A/N: Since Brittney told me to go write, NOW. I am writing NOW. =)
Disclaimer: Dammit, why won't David Duchovny punish me?! GRR
"You can do this. You can do this. You've done this forever." Fox Mulder coached himself in the mirror as he tied his tie, he swallowed hard, "But you've never done this as her boyfriend either." Mulder sighed, running a hand through his unruly dark brown hair, today was Thanksgiving and in less than an hour he was expected to be at the Scully house, where he would have dinner with the entire Scully clan. Only, this year he would not be introduced as Dana Scully's lifelong friend, but as her boyfriend. Mulder stood in dark black slacks and a deep blue long sleeve shirt, complete with his black tie. Slipping on his dress shoes, he looked at his watch, time to go.
"Fox?" His mother called as he walked down the stairs.
"Yes Ma'am?" He sighed, he had hoped to make a clean escape.
"Are you going to the Scully's?"
"Yes Ma'am."
"Okay, well make sure to check in with your father today, he's having dinner with your grandmother."
"Yes Mom." Mulder said and kissed her cheek, running out the door. He stopped at the floral store and grabbed a boquet of Day Lillies before continuing to the Scully household. He parked his Ford on the curb and took a deep breath, getting out of his car. Before he even reached the sidewalk, Scully was outside, flying off the porch and down the sidewalk, springing into his awaiting arms. He hugged her tightly, lifting her feet a few inches off the sidewalk.
"Mmm I am glad you're here." Scully whispered in his ear and Mulder grinned as he sat her down.
"You look beautiful."Mulder smiled, tucking one of her red curls behind her ear, "These," He held the flowers out, "are for you."
"Mulder they're beautiful. You know how much I love lillies." Scully smiled and brought the flowers to her nose breathing deeply.
"C'mon, let's get in there before Captain thinks I kidnapped you." Mulder said and took her hand with a smile, moving to walk but Scully stood still, he turned to look at her. She stood on her tiptoes and kissed him. He kissed her back lightly and pulled away, resting his forehead on hers, "Ready?" She nodded and hand in hand they walked into the house.
"Mulder!" A voice called when they entered the house, Mulder looked around seeing a young boy running towards him, Mulder reached down and picked up nine year old Charlie.
"Hey Charlie. What's up?" Mulder asked the little guy in his arms.
"Are you really datin' Dana?"
"Yeah bub I am." Mulder smiled at Scully.
"But...but...EWWWW" Charlie exclaimed, "GIRLS ARE GROSS!"
"Even your sister?" Mulder asked trying to contain a laugh.
"'Specially MY sisters."
"HEY!" The two redheads who were standing in the foyer exclaimed, "You're in for it Charles." Melissa said as the two moved for Charlie.
"No Mulder SAVE me!" Charlie exclaimed and clung tightly to Mulder, Mulder laughed.
"I got ya Charlie." Mulder promised as Melissa and Dana began to tickle Charlie. Mulder put Charlie down, "Run Charlie run!" Mulder exclaimed as the girls then turned on Mulder.
The three of them laughed as Charlie escaped to the safety of his cousins in the living room.
"Hey Mulder." Melissa said and gave him a hug.
"Hey Missy. How's Baltimore?" Mulder asked wrapping an arm around the now woman who had always been like a big sister to him.
"Boring." Melissa huffed and rolled her eyes.
"Good you could use some boring Missy." Mulder said letting her go.
"I do believe I resent that remark Mulder." Melissa said as she walked towards the kitchen.
"C'mon Mulder, Ahab's in the living room." Scully took a deep breath, taking his hand and leading him to the living room, where Captain Scully sat watching the football game.
"Daddy, Mulder's here." Scully said as Mulder stood pale faced behind her. Sure, Mr. Scully liked him just fine when he was just Scully's friend, but who said he'd like him as Scully's boyfriend.
"Hello Mr. Scully." Mulder said softly and stuck his hand out.
"William, Fox. We've been awaiting this day for a long time." Mr. Scully said, shaking his hand. Mulder let out a nervous chuckle, "Relax Fox, I'm not going to bite you. Same rules still apply, you treat Dana well and we won't have a problem."
"Yes sir." Mulder looked down, then up, looking Mr. Scully in the eyes, "Sir, I'd like your permission to take Dana out for dinner Friday night."
"Permission granted. Now let's enjoy today. Sit you two." Mr. Scully said and both teenagers moved to sit on the couch.
"I told you there was nothing to be afraid of." Scully whispered in Mulder's ear.
"Oh you can't tell me you weren't shaking in your high heels."
"I'm a girl, I'm allowed to get nervous." Scully clarified and wacked him in the shoulder with the back of his hand. Mulder caught her hand and pulled her closer. Scully smiled and tucked her feet under her, leaning into Mulder's side. Mulder draped an arm around her, pressing a kiss to her mess of curls.
"Hello!" Bill Jr. called as he stepped into the house and Mulder cringed this was not going to go over well.
"Bill!' His family moved to hug him, Mulder stayed on the couch while Dana hugged her big brother.
"Hi Mulder." Bill said in a deep and almost angry voice.
"Hi Bill. How's college?" Mulder asked trying to play nice.
"Fine. Fine." He said as Scully decided that it would be best to sit on Mulder's lap, "What's goin' on?"
"Mulder and I are dating Bill." Scully said in a 'duh' voice.
"WHAT?" Bill roared.
"Bill." Mr. Scully warned.
"No! Dad. You're letting her date him! It's bad enough you let them be friends." Bill exclaimed.
"Bill." Scully said in a tone that was so icy it sent a chill through the room.
"No Danes. You are not going out with him. Not after what he did to his sister." Bill yelled as Mulder bit his lip. He wasn't going to bite, he was better then this, he had to be, for Scully.
"He didn't do anything to Samantha, you asshole!" Dana yelled back.
"Oh stop being so naieve Dana!"
"No! Mulder is my best friend and he's my boyfriend and you can't even be civil to him because of some God damn small town rumor! He did nothing to Samantha and he is a way better person than you'll ever be!" Scully screamed. Mulder sighed and stood up.
"Dana....hey... look at me." Mulder said softly, rubbing her arms with his hands, "Don't say anything you'll regret. It's okay, that Bill doesn't like me, but he's your brother."
"Mulder..." She whimpered.
"I'm gonna go. I don't want to cause any drama. I'll see you tomorrow ok?" Mulder kissed her forehead and turned to walk out the door, "It's been good seeing you guys." He grabbed his coat and stepped out into the cold.
"Mulder!" Dana's voice called from the porch when he reached his truck. She sprinted barefoot across the ice, tears streaming down her face.
"Dana get inside you're gonna get frostbite." Mulder warned.
"Don't go." Scully said as she reached him and Mulder wrapped his arms around her instinctively.
"It's okay. I'll see you tomorrow. No hard feelings okay, be nice to Bill, he's just lookin' out for you." Mulder said softly, he kissed her lips gently, "Now go inside. I love you."
"I love you too." Scully said and she turned away, tears streaming down her face as she walked back inside while Mulder got in his car and drove off, stepping inside the house, she rested her head against the door.
"Dana.."
"GET AWAY FROM ME BILL!" She yelled and sprinted up the stairs to her room, she collapsed on her mess of covers, sobbing into her pillows.
"Danes." Melissa called awhile later, "Can I come in?" Melissa waited til she heard the muffled 'yeah' on the otherside of the door. She opened the door to find Dana with her hair down and sweats on, mascara all over her face from crying.
"Missy." Scully said so softly, her voice filled with tears.
"Mom and Dad are chewing Bill a new one right now in the kitchen." Melissa explained softly as she sat on the edge of the bed, resting a hand on Dana's leg.
"It wasn't supposed to be this way. Today was supposed to be great. We'd get Dad's approval. Eat some pumpkin pie. Help put up the christmas tree and end the day with an amazing kiss that makes this seem like it's out of some amazing Holiday movie. Instead, I get a re-run of a soap opera that everyone's seen a thousand times and it's lost all value." She said and burried her head in her hands.
"We all know Bill is a jerk, but I don't think any of that matters. I think today was good, because Mom and Dad got to see Mulder behave like a real gentleman. He didn't bite back whenever Bill tried to bait him, he calmed you down in a way that I've never seen before. They saw how much he made you smile before Bill got here. I think in the long run that's gonna help you a lot." Melissa reassured her.
"How can you be so positive?" She asked falling back on her pillows.
"Cause I've been there. I've been the one who brought home the boy friend that Bill hates. The one who's had a breakdown in front of the family and a screaming match with her brother. It's all survivable little sister."
"I love you Melissa." Scully leaned forward and hugged her.
"I love you too Kid." Melissa said as there was a 'clink' on the window, the sound of a pebble hitting glass, "I wonder who that could be?" Melissa teased as she got up off the bed, moving to open the window, "You want something?"
"Yeah. Your sister." Mulder called from the ground.
"Didn't Romeo call from the balconey across from her."
"Yeah, but I don't think the Griswalds would like it too much if I borrowed theirs." Mulder bantered while Scully cleaned herself up quickly, glad that Melissa could keep him occupied. Scully slid on a pair of jeans and a long sleeve blue shirt, sliding on her converse, she raced to the bathroom, washing her face and pulling her curls into a ponytail. She re-entered her room.
"Cover for me?" Scully asked as she began to climb out the window.
"Always. Have fun you guys." Melissa called as Mulder caught Scully on her way to the ground. Scully waved her thanks to her sister as she and Mulder sprinted through the snow to his truck.
Mulder held open the door to the cab and helped her up into the seat, shutting the door he walked around and climbed in himself, the heat was cranked and the radio was on low.
"Where are we going?" Scully asked as she realized it was almost midnight, most places were closed by now.
"Well I was thinking we could just drive or we could go hang out with John and Monica." Mulder suggested.
"Let's just drive, I don't want to interrupt their festivities." Scully said suggestively. John Doggett and Monica Reyes had been their best friends for a long time. They'd known John since kindergarten and Monica had joined the group in fifth grade when her family had moved there from Mexico. John and Monica had been together off and on since middle school.
"Point taken." Mulder put the truck in gear and pulled out onto the road.
"I'm sorry about what Bill said." Scully told him softly.
"No harm, No foul." Mulder shrugged.
"You know the rest of us don't think like he does right? The rest of my family loves you." Scully reassured him, resting a hand on his thigh.
"I know and I love them all too. I knew that Bill wouldn't like this, the two of us, but it doesn't matter to me. I don't know about you, but I don't need his approval." Mulder stopped at the red light leaning over to kiss her.
"Mmmhmm." Scully murmered her breathless agreement.
They drove for a long while into the night. Finally they reached the state line, "We should probably turn around, it's almost three am."
"Yeah. My Dad isn't going to like it very much if I am not in my bed when he wakes up." Scully agreed.
"Still, it's tempting to keep driving." Mulder spoke as he pulled into a truck stop, turning the vehicle around and pulling back out onto the highway, "Just you and me and the open road."
"We should do that this summer. Just take off. Leave the day after school ends and come back before it starts." Scully mentioned, she liked the idea of just getting in the car and driving no where in particular with Mulder.
"We should." Mulder agreed as he turned up the radio, "I think this is our song." Mulder mentioned and Scully smiled.
"And I said, Romeo take me somewhere we can be alone, I'll be waiting, all that's left to do is run, you'll be the prince and I'll be the princess, it's a love story, baby just say yes." Scully sang along with the song, the words seemed to fit them so perfectly, she smiled at Mulder, looking at him through her eye smiled, taking her hand and tracing his thumb over her wrist.
He knelt to the ground and pulled out a ring, marry me Juliet, you never have to be alone, I love you and that's all I really know, I talked to your dad, go pick out a white dress, it's a love story, baby just say yes.
Mulder felt the words resonate through the truck and it sent shivers down his spine, he wanted to marry Scully someday, he couldn't see anything in his future besides her.
"Wow." Scully breathed as the song ended, her eyes wet with tears.
"That's us." Mulder said soundly.
"It is." Scully smiled.
They arrived back at the Scully home at five am, Scully snuck back through her window, quietly but not so quiet that she didn't wake Melissa up. Melissa sat up in the spare bed, "How'd it go Kid?"
"Great." Scully smiled, it was such a simple night, but it had been perfect.
"Where'd you go?"
"We drove to the state line and back." Scully said as she changed into her pajamas, crawling into her bed, knowing she should sleep, but she was wide awake.
"Way to go little sister." Melissa smiled, rolling over going back to sleep. Scully grabbed her journal and turned it to a knew page, grabbing her purple pen, she began to write.
"November 28th.
Thanksgiving was an utter mess. Bill was a jerk, Mulder left. I hid in my room for the rest of the day. Til Mulder came and got me. It was so great to just drive with him. Stopping at the gas station for sodas and twizzlers. Singing with every song that came on the radio. Defining our song. Talking about the future. My hearts never felt so at peace. I feel completely at peace. It's all because of him. I am in love. I am seventeen and completely, head over heels in love.
It's a love story, baby just say yes."
She finished writing and turned over, falling into a peaceful sleep.
A/N: Per request, Love Story by Taylor Swift was used in this chapter. Wasn't so much of a heart ache to use it since I love it. =D. Turns out we're getting internet soon. Hopefully only a few more days of library internet. Cross your fingers peoples!
[and a special thanks to Brittney like always.]