From: rjsabatier@shaw.ca   
      
   A/N:  At the bottom of this chapter, you'll notice it says "TBC".thinking of   
   continuing this story and would appreciate any suggestions you guys might   
   have.  Was thinking perhaps of a Vegas style wedding and honey moon. What do   
   you think?   
      
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   The next morning, Scully woke up in Mulder's arms. She smiled up at him as   
   she stretched, trying not to wake him.   
      
   "Sleep well?" he asked with his eyes closed. It was clear from the tone of   
   his voice that he'd been up awhile if not all night.   
      
   She sighed softly before saying "Yeah"   
      
   "You talk in your sleep," Mulder murmured against her hair.   
      
   "Sorry."   
      
   "No, no. It was good," he teased. Scully's cheeks were still pink as she   
   realized Mulder had heard her dreaming about him. "Now if only I could make   
   you make those sounds like the man in your dreams," Mulder said softly.   
      
   "Mulder...you were the man in my dreams."   
      
   He visibly swallowed. "I was?"   
      
   "You were." Scully put her arms around him again. He kissed her mouth   
   gently.   
      
   "I'm going to take a shower," she said softly, getting off the bed. She   
   emitted a soft cry of surprise when Mulder pulled her back against him.   
      
   "Hurry up because I'm taking you somewhere special today."   
      
   Scully grinned back at him and padded toward the bathroom. She started the   
   water. Mulder lay back against the pillows with his hand behind his head. He   
   smiled softly. 'Maybe. Just maybe, Mulder...this will work...But can she   
   really want you?'   
      
   Then he heard a thud. He was opening the bathroom door in a flash.   
   "You okay, Scully?"   
      
   She was ruefully rubbing a hip. "I'm okay."   
      
   "What did you do?" He was inspecting the knot himself.   
      
   "Slipped in the shower."   
      
   Mulder kissed it gently and rubbed it. "Better?"   
      
   She shivered when he kissed it. It took her a moment to find her voice.   
   "Thanks"   
      
   "No problem." He started to go.   
      
   "You okay?"   
      
   "I'm fine." He used her famous line.   
      
   Scully sighed and let him go. Fine, be that way   
      
   Mulder didn't understand the change in her mood. He wasn't getting in   
   because she didn't ask him too. Face it Mulder, she doesn't want you   
      
   She emerged a few minutes later. She was dressed and her hair was   
   blow-dried. He was sitting on the edge of the bed holding his shirt in his   
   hands. Scully sat beside him.   
      
   She gently reached over to stroke his arm. "You're not putting that on?"   
      
    "Why are you mad at me?"   
      
   "I'm not mad. I just...I'm touchy because my ice queen behavior keeps coming   
   back to bite me"   
      
   He winced at her words. "I didn't know you knew about that rumor."   
      
   "Sometimes I pay attention," she said softly. Tears stung her eyes as she   
   got up and began packing the rest of her clothes.   
      
   Mulder laid a hand on her good hip. "I gave Agent Spife a black eye over   
   that one."   
      
   "Why doesn't that surprise me?" "Nothing should anymore." Mulder wrapped his   
   arms around her. He kissed her shoulder gently.   
      
   Scully wordlessly held him back.   
      
   "Your hip hurt?"   
      
   "It smarts a little, but it's okay."   
      
   'Forget it, Dana...you blew it. Just go back to DC, say good-bye at his   
   apartment, and leave it at that' she thought.   
      
   She made herself smile. "Did you want to grab breakfast before we go to the   
   airport?"   
      
   "I ordered breakfast to go...and we're not going to the airport" Mulder said   
   smiling at her in the mirror.   
      
   "We're not?"   
      
   "Nope." Mulder waggled his eyebrows at her. "I took the liberty of   
   requesting some days off for us...we have plenty...and I'm taking you   
   somewhere."   
      
   "Where?" Curiosity was rapidly getting the better of her.   
      
   "You'll know when we get there" Mulder said, widening his eyes at her. "And   
   no, this isn't my hair-brained way of wrangling you onto a case, I swear."   
   He put his hands up in surrender.   
      
   It better not be." Her eyebrow arched at him. "Come on, Dana. Let's hit the   
   road." Mulder picked up their suitcases from the floor. She followed along   
   behind him.   
      
   Three hours later, Mulder pulled to the side of the car and got out of the   
   car before Scully could stop him. He slammed the car door. He was lost and   
   didn't want to admit it. He leaned against the hood of the car and muttered   
   under his breath.   
      
   "Mulder...what's going on?" Scully got out of the car.   
      
   "We're lost...no...I'm lost..." Mulder crumpled up the map and tossed it to   
   the ground.   
      
   "Hey...let me see that." Scully retrieved the map from the ground. She   
   carefully unfolded it on the hood of the car.   
      
   "Vegas," Mulder muttered as he folded his arms across his chest and swore.   
   So much for the surprise.   
      
   "We're only about half a mile from the highway, Mulder."   
      
   That's when he felt like a heel. He threw his hands up in the air. "GREAT!"   
      
   "Hey..." she took him in her arms, kissing him gently, trying to soothe   
   him." I   
      
      
   love that you're taking me to Vegas."   
      
   Mulder smiled at her and kissed her back. "You do?"   
      
   "I'd go to the moon with you," Scully added softly.   
      
   Mulder chuckled. "I'd cross a pit full of fire to save you, Scully."   
      
   "I don't doubt that" She buried her face against him. "So shall we get back   
   on the road?" She kissed him again.   
      
   He let his lips linger on hers for a minute before whispering "I love you"   
      
   "I love you too. I know it doesn't feel like it sometimes, but I do."   
      
   "One look into your eyes, Scully, and I know" he walked around to her door   
   and opened it for her.   
      
   "I'm that transparent, am I?" She had to ask even though she already knew   
   the answer to that question. He could read her just like she could read him.   
   She gave him an impish grin. "Remind me to hide my diary," she teased.   
      
   "I bet you hid it in your sock drawer under all those socks you don't wear   
   anymore" Mulder said before shutting her door and walking to his side. He   
   climbed in and started the car.   
      
   Scully held his free hand in her lap. She looked out the window and then at   
   the gas station up ahead at the intersection of the highway.   
      
   "Maybe we should fill up?" she suggested   
      
   "Sure." He put on the signal. "You pay, I pump?"   
      
   "Did you want anything from the store? Seeds? Iced tea?"   
      
   Mulder only smiled. "You know me all too well."   
      
   "Five years'll do that."   
      
   "Seems like yesterday you walked in...changed my life." He put the nozzle   
   into the car and began to fill up. Scully watched him for a moment longer   
   before walking into the store. She got a pack of sunflower seeds and an iced   
   tea for Mulder and a Diet Coke for herself. Mulder met her at the door. "Go   
   on to the car. I just got to get something."   
      
   Scully was about to ask him what it was, but she went back.   
      
   Mulder returned with something behind his back. "Close your eyes."   
      
   "Mulder it better not be anything dead."   
      
   "I promise."   
      
   Mulder knew she was only teasing. She closed her eyes. He handed her a   
   single blue rose. "Open your eyes."   
      
   Scully opened her eyes, squealing in delight and wrapping her arms around   
   Mulder. "You remembered! I don't believe it!"   
      
      
   [continued in next message]   
      
   --- SoupGate-Win32 v1.05   
    * Origin: you cannot sedate... all the things you hate (1:229/2)