Lectures, Lunches, Dinners, Dances and Bullets: Progression of a Romance – Part 2

Sara B. 07/06

Walter Skinner was watching the couple through the window in the door when Reggie Purdue walked up.  “It’s obvious how close they are and until you called me about that massacre I’d never heard about her before.  Are you going to tell me about Dana Scully and why I carted her out here for Mulder?”  Skinner asked Reggie without even looking at him. 

“Dana teaches Pathology at Quantico.  I introduced them last year; Mulder gave that lecture when he was laid up because of that shoulder wound.  Remember?”  Reggie told him.

Skinner looked at him.  “That was a few months before they moved Paterson out and put the division under my command.”  Skinner’s eyes unfocussed for a moment, “wait a minute; that fluke man thing.” He turned back to the window.  “I remember now, she was the one who alerted you to that case.  I didn’t know it went beyond that.  When did all this develop?”

“It’s been building slowly, which is sort of funny considering he spent the night at her place the very first day they met.”  Reggie couldn’t help but laugh at Skinner’s stunned face.  “It wasn’t at all how that sounded.  They had dinner then they talked so late that she invited him to use her guest room.”  Reggie indicated that they should move to the waiting area with his hand, Skinner nodded. 

“It was strange, really.  Mulder was so tuned into her fast.  I didn’t understand it.  Oh, don’t get me wrong.  I can understand Mulder being interested in a beautiful woman.  It’s just that, well, you remember the women Mulder dated.  Dana, well, Dana just doesn’t fit the mold.”

Reggie paused and Skinner suggested, “Maybe he was ready for a change?”

“I think you might be right about that.  Mulder was never at a loss for female companionship if he wanted it, hell, just look at him.  Funny thing is that he didn’t really play on that advantage all that much.  Sure, he had the occasional one night stand, mostly after a really bad case.  I had the feeling it was more to distract his mind for a little while than anything else.  Mulder is more of the long term relationship kind of guy.  But, I will say that when he was interested in a woman he didn’t wait long to become physically intimate with her.

“With Dana the whole thing has been different.  I can’t even tell you if they’ve even kissed.  But I do think this is the most satisfying relationship that man has ever had.  It’s almost as if everything is so good with her that they just don’t feel the need to rush.  I can tell you that, to my knowledge and believe me I always knew, there hasn’t been anyone since she showed up.”

Skinner nodded.  “My mother once told me something that just might apply.  I’d just been dumped by my latest girlfriend.  I was your typical teenager and everything was a crisis.  Particularly the break up with the love of my life; let’s forget I was sixteen and dated her all of two weeks.”  Reggie and Skinner shared knowing smiles.  “Mom said that I would go through a lot of heartaches like that one.  That didn’t exactly make me feel any better.  But she continued and said that before a man is ready, really ready, for true love he will pick all the wrong women to date.  Then one day, he’ll see someone who changes his mind about what he really wants.”

“You know, sir, I think that just might be right.  Your mom was one smart woman.”

They moved back to Mulder’s room.  Skinner nodded toward the couple in the room.

 “Sir, I’ve known Mulder for some time, been his partner for three years now.  I saw him before and after Dana Scully and I have to tell you the after is better, much better.  Same for her, Dana’s better with him in her life.  They are complete opposites in their ideals, philosophies, backgrounds, you name it but somehow, someway they work.”   

~x~

Mulder woke to find Reggie sitting in the recliner that Scully usually occupied reading a book.  He looked around and didn’t see Scully anywhere.  He couldn’t believe how depressed that made him.  “She isn’t here.  Skinner forced her to go back to the motel and get some quality sleep.”  Reggie said as he put his book aside.  “You’ve got yourself one very protective mama cat there.  I won’t tell you what she threatened me with if I left you alone except to say that Renee’ would be missing some of my favorite husbandly duties.   So tell me, Mulder, what’s really going on with you two?”

“I think we’re in love.  I know I am and I have visions of spending the rest of my life with her.  I only hope she sees it the same way.”

“I doubt there’s much of a question with that.  You didn’t see her when she got here.  Mulder, I’ve never seen anyone look as devastated as she did.  She was at your side as soon as they would let her in.  She bothered them so much I’m pretty sure they let her come back a lot sooner than they normally would have.”  Reggie turned his head and looked out the window.  “I know this isn’t my business and you can tell me to buzz off but why haven’t you and Dana, you know, gotten together?”

“What makes you think we haven’t?”  Mulder asked and Reggie just gave him a look.  “Yeah, you’re right, we haven’t.”  He shook his head.  “I don’t really know.  At first I thought she was just going to be the best friend I’ve always needed.  We had fun and great conversations, sure, but she isn’t exactly my type.  Scully’s pretty, no, make that beautiful and smart but she just isn’t the type of woman I date.  I don’t think I’m her type either, though I’d be hard pressed to tell you why I think that.”

“But something has changed,”  Reggie prodded.

“That obvious?”  Reggie nodded.  “I guess it is.  Last month, you and I had just gotten back from that case in Lancaster, involving the Vincent brothers.  It was Friday and we parted ways at the airport.  I walked into my apartment, dropped my bags and called her; she wasn’t home.  I left a message but I was so disappointed.  I’d spent the night stewing and calling her number repeatedly, I didn’t leave anymore messages but I kept calling.  She called me back but it was after one in the morning.  ”

“Sounds like you were a little desperate.”

“A little, I was out of my mind.  I needed to hear her voice.  I wanted to run over and see her.  I’ve never felt like that before, for anyone.  Scared me shitless.”

“So, she called,” Reggie said to get Mulder back on track.

“Yeah, she called and it took everything I had not to yell her head off and demand to know why she wasn’t home waiting for me.  I knew I didn’t have the right but still, geez.  Finally she told me that she’d been on a date that her mom set up.  I didn’t really even hear the rest of it because I was so frigging angry.  Not only was Scully, MY Scully, on a date but her mom, a woman I love like a second mother, set it up.  It was a real eye opener.  I was fuming and I didn’t even have the right to be mad.”

“So, that’s when you realized the little redhead was more than a friend?”

“That was the start; I still denied it to myself with that usual BS about how I was just worried about her and all that crap.  Then she said that she had a really great time and they were going out again.  That did it; I couldn’t delude myself any longer, I was seeing red with jealousy.”  Mulder smiled distractedly for a moment before continuing.  “Somehow she’d put her mark on me and I hadn’t even realized it.”

“But you hadn’t put your mark on her?”  Reggie pushed.

“Not exactly, it was really my fault she went on that date.” 

Reggie looked at him in disbelief.  “What the hell did you do?”

“It’s a good thing you don’t respect me at all, Reg, because this would make you lose it right now.  We were at Scully’s having dinner, you know just the usual.  After dinner we were on her couch talking.  There was wine, candles and soft music.”

“Sounds very romantic.”

“Unfortunately, it was.  I don’t know who moved first but we almost kissed.  From the look in her eyes I think it would have been a real live knock your socks off, toe curling kiss.”  Mulder’s eyes became unfocussed and Reggie smiled knowingly.  “And I pushed her away.  Made some stupid comments about being friends.  A few minutes later she was swooshing me out the door saying she remembered she was supposed to meet a friend first thing in the morning.  I was actually relieved to get out of there, the whole experience scared me.”

“Mulder...”  Reggie broke off.

“Believe me, I know.  It was a major bonehead thing to do.  That was the week before you and I were out on chasing the Vincent brothers.  During that week, before we left, Scully and I talked on the phone but she kept the calls short and she always had plans when I said anything about spending time together.  I let it go, figuring she was a little embarrassed over the near kiss thing.

“I called her and e-mailed her while we were gone but something was definitely missing.  I missed her like I’ve never missed anyone.”  He looked directly at Reggie, “not even ‘her’.”

“And then you found out Scully had started dating?”

“Yeah.  Okay, I could handle the one time date, figuring it was a favor to her mom.  But when she said they were going out again and all my alpha male tendencies surfaced.  Dana Scully was mine, I knew and it was damned well time she did too.  I was in her apartment twenty minutes after hanging up the phone.  Saying all these crazy things and making demands that I had no right to make.”

Reggie started to laugh as a picture of his usually unflappable partner out of control.  “What did she do?”

“Kicked me out but not before putting me in my place.  I’ll never forget how her face changed from incredulity to white hot anger.  Just before slamming the door in my face she said, ‘strange reaction for just being friends.’  Now I ask you, what could you say to that?”

“Nothing,” came a low feminine alto voice from the woman walking in the door.  “But what you did was quite masterful and very effective.”  Scully walked over and waved Reggie to sit back down as he moved to rise to give her the chair.  She sat on the edge of the bed and took Mulder’s hand.

“What?” Reggie asked, his anticipation was written on his face.

Mulder and Scully looked at each other and started to laugh.  “I showed up at her door just after her date got there.  I played the intimidator card.  Made sure he saw my weapon; casually, you understand.  Got real friendly with the guy and invited myself on their date.”

“It was real cozy,” Scully said sarcastically.

“Hey, a guy’s gotta do what a guy’s gotta do when he’s messed up the best thing in his life.  I wasn’t going down without a fight.”  Mulder pulled her hand up and kissed the palm.

“Come on, what did you do?”  Reggie wanted to get them back on track.

“Nothing really?”  Mulder said innocently.

“Nothing, my aunt Olive.”  Scully scoffed, “he played like he was my ex.  Dazzled the poor guy with tails of his many achievements.  Somehow brought up the fact he’d gone to Oxford and graduated with honors.  Casually mentioned a few commendations and awards; including that one he got from the President for averting that bombing last year.”  Both Mulder and Scully were laughing by this time. 

“So he made the other guy feel really inferior,” Reggie interjected.

“Big time, but that wasn’t all he did.”  Scully paused and gave Mulder the look and he had the good sense to be embarrassed.

“Okay, so that was a bit over the top,” he admitted.

“What?”

“Mulder told the guy all about that Fluke man thing last year, in graphic detail.  Poor Darryl had to run to the men’s room and he never returned.  We took a cab home and had the biggest fight you ever saw.”

“She was furious with me.  She didn’t want me around, so you know me, I stayed.  Hounded her night and day.”

Reggie looked at Scully and smiled.  “Wore you down, did he?” 

She nodded, smiled at Mulder and stroked his cheek.  “What can I say?  He’s too damned cute.”

“So, what’s next for you two?”  Reggie asked as Skinner joined them.

Mulder lifted her left hand. “As soon as I’m mobile we’re going to exchange this hunk a junk with a real ring.  Then we’ve got a honeymoon to plan.”

“Skipped a step didn’t you?  You have to have a wedding before you can have a honeymoon.”  Reggie said.

“What’s to plan?  Vegas, quickie wedding, hopefully with Elvis, then honeymoon.”  Mulder commented off handedly.

Scully saw the teasing in his eyes.  “I think my Mom and Dad will have something to say about that.”

Skinner, who’d been listening from the doorway, tugged on Reggie’s arm, “I think we need to get out of here.”

The door closed and Scully said, “I thought they’d never leave.”  She leaned down and kissed him.  When she started to pull away he halted her retreat. 

“More please,” Mulder whispered.  The next kiss was a scorcher.  “Can’t wait till I’m out-a here.”

“Mulder, no Elvis, I’m telling you right now.”

End Part 2