5:47pm Mulder and Scully's Basement Office
J.Edgar Hoover FBI Building

"So who's the lucky guy, Scully?" Mulder mused with a sly grin as he popped open a sunflower seed between his teeth.

"I'm afraid I don't quite follow you, Mulder" Scully replied in her usual -"what are you up to now?"- Tone that Mulder had grown quite accustomed to.

"FBI ball, tomorrow night. You have a date don't you?"

"Mulder, what is this, the third degree?"

Scully retorted, seemingly annoyed, and feeling a little stung, because, no, she didn't have a date. She had figured that she and Mulder would just go together like last year, and the year before that, and the year before that... It seemed to be a *given* that wherever they went lately, they went together.

"Who are *you* going with Mulder?" Scully questioned bitterly.

"Well, hopefully, If my plan works, I'll be going with the most beautiful, and intelligent woman I have ever met." Mulder replied with a grin.

Scully felt like the wind had just been knocked out of her. Not that she had any actual claims on Mulder, but she had just assumed that *she* would be the one dragging him to the ball. It was.."tradition".

"Oh...?" she pretended to be more interested in an invisible "spot" on her sleeve. "Do I know her?"

"Do I detect a hint of jealousy, Agent Scully?" Mulder accused.

"J-jealousy?" She stammered "Why would I care who you were taking to the ball? For your information, I happen to be going with a very attractive, sexy man."

"Well, well FBI-woman! And where did you find time...outside of work, to find such a man??" Mulder joked, deciding to play along with her little game.

"I've got work to do, Mulder. I don't have time for this" she stated as she grabbed up a stack of papers and rushed out the door.

"Huh!Women!!" Mulder sighed. "I never have, and never will understand them! Especially one very beautiful and intelligent Agent Scully!" he chuckled "Obviously she knew that I had been talking about her when he mentioned his date for the ball. It was *tradition*!" Mulder was thinking out loud. They had gone to the Annual FBI Ball together since she joined him in the X-Files-what..6 years ago? "Of course she had to know I was joking, I'll just call her later to make sure." He reasoned, although he knew he'd probably never get around to it.

Mulder glanced at his watch.

"Oh, 6:30, gotta go pick up my suit from the dry cleaners" he reminded himself. It was Scully's favorite suit actually. She always commented on how GQ he looked in it, and he wanted to surprise her in it at the ball tomorrow night. He quickly filed his things on his desk, threw on his jacket, and was out the door.

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The annual FBI ball was tomorrow night and Scully had not had time to even get a dress yet.

"Tomorrow" she thought as she wrapped up her lab work, "I'll run by the mall tomorrow. Tonight, I have to find a date!"

By the time she got back to the office, Mulder had left. "Well, he sure hurried out of here tonight. It's not even 7 yet." She was hurt. He usually waits around to say goodbye to her…

"Well, I'm not going to let him ruin my time tomorrow at that ball. I'm going to find the best-looking man I can, to go with me! I can't let him think he got the better of me! Let's see...a man with sexy good looks, compassion, dedication, loyalty, and a passion for finding the truth -Oh my god!" she stopped short - she realized that she was describing Mulder! "Well, if I can't have Mulder...I'll have to settle with the next best thing - minus the good looks - and I know just who to ask!"

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8:43...17 minutes until the FBI Ball was supposed to start.
Outside Scully's Apartment

[Knock-knock-knock]

*silence*

[Knock-knock-knock-knock-knock]

"Scully, come on, we're gonna be late"

Mulder stood impatiently outside her apartment. He was trying to check his reflection in her brass doorplate. He hoped he had everything. He was always forgetting something important. "I got my suit, my shoes, a touch of cologne, tickets, and a dozen peaches and cream colored roses, for Scully, just because they reminded him of her as he saw them in the florist window.

[Knock-knock-knock]

"Scully...?" Mulder was a little concerned at this point. He didn't want to just use his key and walk in-it wasn't right-not tonight.

"I guess she really did have a date for the ball" He hadn't planned on this!

Ego bruised, and feeling a little "betrayed", for lack of a better word, Mulder turned from her door and started back out to his car.

"Might as well at least go to the ball, I'm already dressed" He tried to make the best out of the situation.

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9:13pm
FBI Banquet Hall

Mulder could hear music playing as he walked through the doors. "Well at least they hadn't started dinner yet" he hoped, hearing his stomach start to grumble.

He scanned the crowd for a certain and oh so familiar redhead. "Where is she" he moved his eyes out to the dance floor "She has to be here...where else would she be?" He figured she would be dressed in another plain black or dark colored dress, and would be sitting at a table in the back with her legs crossed and a her arms folded. But nearly everyone was out on the dance floor...this was going to be difficult.

Just then, a familiar scent caught his attention - a soft mixture of freesia and roses. He knew that scent, but where was she?

"Scully" he called out as quietly as he could, not wanting to sound like a total jerk.

"Mulder?" She spun around on the dance floor to meet him almost face to face.

"Scu-Scully?" He was stunned. He was searching for words...any words, but he was speechless.

She had on a full length, off-the-shoulder, low backed, blue satin evening gown. Her hair was twisted up in a loose bun on the top of her head. Little curls were falling here and there, just tempting him to push them back into place. He just stood, wide eyed and open mouthed in front of her. She looked so different..so...

"Breathtaking" he whispered, as he handed her the roses.

Now it was her turn to become speechless.

"Doesn't she look great, Mulder?" Came a squeaky voice from behind her.

Mulder knew that voice!

"Where's your date, Mulder?" The voice one again questioned, as one of the trio of mysterious Lone Gunmen appeared from behind Scully

"Frohike??" Mulder almost cracked a smile

"Here, and in the flesh, can you believe it?"

"How did you get in here?, or is it "top secret"??" Mulder joked.

"Oh, I'm here with Scully" Frohike beamed.

"Wait, y-you're here with Scully??" Mulder was once again speechless.

"Wel, technically, yes, but if anyone asks-" Frohike began.

"Yeah, I know, I never saw you" Mulder knew the drill all too well.

"Never saw who?" Frohike joked "Please excuse me, I got some business to see to, and I believe you two have some talking to do" He ducked behind a dancing couple, and he was gone.

"Scully, is that what you meant by a sexy, handsome man?" Mulder queried, half joking, half hurt.

"Well, everything but the sexy and handsome part" Scully tried not to give into the grin that was trying to creep across her lips.

"Look, Scully, when I got to your apartment tonight, to pick you up, and you weren't there... I - I felt-"

But she cut him off too soon.

"When you came by MY apartment to pick ME up, Mulder?? Whatever this little game you're playing is, I don't want to be a part of it. And..and where is this *beautiful, intelligent* date you told me so much about? "Is she aware that you just gave me a dozen roses, Mulder? Is she here with you, or is she waiting back at your apartment for you just go back and get into bed with?? Mulder, explain yourself" Scully demanded unusually upset by his recent actions.

"Scully...I...there was *no* other woman...It was all just a little joke..." Mulder was fumbling as he tried to explain, but his words were coming out all wrong.

"A joke, Mulder?!?, is that all I am to you, a joke?!?" He could see the pain in her eyes, pain that he put there. He never meant for it to go this far. He couldn't think anymore, he just had to talk and let it all come out.

"I had been talking about *you* back in the office, Scully, you...you were the beautiful, sexy, intelligent...perfect..." and he paused as his voice cracked. He could feel his throat begin to choke up.

They were now standing face to face, only inches apart, so they wouldn't have to raise their voices. All Mulder could hear in the background was a song. The song seemed to be speaking to him:

…"Was I out of my head"
"Was I out of my mind"
"How could I have ever been so blind?"
"I was waiting for an indication"
"It was hard to find"
"Don't matter what I say"
"Only what I do,"
"I never mean to do bad things to you"
"So quiet, but I finally woke up"
"If you're sad it's time you spoke up"
"You know there's always more than one way"
"To say exactly what you mean to say"

Suddenly, he didn't think anymore, he just acted.

On an impulse, he grabbed her by both shoulders, pulled her lips to his and held them there until she pulled back slightly...but he held her close to him.

*silence*

Both gazing into each other's eyes, as if each could read what the other was thinking. All of a sudden, his emotions took over. He released her shoulders and moved his hands to her face. He held it gently in front of his. Slowly, he drew her closer to him until he could feel her breath on his lips. Scully made the next move, she closed her eyes, and brought her lips to meet his. In a beautiful passionate kiss she wrapped her arms around his neck and drew her body up against his. Feeling the heat and closeness of her body, Mulder let his arms slide down her back and he embraced her passionately.

The sound of cheers and applause filled the room as "Mr. and Mrs. Spooky Mulder" apparently now had the entire FBI Ball as their audience.

But their minds where somewhere else...their hearts were too.

"I love you, Dana" Mulder confessed to her face, finally. "I have been trying to tell you for months now!"

"Oh, Mulder..." there was that sweet smile that she saved for only him. "I love you too, Fox" she was finally able to say it freely.

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Things couldn't possibly get any better than this Dana sighed to herself as Mulder, Fox Mulder, spun her around the dance floor in his arms.

But - then - right in the middle of their third dance together...Mulder stopped.

"What? What's wrong Mulder?" Scully suddenly got nervous.

Mulder had stopped right in the middle of their dance and he now held her at arms length from him. he slowly let his arms fall to his sides without breaking his gaze. She could see his eyes begin to sparkle with wild excitement.

"Mulder, what is it?" Scully questioned with deep curiosity. He own eyes sparkling with blue and green hints of color.

He reached into his pocket and pulled out a small object. He slowly took her left hand in his hands and bent down to one knee right on the dance floor.

"Dana Katherine Scully" his voice began to crack again as his eyed filled with tears. He began to slide a beautiful diamond ring onto her left hand.

"Marry me"

Scully felt her knees grow weak, and a single tear fell from her cheek.

"Yes" "Yes" she kept repeating softly to him as she slid down into his open arms.

He stood up then and lifted her up into his arms and proceeded to carry her off the dance floor.

Those of the other FBI members who had just seen the touching display began to cheer, and the others knew enough to figure out what had just happened.

Mulder tenderly lowered his Scully to the floor, and they made their exit arm in arm.

"Mulder?"

"Yes, Scully."

"How did you get that ring?"

"I've had it for about 6 months now. I bought it for you. I take it with me everywhere I go. I have planned and planned on how I would give it to you, and tonight seemed like just the right time."

Some things happen for a reason, and some things are fate she thought and she just smiled.

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The very next month, they were finally married in a gorgeous out door ceremony in Georgetown.

They have been together for a little over a year now, and things couldn't be better. They are expecting their first child in August!

THE END

Dare to dream the impossible...In a world so full of *impossibles*, where fate steps in...and love takes over...

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