TITLE: Maybe We Both Will

TITLE:  Maybe We Both Will

DISCLAIMER:  I don't own 'em, but I sure wish I did

FEEDBACK:  Welcomed with open arms at Erk1656@aol.com

"Oh, fuck it," I exclaimed as I missed one of the balls Mulder was tossing me.

            "I dunno much about female anatomy, and correct me if I'm wrong, but I think fucking baseball bats might be a little painful."  He turned his back on me, stooping over to grab a ball at his feet.  "I'm a much safer bet, if I do say so myself."  I watched in amusement as pain shot through his face as he stood up.  He put a hand on his lower back, turning from side to side until his back cracked.  He let out an impossibly exaggerated sigh when it finally did.

            "Not with that back, Mulder."  I called back, taking a few practice swings.  "Though it is hard to tell one fine piece of ash from another."  I raised my eyes from the plate to meet his wide ones.

            "Shut up, Scully, I'm playing baseball," he said, throwing another one my way.  I had to jump out of the way, not expecting him to throw it that hard, and letting out a startled yelp.  "Don't get all girly on me, Agent Scully."

            "Not on you life, G-man."

            "How hard can you handle it, girl?"

            I stood for a minute looking at home plate before meeting his eyes.  "As hard as you can give it, old man."

            He laughed and started pitching balls my way.  Really pitching, not at all like what he had been doing before.  I dropped the bat and ran out of the way quickly amid Mulder's gales of laughter.  I backed up against the fence, trying the escape the balls flying at me.  Mulder threw one a little to close to me and I spun away.

"Mulder!" I admonished him.  "That one could have gone out of control!"

"I never loose control of myself, Scully."

Rolling my eyes, I stepped back up to the plate, I adjusted my stance and started hitting them back with as much force as I could.

            Mulder yelped and jumped out of the way as I hit one a little too close to him. 

            "Sorry bout that!"  I called as he fixed me with a glare.

            "Better let me have a try at that," he commented, starting across the field at me.  I met him halfway, pushing the bat into his chest.  I started to pull my hand away from the bat and his chest when he covered it with his own.  "You do know how to pitch, right Scully?"

            "I think I can handle it."  I glanced from our hands to his eyes and back again.  He uttered a soft "oh" as he got the hint and pulled the bat out from under my hand.  He fully expected me to move away, so I surprised him when I started tracing the letters on his jersey.  "I wouldn't want you to half to teach me everything, you know.  I'm all for experimentation." 

I let my hand drop and moved towards the pitchers mound.  I turned around in time to see him tapping the bat against the ground, the inside and out side of both shoes, then spit to the side.  "Bring it on, babe."

"Didja ever chew tobacco back when you played?"  I asked as I started warming up.

"Not really.  I smoked for a couple of years in high school until Debra Caldwell made it quite clear that I had to stop."

"Did you?"

"Yeah.  She, uh, made it worth it."  He smacked one into left field.  "Kinda took away the pain and replaced it with… well, you get the idea."

I rolled my eyes, sticking my hands into my pockets, feeling around for another ball.  "Oops, looks like we're all out."

"You about ready to call it a night?"

"Mmmm, yeah, I guess." 

We spent about fifteen minutes hunting around for all the balls, before heading back to our cars.  To my surprise and delight, he slung his arm around my shoulders, pulling me into his side.

"Have fun tonight?"  Mulder asked, voice low in my ear.  I nodded, my cheek against his shoulder.  "Finally, something goes according to plan."  I smiled at the ground in front of us.

We reached my car first and I started to pull away.  "Not so fast, Scully.  I got you something."

"Mulder, you didn't have to…"

"Yeah, yeah, yeah," he pulled me around to his car and started digging in the back seat.  "Stop checking out my ass, Scully.  As nice as it is-" his sentence ended in a yelp as I snapped my jacket against it.  "Scully!"

He straightened, grabbing my jacket and using it to pull me towards him as I tried to hit him again.  I tried to get around him to get a better angle on his back, but he spun around with me.  I tried again and again, spinning around with him like a dog chasing its tail.  He grabbed me around the waist and swung me against the car, his forearms braced on either side of me, the jacket lying forgotten on the ground.

We just kind of stood there for a minute, looking at each other, chests heaving, tension rolling around us in waves.  I suddenly became aware of his body pressing against mine.  He must have noticed me tensing up, because he pulled back suddenly.  I quickly began pushing the hair out of my face in a futile effort to regain control of myself.

We stood there, shuffling our feet, not looking at each other before he pulled out a card.  "Anyways, um, here."  He said, handing it to me, in an attempt up for the awkward moment.  I carefully opened the yellow envelope, pulling out the card.

"This birthday card is late, but it sure won't be the last one you'll be getting,"  I paused for a breath, running my fingers over the turtle on the front before opening it.  Inside was another smaller card, glued to the first one.  "Happy belated birthday," I read off the cover of it, then the inside "See?  Here's another!"  I laughed slightly, squeezing his hand.  I frowned, noticing something I hadn't seen before.  Some field agent I am.

I picked up two tickets the Baltimore Oriels vs. Boston Red Sox for next Friday.  I held them up closer, whistling at the seats he had gotten.

"I'm not even gonna ask how you-"

"Trust me, you don't wanna know."

"No, I probably don't."  I felt my face break into this huge grin and watched as Mulder's shoulders visible relaxed.  I grabbed him in a hug and kissed his cheek.  "Thanks, Mulder, it's great."

"Anytime, G-woman."  He wrapped his arms low around my waist even as he pulled back to look at me.  "So next Friday?  It's a-"

"-Date," I finished.  We stood there for half an eternity, looking at each other. 

I blinked, and when I opened my eyes again, his face was a lot closer than before, and move closer still.  I caught my breath, standing still as a rock. …Hoping…Dreaming…Praying….  I could just feel his breath against my mouth when he ducked to the side and kissed my cheek.  Bastard.

We stood there for a moment, our faces pressed close together before he spoke.

"See you at work then."

"Yeah," I repeated, "at work"

He turned away and I was just about to pull my door shut when his voice halted me.  "How was this on the birthday scale, Scully?"

"Right up there.  I you get lucky, maybe I'll tell you about the one when I was turning sixteen…"

He laughed.  "Maybe I'll get lucky then."

I smiled and shut the door.  Maybe we both will.

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

AUTHOR'S NOTES:

            This is my first fic, so it would be REALLY great if you could just take five minutes out of your day to drop me a line.  It will be responded to as soon as I can.

            Also, a big thanks to Alice… love you, babe.  She's the one who, ahem, forced me to write this.  Go read her ER fic!!!