Hello guys!

I wrote this for an LJ friends birthday present. It's an extension to the baseball scene from 'The Unnatural'. An abundance of fluff ahead...YOU'VE BEEN WARNED XD

-Dru

I do not own Mulder, Scully, the X-Files of the sheer awesome having to do with any of them

:

As Scully chewed thoughtfully on a piece of her teriyaki drenched chicken she heard Mulder in her head.

I liked smelling your hair Scully. I liked feeling you so close.

His nose had been nuzzled deep into her mess of auburn hair, tangled and astray from the light breeze. His arms were around her protective and gentle as he helped her guide his bat towards the white and red that flashed towards them. Scully's giggles filled the air.

I liked hearing you laugh. Listening to you breathe. I wish I could hold you like that all the time Scully.

Mulder was saying all of this merely with his eyes. He peered over his chicken bowl at her, the gaze she set upon him riling up the butterflies in his belly again.

"How did you like your crash course in batting Scully?"

Scully regarded him gently, reaching across their corner table to wipe sauce off his cheek with the pad of her thumb. She felt a little giddy and reckless tonight, finding any reason she could just to touch him. Her head felt a little woozy. He squirmed slightly under her touch desperately wanting to clutch her close to his chest again. To re-live their evening on the field.

"It was…," Scully paused for a moment, the right words escaping her. Catching hints of Mulder's familiar scent as she breathed in the night air. She smiled at his anxious stare as he anticipated her next words. "It was fun Mulder." He smiled back; seeming satisfied as he wiped his hands on his napkin and discarded his empty plate in the trash can behind them.

"Ready to go back then?"

Scully paused as she nibbled at a warm pea-pod from the bottom of her chicken bowl.

"Back where?"

"To the field…I want to show you one more thing." Mulder clasped his hands together, resting them in front of him a top their table. A flare of excitement and giddiness rose within her. Thinking of pressing herself up against Mulder, feeling Mulder's hands on her again. She finished off the rest of her vegetables.

"Is this an excuse to spend more time with me Mulder?" she teased earnestly. "You didn't even want to leave the office this morning!"

Mulder stood up with her as she threw away her Styrofoam bowl. He clutched her hand. The look she gave him as she lifted her head to lock into his gaze was priceless. Playful and trusting.

He held back the urge to kiss the corners of her mouth.

;

"No WAY Mulder."

"But Scuuuully!" he was whining now. Drawling out every syllable just so she would react to him. She grabbed hold of his wrists.

"They forced us to play kick ball in school," Scully said. Her smile was lighting up the night. The park they had returned to had shut off most of their lights for the night, only leaving on a dull streetlamp that shed a dark yellow glow onto the baseball field. Mulder and Scully stood on the pitchers mound in the middle.

"They always picked me last!" Scully continued. "Last because I was the slowest kid in school. Even slower then Mikey Johnson and HE had asthma." Mulder just laughed at the enthusiasm she put into her story. She really didn't want to run.

"Scully," Mulder reasoned. "You were hitting them out of the park. And the rules are that when one hits balls out of the park they must run the bases."

"I wasn't hitting them out of the park," Scully argued. She still hadn't let go of his wrists and he was fidgeting on his feet. He knew he wouldn't be able to suppress the overwhelming urge to turn this into a tackle football game much longer. "You were helping me."

If a goofy grin hadn't already been permanently imprinted on his face from earlier Mulder knew one would be tugging at his lips now. He gently shook loose of her hold, taking a hand in his.

"And I'm going to help you now."

Scully eyed Mulder carefully as he led her to home plate. He handed her his bat and she happily molded herself back against his chest.

"Our ball-boy went home," she murmured.

"Mmmm. I guess that presents a small problem doesn't it?" he was running his nose along the back of her neck putting her insides in a confused knot as to how to react. What she really wanted to do was turn around and throw him down on that pitchers mound. Tangle her fingers up in that ridiculous jersey as she fought to get it up over his head…get grass stains on her knees…listen to him cry for her…

But she giggled instead.

"Well since you've already mastered the batting portion…," Mulder discarded his bat, tossing it a few feet away. "Now we run." Giving Scully no more time to protest he took her hand and started to run around the diamond. His long legs strode easily, touching every base with the inside of his foot. Scully fought to keep up her legs burning as she sprinted with him. She pushed even harder when he let go of her hand, practically daring her to beat him to home plate. She didn't, of course, but once she met Mulder at home plate the two of them were laughing so hard the burn in her thighs was soon forgotten.

"You were right," Mulder panted, resting his hands against his legs. "You are slow."

Scully looked up at Mulder, her heart melting into a gooey mess. His dark hair was ruffled perfectly, eyes a happy-exhausted. Orange dirt still visible under his nails. She found that she loved him when he looked like this. She longed after him when he looked like this. She hadn't realized she had been staring aimlessly at her partner until the orange stained fingers she had been studying so closely were all over her belly and arms, tickling ruthlessly as she listened to surprised squeals escape her mouth.

"Dana Scully not retorting to any of my smart ass remarks? You must be sick…"

Scully was finally able to squirm away from him her eyes alive but uncertain. Mulder caught her gaze and decided he was just going to come out and say the words he had been debating since dinner. The tug of her hands on his arm gave him hope.

"Why retort when you call yourself a smart ass for me?"

"Scully," Mulder suddenly found himself all business as he took her hands in his. Scully's chest tightened all the play rushing out of her face.

"What is it Mulder?"

"I…," he was about ready to back out but pushed on. "I want you to come home with me. To my apartment." The last part was so soft Scully had to move closer to Mulder to hear it. Had he really just said what she thought he had said? Mulder quickly flooded the silence with more words. "For coffee or something. I mean…it's just…," his frantic fumbling stirred up some more giggles in Scully. She touched his flushed cheek.

"I have had so much fun with you tonight Agent Mulder," Scully gave him an uncharacteristic coo. Her heart and mind were on fire. Scully said out loud the words Mulder was too afraid to. "I'm not ready to say goodbye quite yet." Relief rushed through the both of them as Mulder tightened his grip on his partners' hands.

"Good," he smiled. "If we leave now we may be able to catch the end of the Knicks game…,"

"More sports Mulder?" Scully couldn't find the heart to stop teasing him. He gave her a perfect Mulder-esc grin.

"Please?"

Scully could only smile and shake her head as he led her back to the parking lot. As he opened the passenger side door for her and like a giddy high school kid, fumbled to find the right key to stick into the ignition.

She held back the urge to kiss the corners of his mouth.