Total Honesty Prequel 1/2 (PG-13)

She was tired, her feet hurt and now the older woman in front of her in line wanted to visit with the cashier.  Part of her knew the woman just needed some companionship and this wasn’t really taking that long.  Part of her wanted to yank the blue hair out of her head and stomp on her.

To calm down she glanced around the store.  The man waiting in line two people behind her caught her eye.  He had obviously caught her impatience and was grinning.  To her surprise, he winked at her.  It brought an unexpected smile to her face.

The woman finally finished her conversation and Scully moved up and paid for her two items.  As she was leaving she glanced back to see the man still looking at her.  He nodded goodbye and she returned the barest of nods toward him.

*****

Work was no better.  Mulder was being an absolute ass and she was fed up.  He’d gone off to check something out with Chuck Burks and she’d just had enough so she had refused, using errands as an excuse.  She’d used a headache once and seen the panic in Mulder’s eyes.  She wouldn’t do that again.  He did care about her, but . . .

She ducked into the market to pick up some fresh vegetables for dinner, then remembered she needed some cleanser.  As she rounded the corner she nearly ran into him.  It was the same man that had winked at her a few days ago.  His hand came out as though to steady her, but with her reflexes it wasn’t necessary.  She saw his eyes light up and some of her peevishness dissipated.

“Sorry,” he said quickly.

“It’s my fault.  I wasn’t watching where I was going.”  She fell silent then; she was totally out of practice making polite conversation.  After a second she mentally shook herself.  “Well, thank you.”  She turned away and got her cleanser, then moved to check out.  She could feel his eyes on her, but he let her go without saying any more.

*****

She was glad to be home.  They had done good work on their last case.  No prosecution of course, again, but they’d saved some lives.  She didn’t know why that didn’t make her feel any better.  She had felt Mulder watching her, she had the impression he had wanted to ask her what was wrong with her, but he hadn’t and she couldn’t volunteer.  She didn’t know herself.

She didn’t bother to unpack, leaving her suitcase in the bedroom with her shoes, and padded into the kitchen.  Shit, just once she’d like to come home and not have to throw out half the things in her refrigerator.  There was nothing here and she’d be damned if she was going to eat fast food again.

She quickly changed out of her travel clothes and grabbed up her keys.  A homemade salad, maybe with some chicken; she wanted something fresh, clean, hell, new.

The market was nearly empty, which suited her fine.  She chose some salad ingredients, splurging a little on artichoke hearts and baby corn.  Then she headed for the meat counter.  She had picked up a package of chicken when she felt someone beside her.

“You know we have to stop meeting like this.”

She looked up to see him again.  She blinked and found herself smiling.  “I believe you’re right.”

His smile widened.  “I’m glad you’re back.”

“How did you - “

“I’m not stalking you, honest.  I just hadn’t seen you here in over a week.”

“I travel in my job,” she explained.

He nodded.  “I’m Tony, Tony Sutton.”

“Dana Scully.” She shook the hand he extended.

“Now that we’re on a first name basis, may I ask you to coffee sometime?  I see you’ve already gotten your groceries this time, so I’ll have to be quicker.”

Scully found herself with a bemused smile on her face.  He wanted to spend some time with her?  “Uh, I suppose that would be - “

“I’ll be at the coffee shop just down the street for lunch tomorrow, around 11:30.  We could meet then.”

“Lunch?  You said coffee,” she countered.  Good lord, was she flirting?

He grinned.  “Thought I’d take my shot.”

She ducked her head, then looked up at him.  “I’ll see if I can get away.”

He nodded.  “I’ll keep my fingers crossed.”  He stepped back and let her move toward the checkout.

Her color was still a little high when she got home and she made her dinner in a much better mood that when she had left.

She woke in a better mood than she’d been in for weeks.  Hell, it was Saturday and she had a reason to get out of bed.  She was excited.  It quickly became apparent that her wardrobe needed updating, considering the time it took her to decide on an outfit. 

She was still ready in plenty of time.  No severely straightened hair, no black suit.  Tan slacks and the royal blue sweater her mother had given her for Christmas made her feel quite feminine.

Now she was getting nervous.  What would they talk about, groceries?  That had been the problem on the last few dates she’d had.  Her side of the conversation was usually meager with her choices being autopsies or aliens.  What had she been thinking?

The man was attractive, six feet, olive completion, his hair and eyes darker than - No, stop right there.  No comparisons; that had fouled her up more than once.  She very nearly turned to head back for her car, when she realized he was moving toward her.  She hadn’t even seen him.

“Changing your mind?  I really don’t bite.”

‘Unless asked to,’ she automatically filled in Mulder’s innuendo mentally.  “No, I’m sure you don’t.  I just, I haven’t been out with anyone recently and . . . “

“Whoops, bad breakup and I’ve stepped into Rebound Man’s shoes?”

She actually laughed then.  “No, not at all.  I’ve just been too busy to even think about a social life.” 

He was steering her into the coffee shop by then and she just decided to go along.  He led her to a table by the window so that they could watch the shoppers go by.  They both ordered the salad, which again caused an instant of comparison to be shoved down brutally.  Once they were alone again, he appraised her causing color to tinge her cheeks.

“Too busy to think about a social life.  That intrigues me, may I ask where you work?”

“I’m with the Bureau.”

His eyes widened.  “The Bureau, well we have the same employer.  I’m down the street at the Social Security Administration.”

Jeremiah Smith, her brain supplied, but she ignored it.

“You’re not one of those agents that run around with guns or something, are you?”

“Well, yes,” she admitted, watching the surprise on his face.  “But I’m not armed now.”

He breathed a fake sigh of relief, wiping his hand across his brow and she chuckled.  “Well, I can’t compete with that.  I supervise people who crunch numbers.”

“Have you been there long?”

“In DC, no, with Social Security, about fifteen years.  I got bumped up to come here.  All bureaucratic, but since I’d served my time, they rewarded me with a slightly increased salary and a hell of a raise in living expenses.”

“Tell me about it.  I was in shock over the cost of things here as well.”

“Where are you from?” he leaned back to listen and she relaxed.

They had a nice leisurely lunch.  He had moved quite a bit as a child as well, though not as much as her family.  It gave them something in common and she realized, stunned, that it was nearly 2 p.m.

“Did you miss an appointment?  I don’t want any bad guys to escape because of me,” he noted her look of surprise.

“No, I just didn’t . . . Thank you.”

“For what?”

“For taking my mind off of work.  This was very nice.”

His smile grew.  “Think I have a chance at a second date?”

“Yes, I think so.”

“Tomorrow?”

She laughed then.  “Tomorrow?”

“Don’t want to miss that chance.”

“All right.  I’m free tomorrow.”

“There’s a new exhibit of Impressionists at a gallery downtown.  What do you think?”

“That sounds like fun.”

*****

It was amazing what a pleasurable weekend could do for her attitude. 

She was smiling when she entered the office Monday morning.  Mulder looked at her suspiciously and leaned back in his chair.  “Bill in town?”

“No, why?”

“You just looked very pleased with yourself, and since you were barely speaking to me when you left on Friday, I figured you spent the weekend filleting me, at least figuratively.”

“I believe I’ve said this before, but you are not the center of the universe, Mulder.  I didn’t even think about you this weekend.  I was busy.”

“Busy?” He kept his voice even, though he felt just a frisson of unease at her declaration.

 

“That’s right.  Now, have you finished your part of the report that’s due?”

“Wha- Yeah.  I’ll print it out.”  Now he was curious.  She was in a damn good mood.  They hadn’t been in touch this weekend, was that why?  Things had been tense between them lately and that was mostly his fault.  He was being a prick but nothing was going right.  He felt farther than ever from his quest and she didn’t even seem to mind.  No, that wasn’t true, she was there for him; she just didn’t want to believe like he did.

He should show his appreciation more.  He wanted things to get back on track for them.  Since getting back from Antarctica things had been strained.  He certainly didn’t feel like he could pick up where the bee had interrupted them in his hall.  But she seemed to be in a good mood now, maybe he could take a shot, bring a movie over to her place or something.  He’d even let her get green peppers on a pizza.

“Since we’re finished with the paperwork, what do you say to bugging out a few minutes early.  I could grab a pizza and we could watch a movie.  My place or yours?”

She looked up startled.  “Uh, Mulder, I’m sorry.  I have plans tonight.”

“Plans?  You have a date?”  She obviously didn’t want to answer that and he felt his stomach start to churn.

“Well, yes.”

It took him a minute to respond.  “Oh, I didn’t realize you were seeing . . . “

“Tony.  We’ve gone out a few times.”

He nodded, listening mainly to what she wasn’t saying.  “How long?”  Was his voice a little high?

“Not that long.”

How did he translate that?  Weeks?  She’d been seeing a guy for a few weeks and he hadn’t realized?

“I, uh, I guess I didn’t know you were involved.”

“Mulder - “

“Hey, no, I understand.  You’re busy.  Maybe some other time.”  He shut down his computer not looking at her, but knowing she was watching him.  He turned toward the door.

“Mulder - “

He didn’t stop.  She watched, the bottom dropping out for her.

No, she couldn’t feel this way.  Mulder was her partner, her friend, but she needed more.  She flashed on that last memory she had before waking in the Antarctic, a fleeting feeling that he was going to kiss her.  No, it hadn’t happened and when they had returned . . .

She needed to ‘get out of the office’ or at least the mind-set of the office once in a while.  There was absolutely nothing wrong with dating Tony.  She was having a good time, but she’d hurt Mulder and that was the part that was unbearable.  She closed her eyes torn between wanting to call Tony and cancel for tonight so that she could make this up to her best friend, and angry at that friend for making her feel this way.  Shit!

*****

“Dana, are you okay?” Tony was watching her, concerned.

“Yes.  It was just a long day.  Maybe I should head home - “

“Please don’t.”

“I’m not very good company.”

“You’re excellent company, always.”

She blinked at that.

“You don’t believe me?  Dana, you’re intelligent, you’re beautiful, you’re articulate, and let’s face it, how many pathologists are there out there I’d want to date?”

She laughed out loud at that, visualizing a couple of the pathologists she’d work with over the years.  He grinned as he watched her relax.

*****

“Okay, Dana, it’s time.”  Tony stood looking down at her, handing her a glass of wine.

“Time?” she looked up startled.  “Time for what?”

“For me to meet this partner of yours.”

“Mulder?  You want to meet Mulder?”

“Yes, I think I better.  After all, you spend every day with him and I see you fighting not to mention his name.”

She winced inwardly.  Yes, she did try not to talk about Mulder, but he took up so much of her life, most of it.

“I don’t want you to have to hide things from me, Dana.  If it’s a case that’s one thing, but I’m not the jealous type.  Mentioning your partner isn’t going to bother me.  Maybe if we meet, we’ll get to be friends and you can relax about this.”

Friends?  No, she couldn’t see that, but if she was going to keep seeing Tony they were going to have to meet.  Tony was right about one thing, she couldn’t continue to avoid speaking about one to the other.

She looked up, knowing without a doubt that her cheeks had colored.  She just didn't know what to say.

"He's a big part of your life.  I already know that.  I don't know where you and I are going yet, but I know he's important to you and I want to meet him."

"Wasn't meeting Mom enough?" she said weakly.

He laughed, but she could tell he wasn't backing down.  She hated that he was right.  Things had . . . grown between them.  They had developed a relationship, one that had been missing from her life for so long.  She knew Mulder was aware on some level that she was dating someone more than just casually, but the idea of the two of them together for an evening . . . She'd rather be in the sewer with Flukeman.

"Okay,” she finally nodded.  “I'll set - "

"I'll do it,” Tony interrupted.  “Let me make the reservations, and - "

"We could eat at my place."

"No, I don't want you to have to go to the trouble."  He raised his hand to forestall her protest.  "Really, let's go to some nice restaurant and let someone else worry about menus and clean up.  Pick a day and I'll handle it from there."

Well, Mulder would behave himself in public.  She stiffened her spine.  "Okay, I'll ask Mulder tomorrow and let you know a good day.  Tony, thank you."

He smiled and leaned over to kiss her.

*****

The next morning was much harder than she had anticipated, and she found her steps dragging as she approached the door.  Of course he'd beaten her here today.  He looked up as she entered, his face carefully impassive.  She missed the grin she used to get when he saw her, but it was one more indication that he knew she was 'dating'.  Oh yeah, she really wanted to spend an evening with the two of them.

She squared her shoulders and attempted a smile.  "You busy tomorrow night?"

He actually blinked at her.  "Me?"

"Yes.  Tony would like to meet you, so we'd like you to join us for dinner."

His mouth fell open before he could stop himself, but then he was back in command.  "Scully, that's not - "

"Tony really wants to get to know you."

"Why?"

"He knows you're important to me."

Again Mulder only blinked.  After what felt like a very long silence, he nodded.  "Okay."  He could have said a lot of things, but for once he knew better.

"Thank you.  I'll let Tony know.  He's going to make the reservations for us."

"Reservations?"

She could feel herself blushing, but didn't look away.  "He didn't want me to have to cook and clean.  He said this was better."

Mulder just looked at her, and she finally turned away to her desk and booted up her computer.  It wasn't mentioned again.  After lunch he found a note, "Fleming's Steak House, 7 p.m."  Since she wasn't in the room, he crushed it in his fist, but then straightened it out and slipped it in his pocket.

*****