TITLE: Just Breathe
AUTHOR: Michele Grahn
RATING: PG-13 or R for language, kissing, yeah that's about it.
CATEGORY: MSR, RST,
ARCHIVE: Sure, just add my name and address and let me know first. That is if you really want this thing.
DISCLAIMER: I don't own these characters, yadda, yadda, yadda, except for the ones that I do, you'll know them when you see them in the story- there is no money made from this story. unfortunately. Although if I did own Him (you know who.DD!) Don't you think that I could find something a little more ah, productive to do with him rather than just writing about him? I think not! These characters belong to 1013 productions and the twisted little mind of the surfer boy himself, Chris Carter, who finally, after only 9 FREAKIN years decided to wake up and smell the shipper-scented coffee! - I do not own Frank Sinatra or The Temptations or any of the rights to their songs. However, I do own the What Women Want soundtrack, and movie, which I use with reckless abandon.
SUMMARY: It's Christmas time and Mulder and Scully attend a Ball thrown by the bureau and enjoy a little too much champagne and a dance. Mulder later receives a mysterious phone call which leads to a warehouse where Scully is wounded, and what comes next.you have to read on. AUTHOR'S NOTE: Okay, this is my first X-Files Fan-Fiction so I am going to make a concerted effort to make it as un-sucky as possible but you have been warned. OK here goes nothing then.
MSR MSR MSR MSR
December 24.Christmas
Eve Jade Warehouse,
Washington DC 7:10 p.m.
Mulder: Just put the knife down. We can talk about this if you let her go.
Adrienne: I don't think so lover, I let your little girlfriend go and I'm as good as gone- prison right? No, an institution full of psychos! Don't bet on it.
Scully: That's where you belong, you psychotic. ow!
Adrienne pressed the knife's point into Scully's back, drawing more blood and causing Scully to flinch and Mulder to re-grip his weapons. Mulder looked at the situation in front of him while keeping his guns trained on the assailant. Agent Adrienne Braun, from VCS was standing behind Scully with a knife. He saw an angry bruise forming on Scully's face and was NOT pleased. Adrienne had an easy 7 inches and 35 pounds on Scully; she was pissed and, judging from the poignant smell of alcohol, was decidedly drunk. Mulder and Adrienne continued their verbal parry as Scully thought things over, to try to take her mind away from the caustic pain in her back.
Scully: Great, this is just what I need to be doing on Christmas Eve. This is so fitting. Welcome to my life. Standing at knifepoint by a psycho lady FBI agent who, is probably going to kill me and of course, had to fall head over heels in love with Mulder. Why do they always fall for him? I mean I know he is attractive but come on now. Phoebe, Bambi, Detective White, Diana, Sheila, the list goes on. Maybe it's the gun; some girls just go for guys with guns.
Scully came out for her reverie to find that Mulder was still trying to reason with the psycho-bitch, that was Scully's new name for her, she thought it was quite appropriate.
Mulder: Look Adrienne, Scully has nothing to do with this so just let her go and - we can do something about this and no one said you were going anywhere. You said you wanted only me here anyway.
Adrienne: Nothing to do with it? She has EVERYTHING to do with it now! She just proved it just by coming here. We could have had something special Fox, but no, you had to go and fall in love with your little tramp of a partner.
Mulder: What the hell are you talking about?
Adrienne: You know exactly what I'm talking about. Don't try to deny it, I can't anymore. I saw the way you looked at her at the party that night. You didn't pay attention to anything else, not even me!
23 Hours Before Mulder's apartment
Mulder: Great now that I have wasted all day thinking of excuses, not only do I not have one, I only have 10 minutes to get there. Scully's going to shoot me if I'm late and she is there by herself.
The Bureau was throwing its annual Christmas Ball but this year they had decided to go all out and hold it in a swanky hotel in DC. This, opposed to whatever room was available in J. Edgar Hoover. This made Skinner suggest that he and Scully "try their hardest to attend". Probably because he wanted to make them schmooze with the senior staff and make a good impression so they would get off Skinners back about his "unethical" agents.
So here was Mulder at 7:50 in his boxers trying to figure out a way to get out of this drab event that would not end in Scully hating him forever, or at least cursing him out until she got over to his house to kill him. New excuses ran through his head as he threw his stuffy tux on, put on aftershave, and ran a hand through his hair in about nine minutes, which he was positive must have been some sort of record. He checked himself in the cab's mirror on the way there.
Mulder: Oh my God, I look like Pee Wee Herman! I can't believe I am actually going to this dumb thing.
Mulder pulled up to the hotel and gave the driver his money. As he walked into the lobby he saw that there were hundreds of agents milling about. He searched for Scully for about 5 minutes but found he could not focus well in the crowd. He figured she would be wearing something roughly resembling one of the professional outfits that the some of the other women were wearing, therefore rendering her almost impossible to find among all the other similarly dressed agents. He walked up the stairs and leaned against the railing overlooking the lobby. Everyone was finely dressed and enjoying themselves taking a break from their tiresome, tedious jobs. This was a really nice party for the bureau, real classy.
Mulder: The bureau's budget guys must have had a conniption fit.
He was starting to get bored when he saw her. She walked through the front door of the hotel and the rest of the room faded away. Mulder couldn't breathe; there was no way that was Scully. She wore a dark blue evening gown that had wisp-like straps. The front was cut low enough to show but not as to seem trashy. It was a few shades darker than her eyes, which he was sure were sparkling. The dress was form-fitting and fell to the floor. She had sparse make-up on as usual and she wore minimal jewelry, just the cross that always hung around her neck and a sapphire bracelet that matched her earrings. Her hair was curled and held up with a single clip in the back, with a few tendrils hanging down in the front.
Mulder: As Frohike would say, "she's hot". Oh man shut-up, she's my partner! If she even suspected that I was looking at her like this and thinking the things that I am, she would go ballistic.
Mulder smiled at his own internal scolding and made his way down the stairs. Scully saw him and greeted him with a breath-taking smile. She walked toward him. It was then that Mulder noticed there was a slit running from the floor up the side to the front of the dress and ended mid-thigh.
Mulder: So much for not thinking like, Frohike. Aw, who the hell even cares? Damn she looks good tonight. Hell, she looks good all the time. It sucks that she'll be in a suit again next week.
Scully: You look nice Mulder, I'm glad you decided to come... even if you did spend all day thinking of ways to get out of it, AND you probably got ready in the last 20 minutes.
Mulder: Damn you woman. You think you know me so well. It was the last TEN minutes thank you very much.
Scully: Haha. You ready?
Mulder: Yeah, It turned out pretty nice. You look.amazing. Too bad we are going to have to start getting your stuff out of the basement.
Scully: What? Why?
Mulder: Once they get a load of you, they'll have to running the whole FBI in days.
Scully just smiled and took the arm the Mulder offered as they walked into the ballroom. The dance floor was filled with people and everyone looked happy. The feeling was contagious. Mulder and Scully didn't even register that some of the agents were staring at them and whispering about the "spooky" couple. But even their critics could not deny that the two of them made a fabulous pair.
The agents took their seats at the designated table and exchanged quick pleasantries with the others. Since they weren't really interested in the others and since the feeling was pretty much mutual, with the exception of Agent Pendrell, (Who I have brought back to life for the purpose of this paragraph because in my little world, he never died.) who came over and babbled clumsily to Scully for at least 15 minutes, they focused on each other instead. Through the course of the night, several other agents had come and asked Scully to dance; each one was a little drunker than the last. Scully politely said no to each one and turned away from them to talk to Mulder. One of them murmured "Ice Queen" as she turned him down and Mulder almost got up and knocked him on his ass but Scully didn't seem to have noticed and he didn't want to make a scene so he sat still.
As the evening was beginning to come to a close, and the last songs were playing, a female agent by the name of Adrienne Braun approached Mulder and asked him to dance. Scully thought she was a picture of what Mulder's "type" was. She was tall, leggy, a little muscular, dirty blonde hair, pretty and knew it. At first Mulder had been hesitant, he didn't want to leave Scully, especially after she had shot down all those other guys, true they were slightly inebriated but thy were people OTHER than him to socialize with. Adrienne did not look like she was taking a hint, Scully nodded at Mulder and told him to go, it was fine. Mulder accepted tentatively and shot her an apologetic glance as he followed Adrienne out onto the dance floor. It was easy for Scully to keep an eye on Mulder and his new friend. The two made a handsome couple and drew some attention. Scully did not know why but she was upset that Mulder had accepted. She knew that he was being polite and it didn't mean anything, and that she had even told him to go, but for some reason she felt a feeling scarily similar to jealousy that she had not counted on getting.
Scully: What is wrong with me? I have no right to be jealous, it's not like I have any claim on him or anything so what if he dances with the leggy blonde? I mean he's a nice looking guy so why shouldn't other women want to dance with him? I mean they're not blind. He could have danced with anyone. so. why didn't he dance with me?
As Scully was in the middle of her internal query, an agent named Adam Whitney came up to her.
Adam: Good evening agent Scully. You look very lovely. Would you make me the envy of every man in the room and be so kind as to dance with me?
Scully: Hello agent Whitney. You look well. Heh. Flattery works, sure, let's go.
Are you kidding me? This guy has got to be drunk; I haven't heard a line that tasteless in years! Well at least this will give me something to do until Mulder finishes with tall, blonde and skanky.
Scully took Agent Whitney's hand as they walked out onto the dance floor together. She saw Mulder out of the corner of her eye. A slower song was playing now and he was watching her over Adrienne's shoulder. Scully did not look at him. She wanted to just ignore him and for once concentrate on someone else. A new song came on as Scully and Adam reached their spots on the floor. It was a song the Scully had never heard before. She went into Adam's arms and listened to the words.
I won't dance, don't ask me,
I won't dance, don't ask me, I won't dance, Madame with you, My heart won't let my feet do things that they should do.
You know what, you're lovely, You know what, you're so lovely, And know what you do to me, I'm like an ocean wave that's bumped on the shore, I feel so absolutely stumped on the floor.
Scully kept listening to the words of the song. It was ironic that she was wondering why Mulder didn't ask her to dance before and now this. The meaning of the song hit Scully and a broad smile stretched across her face. She closed her eyes and imagined that she was dancing with Mulder, instead of Adam as it played on.
I won't dance, why should I?
I won't dance, how could I? I won't dance, Merci Bo Coup, I know that music leads the way to romance, So if I hold you in my arms, I won't dance.
I won't dance, don't ask me,
I won't dance, don't ask me, I won't dance, Madame with you, My heart won't let my feet do things that they want to do.
Mulder listened to the song while he was dancing with agent Braun. She was talking to him and he was nodding and laughing occasionally when she made a joke. He was watching Scully intently. She seemed pretty entertained with Agent Whitney. He had one hand wrapped around her waist and the other holding her hand on his chest. Scully had a huge smile on her face and her eyes were closed like she was having the best time in the world. He listened to the words and had a realization. That was exactly why he had not asked Scully to dance all night. He knew that if he did then he would chance realizing the feelings that he had for her. The ones he had tried so hard to suppress and forget about. And with all the threats on their lives they had already, he did not want to give their enemies another advantage to use against them. Also, the bureau had this thing about Agents getting involved, it wasn't allowed. But as he was watching her dance with Adam and how he had his hands on her, he didn't care anymore about protocol or the Syndicate. He wanted to dance with her more than anything else right now.
The song ended and Mulder quickly thanked Adrienne and left her standing there, making a beeline toward Scully and Adam. They were still dancing when he reached them.
Mulder: You don't mind do you? I have not had the pleasure of dancing with my partner all evening.
Adam: Well actually, Dana and I were just-
At Adam's use of her first name, Mulder stood up straighter and put his hands on his hips. This man barely knew her and he was calling her Dana? And she was letting him! Scully watched as Mulder raised himself to full height. It was only a little taller than Adam but it was enough. Adam backed off and thanked Scully for the dance.
Scully: Oh boy, here we go again. Does he really feel the need to be that overprotective? Oh well, maybe he was jealous. Ha, that's a laugh. Oh my God, what is he doing?
Mulder had stepped up to her as soon as Adam had left. Now he was standing inches from Scully.
Scully: It's okay Mulder, you don't have to dance with me. I know you just didn't him drunk and touching me. He really wasn't that bad of a dancer anyway.
Mulder: No, Scully. I want to dance with you. I have wanted to all night but for some reason that I can't remember I didn't.
Scully: Mulder, why? I- I don't understand what you're saying.
Mulder: Just- never mind, would you like to dance with me?
Scully: You know what? That is the best offer I've heard all night.
Have Yourself a Merry Little Christmas was started, which was announced as the last song of the evening. Scully gave in and stepped towards Mulder. She had that little voice in the back of her head saying that it was a bad idea, that same stupid voice that resounded inside her brain every time she got close to him.
Scully: Screw off for 5 minutes why don't you? It's a Christmas Ball for crying out loud and people are supposed to dancing! Nothing criminal there, innocent dancing, dancing never hurt anyone.
Except there was nothing innocent about the way Scully and Mulder were dancing. They were so close that not even air could pass between them. Even in her oversized heels, Scully still only came to right below his chin. Which was perfect for Mulder because he could rest his head atop hers, as she presently placed her head on his chest, and smell the faint floral scent of her shampoo. As they danced on the music faded away slowly and all Scully could hear was the beating of Mulder's heart. She found that by concentrating on it, the little nagging voice faded away and it was comforting. Scully moved impossibly closer to Mulder and smiled inwardly as she heard his heart rate increase notably. Mulder had never realized how small she actually was. She had sort of taken on this larger image in the time he had seen her take down men double her size and made other agents awed at her command of presence. She never ceased to amaze him. He was so happy to be dancing with her. It felt great to have her in his arms and to feel her arms around him. When had being close to her start to feel so good?
