From: R Vagts Date: Tue, 25 Jan 2000 23:16:32 -0600 Subject: Change of Pace by Rachel Source: direct TITLE: Change of Pace AUTHOR: Rachel E-MAIL: rvagts@willinet.net DISTRIBUTION: Yes, but please let me know. I will submit directly to Gossamer SPOILERS: Post FTF, Homicide season 7 RATING: NC-17 CLASSIFICATION: Crossover - Homicide: Life on the Street KEYWORDS: slash; Scully/other romance SUMMARY: Scully spends an unexpected evening in Baltimore. DISCLAIMER: This story is based on the characters and situations created by Chris Carter, the Fox Network and Ten Thirteen Productions as well as NBC and Baltimore Pictures. As such, the characters named are the property of those entities and are used without permission, although no copyright infringements are intended. AUTHOR'S NOTES: This story was originally posted as "Ambivalence" last fall on Schism, a Homicide list. "Ambivalence" was written by myself and Valeria and still exists in its original form at http://schism.tktv.net/stories/ambivalence.html. With Valeria's agreement, I have majorly edited and rewritten the story and it now appears here as "Change of Pace." It takes place within the "Exaiphnes" series that I write with Marti, but all you need to know is that Mulder is dating Tim Bayliss of the Baltimore Homicide division. Should you be interested to read more about Tim and Mulder, please check out my other stories at Schism at http://schism.tktv.net. Many thanks to Beth for all the beta assistance. You made it a better story... FEEDBACK: Well, if you made it out of the author's notes alive, I hope you'll give the story a chance and I very much hope I will hear if you liked it or not and why. You may reach me at rvagts@willinet.net. -------------------- Kay Howard walked into the Waterfront, brushing her hair out of her eyes and tucking it behind her ear. It was only the begging of one Tim Bayliss, birthday boy, that had gotten her down here again. It was just too hard to see all of them here, their lives going on without her. Sure, she had friends, a social life, but professionally she'd had it all when she was in homicide. Anything else was going to feel second best, even being lieutenant in the arson division. She moved over and took a seat near the front tap. "So, what can I get for you, lieutenant?" Munch asked. "Congratulations on the promotion, Kay. You certainly deserved it." "Thanks John...draft of the Natty Bo." Munch nodded and moved to the other tap to pour her drink. The room was filled with the Homicide gang, regular customers at the bar, neighborhood types. She caught Tim's eye and he waved to her, his other arm slung around his new boyfriend, some guy from DC. Kay drained the rest of her beer and pushed herself off the stool. Maybe this hadn't been such a good idea after all. The room was hot and loud and she still had the end of the month paperwork to return to... The cool night air was a relief as it hit her face. She paused on the steps of the bar, again considering the prominent building across the street--her home away from home for so long. "Great night, isn't it?" Kay turned at the sound of the other woman's voice. She had noticed her in he bar, over by Tim and the boyfriend, but she idn't recognize the woman. She was shorter than Kay, also a redhead, dressed professionally. "Nothing like a fall evening in Fell's Point," Kay replied. "I saw you in there. I'm Kay Howard--I used to work with Tim." "Dana Scully, I'm Mulder's partner--and, well, I guess he's Tim's partner," the other woman responded. Kay nodded, clearly understanding. "Partner. You law enforcement?" "FBI." Kay nodded again. "So...what are you doing out here, Dana?" She reached into her bag and pulled out a pack of cigarettes. She pulled one out and offered the pack to the other woman. Dana paused for a moment and then took one, her fingers brushing against the other woman's outstretched hand. She lit the cigarette with Kay's outstretched lighter. "Well, I came as a favor to Mulder and Tim, but I don't really know any of those people in there." She exhaled a mouthful of smoke, coughing slightly. "That tastes good. It's been a while." "Yeah, I quit, but once I transferred to arson--hell, I think the boredom set in more than anything." Scully nodded, knowingly. "Yeah, we spent a little time on domestic terrorism last year. It might sound glamorous, but it really was pretty boring work." The two women sat silently for a few minutes, the quiet of the evening slightly marred by the noise from the bar. Finally Kay stood up, dropped her cigarette and turned to Dana. "You set on staying here? I know a nice quiet wine bar up by Federal Hill where we could talk. Maybe share some war stories on Tim and Mulder..." Dana nodded, laughing. "It's impossible to explain to my girlfriends who aren't involved with law enforcement what it's like." "Ain't that the truth," Kay responded. She held her hand outstretched. Dana reached out and took it, pulling herself up. Kay paused for a moment, then dropped her hand down from the grasp, finally turning and leading the way to her car. **** "So, you've been out of Homicide for how long?" Dana asked , taking another sip from her wine glass. Kay nodded, setting her glass down. "About 3 years. Feels like yesterday, feels like a life time." "Why did you leave?" Kay pondered the question for a moment, lighting another cigarette. "It was . . . political." Dana nodded. "I've thought about leaving. Many times, actually." "But you haven't. Why?" "Mulder, I guess. He's hard to have around, he's hard to leave. I just feel . . . well, as consumed by his need to find the truth as my need to do what's right. I've . . . well, it's cost us both a lot." Again, Kay nodded. She knew about the job costing more than it was worth. Her years in Homicide had trained her to be a thorough investigator, her clearance rate better than most of the squad's combined, but in the end her gender had done her in. It might be the 1990s, but Baltimore Homicide was still firmly seated in the sexist culture of the first half of the century. "But does he play fair? Mulder, I mean," Kay asked. "Yeah . . . most of the time. He ditches me sometimes, but I tend to think he would do that to anyone, not just a woman. He's . . . well, Fox Mulder is a very complicated man." They sat in silence for a while longer, nursing the bottle of white wine they had selected. Finally Dana set her glass down. "Kay, this has been really wonderful. If you're in DC, give me a call. I'd like to see you again." Scully got up and pulled her coat on. Kay slid out of the booth as well. "Thanks...I had a good time too." She put her hand out to take the card Scully offered, glanced at it and then tucked it in her front pocket. "I'll do that . . . call, if I'm down there." **** Kay stuck the key in the lock and turned. The evening had been fun and she had a slight buzz from the wine. She hadn't felt this relaxed in a long time. Fingering the card Dana had given her, she pulled it from her pocket and stuck it in the corner of the corkboard next to her phone. She had been a little surprised that Dana offered it, but pleased. She thought back about the moment in front of the Waterfront. Dana's hand had been warm and soft in her hand. She hadn't felt anything like that for so long. She surveyed the kitchen, turned off the light and headed for the steps. As she reached the landing, there was a quiet knock on the door. She slowly made her way to the door, her hand on the gun that rested along her waist. Kay peered out the door and was surprised to see Dana Scully standing there. She pulled the door open. "Sorry. I got to my car, realized I probably shouldn't drive back to DC, didn't want to disturb the birthday boy...." Scully's voice trailed off. "No, that's okay. C'mon in." Kay stepped back so Dana could walk into the house. She closed the door behind the other woman and reached for her coat and purse. "I'm really sorry about this. Maybe a cup of coffee? Then I'll be on my way," Scully said as Kay led her into the living room. She sat down on the sofa and sighed. "I should know better than this." Kay chuckled softly. "Hey, it's been a long day. I'll get us both something to drink." She turned and walked into the kitchen. After a few minutes, she returned with two glasses of wine and a platter with cheese and crackers. "Coffee doesn't sober you up...learned that in eighth grade health. You wanna just make a night of it? That couch you're sitting on pulls out into a pretty comfortable bed," Kay said as she sat down on the couch next to Dana. The cushions shifted slightly as their knees touched. Kay reached out to the coffee table steady herself, moving toward the back cushion and away from Dana. Scully opened her mouth to agree to the plan, then hesitated. "I don't want to put you out," she said. "I mean, I didn't mean to just show up here and make you--" "It's no trouble, huh? Wouldn't offer if it was." Kay shrugged, one shoulder rising higher than the other. "Don't mind a little company, as long as you're here..." Scully thought for another second, wavering, then nodded. She wasn't drunk, but she definitely didn't trust herself behind a steering wheel, and she was in no mood to try and hunt down a hotel room...nonetheless, she felt embarrassed, imposing like this on a near-total stranger. Kay didn't seem the least put out, however, having set the platter and wineglasses down on the coffee table and taking a seat at one end of the couch. After a moment, Scully stood to pull her coat off and then sat back down, curling up against the opposite couch arm. The silence was palpable, but Scully seemed to be the only one feeling it. Kay gestured toward the plateful of food, then leaned forward and began balancing cubes of cheddar on a cracker. In the light from the nearby lamp her profile stood out in sharp relief; her hair was one long, arresting mass of burnished curls. Scully had noticed it in the wine bar, the way it seemed to waver, continuously, between strawberry and copper. Nothing like her own nondescript auburn...she reached for her wineglass, taking a few sips and then attacking the cheese tray. She was hungrier than she'd thought. Kay munched down her cracker and took a large swallow of wine. "Your partner..." "Mulder." "Right. Mulder. How long've you worked together?" "Six years, now." She could almost feel the extra wine coursing through her veins; a flowing warmth. "Six years..." She moved to tuck her feet up underneath her, the chill of a house still heating up causing her toes to ache. She touched Kay's arm again as she settled down again. Kay leaned back against the sofa cushions, eyes half-closing. "This thing about the truth...needing to find the truth." "Mmm." "Truth about what?" Scully studied the other woman. Her eyes beneath the lowered lids were steady and penetrating. She had noticed that in the wine bar, too; how dark Kay's eyes were, almost black. Her eyes drifted down to the other woman's arms. The hairs stood up slightly, a lighter shade of the red hair on Kay's head. They were strong arms. Scully could imagine them pulling the gun from her holster, shoving a perp up against the wall of a rowhouse. She sighed a little to herself, feeling a not unwelcome warmth rush through her. Mulder. They had been talking about Mulder. The answers she felt like she could give, this woman would know were only half-truths... "My partner," she repeated, as Kay watched her, wineglass poised midway to her mouth. "Mulder...has some ideas that some people might consider unorthodox." She reached for another cracker. "Usually involving some combination of the federal government, extraterrestrial life, and about nine dozen totally incongruous yet perfectly interlocking conspiracies to--what is it?" "Nothing," Kay replied around her smile. "I just bet I've heard it all before--Munch always had some wild ideas." She looked back over at her unexpected visitor. Her face was flush with the wine she had been drinking...she thought. Dana was beautiful. Why hadn't she she noticed that before? Her skin was like porcelain, dainty, unlike Kay's. Her lips were so full, soft. Scully had to smile back. "I've met Detective Munch." Another sip of wine. "Next to Mulder, he's a rank amateur." That got her interest. Kay sat up on the sofa, running one hand through her hair. "What do you mean?" she asked, not quite able to keep the avid curiosity out of her voice. Scully contemplated the cheese tray for a while, biding her time. She should not be on the verge of confiding God knew what to a near-total stranger, someone she'd known less than twenty-four hours; she shouldn't be here at all. The wine wasn't enough of an excuse, but suddenly she felt like she could and should share anything with this woman. She sighed gently and tipped back, draining the rest of the wine out of it. Kay pointed toward the bottle, but Scully shook her head. She needed to stop. If she didn't...she had no idea where it might end. Besides, if she drank any more she would not be able to...her mind stopped the thought. Mulder. Get back to the conversation. My god...she was lovely. "Mulder--he, I'm not sure where to start. He is convinced that his sister was abducted when she was 8 and he was 12." "Abducted?" "By...aliens. It's become his quest to find her or at least what happened to her," Scully replied, pulling her knees up to her chest and hugging them. She wasn't cold anymore. If anything, she was getting warmer all the time. Kay raised her eyebrows, thought of something to say and thought better of it. "So what does Tim think of this?" she finally asked, filling her glass again. "I don't know. We haven't really talked about it but it's not something you question Mulder about. You just have to accept his theory about it." Kay considered that for a moment, then changed directions. "So, speaking of Tim and Mulder...what do you think about that?" "About them being together? The gay thing?" "Yeah...both, I guess," Kay replied. Scully sat back, thinking for a moment. "Well, I think Mulder is happier with Tim than I have seen him in a long time. He's--he's haunted by his search, and Tim gives him some place to put a lot of his need. He used to put that on me, and that was fine, but Tim is able to be something in Mulder's life that I'm not." "What about the other part?" Scully looked Kay, trying to figure out where she was coming from, but the detective's expression was impenetrable. "Well, when Mulder first met Tim he was very nervous about it. He had never . . . this was a change of lifestyle for him, but I was able to share . . ." she stopped, laughing slightly. "Oh man, I was never going to tell anyone, then I told Mulder, now you--but I will just say that I'm a little compromised tonight, so you can't hold it against me tomorrow." "You had a lover, didn't you," Kay responded. Scully nodded. "Long time ago, right? Little *phase* you were having, or--" "And you?" Scully interrupted, leaning over for more cheese. Her hand brushed against Kay's leg, she let it rest there for a moment, then returned to her original position. Kay stopped, watching Scully's motion, then nodded. "Once, at summer camp. There was this other counselor, Molly. It was the Fourth of July, we had some beer...I don't know. We never talked about it again. But I thought about it...a lot." Her finger traced the rim of the wineglass. "I could be wrong, but I think it's more about the people you meet than the way you're wired up." Scully nodded. "I think you're right. When I was with Carrie, it was . . . well, it was never like it was when I was with a man . . . " Her voice trailed off as Kay began to laugh. "What? What's so funny?" "I'm sorry. My sister . . . her name is Carrie, and I just got this picture of you and . . . " Kay leaned over, her chest heaving as she tried to contain her laughter. "Just trust me--if you knew her, this'd be a hell of a lot funnier." "Well, if you knew my sister, Melissa, then this would seem a little-- well, let's just say no one would be surprised to find her at Lambda Rising Book Store." "Do you think she is? Gay, I mean?" Kay asked, setting her glass down on the table. "She . . . she died a couple of years ago," Scully answered, her face growing somber. Kay nodded quietly. "I'm sorry. You wanna talk about it, or..." "No. It's one of those things that I keep back in its spot and don't let out unless I have to. I'm just afraid. . . I don't want to lose all the good thoughts I have about Missy. Hell, she would get a big kick out of this." Kay nodded, thinking about her mother. She had nothing to say about that, either... "Hey, I did learn something from her, though. I mean, I learned lots of things, but...give me your hand," Scully said, her mood suddenly lighter. Kay held out her hand gingerly. Dana took it in her small hands, rubbing her thumb over Kay's palm. Kay giggled slightly. "Now, you have to be serious. This is very serious," Scully said, trying to keep a straight face. She ran her index finger along the upper part of Kay's palm. "You have a very strong lifeline. I see that you will live long and well." "Ah, a palm reader," Kay responded, laughing lightly. "Be careful, or I'll get out my crystals," Scully replied. "Now, we must look carefully at your loveline." She picked up Kay's hand and squinted. "What?" Kay asked. "Well...it's kind of choppy. Lots of stops and starts," Scully started. "And?" Scully pulled Kay's hand closer, running her finger back and forth across the palm. "Well, I see there was love early, and then later and then..." her voice trailed off as she lifted Kay's arm up and began to softly kiss first the palm, then the wrist, then up her forearm until she reached Kay's elbow. She ran her tongue over the soft skin for a moment, then pulled back. They sat for a moment looking at one another, the silence finally broken when Kay moved closer to Scully. She reached out and touched the other woman's red hair; it was straight and fine, so unlike her curly masses. She ran her hands over Scully's porcelain cheeks. She leaned in, kissing gently first, then more intently. Scully's hands moved quickly across Kay's back, pulling her closer, teasing her hair away from her face. Kay pulled back slightly, breaking the kiss. "Let's go upstairs." Kay held her hand out to Dana. Scully took it and stood up. Kay slipped her arm around Dana's back and they walked upstairs into Kay's bedroom. The wide bed sat against the far wall, the green duvet cover folded back to reveal jewel-toned plaid sheets. Scully's eyes drifted from the light wood of the head board to the scatter rug on the floor. Kay leaned over and snapped on the bedside lamp, which cast as soft glow through the room. Kay pulled the covers back further and held her hand out to Dana. "This--it's not just about being drunk, is it?" she asked. Scully shook her head. "It's about a lot of stuff, but the wine isn't causing it. Let's just . . . let's just forget about all of that tonight." She reached up and unbuttoned the first two buttons on Kay's oxford shirt, reaching in and running her hand along Kay's breast. Kay drew in her breath and dropped her head back. Scully leaned across her, kissing the newly exposed throat with a little nip. Kay smelled so different. She tasted sweet, with a slight mixture of tobacco and the wine. Scully continued to unbutton the shirt, trailing her hands along Kay's ribs; the cotton shirt fell away as she continued kissing Kay's shoulders, along the lace of her bra, the hollow of her rib cage. Kay lay back on the bed, Scully perched over her. Scully giggled slightly. "What?" Kay asked. "Does this count as the missionary position?" Scully asked. Kay laughed and shrugged her shoulders. "Damned if I know. Does it matter?" Scully shook her head "no", turning her attentions back to Kay's face and neck. She moved her mouth lower to Kay's breasts. They were light, covered with the freckles that Kay had on her arms and face. Scully traced with her tongue the constellations they formed, flicking quickly back and forth. Kay's nipples began to harden as Scully continued to touch her, first with her tongue and lips, then her fingers, tracing lightly. She ran her hand up behind Kay's neck, under her hair, trailing lightly across her shoulders. Kay's hands began to explore Scully in a similar fashion, moving down underneath the other woman's dress slacks. She pulled the zipper down, her hands moving between Scully's legs; she found the familiar point and began ministering to it. Scully caught her breath as Kay's fingers moved across the sensitive location. She moved slightly, as Kay pressed deeper. "Oh god, Kay!" Scully called out. She moved back and forth as Kay continued to move her own hand in a rhythmic fashion. Scully's breath became more jagged as she reached climax, gasping slightly as she grew wet over Kay's fingers and hand. Kay pulled her fingers out and tasted them. "Good?" Scully asked, her hair curling slightly with the extra perspiration. Kay nodded. She rolled slightly to her left and then pushed up from the bed into a kneeling position. In front of Dana now, she reached for the loosened zipper on the agent's pants. She finished unzipping them and pulled them down around Scully's ankles. Slipping her fingers along the elastic of her panties, she removed them as well. Scully stood silent as Kay dipped her head between the other woman's thighs, her tongue flicking in and out. Scully began to tremble, her legs growing jelly-like until she finally dropped to her knees beside Kay. "Let me," Scully said as she finished unclothing the detective. She began her examination again of the fiery redheaded body, her hands massaging and exploring the creamy white skin. She laid Kay back on the rug and slid on top of her. Her hands slipped between Kay's thighs as she moved back and forward. Her hips moved against Kay's, her eyes, half-closed. Kay began to draw quick breaths in and out, her back arching slightly. Scully rolled next to her, lying on the floor. "How did you know how to do that?" she asked the detective. "I just thought about what I would like for myself," Kay responded. Scully agreed and felt the effects of the wine take over for her, a deep sleep quickly swallowing her. ******* Kay woke up to the sound of the door creaking open. She rubbed her eyes clear of the sleep that always seemed to gather and looked toward her bedroom door. Dana was standing in the doorway, her red hair illuminated by the morning sun. "Hey, I should go, but . . .thanks," she said, her jacket bunched over her left arm, her shoes in her right hand. "Yeah," Kay replied, her voice bleary. "Uh, call me, okay?" She knew Dana wouldn't, but she would say it anyway. "Sure," Scully responded, also realizing there would be no repeat performance. Before Kay could respond Scully was gone, the door closing with a solid click behind her. ******* Scully walked down the steps, squinting into the morning light. Had it been the wine? Maybe it was seeing Mulder with someone after all their years of platonic marriage. Did she feel left out? She knew that Kay realized this was a classic one night stand, but what had made her move on her instead of that good looking Mike Kellerman who had kept giving her the eye in the bar before Kay showed up? Her mind drifted back as she slid into her car and started the motor. She hadn't talked about Missy that way for a long time, hadn't talked about Mulder, their quest, what it all meant. Maybe this was killing two birds with one stone. Heaven knows that she enjoyed the sex. She slid the car into gear and pulled out onto the street.