**Sorry about the delay but every time I went to type it in something came up.  Anyways here ya go…**

            It was an unusual sensation to her but she loved it, and welcomed it with a smile and a lazy yawn.  Even without the aid of her alarm she managed to wake up at 7am but this morning instead of rushing for her shower she rolled away from the sight of the telltale clock and snuggled deeper into her bed. 

            Heavy eyes opened again and this time they were surprised by the brightness of the room.  Another yawn escaped her lips as she pulled her weary body out of the bed and spied the clock strike noon.  With a chuckle she walked into the kitchen and leaned against the counter waiting for the kettle to boil.  Her coffee left a trail of steam as she walked through her living room to look out the large window.  The empty streets were a glaring reminder of her mid week mid morning break and she couldn't help but smile wickedly at the thought of all her neighbours, peers and colleagues at work.

            The sun was shining brightly and she longed to feel it's warmth of her face without the filter of the window, to feel the bare wind on her skin would be a dream she thought as she looked up to the cloudless blue sky.  A bubble of excitement gurgled in her at the thought of the beach and how empty it would be on a Tuesday. 

            With her eyes glazed over as she mentally planned what she'd need for a day trip to the coast she didn't notice the familiar figure approaching her front door.  The knock was loud and unexpected in the stillness of her apartment, making her jump.  Over at the door she peeked through the spy hole only to see Mulder looking back expectantly.  She opened the door and smiled knowingly at him as he stepped in and followed her through to the kitchen.

"Bored?" she asked handing him a cup of coffee.

"Beyond. Belief."

"It's only been about twenty hours."

"No case work and no leads make Mulder go crazy," he quipped making his eye twitch exaggeratedly.  She put four slices of bread into the toaster and sat across from him.

"And you said I'd never last."

"You're not bored yet?" he asked taking in her dishelved pyjamas and just got out of bed smile.

"No."

"You're only up," he said more of a statement than a question.

"Yes I am," she confirmed proudly.

"It's past twelve Scully."

"What?" she said standing to get the toast that just popped and the butter from the fridge. "I'm not allowed to sleep in?"

"Of course you are…I guess I didn't think you were the type."

"The sleeping type?"

"No the sleeping in type," he said, stealing a slice of freshly buttered toast of her plate.  "So what have you got planned to alleviate your boredom?"

"Actually I was thinking of going to the beach," she admitted.

"The beach?"

"Yes Mulder, it's what they call it where the sea meets the land."

"So I couldn't interest you in a quick trip to the library to help me with research."

"No you couldn't," she said firmly.  "Couldn't I interest you in a trip to the beach to help me relax?"

            He smiled at her warmly and let her blush slightly under the scrutiny of his gaze.  Standing she drained her coffee and placed the cup into the sink.

"I'm going to take a shower then I'm off to the beach.  You're welcome to join me but only if you promise me no shop talk."

"In the shower?"

            The only response she offered was a shake of her head as she walked away and into the bathroom.  After a quick shower she rushed into her bedroom to change into a pair of beige cargo pants and a blue fitted top.  Carrying her sneakers into the front room she found him stretched out on the couch a packet of biscuits on his chest and the TV playing a random sport he'd found with his channel hopping.  She slapped his legs and he pulled himself up with a groan giving her enough room to sit down to tie her shoes.

"So you want to come to the beach?"

"Yeah," he said handing her a biscuit.

"And you promise not to mention work?" she asked as she bit into the chocolate biscuit.

"I promise nothing!"

"I'm warning you Mulder," she said grabbing her phone and keys and leading him out, locking the door behind her. "One mention of sea monsters or ghost ships and you'll be eating hospital food for a week."

"Anyone ever say you look beautiful when you're angry?" he joked as they got into his car and he pulled out onto the empty street.

"You want to see angry Mulder just talk about work."

            They drove off in high spirits and Scully directed him on which roads to take and which turns to make.  As they drove along the coast she looked out at the ocean wistfully, watching the far off ships and waves sighing loud enough for him to hear but not for him to comment on.

"Oh wait stop here, we need to get some stuff," she said suddenly as he passed a garage.

"Good warning there," he said checking his mirror before screeching to a stop and pulling into the forecourt.

"Hang on."

            Before he could say anything she jumped out and rushed into the shop.  It was moments later before she returned, her arms laden own with two full bags.

"What did you buy?" he asked incredibly as she placed them on the car floor in the back.

"Just some lunch."

            With a little laugh he took off again this time not stopping until they came to the beach she wanted to go to.   He pulled up and reversed his car onto a dune so it faced the water, which was at low tide for now.  She climbed out and circled round to the front of the car where she leaned on the bonnet and rested back on her hands.  The sea wind was strong enough to whip her hair about and she smiled as it caressed her skin in a way she had been thinking about all morning.  From the drivers seat Mulder watched her for a moment absorbing the suns warmth and loving the winds embrace, but she turned to face him, her smile shy and yet alluring.

"Are you gonna sit there all day Mulder?"  He got out and sat next to her on the bonnet, watching the small waves in the distance in silence.

"Shall we go down to the water?" she asked excitedly her eyes wide with anticipation her smile free and easy.

"Sure," he said pushing himself off the car and reaching a hand out to her.

"No take your shoes off Mulder.  No point in going down if you're not gonna get wet!"

            He watched her again mesmerised by the new character she was displaying who toed off her sneakers and rolled up her pants to mid shin level.  She stood up straight again and nudged him.

"C'mon Mulder, get them off," she said when she saw he hadn't removed his footwear.

"Oh Scully I've been waiting so long for you to say that!" he said as he kicked off his sneakers and rolled his jeans up.  He threw both their things into the car and went back to her where she reached her hand out to him.  Taking it gingerly, surprised and pleased by the simple gesture he walked with her on the sand to the water and let her pull him in a little further.  But it was as if he was an extension of her arm and she wasn't fully aware of his presence as she walked further and further in to the water.  The gentle waves lapped against her legs, wetting the rolled up cuffs of both their trousers but she didn't seems to mind and he enjoyed watching her.  Her mood was infectious and he soon found himself watching the clear horizon with her and suddenly he didn't care either that his jeans were wet or clung to his legs.

"You like the sea?" he asked softly not wanting to break whatever spell had propelled her into such a good mood.

"I'm a navy brat Mulder."
            She fell silent again but this time he noticed her shoulders slump a little.  Turning towards him she offered him a smile and started back towards the sand.  He followed her, their hands still connected and walked with her silently up the beach towards the rocky end that he could make up about a mile ahead.

"Did you ever want to be in the navy?"

"Sure, when I was a kid. But Bill joined and I knew Charlie was waiting his turn.  I guess I needed to do something different," she admitted glancing back at the vast expanse of the ocean.  "I needed to…" her words faltered.

"Rebel?" he teased, nudging her with his elbow.  She smiled a little and blushed, turning away from him to hide it.

"I suppose so," she confirmed.  They walked on a little further in silence and he shifted his grip on her hand to interlock their fingers. 

"Mulder, if you could go back in time," she said suddenly.

"Hey…I thought we weren't gonna talk about work?"

"Shut up Mulder…if you could and knowing what you know now…would you still join the FBI?"

"Of course," he answered quickly.  "Wouldn't you?"  He turned to face her and stopped walking, pulling her round till she stood in front of him.  Her eyes travelled slowly up to his face, hesitating for only a moment before connecting with his dark hazel eyes and slowly she nodded her head.

"Of course I would."

"Besides," he said putting his arm over her shoulders and tucking her closer to him.  "Who else would hire me?"  They started to walk further up the beach.

"I guess you would have been locked up long ago."

"I'd probably be one of those guys on the street corner yelling about the end of the world."

"Don't you do that at the weekends?"

"Only when you are out of town."

            Laughing she let her arm slip around his waist and leaned in to his warmth loving the feeling of his body heat next to her in contrast to the cold water lapping at her feet.

"Should we go back and get something to eat?" he asked loathing to let her go but yearning to keep her spirits high.

"Yeah."

            They sauntered slowly back across the deserted beach parting only when they reached the car.  From the back seat Scully pulled out the two large paper bags and put them on the drivers seat. She fumbled in the bags took out a couple of bottles of water and some packed sandwiches.  She turned to see him pulling an old blanket out of the boot.  Shaking it out he laid it on the sand next to the car.

"We probably should have brought a change of clothes," she said absently as she sat down. 

"Ta daa!" he said pulling a bag out of the boot and dropping it down beside her.

"What's this?"

"I always keep a bag packed in my car…you never know!"

"No Mulder you don't…"

            From the bag he got a pair of shorts and a black pair of sweats and held them both out to her to make a choice.  She took the pair of shorts and gave him his lunch.  Eating quietly for a while he leaned back against the car and stretched his legs out in front of him.  She couldn't help but notice how long his legs were as they passed hers out and his toes wiggled in the soft warm sand.  After he finished his sandwich he grabbed the bag and his sweats and went round to the back of the car, just out of her sight where he peeled off his damp jeans and slipped on the dry black sweats.

"Hey Scully?" he asked as he came back and sat by her side.  "What was in the other bag?"

"Why don't you go and look?"

            He reached around him and opened the door to pull out the other paper bag and looked inside.  She watched as his eyes widened with delight and he turned to her his smile so young and so open that she laughed.

"Wow!" was all he could manage as he reached in and pulled out a bucket and spade.

"Cant come to the beach and not build a castle!"

            He scrambled off the blanket and moved over to where the sand was firmer.  She watched him for a while before taking his shorts and walking over to the boot.  With a quick glance to make sure he was still a bit away she pulled off her pants.  Mulder packed the bucket full and turned it upside down to make the castle.  As he took the bucket carefully away he laughed out loud at the small crumbling pile of sand left behind.  He looked round to her to show her his success but all he could see was her bare legs sticking out from behind the car as she pulled on his cotton running shorts.  Looking away feeling almost like a voyeur he concentrated on building another one and had it build by the time she knelt beside him laughing at his first attempt.

"What? Can you do better?" he challenged.

            She took the bucket from his hand and filled it with sand patting it down tight.  As she upturned it onto the ground she hit all sides of it and the top firmly before slowly pulling it off.  Left was a perfect castle the exact shape of the bucket and she kneeled back on her hunkers smiling triumphantly.

"I guess you can do better."

            The day passed by with laughs and smiles, nudges and elbows as they build a veritable city.  The castles fell around them, tumbling into messy piles of sand and she laughed loudly at his down turned smile.  But as the wind grew colder and he caught her shivering one time too many in the shorts and fitted top he stood up and reached his hand down to her.

"C'mon, lets get out of here," he said and he took her hand and pulled her to her feet.  She gathered the bucket and spade and followed him to the car where he shook out the blanket and dumped it into the boot.  She sat in the passenger seat deciding to leave her shoes off.  Climbing in beside her Mulder rubbed his feet free of sand before slipping on his sneakers. 

"So a work free day huh? How did I do?" he asked pulling out of the beach and driving onto the road.

"Very well Mulder, I didn't think you could do it."

"I know it'll be pushing my luck but I think I could last through dinner!" he said laughing, glancing down at her bare feet for a second before looking back up to the road.

"I'd love to but I cant."

"Oh…ok."

"I'm meeting a friend who just moved here from San Diego," she said resting her head back and letting her eyes close over with the rhythmic rocking of the car.  "Just got a surgeons position in St Johns."

"You knew them from medical college?" he asked straining to hear the tone of regret he imagined he would.

"Yeah.  We shared a dorm."

"So she's a surgeon?"

"What makes you presume it's a she?"

"Well…I imagined…" he stuttered feeling an unfamiliar heat rise over his cheeks.

"Dorm room antics?" she said easing his blush with the sound of her laugh.

"Something like that!"

"Well it is a woman.  Jane Cromwell."

            A silence fell between them and Mulder fiddled with the radio to find some music.  Finally settling on a station he turned it low and glanced over at her, his eyes falling to her feet again.  They made the last few miles with only the soft crooning of a country singer to keep the silence at bay.  Pulling up to her apartment he looked over to her and watched her for a moment before she woke.  Her hair had fallen over her face hiding the newly acquired colour, and her chest moved slowly in that contented way he hadn't seen on her the whole time they spent in the bunker.  Flashes of lying next to her and holding his breath until he could hear hers burned his mind and he reached over to shake her before they overwhelmed him.

"We're here," he said his voice but a whisper.

"Oh…I must have fallen asleep.  What time is it?" she asked stretching her arms out in front of her languidly.

"Just after six."

"Okay…thanks Mulder," she said reaching for the door but turned back to him.  "I had a great time today."

"Me too."

            She smiled at him for a moment and he thought she was going to say something else but as he watched her he could almost tell when her mind changed.  She got out and took her shoes from the back seat. 

"See ya Mulder."
            He watched as she hurried up the path in his shorts and carrying her shoes and smiled a little wider before pulling the smile off his face in case the thoughts that were threatening to invade him took over.

A run, he thought, I need to go for a run.

***

            The bar was bright, but that didn't compliment her mood.  Her friend was late which only seemed to worsen her mood.  But the drink was good and the attentions she was getting from the young bartender, who had introduced himself as Roddy, were satisfying if a little unwarranted.  Scully shifted uncomfortably on the high stool and longed to be able to touch the floor but without moving over to the lounges she had little choice.

"Can I get you a drink?" Roddy asked as he leaned over the taps at her.

"Please."

"Same again?" he asked already pouring her a fresh glass of wine and removing the empty one from the counter.  "Your friend seems to be running late."

"Yeah," she answered non-committedly not wanting to strike up a conversation and reducing her earlier promise to wait thirty more minutes down to ten more.

"Shame if you ask me."

            The questioning quirk of her eyebrow gave him all the encouragement he needed to continue as he leaned over a little closer and smiled.  "To leave a beautiful lady like you waiting."

            She couldn't help but smile but she made an effort to hide it.  He moved up the bar to serve another customer but kept an eye on her, winking when he caught her looking.  She glanced up at the small golden clock by the bar and promised herself she'd be gone before the hour hand reached half past.

***

Mulder bounded into the apartment and threw his keys onto the couch.  He kicked off his runners and pulled his t-shit and jumper off over his head dropping them into a corner by the bedroom door where he figured he could collect them later.  Standing in the bathroom he fiddled with the taps until he had the shower running at the right temperature and was about to get in when he heard a muffled ring.  Sticking his head out of the bathroom door he listened and walked out to eh hall to listen again.  Spying his own mobile sitting silently beside the cordless phone.

Taking slow stealthy steps he traced the noise to the bag he'd dropped by the front door and after rummaging through it he found Scully's phone ringing.  The ID flashed a name he didn't recognise but after only a moments hesitation he answered it.

"Hello?" he said cautiously.

"Dana? Is that you?" a female voice asked.

"Eh…no."

"Who is this? Is Dana There?"

"No, no she's not," he said avoiding her first question. "Can I take a message?"

"Who is this? Is this Dana's phone?"

"Yeah it's her phone.  She left it in my car.  I'm a…friend of hers."

"Mulder? Are you Fox Mulder?" the voice asked this time laughing over the phone.

"Yes."

"Okay, listen I was supposed to meet Dana at the Reflow Bar but I've been called into surgery and I'm not gonna make it."

"What time?"

"About half an hour ago."

"She's not at home?"

"Dana I hate to be late Scully? No she's not.  I was hoping to catch her on the mobile and I cant get through to the bar phone."

"Oh."

"Don't you guys have a bat signal or something? I'd hate to leave her waiting."

"Okay," Mulder said laughing.  "I'll get the message to her."

"Thank you very much Mulder."

            After a quick shower, feeling no remorse at the loss of his quiet night in Mulder pulled on a pair of black slacks and a pale blue t-shirt.  Grabbing a light grey v-neck jumper he rushed out into the street where the taxi was waiting.

"The Reflow bar on 42nd street please."

"No problem."

"And I'm late…"

***

            Ten more minutes had passed since she promised she'd give Jane thirty more minutes.  Expecting a slew of messages to be on her phone she glanced over to the courtesy bar phone where an elderly man, whose nose bore the colour of more than a few whiskeys, slurred sentiments into the hand piece.  At the sight of Roddy creeping up the bar towards her, she mentally cut Jane's final twenty minutes to ten minutes and she looked down at her drink only to see it was still near full and she sighed when she realised she couldn't make a quick dash for it.

"I'm off in half an hour," he said as if it were the answer to the question she had been thinking about all evening.  "I can take you away from all of this."

"I think I'm gonna call it a night."

"So soon? But you've made it this far!"

            Before Scully could answer another bartender arrived and placed a glass of champagne in front of her with a smile.

"Excuse me ma'am, but a gentleman at the bar asked me to give you this."

"For me?" she stammered shocked and yet secretly delighted.

"He says he's not in the habit of asking strangers to dinner but he'd be delighted if you'd oblige."

"Who is he?" she asked her initial reaction to accept such invitations dissolved under her curiosity.

"The gentleman in the grey pullover," he said pointing up to the top of the bar.

            Scully looked up and scanned the patrons for a grey pullover until she saw the familiar top, worn and bubbled from too many washes and she could almost feel the comforting scratchy texture against her skin from the time she borrowed it while on stakeout.  Her smile crept unknowingly across her lips as she looked up and their eyes met.

"Would you like to respond?" the barman asked clearly enjoying his role in this.

            Roddy crossed his arms over his chest and stood defiantly waiting for her answer.

"Tell him I'd love to," she said looking at the stranger over the rim of her glass, ignoring the glare from Roddy and soaking up the sight of Mulder across the room.

**Just to let you know this is gonna be pure fluff…sorry if you don't like that kinda stuff…not sorry if you do!!!!**