X-Files fic: Two of Hearts (Mulder/Scully)

[agt_spooky]

Ok, how's this for random? *g*

I've been watching a bunch of X-Files episodes lately and it prompted me to see if I could find all the fic that I'd written way back when. And I did!

So just for the heck of it, here's the first story I wrote, Two of Hearts. I was a Mulder/Scully 'shipper back then and I still am. I just think the two of them make an amazing couple, and I loved how the show handled their relationship.

If you do read this, be kind. :-) This was my first fanfic story EVER, written in 1996, and it's kinda sappy and cheesy. And hopefully I've come a long way as a writer since then! But it still holds a special place in my heart as the show that introduced me to fandom and gave me an outlet for all those stories that were trapped in my head. :-)



Title: Two of Hearts
Author: agt_spooky
Pairing: Mulder/Scully
Rating: PG
Word count: 2,376
Summary: Mulder and Scully are involved in a plane crash in the mountains. Hurt and stranded, they must depend on each other and come to terms with their feelings for one another.




Two of Hearts
by AgtSpooky

February 2, 1996



February 14, 1996
1:00 pm
Somewhere over the Laurel Highlands mountain range
Pennsylvania



"Mayday! Mayday! This is Flight Twenty-four Thirty! We are going down!
Descending from fifteen thousand feet! Location is Laurel Highlands, latitude -- Aaahhhh!"

***********

February 14, 1996
1:20 pm
Laurel Highlands


"Scully? Scully, can you hear me?"

Battling her way back from unconsciousness with a moan, Dana slowly opened her eyes at the sound of Mulder's voice.

"Oohh, my head," she complained, reaching up to carefully touch the offending spot.

Focusing her gaze on the face in front of her, she was greeted by the sight of a very pale Fox Mulder, forehead creased with worry and the right side of his face covered in blood.

"Scully? Can you move?"

"Yes, I think so. Help me up."

Mulder stood up from his kneeling position beside his partner on the floor of the plane and reached down with both hands to gently pull her up.

Wobbling slightly, Dana leaned heavily against Mulder until the world stopped spinning.

Straightening up she asked, "What happened? The last thing I remember is putting my deck of cards back in my duffel bag."

"Engine blew. We dropped like a rock."

"The pilot?"

Mulder sighed and closed his eyes. "Dead. The cockpit is totally crushed."

Now it was Dana's turn to sigh. "Do you think he had time to radio our location?"

Opening his eyes again, Mulder said solemnly, "I hope so."

For the first time Dana realized just how much she hurt and how bad Mulder looked.

"Come on. Let's go outside and see how bad off we are."

Luckily, the fuselage was on the ground. Carefully lowering himself down the few feet from the door to the ground, Mulder tried to ignore the pounding in his head and the ache in his leg. Reaching his arms up, he grasped Dana around her waist and lowered her down beside him. This time he tried to ignore the feel of her in his arms. Unsuccessfully.

Stepping back, they surveyed their surroundings. Only half of each wing remained attached to the plane. The cockpit was completely crushed against the tree which had finally stopped the crazy descent of the aircraft. It was a miracle the plane hadn't burst into flames on impact.

Limping over to a fallen log, Mulder sat down with a groan. "And I thought this trip couldn't get any worse."

************

It had all started last week. The agents had been dispatched to Charleston, West Virginia to assist FBI Agent John Miller in locating a supposedly kidnapped teenage girl. Her friends swore it was a UFO abduction. Bright lights, the whole thing. Hence, Mulder and Dana were sent packing to West Virginia courtesy of A.D. Skinner.

Skinner knew something was wrong between his two agents. He could sense it every time he was around them. If something didn't change soon, their work would soon be affected, not to mention their friendship. So when this case popped up he thought it a perfect opportunity to get them out of D.C. and to spend some time together to work out their problems. Much as he'd hate to admit it, they were a great team.

After intense questioning of the girl's friends by Mulder and Scully, they had broken down and told the truth: she had run away to Pennsylvania to be with her boyfriend her parents didn't approve of. She didn't want them looking for her, so she had coerced her friends into making up the UFO story.

Frustrated, the agents hopped on the doomed commuter flight headed toward Johnstown, Pennsylvania to pick up the girl that had been located there. From there, they would head back to Washington.

But a strange twist of fate had stranded them in the wilderness.

Sitting down next to Mulder, Dana opened the first aid kit she had brought with her from the plane. Putting her hand on Mulder's chin, she attempted to turn his face toward hers so she could clean up the cut at his temple.

Pulling his chin from her grasp he said, "I can do it myself, you know."

Her eyes blazing, she retorted, "Sure. Fine. Whatever." Grabbing some first aid supplies for herself, she jumped up from the log, intending to find her own log. But her movements were too quick and a wave of dizziness engulfed her, causing her to sway on her feet.

Mulder was immediately on his feet and at his partner's side, steadying her. But before he could say anything, Dana angrily pushed him away.

"I'm fine Mulder. Leave me alone."

Shaking his head, Mulder returned to his log to watch Dana slowly make her way to another.

Their relationship had been like this for a little over a week now, constantly snapping at each other. The tension between them was almost visible and Dana was tired of it.

I am so tired of him and his "manly manliness". Acting like he's the only one with a correct explanation for everything. And he can mess around with as many women as he wants, but he doesn't need to throw it in my face.

And why should that bother you? It's not like you have feelings for him, right? a little voice in her head answered.

Stopping suddenly from bandaging her head, Dana realized she knew the answer.

************

February 14, 1996
4:30 pm
Laurel Highlands


It had been 3 hours since the crash and the two agents had a firm grasp on their situation. It didn't look good.

With the help of Mulder's photographic memory, they were able to determine that they had crashed in the Laurel Highlands mountain range. They also knew that it was the middle of February and it was cold and getting colder. Mulder's leg was worse than he thought. He had a deep four inch gash on his right shin and his right knee was swollen like a grapefruit.

So he had stayed at the plane to set up their makeshift camp while Dana went out to gather firewood and search for water. She came back with an armload of wood and two zip-lock bags full of water, thanks to Mulder's ever-present sunflower seed supply.

While Dana was gone, Mulder had pulled together everything he could find in the plane: two emergency blankets, matches, their flashlights, flares and a flare gun, four life jackets, Dana's trail mix and candy bars and their own luggage.

He had also tried using their cell phones to no avail. They were either damaged or the mountains were blocking the signal.

After placing the wood in the fire pit Mulder had made, they extracted the pilot from the wreckage and buried him as best they could with rocks.

It was hard work and both were exhausted. Dana's head and Mulder's leg were throbbing at the same tempo. Grabbing a match and arranging the firewood, Mulder expertly lit the fire on the first try and turned to give Dana a triumphant smile.

"Not bad, eh, Scully?"

But she didn't answer. She had fallen asleep sitting against the tree nearest the fire. Not making a sound, Mulder simply sat and stared at her.

When did I stop looking at her as just my partner and start looking at her like a woman?

Mulder was mesmerized by the firelight playing across Dana's features. Her auburn hair was a fiery halo framing her face, which was half in shadow, giving her an angelic quality. She looked so beautiful, so peaceful, that Mulder hated to wake her. But her head injury worried him. She had a slight concussion, her was sure of it. But she was so damn stubborn she had refused to tell him the full extent of her injuries. Besides, they needed to eat.

Mulder moved to wake Dana, but his foot came down on a dry twig, causing it to break with a loud SNAP! and causing Dana to awaken.

She caught him staring at her and smiled. His heart leapt in his chest. There. There was the Dana Scully he knew. With the spark, the light in her eyes. Not the angry, withdrawn person she had become since Comity, New Hampshire.

"Hungry?" Mulder asked.

"Starved."

"Then let Chef Mulder whip up a gourmet feast. Let's see...we've got sunflower seeds, trail mix and candy bars. And I'll bet I can even find some berries and bugs-"

Mulder immediately knew that was the wrong word to say. Dana's smile fled, to be replaced with a facial expression Mulder couldn't decipher. But it was accompanied by Dana pushing past him to climb in the plane. THAT didn't need deciphering.

Once inside the plane, Dana rummaged through the pile of things Mulder had collected. Extracting a blanket, a candy bar, her duffel bag and one of the powerful flashlights, she retreated to the rear of the plane. Turning the flashlight on, she pointed it at the ceiling, using the reflection to light up the rear of the plane. Pulling the blanket around her, she sat down on the floor, resting her back against the wall of the plane. Tearing part of the wrapper off the candy bar, she bit into the chocolate and searched through her duffel bag, looking for her deck of cards. Taking the cards out of the box, she automatically dealed out the cards for a game of solitaire. It helped her to think, to relax.

She remembered opening her eyes to see Mulder sitting by the fire. He looked so handsome and boyish she couldn't help but smile at him. The firelight had made his hair look blue-black and so soft she had wanted to run her fingers through it. And for a few moments they had been back to normal.

But then he had to go and mention bugs. Why is he acting like this? Why lately does he have to throw the fact that women find him attractive in my face? I don't go around hanging on every guy I see.

And is that because you don't want to hang on anyone but Mulder? There was that annoying little voice again.

Of course not. That's ridiculous. He's my partner and my best friend.

He still can be. That voice just wouldn't quit. Admit it. Your feelings for him have changed. You want more. That's why his behavior is upsetting you. You're jealous.

Placing the cards on the floor, realization hit Dana like a cold shower.

Oh my God. I'm in love with him.

****************

February 14, 1996
5:45 pm
Laurel Highlands


She had been in the plane for quite a while now. The wind had picked up considerably and Mulder was cold. And hungry. And he was not going to sit out there any longer.

Poking his head in the plane, he saw Dana sitting in the rear of the plane staring down at the cards in front of her, but not moving.

"Scully?" Mulder asked quietly.

Starting slightly, Dana turned at the sound of his voice.

"Penny for your thoughts?"

She laughed and said, "Aren't they worth at least a dollar?"

Smiling, Mulder replied, "You're worth much more than that."

Gazing into his eyes, she said softly, "Get in here Mulder. We need to talk."

After he was seated next to her, Mulder tried to speak. "Scully, I-"

Cutting him off, Dana spoke. "No. Me first. Our relationship can't continue they way it's been going. We need to find a solution."

Jumping in, Mulder said, "I know. It's my fault."

This was it. If he had misinterpreted her emotions he could be throwing away everything. But he couldn't wait any longer. His own emotions were running away with him.

Putting his hands on her shoulders and his face within inches of hers, he looked directly into her blue eyes and spoke softly.

"Dana Katherine Scully, you are the most scientific, logical person I've ever known. You can come up with an explanation for anything in a matter of seconds. But when the solution is staring at you in the face, you can't see it."

He was too close to her. She couldn't think straight. Only one thought formed in her hazy mind: she wanted to kiss him.

Mulder was speaking again. "Things have gone too far. It's my fault we're acting like this. But I had to be sure. I had to. I couldn't let my heart be trampled on again. Phoebe..." his voice trailed off for a moment as he took a deep breath. "I tried to make you jealous. I'm sorry. I know I shouldn't have. But I was afraid to express my true feelings to you if you didn't feel the same towards me. If the other women didn't bother you I wasn't about to sacrifice our friendship. But..." he paused to smile at her "I think I'm safe saying this to you now."

Releasing his grip on her shoulders, he shifted his weight so that he was now crouched in front of her on one knee.

Taking one of her hands in his he spoke again. "Dana...I love you. Will you be my valentine?"

For once in her life Dana was totally speechless. She should be totally furious with him, she knew. But she couldn't be. Because, who knows, if he had never pulled this stunt she may never have realized how deep her feelings were for him.

Her thoughts snapped back to the present. He was still crouched there, holding her hand, waiting expectantly for her answer.

Words escaped her at that moment, so she decided actions spoke louder than words anyway.

Pulling him close, she closed her eyes and gently pressed her lips to his.

That was all the answer he needed.

As they wrapped their arms around each other, not breaking the kiss, the same thought was running through their minds: this would be a Valentine's Day they would never forget.

As Mulder lowered Dana to the ground, her foot brushed the deck of cards still on the floor. The top card fell off the stack to land face up on the blanket.

The two of hearts.

And both agents were vaguely aware of the sounds of the rescue choppers in the distance.

**************

THE END

Comments

[tracys-dream.livejournal.com]

Awwww I like this. It's heart-warming.

[agt-spooky.livejournal.com]

Thank you so much, sweetie! For my first attempt at fanfic it wasn't bad. :-)