Speak Now Chapter 3

I hear the preacher say, speak now or forever hold your peace.

There's a silence. There's my last chance

I stand up with shaking hands, all eyes on me.

Horrified looks from everyone in the room but I'm only looking at you

~Taylor Swift

Mulder glanced away from Diana, scanning the crowd for the one woman that he needed by his side right now. He glanced at the empty seat between Mrs Scully and Byers.

Scully's seat.

Turning, back to face the smiling woman approaching him, Mulder couldn't help but feel somewhat guilty about what he was about to do to her. Lifting the feather light lave veil off of Diana's face, Mulder watched her, silently trying to communicate his sympathy for what he was about to do.

It didn't work though, not in the slightest. There was only one person who came close to reading his thoughts (to the point where he oftentimes swore that she was psychic when it came to him, even though he knew that she would call his theory insane) and it sure as hell wasn't the woman opposite him in white, but his absentee redheaded partner.

He looked over Diana's shoulder, hoping to see Scully somewhere in the crowd but found his eyes sifting through lots and lots of people that he didn't care about in the slightest and only a handful that he did including The Gunmen, Mrs Scully and Skinner. The rest were practically strangers from the FBI'S bullpen.

He couldn't really blame her for not showing up, he kind of wished he had been that smart about the whole situation.

XXXXXXXXXXXX

Scully felt her heart thumping wildly as she stepped out from underneath the curtain, she couldn't do this anymore. It wasn't like her to just flee and hide when things got tough. Her fingers shook slightly but she steeled herself to speak her mind.

She couldn't keep her feeling from Mulder any longer. She couldn't even wait for the preacher to say 'speak now or forever hold your peace'. Scully felt as though her feeling might just eat her alive from the inside out if she had to.

In a handful of strides, her four inch stiletto heels clicking on the temporary outdoor flooring, Scully found herself standing in the middle of the aisle. Her face pale and her heart on her sleeve. "I'm sorry, I need to get something off my chest", she said, speaking up.

The music ended abruptly and horrified looks were shared around the room. Only a small handful of the wedding party were smiling knowingly.

Diana looked confused and furious.

Scully watched as Mulder's eyes lit up with awe when they locked with her's and suddenly it didn't matter that they were surrounded by a hundred or so people including his wife to be and both of their superiors. They may as well have been alone down in their basement office.

After that words came easy, they slipped off her tongue as though she had been practising them ever since he had gotten engaged to Diana. Maybe in some weird way, she had. "Mulder, You deserve all the happiness in the world but I really really don't want you to do this", she said quietly. It wasn't like her to barge into the middle of a white veil occasion. Dana Scully was certainly not a drama queen or an attention seeker but she did have something to say so she as sure as hell would say it. "I love you, Fox Mulder. I love you with my whole heart and I don't give a crap anymore who knows or doesn't know just as long as you do. I loved you probably since shortly after we first met and I've struggled with keeping it under control ever since then for the sake of our jobs and of The X-Files", she said quickly, breathing deeply. "I just can't do this with you anymore."

Mulder's expression changed from one of awe to one of shock. He couldn't believe that the woman he loved was standing here in front of him on what would be his wedding telling him that he couldn't get married.

Scully felt her heart sinking, she should have expected this. Of course, Mulder wouldn't have gone through with this unless he really wanted to. He may be one of the most impulsive and spontaneous people she knew but even he wouldn't marry someone unless he loved them with his whole heart.

He watched her from the top of the aisle, paralysed and astounded but more in love with her than ever.

Before Mulder could say a word, Scully bolted. She needed to get out of here and fast.

I am not the kind of girl

Who should be rudely barging in on a white veil occasion

But you are not the kind of boy

Who should be marrying the wrong girl

-Taylor Swift, Speak Now