Fox Mulder sat heavily down on his couch.  For now he was content 
just to
sit watching his fish tank and thinking about the past day.  He and his 
partner
in the FBI, Special Agent Dana Scully, had just finished tying up the 
loose ends
of a case, when suddenly they'd received a phone call saying that the 
suspect in
that particular case had escaped.  They had then had to spend nearly 
the entire
afternoon chasing down a very elusive killer until they had finally 
cornered him
in a local gas station.  Thankfully he was in an entirely human form, 
although
he had tried to change shape once to escape again.  Of course, Mulder 
and Scully
had different views on the whole shape shifting matter, but it still 
felt good
to solve a very difficult case.
     Mulder was just about to get up to get something to eat when the 
phone
rang.  He sighed deeply and picked up the receiver.  "Mulder?" said the 
familiar
voice on the other end of the line.
     "Yeah, Scully, what's up?" he replied, now looking a little less 
bored and
tired.
     "Umm, I know you probably wanted to relax tonight, after today, 
you know,
but I was gonna go to the movies with a friend tonight, but something 
came up
with her, and I already got the tickets, and I was wondering if you'd 
go with me
instead.  I mean, if you don't have other plans

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

??" said Scully.
     Mulder half smiled at the way that Scully had spoken the last half 
of the
question hurriedly, then asked, "What were you going to see?"
     "Some comedy thing," answered Scully.
     "I could really use a comedy tonight, after what happened today, 
but
unfortunately, my car's busted up.  It's in the shop," said Mulder with 
a pang
of regret for not getting it fixed sooner.
     "Ohh?.well, I could pick you up if you want," Scully said.
     "All right," agreed Mulder, smiling now.  He could definitely use 
a night
out tonight.
     "Good.  I'll see you in about twenty minutes," said Scully.
     "Okay, see ya."
     "Bye."
     "G'bye."
     Mulder hung up the phone and walked into the kitchen.


          ?              ?               ?


Twenty Minutes Later

     Mulder stepped outside his apartment building and zipped his 
jacket a
little more against the wind.  He quickly spotted Scully's car.  The 
only change
in his appearance was the jacket that he now wore over his customary 
gray tee
shirt and old pair of jeans.  He climbed into the car and almost 
without
thinking about it moved his seat back several inches before fastening 
his seat
belt.  Scully smiled.  "Hey, Mulder," she said.
     "Hey, Scully," he replied, and sat back.  He recognized the CD 
playing in
the car's CD player as Faith Hill only because it was one of Scully's 
favorites.
Mulder didn't typically listen to country or the typical light rock 
music, but
it was Scully's car.  If she liked it, he wasn't about to protest her 
choice in
music.
     They pulled into the theater lot and parked the car.  They didn't 
notice
the few people who looked at them and smiled, thinking or commenting on 
what a
cute couple they were.  Scully gave the waiting ticket person the two 
tickets,
and the employee pointed to a hallway on the left.  Mulder bought a 
popcorn and
two drinks, a soda for himself and a bottle of spring water for Scully, 
and then
the two went to find seats.
     Mulder groaned when he saw the title of the movie and whispered to 
Scully,
"You didn't happen to mention that this was a romantic comedy, did you, 
Scully?"
     "Umm, I didn't?"  said Scully
     "No," said Mulder
     "Oops."
     Then they quieted down, because the movie was starting and people 
around
them were whispering for them to shut up.

          ?              ?               ?

2 ½  hours later

     "See, that wasn't too bad, was it?" Scully asked Mulder as they 
walked out
of the theater.
     "Sure?" replied Mulder sarcastically.  Scully could tell from the 
tone of
his voice that he wasn't exactly a fan of romance movies.
     "Fine," Scully said as they got into her car.
     They drove back to Mulder's apartment building in relative 
silence, except
for Scullt's CD playing Faith Hill once again.  About a block before 
they
reached the building, a few lines from one of the songs cut into 
Mulder's
thoughts.

     "If I'm not in love with you
     Then what is this I'm goin' through
     Tonight?
     And if my heart is lying, then
     What should I believe in?
     Why do I go crazy
     Every time I think about you baby,
     Why else do I want you like I do
     If I'm not in love with you?"

He looked down at his hands, which were folded in his lap, and did not 
notice
Scully glancing at him more frequently than she had been the rest of 
the drive.
Faith Hill continued to sing.

     "And if I don't need your touch,
     Why do I miss you so much
     Tonight?
     If it's just infatuation, then
     Why is my heart achin'
     To hold you forever,
     Give a part of me I thought I'd never
     Give again to someone I could lose
     If I'm not in love with you?"

     Scully sighed deeply, wondering why she could never come to grips 
with the
way that she really felt about this man sitting in the seat next to 
her.  He had
said he loved her once, but the doctor in her told her that that had 
just been
the drugs that he had been on in the hospital.  Was it possible that he 
knew how
she felt?  She felt so much but never felt as if she was able to 
express any of
it.

     "Oh, why in every fantasy
     Do I feel your arms embracing me,
     Lovers lost in sweet desire?
     And why in dreams do I surrender
     Like a little baby?
     Someone help explain this feeling,
     Someone tell me?"

The song continued and came to an end just as the car ride did.  Once 
again the
tow looked at each other.
     "Scully, I-"
     "Mulder, I"  they said at the same time.
     They leaned toward each other and awkwardly bumped noses, laughed 
a little,
and then they kissed.  Mulder put his hand on Scully's hair, and 
finally they
pulled away and smiled.  They rested their foreheads against the 
others.  "See
you tomorrow, Mulder," said Scully.
     "See you tomorrow, Scully," said Mulder.  He then kissed her cheek 
and got
out of the the car.
     Mulder walked back into his apartment building smiling broadly and 
getting
some funny looks from people as he did so.  But at the moment Mulder 
didn't
particularly care.


     ~~~~~THE END~~~~~