I had to find out if Scully was okay with this new development in our-relationship or partnership- whatever you want to call it. So, I did the unthinkable. I walked over to Scully, looked into her eyes, and quickly kissed her. I didn't trap her. It was a light kiss. I didn't use my hands to hold her. I just bent down and gave her a little peck. I figured that would be the quickest way to get my answer. She would either slap me or kiss me back. Well, that's what I thought she might do. I was wrong, yet again. Always keeping me guessing.

Scully paused for a brief second. She looked lost in thought. I thought for a millisecond I saw a smile, but it soon turned into a frown. "Mulder..." crap! "Wait, Scully, tell me you didn't want that. Tell me you didn't feel anything, and we can just walk away from this and forget about it." I wanted to give her an out. "Would you stop assuming things, Mulder. That's incredibly irritating. You never let me talk." She looked madder than a bat out of hell. "I was going to say, now isn't the time. I didn't mind the kiss, but I think we need to talk about this case. It's not going to go away. I know I'd feel an incredible weight lifted of my shoulders. Wouldn't you?" She says this all pretty quickly, with complete ease, almost as if she was going through the scenario in her head before I got here. Let's be honest, she probably was. My Scully was nothing, if not prepared. I realize I zoned out. She is giving me the eyebrow. "Yeah, I guess you're right."

Scully walked over to her cabinet where she kept her tea and snacks that I loved so much. She grabbed all the essentials and put them on her coffee table. Plopping down she asked, "where should we begin, Mulder?" I was nervous, and I didn't want to have this talk...ever. "How about the beginning?" She gave a frustrated sigh. "Fine. If you're going to get smart, I will go first!" Right after she said that, I knew she wasn't going to hold anything back. She was going to let all hell break loose.

"Will you relax. I am not going to yell at you!" That is the one bad thing about our partnership. We have come to read each other better than most married couples. " I just want to start off by saying how incredibly foolish you were. You were told not to play the game, but you did it anyway. Why, Mulder. Did you do it to prove me wrong? Did you do it because you had to be the hero?" I went to answer her, " I d-," but she cut me off. "No, Mulder, you don't get to talk now. It's my turn." I thought she said she wasn't going to yell. Liar!

"You should have waited until I got there, Mulder. I am glad you at least called me, but you should have waited. You pursued her by yourself, and that is how she zeroed in on your weakness. Maybe this will be a lesson to not ditch your partner." If Scully thinks this will teach me, maybe she doesn't know me. She is completely on the dot though. If I would have waited until she arrived, and we went in together, we would probably not be in this little boat. All I can do it nod my head. I didn't want to speak out of turn and start another yelling match.

"Mulder, what would you have done if you did shoot me?" I sit there staring at her, realizing she wanted an answer. "I don't know, Scully. But I agree with you 110 percent." Her eyes go wide. "Wait a minute. You agree with me? You are saying I am right?" She looks so cute when she is being skeptical. I think that is my favorite thing about her. Well, one of my favorite things about her. "I would have lost my mind, Scully. I had hoped it wasn't that obvious. Apparently, everyone knows how I feel about you, though." She rolls her eyes. "Yeah, everybody except me. Why are we so vague with each other, Mulder?"

I gave her question some serious thought. I thought that by telling her how I felt, it would ruin us. I know Scully pretends to be the Ice Queen, which is awesome during cases, but I know she's the opposite. She might be ridged, but she is ridged in a wonderful way. I love her for the way she is. I love the Ice Queen.

"I think we are like that to each other, because we are scared of the truth." Is this case literally going to make me confess my love. Ah, what the hell. If I don't do it now, I am going to do it later. So, I might as well do it now while the time is right. "I can't live without you, Scully. Even if I could, I wouldn't want to. Linda Bowman was pissed off at me for taking the one thing in life that she loved and couldn't live without. So, in turn, she tried to do the same to me by using you. It was a genius plan, really."

I look at Scully, and her baby blues were wet and gigantic. I am afraid that I scared her with my truth, but almost as soon as I saw her fear, I saw her happiness. She gave me a genuine Scully smile that reached her eyes. I cannot tell you the relief I felt. "So, does this mean I am off the hook?" I had to ask. "I am not as angry and before, but you aren't completely off the hook." I nod my head understanding. I wouldn't let me off the hook either. What I did to Scully was out of line. I know my face must have fallen because Scully immediately allayed my fears. "Mulder, I will forgive you. I just need time. You scared me. You know I understand it wasn't your fault. But, I do want to be honest with you. I don't want to hide how I felt. If we truly want to start something, we have to be honest and open with each other. No more hiding how we feel."

I was excited. It was going to be hard to be vulnerable around Scully and share my feelings, but I wanted to respect her wishes. I didn't want to mess up this new found relationship. This was my once in a life time opportunity of happiness, and I will be damned if I watch it sail by me. "I will do my best, Scully." I gave her the scouts honor.

She giggled and leaned in half way to kiss me. I, of course, returned the favor, and I bent my head down and kissed her. This time the kiss was passionate and fulfilling. I used my hands to gently hold her head. I heard a moan escape her ruby lips and that was all I needed. I deepened the kiss and slid my tongue in. We broke for air and she smiled up at me. We were going to be alright. I saw it in her eyes. I knew she had already forgiven me. If you ask me, I was happier than I'd ever been. I should be thanking Modell, not cursing him. Life was good and it was only going to get better. "Are you ready for bed, Mulder?" See, like I said... life is good.

The End!

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