A/N: I've come to the conclusion that it's time to wrap this story up. This is the final chapter of the favorite thing I have ever written. I started this endeavor nearly a year ago and it's been a totally rewarding experience. I'm so grateful to each and everyone of my readers. You rock my world. I hope to have the epilogue up shortly, but I'm really happy with how this wrapped.
Disclaimer: I own nothing.
"All time most life altering moment." Dana Scully stated as she lay on her boyfriend's bed. Her leg hung off the side of his bed and her arms were tucked behind her head. The fan in the corner was on full blast and still a muggy heat hung over the entire house. It was the first day of their summer break, school had ended the day previous and now they had nothing to do.
"Easy." Mulder sat up from where he was laying, "Any moment spent with you."
"Cheesy." Scully chuckled, tapping him with her foot. Mulder grabbed her foot and smiled at her devilishly, "Fox William Mulder, don't you dare."
Her threat fell on deaf ears as Mulder's hands traced over the arch of her foot, "I'm sorry, what did you say?"
"I hate you." Scully squirmed and giggled.
"No you don't." Mulder stopped tickling her and leaned over her, hands on either side of her neck, "You love me, Dana Scully."
"Little bit." Scully shrugged.
"Wiseass." Mulder pressed a kiss to her lips.
"Takes one to know one."
Mulder shook his head and rolled away from her, hitting the power button on his stereo as Foreigner came on. Scully grinned and stood up on the bed, bouncing as she rocked out on the air guitar. Mulder chuckled as he swiveled his hips and did his Elvis impersonation. They sang off-key as loud as they could, "I'm hot blooded, baby, check it and see, I got a fever of a hundred and three."
His hand found hers and he spun her around as they danced like two awkward scarecrows. Mulder pulled her closer and pressed a kiss to her lips again. Scully sighed into the kiss, wrapping her arms around his neck and standing on her tiptoes, holding him firmly in place. His finger tips dipped under her shirt and traced fiery circles on her skin.
"I'm bored." Scully made a face as she pulled away.
Mulder nodded, "The Nook."
"I could go for a coney dog." Scully grinned.
"Race ya." Mulder set off out the door and down the stairs, Scully hot on his heels.
Scully rolled her eyes as she chased after him, he flew out the front door and was half-way across the yard by the time she hit the front step, "Not fair! Your legs are longer." She yelled after him. She caught up with him at the end of his driveway, jumping onto his back, "Carry me."
"Yes, Your Highness." Mulder chuckled and readjusted his grip on Scully. He carried her through his neighborhood and up the hill towards downtown Jasper Hollow.
"I can't believe we're seniors." Scully sighed, resting her head in the crook of his neck.
Mulder chuckled, "Took us long enough."
"Seriously. There should be an express lane." Scully pressed a kiss to his jaw.
"Someday, when you're the first female President, make that an option." Mulder let her slide off his back as they breached the top of the hill. His hand slid into hers and their fingers interlaced.
"I feel like we've done this before." Scully walked backwards so she could face him as they talked.
"We probably have. A thousand times." Mulder pulled her out of the path of a stray beer can.
–
Mulder held open the heavy glass door of the diner and let Scully enter first. They took their usual seat at the bar stools at the counter. Derik smiled at them and approached, "What will it be guys?"
"I want two coneys. Scully wants one. And a Pepsi a piece." Mulder ordered for them both, pulling out his wallet and placing a few bills on the counter.
"Coming up." With a flick of his chin, Derik went to prepare their order.
Scully spun around on her seat, "I love this place." Her eyes traveled over the wood paneling walls and the black and white pictures of the town through out the years, "It's the essence of the Hollow."
Mulder nodded, "Someday, we'll bring our kids here for Saturday afternoon coneys."
"And then we'll walk to the park and play make believe with them until the street lights come on." Scully decided, grinning at him.
Derik placed their food in front of them and they ate in silence. Mulder reached over mischievously and dabbed mustard on the tip of Scully's nose. She glared at him before tapping a catsup coated finger on his cheek. They both laughed quietly before wiping off the condiments and returning to their meals.
"Park?" Mulder offered as he disposed of their trash.
"Absolutely."
His arm draped around her shoulder as the summer sun began to fade into the nearly purple sky. The only sounds were crickets chirping and Scully's jeans dragging on the concrete sidewalk. Mulder's hand traced circles over her bare shoulder and the short walk to the park passed all too quickly.
Scully ran across the gravel to the broken down tire swing, climbing on she looked at Mulder expectantly, "Push me?"
"Don't I always?" He raised an eyebrow.
"This is true."
He grabbed the chain and pulled it back as far as he could before sending it spinning away from him. Scully laughed with the glee of a child as Mulder continued to spin her so much that the world faded away. He slowed her down and climbed in beside her, "We don't exactly fit anymore."
"They need a bigger tire." Scully decided, "I can't shrink anymore."
–
The sun had set and the Scully yard was illuminated with the violet glow of the bug zapper. Stars shone brightly in the sky above as the two best friends lay on the trampoline in the backyard. Scully's head rested in the crook of his arm and he pressed kisses to her hair.
"There's the big dipper." Scully took his hand in hers and traced the outline with her pointer finger. Mulder smiled and tried to focus on the stars above instead of the girl in his arms, "And Orion's belt. That's my favorite."
"I know." He whispered against his ear.
She buried her head into his chest, "I love you."
"I love you too, Scully." His arms encased her and he pulled her closer to him, "Always and forever."
"Just like you always have."
"Exactly." He grinned.
"Who knew that a overly exuberant four year old boy and a shy little three year old girl that met by chance at the town pool, would be best friends fourteen years later?" Scully whispered as a lightening bug landed on her nose.
"I did." Mulder replied, tucking a strawberry lock behind her ear, "At least, I hoped."
"Me too." Her grin grew wide.
"Promise me something?" He whispered.
"Anything."
"Promise me.." Mulder searched for the right words, "That the ring on your finger is for real. That someday we'll get married and have babies and live happily ever after. Promise me that you'll always be my best friend and that you'll never leave me no matter how much of a grouch I turn into. Promise me that I'm not my dad. Promise me that this is it. You and Me. Forever."
"I promise." She kissed his lips lightly, "Don't you know?"
"Know what?" He breathed.
"That this is it. You and Me. Always. You belong with me."
Their fingers interlaced.
"And you with me. Always."