Fletcher2: Rollercoaster 
By: Dana Starbuck
Feedback: dks_starbuck@yahoo.com
Disclaimers:  See Chapter 1
WARNING:  The next few chapters contain some violence and "ick".
THANKS:  Once again, big thanks to Athos, Selena & Rad (welcome back, Rad).
 Your help, feedback, patience and friendship is greatly appreciated.  I
can't do it without you.  And a special thanks to my cyberbro deejay. 
Words can't express my thanks and gratitude.

<<Chapter 16>>


Saturday, December 5th, 10:10 AM

"Hi, Mom," she said, forcing a cheerfulness she didn't feel as she opened
the apartment door.

"I was in the neighborhood and thought I'd stop by and see if you wanted to
go Christmas shopping," Maggie Scully explained, stepping in to Scully's
apartment. "Macy's is having a sale that looks even better than the one you
and Jill went to."

"Sounds great," Scully said, casting a quick eye at her bedroom door.  Her
confidence in prayers waning, Scully switched to a fervent desire to
believe in ESP.  <Keep dreaming, Fletcher.  And for God's sake, please
don't snore.>

Maggie Scully was surprised at her daughter's appearance.  Scully was still
sleepy-eyed and her hair was completely disheveled.  <Ten o'clock in the
morning and she's just getting up?>  She also noticed that her daughter's
legs were bare beneath her robe. <She's not dressed,> Maggie thought, a
little shocked.  She pursed her lips and held back her questions.

Maggie's eyes quickly glanced around the apartment.  She'd never seen it
look so cluttered and messy.  There was an open briefcase on the dining
room table with a stack of folders next to it.  Another briefcase sat on
the floor next to the front door, a suitcase beside it.  A well-worn, brown
leather jacket had been thrown on one chair, a holstered gun atop it. 
Clothing was scattered about the room. A pair of jeans was under the coffee
table, a skirt beside it. A blouse was on the sofa with what looked to be
underwear; another shirt was on the coffee table, but it looked in danger
of slipping to the floor at any moment.

Scully quickly picked up the clothes that were on the floor and couch,
hoping her mother didn't see that there were two bras in her hand. "Can I
make you a cup of coffee?" Scully asked, hoping - praying - her mother
would decline. 

It was then that Maggie spotted the black military-style boots on the floor
by the couch.  They were obviously too big to be Dana's.  Seeing that the
bedroom door was closed, she put two and two together and realized that
Dana was not alone.

"This is a bad time for you, isn't it?" she asked.  <_Fox_ is here.  That's
why the bedroom door is closed!  Dana, why haven't you told me?>

"Sort of," Scully replied, her cheeks reddening.

Maggie's face turned a fine shade of red. "I'm sorry.  I should have called
first.  I'll do my shopping alone today.  Call me."  Scully nodded.  "This
afternoon."  Scully knew that if she didn't, her mother would call again
and again until she did.  "We'll go shopping together tomorrow."

Again, Scully knew she couldn't say no.  <At least she's not pursuing it
now.  Thank goodness.  But I _will_ have to explain.  She won't let it go
without an explanation.>

"Okay.  I'll call you around dinner time," Scully said, walking her mother
to the door, the small pile of clothing still clutched in her arms.  Maggie
started to give her daughter a hug, then saw her arms were full and simply
kissed her cheek.

Scully's mother had to collect herself for a few moments after the door
closed behind her.  She took a deep breath and started down the hallway,
balancing the two emotions that were working on her consciousness.  She was
truly mortified at the scene she'd just seen.  Mortified, and pleased as
punch.

- - - - -

<Oh, God, that was too close for comfort,> Scully sighed, setting the
clothes on the chair.  <She knows I'm not alone, and she knows I
was...having sex.>  A small smile flickered across her face.  <That must've
shocked her.  Surely she knows I'm no virgin.  But to be confronted with
it, to have it so obvious...>  Scully looked around the room, then caught a
glimpse of herself in the mirror.  <Could she tell that it was only hours
ago I was gasping my lover's name?>  She brought her hands to her face and
rubbed her cheeks, then her eyes.  <Oh, Mom, if you only knew...>

Scully returned to the bedroom.  Fletcher was on her back and she was still
asleep, or at least appeared to be.  Scully dropped her robe on the bed and
climbed back under the covers.

"Who was that?" Fletcher asked, her eyes still shut.

"My mother."

<Oh, shit.>  "Good thing I stayed in bed."

"Definitely."

Fletcher moved over to Scully and put her arms around her, her chest
pressed up against Scully's back.  "Everything okay, Red?" 

Scully didn't answer. Fletcher held her and waited, knowing not to press.
"You should've seen the look on my mother's face," Scully finally said, her
voice oddly quiet.  "It was such a strange combination of looks.  At first,
shock because it was obvious that I - her darling daughter - had been
having sex - and in the living room, no less.  I'm sure it never crossed
her mind that I was capable of _that_."  Scully smiled briefly, then her
smile turned into a small frown.  "She looked disappointed, too."

"Disappointed?"

"Disappointed that I hadn't told her I was seeing anyone, hadn't told her
_who_ I'm seeing."  Scully paused, and then said, "And she looked happy for
me.  Is it possible to see all of that in a mother's face in only a few
minutes?"

Fletcher hugged Scully, kissing the top of her head.  <She's worried,> she
thought.  <She's not comfortable with her mother knowing about us.  Damn, I
knew this was going to happen.  I just thought we'd have more time.  First
time I've ever had to deal with a family situation before.  I never dated
anyone long enough to meet the family.  Except Clarice.  And she had no
family for us to worry about.>  Fletcher knew that what she said next, or
how she acted, could effect her relationship with Scully profoundly.  <I've
got to tread lightly here.  I don't want to discourage her, think I won't
support her, but I don't want her to feel pressured to tell her family
about me.>

"I'm going to have to tell her," Scully said, thinking aloud.  "I can't
hide us; I don't want to."

"Red, I don't have a whole lot experience with this," Fletcher said
carefully.

"Did your father know?" Scully asked.

"Yes."

"Did you tell him?"  Scully threaded her fingers through Fletcher's.

"Sort of.  It wasn't long before he died.  I hadn't been with the Bureau
but a year or so and I was in Boston.  My dad came up on family business
and we had a long talk."

"How did it come up?" Scully asked, curious.

"It was kind of off-hand.  He was staying with me.  One night were up late,
having a few drinks and he just said out-of-the-blue, 'I'm not going to
have any grandchildren, am I?'"

"What did you say?"

"Once I choked down my drink, I very gently I told him he wouldn't have a
son-in-law either."  She chuckled softly.  "Then he shocked the shit out of
me by asking if he could at least have a daughter-in-law."  Fletcher's
smile widened at the memory.  "He always knew.  He just didn't know how to
ask me, how to talk about it."

"But at least he had some idea."

"Yes, he did.  I never dated any men and he knew it.  At first he
rationalized it as me working on my education, getting my doctorate.  Then
he thought it was because I was focused on my career."

"Was he okay with it?"

"Yes.  I was lucky.  It wasn't a total surprise to him.  I only confirmed
what he already knew."

Scully fell silent again for a few minutes.  She squeezed Fletcher's hand
and said, "I...I'm not ashamed of loving you, Fletcher."

"I never thought you were," Fletcher said gently, kissing her temple.

"And I don't want anyone to try and _make_ me feel ashamed of loving you."

"Aren't you jumping the gun a little, Red?"

"I'm just...I'm not sure how my mother, or my brothers will take hearing
the news." 

"What's the rush in having them know?"

"I want to spend...No, I'm _going_ to spend Christmas with you.  If I can't
bring you home with me, then I'll stay here with you."

"You don't have to tell them, Scully.  I can be, uh, well-behaved.  No one
need ever know that we're lovers."

Scully shook her head firmly, her hair brushing Fletcher's nose. "I refuse
to be dishonest.  I'm not going to lie to anyone."

"You don't have to throw it in their faces either," Fletcher said quietly. 
When she felt Scully stiffen in her arms, she shifted gears like she was
racing at Le Mans.  "Red, whatever you decide is fine with me.  If you want
to tell them, that's okay with me.  If you don't want to, well, that's okay
with me, too."

She kissed Scully behind her ear.  She could still feel the tension in
Scully's body.  She moved a hand from Scully's waist to her breast.  She
began to lay soft, tiny kisses along Scully's neck and collarbone.

"How do you know?" Scully said with a small sigh.

"Know what?" Fletcher continued with her kisses.

"How do you know where the sensitive spots on my neck are?" she asked. 
"You've seemed to know since the first night we were together."

"They're not your _only_ spots, you know."  Fletcher ran her thumb down the
curve of Scully's breast, then back up the side of it.

"Mmmmm..." Scully sighed.  "Do you think I could convince you to show me
all the other spots?"

"I don't know..."  Fletcher's fingers trailed down Scully's rib, then
across her belly, just above her pubic hair.  "A woman's got to have some
secrets..."

"You're..."  Scully couldn't finish.  <Her hands...her fingers...her
lips...she knows my body so well...>

"I'm what?" Fletcher whispered into Scully's ear, her tongue barely
touching her earlobe, her breath heavy and warm.

"Getting me very, um, very aroused," Scully replied, her body losing one
kind of tension but acquiring a different, _better_ kind of tension.

"I'm thinking that I'd like to stay in bed with you all day," Fletcher
said, her hand sliding down.  She suddenly rolled over onto her back,
taking Scully with her, one arm tight around Scully's waist.  Scully's body
nestled between Fletcher's legs, her back pressing against Fletcher's
front.  Fletcher slid her feet down Scully's legs, then she hooked her feet
over Scully's calves, spreading their legs apart.

"And I'm thinking that sounds like a really good idea," Scully agreed, her
legs opening further to accept the gentle strokes of Fletcher's fingers. 



Saturday, 3:30 PM

"We're really going to have to get out of bed at some point," Scully said,
her body stretched out across Fletcher's.  She pressed her face against
Fletcher's back, between her shoulder blades, and her hand caressed the
firm, small buttocks.

"Why?" 

"Because I'm hungry.  We need to eat something."

"We just did."

Scully playfully slapped Fletcher's ass.  "You're so bad..."

"That's not what you said earlier.  If I'm not mistaken, you said, 'oh,
it's so good, Fletcher...you're so good...'," Fletcher mimicked.

This time Scully pinched Fletcher's ass.  

"Ouch!"

"Behave yourself.  You're embarrassing me."

Fletcher flipped over onto her back, a smug, knowing smile on her face. 
"Let me make it up to you," she said, reaching for Scully.

"Uh uh.  Food first," Scully replied, catching Fletcher's hands.

"Then let's just eat light.  I'd like to take you out to dinner later
tonight."

"Where?"

"Feel up to a little dancing with dinner?"

"The club?"

"Yes."

"Hmmm.  Do I want to go out for dinner and dancing with you or do I want to
order take-out so we can stay in bed?"

"Wait, wait," Fletcher protested.  "I didn't know that was an option."

"What'll it be?  Dinner out or eat-in?"  Scully's smile was wicked as she
leaned over Fletcher.

"Who's being bad now?" Fletcher retorted, her arms pulling Scully down.



Saturday, 6:45  PM

"I've got to call my mother," Scully said, her head on Fletcher's shoulder.
 Her hand stroked Fletcher's chest, her breasts, then her hips.

"Tell you what, Red.  I'll call an order in to Jimmy Chen's.  I'll shower
and go get it.  That'll give you some time to talk to your mother."

"I'm not going to be telling her now.  I'm just going to make plans for
shopping with her tomorrow."

"I know.  I just don't want to distract you.  And if I stick around, well,
I can't guarantee I'll keep my hands off of you."  Fletcher's smile was
warm, loving.

"You're insatiable."

"Uh huh," Fletcher agreed.  "But I don't hear any complaints either."

"And you won't."  Scully smiled and kissed Fletcher lightly on the lips. 
The kiss grew into more than a simple kiss and Scully found herself
becoming aroused once more.  

It was Fletcher who broke the kiss off, albeit reluctantly.  "We're never
going to get any dinner this way," she said, sitting up, letting go of
Scully.

"I suppose you're right," Scully concurred.  <She's right, even though I
want her again.  How can that be?  Haven't we made love enough?  We've been
in bed – and on the couch and on the floor - > Scully smiled, looking at
the clock. <for almost twenty-four hours.>

"What are you doing tomorrow?" Scully asked suddenly, reaching for her
robe.

"Probably Christmas shopping.  I was going to give Mulder a call."

"Why don't you two meet us for lunch?"  She looked at Fletcher.  "It would
be a good way for you to meet my Mom.  We'd have Mulder as a buffer, too."

"I'll call him when I get back.  Hand me the phone, would you please?  I'll
order dinner now."

- - - - -

As soon as Fletcher had left to pick up the food, Scully called her mother.
 She took a deep breath while she listened to the phone ring.  <This is one
of those times I _really_ miss Melissa.  It would've been nice to have told
her first, had some support when it comes time to finally tell Mom.>

"Hello?"

"Hi, Mom."

"Dana."  Maggie glanced at the clock above her stove.  <Forty-nine
minutes.>  In that time, it had taken all her will power not to pick up the
phone, call her daughter, and find some point in the conversation to say,
'Don't you have something you want to tell me?'  <Patience is a virtue,>
she reminded herself.

"I was calling about tomorrow."  <And please don't ask me about last night.
 Please,> Scully silently pleaded.

"Do you want me to pick you up or meet you at the mall?"

"How about we meet at the mall?"

"The usual spot - in front of Macy's?"

"Sure.  What time?"

"Nine-thirty okay?"

"That's fine.  Not a problem."  Scully swallowed hard.  "And Mom, Mulder
and a friend of ours are going to meet us for lunch."

"Oh, good, it'll be nice to see Fox again."  Scully couldn't see the broad
smile that crossed her mother's face.  "What time and where?"

"I'll confirm it tonight."

<I'm sure you will, dear,> Maggie thought.  <Is Fox still there?  I wonder.
 I hope you're going to be telling me soon.>

"When are Charlie and Jill and the kids coming?"

"The Sunday before Christmas.  We're going out for the tree Monday
afternoon and we'll be decorating it that night."

"I'm so glad they'll be home for Christmas this year."

"I'm getting spoiled," Maggie said, a different kind of smile on her face. 
"To have all of you home for Thanksgiving, and then almost a full house on
Christmas, well, it's more than I ever expected."

"I'm happy for you, Mom," Scully said sincerely.

"Nine-thirty tomorrow?" Maggie repeated.

"On the dot."

"I'll see you then."

"'bye, Mom. I love you."

"I love you too, honey."

Scully hung up the phone.  <That wasn't too bad, but she sure acted oddly
when I mentioned Mulder.  I could hear her voice change just a little bit. 
Weird.>  She looked at the clock.  <Plenty of time for me to grab a quick
shower before Fletcher gets back.>

-end-