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The laugh was unmistakably Scully’s. But it was so out of place, Mulder wasn’t sure if he was really hearing it.
“Do you hear that?” He asked Frohike and Langley for confirmation.
“Hear what?” Frohike asked.
Langley kept his focus on the slot machine.
Mulder decided to follow the laughter, becoming more confused with each step. He was led to the casino’s lounge where a group of men were gathered at the bar, encircling the source of the laughter. Mulder had the sick suspicion these men were not comedians.
After pushing his way past a few practically drooling men, Mulder was face to face with Scully, who sat on a barstool looking dreamily around the crowd she’d attracted.
“Mulder!” Scully pulled him closer by the lapels of his jack. She walked her fingers down his torso. “I was just thinking about you.”
This uncharacteristically enthusiastic greeting made Mulder freeze. He watched as one of the men behind Scully put a hand on her shoulder, leaning her back to whisper something in her ear. After hearing it, Scully made a sour face.
“That’s not nice. I like Mulder.” She told the man.
Still not understanding the scene, Mulder leaned in and asked “Scully, what the hell is going on here?”
She had a faux innocent smile on her face. “I just needed a drink and then…." Giggles replaced the end of her sentence. "The people in Las Vegas are very friendly.”
“Too friendly. Let’s g-”
Mulder was physically and verbally cut off by the hand of a white haired man with a sleazy expression. He held up a pack of Morley’s in front of Scully.
“Cigarette?” He offered.
At first Scully just looked at the man. She gave a slight laugh and Mulder was sure she was about to turn him away. To his shock, Scully took a cigarette directly into her mouth.
“You don’t smoke.” Mulder reminded her.
Scully ignored him and continued making doe eyes at the other men.
“But who’s got a match?”
Immediately, half a dozen lighters were presented to Scully by the eager crowd.
“I just can’t decide who lights my fire.”
That was the last straw. Mulder couldn’t watch this anymore. Something was wrong with Scully and he wasn’t going to let these men keep ogling her with the hopes of doing god knows what else. Mulder pulled out his badge. He stepped between Scully and the rest of the group.
“Federal agent. Clear out of here. Now.”
Some of the men backed away, but others were undeterred.
“I’m Agent Mulder, this is my partner, Agent Scully. If anyone has done anything to inebriate her, you’ll be facing federal prosecution. Now get out of here.” He reiterated.
With that, Scully’s admirers left. Now she looked confused.
Mulder sat on the barstool next to her and put a reassuring hand on her shoulder.
“Scully, did any of them hand you a drink?”
“I haven’t had anything to drink.” She said.
Mulder thought she was lying because she didn’t want to admit she got drunk during a case.
“It’s ok, Scully. I won’t judge you. Just tell me who gave you the drinks.”
“Nobody gave me a drink. Bartender went on break right when I’d sat down” She put her head in her hands and leaned over the bar. “Too bad because I felt like I needed a drink, but I feel better now.”
It didn’t make sense, but after taking a good look at her, Mulder could tell she was telling the truth. Aside from her strange behavior, Scully didn’t show any signs of being drunk. Remembering Langley telling him that Scully had collapsed during her autopsy, Mulder was now concerned she’d been drugged by the conspirators.
He tried to think of how they could’ve done it, but was pulled from his thoughts when Scully started laughing again.
“What is it?” Mulder asked.
Scully shrugged. “I’m just in a good mood, baby. Why’d you stop all the fun?”
“Baby?” Mulder repeated in disbelief.
“Mmm.” Scully repositioned herself on her stool so she was facing Mulder and tangled her hands in his hair.
“You sent them all away. Now it’s just me and you.”
“They wanted to take advantage of you.” Mulder said, wincing a little as her nails scratched his scalp. “You're not yourself right now.”
Scully’s hands left his hair and started touching her own body in various places.
“I still feel like myself.” She giggled.
“Ok, but we need to get out of here. Let’s go back to your room and you can sleep this off.”
“Whyyyy? I’m not tired.” She pouted like a child. “Come on, Mulder. Don’t you want to have some fun?”
He ignored the question, instead taking her arm and escorting her out of the lounge.
"Were you jealous?" She gasped. "You were!"
Mulder didn't dignify the accusation, no matter how true it may be. He continued leading Scully by the arm through the lobby to the elevator. Once inside, Scully used her two pointer fingers to poke the buttons for every floor. Mulder moved her hands away.
"What are you doing?"
Scully only giggled.
With each stop, Scully let out a celebratory "Woo!" with every chime of the elevator.
Mulder sighed with relief when they finally reached their floor.
"Come on."
Scully shook her head. "I want to go up."
"Yes, the mechanics of elevators are very amusing, but this is where our rooms are."
“Mulderrrrr”
“Yes, that’s my name.”
He extended his hand to her and was grateful she took it without needing any more convincing.
“Maybe I should start calling you Fox. Maybe then you’ll want to have fun with me.” She mused.
“Do you have your room key?”
Scully laughed like the question was the funniest joke she’d ever heard. Exasperated, Mulder put his arm around Scully and continued down the hall to his own room. He tried not to focus on the way she clung to him, happily tucked into his chest for the rest of the walk.
When they got to his room, Mulder opened the door and Scully skipped inside. She twirled, wide eyes taking in the surroundings.
“You can sleep here till whatever this is wears off.” He told her.
“Nice place you got here, Fox.” She said with a giggle.
Mulder didn’t like his first name. He appreciated how Scully had been the only person who respected his wish of only being referred to as Mulder. Yet for some reason, hearing her call him Fox gave him a thrill.
He turned down the sheets and gestured for her to lay down. With another loud giggle, Scully crawled onto the bed. When Mulder tried to walk away, she grabbed him by the tie.
“Wait, I have something to tell you.”
Mulder sat on the edge of the bed. Scully was looking him up and down intensely, a wild gleam in her eye. Her tongue peaked out the corner of her mouth.
“What?” He asked.
"You really are a fox."
There was a pause as Mulder considered the compliment. It wasn’t the first time a woman had used that line on him but it was definitely the most seductive. He couldn’t help but smile. He hoped he wasn’t blushing.
Then, Scully burst into another fit of giggles. This dampened Mulder’s mood. He wondered if Scully really thought he’s attractive or if she couldn't resist the pun.
“You need to rest, Scully.”
“But I told you, I’m not tired.”
“Trust me, you need rest.” Mulder's tone was more emotional now.
He felt his throat welling up. The anger at whoever did this to Scully had been replaced by sadness and fear. Anxiesties bounced around his brain.
What if the effects of this drug leave her with permanent brain damage?
What if this intoxication is a precursor to another, worse, effect?
What if it was poison and Scully didn’t have much time left?
Once again, Scully brought him out of his head and back to the present.
“I can’t sleep in a pantsuit. Give me some of your clothes.”
This was a fair request. Her work clothes didn’t look comfortable. Mulder pulled a t-shirt and pair of basketball shorts out of his bag.
“You can borrow these.” He offered.
Scully took the clothes and sniffed them as if he’d handed her flowers instead.
“You might not want to do that. Yeah, they’ve been washed, but they’re still my gym clothes.” Mulder warned.
This was very funny to Scully. Mulder took her arm and helped her off the bed. With a hand on her lower back, he guided her into the bathroom so she could change.
While he waited, Mulder called the gunman. They were with Susan Modeski, who knew exactly what Scully had been drugged with. Mulder was relieved to find out it wasn’t deadly and the effects would wear off in a few hours. He could take care of her for a few hours.
When Scully came out of the bathroom, was taken aback. She’d only put on his shirt.
“Mulder,” Langley’s voice said over the phone. “You still there?”
Not taking his eyes off Scully, Mulder simply told them, “I gotta go.” and hung up.
The t-shirt only came down to Scully’s upper thigh. The thin material made it obvious she wasn’t wearing a bra. Mulder wondered if she was wearing… No, he stopped himself.
“Where are the shorts?” He asked.
“They’re too big. You’re like so much bigger than me. Like a big tree and I’m a small little acorn.”
“Ok.”
That was all Mulder could say as he stared, transfixed by the skin that was revealed when Scully sat down on the bed. Noticing his gaze, Scully giggled. She laid back on the bed and crooked her finger at him.
“Come here, Foxy.”
He couldn’t trust himself to get closer. This moment was straight out of his fantasies. More than anything, he wanted to get into bed with her, hold her, feel that smooth alabaster skin, kiss her soft lips. He wanted to see all of her, touch all of her. Tell her how beautiful she is. And how smart, and strong, and brave, and kind she is. He wanted to tell her how much he loves her.
But it couldn’t happen. He could never do that to her, he’d never forgive himself if he broke her trust.
“Mulder?” She breathed.
He shook his head. “I can’t.”
Scully’s eyes shifted downwards. Her infamous eyebrow lift took on a flirty variation. Mulder knew he was hard. Apparently, it was obvious.
Scully bit her lip and looked back into his eyes. “It sure looks like you can.”
“This isn’t right. You’ve been drugged. You’re not in your right mind."
Scully didn't look like she cared. Mulder spoke louder.
"They drugged you, Scully. Someone didn’t want you performing that autopsy, so they took away your inhibitions. It’s the drug making you think you want me, but you don’t.”
Mulder thought back to all the men at the bar. Scully probably saw him as one of them, feelings no deeper than a fleeting, drug induced desire to ‘light her fire’. In a few hours, she’ll realize what she was doing and be embarrassed.
Scully looked dejected. Mulder’s heart broke when he watched a single tear spill from her eye. He went to her, kneeling beside the bed.
“It’s going to be ok, Scully. The drug will wear off. Just take a nap and when you wake up, all of this will be over.”
Mulder hoped to comfort her, but his words only made Scully cry harder.
“You’re wrong.”
“I promise, it will get better. Modeski developed the drug and she says-”
“Not about the stupid drug!” Scully interrupted. “About me.”
Mulder hadn’t expected that. He wished he could understand how Scully’s usually logical mind was working now, so he’d know what to say to make her feel better.
She reached up to touch his chin. Eyes red and melancholy smile, she looked beautiful. In the past, she was so ashamed to be vulnerable, but things had been changing between them. What used to be trust and respect had reached a new level. Mulder was reminded of the past few weeks.
The horror of seeing Scully on his apartment floor, apparently bleeding out. He held her in his arms for what felt like hours as she sobbed. Then the joy of wrapping his arms around her to teach her how to swing a baseball bat. Her laughter.
Mulder had known for years he was in love with Scully. But it was only now he thought it might be possible to really be with her.
“It’s not the drug. I want you.” Scully whispered. “I love you.”
Tears fell from Mulder’s eyes too. He pressed his lips to her hand.
“I love you too. More than anything.”
Scully’s radiant smile took his breath away. She leaned towards him, head tilted. Her lips just brushed his. It could barely be considered a kiss, but it was the most intimate show of affection Mulder had ever experienced.
“I still think you should get some rest.” He told her.
Scully nodded, but more tears fell.
“What is it?” Mulder asked, brushing her fiery hair out of her face.
“When I wake up….” She wrapped her arms around him. “What if I don’t remember this?”
The possibility hit Mulder like a knife to the heart. How could he go on if Scully woke up and it was as if they hadn’t just confessed their love? He couldn’t go back to repressing it. He felt like he’d be violating her somehow remembering this moment if she couldn’t.
Scully looked at him expectantly.
“I- I don’t know. But, I know I’ll still love you and if you still want me, I’ll always be yours.”
Her body relaxed. It felt like a wave of calm washed over them both.
Mulder gave her a kiss on top of her head.
“I’m going to let you rest.”
Scully laid back. Mulder pulled the blankets over her. Within minutes, her soft snores filled the room.
A few hours later, Scully lifted her head off the pillow. Her hair was tousled and frizzy. Her eyes were only half open.
“Mulder?”
“Right here.” He said, rising from his chair across the room.
He mentally prepared himself for what she would say next. All the prospects made him nervous, some more than others.
“How are you feeling?”
“Hungover.”
An awkward silence lingered. Their eyes hadn’t met.
When he couldn’t take it anymore, Mulder summoned his courage and asked, “Do you remember what happened?”
Scully didn’t answer right away. She looked thoughtfully as Mulder waited in anguished anticipation.
“I think so. Most of it at least.” She finally said.
“Do you remember what we said to each other?”
Scully smiled. It filled him with hope.
“That I love you?”
“Yeah that, but also, that you think I’m a afox.”
Scully laughed. This time it was quiet, with a charm no drug could replicate.
“I remember that part too.” She informed him.
“And..” Mulder began, his voice shaking. The joke had defused only some of the tension. “Do you still feel the same?”
“Yes. In both respects.”