Title: The Goldberg Sunset
Rating: K
Status: Complete
Spoilers: The Goldberg Variable
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Feedback: Yes, please
Disclaimer: No copyright infringement intended, characters and show reference belong to their creator CC and 1013. I wish I could be so creative as to have invented them but sadly…I am not. If you know the characters, they aren't mine. Blah, blah, blah, you know the drill but please leave a review.
Summary: In this episode Scully tells Mulder the case is not an X File, and they should go back to D.C. by sunset. It's another *what if* scenario. What if Mulder had agreed to the sunset with his rational other half.
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Scully pushed the button to the elevator as she and Mulder waited for the car to arrive, she gave him her idea. "You still feeling lucky Mulder?" She looked at him and continued "So, here's the plan, as I see it; we inform the Chicago field office about Weems, leaving it to them to secure his testimony, you change your clothes…"
"Scully….." I looked at my partner and raised my eyebrows.
"We fly back to D.C. by sunset, and all is right with the world." She looked at me with a shy smile and those beautiful blues that calmed my soul.
"You seriously want to give this the Chicago office and walk away?"
She took my hand in hers weaving her small fingers between mine. "Exactly. C'mon, we can walk down to East Potomac Park, swing our legs over the seawall and just enjoy the evening. Afterwards we can walk to the Wharf, grab dinner and who knows where we'll end up."
I looked at her and studied her face. She was serious about that offer, and I wasn't about to pass it up. I squeezed her hand and used my thumb to caress the soft webbing between her thumb and forefinger. Where would we end up, where could we end up, oh the torrid thoughts dancing in my head. Mysteries and Scully were my forte but combine the two and there's no way the evening can fail.
"Okay Scully. Let's go pack our things, head home and catch that sunset."
"Really. You're being honest, you'll go?" I could see her eyes were alight with my decision.
"Yea let's go G-Woman we have a motel to check out of and a flight to catch. Now, no backsies Scully you owe me that sunset, the walk and the dinner."
"So, I don't have to worry about how the evening ends?" She let that out into the universe without looking at me. We knew how our evening would end, just maybe not where.
The elevator doors opened, and we stepped inside. Smiling, we didn't even look at each other, we just squeezed our hands and bumped shoulders as the car started down.
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"Great idea Scully. I have never just taken the time to admire a beautiful sunset. How many times have I looked up at the sky after dark, but I never seem to take the time to see the colors as the sun departs turning the sky over to the moon."
Noticing the pinks, reds, oranges and touches of purple he leaned over to her and bumped her shoulder. She turned and smiled at him kissing his head. Her shoes lay next to her on the seawall while her feet hung over the sides. It was low tide, and the sun was sitting on the horizon like a ball balancing at the edge of it.
"It's good to just decompress Mulder, to enjoy the planet's wonders. We know of no other place like it in the universe. I am glad you decided to do this with me."
"I wouldn't think of doing it with anyone else." He smiled and turned to look at her. "How many years Scully?"
"Seven years. Seven long, but wonderful years."
"You know what I mean."
"Seven years Mulder."
"You surprised me that very first day. I figured you'd be scared off before we ever got back from Oregon. You and your science would run and never look back."
"Seriously, you gave me no credit."
"It wasn't that, I just….well….I just thought you were too pretty to be chasing aliens, too smart to stay in a unit located in the basement and way too over qualified to be looking into the paranormal and supernatural with a crackpot partner. You know the thing that bothered me the most is that I liked you, even though you were sent to spy on me."
"You liked me."
"Yeah, you know a pretty, smart, independent woman working in a basement office isn't something you see every day. Then Colton came along, tried to get you transferred out when we were working the Tooms case. He was such a dick."
"You are very sweet Mulder but, you gave me too much to wonder about. I was dumbfounded at the things I saw in two days, but I couldn't leave. There was way too much to learn, to see, to explain, to research."
"You're beautiful Scully, I am not sure you know that…."
"I do sometimes."
"You're not serious. You have mirrors in your apartment, and I know you use them." He couldn't believe what she was saying. He placed his hand on hers, picked it up and kissed each finger.
"Every woman has insecurities Mulder. We think our noses are too big, our boobs aren't big enough, we're too short, too tall, our hips are too wide, our asses are always way too big. We criticize our bodies in some way or another."
"You don't have anything to worry about Scully. I've seen all your parts, and each one is perfectly suited to you. I suppose guys are the same way. We want to be tall, athletic, have muscles and of course a big Hoo-Ha."
Scully giggled at him. "What? Mulder, women aren't concerned with how big a guy's Hoo-Ha is, well most women. How many times has a woman told you once she saw your Hoo-Ha it wasn't big enough. That's rhetorical by the way so don't answer that. Size has nothing to do with it. Women are more concerned about the man attached to the Hoo-Ha. Does he have integrity, manners, character, is he kind, that kind of stuff"
"So, my Hoo-Ha is okay." He smiled at her.
"Your Hoo-Ha is just perfect. Just don't go asking other women that same question."
"So, I should take your word for it."
"Absolutely."
"You ready for dinner?" he asked her as the sun slipped under the horizon turning the dusky colors to greys and fading blues.
"I am." She slipped on her shoes and lifted her hand to him. He helped her up and they walked to the wharf.
They ate at a pub and afterwards walked the shopping area. Her hand firmly planted in his. She swung their hands to and fro while they talked and looked at the window displays.
"See anything you like Scully?" He asked her as she looked at all the shops.
"Mulder, I would never pay these prices. We're in a tourist area."
"That's not what I asked you." He leaned over and kissed the top of her head.
"Very sweet, but I have everything I need, both at home and right here." She squeezed his hand and leaned into him.
"Well how about an ice cream, and no tofrutti, or any other fake ice cream with rice in it."
"It's Tofutti, not….ok you got me, making fun of my rice dream ice cream, but you took a big ole bite didn't you."
Mulder laughed out loud and walked behind her wrapping his arms around her lifting her up for a brief second. Scully laughed, loving his spontaneous side.
"C'mon let's get a malt with two straws like a couple of teenagers. You choose the flavor Scully but, no vanilla."
"No vanilla, why?"
"You know why, no vanilla, any other flavor but that one." He smiled and reiterated in a whisper. "No vanilla."
She walked to the counter and ordered a large chocolate malt with whipped cream and two cherries on top. She grabbed two straws and some napkins. Returning to the table she put it down and slid into the booth. Striping the straws from their wrappers she placed them in the malt and looked at him.
"Did I do good?"
"Cherries, Scully you did really good."
"Not just cherries Mulder, cherries with the stems."
"I can see that." He leaned across the table and looked at her. "Tell me Scully what is the significance of that?"
"If your good I'll tie the stems in a knot with my tongue." She said that without looking up while she coaxed some of the malt up the straw.
Mulder dropped his head on the table. She stared at him smiling with herself. She loved that she could have that effect on him. She never did anything like this at work but, flirting and teasing him knowing how their night would end was salacious and sexy.
"You okay Mulder."
He looked up at her. "Yes but, if you keep this up…."
She picked up one of the cherries, twirled it in the whipped cream and stuck out her tongue. Looking across the table at him she placed the cherry on her tongue and wrapped her tongue around the fruit. Popping the stem off she slowly chewed, swallowed and licked her lips. She then placed the stem on her tongue and 30 seconds later pulled it out placed it on a napkin tied in a knot.
Mulder was lost, watching her and the way her mouth moved while she was tying the stem in a knot.
"You haven't drunk any of the malt Mulder. I didn't order vanilla and you haven't touched it."
"You are very bad, very, very, bad. You ready to go?" He asked her.
"But I'm not done, I have another stem to put a knot in." She looked at him with one eyebrow raised and took the next cherry off the whip cream with her tongue."
We need to go. Now." He looked at her watching with eyes that could only focus on her mouth devouring the cherry.
"Scully don't worry about that. I have a stem for your cherry." He rolled his neck and looked around the shop. He leaned over the table and took her hands in his. They were cold from the malt glass.
He whispered. "Your teasing is bordering on torture. You didn't mean to torture me did you."
She placed the tied cherry stem on the napkin and sipped more of the malt.
"Where are we going?" She finally asked him with the slightest tilt of her head as she stood up.
"Your place is closer." He stood and leaned over towards her ear and ran his tongue over it. She chuckled and shivered.
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As she closed the door and locked it, the clothes they were wearing left a trail from the living room down the hallway and ended just inside her bedroom. Minutes later the apartment was filled with the sounds of giggling, laughter, moans, and gasps.