Disclaimer:  The characters aren't mine, the movie isn't mine,
etc.  I'm just a struggling student. 

Category:  V, A  Mulder/Scully UST
Rating: PG 
Archive: Gossamer, Post ep movie sites
Spoilers: The Movie
Summary: What's Scully hiding from Mulder after her 
ordeal in Antarctica? 
Feedback: A full inbox is good for your self-esteem. ;-)

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

   Since they returned from Antarctica two weeks ago, Mulder 
noticed a change in Scully.  It wasn't really her behavior, per se 
but he had a feeling that she was keeping something from him.  
   He still felt guilty for her being stung and taken to Antarctica,
even though, Scully reassured him that she didn't blame him at all. 
She told him that he saved her from dying yet again and she could
never repay him for all the sacrifices to his professional and personal
life he's made for her.  He almost tried to kiss her again when she 
made that confession, but was unsure of how she would react.
   Lately, she looked uncomfortable like something was bothering 
her and she was about ready to unburden herself to him, but something
held her back.  He wanted to know.  He *needed* to know what was
wrong.  That's why he was driving over to her place this evening. 
What reason was he going to give for being at her door?  Too late now.
He was parking the car across from her apartment complex.  

   "Mulder?  What are you doing here?" she asked. 
   "Nice to see you too, Scully." 
   She was wearing her robe and had her hair piled on top of her
head.  She looked like she was about ready for bed.  
   "Come in."  she gestured him through the doorway. 
   "How are you doing?"  He asked, sitting down on her couch.
   "Mulder, you just saw me a few hours ago.  I'm fine.  I don't
understand what you're talking about." 
   "You've seemed preoccupied since we got back from . . . Antarctica.
Is something wrong?" Mulder looked at her, searching for that one
expression she had lately. 
   "Mulder, you're being overprotective of me.  I'm fine." she assured 
him. 
   "Then how come you look uncomfortable, like you're about ready
to  jump out of your skin.  The other day, I put my hand on your 
back like always and you jumped.  One day I saw you in the office
on the verge of tears.  What is it, Scully?" he implored.
   Scully looked down at the floor.  She didn't want to meet his 
gaze right now.  She couldn't keep it from him for long.  He was 
too perceptive. 
   "That's the look!" he cried.  "Tell me, please."  He jumped up
from the couch and stood in front of her.  
   "Ok, but it's nothing really."  she said.  "When I was in that pod,
something happened to me."
   Oh, God Mulder thought.  Was she sick? Did the cancer come back? 
"What?" he said softly. 
   "The gel-like substance in that pod adversely reacted to my skin. 
It produced a rash.  Not just a little skin irritation, but something 
akin to a burn."  She looked upset.  "I put some cream on it, but 
it . . ."  her voice trailed off as she turned towards the bedroom. 
"seems slow to heal and I can't exactly go to a doctor explaining
the circumstances surrounding it so he can write a prescription.
I guess I just have to wait it out."  She raised her voice so he 
could hear. However, turning around, Scully saw him standing in her
bedroom doorway.  He walked towards the bed.
   "Are these all the things you've tried?" he asked, seeing an
array of different colored tubes on her night stand.  
   "Yes." she replied.  
   "Is it all over your body?"
   "No, just my chest and back."  She looked up at him and their
eyes met.  "I . . . I can't exactly reach my back too well, that's why
I've been taking more baths, the water seems to help the itching
and burning."  she rambled on nervously.  
   "Let me help you."  
   "Mulder, you can't make the rash go away." she stated.
   "I know, but I can put some of the lotion on your back." 
   Scully stared at him not quite believing she heard that right. 
   "Which one of these are you using?"  He absently fingered a 
few of the tubes.  
   "The blue one." she said. "It has hydrocortisone in it.  That seems
to help."
   "But Scully, this yellow one says 'Instant Relief'" he remarked. 
   She smiled at him.  "Very funny."
   "On the bed?" he asked.
   "What?"  Scully couldn't believe he was actually going to do this
and that she was going to let him.
   "So I can put some of this stuff on you."  he said. "You're Ok 
with this, right?  I mean you don't mind . . ."
   "I'm fine.  No problem."  Scully tried her best to sound like it
was no big deal.
   Scully sat down on the bed and untied her robe.  She felt the
mattress sink under Mulder's weight.  She lowered the robe to
her waist, quickly crossing her arms over her breasts. However, she
wasn't entirely naked, after the bath she had grabbed a pair of
panties and slipped into them.
   Mulder looked at her back.  It looked terrible. There were red
patches covering most of her skin.  They weren't just minor 
irritations, but like someone had burned her with very hot water
almost to the point of blistering. No wonder she was uncomfortable.
She must be in a lot of pain.
   "Mulder?" 
   Her voice startled him back to his task.  He uncapped the tube
and began to rub the cream into her raw skin.  
   Scully winced.  
   "I'm sorry, Scully."  He forgot how just the touch of his hands 
must hurt.  He was rubbing too hard.  
   Mulder's hands became more gentle now, like a caress.  Scully's
eyes fluttered shut and she forgot about the pain for once and began
to relax into his touch.  It felt so good.  A little too good, maybe 
because she let out a soft moan.  
   "Scully, did you say something?"  
   "Ah . . No, nothing."  
   "Do you want me to stop?  Am I hurting you?"  
  "No, I'm fine."  she replied, somewhat sleepily.  Anything to 
keep Mulder's hands on her.    
   Despite the rash, Mulder noticed how soft her skin felt.  It was
as soft as her face, her neck.  He could still see parts of her 
unaffected skin.  It was as milky white as the parts of her body 
he saw everyday.  Even her tattoo didn't escape the effects of her
ordeal.  The snake was covered in red splotches.   He still had a
hard time believing that Scully got a tattoo one night on a date 
with someone she hardly knew. 
   Mulder brushed aside the hair on her neck to rub some of the 
cream in.  Her hair felt as soft as her back.  He didn't realize
how much he liked touching her until now. Her eyes were closed
and her arms crossed over her chest, like he would look at her or
do anything to make her feel uncomfortable.  When he was taking
her out of the pod, he did see her naked, but she was covered in 
that gel and he was too focused on the task of getting her warm that
he hardly remembered her state of undress.  But, now was an entirely 
different story.  She was safe and warm and sitting on a bed with 
him.  
   Scully *was* really enjoying this.  She had a new respect for 
Mulder's hands.  They were so soft and gentle that she could have
sworn she was getting a message.  She liked him touching her that
wasn't related to her being sick or in danger.  This was just because
he wanted to.  
   "How often are you supposed to put this on?" 
   "I think about twice a day, but I'm lucky if it's once a day." She
replied. "Why?" 
   "So I know when I need to do this."
   "Mulder, I can't ask you to come over and -" 
   "You're not.  I'm offering, Scully." He capped up the tube and
placed it on the nightstand.  "It's still a little damp.  You might 
want to wait a minute before putting the robe back on."
   He was leaving now.  Her back was beginning to hurt again. 
Maybe it was because the cream was rubbed in and starting to work
or his hands weren't on her body anymore. She didn't want him to
leave just yet.  "Mulder -"
  "Maybe if I blow on it a little." 
   Scully felt his warm breath on her marred skin.  She had to bite 
her lip to stifle her moans.  This was so wonderful.  
   Mulder stopped.  "Did it work on your chest?"
   "Wh . . What?"  Scully tried to find her voice.  
   "The cream.  Did it help?"
   "Oh . . Yes.  It's fading and doesn't hurt as much as my back."
   "I'm sure your skin will go back to looking flawless and beautiful
pretty soon."  Mulder assured her. 
   "How do you know my skin . . .?"  Did he say beautiful?
   "I just have a feeling."  he whispered.
   "Mulder . . . Do you have to leave now?" she asked.
   "No. I . . ."  He wondered why she wanted him to stay.
   "I don't want you to go yet."  she said.  
   He thought he heard tears in her voice.  "I'll stay as long as 
you need me to, Scully."  he said softly.
   She moved to lay on her side, facing away from him.  Her arms 
were still shielding her body.  
   Mulder moved the robe out from under her.  He took the clip 
out of her hair, so she would be more comfortable on the pillow.  
   "It hurts."  she whispered.
   "I know.  I'm sorry."  Mulder stroked her hair softly, fanning 
it out on the pillow.  "Try not to think about it.  Close your eyes
and focus on falling asleep." 
   She did as he instructed, feeling nothing but his hands in her hair
and his soft voice offering her the comfort she so desperately needed
right now.  Scully felt herself drifting into that place between sleep
and wakefulness. 
   Mulder wanted to wait until she was asleep until he left.  He 
absently stroked her arm.  Her eyes were closed and her breathing
even.  He waited a few more minutes until he was sure that she was
sleeping.  "Good night, Scully.  Sleep well."  He kissed her shoulder
gently before covering her with the sheet.  
   Mulder walked out of the bedroom with one last glance at his 
sleeping partner.  He was looking forward to tomorrow. Smiling 
to himself, he turned off the lights before exiting her apartment. 

END

Enough UST for you?  I'm terrible, aren't I  ;-) - L.