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Mulder cracked a sunflower seed between his front teeth and pushed the meat out with his tongue. He dropped the husk into a growing pile on the small, glass table next to his chair and bounced his knee in impatience. Slightly rusted, the porch chair squeaked when he moved. He was too antsy to sit still, though.
Earlier that morning, Scully had called and asked if she could come over. Not that there was anything inherently strange about that, but she’d been coming over for weeks without asking permission. They’d fallen into an unspoken routine of Scully following Mulder home from work several times a week and Mulder coming out to her on Saturdays to take Daggoo to a dog park near her apartment. To call and ask if she could stop by made Mulder nervous.
Scully’s car pulled up the drive and Mulder wiped the salt from his fingers on his jeans. He met her at the base of the porch when she got out of the car and squinted into the sun to see her. She looked relaxed, which eased his nerves a bit. Her hair was not as severely curled as had been her style lately. She wore a loose, white blouse and black linen pants. This was how she did casual now, striving to still be elegant while comfortable.
“Hey,” Mulder said, grasping Scully’s hand as soon as she was close enough. He gave her a little tug to hurry her along.
Scully smiled as she stepped up one stair higher than Mulder and gave him a quick peck on the lips. “Hey, yourself. Where’s Daggoo?”
Mulder raised his eyes up to the windows on the second floor. “Upstairs,” he said. “This time of day there’s a particularly perfect patch of sunlight he can’t resist.”
“Mm. I want to talk to you about something.”
“You want to walk?” The nervous energy Mulder was trying to suppress was back and he swung their hands between them.
“Sure.”
They walked hand in hand along the path through the overgrown fields in the front of the house. It took a few minutes for a conversation to start. Scully gave him the signal that she was ready to talk by squeezing his hand and he stopped to face her.
“I know I told you that taking Daggoo was temporary,” Scully said. “Until I figured something out.”
Mulder nodded. His throat closed and he was afraid to speak. She was here to tell him in person that these blissful months of spending time together were over, because she no longer had a reason to come.
“I’ve been looking around at places that are pet friendly,” she continued “But, I wasn’t quite sure what I wanted to do since my lease isn’t up until the end of next month.”
Mulder nodded again in response. She had found something. Maybe it was closer, maybe it wasn’t. She was taking Daggoo away and the dog would be gone, but so would she. Back to living in an empty house filled with the ghost of their relationship instead of life, once again.
“I found a place. In my old neighborhood, actually. It’s perfect. It even has a small courtyard.”
Mulder looked down at his feet. If he kept looking at her he thought he might cry. Scully took his other hand and squeezed them both, tilting her head to try to catch his eye.
“Mulder? You’re wearing your panic face.”
“Am I?” he said, voice low and quiet.
“Are you okay?”
“Oh…you know.” Mulder lifted his head and shrugged, looking up into the bright sky and hoping it might disguise his heartache. “I just got used to having the little guy around. So…”
“Well, as I was saying, I found this perfect place in a perfect spot and it all seemed so perfect, except…”
“It wasn’t pet friendly?”
“Perfect is just a state of mind. I already have a home. It’s not perfect, but you’re here and the dog is here and it’s…this is what I want.”
Mulder’s heart stopped for a beat and he felt a flood in his chest. He was trying to process what Scully was saying, because if she was saying what he thought she was saying, this would be the kind of miracle that would make him believe in a higher power. Prayers were being answered here. He pursed his lips, but had to stop and swallow because his mouth had gone dry.
“Of course,” Scully said. “I’m not going to make any assumptions. I’m asking as much as I’m telling you.”
“Do you really think you have to ask?” Mulder said, finding his voice.
“I don’t know. It could be that you and Daggoo don’t have room for anyone else.”
“I’m sure if I ask nicely he’ll move his water bowl and toys to make room.”
“I wouldn’t want to impose.”
Overwhelmed with emotion, Mulder shook his hands free of Scully’s and wrapped his arms around her. He straightened after hunching down to reach her, bringing her up and nearly off the ground. She laughed, up on her toes, arms around his neck to keep from falling.
“Impose, Scully,” he murmured, burying his face against her neck and shoulder. “Please impose.”
Mulder heard barking in the distance and he raised his head. He let go of Scully and she slid down his chest to her feet, arms still around his neck. Daggoo was at the screen door, on his hind legs, pawing at the screen and barking.
“You want to tell him he’s getting a new roommate?” Mulder asked. “Or should I do it?”
Scully let go of Mulder’s neck and took up one of his hands in both of hers as she turned back to the house. “Why don’t we tell him together?”
Mulder smiled. “Ah, Scully. I’m really happy you stole that dog.”
The End