** I really like this chapter…but as they say, Self Praise is No Praise!! **
Mulder sat quietly at his desk in the dimly lit basement office. The only sound came from the tip of his pencil bouncing rhythmically off the edge of the large wooden table. The harsh ring from the phone made him jump and he pounced onto the receiver.
"Scully?" he said.
"Mulder I got your message. The autopsy?" she said her voice urgent but still weary.
"Yes, victim number six was a white female aged 42. I sent the body to Quantico, marked for your attention."
"Okay. I'll get over there straight away."
Mulder glanced at his watch and noticed it was ten past nine. He began to doubt the idea of leaving the message on her machine about an hour ago, but he knew there was nothing he could do about it now.
"You can leave it until tomorrow," he tried, "if you're busy tonight."
On the other end of the phone Dana Scully smiled knowingly. She knew a leading question when she heard one and having worked with Mulder for so long she even knew where he was leading her.
"No, I'm not busy. Danny dropped me off about fifteen minutes ago. I called as soon as I got your message."
"Was the game any good?" he asked hoping she couldn't hear the tremor in his voice, unsure himself where it was coming from.
"What game?" she replied, unable to resist teasing him a little bit more.
"Eh…the cubs?" he sat forward in his chair and she heard the unmistakable squeak from its weary joints.
"It was a 3-3 tie."
"Oh," his voice adapting a casual lilt she knew he wasn't feeling.
"I'm going to get a taxi out to Quantico. I'll call you with what ever I find."
"Okay…and Scully?"
"Yes Mulder?"
"Thanks."
Standing now over the open body she absently replayed their conversation over in her head and couldn't help but smile. Her legs ached despite the comfortable shoes she wore so with a final image Mulder leaning on his desk, frantic thoughts racking his brains, she let the chuckle emerge as she began the sutures.
Binning the facemask and gloves she slipped out of her scrubs and stepped into the ladies locker room, thankful for her change of clothes she decided to save her shower for the comforts of her own place and her own soaps. With both hands dug into her eyes she yawned heavily and it turned into a deep sigh as she approached the reception desk to order another cab. Her mind was so full of thoughts and theories and her eyes glazed over that she didn't see Mulder sitting by the door.
He wasn't sure why he decided to drive out to Quantico but something compelled him to his car and he wasn't surprised to find himself pulling up outside the lab. Then standing in reception, suddenly reluctant to interrupt her autopsy he chose a chair and sank low into it his arms crossing his chest and his feet stretched out far in front of him.
He watched her walk around the corner and a strange pang pulled through his chest when he saw how tired she looked. As she dialled the phone and held the receiver up to her ear she half turned and spotted him.
"Mulder!" she exclaimed not really believing he was there until he stood his lean figure up from the low chair and walked over to her, a concerned lob sided smile on his lips. "What are you doing here?"
"I couldn't let my favourite G-Woman get a taxi this late on her own," he said showing her his car keys. "If anything happened I'd…" he said letting his voice trail off.
"You'd what?" she asked replacing the phone behind the desk and facing him fully.
"I'd be hard pushed to find someone to put up with me the way you do."
"Thanks Mulder, you sure know how to make me feel special."
She playfully slapped him and he laughed. Following him out to the car she stepped into it suddenly aware of how pleased she was to be off her feet and next to him. He gave her a small smile as he got in the other side.
"Home James," she said laughing lightly, resting her head against the window allowing the gently movement lull her into a gentle nap.
As he pulled up outside her apartment She slowly roused and he watched her pull herself back to reality. She didn't invite him in, she didn't have to and he followed her up to the main entrance, waiting against the wall as she fumbled with the keys. Soon she was sighing as they stepped into her cool apartment.
"Leave a window open Scully?" he called to her as he walked through the living room and shut the window firmly.
"No, I didn't," she said crossing the room to join him suddenly alert.
"No?" he said as he checked the room visually, taking an almost imperceptible step forward, but it was enough to shield her. His hand reached for his gun and he held it down by his side, glancing at her with that silent communication they shared he told her he was going to search the place. Wanting to tell her to wait here but knowing better he settled for her soft footfall behind him, close enough so he could still protect her. They cautiously made their way throughout her apartment and inspected every room before returning to her living room.
"Are you sure you didn't leave it open?" he asked as he reholstered his gun.
"Yes. I'm sure," she replied angrily.
"Is there anything missing?"
A cursory glance around the room showed her nothing but she was positive that nothing was missing. Her TV, VCR and laptop sat untouched by her desk.
"No, nothing I can see."
He saw her anger churning into fear and tried hard not to bundle her into his arms and whisper assurance into her ear. Settling for a friendly touch he reached out and squeezed her shoulder.
"Don't worry, I'm sure it's nothing."
"Nothing?" she said her anger returning, "I come home to find my apartment window opened, but nothing taken, how do I know they haven't bugged the place?"
"Hey Scully," he steadied her erratic movements with two hands on her shoulders, "calm down, you're beginning to sound like me."
She took a deep sigh and brushed his hands away as she reached up to rub her face. Not sure what to do with his hands, Mulder walked back to the window and examined it closer.
"It doesn't look like it was forced. I could take some prints if you want," he asked but he turned to find he was talking to an empty room. "Scully?" he said gently as he walked towards the hallway and noticed her bedroom door had been closed over but not shut. Standing out side it he could hear nothing but as he reached a hand up to knock it swung open and she appeared before him, his hand still raised and hovering between them.
"Mulder, you scared me!" She stood wearing her robe and holding a few towels. "I'm just going to take a shower," she said staring into his eyes defying him to ask if she was okay.
"I was just going to ask if you wanted me to take some prints?"
"I don't know Mulder I'm sure that it was nothing," she said as she sidled by him and leant against the bathroom door.
"I'll just make sure."
He walked by and left her to watch after him. Regret at her earlier outburst flooded her mind as she closed the door behind her and slipped into the shower. She knew he was just being protective but she hated to be treated like that.
Like what Dana? she chided herself, a lady?
She spent her whole life studying and working with men, living up to their high standards sometimes surpassing them. Letting the hot water soothe her muscles she allowed her body to relax and thought of how Mulder had treated her as an equal since the first day, never questioning her ability only her theories.
His unease over the attention she had been getting from Danny had been puzzling but she was putting it down to his inherent need to protect her since her life had been threatened by her cancer.
She stepped out of the shower and wrapped up in a heavy towel, sitting down onto the toilet she gently rubbed her hair with a smaller towel she wondered if Danny had called Mulder about Monday night. Since joining the basement brigade her social life had withered away, she thought with a sad smile. Not that her medical studies had helped it blossom with its ungodly hours.
But now I have Mulder, she thought and an image of him waiting for her on her couch flew into her mind wrenching her to her bedroom where she quickly changed into a pair of black trousers and a large over sized US Navy sweatshirt Bill had given her.
As she emerged into the living room she saw that Mulder wasn't where she imagined him to be but he clinking sound from the kitchen drew her in. She found him with his back to her as he busied himself with stuff she couldn't see.
"Go in and sit down," he said without turning as if he felt her presence.
Confused she went into the living room and curled up onto a corner of the couch. Soon the clinking stopped and she craned her neck round as he approached holding two plates. He passed one to her and placed he other on the table. Her jaw dropped at the sight of the large club sandwiches he'd made for them and decided sometimes it was nice to be looked after. Soon he returned with two large glasses of milk and held one out to her before sitting next to her.
"Sandwich and milk before bed?" she said smiling.
"Yeah and if you're good I'll read you a story and tuck you in."
"If you're good I'll let you!" she said before she could stop herself but was glad she did when she spied the frozen look on his face.
Slowly he allowed his sandwich to continue its journey to his mouth and took a bite, his senses on high alert. After all these years of throwing comments and innuendoes at her she finally replied with one of her own and he froze. He risked a glance over at her and found her watching him with a smile on her lips he couldn't quite place.
"What?" he asked suddenly all too aware of her curves under her baggy jumper.
"I just wanted to say thanks for looking after me. I know you do it because you care and I don't mean to get mad."
"Forget it Scully," he said, looking away. That's her flirting smile, he thought a wave of elation sweeping over him, delighted that it was finally aimed at him, but scared at what it meant.
He watched her as she took a deliberate long drink of her milk leaving a trace of it across her top lip. It was all he could do to stop himself from brushing it away with his tongue.
Thumb I mean, Thumb he repeated in his head mantra like as he turned away from the sight of her own tongue finishing his thoughts.
Facing ahead he could feel her movements on the couch as she reached out to put her glass on the table. He quickly finished his sandwich and took both of their plates to the kitchen glad of the space and placed them into the sink. As he returned to the couch he saw that she had rested back into a ball and he bent down behind it resting his arms along it's back. His chin came down to his wrists and she turned her head to face him their faces so close she could feel his breath caress her cheeks.
"Are you going to be okay?" he asked.
"Yeah," she admitted more with the tone of her voice than with her words but he didn't push. "Did you take the prints?"
"No, I'll drop by tomorrow with a kit and take them. Around Lunch time?"
"Fine."
For a moment they said nothing their eyes locked together they allowed volumes to flow between them before he stood. He walked over to the door but she remained on the couch, her eyes following his progress.
"Good night Scully," he said as he opened the door but before he stepped through it he took a half step closer to her.
Her eyebrows lifted in anticipation of what he was about to say. He seemed to struggle for a moment but then let out a sigh and closed the door again, sitting down onto the couch.
"What's wrong Mulder?" she asked sitting up but he paused her movements with a hand on her knee.
"I just wanted to say…" he faltered.
Sudden realisation dawned on her as she saw the worry in his eyes and heard the tone in his voice. She placed a hand over his on her knee and smiled reassuringly at her.
"Don't worry Mulder, Nothing is going to happen to me."
"Famous lasts words Scully," he said trying stab at humour, not sure how pleased he was at how transparent he had become to her.
"Not last words, just the truth. Come by tomorrow at lunch, take what ever prints you can and you'll see," she said allowing him a little squeeze.
"Okay," he caught her eyes again before he stood up and walked towards the door for a second time that night. "Good night again."
"Good night Mulder."
"Call me if you cant sleep, you know I'll be up."
"Okay."
She listened for the sound of the outer door and waited for his car to start and pull away into the night before dragging herself off the couch. She left the lights on as she walked through her apartment locking the windows and the door. Slipping into her bed fully clothed and placing her gun on the nightstand she turned away from the bright bedside lamp and tried to calm her beating heart. The feeling that someone had been through her apartment disturbed her and she lay still in her bed listening to the night pass.
** Ohh I DO like this chapter. I know it's a bit short but I'm not sure how to get through to the next scene. So I ended this one here and the next should be ready for tomorrow evening. ***