Title: The Haircut III
Author: Girlie_girl 7
Written : 06-06-03
Rating: G
Category: Family fic
Spoilers: Existence then AU
Archive: anywhere
Disclaimer: They belong to Fox

Summary: Mulder and Will visit the barber again.


Tammy Chiddester is just finishing up a haircut at Andy's barbershop in downtown Washington, DC. She accepts the tip offered by the customer just as the bell above the door rings. She looks up to see a tall man in well-worn jeans and a leather jacket carrying a small boy dressed in blue jeans and a blue wool coat with a matching cap walk into the shop. The man sets the toddler on his feet and takes off the child's hat and coat. The little boy takes off running toward Tammy hollering, "Tommeee," as he nears her with his arms extended. Tammy scoops the reddish-brown haired little boy up into her arms. "Well William, how have you been?" She asks as she kisses his forehead while he plays with the nametag on her dress.

Mulder removes his coat and whispers, "Will, say I'm fine." William replies, "Fine," as Mulder smiles down at him.

Tammy laughs, "Well that's good," then looks over at Mulder. "Did Dana ev'r pop out that baby?"

Will chimes in," Da bee-bee!"

Mulder laughs. "Yes, she did, we now have a daughter," he says as he takes William from Tammy.

"Congratulations Mulder, what cha name 'er?"

Mulder pulls Will closer to him and whispers, "Say Katherine."

"Kat-run," Will shouts then displays that patented Mulder grin.

Mulder pats Will's back and smiles. "He said Katherine," then adding, "we're trying to teach him new words."

Tammy puts her hand on her apron covered hip and says, "I kin see that, and a fine job yer doin' with 'em Mulder." She then turns her chair around. "Okay, who's gittin' a trim today?" "He is," Mulder says holding out his son as he walks toward her. Tammy smiles at him, "Ya sure Mulder, Ah think ya could do with a lil' off the top too."

"No," Mulder laughs, "Scully likes me better a little shaggy." Tammy grabs the booster seat and places it on the chair. "Ya sure she don't jus' wanna stop ol' Tammy here from runnin' 'er fingers through yer locks?"

"No," Mulder laughs with a blush on his face, "I'm sure."

He places William in the chair then Tammy straps the toddler in place and puts a cape around his neck. She turns his head to the side to look at his ear. "Will, honey, ya got a wad a cotton in yer ear, how's come?"

Mulder grins at the confused look on Tammy's face. "He's had two ear infections and his mother doesn't want him out in the wind with out the cotton."

"Oh," Tammy says as she runs her fingers across William's head. He shrugs his shoulder and giggles. "Well momma knows best," she says as she pumps up the chair.

"Especially when momma's a doctor," Mulder adds.

Tammy combs Will's baby-fine hair into the natural part he has in it and grabs the shears, "Same as last time Mulder?"

"Same as last time," Mulder parrots.

Tammy starts to cut Will's hair. "Ouch," Will says.

Tammy stops and frowns while Mulder laughs. "Don't worry Tammy, Scully says he's at that stage where he thinks every time he's touched it hurts."

"Aww," Tammy laughs, "Tammy wouldn't hurt a lil' feller like you Will, 'specially one with such a cute daddy who's packin' a gun." Mulder chuckles and looks down at the floor.

Tammy begins to cut William's hair. "So Will, ya got yerself a lil' sister?" Will doesn't respond.

Mulder leans into Tammy, "He's still not sure what a sister is."

"Oh," Tammy replies. "So Will, ya got a new baby at yer house?"

"Okay," William answers.

Tammy laughs while Mulder smiles at his son. "'Okay' and 'ouch' are his two favorite words now."

Tammy stops cutting Will's hair and turns the chair around to face him. "Do ya like the new baby, William?" Will nods his head. Tammy smiles at the little boy who's trying to get his hands out from under the cape. "You need to get yer momma to bring that new baby in here so's Tammy can git a look at 'er."

Will's eyes light up, "Okay!" Tammy laughs.

Tammy spins the chair back around and begins to cut Will's hair again. He sits quietly while locks of soft reddish-brown curls fall to the floor.

Tammy speaks up, "So Mulder who does the baby look like?"

Mulder crosses his arms while he intently stares at his son. "She is the exact opposite of William. She has dark hair and dark, deep eyes. She's tiny, like her mother, with ten tiny fingers and ten tiny toes. She's so different than William was at that age. She is quiet, unless she's hungry and she sleeps well at night."

"Ah'm sure Dana loves that," Tammy says.

"I've heard no complaints so far," Mulder says as he leans against the wall.

"Ah swear Mulder, I never figgered ya fer a family man but here ya are. Ya gone an' got yer self married with two yungin's. What happened?" Tammy laughs.

Mulder looks up from the intense scrutiny he's been giving his son's haircut. "Fate, destiny, the love of a good woman."

Tammy winks. "She finally wore ya down huh? Turn yer head hon'." She says as she gently turns Will's head to the left.

"I think it would be safe to say the wearing down was mutual." Mulder blushes.

Tammy tosses small wisps of hair onto the floor. "So ya said ya weren't with the bureau anymore, what cha doin' then?"

Mulder leans away from the wall and moves to the side of the chair. "I'm back with the FBI, but I teach now. Scully and I thought we should both have safer jobs, at least for awhile. She's my assistant and only works two afternoons a week. We like it that way."

Tammy stops cutting Will's hair to look over at Mulder and with a grin says, "If you was my teacher, Ah might have come to school more often." Mulder grows red and smiles, shaking his head.

Tammy pats Will's shoulder and removes the cape. "All done hon'." She turns the chair around so Mulder can see Will's new cut.

"That's more like it." Mulder laughs as he reaches out for his son.

Tammy unbuckles the boy from the chair and Mulder picks him up. Will turns around in Mulder's arms to look at Tammy. Mulder whispers to Will, "Show Tammy how you pout." Will sticks out his full bottom lip. Tammy puts a hand over her mouth and laughs. Next Mulder says, "Show her how you look when you're surprised." Will's little mouth forms a perfect 'O' while his bright blue eyes grow wide. Tammy lets out a hardy laugh and claps and Will claps too. "Very good William, bet yer daddy taught ya that?"

Mulder beams down at his son and says, "Well we better go, mom's going to wonder where we are, isn't she Will?"

"Okay," Will replies and this time both Tammy and Mulder laugh.

Mulder sets Will down on his feet so he can put his wool coat on him. Tammy rests her elbow on the top of the chair and watches the two interact. "Ya sure got yer daddy well trained there Will."

Mulder slips into his own coat and pulls out his wallet, mindful that Will's wandering around the small barbershop. He hands Tammy a twenty and tells her to keep the change. Tammy pockets the bill and thanks Mulder.

Mulder scoops up Will and adjusts the little boys cap and says, "Come on son, time to go." He stops and turns to face his friend, "Tammy, Scully and I are having a get together this weekend, just a few friends who helped us move, would you like to come?"

Tammy's face lights up, "Ah sure would, thanks fer the invite." Mulder nods and heads for the door.

Tammy speaks up, "Mulder."

"Yeah Tammy."

"Is that lil' guy Melvin, the one Ah met at yer weddin' gonna be there?"

Mulder chuckles, "Yeah, he will."

"Hot damn!" Tammy laughs.

 

~ The End ~

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