No actual art class in this chapter, but I felt there was some business to take care of before I moved onto another class project. Tell me what you think.

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Warm. Warm and secure. This is nice. I could get used to this. Dana smiles in her sleep, relishing the feeling of being in a man's arms. Not just any man. Mulder's. Her thoughts are wild with passionate memories of the night before…and again early this morning. Kiss. Thrust. Pain. Pleasure. Deeper. Deeper. Harder. Gasp. Stars. Oh, Mulder. The sun has risen, but she isn't ready to get up. Not yet. Just another hour, she mentally whines as two strong hands grip her shoulders. "What?"

No answer. He gently squeezes her shoulders again, and she can now feel his body constricting around hers.

"Oh," she whispers. He's not ready to get up either. She turns to face him, and his possessive hold on her tightens even more…if possible. "Hey," she whispers again, nudging him lightly, "I can't move."

His eyes open, and he threatens to squeeze harder. "Fine," he says in defeat, releasing her completely. Her body shivers in response to the sudden lack of contact as he rolls onto his back.

Dana settles against him and wraps herself around his body in return. "What time is it?" she asks.

He laughs, "Almost noon. Can you believe it? The last time I've slept in this late was…"

"A week ago, actually," she interrupts dryly.

"Oh, yeah. Well, it surely wasn't because I was having sex all night."

"Well, that's a relief." His face blushes slightly, and she tiredly strokes his cheeks as if to rub the redness away. "Thank God it's… Wait a second!"

"What?"

"It's not even the weekend! It's…it's only Thursday! We're late for work!"

"But we're not going to work today, remember?"

"Right," Scully sighs, her shoulders relaxing in relief. But then they stiffen again. "I didn't call in. Did you?"

"Crap. No I didn't, and I bet Skinner is furious."

"We better go." In a panicked rush, the two agents jump out of bed and into their clothes. "Oh, this won't do," Mulder hears his partner mutter.

"What?" He follows her annoyed expression down to her outfit. "Oh."

"I guess we'll just have to be really late, then, if I have to go home to change into a fresh set of clothes anyway," she shrugs. "Might as well shower."

"Good thing," Mulder winces, holding his arm up to his nose. "I can smell you all over me. I guess that would let the cat outta the bag, huh?" Scully crinkles her nose and sniffs the air around her. "Yes, my dear Agent Scully, that would be the smell of sweat and sex," he teases in a fake, indistinguishable accent.

She gives him a raised eyebrow and hurls back, "Like you're any more familiar with it than I am." He opens his mouth to continue the playful banter, but is cut off when the phone rings. "Skinner," Scully whispers. Wiping a grimace off of his face, Mulder picks up the receiver and invites the A.D. to speak.

"Yes, sir. I know, sir; I can explain. Oh…she is? I think it was food… No, sir. I'm not feeling well. I think it was… What would make you say that? Sir? Sir? No she isn't. Okay. Yes, sir, I'll try." He hangs up the phone and stares at it. "So much for food poisoning," he mumbles.

"Well, I heard your end," Scully says grimly. "What'd he say?"

"He informed me that I am late, and that you are too. He was wondering if I know where you are or why you're not answering your calls, and…that's about it."

"Ah ah ah," she scolds, holding up an index finger at him. "What else did he say?"

"Oh, you mean about the 'What would make you say that?' part?" She nods. "Apparently someone or something gave him the idea that…" Here we go. "…you'd be here."

"What? Well, did he say who or what?"

He shakes his head. "No. He only reminded me that if anything were to happen between us, it would cause a whole lot of hell at the FBI and be a cause for reassignment." Mulder's head drops sadly.

"And by 'us,' he means you and him, right?"

"Dana…"

"I know. I'm sorry. It's just that…" She lies back down on the bed and curls around the pillow. "I just don't want this to end. I've waited too long and gone to too much trouble for this for this to end now." Mulder sits next to her and combs his fingers through her hair reflexively.

"Why do I always seem to have to pick between you and the FBI?" He looks down at her and sees her looking up at him. Without another thought, he whispers, "I'll choose you if I have to pick one."

Butterflies tickle her stomach, and a happy grin parts her lips. "Thank you." Then the grin disappears. "If they reassign us, though, you know I'm quitting." His eyebrows scrunch together forlornly. "Don't think I won't. I'll get a job at Quantico if I can, but I won't be an FBI agent if you aren't my partner."

"Well, let's hope no one finds out." After a few seconds, Mulder asks, "What did you mean when you said you've gone to too much trouble for this…for…what we have?"

"What?" Scully blurts, caught off guard by the question.

"Earlier…when you said…"

"Oh, that," she interrupts. "Nothing. Never mind." She gives a forced smile and tugs on his collar, pulling him closer and closer to her face. "So are we going to be really late or have food poisoning?"

"I have a feeling that my answer will determine whether or not we…" He wiggles his eyebrows.

"Late or food poisoning?" she repeats. As if to answer her question, he steadies his weight evenly on his knees, one on either side of her. "Food poisoning it is," she giggles and pulls him down for a kiss.

Knock! Knock! Knock! "Damn it," Mulder whines into her neck.

"Were you expecting someone?" she inquires.

"No. I guess I should make myself look sick, then, huh?" He climbs off the bed and wraps himself in a blanket. Securing her in his room by closing the door, he shuffles over to the outside door and opens it.

"You look like hell," greets Frohike…Byers and Langly standing behind him.

Crap. "Food poisoning. What are you guys doing here?"

"Food poisoning, huh? What from?" asks Langly.

"Scully and I ate sushi last night. Why are you here?"

"Scully's sick too?" questions Frohike with a scheme building in his head.

"Are you deaf? What are…"

Finally, Byers offers an answer. "We looked into that Jim Hawes' personal files like you asked us to, but you know how we feel about phones." Mulder's eyes widen. "Is this a bad time?"

"You asked them to do a background check on Jim?" comes a very irritated, and perhaps nervous, voice from behind.

Mulder cringes and turns to face her. "You couldn't get mad at me later?" he asks, slapping a hand to his forehead. The Gunmen stare at the agents in confusion and disbelief as they argue.

"Uh, guys?" Langly attempts to interrupt. "Guys?" When they finally respond, he nods to Scully and says, "Why is she here? I thought you said…" He is cut off by a gasp from his right. The look on Frohike's face makes Byers elbow him, and he closes his mouth at once. "Sorry, Mulder. It's none of our business." They start to leave, and Mulder rolls his eyes and invites them into the apartment.

Once inside, he shuts the door and sticks a threatening index finger in their faces. "Not a word!"

"Who would we tell?" Byers asks Mulder's finger.

"Fine. Well, now that you know," he begins looking to Scully, "I guess there no reason to deny it."

"So, the two of you…you two…are…together?" Frohike stutters, still in mourning.

"As of last night," Scully replies with a slight blush. She notices his disappointment and walks up to him. "Hey," she whispers, "if things don't work out, you're next on my list." He gives her a weak smile.

She looks back at Mulder, who is smiling too. "Don't get your hopes up too high, though," Mulder chuckles, hoping a joke would distract her from his snooping.

"Oh, I don't know about that. Why'd you have them do a background check on Jim?" He tenses and she can see his eyebrow twitching. "That name really irritates you, doesn't it?" she teases.

"I don't like that guy, and if he ever tries to contact you again, I want to know his intentions." He watches her roll her eyes at him and turns to the Gunmen for confirmation. "What'd you find?"

Langly looks at Scully. "Are you sure you want to be here for this?"

"There's nothing you could possibly say about him that would surprise me," she answers with a shrug. Nothing that will surprise me, but I'm sure there's plenty there that will surprise Mulder. Byers opens his mouth to speak, but Scully cuts him off. "Wait a sec, guys." Facing her partner, she says, "Can I talk to you about something first?"

Mulder gestures Byers to continue.

"Mulder!"

"Scully, please. I want to hear this."

"But…"

"Byers, what did you find?"

Unsure whether or not to speak, Byers waits for Scully's approval before he begins. She gives half a nod, her face displaying pure resentment. Maybe Frohike will be getting his chance after all. "Well, Mulder, Jim Hawes lives in Rhode Island, currently, with his wife and three kids."

Sure enough, Mulder looks shocked. He puts up a hand, telling Byers to discontinue and faces Scully. Noting her lack of surprise, he says, "You already knew that, didn't you?" more in the tone of a statement. She nods, expressionlessly. "Why didn't you tell me?" This seems to get a spark out of her.

"What? Why didn't I tell you? What the hell do you think I was trying to say just now?"

"You lied to me!" he accuses, trying to hide the hurt in his voice.

"I wanted to tell you, but…" She trails off until her words are mere breaths of air.

"But what?"

The Gunmen scramble to the door. "We should go," Langly murmurs. Frohike looks back at the agents and bites his lip. "Come on, Frohike." Then they leave.

"But what?" Mulder repeats.

"But I was afraid you'd get mad."

"You were afraid I'd get mad? Mad that he's married? Mad that you almost had an affair with him or did?" She glares at him with tears in here eyes. "I mean, for all I know you could have lied about not sleeping with him too! Is that it? Is that why you thought I'd get mad?"

"No," she whispers.

"What then? What could I possibly be mad at?" he shouts sarcastically. She grabs a box of Kleenex and throws it at his face, which he blocks with an arm, and runs to his room. "What are you doing?" he asks, following her in there. She doesn't answer. She just puts her things together and heads for the door. "No," he growls, standing in her way. "Not until we talk about this."

"Talk about what? You won't even let me talk!"

"Well, here's your chance," he says, getting in her face.

"You're an ass." She pushes by him and walks to the door of the apartment. Turning back, she says, "I never slept with him, and yes, I lied to you. But it was only to get you to make a move. That's it. But thanks for jumping to conclusions. It's nice to know that you think I'd do such a thing." With that, she storms out, leaving Mulder alone in his living room.

Ring! "Mulder. Yes, sir, I know I'm very late, but that's what I was trying to tell you. No, sir. I know. But I have food… No, sir. Can I finish explaining?" At that moment, it dawns on him. This is what I was doing to Scully, he shrugs, relating himself to Skinner.

Meanwhile, Skinner tries to get Mulder's attention. "Agent Mulder!" the phone yells.

"Sorry, sir. I was just trying to tell you that Agent Scully and I got food poisoning yesterday when we had sushi for dinner. Yes, that's what I was trying to say earlier. It's okay." He sets the phone back into its cradle when he hears his boss hang up on the other line. If Skinner can apologize, so can I.

He picks up the phone again and dials Scully's cell. "I'm not talking to you," she answers.

"Only because I wasn't letting you talk. I'm sorry. It wasn't fair of me to not let you explain." There is silence coming from her end, and Mulder wonders what she's thinking. "Are you going to say anything." Suddenly, there's another knock at his door. "Scully, I'm sorry. Please just say something."

"Answer the door, dumbass," she answers dryly. He does and just about smothers her to death in his fierce embrace. "Yeah, yeah, yeah… Listen, I'm sorry I lied to you, but if you really meant what you said about letting me explain, please believe me when I say I would never lie to you to hurt you. I would never want to put you in danger or hurt you. I just wanted to encourage you…remind you that I couldn't wait around for you forever. Jim really was a friend of mine in college, and we had remained close even after…until about four years ago when our lives just got too busy. I'm sorry for whatever pain I put you through, but I'm not sorry I did it." She tenderly takes the phone from his hand and rests it back in its spot. "I love you, and I was afraid we'd never get to… I was afraid you'd never get the nerves to tell me how you feel."

"I wanted to," he whispers, "but I was scared, too. Not scared that you wouldn't have returned the feeling…I knew you would…but scared it would ruin our friendship."

"I know. You told me already. Besides, this is my confession. Not yours."

"I don't care whose confession it is. I'm still sorry for how I treated you." He takes her face in his hands and caresses his thumbs across her cheeks. "I know why you did it, and if I had just listened to you in the first place, I'd have understood then too." He makes a face that is twisted between embarrassment and anger. "And about what I said…about the affair thing…I was just lashing out, and I shouldn't have said that."

"You don't have to explain…"

"Yes. I do. I had no right to make an accusation like that. Especially to you. The truth is, I know you wouldn't do that. You aren't that type of person. Even when you were, I guess, pretending to go out with him, I was more concerned that he would try to sleep with you. Not the other way around. I owe you more than the trust I displayed, but I want you to know that despite what I said out of pain, I don't really feel that way."

"Thank you, Mulder. You don't know what that means to me." He leans in to rest his forehead against hers and closes his eyes. "You want to know something else?" she grins.

"What?"

"This is how Jim went out with his wife." Mulder gives her a funny look, curious and suspicious. "Yep. He had asked me to pretend to be his girlfriend, or at least interested in him, to make her jealous. That's Ellen. His wife." Mulder laughs and shakes his head. "He owed me one."

"You are amazing, you know that? You never cease to surprise me."

"That's right," she teases. "I'm unpredictable." He rolls his eyes and grabs his coat.

"We're off the hook for work today. I talk to Skinner, and he fell for our food poisoning story."

"Oh?"

"Yeah. So, let's go get something to eat. I'm starving."

"Okay." They get in her car, Mulder behind the wheel. "What do you feel like having?"

"I don't know," he murmurs. "I'm kinda in the mood for sushi."

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Don't know when I'll have chapter 9 up. Still got to figure out what project I want to have them do next and then WRITE it! lol That takes time, and I'm limited on the time I have to reserve for ff writing. Anyway, tell me what you think about this chapter.