Scully searched everywhere for Mulder that she could think of to look. She checked in both their apartments after a quick stop at her mother's house had shown that he had not returned there. She had even checked in a few bars that she knew he frequented and had called the bureau switchboard to ascertain whether he had gone into work. At a loss for anywhere else to look she dialled the gunmen's number, shaking her head at the memory that she had done the same thing just over a week ago. This time though, it was she and not her brother who had driven Mulder away. She sat in her car outside Mulder's apartment whilst she waited for one of them to pick up, hoping that he might return to his home before she even spoke to them. He didn't though and she soon found herself on the receiving end of a very raucous Happy New Year and congratulations coming from all three gunmen.

"Happy New Year to you too guys...calm down though."

"How can we be calm Agent Scully...two of our closest friends are getting married. Now if that's not an excuse to celebrate then I don't know what is. to think of it, what are you doing calling us? Shouldn't you be 'celebrating' with Mulder? I mean the two of you have plenty of reasons to celebrate."

"Well Byers, you see..."

"What is it Scully?"

"I did something incredibly stupid and I hurt Mulder...badly. I don't know where he is."

"What did you do...if it's not too private a matter to tell me?"

"I said no."

"You said no? ...You refused? ...You turned him down?"

"Yes."

"I'm sorry Scully...but why?"

"I...it's a long story - one which I will explain later - but first I have to find Mulder and explain it to him."

"Of course...so you're not getting married then?"

"If he'll still have me then yes, we are...I just need to find him first. Do you know where he might be? I've tried everywhere I can think of"

"No, I don't know...wait a minute. Did you check the hotel room?"

"What hotel room?"

"He didn't tell you...of course, it was going to be a surprise. He booked a hotel room for the two of you tonight. We helped with the arrangements and delivered some things that he asked us to deliver. He might be there."

After finding out the exact details of the whereabouts of the hotel and the room number, Scully thanked Byers profusely and then hung up, eager to get to Mulder. She screeched her way out of the street and sped toward the hotel, hoping to reach him before he decided to leave or he fell asleep. She pulled into the parking lot and rushed to the front desk in order to get a key in case he didn't answer the door. She felt a fresh wave of guilt when the clerk told her that the room was registered to the Mulder-Scullys and she quickened her pace even more. Finally reaching the correct room, she unlocked the door and stepped inside to find an empty room. There was a bottle of champagne and a huge bouquet of roses standing on the dresser with an envelope addressed to 'My Angel'. She crossed over to the dresser and picked up the note, wondering whether Mulder had left it before or after her refusal. When she read it though she knew that it had been before and fresh tears sprung to her eyes as she re-read the words on the page.

It read:

'My angel...I never thought I could get any happier than the day you told me that you loved me back in the way that I love you but you proved me wrong. Or should I say WE proved me wrong. My whole life amounts to nothing much and if I died tomorrow I would be remembered as a crackpot by all but a few. Now though...you and I have created the most wonderful and miraculous thing in the world and we now have a child to call out own. When I leave this world now I will be remembered as a father and husband and not just a lonely fool whose life mission was to hunt down aliens. Thank you Scully for giving me this amazing chance and thank you for making me that happiest man in the whole world. I couldn't imagine anything better.

Love Fox.

P.S. Check out the outfit I got - isn't it the cutest?


Scully replaced the letter on the dresser top and scanned the room for the outfit that he had mentioned. Her eyes fell upon and small parcel lying on the bedside table and she picked it up. It had already been unwrapped and she knew then that Mulder had been to the room after she had refused for it had not been rewrapped very carefully. In fact the paper was torn and crumpled as if whoever had unwrapped it had been upset or angry. So absorbed in the parcel, she failed to notice the bathroom door opening slowly and Mulder silently coming out, his face tear streaked and his hair messy. She pulled the paper away carefully to reveal a tiny Knicks baby grow complete with matching baseball cap.

"Oh Mulder..."

"What are you doing here Scully?"

"Mulder! I didn't realise you were here...I was afraid that I'd missed you."

"Why would you care if you had?"

"Mulder...I...you..."

Mulder had turned away from her as he had spoken, unwilling to look her in the eyes for fear that he might break down completely when he saw her pity. He looked at her though when he heard the first sob escape her mouth. Shocked to find tears streaming down her face he immediately rushed to her side and enveloped her in his arms, unable to resist. She buried her face in his chest as she tried to regain her composure but as soon as she did so he let her go and backed away from her. She reached out to touch his arm and took a step towards him.

"Mulder...I know I hurt you and I'm so so sorry. I didn't mean to I just...would you let me explain why?"

"Scully it's okay...I understand why you...you said no. You've got to think about the baby's future too now - I'd be a lousy father."

"No...no you wouldn't. You'd be a great father and that is nothing to do with why I said no. I...I thought that you only wanted to marry me because of the baby."

"What?"

"I thought maybe my mom had told you to make things legitimate before the birth and you had felt that you had to propose. I didn't want you to feel that you had to."

"Scully I love you and I proposed because I wanted to spend the rest of my life with you. Now that there's a baby in the picture...well that's just one more perfect piece that would make our lives together even better."

"I know that...my mom told me you had been planning this since Wednesday - that's when I realised what I had done and I knew I needed to find you."

"Why?"

"Because...because I DO want to marry you Mulder - now that I know that you really do want to marry me. I know I hurt you and I guess I'd understand if you had changed your mind but...I want to spend the rest of my life with you - if you'll have me."

"If I'll have you? ...If?! Come here Scully."

Scully moved across the two feet that separated them until they were once again embracing, only this time it was happy tears that filled both pairs of eyes. She tilted her head beck so that she could look into her eyes and, keeping their gazes locked, Mulder lowered his mouth onto hers. Their kiss quickly turned passionate and they made their way to the bed, which they both sank down onto. Clothing disappeared in the blink of an eye and was scattered all across the room as they continued their frenzied lovemaking.

As they lay together over an hour later in an exhausted and satiated state, Scully snuggled closer in to Mulder's chest. Before he could wrap his arm around her though she pulled back away and propped her head up with her hand. She stroked her other hand along his jaw line and then looked away from him, almost ashamed about what she was going to ask.

"Mulder I know I didn't let you before but...would you put the ring on me?"

"I don't have it Scully...I left it in the hall."

"No you didn't...well you did but Charlie found it and he thought I might want it. I put it in my pocket so if you can find my jacket then you'll find the ring."

"Aha! I see through your cunning plan Scully...you just want me to go scurrying bare-ass naked across the room."

"You've got me there Mulder! ...No but seriously...would you do it."

"Of course I will Angel...here it is."

Scully held out her hand for him to place it on her finger but instead he bent down on one knee at the side of the bed and took her hand in his. She sat up in bed and swung her legs over the side so that she sat facing him. He took a deep breath and then let it out shakily before asking her once again for her hand in marriage. At a loss for words, Scully nodded happily and their gazes locked as he slid te ring on her finger. He then lifted her hand to his mouth and kissed the ring on her finger before allowing her to inspect it. Although she had seen it when Charlie had handed it to her, she still gasped when the diamond twinkled as she turned her hand this way and that to look at it from every angle. She slid off the bed so that she straddled Mulder's lap and the two shared a deep and loving kiss before pulling away and sitting in comfortable silence on the floor beside the bed, still in a tight embrace.

"We'd better go tell your mom that she will have a wedding to plan after all."

"I think she knows already Mulder"

"Well then...does that mean we can just stay here together?"

"Sounds good to me."

"You know Scully...you really are my Angel."

With that he stood up taking her with him and placed her on the bed before lying down beside her. He pulled the covers up over them both and spooned up to her back, both sets of hands gently caressing her abdomen. They lay there in peaceful silence for a while before both sets of eyelids drooped closed and they drifted of into peaceful slumber, dreaming of the beautiful child growing inside her and the wonderful life they would surely have together.

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