Attracting Attention by KG

Title: Attracting Attention
Author: KG
Rating: R for a bit-o-sexual content
Spoilers: Tiny little Sleepless things
Summary: Dana thinks about the men in her life, including the newest arrival, Alex Krycek.
Disclaimer: Not mine. Yadda, yadda, yadda.
Author's Notes: My attempt at a story for the Skipper Challenge.
Feedback to themethoshour@yahoo.com please! See my other stories on my web site…
http://www.geocities.com/themethoshour/fic/

Dana stood near the auditorium's entrance and surveyed the celebration already underway. Crepe paper streamers and balloons decorated the ceiling and walls. A band -- not very good -- was set up on the stage. Several folding tables worth of food and drink lined the wall. It reminded her entirely too much of a high school dance. She had never enjoyed much of a social life in high school, and while she loved her work, she deeply regretted that it was a necessary part of the job description for her to relive these teenage memories about once every four months.

But she was an instructor at Quantico, and this was a ritual that must be endured at the end of every new class's time at the academy -- a graduation party. If she wanted to advance in this particular segment of the FBI she wouldn't miss more than one of these a year.

Dana spotted the other instructors huddled together at a table near the food and made her way over.

"Hi Barb," Dana replied. Barb Johnston had been teaching crime scene investigation at Quantico for at least 20 years, and loathed these dances even more than Dana did.

"I see you wore the blue this time," Barb commented with a grin. Dana had exactly three formal dresses that she alternated amongst for these parties. Tonight she was wearing the bright blue strapless gown, her least favorite.

Dana didn't lack confidence when it came to issues of medicine or law. But when it came to other things … men for example, well … the vibrant blue color of her dress and its backless styling tended to attract the kind of attention she was not entirely comfortable with.

"Uh huh, as usual black is your color," Dana teased in turn. Barb also had three gowns, all of them black. It was actually difficult to tell them apart.

A glass of white wine was deposited before each of the women. Dana and Barb both looked up to see Agent Marconi who taught a course on criminal's rights.

Dana sat and sipped her white wine. She watched the newest members of the FBI dance with their wives, husbands, girlfriends, boyfriends, or if all else failed each other. She was startled by a tap on her shoulder and looked up to see Mr. Reading -- no Agent Reading now -- shifting nervously from foot to foot at her side.

Dana blushed and turned to Barb for help, but the older woman merely winked and urged her on.

"Alright," Dana replied, graciously. "I'd be happy to dance with you, Agent Reading." As she rose and made her way onto the dance floor behind the young man, Dana flashed her friend a look that would have killed if only it could have.

"Congratulations on your graduation," Dana said to Agent Reading as he took her into his arms on the dance floor.

"Thanks," he replied, but didn't seem interested in further conversation which was entirely fine with Dana.

The song was some long slow ballad about passion and pain and forgiveness. She didn't recognize it, but the words spoke to her. Dana would have loved to dance to this song with someone she really had feelings for, but with her recent student it was simply awkward.

Dana let her thoughts wander as the sultry song played on. She thought over the men in her past. There weren't that many and no one stood out as The One That Got Away. No, there would be no long lost lover from her past come to sweep her off her feet once again as the song suggested.

Dana allowed her thoughts to drift to her current prospects. The list was pitifully short. There was Mulder of course. At one time she had thought, even hoped, that something would happen between them. He was undeniably handsome. Tall and slender yet strong. And his mouth … he had no idea how it used to drive her crazy when he did that thing with his lower lip when he was puzzled or worried. But nothing had ever happened. Mulder had made it clear in any number of ways that he was more committed to his search for the truth than he could ever be to another person. It was for the best. It would have been disastrous for their partnership, not to mention the fact that it was against regulations.

And now they weren't even partners anymore. Mulder had a new partner; Scully had met him for the first time just the other day. What was his name? Agent Krycek. Alex. When he had first appeared in her autopsy room, she could barely stand to look at him, she was so resentful. He was where she wanted to be, at Mulder's side, helping him investigate an X-File.

Besides, Alex Krycek was such a … a geek. How was he going to make it as an FBI agent if he couldn't stomach the sight of one relatively sanitary corpse?

Of course underneath all the hair gel and the bad suit, Dana had to admit to herself that he'd seemed like an attractive man. She hadn't paid much attention to him that day, but now she closed her eyes and let her mind drift back recreating his image for her perusal.

Dark brown hair. Dana imagined what it would look like if he skipped the gel and let it fall soft and natural over his brow. Nice.

Small well shaped nose and mouth. The kind of mouth that you can just look at and know he can kiss well. Dana felt herself blushing; where had that thought come from?

Dana pictured Alex standing near the entrance of the auditorium, his eyes glued to her as she danced gracefully across the floor. Deep green eyes. Intensely focused on her and only her. When he blinked, long dark lashes veiled those brilliant eyes, only to reveal them again -- a slow sexy exposure.

Alex was dressed in an expensively tailored tuxedo. Damn. Dana wondered if he realized just how hot he looked in black.

Alex approached her slowly, confidently. He held out his hand to her; a silent request. She nodded her accord. He took her in his arms and they danced slow and sensuous to the passionate music.

Alex was tall, at least six feet. But with her heels on, the difference in their height was tolerable. In fact it was rather nice; her head rested easily on the broad flat plane of his chest. Alex was bigger than Mulder, Dana realized. He had powerfully built chest and shoulders. Dana had always liked that in a man.

Alex's large hands wrapped around her body and rested on her hips. She could feel the heat emanating from his palms and burning through the blue satin of her dress and into her body. He slowly moved his agile fingers over the skin of her back to her shoulders where he caressed bare flesh for a moment before beginning the long slow slide that would bring them back to her slender hips.

As they moved across the dance floor Dana felt Alex's thighs gently brush her own. Each little inadvertent touch sent a wave of sensation surging through her body. She wanted him to touch her again and again. She experimentally rubbed her hips against his and was unsurprised to realize that he was hard. Dana knew that she was wet with desire as well.

She felt Alex's hot breath stir her hair and tickle her ear. He was breathing heavily, as if they were doing more than just dancing. And the dance was so sensual, it was as if they were.

No. No, Alex's voice wouldn't sound like that Dana thought. Alex would have a low sexy voice. She would feel it resonating deep within his chest where her breasts were pressed against him.

"What do ya say, Dana," Alex implored her with that same annoyingly anxious voice.

Dana raised her head from his chest with an effort and looked up, not into the burning green eyes of Alex Krycek, but into the baby blue ones of Agent Reading.

"Oh god … I'm sorry, but no," Dana managed to gasp out before she tore herself from Agent Reading's arms and made a beeline for the ladies room.

Dana splashed water onto her face as she studied her reflection in the mirror. She was flushed with arousal and embarrassment. She couldn't believe she had let a stupid fantasy about a man she barely knew get so out of control.

"Yeah," Dana replied. "I've just humiliated myself in front of the entire teaching staff of Quantico, but other than that I'm ok."

"Huh?" Barb asked as she came inside. She looked genuinely confused, and Dana wondered for the thousandth time how much of what she'd imagined had actually been acted upon. "From where I stood it looked like Agent Reading propositioned you and you refused; nothing to be embarrassed about. In fact I think you showed admirable good taste. Did something else happen?"

"No, never mind," Dana answered as she grabbed a paper towel and used it to dry her face. She couldn't ask Barb for any more details without giving too much away, but apparently nothing obvious had happened. Barb would have noticed if it had; her eyes were as sharp as a hawk's and she had the tongue to match. "Agent Reading just took me by surprise. I was … uh … thinking about something else."

"No, it was a man," Dana conceded, as she tossed the paper towel into the trash.

"There's nothing to tell," Dana replied taking up a position next to Barb. "He's just an acquaintance."

"I don't know too much about him. He's tall. Very young. Nice green eyes. Too much hair gel," Dana finished with a frown of distaste.

"Sounds workable. Does he have a nice ass?" Barb asked and Dana blushed. "I'll assume that's a yes. So why don't you call him?"

"Because he's Mulder's new partner, and it would be very awkward," Scully concluded, finally hitting upon a reason that sounded convincing, if not to Barb, then at least to herself.

Barb recognized the stubborn look on Dana's face. It was the look she wore when she was in the gym and was determined to go another round on the Stairmaster, or in the cafeteria steadfastly refusing a piece of chocolate cake. It was the look Dana wore when she refused something pleasurable because she knew it wasn't a good idea. There was no arguing with that look, Barb knew, and so she was forced to admit defeat.

"Ok," Barb said. "But if you're not gonna call him, can you give me his number? He sounds yummy."

Dana looked shocked for a moment. Barb was at least 50 and the image of her with innocent young Agent Krycek was shocking to say the least. Then Dana caught the grin on her friend's face and knew she was being teased. "He's at least 26, Barb, I'm not sure he could keep up with you."

Barb wrinkled her nose in distaste. "You're right, why bother with tired old men, when there are fresh young graduates out there just dying for a shot at their teachers."

Dana shook her head and gave Barb a look that told her exactly what Dana thought of that option.

Dana turned to look over her reflection in the mirror. She straightened her hair and adjusted the pleats of her vivid blue evening gown. She looked good she realized. The blue dress highlighted the color of her eyes, and she decided she liked it after all.

She had opportunities she realized, and not only with her ex-partner or his new partner or her students. There were men out there that didn't have Mulder's neuroses, or Alex's underdeveloped fashion sense. She would just have to go out and find them. She wasn't on the X-Files anymore; she could have a life.

"Ok, let's go …" Dana said with a smile, as she and Barb left the ladies room.

As the two women drove away, Alex Krycek, dressed in black denim and leather emerged from the bushes and moved through the parking lot towards his own car in order to follow them. Watching Dana Scully had turned out to be one of the least interesting aspects of Krycek's new job, but it was only 10 o'clock -- early even by Scully's standards. He wondered what exactly was going on?

Of course tonight had been unusual from the start. Krycek had never seen Scully dressed like this for one thing. Usually she wore dowdy suits or lab coats and glasses that made her look about as unappealing as he could imagine. He hadn't realized that underneath that hard external shell of professionalism was a beautiful desirable woman. And was she ever desirable tonight! Her blue dress drew all eyes to her curvy figure and showed off the creamy skin of her back. Krycek hadn't been able to tear his eyes away from her earlier as she danced to the sultry music.

As Krycek strode through the parking lot, he attempted to adjust his pants into a more comfortable position around the erection that had been growing steadily ever since Scully had taken the dance floor. He sincerely hoped the women were simply going home early tonight. All he wanted was to return to his little apartment, take a shower, and jerk off, while he imagined Scully kneeling at his feet.

It would be extremely embarrassing to follow Scully into some public place tonight … in his current condition. And while Alex Krycek was a lot of things -- liar, spy, double agent -- one thing he definitely wasn't was a man who liked to attract attention.