My car sputters and stalls as I pull into my driveway. Great. At least she chose home as her final resting spot. Silver lining. I reach into the back and grab my purse and step out of the car. There is a scent of rain in the air. How perfect, my passenger side window won't roll up. I fumble with my keys, complete frustration with my day taking over my motor functions. I check my mailbox in the lobby, bills, a letter from my brother, junk mail. The gentleman with the two chihuahuas down the hall smiles as he walks by, his dogs yapping. I turn the lock, step into my apartment, drop my keys on the table and let out an audible sigh.

I open my fridge, as the realization I haven't ate since breakfast sets over me, and pull out the few fixings for a garden salad. My fridge shows the signs of my lack of grocery shopping, which was on my to-do list for tomorrow. I shove everything back in the fridge and decide to call a cab and head into town for something to eat. A quick change into a t-shirt and jeans and I am on my way.

I step out of the cab, pay the driver and walk into my favorite little diner. It's quiet, low key, exactly what I am looking for after the day I had. The waitress comes over to my table.

"Good evening Dana! We haven't seen you in here in a while! The usual?"

I instantly recognize her as one of my favorite waitresses here. "Good evening Megan. Actually I think tonight I am going to order a glass of the house red, steak rare with veggies."

"Rough day?"

"Rough doesn't begin to describe it."

"I will be right back with your wine"

As she walks away I reach into my bag and pull out an old, tattered paperback and begin to bury myself in it. I should be prepping for this case tomorrow, but at this point in my evening I don't give two shits about work. I almost have the world shut out when I hear a familiar voice, like nails on a chalkboard.

"Scully?"

I want to pretend I don't hear him. But I am not that much of a bitch. As much as I want to be. But I pay him the same respect he showed me earlier today.

"Mulder." I don't even look up from my book. A section of my red hair falls over my face, and before I can push it back behind my ear his hand comes across and does it for me. I feel all my defenses dropping and a voice in my head says stop being like this.

"Good book?" He sits down at the chair across from me and Megan the waitress comes over.

"Good evening sir! Can I grab you a drink?"

"A beer please. Whatever is on tap. And she will have another of what she is drinking"

"No thank you Megan. Thank you Fox, that is a kind gesture, but it would be insanely unprofessional of you to buy me a drink. "

"Oh I didn't say I was buying it. I was just asking her to bring you another. So Megan was it? Please bring Ms Scully here another glass and add it to her bill, as it would be unprofessional for me to buy her a drink"

What was his problem? Clearly this Mulder character has a very big ego. Likely compensating for something. I sigh because I am clearly not getting out of this any time soon. We sit in an awkward silence while we both drink our drinks, neither one of us wanting to start a conversation. This feels like an awkward blind date, one my sister Melissa would have set me up on. We both pay our respective bills and walk to the door together. He holds the door for me and as I walk through I feel his hand on the small of my back. Chills run down my spine.

"Thank you for the company Fox. I will see you tomorrow morning at the airport."

"Let me walk you to your car."

Was this his pathetic attempt at trying to be a gentleman? "Thank you, but I took a cab here. "

"Then let me drive you home. It's the least I can do, I feel we got off on the wrong foot this morning. "

I sigh. This man does not know how to take no for an answer. I reluctantly nod and follow him to his car, which looks more rundown than my shitbox of a car that now sits in my parking spot as nothing more than a large paperweight. He holds open the passenger door for me and I slide in. The backseat oddly is clean, his briefcase sitting on the seat, but nothing else. He catches my eyes, and I can feel myself blushing so I turn quickly to the window. I can sense he is smiling, but I don't dare look at him until I have collected my composure.

"Thank you for the ride Fox. I do appreciate it." I speak the first words I have spoken since getting in the car as we pull up to my apartment. "Did you want to come in for a coffee?" The words leave my mouth before I can even process what I am saying.

"I would love to"

Oh shit, what did I just do?