Want and Need 2

TITLE: Want and Need II (1/1)

AUTHOR: ROz H

DISTRIBUTION STATEMENT: Its all good!

SPOILER WARNING: Arcadia, sixth season

RATING: PGish

CLASSIFICATION: MSR/UST

SUMMARY: Sequel to Want and Need

AUTHOR NOTES: I figured, what the hell. I'll build up to mind blowing sex...its what we all want anyway. And is that so wrong?

DISCLAIMER: Blah blah, not mine, blah blah blah.



Want and Need II

Is that how you differentiate between love and lust?"

"No, more like the difference between want and need." With that he smiled and picked up his fork again, dipping it into the noodles. Scully watched him capture some noodles and raise the prize to his mouth.

His mouth. Wants and needs.

"That's interesting, Mulder." He chuckled at her statement but continued eating.

Scully watched him for a moment longer before deciding to pick up her fork and continue eating her lasagna. Mulder glanced up into her lovely face and he saw the hint of a smile still nestled softly at the corner of her pouting red mouth. Disappointment flushed across his shoulders. He had hoped she would continue the conversation and try to draw more out of him, but it looked like it was up to him.

"Is it my theory or my tactics that are interesting?" Scully looked back up to see Mulder staring intently at her, his fork in hand and a smile playing across his face. It was the same kind of smile he gave her that night at Arcadia Falls as he rubbed the spot next to him on the mattress, inviting her to stay for a while. This was getting dangerous, but damned if it wasn't fun.

"Your theories are always interesting, Mulder."

The smile widened and he chuckled again. "But what about this one?"

"Your theory involves more emotion between two people than I think is probable."

"Why is that?"

"My point of all this was: is that sexual attraction real or just something that is almost, I don't know, assumed? He's a man, she's a woman, and they should want each other. Is that sexual want real?"

"I think its more than real, I think its tangible."

"Ah ha, that touching thing again. I had you pegged with an oral fixation."

He laughed openly to that. He was enjoying their conversation, as he shifted in his seat, he could feel he was enjoying this conversation. "Who are we talking about, Scully?"

Her eyebrow cocked up *no pun intended*, "What?"

"Well, can we use an example?"

She felt her throat close up. In just above a whisper, "Who, like, you and me?"

"No, more like David and Maddie."

Her head jerked back in confusion. "Who?"

"David and Maddie. Moonlighting Detective agency? Circa late 80's. The whole show basically revolved around their sexual bantering, and if they'd ever get together."

"Oh." She shook her head. "I get you."

"Now that was painful sexual attraction. And not just because they worked together."

"But you know how it ends."

"That's not what we're talking about."

"Its pertinent. They couldn't hold it together and be professional once they crossed that line."

"Maybe they're not a good example."

"No, now look at the dynamics of their relationship. They're partners. They become good friends and then that attraction that was there because intensified because it is reciprocated on both ends. It becomes more than physical."

Mulder smiled, "That's my point. It wasn't just nature, it was chemistry. It took a little time but there was something there."

"Not enough though." Scully's eyes narrowed. "It wasn't enough at the end."

"I think that was the writers fault, not theirs. If that had been real life, it would've worked out." She shook her head. "It would work out with us."

Her head stopped, mid shake. "How's that?" she asked.

"Well, if you and…if we crossed that line, I think it would be ok. I think it would be good." Mulder looked into her blue eyes, not quite sure of what exactly he was implying, but he went with it anyway.

*Here we go again*, she thought. "Would it?"

Mulder's spaghetti was all but gone. Scully looked down at her plate and then slowly pushed it away. With that Mulder signaled for the bill and settled it. With a nod from the waiter, Mulder stood up and reached for Scully's jacket. Standing she slowly put her arms through the proffered jacket sleeves and shrugged on her jacket. Turning to look up at Mulder he hooked out his arm and smiled. "Come on."

Walking out into the night Scully waited. With her lips pursed she waited. Without looking at Mulder once, she waited for him to say something because this conversation had gone a little passed what she had planned. He'd have to keep it going. He did not disappoint her. "And what about my tactics?"

She finally looked at him. "I thought you were just being polite when you touched me. I didn't realize they were tactics."

"That's just one way to put them."

"You've categorized them?"

"Right," he chuckled, "today I did 4 touches from column B and my offering my arm is from column C."

"So what is the difference between want and need?" she asked softly.

He took a deep breath and looked around for a moment. He then turned and stopped her by placing a hand on her shoulder. "This is need. Touching you for security, companionship. Helping you through the door while touching the small of your back calms me. That fact that you never objected to it soothes me even more. Its routine." His hand now strayed to her face, cupping the side of it, feeling its warmth. His expression changed from a warm smile to a tight almost pained expression. He saw the immediate concern in her eyes. "This is want, Scully. And for me want is not pleasant." He took his hand away and shoved both into his pockets. "Want for me the feeling of contact with your bare skin, Scully. It's always brief but exquisite. The feeling of your touch and the look in your eyes when I do it stays with me long after its over. Want is usually for what I can't have, but it's a pain I'd rather live for, than without."

"Mulder." She didn't know what else to say.

He shut his eyes for a moment and when he opened them again, the small smile had returned. "That's the difference between want and need, Scully." He checked his watch: FRI 111 p.m. it read. "Hey, have a nice weekend, Scully." And with that he stepped off the curb and hailed a cab.

As a yellow cab pulled over and Mulder opened the door she spoke. "Hey Mulder." He turned back to her with his sloppy half grin. She walked up to him and pulled him back to the curb. She quickly encircled his waist and gave him a profoundly warm and tight hug. "Good night, Mulder."

He reached down and hugged her tightly back, his nose burying into her hair as he inhaled deeply. "Good night, Scully," and kissed the top of her head quickly. He disengaged himself and stepped into the cab. Scully couldn't describe the feeling she got as she watched Mulder's cab pull away. All she knew is that it hurt, but a nice kind of hurt.

END Part 2