He leaned against the old porch rail, breathing in the now familiar scent of the ocean. He'd been standing there for an hour, watching the sun in its trip lower and lower in the sky, and the sky was just now tinging in pink.
His eyes drifted down to the beach, taking in all the things she'd loved. The color of the water that got darker as it reached the horizon. The way that every splash of the waves on the beach were different. The thin line of foam that marked the progress of the water inland. The way the sand was wet, then crunchy, then silky.
He thought about that summer a lot, his mind playing the constant memory stream whenever he wanted. It had been the happiest time of his life, and the only time he felt at peace. After retirement, coming back here had seemed like the only thing to do. He'd bought one of the beach houses that he had remembered her looking at, and settled into a new life. Being here brought him the same feelings that it had brought to her. Peace and serenity and something else that he couldn't quite place. She had been right. Everything else just faded away.
There was a soft clicking noise on the porch behind him and he turned to find his old mutt, Jethro. The dog's fur had turned gray, and simply for that, Mulder believed they were old, kindred spirits. He reached down and patted Jethro's head, and Jethro licked his wrist in return.
"Thanks, old guy," he said, his eyes focused on the last sliver of sun over the water. He felt a hand on his back, but didn't have to turn around to know who it was.
"Dinner's ready, Mulder. Are you coming in?"
"Yeah."
"What are you thinking about?"
"Just remembering."
She nodded and he pulled her into a hug, kissing her hair. He looked at her and only saw that young, beautiful woman that walked into his office so many years ago. He didn't notice the wrinkles, the graying hair. He didn't look at her and see her sick or in pain. He saw her happy, as she had been that whole week that they had spend together. Happy as she was now, right here with him, sharing his life.
It was a miracle that he thanked God for every day. He had been so close to losing her for good, but somehow, some way, he'd gotten a second chance. They had gotten a second chance, together.
"Remembering good stuff, right?"
"Always."
He ran his fingers down her cheek and leaned in to kiss her. It never ceased to amaze him that he was really there with her, kissing her, loving her, laying down and sleeping next to her every night. He could look back on the years of being just friends and see the culmination of it all, even if he had been blind to it at the time.
She broke the kiss and he could feel her reluctance, which made up for her breaking the kiss in the first place.
"Dinner's getting cold," she said, squeezing his hand.
He nodded and whistled for Jethro to follow them into the house. They closed the screen but left the door open, listening as the world kept moving around them, but knowing that for now, their sunset wasn't anywhere near the horizon.
A/N: The End! Thanks for the reviews, I love you guys! And thank you to Oregon, for being my true soul mate. I'll see you in May!