TITLE: Under The Tree_ AUTHOR: Siobhan Gormley E-MAIL: sgormle2@chat.carleton.ca RATING: R Well, I believe it was Ra who originally threw out this idea as a challenge, so if I'm wrong, I humbly apologize to Ra. If I'm not though, it's all her fault that I'm writing this. ;) This story is mind candy (as some of you like to say), plain and simple. That means that there is *S-E-X* (or at least an attempt at it ;), so don't get your panties (or boxers or briefs ;) in a bunch if you read it and it bothers you, you *have* been warned! Mulder, Scully, and the Scully family are creations of Chris Carter and therefore belong to him, as well as FBC and the merry band at Ten Thirteen. The contents of this story are mine though, the idea was someone else's. XXXXXXXXXXX "God that was *such* a dull party! I never thought that my mind could become so numb so fast!" Dana Scully exclaimed as she let herself and her partner, Fox Mulder into her apartment. Mulder took off his winter coat, glad to be somewhere warm, and hung it on the hook by the door. Scully just threw hers over the closest chair and headed for the kitchen. Mulder plopped himself down on her couch, laying his long legs across the small expanse of the couch. "Well, I'm glad you were there to rescue me. I've never seen so many predatory women in my life," Mulder commented. He heard Scully snicker. "Oh please, Mulder! You *owe one* to so many of the women at the bureau, I'm just surprised they haven't come to collect any earlier." She wandered out of the kitchen with a bottle and two glasses in her hands. "What makes you think they haven't?" he asked, a mischievous grin on his face. Scully just rolled her eyes as she placed the bottle and glasses on the table. She pushed his legs off the end of the couch so she could have a seat. "I'm afraid I have no champagne. The only type of alcoholic beverage in my fridge was this bottle of my brother's homemade wine." Mulder picked it up, looking the bottle over. "Don't worry Mulder, it's safe. Well, as safe as alcohol can be that is." He put it back down, then brought his legs back up onto the couch, laying them across Scully's lap. "You're lucky I like you Mulder. Normally I'd have kicked your ass off the couch by now if you had been any other guy." He smiled. "Ah, but if you *really* liked me, you'd massage my feet." Scully just pushed his legs off of her lap and reached for the bottle to open it. Mulder couldn't help but chuckle at her reaction. Once Scully had poured them each a glass of wine, she handed one to Mulder. He took it out of her hand while he looked at the Christmas tree that was still standing. Scully had always left it standing until she felt good and ready to take it down, unlike the days when she and her family were moving around. "Scully, have you ever had sex underneath a Christmas tree?" Mulder asked. Scully spit out the wine she had been in the process of drinking, spilling it across her dress. Mulder looked at her, seemingly pleased with the reaction. "Where the hell did *that* come from, or should I dare to ask?" she asked as she got up from the couch to dry herself off. Before she could go very far, Mulder grabbed her wrist. She looked at it in interest. "You didn't answer my question." She looked away from her wrist and into his eyes. The look in his eyes suddenly sent her pulse racing, the blood rushing through her body at almost unthinkable speeds. It had to be the alcohol, she thought. Yeah, that's it. It has nothing to do with the fact this *incredibly* sexy man is asking you about sex under a Christmas tree. "Well, now that I think about it, no, I haven't. You?" she found herself asking. God, Dana, what the *hell* are you doing, she thought. He shook his head negatively. "Oh, well. That's nice." Oh yeah, Dana, that's a *really* good response. Mulder pulled himself off the couch, still holding onto her wrist. He placed the wine glass on the table. He stood close to her, close enough for Scully to feel the electric charge suddenly between them. Her breath caught in her throat for a moment as he tilted her chin up so that her eyes met his gaze. She suddenly felt herself quivering, her whole body feeling the anticipation of a sexual encounter. He leaned in toward her ear and whispered, "Happy New Year, Dana." She shivered as his breath brushed across her ear. She withheld a groan, but it escaped her lips as he kissed her earlobe. She could feel him smile as his lips left her lobe and worked their way around to her lips. His lips hovered over hers, teasing them. "Happy New Year, Fox," she breathed, her lips brushing his as she spoke. He finally brought his lips hard against hers. His hands caressed her body, eliciting moans from her between the kisses. Their knees felt weak, and they both went to fall to the ground when Mulder stopped them. Scully looked at him, an expression of frustration and confusion crossing her face. "Under the tree," was all he said. She raised an eyebrow in surprise. "Wouldn't it be a little uncomfortable, what with all the pine needles?" "I'll make it comfortable." With that he left her to watch him put her couch cushions and whatever else he could find to cover the floor. As he put the last of the blankets he found on the floor, Scully came up behind him, putting her hands around his waist and running them down to his already hard erection. He gasped as she stroked it through the material. He turned around to face her, then pulled her into a passion-filled embrace. They sank to the floor, underneath the tree. His hands caressed her body through the fabric in her dress, summoning more moans of pleasure from her lips. As he searched out the zipper on her dress, her phone rang. This seemed to take her attention momentarily away. "Let the machine get it," Mulder rasped. He kissed her again, hoping this would take her mind off of the phone that continued ringing. She pulled away from his embrace, breathing deeply. "I should get it. It's probably my mom and she'll be worried if I don't answer." Mulder acquiesced, groaning his disappointment. Scully pulled herself off the ground and wandered over to the phone, picking it up just before the machine would have. "Hi mom..Happy New Year..Yeah, the party was pretty boring so I decided to leave..Oh, you did? I guess I turned it off..Mmhm..Oh, he's here..You want to talk to him?" Scully motioned to Mulder to come over to the phone, which he did. "I'll put you on speaker," Scully said to her mother. She pushed a button and placed the receiver down. "Hello, Fox! Happy New Year!" Margaret Scully exclaimed. "Happy New Year to you too, Margaret." "So, it was a boring party?" "Yeah, you could say that." "So, have you made any New Year's resolutions?" Mulder slid his arms around Scully's waist, causing her to grin. "Yeah, I guess I have. I think I'm going to try and relax a little more, you know, release some of that unnecessary stress." Scully could barely contain her laughter. "That sounds like a good idea! What about you, Dana?" "I think I'm with Mulder on this, mom." "Good! Now you two enjoy yourselves!" The two of them were hardly able to keep from laughing. They went to say goodbye, but Mrs. Scully wasn't finished. "Oh, Bill Jr. wants to say something." Mulder groaned into her hair, whispering, "Why me?" They went through the same round of questions with Bill Jr., then with Brian. Finally they said goodbye to everybody, and Scully turned off the phone. As soon as she had that done, Mulder pulled her willingly back to the impromptu bed under the tree. As he leaned over her, he smiled. "This is going to be the best year yet, Dana Katherine Scully, for the both of us." She smiled back easily. "Yes, I think you're right, for once." The two of them chuckled over this comment, then proceeded to finish what they had begun. Mulder's hands wandered to Scully's back again in search of her zipper as his mouth devoured hers. Scully's hands slid smoothly down his chest as she undid the buttons on his dress shirt, eventually reaching the top of his pants. Mulder found himself moaning audibly as her hands slid down inside his pants and then inside his boxers to his straining erection, gently caressing it. He soon forgot about what he was doing the more she stroked it, rolling over and letting her lie on top of him. Just as suddenly as she had started, she stopped, causing him to look up in minor annoyance and frustration. What he saw was his partner, this woman whom he thought to be the most straight-laced person he'd ever had the pleasure of knowing, kneeling before him in a black lace slip and black lace stockings held up by garters. His only thought was that he had died and gone to heaven. She smiled at him as he sighed contentedly, laying his head back and leaving himself to look vulnerable. She straddled him, then dropped soft kisses on his bare chest, eliciting sighs of happiness from him. A couple of times she playfully nipped at him, making him yelp, then swat her on the behind. She stopped the kissing and proceeded to undo his pants, slipping them and his boxers off of him, freeing his erect penis. She slid up his body, placing long, wet kisses on it as she went, making him groan in anticipation. She finally reached his mouth and enveloped it with her own, pushing his lips open with her tongue. Mulder finally felt like he couldn't take anymore and he pushed her away. She looked at him in confusion. "What is it?" she asked, breathless. "I think we need to get some protection." She leaned closer to him, producing a condom in her hand. "I was prepared for that." He raised an eyebrow in surprise and curiosity. "And when, may I ask, did you have the chance to get that?" She grinned mischievously. "These garters have a neat little feature..." she answered. Mulder couldn't hide his amazement. "You keep astounding me every moment tonight, Dana." "And I plan to continue doing just that," she replied seductively. She slid down his body and placed the condom on, getting a shiver of pleasure from him as her fingers ran down the bare skin before the condom. Once she had it on, Mulder moved to help her remove the last of her clothing, but she stopped him. "We're doing this my way," she stated firmly. Mulder lay back, willing to let her have her way, he was in *no* mood or position to argue. She positioned herself and brought him inside her, letting out a little gasp of satisfaction. With each thrust of their hips, either one or both of them would let out a moan of pleasure. Mulder tried to hold back for her, but he had been holding on for what seemed like an eternity that he came without her. He breathed out after what felt like the first time in a long while. He noticed her lying on top of him, very quiet. He stroked her hair absentmindedly as he talked. "I'm sorry, I tried to wait, but..well, I guess I don't have as good a self-control as I like to think. I'm sorry if it wasn't that good for you." He could feel her smile against his chest. "Don't worry, it's not the worst sex I've ever had. Maybe not the *best*..." she responded, a little muffled. He could tell she was teasing him, that her smile was still there. "Ha, ha." She looked up at him, grinning madly, a glint in her eye. He grinned back at her. Scully rolled off of him and lay there, a sudden unreadable expression on her face. Mulder could tell she was thinking deep thoughts, ones she didn't want him in on, at least not right now. He looked over her body, biding his time until she was ready to talk. As Scully lay there, she thought about what had just happened between them. This would definitely affect their working relationship and undoubtedly their friendship. But they had both gone into this knowing the consequences, or at least she hoped they both did. Had they acted impulsively, was it the alcohol...? God this was so complicated, why did it have to be so complicated? Why couldn't it be simple, just a good time had by both and they could move on? But it wasn't simple, this was her and Mulder, not her and some guy she picked up out of sexual desperation. He meant so much to her, more than she could ever say. She looked over at him. Mulder noticed that Scully had finally come out of her self- induced quiet and he smiled. She found herself smiling back. "So.." he trailed off, leaving it open for her to finish. "So, I'm pretty tired." A look of hurt flitted across his face, then was gone as soon as it had appeared. "Me too." Scully pulled one of the quilts around her and Mulder, embracing him. As she drifted off, she thought that it was better not to bring that stuff up now, they'd talk about it, sometime. Mulder held her close as she drifted off, his own nagging thoughts keeping him awake a while longer. He hoped that she hadn't regretted what happened. He certainly hadn't expected this to happen, but he wasn't sorry that it had. He somehow thought that this was a natural progression for them, in a warped sort of way. Their relationship was already so close emotionally, it sort of made sense that they would move on to the physical closeness. He shook his head gently. Time to forget about these things for the moment. As Mulder finally drifted off, he thought that they would talk about this stuff, later. THE END ********************************************************************** Siobhan Gormley, Carleton University * X-Phile, Trek Fan, B-5er, Ottawa, Canada * Disnophile, Dragon Posse Email address: sgormle2@wabakimi.carleton.ca