AUTHOR: ATX
RATING: PG
SPOILERS: none
SUMMARY: Once love is given it's never truely forgotten.
DISCLAIMER: I don't own anything related to "The X-Files" and I'm not gaining any profit from this story.
FEEDBACK: Appreciated, but not necessary
"I'd like to make a toast to the newlyweds. Josh, I envy you. You get Scully, excuse me, Mrs. Williams all to yourself 24/7. Meanwhile, she is leaving me to work all alone in the basement without any heating or air." Mulder smiled as he saw Scully's eyebrow rise a notch or two at his speech. "Anyways, I want to wish you both the best. And Scully, if you ever need anything, you know where to find me. I'll always be there for you. To the bride and groom." He raised his glass as the crowd repeated his last phrase. Mulder took a gulp of his drink and sat down. Scully smiled at him and then turned to her husband, Josh, and kissed him. Mulder excused himself from the table.
Margaret Scully saw him leave and excused herself as well. She found him leaning against one the giant stone pillars in front of the church. "That was a lovely toast you gave them Fox."
"Yeah and I meant every word of it. I wouldn't even be here if she wasn't so happy."
"And she appreciates that. You don't realize how much you being here means to her. You are her best friend."
"The best friend who can't give her what she needs no matter how hard I try."
"Dana doesn't think of you like that. She relies on you more than she realizes. You have helped her through some of the hardest times in her life."
"And now she has Josh to help her through."
"For heavens sakes Fox, she's just married, not dead. You will always be special to her and she will always be special to you. You don't just lose friends because you don't see them every day."
"She means so much to me. I just don't want to see her get hurt."
"I know that. She knows that. Speaking of her, here she comes."
"Mulder, Mom, is everything ok?" Scully came out and stood by her mother, shivering a little in the October chill.
"Everything is fine. I just sipped a little too much wine on my toast. Got lightheaded." said Mulder.
"Are you alright?" Scully asked, slipping immediately into doctor mode.
"I should probably go make sure that my grandchildren aren't terrorizing anyone inside." said Maggie, slipping away unnoticed.
"Yeah. We should probably go inside. Don't want you to catch a cold right before your honeymoon."
"Mulder, are you sure you're ok?" Scully could tell something was bugging him.
"To quote a partner I once had, 'I'm fine'."
"Mulder, I will always be your partner. You are my friend, someone I have relied on for the past four years. I have shared things with you that I won't tell anyone else, not even Josh. You could never be replaced. You are stuck with me and our friendship.
"Now what are we doing out here, its freezing. Let's go inside before Josh thinks that you've kidnapped me."
"I'd be lying if I said the thought hadn't crossed my mind." Mulder smiled as Scully punched his arm playfully.
As they returned to the room where the reception was being held, the Lone Gunmen came up and gave their congratulations. After Byers and Langly left, Frohike hugged Scully and said, "Don't be a stranger."
Josh came over and told Scully that Bill wanted to speak with her. As she excused herself, both Mulder and Josh watched her go over to her older brother Bill and give him a hug. He had to leave early from the party and wouldn't be back in the States for six months.
"You know, I actually envy you in a way." said Josh.
"What?"
"You and her. When we first met, we got into discussions about work. I learned more about you than I actually did about what you work on. It was Mulder this and Mulder that. You guys have special connection and I won't get in the way of that."
"Likewise. I've never seen Scully so happy. Around you, she comes to life."
Josh smiled and looked fondly at Scully who was feeding her baby nephew his dinner. She was smiling and laughing at something Bill's wife Tara said. "Why don't we go have a beer sometime before we move to South Carolina. How about next week?"
"That sounds good. Would you give my apologies to Dana, please? I have something I need to do."
"Sure." They shook hands and with one last look at Scully, Mulder left.