Title: Dark Water Author: Suzanne Schramm E-mail: sister-sue@rocketmail.com Rating: PG-13 (language, violence - real and implied) Classification: XRA Summary: Prehistoric insects. Mothmen. Now a publicity-shy tribe of murderers. Just another nice trip to the forest with Mulder. Dark Water 4/4 ***** "Scully?!" Mulder's voice was bewildered, overjoyed. "Mulder?!" Her startled cry matched his. Scully backed out of the bushes as fast as she could, her heart racing. Clear of the tangle she took in the sight of her partner. His hair was soaked, scratches covered most of his face but she could discern no critical injury. Her hands pulled open his jacket and she gave his chest a cursory look. His t-shirt was filthy and torn but there were no bullet holes, no blood. He was covered in mud, soaked to the skin but he was fine. He was alive. Even disheveled, he had never looked more handsome. "How?" she sputtered. Mulder pushed the damp hair back from her forehead. "He missed. I tripped. I think I hit my head on the way down. The next thing I knew it was raining and I was collecting water at the bottom of the ravine." His eyes darkened and his hands tenderly brushed a strand of hair behind her ear. "I went back to camp and found Paxton's backback gone. I figured Paxton must have taken you with him to retrieve the money. So I went back to the waterfall. The rope was tied to the tree but Paxton was long gone and so was the cash. It was raining and I hadn't passed him on the trail so I decided he must have gone to hide in the plane. That's when I saw your foot. I thought he'd killed you and hid you in the bushes." Mulder's hand traced her cheek. "It's nice to be wrong once in a while." he said softly. She turned her head slightly and kissed his palm, thrilled at the way his fingers tightened on her face. "I thought you were dead, too." she whispered. She met his gaze. For a moment they locked eyes and the tension always lurking beneath the surface flared up between them. Mulder's eyes darkened further. Neither dared to cross the line, hesitant of the outcome. They both smiled shyly, recognizing the uncertainty in each other. Scully looked away first. She cleared her throat. "Cash? Money? Is that what's in the briefcase?" "Yes sir, yes sir, three bags full." "What happened here, Mulder?" "Harper was Treasury, following a lead on ten million stolen from the Denver mint five years ago. I remember reading about it in the papers. The robbers were flying the money out of state. Since the plane was burned to a crisp and all three thiefs were identified it was assumed the money went up in flames with them." "Paxton and Fisk found it first." "Yep. They set the plane on fire after killing the lone survivor and hid the money. Then they each double crossed the other. Fisk turned state's evidence and Paxton hid the money." "Which you and Harper found." Mulder nodded. "Do you think he's at the crash site?" "That's where I would have headed when the weather turned rough. It'd provide some shelter." "I was able to get Oz on the radio, help should be coming now that the storm's passed." Her forehead furrowed as she thought. "We can't be too far behind Paxton if he went to the camp and then to get the money. I had to go there to get the radio to work. Paxton was gone when I came back. Remind me to take a refresher course in knot tying when we get home." Mulder went to stand up. Scully touched his arm and he stilled. "Wait." she told him and gently traced the cut above Mulder's left eyebrow. "Does this hurt?" Her touch was soft, soothing, and Mulder closed his eyes at the sensation. He shook his head. "No." he whispered. "Do you feel dizzy? Nauseated? You must have hit your head pretty hard on the way down to be out that long." "I'm ok. You know I have a thick skull." She smiled at him, her hand still caressing his brow. Mulder closed his eyes again, leaning forward slightly into her touch. He felt like a cat, he wanted to arch against her hand and purr. "Well, isn't this a Hallmark moment?" Paxton sneered from behind Scully. Mulder's eyes flew open and he saw Paxton standing a few feet away with his gun leveled at the back of Scully's head. Her eyes went wide and Mulder saw the fear in their blue depths for a split second. Then she blinked and her usual composed mask fell into place. "Stand up slowly. Both of you. Hands behind your head." They complied. Paxton yanked Scully's gun from her holster and tucked it in his waistband. "Turn around, Dana." Scully turned to face Paxton, her eyes blazing. Paxton's lips twisted into an imitation of a smile at her defiant posture. "Mulder, I'm afraid I don't really have much use for you. Dana, on the other hand has some ammends to make, don't you?" Scully said nothing. She stood with her spine straight, hands clasped loosely on the back of her neck, waiting. "I wonder if you two would mind throwing me a retirement party? After all, today I'm giving notice, as it were." Paxton laughed at his own joke. Mulder's eyes darted around. Paxton had the only weapon. He was pointing it at Scully but if Mulder moved quickly maybe he could bring him down before Paxton could get off a shot. Paxton took two steps forward, pressing the gun directly between Scully's breasts. "Are you sure you want to risk it, Mulder?" Mulder said nothing, his anxiety building. Paxton held out a pair of handcuffs to Scully. "I really owe Harper. A gun, handcuffs, who know he'd be so useful? Maybe I was too hasty in shooting him. Cuff Mulder to that tree." He gestured with the gun, his eyes cold. Neither of them moved. Paxton shifted his aim to Mulder. "Go on, Dana, do it." His jaw tight with frustration Mulder allowed her to chain his wrists to the tree. He gave an experimental yank after the steel clicked shut but the tree was tall and solid, he could see no way to escape. The look Paxton was giving Scully made his stomach lurch and fear gripped him. Scully stood next to him her hands clenched at her sides, her eyes wary. "You act so cold, Dana, but I don't think you really are. I've been watching the two of you and I'm certain your supervisor wouldn't approve of just how closely you're working together." "You're wrong." Mulder said, feeling helpless and hating Paxton all the more for it. "Am I? Anyway, I wasn't talking to you, Mulder. I was talking to Dana." He stepped closer and tilted Scully's chin up with the gun. "Tell me I'm wrong. Tell me you don't care about him." He slid the gun across her cheek in an almost caress. "He's my partner." Scully's voice was steady. Paxton's smiled. "That's not what I asked you." Scully shook her head. Paxton turned slightly and lifted the gun so it pointed directly at Mulder's temple. "What's he worth to you?" His tone was conversational but the implications sent a chill through Scully. She fought to keep her face calm. "Don't do this." "No. Don't avoid the question. What's he worth to you?" His eyes trailed across her chest and Scully looked away. She swallowed hard. "What do you want?" Paxton gave a low chuckle and cocked the gun. His aim didn't waver >from Mulder's head. "You admit you'd do anything to save him?" "Yes." She met his gaze again. "Scully, don't! He's going to kill us anyway." Mulder couldn't disguise the anguish in his voice. Paxton smiled at him. "Not you, Mulder. I won't hurt you if she behaves. I'll just leave you cuffed to the tree here. Maybe someone will find you, maybe they won't. You could get lucky." "You sick bastard." Mulder could barely spit the words out. He tried to catch Scully's eyes but she refused to look at him, keeping her gaze fixed on Paxton. "Give him the key, Rick. Put it in his pocket. Put it somewhere he'll have to work to get it. You can't leave him like this. Please." Her voice broke on the last word. Paxton pursed his lips and considered. "You'd have to make it worth my while." Scully didn't hesitate. "Ok." "Scully, don't do this." Mulder twisted his wrists ineffectually and Scully finally looked at him. "Don't." He pleaded softly with her. Her eyes grew wet and Mulder blinked away his own tears. She looked at the ground and bit her lip. Paxton stepped away from him. "Why don't you give him the key?" He dangled it in front of Scully. She reached to take the key but Paxton held it higher. "The deal is, he gets the key and you don't fight me. If you do, I'll shoot him in the knee when I leave him here. Do you understand?" Scully nodded. The blood pounded through Mulder's head, literally causing him to see red for a moment. "If you hurt her, you son of a bitch, you'd better kill me or I swear to God I'll make you pay . . ." His voice failed him as he watched Scully accept the key. "Put it deep in his pocket. It wouldn't do if he got loose before we were done having fun." Her hands were trembling as she pushed the key into Mulder's front left pocket. Scully rested her head for the briefest of moments against his shoulder in a gesture he recognized immediately as an apology, an expression of affection and a farewell. "Scully," he could barely get the word out, his throat closed off. She turned away from him and faced Paxton, her shoulders squared. Mulder closed his eyes. A cold sweat broke out across his forehead. Taking a deep breath he re-opened his eyes to see Paxton's triumphant grin. "Tell me really, Mulder, you never got a piece of this?" Mulder bit back his reply, unwilling to give Paxton the satisfaction. While Paxton looked at Scully again Mulder shifted, trying to reach his pocket but the tree was too wide. He could hook his thumb in the pocket but he could get no further than that. Holding the gun down at his side Paxton used the other hand to beckon to Scully. "C'mere." She stepped towards him without hesitation. Mulder's head dropped forward, resting against the tree. His whole body ached from his trip down the ravine but it was nothing compared to the anguish he felt now. He shook with anger and frustration. His mind raced as he made up curses and inventive promises to God. He tried again to reach his pocket. Scully's mind was racing, too. She stood close enough to Paxton to feel the heat coming off him. Her gun was still tucked in his waistband and she considered how best to grab it. Perhaps she could distract him . . . "Oh no, I don't think so." Paxton said in a menacing voice as he watched her eyes. He took her gun out, checked the safety and then tossed it far behind her into the trees. Disappointment flooded through her. Paxton stepped back. "You look a little cold in all those wet clothes, Dana. Maybe you should take them off." Behind her she heard Mulder rattle the handcuffs again. She couldn't stop the flush that spread across her cheeks. She unbuttoned her shirt slowly, trying to buy some time to think. She remembered the Swiss Army knife in Paxton's back pocket. She'd noticed it that morning when she had walked behind him. Scully didn't want to think about how she'd actually been checking him out. she thought as she slid her shirt off. Paxton nodded his approval. "Isn't that better?" She said nothing, every muscle tensed. "Now your jeans." They were wet and she had to take her boots off before she could peel them down her legs. Scully fought the urge to cross her arms in front of her. Mulder was raging silently at Paxton in his head. Scully seemed so small standing next to him in just her underwear. The sight of her stockinged feet on the cold wet ground was enough to undo the last reserves of his composure. He bit his lip to keep from cursing Paxton, knowing that he was deriving sick pleasure from Mulder's reactions. Paxton's eyes raked over Scully's body. She picked a tree just behind him and focused on it instead of him as she willed herself not to shake. He reached forward and took her wrist, pulling her up against him. "You know, if you just relaxed a little, you'd probably really enjoy this." Paxton mumured into her hair. "I'll find you, Paxton." Mulder called out hoarsely. "I'll hunt you down and I'll kill you. I swear it." Paxton chuckled against her neck and Scully swallowed back the bile that had risen to her throat. "Don't fight me." Paxton whispered. She shook her head mutely. Then his lips closed over hers roughly. Scully automatically put her hands against his shoulders to push him away. She forced herself to relax into his kiss and tried not to gag when his tongue invaded her mouth. She slid her hands down to his waist and then circled them around his lower back. She paused, not wanting to alert him to what she meant to do. Paxton moved to her neck leaving a trail of saliva across her jaw in the process. He twisted her hair roughly around one hand, pulling her head back and moved to kiss the swell of one breast above her bra. With the other hand he squeezed the other breast painfully. He was making little groaning sounds. Scully slid her hand over his butt, feeling the bulge of the knife. She moved her hand into his pocket and slowly slid the knife out. She fumbled the knife between both hands trying to find the grooves to pull a blade out. She heard Mulder stop moving and knew that he was watching and, no doubt, hoping as hard as she was. There! She felt something give but as she pulled it out all the way she realized it was the screwdriver, not a blade. Paxton pulled away slightly looking down on her. She froze, waiting. "What are you doing?" "What?" Her voice was failing her again. She wouldn't be able to do more than scratch him with the knife behind his back. Scully started to move her arms just as Paxton reached back and grasped her wrist. The game was up. Lifting her knee Scully tried to aim for his crotch as he twisted her arm to make her drop the knife. She missed and caught him mid thigh. She slid her leg around his and tried to trip him but he was too heavy. Her free arm swung around and she pushed her hand against his throat. Paxton's eyes narrowed. "You bitch!" Scully saw his fist out of the corner of her eye but didn't have enough time to react. The first blow glanced off her jaw, causing her to bite her tongue and stunning her. The second went directly to her stomach and she dropped to her knees, the knife forgotten, panting for air. "What did I tell you?" Paxton screamed at her. He grabbed her hair again and forced her to look up. "I said I'd shoot him and by god, I will. Are you happy now?" He raised the gun aiming for Mulder. Scully threw herself forward into his legs. He staggered back, pulling her with him since he still held her hair. Enraged he swung the gun down towards her. "NO!" Mulder yelled, the handcuffs slicing into his wrists as he came around the tree hoping to distract Paxton. Paxton finished his downswing with the gun striking Scully across the temple. He released her hair as she crumpled to the ground and looked over at Mulder. "Did you really think I'd shoot her? I still have big plans for the little lady." "I will kill you." Mulder spoke each word distinctly. Paxton raised the gun again. "So, where do you want it, Mulder. I can't kill you, I promised. But I'll let you choose which knee." His finger tightened on the trigger. Scully let out a groan and tried to raise herself up. Paxton kicked her once in the ribs and she quit moving. After that Mulder wasn't sure what happened. He saw a flash of movement from the trees behind Paxton and watched as Paxton sank to the ground, dropping his gun and reaching to grab at his back. Paxton fell foward onto his face and Mulder stood in amazement. There were two arrows in his back. Through the trees Mulder saw three men approaching. He tensed, ready for anything. They were all dressed in buck skin and stood regarding him with the same curiosity. "Thank you." Mulder gasped out. The oldest one spoke but Mulder couldn't understand a word. One of the others knelt by Paxton and checked his pulse. He spoke tersely in the same unidentifable language. Scully moaned lightly on the ground and the Indian kneeling by Paxton lifted her shirt from where it lay discarded and gently laid it across her back. As one they all turned and disappeared into the trees. Scully slowly pushed herself into a seated position. She took in the sight of Paxton and then swiveled her head, wide eyed, to Mulder. When she saw him still standing he saw the relief pass over her. "You want to help me out here?" he asked her, shaking his wrists at her. "Mulder, what happened?" she asked as she rose to walk over to him, pulling her shirt on as she went. "Indians." She opened her mouth to argue with him and then decided against it. She reached into his pocket and pulled out the key. "Really?" her tone was skeptical as she unlocked his wrist. "Scully, do you see a bow and arrows on me? Where else would they have come from?" His hands free once more Mulder gestured around. He took the key from her and unlocked his other wrist. "Mulder, you're bleeding." Scully turned his wrist over in her hands, her eyebrows drawn together in alarm at the bruising that was already apparent. "So are you." Mulder husked, his other hand gently wiping the blood off her split lip. "I'm fine." she said and then laughed, shaking her head. "Really. I've had better days but this could've been much worse." Her voice trailed off and they both grimaced. "What about Paxton?" Mulder moved away from her and knelt next to Paxton. He had a pulse. "Is he alive?" Scully asked, buttoning her shirt quickly. "Yes. I think these arrows must be tipped with some kind of anesthetic." "Well, let's cuff him and save the arrows. For once I think you're going to have proof." Mulder grinned. The arrows hadn't gone in more than half an inch, not caring if it was best to leave them in place Mulder pulled them out. A small amount of blood seeped through the back of his shirt. Mulder yanked Paxton's hands behind his back and cuffed them. Tightly. Paxton gave a low groan and shuddered. Scully picked up her jeans and shimmied into them. Mulder blushed and looked away. It shouldn't have been a turn-on, watching his filthy, waterlogged partner struggle into her clothes but it was. "And you thought this was a wasted trip." he told her as he listened to her slide the zipper up. Scully sat to pull her boots on. He turned back around to smile at her. They both looked skyward as they caught the far off sound of a helicopter approaching. "After we get Paxton booked and all the paperwork taken care of we should come back and look for the Indians." She cocked her brow. "What's this 'we' white man?" ***** Two Days Later Scully turned off the kitchen light. Her apartment was thrown into shadows as she walked back towards her bedroom. She began to loosen the belt on her bathrobe when she heard the knock on the door. At nearly midnight it could be no one else. She retied her robe and walked back to the front door, flipping the light back on as she went past. When she opened the door Mulder gave her a sheepish grin. "Were you asleep?" "No. I was just getting ready for bed." His eyes traveled briefly over her before returning to her face. "Is this a bad time? I could just call you tomorrow." "You're here now, come on in." She held the door open wider and he came in. She shut the door and turned around. Mulder stood with his hands in his pockets. He regarded her intently as she walked over to the couch and sat down.. "How are you feeling?" He watched her closely as he joined her on the couch. "I'm all right. You're face looks better." Her hand fluttered between them as she talked, as if she meant to touch him but then thought better of it. He nodded solemnly and looked down, tracing a line on her couch with his finger. "Was that all? You could have just called to ask how I was, or waited until Monday. I'll be back to work then." "Yes." Mulder gave a gruding nod. "But I wanted to talk to you away >from work. I wanted to apologize and I wanted to thank you, on a personal level." His hand slid over to grasp hers. She returned the light pressure. "You don't need to apologize." "Yes, Scully, I do. He lifted his face and met her eyes. "I said things to you that I didn't mean. I was being vindictive. You were right, I was jealous." Ka-thud. Her heart constricted in her chest. She looked away and he gave her hand another squeeze. He kept talking, sparing her having to answer. "I wanted to thank you, too. When Paxton, when he was, well, I think you went above the call of duty there." "Mulder." She found her voice. "Can you honestly say that if our places had been reversed you wouldn't have done the same thing?" She looked him in the eye and he nodded his agreement. She smiled. "I'd do it all over again. Don't you remember I once said you were the only one I'd put myself on the line for?" "I'd no idea you meant it so literally." They both looked down at their intertwined hands. The contact between them was slight but every one of their senses was on alert. The awareness between them was palpable. Mulder lifted her hand to his lips and pressed a gentle kiss across her fingers. He released her hand and stood up. "Anyway, that was all I wanted to say." She looked up at him and he could see the disappointment and the gratitude in her eyes. He held out his hand and pulled her up when she took it. Wrapping his arms lightly around her he rested his chin on top of her head. "Good night, Scully." He pulled back slightly and kissed her forehead, squeezing her shoulders lightly before stepping away. "Good night, Mulder." She said softly and moved to open the door for him. Outside his car he looked to her window before he got in. Her lights were out already and he tried not to think of her lying in bed. If he was a bolder man he could probably be there with her right now. Mulder thought about it often and he was pretty sure Scully had considered it before as well. But could a relationship like their's, built on trust and professionalism, survive the tangle of emotions sexual intimacy brought with it? He thought it could. And he vowed to find out. Soon. ***** End 4/4