From: Chris Bley Date: Sat, 28 Apr 2001 18:12:04 -0700 (PDT) Subject: Story: Dream by Dreamer3315 Source: direct Title: Dream Author: Illusion3315 Rating: PG-13 Category: MSR Spoilers: Arcadia, The Unnatural, Detour, Syzygy Disclaimer: These characters all belong to Chris Carter, 1013 Productions, and FOX...they are not mine...I do not profit from use of them... Author's Notes: This is my first attempt at this, so please send feedback. Let me know whether you loved it, hated it...want me to continue the series or not.... Walt Disney's Polynesian Resort Monday, June 6 12:00 PM Mulder stretched his arms above his head as he stood on the balcony to their impressive hotel room. This must be heaven, although that would make Skinner an angel, he thought. One week in Florida with none other than Dana Scully. He couldn't believe what was happening to him, since their assignment was so perfect. They would be investigating the haunting of the Haunted Mansion at the Magic Kingdom. That wasn't the best part, though. The best thing was that, to avoid being identified as FBI agents and arousing suspicion, they would be acting as a newlywed couple. Mulder thought about the last time they had played these roles, and shook his head at his stupidity. He couldn't believe how he hadn't even really tried to make anything happen, although he had his chances. At this point, Scully interrupted his thoughts by stating that he could go and change now. He turned around to see a beautiful sight: Dana Scully, relaxed and casual. He thought to himself as he walked by her how good she looked when she wasn't looking "professional," as she always did at work. He was amazed what a pair of white shorts and a blue shirt did for her. For starters, he thought, it makes her eyes look so blue. Once he had grabbed a pair of shorts and a shirt from his suitcase, he went to change. Scully breathed a slight sigh of relief as she walked out to the balcony. She looked across the cobbled walkway and saw the perfectly groomed beach, complete with the classic beach chairs and striped hammock between the palm trees. She really wanted to just go down there, she thought. The sun would feel wonderful, and Mulder would insist on putting oil on my back for me. Then I could do his back, she thought, and then berated herself for even thinking like that. She spoke clearly when she heard Mulder's nearly silent footsteps behind her. "So, you ready to go?" Mulder jumped slightly, and seemed upset that he didn't get to surprise her as he wanted to. He nodded, and led Scully out of the room, locking the door behind them. They walked the same pathway to the main building to catch the monorail, and for once, luck was with them. Sort of. The next monorail, the green striped one, came within moments of their arrival at the station. However, it was nearly full already. Mulder saw one empty seat, and offered it to Scully. She shook her head, and said, "No, you go ahead." He sat down, and to her surprise, pulled her down with him. "Mu--Fox!" She said, remembering in her shock that they had to appear inconspicuous. She was secretly glad though, since for once they were on the same level. However, she prayed silently that he hadn't noticed the way her breath had quickened. She cringed slightly as the monorail jerked to a stop at the Grand Floridian Resort, and left again almost immediately. Mulder felt the way she pressed herself into him for support, or so he thought, and pulled her a little closer. She made this incredibly sexy noise in the back of her throat, and then relaxed a little more. The air-conditioning in the car was out of control, and within another few moments, she was shivering. He rubbed his hands on her arms to try to keep her warm. He pulled her as close as he could, and delighted in the smile of a little old woman next to them. "Son? How long have you two been together? You really are adorable. It's so nice to see chivalry again." She said, provoking a slight fear in Mulder. They really hadn't prepared for this, they hadn't thought it would be necessary. He looked at Scully, and she seemed to give him permission to continue. "We met a couple of years ago, and then dated until last week. We got married by the ocean in Hawaii, since our mutual friends decided that's where it had to be. Besides, they chipped in for the airfares, so how could we refuse?" The little old woman laughed with them as he finished the story. "She carried lilies and all these tropical flowers. Truthfully, I've never seen anything so beautiful in my life." Scully's eyes widened as she heard about the bouquet. That was the one she carried for her friend Tina's wedding last month. Mulder had been there with her, did he really think that? She didn't have time to think any more about it, as the monorail pulled up at the Magic Kingdom station. They said their farewells to the sweet old woman, and then went down to the line. Mulder just prayed that he could get through those stupid machines at the gates without any trouble. After four or five times, he hurried through the gates as quickly as he could. At the gate next to him, Scully simply set her hand on the machine, and she went straight through. Is there nothing that woman can't do, he thought, and then led her into the park. "So, Scully, what do you want to do first?" He said, and only prayed that her answer wouldn't be anything to do with shopping. He really wanted to see the park, not spend the first several hours in stores. "Well, Mulder, I thought that since there's so many great stores around here, I'd do a little shopping before we went anywhere." She smiled as she saw the horrified look on his face, then again as she saw his sweet attempt to cover it up. "I'm just kidding, I'm just kidding." Mulder decided that now would be the best time to start things, so he did. "You thought you'd be cute, did you? Did you?" He said as he grabbed her and tickled her unmercifully. She almost collapsed from laughing so hard, and he pulled her up when her knees began to buckle. "Muu--I give up...I give..." She couldn't even finish her sentence, since when she looked into his eyes, she started laughing again. The look on his face silenced her almost immediately though, well, tried to anyway. "Mulder, let me make it up to you. There's an old fashioned ice cream parlor right there. I'll buy." "On one condition." He said, with a gleam in his eye. "You actually eat something, not one of those nonfat, rice tofu things." She smiled, remembering that day in the office. "You mean tofutti-rice dreamsicles, Mulder?" At the digusted look in his eye, she knew it must be true. She led him into the parlor, just hoping that she'd get through this trip without doing something stupid. Ten minutes later, Scully walked out of the parlor with a small strawberry cone, shaking her head at Mulder. He got something, that's for sure. She just wasn't sure WHAT the hell it was. All she really knew was that it would have taken her three weeks to eat it, and he was already closer to being finished than she was. Once they had both finished, they started heading towards Liberty Square, the section of the park where the Haunted Mansion was located. Both realized which building it was immediately, as no other building could ever personify the name as well as that one. Mulder led Scully through the wraught-iron gates and up the pathway to the mansion's entrance. "Here lies Fred. A great big rock fell on his head. Nice to know these people have real true imagination, isn't it, Scully? I mean, seriously, do they have their five-year-old children write these things for them?" Mulder said, and Scully's sole response was to shake her head and keep walking. Once they entered the mansion, they were gathered along with the other people into a library-type room, which then proceeded to stretch before their eyes. Suddenly, the lights went out, and above them in the rafters was a hanging body. When the lights came on, Scully and Mulder looked each other in the eye, and immediately had the same thought: Is this really supposed to be frightening? They were then escorted to the room where they would board the cars and be taken through the mansion. They decided to share a car, and then the lap bar rose automatically. "At least these ghosts are polite, Scully. They haven't thrown anything at us yet." Scully smiled, but was too focused on what was happening around her to comment further. The ride ended eventually, with the offer of a home for one last soul. "Think I should take them up on it? I mean, seriously, Scully...Skinner wouldn't miss me. Well, actually, he'd miss me in an hour, when he realized I wasn't there to yell at." Mulder said, not expecting the response he got. "Mulder, don't you ever, EVER joke about death. You of all people should know what a sensitive topic that is now." Scully all but yelled, prompting the people around them to give them questioning looks. "Scully, come here." Mulder said, wrapping his arms around her gently. He cherished these moments above all others, the times when he got to hold her, and just exist for once. Unfortunately, they often came at a price. The price was often the risk of a life, and more often than not, it was her life that was risked. "You know I didn't mean anything by it. I'm not going anywhere, I promise. You can't get rid of me that easy." He whispered gently in her ear, stroking her hair as he held her close. Scully froze in his arms, praying that it wouldn't end quickly. He had no idea how safe she felt in his arms, usually because it was after she had almost been killed that she was embraced like this. She wished every night that someday this could be real, could be their normal way. However, she knew that it was another one of those risks she didn't want to take. Finally, she realized that they were holding things up at the exit, and that they really had to leave. "Mulder, come on. We're making things difficult here. We'll come back later to talk to them." She said, pulling him gently away from the building. "So, where do you want to go?" She asked, almost afraid of what the answer might be. "You know what I really want to do? Actually, if I tell you, you won't go, so just come with me." Scully was baffled by this sudden mysterious nature, and out of sheer curiousity, agreed to follow him. When they reached Tomorrowland, he covered her eyes with his left hand. "Scully, just trust me. I won't let anything happen, okay? Are you all right with this?" She nodded, and he led her to the attraction that had caught his eye the moment he read the park map. They entered a small room to view a video, and he took his hand off her eyes. They were in a room with no windows, and several TV screens. She chose one at random, and watched the teleportation video. All at once it hit her that she had read reviews of this ride. Alien Encounter, she thought to herself, I should have seen this one coming. Oh well, what can be so bad about this? She regretted her words once they entered the demonstration room, and the lights when out after the supposed escape of an alien. She heard breathing behind her, and felt something go through her hair. Mulder was next to her, so she knew it couldn't be one of his sick jokes. She clenched his hand tightly, somehow unable to convince herself that it was just a ride, that it wasn't real. She almost broke his fingers when something warm and wet dripped on her from the ceiling, as it slid down her face like blood. When the ride ended, she let go of Mulder's hand, and left the building as quickly as possible. "Mulder, I know that wasn't real, but it was definitely a little creepy." He started to laugh, and she wasn't really sure why. "Mulder, what the hell is so funny?" "I just heard two little kids saying how much they loved it, and here you are, an FBI agent who's not happy about the whole thing. I guess that fear comes with age. They're not afraid of anything at that age." He said, and she smiled. Even though he was mocking her, she couldn't be mad at him. "Do you mind if we go back to the hotel for a little while, and maybe come back for the fireworks tonight? Right now, I want to go lay on the beach in the sun." Mulder nodded, and the thought of applying suntan oil to her body raced through his mind. He shook it off quickly, knowing he'd never make it through the hour if he kept thinking like that. About a half hour later, they were both lying in chairs on the white sandy beach at the hotel. Mulder gave up moments later though, when he was blinded by the reflections of the water. These prevented him from watching Scully, so he went to the bar and bought two drinks. When he came back, he found Scully lying in the chair exactly as he'd left her. He gave her a nudge, handed her the drink, and went to lay in the hammock underneath the palm trees. Scully's eyes followed him as he walked to the hammock, and sat down on the edge of it. Unfortunately, his balance didn't prevail as he attempted to recline in it. He leaned back, and within an instant found himself lying facedown in the sand. Scully couldn't help but laugh. It was just so...cute, she thought to herself. "I'd like to see you do any better." He said, and she decided to take him up on the offer. She sat gingerly on the edge of the hammock, leaned back and curled her feet up underneath her. His eyes grew wide, and he growled, "Fine. Although I swear you're cheating or something." Little did he know her childhood pasttime had been lying in hammocks. "Mulder, you wouldn't believe how long it took me to learn that. I fell probably two hundred times when I was a kid. After a while, you get sick of falling and learn how to do it." She tried to lighten the mood, and he found it irresistable. He smiled at her, and she said, "Come on, crawl up here." Somehow, she balanced the hammock for both of them, and soon they were laying side by side, watching the sun set over the lake. Eventually they both realized that it was almost seven o'clock, and they had been laying there for almost three hours. They went back to their room, changed back into street clothes, and headed back to the main building to catch the monorail. "Scully?" Mulder said, trying to catch her attention. When she finally looked over at him, he added, "We haven't eaten since around two this afternoon, and that was ice cream...Do you mind if we stop in the lobby and get something?" "Mulder! Do you ever think that maybe I had something all planned out? Maybe that I wanted something a little more exciting than food-court fare the first night out?" Scully said, and when he dropped his eyes to the ground and shook his head, she knew her point had been made. "Yes, we can stop and get something to eat. Actually, I'm pretty hungry myself." At this remark, he knew she hadn't been seriously upset with him, but still felt a little ridiculous. She had that way with him, that everything she thought about him meant the world to him. He would rather die than ever have her be truly disappointed in him. By the time he had finished contemplating the level of anger she was reaching, they had arrived at the food court, and she was leading him into the line. Forty-five minutes later, they headed upstairs to the monorail station. After waiting about five minutes for a train to arrive, they headed on their way to the Magic Kingdom with only a brief stop. Once they had passed through the turnstiles, Mulder led Scully down the main stretch and over a little bridge by Cinderella's castle. "I was talking to the bartender at the beach this afternoon, and he said that in the park, this is the best place to watch the fireworks from." Mulder said, hoping that he might have pleased her by trying to find the best for her. "Mulder, the fireworks don't start for another two hours. Can't we go and do something first? Maybe go over to Adventureland for a while, take in a show or something?" Scully said, gently so as to not hurt his already fragile feelings. "Sure, why don't we go ride the Pirates of the Caribbean? That's supposed to be a real classic here." Scully nodded her approval to this latest escapade, and they walked the short distance to the ride. By this time of night, most people were ready and waiting to watch the light parade, so there weren't a lot of people around. They boarded the ride almost immediately, and were two of the four people in their car. Fifteen minutes later, they hadn't moved past the entryway. "Mulder, I think we're stuck." Scully said, with her flair for stating the obvious. Eventually, the operators realized the problem, and pushed the boats on. Another fifteen minutes went by, and they were getting out of the boat. "Do you mind if I look in the shops real quick, Mulder? We've still got a little time." He nodded, and she disappeared into the maze of little stands at the ride's exit. Moments later, he spotted a jeweler across the walkway. He strolled over, and looked at the display cases, wishing he could find something that would be perfect for her. Then he saw it. It was a simple gold ring, with a small red stone in the center. It was so delicate, but completely elegant and simple. Just like Scully, he thought to himself as he paid for the ring. He asked if he could have the inside engraved, and the man nodded. He arranged to have the ring delivered to him at the desk of the hotel the next day, and then he went and found Scully. "Can we go? The fireworks are going to start in twenty minutes." She reluctantly dragged herself away from the stands, with a little encouragement from Mulder in the form of her arm being pulled from its socket. They went back to the spot by the bridge, and waited patiently for the fireworks to start. When they did, Scully was mesmerized by the display. Mulder was simply thinking about how he was going to explain why he had purchased a ring for her. When the show was over, Mulder didn't even realize. Scully grabbed his arm, and pulled him towards the exit, amongst the crowds. He grabbed her hand so they wouldn't be separated in the rush, and then led her not to the monorail station, but to the bus station. "Come on, Scully. We gotta have a little fun while we're here. Let's go to Pleasure Island." She looked a bit confused, but agreed and boarded the next bus to the nightspot. The bus was really crowded, and there was only standing room left. This wasn't a problem for him, she thought, since he could reach the railings to support himself. Not that it would be a problem if this guy would quit trying to be Mario Andretti. The next turn was taken sharply, far too sharply for Scully to keep her balance. Quick as lightning, Mulder's arm reached around her waist and held her close. Moments later, they arrived at Pleasure Island. "So, where do you want to go first, Mulder?" Scully asked, almost afraid of the answer. "I don't know what any of these places are, so let's just go into this one." Mulder replied, opening the door and leading her through it. When they arrived, they saw that it was a piano/karaoke bar. Mulder tried to turn around and leave, but not before a woman spotted him and grabbed his arm. "Sir, I just have to hear you sing. You look like a star, come on honey." She said, and pulled him up on stage. Scully realized that the woman worked there, and was pleasantly surprised at the blackmailing possibilities of this situation. Moments later, he learned that the song he would be singing was none other than "Joy to the World," the same song Scully had sang in the forest in Florida. Needless to say, after that experience, they left the club quite rapidly. Scully opened another door, and they entered another club. This club apparently thrived on disco music, and was slightly more acceptable to Mulder. However, he thought, I'd really like to have a rock club. One with just music, nothing more. No dancing, no singing, no karaoke...just music. They got two beers and sat along the bar and watched the dance competition that was taking place on the floor. A couple from Dallas were the winners, and were told to drink on the house all night. The crowd cheered as the couple were led to the bar and were given their first drinks. Eventually, it came to be close to 2 AM, and they realized that if they didn't leave soon, they wouldn't get back to the hotel at all. So they walked along the waterway to the bus station, and waited alone for the next bus to the Polynesian. When they returned to the room, Scully fell onto the room's king sized bed and immediately fell asleep. Mulder wasn't sure exactly what he was supposed to do in this situation. She certainly didn't invite me in, he thought, but we're supposedly married. Ah, hell, I'll just take the little couch there. At least I'll feel like I'm at home. Polynesian Resort Tuesday, June 7 9:00 AM Scully woke the next morning to Mulder's voice. "Come on, let's go. We've got a long day ahead of us. Today we get to have fun. We're going to MGM Studios." Scully opened her eyes reluctantly, and went to take a shower and get changed. Mulder had been up since 7, since those were the hours he was used to keeping. All the while, he had watched her face as she slept, and thought how beautiful she was. He knew that he had no right to want anything more, but he still did. He couldn't deny it. When it came to be 9 o'clock, he knew they should get going so they could get a lot done. The earlier they went, the less people would be there, and the more they could get done. So, after about an hour, they arrived at the Disney-MGM Studios and passed through the turnstiles. Mulder knew exactly where he was going, and pulled Scully down a rendition of Sunset Boulevard. At the end was a huge hotel, the Hollywood Tower Hotel, otherwise known as the Tower of Terror. They waited in line and walked into the library to view a quick video. After they were sent through the basement to the service elevator, Scully began to worry. Not that she was really afraid of it, but the possibilities were endless. They were seated in the back row with three other men. The lap bar actually fit close to Scully, as the men were extraordinarily thin. She really enjoyed the ride, once it got going. She thought to herself as they reached the final level that looked out upon the park that it would be really amazing at night. She reminded herself to drag Mulder back here that evening. Next, Scully saw the rollercoaster based on Aerosmith. She had to do it, but Mulder refused. "You know how those things affect me, I'd just rather not risk getting sick already." She nodded, and took about half an hour to get through the line and the ride. She exited the ride on an adrenaline rush, exhilarated by the rush of the 60 mph spins and drops. Mulder was waiting for her, drinking a bottle of water on a park bench. They decided to go to the Indiana Jones Stunt Spectacular next, as the show started in twenty minutes. They asked for volunteers, and Mulder pulled Scully's hand up. He regretted it an instant later when the man said that since they were such a cute couple, they could both come up. Mulder ended up being a carpet salesman, and Scully was used for the acting demonstration. They had her demonstrate screams of panic, fear, loss, and then had her play the role of Marian in the next scene. Mulder was terribly jealous of the man playing Indiana Jones at that point. He got to rescue her, kiss her, hold her, and fly her to safety in a jet. What he wouldn't give to be that guy, he thought, and then the show was over. It was almost one o'clock by the time they reached the next attraction, The Great Movie Ride. Scully was thrilled by the descriptions of how the movies were made, and how special effects were created, but Mulder was bored. He couldn't wait to get out of the car, especially after the incredibly fake gunfight scene. "So, Mulder, what's next?" Scully asked, knowing that he hadn't enjoyed the last ride at all. He pointed to a little restaurant called the ABC Commissary. They headed that way, got a table, and went to order. Scully, being completely impossible, ordered a salad. Mulder shook his head in mock disappointment and ordered a double cheeseburger. They sat and watched the clips from all the ABC shows, as they finished their lunch. Four hours later, they had seen the Backstage Tour, Star Tours, and Superstar Television. Mulder was amazed at how much they were getting accomplished. The next thing Scully wanted to see was the Muppet show. She pulled him back to the theater, where they waited in line for the next show. Mulder whined constantly about how boring this was going to be, and at one point, he was whining in unison with a ten-year-old kid next to him. Scully and the child's mother immediately started laughing, and Mulder was intensely annoyed by it. They were led into the inner theater, handed 3-D glasses, and given a brief introduction to the show. Oddly enough, he thought, I'm actually not minding this too much. He was in hysterics in several parts, just because of how much they reminded him of his own life and ironic happenings. He watched the rest of the show with a smile on his face, and Scully looked pleased. It was almost 7 by the time they reached the front of the park, and Scully insisted on doing some shopping. She ended up buying several keychains, shirts, and postcards, which she sent back to the hotel to retrieve that evening. This reminded Mulder of the ring, which he hadn't picked up that morning. He was almost frantic, and then he realized that it was in his name, not the room number. Around 8, Scully dragged him back to the Tower of Terror, saying how she wanted to see how it looked at night. Mulder just hoped his stomach could handle another 13 story drop. When they boarded, they ended up in the front row alone. There were only a few only passengers in the car, as most people were watching the laser light show nearby. Mulder had seen the line for it, and decided that it wasn't the best idea. They reached the top, and the car paused for a moment before it dropped. The park was absolutely beautiful, Scully thought as she heard the first cable snap. The car plummeted, and it felt different than the first time. Apparently, it felt different every time, as one of the tour guides had informed them. After they got off the ride, they decided to just go back to the hotel and relax for the evening. They went over to the pool and swam for about two hours. Well, he's swimming, Scully thought. I'm just relaxing and resting my feet. I can't believe how much they hurt. When they got out of the pool, Scully limped back to the room. Mulder waited until she had changed and sat on the bed, and then he perched on the edge and began to massage her feet. He was so internally glad that she was letting him do this, because it was letting him get closer to her. She curled up into a ball when he had finished, and turned on the TV. There was an old episode of The Three Stooges on, so they watched that. At one point, Scully looked over to find Mulder sleeping already. She couldn't bring herself to wake him, so she turned off the TV and lights. Why can't this just be real? She thought, and then fell asleep. Polynesian Resort Wednesday, June 8 10:00 AM Scully woke the next morning to find Mulder snoring lightly next to her. She sat up quickly, wondering how they had gotten to their present condition. Then she remembered him falling asleep next to her as they watched TV the night before. She shook him awake, and watched him react with the same shock that she originally had felt. He blinked a few times, and looked around. He then went into the bathroom to shower and change. Twenty minutes later, he emerged and she immediately went to shower. When she stepped out of the shower and went to put on her clothes, she realized she hadn't brought a shirt with her. She stuck her head out the door and yelled, "Mulder! Could you please bring me the black tank top that's lying on my suitcase?" "Why? Come out here and get it yourself." He responded. She glared at him, and he walked over to her with the shirt in hand. "I'm sorry Scully, I just had to. I couldn't help it." She glared at him again, and slammed the door. "Shit." He mumbled to himself and went back to the balcony. What the hell is he thinking, tempting me like that? I don't know if I can resist that charm, and he's not helping at all. Her thoughts were interrupted by hi, knocking on the door and telling her that they really should get going. "I'll be out in a second, Mulder. Just let me brush my teeth." A minute later, she stepped out, and they left on the monorail to go to EPCOT Center. They didn't realize they had to switch trains, but when they reached the Transportation and Ticket Center, they were informed of this fact. They waited for the next monorail to come, and fifteen minutes later, they entered the gates at EPCOT. "Okay Scully, where to?" Mulder said, still trying to make up for his earlier stupidity. She pointed at the large thing that looked suspiciously like a golf ball, and they walked toward it, after grabbing a park map. "I've always wanted to ride Spaceship Earth. Ever since I was a little girl and saw the pictures of the opening of the park." Mulder smiled when Scully confessed this little secret to him. They sat in the back of a car, within another couple in the front of the car. They passed through time, and eventually the car stopped under a representation of the night sky. Mulder leaned over and whispered in her ear, "Isn't this beautiful?" "There's your UFO, Mulder. Now that's romantic." Mulder smiled at her, and the car suddenly started moving again. They went to the interactive games section at the end of the ride. They experimented with all sorts of computer-activated games and rides, and then went outside. Scully grabbed Mulder's hand and led him to the next place, Universe of Energy. There they watched a movie that they both agreed was terribly boring. The Wonders of Life pavilion was definitely more exciting, at least from Scully's point of view. They rode the simulator Body Wars, and played the interactive mind games outside. They stopped at the refreshment stand for drinks. "What the hell is that, Scully?" Mulder said, as he sipped his root beer. She replied that it was a strawberry-papaya smoothie. He winced, and thought to himself that she would never loosen up and get something that wasn't healthy. They went to the show called Cranium Commando, and Scully thought it was a complete and total joke how the body was represented. Once Mulder calmed her down, the show was over. However, the Disney people more than made up for it by having set up the hypothalamus to insult people as they left. Mulder was the one who was called a child. Scully was in hysterics as they left the building. They proceeded around Future World as the day went on. The last place they visited was the Living Seas. They both really enjoyed it, and Scully sat and watched the dolphins swim for almost half an hour before Mulder convinced her to go to dinner with him. --0-1350490027-988506724=:42648 Content-Type: text/plain; name="Dream2.txt" Content-Description: Dream2.txt Content-Disposition: inline; filename="Dream2.txt" They left Mexico, after looking at the sculptures in the entryway, and then proceeded on to Norway. They rode the Maelstrom, and then watched the video afterward, which Mulder found absolutely useless. However, Scully found it interesting, so he tolerated it. Afterwards, they traveled around the rest of World Showcase, shopping along the way. Mulder truly believed he was in Hell at this point, but every once and again, he found something that caught his eye. It was almost nine by the time they worked their way around the World Showcase, and Mulder led her back to Norway. He sat her down on a park bench, told her to save him a seat, and said he'd be right back. He went back to the bakery, and bought cinnamon rolls and an almond pretzel, along with two coffees. He walked back to the park bench, and handed Scully the bag and a cup of coffee. He knew she would immediately go for the pretzel, and he took a cinnamon roll. They watched Illuminations, the laser light show without a word from either. The music and lights were incredible, and then they realized the worst part. The crowds and getting to the exit. An hour later, they were waiting on the lowest level of the monorail station. It was almost 11:30 by the time they boarded the monorail, and when they reached the TTC and saw the line for the resort monorail, they decided just to walk back to their room. Scully fell asleep again almost immediately, and Mulder curled up on the couch. He thought to himself that they really did have to get some work done, and that tomorrow might be a good day for it. Polynesian Resort Thursday, June 9 10:30 AM Mulder woke before Scully did, so he walked down to the lobby and picked up the ring. He opened the box, took the ring out, and read the inscription. Perfect, he thought to himself, and then Scully came up behind him. "Holy shit!" Mulder gasped, and Scully smiled. "Morning." At that point, that was all he could coherently offer. Scully smiled to herself as they climbed the stairs to the monorail station. She had gotten him good this time, but what was it that had him so distracted? When they got to the Magic Kingdom, they went on a few rides. They saw everything in Frontierland, and decided to go over to Tom Sawyer's Island. They tried the barrel bridge, and Scully was convinced she was going to end up in the lake. Especially when Mulder jumped up and down on the other end, causing the entire bridge to shake. She was clinging to the ropes and cursing him with every breath she took, until he finally stopped and led her back to the boat. They went to Liberty Square and talked to some of the staff at the Haunted Mansion, and asked if they could come back after the park closed that evening to investigate a little. They were granted permission, and were told to be at the gates after the fireworks ended that evening. They thanked the man, and then went over to Tomorrowland. They rode the Grand Prix Speedway, which Mulder found terribly difficult, due to the track that had to be followed. Scully was behind him, and hit him repeatedly. Of course, she thought, I wouldn't hit him if he didn't stop so suddenly. They walked around the section of the park, seeing the Timekeeper, and Space Mountain before boarding the Tomorrowland Transit Authority. They leaned back in the seats and relaxed as the ride took them around Tomorrowland, explaining all about the rides. They even went through Space Mountain, and saw how really small the ride was, even though it was a great ride. Before they realized it, it was 8:00, and they hadn't eaten yet. They went to the Crystal Palace, even though it was much more expensive than most of the other places in the park. However, the food was really elegant, Scully thought. Mulder immediately took the check and paid for it, causing her to fight him strongly, not wanting him to be responsible for that. He said that they were married now, and there was no reason to be upset by it. She had no real argument to it, but promised herself that she would pay him back when they got home. They looked through the shops on Main Street until the fireworks began, and then they headed over to the Haunted Mansion. The man opened the doors the minute they walked up to them, and he said that he would be waiting here whenever they were done. They walked through the ride, and other than a few cold chills, saw nothing that would be classified as paranormal. Scully looked around one last time, and saw that the eyes on a few of the statues seemed to be glowing. She pointed it out to Mulder, and when he looked, the eyes were piercing red. They pulled the statue down, and found a timer and a setup that would explain it all. They told the man what they'd found, thanked him, and caught the last monorail to the hotel. They went down to the pool again that night, and decided that the next day would be spent lying on the beach most of the day, and then they could take it from there. When they went back to the room, they watched old movies until 4 AM, and then fell asleep. Mulder woke up around 6 AM, turned off the lights and the TV, and fell back asleep without a word. Polynesian Resort Friday, June 9 12:00 PM Scully woke up to find Mulder smiling at her from the chair. "Good morning, Sleeping Beauty." She smiled at him, and smoothed her hair back behind her ear. "So, you want to go down to the beach?" She nodded, and went to change into her bathing suit. They stayed at the beach for almost four hours, and Scully looked quite sunburned. When they got back to the room, he convinced her to let him put lotion on her back so she wouldn't peel. She laid down on her stomach, and winced every time his hands touched her now incredibly sensitive skin. It hurt to dress, as her shirts all brushed up against her shoulders. Every time she moved, she groaned in pain. Mulder went down to the shops in the main building and found some aloe cream and smoothed it on her shoulders and back. She was able to get ready without any extreme pain, so they decided to go out to dinner. She dressed in a blue tank top and a loose fitting skirt, a blessing to her sunburn. They went to OHana's, the restaurant in the lobby. Mulder ordered for both of them at the waiter's insistence. He said it was the tradition of the islands to let the lady be taken care of at all times. Mulder caught Scully's eye, and mouthed a subtle "I told you so" before the waiter left. Their food arrived forty-five minutes later, something Scully found outrageous. Mulder reminded her again that it was a really busy place and that they had come with the dinner rush, and somehow managed to calm her down. He thought the food was worth the wait, as was the dessert. Scully wasn't so sure. They decided to go to the marketplace, which was right next to Pleasure Island. Scully shopped while Mulder followed her patiently. On the other side of the Downtown Disney area, there was a free concert that played classic rock. Mulder dragged Scully with him to the other end of the marketplace and sat her down on the benches. "This is going to be great. Really." He said, trying to convince her, and doing a lousy job at it. However, once the music started, Scully was more into it than he was. He was amazed, but didn't say a word. They decided to make it an early night, and go to the Speedway the next day. They went back to the hotel around 11 PM, and went to sleep within the hour. Polynesian Resort Saturday, June 10 9:00 AM They had decided to go to the Speedway that day, and take a lesson before the big race that evening. Once they arrived and took a quick course, they were told they could do a fifty lap race against each other. They put on the helmets, and slid into their cars. They lined them up at the finish line, and sped off at true race speeds. Scully won easily, and Mulder finished close behind. He was amazed, and wasn't surprised to hear her say, "So these little legs really can reach the pedals, huh?" He smiled at her, and took her to lunch at the restaurant two levels above them. The race was due to start at 3 PM, so they had an hour and a half to waste. They finished eating at 2:30, after the service was remarkably slow. They decided to go take their seats early, and finally the crowds began to pack in. Ironically, they were sitting next to the little old lady from the first day. "Why, hello. I didn't expect to see you again." She said, as she sat down. Mulder and Scully both smiled at her, and they had a long conversation with her, that continued an hour after the race was over. They took the bus back to the hotel room, and decided to rest before their last day. They watched movies, and ordered in pizza. Mulder was amazed that for once Scully let herself relax and eat something that was completely terrible for her. Scully knew she had shocked him, and knew that she had in fact won. They ended up falling asleep late again, which would significantly cut down on the amount of time they had the next day. Polynesian Resort Sunday, June 11 11:00 AM They woke and left quickly, wanting to get everything done before they left early the next morning, to go back to the real world. They decided to go back to the Magic Kingdom for their last day, and experience everything they could again. Scully shopped and dragged Mulder back on every ride she had liked, and then in a moment of pure trust, asked him if he would go on the carousel with her. "Childhood dream?" He asked, and she nodded. She knew he was the only person she would ever trust with that knowledge, and the only one she could ever ask something like that of. The day flew by, and before they knew it, they were waiting for the parade to begin. Mulder had the ring in his pocket, now he was just waiting for the right moment. They watched the parade in pure silence, then waited for the fireworks to start. As Tinkerbell began her flight, Mulder turned Scully to face him.
They went to World Showcase around 5:00, and went to dinner at the Mexican restaurant. It was so relaxing to sit by the water, drink margaritas, and eat good Mexican food, she thought. After they finished eating, they went on the boat ride. The mist and the air conditioning combined, and after five minutes on the ride, Scully was shivering. Mulder pulled her closer to him, and rubbed her arms to warm her up. She snuggled a little closer, trying to get all the warmth she could from him. This reminded him yet again that he had to do ask her while they were here, while he still had his nerve. "Mulder, what is it?" She said, expecting something completely stupid to come from his mouth. Instead, he looked as if he were debating whether or not to say something. He knew it was now or never, that he had to do this. "Scully, there's something I've been meaning to tell you for a long time. I just realized it more now that we were put into this situation." She looked up at him questioningly, unsure of what to do or say. He pushed on, ignoring every thought in his head that told him to stop. "Scully, I love you. I always have." Her eyes widened at this confession, and he fished in his pocket for the ring. "There's something I have to ask you now, otherwise I'll regret it the rest of my life." He pulled the ring out, got down on one knee, and said, "Scully, will you marry me?" She pulled him up off the ground, slid the ring on her finger, and said, "Yes. Yes, I'll marry you." He pulled her into his arms, and kissed her. Above them, the fireworks began to burst into a million colors, none of which he found more beautiful than his love.