Welcome to Denial of Destiny!

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You Belong To Me

by Mark Jones

Mulder sat at his table, looking around the ballroom somewhat nervously. He generally avoided the FBI balls, but this year had promised something more. His caseload was finally easing up, and his relationship with his partner, though unknown in what region they really belonged, had mellowed out to the old familiarity and respect they always had.

He glanced to the place setting beside his seat. Internally, he beamed as he read the name: Dana Scully. Not only was his partner going to be there tonight, she was going to sit by him. He leaned foreward on his elbows, casting his hazel eyes around the room, taking in the sights of other agents in various stages of drunkenness, and looked again at his untouched champagne glass, full and bubbling. He shook his head and was about to take a drink when he looked up and suddenly stopped breathing.

Dana Scully had just walked into the ballroom. She was radiant. She had on a cream colored evening gown, strapless, a small white handbag and her hair was down around her face, but looked like it had a little more body than usual. She almost glowed. He smiled broadly as he caught her eye. She smiled back, and then his heart dropped out from inside him with what he saw next.

A tall, dark haired too-handsome man came up behind her and put his hand on her back... who's this yahoo??? Oh, God, she had a date! Mulder felt his blood pressure rise, his skin flushed, he... wait a minute. Mulder shook his head for a minute, then took a deep draught of his champagne. He was jealous. Why was he jealous?

Scully smiled, inwardly and externally as she saw Mulder sitting at the table. He was very handsome in his tuxedo... she didn't even know he knew how to put one on. But she was impressed, and smiled at him as he grinned his boyish smile back at her in greeting.

"Dana?" Tom said. She turned and smiled at him, as he slid up behind her. She tingled slightly as he placed his hand on the small of her back, but there was something... uncomfortable about it. She couldn't place it.

"Come on, I want you to meet my partner." She led him over to the table, where a somewhat red-faced Fox Mulder threw back some champagne and stood, smiling a little awkwardly. What was wrong with him?

"Mulder! I'm glad to see you here!" she said. "I'd like to introduce you to Tom Haskins." Mulder shook Tom's hand, said something incomprehensible but ended in 'nice to meet you'. Or so she thought.

"Fox?" Scully turned to see a tall, blond, attractive woman come over and hug onto Mulder's arm. She wore a dark green evening gown with spagetti straps, showing in Scully's opinion, far too much cleavage. Scully bit her lip as she watched her plant a kiss on an uncomfortable Mulder's cheek. He straightened up, looked over at Scully and proceeded to introduce her as Caroline Summers. Scully and her date were polite in their introductions, but she had an odd feeling inside her as she looked at this woman with her partner.

Dinner proceeded somewhat smoothly, somewhat uncomfortably. Throughout the meal, lives were discussed outside the FBI. Tom was a photojournalist with a Washington newspaper and had met Scully in the local coffeehouse. Mulder wasn't quite sure about Scully and coffee. Caroline was a fashion designer with Designs by Loren in Alexandria. Mulder had met her the place where he got his hair cut. She had designed the dress she wore. Scully thought she needed to be a little more conservative with her designs in the future, but said nothing, smiling politely.

Throughout the meal, it was interesting how most of the talking was done by the four other people at the table besides the two partners. Their dates conversed heavily with Agent Radmore and his wife, who were sitting with them. Inadvertently, the subject of marriage came up. Mulder and Scully's dates took off on the subject, using the opportunity to educate their dates on their philosophy of marriage. Mulder and Scully exchanged a few glances at each other, almost bursting out laughing at one point, but ending up just nodding as each in turn explained how wonderful the thought of marriage was.

"Let's dance." Tom said. Scully looked up at him and agreed. She stood, and he escorted her to the dance floor. Mulder watched from his seat as he put his hands on her, and they swayed to the music. Mulder looked over his shoulder past Caroline, where the live band was set up. A piano was playing with the accompanying strings following. It was a beautiful tune, and he smiled at Caroline, then looked on the floor. Scully had her back to him, but momentarily turned around in the slow dance to lock eyes with Mulder. They shared the look for a moment, then Mulder realized he was being spoken to.

"Huh?" he asked, looking back at Caroline.

"I like this song. Dance with me." He nodded, and stood. She reached for his hand, and he gave it to her, but there was something odd about it. He followed her onto the floor, and she turned and smiled at him, wrapping her arms around his neck. He smiled back, placed his hands on her waist, and started to sway with her. The blond woman was singing at the microphone:

See the pyramids along the Nile,

Watch the sunrise of a tropical isle,

Just remember, darling all the while,

You belong to me.

Scully had caught Mulder's eye and there was something that she could almost of detected as sadness coming from him. But why? Caroline was smart, successful, beautiful and showed her cleavage to Mulder. Why not? They were a good pair to be together. She laid her head on Tom's shoulder, and wrinkled her forehead as she felt him kiss the back of her head. As she slowly danced in the small circle, she saw Mulder and Caroline step on the dance floor together.

See the marketplace in old Algiers,

Send me photographs and souvenirs,

Just remember when a dream appears,

You belong to me.

Mulder glanced over at Scully across the floor a few yards from him. She had danced closer to Tom, and Mulder felt she seemed to like that guy. He swallowed hard, and felt a little sad inside. Then he saw Tom plant a kiss on her head... and felt his heart sink a little more in his chest. Why was he feeling like this?

I'll be so lonesome without you,

and maybe you'll be lonesome, too

and blue...

"Hey, what's the matter?" Caroline asked. Mulder broke his stare and looked back at her, and bestowed his best boyish smile.

"I'm fine. Sad song."

"You're so cute like that... a little bashful, Fox." Her blue eyes sparkled almost in adoration of him. He shrugged slightly.

"No... I'm just..." He was stopped by her finger pressed against his lips.

"I know." She pulled herself closer to him, laying her head on his shoulder, face towards his. He swallowed again, making a concious decision to try and have a good time. He layed his cheek on her forehead, and was rewarded with a contented sigh from her.

Fly the ocean in a silver plane,

See the jungle when it's wet with rain,

Just remember when you're home again,

You belong to me.

Scully glanced over at Mulder dancing with Caroline. He had his chin on her head, and seemed to be content for a moment. She looked at him, her blue eyes her only betrayal at what she felt inside. How did this happen? Why did she feel this way? Why did... Then, for another moment that seemed like eternity, Mulder opened his eyes and looked directly at her. As Tom turned to block her sight from him, she lifted her head, seeming to be drawn directly to looking at Mulder.

Maybe you'll be lonesome too

and blue...

Mulder had an odd feeling... he was being watched. He opened his eyes to see Scully's blue eyes looking at him. This was all wrong. Mulder's eyes almost welled up with tears, which he fought back. This woman with him, should not be with him. That man, that man should not be with her. They should be together. This should be Scully in his arms. She should be with him. He spoke to her with his eyes, and she straightened up from where she was leaning on him, maintaining the eye contact.

"E... excuse me..." he said to Caroline, sliding out of her now confused embrace. He took a few tentative steps towards Scully and Tom, and stopped. Fox Mulder stood there, tuxedo and all, still looking at Scully as if mesmerized.

"Um... Tom... why don't you go... sit down." Scully said, somewhat absently, her eyes still locked on Mulder. She left him standing in his place and stepped towards Mulder, stopping about a foot from him. There, the two FBI partners exchanged no words, no codes, no communication. Just for a moment, they let their eyes speak for them. Then she moved into his arms, and they danced.

Fly the ocean in a silver plane,

See the jungle when it's wet with rain,

Just remember till you're home again,

You belong to me.

Mulder felt his heart melt as Scully moved close to him. His eyes closed as she pressed against him, taking in her soft, fragrant scent as they slowly started to sway to the music. You can't take six years and just expect nothing to happen. Nothing to develop. Especially with her... she was smart, sensitive, tough, intelligent, beautiful... she was so beautiful. He kissed her head as it lay on his shoulder.

Scully felt Mulder's hand on the small of her back. It felt... right. She laid her head on his shoulder, her face towards his. She was comfortable here. He was right for her, he completed her, he was her other half. No one else in the world could make her feel this way, and she didn't want anyone else to try. She felt a kiss on her head, and smiled. It felt right. She looked up into his eyes, he looked back at her, with another new look on his face... one of love. She returned it.

His mouth parted for a moment, like he wanted to say something, then closed. He looked deeper at her, almost to peer at her soul and decide before he would bare his soul. He whispered to her with the music.

"You belong to me."

Scully was breathless, as she realized that it wasn't the music, it wasn't the wine with dinner, it wasn't the date with the photo guy. It was Mulder. Her Mulder.

"Fox." He smiled slightly, since she was the only one he would let call him that. "I know. Why have we waited? Why have we denied this?" His mouth shut, seeming to ponder this, his eyes never leaving her face, his dance never stopping.

"Maybe... maybe we just didn't realize it. But now... I know."

"You know what?" she asked, looking at him with her blue eyes.

"I love you, Scully." She looked up at him, breathless again.

"I love you, too, Mulder." She paused. "Fox." She smiled at him. Slowly, as though an eternity passed, Mulder's lips came close to hers. He could feel her breath on him, feel her pursed lips, those soft, sensuous lips he had watched for years, close to his. Let no damn bees get in the way this time.

Their lips touched, the heavens parted, the earth shook. FBI Agents Mulder and Scully's lives changed forever. For the better.

Just remember darling all the while,

You Belong To Me.