Date:	95-11-28 12:30:46 EST

'ello there mates! This is a little tale that was based on the first 
season episode "Ice". I did not think that the ending to it was entirely
what I wanted, so I wrote this little diddly to keep me satisfied and not
write to Carter and chew his head off like a friend did for "Anasazi". Thank
God it worked!;^) The story picks up right when the partners are in the 
storage room and checking each other for worms.

Disclaimer: The X-Files and all characters apart of it are the sole creation
and property of Chris Carter, 1013 Productions, and FOX Broadcasting Co.
They are used with the upmost respect and are used without permission.
This is a semi-romantic-but-not-quite follow up. Please, if you favor Mighty
Morphin' Power Ranger violence, look on the Mortal Kombat web page.

This story is dedicated to my buds, the Lone Gunwomen Crew and the Super
Guys that go with them. Thanks go espeacially to Alana, my FBI partner in
crime, to Tiff, the creative goddess of Lois & Clark, and to Dan for letting
me shoot him in his boxers in front of five girls. Thanks Buddies!

All flames, critiques, and donations go to 0029982@gps.gp.k12.mi.us.

"The Frozen Picture"
     by Kris Abel, TV III

     "If you put that worm in me, you'll infect me," Mulder breathed as his
partner stared hard up at him.
     "If that's true, then why didn't you let us examine you?" She hissed at
him; nerves taught. She was tired; tired of having to suspect everyone- even
her own partner.
     "I would have, but you pulled a gun on me!" He hissed back as he leaned
down to her level of height. "Now, I don't trust them, I WANT to trust you."
He stated quietly. Scully regained a little of her composure and faced him.
     "Okay, but their not here right now." She whispered. Wordlessly, Mulder
turned around and drew down his shirt around his neck. With shaking hands,
Scully reached up to gently knead the muscles about his neck and upper back.
They were fine! She massaged them a little bit more to be sure; the warm,
smooth muscle warming her hands as she did so. Soudlessly, she realeased
him. He spun around; his face set in an unreadable emotion. Scully gave a 
short snort of relief and turned to open the door and face the two doctors.
Suddenly, a hand clamped down on her shoulder. She was about to whirl
around in question, but Mulder pushed her face away. 
     Gently, he rolled down the collar of her faded flannel away from her 
neck. The scent of soap and perfume drifted up into his nose; sweetly. 
With a single large hand, he began to massage and stroke the skin around
Dana's neck. She was fine! He spun her around; his hands on her shoulders.
He smiled gently at her and pulled out her crosss from where it had snagged 
underneath her collar. They plunged together and held each other tight in
relief. 
     "Ready to face them?" Mulder asked, drawing away.
     "Ready," she responded and threw open the door....but no one was there.
     "Oh my, God," Scully whispered. In a pool of crimson, Dr. Hodge lay 
dead with his face smashed in. "Its DaSilva," she breathed and withdrew her
weapon only to remember that it was useless. "Damn!" She swore and threw it 
away.
     "What's wrong?" He asked, surveying the hall for DaSilva.
     "All my ammunition for my gun is gone. We're defenseless," She groaned.
A shot fired out from the distance in the main room.
     "But she's not. C'mon!" He grabbed her arm and dragged her into the
storage room; locking it from the inside. "We'll be safe in here," he said.
A scream echoed outside and fists began to pound the door. A shot was fired
and it resounded off the metal door with a dull thud. With a howl of rage,
footsteps pounded off; glass breaking in the background.
     "How long do we stay in here for? The radio's out there and we're in
here," Scully said. 
     "Well, until she goes away for good or we get a gun, our best bet is to
stay here and wait for the army base to come pick us up," Mulder said and
slouched onto the floor. Scully nodded and began to rummage in the crates on
the shelves for a blanket. In one, she found an inflatable mattress and
three wool blankets. She tossed the mattress to Mulder.
     "Here, start blowing," she smiled and then began to sort for food. By
the time she had searched every single crate to exhaustion, Mulder was
laying down on the comfortable mattress; all the blankets draped across him.
     "No food, huh?" He sighed, eyes closed. He hadn't slept at all ever 
since they got here save that one hour before Murphy had been killed.
     "Nope, but I think I found the wine stash and crackers," she announced
and threw them to him.
     "Care to get drunk, Agent Scully?" Mulder grinned as he popped the cork
on the red wine. 
     "Not really, I'll take the crackers, thank you." She snatched the 
crackers and began to nibble them one by one. By the time she had eaten the
whole pack, Mulder was swaying from his seat and murmuring incoherently.
     "Nice going, Mulder," she smiled and guided him to lie down on the 
mattress. A rumbling noise came frmo above them and the light flickered in
the room and then went off. "Damn!" She swore.
     "What is it?" He mumbled. 
     "DaSilva turned the power off! The heating's gone!" She sighed and 
slumped down next to him on the mattress. Dry coughs racked her body as she
began to shake violently. The stress of this case had finally gotten to her
and this was the last thing that she needed. Even drunk, Mulder still sensed
that something was wrong with her. Carefully, he put his arms around her and
guided her to lie down next to him. 
     "Shhhhh...it's okay, Scully. Just relax," Mulder soothed as he wrapped
her in his arms; encloaking her with his warmth and that of the blankets.
Scully burrowed her head in closer to him and felt the shakes begin to quit.
A single tear escaped her eye and fell down to land on his stained, old
t-shirt.
     "Thanks," she whispered. He grinned and awkwardly stroked her back
under the covers. His lips bestowed a solemn kiss upon her head.
     "You're welcome," he breathed and then began to snore as he fell 
asleep. Scully pulled the blankets tighter around her and joined him.
* * * * * * * * * 
     The rescue team arrived the next morning to find 3 dead scientists and
a whining, hungry dog. They checked all the rooms for the agents and, when
they tore out the storage room door, found the two FBI agents in each
other's arms. Both were in a deep sleep that had been induced by cold
temperature levels in the complex. Quickly, they were flown by plane to Nome
where they were admitted to emergency and quarantined. After two weeks,
neither was found infected and they were released back to work.
     Upon arrival in D.C., several agents came up to Scully just to reassure
themselves that she was alive. No one did this for Mulder. A week later,
Scully came into work with the biggest grin on her face that Mulder had
ever seen.
     "What's the happy occasion?" He asked. She set down her briefcase and 
pulled out a picture from it.
     "This," she grinned and gave it to him. It was a large 8x11 color photo
of Scully and him nestled in each other's arms on the air mattress in the
storage room. Both of them were grinning in their sleep and Mulder's lips
were just brushing the top of Scully's head as he held her tight. Below the
picture, in the white margin, was written in bold black letters: 
                           GOVERNMENT SECRETS.
     "The search and rescue team took that of us upon arrival at the complex
when they found us. And now....it's all over the Bureau." She smiled and
then laughed as Mulder turned a dark shade of red; even his ears were red.
     "Great, just great," he said shakily.
     "Why? You don't like this picture?" 
     "No, I-,"
     "Good, because I'm having it framed and hung in this office: TODAY."
She remarked and headed out the door.
     "Scully! Wait!" He cried as he dashed out the door after her as 
normalcy returned to the basement once more...at least, as normal as things
get down there.

THE END
** * * * * * 
Kris Abel: Class of '98, X-Phile, The Lone Gunwomen Crew, "Egorite", BEAST,
The RSDS, The KDD, Dr. Ruth, Leba Ann Atkins, Agent Carlina Matthews,
Verjik, Leaper, Writer, the Catcher, Peaker, Official Vampire Buddy, Moe,
The Next JC, Master of the Dungeon, Duchovnik, and creator of "Egor's 
Dungeon."
    0029982@gps.gp.k12.mi.us
* * * * * * * 
"My earthly senses are closing over my spirit, like the leaves round the
heart of a rose, at sunset."
              -Nathaniel Hawthorne