Title: The Island
Author: mercury_999
Rating: PG
Category: Romance/Humor
Spoilers: none
Disclaimer: Most characters belong to CC, 1013 and FOX.... the
twins are mine :P
Distribution: Please ask first, but I'll always say yes. :)
Summary: Peter and Daniel are back, this time on their own turf.
Another Mulder and Scully with her twin 'tornadic' nephews story.
Feedback: mercury_999@hotmail.com
Author's Notes: This was written after many requests for a follow
up to my story, Playing House. I would recommend reading that one
first.
XxXxX
The dirt road ended abruptly at a wooden dock constructed with old
railroad ties. Parked in the grass a hundred feet from the dock was a
dark green Dodge truck. The water sparkled with the reflection of
the sun, as small waves broke and crashed on the sandy beach.
Mulder maneuvered the rented Taurus next to the truck and shifted
into Park.
"Are you sure we're at the right place?" Mulder asked.
"I don't see any other old docks on dead end roads," Scully replied
with a smile, as she opened the passenger door. Mulder turned off
the ignition. The wave of heat hit them as they emerged from the
air-conditioned car into the California sun. "He should be here any
time now," Scully added.
Mulder stretched and closed the car door. "I think I'm going to like
this vacation," he grinned.
"Why do you say that?" Scully asked, walking around the car.
He grinned at her, then gazed across the crystal water. "Come
here," Mulder said, as he took her hand and led her to the end of the
dock. They stood in silence for a minute, then Mulder wrapped his
arms around her waist and held her in front of him. "Do you feel
like you're flying?" he asked.
"Mulder what are you doing?" Scully asked with a laugh. He rocked
them back and forth, without giving her an answer. "Mulder?" He
jumped before she could utter another word, and her mouth was
filled with salt water.
They surfaced a few feet apart and Scully gave him her best 'I'm-pissed-off-but-that-was-fun' look, then started swimming around the
dock. Mulder swam behind her and gasped her hips, preventing her
from swimming forward. Giving up, she twisted around in his arms
and floated on her back.
"That shirt looks awfully sexy on you when it's wet," Mulder
smirked. "Are you sure you want your brother to see it?"
"Mmm," Scully murmured. She lifted her head from the water and
kissed him softly. He pulled away quickly.
"What?"
"Salt water," he shuddered. "Tastes horrible." Scully glided toward
him, Mulder retreated to deeper water. Scully caught up to him and
wrapped her arms and legs around him.
"I'm going to kiss you now," she whispered, bringing Mulder's
downward gaze back to her face. Just as she brushed her lips
against his, a familiar voice interrupted them.
"Hiya folks. I'd hate to interrupt your little rendezvous, but there are
two little monsters waiting to see you," Charles said, as the boat
drifted closer. Mulder winked, then glanced at Scully's shirt. She
splashed him, then swam over to her brothers boat.
"Hi Charles," Scully said, hugging him over the side of his motor
boat. "You wouldn't think that eight months would seem like such a
long time!" She referred to his visit last Thanksgiving.
"It sure it nice to see you Dana, Mulder," Charles said, shaking
Mulder's hand.
"It's nice to see you too, Charles," Mulder said. "I thought you were
bringing the kids."
Charles laughed. "I was going to, but they stayed up all night
waiting for you to come! What happened last time that makes them
so excited?"
Scully and Mulder exchanged a look. "Do you have any towels?"
She asked.
"Of course. You can dry off as I load your luggage into the boat.
The island is about 15 minutes away."
Mulder and Scully waded to the shore, while Charles docked the
boat. "I'm going to get changed in the car," Scully announced. She
grabbed a change of clothes from her suitcase, and opened the door
to the backseat.
"Need any help?" Mulder asked.
"Mulder!" Scully replied.
"Fine. I wasn't talking to you anyway. Need any help, Charles?"
Mulder asked, smirking at Scully. Scully rolled her eyes and got in
the car.
"Here." Charles tossed Mulder a rope. "Tie this to that pillar over
there."
"Any particular way?" Mulder asked.
"No, it doesn't matter. We'll only be here for a few minutes
anyway," Charles replied.
"I'll go get our suitcases," Mulder said, after he finished tying the
knot.
Charles started moving the water toys, life jackets and tackle boxes
that crowded the floor of his boat. "Go ahead. I'll make some
room."
Mulder walked casually up to the car and opened the same door
Scully had gone into. "Can I have your wet clothes?" Scully flung
the wadded up outfit at him, and got out of the vehicle on the other
side. Mulder stood up, holding the clothes. "You know Scully, I
think the salt water does good for your... delicates," he grinned.
Scully laughed. "Aren't you going to get changed?"
"As a matter of fact, I am," he peeled off his T-shirt and tossed it to
Scully. She picked up her suitcase and carried it down to the boat.
Mulder returned to the boat with his suitcase after a minute,
wearing a bathing suit and sandals.
"Is that all you're wearing?" Scully asked, handing Charles her
suitcase.
"Yes..." Mulder trailed off. "Do you not find me attractive
anymore?"
"That's not it," she winked at him. "I just don't want to hear you
complaining because of the sunburn you're going to get."
"That was the plan. Then you could spend our vacation rubbing
aloe all over me," Mulder replied, handing Charles his suitcase.
"In your dreams," Scully retorted, then jumped into the boat.
Mulder put a T-shirt on, then stepped into the boat. After a few
minutes they were cruising at high speed toward the island.
XxXxX
"Daddy's coming!" A young boy screamed from the sand where he
was building a sand castle. A moment later his identical twin
emerged from the house at full speed. Both boys started jumping up
and down and waving their arms.
"Peter, Daniel," Andrea called, as she came out of the beach house.
"I want you to be on your best behaviour while Dana and Mulder
are-" The boat had drifted close enough to the dock so both boys
jumped into it.
"Auntie Dana!" One yelled.
"Uncie Moldy!" The other one exclaimed. Both children were
talking with excitement about everything that had happened to them
since Thanksgiving. Charles tied the boat while Mulder and Scully
tried to get out.
"So then the dinosaur picked me up with the end of his tail and put
me on his back!" Daniel said.
"That must have been quite an experience," Mulder said, picking up
one boy in each arm so they could get off the boat. Scully and
Charles each grabbed a suitcase and walked toward Andrea.
"There's the fortress we're making for our toys," Peter said, pointing
to the sand castle they had deserted when the boat was in sight.
"Andrea! How have you been?" Scully asked, hugging her.
"Pretty good, yourself?" Andrea replied.
"Not bad," Scully grinned. Mulder put the boys on the ground and
went over to shake Andrea's hand. She looked at him in disbelief.
"Oh come on Mulder. You're practically family," she said, hugging
him.
"It's nice to see you, too," he said.
"Come in, we'll show you the place then I'll make some lunch,"
Andrea replied. "Boys, how about you go finish your sand castle?"
They retreated to the shore, while Andrea led Scully and Mulder
into the house.
A cat jumped onto the counter as they closed the screen door.
"Snip, get down!" Andrea scolded, pushing the cat down. "He loves
company." Charles moved past her and toward a door.
"This will be your room," he opened the door and set the suitcase
down.
"This is the guest room?" Mulder asked in disbelief. "Looks more
like a master bedroom suite!"
"That door leads to a bathroom," Andrea said, pointing to a door on
the opposite wall.
"Did you guys design this?" Scully asked, pulling back the curtains
and looking out at the view.
"Andrea did," Charles said. "She did a great job."
"Except this place doesn't have electricity," Andrea said, pointing at
the kerosene lanterns on the dresser and night stand. "We have a
propane stove and a barbeque to do the cooking. It's not bad here, as
long as you aren't fond of things like curling irons." She laughed.
Charles and Andrea showed them the rest of the house, then Mulder
asked, "You guys do have running water, right?"
"Yes, why?" Charles replied.
"Nature calls," Mulder headed to the guest room.
"I'm going to put on my bathing suit and join the boys outside,"
Scully said, also heading for the guest room.
XxXxX
Mulder came out of the bathroom just as Scully finished changing
into her bathing suit.
"You're wearing that?" He asked.
"Why not?" She grinned at him.
"I just... don't want you to get sunburned, didn't you pack another
bathing suit?" he asked, then sat down on the bed and began to go
through her suitcase. She watched him with a smirk. "See? Here's
one.... whoa. Scully?" He was holding up two suits, a one piece and
a string bikini.
Scully slid over to him and sat on his lap. She took the clothes out
of his hands, and replaced them in her suitcase, then turned to face
him. "I just thought you might like to have a little fun... later," she
whispered. Mulder's eyes widened.
"You're going to get me in trouble if you keep this up," he grinned.
There was a pounding on the window. "What the Hell?" The twins
were standing on lawn chairs outside the window, making disgusted
faces at them.
Scully slid off Mulder and stood up. She took his hand and led him
out of the bedroom and back into the kitchen. Andrea was standing
in front of the counter making a salad. "Charles is outside with the
kids," she said as they passed through. Mulder and Scully
exchanged a look, then pushed open the screen door and went into
the bright sunshine.
"Hey, can you play with us?" The boys yelled from their sand castle.
They were each wearing matching swim suits, ball caps and water
wings. After reaching the kids, Scully spread a towel to sit on, near
it and Mulder sat down in the sand next to the boys.
"You have quite a little fortress here," he said to them. "What are
these?" He gestured to the mound of toys that resembled animals.
"You don't know what these are?" Daniel demanded, picking up
something that looked like a turtle.
"No..." Mulder said.
"Pokemon!" Peter yelled. "You don't know what Pokemon are?"
Mulder shrugged. "What's that one?" He pointed at the turtle.
"This is Squirtle," Peter said.
"He evolves into War Turtle," Daniel added.
"I see," Mulder said. "Who am I?"
"You can be..." Daniel said, then dug through the pile. "This one.
Poliwag." He held up one that resembled a tad pole.
"Well, I can think of something else this thing resembles," Mulder
winked at Scully. She hit his arm lightly.
"What?" Peter and Daniel chimed.
"Nothing," Scully said. "Who am I?" The boys looked at each other,
then dug through the pile.
"You can be him, Laprus, because you like sitting on Uncie Moldy's
lap," Peter handed her the toy. Scully looked at Mulder. He grinned.
"So how to we play?" Mulder asked.
"Well, I'm going to be Charzard, and Peter is Pikachu, and we have
to fight all the other ones," Daniel explained. "Me and Pete are
going to set the other ones up." The boys took armloads of action
figures and began placing them in various places on the beach.
Mulder rubbed Scully's shoulders, then asked, "Are you wearing sun
screen?"
"Not yet," she replied, grinning.
"Well, if it weren't for me, who would be the one complaining
about a burn the whole vacation?" Mulder taunted. "I put mine on
while I was in the bathroom." He grabbed a bottle of sunscreen that
was laying in the sand and spread it across Scully's shoulders, then
continued down her back. He turned her around and did her chest
and her stomach, arms and legs. Scully put a bit on her finger and
dabbed it on his nose. Mulder leaned toward her and rubbed his
nose on hers. Then he kissed her softly.
Charles emerged from around the house, just as two pails of water
were dumped on Mulder and Scully. He started laughing as Scully
and Mulder both jumped up. Before the boys could run away,
Mulder and Scully had each grabbed one and were carrying them
into the water. Once they got waist deep, the adults dropped the
children into the water and started walking back to the shore.
"Hey! That was fun!" exclaimed Peter, surfacing.
"Yeah! Can we do it again?" Daniel asked, swimming furiously
behind them.
Mulder turned around and smiled. "Of course, boys. Come here."
Daniel swam into his arms, and Mulder picked him up. In the same
movement, he tossed the kid over his shoulder.
"Mulder!" Scully said.
"Whoohoo!" Daniel said.
"My turn! My turn!" Peter said, yanking on Mulder's swim suit.
"Whoa, easy there. We wouldn't want anything to come out," he
joked. Scully gave him 'the look.' He threw Peter, then waded over
to Scully. He ducked underwater, then resurfaced underneath her,
lifting her onto his shoulders.
"Mulder! Put me down!" Scully yelled, grabbing his head to hold
her balance.
"Yeah Uncie Moldy! Put her down, I want a turn!" Daniel said.
"Scully don't cover my eyes!" Mulder exclaimed, teetering wildly in
the water.
"No! Me first this time," Peter argued. Mulder slipped, causing both
of them to fall into the water. When they surfaced Peter said, "My
turn!!" Mulder lifted him onto his shoulders and walked around.
Then gave Daniel a turn.
"You know, if we get your dad in here, you can both do it at the
same time," Scully suggested. Both of the twins eyes lit up, and
they swam toward the beach, hollering to their father who was
sitting on a lawn chair at the patio table.
Mulder wrapped his arms around Scully from behind and kissed her
neck. His fingers played with the side of her bikini bottom which
was under water. On the shore, Charles took off his shirt and ran
with the kids into the water. Together they swam out to where
Mulder and Scully were standing.
Charles lifted Daniel onto his shoulders, and Mulder lifted Peter.
The men walked around, until the twins started playfully pushing
each other. Charles lost his balance after Peter tickled Daniel and
fell into the water. Scully saw Andrea standing on the shore and
swam toward the shore.
"How's the water?" Andrea asked, looking at Scully funny.
"It's nice and warm. What?" Scully asked.
"You have sun screen on your nose," Andrea grinned. Scully
laughed and wiped it off with the back of her hand.
"The kids are having a ball out there," Scully said, shielding her
eyes from the glare of the sun.
"Those men sure are good with children," Andrea commented.
"Salad and sandwiches are ready, but I'll wait until they're ready to
come out." Scully picked up a towel and dried her hair. "It'll end up
being a late afternoon snack."
XxXxX
"I'm stuffed," Mulder said after they finished clearing the table.
"While I'm doing the dishes, why don't you and Mulder go gather
some firewood?" Andrea asked her husband.
"I'll help you," Scully offered.
"Are you coming Daniel and Peter?" Charles asked.
"Can we help?" Peter asked, getting off his chair.
"Sure," his father told him. The twins and Mulder put on their
sandals and walked around the house.
"How big is this island?" Mulder asked.
"About a mile long," Charles said, leading them down a short path
to a wood shed. "We bring all this wood at the beginning of
summer." He explained gesturing at the stacked wood. Everyone
grabbed an arm full and walked back to the house. "That ought to
last us for a while," he said.
While they waited for Scully and Andrea, the boys headed to the
shore. Charles sat down in the lawn chair
"Do you want to play with us?" Daniel asked Charles and Mulder.
Before Mulder could answer, Charles said, "Why don't you play by
yourselves for a while? Mulder and I are still tired from this
afternoon's water fight."
"Ok daddy," Peter said, and they began playing with their Pokemon
by their fortress. Mulder stretched out on the sand and yawned.
Scully and Andrea came out of the house and spread towels on the
ground. Scully examined Mulder: he was sleeping. Slyly, Scully
walked over to Peter and Daniel and whispered to them. Their eyes
lit up and they started talking in loud whispers.
"Hehe, Auntie Dana you have the best ideas!" Peter squealed.
"When can we do it?" Daniel asked.
"Shh. Right now. I'll help you when you're ready." The boys
grabbed their plastic shovels and moved silently closer to Mulder.
Then they began to dig.
They dug for 20 minutes before Charles said, "Wow Dana. What
did you tell them to do? They're being so quiet!"
"It'll be a surprise," Scully grinned.
"Auntie Dana, I think we're ready," Peter whispered.
"Okay," she said, then winked at Charles. She got up and leaned
over Mulder. "Good job boys, this is perfect." She carefully slid one
hand under his neck and the other behind his knees and pushed him
into the hole.
"Scully?" he murmured sleepily.
She lowered her mouth to his ear and whispered, "Shh baby. Go
back to sleep." He pulled her into his arms and fell back asleep.
Charles and Andrea caught on to what Scully was planning, and
started snickering. Scully slipped out of his grasp, then whispered,
"Ok boys."
The boys immediately started burying Mulder's body in sand. Scully
giggled as she tried to start a conversation with her brother and
sister-in-law.
"We're done," Daniel announced, standing up. The only part of
Mulder that was showing was his head.
"I think we should go for a walk," Scully suggested.
Charles eyed Mulder. "Okay, I guess..." he said.
Andrea and the boys got up and started down the beach, and Scully
walked over to Mulder. She knelt down on top of him, then kissed
his lips softly. His eyes immediately opened and he mumbled,
"What the Hell?"
"We're going on a little walk, have fun," she said softly, with a
wink. Mulder looked at her in confusion. "We'll be back," she
continued.
"What?" he asked. Scully got up and ran to catch up with the rest of
the group. A few seconds later Mulder sat up and brushed sand off
his body. He jogged after them, when he reached the twins, he
grabbed the twins from behind.
"AIE!" Peter and Daniel screamed, as Mulder trapped them in his
arms.
"We didn't do it!" Daniel sputtered.
"It was her idea!" Peter claimed, pointing at Scully who looked at
him innocently. Mulder released the twins and stood up to face
Scully. Then he tried to grab her. Scully dodged his out-stretched
arms, and ran down the beach. Mulder overtook her easily, and
tackled her in the small waves.
"I wish I had my handcuffs," he whispered in her ear. Scully
blushed slightly and looked at Mulder. His body was completely
covered with dry sand. Scully looked at her body, which was now
covered in wet sand.
"Should we wait for these two to clean up? Or continue without
them?" Andrea asked with a laugh. Mulder helped Scully up and
they washed the sand off their bodies.
They walked the perimeter of the island and returned to the house
from the other direction. The twins were dragging their feet in the
sand, about a hundred metres behind the rest of the group.
The sun was setting in the sky, casting a red glow over everything.
The sky was streaked with colours, fanning out from around the
sun. The sphere of red-orange hovered above the horizon for a
moment, then disappeared out of sight.
"Wow, this place is so beautiful," Scully said in awe.
"Can we go swimming?" Daniel asked.
"No," Charles said. "It's too late, you guys have got to go to bed
soon."
"They were up for hours last night, waiting for you to come,"
Andrea added.
"We heard on the way over," Scully said. "Maybe Mulder should
read to them when it's time for them to go to bed." Scully yawned,
then added, "What time is it, anyway?"
"Almost nine," Andrea replied. "We should get some rest, since you
guys are still on DC time."
"Don't worry about us, we can do without much sleep," Mulder
said.
"But could you do it and still stand to be around two six year olds?"
Charles asked.
"Good question," Mulder replied.
"Okay boys, go inside and get your pajamas on," Charles said.
"Can't we stay up just a little longer?" Peter asked.
"Please? Please? You guys get to stay up late," Daniel added.
"We're adults, and we don't need as much sleep," Charles explained.
"If you get your pajamas on quickly, Mulder will read to you,"
Scully said. Their eyes lit up and they exchanged a glance.
"Okay!" They agreed, before rushing into the house.
XxXxX
Mulder emerged from Daniel and Peter's bedroom carrying a
lantern and shut the door behind him. "They're both out cold," he
announced.
"Thanks for reading to them, Mulder," Charles said, then yawned.
"The sun really drains the energy out of you!"
Andrea stretched. "I think I'm going to go to bed soon, sweetie," she
said, leaning on her husband. He kissed her forehead.
"Sounds good to me," he replied.
"I think we're going to take a little walk first," Scully said. Charles
and Andrea nodded.
"Do you want a lantern to take with you?" Andrea asked.
"No, the moon is full and it's as bright as day out there. We're not
going far, just a walk on the beach," Scully replied.
Mulder blew out his lantern and set it on the coffee table. Then he
took Scully's hand and led her toward the door. "Good night," they
said together, before closing the screen door behind them. They
walked in silence, still holding hands down to the beach. After ten
minutes of walking, Mulder slid his arm around her waist and
pulled her against him.
Scully grinned, and he kissed her. "I think we should go for a little
swim..." he said, pulling her T-shirt over her head. He gasped when
he saw the bikini top he had held up earlier on her. "When did you
put this on?" He asked, kissing her chest.
"While you were reading to the kids," she replied, as he unbuttoned
her shorts and guided them down her legs. He took his shirt off,
then carried her into the water.
XxXxX
"It looks like it's going to rain," Mulder said, looking up at the sky.
His arms were wrapped around Scully's waist.
"Mmm," Scully murmured. Her head was resting on his chest, as
their lower bodies were blanketed every so often with shallow
waves.
"We should be going back to the house," Mulder said, as he started
to get up. Scully twisted around in his arms and pushed him back
down.
"Are you scared they're going to come out and get us?" she laughed,
straddling his chest and leaning down to kiss him. A crack of
thunder echoed around them. Scully stopped kissing him and
looked at the sky. Large raindrops started to litter the ground,
intensifying every second.
"Okay, I think we should be going back to the house now," she
muttered, standing up. Mulder kissed her cheek and they put their
clothes back on. She took his hand and they jogged back to the
house.
As they arrived, Charles was coming out the door dressed in rain
gear and carrying a lantern. "Thank goodness you're back. We heard
the thunder and decided I should come and get you," he said.
Mulder gave Scully a look.
"Are they back?" Andrea asked as she entered the kitchen.
"Yes, everyone's here. We can go to bed now," Charles said, closing
the wooden door behind the screen door for the first time that day.
"I closed the windows in your bedroom," Andrea said, handing
them her lantern. "You guys must be exhausted, we'll see you in the
morning." Charles and Andrea retreated to the master bedroom, and
Scully and Mulder went to the guest room.
"Scully," Mulder said, after he closed the door behind them. She
looked up from her suitcase. "I think I have half the beach in my
bathing suit."
"I must have the other half," she said.
"You? I don't think much of the beach could *fit* in yours," he
stuck out his tongue. "By the way, aren't you uncomfortable in that
suit?" He pulled off her T-shirt, showering the floor with sand.
"Mulder, this is my brother's house! You can't go making a mess...."
she trailed off.
XxXxX
A flash of lightning lit up the sky. Splintering wood echoed through
the house, then loud screams immediately followed. Mulder and
Scully both sat up in bed quickly.
"What was that?" Mulder asked.
"Who's crying?" Scully said, throwing back the blankets and
rushing to the door.
"Scully," Mulder said, tossing her a pair of shorts, "You can't go out
there with only a T-shirt on." She hurriedly pulled the shorts on
then opened the door. Charles was running through the living room
with an axe in his hand, and Andrea was standing at the doorway to
the boy's bedroom.
"A tree fell on the house and broke through the roof," Charles
explained.
"Sweetheart, it's okay," Andrea said into the dark room, holding a
lantern.
"Mommy!" One of the boys sobbed.
"Can we get to them?" Scully peered into the bedroom, but all she
could see was the top of the tree and hear the howl of the wind. The
crying stopped.
"You might be able to," Charles said. "I think everyone else is too
big." Scully squinted at the small space between some of the
branches and the floor.
"I can try anyway," she said, laying down on the floor on her
stomach. She slid head first through an opening under a branch.
"Ooh," she muttered.
"What?" Mulder asked.
"Nothing, I just snagged my shirt on a branch," she replied, sliding
further into the bedroom. A moment later the adults couldn't see
her.
"Do you want a lantern?" Andrea asked.
"No, we're fine," Scully said. "They have some scratches, but it
looks like everyone's okay." Andrea sighed in relief. "Ok guys, you
saw where I came through, now you're going to crawl back." The
boys nodded then one at a time slipped through the hole.
Charles wrapped his arms around Daniel after he came out from
under the tree. Andrea picked up Peter and carried him into the
kitchen. Mulder waited for Scully to appear in the gap of the tree.
When she did, he knelt down and took her hand, then guided her
out from under the tree. He helped her up, then picked a stick out of
her hair.
"Scully... your back is all scraped up," Mulder said, running his
hands down her back.
"It's okay," she said softly. Mulder closed the bedroom door and
they walked into the kitchen. Andrea had a first aide kit open on the
table and was frowning at the contents.
"Dana, why don't you do this? After all, you're the doctor" She said.
Scully knelt down in front of Peter and bandaged the scratches on
his legs, then his arms. Mulder stared at the red lines on the back of
Scully's T-shirt. Scully bandaged Daniel's scratches then stood up.
Charles was standing over the kitchen sink, looking out the
window. All you could see was black. "Wow, this is a big storm."
"Do you usually get these?" Mulder asked.
"Never this big," Charles replied.
"Honey, let's go out to the living room and build a fire," Andrea
suggested. The twins were starting to yawn as they followed their
parents into the living room.
Charles started a fire, while Daniel and Peter curled up on the
couch next to their mother. Mulder sat down on the love seat, and
Scully joined him, laying her head against his shoulder.
"What time is it?" Mulder asked.
"Quarter to four," Charles replied, walking over to his wife. The
twins were sound asleep across her lap.
"Let's go back to sleep, there's no sense staying up at this hour." He
picked up Daniel and carried him to the master bedroom, then
returned a few minutes later to get Peter.
They listened to the howl of the wind and the crackle of the fire for
a few minutes, then Mulder said, "Why does this remind me of
Gilligan's Island?"
Scully groaned and buried her face in his shoulder. They stared at
the orange-red flames that lit up the room. Andrea stood up and
yawned. "We won't be able to tell how much damage was done
until morning. Good night."
"Good night, Andrea," Mulder said. "Come on, Scully. Let's go back
to bed." They retreated into their bedroom and closed the door.
"Stay here," he said, continuing to the bathroom. He made his way
back to Scully in the dark room, then pulled her T-shirt off her.
"Mulder?" Scully said sleepily.
"Shh, come here," he led her to the bed, and she crawled under the
blankets. Mulder rolled her onto her back, straddled her hips, then
started to smear lotion on her back. Scully let out a soft moan. He
massaged her shoulders, then made his way to her lower back. By
the time he had rubbed in all the lotion, she was sleeping.
He crawled over her, and pulled the blankets up to her neck, then
kissed her cheek. She reached blindly for him, then snuggled into
his chest.
XxXxX
Peter looked longingly toward the guest bedroom.
"Peter, don't you even think about waking them up," Andrea said
from the doorway of the twin's bedroom.
Charles frowned at the tree. It had come down with such force that
it destroyed both the corner of the roof and the outside wall, and
leaving the top of the tree filling up the small bedroom. "I'm going
to have to get my chain saw."
Peter glanced at his parents, then tiptoed to the door of the guest
room. Without hesitation, he opened the door and walked up to the
bed. Scully was still pressed against Mulder's chest, and his arms
wrapped around her waist. Mulder woke up a moment before Peter
yanked on the blanket, managing to grab it before it reached their
waists. Upon sight of Scully's bare shoulders and back, Peter's eyes
widened.
"Mommy!" he yelled, waking Scully up and running out of the
bedroom. "Mommy! Auntie Dana isn't wearing a shirt! Mommy!"
"Peter!" Scully and Mulder heard Andrea scold. "I told you not to
go in there. Go to my room, right now!" Mulder reached over Scully
and grabbed her T-shirt off the floor.
"You might want this," he said. Scully cheeks flushed and she put it
on. Then they both slid out of bed and went into the living room.
"Sorry about that," Andrea apologized.
"It's okay," Scully said.
Mulder stepped up beside her. "I hope we haven't scarred him at
such a young age," he joked. Scully hit his arm.
"Mulder? Do you want to give me a hand with the chain saw?"
Charles asked, coming out of the bedroom. The Agents peered into
the ruined room.
"Oh no! It ruined the bedroom," Scully cried.
"We'll get it fixed," Andrea said. "Take Daniel," she called to her
husband.
"Holy shit," Charles muttered, after opening the wooden door.
Scully and Andrea rushed to the kitchen.
"Oh God," Andrea said. "It's like a war zone out there." The water
was ten feet from the front deck. The patio furniture was gone, as
well as the toys Daniel and Peter had left outside. All of the flowers
that had been planted were washed away. The dock was submerged
beneath the water, and the boat was no where to be seen.
Charles walked outside and began wading through the water to the
dock. He inspected it, then turned around and waded back to Scully,
Mulder and Andrea. "Unless the boat washed up somewhere on the
island, it looks like we may be here longer than expected," he said
softly.
"Dana and I can walk around the island, while you two work on the
tree," Andrea suggested.
"Ok," Charles said, and Andrea and Scully started walking down
what was left of the beach.
"You're going to watch the boys, aren't you?" Andrea called over
her shoulder.
"Yes, they'll be fine," Charles replied.
Scully and Andrea continued down the beach. "How long do you
think we'll be here?" Scully asked.
"I have no idea," Andrea replied. "If we don't find the boat, then it
could be a couple weeks. It depends when the rescue boats check
on these islands."
"Oh," Scully said.
"I'm so sorry about this morning, I hope Peter didn't, er, interrupt
anything," Andrea said.
Scully laughed. "No, we were sleeping."
Andrea joined her laughter. "I'm so relieved."
"I've noticed they like to wake up company in the morning," Scully
commented. "I can't believe Mulder let me sleep without a shirt
on!"
Andrea giggled. "It's a given in our household."
They walked for another 20 minutes before Andrea said, "Uh oh."
Scully squinted at what Andrea was pointing at. The boat, or pieces
of it, littered the tree line ahead of them. "Well, we're going to be
here for a while."
XxXxX
They arrived back at the house at the same time as Charles and
Mulder finished removing the pieces of the tree from the bedroom.
"Honey?" Andrea called. "I have some bad news."
Charles came out from around the house, wiping sweat from his
brow. "Did you find it?"
"That's the bad news. It's in about two dozen pieces," Andrea
replied.
"Oh," he said. "I tried to get our emergency radio working while
you were gone, but there was no signal."
"They'll send boats out to these islands, it's only a matter of days
before someone will find us," Andrea said.
"Hey daddy!" Daniel yelled, as he ran out of the house with his
brother on tow. "Are we shipwrecked?"
"Well, we're stuck here for a while," Charles said.
"Yeah!!!! Like pirates!" Peter exclaimed.
"Why don't you boys go play," Charles suggested.
"We want to show Uncie Moldy and Auntie Dana our hideout,"
Daniel said.
"Yeah! Can we?" Peter added.
"If they want to," Charles answered.
"Come on!" Daniel led them around the house to a path in the
woods.
"Are there snakes here?" Scully asked, holding branches back.
The twins eyes widened in excitement. "Let's go find some after
this!!"
"Hey Scully, want a coconut?" Mulder asked, pointing to the top of
a palm tree.
Scully looked at him, then smiled. "Sure Mulder, why don't you go
up and get me one."
"Boys, do you like coconuts?" Mulder asked, standing at the base of
the tree and looking up.
"Yeah!" They chorused, pausing to watch Mulder climb the tree.
Mulder grasped the trunk with both hands and started to slide up
the tree. He past the halfway mark then called, "Scully? I don't think
this was such a good idea."
"Why not?" she asked.
"Because it's getting harder to find any.... whoa," he teetered on the
tree.
"Mulder, get down from there before you hurt yourself," Scully
called.
"Just another way to have you rub lotion on me, my dear," Mulder
leered, then lost his balance and fell out of the tree.
"Mulder!" Scully ran over to the bushes he fell into.
"I'm okay Scully, this prickly tree broke my fall," he moaned. Scully
brushed aside leaves to see Mulder.
"Oh God!" She gasped, as a snake slithered out of the bushes.
"A snake!" Peter yelled, grabbing a hold of it.
"Let's play with it!" Daniel exclaimed, picking up the other end.
They carried it over to a rock.
"Mulder? Where are you?" Scully asked, crawling deeper into the
bushes. He pulled her into his arms from behind. "Don't do that!"
She exclaimed, trying to wrestle free. "Are you okay? That was
quite a fall."
"I'm fine," he said, guiding her out of the bushes to where Peter and
Daniel were playing with the snake.
"You're good at finding snakes, Auntie Dana," Peter said.
"Are you still going to give us coconuts?" Daniel asked Mulder.
"Here, let a woman show you how it's done," Scully said, wiggling
out of Mulder's grasp.
"Scully that is no place for a woman..." he trailed off as she climbed
the trunk. She slid past the place where he fell without difficulty,
and reached the top. She wrapped her legs around the tree, and held
on with one hand as she plucked a coconut from the leaves. Mulder
opened his mouth to comment on her suggestive position, but a
coconut came sailing through the air.
He caught it, and looked up at her. "No place for a woman?" She
smirked above them. "Here," She tossed him another. Scully got
carried away and began a shower of coconuts on them.
"Ok, Scully, I think it's time to come down now," Mulder said, then
he added, "Don't make me come up there!"
"Uncie Moldy, go get her! Like the firemen on tv!" Daniel shouted.
"I'm not a fireman," Mulder said. "Come here." The twins crowded
around him. He whispered and pointed at Scully. Then the boys
started laughing excitedly. Scully slid down the tree, and walked
over to them.
"What's so funny?" she asked.
"Oh... nothing," Mulder said. They continued walking toward the
hideout.
"Here it is!" Peter announced, as they approached a giant boulder.
"This is it?" Mulder asked in disbelief.
"No, silly, it's behind this," Daniel said, leading them through a
narrow passage around the rock.
"Wow," Scully said. "This is beautiful." A stream ran through a bed
of rocks, which were bordered with thick grass and wild flowers.
Daniel made a face. "This isn't it! Over here." He led them across
the stream and into a dark cave. At the entrance, Peter picked up a
flashlight and turned it on.
"This is the hideout," Peter said smugly. A wooden table and two
chairs were set up in the corner of the small cave. Drawings of
treasure maps made of crayon covered the walls, and a pile of paper
and a box of crayons were sitting in the corner.
"This is creepy," Mulder said, winking at Scully. "What do you do
in here?"
"We find lost treasure maps and hunt for treasure!" Daniel said.
"This cave was made by pirates," Peter added.
"I see," Scully said.
"Let's go on a treasure hunt!" Daniel exclaimed.
XxXxX
"We're right back where we started!" Mulder exclaimed after they
hiked through the woods for half an hour.
"Oh well, must have been a dud," Peter said. "Do you want to try a
different map?"
"No!" Scully and Mulder both said.
"Let's go back to the house," Mulder suggested.
"Ok," the boys agreed, walking toward the stream.
"Here Scully, let me help you," Mulder took her hand and started
walking across the stream.
"Wow Mulder, that's awfully gentleman-like," she said dryly,
balancing on a dry rock. Mulder swung his her hand sharply to the
left, upsetting her balance and sending her into the water. She sat
up and said, "You must like to see me in water, you do that an
awful lot. Help me up," she giggled. He reached down and took her
hand, but she pulled him into the water as well.
"I want to go swimming too!" Peter exclaimed, jumping into the
stream.
"It's not deep enough. I want to go swim in the real water," Daniel
complained.
"And I want to put my bathing suit on," Peter added. "Come *on*
you guys."
Mulder and Scully stood up and rung the water out of their clothes.
They walked back through the woods.
"So what are we going to do today?" Daniel asked Mulder.
"I don't know. What do you want to do?" Mulder replied
"Go swimming, right now," Daniel said. "But then what?"
"Where are we?" Mulder asked.
The boys shrugged. "I dunno."
"I don't remember seeing this on the way here," Mulder said.
"Oh, I guess we're lost then," the boys replied.
"You guess?" Mulder asked. "How can you be lost on an island?"
"We'll have to walk straight until we find water, then follow to
beach to our house," Daniel said.
"Let's go this way," Peter suggested, turning to the right and
walking straight. Daniel, Scully and Mulder followed him into the
denser part of the island.
"I don't think we're going the right way..." Mulder said.
"There's no wrong way," Daniel said. "We're going to find water
sometime."
"I feel like we're on one of those adventure shows. When I grow up
I want to live in the Rain Forest," Peter said.
"You better not be scared of big snakes or spiders," Mulder teased.
"I'm not. I wanted to get a pet snake, but mommy wouldn't let me,"
Peter said.
"I want to be an airplane pilot," Daniel said, running ahead of them
with his arms spread out and making noises resembling an air
plane.
By the time they got to the shore and walked back to the house,
almost the entire afternoon had gone by. "So what are we going to
do now?" Daniel asked.
"Let's go swimming!" Peter announced.
They reached the house. "Go get your bathing suits on, then wait for
us." The boys ran off to get changed, while Mulder and Scully went
to the guest room.
XxXxX
"Where are Dana and Mulder?" Charles asked, seeing the twins
sitting on the couch, putting on water wings.
"Getting their bathing suits on," Peter replied.
"They're going to take us swimming," Daniel added.
"Are you sure?" Charles asked.
"Yeah! Why?" Daniel asked.
"Go look outside," Charles said. The boys walked over to a window
and looked out. The sky was dark grey and rain was pounding
against the ground.
Scully and Mulder came out of the bedroom in their bathing suits
and carrying towels. "Last one in is a rotten egg!" Mulder called,
jogging through the house to the front door. He opened it, then
scowled at the weather. "Well... never mind."
"Storms sure come on quick here," Scully said.
"We don't usually have much rain when we're here. Andrea? I think
we need more lanterns lit," Charles said, as darkness started to fill
the kitchen.
Andrea came out of the bedroom holding two lanterns. "I can't
believe it's this dark at noon time!"
"Who wants to play a game?" Charles asked.
"I do!" The twins agreed. They played Crazy Eights, UNO, and
Mouse Trap all afternoon. Presently, Mulder was sprawled across
the floor and playing Go Fish with Peter and Daniel.
"Do you have a four?" Daniel asked Peter.
"Nope! Go fish," he replied.
"Do you have a two?" Peter asked Mulder.
"Go fish," Mulder replied.
"Peter, do you have a two?" Mulder asked.
"Are you cheating?" Peter asked, grabbing Mulder's cards. "You had
a two! You lied! You're not getting mine!"
"Fine, I'll find one myself," Mulder smirked, then he started digging
through the 'pond' and started flipping over cards.
"Get him!" Daniel yelled, charging at Mulder.
"Ahh! Oh God," Mulder yelled, as they climbed on top of him and
started tickling him. Mulder wiggled roughly and tried to squirm
away. Scully came to the door of the living room and watched
them. Mulder was trying to wrestle out from underneath them, as
they continued to tickle him.
"And you call yourself a G-man," Scully smirked from the doorway.
"Well, G-woman, come and pry these leech-like children off me,
please," Mulder said dryly.
"Since you said the magic word..." Scully trailed off. "I'll consider
it."
"Consider it?" Mulder howled with laughter. "I'll... I'll..."
"You'll what?" Scully asked.
"Treat you real good," Mulder said, gasping for breath, then he
winked at her.
"Ok kids, I think Mulder's had enough. If you tickle him anymore it
looks like he'll pee himself," Scully said.
"Gee, thanks Scully," Mulder said, then stood up and ran for the
guest room.
XxXxX
"Hey! Everyone come outside!" Peter yelled, running out the door,
with Daniel in tow. The rain was falling in a steady shower.
"What?" Charles asked, following them.
"Come quick!" Daniel exclaimed. Scully, Mulder and Andrea
rushed outside.
"What is it?" Scully asked.
"Tricked ya!" They boys yelled, then raced back into the house and
slammed the door.
"Kids," Andrea muttered, trying the door. "It's locked."
"They locked us out?" Charles asked in disbelief.
"Sure looks like it," Andrea replied.
"Boys?" Charles yelled. "You get over here this instant and unlock
the door."
There was silence in the house.
"I think there might be an unlocked window somewhere," Charles
said. "Let's try to find one."
Andrea and Charles walked around back, while Scully and Mulder
tried the windows in the front of the house. They got close to the
guest room and they could hear the excited whisper of the boys.
Scully walked over to their window, looked in and gasped.
"What?" Mulder asked, walking to her side. The boys were sitting
on the floor beside her suitcase, and it's contents were scattered
across the floor. She stared at the boys open-mouthed. Daniel was
whirling the top of the bikini she had seduced Mulder with the
previous night over his head, while Peter was digging in another
pocket of her suitcase. He pulled out an object. It took Scully a
second to realize he was holding her vibrator. She tugged on the
window, and to her surprise, it opened. "Scully? Is that what it
looks like?" There was amusement in his voice.
"Damnit Mulder, I forgot that was in there," she said. "Lift me up."
He obeyed, and she started to crawl through the window.
"How long has that been in there?" Mulder asked, with a grin.
"For about six years," Scully replied. "God Mulder, I needed
something to keep... never mind, I can tell you later." She slid the
rest of the way through the window, and grabbed the vibrator from
Peter's hand, just as Charles and Andrea burst into the room. They
looked at the mess of Scully's things on the floor, then at Scully,
who grabbed the bikini top out of Daniel's hands.
"You guys are in big trouble," Andrea said, grabbing Peter and
Daniel by the hands and dragging them out of the room.
"Did they wreck anything, Dana?" Charles asked, bending down to
pick the stuff up.
"No," Scully answered quickly. "I can pick it up Charles." She
stepped in front of him.
"What's behind your back?" he asked.
"Nothing," she said, feeling her cheeks flush. Then she glanced at
Mulder who was watching from the window. "You can go let
Mulder in, though." As soon as Charles turned his back to her, she
stuffed the vibrator into the suitcase.
Mulder appeared in the bedroom a few seconds later. "Is there
anything else in there I ought to investigate?" He asked smugly.
"I don't know, but if you want to keep that attitude up, I might be
resorting to my little friend tonight, instead of the real thing," she
muttered.
"Whoa, let's not get hasty," Mulder said, kneeling down on the floor
beside her and started picking up various clothing items and
stuffing them into her suitcase.
"You are going to fold those, aren't you?"
Mulder froze. "Of course, honey." He pulled out everything he had
just stuffed into the suitcase. She grinned at him, then stood up and
walked out of the room.
"Charles is outside barbequing hamburgers for supper," Andrea
said, when Scully walked into the kitchen.
"In this weather? Wouldn't it be easier to have something you can
cook inside?" Scully asked, looking out the window. She could see
her brother staying beside the barbeque wearing a rain hat and coat.
"That's what I tried to tell him, but once he gets something into his
head, he's determined to do it," Andrea said, putting a bowl of salad
on the table.
"I know a man like that, too," Scully chuckled. Mulder walked into
the kitchen. "Honey, you should go help Charles with the
barbeque." Scully led him to the doorway.
"Uhh, ok," Mulder said, stepping into the rain.
"You should be wearing rain gear," Charles said, as Mulder
approached him. "Who's idea was it for you to come out here?"
"My significant other's," Mulder replied with a grin.
XxXxX
"The food is ready," Mulder announced, carrying a plate of
hamburgers covered in tin foil to the door. His clothes were
plastered to his body, and he was standing in a puddle. Andrea took
the plate from him, and Scully held out a dry towel for him.
"Poor baby," Scully murmured, wrapping the towel around him.
"You should get some dry clothes on."
"Are you making an offer?" Mulder grinned. Andrea started
laughing.
"Nope. You're a big boy, you can dress yourself," Scully told him.
Mulder left the kitchen.
"I've never seen a couple make more passes at each other," Andrea
said.
"Well, that's what you get after six years of foreplay," Scully replied
with a smile.
"Six years? Are you serious?" Andrea asked in disbelief. Scully
nodded. "I could not have lasted that long!"
"To tell you the truth, I've thought about letting myself into his
motel room on a couple of occasions," Scully replied.
"Whose motel room?" Mulder asked, entering the kitchen in dry
clothes.
"Oh, no one's," Scully said, then started setting the table.
"You better not be cheating on me, Scully, because I always carry
my handcuffs," Mulder replied.
"Now that's erotic," Scully said smugly, then laughed. "It was just
'girl talk'."
"Well, I'm one Hell of a eavesdropper," Mulder said. "I've thought
of slipping into your room too, but then I figured you'd shoot me
*again*."
"Whoa! Again?" Andrea asked.
"You're sister-in-law shot me... it's a long story," Mulder said.
Charles came inside, then took off his rain coat.
"I put the barbeque away, let's eat," he said.
"I'll go get the boys," Andrea said, heading toward her bedroom.
XxXxX
"Shouldn't you boys be in bed by now?" Mulder asked, looking at
his watch. "It's 7:30."
"We're not babies!" Peter said.
"Yeah, we don't have to go to bed while 9:00," Daniel replied.
"Says who?" Andrea asked from the kitchen.
"Um, daddy," Daniel said.
"Oh really?" Andrea went to the doorway.
"Well, maybe 8:00..." Peter said.
"Why don't you boys get in the tub?" Andrea asked.
"Can Uncie Moldy bath us?" Daniel asked.
"I don't know, you'd have to ask him," Andrea replied.
"Please? It's real fun!" Peter begged.
"Yeah! Please please?" Daniel added. Scully smirked at Mulder.
"Sure guys. Do you know how to turn the water on?" Mulder asked.
"Yup," Daniel said, and the boys went into the bathroom and shut
the door.
Scully stuck out her tongue at Mulder. "You never draw my bath,
Mulder."
"You never ask," Mulder said.
"Should I have to?" Scully winked.
"OK! We're ready!" Peter yelled from the bathroom.
"I'll have to get back to you on that," Mulder said, before slipping
into the bathroom. The boys were both sitting in the tub, and Snip
jumped onto the edge of the bathtub. "Hey! What's the cat doing in
here?" he asked, closing the door.
"Snip likes water," Peter explained.
"Can we have some bubble bath?" Daniel asked.
"I don't see why not," Mulder said, reaching for the bottle. He
poured a hearty amount into the water, then put the bottle back on
the shelf.
"Can you go get our bath toys?" Peter asked. "I left them in our
bedroom."
"Where are they?" Mulder asked.
"On the floor by the dresser," Daniel said.
"Ok," Mulder said cheerfully, leaving the twins in the bathroom
while he went to get the toys. When he returned with his arms full
of toys, the cat was still standing on the edge of the tub, and there
was a pink razor in Peters hand.
"We're going to be barbers when we grow up!" Peter exclaimed.
Mulder looked horrified and dropped the toys to the floor. The
crash to the floor surprised Snip, who lost his balance on the edge
of the tub and fell in.
He surfaced, then promptly leapt out of the bathtub and dashed to
the door. A mess of bubble bath, water and a fur-less right leg, the
cat frantically tried to escape the bathroom. His feet were swept out
from under him on the tile floor and he slid into the living room.
"Oh my God!" Scully exclaimed, as the cat bounced off a wall in
the living room and ran the other way.
"Snip! What have they done to you?" Andrea asked, picking up the
cat.
"Mulder!" Scully called. He appeared in the bathroom doorway.
"I had no part of this Scully. I swear," Mulder said, his eyes
gleaming.
"I'm done my bath!" Daniel shouted.
"I'm covered in cat hair!" Peter added.
"What?" Andrea asked in confusion, then she petted Snips bare leg.
"Oh no!"
"What did they do?" Charles asked.
"They've shaved Snip!" Andrea wailed. The two boys came running
from the bathroom with towels wrapped around them.
"The cat has legs like a chicken!" Peter said, pointing at the cat.
"Charles, how about you put the kids to bed and I look after our
poor cat," Andrea suggested, carrying the protesting cat into the
bathroom to get a towel.
"Ok sweetheart," he replied, ushering the kids into the bedroom.
"You know... I think I need some bath toys," Mulder grinned, as he
flopped down on the sofa between Andrea and Scully.
XxXxX
Charles came out of the master bedroom and closed the door.
"Okay, they're sleeping," he said. Mulder had built a fire, and was
now sitting beside Scully on the sofa. Andrea was curled up in a
chair. "Who wants to play a board game?"
"As long as it's not Mouse Trap..." Mulder warned. Charles laughed.
"I'll go get something to drink," Charles said, heading for the
kitchen.
"How about 'Survivor'?" Andrea suggested.
"There's a 'Survivor' board game?" Scully asked.
"Yes, you have to answer riddles and questions," Andrea explained.
"Then after each round you vote someone off the island. When
there are only two people remaining the people who have been
voted off decide who wins."
"You want to play that game, again, Andrea?" Charles smirked as
he passed around bottles of beer.
"Of course," she replied.
"She's just mad cause she's never won yet," Charles laughed.
"We'll see who gets voted off first this time," Andrea retorted with a
smile. She got the game from the hall closet. "We have to get into
teams, how do you want to split up?
"Doesn't matter," Mulder said, reading the front of the box. "'Play
not to survive the game... but to survive each other.' Ooooh,
creepy."
"How about the women versus the men?" Scully asked.
"Go ahead," Mulder said. "We'll see who wins."
"Mulder... you can't even build a fire out in the middle of the woods
without matches," Scully replied.
"You couldn't either," he stated.
"At least I tried," Scully added.
"And I watched you," Mulder grinned.
"Let's play. Women against men," Scully narrowed her eyes at her
brother and lover. "Get ready for some serious ass kicking."
"Scully..." Mulder trailed off with laughter. "Did you really think
gun powder would ignite a fire?" Scully threw a deck of cards at
him.
"So what do we do?" Scully asked.
"We have to pick a name," Andrea said. "The choices are PaGong
and Tagi."
"Let's be Tagi. They can be the Pee-On's," Scully giggled.
"Pe-On's? Scully, you're so funny," Mulder replied. "How do we
play?"
"We move around the board, answering the questions. The first
team to get all the way around gets some Survivor Items, then we
split up and play individually. When we are playing by ourselves,
the first person to go all the way around the board cannot be voted
off at that time. We can explain as we go along," Charles said.
They started playing the game. After Mulder and Charles
maneuvered around the board quickly, they won the Survivor items.
"So now what do we do?" Scully asked.
"We keep going around and answering questions until it's time to
vote someone off," Andrea explained, rolling the dice. She moved
ahead to an Out Play square. After picking a card and writing her
answer she read out loud, "'I would most hate finding in my
sleeping bag a A. live snake B. huge spider C. dead fish.'" Everyone
proceeded to write what they thought Andrea would do on their
paper. "Are you ready?"
"Well, I don't know you very well, but I'm going to say B," Mulder
said.
"I'd have to say B, too," Scully said.
"I'm going with A," Charles said.
"A," Andrea replied. "Spiders I can handle, but snakes..." She
shuddered. "Does anyone want anything else to drink?"
"I'll get it," Scully said. "Anyone else?"
"Sure," Charles and Mulder said.
"Andrea?" Scully asked.
"I think I'm good for right now, thanks," she replied.
Mulder picked up the dice and rolled. He landed on Out Play as
well, so he read the card and marked his answer. Scully came back
with the drinks and sat down. "'If I'm camped out on a remote
beach, I'm most likely to skinny dip A. if no one else is around B.
only if everyone else does C. if it's with someone I fancy.'" Mulder
chuckled.
"Gee," Charles wondered. "What should I write? C."
"C," Andrea agreed.
"Well," Scully smiled. "I'm going with C, too."
"You're all right!" Mulder exclaimed. "Is this a remote island?" He
winked at them.
"Not quite," Charles laughed. Scully picked up the dice.
"I landed on Out Wit," she announced. "It's a riddle. 'When you stop
and look, you can always see me. If you try to touch, you cannot
feel me. I cannot run, but as you near me, I'll move away; you'll
never reach me.'"
"How many guesses do we have?" Mulder asked.
"One," Charles replied.
"Sunlight," Andrea guessed.
"Nope," Scully replied.
"That's what I was going to say," Mulder said.
"Air?" Charles asked.
"No," Scully said. "Mulder?"
"I'm thinking..." he said. "Something that can't be caught, but is
always seen. You can feel it, but it can't run-"
"This isn't Who Wants To Be A Millionaire! Just say something,"
Scully interrupted.
"Okay, the answer is the horizon," Mulder said.
"What? How'd you know?" Scully asked.
"I'm smart," he said cockily, moving his marker forward because he
answered the question. "You're turn Charles." Charles rolled the
dice and moved to an Out Wit square.
"This is a riddle as well. 'Sometimes I glitter, but more often not.
I'm usually cold, but may be hot. Some find my protection great,
while others die beneath my weight."
"That's easy, it's the ocean," Mulder replied smugly.
"Nope," Charles laughed.
"A body of water?" Andrea asked.
"A diamond?" Scully asked.
"You're all wrong, it's a stone," Charles replied.
"A stone? I like my answer much better," Mulder said.
Andrea rolled and landed on the starting square. "Looks like we get
to vote," she said, distributing the cards and erasable marker. They
all voted, then Andrea announced that Mulder had to leave the
island.
"Well damn," he muttered. "I thought I was going to win, too." He
grinned, picking up his piece.
"The games a lot longer when you have more than four people
playing," Charles said. "Dana, it's your turn." Scully rolled the dice
and landed on an Out Wit square.
"It's a Walk the Plank. That means you each get one guess after
each hint, right?" Scully asked.
"Yes," Andrea replied.
"Ok. 'I'm used in modern medicine to improve circulation in
amputees.'" Scully read.
"A leech," Andrea said.
"I wrote that, too," Charles said.
"You're right," Scully replied. Charles rolled the dice and landed on
Out Play.
"'If a native were to offer me a meal of monkey brains I would
probably A. politely refuse B. accept, but not eat any C. eat as much
as I wanted.'" He said.
"I wrote A," Andrea said, making a disgusted face.
"I said B," Scully said.
"It's B," Charles replied, laughing.
They continued to play, until Andrea was voted off. Mulder and
Andrea decided that it was Scully would be the survivor.
"That was a fun game," Scully said, after they put it away.
"Who wants to play Pass The Ace?" Charles asked, grabbing a deck
of cards.
"Ok," they agreed, then started to play it. Unfortunately, they had
drunk a little too much, and forfeited all the rules of the game. It
turned into 'Hide The Ace' very quickly.
"Mulder? Where's your card?" Scully asked, when she went to trade
her card with him.
"I dunno Scully. I think I lost it. Can I have another one?" He asked,
reaching for the deck.
"No," Scully said, putting her hand over his. "What card did you
have?"
"I don't know," he shrugged. "Oh wait, here it is," he picked a King
up off the floor. "Now you can't trade with me, Scully."
They decided to stop playing shortly after cards started
disappearing.
Charles got up and yawned. "What time is it?" He asked.
"Almost two," Mulder said, picking up a lantern off the table. "We
should be going to bed."
"Ok," Andrea agreed. "See you in the morning."
"Good night," Scully said, as Mulder led her into the bedroom. He
closed the door and put the lantern down on the night stand and
walked over to her suitcase.
"Mulder?" Scully asked. He bent down and pulled out her vibrator.
"I'm interested in hearing the story on how this got in there," he
grinned.
XxXxX
"Ok, everyone wake up!" A voice yelled through the house.
"What?" Scully mumbled, lifting her head from Mulder's shoulder.
"I didn't say anything," Mulder muttered, looking at his watch. "It's
7:30."
"Your rescue team is here," the voice announced. After a moment,
they heard voices in the living room.
"Uncle Bill!" Daniel yelled from the living room.
"Uncle Bill?" Mulder repeated.
"Bill? He's here?" Scully asked, sliding out of bed.
"Yay," Mulder grinned. "You'd think he'd mind me screwing his
sister?"
"I think if you phrased it that way, you better be swimming," Scully
laughed, pulling him out of the bed. "Come on." They left their
bedroom and entered the living room.
"Dana?" Bill asked in surprise. "Mulder?" He asked in shock.
"Hi Bill," Scully said, hugging him.
"What are you guys doing here?" He asked them.
"Charles and Andrea invited us," Scully answered.
"Hi Bill," Mulder said. Bill's eyes trailed to the bedroom.
"Hi Mulder! How've you been?" Bill asked. Mulder's eyes widened
with surprise.
"Uh, I'm good. How about you?" He asked awkwardly.
"Great," he replied.
"Why are you here?" Scully asked.
"I heard about the storm, and I decided to come out here to see how
you guys were," he said.
"We can leave in about half an hour," Charles said, emerging from
the master bed room.
"Uncle Bill, will you play with us?" Peter asked excitedly.
"Sure, but I think you had better go pack up the toys you want to
bring back to the city with you," Bill said.
"Okay," the boys rushed into their bedroom, and shut the door.
XxXxX
"This is a nice boat Bill," Mulder said, after they packed the
suitcases under the deck.
"This is my hobby," he explained. "I don't get to leave San
Francisco much, but when I do I take this out for a couple days."
Mulder nodded.
"I'm beginning to think that every time we come in contact with
you, there's a storm," Andrea said to Mulder.
"Must be an X-File," he replied, laughing.
Andrea and Scully strapped life jackets on the boys, then waded out
to where the boat was waiting. Bill started the engine and they
headed out to the open water. Once they had been going for a few
minutes, Mulder called Scully to the hull of the boat.
"Yes dear?" she grinned.
"I was hoping to do this in a more romantic place," Mulder started,
taking her hand. "Will you marry me?" He slid an engagement ring
onto her finger.
Scully smiled, then wrapped her arms around his neck. "Yes," she
said, before kissing him. "Yes," she repeated. "I'll marry you." He
wrapped his arms around her waist, and started kissing her again,
with the twins cries of disgust being drowned out by the rush of the
wind.
XxXxX
FINIS
mercury_999@hotmail.com
**author's notes: although this sequel was intended to be written
shortly after the end of the Prequel, Playing House, the fact that it
took me more than a year to start it reminds you readers that I
should never, ever be asked to sequel anything again! Thanks for
reading!
a big ::HUG:: to my editor, thanks fro :)
oh and there is an actual board game called 'Survivor.' The Riddles,
Walk the Plank and Know Thy Neighbour questions are all from
the game. 23/01/2001
XxXxX
Author: mercury_999
Rating: PG
Category: Romance/Humor
Spoilers: none
Disclaimer: Most characters belong to CC, 1013 and FOX.... the
twins are mine :P
Distribution: Please ask first, but I'll always say yes. :)
Summary: Peter and Daniel are back, this time on their own turf.
Another Mulder and Scully with her twin 'tornadic' nephews story.
Feedback: mercury_999@hotmail.com
Author's Notes: This was written after many requests for a follow
up to my story, Playing House. I would recommend reading that one
first.
XxXxX
The dirt road ended abruptly at a wooden dock constructed with old
railroad ties. Parked in the grass a hundred feet from the dock was a
dark green Dodge truck. The water sparkled with the reflection of
the sun, as small waves broke and crashed on the sandy beach.
Mulder maneuvered the rented Taurus next to the truck and shifted
into Park.
"Are you sure we're at the right place?" Mulder asked.
"I don't see any other old docks on dead end roads," Scully replied
with a smile, as she opened the passenger door. Mulder turned off
the ignition. The wave of heat hit them as they emerged from the
air-conditioned car into the California sun. "He should be here any
time now," Scully added.
Mulder stretched and closed the car door. "I think I'm going to like
this vacation," he grinned.
"Why do you say that?" Scully asked, walking around the car.
He grinned at her, then gazed across the crystal water. "Come
here," Mulder said, as he took her hand and led her to the end of the
dock. They stood in silence for a minute, then Mulder wrapped his
arms around her waist and held her in front of him. "Do you feel
like you're flying?" he asked.
"Mulder what are you doing?" Scully asked with a laugh. He rocked
them back and forth, without giving her an answer. "Mulder?" He
jumped before she could utter another word, and her mouth was
filled with salt water.
They surfaced a few feet apart and Scully gave him her best 'I'm-pissed-off-but-that-was-fun' look, then started swimming around the
dock. Mulder swam behind her and gasped her hips, preventing her
from swimming forward. Giving up, she twisted around in his arms
and floated on her back.
"That shirt looks awfully sexy on you when it's wet," Mulder
smirked. "Are you sure you want your brother to see it?"
"Mmm," Scully murmured. She lifted her head from the water and
kissed him softly. He pulled away quickly.
"What?"
"Salt water," he shuddered. "Tastes horrible." Scully glided toward
him, Mulder retreated to deeper water. Scully caught up to him and
wrapped her arms and legs around him.
"I'm going to kiss you now," she whispered, bringing Mulder's
downward gaze back to her face. Just as she brushed her lips
against his, a familiar voice interrupted them.
"Hiya folks. I'd hate to interrupt your little rendezvous, but there are
two little monsters waiting to see you," Charles said, as the boat
drifted closer. Mulder winked, then glanced at Scully's shirt. She
splashed him, then swam over to her brothers boat.
"Hi Charles," Scully said, hugging him over the side of his motor
boat. "You wouldn't think that eight months would seem like such a
long time!" She referred to his visit last Thanksgiving.
"It sure it nice to see you Dana, Mulder," Charles said, shaking
Mulder's hand.
"It's nice to see you too, Charles," Mulder said. "I thought you were
bringing the kids."
Charles laughed. "I was going to, but they stayed up all night
waiting for you to come! What happened last time that makes them
so excited?"
Scully and Mulder exchanged a look. "Do you have any towels?"
She asked.
"Of course. You can dry off as I load your luggage into the boat.
The island is about 15 minutes away."
Mulder and Scully waded to the shore, while Charles docked the
boat. "I'm going to get changed in the car," Scully announced. She
grabbed a change of clothes from her suitcase, and opened the door
to the backseat.
"Need any help?" Mulder asked.
"Mulder!" Scully replied.
"Fine. I wasn't talking to you anyway. Need any help, Charles?"
Mulder asked, smirking at Scully. Scully rolled her eyes and got in
the car.
"Here." Charles tossed Mulder a rope. "Tie this to that pillar over
there."
"Any particular way?" Mulder asked.
"No, it doesn't matter. We'll only be here for a few minutes
anyway," Charles replied.
"I'll go get our suitcases," Mulder said, after he finished tying the
knot.
Charles started moving the water toys, life jackets and tackle boxes
that crowded the floor of his boat. "Go ahead. I'll make some
room."
Mulder walked casually up to the car and opened the same door
Scully had gone into. "Can I have your wet clothes?" Scully flung
the wadded up outfit at him, and got out of the vehicle on the other
side. Mulder stood up, holding the clothes. "You know Scully, I
think the salt water does good for your... delicates," he grinned.
Scully laughed. "Aren't you going to get changed?"
"As a matter of fact, I am," he peeled off his T-shirt and tossed it to
Scully. She picked up her suitcase and carried it down to the boat.
Mulder returned to the boat with his suitcase after a minute,
wearing a bathing suit and sandals.
"Is that all you're wearing?" Scully asked, handing Charles her
suitcase.
"Yes..." Mulder trailed off. "Do you not find me attractive
anymore?"
"That's not it," she winked at him. "I just don't want to hear you
complaining because of the sunburn you're going to get."
"That was the plan. Then you could spend our vacation rubbing
aloe all over me," Mulder replied, handing Charles his suitcase.
"In your dreams," Scully retorted, then jumped into the boat.
Mulder put a T-shirt on, then stepped into the boat. After a few
minutes they were cruising at high speed toward the island.
XxXxX
"Daddy's coming!" A young boy screamed from the sand where he
was building a sand castle. A moment later his identical twin
emerged from the house at full speed. Both boys started jumping up
and down and waving their arms.
"Peter, Daniel," Andrea called, as she came out of the beach house.
"I want you to be on your best behaviour while Dana and Mulder
are-" The boat had drifted close enough to the dock so both boys
jumped into it.
"Auntie Dana!" One yelled.
"Uncie Moldy!" The other one exclaimed. Both children were
talking with excitement about everything that had happened to them
since Thanksgiving. Charles tied the boat while Mulder and Scully
tried to get out.
"So then the dinosaur picked me up with the end of his tail and put
me on his back!" Daniel said.
"That must have been quite an experience," Mulder said, picking up
one boy in each arm so they could get off the boat. Scully and
Charles each grabbed a suitcase and walked toward Andrea.
"There's the fortress we're making for our toys," Peter said, pointing
to the sand castle they had deserted when the boat was in sight.
"Andrea! How have you been?" Scully asked, hugging her.
"Pretty good, yourself?" Andrea replied.
"Not bad," Scully grinned. Mulder put the boys on the ground and
went over to shake Andrea's hand. She looked at him in disbelief.
"Oh come on Mulder. You're practically family," she said, hugging
him.
"It's nice to see you, too," he said.
"Come in, we'll show you the place then I'll make some lunch,"
Andrea replied. "Boys, how about you go finish your sand castle?"
They retreated to the shore, while Andrea led Scully and Mulder
into the house.
A cat jumped onto the counter as they closed the screen door.
"Snip, get down!" Andrea scolded, pushing the cat down. "He loves
company." Charles moved past her and toward a door.
"This will be your room," he opened the door and set the suitcase
down.
"This is the guest room?" Mulder asked in disbelief. "Looks more
like a master bedroom suite!"
"That door leads to a bathroom," Andrea said, pointing to a door on
the opposite wall.
"Did you guys design this?" Scully asked, pulling back the curtains
and looking out at the view.
"Andrea did," Charles said. "She did a great job."
"Except this place doesn't have electricity," Andrea said, pointing at
the kerosene lanterns on the dresser and night stand. "We have a
propane stove and a barbeque to do the cooking. It's not bad here, as
long as you aren't fond of things like curling irons." She laughed.
Charles and Andrea showed them the rest of the house, then Mulder
asked, "You guys do have running water, right?"
"Yes, why?" Charles replied.
"Nature calls," Mulder headed to the guest room.
"I'm going to put on my bathing suit and join the boys outside,"
Scully said, also heading for the guest room.
XxXxX
Mulder came out of the bathroom just as Scully finished changing
into her bathing suit.
"You're wearing that?" He asked.
"Why not?" She grinned at him.
"I just... don't want you to get sunburned, didn't you pack another
bathing suit?" he asked, then sat down on the bed and began to go
through her suitcase. She watched him with a smirk. "See? Here's
one.... whoa. Scully?" He was holding up two suits, a one piece and
a string bikini.
Scully slid over to him and sat on his lap. She took the clothes out
of his hands, and replaced them in her suitcase, then turned to face
him. "I just thought you might like to have a little fun... later," she
whispered. Mulder's eyes widened.
"You're going to get me in trouble if you keep this up," he grinned.
There was a pounding on the window. "What the Hell?" The twins
were standing on lawn chairs outside the window, making disgusted
faces at them.
Scully slid off Mulder and stood up. She took his hand and led him
out of the bedroom and back into the kitchen. Andrea was standing
in front of the counter making a salad. "Charles is outside with the
kids," she said as they passed through. Mulder and Scully
exchanged a look, then pushed open the screen door and went into
the bright sunshine.
"Hey, can you play with us?" The boys yelled from their sand castle.
They were each wearing matching swim suits, ball caps and water
wings. After reaching the kids, Scully spread a towel to sit on, near
it and Mulder sat down in the sand next to the boys.
"You have quite a little fortress here," he said to them. "What are
these?" He gestured to the mound of toys that resembled animals.
"You don't know what these are?" Daniel demanded, picking up
something that looked like a turtle.
"No..." Mulder said.
"Pokemon!" Peter yelled. "You don't know what Pokemon are?"
Mulder shrugged. "What's that one?" He pointed at the turtle.
"This is Squirtle," Peter said.
"He evolves into War Turtle," Daniel added.
"I see," Mulder said. "Who am I?"
"You can be..." Daniel said, then dug through the pile. "This one.
Poliwag." He held up one that resembled a tad pole.
"Well, I can think of something else this thing resembles," Mulder
winked at Scully. She hit his arm lightly.
"What?" Peter and Daniel chimed.
"Nothing," Scully said. "Who am I?" The boys looked at each other,
then dug through the pile.
"You can be him, Laprus, because you like sitting on Uncie Moldy's
lap," Peter handed her the toy. Scully looked at Mulder. He grinned.
"So how to we play?" Mulder asked.
"Well, I'm going to be Charzard, and Peter is Pikachu, and we have
to fight all the other ones," Daniel explained. "Me and Pete are
going to set the other ones up." The boys took armloads of action
figures and began placing them in various places on the beach.
Mulder rubbed Scully's shoulders, then asked, "Are you wearing sun
screen?"
"Not yet," she replied, grinning.
"Well, if it weren't for me, who would be the one complaining
about a burn the whole vacation?" Mulder taunted. "I put mine on
while I was in the bathroom." He grabbed a bottle of sunscreen that
was laying in the sand and spread it across Scully's shoulders, then
continued down her back. He turned her around and did her chest
and her stomach, arms and legs. Scully put a bit on her finger and
dabbed it on his nose. Mulder leaned toward her and rubbed his
nose on hers. Then he kissed her softly.
Charles emerged from around the house, just as two pails of water
were dumped on Mulder and Scully. He started laughing as Scully
and Mulder both jumped up. Before the boys could run away,
Mulder and Scully had each grabbed one and were carrying them
into the water. Once they got waist deep, the adults dropped the
children into the water and started walking back to the shore.
"Hey! That was fun!" exclaimed Peter, surfacing.
"Yeah! Can we do it again?" Daniel asked, swimming furiously
behind them.
Mulder turned around and smiled. "Of course, boys. Come here."
Daniel swam into his arms, and Mulder picked him up. In the same
movement, he tossed the kid over his shoulder.
"Mulder!" Scully said.
"Whoohoo!" Daniel said.
"My turn! My turn!" Peter said, yanking on Mulder's swim suit.
"Whoa, easy there. We wouldn't want anything to come out," he
joked. Scully gave him 'the look.' He threw Peter, then waded over
to Scully. He ducked underwater, then resurfaced underneath her,
lifting her onto his shoulders.
"Mulder! Put me down!" Scully yelled, grabbing his head to hold
her balance.
"Yeah Uncie Moldy! Put her down, I want a turn!" Daniel said.
"Scully don't cover my eyes!" Mulder exclaimed, teetering wildly in
the water.
"No! Me first this time," Peter argued. Mulder slipped, causing both
of them to fall into the water. When they surfaced Peter said, "My
turn!!" Mulder lifted him onto his shoulders and walked around.
Then gave Daniel a turn.
"You know, if we get your dad in here, you can both do it at the
same time," Scully suggested. Both of the twins eyes lit up, and
they swam toward the beach, hollering to their father who was
sitting on a lawn chair at the patio table.
Mulder wrapped his arms around Scully from behind and kissed her
neck. His fingers played with the side of her bikini bottom which
was under water. On the shore, Charles took off his shirt and ran
with the kids into the water. Together they swam out to where
Mulder and Scully were standing.
Charles lifted Daniel onto his shoulders, and Mulder lifted Peter.
The men walked around, until the twins started playfully pushing
each other. Charles lost his balance after Peter tickled Daniel and
fell into the water. Scully saw Andrea standing on the shore and
swam toward the shore.
"How's the water?" Andrea asked, looking at Scully funny.
"It's nice and warm. What?" Scully asked.
"You have sun screen on your nose," Andrea grinned. Scully
laughed and wiped it off with the back of her hand.
"The kids are having a ball out there," Scully said, shielding her
eyes from the glare of the sun.
"Those men sure are good with children," Andrea commented.
"Salad and sandwiches are ready, but I'll wait until they're ready to
come out." Scully picked up a towel and dried her hair. "It'll end up
being a late afternoon snack."
XxXxX
"I'm stuffed," Mulder said after they finished clearing the table.
"While I'm doing the dishes, why don't you and Mulder go gather
some firewood?" Andrea asked her husband.
"I'll help you," Scully offered.
"Are you coming Daniel and Peter?" Charles asked.
"Can we help?" Peter asked, getting off his chair.
"Sure," his father told him. The twins and Mulder put on their
sandals and walked around the house.
"How big is this island?" Mulder asked.
"About a mile long," Charles said, leading them down a short path
to a wood shed. "We bring all this wood at the beginning of
summer." He explained gesturing at the stacked wood. Everyone
grabbed an arm full and walked back to the house. "That ought to
last us for a while," he said.
While they waited for Scully and Andrea, the boys headed to the
shore. Charles sat down in the lawn chair
"Do you want to play with us?" Daniel asked Charles and Mulder.
Before Mulder could answer, Charles said, "Why don't you play by
yourselves for a while? Mulder and I are still tired from this
afternoon's water fight."
"Ok daddy," Peter said, and they began playing with their Pokemon
by their fortress. Mulder stretched out on the sand and yawned.
Scully and Andrea came out of the house and spread towels on the
ground. Scully examined Mulder: he was sleeping. Slyly, Scully
walked over to Peter and Daniel and whispered to them. Their eyes
lit up and they started talking in loud whispers.
"Hehe, Auntie Dana you have the best ideas!" Peter squealed.
"When can we do it?" Daniel asked.
"Shh. Right now. I'll help you when you're ready." The boys
grabbed their plastic shovels and moved silently closer to Mulder.
Then they began to dig.
They dug for 20 minutes before Charles said, "Wow Dana. What
did you tell them to do? They're being so quiet!"
"It'll be a surprise," Scully grinned.
"Auntie Dana, I think we're ready," Peter whispered.
"Okay," she said, then winked at Charles. She got up and leaned
over Mulder. "Good job boys, this is perfect." She carefully slid one
hand under his neck and the other behind his knees and pushed him
into the hole.
"Scully?" he murmured sleepily.
She lowered her mouth to his ear and whispered, "Shh baby. Go
back to sleep." He pulled her into his arms and fell back asleep.
Charles and Andrea caught on to what Scully was planning, and
started snickering. Scully slipped out of his grasp, then whispered,
"Ok boys."
The boys immediately started burying Mulder's body in sand. Scully
giggled as she tried to start a conversation with her brother and
sister-in-law.
"We're done," Daniel announced, standing up. The only part of
Mulder that was showing was his head.
"I think we should go for a walk," Scully suggested.
Charles eyed Mulder. "Okay, I guess..." he said.
Andrea and the boys got up and started down the beach, and Scully
walked over to Mulder. She knelt down on top of him, then kissed
his lips softly. His eyes immediately opened and he mumbled,
"What the Hell?"
"We're going on a little walk, have fun," she said softly, with a
wink. Mulder looked at her in confusion. "We'll be back," she
continued.
"What?" he asked. Scully got up and ran to catch up with the rest of
the group. A few seconds later Mulder sat up and brushed sand off
his body. He jogged after them, when he reached the twins, he
grabbed the twins from behind.
"AIE!" Peter and Daniel screamed, as Mulder trapped them in his
arms.
"We didn't do it!" Daniel sputtered.
"It was her idea!" Peter claimed, pointing at Scully who looked at
him innocently. Mulder released the twins and stood up to face
Scully. Then he tried to grab her. Scully dodged his out-stretched
arms, and ran down the beach. Mulder overtook her easily, and
tackled her in the small waves.
"I wish I had my handcuffs," he whispered in her ear. Scully
blushed slightly and looked at Mulder. His body was completely
covered with dry sand. Scully looked at her body, which was now
covered in wet sand.
"Should we wait for these two to clean up? Or continue without
them?" Andrea asked with a laugh. Mulder helped Scully up and
they washed the sand off their bodies.
They walked the perimeter of the island and returned to the house
from the other direction. The twins were dragging their feet in the
sand, about a hundred metres behind the rest of the group.
The sun was setting in the sky, casting a red glow over everything.
The sky was streaked with colours, fanning out from around the
sun. The sphere of red-orange hovered above the horizon for a
moment, then disappeared out of sight.
"Wow, this place is so beautiful," Scully said in awe.
"Can we go swimming?" Daniel asked.
"No," Charles said. "It's too late, you guys have got to go to bed
soon."
"They were up for hours last night, waiting for you to come,"
Andrea added.
"We heard on the way over," Scully said. "Maybe Mulder should
read to them when it's time for them to go to bed." Scully yawned,
then added, "What time is it, anyway?"
"Almost nine," Andrea replied. "We should get some rest, since you
guys are still on DC time."
"Don't worry about us, we can do without much sleep," Mulder
said.
"But could you do it and still stand to be around two six year olds?"
Charles asked.
"Good question," Mulder replied.
"Okay boys, go inside and get your pajamas on," Charles said.
"Can't we stay up just a little longer?" Peter asked.
"Please? Please? You guys get to stay up late," Daniel added.
"We're adults, and we don't need as much sleep," Charles explained.
"If you get your pajamas on quickly, Mulder will read to you,"
Scully said. Their eyes lit up and they exchanged a glance.
"Okay!" They agreed, before rushing into the house.
XxXxX
Mulder emerged from Daniel and Peter's bedroom carrying a
lantern and shut the door behind him. "They're both out cold," he
announced.
"Thanks for reading to them, Mulder," Charles said, then yawned.
"The sun really drains the energy out of you!"
Andrea stretched. "I think I'm going to go to bed soon, sweetie," she
said, leaning on her husband. He kissed her forehead.
"Sounds good to me," he replied.
"I think we're going to take a little walk first," Scully said. Charles
and Andrea nodded.
"Do you want a lantern to take with you?" Andrea asked.
"No, the moon is full and it's as bright as day out there. We're not
going far, just a walk on the beach," Scully replied.
Mulder blew out his lantern and set it on the coffee table. Then he
took Scully's hand and led her toward the door. "Good night," they
said together, before closing the screen door behind them. They
walked in silence, still holding hands down to the beach. After ten
minutes of walking, Mulder slid his arm around her waist and
pulled her against him.
Scully grinned, and he kissed her. "I think we should go for a little
swim..." he said, pulling her T-shirt over her head. He gasped when
he saw the bikini top he had held up earlier on her. "When did you
put this on?" He asked, kissing her chest.
"While you were reading to the kids," she replied, as he unbuttoned
her shorts and guided them down her legs. He took his shirt off,
then carried her into the water.
XxXxX
"It looks like it's going to rain," Mulder said, looking up at the sky.
His arms were wrapped around Scully's waist.
"Mmm," Scully murmured. Her head was resting on his chest, as
their lower bodies were blanketed every so often with shallow
waves.
"We should be going back to the house," Mulder said, as he started
to get up. Scully twisted around in his arms and pushed him back
down.
"Are you scared they're going to come out and get us?" she laughed,
straddling his chest and leaning down to kiss him. A crack of
thunder echoed around them. Scully stopped kissing him and
looked at the sky. Large raindrops started to litter the ground,
intensifying every second.
"Okay, I think we should be going back to the house now," she
muttered, standing up. Mulder kissed her cheek and they put their
clothes back on. She took his hand and they jogged back to the
house.
As they arrived, Charles was coming out the door dressed in rain
gear and carrying a lantern. "Thank goodness you're back. We heard
the thunder and decided I should come and get you," he said.
Mulder gave Scully a look.
"Are they back?" Andrea asked as she entered the kitchen.
"Yes, everyone's here. We can go to bed now," Charles said, closing
the wooden door behind the screen door for the first time that day.
"I closed the windows in your bedroom," Andrea said, handing
them her lantern. "You guys must be exhausted, we'll see you in the
morning." Charles and Andrea retreated to the master bedroom, and
Scully and Mulder went to the guest room.
"Scully," Mulder said, after he closed the door behind them. She
looked up from her suitcase. "I think I have half the beach in my
bathing suit."
"I must have the other half," she said.
"You? I don't think much of the beach could *fit* in yours," he
stuck out his tongue. "By the way, aren't you uncomfortable in that
suit?" He pulled off her T-shirt, showering the floor with sand.
"Mulder, this is my brother's house! You can't go making a mess...."
she trailed off.
XxXxX
A flash of lightning lit up the sky. Splintering wood echoed through
the house, then loud screams immediately followed. Mulder and
Scully both sat up in bed quickly.
"What was that?" Mulder asked.
"Who's crying?" Scully said, throwing back the blankets and
rushing to the door.
"Scully," Mulder said, tossing her a pair of shorts, "You can't go out
there with only a T-shirt on." She hurriedly pulled the shorts on
then opened the door. Charles was running through the living room
with an axe in his hand, and Andrea was standing at the doorway to
the boy's bedroom.
"A tree fell on the house and broke through the roof," Charles
explained.
"Sweetheart, it's okay," Andrea said into the dark room, holding a
lantern.
"Mommy!" One of the boys sobbed.
"Can we get to them?" Scully peered into the bedroom, but all she
could see was the top of the tree and hear the howl of the wind. The
crying stopped.
"You might be able to," Charles said. "I think everyone else is too
big." Scully squinted at the small space between some of the
branches and the floor.
"I can try anyway," she said, laying down on the floor on her
stomach. She slid head first through an opening under a branch.
"Ooh," she muttered.
"What?" Mulder asked.
"Nothing, I just snagged my shirt on a branch," she replied, sliding
further into the bedroom. A moment later the adults couldn't see
her.
"Do you want a lantern?" Andrea asked.
"No, we're fine," Scully said. "They have some scratches, but it
looks like everyone's okay." Andrea sighed in relief. "Ok guys, you
saw where I came through, now you're going to crawl back." The
boys nodded then one at a time slipped through the hole.
Charles wrapped his arms around Daniel after he came out from
under the tree. Andrea picked up Peter and carried him into the
kitchen. Mulder waited for Scully to appear in the gap of the tree.
When she did, he knelt down and took her hand, then guided her
out from under the tree. He helped her up, then picked a stick out of
her hair.
"Scully... your back is all scraped up," Mulder said, running his
hands down her back.
"It's okay," she said softly. Mulder closed the bedroom door and
they walked into the kitchen. Andrea had a first aide kit open on the
table and was frowning at the contents.
"Dana, why don't you do this? After all, you're the doctor" She said.
Scully knelt down in front of Peter and bandaged the scratches on
his legs, then his arms. Mulder stared at the red lines on the back of
Scully's T-shirt. Scully bandaged Daniel's scratches then stood up.
Charles was standing over the kitchen sink, looking out the
window. All you could see was black. "Wow, this is a big storm."
"Do you usually get these?" Mulder asked.
"Never this big," Charles replied.
"Honey, let's go out to the living room and build a fire," Andrea
suggested. The twins were starting to yawn as they followed their
parents into the living room.
Charles started a fire, while Daniel and Peter curled up on the
couch next to their mother. Mulder sat down on the love seat, and
Scully joined him, laying her head against his shoulder.
"What time is it?" Mulder asked.
"Quarter to four," Charles replied, walking over to his wife. The
twins were sound asleep across her lap.
"Let's go back to sleep, there's no sense staying up at this hour." He
picked up Daniel and carried him to the master bedroom, then
returned a few minutes later to get Peter.
They listened to the howl of the wind and the crackle of the fire for
a few minutes, then Mulder said, "Why does this remind me of
Gilligan's Island?"
Scully groaned and buried her face in his shoulder. They stared at
the orange-red flames that lit up the room. Andrea stood up and
yawned. "We won't be able to tell how much damage was done
until morning. Good night."
"Good night, Andrea," Mulder said. "Come on, Scully. Let's go back
to bed." They retreated into their bedroom and closed the door.
"Stay here," he said, continuing to the bathroom. He made his way
back to Scully in the dark room, then pulled her T-shirt off her.
"Mulder?" Scully said sleepily.
"Shh, come here," he led her to the bed, and she crawled under the
blankets. Mulder rolled her onto her back, straddled her hips, then
started to smear lotion on her back. Scully let out a soft moan. He
massaged her shoulders, then made his way to her lower back. By
the time he had rubbed in all the lotion, she was sleeping.
He crawled over her, and pulled the blankets up to her neck, then
kissed her cheek. She reached blindly for him, then snuggled into
his chest.
XxXxX
Peter looked longingly toward the guest bedroom.
"Peter, don't you even think about waking them up," Andrea said
from the doorway of the twin's bedroom.
Charles frowned at the tree. It had come down with such force that
it destroyed both the corner of the roof and the outside wall, and
leaving the top of the tree filling up the small bedroom. "I'm going
to have to get my chain saw."
Peter glanced at his parents, then tiptoed to the door of the guest
room. Without hesitation, he opened the door and walked up to the
bed. Scully was still pressed against Mulder's chest, and his arms
wrapped around her waist. Mulder woke up a moment before Peter
yanked on the blanket, managing to grab it before it reached their
waists. Upon sight of Scully's bare shoulders and back, Peter's eyes
widened.
"Mommy!" he yelled, waking Scully up and running out of the
bedroom. "Mommy! Auntie Dana isn't wearing a shirt! Mommy!"
"Peter!" Scully and Mulder heard Andrea scold. "I told you not to
go in there. Go to my room, right now!" Mulder reached over Scully
and grabbed her T-shirt off the floor.
"You might want this," he said. Scully cheeks flushed and she put it
on. Then they both slid out of bed and went into the living room.
"Sorry about that," Andrea apologized.
"It's okay," Scully said.
Mulder stepped up beside her. "I hope we haven't scarred him at
such a young age," he joked. Scully hit his arm.
"Mulder? Do you want to give me a hand with the chain saw?"
Charles asked, coming out of the bedroom. The Agents peered into
the ruined room.
"Oh no! It ruined the bedroom," Scully cried.
"We'll get it fixed," Andrea said. "Take Daniel," she called to her
husband.
"Holy shit," Charles muttered, after opening the wooden door.
Scully and Andrea rushed to the kitchen.
"Oh God," Andrea said. "It's like a war zone out there." The water
was ten feet from the front deck. The patio furniture was gone, as
well as the toys Daniel and Peter had left outside. All of the flowers
that had been planted were washed away. The dock was submerged
beneath the water, and the boat was no where to be seen.
Charles walked outside and began wading through the water to the
dock. He inspected it, then turned around and waded back to Scully,
Mulder and Andrea. "Unless the boat washed up somewhere on the
island, it looks like we may be here longer than expected," he said
softly.
"Dana and I can walk around the island, while you two work on the
tree," Andrea suggested.
"Ok," Charles said, and Andrea and Scully started walking down
what was left of the beach.
"You're going to watch the boys, aren't you?" Andrea called over
her shoulder.
"Yes, they'll be fine," Charles replied.
Scully and Andrea continued down the beach. "How long do you
think we'll be here?" Scully asked.
"I have no idea," Andrea replied. "If we don't find the boat, then it
could be a couple weeks. It depends when the rescue boats check
on these islands."
"Oh," Scully said.
"I'm so sorry about this morning, I hope Peter didn't, er, interrupt
anything," Andrea said.
Scully laughed. "No, we were sleeping."
Andrea joined her laughter. "I'm so relieved."
"I've noticed they like to wake up company in the morning," Scully
commented. "I can't believe Mulder let me sleep without a shirt
on!"
Andrea giggled. "It's a given in our household."
They walked for another 20 minutes before Andrea said, "Uh oh."
Scully squinted at what Andrea was pointing at. The boat, or pieces
of it, littered the tree line ahead of them. "Well, we're going to be
here for a while."
XxXxX
They arrived back at the house at the same time as Charles and
Mulder finished removing the pieces of the tree from the bedroom.
"Honey?" Andrea called. "I have some bad news."
Charles came out from around the house, wiping sweat from his
brow. "Did you find it?"
"That's the bad news. It's in about two dozen pieces," Andrea
replied.
"Oh," he said. "I tried to get our emergency radio working while
you were gone, but there was no signal."
"They'll send boats out to these islands, it's only a matter of days
before someone will find us," Andrea said.
"Hey daddy!" Daniel yelled, as he ran out of the house with his
brother on tow. "Are we shipwrecked?"
"Well, we're stuck here for a while," Charles said.
"Yeah!!!! Like pirates!" Peter exclaimed.
"Why don't you boys go play," Charles suggested.
"We want to show Uncie Moldy and Auntie Dana our hideout,"
Daniel said.
"Yeah! Can we?" Peter added.
"If they want to," Charles answered.
"Come on!" Daniel led them around the house to a path in the
woods.
"Are there snakes here?" Scully asked, holding branches back.
The twins eyes widened in excitement. "Let's go find some after
this!!"
"Hey Scully, want a coconut?" Mulder asked, pointing to the top of
a palm tree.
Scully looked at him, then smiled. "Sure Mulder, why don't you go
up and get me one."
"Boys, do you like coconuts?" Mulder asked, standing at the base of
the tree and looking up.
"Yeah!" They chorused, pausing to watch Mulder climb the tree.
Mulder grasped the trunk with both hands and started to slide up
the tree. He past the halfway mark then called, "Scully? I don't think
this was such a good idea."
"Why not?" she asked.
"Because it's getting harder to find any.... whoa," he teetered on the
tree.
"Mulder, get down from there before you hurt yourself," Scully
called.
"Just another way to have you rub lotion on me, my dear," Mulder
leered, then lost his balance and fell out of the tree.
"Mulder!" Scully ran over to the bushes he fell into.
"I'm okay Scully, this prickly tree broke my fall," he moaned. Scully
brushed aside leaves to see Mulder.
"Oh God!" She gasped, as a snake slithered out of the bushes.
"A snake!" Peter yelled, grabbing a hold of it.
"Let's play with it!" Daniel exclaimed, picking up the other end.
They carried it over to a rock.
"Mulder? Where are you?" Scully asked, crawling deeper into the
bushes. He pulled her into his arms from behind. "Don't do that!"
She exclaimed, trying to wrestle free. "Are you okay? That was
quite a fall."
"I'm fine," he said, guiding her out of the bushes to where Peter and
Daniel were playing with the snake.
"You're good at finding snakes, Auntie Dana," Peter said.
"Are you still going to give us coconuts?" Daniel asked Mulder.
"Here, let a woman show you how it's done," Scully said, wiggling
out of Mulder's grasp.
"Scully that is no place for a woman..." he trailed off as she climbed
the trunk. She slid past the place where he fell without difficulty,
and reached the top. She wrapped her legs around the tree, and held
on with one hand as she plucked a coconut from the leaves. Mulder
opened his mouth to comment on her suggestive position, but a
coconut came sailing through the air.
He caught it, and looked up at her. "No place for a woman?" She
smirked above them. "Here," She tossed him another. Scully got
carried away and began a shower of coconuts on them.
"Ok, Scully, I think it's time to come down now," Mulder said, then
he added, "Don't make me come up there!"
"Uncie Moldy, go get her! Like the firemen on tv!" Daniel shouted.
"I'm not a fireman," Mulder said. "Come here." The twins crowded
around him. He whispered and pointed at Scully. Then the boys
started laughing excitedly. Scully slid down the tree, and walked
over to them.
"What's so funny?" she asked.
"Oh... nothing," Mulder said. They continued walking toward the
hideout.
"Here it is!" Peter announced, as they approached a giant boulder.
"This is it?" Mulder asked in disbelief.
"No, silly, it's behind this," Daniel said, leading them through a
narrow passage around the rock.
"Wow," Scully said. "This is beautiful." A stream ran through a bed
of rocks, which were bordered with thick grass and wild flowers.
Daniel made a face. "This isn't it! Over here." He led them across
the stream and into a dark cave. At the entrance, Peter picked up a
flashlight and turned it on.
"This is the hideout," Peter said smugly. A wooden table and two
chairs were set up in the corner of the small cave. Drawings of
treasure maps made of crayon covered the walls, and a pile of paper
and a box of crayons were sitting in the corner.
"This is creepy," Mulder said, winking at Scully. "What do you do
in here?"
"We find lost treasure maps and hunt for treasure!" Daniel said.
"This cave was made by pirates," Peter added.
"I see," Scully said.
"Let's go on a treasure hunt!" Daniel exclaimed.
XxXxX
"We're right back where we started!" Mulder exclaimed after they
hiked through the woods for half an hour.
"Oh well, must have been a dud," Peter said. "Do you want to try a
different map?"
"No!" Scully and Mulder both said.
"Let's go back to the house," Mulder suggested.
"Ok," the boys agreed, walking toward the stream.
"Here Scully, let me help you," Mulder took her hand and started
walking across the stream.
"Wow Mulder, that's awfully gentleman-like," she said dryly,
balancing on a dry rock. Mulder swung his her hand sharply to the
left, upsetting her balance and sending her into the water. She sat
up and said, "You must like to see me in water, you do that an
awful lot. Help me up," she giggled. He reached down and took her
hand, but she pulled him into the water as well.
"I want to go swimming too!" Peter exclaimed, jumping into the
stream.
"It's not deep enough. I want to go swim in the real water," Daniel
complained.
"And I want to put my bathing suit on," Peter added. "Come *on*
you guys."
Mulder and Scully stood up and rung the water out of their clothes.
They walked back through the woods.
"So what are we going to do today?" Daniel asked Mulder.
"I don't know. What do you want to do?" Mulder replied
"Go swimming, right now," Daniel said. "But then what?"
"Where are we?" Mulder asked.
The boys shrugged. "I dunno."
"I don't remember seeing this on the way here," Mulder said.
"Oh, I guess we're lost then," the boys replied.
"You guess?" Mulder asked. "How can you be lost on an island?"
"We'll have to walk straight until we find water, then follow to
beach to our house," Daniel said.
"Let's go this way," Peter suggested, turning to the right and
walking straight. Daniel, Scully and Mulder followed him into the
denser part of the island.
"I don't think we're going the right way..." Mulder said.
"There's no wrong way," Daniel said. "We're going to find water
sometime."
"I feel like we're on one of those adventure shows. When I grow up
I want to live in the Rain Forest," Peter said.
"You better not be scared of big snakes or spiders," Mulder teased.
"I'm not. I wanted to get a pet snake, but mommy wouldn't let me,"
Peter said.
"I want to be an airplane pilot," Daniel said, running ahead of them
with his arms spread out and making noises resembling an air
plane.
By the time they got to the shore and walked back to the house,
almost the entire afternoon had gone by. "So what are we going to
do now?" Daniel asked.
"Let's go swimming!" Peter announced.
They reached the house. "Go get your bathing suits on, then wait for
us." The boys ran off to get changed, while Mulder and Scully went
to the guest room.
XxXxX
"Where are Dana and Mulder?" Charles asked, seeing the twins
sitting on the couch, putting on water wings.
"Getting their bathing suits on," Peter replied.
"They're going to take us swimming," Daniel added.
"Are you sure?" Charles asked.
"Yeah! Why?" Daniel asked.
"Go look outside," Charles said. The boys walked over to a window
and looked out. The sky was dark grey and rain was pounding
against the ground.
Scully and Mulder came out of the bedroom in their bathing suits
and carrying towels. "Last one in is a rotten egg!" Mulder called,
jogging through the house to the front door. He opened it, then
scowled at the weather. "Well... never mind."
"Storms sure come on quick here," Scully said.
"We don't usually have much rain when we're here. Andrea? I think
we need more lanterns lit," Charles said, as darkness started to fill
the kitchen.
Andrea came out of the bedroom holding two lanterns. "I can't
believe it's this dark at noon time!"
"Who wants to play a game?" Charles asked.
"I do!" The twins agreed. They played Crazy Eights, UNO, and
Mouse Trap all afternoon. Presently, Mulder was sprawled across
the floor and playing Go Fish with Peter and Daniel.
"Do you have a four?" Daniel asked Peter.
"Nope! Go fish," he replied.
"Do you have a two?" Peter asked Mulder.
"Go fish," Mulder replied.
"Peter, do you have a two?" Mulder asked.
"Are you cheating?" Peter asked, grabbing Mulder's cards. "You had
a two! You lied! You're not getting mine!"
"Fine, I'll find one myself," Mulder smirked, then he started digging
through the 'pond' and started flipping over cards.
"Get him!" Daniel yelled, charging at Mulder.
"Ahh! Oh God," Mulder yelled, as they climbed on top of him and
started tickling him. Mulder wiggled roughly and tried to squirm
away. Scully came to the door of the living room and watched
them. Mulder was trying to wrestle out from underneath them, as
they continued to tickle him.
"And you call yourself a G-man," Scully smirked from the doorway.
"Well, G-woman, come and pry these leech-like children off me,
please," Mulder said dryly.
"Since you said the magic word..." Scully trailed off. "I'll consider
it."
"Consider it?" Mulder howled with laughter. "I'll... I'll..."
"You'll what?" Scully asked.
"Treat you real good," Mulder said, gasping for breath, then he
winked at her.
"Ok kids, I think Mulder's had enough. If you tickle him anymore it
looks like he'll pee himself," Scully said.
"Gee, thanks Scully," Mulder said, then stood up and ran for the
guest room.
XxXxX
"Hey! Everyone come outside!" Peter yelled, running out the door,
with Daniel in tow. The rain was falling in a steady shower.
"What?" Charles asked, following them.
"Come quick!" Daniel exclaimed. Scully, Mulder and Andrea
rushed outside.
"What is it?" Scully asked.
"Tricked ya!" They boys yelled, then raced back into the house and
slammed the door.
"Kids," Andrea muttered, trying the door. "It's locked."
"They locked us out?" Charles asked in disbelief.
"Sure looks like it," Andrea replied.
"Boys?" Charles yelled. "You get over here this instant and unlock
the door."
There was silence in the house.
"I think there might be an unlocked window somewhere," Charles
said. "Let's try to find one."
Andrea and Charles walked around back, while Scully and Mulder
tried the windows in the front of the house. They got close to the
guest room and they could hear the excited whisper of the boys.
Scully walked over to their window, looked in and gasped.
"What?" Mulder asked, walking to her side. The boys were sitting
on the floor beside her suitcase, and it's contents were scattered
across the floor. She stared at the boys open-mouthed. Daniel was
whirling the top of the bikini she had seduced Mulder with the
previous night over his head, while Peter was digging in another
pocket of her suitcase. He pulled out an object. It took Scully a
second to realize he was holding her vibrator. She tugged on the
window, and to her surprise, it opened. "Scully? Is that what it
looks like?" There was amusement in his voice.
"Damnit Mulder, I forgot that was in there," she said. "Lift me up."
He obeyed, and she started to crawl through the window.
"How long has that been in there?" Mulder asked, with a grin.
"For about six years," Scully replied. "God Mulder, I needed
something to keep... never mind, I can tell you later." She slid the
rest of the way through the window, and grabbed the vibrator from
Peter's hand, just as Charles and Andrea burst into the room. They
looked at the mess of Scully's things on the floor, then at Scully,
who grabbed the bikini top out of Daniel's hands.
"You guys are in big trouble," Andrea said, grabbing Peter and
Daniel by the hands and dragging them out of the room.
"Did they wreck anything, Dana?" Charles asked, bending down to
pick the stuff up.
"No," Scully answered quickly. "I can pick it up Charles." She
stepped in front of him.
"What's behind your back?" he asked.
"Nothing," she said, feeling her cheeks flush. Then she glanced at
Mulder who was watching from the window. "You can go let
Mulder in, though." As soon as Charles turned his back to her, she
stuffed the vibrator into the suitcase.
Mulder appeared in the bedroom a few seconds later. "Is there
anything else in there I ought to investigate?" He asked smugly.
"I don't know, but if you want to keep that attitude up, I might be
resorting to my little friend tonight, instead of the real thing," she
muttered.
"Whoa, let's not get hasty," Mulder said, kneeling down on the floor
beside her and started picking up various clothing items and
stuffing them into her suitcase.
"You are going to fold those, aren't you?"
Mulder froze. "Of course, honey." He pulled out everything he had
just stuffed into the suitcase. She grinned at him, then stood up and
walked out of the room.
"Charles is outside barbequing hamburgers for supper," Andrea
said, when Scully walked into the kitchen.
"In this weather? Wouldn't it be easier to have something you can
cook inside?" Scully asked, looking out the window. She could see
her brother staying beside the barbeque wearing a rain hat and coat.
"That's what I tried to tell him, but once he gets something into his
head, he's determined to do it," Andrea said, putting a bowl of salad
on the table.
"I know a man like that, too," Scully chuckled. Mulder walked into
the kitchen. "Honey, you should go help Charles with the
barbeque." Scully led him to the doorway.
"Uhh, ok," Mulder said, stepping into the rain.
"You should be wearing rain gear," Charles said, as Mulder
approached him. "Who's idea was it for you to come out here?"
"My significant other's," Mulder replied with a grin.
XxXxX
"The food is ready," Mulder announced, carrying a plate of
hamburgers covered in tin foil to the door. His clothes were
plastered to his body, and he was standing in a puddle. Andrea took
the plate from him, and Scully held out a dry towel for him.
"Poor baby," Scully murmured, wrapping the towel around him.
"You should get some dry clothes on."
"Are you making an offer?" Mulder grinned. Andrea started
laughing.
"Nope. You're a big boy, you can dress yourself," Scully told him.
Mulder left the kitchen.
"I've never seen a couple make more passes at each other," Andrea
said.
"Well, that's what you get after six years of foreplay," Scully replied
with a smile.
"Six years? Are you serious?" Andrea asked in disbelief. Scully
nodded. "I could not have lasted that long!"
"To tell you the truth, I've thought about letting myself into his
motel room on a couple of occasions," Scully replied.
"Whose motel room?" Mulder asked, entering the kitchen in dry
clothes.
"Oh, no one's," Scully said, then started setting the table.
"You better not be cheating on me, Scully, because I always carry
my handcuffs," Mulder replied.
"Now that's erotic," Scully said smugly, then laughed. "It was just
'girl talk'."
"Well, I'm one Hell of a eavesdropper," Mulder said. "I've thought
of slipping into your room too, but then I figured you'd shoot me
*again*."
"Whoa! Again?" Andrea asked.
"You're sister-in-law shot me... it's a long story," Mulder said.
Charles came inside, then took off his rain coat.
"I put the barbeque away, let's eat," he said.
"I'll go get the boys," Andrea said, heading toward her bedroom.
XxXxX
"Shouldn't you boys be in bed by now?" Mulder asked, looking at
his watch. "It's 7:30."
"We're not babies!" Peter said.
"Yeah, we don't have to go to bed while 9:00," Daniel replied.
"Says who?" Andrea asked from the kitchen.
"Um, daddy," Daniel said.
"Oh really?" Andrea went to the doorway.
"Well, maybe 8:00..." Peter said.
"Why don't you boys get in the tub?" Andrea asked.
"Can Uncie Moldy bath us?" Daniel asked.
"I don't know, you'd have to ask him," Andrea replied.
"Please? It's real fun!" Peter begged.
"Yeah! Please please?" Daniel added. Scully smirked at Mulder.
"Sure guys. Do you know how to turn the water on?" Mulder asked.
"Yup," Daniel said, and the boys went into the bathroom and shut
the door.
Scully stuck out her tongue at Mulder. "You never draw my bath,
Mulder."
"You never ask," Mulder said.
"Should I have to?" Scully winked.
"OK! We're ready!" Peter yelled from the bathroom.
"I'll have to get back to you on that," Mulder said, before slipping
into the bathroom. The boys were both sitting in the tub, and Snip
jumped onto the edge of the bathtub. "Hey! What's the cat doing in
here?" he asked, closing the door.
"Snip likes water," Peter explained.
"Can we have some bubble bath?" Daniel asked.
"I don't see why not," Mulder said, reaching for the bottle. He
poured a hearty amount into the water, then put the bottle back on
the shelf.
"Can you go get our bath toys?" Peter asked. "I left them in our
bedroom."
"Where are they?" Mulder asked.
"On the floor by the dresser," Daniel said.
"Ok," Mulder said cheerfully, leaving the twins in the bathroom
while he went to get the toys. When he returned with his arms full
of toys, the cat was still standing on the edge of the tub, and there
was a pink razor in Peters hand.
"We're going to be barbers when we grow up!" Peter exclaimed.
Mulder looked horrified and dropped the toys to the floor. The
crash to the floor surprised Snip, who lost his balance on the edge
of the tub and fell in.
He surfaced, then promptly leapt out of the bathtub and dashed to
the door. A mess of bubble bath, water and a fur-less right leg, the
cat frantically tried to escape the bathroom. His feet were swept out
from under him on the tile floor and he slid into the living room.
"Oh my God!" Scully exclaimed, as the cat bounced off a wall in
the living room and ran the other way.
"Snip! What have they done to you?" Andrea asked, picking up the
cat.
"Mulder!" Scully called. He appeared in the bathroom doorway.
"I had no part of this Scully. I swear," Mulder said, his eyes
gleaming.
"I'm done my bath!" Daniel shouted.
"I'm covered in cat hair!" Peter added.
"What?" Andrea asked in confusion, then she petted Snips bare leg.
"Oh no!"
"What did they do?" Charles asked.
"They've shaved Snip!" Andrea wailed. The two boys came running
from the bathroom with towels wrapped around them.
"The cat has legs like a chicken!" Peter said, pointing at the cat.
"Charles, how about you put the kids to bed and I look after our
poor cat," Andrea suggested, carrying the protesting cat into the
bathroom to get a towel.
"Ok sweetheart," he replied, ushering the kids into the bedroom.
"You know... I think I need some bath toys," Mulder grinned, as he
flopped down on the sofa between Andrea and Scully.
XxXxX
Charles came out of the master bedroom and closed the door.
"Okay, they're sleeping," he said. Mulder had built a fire, and was
now sitting beside Scully on the sofa. Andrea was curled up in a
chair. "Who wants to play a board game?"
"As long as it's not Mouse Trap..." Mulder warned. Charles laughed.
"I'll go get something to drink," Charles said, heading for the
kitchen.
"How about 'Survivor'?" Andrea suggested.
"There's a 'Survivor' board game?" Scully asked.
"Yes, you have to answer riddles and questions," Andrea explained.
"Then after each round you vote someone off the island. When
there are only two people remaining the people who have been
voted off decide who wins."
"You want to play that game, again, Andrea?" Charles smirked as
he passed around bottles of beer.
"Of course," she replied.
"She's just mad cause she's never won yet," Charles laughed.
"We'll see who gets voted off first this time," Andrea retorted with a
smile. She got the game from the hall closet. "We have to get into
teams, how do you want to split up?
"Doesn't matter," Mulder said, reading the front of the box. "'Play
not to survive the game... but to survive each other.' Ooooh,
creepy."
"How about the women versus the men?" Scully asked.
"Go ahead," Mulder said. "We'll see who wins."
"Mulder... you can't even build a fire out in the middle of the woods
without matches," Scully replied.
"You couldn't either," he stated.
"At least I tried," Scully added.
"And I watched you," Mulder grinned.
"Let's play. Women against men," Scully narrowed her eyes at her
brother and lover. "Get ready for some serious ass kicking."
"Scully..." Mulder trailed off with laughter. "Did you really think
gun powder would ignite a fire?" Scully threw a deck of cards at
him.
"So what do we do?" Scully asked.
"We have to pick a name," Andrea said. "The choices are PaGong
and Tagi."
"Let's be Tagi. They can be the Pee-On's," Scully giggled.
"Pe-On's? Scully, you're so funny," Mulder replied. "How do we
play?"
"We move around the board, answering the questions. The first
team to get all the way around gets some Survivor Items, then we
split up and play individually. When we are playing by ourselves,
the first person to go all the way around the board cannot be voted
off at that time. We can explain as we go along," Charles said.
They started playing the game. After Mulder and Charles
maneuvered around the board quickly, they won the Survivor items.
"So now what do we do?" Scully asked.
"We keep going around and answering questions until it's time to
vote someone off," Andrea explained, rolling the dice. She moved
ahead to an Out Play square. After picking a card and writing her
answer she read out loud, "'I would most hate finding in my
sleeping bag a A. live snake B. huge spider C. dead fish.'" Everyone
proceeded to write what they thought Andrea would do on their
paper. "Are you ready?"
"Well, I don't know you very well, but I'm going to say B," Mulder
said.
"I'd have to say B, too," Scully said.
"I'm going with A," Charles said.
"A," Andrea replied. "Spiders I can handle, but snakes..." She
shuddered. "Does anyone want anything else to drink?"
"I'll get it," Scully said. "Anyone else?"
"Sure," Charles and Mulder said.
"Andrea?" Scully asked.
"I think I'm good for right now, thanks," she replied.
Mulder picked up the dice and rolled. He landed on Out Play as
well, so he read the card and marked his answer. Scully came back
with the drinks and sat down. "'If I'm camped out on a remote
beach, I'm most likely to skinny dip A. if no one else is around B.
only if everyone else does C. if it's with someone I fancy.'" Mulder
chuckled.
"Gee," Charles wondered. "What should I write? C."
"C," Andrea agreed.
"Well," Scully smiled. "I'm going with C, too."
"You're all right!" Mulder exclaimed. "Is this a remote island?" He
winked at them.
"Not quite," Charles laughed. Scully picked up the dice.
"I landed on Out Wit," she announced. "It's a riddle. 'When you stop
and look, you can always see me. If you try to touch, you cannot
feel me. I cannot run, but as you near me, I'll move away; you'll
never reach me.'"
"How many guesses do we have?" Mulder asked.
"One," Charles replied.
"Sunlight," Andrea guessed.
"Nope," Scully replied.
"That's what I was going to say," Mulder said.
"Air?" Charles asked.
"No," Scully said. "Mulder?"
"I'm thinking..." he said. "Something that can't be caught, but is
always seen. You can feel it, but it can't run-"
"This isn't Who Wants To Be A Millionaire! Just say something,"
Scully interrupted.
"Okay, the answer is the horizon," Mulder said.
"What? How'd you know?" Scully asked.
"I'm smart," he said cockily, moving his marker forward because he
answered the question. "You're turn Charles." Charles rolled the
dice and moved to an Out Wit square.
"This is a riddle as well. 'Sometimes I glitter, but more often not.
I'm usually cold, but may be hot. Some find my protection great,
while others die beneath my weight."
"That's easy, it's the ocean," Mulder replied smugly.
"Nope," Charles laughed.
"A body of water?" Andrea asked.
"A diamond?" Scully asked.
"You're all wrong, it's a stone," Charles replied.
"A stone? I like my answer much better," Mulder said.
Andrea rolled and landed on the starting square. "Looks like we get
to vote," she said, distributing the cards and erasable marker. They
all voted, then Andrea announced that Mulder had to leave the
island.
"Well damn," he muttered. "I thought I was going to win, too." He
grinned, picking up his piece.
"The games a lot longer when you have more than four people
playing," Charles said. "Dana, it's your turn." Scully rolled the dice
and landed on an Out Wit square.
"It's a Walk the Plank. That means you each get one guess after
each hint, right?" Scully asked.
"Yes," Andrea replied.
"Ok. 'I'm used in modern medicine to improve circulation in
amputees.'" Scully read.
"A leech," Andrea said.
"I wrote that, too," Charles said.
"You're right," Scully replied. Charles rolled the dice and landed on
Out Play.
"'If a native were to offer me a meal of monkey brains I would
probably A. politely refuse B. accept, but not eat any C. eat as much
as I wanted.'" He said.
"I wrote A," Andrea said, making a disgusted face.
"I said B," Scully said.
"It's B," Charles replied, laughing.
They continued to play, until Andrea was voted off. Mulder and
Andrea decided that it was Scully would be the survivor.
"That was a fun game," Scully said, after they put it away.
"Who wants to play Pass The Ace?" Charles asked, grabbing a deck
of cards.
"Ok," they agreed, then started to play it. Unfortunately, they had
drunk a little too much, and forfeited all the rules of the game. It
turned into 'Hide The Ace' very quickly.
"Mulder? Where's your card?" Scully asked, when she went to trade
her card with him.
"I dunno Scully. I think I lost it. Can I have another one?" He asked,
reaching for the deck.
"No," Scully said, putting her hand over his. "What card did you
have?"
"I don't know," he shrugged. "Oh wait, here it is," he picked a King
up off the floor. "Now you can't trade with me, Scully."
They decided to stop playing shortly after cards started
disappearing.
Charles got up and yawned. "What time is it?" He asked.
"Almost two," Mulder said, picking up a lantern off the table. "We
should be going to bed."
"Ok," Andrea agreed. "See you in the morning."
"Good night," Scully said, as Mulder led her into the bedroom. He
closed the door and put the lantern down on the night stand and
walked over to her suitcase.
"Mulder?" Scully asked. He bent down and pulled out her vibrator.
"I'm interested in hearing the story on how this got in there," he
grinned.
XxXxX
"Ok, everyone wake up!" A voice yelled through the house.
"What?" Scully mumbled, lifting her head from Mulder's shoulder.
"I didn't say anything," Mulder muttered, looking at his watch. "It's
7:30."
"Your rescue team is here," the voice announced. After a moment,
they heard voices in the living room.
"Uncle Bill!" Daniel yelled from the living room.
"Uncle Bill?" Mulder repeated.
"Bill? He's here?" Scully asked, sliding out of bed.
"Yay," Mulder grinned. "You'd think he'd mind me screwing his
sister?"
"I think if you phrased it that way, you better be swimming," Scully
laughed, pulling him out of the bed. "Come on." They left their
bedroom and entered the living room.
"Dana?" Bill asked in surprise. "Mulder?" He asked in shock.
"Hi Bill," Scully said, hugging him.
"What are you guys doing here?" He asked them.
"Charles and Andrea invited us," Scully answered.
"Hi Bill," Mulder said. Bill's eyes trailed to the bedroom.
"Hi Mulder! How've you been?" Bill asked. Mulder's eyes widened
with surprise.
"Uh, I'm good. How about you?" He asked awkwardly.
"Great," he replied.
"Why are you here?" Scully asked.
"I heard about the storm, and I decided to come out here to see how
you guys were," he said.
"We can leave in about half an hour," Charles said, emerging from
the master bed room.
"Uncle Bill, will you play with us?" Peter asked excitedly.
"Sure, but I think you had better go pack up the toys you want to
bring back to the city with you," Bill said.
"Okay," the boys rushed into their bedroom, and shut the door.
XxXxX
"This is a nice boat Bill," Mulder said, after they packed the
suitcases under the deck.
"This is my hobby," he explained. "I don't get to leave San
Francisco much, but when I do I take this out for a couple days."
Mulder nodded.
"I'm beginning to think that every time we come in contact with
you, there's a storm," Andrea said to Mulder.
"Must be an X-File," he replied, laughing.
Andrea and Scully strapped life jackets on the boys, then waded out
to where the boat was waiting. Bill started the engine and they
headed out to the open water. Once they had been going for a few
minutes, Mulder called Scully to the hull of the boat.
"Yes dear?" she grinned.
"I was hoping to do this in a more romantic place," Mulder started,
taking her hand. "Will you marry me?" He slid an engagement ring
onto her finger.
Scully smiled, then wrapped her arms around his neck. "Yes," she
said, before kissing him. "Yes," she repeated. "I'll marry you." He
wrapped his arms around her waist, and started kissing her again,
with the twins cries of disgust being drowned out by the rush of the
wind.
XxXxX
FINIS
mercury_999@hotmail.com
**author's notes: although this sequel was intended to be written
shortly after the end of the Prequel, Playing House, the fact that it
took me more than a year to start it reminds you readers that I
should never, ever be asked to sequel anything again! Thanks for
reading!
a big ::HUG:: to my editor, thanks fro :)
oh and there is an actual board game called 'Survivor.' The Riddles,
Walk the Plank and Know Thy Neighbour questions are all from
the game. 23/01/2001
XxXxX