Motel 6, Amisville, MO

The knock at the motel door startled her. Who could it be at this late hour? She looked through the peephole to see an unshaven chin above her favourite turtleneck-clad chest. What on earth was Mulder doing way out here? He was supposed to be in the city, interviewing the staff at Saint Louis University about the very strange-looking body that had been found in one of the classrooms, and had since disappeared and reappeared in the middle of a street here in Amisville with no obvious explanation.

She drew back the deadbolt and opened the door. "Mulder, what are you doing here? I can conduct a simple autopsy on my own you know."

"You were supposed to be back tonight!" He pushed his way inside "You know I didn't want you going off on your own in the first place, and then you stay the night?"

"I told you, there was no point both of us going. You had plenty to do in St. Louis, and only one of us was needed here. You know we've had questions raised about our expenses. We may as well TRY to be efficient with our time and resources."

"But you were supposed to be back in a few hours!" He looked so worried. She hated that. And loved it.

She closed the door and said gently "I'm sorry I checked into a motel without telling you but I've barely slept in days thanks to your paranoia, and I'm utterly shattered. I couldn't face the drive back to the city."

"You're clearly not taking these threats seriously Scully. Whoever sent those notes could have followed you here. You can't be alone, it's just not safe!"

"Mulder that's crazy. No-one is going to attack me in a random motel in sleepyville, Missouri." Okay, now that she said it, actually that sounded like the perfect place to attack someone. "They're just trying to rattle you."

"You don't know that. It's not worth the risk. Sorry, but I'm not letting you out of my sight again until I know you're safe"

"What are you going to do, sleep in here with me?" she asked sarcastically.

"That's exactly what I'm going to do."

"No way, Mulder. If you insist on staying, go get your own room."

"Nope, sorry, but I'm not leaving you alone."

"You're not sleeping in here!"

"I don't plan to go to sleep."

"You're going to stay awake. All night." She looked sceptically at his determined face.

"Yes. I'll keep a look out."

She rolled her eyes. He was being extra protective these days, since he had almost lost her to an alien virus, and these notes were sending him into overdrive. "What if I promise to stay awake myself, and call you if I anything happens? You can get the room next door."

He relaxed a little; she seemed to be resigning herself to the fact that he was staying. But if she thought he was leaving the room she was mistaken. "You're exhausted. You'll fall asleep. I'm staying here."

"You've had just as little sleep as me."

"I'm used to it."

"I can stay awake" She said, unconvincingly. "I'll read. Or… something."

He repressed a poorly-timed filthy thought, and he knew she noticed. She always noticed. "No. You need to sleep. I'll stay awake and watch."

"Watch me sleep? That would be really weird, Mulder."

"I don't see why. It wouldn't be the first time one of us has sat by the other's bedside while they sleep."

That was true, but generally one of them was in the hospital during these occasions. She was perfectly healthy now. Although, she reasoned with herself, she wouldn't STAY healthy if she didn't sleep. But the same went for Mulder. Although, he slept less than anyone she'd ever known, and seemed to function fairly well. She felt like a zombie unless she got her full eight hours every night.

"But you'll be bored. And tired. I should stay up with you."

"Get your ass into bed, Scully, that's an order."

"But…"

It was time for dirty tactics. "I've never had this much trouble getting a woman into bed." he said. "Am I going to have to tie you up?"

She flushed in spite of her efforts not to. He knew embarrassing her was the best way to get her to stop arguing with him. Cheater.

"I won't be able to sleep with you here." she tried.

He knew she was giving up the fight now. She had her 'token effort' face on. He grinned. "You will. I'll sing lullabies or something."

She laughed aloud at that, and he knew he had won. She sighed, defeated. Also, she really was exhausted. "Fine. You win."

He threw his coat on the small table and shoved his suitcase under it. "Good because I REALLY have to use the little boys room." he headed for the en-suite, stopped and turned back to her "Don't let any strange men into your bedroom while I'm gone, 'kay?"

Well thank goodness he was calming down enough to joke about it, she thought. But surely he couldn't really stay up all night. And how would she sleep, knowing he was there watching her. She would be far too self-conscious. A wave of utter exhaustion swept over her and she had to remind herself how to open her eyes again after blinking. Maybe sleep was inevitable, Mulder's eyes on her or not. Oh, speaking of which, she didn't have anything to wear in bed. She was NOT sleeping naked with Mulder in the room. She'd have to borrow one of his t shirts or something.

"Mulder?" she called through the door, at the same moment that the shower started running. The sound of the water being switched on surprised her for a second, but she supposed he thought a refreshing shower might help him stay awake. He wouldn't be able to hear her over the water though, and she was sure he wouldn't begrudge her a t shirt anyway. She went over to the table and bent to retrieve his suitcase, unzipped it and fished around for something to wear. No t shirts. Oh dear. Well then…

She had just started lifting her sweater over her head when a voice said "Ooh, a striptease, goody!"

She jumped and pulled her clothes down again, covering her briefly exposed midriff. She was glad he had not appeared a few moments later. Good of him to alert her to his presence rather than just watch the show. "Sorry, I thought you were having a shower."

"No, just squirting water in my face, try and wake me up, you know."

She saw that his hair was wet, but only at the front. He was clearly exhausted. She decided to make one last-ditch effort. "You really shouldn't stay up all night. Get the adjoining room. We'll keep the door open."

"I'm not leaving. Conversation over."

He was adamant. She knew better than to believe she could change his mind, once it was fully made up.

"Could you at least turn around while I get undressed then?"

"Oh. Of course." He turned away, clearing his throat, and looked out the window. Or, tried to, but it was so dark outside that the glass formed a mirror. A mirror in which he could clearly see Scully pulling her sweater over her head. Bare skin appeared as the sweater caught her shirt and dragged it up too. He would like to touch that skin. To feel its softness under his hands. And then run them up under that shirt… He shook himself. He should close his eyes. Really he should. Soon. Before he saw anything he wasn't supposed to.

Oops, there goes the top button of the shirt. Yes, really soon he would close his eyes. But one button wasn't going to reveal much, right? Certainly not overstepping any lines. Nor was two buttons. He should close his eyes before she undid the third one, though. He should. God damn, was that black lace, gradually coming into view? Breathe, breathe. Oops, that's all five buttons. Beautiful flat tummy exposed. Bra can hardly contain… oh, there goes the blouse. Oh dear. Admit it, there's not a chance I'm closing my eyes. Just not gonna happen. Oh God, the bra is coming off.

Holy fuck.

He wondered how to rearrange his pants without her noticing. His hands itched to be filled with those soft, full curves, to run his thumbs over the little nubs and feel her shudder.

And then they were gone, stolen from his sight by… was that one of his dress shirts? What was she doing with that?

"Okay, I'm decent"

That was an understatement. He turned around, careful to stand behind the iron bedpost to hide the evidence of his voyeurism. Fuck, she looked hot in his shirt.

"Do you regularly wear my clothes to bed, Agent Scully?" he asked, utterly failing to keep a straight face.

"I borrowed it. Sorry. I wasn't expecting company so I didn't bring any night things."

"You normally sleep naked?"

"Uh huh." She flushed slightly.

"Well you shouldn't let me put you off your usual habits." he deadpanned. "You should be completely free to be yourself. Please. Please be yourself…"

She just gave him the eyebrow and put her knee up on the bed, ready to climb in. His eyes dipped uncontrollably from hers to her exposed thigh. He saw gooseflesh appear there under his gaze, just as if he'd touched her.

"You're not making this any easier, Mulder."

"What did *I* do?" Eyes wide, innocence all over his features.

"Well, you don't have to… to look at me like that"

"Sorry. I'll stop." He looked at the ground for a second, but as she crawled into the centre of the bed, exposing large amounts of cleavage to his view, he physically could not keep his eyes on the floor.

"Hey!" she complained, quickly getting into a sitting position and tucking the covers around her waist as she glared at him.

"I'm sorry, Scully, but I'm not a eunuch." He dragged his eyes northwards again but they seemed to catch on her chest. He bit his lip and took a deep breath. She looked down and realised the top button of the shirt was undone and the inside curve of her breast was on display.

Hastily she began to button it. "Jesus you could have told me!"

A wry smile. "Now why on earth would I wanna do that?"

Sharply; "Um… because you're a gentleman?"

"Oh. Yes." He looked sufficiently abashed. "Sorry." He noticed she had only managed to get the button halfway through, and it had popped right back open again. She didn't seem to have noticed, but as she said, he was a gentleman. He sat on the side of the bed and reached for the button, but his traitorous fingers brushed the skin between her breasts, not entirely accidentally.

She jumped about a mile. "What are you doing?"

"Being a gentleman. You'd prefer I just enjoy the view?"

She blushed as she struggled with the button, this time making absolutely sure it was fully home. "I prefer to do up my own clothes, thanks."

"But these are MY clothes."

Her mouth opened and closed as she looked at him, but apparently she couldn't find anything to say. She gave up and changed the subject.

"Anyway. There, you wanted me in bed; I'm in bed. Satisfied?"

"Not exactly the word I'd have chosen."

"Mulder" she reprimanded.

"Sorry. Just having a… hard night." He sighed. He saw something flash across her face, but she quickly repressed it.

"I saw that!" he said, grinning evilly.

"Saw what." It wasn't a question, it was a request that he shut his mouth right now this second. Sorry Scully, no chance.

"You had a filthy thought!"

She said nothing, staring fixedly at her hands twisting in her lap.

"Didn't you!"

She was defensive. "Well?" She still wouldn't meet his gaze. "It does happen from time to time you know."

"And here was me thinking you were immune. I mean, all the innuendo I sling at you, and you have no response at all…"

"Of course I do. I'm just a very good actress." Oops, she hadn't meant to blurt that out.

"You DO?" He looked like the cat that got the cream.

"Shut up."

He leaned his body towards her.

"What are you doing?"

His voice was soft and low. "Do I get under your skin after all, Agent Scully?" He reached up and ran a finger along the underside of the shirt-collar. Her breathing hitched and she shivered.

"Stop it."

Her skin was so soft. He ran a finger up her neck. He could swear her eyes fluttered closed for a second. But then she was shoving his hand away.

"Get off my bed. If you insist on staying, there's a chair over there."

He looked at the chair with disdain. It did not look particularly inviting. Except that it had Scully's bra and blouse hanging off it. Great, he would be breathing in her scent all night. While she lay there feet away, wearing nothing but his shirt, breasts rising and falling against the fabric that was permitted to touch what he never could. Shit, was he jealous of his own clothing? He shook his head slightly.

"Gonna be a long, hard night, Scully."

She gave him the eyebrow.

"Chair looks pretty uncomfortable. Sure wish I could be in a bed…"

"Keep dreaming, Mulder."

"Don't have a choice, Scully." his tone was suggestive.

"You don't have to be here at all."

"Not quite what I…"

"You don't have to watch over me. Really. I can take care of myself. I'm a big girl, Mulder."

"No." he said flatly. "You're not."

"Excuse me?"

"You're quite the opposite. You are a 120 pound weak little girl." Her expression was so outraged that he added in a pacifying tone "What you lack in stature you more than make up for in brains, wit, beauty…" his eyes flashed over her cleavage again "hell, in just about everything. But be sensible; without your gun, what chance would you have against a male assailant of even just average size?"

"I'd have plenty! I AM trained, you know."

"Seriously, Scully, just think about it. Take me, for example, I'm an average-ish guy. If I came in here planning to… have my way with you, there's nothing you could do about it."

"I could handle you."

Wolfish grin "That wouldn't exactly help your situation."

She threw a tight, sarcastic smile at him. "Ha ha."

"But seriously, what could you do to stop me?"

"I'd kick you in the balls, that's what!" she was indignant.

"What if I held your legs in place with my own, and pinned your wrists beside your head? You wouldn't be able to move, let alone kick me anywhere. I'm far too strong for you Scully." Was she flushing?

"You'd have to let me go to get my pants off. And as soon as you did, I'd poke you in both eyes with my fingernails."

"I could just handcuff you to those bed rails." She was definitely flushing now.

"I could still head-butt you and break your nose."

"But I'm holding your head still, so I can fuck your mouth with my tongue"

A slight pause as she looked away. "Jesus, Mulder." Her voice was very small and her breathing shallow.

"So, you see? You need me here."

"Nope," she regrouped and stuck out her chin "I'd have kicked you in the balls before you had a chance to pin me down."

Suddenly he lunged. Before she could react, he was on top of her, his thighs resting on hers and holding her legs open, and his hands pinning her wrists either side of her head. She was so shocked she didn't think to make any effort to resist. And now it was too late. And his beautiful mouth was so close…

"And at what point were you planning on… handling me?"

His voice was low and velvety, seeming to vibrate her whole body. She trembled. He hated to scare her, but he had to get her to understand the danger she was in.

"I don't have my handcuffs here, but I can still hold both your wrists with one of mine…" he did so, grasping both her wrists in his large hand, and snaking his free hand down her side. "…making it perfectly easy to get down here…" his hand slid over her naked hip, and he actually tucked a finger under the elastic of her panties.

Her head was spinning. "Mulder…" she whimpered "Let me go."

"Make me. You said you could take care of yourself."

She tried to wrench her wrists out of his grasp, the effort making her grunt slightly. She arched and swivelled her hips for leverage. He drew in a sharp breath and she felt him buck against her slightly.

"Fuck, Scully, don't do that."

She froze at once, flushing scarlet. His voice had dropped an octave. She could feel him hard against her leg. Holy shit, how did she get in this position? Her heart was hammering, and those lips were so close to hers…

"If I wanted to fuck you, I could. Have I made my point clear?" he asked, without moving an inch.

"Your… point… is quite obvious, thank you."

"Well, you would insist on wriggling." He was quite unashamed.

"Please let me go." she managed to squeak out.

He did so, and sat up, leaving her lying on her back, chest heaving and mind reeling.

"And that's why I'm staying. Now go to sleep."

Like she was going to get ANY sleep now.