"But it's your what, Mulder? I already told you this wasn't about you."

He stood from his desk and walked around it, leaning against the edge. He toyed with his tie for a minute not really sure how to say it or even for sure what he wanted to say.

"What?" She was not going to let this go. He couldn't blame her. He had taken her for granted until recently, hadn't given much thought to her being here permanently even though it was close to four years now they'd been partners.

"I just don't understand why you did it."

"It's really not important you understand, Mulder. I don't report to you for my personal life."

"Why is that I wonder?"

Her eyes flashed in astonishment, but that was his intention. He'd rather have her upset than like this. But the change was only temporary because she lowered her eyes again almost immediately. "Because it's just that. Personal."

"I thought we had gotten past the point of just being partners."

She snorted, which sounded foreign coming from her. She was normally so refined, in control.

"Does that mean we haven't?"

"I don't know."

"Is that why you felt the need to sleep with someone you didn't even know?"

Her head snapped up, eyes regarding him. He could see the pain there and wondered what caused it. Surely, it was more than not having a desk. It wasn't until he had been away from the office, and her, that he realized he had feelings for her. The realization that she had a date had struck hard.

He shifted to his knees as she lowered her gaze once again. He'd never seen her looking so despondent and it bothered him. "I'm sorry, that was callous," he whispered, placing his hand against her cheek. He wasn't sure how she would react to the gesture so he kept the touch light.

"It's okay, I'm just in the unfortunate situation of being caught indulging. There are men upstairs who are cheating on their wives, but that's okay because they haven't been caught. I didn't know Ed was a killer. He was charming and seemed so sincere. Without the effects of the ergot." She trailed off, seeming to realize she was making fruitless arguments. She pressed her cheek against his hand and his eyes fell closed at her acceptance of his touch. "I'm sure everyone will label me the Bureau jezebel now."

"Come on, Scully, you're being too hard on yourself."

"No, I'm not. I don't do that sort of thing. The one time I think I'm going to have some privacy, you were gone, no one knew where I was."

The tears started flowing then, Mulder reached instinctively for his handkerchief glad he'd remembered to take a clean one that morning. "Hey, hey," he whispered as she grabbed for the handkerchief.

"I don't know what's wrong with me."

"There's nothing wrong with you. You're human. Add on top of that the fact you're attractive and single."

"You're not just saying that?"

He scoffed. "You're intelligent enough to know these things, Scully."

"Affairs of the heart aren't based in science."

"So that makes you question your judgment? Your desirability?"

"I don't know."

Perhaps it was the tears, he never could stand to see a beautiful woman crying, or simply the fact that he had recently come to realize he had feelings for her. He had no idea what drove him, but he leaned in as he drew her toward him with the palm of his hand. He guided her mouth to his, their lips meeting so quickly it was unclear which of them actually initiated it.

His lips parted as did hers and she scooted toward him on the chair, her arms going around his neck. He heard the soft moan she made as their tongues met. He forced himself to remember that she was injured, probably more battered and bruised than he realized. She deepened the kiss, demanding more from him and he wasn't of the mind to resist.

Somewhere in the back of his mind was the idea that he should be put off that she could respond to him so ardently after having just been with someone days before. He was no monk himself so he couldn't really judge her. He knew she might be responding to him because she felt foolish for what had happened and the fact that she was alive. Near death experiences were like that, you clung to the closest thing that made you feel alive. He supposed he should feel grateful that she was clinging to him.

"Mulder," she murmured, hands reaching to push off his suit coat. She broke the kiss, her mouth moving to his chin and his jaw. Her actions were urgent, he wasn't sure she remembered where they were as she loosened his tie.

"Scully," he whispered, realizing he had to be the voice of reason here. He wasn't opposed to an interoffice romance, particularly when they were the couple in question, but that romance being initiated in the office was not what he had in mind. He drew her away, hands on either side of her face mindful of her injuries. "Shouldn't we go back to your place?"

She met his gaze evenly and he wished he knew what she was thinking just then. The tears were gone, he couldn't even see evidence that she had cried. "Where's your sense of adventure, Mulder?"

"You haven't gotten your fill yet? Tattoos, biker bars, burning apartments? I'm not sure I can compete with that if you're left feeling unsatisfied."

She smirked, working the buttons on her jacket. She tossed it aside and reached to finish removing his tie. "I don't think we'll have to worry about dissatisfaction, Mulder." She stood from the chair, knocking him to his butt from the squatting position he'd been precariously balancing on for a while now. His hands behind him he watched this vixen who possessed his partner's body begin to unbutton her blouse as she walked in the direction of their office door.

The soft sound of the door latching was overwhelming in the silence. She turned to face him then and reached behind her. He heard the soft sound of a zipper just moments before the top of the skirt shimmied to her hips. He took a sharp intake of breath as he realized this was really happening.

She walked back to him, the skirt barely hanging on at her hips and finished unbuttoning her blouse. She stopped inches away from him, looking down at him with desire and need written clearly on her face. If he wasn't aroused a moment ago he was just seeing the look in her eye. Maybe it was a bit of recapturing life after a near-death experience, but it was him she wanted. He wasn't a substitute for Ed or anyone else.

She let her skirt fall to her feet, stepping out of it as it pooled at her feet. It was rather erotic watching this normally straight laced woman stand before him with only her blouse and heels on. He glanced at the door knowing the chances of anyone entering their dungeon of an office were slim. His eyes slid to her face and he reminded himself again how close he had come to losing her.

She wasn't touching him but he felt her gaze as powerful and real as any touch as she took him in. He had never seen desire in her eyes before and it made him feel for a moment that he was out of his league with this woman. Until he remembered how he felt talking to her on the phone.

He worked the buttons on his shirt and the buckle on his belt. She stopped him when he would have moved to stand, dropping her blouse to the floor with the rest of their clothes. He closed his eyes when she reached for the fly of his trousers, feeling the tension as she pulled the fabric tauter than his hard-on already made it so she could work the zipper smoothly.

Her eyes widened when she reached inside his trousers and boxers to take a hold of his shaft. He wasn't Johnny Holmes but he had more than enough to satisfy a woman. Or so he'd been told in the past. He let out a soft gasp as she traced over his head with the pad of her thumb. He reached behind her to unhook her bra and tossed it aside. She was perfect, her shapely figure completing the package. Beauty and brains were issued in full where Scully was concerned.

"You're beautiful, Scully," he whispered as he took first one peak and then the other into his mouth. He teased and taunted, licked and nipped until they were each hardened pebbles waiting for further attention. Her arms slid around him and just like that he felt her sink herself onto him. Warm and wet, she welcomed him as if he was made to be there. She sheathed him like nothing he'd experienced before.

He cradled her hips with his hands, mindful of the probably still sensitive tattoo. He held her against him though he let her control and set the pace. She reached for him, her mouth finding his. His heart raced at the unexpected exertion and pleasure. He felt their breathing increase as she slid her body along his, taking him deep. He loved this woman. If he hadn't realized that at Graceland when he wished she was there to share it with him he knew it when he realized she'd almost been taken from him for good. This close he could still smell the faint smell of smoke from the fire she had been exposed to. It clung to her skin and hair, which only served to make him want her more. She was alive and here, flesh against flesh was proof of that.

She was deceptively strong. She didn't seem to be at first glance, but her stamina and energy were impressive especially given her injuries and what she had just been through. Her hands found his shoulders seeking purchase as she rode him, throwing her head back. Taking him deeper and harder into her body with a cry of pleasure he could only respond to in kind.

Arching into him he did the only thing he could do and accepted the offered delicacy that was her breasts. He was relentless in his attention, flicking a hardened nipple with his tongue as he slid a hand between their joined bodies. He wanted to bring her as much pleasure as he possibly could. He wanted her senses to be so aroused she would be unsure where she left off and he began. They were joined together in the most intimate way and he wanted her to know this was the way it should be.

She was quiet when her climax overtook her, but he felt her body contract and grip him. Her soft groans of pleasure the only sound in the otherwise silent room. Their hands traveled along each others body, discovering pleasure points and soft spots that had until now gone unexplored. It was when she paid attention to a point on his shoulder with her lips, tongue, and teeth that he erupted inside of her unable to prolong it anymore.

She stilled on top of him, making no effort to pull off of him just yet. He wanted to remain this close as long as possible. He felt her muscles contract, felt his own body twinge in response and knew he was going to lose his place inside of her soon. He kissed her shoulder, cupped her buttocks to bring her against him for a flurry of quick strokes inside of her before he could no longer remain inside of her.

His hands slid up the length of her spine, skimmed the nape of her neck and around to cup her face once again. He looked into her eyes and smiled, hoping his eyes reflected what this meant to him. What she meant to him. He wasn't a wordy guy, would never be a poet but he hoped he could demonstrate well enough that he wanted her.

She let her head fall against his shoulder at his neck, relaxing against him as they waited for their breathing to return to normal. He let his hand run along the back of her head. "About that desk," he whispered. She laughed and kissed his shoulder and his neck, biting him. It was good to hear her laugh, good to see the sparkle in her eyes again. He was cocky enough to believe he was responsible for it being there when it wasn't earlier.

"I'm glad you're okay, Scully. Really, I missed you."

"Me, too," she whispered.

"I have an idea. How about dinner and movies at my place or yours? Whatever you want."

"Anything I want?"

"You heard me."

"Chinese take-out, a bottle of wine, and my bed. No movies necessary."

"Am I invited or is it dinner for one?"

"I might never let you out of my sight again."

He chuckled softly. "The horror," he quipped before kissing her wondering if they even needed the take-out.

~The End~

Story ©Susan Matthews/APCKRFAN/PhantomRoses.com