Chapter 7
Scully cracked her eyes open and blinked a few times, the house was dark, but she checked her watch anyway. 5:51am. It wasn't worth going back to sleep, so she contented herself with rolling over and watching Mulder sleep.
When he woke up he was face to face with a set of clear blue eyes, staring at him intently.
"Mornin'" He croaked
"Morning," She replied, placing a gentle kiss to his lips "Merry Christmas."
"Merry Christmas to you too Partner."
"DANA! FOX!" A voice yelled from somewhere else downstairs.
"Coming!" She replied, clambering out of the bed and wrapping her robe around herself "Come on Sleepyhead!" She pulled him up and waited - slightly impatiently - for him to pull on an old pair of jogging bottoms.
They walked into the living room, where a bleary eyed Bill was sat, looking in serious danger of dropping his son, who was promtly scooped up by Maggie, who looked as if she had been up for hours.
"Merry Christmas," Mulder spoke softly, trying not to rouse anyone to forcefully from their semi-concious slumber.
"You too," Bill replied "And you Dana, Mom."
"Merry Christmas too you lot too." Scully murmured
"Coffee?" Maggie suggested, as Danni and Tara walked down the stairs, giggling about something. Mulder watched slightly sadly at the sisterly bond Danni and Tara had. Scully was left out, not intentionaly, but still not included. She had had that sort of bond with Melissa, but these other two women were members of the mothers club, a club she would never be part of. He sighed, and made a mental note note not to let Scully be alone, necer again.
"For you Fox?" Maggie asked
"Huh? What?"
"Coffee?"
"Please," He replied "Thanks Mrs Sc-Maggie."
"It's fine Fox." She walked into the kitchen, leaving everyone except Charlie in the sitting room.
By the time coffee was served, Charlie had materialised from upstairs, looking far more refreshed than any of the rest of them.
He sat down next to Danni, and grinned at them all "Merry Christmas!"
"You too," Mulder replied, slipping his arm around Scully's waist.
"Pwesants!" Matty shouted, having fully woken up and realised that some of the presents were for him.
Scully smiled slightly at him, and slid off the sofa and crouched down to his level "Do like presents Matty?"
"YES! Yes Awntie Danwa!"
She laughed softly at his antics, before she scooped him up and stood up, she span round, his little legs kicking out behind him. He squealed in delight, as she pulled him close and flipped him onto his back, she pushed his shirt up and blew a couple of raspberries on his stomach. She span him around one final time, before setting him down gently. He toddled off, nearly falling over, she placed a hand on his head to steady him, then wandered off to the kitchen, to see if she could help in anyway with breakfast.
"She'd be a great mother." Charlie murmured
"I know," Mulder sighed "And I wish she could be, for both our sakes."
"Both?"
"I want children too, as much as she does, and I only really told her yesterday, I don't think it registered either, but it's not the same for me, I could, she can't and I don't want her to think she's taking something away from me that I want, she doesn't need the guilt as well as the pain."
"Christ man, you two have some serious issues."
"I'll drink to that!" He took a swig of coffe before pulling a face "Yuck!"
"Yuck?" Scully poked her head around the door
"I drank some of your coffee, no sugar."
"Smooth." She raised an eyebrow and went back to the cooking.
He grinned at her, she seemed a lot more cheerful after their argument/conversation.
"So you got laid yesterday." Charlie continued conversationally.
"What!" Mulder spluttered
"It was obvious, you and Dana were both grinning like Chesire bloody cats!" He laughed, at Mulder's shocked expression.
"Was it that obvious?"
"Yep," Charlie confirmed
"Didn't you lot mind?"
"Well, Bill did and Mom would prefer that you were married, but overall we do just want Dana to be happy."
"It's her who's unsure about marriage, not me, I'd be happy to marry her today."
"She'll come round, it's just a bit of a shock, she's never felt like she's good enough for any of her other 'boyfriends' so is still surprised you'd ask her."
"I'm not good enough for her."
"I make no comment on that, all I'll say is if you make her happy, then you are most definitely good enough. Good enough and more."
"Thanks,"
"S'okay, I'd be letting the family down if I'd turned out like Bill!" He spoke the name as if it were some kind of disease.
Mulder smirked, and shook his head, finishing off the rest of his coffee. He stood up and took his mug into the kitchen. Scully was peeling some vegetables and didn't look up. He rinsed the cup and walked up behind her, sneaking an arm around her waist. She jumped and her hand slipped, slicing her finger.
"Fuck!" She cursed, dropping the knife and peering at the wound
"Christ! I'm sorry! Jesus Scully, I'm sorry!"
"Don't worry, I've had worse." She carried on peering at it. He took it softly and put it in his mouth and sucked the blood away, before he took it out and kissed it softly.
"All better." He announced
"Yup, it's not very deep." She went on tiptoes and pressed a kiss to her lips
"Mmm..." He murmured, pulling away "Have you thought about it?"
"About what?"
"About getting married?"
"Yes."
"Well?"
"Well, I'm not sure."
"Oh..."
"I want to, I think, but what about work?"
"What about it?"
"We can't work together if we're married."
"We can if they don't know."
"That's the thing, I don't see why we need to get married if no-one else knows."
"Maybe it's just for us, the final act of trust."
"That sounds pretty ominous,"
"I know, I didn't mean it to, I just think it should be for us, rather than to prove our affection to other people."
"That's fair enough, but I don't need a piece of paper to bind us like that."
"It was you yesterday who thought I didn't really want to marry you."
"Yeah well, that was yesterday."
"Okay, so are we getting married then?"
"Yeah alright."
They stared at each other.
"That may have been the most romantic proposal ever Mulder 'So are we getting married then?'"
"Heh, yeah." He laughed softly, "Let me fix that."
He went down on one knee "Dana Katherine Scully, I love you more than anything in all the world, will you marry me?"
"Yes."
"Is that it? 'Yes.'"
"Uh-huh, that's my final answer."
He swept her up and span her around, "I love you."
"I love you too."
He set her down and fished around in his pocket, producing a small box. Inside was an antique ring. It had a circular blue sapphire, which was surrounded by small diamonds.
"It's beautiful!" She whispered
"It was my Mom's, she gave it to me after she met you. Apparently she thought it would suit you. And that I loved you. Which I did."
"Really?"
"Yup, really."
"That's lovely!"
"You think?"
"Yes!"
He slid the ring onto her finger. Then kissed it, before pressing a hot kiss to her lips. He slid his and under her shirt, then under her bra. She grinned and poked her tongue into his mouth. Before things got any more heated Charlie walked in on them.
"Oh Christ! Get a room!"
Mulder removed him hand and looked around sheepishly. Charlie put him mug in the sink and winked at him.
"Could you keep your hands to yourself until we've opened the presents at least and you've got back to the den. Nice rock by the way Dana." He slipped out of the room, leaving the two slightly embarrassed agents alone.
A/N: Family, gotta love 'em...
