Thanks for reading-don't forget to review:)
Still owning nada…
Ch 3
A long, disheartened sigh escaped Scully's lips as she stared at the sepia-toned photograph, "I'd be happy with just one…," she whispered to the beige plaster walls. Mulder was across the room, plying the graying docent with questions about Venus Springs. All the talk of founding families and their astronomically numerous offspring was beginning to pick away at Scully's good humor, so she had left her partner to his query and stepped across the worn wooden floor that echoed her every step.
Even though smiling was not a customary practice when sitting for a photograph in the late 1800's, the local families depicted in them smiled proudly from their moment in history—long before the threat of alien invasion, secret government conspiracies, the hybridization of the human race, or even virus-laden bees for that matter. Proud parents and their two dozen or so children stared back from each of the long, framed photographs that graced the walls of the modest museum.
Fearing that her forced distance would be noticed by the chatty volunteer, Scully slowly made her way back toward the information desk, passing photographs of historical mother-lodes and the rich fields and pasture land of the lower valley. She stopped and smiled a little at the photos of men and women in antiquated wool bathing suits and voluminous up-do's topped with floppy-brimmed bathing caps, taking the curative waters at one of Venus Spring's numerous spas and bath houses.
"How did Venus Springs keep from becoming another Denver?" Mulder joked, though he was certainly curious at how the exponential birthrate could be contained in such a tiny burg.
"Well, the geography of Venus Springs helps to keep the town small," the museum's hostess, Esther, described. The mountain roads aren't exactly built for heavy traffic, and the forests that surround us have been protected lands for several decades," the petite grandmother of fourteen explained. "Many families settled other towns further up the mountain while some others bought farm land in the valley. Sometimes young people would go to the big city to make their fortune, but very often they come back to Venus Springs to start a family," Miss Esther declared with a sing-songed knowing in her voice, as if her predictions to young locals filled with wanderlust had eventually come true.
"So how did this little Colorado town end up named for a Roman goddess?" Mulder questioned with a chuckle.
"Actually, our sister city is on the island of Cypress," Esther informed, referring to the island that, according to legend, first accepted the goddess that rose from the seafoam.
"But the founding fathers were more partial to Ovid than Homer?" Mulder teased, wondering at the choice of Roman versus Greek incarnations.
"Very good," Esther was impressed with her visitor's keen insight.
"A minor in literature," Mulder conceded, his grin spreading at the sight of amused, raised eyebrows that should be surprised but really weren't.
"I learned more about human behavior from Shakespeare than I ever did from Freud," Scully could nearly hear Mulder say in her head. She couldn't help but shake her head and chuckle. Fortunately, the museum guide was too engrossed in her tale to notice the silent communication.
"In fact, it was a tweedy, young professor from Princeton who gave the city its name," the historian indicated an antiquated photo of a thin, pale man with light eyes behind wire-rimmed glasses, moustache and bowler hat standing resolutely before one of the natural springs as she began the tale.
"Henry Renard," Esther began, "It's said that he left academic life when his parents and siblings were lost to a horrible strain of influenza. Heading west to start over, Renard stopped to rest his horses by the mineral springs, and after a few days of drinking and bathing with the water, he decided that he had never felt better in his entire life. With his family's inheritance, Renard built the first restorative health spa in the area," Esther nodded to the following photo in the series.
"Of course this was a time when health spa guests tended to stay for several months as opposed to just a few days, and Renard discovered that many of the previously childless couples staying at the spa were suddenly expecting."
"I guess a little rest and relaxation is good for that sort of thing," Mulder smiled, hazarding a glance at Scully who seemed immersed in studying the medical relics of the spa in question.
"According to Renard's guest records, their conditions tended to be a bit more serious than that. Many of those who came to the spa had received some rather dire diagnoses, but after some time, their symptoms improved markedly, according to the owner's journals. In fact with all the impeding births, Renard had to advertise for a doctor to come and deliver all these babies."
"My wife delivered a baby during a hurricane once," Mulder prodded his aloof partner, coaxing her to come and join the conversation.
"Oh my, how exciting," the volunteer responded with wide eyes.
"She'd be even more impressed if she knew about battling the mutant sea creature…" the upturned corners of Scully's lips wryly spoke as she stepped close to Mulder's side, allowing him to wrap his arm around her waist.
"Obstetrics isn't my specialty though," Scully shook her head lightly in explanation.
"Just be glad you're practicing medicine today," Miss Esther warned unnecessarily, stepping forward to the next photograph. "Dr. Kathleen McCarty accepted the position here after reading Renard's advertisement in a New York newspaper. She couldn't get a job in New York—not too many hospitals willing to hire women as doctors back then…," Esther carried on, oblivious to Scully's tiny smile.
Scully's eye travelled from the studio picture of a lone young woman, determination shining fiercely out of her bright eyes, a cascade of rich, probably auburn or chestnut-colored wavy locks falling behind her trim, petite frame to the larger photo beside it, a multitude of children surrounding Kathleen and Henry, standing in front of the newly-christened Venus Springs Health Resort and Spa.
"It wasn't long before Henry and Kathleen married and began their own family—twelve children, forty-five grandchildren, well over a hundred great-grandchildren at the time of their passing.
"Jeez, everyone would need to wear nametags just to keep up," Mulder joked, hoping to alleviate any tension between Scully and himself at the mention of such a prodigious family.
She smiled at his little joke, comforted by the large hand resting at the small of her back. She didn't want her personal sorrows to completely spoil the entire trip, so she tried to play the part of the affectionate wife. She let her body relax into Mulder's shoulder, encouraging him to deliver a kiss to the top of her head.
"So…I was wondering…walking up here, we passed all sorts of little shops—selling herbs, stones, even this cute little lingerie shop we'll have to try.
The elbow to the ribs and the rolled eyes were so worth it.
"It seems that the more that Venus Springs became known for its unusually large families, the more it attracted business that catered toward those same interests. Most of the shopkeepers are long-time residents of the Springs," Esther continued, hoping to reassure this young couple of the town's good intentions.
The kindly grandmother smiled, "Venus Springs has drawn a wide variety of people over the decades, and they've brought with them their own traditions and skills—some may be truly helpful, some may just be plain fun," Esther winked.
"I guess a little fun couldn't hurt anything," Mulder grinned, earning him a surreptitious pinch from his partner in retaliation. Figuring he was already pushing his luck with the suspicious redhead by his side, Mulder thanked the talkative volunteer for the wealth of information she'd provided.
"Miss Esther, you have been a most gracious hostess," Mulder bid the docent adieu with his typical charm and flair, slipping a twenty from his wallet and fitting it through the slot in the top of large jar lid, "and I hope this helps keep the lights on here another day."
"It was nice to meet you," Scully departed with simple grace, even though she was internally criticizing herself for not being a very attentive guest.
"Have a lovely visit here in Venus Springs, you two. Enjoy yourselves!"
The muffled brass bell sounded through the closed glass as the museum's front doors closed behind.
Turning toward Scully, grinning wide with a mischievous twinkle in his eye as he clasped her hands in his, Mulder inquired, "So…are you ready to head to some of those little shops Esther suggested, honeybunch?
"Anything you'd like…"
"Wait for it…," her brilliant blue eyes spoke.
"Poopyhead," she enunciated with a wicked grin, provoking Mulder's affectionate kiss to the top of her head.
She knew instinctively it was not part of their cover.
xxx
ch 4
"Genuine Irish lace, specially woven and blessed for successful romance," Mulder recited, reading the sign overhanging the curving sidewalk, slowing his pace to peruse the samples in the window.
"A lingerie shop—really Mulder?" a slightly cynical Scully argued, though she knew little good would come of her protest.
"It could very well be part of the puzzle, Scully. There might be some spell woven into the lace—some ancient Druid reproductive charm…."
"The Ancient Druids?" Scully was fighting the urge to roll her eyes once more that afternoon.
"Somehow I doubt the nuns and priests are behind it," Mulder opened the shop door for Scully, ushering her in.
Xxx
"Welcome to Miss Eileen's, what may I help you find today?" a freckled, willowy woman with long auburn curls greeted Mulder and Scully as they entered the boutique.
"We saw your sign," Mulder smiled congenially, "and my wife and I were wondering about the more beneficial properties of your lace.
Though slightly suspicious of Mulder's motives, Scully did allow herself the guilty pleasure of cozying up to her "husband," excursions like this one giving the by-the-book agent a moment to indulge in her partner's affectionate touch.
The proprietress looked around her shop and then studied Scully, trying to decide what might suit her best. Pulling a golden champagne-colored gown from a rack and discreetly slipping off the price tag, Eileen brought the luxurious piece of lingerie back to the counter with her.
"This particular piece really highlights some of our lace maker's best work," she began, slipping a black velvet board between the gown's layers, to highlight the patterning. "The luckenbooth—the intertwined hearts topped with a crown, symbolizes friendship, affection and betrothal. You would also see this symbol on a firstborn's baby blanket to bestow luck," the shopkeeper described the neckline detail that graced the gold silk before moving to the plunging inset that spread deeply into the midriff.
"Further down, you see the three connected spirals at each point in the delta," Eileen indicated the repeated swirls branching from a triangulated pattern. "In Celtic traditions, this figure symbolizes motherhood, with each of the spirals noting the three trimesters of pregnancy. Not only does it promote fertility, but also power and luck. The color gold also symbolizes good fortune," the clerk described in detail. "But, of course, you can't truly appreciate the gown's beauty unless you try it on," she tempted.
"Oh…no…I really don't need to…," Scully stammered, suddenly self-conscious.
"Come on, sweetheart…," Mulder cooed, playful suggestiveness coating his words with honey. "We came all this way…shouldn't we explore all our options?"
Mulder knew he was risking a retaliation of epic proportions, but Scully, with a knowing smile, accepted the challenge.
"Which way to the dressing room?"
Xxx
Mulder, who had followed Scully back toward the dressing room, was stopped short at the damask-covered door.
"You don't need any help then?" he asked with a grin.
"I think I've got under control," Scully assured with a wry turn of her lips, leaving Mulder in the secluded hallway.
After a few moments of Mulder's impatient fidgeting, wondering if it would be wholly inappropriate to dispose of sunflower seed shells in such an establishment, the dressing room door swung open, and a vision in golden silk and lace emerged from within.
"Oh my god," Mulder exhaled, rendered nearly speechless at the sight before him.
"At least we know the gown works on at least…one-half…of the equation," Scully smirked, her eyes travelling down to the noticeable tenting in her partner's jeans.
Squirming slightly, Mulder tried to make some discreet adjustments, much to Scully's amusement.
"Come here," Mulder, still blushing a bit from the scrutiny, held out his hand to direct Scully to the three-way mirror. Obliging with a smile, Scully accepted his hand and moved in front of Mulder whose hands couldn't help but trace the silky curve of Scully's waist as he stood behind her.
"You look absolutely breathtaking," he whispered as he bent to her ear, though their eyes never left each other's in the mirror.
"Thank you," Scully tried to maintain the upper hand, though her pulse raced from her partner's attentions. Trying to maintain some semblance of professionalism and practicality, Scully warned in low tones, out of the earshot of the shopkeeper, "But if you think you're going to turn over a gown like this to the squints in fibers and textiles, you're crazy. Just send them a pair of panties—you'll be their hero," Scully grinned then conceded her appreciation for the lingerie.
"I'll take some high-res photos of the lacework and send them to my great aunt in Ireland—see what she can find out about the patterns and techniques," she smiled slyly before stepping out of Mulder's light embrace and back into the seclusion of the dressing room.
Seconds later, gold silk and lace was draped over the dressing room door, spilling into Mulder's hands. Making a speedy return to the sales desk, Mulder quickly handed over his credit card, so the total might escape Scully's notice, and he whispered to the clerk—
"Add a couple pair of panties, and…by the way…," Mulder questioned, checking to make sure Scully was still getting dressed and whispering even more quietly, "Do you also have this…in black?"
Xxx
"This is our red clover and raspberry leaf tea—it helps to nourish the uterus, calm the nervous system and restore hormonal balance," the wiry man with round glasses and curly, graying hair pulled into a low ponytail, held up the scoopful of loose tea so that both Mulder and Scully might smell the fruity combination.
"You might also be interested in our tinctures of false unicorn root and stinging nettle to help regulate ovulation," the herbalist suggested. "Now over here are our treatments for male infertility…," the gaunt man made his way to the opposite counter.
Under her breath Scully sarcastically muttered, "Huh, too bad they don't have a remedy for 'my ova were stolen by a shadow government conspiracy bent on enslaving the human race to save their own sorry asses from alien domination.'"
"Scully…," Mulder whispered in concerned warning, casting his normally reserved partner a worried glance.
The shopkeeper's brow furrowed for a moment, trying to make sense of the overheard comment. Shaking it off and smiling once again, he started, "Astralagus helps to promote sperm motility and concentration while the horny goat weed also aids with the firmness and length of an erection," the shopkeeper described with absolute seriousness.
Mulder nervously looked down and away, fighting the urge to suggest that firmness and length were really not the problem. Casting a glance at Scully, whom he figured would be getting a kick out of his current discomfort, was looking out the window at the schoolchildren piling out of the yellow bus and making their way up the crooked streets to their hillside homes or downtown to their parents' shops.
Scully had played along good-naturedly at the lingerie store, reveling in the power she held over her partner in the revealing gown, but the visit to the herbalist was trying her patience, thinking that her partner was wasting his time on such a futile quest. Sure, Mulder thought he was being so damn sly, and she really did love his tenacity when trying to solve a problem or fix something he'd felt he'd broken, but all the scans and tests she'd endured after her abduction kept telling Dana Scully the same thing—she'd never bear children of her own.
Suddenly, a gangly teenager opened the door, the brass bell startling Scully out of her reverie. The tall young man with curly dark hair offered her a polite smile as he stowed his backpack behind the counter.
"Hey, Pops," the young man greeted, "Deliveries in the back?"
"Just put out the first three cases, son—leave the other for back stock," the older man directed.
Mulder tried to contain his surprise—the herbalist looked like he could've been the boy's grandfather.
"Curt—he's the youngest of nine," the graying man explained, "I guess when you specialize in fertility treatments, nine kids shouldn't exactly be a surprise."
"Guess not," Mulder mused. "Um, wrap up one of each for us," indicating the products the older man had described, all that rot about 'what was good for the goose being good for the gander' prickling at his conscience.
Quickly paying the tab, Mulder offered a sweet but guilty smile to Scully, his hand at the small of her back as he escorted her out of the store, afraid that he might have waited too long to tell his partner what he'd kept secret for several long months.
Xxx
"So…one more shop before we head back to our room?" Mulder queried, becoming a little concerned with his partner's impatience.
Trying to put forth her typically brave, stoic front, Scully smiled automatically, a quick, "Sure," indicating her unenthusiastic consent.
Xxx
"What very pretty diamonds," the blonde shopkeeper remarked, finishing up with another customer before approaching Mulder and Scully, noting the exemplary cut of the solitaire resting atop the wedding band her partner had placed on Scully's finger earlier that afternoon in their hotel room.
As Scully opened her mouth for a perfunctory 'thank you,' Mulder chimed in, his smile beaming with an odd touch of pride for someone who had supposedly picked up the rings from the seized property warehouse.
"I thought so," he agreed, his green eyes twinkling as he studied the stones. Breaking his appreciative stare before the fiery redhead beside him began to grow suspicious, Mulder engaged the jeweler in his intended discussion.
"You have some very beautiful things here as well."
"Absolutely…," Scully added, trying to remain focused on the task at hand as she fought the urge to withdraw into herself and dwell on her losses.
"Many of our gems are regional while others are imported, but everything is crafted on the premises by local artists, some of whom specialize in the more traditional jeweler's cuts while others work in more organic forms." Seeing as the husband was studying one of the store's brochures on the health benefits of stones while the wife's attention seemed drawn to the unique garnet set in the case, the shopkeeper pulled the beaded set onto the counter.
"So…do these stones have some sort of medicinal properties?" Mulder inquired, trying to gauge the items in the case against the small photos in the brochure.
"Absolutely," the jeweler replied with certainty. "Though no stone is a cure-all, and I would not suggest that they replace traditional treatment," she warned, "I do believe that the earth can help heal us," she declared reasonably.
Taking a deep breath while keeping a wary eye on his partner, Mulder asked, "What would you recommend to help promote… conception?"
"There are several—agate…moonstone…rose quartz," the jeweler pulled a piece of each example from the case. "Carnelian has very beneficial properties," the shopkeeper brought out a red-orange pendant as well.
Abruptly the store's front door jingled to life, three tow-headed second graders bursting in.
"Mom! Can we go to the park with Shelly?" asked the first of the identical triplets.
"Yeah, Mom, please?" chimed the second.
"She said she'd watch us!" finished the third.
"First thing, please say 'excuse me' to this nice couple," their mother sighed, as if containing their exuberance was a constant battle.
"Excuse me…," the lively trio drawled, a little downcast at their chastisement.
"It's fine," Mulder waved away with Scully just offering a smile that did not reach her disheartened eyes. Her glance quickly moved away from the energetic boys to the wall behind the counter, nearly wallpapered with what she assumed were photos of satisfied customers and their miracle offspring. Scully's heart tightened in her chest as she tried to settle her frayed emotions.
"Be back at five thirty," the shopkeeper bargained, smiling as her bustling bunch exited as quickly as they came in, eager to meet their friends and the babysitter who had agreed to a play date.
"Sorry about that," the blonde apologized before returning to her task. "Of course, garnet also promotes fertility, and these stones," the proprietress lifted the chunky necklace from the velveteen display, "resemble pomegranate seeds which are also fertility symbols."
"Huh, I always thought that pomegranates were thought to symbolize winter, Persephone in the underworld and all that," Mulder questioned.
"True…but nevertheless, the ancient Greeks revered the fruit and its wealth of seeds contained within. There is good evidence that the pomegranate may have been the original forbidden fruit," the blonde continued, "and in fact, most ancient religious texts also make reference to the pomegranate and its life-giving properties."
As Mulder and the jeweler discussed the lore connected to the gems in question, Scully ran her fingers over the deep red stones, strung like tight, plentiful seeds along the golden wire, wishing for that lost time, when her body was still full like this, its life-giving potential not yet tapped.
Hoping to provide her obviously distraught customers with the best advice, the blonde inquired, "I might be able to suggest a more specific treatment," she suggested, "Um…how long have you been trying, if you don't mind my asking?" she asked cautiously.
Scully stiffened, hot breath trapped in her lungs suddenly even though she felt Mulder's arm tighten at her waist.
"I'm just going to step out for some air," Scully dodged her partner's grasp and made for the door, trying to contain her tears before she cried them in public.
"Dana?" Mulder called after her, his brow furrowed in concern.
"I'm fine…," was the only response he heard as the redhead ducked down the wooded path that ran alongside the row of shops.
"Oh shit," Mulder closed his eyes briefly in defeat, knowing that he'd pushed his partner too far that afternoon.
"Sir, I'm so sorry. I didn't mean to…."
"No, it wasn't you—I promise," Mulder shook his head at his own short-sightedness. "Tell you what—let me go ahead and take the bracelet," he threw down enough cash to cover his purchase," and if you could wrap up the matching necklace that would be wonderful. Would you make sure the necklace and my other purchases are delivered to the Cupid's Bow? I would be forever grateful," Mulder nearly pleaded.
"Sure thing," she shopkeeper smiled. "I'll even have Miss Vivian place our fertility gem mix by the bedside just for good measure," the blonde held up a tumbled stone mixture in a deep red gossamer bag and placed it in Mulder's shopping bag containing the lingerie and herbal mixtures they'd already purchased.
"Thanks," Mulder called out behind him, muttering to himself as he followed Scully's trail, "I need all the help I can get…."
