DISCLAIMER: The characters herein are the property of Fox Broadcasting and 1013 Productions. CATEGORY: V, post-episode, borderline MSR SPOILERS: Detour RATING: PG Because this story was a bit different than the others I've written, I'd really love feedback, particularly with regard to the writing itself and the way I dealt with Scully's emotions in this scene. Please send it to alanna@ibm.net. This is, as always, for Michaela, who is a little piece of my heart. ******** COMFORT By Emma Baker Tousled. His hair was tousled. Just like a child. She looked down at him, nestled in her lap, protected and warm. Cherished. Needed. Desired. His eyes were closed and all the tension had melted out of his face. And she felt that she was seeing him at his most honest and pure -- stripped bare of his various facades. She felt as though she was seeing him for the first time, better able to appreciate him now that she had been returned to him after her brush with death. And she could think of no greater gift. She loved watching him sleep, loved seeing him at peace with himself and the world. He had so little peace in his life -- sleep was his escape. And this time was so very special. She had never realized how much joy she could feel, simply having her arms wrapped around him as he drifted off to sleep within the soft shelter of her body. The scene played so purely, so pristinely. So naturally. He shifted in her arms, burrowed down into her body. His breathing became deeper and measured, taking little heed of the nervousness etched into her face which was slowly evaporating. She continued to sing, her voice quiet and smooth -- a song for him only. She knew the words, knew the emotions of which she sang. Joy. Though the joy was not evident on her face, she had not been so happy and completely *alive* for a very long time. Everything around her was alive -- the trees, the earth, the man in her arms. She was alive. How very beautiful. Danger lurked behind them, certainly, but somehow she just knew they'd be safe. Knew that she'd be able to protect him and that he'd do the same for her. That they could protect each other simply with their very presence. She ran her fingers through his hair, tousling it further. Enjoying the way it ran over her skin like silk. Imagining the collection of dead cells was truly alive. His body stirred with a somnambulant restlessness yet she continued to sing, needing to talk to him, somehow. As her voice caressed the words, "And make sweet love to you," she looked down at him and smiled, softly and sweetly, and began to run her fingers up and down his arm, indulging herself with the touch of his skin, even through his coat. And she pulled him in closer to her body, drawing him within herself. Oh, she wanted to make love to him, in every sense of the word. She wanted to be able to look at him with all the love in her heart, and not have to dampen it. She wanted to give him the joy wrapped up inside of her, tied together with a bow. She wanted to feel him on her skin and know that he was as thrilled by her touch as she was simply having him in her arms right then. Her fingers caressed his arm and chest for a few more moments, and she softly -- so softly -- whispered the words again. "And make sweet love to you." Then she raised her eyes to the stars in the sky, trying to calm the maelstrom of emotion singing in her veins. She needed to sing -- *needed* to. Needed an outlet for all the love inside of her. Surprisingly, the first song that came to mind was, "You Are My Sunshine", so she wrapped her voice around the words. "You are my sunshine, my only sunshine..." And it was all so incredibly perfect. So natural. Just like the two of them. At the end of the song, she couldn't resist leaning down and giving him a quiet kiss on the secret place right next to his ear, and then another on his jawline, and another on his forehead. Mulder's skin could become an addiction, yet she didn't mind in the least. She ran her fingers through his hair a bit more, tousling it distractedly. Then she threw her head back, basking in the moonlight. And she never saw the man in her arms smiling up at her. ******** END (1/1)