Amorem Animalem

I Found Your Pajamas

The agents were soon in the comfort of their hotel room, eating Chinese food messily with chopsticks. Mulder seemed to be a pro at picking up lo-mein noodles and shrimp with the strange utensils, while Scully had difficulty doing so. She eventually gave up and began to stab the sticks through her food, skewering the vegetables and chicken.

"I think we're almost done with the case, Scully," Mulder said, picking at the leftovers in his carry out container.

"I feel the same way, Mulder. However, we still don't know where the drugs came from or why they were administered. You could easily create a suicide pact without the use of a drug. It's almost unnecessary."  Scully reasoned. A lightbulb went on in Mulder's head. That was it.

"Scully, you're a genius!" He said with a laugh.

"I am?" She asked, astonished. Her partner had never praised her so openly before.

"Yes! Wh-what if the victims didn't know they were being drugged. They could've gone somewhere, met someone, anything-- that could be the source. They didn't know that they were drugged, the side effects, however, sent them into a panic, a killing frenzy." He was pacing around the room, his hands in the air, Scully hadn't seen him quite this enthusiastic in a long time.

"Mulder, this is fantastic!" Scully exclaimed as she stood to her feet. "Now, we just need to figure out what or who drugged them."

Mulder stood still as he mapped out his thoughts. "I wonder if Yentz has any more insight on this."

"Mulder, he already told us that he has no clues beyond the visions that he's had. It would be almost useless to call him." Scully advised.

"You're right. It wouldn't hurt to meet him again tomorrow, however." Mulder said as he sunk into an easy chair in the corner of the room.

"It wouldn't." Scully agreed.

The two set their business aside and decided to relax before they went to bed. The clock was creeping up on two AM, and despite the agents not sleeping in nearly twenty-four hours, they weren't very tired. They had found a channel that was playing back to back Alfred Hitchcock films, The Birds was on. One of Scully's favorite films. As the movie came to a close, Dana got up from her bed, went to her suitcase and began to look around inside for her pajamas. She sighed when she realized that they weren't in there.

"Mulder, I need the car keys. I forgot my pajamas and I guess I need to make a late night run to Wal-Mart." She groaned.

"Don't do that. Here, borrow one of my t-shirts for the night." He said sweetly. He got out of his chair and unzipped his messy suitcase. He tossed a wadded up, wrinkled gray shirt to Scully. "Will that do?" He asked sincerely.

Scully unfolded the shirt and said with a smile, "Thank you, Mulder. It will do."

The agents prepared for bed, playfully fighting over the bathroom sink. Mulder jokingly pushed Dana to the side and she retaliated and did the same. They were like brother and sister; best friends for life. Neither could imagine a day without the other.

With clean teeth and a washed face, Scully lazily crept towards her bed, she untucked the plush white comforter and fluffed her pillows. As she began to climb into bed her partner spoke up, "Scully, would you happen to have an aspirin? I have a headache."

"Sure, Mulder. I should have one in my red duffle bag. Help yourself." She said yawning.

Mulder moseyed over to her duffle bag, sitting on the floor near the tv. He bent over, and carefully unzipped the bag. As he did so, he saw something brown and fuzzy begin to peak through. The corners of his mouth turned down, and his eyes widened in disgust. He picked the unknown object up with his index finger and thumb and exclaimed, "Scully, what is this?"

Dana shot up out of bed, her borrowed nightshirt ruffled and bunched, and leaped towards Mulder. "Put her down!" She screamed, jumping up and down, trying to reach her prized possession from the large bully, holding it high above his head.

"She?" Mulder exclaimed with a laugh.

"Yes! Her name is Fluffy The Bunny, please hand her over."  Scully's face was a vibrant pink.

Mulder's face was a bright red from trying to contain his laughter. "Scully, you sleep with a stuffed animal?" He gently gave the rabbit to Scully when he realized its importance to her.

The small agent sighed. "Yes. Is that a problem?" She said holding the small fuzzball to her face.

"Uh- no. Not at all! It's just-- I've never known a twenty-seven-year-old woman that sleeps with a toy." He rubbed the back of his head, chuckling to himself. Dana Scully was not amused. She walked away as if to say Forget that this ever happened.

"Goodnight, Mulder," Scully said rolling her eyes as she got into bed. She snuggled up to the plush rabbit and closed her sleepy eyes. It was actually pretty adorable in Mulder's sight. Odd, but adorable.

"Goodnight, Scully... And Fluffy." He giggled.

~
The Bay Street Hotel
7:56 AM
July 31st

The morning came quickly and the agents weren't so thrilled to see the sunrise. Exhausted, and dazed, the agents got out of bed and pursued their morning routine.

"Scully," Mulder said as he reached for a towel to wipe the excess shaving cream from his face, "I found your pajamas. They were underneath the towels."

"Oh, would you look at that." Scully babbled nervously. "I wonder how they got there." Her face was warm with embarrassment.

"You didn't hide them on purpose so you could sleep in my shirt, did you?" Mulder inquired with a cackle.

"Mulder, of course not. Don't be ridiculous." Dana chortled as she slowly backed out of the bathroom. "I think my phone is ringing." She said as an excuse to rid herself of the second humiliating situation she found herself in within the last ten hours.

Mulder looked in the mirror and rolled his eyes in amusement. She was funny, quirky. He thought this incident to be a sign from Scully that she liked him, but women confused Mulder and he brushed it off.

"Great. Thank you, Mr. Yentz. We will be there shortly." Scully hung up the phone as Mulder walked in.

"Who was that?"

"Mr. Yentz had another vision. He wants us to meet with him. I think that we may be able to stop the next victims." Dana stated as she flung her cross-body purse over her shoulder.

"Well, let's get a move on."