This is a non-profit work of fan-fiction based upon The X-Files television series created by Chris Carter. The X-Files, and all related characters, places, and events, belongs to 1013 Productions, and is used without permission. This story, along with any original characters, belongs to the author, © 1998, minor revisions © 2005.

Sweet Dreams
by Orianna-2000

This story is based on actual events.

Dedicated to my Shenny.

X x X

"I'm sorry we only have the one room," said Linda, her regret at having to force the two agents to share a bedroom evident.

"That's okay, Lin," Scully replied. "We've slept in worse, believe me!"

"Scully's right. Please don't apologize," Mulder added. "You weren't expecting me, and I'm sorry to intrude on your little reunion."

Linda smiled. "You're not intruding! Any friend of Dana's is a friend of mine. That is, if you don't mind being friends with a psychotic doctor."

"Psychotic doctor?" Mulder grinned and glanced pointedly at Scully. "Already know one."

Scully made a face, and in an unexpected gesture, threw a pillow at Mulder's head. He looked at her wide-eyed, mouth dropped open for effect.

Linda laughed and shook her head, moving out the door. "I'll see you in the morning, then. If you need anything, don't hesitate to yell."

"What was that?" Mulder asked, staring at Scully in amusement. "You threw a pillow at me!"

Scully nodded, pursing her lips in a smile. "You made fun of me."

"I suppose you're going to want the bed, too?"

Scully looked from the ancient fold-up bed to the floor and back again. "Yep. Help me fold it out?"

While Scully busied herself putting sheets on the bed, Mulder began folding blankets on the floor. He soon plopped himself down on the hand-made pallet, and watched Scully expertly smooth the sheets back. After a minute, she finished and sat on the edge of the bed.

"What?" Mulder asked, noticing the odd look that appeared on Scully's face.

"Nothing, it's just" She reclined, stretching her legs out, then made an unhappy noise. "Not only is this mattress full of lumps, but you can feel the... uh," she stood and lifted the mattress up, exposing the metal grid that supported the bed. "These things. It's like lying right on them!"

"Oh. Well, do you want to switch? The floor's pretty hard, but if you can't sleep on that" he pointed and shrugged. "I don't mind."

Scully smiled. "You really don't mind?"

"Not a bit," Mulder smiled back.

They switched places, then Mulder flipped the lights out. "Good night, Scully."

Scully sighed. "You're right these blankets provide absolutely no padding."

Mulder sat up. "And this bed is about to kill me."

"All right, why don't you give me your blankets, and I'll add them to the ones I'm laying on."

"And let me freeze? I don't think so!"

"No, no. There's enough room down here for both of us. We can share the extra padding," she explained. There was a silence. "Mulder?"

"Uh, yeah. Okay."

In the dark, they spread out Mulder's blankets on top of the ones already on the floor, then opened the top blanket to cover both of them.

A few minutes of silence passed. Then:

"Scully?"

"Yeah, Mulder?"

"This floor is really hard."

They both sat up, and Mulder asked, "Do you think your friend would mind if we utilized her couch?"

Scully shook her head, even though she knew Mulder couldn't see her in the dark. "I think that's a good idea."

Grabbing a sheet and blanket each, they cautiously moved into the hallway. "It's awfully dark," Scully whispered. "Be careful you don't fall down the stairs."

That stopped Mulder dead in his tracks, and Scully bumped into him. "Hey! Watch it, Scully."

"Shhh!"

"I don't know where the stairs are... I can't see anything!"

Crouching down, Scully began feeling the ground ahead of her. Slowly she moved, Mulder right beside her, until her fingers hit air instead of carpet. "Here. I'm going to scootch down them."

"Scootch?"

Scully shifted the blankets over her shoulder. "So I don't fall."

"Good idea. I'm right behind you."

When they finally reached the bottom of the stairs, a very faint light came through the window from the street, making the outline of the overstuffed couch and loveseat stand out.

"We made it, Mulder. You want the couch?"

He looked from the small loveseat to the longer couch and nodded. "Yeah, you're shorter than me."

Together they started to lay out the blankets to form impromptu beds. Scully spread out one big sheet on the loveseat, then moved to help Mulder with his. "Where's your sheet, Mulder?"

"What?" he whispered.

"The sheet?"

"Hang on. It's here somewhere." He pulled the folded blankets apart, trying to locate the sheet by feel. "It's not here. I must've dropped it on the way down."

Back up the stairs he went, crawling on all fours with hands outstretched. Scully waited patiently, and after a minute he returned. "Can't find it. 'S'okay, though. I'll live without."

"Okay." Scully turned to go the the loveseat, then stopped. "Mulder, what's that?"

"What?" He couldn't see a thing in the darkness.

"That... thing... on the floor. You see it?"

Mulder scanned the floor. A small, dark shape could be seen, though not with enough clarity to be identified. He crouched down to get a closer look. "I see it. Can't tell what it is, though. It's big enough to be a rat..."

"Mulder!" She grabbed his shoulder nervously, peering down to try and see for herself. "Are you sure? It's not moving."

"Nope. Could be anything... maybe a giant cockroach."

"Pick it up and see."

"I'm not going to pick it up. You pick it up!"

"No way, Mulder! You do it."

He shook his head firmly. "I'm not touching it."

Scully frowned and sighed. Leaning against Mulder for support, she hesitantly reached out a foot to poke it. Mulder chose that moment to grab her in the ribs. "Boo!"

She yelped, and lost her balance, sitting down hard. "Mulder! That wasn't funny!"

"Shh! You'll wake your friends up," he whispered, trying not to laugh. "And it actually happened to be very funny. Here" He held up the dark object for her to see.

Quickly, Scully found a pillow and brought it down on his head. "That's for scaring me..." Another whack on the head. "...and that's for making think the television remote control was a rat!"

Mulder muffed his laughter by burying his face in the cushions of the couch. After a few seconds, Scully joined him in hysteria.

"Oh God, Mulder," she finally whispered with a smile. "It must be really late." She chuckled. "A rat... you're never going to let me live that down, are you?"

"Not a chance, my dear." He grinned in the dark. "Now, let's get some sleep."

"Good idea." She crawled over to the loveseat and pulled herself onto it. "Goodnight, Mulder."

"'Night, Scully."

Scully lay back and giggled. "'Night, John Boy." Mulder snorted, and she nearly started laughing again. For a few minutes she lay quietly, trying to get comfortable on the loveseat that was really too short even for her. Finally, she sighed.

Instantly, Mulder woke up. "What's the matter?"

"It's... too short."

"All right. This couch is extra long. Come over here and we'll share it," he mumbled sleepily.

She hesitated. "You sure?"

"Yeah. Come on."

Mulder moved his feet out of the way, motioning for her to lay at the opposite end from him. Somewhat doubtful, she wiggled under the blankets as he indicated. Her feet hit his side.

"Hey!" Mulder yelped. "Your feet are cold!"

"Sorry," she giggled, shifting slightly. He moved too, trying to accommodate her, but quickly earned a protest. "Mulder, your feet are in my face!"

"Oh." He pulled them back, and tried to find a better position. Scully rolled to her side, stretching out as best as she could.

"That's my armpit, Scully."

"Oops."

After much shifting around, they found a comfortable compromise, and both finally drifted to sleep.

A loud thump and a blast of cool air woke Scully. The blankets, and Mulder, were missing. She sat up, barely able to discern a pile on the floor that had to be her partner.

"Mulder! You took the covers," she chastised sleepily.

"I fell," he retorted with a mumble. "I rolled off the couch."

"But you took the blankets with you." She tugged on them, half-asleep but determined to steal them back.

"Don't worry, I'm fine."

Scully stopped pulling. "Oh, are you okay?"

"Mmhm. Yeah. But I think I'll move to the loveseat." He separated one blanket, then passed the rest up to her on the couch.

"Thanks." And she promptly fell asleep again.

From the loveseat, Mulder smiled at the sleeping woman. He blew her a silent kiss and whispered, "Goodnight."