Disclaimer: "Agent Mulder was my idea!"

A/N: So glad that I have my groove back with writing (for now at least). Once again this is for Gillyfan, who is basically amazing, even if she doesn't realize it : ) oh, and I love how some of you already dislike Michael, even though he hasn't been introduced, so I blame what is said about him & how he is described on you guys for planting this idea of him in my head lol.

xXx

As she walks through the Pentagon to her father's office, Dana can't help but think back to her arrival home yesterday afternoon. Everything had seemed great, she was home after missing her family and she was going to spend the evening with Michael. She never expected to meet her father's mysterious aide, Mulder. She vaguely remembers her father mentioning him throughout the years. He'd mentioned the bright son of William Mulder before and something about him attending college at Oxford, in England. She is intrigued by him, their brief encounter leaving a mark on her brain. There is something mysterious about him that makes her want to know everything, especially how an Oxford educated man become an aide, to the Assistant Director of Strategy and Policy at the Pentagon.

"Dana?" She startles as she hears her name, realizing that she was lost in her thoughts. As she turns, she also realizes the man that called her name is the very man her thoughts were occupied by.

"Mulder, hello."

"Hi." He states, unsure of what to say next. He isn't even sure why he called her name in the first place. He had been walking behind her ever since she went through security and had an internal debate the whole time on whether or not he should get her attention. Right as he was about to let her keep walking without calling attention to himself, he called her name.

"How are you doing?" She asks, breaking the silence, he looks nervous, about as nervous as she feels.

"I'm doing fine, here to see your father for lunch?"

"Yes, I am, is he in his office?"

"The last I saw he was. Care to walk together?" He asks with a smile.

"Sure." She replies, who can say no to that smile, she thinks.

"So…" He starts, unsure of why he even asked to walk with her when he can't seem to form a coherent statement.

"So…Mulder, your father is Bill Mulder, correct?" He inwardly cringes, of all the conversations that he can have with Dana, his father is not on that list.

"Yes, have you met him?"

"I have. He speaks very highly of you."

He knows that his father does, and has been proud of him ever since he made his decision to go to Oxford and now taking this job he can only imagine what his father says about him.

"I know." Is his only response. "So, two weeks in Panama. You'll have to tell me all about it." He starts as they approach the door to the outer office of her father's. "I haven't been there in years."

"Oh, you've been? It's gorgeous this time of year." He wants to reply that it isn't as gorgeous as she is, but then chastises himself for even thinking it. He doesn't even know this woman, let alone the fact that she has a boyfriend should be enough of a warning signal for him to stay away.

"I bet." Is all that he says in return. "Well, let me get your father for you. Can I get you anything to drink while you wait?"

"No, thank you."

As he disappears into her father's office she can't help but think about how attractive and polite he is. Save it, Dana, her inner voice injects, he's probably like that with all the woman he meets, besides, you shouldn't be concerned about how attractive he is, you have Michael.

Michael.

That's a subject that she is not looking forward to talking about with her father. He thinks Michael is perfect for her, but as the months go by, she herself is beginning to doubt that. It's not that he has done anything wrong and she knows that he is perfect, she just knows that he might be perfect for someone else. He's two years older than her and has the means to become one of the top lawyers that Maryland has ever seen. The only thing is that he doesn't like the idea of Dana going to medical school. He feels that once he receives his law degree and is able to start his own practice they should get married, have a bunch of kids and Dana should take care of them.

Marriage and children are something that Dana has thought of, she just has never been sure of when. Last night didn't help matters either. It seems that every time she and Michael are together everything is going wonderful, then he brings up marriage and children and how he doesn't think that she should go to medical school because she will just get pregnant during the middle of it and it will be a waste of money. So of course, during their dessert Michael brought it up again and of course, it was the same fight. By the end of it Dana ended up at her parent's house before the night was over.

xXx

"Captain Scully?"

"Ahh, Mulder, there you are. Is Dana here yet?"

"Yes, she just walked in the door, sir."

"Okay good. Listen, I am going to need a favor." The captain states as he and Mulder walk to his outer office to greet Dana.

"Sure, sir. Anything you need." He knows that tone that was just used on him, the no nonsense 'I'm asking for a favor but you better do it even if you don't want to' tone. His father has used it on him multiple times throughout his life.

"Ahab."

"Starbuck, right on time. Good."

"Are you ready to go?" She asks as she stands up from the chair she was sitting on.

"Actually, I am not going to be able to make it. I have a very important meeting to attend, but Mulder here has agreed to go with you instead."

Mulder is a little shocked at the Captain's statement, he's just been thrown into something that he thinks he might not be ready for. Every time he is around Dana he is unable to form a coherent sentence.

Dana can't help but feel a little excited at the prospect of being able to actually spend time with this man who she has been so intrigued by. She tries to add a little disappointment into her voice when she speaks so that her father doesn't realize that she actually doesn't mind going to lunch with Mulder instead.

"But daddy, you promised."

"I know I did and I will make it up to you later on." He pulls her into a hug and places a kiss on her forehead. "Now, you two go and make sure you take him to your favorite place darling. Here, it's on me." He hands her his credit card and takes his leave, giving a still shocked Mulder a quick glance before he closes his office door.

"So" Dana turns to face Mulder.

"So…" He replies, finally coming out from being shocked to nervous. "Shall we?" He asks as he goes to open the door for her.

"Yes, lets. You are going to love this place."

He follows her out the door. Now the excitement is setting in for him, he still cannot wrap his mind around what is drawing him to her, but he isn't going to let that deter him from getting to know Dana Scully more.

xXx

Inside his office, Captain Scully smiles to himself.

"I am one brilliant man." He says to no one in particular. His little set up went off without a hitch and he almost wishes that he had a camera to capture the look on Mulder's face. He can't believe that they both fell so easily for his excuse of having a meeting, especially Mulder, his own aide should know his schedule better than himself. Yet he knows that since yesterday Mulder has been a little preoccupied, with thoughts of Dana no doubt.

He saw the connection and intrigue that they both had in their brief meeting the day before and he just knew. When he went to bed that night and told Maggie about it, she told him not to interfere, especially because of Michael. But no matter how much he likes Michael, he knows that he is not the man for Dana long term and Mulder, he might just be that man.

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