Chapter Text
State Route 238
Outside Yorktown
4.40pm
“Mulder, you have to slow down,” Scully said and her hand grabbed the handle over the door even tighter.
“You’re giving me mixed signals here, Scully,” he said but even as he did he eased his foot off the gas ever so slightly.
It was supposed to be a day trip. A couple of hours out of the city. Quick investigation, ask the questions, take the notes, make the theory, then home in time for dinner. Except the questions got bigger, the notes got longer and before they realised it they were three miles outside of Yorktown, three hours outside of DC driving through a rainstorm that would probably have made Noah rethink his design from a boat to a sub.
More than once he felt a tug on the steering wheel when the water built up under the tyres. The first time it happened Scully grabbed his arm in a classic soccer mom save, and he pressed on the brakes before his training kicked in and he eased his feet off all the pedals. The next time it happened she gripped the handle over the door and he gripped the steering wheel tighter.
She had been urging him to wrap up the last interview and repeated how she needed to get back to DC for an event that evening. Some lecture in Maryland University by a visiting doctor from Germany. She had been talking about the lecture all week and he knew she was excited about it but he was sure they would make it home in time.
That was until the rainstorm hit. It was falling at a rate that obscured his view through the windshield. The wipers had little to no effect and once the car started hydroplaning he knew there was a danger of not making it back to DC in time. The storm would only last minutes but the water logged roads would impede their journey home for even longer.
“What time does the thing start?” Mulder asked and glanced at her but quickly put his eyes back on the road, what little of it he could see.
“The lecture starts at eight,” Scully said and looked at her watch. It was quarter to five now and they were three hours out of DC. It was already too close to arrive comfortable and ready to absorb information, but she was determined they would get home. Albeit, she wanted to make that journey in one piece.
“We can make it,” he said and he pressed his foot on the gas again.
“Mulder,” she warned and gripped the handle even tighter. “It's not worth losing-”
Her words were cut off by the sudden movement of the car as it hit a puddle in a dip on the road. Mulder jerked the wheel back in the direction of the road but the car started to turn towards the ditch, out of his control.
“Shit!” he gritted out and fought his instincts to slam on the brakes. He pressed his feet to the floor of the car to stop himself and leaned back into the seat.
Beside him Scully braced for impact and one hand moved to Mulder’s leg. Her instincts kicked in and she needed the visceral connection as the car started to spin and turn. There was a sudden loud bang and the car jerked to the left where it hit the ditch and pitched into a full roll.
Mulder braced his arms in a locked position, holding the wheel, then his hands shifted to the roof of the car as it turned over again. Scully gripped the handle with one hand and the other gripped the belt that crossed her chest as she screwed her eyes shut and braced for impact.
When the car settled the right way up and teetered back and forth as everything came to a stand still, Mulder released the breath he was holding and turned his head to look at Scully who moved hers to look at him.
“You ok?” he asked with wide eyes as he looked her up and down.
“Yeah,” she said with a panting breath as she assessed her own injuries then turned her attention to him. “You?”
“I might need to change my shorts but other than that…” he patted his hands down his body and legs then let out a deep breath with puffed cheeks. He looked over at her again and put a hand on her arm. “Seriously…you ok? You’re not hurt?”
“No, no, I’m good.” she combed her fingers through her hair and cupped her hands at the back of her head as she steadied her breath and calmed her rampaging heart.
She had been in a crash before, but never one that involved a rolling car. Her head was pumping and her hands were tingling from the tight grip she held on the belt and handle during the crash. She unbuckled and opened the door. It took a shove of her shoulder from the warped metal, and only when it was open did she remember the falling rain.
Mulder did the same on his side but didn't hesitate in climbing out like she did. He hurried around to her door and tugged it open more, then put a hand on her shoulder and helped her out.
“You sure you’re ok?” he asked as he guided her away from the car and under a tree, as if there was a danger of it exploding. Scully looked back over her shoulder at the car as he pressed her into the tree trunk with a hand on each of her shoulders.
“Yeah, yeah, I’m fine Mulder,” she said and tore her eyes from the mangled car to his face and only then saw the cut on his temple. “Mulder…” She gripped his chin and turned his head to get a better look. “You’re hurt, your head…”
“Huh?” he put a hand up to touch it but before he could she batted his hand away.
“Don't touch it,” she said and moved his head to get a better look. “It doesn't look too bad.”
Mulder tugged his head out of her grip then turned to face the car. The deluge of rain hadn’t stopped or slowed down but it was clear there was no way the car would be able to drive again. The roof was buckled, the bonnet was bent and partially open and billows of smoke or steam came out from the gap at the front. The front tyre on the passenger side was gone and Mulder realised the loud bang before the crash was a blow out. Even if they had a spare tyre he knew it would be no use.
“Shit,” he cursed and he looked to see if she was seeing the same as him. “This…is…a predicament.”
“How far was it to Yorktown?”
“About three miles back that way,” he said pointing in the direction they had come from.
“And how far-”
“About twelve miles that way,” he said and moved his arm to point in the direction they were driving.
“Shit,” she cursed.
“We could wait out the rain here for a while,” he suggested and stepped closer to the tree trunk to avoid the rain that was somehow still getting through the foliage.
“We’re getting wet here, and it's cold.”
Mulder looked at her then and realised she was only wearing a skirt, and blouse, and her hose and heels would not make for a comfortable walk back to town.
“Did you-”
“No,” she said, cutting him off as she crossed her arm over her chest to stave off the cold. “I didn't bring any extra clothes, and I didn't bring a change of shoes, or my coat.”
Mulder pressed his lips together. Now is definitely not the right time to mention how he had told her many times before to keep a go bag in the trunk so he held back all his words.
“So…wait it out or-”
“No, let's get walking back to Yorktown.”
Mulder nodded but put a hand out to stop her moving as she stepped away from the trunk. “Wait a sec.”
He raced over to the car and climbed in her side where the door was still open. She watched him rummage around in the front, then the back before he climbed out and hurried over to her again. He handed her his coat and she put it on without protest. She was too cold to pretend she didn't want it and didn't care how it engulfed her. She tried not to lose herself in his smell as she wrapped the lapels across her chest. He put his suit jacket on then handed her her badge and gun as he secured his own on his belt.
“Ready?”
She nodded. He took her elbow and helped her climb out of the ditch then fastened his suit jacket closed and shoved his hands in his pockets as they walked. His shoulders were hunched up into his neck as he tried to prevent the rain from finding its way down his back but it was a losing battle. Scully had popped the collar of his trench and held it across her body as they walked as quickly as they could through the torrential rain.
He kept looking over his shoulder as he hoped to find a car coming in their direction but he guessed other people were smart enough to not be driving in this weather. Three miles to Yorktown wouldn't normally phase him. He ran more than that most days around DC. But three miles in cold heavy rain without proper footwear or rain gear, to a small town that might not have the facilities to tow their car, or find another rental car meant he was likely to feel more than frustration when Scully realised they might be stuck there overnight.
“Jesus,” Mulder muttered after they had been walking for half an hour and the rain never let up. “You think this is ever going to stop?”
Scully hummed but didn't speak. The weather hadnt been forecasted to be this bad but when they were so close to the coast it was liable to be unpredictable. She knew it wasn't his fault they were stuck in this situation. She got just as caught up in the investigation as he did and the rain storm was sudden. He was rushing to get back to DC for her lecture but he wasn't driving unsafely. Despite all of that she couldn't help but be annoyed. She was cold, and wet. Her heels ached, she had no change of clothes and while she knew his coat was keeping her drier than he would be, she was still wet, and likely to be for the next few hours.
“Look,” Mulder said as he nudged her and pointed at the road ahead. “Civilisation.”
She looked up and saw the lights of a garage ahead. It was a small building just off the road and she remembered passing it on the way out of town.
“Please be open, please be open,” Mulder chanted softly as they approached.
There was a light on over the door and a buzzing red neon sign that declared they were open though there was no one in sight. Mulder pulled the door open and Scully stepped inside quickly. She combed her fingers through her soaking hair and looked around to find the attendant.
The small counter was filled with trinkets and scratch cards, and the shelves in front of it housed a myriad of chocolate bars. One fridge by the door was filled with alcohol, another with soft drinks and a small coffee machine looked like it hadn't been cleaned since it was installed.
“Hello?” Mulder said as he approached the counter and knocked on it. A door behind it was partially open and music could be heard playing on the other side. “Hello?” Mulder said louder and the music stopped.
Mulder looked over at Scully who was still standing by the door and then back to the door behind the counter as it opened. A kid who looked like he was still probably in high school came through smiling as he fixed his long scraggly blonde hair into a ponytail.
“Hey, what's up man?”
“I need a tow truck.”
“A tow?” The kid looked out the window to the forecourt and seemed surprised that there was no car in the forecourt.
“Our car took a tumble up the road, just before the interstate.”
“A tumble?”
“Is there a towing service in town?” Mulder asked, starting to get frustrated with this kid's lack of understanding of a basic request.
“Jerry can tow, but he’s out of town.”
“Who else can tow?”
“Mike!” the kid said grinning but then frowned. “But his truck is in Norfolk.”
“So you’re telling me there is no towing service available?” Mulder said, wanting to be completely clear. The kid shook his head slowly as if he wasn't sure why Mulder couldn't understand what he was saying. “Is there a place to rent a car?”
“Rent a car?”
“Yeah, is there a place nearby to rent a car?”
“Mack has an old chevy you can maybe borrow,” the kid said and pointed across the road at a house.
Mulder took a slow steadying breath and turned around to see if Scully was hearing this whole transaction and by the look on her face, he knew she had.
“Okay, how about a bus service?” Mulder asked as he turned back to the kid. “Is there a bus that comes through town, heading north?”
“Yes.”
“Great.”
“But the last one left about half an hour ago.”
Mulder clenched his teeth and narrowed his eyes. He wasn't sure but he thought maybe this kid was mocking him, being intentionally obtuse and making fun of the out of towner.
“How about a motel? Got one of those in town?”
“Sure, the Beach Inn is about three blocks that way,” he said smiling and pointed in another direction.
“Let me guess, it's closed for the season?” Mulder asked before the kid could interject with whatever reason he was about to give for why they couldn't go there.
The kid chuckled. “No it's open, at least it was this morning when I dropped my girlfriend off for work.”
“Okay, great. Three blocks you said?”
The kid nodded.
“Any chance this rain will let up soon?” Mulder asked as he looked out the window and saw it was just as bad, if not worse.
“Not a hope,” the kid said smiling. “There is at least another hour of rain in those clouds.”
Mulder felt his shoulders slump and turned to face Scully more. She was quiet, which meant she was angry. She wasn't helping to solve the issue, which meant she blamed him. She was cold and wet, and looked tired and uncomfortable, which meant she was going to be in the same mood until she got warm and dry. And without her go bag, that was going to be a difficult achievement.
He crossed the short distance to her and put a hand on the door. “Once more into the breach,” he muttered as he pushed the door open. She tugged the coat around her tightly again then stepped out into the pouring rain.
“Three blocks,” Mulder muttered as he walked out with her. “We’ll grab some rooms and get dry.”
She didn't respond and only ducked her head into the collar of his long coat and kept walking. By the time they made it to the motel, whatever dryness she had achieved at the garage was gone. Her limbs were stiff from the cold, and her hair was plastered to her head.
She didn't care what this Inn was like, she just wanted to get out of the rain, get out of these soaking wet clothes and get under a warm shower to regain some heat into her shivering body.
Mulder bustled ahead and opened the reception door. He ushered her inside and quickly followed only to see the floor covered in towels and sandbags. An elderly man was standing by the counter with a pile of keys and a large sign-in book and was taking copious notes as he muttered to himself.
“Excuse me,” Mulder said as he approached.
The man turned around and seemed surprised to see two people standing behind him. “Oh, sorry, I didn't see you there.”
“We’re looking for a couple of rooms.”
“You’re checked in already?” the man asked and turned to the book on the counter.
“No, no we’re not, we’re-”
“Oh, oh no,” the man said and he looked at the book in front of him. “You haven't checked in?”
“No, do you have any rooms?”
“With the flooding on the ground floor, we’ve had to move everyone upstairs.”
“Any rooms?” Mulder urged and took a step closer.
“Let me see…” he looked down at the book and started sorting through the bundle of keys.
Mulder glanced around at Scully who was staring out the door. He knew she was dreading them having to go back out into the rain but he also knew she would do so without complaint if they had to. He looked at her feet and saw the tail of his coat was dragging along the floor, splattered and caked with mud, and realised it was probably feeling heavier than usual.
“Oh, here we go!” the receptionist said and he turned to Mulder with a wide smile.
“You have some rooms?”
“I have one.”
“We’ll take it,” Mulder said without hesitation. “It has a shower right?”
The man chuckled and held out a pen for Mulder to sign into the book. “Yes, great water pressure too!”
Mulder handed him over his credit card and signed the book then took the key he held out.
“Take the stairs behind the building and the room is on the other side. Room 22.”
“Thanks.”
“Do you folks need a hand with your luggage?” he asked and looked down to see only then that they had none.
“No, we’re good. Thank you.”
Mulder moved to Scully and took her arm as he led her out of the reception and towards the back of the building. He led the way upstairs and found the room then opened the door and ushered her in first. When he closed the door behind them there was a beat of silence. Finally there was no wind or rain howling around them and the sudden reality of being soaked through in a motel room with no change of clothes was compounded by the fact that the room only had one bed. A small one Mulder realised as he got a better look.
Scully opened the coat and let it slide off her shoulders. She caught it in her hands and draped it over the back of the chair. Mulder peeled off his sodden jacket and looked at his shirt which was just as wet, and stuck to his chest.
“You take the first shower,” Mulder said chivalrously as he toed off his shoes and started to unbutton his shirt.
“Let me see your head,” She said as she toed off her own shoes and crossed over to him.
“Huh?”
She stood in front of him and moved his head to see the small wound on his temple. It was a little deeper than a scratch but not deep enough to need stitches. The rain had washed away any of the blood and it had stopped bleeding and started healing already. The cold rain had actually helped the inflammation and cleaned it out pretty well.
“Sore?” she asked as she prodded the area around it.
“No, I forgot it was even cut,” he said as he moved his chin out of her grasp and moved towards the mirror to get a better look at the wound himself.
“Don't poke it,” she said as she moved into the bathroom.
Mulder got back to undressing. He peeled off his shirt and hung it up, then did the same with his trousers and socks. He thought about taking off his underwear but realised all the towels were in the bathroom so removal of his soggy blue cotton boxers would have to wait.
In the bathroom Sculy stripped and stepped into the warm shower. She sighed with pure pleasure and wanted nothing more than to curl up and stay right here surrounded by steam and hot water. But she knew Mulder was on the other side of the room, likely shivering with the cold, and waiting for his chance to warm up.
She quickly washed out her hair and soaped down her whole body then rinsed off. They didn't have any toiletries with them so there was no moisturiser or toothpaste. She dried off as best she could then looked at the sodden puddle that was her clothes. There was no way she was getting back into those, though the towel left little to the imagination. She picked up her skirt and whipped it about then did the same with her blouse, bra and panties. She wrapped the towel around her torso and tucked the end under her arm. She held the bundle of her clothes in front of her to help cover herself up as best she could then stepped into the bedroom.
Mulder was sprawled across the bed, his arms and legs akimbo. His eyes were closed and for a moment she wondered if he was asleep. She went to the wardrobe and hung up her clothes next to his and spaced them out enough in the hopes that they would dry soon.
“You asleep?” she said as she approached the bed, both hands on her towel to be sure it stayed in place.
“No, just lying here, contemplating the universe.”
“Go shower Mulder,” she said. She could see goosebumps on his skin which was covered in red patches from where his soaked clothing rubbed against him as they walked. “You need to get warm.”
Mulder opened one eye and glanced over at her. The towel she had wrapped around her was just long enough to come below her ass and it was worse than he expected. Her alabaster skin looked satin soft and without makeup or any product on her face her natural rosy tint highlighted the smattering of freckles across her face.
He looked away, sat up and walked right into the bathroom. Scully took his place and pulled the top blanket off the bed to wrap around her body instead of the world's smallest towel. She heard Mulder showering and singing and turned on the tv as she settled in against the headboard.
The weather was being reported on the local news. Some flash flooring in the area had closed multiple roads and it seemed they had gotten off lightly. She went over to the table by the door to see if there were any options for food nearby but all the leaflets were for cafes and restaurants, none of them mentioning delivery.
“Perfect.” She looked at her watch and saw it was about an hour before the lecture would start, not that she had a hope of making it there.
She wasn't mad at him for this whole situation but she was mad to be stuck here. Stuck in this motel, this room, this tiny room with a tiny bed and no clothes. No dry clothes she corrected herself. There was one more sheet that Mulder could use but even that was going to mean they would have to lie together in bed naked.
Not that that was a foreign thought to her, quite the opposite in fact. But thoughts that made it into her head, her dreams while she lay in her own bed, in the confines of her own apartment, while she was alone was a completely different situation. To be filled with those thoughts while he lay only feet maybe inches away wasn’t something she wanted to experience.
Mulder turned off the shower and stepped out to dry off. There was one towel left and it was just big enough to wrap around his waist though there wasn't enough material to tie it in place. He took a deep breath, willed his dick to stay below half mast and stepped into the room. He kept a white knuckle grip on the towel as he crossed the room slowly. He had left his boxers draped over the shower rail and made his way to the bed with only one thought in mind. Keep the towel in place.
He noticed immediately she had wrapped herself up in one sheet and left the other folded up at the end of the bed for him.
“Thanks,” he mumbled as he picked up the sheet with one hand but held the towel still in place with the other. He draped it around his torso and half turned away from her to be sure nothing was on display while he made the switch.
Once released from the scratchy towel he draped it over the back of the chair with hers then turned to face her. Now that he was standing here in the middle of the room with nowhere to sit except on the bed next to her. He thought about perching on the end but when she saw him standing there she shuffled over and made some room on the bed next to her.
He walked around the bed and tossed the tail end of the sheet over his shoulder like a toga as he lowered onto the mattress ass first like a lady getting into a car. Scully picked up the remote and flicked through a few channels but nothing grabbed her attention.
“Hey,” he said softly. “I’m sorry you have to miss your lecture.”
Scully lifted one shoulder in a half shrug. “It's ok, it couldn't be helped.”
Mulder nodded his head slowly but couldn't help the surge of guilt he felt. At every turn he was holding her back and this was just another misadventure he dragged her on that ended with her missing something that was important to her, while they chased something that was important to him.
He looked at the end of the bed and saw a scattering of leaflets strewn on the mattress. He picked them up and saw it was a pizzeria, an Indian restaurant and a Greek food truck.
“You hungry?”
“Yeah, but none of those places deliver.”
“I’ll go out and get us some food.”
“No, Mulder, you just got dry.”
“We gotta eat, there isn’t even a vending machine here.”
He climbed off the bed and went to the wardrobe. His trousers were still damp and freezing cold. He did not want to have to put them back on but he had to do something. It was still too early to sleep and being stuck in this room, on this tiny bed, with no clothes to wear was too much.
He tugged the trousers on under the sheet then pulled the tangled sheet away from his body. He grabbed his shirt and slipped his arms into the sleeves then realised his trousers weren't fully closed. He half turned away to fix the zipper and button before working on the shirt buttons. The clothes were damp and cold and felt awful but he needed to do this.
“Mulder, you can't go out in that weather, it's supposed to rain only for another hour, we can get food then.”
“We’ll be starved by then!” He put his shoes on without socks then grabbed the long coat she had been wearing in the rain to complete the ensemble.
“You’ll catch a cold.”
“At least I won't be hungry!” he said with a smile as he grabbed his wallet from the dresser by the TV. “Any preference?”
“I’d prefer if you stayed here.”
“Dealers' choice it is.”
“Mulder really,” she tried again but he was already at the door and pulled it open.
“I’ll ask the clerk where the closest place for food is. I won't be long. Get warm.”
He stepped out and pulled the door closed behind him. She saw him go by the window and pull the collar of his coat up around his neck. Part of her wanted to chase after him and pull him back into the room but the other part of her was too hungry. It had been hours since she had that small salad at lunch and the adrenaline spike from the crash, followed by the hike back into town depleted her energy stores. She needed food and a nap and not particularly in that order. She lay back against the pillow with a weary sigh and let the low sounds of a near muted tv lull her into a soft sleep.
After a brief chat with the motel clerk Mulder hurried in the direction of a diner a couple of blocks away that the clerk assured him would be open even in this weather. He could have cried with joy when he saw the lights on in the roadside diner and quickened his gait to get in there as fast as possible. All heads turned to him when he barged through the door and stood on the mat dripping rai from every point on his body.
“Well son, come in and take a load off,” the waitress behind the counter said as she gestured at a stool in front of her.
“Thanks,” Mulder mumbled as he moved across the entrance and took a seat. “You have a menu?”
“Sure thing, you want a coffee?” she asked as she handed him a laminated menu.
“Please,” he flipped up the cup on the counter and pushed it towards her to fill as he read what was on offer. He sipped the coffee and sighed as the heat slid down his throat and warmed him up from the inside.
“You know what you want to eat?”
“I want to place an order to go,” Mulder said and looked up at the waitress when she didn't respond.
“You want to go back out in that?”
“Yeah I need to get back to the beach inn, my partner is there.”
“You walked out in that?”
“Yeah, our car took a bit of a tumble just outside of town.”
“Oh wow,” the waitress put her coffee cup down and leaned in. “You both ok?”
“Yeah, we’re fine, just soaked through and hungry,” Mulder said with a crooked smile.
“Well you tell me what you want and I’ll get Ernie to run you back to the inn with your order.”
“Oh, you don't need-”
“Nonsense, now what will it be?”
“A couple of burgers with fries, and a couple of slices of pie please.”
“Coming right up, sit tight.”
By the time the food was ready Mulder was marginally warmer and not looking forward to going back out. The waitress, whose name was Sally and had topped up his coffee multiple times, packed two paper bags with his order then placed them into plastic bags and even included two more cups of coffee.
“There now, this will keep you fed. Cutlery and napkins are all in the bag sweetie.”
“Thanks,” Mulder said as he took the bags and balanced the weight to be sure it would hold in place.
“Now Ernie is outside in the truck, he’ll take you back to the motel.”
“Thanks,” Mulder said. He put the money on the counter and was sure to include a big tip before he huddled the food under his coat and climbed into the waiting truck. In no time they were back at the Inn. Ernie, who had parked as close to the awning by the stairs as he could, waved at Mulder as he climbed out and blared Kenny Rogers louder as he drove off.
Mulder hurried up to the room and let himself in. He closed the door quickly and put the bag of food onto the table and only then realised she was asleep. He swallowed as he took in the sight of her, curled up on the side of the bed, her damp hair fanned out on the white pillow, her body just about covered by the sheet she had draped over her torso, her legs bare and curled loose beneath her. The sheet had fallen across her back but no longer covered her as much as he thought she would like.
He took off his coat and shirt then grabbed the blanket and towel he had discarded earlier before hurrying into the bathroom to change into the sheet again. There was a certain relief in getting the wet trousers off but only having the sheet to wrap himself in was less than desirable. He folded it over a few times and wrapped it around his waist multiple times then tucked it in by his hip.
Back in the bedroom he saw she was still asleep but he wanted her to eat the food while it was warm rather than feed her cold soggy fries. He crouched by her head and put a hand on her bare shoulder, unable to resist the innocuous skin contact.
“Scully,” he said softly then chuckled at himself. Why speak so low when he was trying to wake her up? He shook her shoulder again. “Scully, hey, grubs up.”
“Hmmm,” she said and her eyes fluttered open. “Mulder…what…”
“Food, come eat something, you must be starving.”
He squeezed her shoulder and went back to the table where the food was and started to unpack it.
“Slim pickings I’m afraid,” he said as he looked over his shoulder only to see her sitting up on the edge of the bed with the sheet draped down her back and the top of her ass visible. He quickly looked away and tried to focus on not spilling the food. “Hope you’re ok with burgers and fries.”
“Just about anything sounds good right about now.”
He heard the bed sheets rustle behind him but kept his eyes focused. He had triple folded the sheet and wrapped it around his waist three times before tying it off, so he was pretty sure that whatever would happen beneath the sheet would be well disguised.
“I got you a coffee too,” he said and he picked it up from the carton and turned around to hand it to her.
She was rounding the bed to get over to him and he urged her to sit on the only chair beside the table. She did so carefully and made sure the blanket covered everything it was supposed to before she took the coffee he held out and enjoyed a long drink of the tepid liquid.
“Oh god, that's good.”
Mulder smiled then opened a box of fries in front of her and unwrapped a burger for her.
“Everything on it, with extra onions,” he said as he reached into the bag for her own food.
“Probably not a great idea with the lack of toiletries we have.”
“I won't mind your onion breath,” Mulder said as he dipped a fry into the ketchup and ate it with a grin.
“As long as I don't mind your ketchup breath?”
“Deal.”
Mulder sat on the end of the bed to still be able to reach the table and they ate silently for a while.
“How long do you think it will be before we look back on this and laugh?” he asked as he reached for a handful of fries.
“Maybe one day.” Scully spoke softly but kept her eyes on her food. “But today is not that day.”
“I’m really sorry about all of this,” he said and looked at her without raising his head.
“It's not your fault Mulder.” She finished her burger and bundled the wrapper up.
“Well it kinda is. If I hadn't stopped at that last house to interview Mr Brook-”
“Then you wouldn't have found out that he owned the Cadillac, and you wouldn't have realised that he was probably on scene when Mrs Parker went missing.”
“Yeah, well fat lot of good it did us.” Mulder tossed his empty burger wrapper into the brown bag he brought the food in then flopped back on the bed with a moan.
“Has the rain let up at all out there?” she asked. She didn't want him fixating on everything that had gone wrong.
“No, if anything it got worse. A bridge was washed out, and more roads have closed. I’m not sure how far we would have made it anyway.” He sat up and reached for his fries again.
“So we would have been stuck here anyway?”
“Or on the side of the road…or washed out in a river.”
“All things considered then,” Scully said as she stood to clear away the empty containers. “I guess we’re lucky that the only thing that got washed out was our clothes.”
Mulder choked on a fry and coughed it out of his throat before he sipped some coffee to wash it down.
“What’s this?” Scully asked as she pulled the pie boxes out of the bag.
“I thought we deserved a sweet treat.”
Scully smiled as she put both boxes on the table then fished out some spoons. “What flavours?”
“Not sure, I just asked for two slices of pie.”
“Which do you want?” she said and held both boxes out to him.
Mulder looked at each one. They were identical with no discerning smears or tags to indicate what was inside.
“Right one.”
Scully handed it to him then gave him a spoon before she sat on the chair again and crossed her legs. Mulder’s eyes moved to her thigh which was bared by the movement of the sheet but she didn't seem to notice. He tore his eyes away and opened the box to see what was inside.
He lifted it to his face and inhaled deeply. Rich sweet smokey apples and he couldn't help but moan.
Scully glanced over then opened her own box and looked down to see it was chocolate silk. Mulder watched her eyes open wider and her smile grow.
“What did you get?”
“Chocolate. You?”
“Apple.”
“Wanna trade?” she asked and held her box out a little towards him.
Mulder smiled. He knew she was a fiend for chocolate and it was a vice she rarely succumbed to. But he had spotted the candy wrappers in her car and caught her longing glances at the deserts that passed their table in various restaurants. If he took this pie from her now she would swap without complaint but inside he knew she would be disappointed. Besides, he loved apple pie.
“Nah, you keep the chocolate, and maybe we just trade bites.”
Scully lifted one eyebrow and took the box closer to herself.
“Bites of pie,” Mulder clarified and cursed the soft heat he felt rolling up his cheeks. He looked at his pie and concentrated on eating then chanced a look up at her to see her drag the spoon out of her lips. Her eyes were closed and she sighed a long slow breath through her nose. She looked like she was enjoying it more than he could have hoped and he smiled. Finally something was going right. “Good?” he asked.
“So good,” she said and held her eyes closed for a moment longer.
“Wanna trade a piece?” he said, adjusting his language to avoid another blush.
Scully smiled and nodded then held her box out to him. He speared a small section and ate it as he held his box out to her. She took a chunk and ate it then chewed and smiled.
“Really good,” she said. Mulder nodded and they finished the rest of their pies in silence.
As Mulder cleaned up after their dinner Scully used the bathroom and checked on her underwear. It was still damp but almost ready to wear again. If she had to sleep here, she wanted more than just a sheet covering her body. She knew she was a mover and shifter while she slept and likely to end up sprawled naked across the bed before she woke, so getting her underwear ready to wear would be a must.
She carried her bra, panties and Mulder’s damp boxers out and draped them over the back of a chair which she placed in front of the heater. Mulder came back in from where he dropped the trash and closed the door then locked it and fixed the curtains closed over the large window.
He turned to see her draping his underwear over the chair by the heater and smiled. Their clothing was still too wet to wear, his even more than hers after his added journey to the diner. But getting underwear to wear to bed would be vital to maintaining some sort of dignity for the night.
He moved across the room and sat at the head of the bed to use the phone. He dialled for information and asked for a towing service but the number rang out. He tried again for a different service but it rang out again. Scully had muted the TV and climbed on behind him so when he put the phone down and turned round she was sitting against the headrest with her legs stretched out in front of her, crossed at the ankles.
“No one is picking up, I guess there are a few people needing to be towed this evening.”
“Not surprised,” she said and she flicked through the few stations they had. The reception was fuzzy and in some channels unwatchable so she turned it off and put the remote on the bed stand.
“Looks like you’re stuck with my company for entertainment,” he said as he settled on the bed next to her.
“And no mini bar to soften the blow,” she muttered and he chuckled.
“How damp are-”
“They should be ok in about twenty minutes.”
“Another fine mess, huh,” he said, only half joking as he shuffled lower on the bed and bent one arm under his head.
Scully lifted one foot and pushed it against his calf then asked him about the case they had been working on. Anything to keep his mind off his guilt. And her mind off his naked body under the sheet he had wrapped around his waist. The tv mightn’t work, and there was a severe lack of alcohol, but they had a case that they could discuss and focus on. So she drove ahead with that, asking him questions, pressure testing his responses and theories and feeding him her own until they finally exhausted all they could without more investigation.
“I think Skinner is going to appreciate all the extra thought and preparation we put into the next steps of this investigation,” Mulder said as he climbed off the bed and went into the bathroom.
Scully checked their underwear and found it was pretty much dry. Relief coursed through her as she shook it out then turned as Mulder exited the bathroom wiping his hands across his sheet covered ass.
“Dry?” he asked and she nodded as she tossed him his boxers and slipped past him into the bathroom.
Mulder shook out his boxers, turned them the right way round then pulled them on under his sheet.
He wondered briefly if he needed to keep the sheet wrapped around his body or if the boxers were going to be enough. He sat on the end of the bed and decided to take her cue. The sheet was draped loosely over his lap and he rested back on the flat of his hands. He could hear the taps running then silence from the bathroom for a few moments before she stepped out.
Mulder swallowed in anticipation of what he might see and tried to look like he wasn't waiting for her though there was little there to distract him other than her body practically on display as she crossed the room. She had on her panties and bra, both white cotton, simple but amazing against her skin. She had the sheet draped over one arm and her hair curled behind her ears. She seemed to be avoiding his eyes as she sat on the bed and shook the sheet out to cover her legs.
“Feels weird not having my teeth cleaned before bed,” she said as she resettled the pillows behind her.
“I could-” Mulder started to say but she cut him off.
“No,” She put a hand on his shoulder to stop him from getting up. “I don't want you going out in that again.”
Mulder smiled and nodded his head as he moved back on the bed to lie next to her. He fluffed his own pillow and rested his head on it with one arm behind it and the other hand on his stomach. His sheet also covered him from the waist down and he closed his eyes over to keep them from locking on her chest. Or how her breasts filled out the cups of her bra and how her skin looked like his hand would glide across her stomach without friction.
“Shall I get the lights?” Scully asked when she saw him lying there with his eyes closed.
“I don't mind, keep them on if you want to read or something.”
“No, I’m pretty beat,” she admitted as she climbed off the bed.
The mattress shifted as she moved and Mulder opened his eyes to see her walk across the room to the light switch. He watched her check if the door was locked, fix the curtain fully closed then reached for the light switch and plunged the room into almost utter darkness.
There was silence for a moment then he could hear her moving back to the bed. The mattress moved again as she climbed on and shuffled under the sheet. He felt her arm brush against his, thought she mumbled an apology then the bed moved as she rolled away and finally stilled.
“G’night, Scully,” Mulder said.
“Night.”
Mulder kept his eyes closed and hoped that after everything that had happened that day sleep wouldn't be hard to find. Usually when he lay back at the end of the day and she filled his thoughts, he was able to bask in them, remembering the light touching, the smiles, the banter and exchange of ideas and theories. He would let those thoughts slide around his mind, slip down his spine and settle in his core as his hands took care of the rest.
But now that she was lying in bed next to him he needed to think about anything else. Anything.
Scully curled into a loose ball and cupped both hands under her cheek. She decided the best way to deal with this situation was to pretend it wasn't even happening. He wasn't lying next to her. He was wearing more than just his boxers. He hadn't been checking her out when she crossed the room. His eyes didn't look dark and full of desire when she ate that pie earlier. She felt a hot pulse of her own desire beat in her core and pressed her thighs together in a futile effort to keep it at bay. The last thing she needed was for her own arousal to reach such levels that he would become aware of it.
Instead she screwed her eyes shut and tried her best to recreate the lecture she was missing and kept her mind off everything else that was happening in a three foot radius.