June 3, 2010

The evening star shines brighter than ever tonight, it seems. She is transfixed by it, and he by her.

"Venus is beautiful tonight."

The wine is cold and the night is warm. The latter will change, however, if they stay here on the porch long enough.

"Do you want a blanket?"

Her eyebrow, still eloquent after all these years, signals the answer. No, apparently.

"More wine?"

She holds out her glass. He fills it, and his as well. They touch their glasses together in a gentle toast.

She sips and gazes at the sky.

He only has eyes for her tonight, and beautiful doesn't begin to describe his view. She's not the young woman he'd tried to scare off so many years ago. Did that person ever exist? He sometimes has to work hard to remember the details of their early days together.

"Mulder?"

"Scully?"

They speak almost simultaneously. And then smile, together.

"Mulder, you were right about work. I'm glad I have tomorrow off.

"I've always been in favor of three-day weekends. And if there's a special purpose, well, all the better."

She smiles. In one way or another, today had been a long time coming. She recognizes that, now. Through all the years of work, running, and more despair than any two people should have to bear, she'd never considered the reality of today. In dreams, yes. But never in the here and now.

"Three mornings of not getting up at five."

"Three nights, Scully."

His voice still does it to her. The past and present converge their tones to create the perfect blend. Mulderblend. She is its only consumer.

"It did occur to me that I'm a cliché."

"How so?"

"June."

Okay, it's the sixth month. No special meaning there that he can connect. Busting out all over? There's a song with that lyric, right? That's just silly. Then he gets it. And grins. Big.

"Scully, you are the most beautiful June bride I've ever laid eyes on. I'm sure the judge and your mother concur."

"I'm sure they weren't thinking about it." She holds out her glass for more wine. He fills them both up. He wraps his arms around her as they drink to wherever they are. Tonight, it's the porch of the house they've made a home of in rural Virginia, and it's wonderful.

"We really did it."

"Well, Scully, we've been doing it ... " He is silenced by a kiss.

Strangers. Partners. Friends. Lovers. Parents. Married.

They've loved each other for so long.

~ End ~

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This story is (c) Copyright 2010 by Christine Leigh. "The X-Files" and its characters are the property of the Fox Network and Ten-Thirteen Productions and are borrowed here without profit or intent for profit.