"Hi, Mulder," Dana Scully greeted him, wondering for the thousandth time since she had left her apartment if this had been a bad idea. She held up some Chinese food and two drinks. "Mind if I come in? I'm all packed, and my apartment's too bare to be much comfort right now."
"Uh, sure. Yeah, come in," Mulder said, surprised, and Scully brushed past him, depositing her bags on his coffee table. He was amazed at how she always managed to look so perfectly put together, even just wearing a green sweater and jeans, with her hair pulled back into a simple ponytail.
"I brought some movies, too," she told him, busily unpacking the food so she wouldn't have to look at him. He looked way too good in his black jeans and T-shirt, and he always looked sexy in those glasses of his. Then she grinned. "I didn't quite trust your selections."
"You wound me, Scully," he said lightly. "What did you bring?" he asked, as she handed him his iced tea.
"Pure fluff," she told him. "The Thin Man and Bringing Up Baby." She had tried to find movies that were more comedy than romance. She knew that there was no way she could watch a romance with her partner, and she just wasn't in the mood for horror, action, or something depressing. There was enough tension between her and Mulder as it was, so they could use something to lighten things up.
"I've never seen either of those," Mulder admitted, going into his kitchen and coming back with paper plates, napkins, and plastic utensils. He sat down on the opposite side of the couch from Scully.
She grinned. "Well, you're in for a treat then."
He gave her a weak smile. Well, if Scully wanted to spend time with him after he'd practically exiled her from her home, he reasoned, the least he could do was watch her movies.
Four hours later, he wiped the tears from his face. He had never laughed so hard in his entire life. Scully's plan had obviously worked--the tension between them over her departure had disappeared. During the course of the movies, they had relaxed and Mulder had ended up sprawled out with his head in Scully's lap. Now he got up to rewind the tape and Scully walked over to his radio. She turned it on and started scanning through the stations.
"Hey, Mulder," she said absently. "We've never danced, have we?"
He was silent a moment before answering. Where was she going with this? "No, I don't think we have."
She nodded. "I didn't think so." She found a station where the DJ was announcing a new song.
"That right there was 'My Heart Will Go On' from Titanic. Now here's another movie song, from this summer's blockbuster hit, Armageddon."
Scully looked at Mulder expectantly, and he looked back at her, completely blank. Then it dawned on him. He held his hand out. "Scully, can I have this dance?" he grinned.
She accepted his hand. "Took you long enough," she grumbled teasingly. They both lapsed into silence as Mulder pulled Scully closer and they swayed to the music.
All my bags are packed
I'm ready to go
I'm standing here outside your door
I hate to wake you up to say goodbye
But the dawn is breakin'
This early morn
The taxi's waiting
He's blowing his horn
Already I'm so lonesome I could cry
So kiss me and smile for me
Tell me that you'll wait for me
Hold me like you'll never let me go
'Cause I'm leaving on a jet plane
Don't know when I'll be back again
Oh babe I hate to go
There's so many times I've let you down
So many times I've played around
I tell you now
They don't mean a thing
Every place I go
I think of you
Every song I sing
I sing for you
When I come back
I'll wear your wedding ring
So kiss me and smile for me
Tell me that you'll wait for me
Hold me like you'll never let me go
'Cause I'm leaving on a jet plane
Don't know when I'll be back again
Oh babe I hate to go
Now the time has come to leave you
One more time
Let me kiss you
Close your eyes
I'll be on my way
Dream about the days to come
When I won't have to leave alone
About the time when I don't have to say
So kiss me and smile for me
Tell me that you'll wait for me
Hold me like you'll never let me go
'Cause I'm leaving on a jet plane
Don't know when I'll be back again
Oh babe I hate to go
Leaving on a jet plane
Leaving on a jet plane
"Well, how's that for an appropriate song?" Scully asked, slightly breathless from her prolonged contact with Mulder, but reluctant to move away. She realized that what she had said could be taken several ways. "I mean..."
"Marry me," he said wistfully and quietly.
She froze. "What?" she whispered.
He backed up, horrified. He had not meant to say that aloud. Not now. "Oh, shit. I have to go," he said, leaving the door open in his haste to get out of there.
"Mulder, wait," Scully called, running to the door. "Mulder, come back! It's your apartment!" She sighed, closing the door, and looked around his apartment. She walked over to the fish tank and tapped some food in. "How do you guys manage to stay alive with him?" she asked them. She settled back onto the couch, stretching out. She flipped on the television and got comfortable. It was going to be a long night.
Mulder finally came back at four that morning. He found Scully asleep on his couch, with the TV turned to Nick at Nite, and the radio still playing softly. He smiled at the sight of her. She was so beautiful. He walked over and turned off the television set before crouching in front of her, content watching her sleep. She stirred when he reached over and brushed her hair off her face.
"Mulder?" she said sleepily. "What time is it?"
"Four," he said softly. "I'm sorry I ran out on you."
"That's okay. I'm getting used to it," she said dryly.
He looked down. "I'm sorry, Scully. I just-"
"Mulder," Scully broke in. He looked at her. She met his eyes, and smiled affectionately at him. "Just shut up."
"But," he began.
She kissed him.
When they finally broke apart, he ran his hand through his hair, trying to calm his ragged breathing.
"Mulder?" Scully asked hesitantly. "Um,"
Without a word, he leaned back towards her and kissed her.
"Are you sure?" she asked, her breath tickling his ear. "This is going to change things, and they can't ever go back to they way they were, Mulder."
"I don't want to go back," he told her softly, tracing the curve of her face. "I know what we're doing, Scully, and I wouldn't have it any other way." She smiled at him, tearing up just a bit, telling him without words how much that simple statement meant to her. He kissed her again, the music from his radio fading away from his mind. He had waiting six years for this moment, and he wasn't going to mess it up.
As I watch you move, across the moonlit room
There's so much tenderness in your loving
Tomorrow I must leave, the dawn knows no reprieve
God give me strength when I am leaving
So raise your hands to heaven and pray
That we'll be back together someday
Tonight I need your sweet caress
Hold me in the darkness
Tonight, you calm my restlessness
You relieve my sadness
As we move to embrace, tears run down your face
I whisper words of love, so softly
I can't believe this pain, it's driving me insane
Without your touch, life will be lonely
So raise your hands to heaven and pray
That we'll be back together someday
Tonight I need your sweet caress
Hold me in the darkness
Tonight you calm my restlessness
You relieve my sadness
Morning has come, another day
I must pack my bags and say goodbye
Goodbye
Tonight I need your sweet caress
Hold me in the darkness
Tonight you calm my restlessness
You relieve my sadness
Several hours later, Scully woke up in Mulder's arms on his couch. She carefully extracted herself from his arms, careful to not wake him up as she knew how little he actually slept. Besides, she had to leave, and she knew that he would try to stop her. And he would probably succeed, too. He could be pretty persuasive when he wanted to be, and she was particularly susceptible to his puppy dog look, especially when he was wearing his glasses, which was a fact that was not unknown to him. She dressed quickly, pulling her hair back into the ponytail that Mulder had pulled out only a few hours before. She left him a short note before giving him a gentle kiss and walking out the door: I'm sorry I had to leave. I love you.
~~
"Leaving on a Jet Plane" is performed by Chantal Kreviazuk
and can be found on the "Armageddon" soundtrack.
"Hands to Heaven" is performed by Breathe, and I have no idea where you can find it.