Disclaimer: Not mine

Spoilers: None really.

A/N: Just a happy little story as I sit here in the cold and wait for spring. I know that Scully seems a little OOC, but she's just a happy, happy girl.

"I'm going on vacation," she had said one night as they finished up some paperwork. "For a week. And you're coming with me."

He'd looked up at her questioningly, but the expression on her face told him that he really didn't have the option of arguing about it.

"Well, okay. When?"

"Next month."

"Where?"

"You'll see."

"Scully, can we even take our vacations at the same time?"

"Yes."

"How do you know I even want to go?"

"You don't. Which is why you're going with me. It's the only way you'll take a vacation and believe me, you need it really bad."

"Do I look that tired?"

"Yes. And so do I."

He'd sighed, sat back in his chair, and tried to figure out ways to get out of this.

He couldn't.

So that's how he found himself all the way across the country in the middle of May with his very excited partner, and a rental car headed for the beach.

"Can I ask why you chose the Oregon coast and not somewhere like California? It's warmer there."

"Warmer yes. Also really crowded and not all it's cracked up to be. I grew up there, Mulder. It wouldn't be a vacation. However, I love the beach and we used to spend summers here. It was a foregone conclusion."

"You look happy."

"I am thinking of cresting that final hill and looking over and seeing sand and ocean and candy shops. I am happy."

He smiled as they drove west. She told him that they were going to the boardwalk first, which was about two hours from the airport. He'd offered to drive, and she'd accepted, leaning her seat back just a little and closing her eyes.

Serene was the first word that popped into his head as he stole a glance at her. He'd never seen her so completely at peace and happy before. It almost made his heart skip.

"The beach we're going to is the last stop on Lewis and Clark's trail," she said, looking out the window. "They have an arcade there. And don't let me forget to get seafoam."

"Seafoam?'

"It's like aerated molasses covered in chocolate."

"That sounds disgusting."

"It kind of is, but it's tradition. Once you start eating it you can't stop."

"Like the chips."

"Yeah, but much, much worse for you."

He chuckled as they came into town. He felt as if he hand stumbled upon a west coast Coney island. The old buildings painted that faux ocean blue, the white trim, the cobblestone walkways. Of course there was no amusement park, but that didn't really make a difference.

"Park in this lot and we'll hoof it," she directed. He could tell she was itching to get out of the car, so he parked in the first available spot.

She rattled off a list of things to do and he followed her, finding it kind of hard to match her brisk pace. She was like a little girl in the Barbie aisle of the toy store.

They entered a small store that was filled with different kinds of soda. There was "Lenin-ade" which was strawberry lemonade, something coconut flavored, and other ones that were written in foreign languages. Eclectic collection was correct.

They both chose one bottle of soda –bubblegum for him, sarsaparilla for her- and made their way out of the store and down the boardwalk to the beach. She stopped when they got to the beach and took her shoes off, sinking her toes into the sand.

"I've been thinking about this feeling for weeks," she said, leaning down and taking a handful of sand, watching as it fell from her fingers. "I used to try and find red particles in the sand. There aren't very many, so it kept me pretty occupied."

"What did you do when you found them?"

She shrugged.

"Felt accomplished."

He grinned as she stood up and walked over to the swingset.

"Scully," he said with a chuckle. "You're just full of surprises."

"I know," she said, jumping on a swing. "I just hope that you're not insinuating that I'm usually boring."

"Not at all."

"Come on, swing with me."

"I am finding I have very few choices as far as this vacation goes."

"Basically."

He rolled his eyes and jumped onto the swing too, trying to remember the last time he had been on one. He supposed he had been about seven.

He had to admit though, the feeling of the wind whipping around them, the sun shining off her hair, and the smell of the ocean all made him forget his initial unwillingness to go on this trip. Instead he found himself looking forward to the next few days, and hoping that he would see Scully like this the whole time.

"Hey," she said, noticing that they were swinging in tandem. "We're married."

"Aw man!" he shouted before bailing off the swing. Her laughter followed him down to the sand and she skidded to a halt.

"Are you okay?"

"Of course I am."

"You didn't twist an ankle?"

"Scully, I know how to land off a swing," he said.

"Just checking. Want to go to the arcade?"

"You're not going to give me a moments rest, are you?"

"Once I lapse into a sugar coma from all the seafoam and saltwater taffy, you can do whatever you want."

"Oh joy."

They walked down the street together, looking in the shop windows and commenting on the seaglass decorations. He made a mental note to come back and buy the purple seaglass bracelet that she had been staring at.

They finally made it into the crowded arcade and Scully pulled a ten dollar bill out of her pocket and put it in the change machine. She gave him a handful of quarters and a serious look.

"Don't spend it all in one place."

"You mean don't blast it all on Whack-A-Mole?"

"Exactly."

He laughed and followed her over to the Skee-ball game.

At the end of an hour, they had accumulated over five hundred tickets. There wasn't anything of substance at the ticket counter, so Scully spent a few minutes giving their tickets to some kids that came up short for what they really wanted. He watched her with a smile then wrapped his arm around her shoulder when she joined him.

"That was nice."

"I guess. We should get to the hotel. I'm exhausted."

"Don't you want that seafoam?"

"I'll get some later."

He took her hand as they made their way back to the car.

"Good first day?" she asked as the sun set over the ocean.

"Perfect first day. What's tomorrow?"

"You'll just have to stick around and see," she said, squeezing his hand.

"I can't wait."