TITLE:  Road Rules

AUTHOR:  ArtemisX5

CATEGORY:  VRA    

RATING: R

SUMMARY: Perspective.  

TIMESPAN/SPOILER WARNING. 'Theef' 

KEYWORDS: Scully POV, MSR, angst, humor

DISCLAIMER: Any resemblance between characters found 
within and fictional characters owned by people more 
important than myself is purely intentional and 
entirely without profit.

FEEDBACK: Fuel for the creative fire!  And the muse 
always squeals so pretty when it shows up in the 
inbox...

AUTHOR'S NOTES: I blame Pacquin for my recent 
'Theef' obsession.  She's just too damn persuasive 
with her theories.  This story answers a challenge 
issued by Logan and Shelba.  Elements listed at the 
end.

As always, thanks and love to my betas, sallie and 
Rafferty.  You guys are the best.  And a second 
happy birthday to sallie, who wanted one post-Theef 
and ended up with two, 'cause my muse is a little 
piggy.  I like that about her.

*************************************

"We're almost out of gas," Mulder observed.

She scanned the streets for a filling station.  "Up 
on the right."  

"Got it."  He pulled in, and stopped the car.  
"Which side?" 

Scully slouched, checking the side mirror.  "Not 
here."

He guided the car to a pump on the driver's side.  
When he got out to pump the gas, she got out to 
stretch her legs.  She circled the car, leaning 
against the rear door next to Mulder.  They watched 
the numbers climb, the dollars faster than the 
gallons.

"Remember when it used to go the other way?" he 
asked, nodding to the readout.

She smiled faintly.

The automatic shut-off clunked, and Scully stepped 
away to avoid getting gas dripped on her shoes when 
Mulder replaced the nozzle.  "I'm going to get a 
snack.  Do you want anything?" he asked.

"I'll come in," she said.  "Don't forget to move 
your wallet." 

She didn't need to remind him.  Mulder nodded, 
switching his wallet from his back pocket to his 
jacket pocket.  Convenience store clerks tended to 
get very nervous if they caught sight of his weapon 
when he reached for his wallet.  Sometimes the 
outline of their shoulder holsters was enough to 
make the more observant clerks sweat.

Bells tinkled above Mulder's head when he opened the 
door for her.  She preceded him into the large shop.

"Beer," she nodded at the large sign above the 
coolers.  Gas stations that sold beer had a better 
assortment of snack foods.  Another lesson learned 
from too much time on the road.

Mulder headed straight for the chip aisle, in search 
of local food.  He had developed a palate for local-
made chips wherever they went.  The flavors were 
always more unique and he insisted the chips were 
fresher.

Scully lingered near the entrance, undecided on her 
mission.  She didn't really want anything to eat, 
but she didn't want to sit in the car anymore.  This 
wasn't even one of their longer drives; she had a 
restless feeling without discernable origin. She 
found herself looking at the display of dried-out 
pastry near the checkout, and her stomach cramped 
with hunger.  Maybe she did need something to eat 
after all...

She wandered down the first aisle, perusing the 
motley crew of magazines and paperbacks.  More than 
half the magazines were of the type Mulder 'never 
read.'  She noticed a particular fetish for feather 
boas among the cover girls this month.  Blue seemed 
to be the color of choice.  She considered 
mentioning the coincidence to Mulder, but decided 
not to open herself up for teasing innuendo.

*Staring at skin rags is not going to stop your 
stomach from growling,* she admonished herself.  Her 
mind was so pre-occupied, though, that it took her a 
moment to get moving.

She was in the candy aisle, looking at dried fruit 
when Mulder walked the length of the aisle next to 
her.  He was inspecting the selection of single-dose 
medications for no particular reason.  He seemed to 
need a break from the road just as badly as she did.

Suddenly, he snorted.  "Scully, look at this."  He 
held up a crackling plastic bag with something 
vaguely human-shaped inside.  He flipped up the hang 
tag for her to read.

"Genuine voodoo doll?"  She stretched her hand out 
above the short shelving unit and he passed it to 
her.  "What is this doing in a gas station?"

"There's more.  Would you prefer a pink one?" he 
asked, holding up an example.  "Can't you just see 
Kersh's picture on it?"

Turning it over, she noted a diagram drawn all over 
one side of the doll.  Two black dots designated the 
eyes and between them was the word 'blindness' in 
tiny capital letters.  She held it out for Mulder to 
take, chilled suddenly.

"I think we can put this near the top of the list of 
'Things Gas Stations Shouldn't Sell.'" He said, 
tucking the doll back in its place.

"Bananas is still number one," she said absently, 
moving away from that area of the store.  

He stood beside her at the soda cooler, gazing at 
the breath-taking selection.  She chose two diet 
Cokes; he took one Pepsi and one Sprite.

She looked up at him, about to comment on his lack 
of brand loyalty when she noticed a smudge on his 
left cheek.  Without thinking, she licked her thumb 
and swiped at it.

He cringed, "Yuck! Scully, don't 'mom' me."  He 
rubbed his fist at the damp spot she'd left.

"Sorry," she shrugged, obviously not sorry.

He rolled his eyes.  "Are you ready?"

"Well, I didn't see any pickled pigs' feet, so I 
guess so."  She couldn't help wrinkling her nose 
even as she tried to joke.

He smirked at her, turning toward the checkout.  She 
followed him, suddenly very tired.

They piled their purchases on the counter, and 
Mulder told the clerk the pump number.  The credit 
card scanner was old enough that it still had to 
dial up for authorization.  Scully listened to the 
modem screech, running her fingers over a collection 
of votive candles for sale.  Each was wrapped in a 
brightly colored picture of an Indian god.  She 
picked up one wrapped in an image of a god she 
thought was called 'Vishnu.'

"Cinnamon-scented," the clerk said, nodding at the 
candle.

"Oh."  She sniffed it.  "Yes."

Mulder caught her eye and crossed his eyes at her.  
She smiled and bumped her shoulder into his arm.  

The receipt finally started printing.  The clerk 
perched his fingers over the printer waiting to tear 
it off.  The machine hummed, then made a wheezing 
sound, and the clerk muttered something in his 
native tongue.  "Out of paper. One moment."

Scully turned her back to the counter, leaning on 
her elbows.  She surveyed the store, not really 
seeing.  "Do you think I've lost my perspective?" 
she asked.

"What?"

"I'm just not sure what's black and white anymore."

"You're questioning what's possible," Mulder nodded 
as if he had expected her statement.

Her eyes panned the shelves, searching for a focal 
point.  "My definition of possible has become a bit 
more...fluid."

"Does that worry you?" Mulder had his soothing-
psychologist voice out for a spin.

"Excuse me.  Sign please."  The clerk slid a receipt 
to Mulder, who made his usual scribble.

Back in the car, Scully opened one of her diet sodas 
and took a healthy swallow.  "What use am I to you 
if I don't take the opposing view?"

"Did Kersh say something to you?  'Cause we can go 
back for the voodoo doll."

"No.  I'm just wondering if you still need me."

Mulder took her hand, squeezing it.  "Trust me, I 
still need you."

She smiled.  "I think you may have lost a little 
perspective on me, too."

"Why's that?" he asked.

She didn't answer right away, unsure of how to 
proceed.  The motel loomed on the horizon.  "I'm not 
sure you separate need and want anymore."

He eased the car into a spot near the stairs that 
led to the second floor balcony.  They got out of 
the car in silence, and climbed the steps with heavy 
footfalls.

He followed her into her room.  It was habit that 
they should spend the evening together.  They would 
casually check both rooms, neither acknowledging the 
inherent paranoia in the act.

They followed this usual routine, securing her room 
before moving into his through the connecting door.  
She left him in his room when it was deemed all 
clear, returning to her own to change into 
comfortable clothes.

He tapped on the door after a few minutes, but 
entered without waiting for her response.  She was 
almost dressed, still pulling on a worn hooded 
sweatshirt with 'NAVY' emblazoned on the chest.

"Bill's?"

"My father's."

He dropped his bag of Sea Salt and Vinegar chips 
onto the bed and retrieved the remote from the top 
of the TV.

Scully crawled onto the bed, laying on her stomach 
near the foot.  Mulder flopped down beside her, a 
careful six inches between them.  She stole a chip 
as soon as he opened the bag.

She seized control of the remote since he had crumbs 
on his fingers, and surfed through the channels.  
Mulder tried to get her to stop on various shows, 
but she selected a documentary about forensic 
medicine.

"Must you work all the time?" he whined.  "'Quantum 
Leap' was on channel 15."

"Learning is a lifelong endeavor, Mulder," she said 
haughtily, stealing another chip.

"Smart is sexy."  His voice sounded strained because 
he was turning on to his back.  "I love it when you 
get intellectual."  He tugged on the drawstring of 
her hood.

"What are you doing?"

"Getting a new perspective on you."  He tipped her 
chin down with one finger.

She stared at him.  "Don't flirt unless you mean 
it."

"What if I mean it?"

She glanced at the television, then at his face, and 
back again.  It was too hard to look at his earnest 
eyes.

"Scully, please look at me."

She did.

"Do you think you won't be you anymore if you 
believe?"

"Don't be silly."

"Answer the question."

"No, I don't think that."

"But?"

"Can we still be partners if we don't disagree?  
Part of the reason we have such a high solve rate is 
that we approach every case from opposing 
perspectives."

"Yin and yang."

"Precisely."

"I disagree."

"There.  You see?" 

"We're not so opposite.  We both attempt to explain 
the unexplainable.  And eventually you come to 
accept that I'm right."

She swatted him on the shoulder.  "So where does 
that leave us if we both have the same explanation 
from the start?"

"We both want proof, right?" he asked.

She nodded.

"Well, you, my love, are the only one I can count on 
to find it."

She smiled, then cocked her head.  "What did you 
call me?"

"My love."  His voice was plain, honest.

"You *have* lost all perspective."

"Just altered it."

She bit her lower lip.

He ran his fingertips over her face, memorizing like 
a blind man.  "What do you see when you look at me, 
Scully?"

"Everything," she whispered.

The corners of his mouth lifted into a tiny smile.  
"That's a lot."

"What do *you* see?"  Her voice was feather-soft.

"Partner.  Friend...More."

"More?"

He nodded, moving his hand to the back of her neck.  
He pulled her close and her heart started a wild 
rhythm.  He bypassed her lips and pressed his lips 
to the border of her ear.  "Fantasy."

She drew a shaky breath.  "Mulder."

He eased her back, catching her lips with his.  The 
kiss was warm and sweet; deceptive in its apparent 
innocence.  It changed two worlds. 

When they parted, Scully wrapped her arms around his 
neck, shaking.  He held her, stroking her copper 
head.

"What's wrong?"

"Nothing.  I'm overwhelmed."  She closed her eyes 
against the flood of her senses.

Mulder hugged her tightly, bringing her body on top 
of his.  They came together in another kiss as if 
they were powerless to resist.  Lips and tongues 
moved, unhurried, savoring the sensations.

When, finally, they parted again, Scully lowered her 
head onto his shoulder.

"Mulder, we're lovers."

"You really are Catholic."

She laughed at his unexpected joke.  "No, I mean 
that's why I lost my perspective."

He was surprised that her expression was so relaxed 
and soft when she lifted her head.  "How can I 
expect to remain unchanged when I've already taken 
you into my heart?"

"What are you saying?"

"If I am to believe that I have met my perfect 
other, how can I deny that all things are possible?"

"Scully," he breathed, bringing her close for a 
kiss.  They contented themselves with caresses and 
wet kisses for a time, both trying to comprehend the 
unimaginable.  Mulder's hands roamed under her 
sweatshirt, leaving trails of fire wherever he 
touched her skin.

"We've been so blind," Scully whispered.

"If I'd known you felt like this..."

"I know," she said, soothing regret from his 
forehead with a kiss.

Returning to his full lips, she began her slow 
seduction. He began to move his hips beneath her, 
enflaming her.  It had been so long since she was 
touched by another, that she was quickly on the 
brink.  She stilled her hips and buried her face in 
his neck, gasping on harsh breaths. 

"Oh God, Scully, let it happen.  Please," he begged 
in a strained voice.

She ground her hips into his once more and went 
soaring.  Her back arched and her mouth dropped 
open.  Mulder watched, rapt, as she rode the tide of 
her orgasm.  Her body came shuddering down, lying 
limply on his chest.

"Oh God," she panted.  "I'm sorry.  It's been so 
long."

"You were breathtaking."

She smiled, sheepish.

"Let me see your face."

She lifted her head, skin pink with embarrassment.  
He held her cheeks and kissed her gently.  "I've 
been living to make your toes curl for so long 
now..." 

Her blush deepened.

"Just promise me you'll do it again," he said.

Her eyes widened and he caught her in another kiss.  
It deepened and soon her embarrassment was 
forgotten.  Mulder slid his hands under her 
sweatshirt again and started to tug it off.

She broke away from his mouth and grabbed the remote 
control.  She flicked the TV off and tossed the 
control to the floor.  The bag of potato chips met 
the same fate, thankfully falling without spilling.  
She sat back, straddling his hips and pulled him up 
to a sitting position.  He started at her ankles and 
ran his hands along her legs, bunching up the fabric 
of her pants.

"Mulder, conventionally, pants are removed from top 
to bottom."

"And to think I used to pay $3.95 a minute for that 
kind of talk."  He slid his hand under her bottom 
and lifted her hips to tug her pants off, the look 
of bliss on his face setting off a secret thrill as 
her legs were revealed inch-by-inch.

He loved the way she looked, reclined on her hands 
wearing only a sweatshirt and white panties.  Her 
tousled hair clung to her cheeks, framing her bright 
eyes.  He could picture her in younger years, 
enthralling the men around her without even knowing 
it.  He went for her sweatshirt once more, and she 
stretched her arms over her head to let him ease it 
off.

"More beautiful than I remembered," he murmured, 
skimming fingers along her collarbone.

"You been looking, Mulder?" she asked, draping one 
arm carefully over her breasts.

"Scully, we've been decontaminated together.  We 
have no secrets."

She laughed, pulling him into a kiss.  "I can still 
think of one."

He looked concerned for a moment, but her shy smile 
erased the worry from his eyes.  "Ah.  That one.  
Perhaps we should design a study of some sort to 
reveal it."

"Mmm, sounds scientific.  Is this more of that 
'smart is sexy' business?" She scooped her hands 
under his T-shirt and yanked it off with undisguised 
enthusiasm.

"Yeah." He paused to taste her mouth again.  "I'm a 
very rigorous researcher."

"Something you learned at Oxford?" she mumbled 
against his lips.

"No." He spread his thighs, letting her down on the 
mattress between his knees.  She laid back, her hair 
a riot of color against the white pillowcase.  "I 
learned on the job." He feathered his fingers over 
her soft belly causing it to contract in reflex, 
revealing the hard outlines of her muscled abdomen.  
"Scully I've had dreams entirely based on your 
stomach."  He flipped himself to lie between her 
legs, his nose hovering above her navel.  "And now I 
see it's even better in person."

She let out a gasp when he kissed her navel and 
trailed his wet mouth all around it in a lazy 
spiral.  He dove lower, pressing his lips against 
her panties in just the right spot.  She arched her 
back, breathing heavily.

"Not fair," she whispered.

"I told you I wanted you to do it again."

"Not that way," she breathed.

"Later?"

She lifted her head, eyes wide in surprise. 
"Tonight?"

He nodded.

"That's...ambitious."

"Just trying to make up for lost time."  He sank his 
teeth into her inner thigh.

"Oh God."  She let her head drop onto the pillow 
again.  "I forgot."

"Forgot what?"  He set about the very serious task 
of soaking her panties with his tongue.

"Who I was dealing with for a second."  She hissed 
in a breath when he licked a good spot.

"What do you mean?"  He added some teeth to the 
equation.

"You're so...relentless, sometimes.  Oh!"

"You ain't seen nothin' yet."  He hooked his thumbs 
into her panties and tugged them off.

"This is no time to quote Bachman Turner Overdrive," 
she gasped, straining against his mouth now that 
there was nothing between them.

"Let me know when it is." He mumbled, the buzz of 
his voice causing her body to jerk.

"I will.  Now get up here."

He reluctantly left his position, and started to 
crawl up her body.  In a move he considered worthy 
of the Cirque du Soliel, she drew her legs up and 
hooked his pajama pants with her toes. She tugged 
them down with surprising ease and he kicked his 
feet free of them.

"No underwear?" she asked, running her fingers along 
his bared hips.

"To sleep?" he replied in a tone of voice that 
implied she was insane.

She shook her head as if to say, "Never mind," and 
he covered her mouth with a heated kiss.  When their 
bodies pressed together from head to toe, both of 
them paused, breathing unevenly and willing self-
control.  "Oh..." Scully gasped.  "Oh."

"You all right?" he asked her.

"Mmm, yes."  She blinked at him.  "I thought this 
would feel wrong, somehow."

"And?"

"It's so right."

Her lips were like a powerful drug, awakening every 
cell in Mulder's body.  She had him gasping for 
breath and desperate for her with a few well-placed 
nips and adventurous hands.

He initiated a slow circular thrust into her soft 
pelvis and she falters in her kisses, groaning.

"Mulder, what happens when we have no more secrets?" 
she whispers.

"We invent new ones, to hide from everyone else."

She smiled, but it didn't last long, as her lips 
parted in an open-mouthed moan.  "Oh, God.  It's 
gotta be s-soon."

He found her stutter charming, and her request 
irresistible.  "Are you sure?"

"Aren't you?" she gasped, widening her eyes.

He laughed.  "Yeah.  I'm sure."

"So am I."  She raised her swirling blue eyes to his 
and held his gaze while their bodies were joined.

His lashes fluttered, then closed against the 
thrill.  

She pulled him close, remembering the pleasure of 
the tight ache low in her belly.

"Scully," he sighed against her neck.  "I found 
heaven."

"Beautiful," she agreed.

When they moved, they moved in concert.  The rhythm 
was instinctual, ancient, and they knew each others' 
pace without question.

"Love you," he whispered, "love you."

"Oh...Mulder...good, so...good." She pressed her 
lips to the pulse on his throat, feeling life.

He slipped his hands beneath her hips, arching her 
back and changing the angle of their joining.  She 
gasped at the change, suddenly approaching ecstasy 
again.  He recognized the pattern of her breath.

"Take me with you," he entreated.

"Mulder," she hissed through gritted teeth.  "I love 
you."

It was enough.  They leapt together from the highest 
cloud in their heaven, clinging to one another.  
Scully tightened her thighs around his hips, forcing 
him closer, deeper.  The room seemed to brighten, 
then explode in a brilliant imitation of Creation.  

In the aftermath, while stars still seemed to rush 
around them, she kissed him softly as tears trickled 
toward her ears.  He returned her gentle kisses, but 
his eyes bore concern.

"Don't cry, Scully," he hushed, stroking her cheeks.

"Am I crying?" she asked, smiling.

"Yes."

"Good tears, Mulder.  I promise."  She dried her 
eyes with the back of one hand.  "It's just that you 
make me feel everything."

He showed her a smile she could only name 
'delighted,' before he buried his face in her 
shoulder.  "I felt it, too."

She stroked his hair after he settled onto the 
mattress beside her, still partially draped over 
her.  She mused on the strange sense of comfort she 
felt, even though the situation was brand new.

Mulder's breathing evened beside her as he drifted 
toward sleep.  She allowed herself to drift as well, 
a myriad of thoughts floating through her mind.

"Are you all right?" Mulder asked her in a thick 
voice when she twitched.

"Myclonic jerk.  I was falling asleep," she 
explained vaguely.

"You know the medical term for 'the falling dream?'" 
he murmured, amusement apparent even in his tired 
voice.

"Smart is sexy," she yawned.

"So what kind of thoughts does a genius such as you 
entertain each night while waiting for the sandman?"  
He nuzzled her neck.

"Caramel apples."  She yawned again.

He laughed quietly.  "Care to elaborate?"

"I want a caramel apple."

"Convention dictates a cigarette."

"We've never been particularly conventional, 
Mulder."  She rolled onto her side, tucking her head 
beneath his chin.  "I'm cold."

He stretched for the blankets, covering them both.  
"We're fresh out of caramel apples.  Can I interest 
you in some Salt and Vinegar potato chips?"

"Mmm mmm."  She shook her head, tickling his nose 
with her hair.

"Well, how about a night of uncompromising bliss, 
courtesy of your crackpot, albeit brilliant 
partner?"

"Who's that?" she teased, pulling her head back to 
look at him through one eye.

"Very clever, Scully."  He raised his eyebrow at 
her.  "You're lucky I'm so in love with you."

"And entirely devoid of perspective."  She kissed 
his chin.

"That makes two of us."

****************************
Fin.  

Abrupt.  As usual.

The Elements:

A voodoo doll
A cinnamon scented votive candle
A show starring Scott Bakula
A blue feather boa
An apple and caramel dip (to be eaten together or 
separately)

Sorry, I just couldn't find a spot for the fireman 
doll that looks like Krycek or Doggett.  A girl has 
her limits.