First Valentines (G)

“Happy Valentine’s Day, Daddy!” the strawberry blonde in pajamas burst into the kitchen and he swung her up and into his arms.

“Happy Valentine’s to you, Sweetheart.” He gave her a kiss on the cheek then held her so that she could give one to Scully as well.

“You know what happens tonight?”

She shook her head.

“Well, this is the night that guys get to take their best girl out to celebrate.”

“Oh,” her face fell.  “Will Grandma keep me?”

“Today she will, but not tonight.”

“A babysitter?” Emily looked a little uneasy at that.

“Nope.  You see, I’m one of the lucky guys that has two best girls.  So I get to take both of you out tonight.”

Her eyes widened and she looked over at her Mom.  “For real?”

Scully nodded.  “You and Grandma can pick out a dress and Grandma can fix your hair.  Is that okay?”

“I can dress up?”

“You sure can.  And Mom’s going to dress up too.  We’ll have a good time.”

Emily gave a big nod.  “I’ll be ready.”

“You’ll have to give us time to get ready too, so you don’t have to rush, Sweetheart.”

“Okay.   I can’t wait!”

“Me either.  Your mom and I will hurry home.”  He put the little girl down as he heard the knock at the door.  “I’ll get it,” he said to Scully, giving her a quick kiss as she took Emily’s hand.

“Happy Valentine’s Day, Mom,” he grinned as he opened the door for his mother-in-law.  “I just told Emily about the plans for tonight, so you might notice she’s a little excited.”

“No doubt,” Maggie said, her eyebrow mimicking his Scully’s.  He had to smile as he followed her into the kitchen.

*****

“Scully,” she said, answering her cell phone.

“Hi, Honey, it’s me.”

“Mom?  Is everything okay?”

“Yes, everything is fine.  I just didn’t want you calling to check in and wake Emily.  She wanted to take a nap so she could stay up late tonight, but actually getting to sleep took awhile.  She is so excited about tonight.  It’s very nice of Mulder to include her, especially since it’s your first Valentine’s together.”

“He’s the best father to her,” Scully said softly.  “I wish I could be as good.”

“What?” Maggie asked immediately.

“Oh, he always thinks of things like this.  He’s wonderful with her, planning special outings for us, or something just for the two of them.  She adores him.”

“Why don’t you think you’re as good?”

“Oh, I’m, I didn’t mean . . . “

“He’s the ‘fun’ one?”

“Well, yes.”

“And you’re the disciplinarian and make her pick up her room and wash her face.”  There was a silent pause from Scully.  “That’s called being the ‘Mom’, Dana.”

Scully chuckled, “You’re right, and I know that, but - “

“But Fox . . . “

“He is so delighted to have a family, to have a daughter - “

“And a wife,” Maggie interrupted.

“And a wife,” Scully agreed, smiling to herself.  “It’s like he’s making up for his own childhood.”

“There’s nothing wrong with that.”

“No, there isn’t.  I’m not complaining; I just wish I thought up these cool things to do.  I don’t want him to feel like I’m not as happy as he is.”

“He knows, Dana.  You’re quieter than he is, but he knows you’re happy.”

“I just want to make sure.  We’ll be home on time, I hope.”

“Good, Emily and I have decided on a dress and how we want to do her hair.  You just come home and deck yourself out.  She’ll be all ready.  She loves you both very much.”

“Thanks, Mom.”

*****

Mulder followed Scully into the house grinning.  Maggie would have everything under control so he wasn’t worried.  Scully had shot him a look of exasperation when he’d made that comment, so he kept quiet now.

The three women, Emily in curlers and a bathrobe, disappeared into their bedroom, leaving him to fend for himself while his dates got ready. 

“I laid out what you wanted in Emily’s room, and here - “ Maggie did hand out a different tie to him, which caused him to mock glare at her but she just grinned at him.

When the door finally opened to allow him to see his girls, he had to admit he was speechless.  Scully was a beautiful woman, in his mind even more beautiful since their wedding but tonight, tonight she was a knock-out.  Not black, she’d chosen a royal blue dress which caused her eyes to blaze with color.  It was short, sexy and the shoes . . . damn, the shoes!  She wouldn’t be chasing any perps down alleys in those.  He looked up to see the color tinting her cheeks; she’d seen his appreciation.

He turned his attention to Emily.  She was wearing her red Christmas dress, but Maggie had brought her white tights with little red hearts on them and her hair was pulled up in partial ponytail full of ringlets.  Maggie hadn’t seen him smile like that since the wedding.

“I’m the luckiest guy in the world.  The three most beautiful women in the world are right here in my home.”

Maggie rolled her eyes.  “Enough, I’m outta here.  Have a wonderful evening and I’ll see you tomorrow.”

“Thanks, Mom,” Scully kissed her cheek and the four of them left the apartment, Mulder escorting them all.

*****

Emily’s eyes were shining as the valet took their car at the restaurant.  There were a lot of beautifully dressed people here, but she knew her parents were the best looking of the bunch.

Mulder held Emily’s chair, to her giggles, as the maitre’d held Scully’s.  Mulder ordered two glasses of champagne and one of sparkling cider to begin the evening.  Emily could barely contain herself.

When the music began Mulder looked over at Emily.  “May I have this dance?”

Her big blue eyes got even bigger and she nodded, looking over at Scully who was smiling at them.  When Mulder rose and took Emily’s hand, he winked at Scully and her heart filled.  On the dance floor, Mulder had Emily stand on his shoes and they danced smoothly through the first number.

“Don’t you want to dance with Mommy?” Emily asked as they ended their dance.

“Why don’t the three of us dance?” Mulder suggested and turned to look at Scully.  He caught her eye and she nodded.  She rose gracefully and joined them on the dance floor.  Mulder lifted Emily into his arms and the three of them danced the next dance.

“Looks like our appetizer is here, ladies,” Mulder remarked as the dance ended.  “We’ll dance some more later.”  He escorted them back to the table and seated them both, watching as Scully helped Emily with her napkin.

Emily wasn’t very impressed with the crab dip, but the sparkling cider more than made up for it and she joined in the toasting, then looked around, watching the other patrons dance and eat.

Her entry, chicken nuggets by any name . . ., was more to her liking and she turned down offers to try Scully’s fish or Mulder’s steak.

The identical expressions of bliss on his girls’ faces when the dessert cart was brought around had Mulder biting down on a laugh, but he ordered a piece of the death by chocolate cake and three forks.

He danced with each of them while waiting for the dessert, noting that Scully had eyes mostly for their daughter while they were away from the table.  He certainly understood; he felt the same.

He did manage a couple of bites of the sinfully chocolate dessert, but left most of it to them, enjoying the sight.  When the dish had been removed he cleared his throat.  “One more thing, ladies.”  He reached into his pocket and withdrew two small boxes, one wrapped in silver with a red bow, which is handed to Scully and one wrapped in red with a silver bow for Emily.  “Go ahead.”

Scully looked as surprised as Emily and he just waited.  Emily got hers opened first and gasped.  “Oh, Daddy!” 

Scully was just behind her, and held up the golden heart.  “Mulder . . . “

“They’re lockets, open them.” He helped Emily as Scully opened hers.  In both of them on the left was a picture of Mulder, on the right in Emily’s was a picture of Scully, in Scully’s a picture of Emily.  He glanced over at Scully who was silently gazing at the pictures, her eyes sparkling with more than the lights.

“Daddy, help me put it on!”  He complied, watching her hold the locket to her chest, her smile beaming, causing people at other tables to look over at them and smile as well.

“It’s beautiful, Mulder,” Scully said with a nearly steady voice.

He just nodded.  He had his arm around Scully and Emily, who was beginning to droop, in this other arm when the valet brought the car around.  He buckled Emily in, knowing she’d be asleep long before they got home, then opened Scully’s door and handed her in.

He’d been right; Emily was asleep by the first stop light.  Scully looked back at her, then over at Mulder.  “Thank you.”

He grinned and winked at her.  “So I’m doing okay?”

“Okay?  What do you mean?”

“As a Dad?  Am I doing okay?”

“You are doing so much more than ‘okay’, Mulder.  She adores you.  You’ve been the best - “

“Scully, I know me.  I’ve lived with me a long time.  I’m not the easiest to live with, I get caught up in work, I - “

“No, you have been there for her every time she’s even asked for you.”

“How about you?”

“Me?”

“Have I been an okay husband?”

This time her eyes filled even quicker and one tear escaped before she could prevent it.  She saw his hands tighten on the steering wheel though she couldn’t say he was looking at her.

“The best,” she said quietly.  “Your Valentine’s Day present is waiting at home.”

He glanced over at her and she saw him relax a little, then he leered at her and she laughed out loud.  Emily didn’t stir.  He took her hand and placed it on his thigh, covering it with his own.  Maybe he wasn’t doing too bad for a novice.