Going Lunar--Part 7
by Lolabeegood

E-mail: lolabeegood@gmail.com
Distribution: Archive freely with my name attached

Rating: PG
Categories: S, R
Keywords: Mulder/Scully UST, Post-Ep
Spoilers: Everything up to and including Tithonous
Summary:  A new moon and a new start.

Author's Notes: 

Just a little scene that has been working itself out in 
my head and I thought I'd put to paper. 

You might want to read the first 6 parts to see where 
I'm going with this one, but it still works on its own.  
I do not own the characters.  I do not make any money 
from this.

Enjoy!

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

He knew it had been a while, and he questioned whether 
he should even knock.  The last time they had spent some 
time alone observing the night sky had been over a year 
ago.   So much had happened since then.  Gibson, Diana, 
the x-files ,and cancer had robbed them of any time spent 
together just for the sake of being together.  Some of 
those wedges had been physical, others emotional.  He 
had tried to get her to do something with him Christmas 
Eve but, that was more case-related than anything. He 
wasn't sure, when he asked her to join him, if she would 
this time.  Which is why he stood on the outside f her 
hallway door not knocking.

The door opened with a flourish and before him was 
Margaret Scully dressed in her winter coat.

"Fox!" She smiled warmly at him.  "Were you coming to 
see Dana?"

"Hi Mrs. Scully," he said, both flustered and shy, "I 
don't mean to intrude."

"Oh, no intrusion.  It's just that..."

"What?" he asked.

"She wasn't expecting you, was she?"

"Uh, no, she wasn't," he said as he shifted feet.

"Well, let her know you're here," she said walking past 
him.  "I haven't been home all day."

"Can I help you with that bag?" he asked, not in any 
rush to be struck down by Scully.

"No, I'm fine Fox," she said over her shoulder, "just 
let her know you're there right away."

"Okay," he answered unsure as he watched her disappear 
into the stairwell.

He walked inside the open door and looked around her 
apartment. "Scully?" he called as he shut the door.

He received no answer and, venturing towards her bedroom, 
called a little louder.  "Scully?'

"Mulder?" she heard a muffled voice from the other side 
of the bathroom door."I'm sorry Scully, I'll wait in the 
living room," he said, about the make a hasty retreat.

"Mulder, I'm in the tub," she offered with a splash of 
some water.

"Oh," he said "I'll...I'll just come back anoth..."

"What are you here for?" she asked as he heard the water 
slosh again.

"Don't get out of the tub Scully...it can wait for another 
night," he said as he walked toward the door to the 
bathroom.

"Mulder, why don't you just tell me," she said aggravated.

"I...I was just coming by to see if you wanted to do 
something tonight, but you're obviously hunkering down 
for the evening..."

There was silence on the other side of the door.

"Scully?" he asked.

"It's been a while." She offered softly.

"Uh, yeah...I know," he stammered.

His thoughts immediately went to their shared kiss, as 
chaste as it was, on the couch last time they were 
together in her apartment, socially.

"You know Scully, I'll just..." he started as he gestured 
towards her front door, and then thought how foolish 
gesturing to someone who couldn't see him was.

"Stay for a bit," she said from the tub.

"Okay," he said with relief as he slid down the bathroom 
door and sat heavily on the floor against it.

"So Mulder, where were you thinking of going?" she asked 
cautiously.

"I was going to take you to this rooftop cafe for a 
coffee," he said truthfully.

"That sounds nice." He heard the smile in her voice.

"Yeah, it's a blue moon tonight and..."

"Those are very rare," he heard her say as a tube was 
being squeezed.

"Yes, but this year there are two, one of them tonight, 
but if you're not up for it..."

"Who says?" she asked as he heard a cup being filled.

"Well, you are still recovering from a gunshot woun..."

"Mulder, I'm on desk duty.  I'm not an invalid." She said 
as he heard water being dumped.

"Yeah, but you're still having trouble raising your..."

"I can raise my hand to bring a cup of coffee to my lips," 
she said as he heard more water being dumped."Besides, we  
were at that haunted house on Christmas eve."

"True," he smiled at the absurdity of their conversation 
through the bathroom door."But that little adventure pushed 
your recovery back.  I didn't realize it would be that...
physical."

"Neither did I." she said flatly."It was good I was hopped 
up on my pain meds that night.  The next morning hurt."

He heard taps turning on and off and water being dumped.  
He sat against the bathroom door and was just happy to be 
there, with her, like this.  The water finally shut off 
and there was silence.

"Hey, Scully?"

"Yeah?"

"What would you do right now if I said I had to go to the 
washroom?" he asked, feeling suddenly cheeky.

"I'd tell you there are some nice bushes you could visit 
outside of my apartment building."

"Thanks." 

"You're welcome."

He heard a great deal of splashing as she stood in the tub.  
He also heard an unmistakable wince soon after that.  
Moments later the plug was pulled and Scully opened the 
bathroom door and he looked up to see her wrapped in her 
fuzzy white bathrobe with her hair dripping on her 
shoulders.

"Hi," she said shyly.

"Hey, I'll give you some priv..." he said rising from the 
floor.

"Mulder, I uh...actually need some of your help," she 
said as she stood before him with a hair dryer in her 
hand. "Since I've gone off my pani meds some things are 
more difficult..."

"Oh?"

"Yeah, I was planning on just sleeping with my head on 
a towel tonight so my hair would be dry by morning," she 
started to explain "But if we're going out I'll need to 
blow dry my hair."

He stood across from her nodding his head.  Not sure 
what point she was trying to make, until it dawned on 
him.

"You need my help drying it," he blurted.

"If you wouldn't mind." She said relaxing "I just can't 
hold my arm up like that..."

"Say no more," he said as he grasped her shoulders and 
directed her towards the living room "Mulder's salon is 
now open."

"Mulder's salon?" she giggled.

"Would you rather I said barber shop?" he whispered 
into her ear.

"No salon works," she laughed.

She grabbed a pillow and gingerly lowered herself to the 
floor in front of the couch.  He saw every wince and 
flinch as her body tried to adjust itself to the new 
motion.  When she was settled with her back against 
the couch he plugged in the blow dryer.

"So, is there anything specific I should know besides get 
rid of the water?"

"No, I'll wear it up tomorrow and no one will notice 
the waves."

"I like your hair wavy," he said as he sat behind her with 
his legs open. "You've been wearing it that way a lot 
lately."

"You've noticed?"

"I notice everything about you Scully," he said just 
before he turned on the blow dryer.

Sitting behind and above her afforded him an unprecedented 
view of Scully.  He got to run his fingers through her hair, 
caress her scalp and look down at her milky breasts as they 
lay partially exposed in her gaping bathrobe.  So, far this 
evening was going better than he imagined.  When he had 
dried her hair into a wavy bob he turned off the blow dryer 
and looked down at his work.

"I think I might burn your scalp if I dry your hair 
anymore," he noted.

She reached up and felt several parts of her hair.  

"That's great, Mulder." She twisted slightly to look at 
him "Thanks."

She reached for the coffee table to help get up when 
Mulder caught her elbow and raised her up with him as 
he stood.

"That's what I'm here for."

"Yeah," her face suddenly darkened "I'll...go get 
dressed."

"Sure," he said, not so sure what he had just said that 
changed everything.

She walked from him and into the bedroom coming out 10 
minutes later with a sweater and jeans on.  She had put a 
thin hair band in her hair and some lipstick on.

"Ready? She asked.

"I'm not sure," he said, venturing to test the waters.

"Huh?" she looked at him surprised.

"Somethings wrong, Scully.  You were fine until I said..."

"I know." She interrupted.

"So?"

"It's nothing, Mulder.  Forget about it, really.  Let's just 
go for coffee."

He walked a few paces to close the distance between them.  
"Scully, I want to know."

She shifted uncomfortably in front of him and looked at her 
feet, then the plant on the table, then the window.

"Scully?"

"Mulder," she stammered "if you see us as just friends...if 
you don't...things have changed...I know she's 
come back into your..."

"Diana?"

She tilted her head upwards to look him in the eye.

"Scully, we have a history.  You know that."

She nodded her head in acknowledgement as she wrapped her arms 
tightly around her frame.

"But it is history.  And nothing else.  I do value her 
opinions and the work she does, but nothing beyond that."

Her head dropped and it shook from side to side, as if she 
was unbelieving of his words.

"Scully?" he asked as he raised her chin to look at him.

"Sometimes..." she started again, sadly.  "I think you see 
me as a substitute sister."

"What?" he asked, shocked.

"I do." She said softly.

"Scully, I've never thought of you that way.  I don't know 
how you could..."

"Mulder, it's been so long and..." she interrupted.

He bent down suddenly and engulfed her mouth with his.  The 
kiss was deep and passionate and she responded in kind.  
When he wrapped his arms tightly around her to pull her 
closer, she winced in pain and jerked away.

"Oh shit, sorry," he said as he released her and realized 
he had grabbed her right where she was injured.

She was taking deep breaths and holding her herself.

"What can I...?" He stammered as he touched her arm.

"I'm fine," she said looking up at him with tears in her 
eyes.

"Scully, shit, I'm so sorry." He said as he guided her to 
the couch.

She sat gingerly and smiled a tight-lipped smile at him.  
"Mulder, you just grabbed the wrong part."

"Scully, you let me know what I can grab next time.  I'm 
good with direction," he quipped.

She laughed and winced at the action.

"Do you want some water?  Do we need to see a doct...?"

"Shhh" she said softly as she straightened herself.

"Okay," he sat next to her and placed a hand on his knee, 
shaking his head from side to side and internally 
chastising himself.

She leaned over and kissed the side of his face.  He looked 
toward her and the pained expression on his face broke her 
heart.

"Want to get that coffee?" she smiled at him.

"Are you sure you're up to it?"

"I am" she said rising from the couch.  "Blue moons are 
so rare, we need to enjoy this one."

"Scully, I'm so sorry I..." he started as he rose off the 
couch to join her.

She took his hand and squeezed.  Looking deeply into his 
eyes she said, "Mulder, in a few weeks I'm all yours."

"Scully?" he asked, not sure what she was proposing.

She leaned in and, still holding his hand, placed a 
seductive kiss on his lips as her whole body met his.  She 
let go of his hand and walked to grab her coat.  Mulder 
stood for a moment, his mouth open and his mind racing.  
According to folklore, women could make proposals on blue 
moons.  Scully, had just made an indecent one.  He smiled 
to himself and turned to join her.

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

The end of part 7