Title: Ray of Light: Candy Perfume Girl

Author: Laura Jacquez Valentine (laurav@stones.com)

Codes: M/Sk/Sc, M/Sk, Sk/Sc, M/Sc.  Something to offend everyone, but

nothing explicit.

Spoilers: various, up to Redux II.

Rating: PG (innuendo)

Summary: This is the fourth in a series of stories about the complicated

relationship between Mulder, Skinner, and Scully.  Candy Perfume Girl takes

place during some nebulous off-screen time in the fifth season, after Scully

is released from the hospital but before she goes back to work.



Although the titles for the series come from Madonna's _Ray of Light_, these

aren't songfics.  Feedback to jacquez+@andrew.cmu.edu or laurav@stones.com



The next story in this series, Skin, will be NC-17 slash.  See?  I do have a

point after all.



And, due to idiocy on my part, I said that Ray of Light happened during

Gethesemane.  D'oh!  It was during/shortly after Redux II.

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

Excerpts from the journal of Walter S. Skinner



Fox and I went to see Dana today.  Not together, but we arrived at the same

time.   "No such thing as coincidence, sir," he said when he saw me.  I just

shrugged.  He's right, of course.  With the three of us, there are no

coincidences.  There are too many people trying to pull our strings to allow

for coincidences.  I resisted the urge to kiss him.  I haven't kissed him

since that first night in my apartment, although he stayed there for nearly

a week.  We haven't discussed it, either, though I want to.



Dana let us in.  She was wearing pale blue sweatpants and a white tshirt,

and she looked delighted to see us.  Her smile is so lovely, and she looks

so much better than just a few weeks ago.  She's put on weight, and the dark

circles are gone from her eyes.



She padded through the apartment, and I tried to watch her

feet--unobtrusively, of course.  She had on these fuzzy socks which

intrigued me.  Dana in a power suit is one thing, Dana vulnerable in a

hospital gown is another, and this...Dana looking for all the world like a

cuddly armful of girl...this was something else.



I caught Fox's eye and we knew we were thinking the same thing.  "She'd kill

us," he mouthed at me, eyes twinkling.



"If she knew," I mouthed back.  He chuckled.



"What's so funny?" she asked, spinning on her heel to look at us. 



"Nothing."  Simultaneously.



"Uh-huh."  Dana the Skeptic, as always.  It was so good to see her mobile

again, her strength returning, the life in her step.



She stared  Fox down and turned to me.  "Something you want to tell me,

sir?"



"It's wonderful to see you up and about again, Agent Scully."



She twisted her mouth at me.  "You're fibbing to me, sir.  That's not what

you wanted to say."



"You smell incredible, Agent Scully."



Fox sounded like he was about to die by strangulation.  I held her eyes. 

"That's what I wanted to say, Agent Scully."



She thought it over and started to laugh.  "It's because I don't smell sick

anymore, sir.  Healthy pheromones and a shower--the two greatest

aphrodisiac--never mind, sir."  She was still laughing.  Fox was still

making dying noises, so I thumped him on the back, trying to cover my

confusion.  Did she admit something there?  Was I just imagining it?  Dana

wouldn't come onto me.  It's not her style.



Fox winced under my hand and I pulled back.  "Sorry.  Got carried away."



The three of us stood there like idiots until Dana cleared her throat and

disappeared into the kitchen.  She returned with two glasses of iced tea. 

When she handed me one, she brushed her fingers across mine.  I nearly

dropped the glass.  God, Dana--



"Cheating on me already, sir?" Fox asked.



I nearly jumped out of my skin.  "What?"



They looked at each other and snickered.  So.  They'd been discussing me

behind my back.  I wondered if he'd told her about the kiss.  I wondered if

she knew that I was in love with them both.  I wondered if she knew he was

in love with her.



Good God, those two will drive me insane before this is all over.



If it's ever over.



If none of us dies first.



For now, it's enough that Dana smells like heaven.



----

End