Mulder nodded and walked them back to their table. "It looks good," he commented. As Mulder sat down, he looked at Scully. He smiled as he remembered their dance.

Scully took her seat and placed her napkin on her lap. She too was remembering their dance a few minutes ago as well as how close they were. "Yes, it...it does." Her eyes then glanced at the quail in front of her. The item she had ordered because she didn't want to make it seem that she had been paying attention to her partner the entire time instead of the menu.

He couldn't help but notice her looking at her meal as he began to eat. "It bet it would be better if you took a bite of it," he told her.

She looked at the plate and was grateful that there were some vegetables on the side. "I suppose it would, wouldn't it?" She put some vegetables on her fork and took a bite. "Mmmm...very good."

Mulder smirked as he took a bite of his food and washed it down with a sip of wine. She was still very nervous around him, but he didn't understand why.

She had to distract his attention from her plate while she worked up the courage to tackle the bird in front of her. "So, how did you learn to dance like that?" She asked before taking a sip of wine.

"In England," he answered as he sipped his wine. "In Oxford they would offer the students ballroom dancing courses. Back then, it would be proper if everyone learned how to dance."

"Well, I uh think that's a good idea. I think all men should learn how to dance like that. It makes them appear less primate-like." She paused. "Not that I'm saying you're primate-like before I saw you do it. I mean..." She let out a flustered sigh.

"You're walking on eggshells around me." Mulder continued to eat his meal.

"Well, this is a little different from our normal routine." She took another bite of vegetables.

"So, we're dressed in formal wear and eating a meal that isn't fast-food. It doesn't change who we are though."

"Well, no it doesn't but...this is a date, Mulder. People are....expected to act a certain way then they would in other circumstances." Oh god what was she saying? She quickly took another sip of wine.

"I just thought this was me taking you out for your birthday," he replied.

She took her lips from the wine glass. Oh god had she said the d word? There were few words that could strike terror in a female's heart. She laughed nervously. "Did...did I say date? I'm sorry, I didn't mean that. Of course I meant that this was just dinner." She wished she could just crawl under the table now.

Mulder was amused by her behavior. He never expected her to be nervous or walk on eggshells around him. Not like this, anyway. "Just relax, Scully."

"I honestly didn't mean the whole date thing. I'm really sorry, Mulder. Please don't think that."

He took a sip of wine. "Don't apologize."

So now everything she had been thinking about him was totally wrong. She was starting to look at him in a different light but he wasn't about her. Ok this was fixable. And now as she looked down at the bird in front of her, it was almost mocking her. You ordered me because you were too busy looking at your partner who is just interested in this as a dinner and nothing more. So tuck in and enjoy! "This..this really is a nice place, Mulder." She picked up her fork.

"Yes, it is." He looked up toward the sky and gazed at the stars. "It's a really pretty night too."

Her eyes cast up to the sky. Oh good another distraction. "Yes, it is. You can really see a lot of stars from here unlike the city."

He turned and saw one of her surprises coming. He smiled brightly.

"You know they say that the Outback in Australia is the one place in the world where you can see all the stars?" She remarked still looking up.

A waiter came up from behind Scully holding a small piece of chocolate cake with a candle lit. Mulder smiled as the waiter placed it in front of her. "Happy birthday to you, happy birthday to you, happy birthday dear Scully, happy birthday to you."

She looked down at the piece of cake in front of her. "Oh, Mulder." She let out a chuckle. "I've never had the privilege of being serenaded by your singing before."

He smiled. "Go ahead and make a wish, Scully."

She looked back at him for a minute before closing her eyes. She knew secretly what she was wishing for. She then blew out the candle.

"I hope you like chocolate cake," he told her as she blew out her candle. He wondered what she wished for.

"It's my favorite. If it wasn't for the FBI training we had to keep up I would be a chocoholic."

He laughed. "Well, go ahead and dig in, birthday girl."

"But I haven't finished my dinner yet. Isn't it customary to eat dinner first before dessert?"

"It's your birthday, you can do whatever you want."

"That's right. It is isn't it?" She picked up another fork and took a piece of cake. She moaned as the chocolate hit her tongue. "Oh, Mulder. This is wonderful! The best chocolate I've ever tasted!"

He smiled as he watched her eat her birthday cake. "Good. I'm glad you enjoy it."

She put another piece of cake on her fork and held it out to him. "You want to try some? It's really good and I would hate to be the only one indulging in this."

"Thank you." He leaned forward and slowly took a bite of the cake from the fork. "Mmmm." He closed his eyes as he licked his lips. "That is good."

She watched as his tongue came out of his lips. Now she was being distracted another way. "Yes, it's...it's sinfully good." She whispered.

"Yes it is," he grinned.

She quickly snapped back to reality. "Well, I'm...I'm glad you like it." She took another bite of her cake.

Mulder smiled. He was glad that she was enjoying herself.

As she continued to eat her hear caught the sound of music. "Wait, that doesn't sound like Mozart or Beethoven. That sounds like "Beyond the Sea" by Bobby Darin." She glanced at Mulder. "Mulder..."

He stood up and her hand. "Dance with me," he told her.

"Did...did you tell them to play this?" She asked before taking his hand.

"Yes, I did," he answered as they began to dance slowly.

"You truly thought of everything." She whispered before resting her head on his shoulder. She had completely forgotten just how close she was to him and it didn't matter. She just wanted to enjoy this moment.

"What did you wish for?" he asked in her ear.

"I can't tell you otherwise it won't come true." She whispered back.

"Maybe a hint?"

"It's something I've been wanting for a while secretly but have been too stubborn to do."

"It's intriguing," he answered as they continued to dance.

She placed her arms around him as she continued to rest her head. "And it may come true yet."

"Is it something I can help fulfill?" He was truly intrigued now.

She lifted her head. "What...what do you mean?"

"It's something you've wanted but you're too stubborn to do it…can I help you with it?"

Now she was starting to get paranoid. Did he know? "What...what makes you think it's something you could help me with?"

"I just thought I would ask."

"What...what would it mean to you....if it was?"

"I guess I would feel honored."

She let out a sigh as she laid her head back on his shoulder. "Mulder, I have to confess something to you."

"What is it?"

"I've never eaten quail in my life."

Mulder laughed. "I noticed."

"And....the reason I ordered it was because it was the first thing I saw on the menu when the waiter asked me."

He kissed the top of her head as they danced. "Don't worry about it. Is this why you've been so jittery and nervous tonight is because you ordered that?"

"Well, that's just part of it. It's more for the reason as to why I did."

"What is it?"

She decided it was now or never. If she was going to get through the rest of this night she had to get this off her chest. "The whole time I should have been looking at the menu....I was looking at you." She closed her eyes tightly waiting for the response. Looked like chocolate ice cream it would be tonight, after all.

Mulder stopped and lifted her head up to him so he could see her. "You were?"

She nodded her head slowly with her eyes still closed. "I was and I know it was wrong."

"It's not wrong, Scully. I'm flattered."

Her eyes opened. "I...you...are?"

He nodded and smiled. "Very flattered."

"But it was wrong, Mulder. You're my partner and my best friend."

"Scully, we're human. I would be lying if I said I hadn't looked at you tonight and thought about you beautiful you look."

"But....the way you acted when I said the word date. I assumed you were upset because you only thought of this as a dinner between friends."

"I didn't think you would accept the offer if I told you this was a date…that's why…I said earlier it was a dinner between friends. You ask a woman on a date and some flip out on the guy, you know? I didn't want to make you feel uncomfortable or feel that you had to live up to a certain expectation."

"You're....you're right that is exactly how I would have reacted had you treated it that way. So, this is....a date?"

"To me? Yes. To you? It can be whatever you want it to be."

"So, this is more than just something between friends?"

"Perhaps."

"Is there a way we make that into a yes?"

"If you want this to be something…than just something than friends, just tell me." Mulder looked into her eyes. "I want to you decide…I'm not going to push you into anything."

"Mulder, I ordered an expensive item on a menu because I was too busy looking at you in that tux."

"So, I guess this is something more than just between friends, huh?"

"You want to make my wish come true I asked for, don't you?"

"You got to tell me the wish first," he chuckled.

"I wished....for one kiss from my partner. And...a night that I would never forget."

Mulder smiled. "Can I make them come true?"

"You were starting to already before I even made that wish."

He leaned in, kissing her lips very gently. His hands slowly moved up her back as he closed his eyes.

He pulled back breathless and looked back into her eyes. "You know that you could have wished for more than just one kiss."

"Well, I...I didn't want to push my luck. And I didn't know how you felt either."

He leaned in and kissed her lips again just show her just how he felt.

She let out a gasp of surprise and then eased into the kiss, returning it with a contented sigh.

Mulder pulled back from her mouth. "That's how I feel."

"Oh, Mulder. I was so afraid you would reject me. That...that you wouldn't want to be friends anymore."

He shook his head. "If I rejected you…then that would be an X-file."

She let out a laugh as she buried her head in his chest.

He began to laugh too. "C'mon, birthday girl. Where to next?"

"Well, I thought you had this all planned out for the night?"

"Do you have anywhere special you want to go?"

She paused. "Well, there is one place."

"Where's that?"

"There's this park and this pond with a beautiful view of the stars. I haven't been there in forever and...well I always wanted to have my date take me there." She shook her head. "I still feel strange calling you my date. I normally despise that word."

"I'll take you there, if you like."

"You would really do that for me?"

"Of course."

"Well, maybe we should finish those expensive dinners you paid for first."

He kissed her forehead. "I'll take care of it."

"Aren't you hungry?"

"Why, are you?"

"Well, I was thinking maybe we could get a doggie bag?"

"I'll get it for us." He pulled back from her and motioned for the waiter. As he took care of their meal and their bill, Mulder couldn't help but smile to himself. This evening was better than he planned it would be. At least now the doubt he had about the feelings Scully had for him were a little more clear.