The song came to an end and the agents were sucked out of their peaceful state by the sound of applause and shuffling feet. They stepped back from each other slightly and just stared at one another. They stayed like that for about a minute when Mulder was forced to look away as Adrienne came up to him and was wishing him a good holiday. Mulder shook his head as to clear it and looked toward Adrienne.
Mulder: I'm sorry, what did you say? I didn't hear you.
Adrienne: (Looking slightly annoyed) I said I hope you have a nice holiday and I didn't get a chance to thank you for the dance, you left so quickly. It was very enjoyable. while it lasted. At any rate, I forward to seeing you next week.
She shot a glance at Scully and smiled mischievously. She then took Mulder's face in her hands and kissed him right on the lips. Mulder didn't move. He was too stunned. Adrienne broke away, smiled sweetly at him and gave Scully a smug look and walked away. Scully and Mulder were pretty much sharing the same look, absolutely shocked. Scully was the first to move. She looked a little embarrassed and started to walk away.
Scully: That must have been some dance you to had, huh?
Reminder ( Scully didn't actually see them dance because she had her eyes closed.
Mulder: Scully, wait. No, it wasn't anything, I swear, I have no idea where that came from. She just likes me I guess. It didn't mean anything.
Scully: No, I understand Mulder, you don't have to explain anything to me, really, and I am tired. I'm- I'm just gonna go home. I'll talk to you tomorrow.
Mulder: No. NO, Scully look at me!
She turned and looked at him with her brow raised.
Mulder: Why are you upset? I said that it didn't mean anything, we just danced, one dance that's all. What's wrong?
Scully: You're right. I'm sorry. I don't know what is wrong with me. I think I drank a little too much champagne and I'm kind of tired. Like I said, I'm just gonna go home.
Mulder: All right, look, I will take a cab with you back to your place. I don't want you driving if you had champagne. We can pick up your car tomorrow, okay?
Scully: I took a cab here. I didn't feel like dealing with the valet moving my seat all over creation again. I'll just take one home myself.
Mulder: No, I want to make sure you get home in one piece.
Scully: Sure, Ok, thanks Mulder.
The car ride home was pretty much uneventful. The air between them was kind of tense because of the kiss and because of their close moments while dancing. They didn't talk much, except about the grandeur of the ball. After about 25 minutes, they arrived at Scully's apartment building. Mulder paid and got out of the cab to walk Scully in. This hardly surprised Scully, it was usual that he go with her. They would go up to her apartment and she would invite him in, he would usually decline, give her a quick hug or kiss on the head, wait for her to go in and leave. Only this time it went differently.
Scully: Do want to come in, Mulder? Have Some Tea? You can crash here if you want to.
Mulder: Yeah, ok, I'm tired anyway.
This surprised Scully a bit, and she looked at him in wonder as her walked past her into the apartment. He sat down on the couch and kicked his shoes off which landed unceremoniously across the room. He laid down on the couch still in his tux and sighed loudly. Scully also took off her shoes and her feet thanked her copiously. She pulled the clip from her hair and ran a hand through it. She then set to work making tea in an attempt to ward off the effects of the champagne. While she was doing that, Mulder got up and walked over to her.
Scully: So this evening was, ah, eventful huh? You are a great dancer by the way. To bad I didn't find out until the end of the night. We could've had fun showing you off.
Mulder: Somehow, I don't think there would have been anyone looking at me.
Scully: Agent Braun would have, along with any of the female agents with eyes.
Mulder: Are you coming on to me, agent Scully?
Scully: No, Just stating what should be blatantly obvious, inflating your ego a bit, I guess.
She smiled and turned away to make the tea. Mulder handed her another mug and said he wanted some; he had had a few glasses of champagne himself.
Mulder: Well, like I said. She didn't mean anything to me. If she did you both would have known when she kissed me.
Scully: Oh really? Why would that be?
Mulder: What kind of an FBI agent are you? Because. I would have kissed her back. If you weren't so busy gaping, you would have noticed that I didn't. And if I did, everyone there would have known about it, so there.
Scully: Why would have everyone known?
Mulder: Because, when I kiss a lady, I do it right.
Scully had to laugh. He sounded like a pompous ass. It was pretty funny to hear Mulder talk about "kissing a lady right".
Scully: (Between giggles) Oh yeah? How's that, Mr. Expert? Throwing everything off of the nearest table and getting to it right there? Hahaha.
Scully could not stop her incessant giggles, and was near tears thinking about the scene.
Mulder: No, like this.
Mulder took Scully by the waist and pulled her towards him. When she was close enough, he put one hand on her lower back and one near the back of her head. She had stopped laughing abruptly and was now alternating between staring at his eyes and his lips. She looked like a deer in the headlights and he had to bite back a laugh. She had not really been expecting a demonstration and truth be told, he had been expecting to give one. He slowly drew her face towards his, which was only a distance of about 2 ½ inches, but seemed to take forever. Once their lips were only a breath away, Scully's eyes slowly shut and Mulder copied her and moved forward. Scully had a flashed back to Eddie Van Blundht, with the silent "h". But she knew this was really Mulder and that scared the shit out of her.
He didn't move his lips for a moment once they touched hers. He had not expected to feel this way. He just wanted to tease her a little. All sorts of suppressed feelings he had began to fight up to his heart as he realized that was no longer the case. He pushed all other thoughts from his head as he concentrated on her. He moved his mouth slowly and opened it slightly. She responded and allowed him access to her freely. They kissed like that for about a minute, not moving anything but their mouths and slight timid tongues. Mulder pulled back and looked her. Scully slowly opened her eyes and looked at him.
Scully: .oh.ok.
Mulder: Oh God, Scully I'm sorry, I shouldn't have done that. I didn't mean to actually. Oh shit. I'm sorry. I'm gonna go.
Scully: No, Mulder, it's ok. I understand. I mean. we both just had a little too much champagne. That's all. No harm done. I'll just get you a blanket and some pillows. Stay here. It's ok. really. I'll be right back.
She punctuated her little speech with a little , which seemed to prove her argument. Mulder smiled a small smile and stepped back into the room
Scully walked off hiccupping to get the stuff and once she was gone, Mulder thought to himself.
Mulder: Yeah, to much
champagne. That's it. We'll just sleep it off. Who the hell am I
kidding? I haven't felt like that in such a long time. I forgot how
good it feels to kiss her. Not that it was really her on that ship,
but hell, it looked just like her and she had the same sexy attitude,
might as well have been. This was ten times
better
anyway. I finally found a new way to leave Scully speechless. Just
when I thought it couldn't get better.
Scully walked into her room and collapsed upon the bed with a sigh.
Scully: Champagne, uh huh, right, sure, ok. Who the hell am I kidding? No one has ever kissed me like that. Wow. Not only is he a good dancer, he is a fantastic kisser! And that was only a prelude to what he is capable of I'm sure. Not that it meant anything to him. Jesus! When did I go and fall in love with my partner?
Scully clapped a hand over her mouth afraid that she had said it out loud. It was enough of a shock that she had admitted it to herself, but to have Mulder hear it too, after a kiss that meant nothing to him would have been killer.
Mulder: Scully? Are you ok in there?
Scully: Yeah, I'm fine. Just one minute.
Scully grabbed the blanket and pillows from her closet and walked into the living room. On the way there, she noticed that they smelled faintly of Mulder's aftershave.
Scully: Of course it does, dummy, he is the only person you know that actually sleeps over at your house. Wow that's pretty pathetic. You need to get out more Dana.
Scully walked into the living room and stopped dead in her tracks. Her breath hitched. Mulder was standing there in only his boxers. They were dark blue with little Marvin the Martian heads on them.
Scully: Well that figures.
She would have laughed it wasn't for the way the rest of him looked. He had perfect runner's legs and a swimmers body. She managed to quit staring and toss the stuff over to him. Mulder took the things and set them up on the couch. He then turned back to Scully who was busy studying her toes.
Mulder: Thanks Scully. Look, I'm sorry about before. I don't know what got into me. I think you were right; it must have been the champagne.
Scully: Yeah, just forget about it. I'll, um, I'll see you in the morning.
She sounded slightly disappointed to her own ears but if Mulder noticed he didn't say anything, he just smiled at her and turned to get comfortable on the couch. She walked back into her room and got ready for bed. When she was lying there later, just about to fall asleep, she thought about the kiss that she and Mulder had shared before. She relived it until she fell asleep with a faint smile on her face.
