Archivist's note: This is the complete series "A Day in The Life." There will be no more stories in the series, because to the sorrow of the X-Files community, Girlie_girl passed away the last week of May 2005.

On a completely different note, I want to point out that I think this fic, A Cold Night, was meant to be a prequel to this series. In any case, A Cold Night is one of my favorite fics ever, and the first of Girlie's that I ever read, so I consider it well worth the read even if my suspicion about it is wrong. Give it a read, huh?

NeoX

Title: A Day in the Life

Author: Girlie_girl7

Date: 08-08-03

Category: family fic

Spoilers: Existence then AU

Rating: PG

Archive: anywhere

Disclaimer: Fox owns 'em

Summary: Days in the life of Mulder, Scully and their children.

"Take a look at the case file I have assigned you and be prepared to discuss, dissect, and disseminate it on Monday." A murmur passes through the room as stiff bodies stretch out the kinks acquired from hours of sitting. The group slowly snakes out of the room with Mulder being the last. He wipes off the whiteboard, shuts off the lights and locks the door behind him.

A small group of agents are standing outside the door carrying on an animated conversation as Mulder slips around them. One of the agents speaks up, "Agent Mulder."

Mulder stops and turns around to face the younger man. "Yes Agent Moore."

The agent steps foreword from the group and asks, "Sir, there is something I don't understand about the case we just discussed."

Mulder fingers his keys then tucks them into his suit pants pocket. "What's that agent?"

"If Mr. Weaver was indeed the carrier of the tobacco beetle. . ."

"There's no question he was." Mulder cuts the agent off.

"And he's still alive?" Agent Moore questions.

"Yes he is," Mulder says with a nod.

"Then is he still receiving the experimental cigarettes? I mean, if he isn't he should have died from the beetle, right?"

Mulder looks directly at his student. "Good question Agent Moore."

The agent beams at the compliment from his instructor.

"Mr. Weaver was treated in the same way Agent Scully treated me. He was taken off cigarettes but given large doses of nicotine while he was in the hospital recovering from his gunshot wound. He wasn't happy about it but it was for his own safety and those around him."

"So now he's serving the seventy-to-life he received for the killings?" The agent asks.

"And I have been told he has become quite the anti- smoking advocate in prison," Mulder chuckles.

"Bet that goes over well." Agent Moore deadpans. Mulder and the other agents all laugh but suddenly he grows quiet and stares down the long hallway softly saying, "Well speak of the devil," as a large grin covers his face. The younger agents all turn to see what their instructor is staring at.

Down the hall walks a petite redhead dressed in a yellow, floral print sundress and sandals. In her arms she carries a wispy, brown-hair baby with deep, dark eyes, wearing a white sundress with tiny white socks; beside her walks a sandy redheaded little boy with the same large, expressive, blue eyes that she has. The little boy is clad in a white Tee and a tan sun-suit along with white sneakers on his feet.

The agents all stare at the beautiful woman approaching them with a warm smile on her face but eyes only for their instructor. Suddenly the little boy breaks free from the woman's grasp and runs toward the group of agents laughing and screaming, "Da-dee!"

Mulder steps from the crowd and scoops up the child, kissing his cheek and patting his back. He turns to the assembled crowd and says, "This is my son William." Scully soon catches up with the little boy. "And this is his mother Dana and our daughter Katherine." The agents all mumble hellos with Scully returning the greetings.

Suddenly Agent Moore speaks up; "You're Agent Scully, Special Agent Dana Scully, right?"

"That's right," Scully smiles at the agent as she straightens Katherine's dress.

Agent Moore seems enchanted by the female agent. "We've heard so much about you from Agent Mulder."

Scully shoots Mulder 'the brow', which doesn't go unnoticed by the crowd. "No," Agent Moore speaks up; "it's all good. You must have been a terrific agent."

"Thanks," Scully smiles.

"She still is," Mulder interjects. "She hasn't retired yet."

"I still come in for the occasional autopsy or lab work."

William points to the empty classroom door. "Waz dat, Da-dee?" He asks.

"That's where I teach," Mulder softly tells the child in his arms.

"Want down," William says and begins to squirm. Mulder places him down on his feet. Will toddles off touching each door as he walks down the right side of the hallway.

Agent Moore looks at Scully. "How long were you in the field Agent Scully?"

"Seven years," Scully answers shifting Katherine in her arms while she pats down the baby's unruly hair, just then Will reappears softly saying, "Tix, seben, eight." One agent from the groups speaks up. "He's awfully young to be counting isn't he?"

Mulder chuckles at his son who is now headed down the other side of the hallway counting doors as he goes. "He's two but Scully works with him. He can count and he's learning to read."

Scully watches her son travel down the hall. "He's very bright but he doesn't talk much yet."

"They say Einstein didn't speak until he was three," another agent says.

Mulder laughs. "Yes, and I'm sure Einstein wouldn't have known who SpongeBob SquarePants was either."

The agents all laugh as they continue to watch William walk back up the hall. Mulder picks up his son and asks, "Will, how many doors on this side?" Mulder points to the right side of the hallway."

"Eight!" William shouts.

"And how many on this side?" Mulder now points to the left side of the hallway.

"Seben!" Will shouts, twisting his fingers in embarrassment as the agents all laugh causing him to hide his face in Mulder's chest.

Agent Moore moves over to speak to Scully again. "So you're a pathologist too, huh."

Scully's attention is drawn from her son's antics to Agent Moore. "Yes, I am. What is your field of expertise in Agent. . .?"

"Moore," the agent eagerly provides. "I'm a linguist. I speak five languages."

"You're exactly what the bureau is looking for these days." Scully says brushing her hair away from Katherine's active fingers.

"Yeah," Agent Moore blushes. "I was headed for a life in academia when the bureau recruited me. I just hope I can do the job."

Scully empathizes with the agent. "You'll do just fine. They only take the best," she assures him.

Will has been placed down and is being teased by the agents standing around him. He's enjoying a game of peek-a-boo by hiding behind his father's legs and peeking out at the agents.

"Agent Scully, what attracted you to the FBI?" Agent Moore asks.

Scully shifts the fussy baby in her arms. Mulder reaches out to relieve her of her burden. Katherine immediately stops complaining and stares intensely at her father.

Scully steps out from the crowd to talk further with Agent Moore. "It wasn't for the money."

Agent Moore laughs and nods his head, focusing all his attention on the redhead standing in front of him.

She looks down and crosses her arms. "I'm not sure, but I think I saw it as a form of rebellion."

The agent looks surprised at Scully's comment. "Really, I never guessed you to be the rebellious type," Moore says as he steps closer to Scully and leans against the wall on one elbow.

"No I wasn't. I did very few rebellious acts in my life."

Moore nods his head toward Mulder. "I take it he was the rebellious one of this partnership?"

Scully looks over fondly at the man easily talking to the other agents while trying to deal with two small children. "Yes he was, or still is. Hard to believe that isn't it," she laughs.

"So the partnership has worked out well for the both of you?"

Scully looks up at the tall, blonde agent and smiles. "Yes, it has. I'm exactly where I want to be."

"I was afraid of that," Agent Moore mumbles and looks down at his shoes.

Mulder notices Agent Moore talking to Scully, it bothers him but he doesn't leave the cluster of agents encircling him. One of the agent's has asked him what the worst case he ever worked was. Mulder reflects for a moment then says, "The Santa Claus killings in California." He shifts Katherine in his arms while the baby stuffs a fist into her mouth. "Anytime you have to deal with a child's death it's rough but Agent Scully and myself stumbled onto a killing field filled with children's graves."

"Oh, I remember that case, it was all over the TV. That was you?" Another agent asks.

Mulder nods. "Yes, Agent Scully and myself were the lead investigators on that one."

Mulder moves over just a little, either trying to hear what Agent Moore and Scully are talking about or trying to impose himself into the male agent's view.

Moore moves in just a little closer to Scully. "I've heard you've worked on some pretty freaky cases."

"Yes, Agent Mulder and myself were known to work on a freaky case from time to time." Scully says to the agent who is riveted to her every word.

"I'm hoping Agent Mulder will assign us some of those cases to review, they sound fascinating." It's apparent to Mulder that isn't all Agent Moore finds fascinating.

"I'm sure Mulder will toss in a few of those cases too," Scully smiles. Mulder doesn't care for the toothy grin she's flashing at the younger agent.

"Agent Mulder, Agent Mulder." It finally sinks into Mulder that he is being paged by one of his students. "Can you tell me whatever became of Morley's involvement in the tobacco beetle case?"

Mulder frowns at Scully and the attentive agent who's standing just a little to close for his comfort. "Oh, uh, they were sued, they settled, everyone's happy," he mumbles then says, "excuse me." He brushes past the group of agents and heads straight for Scully with Will clopping along behind him. Scully puts out her arms and Will runs into them. She lifts him up as Mulder slides along side her forming the perfect family montage. He leans into Scully and says, "Ready to go dear? Our kids are getting restless." Will stares calmly at his father who is making a fool of himself while Katherine is draped over his arm like a rag doll. Scully flashes her bright, blue eyes at him, unsure of what's gotten into him.

Agent Moore thrusts out his hand, "Agent Scully, it's been a pleasure to meet you."

"You too Agent Moore and don't worry, you'll do just fine."

The younger agent smiles a full tooth smile. "I better be going," he says as he points to the group of agents moving down the hallway. "I'm Agent White's ride," he tosses over his shoulder as he walks down the hallway with what Mulder would claim is a little more swagger than necessary.

Scully watches Agent Moore until he's out of sight then whips her head around to look at Mulder. "Dear? What was that all about? You know I don't like platitudes like that."

Mulder continues to stare down the hallway. "He was awfully chummy, don't you think Scully."

"Mulder, he was only. . ." Suddenly Scully's face lights up. "You're jealous!" She laughs.

Mulder looks down at her indignantly. "I am not!" He takes off down the hallway carrying Katherine in his arms.

Scully catches up with him. "Whoa, whoa, whoa. Mulder you were jealous!" Scully puts Will down and takes him by the hand.

Mulder stops and turns to face her. "Okay, so shoot me."

Scully pulls on his suit jacket sleeve. "Mulder, I think it's sweet that you're jealous," Scully teases.

Mulder winces, "I'm not sweet Scully, this is a testosterone driven need to protect what's mine."

"Yours?" Scully frowns at him.

Mulder backtracks. "Well yeah, you're mine and I'm yours and Will and Katherine are ours. "You know love and all that stuff."

"All that stuff? Mulder do you want a bigger shovel to dig yourself in deeper with?"

Mulder sighs and looks down, "No, I'm doing just fine."

Scully turns down the short hallway that leads to the double glass doors; she leads Will through the open door while he counts his steps. Mulder follows her through the door, squinting at the bright sunshine; he places his hand over Katherine's eyes to shade them. Scully opens the backdoor to Mulder's car and scoops Will up placing him in the car seat and buckles him in. She then walks around the car and takes Katherine from Mulder and buckles her into the baby bucket she travels in. Mulder looks around. "Where's your car?"

Scully shuts the backdoor and moves back around the car. "Mine's in the shop so mom dropped us off. She has car seats too you know."

Mulder crawls into the driver's side and starts the car. He turns to Scully and says, "Do you realize we are carrying two children in this car whose combined ages are two and a half years old?"

Scully looks confused. "Yeah, so what. We do it all the time."

"But not without a diaper bag we don't."

Scully laughs. "It's on the floor in the back. I put it in there when mom dropped us off. I expected to be in and out in just a few minutes." Meanwhile in the back seat, Will is trying to teach Katherine to count, something she finds very annoying.

"But instead you ran into Mr. 'Fascination', no let me correct that, Agent 'Fascination'," Mulder snipes then mumbles, "Let's see if he passes my class."

Scully's eyes flash at Mulder but she curbs her anger. "He was just asking me some professional questions, that's all," she reassures him. Mulder contemplates what she has said and pulls out into the traffic and heads toward one of their favorite eateries. Scully knows he isn't prepared to let this go just yet, he'll go home and brood.

"Mulder what makes you think he would be the least bit interested in me. I have two small children by his instructor, no less, plus he just might be married."

"Scully you are the beautiful, intelligent mother of two beautiful and intelligent children and if he would hit on you knowing he sits in my class, what would he have done if I hadn't been standing there breathing down his neck, and for your information he is single."

"He is!" Scully teases.

Mulder flinches and glances over at her. "Come on Mulder, you don't think for one minute that I would be the least bit interested in anyone but you."

Mulder shrugs, "It's been known to happen."

Scully sighs and looks back at the two little Mulder's sitting in the back seat. "You know if you were a woman I'd say you were PMSing."

"Now that's a rather sexist statement isn't it?"

"Which part?"

"All of it!"

They pull into the restaurant parking lot, find a free spot and unbuckle and unrestraint everyone in the car.

A tall, thin, blonde man greets them at the door. "Agent's! And I see you have brought William with you." He leans down to look at the baby in the carrier, "And who is this?"

"That," Scully says, "is Katherine. The newest member of the family."

Will chimes in, "Dat's da bee-bee!"

The man ruffles Will's hair and leads them to a quiet booth in a side room away from the main dining area. Mulder sits Will in a high chair while Scully slides into one side of the booth as he places Katherine's carrier next to her and then slides in the other side next to Scully.

A waiter arrives to take their drink order. "Hun- gee!" William yells. "Shhh," both Mulder and Scully correct him. They order their drinks then Scully moves over to unbuckle Katherine and sit her up a little higher in the bucket she's nested in.

Mulder turns to William and asks, "Okay buddy, what do you want?"

"Hicken," Will spouts as he kicks his foot against the footrest on the chair.

The waiter comes back. "Two iced teas and one cherry Kool-Aid."

"The Kool-Aid is mine," Mulder quips while Scully ignores him. She orders a turkey club sandwich as does Mulder but he adds fries to his order and Will gets chicken strips.

Scully glances over at Mulder. "So what are you doing this afternoon?"

"I don't know," Mulder shrugs. "Work on my class notes for Monday, play with Will, the usual."

And pout, Scully silently adds then sighs, "Mulder you're still not upset about Agent Moore are you?" She knows she has to tread lightly, while the man she loves has all the professional confidence in the world, personally though he lives in a glasshouse.

"No, you told he I have nothing to worry about."

The waiter returns with their meals. Will gets grabby and wants his chicken but Scully pulls his hands away from the basket of hot little chicken parts. The waiter looks down at William and says, "Better listen to your pretty mother, those are hot." Then the guy winks at Scully and takes off for the kitchen. Scully beams while Mulder turns sideways in the booth with one leg out and his arm draped over the back as if he's about to go after the guy. Scully breaks up Will's chicken strips into smaller pieces while Mulder turns back around and takes a bite out of his sandwich. She's sure she can hear his teeth gnashing together as he chews.

"So Mulder, did I hear you right, you were discussing the tobacco beetle case with the class?" Scully takes a bite of her own sandwich and reaches over to give Will a few of Mulder's fries.

"Yeah. I noticed a couple of the smokers in the group were turning a little green."

"I'll bet," Scully smiles over her sandwich. Will tries to pick up his lidded cup to drink through the straw but Scully has to help him. Minutes pass as they eat in relative silence. Finally Mulder wipes his mouth and says, "Scully, do you miss it?"

Scully doesn't know what he is referring to. "Miss it, miss what?"

"Being in the field, the freedom, the excitement. Do you miss it?"

"Do you Mulder?"

Mulder smiles, "I asked you first."

"Well," Scully pauses, "yeah, I guess I do."

"Enough to regret the path you're on? I mean, you didn't exactly chose this," Mulder says sweeping his hand around the little family before him.

"No I didn't," Scully smiles and laughs. "Mulder I can't believe at my age I got myself in trouble."

"You weren't alone as I recall," Mulder leers. "No I wasn't." Scully blushes and reaches over to wipe Will's mouth.

"So," Mulder says pensively.

Scully looks up and stares into his eyes. "Not for a second do I regret my life as it is today. I would have changed some things if I could have." She drops her voice to a near whisper, "I wish you hadn't been taken from me and . . ." her voice hitches, she lowers her head and wipes at her eyes, "and returned like you were."

Mulder attempts to lighten the mood. "Gee Scully, you make it sound like you didn't want me back."

Scully blows out a long breath. "No Mulder you know that is not true."

Mulder looks into her bright blue, shimmering eyes and says, "I know, I see it everyday."

Scully is staring at him just as the waiter returns. "Would anyone want dessert?"

"Sure." Mulder says. "My son and I will split a hot fudge sundae."

"And for you ma'am?"

"Oh," Scully sighs, "nothing for me."

"What!" The waiter feigns surprise. "A tiny thing like you worried about a small dish of ice cream?"

Scully places her elbows on the table and entwines her fingers. "No really, nothing for me."

The waiter leaves their table with Mulder glaring at him. "There's a man playing fast and loose with his tip."

"Mulder, he was just being nice."

Mulder glares at her. "You've ran into a lot of 'nice' men today."

"Well, would you rather they dismissed me or treated me as if I wasn't there?"

Mulder furrows his brow, "No but they could treat you a little less cute." Now Scully frowns. Mulder shrugs, "You know what I mean."

Katherine chooses this particular moment to sneeze and rub her runny nose all over her face. Will points to his sister. "Ot oh, da bee-bee gots a runny face."

Scully looks down at Katherine then corrects William. "No, sweetie Katherine 'has' a runny 'nose'."

Will points again. "But look, momma!"

Mulder laughs, "I have to admit Scully, she does gots a runny face."

Scully wipes off the little girl's face, much to the annoyance of her daughter when suddenly William coughs. Scully looks up just in time to see a beautiful Armani suit covered in bits of chicken strips. Mulder sits back in the booth and closes his eyes in defeat. "And I thought that flukeman case was the most disgusting thing I had ever seen until we had children."

Scully hands him a wad of napkins and laughs, "Better get used to it Mulder, we've still got eighteen years of this ahead of us."

Mulder wipes off Will's mouth and cleans up his suit as best he can.

The ride home is relatively uneventful, Will has nodded off and Katherine is consumed with looking at her foot. Scully glances out the side window then back at the two children. "Mulder, I need to get groceries."

"What again!" Mulder says, pretending to be surprised.

Scully laughs, "We do have to buy food for four now." Mulder glances down at her chest and wiggles his eyebrows, "Technically still just three."

Scully blushes. "Okay, I'll give you that but laundry and paper products have increased sharply, plus you have introduced Will to wonderful world of junk food."

Mulder chuckles, "Just a chip of the old block."

"Well that may be true," Scully says as they pull into the driveway, "but I still need to feed the chip and the old block. You can either watch Will and Katherine or we can all go, it's up to you."

Mulder ponders the question then asks, "Can I pick out my own snack food?"

"As long as I don't find anymore pork rinds in my cupboards, then yes you can."

"Then count me in."

They pull into the garage and unbuckle and unrestraint the little ones who depend on them for their survival, a fact that Mulder finally came to grips with a couple a weeks ago when Scully told him, 'Mulder, get over it, we can do this parenting thing'. That plus the withering look she gave him convinced him he could do it!

William is immediately taken in and dumped into his bed. He's limp as a rag doll and shows no sign of regaining consciousness for at least several hours.

Katherine on the other hand, is in need of a bath. Scully soon has her sitting in the kitchen sink, scrubbed clean and yawning. She is dried off, powdered and diapered and before long well fed. Scully carries her to the bassinet in Mulder's downstairs office.

Mulder comes out of the bathroom in jeans and a white T-shirt, carrying a rolled up Armani suit. "Might as well drop this off on the way," he says as Scully comes out of the office.

Scully returns to the kitchen to sit at island to begin working on her shopping list. Mulder is running his finger through his spiky hair and digging soap residue out of his ears. Scully glances over at him and smiles. "Okay," she sighs, "can you think of anything else we need?"

Mulder moves behind her to look over her shoulder at the list but he also takes the opportunity to rest his head on her shoulder and wrap his arms around her waist. He can feel her cheeks knot up in a smile as he presses his face next to hers.

Scully draws her head back looking directly at him. "Mulder, your hair is dripping all over me."

Mulder pretends to be so engrossed in the list that he doesn't notice he's getting her wet. "So go take a shower."

Scully leans in to whisper in his ear, "Care to join me?"

Mulder looks surprised by her offer then breaks out into a huge grin. "Race ya."

Scully abruptly jumps off her stool and runs toward the stairs with Mulder hot on her heels.

Long after the water has turned lukewarm they finally step from the shower and dress. Katherine woke up sometime during their little tryst but she is once again content just to play with her toes. William, on the other hand, is yelling, "Momma, come get me."

Scully finds her son standing in his crib definitely in need of a bath. She lifts him from his bed and carries him to the bathroom off his bedroom. "Wanna try the potty-chair again?" Scully softly asks but Will shakes his head no, he's still a little bit too sleepy to care. She runs a shallow tub of water while William automatically raises his arms so she can remove his shirt; mother and son perform like a well-oiled machine.

Soon Will is as clean as the rest of the family. Scully sets him down on his feet and gives him a little push. He takes off running around the corner of his bedroom door and runs smack into Mulder's legs. He falls backwards onto his butt and begins to cry, more from surprise than being hurt. Mulder scoops him up and cradles Will's head against his chest. "Sorry buddy, did I hurt you?"

Scully comes out of the bathroom and Will reaches for her. She takes the crying child from Mulder and asks, "What happened William?"

"He ran into me," Mulder softly says, cupping his son's head while Scully holds him close. She carries him back into the bathroom and wets a washcloth to clean off his face.

Katherine has heard all the commotion from across the hall and now she too is crying. Mulder picks up his daughter and changes her diaper then dresses her in the sun-suit Scully has laid out for her.

Eventually Katherine and William are both clean and happy at the same time. The diaper bag is packed, the coupons are located and everyone is back in the car.

Mulder backs out of the driveway and turns to his partner, "Scully, you know we really should check into an SUV or maybe a school bus."

Scully looks up from studying her grocery list. "And just how many kids do you see us having?"

Mulder shrugs his shoulders and smiles, "I don't know but they sure are fun to make."

Scully stares at him. "Well fun of not, I'm happy with just the two we have besides if you want the fun to continue you can always get a vasectomy."

Mulder scrunches up his face and shifts around in his seat. "Ouch Scully! That sounds painful."

Scully lets a slight smile cross her face, "No more that giving birth."

William is back to annoying Katherine by counting her fingers when all she wants to do is stick them in her mouth. She starts to cry and Will pulls her fingers out of her mouth. "Da-dee, da bee-bee bites her fingers."

Mulder looks in the rearview mirror with a smile, "I don't think so Will, she doesn't have any teeth yet."

Will tries to open his sister's mouth but she's having none of that. So he chooses to look in it while she's bawling, then his eyes grow wide and his mouth forms a perfect 'O'. "Momma," Will yell's.

"What Will?" Scully says over the front seat.

"Da bee-bee don't have any teef!" Will says.

Scully and Mulder both laugh at Will's sudden interest in his sister's dental needs. Mulder chuckles, "Scully, do you think he will ever call her anything but 'da bee-bee'?"

"I hope so," Scully sighs, "other wise someone's going to pick up on that and her nickname will become Bee-Bee and I for one don't want that to happen."

Mulder nods in agreement. "Besides every time I hear bee-bee I think of Captain Kangaroo's sheep dog."

Scully looks puzzled at her partner.

Mulder swallows hard. "He was on TV when I was a kid. He had a sheep dog named Bee-Bee." Then he defensively adds, "I was a child of the sixties."

They pull into the large supermarket parking lot. It's filled with vehicles but for a late Friday afternoon when everyone has been paid, it's not as crowded as Scully thought it might be.

Mulder takes Katherine in her baby bucket into the store while Will and Scully eventually catches up with them. He's become an old pro at clipping the baby carrier onto the shopping cart while Scully puts Will into the child seat on the cart she has chosen but not before she pulls out a Wet One and wipes the cart handle free from germs.

"Don't walk to close to me Scully, you never know when Will is going to decide to check for more teeth." Mulder smiles.

Scully looks down her list while Will kicks the cart with one foot. Mulder has already headed for the snack food aisle where Scully knows he'll be for at least the next twenty minutes. It never ceases to amaze her how the man can spend so much time looking at Ho Ho's and Little Debbie cakes. He doesn't spend that much time trying to decide which suit to buy.

Scully and Will have put the dairy products and sandwich supplies into the cart and next head for the paper products aisle. Will chews on a tortilla chip that a woman handing out samples gave him while Scully picks out the proper diapers knowing full well that Mulder's 'one size fits all theory' doesn't hold water or anything else. She starts around the end of an aisle when she hears a young woman gushing, "She's so cute! I'd take her home if her daddy would let me." She smiles, it has to be Katherine she is referring to, after all that is the cookie aisle. She peeks around the corner and frowns. The woman is going on about Katherine but she's eyeing Mulder! He's stammering and looking down at his feet much the same way Katherine looks at hers, only her cheeks are never flame-red like her fathers are.

"She definitely takes after her father in looks," the woman leans into Mulder and says just a little too breathy and a little too naked for Scully's comfort. Scully suspects the woman buys her clothing in the same section of the store she buys Katherine's in. She wheels her cart up to Mulder and says, "Dear, did you find your Little Debbie's?"

The woman looks up and pushes her long brown hair away from her face and says, "I thought her name was Katherine?"

Scully rolls her eyes and continues down the cookie and cracker aisle. Mulder turns the cart around and follows her. "Hey, wait a minute!"

Scully stops but doesn't turn around. Mulder laughs, "Dear? What was that? You're jealous!"

Scully's head snaps up from looking at her list. "I am not! And for your information that woman was just a few years older than your daughter." Scully shrugs, "Maybe we can bring her home and she and Katherine can try on each other's clothes."

Mulder laughs while customers standing nearby just stare. He drops his voice and says, "You are jealous. I think that's sweet."

Scully flashes her blue eyes at him and grits her teeth. "Sweet! You think. . ." Then she realizes she's heard this before and just huffs out a breath and pushes her cart down the aisle, aware of Mulder's snickering.

They finally approach the checkout with one full cart of groceries and the other half full. The young woman running the checkout keeps batting her eyes at Mulder. Scully has to admit it does get damn aggravating to see the flow of estrogen that oozes from the pores of most woman that meet Mulder. He grabs the bags as the clerk fills them. Occasionally her fingers brush his and she giggles and smiles. Scully turns her head and places one hand on her hip muttering under her breath, "Oh brother."

Soon the trunk is full of groceries and the back seat is full of children. Mulder pulls out into the traffic and heads for the dry cleaners. "Scully, we really should check into something a little bigger. We're out growing this car and we do have the money."

"So what have you got in mind?"

Mulder shrugs and flexes his fingers against the steering wheel. "I don't know, maybe a Hummer."

"A Hummer!" Scully can't believe what she is hearing.

"Yeah." Mulder blushes and tilts his head. "It doesn't have to look like a family-mobile, does it?"

"No, but Mulder I think a Hummer is a little out of our price range. We could get two nice little SUV's for the price of one of those."

Mulder nods, "I agree, two SUV's it is, but I get the big one."

Scully flips her hand into the air. "Okay, it's your money."

"No. It's not, it's our money." Mulder motions to the back seat, "And their money."

Scully shakes her head and looks down. "I still can't get use to the fact that we have expendable income. My folks lived so tight and dad never made a lot of money even as a Captain."

Mulder realizes the dilemma Scully is caught in, she's never had a great sum of money and every cent her family had they worked hard for but now to be part of Mulder's windfall from his parents estate; it's difficult for her to find comfort in it. "Scully, its just money, our money, and we don't just throw it away."

Scully laughs then grows quiet, "No, we don't, but our house was a big investment."

"That's right an investment," Mulder softly says to her.

Scully sighs. "Okay. I do have to admit by the time I get those two in the back seat, I don't have room for anything else."

"So it's agreed then, we look for two moderately priced SUV's and I get the big one."

Scully smiles at her partner, "Yeah, you get the big one."

They pull up to the drive-thru window at the dry cleaners and Mulder drops off his suit and takes his receipt.

They finally pull into their own driveway around seven in the evening. William is bouncing in his car seat and saying, "Momma, I want copper's." Katherine is hungry too and cranking up for a good squall.

"Mulder, can you get Will and the groceries while I feed Katherine?"

"Sure, go ahead." Mulder unbuckles Will and whispers to his son, "Will, the coppers are in the trunk."

Will scrambles out of the car seat so Mulder can lift him out of the car. He then opens the trunk and begins to paw through the many bags. Will bounces on his feet next to his father clapping his hands together in anticipation. Soon Mulder finds just what he's been looking for and hands Will a pack of Oscar Meyer all beef franks. The little boy clutches the package to his chest as he and Mulder walk in the back door.

Will takes off down the hallway yelling, "Momma, momma!"

"I'm in here," Scully says from Mulder's office that right now contains the downstairs bassinet. Will rushes in and says, "Coppers," proudly displaying the hot dogs for Scully to see.

"I see that," Scully softly says trying to not wake the infant she's holding. "Tell dad to fix you one, he knows how."

"Okay!" Will says and runs back toward the kitchen. Scully hums softly to her daughter just enjoying their quiet moment together.

Mulder has finally brought all the groceries in with the help of Will who is now carrying in a bag of chips almost as big as he is.

"Okay Will, now let's fix a hot dog for you." Will jumps up and down beside his father. Mulder lifts the little boy up to sit on the counter next to the microwave. He opens the pack of hot dogs and grabs a paper plate from the cupboard and a knife from a drawer under the watchful eyes of his son. He places the hot dog on the plate and cuts it into tiny coin- sized slices. "Hang on Will, your copper pennies are almost done"

Will kicks the cupboard with his heels. "Shh," Mulder says, "you'll wake the baby."

"Da bee-bee wants coppers too!" Will says.

Mulder grins as he places the hot dog into the microwave. "No, Katherine can't eat coppers yet."

"Cause she don't got teef yet," Will rationalizes. "That's right," Mulder laughs.

The microwave dings and Mulder takes the hot dog slices, that now resemble copper pennies, out of the oven; Scully and Will came up with the copper penny idea a few months ago.

Mulder lifts William up to sit in the high chair, buying him some time to allow the coppers to cool. He opens the bag of chips Will brought in earlier and puts a few on his plate, next he opens a juice box and sets it down for his son. William digs in with gusto.

Mulder crouches next to William's chair. "Pretty good, huh?"

"Um hum," Will agrees with a mouth full of sliced hot dog.

Scully comes in the kitchen and rubs Mulder's back while she watches her son eat. "So you have coppers, huh Will?"

The little boy nods as he crams another slice of hot dog into his mouth.

Scully turns Mulder around and wraps her arms around his waist, hugging him tightly. "You go on, I can finish putting these away."

"You sure?" Mulder asks, looking down at her.

"Yeah, it would be quicker if I did it." He returns the warm hug and heads down the hall to his office. `

Scully puts away the rest of the groceries and moves the ones Mulder put away earlier in the wrong places. By now Will is done eating and holding out his paper plate for Scully to throw it away. "All done?" She asks.

"Down," Will says while Scully wipes off his face.

"What do you say William?" Scully softly chides.

"Down, peas."

"Okay, that's a good boy," she says lifting William from the chair. "Be quiet, Katherine is asleep in daddy's office."

"'kay," the little boy whispers.

Scully finishes putting away the groceries then unloads the dishwasher. Putting the last plate away she shuts off the kitchen lights and goes to check on Katherine. She walks into the office to find Will sitting on his father's lap while Mulder scans the Internet. Will looks around his father to see her standing there, putting his finger to his lips he says, "Shh, da bee-bee is seep."

Scully smiles down at him and ruffles his reddish- blonde hair. The deeper into summer it gets the more brown that the sun bleaches out of his baby fine hair. "Come on lets go read," Scully says helping Will off his fathers lap. Mulder is so engrossed in what he's reading that he hardly notices that Will is leaving.

Hand in hand Scully and Will walk up the steps to the second floor where all the bedrooms are. She walks Will into his bedroom and this time Will accepts the offer to use the potty-chair with better results than the last time he tried. Scully washes the little boys' hands and face and puts a diaper on him along with his cotton pajamas. She turns on a soft light and adjusts the thermostat. Will grabs a blanket off the toy chest and brings it to her in a well- established routine. Scully sits down in the rocker and wraps the blanket around her son then picks him up along with his storybook. She opens the book and begins, "The brown bear runs. . . what is that word Will?" Scully asks as she points to a word in the book.

"Up," Will says.

"Up the hill." She turns the page. "The black?"

"Dog," Will replies.

"That's right," Scully says, "and how do you spell dog?"

Will yawns, "D-o-g."

"That's right," Scully softly says, realizing its too late and Will is too tired to comprehend so she continues to just read to him. "The cow mooed at the goat."

Soon Will is soundly sleeping with his thumb in his mouth. Scully lays him in the crib and pulls a blanket up to his chin and places a kiss on his cheek. He flinches but immediately settles back down. She turns out the light and turns on the nightlight in the bottom of the lamp then pulls the door nearly shut.

She heads back downstairs to the office. Mulder is still on the computer but looks weary. Scully picks up Katherine and heads back to the stairs just as Mulder says, "I'll lock up down here." Scully smiles and carries her daughter upstairs.

Katherine opens her eyes and yawns. Scully lays her on the changing table in what will eventually be the baby's own room. She strips off the sundress and diaper; soon the baby is changed into a fresh diaper and one-piece sleeper. Katherine coos and tries to grab at her mother's hair but Scully is too quick for her. She scoops up the baby and walks around the room swaying her back to sleep.

She walks out of Katherine's room and into the room she and Mulder share. As she lays the baby down in her bassinet Katherine sniffles but settles back down. Scully stretches out the kinks in her neck and back as Mulder wanders in having already shed his shoe, socks and shirt. He walks up behind her and begins to knead the bunched up muscles in her back. "Umm," Scully murmurs, "that is almost as good as sex."

"You think so? Then I've been doing something wrong." Mulder whispers in her ear.

Scully laughs.

Mulder next moves in to kiss her neck. Scully reaches behind him and hooks her thumbs into the hip pockets on his jeans. Mulder reaches around to encase her in a hug. They stand there enjoying the silence for a few moments then Scully finally moves away. "I have to go change." Mulder pats her back and runs his fingers through the soft hairs at the nape of her neck. "Why don't you take a hot bath, if either hellion wakes up I'll handle it." Scully turns around; she and Mulder share a few tender pecks on the lips before she leaves to take her bath.

Forty-five minutes later Scully returns from her bath. Mulder is laying in their bed; the huge oak one he bought for her just before Katherine arrived. Unfortunately she could hardly get into it at the time but she knows Mulder meant well. He's propped up on a pile of pillows reading his notes for Monday's class. He puts down the file and asks, "Feeling better?"

"Much," Scully replies. Mulder folds back the hand- made quilt and Scully slips in next to him. He lifts his arm and she snuggles in close, laying her head on his bare chest, she closes her eyes.

Mulder puts down his file and looks over at the woman he will forever share his bed with. "Tired?" He asks in a gravelly whisper. Scully hums in the affirmative. He kisses her nose and chuckles. Scully doesn't open her eyes but asks, "What?"

"I don't think Katherine enjoys Will teaching her to count." Both Mulder and Scully laugh. "No, I don't think so either," Scully replies while she plays with the soft hairs on Mulder's chest.

He wraps his free arm around her. "I don't know how you do it," he says kissing the crown of her head.

"Do what?" Scully groggily asks.

"Keep those two well fed, clothed, and under control." Scully sighs, "Well, I've had years of practice with their father." Mulder grins and Scully can feel the chuckle building in his chest.

He pulls her closer and looks down at her. "You alright Red?"

Scully slowly opens one eye and looks at her partner. "Red is okay, not dear, but it had better not leave this room."

Mulder smiles down at her, he loves to bait her. Scully settles in again and Mulder watches her relax then says, "Scully my knee itches, you think you could scratch it with your toes?"

Scully turns her head so it's resting on her hand that is flat against Mulder's chest. "Is that a short crack?" She has a hard time keeping a straight face."

"No," Mulder laughs.

"Good," Scully says, "because I know an agent who finds me 'fascinating'.

Mulder sticks out his bottom lip. "It had better be me."

Scully rubs her nose against Mulder's muscled chest. "Why don't you turn out the lights and we'll find out together."

Mulder reaches over and turns out the lights. Silence fills the room then Mulder says, "Scully, you gots a runny face."

Both agents can be heard laughing and sighing and laughing once more.

It's a hot, humid, sticky day; it's the kind of day that makes the level of reported domestic abuse cases rise along with the murder rate, and one hot, sticky, sunburned redhead is tempted to add to both categories.

"Mulder, we have been looking at vehicles for hours," Scully whines. "The kids are cranky, my feet hurt, and we all need fed."

Fox Mulder is sitting sideways in the car, clad in his jeans and a Tee shirt. His sunglasses are perched on his nose and his cell phone is snuggled against his ear.

Scully sighs and shakes her head, while bouncing Katherine on her hip, trying to keep her fussing from breaking into a full-blown squall.

Will is a few feet to the left of his mother, entertaining himself by tossing rocks down a storm drain, in the middle of the baking asphalt car lot.

"Thanks Frohike, I owe ya," Mulder says then pauses, "No, I don't think payment will come in the form of Scully."

This statement catches Scully's ear and her eyebrow. "So what now?"

Mulder closes his phone and pockets it. "Frohike said, if we go two blocks over, one of the Lone Gunman subscribers has a car lot. He does all the work on the van."

Scully switches Katherine to her other hip so that each side of her blouse is equally covered in baby drool. "Mulder, I am not driving a piece of shit like the Gunman drive."

"Scully! I thought we agreed no profanity around the children."

Scully glares a cold, heart-stopping look at Mulder. "For your information, Katherine hasn't developed language recognition skills yet, and your son is off throwing rocks."

Just then a large bang is heard as Will begins assaulting the rear fender of the Ford Taurus with rocks.

"Hey!" Mulder yells. "That's our trade in." Will simply turns back to tossing rocks down the storm drain.

Mulder turns back to face a frazzled Scully, her blouse drenched in sweat and drool, while her pink tinged arms and legs are quickly turning persimmon red. "No, this guy has a Jeep dealership." He lifts Katherine from Scully's arms and leans into his partner, "Scully, can you picture yourself in a Steel Blue, metallic flake, Grand Cherokee with leather interior and automatic seat height adjustments?"

Scully pulls her sunglasses down from her head and puts them over her eyes. She slumps her shoulder's and sighs, "Okay, one more dealership." Then she steps up to her partner and looks him straight in the eyes. "But Mulder, I swear if one more salesman refers to me as, the 'little woman', some ones gonna get hurt."

Mulder knows better than to smart off. Scully looks around her partner and yells, "Come on Will, time to go."

Suddenly Mulder jumps. "Ouch! Something bit my leg!"

"No," Scully sighs, "Will hit you in the leg with a rock."

Soon everyone is stuffed back into the sedan that is now boasting two fresh dents.

Scully turns to Mulder, "Look we've already ordered one SUV why not call it a day?"

"That's mine." Mulder says protectively. "Can I help it if you're pickier than me?"

"Mulder, that monstrosity you picked out is as big as a fire truck! In fact, it's the same color and I'm betting it gets the same gas mileage."

"Scully, you have to admit, it is one of the safest vehicles on the road. The salesman said, it's highly rated by Car and Driver Magazine."

"Of course it is Mulder, it just runs over anything that gets in its way." Mulder laughs.

"But those automatic steps are pretty cool, and it makes getting into it much easier for you and William."

Scully stares at him, then looks out the front window and snarks, "Thank you, very much Mulder."

Mulder makes a left turn and swings the sedan into a huge, new car lot. "Mo, caws!" Will exclaims. "That's right William, more cars," Scully deadpans.

The moment all the car's occupants are out, a salesman is assaulting them. He's pulling out a handkerchief, trying to wipe off the sweat, before it pours down his neck and settles into the bright orange golf shirt he's wearing. He tucks the cloth back into his hip pocket, then pats down his bad comb-over. "Hey folks, how ya all doin?"

"Fine," Scully mumbles, as he puts out a big meaty hand. He shakes Mulder's hand, then Scully's, and bends down to look at Will. "And what is your name, lil' feller?"

Will takes a step behind Scully's red legs and hides. "Momma, he 'cares me," he pleads.

The salesman ignores Will and looks up at Mulder. "You interested in a wagon, a mini, or an SUV?"

From behind his sunglasses, Mulder looks out over the vast acreage of vehicles and asks, "What if I wanted a canary yellow, 5 speed, 4.7 liter, 235 horse with 295 torque at 3200 rpm, aluminum alloy heads, on a two-seater ragtop with a ten disc CD changer, aluminum wheels and cherry-wood instrument panel?"

The salesman grins, "In a 2003 or 2004?"

Mulder finally looks down at the Weeble-looking salesman. "You're good."

The salesman winks. "Oh, by the way, my name is Daryl."

"I'm Fox Mulder, but everyone calls me Mulder."

Daryl flashes Scully a greasy grin. "And what's the lil' woman's name?"

"That's Dana, but her friends all call her 'killer'," Mulder coolly says from behind his shades.

Daryl isn't sure if Mulder is joking or not, but he steps away from Scully.

Scully smiles an 'I owe you' smile at Mulder. He winks back.

Suddenly a tall, thin, older man with salt and pepper hair appears from the glass showroom door. "Daryl, go see what the gentleman in used cars is looking for. I'll help these people."

Daryl deflates and slumps his shoulders and trudges over to the used car lot.

The older man thrusts out his hand. "I'm Jack Ford, the owner."

Mulder shakes the mans hand and comments, "A Ford owning a Jeep Dealership?"

Mr. Ford smiles, "It is a bit unusual." Mr. Ford then turns to Scully, "And you must be Dana; Melvin has spoken of you many times. Come on, let's get out of the heat."

Scully is left to wonder just what 'Melvin' has been saying about her."

They step into the showroom and immediately feel relief from the heat. Mr. Ford crouches down in front of William and inquires, "What's your name?"

Will hesitates just a second, then softly tells the man, "Will'um," as he twists his fingers in his light blue T-shirt.

Mr. Ford chuckles. "Well William, see that man sitting over there behind the desk?" Mr. Ford is pointing to one of his salesman, who has his back to them and his feet propped up on the desk, while he twirls the phone cord with his finger. Will nods.

"That's Don, now I want you to walk up to Don and yell, 'Hey Don! I wanna a sucker', and he'll give you one."

Will looks over at Don and marches off toward the salesman. He stops three feet from the unsuspecting salesman and yells, "Hey Don! I wanna a zuckur." Don jumps in his chair and nearly drops the phone receiver. He scrambles to regain his composure as he turns his chair around to see William, and his boss, standing there. He whispers something into the phone and hangs it up then looks down at Will, "So you want a sucker, huh?"

Mr. Ford turns to Mulder and Scully, "Sorry folks, I guess I'm guilty of using your son. Don's always on the phone to his new girlfriend." Will comes wondering back, chewing on a cherry sucker.

"Come on, let's go into my office."

They just get settled in, with Will sitting on Mulder's lap and Scully trying to deal with a squirming baby, when Katherine finally can't stand it any longer and really cranks it up. Nothing Scully can do seems to satisfy the baby. "Mr. Ford do you have a restroom I can use?"

"Sure," Mr. Ford smiles, "I have five kids of my own." He directs Scully to the restroom while Mulder offers her his help. She tells him to just keep an eye on Will, then disappears with Katherine.

"So Mr. Mulder, I've been warned to just call you 'Mulder'."

Mulder smiles, "I see the guys have filled you in."

The dealer leans back in his chair and fingers his pencil. "Mulder, I've been following your work for years."

Mulder is momentarily caught off guard. "You have?"

"I'm a big believer in the paranormal, and in the possibility of life outside this planet."

Mr. Ford gets up from behind his desk and shuts the glass door to his office then returns to his chair. "I've seen things, things I can't explain."

"Like how zero percent financing, can suddenly become fifteen percent," Mulder wisecracks.

"Well, that too," Mr. Ford laughs.

Mulder grins, "We should talk sometime."

"Anyway, Melvin says, Dana is looking for something to drive."

"That's right." Mulder says, as a now lethargic Will asks to be put down. Mulder lets the little boy down, and William slowly lies down on the carpet, falling fast asleep. Mulder sees the look of surprise on Mr. Ford's face and shrugs, "He's like his mother, he can sleep anywhere."

"Look, Mr. Ford. . ."

"Please call me Jack."

"Okay, Jack, I want Scully, I mean Dana, to have something nice but safe. To be truthful, she's worried about the expense, but I'm not."

"FBI must pay great." Jack grins.

"No, believe me they don't," Mulder smiles. "I've inherited some funds from my family. Dana's a realist, she would be willing to get by with what ever was safe for the kids, no matter what it looked like." Mulder looks down at his son, sleeping on the floor. "But she deserves more and I want her to have it."

Both men look up to see Scully coming through the door. "Sorry that took so long," Scully blushes. But now the baby in her arms is much happier. "Where's Will?" Mulder points to the child sleeping on the floor. Scully nods.

Mr. Ford twists his chair back and forth, eyeing Scully. "So Dana, Mulder tells me you're looking for a vehicle to transport these two in."

"That's right, but nothing flashy or too ostentatious."

"Have you given any thought as to what model you might be interested in?"

"Not really," Scully replies as Katherine settles in for her nap.

"Excuse me," Mulder says and suddenly dashes from the office.

"Dana, we do have a nice selection of 2003's in stock. They're a better deal, because of our closeout specials, than if you ordered a 2004."

"That's fine with me," Scully says trying to deal with the sleeping child in her arms.

"And we can slip you into a much nicer vehicle for the money."

Mulder returns with Katherine's baby carrier. He gently lifts her from Scully's arms and places her in it, without waking her. He settles back down in his chair.

"Mulder, Mr. Ford says our best buy at this time of the year would be to take one off the lot."

"I agree," Mulder says, knowing full well, Jack is trying to upgrade Scully without her realizing it.

They flip through the pages of information on each model. Scully narrows it down to the Grand Cherokee. Jack turns to his computer and brings up all the models of Cherokee's that they have on the lot.

Mulder has his elbow on Jack's desk and is resting his chin on his hand as he stares at the vehicles on the computer screen. Scully moves a little closer to Mulder, so she too can see the pictures. Mulder points to one Cherokee and says, "Ahh, Inferno Red, that color reminds me of you Scully."

Scully smiles at him. "I think I prefer the Bright Silver."

Mr. Ford clicks a few keys, "Bright Silver it is." Up comes five, Bright Silver, Grand Cherokee's.

Mulder grimaces and glances over to the sleeping children, "I don't think we want cloth seats."

"Well, I do have two in Dark Slate, Gray Leather."

"That sounds nice," Scully chimes in, showing more interest.

Mr. Ford clicks a few more keys and brings up pictures of each Cherokee. "What's the difference between those two?" Mulder questions.

"Well. . ." Mr. Ford pauses, "they both have the Mopar Navigation Systems, towing and trailer packages, running boards, all-terrain tires and, oh, one has a power sunroof."

"Can I see that one?" Scully jumps in. Mulder smiles at her, but she's too consumed by the thought of the sunroof to notice.

"Sure," Mr. Ford says, why don't I get the keys and we can take it for a spin."

Scully looks over at William and Katherine and says, "No that's okay."

Mulder bumps her with his arm. "Go on, I'll watch these two. You're the one who is going to be driving it. Go on!"

Jack leaves the office to retrieve the keys as Scully gets up. "Okay, but I'm just looking."

"Go on!" Mulder laughs.

Jack comes in holding the keys, "Come on Dana, lets take it for a spin."

Mulder follows them out of the office and watches through the window, as a sleek, silver, SUV pulls up. A young man exits the vehicle and holds the door open for Scully. She crawls in the driver side while Jack gets in the passengers.

Mulder can see Jack talking; he is pointing out the instrument panel and the various luxuries on the Cherokee. He sees Scully look surprised and then laugh, as her bucket seat begins to move closer to the steering wheel. Jack points to something on the left side, and the mirrors move. Scully looks up and the sunroof opens. Both occupants buckle their seat belts and Scully pulls the SUV away from the curb.

Mulder returns to Mr. Ford's office just as Will is waking up. The child looks confused by his surroundings, but once he sees Mulder sitting there and Katherine's bucket sitting on the desk, he calms down and crawls into Mulder's lap, promptly falling back to sleep.

Mulder pulls out his cell and dials. "Frohike, it's me."

"Yeah, she's out test driving one right now. I think the clincher is the sunroof." Mulder laughs.

Frohike replies to Mulder.

"You're right, Jack is smooth. I better go, they'll be back soon and thanks." Mulder pauses for a moment. "What's that? Okay, it's a deal." Mulder closes his phone just as Scully and Jack return.

Scully enters the office but Jack has been called away. "So what do you think?" Mulder asks her.

Scully smiles, "It's great, but Mulder, it's so expensive, and we are soon going to have payments on the one you just ordered."

Jack returns. "Sorry for the interruption folks, now where were we?" He sits down at his desk and pulls up the cost sheet on the Cherokee; that Scully has just fell in love with.

Mulder clears his throat. "Jack, what are we talking here, price wise?"

Jack clicks a few keys, then settles back into his large, leather chair. "She books out at just under thirty."

"Thousand?" Scully gulps.

"But, I can let you have it for twenty-eight."

"How much for cash?" Mulder questions.

"Mulder!" Scully gasps.

Jack thinks for a few moments, "Twenty-six, five, but that's as low as I can go."

Scully looks at her partner and finally deflates, "Okay, we'll take it."

"Fine," Jack says, "I'll have the paperwork drawn up." He grabs a pile of papers from his desk. "I'll be right back."

Scully turns to her partner, "Mul . . ."

"Hold it Scully, this is to go with a birthday present I once gave you."

Scully regards Mulder, then her eyes well up with tears, and she softly says, "My Apollo key chain."

Just then, Will wakes up and sees Scully sitting there. He slowly sits up, and crawls into her lap. He sighs and goes back to sleep. Scully and Mulder, both, hold back their laughter.

Jack comes back in with papers for Mulder and Scully to sign. Mulder signs his name, then says, "I'll have my bank transfer the funds to your bank tomorrow."

"That's fine." Jack replies, and hands Scully the keys. "She's all yours."

"What! You mean now?"

"Sure," Jack laughs, "you are with the FBI and better yet, you're friends of Melvin."

Mulder turns to Jack. "Frohike is buying the sedan off us so I'm going to leave it here. Have your guys check it over and send me the bill. He'll be over in a few days to get it." "Not a problem," Jack assures Mulder.

Scully carries Will out of the office, while Mulder gathers up Katherine and the diaper bag.

Mulder unhooks the car seat from the Taurus, and secures it in the Cherokee while Jack helps Scully buckle Katherine in. Mulder shakes Jack's hand, and crawls into the passenger side. Scully just stares at him. "Well, come on. This is yours, you drive."

Scully's face breaks out into a large grin as she opens the driver's side door. She starts up the engine, checks her mirrors, and puts the Cherokee in drive before pulling out into traffic. Suddenly William wakes up and sits up straighter in his car seat. Looking out the side window he sighs, "Oh no, mo' caws." He then settles back to sleep.

Mulder and Scully both laugh.

"Hi mom, come on in." Dana says as she stands back to let her mother in the house.

"Hello honey, where are the kids?"

"William is in the living room watching Beauty and the Beast."

"Not again," Maggie laughs.

"'fraid so," Scully smiles, "and Katherine is asleep in the office."

Maggie hugs her daughter, then walks into the foyer. "I'll go check on Katherine, then see if I can tear William away from Beauty and the Beast long enough to play with his grandma."

Just then the phone rings. Scully heads to the kitchen to answer it.

"Hello?"

"Sir, it's nice to hear from you."

"I suppose I can. My mom's here, she can stay with Will and Katherine until Mulder gets home."

"But how will this effect my family leave? Won't it void it, if I go in?"

"Okay, I'll be right there."

Scully hangs up the phone, turning to see her mother coming in the kitchen carrying her grand daughter. Scully leans back against the counter and crosses her arms. "Mom, I hate to ask you this. . ."

"What is it Dana?" Maggie grows concerned.

"Can you baby sit until Mulder gets home?"

Maggie laughs, "Well, it's such a burden to watch my grand children for a couple of hours, but I think I can work it into my schedule."

Will bursts into the kitchen. "Momma, I'm hun-gee!"

Scully smiles and rubs his curly head. "Of course you are William, you're like a baby bird; always hungry."

"Look mom, can you feed him? I really need to get going."

"Sure honey, where will you be?" Maggie turns to follow Scully, who is busy looking for her keys.

"At the bureau. Skinner needs me, three gunshot victims have been brought in and they want me to look them over." Scully kisses Katherine's head and William's cheek, then she leaves the house.

Fox Mulder's cell phone chirps while he's in the middle of his class. He excuses himself to take the call out in the hallway.

"Mulder."

"Hey Mulder, it's me."

"What's up?" Mulder asks as he slumps against the cool, cinder block wall.

"I'm headed into the bureau. Skinner has requested that I look over three shooting victims that have already been autopsied."

"Why would you be performing autopsies on stiffs already autopsied?" Mulder muses.

"They're the victims of the latest possible spree shootings, Skinner was told by the director to make sure nothing was missed."

Mulder smiles, "So they called in the best, huh."

Scully blushes, "Let's hope so, it's been a long time."

"You'll do fine," he says reassuringly.

"Thanks."

"Where's Will and Katherine?" He asks.

"Luckily, mom had just gotten there. I told her you would relieve her after your class is over."

"Not a problem." Mulder pushes himself off the wall and walks to his classroom door.

"Okay. See you later."

"Later." Mulder smiles and waits to hear the click before he disconnects.

"So William, what do you want for lunch?" Maggie asks, as she bends down, eye-level with her grandson.

"Celeal," the little boy says, then adds, "Swededeet!"

"What?" Maggie questions.

"Swededeet!" Will repeats.

Maggie opens the cupboard door and laughs, "Oh! Shredded Wheat."

"Yeah!" Will replies, jumping up and down.

"Let me set your sister down and I'll get your Shredded Wheat." Maggie sits Katherine in her baby carrier and straps her in.

"Da bee-bee wants swededeet too!" William says.

"No William, Katherine can't eat Shredded Wheat yet," Maggie smiles. She pours her grandson a bowl of cereal and puts him in his highchair. She places a bib around his neck, and hands him a spoon, then pours the milk on. Years of experience has taught her to add the milk last, it prevents a lot of accidents from happening.

Scully is immersed in the first autopsy, when she hears the doors open and looks up to see Mulder standing in front of her, holding up a Styrofoam cup and a white bag. "Bet you didn't have any lunch."

"No, I didn't," Scully smiles and removes her latex gloves and goggles.

"So, what have you found, anything?" Mulder questions, as he sets her cup and bag of food down on a nearby table.

"Nothing yet," Scully replies as she walks over and pulls the lid off the cup of coffee, taking a healthy drink. "I won't know until I've finished all three and compare the results."

Mulder plops down on a stool and twirls himself around. Scully smiles at his antics. There's a rap on the door and a young man dressed in a suit and sporting a bureau ID comes in. "Agent Scully?"

"That's me," Scully waves to him while taking another sip of her coffee.

The young man thrusts out a large pile of papers. "Here's the copies of the case files you requested."

Scully puts down her coffee and grabs the pile of papers with both hands. "Thank you," she says placing the pile on the table, next to her lunch.

The agent nods and leaves the room.

Scully begins to flip through the papers, when she notices Mulder frowning at her. "What?" She questions.

"Scully, where are your rings?"

She looks down at her bare, left hand, then smiles and pulls her necklace out from under the top of her scrubs. "I put them on here, to keep them safe."

Mulder reaches over to finger the two brilliant rings. "For what these things set me back, if you ever lose them in some stiff, we're digging him back up."

"I won't lose them," Scully smiles as she stashes them back under her top.

Mulder is eyeing the reports the agent brought in. "Mind if I take a look at these?" He casually asks Scully.

"No, be my guest," Scully says as she pries the lid off the salad bowl Mulder brought her for lunch.

Twenty minutes later, Scully is back to examining the first body, and Mulder has left.

Maggie has fed both children, and changed Will. He still managed to spill cereal down his shirt and into his lap. Katherine is sitting in her swing, entertaining herself by jabbering to no one in particular. William is pushing a toy truck across Scully's new coffee table, while Maggie watches him play. Suddenly Katherine gets much louder, Maggie looks up in surprise, but it doesn't phase Will. "Da-dee says, da bee-bee sings wike Momma," Will prattles on, not looking up.

Maggie laughs, "He does?"

"Um hum," Will acknowledges, but continues to play.

Maggie moves a little closer to her grandson. "William, why don't you and I bake some cookies?"

That gets William's attention; his head snaps up and his big, blue eyes grow wide. "Okay!" He grins and scrambles up off the floor.

Maggie lifts Katherine from her swing, and takes it and her, into the kitchen. Will follows her in and waits, while she settles his sister into the swing. Once that's done, Maggie lifts William up and sits him on the counter, to wash his hands in the sink.

Mulder has taken the pile of folders, that Scully gave him, back to their old X Files office. He turns the key in the lock and shoves the door open. He flips on the lights, and scans the room that once crackled with excitement and hummed with energy; but now it's just his old office. The bureau doesn't even want the space back. In his mind, one day he and Scully will return to the X Files, and spend their days traveling and searching for the Truth. But sometime will have to elapse, and upper management will have to change, before they'll forget his little Lazarus impersonation; besides he has more important things in his life now.

He sits down in the cool leather chair, and just like old times, props his feet up on his desk and begins to read the files.

Scully has just rolled out the second body, she can already feel the twinges and aches, from muscles not use to standing and bending so much. Her mind drifts to William and Katherine, and what they are up to. Has Mulder taken them out to the pool, if so, did he put the baby's sun hat on her? Did he find Will's new blanket, the one she bought for him to drag around when he gets sleepy and decides to crash on the floor, and just what floor did he choose to sleep on this time? Scully smiles and begins to unwrap the body.

Maggie and Will are busy washing the few dishes they dirtied while making cookies. Will is perched on the counter next to her as she hands him a wooden spoon. He dries the life out of the poor spoon, before putting it in the jar on the counter. A glance reveals Katherine is fast asleep, in her now motionless swing. Once the dishes are all done, Maggie lifts William from the counter but not before he protests, "Wanna cookie, gamma."

Maggie sits the little boy in his highchair. "Okay, but first, why don't you and I share a grilled cheese sandwich?"

"Okay!" Will readily agrees.

Maggie slides one golden brown, grilled cheese sandwich onto a plate and cuts it in two, then grabs a glass and a sipper cup. She locates the milk and fills them both. Will has not taken his eyes off her since she started to make his sandwich. She sits one-half of the sandwich before the child, along with the sipper cup of milk. Will just stares at it.

"Come on Will, eat up." Maggie encourages, but Will just sits there. Finally she asks, "What's wrong?"

Will looks up from his sandwich, and softly says, "I don't wike cwust."

"Oh," Maggie laughs, "is that all." She grabs a knife and trims off the crust. William snatches up the sandwich and takes a large bite.

"Can grandma have your crust?" Maggie asks. "Um huh," Will says around a mouth full of grilled cheese sandwich.

Maggie laughs and William grins.

Scully has finished the second body, and is half way through the third, when the thought hits her; Katherine has a doctor's appointment tomorrow. It looks like she's going to be stuck here until this autopsy is finished, there will be little time to do it tomorrow, so she pushes on.

It's getting late, and Maggie is bathing Katherine, while Will is playing on the kitchen floor behind her. Wrapping the child in a large towel, she heads upstairs. "Come on William, I need to dress your sister." Will follows her upstairs and into his sister's room. While Maggie is diapering Katherine, Will pulls a one-piece sleeper out of the basket under the changing table, and hands it to Maggie. She looks down and laughs, "Thank you William, you're a big help."

Will doesn't acknowledge the praise, he's already off, digging into Katherine's toy box.

Maggie carries the baby into her own daughter's room and sits down in the rocker. Will follows her in, carrying Katherine's rag doll and a blanket. Maggie watches him wrap the doll, while she rocks her grand daughter. Closing her eyes, she softly says; "I wonder where Fox is?"

"He's wiff momma," Will says as he continues to wrap the doll.

"He is?" Maggie smiles.

"Day go dancin'," William replies. He's finally satisfied with his wrapping job, and sits down on the floor, rocking Katherine's doll to sleep.

Maggie listens to the A/C kick on, and the crickets beginning to chirp. Soon Katherine is sound a sleep, and deposited in her bassinet, in the corner of the room. Will, in the meantime, has fallen asleep on the doll, crushing his baby. Maggie shakes her head and lifts her grandson off the floor. She carries him to his own room and strips off his shoes and clothing, and next places a fresh pull-up diaper on him. Will rolls over on his side and sighs. Maggie pulls the new blanket over her grandson and kisses the top of his head. She shuts out the light, and turns to look back at the sleeping child once more, then leaves the room.

Once downstairs, she picks up the toys that William has strung throughout the huge house. She pauses to remember the day, shortly before Katherine arrived, that Fox took Dana, and herself, to see this lovely, white brick, home. Dana was overwhelmed by the immensity of it. But somehow, Fox had cajoled and charmed his way into getting Dana to agree to buy it. Within two weeks, with the help of Fox's three strange friends, the Mulder family was all moved in. Maggie's only regret, is that Dana sometimes fights all the love and adoration Fox wants to heap upon her, if she would only let him.

Scully has just shut out the lights in the autopsy bay when her cell phone chirps. "Scully."

"Scully, this is Skinner. How's it coming?"

Scully sighs, and rubs the back of her neck. "I've just finished sir."

Skinner pauses then says, "You think you can fax me your report tonight?"

"Tonight!" Scully bits back, before she catches herself. "Sorry sir, but it's been a long day."

"I'm sorry Scully, but you're the best pathologist around, and what's more important, I know you don't deal in supposition. Your findings will be the facts, as they appear to you."

Scully rubs her tired eyes, and purses her lips, then leaves the building. "What if I fax you my notes and my conclusions?"

Skinner perks up. "That will be fine, at least the assembled task force can get some idea of what we're dealing with here."

Scully pulls out her key chain, and disables her alarm, then unlocks the door to her SUV. "I can tell you this much, in my opinion, you have two shooters, either working in tandem or separately. Look, I'll fax my notes over, just as soon as I get home."

Skinner let's out a breath, "Thanks. I'll be waiting. Oh, and I owe you one."

"Good, you can baby sit sometime," Scully smiles as she pulls the door shut.

Skinner chuckles, "It'll be my pleasure. Good night."

Scully pulls her seatbelt over her shoulder, and just sits there for a moment, allowing her body to unwind. She then starts the car and pulls out into the night.

11:35 PM finds Maggie Scully resting on her daughter's living room couch. "Mom?" Maggie hears the word but it doesn't register yet. "Mom, why are you still here? Why didn't you go home?"

Maggie finally wakes up to see her daughter standing over her. She lifts the afghan that covers her legs and sits up. "Oh honey, you're home. I must have dozed off," she yawns.

Scully crosses her arms and shifts her weight to one tired leg. "Where's Mulder?"

Maggie pushes the hair back from her face. "I don't know Dana. I haven't seen him all day."

Now Scully is furious. "He never showed up!"

"No dear, I assumed he was busy, like you."

Scully shakes her head, but doesn't want her mother to be aware of the rage that is building inside of her. "Mom, I'm so sorry you had to spend all day and part of the night here."

Maggie gets up and folds the afghan, before slipping into her shoes. "Honey, it's okay. I'm just glad I could be of help. Well, I'd better get going."

"Mom, I hate to see you drive home, alone, at this hour of the night."

Maggie laughs, "Dana, stop worrying. Remember, I sold the house and took your apartment, how many miles can that be?"

Scully smiles at her mother, she knows she's right. Maggie kisses her daughter's cheek and lets herself out. Scully watches from the window until her mom is out of sight.

Scully unpacks her plastic bag of reports and files, having forgotten to take her briefcase with her; she had to make do with what she could find. Her feet are killing her, so she slips off her shoes. She fires up the PC in the office, then heads upstairs to look in on the kids.

Will is curled up into a tight, little ball. She has to smile, wondering if he'll ever sleep in any other position. She kisses his cheek and walks across the hallway to check on Katherine. The baby is sleeping on her back with her tiny fists clenched to her sides. Scully is amazed at how much Katherine resembles Samantha. The word, clone, enters Scully's mind, but she immediately dismisses it. Scully knows that this peace with her daughter will not last, soon she will be hungry again. She kisses the baby's head and feels a touch of sadness that she too, will soon be sleeping in her own room. She wishes time would slow down and let her enjoy her children, at this young age, for just a bit longer.

She closes the door to the bedroom she shares with Mulder, well, for now she does, and makes her way back downstairs to begin faxing her notes to Skinner.

Soon the floor is covered in her notes, as she places them in order, to begin faxing them to Skinner. She stacks the papers into the self-feeder and sits down to check her Email. Scully hears a noise coming from the kitchen, and then that all too familiar sound of Mulder dropping his keys on the counter. He's home and she's mad.

Mulder walks in the office and sees Scully sitting at the PC with her back to him. He walks up to her and kisses the crown of her head, then begins to massage her shoulders. He takes one look at the papers strewn about and asks, "Rough day?"

Scully attempts to control her anger. "Where were you?"

Oh shit! Mulder knows he's in trouble when she answers a question with a question.

Scully swivels the chair around to face him. He looks down into those cool, steel blue eyes, and knows this is not good. "I was working on a profile for the same case you were working on."

Scully runs her tongue over her bottom lip and stands up. "Mulder, I told you, my mom was here with the kids."

"I know Scully," Mulder hurriedly interjects, "that's why I went to the bureau and worked on the profile."

Scully is lost in his logic. "Why did you ditch my mom to work on a damn profile?"

Now Mulder is getting mad. "I knew Will and Katherine were in good hands, and I saw something in the files that I thought had been over looked!"

"So you left my mom, and Will, and Katherine, for fourteen hours so you could play profiler?" Scully is nearly shouting now.

"Scully! I did just what you did. I left the kids with your mom so I could help."

Scully studies him for a moment, then lowers her voice a bit, "The big difference here Mulder, I was asked to come on board this case, you were not!" She is staring directly at him.

Mulder doesn't say a word, but begins to pick up the papers lying on the floor. Scully turns back to the PC and discovers she has an Email from Skinner. She reads his message conveying his thanks, and shuts down the computer.

By now Mulder has picked up all the papers and is starting up the staircase. Scully catches him half way up and says; "You know what really bothers me?"

Mulder doesn't reply.

Scully takes another step up so they're on the same level. "What really bothers me, is you didn't even attempt to phone home and see how the kids were."

"Did you?" Mulder snarks.

"Mulder!" Scully screams, "I thought they were with you!"

"Scully, I trust your mom. If she had needed anything, she would have called my cell, or hell, called you! But she didn't, did she?"

"Mulder, this is not about my mother's ability to handle any situation that might arise. This is about you not giving a damn about your children! You run off to who knows where. . ."

"I was in West Virginia." Mulder says with his head down.

"West Virginia!" Scully says incredulously.

"I wanted to get a feel for the crime scenes."

Scully is seething now. She walks past him and comments over her shoulder, "Well, at least I know where your priorities are now."

Mulder marches up the steps behind her, this is far from over. "My priorities! My priorities!" He spits out. "Look, you were the one who took on this case, on your family leave time, not me."

"I've already told you, Skinner asked me to do it! And for your information, in lieu of pay I get more time off to spend with the kids."

"And since when did you start kissing Skinner's ass?" Mulder yells.

Scully walks up close to him, sticks out her chin and yells, "Since I stopped kissing yours!"

Suddenly a crying can be heard, not just a whimper, but a full-blown, scared shitless, hard bawling. Will has been awakened by the sound of his parents fighting.

Scully rubs her temple with her thumb and forefinger then rushes to her son, with Mulder hot on her heels.

Will is pressed up against the far side of his crib, his fingers in his mouth and his chest wet from his tears. His breathing is hitched and he looks scared to death. Scully scoops up her son and hold him tight, as her own eyes well up at the sight of confusion and stress on his face.

Mulder leans against the dresser, holding himself as he stares down at his feet. He flashes back to his parents fights he had witnessed as a child, and had sworn then, that he would never put his own children through what he had went through. But he has.

Scully talks softly to William and calms his down, somewhat. She carries him into his bathroom and wipes his face and chest with a warm washcloth, but once again, he sets up a howl. Even though he has been off the bottle for months, she asks Mulder to fix Will a bottle of water. She needs to get some fluids into her son, and the feeling of comfort, might help calm him down.

She carries Will downstairs to the living room, so he won't wake up Katherine. He's starting to settle down when Mulder returns with the bottle of water. "Thank you," Scully softly says, to a very concerned looking Mulder. She sits down in their glider and offers the bottle to her son. He greedily drinks it, but still cries out occasionally, as he wipes at his eyes.

Scully looks up at Mulder and whispers, "Why don't you go check on Katherine." Mulder nods and heads upstairs.

Scully rocks the little boy and holds him close, mumbling words of comfort to him. He is starting to respond and relax, while his eyes grow heavy. He reaches up to finger the tendrils of hair that have escaped from his mother's ponytail. Scully's eyes begin to water; she remembers how William loved to play with her hair when he was no older than Katherine is now.

Mulder returns from upstairs, but stands in the doorway to the living room, watching mother and child interact. Scully takes Will's hand and runs her own fingers over his, then pulls it to her lips to kiss. Will sees Mulder standing there and stops drinking to grin at his father. Mulder now has red rimmed eyes too. Scully looks up to see him standing there. She smiles at him and puts out her hand. He walks over and gets down on one knee, running his fingers over Will's soft cheek, his voice thick with emotion, he asks, "Is he gonna be all right?"

Scully takes Mulder's hand in her own and squeezes it. "Yeah, he's gonna be just fine."

Mulder looks directly at Scully and croaks out, "Are we okay?"

Scully looks at the distress on his face. "Yeah, we're gonna be okay too." Mulder is relieved, but still distressed at what they have put Will through.

Scully starts to get up, but Mulder stops her. "No, let me. You go take a shower, I'm sure you could use one." Scully hesitates, but senses the need in Mulder to hold his son. She follows him upstairs and heads for their bathroom.

Mulder cradles his son to him, kissing his head and running his large hand over Will's small back, then he puts his down. He leans over the railing and softly says, "William, I promise you 'that' will never happen again." Then he pulls the blanket over his son and leaves the room.

Mulder toes off his shoes, and sits down on his side of the bed, he shares with Scully. He pulls off his tie and takes off the sticky shirt he's worn all day. Next to go is his undershirt and socks. He unbuckles his suit pants and lets them drop to the floor. He then picks up the clothes and tosses all of them, except his suit, into the hamper in his closet. He sits back down on the bed and rubs his palms into his weary eyes.

Scully comes out of the bathroom and tosses her clothes into the hamper as well and says, "All yours."

Mulder smiles at her and chuckles, "I hope it still is."

Scully flashes him a sideways look and a grin.

"Scully, come here."

Scully does as she's asked and steps over to Mulder. He stands up and envelops her in his arms. "I am so sorry Scully. This should have never happened."

Scully lays her head against his chest. "I know, I know, it's just not worth it."

Mulder kisses her forehead. "You were right Scully, my place is here."

Scully looks up at him; "You should be here because you want to be, not because I say so." Mulder squeezes her tighter. "I do want to be here, more than anything in the world." He tilts Scully's head up and softly kisses her lips. They cling to one another for a few moments then Mulder pulls away. "I guess, I should shower."

Scully ducks her head and brushes back the tears while going to check on Katherine and William. The baby has managed to sleep through this one not so shining moment, in her parent's lives.

Will is curled up once again as if nothing had ever happened. She lowers the crib rail and leans in to kiss her son's cheek as she strokes his head. She pulls up the blanket and raises the rail. She pauses and stoops down looking through the bars on the crib, and says, "William, I am so sorry." Tears fill her eyes. "Don't be mad at your dad and I, we're still new at this." She rubs his tiny fingers. "But I swear, this will not happen again."

By now, Mulder is back in their room and pulling down the quilt and the top sheet. He adjusts the thermostat and sets the alarm clock. Scully comes in, and sits down, running a comb through her hair. Each partner is alone, with his or her own thoughts, but equally feeling guilty. Mulder sits down beside Scully on the bed then he takes her left hand. "What?"

Mulder lets a small smile cross his face. "I just wanted to make sure you didn't flush your rings down the toilet."

Scully looks down at Mulder's hand covering her own and places her right hand on top of his. "And have you crawling around in a sewer, like some flukeman, looking for them." She grins at him. "Never."

Mulder pulls her closer and they softly kiss, then meet forehead to forehead. Mulder finally breaks the silence. "Scully, this cannot happen, ever again."

Scully draws back and looks into his eyes. "We can't make promises we can't keep."

Mulder looks confused.

Scully continues, "Mulder, you and I are both strong willed, determined people, who can't take 'no' for an answer. We will argue, and from time to time fight, but. . ." she pauses, "never again in front of William or Katherine."

Mulder looks down at their entwined hands, "I agree, and I will call your mom tomorrow and apologize."

Scully chuckles, "She'll tell you it was no trouble, but thanks for thinking of her."

Mulder grabs her shoulder and squeezes it, "Come on, let's go to bed." Scully turns her head and kisses him once more.

They both crawl under the covers and Mulder turns out the lights. Scully settles in, in her usual place, tucked under Mulder's arm and snuggled against his chest. "So Mulder, what did you learn on your trip to West Virginia?"

Mulder snuggles in closer. "I am positive, they should be looking for two killers, not one."

Scully lifts her head from his shoulder. Mulder can tell, even in the dark, that she is staring at him. "What?" he asks.

"I came up with the same conclusion."

"You did?" Mulder looks at her, then lays back down and chuckles, "Damn, we're a great team."

Scully lays her arm across his chest and sighs, "Yes, we are."

Thursday ~

Scully isn't sure how Mulder will take the news. They hadn't planned on another arrival so soon, but it's going to happen... her brother Bill is coming to visit, again.

Mulder has classes scheduled for all day today and won't be home for another hour, but Scully is already nervous. Granted, Bill had been congenial when he and Tara came to see William, shortly after his birth. But Mulder was still recovering from the torture he had endured during his captivity, and subsequent death. Bill never did fully wrap his mind around Mulder's version of the big dirt nap, but he had at least been civil to him. Only this time, they're staying at her house for a full week! Scully isn't sure that Mulder won't want to crawl back into the ground once he hears the news.

Scully turns off the PC, putting away her notes regarding the case she's been assisting on in an advisory capacity, for one of the FBI field offices. She hasn't really been concentrating on it since Tara called with the 'wonderful' news.

Suddenly the kitchen door opens and shuts; which means one thing. . .Mulder is home. "Hey Scully, I'm home."

"I'm in here," Scully replies, trying to keep the nervousness out of her voice.

Mulder comes through the doorway and tosses his jacket on the nearest chair. He walks up behind her and kisses the crown of her head then begins to work his way down her neck. "Where are the kids?" He breathes on the shoulder that he is now nibbling on.

"What kids?" Scully moans.

Mulder stops long enough to chuckle, before he draws her out of the chair and continues his lip-trip south.

"Oh," Scully sighs, "you mean 'our' kids." Then she slaps him on the arm. "Mulder stop that."

Mulder acquiesces and releases her. "So where are they?"

Scully walks into the kitchen with Mulder trailing along behind her. "My mom took them for the day."

"She can handle them both at once?" Mulder questions.

Scully smiles at him as she pulls a bottle of water out of the fridge. "Mulder, she raised four kids, most of the time by herself."

Mulder grabs the bottle from Scully after she has taken a drink. "Yeah, but she's older now." Mulder tips up the bottle and nearly drains it.

"She's watched them for us in the past."

"I know, but Katherine is starting to squirm."

Scully is confused, "Starting to squirm?"

"You know, she's suddenly aware that there is a whole big world out there, and she wants to be a part of it."

Scully laughs and looks up at her partner. "She is five months old Mulder, how much 'squirming' can she do!"

Mulder hands the nearly empty bottle of water back to Scully. "Remember Will at five months?"

Scully's face goes blank, as she remembers her son at that age. "But Mulder, we didn't know what we were doing the last time."

Scully drains the bottle and tosses it into the recycle bin. "Anyway, the kids will be home around seven." She sits down at the island counter. "I have something to tell you." Mulder sits down across from her, wide-eyed and tense. It finally dawns on Scully, he's afraid of what she might say. "No, no, Mulder, it's not cancer."

Mulder drops his head and lets out a long breath. "Scully, don't ever start a conversation with me with the words, 'I have something to tell you'," he rasps out.

Scully reaches across the table and takes his hands in hers. "I know Mulder, I'm sorry."

Mulder swallows hard. "So what is it?"

"Bill, Tara, and Mathew, are coming to visit. They'll be here Saturday, and are spending the week," Scully blurts out.

"Sooo, they're staying here?" Mulder looks around the kitchen.

Scully licks her lips and lets go of Mulder's hand. "I'm afraid so," she softly replies.

"And you were afraid to tell me. Why?"

"Well, I know Bill hasn't been the nicest person to you in the past."

"Scully, he had no reason to be nice to me in the past." Scully looks up, surprised by what she is hearing. "Look, I know he thinks I'm a prick, but I'm ready to prove him wrong. I'd like to think, in some way, I've contributed to your being happy." Mulder looks down at the counter, then raises his eye's to glance across at Scully. "You are happy, aren't you Scully?" He softly asks.

Scully gets off the stool and walks around to stand behind him. She wraps her arms around his chest, steps close to him, and whispers in his ear, "Mulder I am happy, no qualifiers, no stipulations, just happy, solidly happy."

Mulder swings his stool around to face her. Scully steps between his bent knees and places her arms around him once more. Mulder kisses her lips before Scully continues, "Thanks to you, I have two lovely, brilliant . . ."

"Squirmy." Mulder chimes in.

"Squirmy," Scully laughs, "children, who love their father almost as much as I do." "Thanks Scully," Mulder quietly says, then ruins the moment by adding, "and don't forget, I bought you this monster house and a really cool SUV."

Scully pats his shoulder and steps back from him. "Mulder, do me a favor and don't speak to our children until they're twenty."

Friday ~

Dana has spent the day with her mom, Katherine, and William. They bought groceries, paid bills, picked up the dry cleaning, and ordered pre-cut flowers, all in anticipation of her brother's visit tomorrow.

Maggie puts away the groceries, so that Scully can work on the case she is currently involved with. Will does interrupt her long enough to have his shoes tied. He can almost do it himself, but Scully has a terrible time getting them off his feet with so many knots in the strings. So the rule now is; mom ties the shoes.

Maggie fed Will, while Scully fed Katherine, and now both kids are asleep.

Maggie pops her head into the office. "Honey, how about some lunch?"

Scully sighs and removes her glasses, then stretches her arms over her head. "Sounds good to me. Want some help?"

"Nope, it's all ready, just go wash up." Maggie says, then disappears around the corner.

Scully smiles at her mother, still insisting she wash up first, just like when she was a child.

Maggie is setting two glasses of iced tea on the kitchen island when Scully walks in. "So how did Fox take the news about Bill coming here?"

Scully dries off her hands. "He took it quite well, actually."

Maggie sits down on one of the tall stools. "I hope your brother is civil to Fox. If Bill could only get past the ill feelings he has for him, I'm sure they could become friends."

Scully sits down opposite her mother and picks up the tuna sandwich that's on her plate. "Mom, I doubt they will ever be buddies." Scully says, before taking a bite of her sandwich.

Maggie looks surprised. "Dana, why would you say that? Doesn't Fox like Bill?"

Scully smiles, "Well, Bill hasn't really given Mulder a reason to like him, but yes, he does seem too."

Maggie takes a drink of her tea. "I always thought Bill and Fox would get along even better than Bill and Charles did."

"That wouldn't take much," Scully laughs, pulling a piece of dill out of her sandwich. "Bill used to terrorize Charlie so."

"Yes," Maggie laughs, "but Charlie always managed to get his big brother back."

"You think he ever figured out who set the bucket of water on the top edge of his bedroom door?" Scully chuckles.

"No, and I'm still trying to figure that out too, what a mess." Maggie scolds.

"Well, don't look at me. I was too short to put that bucket up there." Scully laughs, before popping a potato chip into her mouth.

Maggie finishes a bite of her sandwich. "For some reason, I suspect your father and Charles were working as a team."

The phone rings and Scully gets up to answer it. "Hello."

"Hey Scully, how's it going?"

"Fine. Where are you?"

"I'm on my way out."

"Class all done?"

"They were good little agents, so I let them out early."

"You're getting to be an old softy, Mulder." Scully can hear him laugh. "So did you want something, or did you just call to annoy me?"

"No, not this time. Frohike called just as I was leaving, he wants me to stop by."

"Why, did he get a new blow-up doll?" Suddenly, Scully realizes her mother is sitting there.

"As a matter of fact he did, it has red hair, and big, blue eyes."

"Well, you two have fun."

"We always do." With that Mulder hangs up.

Scully's face is crimson. "That was Mulder." "So I heard." Maggie smiles.

Sometime after 5pm Mulder walks in the back door. Scully is in the kitchen arranging the last of the flowers. Will is playing on the floor with his trucks and cars, while Katherine is sitting in her carrier next to him, watching him play.

"Hey Scully," Mulder says, maneuvering past the little ones on the floor.

"Hello Mulder," Scully replies, pushing back a strand of hair.

Mulder kisses his partner then stoops down to cup his daughter's downy-soft head in his large hand, the baby responds to her father's touch. He moves over beside his son, "What cha doing Will?"

"Paying," Will responds, never looking up.

Mulder unbuckles Katherine and lifts her up, a long string of baby drool lands on his tie, while the baby is laughing and squirming in his arms. "You want out of that old hard carrier, don't you." The baby scrunches up her face and babbles, as Mulder takes off down the hall with her.

"Don't you two go very far, I've ordered pizza," Scully yells behind them.

Mulder carries his daughter up the wide, wrap-around, front staircase and into his and Scully's bedroom. Katherine is laid down on her tummy, in the middle of the bed, while Mulder changes clothes.

Scully enters the bedroom with an arm full of Mulder's dry cleaning. "Mulder, I've told you to put some pillows around her, if you're going to lay her on our bed."

"I'm watching her," Mulder says, jumping up and down, trying to get his leg into his jeans.

"One of these days Mulder, she will crawl right over the edge of the bed," Scully says, sitting on the bed next to her daughter.

Mulder finally manages to get his jeans on. "So are we all set for tomorrow?" He asks, zipping and snapping his jeans.

"I hope so," Scully replies as she strokes her daughters tiny back. "I've bought enough food to feed an army."

"I wouldn't say that around a navy man," Mulder teases. "Wouldn't it be easier to just order out?"

"Mulder, we have a huge grill out back, let's use it, and speaking of ordering out, I need to get downstairs to wait for our delivery."

Scully leaves the bedroom to wait for their dinner while Mulder plays with Katherine. Suddenly Scully screams, "William! What have you done?"

"Ot oh, Katherine, it sounds like your brother is in the deep stuff." The baby babbles and rubs her nose with her fist. Mulder picks her up and tosses her into the air. Judging from her response, she likes it. "Let's go downstairs and see what Will has done."

Mulder finds Scully in the kitchen scrubbing Will with a sponge. The little boy is screaming in peals of laughter. "Hold still William."

Will wiggles around on the counter. "Dat tick-olds!"

Scully looks up at Mulder and places one hand on her hip. "Your son decided he needed a tattoo on his stomach." She moves aside so Mulder can see the black, indelible, drawing on Will's stomach.

He stares at it, then turns his head. "I don't know Scully, it's either an anchor or a naked lady."

Scully frowns at him. "A lot of help you are."

Mulder hoists Katherine up a little higher in his arms. "Will, what did you do that for?"

Will looks down at his decorated tummy and says, "I dwawd it."

"You certainly did." Mulder laughs.

Scully is drying off her hands, when the doorbell chimes. "That's dinner. Will, stay here until I get back," she says, pointing a finger at her son.

"Come on," Mulder says as he lifts William down. The little boy scampers off, while Mulder puts Katherine in her swing.

Scully comes in with several boxes in her arms. "I swear Mulder, it costs more each time we order out."

"Well, Will only likes cheese pizza and we're supreme eaters, plus he wants breadsticks."

Scully sets out plates, and glasses, and a sipper cup on the island then grabs some silverware.

Will is pushing his highchair up to the island. Mulder laughs, "Tattooing must make you work up an appetite." He swings Will up and into the highchair and they all sit down to eat.

Will lifts his sipper cup up, but nothing comes out, so he bangs the cup on the tray. "William! This is not prison, stop that."

Will holds his cup out, "Wanna dink."

Scully realizes she hasn't gotten them anything to drink. She starts to get up, when Mulder places a hand on her arm. "No, let me get it."

"Thanks," Scully mumbles, as she opens a pizza box.

Mulder pours iced tea into two glasses and fills the sipper cup, Will having developed quite a fondness for the beverage.

He sits back down just as Katherine begins to fuss. He takes a bit of dipping sauce on his finger, and feeds it to the baby. She makes an awful face, and he and William laugh at her. She grins back and smacks her lips.

"Mulder, why do you insist on making our children living garbage cans?" Scully scolds.

"I am not!" Mulder defends himself, then adds, "Besides, she likes it!"

It's well past 9PM and Mulder is busy on the computer while Scully has just finished cleaning the fridge. Both kids have been in bed for over an hour, with Katherine not due up again until well past midnight. Scully walks into the office rubbing her tired hands together, having washed them for the umpteenth time today.

"What time is your brother due in tomorrow?" Mulder asks, continuing to stare at the computer screen.

Scully flops down on the old leather sofa and brushes her hair back from her face. "Early," she huffs out.

Mulder turns to look at Scully; she is frazzled and dragging. He shuts down the PC and walks toward her. She looks up, as he plops down next to her on the couch. He grabs her and pulls her into his lap, then begins to shower her with big, sloppy kisses. Scully laughs and tries to push him away, but not very hard. "Mulder, I have work to do!"

Mulder has his head buried in the nape of her neck, "No, you don't. Time for play."

Scully pushes him back; "I still have to change the sheets in the spare room."

Mulder looks into her eyes with a feral grin on his face. "Tell Tara to change her own damn sheets, I have plans for you!"

Scully laughs. "Tell you what, you help me change the sheets and then," she kisses the end of his nose, "I'm all yours."

Mulder lifts Scully off the couch and carries her to the staircase. "Mulder! I can walk."

"Oh no, you're gonna need all the energy you have left." Mulder hefts her up in his arms, much the same way he does Katherine.

Scully tosses her hand out, "Lead the way."

And up the stairs they go.

Saturday ~

A Mercury minivan, bearing a Lariat Rental sticker, pulls into the large circular driveway in front of the Mulder household.

Bill Scully ducks his head under the visor to get a good look at the tall, white brick house, which his sister now occupies. "His old man must have been loaded, for him to be able to afford this place."

"I love it!" Tara exclaims. "Can you imagine Mathew growing up here."

"I can't imagine paying the taxes." Bill huffs, pulling the van to a halt in front of the large front door. He and Tara, along with Mathew, crawl out of the van and make their way up the steps. Tara starts to ring the bell, when Bill stops her. "We're family, just walk on in."

"Bill, we can't just walk in unannounced."

"Sure we can." Bill pushes the door open. "Anybody home?"

Bill is answered by Scully screaming his name, and running into his arms. He scoops her up and twirls her in the air. "Hey, little sister, good to see you." He hugs her and puts her down.

Tara embraces Scully and they exchange hugs. Mathew stands beside his mother; unsure of what is going on; behind Scully stands William, thinking the same thing. Tara pulls Mathew out, "Matty, do you remember your Aunt Dana?" The little boy nods his head.

William grins at his cousin, like this is the first time he has ever seen a child near his age. Scully pulls him out from behind her to face his cousin, "William, this is Mathew, he's your cousin." Will chews on his finger, hiding his grin. The two boys' stare at one another, but it's apparent that they are going to enjoy the week together.

Mulder walks down the wide staircase holding five month old Katherine. Tara spots the baby first, and runs toward Mulder with her arms outstretched. "Oh my! What a cutie you are!"

"Thanks," Mulder replies much to Bill's chagrin.

Tara pokes Mulder's arm, "Oh Fox, I was talking about the baby." She scoops Katherine up into her arms and runs her hand over her soft, baby fine, brown hair. She looks at Scully and laughs, "Dana, this is one beautiful little girl you've got here."

Scully blushes. "Thanks, we like her too."

By now, Will and Mathew have disappeared into the house. Mulder shakes Bill's hand, "Bill, good to see you, you want some help getting the luggage?"

Bill shrugs, "Sure."

Scully leads Tara and Katherine into the living room. Tara looks around at the massive crown molding decorating the high ceilings. "Wow, this is some house! You have got to show me the rest of it."

Just then Mathew runs into the living room with William right behind him. "Mom! Mom!"

"What is it, Matty?" Tara asks, still holding Katherine.

"Will'um has a pool!" The little boy's eyes grow wide. "Can we go swimmin' in it?"

"Mathew, let's get settled in first, then we'll see." Tara looks up just as Bill and Mulder are bringing in the bags.

Scully stands at the bottom of the staircase. "Here, let me show you where your room is. I thought Mathew could sleep in the youth bed in William's room."

Tara still hasn't put the baby down. "Hear that Matty, you get to sleep in Will's room with him."

"Aww wight!" Matty exclaims, while Will looks on, a little confused but excited.

Scully starts upstairs, with Tara and Bill following her, and Mathew and William in front of Mulder. She walks to the end of the hallway and opens a door. Tara follows her in and stops in her tracks. "Dana, this is a beautiful room!" She looks around the large, pale green bedroom, filled with limed-oak furniture.

"You can thank Mulder for the room, he spotted this house."

Bill and Mulder tote the bags into the room and drop them on the floor. Mulder turns to Bill. "You wanna beer?"

"Do I have to look at more furniture to get it?" Bill deadpans.

"Nope, not one stick."

"Oh, you two!" Tara laughs, as the guys head back downstairs.

Matty runs in and pulls on Tara's shirt tail. "Mom, I found Will'ums woom, come see it!" Scully, with Tara still carrying Katherine, follows Matty and William to Will's room.

Tara steps in and looks around. "This is pretty cool, huh Matty."

Scully is a bit embarrassed by how ostentatious the house is. But Mulder loved it, and how could she refuse him when he was sucking on her neck at the time he asked her if he could buy it; Mulder never did play fair.

The boys' busy themselves by emptying the toy box, while Tara and Scully wander through the rest of the upstairs rooms.

"So Mulder, what cha doing these days?" Bill asks, as he takes the offered bottle of Shiner Bock from Mulder's hand.

Mulder leans against the counter, twists the cap off his bottle and takes a long drink. "I teach at the academy."

"So you're out of the Bureau?"

"Not in so many words, but I don't investigate cases anymore, at least not in the field."

"Dana, she stays at home with the kids?"

"She does for now. Her family-leave is up in October, she has to decide what she wants to do."

"She thinking of going back to work?"

"I don't know, I haven't really discussed it with her."

"I suppose if she does, mom will be doing the baby-sitting."

"No, if Dana does go back to work, we'll work it out so that one of us will be at home with the kids."

"You, playing Mr. Mom? I just can't see it."

"I did when Will was six months old. I worked half-days and so did she. I don't mind being at home with my kids."

"I'd go nuts, if I had to be home with Matty all week." Then Bill catches himself, "It's not that I don't love my son, but I've been so use to being out to sea, that I get antsy, and when I get antsy Tara and Matty pay for it."

"What are you going to do, if you're posted to shore duty or have to retire?"

Bill thinks for a moment. "I'm not sure, but it's this always knowing that I have such a short time at home, before I have to leave that gets me. Maybe I don't get close to my family because I have to leave them again." Bill takes a swing of his beer and laughs, "Shit Mulder, we sound like the women."

Mulder swallows another drink. "You might, but I don't."

Bill laughs and tosses his now empty bottle into the trash. "Come on, let's go see what Tara is impressed with now."

The two men find the woman admiring Mulder's office. Tara is still holding Katherine, while William and Mathew are playing upstairs.

Tara walks over to her husband and hits him with her shoulder, "Isn't this a lovely home?"

"Lovely," Bill belches.

Mulder looks down at Scully and smiles.

"So when do we eat?" Bill asks, with Tara glaring at him.

"Anytime we want, Mulder is grilling out," Scully says. "I have to call mom, she wanted to know the minute you arrived." Scully takes off for the kitchen with Tara following her.

"Come on, let's go start the grill," Mulder says, leading him out the French doors to the flagstone patio, but not before Bill grabs two more beers.

Bill looks out over the full acre backyard, with the pool in the middle, and playground equipment tucked into one corner, while a high fence surrounds the entire lot. He takes a swig of his beer and points with the bottle. "So, what did this set ya back, three-quarters of a mill., maybe more?"

Mulder smiles at him. "Something like that."

Bill continues to stare at the backyard. "You know Mulder, you weren't my first choice for Dana, hell, you weren't even my last, but she seems happy, and you seem to treat her right."

"Thanks for the ringing endorsement," Mulder laughs.

Bill turns to face Mulder. "But, if you ever hurt her, I'll kick your ass from here to China."

Mulder looks solemnly at Bill. "I wouldn't expect any less."

Bill smiles and slaps Mulder on the back. "Let's go burn some meat."

Scully hangs up the phone and turns to Tara, "Mom's on her way."

"How is mom doing these days?" Tara asks, bouncing Katherine on her lap.

"She's fine. We see her a lot, but unlike what Bill thinks, she isn't constantly babysitting."

"Bill's just a little jealous of the time mom can spend with you and Fox." Suddenly, Tara holds out a very crimson faced Katherine. "That look can only mean one thing."

Scully laughs, "Upstairs, next to your room, under the dressing table."

Tara takes Katherine to change her diaper. Scully yells, "You might check on the boys."

Maggie arrives and hugs are shared all around. She helps Scully prepare lunch, while Tara watches the kids. Mulder and Bill finally get the burgers done and the meal is served in the backyard.

Katherine sits on the picnic table in her carrier, while Will and Mathew eats at the plastic kiddie table. Mulder and Scully sit together next to the baby, while Tara, Bill and Maggie sit on the other side.

The two boys' finish their lunch and head for the swing set. Will is fascinated by the exploits of his older cousin, and Mathew likes playing the part of big brother to William.

It's past two when lunch is over. Scully takes Katherine into the house to feed and change her, before being put down for a nap, while Maggie and Tara take the leftovers in.

Mulder checks on the boys while Bill wonders around the yard.

"Anyone for coffee?" Maggie asks, stepping out the French doors.

Both men decline. Mulder walks over to Bill who is currently admiring the pool. "Wanna take the boys for a swim?"

"Sure, Bill replies. "Matty, get your suit on, we're going swimming," he yells.

"Aw wight!" Mathew exclaims. Will is equally excited, but he's not sure why.

Mulder grabs up his son and carries him into the house. "Scully, Will and I are going swimming with Bill and Mathew."

Scully is coming down the stairs. "Okay, but watch him close, and put a life jacket on him."

Mulder leans into her, "Don't worry Scully, I won't let anything happen to your little boy."

"You better not," she warns.

Soon all the men in the group are in the pool acting like typical males. Maggie and Scully are sitting nearby watching them show-off. Tara comes out with Katherine sleeping in her carrier. "Do you mind if I bring her out here, Dana. She was fussing."

Scully smiles at the slim excuse Tara is giving her. "No, not at all, you're a good babysitter."

Tara sits down next to the sleeping baby. "I'd just love to have a little girl."

"Well, feel free to spoil mine all you want."

Tara grins at Scully, "Thanks! I will."

Mathew is jumping off the diving board and into his father's arms, while Mulder carries William around on his shoulders, much to the little boy's delight.

Maggie laughs and takes a sip of her coffee. "Do you think any of them are acting their age?"

"Well, Will and Matty are," Tara comments.

Mulder has been looking over at the woman sitting in the lounge chair. "Hey Scully," he yells.

"What?" Scully yells back, as she draws up her knee. Mulder motions for her to come join them in the pool. "Not me! You guys play too rough."

Mulder looks at William and says something to him. Will nods his head and claps his hands. He lifts Will off his shoulders and stands him next to the pool. He walks up the pool steps and heads for the patio, dripping wet and with a feral grin on his face. William is watching intently while bouncing on his feet and clapping. "Come here, Scully," Mulder says, motioning with his finger.

Scully grabs the arms of her chair and plasters herself against the back, shaking her head. "Oh, no, no, no!" She protests while Will screams in a fit of laughter.

Mulder grabs her by the hands pulling her out of the lounge chair. Scully isn't putting up as much resistance as she could be, or as much as Mulder has seen before. He tosses her over his shoulder, straightens his back, and marches off to the swimming pool. Now Mathew is screaming in laughter along with William. Scully is kicking her feet and trying to squirm out of his grasp. He stops at the edge of the pool switching Scully around so he is cradling her. "So, William, what do you think we should do with momma?"

The little boy, with the spiky hair and red eye's, laughs and jumps up and down. "Fro her in da poo, da-dee!"

Scully pleads, "No Will! Tell daddy no." But it's of no use; Mulder tosses her into the pool. William and Mathew scream with delight. Tara and Maggie sit stone still, unsure what will happen next. Scully comes up for air and swims to the end of the pool with William running along side her. She stands up, her shorts and T-shirt sticking to her, as she pushes the wet hair away from her face.

"Momma, gots wet," William howls.

Scully stands in the shallow end of the pool and glares at Mulder with her hands on her hips, but trying not to smile. "See if you get any soon!"

"Da-dee's gettin' any soon!" William parrots.

The adults all roar with laughter. Will isn't sure what he has said, but he laughs too.

Mulder helps Scully out of the pool and pulls her close. He softly speaks to her and picks the wet hair away from her face. He releases her and she walks toward the house. "Mom, can you keep and eye on Katherine? Tara, grab your suit, I've got a score to settle."

Over two hours later, four very tired adults, and two exhausted little boys are dripping all over Scully's kitchen tile.

Scully looks down to see a red-eyed William, shaking like a leaf. She lifts her son up and rubs his concave back. "Come on sweetie, let's get you warm and dressed." She takes him upstairs and into his room, gathering up his clothes as she goes. She heads for his bathroom and sets him on the potty-chair, then dresses him in a pull-up diaper, clean shorts and a T-shirt. "Did you have fun, William?" Scully softly asks.

"Um hum," Will says yawning.

"Did you think it was funny that daddy threw me into the pool?"

"Yeah," Will softly says, with a huge grin.

"All done, but let me comb your hair first." She parts Williams's hair just like his fathers, then she sets him down on his feet and bends down, "Go find an adult, okay Will."

"Okay," he agrees.

"I'll be out as soon as I get dressed." She grabs her sons jaw and kisses him, he returns the kiss and turns to try and open the door, but Scully has to help him.

Will meets Matty coming out of the guestroom. The two cousins walk down the backstairs to the kitchen, where Maggie is bouncing Katherine on her lap. Mathew pats his grandmother on the shoulder, "Gwamma, I'm hungwy."

Maggie turns to face her two grandsons, "You are! Well, lets see what we can do about that." She puts her grand daughter in the swing, then turns to open the refrigerator. "How about a ham sandwich and some potato salad?"

"Yeah!" Mathew yells. "Yeah," William parrots his cousin.

"Can we have sompin' to dwink too?" Mathew asks, crawling up on a stool. Will tries to do the same thing as his cousin, but he can't get on the tall stool. Maggie lifts her youngest grand son up, putting him on a stool next to Matty. Will looks over at his cousin and rests his arms on the counter just like Mathew does.

Maggie opens two juice boxes for the boys when Bill comes in the kitchen. He looks in the refrigerator. "So, what's to eat?"

"Sit down, I was just getting ready to feed the boys."

Bill pulls out a stool next to Mathew. "I'm a boy too. Mathew did you know I'm grandma's son?"

Mathew stares at his father with large eyes. "Awe not!"

Bill laughs, "I am too." He wraps his arms around Maggie. "I was grandma's little boy once."

Mathew looks at his dad. "Yower lying to me!"

Maggie finally speaks up, "No, Matty, it's true. Your daddy is my oldest son, and William's mommy is my little girl."

William isn't sure what's going on, but Mathew seems surprised, so he is too.

Tara and Scully walk into the kitchen chatting. Mathew speaks up, "Mom, mom, daddy's gwamma's little boy, did you know 'bout that?"

The adults all laugh hysterically.

Tara pats Mathew on the back. "Of course I did, Matty."

Maggie sets a pile of sandwiches in the middle of the counter just as Mulder comes in.

Scully comes in the kitchen and grabs a baby bottle of juice from the fridge. "Oh, let me," Tara asks, getting up from her stool. Scully hands the bottle to Tara, and lifts Katherine out of the swing. She sits down next to William, and cuts the crust off his sandwich, as Mulder slides onto the stool next to her. Maggie continues to pile salads, and chips and drinks, onto the counter. Mulder gets up and walks over to her. "Enough Maggie, we can get anything else we need, ourselves."

Maggie looks around. "Oh, alright Fox."

"You go sit down," Mulder softly says.

Bill is watching Mulder interact with his mother and seems pleased by what he sees.

Mulder returns to his stool and rests his arm across the back of Scully's. She turns to smile at him. He grabs her hand, which lies on the table, and gives it a squeeze.

Katherine is finally dozing so Tara takes her to Mulder's office and lays her in the downstairs bassinet. Scully and Maggie finished clearing off the counter.

Bill walks around the corner of the kitchen and into the dining room when his foot nudges something. He looks down, to see William, asleep on the floor. Mulder steps past him and gently lifts his son off the floor. Bill looks puzzled. Mulder just shrugs, "When he gets tired, he lays down and goes to sleep. We never know where we're going to find him." He carries the sleeping child upstairs as Bill stares at them.

Mathew is now sitting on his mother's lap, half asleep himself.

"Where's William?" Tara asks.

"Mulder took him up to bed."

"I think this one is about ready to go upstairs too."

"Let me take him," Bill offers.

Tara relinquishes her son to her husband, gets up, stretches, and wanders out onto the patio where Maggie is sitting. She leans over and squeezes Maggie's shoulder, "That was a great meal, mom."

"Thanks dear," Maggie says, grabbing her arm and squeezing it back.

Scully is out in the yard picking up towels and toys that are strewn about.

"This home is so beautiful," Tara comments to Maggie.

"Yes, it is. Fox, was so set on buying it, but Dana wouldn't budge."

"What changed her mind?"

"They were living in Dana's small apartment with all of Will's things and Katherine was due in a matter of weeks. I think Dana panicked, and said yes."

"Mom, I know Bill loves me, but he never looks at me the way Fox looks at Dana."

"Don't feel bad dear. I've never seen that look either on any other man toward the woman he loves."

"Why do you think that is?"

"I'm sure a lot of it has to do with the dangerous job they shared. Dana once said, if she were to tell me everything they had been through, I would probably lock her in the house and throw away the key."

The door opens and Mulder walks out. He passes Maggie and Tara, and heads straight for Scully, who is now fishing a raft out of the pool. He bends down to grab it for her. Together they finish the job, never having said a word. Mulder takes Scully's hand and leads her to the back of the lot. He's pointing to things that aren't there.

"I'll bet Fox is on another building project," Maggie says, all the while never taking her eyes off the couple.

"Why do you say that?" Tara questions. "This house had a vacant backyard when they bought it, but right away Fox had plans." Maggie turns to Tara. "He fenced in the entire lot, put the pool in, the patio, and the eating area. He said, he wanted a safe, private place, where he and Dana could relax with the kids."

"You think he wants to add-on?"

Maggie looks back at her daughter, who's intently shaking her head no, but listening to the man standing before her none the less. "I'd say so from the stoic look on Dana's face, and the pleading expression on Fox's."

"Who will win?"

Maggie watches them interact. "He will, he always does."

The evening has turned chilly, so the entire clan is tucked away in the big house.

Will and Matty are playing with the toys. Katherine is lying on a blanket on the floor, trying to eat her toes, while Scully and Tara chat next to her. Bill is dozing off in the recliner while Mulder checks the scores on SportsCenter.

Maggie walks in and announces, "Well everybody, I think I'm going home now." She kisses both of her grandsons and wiggles Katherine's tiny toes. Tara and Scully hug her, then she walks over to Bill and kisses his forehead. He jumps but doesn't wake up. "Night son."

Mulder gets off the couch and walks Maggie to the door. She stands on tip toes and kisses his cheek, then smiles and says, "So what are you trying to get Dana to agree to let you put in the backyard, this time?"

Mulder turns red and grins. "A basketball court, but in the winter it can be flooded and the kids can skate on it."

"Good idea," Maggie agrees, "keep working on her."

"Oh, I will." Mulder smiles.

"Night son."

"Night, Maggie." Hard as he tries, Mulder just can't bring himself to call Margaret 'mom' yet, but he's getting closer.

Tara has put Mathew in William's youth bed, while Will is sound a sleep in the crib. Both boys were too exhausted to be of much trouble. Scully fed Katherine and tucked her into her bassinet, in her and Mulder's room.

Bill finally wakes up long enough to crawl upstairs and flop into the guest bed. Tara says her 'good nights', and follows him.

Scully goes around checking the locks, and turning out the lights, messes will just have to wait until morning to get cleaned up. She sees the lights on in the office and finds Mulder sitting in front of the computer. She walks over and runs her hand across his back. "It's late, you coming to bed?"

Mulder leans back in his chair and rubs his red eyes. "Yeah, I'll be there soon." He swivels the chair around and pulls Scully into his lap. He rubs her back while she encircles him with her arms. "I'm sorry about today, Scully."

"What about today," she murmurs.

"You know, tossing you into the pool, like I did."

"Well, Will seemed to enjoy it."

Mulder smiles. "He did, didn't he."

"Why did you do it?" Scully asks, looking into his eyes.

"I don't know," Mulder shrugs. "I guess, I wanted Bill to see us as a normal couple.

"So you tossed me into the pool?"

"Well, yeah, normal guys do that."

Scully kisses his throat. "Mulder, if that's normal, then I prefer you spooky."

"Okay, okay," He softly laughs, "I get the message, loud and clear."

"But Will did enjoy it," Scully sighs, getting off Mulder's lap.

"I'll be up in a few."

"Don't make me wait," Scully says, slipping out the door.

Immediately Mulder starts shutting down the computer, he gets that message too.

Sunday ~

Mulder comes in from his morning run to find the house quiet. He assumes the family has all gone to church. It's not that he doesn't occasionally go with Scully, but this is a tradition she shares with her family.

He grabs the coffeepot and begins to pour a cup when he hears, "Dana, said to tell you, they went to church." It's Bill, dressed in jeans and a light green button down shirt.

"You didn't go?" Mulder glances back at him as he sips his coffee.

"No, I attend every Sunday on the ship. This is my vacation," he smirks, grabbing the coffeepot. "So what's on the agenda for today?"

Mulder is leaning against the counter, his legs crossed at the ankles, his sweaty shirt plastered to him. "I don't know, probably a visit to the zoo." Bill pulls out a stool and sits down at the island. "Why do women do that?"

"Do what?" Mulder questions.

"You know, we all have to caravan around for a week, being entertained. They will organize every minute, of everyday, we're out here."

Mulder smiles over his coffee cup.

Bill takes a drink from his cup and continues, "We all have to eat at a set time, leave at a set time, come back at a set time. Shit, it's like still being onboard ship."

Mulder puts down his cup. "Can you wait until I take a shower?"

"Sure, why?" Bill puzzles.

"Let's cut out and ditch the rest of them." Mulder grins.

"You got it!" Bill laughs. "Just let me put on some shoes, and we're out of here."

Before Bill and Mulder take off, they leave a note on the counter.

Scully walks through the back door. "I don't understand it, Mulder should have answered his cell phone."

Tara walks in behind her, carrying Katherine. "Bill should have at least answered when we called the house."

Maggie comes in with her grandsons trailing along behind her.

Scully finds the note and pauses, then furrows her brow. "Now it all makes sense."

"What?" Maggie asks.

Scully waves the note in the air, "It seems our missing men are together and they have ditched us. Mulder left a note, saying they'll be back gone most of the day, and for us to go do whatever we had planned."

Scully pokes her tongue into the side of her cheek and hits her leg with the note.

"Dana, don't be too hard on Fox, we can take the kids with us." Maggie clutches Scully's arm, "Just be glad, he and Bill, are getting along."

Scully rubs her forehead and sighs, "I guess you're right." She then nods to herself, having made up her mind, "Everyone upstairs, out of our dress clothes, we're all going to the zoo."

The Bar-None sports bar and grill has the usual Sunday baseball crowd, plus two very happy husbands.

"Mulder, I gotta admit, I enjoyed the tour of the bureau." Bill says, downing a drink of his beer. "I still don't understand how Dana has the stomach to cut up stiffs. That autopsy bay was just creepy," he says, taking a bite of his Rueben sandwich.

Mulder puts down his iced tea. "The first time I saw Scully slicin' and dicin', I almost lost my lunch, but after changing diapers, nothing scares me anymore."

Bill laughs, "Don't I know it! I swear, every time Tara got pissed at me she would feed Mathew stewed prunes then leave him with me, while she spent the day shopping."

Mulder laughs, "The first time I had to change a messy one, I had Scully come in and give me her medical opinion, then she shocked the hell out of me by saying there would be more."

"Made ya regret having kids?" Bill laughs.

Mulder turns quiet, "No, never."

Bill clears his throat, "So where to next?" He looks at his watch, "I figure they're just about up to the monkey house by now."

Mulder spreads his arms across the back of the booth and motions for the check. "I've got some friends that you might find interesting."

Tara is pushing Katherine in her stroller while Mathew and William run ahead. Scully has just paid for the train tickets that will take them into the African Safari section of the zoo, and is currently waiting for her mother outside the restrooms.

"Mathew, William, stay here, we have to wait for grandma and Dana," Tara says, adjusting the sunshade over the now sleeping Katherine.

Scully and Maggie catch up with Tara and the kids. "Okay, are we all set now?" Scully asks.

The little group makes its way to the train station and wait in line with the other zoo visitors.

Fox Mulder stands outside what looks like a derelict warehouse. Bill nervously looks around.

Mulder pounds on the steel door once more. "Open up, Frohike."

Without any warning the door swings open and before Bill stands a myopic, little man, in need of a shave. "Mulder!" Frohike yells and looks around both men. "So where is the delightful Scully?"

Mulder grins and points to Bill. "Here he is."

"Stop shittin' me, Mulder," Frohike growls.

Bill steps forward, "I'm the 'delightful Scully's' older brother, Bill."

Frohike swallows hard and blinks. Mulder holds back a laugh.

"Mulder!" Suddenly, Byers appears to save the day, or at least Frohike's skin.

Langley wanders in from the back and Mulder motions to his three friends. "Bill, this is Langley, Byers, and you've already met Frohike. Guys, this is Bill Scully."

Byers thrust out his hand, "Bill, glad to meet you."

Bill frowns, "Geeze, doesn't anyone in DC go by their first name."

They all walk into the main room. Bill wanders around looking over all the computers and equipment that's crammed into the small space. "What is all this stuff?"

The guys all eye Mulder. "It's okay, he won't rat you out."

Soon the guys are explaining and demonstrating their hardware. Bill is overwhelmed at just how deep into 'the system' that these guys can go. They even pull up his personnel file, which reveals he has been reprimanded for mooning a lieutenant.

Scully is carrying a limp, sleep of the dead, William, over her shoulder. He'd fallen asleep beside the penguin tank. Maggie is carrying a wide-awake Katherine, while the much too big Mathew, is asleep in her stroller. Scully brushes back her hair, "I don't know about you two, but I'm about 'zooed' out for the day."

"Me too," Tara sighs, as she pushes the weighted down stroller. "My feet are killing me."

Scully turns to Tara and Maggie, "Let's put these guys to bed, get on our suits, mix up a pitcher of margaritas, and hit the pool."

"Sounds good to me," Maggie sighs.

Scully and Tara both stare at one another. "I can have fun too," Maggie blushes. Tara and Scully both laugh.

Bill puts down his piece of pizza. "You're shittin' me! You guys can decode HBO!"

Frohike shrugs his shoulder, "Piece of cake."

Mulder reaches for the last piece of supreme pizza, as Bill finishes off the pepperoni.

"So where's Dana?" Byers asks.

"Shit!" Mulder exclaims and looks at Bill.

"Shit!" Bill parrots, looking back at Mulder.

Mulder swipes a napkin across his mouth, "We better get going."

Langley laughs, "So you two sneaked out, huh."

Bill swallows hard. "We did leave a note," he says meekly.

Mulder looks at his watch. "Yeah, we did, about nine hours ago."

Frohike pats Bill on the back, "Man, if your wife is anything like Dana, you are in big trouble."

Bill looks stoically at the little man; "Dana was trained by Tara."

Mulder laughs and grabs Bill's shoulder. "We need to get going."

Scully is lying on her stomach on an air mattress in the middle of the pool, wearing her deep blue, one-piece suit. Sunglasses cover her eyes and a drink glass rests in her hand. Maggie is sitting on the pool steps, while Tara is drifting around the pool in the middle of an inner tube. A drink glass is also clutched in each woman's hand.

Tara sleepily lifts her head, "Dana, you think I should go check on the kids?"

"No need, the guys wires the whole house, all I had to do was turn on the outside speaker. If a pin drops, we'll hear it." Scully says, without even bothering to lift her head.

Tara drags her hand through the water and takes another sip of her drink.

Scully hears a vehicle pull up and two doors slam. "That had better be Mulder," she mumbles.

The French doors open and Mulder steps out, followed by Bill. "Hey Scully, we're back."

"'Bout time," Scully growls, never moving.

"And where were you, William Scully?" Tara demands.

"Aw, don't start raggin' on me, Tara. Mulder got to keep his balls." Then Bill spots his mom sitting there and blushes, "Sorry, mom."

Maggie chuckles at her son's embarrassment.

Tara plows ahead, "Balls or not, we got stuck with the kids, all day."

"Tara," Bill teases, "if I had known our son was going to be such a burden to you, I would have taken him with me."

Tara's eyes close to little slits and she flicks water on her husband. "You are so full of shit, Bill Scully!"

Mulder smiles at the interplay going on between these two."

Finally Scully comes to life. She raises up, then props her sunglasses up on her head. "I think those that played hooky today, should go pick up dinner."

"Fair enough," Mulder agrees, knowing he and Bill got off easy. "What would you like?"

"Pizza!" Scully says.

"Ohhh," Mulder and Bill both groan.

Monday ~

Mulder is up and out early. He has class until noon and then he's free.

Scully has been up, since shortly after Mulder left the house. She has picked up the house, started a load of laundry, and made scrambled eggs and sausage for breakfast, which is now sitting in the oven keeping warm.

Bill has just wandered in. "Got any coffee?" He asks, scrubbing his face with his hand.

Scully sets a mug in front of her brother and pours herself one. "Sleep well?"

"Well enough," Bill croaks. "Dana, I've been wanting to talk to you."

Scully eyes her brother. "About what?"

"I've got the chance to take a desk job, back here in New London. I haven't told Tara yet."

"Why not?"

"Because I'm not sure I want to be land locked, so to speak."

Scully sits down next to her brother. "Don't you think she deserves to be in on the decision?"

"Yeah, but remember how hard it was for dad, when he finally retired."

"But Bill, he was much older than you are, and all of us were out of the house by then, and we both remember what happened, he and mom didn't have that much time together."

Bill ponders what his sister has said.

"Bill, you're still young with a young son, wouldn't you enjoy spending more time with him?"

"But, I get so antsy when I'm on leave, and I know I take it out on him and his mother."

Scully rubs her brother's arm. "People can change."

Bill smiles at her. "I know, Tara is yammering to have another kid too. I guess it would be easier if we weren't 1,500 miles apart."

Scully giggles, "That would make it easier."

"I guess if Mulder can settle down, I can."

"It's not easy Bill. We work at our relationship, and at raising our children, all the time. It's not always easy. It used to be, if I got pissed at Mulder when we were on a case, I would take a long, hot bath and when he got mad at me, he would go out for a run. It isn't always possible now, but you know what?"

Bill looks Dana in the eyes. "What?"

"I'm right where I want to be and so is Mulder. After years of pouring ourselves into our work, we finally are pouring that same energy into our children, our home, and our own relationship."

Bill looks down at his coffee cup. "You make it sound so simple."

"Believe me, it's far from simple, but well worth it."

Tara walks in yawning and running her fingers through her blonde hair. "Do I smell sausage?"

Scully and Bill both grin at one another.

The morning is spent playing around the pool and relaxing in doors. Around noon, Maggie arrives with a huge pot of her homemade chili. A salad is fixed, and hot rolls are pulled from the oven, just as Mulder walks in the door.

William runs to his father. "Da-dee!" He screams. Mulder picks up the little boy and kisses his cheek. Scully brushes past him. "Do you want to change before we eat?"

"I should." Mulder says, carrying William upstairs with him.

Tara is washing Matty's hands while Maggie is dishing out the boys' soup to cool.

Bill comes in from using the computer in Mulder's office. "Hey, great! Mom made chili. I haven't had hers in years."

Maggie smiles at her son. "Sit down and I'll dish you up a bowl."

"Do you have any Cheddar cheese?"

"That's right," Maggie laughs, "you always ate a big chunk of Cheddar with your soup."

Mulder comes downstairs, dressed in loose-fitting jeans and an old blue T-shirt, with Will riding on his shoulders.

Scully looks up at her partner and smiles. "I'd be careful, Mulder, he hasn't been changed yet."

Mulder puts Will down on his feet. "He did, he used his potty chair."

Scully rubs Will's sandy-red head. "Way to go, William!"

They all cluster around the big island counter in the kitchen. Tara sets Mathew on a stool, but the little boy sticks out his bottom lip and crosses his arms. "What's the matter now, Matty? She asks her son.

"I wanna sit by Will'um."

"But honey, he has to sit in his high chair."

Mathew continues to pout and Bill is getting annoyed.

"Hold on a second." Mulder says, before stepping out the French doors leading to the patio. Bill looks over at his sister but she just shrugs her shoulder.

Mulder walks back in carrying the plastic Lil' Tyke picnic table over his head. He plops it down in the corner of the room. Scully grabs a dishcloth and wipes it down. Mulder lifts Matty from the stool, "Come on big guy," he says, sitting him on one side of the picnic table, then Will is set down on the other. Now everyone is happy.

"So how was work, Fox?" Tara asks, reaching for the crackers.

"Not bad, teaching is easy, once you get the hang of it."

"Do you miss being an agent?" Tara prods.

"I'm still an agent, I'm just not in the field, much, anymore." Mulder blushes, "Yeah, at times I do, but not enough to go back.

Scully smiles at Mulder and wipes her mouth, "I think those that left us with the kids yesterday should watch them today, so mom and Tara and I can go shopping, right Mulder."

Mulder whines, "Can you at least take Katherine with you, she's a girl too."

"Nope, you've had enough practice, now you can baby-sit." Scully says as she pops an oyster cracker in her mouth.

Tara smiles at Maggie and Maggie smiles at Dana.

Everyone has been well fed and the dishes all put in the dishwasher.

Maggie has left to change her clothes and to wait for Tara and Dana to pick her up.

Scully comes downstairs in a light blue, scoop neck shirt and tan shorts. She pauses before the mirror at the foot of the stairs, fixing her hair, when Mulder walks up behind her. He looks at the beauty reflected in the mirror. "Do you need any money Scully?"

Scully smiles at him, "No, I have money and my credit cards." She turns, and stands on tiptoes kissing him, then wipes off the lipstick she left behind. Mulder wraps his arms low around her back. "You, stay safe, okay."

"I will, and please don't feed Will the junk you and Bill will no doubt eat, and remember Katherine stayed home with you. She 'is' in the house."

Mulder laughs. "I know, I will."

Tara comes down the stairs, dressed similar to her sister-in-law. "All ready?"

"Let's go," Scully says, pulling away from Mulder.

"You two stay out of trouble," Mulder teases.

"We will," both women say before shutting the door.

Mulder looks up the stairs to see Bill standing at the top with a scowl on his face. "So what now?"

Mulder stares up at him. "Bill, do you golf?"

It's well past seven when Tara and Dana return home. Tara trudges into the kitchen, her arms burdened down with packages. Scully comes in carrying just her purse. Mulder wanders in to see what the women are up to. "Hey Scully, didn't you buy anything?"

"Yes, I did, but I need you to unload it for me."

"What did you buy?" Mulder exclaims.

"Go look." She teases.

Mulder can tell something is up, by the gleam in her eyes. He walks out to the garage and opens the rear hatch on Scully's SUV. Before him sets a basketball backboard with a large red bow on it. Scully walks up beside him. He looks down at her with a confused expression on his face. "What's this for? I thought you didn't want a court in the backyard."

Scully rubs his arm. "Well Mulder, it would give you a place to play and maybe someday, Will can use it too."

Mulder squeezes her around the waist. "Thanks Scully, I'll call the contractor tomorrow."

"Whoa, whoa!" Scully laughs, "No so fast, let's wait a few days."

"Okay," Mulder blushes, kissing her head.

They walk into the house and Scully pauses, "You left my packages out there."

"Wow Scully, you bought me more?" Mulder teases.

"No, I got William some jeans, Katherine some sleepers, and a sexy little nightie for myself."

"See," Mulder grins, "you did buy me something else."

Will runs in, ""Momma, momma, I wanna a toy too."

Mathew comes in with a small remote in his hand and a little car trailing behind him.

"You did get him something too, didn't you, Scully?"

"Of course I did, its out in one of my bags."

Soon, both boys are playing in front of the fireplace in the family room. Bill is spread out on the couch; Mulder is sitting in the rocker, watching the baseball game.

Tara comes in from the kitchen. "Matty, are you hungry?"

"No," the little boy shrugs, "we ate at the goff couwse."

Bills eyes snap open. "You ate at the golf course?" Tara questions with a frown on her face.

Scully has now walked into the room. Tara turns toward her. "Dana, did you know the boys ate at the golf course?"

Bill looks at Mulder, his eyes round as saucers. Scully crosses her arms and leans on one leg. "Mulder, did Katherine eat at the golf course too?"

Mulder swallows hard, trying to act casual. "Of course not, she ate here, before. . .we. . .went. . .to the golf course," he trials off.

Scully looks over at Tara and runs her tongue over her top lip.

Bill sits bolt upright on the couch, he's not going down without a fight. "What's the big deal! We played a little golf and fed the kids."

Scully turns her head back to look at Mulder. "You went golfing? Mulder, who took care of Katherine?"

Mulder looks down at his hands. "We did. We strapped her carrier to the golf cart."

"And William and Mathew?" Scully dips her head, trying to catch Mulder's eyes.

"They rode in the cart too." Mulder looks up at Scully then over at Bill. For some reason Bill is laughing. Mulder can't help it, even if he has to sleep alone for the next month, he laughs too.

Tara doesn't think it's as funny as Bill does, but she's not really mad. She bends over to talk to Matty. "Did you have fun today, Mathew?"

"Yeah! The little boy says, getting up to stand in front of his mother. "We wode on the cawt."

"You did!"

William gets up and stands next to his cousin, "We ate hot dawgs and woot beew!" Matty exclaims.

"Yeah," William chimes in.

"And we picked up goff bawls."

"And what did Katherine do?" Tara asks, knowing she is now getting the truth.

"She was a sweep. We wach'ed her."

Bill groans. "Oh for heaven's sake, we all watched her, she was fine."

"Da bee-bee wiked to goff," William offers.

Scully scoops William up in her arms, "And I know one little golfer who needs a bath." Scully turns to Mathew. "Matty, I'm going to bath Will in my big, bubbly, bathtub. You want to bath too?"

"Suwe!" The older boy exclaims, following Scully and William upstairs.

Tara looks over at Bill with squinted eyes. "You got lucky this time, mister."

Bill stands up and grabs her around the waist and rubs her back. "I got lucky the day you married me."

Tara pulls away, "And don't you forget it!" She walks upstairs to check on the kids.

Bill looks over at Mulder. "What a great vacation, twice I got my nuts caught in the grinder and twice Tara didn't turn the handle." Mulder laughs.

Scully has bathed Will, washed his hair, and dressed him in a pair of lightweight cotton pajamas. He is sitting on her lap getting his hair combed. His bright, blue eyes snap at every utterance his mother makes. He's so much like Mulder, it's spooky, but no one can deny the closeness William shares with his mother.

Mathew struts into Scully's bedroom, wearing his San Diego Padres pajama set. His hair sticks up in sandy-colored spikes, and when he grins, he reminds Scully so much of Bill. "Alright young man, so this is where you got to!" Tara chastises her son. "You were supposed to be in bed."

"I'm waitin' for Will'um."

Scully pats Will's back and slides him off her lap. He turns to look at her, with his hands twisted together up near his face, he softly says, "I wanna sweep wif him."

Mathew understands Will first. "Yeah! Aunt Dana, can Will'um sweep wiff me?"

Scully looks a little stressed. "Oh, I'm not sure that's such a good idea, Mathew. He might fall out of bed."

"I can sweep in front." Mathew argues.

Scully smiles at Tara, "He would make a great lawyer."

Tara holds up a finger. "Give me a minute," she says, leaving the room.

"Please, Aunt Dana, let him sweep wiff me."

Scully is torn. She sees Will standing there, wanting so badly to be a big boy like his cousin, and yet he's still her little boy, who might get hurt.

Tara yells from the boys room, "All set, you can come in now."

Mathew and William run into the room with Scully following them. Mathew stops and gasps, "Aw right mom!"

Tara has taken the top mattress off the bed and placed it on the floor. Both boys are jumping up and down on it. William falls flat on his butt and gently rolls off onto the floor, no worse for wear.

Scully is leaning up against the doorframe with her arms crossed, smiling and laughing at the boys' antics. "I'd say that works just fine."

Tara claps her hands, "Now settle down guys. It's time to go to sleep." Mathew falls down and William follows him. They lay in bed, side by side, breathing hard. Tara covers them both with a blanket.

Suddenly a soft crying can be heard. Scully looks over her shoulder, "I think I hear a hungry little girl." She goes to check on Katherine.

Tara tucks both boys in and kisses each one, then turns on the nightlight and shuts off the overhead light. "Good night boys," she says just before she pulls the door nearly shut, then walks into the guestroom to get ready for bed.

Mulder comes into the bedroom just as Scully is finishing up feeding Katherine. She lays the baby on a blanket in the middle of the bed. Mulder crawls up along side her, they both sit quietly, looking at their little, brown headed girl. He catches one tiny flailing hand in his. "She really is beautiful, isn't she."

Scully is propped up on one arm; she looks up at Mulder with a smile. "Yes, she is."

Mulder runs his large hand over his daughter's small head. "We really did take good care of her today," he softly says, not looking at her mother.

"I know you did. You would never do anything that might put her in harms way."

"No, never," Mulder solemnly looks up at Scully. "I would die for my children," he pauses, "or for you."

Scully runs her hand over his cheek then draws his close and kisses him. "I know, I have no doubt."

She pulls away and slips off the bed to pick up Katherine, but Mulder stops her. "Here, let me."

"Okay, I'm going to check on Will," she whispers.

Mulder gathers his daughter up in the blanket, and sits down in the rocker. They are holding a very private conversation between father and daughter. He showers her with his thoughts of how their lives together will be, while Katherine coos and pours all her attention onto her father.

Scully finds Mathew lying on his stomach fast asleep, and William is, as usual, curled up in a little ball next to him. She brushes back his now dry hair and kisses her son and nephew goodnight.

Bill is coming up the stairs just as Scully is closing the boys' door. "Kids asleep?" he asks.

Scully opens the door for him to see. Bill chuckles, "Well, I'll be damned."

"They wanted to sleep together, Tara figured that out." Scully says looking in at the boys. "I'm glad they're close. Mathew is so good to William."

Bill's chest puffs out as a smile crosses his face. "He's the man of the house when I'm gone."

Scully looks up at Bill wistfully, "But he's still just a little boy."

Bill gets the meaning hidden behind her words. Scully grabs him around the waist and looks up at him. "Have you had fun here?"

"Yeah, I have," Bill answers a bit surprised, "and Mulder is okay too."

Scully lays her head on his chest, "I'm so glad you feel that way." She gives her brother one last hug and walks across the hall and into her own room.

Tuesday ~

Morning dawns with Mulder at work, and Tara and Dana doing their combined laundry. Bill is getting ready to go visit some old navy buddies and won't be back until late. The boys have been fed breakfast and are playing on the swing set.

Scully is opening the washer to add the bleach, when Tara comes in with a huge basket of laundry. "This is the last of the dirty clothes."

Scully looks over her shoulder. "Oh, Tara, you didn't need to empty all the hampers. I could have done that."

"Nonsense," Tara replies, "you're busy, and it didn't kill me."

The dryer 'dings' and Scully opens the door, pulling out piece after piece of baby clothes. Tara begins to fold the tiny shirts. She sighs, "I do wish Bill would agree to have another baby."

Scully is surprised, "He doesn't want too?"

"He says, he thinks we should wait until his future is a bit clearer." She continues to fold the sleepers and little socks. "I'm not sure what he's even talking about, I thought the future was twelve more years in the service."

Scully decides its time to change the subject. "Why don't you go get Katherine and I'll get us a glass of something cold."

"That sounds really good," Tara says, moving around Scully to go get the baby.

Scully checks on the boys, before she gets their drinks. Tara comes back carrying a very happy baby. Scully lovingly looks at her daughter and strokes her head. "This poor child can't wait until she is able to crawl."

Tara holds the baby on her lap while Katherine waves her arms. "It looks like she is trying to fly," Tara laughs. "Dana, why don't you call her Kathy or Kat?"

Scully winces, "I wouldn't mind calling her Kate but I prefer Katherine, although William always calls her 'da bee-bee'. I just hope that doesn't stick."

As if on queue, William and Mathew burst through the back door. Mathew speaks up; "I'm thiwsty."

Will pipes up, "Me too!"

"So you are!" Tara laughs at the grimy little pair standing before her.

Scully opens the refrigerator door and steps back. "What will it be?"

William spots a small red can, his eyes widen and he grows excited, "'Mato juice!" He says.

Mathew crinkles up his nose, "What's that?"

Scully pulls out the small can, shakes it, and pops the top handing it to William. "Tomato juice, Matty. Will loves it. Do you want to try some?"

"No!" Mathew shakes his head and wrinkles up his nose.

Will walks over to Tara, drinking his tomato juice. He tucks the can into the crook of his arm and pats Katherine's head while giving her a kiss. Tara laughs, "That was very nice of you William."

"I wanna juice box," Mathew says.

"What do you say Matty?" Tara scolds.

Pleeease!' Mathew says.

Scully pulls out a box of juice and sticks the tiny straw in it then hands it to Mathew.

"Thank you," Mathew softly says.

It's nearly noon, when the laundry is all done and put away, and Mulder is due home any minute. Scully and Tara are busy scrubbing the boys clean while Katherine watches from her blanket on the floor. She finds the soap bubbles that escape from the tub particularly fascinating.

A soft knock is heard on the bathroom door. "Anybody home," Mulder asks, peaking around the door.

"Oh hi," Scully says a bit surprised, "is it that late already?"

Mulder smiles at her, "'Fraid so."

"Sorry," Scully says getting up from crouching on the floor. "Lunch will be a little late."

Mulder rubs her back. "Why don't we all go out for lunch?"

Scully looks at Tara and the three kids. "Bill isn't here, he went to see some friends, you sure you want to deal with three kids?"

Mathew speaks up with a big grin on his face; "I'll be good!"

"Me too!" William chimes in.

"See," Mulder says, "two out of three say they'll be good." He picks Katherine up and holds her over his head. "And this one isn't talking." The baby squeals with laughter.

"Sounds good to me." Tara says, crawling off the floor. "Let's get the boys dressed.

Mulder is still in his suit while Scully and Tara are clad in simple cotton tops and trousers. Mathew has a pair of bibs on and William is dressed in a light blue shirt and matching shorts. Katherine is dressed in a light green, one-piece sun suit.

Will and Mathew are buckled in the back seat, while Tara and Katherine occupy the middle, and Mulder and Scully sit in front of the SUV.

"So where too?" Scully asks. "McDonalds, Burger King?"

"No," Mulder laughs, "not kid food. How does Marco's sound?"

Scully closes her eyes, "Sounds heavenly."

They pull into the parking lot of the neat little Italian restaurant and begin to unbuckle the kids. They all wait patiently in the foyer for their name to be called.

Katherine is seated in a high chair, for the first time, while William sits on a booster seat. To Scully, it's another sign that her children are growing up. Matty sits between William and his mother, while Mulder and Scully sit on either side of their daughter.

"So, what's good here?" Tara asks, scanning the menu.

"Mulder likes the Sicilian beef and I usually get the Seafood Fettuccini. William likes the hot dog on a plate with a side of kids' spaghetti."

Mathew speaks up; "I want that too!"

Tara smiles, "Then I guess it's up to me."

All the orders are placed, with Tara finally deciding on the Sicilian Beef. Coffee is served to the adults, while the kids just have water. Scully is digging a bottle of water out of her bag for Katherine, when her cell phone chirps. "Hello, oh hi mom."

"Bill went to see some friends from the navy, and Mulder took the rest of us out for lunch."

"I don't know, I'll put her on." Scully hands her phone to Tara; "Mom wants to talk to you."

Tara looks surprised but takes the phone, "Hi mom."

"Sure, I'd like to do that."

"Right after lunch. Oh wait, Bill has the van, let me ask Fox."

Tara pulls the phone away from her ear, and looks over at Mulder. "Fox, can you drop Matty and me off at mom's, after lunch?"

"Not a problem," Mulder says.

Tara returns to the phone, "Mom, he says he'll drop us off. Great, I'll see you then." She shuts off the phone and hands it back to Scully. "Mom, wants Mathew and I to spend the afternoon with her, you don't mind do you Dana?"

The food is beginning to arrive. "Of course not," Scully says, sitting Will's plate down in front of him.

Tara laughs, "I'm sure you need a break from us being under your roof."

Scully cuts up William's hot dog. "I like having adult company for a change."

"I'm adult company," Mulder pouts.

Scully pats his hand, "You're close, Mulder."

Tara and Scully both laugh at the look on Mulder's face.

The meal is eaten and as usual, Mulder has stuffed Katherine with anything that he can get past Scully.

The SUV is loaded once again and the group heads for Maggie's place while Scully calls her mom to tell her they're on their way. Maggie meets them out front, just as Mulder pulls up in front of her building. He turns off the vehicle, and runs around the front, to help Tara get Mathew out of the car seat. "Here we go big guy," he says, lifting Mathew out. William begins to struggle in his car seat.

Maggie pats Mathew on the shoulder and hugs Tara. "All set?" She asks. Suddenly a wailing can be heard coming from inside the SUV. It's William.

Scully turns around to see huge tears streaming down her son's face while his fingers are in his mouth. "What's wrong, William?" Scully asks, with concern in her voice.

Mulder looks in at his son. "You wanna go too, don't you."

William gulps back the tears, wipes his arm across his face and pitifully answers, "Yes."

"Can he come too, gwamma?" Matty asks, tugging at his grand mother's arm.

"Well, of course William can come too!" Maggie steps up to the open door and unbuckles her grandson. "We wouldn't leave you!" She says, lifting the little boy into her arms. Mulder pulls out his handkerchief and cleans up his son's face.

Scully exits the SUV and kisses William. "You be good for grandma okay?"

Will nods his head and quietly answers, "I will."

"You sure you want both of them here?" Scully questions.

"Don't worry so much Dana, we'll do fine." Maggie says, before turning toward her building.

Mulder shuts the side door of the SUV and returns to the drivers seat. "Poor Will," Scully sighs, "he's so glad to have another little boy to play with."

"I've noticed that," Mulder says, pulling into the traffic. He also notices the troubled look on Scully's face. He adjusts the mirror so he can see Katherine. "She looks happy," he says nodding at the mirror.

Scully looks back to see her daughter playing with her toes. "Hey! Where did her shoe go?" Scully turns around, trying to see if the shoe is on the floor. She sighs and closes her eyes, "I hope she didn't lose it at the restaurant." Mulder pulls up to a red light and puts the SUV in park. He unbuckles his seatbelt and turns around, scrounging around on the floor he comes up with a little white shoe and a tiny pink sock. "Thanks," Scully says in relief.

Mulder put the SUV in gear and continues. "Scully, you know we could put William in daycare for half a day. He could make some friends there."

Scully shakes her head, "No, I don't want him in daycare."

"Scully if it's because you're doing a better job teaching and caring for him, then I agree, but if you're worried he won't be safe, then I think we have a problem."

Scully's eyes flash at her partner. "Mulder, how can you say that, after all we've been through!"

"Scully, we have never had any threats made against us or the kids. We don't matter anymore. The kids aren't what they thought they would be. They're normal, beautiful, children."

"I know," Scully sighs, looking at her daughter. "It's just so hard not to be looking over my shoulder all the time."

Mulder senses her angst and grabs her hand. "Maybe we can find some kids in the neighborhood to invite over."

Scully brightens up, "You know, I could invite some of the little kids from the church over to swim and play on the swing set."

Mulder laughs, "See, I knew you would find the answer, you always do."

Scully blushes, "Well, you did help."

Mulder squeezes her hand; "We still make a great team."

"Yeah we do," she squeezes back.

Suddenly, jabbering, and babbling, coming from the backseat breaks the mood. Mulder laughs, "She really does have lousy timing."

Scully smiles, "Just like her brother."

Mulder pulls into the driveway and shuts off the engine. He turns to Scully, "What are you going to do this afternoon?"

"Enjoy the quiet," Scully smirks.

"Lucky your mom called."

Scully gets out of the SUV, "Luck had nothing to do with it, she knew I needed a break."

"Way to go, Maggie!" Mulder says, pumping his fist in the air.

Scully pulls Katherine's carrier out of the backseat. "Here, let me," Mulder says, grabbing it.

Scully puts her arm around his waist, "I could almost guarantee, that she knew William would react like he did, when he was being separated from Mathew."

Mulder looks down at her. "I knew your mother was intelligent, but devious too! My admiration for her only grows."

"Oh you!" Scully responds, as she unlocks the door.

Mulder follows her inside. "Where do you want her put?"

"Let me take her. She needs cleaning up and her clothes changed."

"Kitchen sink, or upstairs?" Mulder grins.

"No, I'm taking her upstairs for a sponge bath." Scully picks up the baby and starts upstairs. Mulder heads for his office to check his Email.

Katherine has been cleaned up, powdered, and dressed in a diaper and undershirt. She is slowly being rocked, while Scully feeds her.

Mulder walks in and stops to stare at the two most important females in his life. "I'm gonna shower and change," he says as he walks to the dresser, pulling out a pair of well-worn jeans and a T-shirt.

Scully grabs his arm and says, "Don't be too long, she's almost asleep."

Mulder is surprised by the innuendo in Scully's statement. He doesn't want to ask her to clarify herself, so he leaves his clothes on the bed, just in case he isn't going to need them.

Bill Scully walks into the kitchen and sticks his head in the fridge, pulling out a beer. He twists off the cap and takes a big swig, and walks around downstairs looking for a sign of life, but he can't find any. He walks out onto the patio, but no one is there either. He heads upstairs with his beer in hand. He checks the guestroom, but can't find anyone there. He checks the boys' room, but finds it empty. He shrugs his shoulder and starts back downstairs, when suddenly he hears a giggle coming from Dana and Fox's room. He walks over, pressing his ear to the door again he hears laughter. He knocks on the door, "Dana, you in there?"

"Shit!" Scully says, pulling the sheet up her nude body. "Bill's home."

"So what!" Mulder exclaims, nibbling on Scully's neck.

"Mulder, that's my brother on the other side of the door!" Scully huffs, blowing the hair out of her eyes.

"Dana, you there?" Bill knocks again.

Scully pushes the mass of hair off her face. "I'll be out in a minute," she yells.

"No she won't!" Mulder yells.

Scully turns and swats him on the arm, "Mulder, stop that!" He laughs at her near panic.

"Take your time," Bill answers, heading back downstairs.

Scully is pissed, and she can't get untangled from the sheets. "Mulder, now Bill knows what we were doing!"

Mulder pins her to the bed. "Scully we're married, we have two children, of course he knows what we were doing."

Scully sighs, and smiles up at him. "Sometimes I wonder about you Mulder, but not enough to ever leave you."

Mulder smiles back and kisses the end of her nose. "Mulder?"

"Yes," he replies kissing her neck.

"Get off me, before I ensure William and Katherine will never have any more siblings."

Mulder chuckles as he works his way down her shoulder, "You wouldn't do that to a guy would you?"

Scully tries not to laugh, "Don't try my patience, Mulder."

"Okay, okay," he concedes, getting up to head for the bathroom, while Scully is still struggling to get out of the bed. She untangles herself and follows him in. He ambushes her, but she slaps him on the arm again. They clean up and get out of there in record time, no thanks to Mulder.

By now Katherine is wide-awake. Scully lifts her from the bassinet and carries the baby into her future room to be changed.

Mulder is coming out of their room, just as Scully leaves Katherine's. "Mulder, I think it's time we bring her crib into our room and get her out of the bassinet."

"Why don't we just put her in the crib in her own room?"

Scully tilts her head and draws in one shoulder. "Okay, okay, I get the message. I'll move the crib in before bed time."

"Thanks!" Scully says as they head downstairs.

Bill is in the family room, slumped on the couch, watching the five o'clock news. "So what took so long?"

"We were having sex." Mulder announces.

Scully hits him in the gut with the back of her hand, "Mulder!"

Mulder gasps and says, "I was wrong, I guess we weren't having sex."

Bill smiles a wicked smile, first at Scully, then at Mulder. "I know Tara and I always groan and giggle when we're not having sex too."

Scully rolls her eyes and heads for the kitchen muttering, "Men."

"So where are the rest of them?" Bill asks.

"They're over at your moms house."

Bill laughs and drains his bottle. "She must have known Dana needed some time to relax," then he narrows his eyes at Mulder, "Lotta good that did her."

Mulder would love to comment back, but he doesn't fancy being hit by Scully again.

Wednesday ~

The extended family has now settled into a routine. Mulder goes to work, Bill drags out of bed, and Tara and Scully fix breakfast.

Mathew and William are running through the house. They have become so close in such a short time; they're inseparable. "Come on, Will'um, yow too slow!" Mathew laughs.

"Hew I come!" William yells.

Tara catches Mathew by the shirt collar, "Hey, I told you, no running in the house!"

Scully is in the kitchen when she hears William screaming. She drops what she is doing to go find him. He is lying at the bottom of the backstairs holding his head. By now Tara has heard the screams and she too comes running. Scully rolls him over before picking him up. By now he's wailing and asking for her. She tries to calm him while she gently checks his head and eyes. The skin over his right eye is broken but not bleeding and he has a rather large bump. Once she is sure he isn't concussed, or suffering from a neck or back injury, she picks him up.

Tara looks at William, white as a ghost. "Gosh Dana, is he going to be all right?"

Scully is cradling him to her chest and shushing his crying. "Yeah, he'll be fine, it looks worse than it is."

"Dammit! I told Matty, no running in the house!" Now Tara is mad.

"No, no," Scully says, "it isn't his fault. Tara, please don't take it out on Mathew."

Mathew is standing there with big tears rolling down his cheeks.

Scully sits down on the step, trying to quiet her son. "Tara, I'm so glad Mathew plays with William. He needed the companionship." Tara smiles, "Thanks, Mathew loves to play with him too. We don't have many younger boys on the base. She looks sympathetically at William, I am sorry he got hurt."

"It's just a bump." Scully pulls William away from her to look at his face. "And maybe a little shiner." Then she nods toward Mathew, "I think someone else could use a hug."

Tara looks over at her son. "Come here, Matty," she says opening her arms. He runs to her and begins to bawl. "I didn't mean to huwt Will'um." Tara hugs him and sits down on the floor holding him. "You didn't hurt him, Mathew." She strokes the hair away from his eyes. "The mean old floor did," she hits the floor with her hand, "bad floor, bad, bad." Both boys think this is funny.

Scully carries William upstairs, to clean him up and fill him with baby Tylenol. Tara follows her, carrying Mathew. Both little boys need time to calm down.

Bill comes in from walking around the backyard. He hears noises upstairs, so he heads for the family room. Katherine is sitting up in her playpen, holding on to the mesh that surrounds it. Bill sits in the chair across from her. She eyes her uncle and babbles at him. He looks across the room at her, "Hi, how ya doing?" He asks. Katherine answers him with more babble. "Yeah, tell me about it." She furrows her brow and jabbers on.

Bill can't stand it any longer; he gets up from the chair and walks over to the playpen and picks up his niece. She stiffens her back and stares at him with wide-eyes then promptly hits him in the face. "Hey, watch it, or I'll put you back in your cage."

Suddenly, the baby is wracked with hiccups. "Oh, don't you just hate that," Bill says to her as he sits down in the rocking chair. "I don't think we have been formally introduced, I'm your Uncle Bill and you are. . ." he pauses, "the spitting image of your father." Katherine hiccups once more. "You know, my wife thinks you're the greatest thing since sliced bread. Now she's gonna start whining for one just like you." He holds the baby close to his chest. "I don't know, I guess you're not so bad." The baby points to his nose and jabbers on, then smiles a big toothless grin at him. Bill returns the smile.

Tara comes in the family room to find Bill rocking the little girl. She smiles at her husband and leans in to whisper, "Wouldn't it be nice to have a little one like her around the house." She kisses Bill's cheek and leaves the room. Bill looks down at the baby who is busily chewing on her fingers. "See, what did I tell you." He squeezes her tight to his chest and smiles down at her. "You're a bad influence." Katherine stares back at her uncle and promptly hiccups.

Scully comes downstairs carrying William, a tiny bandage covering the wound.

Bill looks up, "What happened to him?"

Scully brushes the hair away from her son's eyes, "He fell when he was running and hit his head on the bottom of the staircase."

Will lays his head on Scully's chest, sucking on his thumb, with an occasional whimper bubbling up out of him.

Bill looks at the dark ring that is beginning to circle Will's eye, while the little boy gives his uncle a watery-eyed smile.

The phone rings and Tara comes in carrying the cordless. "Dana, it's the bureau."

Scully shifts William around in her arms and takes the phone, "Hello."

"Today?" She sighs. "I'll be right there." She hands the phone to her sister-in-law and looks down at William, then up at Tara. "The case I'm assisting on, they need me to put in an appearance. Can you watch the kids for a few hours?"

"Sure, Tara replies, lifting William from Scully's arms. We'll be just fine, don't worry about it."

Scully pauses, "I guess I had better change clothes and get going."

"Come on William, lets you and I go find Mathew, then we'll all go outside to play." Tara rubs soothing circles on William's back as she heads upstairs.

Scully watches them leave then pauses, "Shit, I need to call Mulder."

Bill steps up, "Anything I can do?"

Scully looks around, "Katherine. Where is she?"

Bill walks into the family room and scoops up his niece and carries her to Scully. "I'll watch her," he smiles down at Katherine, "we've become good friends."

Scully rubs the back of her daughter's tiny hand, kisses it, and starts up the stairs. She changes clothes and dials her partner while applying her make-up. "Mulder, it's me."

"What's up?"

"I've been called into the bureau."

"Why?"

"They want me to look over the latest victim, and before the wheels start turning in your head, they have already caught the guy."

Mulder grins at the implication. "So why do they need you then?"

"He's telling several different stories, and I need to find out if he killed her where she was found, or somewhere off site."

Scully sighs and rubs her forehead. "Look, I'll be home when I can, oh, and Will fell down and hit his head." She finishes applying her lipstick and begins to look for her pumps.

"Is he going to be okay?" Mulder asks, with concern in his voice.

"Yeah, but he is going to have a black eye." Scully stands up and brushes off her trousers.

"I'll come straight home from here. Try not to worry."

"Bill and Tara, are going to watch them for me, but I'm sure Will would feel better if one of us were with him."

"I'll be there soon. Call me when you get the chance."

"I will." Scully says, closing up her cell. She takes one last look in the mirror, slips downstairs and out of the house.

12:30 PM

Mulder makes it home in record time. He walks in the kitchen door to be met by the smell of cooking. Tara is pulling fish sticks out of the oven, the table is set, and milk has been poured. She turns around to see Mulder standing behind her. "Oh Fox! I didn't hear you coming in. I hope Will likes fish sticks."

Mulder smiles, "Next to hot dogs, they're his favorite." Mulder's mood now changes, "How is he doing?"

Tara fans her hand in the air. "He's fine. He does have a bump on his head, but it hasn't slowed him down any," she smiles.

Mulder lets out a long breath.

She dumps the fish sticks onto a paper towel to cool. "Fox, can I give you a little advice?"

"Sure." Mulder nods.

Tara sits down across from him. "Don't sweat the small things that happen to kids, or it will drive you crazy."

Bill starts to walk in the kitchen, but hesitates when he hears Tara. "I know what I'm talking about, with Bill out to seas so much, I've had to learn not to panic every time Mathew gets hurt."

Mulder nods. "It must be hard raising him by yourself."

"Oh, I'm not totally alone, Bill does get shore leave from time to time." She twists a paper towel into tiny knots. "The worst part is knowing what Bill's missed, Matty's first steps, his first words, prayers at night." She grows quiet. "Things he can't recover."

The backdoor flies open and in run two giggly little boys. Bill turns around and heads back upstairs.

Mulder lifts up his son. "Hey buddy, what happened?"

Will pats his forehead. "I huwt my head."

"I can see that." Mulder tells him, examining his head. "Mom, said you were very brave."

"He cwied." Mathew offers. Tara shushes her son.

Will's mouth turns down, "It huwt, da-dee."

"I know Will, but it will get better, and you do have a pretty cool bandage on it."

Mathew hasn't missed a thing. "He gots a bwack eye too!"

Mulder looks closer. "He sure does, Mathew."

Mulder sits Will a little farther up in his lap. "William, Aunt Tara fixed you some fish sticks."

Will's mouth opens to a perfect 'O'.

Tara and Mulder chuckle. Think you feel like eating?" Mulder asks his son.

"Yup," William grins.

Everyone is fed, Mulder has changed clothes, and the kids are all out in the backyard. Mulder is swinging Katherine in the infant swing on the swing set; Mathew and William are in the pool with Bill. It's after three when Mulder's cell finally rings.

"Hello."

"Mulder, its me."

"How's it going, Scully?"

"Slow." Mulder can hear the frustration in her voice.

"Need my help?"

Scully smiles, "Not unless you want to crack a cranium."

Mulder winces. "No thanks, I'll leave that to the professional."

"How are the kids?"

"Will and Mathew are swimming with Bill, while I'm . . ." Mulder stops to peer around the swing, "pushing a soundly sleeping baby in the swing."

Scully looks at her watch, "Well, it is past her nap time."

"Scully, don't worry, do your job and get home when you can, we'll be waiting."

"Thanks, I will. I had better go."

"I'll save you some dinner."

"Thanks," Mulder can tell she is smiling now. "See ya soon." Scully hangs up, feeling much better.

9PM

Scully pulls into the garage. Her feet hurt, her shoulders ache and she's starving. Mulder is holding the kitchen door open for her. She drags in. "You look beat."

Scully plops down on a kitchen stool. "I feel like it too." Mulder rubs her shoulders. "Um, that feels good."

"All done?" Mulder questions.

Scully shakes her head. "It was a waste of time. He confessed an hour ago."

"Ow." Mulder sympathizes with her.

"But my findings do confirm that his last statement was true. Skinner is pleased."

"I'll bet his is." Mulder kisses the crown of her head.

Scully looks up at him and he kisses her lips. "Is that barbecued chicken I smell?"

Mulder chuckles. "Here, I thought that big smile was caused by me, but it's only the damn chicken."

Scully kisses him once more. "Mulder I love you, but right now, I would fight you for that chicken."

Tara walks in the kitchen. "Dana, I didn't hear you come in. I have a plate of food for you in the oven."

"Oh, that sounds great."

Mulder pats her on the back and sits down next to her. "So how were the kids?" Scully asks.

Tara pulls a hot plate of chicken, Irish potatoes, and warm rolls out of the oven. "They were great. Everyone ate their dinner."

"Let me guess," Scully says looking at Mulder, "Katherine likes barbecue sauce too."

Mulder blushes and shrugs.

Tara sets the plate in front of her sister-in-law. She gets out silverware, a salad and a glass of wine. "Fox said, you would need this."

Scully smiles, "If he says so, then I must." She takes a drink then a bite of her chicken. "Tara, this is wonderful. Where did you learn to cook like this?"

"I love to cook, but with just Matty and me, it doesn't make sense to make a whole meal."

Everyone looks up to see Bill coming in. "Well, she's down for the count. Dana, I didn't hear you come in."

Scully takes another sip of her wine. "You put Katherine to bed?"

Bill frowns, and steals a small piece of her chicken from her plate then looks at everyone staring at him. "What? I'm not a total caveman, I have my sensitive side too, you know."

Scully laughs, nearly choking on her dinner. Bill sits down across from her. "Dana, you have a very charming daughter. Makes me want one of my own."

Tara drops the pan she is scrubbing and turns around. "Bill, do you really mean that!"

Bill turns around on the stool. "Let's talk about it later, but yeah, I think I do."

Tara hugs her husband. "I'd like that too."

Mulder looks over at Scully to see she has the same grin on her face as he has on his.

Tara walks upstairs to see Scully going into Will's bedroom. She softly opens the door and bends down next to her son, brushing back his hair and examining, the now black and blue eye. Tara stands in the doorway. "He did just fine, Dana."

Scully looks back at her. "I know, you did a great job." Scully gets up and hugs her sister-in-law, "Thanks."

"You're welcome." Tara hugs her back.

Scully comes out of the bathroom to find Mulder already in bed. He pulls back the blankets for her. She crawls in and snuggles up to his bare chest. "Umm," she sighs.

Mulder rubs her arm and reaches over to turn out the lights. He kisses her head then kisses her lips. "So you don't have to go in tomorrow?"

"No," Scully yawns and softly says, "Skinner said, I could fax in my report some time tomorrow."

"Can you get it done with all the madness going on around you?" Mulder asks, stroking her arm.

"I'll just have to." Scully is getting sleepier by the moment. "Maybe mom will take Tara and the kids out for a couple of hours."

"I'll be home around noon, I can take everyone out, if you want the free time?"

"I love you Mulder, but I would not force this bunch off on you. I'll figure out a way to get it done."

Mulder takes her hand, playing with her fingers, "Scully I know I don't tell you this often enough, but I am proud of you. You are so good with the kids, William can count and he's starting to read, while Katherine is a happy, well-fed baby. I always knew you could handle anything, but you really excel at motherhood and that's a far more important, and hard job, than anything you ever did at the bureau." Mulder can hear her softly snoring. He grins and kisses her once more then snuggles in next to her.

Thursday ~

The day dawns with Mulder off to work and Tara getting breakfast. Bill is sitting at the counter, holding Katherine while Mathew and Will are seated next to him eating cereal.

A black and blue eyed William looks up from his bowl, "Unca Biwl?"

"What is it William?"

"Wew's momma?"

"She's still asleep. She had to work late."

"Wew did she wok?"

"She went to the FBI."

"Wike Da-dee," Will grins.

Bill laughs, "Yeah, like daddy."

Tara smiles, pushing the curly hair out of Will's eyes and away from the wound.

Bill puts Katherine over his shoulder and pats her back, then frowns. "Tara, Mathew could use a trim, in fact, so could William."

Tara sets a plate of bacon and eggs in front of her husband. "We can get Matty's haircut when we get home, and as for William's, it's none of your business."

A yawn is heard and in walks Scully, wearing her robe and pajamas. "My, the whole family is here. I guess I over slept."

Bill holds Katherine out. "Tara wouldn't let the kids wake you."

Scully scoops up the baby and sits down next to William. "You hungry, baby?"

"I found a bottle in the fridge and fed her, I hope you don't mind."

"No, not at all, just saves me doing it." Scully says, but doesn't mean it; she looks foreword to the time alone with her daughter. She looks down at William, who is busy shoveling cereal into his mouth. "How's the head, Will?"

The little boy wipes his mouth off on the back of his hand. "Okay."

"Can I look under the bandage?"

"Okay," Will answers.

She pulls the little patch off his head and squints. "It looks much better William, I think we can leave this off now." She shifts Katherine in her arms and pulls off the tiny bandage.

"What will it be, Dana?" Tara asks.

"Just toast and coffee."

Bill sits down his coffee cup. "So you all done on that case?"

Katherine bounces up and down on Scully's lap and chatters to no one in particular. "All done but finishing up my report. Tara, do you think you and mom could watch the kids for a few hours? I need to finish it. Mulder will be home by one."

Bill speaks up, "You don't need mom, I can do it! It's about time the boys and I have a day out together."

Scully sits her daughter down on her lap. "I'm not sure."

"Dana, let me have some fun with the kids, I promise I won't take them golfing," Bill laughs.

The black-eyed Will chimes in, "Da bee-bee wikes to goff."

The adults laugh, and Scully agrees, "Alright, but don't get into trouble."

Bill claps his hands, "Come on boys eat up, we're going out for the day."

"Good," Tara says, "and I'll take Katherine to moms with me. You'll have the whole house all to yourself."

Scully laughs, "I'm not sure I can stand the quiet."

"I will," she replies, just as Bill comes out with Mathew and William. Will runs to Scully's vehicle and tries to open the door. Scully grabs him, "No, William, you're going with Uncle Bill."

Bill picks up his nephew and walks to the minivan. "You're going with me, buckaroo." He sets Will down and picks up his car seat, securing it to the backseat. Matty has already crawled into his own car seat while Bill is buckling William in.

Scully waves to Tara, then walks over to look in the back of Bill's minivan. "Will, you be good for Uncle Bill and Matty you hold Will's hand so he doesn't get lost."

"I will Aunt Dana." Mathew replies.

Bill turns around in the driver's seat. "Dana, give the kid some freedom!"

Scully would love to explain to Bill why she is so protective, but he wouldn't understand, or believe, any of it.

Bill starts the minivan, everyone waves, and he takes off down the driveway.

Scully walks back into the house and heads to the kitchen for a mug of coffee, and then it's off to fire up the computer in Mulder's office.

Thanks to all the work she had to do, the day goes fast for Scully. She no sooner faxes her report to Skinner and Mulder walks in. She turns to smile at him; "I'm all done."

"That's good, I'm sorry I couldn't get here sooner, but a couple of students nailed me in the hallway after class, and I couldn't get away."

Scully shuts down the computer. "It was an X File, you were discussing, wasn't it."

Mulder gives her a half-grin, half-embarrassed smile. "Yeah, it was."

Scully picks up her mug and brushes past him. "It's okay, Tara and mom have Katherine, and Bill has the boys with him."

Mulder looks wide-eyed, "And you let him?"

Scully walks into the kitchen with Mulder right behind her. "I think I need to loosen up a little. You were right Mulder, they are normal children and maybe I am overprotective."

Mulder sits down on a stool. "But Bill! Scully that's like putting an ape in charge of the monkey house."

Scully poured each of them a cup of coffee. "While I'm slightly offended at your calling my brother an ape, I was smart enough to put Matty in charge of William."

"Well that's a relief," Mulder says, shutting his eyes. "Have we got time to go grab some lunch?"

"I don't see why not. Where to?"

"How about one of our old haunts, back when we were young, energetic agents."

"Mulder, I gave up that crap, when they closed the X Files. I'm not lowering myself to eat like that again."

Mulder grabs her around the waist. "I think I liked you better when you were a cheap date." Scully laughs and leaves him to go change her clothes.

It's around five, when Mulder and Scully return home. He unlocks the door and grabs Scully's hand. They walk into the big, quiet house. Scully looks around, "I don't think anyone else is home yet."

"I guess so." Mulder pushes her toward the staircase, "Come on, we're got time for a quickie."

Scully resists and stands her ground. "Oh no," she laughs, "we're not getting caught again."

Mulder pulls her to him and grins; "They're leaving tomorrow, right?"

Scully wraps her arms around his waist and buries her head in his chest. "Early, I hope."

He strokes her back; "It has been fun though."

Scully looks up at him and smiles, "Well, we did find out that Katherine likes to golf."

They both snicker and hear the front door open. "Anybody home?" Tara yells.

"We're in here," Scully yells back as she and Mulder separate.

Scully takes Katherine from Tara. "Was she good today?"

Tara sits down the diaper bag she has slung over her shoulder. "She was the perfect baby."

Maggie tickles her grand daughter's tiny toes. "Mom! She didn't lose her shoes, did she?"

"No, Tara took them off her when she put her down for a nap, we never put them back on."

"Thank goodness, she is always taking her shoes off."

Maggie laughs, "Dana, I think she's ready to start crawling any day now."

"I do too," Scully says, looking down at her daughter.

Tara pushes back her blonde hair. "Bill called from his cell and said he wanted mom and I to be here with you and Fox when he gets home, he said it was a surprise."

Scully looks up at Mulder; "Wonder what it is?"

Suddenly a honking horn can be heard coming up the driveway. They all make their way out the door just as Bill pulls up out front. He has a huge grin on his face, but the side windows are too dark to see in the minivan. He shuts off the van and gets out. "I'm glad you're all here, you gotta see this!"

The assembled crowd is stumped as to what his surprise might be but the words, ape and monkeys, immediately comes to Mulder's mind.

Bill walks around to the passenger side of the van and opens the back door. Scully can see movement and hear giggling, but that's all. He appears to be unbuckling the boys, but neither one of them has come out yet.

He steps aside and out jumps Mathew, clad in a sailor suit with shiny black shoes, and a sailor hat perched on his head. Bill helps William out and he too is similarly attired.

Maggie gasps, "Oh, how cute! Where did you find these, Bill?"

"At a kids specialty shop, they had everything in there."

William is beaming from ear to ear along with his cousin.

"Look mom, I look just like daddy."

Tara laughs, "You sure do, Matty."

Scully, holding Katherine, looks down at her son. "That's pretty neat, William."

"I wook wike him," William says, pointing to Mathew.

"You sure do, son!" Mulder chuckles.

"Sorry Mulder, they were all out of G-man clothes." Bill teases, adding, "Wait there's more." He turns to the boys and says, "Take off your hats."

Both kids remove their hats to reveal buzz cuts.

Scully's eyes grow wide, and her jaw drops. "Holy shit Bill, what in the hell, did you do!"

Maggie touches her daughters arm and whispers, "Dana, not in front of the kids."

Scully gulps and calms down, some.

Tara has her hands on her hips. "Bill, it is one thing to scalp your son, but to do it to Dana's, is quite a different matter."

Mathew is running his hand over Will's fuzzy head. "That feels funny," he laughs. William runs his hand over his own head, and grins.

Scully is speechless; her eyes begin to grow red. Finally, Mulder walks up to William and stoops down. "What do you think of your haircut, Will?"

The little boy in the sailor suit, sporting one black eye, softly says, "I wike it, da-dee."

Scully is holding Katherine in one arm while her hand is over her mouth; she looks like a woman in shock. Mulder looks up at her, "He says, he likes it, Scully."

Bill is looking a little remorseful.

Finally Scully sighs and shakes her head. "I guess if Will likes it, it's ok."

You can hear a communal sigh being released. "But Bill, next time, you ask first," Scully warns then adds, "Mulder go get the camera. They're too cute not to have pictures of them."

Bill follows Mulder into the house to look for the camera. "Will really saved my ass back there."

Mulder smiles back at Bill as they enter the office. "Every time Will needs a haircut, Scully acts like they're going to remove a limb."

Bill watches Mulder look for the camera. "The barber thought they were cool."

Mulder looks up from his pawing through the bottom desk drawer. "How did you explain Will's black eye?"

Bill shrugs, "I told his he was in a bar fight."

"You didn't!" Mulder laughs.

"Yes, I did." Bill beams.

Mulder spies the camera on the shelf behind Bill and walks past him to retrieve it. He turns and puts his hand on Bill's shoulder, "Bill, that is one story I don't think we should share with Dana."

Bill chuckles, "Damn straight, we won't."

The pictures have all been taken, plenty of the two little sailor boys, and even more of one of them with his sister. Family group shots and shots of all the kids together are also snapped.

Scully has downloaded the pictures from the digital camera and sent copies to Bill's computer and made hard copies for Maggie. She especially likes the one of Mulder sitting on the staircase, with her sitting one step below, and William one step below her, then Katherine sitting one step below him, between his legs. Bill walks in just as she is finishing Maggie's prints. "I'm glad we took all of these pictures, it might be a long time before we see you guys again."

Bill pulls over an office chair and sits down next to his sister. "Don't be so sure about that. I'm going to tell Tara about the job in New London."

Scully leans over and hugs her brother. "Bill, that's great!"

Bill laughs, "Does that make up for the haircut."

Scully leans back to look at her brother. "Almost."

Tara comes in carrying Katherine. "You two ready for supper?"

Maggie has patched together a late supper for her family. It's being served on the patio while the sun sets in the background. The table is piled high with cold cuts, chips and a veggie tray. The adults gather around the table, with Katherine still in Tara's arms. The boys, sans white sailor suits, are seated at their little plastic table that Mulder has brought back outside.

Tara has placed half a sandwich before each boy, Will's of course, without the crust. The food is passed around the adult table, and then Maggie says a prayer for her family, those with her, those far away, and those taken from her.

Tara speaks up, "Dana, Fox, I have enjoyed this week. You've both been very gracious to all of us. I hope you can make it out to San Diego for a visit real soon."

Bill clears his throat. "That might not be such a good idea."

Tara looks at Bill with a startled look on her face. "Why not?"

"Because there is a desk job opening up in New London, and I'm applying for it."

Tara holds Katherine with one hand and puts the other one on her husband's shoulder. "Bill! You aren't kidding, are you?"

A large smile breaks out across Bill's face. "Nope, I'm not."

"How wonderful," Maggie interjects.

"Well, after having spent the week here, I see what I'm missing," Bill swallows hard, "and I want to spend more time with you and Mathew."

Tara hugs her husband. "Bill, I love you so much." Bill blushes and clears his throat. "Mulder pass the potato salad."

Everyone laughs at Bill's futile attempt at changing the subject.

Scully speaks up, "Well since this is a day for announcements, I have one of my own."

Mulder leans over, "Don't tell me you're pregnant again?"

Scully turns red. "Shut up, Mulder." He puts his hand on top of her shiny, red head and shakes it, then chuckles. The adults now are all laughing at Scully's expense.

"Like I was saying, before I was so rudely interrupted." Scully looks directly at Mulder. Bill is enjoying this little battle of wits going on in front of him. "I've talked to Skinner and told him I'm not coming back after my leave, but, he has offered me at home work, much like the last two cases I've been asked to assist on."

"That's great." Mulder replies. "I think that's a wise choice."

Maggie gets up from the table and takes Katherine from Tara. "Does that mean I won't be baby sitting?"

"No mom, I'll still have days when I have to go in," Scully looks at her brother, "But remember, you'll have Matty nearby soon."

"That's right!" Maggie says, looking over at Mathew.

Mulder drops his napkin and steeples his fingers. "My turn. I have an announcement of my own." He looks directly at William. "Dammit Scully, I like Will's hair!"

The entire table roars with laughter, except for Scully, who sits with her elbows on the table and her fingers laced together under her chin giving Mulder a sideways glare. Mulder begins to laugh at her and finally she laughs too. "Well, don't get use to it," she says.

William has gotten up and carried his plate to Mulder. "Da-dee, want mo' 'tatos."

Mulder picks up his son. "But I want them all!" He teases.

"No, da-dee!" Will laughs. "Der mine!" he says, grabbing the bowl of potato salad and hugging it to his chest. Mulder rubs his fuzzy head and helps him get some salad. By now Mathew has crawled up into his fathers lap. Laughing, happy family members surround the table.

It's late when the last of the dishes are done and put away. Will and Mathew are going for one last swim with their fathers.

Scully and Tara are on the floor in the family room playing with Katherine. The baby is on her hands and knees, chugging back and forth, but not going anywhere. She frowns, as she tries to pick a flower off the pattern on her blanket. She babbles, and jabbers, and drools on her blanket.

Maggie comes in carrying three mugs of coffee. Not wanting to chance burning the baby, Tara and Scully get off the floor, and sit on the couch. Maggie sits in an armchair across from the two younger women. "This has been a wonderful week."

"I can't believe how fast it went, but Bill has to be back on ship by Tuesday. Tara looks out the window at the activity in the pool. "I still can't believe Bill is going to apply for a desk job in New London."

Scully blows on her coffee. "I'm so happy for you."

"And who knows, maybe in a year, I'll have a little one just as cute as Katherine." Tara's eyes grow wide, "Dana look!" Tara points to the baby. Katherine is crawling toward her mother.

Once the baby has made it to the couch, Scully picks her up. "You finally did it!" She kisses her daughter's cheek. "Your dad is going to be sad that he missed this."

"Call him in, now that she's done it once, she'll do it naturally," her grandma says.

Tara goes to the French doors and calls Mulder to the house, while Scully puts the baby back on the blanket. Mulder comes in the door with a towel draped over his shoulders and shedding water. "What's Up?"

"Look!" Scully points to their daughter who is motoring toward her mother once more.

A big grin covers her father's face, "Way to go, kid!"

Will runs in and stands next to his father. His face registers total shock as he looks up at his dad. "Wook, da-dee, da bee-bee is cwalin'"

"I see that Will." Katherine has now made it to her mother. Scully lifts her up and stands her on her feet. The baby bounces up and down and sings out a loud string of jabber, then hiccups. Everyone laughs at her antics. Her eyes grow big as saucers at the commotion surrounding her.

"I think she'll walk early." Maggie says, with Scully adding, "I think you're right mom."

"Mulder, Will is shivering, either take him back to the pool or let me dress him."

"I wanna swim some mo'," Will protests. Mulder scoops him up and heads back to the pool. He jumps in holding William. Will can be heard laughing, "Do 'gin, da-dee."

The day has grown to a close. Mathew and William are sound asleep on their mattress they share on the floor.

Katherine has been prompted to crawl until she's exhausted. She too is now snuggled down in her crib in her mother and father's room.

Maggie has kissed and hugged every family member and left for her own home as Bill and Tara head upstairs.

Scully is sitting on the edge of the pool with her feet in the water. Mulder wanders out clad in shorts and a T-shirt. He sits down next to her and puts his feet in the warm pool water. They sit there in silence for a few minutes enjoying each other's company. Mulder drapes his arm across her shoulders. "Been a good week, hasn't it."

Scully grins, "Other than Will's tattoo, his head, black eye, and that awful haircut; it was nice."

Mulder rubs her back, "Scully, it will grow back, eventually."

They sit in silence a few more minutes.

Scully looks up at the stars. "I'm so glad Katherine has learned how to crawl, she wanted too so badly."

"She's stubborn, just like her mother."

Scully glares at him, Mulder laughs.

Mulder looks up into the night sky, then down at his partner. "Scully, how many nights have we spent looking up at the stars."

"You mean in general?"

"Our lives together have always ended up under the stars. Remember our first case?"

"How could I not, I was standing in a cemetery, soaked through, while you were doing a victory dance."

"And there was Pusher, that was the stakeout where you first drooled on me, now I know where Katherine gets it from."

"I remember the night we had to run for our lives through that damn cornfield."

Mulder grins at her, then grows quiet. "Then there was the night we were looking for my sister, but she wasn't to be. Lots of important events in our lives have happened under the starlight."

Scully's eye grow red and moist. She softly says, "The night I found you," her voice breaks, "in the field, lying there under the stars, dead." She begins to cry. Mulder holds her close and lets her have the release she has never had, at least in front of him. "I wanted to die, but I knew I had to be strong to bring William to term, he was all I had left of you." She sobs even harder. "Mulder, I loved you so much!"

Mulder wraps his arms around her. "I know, I know, but it's over now, and it won't happen again."

Scully rubs her nose with the back of her hand and giggles, "Look at me, I'm a mess."

Mulder stroke her head. "Yes, you are, but you're a pretty mess. Come on lets go inside and check on the kids." He grabs her hand and helps her up. She wipes at her eyes and walks hand-in-hand with her partner. "Scully."

"Yeah?"

"You said, you loved me so much; past tense. You still do love me that much don't you?" He is now teasing her.

"Nope, I don't." Scully plays along. Mulder is now wondering. "I love you even more now."

Mulder pulls her close. "I'm glad to know, now let's go to bed."

Friday ~

12:45 Mulder pulls into his driveway to find Bill and Tara loading the rented minivan. Scully is standing beside the van, holding Katherine, who has on a sunbonnet and no shoes. The black-eyed William and Mathew are chasing each other and rolling around on the lawn. Tara notices them and yells, "Mathew, get off that grass! You're going to get stains on your new jeans."

Mathew stands up, huffing, and puffing, and giggling. He walks to the van with William following him.

Mulder drives on into the garage and the boys' run to meet him. "Da-dee," William hollers, running up to his father.

Mulder lifts his son up. "What are you and Mathew doing?"

"Paying," William says.

Mulder rubs his nephews shaved head. "We're going to miss you around here, Matty."

"I know," the child huffs out. Mulder grins down at him.

"Mathew, come on, we gotta get going! Bill yells.

"Come on Will'um," Mathew yells over his shoulder as he runs to the van. William squirms in his father's arms until Mulder puts him down. He takes off at full speed, running after Mathew.

Bill lifts up his son, and puts him in the van, while Tara and Dana talk. He buckles Mathew into his car seat, and turns around to see Will trying to crawl in the van, too.

Bill lifts him up to keep him from crawling in, but Will thinks he is going to be buckled in, and lunges for the open door. "Sorry little guy, but you have to stay here."

"Wanna go wiff Mat'ew." Will mumbles. "Yeah dad, he can come wiff us." Mathew screams.

"Not this time Matty, we're going home."

"We awe!" Mathew says, looking confused. "But, I don't wanna go home." Big tears fill the small boy's eyes.

Will starts to cry too, "I wanna go wiff Mat'ew!"

Mulder takes William from Bill. "No Will, Mathew has to go home."

"I wanna go too!" William cries.

"I wanna stay wiff him." Mathew pleads.

Suddenly Scully hears the commotion. "Shit, I was afraid this might happen." She walks around the van to see Mulder struggling to reason with his son. She hands Katherine to Tara and takes William from Mulder.

Will continues to sob, "I wanna go pay wiff Mat'ew."

"But he has to go to his own home, he lives far away," Scully softly says to her anguished son.

"But I wanna go wiff him." Scully holds her little fuzzyheaded boy close to her. Will looks at the van and sniffles and pleads, "Can he stay wiff me."

Scully tries to make Will understand. "Sweetie, Mathew just came to visit us for a few days, but he will come back."

"When?" He pleadingly asks.

Scully is at her wits' end, when Bill walks over, "William, we're going to see you again, real soon. I'm trying really hard to move here and if we do, you and Mathew can play together all the time."

"Okay," Will softly says, laying his head on Scully's shoulder. He reaches up to play with the soft strands of his mother's hair. Scully has come to realize, he does this when he is stressed and in need of comfort.

In the meantime, Tara has handed Katherine to Mulder, and is calming Mathew down in the back of the van.

Bill hugs his sister and kisses his nephew. He walks over to Mulder and shakes his hand. "Mulder, I never thought leaving you would be hard to do," he smiles, "but it sure as hell is."

"Thanks," Mulder smiles back. "I hope you get the job."

Bill looks back at Tara and Mathew. "You know, I hope I do too."

Tara is still talking to Mathew in the back seat, so Bill just shuts the side door and crawls in on the driver's side.

Scully and Mulder both wave as the van moves down the long circular drive. Will is still playing with his mother's hair and Katherine is squirming in her father's arms.

Scully walks in the front door of the house and carries William to the downstairs bathroom. She wets a wash cloth and carries him into the family room, sitting down in the glider-rocker. "Here, let me wash your face," she softly says. Will pulls back slightly, allowing her access. "Your eye looks better," she soothingly says.

Mulder walks in and sits down on the couch. He has shed his suit jacket and removed Katherine's bonnet. He puts her down on the floor and she crawls toward one of her dolls. She tries to pick it up but she can't do it with both hands on the floor.

Will lifts his head to watch his sister's antics. Eventually, he crawls down from his mother's lap and walks over to his sister. Mulder and Scully watch as their children interact.

Will lays down next to Katherine and she immediately crawls onto her brother. Will laughs and draws up his legs. Katherine jabbers and pats Will's stomach. Will tries to roll away from her. "Wook mom," he has picked up the word, mom, from his cousin. "Da bee-bee is cwalin' on me!"

Scully smiles at her children playing together, before this time, Will didn't have much to do with his sister, except to look at her occasionally. Katherine rolls over on her butt and tries to get up. Will sits up on his knees and helps her get back on her hands and knees, then he falls down in front of her. Katherine cackles in laughter so he does it again, once again she laughs.

Scully gets out of the rocker, and sits down next to Mulder, with her legs drawn up under her. He grabs her hand and laces his fingers with hers. "I think William has found a new playmate."

"I can't understand, why all of the sudden he has taken an interest in her."

"Its simple Scully, Will needs to fill the void left by Mathew, and Katherine is suddenly mobile. He teaches her and she keeps him entertained."

Scully draws back and looks at him. "Wow, you really are a psychologist."

Mulder grabs her shoulder and tips her down onto his lap. "One more crack like that, and you won't be my playmate, anymore." He kisses her lips as giggles bubble up from her chest.

Fox Mulder has just hit the backdoor, his Armani jacket is thrown over his shoulder, his white dress-shirt sleeves are loosely rolled up to the elbows, and his sunglasses are resting on his nose. "Ohhh," he groans, as he hits the cool, air-conditioned house. Scully is fixing lunch in the kitchen, she looks up and smiles, "Rough day?"

"The worst!" Mulder responds, kissing her forehead. He takes off his sunglasses and tucks them into his pocket then removes his jacket, tossing it onto the counter, before he opens the refrigerator door. He rummages through the fridge and comes up with a bottle of water, leaning against the counter; he drains the small bottle. "What's for lunch, I'm starving."

Scully has to smile at him, even at Mulder's age; he still has little boy moments. She walks up to him and places her arms around his waist, resting her hands on his ass, an act that does not go unnoticed by Mulder. "Got your hands riding a little low there, don't you Agent Scully?" Mulder flashes her a smile, and as an added bonus, a little blush.

Scully looks up at the man towering over her and grins, "If we could get the kids nap times synchronized, I might be facing sexual harassment charges."

Mulder laughs and rubs her back, "I'll never tell," he says, kissing her lips.

Scully starts to turn around when she sees a little, well dressed, ghost scoot down the hall past the kitchen. She holds back a laugh and runs her tongue over her bottom lip. "Mulder, where is your jacket?"

"On the counter, where I . . ." He realizes it's gone. He looks on the floor and around the kitchen. "Where did it go?" Scully laughs, "I believe you'll find your son is now dressed in a three hundred dollar jacket."

Mulder blanches and races down the hall, "Will, William, come here."

Will walks in from Mulder's office. He has the sleeves on the jacket bunched up on his skinny arms, while the hem is dragging the floor, and he tows Scully's briefcase behind him.

Mulder grins, "Where are you going?"

Will holds up his arm so the jacket slinks down. "To wok."

Scully is standing in the kitchen doorway leaning against the frame, trying not to laugh.

Mulder stoops down, "Where do you work, William?"

Will begins to go through the briefcase. "Da FBI," he grins.

"Will, can I have my jacket back?" Mulder begins to take it off the little boy.

"No!" Will protests and wraps his arm around the jacket, protecting it from Mulder.

Mulder picks up Will and grabs Scully's briefcase, "Let's go upstairs and play, okay Will?"

As they start upstairs, Scully looks around the corner; "Good luck." She swears she can hear Mulder mutter something that sounds a lot like, bite me.

Mulder puts William down when they reach the master bedroom. Will sits in the middle of the floor on the Armani jacket, and once again begins to look through the briefcase. He picks his son up and sits him on the edge of the big bed, putting his hands on his thighs to be at eye level to his son. "Will, how about we play store? Would you like that?"

Will's blue eyes light up, "Okay!"

Mulder reaches into his wallet, pulling out several bills and stuffing them into Will's hand, "There, now you've got some money, so I'm going to sell you something."

Mulder opens his closet and rummages through his suits, finally pulling out one that is buried in the back, destined for Goodwill. He dusts off the jacket and lays it on the dresser then turns to his son, "Hello sir, and what is your name?"

Will's eyes snap and he giggles at his father, then says, "Will'um."

"Well William, I can see you could use a new suit."

"No!" William demands.

Mulder ignores his complaint and pushes on, holding up the brown jacket, he says, "As you can see, this suit is one hundred percent wool with a silk lining." He opens up the jacket, Will is fascinated by his father's antics. "There are three buttons on the sleeves, while that old thing you have on, only has two." William looks down at his bunched up sleeve.

Mulder is unaware that Scully and Katherine are watching their reflection in the mirror from the hallway. He brings the suit jacket over to William, "Now sir, if you'll allow me try this on you."

"No!" William protests and twists away from his father.

Scully finds this whole mess Mulder has gotten himself into very amusing.

Mulder drops his head and whines, "William, please give me my jacket."

"No!" Will frowns, "I go to wok."

"But why won't you trade me coats?" Mulder pleads.

"Cawse I yike dis one!" William smiles.

"But I like it too." Mulder tries to reason with him.

Will points to the brown suit. "You wea dat one," he suggests.

Mulder drops his shoulders, "I feel like I'm trying to get a hostage released."

Will slides off the bed, still wearing his Armani jacket.

Scully walks around the corner of the door carrying Katherine and trying hard to hide her smile, "How's it going?"

"It's no use, he won't cough it up." Scully hands the baby to her father and calls William back into the room. She stoops down in front of her son, "William, daddy needs his jacket, his boss will be very mad if he doesn't wear it."

Will looks contemplative, then shrugs off the jacket. "Hewe, da-dee."

Scully picks up the coat and lays it on the bed. She bends down and kisses her son and brushes back his hair. "That was very good of you."

"Okay," William says, taking off out the door and down the stairs.

Mulder sits down next to Scully on the bed and exhales; "I'm glad that's over."

Scully lets out a little giggle.

"What?" Mulder asks.

"You do realize your son has one hundred and fifty dollars of your money."

It sinks in, "Shit!" Mulder heads down the stairs, taking them two at a time, calling out, "William, William!"

Scully takes Katherine into her bedroom and changes her into a terry sleeper. Mulder comes in holding his money, "That was close!"

Scully lifts the baby up, cradling her in her arms. "How did you get that?"

Mulder smiles, "I sold him one of your mom's homemade cookies for a hundred dollars and a glass of milk for fifty."

"Mulder, you didn't!" Scully laughs.

Scully puts a very sleepy baby into her crib and closes the door. She and Mulder walk downstairs to find William asleep on the floor in the office. "I guess I had better put him to bed," Mulder says. He picks up his sleeping son and turns toward Scully with a suggestive grin, "Scully, does that proposition you made, if we could get both kids to sleep at the same time, still stand?"

Scully pulls him toward the staircase, "You bet your Armani suit it does."

"Scully!" Mulder yells.

"What!" Scully yells back from upstairs.

"Will just spilled his cereal on the floor."

"Well, clean it up!"

"I'm going to be late for work!"

"If you had just cleaned it up when it happened, instead of calling me to do it, you could have had it cleaned up by now and been on your way to work!"

Mulder looks over at his son; "I hate it when she uses logic."

Scully comes downstairs carrying a freshly bathed and very naked Katherine wrapped in a bath towel. "For heaven's sake Mulder, you know I have to get her ready to go with my mom."

"Scully, you know I have to be out the door by. . ." Mulder looks at his watch, Ten minutes ago. Dammit, now I'm late!"

Scully picks up the bowl and spoon while holding Katherine. "Leave! Go on!"

Mulder shakes his head and turns his back, dismissing her with his hand before he leaves.

Scully stands up and sighs, putting Katherine in her playpen in the family room she pleads, "Please, don't do anything until I can get a diaper on you." Scully can hear the squealing of tires and looks up, "Well, that went well."

Will is yelling, "Mom, I'm hun-gee!"

Scully comes to the kitchen and pulls out another bowl, filling it with Shredded Wheat and milk; she sets it in front of Will then runs to the office to grab a diaper. As she walks back past the kitchen doorway she sees Will picking up the cereal with his hands and stuffing it into his mouth. It dawns on her; she forgot to give him a spoon. She puts down the diaper and gives Will a spoon from the drawer, but now she can't locate the diaper, she finally spots it on top of the microwave.

Will is paying no attention to his mother's breakdown until he hears, "Oh Katherine! Couldn't you have waited!" He turns his head trying to see into the family room, but gives up and goes back to eating his cereal by the handful.

Mulder pulls into his parking space still peeved at Scully. He can't help it if Maggie wanted to take Katherine to Granddaughter's Day at her Mother's Club, and it isn't his fault she had to be ready by 8:30. What he does know, is that he's late for class and he had a full morning planned for his students. What a way to start the day.

Scully finally has Katherine fed, cleaned up, and dressed her in a soft yellow, cotton dress with matching panties.

William, on the other hand, is a different story; he's running around with a sticky face and hands, and for some reason known only to him, he has taken off his pajama bottoms. He's now trying to use the remote to turn on the TV so he can watch his cartoons, but so far all he has been able to tune in is Judge Judy, blaring from the surround sound at around 90 decibels.

"William, will you please turn down the TV," Scully yells from the top of the stairs. Will doesn't respond, most likely he can't hear her. Coming downstairs, she sets Katherine in her swing so she doesn't get her dress dirty, then grabs the remote lowering the volume and changing the channel for Will. He isn't real happy; he was just getting interested in Judge Judy.

The front door opens and in walks Maggie, "Anybody home?"

"We're in here," Scully says from her family room.

Maggie walks in and takes one look at William and laughs, "What happened to his pants?"

Scully looks up from picking up toys; "I have no idea."

Maggie walks over to the swing and picks up her granddaughter. "What a pretty girl you are Katherine," she says, straightening the baby's new dress. "Dana, you always have the children dressed so nice."

"My problem is keeping them clean," Scully sighs.

"That's every mother's problem, if you can find a solution, we could make a million dollars."

Scully picks up a magazine to put it away as sunflower shells cascade to the floor. "Dammit! I've told him, and told him, about these shells!"

Maggie rubs Katherine's back, "Maybe, it's a good thing I'm taking her for the day."

Scully tucks a strand of unruly hair behind her ear and puts her hands on her hips. "Maybe tomorrow you can take her father for the day."

Maggie shifts the baby in her arms, "Okay Dana, what's up?"

Scully tosses her hand into the air. "We had a small argument this morning."

"Doesn't sound like it was so small."

Scully rubs her forehead, "Look mom. . ."

"I know, I know, it's none of my business, so Katherine and I will be on our way." Maggie picks up the diaper bag and calls William over, "Will, can I get a hug from you?"

Will gets off the floor and hugs his grandmother goodbye as she hugs him back. Scully walks her mom to the front door and pulls it open, "When will you have her back?"

"It should be no later that four o'clock. Oh, and before I forget, here is the number you can reach me at." Maggie pulls out a small piece of paper and hands it to Dana.

"Okay, well, call me if you need anything." "I will Dana. Tell Fox hello from me," Maggie smiles, "the next time you two are speaking again."

Scully just rolls her eyes and shuts the door.

Mulder has just finished the last two hours of his four-hour class. He knows he should have called Scully during the break, like he usually does, but he's not ready to deal with her wrath just yet. He knows from experience that the best thing to do is give her some time to cool off.

He starts to open his office door when his cell rings; he assumes its Scully wanting to make up. "Hello Scully, and I'm sorry."

"That's nice Mulder, but it's Skinner."

"Oh, sorry sir, what's up?"

"We have a situation that we need you on."

"What kind of a situation?"

"Guy named Dean Hovick, he's holding two doctor's hostage in a senior care center in Arlington."

"Why me? I'm not a negotiator."

"No, but you are well-versed in alien abductions."

"Shades of Duane Barry," Mulder mumbles.

"His mother is suffering from Alzheimer's and he's convinced that she has been given the disease by aliens."

"Where are you now?"

"About five minutes from you."

"I'll meet you outside." Mulder hits 'end' and hits the first number on his speed dial. The home phone begins to ring but no one is there to answer it. "Shit, she really is pissed." The answering machine picks up; he waits for the message to end, "Scully, its me. I'm with Skinner, I'll call ya later." Hell, if she is going to be mad all day, then so is he.

Mulder unlocks a cabinet in his office and removes his weapon, an extra clip, and his holster. He locks the door to his office and meets Skinner outside. He sits down in Skinner's car and says, "So, it's the alien excuse, huh."

"It gets better," Skinner says, pulling away from the curb.

"He claims his mother was taken many times by aliens. They were 'rewiring' her brain. In his ramblings, he has stated that the aliens are taking humans and rewiring their brains. The successes are returned to fit back into society, but as aliens not humans. Their failures slowly regress into dementia, that we call Alzheimer's disease. He's currently holding two doctors at gun point at his mother's care center."

"When did this go down?"

"About an hour and fifteen minutes ago." Skinner passes a truck and pulls in behind a small car. "There's more, Hovick thinks her doctors are aliens too." He stops for a light and pulls a stack of papers out of his briefcase. "Here's Mrs. Hovick's medical records; we got them from her family physician."

Mulder glances over the thick folder. "So what do we know about Dean Hovick?"

Skinner shrugs, "Guy's a college grad, majored in mining. Travels a lot, but his home base is his mother's house. Never married, never arrested, finances all in order."

"Nondescript then."

"That's about it. He believes his mother's doctors are slowly killing her with the drugs she's been taking for the Alzheimer's disease, trying to eliminate their failures."

"Fascinating," Mulder mumbles.

Skinner pulls onto the expressway and hits the gas. "The news has leaked out to the media."

"So, it's already a circus." Mulder comments, as he closes the folder.

"We do have them moved back but their presence doesn't help."

"I'm sure," Mulder says. "Can you get me inside?" Skinner looks shocked. "Mulder, you're here in an advisory capacity only, you're not a member of the swat team or negotiations."

"Sir, with all due respect, I don't want another Duane Barry on my hands. I need to speak with this guy, up close and personal, not through some damn phone line."

Skinner tilts his head and clinches his jaw. "I'll see what I can do."

They pull off the expressway and onto a tree-lined, side street filled with satellite trucks, media crews, and police vehicles.

Skinner stops the car, he and Mulder step out and walk to the yellow crime scene tape; they flash their badges and crawl under the barrier. "The CP is over here," Skinner motions to a large, blue van. Skinner flashes his badge to the agent sitting inside, "I'm AD Skinner, and this is Agent Mulder.

The sandy-headed agent extends his hand, "I'm Agent Burris."

"Agent Burris, Agent Mulder is here to speak to Mr. Hovick."

Scully has finally gotten her house in order and cleaned up William; she's dressed him in his red T-shirt and blue bib-shorts. She pulls his sneakers off the top shelf of his closet while Will digs around in his toy box. "Will, come here so I can put your shoes on you." Will sits down on one of the tiny chairs next to his table. Scully stoops down and begins to shove one of the sneakers onto his foot but she just can't get the shoe to fit. "Damn," she mutters under her breath.

Will looks down at his foot and also mutters, "Damn."

Scully grins up at her son. "I think you need some new shoes."

"Um,huh," Will agrees.

Scully pulls off the sneaker and checks all of Will's shoes. Six pairs, all the same size, too small. She does find a pair of sandals that she can let the buckle out on. Once his feet are covered, Will goes back to digging in the toy box.

Scully brings in a small garbage bag and fills it with the outgrown shoes and some assorted clothing that can go to Goodwill.

She finally finishes her chore and turns around to find Will's toy box empty and no sign of her son. "Will, where are you?" She yells, but gets no returning answer. She grabs the bag and checks out Katherine's room, and finds him sitting under her crib playing with his toy horse. She leans down to look under the crib. "Will, what cha doing under there?"

"Paying wiff ma howse." Will answers.

Scully smiles at her son, "Well, can you come out so we can get you some new shoes?"

"Can Ah take ma howse?" Will asks.

"Sure," Scully answers, and William crawls out. "Bring your horse into my room while I change my clothes."

Will follows his mother into her bedroom. She selects her clothes and walks to the bathroom, leaving the door open a crack she quickly changes, then puts on a touch of makeup and runs a comb through her hair. "All done," Scully says, opening the door to an empty room. She looks around, "Will, where are you?"

She hears a muffled, "Hewe." It's William, under her and Mulder's bed.

"What are you doing?"

"Paying wiff ma howse." Will answers.

Scully rolls her eyes, "Come on, we need to get going."

Will crawls out and Scully brushes off his clothing. They head downstairs and she grabs her purse, keys, and the small diaper bag while William has his horse safely tucked under his arm. They pass the office unaware of the flashing answering machine.

"AD Skinner, are you here to take command?" Agent Burris asks.

"No, I'm just here to help, but Agent Mulder has dealt with people like Hovick in the past."

The agent gives Mulder the once over. "Think you can deal with this guy?"

"I can try, but I need to get in there; anyway to communicate with him?"

"Yeah, he's been calling us via 911 on one of the doc's cell phone, so far no one has been hurt, but he's getting itchy."

Just then the phone rings. "That's him," Agent Burris says, turning on his stool to reach the phone. "Dean?"

Will's attention is drawn from his horse to his mother, "Yeah! Can da-dee come too?"

"No," Scully sighs, "he seems to be too busy to come home, or call me, but we'll have fun anyway." She turns on the radio, just as they break in with a news bulletin reporting the hostage situation going on in Arlington. She listens but doesn't think much about it.

"Dean, I have someone here who wants to speak with you. His name is Fox Mulder and he's a believer," Burris says.

Mulder is at least relieved he's not getting any crap from Agent Burris; he seems more interested in ending this thing than in giving him grief. Agent Burris hands Mulder the phone. "He says he'll talk to you."

"Mr. Hovick, I'm here to help you." Mulder says in a soothing voice.

Hovick finally speaks up; "I don't want any help except with getting rid of these aliens."

"What are the aliens doing now, Dean?"

"They're sitting in chairs, and don't try anything, or I start shooting."

"I understand Dean. Where is your mother?"

"She's in bed. They're trying to kill her."

"Dean, can I see your mother? I know the signs of alien abduction."

"How can you possibly know?"

"Because I've been abducted." Burris looks up at Skinner, who merely nods his head.

"Don't jack with me! I'm not some crackpot!"

"There was a force field, I walked into it, then a bright light appeared and they took me."

Hovick is listening.

"Several of us were taken at the same time. I woke up strapped to some type of torture device." Mulder's voice trails off.

"How long were you gone?"

"Several months."

Hovick sighs, "Okay, come on in, but no guns, no listening devices, just you. If I smell a trap, someone dies, maybe you."

Mulder nods and swallows hard, then hands the receiver to Burris.

Scully pulls into the parking lot of Happy Feet Children's Shoes. She unbuckles Will and takes him by the hand into the store. He brings his horse along, and seems more interested in making it gallop along the low benches, then in getting new shoes. Scully walks to the toddler's section and picks up a pair of sneakers that are one size larger than what he was in. She turns back, "William, come here."

Will tucks his horse under his arm and plods over to where his mother is waiting for him. She sets him on a bench and shows him a pair of white sneakers; "Do you like these?" She asks.

"Um huh," William answers, but he is too busy checking out his horse to really look at them.

Scully slips the sandal off his foot and unlaces the sneaker. She shoves his foot into the new shoe but it too, is too small. William looks down at his foot and mumbles, "Damn." Scully shushes him and takes off to find a larger size.

Three pairs of toddler's shoes and one pair of pumps later and they're on their way. "I swear Will, you must get your big feet from your father!" Scully complains, as she buckles him into his car seat.

"Da-dee gots big feet too!" Will chimes in. Scully laughs and shuts the door; soon they are off to McDonald's. The radio is on and once again the station breaks in with the news on the hostage situation. This time they mention the FBI's involvement in the case, this peaks Scully's interest, but they don't give out any more details. She wheels into the McDonald's parking lot with Will yelling, "Mickey Dee's!"

"That's right, and you want a Happy Meal, don't you?"

"Um huh," Will answers then adds, "Can Ah take ma howse?"

Scully shakes her head and smiles, "Of course you can. William, you're just like your father when you get obsessed with something."

Mulder, you sure about this?" A concerned Skinner asks.

"This guy isn't a killer, he's afraid. He needs a friend right now, someone he can trust, who can understand, even if he is just delusional, he believes it."

Skinner scratches his head, "Okay, but be careful out there."

"I will," Mulder assures him.

"And I want you in a flack jacket, no sense taking anymore chances than you need too."

"Okay mom," Mulder grins at Skinner, relieving some of the tension. He takes off his jacket and unbuckles his holster, handing it and his weapon to Skinner; next he strips off his dress shirt and puts on the flack jacket. He replaces his shirt and walks outside putting up his hands; he walks to the entrance of the facility. A woman quickly pulls the door open and they disappear inside.

Skinner frowns, "Shit! I thought they had emptied that wing. Where is the intelligence officer?" He roars.

The scared woman turns out to be a nurse. "Don't worry. Where is he?" Mulder softly asks.

The nurse points to the end of the hallway. "Second from the end on the left." Suddenly a man appears in the hallway pointing a gun. Mulder pushes the nurse back toward the door and puts his hands up.

"Dean, Dean Hovick? It's me, Fox Mulder. I'm unarmed."

Hovick looks Mulder over, once he's satisfied it's legit, he waves Mulder toward him.

Mulder approaches the man and stops. Hovick pats him down then turns him back around. "Who are you?" He suspiciously asks.

"I'm with the FBI," Mulder swallows hard, unsure of how Hovick will react.

Hovick turns white.

"But, I ran my own division that dealt with crimes like yours."

This seems to calm Hovick down some. He shoves Mulder into the small cinderblock room. An elderly woman, not more than 85 pounds in weight, lies in bed, either sleeping or comatose. Two men, in white jackets, sit on straight-back chairs; one appears to be taller and older than Mulder, while the other is shorter, younger and nearly bald.

Mulder nods to each of the hostages and turns to look at the elderly woman. "Is this your mother, Dean?"

Hovick's eyes soften as he moves to the woman's side and gently lifts her bony hand. "Yes, it is," he quietly says, then turns on the doctors, "They're trying to kill her!" He yells.

"Mr. Hovick, you're wrong," the younger doctor argues. Mulder frowns at him and shakes his head slightly. The doctor immediately stops talking.

Hovick loses it, "I saw you, you were giving her drugs and all they did was make her worse! She isn't getting better, none of them do! You're killing them all!"

"Dean," Mulder draws Hovick's attention away from the doctors. "How many times was your mother taken?"

Hovick runs his hand over his face, "I don't know, maybe twenty or thirty times." He looks up at Mulder, "And you?"

Mulder grimaces at the memories the question dredges up. "Only once, but it went on for months," he softly says.

Hovick stares at Mulder, unsure as to what to believe.

"Dean, what is it you want?"

Hovick paces the floor, "I'm not sure." He pauses and points the gun at the doctors. "I want them to reverse what they've done to her!" He yells

Mulder knows this isn't possible. "Dean when was your mother taken?"

Hovick looks at Mulder. He lowers the gun from the doctors. "Usually at night, from the time I was a kid, I would wake up and find my mom gone." Angst is written all over Hovick's face. "Do you know what that's like?"

Mulder solemnly nods, "My sister was taken."

Hovick stares at him, "She was returned wasn't she."

Mulder shakes his head and his eyes grow red, "No."

"Man!" Hovick sardonically laughs, "I always found my mom in the same place."

Mulder looks up a bit surprised, "Where?"

"About five miles from here, near a ravine."

"She was always returned there?"

"Winter, summer, rain, or shine," Hovick gives a madman's chuckle, "she would be there." Mulder's eyes widen, "Dean, can you take me there?"

"You think I'm nuts! This is some kind of trick!" He explodes.

Mulder walks to Helen Hovick's bed. "Dean, I want you to turn your mother's head to see if there are marks behind her ear."

"What for?"

"Please, just humor me."

Hovick pauses a moment, then does as he's asked. He gently turns his mother's head as Mulder moves in to look. Helen Hovick has a tiny 'V' shaped scar behind her ear.

"What the hell is that?" Hovick frowns.

"Most abductees have these marks behind their ear."

Hovick points the gun at the doctors. "I knew it, you son of a bitches!"

Mulder steps in between Hovick and the doctors. "Dean! I need to check their necks."

"For what!" Hovick yells, so nervous that the gun in his hand is shaking.

"You trust me don't you?" Mulder calmly asks.

Hovick considers what Mulder is saying, then motions with the gun for Mulder to check out the doctors. He walks behind the doctors as they glance at one another, then he runs his hand over the back of the neck of the older man. He moves on to the younger man and does the same, then drops his hands and walks around them. "They aren't aliens, Dean. If they were, there would be two bumps on the back of their necks."

Hovick rushes around Mulder to check their necks for himself.

"You could be lying to me."

"No, I'm not. I have no reason to." Mulder looks directly at Hovick.

"I'll take you to the spot," Hovick agrees, pointing the gun at the doctors, "but they go too."

Mulder knows it isn't the best situation he could ask for, but at least he gets this guy away from an entire wing of patients and workers.

Hovick tosses the cell phone to Mulder, "You're FBI, you set it up, but no funny business or they die." He points the gun at the younger doctor's head.

Will is sitting on his knees next to Scully on the bench seat, while hie horse is standing on the chair across from them. Scully pours her son's French fries onto the placemat and unwraps his burger. "Do you like your new shoes?" She asks the hungry toddler.

"Um hum," Will says around a mouthful of burger, "Ah yike da boo ones."

"I do too, but you needed the black ones for church, and the white ones for going out with gramma," she softly says, while stealing one of Will's fries.

"Ah yike do white ones too."

"I'm glad you do," Scully says, while picking at her salad.

Will looks into his Happy Meal box, his blue eyes grow large and he gets excited as he digs into the box, "Mom! Ah got nudder howse!" He says pulling out a little white pony.

"So you did!" Scully laughs. She glances up at the TV just in time to see the hostage situation on the screen and gasps; in the background, over the reporters' shoulder she can clearly see AD Skinner. She puts down her coffee cup, "Will, you stay right here." She walks to the front of the restaurant to read the closed captioning. She runs back to where she and William are sitting and grabs her purse, pulling out her cell phone, she hits speed dial, one. "Come on Mulder, pick up, please pick up," she pleads. She waits, then dejectedly closes the phone, but a thought hits her and she dials once more. "Sir, is Mulder with you?"

Mulder closes up the doctors cell phone. "It's all set up, they have a car waiting for us out back."

Hovick turns the gun on the doctors once more. "You two, get up and stand in front of me, FBI you on my left. Any funny business and the first one I can hit dies."

The doctors line up as told and Mulder stands to Hovick's left. They walk down the hall and turn right, heading for the back entrance, away from the media.

An abandoned car sits off to the left with the motor running. Hovick orders one of the doctors into the front passenger side and the other into the back. "FBI, you drive but remember, I got a gun pointed at your head.

"I understand Dean," Mulder calmly says. They pull away from the curb and start down an access road used by the garbage disposal trucks.

Skinner is apprehensive about letting Hovick and his hostages out, but at least they can now evacuate the twenty or so other people in the care center. A helicopter has just touched down and is waiting for him to climb in, when his cell rings. "Skinner."

"Sir, is Mulder with you?" A frantic Scully says.

"Who called you, Scully?" Skinner asks, surprised to hear from her.

"Dammit sir! It's all over the news, is he with you?"

Skinner sighs and rubs his forehead, "He was, but he's not now. He left with the suspect."

Scully is totally unprepared for this news, "Where to?"

"I'm not sure, but I'm on my way to a 'copter to join in tracking them. Look Scully, sit tight and I'll call you as soon as I know anything, okay?"

Skinner doesn't hear a reply at first, then a small voice says, "I will, sir."

Scully closes her phone and turns away from William, trying to compose herself before sitting back down. She gulps in some air and slides in next to her son. "Eat up, William, we need to get going," she shakily says, then realizes, but to where.

Skinner's helicopter has caught up to the one already tracking Hovick, they fly high enough so they don't alert him to their presence.

"Dean, when did they first take your mom?"

Hovick shrugs, "I don't know, I must have been four or five." Then he motions with the gun, "Turn right."

Mulder does as he is told. Skinner can see the turn form the air. "I think they're headed over there," he says to the pilot through the microphone, "Mulder mentioned a ravine and there's one just ahead." Off to the right is a small hill with a steep depression beyond it.

Mulder looks at Hovick in the rearview mirror, the man is nervous and obviously tired. "Dean, when did you last sleep, or eat for that fact?"

Hovick stares out the side window, "Why should you care?"

"You look weary Dean, you can't keep this up much longer, why not let them go?"

Hovick hasn't moved and the gun is still pointed at Mulder's back, "Because they are trying to kill my mother, can't you understand what I have been saying?"

Mulder grips the steering wheel tighter. "Dean, I told you they checked out."

Hovick is getting agitated, "Shut up and drive, besides I still don't believe you."

Mulder looks at him in the mirror. "You should, I know from first hand experience what I'm talking about."

Hovick sighs and puts his head against the side window. "I think you're lyin'." He scoots to the edge of the seat and pokes his head between Mulder and the older doctor, "Stop! We're here."

Mulder pulls the car around, aware of the helicopter tracking them; this gives the pilot a few seconds to back off, as he puts the car in park. Hovick pokes the gun into the back of Mulder's seat, "Shut off the engine and everyone get out on the right side, slowly, no sudden moves." The three hostages do as they are told; they all get out and stand in a small group, eyeing one another.

Hovick gets out, "Hands in the air." The three men raise their hands, Mulder's ring glitters in the sunlight. "You married?" Hovick asks.

Mulder slowly nods his head.

"Any kids?"

Mulder swallows, "Two little ones."

Finally, Scully is back on the road, trying to keep her panic down, she drives around aimlessly, unable to return home and just sit and unsure about alerting her mother to what's happening; but where would she tell her mother to meet her, when she doesn't know herself. She slows for a light and finally makes up her mind; she swings the SUV around the corner and heads for the crime scene.

Skinner's 'copter has backed off but he can still see the tiny figures through the binoculars. He orders the swat team to move into the nearby woods just as his cell phone rings. "Skinner."

"Sir, I know you told me to sit tight, but can you tell me anything yet?" Scully pleads

"Where are you?" Skinner frowns; knowing if things go badly Scully will need someone there for support.

"I'm headed to the care center, sir."

This is not what Skinner wants to hear. "Dammit Scully, I told you we were working on it, go home."

"I can't sir, I can't just sit by and wait for something to happen. Please, tell me what you know."

Skinner sighs, "Hovick, Mulder and the two docs are standing near a ravine where Hovick says his mother was always returned to."

Scully gasps, "Sir! If this is true, it might be an alien hotspot and Mulder could be in danger of being taken again!"

Skinner reels at the thought, but tries to remain calm. "Scully, calm down, you and I both know they don't want Mulder, or you, or your children. We have no evidence that they are even still active on this planet." Skinner hopes the pilot hasn't overheard their conversation.

Scully rubs her forehead and licks her bottom lip. "I know sir, but we have so much more to lose then we did before," she says, looking back at her sleeping son.

Skinner clears his throat, fully aware of the meaning behind her words. "Scully, I need to go, but I promise I will keep you informed and bring Mulder back to you."

"Thank you sir," Scully softly replies, hoping he is able to fulfill his promise.

Hovick looks at Mulder's ring. "You better watch it FBI, the aliens will be after your kids."

Mulder blanches, "Why, were you taken too?"

Hovick shakes his head, "No, but I'm adopted, my mother did tell me about seeing whole families there."

The doctors look as if they are watching two crazy men converse. Suddenly the younger one makes a break for it and runs. Hovick brings up the gun to take aim, but Mulder hits his arm, they struggle for control.

Skinner can see the situation from the air. "Shit, it's turned sour!" He grabs the radio, "All swat team members move in, signal ten!"

The problem is the helicopters have outrun the swat team and they're not in position yet. Skinner feels helpless then it hits him, "Drop down!" He orders the pilot. "Maybe we can create a diversion."

Scully has made it to the original crime scene and pulls up to the yellow tape. Few media crews are left, most of them moved out when the swat team did. She kills the motor, lowers the window slightly and locks the doors. Will is still asleep and well within her line of sight. She steps up to the back of the van. "Hey, you can't be here!" Agent Burris yells. Another agent grabs Scully by the arm and begins to escort her away from the van.

"Let her go, that's Agent Scully, she's one of yours, and Agent Mulder's partner," a large, broad, black DC cop roars. Scully is released and looks up at the huge man standing before her. "I worked a case in DC with you and your partner about five years ago," he calmly says.

"Thanks," Scully mumbles.

Mulder struggles with Hovick, trying to get the gun. He looks over at the horrified older doctor and yells, "Run!" The shock of what is happening finally wears off and the doctor runs for the tree line.

The helicopter is beginning to make its presence known, the rotor blades can be heard and the wind starts to swirl, just before Hovick and Mulder fall into the ravine.

"No!" Skinner shouts!

Scully is standing next to Agent Burris as the radio crackles; "Burris get an ambulance up here, now! Get the directions from the swat team. Hovick and Mulder just went over the edge, we're sitting the chopper down now."

Scully is horrified; she stands in the doorway of the van feeling totally helpless and stunned by what she has just heard. She pulls out her cell and begins to dial.

Skinner can hear the first of the sirens approaching the scene as the swat team makes its way up the dusty road. He runs to the edge of the ravine and looks down to see what appears to be two lifeless bodies, laying some fifty feet below him, resting on the thin edge of an outcropping.

The distinctive sound of the EMS siren can be heard above the rest of the clamor. "Over here!" Skinner commands the swat team members. Several ropes are brought over and two men repel down the gravel-covers walls of the ravine to check out the two men lying on the ledge. One team member calls up to the assembled group, "We got one DAS, and one alive, but unresponsive." Skinner's cell phone rings.

Scully is near panic now, but trying hard to hide it. She's just about to hang up when Skinner answers. "Sir, can you tell me anything? Is he okay?"

Skinner is silent; he doesn't know what to say. "Scully, I told you when I know some. . ."

Scully cuts him off, "Dammit Skinner, cut the bullshit! I heard it all on the radio." People are brushing past Scully as she stands in the doorway of the van watching William sleep in the car. She calms down a bit and steps inside, "Please sir, tell me."

Skinner is about to tell her he'll call her back so he can learn the identity of the dead man, when one of the team members climb back up over the edge. "Hovick is dead, looks like he broke his neck."

Scully can hear the report over Skinner's phone. "What about Mulder!" She demands.

"How's Mulder?" Skinner screams to be heard over the chopper rotors.

"He's alive, is all I can say." The team member yells back before climbing back down over the edge.

"He's alive!" Skinner yells over the phone.

Scully's breathe catches in her throat and she sits down on the van step. "Where are they taking him?"

"We've got to get him up top first; look Scully, I promise I will call you back but I need to get going."

Scully's head falls to her chest, "Thank you, sir."

Skinner can sense her helplessness. "Scully don't worry, I'll stay with him."

"Okay," Scully mutters, closing her phone and walking to her vehicle. She unlocks the door and finds Will still asleep, unaware of the chaos swirling around him. She runs her knuckles over his soft cheek; he flinches and stretches slightly but settles back to sleep once more. Katherine! It suddenly hits Scully; she needs to contact her mother. She sits behind the steering wheel and grabs her purse, in it is the small paper with the number Maggie can be reached at. "Hello, can I please speak to Margaret Scully."

Mulder has been fitted with a neck brace and strapped to a backboard ready to be lifted up by the helicopter to the surface. Skinner can only stand by and watch.

The two doctors that were taken hostage are currently on their way to DC PD to be questioned.

The 'copter slowly lifts the backboard up the steep ravine. This isn't the type of chopper that normally does this kind of work, but time is of the essence for Mulder. Once on top, the straps are released and the backboard is placed on the gurney. Skinner is at his side immediately, Mulder is moaning and incoherent, but he can make out that he is asking for Scully. An EMT grabs Skinner's arm, "Sir, we need to get going."

"I'm riding with him," Skinner says in a tone that no one dares to question. The gurney is loaded and Skinner crawls in the cramped ambulance. They slowly take off down the narrow rutted road.

2/2

"Hello mom, its Dana."

Maggie already knows by her daughter's tone that something is wrong. "Dana, what is it," Maggie asks, turning away from the group of woman for more privacy.

"It's Mulder, he's been hurt."

"Hurt! How?"

"There was a hostage situation and some how he ended up in the middle of it." Scully starts to sniffle; I'm not even sure how badly he is hurt or where he is."

Maggie is trying to remain calm. "Honey, where are you now?"

Scully wipes her nose on the back of her hand and looks around; "I'm at the care center where it took place at."

"Is Fox there?"

Scully lets out a shaky breath, "No, no, he ended up outside DC somewhere. Skinner saw it all."

"Dana, where is William?"

Scully looks back at her son still asleep in his car seat; "He's in the car with me."

"Honey, listen to me, you cannot drive in the state you're in, especially with William in the car."

Scully shakes her head, "No mom, I'm fine, really." Scully drops her head, "Look mom, I'll call you as soon as I find out where he's going to be taken to. Do you think you can keep Katherine a bit longer?"

Maggie can tell Scully is softly crying. "Of course, Dana," Maggie laughs trying to relieve the tension. "Honey, Fox is a young, healthy, athletic man and a survivor, I know it's hard to do but try not to worry."

Scully breaks down; "I love you, mom."

"I love you too, Dana."

Scully hangs up and decides to start out for home, she can't sit in the parking lot all day and William is going to be awake soon. She wipes her eyes and jumps when there is a knock on her side window. It's the black officer who helped her out earlier. "Agent Scully, are you okay?"

Scully rolls down the window, "I'm sorry, but I don't remember your name."

"I'm Officer Reese Calloway, you look like you could use a little help. Anything I can do?"

"No Reese, but thanks. I need to find out which hospital Mulder is going to be taken to."

Suddenly there is a noise from the back seat; William is awake. "Momma, Ah wanna go home," he softly says, with a yawn.

Reese looks in the window. "Agent Scully, is that baby yours?"

Scully looks back at Will and smiles, "Yes, mine and Mulder's."

Officer Calloway looks at her with a surprised expression on his face. Just then Scully's cell phone rings, she quickly answers it, "Yes."

"Scully, this is Skinner, I'm in the ambulance with Mulder."

"How is he; where are they taking him; let me talk to the tech," Scully fires back at Skinner.

"Scully, they're working on him now. We're only a few minutes from DC General, he's been asking for you, but I can't tell you much more except to meet us there."

"I will, and thanks." Scully closes the phone and puts her head on the steering wheel, then starts the SUV. She turns to Officer Calloway, "That was AD Skinner, Mulder has been taken to DCG."

Officer Calloway opens Scully's door, "Get in back with your son."

"What?" Scully asked, surprised.

"Look Agent Scully, I like you and Agent Mulder, let me help you out. I know these streets like the back of my hand, and the little guy in the back looks confused by all this."

Scully gets out and runs around the SUV, crawling in the back with her son. She grabs his hand and says, "Will, we're going to see your dad."

"At wok?" William yawns.

Scully brushes his hair to the side, "No, he's not at work."

Officer Calloway wasn't kidding, he roars out of the driveway and down the street. He looks back at Scully, "Agent, don't get me wrong but doesn't the bureau frown on partners, you know, consorting?"

Scully smiles for the first time in along time, "We're married and William here, has a six month old sister. Agent Mulder, normally teaches at the academy but today they ask him to look into this case," Scully looks out the side window and sighs, "I'm not sure of the particulars."

"And what are you doing these days?"

Scully looks over at her son, "Me? I stay with William and Katherine and go into the bureau when they need me."

The officer's questioning has taken Scully's mind off her plight and before she knows it, they are pulling up to the emergency room doors. "You go on in, I'll park the car and bring in the keys."

Scully gets out of the passenger side door and walks around to unbuckle Will. She lifts him out of his car seat but he complains, "Ah wa ma howse." She reaches in to retrieve his toy.

She carries William in the emergency room door, where a nurse meets them asking, "What's wrong with him?"

Scully frowns unsure of what she is talking about, then it hits her, "No, my son is fine, but I'm looking for a federal agent that has been brought in, Fox Mulder. Can you tell me anything about him?" Scully's heart is pounding in her chest.

A large, warm hand is laid on her shoulder. "Agent Scully, here's your keys." Scully puts William down. "And your purse, and I thought you might need this," Officer Calloway says handing her the small diaper bag.

Scully's eyes suddenly grow moist, "Thank you Reese, you have been very kind to us."

"How's he doing?" Reese asks, nodding toward the emergency room.

Scully looks down the long hallway, "I don't know yet, the nurse is checking for me."

"I've radioed for a ride, so I had better get outside, but I'll be checking in on Agent Mulder."

"Thanks," Scully answers as the officer walks toward the door.

Scully finds Will playing under a chair with his horse. "Come on Will, we need to get going."

The nurse comes down the hallway. "I need to know who you are ma'am."

"I'm Agent Scully, Agent Mulder's wife."

The nurse gives Scully a strange look; "Come with me, Agent Mulder is currently in surgery."

"Do you know his condition when he was brought in?" Scully asks, picking up William.

"No, I wasn't the attending, but the surgical nurse will be out to speak to you soon." The nurse hits the elevator button, Scully and Will step in. She holds the door open; "I'm sending you to the seventh floor, that's surgery. The waiting room you need to be in is on the right once you step off the elevator."

"Thanks." Scully says, as the doors shut.

She steps off the elevator to face Walter Skinner. He takes her by the arm and leads her in the waiting room. "Scully, I've been waiting for some news, but so far I haven't heard a word.

"What happened?" Scully asks, as she sits down and allows Will to slide off her lap.

Skinner sits down next to Scully, "Mulder and the two hostages had stepped out of the car, Hovick had a gun on them when one of the doctors broke off and tried to run for it. Mulder hit Hovick's arm before he got off a shot. They struggled and went over the edge of the cliff." Skinner clears his throat and nervously adjusts his glasses. "They were found some fifty feet below. The EMT's figure Hovick tumbled the entire fifty feet and broke his neck, while Mulder slide down the side, that slowed his descent but he was cut up and scraped pretty badly."

"Why is he is surgery?" Scully asks as she twists her fingers together.

"All I've been told is that they suspect internal bleeding but they aren't sure from where."

Scully stares out into space; "Did they say anything else?"

"No, other than they would let me know how he is doing in surgery," Skinner looks down at his watch, "but that thirty minutes ago."

Scully draws in a breath and sits up straight, "I need to call my mom."

"There's a pay phone around the corner. I'll keep an eye on William, if you want to call her now."

Scully gets up and grabs her purse, pulling out her calling card; she starts for the bank of phones. Skinner puts his hand on her wrist, "Dana, I'm so sorry I brought Mulder in on this case."

Scully turns to look down at him. "Sir, even if you hadn't called him, the minute he heard about this case he would have been out there before I could have stopped him," Scully says, before walking around the corner.

Skinner looks around to see where his charge is, but Will is nowhere to be seen. He panics for a moment; he couldn't have lost the kid that fast. "William," he softly calls, not wanting to alert Scully.

"Wha?" William answers from under a table.

Skinner looks down, "What are you doing down there?"

"Payin' wiff ma howse," William explains.

Skinner grins, "But why are you playing under there?"

Will looks up at Skinner with a raised eyebrow and a frown, "Cawse da howse is in da bawn."

Skinner chuckles, "There's no doubt whose kid you are."

"Mom, its me." Scully says with a thin voice.

"Dana, how's Fox?" "He's in surgery at DCG. They haven't told us anything yet." Scully says, rubbing her temple.

"I'm on my way," Maggie firmly says.

"Mom?"

"Yes, dear?"

"I need to see Katherine," Scully softly says.

"I know you do, dear. What floor are you on?"

"The seventh, waiting room two."

"Dana, are you alone?" Maggie asks trying to hide the concern in her voice.

"No, Skinner is here." Scully looks around the corner to see Willaim and Skinner interacting.

"That's good, see you soon."

Scully puts the receiver back into the cradle and walks back to Skinner just as a nurse comes out of the OR. Will spots her and gets excited, her scrubs are covered in black and white ponies. She walks directly to Scully and Skinner. "Since you're the only ones out here, I'm assuming you're Agent Mulder's family."

Scully speaks up; "I'm his wife Dana."

"Well Dana, I'm Carla and I've been assisting in surgery."

"How is he?" Scully pleads.

"He's not out of the woods yet, but he is holding his own."

Scully pushes back a strand of hair and embraces herself, suddenly cold and slightly perturbed. "Look Carla, I'm a medical doctor, how is he?"

The nurse is a bit taken back by this, "I'm sorry, I thought they said you were with the FBI."

Skinner stands up, "She is, but Agent Scully here, has a degree in medicine."

Now the nurse is totally confused. "I thought your name was Mulder?"

Scully is losing her patience, "I am Fox Mulder's wife, what the hell does it matter what my name is!" Skinner grabs her arm and Scully backs off. "I'm sorry, but it's been a bad day and I can't find out how Fox is doing." Scully figures if she calls him Mulder, Carla will really be confused.

"Of course, I understand," Carla reassures her then takes a seat as does Skinner and Scully. Will is standing next to Carla admiring her smock. "You're cute! What's your name?" Carla asks him.

Scully softly says, "Go on sweetie, tell her who you are."

Will brings his fingers to his mouth and shyly says, "Will'um." Then he points to Carla, "You gots howses on yow shiwt."

The nurse looks down and laughs, "Yes, I do." Then Carla's face turns serious, "Dana, Fox has no fractures as far as we can tell. He does have some deep lacerations to his hands and face. When he was brought in, he was in and out of consciousness, but he came to before the surgery." The nurse's face lights up, "That's what he kept saying, 'Scully', none of us could make sense of the word."

Scully feels guilty, "I should have been there for him."

Anyway, his abdomen was distended and his H&H were dropping fast indicating a bleed. We opened him up and found a tear in the left kidney and a nick in the liver. Dr. Magee is his surgeon and one of the best in his field, so try not to worry. He'll be out to talk to you when he's finished."

"Thank you," Scully says breathing out a long held breath.

Carla pats Scully's hand, gets up and begins to leave then turns back, "By the way, the flack jacket probably saved him from major thoracic damage." A look of relief comes to Skinner's face, he's glad he had insisted Mulder wear the jacket.

Scully picks up William and sits him on her lap. "I want ma howse," Will quietly says, leaning back against his mother. Scully bends to pick up his toy, handing it to her son.

Skinner swallows and watches how gentle Scully is with the small boy she holds. "Dana, I'll get us some coffee, do you need anything else?"

Scully looks around her son's sandy-red head. "Could you bring Will something to drink, water or fruit juice.

"Sure," Skinner says, getting up. "I'll be right back."

Scully hugs her son to her and kisses his head. "I wanna see ma dad." Will softly pleads.

Scully's eyes well up, "I know, I know, soon."

Skinner brought back coffee and juice, which was finished off half an hour ago. Scully paces the floor and stares at the OR door.

Will is showing Skinner his horse when he looks up and suddenly takes off screaming, "Gwamma!"

Maggie has walked in carrying Katherine; Scully turns to see her and rushes to pick the baby up, holding her tight.

Maggie walks over to Skinner, "Mr. Skinner, can you tell me how Fox is doing?"

"Of course, Mrs. Scully."

"Please call me Maggie."

"Maggie," Skinner begins, "he's still in surgery. The nurse told us they've found some internal bleeding."

Scully has William and Katherine near her; she's softly speaking to her children while glancing up at the OR doors. Will is getting antsy, he's been here for several hours now and he's hungry.

Suddenly the OR doors open up, out strides a small, round man with glasses and gray hair, "Mrs. Mulder?"

Scully jumps up holding Katherine, "That would be me," she says. "I'm Dana."

The doctor shakes her hand; "I'm Dr. Magee, and I operated on Fox."

"How did he do?" Scully asks.

"He did just fine, but he's going to have to take it easy for a few weeks. The kidney was touch and go for awhile but we did manage to save it."

"Dr. Magee, I'm a medical doctor."

The doctor smiles at Scully, "So I've heard. His output in surgery was 200cc's and we'll continue to monitor it every hour for the first twenty four."

"Thank you doctor." Scully lowers her head, "I'm sorry about the way I acted, I need to apologize to your nurse."

"Don't worry, stress does funny things to people."

"It was still unprofessional. Do you think I can see Fox's charts?"

The doctor considers the request for a moment, "I don't see why not."

"I promise I'll be good," Scully smiles at the doctor.

Dr. Magee laughs, "He's in recovery right now, you can see him once he's transferred to ICU."

"Thanks," Scully say, with a nod of her head. Maggie and Skinner have been listening to the doctor. "Dana, the kids need fed and put to bed, it's been a long day for the little one's."

"Mom, it's getting late and I don't want you trying to deal with getting two sleepy kids in and out of the car."

Skinner speaks up; "I'll help. I don't have a car here, if Maggie will give me a lift to her place, I'll call a cab to pick me up there. I can help her get Will and the baby settled in."

Maggie eyes her daughter, "What do you say, Dana?"

Scully knows she is out numbered, "I guess that would be best."

Maggie begins to gather up the kids' things when Skinner stops her, "Let me take those."

"Dana, I know it's useless to say it, but I do have a spare room if you want to get some sleep," Maggie offers.

Scully slowly rocks her sleeping daughter in her arms, "No, I think I'll stick close by Mulder tonight."

Maggie smiles at her daughter, "I thought so."

Skinner calls William over; "You want to spent the night at grandma's house?"

"Wiff you?" William asks.

Skinner laughs and blushes, "No, I'm going to my own home but I will put you to bed if you want."

"Okay," Will replies with a yawn.

Maggie takes the sleeping Katherine from her daughter, who is finding it hard to part with the baby. "Don't worry Dana, we'll be just fine and I'll bring them over tomorrow afternoon so Fox can see them."

Scully hugs her mother, "Thanks mom." Then she walks up to Skinner, who is holding her son, and kisses William's cheek. "You be good for grandma."

"Ah weeh," William yawns.

Scully looks up at Skinner, "Thank you sir for staying with me."

"You're welcome Scully," Skinner mumbles and clears his throat.

Maggie carries Katherine, and Skinner carries William, out of the waiting room. Scully sits down and buries her head in her hands. Just then William runs back in, she looks up, "What are you doing here?"

He crawls under the table and comes out with his toy, "Ah gots ma howse," he says, and takes off down the hall once more. Scully checks to make sure he gets back to Maggie and Skinner.

Scully has had two cups of coffee, half a tuna sandwich and made two trips to the bathroom before she's notified that Mulder has been moved to the ICU. She is only allowed to sit with him for fifteen minutes on the hour. On her first trip in, she sees that Mulder is off the ventilator, replaced with a nasal cannula for oxygen. Only two IV lines remain, while his head is swathed in bandages she can clearly see the ugly, black ring forming around his left eye. He looks like the typical post-operative patient, swollen, pasty and unresponsive. She's glad Will and Katherine can't see their father like this.

She pulls up the hard-backed chair and grasps Mulder's hand, it's warm and when she squeezes it he squeezes back. His eye's flutter and he groans. She stands up to lean over him. "Hey partner, can you hear me?"

Mulder rolls his head slightly and groans again, running his tongue over his dry, swollen lips he looks up to see Scully's blue eyes staring at him. "So, I'm still here?"

Scully smiles at him, "Yes, you are."

"Good," Mulder softly says, as he tries to swallow. "That hurts."

Scully brushes back his hair, "I know, let me get you some ice."

Scully tips up a small cup, he sucks on a few small pieces of ice.

"Better?" She asks.

"Um hum," he tries to smile at her while his eyes remain closed, soon he drifts off to sleep.

Around 2AM the nurses take pity on Scully and let her remain by his side for the rest of the night, they even provide her with a more comfortable chair.

"Scully, Scully." She can hear a voice off in the distance; it sounds like Mulder. Mulder! "I'm here, I'm here," she says as she jumps up from her chair.

"I'm okay," Mulder smiles at her. "You were out like a light."

Scully looks at his monitor and at his urine output. "Did you sleep well?"

"On and off," he croaks out. Mulder finally fully opens his eyes and takes a good look at his partner, "Scully, when was the last time you ate?"

She looks down at the blankets that suddenly seem to be in need of straightening. "I had a. . ."

"A meal, not some crappy sandwich that you picked apart."

"I don't know," Scully says avoiding his stare.

Mulder starts to get out of the bed. "Mulder! What do you think you're doing?"

"I'm going to the cafeteria and get you something to eat."

"Okay, I get the message," Scully says, as she moves over to push him back down into the bed; he's too weak from the surgery to resist.

Just then the door swings open and in walks Walter Skinner. Mulder slowly looks up. "Sir, just the man I want to see."

"And how are you, Mulder?" Skinner asks, disregarding Mulder's remark.

"I'm okay, but I need you to do me a favor, take Scully down to the cafeteria or out to a restaurant and make sure she eats a meal, a whole meal."

Skinner eyes Mulder then looks at Scully, who is trying to not look at either one of them. "Sounds like an order to me Scully, come on."

Scully rolls her eyes and leans over to kiss Mulder's dry lips, "You better be here when I get back."

Mulder smiles a swollen, purple bruised, smile, "I will be."

Skinner makes sure Scully fills her tray and under his watchful eye, she eats most of it. She excuses herself to go freshen-up then meets Skinner at the elevators. They return to the ICU to be greeted by William. "Mom, we come see da-dee!"

She scoops up her son. "I can see that and I'm glad you did," she says kissing her son. She puts him back down and walks over to her mom, gathering up her daughter and cradling her in her arms. "Hi mom, I'm glad you brought them by." Scully bounces Katherine while patting her diapered bottom.

"Ah wanna be wiff ma dad," William pouts.

Skinner takes pity on the child. "Mulder, can he sit with you for a few minutes?"

"That would be great," Mulder croaks out as Skinner lifts Will over the bed rail.

"I knew you and Fox would want to see them," Maggie says.

Scully turns to Mulder, "Has the doctor been in yet?"

"Not yet," Mulder winces as he tries to smile around the bruising on his face.

Katherine is leaning over her mother's arms with her tiny arms outstretched, wanting her father too.

Mulder reaches out his hand and gently rubs his daughter's curly, brown hair. "Sorry kiddo, but I can't hold you right now."

Scully looks at her daughter and asks Mulder, "Do you want me to sit her on the other side of the bed?"

Mulder's face lights up, "Sure." She lifts the baby over the bedrail and sits her down next to her father. Katherine puts her fingers in her mouth and turns to look at him then slowly leans back until she is lying next to him.

Maggie beams at the sight of the two children lying next to their father. "I wish I had my camera."

"I don't think I'd take a very pretty picture," the bandaged, and black and blue Mulder says.

Will speaks up, "Da-dee, you comin' home?"

Scully stands next to the side of bed that William is lying on, "No, sweetie, your dad has to stay here a little longer."

Will sticks out that bottom Mulder lip of his, "I wanna say too."

Mulder grins a weak smile at his son's comments.

Just then the door swings open and in walks Mulder's surgeon, he stops to look at the assembled group. "I didn't know I had three patients."

Mulder smiles and looks down, "No, I'm your only patient, this is my son, William and his sister, Katherine."

The doctor grins, "Katherine is my mother's name."

Will begins to squirm and look around. "What is it?" Mulder asks.

Will frowns, "Ah wan ma howse."

The doctor looks down and finds a chocolate brown horse lying on the floor. He picks it up and hands it to William, "Is this yours?"

Will takes the offered pony, "Ma howse!" "What do you say?" Scully chides.

"Tank yo," William softly says.

"Okay you two, off the bed." Scully picks up Katherine and Skinner moves in to pick up William.

Maggie speaks up; "Why don't Mr. Skinner and I take the kids to the cafeteria so you can talk to the doctor."

"Thanks mom," Scully replies.

Skinner and Maggie take the two little ones and leave the room.

"Okay, now that we're alone, here's the skinny on you." He pulls a penlight out of the pocket of his white coat. "Your neurodiagnostics are relatively normal. . ."

"Relatively is the best you can get from me, doc."

"So I've been told. As I was saying, your head is in one piece, so that's a plus. The damage to your kidney and liver was repaired as well as could be expected. I'm going to hold you here for a few more days."

Before he could go on Mulder interrupts, "Can I have that in writing?"

The doctor smiles, making notes on Mulder's chart that he is sure contains the words, non-compliant'. "Don't get your hopes up, if your urine output stays satisfactory and the color continues to improve, you are looking at three to five days here on the surgical unit then you can go home."

Mulder grimaces, "What exactly is the color of my urine at the present time and how is it unsatisfactory? I've never been quizzed on the color before."

Scully chuckles and rubs his hand. "It's the color of William's faded red wagon right now, but it did match Rudolph's nose when you came out of surgery."

"Your liver, however," the doctor continues, "will require a bit more time to heal. You'll go home on some activity restrictions, as soon as I am satisfied with your liver profiles, and that will be something we'll want to watch on an outpatient basis for a while longer."

Mulder's forehead wrinkles, "Meaning. . ."

"Meaning I'll discharge you with home health orders for a nurse to come and draw blood once a week for a while. You won't be working for at least six weeks and you won't be able to participate in any physical sports, walking only for exercise, no driving, limit riding in a car, but there's plenty of time to talk about all that later. Right now, just know that you are doing well, and I look for a full recovery."

"Eventually." Mulder's voice is flat.

"Eventually." The doctor sighs. His patient is obviously a very active person; he is sure Mr. Mulder will chafe some under his restrictions.

"Thank you," Scully tells Dr. Magee, certain that Mulder won't be thanking him.

"Call me if you need anything," the doctor says before leaving the room.

Mulder leans back into the bed. Scully can tell he's feeling rough. She leans over him and strokes his head, he responds with a little smile for her. "You're in pain, aren't you?"

"A little," Mulder confesses.

"You can control that with your pump."

"Only if you will promise me something," Mulder says with closed eyes.

"What is this Mulder; lets make a deal?" Scully lightly teases then softly asks, "What do you want?"

"I want you to take Katherine and William home with you and all of you get some rest in your own beds."

Scully wants to argue but she knows he's not up to it. "I'll make sure we all get our rest, and tonight I'll bring Will and Katherine back up."

Mulder slightly opens his eyes and smiles, "Good, I need to see them."

Scully huffs out a little laugh, "And they need to see you." "So its a deal then?" Mulder groggily says.

Scully leans over to kiss him, "Deal." She brushes her knuckles over his scrapped red cheek and whispers, "You know I love you, don't you?"

Mulder smiles, "I kinda got that idea." He finds the button on the pump and pushes it.

"I'll be back after five, you get some rest."

"That's nice," Mulder says, his voice barely audible and definitely feeling no pain. Scully kisses his cheek and shuts the blinds before leaving the ICU and walking to the desk, "I'm leaving for the afternoon but I'll call to check on him from time to time, here are the numbers I can be reached at." She gives the nurse her phone numbers. "Don't hesitate to call me, and if he gets unruly, call me right away."

The nurse takes the offered card, "Don't worry, we'll take good care of him."

"Thank you," Scully says, as she turns toward the bank of elevators, suddenly realizing just how tired she is. She meets her mom and Skinner as the doors open. "Hi, I was just coming to check on you."

"How's he doing?" Maggie asks.

"Considering what he has been through, he's a lucky man. He'll make a full recovery but it will take some time and you know how impatient Mulder is when it comes to time off."

Scully rubs her red eyes, "I'm going home now, but mom could you follow me with the kids, I'm just too tired to trust myself driving with them in the car."

Maggie frowns, "Dana, then you're too tired to be driving at all."

"She's right," Skinner interjects.

"But I need my vehicle to get back to the hospital, which reminds me I don't know where Mulder's SUV is."

Skinner speaks up; "He left it in the lot at the academy, if you can give me a key I'll arrange to get it home."

"Thanks," Scully yawns.

"And if Maggie will give me a lift back to my car, I'll drive yours home."

Scully starts to protest but gives in, "Okay, I just want to go home."

Scully and both children are settled in for a nap, Katherine is in her crib in the master bedroom while William chose to sleep snuggled up next to his mother in her bed. Scully wakes first and slips into the bathroom for a quick shower. Soon everyone is dressed and fed and on they're way back to the hospital, earlier Scully had called to check on Mulder and was told he had been moved to his own room.

Scully enters Mulder's room carrying Katherine, who is dressed to the nines in her lavender dress and matching sweater, with little Mary Jane's on her feet. Her hair lies in soft brown curls all over her head and her deep dark eyes light up at the sight of her father. Will; on the other hand is all boy, from a sweater covered in horses to his denim jeans. Scully has combed over his copper-blonde hair in the same manner as his father's; while securely tucked under his arm, is his horse.

Mulder is sitting up a little higher in his bed, the bandage on his head has been reduced to a large patch but the bruises around his eye and down his cheek have turned an awful shade of purple. He's watching the sports news on TV but turns it off when his family enters the room. "Hey, thought you weren't coming for a minute there."

Scully leans over to kiss his lips. "If I remember right, I was ordered out of here," she teases.

Mulder looks around the room. "Where's Will?" He asks.

"Hewe!" They hear a small voice coming from under Mulder's bed.

Mulder frowns. "Don't worry, he's taken to sitting under the furniture lately," Scully laughs.

Mulder smiles and tries to look down at his son, "Will, what are you doing under my bed?"

Will crawls out and tucks his horse under his arm, "Da howse is in da bawn," he states, then crawls back under the bed.

Scully holds back a laugh, "Didn't you know that Mulder?"

Mulder slowly bats his eye's, "I must have forgotten that after my fall."

Katherine is fussing and squirming in Scully's arms. Mulder moves his IV line out of the way. "Here, put her down on the bed."

Scully sets Katherine down next to Mulder. She looks up at her father but is more interested in trying to pick the pattern off his gown.

Scully pulls up a chair and sits down next to him; "Did you eat anything?"

Mulder lays his head back against the pillow. "Tonight I got what they loosely called solid food, but you could have fooled me."

They sit in silence for a few moments just watching Katherine explore the hospital bed. Mulder looks over at Scully, "I'm sorry they couldn't save Dean."

"Dean?" Scully questions.

"Dean Hovick, Scully I'm sure his mother is a multiple abductee. She displays all the signs, I want to talk to her when I get out of here."

"Mulder, she suffers from Alzheimer's, how can you question her?"

There is a soft rap on the door and Walter Skinner walks in.

"Hello, sir," Scully says as Katherine turns around to see who her mother is talking to.

"Where's Will?" Skinner asks.

"Under the bed," Scully sighs.

"Got his horse in the barn again does he?" Skinner grins as he takes off his trench coat and pulls up a chair. "Mulder, do you know how long before you will be able to teach again?"

Mulder swallows, "The doctor said six weeks, but I can be back in two."

"Good, Skinner nods, "I'll let them know they need to find a replacement for six weeks."

Mulder eyes Skinner but doesn't say anything.

"I do need a statement from you as soon as possible."

"How does six weeks sound?" Mulder snipes.

Skinner smiles and straightens his tie. "Mulder, you must be feeling better, you're back to your old surly self."

Mulder only smiles at the comment then ask, "How is Helen Hovick doing?

Skinner looks surprised; "She died late last night."

Scully looks up at Mulder and he looks back at her. "Sir, I want Scully to perform the autopsy on Mrs. . ."

Skinner shakes his head, "As per her request in her will, she was cremated this morning."

Mulder drops his chin to his chest. "Mulder if it makes you feel any better, her attorney told me she had requested this be done so that the aliens couldn't take her body." Mulder looks dejected, "Thank you for telling me sir."

Skinner clears his throat, "Mulder, Scully, I want to apologize for getting you involved in this case. It almost cost Mulder his life," Skinner looks down at the kids, "and these two their father. I am sorry."

Mulder lays his head back. "It wouldn't have mattered if you had asked me or not, once I saw it on the news, I would have been there anyway."

Scully looks out into space and doesn't say a word.

Skinner continues to stare at Mulder. "Agent, I know you're in here because of me, but I do think it is time you get your priorities straight."

Scully glances at Skinner, who is tempering his anger at Mulder's comment. William crawls out from under the bed and pats Scully on the knee, "Mom, I hafa go potty." Scully gets up and takes him by the hand but instead of using the restroom in Mulder's room, she walks out the door.

Skinner's head snaps back to look at Mulder. "Son, I've known you for over ten years now, but that was the most insensitive statement I've ever heard from you and that's saying something."

Katherine is lying next to her father chewing on her fingers and looking intently at Skinner. Mulder is gently fingering her soft hair.

"Look at yourself Mulder, you have a woman, who by all accounts should have left your sorry ass years ago, but for some unknown reason adores you; two kids that I, most men would give their right arm to have and a mother-in-law who treats you like her own son. You would risk all that, for what? To chase little green men?"

"If you think you can get a reaction from me by using that old 'little green men' shit, you're mistaken. I've been there, I know what they do to humans, you, do not." Mulder closes his eyes.

Skinner rubs his head and adjusts his glasses, trying to curb his anger. He clears his throat and notices the small, brown hair, little girl sitting beside her father. He takes her small hand in his; she tries to put it in her mouth and grins up at him and babbles. Skinner smiles back at Katherine and in a husky voice asks, "You would risk not being around to see her grow up?"

Mulder rubs his swollen hand over Katherine's back. "It's because of her that I fight."

Skinner shuts his eyes and winces. "Mulder, we haven't found any evidence that they're even still here since they found out Will wasn't what they thought he was." Skinner pulls his hand away from Katherine and looks at nothing in particular, then regaining his stoic composure he says, "I'll check on you in the morning." He turns to leave and tosses back over his shoulder, "Have a good night."

"You too," Mulder softly replies.

Mulder raises the head off the bed up slightly. Katherine babbles and turns herself around to look at her father. He marvels at the similarities between Katherine and Samantha. "I love you, Katherine," Mulder croaks out. "I promise I will keep you, and your brother, and mother safe."

Katherine picks at the tape that covers two of Mulder's fingers then hiccups. She looks so surprised that Mulder has to laugh even though it hurts.

The door opens and in runs William, "Pick me up, da-dee!" The little boy demands.

Mulder reaches over to rub his head, "I'm sorry son, but I can't, maybe mom will."

Scully walks up to the side of the bed. Will turns to her, "Pic me up, mom!"

Scully lifts Will up to sit next to his father. So far she hasn't said a word.

Mulder lies back on the pillow, still stroking Katherine's back. "So you going to bust my chops too, Scully?" He looks at her sheepishly.

Scully takes his hand from the baby's back, holding it in both of hers. "Mulder, when I met you, I knew you were driven; then when I fell in love with you, I knew you were still driven; and when Will came along, I figured nothing had changed. Then I agreed to marry you; and even when Katherine came along, I knew you were the same man I had met in the basement that first day. The same one I fell in love with, and the same one I wanted to raise a family with," she smiles, "why would I expect you to be anything less."

Mulder looks visibly relieved and grins, "I'm glad I'm not married to Skinner."

Scully snickers and kisses his forehead, "I'm glad too." She runs her fingers through his tousled hair. "But Mulder, you and I need to talk when you're feeling better, but for now I need to get these two home."

"Umm," Mulder sighs, "come see me again tomorrow?"

"I wouldn't be anywhere else." Scully kisses his lips and picks up the baby. "William, come on, its time to go."

William is nowhere to be found. Suddenly Scully hears water being splashed. She opens the bathroom door to find William playing in the toilet with his horse. "William! What do you think you're doing?" She demands.

Will looks up at his mother with his bright, blue eyes and says, "Gibbin' ma howse a baff."

Mulder lays back and closes his eyes and laughs until it hurts.

It starts out as a typical day in the Mulder household, the planets are not aligned, the moon isn't full, it isn't even a pagan holiday, but it might as be, because things are about to change.

"Dana, Dana, honey it's me, are you home?" Maggie Scully yells from her daughter's kitchen door.

"I'm in here mom," Scully yells back from the family room.

Maggie walks in to find Dana standing in the middle of a mass of toys strewn about everywhere. Katherine and William are playing together in the middle of the mess, she is laying on the floor while Will sits next to her acting nonchalant, then he pounces at her and yells, "Boo!" The baby cackles in delight.

Maggie smiles, "They look happy."

William says, "Boo," again and Katherine shrieks in laughter.

Scully sits down with a basket of laundry in front of her. "This has gone on for fifteen minutes."

Once again William yells, and his sister is sent into fits of laughter.

"I think I have something that might put an end to this." Maggie leaves the room and comes back with a used bouncing horse. It's one of the older ones on a metal frame, held up by four huge metal springs. Will takes one look at it and races over to see it. "Zat mine, gwamma, zat mine?" He asks jumping up and down.

Maggie lifts her grandson up and sits him on the well-worn, plastic seat. "Of course it is William, I bought it for you."

Maggie turns to Scully, "You don't mind, do you, Dana? It was at the church rummage sale and no one wanted it, so I got it for a dollar."

Scully tosses her hand in the air, "If it keeps him in one place for awhile, I'm all for it."

Will can't figure out how to make it go, so Maggie tells him to bounce up and down on it, but there just isn't enough boy to move it. Finally Maggie has him rock back and forth, back and forth, back and forth, soon Will gets the hang of it and he's off to the races, so to speak, but each time he bends foreword, the large springs squeak, and each time he bends backward, the large springs squeak.

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Maggie kisses her granddaughter and daughter good bye, then tries to kiss her grandson, but she can't get him to slow down long enough to kiss him too.

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Scully finishes folding the clothes, and picks up all the toys, to the monotonous tune of William and his bouncing horse. squeak-squeak squeak-squeak squeak-squeak

By now its lunchtime and Mulder has just walked in the house. He picks his daughter up off the kitchen floor and kisses Scully.

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"What's for lunch?" He asks.

"I thought we would have cold chicken, left over from last nights dinner."

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"Sounds good to me," Mulder replies as he carries Katherine to her highchair.

squeak-squeak squeak-squeak squeak-squeak Scully is busy setting the table and pulling food out of the refrigerator.

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"Scully, you should have been in class today, you would have loved it, one of my skeptics got into a heated debate with one of my believers. . ."

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Mulder suddenly stops, "What the hell is that squeaking?"

Scully places a bottle of water in front of Katherine. "That sound is coming from your son."

Mulder frowns, "I suggest we oil him."

Scully sighs, "I've already tried that, it didn't do any good. His springs are just too big."

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Mulder gets the strangest look on his face as Scully continues, "You think this is bad, I've had to listen to this for the past two hours."

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Mulder grabs her by the shoulders and looks down into her eyes, "Scully, what are you talking about?"

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"Mom bought William a bouncing horse at the church rummage sale and he's been riding it ever since, and he's driving me nuts with all that squeaking."

Katherine is trying to reach a piece of the cold chicken sitting on the table. Scully catches her and moves the dish out of the way, making Katherine unhappy.

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Mulder walks into the family room and sure enough, William is putting that bouncing horse through its paces.

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William spots his father. "See," squeak "ma," squeak "howse."

"I see that William, that's a fine horse you've got there," Mulder smiles.

"I," squeak "yike," squeak "it!"

"I noticed that, but mom has lunch ready." Mulder begins to lift Will off the horse, but he is having none of that.

"No!" William yells, and continues to rock back and forth, squeaking as he goes.

"But Will, mom wants you to eat."

"I," squeak "not," squeak "hun-gee."

Mulder walks back into the kitchen. Scully looks up from feeding a spoonful of pureed corn to Katherine. "Well, where is he?" She asks.

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Mulder nonchalantly sits down, "He's not hungry right now, but when he is, he'll eat."

Scully glares at him, "Mulder, you're his father, make him come in."

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"Oh, so you want me to be the bad cop?"

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"Yes, for a change, I do," Scully says, shoveling more pureed corn into Katherine's mouth, "I'm always the bad cop."

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"Well, it's not going to be me. Missing one meal won't kill him."

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"Fine, when he's hungry, he'll eat," Scully huffs.

"Fine." Mulder snaps back.

Sometime after lunch, while Scully is putting Katherine down for her nap, Mulder slips Will a chicken leg, which he munches on while riding his horse.

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The squeaking continues on for hours, Mulder ducks out on the pretense of picking up dinner while Scully has to stay behind and listen to it. squeak-squeak squeak-squeak squeak-squeak

Finally around 7PM, William crawls off the horse to eat a few bites of spaghetti then promptly falls asleep at the table. Mulder picks him up and carries him to his room. Scully comes in and begins to undress her son. Mulder marvels at how her deft little fingers could undress, wash up, and dress the kids without ever waking them up. He has to wonder if she could do that to him.

They each kiss their son and leave his room. Scully leans against Mulder, "I need two Tylenol and a stiff drink, but I'll settle for the Tylenol." Mulder chuckles.

"Tell you what, why don't you go take a hot shower. I've got some work to do, then I'll lock up and join you up here," he says, kissing her nose for emphasis.

"Sounds good to me," Scully yawns.

Around 10PM, Mulder walks in the bedroom, pulling his shirt over his head he finds Scully sitting against the headboard reading a medical journal. "I thought you would be asleep by now."

Scully lowers the periodical and eyes the man undressing before her. "Oh no, Mulder," she seductively smiles, "I've got plans for you."

Mulder shrugs out of the rest of his clothing, crawls under the sheet and blankets and shuts out the lights. Soon all that can be heard is a few giggles and a lot of moans.

Sometime later, Mulder sighs, "Scully, that was wonderful," as she lies across his chest, running her hand up and down his ribs. "Scully, wasn't that wonderful?" This time, Mulder says it as a question.

"Oh yeah, it was good."

"Good? Just good?"

"Mulder, did you ever hear an Abba song, then for the rest of the day you can't get the damn thing out of your head, and it drives you nuts."

"Scully, what does that have to do with our making love?"

"Well, um," Scully begins to stammer, "your pace was similar to that damn horse of Will's and well, I swear, I could hear squeaking."

"Scully, if you heard squeaking while I was making love to you, then I'm in serious need of a check-up."

"No Mulder, it's not you. It's like the heart in Edgar Allen Poe's story."

"So, you want me to bury Will's horse beneath our floorboards?"

Scully is getting exasperated, "No! It's just that, it's so difficult to forget a sound that you have been exposed to all day long."

Mulder pulls her close and begins to rub her arm. "Look Scully, I'm sure by tomorrow, the newness will have worn off and William will be back to annoying his sister and getting into my fish tank."

"Let's hope so," Scully mumbles, as she drops off to sleep.

7AM came fast in the Mulder household. Scully rolls over to find her bed empty, she stretches and crawls out, headed for the bathroom. She next checks on her daughter, Katherine is wide-awake but entertaining herself with her toys. Scully scoops her up then it hits her. . .

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She drops her head and with a mock cry says, "Will it never end, Katherine?" The baby hiccups. Soon Scully has her daughter changed and dressed. She carries her downstairs and into the kitchen, where Mulder is leaning against the counter, holding out a mug of coffee. Scully puts Katherine in her highchair and snags the steaming mug from Mulder. "Thanks."

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"I thought you might need that."

"Add a wee dram of whiskey and you've got that right."

Katherine is sitting in the middle of the family room playing with her soft toys, while William is riding the old bouncing horse for all it's worth.

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Scully is in the office checking the Email and occasionally checking back on the kids.

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Katherine grows tired of her toys and decides she wants to get a closer look at William's horse so she crawls over to the bouncing horse. Will stops just before he crashes into her head.

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Scully's head snaps up at the silence that fills the house, and sighs. She figures he has finally grown tired of the horse then she hears, "Mom, da bee-bee is twyin' to wide ma howse!" It finally sinks in what Will is saying, in a flash, she is in the family room looking at her daughter holding herself up by a front hoof on the horse. She scoops the baby up just before Will bends foreword. Katherine is not happy with the intrusion; she stiffens up and begins to bawl.

"Come on baby, don't you give me grief over that horse too," Scully says, kissing her daughter's cheek.

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"Mom, I wanna watch da chit-monks," Will yells. Scully's face lights up, "But you can't Will, not while you're on your horse." She knows the horse isn't facing the TV. There is silence from the family room, then the sound of the TV being turned on and the channels being changed. Scully puts Katherine in her highchair and gives her a few dry Cheerios to eat. Finally the restful sounds of the Chipmunk's theme drifts through the air. Scully walks to the entrance of the family room, expecting to see Will sitting on the floor in front of the TV, but no, instead the pajama-clad toddler is attempting to drag the damn bouncing horse around so it faces the TV! She drops her head and walks over to help her son; then picks him up and sets him back on his horse. He gives her that Mulder grin, the one that always melts her heart, and takes off...

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By noon Katherine is down for an early nap, Scully wonders if it was just to get away from the squeaking.

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Mulder walks in the kitchen door and groans, "Shit! I was hoping this little obsession of his was over."

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Scully is sitting at the table, one hand propping up her head and the other clutching her coffee cup. "Mulder, we have got to do something." Scully's voice rises as she rises from the chair and looks up at her partner, "He's driving me nuts!"

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Mulder pulls Scully to him; she wraps her arms around his waist and groans as he pats her hair. "Scully, why don't you go see your mom for a few hours, I'll watch the kids."

Scully pulls away from him and snags his keys off the counter, "Okay, see ya later."

Mulder recovers from his shock before she hits the back door, "Hey, wait!"

"What?"

"I thought you wouldn't go!"

"Nope, see ya."

"Scully! You can't leave me here with this, this, horse!"

"Get used to it!" Scully yells from the garage.

Mulder leans against the counter and wonders how the day suddenly went so wrong.

Scully returns several hours later, the house is quiet, not a squeak can be heard. Katherine is crawling around on the kitchen floor and motors over to greet her mother. Scully picks the baby up and kisses her soft, curly, brown head. "Are you all alone?" She asks her daughter, carrying her into the hallway. A soft whir can be heard coming from the family room. She walks in to find Mulder down on his hands and knees with William next to him; they are both sitting amid a maze of black racecar tracks. The thing covers her entire family room floor. "Mulder, why was Katherine in the kitchen?"

Will never looks up from watching his father tinkering with a small car. "Da bee-bee boke da twak."

Scully purses her lips to keep from laughing, "Mulder?"

Mulder puts the car on the track and off it goes, Will claps and tries to put another car on. Mulder crawls off the floor and takes Katherine from Scully's arms and tosses her into the air. The baby shrieks with laughter. "Hey Scully, did you just get home?"

Scully crosses her arms, "Yes, I did, but Mulder I don't hear any squeaking."

Katherine is trying to put her fingers in her father's mouth, but Mulder pulls her hand down, "That's because I took Will to the toy store and we bought this freaking big, race track!"

Scully looks around, "Freaking big is right."

"Da-dee come hep me!" William complains.

Mulder hands Katherine to her mother, "Coming."

Mulder crouches down next to Will, "Here let me do that." He puts another car on the track and off it goes. Will claps in delight.

Soon Mulder and William are racing each other and Will is ecstatic each time Mulder's car wipes out.

Scully carries Katherine into the office to change her diaper. Mulder walks in with a smug look on his face as he leans into her. "Enjoying the quiet?"

Scully grabs a clean, one-piece sleeper and starts to dress the baby. "Where did the horse go?"

Mulder shrugs, as he plays with Katherine's tiny toes, "I don't know, Frohike kidnapped it while we were at the toy store, he said he'd take care of it."

Will runs into the office, "Come pay wiff me da-dee!"

"Sure son," Mulder turns on his heels and follows William out of the room.

Scully picks up the baby and looks into her dark eyes. "Looks like it's just you and me kid," she says patting Katherine's diapered bottom.

Mulder and Will spend the rest of the day racing their cars and Will actually pauses long enough to eat some dinner.

The sun is starting to set when Scully sees a familiar car pulling up. She walks to the family room, "Mulder, Skinner is coming up the drive."

Mulder crawls off the floor, leaving Will to race alone, "I wonder what he wants?"

Scully opens the garage door so Skinner can come in the back door. Mulder pulls the door open to find a grinning Walter Skinner standing there holding the damn bouncing horse! He walks in and puts it down, "Look what I found! It was sitting beside a dumpster, no one wanted it so, I grabbed it for William," Skinner beams.

Scully looks at Mulder with him returning the look.

Skinner takes off his trench coat and tosses it over the chair. "Isn't it great! I always wanted one of these big ones when I was a kid. Of course, it will need cleaned up, you never know where this has been."

"Oh, I've got a good idea," Scully mutters as she walks past Mulder.

Will comes in the kitchen to see what all the commotion is about. He takes one look at the horse and breaks out in a big grin, "Oh boy! Ma howse!"

Skinner lifts the little boy up onto the horse and Will immediately begins to rock back and forth.

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"Hey, he already knows how to ride one of these, how about that!"

Mulder is leaning against the counter with his feet crossed at the ankles and his hands behind him braced on the counter. He glances to his left at Scully who is trying hard to force a smile across her face.

It's after 9PM at the Mulder household, the house is buttoned down for the night, but if you listen closely you can still hear...

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Fox Mulder has just gotten home from teaching at the academy. He walks in his office to find William playing with his farm animals while Katherine is trying to eat the eyes off her Raggedy Ann doll. Scully is sitting against the arm of his old leather couch with her sock clad feet drawn up and her knees being used as a desk. She is lost in her own thoughts, scribbling on a yellow legal pad.

"Hey, anyone home?" Scully jumps and Mulder smiles.

"Oh sorry, I didn't hear you."

"That's apparent," Mulder chuckles.

Scully jumps up and grabs a letter off the coffee table. "Look at this," she says handing the letter to Mulder. She puts her hands on her hips and waits in anticipation for Mulder's reaction.

"Well congratulations," he says pulling her over and kissing the crown of her head.

"I couldn't believe it when it arrived. The FBI wants me to speak at their symposium in San Francisco."

"That's quite an honor Scully, you've worked hard for this."

"Thanks."

"So what are you going to speak on?"

"I was thinking, maybe the affect of Ritalin in the older child and the corresponding rise in crime statistics by those using it."

"Sounds good," Mulder nods.

"I thought we could make it a week in San Francisco, the kids would love it."

Mulder sits down on the couch, "Scully, I can't leave my class. I just got back from six weeks medical leave." Scully sits down next to him, her hopes about to be dashed.

"Look, there is no reason you should miss this. I can take care of Will and Katherine and your mom can watch them until I get home, she loves to baby sit."

Scully looks down at the letter in her hand, "I don't know, Mulder."

He wraps his arm around her waist. "Scully, you earned this, go, and the audience deserves to be blown away by the evils of Ritalin."

Scully laughs, "I guess five days isn't that long."

Suddenly Katherine starts to bawl, Will has just slapped her for messing up his farm.

"Will, don't hit your sister," Scully says.

"But she boke ma toys," he sticks out his bottom lip and begins to cry.

Mulder gets up, "You take the little one and I'll get the big one."

Scully' scoops up Katherine and wipes her tears away then heads upstairs with her.

Mulder picks up William, cradling the toddler to him. "Shhh, it's okay, buddy. Don't cry."

Will gulps in a few breaths and wipes his eyes with the back of his hands. Mulder carries him to the guest bathroom and sets him on the counter to clean his face and hands. "It's okay Will, but Katherine is a baby and you shouldn't hit her."

Will draws in a shaky breath, "But she boke ma toys."

"I know she did," Mulder says looking down at his son's face, "but I'll help you set it up again." Will reaches out and wraps his arms around his father's neck and yawns. "Feel better?" Mulder softly asks.

"Um hum," Will says.

"I love you, William." Mulder quietly tells his son.

"Me too." William replies. Mulder's face is covered in a huge grin.

Mulder carries William to the kitchen. Scully soon meets them there carrying Katherine, who is now dressed in her sleeper.

"Want a bottle?" Mulder asks Scully.

"Yeah, and I remember when that offer from you had an entirely different connotation."

Mulder flashes Scully a smile and pulls a bottle out of the fridge.

Scully puts the bottle in the microwave while Mulder sets Will on his booster seat. "You want a juice box Will?" He nods his head. Scully pulls a box of juice out of the fridge and sets it down in front of William as Mulder hands her the warm bottle for Katherine. She takes it and pokes it in the baby's mouth.

Mulder opens the juice box and puts the straw in it. Will greedily drinks the liquid.

Scully looks at her children and shakes her head. "I'm not going, Mulder."

"Why?" Mulder frowns. "You can't handle these two at once."

Mulder slumps back in his chair and fingers the straw wrapper. "So you're saying only you have the ability to care for Will and Katherine."

"No, I don't mean it like that."

"Scully, that not only is a sexist statement, it's not true. When you had the flu, I took care of them and when you're called in to the bureau, I watch them."

Scully looks down at the drowsy baby in her arms and her sleepy son finishing his juice. "I think we had better put him to bed before we find him sleeping in the pantry."

Mulder laughs. "Let me take her," h e lifts Katherine from Scully's arms and heads up the backstairs to his daughter's room.

Scully drapes her arm over William's chair back. "You ready to take your nap?" She softly asks.

Will looks up at her, "I wan you ta wock me."

Scully's face breaks out in a large smile. "I love rocking my little boy." She lifts William up and carries him to the office. She sits down in the glider and he is soon fast asleep.

Mulder comes in the office, "Here," he whispers, "let me take him upstairs."

He turns to leave when Scully says, "Mulder, I'm going to make my plane reservations."

Mulder nods, "I'm glad, you'll do great."

"And so will you," Scully affirms.

Sunday- two weeks later

"Scully hurry up, your flight leaves in less than two hours."

Scully comes downstairs adjusting her charcoal gray pantsuit. "I wasn't sure this would fit after carrying two kids."

"You look great, now come on," Mulder says, holding Katherine.

"I need my notebook," Scully says, as she turns to retrieve it.

"No you don't. I packed it in the SUV, everything is in there but you."

Scully looks at her watch, "Mulder, where's Will?"

"In the SUV. Now either you can walk out and I'll carry Katherine or she can crawl out and I'll carry you."

"Okay, okay," Scully sighs, "let's go."

Mulder pulls the front door shut and opens the back door on his Expedition. He settles the baby into her car seat and closes the door. Will is already buckled into his own car seat and has been entertaining himself peering into a kaleidoscope.

Mulder pulls out of the driveway and heads to the airport. He glances over, "Are you nervous Scully? You look a little nervous and there is really no need to be..."

Scully looks at him with a frown on her face, "Mulder, shut up."

They finally reach the airport and make it to Scully's gate just before they begin to load. Scully takes Katherine from Mulder and holds her tight. Mulder sees Scully's eyes begin to grow red and moist. He's not sure she will ever get on the plane. "Scully, it's okay, I will take good care of them."

"What?" Scully has been staring into space. "Oh Mulder, it's not that."

"What is it then?" He asks, as he leans into her.

Scully rubs her cheek over her daughter's soft, curly, brown hair. "Mulder, the last time I took a flight without you was when I flew back from North Carolina." Tears start to flow.

Mulder wraps his arm around her. "Scully, it's over, we've moved on. Now get on that plane and go to San Fran and make me and Katherine, and William, where ever he is..." Mulder says looking around for his son, "proud." Will is standing a few feet away watching the planes taking off.

Scully wipes away the tears just as boarding is called. "I will."

Mulder takes Katherine from her. Scully kisses the baby's chubby cheek, "Be good for dad, Katherine." She calls Will over and stoops down, "Will, you be good while I'm gone." She kisses his cheek and hugs him as he softly replies, "Ah will."

She stands up to face Mulder. He smiles down at her, "What will you give me if I'm good?"

Scully nervously laughs, "It's what I won't give you, if you're bad."

"I'll be good," Mulder quickly says, then bends down to kiss her lips.

"I miss you already," she says, then gathers up her carry-on luggage and disappears.

Later that same evening-

Will is sitting on the floor, next to his sister, playing peek-a-boo. He covers his head with her doll blanket and pulls it off yelling, "Boo!" Katherine howls with laughter.

Mulder has been busy, he folded a load of clothes, put away the clean dishes and put the kids down for their nap. While they slept he did his paperwork for the next days class. So far things have gone well.

"Hey guys," Mulder turns to face his children, "how about beans and weenies for dinner. How does that sound?"

Will looks up a his father, "Momma says, we haffa have sompin' gween to eat."

Mulder frowns at his son, "Okay, we'll have green Jell-O too."

"Okay!" Will readily agrees.

Mulder walks back into the kitchen mumbling, "How the hell does he know what's green?"

The kids are served up beans and weenies and lime Jello cups. "Here Will, let me set you on your booster seat," Mulder says as he lifts the little boy up. "You want some iced tea?"

Will shakes his head, "Momma says, Ah gots to dwink milk."

"Okayyyy," Mulder nods as he opens the refrigerator door. "How about chocolate milk?"

"Yeah!" Will agrees.

Mulder pulls out the chocolate milk and fills Will's plastic cup with the snap on lid and drinking straw. He next fills Katherine's bottle with chocolate milk. He hands it to the little girl sitting in the highchair and she chugs it down.

The phone rings and Mulder picks up the cordless. "Hello."

"Mulder, it's me."

"Scully, did you get there okay?"

"Yes I did and I just checked in. They did provide me with a nice room."

"That's great."

"How are the kids?"

"They're fine."

"Can I talk to Will?"

"Sure," Mulder says. "Here Will, mom is on the phone and wants to talk to you."

"Okay," Will says, not sure what is going on as his father hands him the phone. He puts it to his ear and listens, like the adults do.

"William, sweetie, its mom."

"Mom!" Will looks up at Mulder. "It's mom," he grins.

"I know," Mulder laughs. "Talk to her."

Will puts the phone back up to his ear, "Hi."

"Hi Will," Scully laughs. "What are you doing?"

"Eatin'," Will says, as Mulder waves both of his hands at his son, not wanting Scully to know his choices for dinner.

"What are you eating?"

"Bees and weeies and gween Jell-O," William spouts.

Scully frowns, "William, is Katherine eating beans and weenies too?"

"No, she's dwinkin' choco miwk," Will volunteers.

Mulder rolls his eyes, he knows he's in the deep shit now.

"Will, can I talk to daddy?"

Will hands Mulder the phone but not before he kisses it and says, "Bye."

"Ah, hey Scully, we're doing just fine."

"Beans and weenies, and green Jell-O?"

"The Jell-O was Will's idea."

"Mulder, I'll only be here five days, try to get at least one proper meal a day into them."

"Will do Scully. When your mom is here I'll have her feed them."

"Good idea."

"Scully."

"Yeah."

"I miss you."

"I miss you too Mulder. Kiss the kids for me, I had better hang up."

"Okay, call whenever you get the chance."

"I will."

Mulder hangs up the phone and turns to face his children. "Let's eat!"

Monday ~

Scully is just leaving the sign-in table after having taken part in the continental breakfast. She decides to check on the kids and dials her home phone on her cell.

"Hello, Mulder residence."

"Mom, it's me."

"Dana, how good to hear from you. How are you doing?"

"I'm fine, how's Will and Katherine?"

"They're fine. We're just getting ready to eat lunch."

"What are they eating?"

"Well, Katherine has a jar of macaroni and cheese and a half jar of pureed peas, while Will and I are eating boxed macaroni and cheese and canned peas."

Scully sighs, "Thank goodness you're feeding them a decent meal."

"Why, isn't Fox cooking for them?"

"Yes, but his meal choices lack something."

Maggie laughs, "Dana, why don't I fix dinner and put it in a crock pot before I leave."

"I'm sure Mulder would appreciate that."

"They're doing well Dana, don't worry."

"I'm not mom, I'm just concerned."

"Well don't be, we're fine."

"Okay, I'll, um, talk to you tomorrow then."

"Alright, I'll talk to you then and try not to worry."

"I will, bye."

"Bye, dear."

Scully hangs up the phone and looks at the symposium itinerary.

5PM PST

Scully is getting up from her chair, where she has sat for the past two hours, along with sixty other people, listening to a salesman describe the latest tools available to pathologist, when her cell phone rings.

"Hello."

"Hey Scully, it's me."

"Mulder is everything alright?"

"Just fine Scully, just fine. I fed the kids a great dinner, homemade chicken and noodles, green beans, and dinner rolls."

Scully has to smile, "And you made all that?"

"Oh yeah," Mulder lies, "I'm a better cook than you give me credit for."

"Well, that's great Mulder, when I get home I want you to make chicken and noodles for me."

"Mulder, are you there?"

"Yeah, ah, sure I'll do that."

"Did you want something?"

"Yeah, do you know where Will's green tub frog is, he won't bath without it."

Scully frowns, "He doesn't have a green tub frog."

"Humm, wonder what he was saying then."

"Are you sure he isn't saying, his Great Dane dog? He has a basket of plastic dogs that he plays with in the tub."

"Umm, let me ask him." Scully can hear Mulder asking Will about the dog. "That's it Scully, thanks."

"His dogs are under the sink."

"I'll get them."

"How were the kids today?"

"We did just fine, I'm going to bath them and put them to bed. How was your day?"

"It was okay, boring actually."

"Well, maybe tomorrow will be more exciting."

"I hope so."

"Look, I have two naked kids staring at me and you know how dangerous it is to have kids sans diapers around the house."

Scully snickers, "Yeah, I should go."

"Scully."

"Yeah."

"We all love and miss you."

"I miss and love all of you too."

"See ya."

"See ya."

Tuesday ~

Scully is up early; she wants to set in on two discussions before lunch. She grabs a coffee and yogurt from the continental breakfast and takes her seat as the first program begins.

Three and half-hours later, she is back in her room just about to eat her room service meal, when her cell rings.

"Hello."

"Scully, it's me."

She immediately knows something is up. "What's happened, Mulder?"

"Now don't panic."

"Dammit Mulder, don't tell me not to panic, did something happen to the kids?"

"No, to your mom."

"My mom?"

"She's okay Scully, or she will be."

"Mulder, tell me what happened!"

"She fell and sprained her ankle."

"How did she do that?"

"Will had his pull-along duck out, she got her foot tangled in the cord and tripped."

"Is she okay. Did she hurt anything else? I'm coming home."

"Whoa Scully, slow down."

"She did it just as I walked in the door. I took her to the ER where they X-rayed it. She has a bad sprain and that's all. They wrapped it and told her to stay off of it."

Scully sighs, "I have to come home, she can't watch William and Katherine."

"No, she can't, but you don't need to come home. I've already taken care of it."

"Mulder, I don't want the kids in daycare."

"I know, and they won't be."

"Well, you can't miss work."

"I'm not. Byers is coming over in the morning to take care of Katherine for four hours and Will is going to class with me."

"Mulder, while I trust Byers, how can you handle Will for four hours in a classroom?"

"Scully, he can bring his toys and play under the desk. We've got a break at ten and maybe I can get him to take his nap. If not my female students will be more than happy to entertain him, he's a real babe magnet."

"Well, babe magnet or not, those women are there to learn, not to baby sit your son."

"Come on Scully, last week we spent valuable time discussing the baseball play-offs."

Scully sighs, "I suppose it will be alright."

"We'll be fine and I'll check on your mom everyday. Don't worry and go out there and give them one hell of a speech."

Scully chuckles, "Mulder, you would make a great cheerleader."

"You're right Scully, I even have the legs for it."

Scully laughs, "I need to work on my speech."

"Yeah, and I need to get Will out of the dryer."

"Mulder!"

Mulder laughs.

"Mulder, you shit! Don't do that to me."

"Sorry."

"I do have to go."

"I miss you."

Scully fingers the pattern on the bedspread; "I miss you too."

Tuesday 6PM PST

Scully has worked on her speech for nearly three hours. She started to work on it shortly after Mulder called, but soon fell into a much-needed sleep. She gets up from the bed, shutting down her notebook she wanders toward the bathroom. There is a film being shown at 7:30 and she has just enough time to clean up and grab a bite before it starts.

Her cell phone rings. "Hello."

"Scully, it's me."

"Hey Mulder, what's up?"

"You know that time Will locked himself in the bathroom."

"Yes."

"I was wondering, how did you get him out?"

"Did William lock himself in the bathroom?"

"Yeah."

"I see. Mulder, have you tried your lock pick?"

"No, but that's a good idea. Hey, nice to talk to you but I really have to go."

Scully is now sitting there looking at a dead phone.

She changes her clothes, grabs a bite in the downstairs restaurant and looks in on the film. Ninety minutes later she is standing in the lobby when she decides to see how Mulder fared with Will.

"Hello."

"Mulder, it's me."

"Oh, hey Scully."

"Did you get Will out of the bathroom?"

"Oh sure, piece of cake."

"So everything is fine?"

"Sure. Did you know we had one of those Shop-vacs? They sure do suck up the water."

"Will flooded the bathroom?"

"Well, I wouldn't say it was a flood but the hall carpet got wet, not to worry though, the cleaners said they can get that stain out. Did I tell you we're having the carpets cleaned next week?"

"No, you didn't. There was a stain?"

"Funny isn't it. Who would think grape juice would set like that."

"Will had grape juice in the bathroom?"

"No, no, this stain is in the family room, but not to worry, the cleaners will be here Monday morning, 9AM sharp and they'll look at the hallway while they're here."

"Mulder, I sense a pattern here."

"What! Scully, you're just too suspicious."

"So where are the kids now?"

"Scully, it's after 11PM, they're in their beds of course."

"Where I should be."

"You should get some rest."

"I always sleep better when you're next to me."

"That's nice to hear."

"Well, I'd better go."

"Yeah, me too."

"I love you."

"I love you, too."

Scully closes her phone and wanders what color the stain in her hallway is.

Wednesday

Scully awakes from a restful night. Once she got to sleep, she slept the entire night through. She yawns, runs her fingers through her hair and heads for the shower.

She steps out of the bathroom clad in her robe with a terry wrap on her head, suddenly the phone rings.

"What is it Mulder?"

"Scully, its not Mulder, its me, John Byers."

"Oh Byers, is everything okay?"

"Yes it is. I'm baby sitting with Katherine."

"So I've heard, thanks for helping out."

"No problem Dana, I enjoy being around your children."

"I'm glad I can depend on you."

"Thanks, I do have a question; do you prefer Katherine have pureed bananas from a jar for her lunch, or would you mind if I mixed up some fresh fruit in the blender. It's much better for her to have fresh fruit."

Scully has to hold back a laugh. "No John, that would be fine. So how are you two doing?"

"We're getting along just fine. Mulder had her up and dressed when I arrived, but I felt her clothing was too hot for the house, so I changed her. We played with her dolls and I read to her. I hope you don't mind that I read, Clifford the Big Red Dog, although studies have shown some children are traumatized by the thought of a giant dog."

"No, that's okay, we read that book in our house all the time."

"Good. I thought Katherine was bright enough to tell fiction from reality."

"John, you do realize she is only seven months old."

"Yes, but she is very bright."

"Is there anything else you need?"

"No, we're doing just fine and don't worry, I'll be here tomorrow at 7:35 sharp."

"Thanks, I'm relieved." "Good bye, Dana."

"Good bye, John."

Scully shakes her head, closes her cell and begins to look through her suits.

4PM PST

Scully has spent most of her day polishing her speech. She is scheduled to speak tomorrow night just before the closing remarks.

She has decided to take a trip to the shopping district to try to get her mind off her speech. She spots a shoe store and is soon trying on shoes. She purchases a pair of stunning pumps then its off to a children's specialty shop where she buys William a cargo coat and a pair of deck shoes while Katherine gets a sailor dress that will match the sailor suit that Bill bought for William earlier in the summer.

She stops at a street side cafe for coffee, while she enjoys the coffee, several men are enjoying the view of Scully, but she is unaware. She takes a sip of her coffee just as her cell rings.

"Scully."

"Scully, it's me."

"How's it going, Mulder?"

"Fine, I took the kids over to see your mom. She was glad we stopped by."

"I'll bet she was, she was so looking foreword to watching them."

"I know. She is feeling better though, she even cooked for us."

"Mulder, mom is in no shape to be cooking."

"She just popped a frozen meatloaf in the oven and we made sandwiches out of it."

"So your day went well?"

"Oh yeah, Will went to work with me and he only got loose once, but another instructor caught him and brought him back. I'm still not sure how he got that door open when he can't open the one to the bathroom."

"So he did okay?"

"He was the hit of the day. He played with his toys and announced to the class he had to potty. Everyone laughed, but we did make it to the bathroom in time."

Scully is starting to forget her speech and starting to miss her family.

"Scully, you there?"

"Yeah, it sounds like you're doing well."

"I do have a question."

"What is it?"

"How do you get gum out of hair?"

"Whose gum, in whose hair?"

"That would be William's, and Katherine's."

"How did William get gum?"

"That would be me."

"Mulder, you gave gum to a toddler!"

"Well yeah, you need gum if you want to teach him how to blow bubbles."

"Mulder, you didn't."

"He was doing great until Katherine got too close, then it all went to hell."

Scully sighs and rubs her forehead. "Mulder, all you can do is cut it out, but don't you do it. Run her over to mom's, she's cut her share of gum out of kid's hair and hasn't lost an ear yet."

"You mad at me?"

"I'm not happy, but you are interacting with the kids, but next time try to do it without the gum."

"Okay, I will."

"Mulder."

"Yeah."

"I still love you."

"As Will would say, me too."

Scully laughs and closes her cell.

Thursday 2:30 PST

Scully is sitting in on an extremely boring seminar dealing with expense accounts. She has to smile at the thought of the way she and Mulder used to stretch the truth, their reports would put Al Capone's bookkeeper to shame. Her cell phone rings, she's glad to have an excuse to leave the room.

"Scully."

"Hey Scully it's me."

"Hello me."

"You're in a good mood."

"One more night and I get to come home."

"Scully."

"Yeah."

"If you expect to see William when you get here, you'll have to tell me where he might be hiding."

"Mulder, did you lose our son!" Scully says, suddenly aware of the crowd staring at her. She ducks her head and continues, "Did you call the police, how did this happen?"

"Scully, he's not out of the house. We were playing hide-and-seek. He would hide, and Katherine and I would seek. I have to admit, he is good at it."

"I don't know Mulder, did you check all the cupboards and under the beds. You know how he is when he gets tired."

"That's a good idea, I'll check those out."

"Mulder, call me the minute you find him."

"I will."

Scully looks around a bit sheepish, then straightens her jacket, sticks out her chin and walks to the elevators, all the while her cheeks are turning a crimson red.

Scully slips her key card into the slot when her cell rings. She hurries through the door and pulls out her phone.

"Mulder, did you find him?"

It was just like you said; he was sleeping in the little closet under the stairs. He's lucky he wasn't playing hide-and-seek with you."

"Thank goodness you found him. Did you put him to bed?"

"No, I put a blanket over him and cracked the door."

"I guess that would be best."

"You okay, Scully?"

"I'm a little nervous. I speak in less than four hours."

"Scully, you'll do fine, you're the best of the best."

"I wish you were here to say that."

"You don't need me Scully. You're held in high esteem by your peers and what's more you're respected, now go get 'em."

"Thanks, Mulder."

"Hey Scully, call me just before you go to the podium to speak."

"Mulder, I can't do that."

"Yes you can, humor me."

"Why?"

"Just promise me you'll call. I'll be waiting." "I'll see."

"I had better let you go."

"Yeah."

"Call me tonight."

"I'll try."

Scully takes a hot shower and lays out the suit that she brought along just for this night. She doesn't need to change yet but she is nervous and needs to keep busy. She glances at the newspaper and orders a carafe of coffee from room service, knowing full well that she could not keep a meal down even if she ordered one. She settles against the headboard of the bed to go over her speech once more.

Two hours later, she is dressed in her best navy blue blazer and skirt. Her feet are clad in her new shoes and her hair is coiffure to its usual perfection. She grabs her cell and sticks it in her blazer pocket, more out of habit than from Mulder's request. She picks up her notes and key card and walks out the door. She is nervous as hell, but she keeps Mulder's words in the back of her mind, 'you're the best of the best'.

She stands at the edge of the curtain, awaiting her introduction when suddenly she remembers Mulder's request. She takes out her cell and hits the speed dial.

"Hello."

"Mulder, it's me, what did you want?"

"To hear your speech."

"Mulder, I don't have time for this."

"Sure you do Scully, just don't turn off your phone."

"What?"

"I said, don't turn off your phone."

"I know what you said."

"Just lay your phone on the podium and I can hear your speech."

Scully smiles and whines, "Mulder."

"Scully, they just introduced you."

Scully looks up to see the man at the podium clapping and motioning for her to come out. She stoically walks to the dais and places her cell and notes down on the podium.

Mulder is sitting in front of the lit fireplace in the family room while Katherine and William are quietly playing with Katherine's dolls in front of the French doors. Mulder moves foreword on the couch and braces his elbows on his knees. From the nervous energy he generates, one would think he was delivering the speech. He listens to Scully's every word and smiles when the crowd laughs at the appropriate times. He grows quiet when the crowd does, both being caught up in what Scully is saying. He finally relaxes and leans back against the couch and enjoys the rest of her speech. Some thirty minutes later as William and Katherine sleep among the toys, Scully's speech comes to an end, to much applause.

She thanks those assembled and picks up her cell. As she walks off the stage she asks, "Mulder, how do you think I did?"

There is silence for a few moments then Mulder says, "Scully, I am so proud of you."

Scully beams, "Thanks, I think knowing you were there helped ease the jitters."

"Well, I'm glad I could help, but I meant it when I said I wanted to hear your speech."

Scully finds a quiet corner, "We always find a way to do things together, don't we."

"As often as possible, speaking of which, when are you coming home?"

"As soon as possible," Scully grins

"It won't be soon enough."

"I'd better go, they're bringing the symposium to an end."

"I'll be waiting when you get here and Scully..."

"Yeah."

"You really did do a great job."

"Thanks, see you soon."

Mulder puts both kids to bed. Katherine is dressed in her fleecy pajamas and tucked into the crib in her own room. He has dug out a small stocking cap and put it on the baby, he's afraid her little bare head will get cold. He knows Scully's eyes are going to tear up when she sees the baby's butch haircut, courtesy of her son.

Will, for some unknown reason, decided he hates to wear his pajama bottoms so he sleeps in just the top. Mulder tucks an extra blanket around him in case he gets cold in the night.

He kisses each of his children good night and heads for the master bedroom. He undresses as he walks to the bathroom then closes the door and steps in the shower. The jets of hot water ease his aching muscles. Once he's done he towels off and pulls on a pair of flannel pajama bottoms.

He starts to turn down the bed when he stops; he turns out the light, grabbing his pillow, he heads downstairs. He enters the office and turns on the speakers that run from each kid's bedroom, courtesy of the Lone Gunman. The glow of the aquarium provides ample illumination so he doesn't turn on a light. He toss his pillow on the end of the old leather couch and slumps down on it, rubbing his eyes he spots a framed photo hanging on the wall. It's the one that once hung on the bulletin board in the old office. He stares at the young woman who stands beside him, amazed that she is now his and he is hers. He lays his head down on the pillow and pulls the Indian blanket over himself and soon falls asleep.

Scully slips her key in the lock on the kitchen door and enters her home. She didn't want to wait until morning to fly out, so she took the first available seat headed to DC. She slips off her new shoes; not even taking the time to change clothes after the symposium. Scully piles her bags and notebook on the counter and slips up the backstairs.

She enters William's room first and finds him asleep, curled up in a tight little ball. She kisses his forehead and pulls the blanket up. Next she walks into Katherine's room and turns on the Pooh nightlight, seeing the knit cap on the baby's head, she sighs and says, "This must be bad." She pulls off the cap and runs her hand over what was once a head full of beautiful brown curls but is now shorter than Will's hair. She sighs and realizes her mother did the best job possible, but does wish she could have seen Katherine's first haircut. She kisses the baby and turns to shut out the light when she spots a little envelope with her name on it sitting on the dresser. She opens it to find a few soft brown curls; her mother must have saved them for her. She smiles and takes the envelope with her as she leaves the room.

Scully walks across the hall to the room she shares with Mulder, but finds it empty. She checks the bathroom, but doesn't find him there either, so she walks downstairs in search of him.

She enters the office and spots him sleeping on the couch. She walks over and crouches down next to him, running her fingers through his sable brown, hair. He stirs but doesn't wake.

Scully returns upstairs, coming back down a few minutes later with her face scrubbed and dressed in one of Mulder's old T-shirts. She gently lifts the blanket, sliding in next to him; she wraps his arm around her and kisses his hands. He moves slightly and tightens his grip on her. "When did you get home?" He asks in a gravelly voice.

"Just minutes ago."

"I thought you were coming home tomorrow."

"I was, but I didn't"

"I'm glad," Mulder slurs, pulling her tight against him.

"Why aren't you in our bed?"

"It's too big and empty."

"You want to go upstairs?"

"Not really, I like sleeping here with you."

"Umm, I like it too."

"Did you see Katherine's hair?"

"You mean the pieces in the little envelope, yes I saw it."

"I'm sorry."

"Me too, but these things happen."

"Scully, you think we'll survive these two and grow old together?"

"I'm banking on it." "I'm glad you came home early."

"Me too."

"Night Scully."

"Night Mulder."

Scully pulls into her driveway tired and drained from a day at the bureau. She had been asked to assist on several autopsies, but knew full well that she would not be assisting, she would be expected to come up with the answers no one else could, and she is happy to say she did.

It's after six PM and all she wants to do is see her kid's, kiss Mulder and get something for the headache she has developed. As she rounds the curve in the drive she notices another vehicle parked in front of her white brick home. It can't be, but it is, the Lone Gunman are here.

She opens the garage door and pulls her SUV in. She steps from the vehicle and into her kitchen, "Mulder I'm home." She gets no answer. "Something smells good." She peeks in the pot on the stove, and finds it filled with beef stew from a can, but at least he's tried.

"Frohike, if you don't stop doing that she's gonna puke all over you." Mulder says, as he walks into the kitchen, nearly running into Scully. "Oh hey Scully, I didn't hear you come in."

William comes running in, out of breath. "Da-dee, Langee is chasin' me!" He screams and runs around the island counter to hide.

"Mulder..." Scully doesn't get the next words out because Langley comes in the kitchen on all fours, roaring like a lion. William shrieks and runs from behind the counter. Langley grabs him and pretends to bite his tummy while carrying him out of the kitchen. Will is howling in laughter, "Da-dee hep meeeeee!"

Scully puts one hand on the counter and one on her hip and looks up at her partner. "Mulder, just what is going on around here?"

Mulder opens a cupboard and pulls out some bowls. "I made dinner but its not quite ready yet, I've got a salad to make and a loaf of bread to warm up."

Scully stops him from digging out the silverware, "No, I mean why are the guys here?"

Mulder shrugs, "I don't know, they wanted to see the kids and you know how Will loves to see them come over."

"Mulder, Will loves to see them come over because it's like having three big third graders for him to play with."

Mulder looks down; "I did kind of invite them to dinner."

Scully runs her tongue over her bottom lip and stirs the stew. "You better open another can of this then."

"So they can stay?"

"Look, you brought them home, so you have to feed and care for them. I'm going to take Katherine upstairs with me to take a bath, save me some stew."

Mulder quickly pulls her to him and kisses her lips. "Thanks Scully, you're the best."

"I don't know about that, but they have been good to us and William does love to see them." Scully wraps her arms around Mulder's waist and he kisses her once more before releasing her.

Scully walks into her family room to find Frohike bouncing Katherine on his lap while Langley is wrestling with William and Byers is busy looking through Will's first reading books.

"Hello guys," Scully says.

"Hey Scully," Frohike replies.

"Hello Scully, nice to see you," Byers greets Scully.

"Hey Scully," Langley chimes in.

"Lo Cully!" William screams, while beating on Langley's chest.

Scully rolls her eyes then lifts Katherine from Frohike. "Sorry but Katherine and I need a bath," she says, as she starts to leave the room.

"Any room for me?" Frohike leers.

Scully turns around. "Frohike, do you want me to tell Mulder what you said?"

Frohike swallows hard, "No Ma'am."

She smiles at him and leaves the room.

Mulder appears in the doorway, "Come and get it."

Frohike crawls off the floor, as does Langley. William jumps up with his hands in the air so Langley can lift him up and they both head for the kitchen. Byers puts down a book he has been looking at, "I'd watch it if I were you, Frohike. You could get in some trouble flirting with Scully like you do."

Frohike straightens his striped shirt. "I could take him if I had to, I might be small but I'm wiry."

"Sure," Byers says, brushing past his friend, "just like Barnie Fife."

Will is already sitting on his booster seat next to where Mulder will sit. Langley has the kid so wound up that Mulder is having a hard time settling him down.

"Mulder, can I do anything?" Byers asks.

Mulder looks around while trying to tie Will's bib. "Yeah, get the bread out of the oven, if you would."

"Hey Frohike, maybe Will here will loan you a bib," Langley jokes.

"Shut up Langley," Frohike frowns.

Will parrots, "Shup Langee!"

Frohike laughs.

"Okay, everyone settle down," Mulder demands.

The salad is passed around along with the bread. Mulder fills the deep bowls with stew and sets a pitcher of milk on the table.

"Milk!" Frohike gripes. "You got anything a little stronger?"

Mulder chuckles, "I have chocolate milk."

Frohike frowns, but they all sit down and pass the pitcher around.

Scully has filled her big tub with bubbles and taken her Tylenol. She removes her clothing while Katherine stands beside the tub and tries to eat the bubbles. Scully removes the baby's clothing and diaper then they both slip into the warm water. Katherine is standing on her mother's outstretched legs. "You like this don't you?" The baby bounces up and down and responds in baby jabber. "I miss you when I have to work." The baby looks Scully directly in the eyes and says, "Durrrrr." Scully laughs, "I'll take that as 'I miss you too'."

Scully lets Katherine hang on to the edge of the tub while she pours handfuls of water over her brown, curly hair. She reaches for the baby shampoo and begins to lather up Katherine's head. The baby beats on the edge of the tub and tries to sing, or as Mulder refers to it as 'Scully singing'.

"You like to have your hair washed don't you sweetie, so do I. I love it when your father lathers up my hair and runs his fingers through it massaging my scalp, then he rinses it and squeezes out the water." Scully sighs, "Your father can do wonderful things with those fingers."

"Hey Mulder, remember the first time you brought Scully around to meet us?" Langley asks, stuffing a chunk of bread into his mouth.

"How could I forget it, Frohike nearly got me killed."

"Can I help it if Scully was hot, and still is I might add."

"Cully's hot!" Will yells.

Everyone roars with laughter.

"Frohike, you should watch what you say around the youngster."

"Will you lighten up Byers," Frohike frowns

"So tell us Mulder, you thought Dana was hot back in the day, didn't you?" Langley pries. Mulder blushes and smiles, shrugging his shoulders he says, "I don't know, I guess so, yeah."

"That's quite a commitment," Frohike teases.

Mulder takes a drink of milk, "Scully was just always Scully."

William yells, "Cully!"

Don't let your mother hear you calling her that." Mulder says, tweaking William's nose.

"So when did you know Scully was the one for you, Mulder?" Langley asks, scooting his chair up closer to the table.

Mulder blushes, "Langley, when did you stop minding your own business?"

"Come on, Mulder," Frohike chides, "'fess up."

Mulder plays with his empty milk glass, "I think it came in bits and pieces. The first few cases, when she took all the shit I threw at her..."

"Shit," William yells with a big grin oh his face.

"Shhh," Mulder corrects. "Then when she was taken..."

The room grows quiet. Mulder slumps back in his chair and looks at his glass. "When she was returned, I, I couldn't believe I was that lucky, but she got cancer." Mulder lifts Will from his seat and holds him on his lap. "I never felt so helpless, but somehow together, we met that challenge too." Mulder rubs his chin on his son's fuzzy head. "By then, I knew I never wanted anyone else, even if I couldn't have her."

"She sure was sick," Byers softly says. Frohike gets up on the pretense of refilling his bowl but everyone can hear him blowing his nose.

"Anyway, things between us began to change and we both were ready at the same time. I can't explain it, I doubt I ever can."

"You're one lucky son of a bitch, you know that Mulder." Frohike says, returning to his chair.

"Son o' beech!" William yells.

"Guys really, watch what you're saying or Scully isn't going to let us come back here," Byers pleads.

"So how did you get her to agree to marry you?" Langley asks.

"Well it didn't hurt that I was already the father of her child," Mulder laughs and looks down at William, who is currently chewing on a chunk of bread.

"Damn, I should have thought of that," Frohike teases. Mulder glances over at the myopic little man.

Byers leans foreword and grins, "So how did you ask her?"

Mulder gives Will a bite from his own bowl then puts him back into his booster seat. He leans back and laces his fingers behind his head and looks up at the ceiling with a smile on his face. "We were driving back from a visit to Will's doctor, he had just gotten his shots and was cranky, it was raining, we were stuck in traffic and Scully was pissed at me for something I had done earlier. I looked out the side window and thought, what the hell, I turned to her and said, 'Scully, you wanna get married?'"

"And she said yes?" Byers jumps in.

Mulder smiles and says, "I swear, she looked at me and said, 'to you'? We both realized the absurdity in her response and began to laugh like idiots."

"And she said yes?" Byers asks again.

Mulder smiles and nods, "She said yes."

"So why didn't you guys have a big, fancy wedding?" Langley wants to know.

Mulder shrugs, "It just wasn't our style. I know her mom was disappointed, but she was glad I was making an honest woman out of her daughter."

"Scully's mom is pretty cool." Frohike says, with Byers and Langley agreeing.

"Yeah she is," Mulder adds. "We stopped off at a jewelry store, by this time Will was asleep and the sun had begun to shine but let me tell you, we got some strange looks from that jeweler. Here we were at our age, toting around an infant, trying to buy an engagement ring and wedding bands. Of course when he saw what I was willing to spend, he had no trouble taking my money."

The guys all laugh.

"Three days later Scully, her mom, Skinner, and I were all standing in front of a judge, along with Will." Mulder smiles.

"Skinner!" All the gunman cry.

"Yeah, you didn't expect me to try and choose one of you to be my best man did you? Besides, I doubt anyone except Byers owns a suit."

"So Skinman stood up for you, huh," Frohike says.

"Yes he did, then we left Will with Maggie and flew to New York for the weekend but only made it through one night before we both missed him." Mulder looks over at the child, who is currently cramming potatoes into his mouth. "And that's about it."

"About what?" Scully asks as she carries a now pajama clad Katherine into the kitchen.

"The guys were asking me about our whirlwind romance and subsequent marriage." Mulder smiles up at Scully as she walks behind him to sit next to him.

"Did you tell them you proposed in the middle of a traffic jam?"

"Yes I did and I told them how you responded."

Scully blushes and licks her bottom lip, "Well, my mind was on other things, like William fussing in the back seat and the fact that you ditched me the night before to talk to one of your contacts."

"That's right! That's what you were pissed off at me for."

The guys are enjoying the sparring going on between these two.

Mulder starts to take Katherine from Scully so she can eat, but not before he kisses her cheek and softly laughs. Scully giggles and hands over the baby.

Byers gets up from his chair, "Here Dana, let me get you some stew."

"Thanks John," Scully says as she picks at her salad.

Will is trying to eat his potatoes with his spoon by picking one out of the bowl and placing it on the spoon. Scully leans, "Here sweetie, let me help you." She takes her own spoon and scoops up a bite full and offers it to her son. He eagerly takes it and hums with delight. The guys all look at one another with smiles on their faces.

Mulder is busy bouncing Katherine on his knee and slipping broth from his bowl to her. The baby loves to be seated with her father at the table; she enjoys delicacies that her mother would never give her.

Langley rips off another chunk of bread and says, "So, tell us Scully, why did you choose this big lug?"

Mulder smiles at Scully while she glares at him. "They seem intent on grilling us tonight," Mulder alerts her.

Scully wipes off Will's mouth and looks over at Mulder who is busy trying to keep Katherine from putting her fingers into his bowl. She shrugs, "I don't know, why not."

The Gunman all laugh. "Wow Mulder, she really had it bad for you," Frohike sarcastically says.

Scully blushes, "Well, what do you want me to say, that from the day I met him he rocked my world."

Mulder laughs, "I got to admit Scully, that does sound a lot better."

"Do you want me to tell the truth or not?" Scully teases then sighs, "Okay, when we first met I was scared to death that I wouldn't be able to keep up. I didn't pay any attention to the 'spooky' stories but the ones about his intellect made me wonder if I could compete. After the first few cases I knew we would be a great team if we didn't kill each other first." Scully laughs and continues her story, "Then when I was taken, I knew Mulder would find me." The friends around the table grow quiet. "And when I developed cancer, I knew I wouldn't go through it alone, even though I tried to spare him." Mulder looks down at his empty bowl and clears his throat. "But even then he had a hand in my fate. I think fate brought us together, that and he really is a little spooky," Scully says to add some levity to the room. Mulder finally makes eye contact with her as a grin covers his face.

"So is it just these two or do we see a few more little Mulder's in the future," Langley asks.

"No Langley, I think we're done at least for awhile," Scully smiles.

"We are?" Mulder teases.

"Yes we are!" Scully turns to look at him.

"But if you have one more, then when we come over each of us will have a kid to play with," Langley gripes.

"I don't think we're going to have another child so you have a playmate Langley,"

"Aw Scully, you're no fun." Frohike frowns.

"Don't bet on it." Mulder laughs.

"Mulder!" Scully says, turning a lovely shade of red.

Frohike rests his chin on his bent arm and leans in, "Tell me more!"

"If I want to keep my happy home, I'd better shut up," Mulder says, glancing over at Scully.

"And another thing Mulder," Langley jumps in, "why did you buy this big freakin' house."

"Cause Scully wanted it," Frohike says.

"No, actually I didn't," Scully answers, as she takes a sip of her stew.

"You didn't? Why not Dana, it's a lovely home," Byers says as he looks around.

Mulder wanted it, I thought it was too big and ..."

"Expensive," Mulder adds.

"But we were already cramped in my apartment and Katherine was due in a matter of weeks, so I caved and we bought it."

"And you were moved in courtesy of the Lone Gunman moving company," Frohike winks.

"Yes, and I should have thanked you guys at the time."

"As I recall Scully, you were a little indisposed at the time, about to give birth," Byers jokes.

"Either way I should have thanked you."

The guys all beam.

No one is aware of it but Will had been putting all his carrots from his stew into Langley's bowl, even the ones he has taken out of his mouth.

Scully watches Mulder feed the broth to Katherine but she doesn't say anything to him. "I'm glad we bought it, it's big and roomy but it feels like home."

Langley takes a bite of his stew and frowns but doesn't say anything. Will holds up his bowl, "Da-dee mo' 'tatoes peas."

Mulder hands Katherine to Scully and takes the bowl from his son and scoops out another helping of stew. "Will, this needs to cool, eat your salad for now."

Will picks up the leaves of lettuce and stuffs them into his mouth. He frowns at the oil and vinegar dressing but swallows the bitter lettuce.

Langley laughs, "Hey guys, you remember that time we babysat for Will. We took that big cardboard box and cut holes into it to make him a cage."

"It was not a cage, it was a cardboard playpen." Byers corrects.

"Either way I thought Scully was gonna have our balls when she saw it," Frohike laughs, "but she was cool with it."

Scully just smiles.

Mulder sets the now cool bowl of stew in front of his son. Will takes a bite of the broth and smiles, "Da- dee da bee-bee wikes 'tatoes too."

"She does?" Byers playfully asks the toddler.

"Um hum, an' she wikes sgetties too."

Mulder's eyes grow wide.

"She does?" Scully jumps in. "Who feeds her spaghetti, William?"

Will points the Mulder, "Da-dee does."

Scully looks directly at Mulder. "I wondered what that red stain was on her pink shirt."

Mulder shrugs, "What can I say, Katherine likes Italian food and William has a big mouth."

"Ah gots a big moff." William repeats.

Everyone laughs, even Will.

Byers pushes his bowl away and opens his hands, "Here Dana, let me take her while you eat."

Scully hands her daughter to Byers. "Thanks John, if she fusses just bring her back."

"Oh, we'll do just fine," Byers says, patting Katherine's back, "we're friends."

"Yeah, Byers tells everyone he has a girlfriend named Katherine," Langley teases.

"Well, I do, but not like you use the term girlfriend," Byers corrects before carrying the baby into the family room.

Will is putting his carrots into Langley's bowl. Frohike catches him and smiles, "Hey Langley, do you like carrots?" Langley wrinkles his nose, "Not in particularly, but there sure are a lot in this stew."

Frohike laughs, "Yeah, yours and Will's"

"What?" Langley asks just as Will plops another carrot into his bowl. "What gives, little man?"

Everyone laughs.

"I guess he doesn't like carrots anymore than you do, man."

"No, he doesn't," Mulder says, getting up to lift Will off his booster seat. "He's a meat and potatoes man, not a carrot eater, aren't you Will."

Will rubs his messy hands together and says, "Ah yike 'tatoes."

Mulder sets his son on the counter and washes off his hands and face before removing the bib and setting him down on his feet.

"Langee, be da wion 'gain," Will yells as he runs to the family room.

Scully smiles at her son's antics as she starts to get up, "I don't know about you guys but I could use a cup of coffee."

"Sit down, I'll make it," Mulder says as he pats her shoulder. "You've been on your feet all day."

Scully sits back down as Langley gets up, "None for me, I have a part to play." He runs into the family room growling to the sound of Will's shrieking.

"Be careful Langley, you might be wearing Will's dinner," Scully warns.

Langley yells back, "I'll take that under advisement."

"Coffee Frohike?" Mulder asks.

"Yeah, what the hell, I'm up all night anyway."

Scully looks at him with concern on her face.

Frohike blushes, "I have an enlarged prostate and yes I do see a doctor, Scully."

Mulder sets two mugs down, "Frohike, that's just a little too much information for me."

Frohike takes his mug and warms his hands with it, "Don't be an ass Mulder, you're getting old too and just when was the last time you had your prostate checked?"

"The last time we had sex," Mulder grins at Scully.

"Mulder!" Scully frowns.

Frohike shakes his head, "Mulder you shit! Dana doesn't deserve a lug like you."

Mulder laughs and leans over to rub Scully's back.

William can be heard screaming in delight, "Langee, be ma howse!"

Mulder takes a sip of his coffee. "Sounds like Langley has met his match."

Frohike shakes his head, "Intellectually he has."

Scully gets up, "I better see how Byers is doing."

Frohike watches her leave and sighs, "What a woman."

Mulder leans over his coffee mug, "Frohike tell me something, is all this admiration of Scully just a game or does she really mean that much to you?"

Frohike leans back in his chair and crosses his arms, "That, my friend, is a loaded question. Either way I answer it I'm in for an ass kicking."

Mulder smiles, "No, I would never kick the ass of the CEO of the Lone Gunman moving company."

Frohike laughs and shakes his head, then turns serious as he nervously fingers a packet of sweetener lying on the table. He clears his throat and begins, "Mulder, I have loved that woman since I first laid eyes on her. She is everything I have ever wanted in a woman, but know I can never have."

Mulder quietly sits, listening to his friend pouring his heart out over his wife.

Frohike wraps his hands around his mug and stares at the table.

Mulder clears his throat, "You might find someone yet, Frohike."

Frohike raises his eyes to Mulder and sardonically laughs, "Sure." He drinks the last drop of coffee from his mug. "Let me ask you something Mulder; can you see yourself finding anyone to compare to Scully?"

Mulder is now the quiet one; he drops his head and stares at his now empty mug and softly says, "No, never."

Frohike leans back in his chair and grins. "See, we got it bad."

Mulder smiles.

Frohike adds, "Only you got the prize while I'm still waiting."

"Sorry Frohike, but you might be waiting a long while."

"Yeah I know, but rest assured if anything happens to you, again," Frohike smiles, "I'll make damn sure Dana is safe. I know she'd never have me, but any guy who gives her grief will have me to answer to."

Mulder nods, "Thanks, Frohike."

Frohike gets up from the table and stretches, "Come on Mulder, I haven't done this much confessing without bein' all liquored up in ages."

The two friends walk into the family room. Byers is rocking a now sleeping baby, while Langley and Will have moved on to playing a video game. Frohike looks at the mess in the family room and says, "I'll trade you my two for yours."

"Not a chance," Mulder laughs, "I hear the terrible forties are the worst."

Scully walks past Mulder and Frohike. Mulder grabs her by the arm and motions with his head for her to follow him, an act that doesn't go unnoticed by Frohike. Mulder pulls her into the kitchen and out the back door. "Mulder, what's going on?"

They step out onto the flagstone patio. "I want to see you."

Scully looks up at him, "Why, is something wrong?"

Mulder smiles, "No, does there always have to be something wrong?"

Scully laughs, "No, I guess not."

Mulder pulls her close and wraps his arms around her. Scully wraps her arms around his waist and rest her head against his chest as he strokes her hair. "This is nice," Scully purrs.

Mulder looks out over the vast expanse of their backyard. "Scully, if anything would happen to me, would you remarry?"

Scully draws back, "Mulder, where did that come from? Have you been talking to Frohike?"

Mulder ignores her question. "Well, would you?"

Scully breaks away from him and walks to the edge of the patio, rubbing her wind chilled arms. "I don't like talking about this. Would you remarry if I died?"

Mulder grimaces, "Scully, don't say that!"

Scully turns around, "Why, because you think you would take it harder if I died? Well, let me tell you, I've been there and if not for William, I would have died too, probably at my own hands."

Mulder is stunned by her revelation, and sits down on a stone bench. "Scully, don't say that!"

Scully sits down beside him, taking his hand and softly saying, "But it's true."

She turns so her back is against him. He wraps his arms around her and rests his chin on her shoulder. She softly says, "No Mulder, the answer is no, I would not remarry."

"Why?" Mulder whispers.

Scully leans her head back against him, "Because of your hands."

"My hands?" Mulder nearly laughs.

Scully sighs, "It's hard to explain, but from the moment I met you, you put your hands on me. We shook hands that first day; you usher me in and out of rooms with your hand on the small of my back and you gently brush the hair away from my face with your hand. When things got more personal between us, you touched and caressed me with such reverence, I knew then that no other hands would ever touch me again. Now when I see you brush away William's tears or hold our daughter I fall in love with those hands all over again." Scully takes one of his hands in hers and kisses it, "So there, you have your answer."

Mulder kisses her head and pauses a few moments, "Scully, does this mean I'll be getting gloves for Christmas?"

Scully turns her head to glare at him and they both break out in fits of laughter. They settle back down and Scully asks, "Mulder, would you remarry?"

Mulder grows quiet, "Scully, I don't like thinking about it."

Scully leans back into him, "I know Mulder, none of us do but would you?"

"No," Mulder shakes his head, "I know it would be hard, but with your mom's help I could raise Will and Katherine."

Scully turns to look at him, "I'm sure you could."

"Scully, I'd love to tell you it was your big, blue eyes or satiny, red hair that attracted me, but it was nothing tangible. I love that sassy, kick the crap out of anyone who gets in my way attitude of yours." Mulder then teasingly adds, "It was that, and you were just so darn cute."

"Cute!" Scully huffs.

Mulder smiles, he loves baiting her. "Is being called cute that bad?"

Scully settles back against him, "No, I suppose not, but don't do it in front of anyone else."

"Scully, you don't think others, especially men, don't already know that?" Scully huffs as Mulder holds her tighter and they sit in silence for a few minutes. "Scully?"

"Hum?"

"Why is it so hard for us to be normal?"

Scully looks back at him. "Mulder, we're normal."

"No we're not." Mulder laughs. "We don't do dinner parties, we don't socialize, we don't even fawn all over each other at the mall."

"I hate going to the mall," Scully sighs.

"We have no adult friends."

"What about the Gunman?" "Like I said, we have no adult friends."

Scully laughs. "I never knew it bothered you."

"It doesn't, I mean it shouldn't. See that's what I mean."

"Do you really think we can fit in? I can see us at a cocktail party, 'hello Dana, and what do you do for a living?' I cut up dead people and follow, my then partner, all over the world looking for aliens."

"I gotta admit that does sound strange. Maybe we're just weird."

"I prefer to think of us as antisocial, besides I like spending my free time with you, Will, and Katherine."

"Me too," Mulder says trying to protect her from the chill.

"Speaking of William, I see him standing at the French doors, pounding and yelling."

Mulder turns to look at his son. "You think he wants to come out?"

"Either that, or he wants to get away from the Gunman."

Both Mulder and Scully chuckle while Mulder motions for William to come out and join them. Will turns to Frohike and yells while bouncing on his feet. Frohike peers out the door and lets the youngster out.

Will runs straight to his parents. It's cold enough to see the little puffs of breath coming from the child. "Hi," Will charmingly says, clasping his hands together while a wide grin covers his face.

Mulder and Scully return the smile while Scully scoops up her son. "Hey buddy, what are you doing out here?" Mulder asks.

Will leans against his mother, seeking her warmth, "Ah come ta see yo."

"Good," Scully beams, "I missed you!"

"Is cowd." Will shivers.

Scully hold him even tighter, "You want to go back inside?"

"No," Will shakes his head and looks up pointing at the sky, "Look, staws."

Mulder and Scully look up. "Yes, they are. You have stars on your bedroom ceiling, don't you." Scully comments, as she stares at the stars.

"Yup, Ah do," Will agrees. "Da bee-bee wans staws too."

Mulder smiles at his son, "Maybe we need to buy Katherine some stars."

"Okay!" Will says, as he begins to get off his mother's lap.

Scully laughs, "No, not now Will, maybe tomorrow. It's too late tonight."

"It's never too late to reach for the stars." Mulder grins at Scully.

Scully looks back at him, "You're not serious?"

"Sure, I am. I'm not putting things off anymore. If Katherine needs some stars, then Will and I are going to find her some stars."

"Okay!" Will agrees and jumps up into his father's open arms.

They start to walk toward the garage. Scully yells, "What should I tell the Gunman."

Mulder yells back over his shoulder, "Tell them Will and I are hunting for stars."

Scully sighs and walks to the kitchen door, "Normal, we will never be."

"Scully!"

"I'm up here, Mulder." Scully says from the top of the stairs.

"I just got the mail and we received an invitation." Mulder is tossing each piece of mail onto the entryway table. "Some kind of party at the home of one of our neighbors."

Scully comes downstairs. "Oh really, which one?"

"How should I know, I've never seen any of them," Mulder smiles down at her.

"Well, what's the address?" Scully huffs, as she pushes back her hair.

"1452 Franklin Drive."

"That's only a few houses down."

"Must be that ugly pink house."

"That's not pink, Mulder. It's Magenta Sand Stone."

"How do you know that?" Mulder looks down at Scully.

"I saw the color at Home Depot, but you're right it is ugly. So who's throwing the party?" Scully asks, looking around his arm to see the invitation.

Mulder flips the card open; "You are cordially invited to a cocktail party, December 6th, 2003 at seven PM at the home of Bennie and Bunny Slater, owners of the big ugly pink house."

Scully grabs the note; "It doesn't say that!"

Mulder laughs, "It might as well."

Scully fingers the note as she walks into the kitchen, "So are we going?"

"I don't know? Do you want to go?" Mulder asks, sitting on a stool at the counter.

Scully pours herself a cup of coffee. "I don't know? It would be a nice way to meet some of our neighbors."

Mulder leans against the counter, "Ah, but the question is, do we want to meet our neighbors?"

"We really should, if only to see if they have kids that Will and Katherine can play with."

Mulder looks around, "So where are our two?"

"They crashed about an hour ago. Katherine got tired of Will trying to put his hat on her so she bawled."

"And he cried." Mulder adds.

"Mulder, we have got to get him over that crying every time she cries."

"He'll grow out of it eventually. What can I say, he's a sensitive guy like his dad."

"Sensitive or not, its difficult enough to have one crying child but to have two crying at the same time can be maddening."

"Scully, he's experiencing sympathy cries."

Scully just glares at Mulder. Suddenly the phone rings and it's a good thing for Mulder it has. "Hello, Mulder residence."

"Hello Dana."

"Hi mom."

"How's everyone."

"We're fine. The kids are asleep and Mulder and I are having a cup of coffee."

"Sounds like you're enjoying it."

"Yes, we are." Scully smiles.

"So, no work for you this week."

"No, none so far."

"Oh."

"Mom you sound disappointed."

"I am a little, I like taking care of the two of them."

Scully looks over at Mulder, but he's busy reading a newspaper that's lying on the counter. "Mom, how would you like to baby sit this Saturday night?"

Mulder's head snaps up and he catches Scully's eye but she turns away.

"I'd love too, what's the occasion?"

"We've been invited to a party at one of our neighbors."

"Dana, that's wonderful. You and Fox need to get out more."

Scully glances back at Mulder. "I'm not so sure about that. Look, I'll call you back with the details."

"Okay honey."

"Bye mom."

"Bye Dana."

Scully hangs up the phone and finally looks at Mulder, "Well?"

"Well what?"

"Well, are you mad that I said yes without checking with you?"

"Not mad, a little hurt maybe," Mulder says, as he tries to pout.

Scully rolls her eyes and brushes past him, "Mulder, you are so full of shit!" He snickers as he watches her leave the kitchen.

Saturday December 6th, 6:45PM

A knock is heard at the front door. "I'll get it," Mulder says, carrying his daughter with him.

"Hello son," Maggie Scully says as she enters the warm home.

"Hi Maggie."

"Aw come see grandma, Katherine." Maggie lifts the little girl from her father's arms. "It's easy to tell this one is a Mulder baby." She says, brushing the dark curls away from Katherine's eyes.

Mulder beams at the compliment as Will bounds downstairs. "Easy buddy." Mulder says, catching his son at the bottom.

"Where's Dana?" Maggie asks.

"Gettin' dwessed," Will answers.

"She is!" Maggie laughs.

Will turns to his father while chewing on his fingers and softly says, "Mom, sayin' bad woods."

Mulder chuckles, "Sounds like mom is having a hard time deciding what to wear."

Just then Scully comes down the stairs in a form fitting deep green, sleeveless dress that stops two inches above her knees. Mulder gazes up at her with his mouth hanging open. "Wow," is all he gets out.

Scully smiles, "I'll take that as a compliment."

"Momma's pwetty," Will adds.

"Why thank you, William. You're pretty cute yourself." Scully says, tweaking her son's nose as he grins at her.

"Dana, you look great!"

"Thanks mom." Scully turns to Mulder, "You ready?"

"As I'll ever be," he says kissing William's cheek and putting him down.

Scully grabs her purse off the hall table and kisses Will and Katherine. "We won't be late, mom. The number is on the pad next to the phone in the office."

"We'll do just fine," Maggie says, smiling at the baby in her arms.

"Come on Scully, let's get this over with," Mulder says, opening the door.

Scully gets in the passenger side while Mulder gets in the driver's side of the SUV. She pulls out the seat belt. "Mulder, it seems silly to drive two houses down."

"I guess it might be hard to say we didn't make it because we were lost."

Scully glares at him. "Mulder, if you don't want to go we can just stay home."

Mulder starts the engine. "No, I don't mind, it's just that I would rather be home playing with Will."

Scully looks out the side window and sighs, "Me too."

They drive the one tenth of a mile it takes to get to the home of Bunny and Bennie Slater. Scully gets out of the vehicle and straightens her skirt. Mulder walks around the SUV and puts his hand on the small of her back. "Forget it Scully, it just isn't going to get any longer," he smiles.

Mulder pushes the doorbell and when the hostess answers the door, Scully is still glaring at him. "Hello, I'm Bunny Slater, and you two must be the new neighbors."

Before either partner can respond Bunny has ushered them into her living room filled with people. "Everyone," Bunny says, clapping her hands together, "everyone, this is... oh my, I didn't get your names," she laughs.

"We're the Mulder's," Mulder says. "This is Dana and I'm Fox but I prefer to be called Mulder." A murmur can be heard from the females when Mulder says his name is Fox.

"Well Dana and Mulder," Bunny nervously laughs, "welcome to our community. I'm sure you will like it here."

Scully smiles and nods as Mulder mumbles, "Shades of Arcadia."

"Now you two go mingle," Bunny says, pushing her newest neighbors into the middle of the fray.

"Mulder leans over, "I don't know about you Scully, but I'm gonna need a drink."

Scully looks around and licks her lips, "Make mine a double." Mulder chuckles and makes his way through the crowd to the bar.

A tall, very thin, blonde comes walking out of the crowd toward Scully; she thrusts out her hand. "Dana?"

"Yes."

"I'm Jill Santo, Bill's wife."

Scully gives her a look that says none of this has registered.

"We live in the yellow colonial just around the corner."

"Oh," Scully says, finally placing where she has seen her before; "I know which one, its lovely."

"Not as beautiful as the one you and Fox, er, Mulder bought."

Scully has to smile at the woman's awkwardness.

"I tried to get Bill to buy it but we just couldn't swing it."

"We like it," Scully says.

"What does Mulder do for a living?" Jill pries.

"He teaches at the FBI Academy."

"And you?"

"I'm a pathologist with the FBI. We're both agents."

The woman standing before Scully stares, wide eyed then snaps, "It must pay well."

"Actually its not that great."

"But how did you get the house then?"

Scully is slightly peeved by this woman's implication so she changes the subject. "What does Bill do for a living?"

"He's a corporate lawyer for Phillip-Morris."

"That must pay well what with all the litigation."

"It used to," the woman sighs, "but since they've had to pay off so many smokers, well we haven't seen a Christmas bonus in years."

Scully tries to be polite, "I'm sure." She spots Mulder and decides to seek refuge with him. "Excuse me Jill, I think Mulder wants me."

Jill turns her head to stare at Mulder and mutters, "I wish he wanted me." She tosses back her drink and walks away from Scully.

Mulder brings her a glass of wine, "How's it going 'Dana'." Scully glares at him. "Well you don't expect me to call you 'Scully' do you?"

"No Mulder, I get the feeling they already think we're weird."

"Oh I don't know," Mulder says. "I just spent a sizzling ten minutes listening to Brad and Chip discussing how Viagra has changed their lives."

"Well they say that saves a lot of marriages."

"I don't think either one of their wives is on the receiving end of the benefits of Viagra."

Scully huffs and shakes her head.

A brunette, who is falling out of her dress, slinks up to Mulder and with a drink in one hand takes Mulder's arm in the other. "Hello Fox," she purrs. "I don't think we've met yet, in fact I know we haven't, I would never forget a man like you." Mulder stares at the woman with a polite smile on his face. Scully, on the other hand, is not amused. "Come on Fox, lets you and me get acquainted. I'm sure the little woman here, won't mind," the brunette slurs at Scully as she begins to drag Mulder away. He looks back pleadingly at Scully as she crosses her arms and watches the spectacle. Scully sits down on a cushioned hassock, trying to look as small and indiscriminate as possible. Another woman sits down across from her on the couch. "Dana, is it?"

"Yes, it is," Scully replies to the athletic woman in short bobbed hair.

"Hi I'm Patricia, nice to meet you." The woman looks around the room. "I hate these things."

Scully is relieved to find someone she can agree with. "I suppose they're all right."

"This is the first one I've been too since that rats ass husband of mind decided he needed his freedom and left me and the kids for his dental hygienist."

"Your husband is a dentist?" Scully questions.

"No, he's a cosmetic surgeon, but he damn well has the cleanest teeth in town." The woman eyes Scully, "How about you? This your first marriage?"

Scully is shocked by the question. "Yes, this is my first and only marriage."

The woman looks over at the brunette who is doing everything but crawling into Mulder's lap. "Look sweetie, if I were you, I'd pull manzilla over there off my husband."

Scully looks over at Mulder and manzilla with wide eyes that narrow to little slits. "Thanks, I'll take that under advisement."

"Well, gotta go socialize, but if you ever need to talk you know where to find me, I'm a good listener."

Scully finds Patricia's last statement hard to believe. She sits on the hassock a few more moments then finally can't stand it any longer and walks over to Mulder and manzilla. She taps him on the shoulder, "Care to dance with me, Mulder?"

"Aw," Manzilla pouts, "and we were just getting to know one another."

"I can see that," Scully smiles as she takes Mulder's hand and leads him into the great room where the music is playing.

"Thanks Scully, you have no idea what I was going through back there."

"It's okay Mulder, I saw what she was doing and what you were not."

Mulder smiles down at his partner. "You know I only have eyes for you, don't you Scully?"

"You better, or I'm taking the house."

Mulder laughs, "What about the kids?"

Scully looks up at him as they slowly begin to dance, "They go with the house."

Mulder holds her tight and turns serious; "I would never leave you or the kids, at least not voluntarily."

Scully lays her head on his chest and they dance for a few minutes when she finally says, "Mulder, we're not mingling."

Mulder has his head down and his hand entwined with hers holding it against his chest. "No, we're not."

"Not at all."

"You want to?"

Scully sighs, "Maybe later."

Just then Mulder feels a tap on the shoulder, before him stands a tall, young, blonde man. "Can I cut in?"

Mulder glares at him, "Actually she's with me."

"Come on," he says, beaming a perfect smile. "Be a sport, we're all neighbors."

Mulder looks down at Scully, who subtly nods. He releases her hand and moves off to stand at the bar.

The blonde man takes Scully in his arms, a little too tightly for Mulder's liking. "My name's Dan and you are Dana?"

"That's right."

"So what do you do besides drive men wild?"

Scully looks Dan straight in the eyes, "I cut up people."

Dan starts to sweat, Scully can feel it on her hand and back, and then he swallows hard. "You do autopsies?"

Scully softly smiles, "Oh yeah, on rotting, filthy, disemboweled people."

Dan frowns, "And you like that?"

"It's a job," Scully shrugs. "What's not to like?"

"Uh, I see an old friend over there," he motions with his head.

Scully looks around but doesn't see anyone in particular. "I thought we were all neighbors here?"

"We are but I haven't seen him in ages, excuse me." Dan nearly races to find his imaginary buddy.

Mulder has been watching the whole thing unfold. Scully walks over to where he is sitting at the bar. "Scully, you told him you cut up bodies, didn't you," he grins.

Scully sits down next to him. "I sure did."

"Good, I'm glad you did." Mulder sips his wine and plays with the stemmed glass. "Scully, what time is it?"

Scully looks at her watch. "Almost eight, why?"

Mulder looks off into space. "It's almost Will's bedtime, I could be reading to him or helping him on his ABC's."

Scully sighs, "And I could be slipping into a hot, steamy tub," then she nudges his arm with hers, "waiting for you to join me." Mulder grabs her hand and drags her off the stool. "Mulder, what are you doing?"

"We're going home."

"But I thought we were here to mingle and find Will some friends?"

Mulder pulls her through the crowd, "I just realized I don't like to mingle and these people are far too old to be William's friends."

Scully giggles just as they hit the front door. Their hostess spots them and comes over, "Dana, Mulder, you're not leaving so soon are you?"

"Yes, I'm afraid we have too," Mulder lies.

"Is something wrong?" Bunny questions.

Both partners stare at one another then at Bunny. "It's our son!" Scully blurts out at the same time Mulder says; "It's our daughter!"

Bunny looks from one agent to the other. Finally Scully says, "It's both of our kids, they're sick. My mom called my cell, she's baby sitting." Scully glances up at Mulder.

"Oh my!" Bunny exclaims. "I hope it's not serious."

"No," Mulder smiles, "they both get sick at the same time, all the time."

Scully glares up at him.

Mulder moves past Scully and grabs the door knob, "We, we should be going, dear."

"Yes, we really should," Scully agrees, backing away from Bunny.

They start out the door when Bunny says, "Each New Years we have a huge indoor-outdoor bar-b-que in the back yard, weather permitting of course, we'll expect to see you there."

Mulder and Scully sickeningly smile at their hostess as she closes the door.

Mulder grabs Scully by the hand, "Come on, let's get out of here."

They both jump into the SUV then Mulder starts the engine. He manages to get out of the driveway without clipping any fenders. He heads north but drives past their home. Scully looks back, "Mulder, what are you doing?"

"Ah, the night is still young Agent Scully," he grins.

She stares at him in disbelief, "But I thought you wanted to go home."

"I do, but can't we grab a cup of coffee first?"

Scully leans back and smiles at him.

"What?" Mulder questions.

"You're still the same impetuous man I met all those years ago."

"Would you want me to be anything else?" Mulder smiles.

Scully shakes her head, "No, I suppose not."

He pulls into the parking lot of an out of the way diner. They hold hands and walk to the door.

Once inside, Mulder finds a dark booth in the back, away from the other customers. He has to smile at the male heads that turn as Scully walks past. He takes the seat facing the slack-jawed men just in case any of them thinks they have a chance; he'll prove them wrong.

An older man comes out from behind the grill and grabs a pencil and a pad of paper. "What'll it be folks?"

"Coffee for me," Scully answers.

Mulder leans back in the booth. "What kind of pie have you got?"

The man scratches his balding head, "I got peach, custard, and apple."

"Wanna piece of pie, Scully?"

"No thanks, just coffee."

Mulder looks up at the man. "I'll have peach and give her a piece of custard."

"I don't want pie, Mulder."

"I know you Scully, if I get a piece you'll steal bits from it but you won't eat a whole piece and I'm hungry so I'll eat what you leave."

The old man smiles at the two sitting before him.

Scully gives in, "I'll have pie too, but I want apple."

The old man leaves to fill their order.

Mulder leans back in the booth and closes his eyes, "Scully, we don't fit in do we?"

Scully laces her fingers together as she rests her elbows on the table. "No Mulder, I don't think we do."

"Does that bother you?"

"Sometimes, yeah it does."

Mulder opens his eyes and looks at her. "Why?"

"Because of how it might affect Will and Katherine."

"And you?" He questions.

"Me? No, I got use to not fitting in early in our partnership."

The old man returns with their two coffees and two pieces of pie. He hands Mulder a knife, "I thought you might need this."

"Thanks." Mulder takes the knife and cuts the slice of apple pie in half and places one piece of it on his plate.

"Hey, no fair! I want some of yours too." Scully frowns.

Mulder cuts his piece in half too. "I don't recall this being part of the deal," Mulder teases.

Scully merely smiles back as she digs into her sliver of peach pie.

A few silent moments pass between them. "Scully, do you mean that?"

"Mean what?" Scully says, after taking a sip of her coffee.

"That you got used to not fitting in?"

"Mulder, why do you always fixate on how our partnership was bad for me in some way?"

Mulder looks down at his coffee. "Well, wasn't it?"

"No, not at all," Scully laughs. "Mulder, I could have left at any time or worse, have had you thrown out of the bureau." She smiles at him. "You did ditch me a time or two."

"A time or two! Scully, I worry about this long term memory loss you seem to be having."

Scully laughs, "Okay, maybe twenty or thirty times then."

"That's my girl!" Mulder laughs with a twinkle in his eyes.

Scully takes his hand in hers. "Mulder, I don't know if our partnership molded me or if I helped mold it, but I'm happy where I am."

"I'm glad," Mulder smiles. "But Scully, you said our not fitting in might affect Will and Katherine, how did you mean that?"

Scully lets go of his hand and takes a sip of her coffee then sets the cup down. "Take tonight, for instance."

"What about tonight?"

"We went over there with the intention of finding children for them to play with," she takes another sip of her coffee, "but instead we chicken out and come home empty handed."

"Scully, those people were weird."

"No Mulder, those people were normal."

Mulder slouches down in the booth to pout and play with his fork. "Then I don't want to be normal."

"That may be Mulder, but Will and Katherine are still alone."

"No they're not, they're with your mom."

"Mulder!" Scully huffs. "You know what I mean."

Mulder sits up straighter in the booth, "Wait one minute Scully, I think you're looking at this all wrong."

Scully is the one now sitting back against the booth. "How so?"

"Okay, so we went to a 'normal' cocktail party with what I consider a bunch of freaks but you say they're 'normal', so we'll go with that supposition. So where were these 'normal' peoples kids?"

"I don't know, I suppose they were with their grandparents."

"Wanna bet! I over heard old Bennie say his two kids were with the baby sitter, who has a boyfriend who drinks, but that doesn't seem to bother Ben who was busy tossing back, his third tequila shooter. Then Jan..."

"Jill," Scully corrects.

"Jill, whatever, Jill's hubby said his three kids were staying at a twenty-four hour daycare. Sounds warm and fuzzy don't it."

Scully is sickened and irritated by what she is hearing. "Mulder, what's your point?"

"My point is, I figure this gang of 'normal' people party at least twice a month, now that's twenty-four times a year that they dump their children and that's not including special event dumping, like business trips and week end getaways. I guess what I'm saying is, I don't want our kids around those certain to be screwed up, kids. I want to stay home and read to my son, I want to wash my daughter's face after she's cried, I want to be there when they're sick or need a hug."

Scully's eyes grow red.

"You know Scully, I could leave my class at noon and everyday head for the gym, or hang out with the guys, but I don't because I can't wait to get home. I want my buddy to be my son, and I want to be the father to my daughter that neither I nor my sister had." Mulder looks down at his half-full coffee cup. "I know I'm obsessive Scully," he swallows hard, "but I love my kids and would rather spend time with them and you than be at some drunken, trolling for sex party filled with 'normal' people anytime."

Scully looks up with a tight-lipped smile on her face and brushes away a tear. Finally she says, "Come on Mulder, let's go home to our kids."

They leave their half-eaten pie on the table with a large tip and slip out the door.

Mulder drapes his arm over Scully's chilled shoulders. "I'm sorry I made you cry."

She looks up at him, "I'm not, I need to be reminded that nothing is more important than family." She stands on tiptoes and kisses his lips. "Thanks for reminding me."

"Scully, I think I notice it more because its something I never had."

"And something I take for granted," Scully adds.

Mulder opens the door for her. "Well maybe just a little, but it was always there for you, I'm just discovering what it is to be a family, a functioning one," he says closing the door.

Mulder pulls out of the parking lot and aims the SUV for home. "Scully, do you think Will and Katherine will think we're weird?"

"Mulder, by the time they are teenagers, I can almost guarantee it."

Mulder laughs, "But by then Scully, they'll probably be right."

"All we can do is love and protect them."

"And play with them, Will and I have more fun then humans should be allowed to have."

Scully looks at him, "Have you been watching David Letterman in the office again?"

"I have to Scully, every time I watch it in our bedroom we end up having sex and I miss the top ten list."

Scully blushes, it's too dark for Mulder to see but he knows she's blushing.

They pull into their driveway while the house a few doors down is still lit up like a Roman candle. Mulder drives on into the garage but takes Scully's hand and pulls her away from the back door and leads her to the front step. The porch lights are off but the downstairs lights are on in the house. He takes both of Scully's hands and steps closer to her. "Umm Dana, I really enjoyed our date tonight."

Scully is smiling up at the man who stands before her. "I did too, Fox."

Mulder actually looks nervous, "You think I might be able to see you again?"

Scully blushes, "I don't see why not, after all my mom likes you."

"She does!" Mulder feigns surprise.

"She said you're better than most of the guys I bring home."

"Most of the guys?" Mulder frowns. "Dana, just how many guys have you brought home?"

Scully wraps her arms around his waist. "None, since I met you."

Mulder grins and looks down at her, "May I kiss you good night?"

"I was hoping you would."

Mulder tilts her chin up and takes her face in his hands and brushes his lips across hers, but it doesn't stop there, soon they are involved in some serious lip locking.

Just then the door opens and Mrs. Scully peeks out. "Oh Dana, Fox, you're back. I thought I heard a noise."

Mulder pulls away from Scully, "Maggie, you think you could baby sit for just five more minutes?"

Maggie gets Mulder's drift. "Of course son," she smiles, "just let me know when you're finished."

Maggie shuts the door as Scully giggles, "Mulder, that was mean."

"No it wasn't Scully, your mom likes to baby sit and I like kissing you, so we're both happy."

"So what's in it for me?" Scully teases.

"Just this," Mulder bends her over and kisses the stuffin's out of her.

Both come up panting for air. "Mulder, I think we better go inside."

"Yeah," Mulder sighs.

Just as Scully is turning the doorknob she looks back at Mulder. "Oh, and Mulder, I don't think you'll be catching the top ten list tonight either."

A silver Jeep Grand Cherokee is winding its way through the heavy late December traffic. The woman behind the wheel has a determined look on her face and a steel grip on the wheel, the man next to her looks out the side window at the whirlwinds of snow that churn up along the highway.

"Mulder, I hate Christmas shopping for the kids with you."

"But Scully, I want to help pick out their gifts."

"No," Scully corrects, "you want to play with all the toys and get gifts far too advanced for their ages."

"Will, is exceptionally bright," Mulder challenges.

"Bright or not, he could not ride that ten speed bike you bought him last year; he could barely walk!"

"I did go back and buy the child seat for it, besides we had fun riding it together through our old neighborhood."

"This year we are buying more educational toys."

Mulder slumps down in the car seat and mumbles, "Will and Katherine aren't going to like that."

Scully glances over, "I was talking about for you."

Scully wheels into the mall parking lot and hunts for a place to park, she finally finding one and pulls in; shutting off the Cherokee she and Mulder get out to face the cold. She pulls her boot length, red wool coat tight against herself. The color was not one she would have preferred with her red hair, but once Mulder got a look at her in it he insisted she buy it.

Mulder is wearing jeans, a gray sweater over a T-shirt and his leather car coat. Scully had to battle him to shave on his day-off, but she's had enough of woman staring at his furry face and running over her toes with their shopping carts.

Mulder pulls the entrance to the mall open just as a gust of wind nearly blows Scully away. "Where to first?" He asks, as they stuff their coats into a mall locker and take the key.

"The bookstore," Scully says pointing down the long hall covered in Christmas glitz.

Mulder whines, but follows her anyway.

Once in the bookstore, Scully takes off for the juvenile section while Mulder wanders around. Soon Scully has picked out several cloth books for Katherine and a book on farm animals and one on big trucks for Will.

Mulder meets her at the checkout carrying a large book on trains. "Mulder, what are you doing with that?"

"I got it for Will," he says clutching the book possessively.

Scully has to smile at him, "Why does William need a ten pound book on trains?"

Mulder flips open the book to reveal the big beautiful pictures of trains. "I thought we could look at this together."

"Me and you?" Scully grins.

"Nooo, me and Will."

A couple behind them snickers.

Once the books are paid for they make their way through the throng of people deeper into the mall.

"Scully, we should have brought the kids along and had their pictures taken with Santa."

"We'll do that one day next week after your class. I didn't want to bring the kids today because of the long lines on the weekend, and I want to get Katherine a Christmas dress and Will a Christmas sweater for the pictures."

Mulder drapes his arm over her shoulder and smiles, "See that's why I keep you around, you're the logical one." Scully flashes him 'the look' but he pretends not to see her.

Scully crosses through the crowd to stare into a woman's clothing store window. Mulder walks up behind her and puts both hands on her shoulders and softly says, "See anything you like?"

Scully looks up at him, "The reflection of the guy in the window."

Mulder beams and grabs her hand, "Come on, let's go in."

Scully resists, "Mulder, this store is much too expensive."

"So what!" Mulder says over his shoulder.

They immediately come to the attention of a saleswoman. "Can I help you?"

"No. We're just...," Scully starts to say.

"Yes, clothing. Her size," Mulder cuts in, pointing down at Scully's head.

Scully glares at him but the woman merely wiggles her finger for them to follow her.

"Everything in this section of the store is petite and in your size. If you need any help, please let me know."

"Thanks," Mulder answers.

They wander amongst the silver and silk, while Scully brushes past the flimsy negligees Mulder stops to admire them. "Hey Scully," Mulder says, picking up a teddy that you could read a newspaper through, "how about this?"

Scully blushes and pulls him away from the garment. "Mulder, its December, I'd freeze to death in that!"

Mulder slings his arm over her shoulder. "No, you wouldn't, I'd keep you warm."

Scully laughs, "Can you see me getting up to check on Will in that thing?"

"You could wear your long johns under it," he teases.

Scully spots something and takes off across the store. She is admiring a deep blue silk dress. She takes it off the rack, then turns it around. She holds it up in front of a full-length mirror.

Mulder stands back with his elbow resting on a garment rack. He never takes his eyes off Scully. She runs her hands over the fine silk. He motions the saleswoman over and pulls out his gold card, pointing to the dress he hands the card to the saleswoman. She takes the hint and disappears. He walks back over to Scully. "That would look sharp on you."

Scully sighs, "It's gorgeous, but far too expensive."

"How much?"

"Four hundred dollars."

"You know I'll buy it for you, hell you can buy it for yourself, it's our money."

Scully shrugs, "I know Mulder, but I still can't bring myself to spend that kind of money on a piece of cloth, no matter how beautiful it is." She feels the sleeve once more then moves on. Mulder lingers behind and retrieves his card from the saleswoman, he'll return for the dress later.

They make their way through the left wing of the mall. Mulder carries the packages from the bookstore in one arm and holds Scully's hand in the other as they silently walk on. Suddenly he stops dead in his tracks; just a head lies a toy store. He drags Scully through the crowd to its entrance. "Here it is Scully, the Holy Grail of Kiddom."

Scully rolls her eyes, "Mulder, you are not going to quote Ralphie from A Christmas Story all day, are you?"

Mulder grabs a basket off the quickly dwindling pile. "Thanks for reminding me Scully, I want to get that on DVD for Will."

Scully glares up at him, "Mulder, so help me if he runs around screaming 'you'll shoot your eye out', I'm gonna kill you!"

Mulder laughs and takes off in search of the video section while Scully wanders over to the infants. She looks over the toys and wonders what might catch Katherine's fancy. Will was easy to buy for when he was her age, but Katherine is an enigma much like her father. She selects an Aqua Pad filled with stars and glitter, a soft dog that winds up and barks, and a Jack in the Box. Looking over the large dollhouses, she wishes Katherine were just a little older so that they could enjoy building one together. Next she picks out a Teddy bear with a button up vest and cloth shoes that tie, hoping it will teach her how to do it properly when the time comes, unlike William, who prefers one quick knot. She picks up a few more small items for Katherine's stocking and turns to go to the toddler's section when she spots Mulder's head above the displays. He rounds the end of the aisle and nearly runs into her. He is carrying his overflowing basket and pushing an equally overflowing cart.

"Hey Scully," Mulder says looking down at Scully's purchases and laughing, "Is that all you got! I wouldn't want to be on Super Market Sweep with you, we'd suck!"

Scully chooses to ignore his smart-ass response. "Mulder, what on earth did you buy?"

"What's it look like; toys!"

"I know that!" Scully says exasperatedly.

Mulder begins to paw through his finds, "A can of Lincoln Logs for Will and a train set, a remote controlled truck, a T-ball set and a remote controlled boat for next summer."

Scully frowns, "I never thought about getting things they could use in the summer."

Mulder pulls out more toys, "And I got Katherine a Pre-School kitchen set, a See and Say, a Sit and Spin, and a remote controlled duck for the pool."

"You got a See and Say, where did you find that?" Scully wistfully asks. "I was looking for one of those."

Mulder waves three pieces of paper in the air. "We need to drive around back and pick up a battery operated Hummer for Will to drive and a Barbie car for Katherine, plus a two-seater Flexible Flyer sled."

Scully is amazed and nods her head. "You did good."

Mulder beams at the compliment. "I did, didn't I?"

"You sure did," Scully laughs.

They check out and leave their purchases on the dock with the two cars and sled that they will pick up later, and enter the mall once more. "I don't know about you Scully, but I could use a sandwich and some coffee."

"Me too, but not at Kiddie Junction, let's stop at a proper restaurant."

They walk hand in hand to Casey's Grill. Mulder finds a booth by the window so they can watch the shopper's. A server approaches. "Can I get you something to drink?" She asks, handing them two menus.

"Coffee." They both say.

Their server leaves to get the coffee while they peruse the menus.

"So what's it gonna be Scully?" Mulder asks, glancing over his own menu.

"Turkey Club on wheat." Scully answers.

"I think I'll have a bowl of clam chowder and a turkey sandwich."

The server appears with a carafe of coffee and two cups. She fills each cup and takes their order.

"What's next?" Mulder asks, taking a drink from his cup.

"Well since you were such a thorough toy buyer, I think we need to find a children's clothing store."

Mulder smiles.

"What?" Scully questions.

"Nothing," Mulder shakes his head, "it's just that I'm really enjoying myself."

Scully looks confused so Mulder explains, "How many times have you been Christmas shopping?"

Scully frowns, "I don't know, I would say every year since I was a little girl, why?"

"Because I've never been Christmas shopping before, I mean before William came along."

Scully's eyes grow wide. "I didn't know that Mulder," she sympathetically says.

"It's not a big deal," Mulder shrugs.

"Yes it is!" Scully says, as the server returns with their food.

Once their food is served, Scully questions Mulder further. "Why didn't you ever Christmas shop?"

Mulder takes a spoonful of chowder and swallows, "My mom always ordered our gifts or picked them up on her travels, and when Samantha was taken Christmas just never seemed to matter anymore."

Scully pauses, chewing her bite of food then swallows. "You didn't shop for gifts while you were at Oxford?"

"Why should I? I never went home."

"Not for Christmas?" Scully looks at him with wide, blue eyes.

"Not ever." Mulder shakes his head.

Scully puts down her sandwich and wipes her mouth. "Mulder, you spent all those years in England and never saw your folks?"

Mulder smiles and runs his finger around the lip of his coffee cup. "The All American family, we were not." Then he looks up. "Oh Scully, I didn't tell you that to make you cry."

Scully lowers her head. "I'm not crying," she says turning her head to look out into the mall as she quickly wipes at her eyes.

With their lunch over they walk back into the crush of people. "So you want to pick out some clothes for the kids? Mulder asks.

Scully stops walking while people stream past her. She looks up at her partner, "No Mulder, I want you to go pick out their clothes while I shop for mom's gifts."

Mulder stops and turns back. "You want me to pick out their clothes! Scully, I don't know what to buy."

Scully smiles, "Just get Katherine a Christmas dress for an eight month old and Will needs a Christmas sweater in a 3T." She pats his arm. "You'll do just fine and I'll meet you at the main entrance."

Mulder's face breaks out in a huge grin, "Okay, I'll meet you there." He turns and struts through the mall concourse heading for Green Tree Children's Clothing. Scully watches him, happy in the knowledge that Mulder is Christmas shopping.

Forty-five minutes later Scully is standing at the mall entrance shuffling her aching feet and guarding her packages. Around the corner comes Mulder, his arms burdened with his purchases. Scully laughs, "Mulder, just how many dresses and sweaters did you buy?"

"Scully, I found the kids some great clothes and they were on sale."

"That's nice Mulder but we have a lot to cram into the SUV." Scully walks over to the lockers and puts the key in, retrieving her coat and Mulder's jacket. Mulder puts down his packages and helps Scully into her coat then puts on his jacket. They each gather up their parcels and head for the exit. Mulder pushes a button on his key chain and the SUV lights come on as the engine roars to life.

The snow is softly falling as they approach their vehicle. Scully loads all their packages into the back seat while Mulder makes room for the toys yet to be loaded. They get in and weave their way across the parking lot to the back of the toy store. Mulder pulls into a short line and is soon the next vehicle to be loaded. Two teenagers help him load the cars, sled, and assorted bags of toys into the SUV for which he tips them generously. Mulder has to force it, but he finally gets the back door closed. He climbs in the now comfortably warm SUV and blows on his fingers while Scully flicks the snowflakes out of his hair.

"All set?" he asks her, as the daylight grows dim.

"All set," Scully smiles back. "Let's drop the gifts off at the house then go pick up the kids from mom."

Mulder swings the SUV out the mall exit and heads home.

They pull into their garage and Mulder unloads the cars and the sled into the storage room while Scully carries the bags and boxes into the house.

Mulder walks in the back door. "Wait Scully, before we pick up the kids I want you to see the clothes I bought."

Scully puts one hand on her hip and the other on the kitchen counter and smiles up at him, "I was curious to see what you picked out."

Mulder paws through the bags Scully carried in until he finds the two from the clothing store. He pauses, "Now I know Will has your eyes and you look great in blue so I got him a blue sweater with snowflakes on it." He pulls out the little blue sweater.

Scully is amazed; she takes one sleeve and runs her thumb over the soft fabric. "I know its kind of light weight but I figure he will have a shirt on under it and well, you know how hot they keep those malls," Mulder trails off with a blush on his face.

Scully looks up at him, "Mulder, this is perfect!"

Mulder beams, "You really think so?"

"I sure do."

He pulls more clothing out of the bag. "I also got him some real pajamas, not the kind with feet in them, and a robe and slippers to match." Mulder pulls the ensemble out of the bag.

Scully laughs, "Mulder, how cute! He is going to love that, it looks so grown up." She folds up the tiny robe. "Can I see what you got for Katherine?"

Mulder hesitates. "Scully, I hope you like this. I thought it would look better on her than one of those red velvet dresses all those women were snapping up."

Scully lowers her head and runs her tongue around her bottom lip, picturing Mulder amongst a throng of grabby woman, trying to buy a baby dress.

He pulls out a deep plum, satin dress with several petticoats underneath. "I thought she might look good in this with her skin tone and dark hair," Mulder shyly says.

Scully's mouth hangs open. "Mulder, this is beautiful. She will look great in this with white tights and her Mary Janes."

Mulder looks relieved, and then opens the bag again. "And I got her these," he says handing Scully a small package.

Scully looks at the front and reads the back then laughs, "Mulder, where did you find such tiny thermal underwear?"

"While the women were fighting over the dresses, I checked out the rest of the store."

Scully steps up on tiptoes and kisses him, "I'd have to say you've done a fine job."

"Thanks," Mulder blushes.

Scully looks at her watch. "We should go get the kids."

"One more package," Mulder says as he shoves a long slim gold box across the counter toward Scully.

"Mulder, don't you think we have got enough things for the kids?"

"This one is for you, Scully."

Scully looks shocked. "For me?"

"Remember the Christmas party the Bureau has every year."

"You mean the one we always try to get out of?"

"That's the one," Mulder laughs then grows quiet. "I want to take you this year and I want you to wear this," he says tapping the box.

Scully lifts the lid and lays back the tissue paper to reveal the blue dress she had admired earlier. "Oh Mulder!" She says putting her hands to her mouth and then on her chest.

"I love the way it brings out your eyes." He looks down at her, "And the tears."

Scully laughs and puts down the dress to wrap her arms around him. "You are one silly, wonderful man," she says looking up at him, "whom I love very much."

Mulder wraps his arms around her. "Scully, you have given me so much over the years." He lowers his voice and his head, "Your friendship, your loyalty, your love, two wonderful children, tradition and a sense of belonging."

"Oh Mulder," Scully buries her head deeper into his chest and softly cries.

Mulder lift her chin with one finger. "Those better be tears of joy and not over all you've lost."

"Never," Scully softly says.

Scully laughs and rubs her nose on the back of her hand then she pulls away. "We need to get the kids picked up."

"I know," Mulder says as they walk toward the door. "Scully, lets take the kids to a proper studio and get a family Christmas picture made."

"That's a good idea."

"And I want some wallet-sized photos too."

Scully smiles at him as they get in the SUV to go pick up their kids.

"And maybe you can wear that dress and have a couple snapshots of just you and me."

Scully nods, "That would be nice."

"And maybe you can wear that dress and I can get a couple of shots of just you."

Scully looks at him.

"And maybe you can pose..."

"Mulder!"

It's one week before Christmas in the Mulder household and Mulder has just returned from a late meeting. Katherine is already tucked into bed, but William is far too excited to entertain the thought of sleeping just yet. Scully did manage to get his cold medicine down him, bathe him, and put his flannel footie pajamas on him. He has run her ragged all day, if not by getting into things, then by asking her a myriad of questions about Christmas.

"Scully, I'm home," Mulder yells from the kitchen.

"Shh," Scully says, as she walks in pushing a strand of unruly hair behind her ear. "I've just got Katherine to sleep."

Will races in behind her and lunges for his father. Mulder catches him and picks him up. "Hey buddy, why are you still up?"

Scully sighs, "He's all excited about Christmas."

"Are you?" Mulder asks, his sandy-red headed boy, whose grin displays a mouth full of enamel beauties.

"Yeah!" William replies, with a raspy cough and a runny nose. "Sanee, come see me!"

"Will, you have got to go to bed," Scully pleads.

"Ah, not tiored," he replies, twisting his fingers up and stuffing them into his mouth.

Mulder rubs the little boys back, "How about I read to you?"

"'kay," Will says, laying his head on Mulder's shoulder.

"That reminds me," Scully says, "mom brought over the copy of 'Twas a Night Before Christmas' that she and dad used to read to us kids. She thought Will might like." She leaves the kitchen in search of the book.

"You want me to read to you about Santa Claus?" Mulder asks Will.

"Yeah!" The little boys face lights up.

"Here it is," Scully says, handing the book to Mulder.

"Okay Will, let's go upstairs to read." Mulder carries the toddler upstairs and into his own room, where he now sleeps in a youth bed instead of the crib, an act that brought tears to Scully's eyes.

Mulder sits down on the low bed with his knees practically touching his chin. Will sits down tight against his father with his feet sticking out straight and his hands in his lap, "Weed to me, da-dee."

"I will son," Mulder says as he opens the well-worn book.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

"Twas the night before Christmas," Mulder reads.

"Wuz a twas, da-dee?" Will asks.

"That's like saying, it was."

"Oh,"

"When all through the house, not a creature is stirring, not even a mouse."

Will pats Mulder's leg, "Momma don't yike mouzzus in da howse, da-dee."

"I'm sure," Mulder smiles down at his son then continues, "The stockings were hung by the chimney with care."

"Wuz a chimbly, da-dee?"

"That's what the smoke goes up when we light a fire in the fireplace."

Will looks up at his father, "Ah don yike fiore."

"Neither do I," Mulder leans in and confesses to his son. "In hopes that St. Nicholas soon would be there."

"Da-dee, wuz a say necklos?"

Mulder smiles, "That's another name for Santa Claus, Will."

"Oh!" Will grows excited.

"The children were nestled all snug in their beds."

Will laughs.

"You think that's funny, do ya?" Mulder looks down at Will.

"Yup, day gots ta go ta bed."

"While visions of sugar plums danced in their heads."

"Da-dee, wuz a shooger pum?"

"It's candy, Will."

"Do day danze?"

"No."

"Oh!"

"And momma in her 'kerchief, and I in my cap."

"Momma don' have no kee-chief," Will laughs, turning up his hands.

"No, she doesn't," Mulder grins. "Had just settled down for a long winters nap."

Will giggles, "Dat momma gots ta take a nap!"

"When out on the lawn there arose such a clatter, I sprang from the bed to see what was the matter."

"Ohhh!" Will exclaims, as he pushes down the page of the book to get a better look.

"Away to the window I flew like a flash."

"Wuz iz it, da-dee; iz a mon-ser?" Will is concerned for Santa Claus.

"No, no monsters in this story, buddy."

"Tore open the shutters and threw up the sash."

"Oh, he fowd up!" Will stands up on the bed.

"No Will," Mulder laughs, "that means he opened the window."

Will looks at Mulder wide-eyed, "No da-dee, he fowd up sash!"

Mulder can't argue with Will's logic, "Okay, maybe he did."

Will sits back down, a bit concerned about the man's possible gastric trouble.

"The moon on the breast of the new fallen snow, gave a luster of mid-day to objects below."

Will looks up at Mulder and coughs, "Dat's bwight!"

"It sure is. When what do my wondering eyes should appear."

"Wha iz it, da-dee?" Will climbs up on the bed again to look over Mulder's shoulder.

"But a miniature sleigh and eight tiny reindeer."

"Iz wainin'?" Will looks at Mulder with disbelief in his watery blue eyes.

"No Will, its reindeer, they're like Bambi."

"Oh," Will says, as he sits back down tight against his father.

"With a little old driver, so lively and quick I knew in a moment it must be St. Nick."

Will looks up at his father, his mouth forming a perfect 'O'. "Daz Sanee Caws," he whispers.

"It sure is."

"More rapid than eagles his coursers they came."

"Wuz a cowsews, da-dee?"

"No, its coursers, and I have no idea."

"Me too," Will grins up at his father and draws up his shoulders.

"And he whistled and shouted and called them by name."

"He's happy, iz he, da-dee," Will says, scratching at his ear.

"Yes, I assume he is."

"Now Dasher, now Dancer, now Prancer, and Vixen!" Mulder yells. "On Comet, on Cupid, on Donner, and Blitzen!"

"An' Langee!" Will shouts.

Mulder nearly falls off the bed in fits of laughter, and Will laughs right along with him.

"And Langley!" Mulder croaks out. "To the top of the porch, to the top of the wall, now dash away, dash away, dash away all!"

"Wed day go, da-dee?"

"You'll see."

Will continues to sit right beside his father, with his pajama clad feet sticking off the bed and his hands together on his lap. He's looking intently at the book Mulder holds in his hands.

"As dry leaves that before the wild hurricane fly. When they meet with an obstacle, mount to the sky, so up to the house-top the coursers they flew."

Will grins at his father, "Cowsews."

"That's right," Mulder laughs. "With a sleigh full of toys and St. Nicholas too."

"Oh boy!" Will exclaims as his eyes light up. "Sanee Caws bwings toys!"

"And then in a twinkling, I heard on the roof, the prancing and pawing of each little hoof."

"Das da deews," Will softly says to Mulder.

"As I drew in my hand, and was turning around, down the chimney St. Nicholas came with a bound."

"Oh! Sanee Caws iz in da fior!" Will says, looking distressed.

"No Will, the fire was out."

"Oh!" Will says, looking at the book. "Weed me so' more."

"He was dressed all in fur from his head to his foot and his clothes were all tarnished with ashes and soot."

"Wuz soot, da-dee?"

"That's the black stuff in the fireplace that mom doesn't want you to touch."

"Cawse Ah git aw diwty," Will looks up at his father, "Did he git aw diwty, da-dee?"

"I assume so," Mulder smiles and continues, "A bundle of toys he had flung on his back."

"Ohhh, toyz!" Will excitedly says.

"And he looked like a peddler just opening his pack."

"Wuz a pee-der, da-dee?"

Mulder grins down at his son, "A peddler is a man who sells things."

"Iz Sanee Caws a pee-der?"

"No he isn't, Will." Will settles down next to his father and waits, anticipating his next words.

"His eyes, how they twinkled, his dimples how merry, his cheeks were like roses, his nose like a cherry."

"He fun-ee wooking," Will softly says, as he stuffs his hands between his knees.

"His droll little mouth was drawn up in a bow and the beard on his chin was as white as the snow."

Wills mouth drops open and his blue eyes snap. "Da-dee, he goz a beawd."

"Yes, he does Will," Mulder smiles. "The stump of a pipe he held tight in his teeth and the smoke it encircled his head like a wreath."

"Ohh," Will frowns, "momma won' yet Sanee Caws smoke in da howse," he says turning up both hands and dropping them in disgust.

Mulder leans over, "I hear he's wearing the patch."

The joke goes over Will's head. "Weed me so' more da-dee."

"He had a broad face and a little round belly that shook when he laughed like a bowl full of jelly."

"I wike yelly." Will replies with a grin.

"What's your favorite kind of jelly, Will?"

"Swabewwy," the little boy says. "He was chubby and plump, a right jolly old elf, and I laughed when I saw him in spite of myself."

"He a eff." Will coughs.

"A wink of his eye and a twist of his head, soon gave me to know I had nothing to dread."

"Sanee Caws wink at da man," Will laughs.

"He sure did," Mulder laughs. "He spoke not a word but went straight to his work, and filled all the stockings and turned with a jerk."

Will laughs, "Langee's a jewk."

Mulder chuckles, "You shouldn't say that, Will."

"But Fro-heekie tod me dat." Will rationalizes.

Mulder laughs and returns to his reading. "And laying a finger aside of his nose, and giving a nod, up the chimney he rose."

Will stands up and looks at the picture in the book. "Da-dee, Sanee Caws wen' up da chimbly! Wer' day go?"

"Listen and you'll find out."

Will puts his elbow on Mulder's shoulder and stares, engrossed in the book.

"He sprang to his sleigh, to his team gave a whistle."

Will laughs, "Sanee Caws wis-tled."

"And away they all flew like the down of a thistle, and I heard him exclaim as he drove out of sight, Happy Christmas to all and to all a good night."

Will sits down next to Mulder once again as he closes the book. "Did you like that Will?"

"Yup," Will yawns, then lies his head on Mulder's arm and looks up, "Say da Wain deews names 'gin, da-dee!"

Mulder laughs, but can be heard repeating all the reindeer' names including Langley.

It's the day before Christmas and DC is unseasonably cold. Fresh snow fell during the night and the sky is gray but in the Mulder household it's warm and bright. The fire is lit in the family room while Christmas music floats throughout the house along with the smell of spice cookies and gingerbread men, both gifts from Grandma Scully.

Katherine is confined to her playpen having spent the morning trying to eat the popcorn strings off the tree. She isn't happy being caged up but her mother is far too busy to chase her out of things.

Scully is in the kitchen making lunch for the soon to be home, Mulder. Will comes running in, "Mom, mom, when kin Ah go ou'side?"

Scully stirs the soup she has on the stove. "Later, I told you after dad gets home and we eat lunch."

"But Ah wanna go ou'side an' pay in da sno."

"I know sweetie, but dad will be home soon."

Will drags himself from the kitchen to stand in front of the French doors to watch the snow fall."

The backdoor opens and in walks Mulder, clad in his gray suit and trench; his son suddenly attacks him. "Da-dee!" Will screams at his father and turns on the charm, "Ah wan' go ou'side an' pay in da sno." He twists his fingers together and grins. Scully ladles out the hot soup for Mulder and herself while Will's and Katherine's is already cooling on the counter.

Mulder looks over at their lunch. "We need to eat first Will, mom has gone to a lot of work."

Will sticks out his full bottom Mulder lip but doesn't complain.

Mulder sets Will on his booster seat and put the bib on him that Scully has draped over the chair. Suddenly he looks up and frowns, "Where's Katherine?"

"Da bee-bee in da cage," Will offers.

Scully dries off her hands on a dishtowel. "I regret the day Frohike called that playpen a cage."

The air is pierced by the scream of, "Ma!" Scully looks up at Mulder as he looks back.

"Did she just say, "Mom?" Mulder asks.

Scully grins and takes off for the family room. Katherine is standing up in her cage, bouncing up and down, as she hangs on to the mesh side. Scully scoops up the baby and brushes back the soft brown curls while Katherine stuffs a fist in her mouth.

Mulder comes in and Katherine immediately lunges for him with a big, two-tooth grin. He takes her from Scully, "I think you just gave your mother an early Christmas present." Katherine looks over at Scully and grins.

"Ah hun-gee!" Will yells from the kitchen.

Scully laughs, "I think we better get back to our lunch."

"Ma, ma, ma, ma," Katherine chatters as they step into the kitchen.

"I was hoping she would start to talk soon," Mulder says, as he sets Katherine in her highchair.

"Me too," Scully agrees, "all though, there are times I wish Will wasn't so talkative." She rubs her hand over Will's soft hair then sets his bowl of soup in front of him.

"Mom, Ah wan' kackers."

"Hang on a minute Will, while I open a pack," Scully says before opening a bag of oyster crackers and placing them in a small bowl.

Will pulls the bowl over and begins to fill his soup with the tiny crackers. "Dank yo," he offers.

Mulder is watching him, "Will yours looks more like cracker soup than chili."

"Ah yike it!" Will smiles as he digs his spoon into the lumpy mess.

"Let him be Mulder, the more crackers he uses, the more soup they soak up and the less chance that it will end up on his clothes."

Katherine is trying to reach for a tiny cracker that lies on the table. Mulder catches her and drops a few crackers on her tray. Scully finally sits down next to her and spoons a bit of soup into her mouth. Katherine has gotten to where she refuses to eat baby food, thanks to her father always slipping her his food.

"How was class today?"

"How do you think it was on the day before Christmas?"

"That bad?"

"No, not at all, we had a great time, but no one learned a thing."

"So you're off until Monday then?"

"That's right, you think you can stand having me around that much?"

Scully smiles, "Mulder, we spent eighteen to twenty hours a day together on the road for years, I miss you when you're at the Academy."

Mulder smiles with a slight blush then Scully adds, "Besides you can watch these two while I take down the tree."

"Oh so now I get it, I'm just a baby sitter," he teases.

"But a very sexy one," Scully says kissing his cheek as she gets up to grab the pitcher of milk.

Mulder pokes another spoonful of soup into Katherine's mouth. "Scully, don't you think it seems funny not to have your mom here this year?"

Scully pours herself a glass of milk and sets a sipper cup in front of Will. "I suppose, but it isn't every year that she gets to see both my brothers families at the same time.

Mulder looks over at her, "I'm sorry I couldn't get off so we could join them. If I hadn't had to use the last of my personal days with my medical leave when I got hurt, we could have gone too."

"That's okay Mulder," Scully softly smiles at him, "it couldn't be helped, and my family is here now." Mulder nods but adds, "I know, but I love to show off the kids. I might have been a major screw up at other things in their eyes, but I did something right with these two."

Scully smiles at him, "You certainly did."

Will is currently trying to put a soggy cracker on the bowl of his spoon while his sister is rubbing her button nose with her fist. Scully looks lovingly at the two little messes sitting next to her.

"So what's on the agenda for the rest of the day, Scully?"

"I thought you could take Will outside for awhile so I can clean up the kitchen and pick up the toys in the family room, then when they go down for their nap we can assemble some of the gifts," she says trying not to tip off Will.

"Ah wanna go ou'side an' pay in da sno," Will says, starting to crawl out of his booster seat.

"Easy there buddy, finish your soup."

"But Ah not hun-gee," Will says turning up both hands.

"Well I am," Mulder laughs.

"Hoowee da-dee!" Will pleads.

Soon Mulder and William are out playing in the snow. Scully can see them from her kitchen window, they are laughing and tossing snow at one another. She leaves the dishes and picks up Katherine; soon all four of the Mulder's are out in the snow.

Katherine is in her light green snowsuit, snug and warm except for her cherry red little nose while Will has his blue snowsuit on with a heavy scarf wrapped around his neck.

Mulder rolls three large snowballs and sets them next to each other, creating a wall. Will chases him around it until his father backtracks and scoops him up screaming and giggling. He sets Will down on top of the snowballs where he promptly lies back, huffing and puffing.

Scully holds Katherine by the hands as the baby goose-steps in the bulky clothing. She lets the baby sit down in a patch of clean snow where she immediately picks up a handful in her wool mitten and puts it in her mouth.

Mulder puts his finger to his lips and points to Scully. Will grins in delight as his father creeps up on his mother. Mulder ambushes her from behind, grabbing her around the waist. Scully laughs as they struggle and tumble to the ground, with Mulder landing on top of her. Scully smiles at him as he picks strands of wet hair away from her face and moves in to kiss her. She returns the kiss and wraps her arms around his neck. Suddenly William has had enough of this, "Da-dee come git meee!" He screams from the top of the snowball bench he's perched on.

"Just a minute son," Mulder shouts, "I'm not through kissing your mother."

"You kiss 'er all da time!" Will says tossing his hands in the air.

Mulder and Scully laugh and begin to get up. Katherine has crawled over to her parents and is tossed up in the air by her father. He carries her over to where Will is sitting and lifts Will off the snowballs with his free hand.

Scully turns around to reveal a wet butt on her jeans. Will laughs and points, "Mom, peed 'er pants!"

Mulder laughs as Scully feels her wet bottom. "That isn't funny," she scowls but isn't really mad. "And for your information William, my bottom is wet from the snow."

Scully takes Katherine and heads for the house. "We're going in to get warm and have some cocoa."

Mulder whispers to Will and his son yells out, "Bet'r change ya dwaws!" Mulder and William both laugh as Scully looks back at them with a glare.

Scully has changed into her fleecy sweats while Katherine was so worn out that she went straight to bed.

Mulder comes in wet and red nosed. He takes a hot shower and changes into a pair of sweats while William is running around in his own tiny pair, but for some reason known only to Will, he has put his dress shoes on.

Mulder and Scully are sitting on the couch reading and glancing out at the snow that is still falling outside the window. Will has finally fallen asleep in front of the fire with one of Katherine's rag dolls as his pillow.

Suddenly the phone rings, Scully looks up concerned. "Mulder, if that's Skinner, tell him no."

Mulder gets the phone in the kitchen and comes back in, "You were right Scully, it is Skinner, but he wants you."

Scully gets up to take the phone call.

Mulder picks up William and carries him upstairs; upon returning to the family room he finds Scully staring out the window, wringing her hands. "What's up Scully?" Mulder asks as she nearly jumps out of her skin.

"Mulder, I have to go in," Scully says, without looking him in the eyes.

"Why?" Mulder questions.

"Skinner has an important autopsy he needs done."

"On Christmas Eve!"

Scully grows defensive, "Mulder, people are murdered everyday of the year including Christmas Eve."

Mulder retreats, "Must be a VIP stiff."

"A mayor's daughter, and the mayor has suspected ties to the mob. They found her dead in a rundown motel room, twenty-three hours after she was reported missing."

Mulder sits down on the arm of the couch. "So when do you think you'll be done?"

"I have no idea," Scully sighs, "but the sooner I get there, the sooner I get back."

Mulder walks to her and wraps his arms around her, resting his chin on her head. "The kids and I will be here when you do get done."

Scully just nods her head and pulls away. "I had better go change," she dejectedly replies.

Mulder has washed up the few dishes Scully had left in the sink and remembers the toys they were going to assemble. He heads out to the garage and brings in a huge box with the words 'Pre-School Kitchenette' on the side. He wrestles with the box until he finally gets it in the house. He opens it and dumps out its contents. Plastic pieces clatter to the floor along with bags of parts, sheets of decals and one thin page of instructions that Mulder is currently standing on. He looks over the large plastic pieces and notices that half has a tab and the other half has a slot. "Piece of cake," he smiles.

Ninety minutes later, he is looking at the picture on the side of the box trying to figure out how the oven door goes on. He finally pops it on the plastic hinges but can't get it to stay together without a couple of pieces of duct tape.

He places the last of the decals on the Kitchenette but its too rickety to move so he shoves it in a corner and throws a blanket over it.

He turns around to see Will standing in the doorway rubbing his eyes. "Wha ya doin' da-dee?"

"I'm putting your sister's Christmas present together."

"Wanna see it," Will says.

Mulder lifts the blanket and Will looks under it, then frowns and backs away.

"What do you think of it?"

Will rubs his head and yawns, "Ah don' yike it."

Mulder laughs, "Well, it's not for you."

Will stands there in his pajamas, patting his hands together and grinning, he softly says, "I wanna toy."

Mulder picks him up and rubs his head. "Oh no you don't, Mr. Charmer. I'm not falling for that. You're almost as good as your mother when it comes to getting me to do things."

Just then Katherine can be heard crying. Will's eyes grow wide and he points to the stairs, "Da bee-bee's wake."

"She sure is, we had better go get her." Mulder starts upstairs as Will begins to pucker up. "Oh Will, don't cry. We're going to get her, okay buddy."

Will nods his head and holds back the tears. Katherine is standing up in her crib, reaching through the bars. Mulder puts Will down and picks up the baby only to find she is soaked. "I think I better change you." Mulder takes her to the changing table and begins to change her when the phone rings. Will races into the master bedroom and picks it up but doesn't say a word.

"Hello, Mulder?"

Will breathes into the phone.

"William, is that you?"

"Uh hum," the little boy answers.

"Where's your dad?"

"Wiff da bee-bee, she cwied."

"She did! Why did she cry, Will?"

"She gots wet."

"How did she get wet?"

"She gots wet ou'side."

"Katherine was outside? Let me talk to dad." Scully is beginning to worry.

Will hangs up the phone.

"No, no Will, don't..." Scully realizes its too late.

Mulder walks into the bedroom carrying a now dry Katherine in one arm. "Was that the phone?" He asks Will, as his son starts to crawl up on the big bed.

"Yup," Will grunts out as he pulls himself up.

The phone rings again and this time Mulder picks it up. "Hello."

"Mulder, is Katherine all right?"

"Sure she is, she was wet but that's all."

"How on earth did she get outside?"

Mulder laughs, "She wasn't outside."

"Will said she got wet outside."

Mulder looks over at Will, who is currently rooting under the blankets on the bed while Katherine laughs at him. "He must have thought she was still wet from playing outside. She woke up from her nap wet and I changed her." "Thank goodness," Scully sighs.

"So when are you coming home?"

"I don't know, its slow going, everyone is gone for the holidays so I have to do most of the work myself."

"Scully, come home. Skinner can wait. It isn't fair to you, he's using you."

"But its my job, Mulder," Scully softly says.

"You are coming home tonight, aren't you?"

"I intend too." Scully mumbles.

"I'm calling Skinner," Mulder angrily says.

"No Mulder! Don't."

There is a pause in the conversation.

"We'll wait for you."

"Mulder, I could be hours. Feed the kids dinner and we'll celebrate Christmas Eve with them next year, they hardly know what Christmas is at this age."

Mulder laughs, "Oh Will knows plenty."

Scully sighs, "I better get back so I can get home."

"Scully, be careful, it's been snowing on and off all day."

"Great! I might be spending my Christmas with a corpse."

"I'll wait up for you."

"Thanks. I better go."

"Okay."

Mulder hears the phone line go dead. He sits on the edge of the bed holding his daughter and still toying with the idea of calling Skinner when he hears a loud thud and Will beginning to bawl. He has accidentally crawled off the edge of the bed while under the blankets.

Mulder races around to the other side of the bed and sets Katherine on the floor while he picks up William. "Shh, it's okay buddy." Will is bawling and holding his head.

"Here, let me see it," Mulder says, taking down his sons hand. "It's okay Will, its just a little bump."

Will is still sobbing, "Ah wan ma mom."

Mulder holds him close. "I know, I know, we all do." He realizes Katherine is gone and calls her, but gets no response. He is up in a flash and finds her sitting at the top of the stairs about to take a header down the steps. He scoops her up and carries both kids downstairs.

He bounces them in his arms and they howl in delight as they make their way to the kitchen. "How about some cookies and milk? That will tide us over until dinner." Mulder puts Will down while he sets Katherine in her highchair. Will crawls up on a kitchen chair on his knees and waits for his cookie. His forehead is bright red where he fell and hit the floor.

Soon Mulder has Maggie's homemade cookies in front of each kid along with a bottle of milk for Katherine and a sipper cup for Will. Mulder takes a sip of his coffee and smiles at the pair sitting before him. "You two like those cookies, don't you."

Will grins and rubs his fleecy sleeve across his nose. "Ah yike gamma's cookies."

Katherine stuffs another piece of her broken cookie into her mouth.

"Are you ready for Christmas to come Will?" Mulder asks his son.

"Yup, mom say it heer in do moaning."

Mulder smiles at Will's attempt to put words together. "She's right, tomorrow is Christmas."

Will take a drink of his milk and wipes his mouth on his sleeve and grins up at his father.

Mulder and the kids finish their cookies and milk. They spend the afternoon in the family room. Katherine has been easy to entertain but Will is getting antsy. He can't wait for Santa and he misses his mom.

Daylight is coming to an end, the sky is turning purple and blue but it's only five o'clock. The phone rings and Mulder picks it up. "Hello."

"Hey Mulder, it's me."

"How's it going?"

Scully sighs, "Slow."

"Still don't want me to kick Skinner's ass."

"No, he's been down here twice already."

"So he's pulling an all nighter too?"

"It would seem so."

There is silence for a few moments. "Mulder, how's Katherine and Will?"

"They're fine. We had milk and cookies a couple of hours ago."

Scully rubs her temple and closes her eyes. "You had better figure on feeding them dinner too."

Mulder drops his head. "Sculleee, I really wanted you here tonight," he moans.

"I know Mulder, but you're not making this any easier for me."

Mulder doesn't want to fight so he changes subjects. "I know someone who would love to talk to you."

"Better not be Frohike," Scully says, trying to lighten the mood.

"No, but he's about the same height," Mulder laughs then covers the receiver with his hand. "Will come here and talk to mom," he softly says.

Will runs over to take the phone. He puts it up to his face and grins, then says "Hi."

Scully melts. "Hello William."

"When yo comin' home?" Will pitifully asks.

Scully stiffens to avoid crying, "As soon as I'm done here, Sweetie."

"When?"

Scully giggles, "I'll try to be home soon, okay?"

Will holds out the phone, "Mom say she be home soon!"

"No, no William, I said I would 'try' to be home soon."

"Too late," Mulder says, having taken the phone from Will.

"Oh," Scully groans.

Mulder toys with the phone cord then says, "Look, I'll feed the kids and wait dinner for you."

"Mulder, really I don't..."

"No Scully, I'll wait."

"Thanks," Scully softly says. "I better get back to work. I have some tox screens to run."

"You be careful coming home tonight."

"I will."

"Scully."

"Yeah."

"I love you."

Scully smiles, "I love you too."

December 25, 12:32 AM

Mulder fed the kids around six o'clock and filled the Jacuzzi in the master bath and let his two water babies splash and play until they wore themselves out. He dressed Katherine in the tiny nightgown Scully had bought just for her to wear on Christmas Eve while Will tried to dress himself but Mulder knew there was no way Scully would want him going to bed in his dress pants. So against Will's protest, Mulder redressed his son and took both kids downstairs to sit by the fire. He made Katherine a bottle and rocked her while Will watched A Christmas Story, for the fifth time today.

Soon both kids were tucked into their own beds and are currently sleeping soundly.

Scully walks in the backdoor to find her kitchen neat and clean, not a dish out of place and no food in sight. She rubs her tired neck and stretches before kicking off her shoes. She pads into the family room to find a slowly burning fire, all the presents under the tree, and Mulder asleep on the couch. She smiles at him and stoops down to run her fingers through his hair. "Come on Superman, time for bed."

Mulder slowly wakes up then realizes Scully is home. "Oh, hey there, all done?" He rasps out, rubbing his eyes.

Scully smiles. "Yeah, got all done about an hour ago." She pulls at his flannel sleeve, "Come on time for bed."

"No," Mulder protests. "I made dinner for us."

Scully frowns, "Mulder, there is nothing in the kitchen."

"You go take a quick shower and I'll get it ready." He looks unsure now; "You are hungry, aren't you?"

"Yes," Scully smiles, "I haven't eaten yet." She finds his look endearing.

Mulder runs his hand through his jailbreak hair and heads for the kitchen. "Go on and shower."

"Okay," Scully laughs and shakes her head.

She starts upstairs to shower but stops off at Will's room first. He's asleep in his youth bed, lying on his side with a stuffed horse under his arm. She sits down next to the bed and pulls the blankets over him. She shares a closeness with her son that she doesn't even share with Mulder. For months he was her only link to the man she loved and was grieved to find she'd never see again. William had been her lifesaver, literally. She softly kisses his cheek. His fingers flex and his eyes flutter but he settles back down to sleep.

She next opens Katherine's door and tiptoes to her crib only to find the baby laying there, smiling up at her. Katherine struggles to sit up but Scully comes to her rescue and picks her up. The blanket falls off to reveal the flannel white gown covered in tiny poinsettias that Scully had bought her. "Well look at you Katherine, your dad remembered," Scully laughs as she cradles the baby, holding out one tiny foot. "He even remembered to put socks on you." She sits down on the white rocker and runs her chin over the baby's dark brown curly hair.

Katherine is Scully's daughter but she is Mulder's little girl. Scully can see a look in those deep Mulder eyes that reflect a connection with her father that Scully can only hope for. She rocks her back to sleep and places her back in the crib. Then Scully kisses the baby's fuzzy head and quietly shuts the bedroom door.

She showers and quickly changes into her champagne colored satin pajamas and robe. She finds Mulder sitting on the bottom stair step. She pats him on the shoulder and he slowly stands up and turns to look at her. "Sorry, your daughter was awake and I rocked her back to sleep." A smile covers Mulder's face.

Scully starts for the kitchen but Mulder pulls her to the family room. She finds the coffee table loaded with two plates piled high with cold food. Mulder has prepared thin slices of ham; slices of cheese, quartered boiled eggs, and various bits of fruit and vegetables. Next to each plate is a stemmed glass and a bottle of wine sits off to the side. Mulder blushes, "I didn't know when you'd be home so I thought cold food would be best. I hope you don't mind."

"Mind?" Scully says popping a slice of apple into her mouth. "Mulder, this looks wonderful."

They sit down next to each other with their backs against the couch. Mulder points a remote at the stereo and soon Christmas music floats through the room. The couple eats in silence for a few moments then Mulder speaks up. "How'd it go?"

Scully finishes her bite, "I finally figured out what happened, she had valium and liquor in her system but not in amounts normally fatal but she suffered from bronchial asthma and the combination of liquor and drugs suppressed her already over-burdened respiratory system to the point of heart failure." Scully pops a small pickle into her mouth. "It was such a waste of life."

Mulder rubs her back. "At least you were able to bring some closure to her family."

"Yeah," she sighs, "I guess you're right." Scully looks up at Mulder with a smile on her face.

"What?"

"You put Katherine in the new gown I bought her to wear on Christmas Eve."

"Of course I did."

"And you put socks on her feet."

"I'm not a total knuckle-dragger, Scully. I thought her feet might get cold."

Scully smiles at her partner and nudges him with her arm then she spies the blanket in the corner. "Mulder, what is that?"

He looks over his shoulder, then gets up. "That's Katherine's Pre-School kitchen I put together."

Scully gets up brushing the crumbs from her robe as she walks over to the blanket and lifts the corner. She stares at the pile of plastic for a moment then asks, "Mulder, why does the dishwasher have a label on it that says microwave?"

Mulder lifts the blanket. "Damn, no wonder Will didn't like it."

Scully holds her fingers to her lips, trying to suppress a laugh. "That's okay, we can take care of it tomorrow."

Mulder rubs her satiny back. "Scully it is tomorrow, we will be woken up in four hours by our Christmas Elf."

"Better not be Frohike."

"No, same height though."

Scully laughs and runs her arm around Mulder's back then pulls away. "We forgot their cars!"

"No it's all taken care of."

"But they're not in here," Scully says, looking around. "Come here," Mulder wiggles his finger. He opens the backdoor and steps into the garage with Scully tagging along behind him. They walk past the two SUV's sitting in the garage to find two little cars parked side by side with the batteries being charged.

Scully has to laugh, "Oh how cute! They have their own parking spaces."

"I thought we would open everything else, eat a big breakfast then once they're dressed, we can show them the cars. That way they can play with them until dinner time."

Scully rubs her chilled arms and frowns, "That's a good idea Mulder, but I don't think Katherine can run hers by herself yet."

"No but Will's Tracker is a two-seater, we'll just have to rig up a seat belt for her."

"Well, I want her bike helmet on her too."

"Then it's okay?"

Scully looks up to see the boyish look of wonderment in Mulder's eyes. "It's more than okay, it's a great idea."

Mulder pulls her close as she yawns. "Come on Scully, you need to be in bed."

"I agree," Scully yawns once more.

They walk back into the house. "You go on upstairs," Mulder says. "I'll shut everything off down here."

"Okay," Scully mumbles, "but don't be long."

"I won't," he assures her.

Mulder checks the locks, adjusts the heat, and picks up the empty plates and glasses. He turns out the kitchen lights and starts to turn off the lights on the Christmas tree but he hesitates and sits down. He stares at the beautiful pine tree standing before him. His eyes grow red as he rests his chin on his fisted hands and softly says to himself, "I finally understand what Christmas is." Then he shuts out the lights and pads up the stairs to sleep with his family.

Fox Mulder dozes, he dreams of the early days of his partnership with the fair Scully, the stakeouts, the endless hours in the basement, the sheer joy of hearing her call his name.

"Da-dee, da-dee, wake up!"

Where the hell did that come from, Scully never called him daddy before.

He lies flat of his stomach with one arm draped off the bed and the side of his face mashed into the mattress.

"Da-dee, da-dee!"

There she goes again. This time Mulder cracks his eye open, the one that isn't mashed into the mattress, yup its Scully's blue eyes but they're on a cherubic face that's grinning at him while trying to pull him off the bed by his T-shirt.

"Da-dee, da-dee wake up. Sanee Caws comed was' nigh'."

Da-dee? Santa Claus? Oh Will!

Mulder turns his head to face his pajama-clad son and puts out his arms. Will crawls up onto the bed and snuggles up to his father. "Da-dee, Sanee Caws comed!" He says, patting Mulder's cheeks.

Mulder runs his hand through his hair as he clears the sleep from his eyes. "Oh right, Santa Claus," he croaks out.

Will pulls away and starts to crawl off the bed. "Wanna see ma toyz."

Mulder rises up on one elbow. "Hold on buddy, not everyone is awake yet."

Will slides off the bed. "'kay, I git da bee-bee!" He says and runs toward the door.

Mulder flops back on the bed until William's last statement registers in his head, then his eyes pop open and he jumps from the bed. "No Will! Let me get the baby up."

Mulder finds Katherine sitting up, plastered against the back of her crib as her brother tries to lower the rail to get her out. Mulder scoops her up and turns to look down at his son, "Let me change her, and you need to use the potty chair, then we'll get mom up."

"I'm up," a groggy, yawning Scully says, shuffling in.

"Sanee Caws comed, mom!" Will yells.

Scully takes him by the hand. "Will, you'll just have to wait until you go potty, then we'll go downstairs." She leads him to his own bedroom but not before she yells over her shoulder, "Mulder, when you get downstairs turn on the coffee, will you?"

Mulder lifts the now dry Katherine up in his arms. "I set the timer last night, it's been done for half an hour."

"You're a saint!" Scully yells, before closing Will's bathroom door.

Mulder rubs his nose across his daughter's own little button nose. "Saint Mulder, I like the sound of that, Katherine."

Soon all four Mulder's are descending the staircase. Scully has Will by the hand so he doesn't fall in his highly excited state, while Mulder clutches Katherine to his chest.

They round the corner of the family room and Will's big, blue eyes grow large at the sight of the gaily-wrapped boxes under the tree and bulky stockings hanging from the mantle. "Chriwsmus, Da-dee!" He shrieks, jumping up and down. Katherine is feeding off her brother's excitement and wants down too.

Mulder sits down on the couch and stands the baby up on the coffee table, something that doesn't go over well with her. "Sure you don't want to eat breakfast first?" Mulder teases his son.

The little boy stops jumping and looks at his father with one raised eyebrow. Mulder is beside himself with laughter and even Scully has to join in.

"No Will, dad is teasing you," Scully says, "but I do need a cup of coffee."

Scully walks to the kitchen with William hot on her heels, making sure she gets coffee and only coffee. She carries two steaming hot mugs back to the family room where Mulder is still holding Katherine. She sits his mug on the coffee table, out of reach of the baby, then takes a sip from her own mug. "Okay William, let's you and me play Santa this year and hand out the presents."

"Aw wight!" Will jumps in agreement.

Scully sits down next to the tree and picks up a gift, "W, i, l, l."

Will's eyes grow wide, "Dat's me!"

Scully laughs, "It sure is."

"Kin Ah open dis?" Will asks.

"Don't you want all your gifts, then you can open them all at once."

Will is torn by indecision but finally agrees.

Katherine has had enough of being held and wants down where all the excitement is taking place. Mulder sets her on the floor but she can't crawl in the long gown, it begins to make her mad and she starts to bawl. He picks her up and pulls the nightgown over her head, leaving her in a diaper, T-shirt, and socks.

Scully hands Will the gifts and he distributes them to Mulder and Katherine, and piles his mother's on the couch for her. When Scully comes to the presents behind the tree, he willingly crawls on his tummy to pull them out.

Mulder watches this mother and son team with a broad smile on his face while Katherine is busy trying to get a sticky bow off her hand.

Soon there is a large pile of presents sitting before each of them.

Scully lifts Katherine off the floor and sits down next to Mulder. "Now you can open your gifts," she says to her son.

Will giggles in delight as he makes short use of the wrapping paper. "A twuck!" He screams, unwrapping the remote-controlled Hummer.

Mulder sits on the floor next to Katherine's pile of gifts, "Here Scully, put her down and we'll help her open her things then we'll open ours together.

Scully sits down between her children as William screams, "Wood!"

Mulder laughs, "No Will those are Lincoln Logs."

"Yincoln Yogs!" Will corrects.

Katherine scratches at her package, and with her mother's help, manages to open her Aqua Pad. The stars and glitter floating around in it instantly mesmerize her.

"Oh boy, a boat!" William shrieks.

"You can play with that in the pool this summer," Scully tells him.

"And in yo' big baff tub," William adds.

Mulder is busy trying to entice Katherine to open another gift but she won't leave the Aqua Pad.

"Ah gots a ball!" Will yells, tossing paper behind him.

"That's a T-ball set, Will. I'll set it up in the garage for you."

Mulder starts to lift Katherine off the Aqua Pad but she stiffens up and begins to cry.

"Might as well leave her, Mulder. Will can help her open her gifts later."

"A twain!" Will shouts in delight.

Mulder smiles at his son, "It sure is, buddy."

Katherine has finally grown tired of her toy and starts to open another present. Will begins to laugh, "She gots a naged baby!"

Scully corrects him, "No, that is a dolly Katherine can play with in the bath tub."

"Ah see iz butt," Will laughs causing Mulder to spit coffee all over his T-shirt.

Scully runs her tongue over her bottom lip, trying not to laugh. "Will, why don't you open another gift?" She says trying to distract the toddler.

Katherine opens her See-and-Say and right away Will is fascinated by it, that is until his sister tries to eat the remote control to his boat, then all hell breaks loose until Scully gets each child back to their own toys.

"Ah gots guves." Will frowns at the pair of mittens he's received, then drops them to tear into another gift.

Katherine manages to get her next present unwrapped; it's a musical farm animal keyboard. She presses the chicken and it clucks she presses the cow and it moos, which sends her into fits of laugher.

"I think you're going to get tired of hearing that cow, Scully," Mulder laughs.

"We'll just save it for when you're home," Scully smiles back.

Will has opened his last present and sits among the mountain of gift-wrap, the top of his head barely visible.

"Will, you haven't looked in your stocking yet."

The little boy's eyes light up as he cuts a path through the paper to get to the fireplace, only he can't reach his stocking. "Da-dee," Will pleads, "hep me!"

Mulder hands Will his stocking and gives Katherine's to Scully. Will empties his on the floor to find it's filled with Matchbox cars, tiny farm animals, and candy. Katherine finds a rattle, hair barrettes and teething biscuits in hers.

Mulder sits back down next to Scully, "Well, are we going to open our gifts or just sit here?"

Scully hands him a box, "Will picked this out for you, in fact he insisted we buy it."

"Okay," Mulder says with a puzzled look on his face as he opens the gift from his son. He starts to laugh, "Thank you William, I always wanted a Dale Ernhart mug."

Scully starts to unwrap a big, long box. "Scully, your mom helped me pick this out." She pulls the lid off to reveal a beautiful, camel colored, Cashmere, calf-length coat.

"Mulder, this is wonderful!" Scully says, slipping on the coat and cinching the belt. She puts her hand in the pocket and pulls out a plastic card. "What's this?"

"It's a gift card to a shoe shop, I thought you might want to pick out a pair of boots to match it."

Scully kisses Mulder and unties the coat taking it to the hall closet to hang it up. She returns to find Katherine asleep on her Aqua Pad clutching her naked baby. William is running his remote-controlled Hummer through the mountain of paper and into the kitchen.

Scully hands Mulder a long rectangular box. "Wow, that's heavy," he groans.

"It's your personnel file, I had it bound for you," Scully grins.

Mulder laughs and begins to tear away the paper to reveal a telescope. "Oh, Scully, this is great!"

"I thought you could watch the sky from our bedroom balcony."

Mulder runs his hand over the brass beauty. "This must have cost you a small fortune."

"It's our money, you keep reminding me, so it cost us."

Mulder looks up at her, "I'm glad you finally feel comfortable spending money, especially when you're spending it on me."

"Oh you!" Scully says hitting him on the arm just as Will's Hummer comes racing back into the room. Mulder jumps up to grab the car before it runs over the sleeping baby."

"Will!" Scully yells. "You almost hit your sister, go play in the other room."

"Wait Scully," Mulder says, "let me put her in the playpen. Will wants to run his truck through the paper."

"Yeah!" Will agrees.

"All right, but put all your toys on the coffee table so you don't crush any of them."

Between Will and Mulder they have all his toys piled on the table.

Scully grabs another mug of coffee and sits down next to Mulder; he hands her an envelope. "Must be a gift certificate," she laughs. Scully opens it to find it's for a day at the spa. "Mulder, this is what we got my mom," Scully says a bit puzzled.

"I know, I thought the two of you could go together."

"Thank you," Scully says, kissing his cheek.

Mulder picks up an envelope and shakes it, "If this is for a day at the spa, we're going to need a baby sitter." He opens the envelope to reveal two tickets to the Wizard's game."

"Those are for when the Knick's come to town, I thought you could take Will."

Mulder's face breaks out in a broad smile. "You can never start them out too young, Scully." He kisses her forehead, "Thanks."

Scully opens a sweater and a subscription to a cooking magazine and a collection of exotic bath oils while Mulder finds two new games for the Play Station, several silk shirts and a new pair a flannel pajama bottoms.

The couple sits back into the sofa, shoulder to shoulder, and watch Will wreck havoc on the wrapping paper. Suddenly Scully jumps up; "I'll be right back."

She returns with what looks like a small photo album, clutching it to her chest she begins to explain, "Mulder, remember when we had the Christmas photographs taken and you said you would like to have some of me in my new blue dress?" She sits down next to him as he scoots forward on the couch. "Well, one afternoon I went to Glamour Shots, and I swear if you tell anyone I went there I will hurt you!"

Mulder chuckles at Scully's apprehension.

"Well anyway, here are the pictures from the session." Scully hands him the little album.

Mulder begins to flip through the pictures but stops at the first one, mesmerized by the beauty staring back at him from the photo. He doesn't say a word but slowly, almost with reverence, looks at each picture. Scully begins to get nervous. "Well?"

"I, I don't know what to say Scully," he looks up at her, "I always knew you were pretty but these are breathtaking."

Scully's eye grow wide. "You like them?"

Mulder looks stunned, "Like them, I love them and I know how hard it must have been for you to do this, that makes it all the more special."

"Just one more thing Mulder, no one sees these but you!"

"Not even Frohike?"

"Especially Frohike," Scully growls. Mulder pulls her over and kisses her forehead.

Will has chopped all the wrapping paper up into tiny pieces with his remote-controlled Hummer. He tucks the remote under his arm and walks over to where Mulder and Scully are sitting. He pats his mother's leg, "Mom, Ah hun-gee!"

Scully looks over at the mess. "But I have all this to clean up before I can get breakfast," she says, sweeping out her arms.

Will looks back over his shoulder then starts to pick up the little pieces of paper.

Mulder stands up and laughs, "He must be hungry if he's willing to help do the housework. Tell you what Scully, I'll get a garbage bag and help our little elf here, if you'll make us a big breakfast."

Scully gets up, "Sounds good to me."

Half an hour later, the smell of breakfast cooking drifts into the now reasonably clean family room, Mulder and Will sniff at the air, "Come on buddy let's eat."

Mulder carries his son into the kitchen on his shoulders, "Your men are hungry."

Will parrots, "Yo men aw hun-gee!"

Mulder laughs as he sets his son down on his booster seat. "Ah hun-gee!" Will chimes.

Scully sets a plate of fluffy scrambled eggs in the middle of the table just as Katherine begins to cry. "I'll get her," Mulder says, jumping up from the table. She next puts a large plate of sausage links out, along with a plate of buttered toast, and begins to pour everyone a glass of juice, as Will reaches over to steal a sausage from the plate. Scully merely smiles at her son.

Mulder walks in with Katherine in his arms and a concerned look on his face. He puts his hand to her forehead. "Scully, she feels warm."

Scully immediately switches into doctor mode. She feels Katherine's forehead. "Let me get the aural thermometer."

Katherine lays her head against her father's chest as the tears roll down her cheeks. She coughs a deep, raspy cough and begins to whimper. Scully returns with the thermometer and checks her temperature. She pulls back the thermometer, "It's 101.2."

"What do you think it is?" Mulder asks with concern in his voice.

"Could be the flu, could be several things. Let me take her and you fix Will's plate."

Scully carries the baby upstairs while Mulder sits down with William.

Will has pulled the plate of eggs over and is currently eating scrambled eggs by the handful.

"Here Will, let me help you." Mulder scoops a couple of spoonfuls of eggs on to his plate and adds a link of sausage. Will points to the juice so Mulder fills his cup.

Scully comes downstairs with Katherine. "She has a touch of diarrhea, and I gave her some baby Tylenol for the fever." Scully walks past the table and opens the fridge. "Mulder, can you hold her?"

Mulder takes the lethargic baby while Scully fixes her a bottle of Pedialyte water. "You eat, let me feed her," Mulder says holds out his hand for the bottle.

Scully hesitates but sits down to fill her plate, but before she can get a bite in her mouth the Pedialyte all comes back up. "Oh Mulder," Scully whines as she sees his soaked shirt. She gets up to take the baby, who is now beginning to cry.

"Da bee-bee fowd up!" Will announces. "I know," Scully says, pushing her hair behind her ear.

Mulder steps into the laundry room to find a clean T-shirt while Scully carries Katherine upstairs to change her pajamas.

Mulder comes back into the kitchen pulling a gray T-shirt over his head just as the phone rings, "Hello."

"Merry Christmas, Fox!"

"Hello Maggie, Merry Christmas."

"Is Dana there?"

"Actually she's upstairs with Katherine, she's sick."

"Katherine is sick! What's wrong?"

"We're not sure. She woke up from her nap with a fever and diarrhea, and then she vomited.

"Oh my! What does Dana think it is?"

"She's not sure, it came on so suddenly."

"Look Fox, I'm sure she's busy so I'll call back later, but if anything changes you call me here at Bill's."

"I will."

"I'll let you go, give my love to everyone."

"I will."

"Bye son."

"Bye Maggie."

Scully hasn't come back downstairs yet and Mulder is starting to get worried. He looks over at his son, "Are you done eating, Will?"

"Um hum," Will says eating the last bite of his sausage.

Mulder lifts him up and sets him on the counter to wash his face and hands then he carries him into the living room. "You play with your toys until I come back downstairs."

Will starts to paw through his toys laying on the coffee table but settles on Katherine's See-and-Say.

Mulder takes the stairs two at a time and finds Scully in the baby's room, rocking the sick child. "Scully, why is it so cold in here?" Mulder says, rubbing his arms.

"Her fever went to 102.6 so I cut the heat in her room. She vomited all the Tylenol up that I gave her. I did get another dose down her, I just hope it stays down."

Mulder stoops down beside the rocker and runs his hand through Katherine's curly, brown hair while Scully gives her a little more plain water. "She's so little to be so sick," Mulder whispers.

Scully tries to reassure him, "Mulder, William was this sick when he was younger than she is."

Mulder frowns, "I remember, that was one of the longest nights of my life."

Scully clutches his hand. "We won't let anything happen to her." She no sooner gets those words out when Katherine vomits up the water. "Oh sweetie," Scully moans as she gets up to take the baby into the bathroom.

Mulder follows her in. "Scully, now I'm starting to get scared."

Scully holds Katherine over the sink and pats her back, not wanting her to inhale the vomit. "Mulder go get dressed and dress William," she calmly says. "I'll change Katherine and get dressed, while you warm up the car and buckle Will in. I think we should head for the ER."

Mulder goes white and his eyes grow wide. Scully softly says, "She needs to be re-hydrated, that's all."

Mulder numbly nods and takes off to change his clothes.

Soon William is buckled into his car seat while Scully carries a bundled up Katherine out to the SUV. She puts her in the carrier and sits down next to her. They round the curved driveway and head for DC General.

Mulder looks around the waiting room, thankful to see it is sparsely populated. Scully returns to him and pulls the blanket down to see her daughter who is currently chewing on her fingers. "She said it would be just a few minutes," Scully softly says. Mulder nods but remains silent.

Will has brought Katherine's See-and-Say with him and is sitting on the floor playing with it. The baby hears the sound coming from it and tries to look beyond the blanket but she can't see it.

"Katherine Mulder," a nurse announces. Mulder follows her while Scully gathers up William.

They are led to a cubical and Will watches in wonderment as the nurse draws the curtain to contain them.

"Here Mulder, let me take her," Scully says. "They'll want to examine her."

Mulder hands the baby to her mother and swallows hard, "What are they going to do to her, because you know how Will gets if she cries." Mulder is rambling now. "I just don't want him to be upset if, if its bad."

Scully realizes Mulder is uncomfortable. "I agree, why don't you take him to the waiting room. I'll make sure they update him, I mean you."

Mulder purses his lips and nods his head. He scoops up William and turns. "I can stay if you want, it's just that with you being a doctor and all..."

"No Mulder, its okay," Scully assures him.

He carries William out to the waiting room then it dawns on him; they left the damn diaper bag at home. Hoping to head off disaster he asks, "Will do you need to use the potty chair?"

Will looks at his father with large, blue eyes and says, "Iz at home."

Mulder laughs for the first time in hours. "I think we can figure something out." They take off looking for a rest room.

Ten minutes later Mulder and William are back in the waiting room. Will is playing with the See-and-Say while Mulder is staring at his shoes. His cell rings causing him to jump. "Hello."

"Fox, it's me."

"Hello Maggie."

"I didn't hear from you and I tried the house, but didn't get an answer."

"We're in the ER."

"Oh dear!"

"It's okay, the doctors are in with Katherine now."

"Where is William?"

"He's in the waiting room with me."

"With you? Oh son, I should have been there so you could be with Dana."

Mulder winces and rubs his forehead. "We're doing okay. Look I'll call you when I hear anything."

"I'll be waiting to hear from you."

"Bye Maggie."

"Bye son."

Mulder paces the floor and stares holes into the door that separates him from his daughter."

Will tires of the See-and-Say and wanders around the room entertaining the elderly women that are waiting on various relatives. Several other people seeking emergency care, enter the waiting room. Mulder brings William back to where they were sitting and places his son on his lap.

Will looks around, "Ah wan' see ma mom."

"I know buddy, but she's with Katherine."

"Ah wan' go too." Mulder smiles and rubs Will's back. "Katherine is sick and the doctors are with her."

"She fowd up," Will explains while grasping his hands and raising his shoulders.

"Yes she did, she's a sick baby."

"She cwied," William says looking at his father with large, blue eyes.

"Yes she did."

Just then William looks beyond Mulder. "Mom!" He scurries off his father's lap to race to his mother.

Mulder stands up and nervously pulls down his sweater. Scully walks over to him carrying William. "They have decided to admit her."

Mulder's eyes grow wide, "Why?"

"They think it's the flu."

"But we all had flu shots."

Scully shakes her head, "Not for this strain. They have checked her blood and there is some dehydration and they have started her on Comazine for the vomiting, which she did while they were examining her."

"So, can we see her?" Mulder asks, unsure of what to expect.

"They are transferring her to the pediatric care unit, then we can go up," Scully says glancing at her watch. She sets Will down and looks at her stained sweater and pulls it away from her stomach. "I'm going to clean up, I'll be right back." She takes William by the hand, "Come on sweetie."

Mulder slumps against the wall, forcing his hands into the pockets on his jeans and drops his head; Scully returns to find him still standing in the same position.

"How's her fever?" He asks, not looking up.

"It was over 103 this time. They'll put a fever reducer through the IV." Mulder frowns at the thought of an IV being stuck into his daughter.

"Come on, lets go find Pediatric Care," Scully says, grabbing Mulder's hand. He picks up his son while Scully gathers up their coats and the toy.

Soon they are on the fifth floor, walking down a gaily decorated hallway that leads to a circular room divided into cubicles, each one filled with a sick child and concerned parents. Scully approaches the desk, "I'm here for Katherine Mulder; I'm her mother, Dana."

A pretty nurse smiles up at her from the desk. "Yes, our newest flu patient."

"So you have seen a lot of that?"

"Look around," the nurse motions with her hand, "nearly all these kids are in here because of the flu." Then she smiles at Scully and reassures her, "We take good care of them." She walks from behind the counter and spots Will. "Oh my, are you the older brother?"

Will hides behind Mulder's leg. Scully looks down at her son; "He can be shy."

The nurse rubs his head. "Just watch him for symptoms." She leads them to cubicle eight and stops at the entrance. Another nurse is busy checking the monitors; she turns to face Mulder and Scully. "She's resting now but you can see her," the nurse says before leaving to give them time to be with their daughter. Scully moves to the right side of the metal crib and begins to examine the readings on the monitors. Mulder stiffly walks up to the crib Katherine lies in and looks down at his ill daughter. "Scully, how did she catch this, we were so careful."

Scully looks down. "They can pick viruses up anywhere, Mulder. Remember the photos we had taken, the studio was filled with kids."

"But Will was the one mingling, not Katherine."

"That's true, but she hasn't yet developed the immune system Will has."

Mulder looks his daughter over from head to toe. "Scully, why is the IV bag at the foot of the crib?"

"Because they put the IV in her foot, babies tend to pull them out of their arms."

Mulder frowns. "Doesn't that hurt?"

"No more than in her arm."

"What are they giving her?"

Scully looks at the bag. "It's mostly fluids to re-hydrate her."

Scully finally gets a good look at Mulder and frowns, "Mulder, you don't look so good, maybe you should sit down."

Mulder lifts Will up a little higher in his arms. "I'm fine," then it dawns on him, "I need to call your mom."

"My mom?"

"She called twice, and I need to let her know how Katherine is." Mulder hesitates then asks, "Scully, how is she?"

Scully sighs, "Mulder, she is sick, very sick but they have her stabilized." Scully can tell he isn't handling this week. "Look Mulder, I'll go call mom, you stay here and don't let Will run around."

Mulder just nods.

A short, chunky woman in a lab coat walks in. "I understand you're the father," she says looking down at a chart in her hand.

"Yes," Mulder croaks out.

"I'm Doctor Haber, I tended to your daughter in the ER."

"Thank you."

"You're welcome," she smiles. "Mr. Mulder it appears to be the flu. We need to let it run its course but keep her hydrated and the fever down. "If all goes well, she'll be released tomorrow."

Mulder looks up at the doctor; "Can we stay the night?"

She chuckles, "Well your wife can, but this little one," she says, pointing to William, "needs to go home."

Will blinks his big, blue eyes at her just as Scully walks into the cubicle, "All done." She then realizes the doctor is there. "Hello Doctor Haber, any news?"

"Nothing, except I was telling Fox that barring complications Katherine can go home tomorrow."

"That's good news," Scully says, more for Mulders benefit.

"Well the chair folds out into a semi-comfortable bed," the doctor laughs then starts to leave but adds, "I'll be back in the morning."

"Thank you," Scully says.

A few moments pass then Scully says, "Mulder, it looks like our Christmas dinner is on hold, can you feed William and make sure he gets to bed early?"

"No," Mulder says shaking his head, and then looking directly at Scully, "I'm staying here tonight."

Scully is surprised. "Mulder, I can..."

"No Scully, please let me be the one to stay." He leans over the metal crib railing and drags his fingers gently through the little head of soft, brown curls. "I feel like she needs me here tonight."

Scully rubs his arm. "I understand Mulder, if anything..."

"Changes; I'll call you." Mulder steps from beside the crib and wraps his arms around Scully. "I'll make sure they take good care of her."

"I know you will."

"Speaking of Will, where is he?"

"One guess," Scully says then looks under the crib and flips her thumb out. "Come on Will, we're going home."

"Iz da bee-bee comin' too?"

"No she isn't Will, Katherine's sick." Scully watches, as Will reaches through the metal bars and touches his sister's arm then pulls his hand back, unsure of what's going on.

Mulder lifts William up and kisses his cheek, "You be good for mom, and the baby will be home tomorrow."

"'kay," William replies.

Mulder sets Will down on his feet as a nurse comes in to check on Katherine. Scully takes her son by the hand and they start to leave then she looks back. "Mulder, its still fairly early, I can stay for awhile."

"Scully, you worked yesterday until well after midnight and you got what, three hours sleep and Will was up late last night and up early today, go home, get some sleep." He looks over at Katherine. "We'll be fine."

Scully takes Will by the hand and they head for the elevators.

The nurse lifts the blanket to check on the IV. Mulder sees it and goes green around the gills. The nurse notices him and pulls the chair over. "Easy there dad," she says, gently pushing him down into the chair.

"Does it hurt her? I mean can she feel it?"

"Not really," the nurse smiles, "babies are pretty resilient."

Several hours later the same nurse finds Mulder hovering over the crib. "Mr. Mulder..."

"Its just Mulder," he says, not taking his eyes off his daughter.

"Okay. Mulder, why don't you take a break and grab a cup of coffee."

Mulder shakes his head then asks, "Why is she so still, she is normally a squirmer."

The nurse moves in to stand on the other side of the crib. "Babies need lots of sleep to get well, it's actually good for her to sleep." She checks the baby's diaper, "I know someone who needs changing and that's a good sign."

"It is?" Mulder excitedly asks.

"It means her kidneys are functioning and she's re-hydrating."

The nurse lowers the railing to change Katherine but Mulder stops her, "Please, let me do that."

"Sure, just be careful of the IV."

Mulder gently changes his daughter and pulls the blanket back over her. "She doesn't feel as hot as she did earlier."

The nurse points to the monitor, "She isn't, her temp is down to 101.5"

"That's good!" Mulder excitedly replies.

"That's very good," the nurse smiles.

It's nearing 1:00 AM but Mulder hasn't moved from the chair.

The same nurse looks in on him, "Mulder, I'll stay here if you want to get some coffee or food."

"No, thanks." Mulder shakes his head, not looking beyond his daughter.

Ten minutes later the nurse returns with a Styrofoam cup of coffee and a turkey sandwich. "Look, I feed all the stray cats in my neighborhood, so I'm feeding you too."

For the first time in hours Mulder smiles and takes the offered coffee and food.

The nurse rests her arms on the metal crib and studies Mulder. "You're sure a good sitter," she comments.

Mulder swallows a bite of turkey. "I work for the FBI, I'm use to sitting during stakeouts."

"The FBI, isn't that dangerous?" The nurse frowns.

"It used to be, but now I mostly teach at the academy."

"So your wife is a doctor, I heard."

Mulder smiles and finishes another bite. "She's actually a pathologist and was my FBI partner for seven years."

The nurse, Mulder can tell, is dying to ask the universal question about fraternization. "We became involved in our seventh year and decided we were both ready for a change. The change included our son and our jobs."

The nurse smiles and puts a hand on her hip. "I admire you, Mulder."

"Me. Why?"

"Yes you, this place is full of sick kids all with mom's watching over them tonight, you're the only father here."

Mulder shrugs, "Maybe they have to work in the morning."

The nurse narrows her eyes, "I'll bet even if you had to work in the morning you'd be here tonight."

Mulder chuckles slightly embarrassed. "I'm here tonight because she needs me," he says getting up and setting his coffee down. He leans over the rail and tugs at the tiny blanket covering his daughter.

3:00 AM

Mulder is sitting forward in the chair, resting his chin on his fisted hands. Katherine suddenly begins to move around, she seems disoriented. Mulder jump up and looks over the railing at her, she looks up at her father and struggles to sit up. Mulder panics and calls for the nurse. He looks up at the nurse with wide eyes, "What's she doing?"

The nurse looks down at the baby and smiles, "She recognizes you and wants to be held." "But she's got all those wires attached to her and that IV."

The nurse begins to unhook the tiny wires from his daughter. "Sit down Mulder, you can hold her if you're careful with the IV line."

Mulder sits down in the chair and holds out his hands. The nurse wraps his daughter in a small blanket and hands her to him. He carefully takes her in his arms. He smiles down at her then looks up at the nurse and quietly says, "I haven't been this nervous holding her since she was born."

"Don't worry Mulder, kids are pretty tough."

"It's just that Scully, I mean Dana, was never supposed to be able to have children. Our son was a miracle but this little one," he says looking down at his daughter, "was a gift."

The nurse is visibly moved by Mulder's confession. "Why don't you see if you can get her back to sleep and I'll be back in a few minutes."

Mulder holds his daughter tight; almost as if he loosens his grip he'll loose her. Katherine is staring up at her father as the nurse comes back in. "Here Mulder, try giving her this, lets see if she can keep a little water down, but don't give her more than an ounce."

Mulder tips the bottle up; Katherine takes it and reaches up to grab his thumb in her tiny hand. This simple act brings a smile to her father's face.

4:00 AM

The nurse comes in, "Ready to lay her down?"

Mulder looks up; "Do I have to?"

"No, but let me check her temp." The nurse picks up an aural thermometer to check the baby's temperature. "100.9, that's an improvement."

"It's coming down then," Mulder smiles.

"Yes it is, I'll check back in a little while."

5:00 AM

The nurse returns to find Mulder's head tipped back with his eyes closed, still clutching his sleeping daughter. She moves in to take Katherine from him. "I'm not sleeping," he says, while his eyes slowly open.

"Mulder, I need to change her and hook up the monitors again."

Mulder looks down at his sleeping daughter but finally relinquishes her. The nurse lays Katherine in her crib and begins to hook the leads back up.

Mulder stiffly gets up to stretch and bends over to loosen up his back then takes a couple of steps.

The nurse looks back at him, "Look Mulder, go get some coffee or go pee, just do something."

Mulder's face gets red. "You had to say that didn't you."

The nurse starts to change Katherine, "Down the hall and to the left."

"Thanks, I'll be right back."

"I was expecting that," the nurse mumbles.

6:00 AM

Katherine is sleeping soundly but begins to squirm and whimper, Mulder is out of the chair in a flash. He steps out of the cubical and catches his new friend's eye. "What's up?" The nurse says rounding the corner of the cubicle.

"She's awake and starting to cry."

The nurse looks down at the child who is currently waving her arms and building up for a good cry. "I think she's feeling better and demanding to be changed, maybe we can even get something in her tummy." The nurse checks all the monitors and makes some notes.

For the first time since Mulder brought Katherine in, he finally lets out a huge puff of air. "She's going to be all right then?"

The nurse smiles, "Don't worry dad, she's still got the flu but she is over the worst of it. "Let me go see if I can get her something to eat."

Mulder leans over the railing and lets his daughter grab his finger. She smiles up at him, baring two tiny bottom teeth. "That's the most beautiful smile I've ever seen from you," he says as the nurse returns.

"Here you go Katherine, lets see how you handle this." The nurse lowers the rail and lifts the baby out of the crib. "Sit down Mulder, my shift is nearly over, so you get the honor." She unhooks the monitors and hands the baby to her father.

Mulder takes his tiny jewel from her and looks down at his daughter and then back up at the nurse. "Thank you."

"You're welcome, if I don't see you tomorrow, you take care of that little one, she's a keeper." The nurse winks at Mulder and smiles.

Katherine eagerly takes the offered bottle of formula and for the first time she scans her surroundings. "I'll bet you are wondering where you are." Her eyes snap back to her father. "You were a very sick little girl." Mulder rubs his fingers across her tiny cheek, Katherine responds with a weak grin. "I'm sorry about not being there for you, or your mom, when they did all those awful things to you in the ER, but I chickened out. See, it's hard for me to see you, or your bro