Chapter 2

Mulder was up before Scully the next morning, and downstairs already. He carried a plastic pink flamingo, which he found in one of the boxes, and put it smack in the middle of the front yard. He went back inside and sat in a chair right inside the front door. He watched through the glass in the door, to see who would fix it. He waited awhile but no one came, until finally he heard Scully in the kitchen. She looked tired and she sat down at the kitchen table. Mulder couldn't figure out what she was doing, and grew curious, "You waiting for something?"

Scully rubbed her eyes then smiled, "Well, someone has to make my breakfast." Mulder began to smile now, "Oh, I see. But, honey, that's your job."

Scully shook her head, "Oh no, Rob. My mother made breakfast for my father every morning for thirty years, no way am I continuing that tradition!" Scully smirked as she went back to reading the paper. Mulder couldn't help but smile at her, and his smile especially widened when he caught her looking up at him from the paper.

"Fine…" he muttered some words then started making breakfast for his sweet Laura.

After a half hour he placed a plate in front of her. Scully was impressed, there were eggs, bacon, sausage, hash browns, for a minute she thought he just went out and bought it.

"Wow Mulder, looks great!..." She inhaled a large breath of the breakfast and he could tell she was going to enjoy it. He seemed proud that he pleased her, and watched intently as she picked up her fork, "I bet you put poison in here or something…" Scully muttered as she scooped up a piece of the egg. He just smiled and watched. Finally the fork reached her lips and she chewed it thoroughly. He couldn't help but stare, she was so graceful, even in his plaid shirt- and even eating breakfast.

She swallowed the food eventually and he broke out of his trance to see what she thought, "Mmm…. Mulder this is great!"

Mulder's smile grew, "See no poison, just a little alcohol." Scully smiled too, and took another bite but realized he didn't have any thing but some toast. She set her fork down and looked at him.

"How come you didn't make any for yourself?" Scully wondered.

"Well I thought about what you said, about your mom. I'm sure that she wasn't able to make enough for herself. I bet all she had was a piece of toast and some jam and a glass of juice, but that's it." Mulder took a sip of his small glass of juice. Scully took in a deep breath, he was so good about understanding how people were and figuring out how situations had been. Scully got up and carried her plate over. She sat down next to him, instead of across from him, and picked up her fork once more.

"If there is one thing you always impress me by, it's your way of understanding people in a deeper level then I can. Therefore…" she stabbed the fork into some egg, "why don't you eat the rest of this." She lifted the fork near him and placed it gently in his mouth. He pressed his lips down around the fork tightly, and she pulled the fork out of this mouth again. She set the fork down and leaned in with a smile to watch him. After he chewed it and swallowed he smiled, "wow, I am a great cook!"

Scully let out a small laugh and shook her head, "you're so full of it!" She picked the fork back up and ate a few more bites. Mulder was thinking. No matter how much he wanted to enjoy the breakfast with Scully- Laura- no matter how much he wanted to enjoy the breakfast with Laura, he couldn't stop thinking about the case. Finally a grand thought hit him.

"Scully! I got it!" He stood up quickly, startling her.

"Got what, Mulder?" He didn't respond to her though, after a few paces around the kitchen, her waiting in anticipation, he spoke again, "Take off your pants!"

"Excuse me?" Scully's eyebrows lifted right away.

"Just do it!" he told her. Scully's eyebrows continued to float in the air, "What?" Mulder took in a deep breath, "my shirt covers everything, I just want to do an experiment with the neighbors." Scully took in a deep breath herself, then slowly got up. She unbuttoned her jeans, then slid them off. Meanwhile Mulder unbuttoned his shirt.

She hadn't realized he had taken off his shirt, and looking up at him startled her. She stared for a moment then diverted her eyes to his eyes, "Well?"

Mulder smirked. He grabbed her wrist and pulled her out into the front yard. Scully was embarrassed but did what he asked of her.

"Go start gardening," Mulder suggested. Scully went over to the plants lining the front yard and squatted down, revealing much more then she wanted to to the neighbors. Mulder, on the other hand, started doing exercises, making sure to show his chest off as much as he could- he knew he'd get the neighbors attention.

Of course, like many times, he was right. After only a few minutes Wynn, their next door neighbor came over.

"What are you two doing!" He ran over wide-eyed. Scully stood up and Mulder wrapped his arm over her shoulders.

"What do you mean?" Rob asked with a smile. Wynn was obviously very worried, "you two have to put clothes on! You must have a shirt and pants on at all times, it's in the rules!"

"Oh I didn't know- did you know that, honeybunch?" Mulder asked Scully.

"Not at all poopie-head," Scully responded just like a wife would, except with a little annoyance in her voice.

"Well, please! Go back in your house, and get dressed before you come back out!" Wynn pleaded. Mulder started questioning him, "What would happen if we didn't?" Wynn went perfectly silent. Scully glanced over to see another neighbor, who seemed very suspicious of what was going on. Scully nudged Mulder by rubbing up closer to him. It surprised him at first, then he realized what she was trying to show him.

"We'll see you later, Wynn!" Rob smiled then him and Laura went back into their house.

"Something is definitely going on here, Mulder, but I doubt it's a monster. Why would working in the garden affect a 'monster'?"

TBC