Green-Eyed Monster II 1/2 by Jessica Platos
Lisa Reeves
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From: "Jessica P" <dr...@wantree.com.au>
Subject: Green-Eyed Monster II (1/2)
OK to forward to ATXC
OK to archive
Title: Green-Eyed Monster II - Created a Monster
Author: Jessica Platos
E-Mail: dr...@wantree.com.au
Classification: SRA
Rating: PG
Disclaimers: Not mine -- 1013, CC and Fox's. Sorry.
Summary: Mulder/other, Scully/other. While Mulder's
relationship with Gwen fizzles, Scully finds herself what seems
to be a perfect match.
This is for all of you that hounded, threatened and begged me.
Thank you for all the support, I love you for it! (And all that
stuff about restraining orders was just a little jocularity on
my part <g>) And no, Gwen doesn't die... in this part, anyway.
*insert maniacal laugh here*
You don't have to have read Green-Eyed Monster to understand
this, but I would whole-heartedly recommend you give it a
squiz. *plug, plug* Meh...... you decide, I ain't gonna get my
undies in a knot or anything. (Is that actually possible? Has
anyone ever tried? Mail me if you have -- we can swap stories!
Hee hee hee).
And PLEASE let me know what you thought... flame or otherwise.
OK, here it is -- and I'm sorry I took so impossibly long!
***
"So what are you doing tonight, Scully?" Mulder asked his
partner as they prepared to leave work for the day.
She rolled her eyes. "Nothing. Just, you know, reading or
something. You doing anything?"
"Gwen and I are going to see a movie," he grinned. Scully
sulked. Gwen Lloyd. The brunette who Mulder had been dating for
nearly six months now. She couldn't believe how serious he had
gotten with her. She had never really postulated that Fox
Mulder would be capable of commitment.
"Oh. Well, have fun," Scully said, gathering up her papers.
"I'll see you on Monday." She walked to the door, but Mulder
called her back. She turned around. "Yeah?"
"Scully, you should get out more. Meet some people."
She groaned. "Watch it, Mulder. You're starting to sound like
my mother."
"Your mother's a wise woman. Scully, you never go out. When was
the last time you had a date?"
"Do we have to be doing this?" She couldn't understand why he
was grilling her like this. Since when did he worry about what
she was doing in her spare time?
"It's only because I care."
"Well, don't. I'm perfectly happy how I am. No complications.
This is the way I like it."
He sighed. "OK. See you Monday."
She pursed her lips. "Bye." For a moment she was going to say
something else, but she thought better of it and scurried out.
Mulder sat alone in the office. He was worried about his
partner. Lately she had seemed... different somehow.
Lacklustre. As if she didn't really care about anything. It
disturbed him because it made him feel guilty about being so
happy.
And he *was* happy.
He wasn't afraid to admit it to himself.
For the first time in his life, he was completely happy.
It was almost difficult to acknowledge it. But he was so in
love with Gwen, who he had been going out with for longer than
he had been going out with anyone. They had had a huge fight
after about three months and nearly broken up, but Scully had
formulated a plan to get them back together. Scully was a great
friend, and he just wanted to see her as happy as he was. Well,
maybe there was a way...
***
As Dana Scully drove home, she silently fumed. How dare her
partner act like she was some sort of loner who couldn't get a
date? She could get a date if she wanted -- anytime. She could
have men falling all over her. Take Pendrell, for example. And
Frohike. So neither of them was exactly a prize pig, but who
the hell cared?
"You prick!" Scully hung her head out of the window and yelled
at the driver of the blue Datsun who had just cut her off.
<Whoa, Dana. Do you think maybe this is all bothering you a
little more than it should be?> She shook her head.
Bloody Gwen.
Goddamn Gwen.
Beautiful, smart, wonderful Gwen.
And it had been her own doing that had gotten Mulder and Gwen
back together after a big fight. What was that saying about
nobility and stupidity? She couldn't remember, but she knew
that it would fit her perfectly.
Dana Scully. She may have been dumb, but by golly she was
noble.
She cursed under her breath. Maybe she really did need to get
herself a life. Maybe it would even be good for her.
***
"He's a really great guy, Scully."
"No!" she said adamantly.
"You'd really like him." Mulder leaned over the desk. "He's a
doctor, and he doesn't even believe in aliens."
"That's all very nice, Mulder, but there is no way in the world
I am letting you set me up on a date. OK?"
"Scully, come on. Why not?"
"Because I don't want to be going out with anyone." Well, maybe
there was someone... she grimaced. Not in a million years.
"Please, Scully? Just once.... for me?"
She stared at him. "That's emotional blackmail."
He grinned. "I realise that, Scully."
She looked around. "This office is really a mess, Mulder. It's
disgusting."
"You're changing the subject."
"Uh-huh."
"Please Scully? I really want you to do this for me."
She couldn't say no to him when he stared at her with those
cute, yet soulful eyes. She noticed he was wearing his glasses.
How could she not notice? "What's his name?"
"Aaron Steer. I went to Oxford with him. He's English and I
just got a call from him saying that he's coming over here
tomorrow."
She shook her head in disbelief. "I can't believe I'm letting
you do this."
"Just ring him, once. And if you don't like him, don't go out
with him. But I do think you should give it a go."
She knew that resistance was useless. She had no choice but to
give in. "OK, OK. I'll do it. But you owe me big."
He grinned triumphantly. "I'm sure that in a week, you'll be
owing *me* big."
***
"You set her up with some Oxford doctor? Oh, Fox." Gwen Lloyd
giggled. "You know, I think she's old enough to get her own
dates."
"She just needed a push in the right direction." The two were
sitting on Gwen's couch.
"Well, I hope everything goes well then."
He smiled. "It will. I know these two. They're perfect for each
other."
Gwen gazed at Mulder. "This is such a sweet thing for you to be
doing for Dana. You must care about her very much."
"I do."
"But you do have to understand that she must be apprehensive
about this whole thing."
"I'm confident in my abilities as a match-maker," Mulder said
with a smirk. He wished Gwen could be on his side a little
more. As breathtakingly happy he was with her, he always felt
that they were on the wrong side on a mini-argument. Gwen
sighed.
"So what are you getting her into? What's Aaron like?"
"Well, he's really smart. He's *very* sceptical and he hates to
be wrong. A great guy. Perfect for Scully."
"What makes you think Dana wants you to set her up on a date?
Maybe she likes being single."
That stumped him. Maybe she *was* happy being single. He could
remember her saying something to that effect. He shook his
head, quickly pushing that thought out of his mind. "No way."
"OK, I totally stand by your decision then. You sound like you
know what you're doing."
Mulder was slightly insulted. "I *do* know what I'm doing."
"I know you do, honey. It's just that sometimes some people
don't like others messing with their lives." She was trying to
be as tactful as possible, but Mulder saw what she was trying
to say.
"Look, Gwen -- I wouldn't be doing this if I didn't think it
was the right thing to do. And anyway, I'm not just an *other*
-- I'm Scully's partner."
"And more besides," Gwen said softly.
"What was that?" he asked.
She glared at him. "Nothing, Fox," she said stonily.
"What's wrong?"
"Nothing is wrong."
Now, a lot of people thought that Fox Mulder was a little
insensitive. In fact, they seemed to think that he had the
sensibility of a doorknob. However, that wasn't really true.
Mulder just liked to hear what he wanted to hear. So when Gwen
said nothing was wrong, he was inclined to believe her. "OK,
then we're agreement." And that was the last he heard of it
that night.
***
Scully sat at her kitchen table, staring at her phone. She knew
that she had to do this sometime, she had promised Mulder she
would. But she was so scared. She hadn't exactly done this kind
of thing for so long. She was pretty out of it.
<Just do it. He's expecting your call>
She reached for the phone and dialled the first four numbers --
and stopped. She hung up. "I can't do this. Who am I kidding?"
she said aloud. The phone rang shrilly at that instant, scaring
her momentarily. "Hello?"
"Hi. I'm looking for Dana Scully?" A deep male voice answered.
She was flustered.
"Ummm, yes, I -- that's me."
He laughed. "Well, as long as you're sure. This is Aaron
Steer."
She froze. Wasn't *she* supposed to be ringing *him*? She tried
to collect her thoughts. "Hello. I wasn't expecting your
call."
"I know. Mulder told me to ring you because he said you'd *wimp
out*." His English accent was a joy.
"Well, I guess maybe he was right." She would kill Mulder the
next time she saw him. A wimp? Her? "So, he doesn't let you
call him Fox either?"
"Far as I know, he doesn't let anyone call him Fox."
She smiled. So far, so good.
***
"And that's how I started working with the craziest man in the
bureau." Scully laughed softly. "Mulder's a good guy, though."
Aaron nodded. He had dark brown hair and blue eyes. He was
handsome in a movie-star sort of way, which Scully didn't think
was a bad thing at all. "Is he still chasing aliens?"
She bowed her head. "Yes, I guess he is. Searching for his
sister all the time, I guess. I like to think he needs some one
like me to bring him down to Earth every so often."
"I imagine he does. So Mulder tells me you're a doctor?"
"Yes. I chose not to practice, though. I decided that the FBI
would be better for me."
"Well, I'm just your average, boring GP. No aliens to fight, no
sewer monsters, not even a vampire."
She played with her knife. "I envy you."
"You do?"
"Sometimes I wish that I just had a nice, boring job where my
life isn't in danger every day. Where I didn't feel like I was
a one-winged bird, flying and flapping in an endless circle.
You know?"
"I understand."
"You do?" She was surprised. "I guess I'm not used to that
after Mulder, who enjoys hanging by a thin thread."
"So what's this Gwen like?"
She made a face. "You've heard about her?"
He grinned. "He didn't shut up about her the whole phone
conversation we had."
"Well, I've only met her twice."
"After all this time? Just twice?" He looked amazed.
"He didn't actually tell me about her for quite a while. And
then Gwen and I met, but we didn't exactly hit it off, if you
know what I mean."
"Ah," he said knowingly.
"She's OK. If you like that kind of person. Which I guess
Mulder does." She let a hint of bitterness creep into her
tone.
"Do I detect a tiny bit of jealousy there, Dana?" Aaron said
with a smile.
"Maybe you do. It's just that... well, Mulder and I were best
friends before he met Gwen. And he was mine. Now, I have to
share him."
"So she's honing in on your territory?"
"Yes, she is. Exactly. Mulder and I hardly see each other any
more. We never talk. I guess I just hate her for that -- for
taking away my friend."
He ran his finger around the edge of his wine glass. "Do you
suppose maybe you're upset at him for letting her taking him
away?"
It was as if he could see into her thoughts. As if this man
she'd known for only an hour knew her inside out. "It's as if
you can read my mind," she said softly.
"You never know," he said mock-mysteriously. She couldn't help
but laugh.
***
"Scully? Scully?" Mulder ran into Scully's home on a rainy day
three weeks later. Scully was sitting on a couch, her left leg
lying on a pile of pillows. She stared at Mulder, puzzled. He
ran straight to her side. "Are you all right? Are you OK?"
She couldn't help but chuckle. "I'm fine. I just hurt my leg.
I'm fine."
"Why didn't you call me? I would have taken you to the
hospital."
"Well, I rang Aaron and he took me to the hospital. I just need
it bandaged and to keep off it for a few days."
"You rang Aaron?" He couldn't comprehend why she had done that.
"But you barely know him!"
"Mulder, we've been seeing each other nearly every day for the
past three weeks. I think I know him well enough by now."
"How did this happen?"
She looked embarrassed. "I was going into my apartment and the
front step was slippery. I slipped on it and hurt my ankle."
"And so you rang Aaron?"
"Yeah." She blinked. "Is there a problem with that?"
"You usually ring me, Scully." He was hurt. He hadn't realised
when he had set her up with Aaron that they would get along so
well. He just thought maybe she'd have something to do one
Saturday night.
"Well, this time I didn't," she said matter-of-factly. "I don't
understand what your problem with that is."
He brushed it away. "There isn't one. I was just making a
statement. So things are going well with Aaron?"
She beamed. "They are. I couldn't thank you enough for helping
me to meet him, Mulder. He's wonderful."
"Oh."
"You were right, I think I do owe you big time now."
"Well, Scully at the risk of saying *I told you so*, I guess I
did tell you so."
"I know." She reached over and grasped his hand. "Thank you. I
haven't felt so happy for so long. And I have you to thank."
He was stupidity personified. He couldn't believe what he had
done. He had given away his partner. Just passed her along. And
now she didn't ring him when she wasn't well, she rang Aaron.
Aaron the British Doctor. How could he have been so stupid?
"Yep, I accept all cheques and chocolates."
"In your dreams." God, she had the sweetest smile. Why had he
never noticed that before? Was it because she never used to
smile?
He checked his watch. "Well, I guess I'd better be going." Why
couldn't he just say what he wanted to say? "I just came by to
make sure you were all right."
"Thanks Mulder." She raised a hand and waved. "See ya."
He made his way to the door. "Bye Scully. Feel better soon."
***
Why was he feeling this way? He shouldn't be feeling like this.
He shouldn't be jealous of Aaron. Scully was his friend, his
partner -- that was all. Besides, he had Gwen. He didn't need
anyone else.
But it niggled at him. That simple fact -- she hadn't rung him
first. She *always* rang him first. And he always rang her
first. That was just what they were like. But now she was
ringing good old Mr Sheffield before him. Why? <Will the real
Dana Scully please stand up?> he thought to himself. He felt
that the last few weeks were spent not with Scully, but perhaps
a clever look alike -- for one important reason.
She had been happy.
Scully was *never* this happy.
He knew that that was the purpose of this whole thing, to make
her happy, but it still made him feel weird. She was different
all around. Always leaving work early, never being home, not
joining him to spectate the occasional football match. Was he
losing her?
<You can't lose something you never had>
She was out every night, off having fun with her Aaron. And
leaving him out of her life. And he had no one to blame for it
but himself. "Did you hear that, Dr Frankenstein?" He muttered
aloud. "You're not the only one who created a monster."
END PART 1/2