* * * * * * *
About four hours after Scully and I were fighting, I rolled over in bed to find her next to me. I looked at the clock, and realized it was only about 7:00 at night. Our day had gotten an early start, things got fabulous, we wore each other out, and we took a little nap. Nothing in the world could bring me down from this high--nothing. The woman I loved loved me back, and we were laying in bed together, under the sheets. It was dark out now, the snow falling outside. I vaguely remembered how I still needed to make Scully laugh, but it was in the back of my mind after we'd done something that was just a tad more fun than laughing. My stomach grumbled and I realized we hadn't eaten since the morning.
"Hey, Scully, wake up." I whispered quietly, right into her ear.
"Mm, why?" She asked.
"Because I'm hungry, and I want to go get dinner with you." I said.
"It's a little late to ask me out on a date now, Agent Mulder." She teased.
"C'mon, I'm really hungry, we haven't eaten all day." I whined.
"All right, as long as you take me somewhere nice." She agreed.
"Shower and put on something nice, and I'll do the same." I said, and we both finally raise from the bed.
She threw on her bathrobe and wandered into the master bathroom first, while I found something to wear. I settled on black pants and a red turtleneck sweater. I packed a lot of turtlenecks, since it was so cold up here, and they could easily look casual or formal enough for a nice restaurant. As soon as Scully came out of the shower, I scold myself for not killing time and joining her. Yeah, Fox, you're in it for the time management... I jumped in the shower after she did and got dressed. I walked out of the room twenty five minutes later to find Dana Scully waiting for me in the living room. Dana Scully as I have never seen her before.
She's wearing a black dress, with a swooping neckline. It hugs her curves and is cut above her knee. I look her up and down, and see her blush a little. Her hair is dried so it curls around her face, and she's wearing red lipstick. Her cross dangles around her neck, catching light and shining. She finally smiles at me, and looks me up and down herself.
"You look absolutely beautiful." I told her, and she blushes again.
"You don't have to say that," She begins.
"No, you look astonishing..." I let out a deep breath.
"Thanks. I packed the dress just in case." she grinned. "You don't look too bad yourself." She said, walking over to me. "Did I ever tell you how sexy I think you look in a turtleneck?"
"No, Scully, you didn't, because if you did I would wear them a lot more often."
* * * * *
He handed me my coat and led me out into the snow to the car. I suddenly liked the snow again, like I did when I was a kid. I wanted to run around in it, make snow angels with Mulder. In the dress I was wearing and the heals I had on, however, frolicking through the snow is not a wise idea. He drove to the restaurant, and I didn't know how he knew where it was. It was an Italian place, and we got a seat right away.
He bought me a fabulous dinner, with an expensive wine. I pass up on desert, however, anxious to cuddle up next to Mulder by a fire in the condo. This is amazing, I still can't believe it's happening. Mulder and I are lovers. Finally. Finally, I don't have to wonder or worry or even think, because everything is going to be okay. Mulder and I are lovers. I love him and he loves me, and nothing else matters at this moment. Not the FBI, not the X-Files, not conspiracies, not diseases, nothing. Nothing but Mulder and I.
We arrive back at the condo, and he takes my coat again. I'll let him look out for me for now, I decided. I walked into the kitchen and took out a bottle of wine, thanking Mulder silently for being prepared. I took out two glass flutes, and filled them with the wine. Mulder walked in from putting away the coats, and takes a glass. We sat down on the couch, and he put an arm around me. I never imagined things could really be like this.
"Mulder... Let's light a fire." I said, gesturing towards the fireplace.
"It's easier said than done, but for you..." He trailed off, placing his glass on the coffee table. He walked over to the fireplace and looked at the little framed directions beside it. He followed them all, using the fire-starters that were put there by the hotel.
"Need help?" I asked, sipping the wine on the couch.
"No, I've just about got it." He replied. About five minutes later, there was fire crackling.
"It's beautiful." I smiled.
"You're beautiful." He replied.
"Trying to smooth talk me, Agent Mulder?" I asked.
"Is it working?"
"I think it may be." I replied, taking another sip of my wine.
"I'm glad." He said.
"You know, Mulder, I never had any interest in skiing until you asked me to join you up here..."
"Thank you for coming." He smiled.
"Thank you for inviting me." I replied.
He kissed me again, and I knew it was more than just the wine that made my head spin.
* * * *
I rolled over and looked at the clock. It was two o'clock in the morning, and the snowy hills outside were dark. I looked at Scully beside me, again, in bed. Again, I realized I hadn't made her laugh yet. I suddenly got the most brilliant idea, a foolproof way to make her laugh as loud as she ever had. I trace my finger along her neck, and whisper into her ear.
"Hey, Scully," I whispered. "Wake up..."
"What time is it?" She mumbled.
"Two in the morning." I smiled.
She turns to face me, and asks, "Why are you waking me up at two in the morning?"
"Because, I have an idea. I promised you fun in the snow, and I want to give it to you."
"The snow? But I'm fine right here." She smiled, throwing her arm over me and moving closer to me.
"Well, we had plenty of fun inside, but I want to do something else. I promise it will be fun. C'mon, get up." I persuaded her.
"Ugh, this better be good, Mulder." She whined.
"Put on something warm." I warned her.
Twenty minutes later, I'm looking at an annoyed Dana Scully. She doesn't look as annoyed after I kiss her chastely and whisper, "You are so wonderful. You woke up in the middle of the night just because I asked you too. I love you for things like that." She smiled at me, and I grabbed her gloved hand. "This is going to be fun. I promise"
I lead her outside, and throw open the ski locker. I take out the huge toboggan-like sled I had spotted earlier. "Oh, no," she protested with a smile. I just nod and take her hand again, running throw the snow. She chases after me, and I reach a big hill outside the condo. It's silent, since everyone else is asleep.
"So you wake me up," She begins, smiling. "At two in the morning, to come outside and go sledding?"
"Hey, Scully?" I called from ahead of her.
"Yeah?"
"Think fast!" I yelled, throwing a snowball at her and hitting her in the shoulder.
"Oh, you are so dead, Mulder." She smiled, running after me and scooping up snow.
She catches up to me and covers me in snow, but I don't mind. Cold is a minor sacrifice for seeing Dana Scully smile like this. She laughed a little, but not the laugh I'm looking for. Not that loud, happy, letting everything else go laugh. I grab to big sled, and with my other hand grab onto her. "C'mon," I said, running up the hill. When I reached a high enough point to ensure a fast ride down, I stopped and looked at her.
"Get in." I said, slightly out of breath from running up the hill.
"Mulder," She began.
"Uh uh, get in." I insist.
She throws her head back and gives me one of her looks, but walks over to the sled while I hold it. She slides in, scooting to the front. I start pushing the sled, running behind it while it gained speed. Then, finally, I jumped in behind her, hardly making it. I threw my arms around her for balance as we went flying down the side of the hill. I started laughing, and so did she. I got to hear my favorite Scully-laugh. The loud, carefree, throw your head back and enjoy life laugh. It made me laugh, and as the sled went flying along we just kept laughing.
We didn't stop laughing when the sled finally hit a branch and we tumbled out, laying in the snow together. We kept laughing until it hurt, until we couldn't breathe. Until we couldn't laugh anymore. The smiles didn't leave our face, and finally we felt the cold laying there in the snow. I just watched her, her face, never wanting this to end. It was beautiful, and I never wanted to let go of it. Not of her, not her laugh, not her when she's angry or happy or *anything*. She's amazing and I'm never going to let her forget it.
We spend a long time there, until we're too tired to sled anymore. We finally rise back to out feet, and I take her hand. I love knowing that I can take her hand, lead her back to *our* bed. It's so perfect, and I realize I'm going to have to thank to Gunmen profusely for going to that computer convention this weekend. I should thank that jerk ski instructor, and Scully's poor skiing... Who would have thought things could turn out so right when they had seemed to be going so wrong?
We walk back into the warm condo, and I watch Scully shake the snow from her body. How did I live before I told her I loved her? We've been "lovers" for what, not even a day, and I can't imagine things being different all of a sudden. I have all the answers I ever wanted, I have everything I need right here. She catches me staring at her, and stares back. We put our coats away and realize that normal people are sleeping at three in the morning, and decide to be normal for a few hours.
I crawl into bed, amazed I can do so with the woman I love. Under the covers, she cuddles up next to me. I'd always imagined she'd be a cuddler. I hold her close to me, and she looks up into my eyes. She has a smile on her face, and I do too. Of course, there's been a permanent smile on my face since we went into the bedroom the first time.
"It's funny," Scully began. "I was so afraid to tell you how I felt about you. I imagined this vacation would be hell, living with you and not being able to really be with you. It may have been that way if it weren't for how terrible skiing turned out to be."
"Yeah, I guess it was terrible for a reason, huh?"
"Now, if I hadn't been miserable on the slopes, I wouldn't have been nearly as happy in here." She grinned.
"So I guess I should thank you for falling on your ass." I smiled.
"And that ski instructor for slapping it." She joked.
"Hm, now that things are different, I think I'll find him tomorrow and break his legs."
"So you're a protective lover, huh?" Scully asked. Lover. It's still amazing.
"Oh, yeah." I said quietly.
"Mulder? Can you promise me something?" She asked.
"What?"
"That you won't make me get back on skis for the rest of the vacation."
"I promise. I can think of far better things to do inside, anyway."
"Me too, Mulder. Me too."
AUTHORS NOTES: There's more, I promise. It just keeps getting fluffier. You can blame my boyfriend for that, he's made me a hopeless romantic. Oh, and happy Valentine's day, although I'm posting this on the fifteenth. I hope everyone's Valentine's Day was as wonderful as mine. And if it wasn't, hey ladies, guys are jerks--don't even ask how I managed to catch mine, because he's only half-jerk. They're all at least PART jerk. (Yes, even Mulder. If he were real, that is.) My guy's problem is he hates the X-Files. It's caused quite a few little arguments, I must say. Anywho, he inspires me to be fluffy and romantic and I love him madly, so thanks to him. (Not that I'd EVER let him read this.)
More coming soon!
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Jillian