Title : It's Just A Question

Author : Kelly Moreland

Archive :Anywhere, just let me know.

Spoilers : Requiem (maybe? sorta?)

Rating : G

Category : V, H

Summary : We all think about weird stuff sometimes...

Feedback :  k_a_moreland@hotmail.com

Disclaimer : In the big inning, CC *created* M & S, and the
fans saw that it was good. Then CC proclaimed 'Let them have
any fun, and I will sue you!' And the fans saw that this was
bad, and did it anyway. ;-)

Authors note : OK.. I had to find something about Requiem I
could joke about.. Here it is. Thanks to Jemirah for
beta'ing, and laughing in all the right places. ;-)

It's Just a Question

by Kelly Moreland

To keep from twiddling his thumbs out of nervousness, Mulder
interlaced his fingers and kept his eyes on the road ahead.

Occasionally he would glance over at A. D Skinner, who drove
wordlessly along the twisting Oregon roads to Bellefleur.

"Mind if I ask you a question?" Mulder spoke up suddenly.

"Sure," Skinner shrugged, his eyes never leaving the road.

"OK, It's morning and you're getting ready for work, you
pull on your pants. Do you fasten then zip, or zip then
fasten?"

Skinner stared at him with a strange expression.

"What kind of question is *that*?" He asked, glancing back
at the road.

"Well, we've got forty minutes to kill on this drive--"

"Forget it," Skinner said quickly.

"It's just a question," Mulder grumbled, turning his
attention back to the scenery.

"Why do you want to know?" Skinner asked after several
minutes had passed.

"Because I think of these things sometimes. I was getting
dressed this morning and for a second, I couldn't remember
which I did first, so I started thinking about it. Does
everybody do it the same way, is it a left handed, right
handed thing?"

"Do you think about this stuff a lot?" Skinner asked, an
edge of concern to his voice, which was accompanied by
another odd look at Mulder.

"Well, yeah." Mulder answered slowly.

Skinner shook his head sadly, and turned his attention back
to driving.

"OK, sorry I asked," Mulder shrugged. "I just thought it
would be nice to have a conversation that didn't involve the
end of the world as we know it."

"I didn't mean--" Skinner began, but Mulder cut him off with
a wounded tone.

"No, it's ok. I'll just sit here and stare out the window.
Don't worry about it."

A mile down the road Skinner sighed in resignation.

"Fasten, then zip. You?" He asked with a curious look.

"Fasten and zip," Mulder nodded in agreement.

Skinner chuckled, shaking his head once more.

"Want to talk socks and shoes?" Mulder asked with a grin.

"No." Skinner replied firmly.

"It's just a question," Mulder shrugged.

"We're not having this conversation." Skinner snapped.

Mulder sighed and stared out the window again.

Fini~