Title: Happiness - Marking Your Territory
Author:shawntaw
Spoilers: none
Category: MSR, AU
Rating: PG
Disclaimer: I own Steve Carson.  He is my creation.  The others 
aren't mine.

Summary: What family dinner would be complete without a little DRAMA! 
*L*

Notes: Hi, Sdani!!!!:)  Hi, Inya!!!:) The Fox, no surprise for you 
yet....still working on it:)
*******************************************************

Mulder noticed Scully's silence under the general chatter at the 
table.  He reached out his hand and touched hers.

Scully blinked and looked over at him.  He raised a brow in inquiry 
and she deliberately led his gaze with hers to the couple across the 
table.

Walter Skinner was trying to make Maggie Scully laugh.

Maggie's lips were pressed together in an effort not to smile and she 
was trying to look uninterested.

But Mulder had never seen their boss more animated.

He was telling her about one of the first cases he'd been on as a 
rookie agent and, apparently, it had been a doozy.

"..and the perp says, 'The bald guy, the bald guy!! The guy with the 
bad comb-over!'  and everyone turned to look at me.  I wasn't even 
the one he was talking about, but I did have a comb-over and was 
trying to deny the fact I was almost totally bald on top.  After 
that, I shaved what hair I had left off the top of my head and just 
lived with it."

Skinner finished his story by shaking his head, smiling and running a 
hand over his bare scalp.

Maggie finally broke into a grin as she pictured the scene.  She 
covered her mouth with one hand.

"Oh, I'm sorry."

Skinner grinned back at her.  "No, it's alright.  It was supposed to 
be funny."

He regarded her for a moment the grin fading from his face. He turned 
back to his salad.

"You have a beautiful smile," he added, nonchalantly.

Maggie blushed and turned back to her own salad.

"Thank you, Mr. Skinner."

"Walter."

She considered for a moment.

"Alright. Walter.  I'm Maggie."

Skinner smiled, but did not look over at her as he took another bite.

"Maggie," he repeated.

********************************************************

Mulder's eyes twinkled at Scully with amusement.  Scully's smiled 
back.

She rose and began to gather the guests' empty salad plates.

"Hey, that was good," Langley commented as Scully picked up his plate.

Byers nodded as he wiped his mouth on his napkin, "Excellent."

There were murmured agreements as Mulder rose to help Scully clear 
the table.

"The best part comes next," Mulder grinned at the small group.  

He and Scully carried the salad plates into the kitchen.

*******************************************************

Mulder was pouring ladles of sauce over the plates of pasta and 
watching Scully out of the corner of his eye.

She scraped the salad plates thoughtfully into the trash and stacked 
them in the sink.

He cleared his throat.

"So, how do you think its going?"

She looked over at him from where she washed her hands. "Great," she 
smiled, "Everyone seems to be having a good time."

"Especially your Mom?"

Scully's eyebrow shot up, "It would seem so."

"You o.k. with Skinner and your Mom?"

She thought about that for a moment.

"She has to be ten, if not fifteen years, older than him."

"So?" Mulder said as he finished up the dinners.

"Well, he better be good to her or I may get suspended for drop-
kicking an assistant director of the F.B.I."

Mulder laughed in surprise.  She picked up two plates from the 
countertop and the two of them began serving the main course.

****************************************************

Steve Carson combed his fingers through his brown hair and pulled at 
his t-shirt nervously.

He'd been looking for a reason to talk to his new next-door neighbor 
for weeks now.

Lately, he'd seen a lot of that tall guy at her place.  It was making 
him nervous. Maybe he was already too late.

He decided it was now or never.

Nevermind that he couldn't come up with a better reason to knock on 
her apartment door.  Well, maybe she would think him chivalrous.  
Gallant.

*Whatever.  Just get it over with so at least you can say you tried.  
Maybe then you'll stop thinking about her.*

He rapped on the door quickly, before he could change his mind.

Scully opened it.

"Hello. I-I'm Steve, your next-door neighbor."

At her confused look, he added, "I just moved in."

"Oh.  Well...Hi, Steve." Scully smiled politely.

He heard the hum of conversation behind her, punctuated by the 
occasional laugh.

"I hope I haven't interrupted something..."

"Oh, just a small dinner party-"

Steve decided to cut to the chase. "I was taking out my trash and 
thought I'd stop by and see if you'd like me to carry yours out.  
Gave me an excuse to say hello and find out your name."

*When in doubt, charm with honesty*

Scully tilted her head as if surprised by his thoughtfulness and his 
forthrightness.

"I emptied mine right before the dinner party, so I don't have 
another full bag yet.  But, I appreciate it. Oh, and the name's Dana 
Scully."

Steve began to back away from the door.

"Hey, don't mention it.  If you ever need anything, just let me know."

She was still smiling, but a considering look had crept into her eyes.

"Steve," she paused, "you had dinner yet?"

He stopped.

*Alright!*

"Well, no, I haven't.  Why?"

"Would you care to join us?"

Steve's smile widened. "I'd love to."

*******************************************************

Scully stepped back from the door with the slightly nervous young man 
as the group at the table looked up one by one to see the newcomer.

"Everybody, this is Steve..?"

"Carson," he filled in for her.

"..Carson, " Scully finished, "my next-door neighbor.  I've asked him 
to join us."

Several nods and "Hello, Steve"'s later, he found himself seated at 
one end of the table with a salad, discussing Dungeons and Dragons 
with Langley.

Steve hadn't played in years, but still remembered the game.

Mulder entered from the kitchen, holding two more plates of 
spaghetti, the last two he'd thought, for himself and Scully.

He froze when he saw Steve.

Scully took the plates from him as she made the introductions.

"Steve Carson, Fox Mulder."

Mulder nodded, "Hey, Steve.  Where'd you come from?"

"Next door.  I was just offering to take Dana's trash out for her and 
she invited me in.  What're we having?"

*It's the tall guy! Crap! And what kind of name's Fox?*

"Spaghetti," Mulder said, "You can have my plate.  I'll go make 
another one."

Steve smiled politely, "Thanks, Fox."

Mulder flinched, glared at Steve and stalked back into the kitchen.

Steve looked to Scully for explanation.

"Um, he doesn't like to be called Fox.  Just call him Mulder.  I 
should have told you."

"Hey, with an unusual name like that, I can understand his feelings 
on the matter."

She smiled slightly and sat down.  Mulder reappeared with another 
plate of spaghetti and a bottle of wine and sat down beside her.

Before anyone could make a move to begin eating, Scully cleared her 
throat.

"I know that it may not be the custom of everyone at the table, but I 
would like to offer a prayer of thanks before we eat.  Especially 
because this is such a special dinner."

Everyone nodded and bowed their heads.  Steve followed suit, 
wondering what was so special about this dinner.

To everyone's surprise, Mulder spoke first.  Scully was so shocked 
that her head jerked up and she stared at Mulder for a moment before 
bowing her head again.

"I have the most to be thankful for, so, even though I'm not sure 
about this, I'd like to say thank you.  Thank  you for good friends 
who disprove the whole 'Trust Noone' notion.  Thank you for friends 
who become family.  And, most of all, thanks for Scully saying 'yes.'"

Mulder fell silent.  Scully tried not to cry into her plate of 
spaghetti.

"That's all.  You can go now, Scully," Mulder broke the silence.

Steve stole a peek at her.

*Scully? I thought that was her last name...Said 'yes' to what? Oh 
man, this isn't what I think it is...*

She cleared her throat.

"Thank you, Lord, for all who gather here.  Thank you for friends who 
have become our family.  And, Dear Lord, thank you for Mulder finally 
asking my hand in marriage so that I had a chance to say 'yes.'  In 
your name we pray, Amen."

"Amen," echoed around the table.

*It is! Its an engagement party!*

Steve suddenly felt like a fool.  He took a bite of spaghetti.  It 
was very good, but settled like a lump in his stomach.

*Too little, too late.  Should have come by a heck of a lot sooner*

Mulder was watching him with satisfaction in his eyes and a small 
vindictive smirk on his lips.

********************************************************

Skinner was offering a toast.

Everyone was feeling relaxed and cozy, having imbibed a few glasses 
of wine already.

"To Mulder and Scully.  Two of the most annoying, exasperating, and 
excellent agents I have ever had the honor to supervise.  I'd like to 
think that I saw this coming years ago.  May you have many years of 
happiness together."

Everyone chuckled as they drank their wine in salute.

Mulder was snickering and Scully was shaking her head in amusement at 
Skinner.

Steve was just plain confused.  Byers must have seen this, because he 
leaned over to Steve.

"Mulder and Scully are partners with the F.B.I.; Mr. Skinner is their 
supervisor," Byers told him.

Scully suddenly sat her glass down as she overheard Byers.

"Oh, I am so rude!  I didn't make all of the introductions!"

She began to gesture to each person at the table.

"Steve, this is my mother. These three guys are Frohike, Byers, and 
Langley.  They're friends of ours - Mulder and I.  This is Walter 
Skinner, an assistant director with the F.B.I. and his assistant, 
Kimberly.  Mulder you already have met.  I'm sorry I didn't introduce 
you to everyone earlier; it must have slipped my mind."

Steve tried to smile, "That's o.k. I was figuring it all out myself."

He and Mulder exchanged glances.  Mulder's eyes held challenge and 
Steve's held defeat.  

He held his wine up in mock congratulations to Mulder and took a swig.

Mulder snorted in appreciation.

Scully looked from one man to the other, confused.  Then, 
understanding slowly dawned on her face.

"Mulder, why don't you just pee on my leg and get it over with?" she 
mumbled to him behind her wine.

Wine almost shot out of Mulder's nose as he coughed and sputtered.

**********************************************************************
*

More to come....:)