TITLE: Surprise
AUTHOR: stellar_dust
EMAIL: stellar_dust_x@yahoo.com
WEBSITE: http://katycat.net/xfiles/
ARCHIVE/FEEDBACK: Sure!
SPOILERS: None?
CHALLENGE: birthdays/anniversaries
RATING: PG
WORD COUNT: 407
SUMMARY: "Don't tell me you forgot."
DISCLAIMER: If they were mine, this would've 
actually happened.
DATE: 07/26/2004
NOTE: I wrote this a few weeks ago for old kasperl
and her sister's birthday.  It fits the 
theme, so I'm recycling it.  Hopefully they 
won't feel any less special.  (-;  And I wasn't 
thinking about word count at the time, so it's 
a mite long.  


Mulder frowned, fumbling with his keys outside 
Scully's door. She'd sounded very strange on 
the phone earlier, when she'd invited him over. 
She'd said to come on in if she didn't answer 
the door - and she wasn't answering. Mulder 
steeled himself and turned the key, prepared to 
find her passed out in the bathroom, or curled 
up on her bed sobbing into her pillow.

He opened the door.

"BLAAAAT!* The sound of three party horns being 
blown in unison. Mulder's jaw dropped.

"Happy birthday, buddy!" Frohike was spread out 
on the couch next to Langly with a shit-eating 
grin on his face. Byers was standing by the 
fireplace, which had a multicolored "HAPPY 
BIRTHDAY" banner strung under the mantle, and a 
stack of presents on the hearth.

Mulder gripped the doorknob to keep himself 
upright.

"Cake's done," Scully called as she entered 
from the kitchen, stripping off a pair of oven 
mitts. She leaned on the doorframe and burst 
out laughing at the look on Mulder's face. 
"Don't tell me you forgot it was your birthday, 
Mulder."

"Well, um ..." he tried a smile and discovered 
he could do it, after all. "Sort of?"

Scully shook her head. She closed the door 
behind him and stripped off his trench coat. 
She put a hand on the small of his back and 
shoved him toward the kitchen. "Come on. Let's 
eat."

"Pizza!" Langly was off the couch and running 
with a whoop.

-----

Hours later, when the Gunmen had left, and 
Scully's usually immaculate living room was 
littered with cans and napkins and wrapping 
paper, they stood at Scully's front door again, 
Mulder with his coat back on now and gripping a 
sack of newly-acquired books, videos, gift 
certificates, and one very special photo album.

"Scully, I don't know what to say ..." He 
reached for her hand and gripped it. His eyes 
were shining, and he tried a tentative smile, 
then grinned more broadly when she returned it. 
"Thank you, Scully. I - I haven't .."

"Shh, Mulder. It was my pleasure." She reached 
up and kissed him on the cheek, then led him 
out by the elbow. "I'll see you at work 
tomorrow, ok?"

He nodded. "Okay. Scully, I - um .."

"Shut up, Mulder." Her grin took the sting out 
of her words. "Go home." She closed the door 
and locked it.

Mulder shook his head briskly, put a hand to 
his cheek, and walked down the hallway, 
whistling.