6:15pm, Boxing Day
Mulder stood impatiently at the bottom of the stairs, fidgeting nervously with the sleeves of his suit jacket as he waited for Scully to come down. She had been getting ready for the past hour and a half and now had all the women helping put the 'finishing touches' to her outfit. Bill and Charlie had taken the children out for a walk in the snow before dinner; Bill not really wanting to have to watch them go out and Charlie not wanting Bill to be there to ruin it for them. Bill had kept quiet since his outburst on Christmas Day and Mulder hoped that they would make it through the next twenty-four hour without a repeat. Bill, Tara and Mattie were leaving to visit Tara's parents tomorrow afternoon for four days, coming back on New-Years Eve.
Looking at his watch, he sighed as he realised that only three minutes had gone past since he had last checked the time. He glanced up at the stairs hoping that she would be there but she wasn't and instead he was distracted by a beep from the taxi outside. Opening the door he shouted to the driver that they would be out soon. Noticing that his sleeves were messed up again from looking at his watch, he hastily sorted them out. He smiled to himself as he caught sight of his cufflinks, the elegant silver not quite covering up the fact that they were alien heads. He remembered the words she had spoken when she gave them to him and thought back to a conversation they'd had in his - no, their - office almost three years ago.
It had taken place during the time that the X-files had been closed and the two of them had stopped officially being partners although they consulted each other on nearly every case. They had gone down to the now-empty basement office together to discuss the case he had been working on at the time with Alex Krycek, long before they had found out that he was working for the consortium. Once they had gone over the case notes, neither of them had been very keen to leave so they had stayed down there, talking. Scully had asked him about his new partner and he had told her that she would always be his partner, official or not. Smiling shyly but looking pleased she had told him the same back and they had sat in silence for a moment, considering the other's words. Realising that they had been staring deeply into each other's eyes, Scully had shook her head and asked him once again about Krycek. Laughing, he had ridiculed his floppy haircut and too-eager attitude to get everything done. He had then told her for a second time how believing he was in the paranormal and, as he was talking, he watched her face fall imperceptibly to everyone but those that knew her well. He had hurriedly gone on to tell her that believing in the same things he did wasn't the most important attribute to him in a partner. Her face had brightened slightly at that and she had asked him what he did consider to be the most important quality in a partner.
'Trust', he had told her. 'Trust and respect.'
He had never trusted Krycek, which turned out to be a very good thing considering, but he had told her then that he had trusted her from almost the very beginning. Her good mood restored, she had given him one of her rare smiles that showed her teeth and returned the sentiment. He had then told her that what he valued most about her was that she at least respected his beliefs and was willing to listen to his crazy theories; the fact that she required proof before she would change her own theory only made him respect her. Once again they had become silent, moving to sit closer together and thinking about the 'good old days' they had had in that office.
He realised that; although they had seen a lot and been through a lot of crazy things together, he still admired her most for being able to stick to her beliefs unless there was evidence to the contrary, just like he was able to. Still lost in thought, he didn't realise that Scully was standing at the top of the stairs until he heard a polite cough and a few giggles. He looked up and saw her standing there, with her hair all done up and wearing the dress he had bought her. The satin fabric of the dress skimmed over her hips and swept down her legs to the floor emphasising her stunning figure. He could see a tantalizing amount of her thigh where the dress was slit at one side and the neckline, although rather modest comparatively speaking, caused him to gasp out loud. The bodice was lightly decorated with a very fine beaded pattern across one side and the delicate straps were adorned with the same beads. Her earrings sparkled in the dim light of the hall and, as she made her way down the stairs, he could see that she had pinned her hair up with clips that also glittered. He opened his mouth as if to speak but no words came out and instead just stood there gazing in wonder at the beautiful sight in front of him. She smiled shyly as she approached him and was blushing deeply by the time she came to a halt in front of him. Maggie, Tara and Jess were all standing behind her waiting to see and hear his reaction to how she looked.
"Wow! ...Scully, you look..."
"Fox Mulder speechless - there's a sight I never thought I'd see."
"Scully, there are no words. You are indescribable."
"In a good way I hope."
"In the best way there is. You're too stunning for words, I...am I dreaming?"
"Nope, but thank you. You look pretty amazing yourself."
"Why, thank you. May I help you with your coat?"
"Sure. Is the taxi here already?"
"Your chariot awaits."
"Bye Mom. Bye Tara. Bye Jess."
"Bye Dana. Have a good time both of you."
"We will, Maggie. Goodbye."
Mulder helped her on with her coat and then held out his arm for her to take while Maggie opened the front door for them. The pair made their way carefully down the slippery path and Mulder opened the taxi door for her before making his way round to the other side and getting in himself. They waved to the three women standing in the doorway as the taxi pulled out and then settled close together whilst they drove to the restaurant.
Mulder stood impatiently at the bottom of the stairs, fidgeting nervously with the sleeves of his suit jacket as he waited for Scully to come down. She had been getting ready for the past hour and a half and now had all the women helping put the 'finishing touches' to her outfit. Bill and Charlie had taken the children out for a walk in the snow before dinner; Bill not really wanting to have to watch them go out and Charlie not wanting Bill to be there to ruin it for them. Bill had kept quiet since his outburst on Christmas Day and Mulder hoped that they would make it through the next twenty-four hour without a repeat. Bill, Tara and Mattie were leaving to visit Tara's parents tomorrow afternoon for four days, coming back on New-Years Eve.
Looking at his watch, he sighed as he realised that only three minutes had gone past since he had last checked the time. He glanced up at the stairs hoping that she would be there but she wasn't and instead he was distracted by a beep from the taxi outside. Opening the door he shouted to the driver that they would be out soon. Noticing that his sleeves were messed up again from looking at his watch, he hastily sorted them out. He smiled to himself as he caught sight of his cufflinks, the elegant silver not quite covering up the fact that they were alien heads. He remembered the words she had spoken when she gave them to him and thought back to a conversation they'd had in his - no, their - office almost three years ago.
It had taken place during the time that the X-files had been closed and the two of them had stopped officially being partners although they consulted each other on nearly every case. They had gone down to the now-empty basement office together to discuss the case he had been working on at the time with Alex Krycek, long before they had found out that he was working for the consortium. Once they had gone over the case notes, neither of them had been very keen to leave so they had stayed down there, talking. Scully had asked him about his new partner and he had told her that she would always be his partner, official or not. Smiling shyly but looking pleased she had told him the same back and they had sat in silence for a moment, considering the other's words. Realising that they had been staring deeply into each other's eyes, Scully had shook her head and asked him once again about Krycek. Laughing, he had ridiculed his floppy haircut and too-eager attitude to get everything done. He had then told her for a second time how believing he was in the paranormal and, as he was talking, he watched her face fall imperceptibly to everyone but those that knew her well. He had hurriedly gone on to tell her that believing in the same things he did wasn't the most important attribute to him in a partner. Her face had brightened slightly at that and she had asked him what he did consider to be the most important quality in a partner.
'Trust', he had told her. 'Trust and respect.'
He had never trusted Krycek, which turned out to be a very good thing considering, but he had told her then that he had trusted her from almost the very beginning. Her good mood restored, she had given him one of her rare smiles that showed her teeth and returned the sentiment. He had then told her that what he valued most about her was that she at least respected his beliefs and was willing to listen to his crazy theories; the fact that she required proof before she would change her own theory only made him respect her. Once again they had become silent, moving to sit closer together and thinking about the 'good old days' they had had in that office.
He realised that; although they had seen a lot and been through a lot of crazy things together, he still admired her most for being able to stick to her beliefs unless there was evidence to the contrary, just like he was able to. Still lost in thought, he didn't realise that Scully was standing at the top of the stairs until he heard a polite cough and a few giggles. He looked up and saw her standing there, with her hair all done up and wearing the dress he had bought her. The satin fabric of the dress skimmed over her hips and swept down her legs to the floor emphasising her stunning figure. He could see a tantalizing amount of her thigh where the dress was slit at one side and the neckline, although rather modest comparatively speaking, caused him to gasp out loud. The bodice was lightly decorated with a very fine beaded pattern across one side and the delicate straps were adorned with the same beads. Her earrings sparkled in the dim light of the hall and, as she made her way down the stairs, he could see that she had pinned her hair up with clips that also glittered. He opened his mouth as if to speak but no words came out and instead just stood there gazing in wonder at the beautiful sight in front of him. She smiled shyly as she approached him and was blushing deeply by the time she came to a halt in front of him. Maggie, Tara and Jess were all standing behind her waiting to see and hear his reaction to how she looked.
"Wow! ...Scully, you look..."
"Fox Mulder speechless - there's a sight I never thought I'd see."
"Scully, there are no words. You are indescribable."
"In a good way I hope."
"In the best way there is. You're too stunning for words, I...am I dreaming?"
"Nope, but thank you. You look pretty amazing yourself."
"Why, thank you. May I help you with your coat?"
"Sure. Is the taxi here already?"
"Your chariot awaits."
"Bye Mom. Bye Tara. Bye Jess."
"Bye Dana. Have a good time both of you."
"We will, Maggie. Goodbye."
Mulder helped her on with her coat and then held out his arm for her to take while Maggie opened the front door for them. The pair made their way carefully down the slippery path and Mulder opened the taxi door for her before making his way round to the other side and getting in himself. They waved to the three women standing in the doorway as the taxi pulled out and then settled close together whilst they drove to the restaurant.
