Title: Enchanted Shores
Author: Truthwebothknow1 dragonrider1@ntlworld.com
Rating: PG. One or two naughty words and lascivious
thoughts. In the romantic sense.
Category: MSR, FLUFF, A, X
Spoilers: None really, various stories from the
Virtual season. IMTP
Feedback: Yes, love it but after two exclusive
weeks on the VS Circuit.
Disclaimer: CC and FOX owns the whole kit and
caboodle. I'm just having fun with them for my
own amusement and no profit. I send them home
clean to Chris. LOL
Archive: sure. just let me know where. Whoever would
want it.
Enchanted Shores 1/1
Blue anchor Bay Shore. Early morning.
White horses lapped the shore as the stiff early
breeze hurried it along, licking foamily over rocks
and at exposed timbers of the old quay. Bringing
with it a delightful spray of salt breeze and ozone.
Scully inhaled it all in as she watched Mulder pick
up rocks and tried to hit the red and white buoy,
bobbing just a few yards out in the shallows. Even
though it was cold, she felt a sudden warmth flood
her soul.
She smiled at the ever-present kid that hovered just
below the surface of the man she loved. He liked to
take her away from the bustle of D.C. as much as he
could and Valentines Day was no exception. They had
both needed to get right away this year with all the
bad things that had plagued their lives; the revelations
in his mother's journals, their own brushes with death,
Charlie's dark complicity within the consortium and the
untimely death of her only other sibling she felt she
still loved, Bill.
So this was what Mulder had been planning for more than
a month, his secretive behaviour worrying at times, but
when she found out that his treat this year was a weekend
in an old colonial lighthouse in Maine, she almost jumped
for joy. Just the two of them away from crowds, endless sea
and sky, great food, a real log fire and just each other's
company. He called this The Enchanted coast and it certainly
was. Just natural beauty that made her feel fresh and alive
and whole again. Miles from anywhere and filled with all the
peace and solitude they could handle. Together. A celebration
of what they had become to each other.
She adored the sea of course, but as he had been raised in
small towns in various old money places all up and down the
New England coast she knew it pounded calming surf through
his heart too.
The soft crunch of feet through wet sand broke her out of
her reverie as her partner approached her, grinning like
a little boy bringing her a natural sea treasure.
The man with the child in his eyes.
"Look Scully, a horseshoe crab. Must be a really early
spring this year." He hefted up the cumbersome creature
so she could have a better look.
She smiled at him broadly, wiping her wind blown hair
from her eyes and running slim fingers over the smooth
rounded shell of the crab.
"Mulder I love your impromptu show and tell but he really
looks like he might pee on you or snap off your finger. "
Mulder laughed, "Nah, he's reaaaal laid back, kinda smooth
like Skin man's head...sorta looks like one of those German
soldier helmets from "Hogan's heroes", don't it?"
"Umm Nazi helmet with attitude..." She giggled as the
predicted crab pee suddenly cascaded all down his best
Levis."
"Aw shit Scullee!" Mulder yelped jumping back in alarm
and falling on his ass with a soft thud in the sand.
" That could be his encore. Best let the angry little
fellow go back to the sea." She did try to curb her
giggles but he looked so funny hopping up and down
with wet sand encrusted denims and the errant crab
scuttling to get out of his grip, it was near impossible.
To his horror she produced her digital camera from her
coat pocket and snapped his misfortune while he struggled
to stand on the uneven sand, the odd little crab's legs
flailing about with him.
"Hey not fair,.. What the f...Ow!!" he yelled as it suddenly
latched onto his little finger with extreme gusto. "Damn
thing", he cried dropping the crab like a hot potato and
stuffing his abused finger in his mouth and sucking hard.
Eyes looking watery and childlike.
"Oh Mulder, you dropped the poor thing, look there he goes,
back to the sea." Mulder scowled still nursing his finger as
they both watched the newly liberated crustacean scurry down
the sand in readiness for the next waves to take him away
from his abuser.
"Poor thing my ass, look what it did to my finger." He stuck
it under her nose so she couldn't miss it, or the pout that
had taken form on his bottom lip." Look".
"It's a good job we are not on an actual case. Just love to
see you fill in a medical insurance form that says, " Finger
snacked on and lacerated by an angry Limulus polyphemus."
" Ha, ha. Clever clogs, Bob Ballard. They're not supposed
to bite!!" he whined, cringing as she poked at it."
"Well this one certainly did. Be glad it's too cold for
sporting your Speedos. A nasty nip elsewhere might have
ruined our romantic weekend plans. "
"Hmmph!....ouch!"
"Sorry, now hold still."
Scully attempted to pull her face into doctor mode as she
carefully inspected the now swelling pinkie. It did look
painful. She stifled another giggle as she chanced another
look up at his face. Yes the pout was still there. So
irresistible and sexy. At least it was only his finger
and pride that was hurt. She had plans for him later
with certain un-abused extremities. Her tongue flicked over
salty lips with some unbidden erotic images. At the same
time she heard Mulder take a deep breath but that could
have been due to her ministration of his finger.
"There, there, G-man, be brave. I have some ointment I
can put on this once were back at the lighthouse. You
did piss it off you know. Teach you to put your fingers
where they shouldn't go."
His face broke into a smile at that, humor and innuendo
warring within his hazel depths. Scully snorted. "Don't
even go there."
"What? What did I do? "
"It's not what you did, its what is going on in that
unscrupulous mind of yours. " He was about to make a
suitably solicitous retort when the sun suddenly blazed
through Scully's hair and lit her eyes in a riot of blue
fire that almost stopped his heart. She looked like a sea
siren and he felt a magical lure to disappear into her
and never come out again.
His feral grin melted into one of awe and he suddenly leaned
over, took her head in both his large hands and pressed his
lips to hers. First her lips, which she opened to accommodate
his questing full mouth and then peppered tiny kisses all
down her neck along the curve of her jaw. She tasted like
heaven and salt and he loved every inch of her. For a
second his eyes levelled with hers as she opened them
again, making his catch fire almost with the love they
seared into his own.
They stayed like that for a long time, letting the rising
sun warm them and breathing in the tangy air, arms entwined
around each other like two last limpets clinging to the shore.
The bells and mournful horns of fishing boats farther out at
sea still touched by a fog shroud resonated through them both.
They were a world away from their normal lives but Mulder had
found his safe harbour, it was always Scully; his best friend
his, lover and his whole life. He would never again put to
sea without her.
As if approving of their union, a crescendo of small waves
came in to lap at their naked feet, two successive ones
suddenly fuelled by the changing tide breaking against
the sandy promontory with force enough to soak them up
to their knees.
"Oh god, Mulder... that water's cold." He laughed, pulling
her further up the beach, his big arms around her shoulders
and shielding her face from the worsening wind. The air
tasted gritty and he got the distinct impression it was
brewing for a storm.
"Put your head on my chest Scully, I'll keep you warm."
"I love you so much Mulder, do you know that?" He gave her
an Eskimo kiss, and grinned at her nodding. She tucked her
head against his warmth just he leaned in to claim her
deliciously salty mouth again.
A lone gull cried out above them somewhere and the wind
whipped up like a sudden wraith appearing,, blowing a
swirl of sand right over them.
Startled, Scully broke the kiss but Mulder kept his arms
encircling her, smiling, unwilling to break the spell and
let go. Scully held onto him tightly, laying her head
against his pounding heart, which seemed to be in sync with
waves and in that moment, wished she could dive into his
fathomless depths and stay there for all time, away from
the constant nemesis of harm, death, sorrow and frustration
that had moulded and shaped their existence for longer
than she could fathom.
Mulder always knew there was something magical about
this coastline, steeped in mystery and lore. Of Ghostly
sightings, strange lights and unnatural shipwrecks. A
few years ago he might have been tempted to explore its
hidden phenomena but this weekend was about them, not
any X file and more importantly, it was about pampering
Scully. Loving, quality time, with no phones, no TV,
no work to interrupt their valentine celebration. Just
soft light, sea air, candles and a lot of time just spent
exploring each other, finding new facets of their love,
experiencing the joy of life for a change, and giving
them both back that faith that they could as a couple
enjoy the normal things other lovers took for granted.
This last year they had almost forgotten how to laugh
and the overwhelming weight of tears and personal loss
had almost crushed their spirit. The X files were a
world away and Scully's smile and loving caress was
the only magic he needed to experience this romantic
long weekend.
"Time to get out of these wet clothes Mulder.. And
though I hate to say it, you smell...." Mulder gave
her bemused look as she sniffed at him and wrinkled
her nose up. "...Fishy."
Mulder scooped her up all of a sudden, making her
shriek and giggle, her voice all but stolen away by
the wind. "I'll give you fishy my little Scully sea
nymph," Mulder laughed in his best Charles Laughton
voice. " Lets get back, get naked and have some seafood
and wine while I tell you fishy tales of Poseidon,
and you can quote the naughtier tales of Ahab."
"You nut, there are no naughty tales, just the
Moby Dick innuendos stored in your lascivious
Muldermind."
"Yeah?"
And he took off with her, big feet pounding up and
over the sand dune with ease while she clung on and
giggled for all she was worth. Her laughter gave
him a strength he didn't know he had and he felt
almost like he was walking on air.
"Yeah!"
"Riight!"
He squeezed her ass as he ran faster, eager to get out of
the rain that was pelting their faces. He loved how her
laughter was all juddery as he pounded up the sand that
led to the little lighthouse garden gate.
"Okay you win, Mulder, but only if you draw me a bubble
bath and you know, arrange some candles and wine. "
" I'll do better than that," he waggled his eyebrows in
a parody of Groucho Marx. "I'll even scrub your back and
show you my sea serpent."
"Can't wait." She swiped at his ass as he put her down
finally and then raced, still laughing up to the white
washed clapboarded lighthouse.
XXXXX
The mid February storm raged on into the morning, the
beach deserted now, all but for the cry of gulls
huddled in the dunes to escape the worst of the
wind among the sparse patches of sea grass.
A small metallic box lay damp, and speckled with sand
in the footprints of two lovers. Two violet eyes shifted
like the wink of a butterfly, curious, wanting to touch
this little shiny object. Questions, a thousand questions
sifted through an ever-questing intelligence. Eyes
darting, sniffing at the ozone heavy air, curiosity won
over apprehension and 6 tiny pointed green fingers moved
tentatively, tracing the sandy footprints still warm from
their makers feet and closed over it's prize, slowly,
slowly...until it snatched it away as the wind
snatches a thought.
Blue Anchor Lighthouse. Sunrise.
Two bodies glowed in the full moon's gossamer blanket;
an unearthly, almost ethereal atmosphere fell over the
lighthouse and surrounding beachhead. No one saw the
strange mists, the color of the shifting sea, glittering
with gimlet diamonds gifted by the moon that rose and
waned around the promontory, and up across the windows
of the lighthouse.
The tides caressed the beaches as Mulder hands caressed
his lover and partner of 12 years with as much reverence
as the first time. Sighing breaths drawing in and out
with the waves that crashed on the beach a few yards
from their window, while small inquisitive eyes looked
on at the two figures nestled in the old bed, tiny
fingers and breath making silver condensation trails
on the trembling glass. Like the physical prescience
behind those eyes by morning all traces of silver
would fade away.
Scully slept curled against Mulder's heart and dreamed
on in his protective embrace, despite the window being
open just enough to let in the healthy sea air, warmed
by the vision of her partner sprawled over the sofa in
just his skin and a those tatty thin yellow pyjamas he
loved and she never had the heart to throw out. He just
looked so ...at home in them like a second skin and
they left nothing to the imagination.
The day before when rain had sent them laughing towards
shelter from the storm, they hadn't been in the door
more than five minutes after getting back from the
beach before divesting themselves of their wet sandy
clothing and tumbling to the floor in a wave of touches
and kissing and sensations that left them both gasping
from helpless giggles. Giggles gave way to real passion
as they gave in to everything they had desired and wanted,
what they had come here to this deserted haven to enjoy.
They fell into an easy sleep staring at patterns in
the flames of the open fire.
Later they had eaten lobster and salad, feeding each
other and enjoying the good food and wine, sheltered
from the worsening storm. Mulder told tales of his
and Samantha's adventures on New England beaches,
memories of careless days and sand all through his
mother's house. A simpler happier time. Scully worried
a little that he would get all melancholy but she tried
to steer him on to happier subjects. Stories about her
father, his life on an open sea and the way her mother
handled four feisty and very different children while
Ahab was away. And they laughed into the night at each
other's anecdotes and jokes.
After Mulder had drawn her a hot bath and lit what looked
like a hundred candles all around the beautiful period
bathroom, the heat and the scented aroma mingling to
make the room look like a fairytale setting. Naked
and gorgeous looking, he'd brought with him a bottle of
claret, two crystal glasses and a small box of hand made
chocolates. Then he surprised her by climbing in with her
and pulling her up against his strong soapy chest. She
had sighed and leaned back. This was heaven. Who needed
anything else but this.
"Well did you like that special agent Dana Scully?"
Mulder purred against her ear, his lips just feather
brushing, ticking the sensitive skin there.
"Oh yeah Mulder, brings a whole new meaning to the
term, "Free Willy," she giggled as they'd both got
tipsy from the wine and the tranquillity of their
surroundings.
"Better believe it. I only perform my repertoire
of tricks for you."
"I'm a very lucky g-woman. Could I have some more
wine please kind sir? "
"Don't you mean sex slave? Scully, and yes, you
can certainly have some more wine. I brought a
whole case. " He nuzzled her hair and stroked it
with one hand, haphazardly pouring wine into the
glass dangling from her fingers with the other,
getting more over her fingers and in the bathwater
than he actually did in the glass.
She gave him her fingers to lick clean and smiled
at him as he obliged with a leer. He'd looked younger
in the last few hours than she had seen him in a long
time. He looked...achingly beautiful; her whole life
was here in this room. For a few seconds they just
studied each other's faces, caught in the amber
of the moment in mutual appreciation and love.
This was what it was all about. The universe dissolved
down to just the two of them. The way it should be.
"Thank you for this Mulder. Words can't express how
much it means to me to be here with you like this.
Makes me remember just for a while how much life
there is out here, and how we can just do normal
for a while."
His hand found hers in the water and squeezed
her fingers gently.
"I love you Scully. This is nothing less than you
deserve for putting up with me all these years. A
small expression of my love for you. I did good huh?"
The child was back in his eyes, ever seeking approval.
Approval that she wanted him to have in spades.
"You did good Mulder, " she stroked the six o'clock
shadow with pad of her thumb, "you did real good.
You always do.... even when you fall on your ass
in the sand. You even wrestled that poor crab for
me," She laughed, lightening the moment.
"Always looking to impress you agent Scully. "
" Everything you do impresses me Mulder. Didn't
you realize that by now."
"Really? Even when I expound weird untenable
theories?" He had the sweetest smile on his
face, one he got when he thought people were
teasing him, a look she had seen too often out
on cases when some of the other agents or cops
were making fun of him. It made her a little sad
and she tried not to let him see it on her face.
After all this time could he not cast off the
doubt of her love and devotion?
"Especially then." And she'd tilted her head
back a touch so she could kiss him."
Lets take this to the bedroom agent Scully; I want
to try out that four-poster." He'd waggled his
eyebrows at her and as fast as it had shifted like
a cloud across his eyes, the rueful resignation she'd
seen there a moment ago had disappeared behind the
twinkle now in his eye. "It looks seriously sensuous
and besides, we're going to wrinkle like prunes if
we don't get out of this tub soon. After you."
He'd pulled her out of the water and immediately
transmuted that into a kiss as he melded her
against his bath fresh skin.
"Speaking of impressing me Mulder, I want to look
at that photo I took of you."
"Oh, the one of me making an ass of myself with
the terror of Davie Jones locker. The one you're
going to have blown up and put on the bureau
notice board?"
"Well I wouldn't go that far Mulder, as tempting
as it may be. But I'm sure my mother would get a
good laugh out of it. Besides, I bet that poor
creature was more afraid of you, ya big bully."
She giggled smacking at his bare ass as he held her.
"You..."
With that Mulder had grabbed her legs and had
thrown her wet body over his shoulder while
she screamed for mercy between hiccupping and
laughing. He'd deposited her still laughing on
the bed. Some joyful fumbling around the sheets
for a few moments wore them both out and they
gave in to the sleepiness of just having shared
a warm bath filled with aromatherapy oils. Her
photographic handiwork had been forgotten as
they'd curled up together like two perfectly
interlocking jigsaw pieces.
Next Morning.
"Mulder, did you see my camera anywhere? " Scully
asked next morning as she fixed them OJ and muffins
for breakfast. Mulder was padding around in his PJ
bottoms, looking more edible than the food. Scully
stared on appreciatively. Funny how being by the
sea made you think of nautical euphemisms for
everything, even when it came to her partner's
finest features.
Must stop that, Scully thought to herself as
she picked up their discarded sandy clothes
from the day before, rifling in the pockets
of her coat for the compact metallic gadget.
It had been a present from her mother after
she and Mulder moved into the duplex together.
Coming up empty she frowned just as Mulder
caught the look of consternation on her face.
He came over and draped his arms over her
smaller form like a boa constrictor.
"Huh?"
"My camera, its not here. Damn, "
Mulder smirked, coming at last out of his sleepy
bubble. "Divine retribution for filming me in all
my misfortune. My finger still smarts like a muth..."
"Mulder!"
"Sorry. Still does hurt too. See, kiss it better."
She did and then looked him in the eye, her
gaze growing steely."
"Mulder, did you hide it?"
"Moi? You wound me Scully, I'm soo crushed." He clutched
at his chest in mock offence. "Not me, Indian guides honor."
"Umm.....if you didn't then where could it be?"
"The Beach!" they both said in unison. And Scully's
heart sank.
"Oh Mulder, there was a storm last night."
"It was in its silver case wasn't it?"
"Yeah but......."
He grabbed hold of her hand and they went for the
door. "Come on."
"Mulder, hey, wait up, it's not that warm out
there. Don't you want to change."
"Ahhh...." And he looked down at his flimsy
PJ bottoms.
Scully threw him a sweater and they opened
the door. They never got further than the step.
They both stopped dead in their tracks, Mulder half
in and out of his sweater. Both of them stared open
mouthed.
"Oh my god!! Mulder?" he blinked and opened his
mouth to say something but for a second or so
felt his mouth paralysed in shock.
"What the....."
Suddenly finding their senses they crept through
the dawn air down to the lawn, white swirls of
breath coming out as fast pants as they tried
to assimilate what they were seeing.
"Scully what's that? Is that your camera?"
"Yeah, Yeah it is."
Scully bent down to retrieve her camera, looking
none the worse for its night left out in the
elements. But the most startling thing was that
whoever had been good enough to return it had
left them another gift. Sometime during the night
someone had been busy on their lawn.
There in the middle of the grass was a perfect
outline of a heart made entirely from shells.....
and in the middle was an outline of them...as they
had stood in relief on the beach like a silhouette
against the rising sun.
"Scully,....its...."
"Us. " She finished for him. " Its beautiful.
Exquisite."
"Yeah."
And then they both scrambled to look at the display
on the camera, almost dropping it again in their
haste to check the pictures stored on the smart card.
The digital viewer on the back flickered to life and
she saw firstly the humorus shot of Mulder from the
day before. As they clicked next they both held
their breath. A face like nothing they had ever seen
winked into place and smiled at them. It was so beautiful
like an elfin child, white translucent skin with a hint
of blue and green. Six tiny little fingers held up in
entreaty or greeting.....until it faded from view
like a passing thought seconds later.
"What the hell was that?" Scully turned to look at her
partner whose face bore all the excitement of getting
new X file case, his brain already racing along on the
tide of possibilities despite the shake of his head.
He looked back at the camera and tried to get the
picture back, but to no avail. It was wiped clean,
the only one that had been on it to vanish. Mulder
stared down at the beachhead seeking...whatever had
done this but the beach was empty.
"I don't know what that was Scully, that's no child
like I have ever seen the like of before. Looks like
an extra from a 'Midsummer night's dream'. Perhaps we
can put some candies out in case he comes back to thank
him for bringing your camera back...and this little
gift of romantic shell art."
"What,.. You mean like the kids in ET who left a trail
of M&Ms for the little grey guy?" Mulder closed his eyes
on a smile and opened them again, giving her a lopsided
grin.
"Yeah, something like that."
Scully gave a nervous smile, still unsure of what had
really happened here. Like the coastline itself it was
strange wonderful and magical, and yet it made her
nervous to think they had been observed in this way,
by all intents and purposes, a child.
"Well I guess it's a trip into town to pick up some
goodies for our honest little friend."
"And some for us."
"Yeah." Mulder took her hand in his warm one and held
her close. "I dunno about you Scully, but I think we
have been given a very special valentines gift."
"Yeah. Its an X file Mulder, but a nice one."
She took one last look out onto the beach. The waves
rolled in, and the sun was just cresting up over the
surf. The storm was over and they could explore later.
Maybe eat out at one of the many seafood places
Mulder had raved about.
Just under two days left here; what other magic could
this place reveal to them? As if reading her mind
Mulder leaned down to kiss her and she melted into
his warmth.
"Come on my sweet valentine, we have a candy trail
to organise. Call it a spooky hunch but I don't
think we have seen the last of our enigmatic
little friend."
"No, me neither."
And she returned the kiss.
The End.
Just the beginning of a bigger universe.
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