Chapter 6

Longhorn Saloon

The sun slowly descended over the horizon. Cowboy's, ranch hands, and passing through saddle tramps strolled into the saloon. They were entering the saloon and shaking off the dust from their hats while others stomped into the saloon. Mulder watched a few men belly up to the bar, as other men took a hold of the working girl's, gripping them tightly against their bodies, while others hurriedly went upstairs taking their chosen, 'soiled-dove' to their rooms. Some men stayed gambling at the tables and played with darts and billiards while the rest of their crew filtered outside into the street towards the bath house.

In the meantime, Dixie and Lily Rose got dressed wearing a low mid-driff dress that showed off their shoulders, matching dark blue dresses that was made of the finest silk fabric. Scully smoothed her dress down her slender thighs as she stretched her stockings up over her knee pulling them snuggly, then touched up her lipstick that was ruby red. With the final touch of putting a red rose in her hair, her tresses hung low on her shoulders just above her neckline. She heard a knock on her door and rushed to see whom it was. It was Dixie making sure she was ready to go downstairs so that she wouldn't disappoint the crowd tonight, little did Scully know that someone would be there waiting and watching for her.

Dixie and Lily Rose descended down the stairs just like they did the previous night. Same as usual, she thought to herself so Scully played it calm and cool. She mingled with the men like she was told but some of the men had their sights on the prize at the tables instead, which worried her a little. She wanted to pay off her debt sooner than later. Mulder's jaw dropped when he saw Scully, showing off her shoulder's and revealing a low neck line and a red rose pinned nestled into her crimson hair. Scully gave a heartedly smile to the eager crowd. Tucker and Frank noticed that Austin stopped blabbering about red hair and took notice as they folded their cards onto the table.

"Hot Tamale! Is that her? Yer angel, Austin?" Frank gawked then took a gulp of his whiskey.

"A vision of pure beauty! When you said 'angel' you meant every word of it." Tucker spoke up and took another puff of his cigar.

"She's a lot more than that to me guys…" he stammered taking notice that she had taken a seat next to the same gentlemen that Mulder saw earlier in the street.

"Looks like you're 'bout to have some competition. She might be too hot to handle tonight," they both jokingly said to Mulder.

"You could say that again," Mulder replied still watching her.

The crowd was getting rowdy with more cowboys coming in and all their pent up emotions out on the range, pounding their fists onto the bar demanding more drinks. The miner, Tucker, ignored the scene only catching glimpses of Mulder staring back at the two of them through his hooded eyes, knowing that there was something special about her. There was a difference in cheating on a card game with your friends but mess with their girl and it could cost you your life. The young bar maid sauntered over to Tucker and Frank's table while Mulder ignored her as she served their drinks continuing his death stare on Scully. He watched her from the dark corner from where their table sat.

"So, what brings you here again, Mister Waterson?" Scully flashed a smile and batted her eye lashes at him.

"Well, you of course, Ms. Lily Rose. Come run away with me, my dear," Daniel pleaded.

"I can't do that. You have a family a wife and child on the way. Why would you want to give that up?" she said turning looking towards the door where the boss's quarter's was.

"You make me feel young again. You'll be well taken care of," he begged but she wasn't listening to him. He put his right hand on her thigh but she quickly removed it, licking her red lips, smiling back at him.

"Pardon me ma'am, hope you don't mind, me interrupting? Can I have this dance? You look lovely tonight Ms. Lily Rose." the cowboy spoke up, grinning ear- to- ear and courteously tipped his hat towards her.

"No, I suppose, just as long as you don't step on my feet," she giggled.

Scully was whisked away by the elbow by a young man with dark hair, spinning her around on the dance floor, leaving poor Daniel with his mouth agape. The two body guards noticed their boss was rudely interrupted and hurried over to his stool.

"Boss, you want us to do something about the problem?" they asked waiting on his answer as he watched the two of them dance.

"Not yet. Be patient I'll signal you when I tip my hat," he smirked.

"What's your name young man?"

"My name is Crazy Eddie," he smiled down at her. They danced for what seemed like ten minutes but was actually five and Scully pretended to enjoy herself.

"So, why do they call you that?" she asked as she peered over his shoulder looking out into the crowded saloon.

"Well, ma'am I got that nickname when I was a young'un. I would fight anyone at the jump of a hat. I got hired on with cattle company when I was about fourteen and the name stuck." He whirled her around closing the space between their bodies, dancing in time with the piano music.

Mulder's jealously got the better of him. He took a big hearty swing of his sarsaparilla wiping the liquid that pooled at the corner of his mouth as he continued to watch her with another man. He began to fidget in his chair adjusting his pants, rubbing his hands through his dusty hair, donning his hat on his head. Mulder thrummed through the crowd his instinct to claim her surged through his veins.

"Excuse me, but I'd like to take the lady for a spin," Mulder tapped the young cowboy on his shoulder.

"What? I don't think so I saw her first," he squared up with Mulder's tall frame which showed he wasn't intimated.

Mulder's presence was much more dangerous and challenging and the young man didn't seem to care either way. His dark features hid behind the brim of his cowboy hat and his lanky muscular features didn't put a fright into Eddie. The young man twirled Scully around as the piano's music continued to play and he released her hand.

"Come on tin horn let's get this over with," he mocked, rolling up his sleeves and the crowd took notice of the two squaring off in the middle of the room.

"Ok, saddle tramp," Mulder tossed his hat towards Scully who was shocked to see him dressed in western attire. Eddie circled his rival like a bull sizing up a champion bull fighter. Taking a hearty swing at Mulder, punching him square in the jaw. For a man that was half the size of Mulder, he sure knew how to fight, and moving quickly taking a quick punch to Mulder's rib cage in three quick jabs. Mulder over took him with a swift kick to the right knee cap, grabbing his arm twisting it behind his back. Eddie quickly reversed his grip on agent's arm, flipping Mulder onto the floor, pinning him down with his boot to his chest, heaving through his nostrils. Mulder was sprawled on the wooden floor and felt something against his ankle, the knife that the miner given him.

"Are you done with me now? Can I finish my dance with the lady?" he turned his attention back to Scully. That was a mistake taking his eyes off his opponent. Mulder quickly reached for his knife, shoving the unruly cowboy onto the hardwood floor, knocking him square in the jaw, cutting his tongue with his teeth. The knife was mere inches from his face as Mulder held it still pointing it at Eddie's throat just inches from his jugular. Eddie stilled his movements as the knife rested against his skin. Mulder put all his weight on top of his opponent making sure to prove a point.

"You want to go another round?" Mulder winced in pain from his injured ribs and managed only a spilt lip from Eddie's quick jab to his jaw.

"There are plenty more where she came from," he swallowed his own blood between clenched teeth. Mulder shoved his face into the hard wood floor with a loud bang bouncing his head off it and released him. He quickly retreated from Mulder, rubbing his shoulder looking back at him with his lip busted from the bout. Mulder knelt down putting his knife back into the sheath holder on his ankle and stood up looking for Scully. Bystanders gawked at the situation but quickly returned to their tasks.

Scully got distracted by a few cowboys bumping up against her as they walked through the crowded saloon. Suddenly feeling a familiar strong sturdy frame behind her she was startled but didn't turn around. Mulder put his large hands on her shoulders, stopping her in her tracks, sliding his rough hands down her silky dress and enveloping her with his strong arms.

She recognized his hands when she bent her head down, sighing she leaned into him as he embraced her tighter, holding her. Scully turned in his embrace while he still held her close to him, smiling like a drunken fool. She licked her lips and he bent his head kissing her fully on the lips. She returned his kiss feverishly, wrapping her arms around the back of his neck, holding onto his hat with the other hand, running her free hand into his thick hair. He pulled her tightly against him lifting her off her feet, making her gasp into his mouth as she nipped at his swollen lips.

"I thought I lost you Scully," he sighed between her kisses. He winced in pain from his bruised ribs and guided her further away from the rowdy crowd of men.

"Where in the hell have you been Mulder? And when was the last time you cleaned up?" she asked concerned looking him over for any more abrasions to his face and the rest of his body. He bent his head for better access to her exposed shoulders, rubbing his rough beard on her delicate skin.

"Sorry, it's been very dirty and dusty over at that old mine," he kissed her earlobe tugging on it with his teeth, grinding his eager erection into her hip and she pushed back against him.

"I had been worried sick that you hadn't made it out of the mine, but these two men caught me, and are holding me prisoner at this saloon. I can't leave until my debt is paid or someone comes up with $5,000 in gold. We need to get out of here and quick. The men that took me Mulder, they looked a lot like Agent Jeffery Spender and Smoking man and the Sheriff looks like Assistant Director Skinner. If this is a dream I want to wake the hell up!" she shouted.

"I can't remember anything Scully. I just woke up and you were gone. I walked to town and have been with these two miner's ever since. We must have been in a time warp or we got hit on the head really hard to be in this kind of place. By the way, has anyone placed a bid high enough to acquire such a beauty?" he said breathlessly against her swollen lips as he caressed her tresses through his fingertips, lightly tugging.

"Well, maybe. There is an older gentleman that resembles Daniel Waterson. He's been coming in here for the past two days chasing after me," she nipped at his bottom lip, returning his kiss. "What have you been drinking? You taste like root beer," she sighed resting her head against his brow.

"A sarsaparilla a few moments ago. Question is what have you been drinking?" he teased her, tasting her again with his tongue slipping into her mouth between her teeth.

"Well I can't drink anything but colored water. It's the rules no alcohol for me," she replied.

"Seriously, Scully. I haven't seen this 'former paramour of yours'. Where is he? Do you want to put on a show for him right now? Whether this is real or a dream let's see how far we can go before he up and leaves," he lowered his head down giving her a quick kiss on the lips, leaving her gasping for breath, grabbing her hand pulling her back into the crowd.

"I'm not Mulder…. its Austin Cooper to you, Ms. Lily Rose," he twirled her on the dance floor and began doing the two step, as he watched the other couple's dancing, mimicking their moves. Try not to blow their cover and using their real names, Scully played along.

"So, Austin, how do you know how to dance the two step?" she raised her eye brows at him.

"Why Ms. Lily you don't have much faith in me, do you?"

"It's just that I haven't seen you dance much," she laughed at him before he spun her around reeling her in beside him.

"You're not embarrassed are you? Or is it being with me? I saw you dancing with that young cowboy back there. Which I doubt he flattered you like I'm doing?" He twisted around in half circle and met back up to her lovely face, and her cheeks turned a shade of pink.

"Mul…Austin," she corrected herself toying with his buttons on his shirt and gave him a quick peck on the nose. "You never embarrass me. Although, sometimes your idea's are out there. But with all these strangers and dancing this two-step, not knowing whom is watching and waiting for their next opportunity to strike. These men have arms like octopi," she giggled.

"Ms. Lily Rose, come with me, right now," he growled into her ear. He pulled her off the dance floor walking her back into the darkest corner he could find, lowering his lips down covering hers their tongues dueled for control, she gasped when he pinned her to the wall. He let his fingers trail down her silky dress pinching both of her sensitive breasts through the soft fabric making her squirm as she shifted against him feeling his raging erection straining against his pants made her knees go weak. His strong gasp held her so that she wouldn't fall to the floor and she breathed against his lips.

Waterson wondered if Lily Rose dodged him yet again for the night but then spotted two figures in the darkness against the wall. The tall lanky man had his hands around the lady's waist pulling her tighter to him. He tipped the brim of his hat to signal his men. Daniel pointed in the direction as the men glanced at each other and stomped their way to the secluded area.

"Let's go…" she said gasping for air but Mulder was interrupted by a pair of strong hands on his shoulder's pulling him away from Scully, whom was a rumbled, tumbled, mess after thoroughly getting ravaged from Mulder.

"What the hell are you doing?" Mulder turned suddenly being sized up by the two large men.

"Hey mister! Get your damn hands off her!" Daniel's body guard shouted pushing Mulder aside with one swipe of his strong arms.

"I don't think she's interested, boys. So you better scurry off to where ever you came from," Mulder said blocking Scully from the men.

"Mr. Waterson wants to talk with Ms. Lily," the hired man informed her.

"I have nothing to say to Mr. Waterson," she replied in a huff pursing her soft lips, smoothing out her wrinkled dress and fixing her hair.

Mulder evaluated the two men looking to find something that was within reach to start a bar brawl as a distraction. He spotted a half bottle of whiskey on a nearby table and quickly grabbed the neck of the bottle hurling it towards the one guard and cracking his skull. The second guard took a shot at Mulder catching him in the ribs, knocking him to the ground. Scully rushed to his side bending over checking out his injuries. Rushing towards an empty chair she quickly grabbed it up and caught the other guard right upside the head. Knocking him flat on his back and an uproar throughout the bar started in chaos.

Chairs and bottles flew in every direction across the saloon. Men started their own fights at the gaming tables flipping tables into the air as the gaming chips tossed into the air while another man was flung down the bar plank. Tucker and Frank raised their beer glasses in unison and joined in the fight with Mulder, brawling with the body guards. Mulder was pinned up against the wall. His ribs were aching but Frank and Tucker soon got involved in the tussle shoving the body guards away breaking up the fight. Turning their attention back at the miner's it was fair game now, two on two.

Finally Tucker and Frank heaved the one guard outside into the street while the other was dunked into the horse trough, emptying the water with a loud splash. The second guard that was dunked into the horse trough soon found himself being punched in the gut and ended up next to the side of the saloon where a water barrel stood. Tucker almost drowned him into the water barrel, pulling him up for breath then pushing his head fully into the water, making a point that they were not to not mess around with their friend.

"Now that's what I call a damn good brawl right there," Frank patted Tucker on the shoulder walking back towards Mulder finding Scully bent down attending to him and helping him to his feet.

"Thanks guys," he winced in pain holding his side as he draped his arm around Scully.

"No, problem Austin. You better git your gal out of here or there will be more trouble your way tonight," Tucker told him in a serious tone.

Scully took hold of Mulder's hand leading to the bath house, no one dare enter a room with a dirty cowboy and shotgun resting at arm's length for a blast to the belly.