TITLE: Sentry
AUTHOR: Forte
E-MAIL: Bjm1352@aol.com
URL: http://www.thebasementoffice.com/
RATING: PG-13
CATEGORY: V; post-ep
SUMMARY: "Have you had dinner yet, Scully?"
ARCHIVE: Gossamer and Ephemeral OK; anywhere else please ask first.
DISCLAIMER: They belong to CC, 1013, and FOX; *definitely* not me.
FEEDBACK: Would make my day!
THANKS: To Audrey Roget for quick holiday beta.


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Sentry
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She wasn't waiting for the phone to ring, but neither was she
surprised when it did.

"Hello?"

"Have you had dinner yet, Scully?"

Of course she's had dinner -- it's almost ten thirty -- but she
knows that's not what he wants to hear.

"No, not yet."

"I was going to order a pizza if you want to come over and share."

Her chest aches at the forced brightness in his voice.

"If my half has mushrooms and green peppers, you're on."

* * * * * *

They dig in to the pizza as though they hadn't eaten in days --
which might well be the case for him -- and don't discuss how long
Mulder will be suspended until OPR can complete its investigation of
John Lee Roche's death.

Even child murderers have some pull from the grave.

Before long there are only two slices left, one from each of their
halves of the pizza.  Mulder gestures to the box for her to finish
it off if she wishes; Scully shakes her head.  Mulder scoops up the
remote from the coffee table and turns on the television.

"Want to watch a movie?" He leans back on the couch, one foot on the
floor, the other knee bent across the leather, one arm along the
back of the couch and the other commanding the remote. He flips
through several channels until a black and white show catches his
attention. "Hey, 'A Night at the Opera'.  You like the Marx
Brothers, Scully?"

Before she can answer he lifts his bent arm, yawning into its crook.

"You keep guarding the remote." Scully says, standing and gesturing
at the pizza box.  "I'll put this away and make some popcorn.  Want
anything else while I'm in there?"

Mulder shakes his head no as he yawns again.

While in the kitchen, Scully hears her partner's voice drift from
the living room.

"Hey, Scully, aren't you worried that you'll come back and find that
I've hogged the couch?"

She smiles to herself and calls out her answer. "You forget I grew
up with two brothers in cramped military housing. I know how to deal
with couch hogs, and it's not pretty."

"Ooh, you gonna hog tie me?"

"Don't make me use my weapon, Mulder."  As soon as they come out of
her mouth she cringes at her poor choice of words, given the reason
for Mulder's suspension.

She sticks her head out of the kitchen to see how he's taken her
ill-chosen remark, only to see him grinning at her, making a show of
stretching out on the couch, appearing to try to take up as much
room as possible.

"Let's find out what you military brats are made of."

She smiles her reply and returns to the kitchen to clean up and make
the popcorn, taking her time as she carefully dries the glasses and
places them back in the cupboard. When she comes back Mulder is
asleep, the remote on the floor where it fell from his slack hand.
As she retrieves the remote she wonders what he'll dream about this
time, and prays that it will be peaceful.

She lowers the volume on the TV, sits in the desk chair, and watches
the movie, determined to stand guard over the sleep her partner so
desperately needs but was afraid to take without her there to watch
his back.


END