NEW: You Bet Your Life - An Elemental X-file (1 of 4)
Paul and Barbara Cox
TITLE: You Bet Your Life - An Elemental X-Files Story
AUTHOR: This story was a collaboration of writers who met at the Haven. With the exception of the last part, a different
member wrote each chapter. The chapter had to include 5
elements supplied by other members (the first five sent in
made the cut).
CATEGORY: Humor, MSR
KEY WORDS: UST
SUMMARY: It all started with a simple bet - but with Mulder
and Scully, nothing stays simple, and naturally, one thing
leads to another.
DISCLAIMER: The X-Files, Fox Mulder, Dana Scully, et al belong to 1013 and Fox productions - we're only borrowing them.
VERY IMPORTANT DISCLAIMER: Please let it be known that the
authors of this Round Robin met at the Haven for the FBI's
Most Unwanted. The Haven is the SOLE property of Amy. This
Round Robin is not supported, condoned, produced by her site,
nor is it a part of it. We would very much like to thank Amy
for all the hard work that goes into the Haven and makes it
such a special place to visit. The Round Robin was coordinated perfectly through Onelist.com
SPOILERS: If there are, they're really tiny
DISTRIBUTION: Ephemeral, Gossamer, Xemplary, yes. Others,
please let us know where so we can ALL visit.
FEEDBACK: Any feedback is welcome and will be shared with our
entire group. You may send feedback to any of the authors and
we will happily forward it on.
Chapter 1 by CoryG sco...@email.msn.com
5 required elements: inflatable furniture, chenille robe,
Furby, Hemmingway, and VW Bug
The initial taps at her door soon turned to rapping and then
to the beginning of pounding. "Scully, are you all right?"
She could hear concern in his voice.
"Mulder, I'm fine, just give me a moment." Scully reached
the door and blew a piece of copper colored hair out of her
eyes as she unlocked the bolt and swung the door aside.
As Mulder smiled and walked passed her into her apartment,
Scully moved to close the door, but as she closed it, she
leaned into the door rather awkwardly, causing a loud
"whump."
Mulder was at her side in a moment. "Scully? Sure you're
okay?"
Scully shook her head a few times and looked up to smile at
him wanly. "I just feel a little light headed." She turned
to him as she made her way back over the couch. "I admit I
was blowing up this inflatable chair a little too
enthusiastically and I think I just was feeling the effects
when I got the door." She plopped into her seat.
"Inflatable what?" Mulder asked with a smile.
"My godson sent me this inflatable chair and ottoman set for
my birthday a few months ago, and I admit I tossed it in the
closet. But my mom called the other day and said he was
visiting for the summer vacation and she was going to bring
him by the apartment, so I thought I'd better get it out."
"I'd certainly take my piece off before sitting into that
thing. Liable to blow a hole in it!"
"I don't know. Guess it's some new teen fad or something."
Mulder grinned and then intensified his look, taking in her
apparel. "Ah, Scully, are you sure you're feeling okay? Last
time I looked, it was 85 degrees outside. And yet you look
like you're ready for the next ice age in that thing."
Scully sighed. "This "thing" as you so aptly put it, is one
of my favorites. My mother gave it to me for my 16th
birthday." Scully pulled the blue chenille robe around her
more snuggly and tightened the belt. "And, for your
information, when you have your foot stuck in freezing cold
water all day, you get a little chilly."
Mulder suddenly looked concerned. "How is your foot, Scully?
Feeling any better?"
"As long as I keep ice on it, the swelling should go down.
Do me a favor, Mulder, and get me some more ice cubes. They
should be frozen by now."
Mulder moved in to the kitchen and yelled to her from across
the room. "I don't know, Scully, you might have to lay low
off those heels for a few days."
Scully scowled. "Well, I have you to blame for this, you
know. How the hell did you get the idea to join an FBI
tournament? You usually are against these things. And
bowling?"
Mulder returned and added the ice cubes to the pail in which
Scully was soaking her foot. He looked up at her as he mixed
the cubes around. "I know, but Athens in Violent Crimes was
in charge of this and I had a score to settle with him."
"What kind of score?"
"Long story but it dates back to our Academy days, but
suffice it to say that every time I see him and my, er his
Jaguar in the parking lot......."
"This is about a car?" Scully asked incredulously. "I'm
soaking my foot because of some old grudge about a car?"
"Oh, Scully, it's more than a car...." Mulder quickly
changed the subject. "I never knew you were such a good
bowler, Scully."
"Hmm." Scully looked down her nose at Mulder who was still
crouched by her feet. "You're not so bad yourself."
Mulder looked up at her with a smile playing around his
lips. He stood up, and moved over the chair across form her.
"The guys gave me a few lessons."
"The Gunmen taught you to bowl?"
"Well, let's say they gave me a few pointers. They actually
wanted to watch, but they have been having a few, eh,
electronic concerns over at their place that took priority."
Scully focused on Mulder as she made herself more
comfortable on her couch. "Like what? Satellite down or
something?"
"Well," Mulder smiled sheepishly, "actually, Frohicke was
the cause of it. He brought home one of those Furby toys and
was trying to rewire it so it could talk dirty to him or
something. Unfortunately, while he was unsuccessful in
changing Furby's vocabulary, Furby was successful in not
only wiping out all the classified satellite downloads Byers
had spent weeks on, but at the same time erased Langly's
only copy of Jimi Hendrix doing "All Along the Watchtower"
live."
"Oh no," Scully tried to suppress a giggle. "Somebody was
talking dirty to Frohicke and I'm sure it wasn't Furby!"
Mulder laughed. Then he sobered and looked again at Scully's
foot. "So, are you going to be okay? Nothing's broken,
right?"
Scully shook her head. "No, only a sprain and a bruise. So
long as I soak it today and then do warm soaks for the next
few days, I should be all right."
"Great, then we're on for next Wednesday, right?" Mulder
looked excited. "I just loved seeing Athens's face when we
were announced the winners."
"Ah, 'But did thee feel the Earth move?'" Scully muttered
sarcastically.
"Okay, Scully, I don't think that's quite what Hemmingway
was getting at when he wrote that piece but, yeah, it
trembled a bit for me that night."
"Mulder, why is this so important to you? It can't be for
the prizes."
"Now, Scully, tell me you wouldn't love to have that Bright
blue VW Bug car sitting pretty in your space out front here.
Why, you could even see it from your window. A blast from
the past, Scully." Mulder's eyes shone.
"Let me get this straight. If we win this bowling
tournament, I get the car?"
"Well, okay, I get visiting rights, every other Friday
night," Mulder replied.
"Okay, Mulder, I know you too well. What is the real reason
we are in this tournament.....?"
/////////////////////////////
Chapter 2 by barb pab...@airmail.net
5 required elements: balloons, Levi's, vegemite sandwich,
Mr. Pibb, and coconut bra.
When Mulder didn't answer her, Scully pinned her partner
with her fiercest stare. "Come on, Mulder - out with it."
She demanded. "Exactly why is this tournament so important?"
Mulder stood frozen, momentarily taken aback until he was
able to come up with a reasonable answer to satisfy her
curiosity. Remembering to turn on the "soulful puppy dog',
he leaned down and whispered, "I just wanted us to have some
fun, Scully." He cranked up the seductiveness in his tone.
"You remember what having fun is, don't you G-woman?"
Scully's eyes widened as his warm breath tickled her ear and
sent more goosebumps to join the ones she already had.
Unable to hide the shiver that coursed through her, she felt
her jaw drop. Actually, she could almost hear the splash
that it made when it hit the bucket of ice that her foot was
soaking in.
Finally she found her voice. "Fun? Fun, Mulder? Does it look
like I'm having fun here, Mulder?" For added effect she
lifted her swollen, discolored foot up for his inspection.
The unexpected sight of her tiny, naked foot nearly took his
breath away for reasons that he couldn't quite pin down.
Quickly he turned away before he embarrassed himself and
wandered aimlessly about the room, trying to find
something...anything...he didn't know what...to keep him
from answering Scully's question. He came to a stop in front
of a large brown box that judging by the level of dirt and
dust had obviously been in storage for quite some time.
"Hey Scully - where did this come from?" He called out,
lifting the lid and poking through the contents. It looked
like junk.
Scully sighed. "Just stuff, Mulder. My neighbor, Mr. Gibson
brought it up for me so I could add some more things I found
when I cleaned out my closet the other day. Now don't try
and change the subject. I want to know why -"
She was cut off by a loud knock on the door. Mulder grinned.
<Saved. > "I'll get it," he said sweetly, moving to the
door.
Scully huffed. "I'm warning you, Mulder - I want an - "
Mulder waived her off as he pulled open the door and found
himself facing a woman carrying the kind of tray you used to
serve someone breakfast in bed. <Now there's an idea. > Tiny
butterfly mylar balloons were tied to one of the legs and
floated above her head.
"Oh!" The woman seemed startled to see him. "I didn't
realize Dana had company."
"Hello, Marianne!" Scully called out. "It's okay. Come on
in."
"I'm Scully's partner, Fox Mulder. Can I help you with
that?" He reached out and took the tray.
"Why thank you. It's nice to meet you. I'm Dana's next door
neighbor, Marianne Gibson. When Ned told me about your
injury, Dana, I thought that you might like a little lunch.
The balloons are from Tina."
"Thank you, Marianne. That's so thoughtful of you." She
scooted around so that Mulder could put the tray over her
lap while keeping her foot in the ice bucket.
She and Mulder stared down at the contents of the tray.
There was a sandwich. Mulder thought it was a sandwich. And
a can of Mr. Pibb. Scully thanked Marianne again, as Mulder
walked her to the door.
As soon as she was gone, he burst out laughing. "What -is-
that, Scully?"
"It's an authentic Australian Vegemite sandwich, thank you
very much. She and her husband and daughter moved here three
months ago from Sydney." Scully retorted.
"A Mr. Pibb?! I didn't know that they still made those
things," he smirked as he stood and returned to the brown
box.
Scully rolled her eyes. "Very funny. Now. Let's get back to
the matter at hand. Quit poking around my things and start
talking." She moved the tray to the coffee table. She'd eat
later.
Mulder reached down and pulled something out. "Oh, I'm quite
ready to talk. I want to talk about this." He turned around
and held his hands out, displaying to Scully's complete and
utter embarrassment - a coconut bra.
"Oh shit..." she breathed, mortified.
Mulder dangled the bra by its kelly green strap. "Let's talk
- 'cause I know this has to be good," he taunted her.
"Dammit, Mulder!" she seethed, her cheeks flaming. In fact,
she was positive that her entire body was blushing, making
her heavy chenille robe suddenly, uncomfortably hot. "Give
me that!"
Mulder shook his head. "No way. Not until I get all the
juicy details." He inspected the garment. "I can almost -
almost picture you in it. I just never thought it was your
style. Wouldn't Frohike die?" he smiled wickedly.
"All right, Mulder - knock it off." Scully exclaimed. "It
was for a play. South Pacific. Okay. Are you happy? Now give
it here."
"Only if you model it for me first," he stated, waggling his
eyebrows and grinning lecherously.
"That does it!" Before Mulder could react, Scully had pushed
herself up, intending to walk over there, take the damned
bra and beat Mulder senseless with it. A plan that might
have worked if she had remembered that her foot was in a
bucket of ice.
When she tried to bear weight without taking her foot out of
the bucket, it immediately tipped over, trapping her foot
and sent her toppling to the ground. Her agonized cry of
pain brought Mulder on the run and quickly bent down and
scooped her up. Her robe had soaked up some of the spilt
water and when he clutched her close he could feel the icy
water soaking through his Levi's.
He gave an involuntary shudder. <Jesus, how did stand to
keep her foot in that?> he thought briefly.
"Scully - are you all right?" He tried to look at her, but
she had buried her face in his neck, holding him tightly.
His heart broke when he felt her hot tears trickling down
his shirt.
"Scully, I'm so sorry." He carried her to her bedroom and
gently sat her down, catching his first glimpse of her face.
All the pretty color of her previous blush had vanished,
leaving her pale and shaking. "Maybe we should get you to
the hospital." He moved to pick her back up, but she stopped
him.
"No, don't, Mulder. Please." She brushed away her tears and
fought to regain her composure. "I'm okay. Really. Just let
me catch my breath."
///////////////////////////
Chapter 3 by AmandaB aba...@mis.net
5 required elements: Elton John CD -"Love Songs", pinky
ring, Manx cat, beach and sunburn
Scully reclined on the bed, brushing her hair out of her
eyes. Her skin was still pale, and tear tracks still marred
her face. Mulder noticed that the chenille robe had gaped
open a bit, and it took all of his willpower not to stare.
All of his willpower.
He sat down beside her on the bed, and searched for
something to say. It was his fault that she was in this
predicament, but for the life of him he couldn't figure out
how to make it up to her. He certainly wasn't going to tell
her why they were in this tournament...well, at least not
the whole reason. It was true that he had lost the last one
he'd been in to Athens, but really, was it a crime to want
to spend more time with your partner?
Why couldn't he just say that aloud?
"So, Scully. What do you want to do today? I know we can't
go anywhere, but I'm here to entertain you." As he spoke his
eyes wondered to her bedside table where an open CD case
lay. He picked it up and looked at it while she spoke in
answer to his question.
"You're here to entertain me? I hope this won't involve my
other foot being hurt..."
Mulder looked up and grinned. "Come on, Scully. Don't you
know that 'Sorry Seems to be the Hardest Word'? He held up
her copy of Elton Johns, "Love Songs".
Scully blushed yet again, and Mulder was delighted. He was a
man who loved to tease, and it was hard to tease a blush out
of Scully...Mulder decided to press his luck and go for a
third blush. But how?
He hoped up from the bed and began to look around Scully's
bedroom. "Uh-uh, Mulder. You are not going to poke around my
bedroom, too..." Scully sounded chagrined, but Mulder had
already struck gold.
"Look, Scully! A photo album." He sounded like a kid with a
new toy. Scully groaned. He moved back over to the bed and
sat beside her. He gestured to the album. "Can we look in
it? Please?" Scully rolled her eyes, but opened the album to
the first page. Mulder secretly grinned. There had to be
some blush worthy material in the album somewhere.
On the first page there was a family picture. From the looks
of the clothing and the ages in question, Mulder deduced the
photo had been taken in the mid 1970's. Mr. and Mrs. Scully
sat in the photo and their brood stood around them. Mulder
made a face at seeing a smiling Bill Scully, but was amused
to see Bill's Greg Brady shirt. Melissa stood behind her
mother and next to Bill, and even then Mulder could see she
wore a crystal around her throat. Next to Melissa was a boy
who Mulder assumed was the ever absent Charles Scully. He
looked a great deal like Bill, and Mulder shuddered to think
that Charles would act a great deal like Bill, too. Lastly,
behind her father, with her hand on his shoulder was Scully.
She was about 10 in the picture, and she was as cute as a
button. Mulder didn't dare voice that opinion however; he'd
already been shot once by his partner, thankyouverymuch.
"It's a nice photo, Scully. When was it taken?" Scully began
to answer him on the date and the circumstances surrounding
the picture, but Mulder was intently looking at his
photographed partner's hand. "What is that on your finger,
Scully? A ring? I didn't know you wore rings."
Scully looked at the picture closer and smiled. "It's a
pinky ring, Mulder. It was the style of the moment."
Mulder nodded. Scully kept up with style?
They went through the album, Scully reminiscing at first
hesitantly, then with more enthusiasm as she got deeper into
the album. Mulder experienced Scully family barbecues,
trips, and birthdays.
One photo made him pause and look closer. "What is that,
Scully?" he asked in surprise. Scully smiled at his
reaction. "That was our cat, Miss Foxy."
"Cat? I mean, it looks like a cat, but-uh-where is it's
tail?"
"Oh, come on, Mulder. Surely you've heard of a Manx cat!"
"Well, yeah. But, I've never actually seen one." Scully went
on to the next picture, and Mulder smiled at her profile.
She was so animated talking to him now; he loved to see her
be so free. But, he'd yet to make her blush...
Scully turned the next page and before Mulder could see what
was on it, flipped it quickly. Bingo! Mulder's mind yelled.
This had to be the blush worthy material.
"What was on that page, Scully? I didn't quite see it."
"Nothing. Oh, look! This was Daddy's ship..."
"Wait. Scully. I didn't see what was on the page before."
Mulder tried to pry the book from her hands. Scully was
having none of that however, and held on tighter. Mulder
poked her in the side and using the 3-second flinch in her
hands, pried the book from her and flipped the page back.
"Mulder!" Scully yelled. But he was staring at the photo
Scully had tried to hide.
In it a 16 year old Dana Scully stood on a beach. She wore a
green bikini and a bright smile. Mulder noticed that her
cheeks were a bit sunburned, but it did nothing to the
beauty of the photo. Mulder turned to Scully and noticed
with pleasure that her blush had returned.
Fox Mulder. Winner and still champion.
"Why wouldn't you let me see this, Scully? It's...pretty."
Scully blushed harder and grabbed her album back.
"That's enough of that, Mulder. And anyway," she said trying
to regain her footing <he thinks I was-am-pretty?> weren't
you just about to tell me why we are in the FBI tournament?"
Scully smiled triumphantly.
//////////////////////////////
Chapter 4 by CathyB quir...@hotmail.com
5 required elements: seaweed, slinky, tequila, Classic
version of movie -"Invasion of the Body Snatchers", and bree
sharp song -"David Duchovny"
"Maybe I just like to be with you," said Mulder solemnly.
"Maybe I like to spend time with you when we're not on a
case." He paused, grinning. "And come on, you've gotta admit
that a bowling tourney beats your average team building
seminar. Bowling breaks down barriers that hours of
conversation cannot"
"Oh really?" Scully intoned dryly. "Don't tell me you've
convinced Skinner that this counts as team-building?"
"Let's just say I'm working on it. Among other things.
Like...how we should spend our evening. What are you up
for?"
<Among other things??> She'd let it drop. Even with the
nuisance of her foot, and the embarrassment of Mulder poking
through her private things, today had been nice. Who needed
an X-File for drama when you had coconut bras and childhood
photos? There was no need to spoil this warm feeling of
closeness with in-depth interrogation. Mulder would spill
the beans when he was ready. "Something quiet, please. Let's
just stay in."
"You've got it Scully. I'll handle everything."
She felt grungy.
Now that her foot wasn't ensconced in ice water, the
chenille robe was uncomfortably clammy. It was amazing how
babying an ankle could sap your strength. She may as well
freshen up while Mulder was out "handling things". Scully
padded across the carpet towards the bathroom. She took a
quick, cooling shower and traded her chenille for a pair of
silky-cool satin jammies. Ahh, so much better.
How long was Mulder going to be? It made sense for her to
finish her evening ritual now that she'd showered and
scrubbed her face. It wasn't as if Mulder had never seen her
masque before. Scraping her hair back into a ponytail, she
smoothed on the seaweed-kelp mixture with a sigh. She could
almost feel the impurities being sucked away. She turned on
the radio and settled into the couch. It was always hard to
remain properly sedentary while her masque did its work. She
managed to stay still for about 30 seconds this time before
reaching into the treasures box that lay conveniently at her
feet.
Oooh a slinky! She held it between her hands and let the
coils slide from side to side. Now she needed something for
it to climb. There were no stairs about but if she stacked
her books together just so....
Satisfied with her handiwork, and the steady progress of the
slinky, Scully realized she was swaying. More than swaying
actually. She must be feeling better 'cause she was dancing
to the tune on the radio. It was really quite infectious....
Mulder was satisfied with his handiwork. He balanced a pizza
on one hand and slung the two plastic bags over his wrist so
he could reach for Scully's key. "Hey Scully!" he said
swinging open the door, "I've got movies and pizza and..."
"TEQUILA!" sang a most exuberant Scully.
Mulder blinked. "Uh, no. Actually I've a nice red wine but
if you'd prefer..."
He couldn't help the quizzical, amused smile that sprang to
his face. What the hell was she doing? She seemed to be
frozen in some kinda Pee-wee Herman dance move. And he'd
always been mightily fond of those satiny P.J.'s, but that
green concoction on her face....
Scully straightened slowly. "Uh - just working out the
kinks," she said making a beeline for the bathroom. "Make
yourself comfortable. I'll be back in a minute."
Mulder was firmly ensconced on the couch, pizza in hand,
when she returned. He'd spread his booty across the coffee
table.
"So," she said brightly, snatching a napkin and a cheesy
slice "what are we watching tonight?"
He gave her an intent look, thinking that she was pretty
darn good at diverting the subject herself when necessary.
"Oh it's a classic. I picked it out just for you. Invasion
of the Body Snatchers."
"Just for me, huh? It's the original, I hope"
"But of course. Only the best for you Scully."
"Oh you're so smooth, Mulder" she said batting her eyelashes
the tiniest bit.
It amazed her but she was prompted into song for the second
time this night. The swelling in her ankle must've affected
the blood flow to her brain as well - "So smooth and so
smart he's abducted my heart. And I'm falling apart from the
looks I've received from those eyes. I can't believe, well
you can say I'm naive, but he told me to belieeeeeeeve."
Mulder laughed and Scully was glad she had sung after all.
"What WAS that?" he said.
"It's a song Mulder."
"What song?"
"A damn catchy one...I can't remember the name though. It's
named after some guy - Donald something? - Donald Luckovny?"
"I like it." Mulder said with a smile. "I'm just glad
singing isn't part of our bet with Athens."
"Our BET!? Mulder, what bet?"
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