Summary: Some things have to be heard to be believed... Classification: S, MSR Rating: PG-13 Disclaimer: The X-Files belongs to CC, 1013, Fox and used without permission, as if. Distribution: Yes, please post to other lists/archives. Notes: This story incorporates my discussion on the Chaos XF list regarding Mulder-as-hero and my thoughts on Skinner's view of Scully. There's a line from Redux II that haunts me, "Tell me why Scully lied for you." Open acknowledgement: To the author who invented the infamous "interoffice pool"---my memory's not quite like Mulder's. Thank you for contributing such a wonderful detail to fanfic canon. Feedback to oliviawill@aol.com Thanks, Jeanette: Prize does sound better... Rhyme & Reason By Olivia Williams J.Edgar Hoover Building Morgue 2:31 a.m. Special Agent Fox Mulder chewed thoughtfully on a stale sunflower seed as he walked down the darkened hallway in search of his partner. He pushed through the gray double doors and nodded to the lab technician slumped behind an overflowing counter. "She's in Bay 3," the technician offered without being asked. Dr. Scully's partner had become a routine visitor over the years. Mulder waved a thank you and turned left toward the refrigerated rooms. The young tech watched Mulder's departure and pondered the validity of the ever-present rumors surrounding the duo from the basement. Then he shook his head and returned to his work---the dead were waiting. Mulder glanced through several door-windows and involuntarily shuddered---with his over-active imagination, there was no way he could work in a morgue. None. The sound of voices penetrated the tired fog in his brain---Scully had company in Bay 3. Alive company, he hoped. "What exactly are you offering?" Special Agent Dana Scully's quiet tone conveyed a myriad of feelings---exhaustion, disbelief, and a hint of curiosity. Assistant Director Walter Skinner looked at the pale red-haired woman intently. "You know exactly what I'm offering." Their words echoed through the hall as Mulder pulled his hand from the edge of the door. He bit his lip and withdrew silently into the shadows. "You can't be serious." Scully's voice was simply tired now. "I'm very serious. Think about it." Skinner's tone was rough. "Leave DC, leave the Bureau---leave Mulder? For you?" Scully sighed. She really didn't like the way the conversation was going. It was way too late for it anyway---both literally and figuratively. "Not for me---with me. There's a difference. And at the expense of repeating myself, I'll remind you of the benefits---you'd be a hell of alot safer, and so would your family." "That's low and you know it." Scully hissed. Skinner nodded---he was hitting below the belt and he did indeed know it---but he felt it was worth the effort. Especially if it got him what he wanted. "I can keep you safe, and free, and I can give you what he can't---my complete attention." Skinner moved a bit closer to his agent. "You know he can't do that." "So? Now I'm some sort of prize to be won?" Scully dared him to contradict. "Scully, you're being obtuse." The nearly bald man ran a hand over his head. Skinner momentarily wished for more hair---just so he could pull it out. "Mulder puts your life in constant danger, he takes you for granted, and views you as some kind of replacement for the sister he lost." Scully closed her eyes and leaned against the cold steel table. "You're wrong. Mulder's quest is dangerous by its very nature, and no one could ever take Samantha's place." The petite agent opened her eyes and gave Skinner a small smile. "Well, okay, he does sometimes take me for granted." Scully stared at a spot on the wall, "But that would be my fault, wouldn't it?" Skinner just stared at her. Scully groaned and pushed herself from the edge of the metal table and began pacing in tight circles. "Mulder's quest---it makes him different from most men." Scully cursed the tremble in her voice and wondered just who she was trying to convince. "So this noble endeavor gives him carte blanche to treat you like shit, to ditch you whenever he chooses, and---," Skinner placed himself directly in Scully's path, "to ignore the fact that you are an incredibly beautiful and intelligent woman who's proven her love and loyalty to him time and again?" Scully made a small noise of protest. She could feel the heat and the intensity of the man before her---Walter S. Skinner was a man of strong convictions, and in this he felt strongly. She shivered. But Skinner continued uninterrupted, "You are worth more than that---as an agent, as a friend, as a partner---and as a woman." This time Scully did interrupt, "That's not the issue---." "Yes, it is, Scully." Skinner was close enough to touch her, but he didn't. "I can be there for you without fail, I can be what he can't. I want that." He'd placed his cards on the table. Now he had to wait for her hand. But even in this, Scully surprised him. He'd been so focussed on the personal aspect of their possible relationship, that he'd forgotten one very important fact. Scully wasn't like most other women---and many men found her raw intelligence frightening. Mulder completely reveled in it. Whereas Mulder's genius lay in his intuition, Scully's came from logic. Mulder had found someone every bit his mental equal, and he viewed her intellect as a challenge---one she'd accepted, Skinner realized. He was too late. Mulder had seduced her mind long ago. "You underestimate me---I never wanted that. What I've wanted is to find someone who respects me---and believes in me---and who inspires me. Mulder does all of that. I value our partnership above all else." Scully's eyes met Skinner's. "It's not...perfect...but it's close. I won't trade it in for the house with the picket fence---not with you, not with anyone." Scully dropped her eyes, feeling an absurd sense of guilt. "No one but Mulder, you mean." Skinner stated flatly. Scully snorted softly. "That really wouldn't be Mulder's style." She looked at the attractive man in front of her. "I do understand what you are offering, but I can't change who I am---what I feel." "What you don't feel?" Skinner asked quietly. Scully nodded, remaining silent. Skinner stared at her pale face for a moment, then spoke---his words sounding harsh even to himself. "Mulder must be blind." Scully shook her head. "Not at all. Mulder doesn't miss much." She gave Skinner a small smile, "I think he knows I care for him, but he neither wants it nor understands it, so he chooses to ignore it. It's safer that way---for him, and I suppose, for me." "I thought that you'd be smarter than this," Skinner sighed. "To stay here with him on his quest that guarantees you nothing---and will likely get you killed. Why?" Scully brush a strand of hair from her face, feeling as if she'd not slept in weeks. "Lots of reasons, I guess." She was getting punchy, she thought. She had a sudden urge to laugh. Scully flashed Skinner a tired grin, "It's not boring." Skinner snorted, "You got me there." Scully moved closer to him. "It's just that I feel like I'm a part of something incredibly worthwhile." Skinner leaned forward, nearly brushing against her side. "How do you mean?" "What if Mulder's right?" Scully swept her arm up, "About all of this---the conspiracy, the aliens, human testing, hybrid-clones, everything. What if he's the only one who can stop it---can stop the bad guys from winning---simply because he dares to believe it? He's the only one brave enough to try and stop what no one else even considers." Scully looked up at Skinner thoughtfully. "If evil---and I have no doubt of its existence---continues unchecked, who can we blame but ourselves when we're finally confronted with it?" Scully sighed softly, "Mulder sees that evil." "Do you?" Skinner asked. "I don't have to---I believe in Mulder---and in his quest. His intentions are pure." Scully's voice carried conviction. "What if he's wrong? What if he's doing more harm than good? What if others know things he doesn't, and there are reasons for what they are doing?" Skinner hated playing devil's advocate, but he wanted to be sure Scully'd considered all of it. Scully looked at Skinner for a long moment. She faced him squarely, and spoke with finality, "Evil methods to accomplish good deeds? It doesn't work that way. Sooner or later the evil corrupts it all---trite, maybe, but true. What I believe to be at stake here is free will. When you lift the cover of darkness and look beneath, individual freedom is the issue in jeopardy. Whether the players vying for control are in the government, in the military, or from outer space, is a moot point. The point is "we the people" are letting others take control of our lives by our continued passivity. And our lack of vigilance could end up costing us even more, if we aren't careful." Skinner reached out to touch her hand, but Scully's tone stopped him. "I was taken somewhere and treated like a lab rat. It was not my choice. Mulder wants to know why I was taken---I just want to make sure they never take me again. This is my fight now. My fight for my freedom. My decision. And in this, I choose to stand at Mulder's side." Skinner looked at her carefully. He knew she meant every word. He nodded slowly, part of him was wounded that she'd not chosen him, but a larger, more noble part of him was proud of her. And he was awed at the depth of her commitment to Mulder. "You deserve more than what he gives you, Scully." Skinner stated honestly. "Like Mulder deserves more than he gets?" She smiled. "Touch?." Skinner gave her a small grin. There was silence in the cold room, but neither Scully nor Skinner felt uncomfortable. Skinner looked at Scully once more, then nodded his acceptance. Of everything. "It's late. I should let you finish," Skinner's voice was low. "Are you---?" "I'm fine." Scully smiled at the man before her---he reminded her of Mulder---sometimes. "I'm not wrong." Skinner walked toward the steel doors, stopping with his hand against it. Scully arched an eyebrow in question. "About you." He paused. "And I'm not going anywhere." He gave her a tight smile and strode into the darkened hallway. Skinner didn't look back. Scully shook her head slightly and muttered an apology to the cadaver on the metal table. "Sorry about that." She reached to turn the tape recorder back on and let out a strangled gasp as Mulder's voice came from the doorway. "Scully?" Mulder stared at the woman before him. The words he'd overheard were still ringing in his ears. He moved toward his partner. "God, Mulder, you startled me." Scully let out an exasperated sigh. Must be a full moon out tonight, she thought irrationally. "You look tired." Mulder reached out a hand and brushed a strand of copper hair behind her ear. "You about done?" Scully stared at Mulder suspiciously, "Almost, why?" Mulder grinned at her distrust, "I was just going to offer to drive you home, Scully." Scully finished the stitches she'd been working on and leaned back. "I know you, Mulder---you always start out this way, and suddenly there's a forest involved, and then one of us is in the hospital." "You wound me, Scully, really." Mulder watched as his partner gathered vials and placed them in their appropriate slots. "Don't tempt me, Mulder. And what are you still doing here, anyway? I thought you left hours ago." Scully finished putting her instruments away and placed a clean sheet over the body. Dell would come in and take care of the rest. Mulder wondered what she'd do if he admitted to eavesdropping on private conversations. Best not find out, he thought. Humor aside, he'd been given a gift---rare knowledge---and he intended to use it. Hopefully, he'd use it wisely. He eyed his partner. "I felt guilty." He waited for Scully's inquiring look, and continued, "Leaving you to do this, while I went home and stared at my ceiling." Scully nodded slowly. "And this time would be different how exactly?" She had him there, he thought. "Maybe I'm growing as a person?" Mulder gave her a hopeful look and was reward by a real Scully laugh. "You're scaring me, Mulder." Scully picked up the tape recorder and removed the cassette. She still had to write up the autopsy report and then review Mulder's case notes. I'm getting too old for late nights like this, she thought tiredly. Mulder's eyes followed Scully's every move. How many times have I ignored this incredible person, he wondered. How many times have I put the work first? Mulder thought he'd rather not know how often he had. It was time for a change. Mulder walked over to his partner and pulled the cassette from her hand. "I think it's past your bedtime, G-Woman. This can wait." He pocketed the tape and reached up to pull the lab coat from Scully's shoulders. "Now I'm really getting nervous, Mulder. What's going on? Where are we going?" Scully looked up at her partner, suddenly disconcerted by the look in his eyes. "Trust me, Scully?" Mulder asked off-handedly. "You know I do, Mulder." Scully walked over to the light switch and waited for Mulder to join her by the door. Mulder ushered her out the door as she hit the lights. "Then believe me when I say that you have nothing to worry about, Scully." Mulder waited as Scully gave the lab technician a brief run-down on the body in Bay 3. Scully tossed a tired goodnight at Dell and eyed Mulder questioningly. "Ready?" Mulder smiled and nodded. "Hey, Scully," he began as they walked down the hall, "let's sleep in late, okay?" He knew he'd scored a hit when he heard a muffled cough from Dell back at his desk. Mulder suppressed a grin. Scully groaned and kept walking. "Mulder---." "Just having fun, Scully." Mulder's voice was suspiciously innocent. "Don't we feature in enough rumors already? Do you have to fan the fire?" Scully queried. "Rumors?" Mulder stopped in front of the rear elevator. "What rumors?" "Nevermind," Scully whispered. She entered the elevator and pressed a button. Mulder leaned back against the rail and stared at his partner intently. "Do you ever think about us, Scully? Like the way the rumors describe?" He was definitely playing with fire, but he couldn't stop now. Scully's conversation with Skinner had been enlightening, but nothing would change unless he acted. And he wanted that change more than anything. Scully met Mulder's gaze without flinching---barely. "You mean like---us...involved?" "Yes." Mulder watched as Scully looked away and began to fidget. He continued, "Because I have to tell you, Scully, that I do---sometimes." The elevator stopped, depositing them at the garage level where his car was parked. He reached for Scully's hand and led her toward the blue car. "You're awfully quiet, Scully. Are you o.k.?" Mulder unlocked the passenger door and watched as Scully climbed in. "I'm fine, Mulder." Scully said softly. Her head was spinning. It had been a very long night, she thought. Full moon, indeed. Scully watched as Mulder rounded the car and got in the driver's seat. She looked up when she realized that he had no intention of starting the car. "What?" "You never answered my question, Scully." Mulder waited. "I...what exactly do you want me to say, Mulder?" She turned to face her partner in the tight confines of the car. She had to see his eyes. With them, she could always tell when he was teasing. He met her gaze directly. He was serious, she thought. Oh, God. "Yes." Scully took the easy way out. Brevity. "Yes, you've thought about us?" Mulder waited until Scully nodded. "And you were o.k. with the idea?" He felt like he was walking on thin ice now. One of Mulder's risqu? lines whipped through Scully's mind---was he coming onto her? Why now? Suddenly the shoe fell, and his actions made sense. She stared at him in shock. She felt sick. "You heard." Mulder bit his lower lip and nodded. Time for the truth. He took a deep breath, "Scully, I ---", Mulder broke off as tears appeared in Scully's eyes. Scully brushed a hand over her face. Was he going to make fun of her? Was that it? Had he gotten a kick out of hearing her declaration? She felt sick with mortification. Time to leave, she thought. She reached for the handle on the door. Mulder watched as Scully's face went white with shock and her blue eyes went wide with panic. He anticipated her move toward the door, "Don't. Scully---trust me." He pulled her around to face him again. He reached up and touched the edge of her cheek lightly. "Whatever you're thinking, that's not it." He stared at the woman he practically held. "You know me, Scully. You know I'm really inept when it comes to relationships---why would ours be any different?" Scully stared back at him, remaining silent. "Skinner may have been right about you, but he was way wrong about me. And so were you." Mulder ran his finger down her nose. "Did it never occur to you that I hadn't asked more of you all these years because I wasn't about to risk scaring you away?" Mulder paused and ran a hand through his hair. He looked directly at his partner. "Scully---besides a lost little eight-year-old girl---you've been the only person in my life I've ever loved unconditionally." Scully felt physical pain at the anguish in Mulder's voice---she heard the truth in every word. She placed her hand on Mulder's and watched as he linked their fingers. "I cannot live without this, Scully," Mulder stated quietly. "Our partnership is so outside the norm. You stimulate me on so many levels---anything less than what we have now would pale by comparison. I can't imagine just coming home to you and telling you about my day. I need you---by my side. Inside my head. Watching my back. Helping me. With me in every sense of the word." Scully stared at their clasped hands and could have sworn she physically felt the energy of their bond. It was nearly tangible. Her eyes met Mulder's and words weren't necessary. Mulder suddenly pulled his partner closer and kissed her lightly, "I wouldn't mind expanding what we have, Scully." He kissed her again, a bit more sure. He'd always wondered how it would feel to kiss Scully---he'd even worried that there'd be no magic between them because they knew each too well. He pulled away from his partner, his breathing uneven. No magic---like hell. Mulder could feel Scully's rapid heartbeat beneath his own. He smiled as he met her lips again, gaining confidence. He was feeling rather optimistic; at least she hadn't pulled out her gun, he thought. "Mind, or want, Mulder?" Scully questioned, albeit a bit distractedly. Her skin tingled wherever Mulder touched. And he was being rather thorough. "I take it I didn't really phrase that last part very well?" Mulder asked with a cocky grin. Scully nodded once, her eyebrows raised. "You might want to work on that, Mulder." But she made no effort to remove herself from his arms. "Although, on that other stuff?, I'd have to agree with you." "Scully, seriously. I don't want to screw up what we've got---the possibility of really great sex aside---my feelings for you are not going to change if I don't get to see you naked." He grinned at her. "So basically, this is a win-win situation---only one involves fraternizing." "Mulder, why is it that you discover clarity at four in the morning?" Scully asked rather idly. "Personally, I'm blaming Skinner. I was getting really good at sublimating, Scully, right up until he said all those nasty things about me." Mulder kissed her softly. "He wasn't wrong about how I've treated you, though. I'm sorry, Scully." Scully drew in a breath as Mulder kissed a particular spot along her neck. She placed a hand on his cheek in encouragement. Not that he needed it, she mused. Scully leaned into another kiss, feeling a strange sense of rightness warring with a sense of unreality. This was Mulder. Her partner. Whom she loved with every cell in her body. Maybe it was strange---but it wasn't wrong. "If you're talking about that taking-me-for-granted thing---that's not your fault, Mulder. I should have put a stop to it long ago." This time Scully kissed Mulder. He tasted of seeds and salt and something utterly Mulder. I could do this all night, she thought. She pulled back suddenly. "What?" Mulder's voice tilted upward. "Doesn't the parking garage have cameras?" Scully leaned back in her seat, trying to look less flustered. "You mean like the one over there?" Mulder pointed to the black security camera helpfully. He winced when she punched him in the arm. "Scully, it's 4:15 a.m.---who's around to watch us?" "Home, James." She fastened her seatbelt and waited for Mulder to start the car. He didn't. "Now what?" She asked with some trepidation. "Home? As in, we go to yours, or we go to mine? Or as in, I drop you off at yours, and then I go to mine?" He glanced at her sideways. "Well, G-Man, I seem to remember you making a statement about sleeping in this morning---and didn't I hear you promise me really great sex? I'm thinking there would have to be a 'we' involved..." Scully smiled as Mulder started the car. *** J.Edgar Hoover Building Security Office 4:21 a.m. The guard pushed the second tape into the spare VCR---who'd have thought he would be the one? Maybe his luck was changing. This was his chance for fame and glory. He smiled. That interoffice pool was his---he had proof. Never bet against human nature, he mused. Birds do it, bees do it---even Special Agents do it. Maybe he'd send them a copy---once he got back from Tahiti. He grinned as he hit the rewind button. fin