Kroner, Kansas

Movie View Drive-in

August 1999

"Here's your change, sir," the girl at the concession stand said, handing Mulder his money.

"Oh, thanks," he replied, taking it and dropping it into his pocket.

"Sure you don't want a carrier for all of this?" she asked and he shook his head.

"Nah. That's one of the bonuses to this jacket: lots of pockets." He smiled and slipped the bottles of water into them, along with the pack of licorice and box of Junior Mints, before he picked up the two containers of popcorn and walked out of the snack shack.

He passed children running around in the fading sunlight, yelling to one another and laughing. Parents were paying them no mind, no doubt happy for the rain having finally let up, though the town had desperately needed it. There were still large puddles drying, which Mulder expertly maneuvered around, smiling at the children who darted past him on their way to the playground, hoping for a turn on one of the three squeaky swings.

The wind picked up, an odd cool wind that belied the area and time of year. He smiled as he took a large step over a puddle and thought of Holman. He must be feeling awfully good tonight to be sending out this cool August weather.

"Oh," he muttered to himself, as he thought exactly what that might mean, making a face as he remembered Sheila's lips on his own. "Well, he obviously doesn't mind it." With a shudder, that waxy taste and feel of her lipstick not disappearing from his memory anytime soon, he continued on toward the car a few rows ahead.

When he got close, he saw Scully pacing off to the side, away from their car, talking on her cell phone. Her head dropped back and she paused in her pacing, a hand on her lower back. She shook her head and then resumed pacing.

She was wearing jeans, something he rarely saw her wear, and he had a hard time not staring at her ass. Not gazing as Holman said, because he knew he did not do that like some lovesick puppy, but actually staring as he watched the way her hips swayed when she walked. It was almost hypnotic.

Stopping again, her back to him, she lifted the back of her sweater slightly and scratched above the waistline of her jeans. A strip of her skin showed and he let out a deep breath with a shake of his head.

They had spent the last two nights in the same bed, one in which they had ended up entwined. He had woken up first, her leg between his and just beneath his growing erection, his fingers under her shirt and running softly across that particular spot on her back. Her breathing had been deep and peaceful as his brain registered the position they were in, demanding he pull back and disentangle from her. As he rose from the bed, he had committed the softness of her skin to his memory as he walked into the bathroom.

But god, he had wanted to stay in that bed with her. Wanted to wake up with her, kiss her good morning, ease his ache for her with her and not quickly, silently, and on his own, as he had done in the shower.

He could not think that way however, not unless he wanted to allow his body to betray him, embarrassing him with a public boner like he was a fourteen-year-old boy. He shook his head as she dropped her sweater and turned around, slipping her phone into her pocket.

"Hey," he said, meeting her halfway. She sighed and smiled at the popcorn he carried.

"Two, huh?"

"Yeah, two. You insisting on eating popcorn with no butter is just wrong. I can't abide it and I will not eat subpar snacks while at the drive-in." She laughed and licked her lips as she crossed her arms.

God, he wanted to kiss her, to 'try it sometime', as Holman had said. Take that chance and kiss her as he had wanted to months ago… without a virus carrying bee to interrupt and threaten her life.

Instead, he smiled as he handed her her container of popcorn and turned to head back to the car.

"Was that Skinner on the phone?"

"Yeah," she said, eating a few pieces of popcorn. "I told him we'd be back tomorrow afternoon, weather permitting of course, and if the plane was able to leave the runway."

"Okay. Good."

"And then my damn brother called."

"Ohhh… fun."

"Yeah. He's in town, something I don't remember hearing about. He's leaving tomorrow and wanted to know if he could expect to see me this time," she said with a sigh and he smiled. "He acts as though his visits are as important as the Pope coming over and they are not."

He laughed as they opened the doors and got into the car, getting comfortable and settled before the movie began. Handing her the bottles of water, he set his popcorn on the dashboard and took out the candies, laying them beside it.

"Mm, licorice," she said, smiling as she set the waters in the cup holders and picked up the pack, ripping it open with her teeth.

"Don't eat all of them," he warned. "They're to share."

"How dare you suggest that I would eat all of them on my own."

"Not suggesting, reminding. As in reminding you to not eat all of the snacks this time."

"There were only a few M&M's left when I ate them."

"More than a handful?" he asked pointedly.

"Whose hand?"

"What?" he asked with a slight frown.

"Well," she said, setting the licorice down and taking his hand, comparing it to hers. "A handful of them in your hand would be more than enough to share. In mine, however, well…" She gestured between them and he laughed softly with a nod as she smiled. Taking out a piece of licorice and laying it in his hand, she gave him a look and he smiled.

"Thank you so much for sharing," he deadpanned, taking a bite of the licorice.

"You're absolutely welcome," she said with fake sweetness, leaning back and staring at the blank screen ahead of them, chewing on her own piece of licorice.

Music suddenly began to play from the box hanging from the driver's window beside his head, startling him and causing Scully to laugh.

"It's too bad we aren't in a truck or something with a larger backseat," she said, adjusting her seat and sitting cross legged.

"To watch the movie more comfortably or… did you have other ideas? Because…" He looked over his shoulder at the backseat and then back at her. "There's quite a bit of room back there." She made a face and then smiled.

"This time, I meant to watch the movie."

"This time? Have we been to a drive-in together before? Or in the backseat together? Did I somehow forget?"

"Depends on your definition of in the backseat, I suppose," she replied, removing another piece of licorice and taking a bite, looking at him with a smirk. "We've been in the backseat of a car together many times."

"But not "in" the backseat," he said, making air quotes to distinguish the difference. She smiled, raising her eyebrows, and he had to fight the urge to kiss her again, tasting the sweet licorice on her lips.

"I was just thinking about when I was younger and we would go in my dad's old truck. All of us riding in the bed, no seatbelts, laughing as the sun was going down," she said, with a far off smile. "We had blankets, sleeping bags, pillows… us kids all ready to lay down squished together to watch a movie."

"And your parents? What were they doing?"

"Oh, they were hardcore making out in the cab."

"What?!"

"Oh yeah, the entire movie."

"Seriously?"

"No," she said, laughing as she shoved at him. "They sat beside the truck in lawn chairs, drinking beer and watching or talking."

"Well, at least they were responsible," he said with a roll of his eyes.

"They were. It was just a couple of beers," she said, smiling that same far off smile as she shook her head. "The smell of beer always makes me think of those nights. Well, that and Bobby Rylan, the first boy I ever kissed. His sister drove us and she was drinking beer as we watched the movie, but had left the car to use the bathroom. We were in the backseat and he kissed me before she came back. It was quick and I remember the smell of the beer from the front seat more than the actual kiss."

"So not a good kiss then?"

"Eh... I was twelve, he was thirteen. I was over the moon about it at the time of course, but it wasn't really much of a kiss, being as we were so young. We held hands through the majority of the movie, which I remember more. He had nice hands, and I always notice hands, even at that age.

He glanced at his own hands, wondering what she thought of his, if she found them to be nice. Letting out a sigh, she took out a piece of licorice and offered it to him.

"Thanks," he whispered and she looked at him.

"You're welcome," she whispered back, her eyes dropping briefly to his lips.

"Why are we whispering?" he asked in a whisper as he looked around and she laughed.

"I don't know, you started it," she whispered back and as he made to respond, the screen flashed to life and the speaker crackled loudly, causing them both to jump. People around them began cheering and they smiled at one another before turning their attention to the screen.

There were not any previews as the movie being shown was not a new one, but a special feature of The Princess Bride. As it started, Mulder watched Scully out of the corner of his eye.

He watched her breathing, the way every few quiet breaths she would take a deep louder one. Watched how she rubbed her top thumb over her clasped hands. He could smell her shampoo, the one she always used, and he had borrowed yesterday when his own ran out, having not planned accordingly. The scent of popcorn and licorice was also heavy in the air, and he smiled.

He thought of his own nights at drive-ins, with friends or on his own, sneaking in and sitting off to the side, not able to hear everything, but needing to get away from home for a bit. He remembered bringing Sissy Powell to a movie one night, nervous the entire time, knowing what he would have wanted, but not sure what she expected. They had kissed, he had actually gotten to second base, somewhat, when she had stopped him, telling him her blouse was new and she did not want to crease it. It had been enough for him at that moment and he had grinned for the rest of the evening.

"What are you smiling about?" Scully asked and he shook his head as he looked at her.

"What?"

"You're grinning like the Cheshire Cat," she said with a grin of her own.

"Am I? I didn't realize."

"Thinking about your own memories?"

"You could say that," he said, smiling at her.

"Backseat memories?" she teased, but he saw something in her eyes that caused him to pause and think of his answer.

"Uhhh, not exactly. More like… backseat happenings in the front seat."

"I see," she said, looking at the screen before looking back at him. "Good memories?"

"Mmm… decent. Especially to a seventeen-year-old boy."

"Hmm…" she hummed with a smile. "Understood."

Looking back at the screen, she sighed and he watched her again. She seemed to hold herself more rigid now, her breathing measured. He wondered what she was thinking about and he desperately wanted to ask her, but knew he would not.

Westley and Buttercup were now saying goodbye and he remembered the first time he and Scully had watched this movie together. He thought of Scully's analogy about Westley leaving being unnecessary as they had all they needed up on that hill away from the rest of the world.

"You were right, you know." he said softly and she turned her head to look at him.

"About what?"

"Them," he said, gesturing to the screen with his chin. "He didn't need to leave."

"No, he didn't. It still annoys me, no matter how many times I see it. I know that it's the plot of the movie, but come on. He loves her, always has, tells her every day in his unique way. She loves him too, just more… unsure or afraid to show it, keeping her heart a little closer, afraid of being hurt."

"Hmm…" he hummed, digesting her words as he watched the screen, witnessing Buttercup's sadness when she learned Westley had died. "If only he'd stayed…"

If only…

If only Holman had spoken to Sheila sooner, he thought. So much suffering and sadness could have been avoided.

He looked at Scully as she watched the movie and he shook his head slightly.

If only there hadn't been that fucking bee. What would have happened? he wondered. Where would we be right now? Still here, tiptoeing around this thing between us, or facing it head on and admitting how we feel for one another?

Letting out a sigh, he shook his head again, and clenched his jaw as he looked back at the screen. He had pushed Holman to take that chance, but there he sat: a coward unable to speak his mind.

"It can be scary," Scully said quietly and he looked at her again, wondering if she could read his thoughts. "No matter the situation, the time in which a story is set… putting feelings into words… stating how you feel…" She laughed softly and shook her head. "Look at Holman, keeping his feelings locked up so tightly, he caused a tornado, ice hearts to fall from the sky, a flood of rain when his heart was breaking." She looked at him, smiling almost sadly.

"If it didn't almost kill me, I'd say it was quite romantic," he said with a soft smile.

"A cow flying through the air, nearly crushing you, killing the cow… that was romantic?" She raised an eyebrow and he chuckled softly.

"He was, is, a man in love. Seeing his chance with the woman he always wanted being threatened once again by the type of man he had been envious of his whole life…" He shrugged and she frowned with a smile.

"What type of man did he mean?"

"It's what he said to me- that men like me he was always jealous of, but…" He stopped, remembering where the conversation had led and he shook his head.

"Men like you?" she asked quietly and she turned her body to face him more.

"Yeeeah," he said, his heart racing as he realized he had really stepped in it now.

"What kind of man did he mean?"

"I don't know. It was just what he said."

"What else did he say?"

A beat. A pause. Her eyes holding his, open and waiting. Time to be honest. In a rental car, at a drive-in, as a movie's dialogue played through a tinny speaker box. No time like the present to be brave.

"He said based on my physical bearing," he began and she gave him a half smile. "Based on that, he thought I would be more experienced."

"More experienced," she said flatly.

"Mmhmm. That I… I spend every day with a beautiful woman, no, a beautiful, enchanting woman and yet…" He spread his hands out, smiling awkwardly with a shrug.

"Yet, what?"

"Scully… you know what," he sighed, giving her a look.

"Yet we aren't lovers," she said softly and he nodded.

"Yeah."

"Hmm…" she hummed, looking back at the screen and he stared at her profile, the slope of her neck. "Sheila said something similar."

"What did you tell her?" he asked, watching her closely. She smiled and glanced down at her lap.

"She said she'd never envisioned Holman in that light. Never thought of him as a potential mate. He was her best friend, someone she loved, but not in that way."

"And what did you say?" he asked again, swallowing hard. She looked up and let out a breath, her eyes traveling across his face, a small smile on her face.

"I said the best relationships are rooted in friendship. That… something from the day before changes and the person you love as your friend… is suddenly the only person you could see yourself with… see yourself loving. Like a switch was flicked and now it's different. The same, but different." She stared at him and he drew in a breath, aching to touch her, to kiss her. To show her how he felt.

"And… what did she say?"

"Well, then the storm drains started filling up and we had to leave the bathroom." She smiled, though her eyes seemed sad, making light of a serious moment. She started to turn back to face the screen and he stopped her with a hand on her knee, knowing if she did, they would not discuss this topic again.

Not them. Not the ones who pushed away and ignored how they felt.

She stared at him, halting her movements and waiting for him to speak, but words were not coming. His thumb stroked her knee as his eyes dropped to her lips, then raised back to her eyes. She smiled slightly and he leaned forward, taking a deep breath.

He pressed his lips to hers and he felt her exhale through her nose. His grip on her knee tightened and her mouth opened slightly, allowing him to deepen the kiss, his tongue touching her bottom lip, before sliding into her mouth, her arms going around his neck and pulling him closer.

She moaned into his mouth and his body responded to the sound, his hand sliding up her leg to grip her thigh. Moaning again, she pulled back and stared at him, his fingers opening and closing on her leg. Her eyes were dark and she was breathing hard, her nails scratching at the back of his neck, causing him to shiver.

"Are you interested in staying for the movie?"

"Hell no," he breathed and she laughed, rising up to kiss him again, her hands moving to cradle his face, thumbs running across his lips as she smiled.

"Let's get out of here," she whispered and he nodded, kissing her once more, staring at her as he shook his head.

Sheets were tangled, pillows on the floor, as he kissed her shoulder, down her spine and back up to her neck, as she laughed softly. She turned her head to face him and smiled as she moved to lie on her side. His eyes traveled down her naked body and he let out a deep breath.

"You are so beautiful. Every inch of you." He pulled her toward him, a hand on her hip, his thumb stroking a freckle he had discovered as he had mapped out her body with his eyes, lips, tongue, and fingers.

"You're just saying that because I'm naked and made you scream my name a few minutes ago," she teased, kissing under his chin, sucking the point of it into her mouth, before burrowing into his embrace.

"True, but I already thought that before I made you scream my name."

"Hmm," she hummed as she laughed and he smiled, kissing the top of her head.

"The same, but different," he mused, his fingers now running up and down the skin that had previously aroused him and forced him to leave the bed. His ache for her had now been fulfilled together.

Twice.

"Yeah, this is very different." She laughed again, kissing his neck and slowly raking her nails down his chest to his navel, causing his stomach to twitch, his mind willing but his body needing time to recover.

The abnormally cool August breeze blew in through the open window and Mulder smiled, appreciating the weather more than ever.

"You should try it sometime," he whispered, with a soft laugh, and a shake of his head.

"Aren't you glad you took that advice?" Scully teased and his hand slid down to her ass, pulling her flush against him, her gasp and deep exhale close to his ear the most erotic sound he had ever heard.

"Best advice I could have ever received," he breathed and she moaned as his leg caressed hers and she peppered his throat with the softest of kisses.