Title: Phase 5: Slow Motion Author: Susan E-mail: touchstone98@tx.rr.com Classification: fifth vignette in a series Spoilers: None, but this takes place late in season seven. Archive: No archive without permission. Disclaimer: These characters belong to each other, not me. Author's notes: This is a continuation of my Steps Series and is a random series of short vignettes that explore Mulder and Scully's relationship now that they've taken it to another level. You can find both the Steps Series and Phases series at my site here: http://possibilities98.wordpress.com/ **************************************************** Phase 5: Slow Motion by Susan ~~~~ I can't believe it's been a month already. Where did the time go? Not that I'm complaining, it's just that lately everything we do seems so hectic and rushed. When Scully and I finally decided that we'd had enough of being alone, I knew that things would change for us, but I never expected our lives to suddenly go into warp speed. When we're not out of town working on a case, we're working late at the office trying to dig ourselves out from underneath all our paperwork. And when we're not doing the work thing, we're doing the horizontal thing. Again, not that I'm complaining, but every once in a while, I'd just like to slow things down a bit, go out on a date at a fancy restaurant, have a picnic, maybe take a walk along the ocean and hold hands. You know, do some of the things that other couples do when they're just starting out together. Not that we're even remotely close to other couples in terms of our relationship, but still, I can't help wondering what it would be like to try. "Hey Scully, let's go out tonight," I suddenly blurt out, my voice sounding louder in the silence than I intended it to be. "What? Did you say something, Mulder?" she asks, half of her hearing me, the other half still focused on the report she's working on. "Let's go somewhere tonight, just you and me," I suggest as I get up from my chair and walk over to the table she's working at. I sit down on the edge of it. She finally looks up at me then, her face drawn, her eyes bleary from all the reading she's been doing this afternoon. "As tempting as it sounds, Mulder, we really can't. We've got too much work to do," she says, her hand giving my thigh a quick pat, then going back to holding the report she's been working on. "I know, but I was kind of hoping that maybe we could knock off early tonight, go get some dinner at that new Italian restaurant over on Jackson Blvd." Still sitting with one hip on the edge of the table, I bend down closer to her face, cup my hand around her cheek. "What do you say, Scully?" I whisper, caressing her cheek with my thumb. "Are you asking me out on a date, Mulder?" she asks, her full attention on me now. "That depends." "On what?" "On whether or not you'll say yes," I reply with a smile. "Yes," she says simply, her eyes intently focused on mine. "Okay then, it's settled. We leave the office at 5:00. I pick you up around 6:30, and then viola, dinner for two at Caprisio's at 7:00," I say, pleased with myself for coming up with the idea in the first place. And even more pleased with the fact that she said yes. I start to stand up then so I can go back over to my desk, but before I can, she grabs my wrist and stops me. "Thank you," she says, putting her hand behind my neck and pulling me down for a kiss, and not just one of those forehead or on-the-cheek kisses. No, this one is one of those not-suitable-for-the- office-but-I'm-going-to-do-it-anyway kisses. "What was that for?" I ask breathlessly when we finally come up for air nearly a minute later. Her cheeks tinged with pink, her lipstick slightly smeared, she replies, "For making me slow down." "Any time," I say, chuckling to myself at the irony of her words. "What? What's so funny?" she asks, her blue eyes sparkling as they catch the sunlight coming in through the window. "Me, slowing down. I bet you never thought you'd see me wanting to do that," I reply. "There are a lot of things I never thought you'd want, Mulder," she said, taking hold of my hand. "And a lot of things I never thought I'd have," she added softly. "And you have them now?" I ask, already knowing her answer, but wanting to hear it anyway. "Yes," she says, gently squeezing my fingers. Bringing our joined hands up to my lips, I kiss her knuckles and smile. "Me too." ~end~ Thanks for reading. possibilities http://possibilities98.wordpress.com/