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Welcome Home from Philadelphia, Scully

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Title: Welcome Home from Philadelphia, Scully

Author: Sara B.

E-Mail: sabo727@tampabay.rr.com

Feedback: Worshipped lovingly. 

Spoilers: Never Again

Category: Angst M/O Sex

Rating: Over 17 – nothing overt but adult themes

Summary:  A few moments between Mulder and Scully after she returns from Philadelphia.

Disclaimer:  The recognized characters are used Without Prejudice and are the property of C. Carter, Fox and the wonderful actors who breathed life into written words, most notably G. Anderson and D. Duchovny who were able to make us believe in the improbable.  No Infringements of these
copyrights are intended, and are used here without permission.  The story and before unknown characters belongs to me.

Gratitude: To Kim Knight, you are the best, thank you.  To my Dennis for just being my Dennis.  To CC and Company, who created the X-Files.  Lastly, and most importantly, to the readers

Archive: I’d be honored.  Please keep my name attached and let me know where it will be.  Thank you.

Welcome Home from Philadelphia, Scully

Sara B. 5/2005

 

Scully cleaned up her ‘area’ and grabbed her things to leave.  It was Friday and she was exhausted.  There had been an enormous amount of tension in the office since she returned from Philadelphia.  She couldn’t help it; she resented Mulder thinking this was all about him, it wasn’t, not really, this was all about her.  Scully was a disciplined woman.  Discipline had been instilled in her all her life.  Her father may have been in the Navy but her mother was a Navy wife and there was no one more a disciple of discipline than a Navy wife.  It was a necessity for raising a successful family.  It was what saw them through all the moves and all the lonely times their husbands were away. 

Discipline was ingrained in Scully; a part of her make up.  Discipline was what drew her to science and physics and, later, her medical training.   It also was the reason she joined the FBI; a choice ironically her parents saw as rebellion.  Scully never understood her parent’s reaction.  The FBI offered structure and she would be serving her country; patriotism was another thing that had been drilled into her.  When she had been visited by the FBI recruiters, she saw it not as a choice but an omen.

But for all her discipline every so often the staid, quiet, dutiful woman known as Dana Scully needed to break out.  Her rebellious nature usually came out when an authority figure pushed her too far or took her for granted.

It had happened when she was seven and they lived in Japan.  Bill Jr. told her girls were weak and couldn’t be Captains.  She showed him ‘weak,’ by leading her team to victory over his in soccer every time they played. 

In High School Mr. Dally told her that she and Sean Tanner scored the same on their biology mid term.  He accused her of cheating for no other reason than she was a girl.  Instead of crying or protesting, Dana insisted that they be given another test immediately.  When the tests were scored she got all fifty questions correct.  She immediately lodged a complaint which resulted in a reprimand for Mr. Dally and a week long suspension for Sean. 

During her residency, when she found out that Daniel was not in the midst of a divorce but just another cheating husband, her rebellion took the shape of changing her specialty from Cardiology to Pathology.

Her last real rebellion was ending her relationship with Jack.  He’d gone behind her back to keep her out of the field.  She found her original form requesting field duty while looking for a pencil in his desk.  He’d had a friend pull it from the files so it couldn’t be processed.  She stormed over to personnel and reported the incident.  Jack was furious that his friend was not only reprimanded but transferred to work for Alvin Kersh, the biggest stick up his butt Assistant Director in the FBI.  Her response was simple and immediate; she ripped the ring from her finger and threw it at him.  The Ice Queen was born.

This time her rebellion resulted left her with a permanent reminder; a tattoo on her lower back and the memory of one searing kiss.  Ed had wanted more, nearly demanded it, although Dana Scully may be reckless on occasion, she was never stupid.  She had never had sex with a stranger and she never would.  In the end, Ed understood and gave her his bed while he slept on the couch. 

Not that she would ever tell Mulder, it wasn’t his damned business.  He’d been treating her like his personal property.  She felt that he expected her to only do what he told her and he’d been really thrown by her attempt to break away from his dominance. 

Fox Mulder ignored the woman that was Dana Scully; only acknowledging the Agent, Doctor and Friend.  Ed saw the woman and he let her know he liked what he saw.  She needed to feel desired, wanted.  Her ego had taken a few too many blows recently.  Blows administered with excellent, if unintentional, aim by Mulder.

“Have a good weekend Mulder.”  Scully said as she gathered her things.

“Oh, hey Scully, got any plans for tonight?  I thought maybe we could get some takeout and watch some old movies.  It’s been a long time since we just hung out.”  Mulder spoke so fast it took her a moment for his question to register.

“You want to have dinner, with me?”  She couldn’t stop the incredulity in her tone.

“That was the general idea.  Just you, me and whatever is on cable.”  His tone made it sound like it was something they did frequently when in truth she couldn’t recall ever just ‘hanging out’ with Mulder. 

“Sure, Mulder,” she said haltingly, “but rather than takeout I have some leftover lasagna if you’d like?  I have to make a couple stops on the way home so . . .” Scully pulled her apartment key off her chain and gave it to him.  “I’ve been meaning to give you a key for a while, so here. Set the oven on 350 and put the lasagna in.  Just buzz me in when I get there.”

 

Scully wasn’t quite sure what was going on but she was sure it had nothing to do with two friends ‘just hanging out’ on a Friday night.  Mulder was up to something, of that she was positive. 

She hated that things had gotten so bad that she questioned Mulder’s motives but she couldn’t help it.  He’d been sullen and resentful since she’d gotten back from her stint in the hospital.  That was another thing, her hospital stay.  He’d visited her once then returned to D.C. without telling her.  He hadn’t even called after he left.

The other day she heard from Judy Simons on accounting that Mulder and she had quite a date the same night.  Judy had spared her most of the gory details but she did tell her that she could ‘personally attest for the excellent springs in Mulder’s couch.’  Scully could barely look at Mulder the rest of the day. 

That was Wednesday and now he wants to spend the evening with her.  She felt she was justified questioning his motives.

 

Scully arrived home at six-fifty and buzzed.  She’d had to stop and pick up a few things from the store.  She added two bottles of her favorite red wine and a six pack of beer for Mulder to her list and headed home.  Scully had an inkling they might need a little alcohol before this night was over.  She was positive she would.

Mulder helped her put away the groceries.  It amazed her that for the few times Mulder had been in her kitchen he knew exactly where everything went. 

Mulder pulled out a box from the bottom of the bag and held it up; tampons.  Scully forgot those were in there and she braced herself for whatever inappropriate comment he was about to throw at her.  She only heard his footsteps walking toward her bathroom as he went to put them away. ‘That was unexpected,’ she thought and her paranoia raised two levels.  She eyed one of the bottles of wine and seriously thought of opening it and just guzzling the whole thing. 

 

 

Dinner had been companionable but mostly quiet.  Mulder asked about the lab work for the Robin’s case and Scully told him it wasn’t finished but Pendrell would have the results to them late Monday or early Tuesday.  The tension that had plagued them all week was slightly less but Scully kept her guard up, Mulder was the master of lulling her into complacency then pouncing.  He told her to tell her mom how much he liked her lasagna and was struck dumb when she responded, “when have you had her lasagna?  I made this.”’  Mulder looked at her as if to say, ‘why didn’t I know you could cook,’ and sadness clouded his eyes for a moment.   

 

After dinner, Mulder helped with the clean up but they still didn’t say much.

“Mulder, why don’t you check out the listings and find something to watch while I finish up and go change my clothes?”

“Sure, Scully.  Anything in particular you want to see or do I have free range on choice?”  Mulder made a half hearted attempt to leer her.

“I don’t get any of ‘those’ stations so you are free to ride the entire range.”  His face fell in mock disappointment.

 

Scully walked into the living room a few minutes later to find Mulder watching the opening credits to her copy of the mini series of Stephen King’s ‘The Stand.’  “Oooh, good choice.”  She sat down on the left side of the couch. 

A half and hour into the show, she realized that Mulder was watching her and not the movie.  She turned to him and he didn’t even try to hide it.

“Scully, could you tell me why?”

“You have to be more specific, why what?”

“Why you slept with Ed Jerse, why the tattoo?”

Scully just stared off into space for a moment, amazed at how he could ask her such a personal question.  How he thought he had the right to know. 

“No, Mulder, I don’t think I will.”

Mulder jumped off the couch and started pacing.  “I don’t understand, Scully.  How could you be so . . .” Mulder was ranting but Scully wasn’t hearing the words, just his tone.  He sounded like a cuckolded lover or husband.  His words demanded that she explain; that she owed him an explanation.

Mulder was in the middle of his tirade when Scully interrupted him when she quietly asked, “What was Judy Simons, Mulder, a retaliation screw?”

Mulder stopped mid word and mid stride.  His face turned crimson and he wouldn’t look at her. 

“Judy had some very complimentary things to say about your, well shall we call it, your style.  Care to tell me about it, to explain it to me?”

Mulder deflated in front of her when the injustice of his demands hit him, the double standard.

“Don’t make demands on me unless you are willing to join in the discussion.”  Scully didn’t raise her voice but there was no mistaking the deadly threat behind her words.  “I think it would be best if you left now.” 

Mulder only nodded, grabbed his coat and headed to the door.  “Oh and Mulder, before you retaliate again I suggest you make sure there is something to retaliate about.”  She never looked at him but heard the door shut.

 

Mulder stood looking at her door pondering her last words.  Had she meant that there was no reason for retaliation because she hadn’t slept with Jerse or because they weren’t lovers?  Slowly he turned and walked away.

 

End  

Sara B. 

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