Disclaimer: Fox Mulder, Dana Scully, and associated characters are property of Chris Carter, Ten-Thirteen Productions and Fox Broadcasting Corporation. They are used without permission, and I can't afford to get permission, and I'm not planning to make any money from this story anyway. Any elements not recognized as being taken directly off the television show belong to me... Copyright Christina Shuy I originally meant this to be a friendly piece without any overtures, but they had other ideas. I hear it happens often, and not just to me! Comments and other things are much apprieciated and can be sent to cshuy@netcom.com. I like email, so please reply! *smile* Rating: PG. Uh...started out as G, but they had other ideas. Classification: V, Friendly, and amusing. =) no Xfile, though. MSR. Summary: What happens when they decide to play hooky for the afternoon Spoilers: none, though I think this would be sometime during or after 4th season. Note: We never see what happens when Mulder and Scully are bored or are between cases on screen, so, here is my idea. Also, pardon any geographic inaccuracies. I've not had the chance to explore Maryland. Slow News Day by Christina Shuy cshuy@netcom.com The paint could almost be heard peeling off the walls. The sounds of computer fans and the occasional tap-tap of keys was heard. Other than that, just the sound of someone breathing. Make that two someones. 'No doubt about it. It's a slow news day.' Special Agent Dana Scully sighed to herself, rubbing her tired blue eyes under her glasses and tucking her red hair behind her ear. There was no doubt in her mind that she was bored... not just the minor boredom of not knowing what to do next. This was the major, mind-numbing, head bashing bordom. She and her partner, Special Agent Fox Mulder, had just finished their most recent case as well as all the paperwork that had gone with it. It had started out looking like an X-File, but had turned out that it wasn't. It was actually just a misunderstanding that had rapidly gotten out of control. "You know, Scully, I *never* thought I'd say this, but I'm *bored*." Mulder said, lazily tossing a paper airplane onto Scully's desk from where he sat behind his own desk. "This last case was a lot easier to document since it turned out not to be an X-File. It was an interesting diversion, but I'm really glad it's over." He stretched before running his hands through his short, dark hair. His hazel eyes trained on his partner, a smile sparkled behind them, along with some mischief. Scully reached over and picked up the folded piece of paper, unfolding it. 'What say we kick out of here early and have some fun?' Dana smiled at her partner. He was right. Their last case had been almost laughingly simple in hindsight. The paperwork had only taken a moment to do. Less. In the end, the person they had gone out to investigate for possible alien involvement had turned out to be the victim of a practical joke gone wrong. Not only that, he had been shown and proven to be an undiagnosed schizophrenic who was now in the midst of seeking treatment. Even Mulder had seen to it and agreed. "Hey, Mulder, do you know of any place to get a nice picnic lunch?" Mulder's eyes lit up. Scully had hit on another brilliant idea. "Yup. It's a nice day out. Let's play hooky for the afternoon and go for a picnic. I know of this really pretty place in Maryland we could go to." Scully grinned. "One of the advantages of living in Washington, D. C., I guess. We're not too far from anything. And in answer to your question, I'd be glad to go with you." "Never a doubt in my mind, Scully." Mulder grinned back. "Just tell Skinner-" Before another word could be said, the phone rang. "Mulder." he answered the phone, waiting for the other party to identify themselves. "Yes, sir. Thank you very much, sir. We will see you tomorrow morning first thing. Bye." Just like that, the call was over. "Looks like Skinner has the same idea we do. He just told me that if we didn't have anything else to do, send the report up and then take the rest of the afternoon off. He has a case for us in the morning, but it isn't terribly important that we get on it now." "Well, the report's done. I just wasn't sure when to take it up." "Yeah. I'll take it up, as well as thank him again for letting us off early. You go home and I'll pick you up in an hour, okay?" "Sure. We taking a road trip?" "Yeah. Dress warmly but casual. And don't worry about lunch." Good as his word, Scully's doorbell rang an hour after they had left the basement office. Scully answered the door. "Come on in, Mulder." she said. As he walked into the apartment, she took the opportunity to study him. Already looking much more relaxed, he was wearing a black leather jacket, dark green turtleneck, and tight fitting blue jeans. '*Very* tight...' some little part of her mind observed, her eyes wandering down his legs. She tried not to listen to the little voice in her mind, but then she continued to study Mulder, her eyes wandering down to admire his tight rear end. She saw him about to turn around and quickly moved her eyes to his face. "Ready to go?" Mulder asked, smiling at her. "Yup. Let's go." As Scully passed him on the way out, he took note of what his partner and friend was wearing. She had changed out of the smart business suit into a brown sweatshirt and leggings. Over top of that, she was wearing a brown suede leather jacket. It seemed she had also removed much of her makeup. Mulder's heart skipped a beat and he found his thoughts wandering towards the decidely unpartnerlike. As he quashed what he was fantasizing, he realised Scully was looking curiously at him. "Penny for your throughts, Mulder?" "I... uh... I wouldn't want to embarass you." Scully raised an eyebrow at that remark. Mulder noticed, but didn't elaborate, though a slight blush crept into his face. Scully took note and tucked that clue into a file in her mind. "Let's get going. We don't have much daylight left and I want to show you that place in Maryland." The drive was relatively peaceful to Maryland. In less than an hour, they had arrived at their destination, which was a public beach with picnic tables near the rocky cliffs. The sky was azure blue and clear, remarkably clear for a mid-winter's day. They were just outside Annapolis. The wind was just faintly blowing breezes. "Mulder, it's beautiful. I've been here before. My father was stationed here once and we used to come out here all the time, my brothers, sisters, and me." Scully smiled, as they set up the picnic. "But it has been a while. Before I became your partner, actually." "Really? I drive out here all the time. When I feel like disappearing I usually come up here. Maybe that's what had attacted the Colonists to this place. In a way, it reminds me of England, though nowhere Phoebe ever took me." his tone was somewhat wistful, though there was a touch of resentment. "Oh... Victoria, then." Scully smiled, securing the last of the tablecloth onto the concrete table with the rubberbands Mulder had brought along. It wasn't very windy, but they wanted to be on the safe side anyway. "Yeah. She was always trying to get me to get out more and live a little." Mulder opened the picnic basket and set out a bottle of sparkling apple cider. "She said that nature was out there for a reason and it shouldn't be ignored or exploited." He hefted the basket onto one end of the table and started rummaging around in it. "Let me help with that." "No, I've got it. Besides, I've got a few surprises in here I want to save for a little later. I think you'll like it." Scully raised an eyebrow but said nothing. The next things to come out of the basket were two goblet style glasses and two plates, plain white ceramic, but very pretty nonetheless. Following that, two large pillar candles which Mulder lit carefully with what appeared to be a fireplace lighter. "Don't worry. Everything here has been fireproofed." he said as he lit them. "Except the candles, of course." She smiled again. He'd thought of everything. 'Which is part of the reason you sometimes think of him as more than just a work partner, isn't it, Dana.' the little voice in the back of her mind spoke up. Scully sighed. She didn't know exactly how long she'd felt the way she did, only that she knew something for certain now that had taken her years to admit to, even if only to herself. She was in love. Incredibly. Maddeningly. In love. With her partner. She wanted to show him how she felt, but wasn't sure how to go about it. 'And by the looks of things, he might well feel the same way.' she thought, remembering a certain look, and the way he called . "Scully?" Mulder's voice, low and gentle, broke her out of her reverie. "Uh... yes, Mulder?" she asked. "Are you ok?" "More than ok, Mulder." Her eyes sparkled warmly. 'Especially now that I'm with you.' "Good. Do you like tuna salad?" "Love it." "That's the first course. I wasn't sure and didn't want you to either hate it or be allergic to it." Mulder drew out two carefully wrapped mini-croisants shaped like cones and filled with tuna salad. He set them on the plates. "They look lovely... and delicious." Scully commented as Mulder opened the bottle of cider and poured each of them half a glass. "Bon apetit." Mulder grinned, sitting down. They ate in silence, the nonverbal communication taking the place of audible words. Scully was surprised when Mulder brought out a tin container full of ribs soaking in barbeque sauce. They were so tender, the meat had fallen off the bones, but it was obvious that it had happened on the car ride out. He brought out two bowls with salad on them as well as a bottle of Scully's favourite salad dressing and two salad forks. "What else do you have in that basket?" Scully asked while helping herself to the ribs and being careful not to splash barbeque sauce on herself. "Oh... you'll see... eventually." Mulder's eyes had a mischevious gleam in them. He loved seeing her so calm and relaxed. The last few cases had been far from that, though the most recent one really had been laughable, especially since it turned out not to be an X-file. Not only that, he couldn't seem to keep from ditching her, though he knew she hated it when he did that. 'Why don't you just admit that you feel for her is more than just friendship. And the reason you keep ditching her is because you love her and are trying to protect her. Trying and generally failing, I might add.' his conscience piped up. 'Besides, she doesn't need your protection. Though you often need *hers*.' Scully watched him as he stared out to sea. He seemed awfully preoccupied, she observed, taking a drink from her glass. "Penny for your thoughts, Mulder?" That startled him back to the present. His mind had been drifting into the future... wondering what it would be like to raise a family and grow old with her. With all of the implications that involved. He also remembered that she had asked him that question already that day, and blushed at the memory of why. "I... ah... Scully, how long have we known each other?" "Four years, maybe a little more. Most of it even made sense at times. Why?" Scully smiled and warmed his heart. "Do you... Is it natural for partners to be close friends, you think?" "Well, certainly, though I've always thought that partners have to trust one another before they can become close friends." "Yeah, like I never trusted Krycek. I trust you, though." "Mulder, exactly what are you trying to tell me?" "I... ah... Well, Scully..." Mulder's eyes moved to look at the barbeque sauce stained plate. He stood up and started to rummage through the basket again. Scully watched him, curious. He seemed very uncomfortable about something. "Mulder, is something bothering you?" Mulder seemed not to hear her and picked out two fluted glass parfait cups from the picnic basket, each filled with chocolate and vanilla pudding with a Hershey's kiss at the top of each. "Ah... Dessert." he smiled, seeing Scully's eyes light up at the sight of the dessert. Dana was about to ask if there was something bothering him again when she looked at the top of her dessert and was surprised. "Mulder, what is this?" she asked, gesturing to the object in the clear plastic container on top of the dessert. The container that contained a diamond ring. "Scully... Dana... I know I've not always been the easiest or best person to live with or be around, but I love you with all my heart and want to ask you for your hand in marriage." Mulder's words seemed to come out in a rush. "Dana Katherine Scully, will you make me the happiest man alive and marry me?" "Mulder, I-" "Fox. Please." "Fox..." she paused, putting her hand to her lips for a moment. "I... Oh, hell, Mulder, what took you so long?" "Is that a yes?" Mulder's voice was edged with panic and he felt as though his heart were about to stop from the suspense. "Yes! Mulder, yes... I love you and want to marry you too!" Both moved at the same time and stood up and were in each others arms in a heartbeat, sharing a sweetly passionate kiss. When they finally came up for air, Mulder reached over, retrieved the ring and slipped it onto her finger. "Thank you, Dana... for making me the happiest man alive." "Oh, Mulder, I love you." -the end...?- Too Mushy? *grin* I can't help it. -- "The Truth is Out There. Trust No One."- from "The X-Files" Pursuing a BS degree(Electrical Engineering) - Electronics is my forte! "In the moment that you think you can't, you'll discover that you can." - Celine Dion - "Power of the Dream" "Let's get Dangerous!" - Darkwing Duck. Looking for work and a place to live... somewhere in the SanFran Bay Area.