"Mulder, how am I supposed to work like this?" She said when they stepped into their office. He could hear the frustration in her voice, whining in protest. He stood in the doorway of their office, the small confined space in the basement that held more than a quarter of a century of memories, all of it tightly cramped into what little space they had.
His own desk had seen better days and he really couldn't blame Scully at the moment. Sometimes she just reached a point when she couldn't take it anymore and she got so fed up that he gave in and tidied the mess that he called his workspace, that was hers most of the time, too.
It was only Wednesday and yet it felt like this week had been endless already. They had a lot of work to do; they still had a number of reports to hand in, which meant that Scully had plenty to write and he would try to sort out their travel bills and hand them over to the finance department. It was then that he remembered to add the upcoming ones while he was at it, wondering whether he would get to anything before they were supposed to be on a plane tomorrow morning.
In just a couple of hours they would be heading to California to help out on a case; all this work for a quick review and Scully hoped that it wouldn't take more than the two days they had asked for. Given their field of work, and her experience, it usually turned into something more complicated real quick.
"Scully it's gonna be fine," he said, carefully pushing past her.
He walked behind his desk, attempting to tidy it up a little and make some space for her. She sighed dramatically and he tried not to smile, he knew that she was slightly irritated for various reasons and it was adorable but he didn't want to tease her any further.
She looked a little lost, positively annoyed while she waited for him finish his futile attempt to make it all a little less messy. She turned around, wondering what to do. Maybe she could just go home and work from there, she thought but the truth was that she was trying not to take work home. She didn't want that any longer. It wasn't always possible, she knew that but she had made that decision a while ago and the whole thing would be a bit easier if she had her own desk.
She had given up on that years ago, she couldn't even be bothered any longer. Scully had always said that it didn't matter because she didn't want them to give her one after such a long time just because she wouldn't stop nagging about it. It was something they should have done right from the beginning without her having to ask for it.
She had mentioned it to Mulder every once in a while but somehow it had never been a serious conversation, something that had been brushed off as a rather pointless matter but deep inside she knew that she had always been serious.
His main argument, she thought while she carefully turned around, was that there wasn't enough space. Scully had to admit that he did have a point but it was also a problem that could be eradicated if he got rid of some of the junk that he had collected over the years.
"There you go," he said and walked around his desk, putting his hands on her hips. Slowly he guided her to his chair and she sat down with a sigh.
"Thank you," she said and opened her laptop.
He sat down in the chair in front of his desk, watching her. She was tense and pretty irritated and he tried to think of something he could do for her. He knew he was supposed to be doing paperwork but he had something else on his mind.
Mulder had thought about it before but something had always come in between but maybe now was the right time, he knew that she needed a bit of cheering up. He smiled, thinking that what he had planned would take a few more days. Hopefully his surprise would be ready by the time they returned from California but was there something he could do for her now?
It was getting late and she was dying to go home and pack because she hated being unprepared for any kind of trip and he couldn't imagine her being in the mood for a quickie in the office at the moment.
He chewed on his pencil, a cheeky smile on his face, trying to figure out the best way to seduce her so that she wouldn't turn him down. He just wanted her to relax, she didn't even have to do anything, he would do all the work for her.
As if she could hear him think she looked up from the screen, casting him a sidewards glance; she immediately raised an eyebrow at him.
"No," she said and he chuckled.
"I haven't said anything," Mulder said, trying to act innocent.
"You haven't said that very loudly," she said and he noticed that the clicking on the keyboard had stopped. "Will you just sit there and watch me work? You might as well tidy up a bit around here," she said and pointed towards the back of their office. He didn't move an inch but he loved it when she was bossy.
"I don't know what you're talking about, Scully," he said and she sighed.
She pushed herself away from the table and rose to get a file to finish the report. He took his chance and got up, walking to where she stood in front of the cabinet. He lingered behind her, pressing against her slowly.
"Mulder," she said softly without looking up from the document she was reading.
"Scully," he said with a trace of amusement in his voice.
He brushed her hair aside, gently kissing the exposed skin of her neck. She tried to wriggle away from him, not giving in to the sweet temptation because she was annoyed and she wanted to be angry at something. She was tired, hungry and hadn't had a proper meal in days and she just wanted to be mad; at their messy little office and their irregular working hours, combined with mounting paperwork.
She shook her head and sighed, her defenses slowly fading at the touch of Mulder's hands on her hips. She tried not to smile because even that annoyed her.
"Can't you just let me be angry for a little while?" She protested and found herself leaning back against him.
"I admit it is cute but the answer is no," he whispered, his breath hot against her skin.
"There's so much work to do before we have to leave," she said half-heartedly and turned around, trapped between the filing cabinet and the smug grin on his face.
"I'll make it quick," he said and she rolled her eyes at him.
He didn't miss the tiniest hint of a smile that crossed her lips although she was trying hard to hide it.
"You are terrible," she said and looked up at him.
Mulder wasted no time, capturing her lips in a gentle kiss and Scully couldn't help but give in, forgetting about her reports for a moment. She parted her lips, slipping her tongue between his lips, moaning into his mouth and he knew he had won. Scully closed her eyes, allowing herself to indulge in this little moment of sweetness and she'd lie saying it didn't make her feel better, every touch of his slowly roaming hands caressing the stressful week away.
Just when she seemed to be getting a little too comfortable in the embrace she broke the kiss and put her hands flat against his chest, pushing him away from her. He didn't say anything, wondering how long she would keep pretending that she hadn't made up her mind already.
"We shouldn't do this now," she said and walked back to his desk with Mulder close behind.
He reached out for her, grabbing her by the hips before she was out of reach. She gasped at his sudden move, protesting when he pulled her against him once more and her sounds of protest slowly turned into laughter.
"That doesn't mean we can't," he whispered against Scully's neck, his hands slowly wandering to her tummy until he cupped her breasts through her shirt, causing her to sigh softly and he felt her relax against him.
"You could stop pretending hard to get and we'll get back to work real soon. I know this will be on your mind all day now. It will tease you and you'll wonder just how I bend you over that desk and take you," he whispered into her ear and she whimpered softly at his words, her body suddenly alert, awakening in all the right places.
"What if someone hears us?" She tried.
"Has that ever bothered you before?"
"We should lock the door," she said, arching into the touch of his hands.
"Was that a yes?" He asked with a hint of surprise, playing the innocent one. "We're in the basement, Scully. No one ever comes down here."
Yes, Scully thought. Only when it's most inconvenient.
He turned her around with one swift movement, causing her to cry out with surprise. Mulder scooped her up in his arms and walked around the table, putting her down where she was just working. He pushed the laptop aside without taking his eyes off Scully, instantly praying that he wouldn't knock it off the table, and moved in on her. He kissed her a little more urgent than before and Scully found herself giving in, slowly melting into the kiss. She hummed appreciatively, her hands around Mulder's neck.
She hated that she had given in so easily; pretending that she didn't want it hadn't lasted quite as long as she had thought it would and the truth was that it made her feel better. Her anger had vanished when Mulder had wrapped his arms around her and she didn't even remember why she had been so moody in the first place. She spread her legs, allowing Mulder to step closer.
Scully parted her lips, deepening the kiss while Mulder's hands attempted to find his way into her panties and she immediately cursed her choice of clothing. A skirt would have been a lot easier; he knew the drill. Sex in the office meant only taking off as many clothes as necessary and she was to keep her bra on at all times. She would try to maintain at least a bit of decency should anyone walk in on them.
"I hate you," she whispered between kisses and he laughed, urging her to lift her hips a little.
For someone who had been trying to avoid having sex in this place for years she had always been very responsive when it happened. She loved the sudden distraction, the thrill of the moment and the fear that someone might walk in on them at any given time.
Mulder sat down in his chair, not having thought this through but he would make the best of what they had. One by one he took her heels off, finally helping her out of her trousers. He watched her, leaning back on her elbows, sitting on his desk in her panties. He could see the sparkle in her eyes, encouraging him and he felt his cock throb in his pants.
"You are so beautiful," Mulder whispered, his fingertips gently teasing her through the damp fabric of her panties and he knew they'd be home late today.
Scully walked ahead, opening the door to their office. Although she loved to pretend to hate traveling to other states, this short trip to California had lifted her spirits and the initial anger, that she had felt at the start of the week, had faded and been left behind at the West Coast. He had persuaded her not to go home but head to the office as soon as they landed so they wouldn't be avoiding work and had the whole weekend free to themselves, it was still early after all. He could barely contain his excitement, hoping that everything had worked according to plan. He would have loved to see her face but he hadn't managed to sneak in before her without being suspicious.
Mulder was nervous all of a sudden, because he still had something else on his mind. Something that had been long overdue. Scully stepped inside and stopped talking instantly. Mulder had to admit that he hadn't even been listening to her in the first place; he stood beside her and waited.
"Mulder," she said surprised and excited at the same time, looking at him. „What is this?"
„Looks like a desk to me," he said and smiled at her, leading her to her new workspace. He had arranged for her desk to be positioned in front of his, clearing out a few things that he didn't need any longer like she had asked him to countless times.
"Did you do that?" She asked quietly although that much was obvious, she just didn't know what to say at the moment.
She was looking at her own desk, all nice and empty for now, something she had been waiting for for twenty-five years; it was something so simple but it meant the world to her.
"I was hoping it would be here by the time we get back," he said, urging her to go ahead and she sat down in the chair in front of it.
"Do you like it?" He asked and walked to his own desk because he still had a surprise for her, two surprises in fact and the desk was just the start.
"Yes," she said, a smile on her face.
Scully put her handbag on the empty table in front of her, feeling strangely touched while he produced a name tag from a drawer. He looked at it for an instant, his heart nervously beating in his chest.
"I have something for you," he said and got up, leaning against her desk he put the name tag in front of her. She reached for it and laughed.
"Mrs Mulder," she read and couldn't stop laughing. "No way, that sounds like your mother," she said and leaned back in her chair.
She had never really thought about her last name being ‚Mulder', it sounded weird especially since she was used to being addressed to by her last name.
"You're right," he said, thinking that this wouldn't be the most ideal solution. It sounded strange, even to his own ears but he did have another option.
"How about this one?"
He reached over to his desk, handing her another name tag. She looked at it, a little longer this time before she smiled.
"Mrs. Spooky," she read and laughed. "I like that."
Mulder smiled, crossing his arms in front of his chest. He wondered how long it would take her to get it but he didn't want to give in just yet. He could hear her think but she didn't seem quite so sure as to what to make of it. It used to be his nickname back in the day and he had hated it until the day that it had become somewhat normal and he got used to it. Scully had used it from time to time and the fact that she liked it simply showed that she was on his side, no matter what. She had embraced it and accepted it as a part of her life.
She still smiled at the name and looked up at Mulder who was still watching her patiently. He had no doubt about what was to come because the second part of his surprise wasn't the name tag but something that was hidden in the small desk drawer that she hadn't opened yet.
"You can keep them both," he said. "In case you change your mind."
Scully looked at him, still wondering what was happening. All of a sudden she felt a little nervous, her heart pounding inside her chest and her hands felt sweaty. She reached for both name tags and decided to put them away until she had arranged her belongings and opened the small drawer, her heart skipping a beat when she saw its content.
Hidden in the drawer was a small black box, something that had her trembling all of a sudden.
"Mulder," she whispered and he reached for the box, going down on his knees in front of her. Scully was confused and completely overwhelmed, all rational thinking suddenly wiped from her mind.
"I've thought about a million ways to do this," he said, holding her hand between his. If he was going to do this he would go all in. He laughed at the beautiful woman in front of him and how touched and jittery she suddenly seemed, he'd lie saying that he wasn't slightly nervous himself.
"All those lovely and romantic places that I could have picked but nothing ever seemed right and I believe there couldn't be a more perfect place than this crowded, tiny and terribly lovely basement office where it all has started," he said and she laughed, a wonderful sound that turned into a sob but she took a deep breath and tried to remain calm.
„Twenty-five years ago you walked into my life and it has never been the same again. You changed it for the better in every possible way; you are my constant, my touchstone, my one in five billion," he said, remembering the words he had said to her so many years ago.
"You are the love of my life and nothing will ever change that," he said and Scully bit her lip, tears flooding her eyes. She looked at the ceiling for a second, trying to blink them away.
"I have known it the moment I first saw you and I know it now; I never want to live another minute of my life without you. I know I am not perfect and we've messed up a lot of things but it won't keep me from trying again and again. All I want is you to be happy; you deserve all the happiness in the world, you deserve to be loved and cherished every single day of your life and I will do that for you if you let me," he said and took a deep breath.
"I know I was an idiot for not having done that ages ago but I couldn't live with the thought of never knowing what could have been. I love you, I always have and I always will," he said and looked at her, her face tear stained by now but the smile hadn't faded.
He reached for the box, taking the ring and looked at her.
"Dana Katherine Scully, will you marry me?"
It suddenly seemed to take her a few seconds to process what he had just said, a million stones falling from his heart when she finally took a deep breath and:
„Yes."
Her answer was nothing but a breathy whisper and it made him smile because he had hardly ever seen something throw her off quite like this.
„Yes," she said again, seemingly stunned by the moment and it felt that everything around them was suddenly moving slower and when he took the ring out of the box he finally realized that she had decided not to run the other way but stay with him and it filled him with a tremendous amount of joy.
She looked at their hands when he put the ring on her finger; Mulder chuckled softly when he saw that she was trembling a little.
„You're not gonna faint on me, are you?" he said and looked up at her.
„Oh God, no," she said, laughing nervously. She still couldn't believe that this was happening.
„Come here," he said softly and got to his feet, pulling Scully to her feet. He scooped her up in his arms and she wrapped her arms around his neck, finally kissing him.
Mulder felt relieved, as if a part of him had feared that she would just said ‚no' after all this time. He knew that she had always wanted it, they had talked about it one night in bed not too long ago and it was then that he had made his decision and it felt so right, just like it should be.
After a few moments he put her down, cupping her face with both hands to kiss her one more time. She looked at him, happy and positively shaken but she couldn't stop smiling.
„I think we should get out of here," Mulder said and she looked confused for a second, looking over her shoulder because there was still work to be done.
„But what about…" she tried but he wouldn't let her.
„Don't worry about it," he said.
For years he had put in overtime whenever he could, whenever he didn't have better things to do but now it was time to get out of the office and spend some time with the woman he loved because they still had to catch up on many years of missed opportunities.
„We should go and do something nice," he said, his thumb brushing away the traces of tears. „Whatever you like. We don't have to tell anyone, we'll just tell Skinner we've been investigating a case."
She bit her lip, smiling.
„I love you," she said stood on her tiptoes to kiss him before she grabbed her bag and they left the office for the day.