Chapter 4
A/N: Hi...I'm sorry. Don't throw rocks at me. I felt really really bad for keeping everyone waiting for so long (it's a subconscious thing I do to get back at all the authors who do that to ME! Lol) *BUT* to make up for it, I wrote a really really long fourth chapter! I sat down with writers block and managed to churn out seven pages. I can't decide if I should try for a fifth chapter or not...that's your (the reader's) call! Hope you enjoy.
Special added note: This chapter was fun for several reasons. 1. I was all powerful and could see into the minds of like, everyone, which was just flat out cool. 2. I got to include myself, Jen, and Kayla (who really would act like that) in this fic. The two of them are people I met through ffn, and we dubbed ourselves the Lone Gunwomen (which I know has probably been done before) and 3. I meant to make this two chapters, but it worked so well together that I left it and created one of my longest chapters ever. *beams*
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Scully was surprised to find a long black limo waiting for them outside of her apartment. She hadn't bothered to think about transportation.
"Your carriage awaits," Mulder said, gesturing with his free arm. He led her to the limo and helped her inside.
Scully wondered aimlessly in the few seconds before Mulder got in after her where he would sit; next to her or across from her. Did she want him to be close to her? She wondered...
Mulder normally would have given Scully her space, but something drew him near her. She looked so radiant and they were in such a personal rather than professional setting, that he felt like taking all the risks he could.
Scully was content having him close to her as well. She knew somehow that the night would be a magical one. She'd felt his lips only once before; that millennium kiss he'd granted her after the world didn't end. Scully smiled at the memory.
"What?" Mulder asked, spying her grin.
"Nothing," she mumbled, feeling guilty about treasuring their kiss. Changing the topic instead, she looked up at her partner. "Are we picking up your three ugly step-sisters?"
The comment elicited a chuckle from Mulder. "The Lone Gunmen found their own wheels with their girls."
Scully almost choked. "I forgot...dates..." She grinned. "And that was my original reason for coming, but after you spoiled me rotten, I guess it slipped my mind."
Neither of them knew what to say, so they rode the rest of the way in quiet comfort.
Scully was amazed at the large estate they arrived at. She'd never known something as splendid as that mansion existed so close to the city.
They were delivered to the front door, via a circular brick drive. In the center of the drive lay a beautiful garden, complete with a large fountain. The cement fountain featured angels crowding around with wings and harps, and water poured forth from above them; a gift from God. There were tiny garden lights surrounding the house, as well as lamp posts around the drive, and neatly trimmed hedges and flowers.
Mulder and Scully were greeted on the inside by servants hired especially for the evening's event. They were escorted to a wing of the house that contained the ball room and a large dining room set with small intimate tables and chairs. Most people were seated, waiting to be served dinner, but there were many more standing around socializing, and others still arriving.
"Mulder, Scully! Over here!" They heard Frohike's voice from their far right.
"You mean we don't have to use fake names?" Mulder called back, still not sure where Frohike was at. "And I was all set to be Rob Petrie again." He enjoyed the glare that the comment generated from Scully. Obviously she didn't enjoy the idea as much as he did.
The two had turned on cue, standing close to each other already, and froze, scanning the crowds for the short slimy man they knew so well. They were surprised to see him, as well as Byers and Langly approaching in...tuxedos...
"There's a pretty picture," Frohike declared, gaping at Scully.
"Yeah, you two look good together," Langly added, adjusting his glasses.
Frohike glared at him. He'd meant Scully alone looked good...
"Where are you guys sitting?" Mulder asked.
"And where are your dates?" Scully added, glancing around anxiously.
"The answer to both questions," Byers began, "is right over there."
Scully and Mulder's gazes followed his finger to a table where three young women sat talking intently to one another and laughing.
Scully wanted to go over and meet them. She didn't know why she took such particular interest in them, except that they were real women and not hideous ones. They were fairly typical looking, one with light brown hair, one dirty blonde, and one reddish brown. She thought they looked like a movie trio. Maybe out of a James Bond movie.
"Way to go guys!" Mulder said, cheering them on and slapping Byers on the back. "And here I thought you were gonna bring Barb-the-Blow-Up."
"We did," Frohike retorted with bitter sarcasm. "She's in the trunk."
"You're just mad 'cuz Mulder's got Scully and you don't," Langly taunted.
"Watch it, Blondie," Frohike warned.
When they reached the table the three women looked up at the new members of their party.
"Guys, allow us to introduce you to two of our good friends, Fox Mulder and Dana Scully," Langly said, gesturing to each. The three mumbled hellos and the dirty-blonde woman fixed her eyes on Mulder, not removing them.
"This is my date, Jennifer," Byers said, motioning to the brown haired woman.
"Nice to meet you," she said politely. "Jennifer is much too formal though! Please, call me Jen!" She added, then smiled at her date.
Langly motioned to the red haired one. "This is Heather," he announced.
She looked up and smiled at them. "You look wonderful," she told Scully, "You both do," she added, not wanting to make Mulder feel bad.
Frohike walked over to the blonde. "And last but not least, this is Kayla."
Still staring, Kayla mumbled dreamily, "Hello..."
The party sat down and soon their dinners arrived. While they ate, polite conversation went on all around the table.
"So, what do you guys do?" Scully asked, generally interested in the Lone Gunmen's dates.
"Well, I'm part of the publications department," Jen began.
"I manage the media end...from logos to the website," Heather announced.
"And you, Kayla?" Scully asked. The blonde was still fixating on Mulder. Scully decided that she didn't like it. She knew that the implication there was that she too had feelings for her partner, but she didn't feel like denying it to herself anymore. This girl was hooked on Mulder, and she didn't want him to respond to the attention.
"I'm in personal relations," Kayla mumbled, still staring.
Scully thought it sounded like a direct attack. Personal relations with whom? She chided herself for being so catty. The girl just had an innocent crush....erm, fixation.
Jen brightened. "Oh, but you guys didn't tell us what you do for a living!"
Scully and Mulder exchanged glances, much to Kayla's dismay. Scully smiled as she caught his eye, knowing that they had a connection between them that no one in the rest of the world could touch.
Mulder looked at the three and deadpanned, "We're both FBI agents."
Jen and Heather looked excited at the news.
"That's so cool!" They exclaimed, starry eyed. "Do you get a lot of top secret cases involving national security and government cover-ups and stuff?" Heather asked.
"They're not with the CIA!" Jen rebuked her, politely.
Mmhm, Scully thought. Definitely a match for the Lone Gunmen. She laughed at their enthusiasm. "We stick more to the cases that aren't quite so....mainstream."
"We hunt aliens and follow up on unexplained and often paranormal activity," Mulder told them, fueling their round of questioning.
Scully gave him a look of exasperation as the girls' questions continued. Kayla, realizing that the other two were getting attention from the object of her affection, quickly began asking him things as well.
The gunmen finally drew their dates away to go dancing, and Mulder and Scully were left alone at the table.
"I'm sorry," Mulder said, seeing the slight annoyance in his partner's eyes. He'd known her long enough to be able to spot her mood a mile away.
"It's okay," she lied. She didn't want to turn the night into an arguing match between them, and now she had his complete and undivided attention. "You seemed to be enjoying the attention." She hadn't meant it to be a barb, but it came out that way.
"I didn't mean to," he protested. "They just seemed so interested in our work."
"No," Scully said, shaking her head with a laugh. "They were interested in your work. Especially Frohike's date, Kayla. I think she definitely has a thing for you." Scully winked at him to convey that she was kidding, but on the inside she was troubled by the whole situation. There were always women like her popping into the picture and willing to give Mulder more affection than she did. There were times when she saw that he liked women like Kayla, but she still could not desist from liking and even loving him herself.
"She stared at me a lot. Usually I don't pick up on feminine signals, but that one was pretty blatant," he said, laughing. It was true that he was bad at picking up signs from women in general, but not from Scully. With her he was an old pro, and at the moment, he knew that she was feeling a little unimportant. He'd have to fix that, he thought to himself.
Placing his hand gently over Scully's, he smiled at her. "Crush on me or not, she isn't my date. You are, and I wouldn't want it any other way." He smacked himself mentally for being such a corny geek. He'd known Scully forever, why couldn't he just talk to her like a normal person and NOT say something stupid? "Would you want to dance?" he asked her, standing up.
Scully smiled and allowed him to pull her up as well. "I'd love to."
The two made their way into the ballroom, which was filled with people dancing. Scully looked at the swirl of tuxes and dresses of all colors. Everyone there looked so elegant that she could scarcely believe she was a part of it. Her mature, professional side told her that these extravagancies were an unnecessary waste, but her inner child delighted in the dresses, the crystal chandeliers, and the ball room itself.
Mulder turned to her and took her hands in his.
"You'll have to forgive me if I'm bad at this. I don't get to many balls."
Scully laughed at his pathetic joke. She always gave him the benefit of the doubt, which he loved. Mulder relaxed a little and pulled her closer to him, putting his hands on her hips. Their first real dance was beginning.
"Mulder, Scully!" Frohike's voice came, cutting through the sea of dancers.
Kayla was with him, but when she saw Mulder, she stopped dancing and started toward them with a smile.
"I was wondering when you guys were going to find your way in here," Frohike said. "I lost Byers and Jen, but Heather and Langley are chilling by the punch bowl and 'indiscreetly' searching the room for cameras and bugs."
"Are you afraid that the party-throwers are onto you?" Mulder asked sarcastically.
"No. They're just being themselves. I don't think Langley can go anywhere without doing that, and I find it incredibly odd that he's finally met his match. Within five minutes of being here she'd already checked the women's bathroom and scanned about half of the dining area."
Mulder chuckled. "I hear wedding bells already."
"Are you kidding?" Frohike snorted. "They're not into the whole 'institution' of marriage thing. They'd be more likely to get hitched on the web or something."
Scully raised an eyebrow, both at Frohike's commentary and at the stars that were literally glistening in Kayla's eyes as she stared at Mulder. She didn't know which was worse.
Before Mulder and Scully could resume dancing, Frohike excused himself.
"I've gotta use the little gunmen's facilities, would you mind dancing with Kayla for a bit?"
Scully opened and closed her mouth while Mulder quickly agreed. Kayla looked as though she was going to burst with joy.
Mulder turned to his partner. "It'll just be for a dance or two. You could go hang with Langly and Heather..." he suggested.
Scully's glare was enough to silence him, but she did make her way to the punch bowl. There wasn't really much else she could do.
"The technology now is going to be obsolete next week! I mean, if we continue on the paths that we're on, humanity is going to peak and we're gonna start seeing computers that are capable of anything--like on Star Trek," she overheard Heather saying.
Langly was listening to her intently, focusing all of his attention on the girl.
Lucky, Scully thought. I've got the perfect dress, hair, shoes, and date, but he can't even pay attention to me for five minutes. She doled out a cup of red juice, took a few chocolate covered strawberries from among the delicacies, and turned to watch the dance floor.
Kayla was wrapped around Mulder like child clinging to their mom. She had her head resting on one of his shoulders and her hands on his back. They were swaying gently back and forth, and Scully could feel herself turning red with anger and jealousy. That was supposed to be her date!
She felt ridiculous. Not only was she standing by the punch bowl alone and feeling sorry for herself, but she was acting as though she had exclusive rights to Mulder. She didn't. As far as each was concerned, they were just partners and friends; nothing more. She remembered dozens of times where she'd wanted more, and others where she knew he wanted more, and yet...and yet they never did anything about it. She was never quite sure what kept them apart, but she knew that at the moment, it was a young blonde who was supposed to be dancing with the frog prince.
Scully thought that she was off the hook as she saw Frohike return, but he made a beeline for her, rather than for Kayla.
"I didn't really get a chance to talk to you earlier," he began, pouring himself some punch. "You look absolutely radiant."
Scully made an inward sigh. Some things never change. "Thank you," she said mindlessly, while she continued to stare after Mulder and Kayla. Another song had started, so she'd have to wait again.
"Say, would you like to dance, since both our partners are a little wrapped up in each other?" Frohike asked her, offering his arm.
Scully caught herself before she made a verbal protest to his comment. Mulder wasn't wrapped up in her! Her brain screamed. She's the one with the fixation on him, and all she's doing is wrecking both of our nights by keeping him... she stopped before she thought the words 'from me.' He wasn't hers; she'd accept a dance from Frohike. Just one couldn't hurt, right?
Frohike gazed at the beautiful red-head he was dancing with at the moment. She was definitely an improvement from Kayla. Honestly, all that girl could do was stare at Mulder. So what if he was taller, better spoken, handsome, manly...aw hell, no wonder Scully had granted him a pity dance. He couldn't compete with Mulder in the lady department. Still, he could enjoy this dance with all his heart.
Scully was blatantly conscious of Frohike's hands on her hips, but to his credit, he was being a gentleman. She was actually enjoying their dance, so long as she didn't think for too long how perverse he could be, but then she realized that he was shorter than she was. He wasn't very muscular either...as she drifted away with the music, she thought of Mulder. He was taller than her by a lot. Even with her heels on she didn't come close to meeting even his eyes. His arms were strong and familiar to her, and she loved the way he smelled. He had a very familiar smell that made her feel dreamy.
She looked up from her 'partner' and realized that Mulder and Kayla weren't even in sight.
"Is something wrong?" Frohike asked her, looking around with a worried glance.
"Yeah, I can't find Mulder..." She mumbled, scanning the room. Another song was beginning and she had really wanted to find him and have her dance.
Leave it to the beautiful red-head to spoil the moment. He'd been in complete ecstasy just in having his hands on her hips, but all she could think about was her pretty-boy partner. At least they couldn't see him. Maybe he'd be getting some more dances out of her...
"Don't worry about it. We can have a couple more dances together and then go find him. I'm sure he and Kayla are fine together."
That's what she was worried about! God only knew how far that obsessed girl was going to go with him, or how far he was going to let her. It was Valentine's Day, after all, and knowing that she personally was in need of some attention, she worried about Mulder. Why wasn't he in sight?
Scully shared several more dances with Frohike, and then finally excused herself.
"I really want to find Mulder," she explained to him. "Thank you for dancing with me while I was all alone, but he's my date, and I really should go find him."
"Well, when you find them, tell Kayla that I went off on some 'business.' I have to make this night worthwhile."
Scully gave him a look.
"You think I rented this tux to dance with some pretty women? I have bigger fish to fry..." he said, walking off.
Scully wondered about him for the trillionth time. Maybe she was self-delusional about his little crush on her. He seemed to care more about his little embezzlement/alien story than he did with dancing with her; supposedly his dream girl...and he'd said women in the plural sense...she hoped Mulder didn't think Kayla was pretty.
Wasn't that the problem with Mulder though? It seemed like he had feelings for her sometimes, but their work always got in the way. He was passionate about the X Files and about the paranormal, but never about her. She came second to everyone's obsessions with the unexplained, it seemed.
Wandering through the ballroom, Scully still could not locate Mulder and Kayla. She felt like she'd traveled the huge perimeter at least twice, and had zigzagged through the middle of the floor as well.
The only place left to look was the dining hall. Of course, she thought as she stalked down the hallway. They have to be in there.
They were in the dining hall; two of the only souls left in the place. Everyone else was dancing, but they'd quit for some reason. They were sitting at a table, next to, but facing one another, and talking to each other in low voices.
Mulder looked up as he saw his partner approach.
"Hey, Scully. Sorry that I sort of snuck off, but we couldn't hear a thing in the hall and Kayla kept trying to talk. We finally just came in here, and I guess we lost track of time."
Scully looked at him with pursed lips, but said nothing.
"She was just telling me about this great UFO hotspot she used to frequent. We're planning on going sometime and checking out ..."
Scully looked down at the floor and touched her hair before she turned on her heels and left the room. She mumbled some excuse, ignoring Mulder's requests that she come back. She also ignored the sounds of Kayla mumbling, "I hope we didn't upset her."
She didn't know where she was going, or even why she was mad. She had no right to be mad, but you know what? She was. She walked furiously through the corridors and wound up in a hallway she hadn't been in before. She was sure that guests were not supposed to be down this way, but she didn't care.
Stopping to catch her breath, she noticed a huge bay window that overlooked a garden. It was letting in soft moonlight, which unveiled beautiful paintings on the opposite wall. She stood in front of them, examining them, then turned at the sound of footsteps from behind.
"Scully!" Came a harsh whisper down the hallway. Apparently Mulder realized as well that they were not supposed to be in this hallway.
He entered the moonlit area, and stopped, looking at her. She was beautiful in the lunar glow.
"You know, for a woman with short legs, in a dress, and on heels, you sure are hard to catch."
"Yeah, well, I had a head start," she said nonchalantly.
"You're mad...about Kayla..." he began.
"No," Scully said, shutting him up. "It's not my place to be mad. Just, do whatever you want, and have fun." It had taken a lot out of her just to say that.
Mulder looked at her, confused. "What do you mean, 'not your place?' Of course it's you're place! I didn't mean to go off with her like that. I'm really sorry, okay?"
"It's fine," Scully insisted. "If you guys like each other, who am I to stand in the way?"
"You're my date." Mulder said to her, "and my best friend. I'm not interested in her; especially after she took me away from you. It was supposed to be one or two dances, but then you disappeared and she wanted to talk."
"You don't have to explain...really. It's none of my business what you do with her." Scully said, brushing off his concern.
"Scully..." he began, troubled by her new attitude.
They were interrupted by the sound of more footsteps coming toward them...this time from the opposite end of the hall. It was pitch black down there, and they could tell who was headed their way.
"They're onto us!" Mulder said, nudging Scully to try to get a rise out of her. "Should we run or something?"
"Not again and not in these heels," she said, trying to discern who was approaching them.
"Mulder, Scully!" Frohike's voice came.
They both heaved a sigh of relief. It was only him, but what had he been doing down here?
"I found something. Mulder, you've gotta come see this...it's incredible," Frohike said, gasping. He'd apparently been a lot further down the hallway.
Mulder looked at Scully, then back to his friend.
"Actually, I can't go right now. I owe a dance to someone very special," he said, taking Scully's hand in his.
She smiled, and blushed, thankful that he couldn't tell in the silvery moonlit chamber.
Frohike turned a confused eye to him. "You aren't going to come? But you've been waiting for something like this! Besides, you have to turn up something for Skinner too, don't you?"
Mulder shook his head. "I'll just tell him that the evening was a bust, except that on the plus side, I got to dance with a beautiful woman."
"You mean two beautiful women, don't you?" Scully asked, still a little sour from earlier.
"Nope," Mulder answered her. "You're the only beautiful woman I know."
She grinned. She wouldn't be playing second string to anyone tonight after all. Kayla really didn't mean anything to him, and this thing, whatever it was, was not more important to him than a dance with her.
Frohike couldn't believe he was hearing this! Not only was the flirting between him and Scully disgusting, but he was throwing away the opportunity of a lifetime.
"Don't you even want to know what it is?" He stammered as the couple walked away.
"Send me a picture or something," Mulder called back.
When they reached the ballroom, the band was just finishing a song.
"So, should I ask you to dance, or has that line gotten old tonight?" Mulder asked her.
"You can only ask if you mean to give me the entire song...no interruptions. I don't care if Kayla runs in here in her underwear, or if we see Frohike being escorted out by the police..."
"I get the point. I promise you, this dance is yours...and I warn you, at least one of those events are likely to happen."
Scully laughed. "Well, I accept and pray for Frohike going out in cuffs," Scully replied as the band started up the next tune.
The two resumed the dance they'd begun earlier; his hands on her hips, with her close to him, but still keeping a space between them.
The song that was playing was called My Funny Valentine; she knew the song from years ago. It was a slow jazz ballad.
As they danced, Scully looked at her partner. He was paying attention only to her, which was a rare treat.
Smiling, Scully began with the band. "My fun-ny Val-en-tine..."
Mulder chucked at her attempt to carry a tune. He remembered the time they were in the woods and she sang 'Jeremiah was a Bullfrog' to him.
Still smiles, Scully changed the words. "My spoo-ky Val-en-tine..." She looked up at him and laughed, then pulled herself all the way in toward him, putting her head on his chest.
Mulder moved his hands to encircle her tiny frame, and they swayed happily back and forth to the song.
She had her prince at last...
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So what do you think? I think it needs another chapter...but I'll only know what you think through reviews... eh, eh...*wink wink, nudge nudge.*
