For a short time, Dana paced nervously.  She knew Fox would wait until the
rest of the lights in the house were out before trying anything.  After a
while, the idea that he had experienced a change of heart became a nagging
thought.  She considered slipping out on her own just to clear her head when
she heard a click at her window.  Heart racing, she hurried over and peered
out.  As a flood of relief washed over her face, a new concern presented
itself.  What was she doing? She had always been a child of logic and
reason, even at a very young age. But as she waved down to Fox, grinning
like a schoolboy, she also waved those fears aside.  This was it. Their last
chance together for months.  For once in her life, Dana was going to ignore
the calm level headed side of her brain and think with her heart.

The drive over to Dana’s filled him with dread.  What if she changed her
mind? Or her mother suspected?  What if  she were caught sneaking out.  As
badly as he wanted to see her this night, he didn’t want to put her in a
compromised position at home.   Then his thoughts turned to their date
earlier that evening.  She had surprised him with her interest in seeing the
Ridley Scott movie, "Alien." He would have guessed she'd want to see
something romantic or a documentary. But as he sat beside her in the
darkened theater, an arm around her, and the other holding her hand, he
understood.  It was a terribly suspenseful film, and really well made. Fox
was delighted more than once at the opportunity  to enjoy how she clung to
him at particularly fearsome moments.  The creature in the film was
horrifying and the special effects quite good.  Holding her there, her hand
willingly placed in his,  he had marveled at the unending surprise which was
Dana Scully.

As he turned onto the street, he pulled in front of the cottage two doors
down from the Scully house.  He killed the engine and quietly slipped into
Dana’s back yard. 
"Yes!"   It was an easy matter to determine which window was hers.  The
light was on and a big red "X" was drawn directly onto the pane of the
window.  He mentally hugged Dana for her brilliant conniving mind. "I
guess X marks the spot," he said to himself as he looked  for a small
pebble or something.  Dana was right.  He did feel rather like a character
from an after school special of Romeo and Juliet, or perhaps the Brady
bunch.  But her cherished the feeling all the same.  He flicked the stone
lightly at the window, flinching as he narrowly missed hitting the one next
to it.  Holding his breath, the stone collided into the appointed window
with a light crack.  Barely a second passed before he saw Dana at her
window, waving excitedly to him.  His head swam at the mere sight of her.
She motioned him around to the front, and he nodded and waved in return.
Fox stood off to the side of the front porch silently thanking the powers
that were for the gift of this person in his life.  Hearing the click of
the door as it opened, he turned expectantly.   She looked at him with such
joy, he wondered how he had deserved this moment.  Could I look like that to
her?, he mused.  Pushing the thought away, his grin widened as she flew to
his side, nearly tripping in her hurry.
"Shhhh" he admonished her with a glint in his deep brown eyes.
"Shhh yourself," she said, feigning indignance.  "So where are we going?"
"Well, I kind of thought I’d leave that up to you..."
Dana eyed him with amused exasperation.  "Tell me again which one of us has
lived here his whole life?"
"OK, I can take a hint,"  Fox replied.  "I did have some...ideas."
"Well you know how I like your ideas," she enthused, slipping her hand
around his waist.  Taken aback momentarily by the comfort & ease with which
she drew herself to him, he wrapped his arm around her shoulder, leaning her
even further against him.  She rested her head into his chest and sighed
contentedly.
Fox dropped his chin onto the top of her head, comforted by how right this
felt.
As they came to his car, both were hesitant to break from the casual but
intimate contact.

As they got in the car, Dana leaned over to Fox and kissed him lightly on
the cheek, her breath hot and light on his face, her lips soft and moist.
He felt his legs twitch.  "What was that for?"
She blinked at him. "For this--for right now--for today--and....for me."
He gazed at her and took her chin in one hand.  He kissed her softly on the
cheek.  "This is for right now."
He brushed his lips against the other cheek, making Dana shiver with
pleasure.
"This is for today."
He leaned over towards her ear and pressed his lips against it, moving his
hand from her chin to her shoulder, and bringing the other hand to rest on
the back of her neck, and holding her gently but firmly, whispered, "and
this is for me.."   Fox began to trace his lips against her ear, moving
down  the graceful curve of her neck, his touch searing her wherever he
kissed. Dana felt as if a million tiny electric shocks were shooting through
her brain.  Without realizing it, she moaned.   Fox paused from his tender
ministrations, a look of delight heavy in his  eyes.   "Hmm....so perhaps
that *was* more for you than me," he joked softly.
"Well then," she replied, her blue eyes softening, "then *this* is for you."
Surprise gave way to sensation as Dana parted her lips softly and pressing
her mouth upon his, teased him gently with a delicate motion of her tongue.
She explored his mouth and took his lips between her teeth, gently nibbling
on them.
As he yielded then responded with a fervor of his own, she accepted his
tongue and gave in to the need pounding in her head.  Kissing with eyes
first closed then open, they regarded each other as their hands sought
solace upon their bodies. Pushing back a bit, Dana managed to speak huskily.
"Fox, I don’t want you to get the wrong idea, but could we do this someplace
else?"
Fox inhaled sharply, then letting the air escape his lungs in a rush,
agreed. "For obvious reasons, I thought we’d avoid the harbor point."  
Smiling wryly, she nodded in agreement.
"So, we could go to my place or maybe to the beach.  I know it’s a little
chilly for that but I brought along some.... provisions.   I also have
access to a few vacant summer cottages."
Dana raised an eyebrow at this, but decided to let it go.
"Hmm, why don’t we go to the beach and then if need be we could always
retire to a cottage."
This seemed like a plausible solution, and so they went on their way.  The
drive over was very nice.  Dana scooted close to him, her hand entwined with
his, the radio playing softly in the background.   When they arrived at the
beach, Fox parked  the car but instructed her to wait inside.  He bustled
about outside briefly, then with a mischievous look, helped her outof the
Mustang, asking her to close her eyes.  She complied, and with Fox leading
her, felt the warmth of a fire upon her face.  

She opened her eyes to see a blazing campfire set before her, with what
could only be described as a midnight picnic.  Blankets were strewn about
the sand, Fox had brought along a thermos of hot chocolate, a bag of
marshmallows and provisions for S’mores.  "I hope this doesn’t seem too
hokey, " he half apologized, I’m just not the drinking kind." 
"Its wonderful Fox, she whispered, her eyes aglow, it’s..perfect!"  She
shivered a little.  "Come here, he offered, holding up a fuzzy blanket.
They sat down on a quilt he had spread out, and he drew her up against his
chest. Dana sighed blissfully and snuggled in.  They sat there like that
for a few minutes, just enjoying the feel of one another.  Fox rested his
chin against her head, massaging her shoulders.  Dana drew her head to one
side, granting him an inviting view of her soft warm neck.  It was an
invitation he readily accepted.  Hungrily, he drew his lips to her flesh,
nipping biting playfully. She let out an involuntary gasp at the tingling
touch of his mouh. "Fox."
He tugged at the neck of her sweater, exposing her shoulder.  She shivered
as he continued to delight her, his mouth hot and hungry on her skin.  She
tasted salty and warm and sweet.  Fox felt as if he could continue exploring
the secrets of this woman through the sunrise.  She breathed his name again,
barely audible, "Fox.."
He moved a hand cautiously towards the front of her sweater.   She clasped
his hand in hers and pulled it into the soft inviting confines of her
sweater, holding it gently against the rise and fall of her chest.
Cupping her gently, he leaned back towards her and claimed her mouth with
his once more.  She turned herself to face him, gently stroking the back of
his neck.  "Mmmm Dana," he breathed.
He eased himself down onto the blanket, bringing her alongside him.  His
eyes alight with the reflection from the fire and with a fire all their own,
he seized her gaze, and intertwined his fingers with hers. She looked
breathtaking in the light of the fire, her face cast with flickering shadows
and love.  She searched his eyes with a burning intensity, asking him an
unspoken question, while giving him her answer all at once.  An answer which
promised love.
He startled himself with this thought. Love. It all seemed so fast.  Was it
love which lit her eyes so?  He had taken an immediate liking to this
splendid girl almost instantly.  She had a wit and a fire about her that was
a blessing to behold.  But love?  Fox had never put Love into any equation
before, and it scared him a little.  Instantly, the concept of his leaving
was thrown into a whole new light and his carefully balanced world suddenly
felt quite precarious.  His throat tightening, he found it difficult to 
breathe.

Dana looked up at him, her piercing blue eyes reflecting concern.  Their
hands still intertwined, she pull his against her heart.  "Fox?" she
questioned, worriedly.
(Am I that transparent, he wondered?)
He had always been something of a skeptic where matters of the heart were
concerned.  As he faced the beautiful young redhead alongside him, he felt
that wall crumbling, and considered living his life as a believer.
"It’s all right Dana, it’s just that..."
His heart broke when he saw dejection in her eyes, as she turned her head
down.
"No!" He lifted her chin up.  "Let me finish..."
Her eyes flickered with something unreadable, and she nodded.
"It’s just that while I want this, I hadn’t really thought it through. I
didn’t consider the consequences or the implications...for either of us," he
added.  "Dana, I want this more than you know-" -he smiled softly and swore
he saw a flush of red in her cheeks. "But I don’t want this to be our
goodbye. We should wait. We should save this for our hello. 
I’m just not sure I could go and leave you after...."   he trailed off with
a sigh.

At first, Dana couldn’t believe her ears.  She had looked into her heart and
relinquished this moment---to him.  Decided that he would be the one to
receive the gift that her youthful body could give but once.  And after
everything that had happened between them, to think he did not want her.
Disappointment threatened to overwhelm her, until when he continued, she
caught the expression in his face, listened to his words, and awareness
flooded her brain.
He didn’t want a parting gift.  He wanted more.
She felt a sudden pang of guilt for the hormone induced thoughts she had
just entertained.    "Oh Fox!" she breathed.
The look of doubt on his face gave way to relief and then something more.
"Then...it’s Ok?.....you understand?" he inquired.
She fixed a steady gaze of warmth upon him, squeezing his hand tightly.
"Yes," she replied fervently, "I can’t believe it one level, but on every
other level...Yes!"
"She winked at him with an impish grin.  "Just don’t make a habit out of it,
OK? I’m not sure my ego can take too much more chivalry!"
"Oh, I promise to be anything but gentlemanly for the rest of the night," he
assured her menacingly.   Dana made a futile attempt at scrambling away but
he caught her up and pulled her against him roughly.   She acted as if she
was about to protest when her eyes flashed and she quickly sealed his mouth
with hers.
Still exploring his mouth, she nudged him over abit and then in a swift
motion rolled over him so that she was on top,  triumphantly straddling him
with one leg on each side.   Fox’s expression of surprise gave way to a
dubious leer.  
"Um, Dana, you know all that stuff I just said about waiting , uh, well I
was thinking, maybe that was abit too hasty,  *perhaps* it was a little rash
of me..."
Dana jabbed at him smugly from her perch atop his suddenly uncomfortably
tight jeans.   "I don’t think so," she answered, playfully squeezing him
with her thighs. He reached up and dragged her face down to his, keeping her
on top, but pulled flat against him.   Dana could feel his arousal pressing
into her stomach as she lay on upon him.  It left her feeling giddy.
Combined  with the sensation of his hands upon her, under her shirt, along
her back, Dana was overcome with the desire to press back into him.
Hungrily, she answered his kisses searching along his body until she came
to the smooth hard swelling in his jeans.  Fox groaned wildly. They weren’t
going to give in completely this night, but that didn’t mean other outlets
could not be found.  They continued on this way for what seemed an eternity.
Each one exploring the other eagerly, but with restraint, certain unsafe
borders never breached.  She marveled at his response to her touch, stunned
that she should have such an effect on him. And Fox, warmed by her
enthusiastic reply to his kisses, continued the loveplay until they could
both stand it no more. Wordless, they lay before the crackling fire, Dana
spooned into Fox, content in the silence of their company.
"Dana?’
"Mmm-hmm?"
"Hungry?"
"Mmm-Hmm!" she answered, her tone belying a hunger for something other than
food.
Fox got up and set about to prepare for roasting marshmallows.  Dana undid
the lid of the thermos, and poured a single cup, plopping a marshmallow in.
She waited for Fox to return, and offered it to him as he sat before the
fire. He handed her the roasting stick as he sipped gingerly from the cup.
"Mmmm," he murmured, pulling her to him again, "delicious!"
Fox closed his mouth on hers and Dana revelled in the warm, sweet chocolatey
taste of him.  "What, no marshmallow?"
He smirked at her, and took the roasting stick from her hands.  "Hey you
nearly burned it!" he joked.
"Well my attention was on other matters, " she countered suggestively,
trailing a finger alongside his chest, hooking it into the loop of his
jeans. Now distracted from the task of removing the molten confection from
the stick, Fox gasped suddenly. "Ouch!"
He waved his hand about, gingerly blowing on it where the burning hot
marshmallow had stuck to him.
"Let me see that," Dana ordered, a hint of concern on her face.  Examining
it closer, her expression changed to one of slight disgust and amusement.
"Baby," she chided him, "it’s not the least bit inflamed."
"Well it still smarts, he whimpered, a trace of a pout on his puppy dog
face. Dana softened and took his marshmallow coated finger to her lips,
kissing it tenderly.   "Is that better?’ she queried innocently.
"A little bit" he murmured hopefully, a slight smile evident on his lips and
in his eyes. 
He gasped again, but this time not from pain as Dana took his finger to her
mouth, gently sucking on it and swirling her tongue around it.
"Maybe my finger isn’t inflamed," he groaned, his breath suddenly heavy,
"but I am."
Dana continued the attack on his injured digit,  manipulating her mouth in
such an excruciatingly pleasurable manner Fox felt as if he would faint.  He
started to pull at her again, but she remain steadfast.
"Un-uh" she refused, licking the tip of his finger and giving it a final
kiss before stopping.   "Where is my s’more?"
"Funny that’s exactly what I was thinking," he retorted, the fullness of his
lower lip sticking out in a sexy, slight pout which Dana adored.
"You mean you want *s’more* too?" she giggled, then squealed as he made a
dive for her.
"Oh, I’ll give you *s’more* all right," he threatened, as he pursued her
around the campfire.
The merry chase continued for a moment until Dana dived back onto the quilt,
laughing as Fox tackled her from behind.  He pulled her over onto her back,
& holding her down gently, marveled at how beautiful she was.
Sensing a slight change in mood, Dana looked into the deep forever of his
eyes.
And felt a heaviness tugging at her heart.  "Fox, we don’t have a whole lot
of time left, she began, "could we just hold each other for awhile?"
He smiled broadly in agreement, and held out his arms to her.  She snuggled
against his chest, her eyes damp.  He looked at her briefly, then regarded
the night sky.   "Dana, do you suppose we’re alone in the universe?," he
asked. Somewhat relieved at the conversation's change in direction, she
considered the question.
"Well, I don’t really think there are "Alien’s" lurking out there like we
saw earlier today she answered, smiling as he grabbed her abit tighter.
But a once a friend of mine told me something her father had said
before..."  she faltered a little, not wanting to ruin the moment with
a painful memory.  He brushed a hand through the back of her hair, silently
giving her time to continue.  "He told her that given the infinite universe,
filled with billions of stars making up billions of solar systems filled
with billions of planets, well, if we were the only ones here, it sure
seemed like a terrible waste of space."
Satisfied with her answer, he joined her in once again gazing up at the
night sky.  Dana pointed out a few constellations and the planet Venus,
and they continued on in easy conversation, neither wanting to break the
spell of the moment with reality.  Without realizing, they fell asleep in
each other’s arms.