A/N: First exam down! I'm going to celebrate with a new chapter that I've been working on, because I finally have a bit of time to write. This chapter came in part from a novel I read a while ago, and also that I'm pretty sure it's never mentioned if Scully can swim or not (if anyone can correct me on that, please do) but we know Mulder is a regular swimmer. And Speedo wearer. ;) Enjoy!
WASHINGTON D.C., JULY 8TH, 1996
The fan from upstairs has broken. On one of the hottest days of the year. And, with management being what it is, no one has sent down a replacement, despite the request for one being put in over three days ago, so the basement is boiling hot.
Dana Scully is sweaty, tired, and desperately trying to to think up a way to tell Mulder that one of the X-Files now has a permanent crease across the middle since she's been using it as a makeshift fan. He ducks through the door and she tries not to notice the way his shirt hangs open from the top two undone buttons. She checks the clock and decides that half four is a decent enough time to call it a day, sliding the file into a drawer.
"I'm going to head off early, I can't work in this heat."
"I was thinking of doing the same myself." Mulder kicks the dead fan with obvious displeasure but makes no comment. "Going swimming at the Dunbar. You want to come?"
Swimming?
Of course. Of course Mulder goes swimming. She's surprised she hasn't worked it out before, and even more surprised he's never mentioned it.
"I can't."
"You can't swim?"
She gives him a look universally understood to mean 'really, Mulder?' and wants to punch him for being such a smart ass, but stops herself.
"I can't come with you."
"Why not?"
"I..."
/darkcoldcan'tbreathecan'tmovehelpsomeonehelpmei'mgoingtodieohjesusjesusgodsomeonehelp/
The memories come rushing in but she forces them away, trying to keep her voice steady. She is not going swimming. She just can't. But she can't tell Mulder why.
"I can't, Mulder, I'm sorry." Please drop it, she begs him silently.
He does so, though he's reluctant about it. "Okay. See you tomorrow."
She watches him leave before getting up to gather her things. Her blouse is sticking to her back, and the hair at the back of her neck is damp from perspiration. What she wouldn't do for a cold shower. Or some air conditioning. Or even a swim in a nice, cool, pool...
Scully sighs and pinches the bridge of her nose. It's ridiculous. She needs to face her fear, not run from it; she hasn't been swimming in almost fifteen years, and it's stupid. Nothing is going to happen. However much she says that, though, her heart still clenches in dread even at the thought of following Mulder, and then she remembers that she doesn't have a swimming costume, and that it would be so much nicer to go back to her apartment and just watch TV.
But seeing Mulder shirtless, in the pool, could possibly be a whole lot nicer than even that.
That does it. She's going.
xXx
She hasn't rang him, but she finds him easily enough anyway, exactly where he said he would be, cutting laps through the practically abandoned pool. It's still early- there are a few older women at the far end, doing more talking than swimming, and a group of kids splashing around, but otherwise it's empty. Scully's glad for that. She's not sure how well she'd cope surrounded by people.
Mulder sees her halfway through a length, and manages to inhale water in his surprise. She can't keep herself from smirking as he coughs and comes over to the side. He squints up at her, wet hair plastered to his forehead.
"Are you here for a reason, or just to laugh at me?"
His eyes on her make her body go hot, because it's the first time she's ever seen him look at her like that. She knows the material of the swimsuit is tight, and that he's never seen her in something this figure-hugging before, but it's definitely not the most revealing option from the shop at the reception. And he shouldn't be looking at her like that, it's unprofessional. Despite that, she feels her own eyes gravitating downwards, and lets herself indulge for a moment in his glistening skin and hard muscle. When she raises her eyes again he's watching her, and she realises he's waiting for an answer.
"I came to join you. I figured the offer still stands?"
He heaves himself out of the water and sits at the side, his legs dangling in the water. She joins him, wincing as the cold water hits her feet.
"So you can swim?"
"Mulder, my father was a navy captain."
"I'm no expert, but I'm pretty sure the navy helps you stay on the boat, not what to do if you've fallen off it."
"I can swim." She clarifies.
"But?"
/dark night so late going to get caught jimmy the lock the door squeaks oh god what are we doing i can't do this daddy would kill me but oh god it's so exciting is that my heart racing it's so quiet and dark chlorine in the air and it stings/
She takes a deep breath. "When I was in high school, my friends and I... we broke into the pool after dark."
Mulder's eyes widen. "Dana Katherine Scully, are you telling me you broke the law?"
She gives him a look well honed with time and practice, but there's a smile forming on her face. "That's not the point, Mulder."
"What is the point?"
"My boyfriend at the time thought it would be fun to take me to the deep end and throw me in."
Mulder's breath hitches.
"And in that moment, my mind went blank. I couldn't feel the bottom and I forgot how to swim, and I thought..."
/need air need air need air am i dying i can't oh god oh jesus bubbles hair water so much water so dark where's up find air i'm going to die so deep i'm sinking i'm sinking i can't swim i need air help me god why why why did we do this my lungs my throat oh god oh god oh god/
With gritted teeth, she forces the memories away, trying to detach them from where she is now and keeping that scared sixteen year old firmly fixed in the past.
"My friend jumped in and pulled me up. I was fine but it scared me so much and I..."
/all the water i can't breathe my chest aches i can't get me out i'm going to drown i can't swim never doing this again never ever jesus i could've died/
No, no, memories and fear coming back, stop that right now-
"It's stupid. I shouldn't be worried, it's irrational, I don't know why I let it stop me from-"
"Woah." Mulder touches her arm, and it would be perfectly normal and fine if they were not both half-naked and his body was not glistening with water. "It's okay to be scared. It's a common fear, you know."
"Yeah, but Mulder-"
"Hey, who's the Oxford educated psychologist here?"
Her lips quirk, despite her best efforts. He smiles and nudges her shoulder.
"Please at least tell me you dumped the guy."
This time Scully laughs out loud, and the sound echoes off the tiles and the water. "I did a bit more than that."
"Was that the last time you went in the water?"
She nods, falling quiet as she watches the ripples her feet create in the water. She can feel Mulder's eyes on her, and jumps a little when he slips into the pool with no warning. He moves in front of her and holds out a hand.
"It's shallow here. You can touch the bottom."
Sensing her doubt, Mulder stands up, out of the water, and shows her just how shallow- his entire chest is above the surface before he ducks back down, jumping a little to keep warm.
"See? Trust me."
She takes his hand and slides off the side until she's touching the bottom, her back pressed to the wall. The water is cool and refreshing on her skin.
"Okay?"
"Okay."
He squeezes her hand once before letting go and floating onto his back away from her. That man's chest could be in an art gallery.
Shit, Dana, focus.
Uncertain, she walks after him, trying to ignore the fear that begins to clench inside her stomach. The water glares up at her, undulating in its dazzling, blinding way, and she fights the urge to run.
"Hey, look at me."
Mulder's back now, just an arm's breadth away, and she raises her eyes to find his. They catch the light so differently to the water, sparkling and fluctuating between dark green and hazel, grounding her with their familiarity.
"Do you remember how to swim?"
"In theory."
She prepares herself and then kicks off from the wall, trying to keep her head above water while moving her arm and legs in the way she remembers. It's okay until she remembers that she's in a pool, and it's deep, and the way water rushed up into her mouth and the pressure on her chest-
"Hey," Mulder's arms catch her from behind and she relaxes into his chest without a second thought. "You were doing really well."
"I can't do it."
"Bullshit." Mulder grabs her hands and spins her around so they're facing one another. "You can do it."
She can feel herself starting to panic, as more and more memories come back from that night, as her body remembers the sensation of almost drowning and the fear that shot through her.
"I'm not going to let you get hurt, Scully."
"I know."
And she does. Mulder would never let her get hurt. He values her safety above all else, above his own, and as long as she's with him she can feel safe. She trusts him.
"Try on your back," Mulder suggests. "Then you can't see the water."
She breathes deeply and then turns around, kicking back to rest on the surface. Mulder's hand comes to gently support her head, keeping it above the water.
"Put your arms out, try to relax."
More deep breaths. In through the nose, out through the mouth, the way Missy taught her. She forces the tension in her body to ease. Mulder's got her, and he won't let go.
"That's it," he encourages. "Just raise your hips a little."
The amount of concentration required is ridiculous, but she's managing to do it. And it actually feels okay. Not comfortable, exactly, but safe. Mulder's hands are so big he only needs one to hold her head, while the other one barely grazes her shoulder. If it wasn't for him, she wouldn't be here, but she can't imagine doing this without his support. He's patient and careful, and Scully suddenly wonders if he ever taught Samantha to swim, if he did this with her, if he's remembering it now. She doesn't ask, just keeps floating, closing her eyes as she becomes more used to the water around her. She begins to see how people could find this relaxing.
Eventually, Mulder lets go, and then she's floating by herself as he hovers nearby. He shows her how to swim on her back, then pulls her forward while she's on her front, and finally Scully summons the courage to try it again by herself. She keeps protesting and apologising, and threatens to leave several times, but Mulder always talks her round. Later, they're both doing laps across the shallow end, and Scully's smiling and laughing, which she would've thought impossible not two hours earlier. Mulder sees the time out of the corner of his eye and stops, grabbing Scully's arm.
"OAPs hour in about five minutes."
She hangs onto the side and raises an eyebrow. "Are you saying that to get rid of me?"
"No." Mulder hauls himself out of the pool and Scully tries hard not to look up at his ass. (Or his thighs. Or his back. Or any other part of Fox Mulder's body that she apparently cannot resist ogling at.) "Come on, G-Woman."
He helps her out of the water, even though she can get out by herself perfectly well (and they both know it), and they head back to the changing rooms. After getting his clothes from the locker, Mulder turns to Scully and smiles, a little shy.
"Thanks for showing up."
"Thank you. I enjoyed myself."
"Do it again sometime?"
Scully mirrors his smile. "Maybe."
He nods with a shrug. "Then I'll see you on Monday. Unless you're planning on showing up unannounced at my apartment."
She's already on her way to the showers. "You never know, Mulder," she calls over her shoulder.
He watches her go, unable to wipe the grin off his face. He can't wait to do this again. He pretends it has nothing to do with how good Scully looks in that swimsuit.