From: "starbuck22" See chapter 6 for standard disclaimers etc. <> Saturday, 8:50 AM Scully awoke to the sound of her cell phone ringing. She took a few moments to get her bearings, then got out of bed. She picked up the first article of clothing she could find - Fletcher's shirt - and put it on. She walked into the living room and located her phone. "Scully." "It's me, Scully. Where are you? I tried you at home." "At Fletcher's. What's wrong, Mulder?" she asked, walking back to the bedroom. "Do you have any plans today?" Scully pulled back the covers and got back into bed. "Not really. Fletcher's got reserves this weekend." "Let's go shopping for her birthday presents today." "I guess today would be a good of a time as any." Fletcher's pillow was still dented. Scully put her hand on it and smoothed it out. "Do you want to meet at your place?" "I need you to pick me up here. I have to stop at my apartment for a change of clothes, if that's okay." "Don't you think you might want to start leaving clothes at Fletcher's? I do, and I'm not even sleeping with her," he smirked. "Mulder, you're just too funny for words." "I'll see you in about twenty minutes." Saturday, 9:30 AM "Why didn't you drive yourself to Fletcher's last night?" Mulder asked as she unlocked the door to her apartment. "It's a long story. It was a spur of the moment decision to stay at her place." "Must be getting tiresome, bouncing around from Fletcher's apartment to your apartment to Fletcher's house." "We manage." "Uh huh," he said, looking at the dirty dishes on the counter, the empty bottle of wine. "Looks like you 'managed' to get an early start here." He grinned. Scully just shook her head and went into her bedroom, closing the door behind her. Mulder wondered around Scully's apartment. He picked up one of her medical magazines, thumbed through it, then set it back down on the coffee table. As soon as Scully walked back into the room, her phone rang. "Hello... Oh, hi, Mom... No... Just shopping with Mulder..." Scully looked up at Mulder and rolled her eyes at what her mother was saying. "No, nothing like that... a birthday present for a friend of ours... Yes, I was planning on it. Either Wednesday night or Thursday morning. It depends on my work schedule... Yes... When are Bill and Tara coming?... And Charlie?... Okay... I'll call tomorrow... Yes... Love you too, Mom. Bye." Mulder looked at her, a knowing smile on his face. "What did she pin you down on _this_ time?" "Thanksgiving. Bill and Charlie will both be there with their families. What are you doing?" "I've got plans." "Sure, you do, Mulder," she said skeptically. "I know you're just avoiding my brother Bill." "Wouldn't you, if you could?" he replied, a wise-ass smile on his face. "He's my brother," Scully said neutrally, not answering Mulder's question directly. She picked up her purse. "Let's get some shopping done." Saturday, 10:30 AM "So, do you have any idea what you're going to give Fletcher?" Mulder asked as they walked through the mall. he thought as they passed by yet another group of giggling adolescents. "A book." "About what?" "Astronomy," Scully replied, stopping in front of the mall map to look for the location of the bookstores. "And you expect to find one here?" He looked around the mall. he thought looking at the people lining up at Starbucks. "Well, there _are_ bookstores in here, Mulder." She located one of the chain bookstores and pointed it out to him. "Besides, I need to pick up a card." "Do you know what book?" "I had a friend of mine from the Smithsonian recommend a few." "Astronomy, huh? Nothing else?" he teased as he followed her through the mall. "Like what?" "Oh, I don't know. Maybe something informational of a more personal nature." "Such as?" Scully raised an eyebrow. "Maybe the Joy of Lesbian Sex?" he suggested. Scully quickly looked over her shoulder to see if anyone had heard him. She made a face at him. "Are you saying we need it?" she said, giving it right back to him. "No, no, nothing like that." She rolled her eyes in exasperation. "You need to get your mind out of the gutter." "But Scully, I finally find out that you have a sex life _and_ I know who it's with. It's just too good to pass up." "Mulder, you're beginning to irritate me," she said sternly. "Okay. I promise. No more teasing while we shop." "Good." "So what are _you_ going to get Fletcher?" "I scored tickets to the Redskins game ö three of them ö for next Sunday." He grinned, proud of himself. "Fifty yard line, thirty-fifth row." "I thought you weren't interested in getting tickets to any of the football games," Scully asked, as she headed for the back of the bookstore. "I couldn't pass up the chance. It'll be fun. We can tailgate before the game." "I'm sure she'll like them." She took a book off the shelf, then turned to him. "If you've already got a present for her, why are you shopping with me?" "I didn't have anything else to do," he offered. "Besides, Scully, we hardly ever get a chance to socialize outside of work anymore. You're always spending your weekends with Fletcher." she thought. "Well, the weekends right now are the only time Fletcher and I can see each other." She returned the book to the shelf and selected another one. "Why don't you have dinner with us tomorrow night?" Mulder visibly perked up. "Okay." "Don't you want to know what we're having?" "No." "Oh, that's right. As long as someone else is cooking or paying, you don't care," she smiled. "Well, in case you're interested, it'll be leftovers." "Sounds good to me." Scully's stomach churned. she thought, suddenly remembering Eugene Tooms. "Mulder, I have to do some other shopping. Why don't we split up and meet for lunch at one o'clock?" "Okay. Maybe I'll get a headstart on my Christmas shopping." Scully's face was filled with disbelief. "Now I've heard everything." Sunday, November 15th, 6:20 PM Mulder watched Scully as she cleaned up the kitchen, then set the table. he thought. He smiled. "When are you going to give Fletcher her birthday present?" he asked, helping himself to a beer. "Probably Friday night, after she gets back." "Would that be the one you bought at Victoria's Secret?" Scully blushed and Mulder grinned triumphantly. "I saw you go in there when you didn't think I was looking. Did you get something good?" "It's none of your business, Mulder." "So you did." "Not _this_ time," she replied with a straight face. "They didn't have a black pushup bra in my size." This time Mulder blushed. Scully thought gleefully. He recovered quickly. "That surprises me, Scully. You strike me as the garters and lace type. I didn't think you'd go for the pushup bra." "Well, I guess you'll never know, will you?" "I'm sure I could find out somehow." "Better be nice, Mulder, or I'll sic my girlfriend on you." "Oh, I'm shaking already," he laughed. A knock at the door interrupted him. "Geez, Scully, haven't you given Fletcher a key yet?" "You've got my spare," she said, opening the door. "Then I guess I'm still first in your heart." "Hey, Red," Fletcher said, kissing Scully's cheek as she walked into the apartment. "Mulder," she nodded. "Fletcher." "Got another beer?" she asked, dropping her bag and briefcase on the floor. "I'll get you one," Mulder offered. "Give you two lovebirds a chance to say hello." "A least say hello without you gawking at us, Spooky." Fletcher waited until Mulder was in the kitchen before putting her arms around Scully. She kissed her, adding a little passion to her kiss. "I missed you today," she said. "I missed you, too." "I kept thinking about Friday night." "So did I," Scully said, her hands slipping to Fletcher's ass. "Is he staying for dinner?" Fletcher asked in a low voice. "Yes. He's feeling a little neglected, I think." "Do I have time for a shower?" "Sure. Dinner'll be ready in about 20 minutes." "Great." She nuzzled Scully's neck briefly and whispered, "I love you." "Should I get a pan of cold water to throw on you two?" Mulder strolled back into the living room, handing Fletcher a bottle of beer. "Jealous?" Fletcher retorted, nodding her thanks at the beer. "_Jealous_ isn't the word that comes immediately to mind," he said with an obscene grin. "Maybe _you_ should be the one taking a shower, Mulder ö a cold one." "Moi?" he replied innocently, touching his hand to his chest. "'Leroy, boy, we gotta get you a woman'," Fletcher sang. "Just so you'll leave us alone." Sunday, 9:30 PM "I'm beat and I ache," Fletcher said as she got into bed. "Too much sitting in meetings and airplanes and not enough exercise." "Take your shirt off and turn over," Scully said, getting onto the bed next to her. "What?" Fletcher was surprised. "You heard me. Doctor's orders." "Ooh, Scully, I love it when you're assertive," Fletcher leered, pulling her t-shirt off. She flipped over onto her stomach, her head resting on her forearms. Scully moved onto her knees, straddling Fletcher's ass, and began to rub Fletcher's shoulders. "Thank you." "For what?" Fletcher was clearly puzzled. "Letting Mulder spend the evening with us." "He's my friend, too. I haven't seen him much since Halloween." "Well, it was still hard to have to share you tonight." "Oh, really? Why's that?" "Because my mind kept wandering to Friday night," she replied. "_What_ about Friday night?" Fletcher asked, an almost-smirk crossing her lips. "Wait 'til I'm finished and I'll show you," Scully suggested, her voice low. "With an offer like that, how could I refuse?" Scully just grinned and moved her hands to Fletcher's shoulder blades. "What time is your flight tomorrow?" "Not until the afternoon. I've got a meeting with Roy Tupper in the morning. We've been planning Stu's retirement party." "What are you doing for it?" "Roy's job is to come up with the guest list and send out the invitations. My job is to host the party. It's going to be a surprise party." "How will you get him to your place?" "I'll work with Stu's wife. We'll tell him that it's a Holiday Party." "When are you having it?" "The Saturday before Christmas, the nineteenth. I expect we'll have sixty people, probably more." "Speaking of celebrations, what do you want to do for your birthday?" Scully asked, her hands moving down the spine. "I'd like nothing more than to be at home with you, but that's not possible. "I'll be in Chicago." "I thought we'd do something next Saturday night. Marva and Karrin suggested we get together." "And we've got to celebrate with Mulder, too." She felt the tension ease. "I've tentatively planned something on Sunday with him." "Well, if we're doing something with Marva and Karrin, I'd like to go out to dinner someplace fancy and then go dancing. They'll know just the place." She sighed as Scully's hands moved further down her back. "Why don't you go ahead and make any plans you want. Just tell me where and when I need to show up." "Sounds like something Mulder would say," Scully commented. "Planning my own birthday is not on my list of things to do." Scully shifted her body lower so she could rub the small of Fletcher's back. "What are you doing for Thanksgiving?" she ventured. "I've got plans," Fletcher said quickly, too quickly. Scully could feel the muscles tense beneath her fingers. "I'll be out of town." "Work?" "Not exactly." She lifted her head, rested her chin on the backs of her hands and stared at the headboard. "I've got to do something for a friend of mine," she said vaguely. "I just thought you might want to come for dinner at my mom's." "No, you go ahead. I've got to decline. Besides, you already said you couldn't remember the last time you were all together for Thanksgiving. You need to spend some time with your family." "How long will you be gone?" Scully asked, trying to sound matter-of-fact while her insides were churning. "I'm leaving Wednesday and coming back Sunday." "Then I guess I'll spend the weekend with my family." She leaned forward and kissed Fletcher between her shoulder blades. "I love you," she whispered. Fletcher's muscles relaxed once again. Fletcher rolled over onto her back. "I love you, too. Very much." She sat up and put her hands on Scully's hips. "I thought you were too tired and too sore," Scully smiled, her hands atop Fletcher's, trying to keep them from straying off her hips. "I'm never too tired for you," she grinned back. "I can think of a time or two when you've been too tired." "Name one." "Two weeks ago - when you came back from Seattle." "But I wasn't too tired in the _middle_ of the night," she countered. "But you fell back asleep almost immediately." "You're not gonna let me catch a break, are you?" Fletcher asked with a wide grin. "Nope." Monday, 3:45 AM "Mmmmm," Fletcher groaned, certain she was having a wonderful dream. She didn't want to wake up, but it felt _so_ real. She forced one eye open. Scully's mouth was at her breast and she could feel Scully's hand slipping inside the waistband of her boxer shorts. "Scully..." "Shhhhh," she murmured, her tongue drawing small circles around Fletcher's nipple. "What are you doing?" she asked groggily. "Teaching myself to dance." Her giggle was muffled; her mouth was full of Fletcher's breast. <_She's_ waking _me_ up to make love? Oh goddess, kill me now. I have now lived a rich and full life.> End Chapter 8