TITLE:  PRIVATE CEREMONY  1/1

AUTHOR: Eleanore

E-MAIL ADDRESS: bonyun@oanet.com

DISTRIBUTION STATEMENT:
     You are welcome to re-post or otherwise distribute this story
among other X-Philes, as long as you do so for free, and my name
and e-mail address go with it as author.

SPOILER WARNING: Reference to event in The X-Files Movie.

RATING: General

CONTENT WARNINGS: S&M Romance

CLASSIFICATION: V - Vignette, R - Romance S&M

DISCLAIMER:
     The characters and situations of the television program
"The X Files" are the creations and property of Chris Carter, Fox
Broadcasting, and Ten-Thirteen Productions, and have been used
without permission. No copyright infringement is intended.

SUMMARY:
     A bit of wishful thinking that I wrote in the fall. Takes place 
after the movie, just at the start of season six. A turning point 
in the lives of Mulder and Scully, precipitated by events in the 
movie.





                      PRIVATE CEREMONY  1/1

                          by  Eleanore
                        bonyun@oanet.com


     Mulder looked up from the musty book on ancient alchemy that
had absorbed his attention for the last hour. "You leaving early,
Scully?"
     "Yes," she answered as she stuffed her briefcase. "I've
finished my field report on the Terre Haute incident. I'll take the
lab results on Mr. Oleander home and go over them later." She
shrugged into her raincoat. "I'm meeting a friend from the academy
for a drink and dinner."
     "Oh."
     Something in the tone of that single syllable made Scully turn
and look at her partner. The lines of his mouth drooped just the
tiniest bit. Someone else might not have noticed, but Scully knew
those curves very well. He was lounging back in his chair,
shirtsleeves rolled up, extra long feet propped on the desk.
Despite the casual pose, she sensed tension in him.
     "Was there something else you needed me to do before I go,
Mulder?"
     Here it came. Every time she tried to do a little socializing
he managed to come up with some far-fetched scheme, insisting that
it needed immediate attention. Scully knew perfectly well that it
was Mulder himself who needed the attention. He felt threatened
whenever she went off on her own to spend time with what they only
half-jokingly called "normal" people. She knew that he feared she
would not come back. Sometimes she feared it herself.
     Though she had cursed him for it in the past, this time she
wouldn't mind too much if she had to cancel her plans for the
evening. Her classmate would chatter on contentedly about her 
husband and baby boy. Scully didn't really need to be reminded 
of the gaping holes in her life.
     Mulder carefully placed a bookmark in the leather bound
volume, then rose and came to stand in front of her, hands on hips.
"Do you know what day this is, Scully?"
     So he hadn't forgotten. "Yes. It's the fifth anniversary of
the first time I stepped into this room... the day we became
partners."
     His smile of delight thawed her resolve to treat the
anniversary with detachment. Even so, it would be a mistake to read
too much into it; the celebration was a formality only. Mulder was
far too crafty to get entangled by sentimental ties.
     "If you remembered what day this was, Scully, why did you make
arrangements to go out with someone else? I was hoping you would
have dinner with me."
     "If you remembered what day this was, Mulder, why did you wait
until the last possible moment to ask me?"
     "How was I to know that you would choose this particular
evening to fraternize with the normal folk?"
     That winsome look was wasted on her. "It seemed appropriate.
An attempt to reassure myself that despite five years working with
you, I could still live a normal life if I wanted to."
     Mulder quirked his eyebrows. "And do you want to?"
     She studied the silky brown hair on his arms until a sigh
escaped her. "No, not any more. I've changed too much. I can't ever
go back to being the person that I was before... but sometimes it's
nice to pretend for an evening." She spoke in tones of self
mockery. "The social circle available to the new me is rather
small. You... and an ever shifting collection of shadowy figures
who have a habit of getting killed."
     A conspiratorial look. "That brings us back to my reason for
wanting to spend this evening with you." He reached eagerly into
his pocket and drew out a fine chain of yellow gold from which hung
a small ornament. Scully stared in disbelief as he held the chain
toward her.
     He did not give her time to object. "I was hoping that you
might wear this as a token... an acknowledgement of our...
relationship... " The rhythm of his words was uneven but his voice,
deep and rich with meaning, gained confidence as he went on. "So
that the next time one of us is injured or dying, I will be able...
I will feel that I have the right... to say I love you."
     Shock made the room sway. Unable to speak, even to breathe,
she gained a few seconds by pulling out her cell phone and fumbling
with the buttons. While she waited for the answering machine to
finish its spiel, she quickly brushed away the moisture from
beneath her eyes. "Hi... it's Dana. I can't make it tonight.
Unexpected developments. I'll call you soon as I can."
     With shaking hands she took the pendant from his fingers. It
was an open design wrought from heavy gold wire: a half-inch square
with a smaller square inside it. The small square was turned so
that its corners touched the sides of the big one. It was strong
but light, and the balanced geometric pattern appealed to Scully's
orderly nature. At the top, where it was attached to the chain, the
outer square had been reinforced by the addition of a second short
strip of gold. There the back was smooth and wide enough for an
engraved inscription. She had to bite her lip to keep the tears at
bay. Only one word. Partners. Fox Mulder wasn't so glib and
slippery after all.
     Now that she was over the initial surprise, Scully had herself
back under control. Outwardly calm, she returned the pendant to his
hand. "I thought the reason that you didn't say it was because you
didn't want to."
     Mulder shifted uncomfortably. "That used to be true; I thought
it would be a mistake. But when that bee stung you and you slid
from my arms into unconsciousness, I was saying it over and over in
my mind. I wanted to say it aloud, but I wasn't sure you wanted to
hear it."
     "I want to hear it."
     Seconds stretched between them. Mulder's face went pink and he
laughed softly with chagrin. "Great. Now I can't say it at all."
     "It's okay, Mulder." As long as he didn't wait till she was
dying again. "Just what level of relationship is this token to
represent?"
     "I guess it could be anything from marriage to continuing on
as friends. I was aiming for something in the middle."
     It was happening. No fanfare. No pressure. Here in the
crowded, untidy office where they spent so much of their time
together. This sensation of lightness and peace that filled her...
she remembered it. It was happiness.
     He was watching her closely for her reaction. "Something in
the middle sounds good to me, too."
     With a fleeting smile of relief, Mulder took the pendant by
the chain and with sure movements, dropped the shimmering circle
over her head, lifting her hair to make sure that it wasn't
tangled. This chain was much longer than the one that held her
cross; the little double square rested on her blouse just above her
bust.
     She held it out to let the light play on the burnished metal.
"It's lovely, Mulder. Where did you find it?"
     "I had it made. It's a medieval ideogram."
     "You had it made?"
     "I have friends," Mulder said defensively.
     Scully's spirit sang... just for her... and her fist closed
firmly about the pendant. "An ideogram. What does it mean?"
     "It stands for the four elements. The triangles formed between
the two squares are the symbols for earth, air, fire and water."
     She examined the design again. Mulder bent his head, bringing
their faces intimately close. His nearness created havoc with her
nervous system, but she had become skilled at screening out his
physical signals. Ignoring his seductive male fragrance and the
radiant heat from his skin, she made herself concentrate on his
words as his finger pointed out the triangles in turn.
     "Bottom left is earth, that's for your scientific grounding,
feet on the ground. Opposite is fire, for the passion that burns
pure and hot within you. Air... well I think that's me, head in the
clouds, space between the ears. And water. Water under the bridge.
Tears for the pain we've shared together... or perhaps to wash away
the pain and carry us into the future."
     The poetry of his words moved her deeply. Her throat was tight
and her heart was full and aching with feelings she wished she
could express as eloquently as he, but when he raised his eyes to
hers she could only gaze mutely into their tender hazel depths.
After a moment he slipped a finger under the chain, lifting it up
and dropping the pendant down into the opening of her blouse, where
it nestled in the top of the hollow between her breasts. "It's to
be worn next to your skin." 
     A simple but solemn ceremony. It had not been witnessed by
their peers, and would never be recognized by her mother and Father
McCue, but in her eyes... and Mulder's eyes... it formally
confirmed that they were more than just partners.
     "Thank you, Mulder, I love it," she whispered as she looked up
into his glowing face, "but nowhere near as much as I love you."
     He did not wrap her in one of his hungry hugs, but took hold
of her chin and kissed her lightly upon the lips. Then a second
time, a little more lingering, a little more persuasive.
     Again the silence lengthened. Scully waited... her face turned
up expectantly... feeling only the warm, gentle fingers on her
chin, seeing only his much loved face so close to hers.
     "You'd stop me from making a fool of myself, wouldn't you
Scully?"
     "I'd stop you if I thought you were making a mistake, Mulder."
Her voice trembled with longing. Please don't shy away now. I need
you.
     One strong arm went round her back. He released her chin to
thread his fingers through her hair, cradling her head as he
brought his mouth purposefully down to hers. It was better than the
best of the fantasies. Not one kiss, but many, building in
intensity as they came to trust that the need was mutual. Soft lip
nibbles produced smouldering heat and quivering. Teasing sensuous
tongues brought on a feverish physical weakness. Abandoned wet
exchanges... she had no neat label for this incandescent delirium.
Her conscious mind had switched off.
     At length he straightened and held her close against his long
body. Scully pressed her burning face into his chest and tried to
regain some composure, but the masculine power in his arms and
shoulders, the hard muscles of stomach and thigh, spoke to her in
disturbing ways that were not covered in any anatomy text. Hands
were underneath her raincoat, slowly exploring down her back... and
she was very aware of their progress.
     "I made us a dinner reservation at La Scala." His voice was
velvety rough, like corduroy stroked against the grain. It made her
want to rub and purr.
     Perhaps they were getting a little ahead of themselves. Dinner
first. She pushed away as far as the big hands would let her...
which was not far. Placing her palm against his sandpaper cheek,
she gazed into eyes simmering with desire... and completely lost
track of the sensible thing she had intended to say. She put into
words what was filling her mind. "I don't think I'm in the mood for
food."
     "Neither am I." Heartbeats marked time while certainty grew.
"I hope you won't think it presumptuous," he said cautiously, "but
I took a chance and also made a reservation at the Prince George.
We could go there... and order from room service later." The Prince
George was a very posh hotel. She was touched by the respect and
honour he paid her and the occasion.
     "I'm impressed, Mulder. When you put your mind to it you can
really make a girl feel special and pampered." Her toes curled in
purely animal pleasure at the thought... she and Mulder lying close
and naked, voluptuously cushioned by the big four-poster feather
bed... then later, relaxed and blissful, their twined bodies
cooling amid the pure white sheets of finest cotton... tossed and
turned by sexual storm.
     His hand came up to brush a few stray hairs from her cheek,
his fingers now cool against her fiery skin. "You are special,
Scully. No amount of pampering could ever show you how important
you are to me." This time the quiet words came easily. "I love
you."
     Tears burst from her, pouring over her crumbling walls in an
all out bid for freedom of expression. She tried to turn away to
cry in privacy, but he drew her back to him, crushing her in under
his chin and rocking her gently. Safe. Securely wrapped in his
acceptance, enveloped by his familiar comforting smell, she
surrendered... letting go completely... for once, allowing herself
to be swept away in a flood of unchecked emotion. 
     The torrent subsided as abruptly as it had begun. "Sorry about
that," she snuffled in embarrassment. His silk tie was soggy.
     "It wasn't quite the response I had hoped for," he said drily.
"I've so rarely seen you cry." His arms relaxed, dropping to linger
about her waist. She dug in her pockets for tissues.
     "Lots of things about me are changing, Mulder. I'm no longer
trusting of authority. I will lie when I feel it's justified. I no
longer expect to live a long life, or to rise in the Bureau." She
gave her nose a defiant blow and looked up. "I'm in love with Fox
Mulder, and if it makes me feel so good that I want to cry... then
dammit, I'm going to cry."
     He still smiled, but the light in his eyes had dimmed. She
hadn't meant her words to sound bitter. Now he was blaming himself
again, for all the ills that had befallen her in the last five
years.
     "Mulder... don't torture yourself. It hasn't always been easy,
but I want to be here. I want to be working beside you." She
pressed her hand where the gold symbol lay hidden against her
heart. "I would be here anyway, but to know without doubt that you
love me... and are willing to acknowledge it and show it... is the best
reward I could ask for." With her middle fingertip, she lightly
caressed the corner of his full mouth, anticipating its sweetness
soon again. "I'm unbelievably happy. Don't you go all gloomy and
spoil our fifth anniversary."
     Her reassurance found its mark; his eyes came back to life...
deep, cloudless and urgent. He captured her hand in his and slowly
kissed the fingers one by one.
     "C'mon Scully, let's go celebrate."



end of story

comments to Eleanore:    bonyun@oanet.com