March, 1994

"Mulder, you can't actually believe that," Scully said, her hands on her hips as she stared at him.

He began to smile, but then stopped as he caught sight of the red rash on her face that still lingered from their trip to Washington state. She had attempted to cover it with makeup, but he could still see it and it made him feel bad once again.

"Why can't I believe it?" he asked, though his mirth lessened slightly as he pulled his eyes from her face, thinking back to the moment when she had finally woken up in the contamination facility.

She had been disoriented, blinking her eyes in the harsh light. Turning her head, she had looked at him as he sat beside her.

"Hi," he had whispered, watching her struggle to swallow. "Water?"

"Please," she had rasped out, closing her eyes again. He had risen carefully, still feeling the effects of the bugs that had attacked them, and gotten her a cup of ice water, adding a straw as he walked back to her.

"You don't need to sit up," he had said. "I've got a straw here. I'll hold it for you. Take small sips."

She had taken only a few pulls before taking her mouth from the straw and lying back on the pillow, her eyes closed.

"Thank you," she had said, her voice still a little scratchy.

"You're welcome," he had said, staring at the red marks on her face and shaking his head. "I'm so sorry. I didn't think it would… that we would end up in that situation."

"Hmm," she had hummed.

"Do you remember what happened?"

"Yeah," she had said, opening her eyes slowly and looking at him, taking in his own injuries. "I do remember. You okay?"

"I am now. Seeing that you're okay."

"Hmm," she had hummed again, her hand coming out from under the blanket covering her and reaching out for his hand. He had taken it and held it gently, careful of the rash that covered the top of it. "I'm glad you're okay."

"Yeah," he had said, watching as she had fallen back to sleep, the light grip on his hand relaxing.

"How can you believe it, Mulder?" she asked, pulling him back to the present.

"Believe what?" he asked and she shook her head with a small chuckle.

"Did you seriously forget what we were just talking about? Should I schedule you an appointment to get your head examined?"

"Probably not a good idea. They might not let me out once I go in there."

"If you held back any discussions about aliens, I'd say you'd be safe," she said, laughing again.

"In that case, I'll have to decline and hope for the best."

"Hmm," she hummed, shaking her head.

"We should get some lunch," he said and she looked at him in surprise. "What? Are you not hungry?"

"I… I am. I just…" She looked around the office, at the slideshow he had just finished playing, and then glanced at the clock. "It's quarter until eleven."

"An early lunch then," he said, shutting off the projector and smiling at her.

"Okaaaay," she said, frowning though she still smiled.

"Wherever you want to go. My treat."

"What?!" she asked, pulling back and staring at him, her eyebrows now raised. "Your treat? To anywhere I want to go?"

"Yep," he said with a nod.

"Forget my disbelief over what you said earlier, this is the strangest thing I've ever heard."

"That I want to treat you to lunch?"

"Yeah," she said, nodding and crossing her arms.

"I've paid for meals," he said defensively.

"There's a difference between paying and treating," she stated.

"Huh… I suppose you have a point there," he said and she nodded again. "Well, the offer still stands. Early lunch. My treat."

"Wherever I want," she added and he smiled, his eyes quickly sweeping across her face.

"Wherever you want," he confirmed. "Wait, let me check my wallet. Make sure I have enough cash."

"Oh, I'm not worried about the amount of cash you have. You can use a credit card," she said, turning and grabbing her coat.

"That's nice."

"You offered. Twice. Can't take it back now," she said, sliding on her coat and raising her eyebrows at him as she put her hands in her pockets.

"Is this gonna cost a lot?"

"It might. I have expensive tastes."

"I'd say that's half right."

"Would you?" she asked.

"Yeah," he said, taking his coat off the coat rack and putting it on. "I've seen your apartment. Your suits. But… I've also seen you devour a burger at two in the morning in a greasy diner. So…" He shrugged and she narrowed her eyes at him.

"I just added dessert to the meal. So, be ready for that extra charge."

He laughed as he opened the door, letting her walk out first.

"If my card is declined, you'll have to wash some dishes."

"You will," she said, waiting for him to lock the door before they continued down the hall.

"So much for partners," he muttered.

"Yeah. My line of loyalty is drawn at doing dishes to pay for my meal."

"Nice to know there's a line."

"Yup," she said, pushing the up button for the elevator as he smiled.

She chose Alberto's, an Italian restaurant near the bureau. They had just opened and seemed surprised by their early arrival.

"We beat the lunch rush," he said as they sat down.

"Any rush, for that matter," she said, picking up her menu and glancing around at the empty dining room. "At least the service will be good. We have no competition for attention."

"Exactly my plan."

"Oh. You had this planned? Okay," she said, smiling at him and then looking down at her menu. "Hmm… wonder if they have lobster." He laughed, catching her eye as she quickly raised hers.

"My guess is no, but indulge, if that's what you'd like."

"Nah. I'll keep looking."

"You do that."

In the end, she decided on a spinach tortellini in a light tomato sauce and a side salad. Garlic breadsticks were brought over and he waited for her to take one first, watching the way she ripped it apart and ate little bites as they waited for their food.

"I can share with you, if you'd like," she offered, chewing slowly.

"You're only offering because mine sounds better," he said, taking a large bite of the breadstick. "Nothing quite compares to pasta in a rich creamy sauce."

"You like spinach."

"Eh, it's okay. Better when it's wrapped in some form of dough," he said with a nod as he chewed.

"Well then, you'll be happy to share with me and vice versa."

"We'll see," he said, knowing full well he would share his meal as he often did. She smirked and looked towards the door of the restaurant as other people came in for lunch, chatting and laughing.

"Look at those suckers. Every one of them is already running late."

He laughed quietly as he looked at them and then back at her. She smiled and ate another bite of her breadstick.

Forty five minutes later, stuffed from their meal, they walked out of the restaurant.

"Sure you didn't want a dessert?" he asked as they began to walk back to the bureau.

"Ugh, no," she said, shaking her head, a hand on her stomach.

"My card could've handled it. No dishes would have been required," he said, glancing at her and watching her smile.

"Good to know. But the thought of it now doesn't hold the same appeal and getting something to go would have no place to remain chilled."

"Maybe I'll have to make good on it when we leave tonight. Stop and get you an ice cream or something."

"Maybe," she said, smiling at him as he smiled back, the rash on her face still causing his eyes to linger a second longer than usual.

"I'll buy you a pint."

"Make it a half gallon and you've got a deal," she said and he chuckled with a nod.

"Alright then. Deal."

"Good," she said, their arms brushing slightly as he chuckled again and slid his hands in his pockets.