TITLE: Female Bonding Series - Deepest Sympathies AUTHOR: jeri E-MAIL: jerbearxf@hotmail.com RATING: PG CATEGORY: SA KEYWORDS: post-Empedocles, R-POV SPOILERS: TINH, DA, Empedocles ARCHIVE: Ephemeral/Gossamer yes Legacy/Touchstone yes XFMU - yes Others with permission STARTED: April 23, 2001 FINISHED: April 23, 2001 SUMMARY: So Scully likes Reyes, eh? How'd *that* come about? **DISCLAIMER: Mulder? Scully? Reyes? No...no...and I don't think so! NOTE: Well, here goes: my first attempt at writing Reyes. This should be interesting *g* This one's for Azar, who gave me the idea :) ^*^*^ TO: dscully@fbi.gov FROM: Monica Reyes SUBJ: Deepest Sympathies Agent Scully, Please accept my deepest sympathies. I'm so sorry that we were too late, I truly am. If there's anything you need, please don't hesitate to let me know. Sincerely, Monica Reyes TO: Monica Reyes FROM: Dana Scully SUBJ: Re: Deepest Sympathies Thank you, Agent Reyes. And thanks for your help out in Montana. Although I didn't agree with your ideas, I appreciate the fact that you took the situation seriously. Gratefully, Dana Scully TO: Dana Scully FROM: Monica Reyes SUBJ: Fwd: Fallen brother Agent Scully, this circulated through the NOFO network, and I thought you would like to see it. >---Edgar Marshall wrote: > >Fellow Agents: > >A legend has fallen. Four days ago, Agent Fox Mulder was found deceased >in the deceptively innocent countryside of western Montana. I'm sure >many of you know him by reputation; however, I ask that you mourn him >for his remarkable accomplishments, not rumors and muted whispers. > >Fox Mulder was the best criminal profiler to grace the steps of the >Behavior Sciences Unit. His brilliant mind has captured some of the most >notorious serial killers of our time, including Monty Propps and John Lee >Roche. > >Agent Mulder was also brave enough to investigate the X-Files, a division >which any other agent would avoid for fear of sullying his or her >reputation. I know many of you feel that the X-Files are the black hole of >the FBI, but I also know that there are just as many who know that the >division is important, and when the right agents work it, the results can >be staggering. > >Fox Mulder was one such agent. > >And so I ask you, my fellow agents, to take pause at 10:13 a.m. tomorrow, >and hold in a moment of silence for our fallen brother. Remember him in the >good light he deserves. > >SAC Edgar Marshall >New Orleans Field Office >New Orleans, LA TO: emarshall@fbi.gov CC: mreyes@fbi.gov FROM: Dana Scully RE: Fwd: Fallen brother Dear SAC Marshall, My name is Dana Scully, and as you may or may not know, I have been Agent Mulder's partner for the last eight years. I was sent a copy of your email by Special Agent Monica Reyes, and I want to thank you deeply for the kind words you've granted Agent Mulder. I cannot describe well enough how much they mean to me. I'm curious, did you ever meet or work with Agent Mulder? If so, I would very much like to hear about it. Please forgive me if you met through the X-Files and I was there as well; my mind has been rather distracted this last week, and I'm not recalling any cases in New Orleans at the moment. Thank you very much, again. Sincerely, Agent Dana Scully X-Files Division TO: Monica Reyes FROM: Dana Scully SUBJ: Re: Fwd: Fallen brother Agent Reyes, Thank you very much for sending me that email. It's a rare thing to hear another agent speak highly of Agent Mulder. It's nice to know that there are a few people out there who know that we do good work. Yours, Dana Scully TO: Dana Scully FROM: Monica Reyes SUBJ: Re: Fwd: Fallen brother Dana, I don't know if I actually said the words, but I have known of Agent Mulder for a very long time, and I deeply respect the fact that he never feared the paranormal and supernatural. His monograph in Omni ("On Serial Killers and the Occult") is ingenious; it actually allowed me to feel comfortable in going forward in pursuing the career I wanted. When Agent Doggett called me to help with the case, I seized the opportunity. It hurt me deeply to find him as we did. I realize, of course, that my grief was nothing compared to yours, but seeing him, my professional hero in the flesh...but not...well, it really did affect me greatly. Dana, if you ever feel the need to just release some emotions, please know that I am more than willing to lend an ear. You can contact me on this email address, or at my private one: monrey66@aol.com Have faith, Monica Reyes TO: Monica FROM: Dana Scully SUBJ: Your support Monica, I want to thank you for your generous support these last three months. For someone who was just brought in to do a favor, you have shown an amazing amount of interest and concern for my well-being. Somehow you've managed to pull me out of the shell I normally hide in when life conspires against me, and that's no easy feat to accomplish. You actually remind me a lot of my older sister, who is now deceased. She could always find the right words to get me talking about my feelings. My main reason for writing is not simply to thank you, however. I've experience several miracles in my life...the remission of my cancer stands out most prominently...but none of them can compare to what happened two days ago. Mulder's alive. The details of how aren't important, but Mulder is alive, and yesterday he awoke from the prolonged coma he'd been in for all these months. He is surprisingly healthy, considering the enormous trauma he'd endured. Anyway, I just wanted you to hear the news from me. Dana I stand in front of the door, not really sure if I should be doing this. Sure, we've been exchanging emails for the last few months, and I don't get up to DC that often, so while I'm here I really should stop by and say hello. Especially since I didn't get a chance to see her in the hospital. I really feel bad about that. Of course, I'd planned to after stopping by Jeb Dukes' room, but Katha had a different plan, obviously. John insisted that I stay at his house for a few days, until the swelling went down. By the time he deemed me well enough to leave his fortress of solitude, Dana had already been released. So I nagged John until he gave me her address and came right over. But as I stand here, I can hear two voices inside, and one is decidedly male. Of course Agent Mulder would be here. Dana never came right out and said it, but I know that they were very close before he was abducted, and I'm sure they're working hard to become close again. I glance at my watch, and I realize that if I don't knock on the door now, I'll have to leave to catch my plane. My hand's rapping on the solid wood before I can think another thought. I hear Mulder's muffled voice say something that sounds like, "That better not be the UPS man," and Dana giggles in return. Maybe this isn't such a good... Too late. The door swings open. Why, I do believe that Agent Mulder is surprised to see me. "Agent Reyes? Can I help you?" The man could have been one heckuva doorman. "Nice to see you again so soon, Agent Mulder. Actually, I stopped by to see Dana," I say, carefully leaning forward to try and peek in the apartment. "Monica? Come on in!" I hear her exclaim. Mulder steps aside, and I give him a small smile as I brush past him. My eyes search for my friend, and they alight on her when I turn towards the sofa. She's beaming, looking absolutely radiant. I never imagined she could look this happy, this... No friggin' way... I swear, her smile gets even bigger when she takes in my shocked face. "Oh, did I forget to mention that? Hey Monica, I'm pregnant." "Jesus, how the heck could you forget to tell me that little tidbit?" She doesn't bother to answer, which I expected, honestly. I cross the living room and lean down to give her a hug. "Congratulations, Dana." "Thank you," she chuckles. My next instinct is to go offer the same gesture to Mulder, but there's a look on his face that gives me pause. I refrain, not wanting to commit a serious faux pas. But then I look back to Dana, and her eyes are totally focused on him, with just the right amount of twinkle to let me know my instinct was right. I think I'm going to miss my plane. THE END ^*^*^ Woohoo! I wrote Reyes! Now, please tell me how I did...do I have a future in writing Reyes, or should I just stick to M&S, with the occasional Doggett? ** TITLE: Deepest Secrets AUTHOR: jeri E-MAIL: jerbearxf@hotmail.com RATING: PG CATEGORY: VR KEYWORDS: Scully/Reyes bonding, MSR SPOILERS: Vienen, Alone, Essence ARCHIVE: Ephemeral/Gossamer/KtF -- yes Legacy/Touchstone -- yes Doggett House/SWLD/XFMU - yes Others -- with permission STARTED: May 8, 2001 FINISHED: May 14, 2001 SUMMARY: Scully and Reyes continue to keep in touch, and they each learn some secrets about the other. **DISCLAIMER: Gimme an "n"...*N!*...gimme an "o"...*O!*...what's that spell? *NO!* ^*^*^ TO: Monica FROM: Dana Scully SUBJ: ...and then there were two... Monica, Mulder's out. DD Kersh (the pompous moron) "let him go" after Mulder saved the world on an oil rig in the Gulf of Mexico. The most bizarre thing, is that Kersh was going bring Agent Doggett down as well, but Mulder took the fall for the whole thing. He certainly didn't have to do that, but he did. And he got fired for his troubles. Anyway, I thought I'd give you the heads up. I'll be going on maternity leave in two weeks, which will mean Agent Doggett will be alone on the X-Files. Use that information as you will. Dana TO: Dana FROM: Monica Reyes SUBJ: Re: ...and then there were two... Dana, Oh my! That was unexpected. Well, look on the bright side: he can't get into any more trouble now! I'd take advantage of his unemployment, Dana. Have you started Lamaze yet? Hey, he's gotta stay busy somehow! And that was a very subtle hint you threw out there. As much as I'd love to work on the X-Files, I can't leave NO at this time. My sister and her daughter are moving in with me, and until Andie gets a job to support herself, I can't leave her. Don't worry about John, he'll be fine on his own. He's made being alone into an art. You just take it easy and go on leave whenever you feel ready (unless your doctor intercedes). Everything will work out fine. Monica :) TO: Monica FROM: Dana Scully SUBJ: I'm on leave My doctor told me to start my leave. I don't think she realizes, though, how different our definitions of "leave" are. Well, she didn't. Not until Mulder decided she should know that I was still doing autopsies. Evil man. If he wasn't my Lamaze partner I'd... Right. What's even more evil is that he's told my mother that I'm supposed to be on leave, and she's over here practically 24/7. Last night she was making noises about how it's bad luck not to have a baby shower. I've never heard that one, have you? I tried to tell her it's a bad idea, that the only people I would want there are Mulder and a couple friends of ours. And maybe Skinner and Doggett. Maybe. Well, Mom wasn't pleased with that. She told me that I need to have a "network of support" for after the baby's born. Whatever. I'm just glad that she hasn't started a campaign for a shotgun wedding, though I suspect Mulder has negotiated a bit with that. He's suddenly living in his apartment again. He says it's to clean it up and get it ready to be sold, but I don't buy it. I've been keeping it in "selling" condition for months, waiting for the time when I felt I could go through with it. I almost wish I had sold it, so he'd be forced to live here. Oh well. I'm sure even my mother will "let" him come back when it's time. Well, I'm sure I've wasted plenty of your time...but you shouldn't be reading your personal mail at work, anyway! I'll keep you informed of every Braxton-Hicks, Dana TO: Dana FROM: Monica Reyes SUBJ: Re: I'm on leave Good! I'm glad you're out of the office...and I'm glad to see Mulder's being a pain in the butt to make sure you stay out And let your mother throw you the baby shower. It'll make her feel better. Plus you'll get a lot of great baby stuff that you never even knew you needed! You know I've never been pregnant or anything, but I remember when my sister was. Our parents had long since disowned us, and her husband wasn't as enthralled at the thought of a child as she'd hoped. So she just had me, and I was still trying to find my way in the Bureau. She would have killed for someone to fuss over her and put together a baby shower and everything. You're so lucky, Dana, to have so many people who love you and want to take care of you. Let them. It'll make life so much easier for you and they'll feel better about everything, too. In the meantime...would you *please* find out if it's a boy or girl?! I was on the verge of buying a really cute blanket for you the other day, but then the saleswoman asked if it should be pink or blue, and I had to ask if it came in yellow. It didn't, so you'll have to wait for it...unless you tell me! Oh, my niece and sister send you their love. Sometime in the next few months I'll have to come up and visit, maybe with them in tow. They want to see John again, too. I'm not so sure about that, but maybe... Anyway, take it easy! Let Mulder and your mother pamper you! Have the friggin' baby shower! And SMILE :D :D :D Love, Monica :) TO: Monica FROM: Dana Scully SUBJ: Re: I'm on leave << In the meantime...would you *please* find out if it's a boy or girl?! >> Oh hell! Not you, too! I'm not amused by that question anymore. Mulder finally stopped asking it when I suggested that it might be neither...which is completely nonsense, of course. This child, whether it's male or female, is 100% human, that much I know. And I know that Mulder is the father, though he really hasn't brought that subject up. I like to think that's because he knows...but then he always refers to the baby as *my* baby or *the* baby. He probably picked that up from me; when he was missing and then...well, I...I've been an idiot, I'm sure. I've granted my mother permission to throw the baby shower. She's inviting a group of women from church, all of whom I've known for several years. I feel bad that my friend Ellen doesn't live in the area anymore; her son is my Godson, and I'd love to bring her into this to give her the chance to return the favor...assuming that we decide to baptize the baby. I haven't brought up that subject with Mulder yet, and I have no idea how he'll react. Now, I'm going to quite obviously change the subject... << Oh, my niece and sister send you their love. Sometime in the next few months I'll have to come up and visit, maybe with them in tow. They want to see John again, too. I'm not so sure about that, but maybe... >> Okay, friend, you've opened up a can of worms, and I'm afraid I won't be happy until you've explained every single one. Impatiently yours, Dana TO: Dana FROM: Monica Reyes SUBJ: John, Andie, and me I should have known you wouldn't just let that go. You're too tenacious, my friend Well, you've shared plenty of secrets of yours, I supposed it's only fair that I offer up some of my own. Not that any of this is secret, really. It's just an unspoken undercurrent in a relationship between three people. You know about John's son Luke. I'm sure you also know that I was the primary agent on that case. But that's not how we met. We'd actually met years before at my sister's wedding. See, Andie married his brother Sean (yeah, John and Sean Doggett...I hate it when parents do weird things with their kids' names). We became almost-friends during the weeks surrounding the wedding. John and Sean weren't really close, unlike Andie and me. Sean left two years later when Andie got pregnant. John was really peeved about that...he offered several times to help her out, but Andie didn't feel right taking from him when I was able to take care of her. John eventually pulled about fifty thousand dollars from Sean, but no one's heard from Sean since. I suspect that he changed his name so he couldn't be tracked down for more money. He and Andie are still legally married, and while it hasn't been a problem yet, I'm sure one day Andie will want to get married to a decent man, for Colette's sake if nothing else. Sure, we can get Sean presumed dead and get a judge to terminate their marriage, but that takes time and effort... When John's son went missing, he had me come in specifically on the case. He wanted someone he could trust to tell him the truth in case the worst was true. And it was. But what made it ten times worse was that not five hours after Luke's body had been found, Andie gave birth to little Colette. She was four and a half weeks early. He and Andie stopped communicating then. John couldn't handle the living reminder of that horrible day. That's why I'm not sure if John would want to see them again if they came up for a visit. I hope he will, because Andie couldn't take another Doggett's rejection. Well, that's the story. Probably nothing like you expected, right? Just don't mention any of this to John right now, okay? I'm sure he's trying to figure out his feelings about being alone on the X-Files...he doesn't need to be thinking about this, too. Aw, crap! It's way past my bedtime, Dana. Look what you made me do! I'm going to bed now. Hope your baby shower goes well! Love, Monica :) THE END ^*^*^ I think that's a good place to stop for now...don't worry, I'll continue to explore their growing friendship. I just think the only place to go now is post-Essence, and I don't want to do that until I see Existence. Look for more in the next two weeks or so! ** TITLE: Names and Planes AUTHOR: jeri E-MAIL: jerbearxf@hotmail.com RATING: PG CATEGORY: VR KEYWORDS: Scully/Reyes bonding, MSR SPOILERS: Existence ARCHIVE: Ephemeral/Gossamer - yes Keep the Faith/Enigmatic Dr. - yes Legacy/Touchstone - yes XFMU - yes Others - with permission STARTED: June 4, 2001 FINISHED: June 4, 2001 SUMMARY: More bonding via emails. **DISCLAIMER: I wonder if Chris would be willing to sell timeshares for these characters during the summer...then they *could* be mine! Author's note: For the sake of continuity (on *my* part, not CC's *g*), I'm going to pretend Scully called Reyes "Monica" and not "Agent Reyes" in Existence. So much easier. ^*^*^ TO: Dana FROM: Monica Reyes SUBJ: My butt hurts! I guess that happens when you get reamed by the Deputy Dir, huh? John tells me I should get used to it. Kersh didn't seem to pleased to see me in the meeting, nor was he pleased to see me involved in an X-File. John kinda filled me in, but it still doesn't make sense to me. But enough about that...how are you?!?! Can you sit down okay? I remember when Andie had Colette, she couldn't sit down for a few days. She was sprawled on the couch, and had to use a donut for feeding the baby. But, then again, she had a huge tear...needed about twenty stitches to fix her up. Not nearly as bad as you. Have you named the little guy yet? I get the feeling that it won't be Fox Junior Just don't name him Sean, David, or Robbie...I've never met a guy with that name who wasn't a jerk. Well, I've got to start packing. I'm officially moving up to DC so I can work the X-Files. Andie and Colette are coming with me, so you'll get to meet them. John is letting us stay with him until we find our own place. You've seen his house, right? I have *no* idea what possessed a single man to buy a family house like that. Well, not going to look a gift horse in the mouth, I suppose. Enjoy your beautiful boy, Dana. Say hi to Mulder for me. Love, Monica :) TO: Monica FROM: Dana Scully SUBJ: Re: My butt hurts! Reamed by Kersh? On your very first day on the X-Files? Congratulations, Agent Reyes, you've set a new department record! << John kinda filled me in, but it still doesn't make sense to me. >> What doesn't make sense? Why he has it in for the division? Mulder and I have decided he's just got a major bug up his ass. Well, that and we suspect that he's in cahoots with one of the alien factions...which? we're not sure. You're right, enough about that. I'm feeling fine; not too much pain from the tear, which only received three stitches. Naming him...it's funny you should ask. Mulder had to meet with a realtor about his apartment, and while he was gone I began thinking about names. It occurred to me that he still hadn't acknowledged this child as his. Frustrated the hell out of me. And I thought, oh so briefly, about naming him Fox Junior, just so Mulder would get it, or tell me that he always knew, couldn't we pick another name? Well, as I thought about this, I fell asleep. And I had a dream. Monica...you're going to think this sounds odd coming from me, but I'm very susceptible to...visions of the dead. It took me many years to become comfortable with the idea. My first one happened when my father died eight years ago. And throughout the years I've had a few more. This dream I had the other night...Mulder's father came to me. Mr. Mulder died seven years ago...murdered by the same men who killed my sister. Anyway, he came to me in my dream, saying that he wanted to meet his grandson. He peeked in the cradle and started talking to the baby. He was very gentle, a fact that surprised me, given what I knew of the man from Mulder. Then he turned to me and said that this was all he ever wanted for his children. For them to grow up safe and have a family of their own. And that's why he did the things he did, to ensure a future for his children. Then he thanked me and left. Then I woke up. When Mulder got back later, I knew exactly what I was going call our child. He asked me again, as he had been doing every few hours since he found us in Georgia, and I told him I was naming him William, for his father. I had to add the "for your father" part, because my father was also a William, as is my older brother, and I had to distinguish our William from the others. So, to answer your question, his name is William. William Scully Mulder. Does that give off a positive aura? So you're coming up to DC for good? That's great! Definitely stop by when you get up here, and feel free to bring your sister and niece along. Well, someone's hungry...I can hear him crying. I think Mulder's learning too much from little William . See you soon, Dana TO: Dana FROM: Monica Reyes SUBJ: Re: My butt hurts! I was going to change the subject line, but it amuses me That's an amazing story about How William Got His Name. I'd like very much to hear more about your other experiences, if you wouldn't mind sharing. I'm flattered that you shared that one with me, though, since I'm sure you haven't told Mulder exactly why you chose to name your son after his father. You should, you know. I bet it would mean a lot to him to know that his father still cares. I'm writing this email on the airplane, actually. Andie and Colette are snoozing next to me. Gotta love the remote modem. Just swipe my card for the airphone, and I'm set to go! Anyway, we'll be landing at Reagan National in another hour or so; John's meeting us, then we're going to his place. The moving van should be somewhere around Tennessee about now. I'm guessing we can come around to visit sometime tomorrow, if that's good for you? Colette's really excited to see the baby. She knows that I delivered him, and she thinks that's the coolest thing in the world. She told Andie that's what she wants to do when she grows up. I wonder how long that will last Turbulence! Eek! Wow...they didn't even wake up! Such good little sleepers Hey, DC's an hour of ahead of NO, isn't it? Geeze, that's going to be fun, trying to adjust my TV-watching schedule ahead an hour. You crazy East Coasters! Damn, that means CSI isn't on till 9 now! Okay, enough whining. I'll check my email later tonight, and if I don't hear from you otherwise, I'll bring the girls by tomorrow :) Love, Monica :) THE END TITLE: Crickets AUTHOR: jeri E-MAIL: jerbearxf@hotmail.com RATING: PG CATEGORY: SR, R-POV KEYWORDS: Scully/Reyes friendship, MSR SPOILERS: Existence ARCHIVE: Ephemeral/Gossamer - yes Keep the Faith/Enigmatic Dr. - yes Legacy/Touchstone - yes XFMU - yes Others - with permission STARTED: June 6, 2001 FINISHED: June 24, 2001 SUMMARY: Now in DC, Monica visits Scully, family in tow. **DISCLAIMER: Scully, Reyes, Mulder, and Doggett aren't mine. Andie and Colette are mine, please do not use them without permission. ^*^*^ I can tell that John's eager to get rid of us. I guess going from Bachelor Heaven to Estrogen Alley isn't the easiest change to make, and we should all just be grateful that he's willing to take us in for the time being. One last time I check to make sure I've got the presents in the car with us; we're already running late since Colette discovered what a wonderful thing an uncle can be. She has no idea that her cousin was found dead just hours before she was born, and we've all decided not to mention it. But she's all over her Uncle John, and he's taking it surprisingly well. I finally had to bribe the girl with the promise of seeing a little baby *and* a stop at DQ on the way home to get her out of the house and into the car. She's in the back, practicing a song for little William to herself. If I remember my lullabies right, it's "Hush Little Baby". "You're sure your friend knows Cole and I are coming, right?" I sigh. My sister has asked me this about a million times since we got up this morning. "Yes, Andie. She practically insisted that you join me when I got the chance to go see her. I think it's the chance at interacting with another woman who has a child, and who isn't her mother, that's exciting her. Dana doesn't really have many friends, since her job at the Bureau ate up a lot of her spare time." Andie huffs with a breath of laughter. "Gee, where've I heard that story before?" I don't say anything; my social life is not important today. Andie shrugs, then decides to change the subject. "Will her husband be around?" I swear, sometimes I think my sister walks around with cotton balls in her ears for all that she listens to me. "Dana and Mulder aren't married, remember? And don't bring up that subject...the last time I tried...well, there's a reason it was the last time. But, to answer your question, I don't know. He'll probably be there for a little bit, but I'm sure he'll shove off pretty soon, find some excuse to leave us women to ourselves." The rest of the drive from Falls Church into Georgetown is quiet, save a few "Are we there yet?"s from the backseat and the soft music from the radio. I manage not to get lost in the streets of Georgetown, a fact that surprises me. I've never had a very good sense of direction; I always need a map when I'm driving long distances, and I'm the last person to take the lead in a mall or amusement park. But both times I've come to visit Dana I've found my way flawlessly. Must be fate. Remarkably there's a spot right out in front of Dana's apartment. "Here we are!" I announce, as though my sister and niece couldn't figure that out for themselves. Colette has turned shy, so Andie gathers her daughter into her arms while I do the same with the presents. I can't wait to see what Dana thinks of these. Five minutes later I'm knocking on the door, and it swings open to reveal Mulder. I flash back to the first--and only--time I came to visit Dana at her apartment. Mulder answered the door then, too, but this time he's smiling and looks much more like he belongs here, and not just a doorman. "Hello, Agent Reyes," he greets. "Please, call me Monica," I tell him with a bright smile. "We don't need those sorts of formalities here." For a moment his smile drops, and I realize that he doesn't get that formality anywhere anymore. He's no longer "Agent Mulder," just plain ol' Fox Mulder. Before I can make amends, though, his smile returns. "You're right, Monica. Come on in; Scully's just finishing up William's morning snack." We walk into the apartment and settle down on the couch. Colette, though still shy, crawls out of her mother's lap and begins to poke around the living room, fascinated by all the trinkets Dana has out. "Mulder, this is my sister and her daughter Andie and Colette Doggett. They've moved up here from New Orleans with me. Ladies, this is my friend, Fox Mulder." "So nice to meet you, Mr. Mulder," Andie says, holding out her hand. Shaking it, Mulder says, "Likewise, Ms. Doggett." His voice holds no hint of confusion; I guess Dana shared my story of how John and I met. He turns to Colette, who's staring at a pile of baby toys longingly. "Hello, Colette," Mulder says, stepping over and hunching down to her size. "You want to play?" She nods. "Go for it. William should be out soon; he'll love to have a friend who isn't a giant like me for once." With a smile, Colette thanks him and starts poking through the pile. I can feel Andie let out a breath in relief; having grown up without a father, Colette is usually standoffish towards men. However, John and Mulder have both seemed to put her completely at ease without even trying. Maybe now Andie will feel comfortable dating. Finally. "So," Mulder says, settling down into a chair, "how was the trip up? Did all your stuff make it okay?" Ah yes, mindless small talk. I can do this. "Yep, everything was fine. The movers did a fine job with the long drive. Now all we need's a place to put it." "What kind of place are you looking for?" I look at Andie and shrug. "Not sure, really. I think we'd like to get something with a backyard for Colette, but that could put the price up higher than we can afford right now." Actually, I want to find somewhere small and cramped with not much going for it; I won't mind it, but Andie will, which is my point. She's been living with me on and off for years as she falls in and out of jobs. I know it's difficult for her to find good, steady work since she never went to college, but that's going to have to end. John told me that since I've joined the X-Files, the chances of me getting seriously hurt have increased exponentially...and having read quite a few of the files and seeing the resulting hospital reports, I believe him. If I'm put out of commission, Andie's going to have to fend for herself, and I want her to be prepared for that contingency. But that's another argument. I turn the interrogation on him. "What about you, Mulder? Any more thoughts about finding more work?" It sounds snooty and condescending in my ears, and I pray he'll take it like I mean it. "Not really. I'm pretty happy hanging around for now." His head nods back toward the rear hallway, and I assume he's referring to Dana and the baby. I can't really blame him. "Scully's got a couple months for maternity; we'll talk more then about working and stuff." I can sense my sister tensing with jealousy. Since Sean skipped out when she was barely two months along, Andie never had the chance to make such a decision. When she needed work, she worked until her boss got sick of catering to a single mother. Dana's lucky that all these choices are available to her. "Mulder?" comes a voice from the back of the apartment. "Can you come get him?" He grins and rises. "His Majesty will be out in a minute," he says, turning and heading out of sight. The moment he rounds the corner, I feel Andie crash into my side. "*He's* an FBI agent? Monnie! What have you been holding back from me?" I chuckle quietly. "Trust me, Andie, you don't want to marry a cop. We're horrible with personal relationships." After a gentle nudge by my shoulder, Andie sits up again just as Mulder returns, a bundle in his arms. Ooos and ahhhs fill the apartment as Mulder proudly shows off his three-week-old son. Little William looks so different from the last time I saw him, back on his birthday in Georgia. He's no longer blotchy and red, just a nice even baby pink. I know he has no clue what's going on, but he seems happy enough. We let Colette take him first, just so her curiosity can be fulfilled. She quickly realizes that babies this young are pretty boring, so she hands him over to Andie and goes back to inspecting the toys. Andie tickles his chin. "He's gorgeous," she states; then adds, "But that's to be expected." I have to bite my lip to keep from cracking up. Mulder's blushing at her insinuation, and it's obvious he's not used to the compliment. He offers up a shy "thank you," then asks us if we want anything to drink. While he's in the kitchen getting our iced teas, Dana appears. I want to get up to greet her, but William's made his way into my arms, so I remain seated. "Hi Dana, so good to see you again!" "You too, Monica." She smiles and walks to my side, hugging my head briefly. Next she turns to my sister. "Hi, you must be Andie; I'm Dana." "So I guessed," teases Andie. "Nice to meet you. That's Colette over there." Dana does a meet 'n' greet similar to Mulder's, then moves to take Mulder's seat. Mulder returns with our drinks, asking, "So how's, uh, John doing?" Dana looks surprised, and I'm not sure if it's because Mulder asked about John at all, or the fact that he used his first name. "Oh, he's fine. Not used to all these womenfolk around, but I think he likes it more than he lets on," I say. "But enough about us. We've come bearing gifts!" I rise and hand William back to his mother -- and I don't miss the way she relaxes a bit the moment he's back in her arms. I don't say a word and reach for the bag that I left by the door. "Here" -- I hand on package to Mulder -- "you open these. This one's from Andie and Colette." Like a pro, Mulder rips open the paper, not caring about saving the paper for posterity. Out comes a navy blue, fleece blanket with the letters WSM monogrammed in one corner in a lighter blue thread. Andie pipes up. "We thought that'd be good for when he gets older; it's not really babyish so..." "It's wonderful," says Dana, reaching out with one hand to feel it. "And it's soft! Wow, I bet it's really warm. Thank you." "Now mine." I hand Mulder the next package. When it's open, I can see that it's not what they expected at all...and I'm not sure that they realize what it is. "It makes different sounds," I explain. "Soothing ones. I know that one of them is the sound of a heartbeat, and I remember from when Colette was a baby that the sound of a heartbeat helped her fall asleep easier, and she stayed asleep longer." They seem to like the idea of a magical sleep-inducing machine; within minutes we're in the baby's room for the trial run, and indeed the sound of the heartbeat pumps out steadily. I don't tell them that I have this for myself as well. I use it after difficult cases to ward off nightmares. I set it on Summer Night and let the chirping of crickets lull me to sleep. I miss that most about living in the country, the crickets. The city has its own soothing sounds at night, but nothing can compare to crickets. Our visit continues in a lighthearted manner. Mulder takes William into the kitchen for a bath and asks Colette, who'd run out of toys to play with, to help him. By the end of the day, she's asking Andie for a little brother of her own; can they pick one up the next time they go grocery shopping? That night, as I lie in bed, a sound filters through the open window. Crickets. THE END