Title: Court Rules Authors: Tissa Rating: R for some strong words Category: SRAH Keyword: MSR Spoilers: Triangle, mostly. Small ones for Dreamland, Rain King, the Cancer Arc and the movie. Summary: This is a post-Triangle story. Scully is staying with Mulder after he's released from the hospital and she overhears an interesting conversation. Beware, fluff ahead! ***** Disclaimer: If they were mine, the Fowl one would not exist. I guess that's enough saying :P ***** Author's notes: 1- This is the first post-episode fanfic I've ever wrote, so you're warned! :) 2- I've always thought that what Mulder and Scully need is a little push from a third person. And then I thought: what if that person was me? Talk about self-centered issues. :P Anyway, the Lily character here is some kind of alternate universe alter-ego of mine, though not every aspect of her personality is mine. The boyfriend part, for example, isn't, that's just me wishing I had a life. :P 3- I'm assuming the events on "Triangle" happened around the time the episode was first aired. At that time, the NBA players were still on strike. Keep that in mind while reading it. 4- There's a R.E.M. reference in here too, not very subtle, I might add. No fringe is intended, I just love those guys. ***** Very special thanks to CW for her wonderful wonderful editing :) Also, thanks to my brazilian fanfic gang for having the courage to read what I write - before it's even revised! - Fabi, Jess & Bia, you girls rock! :) ***** Feedback: Give it to me, baby! ************************ Court Rules By Tissa ************************ Scully has been mothering me for the last three days. After I was released from the hospital, she took me home, but not before paying a visit to the closest supermarket and buying all kinds of stuff I never have home. She didn't say a word, she just pushed the cart through the aisles, stopping now and then to get something she wanted from the shelves. But then she stopped in front of the yogurt shelf and got not one but three gallons of it. "Scully... I don't even *like* yogurt." "Those are for me, Mulder, I don't wanna die of starvation in that place of yours." Oh, I see. She was filling my fridge for her. "You planning on moving in, Scully?" At that she glared at me. "Mulder, you've been delusional, sedated and unstable for more time than I care to count these last days; I can't let you be by yourself." "My question still stands." "Yeah, Mulder," she sighs my name and I try to supress the warm feeling I get from that. "I'm staying with you till next week." So now she's been around for the last 72 hours and of course we're already at the about-to-kill-each-other-stage. We keep bumping into each other, and every little thing is solved with glare-matches. Okay, so I know I am being a baby most of the time, but the truth is I kinda like to have Scully here. Scratch that, I *love* having Scully here. Anyway, I've been on the net for awhile now. Scully's asleep on the couch, so I'm just hanging around, talking to Lily. You see, Lily is this girl I met online about a year ago. She's a 21 year old kid who studies Cinema, who happens to be a b-movie freak, just like I am. We spend most of our time discussing movies, music and books, and we have the ocasional Gus talk. Gus is this guy who she dates and who, her words not mine, loves to drive her crazy. Scully is a topic sometimes too. So... she's staying with you, huh? ;) Cut it out, kiddo, she's been MOTHERING me for the last 3 days! And you're telling me you don't like it? You're full of shit, Mulder, and you know it. Watch your language, kiddo, and yeah, you're right, I like it. In fact I like it a lot. But you're not happy about it. No! I mean, yeah, I'm not happy about it. Now you lost me, man. She's there, what the hell else do you want? Lil, you should stop swearing, it's not very ladylike :P Oh, shuddup, DAD! And anyway, I don't like being a lady, it's booooring. Okay, you have a point. You're changing the subject, Mulder. I know this works with your chicks but not with me, so just tell me, why aren't you happy that Scully is staying at your place? I do NOT have chicks!!! Whatever. Answer me, Fox William. Don't call me that! ANSWER ME!!!! Okay, okay. Remember I told you about the whole Queen Ann fiasco? Yeah. Well, there's one thing I didn't tell you. There was more? Well... yeah. After I woke up at the hospital I told Scully I love her. YOU WHAT??? And she thought I was still delusional. Tough shit! My thoughts exactly. So, now what? I dunno! I mean, I know I was NOT delusional and I know I meant what I said, but now that things are back to what they used to be, I... I dunno what to do! You are such a chicken. You're not helping, Lily. Okay, sorry. I don't know what to say, Mulder, I mean, the ball's in her court. No basketball references while the NBA's in the strike. LOL, sorry I forgot. But my point still stands. So you're saying I should just sit and wait? She'll never make a move, kiddo! I think you're underestimating her. Wait, Mulder, you've been waiting forever, just do it a little longer. Easier said than done. Of course, if you'd like, I can e-mail her the rules to this game. 'The Ultimate Courtship Guide', courtesy of Lily's insomnia with non-NBA-reruns nigths. No thanks, she'd just kill me if she knew I told you these things. Ooooh, Jealous-Scully is back! She's not jealous of me. 2 words for you, sweetie: Diana Fowley. I am seriously starting to wonder why the hell I tell you the things I told you. 'Cause I'm a great girl, a good listener and you just couldn't resist my charms! Point taken. Thank you :) You're welcome. Anyways, I gotta go. It's party time tonite and I still got to do my nails and hair. Oh, you're becoming a lady now? ;) Only when Gus needs it. ;) Yeah, I forgot, you're a lady in the bedroom and a tramp in the living room. Mulder, I'm warning you... You should look for help, Lily, your standards are all screwed. Shut up! Gus happens to like me the way I am. And anyways, I'm not exactly a lady in bed. But you're a tramp in the living room. You know I have Scully's e-mail, right? 'Cause I can make her kill you oh so easily. Go do you hair, kiddo, you're becoming dangerous. You bet I am. It's a good thing I'm packing then. Yeah, right, Mr. I-Can't-Hold-My-Gun-Straight. Now, seriously... I'll talk to you later, okay? Please please please don't make her mad, I'll have a great night and I don't wanna get another "All I ever do is hurt Scully" e-mail, you hear that? Okay, kiddo, I'll behave myself. Or at least you'll try to. Hey, I can behave! Keep telling yourself that. Wish me luck, Mulder! Why? You know you're getting some anyways. You are *such* a gentleman. Thank you. And kiddo? Yeah? Good luck! :) G'night, Mulder! Night! >Lily has left the room. The good thing about talking to Lily is that she always makes me realize things I didn't know yet. The ball's in Scully's court. She's the one who should make the next move. The bad thing about talking to Lily is that as soon as I close my connection I hear a very annoyed, "Mulder?" right behind me. Tough shit. I turn around veeeeeery slowly. "Scully?" "Mulder." "How long have you been standing there?" "Who's that Lily girl?" "I asked first." "Long enough." "Oh." I don't know what to say. She looks pissed. "You didn't answer my question, Mulder." "Lily is a friend." "Oh, a friend?" "Yeah, a friend," I feel the need to explain. "She's a b-movie freak like me and I talk to her from time to time." "About me." Oh oh. The words 'No win situation' are the ones that come to mind. "About everything," is what I reply. "So I've noticed." "Look Scully, I don't know what you want me to say. I was chatting to a friend, and you just overheard, so to speak, everything we said. If someone here should be pissed, it should be me!" "You tell some *stranger* you met on the Internet about me, you give her *my* e-mail and you want me not to be pissed?" She's almost shouting now. I go for the easier route. "I did not give her your e-mail." "So how come she has it?" "Langly did." Okay, this might not be the easier way after all. Scully is still glaring at me, eyebrow as high as it is humanly possible to be, as a sign of 'explain further'. So I figure I better tell her the whole deal. "When... when you were sick, she was worried about me, she thought I was gonna do something... irrational if you'd... if the worst happened... anyway, she asked Langly for your e-mail 'cause she wanted to tell you about it... she thought that if she told you I was... being irrational, you'd talk me out of it. He gave her your e-mail then." "She never wrote me." "That's because the guys gave me a lecture on how I shouldn't worry my friends and I convinced Lily I was not going to do anything... irrational. Actually, she wanted to drop everything and come here." "She worries a lot about you, huh?" Oh. Cynical!Scully. I really hate this one. I'm going for the kill. "Yeah, Scully, she does. She worries I don't eat as well as I should, she worries I don't sleep enough, she worries everytime I ditch you, she worries when I don't e-mail her regularly, 'cause she thinks I might be dead, she worries when you are sick, because she's sure the best thing that has ever happened to me is you." Lily admires Scully even though she has never even talked to her. Lily thinks Scully is my better part. I think that too. "Am I, Mulder?" Okay, Lily, so the ball's in her court. But I just re-entered the game. It's time to change this court rules. Fuck it, here goes nothing. "Yes. Yes you are. I told you, Scully, I love you." She's speechless, and I don't really know what I'm doing, but I can't seem to stop talking. "Why is it so hard for you to believe it? Why can't you accept that I love you? You think I'm incapable of loving? Oh well, I've got news for you, Scully: I love you. I've been in love with you for a very long time." I realize I'm actually hovering around her and shouting at her, so I step back and continue more quietly. "And you know what? I'm not asking you to love me back. I'm just asking you to believe me." That is true. I'm not asking Scully to love me. I'm just desperately hoping she does. We're standing in front of each other, my eyes glued on Scully's; her eyes staring at her own bare feet. She stays like that for ages, and I wait and wait. When I finally can't wait anymore and make a move on her direction, she looks up at me. Her eyes are brimmed with tears. The game is over, I think. "Scully... look, let's just forget it, okay? I'm being way out of line here, and I am really really sorry for that. Please don't feel like that, don't cry, okay?" I'm babbling but she doesn't seem to notice. She nods at my words and then she smiles softly. I think I can feel my heart flutter. "Mulder?" "Yeah?" "I believe you." Oh. My. God. "You do?" She nods again. "I've always believed you, Mulder. I may not believe in the same things you do, but I've always believed *you*." "Thank you." I don't know what else to say. I grin sheepishly at her and she grins back. We stay like that, looking at each other, grinning at each other for a long time, until it sinks to me. She knows I love her. But she doesn't love me back. She's not saying anything because she doesn't wanna hurt my feelings right now, but I should have known better. She could never, ever love me. My thoughts must be written on my forehead or something, because she comes to me and actually throws herself at me, taking me in her arms and burying her head in my chest. I wrap my arms around her and I don't ever wanna let go. She speaks very softly then. "Oh, Mulder, of course I love you! Don't ever think I don't." Okay, Mulder, breathe. In, out, slow, deep breaths. She loves you, you don't wanna die of a cardiac arrest right now. Scully puts her hand above my heart and looks up at me. "Your heart is racing." "Yeah?" Is that my voice? She smiles. Her hand comes to my cheek. I nuzzle her palm and then whisper, "You love me." "I love you," she nods. "I love you, too." "I know." I can't stand still anymore. "Scully, I really need to kiss you right now." "What's stopping you?" Oh, I'm just waiting for a hundred thousand bees to arrive, a cow to drop from the ceiling, the end of the world as we know it. But I feel fine. And I kiss Scully. And she kisses me back. We're back on the court. And the crowd goes wild. *** Epilogue: From: Fox Mulder To: Lily Subject: I love this game! Kiddo, So... I sort of changed the rules. The ball is back on court and it's OUR game now. Anyway, I just wanted you to know. I gotta go, the lady here wants to play one on one. ;) Talk to you later, Mulder. *** THE END flames, cake recipes and naked DD pictures to scully@cruiser.com.br :)