'Mulder, how did you meet The Lone Gunman,' Scully asked.

Standing at the filing cabinet, rifling thought old X files, she'd seen a very early reference to The Lone Gunman and Mulder in September 1989. Intrigued, she pulled the paperwork and glanced over it. Several words caught her eye. Intrigued, she continued to read.

'It's a long story,' he hesitated, watching her intently. Not something I really want to get into, Mulder mused, silently remembering the end result of that meting.

Glancing up at the clock, Scully offered, 'let's get going.'

Stunned, Mulder leaned back in his chair with his hands laced behind his head and gazed on his partner curiously. After all, the weekend beckoned with little to do and not a case on the horizon. If Scully offered, he'd accept, especially after the week they'd had.

'Where?' he asked inquisitively.

'My place,' Scully smiled back sweetly, too sweetly, implying she had ulterior motives, 'the least I can do is cook you a meal while you tell me about this.'

Holding the case file aloft, Mulder gathered his strength and sprang from the chair. Easily taking the manila envelope from Scully's hand, he teased, 'you'll have to catch me first.'

Standing her ground, blue eye's boring into him, she reminded, 'I drove you to work this morning. So unless you have another means of transport back to your lonely old apartment in Alexandria, where you intend to spend the entire weekend by yourself, there aren't many places you can run.'

'You win, Scully,' Mulder deflated, handing the file back, 'take me home and….'

The look entered her eye, 'not here Mulder.'

Leaning in close enough for his lips to graze Scully ear, he whispered, 'Schools out Scully, it's home time and I want to play.'

'Dinner first,' she stated, ushering Mulder out of the office. Picking up her briefcase, Scully placed the file inside. 'Then you talk about The Lone Gunmen and if I'm in the mood, you get to play.'

'Oh, Scully, I'm sure I can do something to get you in the mood,' he teased, locking the door. Placing a hand in the small of her back, Mulder escorted his partner to the elevator.

'Maybe you already did,' Scully's eyebrow arched suggestively.

'I'll have to remember that for future reference,' Mulder continued to taunt, splaying his fingers over his customary spot.

He felt the shiver run the length of Scully's spine. If he hadn't promised to keep to her rigorous professional standards at work, he might have been tempted to take his touch further. In the last week, Mulder had learnt just how much Scully enjoyed any tactile sensation. She took pleasure in touching more than he'd realised, responding in a manner completely at odds with her very professional exterior. Yes, he learnt how to put Dana Scully in the mood.

'Mulder,' Scully broke into his pleasant daydream. She knew exactly where his thoughts had strayed. 'Susanne Modeski, The Lone Gunman and your trip to the psych ward first.'

'You spoil all my fun,' he moaned, tucking her into the passenger seat of her car and demanding the keys. Looking at her with a mixture of amusement and longing, he said, 'you want me to keep my hands to myself then you have to give them another occupation.'

Handing over her keys, Scully slipped the belt on. Sighing heavily, she prompted, 'you can keep your mouth operating too. Tell me how this all started.'

Popping a seed into his mouth, Mulder started the car and directed it out of the parking garage. He'd been silent so long, Scully considered her next move. Surprising her, Mulder started with, 'they were just three individuals then. They attended a computer and electronics show in Baltimore. 1989, September 23rd, a Saturday. I'd been with the bureau three years, still green and playing it by the book. I'd just started another assignment and should have met my new partner at the show.'

'The FBI received a tip off. VSC got involved locating a woman by the name of Susanne Modeski. She parted company with her employer taking her top secret R&D with her, or so we were told. Even then, disinformation and plausible deniability seemed the name of the game. Apparently Modeski had been sighted at the show. I'd been volunteered to look for her being on location. Another agent should have met me there, but my new partner never showed. If they had, the whole episode might have ended very differently.'