Chicago O'Hare Airport
1:22 pm CST
When they arrived in Chicago the airport was calm. Scully headed over to the rental car desk, while Mulder went to get a cart for their baggage. They met at the east exit, and he peeked out from behind the luggage.
"Mulder? Are you actually there?" He popped up from a squatting position.
"Not funny, Ididn't pack that much." He gave her a look that said 'oh yes you did!' Scully noticed it and changed the subject. "Here's our car. Another Taurus." She pointed to a deep green Ford Taurus about two rows over.
"I'm driving, Scully, since you drove last time. Believe it or not, I actually know where the hotel is, so give me the keys." He stuffed the luggage into the trunk and the back seats then climbed into the driver seat and started the engine.
"Sounds nice," he said. "Hope it can get us through the city. I hear that it's bad this time of the day."
"It's 1:30 Mulder. Everyone's at work." However, Scully could have put her foot in her mouth when she got a look at Chicago's Kennedy expressway. The traffic was horrendous. "Isn't there another way to go?"
"Unfortunately, no." He turned on the radio and told her to get comfortable as this was going to be a very long ride. Scully groaned and sat back. She was fast asleep in less then ten minutes.
They were just beyond the city limits when Mulder looked over at his sleeping friend. She was sitting with her head on the head rest and her arms laid across her stomach. He smiled to himself. 'She looks so peaceful,' he thought. The traffic was at a standstill. so he put the car in park. Mulder noticed a strand of hair over her eyes and reached over to pull it back. He saw her smile softly in her sleep. 'She's so. . .' he stopped himself from finishing the thought.
This was his partner. This was Scully.
He had to admit it wasn't the first time he had thought about her beyond normal, professional thoughts. She was the only person who understood him and his work. She was willing to sacrifice her reputation to help him in his quest. 'Mrs. Spooky' is what they called her. He wished he could deck half of the guys that said that. She was like an. . .
The traffic moved again and Mulder shook himself. The map told him the Elgin exit was dead ahead, so he pulled off and headed down the road. Ten minutes later, Mulder pulled into the new Elgin Days Inn parking lot. With Scully still asleep, he went to the front desk and got the keys to the room.
Mulder unloaded the car and decided to let Scully have a few more minutes of shuteye while he dropped the bags in their room. He opened the door with the two bags slung over each arm, entered the room, and immediately dropped the bags to the floor.
There had to be a mistake.
Back in the lobby Mulder found the manager. "There were supposed to be two queen beds in this room," he informed somewhat frantically as he held up the key, "not one king. We need to be moved or something."
The manager looked at him like he was crazy. "Agent Mulder, this is a new hotel and many people are coming here. We're all booked up. I'm sorry. We can get a cot for you if you wish. That is the best that I can do at this point."
"Fine. That will have to do." Mulder was not too happy.
"I could let you know if a room opens up in the next 24 hours if that would be acceptable," the manager looked desperate to keep his customer.
"Yes, please do." Mulder left and headed back to the car to get Scully, who was still sleeping. He opened the door and she turned away from him. "Scully, we're here, come on. Get up." He patted her shoulder gently with one hand while he unbuckled her seat belt with the other.
She opened her eyes and managed to get out of the car, still half asleep. When she looked up at the hotel before her, Scully's mouth was agape at the size of the hotel. "This is so big. Where's our room?" She hoped they were up high.
"1086, tenth floor." He hesitated for a moment and then began to break the news to her about their accomodations. "Listen Scully, they got the instructions mixed up." She was headed up the front stairs as he continued to speak. "There's only one king size in the room." She groaned and headed up the stairs. "The manager said that he__," Mulder was stopped in mid sentence by a bellhop.
"Agent Mulder?" Mulder nodded. "I was told you were interested in a cot, but I am sorry to inform you we currently are out. I'm very sorry." Scully looked pleadingly at Mulder, and he hustled her to the elevator.
"Well look at it this way. It's a king sized bed, so we'll be alright. Won't we Scully?"
"Mulder we can't. It goes against everything in the bureau. The red lights will be blaring when we get home." The elevator opened and she headed to the room with Mulder at her heels.
"I'll sleep on my side of the bed like a good boy." Mulder gave her one of his lopsided grins and pleading looks.
Scully nodded and went into the room. "Skinner's gonna love this," Scully mumbled as she went over to her bags and started unpacking. "When did we say that we were meeting with the officers? Tomorrow at 11:00?" she asked.
He nodded. "Well I'm not really hungry, so what so you want to do? Shop, drive around, do some paper work?" Mulder asked with a gleam in his eyes. They both walked over to the window where they saw a huge indoor pool below them.
"Or, we could go swimming," Mulder said as he looked at Scully with puppy dog eyes.
"No, I want to go over the case files. But feel free to go ahead," she replied.
He pulled his bathing suit out of his case and happily went into the bathroom to change. When he came out Scully was sitting on the bed surrounded by notes and papers. She was looking at pictures of the teenagers. "They look so happy, don't they?"
Mulder looked over her shoulder and breathed on her neck. It felt like electricity going straight down her spine, and she moved forward as if to straighten the files.
"Well, Mulder now we have to find them. Go have fun in the pool. Maybe I'll join you later." He smiled and bolted out the door. A few minutes passed and she watched him from the window. She saw him look up towards their room, and watched him grin and wave to her like a kid in a candy store. She smiled as she shook her head and went back to work.
The local paper's headline from two days ago read 'TEENAGERS DISAPPEAR FROM MALL' The story went on to explain how all but one girl in a group of five disappeared mysteriously. The article also said that the FBI were going to be involved. 'Great,' Scully thought. 'Tons of reporters at our feet.' She cleaned up the papers and laid back on the bed.
Scully flipped on the television and decided to order pay-per-view. She called down and not five minutes later it came on. Twenty minutes into the film she was sleeping again.
Mulder came up and found the television on and a sleeping Scully on the bed. He checked her for a fever but decided she must just have been worn out from the drive. He covered her with a blanket and touched her cheek gently. He noticed she had the softest skin, and he wanted to hold her for some reason.
Of course he knew she'd kill him if she knew his thoughts, wouldn't she? He lightly kissed her on the top the head and went to shower and change for dinner.
XXXXXXXXXXXXXX
Olive Garden Restaurant 7:18 pm
Later that evening, Scully looked rested as she and Mulder were seated at the restaurant. "Sleep well?" he inquired.
"Yes, actually I did. I guess I was more tired then I thought. Did you have fun in the pool?" She sipped her water, but he took it from her.
"Yes I had fun, but don't drink too much. I ordered the house special. We're on Christmas vacation, so I thought this could be our little party." The waiter came back, took their orders, and gave Mulder the wine. He poured a glass for Scully, then one for himself.
She took a sip and smiled. "Very good. So, what did you ask Santa for this year?"
Mulder almost spit the wine out but swallowed it and laughed. "Interesting topic, let me see. I asked for a break, but it looks like I won't be getting my wish. You?"
"Same here. But there was this one thing I wanted. . ." she hesitated and then took another swig of the wine.
"Come on Scully, tell me."
"There was this necklace I saw at the jewelry store on the avenue back in DC. Remember? The one with the cross and emerald on it?"
"Right, we went there a few months ago. Yeah, that was lovely. Well, maybe Santa will surprise you and you'll get it."
"Well, maybe, but I won't hold my breath. On the other hand, Agent Mulder, you know what I really want for the office don't you?"
"Yes, I know," he replied quickly with a laugh. "And I will make room for a desk of your own as soon as we get back to Washington. You've waited five years, Scully. Another week won't kill ya, will it?"
He smiled and took another drink of the wine as Scully gave him one of her famous looks.
The waiter came back with their meals, and as they tried each others dishes, they chatted quietly about the case. When they finished, Mulder signed off on the check, and they headed back towards their room. The manager was there and stopped them in the hall.
"I feel terrible for what has happened regarding the mix up in your accomodations, Agent Mulder. We have a wonderful lounge and I have a table saved there for the two of you with complimentary drinks if you wish. Think of it as a peace offering."
Scully looked to her partner and nodded. The manager lead the way and Mulder offered his arm to Scully. They were seated in a quiet corner near the small band. Scully ordered a strawberry daiquiri while Mulder had a whiskey, straight up.
By his third drink, Mulder was getting a little drunk. "A toast," Mulder said raising his drink. Scully raised hers. "To us and many more screw ups at hotels so we get free drinks."
"To us," Scully said on her second drink. "Come on, let's get out of here. It's almost midnight, and we have to get up early tomorrow." They left a tip and headed up to the room.
Scully took a quick shower, and when she came out of the bathroom, she found Mulder under the covers, asleep. Or so she thought. She climbed into the bed and sunk into the covers. Not thirty seconds after she'd turned off the light, Mulder's cold feet touched her leg. She yelped.
"That's not funny! Get over there mister or you're on the floor." He laughed and rolled back over. They were both sound asleep in no time.
1:53 am
Mulder awoke with a start. He was shaking and sweating. When he sat up, Scully woke up too. "What is it Mulder. Did you have another nightmare?"
He nodded. "I saw the girl in the mall all alone, and she was scared at what she saw. I asked her what it was, and she said they were gone, just gone. Then I was back in my childhood room, and well, you know the rest." He was still trembling.
Scully moved closer to him and laid him back on the pillows. She grabbed a nearby tissue and wiped the sweat from his forehead. She laid down close to him. At first he felt very tense with her so close, but when she put her around him, he knew she was okay with this and relaxed.
"It was a dream," she comforted, "it's OK." She began to drift back to sleep as she laid her head on his chest.
Mulder looked down at her hair and thought how natural it felt to have her in his arms. He put his arms gently around her and kissed the top of her head. Then he fell asleep, content in her embrace.
When they arrived in Chicago the airport was calm. Scully headed over to the rental car desk, while Mulder went to get a cart for their baggage. They met at the east exit, and he peeked out from behind the luggage.
"Mulder? Are you actually there?" He popped up from a squatting position.
"Not funny, Ididn't pack that much." He gave her a look that said 'oh yes you did!' Scully noticed it and changed the subject. "Here's our car. Another Taurus." She pointed to a deep green Ford Taurus about two rows over.
"I'm driving, Scully, since you drove last time. Believe it or not, I actually know where the hotel is, so give me the keys." He stuffed the luggage into the trunk and the back seats then climbed into the driver seat and started the engine.
"Sounds nice," he said. "Hope it can get us through the city. I hear that it's bad this time of the day."
"It's 1:30 Mulder. Everyone's at work." However, Scully could have put her foot in her mouth when she got a look at Chicago's Kennedy expressway. The traffic was horrendous. "Isn't there another way to go?"
"Unfortunately, no." He turned on the radio and told her to get comfortable as this was going to be a very long ride. Scully groaned and sat back. She was fast asleep in less then ten minutes.
They were just beyond the city limits when Mulder looked over at his sleeping friend. She was sitting with her head on the head rest and her arms laid across her stomach. He smiled to himself. 'She looks so peaceful,' he thought. The traffic was at a standstill. so he put the car in park. Mulder noticed a strand of hair over her eyes and reached over to pull it back. He saw her smile softly in her sleep. 'She's so. . .' he stopped himself from finishing the thought.
This was his partner. This was Scully.
He had to admit it wasn't the first time he had thought about her beyond normal, professional thoughts. She was the only person who understood him and his work. She was willing to sacrifice her reputation to help him in his quest. 'Mrs. Spooky' is what they called her. He wished he could deck half of the guys that said that. She was like an. . .
The traffic moved again and Mulder shook himself. The map told him the Elgin exit was dead ahead, so he pulled off and headed down the road. Ten minutes later, Mulder pulled into the new Elgin Days Inn parking lot. With Scully still asleep, he went to the front desk and got the keys to the room.
Mulder unloaded the car and decided to let Scully have a few more minutes of shuteye while he dropped the bags in their room. He opened the door with the two bags slung over each arm, entered the room, and immediately dropped the bags to the floor.
There had to be a mistake.
Back in the lobby Mulder found the manager. "There were supposed to be two queen beds in this room," he informed somewhat frantically as he held up the key, "not one king. We need to be moved or something."
The manager looked at him like he was crazy. "Agent Mulder, this is a new hotel and many people are coming here. We're all booked up. I'm sorry. We can get a cot for you if you wish. That is the best that I can do at this point."
"Fine. That will have to do." Mulder was not too happy.
"I could let you know if a room opens up in the next 24 hours if that would be acceptable," the manager looked desperate to keep his customer.
"Yes, please do." Mulder left and headed back to the car to get Scully, who was still sleeping. He opened the door and she turned away from him. "Scully, we're here, come on. Get up." He patted her shoulder gently with one hand while he unbuckled her seat belt with the other.
She opened her eyes and managed to get out of the car, still half asleep. When she looked up at the hotel before her, Scully's mouth was agape at the size of the hotel. "This is so big. Where's our room?" She hoped they were up high.
"1086, tenth floor." He hesitated for a moment and then began to break the news to her about their accomodations. "Listen Scully, they got the instructions mixed up." She was headed up the front stairs as he continued to speak. "There's only one king size in the room." She groaned and headed up the stairs. "The manager said that he__," Mulder was stopped in mid sentence by a bellhop.
"Agent Mulder?" Mulder nodded. "I was told you were interested in a cot, but I am sorry to inform you we currently are out. I'm very sorry." Scully looked pleadingly at Mulder, and he hustled her to the elevator.
"Well look at it this way. It's a king sized bed, so we'll be alright. Won't we Scully?"
"Mulder we can't. It goes against everything in the bureau. The red lights will be blaring when we get home." The elevator opened and she headed to the room with Mulder at her heels.
"I'll sleep on my side of the bed like a good boy." Mulder gave her one of his lopsided grins and pleading looks.
Scully nodded and went into the room. "Skinner's gonna love this," Scully mumbled as she went over to her bags and started unpacking. "When did we say that we were meeting with the officers? Tomorrow at 11:00?" she asked.
He nodded. "Well I'm not really hungry, so what so you want to do? Shop, drive around, do some paper work?" Mulder asked with a gleam in his eyes. They both walked over to the window where they saw a huge indoor pool below them.
"Or, we could go swimming," Mulder said as he looked at Scully with puppy dog eyes.
"No, I want to go over the case files. But feel free to go ahead," she replied.
He pulled his bathing suit out of his case and happily went into the bathroom to change. When he came out Scully was sitting on the bed surrounded by notes and papers. She was looking at pictures of the teenagers. "They look so happy, don't they?"
Mulder looked over her shoulder and breathed on her neck. It felt like electricity going straight down her spine, and she moved forward as if to straighten the files.
"Well, Mulder now we have to find them. Go have fun in the pool. Maybe I'll join you later." He smiled and bolted out the door. A few minutes passed and she watched him from the window. She saw him look up towards their room, and watched him grin and wave to her like a kid in a candy store. She smiled as she shook her head and went back to work.
The local paper's headline from two days ago read 'TEENAGERS DISAPPEAR FROM MALL' The story went on to explain how all but one girl in a group of five disappeared mysteriously. The article also said that the FBI were going to be involved. 'Great,' Scully thought. 'Tons of reporters at our feet.' She cleaned up the papers and laid back on the bed.
Scully flipped on the television and decided to order pay-per-view. She called down and not five minutes later it came on. Twenty minutes into the film she was sleeping again.
Mulder came up and found the television on and a sleeping Scully on the bed. He checked her for a fever but decided she must just have been worn out from the drive. He covered her with a blanket and touched her cheek gently. He noticed she had the softest skin, and he wanted to hold her for some reason.
Of course he knew she'd kill him if she knew his thoughts, wouldn't she? He lightly kissed her on the top the head and went to shower and change for dinner.
XXXXXXXXXXXXXX
Olive Garden Restaurant 7:18 pm
Later that evening, Scully looked rested as she and Mulder were seated at the restaurant. "Sleep well?" he inquired.
"Yes, actually I did. I guess I was more tired then I thought. Did you have fun in the pool?" She sipped her water, but he took it from her.
"Yes I had fun, but don't drink too much. I ordered the house special. We're on Christmas vacation, so I thought this could be our little party." The waiter came back, took their orders, and gave Mulder the wine. He poured a glass for Scully, then one for himself.
She took a sip and smiled. "Very good. So, what did you ask Santa for this year?"
Mulder almost spit the wine out but swallowed it and laughed. "Interesting topic, let me see. I asked for a break, but it looks like I won't be getting my wish. You?"
"Same here. But there was this one thing I wanted. . ." she hesitated and then took another swig of the wine.
"Come on Scully, tell me."
"There was this necklace I saw at the jewelry store on the avenue back in DC. Remember? The one with the cross and emerald on it?"
"Right, we went there a few months ago. Yeah, that was lovely. Well, maybe Santa will surprise you and you'll get it."
"Well, maybe, but I won't hold my breath. On the other hand, Agent Mulder, you know what I really want for the office don't you?"
"Yes, I know," he replied quickly with a laugh. "And I will make room for a desk of your own as soon as we get back to Washington. You've waited five years, Scully. Another week won't kill ya, will it?"
He smiled and took another drink of the wine as Scully gave him one of her famous looks.
The waiter came back with their meals, and as they tried each others dishes, they chatted quietly about the case. When they finished, Mulder signed off on the check, and they headed back towards their room. The manager was there and stopped them in the hall.
"I feel terrible for what has happened regarding the mix up in your accomodations, Agent Mulder. We have a wonderful lounge and I have a table saved there for the two of you with complimentary drinks if you wish. Think of it as a peace offering."
Scully looked to her partner and nodded. The manager lead the way and Mulder offered his arm to Scully. They were seated in a quiet corner near the small band. Scully ordered a strawberry daiquiri while Mulder had a whiskey, straight up.
By his third drink, Mulder was getting a little drunk. "A toast," Mulder said raising his drink. Scully raised hers. "To us and many more screw ups at hotels so we get free drinks."
"To us," Scully said on her second drink. "Come on, let's get out of here. It's almost midnight, and we have to get up early tomorrow." They left a tip and headed up to the room.
Scully took a quick shower, and when she came out of the bathroom, she found Mulder under the covers, asleep. Or so she thought. She climbed into the bed and sunk into the covers. Not thirty seconds after she'd turned off the light, Mulder's cold feet touched her leg. She yelped.
"That's not funny! Get over there mister or you're on the floor." He laughed and rolled back over. They were both sound asleep in no time.
1:53 am
Mulder awoke with a start. He was shaking and sweating. When he sat up, Scully woke up too. "What is it Mulder. Did you have another nightmare?"
He nodded. "I saw the girl in the mall all alone, and she was scared at what she saw. I asked her what it was, and she said they were gone, just gone. Then I was back in my childhood room, and well, you know the rest." He was still trembling.
Scully moved closer to him and laid him back on the pillows. She grabbed a nearby tissue and wiped the sweat from his forehead. She laid down close to him. At first he felt very tense with her so close, but when she put her around him, he knew she was okay with this and relaxed.
"It was a dream," she comforted, "it's OK." She began to drift back to sleep as she laid her head on his chest.
Mulder looked down at her hair and thought how natural it felt to have her in his arms. He put his arms gently around her and kissed the top of her head. Then he fell asleep, content in her embrace.