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Scully had not been required to find Mulder on her own after her meeting with OPR. The one discussing the events about all that had happened in Texas and in Antarctica. But she’d still chosen to find him, on her own, because wanted to spend time with him. Locating him there on his favorite bench by The Reflecting Pool was easy. It was a place he liked to sit in warm weather. Most of all? The location was not far from their work building. By any stretch.
The day was beautiful, and the breeze that wafted through the cherry trees was pleasant. However… It seemed Mulder hadn’t noticed these particulars. Not even the different people walking around. Although Scully eventually decided that she couldn’t blame the man.
Mulder had been reading a newspaper article. Near the back of that day’s edition. Scully didn’t have to ask a thing about the piece on page 24 because she had also seen and read it. The piece was damning in a ‘broader canvas’ kind of way. Scully privately wanted to wring the neck of the reporter who’d written it. All the same? She didn’t have to be as brainy as she was to know that ‘they’ were sweeping ‘it’ all under the rug.
It was what it was. Unfortunately.
Still, Scully had taken Mulder’s newspaper from him when he’d held it out. And she’d even tagged along with him as he started walking in the direction of the property’s entrance/exit area. The speech about, “Go be a doctor while you still can,” was also something else. It even made Scully fall even more in love with Mulder than she’d ever been in all these years of knowing him.
Even that was it was. Luckily? It was an aspect that she fully embraced.
Meanwhile... Mulder hadn’t known what to expect. Scully’s return-speech regarding her idea of, “If I quit now… They win…” had certainly taken him for a surprise. It even made Mulder fall in love with Scully more than he’d ever been more before in all these years of knowing her.
Even that was what it was. Luckily? It was an aspect that he fully embraced.
And now…
Mulder went weak-kneed.
It was as if time itself had chosen on its own to just stand still.
All those years ago, back when they’d first met, Scully had been hard-pressed to believe the outlandish facts and theories that he’d presented her with. But her thought process and her worldviews relating to The X-Files had majorly broadened since that first day now. Dana Katherine Scully had grown to believe, all on her own. Her determination in the face of what she’d just so passionately laid out between them was proof. And he fell in love with her once more.
On top of that? Scully was even holding his hand.
They then made their way down a short flight of stairs nearby. And they unintentionally let go of each other’s hands in the process. But they were already holding hands again by the time they got to the bottom and continued walking.
“Hey.” Mulder said to Scully after a few minutes of contented quiet. “Ride or die?”
Fully understanding what he meant, Scully answered, “Ride or die. Always.”
“Good. What I can’t believe,” Mulder quipped. “Is that the bulk of our ‘adventure’ still took place in a little under a week.”
Now physically shaking herself out, Scully groaned, “Ugh…”
Mulder squeezed Scully’s hand gently as they continued their stroll. Just as she served as an anchor for him, he knew he served as the same for her. And the man didn’t mind. It was a responsibility he both loved and took seriously. Just like Scully did for him. So his heart fluttered when Scully returned the hand squeeze. Especially because they both knew her own response had occurred without a second thought.
Changing tracks, now Scully said, “Hey. Were you off to that diner when you started walking away from the bench?”
Mulder laughed. “Yeah. It’s like you know me.”
Amused, Scully asked, “Are you down for some company?”
“I would love that.” Mulder said emphatically. “Plus… I also have a feeling that what we get there will totally make up for the subpar food we got at the Navy hospital in England…”
Electing to withhold the heavy exasperation she was feeling, Scully said instead, “Yeah. That’s a good point, Mulder. And for the record? I am putting it out there now that recovering from exposure to extreme cold is not a matter I wish to repeat, anywhere in the world.”
“Okay.” Mulder watched Scully toss the newspaper in a nearby trash bin before they continued on in their stroll. “Then what’s your final opinion on the matter of us having landed in ‘Old Blighty’? Hm? Now I feel curious.”
After thinking about it, Scully decided, “I don’t have any particular feeling. Not really. England is not a country I’m unfamiliar with.”
Deciding that there was a story there that he’d try to get from her in a minute, Mulder threw out another quip. “At any rate? The last time you made a request for something to consume that I heard? Well… The building blew up.”
Scully finally heaved her held-in sigh. “Mhm. You aren’t wrong.”
Scully absently squeezed Mulder’s hand again.
Exactly like he’d been prompted, Mulder’s next words came tumbling out and even reflected the air of a smitten schoolboy talking to his playground crush. “I will pay for lunch. And even dessert. Okay?”
Sighing now in open content, Scully told him, “Okay. And thanks for being a gentleman.”
Mulder bobbed his head in acknowledgement before a new private thought came to him. I can’t imagine my life without her. But also I don’t want to. She is it for me. Always.
Beside him, Scully was having a nearly-identical thought process. I can’t imagine my life without him. But also I don’t want to. He is it for me. Always.
Each finally let go of the other’s hand.
Mourning the loss of contact as much as he was, now Scully said, “You know? It’s too bad we couldn’t even get out of that Navy hospital until we did.”
Mulder asked in surprise, “Why?”
“Because my father was a Navy man,” Scully responded. “My family lived abroad. For most of my life.”
“Okay. This is already cool.” Mulder said in earnest. “Was London, England your family’s port-of-call? Yes? Or no?”
Scully said, “Yes. And we lived on a base near the same hospital that the two of us just recuperated in.”
Mulder asked, “How long did the mighty Scully clan live there?”
“The only time we weren’t there was a brief six-month period,” said Scully. “That put us in San Diego.”
“Alright.” said Mulder. “Then how old were you?”
Scully briefly showed him four fingers on her free hand. “I was a snobby, unimpressed preschooler.”
“Did you find America dull, or something?” asked Mulder. “In your self-righteous four-year-old way?”
“I did. My big siblings liked the time well enough. But then Charlie was born less than a year later when we’d settled back in the U.K. again.” Scully shrugged. “At least it even worked out for my folks.”
Arching one eyebrow, Mulder asked, “Then did anything remotely exciting happen to you?”
In the blink of an eye, Scully’s tone changed tack to mischievous. “California was also the era when Billy, Missy, and I had chicken pox on Billy’s birthday…”
“Excuse me?! Does your family ever do anything small?!” protested Mulder.
Scully said coolly, “Mm-mm.”
Now the one heaving an exasperated sigh, Mulder carefully replied, “Okay. Then how long were you in England? Ballpark. If you please.”
“Discounting California,” Scully shrugged again. “My family was in England from the time I was practically brand-new, up until the summer I was eighteen. Honestly? I loved it. Even sounded English because of localized assimilation.”
Immediately cataloging all this new information away for later, Mulder posed a new question. “Exactly where were you and your siblings born?”
“I’m from Annapolis. That isn’t nearly as exciting when compared to the other three.” lamented Scully. “My big brother… He was born in Italy. That’s for starters. Really.”
“Okay.” Mulder acknowledged. “What about Melissa and Charlie?”
Touched that he was this curious about her family, Scully continued, “My big sister was born in Japan. Sometimes we’d even take vacations there. One such visit coincided with her birthday. As for Charlie? My baby brother was definitely born in England. But all four of us were born on various U.S. Navy bases around the globe. Capiche?”
Invested, Mulder promised, “With you so far.”
“I graduated from the international school when I was eighteen,” Scully said. “But then we moved into the house where my mother lives now.”
“Okay.” Mulder said again. “With you being third in the line-up… Did Bill and Melissa have their own lives by then?”
“Yep. They did.” Scully confirmed. “Charlie still had all of senior high school to go.”
Mulder asked, “Then what did you do?”
“I started college. But I lived at home until I could get my own apartment. College dorm life? Uh-uh. No thank you.” Scully changed tracks yet again. “But still…”
Mulder gently prodded, “Yes…?”
“It’s also too bad that I couldn’t show you around town…” Scully began scrambling when a blush crept across her healing col-burned features. “I mean… Your own history of living in England notwithstanding…”
“Hey.” Mulder said kindly. “It’s okay. Try again.”
Scully grew coy. “London, England is where Melissa and I were in the audience for a little something known as the Van Halen Halen World Vacation Tour.”
Quite unsure of what Scully’s answer would have even been, Mulder still hadn’t been expecting anything like that. And so? The man could only stop and stare. But he also felt as if he’d been struck by Cupid’s arrow. Extremely hard.
Returning to reality, Mulder then saw that Scully had continued walking. And she was already some-odd feet ahead. So Mulder hurried after her.
Catching up, he said, “Will you please marry me?”
All at once from there, Scully immediately remembered back to when he had proposed to her over the phone during the events of the possessed doll case. In Maine. She knew her partner more than well enough to know that he’d meant it.
“I don’t know about marriage,” the woman responded. “But I have a relative in the family who has a property in Farrs Corner that will be mine when they move to The Great Beyond. Okay? Between you, me, and the Reflecting Pool over there… I don’t expect that event to even happen for a long time. That said? It will be our haven in the future. Deal?”
Smitten, Mulder answered Scully, “Deal.”
Still amused, Scully asked him, “Anything else?”
“Yeah.” decided Mulder. “Can you please tell me how two American Irish Catholic schoolgirls ended up at a Van Halen show?!”
“First off? Missy and I were both equally strong-willed as teenagers. Drove our parents crazy. My second point? I will tell you all about how my sister and I had the time of our lives during the summer of ‘79 at that show. Okay? But…” Scully made a show of pretending to mull something over. “I guess I could tell you that that concert is when I had my first proper kiss…”
“Oh?” asked Mulder. “What was the lucky lad’s name?”
“Her… ” Scully laughed again as Mulder’s eyes grew in surprise. “Name was Wendy.”
“What?!” Mulder’s tone matched his feelings.
Now Scully shrugged. “I have never once been as wholly buttoned-up as people seem to always think I am.”
Now Mulder just felt more amazed than ever. He loved learning new things about Scully. And he knew the feelings ran the other way. But he’d never been expecting to learn something of this variety. Ever. And he loved it.
“That’s totally amazing. I also hope to hear some angle on that life event over lunch.” Mulder finally said. “But… Did Melissa ever go with you to any other cool radical event?
“I went with her to Burning Man.” Scully answered casually. “More than once.”
Immediately realizing that this meant Scully’s wild streak had continued well-past her England years, Mulder said in a flabbergasted tone, “Excuse me?! Then have you ever done Lilith Fair?!”
Amazed that he knew it existed, Scully said, “Hey. Do you remember this past summer when you were forced into that speaking engagement at the Yakima field office?”
Mulder immediately remembered the level of his boredom during that trip. He also recalled how, on his own dime, he’d resorted to ordering more than one adult film to his hotel room television. And had his own fun time. Other than that? Yakima, Washington had been exceedingly dull.
“Yes. I definitely remember going to Yakima.” the man cleared his throat. “Exactly what are you getting at here?”
Scully went on, “Remember how the ‘ubiquitous they’ in accounting had me choose between an obnoxious pile of ignoring paperwork or a brief paid vacation?”
“Yes. Oh.” now more of the facts were coming back to Mulder. “Now I’m on the same page. I swear. But I’d’ve also remembered if you’d traveled far. And you did not. So… Exactly where was your Lilith Fair event…?”
“In Columbia. Maryland. The place is a half-hour from where my mother’s house is.” Scully said. “But because I was already visiting her…?”
“Ah. Her house was your home base while you went off to find yourself.” Mulder quipped. “I get it.”
“Good. My favorite part is that the event was on Melissa Jacqueline’s birthday. And I went because I had a feeling she’d’ve loved it.” Scully grinned. “But since we’re on the matter? I totally had fun.”
Spellbound but sincere, Mulder said, “Wow. That’s beautiful.”
“I will also tell you about that experience during lunch.” Scully paused. “Mulder… I also just remembered something that Skinner told me when he came to fetch us in England.”
“But where was I?” protested Mulder.
“Damned if I know.” Scully shrugged. “Anyway… Skinner informed me that he is going to have a visitor coming out to visit him at the bureau next week.”
Greatly intrigued, Mulder asked, “Oh? From where?”
Scully answered, “He described him as a friend from Hollywood. But I think he meant it literally.”
“Wow.” joked Mulder. “The Skinman’s got friends besides us?”
Laughing softly, Scully said, “But what if it is a cheap Hollywood hack?”
Mulder playfully mimicked swearing on a Bible. “Then I’ll be on my best behavior.”
Scully scoffed, “As if.”
“Okay, okay.” Mulder capitulated as he lowered his hands. “I will be on my best behavior until one of us gets in trouble.”
Now Scully sighed, “That is more like it.”
Attempting to further lighten the mood, Mulder half-joked, “What if this ‘cheap Hollywood hack’ wants to make a movie about us? Or something?”
Scully didn’t answer immediately.
Although… This was only because she was imagining (or was it manifesting?) the idea of being in some kind of arrangement with Mulder where they’d be knocking boots vigorously enough that they could forget any potential embarrassing material that any Hollywood personnel could inflict on them. Even if the arrangement only happened a single time.
On a lighter note… Scully then found herself hoping that said encounter (or any more of them) would result in them creating a baby of their own. She desired such an outcome very badly.
Little did she know that her soulmate was having the exact same thought process.
Another breeze rolled through the air. But Mulder stopped walking. And Scully followed suit. Even though they were almost to the point of exiting the property so they could next head for the diner near HQ, a particular sight had caught their attention. One that gave them hope.
Entering the area to go for their own stroll could be seen a family.
One father, one mother, a teenage son, and two twin toddler daughters.
Mulder couldn’t help noticing how normal they all seemed. But Scully was amazed by how happy the family was, in their own bubble. Talking. Laughing. Just enjoying each other’s company. She also noticed something else. While the father pushed his daughters in a stroller, the mother was walking with a particular gait because she was heavily pregnant. Crowning jewel of the whole picture? The son was walking a Jack Russell Terrier puppy on a leash. It all seemed like a sign from the universe. Or something. But Scully had no idea.
The family continued on.
And Scully changed tack for the final time.
“If the Skinman’s visitor is a cheap Hollywood hack that wants to pester you and I for ‘creative reasons,’ then I guess our boss had better have a very persuasive argument for us to entertain the guy. Or whatever.” Scully squeezed Mulder’s hand as they now continued walking to the nearby crosswalk that would finally bring them to the rest of the world. “Last thing I want? To be immortalized by Hollywood.”