Prologue: Meant to Be/ How Things Could Have been


Sometimes I wonder how things could have been, how life would be if I'd never joined the x-Files or the FBI or if Samantha had never been abducted. Sometimes I wonder what life would be like if Mulder an I never met.

Mulder.

My partner, my confidant, my best friend, my soul mate.

It seems weird to think of him this way. After all, we only celebrated our four month anniversary a few weeks ago, but I know deep within my heart that even if things were different, Mulder is still the only one for me.

And sometimes I wish everything had been different, just so I could know how it would have happened.
Scully put down her pen. It was late, 2 AM. She put her glasses in the case and got up and into bed. That was enough deep thoughts for the night. And as Scully slept, she dreamed.

Chapter One

Dr Dana Scully pulled off her surgical mask and hair net.

"That was great, Dr. Scully. Another successful brain surgery," her fiancé, and one of the other doctors, Robert, said.

"Thanks, Rob," she replied as he kissed her cheek softly. She slid her five-carat diamond engagement ring on her finger. She'd taken it off for the six- hour surgery. Now, after many years of training and hard work, she was an extremely successful and famous neurosurgeon. She mad six figures plus a year and was the most asked for neurosurgeon in the entire world. Time Magazine acknowledged her as one of the world's most intriguing people. Woman's Day called her woman of the century and People Magazine had named her one of the most beautiful women for three years in a row. Her fiancé was fabulous and the date was set for two months later in the National Cathedral.

"I'm going for the final fitting this afternoon. It's at two but I promise we'll go out later," she told him.

"But Day," he whined. "I thought you said we could go out this afternoon."

"I'm sorry, Honey, but I want to get this fitting taken care of," she replied.

"Okay," he said reluctantly. "I'll see you later. I love you."

Dana kissed him and went into the locker room to change her clothes. She threw her scrubs in the bin and pulled on her street clothes; a stylish brown corduroy skirt, spiky heeled boots, and a turquoise blouse. Lately, she'd been letting her hair grow out for the wedding. Undoing the braid, she shook out the loose waves and let her gorgeous red hair cascade over her shoulders.

Fifteen minutes later, she was out on the streets, walking toward the bridal shop four blocks away on Broad Street.
"Good afternoon Dr. Scully," the lady at the counter greeted her. "You're dress is in the back. I'll go get it."

Dana carefully slipped into the dress and waited while several attendants fastened the row of forty small buttons marching up her back. She looked in the mirror. The dress was strapless and made of silk with tiny pearls embroidered onto the bodice. The full tulle skirt was reminiscent of the tutus she saw on the ballet dancers in the nutcracker.

"Do you want to see the veil?" one of them asked.

Dana nodded and the attendant took it out of the box and arranged the wreath of silk flowers on her head, the layers of antique lace fell down and trailed five feet behind her.

She looked beautiful, breathtakingly, fatally so. And as she looked at herself in the mirror, she knew marrying Rob was the best decision she'd ever made.

Chapter Two

Fox Mulder loosened his tie. His workday was over, finally. He was an Oxford trained psychiatrist and his practice was one of the most frequented in the city of Washington D.C. He was also listed as one of America's Most Eligible Bachelors by several magazines. His clients were demanding, occasionally calling so frequently, he was forced to open his practice on the days off.

Today, however, was an exception.

He'd taken the afternoon off to eat a late lunch with his younger sister Samantha.

"Hey Fox. Late as always," Samantha greeted him.

"Sorry," he apologized. "My last client would not leave."

"Well come on! It's almost two," she said grabbing his hand and dragging him out the door.

"Where to?" Fox asked.

"That Italian place on Broad Street is nice. Let's go there," she suggested.

They walked the seven blocks to Broad Street quickly. As they strode down the sidewalk, Fox's eyes fell upon the bridal shop window. The most gorgeous woman he'd ever seen was modeling a ballet-like wedding gown. Her blue-green eyes sparkled like diamonds and red waves cascaded over her bare shoulders and across the dress like wine spilt on a white silk tablecloth. Attendants hovered around her like moths to a flame. One of them rushed off to get the veil and place it on the woman's head. The others smoothed the wrinkles and adjusted the dress so everything was just so.

In the instant that he saw that angel of a woman, he fell in love.

"Fox?" Samantha's voice broke into his thoughts. "Fox, what is it?"

"That woman..." he breathed.

"Is apparently taken," she finished, glancing pointedly at the bridal part of the store name. "Very pretty though. Come on, let's go eat."

Chapter Three

Dana changed back into her street clothes. She'd spent the afternoon trying on shoes and jewelry to go with her dress. No more decisions had been made about anything else.

She stepped out the door.

"Wait Dr Scully!" You forgot your stethoscope!" an attendant called after her.

Fox walked down the sidewalk with Samantha. As they crossed the street on front of the bridal shop, he saw the woman stepping out. An attendant stopped her and handed her a stethoscope.

"So she's a doctor.." He thought.

"Fox! Watch it!"

But then, the Cadillac slammed into him.

Dana heard the woman scream and looked up just in time to see a man get hit by a Cadillac.

"Oh my God!" she exclaimed, rushing into the street. All traffic had stopped.

It had been a long time since Dana had been scared. Even when she was in the middle of surgery and something was going wrong, she wasn't frightened in the least. But now, she was terrified. Why? She couldn't exactly say but there was something about that man.

The man was sprawled across the road in front of the car. His eyes were closed but his chest moved up and down steadily.

She knelt beside him, automatically taking his pulse and respiration rate.

A woman rushed up behind her. "Oh my god! Fox!"

"M'am, do you know this man?" Dana questioned.

"Yes! He's my brother, Fox!" she replied, frantic with distress. "Are you a doctor?"

"I'm not only a doctor, I'm a neurosurgeon," she answered. "What is your name?"

"Samantha," she answered. "Samantha Mulder."

"Well Samantha, if you'll look in my purse, you'll find my cell phone. I want you to dial 911. Can you do that for me?"

Samantha nodded and Dana turned back to the man. There was a hard, swollen lump on the back f his head. Blood dribbled from his lip, eyebrow, and hair. She began dabbing his wounds with her handkerchief.

He moaned and his eyes fluttered open.

"Fox? Fox Mulder?" Dana said. "I'm Dr. Dana Scully. You were hit by a car. Don't try to get up. We're waiting for the ambulance."

He mumbles something incoherently. The only word she could decipher was "angel."

She touched his forehead. Something like an electric shock rocked through her body. What was this strange new feeling?

Meanwhile, as Dana was sorting out the feeling she was experiencing in the depths of her heart and soul, the paramedics arrived.

"Don't worry M'am, we've-Dr. Scully?" one of them said. "What are you doing here?"

"I was just at my final fitting. Just as I was coming out, he was hit," she explained.

The paramedic nodded. "What can you tell me?"

"He doesn't appear to be extremely hurt. Broken ribs, probably internal bleeding, and an obviously broken arm. It's been a while since I've had to deal with stuff other than brains."

The paramedic, Tom, nodded as he lifted the stretcher with Fox on it. "I kind of understand. You've been in neurosurgery for, what? Six years now?"

Dana smiled nervously. "do you mind if I ride with you?" she asked. "My car is still at the hospital and I'm too lazy to walk."

Fox's eyes fluttered open. Even through his blurred vision, he saw the beautiful red haired woman leaning over him.

"Fox? Fox Mulder?" he heard her say. "I'm Dr. Dana Scully. You were hit by a car. Don't try to get up. We're waiting for the ambulance."

Dana. so her name was Dana. He was touched by the worried expression on her face as she dabbed at the cuts and scrapes on his face.

"You're so beautiful," he mumbled in awe. "You're an angel."

Her hand brushed his forehead. Something like electricity coursed through his veins. He knew what it was: love. He looked up in her beautiful blue- green eyes. Through them, he could see what she was feeling, the confusion, the love at first sigh, the questioning of what she felt. He knew it all.

Then, the paramedics were there. One of them was talking to her like he knew her.

Wait.

Dr. Dana Scully?

Something in his brain clicked. Dr. Dana Scully was a world-renowned neurosurgeon. She'd performed seemingly impossible procedures and saved hundreds of lives. Almost every day, she was on the news and in the papers. She was constantly recognized as one of the most powerful women in the world. Men fantasized about her but she was completely taken; she was getting married to her high school sweetheart and fellow surgeon, Robert Hart.

Fox had to face the facts, he'd never have Dana Scully.

Chapter Five

"I want to do the surgery," Dana insisted. "I'm perfectly qualified. I did it ten times in med school and twenty times during my residency."

"But you're a neurosurgeon now. You don't need to worry about things like this," Dr. Steven Rilen argued.

"Steve, I want to do this surgery. You already have three booked up for the afternoon," she reminded him. "Don't you want me to lighten your load for you?"

Fox's broken arm had been more complicated than they originally thought. The bone had penetrated the skin and in order to heal properly, the fracture required surgery. Dana, for some odd reason, wanted to handle all of Fox's medical care.

Dr. Rilen resigned. "Fine. You have OR three at four." He smiled tiredly. "I really need to learn not to listen to you. Then again, I always was a sucker for pretty women."

Dana threw her arms around his neck and kissed him. "Thank you!" She then ran off to prep for surgery.

Steve shook his head. "Women."

Chapter Six

Fox was groggy. His ribs, arm, and head ached horribly. Well, when he really thought about it, his whole body was racked with pain.

He heard a voice, a woman.

"Fox?" she said. "Fox, open your eyes."

His eyelids felt like they had enormous, hundred-pound weights holding them down but he pried them open anyway. Dana was hovering over him, her street clothes and scrubs replaced with dress pants, pumps, and a whit lab coat.

She smiled. "Hi Fox. You might not remember me but I was with you after the accident."

He smiled faintly. "Yeah, I remember," he croaked. He tried to sit up but she restrained him.

"Trust me, you don't want to do that," Dana told him. She reached for another tow pillows, lifted him up, and placed them under him so he was sitting up a bit more. "Better?"

He nodded. "What's my diagnosis?"

"Two broken ribs, a broken arm- you've only been out of surgery for an hour after fixing that one-, and internal bleeding. In other words, Mr. Mulder, that car did a number on you," she told him. She perched on the edge of his bed. "So what happened? I mean, I know the car hit you but it didn't run a light and the cross walk was working fine."

He smiled wryly. "You want the truth?" At her nod, he went on. "I was looking at the prettiest woman I ever saw, a woman by the name of Dana Scully."

She smiled and blushed, flattered. "Seriously?"

He nodded. "I was going out to lunch with my sister when I saw you in the bridal shop, trying on your wedding dress. Your fiancé is a lucky man, to have someone like you."

Dana blushed again, fully aware that he was coming on to her. She let him, not sure whether to tell him to stop or flirt back.

"Well, since I don't have another surgery until Wednesday, I took on your file," she told him. "By the end of the week, I have a feeling you'll have a different opinion when you see my face."

Fox laughed. "I doubt that."

Dana laughed too. "Alright, down to business," she said. "I need to check your head wounds and your ribs." She leaned over and started peeling away the gauze. "Looks okay. Not infected, well, at least not yet. The nurse did a good job." She touché dthe area around it.

"Ow!" Mulder winced. "That stings!"

"Sorry," Dana apologized, blowing gently on the cut.

Fox closed his eyes and felt her soft, warm breath on his face, her thumbs gently rubbing his temples.

Chapter Seven

Dana realized what she was feeling in a sudden rush of emotion. It was love, real love. It out measured whatever it was she felt for Rob by a billion.

Fox opened his eyes, peering up into her very heart and soul. She felt naked, exposed, all of her feelings laid out for him to see. Her hands froze on his face and all she could hear was the sound of their breathing and their hearts, perfectly in tune with each other. And from there, it was like she wasn't even in control of what happened. Heir faces got closer, eyes fluttering shut. And then their lips met in a gentle, perfect kiss.

Chapter Eight

Fox stared after her, as Dana left the room, trying to envision her perfect face and cement it in his mind forever. The rush of love and affection for her as her lips met his own still filled his entire being. For several moments, he replayed the way she had tenderly examined the huge bruises his broken ribs had left and the way she clasped his hand in her own tiny paw before leaving the room.

If only he could replay the encounter for the rest of his life.

"Fox?" his sister's vice interrupted his thoughts.

He looked over at the door. "Hey Sam."

She rushed over to the chair at his bedside. "How are you?" she asked. "The doctors told me to go home and get a little rest while you were in surgery. What happened?"

He smiled. "I kissed an angel."

"What?" she asked. "The doctors said you had a concussion but they didn't say you almost died!"

"Relax, Sam," he told her. "It has nothing to do with death."

"Oh," she replied, confused. "Do you mind explaining what ou mean?"

"Sorry. This is something I want to keep to myself," he said.

Chapter Nine

"This is crazy!" Dana thought to herself. "I'm getting married. To Rob. To have and hold forever. I can't go around falling in love with strange men that I just met!"

It was too late and she already knew it. By what she knew she was feeling for Fox, she didn't love Rob. But what could she do? The right thing to do was forget about Fox and marry Rob. Her heart told her to tell Rob it was over and marry Fox.

She almost smiled. Normally, she was a head-before-heart kind of person but this time, it was time to go with what love was telling her to do.

"Dana?" a voice said behind her.

It was Rob.

"Oh! Hi!" she greeted him.

"Is that all I get?" he asked. "I thought we were going to do something tonight."

"I'm sorry," she apologized. "That was before I watched a guy get hit by a car and decided to take on the file."

"I know," he replied. "I don't get why you did that though. He's just a guy who was hit by a car when you just happened to be there. I don't get why you did the surgery. You're a neurosurgeon now. You shouldn't have to think about thing like that!"

Dana rolled her eyes. "I wanted to do it. If you saw that guy, you'd've wanted to as well," she said, turning to go. "I'm going to get dressed."

Rob grabbed her arm. "No. We need to talk."

"Let go," she ordered. "We can talk later. I want to get dressed."

"You see, that's the problem!" he exclaimed. "You never want to talk when I want to talk, only when it's convenient for you!"

Why hadn't she seen this before? When Dana thought about it, she realized Rob was acting like a child and always had.

"Fine," she resolved. "Let's talk. About how childish you are and how stupid I am to even CONSIDER marrying you!"

"I- I-!" he stuttered, surprised by her outburst.

"Yes!" Dana continued. "You may have graduated from Harvard Med but you are as much of a baby as the little girls and boys in the nursery!"

"But- but!"

"No!" she cut him off. "It's over, Rob. Cancel the cake order, cancel the flowers, call the caterer and the church. The wedding's off!"

Chapter Ten

Sunlight streamed through the small window of the all white hospital room, interrupting Fox's peaceful slumbers.

He moaned, not wanted to let the day greet him. Finally, he resigned and cracked an eye open. To his surprise, Dana was asleep in a chair, her head resting on her folded arms on the bed. Her beautiful red hair spilled across the bed.

She shifted slightly before waking up. She looked up, resting her chin on her hands.

"Good morning," he greeted her with a smile.

"Hi," she replied, sitting up. "We need to talk."

He nodded. "We do."

"Tell me I'm not crazy," Dana said. "Tell me you felt it- feel it- too. Tell me I'm not insane for leaving my fiancé because I don't love him."

"You're not crazy," he assured her. "I feel it. You've got to know that I do. Ever since I laid eyes on you."

She looked into the eyes that she'd been avoiding. "You do?"

He reached for her hand and looked into her eyes. Neither had to say anything because they knew each other's hearts better than they knew their own.

And then they were kissing, eyes closed, not thinking, just feeling, lip pressed to lip, tongues softly exploring the inside of each other's mouths.

Fox pulled back slightly, staring into her eyes, saying the words both felt. "I love you."
"I love you too," she replied, running her hands down his good arm.
They kissed once more before Dana rose. "I need to change before someone realizes I spent the night in a patients room."

Chapter Eleven

Dana pulled on the dress pants and blouse she kept on her locker in case of emergency. Her make-up was smeary and she looked in the mirror, applying powder, lipstick, and mascara over the existing smudges. Someone stormed in and grabbed her shoulder, jerking her around.

"Where were you?" Rob demanded, holing her roughly. "I waited at your apartment until 2 AM to talk. Where were you!?"

"Here," she answered, trying to keep calm through her fear. "I fell asleep. I was exhausted."

"You should have called!" he shouted.

"Why?" she questioned. "You had no business in my apartment. It's over Rob. If you'll excuse me, I need to get to work." She turned to go but Rob grabbed her too fast to react and slammed her against the lockers.

"No! You will listen to me!" he screamed.

Dana was terrified. Rob had never threatened her; no less actually hurt her before. Pain reverberated through her back and head.

"Just give me a chance," he pleaded.

"No, Rob. I'm sorry. It's over," she told him, crying form fear.

He slapped her sharply. Her head hit the lockers and started bleeding. Then he did it again, slapping her repeatedly.

"Please Rob!" she begged. "Stop! I'm bleeding!"

He moved down her body, punching where ever he could find.

"Help!" she screamed.

"Hey! What's going on?" a resident asked, bursting in just as Rob delivered a blow to her skull, knocking her out.

Chapter Twelve

A doctor marched in, his whit lab coat billowing behind him. "Good morning Mr. Uh... Mulder," he said. "How are you doing?"

"Where's Day- er- Dr. Scully?" he asked.

"Why don't you let me finish what I'm doing before you ask me questions?" he replied. "I'll answer all you're questions after I check you out."

Fox obeyed while Dr. Schwartz checked his ribs, examined his head, took his pulse, and did about a million different things.

"So where is she?" he demanded.

Dr. Schwartz sat down, a serious look crossing his face. "She's in the ICU."

"As a doctor?" Fox asked, tone uncertain.

"No, as a patient," he told him. "Her ex-fiancé hit her. Hard. He couldn't deal with her leaving him. He's in isolation, in restraints. He may have been intoxicated. Dana is in a coma, covered with bruises, a concussion, and internal bleeding. She was beaten pretty badly."

Fox stared in shock. "What's going to happen? Is she going to be okay?"

"Well, we think so. When or if she wakes up from the coma, she should be fine."

Chapter Thirteen

She was dressed all in white; not a wedding dress, simply a ling, flowing white gown. Her hair poured over her shoulders like red wine.

Light poured into the room from all angles and a warm breeze blew gently across her face, billowing the silk skirts of her dress. The light warmed her skin.

Dana inhaled, smelling the sweet scents of vanilla, lavender, and jasmine.

It was so peaceful there, with the breeze blowing, nothing to think about, no reason to worry.

"Dana," a voice said. "It's Fox."

She smiled. Fox.

He was crying, she realized. Why?

"Dana, I love you. I don't want you to die," he said. "Please, you've got to wake up."

"I'm trying!" she told him. "I just don't know how."

Chapter Fourteen

"Mr. Mulder, I think we need to take you back to your room," a nurse told him gently.

"I'm not ready to go," he replied, staring at Dana. She looked so small, tucked into the hospital bed, hooked up to a dozen machines.

"Come on," she said, grabbing the handles of the wheelchair and pushing him out in the hall.

He didn't resist although he wanted to stay by her side until she woke up. Some of the doctors had guessed what was going on but assured him they would not reveal his secret.

Samantha was waiting in his room. Fox had called her almost as soon as he'd found out and told her. "No change?" she asked.

He shook his head.

"Sorry," she apologized as the nurse helped him into bed. "I wish there was something they could do."

"Me too," he said as the nurse left.

"I know, Fox," Samantha said. "There is a little good news. The doctor said you can go home in about a week."

He nodded listlessly. "Okay. It'll be good to get out of here."

"Don't worry Fox, she'll wake up," Samantha assured him.

"I sure hope so."

Chapter Fifteen

She was floating in the ocean, the nice warm ocean. The sun streamed in ribbons against her face. She opened her eyes and saw her own naked body floating in the warm turquoise sea of the Caribbean.
Her eyes closed again and she backstroked lightly through the water.

"Dana, all you need to do is open your eyes," she heard a voice say. "Please? For me?"

It was Fox, her love.

And she opened her eyes.

Tubes ran into her arm and nose. Wire connected her to machines. An oxygen tube was down her throat, making her chest rise and fall. A heart monitor beeped at a steady pulse of 75 beats a minute. She wanted to breath for herself.

Fox was crying, holding her hand and burying his face in her lap. Dana gently squeezed his fingers to let him know she was awake, she was okay.

Chapter Sixteen

He felt her fingers squeeze his own, ever so gently. His tears ceased and he peered up at her face, hardly daring to hope. But it was true! Her eyes were open, looking only at him. She couldn't talk through the tube down her throat but he knew what to do. Fox hit the button to call the nurse.

A few seconds later, half a dozen doctors and nurses rushed in, thinking the worst.

"Oh my god!" one of them exclaimed. "She's awake!"

One doctor rushed to remove the tube while another hurried to call her family.

"Dr. Scully? Nod your head if you can hear me," one of them said.

She bobbed her head.

"You've been in a coma for a week. Rob beat you pretty badly," they continued. "He will be prosecuted to the fullest extent of the law, abiding your testimony. You're mother, sister, and brothers will be here shortly."

Dana nodded slowly. "What's my diagnosis?" she croaked. "What about treatment?"

The doctors tittered. "Always after the science, aren't you Dana?" he laughed. "Concussion, internal bleeding in your abdomen, bruises, various cuts and abrasions, and a cracked wrist. You've been on mild painkillers and the only other treatment is rest."

She smiled slightly. "And Rob?"

He hesitated. "He was intoxicated and may be psychotic. Nothing is definite."

She nodded again. "I'm not sure why he attacked me. I didn't provoke him, at least not intentionally."

The doctor patted her shoulder. "It's just good to have you back, doctor Scully. I'll be back later to cheack on you. We'll give you some peace."

Fox watched as they left and turned to Dana. "God Dana, you scared the hell out of me!"

She smiled at him. "I'm sorry. I didn't mean to."

Fox smiled too and then threw himself on top of her, embracing her tightly. "God I missed you!"

She buried her hands in his hair, inhaling deeply, trying to get his scent through the oxygen prongs now in her nose.

"Don't ever do that again!" she told her.

"I won't," she promised.

Fox pressed his face into her chest, listening to the steady thudding of her heart.

Dana pressed her lips to the crown of his head, holding him tightly.

Chapter Seventeen

His hair smelled so good. She inhaled deeply, so glad just to hold him.
"Dana," Fox said, pulling back and looking in her eyes. "I realized something while you were in a coma. I don't want to spend my life without you. I love you." He fished through his pocket.

When she saw the small blue jewelry box, she knew what was coming.

"I know he hurt you but I never will," he continued. "Dana Katherine Scully, will you marry me?"

He held out the box. Inside was a diamond engagement ring. It had a platinum band with four 1-carat stones cut in diamond shapes with sapphires in between them.

"Yes," she told him. "Of course."

They kissed breathlessly and he slipped the ring on her finger.

Chapter Eighteen The wedding was held six months later in the National Cathedral. They moved to the suburbs and continued working in D.C. Eventually, they had four kids; three girls, Kaitlyn, Rebecca, and Hope, and a boy, William. All their lives were filled with more love than anyone can ever imagine-

Scully smiled as the morning greeted her. She had just had the most wonderful dream. Things had been so different and yet she and Mulder were still together. She got out of bed and began making her morning coffee.

Twenty minutes later, there was a knock on the door. Scully rushed to answer it. She and Mulder had both taken the day off to spend some time together. Surprisingly, he was early.

"Hi Honey," she greeted him with a kiss. "I'll be ready in about ten minutes. I just need to get dressed." The white bathrobe and slippers she'd thrown on to answer the door obviously wouldn't suffice to go out.

Quickly, she raced into her bedroom and threw on a pair of worn flared jeans and a faded blue Old Navy tee shirt. After digging through her closet, she found her Nike's and slipped them on, tying the laces tightly. After running a brush through her damp, slightly wavy hair, she went back into the kitchen.

"Ready?" she asked.

He nodded. Oddly, he seemed a little nervous. Scully wondered why. "Let's go."

"Where are you going?" Scully asked as she slid into the passenger's seat of his car a few minutes later.

"You'll see," he told her. They drove out of the city and into rural Virginia, toward the mountains rising in the distance. They drove in silence most of the way, leaving each other to their own thoughts.

With a jolt, Scully realized where they were going: Skyland Mountain.

"Mulder……" her voice trailed off.

"I know, honey," he replied. "Don't worry, I promise we'll be okay." He took her hand in his own and Scully rested her head on his shoulder.

Upward, they continued on the long road up the mountain. At the top, Mulder stopped the car. He opened the door and got out.

Scully sat frozen. She couldn't make herself get out of the car. That place held so much pain for her. Her breath caught in her chest. She didn't want to be there.

Mulder opened the door.

"I- I can't do it, Mulder," Scully whispered.

"Yes you can," Mulder told her. He undid her seatbelt, lifted her out of the seat, and carried her out. He set her down softly on the grass.

Scully put her head in her hands. "Why did you bring me here? I thought this was going to be a pleasant outing."

Mulder sat down opposite of her and held her hands. "I brought you here because I know how much you went through here. You were hauled up this mountain in the trunk of your own car. Aliens abducted you and performed tests that nearly killed you, invaded your privacy, gave you cancer, and left you barren."

"You don't need to remind me," Scully answered.

Mulder tilted her chin up to face him. "I know what you suffered here and I need to give you something good from this place." He shifted and reached in his pocket. "Now I've been thinking about this for a very long time, ever since we started dating. Oh, hell, probably since we first met." He pulled out a small jewelry box. When he opened it, she saw the four-carat diamond, two two-carat rubies, and 14-carat gold engagement ring.

Her heart beat faster. She looked from the very expensive ring to her partner's eyes.

"Dana Katherine Scully, will you marry me?" he asked, staring deep into her eyes.

Scully was so overwhelmed but she knew what her answer was. She'd been waiting for this for so long.

"Yes," she told him, smiling tentatively. "Yes."

"Really?" Mulder asked.

Scully nodded and threw her arms around his neck, kissing him hard. Laughing, they lay on the ground, encircled in each other's arms.

"I love you," Scully told him.

"I love you too, Scully," Mulder replied. "Now that we're getting married, we need to give each other crazy pet names like 'Honey Bunch' or 'Poopey head.'"

Scully giggled. "Okay Spooky," she teased. 

Mulder smiled. "I think you're going to be my Angel."

Scully kissed him. "Maybe this place is okay after all."

Chapter Nineteen

Walter Skinner had never seen Mulder and Scully displaying their affection for one another so openly. Even as they walked into his office, they were bumping shoulders and holding hands.

"Agents, I want to discuss—What are you smiling about?" he demanded.

"Do we tell him?" Mulder asked Scully.

She nodded, still grinning wildly. "We're getting married!" She held out her hand so he could see the diamond the size of a skating rink on her finger.

Skinner stared in shock. Mulder and Scully getting married?

"You'll be invited to the wedding, of course," Mulder told him.

"And I want you to walk me down the aisle," Scully added.

"Are you joking?" Skinner questioned.

"Would we joke about something like that?" Scully asked.

Skinner just stared, realization slowly sleeping into his mind. They were getting married! He went form shocked to ecstatic in seconds. "Congratulations!" he told them. "This is great. You two finally got it together."

"We sure did," Mulder said. "We need you to help us settle something."

"Mulder wants to have the wedding at the National Cathedral and a reception at the Embassy Suites," Scully explained. "I want to have it at a bed and breakfast in Alexandria. What do you think?"

Skinner thought for a second. He'd rather not get in the middle of it but he decided to give a diplomatic answer. "Why not have the wedding at the cathedral and the reception at the bed and breakfast?"

Mulder and Scully looked at each other. "I think we like that idea Mulder said for the both of them. They were smiling and looked like they wanted to kiss but were awkward in front of Skinner.

"Oh, go ahead," he told them.

They kissed, ever so gently at first and then a little harder and—oh God! It looked like they were using their tongues.

"Okay, okay. That's enough. Keep your clothes on," Skinner said.

Mulder and Scully broke apart reluctantly.

"What did you want to discuss?" Scully asked.

"Leave," Skinner answered. "Both of you are under direct orders of the Director to take a two week paid vacation. You can do whatever you want as long as you don't show up for work. They're reviewing recent X-Files and want you out of the way. This is effective immediately."

Mulder and Scully looked at each other, then jumped out of their seats. "Bye!" Scully called over her shoulder as they walked hastily out of the office.

Chapter Twenty

Nine months passed in a fast moving blur of plans and fittings and bizarre cases. There had been a few minor arguments over flowers and the guest list and seating arrangements but they always made up. On April 4th, their wedding day finally arrived.

Scully stood in front of a full-length mirror, examining her dress. It didn't resemble the dress in her dream in any way. The skirt was full and made of silk with a small train. The bodice was also silk with crystal beaded spaghetti straps. Crystals and seed pearls were also embroidered onto the waist and around the top of the dress. Her veil was made of sheer white mesh. It was attached to a wreath of white roses and trailed behind her several feet.

"Dana?" he mother said.

Scully turned around and let her mom kiss her cheek. "Hey mom."

"You look beautiful, Sweetheart," Mrs. Scully told her. "You need to get your shoes on."

Scully sat down and slipped her feet into the beautiful but rather painful five-inch white leather and crystal heels. "I feel Cinderella."

Her mom handed her a bouquet of white roses and orchids- an odd combination but somehow, symbolic. "But you don't have to leave at midnight. Come on, Dana, Fox and everyone else is waiting."

Scully too her mother's hand and followed her to the back of the Sanctuary where her brothers and Skinner waited.

"You look beautiful, Day," Charlie told her.

"Agreed, even if you are marrying that bast--"

"Bill…" Mrs. Scully warned.

Scully smiled, choosing to ignore Bill's comments on her future husband. "Even for your tomboy sister?" she teased.

Bill and Charlie laughed and hugged her carefully before running off to their seats.

Scully took her place on skinner's arm. "You look beautiful, Dana," he whispered in her ear.

She smiled. "Thank you."

He patted her arm and looked forward as the wedding march began blasting through the organ pipes. Scully took a deep breath and began walking down the aisle, toward Mulder, toward love, toward their future together.

Chapter Twenty-one

Disclaimer: I do not own the song mentioned in the follow chapter.

The lamb chops were finished and the five hundred dollar chocolate wedding cake was eaten. It was time for dancing. The floor cleared and the words of Jessica Simpson and Mark Anthony poured over the speakers. Wordlessly, Mulder took Scully in his arms.

"I love you," he told her. "The song is perfect."

"I love you too, Spooky," she whispered. She laid her head on his shoulder and they danced.

I was counting down the minutes
I was wishin' on a star
I was prayin' for a sign
And tryin' to beat the odds
I was dreaming of you
Love before I saw your face
And there you were
Waitin' for the day
Then you reached through the hurricane
When you, baby, you called my name
You broke through the storm
And you turned back the night
Baby you are the fire
Burnin' the midnight sky
And your love
Keeps takin' me higher
Just when all hope was gone
Where the hero belongs
There you were.
Must have broken into heaven
Just to roll back the clouds
Were you on a mission?
Were you seeking me out?
Was I that one in a million?
Was I that one sacred kiss?
That you just couldn't chance
You just couldn't miss?
Then you whispered through silent tears
When you swept away all my fears
You broke through the storm
And you turned back the night
Baby you are the fire
Burnin' the midnight sky
And your love
Keeps taking me higher
Just when all hope was gone
Where the hero belongs
There you were
Standin' in the Middle of nowhere
With Your arms open wide and you
You were the reason when there was no reason in my life
You're the reason in my life
You broke through the storm
And you turned back the night
Baby you are the fire
Burnin' the midnight sky
And your love
Keeps takin' me higher
Just when all hope was gone
Where the hero belongs
There you were
You broke through the storm
And you turned back the night
Baby you are the fire
Burin' the midnight sky
And your love
Keeps taking me higher
Just when all hope was gone
Where the hero belongs
There you were
Like the light in the eye of the storm
Tellin' me not to cry anymore
Where I watched my whole world fall apart
Shinin' through like an angel from afar
You broke through the storm
And you turned back the night
Baby you are the fire
Burnin' the midnight sky
And your love
Keeps taking me higher
Just when all hope was gone
Where the hero belongs
There you were

Scully looked up and into her husband's eyes. Wordlessly, he bent his head and pressed his lips against hers in a single, perfect kiss.

The End

It's done. What did you think? I'm kind of sad it's over though. I'll probably right a continuation soon but I have several other stories now and my fingers are getting VERY tired from typing.

Happy Easter!

Luv Y'all

~*Jinx

P.S. I'm not sure about the song. I have a limited number of CDs that have any decent stuff on them and this was my pick. Is it okay?

Read the sequel here