In The Middle Of The Night- post-all thingsTitle: In The Middle Of The Night
Category: MSR, UST
Rating: PG-13
Spoilers: all things (post-episode)
Summary: Scully and Mulder share a moment of clarity in
the middle of the night.
Feedback: Need it, love it, live for it!
xenoprobe@hotmail.com or www.xenoprobe.com
Archive: Sure, go right ahead, just do let me know
please.
Disclaimer: Not mine, ever were, make no profit, have no
money- do not sue!

Author's Notes: My friend Belle asked for an 'all things'
post-episode fic so I wrote this for her while she's on her
world travels.  I have the good fortune of meeting her for
the first time, beyond the land of beta reading and email
this coming weekend.  I am so excited!  Australia and
Canada aren't exactly close by :) So, as a token of
friendship, I wrote this story for her- hoping that she and
other readers will enjoy.  Please let me know.


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In The Middle Of The Night
by xenoprobe


There was a tap, tap noise at the window.  In the night
sky, branches rustled and swayed in a moonlit dance with
the wind.  The entire planet seemed alive around her as
Scully opened her eyes in this new yet familiar place.

She inhaled deeply, taking in as much of the scent of
freedom as she  could into her lungs- smiling when she
realized the scent was unmistakably Mulder's.  His
blanket was still tucked around her, all but nylon covered
feet were warm beneath its weight.  There was a glow in
the room, the fish tank sang in monotone; fitting pets for
her deadpan partner.  But he had not been so deadpan
tonight. No.  Scully wondered at one point if he'd faint
with shock upon listening to her confessions.  

But that was how it always happened, these things, these
voyages of self-discovery.  

It seemed to her that nearly every time she went without
the constant counterpoint of Mulder's convictions, she
discovered just a little more of how truly alike they were. 
All her opening moments had unravelled before her when
he was away; leaving her to recount these times to him in
the peace that followed.  But this time was different.

Scully could still feel the residual clarity of sounds and
the slow-motion effect of finally listening to the world
around her. She was nearly content to sit back against
Mulder's couch and lose herself all over again but the
soft hum of his snore wafted into the livingroom and
danced in her ears.  She rose and silently slipped into his
darkened room.

The moonlight cast ripples over his bare back, he lay
cheek to pillow on his side.  Scully felt a warmth bubble
up inside and it manifested itself in her smile.  He was so
peaceful.  Since the resolution of his sister's life and the
tasteful funeral he arranged for both she and his mother,
Mulder had been sleeping at night.  Perhaps not quite the
normal deep sleep of one's neighbours or family, but a
mostly uninterrupted rest that he had gone without for
decades.

Scully tiptoed forward and rested her left leg at the side
of his bed.  She sighed, letting a puff of warm breath into
the air. She watched his mouth.  It opened slightly as he
inhaled and Scully imagined him breathing her in, straight
from her lungs to his in a loop of life.

Without any sign of waking, Mulder's arm reached out to
hers in the few feet that remained between them.  She
took his hand in hers, feeling the texture of skin, the
smoothness of nails and the pure electricity of touch.  She
shivered. He smiled, feeling it travel into him in soft
vibrations. He opened his eyes deliberately.

"It's a little early to be dressed for work Scully..." he
whispered softly, grinning in the shadows- she could feel
his smile.

"I didn't mean to stay- I'm sorry for nodding off on you
like that." 

Mulder tugged her closer and she came to a stop, sitting
at the very edge of his bed, his body curled around the
space she occupied. He twisted his hand in hers and
around it, scissoring their fingers lightly. Their hands
danced like old lovers, familiar but intense, translating a
fierce passion and devotion through the subtle currents of
this tactile intercourse. Scully felt the rising heat in her
body engulfing her, her cheeks were of fire in the cool
moonlight.

"Scully."

It was the way he said her name.  She'd heard it a million
times before but this time the sound filled her ears with all
the new and keen awareness that this voyage of discovery
had awarded her.  She listened to the syllables swirl as
her name became a question, a plea, an answer and an
affirmation in one slow flash of sound.

Mulder's hand rose to her face, tracing her jaw,
smoothing cool finger pads over her rosy-hot cheeks.  He
caressed her as if every nerve in him was alive and
sensing things a thousand-fold. She nuzzled her face to
his palm, kissing his lifeline and darting her tongue out to
taste the fates.  He was salty and she smiled. 

His fingers wove into her hair and gripped her head
firmly, drawing her face to his.  The wind outside picked
up and the tree did an interpretive dance beyond the
window.

"Life" She whispered as their lips barely touched.  He
nodded once then pressed his mouth to hers, opening and
closing, breathing from her as she'd imagined him doing. 
Scully's hand slid up the smooth surface of his side to his
shoulder, lingering at his throat, feeling the bob of his
Adam's apple as they kissed.  And kissed.

"Stay." He pressed the word into her mouth- not a
question.  Scully pulled away reluctantly, feeling her body
tip forward where she longed to remain connected to his
lips.   She stood and removed her jacket, her green top,
unzipped her skirt and shimmied from her stockings until
she was clad only in a bra and underwear and a
moonbeam.  Mulder pushed himself back on the bed and
held the sheets open for her as she crawled in next to him;
her cool back to his warm chest.

They settled quickly.  

Mulder kissed her neck at the nape, smiling as her hairs
tickled his nose. Everything was as it should be...
everything was finally right.  Scully rubbed against him
when his kisses slowed, he pulled her over and their
mouths mated.  Like new lovers and old friends they
kissed madly, chests heaving and pulses beating out a
primal rhythm.  Time passed slowly.

But as some moments seemed almost suspended, others
sped like starlight and Scully knew that she would have
to leave to get home before another day at work began. 
Their passion would keep- of that she was sure.  She
traced her fingers over his face, calming his skin, drawing
out his fatigue. As he drifted to sleep she carefully crept
out of bed, replacing her warm body with a neglected
pillow; a poor substitute.

She dressed in the bathroom, brushing her teeth with his
toothbrush, combing out her hair with her fingers. She
paused to watch over him one last time before slipping
into her shoes.  The buzzing light in the hallway, the
'ping' of the elevator and the lullaby of the leaves and
branches sang a new song to her. She would return here
tonight finish her journey. Back to the place that all her
other choices had in fact guided her to, at long last.
                   

Fin            

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Ok.  I was absolutely blown away by Gillian's episode. 
Personally, I think it was pretty damn near perfect,
perhaps that is why I have not felt an overwhelming need
to read or write a post-episodic fic. But I thought I'd give
it a try at Belle's urging so this is my offering.

I have been suffering from writer's block for a while now
and feel it has etched away at some of my confidence as a
contributor to fanfiction.  I would sincerely like to know
your thoughts on my story and your impressions of 'all
things' as well.  Please write!

xenoprobe@hotmail.com
www.xenoprobe.com