Disclaimer: Yeah, right. Like these characters are mine.

Category: SRA
Classification: MSR
Rating: NC-17
Spoilers: Season 5 to just before Field Trip. 
Archive: Gossamer. Others ask me.
Feedback: Knock yourself out.
Author's Note: Thanks to Scott for finding a couple inconsistencies. 
Summary: Completeness. 

"Fruition" (1/1)
by Lisa  
(haven599@msn.com)

    A plan that is well thought out should be executable.  
    One plans for all the outcomes and adjusts the design accordingly.
If an unexpected potentiality comes up than the fall back can be 
to abort the mission. Sounds simple.  Logical.  Right?
    Wrong. 
    Scully's plan wasn't working that way at all.  This was in the 
works for almost two years.  She wasn't running any experiments,
tests, or procedures on some unidentifiable organism or life form. 
In fact, science didn't play any part in what she was trying to 
accomplish.  However, she was employing a scientific approach to 
her scheme.  
    Work was the last thing on her mind, but Mulder did play a 
big part in this goal of hers, in fact he was essential to its 
fulfillment.  Actually, it should be very simple.  This happens 
all the time with normal people.  However, they weren't *normal*
people.  Far from it.  
    Lately, she had been reviewing her life.  It wasn't anything 
she thought it would be once she decided to pursue a career in the 
FBI.  Scully thought she would be a medical examiner, deducing
causes of death by a careful and systematic review of all the evidence. 
She'd meet someone and get married, have children, and raise them,
all the while growing old with the man she loved. 
    It's a good thing she wasn't a betting woman.  
    Life had its ups and downs, but the past few years had been full
of pain and sadness.  The deaths of her father and sister.  Her 
abduction.  Her cancer.  That was the hardest battle she had ever
fought in her life.  She still feared it would resurface and prayed 
at each doctor's visit for good news.
    Scully changed her lifestyle since her cancer had been in remission.
She was eating better, exercising more, and generally trying to be
good to her body.  This was hard at times with the schedule they
kept, but she adhered to her regimen as much as possible.  Attending 
church more was another aspect of her new lease on life.  Although 
she wasn't able to go every Sunday, her faith was still an important
part of her life.  She prayed for her health, family, and partner.  
He needed all the help he good get.
    She had so much to be thankful for.  The cancer didn't win. 
Her family was in good health.  Bill and Tara finally had a child
of their own. Her job paid well.  She was able to afford most 
everything she wanted.  
    There was one constant in her life during these tumultuous 
years.  He watched over her and protected her.  He saved her life
so many times she would never be able to repay the debt.  She 
wouldn't be alive if not for his determination to find her, saving 
her from all the evil in this world.  His world.  She had become 
a part of it.  She couldn't escape it even if she wanted to.  
    Mulder. 
    *He* was her plan.  Scully wanted him to be her lover.
    She realized this after her cancer was under control.  It was 
as if she had been given a second chance.  The disease sapped 
much of her strength and energy and took her awhile to recover.
It's not easy to feel desirable so soon after a terminal illness has 
gone into remission.
    She didn't want to spend her second chance wondering what 
could have been.    
    Then there was the realization that during Scully's abduction 
her eggs had been harvested and a child was conceived without 
her consent.  She was a mother.  Mulder knew these experiments
were being conducted with human ova - her ova and neglected to 
let her know.  If he cared about her so much, how could he not 
tell her?  
    She vacillated for months wondering if a relationship was the 
right thing to do.  Going away for the weekend to Maine was supposed 
to be a way to relax, but she got caught up in a murder case.  Besides,
Mulder's frequent calling made it hard to have some time apart from 
each other, even though it was a little flattering.  
    The turning point for both of them was the fire in their office 
and subsequent closing of the X-Files.  The look in Mulder's eyes -
haunted - hurt Scully so much and she wanted to be with him that 
night, but he disappeared.  She was left alone again.  It was better 
anyway, comforting each other with sex was not the way she wanted 
their first time to be like.  
    The closest Scully got to her goal was the almost-kiss they  
shared outside Mulder's hallway.  It surprised her how much he
initiated the intimacy of those moments. If they had finished the 
kiss, Scully was ready to make love with him right there.  Besides,
she had already turned in her resignation, so nothing work-related was
standing in their way.  
    Physically and emotionally, their ordeal in Antarctica took its 
toll.  It also renewed their partnership and quest for the truth. 
No more emotional intimacy until Mulder declared his love for her
after being rescued from the shipwreck in the Bermuda Triangle. 
Of course, she didn't believe him at first.  The more Scully thought
about it, the more she wondered if he was trying to finish what he
started in the hallway months earlier.             
    It was the first time they spent Christmas Eve together, albeit a 
strange one, but that was normal for Mulder.  Exchanging presents
and spending a few hours at his apartment was a nice change from 
their work.  Scully had even kissed him that night, however, the 
kiss was more of a "Merry Christmas" type, but a kiss nonetheless.
    If Scully would have known that Mulder was going to enjoy their 
undercover assignment so much, she wouldn't have accepted it.  All 
of a sudden he was being so much like *her* husband and it was 
a little unnerving.  He was trying to pull her chain and she was 
determined not to let his antics bother her.  For the most part they
didn't.  At night, Scully thought about him sleeping all alone on the
couch and a few times it crossed her mind to ask him to come sleep 
with her.  However, she wasn't sure she could trust herself with 
him so close.  After all, they weren't really married and she didn't 
want to get caught up in the fantasy.  
    The real turning point was yet to come - Scully's stalker and 
subsequent attack.  Scully didn't remember too much of that day except
Mulder comforting her afterwards; shock may have blurred her memory.
She was huddled in Mulder's arms on the couch, sobbing uncontrollably,
fearing she would be hurt again.  Mulder whispered repeatedly she was
safe and that he wouldn't let anyone hurt her.  His comforting words 
along with her exhaustion lulled her to sleep. 
    Later, when Scully had recovered, she thanked Mulder for his 
patience and support with a soft, gentle kiss.  The look in his eyes
told her that he wasn't expecting such a gesture of affection.  He 
smiled warmly and returned the kiss. 
    Scully's plan had been at a standstill.  She had almost tried 
to seduce him a few times, but usually work got in the way or the
timing wasn't quite right.  
    Timing meant it had to be perfect.  She wanted to be wearing 
her best underwear.  It sounded silly, but why have matching bra 
and panties if not for someone other than yourself to enjoy them? 
She had to look sexy and desirable. The sea green silk nightgown
from Victoria's Secret hung in her closet as an incentive.  She was
only going to wear it for Mulder, however, it had been hanging there
for weeks taunting her to take that next step.  
    What if this was going to be the biggest mistake of their lives? 
What if they would lose the wonderful friendship that had been 
nurtured these past years? Could friends become lovers? Isn't 
friendship the basis for love anyway? 
    Then it happened.  Scully discovered Mulder's secret pleasure. 
    Baseball.    
    That night when Mulder took it upon himself to teach her a 
little baseball she got the idea.  At first she wasn't in the mood 
for games, but it was fun to finally hit a baseball.  Scully wasn't 
sure which she liked better - the sport or Mulder's arms around her.
    They had been going to a local park around Mulder's apartment 
for the past few weekends on the pretense that Scully wanted to 
learn the game of baseball.  Pretty soon that excuse was going to 
get old.  She knew it, but hoped their relationship would have 
moved along by then.  Scully even researched some information 
on the Internet about statistics and succeeded in impressing him with 
the knowledge.  
    Hopefully, Mulder would have figured out by now that Scully 
wanted his company more than learning the finer points of the sport. 
    That's where things stood now.

****
    "We should have left an hour ago, Mulder."  Scully stated as they
both walked into her apartment.  
    "Why?"  
    "That group of boys who were waiting on the bench for us to get
off the field."  she explained.  One cute blond-haired little boy 
asked Mulder when he and his girlfriend would be through.  There 
was a long pause before Scully quickly said it would only be a few
minutes.  However, Mulder kept extending the few minutes.
    He shrugged.  "Everyone needs to wait their turn."
    Scully sighed and went over the refrigerator grabbing a Diet 
Coke off its shelf and taking a long drink.  
    "Where's mine?"  Mulder whined.  
    "Oh, sorry I think this is the last one."  she announced. 
    "It better not be."  Mulder searched the refrigerator, but came
up empty.  
    "Let me have some."  He moved closer to her. 
    "It's so cold and fizzy."  Scully taunted.  "And I'm so thirsty."
Scully tried to hold it away from him, but he was much taller and 
able to wrench the can out of her grip.  
    Unwilling to give up her cold beverage, Scully tried to reclaim
ownership by wresting it from his hand.  Mulder was having none
of that, teasing her by holding the can just out of her reach.  Scully 
was undaunted in her goal and pulled on his arm, giggling in the 
process as some of its contents spilled over the side of the can. 
    Mulder moved quickly and Scully found her hand braced against
his chest, the other grasping for the soda.  He didn't realize she was
so close and forgot about their game, lowering the drink to her. 
    Scully wasn't looking at Mulder's eyes so she didn't see the desire
in them.  Her lips were poised for a sip when she noticed he wasn't 
resisting.  
    Scully saw the playfulness of the mood was all but gone.  The 
look in his eyes confirmed that.  He set the drink down on the 
counter top just before his mouth captured hers.  The kiss was 
heated and passionate, not like the ones they shared previously. 
    Scully put her arms around his neck, drawing herself into his
arms.  This was not an easy task since he was much taller and she
wasn't wearing her heels.  Her athletic shoes provided no help, either. 
Mulder must've realized this because he lifted her onto the counter,
his mouth moving to her neck.  
    Scully gasped, burying her hands in his hair.  He smelled of 
sweat, but she didn't care.  Actually, they both smelled of sweat 
and the outdoorsy scent of sun and dirt.  The image of Mulder and 
herself in the shower briefly flashed in her mind.  
    As that thought passed through her mind, Mulder broke away 
from her, walking into the living room. 
    It finally registered to Scully that she was sitting on her 
kitchen counter, her head resting against the glass cupboard 
overhead.  Her arm was an inch or two away from the soda can and 
another moment it would have been knocked to the floor. 
    She jumped down from the counter.  "Mulder, why did you stop?"
    "I . . . I don't know."  Mulder mumbled.  What the hell was he 
doing kissing Scully on the kitchen counter?  This was *Scully* - she
deserved so much better.  
    Scully smoothed her hair back, knowing her face was still flush
from the kisses they shared.  She went over to him.  "I don't remember
asking you to stop." 
    He looked into her eyes.  "We've never done that before."  he 
stated, as if that was some revelation to her.  "I . . .I should get 
going - we'll see each other at work Monday, unless you want to
go over that case . . ." 
    "Why do you always do that?"  Scully demanded. "Revert back to 
work when we get close."  The gentle kisses they shared occasionally
were followed by him wanting to discuss work.  Scully acquiesced 
to the way he wanted the conversation to go, but no more. 
    "I guess . . . I just feel more comfortable with you like that." he 
admitted shyly. 
    "Is *work* all you see when you look at me, Mulder?" 
Scully began, "because what just happened wasn't . . ." 
    "I know." Mulder agreed.  "It wasn't." 
    Scully wanted him to tell her what was bothering him.  "What 
can I do to make you feel more comfortable?"  She took his hands 
in hers.  
    Scully thought of the nightgown in her closet. "Maybe if you 
saw me dressed differently."  she suggested.  "I'll be right back."
Scully hurried off to her bedroom.  
    Removing her shoes and socks, she started for the closet.  
Opening the door, she saw the piece of lingerie that had been
mocking her for weeks.  She began to unbutton her top.  
    "Scully?"  Mulder stood just inside her bedroom.  He saw her 
standing next to the closet, her shirt was undone a little and he 
could see the swell of her breasts beneath the fabric.  
    "Let me do that."  Mulder offered.  "I want to undress you."
His voice was barely a whisper. 
    Scully felt a shudder pass through her body. She watched as he 
finished undoing the buttons and slid the garment off her shoulders.
"I'm scared." he confessed.  "Of this. Of us.  Work is easy for me 
compared to this moment."  
    His declaration touched her.  "I know, me too. It's because we
have boundaries there.  Here we have none, but that's fine. As of
now let's forget about work.  Nothing exists for us outside this 
room."  She kissed him tenderly.  
    Mulder relieved her of her pants.  She was clad only in her 
black bra and panties. 
    Scully worked on the buttons of his jersey, one of the baseball
ones he wore for their outings along with the dark mock turtleneck
underneath it. Scully smoothed her hands over his chest, occasionally
dropping kisses onto it.  Her hands moved to the button of his jeans. 
    "These too."  she whispered.  He pulled them off quickly with 
a little help from her. 
    "Now we're equal."  she commented.
    "We always were, Scully."  His hands slipped up her arms, bringing
her closer.  "Nothing about work, right?  Not one word?"
    Scully shook her head.  His hand was warm as it caressed her 
cheek.  
    "So I can't say the word . . . aliens?" Mulder's mouth moved 
down to her neck.  
    "Or abduction . . .?"  His lips had made their way to the tops of 
her breasts.  
    Scully tried to remember to breathe as she laced her fingers 
through his hair.  
    " . . . conspiracy . . ." he mumbled against her stomach.  
    "Mulder . . ." she breathed.  "Please . . ." Of course, he'd
still have to be a smartass *even* now. 
    He unhooked the back of her bra and slid the satin straps off 
her body.  Mulder felt more comfortable the more he touched her,
finding all the beauty she hid beneath the layers of clothing.  His 
palms skimmed over her breasts, lightly touching her hardening 
nipples. 
    Scully moaned, arching her body closer to his.  She wanted to 
tell him to move over to the bed, but her mouth refused to cooperate
with her brain.  His warm hands slid down her body, taking her 
panties with them.  
    "Mulder - the . . . the bed."  Scully finally was able to get 
the thought out.  However, his hands had other ideas as they 
explored her thighs and the soft folds between her legs.  She 
moaned again before they both tumbled onto the bed. 
    Scully reached for him, kissing him hungrily.  This was so 
much better than she had fantasized.  So much.
    His lips broke away from hers, continuing down to her breasts,
caressing the swollen nipples with his tongue.  Mulder could hear 
her softly moaning his name.  It turned him on even more.  He looked
up at her and smiled, his earlier shyness rapidly disappearing with 
the pleasure he was giving her. 
     Scully returned the smile, her face filled with desire for him.
    Grasping her hips with his hands, he parted her legs. 
    She felt his hands on her hips just like baseball, but much 
more erotic, Scully smiled to herself. 
    Clutching the bedding, Scully writhed under the tutelage of 
his mouth.  His tongue was slowly driving her over the edge and 
along with two fingers deep inside her, she cried out.  
    Collapsing limply against the bed, her breath came in long, 
surrendering moans.    
    Scully managed to sit up, finding herself face-to-face with 
her lover, draping her legs over his.  She could feel him hot and
hard against her thigh.  
    Mulder lifted her onto him.  Scully's arms came around him in
a warm embrace.  She gasped loudly as he eased himself into her
heat.  Filling her completely.  
    He ground his hips against hers, stroking in and out while his 
lips pressed hot kisses on her throat and neck. 
    Faster. Harder.  Faster.  
    Scully's nails dug into his shoulder blades as her body prepared
for its release.  Crying out, her body tightened and convulsed 
around his.  With one last thrust, Mulder emptied himself inside 
her, all the while holding her tightly to his body.  
    Her head fell forward onto his chest and her breaths came in 
harsh gasps. 
    Mulder cradled her trembling body against his.  

****
    Scully opened her eyes to darkness.  She was ensconced underneath
the covers, tucked against Mulder's warm body.  His arm was draped
over her body, resting beneath her breasts.  
    Their baseball game seemed so long ago.  She couldn't remember 
the last thing she said to him.  Something about the bed, perhaps. 
It was amazing.  *They* were amazing together.  She felt him stir
and ran her fingers over his forearm.   
    "Mulder . . ."  she whispered.  
    "Hmm . . ."  he answered.  "So, you're awake now." 
    Scully chose to ignore that comment.  Whatever her response, 
it would only warrant further comments.  "I haven't felt this happy
since . . ." 
    "Since when?"  he prompted.
    "I haven't felt this happy since my cancer went into remission." 
she murmured, her voice full of emotion.  It seemed easier to tell
him this now - maybe it was the darkness or the fact that they had 
made love that prompted this disclosure.
    He snuggled closer to her.  
    "My whole family was there when I received the good news and 
that was wonderful, but something was still missing.  I came so close
to telling them to leave."  She explained with tears in her voice. 
"I wanted to be with you.  I should have been with you." 
    "Scully . . . I wanted to be with you, too." he admitted. 
    "You're the reason for my recovery.  I'm only here because 
of you."  she cried.  
    Mulder kissed the back of her neck where the chip was implanted.
"No, it's because of that.  It did what I couldn't do - save you." 
His voice was gentle.  
    "You're faith in it is what saved me."  she corrected.  "Anyway,
we're together - that's what matters." 
    "I hope so."  
    "What does that mean?"  Scully asked, afraid.
    "I'm afraid They will -" he began. 
    "What? Tell me, please."  Scully squeezed his hand.
    "I'm afraid They will take you away from me again - and it will
be for good."
    "No, Mulder that won't happen." she stated.
    "It already has - twice.  Your abduction.  Antarctica.  They 
know how vulnerable I am when it comes to you.  They know how to
hurt me - take you away." he concluded.  
    "I won't let them."  Scully promised. "Don't worry." 
    "But I do.  I can't help it." 
    Scully moved on top of him.  "Trust me." she whispered, silencing
his fears with a passionate kiss.  
    His concerns and her regrets quickly vanished as their desires 
took over once again. 

****
    "I have a confession to make."  Scully stated.  The sunlight 
was suffusing through the curtains in her bedroom.  "I had an 
ulterior motive when I asked you to teach me baseball.  It was 
more of a way to be with you than learn the game."  
    "I wondered about that at first, but you seemed so enthusiastic."
Mulder told her as they were nestled in each other's arms. 
    "My enthusiasm was more for the teacher than the class." She
announced.  "I thought if we spent more time together outside of 
work then we'd grow closer and something like this might happen." 
    "It's a good thing I'm easy, Scully."  
    She laughed softly.  "You're anything *but,* Mulder."  
    "I've got a proposition for you, Scully.  How about we stay 
here all weekend?"  he suggested. 
    "No baseball? No work?"  
    "No baseball.  No work."  he repeated.
    "I don't know.  Are you sure you're up to the task?" she 
asked with a smile.  
    "I'm willing to try for you, Scully.  Always for you." 

****

END (1/1)