When exactly did she fall in love with him? Scully couldn't pinpoint a time, place, or occasion, but knew it was a process that happened over time. Each little moment chipped away at her armor of professionalism and left her heart a little more exposed. No matter how much she tried to keep her distance and remain guarded, Mulder's charm, passion, and protectiveness caused her well-established walls to come crashing down.
Over the years, they comforted each other during loss and sat at each other's bedsides in hospitals. Together, they laughed in the rain, argued about field reports, and experienced unexplained phenomenon. They traveled around the globe to rescue one another and faced life and death side by side.
Now, although there are more public displays of affection and frequent sleepovers, their partnership has remained relatively unchanged. Their love for each other was never in question; their actions always spoke volumes.
Despite a mutual understanding that they both loved and trusted each other, the official declaration of "I love you" came out in a very ordinary moment. To both of their surprise, Scully was the one who let it slip.
It was a typical Friday night. With a movie playing in the background, the two of them were challenging each other in an intense game of Scrabble. After spending the week battling monsters, a competitive round of board games and wine helped ease some of the week's stress. Sitting on her apartment floor, Mulder concentrated on the letters in front of him. With his head tilted to the side and a mischievous smirk on his face, he appeared to possess a childlike innocence. Scully rarely had the opportunity to observe him like this. While he was contemplating his next move, she was concentrating on his features. Between his messy hair, slightly pouty lips, and mesmerizing eyes that changed colors depending on his mood, she was overwhelmed with immense affection.
Without thinking, the words automatically escaped Scully's lips.
"I love you."
Immediately, she began to blush. She looked down, embarrassed by her vulnerability and timing. Scully, who was typically cautious and intentional, didn't know why her heart chose that exact moment to verbalize it, but the words left her mouth before her brain could catch up. The words startled Mulder. The cocky, know-it-all g-man suddenly resembled a shy teenager, and for a second, neither one of them knew what to do next. Fortunately, he recovered quickly.
"Oh, you're going to have to try harder than that to distract me. I play to win."
Relieved, Scully started to laugh and lifted her eyes to meet his. Mulder appeared composed, maintaining a straight poker face, and they continued playing the game. Between the friendly competition and moments of laughter, the tension of the week began to dissipate.
By the end of the game, the score was close, causing them to be more strategic with each letter tile. During an intense debate over the use of a triple letter score, he paused and took a long look at her. She was stubbornly attempting to prove her point and giggling in a way that hit him right in the heart; he knew that this was the way he wanted to spend all of his Friday nights.
"Scully?"
"What, Mulder? I already told you that I'm not giving you credit for 'NASA'..."
"I love you too."