I've had this idea in my head since high school but have never put it down on paper. This is one part of a whole x-file story that will come about in the future, but it does work by itself, as you will see, and I was excited to put this up. This is my first ever published work and semi-completed x-file story, so any feedback will be greatly accepted and received. I hope you enjoy. And if so more will come.
Disclaimer: They belong to Fox, Chris Charter, blah, blah, blah…we know, we just like keeping them alive.
Spoilers: none.
Scully walked down the stairs leading to their basement office, her attention wrapped in the medical report from the autopsy of their latest victim. She absent-mindedly pushed opened the door to the office, not noticing that it was only half closed. As she entered the room, still engrossed in the report she felt something tickle her check, she brushed it away not paying attention to what it was, and continued to walk to the desk when her foot hit an object in the middle of the floor interrupting her rapt attention. She sighed out of frustration wondering what junk Mulder could have possibly set in the middle of the floor when she looked up from her report and stopped abruptly in her tracks. Her eyes grew wide and her jaw became slack and hung loosely open as she took in the scene before her. She completely forgot about the report in her hands and just stared in bewilderment. The office had been transformed from the usual clutter organization of Mulder, to what looked like the holding room of Valentine's Day. Hundreds of helium red heart shaped balloons with ribbon tails, clung to the ceiling along side with balloons that said "Will you be mine?" "Ain't she sweet?" "I only have eyes for you" and so on. The room was flooded with them, in every nook, cranny, and corner. She glanced down at what she ran into and another gasped escaped her lips, a crate filled with two dozen red roses. She took in the room again this time noticing that every surface in the office had some sort of bouquet sitting on it. Their office could just have been a florist shop, a bouquet of pink carnations here, one of stargazer lilies there, and roses everywhere. She walked towards the desk, pushing the ribbon tails that hung from the balloons out of her way as she made her way forward in puzzlement on who possibly could have sent the gifts. Her hand reached for the phone on the desk when she heard the door swing open and the footsteps of her partner.
"Hey Scully" He greeted her without looking up from the report in his hands. Like her only moments ago he too was preoccupied with whatever he was reading. "The tox screen from that vial we discovered at the crime scene just came back. And I gotta tell ya it doesn't add up – the lab guys didn't find anything out of the ordinary…."
He continued as he strolled decisively over to the desk never looking up or taking notice on how their office had been transformed. He batted a ribbon out of his face but still kept his eyes glued onto the page in front of him and kept up his babbling about the report. Scully just stared at her partner, dumbfounded at his lack of awareness. The man's brain could pick out the smallest detail and could build a theory that more than likely than not, turned out to be true, yet this, this white elephant in the room, he misses. Her eyes followed him around the room half paying attention to his ramblings. He rounded his desk and sat in his chair. She followed him with her body as he sat in the desk placing a hand on her hip and tilting her head waiting for him to take notice of the transformation of their office but he kept on going with his diatribe.
"…the serum found in that vial was all organic and carbon based nothing unusual, I can't say that I'm too surprised, but what did get my attention was what the serum contains, it was composed of rose petals, ylang ylang oil, and almond oil. Which separate isn't anything special, but all together it is widely believed that these ingredients combined can make an aphrodisiac. Now get this, this exact serum was found in our victim, on her epidermis to be exact, three guess as to where on her epidermis it was found." He leaned forward, finally taking his eyes out of the report and meeting Scully's surprised and urgent gaze.
"Now I have a theory and I know what you are going to say but just go with me here, but these ingredients have been associated with potions…especially potions of love, dating back to the medieval ages -" He finally stopped and noticed the look of disbelief in her eyes. "What?"
With wide eyes, she subtly shook her head and with out any words slowly shifted her gaze upwards. Mulder frowned quizzically but followed her gaze upwards. He scoffed aloud in disbelief as he finally took in his surroundings.
"Oh right, I forgot to tell you Scully." She quickly shifted her gaze from the balloons and flowers that littered their small office to his that were still looking up, taking in the room. "Cupid called and wants his gifts of love back." She clenched her jaws and glared across at him not acknowledging his joke, he lowered his gaze from the ceiling to her with a mischievous glint in his eyes and a smiled tugging at his lips.
"What happened in here? It looks like Valentine's Day exploded in my office." He smirked as he leaned back into his chair.
"Our office, Mulder, and how very astute of you being that it is Valentines Day!" She shot back.
"It is?" He lazily asked and swung around to look at his calendar, noticing that the first thirteen days of February had been X out. "Guess it is." He swung back around to face Scully, who stood across his desk her hands on her hips looking about ready to explode if he pushed the wrong buttons.
"Looks like someone has a secret admire." Again the playful smile slowly crept over his lips and danced in his eyes.
"A little excessive, don't you think?"
"I don't know, maybe he's afraid a simple rose won't get his message across."
Scully rolled her eyes "Message recieved loud and clear," she responded.
Mulder sniggered "Any idea as to where all these…declarations…came from?"
"No I was just about to call security when you entered."
"No card?" Mulder asked puzzled.
She just shook her head, "Nothing so far."
At that moment the office phone began to ring. Mulder began to reach across his desk "Well if his affections are anything represented in the quantity of gifts I have a feeling he won't be silent for long." Scully grabbed the nearest teddy bear and threw it at his head, Mulder ducked as he answered the ringing phone "Mulder," he answered as he put it on speaker.
"Agent Mulder this is Stan at the front desk, uh is your partner Agent Scully there?"
Mulder glanced at Scully who was leaning up against her desk with her arms folded across her chest and a look of apprehension on her face. "Uh yeah."
"Well I have a visitor for her" Scully looked up nervously her heart rate increasing.
"Several actually," Stan said continued. The two agents looked at each other trying to make sense of Stan's last comment.
"I'm sorry" Mulder leaned in closer to the phone, placing his forearms on his legs as continued confused, "I don't think I heard you right, it sounded like you said there were several visitors for Agent Scully."
"No, you heard me right. It's more like a group." Mulder's brows furrowed in confusion and Scully stood upright, walking slowly to the phone. "What I mean is it seems that someone has sent Agent Scully a….uh….well…a-"
"A what-?!" Scully demanded as her nerves became even more frayed
"A singing tell-a-gram in the shape of a barbershop quartet. It's just I need either your or her approval before I can send them down." Scully lunged herself at the phone, but Mulder was too fast and quickly picked up the phone from the receiver dogging her hand as she attempted to snatch the phone from him.
"Stan…?" Mulder said into the phone, "Yeah go ahead and send them down…yeah, yeah, I'm sure it'll be fine, if I have to sign anything send that down too. Oh, and thanks again." Mulder hung up the phone with a look a pure delight on his face, where as Scully 's was one of pure dread.
"Mulder?!" She walked over to her partner who was leaning against the lip of his desk laughing, her hands on her hips as she squared off in front of him.
"What?" He mirthfully laughed, "Barbershop quartets are a lost and under valued art form. It's not everyday to be serenaded, and to be serenaded by a barbershop quartet no less. It'll be fun."
"Yeah, for who?" She mumbled darkly.
"Oh come on Scully, what's the worst that can happen?"
As if right one cue, a head peered from the doorway singing:
"Hello!" another head popped around the doorframe singing:
"Hello" followed by a third:
"Hello" and finally a fourth:
"Hello"
The four heads came around the doorway and sang "Heeelloooo" in a harmonic unison.
Scully abruptly turned around to face Mulder. "OH, you've got to be kidding me!"
Mulder waived them in "Come on in fellows." Four adult men ranging in their 40's to 50's dressed in candy cane stripped vest, adorned with red roses in their lapel and straw hats on their heads entered their basement office. Scully slowly walked towards the desk. She leaned in before turning around and facing the merry men.
"You're a dead man, Fox Mulder" She said under her breath so only he could hear her, as she joined him leaning against his desk. Mulder just smiled and looked down at her as she sat down next to him, shoulder to shoulder.
"We're ready whenever you are." He addressed the visitors; Scully just crossed her arms once again over her chest and groaned so low that only Mulder caught it. He nudge her with his arm that was against hers, she looked up at him her blue eyes a mix of scorn and apprehension. He shrugged his shoulders slightly and cocked his head mouthing, "Come on." She rolled her eyes and brought her attention back to the serenading guests, who were now addressing her. One of the members had stepped out from amongst the other three singers and spoke to her.
"To Miss Dana Katherine Scully, we hope you're Valentine's Day is a bear-able one." And with that he produced a small teddy bear and handed it to her. A tight smile spread across her lips as she reluctantly accepted the gift. She looked down at the small stuffed creature which had a heart sowed to his paws that had "you're un-bearably cute" embroidered across the heart. She turned and showed it to Mulder, who was trying desperately and failing miserably to hold his composer together. His eyes dancing with laughter. She couldn't help but allow the smallest of smiles tug at her lips at the absurdity of the situation. The member who had given her the gift stepped back in line and took out a pitch pipe and blew into the instrument resulting with a single note vibrating throughout the room.
"1-2" He counted off, "1-2-3 –"
"bum-bum-bum" another member began singing an ascending line.
Let me call you Sweetheart,
For I'm in love with you.
Let me hear you whisper,
That you love me too.
Keep the love light glowing,
In your eyes so true.
Let me call you Sweetheart,
My one an' only Sweetheart,
Let me call you Sweetheart,
For I'm in love with you, oo-oo
For I'm in love with you!
Mulder clapped enthusiastically, while Scully buried her head in her hands hiding her embarrassment.
"That was…. entertaining to say the least." Mulder got up from sitting on the lip of his desk, and walked over to the four singers.
"Great job, you guys must really make the ladies swoon." The quartet nodded and mumbled their acknowledgements.
"Well you guys deserve a big recognition, for I know I'll never forget this as long as I live," A huge smile and twinkle in his eye graced his face, as Mulder pulled out his wallet and proceeded to hand them each a twenty dollar bill. He looked over to Scully's crumpled form in the corner still sitting on his desk, her hand covering her eyes and her head bowed.
"Now you've been so great that my partner there has been moved so deeply that she can't even begin to express what your song has meant to her, therefore I need to go back and help her collect her composure. If you know what I mean..."
He winked at them, and they all nodded in understanding as he began ushering them out of the office.
"She's overcome with emotion to show her gratitude, but I'll be sure to send her your thanks."
The four men spoke their thanks on the tip and hoped they enjoyed the song then proceeded down the hall towards the elevator. Mulder stood outside in the hallway waving them off as they made their way towards the elevator.
"Bye, bye, thanks for coming."
He then turned his attention back to his office and entered, "Hey you missed sending the guys off, but they wanted to make sure you knew they did engagement parties as well as weddings in case you're interested." He smirked as he spoke.
"Mulder." Scully groaned. "How can you stand there joking about this? We're already the laughing stock of the FBI we do not need to give them more fuel."
"Hey." Mulder crossed over and placed his hands her shoulders looking down at the top of her head, as her face was still buried in her hands. " It could be worse…"
With that she snapped up and her blue eyes furious, "How?!" She demanded "How could this be any worse than it already is?" She challenged him.
Before he could answer her there was a rapping on their door. Mulder keeping his hands on his partner looked over his should, and Scully peered around his body to see a bland dress uniformed man standing at the door.
"I need a signature for a special delivery for a – " the man looked down at his clip board "Dana Scully." Scully groaned.
Mulder only too happily jumped up and said, "I'll sign for that!" And crossed the room, he was enjoying this far too much on her expense.
Mulder signed the UPS forms and the man nodded "Okay," he yelled "bring it in boys!" With that five more men entered one at a time each carrying a bouquet of two-dozen red roses. Each contained a note. Mulder pick up the first one as it passed.
"Roses are red" He began and picked up the second one as it passed.
"Violets are blue" he snatched the third
"My life has begun" and grabbed the fourth
"Now I've met you." And finally the fifth.
"Hope you've had a memorable Valentines Day, love your secret admirer."
"Man, this guy has it bad." Mulder commented, taking in the gravity of the situation.
Scully stood up and grabbed her blazer as she began heading towards the door. "I think I need some fresh air." But before she could get out the door the office phone began ringing once again, causing her to stop in her tracks.
Mulder nodded his head in agreement to Scully's proposal and walked over to the ringing phone. "I think I'll join you, it's getting a little Closter phobic in here wouldn't you agree?" He picked up the phone and answered, "Mulder."
Scully just stood in the doorway waiting to see who was it now that Mulder was talking too and what god-forsaken gift would be sent down their way next.
"Uh-huh," Mulder answered non-committedly on the phone. He turned towards her as he said "Yeah, she's here with me now."
Scully sighed exasperatedly, "I don't believe this" she mumbled, as she pinched the bridge of her nose, feeling a headache coming on. This was turning out to be the single most embarrassing day of her life.
"Yah, sure," Mulder continued, "We'll be right up." Then he hung up the phone.
"That was Skinner, he wants us in his office right away."
Scully looked up hesitantly and stood in doorway a mix of apprehension in her eyes.
"About what?" She wondered nervously as Mulder grabbed his suit coat and began making his way towards her. This couldn't possibly have anything to do with the endless flow of Valentine's gifts being delivered to their office every half hour, she feared. Just the thought made her heart rate increase, how was she suppose to explain that to Skinner. As if sensing the reason, Mulder turned around facing her, and gave her a quick smile.
"I'm sure it has to do with our case and not about the mysterious Romeo, who's heart you've captured." He said with an evil glint in his eye.
Scully's cheeks turned a shade crimson but she chose to ignore Mulder's teasing dig.
Mulder hit the elevator button and turned his attention back to her.
"But all joking aside Scully, it's good someone's giving you this much attention, you're an intelligent attractive woman, someone should acknowledge that. I mean you deserve it. Lord knows you don't get half the attention you deserve. And with me and the X-files, hell it doesn't help in your desire for a normal life."
Scully cocked one eyebrow up at her partner. Where was this coming from? She wondered.
"I'm not sure I would label this as normal." She replied dryly. Mulder guffawed in amusement at her response, as the elevator bell ding announcing its arrival.
"You think I deserve this attention," She began, "Even if it's this excessive?" She inquired, stepping into the elevator.
"Okay so the guy needs some pointers on 'less is more' it's not exactly how I would go about announcing my secret attraction towards someone." He replied following her inside the car.
She paused and gave thought towards his comment, and curiosity got the better of her. "How?" She leaned her back up against the elevator wall.
"How what?" Mulder asked absent-mindedly as he punched the number to Skinner's office.
"How would you go about making your secret attraction known?"
Mulder turned around abruptly, caught off guard from her question. She kept her eyes on the ground not daring to meet Mulder's keen gaze, finding the elevator floor more fascinating.
"Theoretically speaking, of course." She added quickly, finally looking up at him.
Mulder leaned up against the wall and rubbed his hand over his jaw as he searched her face his eyes bearing down into hers, and once again she felt as if he could read her mind. She felt vulnerable and exposed. It took all her resolve to not bow out under his scrutiny, even though she could feel her cheeks warm from another blush adorning her face
"No, forget it." She broke his gaze and looked down, "it was a silly question." She said sheepishly.
"No, it's-" Mulder sighed and shrugged his shoulders, "I don't know. I guess I would hope that the person would get it from all the small day-to-day encounters and moments."
"Like what?" Scully said softly, her heartbeat rising.
Mulder shook his head and began nibbling his lower lip in deep thought, his eyes softening as he thought about how to answer the question.
"A kind word, a joke here and there, maybe a gentle hand squeeze, or brushing an errant hair back into place, a look that lingers longer than necessary…"He looked up at Scully his gaze meeting hers and not wavering. Scully swallowed hard and a loud alarm was sounding in the back of her head, warning her to move on, change the topic, that this path of conversation they were on was dangerous as her thoughts swirled around her attraction to her partner and how she found her partner to be very attractive at this moment. But she couldn't do it, those green hazel eyes where drawing her in. Her heart's tattoo beat so loud against her chest she was surprise Mulder couldn't hear it. He pushed off the elevator wall and walked closer to her, stopping mere inches away from her, placing his hands on either side of her, looking down at her. It was in moments like these that she got the full force of Mulder's height and how very small she was and could feel when he towered over her. He leaned in and whispered in her ear.
"Perhaps getting a close…"he was so close she could smell his aftershave, old spice, she took it in and found that the scent was comforting, yet intoxicating.
"A little too close" he said in almost a whisper as his breath grazed her cheek. Scully didn't dare move as he had her pretty much pinned up against the elevator wall. Her eyes flicker briefly to his lips, then back to his eyes, where mischief and tease danced in his green orbs and another emotion that she quite could place. Then just as suddenly he pulled back where she could take in his whole face.
"I would think that would be more of a declaration of attraction than being sent balloons, flowers, chocolates and a giant teddy bear, what do you think?"
As if right on cue the elevator door pinged and the doors began to open. Scully straightened her back has Mulder released his hold on her and backed away allowing her to walk past.
"I guess you'll never know" She teased as she tried to regain her composer and slow down her rapidly beating heart, as shed walked past Mulder and into the hallway. She stopped mid stride and peered over her shoulder at Mulder who was now leaning against the elevator doorway watching her "your way may entice a girl's…appetite," she replied with a twinkle in her eye, "but don't underestimate the power of chocolate and flowers Mulder." And with that she turned back around.
A broad smiled made its way across Mulder's lips as he laughed out loud.
"Come on G-woman" he met up with her and placed his hand on the small of her back as he began to lead them down the hall towards Skinner's office "the Skin-man's waiting on us."