From: "starbuck22" <jbowne@top.monad.net>

See Chapter 6 for standard disclaimers etc.


<<Chapter 7>>


Friday, November 13th, 5:30 PM

Fletcher's flight back to Washington had been uneventful.  <Only positive
thing that's happened all fucking week,> she thought as she unlocked her
Jeep.  <Good thing, too.  I've had enough stress.>  She pulled out of the
airport and headed for her apartment. She flipped on the radio and
immediately selected the NPR station.  <News.  I can handle news.  I just
can't handle the silence.>  

Despite her best efforts, Fletcher continued to fret over her pending
dinner with Scully.  <Time for the 'Hit the road, Jack'.  Sure is different
this time. I'm usually the one doing the dumping.>  She slammed her fist
down on the seat beside her and swore out loud.  <This isn't fair.  Less
than a week ago I was making love to Scully.  _MAKING LOVE_, damn it, and
it was great.  And I was happy.  What the hell happened?  All this because
I said 'I love you'?  I thought love was supposed to make you happy.>

She took a deep breath and looked at the dashboard clock.  <I wonder if
I've got time for a shower?  Nah, why bother.  I might as well get this
over with.  No sense in delaying the inevitable.>  She sighed heavily. 
<I'll just drop my stuff off and change my clothes.  I don't need to grab a
uniform, either. I doubt I'll be staying over tonight.>



Friday, 6:05 PM

"Hey, 'grumpy', you wanna grab a pizza?" Mulder asked as caught up to
Scully in the parking garage.

Scully kept on walking. "No, thanks."

"How 'bout Chinese?"

<God, doesn't he get enough Chinese take-out when we're working?  No wonder
his kitchen's so clean.  I doubt he's ever cooked anything in it.>  "I'm
meeting Fletcher for dinner," she said quietly.

"Just _dinner_?" he teased.  

Scully turned her head and tried to glare at him, but found she didn't have
the energy for it to be all that effective.

"Oh, right," he continued.  "Dinner and _dessert_," he leered.

<Can't resist, can you, Mulder?  Enjoy it while you can.  I have a feeling
that after tonight you won't have any more opportunities.>  "Y'know,
Mulder," she said, a hint of a smile on her face. "For a trained
psychologist, sometimes you've got all the subtlety of a flying mallet."

"You're such an easy mark, Scully.  I can't help it.  I haven't had
anything _this_ good to tease you about in such a long time."

"See you Monday, Mulder," Scully replied, stopping at her car. <When you
can tell me 'I told you so'.>

"Have a good time, Scully," he laughed, walking off to his own car.



Friday, 7:20 PM

Scully heard the short knock on her door.  She looked through the peephole
to make sure it was Fletcher.  She quickly unlocked the door and opened it.
 Fletcher walked into the room and thrust two bottles of wine into Scully's
hands.

"I didn't know what we were having so I brought a bottle of white and a
bottle of red," she said awkwardly.

"Thanks."

Fletcher closed the door and leaned back against it. <She looks horrible>
Scully thought.  It wasn't just the circles under her eyes or the new lines
in her face.  It was her whole body.  <She doesn't just look exhausted  -
like she hasn't slept in days... she looks ö fearful?  Worried?  I never
thought I'd see her that way.>  She looked away,  certain she'd been
staring.  <And if I wasn't so damn mad at her right now, I'd be worried.>

It was then that Scully noticed Fletcher had been carrying nothing but the
wine.  <Where's her bag and her uniform?  She's got reserves tomorrow.> 
Scully's heart sank.  <She's not staying tonight.  I was right.  She didn't
mean it.  She doesn't really love me.>  She bit her lip, surprised at the
tears that suddenly filled her eyes.  She turned away from Fletcher and
walked into the kitchen, hurriedly wiping her eyes.

Fletcher followed behind, her hands deep in the pockets of her leather
jacket.  <No kiss, no hug> she thought.  <It's worse than I thought.>  She
suppressed the urge to rub her own chest.  <_Fuck_, it hurts> she thought. 
But she was smart enough to recognize that the pain she felt wasn't
physical.  "Hope I didn't spoil dinner.  Traffic was really bad tonight,"
she said blandly.

"No, I got a late start.  It'll be ready in a few minutes.  Another Scully
family favorite," she said.  "Fish on Friday."

A ghost of a smile flickered across Fletcher's face.  She took off her coat
and draped it over a dining room chair. "Do you want a glass of wine?" she
asked Scully.

"Thanks, yes."

Fletcher got two tulip-shaped glasses out of the cupboard and silently
poured them both a glass of wine.  She set Scully's down on the table. "Can
I give you a hand with anything?" she offered.

"No, I'm all set.  Just have a seat."

Fletcher sat down at the table and compulsively toyed with her silverware. 
<We're just going through the motions.  We need to stop this fucking
pretense, stop pretending to be so civilized.>  Fletcher was so lost in her
thoughts, that she didn't even look up when Scully set a plate of food in
front of her.

<What is she thinking?> Scully worried as she sat down.  <She looks
miserable.>

"Fletcher?"

Fletcher suddenly pushed back from the table.  "I'm sorry, Scully.  I guess
I'm not very hungry."

"Fletcher, what is the matter?"

"I can't do this," she choked.

"Do what?"

"I can't sit here and pretend that nothing's wrong.  Let's just get this
over with, okay?"  She jumped up from the table and went into the living
room.

<Here it comes,> Scully thought, following her.  She sat down on the sofa
and waited for Fletcher to stop pacing.  <Wait,> Scully told herself. 
<Wait for her to speak; let _her_ say it first.>

Fletcher stopped, pushing her hair back off her forehead and rubbing her
face.  "Y'know, I never would've said it if I thought it was going to make
you mad or want to stop seeing me," she finally said after a long silence.

Scully was incredulous.  "You think _that's_ why I'm mad?"

"Isn't it?"

"No.  I'm mad at you because you said it and then made your 'great escape'.
 You never gave me a chance to talk to you.  And then you avoided me all
week, wouldn't return my calls."

"You thought I was _avoiding_ you?"

"Weren't you?"

"My schedule made it nearly impossible to call you at a decent hour,"
Fletcher
rationalized.  "Thursday night was the first time I'd checked into my room
before midnight.  I couldn't call you then.  Think of the time
difference..."

"Please, Fletcher. Give me _some_ credit.  It never stopped you from
calling before.  And you could've at least emailed me."

Fletcher looked down, unable to meet Scully eyes. "Yeah.  Okay, yes, I
guess I was avoiding you.  I used my schedule as an excuse."

"Why?"

"I had my reasons, and it looks like I was right."

"Would you mind sharing them with me?" Scully asked sharply.

"Whatever my reasons were, well, what's the point," Fletcher blurted.  She
resumed her pacing, her words picking up speed as she talked. "I took a
chance, said something I probably shouldn't have said, and look where it
got me.  I'm sorry I didn't call sooner, but I just didn't want to hear you
tell me to get lost, that you didn't feel the same way..." 

"Do you really think that?"

"Isn't that why you invited me to dinner, to tell me that it's over?"

<She thinks _I'm_ breaking up with _her_?> Scully didn't know whether to
laugh or cry.  Instead, she got up from the sofa and went to Fletcher.  She
touched her arm gently, then put her hand on Fletcher's cheek. "I only have
one question."

"What?" Fletcher asked, her voice thick.

"Did you mean it?"

"Yes," she admitted.

"Haven't you ever said it before?"

"Yes."

The pause had been momentary, but Scully had caught it. "Did you mean it
then?"

"Of course.  I wouldn't say it if I didn't mean it."  Fletcher looked away,
not wanting Scully to see the vulnerability on her eyes.  Her voice got
very small.  "I just never said it _first_."

"Fletcher, look at me," she softly ordered, her fingers on Fletcher's chin,
steering her face back so that she could look at her.

"Red..."  <Here it comes.>

I love you, too."

Fletcher's jaw dropped like a rock. It flapped for a few moments as she
tried to form words. <Did she say... She's not... Oh Goddess, I'm...>
Finally she just gave up, wrapped her arms around Scully and hugged her
tightly.

Scully felt Fletcher's body shudder once, as if she were trying to stifle a
sob.  She tightened her arms around Fletcher's waist and squeezed.

"You don't know how happy that makes me," Fletcher said, her voice
cracking.  "I didn't think I'd ever hear you say it; didn't dare hope that
you could feel the same way."

"I didn't think I'd ever say it to anyone again, until you."

Fletcher leaned back, but kept her arms around Scully.  She looked at her,
searching Scully's face for any signs of deception. "You do, don't you? 
You love me."  Fletcher's face was filled with wonder.

"Yes," Scully replied, smiling. "Yes, I do."

She tilted her head up to meet Fletcher's. They kissed once, twice, then
hugged one another again.

"I think we should eat that dinner that you so graciously made," Fletcher
said, looking over Scully's shoulder at the food on the table.

"Dinner?  Is that all you can think about?  You're as bad as Mulder."

"Not just dinner."  Fletcher grinned.  "Dessert, too."

"I didn't make any dessert," Scully replied with a smile of her own.

"I'm sure we can think of something."

"But?" Scully couldn't quite read the look on Fletcher's face.

"But we'll have to go out for it."

"Meaning?"

"I can't stay here tonight."  She saw the worry instantly appear on
Scully's face.  "I don't have my uniform," she explained.  "Why don't we go
back to my apartment for 'dessert'?"

"Better eat first," Scully cracked. "We'll need our strength."



Friday, 9:30 PM

Scully sat facing Fletcher, her legs draped over Fletcher's, her feet
crossed behind Fletcher's back.  She felt Fletcher's hands on her hips, her
thumbs caressing her sides.  Her eyes locked on Fletcher's, Scully traced
her fingers up from Fletcher's shoulders to her neck and throat.  It was if
she was seeing Fletcher for the first time, touching her for the first
time.

Fletcher hardly moved, hardly even breathed.  She just sat there, reveling
in the feelings that each touch of Scully's brought to her.  

Scully's fingers moved downward to Fletcher's small breasts.  She looked
down as her hands each cupped a breast.  <Small breasts, but they fit so
perfectly in my small hands.>  She gently began to rub the nipples with her
thumbs, marveling at how quickly they hardened.  <Because of me, because of
my touch,> she thought with just a tiny bit of pride.

Fletcher's hands were suddenly on Scully's breasts and her touches mirrored
Scully's.  She leaned into Scully and kissed her.  She opened her mouth,
allowing Scully's tongue to explore her mouth, letting Scully take
possession of the kiss.

Scully slowly ended the kiss.  <I want her... I want to make love to
her...> Scully thought as she moved onto her knees, then she eased Fletcher
back against the pillows.  Fletcher looked up at her, her hands once again
on Scully's hips.

"Fletcher, I..."

"What?  Tell me what you need, Red."

"I need to make love to you," she answered in a husky whisper, her mouth
leaving a trail of kisses from Fletcher's mouth to her nipples.

Fletcher watched Scully, her hand lightly resting on Scully's shoulder. 
Back and forth Scully went, from one breast to the other. Scully ran her
tongue down Fletcher's stomach, pausing briefly at her navel before
stopping when she reached her pubic hair.  Scully reached up and tucked her
hair behind her ear, then laid her hand on the small mound of curly hair in
front of her.  She brushed the hair back, exposing Fletcher's clit.  Scully
softly blew on it, watching it harden in response.

Fletcher didn't think she could possibly see anything more erotic in her
life than seeing Scully's tongue gently flick at her swollen, erect clit. 
But she was wrong.  The sight of those full lips closing over her clit
almost put Fletcher over the edge.  Her eyes nearly rolled back into her
head as she clutched at the sheets.

"Oh... goddess... that feels so good... Oh... Scully..."

<I need to do this more often,> Scully thought, her tongue probing deeper
and deeper.  <She enjoys it so much... _I_ enjoy it... as much as she does,
I think...> She slowly inserted one, then two fingers.  <She's so open...>
Scully pushed further into the wet warmth.  <I bet I could fit another...>
She twisted her hand and slid in another finger.

Fletcher was making sounds deep in her throat that Scully had never heard
before.  She glanced up.  Fletcher's face was knotted up, almost as if she
were in pain.  <She's so close,> Scully thought and she continued her
assault on Fletcher's clit with her tongue, her fingers sliding in and out
in a steady rhythm.

"Oh, Scully..." Her cries were almost agonizing.

<Come for me, Fletcher... now...>

"Scully!" Fletcher half-shouted, her body convulsing with the most powerful
orgasm she'd ever known.  Another small aftershock ran through her body,
followed by several more smaller tremors.

Scully waited until she felt Fletcher's body relax before she kissed her
way back up to her.

"I love you," she said, kissing Fletcher's forehead.

"Oh, goddess...Oh, Red..." She exhaled.  "The best..." She put her arms
around Scully and hugged her with whatever strength she had. "I do believe
I might've died and gone to heaven..."

"I wanted you to feel the way I do... the way you make me feel..."

Fletcher reached up and drew Scully's face closer.  She placed a short,
loving kiss on her lips, then hugged her again.  She whispered into her
ear, "Do you get excited when you make love to me, Red?"

Scully lifted her head, her lips brushing against Fletcher's.  "Why don't
you see for yourself?"

Fletcher's hand insinuated itself between them, her fingers quickly seeking
out Scully.  She sighed out loud when she felt how wet Scully was.  Scully
pushed herself up off of Fletcher so that she straddled Fletcher's hips. 
She brought her hands up to her own breasts and she squeezed the nipples
hard.

Fletcher's eyes fixed on Scully's hands.  She began to stoke her fingers
back and forth, feeling Scully jerk every time her finger rubbed over her
clit.

"Scully..."

"What?" she breathed.

"Touch yourself," she requested, reaching up with her free hand and
bringing down one of Scully's hands.  "Help me make love to you."

Scully dropped her other hand and she began to rub her clit, slowly at
first.  A soft moan escaped from her lips when she felt Fletcher push two
fingers up into her.

"Fletcher..."

Fletcher inched her body down.  Soon she was eye-level with Scully's
fingers kneading her own clit.

"Oh, Scully..."

She planted her lips on Scully's clit and sucked.  Scully's hands dropped
and quivered weakly in Fletcher's hair.

"Oh, god... Fletcher... so good..." She thrust her hips down.  "Fill me..."

Fletcher easily added a third finger as she continued to suck the clit
above her.  <She's close... I can feel it building...> She moistened her
little finger, then slowly pressed it into Scully's anus.  Scully climaxed
almost instantly.

"Fletcher," she wailed, her hips bucking wildly.  She rose up, then thrust
down one final time, her muscles clamping down on all of Fletcher's
fingers.  She collapsed onto her stomach, then rolled over onto her back,
Fletcher's fingers slipping out.

Fletcher laid her head on Scully's thigh and waited until Scully's
breathing slowed.  She moved back up beside Scully and gathered her into
her arms.

"I love you, Scully," Fletcher said, kissing Scully gently, tenderly.

"I love you, too," she sighed, a smile on her face.

She curled up in Fletcher's arms, secure.  Her heart was filled with a
happiness she didn't know she could feel.  <I'm loved... I love...> 

"Penny for your thoughts?" Fletcher asked, seeing the smile on Scully's
face.

"I feel good... happy..."

"Making love can do that," Fletcher chuckled softly.

"It's the 'love' part.  It feels good to be in love, to be loved."

"Amen to that." Fletcher kissed Scully's cheek. Scully's eyes were
fluttering with the effort to stay open. "Sleepy?"

"Mmm... yes..." <Damn it, I want to stay awake...Want to keep looking at
her...>

Fletcher heard the disappointment in her voice. "It's okay. I am, too." 
She quickly checked the clock radio to see that it was set, and then
settled in, her arms still around Scully.  "Goodnight, Red.  Sleep well."

"You, too."

<I will now.>  Fletcher kissed Scully one more time before they both
drifted off to sleep.


End Chapter 7