Like a Valentine

Part Three

Dinner went well. Extremely well. Emily insisted she sit next to Mulder at the table, and even asked if they could go back to the 'warium again one day.
After dinner, Emily got a bath and was put to bed while Mulder cleaned up the dishes in the kitchen.
"Well, that went much better than expected. I think she really likes you." Scully leans against the frame of the threshold in her kitchen.
Mulder dries off the last dish and places it in its rightful spot before turning around.
"I think I really like her too. She's a great kid. Smart. I swear, there for a second, she was actually reading and comprehending everything on those little information panels."
"Yeah. I have to agree...but then again, I'm her mother."
Scully pushes her weight off the frame and starts towards him.
"I could get used to this." She dares, feeling her cheeks starting to heat up. It's very very unlike her to admit something like this in her head, let alone out loud.
"Oh, I could get VERY used to this," he counters, feeling the palpable heat and energy charging between them.
"I think you should stay the night. It's pretty late."
It's not that late, and he's an insomniac anyway.
"I think you're right." Scully closes the gap between them, lifting on her toes to reach his lips with hers.
Mulder wraps his long arms around her middle, eagerly meeting her kiss.

When he wakes up, the sun has already started to make an appearance and the birds sing their morning songs just outside the window. He stretches, feeling every muscle in his body ache. Looking to his left with sleepy eyes is Scully. Her red hair splayed out in every direction on the pillow. He smiles for a quick second before realizing that Emily will be awake any moment now.
Quickly he scurries from the bed, searching for his boxers, and finding them on her side on the floor. He pulls them on and his jeans before bolting down the hall and collapsing onto the couch.

SAFE!

Not ten minutes later does he hear the little pattering sounds of bare feet tapping their way down the hall.

Scully wakes and shuffles down the hall, her voice still low and dripping with sleep.
"Mmm, mornin'" She first addresses her daughter, and then the man on her couch who is pretending to just be waking up.
"Morning." He calls back, just as groggily.
Thank God it's Sunday, they both think.
"Mommy, Mulder didn't have a blanket last night."
She's quite the little observant one. Emily walks around the couch to get a good look at Mulder.
"Did you get cold in the night?"
Mulder wipes his eyes, yawning, continuing his best Meryl Streep performance of I really did just wake up.
"No, I wasn't cold. I actually got pretty hot while I was sleeping."
"So where's the blanket?"
He looks around, almost caught in the lie.
"It's over there. I folded it up," He leans forward to whisper loudly, "So your mother wouldn't yell at me."
Emily seems pleased with his answer, she even laughs — something that's very new, given only a few weeks ago he couldn't even elicit a single smile.
"Emmy, Why don't you let Mulder get up and get dressed. You can help me with breakfast. It's waffles."
Emily, quite the morning child she is, sprints passed Mulder, beelining to the kitchen.