Title: A Simple Twist of Fate? 
Author:  x-girl1

Rating: NC-17
Category: MSR
Spoilers: None
Keywords: Mulder/Scully Romance

Summary: Mulder asks Scully a personal question. The answer
is something more then he expected. Part one.

DISCLAIMER: Well you all know the drill. the characters in
this story belong to Chris Carter (the man) and 1013
productions. No infringement intended. This is a
Mulder/Scully story so if you don't like that then skip over
this one.

This story is rated NC-17 so if you are not of age then what
are you doing reading this? Go away or I'll call your
mother! I mean it!

Please if you have any comments concerns or suggestions
please e-mail me at

x_girl1@hotmail.com

Even if it is just to tell me that you have read it. If
there is something you don't like please tell me. And now on
to the story. :) ENJOY!

A Simple Twist Of Fate? 1/4

-----xXx-----

"Well?" Mulder looked at Scully's surprised face.

"I can't believe you asked me that!" Was all that could come
to her mind then.

"Why?"

"Because Mulder its a very personal question."

He leaned in close to her ear and whispered. "Don't you
trust me?"

Scully blushed slightly. "You know I trust you Mulder....
it's just that... well... you surprised me that's all."

"So does that mean you'll tell me?"

Scully looked into his eyes. "Under one condition."

"Name it." He couldn't believe she was going to tell. He
just wanted to shake her up, see what she would do in that
kind of situation. He loved teasing her. Even more he loved
flirting with her.

"If I *do* tell you...." she paused looking right into his
eyes. He could never lie to her when she looked him right in
the eye. "... you have to promise me that you will tell me
yours."

"Deal." He held out his hand to her to shake on it. He
couldn't believe he was about to hear Dana Scully aka *Ice
Queen*'s first experience.

Scully took his hand firmly and shook. "Just remember Mulder
I have a gun... and I've shot you before! You better make
good to your promise."

Scully thought back to that summer many years ago and
smiled. "I was 13." She said. Her memories flooded back as
she thought. He didn't want to know much. So she wouldn't
tell him much. Just the essentials. Name, location, how good
he was sort of thing. Thinking back she smiled again.

-----xXx-----

"Dana Hurry or you'll miss the bus!" Dana Scully couldn't
believe it.

She was 13! and her mother and father were still sending her
to summer camp. This was going to be the worst summer in her
entire 13 years of life!

"I'm here." She dropped her duffel bag on the ground at the
back of the bus to be loaded with all the other campers.

"Aw... Cheer up Dana. Camp isn't going to be that bad.
Besides what fun would it be for you to hang around the
house all summer? Id much rather you spend a fun filled
summer at Camp Kitchy then mope around the house.

"Besides a military base is no place for a girl 13 to be
running around all summer." Her mother gave her a kiss on
the cheek. "Have fun sweetheart, and remember call me once a
week."

"I will, Mom." Dana walked over to the line up of kids
getting on the bus.

"Name?"

"Dana Scully."

"Welcome Dana. Are you ready for the best summer of your
life?"

Dana scowled at the overly cheery councilor. "Spare me the
melee-dramatics. I'm only here because my mother thinks that
it Will be better for me to mope away from the house."

"Allrighty then." The councilor turned her attention to the
next kid in line.

Dana boarded the bus and took a seat near the back. She
leaned her head back and waited for the inevitable.

"Excuse me is this seat taken?"

Dana looked up at the most gorgeous boy she had ever laid
eyes on.

"Uh.. no." She scooted over and let him take the seat beside
her.

"My name is Dana." She smiled at him. He had the most
interesting eyes.

They almost seemed too old for him.

"Dana." He tried her name on his lips. "That's pretty.
Everyone calls me Ray."

"Ray... is that short for something."

"Kinda."

"What's it short for?"

"Ah... Well maybe I'll tell you..." He smiled. "But maybe I'll
let you wait."

Dana couldn't help but notice how he seemed to slightly
nibble on his bottom lip. *Oh yes I think mom was finally
right about something. This is going to definitely be the
best summer of my life!*

"Well I hope you tell me."

He smiled at her and ran a finger gently down the side of
her cheek and winked at her. "We'll see Dana."

Dana blushed slightly and looked down at what she was
wearing. She was glad that she had changed her mind at the
last minute wearing the formfitting thin white t-shirt and
the short blue jean shorts that her mother hated so much.
She looked back up at Ray who was smiling and waving at the
boy coming on the bus.

"Hey Ray." They boy waved back and... Did he give him a
thumbs up? Dana dismissed it.

"So Ray. How old are you?"

"14 but I'm gonna be turning 15 this summer. What about you,
Beautiful?"

Dana blushed again. "Me?"

He leaned in slightly and Dana could feel her heart beating
faster and her blood racing. "Do you see any other beautiful
brunettes on the bus?"

*Wow* "Uh same I'm 14... but my birthday isn't until later
on... in the fall."

"Well my birthday is in the middle of the summer."

The bus started to pull out of the parking lot.

"So have you come here before?"

"No my father was just transferred here. We move around a
lot."

"Well I hope you like long bus rides... because this ones a
duzzy." He slouched down a bit and brought his knees up on
the back of the seat in front of him.

Dana copied him and smiled. "Well then I hope I can last
that long. I hate long bus rides. I usually fall asleep."

He got a sly look in his eyes. "Well you know..." He leaned
towards her a bit. "If you get really tired you can fall
asleep on my shoulder."

"Well thank you, Ray." Dana said sweetly. She couldn't
believe it, she was flirting with this boy, and loving it.

True to her word about 45 minutes into the trip Dana started
feeling sleepy.

Ray put his arm around her and gently pulled her into his
arms. "Feel better?"

Dana nodded in response nuzzling into his chest. *mmm he
smells good* She drifted off to sleep.

-----xXx-----

"13 eh?" Mulder looked at her waiting to continue.

"Yeah, I know I was kinda young but he was very charming."

"What was his name?"

"Ray." Scully smiled as she said his name again.

"You really liked him didn't you?" He was intrigued with his
partner.

Scully just nodded.

Mulder looked at her for a moment. "So?"

His voice seemed a million miles away as she thought back.

-----xXx-----

"Dana want to go for a boat ride with me?"

She saw Ray holding out a paddle and pointing a red canoe.
"Sure." She grabbed the paddle and took a seat at the front
of the canoe. "Where we going?" She asked when the were out
on the lake a bit.

"Well Steve tells me that there's an old abandoned island
out here a bit... want to go check it out?"

Dana smiled for a second. "Sure." Steve had been the boy
that Ray had waved to on the bus the day she met him. She
had come to know him better as the summer went on.

"Oh did I tell you that today is my birthday?"

"No." Dana turned slightly and regretted it as they almost
went plunging into the warm water. "Sorry." She said getting
her balance.

"That's ok... there's the island right there."

"Happy birthday."

"Thanks." The canoe came to a stop on a sandy beach of the
island. Ray jumped out of the canoe and Dana had to grab the
boat for her balance.

"I wouldn't let you tip." He said letting her turn to see
that he had a firm grip on the canoe the whole time. He was
up to his midsection in water. He pulled the boat onto the
shore and held out a hand to Dana.

"Thank you." She said splashing into the inch of water.

Ray pulled the boat further up on the shore so it didn't
float away on them.

"Ready to explore?"

"Right behind you."

Dana watched her step as she held on to his hand. He lead
her through the thin bush til they reached a clearing.
"This is a cool place. Let's stop here for a bit."

Ray produced a blanket that she didn't even notice him
caring and laid it on the grass.

"Sit down." He smiled.

Dana sat down and waited for Ray to do the same. She scooted
up closer to him. "You must be cold from the water."

"Why Dana, is that a offer to warm me up?" He put his arm
around her.

"Maybe." She looked into his eyes.

He leaned down slightly. Dana met his lips and slowly kissed
him gently. Ray slid his tongue in her mouth. She let out a
small moan.

Ray pulled away a bit. "Um... " He paused... "I just wanted
you to know I didn't plan this... I mean if you don't want
to that's fine."

Dana nodded at him and laid down on the blanket and looked
up at him.

"I want to." She whispered.

Ray laid down beside her and kissed her gently.

"Um... Ray..." She looked into his eyes. "This is my first
time."

Ray looked down at her. "Kat..." He kissed her again. She
loved it when he called her that. It was his nickname for
her and only his.

-----xXx-----

"Scully?"

"Hmm?" Scully was ripped from her trance again.

"So his name was Ray and you were 13.... " He waited for her
to go on.

"Well we went to our special place where no one could
interrupt us.

There's a small island in the middle of the lake at camp
Kitchy."

"Camp Kitchy?!" Mulder said, surprised.

"Yeah, you know it?"

"Yeah, I went there for a couple of summers."

"Huh... small world."

"Yeah must have just missed you by a year. I was 14 and 15.
Anyway carry on."

"Well we made out for a bit and then... well... you know."

"No I don't remember I wasn't there..." He teased his
partner.

"Well what exactly do you want to know about it? What he
said? What he did? Mulder you forget *YOU'RE* the one with the
eidetic memory."

Mulder leaned into her again. "Scully no one forgets their
first."

Scully blushed. "Mulder I don't know what to say."

"Well was he good?"

"Yes." She answered without hesitation.

"Better then anyone else?"

"The best so far, yes." Scully blushed at the reference to
her non-existent sex life. But he wouldn't know about that,
and she didn't want him to quite frankly.

"What about later? Did you keep in touch with him?"

Scully closed her eyes and drifted again.

-----xXx-----

Dana snuggled up to Ray on the bus ride back home. She had
the most wonderful summer of her life. They set a duffel bag
beside Ray for a bit of privacy.

"My Kat." He whispered into her ear as he stroked her inner
thigh with his thumb as his fingers slide up her shorts.

Dana moaned softly so no one would hear her.

"Mmm I love making my Kat purr..." He stroked her slowly
happy to see she hadn't worn any panties today.

Dana lifted her hips to him urging him on.

"Mmmm kitty wants more." He let one finger slide into her
feeling how wet she was. Dana's head leaned back against
Ray's arm her mouth open slightly.

"More" She mouthed.

"I aim to please my Kat." He whispered softly. He stroked
her with two fingers as he brought his thumb into her
shorts. He slowly circled her clit with it slowly.

Dana's hips found its rhythm with his fingers... Everyday
for almost a month now they would go for a boat ride to
their special spot. Dana was dreading the end of the summer.
She wanted to stay with Ray on *their* island exploring
their bodies together. They had learned so much this summer.
What turned them on what didn't. A full summer of exploring
their sexual pleasures and now it was coming to an end.

Ray stroked her a little faster sliding another finger into
her. He took his other hand and gently brushed it across her
nipples. Dana's eyes opened and smiled at her lover. Lover.
She liked the sound of that.

Ray sped up faster when he heard a soft intake of breath
from her. He quickened his pace. Faster and faster. Dana
lifted her hips up slightly to him holding her breath and
squeezing his fingers hard. She bit her lip so she wouldn't
draw any attention to them.

Ray kept up his movements on her til she collapsed
exhausted.

Ray slipped his hand out and Dana moaned at the loss of his
touch.

She looked over smiling as Ray licked his fingers.

-----xXx-----

"Scully, don't keep doing that!" Mulder was getting
impatient.

"Well geez, Mulder, how am I supposed to tell you if I don't
relive it in my mind first?"

He thought about that for a second. He never knew what it
was like to try and remember an event. It was just there
when he wanted it. He was blessed with an eidetic memory and
yet he sometimes considered it a curse.

"I'm sorry take your time."

"Where did I leave off again."

"Same place as before. Ray *Mr. good wrench*" He smiled at
his joke. "... and you a special spot and... ?" He raised
his eyebrows.

"Well Mulder when you said the first. Did you mean the first
first or what I remember the most?"

"You mean that at 13 you slept with him more then once."
Mulder smiled.

"Fine, whatever you want."

"Well the time that sticks out the most is the last."

"So tell me that one then."

"Well we were on the bus coming back from the summer. We sat
at the very back with some bags piled up so we had some
privacy."

Mulder furrowed his brow for a second, but listened to her.

"I loved him." She looked her partner straight in the eye.

"I can tell..."

"Well..." Scully blushed. "... we kinda... well we said our
good-byes so to speak on the bus. He made me orgasm on the
bus with the camp councilors and all the other campers. It
was really erotic." She looked at Mulder for the first time
since she started telling him this, and what she saw no
words could describe.

Mulder was shaking. Literally shaking.

"Mulder what's wrong? Are you ok?"

"I.... I..." His mouth was open but he couldn't get the
words out.

"Mulder lay down here." Scully led her partner over to her
couch and sat down beside him. "Just breath Mulder. I'm
here."

A single tear ran down his cheek.

"Mulder, what is it?"

He took a breath and closed his eyes and searched his
eidetic memory for what he wanted to say. *there it is* he
let the scene play out in front of him.

"Just listen." He said not opening his eyes. He couldn't
look at her now.

"Dana want to go for a boat ride with me?"

"Sure." He paused then continued.

"Where we going?"

"Well Steve tells me that there's an old abandoned island
out here a bit... want to go check it out?"

"Sure."

"Oh did I tell you that today is my birthday?"

"No. That's when the boat almost tipped....sorry."

"That's ok... there's the island right there."

"Happy birthday."

"Thanks..... holding a hand out."

"Thank you."

"Ready to explore?"

"Right behind you."

"This is a cool place. Lets stop here for a bit."

"Sit down."

"You must be cold from the water."

"Why Dana is that an offer to warm me up?"

Scully couldn't believe what she was hearing. How did he
know? She never told him about that. Mulder continued.

"Maybe."

"Um... I just wanted you to know I didn't plan this... I
mean if you don't want to that's fine."

"Whispering... I want to... Um.. Ray this is my first time."

"Kat..."

"Kissing slowly and peeling off clothes..."

A tear rolled down Scully's cheek as she remembered that
first time.

How wonderful it was.

Mulder's eyes popped open and looked at her. "Kat." He
hugged Scully tight in his arms. "Kat... Kat... My Kat.."

Scully was speechless. She said the first thing that popped
into her head. "Ray?"

**
**

"Kat, Kat, my Kat." Mulder grabbed her and gave her a big
hug.

Scully said the first thing that came to mind. "Ray?"

"Yes." He pulled back for a second. "Wait. You told me you
were the same age as me. You lied."

"You told me you would tell me what 'Ray' stood for, you
lied too."

Mulder smiled. "You know what it stands for."

"I do?" Scully asked confused.

"Yeah. What are the names I use?"

"Fox Mulder, MF Luder, Renard..." A light came on as she
finished. "Mudler."

"Ray, short for Renard, French for Fox."

Scully smiled and gave him a big hug. She had thought about
her lost love many times.

She suddenly froze with a realization. "Oh my God..." She
pulled away from him. "What have I done?"

"Scully? What's the matter?" He looked worriedly at her.

She ran to the bathroom and locked the door.

Mulder knocked on the door. "Scully? Scully, what's the
matter?" He leaned his head against the door and could hear
her sobbing. Something was definitely wrong but he didn't
know what. He hated to feel so help less when it came to
her.

She leaned against the sink as the memories came flooding
back. The memories that hurt to much to hold on to. The
images flashed violently in her head forcing her to sit
down. A tear rolled down her cheek.

-------xXx-------

"Sign the papers Dana." Her aunt Becky handed her the pen.

"NO! I won't." Dana sobbed.

"Dana you have to."

"You can't make me. You can't make me give up my baby."

"Please Dana, you're only 14. You can't  raise a baby. What could
you give him?" Her aunt placed a hand on her niece's shoulder
but she shrugged it off.

"Love." Dana whispered looking down into her lap.

"I know you love him Dana. But how much food can love put in
his stomach? How many clothes can love put on his back? You're
only 14 years old. You're still a child yourself."

"I'd find a way."

"Dana a child is something to be cherished when you're older.
He is not something that you can find a way to take care of.
If you keep him at your age you're going to resent him later.
You're going to feel tied down and babies pick up on that."

"I'm tired. I need some sleep."

Her aunt looked at her for a moment and nodded. "Alright
Dana. I'll come back tomorrow. You get some rest now." She
leaned down and gave her a kiss on the top of her head
before turning and heading out the door.

-------xXx-------

Mulder slid down the door leaning his head back against it.
She had been in there for the past 10 minutes and she still
wouldn't answer him. He didn't know if it was something he
said or what, but something had caused her to go running in
there. He would do anything to take away those tears she
shed in there behind his back. He let out a long sigh 'well
whatever it is I'm going to be right here for you.' he said
to himself.

Scully had gathered herself together enough to wet a
washcloth and wipe at her swollen eyes and flushed cheeks.
She looked at herself in the mirror again. She looked a
little older but that hurt that she had built a wall around
so no one could see, seeped through now. 'Mulder of all
people. How can that be?' She looked at her eyes again
trying to rebuild that wall put on her 'safe' mask. There
was no way she would be able to face Fox Mulder like this.
She slid down the door with a sigh. Those images wouldn't go
away. How could she tell him? How could she tell him that
she...

-------xXx-------

"I'll make you a deal Dana." Her aunt started to pace the
room. She couldn't believe what she was about to do. She
couldn't believe she was going to go against her brother's
wishes.

"What?" Dana didn't look at her. She just looked out the
window at the sky.

"I've called my lawyer... and... well. If you want I'll take
care of him for you."

Dana looked over at her aunt for the first time in six
months. "Really?"

"Of course it will only  be Til you think that you can take
care of him financially." She paused for a second before
continuing. "Dana I was never able to have children and I
have security in my job. I can afford to take care of a
child."

Dana couldn't believe what she was hearing. Her aunt, the
one she thought didn't care was actually giving her a
solution to the situation. She could always keep in touch
with her aunt. Her family always encouraged that.

"You know you're going to have to help me out a bit though. If
your father knew what I am about to do he would never let
you see me again. So were going to have to get our stories
straight."

Dana nodded at her aunt. "What do you have in mind?"

"Well for one. You had a daughter not a son. If you had a
boy and I just happen to adopt a son conveniently at the
same time there would be to much talk."

"Ok."

"You can't let on that you support me. After all you were
sent here to give you child up only to find out that I was
receiving one. You have to let on that you felt a bit
betrayed."

"But how can I keep in touch with you?"

"Well I'll send pictures to you and keep you up to date with
everything that he's doing. But you have to hide them. Make
sure they are never found. This is important Dana your
father must never know what we are doing."

"I understand."

"I'll bring my lawyer over tomorrow with the papers."

Dana broke out into sobs again, but for the first time in
what seemed like years they were tears of joy and not
sorrow. Tears of hope that she would be with her son again
soon. A goal for her future. She would get him back.

"You will make sure that he knows that I love him, and that
I'll be back for him as soon as I can?"

"Yes, Dana."

*** *** ***

"So Dana do you understand everything?" Her aunt Becky's
lawyer explained every punctuation, every nuance.

"Yes."

He held out his pen to her. Slowly she took it. "Can I see
him before I go?"

"Of course Dana, of course." Her aunt called for a nurse to
bring in the baby as Dana signed her name.

The nurse brought in the little bundle of joy and placed him
in her arms.

Dana looked at her son and smiled. "Hello there." She ran a
finger over his cheek. "So you're the one that's been kicking
me." The little boy yawned in response. "Oh such a big yawn
for a tiny little boy." She bent down and kissed his
forehead. He crooned for a second and she had to laugh.
"Remember I love you and I would do anything for you. And if
your father was here he would love you so much!" She kissed
his forehead again. "You will always be my Ray of sunshine."

"Dana look here." Her aunt had a camera with her. "I'll take
a picture of you to so you can have it to remember this
moment."

-------xXx-------

"Scully.... please let me in. Let me help you."

For the first time since she locked herself in the bathroom
she heard him. "You wouldn't understand." It was barely a
whisper but he heard it.

"Maybe not but if you tell me then I would."

Scully got up and looked at herself in the mirror. Her eyes
were still a little puffed but who was she fooling. He
probably heard her blubbering to herself. She unlocked the
door and stepped out looking at the floor. She couldn't look
him in his eyes. Those eyes. God she knew how much the loss
of his sister tore him up. How could she tell him that he
lost his only son as well?

Mulder held out his arms to her.

"You wouldn't offer to comfort me if you knew what I've
done." How could she look at him ever again? How could he
ever look at her. She betrayed him.

"Scully you have argued everything that I have ever wanted
you to believe to open up your mind to. Not to mention you
have shot me! I can't think of a single reason why I
wouldn't want to help comfort you." He took her in his arms
and hugged her close. She was stiff in his arms as her head
was buried into his chest.

Mulder lead her over to the couch and sat her down. Keeping
one arm around her shoulder he leaned back.

"Why don't you start at the beginning?"

"That's a long time ago."

"Why did you go into the bathroom? Scully I heard you
crying."

Scully took a deep breath. He smelt so good but she didn't
deserve this. She sat up and pulled away from him. She
turned her back to him barring her face in her hands. "I
betrayed you and I didn't know it. But you'll never forgive
me if you knew. I don't forgive myself."

Mulder was even more confused. What was she talking about?
How did she betray him? If anything he would say that she
stuck up for him. So much that she had tainted her image at
the beaureu permanently. "What do you mean? How did you
betray me?"

"I..." She broke off in a choke. "I... I don't know how to
tell you.." She swallowed her tears down.

"Scully just take a deep breath and tell me. You'll feel
better if you let it out."

"I'm afraid to."

Mulder had heard many words to describe Dana Scully. but
'afraid' was never one of them. "Scully." he put his hand on
her shoulder.

"Please don't."

He took his hand away at her request. "Scully you're scaring
me more then anything I've ever seen. Just tell me."

"I had a child." She blurted out.

Mulder sat there a moment surprised. "You had a child?"

She just nodded she was still in shock that she had told
him. She kept telling herself that he had a right to know.

"Ss.." Mulder furrowed her brows. He wasn't connecting the
dots. "So tell me about it."

Scully smiled. "He was the most beautiful baby boy you have
ever seen."

"Was?"

"Yes. He was killed when he was 6."

Mulder's heart gave way. The thought of her having to go
through a loss of a child. It was unbearable. "How?"

"He was in a car accident and was killed on impact. He
didn't suffer or anything." Scully wiped the tears from her
eyes.

"Was the father there to help comfort you?" There wasn't
much he could do now, but it would make him feel a little
better to know she didn't have to go through it on her own.

"You don't understand." She turned to look at him for the
first time.

"What is it?"

"It's you."

"Me?"

"Yes. You. He was your son."

**
**

"You don't understand." She turned to look at him for the
first time.

"What is it?"

"It's you."

"Me?"

"Yes. You. He was your son."

Mulder sat stunned for a second. "My.... son?" He looked
confused.

"Yes. That summer at the camp. When I got back I found out
that I was pregnant. My father and mother were really pissed
off at me. The only reason why they didn't want me at the
base was that they didn't want me getting into trouble with
one of the cadets. They sent me away to my aunt's to have
the baby. I was to sign the adoption papers and give him
up." She dared glance at him. He was staring at her.

Scully had to keep going. She couldn't stop. "My aunt Becky
knew how much he meant to me. He was my son. A part of us.
She made me a deal that she would raise our son, and when I
could afford to raise him she would bring him to me."

"My son?" He wasn't sure if he had heard her right or not.

"Yes Mulder. Haven't you heard a word I've been saying?"

"Yes. I just wasn't sure if I heard you right or not."

"Yes Mulder Ray jr. was your son. He was born on April 23rd.
7 pounds 8 ounces." She smiled remembering him.

"I wish I could have seen him." He said sadly. Here he found
his lost love, found out he had a son that he never new
about and now would never see. And he thought it would be a
boring weekend.

Scully looked at him and a half smile crossed her face. "You
can kind of."

"How?" He looked at her hopeful.

Scully walked over to her purse and grabbed her compact.

Mulder had seen her open that so many times that it wasn't
funny. She always took it with her. He thought that it was
some sort of makeup. But even he knew that you couldn't make
it last for 6 years. He assumed that it was probably just a
mirror.

"Here." She pulled out a old picture that had been laminated
and handed it to him.

He looked at the photo that he held in his hand. A very
young Dana Scully held a baby warped in a little blanket.
She looked like she had been crying. Very similar to what
she looked like now. Except that she wore a smile. He smiled
at the picture as he ran it through his fingers.

"I have a couple of others."

"Can I see them?"

Scully nodded leaving him in the living room alone as she
went to seek out her pride possessions. A couple of minutes
later she returned with a small pile of papers tied together
with a blue ribbon. She sat down on the couch again and
carefully untied the ribbon and opened the first letter.
"Here is a couple of baby pictures. Do you want me to read
you the letters?"

"If you wouldn't mind." He took the pictures to see a little
baby sitting up with a toothless grin on his face. He smiled
at the picture as she started to read.

'Dear Dana

Ray is growing so fast I can't believe it. He is now sitting
by

himself and smiling all the time. Each night as I put him to
sleep I

tell him stories about you. I hope you are doing well. we
miss you a

lot. Here are the latest pictures that I took.

Write back if you get this letter.

Love always Aunt Becky'

Mulder looked at the next picture of baby Ray a sleep in his
crib. He looked like an angle. It was hard to believe that
this was as close to his son that he could ever get.

For the next 3 hours Mulder and Scully sat there reading the
old letters and looking at the pictures of their son.
Learning as much about him as they could through pictures.

"Mulder I have to know something."

"What's that?" He asked as he starred at another picture of
Ray on his first day of Kindergarten.

"Do you hate me for what I did?"

"Hate you? How could I hate you?"

"Well I gave up our son. I didn't take care of him. If I had
taken care of him he wouldn't have gotten into that
accident. He would be here today with us."

"No Scully. I don't hate you. You were 14 years old when you
had him. There was no way that you would have been able to
take care of him. Even if you did Scully who knows if you
would be where you are today."

"Where I am today?" Scully looked hurt. "You mean in a job
that I had to work and fight tooth and nail to prove myself
again and again. You mean sitting here and looking at
pictures of my son that I will never know? Mulder I would
give up the FBI in a instant if it meant bringing back this
beautiful little boy." Another tear rolled down her cheek.

"Scully I didn't mean it that way."

"I know you didn't Mulder but that doesn't mean that it
doesn't still hurt."

Mulder wrapped an arm around her and held her tight against
him.

"I still remember the day I found out."

"Tell me?" He asked gently. "That is if it doesn't hurt to
much."

"It will always hurt. It was twenty years ago."

-------xXx-------

"I'm coming I'm coming." Dana wrapped the towel around her
head. Her mother was out shopping with Melissa and her
brother's were out gallivanting the roads with their friends.
Her father was on assignment, so that gave her the house to
herself for a little while. She thought she would have a
nice long bubble bath and just relax. Of course just as she
was feeling the tension seep out of her someone knocked on
the door.

"Yes?" She opened the door to a man dressed in khakis with
a brush cut.

"I have a telegram for a..." He looked at the paper he was
holding again. "Miss Dana Katherine Scully."

"I'm Dana Scully." She tightened the robe tighter. Who would
be sending me a telegram?

"Sign here please." He held out a pen and she signed
quickly.

"Thank you." She shut the door as she looked at the
telegram.

Walking back to the bathroom she opened it.

'MISS DANA SCULLY

I HAVE TO TALK TO YOU STOP MEET ME AT THE BASE COFFEE SHOP
STOP URGENT STOP'

"Figures." She headed for her room and threw on a shirt and
a pair of pants.

*** *** ***

She opened the door to the coffee shop and scanned to see who
would have sent her the message.

"Dana." A strange looking man waved to her to join him.

"Who are you?" She said not taking a seat.

"I'm a friend of your Aunt Becky."

Dana sat down. "What's wrong? You said it was urgent."

"Dana you aunt left in her will that if anything was ever to
happen to her that you should be contacted immediately!"

Dana's stomach felt like it had caved in. The words rang out
in her ear 'if anything was ever to happen to her.' "What's
happened?"

"I'm sorry Dana but there's been an accident."

"What kind of accident?" Dana wasn't thinking now, she was
on auto pilot. Here eyes were big with terror.

"Well your aunt was on her way back home from work when she
was hit head on by a drunk driver. She didn't even make it
to the hospital." He looked down. "I'm sorry I have to tell
you this. Its the part of my job I hate the most."

"What about the baby?"

"Her son Ray?..." He looked at his papers again. "He was
killed on impact. He didn't suffer."

Dana's heart felt like someone had just ripped it out of her
chest and handed it to her on a plate. Her son, her baby
boy, dead? No that wasn't possible. He was just 6 years old.
He hadn't even began his life yet. How could he be taken
away from her like that?

"Your aunt left you this in her will. You were her only
benefactor." The man took out a envelope and handed it to
her.

Dana took the envelope and tried to read the writing on the
front but her eyes were blurred from the tears springing up.
"Um.." She cleared her throat. "I have to go." She got up
without another word and left.

She ran down the street as what she had just heard started
to sink in. The tears streamed down her face now of their
own free will. She ran up the walkway of their house and ran
in slamming the door behind her.

She flopped down on her bed and sobbed as she clutched her
stomach. How could fate be so cruel to her? She was getting
her life together. She had been accepted to Medical school
and was going to move away from her family. She had started
to make the plans on how she could have Ray with her and
still go to school. How could he be taken away from her
again?

She heard a knock on her door and jumped.

"Dana?" Her mother opened it with a worried look on her
face. Melissa stood behind her mirroring her mothers
concern. "Dana sweetie what's the matter?"

"Oh mom..." She ran and threw her arms around her and sobbed
into her shirt. "A... Aunt... Aunt Becky...." She broke off
unable to finish the sentence.

"What about Aunt Becky?"

Dana pulled away for a second. "I got a message. She was in
a car accident. She and Ray were killed."

Margaret Scully stared in disbelief. "Are you sure Dana?"

She just nodded.

"When did you hear about this?" Her mother sat her down to
console her.

"Just a few minutes ago. She left this for me in her will."
Dana showed her mother the check that the man had given
her. "He said that I was her only benefactor."

"We have to get word to you father." Her mother walked out
of her room.

-------xXx-------

Scully sat back a moment. She couldn't speak. The memories
were still hard.

"Don't rush. Take your time." Mulder wrapped his arm tighter
around her. "I'm here for you. Don't shut me out, please."

"It's just so hard."

"I know it is. Have you ever told anyone the whole story?"

"No. It was my secret. I kept him to myself."

"So your mom still doesn't know about him?"

She just shook her head.

"So you've been carrying around this for the past twenty
years?"

"Yeah." She croaked out.

"Scully that's not healthy for you."

"Mulder, what would have come by them knowing about him?"

He was silent for a second. "What about knowing about their
grandson?"

"I don't want them to know about him."

"Why not?"

"Because to me they are the only reason why he is dead." She
couldn't believe she had just said that. She had thought
about it along with other things in her life that she could
have changed to bring her little baby boy back. But no
matter what she said he was gone. Why should she give them
the chance to know the grandson they made her give up? In
her mind they gave up that right the second they put her on
that bus to her aunt's. No matter how much she tried she
couldn't forgive them.

"Scully you and I know that that isn't true."

"Isn't it? They made me give him up. I know that I was only
14 when it happened, but I worked hard. I didn't do the
'teenage' things. It wasn't like I wanted their help. I had
a part-time job, went to school fulltime. I didn't go out to
parties or hang out with friends. I stayed home in my spare
time locked in my room looking at pictures of him. Writing
about how I was doing. I mailed them a letter almost
everyday. I was about to get my son back for the first time
when I got that telegram."

"Did you go to the funeral?"

"Yeah... It was really hard."

Mulder kissed the top of her head as he rubbed his hand up
and down her shoulder to comfort her. "Did you want to talk
about it?"

Scully thought back to that rainy day.

-------xXx-------

Dana stood between the two graves under the black umbrella.
Tears ran down her face as she looked at the tiny casket
that held her sweet little boy. So many first's that she
missed, so many memories she can never have. The ministers
voice rang out in her head.

"... and tho I walk througvalley vally of...."

Her mind wandered off. She wiped the tears from her cheek
with the black hanky she held in her hand.

After the service she took a small handful of dirt and
gently tossed it on each of the coffins followed by a red
rose. Her mother had to physically remove her from the
cemetery.

The reception afterwards was depressing. Dana spent the
whole time in her room crying. Her mother had tried to make
her eat something but the thought of food just made her even
more sick.

-------xXx-------

"I don't know what to say."

"That wasn't the worst of it though."

"What else happened?"

"My father told me that we were getting transferred again and
that he didn't know for how long. That we only had a couple
of days to pack and move." She paused swallowing a lump that
had crept up in her throat. "He said that the move would be
good for me. To get my mind off the events that had
happened."

"You weren't able to get back were you?"

"No." She buried her head into his chest as she sobbed. "I
couldn't. I told myself that I would go as soon as I could."

Mulder took a deep breath. "Scully... I'd like to say
goodbye to him."

"You mean visit his grave?"

"Yeah. He was my son. Even though I never got to meet him Id
still like some closure. Where was he buried?"

"Well we had the funeral on the base, afterwards I over
heard the arrangements for the travel of the bodies. My aunt
left it in her will that the funeral was to be near the
family but she had always wanted to be buried in Canada
where she had lived for quite a few years when she was
younger. I never got to actually see the final grave site
because we never traveled that direction."

"Well Scully I think that we should take some time off and
go."

Scully nodded again. "Mulder?"

"Yeah?"

"Are you sure you can forgive me for what I have done?"

"Yes Scully."

-------xXx-------

AD Skinner's office

"Sir we want to put in for a week's vacation."

"We?"

"Yes sir. Agent Scully and myself have been working steady
for a while now and I think that it would be in the best
interest of the bureau if we took a mental heath week."

"Agent Mulder I would appreciate it if you would let me
decide what is in the best interest of the Bureau."

"Of course sir. I just meant that we have had quite a few...
hard cases. Cases that have drained us both mentally and
physically. We feel that if we were to take a week to relax
and recuperate we could get a fresh look on our cases.

Skinner looked at Agent Scully who hadn't said a word since
they had arrived 10 minutes ago. That must be a record. But
he had to admit that she looked very run down. 'God even
when I have seen her in the hospital battling her cancer
with tubes stuck all over her body she still retained a
level of dignity.' Now when he looked at her he saw a woman
with hurt in her eyes. Her skin was almost a gray. The bags
under her eyes would need at least 2 days rest. Not to
mention how puffy they were. Agent Mulder had a tiredness to
him. Not as bad as Agent Scully but he had to admit that yes
they were definitely in need of some time off. "Alright Agent
Mulder, Agent Scully. As of right now you are to leave and
get some rest. You'll have to set up an appointment with
Kimberly to meet with me before coming back on active duty."

Mulder nodded and stood up.

Scully noticed Mulder's movement from the corner of her eye
and turned to see him. She stood when she realized that he
was getting ready to leave.

"Agent Scully." Skinner called still worried about her.

Scully turned absentmindedly.

"Take care of yourself. If you need more then a week just
call."

Scully managed a "Thank you sir." before following Mulder
out the door.

-------xXx-------

Wasaga Beach

Ontario, Canada

"So this is where your Aunt lived?" Mulder looked at the
small shops as he drove down the main street.

"For about 5 years. She said it was the most beautiful place
that she had ever seen. She used to own a house near the
beach though I never got to see it."

"There's a inn right there lets stop and get a room." Mulder
pulled into the 'Mermaid Inn' which had a huge picture of
yup you guessed it a mermaid. "I'll run in and get a room."

Scully sat in the car looking out the window. A little boy
and girl were playing tag on the little grassy hill beside
the parking lot.

"Lucky #7." Mulder held up the key as he went to grab their
suitcases.

"It's getting late Mulder. Lets go out and get something to
eat."

"One step a head of you Scully. I asked for a restaurant
close by. It's called 'The Beacon' and apparently there's
Kareoke there tonight." Mulder said raising his eyebrows
high as he smiled.

Scully stooped dead in her tracks. "Kareoke?"

"Yeah it's all the rage."

"You've got to be joking."

"Scully does this look like the face of someone joking?"
Mulder lost all expression on his face and stared blankly at
her.

"No that looks like your panic face." She tossed back. "I
got you."

"No you didn't"

"Yes. I got you good."

"You got nothing. Get inside little G-woman." He retorted.

-------xXx-------

By the time they had gotten freshened up it was about
9:30pm. The restaurant was just down the street a little
bit. The atmosphere was very cozy. It was a restaurant/bar.
Scully pointed to the one of the two booths that were right
inside the door.

"This is nice." Mulder said over the music as he sat
opposite to her. The whole place was lit in very low light.

"Hi can I get you anything?" The long brown haired waitress
asked.

"Could we see some menus?"

"Sure." She disappeared and returned in a second.

Mulder scanned the menu for something fast. "This..." Mulder
got cut off by a squeak.

"CHECK CHECK CHECK." The sort of tall blond haired man stood
with a mic in one hand and twisted a few dials on the large
machine sitting on the table.

"Um..." Mulder adjusted his tone over the man. "I'll have the
Beacon burger with fries and a iced tea."

"I'll have the same but with a diet pepsi." Scully was
practically yelling.

"ALRIGHT, IT'S NICE TO SEE SO MANY PEOPLE HERE."

"TURN DOWN THE VOLUME!!!" Someone yelled from the back. That
got a few laughs.

"IS THAT TO LOUD?" The man was practically yelling in the mic.

"LOUDER JOHN I DON'T THINK THEY HEARD YOU IN MEXICO!"

"ALRIGHT YOU!" He pointed to the booth next to Mulder and
Scully. "YOU BETTER BEHAVE OR YOU'LL BE SORRY." A few more
laughs came from behind Mulder.

"ITS NICE TO SEE SOME NEW FACES IN THE CROWD TONIGHT."

Mulder had to stifle a laugh when he saw Scully's face turn
an almost white.

"LETS GET SOME THINGS STARTED OFF HERE WITH A LITTLE
GREASE!!"

"WHOOOOOOOOO!!!!!!!!!!!" Came a yell from the gang behind
Mulder as they jumped up and headed for the stage.

The music blasted from the speakers as they got settled.
There were four of them, only one guy. "Lucky guy." Mulder
joked to Scully.

Before she could say anything they started singing.

"I SOLVE MY PROBLEMS AND I SEE THE LIGHT....."

"Actually... Their not bad." Scully relaxed a bit.

"So..." Mulder flipped through the book of songs. "What are
you going to sing?"

"NO!"

"Come on Scully."

"I'm not going to sing Mulder."

"You did for me before."

"We were freezing out in the woods.... Besides I wasn't
amplified."

-------xXx-------

The evening progressed well. They had long finished their
dinner and were now sitting listening to the music and
having a few drinks.

That gang behind Mulder was very popular here. They had gone
up many times tonight. They had found out that their names
were Jacob, Laura, Lexy, and Jessie.

Jacob had just got finished singing "Sweet Dreams" by the
Eurythmics. The gang that came with him jumped up and
hollered and screamed.

"LAURA... IS GOING TO DO A LITTLE SOMETHING FROM THE EAGLES
CALLED HOTEL CALIFORNIA."

The tallest of the women got up and approached the screen.
She had long brown hair that reached halfway down her back
which she had pulled back into a loose ponytail. She wore a
pair of jeans, a little brown shirt and a vest. She took her
time going up there waving to a few people she knew.

"Long intro. Take your time." Mulder heard from behind him.

She looked at the video screen for her cue.

"Away from the screen!" Jacob called.

She just stuck her tongue out at him. As the cue came up on
screen. "ON A DARK DESERT HIGHWAY. COOL WIND IN MY HAIR...."

Mulder and Scully listened without saying a word.

"RELAX SAYS THE NIGHTMAN. WE ARE PROGRAMED TO RECIEVE. YOU
CAN CHECK OUT ANY TIME YOU LIKE.... BUT YOU CAN NEVER
LEAVE!"

Mulder and Scully applauded as they heard the gang hoot and
holler.

"That was great." Mulder said as she walked past them.

"Thank you." I said... er... I mean she said. "You new to
the area?"

"Were just here on vacation."

"Oh yeah. Well as long as you got patience you'll be fine."

"What do you mean?" Scully asked

"Well for starters you came on a long weekend. That alone is
suicide! Some word of advice. Stay away from the beaches. I
know that's probably why you came here but trust me its nasty
on the long weekends. The locals here avoid it like the
bubonic plague." She chuckled. "But where are my manners. My
name is Laura." She extended her hand to Mulder and then to
Scully.

"My name is Mul.. Fox and this is Dana."

"You know you two look familiar to me. I know this sounds
stupid, but have we met before?"

"No I don't think so."

"Oh well. Maybe you remind me of someone on TV." She smiled.
"Well I should get back to my friends. It was nice meeting
you."

-------xXx-------

It was about 2am when they finally got back to their room.

"It was nice getting out, letting loose. Id forgotten how fun
it was to have a life." Scully teased as she flopped down on
the small bed.

Mulder smiled as he grabbed a fresh T-shirt out of his bag.
He quickly took off the one he was warring tossing it in a
corner. "I'm taking another shower I _feel_ smoky."

"Ok I'll grab one after you." Scully yawned closing her
eyes.

A few minutes later Mulder emerged from the bathroom. He
stopped and looked at Scully a sleep where she had laid
down. 'She's Exhausted.'

He pulled down the covers to where she was before lifting
her in his arms to put her in the bed. He tossed her shoes
to the floor and covered her with the sheet. 'She looks so
beautiful like this.' He brushed a stray lock of hair from
her face before heading to his bed.

The springs squeaked as he sat down. Mulder bit his bottom
lip as he laid down and turned off the lamp beside the bed.
Trying to get comfortable was another thing. There was a
spring sticking in the middle of his back. 'I can't sleep
like that.' He turned on his side away from the spring. 'I'm
amazed she's still a sleep.' "Squeak... squeak...squeak.."

"CRACK, BANG, THUD!"

"Mulder what the?" Scully shot up and turned on the light
with her hand already on her gun.

"Owwww..." Mulder groaned rubbing his forehead from where
the head board had fallen on top of him.

"Are you ok?"

"Fine." Mulder pulled the covers up and folded his hands
behind his head. "It's much better now." He joked.

"Come on." Scully lifted the covers on her bed motioning him
to lay beside her.

Mulder ran his hand through his almost dry hair and got up
from the broken bed. "How are we going to explain this to
house keeping tomorrow?"

"What do you mean we? It was your bed." She smiled back at
him.

He crawled in beside her and turned off the lamp again.

-------xXx-------

Mulder woke up with his head nuzzled in Scully's neck, his
arms wrapped around her as he spooned her. He rested his
head on her shoulder as he watched her sleep. Before he
realized what he was doing he leaned down and gave her a
gentle kiss on her cheek.

Scully let out a small moan of unsureness as she fluttered
her eyes open. Not sure where she was she furrowed her
brows. Her eyes slowly looked to her side at Mulder leaning
on her shoulder. Her one eyebrow shot up. "Good morning."

"Morning." He smiled.

"How long have you been like that?" She felt a little
self-conscious.

"Just a couple of minutes."

Scully turned a bit and sat up against the backboard. "Was I
snoring?"

"You snore?" He laughed at the thought.

"Sometimes. It's not like you don't."

"I don't snore!"

"Please Mulder."

"What are you implying here Scully?"

"Nothing." She looked over at the clock. "We should get
going."

"What's the sense? Remember we came here on the long weekend.
Nothing will be open til Tuesday."

"So what do you want to do?"

"The beach?"

"The 'Bubonic Plague' beach?"

"Scully were not locals." He laughed at the reference that
was used last night.

"Sure, fine, whatever." She smiled.

-------xXx-------


"COME ON!!!"

"HONK HONK
HHHHHHHHHOOOOOOOOOOOOONNNNNNNNKKKKKKKKK!!!!!!!!!!"

"Mulder!" Scully shouted over the car horn.

Feeling beat Mulder let his hand fall from the horn and put
the car in park. "Look at these people! I swear we'd beat
them to the beach if we had walked!"

"Laying on the horn isn't going to speed them up. Its just
getting on my nerves."

"We'd beat them if we walked WITH a detour to Washington!"

"So pull over and park and we'll walk to the beach." Scully
was really frustrated. They had been in the car for 3 hours
now and they were only about a 10 min walk from the inn.

"Let's just get out and walk. We can come back in about 4
hours and move the car that extra inch."

Scully looked at Mulder's plainly serious face and busted out
laughing.

"Well I'm glad _you_ find some sort of humor in this
sweltering heat."

"Let me drive."

"No way."

"Why not?"

"Because this is a bench seat car!"

"So."

"So I don't want my knees warped up around my ears is why
not!"

"Hop in the back. Or get out and walk."

"What are you going to do?"

"I'm going to park the car back at the inn and were walking
to the beach." She said matter of factly.

"Fine." Mulder got out and stretched. He noticed a lot of
other people were doing that to.

"Either get in or start walking."

"Fine." Mulder opened the door to the back seat and climbed
in.

"Hang on." Scully threw the car in drive and pulled a "U"
turn. "There isn't any traffic this way we'll be at the inn
in a minute."

-------xXx-------

"I can't believe he gave me a ticket!"

"Scully you pulled a U-turn in the middle of main street in
rush hour on a long weekend. What did you think they would
do?"

Scully placed a towel that she had bought at one of the
stores along the beach down on the sand. "I don't want to
talk about it."

"Fine."

Mulder watched as she grabbed some sun screen. "So you want
to hit the water?"

"In.." She looked at the bottle she held for a second. "..
15 minutes. Sit down relax. We have all day here."

He sat down beside her and grabbed a handful of sand. He
watched it as it slowly fell through his light grasp. "You
know some of my most favorite memories were of the beach.
Samantha and I would go swimming all day. Not a care in the
world. After she was taken I spent a lot of time alone
there. We had so many good times that it made me feel closer
to her somehow."

Scully squirted some sun screen on her hand and rubbed it
against his back.

The cool lotion felt good against his hot skin. "I guess you
can say it brings the kid out in me."

"What doesn't?" She joked.

"I resent that."

"Fine... but Mulder if you throw me in the water or splash
me before I'm wet I'll kill you!"

"Ohh... you gonna hurt me like that beast woman did?"

"Not on a public beach." She tossed back.

"It's a date." He stood up and held out his hand to her.
"Shall we?"

"It hasn't been 15 minutes."

"Who cares? Its the beach!" He pulled her up on her feet and
quickly threw her over his shoulder. He held his arms around
her legs so she wouldn't kick him.

"MULDER! PUT ME DOWN!" She squirmed. She tried to kick her
legs but he held them to tight. She slapped his back with
one hand as she tried to push herself back with the other.
She felt a few drops of water splash up against her feet as
she looked down at the water. "Mulder I'm NOT kidding!"

"What's that Scully? You want me to put you down?"

"MULDER DON'T YOU DA..."

"S-P-L-A-S-H-!"

Scully came sputtering up a second later. She stood before a
very smug looking Mulder. Her hair hung a bit in front of
her face. Her t-shirt that she hadn't had time to take off
yet clung to her. "You." Was all she said.

Mulder jumped back as she practically lunged at him. "What's
the matter Scully? Not the right temperature?"

Scully kicked some water in his direction with her foot.
Mulder seen that coming and twisted out of its trajectory.

He dove under the water before she got another chance.

He swam up to Scully with his best puppy dog face. "I'm
sorry."

"No your not."

"Yes I am... really." He swam so that his head was straight
back to look up at her.

"I'm sorry to."

"For what?"

"THIS!" She pushed against his shoulders plunging him into
the shallow water.

Mulder came up laughing. "Ok I deserved that one."

"Damn right."

Mulder walked up and held out his hand. "Truce?"

"This is a trick right?"

"No."

Scully took his hand a shook. She felt it tighten and knew
she had been had. Mulder swiped his foot against her leg
knocking her off balance and splashing into the water again.

"Uncle!" Scully sputtered. Mulder had a really cheesy grin
on his face.

"I am the Champion!" He held his arms up in a make believe
victory.

"I think I'm getting water logged. I'm going to head into the
shore for some sun. You coming."

"Well without you here to throw around it wont be much fun."

"Thanks... I think."

Scully took out a book and began reading it.

"What you reading?"

Scully looked at what she was holding. "A book?"

Mulder chuckled. "I know it's a book what's it called?"

"How to get your partner to get you a cool drink in 12 easy
steps."

"Which are?"

"I don't know you asked me at step one."

"What do you want?"

"Something sweet."

"Ok."

-------xXx-------

The day was beautiful. Mulder had fallen a sleep on the
towel beside Scully. He looked nice and peaceful.

Scully watched as a group of kids built a sandcastle. She
smiled as she got a idea. She quietly got up and walked over
to the group of kids. "Excuse me."

"Yeah?" One of the kids answered over his shoulder as he
placed a piece of wood over the makeshift mote around the
castle.

"Would I be able to borrow your bucket for just a second?"

"What for lady?"

-------xXx-------

'Oh what a nice dream.' Mulder's subconscious noted. Mulder
was dreaming of swimming with Scully alone at the beach...
Oh.. wait... No night time. With all the stars out... yeah
that's it. Swimming up and pulling her down beside him as he
gently kisses her for the first time in what seemed like
years. She smiled at him. He leaned in to kiss her again.
His lips gently brush hers before the actual moment they
touch and..."

"ACK!!!!" Mulder jumped up soaked from head to toe. He
looked at a very smug Dana Scully holding a big red bucket
in her hand. A group of kids stood a bit behind her laughing
their little asses off.

"OH that does it!" He broke out in a run after her.

Scully dropped the bucket and broke out in a run as she
tossed a "Thank you." over her shoulders to the still
laughing kids.

Mulder caught her easy pulling her against his wet chest.

"Ahh. you're cold!" She said squirming a bit.

"Then warm me up." He turned her around and lifted her head
up with his index finger.

Scully turned her head away just as Mulder leaned down to
kiss her causing him to brush her cheek.

"What's the matter?"

"I think we need to talk. I know we've been putting it
off... but were just prolonging the inevitable."

Mulder pulled her to him rubbing her back with one hand as
he laid the other on her head. "Ok."

-------xXx-------

Scully tossed the towel on the chair in their room. It was a
quiet walk back. Though Mulder did take her hand as they
walked. People smiled as they walked past. One woman even
stopped us to say that we looked so happy. That just made
her blush.

"Ok. I know we've talked about Ray.. and the whole purpose
of this trip is to give us a bit of closure.. but were
forgetting something here."

"Which is?"

"Us."

"Us?"

"Yes. Where does this little bit of new information leave
us? Were partners. In the FBI.. we've been partners for 6
years."

"Yes we are. We are perfect partners. You're like the yin to
my yang. You complete me."

"How is knowing that we slept together going to affect our
partnership?" Scully blurted out.

"It shouldn't."

"You're right it shouldn't... but it has." She looked him in
the eyes.

"How?"

"On the beach." She whispered. "You tried to kiss me."

"Umm.." Mulder didn't know what to say. Yes he tried to kiss
her. He was even dreaming of kissing her. Hell they had been
flirting with each other all day. He sat down on his bed
which he just noticed was fixed. "I'm sorry. I shouldn't
have."

"No... I don't mean that."

Mulder looked a bit hopeful. "Then what did you mean?"

"I know what you were like that summer..." She smiled at the
memory. "Or at least what I remember you like.... and we've
been partners for 6 years...."

"And...?" Mulder wasn't sure if he liked where this was
going.

"Well Mulder you don't exactly have the reputation of
lasting in long term relationships... and I don't think I
could stand falling in love with you again to get my heart
broken..."

"Scully." Mulder cut her off. "I was in a relationship for 4
years before you were my partner. It was really serious...
at least for me... So serious that I bought a ring... didn't
I feel like a idiot when she turned me down and broke off
with me for someone else."

"I'm sorry."

"The point is that, that was my last relationship before you
were my partner. When I saw you for the first time, you
reminded me of someone. Someone I'd lost.... little did I
know." He smiled at her. "I was starting a serious
relationship... and I'm still in it..." Scully's heart almost
gave out as she registered his words.

"What?" She exhaled the word with all her breath. She looked
hurt.

"I still am... but it's not what you think. You see I
consider myself to be in a relationship with you. Even if it
isn't sexual."

"Mulder..."

"Scully why do you think that I felt the need to go to you
every time you got the wrong idea of different situations."

"I don't know."

"Because you are the only one for me. And if that means cold
showers for the rest of my life so be it. But I'm not going
to screw up what we have for a fling." He kneeled down in
front of her and took her hands in his. "You mean the world
to me. Id fight tooth and nail for you."

Scully smiled as a tear ran down her cheek. "You have."

He smiled at her reaching up to wipe off the tear. "You were
worth every hospital admittance."

"You know I don't think Iv been out on a single date since
I've been partnered with you."

"Well that's because I kept you busy on the road."

"So you thought you could keep an eye on me?"

"No. I thought I could keep you closer to me."

"So if you wanted me to be closer to you then why do you
keep running off without me?"

"Because I don't want to see you get hurt."

"That goes both ways Mulder.... BOTH ways."

Mulder slipped a hand behind her neck and gently pulled her
to him. He lightly brushed his lips against hers. God she
was even a better kisser then he remembered.

'Oh yes that's his kiss, his lips... and now their my lips.'

Mulder pulled away and looked at Scully. "One step at a
time. I'm not going to rush you. I don't want to be that kind
of guy."

"Some how I'm getting a sense of Deja vu." She smiled at him.

-------xXx-------

Scully woke up the next morning to the sound of the door.
She sat up quickly to see Mulder holding a little brown bag
and a coffee tray.

"Morning... I thought you would like some breakfast."

"Mmm... What did you get?"

"Well there's a donut shop just down a few blocks. So..."
Mulder set down the coffee's and opened the bag. "... I got
you a apple oatmeal muffin, warmed with butter."

"That sounds good."

"They had this new capachino there and I thought we could
try one." He handed her the hot cup. "It's 'English
Toffee'."

Scully took a whiff of the wonderful smell invading all her
senses. "That's really sweet Mulder." Scully scooted over on
her bed so he could sit with her.

"This is really good."

"Yeah. To bad DC doesn't have this."

Scully looked at the cup. "Tim Horton's. We'll have to
remember that when we come here again."

"With coffee this good they should open up a chain."

"Well..." Scully got up and stretched. I'll get ready and we
can leave." She took her neatly folded clothes from her
suitcase and went into the bathroom.

-------xXx-------

The traffic wasn't nearly as bad as the day before. People
had started leaving at a steady rate all night. Mulder
pulled into the information center. They had no idea what
the name of the cemetery was that Ray and Scully's aunt
Becky were buried in... but in a small town like this how
many could there be?

"Excuse me." Scully waited for a minute.

"Excuse me.... I was wondering if you could help me."

The woman turned to look at Scully and smiled. "Oh hello
again."

"Hello." Scully recognized the woman from the bar the first
night in town. "Laura right?"

"Yeah. How can I help you?"

"I was wondering if you could tell me where the cemetery
is."

"The cemetery?"

"Yeah."

"Well you have to go back down Mosley st. til you come to a
set of lights at the corner of Sunnydale. Make a Left and
keep going. It's on your Right about 5 min. drive if you do
the speed limit. Like anyone does."

"Thank you."

"You mind me asking who you're visiting?"

"A relative."

"Well I know pretty much everyone around here. Who are you
related to?"

"My aunt is buried here. Rebecca Scully."

"Didn't she used to live on Glendale ave?"

"I'm not sure I never got to see where she lived."

"My mother and father bought a house off of a Miss Scully.
Maybe it was the same one. I didn't know she died. I'm
sorry."

"Thank you." Scully smiled and headed back to the car.

-------xXx-------

"There it is." Scully pointed to the entrance gates.

"I guess this would be where they keep the records?"

"Pull in and we'll find out."

Scully got out of the car and headed for the small brick
building. Mulder followed along after her.

The office was small and smelt a little musty. There were a
couple of stacks of paper laying on the desk. A middle aged
man was leaning back in his chair with his feet on his desk.
His hat pulled down to block any light that might wake him
from his siesta.

"Remind you of anyone?" Scully mumbled towards Mulder.

"Should it?"

"Never mind." She rang the bell on the counter to awaken the
man.

"Go away. Can't you see I'm trying to get some sleep around
here?" He didn't move. Except for the mumbled voice she
would have sworn it came from someone else.

"Excuse me. I'm looking for a plot of a relative. This is my
first time here and I was wondering if you could give me the
number."

The man let out a sigh and got up readjusting his cap on his
head. "Name?"

"Ray Scully and Rebecca Scully."

The man rummaged through some papers for a bit. "Scully...
Scully... Scully..." He grabbed a book from the shelf behind
the desk and thumbed through it. "Scully... Sorry miss
there's no Scully in this cemetery."

"Are you sure?"

"Yup. All the names of people buried here are listed in
this here book." The man tapped the book with his right
hand.

"But my aunt and son were buried here. I went to the
funerals before we shipped them here."

"I'm sorry miss I don't know what to tell you."

"Well are there any other cemetery's around here? Maybe I got
the wrong one."

"Nope I'm afraid not. We're the only one in miles."

Scully was speechless. "But..."

"Where are your birth and death certificates kept?" Mulder
spoke up."

"Well now.. That would be down town. Registration building.
Take a left at the gate and a right on Mosley. Keep going
til you see the information booth. It's right beside there.
They should have all copies. If they don't then I'm afraid
you're going to have to send away for it. That takes about six
to eight weeks."

"Thank you." Mulder lead Scully out the door.

"Mulder how could they misplace them?"

"Don't worry Scully. It's all probably a misunderstanding.
Well get it straightened out."

-------xXx-------

"Id like to take a look at the towns Death certificates."
Scully asked a woman as she walked by.

"I'll be with you in just a second mame." She kept on walking
past.

"Excuse me.." She tried at a man walking the other way.

"You'll have to get the secretary to take care of you mame.
I'm in a hurry." Then he was gone.

Mulder wrapped his arm around her for support. "Excuse me!"
He called loudly. "I would like some assistance here!" A
woman came at the sound of the angry voice. She straightened
her hair and wiped off the smudges from her glasses.

"Yes sir can I help you?"

"Yes we need to see the town's death certificates. It seems
that your cemetery has misplaced our son and my wife's aunt
and we would like some answers!"

Scully froze at the word 'wife'. Well sure they fought like
they were married... but still it felt kind of nice. His
over protectiveness. As much as she normally hatted that
about him she really needed all the support he could give
her right now.

"What are the names of the missing people?"

"Ray Scully and Rebecca Scully."

The woman tapped away on her keyboard for a few minutes. "I'm
sorry sir we have no record of a Ramond or Rebecca Scully."

"It's Ray not Ramond." He corrected her."

"Well sir. there is no Ray, Ramond or Rebecca Scully listed
in our death registrations. Would you like to fill out a
application?"

Mulder looked at the woman for a second. 'How dense is she?'
"NO!" He stopped to get his breath. "Look. Our son and my
wife's aunt were buried here in you cemetery. We have come
to pay our respects and can not find them. We want to know
what you did with them."

"Oh..." The woman searched her computer. "That will be
$20.00 for the death announcement. Do you have a picture for
the add?"

Mulder and Scully just stared at the woman with blank
expressions. "What the hell are you talking about?!?!"
Scully screamed. "My son and my aunt were to be buried in
the cemetery. They are not there now. Where are they?!"

"Oh... So you don't want the add?"

"Fuck your ad!" Mulder said as he rubbed his eyes viciously.

"I'm sorry sir but we do not allow profanity here. I'm going
to have to ask you to step outside Til you can talk with a
better mouth then that! This is a place of business."

"Are you serious?" Scully couldn't believe this woman. "Are
you dumb or just plane stupid?.... HELLO IS THERE ANYONE
HERE WITH SOME SORT OF INTELLIGENCE?!?!" Scully yelled over
the other woman.

"I'm sorry mame if you don't keep your voice down then I'm
going to have to ask you to leave."

"Come on Scully." Mulder took her hand which she grabbed
back.

"No Mulder I want to know how the hell they hired a idiot
like this."

"You're going to have to leave before I call security."

"Go ahead. How do they think they will take you
disrespecting the public like this?" Scully had enough she
reached into her pocket and grabbed her badge. "My name is
Special Agent Dana Scully Federal Bureau  of Investigation!
I would like to speak with who is in charge!"

The woman took one look at Scully and then at the badge that
was being shoved in her face. She swallowed and picked up
the phone. "Sir. There's is a FBI agent here to see you..."

Mulder took his badge out and showed her it.

"Umm.. make that two FBI agents."

-------xXx-------

"Please come in. My name is Frank Spira... have a seat." He
motioned them to the chairs facing his desk. "How can I help
you?"

"Well, first you can answer how an idiot like that is in charge
of PR.?"

"Oh that's just Rubby. She is actually just supposed to
photocopy... but whenever we get backed up she helps out a
bit."

"Well as I was telling her. We need to see the death
certificates of the town. Our son Ray Scully and my aunt
Rebecca Scully, were buried in your cemetery. When we went
to pay our respects we were told that there are no graves
for a Ray or Rebecca Scully. Now we want to know what
happened to them and we want to know now."

"Of course mame."

"Please stop calling me mame! I'm not some 75 year old
woman."

"Of course mam... um Agent Scully?"

Scully nodded.

-------xXx-------

"This is our records. Anyone that has died here or been sent
here as you have told me your case is. Their death
certificates are located in here. "

Mulder took one book off the shelf and opened it. He thumbed
through the pages turning up nothing. Scully took the book
that had been beside it and thumbed through it. Nothing.

They spent the better part of the afternoon looking through
all the books.

"Well this is the last one." Scully sat beside Mulder
watching as he turned the pages.

"Nothing! How could they just disappear?"

"They can't. We'll send away for their birth and Death
certificates."

"That Will take six to eight weeks."

"Well maybe if we talk to Skinner he can help?"

"Mulder do you really want Skinner to know that we are
trying to find our son's death certificate?"

He just nodded. "I trust him enough with that information."

"Then lets get going."

-------xXx-------

AD Skinner's office

"Sir Agent's Mulder and Scully are here to see you."

"Thank you Kim. Send them in." Skinner turned off the
intercom.

"Well it hasn't been a week yet... but welcome back."
Skinner noticed how much healthy they looked. "Did you have
a nice vacation?" He smiled warmly at his *as much as he
hated to admit it* favorite agents.

"Actually sir no." Mulder sat down heavily in the chair.

"Oh?"

"Sir.." Scully began. "We are here to ask a favor."

"What kind of favor?" He wasn't sure what to expect.
Anything from looking the other way on a extremely high
expense report... to... God only knows what.

"Well sir it's on a personal matter."

"Very well off the record."

"Well sir..." Scully wasn't really sure how to phrase this.
"Agent Mulder and I were remembering old days... before we
were partners... A trip down memory lane if you will....
and... Well.."

"What Agent Scully is trying to say is that we found out by
chance that we had met before joining the FBI."

"I see." He didn't really... but there wasn't any reason to
be rude.

"Yes sir. Well in retrospect. Agent Scully and I had, had a
personal relationship."

"How personal?"

"Extremely sir."

"I see." This time he did see.

"There is more to this story though sir."

"Please continue." Skinner put his pen down and leaned back
in his chair. This is going to be interesting.

"Well sir... twenty years ago I gave birth to a child."

Well that shocked the hell out of him.

"I was only 14 at the time and was not able to raise the
baby. My aunt took care of him til could manage to
financially support him myself... but fate wasn't on my side.
When he was 6 he and my aunt were in a car crash. A..."
Scully broke off. Tears had sprung to her eyes. She couldn't
continue.

Mulder's eyes were damp as well but he continued where she
had left off. "They were hit by a drunk driver. Killed on
impact."

"I'm sorry." He didn't know what else to say.

"The point is sir. I was the father of that child." Mulder
stopped.

The pieces of the puzzle became so much clearer. "I don't
know what to say.... What is it you need me to do?"

"Well sir..." Scully braved her voice again. "We went to the
cemetery they were to be buried at... but there were no
record of them there at all. We couldn't find a death
certificate in the town's records. We want to get a copy but
it Will take six to eight weeks..."

"We don't want to wait that long sir. We wanted to know if
there is anything that you can do to get is sooner? We want
a sort of closure. We never got to say goodbye."

Skinner felt sorry for them. No wonder they looked so
haggard before." I'll call in some personal favors and see
what I can come up with."

"Thank you sir."

-------xXx-------

Scully opened the door to her apartment and let Mulder in.

"God what a week." Mulder flopped down on her couch and
leaned his head back. Who would have thought that only a
week ago his life was so... so.. not as complicated as it
was right now. Not that his life wasn't complicated
before... but this just put a new spin on things.

"You can say that again." Scully sat down beside him.
"Pizza?"

He just nodded not able to speak from lack of energy.

The door bell rang a half hour later. Mulder walked to the
door and handed the man a twenty. "Keep the change."

"Thank you sir."

"Scully pizza's here." He placed the box on the coffee table
and went to grab two pop from the fridge.

They were just finishing off their meal while watching a
movie on TV when the phone rang.

"Scully." She answered still watching the TV as she lay down
with her head on Mulder's lap. "What!?!" She sat up quickly
knocking her head on Mulder's hand as he tried to move it
out of her way.

"There must be a mistake..... No... Well be right there."
She hung up and grabbed her's and Mulder's coat. "Come on."

"What's the matter? Who was that?"

"That was Skinner! There was a good reason there was not
death certificate in the town records."

"Why's that?"

"Because he didn't die!"

**
**

Mulder and Scully were finishing off their meal while
watching a movie on TV when the phone rang.

"Scully." She answered still watching the TV as she lay back
down with her head on Mulder's lap. "What!?!" She sat up
quickly knocking her head on Mulder's hand as he tried to
move it out of her way.

"There must be a mistake..... No... Well be right there."
She hung up and grabbed her's and Mulder's coat. "Come on."

"What's the matter? Who was that?"

"That was Skinner! There was a good reason there was no
death certificate in the town records."

"Why's that?"

"Because he didn't die!" She said in a frustrated voice as
she threw on her coat.

"What?!"

"Don't just stand there. I'll tell you in the car!"

Mulder followed Scully who was already half out the door. He
grabbed his jacket from her halfway to the car.

By the time Mulder did up his seatbelt, Scully was already
halfway down the street.

"I don't Fucking believe it!" Scully swore as she drove
dangerously faster.

"What did he say?"

Scully glanced at him for a second. "Just that when he
called in his favors, he found out that there were birth
certificates for both. But no death certificates... Skinner
has some people looking into it." She took a breath. "I went
to their funeral... If there not dead then who was that in
those coffins? And why would her lawyers come to me and tell
me she died if she hadn't?" So many questions. She hadn't
realized she had voiced them.

"I don't know..." He looked over at her almost shaking. He
placed a hand on her shoulder. "... but were going to find
out.... Together." He added.

Scully was thankful for the warmth of his words and his
touch.

"I could have had my son with me. I didn't have to miss all
of his firsts." A tear sprang up. She slowed a bit for more
control. There was no need for them to get into a accident.

-------xXx-------

"Sir. Agent's Mulder an...." She stopped as Mulder and
Scully walked through AD Skinner's door.

"Explain to me how I could go to the funeral of two people
that aren't dead?" Scully didn't wait for his answer. "I mean
her lawyers came to me to tell me. It was in her will... And
speaking of wills how could I get a inheritance? This
doesn't make any sense." Scully wasn't talking to either of
them now. Her mind was on a quest of it's own. She needed to
know all of these answers and more. She was sure there would
be more. And this time she wanted the truth.

"I don't know Agent Scully... Dana don't worry were going to
find him."

Scully looked at her boss. It was the first time he called
her by her first name, well that is the first time that she
wasn't in a hospital.

"I know sir. I'm just really upset."

Mulder took that as his cue to comfort her. He wrapped his
arm around her and brought her into his chest for a hug. "I
promise you I won't stop til I've found him."

Skinner felt a little out of place. This was truly a moment
that they should be left alone. Yet he was in his own
office. He turned his attention to a sticky note on his
desk. It became the most important thing in the world right
then.

"I'm sorry sir." Mulder broke the silence.

"Don't apologize Agent Mulder... Agent Scully it would help
us out a lot if you give any and all information that you
remember about your aunt's last whereabouts before this so
called accident took their lives."

"1013 Lakeside Rd. Huntsville Al." she said without
hesitation. "That was where I sent all of her letters."

"We'll get right on that immediately."

"Actually Sir I'd like to go myself. We can go to her old
house and see if there was a forwarding address."

"Very well."

Scully and Mulder turned to leave the office.

"Mulder, Scully. I know you don't have to keep me informed
since this is an unofficial search and on your own time...."

"We will Sir. You've been a lot of help."

-------xXx-------

Huntsville Al.

Mulder opened the trunk of the rental car and got in the
passenger side. After all Scully knew where she was going
not him.

After packing a very quick suitcase they had been off to the
airport. Skinner had pulled a few more strings and got them
on a flight immediately. Even though they usually slept on any
plane ride they were way to wired to do so this time and the
time seemed to drag on forever.

"There it is." Scully pointed to a tall Victorian style
house.

"That's where your aunt lived?" Mulder looked at Scully in
amazement. "It's beautiful."

"I know." She pulled into the driveway and turned off the
engine. She exhaled a deep breath that she had been holding.

They walked up the steps and knocked on the door.

Nothing.

They knocked again.

Mulder looked in the window beside the door. There wasn't
any movement. But someone was definitely living there. He
looked at the mailbox that had been attached to the house
not that long ago. Taking another look inside he opened the
lid a bit.

"Mulder what are you doing?"

"Seeing who lives here."

"Mulder tampering with the mail is a Federal Offence."

"And were Federal Agents."

"Mulder." Was all she had to say for him to drop the lid
back down.

"There's nobody home right now."

"Well now what?" Mulder looked impatient.

"Now we go get a room. I want to change. We can grab a quick
bite to eat and come back. Someone should be home later.
There probably at work right now."

Mulder nodded and headed back to the car.

-------xXx-------

1013 Lakeside Rd.

Later that night

Mulder pulled up to the house. There were lights on, someone
had to be there now.

They knocked on the door.

Nothing.

They knocked again.

"Just a minute!" They heard someone yell from within. A
minute later the door opened. The older woman looked at them
confused. "Hello?"

"Hello mame. My name is Agent Mulder this is my partner
Agent Scully..." Mulder held up his ID as did Scully. "...
Would it be alright if we asked you a few questions?"

The woman starred at Scully before she nodded and let them
inside.

"Please come in and take a seat."

The older woman looked familiar to Scully. But then again
after so many years on this job everyone looked familiar to
her.

"I'm sorry did you say Agent Scully?"

"Yes mame. I'm agent Scully." Scully said looking at the
woman from a little behind Mulder.

"Melissa?" She looked almost haunted as she looked her in
the eye.

Scully looked at Mulder for a second. The woman had taken
her by surprise and to tell the truth. It scared her a bit.

"No mame. My name is Dana Scully."

The woman looked almost furious. "How dare you play such a
cruel trick on an old woman? Get out of my house before I
call the sheriff!" She shouted at her, tears welling up in
her eyes.

"Excuse me?" Scully was shocked.

"I don't know who put you up to this but it's not funny."
She turned to walk away. Mulder reached out a hand to stop
her.

"How do you know Dana?" Was all he said before letting his
hand fall.

"You're the FBI you should know... and she is not Dana
Scully."

Scully held out her badge again. "Here see for yourself."

The woman took it and starred at the name. She ran her
finger across it and handed it back to Scully. "That's very
good. How long did it take to make?"

"It's not a fake." Scully sounded insulted.

"Dana Scully died! Can't you let her rest in peace?!" This
time she did walk away. Leaving Mulder and Scully alone in
the living room.

Scully looked down and something caught her eye on the
coffee table. There sat a magazine. A subscription magazine.
A subscription magazine that had a name on it. And the name
said Rebecca Scully.

"Mulder look!" Scully grabbed it at held it out to him.

"It's her?" He said looking at Scully.

"Let me go talk to her." She walked into the other room
where she found her aunt crying.

"It really is me Aunt Becky."

She looked up at the redhead standing in the doorway. "You
can't be."

"Why?"

"Because Dana died when she was 20 years old. She was killed
in a accident. Her father told me that he never wanted to
see me again. He said that she was on her way here to find
me and..." She trailed off and sobbed again.

"He said I came to get Ray?" She couldn't believe this. Her
father had known that her son was alive and didn't tell her.
How could anyone be so cruel?

"How do you know about him?"

"I am Dana. You have to believe me."

"Dana wouldn't have left her son. She loved him so much. She
would have done anything to get him back."

"I did... But I thought you were dead. I was told that you
and Ray were killed by a drunk driver. I went to your
funerals. I mourned both your deaths. I kept our secret
about Ray. It almost ate me up inside." Dana sat down beside
her long lost aunt. "I still have all the pictures you gave
me. It was the only thing that I had left of him. I didn't
care what happened to me. I was nothing without him."

"You're very good you know. In fact if I didn't know she was
dead I would say you were her. But it's impossible."

"Why? Why is it so impossible to believe?"

She didn't answer it.

"So ask me something that only I would know. Something that
no one else could possibly know."

She didn't say anything at first. She just sat there looking
Scully in the eyes. As if she was searching for something.
"Tell... " She took a deep breath and swallowed. "Tell me
about Ray's father."

Scully smiled. "Actually Aunt Becky. There's a funny twist
in the ending of that story... but I'll start at the
beginning....."

-------xXx-------

Mulder sat in the living room not sure what to do. Scully had
been in there for a long time. He looked at his watch again.
'25 minutes and still nothing.'

He took the magazine and flipped through it not looking at
it at all. He ate a couple of sunflower seeds.

"Mulder?" Scully called from the other room.

He appeared at the door. Rebecca Scully was all smiles as she
looked at him.

"Aunt Becky this is Fox Mulder.... Ray's father." She turned
back to her aunt.

"So you're the young man that swept my Dana off her feet..."
She paused smiling back at Scully. "... I can see why now."

Both Scully and Mulder blushed.

"How did you find each other after so many years?"

"That's another long story..." She smiled to Mulder. "... but
we can talk as long as you want us to."

"Where are you staying?"

"At a motel just down the road." Mulder said leaning against
the door frame now.

"Nonsense! You can both just stay here."

"We don't want to impose on you." Scully said.

"Dana. You know perfectly well that there is enough room.
Besides I never turn family away!"

"But..."

"But nothing. Fox can you go and get your things? Id like to
keep talking with Dana."

"Sure Miss. Scully" Scully was shocked. He hadn't asked her
to call him Mulder. Why was it that her mother could call
him Fox. Melissa always referred to him as Fox. He's now
letting her aunt that he just met call him Fox, and yet when
she tried to call him Fox he insisted on her calling him
Mulder.

"Don't Miss Scully me. You can call me Aunt Becky."

"Alright Aunt Becky." Mulder smiled. The Scully family
always made him feel a part of things. Well everyone except
Bill.

-------xXx-------

10:21pm

"I'm so happy you found each other after so long." Rebecca led
the way to their bedrooms. "To make up what time you lost is
the most wonderful thing that I have witnessed." She smiled
at the two of them.

"I guess it was just Fate." Mulder rested a hand on Scully's
shoulder.

"Well now you two here's your room." Rebecca opened the door
to one of the guest rooms. It was done in shades of blue.
Thin blue sheer curtains hung loosely on the windows. A built
in bench had a bunch of throw pillows and a blanket.

Mulder and Scully walked in and looked around. They looked
at the only double bed in the room. Scully turned to her
aunt. "Um... Aunt Becky..."

"Well I'll let you get some sleep. You have a big day
tomorrow."

"We do?" Mulder looked quizzically at Scully."

"While you were gone to the motel Aunt Becky called Ray to
tell him to come here. He should be getting here sometime
late tomorrow morning." Scully turned to talk to her aunt
again but she was gone.

"Great... It's been so long since Iv been here. I'm sorry. I
think she got the wrong impression of us."

"It's ok. We've shared a bed before. Not that long ago
actually remember?"

"I remember."

"Besides this is a lot bigger. You won't even know I'm
there."

Some how she doubted that.

After getting changed and ready for bed Scully sat at the
bench seat and over looked the neighborhood. "Isn't it
beautiful?"

Mulder walked over and stood behind her. He rested his hands
on her shoulders and squeezed lightly. "Very." He said
glancing down at her.

"You know what the significance of this room is?"

"No. Tell me."

"When I was sent out here. This was my room. It's changed a
lot. But the view hasn't. I'm glad your here with me this
time though."

Mulder leaned down and kissed her forehead gently. "Me too."
He whispered bringing her into a hug. They stayed there for
what seemed like hours. Just drinking in the feeling of the
other.

Scully was the first to break away. She stood up and walked
to bed. Mulder took one last look at the scenery before
joining her.

Mulder lay on his back looking at the ceiling just thinking.
After a while his ears perked up. He could hear Scully. It
sounded as if she was crying. "Scully?" He whispered laying a
hand on her shoulder.

"I thought you were a sleep." She said quietly taking her
emotions back. Lock them up again.

"Scully. What's the matter?" Mulder propped himself up on one
elbow and tried to roll her over to look at him.

"Nothing."

"Scully. It's not nothing. Please tell me." He scooted up
beside her and wrapped her in a hug. "Everything is going to
be fine." He cooed rocking her in his arms.

"I know. I'm happy."

"Happy tears?" It was more a statement of understanding as a
question.

"I'm going to see my son again tomorrow.... Our son..." She
leaned into his chest and kissed it lightly. "Our son..."
She said again snuggling up closer to Mulder.

"I can't wait."

They lay like that for a while.

"Mulder?"

"Yeah."

"How long did you wait after... Who... Um.." Scully took a
breath before trying to ask again. "How long did you wait
after me to... you know..." She shrugged when she asked the
question.

"A long time."

"Oh...... How long?"

"I was a junior in college... She was smart. I guess she
kind of reminded me of you. We kinda hung out. It was at a
formal. Afterwards she didn't talk to me anymore. She just
ignored me. I asked her once why we didn't hang out anymore.
She said that she thanked me for that night, but that was
the only reason she hung out with me. I was known as the
'untouchable' guy at the school. I still loved you. I didn't
know wear you were, she said that a few of her friends made
a bet with her that she couldn't get me into bed by the end
of the year... Needless to say I told her how I felt about
that. I had thought she liked me. I had been unable to keep
in touch with you. I still loved you, but came to the
understanding that I would probably never see you again in
my life and I had to move on. I still felt guilty and after
what she did to me I felt a lot worse."

"I'm sorry."

"No don't be. It was a hard lesson to learn true... but look
where I am now. Sharing a bed with the woman I first fell in
love with."

Scully smiled against his chest. She looked him in the eyes
and lightly brushed his lips with hers. "I love you too
Mulder."

Mulder lifted her head with his finger and kissed her lips
again. A long slow kiss that said almost everything he ever
wanted to tell her in the six years of working together and
the 11 years before that.

Mulder pulled back first. "Um.. Scully. I think we better
stop before I can't." He said breathlessly.

Scully laid her hand on his cheek. He leaned into her
touch. "Who said I wanted to stop?" She looked into his
eyes.

"Scully it would make me so happy to make love to you right
now... but are you sure you're ready?"

Scully knew he loved her. He had said so many times. "I
think so."

Mulder leaned down and kissed her softly. "You tell me to
stop at any time and I will."

"I know you would." She kissed him back.

Mulder ran a hand down her cheek and neck. He rubbed just
behind her ear with his thumb before sliding down to the
collar of her t-shirt. He dipped his finger in and rubbed the
nape of her neck where her necklace always hung.

Scully kissed his bottom lip. God she missed that lip.

Mulder lifted up her shirt slowly resting his hand on her
breast. He kissed down her throat to her nipple.

Scully ran a hand lightly through his hair. She had never
had another lover that knew what she liked as much as this
man did. Scully let out a small moan, and he had gotten
better if that was even remotely possible.

Mulder flicked her nipple with his tongue in a uneven
rhythm like he did so many years ago. He remembered her
reaction very well.

Scully sucked in a breath at the feel of his tongue. She
moaned quietly as she shifted a bit giving him more access
to her body.

Mulder slid a finger down her stomach lightly tracing a
circle around her navel, before coming to rest at the top of
her panties.

Scully could feel the warmth of his hand burning into her
flesh. She felt like she was on fire.

Mulder slowly started to slide down her panties.

Scully was going to go insane if he kept this very slow pace
up. He always liked to tease her. Scully pulled away from
him for a second. Her body chastising her for the abrupt
halt to Mulder's ministrations.

Mulder looked cautiously at her. He let out a breath trying
to get himself under control. She had told him she was
ready, and he so wished it was true.... but she had pulled
away... Mulder stopped his train of thought as he watched
Scully.

She quickly tossed her shirt over her head and on to the
floor somewhere. She wiggled out of her panties and tossed
them to join her discarded shirt. Looking at Mulder hungrily
she tugged his shirt up as a hint as she raised her eyebrow
in a question of 'you not going to join me?'

Mulder whipped his shirt off in a second causing a slight
breeze as it flew through the air. He leaned in for a slow
kiss before he took off his boxers and let them join the
rest of the clothing scattered over the area. He laid back
down and ran a hand through her hair before kissing her
forehead. He kissed each one of her eyelids before her lips.

"Mulder..." Scully whispered as she spread her legs a bit for
him.

"Yeah?" He shifted so all his weight was on his elbows,
letting him look straight into her eyes.

"I think the six years of foreplay is enough..." She
whispered into his ear as she pushed her hips towards him in
encouragement.

Mulder smiled down at her and nodded. He just loved her
body's reactions to his touch. He kissed her mouth slowly.
"Wait.." He broke away for a second before he dropped his
head to her chest.

"What?" Scully was worried.

"I..." He took a deep breath. "I'm sorry... I don't have
anything..." He mentally kicked himself for not having
anything.

"Mulder." Scully said in a stern voice.

"Mhm?" Mulder mumbled into her chest.

"Look at me."

He raised his head up and looked at her.

She put her hands on either side of his face and brought it
down to her. He rested his forehead against hers and looked
at her. "We have a kid together." She raised a eyebrow to
emphasize her point.

"I just..."

"Mulder we have a child together, we work in a field where
we have regular checkups and physicals, and I can't get
pregnant... There is nothing to worry about." She smiled at
him as she ran her fingers through his hair again.

Mulder relaxed a bit. She was so trusting. He kissed her
slow and long.

Scully couldn't take it anymore. She raised her hips to him
as she pushed him closer to her. "Mmm... now..." she
mumbled.

Mulder nodded.

Scully moaned at the first feel of him. It had been so long
since she had been with anyone.

Mulder let out a low moan. She felt so good. He waited a
second letting them both get used to the feel of each other
before slowly rocking his hips.

Sully lightly ran her fingernails down his back hitting that
sensitive spot that drove him crazy. She smiled when she
heard Mulder moan at her touch.

"I see you haven't forgotten." He whispered in her ear before
lightly biting her ear lobe.

"Mmm... of course not." She ran her fingernails across it
again to emphasis her point.

Mulder thrust a bit faster as she stayed at that spot on
his back.

Scully squeezed him in rhythm with his thrust's. She ran
her tongue down Mulder's neck and over his collarbone.
Slowly kissing her way back. She stopped at the base of his
neck and kissed and sucked slowly. She lightly bit it before
kissing back up to his waiting lips.

"Mmm... Scully... are you trying to give me a hickey?"

"Just marking my man." She joked.

Mulder leaned down to Scully's neck and repeated her
maneuvers. "Mind if I mark my woman?" He asked hotly against
her skin.

Scully squeezed him hard in response. She knew she couldn't
last much longer if he kept kissing her like that. It sent
liquid fire shooting through her veins. His rhythmic thrusts
started getting faster and faster. Scully arched her back a
bit as she breathed a bit harder.

Mulder quickened his pace as he continued kissing her neck.
He massaged her breast with his hand flicking her nipple and
rolling it between his fingers.

Scully moaned a bit louder at this newest sensation invading
her senses.

Mulder kissed Scully on her mouth and whispered. "Don't wake
your aunt." He switched sides and started all over on the
other side of her neck.

"Uh..." Was all Scully managed before her mind went blank
with the touch of his mouth on her neck.

Mulder smiled into her neck at her response.

Scully couldn't take it anymore her body was about to
explode from sensory overload. Her whole body quivered and
tighten around him.

Mulder felt her body tense beneath him and sped up. She was
so tight now. He couldn't hold on much longer.

Scully's body shook with intensity, her mind going blank.
There was but two people in her universe right now.

Mulder thrust as deep as he could. Scully's milking him
released his own earth shattering orgasm. When he came around
Scully was kissing him gently and soothingly talking to him.

"Scully..." He said raspy.

"Yeah?" She kissed his forehead.

"I love you."

"I love you too Mulder."

Scully snuggled up to Mulder again and drifted off to sleep.

-------xXx-------

9:00am

Scully got out of the shower and quickly dried herself. She
had been up for what seemed like forever. It felt like the
clock was turning backwards and the time for her to meet the
man her son turned out to be seemed as far away as it ever
did. She changed into a comfortable pair of jeans and a nice
light sweater. She looked at herself in the mirror. She
didn't look that bad. She smiled at Mulder as he got out of
the shower. He gave her a kiss as he walked by to get some
clothes.

"I'm going to make us some breakfast. Something light?"

"Sure. But none of your rabbit food ok?" He shot a smile
over his shoulder at her.

"Right one rabbit breakfast coming up."

Scully walked down the stairs and into the kitchen. She
grabbed two bagels and popped them into the toaster. She
heard Mulder walk in the kitchen and turned to ask him what
he wanted on his bagel.

The man that stood before her was not Mulder. Although he
looked like him.

"Ok I get it." He said in a half smile and a arched eyebrow.
He walked over to Scully and held out his hand.

Scully took it still stunned she leaned against the counter.

"Hello beautiful." He kissed her hand gently. "Where have
you been all my life?"

"Um..." Mulder stood in the doorway to the kitchen.

Scully heard Mulder's voice and stood up.

"Hello." Mulder walked over to Scully and put his arm around
her and smiled at the young man in front of him. "You must
be Ray."

"Do I know you?" He looked sideways at him.

"No."

"Ray is that you?" Rebecca called from upstairs.

"Yeah Aunt Becky. It's me."

Mulder smiled at Scully who was still staring at her son.
He was so... so... so grown up.

Rebecca came in the kitchen. "Good everyone's here.... Ray sit
down." She grabbed a kitchen chair and pulled it out for
him. She took the one across from him leaving the chairs
beside him open for Mulder and Scully.

"Ray there's a good reason why I called you here." She
started.

"Are you alright?" He looked concerned.

"Yes dear. I'm fine. It's something much more important."

"Who are these people?"

"That's what I want to explain to you." She took a deep
breath. "Where to start?"

"How about the beginning?" He asked.

"Well... Remember a long time ago when you were about six
years old. I told you that your grandpa was really mad at
me, and that he blamed me for your mother's death. I told
you that your mother loved you so much that she couldn't
stand being away from you any longer. That she would be with
you for all of time. Do you remember that?"

Ray nodded still a bit confused.

"Well... I know this is going to come as a shock to you but.
She didn't die. Your grandfather told me she died when she
was still alive."

"What?!" Ray looked confused, hurt, betrayed, angry, lost,
unloved. "What do you mean she's not dead?"

"Ray..." Scully broke in. "My father was wrong in what he
did. I missed the most important years of your life."

"You're my mother?" He looked skeptically at her.

"Yes."

"YOU'RE my mother?" He thought about that. Turning towards the
counter he looked back with a almost green complexion and
his mouth open. "OH MY GOD I HIT ON MY MOTHER!!!!" He turned
to Mulder. "So who are you?"

"This is your father."

"You're Ray Sr.?"

"Well... I used to be called Ray as a nickname. My real name
is Fox Mulder."

"Fox?" Ray raised one eyebrow that was so Scully.

Mulder smiled at the facial expressions shared by the two.
Ray was almost as tall as him. He had auburn hair and green
eyes. You could tell that he was their child. He had
Mulder's lips which he was slightly biting now with this
bombshell that was just dropped on him.

"What kind of a name is Fox?" He wondered out loud. "I'm
sorry, it's just... unusual."

"My parents didn't like me much I guess."

"How did you come up with Ray as a nickname for Fox?"

"Long story." Mulder smiled at his son. 'His Son' he liked
that. He never really pictured himself as a father, but so
far he liked it.

Ray rubbed vigorously at his eyes. He had a headache.

"Ray honey... I know this is a shock, but you had to know."
Rebecca reached across the table to her nephew.

"I..ah... I need a little time alone." He looked down at the
table as he spoke. His eyebrows furrowed. Quietly he got up
and walked out of the kitchen without a second glance.

"He'll be fine. He just needs a little time. He works things
out so much better by himself... he must have gotten that
from you Dana." Rebecca smiled at them both.

"I think that's a bit from both sides." Scully said taking
Mulder's hand in hers as she looked where her son had walked
away.

-------xXx-------


Scully stood at the doorway of Ray's room. She watched him
pace back and forth mouthing a conversation to himself. He
rested his arms over the ends of a bat that he had placed
behind his neck. Waving his hands in the air as if he was
making a point to someone.

"How's he doing?" Mulder whispered as he approached from
behind.

"I'm not sure... Mulder?..." Scully turned her head a bit
towards him not letting her eyes leave her son.

"Yeah?"

"You know I can picture you doing that during finals in
college." She nodded towards Ray's pacing as she turned
smiling at him.

"Naw. I swung the bat. Or pretended to throw a baseball."

Ray paced back and forth in the tiny room. 'God I wish there
were more room. If I swing this thing aunt Rebecca will have
my hide... What a bombshell to be dropped in my lap, and
right near finals.'

Fourteen years. A simple statement. It had been fourteen
years ago that he had cried his little eyes out because his
mommy was never going to see him again. He wasn't sure why
she wasn't with him. His aunt had told him how much she
loved him. How much she wanted to be with him. At six he
just didn't understand why his mommy wasn't with him. He was
told that he would never see her again because God had
needed her up in heaven, but that she would always be with
him. Now it was Fourteen years later and he finds out that
all of that was a lie. That his mother was still alive,
still with his father. She had gone on with her life without
him. If she loved him so much then why did she abandon him?
More importantly why had she come back?

Ray took a deep breath. He needed someone else's opinion.
He walked over to the phone and dialed the familiar number.
Only two rings.

"Hi..... It's me.... yeah... Um.. listen can we get together?
I really need to talk..." He glanced at his watch. "I'll be
there in five." He hung up and grabbed his jacket and headed
out the door but ran into Mulder and Scully.

"Um. hi... how long have you been standing here?" He looked
at his watch again.

"Not long. I just wanted to see if you wanted anything?"

"Um.. no thanks. Actually I was just heading out for a
little bit. Clear the head you know." He tried a smile, but
he didn't really feel like smiling.

"Yeah I know." Scully said quietly as she moved out of his
way.

"Ill... ah... I'll be back in a little bit. Can you tell aunt
Becky I went to Lor's and I'll be back in about a hour or
so?"

"Sure." Mulder said nodding. He put his hand on Scully's
shoulder for support.

"Thankx." Ray nodded as he left.

"What if he doesn't forgive me?" Scully whispered after Ray
was out of earshot.

"He will."

"How do you know? Mulder he spent most of his life thinking
that I was dead. To find out that I'm alive, he must have a
lot of mixed up feelings running through him. What if he
thinks I left him on purpose?"

"Scully you can't think like that. Besides we're here. We'll
make him understand."

"Just as soon as we do." She looked at him. "I'm going to
call Skinner and let him know we found him. He's been such a
great help. I feel I owe it to him."

"Go a head. I'll tell your aunt, Ray stepped out for a little
bit."

-------xXx-------

1021 Lakeside Rd.

Ray knocked on the door and waited.

"Hey Ray!" The cheery voice said as a head popped around the
corner of the door. "Come on in."

He smiled. "Red today?" He joked looking at her still damp
hair.

"You bet! it just drives mom nuts to see me dye my hair. She
said anything but red once. Well you know me." She winked at
him. "So you coming in or are you just going to let me
freeze here so we can talk on the porch?"

"Sorry." He stepped into the hallway and realized why she
would freeze. She was wearing only her white panties and
bra. "I did tell you I was coming... over... coming over.
Right?" He stumbled.

"Oh Ray. It's not like you haven't already seen it." She
teased walking past him. "Come up stairs with me I have to
wash this out in a couple of minutes. We can talk while I
wait."

Ray followed her up.

"So what's this big thing you HAVE to talk about?" She slid
up on the bathroom counter and picked up the timer beside
her.

"Well..." He took a breath. "I really need help with sorting
this out. You know what it was like for me to grow up
without my mom and dad right? You remember me telling you."

"Yeah.." She looked seriously at him. "Ray? What's the
matter?"

"Well last night aunt Becky called me back home for a big
emergency."

"Is she alright?" She looked concerned at him.

"Yeah she's fine. I thought she was trying to set me up with
someone. You know..." He blushed slightly. "To get my mind
off of our brake up."

"Ray...." She held her arms out to him. He hugged her. "I
said I wanted some space. Not to brake up. You big lug." She
kissed his cheek softly. "So now your aunt is going to set
you up with everyone she can think of. Make me work to keep
my man?" She smiled at him.

"She wanted me to meet my mother and father. They're alive
Lor. They're alive." He had a distant look in his eyes as he
shook his head. "They're over there now." He looked her in
the eye.

"But I thought... You said... Didn't she die?"

"Lor I'm so confused." He let go of her and sat down on the
side of the bathtub and rubbed his eyes again.

"Ok. I get it now." She looked at him. "You want to believe
them. What's keeping you from doing so?"

"She knew about me. I mean child birth isn't something one
forgets in a lifetime. I was told that she loved me. I don't
doubt that. You should see the way she looks at me. But she
knew where I was. She said she would get me when she was
eighteen."

"You want to know why she didn't come for you. Why after..."
She paused for a second. "Why after fourteen years she comes
back into your life like nothings changed?"

"Something like that."

"Did you ask her?"

"She said something about her father... I don't really
remember."

"Come here Ray."

He stood up in front of her.

She took his hand. "Ray. You're are a kind, loving person.
You're smart and caring. That's why I love you so. Do you
want me to go back over there with you?"

"Id like that."

"Ray?"

"Yeah?"

"Kiss me?"

"I thought you'd never ask." He leaned down and kissed those
lips he had been dreaming about since she told him she
wanted some space. He knew he was pushing it when he asked
her to marry him. He didn't mean that day. He wanted a long
engagement. To make sure they were right for each other. He
though a place together would be best at first. Instead of a
'yes' he received a 'Ray I need more space'.

The timer beside them dinged and he broke the kiss. "Your
hair."

"You wanna join me?" She smiled at him as she undid her bra.

"I missed you." He kissed her quickly before taking his
shirt off.

-------xXx-------

Scully sat down with a huff. This sitting around waiting was
driving her crazy. She wanted to take Ray in her arms and
just apologize for everything that ever went wrong in his
life. Sorry that she wasn't there for him.

"Here drink this it'll make you feel better." Mulder handed
her a clear mug full of tea.

"Thanks." She took it but didn't drink it.

"You know... tea tastes better out of a clear mug." Mulder
sat beside her and looked out the window with her.

"Uh.. sure." She smiled at him and took a sip.

He leaned over and gave her a quick kiss on the cheek.

"What was that for?"

"Because I love you." He said seriously.

Scully ran a hand along his jawline. "I love you too." She
snuggled up to him. "Do you think he'll be much longer?"

"I don't know... I hope not. We lost so much time with him
already. I feel nervous, what about you?"

"Yeah. Like he's not going to come back. Or that something is
going to happen to him. That even though we got this second
chance something may happen to mess it up for us."

Mulder squeezed her against him and laid a kiss on the top
of her head.

-------xXx-------

Ray pulled the covers up over them. "Laura..."

"Mmm-hmm?"

"We should get going soon. I told them I'd be back in a hour
or so."

Laura laid her head on his chest as she drew lazily with
one finger up and down his stomach. "Your aunt knows when
you say you're coming over here its for a few hours at
LEAST." She ran her finger in circles around his belly
button. "Besides..." She kissed his chest softly. "We haven't
been together in a while. I missed you."

"I missed you more."

"What miss little old me? With all those girls that your
aunt's been setting you up with?" She teased running her hand
down over him.

"Girls is right. I don't want a girl when I can have a
woman." He rolled over on top of her.

"You just remember that, and everything Will be fine." She
kissed him slowly again sucking his bottom lip. She always
loved that bottom lip. She opened her legs for him.

"I love you Laura."

"I love you to Ray.... Ask me again?"

He stopped for a second. "What?"

"Ask me again... That is if you still want me..." She arched
her hips up to meet his.

"You're serious? I can't  take another rejection."

"Babe. If I didn't mean it I wouldn't say it. You know me."

Ray broke out into a huge smile. He kissed her softly before
he got up.

"Where you going?"

"I have to do this right." He went over to his discarded
clothing and rummaged through his jacket pockets til he
found it. A little velvet box. He walked back over to the
bed and knelt on one knee and looked at her. "Laura Diane
Williams will you do me the honor of being my wife?"

Laura sat up and looked down at Ray holding open the box
with her ring in it. The ring he had proposed to her just a
few months ago. "Yes." She smiled at him. "Now get back in
bed with me." She pulled his shoulder towards her.

"Yes mame." He laid kisses all over her stomach and up to
her breasts. He teased her nipple with his tongue.

"Mmm... Ray..." Laura let out a low rumble at the
sensation.

-------xXx-------

"I hope he's alright.... It's been almost two hours since he
left." Scully looked at her watch again.

"Who is Lor?" Mulder asked Rebecca who was sitting in the
living room with her cup of lemon tea.

"Don't worry Dana. I know you don't want to hear this, but
whenever he gets near her he looses all track of time. His
hour is two or three." She tried to reassure her with no
such luck. She turned to Mulder. "Laura. Her name is Laura,
he calls her Lor for short. They have been.... 'best
friends'... for quite a while now." She emphasized best
friends raising a eyebrow.

"His girlfriend?" Mulder smiled.

"Um.. not exactly... He should tell you more about her....
Or that is he Will tell you more about her. Just ask. He
can't stop talking about her."

"Is it serious?"

"I thought so. More complicated then anything else."

"I see..." Mulder stopped when he saw Scully lean forward at
the window. "Scully? What is it?"

"I think that's him. He's with someone."

"Probably Laura." Rebecca put in. "Dana that's a good thing.
If he wants you to meet her then, that means he wants you to
know a BIG part of his life."

Scully watched the two figures approach from down the
street.

"By the way..." Rebecca whispered to Mulder. "Why do you call
her Scully and not Dana?"

"We work together... Maybe it's just me but she will always
be Scully."

"So that's why she still calls you Mulder?"

"Not exactly... I asked her to. I told her that I even made
my parents call me Mulder. Out of respect she's never called
me Fox."

"But you let me call you Fox. Why is that?"

"I guess because you make me feel like family. All of her
family does... Well except for Bill jr. , he hates me with a
passion." Mulder rolled his eyes.

"Well out of respect for you and Dana I'll call you Mulder if
you feel more comfortable."

"No... It's alright I don't mind." He smiled at her as he
heard the front door open.

"Aunt Becky?" He called closing the door behind Laura. "Mom?
Dad?" The words felt foreign to his mouth.

"In the Living room dear." Rebecca sat her tea cup down
preparing herself. She never did know what color that girls
hair was going to be. Though she had to admit that she had
toned it down since high school. Pink, Blue, Purple had
finally been eliminated from her selections since she had
started college.

"Here you are." Ray walked in with his arm around Laura.

Mulder looked at the two of them and a small smile appeared
on his face. Laura was a little shorter then him. Not by
much mind you, but shorter. Her long red hair reminded him
of Scully's now. Her eyes were a light blue almost gray. He
noted the odd flecks of gold that were rapidly diminishing.

"Hello Laura dear.... red I see." Rebecca walked over and
hugged her. She ran a hand through her hair. "Good God child
what is your mother going to say?"

"Well she always did say I had a temper like a red head."
She joked, and that's when she noticed Scully. Or rather
should I say Scully's red hair? She blushed when she noticed
her.

"Mine said the same thing." Scully didn't want her to think
she had insulted her.

"Um... Mom, Dad... This is Laura Williams... Lor this is my
mother Dana Scully and my father Fox Mulder."

"Interesting name." She said to Mulder after shaking Scully
and his hand. "Ray weren't you named after him?" She
whispered not moving her lips.

"I'll tell you when I find out." He whispered back.

"It's nice to meet you Laura." Scully smiled at the young
woman.

"Laura is my fiancée." Ray proudly held up her hand
displaying the ring for everyone to see.

Scully couldn't believe it. Mulder's mouth hung open. Rebecca
got the biggest smile on her face and hugged the two of
them. "Oh That's Wonderful! I'm so happy for you!" She gave
Ray a kiss on the cheek and grabbed Laura away from him.
"Come sit. Sit.... I'm so happy you finally agreed. Welcome
to the family."

"Thanks. You always made me feel part of the family."

"Congratulations Son." Mulder held out his hand to Ray.

"Thanks.... Can I talk to you for a second?" Ray asked.

"Sure." Mulder followed him into the dinning room. Looking
back at Scully giving her a reassuring look. A look that
said. 'don't worry, I'll talk to him'

"I just wanted to know how long you waited to get married? I
mean how long were you two engaged before you set a date?"

Mulder smiled at him. "Actually were not married."

Ray looked confused. "But... I mean... I thought.." He just
stopped not even finishing his sentence.

"Ray I think you deserve to hear the whole story... at least
from my point of view. You're going to have to talk to your
mother for her half."

Ray sat down on the window seat in the dinning room.

"Well it started when I was fourteen. I was sent to camp. My
parents thought that it would help if I interacted with more
kids my age. I was a real loner at home. Anyway. I got on
the bus for camp and saw the most beautiful girl I had ever
seen in my life. I sat beside her and we talked. The first
new friend that I had made in years. We hung out all the
time. I fell for her, I fell for her bad. Lucky for me she
fell for me too." He smiled at the look on Rays face. A look
of pure happiness.

"There was a island that we liked to go exploring on...." He
stopped. He didn't really want to tell his son the kind of
exploring they did there.

"Well camp ended and I had to come back home. I never saw
her again. I grew up lived my life. But I never forgot about
her. She was my one and only true love. I felt like I had
lost a part of my soul. I joined the FBI I created a name
for myself, I was on the fast track up the ladder. That is
until found some files that were marked 'x'. There were
unsolved cases. Cases that dealt with the paranormal. I was
fascinated by them. They consumed me. I became obsessed with
these files. I switched divisions and worked full time on
the x-files." Mulder looked at the look of intrigue on Ray's
face.

"Six years ago I stepped on quite a few toes. I became known
as 'Spooky' the outcast of the bureau. They decided that I
had worked on my own for too long. I needed someone else to
help me. They wanted to shut down the division. So they
assigned me a partner. My partner would write reports on my
behavior. Basically keep an eye on me and point out any
misconduct and stuff. I was not impressed I thought that
they were sending a spy in."

"So what did you do?" Ray was engrossed with the story.

"Well, I tried to put up a attitude... But that didn't last
long. See when I met my new partner she reminded me of
someone. I wasn't sure at the time who. By coincidence your
mother or Scully as I call her. Was my new partner. But we
didn't know, or should I say connect the dots. For six years
we worked side by side. I started falling for her but did
nothing. I didn't want to change our friendship. We had this
closeness to us. In fact everyone at work thought we were
dating."

"So how did you find out? About your past that is."

"Well.." Mulder half smiled looking at the floor. He turned
to Ray and continued. "I wanted to shock her with a
question. Believe it or not she has a beautiful shocked
look."

Ray chuckled. "What did you ask her?"

"I wanted to know about her first time."

"It was with you right?"

"Yeah. But I didn't know that at the time. She started
explaining about him and how they met."

"You didn't think that it was just a coincidence?"

"I have a eidetic memory. I recall those days like it was
just a second ago. I told her story and we realized that we
were talking about each other. I was so happy that I had
finally found her again." Mulder's smile disappeared. "Then
she got all scared and started shaking. She locked herself
in the bathroom crying, muttering something about betraying
me. I didn't know about you. She never mentioned a child in
the years we worked together." Mulder had to take a long
breath. "I finally got her out and calmed down. I hate
seeing her cry, it tears my heart out. She thought I would
hate her for leaving you here with your aunt. She told me
how she got a telegram saying you and your aunt were killed.
She went to your funerals Ray."

"But... how? We weren't dead."

"We didn't know that til later. I wanted to pay my
respects. It crushed me to find out that I had a son that I
would never meet. A lot of things happened, our boss helped
us try and find you. I find it ironic that your aunt never
moved in the last fourteen years."

"She wanted to a couple of times but I told her that nothing
would feel like home. That this place made me feel close to
her." Ray nodded towards the living room where Scully was. "I
couldn't be with my mother, but I could be in a place she
had stayed. Sleep in the same room she had. I thought that
was as close as I would get to her."

"Ray trust me if we knew about you sooner. We would have
been here for you."

"I believe you."

Scully leaned against the wall beside the door. A small tear
ran down her cheek. Everything was going to be fine. She
stepped into the room and both Mulder and Ray looked at her.

"Hi." Ray said a small smile on his face.

"Am I interrupting something?... I can come back if you'd
like."

"No that's ok. Id like to talk with you... find out a bit
more about my mother... About both of you." He added.

Scully's heart leapt with joy. "Anything you want to know."

"Ok I got the meeting at camp and a bit of dad's life after
that... I'd like to hear yours."

"Well I don't know if you remember me sending you letters
and pictures or not... but after I was told that you died I
was crushed." Scully grabbed one of the chairs from the
table and turned it around so she was facing Mulder and Ray.

"I was told that a drunk driver had killed you on your way
home. I went to your funeral, but a part of me was dead. I
felt like I was at my own funeral, I was burring a part of
me. I went into a severe depression. I threw myself into my
schooling. It was the only thing that kept me busy. I
figured if I stopped I would end up doing something drastic.
I was teaching at Quantico when I was asked to meet with the
assistant director of the bureau. They were transferring me
to the x-files division."

"So you had no idea the reason they had transferred you
there?"

"No... Though your father never believed me."

"I couldn't take the risk of trusting you. I didn't know if
you were a spy or not." Mulder defended himself to the on
going battle between them. "You have no complaints now. I
trust you Scully."

"I know you do Mulder, but I think I earned that respect...
being dragged from one place to another on your wild goose
chases."

"You would have gotten it sooner if you didn't shoot me."
Mulder muttered.

"Wait.... Back up there... You shot him?!" Ray was dumb
founded.

"He gave me no other choice!" Scully pleaded.

"You know for a unmarried couple you sure act like it." Ray
smiled at them.

"Speaking of married..." Scully stopped that line of topic.
".. tell us about Laura. How did you meet her?"

Ray got a big goofy grin that was so Mulder on his face.
"The first time that I met her I told her that I would marry
her. We were five at the time. I was playing with some cars
in the sandbox at the park when I got hit with this sand
ball. I turned around to see this little girl with long
sandy blond hair. She was mad that her castle wasn't staying
together. She was throwing sand at it and had missed and hit
me instead. I went over and told her that I could help her
with it. We spent the day together playing. When Aunt Becky
came to get me, I didn't want to go. I gave her a kiss on
the cheek and said to her 'When I get older I'm gonna marry
you... and we can play in the sandbox all the time'. I know
it sounds cheesy now... but I meant it at the time."

Both Mulder and Scully smiled at the story.

"We were best friends from then on... but a few years back
she helped me out a lot..." Ray paused for a second. "Ok,
I've never told anyone except her about this... It's going
to sound a little weird and spooky..."

Mulder's ears perked up at his nickname. "Yes?"

"Well a few years back I had a dream... Well at least I keep
telling myself that it's just a dream... But someone came to
visit me... Someone that I had never met before... He was
wearing a uniform. All white. He was balding some...." Ray
squinted trying to recall the memory of the event that had
in a way changed his life. "Well I was really scared because
I didn't know him and I didn't know how he got in to my
room. All the doors were locked. He took one look at me and
had a hurt look in his eye. He looked me in the eye and said
he was sorry for the hurt he had caused me and that he would
find a way to fix it. He said he loved me and hopes that
some day I would forgive him... Then he just turned and
walked away. I got up to after him. But when I reached the
doorway of my room he was gone. Vanished into thin air. I
told Laura the next day. She made me feel better... A little
while latter we started going out. The rest is how we say
History." Ray smiled.

Mulder on the other hand was about as antsy as he could get.
He had this look of amazement in his eye. Scully was quiet
and just listened.

"You had a visit from a ghost?" Mulder was envious.

"I don't think it was a ghost...."

"But you went after him and he was gone. The doors were
still locked no way he could have left that fast without
noise."

"Mulder can't you leave work alone for two seconds?" Scully
said exhausted. She rubbed the bridge of her nose as she
shook her head.

"Sorry."

"No that's ok. See that's why I chose my particular field of
study at the college. I wanted to do research on the
paranormal. To prove to myself that I wasn't crazy and
that... Whoever that was in my room that night was not a
ghost. I believe in the afterlife, I believe in a lot of
different things but I rely on science to prove it to
everyone else that whatever that was is out there. That
maybe science will give me some answers some truths to what
I experienced."

"Oh yeah definitely our son." Mulder smiled at Scully.

"What do you mean?"

"Meet your mother the skeptic and me the believer." Mulder
chuckled.

"So I'm a combo." Ray chuckled.

"I guess you could say that. I'm just glad that we can have
this time to learn more about each other. We missed a lot
when you grew up."

"Well I'm still growing... But I would really like it if you
were a part of my wedding. Would you be my best man?" Ray
asked Mulder with a smile.

"It would be my honor."

Laura stood at the doorway. She came to see what was going
on when she heard Ray's request and smiled. "That sounds
like a wonderful idea. Mrs. Scully would you do me the honor
of being my maid of honor?"

Scully smiled. "Thank you Laura I'd like that."

-------xXx-------

Three months, Two weeks, four days and... you get the
picture.

Mulder and Scully watched as their son danced the first
dance with his new bride. The wedding was beautiful. Laura
had died her hair back to her original color for the
wedding. She wore a long white dress that complimented her
very well. Ray was beaming with awe at her.

They sat at the main table at the reception watching all the
guests. Even Skinner had managed to show up to give his
congratulations.

Scully sighed a content happy sigh. She hadn't lost her son
after all, she was with the best man *in more ways then
one*. Everything was just perfect.

"Look." Mulder pointed to Ray and Laura trying to sneak off
out of the reception. "Let's say good-bye." Mulder lead
Scully out of the hall. He placed his hand on the small of
her back as they caught up to them. "You weren't really going
to leave without saying good-bye first now were you." Mulder
joked.

"Of course we were." Ray joked back.

"Have a wonderful trip. Canada is wonderful this time of
year." Scully hugged Laura and gave Ray a kiss on the cheek.
Mulder gave Ray a hug and kissed Laura on the cheek.

"Call us when you get there. We want to know you made it
ok."

"I will, Mom." Ray and Laura walked towards the limo.

"Scully do you think we'll ever be as happy as that?" Mulder
looked at his son and new daughter-in-law get into the limousinee.

"In your dreams Mulder." Scully looked back over her
shoulder at him.

"Scully, you wound me."

"Mulder you mean you're going to stand there and say that we
can have a normal life? Mulder I don't even think that I
remember what normal is."

"Us. Me being with you. That's normal. Me being married to
you... that's what I want normal to be."

"Is that a proposal G-man?"

"Damn straight G-woman."

"Then I accept... Mulder..." Scully turned and watched as
the limousine disappeared from sight. "Do you realize how
much were going to be razed about our son getting married
BEFORE us?"

"I know my defense."

"Which is?" Scully gave him a look that told him he was
treading on thin ice.

"I wanted to make sure you were Miss Right."

"And am I?"

"No."

"What?"

"No... You're Miss Scully. I met Miss Right a while ago... She
wasn't that right." Mulder tried to keep his face serious.

Scully let out a huge grin and leaned up to give him a kiss.

Mulder wrapped his arms around her and hugged tight. "Every
things going to be alright."

"Rock-a-bye..." Scully sang quietly into his chest.

"Huh?"

"The song Lullaby by Shaun Mullen."

"Come here G-woman." Mulder pulled her into a long kiss.

The End

------------

Authors notes: Phew! that was a loooooong story. What did
you think? PLEASE write me back and let me know. This was
the first time I have written a series. Special thanks to
jennaev you know who you are. For all your input/support and
most importantly any continuity I had. :) Special thanks to
Katherine for all your encouraging e-mails. :) Thanks to
Emma P for posting my first fan fic on her archive, which I'm
sad to see close. Thank you to everyone else that sent me
feedback and waited patently for the next installments.
Please send feedback and tell me how you like the way I
ended it. x_girl1@hotmail.com


*Note: some proof reading was done by the archivist