Title: Uninhibited
Author: L. M. Shard
E-mail: lsshard@home.com
Date: September 19, 2001
Rating: NC-17
Category: S, R
Spoilers: Season 8
Keywords: Mulder/Scully friendship, Scully/Reyes friendship, 
Doggett/Scully romance
Archive: anywhere, just let me know first
Feedback: Please!
Disclaimer: All main characters herein are the property of 
Chris Carter, 1013 Productions, and Fox.  No copyright 
infringement intended.
Thanks: to Megan who wrote the basic outline for this story 
and to my husband, Scott, who gave me a few humorous 
ideas.  (Megan: all detailed Doggett descriptions are dedicated 
to you!)
Summary: In need of some cheering up, Reyes takes Scully to 
a bar for a girls' night out.  When Doggett joins them things 
really heat up.  




UNINHIBITED
By: L. M. Shard



Dana Scully had been having mixed emotions all day.  Last 
night, Mulder had finally come back from one of his 
impromptu ghost-chasing expeditions from God-knows-where 
after being gone for almost two weeks.  In that time he had 
called Scully only three times, and that was more to ask her 
opinion on the latest clue he had found than ask how she or 
their son, William, was doing.  So when Mulder eventually 
appeared at her doorstep, she had had it and was ready to put 
all her cards out on the table.

They had sat together on the couch and Scully had talked from 
the heart, something that she, as well as Mulder, had avoided 
for eight long years.  Somehow being a mother now put 
everything into perspective.  She had explained that for the 
almost a decade they have had a strong and special friendship 
and ever since William had been born they had shared a few 
kisses, but she wanted more.  She wanted, needed, it all: 
romance, sex, commitment, a family, someone she could 
count on, someone who would be there.
 
She had told him that taking off for one of his quests at a 
moment's notice and dropping all responsibility was fine 
before.   She had been by his side on most of his quests, but 
she just couldn't live like that anymore.  Now that she had 
William, he had to come first.  He needed stability and 
security and, frankly, she needed those things too.

Mulder had thought about all that she had said and agreed with 
her, even though his heart ached at the reality.  He loved her 
with all his being, but he had only himself to blame for not 
making his feelings known to her.  He had had so many 
chances and opportunities, but all those years he had kept 
them hidden for fear of rejection, for fear of ruining the 
wonderful friendship they shared.  And she was right when 
she had said that he was not ready, or perhaps would ever be 
ready, to give up his quest and offer her the stability and 
commitment she craved, that she deserved.  His quest for the 
truth was his driving force in life and he couldn't give that up, 
not even for her.  Above all, he wanted her to be happy, for 
her happiness meant more to him than anything.

They had hugged last night, having both come to the 
agreement that a strong friendship would be all they would 
ever have.  They had cried in each other's arms at the loss of 
what could have been, but deep inside they both knew that a 
friendship was the best relationship for them.  Perhaps that 
was why neither of them ever really pursued a romantic 
relationship in the first place.

Mulder would still always be a large part of Scully and 
William's lives, but he was free of the day-to-day 
responsibility and commitment that Scully sought that would 
hinder his search for the truth.  Their candid talk had been 
cleansing for them both.  Nevertheless, the next day at work, 
Scully felt sadness and a kind of grieving.  Monica Reyes 
picked up on her emotions.

"What's wrong, Dana?  You've been down most of the day," 
Reyes asked with concern.  They had been working closely 
together all day on their latest case and it was almost time to 
start the weekend.  

Dana Scully looked at the woman sitting across the desk from 
her.  She and Reyes had become friends over the past several 
months, good friends actually.  Somehow it was easy to be 
friends with Reyes.  She was so open, down-to-earth, and 
understanding.  Scully was glad to have a female friend at the 
office.  Reyes had proved to be someone she could confide in 
about her frustrations, the challenges of single motherhood, 
work, and just life itself.

Scully sighed deeply.  "I don't know, it's just…" she let her 
sentence trail off, not knowing exactly how to formulate her 
thoughts.

"Mulder?"  Reyes said.  She could tell by the melancholy and 
disenchanted look on Scully's face that she was thinking about 
him again.

"Yeah," Scully admitted.  Reyes had an uncanny way of 
reading her mind.

Reyes closed the file she was studying and got out of her 
chair.  "I think it's high time for a girls' night out.  What do 
you say?  Can you get someone to watch William tonight?"

"That sounds great, but my mom's leaving for a mini vacation 
later this evening," Scully said trying to think of another 
option.   She thought of Mulder, afterall he was William's 
biological father even though he wasn't conceived the 
traditional way.  She doubted he'd be home, and after the 
conversation they had had last night she wasn't sure if he'd be 
eager to watch William, but she dialed his number anyway.

She was surprised when he answered.  "Hi, Mulder, it's me," 
she said.  "I have a favor to ask."

"What is it, Scully?"  He said.

"I know it's kind of last minute, but I was hoping to go out 
with Monica tonight if you could watch Will for me.  My 
mom's out of town and—"

"I would love to," Mulder said sincerely, not even letting her 
finish her sentence.

Scully was surprised by his genuine interest.  Although he 
loved William very much and had babysat from time to time, 
up to now he had been hesitant to be alone with the baby.  
Perhaps now that William was almost eight months old he was 
ready to face fatherhood alone, at least for a night.  Or maybe 
he was trying to prove to her that he would be there for 
William when he was in town, like he had promised her 
yesterday.  Whatever the case, she jumped at his interest, 
really needing a break and a good, long talk with Reyes.  
"That would be great if you could, Mulder.  Will is at my 
mom's."

"I'll pick him up there.  I'll be leaving here in about fifteen 
minutes," he said happily.

"Thanks.  You can watch him at my place, that way you'll 
have all his supplies on hand," she offered.

"Good idea.  Uh…can I help my self to some of what's in your 
refrigerator too?"  He asked rather sheepishly, but he was 
hungry and another night of pizza just didn't appeal to him.

Scully laughed.  She was happy to hear that it sounded like 
Mulder was okay after the talk they had had last night.  "Of 
course, Mulder!  Help yourself to anything."

"I will!"  He said delighted.  "Have fun tonight."  He was 
looking forward to his unexpected time with his son.  Bonding 
time, as Scully called it.

"Great, now that that's settled, let's get out of here and have 
some fun!"  Reyes said to Scully as she hung up the phone.

"I'm all for that," Scully said.  She doubted that she'd have 
much fun, but she knew she really needed to get out and just 
think of something else for a while.

Scully and Reyes drove separately to a popular bar near Reyes' 
home.  They had frequented the place several times before 
together to let off the day's steam.  The women met at the 
door, walked in, and made themselves comfortable at a high 
round table surrounded by four bar stools.  Scully took off her 
black suit jacket, revealing a tight white top that exposed the 
upper swell of her breasts, and laid it on the stool next to her.  
Reyes also took off her jacket, laying it on top of Scully's.

A waitress promptly arrived at their table.  "What can I get 
you ladies?"  She asked pleasantly.

"I'll take a glass of white wine," Scully said.

"I'll have a martini," Reyes said.

Scully looked at Reyes with her eyebrows raised and decided 
a martini sounded a lot better than what she had ordered.  "I'd 
actually like to switch my order to a martini as well," she told 
the waitress.  "And could you please bring us menus?"

"Sure thing," the waitress said and left.

"I wonder what band they'll have tonight," Reyes said.  
"Maybe it'll be the one with that cute lead singer," she added 
hopefully.

" Ooow, that would be great!  A handsome distraction would 
do me some good," Scully said with a smile.

"Here you go ladies," the waitress said, placing their drinks 
and the menus in front of them.

"Thanks," Scully and Reyes said in unison.

The women studied the menus then closed them.  Reyes 
looked at Scully, concern in her eyes.  "So tell me Dana, 
what's going on with you and Mulder?"

Scully sighed deeply.  "We had a long talk last night.  I don't 
know, Monica, I guess I just thought that once the baby was 
here things would be different between us.   But it's not.  You 
know that I've wanted Mulder and I to have a romantic 
relationship for a long time now."

"And he hasn't made any moves toward that direction?"  
Reyes asked.

"Well, we've kissed a few times, but otherwise nothing."  
Scully sighed again.   "You know, although I love him, I just 
don't feel that passion I used to when I would just imagine us 
kissing.  It has just taken us so incredibly long to even get to 
this point that I think the passion we would have had had we 
started a romantic relationship years ago just faded."  Scully 
took a few sips of her drink and enjoyed the warm burning 
sensation flow from her throat to her stomach.

"So why didn't you start something years ago?  You know the 
whole office thinks you two have been a couple practically 
since you met," Reyes said.

"Yeah, yeah, I've heard the rumors.  Unfortunately, all untrue.  
Why?  That is a good question.  I guess because of protocol at 
first, then just simple fear of rejection.  I am as much to blame 
as Mulder for keeping my feelings bottled up and not making 
a move towards a romance.  And now those feelings have 
changed.  I now feel more of a sisterly love towards him than 
a romantic love."

"That's not a bad thing, Dana."

"Then why do I feel so sad and disappointed?"

"Because you are mourning what you and Mulder could have 
had: that passionate, exciting, romantic relationship that you 
envisioned," Reyes said.

"I guess you're right," Scully said resigned.  "But the main 
problem is, is that Mulder is always off on one of his latest 
quests.  I need him here, with Will and me.  I need to know 
that I can rely on him on a daily basis.  I need that security, 
stability, and commitment.  But it is just not in him to give up 
his quest for 'the truth'.  With Will, my needs and priorities are 
different now, they have to be, but Mulder's haven't changed.   
So last night we agreed that our relationship would never be 
more than a very strong friendship."

Reyes empathized with Scully's loss.  "I'm sorry, Dana.  I 
know you envisioned the two of you would marry one day and 
be a family.  But as hard as it is right now, it is good you made 
what your relationship is, and will be, clear.  Now you are free 
to move on and really find the type of love you are looking 
for."  Reyes put her hand over Scully's.  "And you will find it, 
Dana."

Scully offered a feeble smile to her friend.

The waitress returned to their table.  "Have you decided, 
ladies?"

"Yes," Scully said.  "I'll have the chicken salad and another 
martini."

Reyes gave Scully a "you go girl" grin.  "I'll take the same," 
she told the waitress.

About fifteen minutes later their food and drinks arrived and 
they dove in.  Scully was already feeling the effects of her first 
martini and her mood was lightening.  It felt good to be able to 
talk to someone about her emotional burdens.  Reyes was a 
good listener.  Somehow she always had insight and 
understanding, and she had a knack for making Scully feel at 
ease.

"Thanks for taking me here tonight and letting me vent my 
troubles," Scully said sincerely.  "It's really helped."

"Of course, that's what friends are for," Reyes said smiling.  
She decided it was time for the cheering-up part of the 
evening.  "So have you noticed any cute guys here tonight?"

"Monica!"  Scully exclaimed a bit embarrassed.

"Oh, come on, Dana.  You can't tell me your eye hasn't caught 
that blond cutie at the bar over there," she said nodding in the 
direction of her affection.

"Yeah, I saw him," Scully admitted. "But he's not as 
handsome as Doggett."  The words had just slipped out and 
Scully couldn't believe she had actually said them.  The 
alcohol had loosened her tongue considerably.

Reyes giggled.  "I knew it!  You've got a thing for him, don't 
ya?"  Reyes was feeling her martinis too and this topic 
suddenly sounded incredibly exciting.  A topic in dire need of 
further exploration.

"No, no.  He's my partner," Scully said blushing.

"So?" Reyes said wanting her to spill the beans.

Instead Scully redirected the subject.  "You've known Agent 
Doggett for several years.  What do you think about him?"

Reyes smiled and her eyes twinkled.  "Well, he's smart, 
trustworthy, confidant, stubborn, a cut-through-the-crap type 
of guy.  And he's gorgeous and damn sexy, you've got to admit 
it!"

Scully laughed.  "You're the one that has the hots for him, 
Monica!"

"I don't now, but I'd be lying if I said I never did," Reyes said 
with a rather shy smile.

"Oh, do tell!" Scully said with great interest.  She was feeling 
really fine now and the conversation was taking a delicious 
turn.

The waitress came by and picked up their empty plates.  
"Another round, please," Reyes said indicating their empty 
glasses.  The waitress nodded and left.  

"Well, there was a time," Reyes continued, "after John and I 
were finished with the case, and had buried his son, and later 
his wife, that he kissed me."

"You and he kissed?" Scully interrupted surprised.  She noted 
a tiny tinge of envy in her voice.

"Oh, yeah, and what a kiss it was!"  Reyes said, a dreamy look 
in her eyes.  She remembered it as if it had been yesterday.

"Oh, do tell more!"  Scully said, highly interested.  This was 
getting really juicy!

"Well, first let me just say it was a one-time occurrence.  John 
was very emotionally spent and needy at the time, 
understandably so, and I was actually dating another agent.  
But that kiss is one I'll never forget.  It was so incredibly 
passionate and vulnerable, so fiery, just thinking about it now 
is making me hot."  Reyes said smiling at the memory.

"Details, girl, I want details!"  Scully exclaimed.

Reyes continued, "I was just getting ready to leave his house 
after one of our many Chinese take-out nights—he had 
actually allowed me to comfort him somewhat that night—and 
he walked me to the door.  When I turned around to face him 
to say 'goodbye' there was this intensity in his eyes that I had 
never seen before.  Before I knew what was going on, he 
cupped my face with his hands—those big, strong hands of 
his—and swooped me into a kiss.  He was all fire and passion 
and he poured all his raw emotions into it.  It left me reeling 
and literally weak in the knees.  If I hadn't forced myself out 
of his house right then and there, I would have ended up in 
bed with him."

"Oh, I'd love to be kissed like that!" Scully said dreamily.

"Every woman should be kissed like that.  John is probably the 
best kisser I've ever experienced.  Not only that, but his body 
is to die for!"

Scully nodded in total agreement.  "Have you noticed how 
tempting he looks in a T-shirt?  How the fabric just barely 
stretches over those well-defined pecks?  And those arms and 
that tight ass…" She said feeling better by the minute.

"You have been noticing!"  Reyes exclaimed with glee.  

"And those eyes: so blue, so intense, so piercing.  They look 
right into your soul.  I have to force myself not to keep staring 
in them when I talk to him," Scully continued.  She took 
another big gulp of her drink, letting the liquid warm her 
insides.

"Whoa, girl!  You got it bad!  I just knew you had a thing for 
him!"  Reyes giggled.

Scully blushed surprised at herself that she had admitted to her 
secret appreciation of her partner's physique.  "So you two 
never kissed again?"  She said trying to steer the conversation 
back to the original topic.

"No.  I felt enough guilt for letting that one kiss happen.  That 
was something I never told Brad, my boyfriend at the time, 
about.  And it was no time for John to start a relationship.  His 
emotions were just too vulnerable and raw at that point."

Their third round of drinks had arrived and both women were 
feeling quite good.  "You know, Dana, I haven't mentioned 
this before because I thought you and Mulder had a romantic 
relationship going, but John has his eye on you," Reyes said 
between sips.

"What?"  Scully asked surprised.

"Oh, yeah.  I can tell he has it bad for you," Reyes said in a 
very confident tone.

"No, that's got to be your imagination," Scully said blushing 
yet again.

"No, Dana, I know him well enough to know that he is 
interested in you and not just as an FBI partner, if you know 
what I mean."  She threw her friend a knowing smile.   "In 
fact, if he knew you and Mulder were not in a romantic 
relationship he would have made a move on you by now.  He's 
the type to go after what he wants."

"No, I don't think he's interested in me like that," Scully said.  
But how she wished what Reyes was saying were true!  This 
girls' night out was really bringing her feelings to the 
forefront.  She had been thinking of Doggett in more ways 
than just her partner for a long time now.  She had even been 
having romantic and sexual dreams about him recently.  But 
she had brushed those feelings and dreams aside, trying to 
convince herself that they were nothing, and hoped for making 
a relationship with Mulder.  But tonight, talking with Reyes, 
she knew she could no longer deny those feelings.  She didn't 
want to deny those feelings.

"Give him a call," Reyes challenged out of the blue.

"What?  Call Doggett?  Now?"  Scully was flustered and 
suddenly shy.  Her cheeks burned with embarrassment and the 
effects of the alcohol.

"Yeah, call him now.  See if he'll join us," Reyes looked at her 
with "I dare you" written all over her face.

"Ok, fine, I'll call him.  Bet he won't come though," Scully 
said accepting the challenge.

"Bet he will," Reyes said confidently.  She flashed Scully a 
smug smile.

Scully pulled out her cell phone and pressed the speed dial 
button.  Suddenly her stomach filled with butterflies.  At the 
sound of his raspy, sexy voice she swooned and had to force 
herself to get the words out.  "Hi, Agent Doggett," she said 
into the phone.

"Agent Scully?  Are you okay?  Where are you?"  Doggett 
asked with concern.  He was not used to getting calls from her 
this late on a Friday night.  Then he heard the cacophony of 
voices and music in the background.

"I'm fine.  I'm at the Blue Note on Fifth Street with Monica.  
Why don't you join us for a drink," Scully asked, suddenly 
feeling very dizzy.  She shook her head slightly, trying to clear 
it.

Doggett heard a slight slurring in her voice and decided he 
better check on them to make sure they got home okay.  
"Alright.  I'll be there in about fifteen minutes."

Scully smiled broadly.  "Wonderful.  See you soon," she said 
and hung up.

"Told you he'd come," Reyes said matching her smile.

Doggett arrived at the bar fifteen minutes later just as he had 
promised.  He spotted the two women right away.  They were 
laughing and giggling and apparently having a lot of fun.  
Doggett noticed how relaxed and free Scully seemed.  He had 
never seen her quite like that before, and he liked it.

Approaching their table he greeted them.  "Evenin' Agent 
Scully, Agent Reyes," he said nodding toward each 
respectively.

"Please call me Dana," Scully said.  "Agent Scully" sounded 
much too formal for this setting, especially after the girl-talk 
she and Reyes had indulged in over Doggett.

"And you know to call me Monica, John," Reyes said with a 
smile.

"Well, first names it is then," he said cheerfully and pulled up 
a stool.  He noticed three shots of Tequila lined up in front of 
him.  "What's this, ladies?"  He said indicating the drinks.

"Those are for you, John," Reyes said giggling.  "You've got 
to catch up with us."

He looked from Reyes to Scully and saw that they were indeed 
at least three drinks ahead of him.  Both of them were grinning 
and giggling like a couple of pre-teens at a slumber party.  He 
flashed them a lopsided grin and said, "What the hell," then 
systematically downed each glass in one quick gulp.  The 
amber liquid warmed his stomach and suddenly he thought 
that maybe drinking them wasn't the wisest choice.  After all, 
he did come here to make sure Scully and Reyes got home 
safely, not to get drunk.

"Thanks for joining us," Reyes said, giving Doggett a big 
smile and a friendly pat on the back.

"Sure," he smiled.  "So, you two come here a lot?"  He never 
thought the bar scene one for Scully.

"Every now and then, especially when we need to do some 
heavy-duty girl talk," Reyes said.

Scully hadn't said much since Doggett's arrival; she was so 
entranced by him.  He was wearing a white T-shirt that fit 
snugly over his taut muscles and a pair of blue jeans that 
outlined his form equally well.  Scully had never seen him 
look better and all she could do was stare.  Reyes noticed 
Scully's stare and silence and gave her a quick kick under the 
table.  Scully raised her eyebrows and shot her a "what?" look.

Doggett noticed Scully's silent gaze as well and was not sure 
what to make of it.  He threw her a smile and she responded 
with an even bigger one that lit up her entire face.  Studying 
her, he observed how incredibly beautiful she looked tonight.  
Not that she didn't always look beautiful to Doggett, but 
tonight she seemed out of her shell, alive and free.  This made 
her beauty shine through even more.  He noticed the swell of 
her breasts peaking out from under her rather tight top.  They 
glowed with a thin layer of perspiration and heaved with every 
breath.  He quickly averted his eyes before she could follow 
his gaze.

The waitress came by and they all ordered another round of 
drinks.

"So where's William?  Your mom looking after him?"  
Doggett asked.

"No, Mulder is," Scully said matter-of-factly.

"Mulder, oh," Doggett said.  That explained why he wasn't 
with them.

"But I don't want to talk about Mulder anymore tonight, 
"Scully blurted out.  "We've already talked the Mulder topic to 
death."

"Yeah, Mulder's out.  Dana's ready to move on," Reyes said 
without thinking, the alcohol getting the better of her.

"Monica!" Scully said through clenched teeth and gave her a 
look.  Feeling a need to explain, Scully told Doggett, "Mulder 
and I are just friends."

Doggett was surprised at the turn of the conversation.  He had 
learned more about Scully and Mulder's relationship in the last 
couple minutes than he had over the last year and a half.  
"Really?  I never would have guessed.  I always thought you 
two were…together," he said, secretly delighted about this 
news.

"Sorry to disappoint you.  From what Monica told me, I 
realize you are not the only one to be surprised by this 
information," Scully said.

"I'm not disappointed," Doggett said looking directly into her 
eyes.  Suddenly he felt very good and at ease.

She looked back at those clear blue eyes of his and saw 
something there: a spark, a fire, a smoldering.  Her cheeks 
flushed and her body was set aflame just by gazing into them.  
Without taking his eyes off her, Doggett reached for his glass, 
accidentally brushing his hand against hers.  The contact was a 
shock to Scully's senses and she slipped off her stool and lost 
her balance.  Doggett was quick to capture her in his arms and 
their gaze continued unbroken, this time just mere inches 
apart.

Reyes noticed the intensity between the two and quietly 
excused herself to the ladies' room.  She thought a modicum of 
privacy would be good for them, though neither seemed to 
have noticed her presence in the last few minutes anyway.

Scully's body reacted strongly to his embrace and it was all 
she could do not to faint in his arms from the heat their close 
proximity generated.  She could feel his breath on her face and 
it set each tiny hair on end with tingles.  Her hands were 
wrapped around his upper arms as support and she could feel 
their iron hardness, arousing her even more.

"You okay?"  He asked in a deep voice.  All she could do was 
nod.  Her affirmative nod registered in his brain, but he did 
nothing to end the embrace he held her in.  Her closeness was 
conjuring up all the fantasies he ever had about this woman.  
And there were plenty, for he had been attracted to her from 
the moment they first met.  He had an incredibly strong urge 
to kiss her, but he knew that this was not the time or the place.

"Miss me?"  Reyes said returning to her seat.

Scully and Doggett looked at her, their trance broken.  "Of 
course!"  Scully said.  Doggett guided her back onto her seat.

"Yeah right," Reyes mumbled with a knowing grin in Scully's 
direction.  She could see that they were finally letting the 
walls fall down and letting each other in.  She had a feeling 
this was going to be a long and intense night for the two of 
them.

The trio talked, joked, and laughed together, enjoying each 
other's company.  Every now and then Doggett would touch 
Scully's hand or brush her knee with his.  Scully savored these 
touches and was beginning to think that Reyes was right when 
she said that Doggett was interested in her.  Unless it was the 
alcohol they had all been drinking a bit too much of that was 
distorting reality.  In any case, the contact with him made her 
insides burn with desire, and it was definitely that desire that 
made her dizzy, more than any amount of alcohol ever could.  
She longed to be held in his arms and feel his body pressed 
against hers.

"You gonna eat that olive?"  Doggett said nodding toward 
Scully's half empty martini glass.

"You can have it," Scully said, reaching into her drink and 
retrieving the olive.  Boldly she placed it in his mouth, letting 
her fingers linger for a couple seconds longer than necessary.  
Doggett's lips closed over her pointer finger and, agilely 
moving the olive aside, his tongue licked her finger in an 
utterly seductive move.  Immediately Scully's body reacted by 
shooting electrical charges directly to her crotch, soaking her 
panties.  Her thighs quivered and her face flushed at the 
sensation his hot tongue gave her.  Slowly she removed her 
finger from his mouth and put it in her own mouth, licking his 
taste off her flesh.  Doggett watched her with smoldering eyes, 
his groin tightening at the gesture.

Reyes watched the entire scene entranced.  Had it been any 
other couple she would have walked out rolling her eyes, but 
being Scully and Doggett, she was thrilled to see the blooming 
romance firsthand.

The waitress arrived with fresh drinks.  "A Screaming Orgasm 
for each of the ladies and another shot of Tequila for you, Sir," 
she said, doling out the drinks.  Doggett paid for all of them.

Reyes and Scully both looked at Doggett and said in unison, 
"We didn't order these."

Doggett grinned mischievously and said, "I wanted to be able 
to tell the guys that I gave two women Screaming Orgasms in 
one night."  The women both raised their eyebrows then burst 
out laughing.

Then looking straight at Doggett, Scully said, "And I was 
hoping for the real thing!"  

The smoldering in his eyes turned into a blazing fire and he 
raised his glass, saying, "To the real thing!"  They all drank to 
that then fell into fits of giggles.

"Monica," Scully said giving her a light kick under the table, 
"Should I?"  She motioned over to the condiment tray on the 
bar.

Reyes smiled, knowing exactly what Scully was referring too.  
"Oh, yes!  Please!  I've just got to know!"

Scully bit her lower lip as she grinned and somehow managed 
to make it to the bar and back without falling.  Her head was 
spinning, but she felt so good.  Sitting on her stool again she 
opened her palm to Doggett revealing a single maraschino 
cherry. 

"Monica and I were wondering if you can tie the stem of this 
cherry in a knot just using your tongue," she said smiling 
broadly.

Doggett matched her smile, knowing exactly what she meant.  
He looked from woman to woman and said, "Well, I may 
surprise you ladies," and popped the cherry in his mouth.

Scully and Reyes watched, highly interested, as he ate the 
cherry and moved his lips and tongue over the stem.  About a 
minute later he stuck out his tongue with the stem neatly tied 
resting at the tip.  Scully picked it off and examined it between 
her fingers.  "Damn!  He did it!"  She exclaimed in delight.  
Her body flushed with heat again, imagining what pleasures 
that tongue could bring her given the opportunity.  She 
shuddered.  Scully took Doggett's arm, stood up next to him, 
and said to Reyes, "Excuse us, Monica, we have an 
appointment in the ladies' restroom, corner stall."  They all 
burst out laughing.  In a bold move, as Scully sat back down, 
she gave Doggett a sexy look and let her hand brush across his 
tight thighs and jeans-covered cock. 

Her touch caused Doggett almost to explode, but he regained 
his composure and patted Scully on the top of her thigh and 
said, "And that's just my tongue ladies!"  The eyes of both 
women shot wide open as they as they looked at Doggett, then 
back at each other, smiling and giggling wickedly.

"I had no doubt he'd be able to do it," Monica said smiling.  
Doggett looked at her.  "Afterall, I have had the pleasure of 
your kiss once and I distinctly remember what your tongue 
can do," she said brazenly.  Doggett smiled remembering the 
kiss well himself.  It was a tiny piece of the past that he 
cherished, and at that point there had been potential for 
romance between them.  But the timing had been all wrong 
and by the time he got his life back into some semblance of an 
order he was working the X-Files and had met Scully.   Had 
he not already lost his heart to Scully, he would have repeated 
that kiss tonight.  Instead he lifted her hand to his lips and 
kissed it.  He valued his friendship with Reyes.  She had 
always been there for him ever since that black time in his life.

Scully was surprised to find herself slightly jealous over his 
gesture, for she herself yearned to feel his lips upon her.  She 
finished her drink.

"Well, it's getting late, guys, and I'm way over my martini 
limit already, so I think I'm gonna take off," Reyes said, 
fatigue encompassing her.  She slid off her chair, steadying 
herself for a moment before grabbing her jacket and putting it 
on.

Ever the gentleman, Doggett quickly offered, "We'll walk ya 
home.  I'll call us a cab from your place.  I don't think any of 
us are gonna be able to drive tonight."

"That'd be great," Reyes said and they all gathered their things 
and left the bar.  

Walking into the cool night air was a refreshing change from 
the warm, stuffy, and smoky atmosphere in the bar.  Doggett 
inhaled deeply, letting the crisp air fill his lungs and clear his 
head.  He was having a great time with Scully and Reyes.  So 
free, open, and silly.  It felt good to let go of the serious side 
of himself for a while.  Who would have thought that he 
would be spending the evening with them?  That Scully had 
called him out of the blue was like a fantasy come true.  Since 
the first moment he had met her, he was smitten.  Her beauty, 
her strength, her determination, all made her irresistible to 
him.  But he never acted on his attraction to her, for he always 
thought that she and Mulder were in love.  But now, having 
heard it from Scully's lips herself, he knew that they were not 
a couple and he was damn sure that he was not going to hide 
his feelings anymore.  And unless it was the Tequila playing 
tricks on him, he was sure he saw interest in her eyes and in 
her actions tonight.

They were nearing Reyes' apartment when Scully suddenly 
took a tumble.  Her foot did not clear a raised piece of 
sidewalk and in her drunken state it completely threw her off 
balance.  But to her surprise instead of hitting the cold, hard 
cement, she once again found herself in Doggett's protective 
arms.

She let out a little laugh and focused her eyes on Doggett who 
was already looking into hers with concern.  "That's the 
second time you've caught me tonight, John," she said slightly 
shaken.

"And hopefully not the last," he said in a low, sultry voice so 
only she could hear.  His comment sent arousing shivers 
through her body as erotic images of herself with Doggett 
passed through her mind.  She smiled broadly and Doggett 
thought she looked incredibly seductive.  On a whim he said, 
"Maybe I should carry you the rest of the way," and he 
scooped her into his arms despite her feeble protests and 
resumed walking.  He staggered slightly from the dizziness in 
his head, but was able to carry her securely nonetheless.  
Feeling the entirety of her small body in his arms was 
somehow highly stimulating.

"Put me down, John," Scully said laughing and kicking.  But 
in reality that was the last thing she wanted.  Being held by 
him was extraordinarily delicious.

Reyes observed the whole scene in contented silence.  She 
knew these two were meant for each other. 

They finally reached her apartment and the three of them 
stumbled in the door, giggling.  "I'll call you guys a cab," 
Reyes said heading for the phone in the kitchen.

Doggett, still carrying Scully, set her down on the sofa.  
"Finally!"  Scully said in mock exasperation and threw a small 
pillow at him.  

It struck him in the chest and he let out an amused laugh.  
"That's all ya can do?"  He challenged just as another pillow 
hit him square in the face.

Scully squealed in delight.  "Hey!"  Doggett said.  "Now this 
is war!"  He grabbed the two pillows from the floor and threw 
them back at Scully, easily hitting their target.  Suddenly 
pillows were flying everywhere as hysterical laughter filled 
the room.  Then in one quick move Doggett pinned Scully to 
the couch and declared, "I won!"  He flashed her a wide 
victorious grin.

"Oh, yeah," Scully said as she turned the tables on him.  He 
fell on his back to the carpeted floor, and with the momentum 
Scully found herself falling directly on top of him. Both of 
them giggled.  "I got you," she said triumphantly.

All of a sudden Doggett's face turned serious and he stared 
directly into her eyes with a profound gaze. "You sure did," he 
said in a deep, raspy voice.

The double meaning did not go lost on Scully and 
immediately her body flushed.  As if in response she felt 
Doggett harden beneath her.  She trembled at the feeling and 
all she could think of was how much she wanted to feel his 
lips on hers.  Slowly she leaned in as Doggett's hand came up 
behind her neck and pulled her closer.  Their lips were just 
millimeters apart when Reyes walked in.

"What's all the commotion out here?"  She asked cheerily.  
When she spotted Scully lying on top of Doggett on the floor 
and saw the desire in their eyes, she quickly apologized for 
interrupting.  "Oh, I'm sorry, I…" she let her sentence trail off.

Highly embarrassed Scully jumped off Doggett and faced 
Reyes.   Her head spun at the sudden elevation and her hand 
reached out for a nearby chair for support.  "Nothing to be 
sorry about.  We were just having a silly pillow fight and it got 
a bit out of hand."

"Yeah," Doggett said standing up as well, "and I won."

"Like hell you did!"  Scully said in mock anger and gently 
elbowed him in the stomach.

"Ow!"  Doggett exclaimed doubling over in feigned pain.  
"You're a lot stronger than you look."

"You got that right!"  Scully said grinning.

A horn tooted outside.  "I think your cab's here," Reyes said.

Scully walked over to her friend and gave her a big hug.  
"Thank you for taking me out tonight.  I really needed it and 
had a most wonderful time.  You're the best, you know that?"

"Aw, shucks.  Glad I could help cheer you up," Reyes said, 
then added in a whisper, "But it looks like John is doing an 
even better job than I did!  I'm jealous: you get John, and I get 
something battery-powered."

"Monica!"  Scully exclaimed turning crimson.

"You have fun tonight.  I'll talk to you in the morning, and I 
want details!"  Reyes whispered and gave her one last hug.  

"Hey, don't I get one?" Doggett asked with a theatrical pout.

"Of course.  Come here," Reyes said, and they fell into a warm 
embrace.  "You take good care of Dana," she said into his ear.

Doggett smiled.  "Always."

They staggered out of the building supporting each other and 
giggling for no apparent reason.  The alcohol was still running 
strongly in their veins and everything seemed funny and ever 
so good.  Their heads spun and their hearts raced.  Falling into 
the cab, Doggett mumbled, "Georgetown" to the driver.

"I don't wanna go home yet," Scully said in a sultry voice.  
She did not want this night to end; it was just so good, so 
powerful, so heated.  Being with him like this, uncensored and 
easy, made her feel more alive than she had in a long, long 
time.

"Where do ya wanna go?"  Doggett asked, looking into her 
eyes.  He could see something wild and fiery shinning in them.

"Your place," she said almost in a whisper and laid her hand 
on this thigh.

Doggett smiled and gave the driver the new destination, then 
surrendering to a most powerful urge and not caring that they 
had an audience, he pulled Scully to him and claimed her 
mouth with his.  She responded immediately with equal 
hunger and hastily placed herself in Doggett' s lap, straddling 
his groin.  The contact was explosive and they poured all their 
pent-up need into the kiss, drinking from each other like 
sustaining their lives depended on it.  Wetness pooled between 
Scully's legs as her hands ran feverishly over Doggett's chest 
and arms, taking in every curve, every muscle, every hard 
detail.  Doggett's hands explored Scully in turn, finding their 
way under her top and onto the bare skin of her back.  His 
touch electrified her and she ground her center into his 
straining, jeans-clad manhood.  Doggett moaned into her 
mouth and plunged his tongue deeper inside her, consuming 
her.   Her temperature skyrocketed and all she felt was fire and 
a need that could not be quenched.   She was about to work 
her way down to his crotch when the cab came to a complete 
stop.

The activities in the back seat did not go unnoticed by the 
driver and he could not recall any couple ever displaying that 
much passion and heat for one another before; and he had seen 
plenty of couples at it during his fifteen years as a cab driver!  
When neither of them made a move to exit the vehicle, the 
driver cleared his throat and said, "We're here."

Doggett and Scully were abruptly snapped back to their 
surroundings and with slight embarrassment for the show they 
had given the driver, Doggett handed him some bills and 
mumbled a "Thank you."  Then he hoisted Scully out of the 
car, stepped out himself, and gathered her back into his arms 
in one fluid sequence, which was quite a feat given his state of 
intoxication.  Their brief separation had already been too long 
and their bodies screamed for each other in intense desire.  
They kissed again and somehow managed to maneuver 
themselves to Doggett's front door without breaking that kiss.   
After some fumbling in his now too-tight jeans, he was able to 
retrieve his keys and unlock the door.  They both flew in, 
slamming the door behind them.

Doggett lifted Scully up and carried her to his bedroom.  In a 
frenzy they each worked on ridding the other of his or her 
clothes.  Scully tore off his shirt then unzipped and pulled 
down his jeans revealing white boxer briefs clinging to 
powerful thighs and a bulging cock.  Her heart skipped a beat 
at the sight and an overwhelming hunger seized her as she 
stripped him of his undergarment and took his hot, throbbing 
member deep into her salivating mouth.  The pleasure her 
touch produced was exquisite and Doggett moaned loudly.  
Scully was fueled by his primal sounds and she sucked him 
hard, devouring him, working her tongue and lips over each 
red-hot inch.  She cupped his firm ass with both hands and 
began directing the action of his hips, pumping him into her 
greedy mouth.

The extreme gratification was too much, and Doggett was 
forced to pull her up to him, lest he come right then and there.  
He stripped her of her top and bra and pulled her skirt and 
panties down together in one quick movement.  She fell to the 
bed, taking him with her, and he pushed off the clothes that 
still encircled his ankles.  His eyes darted over her body, 
taking in every curvaceous detail. 

"God, you are beautiful," he croaked out in a voice so raw 
with need she barely recognized it.

With a powerful craving his mouth descended on her sensitive 
nipple.  His tongue swirled around the pink, silky flesh, 
eliciting a string of low moans from Scully.  He gave equal 
time to each breast, sucking, lapping, and nipping until she 
shook with pleasure.  Then his tongue traced a path down her 
rib cage, over her stomach, hesitating at her navel for a few 
circling licks, then descended to its final goal at the juncture 
between her thighs.  He licked her swollen lips dry of the 
juices that already covered them and inhaled her sweet scent.  
Her fragrance heightened his already greatly aroused state and 
he plunged his tongue into her hot center, bringing more 
moans from deep within her.  She writhed in exquisite 
pleasure as his tongue dove in and out, licking and lapping, 
and driving her crazy.  Her fingers entwined in his hair as he 
found her clit and worked it, causing her to tighten her thighs 
around his head and buck wildly.   The pleasure was so intense 
she came hard, convulsing around him in pure ecstasy.  
Doggett drank from her trying to satiate his escalating and 
unquenchable hunger.

"John, now, please," she whimpered.

He covered her quivering body with his and looked deeply 
into her dark, dilated eyes as he entered her dripping core.  All 
emotions were on clear display in each other's vulnerable 
gazes.  They moaned in harmony as overwhelming pleasure 
washed over them like a tidal wave.  She gasped at the sheer 
size of him and took a moment to accustom her body to his 
largeness.  He moved inside her, gently at first, then built up to 
an urgent and feral rhythm.  She wrapped her legs around his 
back, driving him deeper inside.  He kissed her like a man 
whose hunger could never be satiated, as scorching passion 
and lust gushed out of him, searing her very soul.  They 
writhed in unison and came as one in an explosion of fiery 
rapture.  He filled her with his seed and their rhythm slowed 
until he laid himself on her, careful not to crush her petite 
body.  She wrapped her arms around him and stroked his 
sweat-dampened back as their racing heartbeats and rapid 
breathing slowed gradually down to normal.  He slipped out of 
her and rolled to her side, gathering her into his arms and 
kissing her tenderly.  They parted and she snuggled against 
him, resting her head in the crook of his arm.  Completely 
sated they both fell into a deep and serene sleep.

Scully woke with at start, not recognizing her surroundings.  
Then the memories of last night came flooding back in a 
torrent.  She turned her head and gazed at the handsome man 
sleeping peacefully next to her.  She smiled as she 
remembered his touch and the night of passion they shared.  
Overwhelming feelings of love encompassed her heart as she 
studied every detail of his gorgeous face. 

Suddenly another thought entered her mind.  William!  She 
had totally forgotten about him last night and now it was 
already morning!  She glanced at the clock next to the bed.  It 
read 7:13.  "Oh my God, Will!  And Mulder; what is he going 
to think?"  She thought to herself in a panic.  Gingerly she got 
out of bed, careful not to wake Doggett.  Her head ached in 
punishment for last night's indulgence, but she ignored it and 
gathered her clothes that lay strewn around the room, and 
walked into the living room.  There she quickly got dressed, 
found her purse, and let herself out the front door.  Realizing 
her car was not there she called a cab.

She noticed her cell phone was turned off.  Mulder had 
probably been trying to call her.  She listened to her messages 
and sure enough he had left a voice mail.  "Hi, Scully, it's me.  
Just wondering when you're thinking of coming home.  It's 
getting pretty late, but don't hurry on my account.  Will's in 
bed and I'm just channel surfing.  Hope you and Reyes are 
having a great time!"

Just then the cab arrived and she quickly got in.

During the cab ride to her own car parked at the bar, she had 
some time to think.  Having forgotten about Will and not 
coming home last night was bad enough.  But now she would 
also have to face Mulder, most likely an angry Mulder, and 
she did not know what she should tell him.  It is not like she 
and Mulder had anything other than an intimate friendship, 
that fact had been well established two nights ago.  And 
Doggett, she just left him there, having sneaked out like a 
guilty woman.  But that was just it: she felt guilty.  What was 
Doggett going to think of her?  That she was just some easy 
fuck, a woman who spreads her legs for anyone?  God, she 
hoped not, because that was the furthest thing from the truth.  
Had she not been drunk, she most likely would not have let 
this happen, at least not on their first outing.  She had strong 
feelings for Doggett, correction: she was falling in love with 
him, and she did not want him to see her as just some sex-
starved floozy.  She realized that she didn't even know how he 
felt about her.  She knew he desired her, that was obvious, but 
did he love her?  She thought maybe he did, but maybe that 
was just her drunken, fuzzy memories, seeing things that were 
not there.  How could she face him again if he all he wanted 
was just a roll in the hay?  How could she face Mulder?  What 
a mess she had gotten herself into!

They arrived at her parked car; she paid the driver, and hastily 
got into her own car.  Within minutes she was back at her 
place.  Time to face the music.

Doggett woke up and felt the other side of the bed, wanting to 
draw Scully into his arms.  The memory of last night was so 
delicious.  But his hand fell onto empty sheets and he opened 
his eyes to find himself alone in bed.  Thinking she must be in 
another part of the house, he got up.  His head throbbed from 
last night's abuse of alcohol, but the thought of seeing Scully 
eased the pain.

"Dana," he said.  No answer. "Dana."  He checked the 
bathroom and still came up empty.  Then he noticed that her 
clothes were gone and he got a sinking feeling in the pit of his 
stomach. 

"She regrets it," was the first thought that crossed Doggett's 
mind.  "She regrets our lovemaking."  

Doggett ran his fingers though his hair and sat back down on 
the bed.  He sighed deeply, sadness creeping into his heart and 
strangling all the bliss out of it.  "Why did I have to go and get 
drunk?  I was supposed to be protecting her, making sure she 
got home alright, instead I just screwed everything up!"  He 
was mad at himself for losing his judgment and taking things 
so quickly with her.  She deserved so much more!  Maybe she 
was still in love with Mulder afterall.  Or maybe she just 
thought he had used her and was done with her.  But didn't she 
know how much she meant to him, how much he loved her?  
Actually she didn't; he had never told her.  Doggett jumped up 
from bed, a jolt of pain searing through his head at the abrupt 
movement, and threw on some clothes.  Walking to the 
bathroom, he opened the medicine cabinet, and swallowed a 
couple of aspirin, then headed for the phone.  He didn't even 
take time out for a shower; he didn't want her to go another 
minute thinking that he had just used her when nothing was 
further from the truth.  Besides, having Scully's scent all over 
him was like walking around in a cloud from heaven.  Quickly 
he called a cab; he had to talk to her face to face.

Scully opened the door to her apartment and found Mulder 
sitting on the couch with William in his lap.  The two were 
reading a book together.

"Scully," Mulder said relieved.  He got up from the couch with 
William in his arms and walked toward her.  "Are you alright?  
I've been worried about you."

"I'm sorry, Mulder.  I'm fine.  I didn't plan on being out 'till 
morning," she said feeling deep pangs of guilt.

William said, "Ma-ma," and reached his tiny arms out to 
Scully.

"Oh, Sweetie, I missed you!"  She said, taking her baby out of 
Mulder's arms and kissing him all over his cubby little cheeks.  
William giggled in delight.

"What happened?"  Mulder asked.  Scully seemed off, 
different somehow.  She also looked like she had a wild night.  
Her hair was mussed, her clothes disheveled, and she smelled 
of smoke and something else that was familiar, but that he 
could not place.

Scully sighed.  She wasn't sure just how much she should tell 
him.  "Monica and I had a bit too much to drink and we called 
John and he joined us at the bar."

"John?  As in Doggett?"  Mulder asked.

"Yeah.  He joined us and then we all walked over to Monica's.  
Before I knew it, it was morning.  I'm so sorry I worried you, 
Mulder," she said, deciding not to tell him exactly where she 
spent the night.  Scully walked over to the playpen and put 
William in it amongst his toys then walked back to Mulder.

But Mulder already had his suspicions, and when he hugged 
her goodbye they were confirmed.  She smelled of sex.  Pain 
shot through Mulder's heart at the realization that she truly 
was lost to him forever; that the agreement the two of them 
had come to just a couple nights ago was one that was going to 
stand.  "I'm just glad you are okay," he said quietly.  Then he 
loosened his embrace and looked her in the eyes, "I want you 
to know, I'll always love you, Scully, no matter what."

Scully was deeply touched by his declaration of love.  She 
knew he loved her, she just had never heard it in so many 
words.  "I love you too, Mulder.  I always will," she said and 
hugged him tightly.  A single tear spilled from her eye as she 
closed them.

They parted and when she looked into his eyes again, she 
knew that he knew she had slept with Doggett.  It was as clear 
as the pain she saw in his eyes.  Her heart ached for him.  
"Mulder—" she said, but he interrupted her.

"I better be going," he said, giving her a little smile.

"Yeah," she said.  "Thanks for taking such good care of Will."

He smiled.  "We had a great time."  He headed out the door.  
"I'll give you a call later."

"Okay," she said giving him a smile and closed the door 
behind him.

Mulder's heart ached as he thought about all that had 
transpired between them in the last few days.  He couldn't 
blame Scully for turning elsewhere for love and romance.  He 
had only himself to blame for not making his love known to 
her years ago.  But it was still devastating for him to know that 
he was not the one to bring her the happiness she desired and 
even more humbling that she had found it, or at least the 
potential for it, in the arms of the man that had replaced him as 
her partner.  Jealousy gripped his heart as he thought about 
John Doggett.  He had seen it in Doggett's eyes almost right 
away that he felt something more than just a partnership for 
Scully.  Every time he looked at her, it was as clear as the blue 
sky on a windy day.  And the protectiveness he felt for her 
was blatantly obvious.  Doggett was just as protective of her 
and as concerned for her safety and well being as he was.  He 
hated to admit it, but Doggett was a good man and a good 
agent.  She would be in good hands with him and he would 
not get in the way of Scully's happiness.

As soon as Mulder left, Scully's tears flowed, burning hot 
streaks on her pale cheeks.  How could she hurt Mulder like 
this?  She loved him so much!  But she had to be true to her 
feelings.  It wasn't fair to Mulder or herself not to be.  Then 
why did it hurt so much?  And Doggett.  What did he think of 
her, what did he feel?  Even through all the pain she was 
feeling right now, she knew that she was indeed in love with 
Doggett.  

A couple firm knocks sounded on her door.  Thinking it was 
Mulder, she quickly brushed the tears from her face with the 
back of her hand and opened the door.  She was astonished to 
find not Mulder, but Doggett on the other side.

"John," she said in surprise.

He could see the tear stains on her cheeks.  "Dana," he said 
tenderly and gently touched her cheek with his hand.  She 
turned away and a pain jabbed through Doggett's heart.  She 
does regret it!  But he had to know for sure, so he asked, "Why 
did you leave without saying goodbye this morning?"

He stepped into the living room and she closed the door 
behind him.  "I'm ashamed to say it, but I forgot about Will 
until the moment I woke up.  Mulder didn't know I'd be out all 
night – I didn't know I'd be out all night – so I rushed back 
here."  She looked down as she talked.

"I'm sorry, Dana.  And I take full responsibility for that and 
everything else that went on last night.  I came to the bar to 
make sure you and Monica got home safely and instead I got 
drunk myself and took advantage of you."

Scully looked him in the eye.  "No, I take full responsibility 
for my actions and the consequences.  And you didn't take 
advantage of me; I wanted you last night and I don't regret it, 
but there is something I want to make perfectly clear right up 
front.  I am not interested in someone who just provides me 
with sex.  I am interested in someone who is devoted, mature, 
loving, supportive, and responsible.  Someone who would put 
William and me first.  Someone I can count on to be here.  I 
am not interested in anything else."

Doggett's heart floated in hope and joy.  She did not regret it!  
She was looking for someone to love her, to put her first, to be 
there!  "I am not interested in anything else either, Dana," he 
said taking her hand in his.  He looked deeply into her eyes 
and continued, "I wasn't having sex with you last night; I was 
making love with you.  Even though my mental facilities were 
a bit impaired, my emotional ones ran free and I poured my 
heart into our lovemaking."

Scully felt an explosion of happiness fill her heart and she 
searched his crystal blue eyes for confirmation of his words.  
It was there.

"I guess what I am trying to tell you is that I'm in love with 
you."  He spoke his heart, praying it wasn't too soon.  But after 
what they had shared last night, he didn't want her to think 
anything less.  He did love her, with all his soul.

He searched her eyes for a response and saw them fill with 
unmasked love.  She leaned in and he captured her mouth with 
his in a vulnerable, tell-all kiss.  They kissed for a long time, 
exploring each other for the first time completely sober and 
with all five senses clear and alert.  

She wrapped her arms around him and pressed him closer to 
her, needing to feel the reality of his profound declaration.  He 
loved her!  Her entire being was flooded with joy.  She pushed 
him gently back, breaking the kiss, needing to say what her 
heart was yearning to say.  

"I love you too," she whispered with deep emotion.  He smiled 
brightly and swept her into another kiss, this one filled with 
even more passion and fire than the last.

Just then, William let out a cry, interrupting the lovers.  Scully 
reluctantly released herself from Doggett's embrace and 
rushed over to William in the playpen.

"What is it, Sweetie?"  She said, picking him up and kissing 
his cheek.  Immediately, he stopped his crying and smiled at 
his mommy.  "You just wanted some TLC too, didn't you, 
Will?"

Doggett walked over to the two of them smiling.  "See what 
effect you have on us men?  Just one hug and kiss from you 
and we're in heaven."

Scully smiled.  "Can I hold him?"  Doggett asked.

"Of course," she said handing the baby over to him.

William threw Doggett a big smile.  "You sure have gotten to 
be a big boy!  And what a handsome one with your mommy's 
beautiful blue eyes."  William kept smiling at him then 
giggled in delight as Doggett tickled him.

Scully watched the two of them, feeling happier than she had 
in a very long time.

"So, what are you doing today?"  He asked.

"Not much, just hanging out with Will," Scully said.

"Can I join you?"

Scully's face lit up in another big smile.  "We would love 
that."  Doggett smiled in return.

Scully wrapped her hand around the back of Doggett's neck 
and pulled him to her.  They kissed again with William 
between them.  Something she had done once before with 
another man in what seemed like another lifetime, but this kiss 
was different.  This kiss was filled with intense passion, 
desire, love, and the promise of a future together.


THE END