Disclaimer: Fox Mulder, Dana Scully, the X-Files, and associated characters are property of David Duchovny, Gillian Anderson, Chris Carter, Ten-Thirteen Productions and Fox Broadcasting Corporation. They are used without permission and no copyright infringement is meant. Any elements not recognized as being taken from the show copyright Christina Shuy. As most of this is from "Detour", most of it belongs to Frank Spotnitz and Chris Carter. Thanks guys! =) Comments and other things sent to cshuy@netcom.com are much appreciated. Written starting 23 November 1997, Finished and posted 29 November 1997 Rating: R, but dropping fast.. oh, hell... it's NC-17 (MY FIRST!) Spoilers: Major "Detour" - MSR! MSR! MSR! *smile* Summary: The title says it all, folks. Raining Sleeping Bags by Christina Shuy cshuy@netcom.com It was cold out. Night had fallen quickly, even in Florida. FBI Special Agent Dana Scully and her partner, Fox Mulder, were stranded in the woods after Mulder had started investigating a case after being pulled over at a road block on the way to a communications conference. Scully was trying to make a fire by striking two stones together over a pile of wood. It wasn't working. "You were an Indian Guide. Help me out here." Scully struggled to keep warm, knowing it was probably more difficult for Mulder who was barely coherent after having been attacked. "Indian guide says maybe you should run to the store, and get some matches." Mulder was shivering and not altoghether 'with it'. "I would but I left my wallet in the car." she answered, standing up and sitting back down beside Mulder. As she did so, she pulled out her gun and ejected the clip. "What are you doing?" "I'm trying to open my gun." Mulder looked at her, clueless. "If I can separate the shell from the casing, maybe I could get the powder to ignite." she muttered, pulling a shell from the clip. She didn't look at Mulder, but she didn't feel too much confidence either. "Maybe it'll start raining weenies and marshmallows." he babbled, though Scully recognised it as the 'I'm scared so I'll make silly-stupid comments' mode Mulder occasionally dropped into. She snapped the clip back into her gun and tucked it away again. "Do I detect a hint of negativity?" "No! Yes... actually, yeah..." There was a hint of laughter in Mulder's voice. She looked away and prayed what she had in mind would work as she started prying open the shell casing. "Mulder, you need to keep warm. Your body's still in shock." "I was told once that the best way to regenerate body heat is to crawl naked into a sleeping bag with someone else who's already naked." Mulder shivered. Dana Scully smiled inwardly and let only a light bit of it touch her face. "Maybe if it rains sleeping bags, you'll get lucky." Mulder glanced up at her and shivered some more, his expression inquiring. As she spoke, she had to fight to keep her face straight. It almost worked. She decided to change the subject. "Ever thought seriously about dying?" "Yeah, once, when I was at the Ice Capades." Mulder kept shivering. It was obvious he was scared out of his wits, but didn't know what else to do about it. He turned, curling closer to her, struggling to keep warm. Looking at him fondly, since she knew what was going through his mind, she paused for a moment before continuing. "When I was fighting my cancer, I was angry at the injustice of it. Its meaninglessness..." she paused to organise her thoughts. "And then I realised that was a struggle. To give it meaning. To make sense of it. Like life." "I think Nature is supremely indifferent to whether we live or die." Mulder mumbled, apparently starting to grasp the seriousness of the conversation. "If you're lucky, you get to 75 years. If you're really lucky you get to 80 years. If you're extraordinarily lucky, you get to have 50 of those years with a decent head of hair." Dana laughed softly. Classic Mulder... take a serious conversation and throw in a comic twist. Not that it wasn't apprieciated, however. "Guess it's like Las Vegas.... House always wins." she answered. It was at that moment that the shell she had been struggling with came apart. "Oh! Ta Da!" She showed both halves to Mulder. "Go girl!" he smiled at her. She got up and made her way to the pile of wood she was trying to start a fire with. "Hey, who did you identify with when you were a kid? Wilma or Betty?" Mulder asked. "I identified with Betty's bustline." she answered, sprinkling the gunpowder onto the wood. "Yes! I did too." Mulder shifted around, apparently still trying to get warm. "Never been married to Barney, though." she continued, picking up the rocks she had been fiddling with earlier and clapping them together some more. "Their kids are cute." "But where are they today?" Mulder asked, just as the spark hit the gunpowder, flash-ignited and then fizzed quickly. She turned and looked back at him, half tempted to throttle him. "Mothmen? Really?" "Yeah..." he said, his eyes darting back and forth. "But there are only two of them." She had an expression almost of disbelief on her face as she rose and went back to sit close to him against the log. Dana pulled him closer to her and wrapped her arms around him the best she could. As she rocked him back and forth, it didn't become apparent to him what she was doing. "I don't wanna wrestle." he said, and she tried to stifle a laugh. "Get over here. I'm going to try to keep you warm." As she positioned him against her, laying him down on her lap, she caught sight of his smile, and wrapped her arms closer around him, rubbing at his arm. "Sorry." "One of us has got to stay awake, Scully." "You sleep, Mulder." "If you get tired you wake me." "I'm not going to get tired." "Why don't you sing something." "No, Mulder." she glanced down at him. He was definitely out of it. "Why don't you sing something? That way I'll know you're awake." "Mulder, you don't want me to sing. I can't carry a tune." "Doesn't matter. Just sing anything." Dana sighed. 'If he wasn't injured, I'd kill him.' she thought, though with an inner smile. 'Okay... he asked for it.' "Jeremiah was a bullfrog. Was a good friend of mine. Never understood a single word he said, but I helped him drink his wine..." She looked around momentarily, and he snuggled closer, getting her clothing even more damp than they had been. "Chorus..." Mulder mumbled into her lap. "Joy to the world. All the boys and girls. Joy to the fishes in the deep blue sea. Joy to you and me." There was a sudden rustling in the bushes and trees around them and they both startled, though Mulder was still in a daze. As it was, he was already half asleep. "What was that?" Scully asked. "I don't know, but it ain't no duck..." "Mulder???" Scully was beginning to get worried. Suddenly, there was a soft *thump* accompanied by a rustle of leaves. Then, all was silent. Scully got to her feet warily, and wandered over to near the dead fire. She returned to the log carrying a small rolled object. There was an incredulous look on her face, though it also looked as though she was about to start laughing and praising the skies. "What happened?" Mulder mumbled groggily. "Well, Mulder, looks like it has just rained sleeping bags." "Wha...?" Mulder's brain was apparently not connecting... or maybe it was and he wasn't letting on. "Come on... let's get you out of these clothes and into the sleeping bag. I think you just got lucky." Dana smiled. "Scully, are you coming onto me?" "Mulder, get into the sleeping bag and then get out of those clothes. They are soaking... I don't want you catching a cold." Even as Scully said that, she unwound the bag and unzipped it, wrapping it around Mulder's shivering shoulders. Gradually, he stopped shivering, though only after stripping off all of his clothes and having Dana join him because, although the sleeping bag warmed him up, his damp clothing was still leeching heat from his body. She had also gotten out of her clothing, she was also soaking wet, and both their clothes were in a neat little stack beside them on the log. "This is nice..." Mulder murmured, though he was still somewhat in shock. "It is." Dana smiled, though her mind was busily pondering the possibilities. Carefully staying in as much contact with him as possible, Dana zipped them into the sleeping bag to keep in the heat as much as keep out the cold. Then, she returned to resting her head on Mulder's shoulder. "Hmmmm... This is nice." Mulder murmured, though he still sounded somewhat dazed. "I agree." Dana smiled to herself as she moved to hold Mulder a little closer. A warm contented feeling spreading through her at the thought that she was actually *this* close to Mulder. What she had to keep fighting was her desires to take things beyond simple sharing of body warmth. 'Dana Katherine Scully, just what do you think you're doing?' her conscience piped up. 'This is your *partner*.' She sighed and ignored her conscience. Ed Jerse, Eddie van Blundht, and Jack Willis aside, she hadn't even been remotely associated with a man in that way for a very long time. If ever. Not that she needed to be, but there were times she did find herself wishing for the normality of a husband, 2.5 kids, a dog, and a house in the suburbs with a white picket fence. She knew that life would probably bore her to tears, but there were still some occasions when she wished that is exactly what she had. Then there was also the factor that she had been feeling something towards Mulder for a very long time. All signs pointed to it. Ed Jerse had strongly resembled Mulder. As for Eddie van Blundht... well, he had managed to BE Mulder, even if it was in looks only. However, Dana felt that van Blundht had also managed to showcase some part of Mulder that she'd loved to see again and more often. She sighed again and snuggled a little closer to Mulder. By this time, the damp had left both their bodies and Mulder was warming up nicely. As a matter of fact, so was she. She felt him snake his arms around her and entwine his fingers at the base of her spine. It was a protective and somewhat posessive gesture from him and she found herself welcoming both facets as comforting. "Y'know Scully, I think I really like this..." Mulder murmured into her hair. It was then that she noticed his voice was also sounding far steadier than it had been since before he had been attacked. "You're sounding better, Mulder." She smiled, though she didn't let him see it. "Yeah, well... you know... I'm feeling better too." He struggled to sit up and abruptly lost his balance, falling over in the opposite direction, dragging her along with him. She landed atop him and it was then that she noticed something she hadn't previously. It was also then that Mulder began to look a little pale again. However, neither of them was aware of the other's discomfort, so caught up were they in their own surprise. His thoughts had been turning to the decidedly unpartnerly during the time they'd taken to warm each other up. In fact, the thoughts had started right when she had made the comment about 'raining sleeping bags' and 'getting lucky'. And the thoughts were also accompanied by the 'normal' physical response. Unfortunately, with Scully now on *top* of him... well, the problem was obvious. 'Oh, shit... I think I'm in trouble now...' he thought, looking down at near where their feet were and noticing her gun on top of her clothing. 'I hope she doesn't shoot me again.' "Mulder, am I mistaken here, or do you have an erection?" she murmured, looking directly at him. He couldn't make out her tone of voice and thereby couldn't decide if that was a good thing or a bad thing. Blearily, he lifted his head and looked her directly in the eye. "I've got one. Hell, I've had one since the sleeping bag turned up and you wrapped it around me." he admitted. "You mean before I got out of my clothing and into the sleeping bag with you." "Ummmm... yeah." She started to struggle to get up, but Mulder wouldn't let go. His hands were still at the small of her back. "Mulder, let me go." There was an edge of panic in her voice. It wasn't that she didn't like where things were leading... it was that she was afraid of the consequences if this were going to go where she knew it was headed. "Scully, you're the one who said that if it rained sleeping bags, I might get lucky." he protested. "I just wanted to get warm. And, right now, thanks to you, I am. From what I can feel, so are you, though you were cold when we started out. And if it goes no farther than this, I will be forever grateful that neither of us got hypothermia this time." She stopped. He was right, and she knew it. "Well... I didn't think it would actually happen. Then there's still the FBI to consider. After all, what would the people at the Bureau think if they ever found out?" "What about them? I don't care what they think. Unless, of course, you're sleeping around. And, besides, it's not as though a lot of them don't already think we're sleeping together." "No, Mulder, I'm not sleeping around. And, we *are* technically sleeping together occasionally on off-case nights. And I like spending those nights with you." Ever since the strange and bizzare incident outside Eddie van Blundht's cell when she'd told him he wasn't a loser, things between them had gotten better. That night, they'd returned to her apartment and talked for a bit. Before either of them had realised it, it was the next morning and they'd woke up in the same bed, though it hadn't gotten any farther than that. Since then, things hadn't been quite the same, even though their sharing of the same bed had never gone beyond that. "Yes, but it's never been... well, it's never been like *this* before. I do enjoy sleeping with you in the same bed." He paused. "Dana, you *do* know how I feel about you, don't you?" "Yes, Mulder, I do... I feel the same way about you. I think you know that by now." "Then where do we go from here? I mean, this will not be a simple one night stand with you for me. You are the only person..." He paused for a moment and sighed. At the same time, desire raged out of control in Dana's mind. "Dana, there are times when I spend the night with you and am embarassed by where my thoughts go. Hell, sometimes just thinking about you leads me down a road I haven't travelled in a very long time. I had a long talk with Victoria about this." "And what did DCI Jensen have to say?" she smiled. Victoria was a very old friend of Mulder's from Oxford and had made quite an impression on Scully when Mulder had introduced them. Mulder laughed softly. "She told me that it was already a foregone conclusion of how I feel. Especially considering how I am when I'm with you." He laughed again. "In fact, this last time I talked to her, she asked me what was taking me so bloody long... what DID take me so bloody long. to realise it. Dana... I love you." "I love you too. Now hush, and make love to me." she smiled. By unspoken agreement, they stayed inside the sleeping bag. It was still very chilly in the night air, and they wanted to keep as much heat as possible. Not that they were having problems keeping warm. Since there were no clothes to remove, things were a little easier. However, that also meant things were more intense than they would have been otherwise. Espeically since they'd both apparently been supressing the thoughts of what they had been wanting to do... and were now doing. The release of the restraints was breathtaking. Mulder's hands were everywhere. Starting at her breasts. His thumbs flicked over her nipples, hardening them instantly. She moaned softly and let her hands wander down to the length of his aroused flesh and stroked, evoking a loud gasp and moan from his lips, which she then captured with her own. The kiss was fiery and filled with love and passion. Not bad for their first... of many. "Oh, God... yes, Mulder..." she groaned as one of his hands found the flesh between her legs and began caressing her even while his lips were trailing down her cheek and neck. His other hand was still kneading the flesh of one of her breasts. Even so, her hands still stroked him, as well as wandering across his chest. "Uhhh... Dana... I don't want to rush things, but... oh! Yes!" his thoughts were abruptly sidetracked as she turned, straddled his legs and then guided him into her quickly. They were finally as one. Mulder moved his hands down to clasp at the small of her back, holding her closer as a result. Her mouth found his again and caught them even as he slipped his tongue along her lips and then into her mouth, tasting her and mimicking the actions of his hips, even as she was moving against him. As he felt her nails lightly scratching across his back, he was moving the flattened palms of his hands across her back, making sure he was touching as much of her as possible. He continued thrusting in and out of her and she was moaning as the pleasure built up. And, though he was unaware of it, he was as well. "Dana... oh, Dana..." he murmured as she bent to lick at his small male nipples for a little while. The sensation of her tongue on his nipples was sending him off the skinny edge of control he was on. He lifted her chin and captured her mouth with his own again. His control had evaporated and he turned so that she was under him, and then began to move inside her, furiously building speed. "Yes... oh, YES!" Dana cried out as his motions continued to push her to the peak of her arousal. Her eyes slipped shut as the sensations continued to fan the flames. All at once, it happened. The explosion flooded them both, and there was almost light behind Dana's eyes. Mulder held her close as he erupted into her, trailing kisses along her shoulder. "I love you... Mulder." she murmured, twisting her fingers through his hair. "Fox... Dana... I think you ought to call me Fox... at least off duty." His voice was muffled by her shoulder. "And I love you, too." She smiled and continued to hold him close to her. As they lay side by side in each other's warm embrace, unspoken thoughts passed between them. Both were content that they'd found each other at last. Mulder awoke the next morning... the sun had long since risen. The only strange part was that he was in his clothing again and the sleeping bag he and Scully had shared the night with was gone. "Scully?!" He looked around for her, wondering... Had it all been a dream? "Over here!" she called, waving her gun around. "What're you doing?" "Looking for food." she sounded a little muffled. "I found some wild berries." "I wouldn't go far." Mulder looked around as Scully appeared out of the woods. "Mulder, you never left my sight." There was a slight indentation on the ground, as though two people had lain there. And he had awakened as if she'd still been curled up against him... and he could still smell her faintly. He looked around again. Scully had now vanished the way the Search and Rescue people had yesterday. It was now time to look for her. -The End...- "The Truth is Out There. Trust No One."- from "The X-Files" "I was told once that the best way to regenerate body heat is to crawl naked into a sleeping bag with someone else who's already naked."-Mulder "Maybe if it rains sleeping bags, you'll get lucky." Scully(tXF-"Detour") Pursuing a BS degree(Electrical Engineering)-Fall Quarter Hiatus (no money) "In the moment that you think you can't, you'll discover that you can." - Celine Dion - "Power of the Dream" "Let's get Dangerous!" - Darkwing Duck. Looking for work and a place to live... somewhere in the SanFran Bay Area.