Title: Happiness - Share and Share Alike Author: shawntaw Category: MSR, Au Rating: PG (one small cuss word) Disclaimer: I don't own these characters. I am making no profit. No harm, no foul. It's after Christmas. To sue me would be a pointless exercise. But if you insist, I suppose you can have that fuzzy stuff at the bottom of my pockets... I don't own NyQuil either, except for that bottle in my medicine cabinet. Summary: Share the love....(sniffle)... Feedback makes me very happy at shawntaw@hotmail.com :) TO DANIELA LABOD WHO HAS MADE A WEBSITE OF MY STORIES: www.geocities.com/corran_14776/shawntaw.html Thank you.:) NOTE: THANK YOU FOR THE LOVELY FEEDBACK. I WAS AFRAID THIS IDEA WAS TOO ORDINARY. IT WAS ALL MY GERM-INFESTED BRAIN COULD COME UP WITH. BUT, ACTUALLY, IT HAS TURNED OUT BETTER THAN I EXPECTED. THANK GOD... ********************************************************************** Scully sat in the chair beside Mulder's couch, head thrown back against its well-worn softness, mouth slightly open in slumber. >From her limp fingers dangled a dusting rag and beside her feet lay a spray bottle of cleaner. Mulder sat up from his horizontal position on the couch and peered into the darkness of his apartment. Obviously he'd been asleep for awhile. Moonlight filtered through his blinds and cast faint stripes of light across the floor. He couldn't see the results for the dark, but he could smell the cleanliness of his apartment. Mulder wondered what Scully had been up to while he lay unconcious on his couch. The fish tank burbled, but he noticed she had turned their small light off as well. "Hey Mulder," came her scratchy voice suddenly, "I just sat down for a minute to rest." "Why are all the lights off?" His voice didn't sound so good either. But he noticed that he had no urge to cough...yet. Scully cleared her throat. "I was going to grab a quick nap. I turned off the lights. I think the cleaner I'm using was starting to give me a headache." She stretched. "I feel achy and tired. All that scrubbing must've worn me out." Scully rotated her neck. Mulder coughed and stood up. "You could've lay down in my bed, Scully." He started for the bathroom. "I was just resting for a minute; I didn't mean to sleep so long," she yelled after him, "Mulder, how're you feeling?" She heard a muffled response. "What?" Scully pushed herself up off the chair and walked into his bedroom. He stood just inside his bathroom, nose buried in a wad of toilet paper. He finished blowing his nose, "I said, I feel a little better. Not cured, but better." Scully sat wearily on the edge of Mulder's rumpled bed. "Better enough for tomorrow night's get-together?" "I'm game if you are." Mulder frowned as Scully pulled her shirt away from her skin and fanned herself with her hand. "Why is it so hot in here? Is your heater malfunctioning or something?" He crossed the room and pressed her temple with the inside of his wrist. "Mulder, what are you doing? How can you check me for fever when you yourself have a fever?" Scully tried to push his hand away. "Scully, I don't have a fever right now; I can tell. The medicine is still working," He rubbed his wrist over her other temple, "But I hate to tell you - you do." "I was afraid of that," Scully sighed, letting herself fall back to lay across his bed. ********************************************************************** ~~~~ Next Morning ~~~~ Kimberly hung up the phone shaking her head and smiling amusedly. She carried Skinner's coffee and his morning stack of files to his desk. "Good morning, sir. Here's your coffee and these came in the inter- departmental mail this morning for you," she laid the folders in his "IN" box. "Oh, and Agents Mulder and Scully have requested another day off, if nothing pressing requires their attention," she paused at Skinner's raised eyebrow, "Scully caught it now too," she said quietly. "Ah," was all that Skinner said, his hand brushing hers accidentally as he took his coffee from her. Their hands fumbled and the coffee sloshed on the corner of his desk. "Oh!" Kimberly exclaimed, running from the office for paper towels. Skinner was standing and shaking droplets from a couple of documents when she returned. "Sorry, sir," she said, dabbing the mess up with the towels. "Its not your fault, Kimberly," Skinner said grabbing a couple of the towels and helping her, "Besides, nothing important was ruined." The two cleaned up the mess, not realizing it was an omen for the day to come. ********************************************************************** Kimberly started sneezing around lunchtime. "Ah...Ah....Ahh...," Skinner poked his head out of his office when he heard her sneeze for what seemed like the fiftieth time. "Kimberly?" "...chiiiioooahgaahghhh!!" she tried to restrain her sneeze inside of a tissue held to her face. "Yes sir?" she said finally, eyes watering. "Kim, I hate to tell you this, but I think you've caught Agent Mulder's bug." She nodded as she wiped her nose, "I've been coming to the same conclusion." He considered for a moment. "Why don't you call for a temp and go ahead and take the rest of today and tomorrow off?" She seemed relieved, "Oh, good. To be honest, I'm not feeling all that well, sir." He smiled slightly at her, "I can tell. Now, make the arrangements and go on home and take care of yourself." Kimberly gave her boss a huge smile, "Thank you, sir," ....and sneezed mightily. ********************************************************************** Skinner shut off his office lights and locked up for the day. He looked at his watch. 6pm. Good. He had just enough time to go home and get ready for his date with Maggie. He unconsciously sniffled as he headed for the elevators. ********************************************************************** At Mulder's apartment, twin snoring could be heard coming from Mulder's bedroom. Two rumpled figures lay spooned under the layers of covers. Scully suddenly kicked her covers off, mumbled about being hot and tossed in her sleep. Mulder shivered and pulled the blanket tighter around him, pulling in his long feet from where they had been uncovered by Scully's movement. They both had changed into nightclothes - Scully a t-shirt and Mulder a t-shirt, pajama bottoms and socks. Mulder suddenly sat up. "I'm freezing! Did you open a window?" He leaned over, clicked on his bedside lamp and saw that, indeed, his bedroom window was cracked open. "Mulder, it is like an oven in here! I was just letting in a little air," Scully said, turning onto her back and splaying out her arms and legs in an effort to get cool. He jumped out of bed, ran over to the window and slammed it, sprinted back to the bed and curled up under the covers. A shiver ran up and down his spine as he tried to warm back up under the blanket. "Scully, have you taken your NyQuil?" "Did you?" she challenged. They lay in fevered silence. "Since you aren't the one freezing to death, you go get it and we'll both take it," Mulder suggested in a shaky voice. "Fair enough," Scully said, pushing her hair off her sweaty brow. She padded into the bathroom and came back with the vile medication. "Salud," she said sardonically as she quickly took her dose. "Bleah," Scully gagged and lay down on the bed. "Here's mud in your eye," Mulder said without humor, unable to think of anything original. "Damn," he shivered as the taste coated his tongue. He clicked off the lamp as the two of them spooned together again. Silence reigned. Slowly the comforting netherworld of sleep took them both. ********************************************************************** Scully awoke to the sensation of being smothered. In a panic, she pushed with all her strength at the soft weight being held over her face. *Have the powers-that-be finally decided that the easiest way to rid themselves of Mulder and me is to murder us outright?! Oh God...Mulder...* Scully struggled to call out to her partner. Did he lay dead beside her already? Was he in the throes of fighting off his own attacker? She managed to work her face sideways and sucked in a breath. "Mulder!" she screamed in terror. The weight on her lifted immediately and the bed pitched. "Scully!?" Mulder yelled hoarsely in the darkness. She blinked and filled her lungs with oxygen. Mulder had been lying on her. She sighed and leaned over him to click on the bedside lamp. "Its ok, Mulder. I just...I had a bad dream," she lamely explained. He sat on his side of the bed, blankets bunched around his waist, chest soaked with sweat, his fever-dampened hair spiked on one side of his head and smooshed flat on the other. Dark circles ringed his eyes and stubble roughened his cheeks. Mulder's chest heaved from the sudden adreneline rush. "Geez, Scully. Give a guy a heart attack." She watched him blink at her for a minute and then a smile form on his lips. "What?" Scully said, frowning. "You ought to see yourself," he smirked. Scully reached up to smooth her hair. "What?" she repeated, feeling self-conscious. His smile grew as he took in her sleep-creased cheek and sweat- slicked red hair. A small bit of dried drool drew a fine white line on one corner of her mouth. Seeing where his gaze wandered and knowing she slept with her mouth hanging open, Scully scrubbed at her mouth. "Stop it Mulder. You're no prize right now either, you know." He ruefully reached up to touch his own hair. "Well, I guess we've officially seen each other at our worst. Now's your chance to run for your life, Scully," he said, half-joking. "I won't if you won't, Mulder," she smiled and leaned over to kiss him. They both grimaced. "Brush teeth first, kissing later," Scully said. Mulder nodded his agreement. ********************************************************************** Skinner stood in front of Maggie Scully's door with one hand behind his back and the other ringing the doorbell. Maggie opened the door. "Hello, Mr. Ski- Walter," she said, smiling at him. "Good evening, Maggie," he smiled back and held out the single long- stemmed pink rose he'd been holding behind his back. Her smile grew. "Its lovely, Walter, thank you. Come in while I put it in some water." Skinner walked in only to find a tall man blocking his way. "Bill, move," Maggie said to the man. "Who's this?" the man responded, unyielding. "Walter Skinner," Skinner said, offering his hand," and you are?" "Bill Scully," the man said, shaking Skinner's hand firmly,"Maggie's son." "He's Dana's boss, Bill," Maggie explained, "He's here to take me to dinner. Now, move." She gave her son a gentle nudge. He finally did move. Skinner and Maggie were able to walk past him. "You're going on a DATE?" Bill said, incredulously. Maggie stopped and turned. "And what is wrong with that?" Skinner wisely kept his mouth shut and stood back, watching Maggie's Irish temper start to flair. Bill's eyebrow arched, not unlike his sister's. "He's got to be at least ten years younger than you!" She blushed. Obviously, she had thought about the age difference and it was a bit of a sensitive spot with her. "I'm sure he is aware of our general age difference," she said. "I am. I don't care. Your mother is a very beautiful lady," Skinner offered. Maggie's blush deepened and she graced Skinner with a smile. Bill frowned. "What's the matter, Mr. Skinner? Women your own age won't give you the time of day?" Maggie's mouth opened in a shocked "O." Skinner frowned warningly at Bill. Maggie began to say something, but Skinner laid his hand gently on her arm. "Maybe Bill and I should talk alone, Maggie. Why don't you go ahead and find some water to put that rose in?" Maggie felt her angrily-speeding pulse slow as she looked into Walter's steady brown eyes. He had a calming effect on her. She patted the hand on her arm, "Alright, Walter. I'll be in the kitchen." And then, just to spite her son, she tiptoed and gave Skinner a quick peck on the lips. Skinner started and then gave her a lop-sided smile as she strode smoothly into the kitchen. He turned to talk to Bill... and sneezed. ********************************************************************** Byers ladled stew into an old margarine tub as Frohike and Langley hovered on either side of him. "What're you doing?" Langly finally demanded. "He's taking some of my stew to his lady love," Frohike said, "She called and cancelled their first date. Said she was sick. Now he's going to surprise her with stew." Frohike shook his head and slapped Byers on the back. "Open your eyes, man! She's not sick; she's trying to let you down easy." Byers ignored him and snapped on the lid. He took an old plastic grocery bag out of the recyclables and shook it. Placing the tub of stew in it, he tied a neat, loose knot in the handles. "You are setting yourself up, dude," Langly tried to talk sense into his friend. "I'm going to comb my hair. Don't touch it," Byers said, pointing at the bag on the countertop, as he left their kitchen area. Frohike and Langly looked at each other and shook their heads. ********************************************************************** Mulder felt decidedly better after brushing his teeth. *Yeah, I think I'm feeling a lot better.* He blew his nose and took an experimental deep breath. No coughing. "Ahhh," he said to himself and then leaned out of his bathroom. "Scully?" "Hmmm?" she said from where she sat propped up on pillows. She was reading a book in bed while she waited for Mulder to finish with the bathroom. "I think I'm going to take a shower now. I'm feeling pretty good- oh man, is that the time?" Scully looked over at his bedside clock. It glowed "7:02 p.m." "I guess so," she shrugged, "why?" "Isn't tonight New Year's Eve?" She paused. "You know, I actually don't know. We've been sleeping so much.." she trailed off. "If this is New Year's Eve, then tonight at nine is-" "-your Mom's get-together," Mulder finished for her. Scully reached over to the telephone, "I had better call." ********************************************************************** and the saga continues... Will Mulder and Scully make the party? What's Bill's problem with Skinner? Does Skinner have the flu now? What will happen when Byers goes to see Kimberly? (Hey, I'm writing this part of the series as I get inspired...even I want to know the answers to these questions! I'll sit down and write some more tonight...)