"You didn't get the proof you wanted Mulder…" Scully looked at him with genuine empathy.

Mulder registered the camera coming towards them, "Hey, you know it all depends on how they edit it together."

Scully smiled and shook her head, "This is going the be a hard one to write up…"

Mulder looked down at the pavement, smiled and then looked up at the camera crew, "You about done?"

The cameraman shrugged, "You guys off duty? Then we're done…"

"In that case we are definitely done." Scully replied emphatically.

"Then we're out of here… See you guys around?" The cameraman said at he started to pack up.

"Would you be dreadfully offended if I said 'not if I see you first'?" Mulder asked.

The cameraman laughed and sauntered away.

Mulder looked at Scully, "Breakfast?"

Scully sighed, "I'm exhausted…I think I just need sleep…"

"You need food as well Scully. How about we stop for food on the way back to the motel? I'm too hyped to sleep right away anyway." He suggested.

Scully managed a weak smile, "Sounds like a plan."

"Need a lift?" One of the deputies asked.

Scully shook her head, "As long as Agent Mulder doesn't mind I think I'd like to walk, it's not far."

Mulder looked surprised, "I thought you were tired?"

"We'll walk slow Mulder…like you said I'm tired but not ready to sleep yet. I saw an all-night dinner not far from our motel."

Mulder shrugged at the deputy, "Whatever the lady wants…"

Scully just started walking and Mulder instinctively followed; when they were side-by-side her slowed down to match her pace.

"I'm definitely an East Coast girl…" Scully observed quietly.

"I thought you spent a lot of time in San Diego growing up?" Mulder asked.

"We were only ever passing through." Scully said simply. "I also hated those cameras…" Scully added.

Mulder laughed, "So all in all you've had a fabulous trip?"

Scully sighed, "Could have been better…" she looked up at Mulder and smiled. She couldn't help but noticed how good he looked. "Busy this evening?"

Mulder pulled a face, "Busy? Me? We're in L.A…"

"You could have a date…" Scully suggested carefully.

Mulder laughed like it was the funniest thing he'd ever heard. He stopped walking and turned to look at her, "Scully I haven't had a date in D.C. for almost eight years why on earth would you think I'd be on a date in L.A?" he asked incredulously.

Scully looked embarrassed and shrugged, "I don't know why I said date, I guess I just didn't want to sound like I was assuming you would be available."

Mulder looked bewildered, "You really are tired Scully…" he said with amusement. "So is there a reason you were asking or were you just trying to draw attention to my complete lack of social life?"

Scully smiled at him and shook her head. Then she started walking again so Mulder joined her, "I thought maybe…I had an idea for possibly clawing some enjoyment back out of this trip. Doing something we might both enjoy."

"Are you coming on to me?" Mulder asked teasingly.

Scully blushed and didn't meet his eyes, "Jesus Mulder, if you're going to be an ass about it we can just not bother…"

Mulder felt immediately contrite, "I'm sorry…I don't know why I said that Scully. Really, what did you want to do?"

"They have open evenings at the observatory in Griffith Park," she said still not meeting his eyes. "We have the evening off so I thought we could go...to the park…maybe take some food…look at the stars…"

Mulder almost swallowed his tongue, Scully wanted to go on a picnic and look at the stars…with him?

He tried to sound calm, "I…that sounds like fun Scully…I'd like to do that…with you."

Scully smiled and glanced up at his eyes, "Good…I'd like to as well. I'm sorry I snapped before, I know you were only teasing…it's just been a long night...and I really hated those camera's." She repeated.

Mulder smiled in wonder, "That's funny because I know they loved you."

Scully looked up at him in confusion.

"You looked beautiful Scully…" Mulder explained awkwardly.

Scully looked away and didn't reply for almost five minutes as they continued walking. They reached the dinner near the motel and Scully opened the door to hold it open for him.

He nearly tripped onto his ass when he heard Scully murmur, "You looked good too Mulder…" as he passed by her.

They ended up eating at the dinner and then they walked back to the motel at a little after 9am. They stood at their separate doors to their adjoining rooms and looked up at each other.

"So…I'll see you at around 4pm?" Scully asked tentatively.

Mulder nodded, "4pm sounds good…then we can write up some notes and still have time to pick up some food before we…go out."

"Go out…" Scully repeated weirdly.

"So Scully…" Mulder began awkwardly, "…is that what we're doing? Are we…going out?"

"You said you wanted to, have you changed your mind? " Scully said with confusion.

"No, I don't mean…shit…" Mulder moved away from his door and walked towards her slightly, "I meant…the picnic and stargazing…it sounds like…"

"…A date." Scully took pity on him and finished his sentence. "We've been friends for a long time Mulder, our lives are complicated enough…" she started to say.

"Of course…I didn't mean to suggest anything. We're friends Scully…of course we're friends…you're my best friend...and best friends go out all the time." Mulder felt embarrassed that he'd misread things.

"I was going to say that things are complicated enough without forcing labels onto things," she clarified. "You are my best friend Mulder, we're more than that I think…I know we're more than that…but let's just have some fun okay?"

"Fun…" Mulder repeated with a smile, his heart beating faster than his exterior betrayed. "Fun sounds like…fun."

Scully laughed, "I think we need a break…the last few months have brought us both some closure. Is it selfish of me to admit that I need to spend some time with you? Some personal time…so that I can reassure myself that you really are…okay."

Mulder nodded understandingly, "I am you know? I really am okay. In fact I think I'm better than I've been in a long time...and…well...I have you."

Scully felt tears spring to her eyes and she lifted her hand to his cheek, "Get some sleep Mulder…I'll see you in a few hours."

Mulder surprised her when he tilted his head and kissed her palm. He ignored the small gasp that Scully couldn't hold back and he smiled affectionately, "Sleep well Scully…"

Then he turned, slipped into his room, shut the door and leaned his back against it – things were changing and maybe now he was finally ready to move on with his life.