Chapter 8: A wedding
The Unremarkable House
2:30 pm
Mulder fixes his tie for the umpteenth time in front of the mirror, he feels more nervous than ever, his hands sweat and he clean them in his pants, he swallows with difficulty and sighs, the house was empty during the last day and he had to sleep alone, If you can call it sleep to the two hours he managed to sleep. Sleeping without Scully has become quite difficult, he misses her body, her heartbeat, the scent of her hair, even her soft snoring, he misses her all the time. William arrived in the morning to help him prepare the house for the wedding. The catering arrived an hour ago, there aren't many guests, as usual, but it must be something special.
- Are you ready dad? - William asks him from the door of the room, he jumps with fear and looks at him with terror, the young man laughs at him and walks towards him shaking his head - You are sweating, are you nervous? Come on man, you know each other enough, this is just a formality - Will says hitting him on the shoulder
A formality, It's not a formality, it is the biggest step of his life. Of course they know each other, even in darkness and in silence, they even know what they're thinking. But he promised that he would never get married, for anything or for anyone, and it was him who decided to ask her to marry him, it was him who decided to do it for the Catholic Church. Marry Scully, he never dreamt that, he always dreamt of being with her and having children, but never get married. It's not a formality, it's a terrifying reality, but at the same time, the best decision of his life.
The baby has her hand in her mother's who looks out the car window, everything is silence, in the front seat is Tara and Bill drives, none speaks, from time to time you can hear a sigh, but the only noise that accompanies them is the engine of the car.
Scully looks away squeezing her daughter's hand, she thinks about Mulder, about the years they have known each other and have been together, she think about their children, Mulder's and hers, if someone had told her that Spooky Mulder would be the father of her children she would have laughed.
She feels a hiccup coming out of her daughter and turns to look at her, the girl jumps with each new hiccups attacks and starts to get stressed, Scully looks at her smiling and sits her on her legs
- Hold your breath honey, can you do that? - she says to her daughter with sweetness, the girl nods and holds her breath closing her eyes tightly, after ten seconds she breathes again with strength and both laughs, they wait a few seconds until the girl jumps again. Tara turns to look at them and gives them a bottle of water, Scully nods gratefully and give the bottle to her daughter to drink - Take it Gracie, but be careful not to wet your dress - the girl takes three large sips and the hiccups goes away
- Mamma, is gone - Scully nods and kisses her little girl's forehead - Thanks aunt Tara - says the little girl and the woman turns and smiles. The vehicle is silent again, Grace closes her eyes lying on her mother's chest while she rocks her a little stroking her hair.
Scully thinks about Mulder again and thank him in silence, more than 26 years together and they are still like two teenagers in love, sharing even the most insignificant moments, she loves him just like the first day she realized that their relationship was more than a simple friendship, and she loves him even more now because of his proposal, a wedding, it might be a formality for others, but not for them.
The guests are in their seats in front of the flower arch where the ceremony will be held, William stands next to Mulder smiling. Almost three years ago he didn't know them, and now they mean everything in his life, he never thought that It would be so easy to love someone, but they are his family, and a very special one he thinks.
The car parks in front of the house, Tara gets out of the car with Gracie in her arms, the girl seems a little asleep, but as soon as she sees that they are at home she shakes the sleep away from her eyes with her fists, Tara puts her on the floor and the little girl runs to the altar to greet her dad
Mulder bends down and opens his arms to receive his daughter - How is the dad's princess? I missed you last night - he says giving her a kiss on the cheek and standing with her in his arms
- I also miss you daddy - she says hugging him tightly - I don't want to leave anymore - she says putting her cheek against her father's, he smiles and kisses her again with sweetness. Both look at the car and see Scully come down from it with a beautiful pearl dress that reaches the floor - pretty mamma - the girl says pointing to her mother.
Beautiful, Mulder thinks without taking his eyes off the woman of his life, William stretches his arms towards his sister and the girl moves into the arms of his smiling brother. Mulder doesn't even realize that he no longer has any weight in his arms, for him there is no more time or space, only that redhead who walks on the arm of her older brother towards him, with a smile that is worth gold and that is only for him.
She walks towards the altar feeling her heart beating hard inside her chest, the hand that holds the bouquet trembles, but seeing Mulder standing there, waiting for her and smiling makes everything around her disappear, he looks at her with devotion and love, and she does the same, that man is hers and she is his.
When she arrives next to him they both look at each other deeply holding hands, then he leans over and gently kisses her lips, a smile is drawn on their lips and they pull apart a little blushed, the priest and the guests smile seeing their faces and they laugh putting their foreheads together.
The ceremony takes place normally, Grace falls asleep in William's arms and he gives it to Tara to rest, the marriage vows of both are an unending story, both remembering moments that were important for them and for the progress of their relationship, women cry and some men too, including William.
When finally the priest tells Mulder that he can kiss the bride, he kisses her with passion and tenderness, that mixture that only they understand and that leaves the guests breathless, that love that nobody believed could exist between them but that has broken all barriers and possible conspiracies, everybody applaud and Grace wakes up startled and begins to cry, Scully breaks the kiss and goes to take her daughter from Tara's arms.
- Come on baby, nothing happens, mommy is here - Scully whispers to her daughter while rocking her in her arms stroking her back, the girl calms down seeing and listening to her mother and hugs her tight, she walks towards Mulder and he kisses the baby's head
- Who is a spoiled little girl? - He says giving her another kiss on the head, the girl turns to look at him and stretches her arms, he takes her from Scully and carries her with one arm to surround with the other one to his now wife - I love you Scully - he says leaning closer to her whispering in her ear, she smiles and kiss his cheek with love
- I love you more - she says embracing him with both her arms, the guest walks towards the house to celebrate and William comes near them to take his sister
- Come on Gracie, let's go eat some cake - the girl smiles and Mulder puts her down, she holds his brother's hand and walks with him away from her parents without turning back.
Both look smiling to their children walking home and then look at each other, he hugs and kisses her again this time with all the sweetness of the world - Scully, now that we are alone and nobody listens to us I want to tell you my true vows - she looks at him with a frown but smiling, waiting for him to continue - Thank you for complete me, for made me a better man, for trust in me and protect me, for loving me and giving me a family, for say yes and agree to spend the rest of our days together... I think I could no longer live without you - she looks at him tenderly and caresses his cheek looking into his eyes - I love you as I never thought to love anyone - he ends and they kiss again, with more strength and passion than before, forgetting the whole world and feeling that together they are one body that feels, breathes and loves.
