Disclaimer: I'm borrowing the characters Mulder and Scully for the purpose of telling my story, so I mean no infringement.
A/N: Okay this is a quickie chapter and I didn't have anyone beta it so … there could be errors. (could be? Will be errors ha!) I've been busy with school & work and another story I've been working on forever …. so I just wrote this today and posted as a teaser.
Chapter 14
"Scully," Mulder whispered as he gently touched her shoulder. He watched her eyelids flutter open and he smiled as she slowly began to wake up.
"Huh …hmmmmm, I'm awake," Scully mumbled and blinked her eyes several times. The sun was streaming in the window and as she focused on the room, she noticed Mulder was standing next to the bed fully dressed in work clothes, not jeans. "What time is it?"
"Nine thirty," he said sitting down the on the bed. "I brought you some coffee."
Scully rolled into a sitting position and reached for the cup. "Thanks. No toast? I'm starving."
"A lil' nookie always gives me the munchies," Mulder replied flashing a sly grin and produced a piece of toast topped with jam from behind his back.
Scully smirked and sipped the coffee. "Why are you dressed already?"
"Driscoll called, the suspect is in custody and they are en-route to the Sheriff Department in Dubuque to process him," Mulder replied matter-of-factly. He took a bite of the toast and then handed her the rest. "Poppa D wants me to conduct the interview."
Scully pursed her lips and nodded. "When are you leaving?" she asked. She took a bite of the bread as well and then peered at him over the coffee cup.
I know that look, she wants to come with me. Mulder thought. "Soon, they are about an hour from Dubuque." He tilted his head and tried to look innocent, "Why do you ask?"
"I'm going with you," Scully replied flatly and set the coffee cup down on the nightstand and handed the toast back to him. She crawled over Mulder and out of the bed. He watched without protest knowing he would lose the battle if he tried.
"Scully," he called to her as she ran into the bathroom and partially closed the door. "Do you think that is a good idea?"
"Mulder," she replied raising her voice over the sound of the flushing toilet and water running in the sink. "I have been off duty for the required 48 hours. It's not like I'm going to be chasing suspects down the street. I'll just check my email and make myself useful… besides," she replied and opened the bathroom door. She found Mulder leaning back on the bed with his arms crossed behind his neck. She stared at him for a moment.
"Besides what?" he prompted when she didn't say anything.
"I don't want to be alone today," she replied quietly.
"You don't want to be alone or you want to be with me?"
She tilted her head and walked toward the end of the bed. "Isn't that the same thing?"
"Well, not really, because I'll be interviewing the suspect all day. If you don't want to be alone, I could call Tracy to …"
"Shut up Mulder." Scully rolled her eyes and walked to the wardrobe and stared at the clothes. She pulled out a navy blue pant suit and white shirt and walked back toward the bathroom door.
"Scully," Mulder called her to again. She turned to look at him after she hung the pant suit up on the back side of the bathroom door.
"Yeah?" she replied as she opened the dresser drawer and pulled out a bra, camisole and panties.
"I wanted to ask you something?" Mulder mumbled suddenly feeling like he had cotton balls in his mouth. He set the toast on the nightstand and brushed the crumbs off his hand.
"What?"
"Do you have any regrets …" he paused a second and felt his heart beating in his throat. "about last night?"
Scully shut the drawer and set the items on the top of the dresser. "No," she replied timidly not looking in Mulder's direction. "Do you have any regrets?"
Mulder breathed a sigh of relief when she answered. Considering what she has been through, it would be just like her to want to pretend like it didn't happen without telling me he thought quickly. He stood from the bed, walked over to her and pulled her into his arms. "I don't have any regrets."
"Good," Scully replied and looked up into his eyes. You scared the crap out of me Mulder, you ass! She thought as she looked longingly into his eyes. She put her hand at the base of his neck and pulled him to her lips to confirm her feelings.
The kiss shot electricity through their veins and ignited a spark that both had thought they extinguished the night before. Scully pulled out of the embrace first. I don't have time for this, she thought as she quickly nip-kissed his lower lip. "Did you think I was going to change my mind?" she asked looking up at him.
Mulder held her gaze for a moment and then kissed her forehead. "I just wanted to make sure I wasn't dreaming. That sparkling grape juice might have gone to my head you know."
Scully smiled and the walked to the dresser. "You weren't dreaming."
Mulder leaned back on the bed frame and looked down at the floor. "Ok, well, in that case, I do have one regret."
Scully picked up her garments and looked back at him. "What?"
"I wish I could have lasted a little longer." He looked up at her and smiled. "I could have pleased you more."
Scully rolled her eyes again and walked to the bathroom door. "Mulder, I assure you, I was very satisfied. In fact I'm a little sore today."
"You're sore?" Mulder asked amazed that she admitted that fact. After the hot tub they had come back to the room and slept for a couple of hours. Then he woke her and they made love again. He was completely worn out, however she acted like she could go on the rest of the night. "That surprises me since you were quite the raging bull earlier this morning."
Scully snorted out a laugh and looked at Mulder quizzically. "I was the raging bull? Who was the instigator when we got back to the room? Not me, I remind you. I was sleeping comfortably when you … declared war." She laughed and walked into the bathroom. "That is why I had to kill you. I couldn't take it anymore."
Mulder laughed as the door shut. He stood and walked to the door and called out to her. "Does that mean we can't practice again later tonight?"
"No, that is not what that means."
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"Scully."
Scully jerked her head up and looked quickly toward the voice at her right. Agent Jeff Driscoll was standing next to her with a steaming cup of coffee. I hope I wasn't drooling she thought as she looked up at him.
"Napping on the job?' he asked handing her the coffee.
"Aghh, between us? I was getting a little bored," Scully remarked. She sipped the brown liquid and savored its flavor. Dris always makes it just the way I like it. She watched him as he sat in the chair at the next desk.
"Here, maybe this file will interest you," he replied as he handed the case file to her. "It's the first victim. The medical report doesn't exactly match the suspect's usual MO."
"Copycat?" Scully asked as she reviewed the case notes.
Driscoll shook his head. "I don't think so. Mulder is still interviewing him, but the other victims didn't have any injuries similar to those. Maybe this case is just a coincidence."
"Or skill practice," Scully retorted. "Maybe he was refining his tactics and this was his test."
"Considering what he did to the last three victims, anything is possible," Driscoll replied and stood from the chair. "I brought over copies of the medical reports and statements from those cases as well. Do you want some lunch?"
Scully rolled her neck and sighed. "Yeah, just a salad or …"
Driscoll laughed, "Yeah, yeah, yeah … I know turkey on wheat with mayonnaise and cheese on the side. Got it Sally." He winked at her and walked out of the room. Scully smiled at his reference to her favorite movie, When Harry met Sally.
When Driscoll returned with lunch, he and Scully worked in silence in the office for over an hour. Driscoll was typing up his affidavit and notes while Scully glued herself to the medical files, comparing case notes and similarities of the reports. The local office was nearly clear of other personnel and oddly quiet. Driscoll's and Scully's cell phones rang at the same time startling both of them.
"Scully," Dana answered hearing Driscoll talking into his in the background. She could tell by his tone, he was speaking to Nester.
"Scully, it's me," Mulder said. "I was just checking if you were still awake."
"Barely. I was going over the medical files for Driscoll," she answered. Hearing Mulder's voice sent shivers up Scully's arms as she thought about their evening together, the way her skin felt as he touched her.
"Find anything interesting?"
"Do you want an honest answer?"
"I always want the truth, but if it's not anything good, than just sugar coat it for me," Mulder replied with nasty thoughts about Scully filtering through his mind.
"Hmmm, I'll sugar coat it for you alright," Scully replied deviously.
"I bet you will," Mulder replied chuckling himself. She is going to be in trouble later he thought quickly as he watched Nester end his phone call. "I don't know how much longer we'll be here, so I'll send the keys to the rental over with an officer. If you get tired or bored, you can go back to the Inn. I'll catch a ride with Nester."
Scully was about to end the call when she noticed Driscoll waving at her frantically.
"Mulder, hold on," Scully said quickly and looked up at Driscoll.
"Ask him about dinner tonight," Driscoll reminded her. "My sister has called me three times."
"Oh, yeah … I forgot." Scully replied and directed her voice back into the phone. "Mulder do you want to go to dinner with Dris and crew tonight?"
"Before or after I get to snack on you," he whispered. The implication in his voice made the hairs on the back of her neck stand on end and her face flush. Scully felt her pulse quicken and she stood from the desk and walked away from Driscoll's ears.
"Mulder, get your mind out of the gutter, Dris is sitting right next to me," Scully scolded softly.
"Are you saying that you don't want an appetizer before dinner?" he teased her softly.
"I didn't say that, I just want to keep work and our other interests separate," Scully replied. "We need to be careful."
"I'm being careful, I promise," Mulder replied catching Nester waving him back to the interrogation room. "Yeah, dinner sounds good. I gotta go."
Scully disconnected the line and walked back over to the desk. She sat and pushed the papers around for a moment, trying to shake the memory of Mulder's girth pushing inside her on the couch, in the hot tub, and in her bedroom. She had always wondered about his size and how he measured up to other men she had been with, and now she knew. His instrument was large and he knew how to play it well.
She was caught in her thoughts and suddenly felt a chill in the air which reminded her of the conversation with "Betty". She still wasn't 100 convinced it had actually happened. She looked over at Driscoll, who was staring at his computer.
"Dris?"
"Yeah," he replied without looking at her.
"What is the story about Betty?" Scully leaned forward on the desk and twirled a pencil around her finger.
Driscoll turned and looked at Scully and noticed the glow emanating from her face. They did it, he thought as he observed her. "Betty?" he chuckled a bit and smiled at her. "Why do you ask?"
"Mu… I was in the hot tub last night and another guest was talking about her." Scully replied.
Driscoll looked at Scully, amused by her stammering. Mulder and Scully were in the hot tub? Hell yeah, they did it. He leaned back in his chair and stretched. "Well, it's kind of a sad story."
"I heard she died of a broken heart," Scully answered.
"Well, that's one way of putting it, she actually took her own life," Driscoll replied.
Scully was startled by his revelation and remembered Betty's statement about regret. She had enough regret to take her own life? "What happened?" Scully asked intrigued now.
Driscoll stood from the desk and cracked his back. "Was Zack working at the Inn last night?"
Scully arched her eyebrows. Why is he asking about Zack? "Yeah," she replied quizzically.
"Hmmm, well, Zack's grandfather Eldon was the love of Betty's life. They were a couple of years apart in age, but grew up together and spent almost all their time together. Everyone knew they were in love, but Betty would never admit it. Eldon asked her to marry him several times, but she always turned him down. She claimed there was something better out there, something different or more normal …to her standards anyway." Driscoll sat back down at his desk and looked over at Scully. She was looking at him with her head tilted like she was deep in thought.
"Anyway," Dris continued. "Eldon enlisted in the Navy on his nineteenth birthday and went away to the military. They corresponded for years but eventually Eldon met someone else, got married and had a couple of kids. Betty never knew why they had lost touch, but after a couple of months of not getting letters from him, she finally admitted to my grandfather that she did love him and she had decided to tell him the next time he came home. Unfortunately, the next time Eldon came home, it was to bury him. He was killed during the attack at Pearl Harbor. Betty was devastated and tried to live with the consequences of never telling him her real feelings for over a year, but finally took her life because she couldn't live with the regret anymore."
"Geezus," Scully replied. She felt a tear brimming in her eye and reached up to wipe it away. I thought I wanted something normal too, but ended up with nothing but regrets, the words echoed through her head. "So now your family thinks her spirit haunts the house?"
Driscoll stared at Scully, carefully gauging her reaction. She must have had a "Betty experience" or … maybe that story hit a little too close to home. "Well, I don't know … she died in the house and most everyone in my family believes your spirit stays where you die. People have witnessed things happening or heard things that were a little odd and my grandfather always called them "Betty". For example, things are moved in the living room to the way it was when she lived there….or the door to her room is opened and closed when no one is staying in there."
"And she talks to people?" Scully mumbled, not meaning to say it aloud.
"Ahh, now it all makes sense," Driscoll replied and leaned back into his chair. "You had a conversation with her?"
Scully rolled her eyes and tried to play it off. "I think it was a side effect of my muscle relaxers."
"Let me guess, you were in the living room after midnight?" He watched her reaction intently. Oh yeah, she talked to her and is trying to hide it. She doesn't lie very well he thought. "Don't lie, I am a trained observer. I can see it in your eyes."
Scully sighed and gave in. What's the use, he is already on to me she thought. "It was later than that … but I'm having difficulty believing it was real."
"It's nothing to be embarrassed about," Driscoll replied leaning into the desk. "I've never had that experience but Joe and Nan talk to her all the time. They even credit her with getting them together. Joe thinks she is drawn to lonely hearts."
Scully shook her head. "I don't think I fall into the category of lonely heart."
"No, you are just confused," Driscoll replied and turned back to the computer screen.
"What is that supposed to mean?' Scully replied defensively.
Driscoll started laughing and leaned across the desk toward her. "Come on Dana. Denying your feelings for Mulder all this time? Dating 'Bug Man'? Please!"
"Ughh, 'Bug Man'," Scully rolled her eyes. "Am I that easy to read?"
Driscoll titled his head slightly. "Well, maybe not to dorks like Kirsh, but to the rest of the bullpen … yeah."
"Shut up!" Scully retorted. "You're saying everybody in the bullpen knows about my feel…."
"Yes, Scully" Driscoll responded laughing. "Everybody in the bullpen knows you are in love with Mulder…except perhaps yourself."
Scully felt her face flush and she stared bewildered at Driscoll. "Everybody?"
"Yeah."
"Great, that is all Kirsh needs to hear," Scully replied feeling her face get hot.
"You don't have to worry about that, there are no Kirsh fans in our bullpen."
"Dris, are you serious? What about Fritz and Taylor?" Scully stared at him. Both agents were considered spies for Kirsh.
"Well, see that's where it helps to "hang" with the team … Fritz hates Kirsh. Kirsh dicked him out of his pension and he has to work an extra three years until he can retire. Taylor used to be a Kirsh lackey, but absolutely hates him now," Driscoll replied tapping on his computer keyboard. "Taylor tried to transfer to VCU and Kirsh denied the request. Haven't you noticed that Kirsh's favorite agents all sit in the bullpen down by his office? Where do we sit? Across the hall from Skinner. Ever wonder why? Because Kirsh can't stand to look at us."
"I don't trust them," Scully mumbled, now worried about exposing her relationship with Mulder.
"Look, I don't trust most of them either, but I will say this … everyone in 'our' area likes you and no one is going to say anything because they all know the consequences if they do." Driscoll looked back over toward her. "Don't worry. What happens in Galena, stays in Galena. As far as the 'house' is concerned, your relationship will be the same as when you left."
Scully sat back in her chair and stared as the case file in front of her. Things were not going to be the same when she returned to D.C. There was still the matter of Cramer she needed to resolve. Scully shuddered at the thought of speaking to him. She stood from the desk and walked to the bubbler to get a glass of water. She stood at the window as she drank it and stared out at the winter landscape of the Dubuque skyline.
Driscoll stared at her from his desk and wondered what was going through her mind. Scully kept her thoughts to herself in most instances, which required him to decode her facial expressions and read her body language. He was getting fairly good at it, since his wife was the same way. She's probably thinking about Mulder, he thought as he watched her turn from the window and toss her water cup in the trash. As she approached the desk, her cell phone rang. He heard her answer and watched the color drain from her face.
"Scully."
"Dana? It's Rick. Oh my god, are you alright? I've been trying to reach you for days."
Scully felt quickly felt sick to her stomach at the sound of his voice. "Ahh, Rick," she replied caustically. "I'm okay."
"Why haven't you returned my calls?"
I haven't returned your calls because I never want to see or speak to you again. "My phone was damaged. I just got the replacement today," Scully said and glanced at Driscoll with a non verbal plea to help get her off the phone.
"Didn't your partner tell you that I called yesterday? I've been very worried."
Yeah, I bet you have. "I haven't seen Agent Mulder, he has been working the case. Today is my first day back in the office," Scully retorted waving her hand at Driscoll. She mouthed the words 'help me' at him.
Driscoll stared at Scully puzzled for a moment. What is the deal with her not wanting to talk to Cramer all of a sudden? When she mouthed the words help me in his direction, he stood up from the desk and walked over behind her.
"Agent Scully, the Assistant Director needs to see you immediately," Driscoll called to her loudly, making sure Cramer clearly heard it over the phone.
"Okay, thank you Agent …. Smith," Scully stammered. "Look Rick, I can't talk right now, the Assistant Director needs to speak to me."
"Okay .. but Dana …."
Scully ended the call, cutting him off. She closed the phone and set it down on the desk as she sat in her chair. Driscoll watched her carefully as she ran her hand across her brow and noticed her hand shaking. If I didn't know better, I would swear she was an assault victim, he thought to himself as he casually observed her demeanor.
"What was that all about," he asked after a few seconds.
"I don't want to talk to him," Scully replied and picked up the file on the desk.
"That's obvious," Driscoll replied sarcastically. "Any specific reason why?" Avoidance? Yeah, that is not normal Scully behavior. He did something to her.
Scully ran her tongue over her lips and tilted her head in thought. She could feel him staring at her. She bit her lip and after a second answered him. "I don't want to get into it … I just need to figure out a way to resolve it."
"Is it safe to assume that "it" means your relationship with Cramer?" Driscoll asked as he walked back to his seat.
Scully looked up at Driscoll and watched him for a moment. He can read me almost as well as Mulder, she thought. "Any suggestions?" she asked with a slight smirk.
"Oh, I have plenty of thoughts on how to "resolve" it," he replied making quotation gestures with his fingers. "Albeit, most are not legal." He is fricken dead when I get back to DC.
Scully pursed her lips and pushed the files around on the desk. "I'm not very good at that …. breaking up thing." She thought back to the Dallas review board when she was reassigned to a different office and gave Skinner her resignation. She was terrified to tell Mulder she was quitting and even considered just leaving without telling him. Her heart led her to his apartment door and in the confrontation that ensued, she was stung by the bee containing the alien virus and nearly became an alien incubator herself.
"Yeah, well who is?" Scully heard Driscoll's voice in the background and refocused her attention on her friend.
"I've broken up with a couple of Tracy's former boyfriends," Driscoll said with a grin on his face. Imagines of the encounters quickly flashed through his mind. "I'll have your back if you need me."
Scully nodded her head and mouthed 'thank you' to him. She went back to her notes about the case file. A minute later her cell phone rang. She stared at it for a second and then slid it over toward Driscoll.
"Driscoll," he answered once he figured out how to open the phone.
"It's Mulder, where is Scully?"
"Ahh, she's in the restroom," Driscoll replied looking at Scully. "What? I'm not good enough for you?"
"Not for phone sex," Mulder retorted.
"Okay, TMI …. That conjures some images I don't need to think about," Dris replied rolling his eyes. "Scully is on her way to the desk now."
"Oh, well, I don't really need to talk to her. Nest and I are on our way back, we're done here," Mulder replied.
"He confessed?"
"More or less. What time is dinner?"
Driscoll started laughing. "Geezus you sound like my kids … I dunno know, actually. I was waiting for Tracy to call back with the reservation time. I'll call her and tell you when you get here."
"Okay, we should be there in the next 20 minutes."
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Mulder and Nester arrived at the Dubuque FBI office about the same time as field agents were changing shifts. The volume level of the room was amplified in Mulder's ear as he weaved between agents and police officers heading toward his assigned desk.
"Mulder!"
He heard his name called and he turned around. The voice belonged to Agent Driscoll who was walking toward him from their work station.
"This place is a little chaotic huh?" Dris commented raising his eyebrows at the antics of the field agents. The agents were throwing paper airplanes across the room, playing mock basketball with crumpled paper and yelling at each other.
"Reminds me of the locker room in high school," Mulder mumbled.
"Did the suspect admit to all of it," Dris asked directing Mulder out of the traffic flow. The two men walked to an empty desk and stood facing each other.
"Not exactly… he gave a written statement to all but two victims," Mulder replied dejectedly.
"Let me guess, the first two?" Driscoll asked. These were the cases he had asked Scully to review today.
Mulder nodded and pursed his lips. "I can probably believe that he didn't do the first one, but the second case matches his MO completely." Mulder scanned the room looking for Scully. "Where is Scully?"
Dris looked over his shoulder. "She is in the restroom."
"Again?" Mulder asked wrinkling his nose.
"Yeah, I wanted to talk to you about that ….Is she okay?" Driscoll asked.
Mulder looked at him quizzically. "What do you mean?"
"I'm getting a vibe," Driscoll replied sighing. "Cramer called her earlier and she was pretty agitated. If I didn't know better I would say she was assaulted." He paused for a second and tilted his head. "So? Do I need to go back to DC and kick his ass?"
Mulder ran his hand over his forehead and rubbed the bridge of his nose. "I think we both need to," he replied lowering his voice. He looked at Driscoll and checked their surroundings to make sure Scully wasn't walking up behind them. "It took me over an hour to get her to admit just a little bit. I don't believe he did anything intentionally. From what she told me he pressed 'an issue' with her and she doesn't feel too good about it."
Driscoll got the message loud and clear. "Forced?" His blood was boiling in defense of his friend.
Mulder shook his head. "Give in."
Driscoll rolled his eyes. He was still pissed. Besides practically being his partner, Scully was like a sister to him. Give in or not, any guy with half a head about romance could read the body language when a woman was interested in sex. It wasn't brain surgery, was she into it or did she just lay there?
"That explains a thing or two," he replied slowly and then nodded his head. "I'm still going to kick the shit out of him when we get home."
"Yeah, well .. I have other concerns as far as that goes," Mulder mumbled still scanning the room for Scully.
"What do you mean?" Driscoll asked as he moved to the side to open up their line of sight.
"She seems a little … needy right now," Mulder whispered. "I want to make sure she is in this for the right reasons."
"Mulder, she loves you," Driscoll implored leaning in toward his friend.
Mulder bit his lip before responding. "I don't doubt her feelings. But you and I both know that 'assault' victims have a tendency to be co-dependent and latch onto the first relationship to make things right. I do not want to be the rebound guy. She means too much to me."
"Maybe she needs to talk to somebody," Driscoll ventured completely understanding Mulder's point of view.
Mulder nodded. "Maybe your wife needs to put her education to work."
Driscoll nodded and thought about the reply. His wife, Amy, had worked as a counselor before they had moved to D.C. Since they were all friendly, a conversation between the two would be non-threatening and might make it easier to open up.
"Agent Mulder, the Assistant Director wants to see you in his office," interrupted a field agent from the desk Mulder was standing near.
Mulder rolled his eyes and nodded at the field agent and watched him talk into phone receiver and place it back on the cradle. Mulder started walking toward Poppa D's office and looked over at Driscoll.
"Okay, that can't be good?" Mulder mumbled under his breath.
"Relax, it's not always bad," Driscoll laughed at him.
"Have you been called to the Assistant Director's office today?"
"Naah," Dris replied laughing slightly. "I get my spankings at home."
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When Mulder got to the Assistant Directors office he found Scully and Nester sitting in the room chatting casually with the elder Driscoll.
Assistant Director Driscoll looked up when he entered the room. "Agent Mulder, have a seat," he gestured and watched as Mulder made his way to the chair next to Scully. "Where is Agent Driscoll?"
Mulder looked around at Scully and Nester before shrugging and looking back at AD Driscoll. "He ahh…. went to his desk, sir. I didn't know he was supposed to come in here."
"For chrissake," Poppa D muttered under his breath and reached for the telephone. He dialed a number and put the line on speaker. A male answered the phone on the second ring.
"Dubuque Field Office."
"Jasper! Did you tell Agent Driscoll to report to my office?"
"Nope. I just told Mulder."
"And why would that be?" the Assistant Director asked, staring at the phone.
"Ahhh, because I'm an idiot?" The agent moved the phone from his mouth slightly and yelled across the room. His voice echoed over the speaker and from outside the door. "Driscoll! The AD wants to see you now! He's on his way sir," he mumbled into the phone. "Sorry about that."
"We'll discuss your punishment later," AD Driscoll remarked sarcastically and hung up the phone. Agent Driscoll appeared in the doorway seconds later and his father pointed wordlessly at a chair next to Agent Nester. Dris walked to the chair and sat down eyes darting between his partner to his left, and Mulder and Scully to his right. He looked at his father for some sign that he wasn't in trouble and saw nothing through his solemn mask.
"Agents, I'll get straight to the point," he started marking eye contact will all four of them. They're scared. I can see it in their eyes. Ha, that kills me, he mused. "I just got off the phone with the Deputy Director. He has approved my request to extend your assignment to this office for an additional few weeks. I'm down a few agents due to various reasons and could use the extra help. Are there any conflicts for the four of you? "
All four Agents breathed a sigh of relief and shook their heads muttering No's around the room. Agent Driscoll was the first to speak.
"Geezus could you be a little more formal? I thought you were going to chew our asses about something," Dris blurted out before leaning forward in his seat. He made eye contact with his father, expecting to see laughter in his eyes, but was met with a stoic glare.
Assistant Director Driscoll stared blankly at his son for a moment without breaking a smile. I love scaring the crap out of people, he thought to himself. He looked at the other agents in the room before continuing. "I trust that your hotel arrangements are satisfactory?" He focused that comment in Mulder and Scully's direction. AD Driscoll watched Scully glance nervously at Mulder before nodded wordlessly. Three weeks to make or break a habit he thought.
"Alright then, your dinner reservation is at 7 pm at Fried Green Tomatoes. Have a good time tonight. I'll see you on Monday at 9 am." He nodded to the Agents and they stood to leave the room. Driscoll hung back and waited for Mulder, Scully and Nester to leave and then turned to his father.
"Thanks Dad," he said with a smile.
AD Driscoll waved his hand around and slumped back into his chair. "Thanks for nothing. I have to put up with you, your wife and two kids in my house for two more weeks? Christ. Maybe you should go get a hotel room."
A/N: Initially this was going to be the last chapter of the story. Then I got such great feedback from everybody about the "living room" and the "hot tub" that I decided it just couldn't end there.
TBC
