Meet The Barnes
Part 4
by Trycee
Time-Line: Season 6, After Arcadia
Disclaimer: I do not own the X-Files, this is written for fun not profit.
*A special thanks to : EO-Hiphuggers, this was her idea for a story! Thank You very much Chloe!
"Ever been to a place like this, Jessica?", he said, as they walked in the door.
Again all eyes were on them.
"Sure, I have, honey...", she said, grabbing a buggy and pushing it through the racks of clothes to the housewares. "There were four of us...not a ton of money...my mom raised us on my dad's military salary...so this was a frequent occurrence...especially when Charlie would break whatever he picked up," she grinned.
Mulder looked uncomfortable. "I've never seen these places, well not up-close...When I went to Oxford, they were chic...but that's probably the closest I ever came..."
"With Phoebe?", Scully said, a hint of jealousy showing through her tone.
Mulder looked at Scully surprised. "Yes...though I never went in with her...I stood outside...It wasn't cool for a guy to clothes shop with his girlfriend back then..."
Scully nodded. "I understand...", she said.
Mulder grabbed up a moo-moo and put it up to himself. "Is this me or what, honey?"
Scully glanced at the clerk who was glaring at them. "It's too pink, honey...It's not your shade..."
Mulder glanced at the clerk and quickly put the dress down.
Scully walked along the house-ware aisles gathering some used dishes and silverware.
"Scully...Okay, we're being seen out in public...It's just a matter of time...", he whispered.
"You're right there, Chris...", she said, reminding him of his slip.
"Let's hurry up in get out of here...", Mulder said, following behind her.
They moved over to the televisions and Mulder plugged in two used-Tv's and tried both remotes. He then placed them into the buggy and then took over the buggy as Scully filled it with things they would need for a months stay including cups.
"That clerk has been watching us the entire time...", Mulder whispered.
"I know...She isn't too keen on us that's for sure..."
He cocked his head to the side. "S...Jessica...From the looks of things...The anti-government sentiments run deep here."
Mulder glanced over to the clerk who was watching them carefully.
"Ha, ha, you slay me, hon...", he said, glancing at Scully.
"We need to call Skinner and touch base..."
"Yeah, something weird is definitely happening here , " he said, as Scully placed each item on the counter as the elderly woman watched them stiff-lipped.
Mulder turned his attention to the clerk who seemed annoyed with their presence. "Just passing through?", the woman asked.
'What's with everyone asking us this?'. Mulder thought to himself. "We just moved here..."
"Old Tillman place?", the clerk questioned. "Cause we don't have too many empty properties here...We keep to ourselves..."
"Exactly what we'd been looking for," Mulder added. "We want as far back away from the government as we can get..."
"Oh yeah?", the clerk said, looking at them both.
"Yes," Scully added.
The clerk looked them over again. "Whatcha gonna do on the Tillman property?"
"Try my hand at farming...", Mulder said, proudly as Scully looked on like the doting wife.
"You know anything bout farming?", the woman questioned.
"Not a thing...", Mulder chuckled. "But we want to grow our own food and live off what we grow and raise...The wife is gonna garden..."
Scully's eyes bulged slightly for a second but she quickly recovered. "Yes, we're gonna grow our own food..."
"The wife has always wanted to raise chickens...A whole bushel of them..."
The clerk turned to Scully who was staring dumbstruck at Mulder.
"We just want to stop giving the government all our money...", Mulder added.
The clerk remained silent a moment. "I'd say good luck cause you're gonna need it..." she said, pushing their bags close to them on the counter and then turning her back to them as she gathered hangers in a box.
Mulder placed the bags and the TVs in the cart and pushed it out to the truck. He loaded it up and then helped Scully back into the truck.
"Jesus...We haven't met a single person that weren't weary of us being here," Scully sighed.
"Except Angela..."
"Something tells me she's out numbered."
"What's next?"
"The grocery store..."
"Damn...", Mulder said. "More of these people...Can't we wait till tomorrow to shop? I mean, we've done our job...we've been out and about...so the local can see us."
"No, unless you want to come back to the Red Hornet restaurant," she said, pointing across the street to the restaurant.
"No thanks...I never thought I'd say this...but Scully...I think I'd prefer home-cooking to a diner..."
Scully smirked. "So, what now I have to cook for you?"
"SCULLY!"
"Okay, Mulder...let's get this over with..."
Scully glanced over to Mulder who looked at her briefly and then turned back to the television as he flicked the channels. Scully was dressed in her silk pajama shirt and pants as she quickly climbed into the large bed. She slid under the covers and tried not to think about Mulder sitting not far from her, shirtless and in his silk boxer shorts which were still visible despite the liberal covering of the blanket. He flipped the channels. "Scully, there are only three TV stations in this whole damn town..."
"Maybe you should sleep, Farmer Mulder...", she said, as she rested on her side, her back towards Mulder.
"Scully, it's way too early to sleep..."
"There's nothing else to do, Mulder..."
"I could think of something else..."
Scully grabbed her pillow and tossed it behind her. It didn't come even close to Mulder. "You may need this," he said, leaning across the bed and lifting her head so he could slide the pillow underneath it.
He kissed the top of her head. "Goodnight Scully..."
"Goodnight Mulder," she said, switching off the lamp.
She could hear Mulder leaning his back against the headboard and the clicking sound of the remote as he flipped through all three channels almost as if he thought they'd magically turn into cable channels or porn. She laid there a long time listening to the soft sighs of frustration as Mulder stared at the screen. He stood up and looked out the window and she turned to look at him. He looked gorgeous in the moonlight. She stared as long as she could and then turned back to her side. After Mulder returned to the bed for another round of flipping channels, she finally spoke out. "Mulder, what is it?"
"Scully...there's no sound...There's no traffic...I mean...this is the most beautiful country and it's always been my dream to live out on land like this...but there's not a single bit of noise..."
"There's annoying little crickets chirping...", she added.
"It's so pitch black out there...Doesn't it give you the willies?"
She sat up. "It does...but I'm just glad you're here..."
"Yeah, I'm glad you're here too...", he sighed. "You think the Tillman's died in this house? You think they're ghosts still remain..."
"Mulder, are you trying to keep me up? Are you trying to scare me?"
Mulder smiled guiltily. "Okay, okay...they moved to Florida..."
"Goodnight Mulder," she said, hitting him with her pillow upside his head.
He smiled and watched as she scrunched back under the covers. He reached over and covered her shoulders. "Night Scully..."
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