From soeren@umich.edu Sun Mar 09 18:46:05 1997
Newsgroups: alt.tv.x-files.creative
Subject: NEW: "Por Tous Jours" (1/1) REVISED
From: soeren@umich.edu (Peter D. MacFarlane)
Date: 10 Mar 1997 00:46:05 GMT
--------
Disclaimer: The X-Files and its characters are owned by CC, 
1013, and 20th Cent. Fox. No infringement is intended.

Thanks to everyone for correcting my spelling of "beaucoup." 
I wondered why "boku" wasn't in my father's French 
dictionary... 

I can't live with a mistake like that, so I'm posting this revised 
version. I'm not trying to take up memory on the net, but I 
have to be perfect... :)

However, "tous jours" is correct -- it's Old French. The 
modern accepted spelling is "por toujours." I'm following 
what the PBS Catalogue said.


 
			Por Tous Jours
			          by
		       Ann-Marie MacFarlane
		          AM79898@ltu.edu

	C. "For Always" Poesy Ring
	As a lover's token, a wedding ring, or a gift between 
	friends, the Poesy (Poetry) Ring has symbolized 	
	lasting affection since medieval times. This replica of 
	a 15th-century ring now in London's Victoria and 
	Albert Museum is handmade of sterling silver or 14K 
	gold. Engraved around it is the phrase in old French, 
	_Por tous jours_ "For always." Please specify whole 
	sizes.....
		-"Signals" PBS Catalogue


February 23, 1997
Dana Scully's Apartment,
Annapolis, MD
6:42 PM

	"Oh Mulder, you didn't have to...." Scully started to 
say when Mulder handed her the tiny box that had been 
painstakingly wrapped in gold paper and silver ribbon. 
	
	"Yes, I did," he replied immediately, "Happy 
Birthday, Scully."
	
	Blushing and avoiding her partner's eyes, Scully 
accepted the package and delicately unwrapped it, convincing 
herself that she could save and reuse the wrapping paper. 
Inside the paper was a little square-shaped velvet box.  A box 
that would be just perfect to hold a....
	
	Scully stopped herself from riding that train of 
thought any further. She would only end up disappointed if 
she continued thinking that way.
	
	She made herself look at Mulder's face before 
opening the box. He was wordlessly watching her to see her 
reaction. 
	
	She opened the clam-like container to reveal... a gold 
ring. She inhaled sharply, but tried not to show her surprise. 
	
	It was all so overwhelming. Scully had no idea what 
was going on when Mulder gently picked up her left hand, 
removed the ring from the box and slid it on to her ring 
finger, massaging her hand a little as he did so.	
	
	In all her confusion, Scully had failed to notice the 
lettering on the ring. It was quite odd, really. It didn't look like 
an engagement ring, because the diamond or other gemstone 
was conspicuously absent. Instead there were letters that 
looked like they were inscribed in the Old English typeface, 
but she couldn't read or understand the words.
	
	"What does this mean?" she asked just above a 
whisper, indicating the lettering to Mulder. 
	
	He thought she looked bewildered. He worried that 
he had scared her or given her the wrong idea with this gift. 
But he went ahead and answered her question, wondering if 
it might clear things up.
	
	"It's French. 'Por tous jours.' It means 'For always,'" 
he explained softly.
	
	She didn't know what to say. She found herself 
looking at him blankly, her eyes about to fill with tears. Then, 
suddenly, she understood. He wasn't asking her to marry him. 
He didn't have the self-confidence for that. He was instead 
asking her if she would always trust and support him the way 
she did now, and expressing his gratitude for the past. It was a 
request as well as a reward. 
	
	Mulder didn't have to tell her that with words. She 
understood it.
	
	She nodded her gratitude and smiled, unaware of the 
single tear that had escaped her eyes and was rolling down 
her cheek. All she said was, "Thank you, Mulder."
	
	It was all she had to say. She was accepting his 
request openly, and he could see it. Relief filled him as he let 
go of the breath he was unaware he had been holding. He 
smiled back at her and caressed the tear away from her face. 
They stared at each other in silence.	
	
	"You know, Mulder, for a second there, I thought 
you were asking me to marry you," Scully said, her voice 
warm.
	
	"What would you have said?" Mulder asked.
	
	She didn't know if she should say it. It would be 
synonymous with 'I love you,' and she didn't know if she 
wanted to give him that kind of information right now. She 
didn't know how it would affect him.
	
	"Yes," she said, however, without the slightest bit of 
reserve or hesitation.
	
	They were silent for a second time, and this time 
neither one of them knew what to say. Mulder was sure 
Scully had no idea what she was implying, and he almost 
wanted to give her the opportunity to take it back.
	
	But that was how she meant it, and she knew he 
would understand. After all, no one had said 'I love you' and 
no one was asking anyone to marry them. But if he had 
asked...
	
	"What?" Mulder asked, to clarify. He had to know if 
he had heard her correctly. It had only been one word, and 
that increased the odds that he could have misheard her, 
hearing only what he wanted to hear.
	
	Scully leaned closer to him on the couch. Her voice 
became softer as she took his hand and looked right into his 
eyes, paralyzing him. 
	
	"I would have said yes," she said, without a trace of 
uncertainty.
	
	At this, he kissed her. He had to. 
	
	After the kiss, she whispered in his ear, "Mulder, je 
t'aime."
	
	"Je t'aime beaucoup," he echoed, "Por tous jours."


()()()()()()()()()()()()()()()()()()()()()()()()()()()()()()()

"Je t'aime" = "I love you"
"Je t'aime beaucoup" = "I love you very much."

All comments and corrections welcome at 
AM79898@ltu.edu.

Have a lovely day,

Ann-Marie MacFarlane