Title: Reach Out and Touch Someone Author: mimic117 Email: mimic1172@gmail.com Rating: A strong R for naughty thoughts and suggestiveness. Category: MSR Challenge fic - damn your eyes, XL! Mulder POV: Even though it's mostly dialog, the thoughts are Mulder's, so it should be considered MPOV. Challenge parameters are detailed at the end. Spoilers: I don't recall any, unless you don't know who Kersch is. Summary: After a head injury, Mulder manifests an unusual ability. How will he use his new-found skill? Archive: I guess so, if you really want it. MSR-SMUT gets first dibs, though. Ask, and ye shall receive sloppy seconds. I’ll send it to Gossamer and Ephemeral myself, whether they want it or not. Disclaimer: I disclaim everything! I don't own them! I didn't write this! I have no idea where it came from! Author's Notes: I'm so mortified. For some reason, when I saw the terms of Sdani's challenge, all these words just popped into my head. I couldn't pop them back out again, so I had to write them down. No betas were traumatized in the making of this fic, luckily for them. Any mistakes are mine own, but I'll deny everything when confronted. Smooches to my darling Big Guy, who read this and liked it, even though he's not a Phile, or even a fan of the show. Feedback: Only if you feel you can without compromising your integrity. I'll understand if you prefer to ignore me. Reach Out and Touch Someone by mimic117 Georgetown University Hospital Thursday 11:25 AM "Scully, would you shoot me in the head, please?" "WHAT? Mulder, why should I shoot you in the head?" "I'm trying to scare off the little bastards with the jackhammer that are drilling their way through my brain." "You have a fractured skull and a concussion, Mulder. Of course it's going to hurt. It's your own fault for not checking your blind spot as we entered the warehouse, so stop whining and take it like a man." "Hey, you know me, Scully. I'm tough... I'm bad... I'm armed....... I'm gonna puke." "Shit! Mulder, couldn't you have waited till I at least had the wastebasket?" "Hell no, I like lying here covered in vomit. It gives my skin a nice healthy glow. What are you doing, Scully?" "I'm pressing the call button so we can get you something for the nausea. Here, let's get that gown and sheet off." "Scully!" "Mulder, I've seen you naked before, so looking at you in your shorts is an anticlimax. Oh good... Orderly, could we get a clean gown and sheet for my partner? And I think the doctor needs to authorize some medication for his nausea. Thanks." *Ohhh* "What's wrong, Mulder?" "How many of the tiny bastards showed up on my x-ray?" "There weren't any little construction workers, but the CAT scan showed an area of unusual activity in the back of your brain. That's why you're still here, Mulder. They're trying to figure out what the images mean." "The images mean I'm in a hell of a lot of pain right now, that's what they mean." "No need to get pissy, Mulder. Here comes the nurse with your meds." "No shots!" "Mulder..." "The doctor ordered some medication for the nausea, as well as a mild analgesic for pain, Agent Mulder." "I said no shots!" "Sir, this will only take a minute, and then you'll feel a lot better." "OW!" "What was that?!" "I don't know, Agent Scully. It suddenly felt like someone jabbed me with a needle." "Let me see your arm. There's no visible mark. Must have been a muscle twinge. Give Mulder the meds, then see if you can find the doctor. I'd like to get us out of here soon." "OW! Damnit!" "What are you smiling about, Mulder? It's not funny." "Nurse, what is all the noise in here?" "I'm sorry, Dr. Simmons. I seem to be having muscle spasms or something." "Have you given Agent Mulder the anti-nausea drug?" "I was just about to, but I started having these pains in my arm." "Let me have the hypo. I'll do it myself." "Nurse! There was no need to slap my hand! Now you'll have to get another syringe. I can't use this one after it's been on the floor." "But I didn't slap your hand, Dr. Simmons! I wasn't anywhere near you when you dropped the hypo." "Don't make excuses, just get another one. And see where that orderly is with the clean linens. We don't want Agent Mulder to catch cold, do we?" "Mulder, there isn't anything to laugh about. Now stop it. Dr. Simmons, if I may... Have you gotten any results back from Mulder's CAT scan? Did anyone know what the odd activity in his brain indicated?" "The consensus, Agent Scully, seems to be that there was something wrong with the machine itself. No one could come up with any other explanation for what they were seeing. But as the rest of the brain appeared normal, we're not going to bother trying again today. I'd like to see Agent Mulder again in three or four days for a follow-up x-ray. So we can be sure the fracture is healing properly." "I'm sitting right here, you know. And I don't want a follow-up x-ray." "Shut up, Mulder. Thank you, Doctor. I'll make sure he's here." "Ah, here's your medication, Agent Mulder. Let's see if we can't make you a little more comfortable." "But I don't want a shot!" "Look, it's either a shot, or a suppository. Your choice, Agent Mulder. I know which one *I'd* choose." *sigh* "All right, give me the shot." "Ouch! Did you stick me with something, Nurse?" "I'm not close enough to reach you, Doctor. How could I stick you with anything?" "Well, never mind then. I'm sure it was nothing. You're all set, Agent Mulder. As soon as the nausea medication takes effect, you're free to leave. Just don't overdo things for the rest of today. And let me see you again in a few days for that follow-up. Do you have someone to keep an eye on you in case your symptoms worsen?" "I'll watch him, Doctor. Thanks for your help." "You're welcome, Agent Scully. Take care now." "Mulder, why the hell are you grinning like a baboon?" "Oh, just happy to be going home, I guess." ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ J. Edgar Hoover Building Thursday 2:15 PM "Mulder, what are we doing here? You know you're supposed to be resting." "I'm feeling okay for now, Scully, and Skinner wanted our report right away so they can sort out what happened. I figure the sooner the better." "This could have waited until tomorrow, you know." "I know, but once we get this done, I'll be able to relax for the rest of the evening. I don't want to have it hanging over my head all day." "Whatever, Mulder. Hi, Kim. Is the AD available?" "He's just finishing a phone call, Dana. I'll let him know you're heeerrre...heeheehee!" "Kim, are you okay?" "Yeah... yeah... I think so. For a minute there, it felt like someone was tickling me. It was really strange, you know?" "Maybe you've got a loose thread dangling under your sweater. Did you say something, Mulder?" "Hm? Oh, no, Scully. I was just clearing my throat." "How does your head feel?" "Just fine. I'm good. The meds seem to be working. No nausea, either. I'm okay, Scully. No worries." "You're certainly acting strange. Maybe we should go back to the..." "Agents, AD Skinner will see you now." "Oh. Thank you, Kim." "Agent Scully, Agent Mulder, have a seat, please." *shriek* "Kim! Are you alright?" "I'm... I'm sorry, Sir. I must have a hair under my clothes that keeps tickling me. I'll just go to the ladies room and take care of it if you don't need me for a few minutes." "Please do. I can't have my secretary sitting here laughing hysterically all afternoon." "Of course, Sir. I'll be right back." "Now, where were we, Agents? I believe you were going to tell me how Agent Mulder, once again, wound up in the emergency room with yet another concussion. What happened this time, Mulder?" "I got careless, Sir." "How so?" "Agent Scully and I went to the warehouse to execute the search warrant as instructed. We had no reason to think that anyone would be there, since it had been continuously surveiled for several days, and no activity was observed during that time. We were wrong, though. I let my guard down while entering the building and our suspect struck me across the back of the head with a two by four. I understand that Agent Scully then shot the suspect in the shoulder, and he was apprehended. I can't vouch for that part, though, Sir. I was out cold on the floor." "Can you confirm this, Agent Scully?" "Yes I can, Sir. The suspect was taken to the hospital in a separate ambulance and is currently in guarded condition. Agent Mulder was seen by a doctor in the emergency room, a diagnosis of cerebral concussion due to a skull fracture was determined, and after the administration of anti-nausea medication and a mild analgesic, he was released with instructions to take it easy for the rest of the day. He will also need a follow-up x-ray in a few days." "Very well, Agents. I want to see written reports on my desk Monday morning, with the appropriate insurance papers attached. Agent Mulder, see if you can manage to avoid damaging yourself further before tomorrow. The insurance company is threatening to add a new rider, named after you, disallowing more than one injury of the same type in any calendar year. That would be a pretty big out-of-pocket expense for you, even just considering all your concussions every year." "AH! Ow! Shit! What was...?" "Sir! Are you okay?" "I'm fine, Agent Scully. I didn't mean to startle you. It felt like someone pinched my arm, then slapped me on the head. Maybe someone let a bee into the building. Or there's something wrong with the ventilation system. I'll call maintenance and have them check it out. Did you want to say something, Agent Mulder?" "No, Sir. Just seems to be a lot of that kind of thing going around today." "Well, that appears to be all, Agents. Don't forget your reports on Monday. Dismissed." "Mulder, you have the oddest look on your face. Are you sure you're all right?" "I'm fine, Scully. Let's get out of here." *shriek* "Kim! Didn't you find that loose hair or whatever it was?" "No I didn't, Sir. I'll go look again. Sorry." ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Hegal Place Apartments Thursday 8:34 PM "Mr. Mulder, I would appreciate it if you would not use that kind of language around Precious. He's very sensitive." "I apologize, Mrs. Yarnosky, but it appears that Precious has once again done his business directly on the path to the dumpster." "I should think you're old enough to watch where you're walking, Mr. Mulder." "It's a little hard to see anything at this time of night, what with the lack of lights and trying to avoid all his previous deposits." "I certainly hope you aren't planning to hold me responsible for the poor lighting conditions." *YIP* "Oh, Precious! Did that mean man hurt you, sweetums?" "I don't see how I could have, Mrs. Yarnosky, considering I'm standing ten feet away, surrounded by dog doots. Maybe a flea bit him." "Mr. Mulder! Precious does not have fleas! And I'll thank you not to spread any rumors of that sort!" SLAM *YIP* "Oh, Precious!" ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ J. Edgar Hoover Building Friday 2:30 PM "You know, Mulder, if accounting ever came down here and saw what you do with the pencils you requisition, we'd never get another thing out of them." "Yesss! He shoots! He scores! Scully, I am simultaneously improving my hand-eye coordination and decorating the ceiling of the office. Don't you think my pencil mobile is stunning in its primal angst?" "I think it means someone has way too much time on his hands and he'd better get his ass in gear before his partner leaves him with all the paperwork." "Mulder, is there a draft in here?" "I hadn't noticed one, Scully. Why do you ask?" "It felt like the wind was combing through my hair. There it is again!" "Are you sure it wasn't a spider walking on you?" "Don't even joke about that, Mulder. Now you'll have to check my head or I'll be jumping every time my hair shifts." "Nope. No arachnids there. Maybe it was a draft." "I thought you said there wasn't any draft. Damn, it feels just like fingers trailing over my head!" "Well, feeling the seal around the door won't help. You can't reach high enough to check the whole thing." "I don't see you jumping up to help, Mulder." "ACK!" "What now, Scully?" "It felt like something warm touched my neck!" "Touched your neck how?" "Almost as if someone was kissing me." "You mean like this?" "Yes! How did you... Mulder...?" "Um, Scully... I need to tell you something. But it sounds so bizarre, I know you won't believe me, so I'm not sure I should even bother." "Having said that, I insist you tell me now, Mulder. What's going on?" *sigh* "Do you remember yesterday, when the emergency room nurse said it felt like someone stuck her with a needle?" "Yeah. So?" "That was me." "That was you how, Mulder? You couldn't have reached her from the bed." "It was an accident, Scully. I didn't mean to stick her, but when I thought about her giving the shot to herself, she yelled." "Mulder..." "It's true! I was thinking that kind of thing both times she complained of pain. And when the doctor accused her of slapping him? I'd just thought he should have his hand smacked for playing with sharp objects." "You don't expect me to believe you're accidentally hurting people by thinking bad thoughts, are you?" "Well, when the doctor accused the nurse of sticking him, that wasn't an accident. Neither was tickling Kim or harassing Skinner." "What are you trying to say, Mulder?" "I'm telling you that ever since that crack on the head yesterday, I've been able to reach out with my mind and touch people." "You mean like mind reading?" "No, I mean like this." *gasp* "Why are you squirming, Scully?" "It's nothing, Mulder." "You mean it wasn't because of this?" *GASP* "That's not possible!" "Neither is this." *groan* "Mulder, how are you doing that?" "I don't know, but it's something I've always wanted to do. Of course, I'd much rather be physically involved, but this is kinda fun, too." "Ohhh, Mulderrrr... I don't know what to think." "I know what I want to think." "Ohmigod! Oh god! Mulder, what are you doing?" "Trying to convince you that I'm telling the truth." *pant pant* "Okay, okay, I'm willing to consider it. But we need to go some place quiet where we can talk about this." "How about your place, Scully?" "I was thinking more along the lines of the park or... ohhhh... all right, Mulder, my place. Just stop doing that so I can think straight." "Sorry, Scully. Guess I got a little carried away. But in case my mind strays before we get there, I'll drive." ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Dana Scully's Apartment Friday 9:08 PM "Do that again... God, that feels so incredible, Mulder. Why did we wait so long for this?" "Because all we ever had between us was words, and we were both too chickenshit to take a chance. If I'd had access to my thoughts before, we'd have been making hot-monkey love for a long time now." "Please, Mulder, no more. I'm exhausted. And you're still suffering from a concussion. We shouldn't have been doing this in the first place." "I wouldn't call this suffering, exactly, Agent Scully. But I am kinda tired. Maybe we should get some sleep and continue the investigation in the morning." "'Kay, Mulder. G'night. ~snicker~ It tickles when you kiss me there." "How about when I kiss you here?" *groan* "Mulder... no more, please..." "Sorry, Scully. 'Night." ....................... "Hey, Scully?" "Wha' Muller?" "What'll happen if this... thing... disappears? What's gonna happen to us?" "Hmph... How do you mean?" "Well, what if just me, without my mental ability, isn't enough for you? What if I've spoiled it for us by making our first time too incredible to duplicate? I don't think I could stand to lose you now." "Mulder..." "I'm serious, Scully. What if this ability I have to touch you with my mind was caused by the skull fracture? What's gonna happen when it heals? Will I still be able to make love to you with my mind as well as my body? Or will it fade away, never to return? I'm really worried, Scully." "I'm not." "You're not worried?" "Nope." "Why not?" "Because I know you, G-man. What we did tonight wasn't just about this new skill you have. It was about us, and our feelings for each other. Even if you wake up tomorrow without being able to blow me a kiss, it won't matter. We've always been able to see inside one anothers' minds. We'll have that no matter what else happens. I think your little tactile display just pushed us somewhere we were already headed." "You really think so, Scully?" "Mulder, read my mind." "Why Agent Scully... I thought you were tired of me." "Never tired of you, Mulder - just tired. So can we get some sleep now? Tomorrow's Saturday, and I'd like to spend it exploring this talent of yours." "Sounds like a plan. What did you have in mind, G-woman?" "Ever want to see Kersch trip and fall flat on his face?" "Ooooh, Scully... you read my mind!" ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ THE END Insanity is often the logic of an accurate mind overtasked. Oliver Wendell Holmes Challenge Parameters: Sdani wanted to see a story where one of the partners gains the ability to project physical sensation on another, and uses it on the other one. I figured, Mulder being who he is, he'd never be able to resist the temptation to get a little of his own back at a few of the people who've made his life miserable. As well as messing with anyone else who crosses his path. This is the first challenge fic I've ever written because it's the first one that caught my attention this strongly. I really didn't need the distraction right now, thankyousomuch. Is this what you had in mind? Feedback: mimic1172@gmail.com