Title: The Things We Do For Love Author: Diana Fowley Subject: post- Rain King, MSR Rating: PG Summary: Scully analyzes the event of Rain King and her relationship with Mulder. Archive: Anywhere as long as my name is attached and you let me know where it is so I can keep track of my stories. Disclaimer: Not mine, broke anyway, don’t sue. Feedback: Yes, please I was glad he didn’t ask me to dance. At the reunion, I mean. The one at Kroner High School. We didn’t dance, we simply swayed back and forth, together, to the song “The Thing We Do For Love.” How appropriate. I would do anything for him. I know we would do anything for me. So, why didn’t I want to dance? Why didn’t I want to hold him in my arms and feel his body against mine? Simple. If we had danced, if he had held me close, I would have never pulled away again. We had danced before and I had almost lost myself, lost my control. I know him so well that I can predict every move he would have made, had he asked me to dance. I know what would have happened. He would have stopped swaying. I would have looked up at him. He would have giving me a small lopsided grin. I would have seen a mischievous gleam in his eyes. Then, without saying a world, without asking permission, he would have pulled me to him. One of his hands on the small of my back, the other engulfing my smaller one. I would have given a surprise gasp, just to humor him. I would have also given him the smile that I save only for him. He would have gazed into my eyes, and tightened the grip on my back, pulling me closer. That would have been it, I would have been lost. I love him. I know if for sure. I figured it out at 3:01 this morning while I was lying awake in bed thinking about our latest case. A man controlling the weather? It was just like old times. Us, together, chasing something paranormal. Mulder and his off the wall theories and me always the scientist. Us, together, in our familiar dance. Then my mind began to wonder, wonder back to previous cases. Wondering back to the last time we were working on the X-Files, before the fire. Then to the bombing in Dallas, to Mulder, drunk in my apartment at 2am...running through the cornfield...me standing in the doorway of his apartment telling him that I was resigning...the look on his face....the hallway....his hand, his thumb gently touching the most sensative part on my face, just in front of my ear...his face moving closer to mine...the shock that travel through me as my lips brushed his. He was going to kiss me. I was going to kiss him...to hospital room when he said that he loved me. I didn’t believe him, then. Does he love me? Do I love him? Yes. Yes. I love him. Oh my God! The realization hit me like a tone of bricks, I love him. He is my partner. He is my best friend. He is closer to me than anyone has or ever will be. I love him. But am I *in* love with him? Yes. No! Yes. I couldn’t take it. I could no longer lay in that bed and think about him. Maybe it was time to get up. I switched on the light and looked at the clock 3:02. I have three more hours to lay here, lay here in *love* with Mulder. I know I wouldn’t get any sleep that night. What was I going to do? I couldn’t tell him. I can never let him know. Then the tornado came. He was almost killed again. By a cow!?! That would have been fitting, I finally realize that I love him and he is killed by a cow. I have to tell him. Not here. Maybe when we get home. Maybe. Then I started to get the signs, signs that I needed to tell him. Mulder and I sharing a room!?! Mulder giving Holman dating advice!?! Shelia *kissing* Mulder!?! Shelia asking Mulder to dance was the last straw. I had to stop her. I couldn’t stand to watch another woman in his arms. I side-stepped that well, with little help form Mulder. Maybe he wanted to dance with her? Stop it! Now, at the reunion, Sheila is were she should be, dancing with Holman. I feel for him. He loves her so much. This case is hitting way to close to home. Mulder and I are watching them, swaying to the music. All I can think about is dancing with him. I want to interlock our fingers and pull him to me. The longer I am near him, the weaker my resolve is becomming. I turn to Mulder, wanting him to take me into his embrace, just as Sheila turned away from Holman. When Sheila ran from Holman’s arms I ran from Mulder, after her. Thankfully he did seem a bit sad when the warmth of my arm left his. In the bathroom I was once again confronted by my feelings for Mulder. I couldn’t believe that Sheila knew! How!?! How did she know that I was in love with Mulder! “What!” I said in response, a whisper. Finally, everything was over. The rain had stopped and Holman and Shelia were together. As they left, Sheila gave me a little wink and Holman made some comment to Mulder about “trying it himself sometime.” I wonder what that was about. Well, at least this case and this day is over. I really need a good night sleep. A few hours where Mulder is not the only thing on my mind. XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX Cool View Motel 10:00 “I guess you just got yourself a new roommate.” “Any cots?” “Afraid not.” I can’t believe this, after everything that has happened in the last twenty-four hours, I have to share a room, a very small room with Mulder. This must be the final sign. “So, Scully, what are the...a...sleeping arrangements?” “I guess we share the bed.” Who said that? I can’t share the bed with Mulder! At least it is a queen size bed. “Stay on your side of the bed though.” “Scully! Don’t you trust me.” Of course I trust him. I just don’t trust myself. We got ready for bed in silence and both slipped under the sheets, Mulder on his back, me on my side facing away from him, lying as close to the edge of the bed as possible. Even though we made no physical contact, I could feel his body heat. Tonight would be another sleepless night. Hopefully he will just fall asleep. Knowing his sleep patterns I doubted it. I was right. “Scully? You asleep?” “No Mulder. I was just thinking.” Why did I tell him that? I should have pretended to be asleep! I couldn’t do that. I couldn’t lie to him. Maybe he wouldn’t ask. “About what?” This was it. Do I tell him? Tell him that last night I realized that I feel in love with him? Tell him what I was thinking about at the reunion? Tell him about the my conversation with Sheila in the restroom? Tell him how jealous I was when I saw him kissing Sheila? How I wished it was me... “I was just thinking,” he began before I could answer, “I should have asked you to dance at the reunion.” Did he read my mind? I turned to my other side so I could look at him. “I am glad you didn’t.” I said softly. His brow crinkled and he turned his head so he could look me my eyes. “You didn’t want to dance with me?” he said sounding a little bit hurt. I had to come up with something. “ I would have loved to dance, with you, but then we would have missed Sheila running into the bathroom and it might still be raining.” That was the best I could do? It seemed to work, the creases left his brow and his eyes returned to the ceiling. “So,” he said. “What did you and Sheila talk about.” He can read my mind! “Well, I told her your theory.” That brought a smile to his face at his eyes returned to mine. “Really” he said. “You thought is was that good, huh? I didn’t think you believed it.?” He was mocking me. I know it. I had to smile. Two could play at this game. “We talked a lot about you.” I said with a raised eyebrow. He smiled again. He knew I was playing with him. I know that he likes it when I played with him. “What did you say?” “We also talked about how good a kisser you are.” “So?” “I don’t think I can say anymore, Mulder. It *was* a private conversation.” I replied with a grin. “What did you and Holman talk about when you gave him *dating advice*?” “You.” He said immediately as he raised himself up on one elbow so our eyes were even. My breath caught in my throat and panic swept over me. *ME*, why were they talking about me! “Uh huh..” Was all I could manage. “Yeah,” Mulder continued, “he though that we were *involved*. I quickly corrected him, of course.” “Of course.” “He said something about us *gazing* at each other. We don’t gaze at each other, do we?” With that our eyes locked. The air between us was electric. Finally I took a deep breath, break our gaze and was able to speak and break our stare. “What else did you talk about?” “Scully, It was a private conversation!” He said with mock seriousness. A smile crept to my lips, this was fun. Comfortable. I sighed. “What?” he asked with a smile. “Nothing,” I said and looked away from him. He examined me for a few minutes then he brought his hand to my face and turned my head to look at him. “You seem lost in though.” “I was..” was all I could get out before our eyes locked and suddenly I remembered where we were, in the same bed, very close, very very close. Holman was right. We did gaze at each other. He continued to stoke my face. Could he feel the same way? As if in response his started stroking my face with his thumb, just like in the hallway. It was time. I took my hand and squeezed the one on his face. I slowly brought it to my mouth and kissed the palm of his hand, gently, my lips just grazing his skin. Slowly I raised my eyes to his, looking for a response. What I saw a confusion, so I kissed palm again, applying a little more pressure this time. When I looked in his eyes again the confusion was gone. I released his hand, shifted on the bed, bringing myself close to him and gently brushed my lips across his cheek. I wanted to check his eyes again but couldn’t pull myself that far away. I let my lips brush his forehead, his eyelids, his nose, and finally his lips, just at gently as they had before. This contact finally put him into motion. He put is hand back on my cheek and for a second my heart sank as he pulled my face away from his. When my eyes met his I saw what I had been looking for, excitement and maybe even love. As our eyes locked, he smiled and pulled my face to his. Our lips touched and an electric shock ran through my body. The kiss was gentle, chaste and quick. And was followed by another and another. Slowly the kisses began to lengthen and deepen. Anther shock ran through my body as I felt his tongue trace my lips, asking for entrance. In response I thrust my tongue into his mouth. His hand moved from my face and he pulled my close, so my body was against his. I wrapped my arms around him and he rolled so I was on top of him. Finally, due to lack of oxygen, I broke the kiss and laid my head down on his chest while I caught my breath. Finally I whispered, “Sheila was right, you do know how to kiss.” He laughed and I silence him with another kiss. When we broke apart again. I grabbed his hands, laced his fingers with mine and said. “It’s funny, last night I was lying in this bed alone and realized that I was in love with you and tonight I am laying here with you in my arms.” “Was that before or after I was almost killed by a cow?” Instead of responding, I kissed him gently and repeated, “Mulder, I love you.” “I love you, too.” It was another sleepless night in the Cool View motel. Send feedback to agtdianafowley@yahoo.com