Archive of Our Own

JUNE 11th, 1993

GEORGETOWN, DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA

Friday night. Special Agent Doctor Dana Katherine Scully felt relieved. 

While she loved her job very much and no longer harbored any regrets about ditching medical school for a federal institution, she was just as human as anyone else. To that end? She enjoyed not having to be an FBI agent from Friday evenings (or afternoons) to Monday mornings when she wasn’t out monster-hunting with Mulder. Or occupied with soul-sucking paperwork in her own office. Government life still felt vastly more rewarding than the grueling routines of medical school.  

But Special Agent Doctor Dana Katherine Scully was happy with her life. 

The doctor-agent also enjoyed just being a regular person. Sometimes she even thought about getting a little dog like a Pomeranian or a Jack Russell Terrier breed. (Whomever fell out of the sky first.) Hanging out with friends was a little difficult these days, though. What friends she did have were parents. Or had moved away. Scully understood. It was that time of life. 

Ultimately, however, Scully was her own company. And often. 

But this fact did come in useful, though. Especially today. A new movie had opened at the cinema a few blocks from where she lived. Pure instinct alone told her it was destined to be a blockbuster. The picture even featured a topic she was fond of. Science. There was absolutely no way that she would miss this for the world.

But even while Scully stood outside her destination, contently enjoying a warm summer breeze blowing through the area, she also thought about her incredibly boring date with Robert ‘Rob’ Hill. While the man did have much to say about his little boy and what was thin-but-barely-veiled jealousy about the stepdad he was in an absurd competition with, Hill’s other matter of course was his hobby. Stamp collecting. Overall, Scully couldn’t think of anything more boring to have as a hobby. Except watching paint dry or grass grow. Yawn.

So it was with easy politeness that Scully rejected Hill about another date. The man had even conveyed understanding. Now she could only wish him well. And never take advice from her friend Ellenn Waters about dates again. 

She also wondered, briefly, how Hill would’ve reacted if she’d said, “Sorry. But I have to spring my partner from the clink in Atlantic City and go chase Big Foot with him,” instead of the bland, “Work emergency. Sorry,” that she had given him. Probably stare in speechless disbelief. 

Ah, well. 

But Scully returned to soaking up the pleasantries of the day. And further applied herself to a book she was reading. 

Down the block, Mulder was just exiting the LensCrafters there on Monica Street. 

He found weekends dull because he would always rather be chasing monsters or hitting the conspiracy-shaped beehive with his baseball bat. The hobbies that the government paid him for were both far more fulfilling than sitting inside Number 42 at 2630 Hegal Place by himself. Again. 

But Mulder did recognize the need to do mundane errands on Friday evenings. Like dropping off a new prescription for his glasses. On top of that… Langly, Frohike, and Byers were away at a members-only convention situated in the Pittsburgh area. His parents were also traveling. (One to Roswell, the other to Florida.) The gym was also closed because it was being repaired from a flood triggered by burst pipes last week. So even basketball was a no-go. 

Ultimately... Mulder was his own company tonight. And so it would be for the rest of the weekend. 

But Mulder, as he soaked up the early-evening sunshine, found that he didn’t mind this. Not today. Everything around him as he strolled up Monica Street was just far too nice. Putting in any bad word about this particular Junetime Friday evening felt wrong. So he would look for the positive things. 

It was what was right. 

Mulder walked much of the boulevard, enjoying the everyday sights there. It was all a far more cheerful neighborhood than his own. Every shop and restaurant was full, dining terraces were occupied with patrons, families of every size were out walking together and Mulder even counted four separate families with pet dogs, multiple sidewalk sales were happening, even the ice cream parlor was full. It all felt perfect. Because it was. 

Then he saw her. And almost passed out in surprise. 

Directly ahead was his partner. Only dressed in a very… ‘non-Scully’ way. If anything? Mulder fell more in love than ever. 

Scully was wearing a sundress, of all things. But it didn’t end there. 

Scully’s knee-length dress was black and featured an all-over pattern of daisies and buttercups. The closer Mulder approached, the more he was sure that the blooms were embroidered, even. Scully also wore a t-shirt under her dress with half of a detailed band logo peeking out. She also wore electric-purple tights that Mulder could also see from down the block. A thick matching headband kept her surprisingly frizzy hair at bay. One red-and-black plaid button-down shirt was even tied around her waist. Mulder noticed next that his partner wore Doc Marten boots that elevated her height noticeably. She even had her glasses on and a backpack purse hanging from the crook of one elbow. There was also a litany of gold bangles on both wrists. And in pride of place today? Her trusty gold necklace. 

Now Mulder was fully taken in by the sight of his partner. Dana Katherine Scully was beautiful. And tonight she was in rare form. Literally. 

Mulder had also known since meeting Scully in person that she was a beautiful woman. And youthful. The restriction of the everyday federal drone wardrobe just prevented Scully from expressing her off-duty life through what she wore. 

But here she was. And in literal rare form. 

Not for the first time since meeting this woman did Mulder think again about how easy it was to picture a future with her. Even if it consisted of puttering around a countryside house when they were old. Mulder also wondered if Scully had such thoughts about him. But he dashed the thought. Scully could always do better than him. Even in his imaginings. Little did he know that Scully did have those thoughts. Often. 

Mulder finally decided to greet his partner. The man also erred on the side of caution. Scully had her nose buried in a book. How… her. 

Entranced by the novel and the beauty of the moment, Scully was even tuned into the time. Her internal clock had never failed her. The book, worn, highlighted, even bookmarked to hell and back, was just too good to stop at that moment. Never mind that this was her sixth walk through the park. Really, only one thing could make this beautiful moment even more perfect. Hanging with Mulder. 

No sooner had she finished thinking this than he drew level. Scully heard the approaching footsteps and jumped. A little. But when she looked up from her book, she beamed at the sight of him. Mulder’s heart swelled with affection. 

Contrary to what people at The Hoover Building liked to say, on top of being all shades of smart and fire-tempered, Scully was kind, warm, gentle, and very smart. Mulder seemed to be the only person at the building who knew about these qualities of hers because, however clumsily, he gave her the time of day. And Mulder knew Scully liked when he did. In turn, his partner wanted to show him that she was as human as anyone else. Even by beaming at the sight of him walking into her eye-line. Her kindness at this juncture made him feel weak-kneed. 

“Hey, Scully.” Mulder greeted her. 

“Hi!” Scully happily returned. 

Feeling struck by Cupid’s arrow immediately, Mulder asked, “You’re happy to see me even though it must seem like I’ve totally shown up out of nowhere?”

“Even though there are times when you do drive me nuts and I probably even do the same for you…” Scully had a genuine laugh when Mulder made jokingly-exaggerated so-so motions in reply. “I’ll always be happy to see you because we’re friends.”

Mulder beamed and thanked Scully before politely indicating her appearance. “Hey. I love all of this here.”

Scully puffed with pride because she knew he meant it. “Thank you very much again, Mulder. And yes. What you’re looking at really is how I dress when I’m off doing something that’s fun.”

“You’ve got no arguments here. I really love it.” Mulder pointed to the half-seen logo on Scully’s maybe band logo t-shirt. “Dare I ask what’s happening here?”

Scully plucked at her shirt when she glanced at it. “Oh. Joshua Tree.”

Mulder looked at her, amazed that his random guess had been completely correct and said incredulously, “U2?”

“And live.” Scully answered all-knowingly. 

Now Mulder made a quick timeout signal. “Where? Memorial Stadium, Boston, Philly, New York?”

Scully played along. “Mm-mm. Chilly, cold, colder, coldest.”

Now Mulder was grasping at straws. “Were you even in the country…?”

Unblinking, now Scully answered, “No.”

Mulder was more stumped but intrigued than ever. “What?”

Scully put him out of his misery (but only slightly). “My family’s a Navy one, and my siblings and I? We’re grown-up Navy brats. I was born in Annapolis, but the rest of them were all born abroad because my dad’s last-ever transfer was only six years ago. He and my mother live in Baltimore.”

Following along, now Mulder asked, “Then were you educated here before college?”

Scully shook her head. “Except for a brief period in junior high school, I was educated exclusively abroad until college because we lived in other countries for that long.”

Mulder moved a page in reverse after nodding. “Baltimore? Six years ago?”

Arching one eyebrow, Scully said in amusement, “How old is it that you think I am?”

Moving on to the correct subject at once to keep from accidentally putting his foot in his mouth, Mulder said quickly, “Okay. Then if you didn’t see U2’s Joshua Tree tour here, are there Scullys abroad?”

“No. Technically.” now Scully hurried on when Mulder sighed in dejection. “My dad’s much-older sister and her husband have a cute house on a country lane in Farrs Corner. The place is even behind a gate. Has its own inner-lane, too. Aunt Olive’s and Uncle Haley’s ten kids…”

Interjecting, Mulder protested, “They have how many?!”

“I said what I said.” Scully answered coolly. “But anyway… Their kids, my cousins, are all currently spread out to the four corners of wherever.”

Now Mulder worked faster to puzzle out the clues that Scully continued to lovingly throw in the air for him to juggle. “Okay. Then it’s your mother who has family abroad. Yes…?”

“Mhm. I saw U2 with my big sister Melissa and our European cousins.” explained Scully. 

“Woah. Family in Europe, huh?” now Mulder threw out another guess. “Ireland?”

“No. That’s going back to the Scullys landing in Manhattan after touching down at Ellis Island first in the middle of the third immigration wave. Melissa and I saw U2 with our cousins Gregoor and Saskia.” now Scully looked at her partner imploringly to see if he’d keep thinking. 

Cautiously, Mulder guessed, “The Netherlands…?”

“Gold star.” Scully laughed again when Mulder sighed in comical relief now. “My mother and her twin sister Katherine were born to American parents living in Rotterdam.”

“Do they have linguistically-corresponding names?” Mulder joked, although still deeply-fascinated. 

“Yes. ‘Margriet’ and ‘Katrien’ are the names on their birth certificates because that’s what their father put. Although ‘Margaret’ and ‘Katherine’ have been used since they first moved to the states as children. I swear.” Scully laughed when Mulder continued to be openly amazed. 

Now he asked Scully, “Did Aunt Katherine still end up in Rotterdam again because she married an actual Dutchman?”

“Yeah. He’s my cool Uncle Florian. But anyway… My Dutch cousins did score four tickets to that show. And we went.” Scully tacked on an elaborating afterthought when it came to her. “Oh. Melissa and I were in The Netherlands because our mother practically strong-armed us into going.”

“Did she feel that you two needed a change of scenery?” Mulder asked. 

“Yep. She had us come along with her on her own trip. Just… Never mind that it was already six years ago. And if you’re keeping score? I am still talking about the year she and my father moved to Baltimore.” Scully waved a hand broadly over her clothes and shoes. “I have dressed like this ever since that trip. Melissa dared me to live a little. I did. She’s also proud I keep the look.”

Mulder wondered if he would ever meet the other Scully sister at any point. “Hm. She sounds really fun.”

“I promise you that she is, when she isn’t acting as the human form of my good conscience. But whatever.” Scully shrugged. “I love her very much. And that’s what matters.”

Mulder asked Scully, “Does she know?”

Scully fixed her glasses when they slipped. “Yes!”

Daring to ask one more question about the other Scully sister, Mulder said, “Is she the freer spirit between the two of you?”

“Yeah. But that’s a serious under-sell of her character. My favorite part is that…” Scully’s expression turned to a familiar mischievous one again. “Our darling Melissa Margaret really confuses our parents more than I do.”

“Hm. Definitely a perk.” Mulder agreed loyally. “What about your brothers?”

“Billy and Charlie are just way too boring for things like that to matter.” Scully shrugged again but stayed amused. 

Correctly reading the lull, now Mulder pounced in the hopes of one final tidbit. “I seriously enjoy seeing the real you. But did you ever color your hair when you were younger?”

“Who’s to say I still don’t, when the occasion calls for it? Hm? Ah-ha!” Scully added her delighted exclamation when she pulled a small coupon book from one pocket of her dress after a moment of rummaging. 

Now the abrupt change from the revelation of his normally straight-laced partner to the brand-new revelation of where her pockets were all sent Mulder totally reeling. But Scully continued to grin. Her partner always gave her a run for her money. Displaying the upper hand for once felt very delightful.

At last finding himself, Mulder cried, “The dress has pockets?!”

With a nod, Scully said, “Mhm.”

But she held back another laugh. It still hadn’t clicked for Mulder where they were. Scully found this endearing. And even hoped she would get to see more absentminded moments like this when they were older. The woman hoped so. Very much. 

“But seriously. Why are you here, Mulder? This is my neck of the woods that we’re in.” Scully said. 

“Yeah. But getting to mine means traveling over the hill and through the woods to grandmother’s house, huh?” Mulder did a mental victory fist pump when Scully groaned audibly at the ridiculous joke before he moved on to indicating the section of street behind him with a thumb-jerk over one shoulder. “I was across the street from the bank at the LensCrafters. Had to drop off a new prescription for my glasses before I forgot. Again.”

Remembering how Mulder had randomly mentioned this on the way to breakfast after she’d sprung him from the Atlantic City drunk tank, Scully nodded in understanding. “I remember now. That’s right. And you also said that the one that was practically around the block from you relocated to Silver Spring? Last month?”

“Yeah. Greedy bastards. Trekking to Georgetown just made sense. And it’s nice here.” now Mulder shrugged. “What brings you out here tonight?” 

Scully pointed upward. 

Her partner followed through. But was very surprised to see… ceiling? And lights…?

Everything finally came together when he moved out onto the sidewalk and tried again. Mulder finally locked his gaze on a grand sign that said ‘GEORGETOWN THEATER’ in bright lettering. All the innumerable rows of lightbulbs overlaying this indicated that the sign could be lit after dark. A broad advertisement marquee read ‘JURASSIC PARK’ in huge letters under a ‘NOW PLAYING’ message displayed in smaller lettering. 

The movies. He and Scully were literally at the movies on opening day for a movie that already had the potential to be legendary. Perfection. 

Mulder made his way back to Scully. Then he laughed. She had now closed her book and arranged it so that the title was on display. Jurassic Park.

“Really a fan?” Mulder asked curiously. 

“I am. Just because I wrote a major paper on an Einstein theory, that doesn’t mean I don’t enjoy regular things. Despite what some of our fellow grown agents like to say.” Scully rolled her eyes before correcting her own course again. “I’ve read this book five times. Currently in the middle of reading number six.”

“Wow. That’s really cool. I have a copy of 1984 like that.” Mulder pointed to the sticky notes that were sticking out of the book in indication of notes and favorite passages. 

“I totally believe that.” Scully tapped her book absently. “My sister bought me this book after losing a bet.”

With a sigh because he had a feeling he was possibly about to hear something whacky, Mulder said, “I beg your pardon?”

“Our family was mostly gathered at the Baltimore house because it was Easter.” Scully explained. “None of the post-church holiday crowd was there. Yet.”

Now Mulder continued to engage her when he realized that Scully just liked talking in anecdotes. “You said ‘mostly.’ But what’s the missing step? Please tell me. I want to know.”

Scully said, “I just knew that we were these because of some impending announcement. No one in my parents’s post-church holiday dinner clique was even there yet.”

“Okay.” Mulder said. “Then where were your parents?”

“Kitchen.” Scully answered. 

“Then what about everyone else?” Mulder wanted to know. 

“Billy also wasn’t there yet, although Charlie, Missy, and I all were.” Scully said. 

Mulder asked Scully, “Then where does the bet come in?”

Scully responded, “I told my sister that our big brother wasn’t there because he’d stopped to pick up his girlfriend from her parents’ place.” 

“Oh? And was Melissa impressed?” asked Mulder. 

“Literally not at all. So I upped the ante by saying that if he came through the dining room door with Tara and announced that they were engaged,” said Scully. “Then she owed me a novel of my choosing.”

“Hm. And we both know your choice. Did Charlie get in on the bet?” Mulder asked. 

“No. My baby brother told both of us,” answered Scully. “That he thought we were being childish. Funny words for someone who had their nose buried in a Beetle Bailey book…”

Cheerfully taking in everything he was being told, now Mulder said, “Okay. How long between that and the others actually showing up?”

“Long enough that Missy and I closed the deal with a handshake.” his partner shrugged. “So, seconds.”  

“Wow. Has your life ever been quiet?” Mulder pressed. 

“Seeing as I’m kid number three out of a quartet? No.” Scully said. “But Billy and Tara were both grinning so broadly without even saying anything that I just knew again I was right.”

Now Mulder arched his eyebrows. “Hm. But were you smug?” 

“Maybe so.” answered Scully with poorly-feigned innocence.

“What about Melissa?” Mulder asked his partner.

“Dumbstruck.” Scully answered.

“Okay.” Mulder laughed. “Then what about ‘Mister Bets Are Totally Below Me’?”

Scully’s grin broadened. “My baby brother is like a bull in a china shop.That does count the times when he isn’t even trying.”

Mulder guessed, “All the grace of a freight train?”

Scully nodded. “Yep. He was just so surprised when Billy and Tara confirmed things that the fruit punch he was drinking actually came out of his nose. My parents finally came out on the tail-end of that.”

“Amazing.” catching sight of a Jurassic Park poster nearby, Mulder changed tracks and pointed to it. “Hey. Neill or Goldblum?”

Briefly eyeing the poster, Scully said, “I will always like both of them for their own exclusive qualities. Truly. But I’m for the third member of the trio. Dern.”

“Wow…” Mulder murmured, impressed. 

Scully used the pause to put her book away. Mulder watched. He also tickled when he noticed that the tan open/close flap had a dinosaur on it that matched the bag’s overall floral pattern. 

So Mulder complimented, “That’s a snazzy bag.”

Scully smiled. “Thank you. Melissa came over for a visit, the day after you and I folded up our tent in Atlantic City.”

“Wow. That was really nice of her. And…” Mulder sighed. “I still can’t believe that that was this week…” 

“You and me both.” Scully eyed Mulder’s casual jeans, white ‘QUONOCHONTAUG 188?’ t-shirt, leather jacket, white socks, and Nikes combo. “Huh. So this is what you look like when you really don’t have to be a federal agent for a while?”

“Yeah. Who knew, right?” Mulder pointed to the bag again. “Did you tell Melissa that you had any dinosaur-shaped movie plans?”

“I had no idea until an hour ago that I was even coming. Display times in the newspaper caught my attention.” Scully tapped one bag strap. “My sister said she found this at a swap meet and thought I’d like it.”

“And you do.” observed Mulder. “What if Melissa can see the future or something?”  

Already wishing that her sister and her partner could meet each other but already deflecting, Scully said, “That is ridiculous.”

But she privately believed this was true. Melissa did occasionally display those tendencies. Even their mother did. Plus her father’s own sister. Which still counted as both sides of the family tree. 

Mulder spoke again. “Okay, Scully. Whatever you say.”

She laughed and checked the time. Then she brightened. Only a little under an hour until the picture began.

Inspired, Scully asked, “Would you like to see the movie with me?”

Deciding that he wanted to because it was opening day and because he had already been looking forward to it, Mulder said, “Sure. Thanks. But now I have to go feed the meter down the block…”

“You could…” Scully said slyly.

With a sigh at her impish expression, Mulder prompted, “Or…?”

“You could park where I did in that lot.” Scully was pointing to a parking lot directly across the street from where they were standing.

“Oh?” Mulder looked from the lot and back to his partner. “Why did you pick that one?”

Scully said, “Because you can pay a flat rate and not have to worry about anything for four hours.”

“I should hang out in your neighborhood more often if cool parking perks are just out in the open. Scully…” now Mulder said her name with a playfully conspiratorial air. “I think it must be an X-File.”

“Get out of here and move your car.” Scully spoke in an amused but exasperated tone as she physically turned him about face and gave him a nudge. “I will go get our tickets before they sell out completely.”

Mulder thanked his partner and hurried to move his car.

By the time he came back, he’d also made up his mind about how to return his partner’s generosity, he found that she’d moved inside. Now she was in the far corner of the lobby admiring posters for upcoming theatrical releases. 

When Mulder joined Scully as she stood in front of a poster featuring Harrison Ford, Scully said, “This is for The Fugitive. But the picture doesn’t come out until early August.”

“Ford fan?” Mulder asked curiously. 

“Mhm. I have Star Wars to thank for that.” said Scully. “However…”

“Yes?” Mulder took a step back when Scully narrowed her eyes at him. 

“If I miss The Fugitive because we’re out monster-hunting…” Scully warned. “So help me…” 

“Hey.” Mulder said quickly. “Scout’s honor.”

Scully softened up. Mulder had never been a scout. She actually knew that one. The woman also knew her partner was humoring her. And while he’d been aiming for making the salute of the Boy Scouts of America, he’d made the Vulcan salute. Accidentally. But she didn’t have the heart to tell him. 

“Okay. Cool.” Scully moved Mulder’s hand to a normal position before heading to the next poster. “Glad we’re on the same page.”

Eyeing the poster and what it depicted more as a means of distraction from thinking about how gentle Scully’s touch was, Mulder said as he stood beside her, “I haven’t read The Secret Garden. But my sister did.”

Very surprised at this but just as curious about the lost Mulder family member, Scully asked her partner, “Is that right?”

“Yeah. She had the easy-reader versions because she was a kid, but Peter Pan was a super-favorite.” said Mulder. “I still remember that Samantha wore her intermediate-reader copy of The Secret Garden out.”

“Why?” asked Scully.

“Because,” Mulder winked. “I gave it to her as a present when I found it in a used bookstore one day.”

“Wow. That’s really sweet.” said Scully. 

Her partner nearly sounded bashful. “I loved being a big brother so much. Have you read the book we’re talking about here?” 

“Yeah. But not since primary school abroad.” Scully double-checked the poster and successfully put her plaid shirt on over her dress. “The movie comes out on August thirteenth. Maybe I’ll ask Melissa to come with me.”

Mulder just nodded in polite agreement. Watching this version of his partner come to life was incredible. He had never fully considered it before. 

Feeling very self-aware when she realized that Mulder was just watching, Scully asked, “Am I talking too much…?”

“No.” Mulder watched Scully even reposition her backpack. “I find it charming.”

Now electing not to prolong the moment into awkwardness, Scully moved on to a third next poster. And looked back at her partner to see him light up in a way that made her weak-kneed. Then Scully looked at the poster again. And understood. Here was another upcoming movie that even she was looking forward to. A Nightmare Before Christmas. Everything about the movie looked strange. Yet exciting, too.  

Mulder spoke. “I seriously want to see this.”

“Yeah. Same.” agreed Scully as she looked through the coupon book she’d still managed to keep holding. 

Looking at her in sheer amazement, Mulder said, “Really?”

“Mhm. Can you remind me when it comes out?” Scully asked, flipping through her book pages.

Now Mulder checked the poster. “It looks like the theatrical release has been slated for Halloween Eve Eve.”

“Halloween E…” Scully had begun to echo these words in an effort to commit them to memory but then scowled in exasperation at Mulder when things had caught up. “Come on! Why can’t you just say ‘October twenty-ninth’ like everyone else?!”

“I was just checking to see if you were paying attention.” Mulder laughed when Scully playfully flipped him off. “But really. October twenty-ninth.” 

Re-centering herself, Scully said, “Then you and I will see it. Okay? Even if we’re out on the road. Alright?”

“Okay. And, thanks.” Mulder checked the time on his own watch. “It looks like we still have time to get in line for concessions. Everything will be my treat since you paid for the tickets today.”

“Deal. And thank you.” Scully eyed the concession stand across the lobby. “Come on. Let’s go before things get ridiculously long.” 

Mulder agreed this was a good idea. So they got in line.  

But Scully got separated from her partner when she hung back to get two drinks in a nearby soda cooler at the beginning of the line. She also felt pleased with herself. In her partner’s absence while he’d been moving his car, she’d found a buy one get one free coupon that could be applied to this particular cinema’s larger bottled drinks. Now Scully just hoped Mulder liked them. 

He perked up when she caught up to him in the line. But he didn’t see what drinks his partner had chosen. A bag of Swedish Fish from the in-line display racks was big enough to cover the bottles she carried in the crook of one arm. Her candy, however, was half-covered by a bag of Peanut M&Ms that she had also picked up with a plan in mind. 

“Here.” Scully pressed the bag into his hands now. “I remembered you said once that you like these.”

Deeply touched and then wondering when he could’ve possibly ever mentioned anything about this type of candy in particular, Mulder accepted the bag cheerfully. “Thanks! I was just thinking about getting these at the counter. But, Scully?”

“Hm?” she said to him. 

“Can you read minds?” Mulder joked. 

Blushing again but just as quickly rolling her eyes, now Scully just hurried forward when she noticed there was a huge gap in the queue that she needed to close.

Her partner hurried after her. “That isn’t a no!”

When there was one last party between Mulder and Scully and the next available concessionist, Scully said, “Remember how I had the coupon book?”

Mulder answered, “I do.”

Scully moved her bag of candy to reveal two bottles of root beer. “I hope you don’t mind. There was a buy one get one free deal. Found a coupon for it when you were moving your car.”

“I don’t mind at all.” Mulder laughed when Scully tore the coupon out of her coupon book and placed it into his t-shirt pocket for him. “Thanks. And you know? Root beer makes me remember being a happy kid. Stuff like that.”

“Same. Although for me, it brings back specific memories of going to visit Aunt Olive and Uncle Haley during family vacations in the summers. We kids played in the Farrs Corner house yard for hours. But my aunt and uncle seemed to always have root beer around...” then Scully made a face when a memory came back. “Including when what everyone still refers to as ‘The Piñata Incident’ happened…”

Mulder said in surprise, “What?”  

Scully sneered, “Cousin Gillian just had to have a terrible aim where her own piñata was concerned on her own birthday…”

Now Mulder could only repeat, “What?”

“I definitely sprained my ankle…” Scully recollected. 

“What?” Mulder said a third time as his incredulity continued mounting. 

“But at least that was the day when I decided to be a doctor when I grew up. Look at me now.” Scully shrugged and nodded in recognition to the concessionist at the counter space before them. “Step on the gas, Mulder. I think they’re playing our song.”

Once they both added popcorn to their orders, Mulder had paid their total (and made sure in the process gave the concessionist the coupon to apply), he and his partner made a pit stop at the bathrooms before heading to their designated theater house. Number one. 

The place was already filling up with excited moviegoers as showtime grew closer. And the previews hadn’t even started. So all anyone saw ahead of them was the huge empty screen the projector would soon be presenting its film images on. 

Mulder and Scully had the whole row to themselves. It seemed like an extra treat. 

Larger theaters closer to the more interesting populaces of the area drew more people. But this particular theater was cozy and seemed to do just fine. Scully was more appreciative of the coziness because the idea of sitting so close to Mulder in public ahead of doing something fun gave her an extra thrill. And the same could be said of no obnoxious row-neighbors. But Scully still focused enough to settle in while Mulder did the same beside her.

Once they were both good, Scully said, “Hey. I really do like your Quonochontaug t-shirt. And I guess I have a question…”

“Oh? And what is that?” said Mulder just as he finished opening his own candy bag.

“Why is there a question mark in the established year?” Scully pointed to where ‘188?’ was visible under a graphic of the Rhode Island state crest.

“Oh. The truth? Nobody really knows when the place was founded.” Mulder explained as he remembered how his friend Richard ‘Ringo’ Langly had given the shirt to him as a present on his last birthday. 

Briefly wondering how information about the date of a place with such a memorable name could have ever been possibly lost to time, Scully said, “Okay. That’s pretty interesting. Are you from Quonochontaug?”

“No. I was born on Martha’s Vineyard.” Mulder informed Scully. 

“Okay. Then I’ll remember that.” Scully vowed. 

Mulder felt touched because there just weren’t very many people (outside of his partner or The Lone Gunmen publishing trio) who took the time to just get to know him, so he pointed to the flowers on Scully’s dress. “Hey. Do you think plants and stuff like that?”

“Mhm. I really do.” confirmed Scully as memories of her childhood came back. “Remind me the next time it’s raining buckets to tell you about our family vacation/reunion at a family summer camp in The Catskills. Okay?”

She said this with such casualness that Mulder was already nodding before something else caught up with him. “Hang on. This is really going in the direction of Dirty Dancing. Are you screwing with me because we’re at the movies right now?”

Scully laughed and even made a momentary motion of swearing on a Bible. “Nope. I swear that this all happened at that kind of place.”

“Okay. Then how old were you?” Mulder asked. 

 Scully thought about it. “Billy was about seven, Missy was a day shy of seven, which meant that I was four.”

“Okay. Then how old was Charlie?” Mulder asked this instead of trying not to wonder how far apart the older Scully children were. 

“My baby brother? Well…” now Scully gave a nervous laugh. “It happens that mom learned on that trip that she was pregnant with him.”

Now Mulder arched his eyebrows as he said, “Was there some sort of ‘domino effect’ going on?”

Very poker-faced, Scully said, “Yes.”

“Okay. But,” Mulder sighed again. “This memory is chiefly concerning flowers?”  

“Mhm. Poor Melissa found out the hard way that she’s incredibly allergic to flower pollen.” said Scully. 

Mulder winced. “What about precious Billy?”

“Ended up learning that he’s allergic to bee stings. Poor bastard…” lamented Scully. “But I’m lucky. No pollen or bee drama anything for me at all. Ever.”

If only she knew just what the universe had in store for her, only some-odd years down the road.

“I guess those are good things.” Mulder loyally offered. 

“Yes. I’m with you.” agreed Scully as they both took a moment to share some of their candy with each other. 

“Mhm. Because ridiculousness like that happening one or both would just be whacky beyond belief when you’re a badass FBI agent.” When they settled again, Mulder laughed after his partner nodded in agreement. “But I think we’re seriously off topic here. Exactly what were you doing while Billy and Melissa were suffering?!”

One again poker-faced at the drop of a hat, Scully said, “Sniffing the sunflowers that my brother and sister had been showing me.”

“What? And which clan was this reunion with, anyway? Farrs Corner or American-Dutch?” 

Scully didn’t miss a beat. “Both.”

Mulder asked quickly, “Then where were the cousins when this unfolded?”  

Scully shrugged. “Not in our immediate vicinity.”

“God, your life sounds way more interesting than mine.” Mulder marveled. “Straight down to the childhood memories. But you’ll fill in the blanks next time it rains hard?”

“Mhm. I really will.” promised Scully. 

“Just thought I’d check.” Mulder felt pleased because according to an upcoming weekly broadcast he’d seen on The Weather Channel before leaving his apartment, it would be raining buckets on Monday. 

Not thinking anything of this because she actually couldn’t read minds, now Scully said, “Alright. You really do look nice, though. Seeing ‘totally off the clock Mulder’ is refreshing.” 

“Thank you, Scully. I guess it all shows off my machismo.” Mulder quickly threw in this last part in an attempt at breaking Scully’s concentration and hopefully eliciting a laugh. Relief surged through him when she did. The adoringly innocent but imploringly look she had been giving him had left him with butterflies. 

Now Mulder aimed once again to keep the conversation from derailing altogether. “And that dress looks really great on you. I meant to say that earlier.”

Quietly relieved that the house lights actually dimmed because she was blushing again, Scully told her partner, “Thank you. Also…”

Mulder asked, “Yes?”

Now Scully scrambled to maintain her focus. Mulder’s adoringly innocent but imploring look was giving her serious butterflies now. In an attempt at maintaining her focus, this time Scully’s hand found its way to her bottle of root beer. And held on tightly. 

Her mind clear again, Scully said, “It would be nice if we actually just hung out more often. You know? Even if it’s just in the office, or in-between clue-hunting while monster-chasing.”

“Yeah. I understand what you’re saying,” Mulder grabbed his own root beer. “Because I really do enjoy hanging out with you. Our friendship is one of my favorite things.”

“Right there with you. I also enjoy our friendship. Even when you do drive me up the wall. And…” now Scully was holding her drink out. 

Mulder followed suit and they both clinked their drink bottles. “Friends for life?”

With a nod as they clinked their drink bottles one more time and each drank, Scully agreed as they both faced the screen, “Friends for life.”

And from there, the movie previews began.