again?”

“Mulder…” she said with a warning tone as she closed her eyes.
“I’m just saying…that's what you have to look forward to.”

She groaned and lifted her hand up to slap his chest but there was no power behind it and it
just made him laugh.

“I hate you.”

“Nah, you don't,” he said but he was still laughing and he covered her hand on his chest with
his own. “You could never hate me,” he joked. “C’mon.”

He sat up and tugged her hand but she resisted. He tugged harder and pulled her with him
until she was standing then he guided her to the bed and helped her get comfy. She hadn't put
on any shoes after she changed, so he tucked her in under the blanket.

She hummed with contentment and snuggled her head deeper into the pillow.

“Don't let me sleep long,” she said, though her voice was already drowsy and heavy with
weariness.

“I won’t.” He was rummaging through the drawer under the bed. “I’m going to go to the
library and send out our reports, then I want to check out the stable and see if I can place a
bug in the office.”

“Be careful,” she muttered and Mulder smiled. Her eyes were already closed and he took a
moment to brush her hair off her face then made sure the blanket was around her fully before
he walked away.

When Scully next opened her eyes the room was pitch black. She slowly sat up in bed and
listened for any sound to indicate that Mulder was in the cabin but she heard nothing.

“Mulder?” she called out as she kicked the blanket away from her legs. “Are you in here?”
She moved towards the bathroom but the door was open and it was empty. His shoes were
gone from the spot where he usually kicked them off at the door so she figured he was at the
main house. She pulled on her sneakers and fetched a sweater from the drawer before she left
the cabin.

As she rounded the stables she could hear the music and the chatter. She stopped moving to
listen then changed the direction she was walking and followed the sounds. On the far side of
the main house she found a large camp side style fire pit with people sitting around it on
chairs, stools, and logs. Charlie was playing a guitar though it was soft and unobtrusive to the
conversations that were happening in small groups.

“Donna!” Beth called out and beckoned her over.

A few people turned their heads to see her and she spotted Mulder sitting next to Beth on a
wooden reclining camp chair. She waved her hand and approached slowly then stood beside
him.

“Sleeping beauty awakens!” Beth teased.

“Sleeping beauty was supposed to be woken,” Scully responded and she poked Mulder in the
shoulder. He tipped his head back and smiled up at her and she wondered why his smile was
goofy and lopsided.

“Well, that's probably our fault, we kept him busy,” Beth said and she shook the mason jar
she had in her hand.

“What are you drinking?” Scully asked and she looked at Mulder, only then realising he had
the same jar in his hand. She reached for the jar and lifted it out of his loose grasp then
smelled it cautiously. “Is this…is this moonshine?” she said.

“Test batch,” she said. “Here!” she jumped up and went over to the other side of the fire and
when she returned she handed Scully her own mason jar which was half full of the same
liquid.

“Oh, I dunno,” Scully said and glanced at Mulder who was still watching her with the same
lopsided smile.

“Try it, we’re checking to see if it's ready. It's not strong.”

“It's not?” Scully asked and she pointed at Mulder. “Seems pretty strong.”

“He’s a weakling,” Beth said and punched Mulder in the arm. “Sit down, sit down, relax for a
while by the fire.”

Scully looked around for another stool but there were none. Mulder opened his arms and
invited her to take his lap but Scully hesitated until she looked up at Beth who was smiling at
her. Carefully she stepped closer to him and stepped between his legs. Mulder’s hand
skimmed across her ass, then up to the small of her back and along her spine to guide her
onto his lap. She slowly lowered herself down to sit on his thigh, closer to his knee than his
hip but Mulder’s hand moved to her side and tugged her against him.

She fell flush against his chest and turned a little to get more comfy until her back was
against his chest and her legs hung either side of his. Mulder’s hand moved from her side,
over her hip and landed on her thigh.

“Better,” he said, his voice low and against her ear which caused her to shudder. “Cold?” he
asked and moved his hand from her thigh to her stomach to pull her against him as if he
could warm her up, despite the roaring fire in front of them.

“Is this where you’ve been all afternoon?” Scully asked.

“Yep,” he said and he popped the P before he smiled.

“How much have you had to drink?”

“Enough,” he said as he lifted the mason jar in his hand and saw it was now empty. He made
a pouty face then put the jar on the ground by his chair and moved his hand to wrap around
her and hold her even tighter.

“You two are too much,” Beth said. “How long have you two been together?”

“A couple of years,” Scully said, though she was struggling to concentrate as Mulder’s hands
moved against her torso.

“And you’re already engaged?”

“When you know, you know,” he said and he moved the loose tendrils of her hair with his
nose so he could nuzzle her neck. “And as soon as I met her, I knew.”

Scully smiled and looked down to the untouched drink in her hand. There was no way she
could drink any of this and still maintain some distance from Mulder and his wandering
hands, one of which was now on her thigh and rubbing slowly against the soft denim of her
jeans.

“And when are you planning to get married?”

“Oh,” Scully flushed. “We’re in no rush-”

“She wants an autumn wedding,” Mulder said and he reached up to curl her hair behind her
ear. “She loves how the leaves look when they change colours. She loves how it's making
room for a fresh start. She says it's so full of potential and opportunity.”

Scully was stunned into silence and she wanted to turn around to face Mulder and shake his
shoulders, ask him how he knew that, where he heard that, and if he read her diary, because
every single thing he just said was true but she couldn't ever remember telling him that.

“That is kind of corny and beautiful,” Beth said with a wistful smile. “Though we don't get
much of autumn in California.”

“No, but we’re getting our fresh start here,” Mulder said. “And that's what's most important.”

“What's most important?” Sean asked as he came over from the other side of the fire with a
drink and shuffled Beth over on her stool to make room for him.

“Matt and Donna getting married here.”

“What?” Scully said and she tried to sit up but Mulder’s arms were banded across her torso
holding her against him.

“Here? On the compound?” Sean said with a wide smile.

“Yeah, as part of their fresh start.”

“No, wait-” Scully said as she patted Mulder’s hands to get him to loosen his grip.

“Troy is a licensed minister,” Sean said. “Remember how he got certified last summer to play
that joke on Josh?”

“Oh my god yeah,” Beth said laughing.

“Well we’re probably going to-” Scully tried to derail the conversation but it was running
away from her and Mulder was no help as he rested his cheek against the back of her neck
and just listened.

“We could have it here after we harvest the grapes! Make a festival of it,” Sean said and he
wrapped his arm around Beth’s shoulders. “That's in a week or so right?”

“I dunno…hey Max!” Beth called out to get Max’s attention who was sitting a few seats
away from them talking with Charlie who was playing the guitar.

“Huh?” Max turned on the log and faced Beth. “What?”

“When are the grapes going to be ready to harvest?”

“Not long now, few days, maybe 3 I reckon.” He said with a pensive look at the sky as if the
answer was written there. “I have a group of students coming from CSU horticulture
department to help.”

“Excellent!”

“Why?”

“It looks like we have a week to plan a wedding then.”

“A wedding?” They all turned to see Troy step up behind Beth and leave a hand on her
shoulder. “Whose wedding?”

Scully whipped her head around to look at him as he smiled at Beth. Her whole body filled
with tension and she felt her mind snap up all its guards to keep her thoughts to herself.

“Matt and Donna!” Beth said.

“Oh no-” Scully tried again.

“Wonderful!” Troy said and he put a hand on Scully’s shoulder too. “That's wonderful news.”

“I’m a licensed minister,” he said proudly.

“So I hear,” Scully said, and looked away. She tried not to sag against Mulder but it was as if
he could sense her tension and he pulled her against him. She was suddenly resigned to the
fact that she was going to have little to do with this wedding planning and needed to be clear
of this undercover detail before any nuptials were swapped or thoughts invaded. She frowned
at that rogue thought and glanced at Troy who was looking at Mulder with a crooked smile.
“Hey Matt, are you still going to be ok to come to that market in the morning?” Troy asked as
he patted Mulder’s shoulder.

“Yes, sir!” Mulder said and he moved his head to look up at Troy with a wide smile.

Troy chuckled and shook his head.

“Bright and early then son.” He patted Mulder’s shoulder and waved at everyone before he
turned and walked away.

“I think that was my cue to get to bed,” Mulder said and to Scully’s relief his hands loosened
their grip on her torso but moved to her hips and gripped her there instead.

“Yes, yes,” Beth agreed. “We have a lot to plan tomorrow. Donna, come into the main house
and find me in the morning, and we can get started.”

“Right,” Scully said, more aware of how Mulder’s fingers gripped her than anything anyone
was saying.

She put her hands on the arms of the chair either side of her knees and pushed herself off
Mulder’s lap. He kept his hands on her hips and followed her to stand himself though he
pitched a little more forward than he intended and careened into her back.

“Sorry,” he muttered, as one of his hands moved to her shoulder but the other remained on
her hip, albeit with a tighter grip.

Scully waved at Beth and Sean who were still cuddled up on her stool talking with Max and
she helped Mulder walk straight as she guided him back to the cabin.

“Scully,” he said with a harsh whisper as she closed the cabin door. “I have so much to tell
you.”

“Yeah, wait till you hear about all this in the morning,” she muttered as she left him leaning
against the cabin door and moved towards the bathroom, picking up one of the kinetic lamps
on the way for light.

“I went into the library and emailed the notes to Agent Chambers and I waited a while there
until he sent the info back,” he said and patted his pocket where the hard drive was. “Then
when I came back I went into the barn, man those horses are huge!” he said and she noticed
his words were only a little slurred. He lifted one foot to pull off his sneaker and hopped in
place until he could drop it. “Oh and I went up to the loft and put the bug just inside the
door.” He lifted his other foot to take that sneaker off and almost fell over when he hopped
forward as he struggled to pull it away.

“Careful!” Scully said as she came back towards him and helped him stand straight.

“I was talking to Josh,” he said to her as she guided him towards the couch. “And he was
telling me about a shipment.”
“A what?” She moved to the bed as she tugged the sheets down to get it ready for him but he
stood from the couch and moved to the bathroom, his hands on the wall to be sure he found
his way. He kept the door ajar and she could hear him using the toilet. She moved closer to
the door and waited until he flushed and the taps were running before she pushed the door
open further.

“Did you say a shipment?” she asked again.

“Shhh!” He said and moved a finger against his lips which were now frothy with toothpaste.
“Josh said, they were getting a shipment in tomorrow, and we would all talk about it at the
town hall.”

“A shipment of what?” Scully asked, matching his whisper even though they were alone.

“I dunno, but he said it was a big one.”

“A big shipment, coming to the compound?” Mulder nodded and she saw him spit into the
sink then continue brushing. “Are you picking it up at the market tomorrow with Troy?”

“I don't know.”

Scully watched him brush his teeth for a few moments and when he spat out the excess
toothpaste then rinsed his mouth out she handed him a towel.

“How is your head?” she asked.

“My head?” He frowned and looked at her through the mirror. “I’m fine.”

“Right, let's see how the future-you will feel,” she muttered and she stepped aside as he
moved out so she could use the bathroom.

Throughout her night time routine, she wondered how much of this evening Mulder was
going to remember tomorrow. When she came out with the lamp she saw he was sprawled
face down across the middle of the bed wearing only his boxers, the blankets bunched up by
his feet. She put the lamp on the bedside table and quickly changed into her bedclothes, then
picked up his jeans to find the drive he had in his pocket.

She grabbed the laptop and moved to the couch where she sat cross legged in the middle and
plugged the drive in as the laptop booted up. When she felt something prodding her, she
looked back to see Mulder poking his toe against the back of her shoulder.

“Go to sleep Mulder,” she said and turned her focus back to the laptop.

“What ya doin?” he asked, his voice muffled by the pillow.

“Shhh, I’m just looking at what Chambers sent.”

“You’re working?”
She looked over her shoulder when she heard the mattress move and saw him push up on his
hands but his arms were shaking and she could tell he wasn't going to be able to make it to
the couch.

“Lie down Mulder, go to sleep.”

“What does he say?” he asked as he fell back onto the bed with a sigh.

“I’m just reading it now,” she muttered as she focused on opening the hard drive directory
and pulling out the right file, and tried to ignore his foot pushing against her shoulder again.

“Tell me…read it to me…c’mere…” he said, his voice still muffled, his foot prodding her to
emphasise every word.

“Okay, okay, sheesh,” Scully said with a soft curse. She got off the couch and moved to the
side of the bed. She leaned over him to put the laptop on the mattress then stood back to see
where she was going to fit. He was still face down in the centre of the bed and there was no
room for her on the inside or the outside. She poked his shoulder to rouse him enough to
make space for her.

“Mulder,” she said as she tried to wake him up enough to make space for her. “Wake up, or
roll over.”

“Mmm,” he muttered and he shuffled towards her voice. “My side tonight.”

Scully smiled. “Fine, deal is a deal.” She flicked the lamp off, knowing the laptop screen
would be enough to read from, and gave herself a moment to adjust to the darkness then
moved her hands out to find him and realised he had rolled onto his front on the outside half
of the bed. She pressed her hands onto his shoulders and climbed up over him. With one leg
over his back as she straddled his ass he moaned and chuckled.

“Careful Scully,” he said.

She climbed off him and fell onto the mattress beside him then gathered the blanket up and
draped it over both of their legs.

“Comfy?” he asked, his voice a whisper in the darkness.

“Yeah.”

“Read.”

Scully settled against the headboard and opened the laptop again as Mulder turned his head to
face her and buried his arms under his pillow.

She found the file again and opened the short report. She read it out and tapped his shoulder
when she got to the part about finance tracking they had started from multiple accounts
related to the compound but Mulder only huffed in response. She got back to reading and let
her voice trail off as Mulder’s attention waned. By the time she finished reading what little
Chambers had shared, Mulder was halfway asleep.
“Tired?” he asked and she jolted in surprise at the sound of his voice.

“No.”

“Wanna talk?”

Scully chuckled. “No, go to sleep.” She patted his shoulder gently. “You need to be up early
to meet with Troy.”

She felt and heard the bed move as he shuffled in place and when he next spoke she realised
he was now on his side facing her and was practically lying on her pillow, his face near her
hip.

“Josh said they get the shipment every couple of months and the whole community gets to
sample the produce though some people like it better than others.”

“Produce?”

“He said that the first time was the wildest trip.”

“Trip?”

“Oh and Scully,” Mulder said as he moved his hand under the blanket and tapped her thigh
with two fingers. “He said that Troy makes the trip even better.” His fingers were still on her
thigh, but no longer tapping.

“How?”

“Because Troy decides who gets to try what.” His voice was low and whisper quiet but there
was no mistaking the excited tone it held.

“What does that mean?”

“I don't know,” he said with a chuckle.

Scully chuckled too and closed her eyes. “Maybe he was just talking about organic fruit?”

“That would be something,” Mulder said with a yawn as he rolled away from her onto his
back, but his fingers moved across her satin skin until his whole hand was on her thigh as he
resettled into place, fingers pressing lightly into her. “Imagine the DEA spending all this time
and money to organise an undercover operation to break up an organic fruit operation.”

Scully scoffed a laugh. “We don't make mistakes like that Mulder,” she said. “We’re the
FBI.”

Mulder laughed, he lifted his hand off her thigh and patted her gently as he spoke. “That we
are, partner, that we are,” he muttered with a deep rooted sigh and he shuffled into a comfy
spot to get to sleep.
In minutes he was asleep and Scully was left alone with her thoughts. And his hand on her
thigh, heavy, warm, and strangely comforting.

She tried not to think about that and instead dissected her day. From the work in the stables
and the long talks with Josh, to the idle chatter over lunch and the shared moment of bonding
with Beth. She remembered the hot spring and the light in Mulder’s eyes when he sat cross
legged beside the edge of the pool as his eyes tried and failed not to look at her breasts just
below the surface of the water.

She remembered how it felt to sit on his lap, have his arms wrapping around her and holding
her securely against him and how his breath was warm against her neck.

Not one for PDA my ass, she thought with a scoff.

His fingers curled against her skin, scorching a trail where he brushed against her as he took
in a long breath and let it out with a sigh. This was going to be a long night, she realised as
she tried to focus back on the laptop and jot down everything that happened at the campfire,
and what Mulder had shared. Then he rolled back towards her and his hand moved to the
inside of her thigh and pulled her leg closer to him as he licked his lips and sighed again, an
edge of a whimper passing his lips and she knew keeping focus was a lost cause.
 Chapter 4

Community Compound
Los Angeles
Friday

Morning came and brought with it the power of a marching band who seemed to take up
residence in Mulder’s frontal lobe. He tried to pretend it wasn't happening. Tried to keep his
eyes closed and ignore the pain but as soon as it was realised it intensified and everything
hurt. Especially his bladder which seemed to be full beyond capacity.

He blinked his eyes open but quickly closed them again when the pain spiked. He groaned
and nuzzled his face into the pillow but as he woke up more he realised his pillow was warm
and satin soft and moving.

Mulder opened his eyes again and realised the pillow he was lying on was Scully’s back. His
arms were wrapped around her torso, his head rested on her lower back, the very spot his
hand usually touched as he guided her through their days together. His chin was brushing the
curve of her ass and his legs had snared one of hers to hold captive between both of his.

Fuck he thought. This was not the position he wanted to wake up in. Well that was a lie, he
admitted. He loved to wake up like this but he wanted to wake up like this with her and be
able to start something, continue something, finish something, not just slink away and hope
he could release her before she woke up.

As he became more and more aware of how entangled they were, he realised slinking away
was not going to be possible. This time though he was on the outside, so he would have to
move off the bed first, which meant he would have to manoeuvre into the bathroom without
showing her the erection he was sporting.

Easy. He just had to move fast, that was all. He moved his upper arm and pressed it into the
mattress as he rolled away from her though he immediately realised his mistake as he lay on
his back, half way down the bed, his arm trapped under her, his cock tenting the blanket.

Scully kept her eyes closed and wondered what he was going to try next. His movements
were jagged and slow and she knew he must be suffering from the remnants of the
moonshine he had been drinking. His breathing was a little laboured and when he slowly
started to slip his arm out from under her she couldn't help but smile.

“Mulder,” she said and felt him jerk behind her.

“Jesus Scully,” he said with a gasp. “You scared the shit out of me.”

Scully chuckled and she rolled over enough to look at him over her shoulder.

“How are you feeling?”

“Rough.” He tugged his arm out from under her a little and she lifted her side up enough to
let him remove his arm completely.

Mulder sat up and swung his legs over the side of the bed. He gripped the mattress edge with
both hands to give himself a moment to keep his stomach contents where they belonged.
When he looked at his crotch, there was no change to the erection he had hoped would just
have magically disappeared and when he glanced over his shoulder he saw Scully roll over
onto her back then push herself up into a seated position as she locked her elbows around her
knees.

“Let me get you some water,” she said and started to move over to his side to climb off the
bed.

“No!” Mulder said and he reached back to put a hand on her knee to stop her from moving.
“I’m just going to shower quickly. I’ll be fine.”

Mulder stood up and hurried into the bathroom. He closed the door behind him and leaned
against it for a moment. He wanted to run the water until it went cold. He wanted to jack off
hard and fast under the steady stream. He wanted to collapse on his couch and bask in the
memory of her touch. The warm satin feel of her back under his cheek, the soft slow
movement of her stomach rising and falling under his fingers, the all encompassing heat of
her, almost overwhelming him into doing something so fundamentally stupid he was near
incapable of making good decisions.

He moved to the mirror and splashed some water on his face then stared at the reflection of
his pale skin and blood shot eyes.

“Make good decisions,” he said aloud and watched his mouth move as the words came out
but they had little effect. He couldn't convince even himself that touching her, holding her,
kissing her was a bad decision.

He used the toilet, then showered in record time before he slipped on his boxers again and
went back out to the main room. Scully was dressed and tying her laces as he rummaged in
his drawer for clean underwear and clothes.

“So are you still going to the market with Troy?” She asked as he turned his back to her and
quickly swapped one pair of boxers for another then pulled on the jeans he was wearing
yesterday.

“Yeah, he should be leaving in about thirty minutes,” he said with a quick look at his watch.
“Are you working in the stables today?”

“No, not today I have another priority, don't you remember?”

“Uh…not in the stables?”

Scully shook her head and he frowned at the smile creeping across her lips.
“Vegetation? Or vines?” he asked as he pulled on a slate grey henley top with black sleeves.
He dug out a pair of socks and came over to the couch with her to pull them on then his
sneakers. “What then? What are you working on today?”

“Oh how quickly they forget,” she said as she patted his shoulder. “Today I’m meeting with
Beth in the main house to plan our wedding.”

Mulder froze. “What?”

“Oh, you might have a memory gap that you filled with moonshine.”

“Uh…”

“Do you remember the camp fire last night?”

“I uh, I remember there being a fire.”

“Do you remember when I got there?”

Mulder racked his brain and tried to place her there. He remembered the mason jars, and
someone playing guitar. He remembered someone singing a filthy sea shanty but there was
nothing jumping out at him.

“Beth was asking about our relationship and you told them I wanted an autumn wedding.
And Sean said we should have it during the wine harvest.”

“Wine harvest? When is that?”

“In a few days.”

“Few days?”

“Oh and luckily Troy is a licensed minister so he can officiate the proceedings.”

“Shit.”

“So let's hope we get this case sewn up before then or you’re about to become Mr Fox
Scully.”

“Wait, what?” he whipped his head around and looked at her with one cocked eyebrow. “Not
Mrs Dana Mulder?”

“Please, we’re too progressive for that.”

Mulder laughed and dry washed his face with two hands. He groaned and combed his fingers
through his hair.

“Do you remember what you said about the delivery?” She asked as she stood up and went
into the bathroom.
“Yeah, that I do remember,” he called out to her as he filled a glass of water by the sink and
took a long drink. When Scully emerged he handed her the glass and she finished the rest of
the water.

“When you get back from the market with Troy, let's make some excuse to reconvene back
here and do our daily check in.”

“Sounds good.”

“C’mon then,” she said as she put the glass into the sink. “This wedding won't plan itself.”

Mulder groaned and followed her out of the cabin.

Scully waved after Mulder, who climbed into the passenger seat next to Troy, then turned to
Beth who was cleaning up from the meagre breakfast gathering that was held that morning. It
seemed that more than Mulder were affected by the after effects of the moonshine so most
people were still in bed.

“So, wedding plans?” Beth said as she dried her hands off a towel then slung it over one
shoulder.

“Oh, um…”

“You’re not really feeling it?” Beth said.

“I guess I didn't think it would happen so fast.”

“So fast? Haven't you been engaged for a while?” Beth asked with a questioning tone as she
took the towel from her shoulder and hung it on the handle of the oven door.

“Yes, but-”

“You didn't really think it through to the wedding or the actual marriage part after the
engagement?” Beth said as she sat on the stool next to Scully at the island in the centre of the
room.

“I guess no, I didn't.”

“Do you love him?”

“I…” Scully was caught with the words, the admission in her throat preventing her from
breathing until she swallowed and tried again. “I do. I really do.” She looked down at her
hands and interlocked her fingers.

“Are you afraid of something?”

“Afraid? Of Mul-Matt?” She shook her head. “No, never.” She swallowed his name deeper,
deeper than she ever wanted it to be and tried not to show the raw panic that bolted through
her.

Beth hummed in acknowledgement of what she said though she didn't seem to accept it.

“Have you spoken to Troy?” Beth asked carefully.

“About…my relationship with Matt?” When Beth nodded, Scully shook her head. “No,
should I?”

“Definitely. He is an excellent listener.”

They were both quiet for a moment and Beth rested one hand over both of Scully’s.

“Come on,” she said and she grabbed Scully’s hand and tugged her out of the kitchen and
across the yard to the barn.

“Where are we going?” Scully asked and she looked around but saw no one around.

“We’ve already crossed the line of bullshit small talk, Donna, we can't just stand in the
kitchen and let all our thoughts and fears spill out onto the linoleum.”

Beth led her through the wide open barn entrance, took a moment to rub the nose of one
horse then hurried up to the loft where Scully knew the office was. Beth opened the door and
beelined for the small shelf behind the desk which was littered with papers, letters, and
invoices. Scully watched as Beth rummaged in a drawer and wondered if Mulder placed the
bug in a secure location or was Beth likely to uncover it now. Until she exclaimed with
delight as she turned to Scully and held up a small tin canister.

“What's that?” Scully asked

She was so sure Beth was about to pull out a joint and she wasn't sure how she was going to
be able to refuse. Or if she wanted to she admitted with that rebellious streak warming up her
belly.

“Oh my god, the look on your face,” Beth said with a laugh as she unscrewed the lid of the
canister and tipped it towards her to see. “It's tea.”

“Tea?”

“Sean keeps a stash up here that he makes himself.” Beth looked around the room and then
moved over to the corner where there was a hot plate with a kettle. She picked it up and
shook it then moved to the small bathroom where she filled the kettle with water and set it on
the hot plate.

“What's in it?” Scully asked.

“This batch…” Beth said as she lifted the canister to her nose and inhaled. “Basil, lemon,
chamomile…something else…” She held it out to Scully who took it and inhaled too.
“Lavender?”

“Yeah maybe.” Beth said with a shrug. She went back to the drawer where she found the tin
and pulled out a couple of mugs, and strainers then started to make the tea. “When Sean came
back from…deployment, he spent a lot of time alone. He tried loads of different tea recipes,
until he found the perfect one.”

“Perfect for what?”

“Relaxation.”

Scully arched one eyebrow and looked into the canister again. She lifted it up and inhaled
deeply but still couldn't smell any narcotic though she wondered if the rest of the ingredients
would disguise the odour. She put the canister back down and watched Beth prepare their
drinks.

“So, tell me,” Beth said with a quick glance over her shoulder before turning back to what
she was doing. “Why did you agree to marry Matt if you are feeling reluctant?”

Scully was startled by the sudden continuance in their previous conversation and swallowed.

“I…”

“He really does love you,” Beth said and looked over her shoulder again with a smile then
turned back to the kettle and lifted it off the hot plate. “It’s as plain to see on his face as the
morning sun in a clear blue sky.”

She poured the hot water into the mugs through the strainers and let the tea steep for a few
moments.

“I, um…”

“And you can't hide what you feel for him in your eyes either.” Beth smiled at the warmth
colouring Scully’s cheeks as she handed her a cup. “It doesn't need to be a large affair…or
were you hoping your wedding would be?”

“No, god no.”

“Is there family back east you’d like to invite?” Beth took the strainer out of her cup and
placed it on a saucer and Scully followed suit.

“My mom, but she wouldn't be able to travel,” Scully said quickly.

“Does your mom like Matt?” Beth sipped her tea.

Scully laughed. “Sometimes I think she likes him better than me.” She sombred a little then
added. “They had a connection while I was…” Missing. While I was missing. Taken.
Abducted. “Having an operation that went a little off the rails.” She watched Beth continue to
drink and lifted her own mug up to her face. She inhaled deeply and could already feel her
whole body releasing some tension so she sipped it tentatively.
“The procedure that prevents you from having children?”

Scully nodded. “They met and supported each other through that ordeal and I think…they
connected.”

“He really wormed his way into your life, huh.”

Scully laughed. “Yeah, he did.” She continued to sip her tea and welcome the warm comfort
it offered.

“You didn't see him coming?”

“Not a glimpse.” Scully shook her head as she smiled and she remembered that moment of
walking into the basement office for the first time.

“I know the feeling.”

“Sean?” Scully asked.

Beth looked up and smiled. She wasn't able to hold it back any longer and Scully waited for
her to continue.

“It was like a bolt of lightning when I saw him first,” Beth said with a soft smile.

“How long have you been here?”

“About eighteen months. Sean was already here.”

“But you’ve never…”

“No,” Beth said and looked away for a moment. “He was…disturbed. He kept to himself. He
slept out in the stables for a while and only moved into the main house a couple of months
ago.”

“He mentioned he had a TBI.”

“Yeah, whatever happened to him over there really messed with his head, and I don't just
mean physically.”

“What about you?”

“My head has always been a little messy,” Beth said with a smile and she nudged Scully to
show she was joking. “I got away from an abusive relationship.”

“Oh. I’m sorry, I shouldn't pry.”

“It's not prying. Anyway, me and you, we’re beyond prying.”

Beth smiled and held up her almost empty mug of tea and Scully couldn't help but return the
smile as she clinked her mug against it. She really liked Beth. She was warm, inviting, open
and seemed to be flawlessly honest.
“It took me a few goes around to figure out it was abusive and when I finally did I ran,” Beth
continued after she finished her tea and put her mug on the desk.

“Ran away? You didn't prosecute?”

“He was a cop. I didn't see the point.”

“And you came here?”

“I ended up here,” Beth said. “I was in Houston, I went to Austin, then moved to
Albuquerque, then Phoenix, then San Diego, then LA…then I ended up here.”

“You kept running?”

“I prefer to say I kept searching.”

“Searching for what?”

“Peace.”

“And you found it here?”

Beth nodded. “I did. I found it all here. Troy helped of course.”

Scully frowned. “Helped you how?”

“Listening.”

Scully made a mental note to have Troy’s background checked out more fully to determine if
there was any psychology or counselling education in there. She didn't recall it in the first
sweep but she would ask Chambers to run it again.

“I wish I could…talk so freely,” Scully said after a moment.

Beth smiled and put a hand on Scully’s shoulder and rubbed soft circles there to encourage
her to keep talking.

“I have so much I keep bottled up,” she continued, her voice low, barely above a whisper as if
she was trying to keep these thoughts inside but this was a compromise she could deal with.
“I keep it all below the surface, afraid to show anyone in case he thinks I’m…weak.” She felt
a soft buzz in the back of her brain and it was making it hard to concentrate. Her whole body
was humming, like she was stepping off a rollercoaster and she was suddenly finding it
difficult to focus.

“Emotions aren’t weak. They are human.”

“Yeah, intellectually I know this. But it's like a mental block. I just stop it from getting past
my lips.”

“Even with Matt?”

Scully scoffed. “Especially with Matt.”

“Why?”

“Ever since that…procedure. When I nearly died, he has been…”

“Treating you like glass?”

“No, yes, but, not always, but yes,” she said, the words tumbling past her lips quicker than
she could comfortably form them. Her hand came up to her mouth and her fingertips rested
on her lips as if this was the only way she could stop herself from talking. But even this had
no effect. “He’s great, he’s been wonderful but he gets protective and tries to shut me out if
things get hard so I don't have to deal with them.”

“Oh sweetie,” Beth said and draped an arm over Scully’s shoulder. “They all have that
Neanderthal mode in them and they can't keep it hidden all the time.”

Scully chuckled. Her body felt warm and soft, and she suddenly wondered how Mulder was
getting on. What he was saying to Troy, what he was feeling, if he was thinking of her. Scully
closed her eyes slowly and tried to focus on what Beth was saying.

“Last month one of the horses threw me in the pasture and I landed on my ass. Sean came
thundering out of that stable like I’d been hit by a truck and carried me back to the main
house.”

“Were you hurt?”

“My ego was bruised a little, my dignity was pretty banged up but no I wasn't hurt.” She
rubbed her hand on Scully’s arm. “For days afterwards Sean wouldn't let me back into the
stables or wouldn't let me ride any of the horses anymore.”

“That man really cares about you.”

“Yeah.” Beth said with a wistful smile. “He really does.”

They were both silent for a few moments while they sat with their own thoughts then Beth
moved away and slapped her hands on the table.

“So…wedding plans?” Beth said with a soft smile.

Mulder carried box after box of fruit, vegetables, and various items to the truck to load them
up in his best attempt at Tetris style packing because he had no idea how much more Troy
was going to purchase. As he wound his way back through the market crowds he spotted
Troy speaking with a honey farmer.
He lingered by a fudge stall and wondered if he could get some to bring back to Scully. He
was overly familiar with her fudge vice and thought she would particularly like the key lime
pie or the peppermint flavours.

“There he is now… Matt, Matt get your scrawny ass over here.”

Mulder looked up to see Troy beckoning him over. He waved, took one last look at the fudge
then turned away and went over to meet whoever it was Troy was talking to.

“Hey, the truck is all loaded up. Did you buy some honey?” Mulder asked as he looked at the
boxes of honey jars stacked up behind the vendor.

“Honey? No, no, we have plenty of that. I want you to meet a good friend of mine.”

Troy gestured at the honey vendor who looked like he was in his mid fifties with a rotund
belly and ruddy cheeks. He was wearing a pair of faded dungarees with a plain white tshirt
underneath and his head was covered with a battered cowboy hat that looked like it had seen
many summers.

“Hi,” Mulder said and he stuck his hand out. “Matt Whitford.”

“Derek Thorn.” Mulder felt his hand engulfed by a large soft hand with a tight grip and he
looked down as Derek pumped it a couple of times.

“This young fella just arrived at the compound a couple of days ago with his lovely bride to
be, and we’re planning a wedding next week.”

“Oh, well I-” Mulder began and wondered how Scully was faring with the wedding planning
derailment.

“So you want a proper spread?” Derek asked and he looked Mulder up and down as if
appraising him.

“Yeah, the works.”

“Wait. no, we don't want a fuss,” Mulder said and he held his hands out in protest but Troy
put his hand on Mulder's shoulder with a booming laugh.

“If you can't fuss on your wedding day, when can you fuss?” Troy turned to Derek. “We’ll
have the food sorted on our end, Charlie will take care of the music.”

“You got your shipment of produce today, right?”

“Yeah, Juan said it was being delivered this morning so it might be there already.”

Mulder frowned and wondered what Troy was having delivered to the compound. He had
hoped whatever they were picking up here today was going to be the party favours the DEA
sent them here to investigate.
“There was a delivery at the compound?” he asked. “I thought we were here to pick all the
stuff up?”

“Oh this is way more than would fit in the truck,” Troy said with a belly laugh. “Remember
last time we tried to ship it ourselves Derek?” Derek laughed too as he took off his hat and
wiped his sopping forehead with his arm.

“Never again. We left half of it on the PCH on the way there!”

Troy was still laughing and shaking his head.

“So what special treats do you have that you can offer us for the event?”

“How special?” Derek asked and he looked at Mulder again.

Troy did the same. He cupped his elbow with one hand and his chin with the other as they
both looked him up and down.

“I dunno, what do you think Derek?”

“He looks like a shy fellow.”

Troy hummed in agreement and Mulder tried to keep his face even without showing any
reaction.

“I’d say we need to get him talking,” Troy said. “Open him up, share those thoughts, share
those innermost feelings.”

Mulder felt his throat constrict. He felt like something was prodding his brain. As if it was
trying to get access to his thoughts. He tried to make his mind blank but all he could think of
was Scully. He wondered if this was what she had been talking about. He needed to know. He
needed to talk to her. Was she safe? He had a near uncontrollable urge to get back to the
compound and see her, talk to her, touch her, hold her.

“The only thing he is thinking about is his lovely lady,” Troy said and Mulder was
momentarily shocked by his words until he realised it was probably a good guess from
anyone who thought he and Scully were engaged and in the midst of wedding planning.

“I got just the thing,” Derek said with a snap of his fingers.

Derek moved away from both of them and disappeared behind his tent where there was a van
parked. Mulder leaned towards Troy to speak.

“What is he getting?”

“You’ll see.”

Mulder knew he looked nervous and he tried to capitalise on it by showing Troy he was
cautiously curious. Troy laughed and smacked Mulder's shoulder again.
“You crack me up, Matt.”

When Derek reappeared he had a small cardboard box in his hand that was about the size of a
shoe box. He had the top folded shut and handed the box to Troy whose eyes widened with
delight.

“Perfect. So we’ll see you for the party?”

“Wouldn't miss it,” Derek said and he tapped the box he just handed to Troy then moved
away and went to serve some customers.

“Let's get back,” Troy said as he preceded Mulder through the crowds back to the truck.

He was hoping Troy would put the box in the middle of the bench seat so Mulder could get a
closer look, but he kept it on his lap the whole time. Even when the road became uneven and
the truck rumbled up the gravel drive the box stayed secure on his lap. Troy drove the truck
around to the back of the house and parked it in a way to make unloading into the kitchen as
easy as possible.

Mulder climbed out and pulled down the tailgate on the truck and started to unload the boxes
as Troy walked into the main house with the small box tucked under his arm.

“Where should I put these?” Mulder asked as Troy went straight to the fridge to get a glass of
lemonade, the shoe box still in his hand.

“Through to the pantry,” Troy said and he pointed at a door to the left of the kitchen units.

Mulder went in and found a spot to store the box, then looked around to make room for the
rest of the boxes he was going to have to unload. He had almost all of the boxes stacked in
the pantry, when he returned to the kitchen in time to see Scully walking in through the back
door with Beth right behind her.

“There he is!” Beth exclaimed and Mulder looked between both women as if trying to
decipher what was going on. Scully was smiling widely and approached him slowly. She
immediately put her hands flat on his chest then slid them around his slides under his arms
and up his back as she pulled him in for a soft long hug.

Troy, who was leaning against the counter, the small box still in one hand, and an empty glass
in the other smiled. Mulder wrapped his arms around her and held her close, he dropped his
head and rested his cheek against her crown and his arms tightened around her ever so much
more. He felt his heart stutter in his chest then speed up as he wondered what might have
happened to make Scully greet him like this.

“You ok?” he whispered and felt her head nod against his chest.

“Did you get everything for tonight?” Beth asked Troy as she fetched the lemonade from the
fridge and refilled his glass before filling one for herself.

“Yep. And for the wedding?” He lifted the box and showed it to her.
“Great!” She reached for the box but Troy smiled and lifted it out of her reach.

“No free samples.”

Mulder released Scully and she stepped to his side but kept one arm around his back, her
fingers digging into his side which made his heart quicken even further.

“Matt, finish bringing in those boxes then come see me so we can talk about the town hall
tonight.”

“Sure thing, Troy.”

“I’ll help,” Scully said and she followed Mulder out to the truck, one hand clutching a fistful
of his shirt as she trailed him. They carried in the last few boxes and were in the narrow
pantry behind a large stack almost fully out of sight when Mulder tugged her arm to pull her
into the wall so they were completely hidden from anyone who might walk in.

“What happened today?” he asked in a whisper as he looked over his shoulder to be sure they
were alone. “Are you ok?”

“Yes, I’m fine. Nothing happened. Beth was trying all morning to get me to write vows, and
agree on details for the wedding service.”

“That's all?” he asked and studied her closely. “You’re…you look…are you ok?”

“Yeah, yeah. How about you?” she said with a crooked smile and her hands moved to rest
low on his chest.

He narrowed his eyes to look at her more closely. Her cheeks were warm and flushed, her lips
parted but her breathing was slow and even though her eyes were open wide, her pupils were
clear but dilated.

“Did the delivery arrive?” he asked and wondered if she had inadvertently taken anything.

Scully shook her head. “None that I saw anyway. What happened at the market?”

“It was weird, we bought a tonne of fruit and veg,” he said and toed the stack of boxes they
were standing behind. “Then Troy took me over to talk to some guy at a honey stall.”

“A honey stall?”

“Yeah it was called Bee Kind honey or something. I want to ask Chambers to look into him.”

“The honey vendor? Why?”

Mulder lowered his voice and leaned in a little closer when he heard voices in the kitchen.
“Troy got something from him, something for the wedding. See that box he was holding
away from Beth? The one she said was for the wedding? “ Scully nodded. “He said he
wanted a proper spread for the wedding.”
“A proper spread? That could be anything,” Scully said, matching his gruff whispers.

“He said it would be something to help me open up, get me talking.”

“Talking about what?” Scully asked.

“I dunno, my thoughts, my innermost feelings,” he said, his voice dripping with disdain. He
wanted to tell her about what he felt when Troy was studying him but he still wasn't sure she
wasn't in the right frame of mind.

Scully quirked an eyebrow and was about to say something when the pantry door opened.
Mulder put a hand on her bicep and leaned into her to block her from view. His hand
tightened on her when he heard muffled but heavy breathing.

He listened and caught Scully’s eyes but felt a cold clammy sweat break out over his back
when the sounds from across the room got louder.

“What-” she started to say.

“Shh!”

Mulder straightened up slowly and peered over the top of the boxes. Across the room behind
the door he saw Sean leaning against the washing machine, where Beth was sitting, her legs
wrapped around his waist, her hands curled into his hair as they kissed frantically.

Mulder lowered his head out of sight and leaned his forehead against the wall over Scully as
he tried to regulate his breathing and think of something completely different other than the
fevered make out session that was happening across the room.

“Shit,” he cursed.

“Who?” Scully whispered. He was standing so close to her, one hand planted on the wall by
her head, the other against the stack of boxes to his left, that she barely needed to whisper and
he could hear her. His whole body was leaning against her, holding her in position against the
wall and her hands moved from his chest to his sides and were now resting low on his hips.

“Sean,” Mulder whispered as he concentrated on dampening his bodies reaction to her close
proximity, in conjunction to the near pornographic sounds coming from across the room.

“With Beth?”

He nodded his head and his cheek brushed against hers with the simple movement. He felt
her smile and pulled his head back a bit to look down at her. He frowned and shook his head
to ask a silent question which only made her smile wider. She looked down, lowering her
head so it rested against his collarbone and he looked up to the ceiling in a silent prayer.

The sounds from across the room changed from sighs and kissing to the rustle of clothes and
Mulder gritted his teeth. He peeked over the boxes again and saw Beth scrambling at the
fastening of Sean’s jeans as he tried to tug her tshirt off over her head. He bent his head lower
again and closed his eyes.
“Mulder,” Scully whispered and he turned his head to put his ear near her mouth so he could
hear her better but immediately regretted this decision when her breath caressed his
overheated skin. “We should leave.”

“How?”

“Just…just…”

Her words were cut off by a long moan from Beth and Mulder closed his eyes in a futile
effort to stop his body from reacting. He could feel his pulse in his hair, in his toes, in his
cock. He could feel wave after wave of raw heat washing over him. He could feel her whole
body against his and knew shortly she was about to feel something else against hers unless he
could get some space between them.

“Sean, hurry, oh my god,” Beth said, her voice equally full of need and frustration.

“Wait, Beth, shit damn that feels fucking amazing,” Sean cursed. “Wait, we should go to-”

“Now Sean, now,” she said.

“Beth…”

Mulder held his breath when everything went quiet. Scully’s breathing beside him seemed to
be loud enough to wake the dead and he leaned closer and guided her face into his shoulder
to muffle the sounds.

“Sean, I swear to god,” Beth cursed. “If you’re not inside me in the next ten seconds I’m
going to lose my fucking mind.”

Scully chuckled and Mulder felt it vibrate through him, right to his half hard cock, making it
even harder. He cupped the back of her head and held her against him to muffle the sounds
she was making but it was as if it made her laugh harder. He put his other hand on her
shoulder then skimmed it across her back to hold her close in an effort to quell her mirth.

“Have you seen Sean?”

The new voice was muffled and whoever yelled it was walking through the kitchen. Mulder’s
arms tightened around Scully and he leaned infinitesimally closer to her as his whole body
tensed.

“Shit!” Sean cursed and Mulder heard the rustling of clothes again then shuffling feet as they
clearly scrambled off the washer and dressed as quickly as they could. Beth was giggling,
Sean was cursing but Mulder could tell there was no malice in his voice.

He started to loosen his arms from around Scully as he supposed both Sean and Beth were
about to leave the pantry but to his horror he heard Sean hush Beth then tell her to hide.

“What? No!”

“Beth, damn, Josh is going to walk in here any second and he’ll-”
“He’ll what? See we are in the pantry room?”

“Beth, Shhh!”

Mulder pulled back from Scully who tipped her head up to look up at him and he was floored
by her rosy cheeks, how her eyes were shining and her lips curved into a mischievous smile.
Her fingers tightened on his sides, and she gripped fistfuls of his top. Mulder’s hands moved
to her shoulders and when he heard Beth and Sean shuffle closer he froze though Scully’s
smile widened.

“Beth please, I can't deal with Josh giving me shit.”

“Giving you shit for what? For kissing me?”

“Beth, please!”

“Fine, fine, but you owe me,” she said.

“I’ll make it up to you, I promise.”

Mulder heard their footsteps come closer and before he could react, Scully’s hands moved up
his chest, around his neck and pulled him down to kiss her. He was frozen, his hands gripped
her shoulders tighter but when she opened her mouth and slipped her tongue past his lips he
sighed into the kiss and melted against her.

One of her hands curled up the back of his neck into his hair, her fingers against his scalp as
her other hand moved under his arm to hold him, her hand against the taut muscles of his
back as she pulled him ever closer. Mulder felt a pulse of need course through him and his
hips rolled forward. Her hand on his back curled into a fist as the movement of her tongue
became more frantic.

“Oh shit!” Beth said as she stepped past the stack of boxes and halted, causing Sean to bump
into her.

“What?...oh shit!” he said with a chuckle.

Mulder was so entranced by the sensations Scully was causing that he was oblivious to the
audience they had until Scully pulled back and broke the kiss. He stared down at her for a
moment and struggled to remember how to breathe or why he needed to breathe when instead
he could simply consume her. He moved his head to capture her lips again but she dodged
him and stretched to look over his shoulder.

“Matt…” she said and the sound of another man’s name coming out of her mouth after he
had his tongue in there was enough to jar him out of his wanton haze.

He looked over his shoulder to see Beth and Sean staring at them with wide smiles.

“Well, well, well,” Sean said and he shook his head slowly as if disapproving of what he had
stumbled upon.
Mulder tipped his head up and closed his eyes with a frustrated sigh. Scully pushed his arm to
move in front of him and Mulder leaned forward to rest his forehead against the wall.

“What's going on here?” Beth asked as she crossed her arms and tapped her foot.

Mulder turned and stood behind Scully to take the full brunt of their teasing along with her.

“Just working out the wedding nerves,” Scully said with a chuckle.

“Can’t you even wait one week?” Sean said.

“Sean!” Josh’s voice got louder and the pantry door opened. “There you are. Hey we gotta
go, delivery is here.”

“I’m coming, I’m coming,” Sean said and he wagged one finger at Mulder as he backed away
and hurried out with Josh.

Beth was still watching both of them with a wide grin and both arms crossed over her chest.
Mulder put his hand on Scully’s shoulder.

“Troy said I should go to his office after we packed up all the boxes,” he said and his eyes
flicked from Beth who was still smiling to Scully who was trying not to smile.

“Ok,” she said without looking at him.

He glanced back at Beth again then leaned down to kiss Scully’s cheek before he brushed
past her and left the room. The second he stepped out of the pantry he heard Beth peel out a
long string of belly laughs, and he wasn't sure but he thought he heard Scully laughing too.
He brushed a hand down his face as he walked through the kitchen and wondered if he
should follow Josh and Sean to find out about that delivery, but instead he went through the
house to the front room where Troy had his office set up. He slipped his hand into his pocket
and carefully fingered the small bug he had there and hoped he’d have an opportunity to
place it in Troy’s office.

He knocked gently on the door and slowly pushed it open. It was a small room made to feel
even smaller by the large desk and clutter that seemed to cover every available surface,
including the old chair that sat by the window for visitors. Troy was working on a ledger,
filling out accounting information with a bundle of receipts from the farmers market they
were at earlier.

“Matt, come in, find a surface and take the weight of the floor.”

Mulder looked to the chair and moved the bundle of files that were there to a corner of the
desk then sat down and looked over at Troy who was still sifting through receipts.

“What's goin on?” Mulder said and he wondered how much time it would take a forensic
accountant to sift through all this information, and if it would lead to finding something
worth investigating. He carefully scanned the area for a place to stick the bug but nothing
obvious jumped out.
“A couple of things.”

Troy turned on his seat and opened a low drawer by the side of his desk. He rummaged
around in it for a while then turned back to Mulder and put a small box on the desk between
them. Mulder was expecting him to reveal what had been in the box Derek had given him but
this box was about a third that size.

“I noticed you haven't gotten that lady a ring yet.”

“A ring?” Mulder looked at the box and frowned.

“I hope you don't find this too presumptuous, but I have…” Troy pushed the box closer to
Mulder and nodded his head at it.

Mulder looked at the box again then picked it up and opened it slowly. It was a cardboard box
that was obviously used to send something through the post though all markings had now
been removed as it had been repurposed multiple times. He untucked the flaps at the top and
removed the top layer of kitchen roll which had been folded over to fit. Underneath on a bed
of cotton he saw two rings. Plain silver bands with no etching, designs or stones but clearly
well loved.

Mulder looked up at Troy who was watching him with a soft smile.

“Do you like them?”

“They are beautiful,” Mulder said but he put the kitchen roll over them again and closed the
top of the box.

“Then they are yours.”

“Troy, I…I can’t take these.”

“You can, and you will.” Troy spoke as if the matter warranted no further conversation.

Mulder looked at the box again and decided not to make this an issue so he smiled and
gratefully accepted it.

“The other thing I wanted to talk to you about,” Troy said and he wheeled his chair closer to
Mulder but kept the desk between them. “You're new here. Usually we wait a while before
we introduce newcomers to the inner workings of the community.”

Mulder frowned. He felt a kernel of anticipation expand in the pit of his stomach.

“But I have a feeling about you, and Donna of course. You’ve already made an impact on the
group.”

“We have?” Mulder felt like he was in the middle of a field during a thunderstorm.
Something was rolling over his mind, pressing and prodding, testing for weak spots, looking
for an entry point and he clenched his jaw in an effort to resist it.
“I haven't seen Beth smiling as much as she has done in the last couple of days.”

Mulder smiled and tried to focus on what Troy was saying and not the swell and sway of
pressure in his mind. “I’m not sure if that has much to do with us, maybe just more to do with
Sean.”

Troy chuckled and combed his fingers through his thick silver hair.

“Maybe, maybe.” Troy studied Mulder for a moment then smiled and nodded his head. “So I
want to tell you about the town hall this evening.”

“Josh told us about it.”

“The community conversations, voting on produce and trade opportunities?”

“Yeah.”

“Did he tell you about the ceremony?”

“The um, the wedding?” Mulder stammered and he felt something else flare up in his mind,
his chest.

“No,” Troy said with a chuckle. “No, not the wedding. The ceremony at the town hall.”

“No.”

Troy sat back in his chair for a moment then leaned forward again, his elbows on his knees as
he watched Mulder closely. The pressure returned this time with force and Mulder felt
himself lean away from Troy as if the distance would help release him from this invisible
snare.

“We’re not a religious group, we don’t align with any random deity or try to transcend to
another plain with aliens or other beings.”

Mulder swallowed and tried to focus on what Troy was saying and not the phantom sensation
of pressure on his thoughts. Thoughts he wanted to keep to himself. Thoughts he hadn’t yet
had time to analyse since he felt Scully’s lips on his, or her hands on his back, or how his
stiffening cock nestled against the cleft of her hip.

“We eat organic food and other than the occasional batch of moonshine, we live pretty
clean.”

Troy watched his face carefully as he spoke and when Mulder nodded Troy smiled.

“At the end of every town hall, we eat a natural supplement.”

“Supplements? You mean drugs?”

“No, no no, nothing like that,” Troy said as he waved one of his hands. “It's all natural.”
“What does it do?”

“Open’s your mind, your heart, your soul.”

“I’m not sure I want all of that to be so…open.” Mulder wondered if this was what Scully
had already taken, and if her amorous overtures were as a result of this supplement.

“Revealing you mean?” Troy said with a chuckle. “You love Donna right?”

“Yes,” he said without hesitation and he was transported right back there into the pantry room
kissing her again.

“Then you have nothing to worry about.” Troy leaned back in his seat. “There is nothing in
this life more dangerous or damaging than falling in love.” He paused for a moment then
added. “And nothing more rewarding.”

Mulder smiled and looked away. He didn't know if Troy was genuinely reading his thoughts
or if he was just that transparent about how he felt about her.

“Once you have accepted that being open is the only true state, that's when you see it.”

“See what?”

Troy smiled. “Everything.” He leaned forward and clasped his hands between his knees.
“Every answer to every question you haven't yet thought to ask.”

Mulder felt his heart in his throat. His brain was fizzing over with all the questions he wanted
to ask right now and it took all his concentration to retain his composure. He wanted to lean
across the desk and grab Troy by the lapels of his over washed rumpled shirt and shake the
answers out of him.

“So tonight, after the town hall, we’ll take the supplements. I wanted to let you know, give
you warning. You don't have to take them, you can leave the room.”

“Does everyone take them?”

“No.”

“What's in it?” Mulder asked. “What's in the supplement?”

“It's a natural concoction mixed by a neighbouring community. We provide the caapi, they
provide the chacruna and mix them together.”

“And how do you take it?”

Troy smiled and raised his eyebrows. “We drink it. Mixed into Kool-Aid.”

Mulder paled and felt his blood turn to ice, but then his cheeks warmed when he saw the half
smile on Troy’s face and the way he was trying to hold back his laughter.
“I’m joking, I’m joking,” Troy said. “You should have seen the look on your face.”

“Jesus, Troy,” Mulder said and he rubbed his face with one hand.

“We do drink it, usually in tea.”

Mulder wasn't sure what to say. He nodded his head and tried to keep his mind from reeling
too much. It flip flopped from Scully to Troy to Scully again.

“Anyway,” Troy said as he smacked his hands on the table and moved his seat back to where
he was working on the ledger. “I just didn't want you to be blindsided. We pride ourselves on
our openness and honesty in this community.”

Mulder nodded and stood. “Thanks Troy.” He leaned over the table with one hand held out.
Troy took it and shook it firmly and Mulder used his other hand to press the bug onto the
underside of the edge of the desk then picked up the ring box and straightened.

“Don't feel under any pressure after the town hall tonight. If you and Donna don't want to
partake, simply leave the meeting.”

“I’ll chat to her and we’ll decide together.”

“Good man.” Troy picked up his pencil and got back to working on the accounts and Mulder
quickly left the room.

When he walked through the kitchen and found it empty, he peeked into the pantry then
hurried to get back to the cabin in the hopes of finding Scully there.

They had about an hour before dinner would be ready, then there was the town hall, and the
ceremony and he wanted to talk to her about…everything.

His heart was hammering in his chest as he approached the cabin and he was relieved to see
there was a light on against the front window. When he opened the door he found Scully
sitting on the couch, the laptop on her lap, her glasses on her face, and a deep frown etched
between her eyes.

“Mulder!” she said a gasp straining her voice and her hand flew to her chest. “You scared
me.”

“Sorry.” He closed the door behind him and hurried over to sit on the couch beside her.

“You’ve been with Troy all this time?”

“Yeah, yeah, he was telling me about this ceremony. What about you, where have you been?”
He glanced at what she was typing and saw she had only just started to take notes on what
she had experienced while he was at the market.

“I um, I was in the pantry with Beth,” she said with a slight cough to clear her throat and
closed the laptop over if only for something to do with her hands.
Scully had hurried back to the cabin and tried desperately to calm her rampaging heart. All
she could feel was her pulse thrumming behind her ears, throbbing between her legs and
making every cell in her body vibrate. She had gone from being so relaxed, and content, that
it was so natural to curl her arms around him when she saw him, hold him tight, rest her
cheek on his chest and sigh into his shirt when his arms circled her. To suddenly feeling
rampant, raging hormones course through her, move her fingers into his hair and her tongue
into his mouth and then, as if an ice cold bucket of water had been poured over her, he was
gone, taking with him all the air in the room.

Beth tried to tease her but Scully quickly turned the tables back on her then made her escape
to the cabin. Finally in the silent solitude of the cabin she could dissect what had happened in
excruciating detail. Something was in that tea. She was sure of it. Something that made her
feel that way. Something that made her reach for him. Something that made her…need him.
When she had been trying so hard to convince herself she didn't. Need him. Or anybody.

There was no way she could let herself fall into the light green snare of his eyes, and
suddenly trust him again. Trust him with her heart. She paced the cabin back and forth, back
and forth, and wondered how she could reclaim some ground. How she could recover from
the near assault of her partner, when she was trying so desperately to maintain a professional
relationship with…with…with Mulder. She had cursed and sighed and fell face first onto the
bed as her whole body sagged from draining energy.

She allowed herself a few moments of self indulgent wallowing before she pushed herself off
the bed, went into the bathroom to scrub her face, tied her hair up into a messy ponytail,
fished her glasses out of her bag and sat onto the couch to start taking notes.

“Scully?” Mulder asked and she blinked a few times to come back to the present and looked
over at Mulder who was watching her with concern in his eyes.

“Yeah, I was in the pantry with Beth then she went to help with the delivery.” Scully curled
loose tendrils of her hair behind her ears and licked her lips then swallowed and looked over
to Mulder. “I offered to help but they ushered me out of the barn. I came back here and I was
about to start taking notes.”

“Troy said that the ceremony after the town hall is when they all take this supplement,”
Mulder said and he removed his intent focus from her face and sat back against the couch
cushions with a sigh. “Something they mix from plants found on the compound, here and in
another community, and the other community mix it, then they drink it, in tea.”

“What plants?” Scully asked and she paused. “Wait, drink it? In tea?”

“Yeah, why?”

“Beth…I had tea with Beth this morning, in the barn.” She turned to face him and frowned.
“What plants did he say they mixed to make the supplement?”

Mulder frowned and looked at her more closely. The dilation in her eyes was no longer as
prominent as it was when they were in the kitchen or the pantry
Mulder closed his eyes as he tried to remember the words Troy had used. “Caapi and
chacruna I think he said.”

“What?” Scully picked up the laptop and opened it again. “Say that again?”

“Caapi and chacruna, Troy said they were a natural supplement,” he said and he noticed how
her face went pale. “What? What happened? Did you take something earlier?”

“No!” she said and she quickly typed out some notes on the laptop then closed it and placed it
on the floor. She stood up but she didn't move or pace like he expected. “I didn't…I…”

“What?” he urged her to continue and stood up too then held the crook of her elbow and
turned her to face him.

“I had tea, me and Beth had tea.”

“Just tea?”

“It was tea…homemade tea, from a stash that Sean made, in the office in the barn.”

Mulder’s hand tightened on her arm and he lowered himself a little to get to her eye level.
“When did you drink it?”

“A few hours ago, just after you left with Troy.”

“Troy said they take these supplements, drink them, in tea.” He took her chin between his
thumb and forefinger and moved her head slightly to get a closer look. “How do you feel
now?”

Scully swallowed and took in a long breath as she slowly closed her eyes and released it.
Mulder dropped his hand and straightened up to give her some space.

“I feel fine. The tea I drank wasn't…” Her voice faded away and she opened her eyes and
looked down at her feet.

“What?”

“Those plants mixed together in a certain way become the main active ingredient of a
psychoactive substance.” she looked up to him. “What I drank didn't cause any
hallucinations, or make me…” She stuttered over her words and wondered what she was
about to admit to. Didn't make her do anything she didn't already want to do? That was a step
too far. She wasn't ready to admit that to herself, let alone say it out loud to him.

“Troy said that when people drink this tea, they become more…open.” He was testing her.
Hoping she would admit that the kiss in the pantry was from her, from her true desires and
not just to cover their bases.

“Open?” she asked and glanced up at him.

“Transparent I think was the word he used.” Mulder loosened the grip he realised he still had
on her arm but didn't let her go completely.

Scully felt a hot bolt of panic shoot through her body and pool in her toes. She was so close
to letting him know everything she was feeling, everything she was trying not to feel and she
needed to derail this conversation before he pushed further and saw too much.

“Mulder, I know you are planning to take this supplement with Troy and the others this
evening.” Mulder didn't deny the statement so she continued. “We can't knowingly take it.
We’re undercover here. If we take any of this substance, and it has this effect to make us
more open, we could compromise-.”

“I felt something,” he said, cutting off the end of her sentence. “I felt something when I was
with Troy. Like he was trying to…”

Scully frowned. She had already told him what she felt when they first met Troy. She wanted
to know in detail what Mulder experienced but not if it convinced him that he should take
part in the ceremony and take these untested supplements.

“I felt Troy in my mind,” Mulder admitted and he moved to the couch to sit heavily, his
elbows on his knees, his face in his hands. “I felt him pressing against me, my thoughts…I
felt him.”

Scully moved over to sit next to him and put a hand on his shoulder. She recognised what he
was talking about and remembered the same pressure she felt in her own mind. If there was
something in the tea she drank earlier it didn't seem to have any lasting effects, but it wasn't
even clear that what they were taking tonight at the meeting was going to be the same, and if
it was a fresh batch, possibly it would be more potent.

“Don't you see Mulder?” she said and she moved her hand down his arm to take his wrist and
pull his hand away from his face. “If you take this supplement, and it leaves you…open, or
vulnerable, then you experience that same…pressure from Troy, how will you be able to
resist?”

“You don't even believe he can do this, Scully!” Mulder said, suddenly annoyed. He shook
off her grip and stood up to pace. She had clearly been drugged earlier when he got back
from the market. She never initiated contact like that with him. She would never kiss him like
that unless she was some way compromised and that fact burned in the pit of his stomach.

“Mulder I-”

“Well?” he whirled round to face her. “Do you? Do you believe he can read minds?”

“The evidence-”

“You felt it Scully, you told me you felt it.”

“I felt something, I can't explain it, but that doesn't mean that he is capable of reading my
thoughts.”
Mulder scoffed. He felt a biting reply on the tip of his tongue but managed to swallow it
back.

“It’s the same as the tea you drank today.” Mulder walked over to the sink and filled a glass
of water then took a long drink. “We’re trying to infiltrate-”

“Infiltrate?” Scully said with exasperation. She stood and walked over to the sink. “We’re
already elbow deep in this community. Taking a psychotropic drug isn't going to get you any
deeper!”

“Scully-”

“Tell me exactly what Troy said.”

Mulder held her eyes for a moment then took a breath and faced away to focus his thoughts.
He told her in great detail, almost verbatim what Troy had told him about the supplement.
How it was made, how it was taken, the effects, and even that not everybody took it. As he
expected, this was the part she latched onto.

“So if not everybody is taking it then we don't need to.”

“Troy said that when you take the supplement, you become open-”

“You said this already, Mulder,” she said and pinched the bridge of her nose.

“Open to answers.”

“Answers to what?”

“Everything!”

“Mulder!” Scully said and she stepped in front of him to get him to focus on her and only her.
“He is manipulating you. He knows-”

“Scully, if we don't take it, then we need to leave the room. If we leave the room we can’t
conduct a thorough investigation.”

“Mulder, you have to understand that in taking a psychotropic drug, you will have no control
over the effects it will have on you.”

Mulder leaned his head back and closed his eyes as if he couldn't look at her anymore. He felt
his control on this conversation slipping through his fingers like grains of sand and his hands
clenched at his sides as if it would help him regain it. There was no way he was walking out
of that town hall without getting access to the answers Troy promised him.

Scully looked at him and saw that need in his eyes. The same need he got during all their
cases when they were close to understanding or explaining something. Something she was
trying to prove and he was trying to believe.

“So you’re going to take it?” she said after a moment of silence.
He held her gaze for a moment then nodded his head. Scully sighed. She looked away, unable
to see that light in his eyes any more lest she fall into its depths.

“We better note all this down while it's fresh,” she said and she walked away from him to
pick up the laptop.

“Scully-” he said and tried to grasp her arm but she was out of his reach.

“I think the best course of action though is for one of us to remain…clear,” she said as she
opened the laptop and sat on the edge of the couch. “While the ceremony is going on, I’ll
take the opportunity to go to the barn and collect a sample to send to Chambers.”

Mulder pushed himself away from the sink and crossed the room to sit next to her. He leaned
closer and watched as she typed. He dictated his side of it to her and highlighted all the
information he got while at the market. He read over her shoulder as she detailed her findings
from the afternoon with Beth.

“I don't think this substance, that Troy is talking about, is the same one Chambers is
tracking.” He hesitated over the rest of what he wanted to say then took a breath and barrelled
ahead. "Or whatever was in the tea you drank earlier."

Scully frowned and looked away to hide the blush she knew was creeping up her cheeks from
her neck. She felt foolish for drinking that tea. Almost as foolish as she felt for how she
embraced him, how she kissed him, how it all made her feel so…so complete.

“Do you think they made a mistake?” Mulder said after a moment.

“Chambers?” Mulder nodded. Scully thought for a moment as she crossed her arms over her
chest and looked off into the middle distance with unfocused eyes. “Skinner has been
involved with this case for quite some time. He wouldn't send us here unless he was sure.”

Mulder didn't say anything. He looked down at his watch and realised they needed to leave to
get over to the house for dinner. He slapped his thighs and stood up.

“We should head over there now.”

“Yeah, give me five minutes,” Scully said as she moved back towards the bathroom. “Or
head on over and I’ll catch up.”

“No, I’ll wait. Take your time.” Mulder said and he moved to the front door.

He stepped out onto the porch and leaned against the railing. His body was humming from
her proximity. He didn't want to go to this dinner. He wanted to keep her here in this cabin
and explore the experience they shared in the pantry, except this time without an audience,
and without her uttering another man’s name. Or without her having some sort of mind
altering substance coursing through her veins. Mulder closed his eyes and muttered a curse.
His brain was so confused.

That experience was everything he wanted from her, everything he wanted to reclaim from
the fragmented relationship they were currently living with. But he wanted it from her, while
she was compos mentis. He needed to figure out how to proceed. While going to an event
where he planned to take some illicit substance that was likely to leave him reeling,
vulnerable and put the whole case, not to mention their cover in jeopardy.

Mulder’s head was starting to spin and he closed his eyes to stave off the uneasiness curdling
in his stomach. The sound of her footfall behind him made him turn and he watched as she
closed the door. She had brushed her hair, changed her top and added some moisturiser to her
face and it was shining. Her cheeks looked flushed, her eyes were bright and her smile a little
crooked.

“Ready?” she asked.

Mulder nodded. He swallowed and then held his hand out for her. He tried to ignore her
slight hesitation before she slid her fingers across his palms then between his fingers and
gripped him. Mulder tugged her closer and started walking. A few people walked towards the
house from different directions and before they reached the back porch that led into the
kitchen Scully tugged his hand, put her other hand on his bicep and pulled him aside.

“Mulder, are you sure about this?”

“About-”

“Are you sure?” She held his eyes and squeezed his hand. “You have no idea what this
substance will do to you, you don't know what's in it, how can you trust it, or trust any of
these people?”

“Scully, I'm going to be ok.”

“You don't know that!” She looked around when she heard the tone in her own voice and
hoped no one was listening. “We could get a sample tonight, then send it off to be tested.
Then at the next town hall-”

“Scully, that's weeks away. We’re getting married in a few days, do you really want to
honeymoon in that cabin while we wait for the next town hall?” He tried to make her smile,
joke about their wedding which was looming ever closer and just as terrifying as the thought
of taking an unknown substance.

“If you take that supplement,” she said and he felt her hands tighten on him. “You could be…
you could…”

“Scully,” he said and he released her hand to cup her face. “It's going to be fine, I’m going to
be fine…I promise.” He leaned down and rested his forehead against hers.

“Kiss her already!” Josh yelled as he hurried up the porch. “It’s taco night and it’ll all be gone
before you come inside.”

Mulder looked up and saw Josh holding the back door open for them, then turned back to
Scully and smiled. He held her gaze for a moment longer, tried to reassure her silently, then
when he couldn’t resist anymore, nor did he want to, he brushed a light kiss across her lips
before he pulled her into a quick hug.

“C’mon, tacos,” he said with one wave of his eyebrows and a broad smile.

With an arm around her shoulders he guided her into the house then found her a seat while he
went to the counter and plated some food for her. The mood in the room was electric, even
more so than other dinners they’d been to. Josh and Sean talked about the delivery and how it
was all stored in the barn loft. Mulder felt Scully press her knee against him when they said
that.

Troy talked about the produce available at the farmers market and gave out about the lack of
good cheese available. Max updated everyone on the grape harvest and stated it would be all
ready in about three days which made everyone smile and turn to Mulder and Scully. Beth
teased Mulder about the vows Scully had supposedly written that morning and he smiled as
he looked over at Scully like everyone would expect.

When the meal was over, the group stood and made short work of the clean up. Someone
turned on a radio to some classic rock music and Troy grabbed Beth into a dance as others
started to prepare drinks for the meeting.

Once everything was ready, beers opened, teas and coffees made, whiskey poured and a tub
of cookies opened in the centre of the table, the group migrated across the room and took
their seats again. Troy and Beth stopped dancing when the song was over then he hugged her
close as they laughed softly.

“Thank you for the dance,” she said as she kissed him on the cheek then went over to the
table and sat next to Sean who nudged her with his shoulder as he handed her a cup of tea and
a couple of cookies.

“Okay, okay, time to get this show on the road,” Troy said as he got to the table and sat down
with a soft moan. “First order of business?”

A guy Mulder hadn’t really met or spoken to stood up and asked about implementing a new
compost system. Once that was agreed and next steps recorded, someone else asked about
adding solar panels and it was decided to do more research into cost benefits before making a
decision. They discussed more water reclamation techniques, when they were going to
repaint the house, and even voted on buying some goats so Troy could get the cheese he was
looking for.

Once all the topics were finished Troy stood up and Josh went to the kitchen to get a box
from the press over the fridge.

“The ceremony is about to begin, if anyone wishes not to partake, you’re welcome to leave.
Anyone who stays, will be required to partake.”

Josh put the box in front of Troy then reclaimed his seat next to him. Mulder looked around
at the group and watched a few people leave then turned to his left where Scully was sitting.
She put a hand on his arm and leaned in, kissed his cheek then whispered softly in his ear.
“I’ll see you at the cabin.”

He wanted to ask her to stay but he knew it would be better if one of them was not under the
influence of some unknown substance. He watched her leave and looked over at Troy who
was smiling softly. He nodded his head as those that were leaving finally left.

Beth and Sean got busy preparing tea and handing empty cups out. Troy opened the box and
Mulder sat up straighter to get a look inside but from what he could tell it looks like mixed
spice. He wanted to ask more about what was in it but everyone seemed content to take
whatever was offered.

When the water was ready, Troy moved the box over to Sean who took out a small metal
scoop and carefully transferred two lots into the teapot. Beth stirred it slowly and Josh moved
across the room to turn off the radio. A soft easy silence fell around the room but Mulder was
sure everyone could hear his heart hammering in his chest.

“Tonight is about community.” Troy stood up slowly and Beth started to pour the tea into
everyone's cups. “As we make strides towards improving our lives here, giving back to those
who need it. We take only what we need, as there is no legacy so rich as honesty.”

Max who was sitting across from Mulder chuckled and held up his tea in salute then sipped
it.

Troy turned to Max with a small smile and lifted one eyebrow in a challenge. Sean groaned
and sat back in his chair next to Beth who finished pouring everyone's drink.

“Guys, no, not tonight, please!” Sean moaned and most people around the table chuckled.
Mulder watched as everyone drank and settled into the conversation that was happening. He
looked into his own cup and not for the first time felt a bubble of nervous energy course
through him.

“The time of life is short!,” Max said with a theatrical wave of his arm. “To spend that
shortness basely were too long.”

Sean groaned and let his head fall back. Beth smiled and rubbed the centre of his chest with
one hand as she turned to Troy who had a pensive look on his face. Mulder realised they were
swapping Shakespear quotes and based on Sean’s reaction this wasn't the first time.

“I count myself in nothing else so happy,” Troy said, this time achieving the same air of
dramatics as Max did. “As in a soul remembering my good friends.”

The group around the table made low sounds of appreciation and everyone’s attention turned
to Max to see what his response was going to be. Mulder lifted the cup to his mouth and
sipped it. It was warm, bitter but mainly tasteless. There was no flavour he could recognise
other than it was tart and made his mouth feel dry even while he was drinking. He looked
around the room and saw everyone was sipping their drinks so he took another sip and put
the cup back on the table to see if he could get his focus back on the conversation around the
table.
“Friendship is constant in all other things,” Max said and he bowed his head to Troy who
lifted a hand, one finger raised as if waiting for Max to continue.

“Save in the office and affairs of love,” Mulder said finishing the quote, one he was way too
familiar with, and Troy turned to him with a smile. Mulder nodded in acknowledgement and
Sean groaned even louder.

“You too?” Sean said and he shook his head in mock disappointment at Mulder who
shrugged his shoulders in response. “This time, instead of spouting quotes from some dead
English guy, let's swap secrets.”

Beth laughed. “Oh please, you’re so transparent, you’ve got no more interesting secrets.”

“I’ve got secrets!” Sean protested and he sat up. “I am mysterious!”

Mulder felt a cold sweat break out at the back of his neck. He wanted to rub his hand across it
but didn't want to move a muscle for fear of drawing too much attention.

“Sure Sean, sure.” Beth looked around the room and narrowed her eyes at everyone until she
got to Mulder. “Matt, you are new, you have to have the juiciest secrets.”

“Secrets?” Mulder swallowed around a hot lump in his throat. “No, not me.”

“Troy, c’mon!” Sean pleaded and he put one hand on Beth’s shoulder to pull her back into her
chair. “Tell her I’m mysterious.”

Troy chuckled. He lifted his cup to his mouth and sipped his tea. Mulder got the impression
he was enjoying the banter around the table and had no intention of interfering.

“Matt, c’mon, save us from hearing another Afghanistan story!” Beth teased and Sean moved
his hand to cover her mouth.

“Wait a second!” Sean protested and Mulder looked over to see if he was really upset but he
lunged for Beth and poked her side making her laugh.

“A secret?” Mulder glanced at Troy who was sipping his tea and watching the room with a
wistful smile. He took a deep breath and before he could stop himself the words tumbled past
his lips in a single exhale. “I…I’m terrified she doesn't feel about me the way I feel about her,
and every day I keep waiting for the truth to be revealed and she’ll get tired of me and leave.”

The room fell silent and everyone turned to look at Mulder. Beth slowly smiled and pushed
Sean away from her as she stood up and circled the table to stand behind Mulder. She circled
his shoulders with her arms and hugged him tight.

“Here, here!” Tory said and he lifted his cup. Everyone matched the gesture and waited for
Mulder to lift his cup too, then they all drank and the chatter resumed.

“She loves you, Matt,” Beth said. She was still hugging him and Mulder tried to remain still.
“Let go of that fear and make more room for love.”
“That's not Shakespeare,” Mulder muttered and Beth chuckled. She kissed his cheek and
stood up as she ruffled his hair and moved back to her own seat where Sean leaned against
her and rested his head against her shoulder.

Mulder looked down at his cup and frowned. He had almost finished his drink but he didn't
feel any different than before. He glanced over at Troy and watched him chat with Max. Beth
and Sean were talking quietly. Josh was rummaging in the press for more cookies and a few
others were talking, one of them even looked like they were meditating.

Nothing was happening. Nothing that hadn’t already happened in the organic group hang outs
he had already attended. Everyone was relaxed, no one was forcing anyone to share secrets.
He didn't feel that same pressure in his mind he had felt earlier when he was with Troy. All
the expectation had manifested into nothing and he had to admit he was a little disappointed.
He wanted to go back to the cabin and talk to Scully, assuage the fears he knew she must be
feeling while he was in here without her.

He lifted his cup and finished the dregs of his tea. Everyone else had already finished and he
wondered how much longer the gathering lasted now that the tea was consumed. He looked
around the room and tried to commit to memory the snippets of conversations he could hear
so when he did get back to Scully he would be able to tell her everything.

Scully stepped out of the main house and took a slow walk around the compound. She
stopped at the chicken coop and tossed in some grain then walked around the vineyard all in
an attempt to be sure the coast was clear when she made her way to the barn. She greeted the
horses and listened for a while to see if she could hear anyone in the storage room or in the
office.

When she decided the place was empty she casually walked over to the loft stairs and went
up to the office. The door was closed, the light was off and the frosted window made it
impossible to know if there was anyone inside. And even though she was confident the place
was empty, she knocked lightly before she opened the door.

She waited a couple of heartbeats before she moved over to the area where Beth had found
the tea canister. She quickly located it, unscrewed the top then pulled a small evidence bag
out of her pocket. She made sure she got enough for multiple tests then put everything back
where she found it and hurried down to the main level.

Her heart was hammering in her chest and she knew part of that fear was the unknown
experience Mulder was running into head first. Being reckless wasn’t a new trait for him, hell
he didn't usually give her an opportunity to talk him out of it. Instead he just did whatever it
was he wanted and came back to her with excuses for not sharing.

She shook her head free of those worries and focused instead on her own mission as she
reached the storage area and pulled open the heavy barn door. The loud rattling of the door
rails made her pause after she got it open but still no one came. She felt naked without the
comforting weight of her gun at the small of her back, or the stiff fold of her badge in her
pocket. More so without the support of Mulder by her side.

She shook her head and reframed her focus on the task at hand. The storage room was lined
with metal industrial shelving and it was about twice the size of their basement office in DC.
Most of the shelving was stocked with various bags of feed and care products for the horses
but the lowest shelves all the way round were packed full with unlabelled cellophane
wrapped bricks.

Scully crouched and picked one up. It was heavier than she expected. She wondered if she
should take the whole brick or just a part of it. She rummaged through the shelves looking for
a small one but they were uniform in size and weight. Unwrapping one to get a sample would
leave traces of tampering so she grabbed one of the bricks to take. She rearranged the rest of
the bricks to cover her tracks then hurried back to the cabin.

When she closed the door and rested back against it she took a moment to regain control of
her breathing. Her blood was pumping through her veins, her lungs were struggling to fill and
hold any oxygen, and her brain was fizzing over with adrenaline. She hurried over to the
kitchen and started to unwrap the package. Carefully she peeled back the layers of cellophane
until she could get to the tightly compressed contents inside. She used a sharp kitchen knife
to pare off sections of it then placed them into an evidence bag, and put the bag into a padded
envelope. Tomorrow she would take the car into the next town to post drop this off for
collection and testing.

She wrapped the brick back up again and went over to the bed to place it at the back of the
under drawers where their clothing was stored. She hurried to clean up after the small mess
she’d made then went to the couch and sat down with a heavy sigh.

Her body was humming and she needed to see him. She checked her watch and saw it was
almost 45 minutes since she walked out of the main house and left him there. She had no idea
how much longer it would be. She wondered if she could go back up to the house, check in
on him, hang around nearby and be there for him the moment he came out.

She dismissed that idea and instead leaned back against the cushions and tried to calm down.
She took long slow breaths and refocused her thoughts on everything that had happened that
day. She let her mind wander back to when they woke up in bed with his arms curled around
her body, his leg between hers, his cheek pressed against her lower back.

Scully tried not to think about how comfortable that all felt. Instead she tried to direct her
thoughts to what she was supposed to be feeling. Clean lines of professionalism, instead of
the blurred lines they had before. She closed her eyes and cursed under her breath.

Because it is personal. The words haunted her. From the very second she uttered them and
every second that followed. Suddenly the sound of hurried heavy footsteps approaching made
her sit up.

“Donna!”
She jumped off the couch and raced for the door. The banging started before she reached it
and when she opened it Josh was standing there panting.

“Donna, come quick, it's Matt!” Josh was already backing away from the cabin and waving
for her to follow.

“What's wrong?” She hurried to catch up with him.

“He’s going mad, something happened, come, quick!”

Scully hurried after Josh who bounded up the porch steps and through the already open door.
Before she even got there she could hear Mulder yelling out, cursing everyone who was
touching him. The anguish and distress in his voice shot right to her heart and it got even
worse when she saw him.

Mulder was sprawled face down on the floor near the table where she left him. Some chairs
had been overturned and the shards of a smashed cup were near his head. Sean was leaning
over him holding one of Mulder’s arms up his back and he had his knee in the centre to
prevent him from moving. Max was holding his legs down and Beth was holding his other
arm straight out.

The first thing Scully did was look for blood or injury but there was none to be found. She
hurried over to him and went to her knees by his head. Mulder’s face was red, he was yelling
out to be let free and struggled against the grip the other had on him.

“Hey, hey,” Scully said. She wanted to say his name, his real name, to capture his focus in
this heightened mode of distress but she had to hope that his cover, their cover, was still intact
no matter what had happened to get him into this state. “Hey, Matt, listen to me, listen to my
voice,” she said and she brushed her hand over his face to try and get his attention.

“Let me go!” Mulder yelled out through gritted teeth as he struggled again.

“What happened?” Scully asked.

She looked around the room and noticed everyone who stayed for the ceremony after dinner
was still here except for Troy.

“I dunno!” Sean said as he tightened his grip on Mulder’s arm and leaned lower to get a
steadier grip. “We were sitting down chatting, Max started reciting some poem, and all of a
sudden Matt was freaking out!”

“What did you give him?” Scully tried to capture Mulder’s attention. She wanted to push
Sean off him but she was afraid of what he might do. She crouched even lower, put her face
right next to his and her eyes level with his. “Hey, listen to me, listen to my voice…shhhh,
breathe with me.”

She cupped his face and brushed her thumb over his cheek. Sean eased up as Mulder stopped
struggling and focused on Scully who was shushing him gently and holding his focus. Max
moved off his legs and Sean off his back but Beth was still holding his other arm until Scully
sat up a bit and gestured for her to release him fully.

Scully reached for his arm and pulled him up. Mulder curled onto her lap and melted into her,
his arms around her waist, his face pressed against her stomach. She combed her fingers
through his hair to calm him down as the crowd in the kitchen started to thin out. Beth
scrambled to her feet and Sean moved with her. Max crossed the room and leaned against the
kitchen counter with his face in his hands.

“What did you give him?” Scully asked again and she lifted her eyes to look at Sean.

“Nothing!” he said as he gestured at the kitchen table where the remnants of the tea was still
cluttered there. “We had tea, that was it!”

“What was in it?”

“Nothing!”

“The supplement, Sean, what's in the supplement?” Scully was trying not to yell as Mulder
was shivering on her lap, holding onto her like a life jacket in a stormy sea.

“It's a natural herbal relaxant. We all drank the same tea, there is nothing in it that would have
this effect.”

Scully looked down at Mulder. His face was still red but his breathing was a little calmer and
his eyes were closed. She needed to get him out of here. She could come back and figure this
out later but right now Mulder had to be her priority.

“Help me get him up,” she said and immediately Sean, and Josh hurried over to help her lift
him. They tried to drape his arms over their shoulders but he held onto Scully and draped his
own arm over her instead. Josh moved to his other side and Sean went behind him. Beth went
ahead and held the door open needlessly then at the cabin held that door open too.

They carried Mulder over to the bed and dropped him carefully. Scully tried to move away
but Mulder held her wrist. Beth shooed both Sean and Josh out of the cabin then paused at
the threshold and turned back to Scully.

“Come get me if you need me, Donna,” she said, then left when Scully nodded without
looking up.

Mulder was curled into a ball in the centre of the bed but the death grip he had on her wrist
was the most worrying. She reached down to push his shoulder and make him lie on his back
then leaned over him and focused on his eyes. They were red rimmed and bloodshot, filled
with unshed tears but glazed over and seeing little.

“Mulder,” she said as she stroked her hand down the side of his face to his throat where her
practised fingers found his pulse point. “Mulder, can you hear me?”

His pulse was fast, too fast, and his breathing was laboured. She pried his hand off her wrist
and tried to ignore his whimpers of protest when she moved away. She hurried into the
bathroom and snatched her fully stocked medical kit then came back to his side. She brushed
his hair off his forehead and was dismayed by the clammy cold feel of his skin.

“Mulder, I need to take some blood, I need to get something to test to see what they gave
you.”

He turned his head towards her voice but when he tried to roll his body towards her she
pressed his shoulder back down.

“Lie still for me, lie still,” she said, unsure if he could really hear her or understand her. She
pulled up his sleeve to expose the inside of his elbow and wrapped a tight strap just above it.
She carefully located the vein then as quick as she could inserted the needle and extracted
three vials of his blood. As soon as she was finished she put the vials into the fridge then
hurried back to his side with a glass of water.

“Drink this,” she said and helped him lift his head and sip the water.

He moaned but managed to swallow some but a lot of it spilled out of the corners of his
mouth and wet his top and the pillow he was lying on.

He dropped back with a sigh and closed his eyes. Scully brushed his hair back again and
watched him for a moment. She wanted to get that blood to the lab for testing as soon as
possible but it would look very suspicious if she took the car out now so it would have to
wait till morning. She would take the evidence from the barn and the blood to the lab at first
light.

She wanted to give him some relaxant to help him sleep but she was terrified to mix anything
else with whatever it was he had taken in that tea so she settled for her hands as the only
relaxant she could offer. He was fitful and distressed and whenever she moved he whimpered
and tried to keep her by his side.

It was early for bed but she didn't think he would be fit for anything else so she decided the
best she could do would be to make him comfortable. She stood up and eased his tension
with some soft words then moved to his feet and pulled off his sneakers. She opened his jeans
and started to roll them down his hips, pausing only to make sure his boxers stayed in place.

“C’mon Mulder, lift your ass,” she said and tapped his hips but he didn't respond. She rolled
him onto his side and pulled his jeans down as far as she could then rolled him onto the other
side and repeated the motion until they were loose enough to pull them off completely. She
tugged off his socks then came up to the head of the bed and helped him sit up so she could
take off his long sleeved top which was still damp from the water he spilt earlier.

Panting from the excursion of moving him around she stood back and wondered how she was
going to get the blanket out from under him but instead took a break and went about her own
nightly routine. She took her change of clothes into the bathroom to get ready and brushed
her teeth then came back and tackled the blanket conundrum.

It took a few minutes of wrestling and rolling him around but finally she got the blanket free
and draped it over him. She realised with only a half smile, he was sprawled on what was
supposed to be her side of the bed tonight but didn't think she had the energy to roll him over
onto the other side. Instead she carefully climbed on from the bottom of the bed and lay on
her side, her back against the wall and gently placed a hand in the centre of his chest. The
second her hand rested there he covered it with both of his to hold her in place.

“What happened, Mulder?” she whispered. “What did they do to you?”

He whimpered softly and rolled his head towards her voice but his eyes were closed. She
wanted to shake the answers out of him. She tried to ignore the boiling anger she could feel
in the pit of her stomach. His reckless actions once again put them in this compromised
situation. Only this time they were even more isolated than usual. But when she saw his
creased brow, ragged breathing, pursed lips and heard his soft whimpers her energy moved
from anger to worry and she leaned forward to place her forehead on his shoulder as his
fingers curled around her hand and held on tight.

“Shhh, Mulder, I’m here,” she whispered. “I got you.”

 Chapter 5

Community Compound
Los Angeles
Saturday

The night went by at glacial speed. Mulder fell into a fitful sleep shortly after sunset but
Scully stayed awake the whole time. She eased his distress the best way she knew how and
just held on. Now that the sun was up again she was eager to get the evidence to the lab and
get it tested as soon as possible.

She lifted her head to look down at Mulder and noticed his frown was gone and his lips were
parted with soft long slow breaths that lifted his chest where her hand was still captured in
both of his.

“Hey Mulder,” she whispered and she gently shook him. “Mulder, wake up, we gotta go take
a drive.”

He hummed in his sleep and rolled his head to look at her but his eyes remained closed.

“Wake up, we gotta go,” she said and shook him again as she lifted herself up onto her elbow.

Mulder hummed again and his eyes started to blink open. They were still red, and despite the
nearly ten hours he slept, he looked exhausted.

“Scully?” he muttered, his voice hoarse and raw and he lifted his head up and looked around
the room. For a moment he looked confused as if he expected to be in his own apartment.
“What's…where…?”

“We gotta get up, we’re taking a drive.”

Mulder’s head fell back onto the pillow and he moaned. “Why does my head hurt?”

Scully wanted to ease the pain and confusion he was clearly feeling. But she also wanted to
smack him and tell him she warned him against this course of action, and right now she
wasn't sure which urge was going to win, so she removed her hand from his chest and kicked
the blankets off her legs then scrambled off the bed at the end over the couch.

She rounded to the drawer and pulled out clothes to wear then went into the bathroom to
shower and change. She was brushing her teeth when she heard him moan and move in the
other room and when she emerged she saw him sitting on the edge of the bed wearing a pair
of jeans that were open, his elbows on his knees, his head in his hands.

“You ok?” she asked as she crossed the room and stood in front of him.

“My head is spinning.”

“Dizzy or hungover?” She put a hand on his shoulder and pushed him back to get a look at
his face. He was pale but his eyes were red and his skin was still clammy. “Jesus Mulder,
you’re a wreck.”

“Dizzy, pounding headache, my mouth is dry,” he said and licked his lips to try and generate
some moisture.

“We’re getting out of here today,” she said and she bent down to grab a plain grey long sleeve
top for him to put on. “We’re going to the lab, and I want to call Chambers.”

“You think we can-”

“We’re going.” She spoke with conviction and didn't leave any room for argument. “I took
your blood last night, I need to know what they gave you.”

Mulder held her gaze for a moment and she saw a few thoughts flitter past his eyes but they
never made it past his lips. He nodded then took the top and slipped it on. When he stood to
fasten his jeans, he wavered and she placed both hands on his chest to steady him.

“I would tell you to stay here, but I want you with me,” she muttered as she held him up so
he could finish dressing.

“Because you’d miss me?” he said and while she recognised his attempt to inject some relief
into the room she didn't feel like reciprocating.

“Yeah, it's been a sheer joy lugging your comically large oafish body around and then making
sure you were still breathing throughout the night.”

She moved to walk away but Mulder grabbed her arm and pulled her back to stand in front of
him.

“Hey,” he said and his eyes found hers for the first time that morning. “I’m ok.”

Scully ignored the hot bolt of fury that shot through her and clenched her teeth but Mulder
noticed it. For the first time in a long time he could read her again and even though all he was
getting from her was anger it made him feel better than he had done in forever to realise she
was his again.

“Scully, I’m ok,” he said again, his hand tightened on her bicep and he pulled her in a little
closer then circled his arms around her and held her close. “I’m ok.”

Scully’s arms went around him but they remained stiff. He tried not to compare the difference
between this hug and the one she greeted him with the day before when he returned from the
market but he couldn't help it. Though right now he didn't have the brain power to delve into
it deeper other than to recognise this hug was colder.

“Where are we going?” he said as he released her and he tried not to bristle when she didn’t
hesitate to move away. He concentrated on putting on some socks and sneakers and watched
as she put the blood vials along with some evidence bags into a small knapsack then covered
it with some clothes, a towel, and a couple of bottles of water.
“There is a lab near the library that will run the tests we need and get the results by this
afternoon.”

“We’re just going to leave?”

“It’s an open compound, we’ll be back. I’ll tell them we need some beach time to work on
our vows or something.”

Before Mulder could protest further she bustled him out of the cabin. She linked her arm in
the crook of his and held him close as they walked as quickly as they could all the while
looking casual, towards the car. Scully tossed the knapsack into the backseat and opened the
passenger door for Mulder when the front door on the main house opened and Josh hurried
out.

“Donna, Matt!” he called out as he half jogged over to them. “How are you?”

“We’re good,” Scully said and she urged Mulder to sit in the car. “We’re taking a drive out to
the beach.”

“Oh Laguna? It's lovely out there,” Josh said, though he was looking over Scully’s shoulder
to get a closer look at Mulder who was still leaning on the car door.

“He could really do with some fresh sea air. We didn't sleep well last night.”

“Is everything ok? I’ve never…no one ever reacted…” Josh combed his hand through his
hair and scratched the back of his neck. “Is he ok?”

“He’s fine, he is tired is all,” Scully said and she moved a hand down Mulder’s chest to his
waist then urged him into the car. “We’re taking the day, we’ll go to the beach, take a swim,
work on our vows and be home in time for dinner.”

“Sounds peaceful,” Josh said with a smile. “Have a great day, we’ll see you later.”

Scully smiled and closed the door then waved at Josh and calmly walked around to the
driver’s side. She fixed the seat, and the mirrors then started the engine and drove off with a
wave at Josh. Her fingers gripped the wheel tighter than was necessary but until she was off
the compound and on the main road she wasn't ready to relax just yet. Though as expected,
she maintained that focus and grip on the wheel until she parked outside the lab and killed the
engine.

She looked over at Mulder who was watching her carefully.

“How do you feel?” she asked.

“Same. Worse.”

“Worse?”

“I’m hungry.”
Scully scoffed. She undid her seatbelt, grabbed the bag from the back seat and climbed out.
Mulder followed suit though his movement was sluggish. They walked into the lab and asked
to meet with the technician Chambers had arranged to work with them. Mulder went in
search of a vending machine while Scully worked with the tech to set up the tests on the
blood vials, as well as the tea and supplement samples she had collected and when Mulder
returned she took the lukewarm coffee he offered with a half smile.

“How long will these tests take?” Mulder asked as he bit into a chocolate bar and sipped his
coffee.

“A few hours.”

“Do we have to stay here?”

“No, but we’re calling Chambers before we leave,” she said. She walked off and Mulder
followed her into an office just off the main lab. Mulder sat on the edge of the desk while
Scully took the seat and picked up the phone.

She dialled the number from memory and glanced at Mulder who was finishing his chocolate
bar. Chambers answered almost immediately and Scully sat up straighter.

“Agent Chambers, its Agent Scully, Mulder is here too.”

“What's going on?”

“I’m calling from Evergreen Labs. I collected some samples last night and we’re having them
tested.”

“That’s excellent.”

“Agent Mulder partook in a ceremony last night and likely imbibed some substance that was
dissolved in tea. I’ve also got his blood sample here for testing too.”

“What happened?” Chambers asked. Scully looked at Mulder who was watching her
carefully. “How was he affected?”

“It seemed to have an adverse effect on him. He became distressed, and violent.” Scully
looked away from Mulder as she kept talking though she could feel his eyes on her. “Others
apparently took the same substance but none of them exhibited the same traits.”

“Was Troy there?”

“He was there during the ceremony but I didn't see him afterwards.” Scully looked up at
Mulder again and he shook his head as if to say he didn't remember.

“Is Agent Mulder ok?”

“Yeah, yeah he’s fine now.”

“How long will the results take?”

“A few hours.” She looked at her watch. “We should have something to report by 1 or 2
o’clock at the latest.”

“Okay, call me back then.”

“Another thing,” Scully said and she went on to describe the information Mulder got from the
market and the honey vendor and confirmed that the bugs had been placed in the office in the
barn as well as the main house. Chambers confirmed he would report all this back to Skinner
and they ended the call.

Scully sat back in the seat with sigh and Mulder tapped her leg with his foot.

“What now?” he asked when she looked up.

She shook her head. “How are you feeling?”

“Tired, headache, still a little dizzy.”

“I can’t give you anything for that until I know what you took last night,” she said and she
stood in front of him to place her hand on his forehead then his cheek. She used her thumb to
open his eye wider to get a closer look then leaned back to get a better look at him. “Let's get
out of here.”

“Where to?”

“The beach.”

Cojo Beach
Los Conejos
Saturday

They stopped at a deli on the way to grab some food then she drove to a somewhat secluded
beach nearby. Mulder climbed out of the car and grabbed their lunch, while Scully went to
the boot to get a blanket and the knapsack with their change of clothes. She had packed as if
they were going to the beach in case anyone at the compound checked and now that they
were here she was glad she brought these items.

At the edge of the car park, Mulder stood at the top of a set of concrete stairs that led down to
the beach, waiting for her, and when she finally came over he put his hand out to offer it to
her as if it was the most natural thing in the world. At first she looked down at it, confusion
on her face, then she wondered if he needed to hold her hand, if he was dizzy or unsure on his
feet. She looked up to his face to see if she could decipher the reason his hand was waiting
for her to grasp and he was looking away from her at the waves crashing on the sandy beach.
She looked down at his hand again and as soon as their fingers interlocked he tugged her a
little closer and started to descend the stairs. He steered them down the beach, away from the
sporadic clusters of people to a section that was nestled between the dunes but bathing in the
sun.

“Here ok?” he asked as he looked around.

“Yeah, it's good.” She shook out the blanket and lay it on the sand then sat down. Mulder
dropped down next to her, his feet flat on the blanket, his arms circling his knees and he
looked out at the waves. “How are you feeling?” she asked.

“Tired,” he said, then he glanced at her over his shoulder. “Embarrassed.”

“Embarrassed?”

He shook his head and hung it low enough for his chin to rest on his chest.

“Can you remember what happened?” she asked tentatively.

“Vividly.”

Scully reached over and put her hand on his back between his shoulders then slowly rubbed
soft circles there to encourage him to tell her.

“It was so calm. Sean made the tea. He mixed what looked to be some herbal concoction into
the pot, it didn't taste like anything I recognised.” He took a breath and slowly released it
with puffed cheeks. “But I felt nothing. Nothing was different. Max and Troy were swapping
Shakespeare quotes, Sean was cursing, Beth was laughing…it was just like…normal.”

“How did you go from normal to being held down on the kitchen floor screaming bloody
murder?”

Mulder glanced at her to see if she was mocking him but he saw nothing in her eyes but
concern. “Everything was quiet, I couldn't hear…anything.”

“You mean like you went deaf?”

“No, I mean not just that, I couldn't hear what they were saying, but I couldn't hear what I
was thinking.”

Scully frowned and waited for him to continue. She needed more information before she
could form a hypothesis to explain what he experienced. She needed to see those lab results.
She needed to see the blood tests. She needed…to get him back to DC.

“My thoughts were…gone.” Mulder lifted his head and looked out to the waves again. “I
remember looking around the room, trying to see if anyone else was experiencing the same
but I couldn't tell. Then I saw Troy.”

“What was he doing?”

“Looking at me.” Mulder looked over his shoulder at her but this time he didn't look away.
“He was watching me, reading me, like he knew me, me, the real me.”

“You mean…” Her hand moved down his back then off him as she rested it behind her hip
and turned to him.

“I don't know. Then I heard him.”

“What did he say?”

“He didn't speak, I heard him…” Mulder tapped the side of his head with two fingers. “I
heard him, in here.”

“What did you hear?”

“He said…he said ‘I see you’.”

“I see you?”

Mulder nodded. He watched her carefully for a reaction but her face was neutral.

“Did he say anything else?”

Mulder shook his head. “I didn't hear him say anything else, but I felt him, I felt him…
rummaging in there.”

Scully started at the word he used. The same one from the reports they had read but this
wasn't him recalling the reports, this was him recalling what he felt. “In your head?”

“Scully…” Mulder dropped his arms from his knees and fell onto his back to look up at the
sky. “I know what you’re thinking.”

“What am I thinking Mulder?” she asked and he could tell she was making an effort to keep
her voice even.

“You’re thinking I was drugged with something and hallucinated the whole thing.” Scully
didn't respond and her silence confirmed his assumption. “I know what I felt. It was…
horrible.”

“What do you mean?”

“He was in my mind Scully, he was in there and I couldn't…I couldn't push him out.”

“Mulder, he-”

“I tried to close my eyes, clear my mind and think of nothing but all I could feel or think was
him.” Mulder closed his eyes. “I tried to get up from the table and that's when I realised I
couldn't move.”

“You couldn't move?”

“It was like sleep paralysis. I couldn't move anything.” Mulder lifted his hands up and held
them in front of his face. He moved his fingers and then dropped his hands heavy to either
side of his hips and groaned. “I was…nothing. I couldn't move, or think.”

“What did you do?”

“I fought.” Mulder closed his eyes but turned his head towards her. “I fought against it and it
built up and up and up until finally I could move again. That's when I fell back off my chair. I
dropped my mug, it smashed and when Sean or Josh tried to grab me I tried to fight back and
they grappled me.”

“That's when I came in?”

Mulder opened his eyes and nodded his head. She was surprised to see tears pooling there
and one fell out the corner of his eye and raced down his temple into his hairline.

“Where did Troy go?”

“I don't know. I was…I was just fighting to get away.” Mulder pushed himself up onto his
elbows and looked out at the waves between his legs, which were still bent, knees to the sky.
“It was like I could only move when he left the room.”

“Mulder-”

“No Scully, it makes sense.” Mulder sat up further now and she saw the familiar churn of
combustion in his mind as he gathered steam on a train of thought she knew she would
struggle to derail him from. “I was experiencing some sort of waking paralysis which I
believe was orchestrated by Troy.”

“How?”

“I don't know yet.” he said and she didn't miss the ‘yet’ in that sentence.

“Mulder-”

“I think he can-”

“No! Wait!” she said and she put a hand on his arm to get his attention. “Wait a second. We
have your blood in the lab to be tested, as well as the tea I drank, and the supplement which
was delivered yesterday. Before we make any wild assumptions-”

“Wild? Scully, I know what I felt!”

She pursed her lips until they almost disappeared and rephrased her words when she spoke
again. “Before we speculate further, let's see what the evidence shows.”

Mulder looked down then back up at her. He put his elbows on his knees as he dry washed
his face vigorously with both hands.
“Scully, I know what I felt,” he said again, this time his voice low and muffled from his
hands.

“I know.” She moved her hand up to his wrist to pull one of his hands away and get him to
look at her. “I know, and I believe you.”

“You believe me?” he said, unable to hide the shock in his voice.

“I believe you felt those things, but I need to understand how.”

“Right,” Mulder said and he looked away again.

“Let’s see what the results say and take it from there.”

He nodded his head slowly and they sat in silence for a few minutes then Mulder slapped his
hands on his knees. “I think I’ll take a swim.”

Mulder stood up and toed off his sneakers. He pulled his top off over his head and started to
undo his jeans.

“Mulder, I don't think you are well enough to swim.”

“I’m fine.” He pushed his jeans down and stamped his way out of them.

“Wait,” Scully said and she reached for the knapsack. “Here,” she said after she rummaged
through it and pulled out a pair of trunks for him and when he took them she pulled out a
towel for him to use to change under.

“Thanks,” he muttered as he wrapped the towel around his waist to change into his trunks.
They were a plain pair of navy board shorts with a white trim. As soon as he changed he
stepped off the blanket then paused and looked down at her. “You want to come?”

“Maybe later.”

Mulder shrugged and ran off towards the ocean and Scully watched him. She tried to recall
everything he said but her mind was stuck on what he said he heard. I see you. That phrase
made her blood run cold. Was he in danger? Was she? She wanted to get off this case and get
back to DC because they were skirting the edge of sanity here and she wasn't sure how much
longer she could hold on.

She watched Mulder race into the water then dive under the heavy waves. She kept watching
until she saw him breach the surface again then she grabbed the knapsack and rummaged in it
for her own togs. She manoeuvred carefully under the towel to put them on then bunched up
the towel to act as a pillow and lay back on the blanket.

With no sleep the night before and her body going through an adrenaline crash right now, she
wasn't sure she could ever remember feeling so exhausted. She needed to regroup her
thoughts, figure out a way to get Mulder out of the mire he was sinking into and get them
back to DC before…god, before anything else.
She chuckled but it held no mirth. She missed when she just wanted out of this place before
she married him. Now it was before he took more drugs, before his mind was violated
further, before he was injured, before they were found out, before…something in their
already splintered relationship broke beyond repair.

Beyond repair.

She thought they were already beyond repair. She thought she could never recover from the
pain he already caused. How insignificant he made her feel. That was beyond repair. She
thought. Then she found herself climbing into bed with him. Holding his hand, hugging him,
kissing him, and missing him every second he wasn't standing beside her. Scully groaned and
covered her face with both arms to block out the sun and quieten her mind.

Mulder loved how the churn of the waves helped him forget. Laps in the pool at the gym
were fine, but nothing felt as good as swimming in the sea. Growing up on the coast gave
him an innate appreciation for the sea but he rarely got the chance to swim in it anymore.
Waves and life surrounded him and he could imagine he was anywhere else. This was when
he could let his mind rest. Finally.

Except right now there was no way his mind would rest. Scully was a couple of hundred feet
away thinking he’d lost his mind. And if he was honest with himself, he wasn't sure if he
hadn't. He kicked his legs harder and pulled his arms through the water as fast as he could to
try and let his mind focus on anything else. Anything but the look in her eyes. Which was
arguably worse than the feeling of paralysis or the sensation of Troy invading his mind.
Scully looking at him like he was crazy wasn’t new, but when she followed it up with a
gentle touch on his arm, or a soft frown of disbelief, he knew he was on the edge of losing
her respect.

Mulder stopped swimming, breached the surface and threaded water for a moment to find his
position. He spotted Scully lying back on the blanket. His true north. He watched her for a
moment then turned back to swim towards her again.

He came out of the water and half jogged up to where they had settled then picked up the
towel and quickly dried off. The sun was high and warm and he knew he would dry off in no
time. Scully was lying on the blanket face up, with her arms over her face. She had changed
into a two piece swimming outfit and had a colourful chiffon wrap draped loose over her
legs. Mulder sat down next to her and crossed his legs then reached for the knapsack to grab
a bottle of water.

“How do you feel?” Scully asked, her voice muffled from her arms.

“Tired.”

“How is your head?”

“Spinning.”

“You’re dizzy?” Scully moved her arms and half sat up on her elbows to get a closer look at
him.
“No, well maybe a little but that's not what I meant.”

Scully paused then sat up fully and crossed her legs too. She took the bottle of water from
him and took a drink then handed it back.

“What did you mean?”

“I mean…” Mulder screwed the cap back on the bottle and put it into the bag then looked at
her sideways. “I don't know what happened last night, but Troy did something to me.”

Scully went to talk but Mulder looked away and shook his head.

“I know you don't believe it. But I felt him…in my head.”

“We’re going to take a look at the test results, and we’re going to find out what happened.”

She spoke with such conviction Mulder wondered if she realised she was assigned to the x-
files again. Conviction and clear results were rarely the outcome for their cases.

“So we get results from the lab, and then what?” he asked.

“When I can see your bloods I’ll be better able to treat you,” Scully said and she brushed her
hand through his hair again to rub her thumb across his forehead and get a closer look at his
eyes. “When I see what was in that tea, and what's in the delivery that arrived then we’ll
know if it's the same as what Chambers expects or this is a red herring.”

“Those students from the university are coming for the harvest and the wedding right?”

“Yeah.”

“We should ask Chambers to get more UC agents available for that event because they have
something planned then too and I’m not…”

“Yeah, I think that's a great idea.” Scully said when he paused. She wasn't sure what he was
about to say but she figured it was something along the lines of him not being able to go
through another session like he did last night. The top layer of concern she always carried
with her on a case, when Mulder was prone to being unpredictable, and making rash
decisions, started to fizzle out and she let out a slow shaky breath. Maybe this experience
would make him more cautious on the rest of this case, or future cases, she thought, though
she didn't believe that even when the notion formed in her mind.

Mulder hummed in acknowledgement of her words but didn't respond further. She dug into
the knapsack and pulled out the lunch they purchased on the way here and handed him a sub.
She took out her own then grabbed a bag of chips and a fruit cup and opened both of them to
put between them.

They ate in silence for a few moments and every second that passed made it seem harder and
harder to break. She watched him watch the sea and when she couldn't take it anymore she
nudged his arm with her elbow. He glanced over as he bit into his sub and raised his
eyebrows to query what she wanted.
“You have two more nights left as a single man.”

Mulder chewed the food in his mouth and swallowed it with a smile. “It's not quite how I
imagined it all happening.”

“Oh? You mean having an intimate wedding surrounded by strangers with moonshine and
mind altering substances is not your dream wedding?”

“Not quite. Is it yours?”

Scully smiled and looked out at the waves as she continued to eat her sandwich.

“Well?” he prodded her to continue. “What is your dream wedding?”

“Mine?” She glanced at him as he nodded and she suddenly wished she hadn't started this
line of teasing. She had just meant to get him out of his own head for a moment, but she
didn't mean for him to delve into hers. “I dunno, I guess my church, my mom…”

Mulder cursed inwardly. Of course now she’d be thinking about her father taking her down
the aisle, her sister taking her flowers at the top, neither of which were possible.

“Brad Pitt waiting for you at the end of the aisle?” he said, deciding to make a joke and
hopefully get her to smile.

Scully laughed. “Oh we’re talking about a dream wedding with no limitations?”

“What, you don't think you could snag Brad Pitt?” he said and he bit into his sub as he shook
his head. “You could snag Brad Pitt.”

“Right, yeah. I’ll just call him up, and ask him out.”

“You’re FBI Scully, you could get his number.”

“Mulder!” She said laughing and she pushed his arm making him sway away from her but he
rolled back laughing.

“We should use our skills for good,” Mulder said and he gestured at the horizon as if the
answers to everything were out there. “Using the FBI database to look up Brad Pitt's phone
number to call him and ask him out on a date is definitely for good.”

“I think it also definitely breaks multiple laws and privacy breaches.”

“Ahhh who would know,” he said and waved his hand. “Besides, Skinner would just forget it
when you invite him to the wedding.”

Scully chuckled. She crinkled up her sandwich wrapper and put it back into the bag then
picked at the fruit as Mulder finished the chips. She watched him from the corner of her eye.
His body was still glistening from his swim, random droplets coming off his hair and trailing
down the curve of his back as he leaned over to eat his lunch. His skin was tanned and taut
across hard muscles and she could remember in vivid detail how they felt pressed against her
back, her stomach. She could recall that sensation without hesitation and more often than not
expelled more energy not thinking of it.

She glanced down at her own outfit and wondered if the two piece was such a good idea all
of a sudden. She couldn't sit on the beach in jeans and a sweater but perhaps a bikini top and
swim shorts were not the way to go.

“When do we have to go back to the lab?” Mulder asked as he scrunched up his own wrapper
and finished the chips then put all that trash into the knapsack. He looked into the fruit pack
and finished the last strawberry then put that pot into the knapsack too. He offered her the
water but she shook her head and leaned back on her hands.

“We have about two more hours, then we need to get back.”

“Do you want to stay here?”

“At the beach, or on the blanket?”

Mulder smiled. “Let’s walk off that lunch.”

He stood up and needlessly dusted non-existent sand off his lap then lowered a hand down to
help her up. Scully looked from his face to his hand then to her lap and wondered how she
could stand and take the throw with her or if she should just toss it behind her and accept the
situation she manoeuvred herself into.

“C’mon, we’ll walk down by the water, it's amazing,” he coaxed and waved his fingers to
encourage her to take his hand.

Scully moved the throw off her lap and left it on the blanket behind her, then took his hand
and let him pull her to her feet. She went to release his hand but he turned it around and
interlocked their fingers as he tugged her in the direction of the water.

Mulder altered his stride to allow her to walk at a leisurely pace and concentrated on keeping
his eyes off her cleavage, curvy hips, firm ass and shapely legs. The bikini top was a royal
blue colour which made her eyes pop and the swim shorts were moss green which made him
wonder if they would make his eyes pop if his head was down here.

Mulder tightened his grip on her hand and lifted her hand to press against his chest. When
Scully looked over he looked back and smiled.

“What are you thinking?” he asked.

“What am I thinking?” she repeated in a clear delay tactic. “A lot.”

“Such as?” he pressed and smiled again.

“The possible chemical composition of the supplements, what we’re likely to find in your
blood toxicology. If Troy will try on me what he tried on you yesterday.”
That made his hand tighten on hers and he lowered his chin to his chest and pressed his
mouth to her knuckles.

“If Beth will finally sleep with Sean.”

Mulder chuckled and looked at her sideways but kept his lips on her hand.

“If my wedding vows will meet your expectations.”

Mulder lifted his head and laughed.

“If your vows will meet mine.”

“Please, I’m Oxford educated,” Mulder said and straightened his imaginary tie. “I minored in
English literature, I can write vows that will knock your socks off.”

“Just my socks?”

Mulder choked on the air in his throat and put his hand flat on his chest as he tried to regain
his composure. Scully laughed and pulled him in the direction of the water so she could step
through the slow waves. Mulder stopped coughing and walked with her, splashing through
the water more than was necessary. He wanted to ask her about that kiss in the pantry. He
wanted to know more than he wanted to breathe if it was something she thought about,
remembered, dreamed of. Or if it was just another moment in the maelstrom that was their
relationship.

He felt a tug on his hand and looked over to see her facing out to sea. He stepped over to her
and looked down at their feet in the water, her toes scrunched up the sand and soon became
buried.

“Scully…” he said and wondered if the wind coming in over the sea, that tossed her hair to
and fro, stole his voice when she made no response. “Are we ok?”

He saw her feet freeze and knew then she heard him. He waited with bated breath burning his
chest for her to say something, anything.

“I don't know,” she said eventually.

“Why?” he asked and he wasn't sure if he was asking why she didn't know, or why they
weren't ok.

“Because I’m scared.”

“Of me?”

“Yeah.”

“Scully…” he said and he stepped in front of her, blocking the sun from her view and putting
her in the shade, which he immediately recognised as a physical manifestation of what he had
been doing to her since the day he met her; pulling her into the darkness with him. He took
her chin between his thumb and forefinger and urged her to look at him but even when she
tipped her head up her eyes were closed.

She kept her eyes closed for a few more heartbeats then slowly opened them with a couple of
blinks. His face was contorted in an expression of worry, anticipation, maybe a smattering of
fear, she couldn't really tell without really examining him further and she didn't want to do
that because she knew as soon as she did she would cave and ignore the feelings she had been
harbouring since…the incident. That was how she liked to think of it. Because to name it
anything else was to give her the power. And she didn't want to give Diana anything more
than she had already taken.

“I’m not scared of you Mulder, I’m scared of what you do to me,” she said and pushed the
words past her lips before she could stop herself from saying them. Again.

“What I…”

“Mulder you fog things up. You always have. You spin me about and I used to love trying to
keep up, outsmart you, beat you, challenge you.”

“Used to?”

“When I could trust that you were showing me all the puzzle pieces. When you laid it all out
or helped me ask the right questions.” She looked away from him and the hand he had on her
jaw dropped to his side. “When all that mattered was the truth.”

“And now…”

“And now it seems there are layers to the truth. Some of which I’m not privy to.”

“Scully, c’mon, that's not fair.”

“Fair? Mulder what's fair about letting me walk in there with my head up only to have it
chopped off without warning.”

Mulder took a long slow breath. “You don't trust me anymore.” It wasn't a question and she
heard only the surrender in his voice.

“I want to…I really do. But it's hard.”

“Ask me.”

Scully frowned and looked at him. “Ask you what?”

“Anything.” He bent his knees and lowered himself to be eye level with her. They were both
barefoot and he needed to drop almost a foot to make it work but he wanted to capture and
hold her eyes when he spoke to her.

“Mulder I don't want-”

“Ask me, Scully. I’ll tell you everything, anything.”

She kept her eyes on his and wondered if this was the moment.

“Why didn't you tell me who she was to you the second she came on scene?”

“Starting with an easy one huh,” he said and he straightened his legs to stand up straight.

“Forget it,” she said and she went to move away but Mulder stopped her with a hand on her
waist.

“Whoa, Scully, stop, wait.” He closed his eyes and took a moment to analyse the electric
charge that fizzed where his fingers touched the bare skin of her back. “At first…I was
shocked.”

Scully watched him carefully and waited for him to continue.

“She left. She left the X-Files. She left me. Without warning, without reason, she left and…”
he swallowed as if unsure if he could continue. “And it took me a long time to get over that.”

Scully opened her mouth to ask something else but she could see more words churning
behind his eyes so she stayed silent.

“When I found the X-Files she was standing right there with me. She helped me uncover case
after case. She helped me campaign to get a dedicated department for these cases and she
helped me investigate them, without question, without-”

“Making you explain every step along the way?” Scully said though she didn't mean to sound
as vitriol as it came out.

“Yes!” he said with a harsh laugh. “But god Scully, don't you see?” He lowered his whole self
again to capture her eyes. “I was living in an echo chamber. She wasn't really supporting me.
She was just biding her time before she got a better offer.” He moved his hand up to her neck
and rubbed her jaw with his thumb. “I was just so blinded by what she was offering I didn't
even realise it.”

“What was she offering?” Scully asked with one arched eyebrow.

Mulder chuckled and closed his eyes as he stood up again. His back was aching and he was
starting to think he needed to go back to doing daily squats if he was going to be barefoot
around Scully again.

“On the X-Files,” he said with a smile. “It seemed that she was offering me unfettered
support, access to her contacts in MUFON, an agreeable partner to back me up when Blevins
tried to argue which cases I should select.”

“Agreeable. Right,” she muttered.

Mulder laughed and couldn't help but pull her against him in a swift hug.

“You have no idea do you…” he muttered against her hair. “You have no idea what you did to
me, what you do to me.”
He pulled back and looked down at her. He was smiling and she looked at him in confusion.

“Scully I’ve been off kilter since the second you walked into the basement office. Fuck!” he
said with a sharp bark of laughter that made her startle. “I was off kilter before then. When I
read your thesis you whipped the rug out from under me. When you walked into the office
you blew me away.”

“You were an ass that day,” she muttered.

“Of course I was!” he said, still laughing. “I was terrified of you. So intimidated and I was
just trying to impress you, trying to keep up.”

He sobered a little when he spied the slight blush creep over her cheeks and he took a few
steadying breaths.

“I didn't tell you everything when she came back because I was hurt, and embarrassed. I
didn't handle it well when she left and I didn't want to give her a chance to do it to me again.”
He watched her carefully but she was just as calm and cool as if she was in front of congress
and that memory made him smile. “I wanted to protect you, keep you away from her, keep
you safe from her mind games, her bullshit.”

“Mulder-”

“Wait, I’m almost finished.” He stroked her cheek with his thumb again and leaned down to
rest his forehead against hers. “I don't like who I am when I’m around her. I didn't want you
to see that. I become myopic, hyper focused on one thing and it's usually the thing she wants
me to focus on.”

Scully closed her eyes and he watched her smile then laugh softly.

“What?”

“You become myopic?” She opened her eyes and pulled back from him. “Mulder you have
been that way since the day I met you.”

“Hey,” he protested weakly.

“Mulder-”

“Let me-”

“No,” she put a hand up to cover his lips with her fingertips to stop him from speaking. “My
turn.”

Mulder nodded. He wanted to lick his lips, lick across her fingers, taste her skin but he held
fast and waited to see what she was going to say.

“You hurt me.”

Mulder swallowed. This was it. This was the conversation that would break them. He knew it
in his heart and it was why he never wanted to have it, and avoided it at all costs until now.

“You dismissed me. You ignored me. You made me feel like I was nothing. Like I meant
nothing, like my work meant nothing.”

“Scully-”

Her fingers pressed harder against his mouth to stop him from saying anything.

“I trusted you. I trusted you with…with me.” She tried her hardest not to show any tears but
she could feel them pooling and now she just prayed they didn't fall. “And you threw it
away.”

“No!” he said and he brushed her hand away from his mouth so he could pull her into a hard
heavy hug. He buried his face in the crook of her neck and inhaled her scent. His arms circled
her back, gripped her sides and held her tight.

“Mulder,” she said, her voice muffled against his shoulder.

“I need you, Scully.”

“You don't need me.”

“Christ,” he muttered and he loosened his grip enough to pull back and look at her face as his
hands moved up her back and neck to cradle her face. “You’ve never been more wrong about
anything else.”

Before she could mention another way he hurt her, he stopped the words from flowing out of
her mouth by covering it with his own.

Scully froze momentarily then let her desires dampen her need to flee. She tipped her head a
little to give him more access and encourage him to deepen the kiss as she parted her lips
with a sigh and swept her tongue into his mouth.

Mulder groaned and cupped the back of her head with one hand as the other moved down to
the small of her back and held her against him so when he leaned forward to bend her back
they kept touching from head to toe. Her mouth was warm and inviting, her tongue was
strong and enticing. When her hands moved off his shoulders to slip under his arms and
clutch at his back he could have died happy.

He could have held her like that with her lips against his, her body curled under his, her arms
around him, forever. Forever! But when an ATV drove by, the sharp rumble of the engine, the
loud klaxon from the horn, and the whistles and yells from the riders broke the spell, he could
have chased after them and murdered them and if he had his gun on him he surely would
have opened fire.

Scully pulled back and looked away and Mulder stood up to straighten them both then moved
his hands down her sides to grip her hips and hold her against him.
“Mulder-”

“I was afraid of what you would see when you saw me with her,” he said quickly before she
could say anything else. “I didn't want to jeopardise what we had with...whatever she was
bringing to the table.” He took a moment. “But instead I put everything at risk and I almost
lost you altogether.”

“Mulder if this is your way of trying to keep me-”

“No, it's not. It's never about that.” He leaned down and kissed her hard on the lips again. A
smacking kiss full of promise and desire. “I’ve been wanting to kiss you forever. And while
this was definitely not the best moment to do that, I don't care.”

Scully chuckled and shook her head. She moved her hand to pat his chest then pushed him
away to make space between them. She took a couple of steps back but Mulder held his hand
on her hips to stop her from getting too far away.

“We need to focus.”

“I’m trying,” he said, his fingers clawing at her to bring her closer but she moved her hands
to his wrists to try and make him release her.

“On this case,” she clarified and finally yanked his hands off her. She ignored his grunt of
frustration and took another couple of steps back, still holding his wrists tightly. “We can get
back to this…this topic when we’re back in DC.”

Mulder stopped struggling against her grip and looked up to her face. She was serious though
there was a sparkle in her eye that made him smile.

“When we’re back in DC,” he said.

She nodded.

“And until then?”

“Until then we need to focus on this case.” She let go of his wrists and turned back to walk
up the beach but Mulder grabbed her arm and pulled her back in close.

“Okay, but just…” he closed the distance and kissed her again. He slipped his leg between
hers, bent her over with his arms around her back to support her and kissed her hungrily.
“Okay,” he said as he stopped kissing her but kept his lips against hers as he spoke. “Okay, I
just needed that to tide me over until DC.”

Scully smiled and he kissed her lips then she cupped his face, kissed him back and pulled
away. “Enough.”

“Never.”

“Let's get back and finish this case.”

 Chapter 6

Evergreen Labs
Los Conejos
Saturday

By the time they got back to the lab they had changed back into their clothes. Mulder waited
in the lobby to call Chambers about getting more UC agents for the wedding event, while
Scully went into the lab to talk to the tech about the results.

When he had finished his call and she still hadn’t emerged he followed her. She was sitting at
a table with a technician and both of them took turns looking into a microscope or working
on a computer. He approached slowly and leaned against the back of her chair.

“What's the verdict?” he asked and hoped she would turn around with a eureka expression
and be ready to solve this case. And get them back to DC. So they could finish what they
started on the beach. Or was it the pantry. Hell he didn't care which one started it as long as
she let him finish. He closed his eyes at the crassness of that statement and took a breath
before he got to her side.

Scully looked over her shoulder at him with a deep frown then looked back at the computer
screen. The tech sat back in his seat and scratched the back of his head.

“I uh…” Scully said then turned her chair to face him fully.

“What is it?” Mulder asked and the prickle of worry started to tickle his nerves and made
goose bumps rise on both of his arms.

“It's nothing.”

“No, tell me, Scully.”

“I am, I did…I mean, it's nothing, there is nothing here,” she said and smacked a page with
the back of her fingers. Mulder looked down at the histograms on the page that he knew he
wouldn't understand.

“What?”

“Your blood toxicology came back clear. There was a slightly higher level of dopamine in
your system but it's not alarming and could just be your baseline. There is nothing there that
shouldn't be there.” She turned the page over and grabbed another from the table. “And the
sample of tea from the barn that I drank, it's…just tea. Exactly what Beth guessed was in it.
Basil, lemon, camomile, lavender and valerian, which is a sedative.”

“Sedative?” Mulder asked and thought back to the relaxed hug she gave him in the kitchen
then the smooth kiss in the pantry.
“The supplement sample I took is also innocuous.”

“So it's not the ingredients Troy said it was?”

“No, it is, it is, but it's not potent enough to be mind altering in the manner I would expect
that concoction to be.” she looked at the page in her hand again. “It was trace amounts.”

Mulder sat on the edge of the table and clasped his hands between his thighs. This was not
the response he was expecting. Though he wasn't sure if it was better or worse to know there
was no substance involved just…Troy.

“Maybe it was a faulty batch, the sample was tainted, I should have brought more,” Scully
said, half speaking to herself.

“Would the effects of the drug alter if more and more of it was taken?”

“No, not with this composition, it’s just not potent enough.”

“What about if it was mixed with something else?”

Scully glanced at the technician and they both seemed to silently speak for a moment. Mulder
looked between them, waiting for them to respond.

“The ingredients are mixed with something, depending on what the other component is, sure
there could be other effects.”

“Peyote is native to this area,” the tech said. “But that in and of itself is mind altering,
rendering this mix redundant.”

“Anything else in the area?”

“Jimsonweed, but again, no need to be mixed with anything from this sample,” he said and
tapped the screen that showed the list of ingredients found in the results.

“And none of that was found in my tox screen,” Mulder said.

“No,” Scully said as she turned back to the screen.

“There is one other box we didn't check,” Mulder said and he tapped Scully's shoulder to get
her to look back at him. “The box that Troy picked up at the market. The one he is planning
to use at the wedding.”

“Where did he put it?”

“His office?” Mulder said with a half shrug.

Scully nodded her head, deep in thought.

“What if the tea, the supplement is just that, a relaxant?” he said to bore through her thoughts.
“It is,” she said and pointed at the screen. “Much like an over the counter tea brew you can
likely buy in any organic shop.”

“Right, so what if the tea is given to relax, but the other substance is taken by Troy.”

“To what end?”

Mulder lifted his eyebrow and silently asked her to make the leap with him. “If everyone is
more relaxed, possibly susceptible to whatever Troy suggests.”

“The power of suggestion?”

“It's a proven-”

“Proven?”

“There is an entire industry built up on manipulating society through the power of

suggestion. Marketing, product placement, subliminal messaging-”

Scully held her hand up to concede the point.

“If this concoction is to relax the audience, and the other one to…to…empower Troy, or give
him some ability like direct his pheromones,” he said and he ignored the questioning look
from the tech who was sitting beside them.

“Mulder, no one can-”

“The Kindred could. You experienced it yourself!”

She grabbed his arm and pulled him away from the desk where they could speak in relative
privacy.

“To understand what Troy is doing, or how he is doing it, we need to see what is in the box
he brought back from the market,” she said. “We need to both be there to witness the event
and compare the experience.” She felt like she was scrambling and she didn't like the
sensation. Still distracted by the sensation of his lips on hers and his hands caressing her back
as his tongue swooped around her mouth, she was struggling to coherently argue with him
like she usually did.

“Well, we’ll both be at the wedding.” He shrugged one shoulder. Then remembering his
phone call with Chambers he added, “Along with a herd of other UC agents.”

“You got through to Chambers?”

Mulder nodded. “There were supposed to be ten students coming for the harvest, now they
will all be UC agents.”

“I need to send him these results,” Scully said. “I’m not sure this should be a full on raid.”
They were both quiet for a moment then Mulder leaned one shoulder against the wall. “If the
only effect of the supplement, the tea, is relaxation, are they planning to just sell it? Like at
the food markets?”

“I don't know,” Scully admitted. “It's a large supply, but there are no contraband substances in
there.”

“It can't match with the substance they thought he was trafficking right?”

“I don't know that either,” she said with an exasperated sigh. “I’ll send these results to
Chambers to look at but from what I recall in the file, the original substance was way more
potent, had hallucinogenic properties derived from alkaloids found in the leaves of
Solanaceae plants…” her voice faded away and Mulder watched as she jerked her head over
her shoulder to look back at the console her and the tech had been viewing.

“What is it?”

“Hang on…”

She moved back to the computer and pulled up the test results again then put her hand on the
tech’s shoulder to get his attention.

“Did you say jimsom weed was native to this area?”

“Yeah, we get requests all the time for people who ate it or drank it.”

“This signal here,” she said and pointed at the histogram on the screen. “This was labelled as
alkaloids which could be hyoscyamine or hyoscine, both of which are found in jimson weed,
and have some of the effects the patient experienced.”

“I can do a deeper analysis.”

“Yes, please.”

She stood up and turned back to Mulder.

“You want to explain that for the cheap seats in the room?”

“Jimson weed is a powerful hallucinogenic, more so when eaten or drunk. It can result in
dizziness, confusion, combative behaviour…”

“Basically me last night.”

“If you had taken that, if the others in the room had taken it, and Troy was…was sober, then
it wouldn't take much to manipulate you into thinking he was reading your mind.”

“Thinking?”

“Mulder he has demonstrated keen empathic abilities, he is clearly an open, emotional

individual, who has experienced grief and trauma no one should have to. People who live
through these events are often more able to read others' emotions, anticipate their needs.”

“Scully-”

“Mulder you do it yourself in a professional setting. You profile people based on their
actions, anticipate their thoughts and needs and traits. Troy doesnt have your formal
education on the matter but that doesn't mean he can't read the room.”

Mulder wanted to argue back but couldn't deny she was right.

“It changes nothing though, we need to find out what it is Troy is taking, if anything, and we
need to compare these results to Chambers’ file.”

He nodded and straightened up to fold his arms over his chest as he pondered their next
move. Going back to the compound was not an enticing step but it was the only one. They
needed to get more information. Get their hands on whatever was in Troy’s office, and figure
out if or rather how he was invading people's minds.

Maybe that last part he would leave out until absolutely necessary. Scully packed up their
things and swapped a few last minute notes with the tech then left him with instructions to
send all updates to Chambers’ email before she followed Mulder back out to the car.

Community Compound
Los Angeles
Saturday

This time he drove and they made most of the journey in silence. As he indicated and turned
into the long drive he looked over at her and then reached to take her hand from her lap.

“You ready?” he asked.

“For?”

“Whatever is about to happen?”

Scully smiled softly and nodded her head. “I’m ready. Are you?”

Mulder looked at the road and steered the car into a parking spot beside Josh’s truck. “I’m
ready to get this done.”

“Get back to DC?” she added and he smiled.

“Get back to DC.” He squeezed her hand to let her know what he meant then they both
climbed out of the car. She took the bag out of the trunk and he slung and arm around her
shoulders as they walked around the side of the house towards the cabin.
“Hey!”

They both looked up to see Beth coming off the back porch and racing over to them.

“Hey, Matt, how are you feeling?” She asked and put a hand on his arm in a soothing gesture.

“I’m good, much better.”

“You really took a spin last night.”

“Allergic reaction,” Scully said and she rested her head on the front of his shoulder and her
hand in the centre of his chest. “Matt is allergic to elderflowers.”

“Oh no!”

“It's usually just a mild reaction but he just got over a chest infection, and with the probiotics
he was taking he was susceptible to inflammation.”

Mulder leaned down and kissed the top of her head. “Luckily Donna is a nurse and was able
to get me sorted.”

“Oh wow, you guys are perfect together,” Beth said with a smile. “I’m glad you are feeling
better, Matt.” she leaned in and gave him a sideways hug. “And I’m even more glad it was
not just a ruse to get out of the wedding.”

Mulder laughed and his arm tightened around Scully to pull her in even closer. “Not a
chance.”

“Will you both be out for dinner later? Josh is doing a cookout and Juan has a new batch of
moonshine to test.”

“Sounds great.”

“Brilliant. Bring your singing voices. It's karaoke night!”

Beth laughed at the stricken look on their faces and hurried back to the house. Mulder and
Scully exchanged glances and kept walking to the cabin. She wasn't surprised when he kept
his arm over her shoulders and even when they were in the cabin with the door closed he kept
her close by, one hand on her arm, or her back until she went into the bathroom and closed
the door.

They showered and changed then settled on the couch to note all their plans in the laptop.
They dictated thoughts back and forth until everything was recorded then she saved it, closed
the laptop and slipped it under the couch. They sat side by side, angled towards each other,
their heads on the back cushions, almost but not quite touching, legs stretched out in front of
each other, hands clasped on their laps.

“So all we need to do is get into Troy’s office and get a sample of whatever is in that box,”
Mulder said.
“Get evidence of any other substances that are on the compound,” she countered.

“Get the details of the wedding to Chambers for the UC op.”

“Get through the wedding without being imbued with hallucinogenic drugs.”

“Dodge Troy’s mental powers while getting close enough to witness it and understand it.”

“Finish writing our vows,” she said and he nudged her in the ribs with his elbow. “What?”

“You mean you’re not finished writing them yet?”

“Something like that takes finesse, concentration and focus. Things I haven't been able to
achieve since we made it to this forsaken place.”

“We should go out to the spring,” he suggested. “Relax, try and find some of that focus
you’re talking about.”

“Yeah right,” she slapped his leg and moved off the couch. “How about instead of shirking
off our responsibilities we go about seeing if we can find any other stashes on the
compound?”

“How? And Where?”

“You should check out the other cabins, and the bunk house.”

“And you?”

“I want to go back to the office in the barn and see if I can find any information on other
deliveries.”

“We should stick together.”

“We’ll cover more ground this way, and we don't have time.” She grabbed her sneakers from
the side of the bed and slipped them on then combed her fingers through her hair. “The
wedding is the day after tomorrow, we need more evidence to give the UC team before the
op.”

“Okay.” Mulder stood and put his own sneakers on and caught up with her outside the cabin.
“Be careful ok?”

“I will.”

She moved to step away but Mulder grabbed her hand and pulled her in for a quick kiss
before he let go and raced off.

Scully brushed her fingers over her lips as she watched him disappear then she walked as
casually as she could back to the barn. Sean was in one of the stables, mucking it out with
pitchfork and barrow, and he sang an old country lullaby as he worked. Scully approached
and sang the last verse with him as she leaned against the half door and watched him turn and
smile.

“Hey, you’re back.” Sean stopped working and leaned on the pitchfork handle under his
elbow. “Beth said Matt was doing better.”

“Yeah, it was an allergic reaction. Elderflowers.”

“From the tea?”

“Yeah, well from the tea and the probiotic he was taking after a bad chest infection.”

“And those things mixed together cause that reaction?”

Scully shrugged. “They can. Any strange concoction can have adverse effects.” She smiled.
“I’m betting the moonshine that was still in his system from the other night didn't help
either.”

Sean held his hands up in a defensive gesture. “I had nothing to do with that!”

They both chuckled and Scully gestured to the other stables. “Do you need a hand?”

“Yeah, that’d be great, fork over by the door.”

Scully looked over her shoulder and saw the tools and gloves she would need and got to
work. They worked side by side for a while, singing whatever song came to his mind and
soon had all the stables cleaned out with fresh hay added for when the horses would come
back in from the pasture.

“Oh hey,” Scully said as if the thought just occurred to her. “The other day Beth and I had a
cup of tea in your office.” She gestured at the office up in the stable loft.

“She is a wily one. Always trying to steal my batch.”

Scully chuckled and tried her hardest to effect an air of casual mirth. “Well she did steal it. Or
rather both of us did.”

“That was my special batch.” He tented his fingers in one hand and kissed the tips with a
smacking motion like a chef. “The best one yet.”

“What was in it?”

“You liked it?”

“Yeah! It was delicious.”

“Lavender, lemon, chamomile.” Sean shrugged. “How did it make you feel?”

“Great, relaxed.”

Sean smiled. “That's the intended effect.”

“When did you learn these recipes?”

“On deployment.” He looked down at his feet and his boot scuffed the edge of the stable
wall. “In turkey I started to learn an appreciation for tea, in Afghanistan I started to learn
more flavours, in morocco I figured out there was more to tea than just dark roast and
deliciousness.”

“Like what?”

“If you boil the water for seven minutes and then add leaves from a potato flower, you’ll
produce a sweeter taste that gives the tea an energising property.” Sean spoke with a wistful
smile. “If you soak the root of a valerian plant for a few days, then add it to a tea just at the
boiling point the tea gains sedative properties that last for hours, making the drinker drowsy,
relaxed, open.”

“Relaxed and open?” Scully asked with a smile and an arched eyebrow.

“Yeah,” Sean said laughing softly. “We used to brew this on base, and then make rookies
drink it to tell us all their secrets.”

“No way, did it work?”

“Yeah, of course.”

“Like a truth serum?”

Sean laughed. “Not really, but kinda.”

“What do you mean?”

“The drink didn't make them tell the truth, it just stopped them being scared of it.”

“Deep,” she said with a wave of her eyebrows and a smile.

Sean collected her pitchfork and put it away with his own then emptied the barrow into the
compost pile.

“You like tea?” he asked as he came back to her side.

“I guess.”

“You want to try some?”

“Of that truth serum tea? No thanks.”

Sean laughed. “You’re afraid of your truth?”

“Not mine, no.”

“So you’re afraid of Matt’s truth.”

Scully winced. “Maybe a little.”

“Maybe we should get him in here to drink it.”

Scully laughed and hoped it didn't come across too forced. “I think he’s been through
enough.” She shook her head and let her frown show a little. “He wasn't making sense last
night, some of the things he was saying, about Troy.”

“Oh?” Sean stood up and leaned towards her. “Like what?”

“Oh it doesn't matter,” she said with a rapid wave of her hand. “He was just confused, that
allergic reaction.”

“What did he say?”

Scully looked at him as if she was sizing him up and he nodded his head to encourage her to
tell him.

“He said he felt like he could hear Troy in his head.”

“What Troy was saying?”

Scully tried not to react to the question he posed instead of a statement of disbelief she
expected. “Yes, except Troy wasn't speaking, like he could hear his thoughts,” she shook her
head a little as if the thought was ridiculous to see what Sean’s reaction would be.

Sean didn't say anything and Scully wondered if she had gone too far.

“He was really wound up when I got him home,” she added.

“Yeah,” Sean said distractedly. “He was.”

“He’s fine now, I just hope he’s ok for the wedding.”

“Oh I’m sure wild horses couldn't keep him away.”

Scully smiled. “So what other magic powers do your teas have?”

Sean smiled and nodded his head towards his office. “C’mon, I’ll show you.”

After checking the other cabins and finding them all to be almost carbon copies of their own,
Mulder went to the bunk house but it was empty too. He returned to the cabin he shared with
Scully but she wasnt there so he went looking for her. He glanced in the stables, over by the
chicken coup, he walked around the vineyards, stopping for a few minutes to chat with Max
then went into the main house. Josh was in the kitchen making coffee and preparing meat for
the cookout.

“Ah the weary traveller returns!” Josh said with a wave when Mulder walked in.

“Hey Josh.”

“How are you feeling?”

“I’m good, a little tired, but I’m good.”

“Beth said you were allergic to something in the tea?”

“Yeah, elderflowers.”

“Shit man, you should have said,” Josh said as he turned back to the meat and continued to
add a dry rub to a large flank of steak.

“It's not usually an issue, and even if I drink it, I just get a bit tired, but Donna said it mixed
with some prescriptions I just finished and likely caused the reaction.”

“Wow, unlucky.”

“Tell me about it.”

Josh chuckled and looked over his shoulder at Mulder with a crooked smile. “We’ll make
sure there are no elderflowers in the next batch.”

Mulder laughed. “Yeah, that would be preferred.” He stepped closer to Josh to get a better
look at what he was doing. “Do you need a hand?”

“Nah, I’m almost done. These should be lovely for the cookout later.”

“Smells great.”

“And we have a new batch of shine to test.”

“Oh I dunno about that,” Mulder said and rubbed his stomach. “I’m not sure I could last
another session with that fuel.”

Josh laughed.

“Have you seen Donna?”

“No but then I’ve been here working on this all afternoon.”

“Alright, I think she might have gone up to the spring.”

“Oh you better get out there quick, before someone finds her there.”
Mulder chuckled. “She’s more than capable of looking after herself,” he said as he backed
away from the counter. “Is Troy about?”

“Haven't seen him, he might be in his office, check in there.”

“Thanks, see ya later for dinner.”

“Karaoke night!” Josh called after him.

Mulder smiled and walked out of the kitchen then quickly moved through the house to Troy's
office. He knocked lightly on the door which was ajar and pushed it open.

“Hello? Troy?” he said as he stepped into the empty room, he could feel his heart beating
hard enough to break out of his rib cage.

He couldn't be sure if the tension that was coursing through his whole body was from the
thought of getting caught snooping or the raw fear of running into Troy. He wasn't sure he
could cope being alone with him again. He didn't want to give Troy another chance to get
into his mind like he did before, he didn't want to feel that sense of invasion again.

He checked over his shoulder quickly before he closed the door softly behind him and did a
quick check to see that the bug was in place and still functioning. Satisfied it hadn't been
noticed he moved to the other side of the table and searched for the box Troy collected from
the market. He remembered it was plain, the size of a shoe box so there were only so many
places it could fit. He checked the drawers and shelving, moved files aside but found nothing.
Not even a flattened version of the box, or anything like it. He wanted to take more time to
search through the documentation more thoroughly but didn't trust he wouldn’t be noticed.

He moved back around to the door taking one more look at everything then opened it and
stepped out, right into Troy.

“Oh jeez!” Troy said as he stumbled back and Mulder grabbed his arms to stop him from
falling. “Matt, you scared the bejesus out of me!” he said with a chuckle and one hand
holding his chest.

“Sorry Troy, I didn't mean to startle you.” Mulder felt his heart in his throat and looked away
from Troy to avoid his eyes.

“Oh everyone needs a good scare now and then,” Troy said with a chuckle.

“Yeah I guess,” Mulder let go of his arms and stepped back as they circled each other so Troy
could get in his office.

“Were you looking for me?” Troy asked and he jerked a thumb over his shoulder into the
office behind him.

“Yeah, I just wanted to, um,” Mulder scratched the back of his neck and slipped one hand
into the front pocket of his jeans. “To apologise about yesterday.”
“Apologise? What for?” Troy walked into the room, around the desk and left the door open
for Mulder to follow.

“I kinda made a fool of myself yesterday.” Mulder stepped in and leaned against the door
jamb, straddling the threshold of the room, not quite entering into Troy’s space. “After
everything you’ve done for me, and Donna, I didn't want you to think I-”

“Nonsense,” Troy said with a wave of his hand then he groaned when he sat into the chair.
“You’ve nothing to be embarrassed about. I heard tell it was an allergic reaction?”

“Yeah, Donna read me the riot act already for not being more careful.”

Troy chuckled and shook his head slowly. “She is a feisty one.”

“That she is.”

“So all systems go for the wedding?”

Mulder wondered if that was a loaded question. If Troy was asking about the supplements he
collected for the wedding and if Mulder would be ok to take them. Then he wondered if he
was just over analysing and being too paranoid. And when he realised he hadn't responded to
Troy’s question he smiled and nodded his head.

“Hell yeah, no way am I going to miss the chance to put a ring on her finger,” he said as he
scuffed his sneaker on the worn wooden floor beneath him.

“Good good, that's what I like.” Troy leaned forward. “When you know you know right?”

“Right.”

“I knew the minute I met my Susie that she was the one for me. I see the same in you.”

“You do?” Mulder looked up and couldn't help but catch Troy’s eye and once he did, he was
locked in.

“Of course I do, son!” Troy slapped the table and pointed at Mulder. “You love that girl.”

Mulder smiled. He couldn't help it. Especially after that kiss on the beach.

“I do,” he said and he wasn't sure that was the first honest thing he had said to Troy this
whole time.

“And in two days the whole world will know it.”

Mulder blinked. Two days. They had two days to break this case wide open. And so far they
had so little to go on. He needed more. He needed to know what happened to him and he
needed to understand how he could prevent it from happening again.

“Troy…” Mulder said and he stepped further into the room. He leaned against the corner of
the desk and tapped two fingers on the dark wood surface. “Yesterday during my…episode…
I felt something.”

Troy’s face was neutral and Mulder tried his best to pick up the minutiae of his expressions
but he saw no change, so he continued talking.

“I felt stuck…empty. And when I tried to break free I heard…I heard you.”

Troy smiled and it made Mulder uneasy. He felt a prickle of fear at the back of his neck and
he resisted the urge to put his hand there and cover it.

“What does it mean?” he asked and Troy leaned back in his chair as he connected his fingers
on his belly.

“It means you’re open and ready for change,” Troy said as if it was the most obvious thing in
the world.

“Change?”

“Isn't that why you and Donna came here?”

“For change? Well, for a fresh start.”

“Exactly.” Troy closed his eyes and took a deep cleansing breath. “To make a fresh start
happen, you need to free yourself from your old bonds.”

“Is that what happened last night?”

“It can happen, it doesn't always.”

“What do you mean? What was in that drink?”

Troy laughed a deep rumbling belly laugh. “Nothing, there was nothing in the drink. It was
the room, the community, the air, the security, the mood.”

“Donna says…my allergic reaction left me vulnerable and confused.”

“That's very likely too.” Troy sat forward and rested on the table with his forearms. “Through
your confusion you let go of your fears and allowed your true self to be seen.”

I see you.

Those words stung him again and Mulder tried not to flinch.

“Seen by who?”

“Anyone, everyone.” Troy shrugged and wagged a finger at Mulder. “You usually keep
yourself hidden, in the dark shadows, away from the spotlight, and you get used to living like
that.”

“I…uh…”
“Last night, you let yourself open enough to be seen, and I saw you.”

“You saw me?” Mulder felt a hot flush race up from his chest and a tightness surrounded his
lungs causing his breath to catch.

“Of course I did,” Troy said and he leaned over to pat Mulder on the arm. “I see you now, I
hear you, I understand you.”

“I’m not sure what that means,” Mulder said and he felt his stomach warm and churn when
he saw Troy smile and it wasn't an altogether unpleasant sensation.

“Relax Matt. Take a walk, go find your lovely bride, give her a kiss and get ready to take her
hand in marriage so she can see you too.”

Troy leaned back in his chair and started to rummage through the pages on his desk and
Mulder took the cue to leave. His heart was hammering in his chest as he walked out of the
house and onto the back porch where he spied Sean and Scully walking out of the barn arm in
arm, laughing up a storm. He tried to calm his reaction to his conversation with Troy as he
ambled over towards them and slipped his hands in his front pockets to look more casual than
he felt.

“Hey, there’s the man of the hour,” Sean said with a wave of his hand at Mulder.

“Me?” Mulder said and glanced over his shoulder to see if there was anyone else there.

“Have you picked a song out for later?” Sean said and he kept his arm over Scully’s
shoulders even though they were now standing in front of Mulder.

“There’s only one song I’ll sing at Karaoke.” Mulder cocked his hip and curled his lip then
with a circular wave of his arm he started singing Jailhouse Rock by Elvis.

Scully’s eyes opened wide as Mulder kept singing and Sean burst out laughing then started to
swing his hips with Mulder and danced around with him. When Beth came out of the house
and saw them she hurried over and joined in and Sean grabbed her in his arms to dance with
her more closely, one hand holding hers, the other on the top of her ass as they swayed from
side to side.

Mulder moved over to Scully to grab her and dance and she laughed when his singing got
louder and his impression of Elvis got more comical. Until he fluffed the lyrics and sang the
same verse twice and she laughed and slapped his chest to stop him dancing.

“You’re crazy,” she said.

“Crazy about you,” he murmured and hugged her close as he buried his head in the crook of
her neck, his new favourite place in the world.

“That sneak preview was good Matt,” Beth said laughing as she and Sean stopped dancing.
“But I want to see new material later.”
“New material? Elvis hasn't released any new material since Moody Blue in 77,” Mulder said
as he lifted his head but kept looking down at Scully who he still held in his arms.

“I meant…wait.” Beth stepped closer and tugged on Mulder’s arm until he looked over at her.
“You know Elvis is dead right?”

Mulder frowned and rolled his eyes and Scully chuckled.

“So the rumours say,” he said and looked back at Scully to see her smiling which warmed his
heart.

“Oh no, you’re one of those conspiracy theory nuts aren't you,” Beth said.

Scully guffawed and dropped her forehead to Mulder’s chest to muffle her laughter and
Mulder tipped his face up to the sky with a groan.

“Wait, do you believe in other conspiracies?” Sean asked.

“Bigfoot!” Beth yelled.

“Bigfoot isn't a conspiracy, he’s a creature studied through crypto-” Mulder tried to explain.

“The moon landing!” Beth yelled and she danced around Mulder. “Do you believe we landed
on the moon?”

“Yes,” Mulder said, his voice low and even. He looked down at Scully who was trembling
with restrained laughter in his arms.

“Who killed JFK?” Sean asked.

“Harvey Lee Oswald,” Mulder said, a practised response.

“Oh oh, I got one,” Beth said and she slapped Sean’s shoulder. “Roswell! Weather equipment
or UFO?”

Scully stilled and tipped her head up to look at Mulder who was staring at the horizon, his
jaw clenched, his eyes unfocused, his breathing slow and measured.

“Oh my god, he’s gonna say UFO!” Sean teased and he put both hands on Mulder’s shoulders
to shake the response out of him.

“All I’ll say…” Mulder said.

“UFO! UFO! UFO!” Beth chanted.

“All I’ll say,” he repeated louder to be heard over the din of Beth’s joyous laughs. “Is that
there was no record of weather test equipment being flown in that area on that day.”

Sean and Beth fell about the place laughing and Scully pulled out of his hug and tugged him
away from them towards the cabin.
“The wreckage didn't even match-” Mulder started to call out and Scully put her hand over
his mouth to muffle his words as she pulled him away.

“Shhh!” she warned with a laugh. “Shut up, Mulder!”

She hurried to get him home and pushed him into the cabin though he was still looking over
his shoulder at where Beth and Sean were still laughing. Scully closed the door and pushed
him towards the couch where he fell back with a deep sigh.

“That felt like a time warp to about seven years ago,” he muttered.

“What?”

“People laughing at me.”

“Only seven years ago?” Scully said as she crossed the room for a glass of water and took a
long drink.

“Funny.”

“They seemed to think so.”

Mulder looked over and smiled and she crossed the room to hand him a glass of water. He
took a drink and shuffled up on the couch to make room for her but instead she toed off her
sneakers and collapsed into the centre of the bed. It had been so long since she slept, her body
was weary with exhaustion and she needed to slow down, or stop for a while before she could
face everyone again at dinner.

“Tired?” he asked as he sat sideways to look at her over the back of the couch.

“Yeah, I just need a moment…a power nap.”

“Did you find anything earlier?”

“No, I checked the stables and went up to the office with Sean but I didn't get a chance to
really search. We had tea-”

“More tea? Haven't you learned anything?”

“It was a different brew, he said it was a stress reliever.”

“And was it?”

“I’m not feeling particularly stressed right now.” She spoke around a long slow silent yawn
and Mulder chuckled. “Did you find anything?”

“Nothing. Cabins were all clear, and I went to Troy’s office.”

“Anything in there?” Scully lifted her head off the pillow to look down at him.

“I didn't find anything but I ran into Troy when I was leaving.”
“Oh, what happened?” She lifted herself up on her elbows and Mulder had to look away
because he was in danger of climbing up over the back of the couch to get to her.

“He…I told him I was looking for him, to apologise.” Mulder recounted the meeting with
Troy in detail. “He was calm, he said I was relaxed and open.”

“Did he…did you feel him…”

“No, but I felt…something.”

“What?” She pushed herself up even further and leaned back on her hands.

“I felt…seen.”

“What do you mean?”

Mulder closed his eyes and took a moment to arrange his thoughts. “He, Troy…he is as
emotionally intelligent as any person I’ve ever met. He can read a room on entry and he has
this way of just saying the one thing that cuts right through all the bullshit.”

He shook his head and released his breath then looked over at her. She was still watching him
and her eyes were full of concern. Mulder decided to follow the instincts he usually fought to
ignore, and leaned over the back of the couch then crawled up the bed towards her, his eyes
locked on hers.

“Mulder-” she started to protest.

“Shh.” He snuggled in next to her and pushed her shoulder down into the mattress. He curled
one arm under his head under his pillow and the other he draped over her stomach as he
nestled in. “Just for five minutes,” he said with a sleepy tone.

She was lying on her back and covered the hand he rested on her stomach with both of hers.
His chin was on her shoulder and his breath caressed her neck. She closed her eyes and let the
sensations wash over and lull her into a warm comfortable Mulder shaped cocoon. Five
minutes, she agreed silently.

It felt like a flash of time went by and when they woke up it was to darkness. She had rolled
onto her side facing away from him and he had slipped in as close as possible behind her with
his arm around her holding her tight.

“Oh no, Mulder, we slept in.”

“Hmm?” he murmured into the back of her neck and his hand curled around her to pull her
even closer against him.

“Get up, we need to go out and-”

He grunted his disapproval of her movement and ignored her hand that was trying to pry his
fingers off her torso.
“Mulder,” she warned and when she felt his lips on her neck she squirmed to get away.

“Five minutes.”

“It's already been an hour,” she said when she checked her watch. “We need to go meet the
others for dinner.”

“Right after this.”

“Oh,” Scully said and stilled to let him think he had won. “You’re that quick?”

“No, wait…” He said and lifted his head up behind her to look down at her. When he moved
she nudged him in the ribs with her elbow and climbed off the bed.

“Let’s go,” she said as she hurried into the bathroom to quickly freshen up.

He was sitting on the couch tying his shoelaces when she emerged and she slipped on her
sneakers to catch up.

“You never mentioned what your karaoke song will be,” he asked as he took her hand and led
her out of the cabin.

“You know I can't sing.”

“I know no such thing,” he cajoled and bumped his shoulder against hers.

“I’m not singing.”

“You have to, it's the rules.”

“Rules? What rules?”

“Beth said you have to sing on karaoke night.”

“I don't think it's a hard and fast rule.”

“What's that?”

They both looked up to see Beth approaching from another direction, also going towards the
side of the main house where the cookout was being held. They could already hear music and
laughter and it was obvious the party was in full swing.

“Donna thinks she doesn't have to sing.”

“Oh that's cute, but yes, you do have to sing.”

Scully groaned and Mulder pulled her in for a sideways hug as they turned the corner to the
open area with the firepit.

They went over to the grill and offered to help with the cooking but Josh and Max had it all
covered. Beth steered them over to the pit and grabbed a couple of beers from a tub. Mulder
unscrewed the caps and handed one bottle to Scully who sipped it gingerly.

She wasn’t wholly confident in eating or drinking anything on this compound anymore. And
with the day she just spent with Mulder she wanted to keep her wits about her. Everything
was getting mixed up and churned and she was struggling to keep their profiles separate from
their real lives. They weren't engaged. They weren’t living together. Before they took this
case on they were barely speaking with each other. She had tried to connect with him in the
way they used to but it was all so raw and fresh that she was unable to make that leap.

Yet today when he kissed her on the beach she was powerless to stop it, resist it, and nor did
she want to. Which had resulted in him being even more tactile than he had ever been. Hell
than anyone she was in a relationship had ever been. Snuggled up in bed, kissing her neck,
holding her hand, his body never more than a few inches from her at any time.

“What’s your party piece Beth?” he asked and Scully refocused back into the conversation.

“Bonnie Tyler, total eclipse of the heart.”

“Wow you had that answer ready,” Mulder said.

“It's the only acceptable karaoke song,” she said with a sniff of indignation as if the answer
was obvious.

“It's a duet.”

“I’m sure I’ll find someone to sing it with me,” she said with a pointed look at Sean who was
ferrying snacks and fruit from the kitchen to a long picnic table.

“Good luck with that,” Scully said and smiled at Beth who wasn't even trying to hide her
interest anymore.

When the food was ready, everyone tucked in. The red meat cookout was a rare treat and
everyone seemed excited by it. Chatter was happy and everyone talked about the upcoming
wedding. Mulder pricked his ears up when he heard Max talk about the students he signed up
for the harvest, all of whom would be arriving in the morning and staying in the bunkhouse.
They signed up ten people, but expected some dropout. He mentioned he would be happy
enough if at least seven of them arrived.

Scully listened to Troy who was speaking with another member she knew was called Charlie
but hadn’t really mixed with. They were talking about Charlie’s plan to leave the compound
to drive up to the east coast and trek the Appalachian trail. Troy noticed Scully listening and
moved to include her into the conversation.

“You’re from the east coast right?” Charlie said to her. “Have you trekked the trail?”

“Parts of it but not the whole, not even close.”

“It's amazing out there,” Charlie said and soon she was caught up in a conversation about
hiking and camping.
When the dinner was finished and everything cleared up, another member walked around
pouring out moonshine into cups, glasses and jars. Then another member wheeled out a
stereo with a mic and an extension lead for power. The group cheered and Mulder caught
Scully’s eye to see her reaction but to his frustration she didn't look one bit flustered. He
wanted to see her sing, he wanted to see her up there, singing some random pop song for him.
And it would be for him. Only for him.

“Okay, okay, okay…” Max said into the mic and everyone started booing. “Don't boo me! I
bring class to this travesty!”

People booed louder and jeered until Max held his hand out for silence.

“As is tradition, I will sing the first song.” He turned to the dial and fiddled with it to find the
song he wanted. “And my first song…”

Everyone who had obviously been here for other Karaoke sessions joined in for the end of his
sentence. “...will be a classic from the master, Kenny Rogers.”

Everyone cheered and clapped as the music started and Max started singing.

“On a warm summer's evening, On a train bound for nowhere, I met up with the gambler. We
were both too tired to sleep…”

Mulder moved his position to sit behind Scully who was on the long bench. He straddled it to
snuggle in close with one hand on her thigh. He didn't care that this PDA was wholly
unnecessary. Everyone was already convinced they were in a relationship but he wasn't about
to let an opportunity like this go to waste.

Scully tried not to stiffen when he engulfed her, and she tried equally as hard not to enjoy
how his hard chest felt against her back, how his legs felt against hers, how his hand felt on
her thigh. He brought with him warmth and comfort in waves but each ebb and flow left with
it a sour sense of anticipation. When would it all change. When would he go back to putting
Diana first. Believing her. Trusting her. Scully took a long breath and tried to use her focus
to watch the crowd.

People clapped in time with the music and Charlie appeared with a guitar to play along with
Max. The energy around the place heightened as he got to the chorus and when it started,
everyone sang along. Mulder looked around the place and spotted Troy sipping moonshine
from a mason jar, a faraway look in his eyes and a wistful smile on his face.

He looked over at Mulder and lifted his drink in a salute and Mulder responded in kind. They
each sipped and Mulder looked back to Max as he was finishing up his song. Everyone
cheered and clapped and Max took a few dramatic bows, milking the applause for as long as
he could until it turned to boos again.

With a flourish he turned back to the stereo and lifted a jug up into the air which had ripped
pieces of paper with everyone's name in it. The crowd was getting more boisterous as the
moonshine was shared. They made a tense “Ohhhh” sound and Mulder leaned over Scully’s
shoulder to smile at her.
“Are you ready?” he said softly. “Do you have a song picked out?”

“I’ll do it live,” she said with a shrug and sipped her drink without looking at him.

Mulder kissed the top of her shoulder and leaned back as Max put his hand in the jug and
made a show of swirling the papers around. He pulled one out and slowly unfolded it then
looked around the crowd at everyone before he called out the name.

“Juan!” he said. The guy who had been pouring out the moonshine cheered and left the jug
on the table then hurried up to the stereo. After a quick consultation with Max the song
started and everyone started cheering.

“Hey,” Scully said and she tipped her head a little to get Mulder to come closer. “Would now
be a good time to check out the house a bit more? While everyone is occupied?”

Mulder glanced around the place. “We could take it in quick shifts.”

“Between songs.”

“Check the rooms upstairs?”

“Especially Troy’s room.”

Mulder nodded and his cheek brushed hers. “I’ll go first when the next name is called.”

Scully nodded then faced forward again but Mulder kept his head hanging over her shoulder
to keep a close connection. Juan finished his song and everyone cheered then he picked up
the jug to pick another name. When the name wasn’t himself or Scully, Mulder kissed her
cheek and stood up as Charlie took the mic and searched for his song.

Mulder patted his stomach to indicate his need to go to the bathroom in case anyone was
watching, then hurried into the main house. He took the stairs up in twos to climb as quick as
he could and entered the first room without knocking. He knew he couldn't turn a light on but
there was enough ambient moonlight to see what he needed, and it was immediately clear this
wasn't Troy’s room. It was a box room with one bed, a small desk, and piles upon piles of
books so Mulder guessed this was Max’s room.

He scanned the contents quickly then left and checked the next room. This room was a twin,
two beds, neither of them made, clothes strewn around the place, no posters, or personal
items anywhere. Mulder wasn't sure whose room this was but he knew it wasn't Troy’s. The
next door was a bathroom and the one after that was another box room, this one tastefully
decorated with a familiar scent that he realised was Beth’s.

Mulder checked his watch and realised he needed to get back so he looked up the hallway
and saw four other doors. He hurried back down the stairs and out to the side of the house.
Scully was still sitting on the bench and he slid into his seat behind her in the same position
as before, his legs around her hips, his thighs snug against hers and his hands on her waist.

“You’re back,” she said softly without turning her head and Mulder leaned over her shoulder
to speak. He quickly described what he had seen and which doors were left to check and she
nodded her head to acknowledge she had heard him.

The crowd broke out into applause and when the jug was lifted again and another name was
pulled out.

“Larry!”

Everyone cheered and Larry moved up to the stage to consult with Max on which song to
pick. Scully tipped her head back and motioned for Mulder to give her his ear.

“I’ll go after this song so it's not too obvious.”

Mulder nodded. They both turned their attention to the stage and Larry started singing a pop
song that made everyone laugh and cheer. He threw in some dance moves and soon others
were up dancing with him. Mulder was watching the crowd carefully but everyone was so
enthralled with the karaoke event that no one was paying him any attention. He glanced at
Troy again who had that far away look in his eyes still and he couldn’t help but wonder what
he was thinking about.

When Larry finished singing he, along with his back up dancers took a group bow before he
snatched the jug and swirled the papers round to make his selection.

He pulled the paper out and unfolded it slowly then looked around the crowd and called out
“Josh!”

“Yes!” Josh cheered and jumped up to race over and pick his song.

Scully patted Mulder’s leg then stood up and brushed down the front of her t-shirt before she
walked into the main house. Based on the information Mulder had already shared, she hurried
up the stairs and went right for the door Mulder hadn’t tried. It was a plain room, with a made
bed, no personal items, posters, or colour. She closed the door and tried another one and
realised immediately this was the master room, Troy’s room.

There was a large ornate bed across the room under a bay window. A blue and black check
shirt she had seen Troy wear before was hanging off the back of a chair. A worn pair of
boots, a pair of well used sneakers and a few balled up socks were haphazardly resting
underneath it. In one corner there was a tall dresser littered with family pictures, an open
jewellery box, dusty makeup cases and brushes and other female hair care paraphernalia that
she knew were his wife’s, untouched since she used them herself.

She crossed the room to the wardrobe and pulled the door open. She was immediately
overwhelmed with that familiar aroma of Troy. His clothes took up most of the space but
shoved to one side she could make out female clothing. She crouched down to see if the box
was on the floor but it was empty other than a few pairs of old worn shoes. There was no
upper shelving so she turned around and moved to a blanket box at the end of the bed. She
opened it quickly but it was full of pillows, blankets, sheets and covers. She got on all fours
to check under the bed but it was empty too. She scanned the room quickly but couldn't see
any other obvious hiding places. The cheering outside indicated the last song was just about
over so she quickly checked the room was just how she found it and hurried out.
She had just closed the bedroom door when she heard slow footsteps ascending the stairs.
She calmed her beating heart and hurried the few steps to the bathroom door then slowed
down and walked towards the stairs just as Troy stepped onto the landing with a sigh.

“Donna!” he said, his voice full of surprise.

“Hey Troy.”

“Everything ok?”

“Yeah, just using the bathroom, the one downstairs was occupied.”

Troy nodded and started walking towards his bedroom.

“Are you calling it a night?” she asked.

“No, not yet, but I just have a little ritual I need to take care of.”

“Oh?” she said hoping he would elaborate but he smiled and walked away, offering her only
a half wave as he went into the bedroom she just vacated.

Scully was tempted to follow him and listen at the door, but instead she hurried back
downstairs to the party. Mulder pulled back on the bench and gripped her hips as she sat
down. He pulled her snug back against him and peered over her shoulder.

“Anything?” She shook her head then glanced over her shoulder at the main house. She
described how she ran into Troy and what he had said about a ritual but Mulder had no idea
either.

“We need to get into that room.”

“It's his bedroom, we can't exactly just walk in.”

“Have you tried seducing him?”

She laughed and slapped his arm.

“Maybe we should have bugged the room,” Mulder muttered soberly as he watched Josh pick
up the jug to pull out another name. “What could he-”

“Matt!” Josh yelled out and everyone turned to Mulder and started clapping.

“You’re up,” Scully said and she leaned away from him to give him space to move.

Mulder slapped his thighs and stood up. He walked with a swagger up to the stage where
Josh was holding out the mic. Scully watched them converse for a while, huddled in close to
pick a song and she got ready to listen to his favourite Elvis song. The one he hummed on
most road trips, the one he sang in the shower, the one he danced to when they were in the
queue for lunch at the salad bar, the one he quoted anytime they had to meet with someone in
jail.
When he turned around he found her eyes and locked into them to hold her gaze. She blushed
under his stare and a few people looked between them in anticipation of what was about to
happen. She smiled when the music started but then realised this wasn't jailhouse rock, this
was a different Elvis song, one she couldn't quite name. The guitar sounds were so familiar
she was sure he had sung in front of her before but she couldn't remember the words.

“We’re caught in a trap,” he sang, his hips rolling slowly in that classic Elvis motion. “I can’t
walk out, Because I love you too much baby!”

A few people cheered, others jeered but Scully kept her eyes fixed directly on Mulder and he
on hers. They were locked together as everyone and everything else disappeared. Mulder got
closer and closer to her and she was planted in her spot until his hand reached out to her,
palm up, fingers reaching for her. She looked at his hand then up at him before she slowly put
her hand out and slid her fingers across his palm until his hand wrapped her wrist and pulled
her up to dance with him.

He kept singing and slipped one arm around her waist, his thigh between her legs and slowly
swayed with her from side to side.

“Why can't you see? What you're doing to me; When you don't believe a word I say?”

Everyone started singing with him and a few even got up to dance around them but nothing
broke the spell they were enveloped in. Scully slid her hands up his arms and circled his neck
to settle her whole body flush against his. Every morsel of her being needed to hold him this
close while every neuron in her brain was screaming to push him away.

“Well, don't you know, I'm caught in a trap?” he sang, his voice lower as if he was only
singing for her. “I can't walk out; Because I love you too much, baby.”

When the song was over and everyone cheered, Mulder ignored the raucousness and slid his
other arm around her waist as he lowered his head to kiss her deeply. He didn't expect her to
reciprocate but when he felt her tongue slip past his lips he moved his hands up her back, one
to cup the back of her head the other to press her lower back to stop her from moving away.

“Get a room!” someone yelled.

“Save it for the honeymoon!” Another said.

“Pick another singer!” a third.

Mulder felt her smile against him and he broke the kiss to lean back and look down at her.
She was smiling widely and her eyes were shining and it was the best sight he had ever seen.

“Pick out a name,” she whispered, then pushed him back with two hands on his shoulders.

Mulder reluctantly released her and covered his heart with both of his hands as she backed
away to sit on the bench again. Josh held the jug up in front of him and he dipped his hand in
without taking his eyes off Scully. He handed Josh the mic and the paper then went over to
reclaim his seat right behind her, maybe even closer than before, if that was even possible.
By the time the next person was finished singing Troy had returned. Mulder felt Scully stiffen
against him and he slid his arms around her waist to hold her tighter. He wanted to lean back
and talk to Troy. Get out of him what ritual he was partaking in but he was reluctant to get
into that type of conversation again. The thought of hearing him in his mind again, feeling
him invade his very self was abhorrent.

The crowd was getting boisterous again and Mulder turned his attention back to see who was
up next to sing when Troy slapped his hand on the table and got everyone's attention as he
slowly stood.

“My turn,” he declared as he moved over to the stage and everyone cheered.

Troy took the mic then turned to the machine to find the song he wanted. When the melodic
guitar music started Charlie whipped the guitar out again and played along. Most people
found someone to lean on, hold hands with and sway side to side.

Mulder rested his chin on Scully’s shoulder and his arms moved from her hips to slowly slide
around her torso and he held her tight against him. His mind was a maelstrom of thoughts,
notions, ideas, emotions. He wanted to take some time and examine everything that happened
on the beach. Not just the kiss though that was most prevalent. He wanted to take more time
and examine everything that happened with Troy. But he wanted nothing more than to keep
her held against him because he wasn't convinced that when they left this compound and
went back to DC, she would ever let him get this close again.

“Just yesterday mornin’, they let me know you were gone,” Troy sang in a surprisingly
buttery soft voice. “Susie, the plans they made put an end to you.”

A few people in the crowd sighed and the mood went from high electric excitement to low
sombre mood as people focused on what Troy was singing. As Scully listened to the lyrics,
she realised this was a song about his wife, her death, his loss and grief and despite all the
uncertainties she felt about him, and this compound, her heart broke listening to his aching
voice. She thought about her father, Melissa. She thought about her relationship with Mulder.
Another loss she felt right to her very core. Then she felt his fingers spread over her sides,
bumping over the small ridges of her ribs and pulling her tight against him and a little part of
that loss melted away.

“I've seen fire and I've seen rain, I've seen sunny days that I thought would never end,” Troy
sang and a few people sang softly with him. “I've seen lonely times when I could not find a
friend, But I always thought that I'd see you again.”

The song was hauntingly beautiful and a few people released the tears others were trying to
hold back. Mulder glanced sideways at Scully and saw the pool of tears catching on her
eyelashes. He wanted to turn her in his arms and bury her against his chest, hold her face
against his neck and just absorb all the pain he knew she was feeling.

When the song came to an end, everyone clapped and a few people went up to Troy to engulf
him into a series of long hugs. Mulder and Scully both stood, but he held her hand not
wanting to release her from his touch quite yet.
Troy extracted himself from the latest hug and waved at Josh who had the jug of names. He
rummaged around and pulled one out and called out the name “Lucy!”

An older woman who Mulder remembered from working on the vines hurried up to the stage.
She hugged Troy close and he kissed her cheek then Josh helped her with the song as she
tapped the mic a few times to make sure it was working.

“I’m not really happy to be following that rendition from Troy but, it's time to turn this up to
eleven!”

People dried their eyes, laughed and started clapping when the fast rock song started playing
and soon Lucy was dancing and shouting, singing, albeit off key but not caring, a Bruce
Springsteen song that got everyone laughing again.

Troy took his seat again and Scully turned to him and smiled.

“That was beautiful, Troy,” she said as she stepped closer to him and patted his arm tenderly.

“Thanks, Donna.”

“Was it a special song for you and your wife?”

“Yeah, it really was,” he said wistfully.

Mulder, who was still holding Scully’s hand, moved in beside her to keep her close.

“Were you both from around here?” he asked.

“She was. Not me though, I grew up in Texas. We moved here just after we got married. And
a few years later Benny was born, and a few years after that Jack.”

Mulder let those words settle for a few moments to give them the reverence they deserved
then caught Troy’s eye before he kept speaking.

“What was she like?”

Troy smiled and Mulder felt something tug at the corner of his mind.

“She was my world.” Mulder smiled this time and squeezed Scully’s hand. “She thought I
hung the moon and everyday I tried to stop her from figuring out I didn't.” Troy settled back
in the chair and crossed his ankles, then joined his hands on his belly before he kept talking.
“She had this idea about living off the grid, giving back to the community, helping others and
taking only what we needed. I was a banker before I met her, working 80 hour weeks,
building up a bank account I had no time or no one to spend it on.”

“Sounds familiar,” Mulder said softly with a pointed glance at Scully who looked up at him
with a slight frown.

“When she showed me how to work the land I found a whole new level of joy I never even
knew existed and it all stemmed from her love.”
Again Mulder felt a prodding in his brain and he closed his eyes to fog his thoughts and keep
himself intact. He felt Scully’s shoulder leaning against his chest then slip under his arm as
her arms circled his torso and pulled him into a hug.

“When I lost them, I never thought I would live again.” Troy reached for his glass and took a
long drink then resettled on his seat again. “So every night I sit in our room and I visit with
her.”

“Visit?”

“I talk to her, I tell her about my day, I ask her about hers, about the boys.”

Mulder felt a cold wash of familiarity drop over him. He remembered that feeling from when
Scully was gone. Every day he talked to her, in his mind, sometimes out loud. When he
reached for the phone to call her, sometimes he’d leave her a voicemail until her answering
machine was full. And then he couldn't take the silence anymore and he stopped.

“You must have loved her very much,” Scully spoke softly.

“She thought I hung the moon, but she hung all the stars in the night sky,” Troy said.

“Is that the ritual you were talking about earlier?” she asked.

Troy nodded. “I like to do it at the same time every day. I don't like to leave her waiting for
me.”

Mulder nodded and tightened his arm around Scully’s shoulder.

“She’d be really proud with what you have done with the place,” she said and Troy nodded
again. “The way you have opened your home, and give so much to those in need.”

“The way I see it, the scales are well balanced. The life you bring into my home is more than
enough payback for the paltry scraps I provide.”

“Donna!”

Mulder looked over his shoulder at Josh who was holding up the jug and waving a piece of
paper in his hand. Scully groaned and dropped her forehead to his chest as if it would make it
all go away but instead of helping her hide, Mulder turned her around and moved her towards
the crowd who were now chanting her name and clapping. He put his arms on her shoulders,
kissed the crown of her head then turned her to face the stage and pushed her away with a
light pat on her ass.

She whipped her head around to frown at him but it had no power when he saw the light in
her eyes it just made him smile wider. Scully took the mic from Josh and spoke softly with
him and Mulder watched how Josh laughed and nodded his head before he turned to the
machine and found the song Scully requested.

She turned to the audience who clapped loudly for her and she looked everywhere but at
Mulder who was standing front and centre, his hands in his pockets and he rocked back on
his heels as he waited for her to start singing.

Josh patted her shoulder as he stepped away and he stood with Beth and Sean who were next
to Mulder waiting with excitement.

“There are…worse things I could do…” Scully began, her head low, her hair falling forward
and framing her face as she sang into the mic. All the girls in the group cheered and clapped
and the guys looked around waiting for recognition of the song to set in. “Than go with…a
boy or two.”

Suddenly the familiar words, the soft music started to sink through his mind and Mulder
smiled wide when he realised the song she was singing.

“Even though the neighbourhood thinks I’m trashy and no good, I suppose it could be true…
but there are worse things I could do.”

Beth jumped up and clapped her hands high and Sean caught her around the waist to twirl her
round.

“I could…flirt with all the guys,” Scully sang as she slowly lifted her head up and found
Mulder’s eyes with laser focus and a crooked smile. “Smile at them and bat my eyes.” She
flashed her lashes at him and widened her smile. “Press against them when we dance,” she
sang as she swayed her hips slowly from side to side and slid one hand across her stomach in
a self hugging motion. “Make them think they stand a chance, and then refuse to see it
through…”

Mulder felt all his working neurons concentrate on sending his blood south so fast he was
starting to feel dizzy. Scully’s singing voice was rough around the edges, but her smile, her
motion, her joy in seeing the effect it was having on him made the whole package more
attractive than any other person who stood on that stage tonight. She was so perfect in every
way, so competent, knowledgeable in so many topics, strong, confident and capable that this
tiny musical chink in her otherwise impeccable armour only made her more attractive.

“I don’t steal and I don’t lie, but I can feel and I can cry!” she sang, her wobbling voice
becoming stronger as she planted more emotion into the lyrics and held his eyes the entire
time. “In fact I’ll bet you never knew, but to cry in front of you…that's the worst thing I
could do.”

The music held the note for one moment longer, then everyone clapped and cheered. Mulder
was almost knocked over as Beth rushed to get to Scully and engulf her into a long hug that
bounced them around in a jumping motion as she cheered and laughed. When she finally
emerged from Beth’s embrace, her cheeks were flushed, her eyes were shining and her hair
was tousled.

Mulder got to her side in two steps and took her hand. He was about to pull her away when
Josh grabbed her other arm and shook the jug in front of her to prompt her to take another
name out. She turned her back to Mulder and rummaged in through the few names left and
pulled one out. She unfolded it and handed it to Josh who turned back to the crowd and called
out Angie who cheered and grabbed the guitar from Charlie as she jogged to the stage.
“C’mon,” Mulder said into her ear and he tugged her backwards, one hand on her hip, the
other on her shoulder.

“Where?”

“G’night everyone!” Mulder called out and a few people waved and smiled, watching them
leave with knowing looks.

“Mulder, we-”

“Nothing else is happening here, people are already leaving. C’mon.” He turned her round
and slung an arm over her shoulder as he hurried them both in the direction of their cabin.
She looked over her shoulder and saw the crowd had thinned out, Troy was walking back into
the house and only a few hardcore folks were still left. Though she had to admit she felt like
there was a crowd of a hundred in front of her when she was singing, she saw now it was
barely seven people.

He got her to the cabin, pushed the door open then guided her in with one hand on her back
but barely an inch between them as he followed. The second he had the door closed he turned
her round to face him and kissed her hungrily.

“Mul-” she barely got the first syllable of his name out before his lips met hers and just when
she thought her lungs were going to burn up from lack of oxygen his mouth opened against
her lips and his tongue slipped in to make slow languid strokes against hers.

Her hands made fists against his chest, clutching the soft material of his top and pulling him
closer for a moment then finally pushed him away.

“Mulder, stop,” she said when he tried to get back and kiss her again. “Stop,” she said again
and pushed him further away, straightening her arms to keep him at bay. “We can’t.”

“Can’t?”

“Shouldn’t.”

“Shouldn’t?”

“Mulder.” She closed her eyes. “We’re crossing a line.”

“Scully,” he murmured and lowered himself to capture her eyes. “We crossed that line
already. I can't even see that line anymore and I don't care. I’m not looking for that line.”

“I care.” She closed her eyes to stop herself from falling into his, stop herself from agreeing
with him, stop herself from taking a step she had been dreaming about taking for longer than
she cared to admit. “I care. About this. About us. About you.”

“Scully-”

“I need to wait. I need to process…everything.”

Mulder straightened to his full height and loosened his grip on her arms. He slowly nodded
his head then leaned forward and kissed her forehead lightly before he stepped back further
and dropped his arms by his sides.

“Okay, I hear you,” he said softly. “You can take all the time you need.”

He turned and went into the bathroom and Scully felt like he took all the oxygen in the room
with him. She was cursing herself for letting him get that far, but more so for stopping him.
She wanted him to kiss her like that again, and never stop but she couldn't let it run away
beyond her control. She needed to keep some semblance of control in her life especially
when it felt like she was standing in quicksand and Mulder was on the ledge just beyond
reach.

She turned at the sound of the bathroom door opening and watched as Mulder appeared and
tugged his top off from the back collar. He toed off his sneakers and was starting to open his
jeans when she moved to the kitchen to occupy her hands and eyes.

“I’m going for a run,” he said as he pulled on a pair of shorts.

“A run?”

“Feeling a little restless,” he said and looked at her with a crooked smile as he pushed his
head into his t-shirt. “I won't be long.”

“Okay,” she said as she turned back to the sink and got a glass of water.

He quickly tied his trainers on then hurried out the door and Scully leaned against the sink
with a sigh. Two more days until the raid. Two more days for them to collect enough
evidence to warrant the raid. Two more days for Matt and Donna. Two more days before they
could really be Mulder and Scully.

She finished her water, and left the glass upturned on the draining board then went into the
bathroom to shower. Once dried she changed into shorts and a pyjama top to sleep in then
slipped into the bed. She lay against the open side and tried to remember which side she was
supposed to be on then rolled over to face the wall and shuffled closer to it to leave him as
much room as she could. Her mind was whirring with unshed thoughts and she was sure she
would be wide awake for hours to come but without warning or effort, sleep claimed her.

Mulder was panting heavily, breathing slow and deep, almost doubled over with his hands on
his knees outside their cabin. He pushed himself harder and faster than he usually did,
especially in unknown territory but every cell in his body was vibrating and he knew the
second he slowed or stopped he would turn right back to the cabin and grab her into another
kiss despite her protests. So now that he was standing, barely, back at the cabin, his body was
so weary and exhausted he wasn't sure he could kiss her even if she wanted to.

He chuffed a breathy laugh and straightened up knowing full well that was a lie. If she
wanted to kiss him, he would muster up the energy from the depths of his very core to kiss
her back and nothing on this earth would stop him.
He brushed a hand over his face then combed his fingers through his hair before he pushed
the door open. The room was dark but with no curtains and a full moon he could see her lying
in the bed facing the wall. He walked through to the bathroom as quietly as he could and
showered, only realising too late he came in without a change of clothes. With a towel
wrapped around his waist he went back out to the bed and rummaged for a pair of boxers that
he pulled on under his towel. Over in the kitchen he took a long drink of water before going
back to the bed and slowly climbing on. He lay on his back with one hand hooked behind his
head and the other resting on his stomach.

“Good run?” she whispered without turning round and he smiled.

“Yeah.”

“Feel better?”

Mulder puffed a laugh out and sighed. “Yeah,” he said softly and forced a yawn out in the
hopes it would convince her he was ready to sleep.

“The other agents are arriving tomorrow?”

“Yeah, Chambers said they are arriving at noon.”

“Max said they will be housed in the bunkhouse.”

“Yeah, which will give us a chance to chat with them, make sure everything is ready for the,
um, the wedding.”

Scully smiled and pressed her face into the pillow to stop herself from making any noise.

“What did you think about what Troy said earlier?” he asked and she heard the rustle of the
sheets and felt the mattress sagging behind her, letting her know he had rolled over towards
her.

“About what?”

“His ritual. Talking to his wife.”

“It's very common for people experiencing grief to…communicate with loved ones who have
passed on.”

“Do you?”

“Do I what?”

“Communicate with…”

“Sure.” She rolled over onto her back and faced him. He was leaning up with his elbow in the
pillow and his head in his hand. “I talk to my dad a lot. Melissa too. I tell them things, I
complain about things, I share joy and sorrow with them.”
Mulder frowned. He wanted to ask why she shared them with the dead but not with him but
he knew, even in his head, that sounded narcissistic and self-serving. Putting himself into a
leading role in the movie of her life when she wasn't even sure she wanted him in her life at
all. That was not giving her time to process.

“They don't talk back,” she said with a soft chuckle as she moved one hand to bump against
the centre of his chest. “Before you try to open an x-file and bring me in for questioning.”

Mulder caught her hand and captured it against his chest then brought her fingers up to kiss
her knuckles.

“I talked to you,” he said.

“Me?”

“When you were missing. I talked to you all the time. I called your phone. I left you
voicemails. I had to go to your apartment and change the tape in your machine because I
filled it.”

“You…”

“Then when you came back…the night before you woke up, I sat by your bed and talked to
you. You didn't talk back to me either.”

Scully smiled as she turned to face the ceiling and closed her eyes. “Doesn't mean I didn't
hear you.”

Mulder kissed her knuckles again then rolled onto his back, and closed his eyes too. He held
her hand on his chest as he let his weary body take over and pull him into sleep.
 Chapter 7

Community Compound
Los Angeles
Sunday

Mulder woke up lying on his stomach, one leg and one arm hanging off the bed with Scully
draped across the bed and his back, her cheek between his shoulders. She had one leg hooked
over his ass, her shin and foot between his thighs and her hand was draped over his lower
back, her fingers curled under him and against the lowered waistband of his shorts.

Inches from his cock which was as hard as he could ever remember it being.

He turned his head into the pillow and moaned. He could feel his pulse hammering in every
sensitive point in his body and he was surprised she was able to sleep against him so soundly
while his heart was hammering in his chest.

He needed to get her off him. He needed to get her off. He smiled then moaned when he felt
her nuzzle into him and her leg brushed the cheeks of his ass as her hips rolled into him.

“Scully…” he said, his voice muffled as his face was pressed into the pillow.

“Mmm.”

“You need to move.”

“Huh?”

He felt her head lift off his back and screwed his eyes shut as her breasts pressed into him,
her hips too and then her hand dragged slowly off him to press into the bed. She pushed away
from him and he was filled with regret at the loss of her touch.

“Sorry,” she mumbled as she stretched out on the bed next to him.

Mulder wanted to roll over and ravage her but she had made her stance clear, and he decided,
while running hard the night before, the next move would have to come from her. He sat up
and swung his legs over the edge of the bed then walked slowly into the bathroom to shower.

Scully pushed herself up and started to get her clothing ready for the day ahead. She was
scheduled to work in the barn with Sean again, then Beth had asked her to work with her in
the kitchen on baking treats for the ceremony. Mulder was supposed to be working all day in
the vineyard with Max, greeting the students and preparing the harvest.

When he emerged from the bathroom she slipped in and soon they were dressed and ready to
leave for breakfast in the main house.
He had his hands in his pockets waiting on the porch as she closed the door and she looked
over with a small smile. She couldn't help the pang of disappointment when he didn't have his
hand out to take hers and she was reluctant to hook his elbow as they strolled towards the
cabin.

“So you’re greeting the agents later?” she asked.

“Yeah, with Max.”

“I’ll be working with Sean all morning then in the main house with Beth.”

“I’m going to try and get some time alone with the agents if I can.” Mulder stepped back and
allowed her to step up to the main door before him, though she noticed he didn't place a hand
on her back like he usually did. “Chambers said I would recognise some of them, from that
prep evening in LA a few nights ago.”

“That feels like a lifetime ago,” she said, her hand on the door, poised to pull it open.

He made a non verbal sound of agreement then stepped closer to urge her into the house. As
usual the breakfast mood was high with excitement for the day ahead. Scully pushed him
towards the table while she went to plate up some food for him then got herself a bowl of
oatmeal with a side of fresh fruit.

Chatter was loud and fast and Beth was ribbing Mulder and Scully about the ceremony and
their vows. Max was excited for the students to arrive and help with the harvest and kept
confirming with Juan and Charlie that the bunkhouse would be ready.

“The room upstairs too, for Donna,” Beth said with a suggestive wave of her eyebrows.

“Huh?” Scully looked up from her food with a frown. “What was that?”

“The room upstairs, for you tonight.”

“Tonight? But I…” She looked over at Mulder who was just as confused as she.

“You can’t sleep with Matt on the eve of your wedding!” Beth said with a laugh as she shook
her head in disbelief. “Once the sun sets, you can't see him until the ceremony.”

“I…” Scully started but her words faltered.

“But…” Mulder tried to interject but his words faltered too and they were left looking at each
other in shock.

This was an unexpected change to their plan and with Scully in the house, she wouldn't be
able to work with him and the agents to plan for the raid. He could see the cogs turning in her
head too and figured they would talk about it during the day and figure something out, but
right now with all eyes on them he had no choice but to smile.

Scully looked away and concentrated on finishing her oatmeal then hurried to catch up with
Sean who left for the barn. Mulder watched her leave until he could no longer see her then
turned to Max who slapped him on the shoulder to get his attention.

“Lets’ go, bucko,” Max said and he jerked his thumb over his shoulder in the direction of the
main door towards the vineyard.

For a few hours Mulder worked with Max on scheduling the harvest plans, preparing the
tools everyone would need and getting started on the first row. When the small university
branded bus arrived he went with Max to greet everyone at the main entrance.

One after one, the agents got off the bus and Mulder wondered how Chambers found so many
baby faced DEA agents so quickly. He smiled, nodded, and shook hands then followed Max’s
lead to get them to work as soon as possible. Under the guise of giving individual instruction
he went to the agents one by one to fully introduce himself, give them the information they
needed to prepare for the raid, inform them where Agent Scully was currently working then
arranged for them all to meet in smaller groups that night.

Agent Ryan, took the lead in giving information back to Mulder and telling him about all the
intel they collected from the bugs. Phone calls made from the office in the barn, and an
argument between two unidentified males in Troy’s office. The phone calls were made by a
male, and were arranging a pick up of goods the evening of the wedding ceremony. It was
unable to be traced though techs were still trying.

The argument seemed to be about the same pick up agreement, and one person trying to get it
delayed the other threatening repercussions if it was delayed again.

“Do you have the recording?”

Ryan nodded and pulled out a small hand held recorder. He handed it to Mulder who quickly
put it into his pocket then moved to the next agent and went over the plan all over again. By
lunch time they had a large portion of the grapes harvested and Mulder called everyone
around the back the main house for their break.

Another large picnic table had been set up and was laden with plates, condiments and
utensils. Mulder cajoled a couple of the agents into helping him ferry food out from the
kitchen and was looking around for Scully when he spotted her coming out of the barn with
Sean.

He lifted his hand in a wave and she smiled as she walked over. To his delighted surprise she
slipped an arm around his waist and stepped up to kiss the corner of his jaw under his ear.

“Everyone here?” she asked.

“Yeah, and I have news.” Mulder looked over at the lunch tables. “Will you have time for a
walk after we grab something to eat?”

She nodded her head then moved over to grab some food. She found herself sitting between
Beth and Josh and Mulder was sitting across from her with some new arrivals either side of
him. Everyone was speaking about their morning tasks and what plans they had for the
afternoon. Beth was asking Mulder about his favourite treats and when he was being coy
Scully suggested lemon tarts, and chocolate eclairs.

“They are your favourite, not mine,” he protested as he finished his sandwich.

“Your favourite, my favourite, same thing!” Scully said and Mulder rolled his eyes but Beth
laughed.

“That's perfect, we have all the ingredients we need for those items.”

“Before you lock her up in the kitchen, I want to take my bride-to-be for a walk,” Mulder
said. He stood up and stepped over the bench then walked around the table and put his hands
on her shoulders. “C’mon.”

“I’ll give you twenty minutes, then I’m going to come looking for you.”

“We’re just taking a walk around the compound,” Mulder said as he slipped his hands into his
pockets and started to back away from the table when Scully moved to stand and meet him.

“I’ll find you!” Beth called after him in a mock threatening manner.

Mulder smiled and turned away as Scully got to his side and walked along with him. He
waited until they were far enough away from the lunch group before he pulled his hand out of
his pocket and held out the recorder for her to see.

“What’s this?”

“One of the agents gave it to me, it's a recording of a phone call made in the barn office to
arrange pick up of goods, and a recording of two men having an argument in Troy’s office.”

“Who is it?”

“I don’t know, I haven't heard it yet, I didn't get a chance.”

He looked over his shoulder and saw they were alone. They had walked behind the cabins,
into the brush, towards the spring.

He checked the buttons then clicked play before he held it up to his ear as she leaned in too.

“Yeah, it's me…ok that works, everyone will be busy with the wedding, we should be
able to get you in and out before…no, no, no one needs to get hurt…”

Mulder and Scully exchanged glances. They both shook their heads indicating they didn't
recognise the voice. It was a little muffled as if they were holding their hand over the
mouthpiece so as to not be heard.

“In and out, smooth as silk…yeah, yeah, about 2pm works. See you then.”

The phone call ended and they listened to some shuffling sounds then footsteps and the door
opening and closing.
“Did you recognise him?” Mulder asked as he paused the recording even though he knew her
response.

“No, you?” He shook his head then looked at the recorder again and pressed play.

“I told you, I didn’t want anything to do with that stuff,” the first voice said.

Mulder looked at Scully and mouthed “Troy?” but she shrugged as if she wasn't sure.

“It's one last time, we need to just do it one last time then everyone will be safe.”

“You think bringing that crowd here, onto my land, my home, makes us safe?”

“Just to pick up the stuff, then they’ll leave, there will be no time at all, and it's during
the ceremony, no one will notice.”

“Last time they came here someone almost died.”

“Kevin was an idiot! He interrupted-”

“I won't have it! Not in my home.”

“Well, it's happening, and you need to let it happen or…”

“Or what?”

“Or I won't be able to stop them from coming and taking what they want anyway.”

There was a beat of silence and Mulder and Scully exchanged glances again.

“Look Troy, this is happening, they need one more dose, then it’ll be over.”

“It better be.”

The sound of footsteps followed by a door closing and then silence. Mulder stopped the
recorder then turned to face her.

“Troy and…was it Sean?”

“I don't think so, it was a lower voice, older.”

“Max?”

“Maybe, it's hard to tell. I’d need to listen to it some more.”

“Here,” he said as he held out the recorder for her to take. “You take this, listen to it some
more, see if you can figure out who it is.”

“What are you going to do?”

“They said they are coming to pick something up. I want to find out what that is.”
“Be careful,” she said and he nodded as he backed away then turned to hurry out of sight.

When the grapes were fully harvested and packed for the crushing and fermentation Mulder
and Max led the group of agents around to the bunkhouse to give them time to settle in and
get cleaned up for dinner. Mulder waved at Max as he went into his own cabin where he
quickly showered and changed before making his way over to the bunkhouse. He knocked
quickly and looked over his shoulder but when the door opened he slipped in and closed it
behind him.

“Did you listen to the recording?” Ryan asked and Mulder was surprised again at how young
he looked. He had stubble over his face that looked like 3 or 4 days' growth, his sandy blonde
hair was shaggy and unkempt and he was every bit the image of a university student in his
baggy jeans and tattered hoodie.

“Yeah, I don't recognise the voice though. Whoever made the phone call was the same person
arguing with Troy in the office.”

“Yeah, we figured that but couldn't be sure. No idea who it could be?”

“Well it's limited, there are only a few men here, and then the accent and age of the voice
indicates only 2 or 3 of them but it's hard to tell. Agent Scully has it now, she will figure it
out,” he said with conviction.

“What's the plan tomorrow?”

“The ceremony starts at noon, food and drink afterwards. Everyone should be armed
discreetly.”

“Oh Chambers said you two don't have any weapons.” Ryan spoke over his shoulder as he
moved to his backpack where he pulled out a small black folded bag. “Here, for you and
Agent Scully.”

“Thanks,” Mulder said and he took the bag and shoved it down the back of his jeans then
pulled his sweater over it to make sure it was hidden.

“Max said we will be given roles at the ceremony tomorrow. Food service, music, clean up.”

“Yeah, it’s an all hands on deck situation here.”

“I’ll coordinate with everyone to make sure we’re aligned with expectations.”

“Agent Scully is staying in the main house tonight but I’ll connect with her and get her what
she needs,” he said as he patted the package in the back of his jeans.

“Dinner is a group affair?”

“Yeah, it's a good opportunity to meet the group, listen to see if we can figure out that voice.”

“What is being collected?”

“I don't know. Agent Scully had a suspected substance tested but the results were negative.
Nothing worth clandestine pickups anyway. So it must be something else.”

“Anywhere it can be stored?”

“No where we've found yet.”

Ryan went back to his backpack and pulled out a folded map. He spread it over the table and
Mulder went over to show him the compound structures.

“We checked the rooms in the house, we checked the barn, the cabins. The chicken coop is
small, and unlikely to be the place but it might be worth having a look.”

“And this is the entire compound?” Ryan asked as he indicated the boundary of the property
which was marked out with a dotted line.

“Yeah, there is a…” Mulder paused. He looked closer at the map and frowned.

“What?”

“There is a natural spring up here,” he said and pointed at a spot on the map that was just
marked as forest. “We went up there once…Beth told us about it, and said it was secluded.”

“Secluded enough to have something hidden there?”

“Maybe…Yeah.” Mulder straightened up. “I need to go.”

“I’ll go with you,” Ryan said as he folded up the map.

“No, wait here, Max is going to come collect you for dinner soon and if you’re not here it
might be suspicious.”

“Are you going to the spring?”

“I need to talk to Scully first.”

Mulder hurried up to the cabin and dropped off his weapon then folded up the bag again and
replaced it in the back of his jeans. He went to the main house and found Scully in the
kitchen with Beth adding finishing touches to some cupcakes and cookies. He sidled up
behind her, tried to ignore the niggling reminder in his brain that she should reach for him,
and instead focused on playing his role as the man in love.

“Hey, you almost done here?” His arms circled her waist and his fingers gripped her hips and
pulled her back against him.
“Yeah,” she said as she finished the last cupcake, squeezing the icing from the bag before she
looked up at him smiling over his shoulder.

“Come take a walk with me,” he urged.

Beth started humming the wedding march music and laughed when she saw both of them
blush.

“Seriously guys, you’re getting married in the morning, when are you going to stop
blushing?”

“Never,” Mulder said as he kissed the top of Scully’s head then with his hand on her
shoulders guided her out of the kitchen and out of the house.

“What's going on?” she asked when they were clear of the house.

“I spoke with Ryan. I have a weapon for you. You need to wear it tomorrow.”

“Weapons? I thought-”

“Scully, someone is coming to the compound tomorrow to pick something up, something that
Troy obviously didn't want stored here, and picked up by someone he obviously didn't want
on his land.”

“But-”

“And tonight you are sleeping in the main house, away from our cabin, on your own…so just
take the weapon.”

She hesitated a moment, then nodded her head. Mulder patted the small of his back, checked
their surroundings then handed it to her. She placed it in the same place on her body and
Mulder took a moment to fix her top over it before he gestured for her to follow him and he
walked towards the spring.

“Where are we going?” she asked.

“I was talking to Ryan about the places we’d searched, and it occurred to me that the spring is
secluded, has easy access, and is only place left we haven't checked yet.”

“The spring?”

“How hot did you say that water was?”

“About 90 degrees.”

“Would that be too hot to hide a substance?”

Scully frowned. “It depends on the substance. And if it was packaged right, watertight and
weighted, it could work.”
“C’mon.”

He pushed the brush aside and held it back until she stepped past into the open area to the
edge of the spring. She knelt down and peered into the murky water but she couldn't see
anything.

“Nothing?” Mulder asked as he crouched beside her.

“I can't see anything.”

“Let me check.”

He stood up and pulled his top off then quickly unfastened his jeans and shucked them down
before he toed off his sneakers and stamped out of his clothes.

“Careful, the edge is slippy.”

“My body is tensing, like it's going to be cold,” he said as he dipped his feet in and then
lowered himself in, right up to his shoulders. “Jesus…it's…strange.”

Scully chuckled. “Focus Mulder, can you find anything?”

“Hang on.”

He gripped the edge of the pool and took a deep breath before he lowered himself as deep as
he could reach. Scully reached out to touch his hand, to give him a connection to find his way
back and waited. His hands regripped the sides, and one went below the surface but it only
made her hold onto the other one tighter.

Finally he came back up to the surface with a deep inhale and shook his head to rid it of the
water that dripped from his hair.

“Anything?”

“Yeah…” he said and she watched his legs moving under the water as one of his hands bent
down to grab whatever he had held between his feet. “This.”

He placed a wrapped package about the size of a laptop case onto the ground beside where
she was sitting.

“What’s in it?” she asked as she started to peel off the wrapping. “It's packed so tight.”

Mulder stilled her hand when he heard rustling coming from the path towards the compound.

“Shit,” he said and he snatched the package back then covered it with his clothes. Scully
pulled her own top off and shoved the bag with the weapon under it all before she kicked off
her shoes and jeans then jumped into the spring with him. Her arms circled his neck and her
legs wrapped his waist as she snuggled into the crook of his shoulder.

“What have we got here?”

Mulder looked back to see Max standing there with his hands on his hips and his feet right by
their clothes.

“Oh, hey Max.”

“Oh my god!” Scully said with a chuckle as if she was embarrassed to be caught and she
buried her face into Mulders chest.

“Getting in a quick round of pre-marital nookie?”

“Something like that,” Mulder said and he tried to come up with something to say that would
make Max leave but his brain was fizzing over with the sensation of her wet skin against his
and forming words, thoughts, or anything other than the need to hold her closer was simply
beyond him.

“Were you hoping to take a dip?” Scully asked as she lifted her head up and smiled at Max.

“Yeah, my back is aching after the harvest,” Max said and he rubbed the bottom of it to sell
the discomfort he was feeling. “But I see you two are pretty cosy in there.”

Scully ducked her head and pressed her forehead against his shoulder.

“Cosy yes, definitely no room for a third.”

Max held his hands up and smiled but didn't back away like Mulder expected.

“Max, buddy,” Mulder said with a laugh. “Get out of here and stop ogling my wife!”

“She’s not your wife yet!” Max said as he backed away from them.

“Go to the stables and take a dunk in the trough! Get out of here!” Mulder yelled and
splashed a handful of water at Max’s laughing retreating form.

“Jesus,” Scully said when he was gone. “That was close.”

“You’re telling me,” Mulder muttered and he had to concentrate on not letting his hands
move from her hips.

Scully released his neck and gripped the sides and Mulder helped hoist her out of the pool
over his shoulder, both hating and loving how her body dragged all the way across his as she
did. She dressed as quickly as she could and Mulder pulled on his jeans but left his top off.
He used it to disguise the package but it was still too big to carry through the compound.

“Do you think he’s still out there?” Mulder asked.

“No, he’ll have gone back to the house,” she said. “Do you think he was here looking for the
package?” she asked and nodded at the bundle in Mulder’s arms.

“C’mon, I'll get this back to the cabin, you need to get back to the main house or Beth will
kick my ass.”
She walked ahead of him to make sure the coast was clear and Mulder followed close behind,
ready to use her as cover if anyone came up. As they crossed the boundary into the
compound Mulder hurried off towards the cabin and Scully made her way back to the main
house to meet with Beth. She stood at the door and exhaled slowly, hoping Mulder got
everything packed away. In the kitchen she saw Beth was just finished with the clean up from
their baking.

“Hey,” Scully said. “Sorry, I left you with all the cleaning up.”

“Oh it's fine,” Beth said with a wave of her hand. “Young love.”

“So which room will I be in tonight?”

“Oh let me show you.” Beth dried her hands off the hand towel and slung it over her shoulder
then guided Scully through the house to the only empty room upstairs. It was across from the
bathroom and next to Troy’s room. There was a bed, a small chest of drawers, a full length
mirror and a window which overlooked the bonfire site. The only picture on the wall was of
local wildlife that looked like it was painted a long time ago by an amateur artist. She
guessed it was Troy’s wife.

“So after sunset…”

Beth chuckled. “Yep, pretty much after dinner and a few drinks by the fire you’ll be whisked
away.”

Scully smiled and looked around the room. “That dress you said I could wear…”

“Oh let me grab it for you now, it's in my room.”

Beth hurried away and Scully took the moment to take the gun from the back of her jeans and
press it under the mattress. She fixed the sheets and sat against the edge of the bed ready for
when Beth returned.

“Here we are…” Beth said as she opened the door with a flourish and swung her arm around
to show Scully the dress.

It was a floor length ivory gown with spaghetti straps, a heart shaped cut that looked like it
would hug her figure and be loose after her hips. It also looked like it would be miles too
long.

“It's really beautiful,” she said and she couldn't resist reaching out to touch the satin material.
“But it's so long.”

“Oh we can pin it up at the front and let it trail at the back.”

“Can I…”

“Try it on?” Beth said as she was already taking it off the hanger. “I insist.”
After a moment's hesitation Scully peeled off her top and her jeans, then turned her back a
little as she took off her bra which was still damp from her jump into the spring. Beth helped
her slip into the dress then shimmied it over her shoulders and down her body until it settled
in place.

“Oh my god Donna,” Beth said as she stepped back to take a look. The dress was definitely
too long but it was perfect around her chest, her flat stomach and hugged her hips snugly
before the satin skirt fell loose and heavy around her legs.

“Is it ok?” Scully asked as she looked down at herself then slowly turned to the mirror to see
how the dress fit. The material was soft against her skin and it shimered when she moved
from side to side. It was way past her feet and bunched on the floor but it hugged her hips,
floated over her ass, rested across her breasts and immediately she wondered what Mulder
would think when he saw her in it.

She closed her eyes to prevent that thought from manifesting into something she wasn't ready
to examine then opened them when she felt Beth tugging on the dress by her feet. She rolled
it up just enough to prevent Scully from tripping, then from seemingly nowhere she pulled
out a small box of pins and fastened it in place.

“There,” she said as she leaned back to look at her handiwork. “It looks great.”

“Beth, I don't know what to say,” Scully muttered and she felt a vice-like grip of guilt clench
around her heart.

“Nothing, you don't need to say anything, just relax. Now take off this dress and let's get
down to dinner.

Scully nodded and she lifted her arms to help Beth get the dress off her then Beth left her
alone to redress. She reached for her bra but it was still damp so she pulled on her top and
jeans but grimaced at the sensation of the stiff material against her skin, especially after it
was caressed so softly by the satin of the dress.

Knowing she needed to change, and get her toiletries for the night at the main house she
hurried downstairs, dodged the questions about where she was going with a smile and a wave
before she hurried across the yard to the cabin she shared with Mulder. She burst in and
slammed the door closed behind her.

“Mulder?” she called out but the place was empty. She peeled off her clothes and rummaged
in the drawer for fresh underwear. She had pulled up her panties, had her bra on the bed and a
t-shirt and was looking for some jeans when the door opened.

“Scully,” Mulder said as he glanced up to see her crouched by the bed.

“Oh! Mulder!” She stood up and grabbed her tee from the bed to cover her bare breasts.

“I got the package open,” he was walking towards her and looking at something in his hands
as he crossed the room.
“Mulder!” she warned as he got closer then he looked up and saw her and only then noticed
her state of undress.

“Shit!” He whirled around and turned his back to her. “Sorry, sorry, I didn't see, sorry.”

“Just…give me a sec.” She dropped her tee, quickly put on her fresh bra and finished
dressing then sat on the bed to put on her socks. “Okay, I’m good.”

Mulder slowly turned as if afraid she was joking, then sat on the bed with her and showed her
what was in his hand. “I got it open, with Agent Ryan, it’s filled with these.”

Scully looked to see it was a small bag with a grey powder inside. She took it from him and
lifted it to her nose but it was odourless.

“What is it?” Mulder asked.

“I’ve no idea.” She sealed the bag up and handed it back to him. “We need to get it to the
lab.”

“Yeah, I’m going to take it out there right now.”

“What about dinner?”

“Make an excuse for me. He stood up and slipped the bag into his pocket. “Ryan has a phone,
he called them and told them I’m on the way.”

“Mulder-”

“I’ll be back before sunset,” he said with a pointed look before he hurried away and left her
standing in the empty cabin, her head spinning, her heart racing.

It was easier than she expected to make an excuse for Mulder’s absence and all she had to do
was withstand some gentle ribbing. After dinner when the group migrated to the fire pit
where everyone sat in groups as Juan poured some drinks for everyone. Scully made sure to
get a seat near Max to immerse herself in his voice before going back to her room to hear the
recording. She watched the time and counted the minutes going by getting ever more anxious
the longer Mulder took. She caught Agent Ryan’s eye who nodded then disappeared and she
hoped he went to make a call but before he could come back, Mulder appeared.

“There he is,” Sean yelled out as Mulder approached. Scully waved him over and he sat on
the ground between her legs. She put her hands on his shoulders and squeezed him as she
leaned down over his shoulder and kissed his cheek.

“Don’t get too comfy you two,” Sean yelled out as he tapped the face of his watch with two
fingers. “Time is ticking and the sun has almost set.”
“Well, in that case…” Mulder said and he stood up, grabbed her hand and pulled her up too.
“I’m going to take a few moments alone with my almost wife.”

Beth and Sean continued to tease him, as Mulder put his arm over her shoulder and directed
her away from the fire to walk in peace so they could talk.

“You have the results?” Scully asked as she put her arm around his waist to hold him close as
they spoke low.

“Yeah,” he said as he pulled a couple of folded up pages from his pocket. “But I couldn’t
understand them.”

She took the pages and opened them up to get a better look. It took her a moment and
Mulder’s arm tightened around her shoulders as she continued to read.

“Well? What is it?”

“Mulder these…this…are you sure?”

“What?”

“This is a highly potent concoction of Dimethyltryptamine.”

“What's that?”

“It's a hallucinogenic, psychedelic drug. This is definitely what Chambers was hoping we’d
find.” She looked up at him then back down to the page. “This is a controlled substance and
mixed with…with…with for instance, the tea, it could be taken easily and the effects would
be immediate.”

“And the effects would be?”

“It can differ depending on the patient, and volume taken but even a little bit of this,” she said
with a wave of the page. “Can result in dizziness, rapid heart rate, dilated pupils, chest pain,
confusion, loss of muscle control.”

“So whoever is coming for this tomorrow…”

“Is going to be mad when they can't find it.”

“You have your weapon right?”

“Yeah.”

“Ryan and the others are armed too. And me.”

Scully nodded. She folded up the page and slipped it into her front pocket.

“It's going to be fine,” he said. “I spoke to Chambers while I was at the lab. They have a
mobile unit ready to go, it’ll park up tomorrow nearby and come when ordered by Ryan.”
Scully nodded her head. She felt the usual pre op nerves tingle through her body but this time
it was more than just the operation, the raid, the UC profile. It was so much more. The end of
this case was the beginning of something completely different and that added a whole other
layer of nerves on top of everything else she was feeling.

“We better get back,” she said and she stopped walking. He took a step past her and removed
his arm from her shoulder. He nodded then turned with her and they walked back, each of
them with their hands in their own pockets.

As soon as they got to the edge of the bonfire again Beth jumped up and grabbed Scully away
from his side.

“I hope you enjoyed that stroll, no more, until the ceremony tomorrow.”

She tugged Scully away who looked back at Mulder. He was smiling and watching her leave
and she saw Sean approach him then lead him away in the direction of the cabins.

Community Compound
Los Angeles
Monday

Scully stayed awake most of the night. She listened to the folks outside chatting, laughing,
and singing for a few hours until the sound faded and everyone went to bed. Then she
listened only to the silence and the groaning of the house settling for the night. She listened to
the recording over and over again and while she thought it could be Max she couldn't be sure.
She was awake when the sun rose, and awake when the occupants did too.

She counted a few more hours of being awake before she had the nerve to get out of bed. She
wished Mulder was with her and though that thought wasn’t foreign to her, the intensity of it
was. She had talked out her thoughts all night as if he was lying there next to her. And she
was so familiar with him she was able to anticipate his responses, both in agreement and
dissent but because he wasn’t actually there, she was able to win all the arguments.

She showered and dressed and went down to breakfast but before she could go into the
kitchen Beth came rushing out and urged her back up to her room with the promise of food
being delivered immediately.

Mulder, who was sitting at the kitchen table when he saw Beth race across the room, strained
his neck to try and see a glimpse of his blushing bride. He caught a flash of red hair but saw
nothing else. He slumped back into his seat and Josh slapped him on the shoulder and
laughed.

“It won't be long now buddy. In a couple of hours she’ll be walking down the aisle to meet
you.”
“Yeah, a few hours.”

“You have a shirt to wear?”

“A shirt?”

“Yeah to the wedding.”

“Oh, right, um…no,” Mulder said as he mentally reviewed the clothing he had packed, which
was all casual wear.

“I got you covered.”

“Eat up, let's get this show on the road.”

Within the hour Mulder had on a pair of slate grey slacks and a pale blue shirt which was a
touch too small and strained across his chest. He finger combed his hair, splashed some
cologne on his freshly shaved face then went out to the garden to help with the set up. Beth
and a few of the other girls were with Scully and he was dying to see her.

Not just to see her in her dress, on their wedding day, but to see her. It had been too long
since she was taken away from him the night before and kept alone in the room without him.
They hadn't been apart this long since they went to Detroit and that felt like a lifetime ago.

He had his gun strapped to his ankle and he knew Ryan and the rest of the agents had the
same which offered him some comfort but he knew he wouldn't feel calm until he could get
his eyes on her. Everytime the door opened he whipped around to find her but it was never
her.

“Calm down man, she ain't gonna leave you at the altar,” Josh said after he saw him looking
at the door for the thousandth time.

“No, of course she wouldn't,” Mulder said with a gesture at himself and a cocky smile he
wasn’t feeling.

Josh laughed and set up the last of the chairs then moved to the back area to make sure the
table with drinks was ready.

Mulder spotted Troy who was walking up the aisle, a wide smile on his face and that shoebox
from the farmers market under his arm.

“Matt, how are you feeling? You look terrified.”

“Terrified? No. Anxious to get this show on the road.”

Troy chuckled and patted the box he was holding. “I have something for that.”

Mulder looked at the box and raised an eyebrow. “What's in the box?”

“Something to help you calm down.”

“I don't…”

“It's not like that.” Troy moved to the altar space and put the box on the small lectern then
opened the lid.

Eager to see its contents, Mulder leaned forward to peer inside. The box was lined with tissue
paper that Troy moved aside then he could see the same small bags they had found in the
spring the night before, though the powder this time was whiter and the portion was smaller.

“What is it?”

“Basically a homemade Valium,” Troy said and he took one out and handed it to Mulder.
“Take it now, try it with some juice, and within the hour you won't have a care in the world.”

Mulder took the bag and held it up. “Thanks.”

He slipped it into his pocket and went to the kitchen to get some water though he had no
intention of taking this substance he had to let Troy think he did. By the sink he listened to
the noises of the house. He could hear female voices upstairs talking animatedly and
wondered if one of them was Scully and he had to hold the edge of the counter to stop
himself from racing up to her room to find out.

“Hey, you there!” Mulder looked up to see Sean standing across the room, his hands fisted
against his hips in a superman pose. “Yeah you! Mr East Coast!”

“What do you want Sean?”

“Get out of the kitchen! This is the danger zone. You are forbidden from being here.”

“Danger of what?”

“Seeing the bride.” Sean’s fake frown turned into a sly smile and he moved his hand, pinched
his fingers and kissed the tips. “And boy is she worth the wait.”

“Wait…you saw her?” Mulder asked and he looked towards the door as if she was about to
step through.

“Yeah, I’m not banished. You are banished. So get out of here.”

Sean pulled the back door open and pointed out to the garden to get Mulder to move out.
With one last look at the door to the stairs he went out to the back garden. He checked his
watch. The ceremony was supposed to start in about twenty minutes, the pick up was
supposed to happen about an hour after that, and shortly after that, this would be all over.

That thought alone made him want to race up to her room and pull her into his arms. He
wasn't sure he was ready for all of this to be over, at least not before he knew what that
meant, for them. Sean’s heavy hand on his back steering him up to the ceremony area was
preventing him from making a dash for it.

“You got the rings?” Sean asked.

Mulder nodded and patted his pocket.

“You got the vows?”

He nodded again, smiled and patted his heart.

Sean smiled back and shook his head. “You are a lost cause my man.”

“Don’t I know it,” he muttered and tried to visibly relax as Troy approached.

“Gentlemen,” Troy said as he took his place by the lectern.

“All set up with the drinks?” Sean asked.

“Yeah, Josh just finished.” Troy slapped Mulder’s shoulder. “How about you son? Are you
feeling better?”

“Yeah, I’m good, great,” Mulder said. “I just want to see her.”

“You will son, any minute now.”

Someone started playing soft ballads on a stereo and slowly the chairs were filled. Mulder
clocked each of the undercover agents then found Max sitting at the back by the aisle. Sean
and Josh were sitting up front and Troy was standing just behind him. Mulder faced down the
aisle, his eyes fixed on the door and he waited to see her.

Scully endured more than a few hours of having her hair coiffed, combed and curled. Her
face was moisturised and make-up was applied but she wasn't allowed to look into the mirror
until the very end. They spent so long putting her makeup on she was sure it would look
garish but finally when Beth turned her around to face the full length mirror it was a natural
look, with a taupe brush of shadow over her eyes and a rich burnt umber lipstick. Her hair
was half up with curled tendrils down to frame her face. Her necklace, with the cross,
adorned her shoulders and hung at just the right height to not detract from the tasteful line of
her dress.

“You look amazing,” Beth said as she stood behind her and added finishing touches to
Scully’s hair.

“Wow…you did this…”

“I had a great canvas. Matt is going to die.”

Scully couldn't help the smile that curled her lips and ducked her head so she wouldn't have
to see it in her reflection, in her own eyes, and admit it in her heart. When the music started
playing downstairs Scully felt her heart rate ramp up and she took a few steadying breaths.

“Are you ready?”

“Yeah, I just need a moment.”

Beth smiled and ushered everyone out of the room. Scully looked into the mirror again and
couldn't believe what she was looking at. It wasn't the wedding dress she had imagined, when
she had the guts to imagine it. But it was stunning. It hugged her in all the right places. It felt
like pure silk against her skin. It flowed around her legs as she moved and it felt like she
wasn't wearing anything at all.

She took one more look, smiled at her own reflection then turned to the bed and reached for
the gun she stowed under the mattress. She unrolled it from the bag then fastened the holster
up high on her thigh with the gun placed against the inside of her leg to keep it hidden. It
wasn’t quite the garter that most women wore up there on their wedding day but this gave her
a bit more solace than any garter possibly could.

She brushed down her dress again then turned around in front of the mirror to be sure the gun
was hidden then closed her eyes, took one more slow inhale and released it in a long
measured sigh then turned and walked out the door.

Mulder spotted Beth come out of the house and he took an involuntary step closer. It seemed
like an age passed before Beth turned back to the door and held it open for Scully to walk
through. He swallowed hard around a lump in his throat as she moved off the porch and he
felt his mouth hang open at the sight of her.

The dress was sublime. He had never imagined her in a wedding dress, he had never thought
to let his mind get this far in the story of their fake relationship. He wanted to race down the
aisle and bury his fingers in her hair, his tongue in her mouth, his cock…

“Matt,” Troy said and Mulder leaned back to hear what he had to say but didn't take his eyes
off Scully as she started walking between the chairs. “Take it all in, this is the moment you’ll
remember for the rest of your life.”

Mulder watched her approach. Her eyes were connected to something just behind his
shoulder and he wanted her to look at him. Her smile was slight, just like one of those when
Skinner would make an argument she had already made and he would have to rehash his
rationale. She was clutching a small bunch of wildflowers and her eyes fluttered down to
them before she lifted her head and finally caught his eyes when she was only a few feet
away.

He felt all the oxygen pull out of his lungs and he wasn't sure how he kept standing. His
knees felt like jelly and he locked them into place to stop himself from keeling over. When
she finally stood up in front of him he reached out and took one of her hands. He leaned
down and kissed her cheek just in front of her ear.

“Scully…” he whispered, his lips brushing her skin. “You look…amazing.” He kissed her
cheek again and leaned back to see her blush. Her eyes dropped and he squeezed her hand as
they stepped back to stand either side of Troy.

“Well, we finally made it here,” Troy said and there was a smattering of cheers and clapping
from the audience. “We may only have known these two for a short time, but they have
brought so much love into our homes it feels like they’ve been here forever.”
Troy went on to share the memory of Mulder’s first day on the vineyard which had everyone
laughing and Mulder blushing. Then he spoke about Scully’s karaoke singing for which she
turned and took a shallow bow and everyone cheered. Josh got up and read a passage from
Moby Dick which brought tears to Scully’s eyes until Mulder took her hand and smiled at
her.

“You?” she mouthed at him and he slowly nodded his head, never taking his eyes off her, and
squeezing her hand a little tighter.

Beth then got up and recited “Song of myself” by Walt Whitman and Mulder kept hold of her
eyes the whole time. As Beth took her seat Troy moved back to his position and placed a
hand on each of their shoulders. They turned to look at him and he smiled at them both.

“Time for the vows…Donna, would you like to go first?”

Scully nodded then licked her lips and turned to face Mulder who was watching her with a
slightly stunned expression on his face. This was the moment he had been dreading this
whole time. When she would stand on this stage and declare her undying love for him all the
while assuming a different name, while pretending to be a different person, surrounded by
strangers. His heart was hammering in his chest and his palms were slick with sweat. He
almost wanted the assailants they were expecting to crash in on this wedding right now
before she uttered a word. He watched her swallow then she licked her lips again and started
speaking.

“I take you to be my husband,” she began and he didn't miss how she didn't name him. “I was
drawn to you from the day we met. I love that we started out as friends. That is my favourite
part. You truly saw me. You understand me, challenge me, accept me, in a way no one else
has, in a way that I believe no one else can. You are my best friend. It's loving each other at
our most intimate, vulnerable times. It colours our tapestry with yet unnamed, exotic colours,
known only to the two of us. And I can’t wait to explore them all with you.”

Her voice wavered towards the end and she licked her lips again. He struggled to keep his
lips off hers and pressed them between his teeth to stop himself.

“Beautiful,” Troy said. “Matt, your turn.”

Mulder glanced at Troy then looked back at Scully. He took a slow breath and opened his
mouth to speak but the words caught in his throat and he stared at her for a moment longer.

“Matt?” Troy urged him.

“Yeah, sorry, I was…” Mulder swallowed and nodded his head then reached out and took
Scully’s hand. “I take you to be my wife. When you need a friend, I will be your best friend.
When you need help, I will be there for you. When you need care, I will support you.
Because you are my everything. You are my light, and you've shown me more love than I've
ever known. I promise to love you with every last beat of my heart and several more after it
stops.”
A few people in the audience sighed and sniffed but Mulder only had eyes for Scully and she
for him. He squeezed her hand and watched her swallow as some unshed tears he just knew
were reflecting what was in his own, threatened to fall.

“Wonderful stuff,” Troy said and he placed a hand over his heart. “The rings. Matt?”

“Yes, yes,” he said and he fished them out of his pocket. He held them in the palm of his
hand and moved his hand towards Troy.

“You’re marrying her, not me,” Troy said. The audience chuckled and Mulder smiled as he
picked one of the rings up then took her left hand in his right and slipped it onto her finger.
Then he opened his hand and offered her the other ring. She took it with trembling fingers
and reached for his hand then slipped it onto his finger.

“And with this gesture, this promise, this expression of love, I now pronounce you husband
and wife.” Everyone cheered and clapped and Mulder smiled. “You may kiss,” Troy said but
Mulder didn't wait for that instruction.

He cupped her face, ran his thumbs over her cheeks and leaned in to press a gentle kiss to her
lips. When he felt her whimper against him, he stepped closer and deepened the kiss until the
applause around them got louder and he remembered where he was.

“Music, song, dance, love,” Troy said and he patted Mulders shoulder as he pulled away from
the kiss and held her in a tight hug.

The audience all stood and Mulder took her hand to lead her down the aisle. Beth had handed
out bushels of petals that everyone threw at them as they walked down and when they
reached the end Sean was standing there with two colourful leis to drape over their necks.
Charlie fiddled with the stereo and found some music for their first dance. Mulder started
laughing when he heard Elvis start to sing “Can’t help falling in love with you.”

He turned Scully around in his arms and started to dance with her as the audience moved
around the makeshift stage. She had one hand on his waist, the other in his hand and her
forehead against the front of his shoulder as they swayed side to side. He sang softly in her
ear, snaked his arm tighter around her waist and pulled her flush against him. As the chorus
started and others joined them on the dance floor Scully lifted her head and looked around.

“Mulder,” she said and he turned his head a little to see her. “Where is Max?”

Mulder looked up and turned them round so they could fully scope out the crowd.

“I don't see him.”

“The spring?” she suggested.

“Maybe yeah.”

“Or the barn?”

“Maybe, or the house.” He looked up at the main house but couldn't see anything.
“Okay, you check the barn, I’ll check the house.” She moved to step out of his arms but he
pulled her back.

“Wait a sec…” He glanced down her body and frowned. “Are you packing?”

Scully smiled and nodded her head. “Go. Meet back here in 5.”

Mulder nodded and released her then watched as she hurried off towards the house. He
turned to move towards the barn but spotted Ryan standing on the edge of the dancefloor
speaking with another Agent. He walked over and clapped them on the back in a jovial
manner.

“We need eyes on Max,” he said.

“Haven't seen him since the start of the ceremony.”

“Agent Scully is gone to check the house, can you go and back her up?” Mulder said to the
other agent. “Ryan, can you grab another agent and check the spring? I'm going up to the
barn.”

“You got it.”

Mulder nodded again then moved to the barn to find Max. He had checked all the stables, the
storage room, and the office in the loft but it was empty. He went back out to the garden and
moved towards the side of the house to see if he could find Max by the fire pit, or in the
vineyard but there was still no sign of him.

He was about to go back round to the dance floor to find Scully when he heard a car pull up
to the front of the house. Light on his feet and moving swiftly, he hurried to the entryway in
time to see an SUV park behind the university minibus and the few other cars that were
usually parked out front. Three men climbed out and Mulder could immediately tell by the
bulk in their coats and the way they carried their arms, elbows close to their hips, that they
were armed.

He thought about going out now to confront them but decided that was not the best move. He
hurried back around the house and found Scully standing with one of the agents talking
softly, each of them with a drink in their hand. When suddenly the words he heard Sean and
Troy say earlier shot to the forefront of his brain.

All set up with the drinks.

He hurried over and took the drink out of her hand then seemingly by accident, dropped it
onto the lawn.

“Shit, sorry,” he said and he looked at the agent and shook his head. The agent moved aside
and put the untouched drink on the table. “You didn't drink any of that did you?”

“No, a sip maybe, but no, I’m fine.”

“Don’t drink anything. Troy laced the drinks.” He turned to the agent to speak. “Make sure
all the others know not to drink anything. Three men just pulled up, they are armed.”

Scully pressed her legs together to feel the gun against her thigh. She grabbed Mulder's arm
to get his attention. “Nothing in the barn?” He shook his head. “Or the house,” she
confirmed.

“I sent Ryan to the spring, but he should be back in a few minutes.”

“Who were those men that arrived?”

“I don't know, I didn't recognise them.”

“We should call Chambers.”

“Yeah, I need-”

“What the hell are you doing here?” Troy's voice was booming, loud enough to be heard over
the chatter and the music and everyone stopped to turn and see what he was shouting at.

The three men walked towards the dance floor and fanned out in strategic placement.
Mulder’s hand squeezed her arm and he stepped in front of her.

“We came to collect.”

“There is nothing here for you, Jack”

Sean and Josh stepped up to stand either side of Troy. Larry who was sitting by the stereo
playing DJ turned off the music and moved to stand with them too. Juan moved backwards
and ushered some of the others out of the line of sight of the intruders. Mulder watched
everyone move and clocked all the agents take up positions with easy cover. He didn't want
this to turn into the O.K. corral but he wasn't sure if there was any way to stop it.

He spotted Ryan and another agent coming back from the spring and watched as he ducked
behind the barn. Mulder hoped he was calling Chambers as he carefully moved himself and
Scully towards the table that had been set up for the food in the hopes it would offer cover if
they needed it. He maintained a tight grip on her arm and held her behind him as they inched
towards cover. It was one thing to allow her the independence of finding her own cover when
she was in her FBI issued armour, but when she stood in a satin wedding dress, with her
cleavage showing, and nothing but a small calibre gun strapped…somewhere, he couldn't
figure out where, then he was going to make sure she was safe.

“I think that's where you’re wrong, old man.” Jack said. He was older than the others, closer
to Troy’s age than anyone else’s, with greying hair and a faded blue oxford shirt which was
tucked into a faded pair of jeans with a massive belt buckle. His jacket was long enough to
just cover the holster at his hip but anyone with eyes could see he was carrying a weapon.

“Last time was the last time,” Troy said. “We told you, we’re not interested in whatever it is
you’re doing.”
“Then why did I get a phone call telling me the package was ready for pick up.”

“There is nothing-”

“Troy!”

Everyone turned to see Max standing at the corner of the house, one hand on the porch
railing, the other held up, palm out in a gesture of calm.

“Max, get back,” Sean said and he started to move towards Max but one of the intruders
behind Jack pulled a gun. Beth cried out a warning and Sean looked over to her then quickly
turned to see the gun was aimed right at him.

“Everyone, stay where you are.” Jack spoke calmly and it poured over Mulder like cold
cream, leaving a trail of fear in its wake. “Now I want what I came for, and I’m not leaving
till I get it.”

“We don't have it.” Troy spoke with conviction and Mulder watched Sean put a hand on his
shoulder to hold him back. “Now get out of here before I call the cops.”

“The cops?” Jack laughed, one hand on his belly, his face up to the sky. “That's a fucking
joke.”

“It's not here,” Max said. “It’s gone.”

“Well now I’m gonna get mad, and we don't want me to get mad.”

Jack stepped forward and the two men near him followed suit. Sean moved Troy back and
pushed him behind himself then held his hands out to the intruders in an effort to calm down
the rising tensions. Scully tried to step out from behind Mulder but his grip on her arm
tightened and he stepped back to keep her flush against him. She watched Sean and
recognised his military training in keeping a crazy situation calm. Mulders back was tense
and strong and while part of her wanted nothing more than to curl her arms around him and
draw him away from this situation she knew she had to put everything but her training aside
and get this situation resolved before anyone got hurt.

“Hey, this is getting out of hand,” Sean said and he moved his hands in soothing slow waves.

“You’re right.” Jack said as he reached for his gun. “And it's time to get the focus and
understanding right back to the main point.” He pulled out his gun and fired it without
hesitation, shooting Sean in the stomach.

Beth screamed and raced forward but Juan held her back to keep her safe.

“Mulder,” Scully said through gritted teeth and he felt her move behind him as she lowered
her hand to grab her own gun.

“Scully, no, wait, it's not time.”

“Now, Mulder,” she whispered. She nodded in the direction of Ryan and the other agent who
had their guns drawn and were approaching the group from behind the intruders.

Ryan hurried into position, he caught Mulder and Scully’s eyes and Mulder knew every
undercover agent in the place was waiting for the silent countdown. Crouched behind a fence,
Ryan held his hand up where the others could see it, then moved his fingers down from 5 to 0
holding up a fist. He stood up in a flash and shouted out the command to move.

“Go, go, go, go!” he yelled. The intruders immediately moved to face the sound and Ryan
lunged behind a cart as they opened fire. Mulder grabbed his gun and both he and Scully
ducked behind the table into position.

Mulder leaned up to peer over the top but the intruders were firing at them and he ducked
back down again.

“They are shooting everyone,” he cursed. He looked over at Scully who was crouched beside
him then watched as she moved her hand down her leg, hitched up the skirt of her dress high
enough so he could see the holster strapped to her thigh.

In other circumstances he would have made her stop and make that move again, only slower.
She pulled out the gun, fixed her skirt then got into position. Mulder swallowed, grabbed his
own gun and focused.

“On my six,” Scully said as she crawled around the other side of the table to round it to the
other side where she could get a better vantage point. She aimed her gun and fired at one of
the intruders who was shooting at the group of people huddled behind the upturned drinks
table. He fell when she shot him in the shoulder and Mulder took down the other sidekick.
The only remaining intruder was Jack who was holding cover behind a bale of hay that had
been used to line up the dance floor.

“Cease fire!” Ryan shouted. The gun fire halted and all that could be heard was laughing
from the leader. “Come out with your hands up,” Ryan yelled.

“No freaking way,” Jack responded.

“Mulder, I need to get to Sean,” Scully said and looked over at Sean who was lying on the
ground with a rapidly growing pool of blood expanding beneath him. “Cover me.”

“Scully, no, wait,” he said and he tried to hold her back but she shook him off and hurriedly
crawled across the lawn to where Sean was lying, clutching his stomach.

“Donna,” he croaked and he coughed up blood that spat across his own face.

“Shhh, don't talk, just lie still.” She lifted his shirt and saw the small bullet hole just by his
bellybutton. She grabbed his hip and his shoulder and rolled him up to look at his back to see
a larger hole there indicating the bullet went through him. “Okay, okay, Sean, the bullet went
through, which is good. You need to lie still.” She bunched up his shirt and pressed it against
his stomach then covered it with both of his hands. “Hold this here.”
Then she leaned back and ripped up the seam of her dress to get more material and bunched it
under the exit wound.

“Don’t move, just lie still, an ambulance is on the way.”

Sean was blinking rapidly and his breathing was ragged but she felt his pulse and it was
steady if a little weak. She glanced over her shoulder to see Mulder crouched by the table
watching her, his gun in his hand, trained on the intruder.

She looked over at Ryan who was circling the bale of hay, two agents either side of him as
they cornered Jack who was crouched there. Mulder took the opportunity to come out from
behind the table and he hurried over to where Scully was still couched. He put himself
between her and the intruder but before Ryan could even get into place the compound was
swarmed by armed SWAT team DEA agents who moved into position and subdued the
intruder before anyone could react.

Scully immediately stood up and crossed her forearms over her head. “Medic, I need a medic
over here!” she yelled and crouched again by Sean to hold pressure on his wounds.

Beth came running over and skidded on her knees by his head.

“Sean, hey, Sean, hold on, just, hold on for me, ok?” she said and she leaned down to kiss his
forehead and brush the hair off Sean’s face.

Two medics hurried over and brushed both Scully and Beth aside.

“Gunshot wound, lower torso, through and through,” Scully said as she took Beth’s arm and
pulled her back to give them room.

“What's happening? Is he going to be ok?” Beth asked.

“He’s getting the help he needs now. We need to let them work on him and get him to the
ER.”

The medics worked for a few more minutes then Beth went with them when they took Sean
to the waiting ambulance.

Scully looked over her shoulder to see Mulder standing with Ryan where Jack was sitting on
the ground in cuffs. One of the other intruders was lying under a blanket, the other was seen
to by a medic team and was put into the back of a squad car.

She took a moment to take the sight of Mulder in as she inhaled deeply and willed her racing
heart to slow down but the longer she looked at him, the faster it beat. His trousers were
scuffed with grass stains. His shirt was ruffled and untucked on one side. His hair was tousled
and his hands gripped his hips as he shifted his weight from one foot to the other and back
again in a clear sign of frustration and she needed to get to him and sooth the tension that she
knew was coursing through him.

“Mulder,” she said as she approached and he whipped round to face her then engulfed her in
his arms. “I’m ok,” she said against his chest. “I’m ok.”
“You can't…” He pulled back and held her at arm's length. “Jesus, you can’t move through a
cross fire area like that!”

“I’m fine.” She put her hands on his chest as if she needed to feel his heart beat, his life force,
him.

He looked down at her hands, which were stained red with Sean’s blood, and her dress was
torn up showing her legs and the holster she had on her thigh above her knee.

“You’re ok,” he muttered and she realised he was trying to convince himself so she nodded
her head to help him.

“I’m ok.” She smiled and he felt it tug on his spine from the nape of his neck to the top of his
ass.

“We should…” he looked down at her dress again then up to her lips. “Get you changed,
before we need to interview with Chambers.”

She nodded and bit back another smile when she knew they were surrounded by other agents
and needed to keep some semblance of professionalism. But the heated look in his eyes and
the tight grip of his hands on her upper arms warmed her belly and made her crave his
closeness.

He watched her bite the corner of her lower lip and that same tug this time shot to his cock.
He shifted his grip to take her hand and moved through the bustle of people to get to their
cabin. Their fingers were interlocked and he all but dragged her behind him. He opened the
door and pushed her inside then stepped in and slammed it behind them.

“Your dress is ruined,” he said. He was standing right behind her, his hands on her shoulders.

“I need to wash my hands, and change my clothes.”

“Yeah,” he muttered and he clenched his jaw as she stepped away. She went to the bathroom
and he heard the taps running. Moments later she emerged with a small towel in her hands as
she dried them thoroughly then she tossed it onto the counter and stood by the couch staring
at him.

His heart was in his throat and his fingers itched to reach out for her. She was still watching
him and when her tongue came out to brush her upper lip he all but lost his resolve to let her
make the next move. Luckily he didn't have to find out because when his eyes moved from
her lips, down her body, paused on the holster on her thigh and then back up to her
shimmering blue eyes, she pounced, and he caught her.

Their lips clashed, their tongues entwined and when he felt her fingers scrape across his scalp
and grip a fistful of his hair he moaned and walked her to the wall to press against her. Her
legs came up to wrap his waist and he held her there with his hands under her thighs. She
rolled her body as her tongue moved faster and Mulder moved his hands up her legs to grip
her ass and when he realised she wasn’t wearing any panties he felt a feral beat of his heart
coursing hot blood around his body.
“Jesus,” he muttered when he came up for air. She leaned back and her hands moved down
his chest to his waist and started to unbuckle his belt and open his trousers. “Scully,” he said
and he looked up to her face and was shocked by the pure wanton desire he saw there. He
hadn't seen that look on her face before. He often wondered what it would look like but now
that he was looking at it, he realised his imagination was nowhere near close to the reality of
it.

“Mulder,” she moaned when she had his pants open enough to slip her hands in but his body
was so close to hers there was no room for her to grip him.

“Wait,” he said as he regripped her ass and pulled back enough to give her the room she
needed then he almost died when her hands moved over his stiff shaft right to the root of his
cock. “Fuck, wait,” he cursed through gritted teeth.

“Now,” she said as she stroked him. “Now, Mulder, now.” Her voice was frantic with need
and it was almost enough to make him pull back and pause to be sure she was fully on board
with what was happening and it wasn't just an adrenaline spike that was making her reach out
for him. But then her hand stroked him with a definite purpose and his lizard brain took over.

He shifted her weight on one hand and bunched up the skirt of her dress because there was no
way he was going to miss the sight of his cock disappearing into her. Her hands continued to
stroke him and he gnawed on his bottom lip to retain his control as she moved his cock and
brushed the head of it across her glistening seam.

“Scully,” Mulder groaned through gritted teeth and his hips jerked towards her.

She brushed her clit with his cock and moaned aloud then pressed him between her folds to
her entrance. They both paused a beat and locked eyes then with a slow smile stretching
across her face she widened her hips and rolled her whole body as she sank onto him. Every
inch right to the root of him filled her, and made her feel more and more complete until
finally they stilled and she realised this moment, this connection, this closeness was
something she never thought she would, or could achieve with Mulder. Or something she was
too scared to hope for in case he didn't want to share it with her. Now as she listened to his
ragged breathing and felt his heart hammering against her own she realised how wrong she
was.

“Oh my god,” he moaned, his voice hoarse raw, diluted with utter need, as he slipped all the
way in. He dropped his head onto her shoulder and sank his teeth into the soft muscle there.

Before he could pull out and sink right back into her slick, tight, heat there was a loud
banging on the door.

“Mulder, Scully,” Chambers called out.

They both froze and Mulder lifted his head to look at her. This time when he looked at her
face, the desire was replaced by shock. She scrambled her hands against his chest and pushed
him away.
“Wait,” Mulder said and he couldn't help but moan when he slipped out of her. She grabbed
some clothes from the drawer and hurried into the bathroom.

Chambers banged on the door again and Mulder hurried to fasten his trousers.

“Coming, one sec,” he called out as he looked over his shoulder to be sure nothing was out of
place before opening the door.

Agent Chambers stepped in immediately and slapped a folder at Mulder’s chest.

“Four arrested, one dead,” Chambers said.

“Four?” Mulder asked and he opened the folder to see profile pages for Jack, one of the
intruders, Max and Troy. “Troy?”

“Accomplice.”

“He wasn't really involved.”

“He was involved, he was just not involved this time.” Chambers looked around. “Where is
Agent Scully?”

“Showering, changing, she was covered in blood from the shooting.” Mulder looked back
down to the page in front of him. “Troy was involved?”

“We’re taking him in for questioning, but it looks like he started the whole thing, brought
Max on board, tried to stop it, Max carried it on but then tried to stop it. The drug traffickers
didn't take kindly to the source drying up.”

“The source was…”

“Remember the honey vendor?”

“From the market?”

Chambers nodded. “He is Derek Thorn. Biochemical engineer. Fired from Pearson and
Hazelback in 1993 for knowingly contaminating their food production plant with
manufactured substances that caused hallucinogenic effects.”

“Holy shit.”

“We arrested him last night.” Chambers leaned over the pages that Mulder was holding and
tapped the one of Troy. “Troy King, formerly Carter Alan, worked with Derek Thorn at the
time.”

“I thought his record was clean.”

“As a whistle. It wasn't until Derek started talking that we realised it was an alias.”

“Wow…” Mulder said and he rested back against the table as he took it all in.
But before Chambers could give him any more information, or Mulder could ask anything
else, the bathroom door opened and Scully emerged dressed in blue jeans with a red sweater.

“Agent Scully,” Chambers said and he stood up straighter as Scully approached.

“Agent Chambers. Clean operation. Thanks for the intrusion.”

Chambers chuckled. “Thanks to both of you.” He pointed at the file Mulder was holding.
“Arrest information is there, take your time to read through it.” Mulder handed it to her but
said nothing as Chambers kept talking. “We’re bringing everyone from the compound in for
questioning but you are removed from that exercise. Your extraction from the UC op can
begin immediately.”

“Okay,” Mulder said and nodded his head as he tried not to stare at Scully.

Chambers moved towards the door. “Oh, and Skinner wants you to call him ASAP.”

Mulder smiled and nodded as Chambers left. Scully sat on the couch, her feet on the edge of
the cushion and read through the file. Mulder wanted to cross the room and sit next to her but
he could see the trepidation in her eyes in how she avoided him, and how she closed her body
off in the way she was sitting.

“I want to talk to Beth,” she said.

“We shouldn't-”

“She’s gone to the hospital with Sean, she won't be questioned yet and I want to talk to her.”

“Okay, okay, lets-”

“I’ll take the car. If you want to pack up our stuff here, I’ll be back in a few hours then we
can call Skinner and get back to DC.”

“I can-”

“I’ll be back.”

She slipped on her sneakers and grabbed the keys from the table then hurried out of the cabin
leaving Mulder alone and mystified in her wake.
 Chapter 8

Carmichael General Hospital

Santa Barbra
Monday

The familiarity of the hospital smells only brought her comfort for her first few minutes in
the building. But when she found Beth sitting in the corridor outside the ER whatever
comfort she was feeling evaporated. She approached slowly, as if afraid to startle her then sat
into the hard plastic seat beside her and touched her arm.

“Beth…”

Beth turned to see her and immediately the tears she had been holding back fell over her
reddened cheeks. Her arms circled Scully’s neck and pulled her into a tight hug. Scully held
on and let her cry it out before she leaned back and dried her tears with her fingers across her
cheeks.

“How is he?” she asked.

“They won't tell me anything. I’m not family.” Beth’s voice cracked with fresh tears.

“Okay, okay, let me go and check.”

Scully squeezed her arm and moved over to the ER desk to get the information she needed.

“Hi, I’m Doctor Dana Scully, I treated a gunshot wound patient on scene a few hours ago and
I need an update on his status.”

“Doctor Dana Scully?” The ER receptionist looked her up and down and seemed sceptical.
“Do you have any ID?”

“No, I was on scene with the medics that brought the victim in.”

“We cannot give out patient information-”

“Okay, I understand.” Scully leaned in closer. “Not only am I a doctor, I’m also an FBI agent,
and I am in the middle of a case. If I don't get the information I need on that patient then I’m
going to have to make a phone call to get the local field office in here to shut down this place
until I find out my patient’s status. Now are you going to get me what I need or am I making
a phone call?”

The receptionist made a grunt of annoyance then turned to her computer to pull up the patient
files. She gave Scully the update she needed then Scully smiled, thanked her, and returned to
Beth’s side.
“He’s stable. He went for an operation to repair some internal damage but he should be fine.
His blood loss was treated and he will be in the hospital for a few days, but he’s going to be
fine.”

“Oh thank god,” Beth said and she sagged against Scully in relief. “How is everything at
home?”

Scully sighed. “There is a lot happening, and a lot I need to tell you.”

“Oh?” Beth sat up straighter and half turned in her seat to face Scully.

“First let me start by saying my name isn't Donna.”

Beth frowned. “What? What is your name?”

“Dana Scully. I’m an FBI agent. I’ve been working undercover.”

“What?” Beth’s frown deepened and she leaned back as if she needed more room to
understand what Scully was saying. “What about Matt?”

Scully shook her head. “Special Agent Fox Mulder. He’s my partner. My FBI partner”

“So you two are not engaged?”

“No.”

“But you two are so…perfect together.”

Scully offered her a half smile. “We’ve been partners for a long time.”

“You were undercover? At the compound?”

Scully nodded slowly and started talking. She told Beth as much as she could about the case
and why she was there. After the last week living with her she felt a connection to her that
she hadn't felt with anyone in a long time and she didn't want to toss it away now that the
case was over.

Community Compound

Los Angeles

Monday

After a little over an hour when she was all talked out, Scully and Beth hugged and said
goodbye. She got into the car and drove back to the compound and as expected the place was
deserted. The swat vans had left and taken everyone in for questioning. The mini bus with all
the UC agents was gone and only two sentry officers stood guard at the entrance. She parked
and paused for a moment to let herself gather her thoughts before she climbed out and made
her way over to their cabin.

As she rounded the corner of the house and spotted the cabin which immediately made her
heart beat speed up and careen against her ribs. She focused on keeping her steps steady as
she approached and just as she stepped onto the small porch Mulder got to the door with their
duffle bags in his arms.

“Oh, Scully!” he said, with surprise and delight in his voice. “You’re back.”

He dropped the bags to the side and stepped up to stand in front of her but instead of reaching
out for her as she expected, he slipped his hands into his pockets and rocked back on his
heels.

“Yeah, just now.”

“How is Sean?”

“Stable.” She reached up to comb her hands through her hair and curled it behind her ears.
“He was in surgery, but his vitals were strong. He’s going to be fine.”

“That's good.” Mulder looked at her face but she was avoiding his eyes as she looked at the
bags by their feet. “And Beth? You talked to her, told her?”

Scully nodded. “Not everything, obviously, it's still an ongoing case.”

“How did she take it?” he asked and she heard the caution in his voice. He knew she had
become close friends with Beth and he knew it hurt her to keep lying, hiding from her.

“She was a little shocked that we were both FBI Agents, and not actually an engaged couple
from a middle school on the east coast.”

Mulder chuckled. “We’re good actors, Scully.”

She smiled and stepped around him to walk into the cabin. He had the place cleaned out. The
bathroom was empty, the drawers where they stored their clothing, the laptop and cables too.

“All packed up?”

“Yeah, and I went to the main house to grab your stuff from the room you were in last night
too.”

“Thanks.” She turned around and saw he was leaning against the door jamb. “Did you call
Skinner?”

“Yeah.” Mulder pushed his shoulder off the door and walked into the cabin to sit on the
couch next to where she was standing. “I gave him the full rundown. He wants us back in DC
for a debrief by tomorrow.”
“Flights?”

“Booked.” He looked at his watch then turned his arm to show her. “If we leave now, we can
stop for food on the way to LAX.”

“Let's get going then.”

“Oh and Chambers gave me these,” he said and he pulled two mobile phones out of his
pocket. “FBI burners, but if you want to call your mom, and if we need to call Skinner, it’ll
save us looking for a pay phone.”

“Great.” She took one of the phones and slipped it into her pocket then went out to the porch
and grabbed her bag.

Mulder came up behind her and picked up his own then they both walked to the car in
silence. He wanted to grab her and ask her about what happened before Chambers knocked
on the door. What would have happened if he didn't knock. If she wanted it to happen again.
But the stony façade of calm she was portraying was enough to help him keep quiet.

They put their bags into the car then she dug into her pocket for the keys and dangled them
out for him.

“You don't want to drive?” he asked

“No, I’m tired. I’d probably drive us off the side of the road into the pacific.”

“In that case…” he reached for the keys and took them with a smile. “I’ll get us there in one
piece.” They climbed into the car, buckled up and Mulder started the engine. He put his hand
on the back of her chair to look over his shoulder as he reversed out and pointed the car down
the drive. She kicked off her shoes and curled up on the seat with her feet tucked under her
ass and her hands clasped between her thighs, her head turned towards the window.

“Do you want me to wake you for food?”

“Hmmm,” she said but didn't roll to look at him or give him any further signals so he focused
on driving ahead and gripped the wheel with both hands.

Pacific Coast Highway

Santa Monica
Monday

Scully had fallen asleep even before they reached the end of the drive. He drove steadily for a
few hours, ignoring the hunger pangs in his stomach until he was sure she had enough rest
and his headache started. He started to watch the signs for restaurants and finally parked up in
Santa Monica where he knew they would find a place that worked.
He killed the engine and took a deep breath then turned to look at her. She hadn't moved,
though her head hung lower, in such a position he knew would cause her discomfort when
she woke. He reached over and put a hand on her leg to gently wake her.

“Scully,” he said softly then shook her again and spoke a bit louder. “Scully.”

“Mmm,” she moaned, the sound of which shot right to his cock but his uncertainty about how
she felt diluted the impact.

“Food.”

“Ok,” she murmured. She moved her feet off the seat and leaned forward as she covered her
face with her hands and combed her fingers through her hair.

“Any preference?”

“Where are we?” she asked and looked around to try and recognise the location.

“Santa Monica.”

He climbed out of the car and fished in his pockets for some coins to feed the parking metre
as she slipped on her sneakers and joined him on the sidewalk.

“Know anywhere around here?” she asked as she looked up and down the street in both
directions.

“No, but there seems to be some options this way,” he said and jerked his head in one
direction as he started walking.

She hurried to catch up and slipped her hands in her pockets to stop herself from reaching for
him but every time her hand closed into a fist she felt the weight of his ring on her finger. The
ring, she corrected herself silently as she glanced up at him to see if he heard her thoughts.
He was looking ahead, the warm summer breeze tousled his hair and brushed sun kissed skin
as his eyes scanned the street for somewhere to eat.

“How about this place?” he said as he stopped by the entrance to a restaurant and scanned the
menu posted by the door.

“Sure, it looks good.”

He pulled the door open and held it for her but she noticed he didn't place a hand on her back
like he usually did. Instead simply made room for her to walk by and followed her at a
respectable distance.

The restaurant was well lit with natural light from large floor to ceiling windows that showed
a view of the beach across the road and the pier that jutted out into the crashing waves.

Scully focused on smiling at the greeter and asking for a table and tried not to miss his gentle
touch. And his not so gentle touch. The sensation of which she could still feel on her ass, her
thighs, her lips. She took a deep breath and claimed her seat so she could face out the window
and look at the people going by, then took the menu with a soft utterance of thanks. Mulder
sat to her side, and asked the greeter for a jug of water to start.

“Hungry?” he asked as he looked at the menu.

“Yeah, I think so,” she said without looking up.

“I’m starved. This could get messy, fair warning.”

Scully smiled but kept her eyes on the menu. She decided to order a chicken salad, with a
side of sweet potato fries. Her eyes scanned the cocktails and she thought she would murder a
mojito but decided against it when they had a long flight, a short sleep, and then a long
meeting with Skinner in her very near future.

“I caught a look at the French Dip as we walked through,” Mulder said and he looked over
his shoulder at the patron he spotted eating it. “I think I’d be a fool to get anything else.”

Scully smiled as she placed her menu on the table and leaned back in her chair. She watched
through the window for a few minutes then felt Mulder’s eyes on her. He opened his mouth
but before he could say anything the waitress appeared with their water and asked for their
orders. Once placed, the waitress left and Mulder poured out two glasses of water for them.

Scully’s eyes fixed on his hand as he lifted the jug and saw the ring he was wearing. The ring
that matched her own. The rings that should be in evidence, not on their fingers. Not that they
meant anything other than a reminder of their fake relationship which felt more real than any
relationship she had ever had before. The only thing she didn't understand was why she
hadn’t taken it off yet. Or why he hadn’t either.

“Chambers said that Troy was talking,” Mulder said and she glanced up when he spoke.

“Oh?”

“As soon as they got him into the interview room, he started talking.” Mulder picked up his
water and took a long drink as he looked out the window to watch people on the street for a
while.

“What is he saying?”

“Everything. He is telling them all about Derek Thorn, how they started making the drugs for
recreational use, then scaled it up.”

“Who were the men that arrived-”

“A cartel from south LA. Iron Rock Disciples. Up and coming group making a name for
themselves.”

“Not so much anymore,” Scully said.

“No,” he chuckled and resettled on his seat. His knee bumped hers and their eyes clashed but
she quickly looked away. “So…are we going to talk?”
Scully pursed her lips. She knew this moment was coming but she had hoped to put it aside
until they got back to DC. Back to familiar ground. But it looked like he wasn’t going to wait
for that.

“We should,” she admitted but that was all she could say.

“You ok?” He swallowed around a hot lump of panic that was in his throat and tried to calm
everything down. He took an internal scan. His heart was racing, his palms were clammy, his
throat was itchy and his mouth was dry.

“I’m…processing...” She admitted softly and looked down at her hands that were clasped on
her lap. “Everything. And it's a lot.”

“It is.” He cleared his throat. “But maybe it doesn’t have to be.”

She frowned and looked up at him as if the meaning of his words would be written on his
face. “What-”

“I mean, we don't have to make it into a monster to consume us until we can't stand it, or
each other anymore.”

Scully looked away and took a deep breath. She twirled the ring on her finger, round and
round, and realised with wonder how right it felt.

“Scully, if you have to think about it this hard, then maybe the thought, the decision, is easy
to make.”

“It's not that simple, Mulder.”

“It is that simple. It has to be.”

“I…”

“Scully, I know. I know I'm obviously the worst thing to ever happen to you, but you're the
best thing that's ever happened to me, and for me, the decision is that simple.”

Scully looked up from her lap and saw him watching her with a cool, calm façade. His voice
was steady, his eyes watched her closely, his breathing was slow and his mouth was tight
lipped and closed. If it wasn’t for the rampaging pulse she could see just below his jaw she
would have believed his calm exterior reached into his very core.

She smiled when she realised he was feeling the very same fears she was, though he was
doing a damn sight better than her at pushing through it. Even admitting to her that he wanted
to take a leap of faith with her. Her hand moved slowly and cupped his cheek. She brushed
her thumb over his mouth to tug lightly on his bottom lip and released it from its capture
between his teeth, then her fingers moved to his pulse and she let the fast beat steady her
own.

Mulder licked his lips and swallowed but before either of them could utter another word the
waiter arrived and delivered their food. They separated, sat back in their seats to leave room
on the table and when the waiter left they both sat in silence for a moment longer. Until
Mulder’s growing stomach protested loudly at the delay of being fed.

“Okay, let's table this while we eat.” He spoke with a crooked smile and she nodded.

They ate in silence for a few minutes then he made some idle chat about the people on the
street. She could tell the effort he was putting on to present an air of normalcy but Mulder
was never one for small talk so it felt so far from the realm of reality that it saddened her.

When they finished their food neither of them accepted the offer for dessert. Mulder picked
up the tab and they both walked out, again with their hands in their pockets. They started to
amble back towards the car and Scully looked across the street at the wide expanse of ocean
beyond the beach. She bumped her elbow against him to get his attention.

“How long before the flight?”

“Oh we have loads of time to get to LAX.”

“Time enough for one last walk on the beach?”

Mulder looked over the road then down at her expectant face and nodded. They changed
direction to get to a crosswalk and when the light turned green she took her hand out of her
pocket and gripped his arm.

This step. This simple touch was how it had to begin, she decided. Not by accident, but with
clear, open, transparent moves. Not hiding behind case work, undercover profiles, or pretend
relationships.

When they stepped onto the curb on the other side of the road he took his hand out of his
pocket and slid it across her arm to connect their hands as he guided them to the small
concrete set of stairs that led them onto the sand.

“How close?” he asked.

“Hmm?”

“To the water, how close do you want to get?”

Scully looked up at him and smiled. She glanced down at their feet and saw they were both
wearing sneakers. Easy to kick off and carry.

“Really close,” she said and she tugged his hand to get him to sit next to her on the steps as
she started to untie her laces. Mulder followed suit and copied her when she tied the shoes
together and slung them over her shoulder. They stuffed their socks into their shoes, rolled up
their pant legs then stood again. Mulder took her sneakers off her shoulder and slung them
over his own then held his hand out and offered it to her.

She smiled, took his hand and walked closely with him towards the shore. They got to the
water and she moved to his other side to get to it faster. She kicked the waves back into the
ocean as they walked along the beach and laughed at how her jeans got wetter and wetter.
Mulder laughed with her and held tightly onto her hand even as it swung wild with her
movements.

They got to the pier and he leaned against one of the struts while she continued to splash in
the water that pooled around their feet. When she had her fill, and her jeans were wet up past
her knees, she calmed her movements and leaned back against him. He hesitated a moment
then rested his hands on her waist and his chin on the crown of her head. It always made him
smile when he realised how perfectly she fit against him. And with that thought, as well as a
flash of bravery, his arms slid across her front, wrapped her tightly and pulled her back as
snug as possible then he lowered his head to nuzzle her neck.

“Mulder,” she said and she tilted her head a little to give him access to her neck, her shoulder
which he took immediately.

“Yeah?”

“The choice is simple,” she admitted. “It's always been simple.” She felt his smile against her
cheek and she covered his hands with her own. “It was the action that was hard.”

He nodded slowly then lifted his head before he turned her around to face him.

“It doesn’t have to be,” he whispered as his hands moved up to cup her face and tip her head
to look at him.

“Doesn’t it?”

Mulder smiled and shook his head “This past week has been…intense, and harrowing. But
also the best goddamned week of my life.” He saw her lips curl in a slight smile and
encouraged, he kept talking. “I got to have you by my side all day and wake up with you
curled around me every morning.”

She closed her eyes slowly and heat flamed across her cheeks. Mulder kissed her quickly but
pulled back and her eyes opened.

“It wasn't a fake relationship…for me. It was all real. And it was so easy, so fucking easy to
show everyone how I felt, how you made me feel, how much I wanted to just be near you.”

Her eyes closed over again and he felt her shoulders rise and fall as she took a long deep
breath of resignation. He wasn't sure if it meant she was resigned to the fact that they could
never be, or that they were always meant to be.

“It was easy for you?” she asked.

“It was,” he confirmed without hesitation.

“Mulder…” She opened her eyes again and held his gaze as her hands came up to hold his
wrists, his hands still cupping her face, his thumbs brushing her cheeks. “I couldn't even see
how I felt without you showing me. You know me better than I know myself.”

“I’ll keep showing you Scully. I’ll show you every goddamn day if I have to.”
She smiled and slowly nodded her head, rocking it gently in the cradle of his hands. “I’d like
that,” she whispered and before she could utter another word he pulled her in for a heavy
heated kiss.

Her hands moved up his arms and circled his neck as his moved over her shoulders down her
back to cup ass and pull her against him. Their tongues danced slowly, hungrily, with no
signs of stopping and when he tilted his head to deepen the kiss she moved one hand up the
back of his neck to grip a fistful of his hair.

“Unless you’re going to let me pull off all your clothing right here under the pier, we need to
stop.” Mulder pulled back to look down at her thoroughly kissed lips and almost plunged in
for another round but she put her hands on the front of his shoulders to make a little more
room between them.

“We should get to the airport,” she said.

He nodded.

“We have a meeting with Skinner in the morning.”

He nodded again.

“And a long flight before that.”

Mulder kept nodding.

“Or…”

He stopped nodding when she spoke and instead frowned. “Or what?” he dared to ask.

“We could get a flight in the morning.”

“We could.”

“See Skinner in the afternoon.”

“You mean we should stay here one more night?”

“Well,” she looked down at their bare feet, their wet jeans, the pile of tied up shoes in the
sand. “We can't fly like this.”

“No, it wouldn't be very pleasant to fly like this,” he agreed as his smile widened.

“So, I’ll call Skinner and let him know.”

“I’ll find a place for us to…dry off.”

She nodded and he bent down to plant a swift kiss on her lips before he picked up their shoes
and they hurried back to the car. By the time she was off the phone from her call with Skinner
he was on the phone with the airline so she quickly dialled her mother to check in and
arrange dinner when she got back to DC.

The next time she hung up, he was also off the phone and he was looking at her with a soft
smile.

“What?”

“Your mom?”

Scully smiled and nodded her head. “Yeah.”

“I bet she is dying to get you home.”

“Yeah, dying to feed me.”

“Well if it’s that cottage pie, then make sure to bring me leftovers,” he said with a moan that
he didn't fully mean to sound sexual but also didn't fully mean for it not to.

“Did you find a place?”

“Put your shoes on and buckle up.”

He gunned the engine and gripped the wheel while she settled in then he looked over his
shoulder to check traffic and pulled out.

“Where are we staying?”

“A place just a few blocks away.”

“Which one?”

“You’ll see.”

“Mulder!”

“You’re so impatient.”

She slapped his arm and he laughed. She pointed at every hotel they drove past asking if it
was that one, or that one, or that one, but Mulder just shook his head until she gave up. She
turned to look out at the beach and only when he slowed down then indicated did she look up
and see the hotel he had booked.

“Mulder…this place is…”

“All that was available,” he finished for her before she could protest further.

The hotel was a large ornate beach front high end place, with valet parking, and likely more
expensive than all the rooms they had booked collectively since she worked on the X-Files.
Mulder got out of the car and tossed the keys to the valet attendant then hurried round to her
side to collect her from the car.

“Mulder, we’re not dressed-”

“You look amazing, and you belong here.” He took her hand then collected their bags from
the boot and guided her into the reception. He checked in quickly, took the room key and led
her to the elevator. She saw him press the button for a suite and looked at him with a frown.

“Mulder-”

He stopped her talking with a hard kiss that he only pulled away from when the elevator
dinged and the doors opened.

“C’mon.”

He took her hand again and led her down the corridor to the right door then used the cardkey
to open it. He stepped back and urged her in first. Scully looked at him then slowly stepped
over the threshold and her mouth opened more the further she stepped in.

The room was large and sparsely decorated. There was a long white couch in front of a
fireplace, with a furry deep shag rug on the floor between them. The wall directly across from
the door was a glass pane with a sliding door that opened out onto a private terrace. To the
left was a set of double french doors that opened into the bedroom which housed a massive
super king size bed. To the right was a bathroom which had a large deep tub certainly big
enough for two, as well as a walk in shower with multiple shower heads.

“Mulder…this place is insane,” she said as she came out of the bathroom and flopped onto
the couch where he was sitting watching her explore the suite.

“It's pretty swanky,” he admitted nonchalantly.

She laughed and jabbed him in the ribs with her elbow. “Swanky? It's incredible.”

“You like it?”

She looked up at him and smiled then nodded her head.

“Should we petition Skinner to allow us to stay in places like this whenever we travel for a
case?”

“You think he’ll mind?”

“We’d blow through the department budget in one night.”

“But what a night,” she said and he laughed.

A beautiful guttural belly laugh that shook his whole body and caused tears to spring to his
eyes. She basked in the sound and sat up a bit straighter as she turned to face him then rested
one hand on the centre of his chest until he calmed down.
“Do you want to take a walk?” he asked tentatively.

She smiled and shook her head. “And miss out on one second of this hotel room? No way.”

Mulder chuckled. He rolled over a little to face her and rested his hand on her thigh. “Your
jeans are still damp.”

“Yours too.”

“We should change out of them.”

“Shut up Mulder,” she said as she gripped a fistful of his top and pulled him close enough to
kiss him.

His hand moved from her thigh to her ass and he pulled her to him until she straddled his lap
and her hands were on his shoulders. He opened his mouth wider to deepen the kiss but she
was steps ahead of him. Her hands curled into his hair, her hips curled into his body, her feet
curled under his knees. He felt consumed, enveloped, and surrounded by her and he never
wanted to come up for air.

Every cell in his body was vibrating with the need to get her even closer. His hands gripped
her ass then slipped up her back under her sweater. Her skin was warm but broke out into
goose bumps in the wake of his touch. He continued to push his hands up and up until she
moved her arms to let him take her top off. As soon as the material cleared her head he
grabbed her back into a heated kiss and his hands moved to the fastening of her bra in the
centre of her back. He flicked it open then moved his hands around her side, hesitated one
moment before he slid them under the loose cups of her bra to cover her breasts.

She moaned into his kiss. His hands were large, warm, soft, and knew exactly what she liked,
though she guessed it had been so long since she felt someone else’s hands gripping her in
that manner that she would have liked what he did, no matter what he did. Until his left hand
rolled her nipple between his thumb and forefinger and she had to break the kiss to moan and
toss her head back. No, this was better, tonnes better than anything she had ever felt. So far.

“Scully,” he whispered as he moved her bra off completely then bent his head to take one
nipple into his mouth as he palmed her other breast.

“Ohhhh,” she moaned again and gripped his head against her chest to make sure he didn't
stop.

With only a little guidance from her hands, he moved to her other breast and offered it the
same treatment until her hips jerked against him making him lose all the air out of his lungs.
All of his blood was pooling south of his belt. His cock was straining against his jeans and he
was in rapid danger of losing his resolve before he got to feel it sink deep inside her.

“You’re wearing too many clothes,” she muttered and she tugged the back of his top to pull it
off. He leaned forward enough and when she tossed it over her shoulder it left his hair tousled
and askew and she combed her fingers through it as she leaned in to kiss him again. Mulder’s
arms moved up her bare back and pulled her against him and they both moaned at the skin to
skin contact as their chests crushed together.

“Too many clothes,” she said again, her voice muffled as he continued to kiss her but she slid
her hands between them to the fastening on his jeans and she opened them.

“Uh…” he pulled back and looked down to her hands as she fumbled to pull down his zip,
her knuckles dragging slowly against his straining cock. “Fuck, Scully.” He watched her
hands for a second more then reached for her jeans and quickly opened them. “Off, off,” he
said and he gripped her hips to push her off his lap then made her stand before him so he
could peel her jeans and panties off. When she was finally and blissfully completely naked he
leaned forward and kissed her belly button. She giggled and squirmed as her hands combed
through his hair and his lips moved across her torso, from one hip to the other and back
again, getting lower and lower with each crossing until he took a slow breath and nuzzled
into the small patch of soft red curls between her legs.

Mulder shuffled forward a little more so he could reach her in every way he wanted. His
hands moved to her ass and he leaned in so his tongue could lave against her in a slow soft
swipe making her moan. Her hands gripped his hair tighter and when he did it again, her hips
jerked against his face. He brought one of his hands to her thigh and lifted her leg to place her
foot by his hip on the couch cushion to open her up for him.

“Mulder,” she moaned, an elongated breath of desire, stretching his name out with the same
rhythm as his tongue as he caressed her again and again until he slipped it into her folds to
lick the length of her and flick her clit. “God!”

He didn't wait for her to come down, instead he repeated the move until she was squirming
against his face, riding him slowly in hard jolts until he stroked his tongue around her
entrance and pushed in.

“Yes…” she whispered and he was sure he was going to have a bald patch on the top of his
head if she tugged on his hair any harder.

Her legs started to quiver. She could feel his heat surrounding her. The hand on her ass, the
hand covering her breast and his mouth devouring her. She could feel every stroke of his
tongue lift her higher and higher until she was sure she would float away.

“Oh, oh God…oh, oh, oh,” she chanted as she teetered on the precipice of desire and when
his mouth moved to suckle on her clit she launched over the edge with a throaty moan that
sounded like music to his ears.

When he felt her legs start to give way he gripped her hips and pulled her closer. He pressed
his face into her belly and wrapped his arms around her then leaned off the couch and
lowered her onto the soft furry rug. She stretched and rolled like a cat in a hot patch of
sunlight and Mulder took the moment of her distraction to peel the rest of his clothes off.

“You ok?” he asked with a soft chuckle when she rolled onto her side and leaned up on her
elbow with her head in her hand as she let her eyes roam all over him. He tried not to cover
himself up and instead stood as still as his rampaging heart would allow to give her the
opportunity to take it all in. Not just his naked body, his hard cock jutting out, pulsating with
the need to get back inside her, but just let her take in the moment, see the line they crossed,
accept the change.

“Am I ok?”

She laughed, a sultry sound that shot right to his cock and in his head he heard the resounding
sound of his inner voice saying “uh-oh”. He knew he was in trouble the second she walked
into his office. He knew he was a goner when she stood laughing with him in the cemetery in
Bellefleur. But it wasn’t until this very second that he realised how much he really needed her
to be in just as much trouble as he.

“I take the laugh as a good sign,” he said and he dropped onto the rug next to her and
matched her pose though he reached out one hand to rest in the dip of her waist and made
slow soft circles in her satin skin.

“The best,” she said as she sobered up and looked at him.

“The best huh?” he said with a cocky smile.

Scully smiled again and hoped he didn't see the soft blush creep up her neck, but ever the
observant agent, he noticed, smiled and leaned in to kiss her neck where it met her shoulder.

“I’ve been thinking about this, about you I mean,” he whispered against her skin and she
shuddered as the heat from his voice and his words caressed her.

“I’ve been thinking about you,” she admitted, her voice low, barely whispering.

Mulder shuffled closer and slid his knee between her legs as his hand slid over her back. He
pulled her flush against him and she let out a breathy moan when his cock pressed against
her.

“Earlier, at the cabin…when Chambers knocked on the door…” He kissed her neck and his
hand moved down the centre of her back to her ass and cupped her gruffly.

“Yeah,” she said in a breathy moan to urge him to complete his thought.

“If I had a gun I would have pulled it out and shot him for knocking.”

Scully laughed and her shaking body made him groan and hold her closer. Then he felt her
hands grip his shoulders and she pushed him onto his back. She mounted him quickly and
took him in a hungry kiss. Her tongue caressed the inside of his mouth, as she grinded against
him and he gripped her hips to slow her down in case this ended before he had the chance to
get inside her.

“Scully,” he groaned and he broke the kiss to stretch his head back and concentrate on
holding it together.

She saw the roll of his throat as he swallowed hard. She chuckled and the sound of it drove
him up the wall. How was she so calm when his skin was crawling with the need to get inside
her? How was she able to move with slow deliberate caresses of her pussy against his cock,
when he was fit to roll her over and pound into her with every ounce of strength in his being?

“Scully, fuck.”

“Hold on,” she said with another chuckle and his fingers dug into her hips. She lifted herself
off him just enough to slip her hand down and grip his cock and the second her fingers
wrapped his shaft he thrust up into her hand and almost came right then.

“Ugh,” he grunted and clenched his jaw.

“Easy there.”

“Scully,” he warned and lifted his head to glare at her. The wide Cheshire smile on her lips
was intoxicating and he pushed his cock into her hand again while his eyes locked on hers.
His teeth clamped down on his bottom lip and he whimpered with the need to get back to
where he felt like he belonged.

She finally took pity on him and moved the head of his cock against her folds to her entrance.
He whimpered again and his eyes fluttered from his cock to her eyes and back again and he
didn't know what he wanted to see more until she swirled her hips and took him in. He cried
out, a raw sound of wanton need as she slowly slid down until he was fully sheathed inside
her.

Mulder sat up and engulfed her in a tight embrace as his lips smashed against hers and he
kissed her thoroughly, hungrily. She lifted her hips a little and sank down again, then lifted a
little more and sank again, all the while keeping their lips connected, their tongues entwined,
and their bodies rubbing slowly, softly generating more and more heat until she was sure they
would combust and take this whole hotel with them in a fiery white hot blaze.

She started to move faster and rocked back and forth when he was completely in her to brush
her clit against him and he moved his hands to cup her ass and help her keep rhythm until he
started to feel that same quivering sensation from her core again. One he was quickly
becoming familiar with, one he was going to make his life mission to recreate every goddamn
chance he got.

When her whole body started to go stiff, and her hips started to jerk without direction he
rolled her over onto her back and took over. Her hands gripped his flank and her legs
wrapped him higher to allow him to sink in deeper and they both moaned. She was back on
that precipice but this time she wanted to hold on, she wanted to jump with him, surrounded
by his cry of ecstasy.

Mulder lifted off her a little higher with a hand on the floor by her head he gripped her hip
and pounded into her. Her moans became more vocal and her fingers dug into him so he
knew she was close, as close as he, but he had to be sure she was right there with him.

“Scully…Scully…fuck.”

“Keep going,” she said, “I’m close.”

“Not close enough,” he muttered as his hips sped up and he leaned down to kiss her as he
palmed her breast gruffly. “Fuck Scully, ugh, I’m…”

“Don’t stop!” she warned as she tipped her hips up to make sure he connected in all the right
places until finally that starburst of desire exploded in her core and shattered to every corner
of her body.

The wanton wail of her orgasm was equal parts a relief as it was a turn on and Mulder let go
of the last shred of control he had as he sank right into her and held himself there. His cock
spasmed against her inner walls and he felt like it was never going to stop. Not that he ever
wanted it to. Wave after wave of hot trembling want flushed through him from his curling
toes to the top of his tingling scalp before he fell atop of her with a sigh and a moan, his face
buried into the crook of her neck.

She wrapped her arms around him and hugged him close while their breathing regulated and
their hearts calmed and she smiled when she felt him smile against her neck. She heard
muffled words from him and moved her head aside to pull his head out of her neck.

“What?”

“I think I’m dead.”

Scully chuckled. “From where I’m lying, you don't feel dead.” She flexed her inner muscles
around his cock and Mulder grunted as his hips jerked weakly. She chuckled and kissed his
forehead. “Trust me. I’d know.”

Mulder smiled then slipped his hand under her back and rolled them over so she was lying on
top of him. His cock slipped out and their breath caught in their throats as they both got used
to this new sensation.

“Did you-” he started but she cut him off.

“Yes, I did. I thought you could tell.”

“Thank you for confirming, but that's not what I was going to ask,” he said with a smug
smile.

“What were you going to ask?” she said and ducked her head to hide the soft blush she could
feel colouring her cheeks.

Mulder’s smile widened and he cupped her face to make her look at him so he could kiss her
gently.

“Did you think we’d ever get here?” he asked.

“Here? At this swanky hotel? Naked on a rug? In front of a fire?” She looked over her
shoulder. “An unlit fire?”

Mulder was chuckling now and his arms moved around her waist as his fingers danced
around the indent of her spine.
“No, I didn't think we’d get here.” She said and her voice was a little more sombre now
which made his smile fade a little.

“Ever?”

“I never let myself think about it.”

“Never?”

“I mean, I thought about this, about us, like this, but it was fleeting, I couldn't afford to dwell
on it.” Mulder licked his lips and raised his head to kiss her before he dropped back onto the
rug and watched her carefully, sensing she wasn't finished. “Then we spent the last week on
the compound. And it was all I could think about.” He waited carefully as the words churned
around her sharp mind until she decided which to use and share with him. “You were fearless
and I was just trying to keep up,” she admitted finally and it was as if she was expelling the
thought quickly before she could stop herself.

Mulder smiled and closed his eyes. “Fearless? I was terrified.”

“Well, it didn't seem like it.”

Mulder scoffed. He closed his eyes to let her have all the space she needed and she slipped
off his chest to lie against his side so her hands could trace patterns through the soft hair on
his chest.

“It just all came so naturally to you,” she said.

“You do.”

“What?”

“You come naturally to me. Being with you, working with you, trusting you…loving you.
That all comes really naturally to me.”

Scully smiled and dropped her head to rest on his chest for a moment. When she looked up
her smile was wider and he returned it. She reached over his torso and picked up his left hand
then pulled it onto his chest and toyed with the ring on his finger.

“We need to return the rings,” she said softly.

Mulder hummed in agreement but didn't make a move other than to shift his eyes from her
fingers turning his ring around, to her eyes.

“I got used to wearing it,” she said and she held out her own hand to look at her ring. “And
used to seeing it on you.”

“It's only been a few hours,” he said as he entwined their fingers, making them dance and
move against each other.

“It feels longer.”

Mulder smiled. He watched their fingers then gripped hers and tugged them to make her look
at him.

“Taking the rings off won't change how I feel…how we feel.”

“I know.”

“I’ve felt things before we got to California.”

“I know,” she said, this time her voice a soft whisper. “Me too.”

“I know.” He smiled and rolled onto his side then tugged her leg to drape over his hip and
shuffled in as close as their bodies could get. “This is just the start,” he said. “We’re going to
make it about us and nothing else.”

“Us.”

“We’re not going to get distracted by federal mandates about fraternising partners.” Scully
chuckled and ducked her head but Mulder lifted her face with a crooked finger under her
chin. “We’re not going to get diverted by all the missteps we’ve taken in the past. We’re
going to hold on,” he said as his hands snaked around her. “Your kisses lift me higher. Like
the sweet song of a choir.”

Scully pulled back and looked at him with a curious frown. He was biting his lower lip and
holding back his own smile.

“You light my morning sky, with burning love,” he said this time with a little rhythm in his
voice.

“Are you singing Elvis right now?” Scully asked.

“Ooh, ooh, ooh, I feel my temperature rising,” he continued, his voice taking on more and
more musical quality as he got further into the lyrics.

“Mulder!” She complained and tried to roll away from him but he was holding her tight now
and when she rolled he followed.

“Help me, I'm flaming, I must be a hundred and nine.”

“A hundred and nine?” Scully teased as she squirmed to get out of the vice grip of his arms.
“Then you have Hyperthermia and should be in the hospital.”

“Burning, burning, burning, And nothing can cool me, I just might turn to smoke, But I feel
fine!”

Scully stilled as his singing stopped and she looked up at him with a wide smile. “Burning
love?” Mulder nodded. She held his gaze, stroked his cheek and brushed her thumb over his
lips then nodded her head. “Burning love.”
Mulder’s smile widened and he lowered his head to kiss her but before their lips could touch
she held his head up and caught his eye.

“I love you,” she said. His smile spread into a grin and she couldn't help but return it. This
simple declaration she had spent her life being so worried about, so fearful of, and actively
avoided, just fell past her lips without hesitation, without overthinking or planning or trying
to understand all permutations of his possible reactions because he was right about one thing.
It was natural to love him and nothing ever felt as right.

“Love me tender,” he started to sing and Scully laughed. “Love me sweet.”

“No, stop, Mulder, I take it back.”

“Never let me go,” he continued to sing as if she hadn't spoken. “You have made my life
complete.”

“I changed my mind. I take it back.”

He lowered his head against her soft satin skin and continued to sing, his voice caressing her
ear as the soft words settled in. “And I love you so,” he finished then kissed her.

“You’re a fool.”

“Fool, you could have made her want you!” he sang.

“Oh my god! Does Elvis have a song for everything?”

Mulder smiled and kept singing. “Fool, you could have made her love you.”

Scully could see he was working a bit, and was unlikely to finish it unless she stopped
feeding him. She decided there was only one true way to get his mind off this Elvis merry-
go-round. She lifted her head to kiss him. His words were muffled against her mouth for a
moment but when her tongue slipped past his lips, he forgot he was trying to sing and
concentrated on chasing her tongue.

His arms loosened their grip around her and she rolled her hips towards him making him sigh
against her kiss.

“No fair,” he muttered as his hand moved into her hair to cup the back of her head as he
deepened the kiss.

“Shhh,” she moved her kiss down his chin, his jaw, his neck to his chest where she licked and
sucked on his nipples until he gasped and grabbed her head. She looked up and smiled then
got back to what she was doing, pleased he had finally stopped singing and the only sounds
coming out of his mouth were gasps and moans from what she was making him feel.

She moved lower still and his hands dropped by his sides to grip fistfuls of the furry rug. She
used her breasts to press against his crotch as she kissed her way down his torso until she
could nuzzle her nose into the dark hair at the base of his hardening cock.
“Scully,” he warned. He wanted to sit up and pull her away from him then lean over her and
slip into her in one smooth fast- “Oh shit,” he said when she lifted his cock and took it into
her mouth completely, in one smooth fast motion. “Scully, wait, shit!” he said as she sucked
on him all the way to his tip. She paused, held him there in her mouth as he held his breath
waiting for her next move before she suckled on him then took him in all the way again.

Mulder felt a swell of raw desire course through him and pulsate at the base of his cock and
when she moved her hand to cup her balls and stroke the sensitive skin behind them he lost it.

“Oh, Jesus!” he said and with no more warning he came. “Ahhhh! Fuck!” he cried out, his
hips jerked against her.

She lifted her head to change the angle and keep them connected and her hand on his balls
massaged him until his moaning stopped, his hips stilled, and his cock softened. She released
him with a soft pop then kissed the crease of his thigh, moved up his torso, leaving a trail of
soft kisses up his chest, under his chin, his jaw, his cheek, then his lips.

He barely responded. He was a puddle of spent emotions and incapable of forming any
thought other than “oh my god”. He could feel her naked body pressed along his side. Her
head propped up with one hand as she lowered it over and over to press tender kisses on his
shoulder. Her other hand was resting on his chest, fingers gently tracing irregular patterns
through his hair, over his sensitive peaked nipples as his breathing slowed and slowed until
finally it was regular again. He blinked his eyes open and tried to gather his thoughts. But the
only one he could manifest was still “oh my god”.

“What?” she teased as she covered his face in light kisses. “No Elvis songs for that?”

Mulder chuckled and looked at her. “It was a night, oh-oh what a night!” he sang.

“No!” she shouted and she slapped his chest but he grabbed her wrists and rolled her over to
pin her on the floor.

“The night was alight with stars above, oh-oh when she kissed me, I had to fall in love.”

He stilled above her, squeezed her wrists to make sure he had her attention.

“I had to fall in love.” He said the words, this time without melody and his eyes locked with
her to make sure she fully understood the weight of what he was saying.

“You had to fall in love.” It wasn't a question but not quite a statement either so he didn't
hesitate in confirming. He nodded his head slowly without breaking eye contact with her.
“Me too.”

He smiled.

“Good,” he said and his smile turned into a grin. “I wasn't sure how I was going to work Blue
Suede Shoes into this conversation.”

“Shut up, and kiss me.”

Mulder hesitated a moment more, held her gaze, made sure to take the time he needed to
remember this moment, this second of her love pouring from her eyes and the pure
contentedness oozing out of her smile then slowly lowered his lips to kiss her and like every
time before, it felt like the very first time.

The End.
Skinfull 2022.
End Notes

Thank you Hayley for the wonderful prompt. I hope I delivered what you were looking or
hoping for.

Please drop by the Archive and comment to let the creator know if you enjoyed their work!