They ate, changed and then decided to head down to the hotel bar for their first drink of the evening. They sat on stools at the bar and held each other's gazes as they drank in silence.
After several longer minutes Scully smiled at Mulder, "It's funny how familiar Oxford feels, I guess it's because you feel so at home here."
Mulder looked around and smiled, "Well not really in here, this place was a bit out of our price range when we were students."
Scully smiled and nodded.
"The faculty needed somewhere to hang out too…" Mulder added with a wink.
Scully reached to take his hand, "Thank you for bringing me here, I loved Italy and I adored Egypt. They were everything I had imagined and more. But to come here and see were you spent time as a student and meet people who obviously care so much about you...that means the world."
"More than the pyramids?" Mulder joked.
Scully nodded and Mulder looked a little surprised, "Like I said that was everything and more, but nothing in the world means more to me than you…or interests me more than you do."
Mulder actually blushed slightly and looked away, "So….erm…shall I go to the bathroom and then we can head off?"
Scully laughed lightly, some people thought Mulder was arrogant…self-obsessed…but she knew he was the most generous man she had ever met and that confident exterior hid a lifetime of self-doubt and concerns that he would never be good enough. Good enough for Oxford. Good enough for his parents. Good enough for her.
Scully intended in make sure that he knew he was good enough. He was everything.
Mulder stood and then looked up to meet her eyes and smiled, "You really are beautiful Scully." He said softly as he ran his hand over his hair.
Scully smiled and tears unexpected came to her eyes, how did he still do that? She brushed them away quickly laughing at her soppiness. "Go, before you ruin my make up!" She said and then caught his arm to bring him in for a quick undemanding kiss. "You are so sexy you take my breath away…" she murmured against his lips and then turned back to the bar and smiled as she watched him slightly stumble away out corner of her eyes.
Mulder went to the bathroom and then splashed his face with cold water. Damn, being around Scully was hard enough before they were so overtly flirty. He took a long hard look at his reflection and then smiled, damn he was one lucky son of a bitch.
He left the bathroom and was walking back towards Scully when he saw someone out of the corner of his eyes and took a double take, "Professor Bellingham?"
A woman in her early sixties with long grey hair and an easy smile looked up at him from her seat with questioning eyes, "Yes, can I help you? I'm not sure I…"
Mulder cut in, "I'm sorry Professor, I wouldn't expect you to remember me…it's been a long time and I…"
The woman covered her mouth and gasped, "Oh Lord, Fox Mulder?!"
Mulder smiled and nodded, "I can't believe you remember me!"
"Fox you were, and still are, my favourite student…you are not an easy man to forget. Oh it is lovely to see you…" she stood and cupped his face softly, "Look at you, you've grown into such a handsome young man!"
Mulder blushed and smiled, "It's great to see you as well, I can't believe I didn't think to look you up…and David didn't…"
"You've been to see David and Emily?! That is wonderful, they must have been so pleased to see you, we talk of you often…wondering what you are doing…and how you are…oh it really is a joy to see you Fox…" she repeated, "It's a shame you won't see Amy…" She observed.
Mulder shook his head, "Actually I saw Amy in Italy, then we all decided on an impromptu trip to Oxford…my fiancée and I…"
"You're getting married?" The professor asked eagerly. "Is she here with you? I'd love to meet the woman who captured Fox Mulder's heart…"
Mulder laughed, "Yes Professor Bellingham, Dana is with me...she's actually sitting over there at the bar" he pointed towards the corner but several people obscured their view, "…although I must say she didn't so much as capture my heart as catch it when I enthusiastically flung it towards her."
The professors smiled happily, "Fox please call me Katherine..."
"Katherine…would you like to come with me and meet Dana?" Mulder held out his arm and she took it, smiling back at some friends at her table as the handsome young man led her away.
Scully grinned when she saw Mulder walk towards her. "I thought I'd lost you!" she said as she hopped down off the stool and then noticing Mulder had brought back company.
Mulder looked proudly at the lady on his arm and then nodded towards Scully, "Professor Katherine Bellingham, I'd like you to meet mybeautiful fiancée Doctor Dana Scully. Katherine was singlehandedly responsible for dragging me through me my degree and helped me to become the relatively stable man you see before you…well at least until you came along." Mulder added with a smile.
Scully held out her hand to shake Katherine's, "It's wonderful to meet you Professor."
"Fox is being typically modest, he was my most talented and natural student." Katherine explained necessarily to Scully. "It's lovely to meet you too Dana, and please call me Katherine. You're a Doctor?" Katherine asked.
Scully nodded, "A medical doctor, but I'm also Mulder's partner at the FBI."
Katherine looked at Mulder, "The FBI? I knew you'd end up trying to save the world. You're partners? And you're engaged? Is that…?"
Mulder smiled and nodded, "We've been partners for almost six years Katherine. Dana Scully is my best friend and the love of my life. Technically it is frowned upon but that's mostly to avoid sexual harassment claims or relationship difficulties affecting our work. To be honest whether Scully and I were together or not I couldn't love her more…once we're married it'll all be fine." He reached out and took Scully's hand happily.
Katherine smiled at Scully, "Well I like you already, it wonderful to see Fox so happy and contented."
Scully laughed, "The feeling is mutual Katherine, I assure you."
Katherine nodded and smiled between the two, "Well I don't want to interrupt your evening…"
"Are you busy tomorrow afternoon?" Mulder asked Katherine.
"No, I don't believe I am…." Katherine replied.
"Would you please join us and the Burton's for a picnic down by the river, it would be so nice to catch up with you properly and I'd love for you both to get to know each other better…Amy came back with us from Italy so you'd have the opportunity to see her as well." Mulder asked.
"I'd love to Fox if you're sure David and Emily wouldn't mind…I don't want to intrude on your time with them…" She inquired.
Mulder shook his head, "I know that they would love to see you, I can't believe I didn't think to contact you before. I'll call Emily in the morning and ask her to ring you with the details."
Katherine smiled and nodded. "Well I'll leave you both to your evening…it was lovely to see you Fox…and a pleasure to meet you Dana, hopefully we can chat tomorrow?"
Scully smiled, "It was nice to meet you as well Katherine."
Katherine walked back to her friends and Mulder held his hand out, "Shall we?"
They walked out of the door and Mulder guided her to the left, "The Eagle and Child is just a few minutes down here…" he explained.
They started walking, "So Katherine was…"
"My personal tutor and psychology professor, she really is amazing…the top of her field. I have all of her books at home if you'd…" Mulder started to offer.
"They will be in the first box when we pack." Scully said with a smile and a squeeze of her hand.
Mulder looked down at her and grinned - he was moving in with Scully.
He opened the door to the pub and held it while Scully ducked under his arm and walked in, they entered a narrow walkway and Scully looked into small private rooms either side as they walk towards the bar.
"This is lovely…" she observed.
"Were any of those side rooms free?" Mulder asked as they approached the bar.
Scully nodded.
"Go and claim one and I'll get us some drinks, it'll be quieter in there."
Scully walked back over and into a small enclave with a table and six empty chairs, a fire burned brightly in the corner and she slipped off her jacket and sat down.
A few minutes later Mulder walked in with a beer and a glass of red wine. "Nice room…" He said smiling at Scully and sitting down next to her. He slanted towards her on the seat and there legs naturally entwined together.
They lifted their drinks and clinked the glass, "To us?" Mulder said.
"To us…" Scully smiled and took a sip before leaning to kiss him chastely. "So you were telling me about Katherine?"
They leaned back chatted for about an hour; legs still tangled. Mulder explained that Katherine soon picked up that he was unsettled and became the first person he really talked to about his sisters disappearance and his problems at home…even before Adam. She encouraged him to open up and allow himself to trust people, an unfortunate side effect being Phoebe...but he also allowed himself to build relationships with Katherine, the Burtons…and he supposed his relationship with her.
Scully reached and took his hand, "It sounds like I owe Katherine a lot. I'm glad people were there…before me…to show you how much you are really worth."
Mulder smiled, the glow of the fire flickering across his face; "These people meant a lot to me…I'd forgotten how much this time in Oxford changed me. It strengthened me. But finding out that you love me, and accepting that I deserved your love, that makes me feel eight feet tall."
Scully smiled and turned to lay her head on his shoulder and watch the fire. "I know what you mean… knowing that Fox Mulder loves me…wants me…that is quite a life altering revelation. I feel…beautiful…"
Mulder hummed and kissed her head, "You are exquisite."
Scully smiled and then jumped when a crowd of about five people bustled into the room. They all apologised when they saw Mulder and Scully and turned to leave.
Mulder stopped them, "No honestly guys it's fine…we were just moving on."
"You sure mate?" The man at the front asked.
"Mmmmm…positive…" Mulder smiled and stood up holding his hand out to Scully. "Next stop?" He asked.
"You lead and I'll follow…" She replied taking his hand as he pulled her to her feet.
They walked onto the street again, "Walkin' the streets of Oxford on a clear crisp evening with my favourite person at my side…does it get any better?"
Scully squeezed his hand and smiled, "With you…anywhere…I'm happy."
"Even in some grotty motel on the road? On some dead-end case in nowheresville?" Mulder asked happily.
"If you're lying next to me in that grotty motel room I promise there is nowhere else I would rather be…" Scully confirmed as Mulder wrapped his arm around her waist and pulled her close.
"I'll remind you that you said that…" Mulder laughed.
"I'd prefer us the be on a beach in Hawaii…or in a hotel in Oxfordshire…" she clarified, "but I'll still be happy to be with you and I love our work, you know I do."
Mulder kissed her head and wheeled them off to the right. They walked down some cobbled street and they Mulder whisked her into a large noise pub, music played loudly and he pulled her quickly towards the dance floor, "The bar can wait…" he whispered into her ear as he pulled her close and started to sway to the music.
They danced for several long minutes, swaying happily. Mulder occasionally twirled her out and then spun her back to his side. After about fifteen minutes the music slowed and Scully rested her head on his chest.
"I'm so happy…" Scully said just loud enough for him to hear.
"Me too…" Mulder said resting him check on her head, "I almost don't want to go home."
Scully turned and kissed his chest through his shirt, "That's because you still associate 'home' with before…we aren't going home to before, we're going home to a whole new life together."
"Imagine if you hadn't stubbed your toe." Mulder mused with a light tone.
Scully giggled, "I don't know about you but I was reaching the peak of my resistance anyway…it was only a matter of time…why do you thing I was being so bitchy?"
"You were horny?" Mulder asked with a laugh.
"I'd been watching you chew on that pencil for about an hour and was so goddamn horny I could hardly concentrate…that's why I walked into the table!" Scully admitted and ran her hands over his arms. "You and that oral fixation…"
Mulder grinned and leaned down to kiss her, taking her bottom lip between his and sucking tenderly. "I love you, so much…" he murmured against her mouth.
"Ditto." Scully grinned and quickly nipped his lower lip between her teeth before pulling back and spinning away from him. "So where are we going next?" she asked slipping back into his arms.
"How about a walk down the towpath?" Mulder asked. "It's a clear night and I'd like to walk with you for a while…there's a pub we can stop at for a while at the end."
"Perfect." Scully said and took his hand leading him out of the bar.
They walked along the path quietly for a few minutes. Then Scully wrapped her hand around him, under his shirt, her hand resting on the warm skin of his waist as they walked. "Tell me about more about Adam…" she said softly.
Mulder smiled down at her. "Well, we met on my first day. I was looking for my room and…"