Chapter Four

                                    

                                          
"Excuse me ma'am?" A young flight attendant placed her hand on Agent Scullys shoulder. "We're about to land would you mind waking your husband up and preparing for touch down?"
A flustered Scully agreed and realized he had been laying her head on Mulders  chest the whole flight and began to wonder why she felt locked in place. It wasn't until she slightly nudged her sleeping partner that he began to grunt and then take a deep inhale and open his eyes. He looked down and smiled at Scully before noticing the puzzling look on her face. 
"Mulder haha, are you gonna let go of me?" Scully said smiling up at him. 
"Oh, right!" Mulder said chuckling while removing his arm from around her and lifting his head off hers, releasing her back into her seat upright. 
They sat in silence as the plane landed, both a little embarrassed at the affection they had shared with one another on the way there. Once they had touched ground and were able to gather their things, Mulder insisted on carrying Scullys bag. 
"I'll go pick up the car Skinner rented if you stay here and collect our luggage?" Scully offered once they had landed in the airport. 
"Sure, meet me at the main entrance then i'll get you to drop me off at the station. I want to talk to the investigators before tomorrow. You can go find us a hotel in the mean time and meet me later if you want or I can't get a ride back." Mulder replied.
Scully nodded and headed towards the car. After she had picked it up she drove towards the entrance of the airport and shuddered as she parked the car. It was early January and the Minnesota Winter was no joke. "Mulder better hurry up." She thought. "I'm dying out here, and the heat is barely working in this thing." Shortly after this, she looked up and saw a waving Mulder walking towards the car, and gestured for her to pop the trunk. Once she heard the slam of the door closing she started pulling out. 
"It sure is cold out here isn't it?" Mulder said while rubbing his hands together.
"It is, I don't know how long i'll be able to last out here- not that it isn't really much colder than DC, I just wish I was back in the comfort of my own home, relaxing on my couch just reading a book and not having to worry about any "spooky" XFiles." Scully replied, digging that last part into him a bit, but with a softhearted undertone.
"I'll keep you warm Scully. Besides this will be fun- I'll make it fun, and it's important work we're doing." Mulder said looking at her with a promising smile.
"Oh right. Fun like that time we went to the forest together because you dragged me out there, and then ended up having to use me as your heat source because you got sick. Or fun like the time we were undercover in that small town as husband and wife, but you nearly got me killed because of your childish antics that got the better of you." Scully rebutted now smiling at him. 
"Listen Laura, that was the best marriage of my life and i'm still heartbroken over losing you." Mulder joked back at her.
"Oh brother." Scully was now laughing lightly now. "Hey where am I dropping you off?" She asked.
"We should be about three blocks away." Mulder answered while studying the map he had pulled from the console in the passenger seat. 
"okay." Scully said.
Once they arrived at the police station where Mulder had planned to meet the other agents, he waved goodbye to Scully and left her to go find the closest motel in town. She turned on the radio and smiled as "silent night" sang back at her, considering it was still the holidays. Now this actually turned out to become a problem. Because it was in fact the holidays, she had just finished calling the third motel in the small town and was able to find zero vacancy. There was once little motel left on the map in Burnsville. She called them and prayed for vacancy.
"Janet Oakley Inn, how may I help you?" The voice on the other end  of the line sounded.
"Hi my names agent Dana Scully. My partner agent Fox Mulder and I just arrived in town regarding a case and are in desperate need of rooms. This is the fourth place i've called and everyone seems to be booked up for the holidays." Scully said with a sense of urgency. 
"Oh hello Mrs Scully." The voice on the other end sounded old and haggard leaving Scully to believe that it was a very old owner. "I am sorry but because of the hustle and bustle of the holidays I only have one room available. It does have a king sized bed and a valley view." 
"Uhmm." Scully was frustrated suddenly overcome with embarrassment at the thought of breaking the news to Mulder. "Sure yeah, no we'll take that room. I'll be there in about twenty minutes to check in. Thank you" She said hanging up the phone. 
Scully dropped her head onto the steering wheel and let out an exasperated sign before pulling out and driving towards Janet Oakley  Inn. Once she pulled in she surveyed the small motel and saw lots of young couples holding hands walking alongside the trail that travelled adjacent to the building. She shivered from the cold air that met her cheeks and opened the door to the "lobby." The jingling of bells alerted the older woman behind the counter of agent Scullys arrival. 
"Hello, I'm Dana, I just spoke with you over the phone about twenty minutes ago." Scully spoke up.
"Oh yes dear. I've made sure to have had the room cleaned for you and your husband." She said with a smile.
"damnit this was the second time someone had assumed Mulder is my husband today." Scully thought to herself before saying, "Oh no he's not my husband ehem he's just a work partner." 
"oh." The older woman said sounding confused. " well I hope it's not too awkward sharing a room. How long will you be staying with us?" She asked.
"I'm not sure , i'll need to open a tab if possible." Scully replied.
"Yes that's fine , I just need your credit information." 
Scully opened the door to the room her and Mulder were sharing. She inhaled and realized that she could see her breath upon exhaling. Inside. Great. So it's going to be a real cold time out here. She flicked on the lights and then heard her phone start to buzz. She dropped her last bag of luggage she had just finished bringing in and answered her phone.
"Scully."
"Scully it's me." The voice on the other end said.
"Yes Mulder?" she replied.
"It turns out all the guys have checked in early for the night and basically left me out here stranded and cold. Would you be able to pick me up and take me back to our motel? I need a hot shower or something it's freezing out here." He said with his teeth chattering.
"Sure,  but you should know something before coming back.." Scully said sounding uneasy.
"Yes?" 
" I tried calling four different places and only one had vacancy for only one room. So for now we have to share." She said feeling super awkward considering it wasn't her fault this was happening.
there was a pause on the other end of the line and Scully held her eyes shut for fear of being teased by Mulder for "purposely doing this so they could sleep together" or something like that, but luckily all that came was a simple 
"okay. That's not your fault Scully, we'll make it work." Mulders voice sounded soft and apologetic. "But I will make a big deal if you don't get your little legs down here and pick me up." He said chuckling while shivering.
"I'm on my way." Scully said closing the door and exiting the parking lot.