Chapter 8
The phone went completely silent. "Piece of shit technology..." He mumbled as he slipped on a pair of shoes and grabbed his shirt off the chair. He was out to look for her.
He finally found her off of the interchange, talking to the operator of a tow truck.
She was bleeding slightly from a cut on her forehead and when Mulder looked at the front end of his car and the right tire, he saw that it was completely shot. He took the tail of his shirt and wiped the blood from her face. "Are you okay?" He was shaking.
"Yes, I'm fine" She wasn't looking at him right away though. She was still upset because they couldn't find the driver of the other car. Then Scully sighed. "I'm sorry about your car…the other guy...I don't know what he was doing. I had to swerve into the ditch to avoid him."
He sat her down and wrapped his jacket around her. "First of all, I only care about you."
She looked up at him with a fully genuine smile. Tentatively at first, she reached up to touch his face. "I know that. Thanks."
"Let me get the reports filled out and I'm taking you home." He kissed her hand before getting up and moving to the officer. He flashed his badge.
Scully in the meantime began salvaging the bags that were still in the back seat of the car.
It took a bit, but Mulder finally got it all straightened out. He walked back up to her and wrapped his arms around her. He was so glad that she was alright. He had been so scared. "Let's get you home."
He took the packages and her hand and walked her to the other car. "You sure you are okay? We can always stop at the hospital to check you out."
Scully couldn't help a small smile at his concern. She gave his hand a small squeeze. "I'm fine, b... Mulder" she hastily corrected herself. "I promise."
She was quiet the ride back. He squeezed her hand. "Did you get your shopping done?"
"Yes, I did l ...birthday boy," she grinned back. At his confusion, she went on. "It's your birthday today, isn't it?"
He thought a minute. "Yeah, I guess it is. I've been distracted...lost track of time."
Scully's face softened when she heard this. "I'd like to help you celebrate it, if you'll let me."
They were at the apartment now. "I already got the best present."
"What's that?" she had to ask even though she had a pretty good idea. But she didn't want to hope.
"You." He said simply as he got out and came to her door. He opened it and held out his hand to her. Mulder could see that she was trying not to cry. Her eyes were bright and shiny as she took his hand in hers and they walked up together to his apartment.
When they were coming in the door and after the bags were set down, Scully exclaimed. "Oh! I almost forgot!" She set down the bag she was carrying and fished something out of it. She handed Mulder a white envelope.
He pulled open the envelope. He pulled out floor tickets to the Knicks game. His eyes went wide. "HOW did you do this?"
"I have a friend who's a coach."
"And you never told me this before..." he teased. He picked her up and kissed her mouth long and deep. "Thank you so much...now who to take with me..."
"Don't even start with me, Mulder," she mock-warned.
He winked at her. "I think I remember Langley mentioning something about being free tonight."
"Gives me more time to m..." she stopped before correcting herself "have more time for me, doesn't it? Bubble bath, girly movies…" she teased.
"Woman, you are the only one I'd take to see my boys play."
"Woman?" her eyebrow went up teasing, but he knew she really didn't mind. If it was anyone else she would...
"What else you do have planned?"
She tried to look innocent. "Who says I have plans?"
"Okay...we'll wing it then." He said as he reached into the cabinet for a can of peanuts.
She smiled as she began unloading everything she needed for a home made cake. She suddenly could feel Mulder's eyes on her again as she took out the ice cream and put it in the freezer.
"Hey, what was that?" He said from his perch on top of the counter.
"I just bought a few of your favorite foods" she said smiling a little as she added mentally 'junk foods'
"Where'd you hide the cookies, Dana?"
"Who's hiding them? They're on the top shelf of the pantry."
He looked sheepish then. "I didn't look there."
"Some investigator you are," she teased.
"You know me...I never look for the obvious." He said as he popped a handful of peanuts into his mouth.
Scully suddenly bit her lip as she was suddenly hit by the thought that she never wanted to leave. She turned her back so Mulder wouldn't see the tears falling down her face.
She rapidly blinked as she tried to focus on the recipe in front of her.
"Need any help?" He asked as he got down from the counter and put his hands on her hip.
"You want to mix this for me?" He was passed a bowl with the flour and baking soda in it. He took it and began to stir.
Scully quickly swiped her hand across her face as she started beating the eggs.
Get a grip, Scully! she ordered herself.
He looked over at her and tried to stifle a giggle.
"What?"
"Flour..." he took his hand and tried to wipe it off.
"Oh..."
He only proceeded to put more on there and now he was laughing. "I'm not helping too much."
"Think that's funny do you?" She put flour on his face unable to resist laughing.
"So you wanna play dirty?" He picked up some flour and sprinkled on top of her head.
"Mulder!" She was full out giggling now.
"What?" He deadpanned.
"You are a dead man," Scully threw flour on him.
He caught her wrists and pulled her to him. "Well, I am helping make my own birthday cake."
"You started it."
"I'm finishing it." He pulled her in for a long kiss.
She began to shiver as she gently brushed flour off of him.
"Let's get this cake finished." He said returning to stirring.
'Right'.. She couldn't help feeling a stab of disappointment as she went back to what she was doing.
He bumped her hip a few minutes later. "It wasn't that I didn't want to kiss you...I just thought we could get this done and then we won't be interrupted."
When he bumped her she had been thinking again about what it would be like to be permanent roommates with him…and wondering if it had been a mistake to touch him...it wasn't as if he was specifically telling her too.
She jerked herself back. "I know. That's okay."
A few minutes later when the cake batter was mixed and in the oven, he sat down at a chair at the table and pulled her onto his lap. "How's your head?"
"I've got a slight headache. But I'll survive."
"I've got Tylenol."
"Is it in the medicine cabinet? I can get it."
"I can get it for you." He said as he stood her up.
It was on the tip of her tongue to protest, but she agreed and sat down again. She looked around the living room/kitchen area as she waited for him. A lump formed in her throat as she looked around. Mulder's apartment was slightly messier than she was used to, but she realized that when she was trying to make him clean up, she was attempting to change Mulder. And that was the last thing she wanted to do.
Mulder came back with the bottle of Tylenol and had removed his shirt as well
Scully smiled. "Thanks." She went to the kitchen for a glass of water.
Mulder began cleaning up the dining room area. "There is no need for you to be this messy, Mulder." he muttered to himself.
"Mulder, leave it."
"Why?"
"There's no hurry to clean. Come on into the living room with me." Scully told him.
She patted the couch beside her. "We've still got a few hours before the game."
"What we gonna do in the meantime?" He waggled his eyebrows at her.
"Play a board game...watch TV...whatever you wanna do. Play twenty questions..."Scully was starting to babble now.
"Who was your first love?" Mulder said starting the game.
Scully had to think about that one as she got up to get a soda. She got Mulder an iced tea.
"Hm...that would have to be Billy Owens in the sixth grade." She closed the door.
He took the tea as she handed it to him. "Your turn."
"Same question." She felt a shiver go down her elbow as her hand brushed against his.
"Olivia Newton-John" came his honest reply. The questions continued until time to get ready.
It was on the tip of Scully's tongue to tell Mulder her most embarrassing moment, but then she looked at her watch.
He knelt in front of her. "Did I tell you how much I love you?"
"Not in the last five minutes." She gently tousled his hair and kissed him lightly. She surprised him momentarily when she whispered in his ear "I love you too."
He pulled her mouth to his. He kissed her mouth tenderly and long. Her eyes widened when she felt Mulder beginning to tremble.
"Hey...it's okay," she whispered softly, caressing him.
"It's not okay." He stood and paced to the window.
Scully followed him. "Why not? What's wrong?"
"You get me this great night out and I'm a selfish prick who just wants to stay in with you and go nowhere." He said softly.
"Oh." Scully's features softened. "That's okay. Just give me a sec." She patted his hand and went to find her cell phone to see if she could change their dinner reservations.
He took the phone from her hand. "No, Dana. You planned this, and I want to do it with you...because of you...because I love you."
"You sure?"
"I'm sure..." He kissed her softly.
"Okay. You go get changed." Scully smiled up at him, trying to ignore the butterflies in her stomach.
He got a wild look on his face and said to her, "I've got something for you to wear."
She raised an eyebrow but followed him.
He pulled out two NY Knicks jerseys. "Here I out grew this one." He handed her one.
Her cheeks turned slightly pink as she muttered something under her breath and went into the bathroom to change. As soon as the door closed behind her she was kicking herself.
She leaned her forehead against the door. Sighing, she put the jersey on and smoothed down her hair. She looked at herself in the mirror, making sure her face was completely composed. She fixed a smile on her face and opened the door.
Mulder was holding her dress in his hands with tears coming down his face. "I'm sorry, Scully...I should've known better."
