The power going out was just the cherry on top on this already beyond strange day. Scully lit her candle and walked into the bathroom, resolving to just ignore the report she had to do on "Spooky" Mulder and his X Files until tomorrow. She was tired and it wasn't like she could do much without her computer anyways. She set the candle onto the bathroom counter and turned the water on for the tub. A quiet, candle lit bath sounded nice enough, even if it was forced by necessity as opposed to actual luxury.

Scully dropped her robe, moving to take of her pale blue underwear when she felt something on the small of her back, just above the waistline. Her heart skipped a beat as she felt the small bumps with her fingertips. . She felt panic rise in her throat despite herself. She didn't believe Mulder's theories. He was eloquent and convincing but he was a bit out there. Yet, after the incident on the road, she was left wondering. And now, with the bumps on her back, she was left terrified that she could be next.

She tried to twist to see her back in the mirror, but with the dim candlelight and the odd placement, she just saw shadows. She knew that if she wanted answers, she would have to ask for help. Only, the one person she could ask was her brand new partner, technically her superior, who she was trying to maintain a professional relationship with. Showing up to his room in her underwear in the middle of the night somewhat shot that horse in the face. Her rational brain didn't have time to argue though because the panicked brain was already picking her robe up off the floor and hurrying out of her room.

Scully pulled on her robe haphazardly as she closed her door behind her, going to the one just on the left of hers. She wanted to stop herself; she was being ridiculous. But she was already knocking.

Mulder pulled open his door, looking blankly at her for a moment before uttering a surprised, "Hi."

Scully was sure what it seemed like, but again, her panicked brain didn't seem to care about appearances. "I want you to look at something," She blurted.

"Come on in," He said, opening the door wider. The rational part of her brain questioned his motives behind letting her in so easily but she decided to worry about that when she knew she wasn't dying.

She was already pulling the sash of her robe off. Now she was very sure what it seemed like, but she avoided all eye contact with her partner, instead just looking at the floor and hoping he understood that this was all business. She could feel his eyes on her as she dropped her robe.

He didn't seem to get the point, his eyes still glued to the bare skin she was now revealing to him. She caught his gaze and tried, fruitlessly, to look down at her back again. He finally seemed to catch on and crouched down behind her. She felt the heat of the candle first, then a tickle of his breath, and then finally the rough pads of his fingers touched her skin and she felt a chill run up her spine.

"What are they?" Scully asked, almost as if the electric shock of his touch jolted the words out of her. When he didn't answer she asked again. "Mulder, what are they?"

He chuckled slightly, looking up at her with that grin of his, the one that made her think he probably spent a lot of time in detention as a boy. "Mosquito bites," He said finally.

"Are you sure?" Scully asked.

"Yeah," Mulder said, rising to his feet again where he stood more than a full head taller than her. "I gotten eaten up alive myself out there."

Scully breathed a heavy sigh of relief as she quickly pulled her robe back on, throwing her arms around Mulder's middle, her face buried in his shoulder. She could smell the aftershave he used, something earthy and warm. He gave her a tentative pat on the back. "You okay?" He asked, his voice holding none of the joking tone she had come to know from him.

Suddenly, all the thoughts from her rational brain that she had pushed back came forward, slamming into her like a freight train. She had just come into her new partner's room, almost completely naked, and asked him to look at her butt. "Yes," She answered. She felt her cheeks burn bright red as she pulled away from him, still looking down so she wouldn't have to look at him.

"You're shaking," He pointed out.

"I need to sit down."

"Take your time," Mulder said, gesturing to the chair behind her as she plopped down. He sat down on the other side of the table, his eyes still trained on her as if she might break.

Almost as much as she was embarrassed about baring it all in front of a superior agent, she scolded herself for falling apart like a wilting violet in a romance novel. She had spent her whole life trying to prove that even though she was a woman and a small one at that, that she was just as tough as anyone else. Especially at the bureau, a certified boys' club, she had decided that being a ball buster was better than being seen as weak. Now she was just a frightened damsel that rushed to her big, strong partner the moment she got startled.

"I'm sorry about coming in here like that," Scully said. Mulder chuckled again.

"Don't mention it, Scully," He said. "My first time in the field, I got bit on the ass by a doberman. I was convinced I had rabies."

Scully laughed slightly, finally looking up at him. She had only known him by reputation, not by face. She was surprised when she had walked into that basement to see a handsome man with a strong jaw and kind eyes. The secretaries liked to discuss his good looks, but Scully usually pay them mind. Maybe she should have. She shook her head.

"This case it has me, uhm, a bit on edge," Scully said, rubbing her hand across her forehead. She peaked up at him, giving him a timid smile. He returned it. His grin seemed less mischievous now, more sympathetic. She suddenly felt very grateful that he was her partner. Maybe he was a bit kooky and his theories were strange and out there, but he made her feel safe. In their job, that was something rare.

"That'll happen sometimes," Mulder said with a shrug. "But when it's me coming into your room next time, you can't say no. You owe me now."

Scully rolled her eyes, but still held her smile. "I'd be glad to, Mulder."

She moved to stand, but was immediately pulled back into her seat, the front of her robe falling open again. Scully pulled it closed, but that didn't stop Mulder from chuckling at her.

"I think you're caught there, Scully," He said. She shot him a glare as she reached her hand behind her to try and unsnag herself from the chair but much like the spots on her back, she couldn't quite get to it. She let out an exasperated sigh. "Need some help?"

He didn't wait for a response from her before getting out of his seat. He bent over her, his arms around her to get to her back.

He must work out, Scully noted as she felt his firm bicep against her arm. She shook her head of the thought. He's your partner, you don't need to think about his workout routine.

"Got it," He said, almost startling her. He placed his hand on her lower back again, only this time outside of her robe, as he guided her out of the chair. "Just making sure you don't fall again," He said with a smirk as he looked down at her.

They were so close, her chest bumped his stomach with every inhale. The rational part of her brain wanted to ask him why his hand still lingered on her back, but the other part, the part that reminded her she hadn't been this close to a man in a very long time, told her that if he just bent a little, she could kiss him.

Scully wanted to say that the rational part won out, but she was on her toes, her lips pressed to his. His lips were soft against hers as she tangled her fingers in the hair at the nape of his neck. He moved his hands from the outside of her robe to the inside, finding their way from her hips, over her ass. He bent forward, gripping her thighs as he scooped her up, holding her against him as he kissed her.

He definitely works out.

"Gotta say," Mulder said into her mouth. Her legs wrapped around his waist firmly. "Didn't expect this from you. Not that I'm complaining."

"Don't expect it again," Scully said as Mulder kissed down her neck. She wanted to tell him to stop and walk out of his room, but God it felt so good. "This is beyond inappropriate."

"I won't tell if you won't, Agent Scully," Mulder said. He whirled them around, pressing her onto his bed.

Scully slipped her arms out of her robe, letting Mulder run his hands along her mostly naked body. She silently thanked God that she had shaved her legs that day. Maybe part of her knew that this is where she would end up.

She pushed his shirt off of his shoulders, her hands exploring the muscles of his arms. His skin was nearly burning compared to hers. She was always told she was cold, but he didn't seem to mind. He sat up slightly, pulling off his undershirt before diving back to her mouth. She ran her hand over his chest hair, over his shoulder, to the expanse of his back to pull him closer to her. She could feel his hard on against her thigh. At least she knew this wasn't one sided.

"I haven't kissed a Catholic girl since before my Bar Mitzvah," Mulder said into her neck. He kissed down the column of her throat.

"I hope I kiss better than a thirteen year old," Scully said. She arched her back, letting Mulder unhook her bra. She wondered how long it had been for him as he struggled for a moment. The FBI didn't give them much time for dating. She took him for someone who didn't need that personal of a connection to jump into bed, but maybe she had been quick to judge. He pulled her bra off finally and tossed it behind him somewhere. She let out an involuntary gasp as his mouth latched on her nipple, his hand busy on her other breast.

His hand slid lower as he moved back up to meet her lips. He groaned, ducking his head into her shoulder as his hand brushed the front of her now soaked underwear. "Fuck," He muttered into her skin. She would have been smug if it hadn't been one of the sexiest things she had ever heard.

He pulled her underwear off, letting them drop to the floor. Mulder took his sweet time dragging his hand back up to her center, finally pushing his middle finger into her. He added a second when her breath hitched.

"Fox," Scully moaned, her fingers lost in his hair once again as he coaxed her from the inside. She wasn't sure where that came from; she was never one to be vocal in bed. Years of sneaking around her parents had that effect.

"I don't usually let anyone call me by my first name, but if you keep saying it like that, you can go right ahead." Mulder said, his lips against her ear. His body over hers and his movements inside of her made it seem like he was surrounding her completely. Instead of feeling claustrophobic, though, she felt protected.

Feeling bold, Scully turned to him, nipping his earlobe with her teeth and eliciting a groan from her partner. "Are you going to screw me or what, Fox?" She let out a startled giggle when Mulder scooped her up, moving her up to the pillows at the head of the bed. He reached for his wallet on the nightstand but Scully stopped him.

"You shouldn't keep condoms in there, the friction makes it weak. It's almost guaranteed to break."

"Talk medical to me, Dr. Dana," Mulder joked.

Scully fought back a smile. "I'm on the pill."

"And I'm clean," Mulder said. He sat up on his knees, undoing his belt as he looked down at her, his eyes raking over her naked body as if memorizing it for later. She would have to deal with the knowledge that any time he looked at her, maybe while questioning perps or at a desk, he could easily and accurately picture her naked. She scolded herself when she realized that the thought of that turned her on more.

"Is it too cheesy if I say you're beautiful?" Mulder asked. Scully rolled her eyes but felt her cheeks burn red.

"Very much so," She said, pulling him back down to her.

He undid his fly with one hand, the other holding him up as he kissed her again. He wanted to keep kissing her for as long as she would let him. He pulled himself out of his boxer briefs, pushing into her fully, sighing into the crook of her neck as he felt her around him.

"Fox," Scully gasped. She hoped it didn't inflate his ego too much, but she couldn't help it. He shifted his hips against hers, making her gasp again as she tried to get used to his size. Mulder grabbed her thigh, hooking her leg on his waist to push deeper.

Scully flipped them over, surprising him as he laid on his back with her on top of him. Mulder didn't seem to mind, holding her hips as she rocked against him. "Shit," He muttered as he watched her above him, her hair around her like a glow of light. "Dana, shit, you feel so good."

Her name on his lips made her stomach flip. She grounded herself with her hands on his chest, her nails digging in slightly. He moved one hand from her hip to where their bodies met, his thumb circling her clit. Her back arched towards him, a moan bubbling out as she rode him faster, chasing her end.

"Fox, oh god, Fox," She nearly collapsed on top of him as she came undone, all the tension from the day releasing and then some.

Mulder wrapped his arms around her, rolling them over once again. He pounded into her with no restraint. Scully held onto his shoulders, relishing in each hard stroke that hit her sensitive core. "Fuck, I'm so close," Mulder groaned.

"Come inside me," Scully whispered to him. She had no idea what came over her, but she was happy it did. Feeling him release into her, holding tightly to her as he did was almost as intense as her own orgasm.

He rolled off of her, worried he might crush her under him, but he pulled her against his side, still wanting her skin against his. Scully rested her head against his chest for a long moment before her rational brain came back to her.

She had just had sex with her new partner. A superior agent. On their first case together.

She pulled back from him, sitting up and grabbing her robe again. She was suddenly very self conscious about being naked, even if he had just been inside of her. Especially because he had just been inside of her. "I should get back to my room."

"What's the rush?" Mulder asked, sitting up.

"I shouldn't be in here at all."

"We're grown ups, Scully," Mulder laughed slightly. "You can be in my room after lights out."

"That was super inappropriate, we should not have done that," Scully said, tucking her hair behind her ear as she stood up, holding her robe closed. Even as she spoke, she could feel the evidence of their wrongdoing leak down her thighs.

"And like I said, I won't tell if you won't," Mulder said. "I'd get in more trouble than you would, anyway. Just stay here for a minute."

"This isn't a thing, Mulder," Scully said, gesturing between them. She felt a bit guilty for the 180 she just pulled but she was just as whiplashed as he was. "This can't be a thing."

He grabbed her hand. "Then it won't be. Just hang around. Talk a bit. Let me get to know you so I don't feel so used." Scully laughed slightly. "Come on, I'll even stay on the floor. No touching, promise."

If they were going to be partners, Scully would have to establish a rule about Mulder using his boyish grin on her.

"Fine."