19 Jan 1999





Title: Ray of Light: Frozen

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

Codes: M/Sk/Sc, M/Sk, Sk/Sc, M/Sc.

Spoilers: various, up to Triangle

Rating: R for m/f sex and m/m UST

Summary: This is the ninth in a series of stories about 

the complicated relationship between Mulder, Skinner, and 

Scully.  Frozen takes place after Triangle.



Warning for the slashfen: Despite Skinner's well-documented (by many of

us, at least) lust for Mulder, he's in a het mood in this one.  Which, if

you've read the other Ray of Light stories, you have to have seen coming.

Not to worry, he still covets Mulder's ass and will demonstrate it in

later stories.



In my own little X-Files universe, Diana is Mulder's ex-wife, which

explains the wedding ring in Travellers and Unusual Suspects.



Standard disclaimers apply: Chris Carter, Fox, 1013 are the holy trinity,

and I'm just a renegade priest.



Although the titles for the series come from

Madonna's _Ray of Light_, these aren't songfics. 

For the earlier stories in the series, see

http://www.andrew.cmu.edu/~jacquez/writing/fanfic.html



Feedback to jacquez+@andrew.cmu.edu or laurav@stones.com



---

Excerpts from the journal of Walter S. Skinner



I barely had time to think when Dana charged into my office.  She was so

upset and controlling it so well.  And, Lord, does she ever know me.

"This isn't for me, it's for Agent Mulder." For Fox I'd jump through

fire--and for her, but she'd never say that, never give a sign that she

knows it.  I've done it so many times.



Not as many times as I should have.



I spoke to her as though she meant nothing to me, as though my job and 

the no-contact order were all that mattered.  And I tried to let her know

what I know: my office is bugged, my assistant is listening at the other

side of the door.  "Use your head, Scully.  It'll save your ass."  And I

memorized the words on that piece of paper.



The hurt and anger in her eyes were almost too much to bear.  As soon as

she left I yanked open the door and yelled at my assistant, reminding her

that Agents Scully and Mulder were Under No Circumstances allowed to

bother me.  Then I grabbed my coat and stormed past her, my hand already

questing for the cellphone in the pocket.



An Assistant Director of the FBI knows a lot of people.  Some of them are

even useful.  And some of them figure that if I'm calling for something,

the FBI needs it, and needs it *now*.  And sometimes, I'm just lucky.



Lucky enough, this time.



If I'd know that this was what it took to get Dana to kiss me, I would've

done it years ago.  Her mouth against mine was warm and soft; her kiss was

fierce and her body--how can I describe how she felt against me at that

moment?



I was surprised I'd recovered enough to yell at her when the elevator

doors opened, and that I was thinking quickly enough to get in Spender's 

way and prevent him from getting in there with her.



Not that I was worried about her, but I doubt very much that the

custodial staff would've appreciated cleaning up little pieces of

Spender from the floor.



I stalked down the hallway, past Kersh and the smoking bastard, around a 

corner, down the stairs, and out of the building.  Garage.  Car.

Airport.  Plane.



I found Dana and those three reprobate friends of Fox's at the airport.

I suspect one of them is wanted for breaking into a DoD database in

1989...for a case Mulder was working on.  I wonder if that's  when they

met.  I wonder if John Byers has any idea that he's a wanted man.



I swear to God, now I'm having lustful thoughts about Fox's *friends*.

What the hell is wrong with me?



We split up: I got two hotel rooms--all I could afford-- and they found

the Queen Anne and Fox.  Badly battered, his lungs full of water.  I met 

them at the dock, and we managed to fold him into the back seat of the

small rented car.  Dana rode next to him, holding him tightly.  He was

too still, and I felt panic tightening my chest until Frohicke said "I'm 

going to kill him when he wakes up," and Dana laughed.



He woke up eventually.  I threatened to kick his ass, which he richly

deserves for the worry I've had to go through with this.  And for

calling me a Nazi.  Or dreaming me as a Nazi.  Goddammit, Fox--you've

slept wrapped around me, you've told me you trust me--what do I need to

do to have you see me as I am?



I waved the Three Stooges on and waited for Dana outside Fox's room.

She came out, a worried frown on her face.  "Dana?"



Her lips tightened.  "Can I talk to you, Walter?"



We walked back to the hotel.  I was sharing a room with Fox's friends,

and Dana was next door.  I didn't relish the thought of sleeping with

those three, but--



Dana didn't say much on the way back, and I let her.  She needed to get

her head together, obviously.  I needed to get mine together.  So we

didn't talk until we were standing outside her room.



"We can talk inside," she said.  I followed her in.



"This is against regulations, Agent Scully."



"But, sir, this is a romantic getaway!"



I laughed, and she laughed with me.  I love laughing with her.

"Romantic, perhaps.  But a getaway?  Not with Mulder down the block.  We 

can't escape him."



"Do we want to?"



"It would make life easier.  Boring, but easier."



She sat down on the bed, suddenly serious.  "He told me that he loves

me."



I moved over to her, sat down next to her.  "He did?"



"I...blew him off."



"You did?"



"Yes, I did.  Of *course* I did."  She cocked her head and studied me.

"Starting a relationship with him would be too complicated.  I can't do

that--it would risk too much.  Mulder doesn't always think things

through."



"You mean me."



"No.  Well, yes.  You.  But you don't have to work with him every day,

sleep one door down from him when you're out of town and no one will

know if you go through the connecting door."  Dana, heartbreakingly

lovely Dana, is even lovelier when she's sad.  "They already know they

can use me against him.  Why give them more ammunition?"



I snorted.  "I've given them plenty."



"But nothing more damning than what they already had."  That was true.

Sleeping with a male subordinate was peanuts to what they had--on me and 

on him.  Strange to think of it that way--sleeping with Fox was probably 

the least risky thing in my association with him.



Dana and I sat in silence for a few minutes, a comfortable silence.  I

could feel the heat radiating from her body, hear her breathing.



"About earlier.  I was out of line in your office.  I should have

thought--they've probably got you bugged."



"It's OK."



"About the elevator.  I hope you didn't...I hope I didn't upset you."



"If by 'upset' you mean 'incredibly turned on', Agent Scully, I'll have

you know--"



I don't know what prompted me to say that, but my instincts were good.

She interrupted me with a kiss before I could finish the sentence.  A

real kiss, open-mouthed, tongue, hot and needy and she tasted so good...



She pressed against me, her body so tiny against mine--she's a full foot 

shorter than I am and probably a hundred pounds lighter--but capable of

evoking such a response from me that I wonder how I ever thought I had

any control over her, professionally or personally.



I leaned back and pulled her on top of me, and she slid her hands between

us to unbutton my shirt.  And I couldn't get out of my clothes fast enough; 

couldn't get her out of hers fast enough; couldn't wait to feel skin on

skin.



We rolled over, naked, and she arched her body under mine.  "I don't

have any protection, Dana," I said, as I felt the warmth of her, the

wetness of her, against me.



She made a sound somewhere between a chuckle and a sob, and said "We

don't need any if you're clean."



"I'm clean."  And I buried myself in her, felt her legs lock around me,

felt myself end and begin in that moment, with her.



She was sin and absolution in one package, my reason for living and the

woman I'd die for.  In that room, at that time, there was no one and nothing

else--no ghost of Sharon, no spectre of Fox, no conspiracy, no pain. 



She cried out against my chest, and I shuddered as I came into her, then 

turned over and pulled her on top of me, cuddled her close.



I wish I could have frozen that moment in time, kept us relaxed and warm 

and satisfied forever.



But then, I wish so many things.



---



The End.



Skinner doesn't get any in the next installment, "The Power of

Good-bye".  Poor Skinner.  But Fox and Dana don't get any either.



--laura



laura jacquez valentine -+- http://www.andrew.cmu.edu/~jacquez

"Prozac? Grape-flavored. Chewable. Mmm."  --Goats

Jesus is a meme. -+- http://www.memepool.com/