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Rated: PG
Spoilers: None. Takes place Season 7.
Category: MSR.
Feedback: patfiler2016@outlook.com
Archive: Gossamer and any other nice home. Let me know so
I can read and learn from others!
FBI HEADQUARTERS
WASHINGTON, DC
11:00 AM
"Scully? Have you seen the Fairfield file?" Mulder was hastily
rummaging through the file cabinet to no avail. "Scully? Hey, c'mon,
I need that file... " He turned to see Dana Scully passed out on the
cold floor of their office, and quickly knelt over her trying to revive
her by patting her face. "Scully?"
She sat up slowly and rubbed her forehead. "Ohh... Wha.... One
second I was reading the Delmar memo and the next... I found
myself waking up just now. Odd."
"Do you remember anything else, Scully? Any smells, thoughts,
physical symptoms... ? Anything I should know about?" Mulder
supported her back and sat with her. "Maybe the fact that Bernard
Delmar was not picked up?"
"Not really. There was a faint scent... those plants with the white
bells... of course! Lily of the Valley!"
"Well, that's a start. I've never keeled over from it myself. So, what
is it about that particular scent that made you pass out?" Automatic
psychologist mode set in, as well as personal concern.
Scully frowned, appearing to think of anything she could possibly
associate with the sweet scent of the lovely spring bulb. "Nothing
I can think of. I'm not allergic. I never wear it. It's... strange."
"Well, let's get you up and see if we can get you the rest of the day
off."
Scully took his hand and stood. She went to the water cooler and
after a few sips she sat in her chair, looking puzzled by her reaction
to such a nice smell. "You wanted the Fairfield file... it's beside the
phone. And no, I don't need to go home."
"Thanks. But I am concerned, Scully. Feeling better?"
"Yeah. Yeah, I am." Scully looked at the memo, still lying on the
floor, and retrieved it. She sniffed it again, but there was no
reaction, at least not physically.
"What are you doing? Going for another round? Maybe you're
just hungry." He grapped the memo. As he sniffed the paper, he
smiled. "Mmmm. It's kind of... nice, feminine, but not ostentatious.
Alluring."
"Well, I've passed my last check-up. The donuts you brought
me were honest-to-God-so-good I ate five, so I can't think of
anything that could make me pass out." She was fingering the
memo, her eyes out of focus as if in a daydream state.
"But what, Scully?"
"But what, what? Mulder, it's a memo that just happens to carry
a scent. Dozens have come down here every week! Lily of the
Valley isn't that common these days, but some women still wear
it."
"Maybe there's something, I don't know, maybe a case or an
unpleasant incident, a childhood experience, something linked
to that aroma."
"Come on, Mulder. Don't try to analyze me. It's probably just
overwork. Forget it. Let's get on with the Fairfield case so we
can check up on some other assignment."
Mulder just sat back and looked at her straight-faced.
"Now what? Is there a bug on my head or something?" Scully didn't
like being fussed over at this particular moment, it seemed.
"You went on about that perfume, cologne, whatever it was. Not
me. I just asked. Jenny Fairfield was found safe and sound by her
father not far from their cottage in Maine, so we have no more to do
but file it under solved cases and wait for our next exciting or
exasperating case. So, we could go through some unsolved recent
cases, play word association, or get drunk and play Monopoly the
rest of the week, even though there are only fifteen hours left of it."
"Let's get digging," Scully sighed. If there was more to the fainting
spell than Mulder could surmise, she was not letting on.
Scully was not going to sit and be a therapeutic subject. There
was work to be done. She was feeling better. That was that. So,
Mulder dug into a drawer.
"Some weeks I just wish Skinner had a faster phone finger,"
Mulder muttered, as he opened a file.
"What was that you just said?"
"I said I wished Skinner had a faster... "
"Stop! Mulder, Donnie Pfaster. He is dead, isn't he? For real?"
"As dead as dead can be. What would make you ask that?"
"He... all those funeral flowers in his house, the women, what he
tried to do to me, twice. I don't know, I just heard the word 'faster'
and wondered, that's all." She was twirling a lock of her shiny red
hair.
"Scully. He's GONE. History. However evil he was, he is dead
and buried for good. Because of good. Look, we're getting nowhere
today. Let's book off early and go for a beer, rent a movie, make
some popcorn and veg out in front of the T.V. My place. My treat.
It's a Friday."
"I guess I could use a break, Mulder. Lately, I've just been in a rut.
Why not? Let's go."
'Maybe she'll open up and tell me what the hell happened', he
thought.
The drive from Washington to Alexandria, Virginia was
surprisingly clear sailing.
"It's nice not to be in rush hour traffic," Mulder mused.
"Mind if I turn on the radio?" Scully asked.
"Go on, treat yourself."
She tuned the radio to a station that was not quite her style,
and certainly not his.
"And that was Bing singing..." the announcer droned, as a
very old song faded out. "Now, by request, the theme from a
favorite movie of mine, 'Darling Lily'"
"I'll turn it off, Scully."
Scully pushed his arm away. "But I love this song. I saw the
movie on T.V. at least four times when I was a kid."
"But... "
"No, I'm all right. By the way, when you go rent the video, I
should get myself something for my headache."
"Sure."
Mulder took his time deciding just what video he would rent, and
Scully returned to the car with a bag from the drug store near
the video place before he was through with his business.
"What about the beer?" she asked, as they drove off to Hegal
Place.
"Have some. I got two movies, and unbuttered popcorn for the
lady who ate five donuts."
"Well, that's something good."
"I must say, Scully, you've forgotten about that fainting spell
and the cologne on the memo. But just remember, I'm a very
good listener and when you're ready to talk about it... "
"Oh, I will. But I don't think it's any big deal. Really."
"If you say so."
As Mulder put the popping corn into his microwave oven,
Scully went straight to the bathroom. "Just taking some
aspirin!" she called, from behind the closed door.
When she entered the livingroom, the movie was in the V.C.R.
and the beer and popcorn were ready. Mulder pointed the
controller at the machine and one of his favourite creature
features began
to play.
"'The Thing'. A classic."
Scully sat unusually close to Mulder. He felt his heartbeat
grow strong and quick. "Scully?" He was a bit surprised.
"What, Mulder? Oh, yes. Of course I don't mind the movie."
"No, I mean, are you feeling insecure or something? Are you
okay?"
"Yes, just fine," she said with a smile. "I think I feel quite
fine."
"That's definitely not aspirin on your breath, is it?"
"No, it isn't. Maybe a little beer... no aspirin, Mulder."
"Then I've been had!" He slapped his knee. "Awww... of
course, Lily of the Valley. You saw my reaction to the memo,
I gave us the day off to hang around, and you got me! All this
time we've been working and hanging out together. Thought
I knew you. And you got me! Seriously, Scully, got me big
time!"
Scully laughed. "Oh, yes! I got you big time!"
"The memo? Your doing?" Mulder reached for his beer.
"Don't be paranoid, Mulder. I had a secretary write it up and
put the scent on it."
"You're too smart for me, you know that."
"Of course I do. That was so precious, patting my face,
acting like a mom, trying to find out about my subconscious
association with the perfume, the song you wanted to protect
me from hearing. Oh yes, I called that in two days ago, just
the right timing."
"You are a very dangeruosly devious woman. I'll need to
get even, of course."
"Of course," she agreed, grabbing some popcorn.
"And it WILL take a lot of planning. Then I can say that I
got you big time... "
"No." Scully sipped a little more beer.
"What do you mean no?" Mulder put his arm around her
shoulders.
"You've had me all along. You got me big time long, long
ago."
"In that case, I guess we can go straight to Casablanca."
Mulder stopped the VCR, kissed her passionately, and they
went to Casablanca.
END
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