February 14, 2010

4:30 p.m.

Scully passed by another delivery person bringing in a bouquet of flowers. She moved to the side, allowing them to pass as it was quite large.

"Thank you," the young woman said, smiling as she walked by.

"Yup," Scully replied with a tight smile and a sigh, barely suppressing an eye roll as she continued walking down the hall.

It's not as though we celebrate this day, she thought. And not as if Mulder would even remember without me expressly reminding him.

She scoffed under her breath as another person walked by with a vase of bright Gerbera daisies. Walking away, she headed to her office, needing a moment to calm down.

Closing the doors, spying two vases of flowers on two desks as she did, she let out a huge sigh. Taking off her lab coat, feeling restricted, she paced back and forth, shaking her head at her feelings.

"I didn't get him anything," she muttered. "Why would I expect him to do anything for me? This is ridiculous."

And she knew it was true. Logically anyway.

But right now, she was not feeling logical. She wanted to see a vase of flowers on her desk. To complain to others about how she was supposed to get them home, secretly pleased it was a worry to consider. To look at other arrangements and know that hers was better. To feel that secret thrill of knowing he had cared enough to pick out something she loved and make sure everyone knew she had a caring partner at home.

But… they had never celebrated this day. They rarely even celebrated birthdays, aside from dinner and sometimes a card. A present was rare and she was not usually fussed about it, but today she was and she did not know why.

It was silly and rather childish, she kept telling herself, but she wanted them sitting there, brightening up her office.

Sighing again, she shook her head and sat down at her desk, determined to tackle some paperwork before the day was done.

And sitting alone in her office, she could avoid seeing all the happy bouquets of flowers and heart shaped boxes of chocolates.

The phone ringing caused her to jump and she let out a deep breath. It was dark outside now, something she had not noticed, her concentration on her work.

"Hello?" she said as she lifted the handset.

"Hey, Doc. What's good?" Mulder asked and she could hear his smile through the phone line.

Thinking of all the deliveries she had seen throughout the day, she wanted to tell him it was good that they had someone who thought to send flowers, but she bit back that catty reply.

"Just finishing up some paperwork," she replied, rolling her eyes and hating that she felt slightly angry with him. He did not deserve it. And yet, she still felt miffed.

"You'll be heading home soon?"

"Yeah. Why?" It came out harsher than she intended and she wished she could take it back.

"Whoa there," he chuckled. "I was just wondering. Actually I had a favor to ask you."

"What kind of favor?" she asked, rubbing her forehead and sighing, covering the mouthpiece so he would not hear.

"Seeing as how I have no vehicle, I was wondering if you could pick up some food. I have a hankering for Sebastian's. I can call it in and have it ready for you to pick up on your way home."

Sebastian's? she thought. A place that was busy on a normal day, let alone Valentine's Day?

It was seriously like he was rubbing salt in a wound that he did not know existed.

God, she was annoyed on so many levels.

"Scully?"

"Sure. Yeah. You… call in that order. I'm sure it will be ready quickly." She covered the mouthpiece again and exhaled as she closed her eyes.

"Great. What time do you think you'll be there?"

"Half an hour? Maybe forty five minutes? I'm nearly done here and I'll head on over."

"Great," he said again and she shook her head as she opened her eyes. "I'll let them know you'll be there soon. See ya, Doc."

"Yup. See ya."

The line clicked off and she put it back in the cradle with a deep sigh. She sat, unmoving, as she drew in breaths for a couple of minutes.

Would it be so bad to celebrate these silly days? she thought. To look forward to them? To remind each other these little holidays were coming up?

With a deep sigh, she shook her head and cleared up her desk. Papers and pens were placed back into the drawers and she shut down her computer. Putting on her coat, she picked up her bag and took out her keys, placing them into her pocket. Double checking she had everything, she walked out the door and attempted to avoid looking at any flowers or boxes of chocolates sitting on the desks she passed.

As she reached the lobby, she glanced at the small gift shop and stopped walking. It had been full for days with gaudy Valentine's gifts. She had rolled her eyes inwardly as she passed it each day, but today… today she felt differently.

Stepping inside, she looked around at the overly cutesy gifts: ceramic frogs holding hearts bearing the words- I toad-ily love you, dogs holding hearts that said- I ruff you more than bacon and cats that read- You make my heart purr. It was all a little much and she tried to suppress her groan.

A trip around the shop, she was about to leave when something caught her eye. Walking closer, she smiled and picked it up, knowing she would be purchasing it for him.

It was a small little toadstool with a red cap and white polka dots. It even had a cute, pink cheeked grin. Along the base on which it sat, were the words- You make me feel groovy.

Thinking back to a time when some mushrooms made them feel a bit too groovy, she nodded and walked to the register to pay for it. It was a small gift, barely anything, and if she gave it to him tomorrow or a week from now, it would have the same effect.

But she would give it to him tonight, feeling slightly superior that she had remembered and he had not, then see what he would do.

It was petty, and she knew it, but she was still feeling annoyed.

Gift purchased and placed in the trunk along with her bag, she drove to Sebastian's, wondering what he had ordered for her. It was a place they had eaten at only a handful of times. Each time she had gotten something different, wanting to try everything, the descriptions always sounding mouth watering as she read them aloud.

Knowing it would be packed, she sighed as she parked near the end of the parking lot, sighing as she got out of the car and locking it.

As she suspected, it was full of people in fancy outfits of reds and pinks. Groaning under her breath, she squeezed her way through the crowd to get to the hostess stand.

She was bumped from behind and someone grabbed her left wrist as a hand landed on her lower back.

"Excuse you," she said, turning her head to the left to glare at the person, even as she tried to pull her wrist from their grasp.

"I'm sorry. I saw you walking through this huge crowd and I was afraid you would be swallowed up. Thought I would offer some assistance." He smiled and she stared at him, stopping in her tracks.

"Mulder? What? What are you doing here? How did you get here? What's going on?"

"Well, to answer your… third question, I took a cab," he said, pulling her closer and kissing her cheek. "Second and last question are similar, so I'll answer both by saying- I'm here to have dinner with you." He smiled again and she shook her head. "It's Valentine's Day, Scully."

"Petrie! Party of two!" the hostess called and he turned his head to look at her.

"Right here!" he called, raising his hand and looking back at Scully, whose mouth had dropped open at the sound of the long ago used name. "She got the pronunciation right and everything." With a wink, he took her hand and pulled her through the crowd.

Flabbergasted, she followed, gripping his hand as he made chit chat with the hostess as she led them to their table.

It was in the back corner of the restaurant, next to the large window looking out at the rest of the restaurants and shops. He pulled her chair out and she sat down, staring at him as he took the menus and sat across from her. When the hostess walked away, he looked at Scully with a huge grin.

"Surprised?" he asked in a teasing tone.

"Beyond surprised," she answered honestly. "How did you do this? When did you? This place fills up fast for holidays, especially this one, I'm sure."

"Which is why I made reservations months ago. Well, a month and a half ago." He smiled again and she sighed.

"Mulder…" She shook her head and looked around the room.

Every table had a vase full of red roses, with white candles surrounding it. White fairy lights were strung all over, giving the room a very romantic feel.

Looking back at him, she stood up and walked over to him. Taking his face in her hands, she kissed him softly, two, three times. People around them oohed and awwed. When he pulled her into his lap, they whistled and clapped.

Pulling back with a laugh, she kissed him again, staring into his eyes.

"I can't believe you did this," she whispered and he shrugged.

"I'll always keep you guessing," he whispered back and she nodded with a smile.

"Yes, you will," she whispered and kissed him once more before rising from his lap and sitting back down in her chair.

"So your gift backfired tremendously," he laughed as he stared at the toadstool he had just opened as they arrived at home.

She hung up her coat and shook her head, walking closer to him as she crossed her arms.

"You disagree?" he asked, grinning at her.

"I…"

"Be honest now, Scully. This, while funny and punny, is also a petty gift. Or it was supposed to be. Be honest." He raised his eyebrows and she sighed, rolling her eyes but unable to stop from smiling.

"Yes, it was. I was angry and annoyed, though I had no right to be. We don't do this holiday. Or many others."

"Buuuuut…" he prompted with a grin.

"But… seeing everyone getting flowers or treats throughout the day… I felt jealous and slighted." She shook her head and shrugged her shoulders. "I didn't have a gift for you, so I knew it was silly to feel that way, but I did."

"And as you left the hospital, you decided to get a gift to lord it over me that I forgot. Tsk tsk, Miss Scully." He shook his head, his mouth quirking into a smile.

"I admit that was my plan," she said quietly and he set the toadstool down, coming closer to wrap his arms around her.

"And your plan failed," he said with a chuckle.

"Tremendously," she whispered, repeating his words.

"I'm glad it did."

"Me too," she said with a grin, as she looped her arms around his neck.

February 15, 2010

9:30 a.m.

"Oh, Doctor Scully, there was a delivery for you," Doctor Reed said as she walked past Scully, who was heading to her office.

"There was?"

"Yeah. It's on your desk."

"Thanks," Scully said, her brows slightly furrowed. Walking into her office, she smiled and shook her head.

There on her desk was a huge bouquet of multicolored roses in a dark pink vase. She could smell them before she reached them and as she drew closer the scent only grew stronger.

Burying her nose in them, she took a big sniff, touching the petals of the purple one. Shaking her head again, she took out the card stuck on the plastic holder.

With a quiet chuckle, she read the words in Mulder's handwriting, which meant he had gone out personally and chosen the flowers, when she honestly did not know, but she loved him for it.

Flowers on Valentine's Day? Everyone will have them. But flowers the day after? Now you're the only one who will…

A heart was drawn on the card, though it was not signed. Slipping it into her bag, she opened her office doors, making sure the flowers could be seen by anyone who happened to pass by.

See that she had someone who may forget the day entirely next year, hell he might even forget her birthday in just a few days, but he did not forget this year.

No. This year he had surprised her on not only one, but two days.

And that was more than enough for her.