Fletcher - Chapter 8 By Dana Starbuck Feedback to jbowne@top.monad.net Note: I am posting this for a friend who only has access to the internet thru work. I did not write this, but I have agreed to let my friend use my email account. Any comments, please reference 'Fletcher' so I know to print and pass on to her. Distribution: Archive only to ScullySlash Homepage only Crossposting: None please! Keywords: F/F, Scully/Other, Mulder/Other Friendship, SOTL Crossover (sort of) Spoilers: None Rating: NC17 for sex, ScSlash Rating - A & B Summary: Scully becomes involved with a friend of Mulder's from his pre-Xfiles past. DISCLAIMER: The X-Files characters and situations are the creations and property of Chris Carter, 1013 Productions and the Fox Broadcasting and have been used without permission. SOTL characters are the property of Thomas Harris and have been used without permission. No copyright infringement is intended and no money shall be made with this piece of fiction. All the others belong to the author. Sunday, 3:30 PM Scully thought as she drove to her apartment. She smiled to herself. She parked Mulder's car and hurried into the building. The light was blinking on her answering machine. Almost absentmindedly she pressed the play button. "Dana, this is your mom. How is your weekend? I've got some big news about Thanksgiving." Scully laughed to herself. "Call me when you have a chance, honey." "Hey, Red, it's me. Mulder's in the bathroom. Just wanted you to know I miss you already. Oh, yeah, and could you pick up some juice for breakfast tomorrow?" Her voice dropped, the lust apparent. "Can't wait to see you again, especially tonight. Bye." Scully smiled and went into her bedroom to pack. She found a small backpack in her closet. She blushed, remembering what had happened and what she hoped to have happen again. She quickly stuffed her bag with a few clothes. She found her present for Mulder and wrapped it. Back at the Fletcher's, with Scully gone, Mulder and Fletcher reverted to their old juvenile habits and behaviors. They began to bet on everything they could think of - the haircolor of the next cheerleader shown in a closeup, which team would first have a player aired scratching himself, what the next penalty called would be. The list was endless and ridiculous. Fletcher was relieved that Mulder hadn't asked her about Scully. A few times she thought he was going to say something, but he kept his mouth shut. "Y'know, Spooky, this game really stinks." "I don't know if I can root for the 'skins anymore." "Such a fickle fan." "Well, I just can't watch them anymore today," he qualified. "They just keep finding ways to lose." "Well, I have to agree. Feel up to a little 'Mortal Kombat'?" "Sure. You must be in the mood for a little humiliation." "Don't be sure about that, Wonder Boy." "Do I hear a challenge?" "But of course. Want to make a little wager?" "Uh, I'm a little tapped out," he said a bit ruefully. "I'm sure we can come up with something non-monetary to bet on." Sunday, 6:15 PM Scully walked into the house. She put the juice in the refrigerator. The TV was off and the den was empty. She walked from room to room, looking for Mulder and Fletcher. "Fletcher? Mulder?" she called out, trying to keep the tension out of her voice. "We're upstairs, Scully," Fletcher called out. She walked upstairs and dropped off her bag in Fletcher's room before proceeding down the hall to "Mulder's" room. Fletcher and Mulder were sitting on the end of the bed in front of the TV. Fletcher had turned her hat around so that it was backwards. Scully saw that they were playing some Nintendo game. "I brought your bag up, Mulder. You left it in the car." "Thanks," he said, not looking up. "Shit. Damn you, Fletcher." He threw his controls down. "You've been practicing." "When you agreed to come over, well, of course I had to practice. You kicked my butt last time. I had to uphold my honor." "Can I have winners?" Scully asked. "Sure." "Watch out, Scully. She cheats," he said, getting up from the bed. "I do not, Mulder. You're just a sore loser." "What happened to the football game?" she asked, sitting beside Fletcher. "The 'skins suck, that's what happened," Fletcher said, disgusted. "It was so bad that even betting on the game didn't help. We decided to play Mortal Kombat until you came back." He stopped in the doorway. "Anyone need another beer?" "I'll have another, thanks." "Fix me a vodka rocks, Loser Boy," Fletcher laughed. "Do I look like a bartender?" he whined. "To the victor goes the spoils. Three ice cubes, please." Scully waited until Mulder was downstairs before she hit the pause button. "What?" Fletcher asked. "Has Mulder said anything to you about us?" "You mean you and I?" "Yes." "No. I don't think he suspects a thing. Some detective, huh?" she smiled. "We've got to tell him, Fletcher. I don't want him to find out because he stumbles across us together." "He's already done that before with me. It's not a great way to find out; not for anyone involved." "He should be told. It wouldn't be good for him to figure it out when I end up sleeping in your room tonight." Fletcher opened her mouth, but Scully cut her off. "And no, I have no intentions of sleeping in another room just so Mulder can be kept in the dark." "Do you want to tell him or shall I?" "It would probably be better coming from me, I suppose. I know you've known him longer, but I'm with him on an almost daily basis." "And just what will you tell him?" "That - that you and I are more than friends, I guess." "I'm hearing a little uncertainty in your voice, Red." "I guess I'm not really sure what we are, what we're doing. It's only been one night - " "- and I great one a that," Fletcher grinned, her hand on Scully's knee. She saw the look of concern on Scully's face and her grin faded. "Red, I know it's only been one night. Hopefully, it's the first night of many, many more. I don't want to pressure you. If you're really not okay with this, well, I wish I knew what to tell you. I'm not looking for a one-nighter or even a two-nighter. I'd like to keep on seeing you, but I can't promise you anything or guarantee that things won't change," she said truthfully. "I guess you need to know what you want, Red." "I'm new at this, Fletcher. I know I like being with you, more than anyone else I know. I like the way I feel when I'm with you. I'd like to keep seeing you, too." "Good. We'll just let things happen as they happen. Regarding Mulder, whatever you tell him will be fine with me," she said, giving Scully's hand a gentle squeeze. Scully reached up and caressed Fletcher's cheek. Fletcher turned her head and kissed her palm, then moved closer to Scully. Before she had a chance to kiss her, they both heard Mulder coming back up the stairs, and they parted. Fletcher got up from the bed and took her drink from Mulder. He leaned over and handed Scully a bottle of beer. "Mulder, are you ready for dinner?" Fletcher asked. "I thought I'd warm up some leftover lasagna and garlic bread." "You must be kidding," Scully said. "He's always ready for leftovers." "I'll go heat it up. I'll call you when it's ready." Fletcher left the room, carrying her drink. "Challenge you, Mulder," Scully said, holding out one of the controls. "Prepare to lose, Scully," he boasted, sitting back down next to her. "I don't think so, Mulder." "What makes you so confident?" "I have an eight year old nephew, remember? He's taught me all the moves on a few of the games. Sometimes, there are benefits to babysitting." "Something tells me I'm about to be hustled," he groaned. Mulder was astonished at how competitive Scully was. It didn't take her long to beat him handily. "Two out of three?" he asked. "Sure your ego can take it, Mulder?" "You were just lucky that time." Scully set her controls down. "Mulder, there's something I need to tell you." "What?" "It's about Fletcher." "What about her?" He looked at Scully closely. "Oh, man, did she make a pass at you?" he asked, appalled. "No, not quite -" " - 'cause I'll kill her if she did." "Mulder, it was more like the other way around." "Say what?" "Fletcher and I..." "What, Scully?" "We've become involved." "Involved how?" "We're - um - we're more than - um - friends." She was surprised at how hard it was to tell him, to actually say the words. "What do you mean?" he persisted. "I'm sleeping with her, okay?" she said bluntly. "Now do you understand?" "I'll kill her," he repeated. "Mulder, stop saying that. It's not her fault." "Scully, you're making a big mistake." "That's a fine thing to say," she said angry and surprised at his reaction. "You're her friend, and I'm your friend, too. I was hoping you'd be happy for me, for us." "Scully, I know Fletcher a lot better than you..." "Meaning?" "She's got more baggage than Dulles International." "And I don't?" she snapped. "My sister's been killed, I've been abducted, I've got cancer, I had a daughter...the list goes on and on. So what? We all do." "Scully, you're putting me in a very tough spot." "It doesn't have to be." "Where are my loyalties supposed to lie?" "It's not an either-or situation, Mulder." He looked away, unsure what to say. Fletcher was one of his best friends. To tell Scully of her past would be betraying that friendship. On the other hand, to let Scully get hurt because he knew how Fletcher could be wasn't really fair to Scully. She really needed to be warned. "Scully, Fletcher is my friend. Without giving too much away, without betraying a confidence, I just don't think you have any idea what you're getting yourself into." "Well, thanks so much for the vote of confidence, Mulder. I would've thought that by now you'd trust my judgement." "I do. I just don't trust Fletcher's," he blurted. "I know all about her past, Mulder." "Do you really, Scully? I don't think you do. I know Fletcher. I know how she operates. I know all about her and her 'three G's' - Get 'em drunk, Get 'em in bed and Get 'em out the door." "Mulder, I wasn't drunk, I made the first move, and I'm still here," she countered. "She hasn't shown me the door," she said, defending herself and Fletcher. "Yet. Do you know how many bars I've closed with Fletcher when she didn't leave alone?" "And when was the last time?" "A leopard doesn't change its spots, Scully." He put away the game and picked up his beer. "Where are you going?" she asked. "To see Fletcher." "Mulder, don't. This is between you and I." "No, it's not Scully. It's between you and Fletcher." "Fine. Whatever you say, Mulder. It's between Fletcher and me," she said coolly. "And that means you stay out of it." He shook his head slowly. "Mulder, don't be angry with Fletcher," Scully said, her voice a but gentler. "She went to a lot of trouble for you this weekend. Don't spoil it for yourself, or me, or her." "I'm not going to pretend to be happy about this, Scully." "I'm not asking you to. Just give it - give us - some time, please." "I'll think about it." End Chapter 8