TITLE: Tactile Reassurance
AUTHOR: Caroline
E-MAIL: willows626@yahoo.com
DISTRIBUTION: Gossamer, Fandomonium, anywhere else ask first!
RATING: NC-17
CATEGORY: S, R
KEYWORDS: MSR, Smutfic
SPOILERS: "Paper Clip" (3x02), "Anasazi" (2x25)
DISCLAIMER: Don't own Mulder and Scully, though they'd have been 
having a lot more sex if I did.
SUMMARY: Add-on to the scene in front of the elevator. Scully needs a 
tactile reassurance from Mulder.
AUTHOR'S NOTES: This is for Fandomonium's Virtual Season of Smut 
Challenge, Season 3. Many thanks as always to those that take the time 
to read my fics at my fic LJ, calleighbabe626. 


*****

Mulder turned to glance at his partner after pressing the button for the 
ground floor, his ears not even registering the ding as the elevator doors 
slid shut. Scully had known he was going to be okay. And yet she had 
looked beyond relieved to see him standing in front of her. The smile 
she'd given him in his hallway was breathtaking. He hadn't seen her smile 
like that since.... hell, since they first started working together. It was a 
beautiful sight, to say the least.

Now she stood at the opposite corner of the elevator from him, eyes 
downcast on her shoes and her petite hands clasped in front of her. She 
looked small to him in that position. "Scully? You okay?"

She never raised her head as she replied solemnly, "You could have 
been killed, Mulder."

"I thought you said you knew I'd be alright."

Scully drew in a breath and tucked a piece of auburn hair behind her ear, 
slowly bringing her gaze up to meet his. "I did, eventually, but that didn't 
stop me from thinking the worst."

Mulder's heart broke as he took in her shaky tone of voice and glassy 
eyes, "Scully..." and without hesitation he stopped the elevator and strode 
over to her, taking her into his arms. To his surprise, she went willingly, 
wrapping her arms around his waist.

For moments on end they held each other, taking in the feel of being 
close to one another again. Mulder smiled and held her tighter as Scully 
snuggled her face into his shirt and sighed. "I needed this," she 
murmured as she pulled away, her eyes tracing his facial features. "I 
needed to touch you."

He couldn't help but leer at her comment, and when she gave him 'the 
Look,' he chuckled. "To know you were *alive*, Mulder," she clarified. "I 
needed that tactile reassurance in case my eyes couldn't be trusted."

He nodded, his arms still around her as he rubbed up and down her back 
gently. "I know. That's exactly how I felt when you were returned from 
your abduction, Scully. I grabbed your hand in the hospital that day to just 
reassure myself that you had really come back to me." He stared into her 
eyes, brushing a wayward piece of hair out of her own eyes, thus giving 
him an unobstructed view of those stunning baby blues. "I wanted to hold 
you so badly."

"Why didn't you?"

Mulder smiled, a bit ruefully. "For one, I figured you could still muster 
enough strength to deck me." When this produced a chuckle from her, he 
grinned. "Second, you were with your family."

Scully quirked an eyebrow. "Well, you should've said something and I'd 
have banned them from the room."

He burst into a grin at the sassy tone of her voice, and as he began to 
step back from her to give her space, her arms tightened around him. 
She looked up at him, craning her neck to do so, as she said softly, "I'm 
not ready to let go yet, Mulder."

Mulder stepped more than willingly back into her embrace, one arm 
winding completely around her slim waist while the other found its way 
into her hair, caressing the molten silk softly. Several more moments 
passed in silence as they held each other, hands chastely roaming 
backs, shoulders, necks, and sides. Mulder pressed his lips to Scully's 
head, inhaling the scent of her shampoo. "You promise not to deck me for 
what I'm about to say?" He kissed the top of her head, his voice muffled 
from her hair.

Though he couldn't see her, he pictured perfectly the raised eyebrow she 
was most likely sporting right now. "I guess that depends on how vulgar it 
is, Mulder."

He smirked against her hair briefly, then paused, turning serious. His 
voice was low, honeyed, as he confessed, "I really like holding you like 
this."

Scully smiled against his shirt, tightening her hold on him as she took in 
his heartfelt words, and she released her own pent-up confession. "I 
missed you."

"I missed *you*, Scully." After a moment, Mulder gave an amused 
chuckle.

"What?" Her voice, too, was muffled, as she had snuggled further into 
Mulder's shirt.

"Y'know we're kidding ourselves here, Scully," he murmured, pulling 
away only slightly to press kisses along her hairline.

Scully pulled back at his statement and searched his eyes, worry 
creasing her forehead. "You didn't mean all that?"

"You know I do." He cupped her face in his large hands, his fingertips 
toying with the hair at her temples. 

Her brow remained furrowed, confused expression intact as she 
continued to search his eyes, her own darting to his lips every few 
seconds. "Then how are we kidding ourselves?"

Before he could second-guess himself, Mulder lowered his lips to Scully's 
and kissed her tenderly... chastely. When he felt her sway slightly toward 
him, he smiled against her lips and kissed her again, this time taking 
between his lips her plump, much-dreamed-of lower lip. The whimper that 
seeped into his mouth from hers seemed to trigger a bolt of arousal, 
striking him from head to toe.

His tongue found hers and got acquainted while he pushed Scully against 
the wall of the elevator. They stumbled a bit in the process and his hand 
shot out, attempting to balance them but instead sending them both 
toward the back wall. This time it was Mulder that hit it, and when his 
back slammed into the metal handrail he cried out, the sound lost amidst 
their kiss. 

"You want me to let go yet, Scully?" he managed to murmur, each word 
punctuated with a deep kiss.

"You do and I swear I'll shoot you again, Mulder," she shot back.

The gravelly sound of her voice, hoarse with arousal, sent another bolt 
through him, this time traveling straight to the erection currently straining 
against his jeans. His hands made quick work of her sensible suit jacket, 
blouse, and trousers while her small surgeon's hands fumbled for his belt 
buckle. When Scully reached inside and grasped his erection, pulling it 
out of his boxers, he had all he could do not to tear her clothing from her 
body. Every ounce of willpower he had left was employed then, 
unbuttoning her jacket and blouse completely, parting both items down 
the middle so he could gaze upon her lace-encased breasts.

"God, Scully..." He grasped her shoulders gently and reversed their 
positions, leaning her against the wall before reaching for the waistband 
of her slacks. He met her eyes, knowing without seeing that he already 
had permission... but needing to check nonetheless.

She gave him a breathless smile and one slight nod, and that was all he 
needed. He pushed her slacks and panties past her hips, watching as 
they landed in a pool around her ankles. He allowed her to step one foot 
out of them before he grasped her thighs and hoisted her up, pinning her 
to the wall again while she threw her legs around his waist. The pair 
locked eyes once more, hazel fusing with the bluest blue.

"You sure about this, Scully?"

"Completely. I need you, Mulder."

He very nearly choked up at the words, what he'd longed to hear from his 
partner's mouth... but covered it, as usual, with a leer as he quipped, 
"Tactile reassurance again?"

She gave him 'the Look.' "Just shut up and make love to me."

"I never could say no to you, Scully," he replied, and slipped inside her 
with one little push.

Her mouth grew slack and she cried out at that first sensation... pleasure 
of being joined with the man she'd desired since their first meeting 
coupled with pain, her body's protest from over two years of abstinence. 
In mere moments, she'd adjusted, and arched against Mulder to bring 
him deeper inside. His answering groan sent a shudder wracking her 
body, and the two began to move against each other.

Each slide into her body incited a whimper, each withdrawal bringing with 
it a groan of disappointment. His slow pace was maddening... delicious, 
but far more torturous than she could take at the moment. "Mulder, next 
time," she whispered into his ear, sucking the lobe into her mouth.

He shivered against her in response. "Hmm?" He pulled away to meet 
her eyes.

"We'll go slow next time." Her eyes held her promise, and she watched as 
his widened in response. How could he be so aloof? She almost chuckled 
at the thought that he wasn't even expecting a 'next time.' "This time, 
Mulder, I need you... desperately." She gave him a seductive grin. "Now 
move your gorgeous ass."

His bright laughter caused her heart to swell, and she grinned in 
response... that grin soon fading to an expression of ecstasy when 
Mulder picked up his pace, pounding relentlessly into her. The sounds 
she made became increasingly unintelligible as her partner drove her 
closer and closer to orgasm, and she closed her eyes to savor the 
immense pressure coiling inside her.

"Scu-Scully," Mulder grunted, face contorting with the onslaught of 
orgasm, and that was all Scully needed before she tipped over the edge, 
wailing his name while she pulsed around him.

He winced as her nails clawed into his back, knowing it would leave 
marks but not caring. The pleasure assailing him was too immense to 
care as he allowed his partner to drag him over the edge with her... and 
with one final thrust, he exploded.

When the final spasms of their climax subsided, the agents slumped 
together against the wall, Scully wrapping her arms and legs tight around 
her partner while resting her forehead on his shoulder. Mulder squeezed 
her tight in return, peppering kisses along her jawline and neck while he 
sighed contentedly.

She moved against him and Mulder reluctantly let her go, allowing her to 
land gracefully on her feet before they began simultaneously rearranging 
their clothing. He watched her carefully, searching out any miniscule 
signal of regret her face might betray, but her expression remained 
impassive as always.

Mulder ducked his head and focused his attention on buckling his belt. 
"Scully, look, I want you to know that I--"

A finger laid against his lips silenced whatever he'd been about to say, 
and he drew his eyes up to hers questioningly. Would she not hear him 
out? Did she not want him to say that he loved her? He did. He had since 
she'd been returned from her abduction... hell, he'd probably always 
loved her. The moment that robe dropped to the floor in that candlelit 
motel room, he'd been hers. 

When he met her eyes, they sparkled the smile that didn't quite reach her 
lips. She blinked once, slowly, and he melted into a smile of his own. She 
knew. "Some other time, Mulder," she whispered, and he had to restrain 
himself from heaving a sigh of relief. She knew, and she was okay with it. 
He just hoped like crazy that the twinkle in her eye also meant she felt the 
same.

Mulder leaned down and, using a finger to tip up her chin, kissed her 
sweetly and passionately. Scully's rosebud lips twitched briefly into a 
smile when they had broken apart, and she held his gaze while reaching 
over to start the elevator once more. She was right... some other time 
they could have that discussion. For now, they were together, and 
together they would face whatever was to come.



~FINIS~