She licked her lips nervously hoping she could word this right so that Mulder wouldn't say no. He was watching her curiously as he had since she told him she had a request.

"Agent Reynolds asked if you and I would go down to the Green Man pub for a couple of drinks after work tonight." Mulder reacted as she expected, he rolled his eyes.

"No thanks,"

"Mulder… it would mean a lot if you would come along." She didn't know why. She certainly felt less comfortable around the other agent's since being assigned to the x-files two years ago… She knew their nicknames were Mr. & Mrs. Spooky. She also knew that it would give their colleagues more to gossip about if they went together… But for some reason she just wanted to have him there with her. She wanted to be liked by the others – she knew it wasn't necessarily going to happen – but she felt she should try.

"Scully… Why do you want to go?" He frowned. "Is Agent Reynolds the one who asked you to lunch the other day?"

"Yes," she shook her head – knowing where he was going with this. "I declined Mulder, you know this." He cocked his head to the side as if thinking things over.

"Alright, I'll go." She smiled with relief.

"Thanks," she told him and returned to her computer screen. She wanted to finish her report in time to at least get to the bathroom and freshen up. She had no interest in Agent Reynolds, not in a sexual way. She did want to be friends with him though and some of the other agent's. Maybe it would stop the rumours around the office if they realized she and Mulder were not so strange after all.

..

"Ready?" She popped her head into the office just after 5.00pm and Mulder was draining the last of his coffee.

"Yeah," he sighed aloud. "Are we taking one car?"

"I don't mind." She wanted to make this as easy on him as possible. Sometimes they took just one of their cars and left the other at work at the end of the day. Admittedly it would probably give credence to the rumour she and Mulder were sleeping together – so she hoped he would suggest they took their own cars tonight.

"Let's just take one." She had a feeling he was testing her somehow so she quickly answered yes and grabbed his jacket for him. She held it out and helped him put it on and he placed his hand on her back as usual using his free hand to switch the light off and shut and lock the office door.

He was quiet on the drive over and when they got out of the car he walked on ahead. She shrugged it off though and hurried to catch up.

She entered the smoky pub not far behind Mulder and spotted Agent Reynolds straight away. She pointed him out and Mulder made a bee line for the table.

"Hi-ya Scully," Agent Reynolds stood and took her hand in his giving her a firm hand shake. He then took Mulder's and did the same. The two men locked eyes for longer than necessary before Mulder took a seat in the booth. He didn't leave space for her so she dragged a nearby chair over.

"Thanks for inviting us Agent Reynolds," she looked around the table and found it was all men. She was fairly used to this though. The FBI was still mostly filled with men.

"It's my pleasure." Agent Reynolds told her. "You can call me Mike," he told her and then as an afterthought included Mulder in this. To his credit Mulder's face remained neutral. Mike then proceeded to introduce them to Agent Falker, Agent Taylor and Agent Sparrow. They all looked like Reynolds to her, and even wore almost matching black suits.

"I'll go get us a drink, Scully. What do you want?" Mulder asked. She knew he already knew what she drank but answered him with the usual brand of beer she liked anyway - for appearances sake. Once he had left, the others seemed to relax a little.

"It's supposed to snow tonight," Taylor said taking a mouthful of his beer.

"Where did you hear that?" Sparrow asked and rolled his eyes before looking over at Scully. "Taylor is notoriously wrong when it comes to the weather."

"I am not!" Taylor responded indignantly.

"Have to agree with Sparrow buddy." Reynolds said with a chuckle. The conversation turned to partners. It turned out Sparrow and Taylor were partners. Normally when they came here after work Reynolds partner Galloway would be here too – but he had to get home early to the wife today as she was due to have her baby any day now.

Mulder returned and sat quietly listening and she felt sorry for him. Maybe she shouldn't have dragged him along. So far there had been no mention of aliens though which pleased her – she had seen their colleagues tease him mercilessly in the hallways at work. Mulder seemed to let it all slide of his back like water on a duck – but she also knew that Mulder would like his search for the truth to be taken a little more seriously. She personally didn't think that would be happening anytime soon though.

"Excuse me," she pointed to the bathroom. On her way over a man grabbed her arm and tugged her over to him.

"Hey, lady." She ripped her arm free and looked up at him. He was grinning drunkenly and she gave him an angry look. "Ooooh, gotta feisty one lads." He laughed and his friends looked over leering at her.

"Good bye." She said angrily and turned to go. This time one of the others grabbed her arm.

"Like your suit lady," she went to remove her arm from the new man's clutches but he squeezed harder. She slapped his arm and growled angrily.

"Let me go," he did. She rubbed her arm and then a blur of movement to her right made her squint to see what was happening. Her eyes widened when she realized Mulder was speaking angrily to the first man. She moved closer again to listen.

"Heeeeeeey dude…. She your gurrrrrlfren or somethin'?" The man said slurring his words. He seemed to think the whole situation was funny.

"No," Mulder said but she could see the anger in his face. "Don't lay a finger on her again – or else I'll-" before he could finish the second man moved closer to Mulder and told him to bugger off they were just having a little fun. Mulder turned to the man in surprise. "She didn't look happy." The man turned and leered at her again and she stepped forward to tell Mulder to leave it.

"If she ain't yours, then it's none of your business." The first man told Mulder and ran a hand down her bare arm and she wished she hadn't taken her jacket off. It made her feel disgusting. Before she could say anything Mulder's fist flew into the man's stomach. She grabbed his arm and tried pulling him away but when the man – now doubled over with pain – spat at Mulder's feet he yanked his arm from her grip and punched him in the jaw.

"Mulder!" She yelled and this time grabbed his arm in a better grip and managed to lead him a few feet away before the bouncer came over and told Mulder to get out. She waved at the agent's they had been sitting with and saw them watching the situation play out in interest. She raised her hands palms up and mouthed sorry before following Mulder out.

"That bastard," Mulder muttered angrily.

"Mulder you shouldn't have done that." She was just as angry as him now, but for a different reason. "I can look after myself!"

"They made me sick. I could see the way they looked at you Scully. Like you were a piece of meat!" He put his hand on her back but she pushed him away.

"I'm not helpless Mulder." They stopped walking and he turned to look her in the eye, the anger in him seemed to disappear and he reached forward and tucked a piece of hair behind her ear.

"I know you aren't helpless Scully, I've seen you kick ass before." He suddenly grinned. "It's pretty hot actually." Somehow this made her feel flattered but she held in her smile.

"Next time someone hits on me, maybe just let me do my thing then, okay?"

"I can't make any promises." He told her seriously. She rolled her eyes, but let him get away with it – for now.

The End.