Disclaimer- All I own of the X-Files are the nine DVD boxsets, Mulder and Scully belong only to each other.
Rating- PG
Author- RosieReyes
Timeline- Set in season 7, pre all things.
Mulder glanced properly out of the window of the Rental Car he was driving.
The sky lit up with a bolt of lightning and rain pelted down, splashing up again when it hid the road.
He sighed.
"Feels like it's gonna be one of those trips, Scully." He commented to his partner.
She looked at him.
"What exactly do you mean one of those trips" She inquired, trying to hide a smile. "One of those trips where we meet a guy whose emotions control the weather, or one of those trips with a goat-sucking monster"
"Neither." He clarified. "It seems like one of those nights in a Horror movie, you know, It's pitch black outside, the thunder's crashing violently"
"I got chills down my spine." interrupted Scully, dryly.
Mulder carried on, teasing her. "Gnarled trees make ghostly shapes on the roadside..." he said eerily, until she gave him THAT look, and he thought it would be wiser to shut up.
"What I mean is that it seems like it seems to be a night for a horror movie cliché." he concluded. "Expect the unexpected."
Just then, the car screeched to a halt.
"Mulder, stop joking around" she snapped, exasperated. "I wanted to be home from this assignment hours ago, and we can't stop, if we don't make it to that meeting tomorrow Skinner's gonna"
"Scully..." he stopped her. "I'm not joking around."
She took a deep breath.
"Well, we can't be out of gas, we just filled it ten, twenty miles ago" she said, gesturing back the way they had came.
"I don't think that's it." said Mulder, as he tried and failed to restart the vehicle. It gave a coughing, spluttering noise before it stopped again entirely. "It sounds like engine failure." he finished.
"Great." muttered Scully, sarcastically.
She unfastened her seat-belt.
"Well, never mind the weather, we're gonna need help."
Mulder shook his head, grinning slightly.
"Remember the classic Hollywood plot, Scully. We're stranded in the middle of nowhere, the storm is raging, you leave the car saying I'll be right back! and the next thing you know there's an escaped convict trying to scratch his way through the car roof"
She raised an eyebrow at him.
"Mulder, we're both armed, I think we should be safe somehow."
"A night to expect the unexpected Scully." he reminded her.
She could no longer hide the smile.
"Come on, we can't stay here all night." she opened the door and stepped out.
She was drenched within seconds, Mulder took a moment to laugh at her, before braving the same fate.
"Don't forget it was your idea to take this shortcut." she told him as they tried to fight their way along the road against the ferocious winds." Where are we headed to, genius"
Mulder looked in the distance.
"Look, there's a light over there, past that tree.." He pointed to it.
"Could be your escaped lunatic" remarked Scully.
"Hey, he's not my escaped lunatic, I claim absolutely no ownership of him whatsoever." he had to shout, as the pounding and the splashing of the raindrops grew louder.
"Mulder, shut up" she yelled back, and they continued towards the light.
Around ten minutes later they reached a small trailer park.
"Thank God" exclaimed Scully when she saw the sign"I thought we were miles away from anything"
"It is quiet out here" Mulder agreed"Hard to believe it's only ten pm."
When they saw the short distance they would have to go to reach the reception they broke into a run, desperate to escape the wrath of the weather.
Scully had shorter legs, but she was swift when she had to be and she reached the door first.
"Nice weather we've been having." The bored looking assistant said sarcastically with a southern accent as she looked up and down and Mulder and Scully's dripping clothes.
"Yeah." said Mulder"Listen, our car broke down a while back and we're gonna need somewhere to stay for tonight."
"Y'all are in luck, we've got one trailer left." she said, pulling out forms.
Scully stopped her.
"Actually, we're FBI Agents, and we'd prefer separate trailers."
Maybe you would, but I wouldn't. thought Mulder.
I'm such a liar. Scully couldn't help thinking. She'd had dreams about "Only one room left in the motel..." for years, but she would never admit it to him, or even admit it properly to herself.
The assistant shook her head.
"Sorry, that's the best I can do for y'all at this late hour." she said holding out a key. "Take it or leave it."
Scully took one look at the conditions outside, and hastily signed the documents. Anything was better than a night in that freezing car.
Mulder unlocked the stiff door and pushed his way into the small space.
He looked around at the dusty space, empty except for the bed.
"Feels just like home, huh Scully" he said as he flopped down on it.
"Mulder get up, you're soaking" she reprimanded him. "We've got nowhere to get changed and nothing to get changed into... looks promising."
Mulder sighed. "I'll head back up to reception and see what I can do." he agreed wearily and dragged himself to his feet again.
"If you never see me again, just remember that I'm doing this for you." Mulder said, touching her shoulders and staring at her mock-seriously.
Scully rolled her eyes and pushed him playfully out of the door.
She heard his footsteps run down the path and gradually fade away. She shivered.
There was no heating in there either. And only one bed.
She wondered if Mulder would be a gentleman and offer to floor it, or if he would remember that it was her turn to do the honours.
A closer look at the carpet changed her mind.
No-one is sleeping on that mess tonight. she resolved.
Mulder came crashing back in.
"Donations form the assistant" he said, holding up towels and a set of men's clothes that would be far too big for Scully.
"That's all she had." he explained.
"Just where the shirt." he suggested. "No-one's gonna see you."
He handed it to her.
"You better take the pants then." she said, giving those back to him. "You can't sleep in those ones all night."
They were quiet for a second, both thinking about what they would have to do next.
Scully broke the silence. "So... will you go outside while I get changed, and then I'll step out when you do" he asked.
Mulder shook his head. "It'd be pointless, you'd just get drenched again when we swap over. We'll need to just...face the other way."
However, in the cramped trailer there was no space for them to turn their backs on each other properly so they ended up having to avert their eyes, getting dressed in record time.
Scully had reluctantly agreed to this. After all, if I can't trust him, then who can I trust? she had thought.
They were relieved when they were both ready, they could stop panicking about where they were looking.
Mulder had expected Scully to look comical in an oversized shirt, but the way they clung to her curves and stopped on her slender things, he thought she looked fantastic.
Scully looked at Mulder.
"Are you sure that's all you could get" she asked warily, staring at him, all he was wearing was the trousers, pretty tight on him.
"I could always put on the wet jacket, if this offends." he said with a small smile, his eyes twinkling.
"No don't, you'll catch a chill. I don't want any comments about I'm not wearing either" she said, as she shook out her other clothes.
For the first time, Mulder dared to look quickly at her chest.
Less is definitely more on her. he decided.
When he bent down to get his weapon from the holster he had carelessly dropped on the floor, Scully couldn't stop herself from staring properly at him. She had seen him shirtless before, of course, but never in such a confined space. I was much less than half the size of her bedroom at home. Looking closely at his physique now made her appreciate just how fit you had to be to be an FBI Agent.
She tore her eyes away and picked up her cell phone. She attempted to call Skinner.
"No signal." she stated.
Mulder looked up. "Must be the storm."
"We have another problem." she said, looking at the bed. "I don't think either of us would be very happy on this floor tonight, and I wouldn't leave your clothes lying around, God knows what's living down there..."
Mulder just smirked and chose the left side of the bed.
"I promise not to hog the covers." he told her.
Scully sighed and slipped under. It was a lot less cold there, even though she lay as far apart from Mulder as was humanly possible.
"Scully, any further and you'll fall right out." he laughed. "Move a little closer, it'll be warmer."
She obliged, looking slightly less uncomfortable.
"Jesus, your feet are cold" he commented.
"Well so are yours, and you don't hear me complaining." she retorted.
"Mmm." was all he said, and she moved even closer, if only to annoy him with how frozen she was.
"Scully." he said seriously.
"Yes" she asked.
"Do you believe in Leprechauns"
"What" she asked, incredulously.
"Leprechauns." he repeated.
"I heard you, I just don't...Mulder! Leprechauns! Well I'd have to say, no, no I don't."
"Why not" he asked.
"Does that really surprise you? Because there's no evidence to substantiate that they actually exist." she told him.
"Does your Irish Aunt Olive believe in leprechauns"
"Mulder, I've only been to Killarney once, when I was young, but I can still guarantee you that I saw no little men with pots of gold at the end of the rainbows."
"Little green men, Scully." he said sleepily.
"What" she asked.
"Leprechauns wear green."
"Usually you're arguing that it's little grey men."
"The aliens are grey. Leprechauns aren't aliens, therefore they can be green if they want to be. Unless the government passes a new law and we arrest them for it. Then you'd have to stop wearing that apple-green sweater you like so much, or I'll have to handcuff you too." he finished, obviously drifting off.
God please. she thought desperately.
She closed her eyes, with that thought.
"Goodnight Mulder."
" 'night, Scully."
"Mulder. Mulder" she hissed at him, a few hours later
When he still didn't wake up, she got louder.
"Mulder"
"Wh-what" he asked, drowsily.
"You were snoring" she informed him.
"No I wasn't, I don't snore." he protested.
"I know you don't usually, but you were just there."
"Okay. Sorry." he apologised. "Night Scully."
"Night Mulder."
Scully went back to sleep pretty quickly, but Mulder found it harder. the rain was pounding on the roof, louder than ever.
Suddenly Scully spoke.
"Mmm...yes." she said"Oh My God, yes"
He looked at her. She was still asleep, he could tell from the way she was breathing.
"Yes...Yes..." she moaned.
He grinned wickedly, she wasn't leaving much to the imagination about what he was dreaming of. He had a good mind to wake her up, pay her back for before. Maybe to tell her to keep her pleasure noises down and embarrass her, but he thought that would be to cruel to the woman he loved. Maybe just to comment that she was keeping him awake this time.
"Mmm... Yes... Oh My God Mulder, Yes! Mulder...God Mulder..."
He couldn't believe what he was hearing. He had wanted her so badly, for so long. She was his soul mate.
Could this mean she felt the same?
He pinched himself to make sure he wasn't dreaming. Ouch. No. Definitely not dreaming.
He didn't know what to do, he couldn't stay in the bed with her, he wouldn't be able to stop himself from holding her, he loved her so much. It had been hard enough being so close to her before...
He sat up and bolted to the door, he'd be in the rain, but he didn't care. He needed to think.
Just as he heard it, an extra loud clap of rumbling awoke her.
"Mulder, what's wrong" she asked, pulling herself up.
"Nothing." he said hoarsely.
"Come on, what is it" she asked, yawning slightly.
He moved back to the bed and sat beside her.
"Just say my name again, Scully." he said, looking at her.
"What" she asked.
"Just say my name again." he repeated.
Scully looked confused for a second longer, then a look of realisation swept over her face.
She looked into his eyes, he didn't look shocked at her.
"Just say it." he whispered.
"Mulder." she said softly, and he kissed her. When they finally had to break apart, she said it again slightly louder.
"Mulder."
He kissed her again, loving her more as every second passed.
"Mulder this doesn't just break the rules about male and female agents consorting in the same motel room, it rips that rule to shreds."
"We have good reasons. It's cramped, it's cold, and I love you."
"I Love you too, Mulder. Lets make the most of it." she agreed.
The next day, the rain cleared up, just as they were due to leave. They would never make that meeting, but they would deal with that when the time came. They had a few other things they decided they should share with Skinner as well.
Mulder had rushed to the reception to get the spare clothes the assistant had promised to bring them the night before, and the rental car company picked up their vehicle, bringing them another one to return in.
As Mulder and Scully got in the car, still together, but stronger than before, the bright sunlight created a beautiful rainbow, full and sparkling.
You never know. thought Scully. Maybe there's a leprechaun at the end of it. Or maybe not.
Fin.
