Round Robin - Doggett/Scully #1

The rain outside did nothing for Scully's mood. Usually she enjoys a good old rainy day, but today, well, today it just was adding to an already bad mood. She thought she had set her alarm clock earlier than normal so she could wake up and get in her morning workout. Instead she woke up late on her own, 9 o'clock, already late for work. She had accidentally set her alarm clock for 9 o'clock this evening. She burnt her toast and in her hurry to get ready for work, she even managed to burn her scrambled eggs and had to settle on breakfast at McDonalds. She burnt her tongue on the hot chocolate she ordered. The stars must be misaligned because once she got to the office, her partner, John Doggett, was in an equally bad mood, and gave her a little lecture about being to work on time. She tried her best to ignore him, but ignoring him was nearly impossible to do, his voice is so commanding.

Things didn't get any better at lunch time when she realized she had left her wallet at home. She had used the last of her cash she kept in her center console on that pitiful McDonald's breakfast. So much rushing around this morning made her forget something so important.

"Well now I'm not only in a bad mood, I'm hungry and broke," she thought to her self.

Glancing over at Agent Doggett, watching a muscle twitch in his jaw, she thought about asking him to spot her some lunch. They had been quiet all morning. Well, ever since Doggett had made his little speech. Scully rose from her seat, straightened her wool skirt, and walked over to the office door.

Doggett looked up from where he sat, his eyes unknowingly checked her out. Upon realizing where his gaze had fallen he shook his head, and then cleared his throat. Scully glanced back at him from over her shoulder.

"Hey, Agent Scully..." Doggett stood up, "I've been meaning to ask you if you've tried out that new restaurant a couple blocks over..." he paused and walked over to the coat hanger and put on his jacket, "what is it called?"

"Little Italy, I think."

Scully wondered why her partner brought this up. Surely he isn't about to ask her to go to lunch with him. That would be a first.

"You hungry?" Doggett asked with a slight grin.

Scully's stomach growled, immediately answering the question without words. That does sound good, she thought to herself. It would be nice to spend some time out of this office for a change, even if it is just lunch.
Doggett continued to look at Scully, waiting patiently for her answer while he adjusted his jacket.

"Yeah, that sounds great. You drive."

"Drive?" Doggett chuckles. "Why drive when we can walk over? It's only a couple blocks."

Scully's stomach fills with butterflies as she thinks about the possibility of her hand brushing against his if they walk close together. Get a grip woman, you are a grown woman, not a silly high school girl with a crush.

"I'm sorry, Agent Scully, what did you say?"

"Huh?"

"Get a grip, and then you mumbled something."

"It's nothing.." Scully attempted to brush it off and trying a smile.

She picked up her jacket from the back of the office chair where she had left it. Doggett's blue eyes were stilil studying her, making her stomach flop again.

The two of them got into the elevator to head upstairs to leave. Scully did her best to glance at him from her peripheral vision, he was still looking at her. This made her uncomfortable, yet not too much. She often wondered what was going through his head when he watched her like this. The elevator door opened on the main level, and they stepped out and walked to the exit of the building. It's still pouring rain outside. Scully looks to Doggett and then at his hands. He's not carrying an umbrella. He looks at her, his expression questioning her, hoping that she's got one in her purse.

"I'll check. I parked in the parking garage this morning, I'm not sure if I..."

Scully was cut off mid-sentence as the heel of her shoe suddenly broke, sending her pitching forward. She was saved from doing a nose plant on the wet cement thanks to Doggett's catlike reflexes. SHe did, however, suffer from a sprained ankle.

As she had done so many times with her brothers, she withheld an "ouch!" and only gritted her teeth and winced at the pain.

"It's all right, Agent Scully," Doggett laughs, "you can say 'shit', it's not like I'm-"

The expression on her face shuts him up immediately, she's scowling. His expression changes from lighthearted to dead serious, this causes Scully to laugh out loud and grasp onto his arm.

Doggett is almost pulled down with her as she holds on to his arm, giggling. He smirks and he lets out a laugh he couldnt keep in, watching her as she seems to lose control to a giggle fit.

Smiling so much, Doggett's tone is admirable and deep... "You have the best laugh, Dana."

The way he says her name and follows her face as she looks up, wiping tears from her eyes from the laughter, makes her stomach turn with delight and catch his smiling eyes. She stops and stares at him for a few seconds, he blinks slowly as he smiles at her silently...

Her eyes lower to look at his lips, and linger there, longer than they should. She catches herself and redirects her eyes to his. He continues to chuckle as he lowers himself to one knee. He takes hold of her hurt ankle and removes her shoe. He handles her foot gently, lightly touching the skin around her ankle. Scully takes a deep breath and closes her eyes, unbeknownst to him her ankle, heck pretty much her entire foot, is an erogenous zone. His hand takes a soft, but firm, grip on her foot. She gasps and Doggett looks her in the eyes, clearly unaware of what his touch is making her feel.

She manages to speak as she smiles...

"Do you think its gonna be ok?"

"Looks good to me." Doggett says rather excitedly. More so than he meant to. He adjusts his tone, blushing slightly. He just likes looking at her skin and her perfectly formed, petite foot.

"Errrr, I dont think theres anything to worry about. I can carry you." Says Doggett.

Scully smiles and sniffs embarrassed.

"Thanks for the offer, but I think I can manage on my own." She grabs onto his arm for support as she stands, even though he manages to carry most of her weight.

She places her foot carefully on the ground, it's still a bit tender, but the last thing she wants is for Doggett to have to carry her when they are right outside the FBI Headquarters. Their fellow agents would be relentless with the teasing and the jokes.

Doggett "It aint enough I am assigned to the x files unit, but carrying you to lunch would take the cake with some colleagues here, huh?!" He laughs, trying to ease her mind, as she hobbles. She smiles. Wishing he would just hold her close to him, like he once did.
She still holds onto him as she walks, eventually as her foot feels better, she is just holding his hand...
He walks with her and holds up her hand that is wrapped around his...They continue to walk as he stares at her hand, starting to straighten his fingers...

"what?" Asks Scully

"Your hand"

"What about it?"

"I read somewhere that when you find your soulmate, the hand of each is the same size..."

Scully straightens her fingers. Her hand might be more feminine and slim, but their fingers end at the same point...

"Where did you read that?" She says mockingly trying to not show how she really feels inside, that his words mean so much to her.

He doesn't want to answer her because he found this tidbit in one of Mulder's many files, when he was first assigned as task force leader to find him. He knows that Scully encouraged Mulder to leave nearly a year ago, but he's uncertain if bringing up Mulder's name would kill the mood he's been able to set in talking about soul mates.

"I read it in some magazine at the dentist office once." He lies.

Scully nods, looking away from him. If she catches his eyes again at this point, she might melt or say something silly. Really silly.

"You know, I felt really hungry this morning, now I dont."

"You've gotta eat, Dana, it aint good to skip meals. Im sure once you are in the restaurant you will be hungry again."

Scully knows inside, her hunger has disappeared because her tummy is doing sumersaults.

"I was having a really bad day, even with my sprain, I think today is picking up though."

Doggett smiles and something blurts out of his mouth
"Well thats what Im here for, to make your day better"

Scully throws him a shocked look. Even he is shocked he said that outloud.

"Oh really?" She laughs.

Nervous, Doggett rubs his index finger under his nose and looks away from her. Scully stops walking and grabs onto his arms. In this case it's beneficial to be short, she can look right up into his eyes even though he's looking down. His eyes lock with hers. She is compelled to say something to him that has been on her mind for some time now.

"Seriously though, John... I've had more good days than bad ones since you were assigned to the X-files." She takes a breath and continues, shakes her head, "Im quite amazed by my feelings for you." She blushes, saying more than she meant to. Though deep inside her mind and her heart, she has needed to say this to him for some time now. "I mean I not amazed, I just didn't think I would--"

Doggett interupts,"You have feelings for me?" He says in a croaky, deep voice, lowering his chin and his eyes pierce through to hers.

"How could I not?" She pauses. "I did everything I could to try to push you away and despite that you have always been here for me."

Silently, Doggett uses his eyes as if to say "go on."

"As often as I tried to make sure you and I didn't see eye-to-eye, the fact is that I was lying to myself, trying to force myself to not feel anything for you, and I failed."

She looks at him with a youthful innocence in her eyes. Doggett sees that she feels she is putting herself out on a limb, almost fearful of rejection.

He smiles. "So...errr" He stutters embarrassed.

"I just want to be honest with you" Scully says, so worried she has said too much.

"Dana, thats all I ever want you to be with me - honest. I havent always been that honest with you."

Scared, Scully stares at him. Her heart is pounding now, worried abuot what he might say "What do you mean?"

"I have always..." He takes in a deep breath and smiles...looks down at his feet, the hand he holds of hers is now clammy. He looks at her small, healthy toned and soft hand and how fits well in his...he cant look at her as he says..."I have always been in love with you. I have loved you for a long time Dana."

She gasps for air, swallowing and looking down, her heart is out of control.

She nearly jumps out of her own skin when his cell phone rings, interrupting their conversation. Doggett looks her straight in the eye and says "Hold that thought" as if he could actually hear the thoughts racing through her mind.

"Doggett." He answers his phone and waits for the person on the other end to speak. "Yes, sir. We can both be there within the hour, not a problem." He hangs up.

Scully pushes a strand of hair behind her ear, something she does when she is about to change the subject.

"What is it?" Asks Scully, removing her hand from his, wanting to dry it on her trousers.

"Kersh, theres been an incident."

Scully is curious, embarrassed to have been interupted.

They walk back to the office, "So much for lunch eh...now I suddenly feel hungry again."

Doggett, calmly says in a manly tone, "Theres always dinner"

They walk in sync together, Dogget allows her to take her time with her sprain and she smiles at him as he hits the button for the elevator.

The elevator door closes and begins its descent to the basement. Neither one of them speaks, now that they're back on the clock, it seems inappropriate to discuss their feelings and dinner plans.

"How do you feel about Thai?" Doggett's voice breaks the silence. He looks at her and smiles.

"I've had it before, a little hot for my tastes." She smiles back at him.

"Hot... hot can be good-"

Suddenly the elevator shakes and a loud explosion is heard just outside the elevator doors. The power goes out, and is quickly replaced by a red backup light. Doggett loses his footing and falls to the floor.

Scully kneels to see if Doggett is ok, he holds onto her arm to lift himself back up and says he is fine,

"You ok?" He says to her, looking at her all over.

"Yeah" Scully says with a shaken voice.

She looks around the elevator, Doggett opens the emergency phone door

"Yeah, this is Special Agent Doggett....right...Ok...with Agent Scully....thanks"
He hangs up, looks at Scully. "They said they are doing all they can to sort it out".

Scully sighs "really, this day, it just keeps getting better."

"At least you are with me" Doggett says as they both bend over to sit on the floor of the elevator, calm and rational.