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Title: Sarah 14. Will You Walk Into My Parlor? X-PHILES: You are welcome to re-post or otherwise distribute this story among other X-Philes, as long as you do so for free, and my name and e-mail address go with it as author. Summary: Scully makes a purchase. Sarah learns about plumbing. Mulder remembers that Scully is more to him than a just a babysitter for Sarah. "Will you walk into my parlor?" said the spider to the fly: Mulder opened the door as quietly as he could and slipped inside the dark apartment. Leaving his suitcase by the couch he went towards the faint glow that came from the bedroom. Was she still awake? Perhaps she had fallen asleep while reading. No... it was just the nightlight. The small bedroom felt crowded, though it held only the bunk beds, a dresser and a bookshelf. And toys. Since his daughter's arrival there were always a few toys and games and children's books sprinkled everywhere. Mulder thought that it made a rather pleasant change of decor. Sarah did try to keep them mostly in her bedroom where they filled the bookshelf and spilled over on to the floor. There were familiar clothes folded on the wooden chair. Grey slacks and a plaid flannel shirt... the one that fit her loosely, giving occasional glimpses of a bra strap, or the seductive hollow between her breasts. The bra was there. Lacy and delicate. Cotton panties. Sarah's clothes would be in her drawers, neatly laid away for tomorrow, or in the laundry basket in the tiny closet. Mulder felt a pang of conscience. He knew how much she liked to be home in her own place with her own things. Since their work took them through countless impersonal hotels and tacky motels, it was a treat to stay home. Yet here she was, uncomplaining, camped out like a gypsy in his daughter's bedroom. Again. His eyes went eagerly to where her red hair glowed in the shadows... but first he had to check on Sarah. The child was in the top bunk. Mulder stepped up to the second rung of the ladder so that he could look down on her. She had been tossing and turning in her sleep again; thank goodness there was a sturdy rail on the bed. Mulder untangled the covers and laid them gently over her. Her long dark hair was in a loose braid. Scully's idea. Much less of a tangle to deal with in the mornings, but he missed the unruly waves that used to flow over the pillow. Sarah drew a deep breath and turned on to her side. Mulder watched her angelic face until her breathing returned to a slow steady rhythm. She was not an angel. She had her good days and her bad days, like any normal child. He kissed his fingertips and placed the kiss on her forehead. Then he turned his attention to the lower bunk. On previous occasions, when he had come in late at night to check on his daughter, Scully had been lying so that he could see her face... softened by sleep, but still full of her character... easily recognizable as the woman he worked with. Tonight she had her back to him. He smiled, and the warmth he had been feeling towards her all day increased. How small she was. Her shoulders were hardly wider than Sarah's. The strength of her personality made him forget how physically diminutive she really was. His eyes followed the covers as they dipped down at her waist then went in a sensuous swell up and over her full hips. The blanket hugged her bottom, curving away from him, and as his eyes lingered on where that tempting curve went out of sight, the warmth of his affection leapt into a flame of sexual desire. He struggled with the urge to place his hand just there, where his palm would feel the firm rounded cheeks, and his fingers would be able to press intimately against the yielding elasticity of that exciting place. He stepped back. He dared not touch her. She'd wake up fighting, and he'd only gain a black eye. Instead he stood and feasted visually upon her very feminine shape, enjoying this feeling of lust. Not that it was new... but he hadn't experienced it for a while. Couldn't remember the last time he had had to psychologically deflate a threatening erection as he played verbal games with his partner. Why hadn't he felt that way lately? She was just as beautiful and sexy as ever. Sarah. That was the reason. He had been totally wrapped up in Sarah for the last six months. Scully had been around... more than usual... constantly helpful and generous with her time, but not as a sexual presence. With the child listening, they had not indulged in the flirtatious double entendres, and the teasingly suggestive vocabulary with which they had spiced their conversations previously. Scully had not flashed those blue devil eyes at him, or brazenly taunted him with her siren's smile. By unspoken agreement, their slow and subtle romance had been put on hold while they coped with Sarah. Now it was back. Mulder didn't know why, but during the last few days, while he had been in San Francisco consulting on a case for Violent Crimes, he had felt a reawakening of his sexual desire for Scully. He had thought of her constantly; had even had a wet dream about her. He flushed as he remembered it... steamy and erotic as a teenager's fantasy. Coming home on the plane, he had looked forward to seeing her, had hoped against all logic that she might still be awake at three in the morning. For the first time since Sarah's arrival, his thoughts had been of Scully first, and his daughter second. He took another step back. As much as he wanted to wake her, to make love to her sleepy, warm and fragrant body, he knew that it could wait another day. One had to do these things in the right order, after all. He thought that it might be more appropriate to tell her that he loved her before he ravished her. Scully rolled over in the narrow bed and sighed. What time was it? She reached behind her head and fumbled for her little travel alarm clock. After four thirty. Yawning, she tried to do the mental arithmetic. Mulder should have come in by now, but surely she would have heard him. She listened. Was it her imagination, or did she hear the faint murmur of the television? As soon as she came out of the bedroom she knew that he was home. There was a light on in the kitchen, and the television was rolling the closing credits of an insomniac's movie. He was stretched full length on the old leather couch, wearing jeans and a tee shirt, snoring gently. Situation normal. She went first to turn off the television, slipping the remote out of his limp fingers. Then took the blanket from the back of the couch and spread it over him. He was so long. It was always a debate whether to cover his shoulders or his feet, and for a while now she had been meaning to buy him a longer blanket. She let her hand brush gently against his chest as she smoothed the cover, and was a little disappointed when he slept peacefully on. Never mind. It was good to have him home again. Home. Scully shook her head as she went towards the kitchen. Where exactly was home these days? If this apartment wasn't so small, she thought that she might just as well bring her stuff over to Mulder's. She already had a shelf in the bathroom and a drawer in Sarah's bureau. More than a babysitter, but less than a mother. More than a close friend, yet not a lover. The ambiguity of her status was starting to bother her. Sooner or later they were going to have to deal with it. Mulder had left the milk out. She put it away and turned out the light, then walked back through the living room, passing close to the couch again just to hear him breathing... The closing of the refrigerator door had tugged him into wakefulness. He turned his head, and just had time to register the presence of the blanket and the silence of the TV before he saw her dim outline coming closer... her black satin pajamas reflecting the light from the street like moving water reflecting moonlight. She paused over him. Could she see that his eyes were open? He reached out and took her hand. She didn't startle; she had realized that he was awake. He lifted the blanket aside and pulled gently downward. She came, sliding her legs down beside his, lying on her side with her head against his shoulder. He wrapped his arm around her to keep her from rolling off the edge and covered her with the blanket. Was this the time to tell her that he loved her? No... he'd rather experience the thrill of her physical presence uncomplicated by words. He relaxed and closed his eyes again, enjoying all her soft warm curves. This was good. When he made no further moves, she settled in for sleep, stretching her free arm across his chest and snuggling her face into a more comfortable position beside his chin. Finally, she drew her knee up so that her leg lay over him, changing her center of balance so that she was more securely on the couch. Mulder debated letting his free hand move to where the heat of her thigh pressed down on him, and decided against it. This was enough for now. He gave her a little squeeze. She echoed it, briefly tightening her arm about his ribs, and he was reassured; this was what she wanted, too. He let his cheek rest against her sweet smelling hair. This felt very right. At six forty-five the alarm sounded in the bedroom. Scully reluctantly lifted herself away from Mulder's warmth. Normally a cheerful morning person, this was one time that she really didn't want to get out of bed. "Dana?" Sarah's young voice carried clearly over the buzzing alarm clock. Scully was standing in the bedroom doorway by the time the little girl had climbed down the ladder. "Where were you?" She looked curiously up at Scully, a slight frown on her small face. "In the living room, talking to your father." "Daddy's back?" Sarah was successfully distracted. Unmindful of Scully's embarrassment she was out the door like a shot, giving a cry of joy as she ran to Mulder. Scully turned off the alarm, and went into the bathroom where she looked at her flushed face in the mirror. She felt as flustered as if her father had caught her necking in the driveway. If things were about to escalate between her and Mulder... and she was pretty sure that they were... how did they explain it to Sarah? Face washed, hair combed, dressing gown securely tied, Scully ventured a little nervously back into the living room. Sarah was cozily settled into the space at Mulder's side that Scully had occupied only minutes before. As she walked towards the kitchen to start the coffee, Scully couldn't help but smile. The two faces that looked up at her from the couch were so warm and happy... and she was a part of that happiness. They formed a circle; each loving the other two. So what was she worrying about? What was there to explain? No one knew better than a child that love equated with touching. No longer nervous, Scully bent and kissed the two people she loved most in the world. Her family. "Morning, Sarah," as she kissed the child's satin cheek. "Welcome home, Mulder," as she kissed him warmly on the mouth. Then she went serenely into the kitchen, knowing that Mulder was grinning after her with surprise and delight. * * Events conspired to keep Scully and Mulder apart for the next few days... a new case at work, previous family commitments, Sarah's piano lessons... but the distance between them was once again highly charged by their mutual attraction. Stronger than ever, it leaked out in small caresses, private smiles, soft words unnecessary to their work. It wasn't until the Saturday, nearly two weeks later, that they found time to relax together, just the three of them. Scully had invited Mulder and Sarah to her place for a change, where she cooked dinner for them while they played with the new computer games that Scully's brothers had given her for Christmas. After dinner they watched "Bambi". Mulder and Sarah had already seen it... Sarah many times... but it was a movie that Scully had been wanting to see. They sat together on the couch, Sarah in the middle, all three of them in rapt attention as its artistry unfolded. "That's it, sweetheart. Time to get ready for bed." Mulder put the VCR into rewind. "No, Daddy. Not yet. I want to play 'Lemmings' some more, please? I'm not tired and we never come to Dana's. I won't ever get a chance to play it again." "Never?" Mulder raised his eyebrows. "Never," she said vehemently, her big eyes dark and serious. "Please, Daddy?" He looked at his watch. "I'm sorry, Sarah, but it's already an hour past your bedtime. Maybe Scully will lend us the CD and you can play it at home." He looked towards Scully. "That's okay with me." Scully smiled at Sarah. "I don't have much time to play it anyway. We can keep it at your place." Sarah was satisfied. She ran and got the disk out of the CD ROM, and carefully placed it in its case. Then she put it into Mulder's sports bag and pulled out her pajamas and her bathroom kit. "I put out a glass and a towel for you, Sarah," Scully called after her as she went towards the bathroom. "The green glass and the yellow towel." With the closing of the bathroom door, they found themselves alone. His hand moved down from the back of the couch to lightly touch her cheek. After a quiet moment she turned her face and placed a kiss in his palm. The kiss was very gentle, but he felt its impact deep inside him. He wanted to return that kiss... and her soft eyes were encouraging him to do just that. He slid his hand behind her neck and drew her towards him as he leaned closer. Sarah opened the bathroom door. "Dana? I can't reach the toothpaste." Scully was on her feet moving towards the little girl. "Didn't you bring your own toothpaste and toothbrush?" she asked calmly. "Yes, but I want to try your toothpaste." Sarah was already in her pajamas. "Is that all right, Dana? Can I?" When she saw Scully's ready nod she continued. "I can't reach it. I don't have my step. What does that say? G... e... l... Does that mean the same as girl? Is it toothpaste just for girls?" Scully had the tube down and was squeezing it on to Sarah's small brush as she smiled. "Gel. It means this toothpaste is like a jelly. See... it's colored and shiny, and you can almost see through it. It's not thick and white like other toothpastes." Scully leaned over Sarah and carefully brushed her teeth for her, as she had seen Mulder do on occasion. "Do you like it?" Sarah nodded and spit into the sink. "It's so pretty. Does it have floor eyes in it? Daddy says our toothpaste has floor eyes, and that's what keeps my teeth strong and healthy." Sarah took a big swig of water from the glass that Scully handed her. Scully heard a sputter of amusement from the living room, but she kept a straight face. "I think the word you mean is fluoride, honey. Yes, it has fluoride in it." "I'm going to ask Daddy to get me some then. It's pretty enough to eat." She scrubbed her chin dry with the towel. "Oh, no, Sarah." Scully crouched down to look directly into her velvety brown eyes. "You mustn't ever eat toothpaste. It will make you very sick." "That's okay. I won't really eat it. It just looks like jelly." "That's right. Tell you what. I'll trade you my tube of gel, for your tube of regular toothpaste." Scully put the toothbrush and the gel into the kit and took out the hairbrush that was there. Smiling at Sarah in the mirror she smoothed her long hair and expertly braided it, fastening it with the elastic that was on the brush handle. "There. Is that too tight?" Sarah shook her head. "Good. I think you're all set then. Let's fold your clothes. Did you use the toilet?" "Oh. I forgot to flush." Sarah reached out and pushed the toilet handle down, then backed quickly away from the toilet, towards the door. Scully recalled seeing Sarah do this before, in a public washroom. She continued folding the clothes. "You know, when I was a little girl, I was afraid of toilets," she said in a low, confidential voice. "I thought that I might get pulled down the hole with the water." Sarah was watching her with big eyes. "But then I realized, that even if I did accidentally fall into the toilet, I was much too big to go down the hole. All that would happen would be that I would get wet. A bath and some clean clothes, and I would be fine again." Scully placed the kit on top of the pile of neatly folded clothes and looked up at Sarah. "Do you know where the water goes when it goes down the hole in the toilet?" "No," Sarah whispered. "Look under the sink here. See the pipe that comes out the bottom of the sink... where the drain is? Then the pipe goes into the wall and down to the basement... " Mulder came to the door of the bathroom to see what was keeping his daughter and his partner. They were crouched down beside the toilet, deep in conversation. He listened to the end of the plumbing lesson in fascination, then watched as they compared the size of the toilet hole to common objects. Finally, they settled on a grapefruit. The hole in the toilet was only big enough to take a grapefruit, and Sarah knew that she was much bigger than a grapefruit. They flushed the toilet again. Sarah held Scully's hand and calmly watched the water swirl away down the hole, starting its long journey through the pipes to the sewage treatment plant. She turned and saw Mulder. "Daddy, guess what? Dana used to be afraid of toilets." Sarah stretched up her arms and Mulder lifted her up to ride with her legs wrapped around his waist. "Is that so? I'm surprised, because now that Dana is grown up, she's the bravest woman I know." He glanced over Sarah's shoulder to give Scully a quizzical look. He hadn't even realized that Sarah was nervous of toilets. "When she got older she wasn't afraid anymore, 'cause she's much bigger than a grapefruit. And so am I." Sarah's arms tightened around his neck. Mulder laughed. "Oh, you're much bigger than a grapefruit." He flexed his knees as if he was testing her weight. "Why you must be at least as big as... a pumpkin? A watermelon?" Sarah giggled happily. As they went back to the living room Mulder said, "I think you've missed your calling, Scully. You should be on Sesame Street... no, Mister Rogers." Scully just smiled. "Will you walk into my parlor?" said the spider to the fly: While Mulder read Sarah to sleep, Scully did some tidying in the kitchen. After she had turned on the dishwasher, she carried two mugs of fresh tea out to where Mulder still held the sleeping Sarah on his lap. "Thanks, Scully." He took the mug from her and drank. "We'll be on our way as soon as I finish this." Scully sat at the other end of the couch, with her feet tucked under her. "There's no rush, Mulder." She kept her eyes on her mug. "It's been raining. The roads might be slippery." Mulder glanced out the window then back at Scully with a slight frown. "You think so?" The road certainly was wet. "Temperature's dropping. They're predicting freezing rain later." He put his mug down on the end table. "Then the sooner we're on our way, the better," he said as he moved to get up. A hand on his arm stopped him. "Or... you could put Sarah in my guest room." He searched her face. Calm and cool. A little too calm and cool. "So you think it would be safer to stay here and wait until the sand trucks have been by?" He could play this game, too. "It would be safer." "But they might not come by until morning. I might have to wait all night." "That's true." "I don't know, Scully. Your couch isn't as long as mine. I don't think I'd sleep very well on it." She administered the coup de grace, looking innocently up at him with those blue devil eyes. "It's a good thing that I have a double bed, then, isn't it?" Game and match to the lady. Mulder's heart was doing handsprings. Speechless, he rose with Sarah in his arms and went towards the small second bedroom. Scully went ahead of him to turn on the night light and pull back the covers on the single bed. He noticed that the sheets looked new, and just happened to have Minnie Mouse and Pluto all over them. He propped Sarah up while Scully helped him pull off her dressing gown and slippers, then he laid the child down and tenderly covered her. He stayed sitting on the edge of the bed for a moment, to be sure that Sarah was asleep, then kissed her brow and followed Scully back out into the hall, closing the door behind him. They hadn't gone more than three steps before Mulder took hold of her shoulder and swung her around into his embrace. "You had this in mind all along didn't you? This is why you invited us over to your place today." He held her close, her arms pinned down by her sides, his voice rough and warm in her ear. She turned her face towards his and laid her cheek against his chest, saying softly, reasonably, "I had no idea that we were going to get freezing rain when I invited you, Mulder." He smelled wonderful. "I'm not convinced that this freezing rain isn't a figment of your imagination." "You can read the weather report for yourself." She heard him smile above her. She lifted her face slightly and pressed her nose against his chin. Warm. Whiskers like sandpaper. He brought his head down further and kissed the tip of her nose. "And how do you explain the sheets on your guest bed, Agent Scully? Looks to me like you were planning on a young guest staying overnight." He kissed her nose again, lingering, his lower lip dragging lightly against that patrician curve. "My niece and nephew... " "...are in New Mexico." Now it was his nose against hers, gently nudging her, encouraging her to raise her face just a little higher. "They were here at Thanksgiving... " His mouth found hers. So soft, so sweet and warm. Her hands came up to steady herself against him. "...just for one night... " He kissed her again. Deeper. Longer. Her fingers clutched two handfuls of his shirt, hanging on for safety as she floated on the waves of heat and emotion. A shaky sigh as she wrapped her arms around him and laid her head against his chest again. If Minnie Mouse on the guest bed was incriminating, she wondered what he would make of the scented satin sheets on her bed. The warmth of his body was pressed all down her front. She stayed very still, letting him soak in. He kissed the top of her head. "I've been wanting to kiss you for so long," he murmured into her hair. "I'm kind of surprised that there are no bells and whistles, or thunder and lightning." "I can't hear you through all this din, Mulder." He laughed and came down seeking her mouth again. Her face lifted towards his, a flower reaching for the sun. Basking. Fever. Combustion. Her bones were melting. "I can hear them now," he whispered hoarsely. She could not speak right away; when she did her voice was unfamiliar to her... weak and tremulous. "If you go too close to the sun, your wings melt off." His big gentle hands had been stroking her back. Now they took hold of her shoulders and backed her up against the wall where he could look into her eyes. "You're not making any sense, Scully." She felt blurry, like she'd had a little too much to drink. "I don't feel like being sensible." His eyes were beautiful. Rich, lush hazel. Alive. Like the spring. When the snow melted. He leaned his hips into her, pinning her against the wall with his weight. As if she wanted to get away. As if she had the strength to get away. Now his hands were free to fumble with the buttons down the front of her sweater. One. "This is a serious step we're taking here." "I know." Two. "Nothing will ever be quite the same." "I know." Three. "It's not something that can be undone." "I know." Four. His knuckles brushing against her breasts set her whole body humming. With shaking hands she grabbed the hem of the sweater and in one smooth movement pulled it off over her head. An unequivocal declaration of reckless intent. Mulder's face went down to kiss her breasts where the lace left them exposed. Her fingers wound themselves into his hair, holding his head there, where she wanted it. "Mulder... " "I'm busy." His tongue, hot and silky, was patiently teasing one nipple out of the skimpy bra. His hands encircled her bare midriff, making her skin sing. "I just... " Once he started sucking on her breasts she would be lost. "I just think we should move this into the bedroom. We don't want to wake Sarah... mmhh... " He had succeeded. A few seconds of sweet heaven before he relinquished his prize. "Okay. Good idea." He used one finger to bring the lace back up over the rosy nipple, to tuck it away safely for later. As he pulled away from her she felt herself in danger of slipping down the wall. "Mulder... " She grabbed hold of his shirt again and buried her face in his chest. "My legs don't seem to be working very well." He gave a deep, throaty chuckle as he swept her roughly up into his arms. "That's no problem," he purred. "I like my women helpless." She laughed drunkenly. She was so happy. They had waited so long for this. Relinquishing the last traces of her civilized control, she started to wash his ear with her tongue. Mulder only staggered a little as he carried her into her bedroom and shouldered the door shut. Scully woke slowly. The first thing she was aware of was that these were not her usual sheets. She shifted her legs. The cool smoothness was very sensual against her bare skin. When her foot came upon Mulder's furry leg behind her, there was an instant of blank surprise... then the night before, and all its significance, came rushing joyfully back to her. Smiling, she ran her foot along his calf. He neither moved nor spoke. His breathing confirmed that he was still asleep. Content to let him sleep, she opened her eyes to the early morning light. Sea green satin sheets. She had bought them at a Boxing Day sale. Feeling foolish about her frivolous, romantic purchase, she had left them in their packages... until the night she and Mulder had shared his couch. Then she had washed and ironed them and put them back in the cupboard with attar of roses to scent them. Saturday morning she had aired the room and the blankets and put the new sheets on the bed, telling herself over and over that she was acting like a silly, lovesick school girl, that she shouldn't get her hopes up, that she would probably be using the sheets alone that night. But for once, everything had gone right. He had stayed and they had made love on the sea green satin sheets and it had been magical. She was glad she had bought them. The door latch clicked. "Dana?" a small voice queried. Mulder had jerked awake with the click of the door. "Hush, Sarah," he whispered. "She's still asleep." "Daddy? Daddy... what are you doing in Dana's bed?" The bed rocked as Sarah climbed in with Mulder. Scully held her tongue. She couldn't resist waiting to hear how Mulder was going to answer that question. "Sarah, you know that I love you. And because I love you, I like to hug you and kiss you and spend time close to you. Just like we are doing now." "I love you, too, Daddy." "I'm glad, sweetheart." Sounds of hugs being exchanged. "And you know what? I love Dana, too. Last night after you went to sleep Dana and I decided that we loved each other so much that we wanted to sleep together so that we could kiss and hug and be close to each other." "Did you put your penis inside her?" Silence. Scully wondered if it was time to declare her presence. "Yes, I did. When a man and a woman love each other, that's one of the special ways that they like to touch." "Did you start a baby inside Dana? Are we going to have a baby? We could call her Stephanie." "No, I don't think we made a baby this time." "Could you make a baby tonight?" "Well... I think we should discuss that with Scully first. Maybe she doesn't want a baby right now. Usually the man and the woman get married before they have a baby." "Are you and Dana going to get married?" "That's something else Scully and I have to talk about. I think it might be nice if we got married. What do you think?" "Can I be a flower girl and have flowers in my hair? Debbie Latham was a flower girl when her sister got married and she got to wear real flowers right in her hair. Then after, you can make a baby and we can call her Stephanie Louise." Mulder laughed. "Not so fast. These things all take time. I just wanted to know if you thought it would be okay, because if I marry Scully, that would make her your mother. Step mother." "Then I would have two mommies and two daddies. You and Papa Jim and Mommy and Dana." "That's right." "Daddy, can I go watch TV now?" Another chuckle. "I'll take that as consent. Yes, you may go and watch TV now." The bed rocked again. "Put your dressing gown on to keep warm." Small feet pattered away, totally unconcerned about the cataclysmic events of the night before. Scully rolled over to face Mulder. He gave her a look. "How long have you been listening?" "Long enough to know that Annie was doing a good job of teaching Sarah about sex. Simple, accurate information without emotional overload." "Somehow 'putting my penis inside you' doesn't sound nearly as good as it actually feels." "Thank you." They lay facing each other, smiling, remembering the night before. "Sleep well?" A prim look. "Very well. And you?" "Like a log. Too bad they can't put it in a pill for insomniacs." "Somehow I don't think it would be quite the same. You would have to eliminate some of its more pleasurable and effective ingredients." "I'd be willing to bet that there's a team of scientist, in a lab somewhere, working on the problem right now." "You're probably right." Mulder reached across the narrow gap and stroked the curve of her breast through the satin. "Nice sheets." To his surprise, she blushed. "What?" "I bought them specially for this occasion," she confessed. "Just for us." "Just for us." "And what would you have done if your plans had gone awry, and I hadn't stayed?" "Put them away and saved them till you did stay." "So it wasn't a question of if. Just a question of when?" "Mulder... it's always been just a question of when." Their hands met and clasped together. He had to clear his throat. "Just how long have you had these sheets?" "Only since Christmas. Only since you gave me this." She slipped a finger under the gold chain at her neck and pulled the heart shaped pendant out from beneath the sheet. The little diamonds glowed against the green satin. When he had his voice under control, he asked casually, "So... Scully. Would you consider marrying me?" "I'll definitely consider it." "Is there a 'but' coming?" "No. I'm very happy with this latest turn of events. I'd like to stay at this stage for a little while before committing to the next step." She could see a cloud forming on his face. She squeezed his hand. "Is that okay, Mulder? I just think it's wiser to take things one step at a time." "I can hardly complain when I think of how long it's taken us to get this far." But he was disappointed. She slid closer and put her arms around him. "I'm sorry. I just want to be very sure. I'm Catholic enough that I don't believe in divorce, Mulder. I'm only planning on marrying once." He told himself he was being silly. "What do I tell Sarah?" "The truth. Tell her that you asked me, and I'm going to take a little while to think about it before I give you an answer." "You're not one of those women who use a product for the thirty day free trial and then send it back, are you?" She laughed, and her eyes danced. "I can't deny that your performance over the next few weeks may have an effect on my answer." "In that case... " He rolled her under him, silencing her halfhearted protests with a kiss. The End
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