Title: More Than
Rating: PG
Disclaimer: Mulder, Scully and William belong to Chris Carter, 1013, and Fox Entertainment Companies.
Scully leaned back against the couch and listened to William nurse. He sucked quietly but fiercely, thankful for the nourishment his mom happily gave him. One of his fists wrapped over her index finger, the other curled into a ball, sat on her bare breast. Mulder sat across from them in his easy chair, in jeans and a wife beater, his bare feet resting on the coffee table. He glanced away from Jay Leno momentarily and smiled at Scully and his son. William gurgled under his father's stare and slowly released his mother's nipple.
The baby's head snuggled against her, and Mulder stared indulgingly. Scully was looking at her snoozing child, holding him tightly with both hands. He had a milky ring around his lips. Mulder watched as the mother of his child pulled up her shirt to cover her bare chest and then adjusted their son. He made no sign that he had been affected by the shift.
Mulder turned his eyes back to the late night show on TV, and Scully joined him in watching it. She never paid attetion to what was happening, but Mulder didn't degrade her by explaining it. He treated Scully just like a buddy who got all the media jokes. In a way, she appreciated it. But Scully wanted to be more than a buddy, she wanted to be his wife. Or at least his girlfriend, life partner, significant other, lover. Call it what you wanted.
Scully wanted more nights like this, sitting on his couch, in his boxers and a loose fitting nursing shirt. She wanted more nights to watch him watch her. She wanted more nights for them to tuck William in together and fall into bed, exhausted from the day. Both of them wanting to love each other physically, neither of them energized enough to do so. She wanted more nights for Mulder to run his tongue over her shoulder, avoiding her tender breasts.
Mulder wanted more nights to watch TV with Scully. He wanted more nights to know that his son was sleeping in his house. And his son's mother was in bed with him. He wanted to watch Scully nurse their baby more often, because it was like an angel's work. He wanted more nights to smell faintly of beer after two bottles. He wanted more nights to kiss Scully on the lips and have her grin, drunkenly, as though she had had a couple to.
The game finished, and he looked at Scully, their child asleep in her arms. Her head lolled to one side, her feet resting on the coffee table, crossed at the ankle. He stood and took William out of her arms. She stirred at the lost heat, but Mulder hushed her. He tucked his son in, after making sure his diaper didn't need to be changed.
Then he got Scully up and took her to bed. She took off her shirt and picked one of his old, work out t-shirts out of a drawer, slipping it on over her head. Mulder disrobed until he was only in his boxers and they climbed into bed next to each other. Wordless emotions seeped from Dana Scully's pores. He brushed a couple strands of auburn hair out of her eyes, and kissed her. She snuggled into his bare chest ad he could feel her breathing slow.
Scully wasn't woken until William cried. She rolled over and fumbled for Mulder on the bed, before realizing he wasn't there. She rose and breast fed her child before changing him and tucking him back in to bed. Then she went and sat on hers and cried his name, because she wanted more than just dreams.