Title: Happiness - The Adjustment Period Author: shawntaw Category: MSR, AU Rating: PG Disclaimer: Still not mine and not likely to be anytime in the future. Summary: The rumors are flying... Previous stories in this series or WIP (I'm not up on the terminology*L*): "Happiness" "Happiness - The Morning After" "Happiness - The Secret" "Happiness - The Secret II" This one is the most serious so far, but by no means SERIOUS. If ya know what I mean.. Note To Mayle: "The Truth is out there." Thanks for the heads-up!:) ********************************************** The rest of the day was strange. Everywhere she went, people commented on her ring. "Oh, what a pretty ring, Agent Scully!" "Wow! Is it your birthday?" "Who got you the lovely ring, Agent Scully?" She was beginning to regret wearing it. Scully hadn't thought to concoct a cover story for the obvious addition to her jewelry and so spent the time stuttering "Thank you," and "No, it isn't my birthday," and "Oh, a-a friend gave it to me." She didn't realize it would be such a big deal. The rumor mill was spinning. ****************************************************** Mulder was getting annoyed. Anonymous e-mails kept appearing on his computer account. Well-meaning people telling him that Agent Scully had reportedly put in for a transfer and did he know? Well-meaning...right. Interested parties speculating that Agent Scully was secretly engaged and was leaving the F.B.I. and did he know? *Sigh* One from someone who wanted him to know that there was a betting pool on whether HE was the one that gave the ring to Agent Scully or not and whether it meant something or not, and did he know? Mulder ground his teeth together. **************************************************** Scully and Mulder worked in silence in the basement office. It had been a long week. A slow week in terms of cases, but a week full of paperwork and flying innuendo from practically every agent they came into contact with in the halls of the J.Edgar Hoover building. Scully's computer dinged. She stretched her back from where she'd been hunched over an expense report, took off her glasses, pinched the bridge of her nose, and leaned over to her computer screen to see who the e-mail was from. She had already decided if it was from "Anonymous" she was going to delete it. It was from Kimberly, A.D. Skinner's secretary. Scully clicked on it, curiously. The message was short and to the point: "Agent Scully, please see attached. I think you and Agent Mulder will find it very enlightening. However, I have been asked to tell you that an UNOFFICIAL bias still exists and would recommend discretion in the extreme if you wish to retain your current situation. Kim " Scully read the attached with a swiftly arching eyebrow. Kim was right. Very interesting reading, indeed. And Scully knew who the source of the information was, even without big hint of who was Kimberly's boss - Skinner. His fingerprints were all over this. She smiled warmly at her new view of the man. She wrote a brief message of her own to Mulder, attached the e-mail from Kim and sent it. She then composed a quick thank-you message to Kim and sent it as well before shutting down her computer for the day. Mulder's computer dinged. He lifted his lanky legs from the top of his desk and put them on the floor in front of them. He put down the files he'd been reading and sneered suspiciously at his computer through his glasses. "I swear, if I get one more e-mail today, I'm gonna throw the computer in the trash can." Scully smiled and waited patiently as she watched Mulder's eyes widen in surprise when her name appeared as the sender. He leered suggestively at her. "I wonder what kind of e-mail my partner could be sending me-" he waggled his eyebrows at her as he opened it. His face went from surprised, to serious, to pleased and back to serious again. "Well," he said, leaning back in his chair and putting his legs back on top of his desk. He crossed them slowly at the ankles and regarded Scully across the room where she sat primly with her hands clasped over her crossed knees. "Well," she said back. "So, there's no OFFICIAL policy against assigned partners getting married," he said to the air. "Looks that way," Scully responded. "But they could screw us over if we push it. Try to find a way to separate us. Suddenly need you at Quantico. Suddenly need my services at the VCU. Perhaps even use it as an excuse to shut down the X-files, saying that our relationship is adversely affecting our work. Am I reading this right?" "Looks that way," Scully repeated. "So, really, it changes nothing," Mulder said with a sigh. "Not unless we are willing to make a big fuss about it legally," Scully agreed. The two looked at each other, deep in thought when a knock came at the door. "Fox? Are you in there?" The doorknob began to turn and the leggy brunette strode in. It was Diana. His eyes traveled up, up, up her legs to her tapered skirt. To her long fingers clasped on her hips, elbows akimbo. To her crisp, white blouse, revealing just a touch of cleavage. To the bemused expression on her face as she watched him check her out. Scully cleared her throat. Mulder startled, realizing what he'd been doing, and looked guiltily at Scully. She was not looking at him, but at Diana eye-balling HIM. Scully had that spark in her eye. "Yes, Diana, may we help you with something?" Diana glanced as if she had just realized Scully was in the room. "I just came by to see if you had lunch free," she said to Mulder in sultry tones. Her eyes flicked over to Scully, as though challenging her to say something. Before Scully could open her mouth to answer, Mulder piped in with, "Sure. Just give us a minute to finish up here and we'll meet you at the elevator." Diana's lips quirked slightly in recognition of momentary defeat, but her gaze never wavered from Scully's, "I'll be waiting, Fox." She strolled from the room, shutting the door firmly behind her. **************************************************** Scully twisted the ring around and around on her finger. Mulder was busily putting his glasses away and gathering his jacket. "Mulder?" He looked at her, knowing what was coming. "Yeah?" "I really don't want to have lunch with that woman." "I know, but the best way to get rid of Diana is to make her mad. Trust me; I know." "She's playing mind games with us, you know." "Correction," Mulder held out her jacket for her, "she's trying." ******************************************************* The three of them sat awkwardly eating deli sandwiches at one of the outdoor tables of the restaurant, attempting to enjoy the sunshine. Diana talked of cases she and "Fox" had shared in the early days of the X-files. Diana laughed and kept touching him. His hand. His arm. Once she reached up and actually stroked his cheek. And he had blushed. *The jerk.* Scully tried to give no indication of her inner turmoil. She sipped her water calmly and nodded through the old stories, pretending to be interested. She was not going to give Diana the satisfaction of appearing jealous or fearful of losing Mulder. Finally, near the end of the meal, Diana pretended to suddenly notice Scully's ring as Scully reached for her water. "Oh, Dana, what a beautiful, old-fashioned ring. Is it an heirloom?" Scully, instantly suspicious at the compliment, answered carefully, "No, it isn't. Why?" Diana feigned surprise, "It just looks so...matronly. But, in a good way." she pretended to hurriedly correct herself. "It suits you well," she smiled her fake friendly smile at Scully. Scully felt her neck and face getting hot with rage. Diana had all but blantantly called her an old maid. Seemingly nervous, Mulder cleared his throat in the uncomfortable silence, "Well, let's get the check and get outta here." Mulder stood all at once to wave for the check and sloshed his full glass of iced tea onto Diana's chest and lap. "Oh man! Diana let me help you!" he gasped as Diana jumped with a squeal and tried to swipe the liquid from her blouse and skirt before it could soak in. In his efforts to grab her napkin from the table in order to soak up the tea, he pulled her nearly empty plate of sandwich, cole slaw and fruit salad into her lap. "Fox! For goodness sake, let me," Diana looked down at herself in despair. Her skirt was ruined and Mulder only succeeded in rubbing it in where he was trying to wipe it up. Scully watched the unfolding chaos with large, blue eyes. She was desperately trying not to fall out of her chair in hysterical laughter. Oh, how she loved this man. ****************************************************** Mulder just couldn't resist the smile beginning to creep over his face. He should've done this a long time ago. It felt great. She had absolutely no power over him anymore. Sure, he still found her attractive, but only in the way he'd admire any attractive woman he passed on the street. She was no longer special to him. There was only one special woman in his life now, and that was fine by him. He looked over at Scully as Diana muttered and swiped at the mess on her clothes. Her blue eyes were large and amused and love shined from them like a beacon. But there was something else...insecurity? A little uncertainty? Was Scully still not sure of her place in his heart? He knew she always worried how she measured up to the tall, leggy women of his past. Well, he could easily fix that. The idea came to him immediately. *It'll be all over the Bureau. They'll be no secrets after this* He decided he didn't care what others thought anymore. ****************************************************** "Fox! What has gotten into you?" Diana's voice was low and calm, but carried an edge to it. Mulder stopped in his supposed assistance to Diana in her efforts to clean her clothing and stood to his full height. "I gave her the ring," he anounced. And, damn if it didn't feel good to say it outloud. Diana stopped swiping and looked up at him, "What?" Mulder grabbed Scully's right hand, took off the ring and placed it on the ring finger of her left hand. Scully was speechless and watching Mulder's face. "I gave her the ring and asked her to marry me. This last weekend. Oh, and we slept together too." He said it in broad daylight, by a crowded sidewalk where anyone walking by could hear him. It felt great. Again he had to resist the urge to beat his chest, point at Scully and declare, "Mine!" He cleared the frog from his throat. Diana stared. "Did you hear me, Diana?" She slowly straightened. She looked at Mulder. She looked at Scully. "You know, the Bureau isn't going to approve of this," she subtly threatened. "We'll see," Mulder said through a huge grin. He simply didn't care. Feeling utterly free, he looked over at Scully and found her grinning stupidly at him too. He pulled her to him in a kiss for God and the world to see. ******************************************************** SO MUCH FOR DIANA! (CHORTLE) I'VE ALWAYS WANTED TO SEE MULDER TAKE SCULLY'S SIDE OVER DIANA'S AND ALWAYS THOUGHT THAT HE WOULD HAVE. I NEVER BOUGHT THAT HE FELT ANY MORE LOYALTY TO DIANA THAN HE DID SCULLY...BUT THAT'S A WHOLE OTHER CONVERSATION... ON WITH THE SHOW...NEXT INSTALLMENT: "Happiness - Public Displays of Affection"..coming soon... :)