TITLE: Just the Beginning 
AUTHOR: aRcaDIaNFall$ 
FEEDBACK: arcadianfalls@yahoo.com.au 
RATING: PG 
SPOILERS: The Goldberg Variation. 
CLASSIFICATION: R 
DISTRIBUTION: Any.www.here. :) 
SUMMARY: Post Goldberg Variation. Scully's missed that sunset in DC but
Mulder can give her the next best thing... 
AUTHORS NOTE: This was written in ten minutes around midnight the night
after The Goldberg Variation aired and after a lot of Coke, which I
hope in some way explains the uncharacteristic perkiness of the story.
Before you tell me that the characterisations are waaaaaaaaaaay off,
please replay the Unnatural baseball scene in your head and then
reread. You are then welcome to pass judgement. : ) 
  

Just the Beginning 
by aRcaDIaNFall$ 
  

"Mulder?" 

I paused and turned, looking down the steep hill. "Yeah?" 

"What are we doing here?" 

"Humor me, Scully." 

She stared at me disbelievingly and I smiled, grabbing her hand and
tugging. She let out a squeal in protest. "Okay, okay, I'm coming!" 

We reached the top of the hill and I sat, pulling her down beside me on
the grass. 

"Mulder, the ground is cold." She was half-laughing, half-whining. 

"If you're going to whinge about it -" I slid my arms around her and
pulled her onto my lap. She giggled, still out of breath from the steep
hike. 
I hugged her tightly on my lap, running my fingers through her hair,
parting it at the back and blowing the back of her neck. She laughed,
making only the slightest attempt to bat me away. 

"What are we doing up here, Mulder?" 

"We need a reason?" I challenged. 

"It's five in the morning, Mulder. Our case is over and we've had our
happy ending and I'd really like to get back to the hotel to catch some
sleep before our flight leaves this afternoon." 

"Stop being such a worrywart. Now, tell me, Scully, why were you in
such a hurry to get back to DC by sunset?" 

She let out another giggle. "Celebrity Jeopardy. Wouldn't miss it for
the world." 

"Right. I thought maybe it was for the view." 

"Is that why we're up here, Mulder? If I wanted to see the city at
night I'd buy a postcard." 

I clasped my hands over her eyes, gently but firmly. She protested for
a second but then gave in. "Fine. I'll be good." 

"Tell me, Scully..." Impulsively, I bent to kiss the side of her neck.
I felt her whole body quiver. "Do you think we deserve a happy ending?"

"I think everybody deserves a happy ending," she answered with
certainty, temporarily subdued. "Even if some suffering is necessary to
reach that ending." 

I bent to kiss her neck again. This time, I heard a small giggle. 

"I think so too," I agreed. "But in some cases I don't believe we can
leave it completely up to fate." 
I looked at the sky, streaked with the first pinky hues of the day. The
warm glow of the sun was only just visible. Slowly, I withdrew my
hands. "Here's a happy ending for you, Scully," I whispered. 

She half-climbed out of my lap as she stared around. "Oh my God..." she
whispered in amazement. "Mulder, this is incredible." 

I grinned, immeasurably glad that I had given her something special.
"It's all your-" 

She cut me off then, her lips pressed on mine in a sweet kiss not
unlike our first. This time, when she pulled away, we were both
smiling.  
"Did you like that?" she whispered. I nodded and she grinned. "Let's
try it again, huh?" 

I wasn't exactly going to object. This time we were getting braver and
tongues entered the equation. Scully giggled, pulling away awkwardly.
"I haven't done this for a while," she confessed.  

"Me neither," I grinned. "But I don't see why that should stop us." 

She leant to kiss me again but our lips had barely brushed when she
suddenly pulled away. "I'm missing my sunrise!" 

"Scully!" I tried to tug her back to me but she was standing with arms
outstretched, enjoying the first rays of the day.  

Finally she turned back to me and I pulled her close again. With every
kiss we grew more feverish, more passionate, more aroused. That we were
in a strange city and miles from our hotel didn't matter. It was all
about us. 
"This our happy ending, is it, Scully?" I teased gently. 

"No way," she grinned. "Just the beginning." 
  

fin.