* * * * * *

We sat in Skinner's office the following morning. The mood was professional, but beneath that there was an air of happiness. I knew that Skinner was pleased to have his dynamic duo back, although he'd never really show it. He didn't show much, but beneath his hard exterior, for just a few moments, we saw relief. Things had worked out for us, for the meantime. Skinner was always a strange part of the search; we were never sure where his alliances might lay. Recently, however, and now, it appeared that he was on our side.

"As for your alleged fraternization, Agents, anything outside of the office will remain there. As long as your in-office behavior remains professional, there shouldn't be any problems. That'll be all," he said, dismissing us.

As we turned to leave, he added, "Agents, I want to apologize for what you were put through. It was never my intention, and I think that you know that. I think it's rather ridiculous that your personal lives had to be brought into this matter; I'm annoyed that something so trivial, when handled by the correct person in the correct position with the Director, could've cost us two good agents. Kersh may have had you reassigned, but it doesn't mean he'll be supporting the X-Files in any way. I've been notified by the Director to warn you about the unit's extravagant spending... With Kersh as Deputy Director, things will get worse before they get better. Tread lightly, Agents, you're lucky that you've got the X-Files."

"Thank you, Sir," I offered.

"Sir, what about Agent Vass?" Mulder asked.

"An order came down from the Director to promote her. She's currently back in Violent Crimes," he sighed. "This goes deeper than the Director, or Kersh."

"What are you implying, Sir?" I asked.

"Well, let's just say Kersh's office smells of smoke," he said.

We nodded, and the Assistant Director added, "That'll be all, Agents."

Mulder and I walked down the hallway together towards the elevator. Once inside, he smiled at me. Things were normal again, I told myself. Normal.

"I've got this case I want to look into. It's an allegation of a bat-boy being born in this small southern town, Hope Falls. Apparently he was abandoned in a cave after his parents, who were veterinarians, accidentally created him. He bit a girl, but I think there's a conspiracy involved, trying to make him at fault for murder's actually committed by his father, the vet..." I lost him at that point in the story.

Normal.

I asked for this. I was dying to be back on this unit, chasing mutants and aliens and flukemen and now bat-boys. With my partner who had promised to try his best to never hurt me again; with my partner who I believed in.

I didn't think I'd ever get this back. I didn't think I'd ever want this back, but here I was, thrilled.

"Okay, Mulder," I replied to his bizarre tale. "But I'm warning you--I think your story is a little...science fiction. I hope I'm not sounding like Agent Vass."

"But you won't insult me beyond a playful extent, and if I show you the proof, you *will* believe. You've got integrity. There, Scully, lies the difference."

"I see," I told him.

"Besides," he said, "like I said a few weeks ago, I don't like women like Vass. You, Agent Scully, fit the profile. Short, modest redhead. Brilliant, funny, and unbelievably sexy."

I must've blushed when he said that, but as the elevator doors opened I replied with, "Hold that thought for a few hours, Agent Mulder, because the basement office awaits us and I'm afraid all workplace fraternizing if off-limits."

"That's okay, Scully, because now we have it all. We have the workplace, and we have every other moment, too."

We walked into our office, and I was never so happy to be there. Yes, I thought, looking at his poster and the assorted other belongings in the office. Old memories bombard me. He's right. We can have everything: the office, the cases, the innuendo, and each other in a way we were never able to really have at the same time as our work. I knew that it wouldn't be perfect--nothing we had was--but it was as close as we'd ever get.

Close to perfection was better than good enough for me.

Author's Notes: I'm so sorry this took so long! Things have been CRAZY for me lately! I didn't know what responsibility was until this year, lol.

This story was a lot of fun to write. I like M/S fighting and angst, so it was enjoyable to write a lot of the scenes in this fic. With this tiny dab into AU, I have decided to write a full-fledged AU fic, which is coming along very nicely if I do say so myself. I'll give you all a little synopsis: Mulder and Scully fight and end up parting ways [around season seven…] but three years later the conspiracy reunites them. There are other love interests involved, and Krycek is a bastard, and there's mytharc, and romance, and there's tons and tons of angst. TONS! And probably a happy ending.

Sticking to this fic, however… Many thanks to Tefla for beta work; to my faithful reviewers for sticking around; and of course, to Balinski, who is always there to bail me out when I'm in a jam--whether it be about my boyfriend of my AP American homework. You guys rock!

Thanks again for sticking around till the end!