Spooky and Starbuck

The barren pavement of the endless two-lane highway loomed before the two passengers of the black Ford Taurus rental. Behind the wheel, Agent Dana Scully sat. Her crystal blue eyes were glued to the road, her small, strong hands held fast to the steering wheel, and her nerve endings tingled in response to the dark, silent man--her partner, Agent Fox Mulder--who sat in the passenger seat beside her.

"Thank you," he said in a soft, husky voice.

"For?" she asked, trying unsuccessfully to mask the confusion she felt at his sudden words.

"Everything," he replied sincerely.

"Mulder..."

"No, Scully, hear me out," he said with quiet emphasis.

"I'm listening," she said, responding to the determination she heard in his voice. Unwittingly, her fingers tightened around the steering wheel. Her heart raced in anticipation. Was she ready for this conversation? She stole a quick glance at him. His hazel eyes had darkened to unreadable depths making her realize that even if she wasn't ready she had no choice. She held her breath and waited. Still, she found that she wasn't ready to hear him...

"You're my partner, of course, I'd-"

"Scully, please," he said, his voice was oddly patient as if he anticipated her interruption. He turned his head, so that she was the only thing in his view. "I'm not just talking about my life...but my soul, too. When I felt that everything I believed in was a lie, you were right there. You've never left me, and as selfish as this may sound, I can't imagine that you ever will. You didn't believe me before, but you are my one in five billion, Dana Katherine Scully. You always have been."

He had made his confession. Again. His softly spoken admission reminded her of the scene in the hallway outside of his apartment. They had come so close. The impulse to act on their attraction would have been fulfilled if not for that damn bee! And, now, Scully knew deep within her heart that the opportunity to confess to him her feelings had presented itself again, but she was afraid.

If she crossed the line with how much he meant to her, there would be no turning back. ...No jokes to laugh it off, and no strange phenomena to blame it on. It would be from her, Dana, to him, Fox. Was she ready?

The silence lingered. His hoarse whisper broke it. "Well, that's all I wanted to say," he responded, in a slightly flippant tone.

Immediately, guilt consumed her. Scully swallowed back her fear and glanced at him. His eyes were now glued to the road before them. "You've said a lot, Mulder. I wasn't prepared for it. I apologize if I was rude." She heard his sniff of disbelief, but she didn't let that deter her. She continued on. "I am sorry for cutting you off before. I know how hard it was for you to say that-"

"It wasn't hard for me," he interrupted. "Once I found the courage, it was the easiest thing I've ever done." He laughed softly as he moved his head to look at her. "The truth has always been easy for me."

Her mouth curved upwards in her characteristic smirk. He chuckled again and soon, laughter bubbled from her as well. The tension which had consumed the luxury vehicle disappeared as shared mirth overpowered it. The remainder of the drive was filled with light-hearted banter and gentle teasing. Later, as they parted ways to slip inside their adjoining motel rooms, their eyes locked. In that second, a pair of hearts skipped a beat and both knew that the night was far from over.

~~~

Scully worked quickly to transform her small motel room into a user-friendly workstation. The laptop was placed on the round imitation oak table. The notes Mulder had given her before they left D.C. were stacked neatly beside the laptop. Her pens, highlighter and notepad were placed within reaching distance for whenever she would begin research on their latest investigation into unexplained phenomena.

Once the workstation was complete, she turned toward her suitcase. As she reached for her dress suits, she heard music coming from the adjoining room. She moved away from her midnight blue Donna Karan ensemble and stepped closer to the door that separated her room from Mulder's. Pressing her ear against the door, she could just barely distinguish the haunting sound of Madonna's "Waiting." She wasn't what anyone could call a "Madonna fan", but she recognized the tune because a few years back, an old friend had given her the Erotica CD as a gag gift. Scully had been completely surprised when she discovered that she actually liked to listen to the damn thing!

Moving away from the door, Scully found herself humming the melody and smiling to herself. She knew that her partner had his secrets and she respected him for it. But... She never would have guessed he'd be a Madonna fan.

Or maybe he was just a fan of Erotica?

Crimson colored her porcelain cheeks as she considered the double entendre. Mulder and erotica. An image of his pouty bottom lip came to mind, as well as the things she'd love to experience by that mouth of his, and suddenly, she was dizzy. Blindly, she reached for the headboard for support. She held on until thoughts of an amorous Mulder left her mind. The thoughts didn't completely leave her body, as she was now hot all over.

A strong knock at the door startled Scully and she moved backwards from the bedpost and the adjoining door. "Yeah?" she called out a bit breathlessly.

"Scully?" Mulder asked through the wooden barrier. "Are you okay?"

"Fine, Mulder," she said. "Just fine."

"Okay...if you're sure..."

She could just imagine the frown of his brow and a twinkle in his hazel eyes as he thought of some lewd comment. She almost wished he'd make an off color remark just so that she could respond with one of her own. Unfortunately, he kept his suggestive comments to himself. In an effort to get herself back on track, Scully cleared her throat and asked, "Did you want something?"

"You," he said clearly and maybe a little suggestively.

Bingo!

Subconsciously, Scully licked her lips before she answered him. "Yes?"

He chuckled softly. "Wow, that was easy."

"Mulder," she warned, crossing her arms as her sapphire eyes stared daggers at the wooden door. Her libido was wide-awake and not to be toyed with. She enjoyed the flirting, but she needed more. Besides, she suddenly considered, what if he was only joking? Maybe the scene outside of their rooms when their eyes met was a fluke.

And, maybe his heartfelt confession in the car was a lie her annoyed voice of reason piped up heavy with sarcasm. Of course, he didn't lie and the moment when their eyes met was not a fluke. Tonight could be like no others. The time had come for Scully's full disclosure.

Ignoring the rapid pounding of her heart at her quick decision, Scully called out again. "Mulder?"

A slight pause preceded his response. His voice was hoarse when he spoke again. "I...um, I... Well, it's a little late for us to begin our investigation tonight. I was wondering if you'd like to come over. For dinner!" he quickly added.

An ultra-feminine smile of satisfaction gleamed in Scully's eyes and caused her lips to expand into a wide smile. "Sure, Mulder. I'd love to come over. Give me ten minutes to shower and change."

"Sure thing," he said a smile in his voice. "Just don't change too much."

~~~

After taking a hot shower with heavenly scented soap and oils, Scully left the steamy bathroom with a single thought on her mind. What was the outfit of choice when one had a limited wardrobe and seduction on her mind?

A frown of deep concentration creased her brow as she dropped her towel and padded across the floor to her suitcase. Items were tossed carelessly onto the bed as she searched for the perfect ensemble. The suits were too stifling and after those were put aside, she didn't have much of a choice. Chewing on her bottom lip, Scully reached for the last bit of clothing that was left in her suitcase: a blue denim shirt and a pair of ancient, black sweats. She'd have to make do, she decided half-heartedly. Thank goodness she had an obsession for black lace, she thought, as she grabbed her flimsy bra and panties. The underwear would more than make up for the outerwear, she reasoned with a husky laugh.

Glancing once or twice at the clock, Scully quickly pulled on her apparel. She made sure to leave just enough buttons open on her shirt so that the black lace would peek through from time to time. Her dark, auburn hair was brushed to perfection and her favorite strawberry lip-gloss was expertly applied to her full lips. She stared at her reflection, giving herself a mental thumb's up and then she was off.

~~~

An hour later, Scully sat with her back against Mulder's bed and an empty carton of sweet and sour shrimp at her side. A small, unbroken fortune cookie had just been shoved into the palm of her hand. She eyed the cookie and the cookie-shover with suspicion. "What am I supposed to do with this? I told you that I'm stuffed. I couldn't eat another bite-"

"You don't have to eat it," Mulder told her. He took a sip his lemon-flavored iced tea before added, "Just break it open. I wanna hear what your future holds."

"Surely, you don't believe in this?" she asked, waving the cookie around as she spoke. "It's just random scraps of paper haphazardly tossed inside of cookie batter. The words on these pieces of paper are no more indicators of the future than that pathetic idiot who thought he could produce rain. C'mon, Mulder."

She tried to give the cookie back to him, but he vigorously shook his head. His eyes twinkled dangerously. "I had no idea that I would be dining with Big Bird tonight-"

"Excuse me?" she interrupted. "Big Bird? What is that supposed to mean?"

"Not much," he said, shrugging. "Just that you're chicken."

"Mulder, Big Bird was a canary. Besides... I. Am. Not. Chicken," she pronounced. "I just- I mean it's just- It's a cookie! Oh, whatever!"

Scully ripped into the cookie with wild abandon. She came close to tearing the paper, but she caught herself just in time. Leaning her head against his bed, she held the paper up to the light as she read her fortune.

"Would you like to share, Scully?" Mulder suggested.

He reached out to take the paper from her, but she was too quick for him. Scully closed her fingers over the paper and moved towards her right. Mulder reached for her hand and she swatted him away. A struggle ensued.

Laughing and teasing threats echoed in the motel room as the two Federal Agents wrestled for the fortune cookie. The empty Chinese food cartons were crushed as the pair rolled over them. Scully twisted, turned and dodged Mulder's attempts as much as she could, but in the end, she was no match for him. With her wrists captured in his hands, Scully wound up trapped underneath Mulder's hard, muscular form. Her eyes were wide and large as they stared up into his heavy lidded orbs. Their breaths became labored as the laughter faded and silence replaced.

In painfully slow motion, Mulder lowered his face to hers. He breathed deeply, continuing to stare into her eyes. "I've always loved strawberries," he murmured.

His gaze fell to her mouth. Her tongue slipped out to moisten her lips. Instantly, his mouth was on hers.

He seized her a deep, imploring kiss. His mouth moved sensuously across her soft, pliant lips, silently demanding her to open herself up to him. She did and in his eagerness to taste her, his tongue darted into her mouth and found hers.

Tasting…probing…tantalizing and soul stirring.

The feel of Mulder's tongue on hers sent shivers up and down Scully's spine. She pulled herself free from his gentle grip. Her hands moved to clutch him. She held on to the hard muscles of his T-shirt covered back, as he threaded his large hands in the waves of her auburn tresses. Gently and tenderly, he angled her head and kept it close to his so that the kiss didn't break…wouldn't end…as he continued to press his hot, open mouth against hers.

In time, the need for air forced their lips to separate. Breathless, the partners stared at each other.

"Mulder," Scully moaned through swollen lips.

He rested his damp forehead on hers. His silky, brown hair mingled with hers and his sweet breath was warm against her cheeks. "Scully, whatever you want. Just tell me. Stop. Keep going... Tell me."

~~~

"Don't stop."

His lips and tongue electrified her. Scully's hand clutched his shirt, unwittingly ripping the fabric from the seams. Her fingers grazed his smooth, hard chest. The single touch sent tingles through both of them. He gasped at her soft caresses, giving her tongue the opportunity to explore his mouth as thoroughly as he had explored hers.

Scully's kiss was both bold and shy. Her tongue hungrily roved across his and then quickly withdrew. She repeated the movement several times until Mulder closed his tongue over hers, preventing another withdrawal. Their labored breathing echoed in the dimly lit motel room as neither was ready to end the kiss.

His hands left her hair to move down her body. His heat warmed her skin wherever he touched. Her back, shoulder blades and then lower back were inflamed as he caressed her.

Pulling his lips from hers, he looked into her glazed eyes. "I always knew it could be like this."

"So did I," she whispered. Her hands gripped the hem of his shirt and pulled it over his head. She opened her mouth to kiss his bare chest. Her tongue slid across his flesh and goosebumps rose in appreciation. His hard male nipples were soon encircled by her lips. She kissed and nibbled him gently, causing him to cry out her name.

Scully's loving attention thrilled and surprised Mulder. He had often imagined how loving her would be, but he hadn't dared imagine how she would love him in return. Feeling her touch him so intimately, he knew that his imagination would have paled in comparison. Her lips moved away from his pecs to nuzzle his neck. His hands then moved downwards to cup and mold her firm behind. One hand slid down her hip to grasp her thigh, raising it to his hip as he pulled her closer against him. His hardness pressed against her softness, leaving neither as to any doubt for his desire for her.

"Oh, God," she moaned into his mouth as Mulder feasted upon her lips again. His full arousal made her ache inside. She wanted him and her body moved against him, silently telling him so.

His hand slid inside her black lace panties. His strong hands cupped her bare behind before one hand moved around to cup her soft, furry mound. She shuddered as he fingered her dark, red curls. He lingered for a moment before he removed his hand. She whimpered in protest.

"Not here," he said in a husky voice. "In my bed."

They reluctantly pulled apart only to be drawn together again as soon as they were both standing beside the king-size bed. He drew her earlobe into his mouth and suckled and nibbled her. Mulder released her earlobe and lightly kissed her forehead. With his eyes on her, he kicked off his shoes and removed his jeans.

"Ooh, boy," Scully murmured after her gaze wandered downward. His boxers stretched taut as his full erection extended the cotton material. Her hands twitched in anticipation. She wanted to touch him. She wanted to feel him. Her body ached to be filled by his.

She moved closer to him. Her hands closed over him, molding and stroking him. He gripped her shoulders, squeezing her tightly with each caress. "Scully," he groaned.

Unable to take any more of her titillating torture, Mulder grabbed Scully by her wrists. His grip was strong, but not painful. She raised her eyes to his. Intending to moisten her lips, her tongue darted back out, but before it had a chance to dart back in, his lips were on hers. His tongue was powerful in its determination to taste her thoroughly and hungrily. Backing her to the bed, he entrapped her with his kiss and his hold on her.

Their kiss never ended as Scully fell backwards onto the bed. Her thighs parted and Mulder landed between them. Even as her legs closed around his waist, he kept a strong hold on her wrists. Their kiss deepened and his lower body began to grind against hers.

For timeless seconds they remained glued to each other. Lips on lips, his hands closed around her wrists and her legs locked around his waist until finally they had to come up for air.

Slowly, Mulder released his hold on her wrists. Resting on one bent elbow, he allowed his spare hand to begin its own exploration. Starting with the pulse that beat rapidly at the base of her throat, he traveled to the opening of her shirt. His hand slid underneath the denim material and moved downwards, expertly unbuttoning each button as his hand caressed the smooth warmth of her skin. Pausing for a moment, he pulled the garment from her body.

Moonlight streamed through the motel's chintz curtains. The pale glow of nature's light revealed to him the beauty of her lace-covered breasts. Her dark nipples peaked through and teased him, daring him to make the tight, hardened nubs even tighter and harder. He accepted the challenge and lowered his mouth to her. His tongue drew her nipple into his mouth and with the help of the lace began to drive her to madness. Only when her hands clutched his head did he stop.

He leaned over her and kissed her again, thoroughly and completely. His hands closed over her wrists again as he kissed her, pressing her arms back down against the bed. Raising himself from their kiss, he paused to look into her eyes.

Scully stared back at him. Excitement and wonderment at his need to hold her down shone brightly in her brilliant blue eyes, but there was no fear. She accepted his challenge, and he continued to pin her down as his lips closed over her breast again.

The need to touch him and hold him close to her coupled with the inability to do so, inflamed Scully. Writhing on the bed, she moaned his name. "Mulder..."

"Hmm?" he breathed back as his teeth pulled the bra away from her breast. His hot breath against her sensitive bare flesh caused her to shiver in anticipation. His mouth again closed over her nipple, but without the intrusion of the lace, the contact was much more intense for both of them.

"Muuuulder," she said, her voice stronger, but still laden with passion called to him.

He raised his head and looked at her full in the face. Without another word, he quickly moved to remove the remainder of their clothing to make what she wanted reality.

Her smooth ivory skin glistened with passion induced perspiration. "Exquisite," he murmured as he lowered himself beside her body.

Scully rolled over on her side so that they were face to face. Although the lighting was limited, she could still see him and she could appreciate the perfection of his chiseled body. Her eyes shimmering with tears, she whispered, "I love you."

"I love you, too," he whispered back. He closed the small gap between them and leaned in to give her a kiss, which unbalanced her and pushed her onto her back. Once on her back, Mulder maneuvered her so that she moved again, causing her to lie on her stomach.

Scully's hands clutched the sheets as he began to lavish kisses on the back of her neck and her back. Her heart lodged in her throat when his hands began to knead her backside and when his lips soon followed, she cried out in pleasure. His fingers moved between her and the bed to discover her moist center as lips and tongue teased her from behind. Involuntarily, her legs began to kick and her hands grabbed even more of the sheet, almost ripping them from the bed.

The small motel room echoed with her moans of satisfaction and his sighs of pleasuring her. The king-size bed began to creak as Scully's entire body began to spasm. She buried her face in her mattress and her voice was muffled as she moaned, "Oh, Mulder, please. Please!"

Her quiet pleas broke through his passion-induced trance to please her. He gave her another kiss before he raised his head and rolled her onto her back. Slowly and obviously enjoying the movement and the moment, he parted her thighs. His fingers lightly moved against her inner thigh as his erection twitched anxiously. He would answer the call of his own need, but not yet. He wanted to savor the moment a few endless seconds more.

This time, Scully was the one who was unable to take anymore of the tantalizing torture. Her hand moved between them and she held onto his aroused member. Scooting her body down the bed, she positioned herself so that his erection was just above her feminine core. Caressing, stroking and lightly squeezing proved to be his undoing and without further teasing, he entered her.

He filled her as she had all but begged him to as he began to thrust deeply inside her. His movement began slowly, but soon his body picked up a rapid pace. He created an intense rhythm and she matched him, raising her pelvis in time with his. With each thrust, she squeezed him tighter and tighter, drawing him deeper inside.

Her thighs squeezed his waist, urging him to increase his pace. As he lowered himself to the bed, resting most of his weight on one elbow, he lowered his mouth to hers. Their inflammatory kiss fueled their urgency. The contact ignited them even more when Mulder slipped his finger between them and began to stroke her small, hardened nub.

With his deep, hard thrusts and the persistent pressure of his finger, Scully reached release. Her thighs tightened around him as she came and within seconds, Mulder joined her as he too climaxed.

Spent and drenched with perspiration, he held her close to his chest. One taut, pale thigh rested across his hard tanned ones as she wrapped an arm around his waist. Her head rested on his chest as her ear was serenaded by the sound of his steady heartbeat. They were quiet as they came to terms with their explosive lovemaking. The intensity of their passion for one another had surprised them and they needed the silence to help them accept it and revel in it.

Mulder spoke first. His voice was raspy and filled with emotion as he said, "You amaze me."

"That's funny," she said softly, "I was thinking the same about you. I had no idea it would be that...be so..."

"Intense," he finished for her. When she nodded her head, he continued, "Neither did I."

They were quiet again for several moments before Scully broke the silence. "Care to see if we can do it again?"

Mulder gasped and raised his head and hers to look at her. "Again?"

She nodded as a naughty gleam lit her eyes. "Yeah. Are you up for it?"

He released a long sigh before he answered, "Not yet. Give me a minute, okay?"

"A minute? Okay. A minute is tolerable," she said, resting her head on his chest again and nestling closer to him.

Lowering his head back down onto the pillow, Mulder laughed softly and shook his head. Scully placed a soft kiss on his chest, as his breathing slowed. In time, her eyes fluttered close as she neared sleep, too. As she drifted off, she remembered their conversation in the Taurus. "Thank you, Mulder," she whispered to him. "For everything."