The mountainside was covered in lush ferns and shrubs, shaded by large Douglas Fir trees. An abundance of moss made the dirt loose and hard to walk on. Mulder, the clumsy one, found the hike particularly difficult. He stopped behind the persistent redhead and tried to control his breathing.
"Honey--" he panted, "you know I trust you--"
" Not your honey," Scully interjected.
"--but, where the fuck are you taking me?"
Scully knowingly chuckled and continued up the path. The were now walking next to a steep cliff with a creek rushing down below. It was early evening, but the dense trees created the illusion of twilight within the forest. Scully had traveled the same path last weekend, scouting it out as a surprise for Mulder. She hoped he would appreciate their destination.
"O.k." Mulder tripped over a jagged rock. "Just tell me why we are here. Please."
"I'm doing something nice for your birthday."
"You know what would be reeeally nice, Scully?"
"No, and I do not want to know," she quipped. It was a good thing Mulder couldn't see the slight smirk on her face."
"Wow," he feigned surprise. "Now I know how little you think of me."
"Can you just shut up 'till we get there," she laughed.
"Yes, ma'am."
Mulder was silent the rest of the way as they trudged up the final switchback. Upon reaching the top of the hill, the two could see a green field that sprawled out in front of them. Mist clung to the grass and deer could be spotted in the distance. The view from the summit was underwhelming to Mulder, but he would never tell Scully that.
When the two reached the center of the clearing, Scully set her pack down and began digging through it.
"This is not how I imagined I'd be spending my Saturday."
"You're such a complainer."
"I am not!"
Scully pulled two blankets out of her bag and laid one of them onto the wet grass. She cautiously sat, pulling Mulder down next to her. The sun was just starting to set, casting it's yellow glow over the valley
"Are we having a tea party?"
"No," Scully smiled. "I heard a rumour that -- uhm -- there is -- a..."
Mulder swore he saw her cheeks redden.
"Iheardthatlightsflyoverthismountainatnight."
"You what?"
Scully cast bashful glare at Mulder for making her repeat herself. "Someone told me that UFOs fly over this mountain at night. You can, supposedly, see the lights from this field."
Mulder's mouth fell open. Dana Scully had used her day off to lead him all this way, to look for something she didn't believe in, just because it was his birthday. He couldn't believe it.
"Marry me," Mulder asked for the millionth time.
Instead of responding, Scully turned and reached back into her bag.
"I also brought you a gift."
Mulder's eyes twinkled. He felt like a teenager with a crush, always craving her attention.
She turned and placed a new baseball glove into his hands.
"It's good for weird people to have normal hobbies. I figured this way you wouldn't go of the grid and make a tinfoil hat."
Mulder laughed.
"But I also brought you a tinfoil hat." Scully giggled in a very non-Scully way and placed the hat atop Mulder's head.
Neither of them had felt this lighthearted in a long time. Work had been so stressful recently; they never had time to hang-out and have fun.
Mulder looked out across the field at the blackening sky. He was just happy to lay next to Scully, hardly watching for any lights or UFOs. After two hours of stargazing, Scully sat up, deciding she should load things back into her bag. She was reluctant to leave, but she had early-morning obligations on Sunday.
Mulder tugged on her coat lightly.
"Hmmm," she cooed tiredly.
When he didn't answer, Scully turned to look at the man next to her. His expression looked so loving that it caught her off guard.
"Scully, how important is your job to you?"
"Very important."
"Have you ever thought about doing something that could get you in trouble. Not like a slap on the wrist trouble, I mean like serious, serious trouble."
Scully's brow furrowed and she leaned over him in concern.
"What are you thinking about doing, Mulder?"
Scully only had time to blink before Mulder pulled her to him, kissing her passionately on the lips. His hands moved through her hair, brushing her cheeks gently. She pulled away and sucked in a gasp.
"Mulder! I--I--"
His face fell instantly, breaking her heart a little. Scully didn't regret the kiss, he had just surprised her. She was just about to explain herself when Mulder started backtracking.
"Shit! I'm so sorr--"
Scully responded by crashing her lips into Mulder's. His hands found their way back into her hair as she laid her body onto his. Mulder pulled the blanket down around her and was surprised to feel her tongue press against his lips. Scully was wilder than he thought.
When she finally needed air, Scully broke the kiss and rested her head on Mulder's chest. He watched her breath become steam in the cold night air. It was completely dark now.
"I'm glad you brought me here."
"Really?"
"Of course," Mulder scoffed."This is the best birthday I've had in years... even if there were no mysterious lights."
Scully felt a sudden sense of anxiety.
"How will we keep this a secret? I'm worried we'll get reassigned. If this meant losing you as a partner, I don't want to do it," she looked at him sadly.
"I can't do this kind of stuff without you."
"I understand," Mulder brushed the hair out of her face. "But I've realized that I think of you as more than a partner, and more than a friend. You drive me insane," he kissed her forhead. "Totally insane."
"Well then I guess it's settled," she said standing. "Dana Scully will be keeping lots of secrets from now on."
"Not from me I hope."
"No, never."
