Even (Sequel to 'Mulder')

Author: PhileyX 
E-Mail: phileyxback@yahoo.com 
Web-site: https://www.angelfire.com/id/phileyx 
Rating: PG 
Category: UST 

Spoilers: Season Six - Three Of A Kind and FTF
Disclaimer: Special Agent Archie Travis is mine and mine alone. The rest of the characters belong to the Fox network.
Intro: This is a sequel to "Mulder" which was a sequel to "Fox" and "Toady". It is recommended that you read "Fox" and "Mulder" first. "Toady" is optional unless you'd like to know a little about Archie Travis. Or you could just read on, be absolutely confused and then decide to read them all. Hey, whatever works for you! 

For "Fox" click on -> https://www.angelfire.com/id/phileyx/Fox.html 
For "Mulder" click on -> https://www.angelfire.com/id/phileyx/Mulder.html 
For "Toady" click on -> https://www.angelfire.com/id/phileyx/Toady.html 
Summary: Whoops, just a slip of the tongue..

XXXXXXXXXXX
Even 

Mulder grumbled again. "I still don't see why she should go."

Travis groaned and waved his hand impatiently above the file he was reading. "Will you relax? She'll be fine."

"I'm not worried about her. I know she's perfectly capable of taking care of herself. It's just that I've got tickets to the ball game tonight."

The former raised an eyebrow. "Scully and baseball?"

He smiled. "One taste of it and she was hooked...." He trailed off, looked thoughtful for a while and muttered under his breath. "Just like I was."

"What did you say?" Travis looked up suspiciously.

Mulder jumped slightly as if surprised that he had said it aloud. "Nothing. I'm getting a drink. You want one?"

"Nah." He answered and watched him make his way out of the office. 

It was another Friday afternoon in his department. 'Hmmmm...' Travis smiled to himself. He liked the sound of the words 'his department'. After three weeks of being a nomad, he was finally settled in one. He even managed to change partners. And it was a bonus that he managed to get Mulder and Scully to assist in his first case. He needed to make a good first impression. 

His new partner Kent, was perched at the window with several other agents, looking out at the unusual bustle in the streets. Suddenly, Kent called him from across the room. "Hey, the shoot's starting!" 

Travis rolled his eyes and wondered why was everyone talking about the photo shoot scheduled in front of the building as if it was a big budget movie. 'It was just a tire ad, for God's sake!' He yelled back. "Knock yourself out, guys. You have 15 minutes till we roll."

The guys groaned collectively. "Of all the days, we have to go on a bust today...." Kent grumbled loudly.

Travis shook his head and closed the file in front of him. Glancing at the closed inner office door, he wondered what was taking Agent Scully so long. All she had to do was get a wire on. He strode towards the room and knocked gently on the door. "Scully? Are you done?"

A muffled curse replied him and he was slightly taken aback. Dana Scully losing her temper? Rare, indeed. He wasn't given another second to dwell on it because the door suddenly swung open and she poked her head out.

"Where's Mulder?" She asked him breathlessly.

"Gone to get a drink. Why?"

She bit her lip. "Nothing." She lied. 

Travis rolled his eyes. "You haven't got it on, have you?"

She frowned. "The strap's too short. I can't reach the... oh never mind!" She snapped in frustration. 

His eyes twinkled in anticipation, expecting to be asked for a helping hand. She caught it and destroyed his hopes with three words. "Dream on, Archie!"

He nearly pouted but decided to behave in a more grown up manner and reminded her of the time instead. "Dana, we're all waiting for you."

"I know. It's not my fault I can't get the stupid thing on." She glanced about the room as if looking to see if Mulder was back. Catching the sight of the rest of her counterparts gazing out of the window, she asked. "What's with them?"

"The photo shoot, remember?"

"It's started?" She rolled her eyes and groaned. "That would mean Mulder wouldn't be back anytime soon. Archie, go get him."

He raised his eyebrow. 'What the hell was so captivating about the photo shoot that even Mulder would be interested in?' "Why? How come he gets to see your skin and I can't? I thought there's nothing going on between you two?"

She softly muttered. "He's seen me naked before and you haven't, that's why." His eyes began to widen and she quickly curbed his imagination. "Before you jump to conclusions, it only began because I was stung by a bee."

"What?" He looked confused.

She sighed. "Never mind, just go get him."

"Dana, may I remind you we're about 6 levels from the privacy of your basement? " He warned under his breath. "And you wonder how we jump to conclusions?"

She gave him a look and waved towards the men at the window. "Do you see anyone that cares at the moment?"

He gave in.  "All right, all right, I'll get him." Walking into the hallway, he found that she was right. Her partner was looking out of the window. And so was every male agent in the corridor. 

Travis walked briskly towards Mulder's side and began. "Just what the hell is so fascinating... Oh..." He trailed off as his eyes caught sight of the five scantily dressed super-models sitting on a couple of car tires, five stories below them. "...my!...."

Mulder grunted in agreement. 

When he finally remembered his mission out there in the first place, he told him. "You're needed in there."

"Not now, Archie. This is an office view you don't see everyday. I bet even Skinner has his face pressed onto the pane."

Travis grinned at the thought. Then he wondered if Scully had the power to tear Mulder away from a scenic view such as this. He decided to risk it. "Mulder, I bet you'd trade this view for another in that room."

Mulder laughed. "Not bloody likely."

"Oh?" Smiling, Travis told him. "Scully needs a hand in there."

He didn't seem to understand what he meant and looked at him questioningly. So the latter elaborated, shrugging his shoulders. "Something about the strap being too short."

Mulder's eyes widened. Suddenly grinning, he shoved his unopened can of soda against his friend's chest. Travis barely had time to grasp it before he turned and almost ran for the office. 

Travis called out behind him. "Oh Mulder?"

"Yeah, yeah, I owe you one...."


XXXXXXXXXXX

He knocked on the door softly. "Scully?" It opened and she looked at him hesitantly before letting him in. He kept a straight face and asked her. "So, what can I do for you, Scully? I am ready to be of service." 

She scowled at him.  He put on a mock innocent look and defended himself. "What did I say?"

Rolling her eyes, she took a step towards him and handed him the wire. "Just snap it on. I can't seem to reach it." Then, she turned her back towards him and began unbuttoning her blouse.

He tried to keep his eyes on the catch as he slid the wire around her. But her soft, fair skin was too much of a distraction. As he struggled for a few minutes with the clasp, he told her. "I see what you mean. The wire is usually longer. You must have picked the wrong one by mistake. This one looks like a 'fly'."

"A 'fly'? You mean the one usually attached at the ....ew... gross!"

He grinned. "Relax Scully, hardly anyone ever uses a 'fly'. It's just way too personal. You know, too close to 'home'?"

She grimaced, her mind already picturing him wearing one too close to his 'home', as he had so eloquently put it. She shook away the thought and hurried him. "Are you done?" 

"Yeah." 

She turned around and she buttoned her blouse up. His sharp intake of breath suddenly made her realize that it was a mistake. Looking up, she found him staring at her breasts, generously lifted and supported by her cream-colored Victoria Secret's bra. 

A glare set on her face but he was too engrossed to notice. Finally she snapped. "For God's sakes Mulder, you've seen me naked before." 

'Whoops, busted.' He thought and grinned sheepishly. "I know. But the icky, gluey stuff was far from a turn-on."

"How about in the detox centre?' She impishly added as her fingers hastily finished the last few buttons.

"Too fog..." He stopped and shook his head knowingly. "Nice try, you almost got me there." 

She smiled. "Mulder, admit it. You looked."

"I didn't!" Raising one hand in front of her but crossing his fingers behind his back, he firmly told her. "We made a pact not to look and I swear I didn't."

She looked unconvinced. "You stole a glance. I saw you."

"You did?" He raised an eyebrow playfully. "And just how did you manage to do that while dutifully keeping to your end of the bargain?"

Recovering gracefully, she innocently explained. "It wasn't done intentionally. I dropped my soap." 

This time he wasn't convinced. "Yeah right."

She ignored him. "Plus two weeks ago at mom's, that would make it the third time. With your memory, you should be immune to the sight of my breasts by now."

"You give your breasts far too little credit, Scully." The  warning look she gave him made him hastily return to her topic. "At your mom's... You took off your pajamas and slid into a skirt. I hardly call that seeing you naked."

She blinked, as if trying to recall what the hell he was talking about. Then, it dawned on her.  "No, I meant the night before. In the bath...." She stopped abruptly and almost cursed aloud. 'How could she forget? He was drugged at that time! He never knew what had happened between them in there!'

Meanwhile, Mulder's eyes widened as he waited breathlessly for the end of her sentence. When she finally did continue, she conveniently changed the subject matter. Instead, she told him to leave the room while the guys were still engrossed with the shoot . 

'Oh no you don't...' He told her silently. "Scully, you were saying something about the night before.....?"

"Huh?" She acted dumb.

"You said 'bath'.... and the you trailed off? " He tried again. The flash of alarm in her eyes was enough to convince his suspicions so he went in for the kill. "After I was triggered by your brother, what really happened that night, Scully?"

"Nothing." She lied. 

"I saw you naked, didn't I?"

She nervously tried to laugh it off. "Mulder, don't be ridiculous.." She then began to walk towards the door but he stood in her way. "You were the one that let the cat of the bag, Scully. So come on, tell!"

"There's nothing to tell!" She insisted uneasily.

He continued to stare at her accusingly. Half a minute later, she wavered. He grinned, knowing that he had won.

Scully sighed. What should she tell him? There was no way she was going to tell him the full story. Why should she? When he had obviously kept his account of her insobriety all to himself. If she hadn't taken the opportunity to test him after he had injected her with the antidote, she would have never known the extent of their passion. 

Her last thought softened her. Maybe that's what he needed to know, whether she had taken advantage of him in his vulnerable condition. 'Okay, maybe he deserved to know a little.' She gave in and told him. "You gave me a backrub."

His eyes widened as big as saucers. "A backrub?"

She nodded, not daring to look in his eyes. She was unsure if she was most afraid of seeing him angry or amused.

"With or without clothes?"

"I thought we already established that fact?"

"Scully..." He warned.

She suppressed a groan. "Without."

He was thoughtful for a few seconds and then an irritating grin plastered across his face. "Tsk! Tsk! Tsk! To think I trusted you, Scully."

She rolled her eyes. "Oh, grow up Mulder! It was just a backrub."

"Were you ever planning to tell me about it?"

She looked back at him in disbelief. "What's really bothering you about this, Mulder? That I took advantage of the situation or that I didn't tell you about it?"

He looked a little self-conscious and finally admitted. "Neither." He shrugged. "Actually I'm pissed because I was too drugged to enjoy it."

She groaned. "Of all the perverts in the world....... I shudder to think what you did with me when I was drugged."

He looked slightly hurt and she felt a little guilty. 'After all, he did behave gentlemanly.' She thought. 'Well, almost.'  

The feeling didn't last long as he returned to jerk-mode. "Before you get all high and mighty, dare  I ask if **my** clothes were on the whole time that night?" 

The slight pause in her manner was not missed even though she blatantly maintained. "Of course they were."

A slight blush on her cheek betrayed her further and he grinned. "Oh really? And the pot called the kettle black...."

"Okay fine, I'll admit it." She shot back. "But I only did it because I didn't believe for a second that you didn't take the opportunity given as well."

"So what? You were getting even?"

She smiled thinly. "Yeah, maybe I was."

He nodded his head with a dubious smile. "Okay, since it's all about getting even and nothing remotely to do with my hunky bod; why don't you give me a blow by blow account of what happened that night?"

Her smiled vanished. His choice of words were most appropriate and she wondered if he would be able to handle it if she exposed all. A few seconds later, she decided. 'Nah!' He'd never believe her anyway. 

She took a step towards him and provoked him instead. "Tell you what, Mulder..... I'll tell all ... if **you** tell all...." 

This time his smile disappeared. He seemed to be considering the proposition. Then a flicker of panic his eyes told her that he was picturing the consequences. Something told her that he wouldn't dare take on this bid.

He proved her right for he soon raised his hands slightly in the air and conceded defeat. "All right, Scully. You win. We're even."

She smiled triumphantly. "Chicken."

He bit his lip and smiled lazily. "But you'd always wonder, wouldn't you?"

'That's what you think.' She quietly shot back but loudly replied. "Well, I wouldn't be the only one."

A knock suddenly interrupted their banter. Travis voice called out from behind it. "You guys done?"

Mulder walked over and opened the door. "The lady is ready to go." He told him.

"Finally." Archie glanced over at the thoughtful Scully. "Dana, all set?"

She nodded and walked towards the door. Just as she passed Mulder, she gave in to the temptation. "I'll give you a freebie, Mulder." She leaned closer and whispered in his ear. "Bubble bath." Then, she walked off.

After Mulder had recovered from sudden flood of imagination, he strode after her. "Hey Scully, I changed my mind..."

She grinned. "Sorry Mulder. Offer's closed."

XXXXXXXXXXX

End of Even