From: bellydancergirl7@aol.com   
      
   All notes disclosed in chapter one.   
      
   A/N: The dress mentioned later in the chapter is a real dress worn by    
   Christina Aguilera in Allure magazine about 2 years ago.   
      
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   One week later   
      
   Dana had never felt tempted by money before. She'd never had the    
   money to be tempted in the first place. Sure, she made good money as    
   a doctor but most of her paycheck went away into a savings account    
   for Cassie or to the rent each month. She always spent her money    
   wisely, never indulged.   
      
   Now she was being told to indulge and she had no clue what to do.   
      
   Mulder handed her his credit card. "I want you to go out, take    
   Viviana, your mom, or whoever with you, buy yourself a dress, shoes,    
   jewelry— whatever, the works. And when I get the bill, I better not    
   see you spent less than $3,000."   
      
   Dana eyes went wide. "But, Mulder…" she tried.   
      
   "No buts; I want you to do this. I want you to feel pampered," he    
   insisted.   
      
   She put on a defensive face. "You saying I don't look good?"   
      
   He tweaked her nose; he knew she was just teasing. "I'm saying you're    
   gorgeous and I want the world to know it," he explained. "I want you    
   to feel like the most pampered woman ever."   
      
   "But Mulder, I already do."   
      
   "I know, but I have the money; it might as well get spent."   
      
   "Mulder, you've already got me. You don't have to buy me things,"    
   Dana told him, clutching his hand tightly.   
      
   He, in turn, pressed his forehead against hers. "I know," he paused    
   to kiss her, "but I want to. I just… I want you to have everything.    
   You deserve everything."   
      
   "I already have you. That's all I need." She kissed his nose, making    
   him chuckle.   
      
   "We haven't ever had sex yet, so that says a lot," he teased.   
      
   "Yet?" she repeated.   
      
   He wagged his eyebrows and said, "Oh, yeah. I've got plans for    
   tonight."   
      
   "I bet you do." Her lips lingered on his for a moment. "I can't wait."   
      
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   "You would look wonderful, Dana, why not?" Viviana complained,    
   admiring the red dress she held.   
      
   Dana kept walking. "Because it's not me, that's why not."   
      
   "But Dana, if that's true, you wouldn't want anything here!" Viviana    
   exclaimed, finally snapping her attention away from the dress. "Dana,    
   you must let go."   
      
   "Let go of what?"   
      
   "Of yourself! Mulder does not easily trust. That he trusts you after    
   four weeks says so much. That he loves you wholeheartedly and your    
   daughter says much." She finally caught up to Dana, who had stopped    
   at hearing her last statement. "Become someone else for a night."   
      
   Dana turned slowly, her eyes downcast. "You really think I should?"   
      
   "Yes! You will look gorgeous in anything here."   
      
   "Really?" She sounded so insecure.   
      
   "Yes, everyone will notice you," Viviana pointed out.   
      
   Dana bit her lip. "That's what I'm afraid of," she muttered lowly.   
      
   That's when it clicked. "The cameras. That is why you won't try. Do    
   they bother you much?"   
      
   "No, I'm just not used to them," she defended. "To be with him, I can    
   deal with all the cameras."   
      
   Viviana rested a hand on Dana's arm. "Sport marriages and    
   relationships don't end up like in Hollywood. We last."   
      
   "I hope they do," Dana admitted, "because I don't know if I can let    
   him go."   
      
   That's when she saw it. The perfect dress. It wasn't her at all but    
   she loved it. Maybe that's why she bought it.   
      
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   She had never been more nervous in her entire life. They'd been    
   together for four weeks and the nerves finally decided to kick in.   
      
   Dana adjusted her Dolce and Gabbana dress as she stood in front of    
   her bathroom mirror. The dress was at mid thigh, a length she thought    
   she'd never wear. But she had to admit—she looked good.   
      
   She had curled her hair, something else she never did. Her make-up    
   was flawless, or at least she hoped. Her Manolo Blahnik heels were    
   only slightly uncomfortable, but beautiful. She felt absolutely    
   beautiful. She had Mulder to thank for that.   
      
   When she heard the knock at the door, she would forever swear she    
   stopped breathing for a short length of time.   
      
   Her steps echoed in her head, each click louder than the rest. It    
   faintly occurred to her she was acting like someone in a horror    
   movie, but she quickly got rid of the notion. She pulled and tugged    
   in all the right places before opening the door.   
      
   Mulder's jaw dropped when he saw her. She could feel the blush    
   creeping up her neck under his gaze. He followed her in the apartment    
   at her unspoken invitation. He made a slow circle around her,    
   admiring her from every aspect.   
      
   "I have died and gone to heaven," he told her softly. "You are    
   gorgeous."   
      
   "I take it you like the dress then."   
      
   His eyes caught hers. "Like it? I love it. I'm starting to think we    
   should spend the evening in instead," he suggested.   
      
   "No, I don't think so," she vetoed. "You wanted to show me off and    
   you're going to."   
      
   He sighed. "I suppose so," he teased. She tapped his nose.   
      
   "Where're we going?"   
      
   "That Italian restaurant on Broadway. They take care of cameras for    
   us. Plus, they have the best dessert in town."   
      
   She grabbed his tie and pulled him to her. "I thought I was your    
   dessert?"   
      
   She could have sworn she saw his eyes roll back in his head.   
      
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   "Cassie missed you this week," Dana told him over dinner.   
      
   He glanced up at her. "You didn't miss me?"   
      
   "No, I missed you all right," she corrected. "I tried hard not to    
   think about missing you but Cassie kept mentioning you."   
      
   "I missed you both a lot. Being on the road is lonely now."   
      
   "I doubt that."   
      
   "No, it's true. You were on my mind the whole time."   
      
   Dana just rolled her eyes and returned to her meal. She missed him    
   more than she let on. He was only gone for three days but it had been    
   the longest three days of her life. Cassie had missed him immensely.    
   Dana hadn't realized how attached she was to him until the second    
   day. She hadn't wanted Dana to read her bedtime story because she    
   didn't do it like Mulder.   
      
   "So when do I get to meet the parents?" he asked, his voice cheery.   
      
   She chuckled nervously. "Not for a while if I have anything to say    
   about it," she admitted. "I like keeping this between us… and    
   cameramen apparently."   
      
   "Is your family secretly crazy? Is that why you don't want me to meet    
   them?" he joked.   
      
   Luckily, she laughed. "No, we are all perfectly sane. That's not the    
   reason."   
      
   She set down her fork with a clank and a sigh. "It's just… I… I like    
   that they don't know. I really did mean it when I said they're sport    
   fanatics."   
      
   "So… you're afraid they're going to embarrass you and then I'll leave    
   because they're such fans," he pieced together.   
      
   Sheepishly, she nodded her head. He took a hold of her hand to    
   assuage her fears.   
      
   "I'm not leaving, Dana. No matter how crazy your family is. As far as    
   I'm concerned, this is forever. I know it's only been five weeks but    
   if I'm feeling like this now, I can only imagine how I'm going to    
      
   [continued in next message]   
      
   --- SoupGate-Win32 v1.05   
    * Origin: you cannot sedate... all the things you hate (1:229/2)