You, Me and Iced Tea

By Donna
donnah@donnas-stories.com


URL - http://www.donnas-stories.com/
Rating - PG-13
Category - MSR
Spoilers - Tooms
Keywords - MSR
Summary - Just growing closer...
Feedback - Please
Archive - Anywhere, just let me know so I can visit

Disclaimer - Mulder, Scully, the Lone Gunmen and Skinner
all belong to Chris, 10-13, and Fox - Bless them for it!!  No
infringement intended


You, Me and Iced Tea


They watched the escalator steps rise, the spray of blood
increasing.  Mulder fought to get his breathing under control.

"Mulder?  Are you okay?" she asked anxiously.

He reached over and flipped the switch that stopped the
stairs from their continuous motion and slowly rose to his
feet.  "We need to get Skinner over here."  

She knew he had evaded her question, but let it pass for
now.  She pulled out her cell phone and placed the call
herself.  After she broke the connection, she looked over at
Mulder again.  "What about the police?"

"Let's wait until Skinner gets here."

She looked him up and down, but kept quiet.  She wasn't
sure what to say anyway.  She still had to accept that a 100
year old, liver eating mutant really had been hibernating in
the basement and had attacked him.

"Here," she said as she took his arm.  "You might as well
rest until he gets here."  He hesitated for a moment, then
nodded his head.  She carefully helped him slide back to the
floor so that he could rest his back against the base of the
escalator.

Skinner had made better time than she had expected, and
she moved to the door to let him in when she heard him
tapping on the glass.

He followed her back to Mulder in silence.  His eyes
narrowed as he looked Mulder over.   "What is that stench?"

He was speaking to Mulder, but it was Scully who answered.  
"Bile.  Tooms' nest was in the basement."

Skinner held up his left hand to halt her as he reached down
with his right to help Mulder to his feet.  "Start at the damn
beginning."

*****

Skinner was talking to the police now.  He was using his
position to keep things under control, but Scully was
watching Mulder.  He'd abruptly taken a seat on the floor
again in the middle of his rendition and she was pretty sure
his hands were shaking.  No one was near him now, so she
knelt beside him.

"Mulder, are you okay?"

"Tired," was his only response, though he didn't meet her
eyes.

Well that was understandable.  He was really looking
drained.  She joined Skinner and pulled him to the side.  
"How much longer will you need us?" she asked him quietly.

He glanced over at Mulder and saw what she had seen.  
"You two can go on.  I'll need a written report by five
tomorrow."

"Thank you."  She nodded up at him, then returned to
Mulder, who had made it back to his feet.  "We've been cut
free.  Let's get out of here."

He only nodded, following her out.  His hand didn't touch her
back.  She turned to find him and saw him sway slightly.

"Give me the keys, Mulder."

"What?"

"The keys.  I'm driving."

"Scully, I am perfectly capable of - " He looked up to see her
eyebrow on the rise, her hand out to accept the keys.

It wasn't worth the fight.  He put the keys in her hand and
turned to the passenger side.  He sat heavily in the car and
her concern rose a notch.  She pulled into the street, and
around the police cars.

"Mulder, are you all right?"

"He, uh, he may have gotten a piece of me."

"What?"  He grabbed the handle of his door when she
swerved.  "What do you mean?"

"When he grabbed my leg."

"Damn it, Mulder!  Why didn't you say something?  I'm taking
you to the ER right now."

"No.  That's why I didn't say anything.  I just want to go
home."

"If he broke the skin, it needs to be cleaned, disinfected - "
She glanced back over at him.

"You can handle that, can't you?"  He was shaking now.

Her hand came out to touch his forehead.  He was a little
cool, but it was the shaking that was bothering her.  Could
he be going into shock?  He closed his eyes and seemed to
press into her hand.

"Just rest, Mulder."  She made the first left turn and headed
toward her apartment.

He seemed to drift off, and she didn't disturb him until she
was parked in front of her building.  "Mulder.  Mulder, we're
here.  I need you to wake up."

"Mmm, Scully?  What . . . "

"Let's go inside, let me look at your leg."

"Where . . . this is your place."

"Yes, it is."

"Why are we here?"

"You wanted me to treat you.  My things are here.  It's okay."  
She let herself out and hurried around to help him.

He was even less steady on his feet.  She took his arm and
led him into her apartment building.  As soon as she got
them inside her apartment, she took his trench coat and his
suit coat and seated him on the couch.  "Let me see your
leg."  

He gingerly pulled up the fabric of his slacks.  She could see
that his sock was torn.  She squatted in front of him and
carefully exposed the scratches on his leg.  They didn't look
deep, but blood had oozed from the wounds.

"Do you think you could handle a shower?"

He blinked at her, his eyes widening. "A shower?  Here?"

"Yes," she spoke matter of factly.

"Well, yeah."

"I think you'd feel better and then I could irrigate the
scratches and bandage them."

He nodded and hoisted himself up off the couch.

"There are towels in there, anything you should need.  
Okay?"

He nodded and shuffled toward the bathroom.  She heard
the water cut on, then gathered up her supplies to take care
of him.  It occurred to her that putting on the clothes that still
reeked of bile wouldn't help matters, so she took her white
terrycloth robe to the door.  She tried the knob and found it
unlocked.  She quietly stepped inside and took his clothing,
leaving her robe and his boxers over the toilet.  She'd need
to bag the clothing anyway, as evidence.

He stood under the hot spray and sighed as some of the
tension ebbed from his body.  After a moment, he picked up
her bottle of shower gel and sniffed it, feeling the last
tentacles of tension ease away

When he joined her in the living room, he was wearing his
boxers, with the robe wrapped around his shoulders.  His
sheepish look brought an amused smile to her face.

"I should be grateful it's not pink, right?" he muttered as he
sank back onto the couch.

"I'm a redhead, Mulder.  I don't do pink," she said dryly.  She
lifted his leg to lay on the towel she'd spread out on the
coffee table.  He quickly moved the robe down and placed it
across his lap, but she ignored it.  The heat of the shower
had caused the blood to flow once again and she was
pleased to see it.  She irrigated the area with some bottled
water, then checked it again.  Stitches weren't needed, but it
was going to be sore.  He grumbled loudly and clutched at
the couch cushion when she disinfected the area.

After she had bandaged it, she leaned back.  "Okay, now I
want to give you shot of penicillin."

"A shot?" he whined.

"Mulder, there's no telling what was under Tooms'
fingernails.  Come on, be a big boy."

He scowled, but leaned over to offer his arm.

She shook her head. "The hip."

He stopped, looking at her in disbelief.

"Come on, Mulder."

"Now you're just trying to humiliate me."

She held the needle up and turned to face him.  "Mulder."

He heaved a very put-upon sigh and began to pull down the
waistband of his boxers slightly.  He grimaced as she stuck
him and continued to complain even though she'd walked
away to dispose of the syringe.

"Scully?"

"Are you through bitching?" she called from the kitchen.

"Your bedside manner needs some work, Scully."

He heard her chuckle and smiled for the first time since he'd
escaped from that vile hole.

When she returned to the living room, she had turkey
sandwiches and a bowl of broccoli and cauliflower with dip.   
He eyed the bowl with trepidation, then reached for the
sandwich.

She didn't push the issue, glad he was eating something.  
He picked up the glass she had brought him and took a sip.  
Iced tea.  He found he couldn't look up at her.

"Scully, I need to head home."

"You're not going home tonight."

He did look up then. "Excuse me?"

"Well for one thing, you can't leave in my robe and your
clothes are ruined.  Just stay here tonight."

"You - "

"You can have the bed."

"I can't take your bed."

"Why not?  You'd do the same for me, if you had a bed."  
She cut her eyes at him.

He mock glared at her for a moment.  "Really, Scully.  I'm
fine.  You've taken care of me enough tonight, I - "

"Mulder, go get ready for bed."  Her tone brooked no
discussion.

He glanced over at the bedroom.  It should be okay, with the
door shut she shouldn't hear anything.  He took a deep
breath and rose from the couch.  He was only limping a little
as she watched him move away from her.

When she was sure he'd had time to get settled, she tapped
on the door and opened it.  He looked up startled and
grabbed the covers.  She couldn't stop the chuckle.

"Are you going to tuck me in?" he asked with mock concern.

"I wanted to check your leg one more time, make sure it's
not seeping."

He actually did look a little frightened and she realized he
was lying in her bed, wearing only his boxers.  For the
millionth time she cursed her red-hair.  What would it be like
not to blush at every thought?

She moved the sheet to uncover his leg.  Damn he had a
nice body and she needed to get the hell out of here.  "Looks
good, Mulder.  Get some rest."

He nodded, pulling the sheet back over his leg.  He watched
as she withdrew something from her dresser drawer and let
herself out, pulling the door shut.  He relaxed back against
the pillow.

Mistake, it smelled of her.  That wasn't exactly relaxing.  
Having her run her hands over his leg wasn't either.  She'd
had iced tea for him, but that didn't mean anything.  Lots of
people had iced tea in their fridge, ready to drink.

"I wouldn't put myself on the line for anyone but you."

He felt warm just thinking about that.  He'd made a crack,
but he'd been moved more than he'd wanted to be.  She
wasn't at all what he'd expected.  He'd made up his mind
about her before he'd met her.  Now she had spent months
chipping away at his preconceived notions.  It was annoying
and . . . and he trusted her, damn it.  When the thought had
come to him that if Tooms got past him the danger to her
was . . . Damn it.

He made himself comfortable.  The pain in his leg was
nearly gone.  It had just been a scratch after all.  The
reaction had come from knowing . . . hell from knowing
suddenly that he cared about her.  He'd had to save her from
the same monster twice.  Maybe Colton should have talked
her into - No.

Adreline gone, his eyes slid shut.

He was in Tooms' cave again, the first time.  The sight of
Scully's necklace on the table caused his blood pressure to
go through the roof.  Now he was racing to her, shattering
her doorframe to get inside.  Then, then it was quiet.  They
were alone in the dark.  "I wouldn't put myself on the line for
anyone but you."  He leaned over and kissed her and she
had responded.  She had responded.

Then he was climbing up the base of the escalator, battered,
covered in bile.  Why hadn't Tooms killed him?  Why had
Tooms surged past him after incapacitating him?  Then he
saw her, lying on the marble floor, ripped open like a . . . oh
god, no! No! NO!

*****

Scully jerked awake at the cry that came from her room.  
She was on her feet and running before she had time to
think of grabbing up her robe.  What the hell had happened?

He was lying there in a fetal position.  Was he crying?  All
she could understand was the word 'no' and he kept
repeating it over and over.

"Mulder, Mulder wake up.  It's okay, it's just a dream."  Did
he have dreams like this often, or had tonight's events
triggered this?

"Mulder, can you hear me?"  She sat down on the bed
beside him and was stroking his cheek.  Her touch seemed
to calm him, but he didn't wake.  His shaking had decreased
at her touch.  

When she removed her hand, he became restless again.  
Searching for the warmth, the human contact?

He was calm again, but she was still worried.  Instead of
returning to the living room, she made herself comfortable
beside him.  He was asleep, so she relaxed next to him.  He
was covered, his leg wasn't bleeding.  She could sleep here
on top of the covers in case he needed her again.  Nothing
would happen, she was just giving him comfort.

*****

Mmmm, Scully scent.  She sure smelled better than any
other partner he'd had.  He burrowed his face into her
breasts and let his hand cup one.  Nice.

She turned then, pulling him closer.  "Muld . . . "

His eyes flew open then.  This wasn't a dream.  He was lying
in bed groping his partner.  What the hell?  He moved
slightly to get his bearings without realizing he wasn't
breaking the embrace.

He was in a bed, under the covers.  She was beside him, but
on top of the spread.  She was wearing pajamas - with no
bra - and allowing him to sleep with his head on her breasts.  
Think Mulder.

Apartment - this was her apartment.  Tooms, his leg had
been injured and she had brought him here when he hadn't
wanted to go to the ER.  This was her bedroom.  But she'd
been in the living room.  What had brought her in here?

Shit!  Had he had a nightmare?  Which one?  He'd obviously
gone back to sleep afterwards, with her holding him.

"I wouldn't put myself on the line for anyone but you."

He couldn't get that line out of his head.  What did it mean?  
She had lied for him, to protect him.  He'd been shocked
speechless.  They hadn't talked about that.  But it had shown
him something he hadn't realized about her - she cared for
him, not just her partner, him.  But this.  How should he
interpret this?

She moved in his arms and his body sprang to life.  He
eased slightly away from her, but she followed.  Damn she fit
well for such a little thing.

He smiled at that thought.  Even now he knew she'd snatch
him baldheaded if he referred to her as small.  In truth, he
usually didn't think of her that way.  He had last night.  His
smile faded.  If Tooms had gotten past him, she would have
been killed.  Tooms had been crazed at being discovered
and he would have ripped her liver from her, regardless of
his need.

Mulder shivered and his arms tightened around her.  He'd
have lost her.

She stirred then, "Mulder?"

"It's okay."  It was.  They were partners, maybe more.  He
hoped more.  He'd take it slow, she was too important to
rush.  But she had put herself on the line for him.  He
wouldn't forget it.



Author's notes:  Don't know how long this has been on the
hard drive.  I believe it was the beginning of a PMP I started
for Tali that just wouldn't go NC-17 for me <g>.  Hope you
enjoy!