Author's notes: I've played many games of rugby and through the years I managed to break several ribs, bones, toes, fingers and knees Anyhoo Lisa says I should use my recent hospitalisation for the good of the MT world and stick Mulder into the middle of a ruck and lets see how he makes out!

The RUCK, the MAUL, STAMPING, LINE OUT, SCRUM...are all legitimate rugby plays/moves. For more information you can go to or or or...sheesh I dunno them all! Go to google and type in your country and Rugby...you can't go wrong!

Well Deserved Break

By Skinfull

Marty's Deli

Washington DC

11 July 2001 12.45 PM

Mulder stood in the queue anxiously fingering the change in his pocket. The sandwiches he held would cost him five dollars and the drinks another four, but whether he'd have enough to surprise her with a muffin he wasn't sure. Finally the person in front of him moved away and he stepped up to the counter, dropping the two salad sandwiches down.

"Can I get two OJ's as well please?" he asked pulling the cash out to count in the palm of his hand.

The young server turned to the fridge and grabbed two bottles of orange juice quickly ringing it up on the small till.

"Eight sixty please," she said with a grim expression.

"And a muffin too," he added gladly, seeing he had enough money.

The server grunted as she stepped over to the display counter and pulled a blueberry muffin out with a pair of tongs. She placed it uncaringly into a small brown paper bag and left it beside the rest of his order.

"Will that be all sir?" she asked gruffly, not meeting his eyes as she added the price of his muffin to the till.

"Yes thanks."

"Nine eighty."

Mulder counted out the right change and passed it into her waiting hand. She gave him a dirty look at the sight of the mixed coins she'd have to count, but he just smiled back at her placing the food into a bag.

"Have a nice day," he said as he turned to walk out but she mumbled a reply he didn't quite hear and he was almost sure she called him a pleb.

The midday sun was beating down with a ferocity he didn't often see. Usually being cooped down in the basement, they caught a few rays of delinquent light in the evening but not today. Today he smiled as he strolled easily down the sidewalk in the midmorning sun to the grey non descript car that was parked across from the National bank.

From this short distance he could make Scully out, her head lolling back against the rest and the windows rolled down fully letting the warm breeze gently caress her features. Her red locks had blown into her face but she seemed content enough to let them lie there. It hadn't been too hard to bargain with Agent Wicker to let them in on the stakeout. The sun was smiling down at them for once, only not through the dismal excuse they had for windows, and all because he pulled a few strings, sold a few game tickets and made a few promises.

Carefully he sat in the car not wanting to wake her, but as soon as he closed the door her head whipped around in surprise.

"Did I miss anything?" he asked with a smile as she fixed her hair and eyed the brown bag he held on his lap.

"No. Security is still up."

"Hungry?"

"Yes."

He reached into the bag and pulled out a sandwich for her and an ice- cold bottle of juice. Setting his own lunch on the dashboard he turned to her with a wicked smile.

"What is it Mulder?" she eyed her food suspiciously. "What did you do to my lunch?"

"Nothing but I got you a surprise."

"What?" a straightforward smile curved her lips and she couldn't help the small gurgle of excitement that bubbled within her.

Diving into the bag again he rummaged around for a moment and she knew it was purely for show. Whatever it was he was about to pull out, she knew he was simply trying to prolong the suspense.

"Ta daa!" he exclaimed displaying the muffin on the tips of his fingers and thumb, balancing it carefully and presenting it to her as if it were a treasure. She laughed in delight at his gesture and carefully took it from his hand.

"Thanks Mulder." They started their lunch, Mulders eyes ever aware of the bank entrance as he bit into his sandwich. He sipped his juice and replaced it on the dashboard before resting back into his seat.

"Beats sitting in the basement eh Scully?"

"Yes it does. Look at the sun, I haven't seen it in weeks!"

"Oh come on the weather wasn't that bad in Colorado."

She seemed to take a moment to think about his statement but slowly she started to shake her head.

"Mulder it was freezing." It was a plain simple sentence that left no room for argument and he had to agree. "How did you land this anyway?"

"I talked to Gerry yesterday...you know Gerry Wicker?"

"Yeah."

"He mentioned this new case they were working on. A firm has opened up claiming to have uncrackable safes. They install the security system and test it, but then while the bank thinks it's money is safe in the vault they pull the old switch-a-roo."

"Switch-a-roo?" she repeated with another smile.

"Good money gone...bad money left. Marked money. Cash whose serial numbers have been recorded from lost ransom fines and stuff."

"So the security team just walk out with the cash, leaving the wrong notes behind?" She finished her juice and placed it into the empty paper bag.

"Yeah. Gerry said that this bank and the one on 4th are scheduled for installation today. All we have to do is hang around and search them when they leave."

"We should be able to manage that." She settled back into her chair stretching her legs in front of her and Mulder noticed she'd taken her shoes off.

"I thought you'd like this case."

"No ghostly bank robbers?"

"Nope."

"No extreme possibilities?"

"Nope."

"No problem." She smiled widely and pulled a piece off her muffin to eat. He glanced over at her and watched her delicate movements.

Crumbs fell onto her top rolling partially down her chest but she didn't seem to realise or care. "Want some?" she held it out in front of him.

"Thought you'd never ask." His voice held a lilt she recognised as his teasing tone, but she refused to rise to his bait as he took off a piece and ate it quickly.

"So why did you ask for this case?"

"I thought you could do with the down time after the goose chase in Colorado."

"Me?" she said loudly sitting up and letting the crumbs fall to her lap. "I wasn't the one who got arrested and spent two nights in jail. I wasn't the one who blamed the mayor for denying the ghost train existed?"

"Yeah I know but he was ignoring the facts."

"What facts?" Her voice had taken on a new level, her blueberry muffin forgotten in her hand, as she turned to face him more.

"The train tracks."

"Mulder they weren't train tracks, they were from a horse and carriage..."

"Well they looked like train tracks." He said indignantly waving his eyebrows a little and she knew then that he was distracting her, moving her away from her initial question.

"So tell me why we're really here."

"Really Scully? I saw what a beautiful day it was, I spoke to Gerry and I snapped up the opportunity..."

"That easy?"

"Well I had to pull a few strings and make a few deals but it's worth it!" He gestured at the sights around him of half clad young women displaying as much skin as was decent in the warm sun.

"What strings?" She sat back and settled down again biting into her muffin.

"I sold some game tickets."

"What game?"

"Wizards and Celtics. And I agreed to play a game..." his voice trailed off to incomprehensible words.

"What Mulder? What did you agree to?"

"I agreed to play a game of rugby...next weekend for the UCR department."

"Rugby? Can you play rugby?" she said laughing around her muffin.

"I used to play in Oxford." He pretended offence at her laughter and squared his shoulders. "I'll have you know I was quite good."

"Yeah?" Her laughter died and she turned to him smiling. "I thought basketball was your game?"

"Yeah well it wasn't too big in England. And when in Rome..."

"You just keep surprising me Mulder!"

"Wait till you see me play. Then you'll be surprised."

"I don't doubt it."

He glanced sideways at her, not sure how to take her last remark but before he could say anything further a movement from across the street caught his eye. Four men carrying large duffel bags exited the bank and headed towards a large white van.

"Lets go." Mulder jumped out of the car and made his way quickly across the street, pulling his badge out of his pocket.

Cant help posting...I'm in a posting frenzy...