#mmmmm feeling like I might be starting to connect the dots to another Point

[rig-a-rendal]

[gryfon-spanish-werewolf]

Three Word Prompt

Three word prompt: Gelato-machine, pinecone, airpod

Words gifted by @daughterofhel, story inspired by the wonderful stream @patronustrip hosted yesterday! I’m a woman of my word: when I say I will write fluff by morning I SHALL

Hope you enjoy! [ao3 link]

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Anna didn’t really know how Elsa was managing it, but watching her sister scale the pine tree in the backyard really should have been on her bucket list, and Anna was regretting not being able to cross it off officially.

It was a hot summer day and their kitten Olaf had gotten out of the house, following a bird that had flown to the top of the tree. Olaf had spent the next fifteen minutes mewling and meowling at the top of his tiny lungs, stuck and frightened, until Anna had heard him and they’d leapt into action. Anna had volunteered to go get him of course, but Elsa had patted her shoulder, rolled up her sleeves, and set to climbing.

She was about six feet up when Anna recovered the use of her voice to say, “Are you crazy? You’ve never climbed anything in your life!”

“Yes I have,” Elsa tossed over her arm, searching for her next handhold. “I climbed all fifty stories of the North Mountain Hotel for that charity fund.”

“This is not the same thing!”

“I’ll be fine Anna,” Elsa hiked herself up another couple of inches, feathering the ground with dead pine needles. “Besides, who else is going to make the gelato? Me? It always tastes better when you make it.”

So here Anna was, in the kitchen of their shared home, prepping a frozen treat for a wonderful sunny day, watching a blonde head rise up, up, up in a canopy of green and brown. Occasionally there’d be another deluge of needles or the clatter of pinecones bouncing between branches, but shockingly, Elsa was making good progress. Little Olaf had stopped crying and was curled up into a quivering white ball.

“Poor little guy,” Anna said, putting the last of the ingredients into the gelato maker and flicking the switch. “I’ll have to let him have a little spoonful when this is ready.” She knew Elsa would chide her and say Olaf shouldn’t get any because he ran out of the house, but Anna also knew that underneath Elsa’s stern exterior was a massive softie. A softie who would almost certainly sneak Olaf a bite even after a lecture.

A buzz had Anna patting her back pocket for her phone, but she had no new messages. Another buzz came, this time Anna found Elsa’s phone abandoned on the counter. Just an email, but something else did catch Anna’s eye. The phone was playing music.

Curious.

It wasn’t coming out of the speakers, that much was obvious. Maybe it was connected to one of the various bluetooth devices in the house. Elsa liked to listen to music in her office and a few months ago they’d installed speakers in the living room for karaoke nights.

Anna grabbed the phone off the counter, walking out the screen door to ask Elsa about it.

Her question died in her throat.

Elsa had reached Olaf and was in the middle of extending her hand out to him. She was leaning precariously away from the tree, trying to coax him closer, but that’s not what made Anna’s mouth dry out in heart palpitating fear.

Elsa was high, so high that the branches had started to thin out and thin down. The one she’d chosen to plant her feet on was bending way too far, and Anna did not like the sounds it was making.

Anna cupped her hands over her mouth. “Elsa!” No response. “Elsa, move your feet!” Olaf looked down at the sound of her voice, but Anna could read Elsa’s lips as she reached out even further to regain Olaf’s attention.

‘Almost... there.’

Panic rose in Anna’s chest. Why wasn’t Elsa listening to her? She watched Elsa retract her hand just long enough to move a piece of hair out of her eyes and behind her ear. Anna squinted. Then she looked at the phone in her hand, the one still playing music without sound.

“Oh my god,” Anna whispered. “She’s wearing airpods.”

CRACK.

It all happened in a few seconds. The branch snapped, Elsa fell, eyes wide with surprise as the sudden onslaught of gravity made her weightless. Anna’s feet pounded the earth, bringing her to the base of the tree just in time to catch her sister.

But physics is a fickle mistress and both women had plenty of momentum.

Anna’s knees buckled at the sudden weight in her arms and she and Elsa rolled forward, coming to a decisive and loud stop when they crashed against their neighbor’s fence. Anna was upside down, feet above her head, Elsa splayed across her middle, limbs everywhere, both of them breathing heavily and staring up at the sky.

“Wow,” Anna managed after a few minutes. “Those memes are not as funny in real life.” She looked down at Elsa, who was staring at her oddly, but that’s not what made Anna bust out laughing.

Elsa’s hair was a mess. Pine needles stuck out this way and that, knotted in her bangs and making her braid look like a porcupine. Patches of hair were absolutely slathered in sap and dotted with chips of bark. She had scratches everywhere: her face, her arms, her legs, there was hardly a single inch spared.

She was completely undignified and it was sending Anna into mild hysterics.

“Oh my god my ribs,” Anna wheezed, slapping the ground as she howled with laughter.

“Your ribs,” Elsa griped, picking needles out of her hair and flicking them at Anna’s face. “I’m the one who fell out of a tree. My back is going to be so sore tomorrow.”

“Well I practically got my arms ripped off catching you, so I think we’re even,” Anna winced, slowly regaining control of herself. “Jeez you’re heavy, get off me.”

There was a small sound behind Anna’s head that stopped both of them. Anna craned her head back and Elsa propped herself up on an elbow, digging into Anna’s hip.

Olaf mewed again, tottering on baby kitten legs up to Anna’s forehead and giving it a quick tap with his paw. Anna beamed.

“Hey little guy!” She curled a finger under his chin, feeling his little purrs. Then she frowned. “Wait, does that mean he--”

“Climbed down by himself,” Elsa groaned, leaning back and putting all of her weight on Anna again, whose protests were ignored. “I feel so stupid.”

“Stupid for climbing a tree with no experience, or stupid for doing that while wearing airpods?”

Elsa dug the heels of her hands into her eye sockets. Anna patted her shoulder. “It was a noble gesture. I’m sure Olaf felt much braver seeing you come to get him.”

As if to confirm her words, Olaf jumped up on Elsa’s chest and buried his head into her shirt. Elsa scratched him behind his ear.

Anna went to do the same but her hand came away sticky from Elsa’s shoulder. “Uh oh, the sap is starting to harden.”

“Well, I think this outfit is ruined anyway,” Elsa sighed. “At least there’s gelato to look forward to.”

“Yeah, that’s great and all,” Anna grunted, “but I’m starting to not be able to feel my legs, so if you could get off so that I could enjoy some of that sweet, delicious, frozen goodness, I would appreciate it.”

---

A detangling of appendages, two generous portions of gelato (and a little for Olaf), and an hour of hair brushing later, Elsa was finally back to normal and Anna was ready for the day to be over. They’d checked all the doors and windows of the house to make sure Olaf couldn’t get out again and had met back in their bedroom. No point in changing into a new pair of clothes if they weren’t going out, Elsa had said, so might as well make it pajamas.

Anna watched Elsa examine her shirt, frown pulling at her brows as her fingers wormed their way through yet another hole.

“I really liked this shirt,” Elsa pouted.

“I can get you another one.” Anna walked forward, putting her hand over Elsa’s to stop her picking.

“But I’ve worn this one to perfect softness.” Anna acquiesced with a shrug of her shoulders and a nod. That was harder to replace, but she was confident they could find another. Right now though she was a little distracted.

“We got this visiting that forest preserve up north, remember?” Elsa stretched the shirt down, extending the printed design. It was a snowflake of sorts, four sharp diamonds arranged around a spiked star center. It had come with a passionate tale from the tour guide about an ancient wrong being righted by an act of good faith, spiced up with tales of spirits and natural disasters. “The forest was so beautiful in the fall, all orange and red. And the air was so crisp and clean, every lungful was refreshing.” Elsa bounced her eyebrows. “It was pretty romantic, don’t you think?”

“Uh huh,” Anna replied unhelpfully. She’d been unable to put her finger on what was different when Elsa had walked into the room, but now that Elsa had mentioned the forest, it clicked.

Anna sniffed appreciatively. “Mmmmm, you smell good.”

Elsa scoffed, pulling her shirt over her head. “I smell like a tree.”

“No,” Anna pressed herself close, burying her face into the side of Elsa’s neck, breathing deep. She walked her fingertips over Elsa’s now bare abdomen. “I mean you smell good.”

“Oh.” Anna smiled against Elsa’s skin -- at how her throat bobbed when she swallowed, at how her sister’s skin flushed red hot.

Elsa coughed to recover. “Maybe I should fall out of trees more often. Or light a candle if this is all it takes.”

“You shouldn’t say that to your rescuer,” Anna admonished, pulling back.

“You’re right,” Elsa huffed, but the way she looked at Anna was gentle. “What would I do without you?”

“You’ll always have me.”

Elsa smiled and pressed her forehead against Anna’s, bringing that smell of pine back, filling Anna’s lungs. Anna's eyes darted down to Elsa’s lips.

“And if you don’t mind,” she said, hooking her fingers through the belt loops in Elsa’s shorts. “I’d like to have you, please.”

“Now?”

“Right now.”

[allyinthekeyofx]

Fading Light - Part 3 - 4/6

PART ONE - Chapters 1-6

PART TWO - Chapters 1-6

PART THREE -  Prologue   Chapter 1   Chapter 2   Chapter 3

PART THREE

CHAPTER FOUR

The X-File, as it soon turned out, wasn’t an X-File at all. As gruesome and other-worldly as it had first appeared, it soon became clear that the murder was as a direct result of a long running feud between the murder victim and the scythe wielder who was aptly named ‘Big Ron’. Almost 7 feet of immense brawn but only limited brain, he would clearly have had no trouble in driving the scythe through Barry Ludlow’s slight body. Why a scythe was anyone’s guess and really, it wasn’t our problem anymore and I certainly haven’t wasted time on it because right now I have more important things on my mind.

Because in typical Mulder fashion, he had insisted on being there to see the suspect apprehended. I don’t know why, other than I understand how his brain works and he always likes to dot the ‘i’s and cross the ‘t’s before we leave and I think on some level he was a little disappointed that such a promising case had come to nothing. I’m surprised he hasn’t got used to it over the years though because while it cannot be denied that many of our cases have been downright perplexing in nature or as Mulder once so succinctly put it, have emitted a distinct paranormal bouquet, a good chunk of them have had explanations of the much more mundane.

The local PD had attended of course and as was often the case, they were poorly briefed and even less prepared to execute a warrant on such a potentially explosive situation.

Big Ron as it turned out had no intention of coming quietly and if he was going down, he was determined to take a few with him. Mulder unfortunately being one of them and I had watched with mounting horror as his immense weight connected solidly with my partner, knocking him off his feet and sending him crashing head first in to a solid, cinderblock wall; the sound as his skull made contact making the nerve endings inside my cheeks fizz and burn as my mouth filled with a metallic taste that almost made me throw up right there and then. I had hung slightly behind him, acknowledging for once that sometimes, whether I liked it or not, the reality of a physical situation such as this one dictated that at least some caution on my part was required. Because all the combat training in the world will never make my slight 5 feet 2 inch frame any kind of match for the 7 feet of muscle and brawn we were faced with.

As it turned out however, Mulder’s six foot frame was no match either and as his body hit the ground in that peculiar boneless fashion afforded to the deeply unconscious, I did exactly what I had been trained to do. I protected him from further harm, auto pilot kicking in as I saw the perp about to go in for the kill, raising his arm, the glint of the metal shaft all too visible in his hand.

I gave him one opportunity.

Just one.

And then I put a bullet in him. It didn’t kill him although I think I would have been able to find justification, but it certainly rendered him harmless enough for the supporting officers to swarm all over the bastard and get the cuffs on him before he hurt anyone else.

And amidst the brief chaos that ensued as frantic calls were made for EMT s to attend, I had one goal and one goal only – to get to Mulder; and with the ferocity of a she cat guarding her offspring I flew across the fifteen or so feet that separated him from me, screaming at the attending officers to get the fuck out of my way. Highly unprofessional, extraordinarily unlike me and in truth, I’m not sure where it even came from.

But it had the desired effect and I was still moving forwards even as I dropped to my knees beside him, my doctors’ mind quickly assimilating the necessary information as to his current condition. He was breathing at least and I sent up a silent ‘thank you’ to whoever might be listening , already loosening his tie enough to allow me to rip open his shirt, sending buttons popping in all directions, mentally running the checklist. Airway seemed clear, pulse was reasonably strong beneath my fingers and for one excruciating moment I remembered the feel of his lips whispering against my own pulse point earlier that morning, a feeling I rapidly shoved to the back of my mind. I was infinitely careful to not move him more than was absolutely necessary– the force of his collision with that wall could very well have caused spinal damage, a worse case scenario but one I had to be mindful of as I leaned in to him, speaking his name over and over, an attempt to reach him, to bring him out of it.

But it became frighteningly obvious that he was out cold. At least for the moment and instead I concentrated all my efforts on keeping him safe from being jolted or jostled in any way, lightly resting the palm of my hand over his heart, partly to let him know I was there and partly to let myself know that he still was.

XXXX

The journey to the local hospital seemed to take forever and I winced every time we hit a bump in the road, even the knowledge that Mulder was now securely strapped to a spinal board, heavy foam blocks taped to each side of his head didn’t reduce my anxiety levels even by a degree. It would be so much easier if he were conscious – his motor function would immediately speak to any serious damage – but he remained totally unresponsive to both verbal and physical stimulus. He had now been unconscious for almost an hour and my concern was racketing upwards with every minute that passed.

He’d had concussive injuries before – we both had – but generally we came out of them relatively quickly. But this time there was nothing. Not a flicker to tell me he was coming back to me and as I sat there gripping his hand tightly, I cursed myself internally that I had agreed to us being a part of an operation that was no longer in any way under our jurisdiction. I could have refused. I should have refused. But Mulder is pretty hard to deflect at the best of times and never more so that when he has an idea fixed in his head.

And then suddenly I felt his hand spasm briefly against mine, the merest grip of my fingers before it was gone and I immediately raised my head. His eyes were open wide, the pupils dilated and in truth he looked absolutely terrified. I couldn’t blame him – waking up from a concussion is never a pleasant experience and I knew from my own past injuries that he would be feeling horribly disorientated, nauseous, dizzy and confused. Add to that the fact that he was strapped down in such a way that only the slightest movement were possible and the giant sized headache he was no doubt suffering all added up to the very real potential to incite fierce panic within him; and so I reacted quickly, leaning over so he could easily see me in his limited field of vision, speaking clearly to him as I did so.

“Mulder. It’s okay. You were knocked out. But it’s okay....you’re okay...”

And while his pupils remained huge, almost obscuring the delicate shades of colour that made up his eyes, I was at least rewarded by just a flicker of recognition as he fought to regain some semblance of understanding as to his current situation.

“Scully.”

His voice is weak, raspy; reminding me of the time he was found near death in the arctic wastes, the retro virus within him taking him right to the brink of death. So many years ago and yet here we were again, fighting another injury in another time. The thought forms a lump in my throat and for a second I can’t speak. So many times we have been here.

Right here.

Just trying to survive.

“Sshhh It’s okay”

I want to touch his face, our standard go to when one of us is injured and an action I know will keep him calm, prevent him fighting against the restraints that hold him safe although I am pretty sure by his previous movement that there is no damage to his spine. But the blocks either side are preventing me, so I do the next best thing and brush his hair away from his forehead. The skin feels cold to my touch, a sure sign that he is, at least to some degree, in shock.

His eyes are beginning to close and I squeeze his hand again.

“Stay with me Mulder.”

Because now that he is awake I need him to stay that way. The EMTs are hovering beside us, but really there is nothing to be done until we reach the ER. He is awake and he is speaking. That is the best we can hope for now.

“Was it the Ferris wheel?”

“What? Which Ferris wheel Mulder?”

He swallows briefly

“Did we fall?”

I have no idea what his words mean, and I’m aware that his brain has taken a beating that probably makes this conversation perfectly reasonable to him. And because I need him to stay focused I play along.

“No Mulder we didn’t fall.”

“Mmmmm ‘K good.”

And he smiles lazily up at me, his eyes seem calmer now, his expression more serene; far away somehow.

“I kissed you in starlight.”

And suddenly my heart begins to beat painfully in my chest, aware of the curious glances being thrown at me from the EMT closest to us as I feel colour flood in to my face.

But despite my embarrassment I smile down at him because I see such wonderment in his expression, as though has been granted a glimpse in to heaven itself.

“Mulder....stay still okay”

He is trying to bring his hand up to my face but failing miserably because his visual perception is currently so screwed and knowing him like I do, knowing that he won’t rest until he has achieved his goal, I capture his hand in my own and bring towards me, pressing it to my cheek where he clumsily moves his thumb in rhythmic motion against my skin.

“Yeah I did. I kissed you in starlight.”

He smiles again

“You’re so beautiful Scully..”

And even as his eyelids start to flicker in exhaustion, I am overcome once again as that same sense of déjà vu comes flooding back.

The sounds of laughter

Of muted voices from far below

Of twinkling lights and deep velvety sky.

Of Mulders face as he held me tight against him, his eyes soft and warm with love as he brought his lips to mine as he told me over and over that I was beautiful.

As the lights shone below and the sky unfolded eternal above.

As he kissed me in starlight.

Continued chapter five