Attraction

Part 3

by Trycee

Time Line: Scully's first few months working on the X-Files.

Disclaimer: I DO NOT OWN THE X-Files, this is written for fun not profit.

"What about you?", Scully asked curiously. "Who did you just kick out prior to mom and dad showing up here? I know you did because there's men's shoes in the closet."

Melissa grinned. "I didn't kick anyone out. I dated a guy for a while. He lived here but nothing came of it. I'm just as bad as you. I don't think we'll ever find what mom and dad had."

Scully frowned. "I want that, what they have. That's why I don't think Mulder is the one."

"Explain why he couldn't be?"

Scully shifted her legs so they dangled over her sisters on the floor. "He forgot my birthday!"

"He's a guy. Since when did guys remember things like that?", Melissa said, tickling Scully's leg until she laughed and moved them.

"Okay, okay," she said, straightening up. "He has a porn collection."

"Hell, I have a porn collection."

"You do?", Scully said, surprised.

"There's nothing wrong with that, Dana. God, live a little. But what else? Is he a heartless person? Is he self-centered?"

"He's a little self-centered."

"Does he care about your feelings? Does he look after you?"

Scully was quiet a moment. "Yes he cares about me and my feelings. And then there's other times when he ditches me and runs off chasing after some lead or something. And he nearly gets himself killed every time and then I come to..."

"To what?"

"To take care of him," she said, looking off from Melissa.

"I want you to pay attention next time to what he does. Like that song, it's in his kiss. It'll be in his actions, Dana. What does he do on a daily basis to show you he could possibly be love material?"

"Love material? Don't you mean dating material?"

"No, I mean love material. What does he do that shows you he cares or that he's capable of caring? Judge him from that. You said he was a loner before and so he's probably not used to considering other people's opinions or feelings. But see if he cares about yours. It doesn't have to be anything major. It could be something simple."

"Okay, Okay!", Scully yelled. "It's my birthday, let's get drunk!"

Melissa smiled. "I've got the hard stuff hidden. Bailey's and ice to start, " she said, jumping up.

Scully smiled. "Missy, you're crazy but I love you."

Melissa filled two glasses with ice and poured Irish cream over it. "I love you too kid. Now let's get plastered. "

Scully walked into the office the next morning, her head was spinning. She flopped down in the chair in front of Mulder's desk and he handed her a fresh coffee. "Hey Mulder," she said, holding the side of her head.

Mulder looked at her curiously. "Okay, Scully, what happened at your sister's yesterday?"

"I got a little drunk," she said, sipping on her coffee. "Don't worry. I can still work on the medical report."

He nodded but stared at her. "Scully, did I miss something?"

She shook her head. "What do you mean, Mulder? Miss what?"

"I get the feeling I missed something."

She reached onto his desk and picked up the file. "I have no idea what you mean," she said, moving over to her area and opening her laptop.

She looked back over to Mulder and he was still watching her. "Girls night out, Mulder. You know, sisters doing sister things."

The phone rang and Mulder picked it up, his eyes still on Scully. "Mulder?"

He listened on the phone and then hung up. "I'll be right back, Scully."

He looked back at her as he left. She sipped on her coffee and concentrated on her observations of the autopsy of the four year old boy and began typing her report. Mulder returned a few minutes later and handed an envelope to her. "There was a guy named Ethan. He wanted me to hand you this."

Scully looked down shaking her head. "He came here?"

"Yeah," he said, looking as if he wanted an explanation.

She held the envelope and turned to face Mulder. "He's my ex. Yesterday was my birthday."

Mulder's face fell and she could tell he looked guilt stricken. "Scully, I'm sorry, I'm really bad at remembering birthdays. I never remember my own."

She smiled. "Mulder, it's okay. I don't expect you to remember," she lied.

She could tell that he wasn't convinced. "He showed up at my sister's house yesterday with my parents. He said he wanted me back."

Mulder stood stiff, staring back at her. She could see his nervousness and it surprised her. "I told him to get lost," she continued.

Mulder smiled. "So this old boyfriend calls me to come upstairs and give you an envelope."

She slowly opened the envelope and pulled out a photo of her and Ethan. Mulder leaned over her shoulder to look at the photo. It was a photo of Scully with longer hair standing next to Ethan. He was busy on his cell phone and she had her arms crossed in front of her, looking down to the ground. Scully looked unhappy. She stared at the photo and looked up at Mulder and smiled. Her smile caught him off guard. Mulder looked away. Surprisingly, she ripped up the photo and placed it back into the envelope, handing it to Mulder. "The past is the past," she said, "Throw it out."

Mulder grabbed up the envelope as a small smile crept over his face. He tossed the photo in the garbage.

"Let's get back to work, Mulder, " she said, looking back at him.

"Alright," he said, sitting behind his desk.

After working for several hours, well past five, Mulder looked over to his partner. "Hey Scully, can I get you something to eat? You hungry?"

"My sister converted me to healthy eating now," she smiled. "So, something healthy would be nice."

Mulder grimaced. "Okay well, one cheeseburger and one rabbit food platter."

"Are you paying?"

"I'm paying," he smiled. "Since I screwed up the birthday thing," he said, standing up. "Come on, your choice in place."

Scully smiled to herself and followed behind him. "Mulder, you surprise me."

"How?", he said, turning back to her. He stood so close she could feel the heat radiating off his body.

She smiled again. "You just do," she said, moving past him.

Mulder stood watching as she walked past him. Scully turned to look back at him and his eyes drifted back up to her face, he'd been caught looking her over. Scully didn't look upset, instead she raised an eyebrow, smiled inwardly and pushed the elevator button.

The End

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