The Birthday
Summery: This is going to be a little one-shot about how Mulder's friends decide to help him celebrate his birthday this year. Note: this occurs in timeline after the X-Files movie, where I think their relationship took a definitive turn (don't worry if you haven't seen it, it doesn't contain spoilers) Also, this story is a separate work from my others. As always, please R & R.
Disclaimer: I OWN nothing & CLAIM nothing!
Special agent Fox Mulder awoke to his alarm on his couch at the same time he did every morning, it wasn't until he glanced at the date on his cell phone as he was making his way out the door forty five minutes later that he realized that today was his birthday. Though it did not matter, after his mother's death, his birthday had become just another day.
Mulder was surprised to find a small wrapped present sitting in the middle of his desk when he arrived at work that morning. "Scully, you shouldn't have!" He said as he looked it over. "Don't look at me; it was there when I came in this morning. Mail service must have delivered it." Scully had become quite the capable liar over the years & he was no longer able to tell weather or not she was telling the truth. He opened the small package & found a fancy envelope. "That's an invitation to the 'Grand Ballroom' its one of the fanciest restaurants in the city." Scully said matter of factly as she looked over his shoulder at it. "It says that I can bring a guest. I know its short notice, but are you doing anything tonight, Scully?" He asked as he turned his chair to face her. "I think I can make it... I'll have to meet you there; I have some things to take care of before hand." She replied.
Mulder arrived at the Grand Ballroom on time, he adjusted the bowtie on his tux irritably, the one thing he hated about fancy restaurants, they were almost always black tie only. He got his second shock of the evening when the gunmen met him at the entrance, also dressed in their best. "I didn't even think you three owned anything fancier then a tuxedo printedT shirt." Mulder teased them. "We don't, they're rentals." Frohike said as they followed him inside.
"Wow." Mulder said under his breath as he took in the high vaulted ceilings of the entry way & the breath-taking crystal chandelier that hung above the hostess' station. "Name?" The youngish woman asked without looking up from her appointmentbook. "Mulder." Frohike said as he, Langley & Byers came to stand beside him. "Table five." She said as pointed with her pen to a pair of double doors to their right.
"Would you get a load of the carpet? It's Italian!" Byers said as he studied the ground in front of him, they all suddenly bumped into Mulder, who had stoppedhalf way totheir table. Not that he noticed, because all he could see was Scully. She had spotted them just before hand & was walking over to meet them; she was wearing a midnight blue floor-length strapless evening dress. "I'm glad you three could make it." Scully said as they followed her to the table as the waiter arrived to take their orders.
Mulder found that he was unable to take his eyes off his partner during dinner; the small voice of his conscience told him that it was a rude to blatantly stare at someone but he justwasn't ableto tear his gaze away from her. Scully had always been such a completely beautiful person, both inside & out, her perfection was almost absolute, & it had never been as clear to him as he sat, basking in soft light that was her beauty.
"Were your meals to your liking?" the waiter asked as he picked up their plates. "Shall I fetch a dessert menu this evening?" "That would be awesome, thanks." Frohike said. "Don't you want any dessert, Mulder? It is your birthday after all." Scully inquired when he didn't ask to see the menu. "Actually what I'd really like is to dance." Mulder replied, to Scully's complete surprise as he led her to the ballroom.
"I didn't know you were such a good dancer." Scully said as they swept around the vast marble floor of the ballroom to abeautiful sixteenth century waltz. "It's not something that I readily advertise; mom made me take dance classes as a punishment for stealingfrom the store when I was a kid, I guess what I learned stuck." Mulder replied with a laugh as they headed to the bar for a quick rest & a drink. "Just for reference, most women find a man that knows how attractive." Scully said as she took a sip of her club soda. "I'll have to remember that then." Mulder quipped, his eyebrow raised as the band struck up a very inviting swing number. "Come on." Mulder said as he took her hand.
"Damn it, I told those three to wait for me." Scully said as she glared at the blank parking space where their van once sat, the oil stain on the faded asphalt was the only evidence that it had been there. "It's okay; I told them that I was driving you home." Mulder said as he guided her to his car. "But, this isn't the way to my apartment." Scully said, unable to entirely keep the suspicion out of her voice. "I know it's not, but it's not very far out of the way." Mulder said as he turned onto an unkept country road.
Theydrove for what seemed like ages until Mulder put the car in park. "Okay, what am I supposed to be looking for?" Scully said as she strained to see though the inky abyss that lay five feet beyond the front of their car "You'll see." He replied as he check his watch, not even five minutes after he had spoken, the sun rose over their backs, illuminating the city of Washington DC, which was coated in a blanket of thick fog. "It's just like the ocean." Scully said, awestruck as she leaned forward, taking in the beauty of the moment.
"Scully I wanted to thank you; for supporting my theories when others laughed, for standing with me when no one else dared to & having the courage & the heart to tell me off when Igo too far. They say that you were sent down to debunk my theories, but sending you down there turned out to be their worst mistake." He said, his expression showing every bit of love & respect that he held for her. "You don't know what hearing that means to me, for so long I saw myself as a burden to you." She said as tears began to stream down her face. "In the beginning, you were, but not in the way you think. Your approval & your opinions came to matter more then anyone else's ever will. I know what you gave up to stay with me on the X-Files & I won't ever be able to repay you for that." "Just knowing what it means to you is enough." Scully said tearfully, & then much to her surprise, Mulder suddenly pulled her to him in a very intimate hug. "I love you, Scully." He whispered into her ear. Upon hearing this, Scully was so overcome with happiness that she was unable to control her emotions any longer. "For so long I hoped that it was true, that my own feeling weren't in vain." She said as they tightened their embrace around one another.
Fin