Best Friends: Work Ethics

by TBishop27@aol.com

Category: MSR

Rated: This series is NC-17 although not all parts necessarily fall 
into that category.

Disclaimer:  This Mulder and Scully are mine.  Chris would never let 
his do such things.

Feedback: Please!  As always, flames will be forwarded to that dark 
part of my writer’s imagination that roams the night in search of 
victims.

Author’s note:  This is the fourth installment of the Best Friends 
series.  1. Mulder’s Girlfriend

                          2. The Date

                          3. Sleeping Together

                          4. Work Ethics



I am dedicating this one to ‘Grasshopper’ who did the kindest thing 
and surprised me with an archive page of my very own!  I was, and 
still am, totally flattered!  I get the biggest grin every time I 
think about it.  Thank you from the bottom of my little shipper heart.

If any of you are interested in checking out her amazingly selfless 
efforts here’s the URL:
http://members.xoom.com/arcticfox42/Tbishop.htm  


BEST FRIENDS: Work Ethics

I’m not good at this.  I did the my lover/my partner thing with Diana 
and it got so crazy at work that I ended up... well, I’m only going to 
make that mistake once.  I have no intention of making Dana Scully the 
next ex-Mrs. Fox Mulder.  I’m not going to let things get out of hand 
at the office.  Scully and I had a great time last night but I’m not 
going to let myself get carried away like before.  We’re going to keep 
things simple.  Work is work, our office is not an extension of our 
bedroom.  OUR bedroom?  Watch it, Spooky, you’re walking a thin line 
there.  

Dating... we’re only dating.  By day we’re dedicated partners on a 
quest for the truth, by night we’re best friends who sometimes sleep 
together?  No, Scully would hate that.  *I* hate that.  By night we’re 
lovers who also happen to be the best of friends.  Yes, I think she’d 
like that better.  I know I do. 

The important thing here is that we both understand that there has to 
be a complete separation of the two sides of our relationship.  I 
don’t have sex with Agent Scully and Dana doesn’t follow Agent Mulder 
into dangerous places hunting down the bad guys who’s case files are 
all classified under X.

I can’t do it any other way.  I know from experience that it gets too 
fucking complicated if you bring all those personal issues up at the 
office. And I can’t be thinking about the woman who’s responsible for 
covering my sorry ass when we’re out in the field as anything other 
than a strong, competent, highly trained FBI agent.  It’s got to be 
clearly delineated.  This is not going to become another fiasco like 
me and Diana were.  I need Scully too much... and I need Dana too 
much... and I love them both beyond reason.

------------------------------------------------

After Mulder left this morning I spent a lot of time thinking about 
what all of this means.  I’m happy.  God, I don’t think I’ve ever been 
happier in my life.  But if this thing between us is going to stand a 
chance we’re going to have to preserve our working relationship status 
quo.  We’ve been one hell of a team for seven years and I’ll be damned 
if I’m going to let that change.  

I don’t want Mulder treating me differently because we’re lovers now. 
It’s important to me to be respected as a professional and his equal 
and not catered to because he happens to share a bed with me.  

I’ve worked too hard to be accepted into the boys club at the Bureau. 
If I let myself be seen as a sexual object I’ll become just another 
joke to them.  Maybe that’s why I avoided this for so long.  I was 
afraid of the reaction I might receive if it became known that Mulder 
and I were involved.  As if the Mrs. Spooky jokes weren’t bad enough 
before... I’d hate to hear what they’d say if they knew it were true 
that Mulder and I are doing the deed.  Mulder they’d look at like some 
sort of macho-stud-God... offering him high fives for his manly 
conquest.  Me they’d leer at thinking I was now fair game to prove 
their own virility to the rest of the boys in the locker room.

Work has got to be sacred.  We have to treat each other as if nothing 
has changed when we’re on duty.  We can’t afford to slip up in front 
of our colleagues.  I can’t afford it.  

I know Mulder will understand.  He’s always treated me with respect... 
saving his little innuendoes for private moments when he knew no one 
else could overhear. Once, some rookie agent who didn’t know who we 
were, made a vulgar comment about me to Mulder and found himself up 
against the wall... Mulder’s forearm pressing hard across his throat 
while my partner explained to him the importance of respecting his 
fellow female agents.  The guy’s since been transferred to another 
field office.  I’m not entirely convinced Mulder didn’t have something 
to do with that.

It should be easier to keep from showing my feelings about Mulder at 
work now that I’m able to express them after hours.  I know there were 
times in the past when I found myself wanting him so bad that I had to 
leave the office and take a long walk to calm myself.  It’s not going 
to be that way anymore... thank God!  No more endless lonely nights in 
cheap motel rooms thinking about Mulder and masturbating through my 
guilty tears.  It was agony knowing he was so close, just on the other 
side of the wall, but always beyond the reach of my desire... my 
aching need.  That’s over now.  We have found each other.  I have a 
release for all that sexual tension that threatened in the past to 
drive me insane every time I got a whiff of Mulder’s unique scent or 
felt the heat off his body when he stood too close.  It’ll be better 
now.

------------------------------------------------

What was she thinking wearing that suit to work?  I’ve never seen 
Scully show that much leg at the office.  She’s worn some short skirts 
in the past but this one borders on the unprofessional.  Okay, maybe 
not unprofessional but certainly overtly suggestive.  For Christsake 
the jacket almost covers the entire skirt!  Every time she sits down 
and crosses her legs I catch a peak of the creamy soft skin at the top 
of her inner thighs.  It’s killing me.  

Jesus!  If she shifts around in that chair anymore I’m going to go out 
of my fucking mind!  I keep catching myself straining to see what she 
might be wearing under that sexy black outfit.  

Stop it, Mulder!  Stop this right now!  You promised yourself you 
weren’t going to do this.

This is Scully.  Scully is your partner.  You don’t think about 
sliding your hands up Agent Scully’s legs and slipping them under her 
skirt until you find that hot wet little bit of heaven hidden beneath 
those red curls.  God, I want her!  Right here, right now... I want to 
make her mine again.  

No!  This is Scully.  Remember that, Mulder!  

I’m really trying to do just that... keep her separate from Dana.  The 
problem is they look so damn much alike!  And smell alike.  I could 
smell that sweet mix of perfume and pheromone the minute she walked 
into the office this morning.  It hit me like ten thousand volts.  
Every nerve in my body was suddenly alert to her presence.  Agent 
Mulder may be convinced that his partner is off limits at work, but 
his little G-man has a completely different opinion on the subject.  
I’ve had a hard on for the last two and a half hours!

What’s a guy to do?  She sits there looking so absolutely fuckable and 
I’m not supposed to respond?  Doesn’t work that way.  Biology is 
biology.  I’m just going to have to try and ignore it.

I thought this was going to be easier now that the tension had been 
resolved between us.  I figured I’d finally be able to concentrate 
wholly on the work itself knowing Dana and I could attend to the 
‘personal matters’ after hours.  I could not have been more wrong it 
seems.

As hard as I try, I can’t seem to separate it.  Every time I look at 
my partner now, I see Dana naked and writhing on her bed while I feast 
on that honey between her legs.  Every time Scully says ‘Mulder” now, 
I hear Dana’s screams of ecstasy as she invokes my name at the height 
of her orgasm.

Look at her over there sitting behind her computer typing away 
completely oblivious to the fact that I’m even in the same room.  
Those delicate little fingers stroking each key with perfect 
Scully-like precision... the same fingers that stroked me last night 
sending shock waves of pleasure all over my body.

What have I done?  I’ve destroyed our partnership.  Scully’s going to 
hate me.  She won’t understand this. She’s expecting me to be an adult 
and act professionally.  She’ll never forgive me if I can’t make this 
work.  I’ll never forgive myself.  

God, now she’s chewing on her bottom lip again!  If she doesn’t stop 
she’s going to see a grown man drop to his knees and cry for mercy.

I know what’s coming next.  Be strong, Spooky old boy.  Yep, there it 
is.  The tongue.  She always soothes her lip with an unbelievably 
erotic lick after she’s been worrying it with her teeth.  I don’t 
think my heart can take much more of this.  I know my little G-man 
can’t.

My libido is stuck in overdrive.  Jesus, I’m starting to sweat.

------------------------------------------------

If he doesn’t stop rolling his tongue around that damn pencil I’m 
going to scream!  He’s been driving me crazy all morning.  For the 
last two hours I’ve been typing away at this case report and I haven’t 
the slightest idea what it says.  All I can think about is Mulder.  To 
be more exact, all I can think about is doing the wild thing with 
Mulder.  

This is ridiculous!  For seven years I’ve wanted him and managed to 
work at his side with a minimal of distraction...most of the time 
anyway.  And even when it got bad I still didn’t have this 
overwhelming urge like I have at this moment to rip his clothes off 
his body and run my tongue over ever luscious inch of him.  Now, after 
spending one night together I’m completely obsessed with the man.  I 
haven’t been able to get him off my mind all morning.  I’ve got to 
pull myself together!

It would help if he’d put the pencil down and keep that extremely 
gifted tongue inside his incredibly kissable mouth.  Oral fixation or 
not the man has got to realize some behaviors are just a little too 
provocative for the workplace.  This is a first for me... I’ve never 
envied a No.2 Ticonderoga before. 

For some reason I can’t seem to stop picturing Mulder standing naked 
in front of me with that belt draped around his neck.  The fact that 
I’ve chosen this particular image to remember most of our night 
together has me deeply concerned.  This is one I’m not even going to 
be able to confess to my priest!  God have mercy on me or I’ll surely 
burn in hell for the thoughts I’ve been thinking about my partner.  

What’s he done to me? I’ve got to stop this.  I’ve got to stop this 
right now!

I get up from my chair slowly, on shaky legs.  I try not to think 
about how I’m so turned on that even the motion of walking across the 
room stimulates my swollen and hyper-sensitive folds.  

Concentrate, Dana.  You’re going to get a drink of water from the 
sink. Water is good.  Water will cool me down.  

Hoo boy, do I ever need to cool down!

------------------------------------------------

Scully just got a glass of water from the sink and as she passes me 
carrying her drink I notice that her hands are trembling and her face 
is flushed.  Maybe I was wrong about her being oblivious to my 
presence.  Maybe I’m affecting her too.  

God, help me, I’ve lived this nightmare before.  It’s me and Diana all 
over again.  We were obsessed with one another.  Even at work we 
couldn’t keep our hands off each other.  Scully would come unglued if 
she knew how many times Diana and I had sex right here in the 
basement. I was crazy over that woman.  In retrospect it was purely a 
sexual attraction; but at the time, and for a long time after, I 
thought it was love.  

When things started to go bad I panicked.  Big time panic.  I married 
her thinking that somehow that would stop her from leaving me. The 
marriage didn’t last three months and she was gone.  I wore the ring 
even after the divorce was final.  It took me a long time to get over 
Diana.  

Every relationship I’ve ever tried has ended in disaster.  Scully’s 
the only woman who’s ever been willing to stick around for any length 
of time.  I’m scared to death that I may have just made the biggest 
mistake of my life.  I’ve got to tell her.  Maybe it’s not too late to 
turn this around and go back to the way things were.

“Scully...”

She jumps at the sound of my voice and the glass slips out of her hand 
shattering on the floor and splashing her with the cold liquid.  She 
gasps from the temperature shock.  “Shit!”

“God, Scully, I’m sorry!”  I fly out of my seat to make sure she’s all 
right.

“It’s okay, Mulder.”  She laughs it off brushing the water from her 
skirt.  “My fault.”

Suddenly I’m aware that I’m standing too close to her.  I take a step 
back and try to compose myself.  I realize it’s not going to work when 
she bends down in that short little skirt and attempts to pick up the 
broken pieces of glass.

I kneel down beside her to help with the clean up but something 
happens... something unexpected and completely beyond my control.

------------------------------------------------

Oh God... This is crazy.  I’m laying on the floor of our office with 
Mulder on top of me and we’re kissing each other like the world is 
about to end.  Why am I letting this happen? We’ve got to stop this.  
The trouble is I don’t want to stop.  Um... Maybe we should consider 
taking this little party elsewhere?

“Mmmmulder...” I say struggling to free my lips from his. “Stop.”  I 
try to push him away.

He pulls back, leaning over me breathing hard.  “I don’t think I can, 
Scully.”

“Yes, you can.”  I assure him trying to sound like I believe it.

“What if I don’t want to?”  He starts kissing my neck and I feel his 
fingers beginning to unbutton my blouse.

“We can’t do this here.  It’s... inappropriate.  I want this as badly 
as you do, believe me, but not here.”  Someone has to be the voice of 
reason.  Damn me anyway!

“You’re right.”  He agrees but doesn’t make a move to get off me.

I surprise even myself with the next words that come out of my mouth. 
 “There’s a hotel the next block over.  How about we take an early 
lunch?”  

Mulder smiles.  “Room service?”

I nod.  “Unless you want to do it in the main dining room of the DC 
Marriott?”  I quip as he stands and pulls me to my feet.

Without skipping a beat he says, “Naw, let’s do something really 
kinky.  Let’s get the best room they’ve got, order the most expensive 
champagne they offer and think up a way to work it into our next 
expense report.”

“Mulder!”  I try to sound appalled but the grin on my face is probably 
giving me away.

------------------------------------------------

Apparently the DC Marriott has seen it’s share of ‘early lunches’ 
because the desk clerk didn’t bat an eye at the fact that Mr. and Mrs. 
Hale wanted their room before the customary 2:00 pm check in.  

Scully and I could barely keep our hands off each other in the 
elevator as we rode the agonizingly long ride up to the nineteenth 
floor.  I had taken my overnight bag that I keep in the trunk of my 
car for emergencies, (I believe this qualifies.), so we wouldn’t look 
so obvious checking in without luggage. Unfortunately the hotel clerk 
insisted on sending the bellhop up with us to carry the bag.  I 
thought he’d never leave!  The damn kid was persistent, adjusting the 
thermostat and giving us a grand tour... like we were going to get 
lost in four hundred square feet of space!  When he  started 
explaining to me how the honor bar worked Scully pushed a ten dollar 
bill into his hand and hustled him out the door. 

I love forceful women! 

The minute we were alone I wrapped my arms around her hips, lifted her 
off the ground, walked over to the bed and dropped her onto the 
mattress falling on top of her.  Both of us were in such a frenzy we 
didn’t even bother undressing all the way.  She just lifted up her 
skirt and I helped her slip off her pantyhose.  I barely had my pants 
down to my knees before she was begging me to take her.  So we did it 
just like that.  It was a little awkward with my legs tangled in my 
clothes but who the hell cares when Dana Scully is begging you to fuck 
her NOW?

Somehow amid all the thrashing and thrusting we eventually managed to 
strip off every article of clothing.  We were both a sweaty mess by 
the time either of us were willing to admit we were too exhausted to 
go on.  

Scully pulled herself up off the bed and stumbled into the bathroom.  
She returned almost immediately with a mischievous smile.  “Mulder, 
there’s a big jetted tub in here.”  Then she quirked a brow at me 
before disappearing once more into the other room.

“I’ll order the champagne.” I call to her as I pick up the phone.

------------------------------------------------

Between the bubbles in the champagne and the bubbles in the tub I was 
soon so relaxed I was almost asleep in Mulder’s embrace.  I sat 
between his legs with my head resting back against his chest drifting 
in blissful contentment.  

He wrapped his arms around my shoulders and leaned his head forward to 
speak softly into my ear. “Scully, we need to talk.”

There was something in his tone that undid everything the bubbles and 
alcohol had accomplished.  I couldn’t respond.  I could only hold my 
breath and wait anxiously for what he might say.

“Dana, what happened today... the way we were at the office...”  He 
sighs before going on.  “I’ve been down that road once before.  I know 
where it ultimately leads.  And I don’t want that to happen to us.  
Your friendship and our partnership are more important to me than...”

“Fuck!”  I don’t need him to finish.  I know when I’m being dumped.  
It’s happened a time or two.  

“Scully?”

“I’m sorry, Mulder.  It’s just that I like being dumped even less than 
I like being ditched.”  I start to get up but he’s still holding me in 
that bear hug around my shoulders and I have no choice but to remain 
where I am.

“I’m not dumping you!”  He protests.  “I just don’t want us to have to 
run to a hotel every day because we can’t keep our hands off each 
other at work.”  He clears his throat in that nervous way that he 
always does when he has to say something the he doesn’t want to.  
“Scully, I need to tell you about something.  I’m not sure how you’re 
going to take it. It’s a given though that you’re not going to like it 
very much.”

“Jesus, Mulder.  I’m not sure I want to hear it after that build up.”

“Never the less, I have to tell you.  Please try to keep in mind that 
I love you.”

“Mulder, you’re scaring me.”

“It’s about me and Diana.”

“I already know that story.”  I am suddenly cold.  The mention of that 
woman’s name turns the blood in my veins icy.

“No, you don’t.  Just listen to me, Dana.  Would you please?  I need 
to tell you everything.  I can’t keep this secret from you any 
longer.”

A secret about Diana Fowley and Mulder.  Lovely.  “If you tell me 
she’s your wife, Mulder, I’ll kill you.”  I expected a laugh or at 
least some witty reassurance that I was completely off base but all I 
got in return for my jest was silence.  “That’s not funny, Mulder.”  I 
turn to see the expression on his face.  Oh, God!  

Nothing can stop me from getting out of the tub this time.  I am free 
from Mulder’s grasp and flee the bathroom, stopping only to grab a 
robe and pull it on.  Mulder is following right behind me. 

“Scully... wait.”

I’m gathering up my clothes as quickly as I can.  “Go to hell!”

“Scully.”  He grabs my arm.  “Stop!”

“Let go of me, Mulder.”  I warn him.

“No.  We need to talk.  I’m not letting you run out of here.”

I turn on him so furious I can’t even see straight.  “Why didn’t you 
tell me this before!”

“How?”  He says sounding totally defeated.

“Oh, I don’t know... How about, by the way, Scully, I’m married!”  I’m 
so angry with him that I’m shaking.

“Well, actually I’m divorced, Scully.  Please, come sit down and let 
me explain all this.”  He tugs at my arm and I relent after only 
briefly resisting.  My curiosity has always been quite morbid.

When we are both seated on the end of the bed, Mulder squeezing my 
hand so tight it hurts, he starts his story.  My anger quickly 
evaporates as I see him struggle through a narrative of what must be 
yet another horribly painful and emotionally scarring episode in his 
life.  

If I didn’t already hate Diana Fowley with every fiber of my being I 
would most certainly despise her now.  She broke his heart and then 
had the nerve to return and expect his loyalty.  The amazing thing 
was, he gave it and she betrayed him again.  I have never forsaken 
Mulder and I don’t believe for a minute that he would forgive me such 
a transgression.  I am jealous of her, and what she meant to him.

He assures me that I am the only one he loves and  that he no longer 
wants anything to do with his ex-wife.  The skeptic in me does not 
completely believe but my heart is willing to put aside my doubts.  
Anyway, he is so terrified of screwing things up between us I guess 
that says a lot.

When all is said, we both agree that there has to be rules regarding 
our professional relationship.  Running off to the nearest hotel and 
drinking champagne on duty is undoubtedly the surest way to get our 
butts kicked out of the FBI.  The sexual tension thing is apparently 
going to continue to be an issue with us but I promise Mulder I can 
resist temptation if he can.  It’s a challenge between us now and 
neither of us are good losers.
------------------------------------------------

When we returned to work there was a note on our door that read --- 
Agent’s Mulder and Scully, 

                   My office immediately!  

                   AD Skinner  

Very weird.  Needless to say we didn’t even bother going into our 
little basement hideaway, doing a one eighty instead and heading right 
back to the elevator again.

Skinner’s assistant looked at us with that pitying look she gives when 
her boss is in one of his ball busting moods.  If we were smart we’d 
make a run for it right now.  Too late, Kim waves us in. “He’s been 
expecting you.”

Skinner is engrossed in some paperwork when we enter.  He barely looks 
up.  “Agents, have a seat.”  

After exchanging worried looks, my partner and I settle into our 
respective chairs before the AD’s desk.  I always feel like I’m being 
called to the principle’s office when Skinner requests a meeting.  

This time I’m not far off.

Skinner finally puts aside his paperwork and looks back and forth 
between me and Scully several times.  He’s got this serious frown on 
his face and I honestly can’t recall ever seeing him wear quite that 
particular expression before.  He’s starting to unnerve me when he 
finally speaks.

“I attended the quarterly AD’s meeting this morning.  It’s always held 
at the DC Marriott.”  He pauses for affect and I feel my face flush 
with heat.  

I risk a look over at Scully and see that she is blushing like a rose. 
Got to hand it to her though, the woman is eyes straight ahead meeting 
Skinner’s accusing glare without a blink.

After a pause so long as to be considered cruel, Skinner finally let’s 
us have it.  “It is not the Bureau’s business and therefore not mine 
what the two of you choose to do in private when you’re off duty... so 
long as it falls within the realm of legality.  However, checking into 
hotels as Mr. and Mrs. George Hale for three hour lunches and ordering 
champagne when you’re supposed to be downstairs finishing some 
extremely overdue paperwork is my business!  Would either of you care 
to explain?”

“No, sir.”  We both say almost in unison.

“This behavior is wholly and completely unacceptable.  You’d better 
both pray none of the other AD’s saw you there.”  

“Sorry, sir.”  Scully clears her throat and continues.  “It won’t 
happen again.  You have our word.”

“See that it doesn’t.  Agent Scully, you’re dismissed.”

Hey, just a damn minute!  Scully shoots me a sympathetic look but 
makes a hasty retreat out the door.  Skinner gets up and moves 
around to the front of his desk.  He just leans there with his arms 
crossed over his chest staring me down.  He’s really got this 
authority thing down.  

“What?”  I finally ask him unable to take anymore of that glare.

Mulder, you better have your shit together on this.  I don’t know who 
that woman was I saw you with last week and I don’t want to know.  All 
I’m saying to you on the subject is this... If you hurt Scully, you’ll 
be answering to me.  Do I make myself clear?”

I have no doubt that Walter Skinner could and would kick my ass but 
good if I gave him an excuse to do so.  I should be offended that he 
would think so little of my character but I’m not.  I know his heart 
is in the right place.

I knew he had a crush on Scully!


                    ~END~


Life is too short to drink bad wine.