Part One of Three: -

Bindi Lawson looked incredibly peeved. She picked up her briefcase from beside her desk, and slammed it down hard on the desktop. She gave a small growl of disgust as she did so, causing her partner, Jeffrey Spender, to look up from his own desk to her. "What's wrong with you?" he then asked, as the black haired young woman literally threw her cellphone into the now open briefcase. Spender winced as Lawson then stared across at him, her usually soft brown eyes dark and full of annoyance. She threw a few random files from her desk into the briefcase, then slammed the lid close.

"What's wrong with me?" Lawson then snapped, making a grab for her jacket, "I'm just a little, no, better make that very, very, pissed off like you wouldn't believe!"

"That time of the month, huh?" Spender grinned, hoping to make a joke of the situation. Lawson stared at him even harder. "Oh ha ha!" she replied dryly, "You'll have to excuse me if I don't laugh!" She mumbled something to herself, then flung open the briefcase again and threw in a few more files.

Spender stood up from his desk, and slowly made his way over to Lawson. "Come on" he began softly, "What's wrong? You know you can tell me." He then reached out and gently squeezed her hand. Lawson's expression softened a little, and she gave a deep sigh. She slammed closed the briefcase yet again, then began to speak -

"I was hoping you and I could spend a nice evening together tomorrow night" she sighed again, "but there's no chance of that happening now ... thanks to old Baldy!" 'Baldy' was the secret nickname that Spender and Lawson had christened Assistant Director Walter Skinner, short for 'The Bald Headed Eagle.' Spender couldn't help but snigger, and Lawson, in spite of herself and the way she was feeling, found herself sniggering too. Unexpectantly, Lawson then reached across and slapped Spender firmly on his behind, causing the startled young man to jump slightly on the spot.

"How can we spend a nice little evening together, if I'm stuck in a room with Dana Scully, and you're stuck in another with Fox Mulder?" Lawson said with a sigh. Spender rolled his eyes skywards, "God!" he gave a little groan, "Don't remind me of that! It's bad enough having to work in the same place as him, but sharing a room? I'd rather go to hell!" Spender gave Lawson a mock look of horror, and she dared to slap him once again.

"You and me both!" Lawson told Spender. "If only there was a way to get out of this trip!"

"Yeah" Spender sighed, "I guess we'll just have to try and make the most of a bad situation"

"Oh?" Lawson wanted to know, "and how do you propose we go about that?"

"I've got some ideas!" Spender grinned at his partner rather cheekily, "Now, what do you want for your birthday?"

Lawson grabbed her chest, and feigned shock. "Be still my beating heart!" she then began a little dramatically, "Ye Gods! He ... he remembered!" She began to laugh, and Spender feeling a little bold, slapped her soundly on the behind. "Come on" he then said, "What do you want for your birthday?"

Lawson patted Spender's cheek, and gave him a warm smile, "Surprise me" she said in a tone that was soft and seductive, "Think you can handle that?" She winked and smiled again.

Spender gulped, and nodded his head, "Sure!" he began a little too quickly, so that his response ended up sounding a little ducklike, "Not a problem! I can do that!"

Lawson smiled once more, grabbed her briefcase from the desktop and slowly made her way to the exit of the office. "Well, that's settled ... sort of. Now let's get out of here, and get ready for this stupid trip!"

The next day found Spender and Lawson reluctantly agreeing to share a car with Mulder and Scully during their road trip to the hotel where they would be attending a conference about firearm handling and general rules of safety for all FBI Agents.

As Spender helped load the Agents overnight bags into the boot of the rented Taurus, he couldn't help but voice his disgust at sharing a car with Spooky Fox Mulder of all people.

"I think this whole arrangement stinks!" Spender declared slamming close the boot of the car. Then as held open a passenger door for his partner he added: "I can't believe I have to share a car, not to mention a room with him!"

Spender hopped into the car himself, and cast a dark stare at Mulder. Lawson reached across and gave his hand a gentle squeeze. She gave a wink and a smile and said casually, "Well, it can't be that bad! At least your sitting in the back here with me, and not up front with him!" Lawson squeezed Spender's hand again, and he smiled back at her. Then as he finished doing up his seatbelt, Spender commented, "I've got something for you!" The slightly cheeky tone in his voice caused Mulder and Scully to turn in their seats and stare at him suspiciously. Spender glared at them, and the two Agents quickly turned away. Mulder then started the Taurus, and with another quick glance at Spender he carefully guided the car into the traffic, and then they were on their way.

Spender reached into a trouser pocket, and pulled out a small package. He held it out to Lawson, and said with a smile, "Your father sent me this to give to you."

Lawson stared at Spender and the package a little incredulously, "Really? Oh wow!" She took the small package from Spender, and stared at it for a few moments. "Wow!" she commented again.

"He also said he was sorry he'd be out of town for you birthday, but he hopes that'll kind of make up for his absence." Spender indicated the package, and with a nudge to Lawson he added, "Well, aren't you going to open it?"

Lawson nudged Spender back, and insisted, "In a minute!" Then slowly she unwrapped the package and opened the small box that had been contained within.

Lawson gazed at the contents of the box, and gave a small gasp. "Oh my God!" she said in a near whisper. "I can't believe it!" She then held the package out to Spender so he too could see the box's precious contents.

"That's beautiful!" Spender commented, "Put it on."

Lawson extracted the ring from the box, admired it's beauty once more before sliding it onto the middle finger of her right hand. The ring was of an intricate filigree design of yellow and rose gold graced by three sparkling diamonds. Lawson held out her hand, and stared at the ring again. "My God!" she began, her voice still a near whisper, "I really can't believe it. This belonged to my mother. I thought it was lost forever. Oh my God." A tear began to glisten in Lawson's eye, and she scrubbed at it frantically. "Would you look at me!" she then joked, "It's my birthday, and I'm getting all weepy!"

Without a second thought to Mulder and Scully, Spender leant across to kiss Lawson. Just as their lips touched, the car screeched to a sudden halt, and Mulder's voice yelled out, "Okay, okay!" he turned and glared at the younger Agents, "Cut the crap you two! I'll have none of that, not in this car of all places!"

Spender and Lawson quickly sat up, and stared at Mulder. Dana Scully gave her partner an odd look and commented dryly, "You cut the crap, Mulder. It's her birthday for God's sake!"

Mulder turned to fix his partner with a dark stare. "Yeah, maybe, but it doesn't give them the right to start messing about in the back there!" He gave Spender and Lawson another dirty look.

"Your just jealous!" Spender then dared to comment. "You can't handle the fact that Bindi likes me, and not you!"

"Oh, dream on, Spender!" Mulder threw back, "Me? Jealous? As if! Why would I be jealous of you?"

Lawson winked at Spender and began to giggle, "Because Jeffrey's got me, and you don't!" She then grinned at Scully, and the two women began to laugh. Mulder gave a snort of disgust, and restarted the car.

"You two!" Mulder then fairly growled, "Keep your hands to yourselves!"

Lawson began to giggle again, and started rubbing her hand up and down Spender's leg. The poor guy blushed, and whispered frantically, "Geez, Bindi, quit it!"

Spender quickly cast a glance at Mulder, hoping not to attract the wrath of the older man again.

"Why?" Lawson smirked innocently, "Don't you like that?" She continued to rub her hand up and down Spender's leg, grinning like a Cheshire cat as she did so.

"Oh yeah!" Spender then commented a little too loudly, and the next thing they knew, the car had once again screeched to a bone-jarring halt, and a very pissed Fox Mulder turned to the occupants in the back of the Taurus like a rabid dog.

"For chrissakes!" Mulder started, his eyes blazing angrily, "What the hell do you think you two are playing at, huh?"

Spender and Lawson both avoided Mulder's gaze, and tried to act innocent, but Mulder wasn't buying it.

"Right!" Mulder then snapped, ignoring Scully's pleas for him to remain calm and collected. "Spender, get your sorry ass out of the back, and up here ... NOW!"

Spender rolled his eyes at Lawson, then opened the passenger door. As he then stepped out of the car, Lawson reached across and gave Spender's rear a firm pinch. Startled, Spender tripped in the gutter and almost collided with a woman pushing a pram. As he apologised to the woman, Mulder began to yell at him. Spender said sorry to the woman one more time, then quickly turned and gave Lawson a 'you'll keep' expression. Then before giving Mulder another reason to yell at him, Spender briskly made his way to the front of the car and got in.

Mulder waited until both Spender and Scully had their seatbelts on, then he steered the car back into the traffic.

The rest of the trip was pretty uneventful. The women chatted together, and Spender and Mulder did their best to ignore each other.

It was almost dusk by the time they reached the hotel. As the four Agents entered the reception area to sign in and receive their room keys, Spender crept up behind Lawson, and quickly whispered in her ear, "Your room ... seven o'clock!"

"Ooh!" Lawson whispered back, "I can't wait!" Then as the young woman reached across the reception desk to sign the register, Spender slipped a brightly coloured package into her overnight bag, then he quickly disappeared after Mulder and the young Bell Boy who'd appeared to collect their luggage and show them to their room.

As Dana Scully watched the male Agents enter an elevator, she gave a small snort of disgust. "So much for ladies first!" the red-haired woman mumbled, "Typical males!"

"Don't sweat it" smiled Lawson, "Here comes our knight in shining armour now!"

She nodded in the direction of an even younger looking Bell Boy who suddenly went all shy and nervous around the two women. The poor guy fumbled as he picked up Scully and Lawson's overnight bags, then smiled weakly as they grinned at him as they entered the elevator.

"I'm surprised they'd put us on the same floor" Scully commented as she and Lawson then exited the elevator and followed the Bell Boy to their room.

"Why's that?" Lawson asked, then she looked in the direction Scully was indicating. "Oh! I see!" Lawson smiled brightly, then waved at Spender who'd appeared briefly from a room a small distance down the hallway. Then with a quick flick of her black hair, she entered the room she was assigned to share with Scully.

"Whoo hoo!" Lawson then began, after giving the blushing Bell Boy a substantial tip, and then sitting down on one of the double beds. "Easy access, or what!" She kicked off her shoes and wiggled her toes, giggling at the strange look that Scully was giving her. The red-haired woman crinkled her nose and shook her head, "Geez, Bindi!"

"What?" Lawson gave a slow, infectious smile, "At least I don't have to go far for my birthday present tonight! Thank you, Skinner, for putting him down the hall!"

"Bindi!" Scully then declared, a rare smile on her lips, "I didn't know you had a thing for Mulder!"

Lawson rolled her eyes, lifted a pillow and hurled it at Scully. "Yeah, right, Dana. As if!"

"Just teasing!" said Scully, quickly stepping out of the pillow's line of trajectory.

"Good!" said Lawson, "I should think so!" She gave another smile, then stood up from the bed to retrieve her overnight bag from where the Bell Boy had left it near the door of the room.

Lawson took the bag back to her bed of choice, and eagerly withdrew the brightly coloured package that Spender had put inside. She turned to Scully and grinned, waving the gift at the other woman.

"This looks interesting!" Lawson commented, then she quickly ripped the package open and gasped delightedly at her present. "Whoa, Dana, have a look at these!" Lawson held up a matching lingerie set consisting of panties, bra and a very short, sleeveless summer dressing gown. The garments were made from lace and satin, and the bronze-like colouring highlighted the gold flecks in Lawson's brown eyes.

"Wow! Who gave you those?" Scully asked, gazing in awe at the lingerie, "They look very expensive, and if I'm not mistaken, that's French lace!" Lawson handed Scully the dressing gown, who in turn held the garment up for a closer inspection. "This is French lace!" Scully then declared, still in awe, "You lucky girl!" Lawson began to giggle at Scully's comment, "And I know just who's going to be a lucky boy!" She then took the dressing gown back from Scully, and disappeared into the bathroom.

Lawson returned moments later, but she was wearing one of the hotel's oversized, terry towelling, and very unattractive bathrobes. Scully gave the the younger woman a puzzled look. "What's wrong with the lingerie? What's with that thing?"

Lawson looked down at the bathrobe, "Oh, this?" she then peeled the material back from a shoulder, showing just a little of the bronze bra strap, and grinned, "I'm not revealing these to anyone but the person who gave them to me!" Lawson bounced back to her bed, and sat down, unable to keep the smile off her pretty face.

"Well" Scully then began, "I guess you wont be joining Mulder and I for dinner tonight?"

Lawson continued to smile, "Nope!" she replied brightly, "Got some much more interesting plans!" She winked at Scully and giggled.

Scully smiled back, then collecting her purse and making her way to the door of the room she added, "Don't worry, I wont tell Mulder about you and Spender." Scully opened the door, fumbled in her jacket pocket, and then threw a smallish packet at Lawson, "You kids play safe now, and have a very happy birthday!" She gave a cheeky grin, then quickly closed the door behind her and was gone.

Lawson picked up the small packet from where it had landed near her feet. It was a condom, bright green in colour, and suspiciously resembled the type of condom that John Doggett was rumoured to prefer. Scully and Doggett? Lawson frowned at the thought. She always thought it was Scully and Skinner! Lawson placed the condom packet on one of the small bedside tables, got off the bed and made her way to the mini bar. Inside the small fridge, besides all the small bottles of various types of alcohol, Lawson found two bottles of Champagne. The type of Champagne that wasn't the usual mini bar standard. This was the good stuff, and Lawson wondered if Spender had some how arranged to have the Champagne put there especially for her.

Lawson hunted around the room, and found an ice bucket. She was glad the small fridge was of the type that had an inbuilt ice cube maker. It meant she wouldn't have to get changed and go in search of ice cubes elsewhere. She quickly filled the ice bucket, placed a bottle of Champagne into it, then arranged both it and two champagne flutes on one of the bedside tables. Lawson quickly looked at her wristwatch ... it was a few minutes to seven. She was pleased that Scully had left when she did. Knowing Spender, Lawson knew the poor guy would probably get embarrassed around Scully, especially because Scully had seen the lingerie he'd given Lawson.

Just as Lawson was reaching across to the bottle of Champagne on the bedside table, there came a sharp knock on the door of the hotel room. She quickly glanced at her wristwatch ... it was right on seven o'clock. Lawson smiled to herself, the champagne forgotten for the moment as she got up from the bed. She unceremoniously shed the oversized towelling bathrobe, and practically skipped to the door.

TO BE CONTINUED ...

Part 2