Dinner was served shortly after TJ and Scott returned from their smoke. The meal included a chowder, bruschetta, and stuffed mushrooms as an appetizer. Then the main course for the night was provided which included a variety of vegetables and grilled salmon.
"All of this tastes quite wonderful," stated Alexandria.
"It is indeed all well prepared, it makes me curious as to the rest of the meals. Though I am not certain this will be able to stand up against the main dishes served the last time we were on a cruise." Wesley declared to his wife.
"The last cruise? When was the last time you two went on a cruise?" Mulder was suddenly more interested in the conversion occurring between the two movie stars than the car talk happening between the other men of the table.
"Oh, we actually go quite often. We cannot take our boat out during the winter and therefore we go on multiple cruises. I just cannot get enough of the water." Alexandria peered back and forth between Mulder and Scully at this point.
"That sounds wonderful, I wish we could afford to do that, Darius," Scully wrapped her hands around Mulder's upper arm at the conclusion of the statement.
Mulder, feeling Scully's hands on his bicep, automatically flexed. Once he realized this he tried to relax his muscle. However it was too late and Scully was already peering up at him. Wow, he could not believe himself right now . . .was he really trying to show off his physique for Scully? I mean he was in shape, but there were plenty of other men larger and stronger than he. Plus this was Scully, the same Scully that had fallen asleep on his shoulder multiple times and had seen him without a shirt. Then again maybe she would notice that he had been making a point of hitting the gym for at least a couple of hours a week over the past three months . . .
"Oh wow, Genny I see now what you mean about Darius's eyes. They have glazed off into a strange color. He must be deep in thought about something." The entire table was staring at Mulder at the end of the declaration from Fran.
All of a sudden Mulder realized that not only Scully had taken her hands off of his arm but also the entire table had their eyes fixed on him.
"Darius, honey, what are you thinking about?" Scully asked the question knowing that he would not give a truthful answer. If he were thinking about her, who she hoped he had been, he would never say. If had been considering the possible suspects of the crime, he would not mention anything until they returned to their cabin for the night.
"I was just thinking about . . . I was thinking about when we met and how far we have come since that day." Mulder knew Scully wouldn't believe him, but he hoped the rest of their company would believe.
"I love stories about couples meeting. Please tell the whole story." Madelyn appeared to be so interested in the story to come.
"Well we met at a restaurant and I bought her a drink so I could talk to her. We just hit it off." Mulder wrapped his arm around Scully.
"Wait I thought you met each other in the hospital. Kate and I were sharing couple meeting stories and she said that you were in a bicycle accident and Genny nursed you back to health?" Alexandria stated with a questioning tone.
Mulder and Scully looked like deer caught in headlights. They had messed up their story. The entire time they were chatting with the other couples they had been trying to find problems in stories. Here they were telling separate meeting stories.
"After Darius was released from the hospital we lost touch for a little while. It wasn't until he saw me in the restaurant that night that we started dating. I mean I couldn't exactly date him while he was a patient. Plus I transferred to a hospital closer to my house. I figured since I lost his number and I changed hospitals, I would never see him again." Scully tried to keep her voice confident.
"But you can't hide from me. I always get what I want and I want you to be my wife." Mulder gazed intensely into Scully's eyes.
"That is just the cutest darn thing! Now isn't that so cute, Theodore?" Emmy's sudden booming voice immediately ruined the romantic moment for Mulder and Scully.
"I do say that is adorable, dear." Theodore smirked at Emmy. Emmy immediately burst into her uncontrollable cackle.
"Your laugh is so, so, so loud, Emmy. I am certain that everyone will be jealous of the joke that must have been told here. However, since I am not laughing, I guess Wesley and I must have missed it." Alexandria looked quite annoyed. There wasn't anyone there that wondered whether she and her husband would request a different table for all of the remaining meals.
Mulder smiled at Scully. The smile was for a couple of reasons. The first being the fact that he knew Scully hated Emmy. The loud cackle from Emmy made Scully cringe every time. Second, she had totally just covered his mess. When Alexandria first confronted them, Mulder had no idea what to say. At first he wanted to claim that Kate had no idea what she talking about, she must have misheard him or confused them with another couple. However, he knew that would appear suspicious. Plus if one of the couples at the table were running around cruise lines murdering couples . . .well he didn't want to attract any undue attention to him and his partner. Lastly, he smiled at Scully because they had just had a moment. The moment wasn't like their usual where he flirts or says something with a double meaning and hopes she understands. Then waits patiently while the wheels turn in her head and then he can do nothing but smirk. This time it was different. He had said he wanted her to be his wife. He meant what he said. It wasn't like the time where his partner had named every single type of supernatural reason for people hurting themselves and he had been so astonished by her knowledge that he had asked her to marry him. No this time he meant it. Of course if she had said yes instead of saying she wanted something more useful and then hanging up, he would have agreed. He had found Scully attractive since he met her. It took a couple years before he admitted to himself that he was in love.
"Finally the desert part!" Madelyn looked like a kid in a candy shop as she watched the men walk through the dinning room handing out plates with the most delectable deserts.
"Oh I wonder, what they made us tonight. I am sure it will get better and better each and every night." Emmy smiled at the rest of the table as she also eyed up the servers.
The cruise line gave an array of choices for dessert, tiramisu, white chocolate raspberry cheesecake, ice cream, chocolate mouse cake, or zeppoli. Everyone at the table took a moment and then settled for one and silently promised himself or herself that they would try the others another night. Everyone that is except for Emmy, she told the server that she could not choose and therefore she wanted to try one of each. She didn't even act bashful when the group stopped and watched the server try to squeeze that many plates in front of her. At least Theodore noticed all of the eyes and told the servers he did not want anything because he was going to share with his new wife.
"Wow, I would never guess that you could finish all of that food. Especially finish it all after you ate that large dinner" Alexandria stated with an obvious disgust in her voice. She had told Wesley from the beginning that they could be around Emmy and Theodore. Alexandria knew her and husband were way to classy for this group, not to mention she did want any undue attention from the crowd of this cruise line.
"Alright, well that was a very interesting meal. I believe Madelyn and I will return to our rooms a little early" Scott took hold of his wife's hand as they rose from the table together.
"Oh that sounds like a wonderful idea, Hannah and I will walk back with you, plus if we don't head in now . . .who knows if we will be able to get up tomorrow for breakfast," TJ winked at his wife as he wrapped his arms around her.
Hannah turned to the rest of the table after a quick kiss with her new husband. "Would anyone else like to walk back to their rooms with us? We might as well all walk back together, wouldn't want anyone to be thrown overboard . . ." Hannah just stared at the table with no expression on her face. In fact the lack of expression, Mulder decided, actually made her appear scarier than if she would have had an evil glare.
"There is certainly nothing holding my dear Wesley and I here. But we will probably take a walk around the ship before returning to our rooms. I'm sure we will be fine, but would you want us to call you and TJ when we get back to our rooms safetly. . . you are playing the role of mommy right? Alexandria seemed to be getting more and more snobbish as the night went on.
Mulder didn't know what to say, three of the couples had returned to their rooms. Thank goodness one of the couples included Alexandria, Wesley sure would have his hands full with her. Jamison and Fran were making pleasant conversation with Scully and Theodore. Emmy had left to "powder her nose" about twenty minutes ago. There was no doubt that the abundant desserts were not sitting well in her stomach. The fact that she had asked for two pieces of salmon rather than the standard one piece, probably just added to her problems in the bathroom. All right, so she ate a ton, that doesn't mean she is guilty of anything other than gluttony. Hannah and TJ seemed nice, but the reference to throwing people overboard is very suspicious. She didn't even try to write it off as a joke, it's as if she knows something. Scott and Madelyn, well other than wanting to return to their rooms immediately, there really isn't anything weird about them, well come to think of it, a honeymoon couple that doesn't want to be in their rooms at all times is weird. That would then mean that in addition to being arrogant, Alexandria and Wesley are weird. They are honeymooners and they want to walk around the ship, not to mention the fact that they claimed they go on many cruises, what are they looking for? I mean why walk around ships at night you can't see anything . . .other than people.
Well Mulder had no idea who the guilty couple was on this ship, but he and Scully were going to discuss the possibilities in-depth when they returned to their rooms. Of course that would mean the night would be spent arguing rather than spending it the way most newlyweds would . . .but the reality of the situation must be kept in mind at all times, people are disappearing. As much as the forward development of Mulder and Scully's relationship is important, tonight there are more important items.
Tomorrow morning he could begin to formulate his game plan of not only capturing criminals and solving this case, but also for becoming a real newlywed.