From: eowyn7@ix.netcom.com(Gail Moore)
Newsgroups: alt.tv.x-files.creative
Subject: BIRTHDAY BY GABRIELLE AND EOWYN
Date: 24 Feb 1996 05:54:55 GMT


Hi all,
So how's life treating you?  Well this all started when I e-ed
Gabrielle about a Valentine's story she wrote telling her that it
needed a romantic follow up.  She said she had an idea but was going
out of town and said you want to finish it?  I said sure why not... and
so I did.  It was originally planned to be a romantic evening between
our two intrepid heros but Gabrielle put a line about Mulder buying
Scully a present in a little box and well she didn't tell me what it
was and so my mind got to wondering and then... well I went off the
deep end.  Blame it on the fact that she held his hand in tonight's
episode and also that my co-writer is under the NC-17 age requirement
so I couldn't very well do one of the story lines that I had in mind. 
I try very hard not to corrupt minors majors, too.  ;-)  However, that
being said if you'd like me to continue the events at the end of the
story e me and I'll take it as a challenge to write something hot and
sexy that isn't graphic.  At least I'll try.  

My addy is: Eowyn7@ix.netcom.com please cc any comments to my writing
partner as well.  She won't be back for awhile, another few days I
think but I'm sure she'd love to find lots of stuff in her mail when
she gets back.   Her name and addy are : Gabrielle Wong  
sculder@pl.jaring.my

Disclaimer: All characters seen or mentioned on the X-FILES are owned
by Chris Carter, Ten-Thirteen Productions, Fox and so on........... No
infringement of rights intended.


Birthday Special
by Gabrielle & Eowyn Evenstar

Scully's Apartment
Annapolis, M.D.
22 February, 1996
8:37 p.m.
		Scully had just finished putting away her dishes when the
phone rang. She picked up the phone at the Kitchen counter.
		"Scully."
		"Hey, Scully."
		"Mulder. What's up? Do you have news on the Lomack's
case?"
		"Actually, I'm calling to tell you that I won't be in
tomorrow."
		"What? Why? Are you sick Mulder? Did you see a doctor?"
		"No, no. I... it's nothing.  I just feel a little
light-headed, that's all.  I'll be all right.  I just need some rest."
		"Are you sure?" She was worried. Mulder had never called
in sick before.  And a little headache usually doesn't stop him. Not
when they're in the middle of a case.
		"Yeah, I'm positive. Look, uh... could you drop by my
place tomorrow after work?"
		"I can come over now.  Are you okay? You..."
		"Scully, I said I'm fine.  Just come over after work
tomorrow okay.  Say around five?"
		"Okay.  But I want you to get some rest right now.  And if
it's getting worse, I want you to call me immediately.  Understand?"
		"Yes, mom."
		Scully smiled. "Good.  Now be mommy's little angel and go
to bed, alright?"
		"G'night Scully."
		"Night, Mulder."

Apartment 42
Alexandria, VA.
22 February, 1996.
8:01 p.m.
		Mulder paced back and forth in his cramped living room. He
had just remembered it was Scully's birthday tomorrow and forgot to get
anything for her. Usually he wouldn't worry about birthday presents but
this was Scully and after that date on Valentines day, he knew he
wanted Scully to be more than just his partner and his best friend.
		*What should I do? What should I do?* He kept asking
himself. 
		After a few minutes, he put together a plan. First, he
would call in sick.  That would leave him time tomorrow to do some
shopping and to fix up dinner for two.  That's it. Now all he had to do
was call Scully.
		He picked up the phone and dialled. After two rings, he
heard the voice.
		"Hey Scully......."
___________________________
FBI Headquarters
Washington D.C.
23 February, 1996
4:15 p.m.
		Scully finished typing her report and clicked the 'save'
button. She looked at the clock and sighed. She had at times been
tempted to call up her partner to check on him but decided not to.
		It's her birthday today. And she had secretly hoped that
Mulder would be here today and maybe spend the evening together
celebrating, *as friends* she had to remind herself.  A whole day
without Mulder.  It felt different without him in the office.  She
always felt that his presence brought a peaceful mood in a way and
occasionally she would catch him staring at her. He would turn his
attention back to whatever he was doing when he realized he was caught.
 She often wondered what those stares meant.  Why had he asked her out
on Valentines day?  Was he attracted to her?  Was *she* attracted to
him?  It couldn't be.  It's against bureau protocols to have an
intimate relationship with your work partner and they both knew that.  
But she remembered that night and the dance.  It felt good to be held
by him.  Scully suddenly became her old self.  *Wake up girl.  You're
just imagining things.*  She told herself.  *One date and a dance
doesn't mean anything.  He was just trying to cheer you up because he
knew that you were spending Valentines day alone.*  She looked once
more at the clock.  It was 5:45. She was going to be late.  Scully
switched off her computer, grabbed her coat and headed out of the
basement office. 
__________________

Apartment 42
Alexandria, VA.
4:53 p.m.
	Mulder was breaking out in a cold sweat.  *Scully is going to be
here anytime.  Why the hell am I so nervous?* he asked himself.  *It's
not like it's my first date or anything.*
	He reached into his pocket and felt the parcel there. He smiled
and hoped that she liked what he got her. He had gone out to the mall
that afternoon and had spent almost 3 hours looking for a special gift.
	Then he had come home and prepared dinner all by himself, steak
complimented with a bottle of wine and the table set with candles and
all.  Feeling proud of his work he sat down switched on the TV and
waited.
_________________

Apartment 42
Alexandria, VA.
5:20 p.m.
	*Where could she be?* he thought to himself.  *Okay she isn't
that late, probably just stuck in traffic.*  He knew his neighbors were
going to think he was even weirder after today.  He popped out of his
apartment twice in the last fifteen minutes looking to see if that was
Scully he heard.  *Great, Mulder, you're really going to impress her
acting like a jack in the box.  Calm down.*  He sat back down to watch
TV.
	Ten more minutes had passed when he heard heels click on the
wooden floors outside his door.  He prayed that they'd stop and that it
would be Scully.  Then he prayed that they wouldn't stop because he'd
just decided he was about to make a big mistake.  He'd been kidding
himself all day that this was just an appreciation dinner between
friends.  It wasn't.  He didn't know how he wanted the night to end but
he knew for damn sure that when it was over he wanted them to be more
than just friends.
	The heels weren't stopping.   He sighed and debated turning on TV
again but thought better of it.  He was going to wear the remote
battery out at this rate.

	Dana Scully walked by Mulder's apartment door down to the end of
the hall and stopped.  *Why am I so nervous?  He just wants me to stop
by, probably to look at some case file that he's been working on all
day.  Yet he had sounded strange last night on the phone.  He said he
was sick.  Yeah sure?  What if he really is sick... really sick... he
might want to give you the news in person away from the office.  No,
he's only thirty-five... but you never know.*  Suddenly she knew that
she had to see him to make sure he was alright.  She headed down the
hall to his apartment and knocked.
	
	Mulder had ignored the approaching steps since they were coming
from the wrong direction.  *Apartment 45 must have a hot date.*  He
thought to himself, she normally didn't wear heels when she went out at
night.   As a result of his musings he jumped when someone knocked on
his door.  *Now what the hell does one of my neighbors want.*  He
jumped up irritated at Scully being late and one of his neighbors
bothering him.  Yanking the door open he was startled to see Scully
standing there.  He froze and lost his voice.  The more he swallowed
and tried to talk the more peanut butter seemed stuck to his tongue. 
When she smiled up at him he felt like he was melting.
	*What the heck was with Mulder?  He's standing there staring at
me with a stupid grin on his face.*  "May I come in or would you prefer
to talk in the hall."  He stepped aside motioning her in, still unable
to get his voice and mind to work together.  He shut the door and
started towards the kitchen to put the steaks on to broil and ran in to
Scully who had stopped dead in her tracks.  
	She looked back at him a hurt look in her eyes.  *Oh no,* he
thought to himself.  *She's upset because of the dinner.  She doesn't
want our relationship to change.*  He felt a pain in his chest, his
eyes suddenly started to burn, but before he could say anything Scully
spoke.
	"Oh, Mulder.  Why didn't you tell me you had a date?  I would
have made more of an effort to be on time but traffic was just horrible
and I left a little late.  Well look tell me real quick what you wanted
and I'll get out of your hair before she shows up."  Dana Scully fought
hard to keep her voice calm and neutral but she hurt.  Mulder had taken
the day off to get ready for a date with a woman.  She must be really
special for Mulder to have gone all out like this.  *Bet he even
changed the sheets on his bed.*  She thought nastily to herself. 
*Easy, Dana, you're just jealous.  Damn straight.*
	As she looked up at him expectantly he tried to read her
expression.  She thought he'd done all this for someone else.  Was she
jealous?  Did she care?  He suddenly realized that one of them was
going to have to open up and take a risk.  He tried but couldn't seem
to get any words out.  Finally he managed to croak out, "Wait here a
minute while I go put on the steaks.  I'll be right back."  As she went
to sit down on the couch he made a beeline for the kitchen, took the
steaks out of the refrigerator and put them under the broiler.  He then
did something he usually didn't do.  He set the timer on the stove.  In
his condition he knew that he'd probably burn them to a crisp if he
didn't because his mind wasn't working.  He opened the wine that was
chilling and poured out two glasses, taking a long drink from his to
get enough courage to finally talk to his partner.
	Dana sat and fidgeted.  The last thing she wanted for her
birthday present was to meet Fox Mulder's new girl friend.  The chorus
of a oldies song suddenly came into her head.  'It's my party and I'll
cry if I want to.  Cry if I want to...'  She had to get out, she
couldn't cry in front of Mulder.  She stood getting ready to make
excuses when he returned from the kitchen carrying two wine glasses. 
She looked up at him startled.
	"Happy birthday, Scully."
	He saw a tear roll down her cheek before she could catch it. 
Putting the wine glasses down on the coffee table he turned and grasped
her shoulders.  "What's wrong, Dana?  You don't mind that I fixed you
dinner do you?" 
 He was so afraid that he was going to hurt their partnership but he
couldn't go on like this much longer.
	Dana Scully took several deep breaths to regain her equilibrium. 
It was all for her, he'd taken all this trouble to celebrate her
birthday, she was the special woman.  She took one last ragged breath
before replying.  "No.  I don't mind at all it's the sweetest thing
anyone's ever done for me."
	He smiled at her, turned picked up the wine glasses and handed
one to her.  Lifting his glass in a toast he said, "To partners,
friends and lovers."
	She almost choked on the last word but looked up meeting his eyes
and raised her glass to drink.  *Is that what he wants?  Is that what I
want?*  She didn't know the answer yet.  At least she wasn't ready to
admit it if she did but she planned to enjoy tonight.

	Two and a half hours later they were still sitting at the table
talking.  The candles had burned low, they were cinnamon scented and
the spicy aroma filled the room.  The room was lit only by the light of
a dozen candles and a small lamp in the kitchen but for once instead of
looking gloomy the apartment looked intimate and romantic.  They had
talked about everything but work.  Mulder had kept the conversation
steered away from the usual topics.  He wanted tonight to be special. 
It was important to him to see if they had met under other circumstance
if they would have had other things to talk about.  It had been easy. 
They had talked about their childhoods... the good times.  Scully
keeping him laughing with adventures that she had gone on with her
brothers.
  	After one such description it occurred to him why she had been so
tenacious of late whenever he left her behind.  It was the way her
brother's had treated her growing up.  That thought made him a little
angry.  Didn't they know how great she was, but he caught himself.  He
knew how great she was and he was still leaving her behind but it was
because she was so wonderful that he had become afraid for her and of
losing her.  He sighed and debated some more on whether or not to give
her what he had gotten her.  Now that he came down to it he was so
afraid that she would say no, that everything would be ruined but he
knew he couldn't go on like this much longer.
	"This has been wonderful, Mulder, thank you."
	"My pleasure.  Oh, I have a present for you."  His voice cracked
a little.  *Get a grip, Mulder.*
	"This dinner was present enough."  She smiled at him thinking how
wonderful he had been.  She noticed that as he held the box out to her
his hand shook.  *Wonder why he's so nervous?*  She took the box from
him and unwrapped it.  It was a jewelry box about the size of a small
charm or a pair of earrings.  As she opened it she gasped and looked up
in shock.  This couldn't be what she thought it was... could it?  But
his words told her that it was.
	"M... m... marry me, Dana.  Please."  Fox Mulder stuttered over
the first word.  He wanted to hold her to take her hand but he was so
nervous and scared that he couldn't seem to move he was frozen in
place.
	Dana Scully for her part was having trouble thinking.  She knew
she needed to think about his question.  It wasn't possible.  They
didn't know each other that well... did they?  It wouldn't be a good
career move... what about the partnership?  Her mind raced on with
questions and doubts until it heard her lips answering, "Yes, Mulder. 
I'll marry you."
	*Damn it, Dana, you're supposed to think about things like this
first,* her mind yelled at her.  *Too late,* her heart replied with a
smile.  *You snooze, you lose.*
	Fox tried to get the words out to tell her how happy he was but
he found that the peanut butter was back and he couldn't talk.  So he
stood up and pulled her to her feet and into his arms.  He held on
tightly his chin resting on the top of her head.  After a few minutes
he decided that a kiss might be nice.  He'd never even kissed the woman
he was going to marry, so he pulled slightly away and put his hand
under her chin tilting her face up.  "Does a newly engaged man deserve
a kiss?"
	The radiant smile she shot back at him made him feel light
headed.  She nodded yes suddenly finding her own voice gone missing. 
He leaned slowly down and his lips met hers.  Sweet, innocent, soft,
gentle, tender all described that first kiss.  Their tongues gently
explored each other's mouths.  They broke slowly apart and he guided
her over to his couch and they cuddled up together.  Neither said much
each was enjoying the wonderful feeling of touching and being touched
without feeling guilty or afraid that the other person would get the
wrong idea.  
	After a while Dana asked, "How are we going to do this and keep
them from splitting us up?  I don't want to quit working on the
X-files."
	She heard the smile in his voice as he replied, "A moderate
length engagement and then we get married and don't bother to tell
anybody.  Should work if we're discrete."
	"That's pushing it but I guess it's worth trying.  After all
there aren't any written down rules about it and NOW and a few other
feminist organizations would love to make a test case."
	"Sounds good to me.  That should buy us several years anyway.  If
and when they find out."
	"We've got to tell my mom."
	"No argument from me.  Do you think she'll mind having me for a
son-in-law?"
	"She'll love it."
	They were quiet again for a long time each gently touching the
other.  Dana again was the one to break the silence, "Mulder."  She
felt him stiffen.  "What's wrong?"
	He figured that she was going to kill him for this but what the
heck, "Fox."
	She pulled up out of his arms and turned to look at him.  "What
do you mean Fox?"
	*Oops.  She sounds mad.*  "I mean call me Fox."
	"I thought you said that you even made your parents call you
Mulder."
	"I did for a while but they slipped back to Fox after a year or
two.  'Course you figured that out.  Didn't you?"
	"Fox Mulder, why the hell have I been calling you Mulder all this
time.  I thought you were uncomfortable with Fox?  'Course I about
brained you when I heard Dr. Bambi calling you that."
	He grinned at her not saying anything.  She had to of known why
he let Bambi call him Fox.  
	He saw her grin evilly back at him.  *What's she up to?*
	"Let's see.   You let Dr. Bambi call you Fox because you wanted
to get laid.  So does this mean you have plans for tonight, Fox?"
	At the way she had just said his name he felt his body reacting. 
It had been so long and the last couple of months he'd been chasing
everything in a skirt.  Mostly to keep his mind off Dana but it hadn't
worked.  After Comidy he'd given up trying to find anyone else.  He
knew who and what he wanted.
	An idea suddenly occurred to him and he grabbed the phone. 
*Screw long engagements.*  	Dana was puzzled, what was he doing and why
had he suddenly released her?  As he dialed a number she asked.  "Fox
what are you doing?"
	"Saving myself the aggravation of having to remember two
holidays."  He smiled at her as he spoke into the phone.  "Yes when is
your next available flight to Las Vegas.  An hour and a half good.  Can
I reserve two seats please?"
	As he went on to give out his credit card information Scully
wondered what he was up to.  He just kept smiling at her puzzled
expression.  "And when does the flight arrive?  Great, perfect. 
Thanks."
	"Mulder, I am not about to go exploring area 51 on my birthday."
	"That wasn't my plan."
	"Well I'm not a gambler so why are we going to Vegas?  I assume
I'm the one who you're taking?"
	"No.  I thought I'd give Frohike a treat.  Of course you're the
one I'm taking.  And we, my dear Dana Katherine Scully, are going to go
and get married."
	Dana's eyes got huge.  "Are you nuts?  What am I saying... of
course you are.  What about reasonable length engagements."
	"Three years is long enough.  You said yes and I'm not going to
give you a chance to change your mind.  Besides I know your upbringing
taught that sex out of marriage is a sin.  I know you think I don't
respect your beliefs but I do.  But I also don't think I can wait much
longer... and why should we?  So let's get married.  'K?"
	He looked so hopeful and expectant and scared all at once that
she had to laugh.  When she stopped laughing all she said to his
slightly scared face was "'K!"

Las Vegas, Nevada
11:55pm
	Five hours later at eleven fifty eight local time on February
twenty- third Fox Mulder and Dana Scully pledged to love, honor and
cherish each other till death do them part.  The service was performed
at the Star Gazer Wedding Chapel and Fortune Telling Parlor by a man
that had to be Vincent Price's twin brother, Madam Zola was on organ. 
Dana had laughed hysterically when she had seen the place.  "You did
this deliberatly, Fox."
	"Honest, Dana.  It was the first place I got through to that was
open and wasn't booked."
	"You started at A and worked..."
	"No I started at Z and worked forward.  Sorry, do you mind very
much?"
	"I guess I ought to but I'm so happy being married to you that I
don't give a damn."  She stood on tiptoe and kissed her husband again
long and hard.  "Now about that honeymoon..."
	
	And the joyous revelations of the marriage bed will have to wait
for another day... If you're interested e me at Eowyn7@ix.netcom.com