Honestly, she didn't mind the beard. It could trigger thoughts of some of his rough days, but she knew enough to be able to separate the memory from the thing. Also, it had looked good on him, was a nice combination with the tuxedo.
"I do hope you are enjoying what you're seeing, 'cause I've just been staring for a while now and I'm kinda getting worried here" his comment was accompanied by a playful smile and an expression of faux worry.
She smiled back and finally hang the coat she had been holding.
"You okay?" he asked, still smiling but his tone now had a hint of worry to it.
Scully glanced over her shoulder and nodded. "Could you unzip me, please?"
Mulder smirked and shook his head before approaching her, one of his hands placed on her shoulder while the other took its precious time as he pulled the zipper down exposing her skin to his eyes. She could feel his gaze on her flesh.
He stopped at the Ouroboros in the small of her back, where the zipper ended. She held the white fabric against her chest with her hand. Then felt his warmth as he got closer and planted a gentle kiss at the curve of her neck, a quiet gesture of appreciation that held way more meaning than it could be defined at that point. They're busy now, something else in mind.
Long ago the idea of getting married had left her and it probably had left his mind too; now, laying at each other's side, breaths slowly getting quiet, there was something about that felt inevitable, at least, between the two of them.
There seemed to be no point in not doing it, after all, it didn't matter how far they end, somehow, they collapsed back together, pulled to each other like magnets.
There was no one else she would trust and there was no one else he could trust. It almost made her wonder why hadn't they done it before.
Her hand searched for his like she had done once at the first hint of conscience, there was a sense of stability and safety in his presence. As if hell could break loose around them, but if they stuck together everything would be fine.
She wanted to believe such thing was true.
Dana closed her eyes and felt him kiss her forehead, his hand holding hers, his thumb caressing her skin.
Perhaps, like happiness, peace was made of moments, something that was there and you just had to stop and see it. She found that the two could look pretty much like the same.
So, with a smile on her lips and happiness and peace quietly laying in her heart like sleeping wolves, Scully fell asleep with Mulder at her side and not a worry in her mind.