In their four years of being partners, Scully knew five things about Mulder. He thought aliens were real, the government was hiding things from the public, he loved proving her wrong, he had no regard for his own health and put his search for truth before his own life, and finally, he was a die-hard Knicks fan. Though Mulder researched all his cases thoroughly and from all angles, Scully knew that he was liable of stopping whatever he was doing to watch the game on TV. There had been many a night in which she had been over at his hotel room or apartment, ready to talk about a case, when she'd been turned down in favor of watching his favorite team play. 

So, of course, when the New York Knicks had won their way into the Championship Game in July, Scully knew exactly what to get Mulder for his birthday. True, his birthday wasn't for 3 months yet, but she knew that this was one of his dreams. So, because Scully knew Mulder wouldn't buy himself a ticket, she bought a pair for them. Scully reasoned that he'd saved her life yet again a week ago, and now she was paying him back. They weren't cheap tickets either. Near court side in fact. 

"Mulder?" She asked, swiveling around in his chair to look over at him. 

"Yeah Scully?" 

"Can you meet me tonight at my place? Wear your Knick's jersey." Thinking that they were going to watch the first game tonight on her television, Mulder agreed eagerly. He was in for the surprise of his life. 

Later that day, Scully rushed through her apartment, trying to find the appropriate clothing to wear for the game. She finally settled on one of her button up blouses and a skirt. Nothing too different from her everyday look that she felt comfortable enough in it, but also casual enough for the game. 

The knock came from outside her door just as she finished buttoning her white shirt. "Coming Mulder!" She opened the door, revealing her tall, lanky partner in his orange jersey over a white t-shirt and jeans. 

"Hey Scully," He said, starting to come in. Seeing her, he stopped. "Where are we going?" 

"What are you talking about Mulder?" Scully asked shooting a sly smile at her partner. "We're going to watch the Knicks game of course." She walked away, down the street and to her car. Mulder stood staring after her for a few moments, in shock. 

"What!? Scully stop joking around!" Mulder caught up to her, grabbing her shoulder to face her around.

"I'm not joking Mulder," She grinned as his eyes found the tickets she held in her hand. "We're going. This is your birthday gift." Aghast, Mulder looked down at his partner. He'd rarely seen her so happy, as she looked now. His heart pounding loudly in his ears, he glanced at the printed tickets displayed in her fist. Then back down to her shining, pretty face. A wide grin broke out and he leaned down, hugging his partner to his chest and whirling around. 

"Mulder!" She squealed into his jersey as her feet left the ground. His chest rumbled with laughter as he put her down. 

"My birthday's not even for three months!!" 

"I know Mulder!" She returned his smile, and started jogging to her car, where he got in and drove, heading toward the Hornets Stadium in North Carolina, where the Knicks would be playing later that night. The hour drive went fast, with Mulder filling Scully in on the facts concerning the two teams. To his estimation, this would be quite an interesting game. The Knicks had the better record but the Hornets had two star players. 

Once in the huge Spectrum Center, Scully led Mulder down to their seats, only ten rows above courtside. "Scully!" Mulder exclaimed. "How did you get such good seats?! These cost at least 5,000 each!!" 

Scully looked up guiltily at him. "I may have, uh, told Skinner it was always my dream to go to an NBA Championship game, and with me being, uh, terminally ill, I was doubtful I would ever get another chance."

"He bought that!?" Mulder inquired, incredulous. 

"I think maybe he wanted me to bring him along, instead of you but, ah well." Mulder started to laugh, and slung his long arm around Scully's shoulders. 

"Too bad Skin Man! You snooze you lose!" Settling down in his seat, Mulder surveyed the scene. The heady smell of pine varnish was detectable even from this height, and the squeaking of players' shoes were discernible in the babble of the crowd. There were a lot of Hornets fans, seeing as this was their Home Court, but plenty of orange Knicks jerseys were visible in the higher up seats as well. His eyes found the tall players below him. Mulder thought that being a basketball player could have been his second job, had he not wanted to be an FBI Agent. He was certainly tall enough.

Scully studied Mulder's face, akin to one of a toddler who'd just gotten everything he wanted for Christmas. He looked adorable, with the bright lights of the stadium shining in his hazel eyes, and his mouth was hanging open slightly, like a child's. She stifled a laugh, she wanted to enjoy this view for as long as she could. Who knows, would she even be here still in a month or two? Enjoying late night talks with Mulder, investigating weird, creepy cases that always brought out the best in both of them? Or cold and stiff in a pine wood coffin? 

Soon, the piercing whistle of the refs brought the pre-game practice to a close. Both teams returned to their coaches for talk of Strategy. Mulder leaned forward in his seat as the first five players for the Knicks; Monty Williams, Doc Rivers, Anthony Mason, Greg Anthony, Eric Anderson lined up. Doc Rivers the tallest of the five, stepped forward to contest the Hornet's player for the jump ball. 

The ear piercing whistle blew through the air, the crowd cheered, and the ball flew gracefully into the air; only to be batted down into the hands of Doc Rivers. The Knicks team barreled forward, Rivers passing to Anthony Mason, their point guard. He skillfully dribbled the ball down the court, feinted to the right, and drove down the center. At the last second before the Hornets defender took the ball, he passed to Monty Williams, who shot. 

Mulder leaped up, along with other Knicks fans and cheered their approval. The pounding of the ball on the floor was the echo of Mulder's heart, pulsing with every bounce of the ball and leap of the players. The Knicks got an early lead, utterly delighting Mulder, and as a consequence, Scully too. 

By the time halftime rolled around, the Knicks were up by 15, and Mulder was elated. Scully too, was happy, and offered to grab the food for them as to let Mulder watch the halftime shows. However, Mulder declined and ordered her to sit down and enjoy the cheer leading exhibition. Mulder came back with a 15 minutes to spare, and the companions settled comfortably in their padded seats. Scully struck up a conversation with a woman sitting next to her, who appeared to be there with her boyfriend, who began to talk animatedly to Mulder. Both happened to be Knicks fans. 

"Are you a fan too?" Scully asked the younger blonde. 

"No, actually Mark just wanted me to come along so I did. You?" The blonde lady laughed. 

"I bought the tickets for Mulder. It's been his dream to watch the Knicks win the Championship game so."

"Aw! That's so sweet! I'm Karen, what about you?" Karen asked. 

"Dana." 

"Is Mulder your boyfriend Dana?" Karen asked, leaning closer with a curious gleam in her eyes. Scully leaned back, shocked. 

"No! We're just partners at work." Shooting a sly grin at Dana, Karen whispered, 

"Is that why he looks at you like that?" 

"Like what...?" Scully asked suspiciously. At first she had though Karen to be pretty decent, but here she was, prying into her personal life! 

"Like he wants to do you of course." Karen returned back to her seat, sending one last mischievous smile at the older red haired woman. Scully sat in shock. What even...? 

Shaking her head, Scully muttered, "Young people these days," and returned back to her original seat, which Mark had been occupying. 

"Oh, sorry." Mark moved past her toward Karen, and Scully sat down once again next to Mulder. 

"Was Karen nice?" He asked curiously. 

"Eh. Could be better," Scully replied coldly and Mulder kept his mouth shut at that. The overhead screens started to flash the Kiss Cam as the cheerleaders ran back into the locker rooms. Scully turned her attention to the screen above and watched as the astonished looks of various couples around them flashed on screen, before their lips met in an embrace. Mulder, looking at her like that? Pah! 

Mulder leaned close to her, and whispered, breath whooshing against her ear, "Thank you Scully. For today." She turned her head toward him, finding him to have invaded her personal space. 

"Your welcome Mulder." She stared shyly into his eyes, which reflected her own. Their connection broke when Mark nudged Scully and pointed up, laughing. 

"Look! It's you two!" To Scully's complete horror, the Kiss Cam had zoomed upon her and Mulder. The screen reflected her horrified look for everyone to see, and people, seeing as neither her nor Mulder were leaning in, started to chant. 

"Kiss! Kiss! Kiss! Kiss!" 

Scully waved her arms, yelling in vain. "He's not- we're not um, a couple! He's my best friend!" Her protests were unheard, and Mulder, looking at her flushed, red face, knew that Scully hated being ridiculed. 

He smiled gently, and reached forward, taking her hands in his own large one. He leaned forward, cupping her face and meeting her shocked eyes before the descent. He closed his eyes, pressing his nose against hers and taking her lips in his softly. Everyone around them cheered as the oddly contrasting couple kissed. 

It was over before Scully knew it, his soft lips leaving hers. He sent her a look that made Scully blush redder than her hair, and she turned away to watch the game progress. 

The night finished with a blaze of victory for the Knicks and Mulder himself, who could barely contain his excitement in having stolen a kiss from his partner. Instead, he projected himself as joyously delirious at the win, instead of the bursts of magic he felt when his lips had met hers for the first time. 

The drive was spent in recollection of the best plays of the night, with Mulder contributing the most. Scully's absentminded replies were due to her mind still replaying the moments when his mouth had stolen the breath from her lungs. Mulder drove back to her house quickly, the traffic was light at his time of night, 2 o'clock am in fact. The game had started so late in order to encourage more views on the west side of the country, but nobody really minded. Tomorrow was Saturday, so they had no work. 

Scully's mind, in turmoil for the whole drive, finally reached a course of action that scared her and excited her both. Mulder stopped the car, taking the key out and giving it to her. He jogged around to her side, and opened the door. 

"It's the least I can do, Sculls. Thanks so much for tonight," He said as he walked with her to her apartment on the second floor. He pressed the button for the elevator, which came quickly, seeing as no one else was awake. 

"No, thank you, Mulder, for always being here for me. I just wanted... One last adventure before..." Noticing her teary eyes and croaky voice, Mulder stopped, turning to her. 

"Scully, what are you talking about?" His voice warned her not to lie, and his eyes plead with her to comply. 

"I..." She looked down. Mulder's hands, seemingly on their own accord rose up, cupping her face. He tilted it up toward him, rubbing comforting circles on her cheeks. "Mulder... The treatment didn't work. I have a tumor... And it's not going away." Tears started to drip from her lashes, shining in the light of the elevator as they slid down her pale skin. 

Saying nothing, Mulder watched as the tears pooled in her eyes before dropping like rain. He bent his head, kissing the tear away. Scully stiffened under his touch, but didn't shy away, so he continued, his lips coming down the salty trail left by her tears. Her hands came to clutch at his forearms as his ministrations reached her lips. 

The elevator dinged open, and Mulder raised his head. He glanced down at Scully, asking her permission. It was given in one look, and he followed her to her apartment door. As soon as they were both inside, his arms came around her in a hard grip, hoisting her up so they were eye to eye. Her arms came around his neck, and her legs wrapped around his waist as he carried them both to her room. 

He dropped her down onto the bed, crawling after her and leaning down. His soft voice sent whispers up her spine. "I don't believe that Dana. You will beat this- this cancer. I believe in you." 

"I might not." She murmured tearfully. "I don't want to lose you, Fox." 

"You won't. I'll always be with you. You're my one in five billion, Scully. I love you." 

"I love you too." Their lips met in another kiss, and everything else faded to oblivion.