Disclaimer: Fox Mulder, Dana Scully, the X-Files, and associated characters are property of David Duchovny, Gillian Anderson, Chris Carter, Ten-Thirteen Productions and Fox Broadcasting Corporation. They are used without permission and no copyright infringement is meant. Any elements not recognized as being taken from the show copyright Christina Shuy. Comments and other things sent to cshuy@netcom.com are much appreciated. Rating: G, MSR, Series/Story, Spoilers: Ummm... gee... I don't know. why not read and find out. *grin* Summary: Planning and execution of a special event. Blessings and Expectations by Christina Shuy (cshuy@netcom.com) "Mulder, are you really sure you want to do this?" "Do what, Scully? Wedding planning isn't exactly something I can avoid. Especially since I'm going to be married to you, you know. I'd go to the ends of the earth for you." "You already have... and so have I.." Dana Scully smiled at her fiance. Then, there was a knock at the door and she got up to see who had just arrived. "Dana! Good! You're here." "Mom, of course I'm here. Where else would I be? This *is* my apartment." Maggie Scully smiled at her daughter. "I had thought that perhaps you and Fox would be a little... preoccupied." Mulder and Dana grinned at one another. "That's for later, Mom." Dana smiled. "Come on in. We were just about to start planning..." --- "Well, I think that is it for the guest list. I think a small wedding would be best." Dana smiled. "And this is just perfect. Besides, I'm not sure either of us wants to invite more than fifty people to our wedding anyway." "I don't even think I *know* fifty people, Scully... I mean, the only person I want to show up at my wedding is... well... you. And you're already going to be there. I hope." "I most certainly am. I'm marrying you, aren't I?" "I'm all for it." There was a knock at the door. Dana kissed Mulder lightly, then rose from her seat and walked over to the door. "Who is it?" "Hey, Dana! Are you going to let me in?" "Charlie! What are you doing here?" The door was flung open and in stepped a thin, red-haired man in a sweater and trousers. Charlie and Dana embrace warmly for a few moments, and the room atmosphere seemed to warm by a few degrees, even though it was already quite warm. It was obvious that Dana was quite happy to see her brother. "Mom said you were getting married. I wanted to offer my congratulations on the event, as well as check the guy out for myself.." Charles Scully answered. "Uhoh... you've been talking to Bill, haven't you. Anyway, do come in and make yourself at home." "It's nice to see you looking happy, Dana." Charles Scully said, letting go of his sister after a while. They both smiled at each other. Charles studied Dana's left hand carefully, noticing the emerald and diamond ring on her left ring finger. "I like the ring, Dana." He grinned. "Thank you, Charlie." She smiled back. Mulder had given it to her upon their return to Washington before they'd started on the Modell/Bowman case. "Now, when do I get to meet the lucky man?" "Reverend Charles Scully, Fox Mulder. Mulder, this is my brother, Charlie." Dana said, as she heard Mulder's footsteps behind her. "Charlie, Mulder's my partner and fiance..." "Nice to meet you, sir." Mulder said, hesitant. He wasn't sure what to make of this last Scully sibling and he'd rubbed the other two, one now deceased, the wrong way upon first meeting them. "Glad to finally meet the man who has captured my sister's heart." Charles Scully grinned, and Mulder could catch flashes of both Mrs. Scully's smile and his own beloved Dana's in the younger Scully brother. "Missy spoke highly of you. I can see why Bill doesn't like you, though... then again, Bill doesn't like anyone." Mulder's expression was filled with dread, but by the time Charlie had finished what he was saying, the expression had changed to one of those smiles a person can't help but have. "It's nice to finally meet the missing Scully sibling. For a while there, I was wondering if maybe you were invisible or something." To that, Charlie grinned. "So, Dana, you two finally going to get married?" Charles teased. "I've heard so much about him already, both from Missy and from Mom, I've been wondering what was taking you so long." "Well, Charlie, we have a favour to ask of you. Since you are a minister and all..." "You want *me* to do the ceremony?" Both Dana and Mulder nodded, Dana smiling, Mulder still not certain yet what to think of this Scully sibling. Then again, he had been paranoid a long time now. Charlie beamed. "I'd be honoured! Thank you for asking! You do, know, though, Dana, that this won't be a Catholic ceremony." "That's all right." "You don't mind that I'm a Baptist minister?" "Just don't go into the spiel about how the wife has to graciously submit to the husband." Mulder pointed out. "Or any of that other stuff." Charlie grinned. "I like you already, Mr. Mulder-" he started. "Just Mulder... though... maybe you could try 'Fox'." Mulder said, though he looked a tad uncomfortable with that. "I don't mind when your mother uses it... so why not?" "Don't like your first name, huh?" Charlie smiled. "Have you got a middle name that I might be able to use better?" "William. Though that might get confusing." Mulder grinned a little sheepishly. "Okay, then... Mulder it is." Charles laughed, and everyone else was all smiles. "You don't have to worry about not liking your name. Bill doesn't really like his name either because everyone either appends a 'junior' at the end, which he is, or confuses him with Dad. As I was saying, though, Mulder, I can see why I like you already. But you don't have to worry. There will be nothing about the wife submitting graciously. Dana is anything but gracious... and she wouldn't submit to anyone even if her life depended on it." He shot a look at his sister who was trying hard not to laugh. She was being teased and she knew it. "And besides, those were the *Southern* Baptists... and not everyone has to agree with them anyway. I don't. And neither do most other people, including the Southern Baptists themselves. Besides, you know those Southerners..." "Hello, Charlie, I thought I heard you." Mrs. Scully smiled as she came back into the room from the kitchen. She had an armload of food on a tray. It looked to be enough for four people. Even if one was pregnant. "Hi, Mom!" Charlie grinned. It had been a while since he'd seen his mother, and he remembered how troubled she'd been during the crisis his sister had been having with the cancer. Bill may not have approved of the way Dana had handled things, but he knew it was better to let her live her own life. Mother and son embraced for a little while before they settled back down to the details of the upcoming impending marriage. Just before they did that, however, Scully made the decision to tell her brother her other good news. "Charlie, I have something else to tell you..." "Bill mentioned you were pregnant, Dana." her brother smiled. "Of course, he also thinks you're being foolish by marrying Mulder. He thinks you're marrying him only because you're pregnant." "And... what is your opinion on that?" "I'm glad to know that you have someone who will make you happy and who will raise the child with you. Besides, from what I've seen, I think you two will be wonderful parents." They moved to the sofa where wedding planning materials were scattered on the coffee table. -- The food which had been brought out was long since eaten. The general details of the wedding had also been squared away. Now all that remained were a few important details. "Okay, then, since we've got everything else out of the way, who's going to give Dana away?" "Well, we've discussed this a little, and... well, this might seem a little unorthodox, but..." Scully began. "We're both walking down the aisle, and we're not exactly 'giving' anyone away as we are approaching this marriage as a union of equals." Mulder finished, though there was a bright smile on his face. "And we would both like the question of giving her away left out of the ceremony if we could." "Best way to go about it, I think, even if it *is* a little unorthodox, true. But if that's the way you want to go about it, who am I to stand in your way, right?" --- The day arrived. Both bride and groom were nervous. Mulder still had a fear that perhaps his bride would want to back out of the wedding. He had nothing to fear. Dana Scully emerged from the bridal room to wonderment, and gasps of delight. Her hair was swept back by a hairband with a jaunty spray of white flowers and pearl strands attached to it, and a veil over her face. The white silk dress was simple, yet elegant, with an empire waist and a tie back to a bow. The train started at roughly the same area the tie back was. Dana Katherine Scully had a bright smile on her face and had not looked that happy in a long time. It was obvious that she was radiantly happy. "Ready, Scully?" Mulder asked, looking elated as well, wearing a tuxedo and a blush bowtie and cummerbund. The bowtie and cummerbund matched the hue of the roses Scully carried in her hands. "As ready as I'll ever be, Mulder." she answered, smiling, even though he couldn't really see her face. The wedding march started then and the double doors opened leading to the front of the church. The partners looked at one another, smiling. Mulder offered her his arm, gallantly, and she took it. They started down the aisle. Together. --- "Fox... though you will always be Mulder first and foremost to me... I have loved you for a long time. Trusted you as a partner and friend for longer still... there is a lot between us, and a lot I know you feel responsible for which I do not hold you accountable for. The love I feel in my very being for you began as friendship and is now much more. I am honoured to spend the rest of my life with you as your partner in all ways. As she spoke the words, words which Mulder had not known the content of, his heart began to soar even as another part of him pointed out that he was decidedly inadequate. He looked his bride in the eyes and saw that she knew how he was feeling and did not agree with the sentiment. "Scully... Dana... I have seemingly loved you since you walked into my life. Though I did not trust you at the time, you have been the light of my life, the strength in my beliefs and the one to set me straight when I needed it. I trust you now more than anyone else, and I know we will always be friends, partners, and lovers... for without you, my life seems empty." For a moment, neither spoke. They did all of their communicating the way they often did. By looks alone, even if Scully was still veiled. Then, nodding in agreement, they turned to the person they had both chosen to help with the remaining part of the vows, the rings and all, and finished the business of getting married. --- "Ladies and gentlemen, may I present to you Mr. and Mrs. Fox William Mulder." Charles Scully said, smiling brightly. He was looking a touch bruised. He and Bill had gotten into a fist fight shortly after the ceremony was over due to the fact that Charles had not only given Dana his blessing, but had actually married their sister and 'her jerk partner', as Bill had put it, both before and after the ceremony was over and the vows safely exchanged. The entire party at the reception moved towards the sets of double doors which lead to the outside, where there was a cleared away area and soft lights set around the outside. Snow had been cleared from the large brick-laid patio area in the back, and there was a large rubberized mat over it. Candles had been placed at the corners and the midpoints of the cement fencing bordering the patio. The entire scene was a winter wonderland. Fox Mulder and Dana Scully walked out to the centre of the matted area and began to dance to the song which started on the PA system. Both of them were dressed in their wedding clothes and had elegant cloaks over them. Neither had looked happier before then. Even a few hours earlier during the ceremony. Dana still wore her veil and Mulder's smile was brighter than before. As the music began, it was clear that they were lost in each other. Winter snow is falling down Children laughing all around Light's are turning on Like a fairy tale come true. Sitting by the fire we made You're the answer when I prayed I would find someone And, baby, I found you. All I want is to hold you forever All I need is you more every day You saved my heart >From being broken apart You gave your love away And I'm thankful every day For the Gift. Watching as you softly sleep What I'd give if I could keep Just this moment If only time stood still But the colours fade away And the years will make us grey But, baby, in my eyes, You'll Still be beautiful All I want is to hold you forever All I need is you more every day You saved my heart >From being broken apart You gave your love away And I'm thankful every day For the Gift. All I want is to hold you forever All I need is you more every day You saved my heart >From being broken apart You gave your love away And I'm thankful every day For the Gift. With the end of the song, Dana and Mulder looked deeply into each other's eyes, speaking without words, and then leaned in to share a kiss. The gathered party burst into applause and cheering. Fox Mulder and Dana Scully had been two people as in love with one another as they could get and everyone gathered, save for perhaps one, were delighted that they had finally done the best thing they could and gotten married. Just as the cheers began and the newlyweds stood in the middle of the dance area held in a kiss, snow began to fall gently around them once again. -End- Author's Note: this story is another in the series I started in "Raining Sleeping Bags" and continued in "When it Rains It Pours", "Another Door Opens" and "Let's Talk About Love". This is by no means the last story in this series. The song "The Gift" is by Jim Brickman, performed by Collin Raye and Susan Ashton. It does not belong to me. I just thought it would be perfect for this story.