|
Title: While You've Been Gone... Summary: "Mulder should be the one who knows all of William's little quirks...how to get him to sleep...how to make him smile..." she was babbling and weeping, barely coherent. ANGST ALERT! Scully pressed her lips together in an effort not to laugh. Her affectionate, amused gaze took in William lying, peacefully slumbering, across A.D. Skinner's chest. Her tiny baby son was leaking warm, sticky baby drool all over his tie. Skinner was asleep also, slumped in the corner of the couch. The remote to her television was held limply in one hand; his glasses slipped down the bridge of his nose. His other hand curled protectively around the baby. His head had fallen forward on his chest, a mere millimeter from the top of William's head - and he was snoring...LOUDLY. Scully chuckled to herself as she tidied up the living room around her two sleeping men. *HER two sleeping men?!* She paused. Where had THAT come from?! But, she knew. Skinner had been over almost every night in the last two months. He'd become like part of the family since Mulder's disappearance. His Second disappearance. Scully sighed again, underhanding stuffed animals into the playpen. Skinner thought that Mulder had ditched her again. He thought that Mulder had abandoned his family. She remembered the incredulous look on Skinner's face as he discovered Mulder was missing...again. Skinner would have torn the world apart looking for him if Scully hadn't stopped him. She tried to explain that she and Mulder had discussed Mulder's leaving. She tried to make Skinner listen. Mulder felt she and William were in danger. That forces unknown were still plotting to use their child in their hybridization experiments. William had been showing 'unusual' talents, to say the least. The ability to move objects with his mind. This only confirmed Mulder's suspicions. He and Scully's thoughts had turned fearfully to Gibson Praise. Scully's eyes fogged over as she stood staring off into space, remembering she and Mulder's tearful goodbye. Skinner couldn't believe she was so accepting of Mulder's decision, but she couldn't see she had much choice. Scully wasn't one for pleading and begging, even though she had been reduced to it a few times in the course of her lifetime. She had pleaded to the heavens for Mulder's life, once. And then she had to let him go. "Oww," Skinner's voice snapped her back to the present. She turned to see Skinner carefully standing, cringing and rolling his neck, and holding a sleeping William on his chest. Still not seeing Scully where she stood in the shadows in the corner of the living room, Skinner slowly crept toward her bedroom. Scully gave him a few seconds lead and then snuck up to the door to peer at them. Skinner carefully placed the baby on his back in the bassinet and pulled the blue blanket over him. William began to stir slightly, and Scully stepped forward in anticipation of her child's need. But Skinner shushed William with a soft hand on his belly and hummed quietly until the baby fell asleep again. She stepped back into the living room and continued to the kitchen where she leaned against the sink and began to sob. Scully felt a warm hand on her shoulder. She tried to stop crying, but found she couldn't. Skinner didn't say anything. He let her cry. "Mulder should be the one who knows all of William's little quirks...how to get him to sleep...how to make him smile..." she was babbling and weeping, barely coherent. Skinner's hand tightened. She could feel he wanted to hug her, to comfort her, but was wary of his boundaries in this new role of his. *What is his role? Could it be I am beginning to resent him for trying to fill in the gaping hole in William's life that Mulder's departure has left?* "Scully, I'm not trying to take Mulder's place. Not in William's life and certainly not in yours." She turned to look at him. He still looked like A.D. Skinner - her boss, her supervisor, her's and Mulder's advocate. He stood there in his typical suit - minus the jacket - and wire-rimmed glasses regarding her with his stern, concerned expression. But there was baby drool on his crinkled tye and his hand was on her shoulder. "What do you want?" Her voice was muted and utterly honest. She was too tired of games to tip-toe around the subject anymore. He was in her home constantly. He had achieved a rapport with her son. He constantly brought over groceries. Inquired about her's and William's health. Babysat while she went out. Countless other small things. The small bouquet of flowers on her desk her first day back at work from maternity leave. The crease that formed between his eyes when she told him about William's croup. The fury in his eyes when she told him about Mulder leaving. "What do you want from me? From William? Because, sir - W-Walter - I can't....I mean..you should know that I'm not in l-" Scully cut herself off and closed her eyes. She had to say it. She had to tell him. She'd miss him terribly, but he deserved to know. *Just say it!* But Skinner was smiling softly when she opened her eyes. "What?" she snapped. It didn't seem fair for him to be so light- hearted when she was so anguished. "Scully, I know you're not in love with me." He was smiling as he said it, not hurt at all. She studied his eyes. He wasn't lying; he was at peace with it. "It's o.k.; I'm not looking for that with you. Like I said, I'm not trying to replace Mulder. I just - I just want to be there for you. For William." She watched his Adam's apple bob as he swallowed nervously. *Ah, so there is more to this* "I do care for you," he cleared his throat and looked at the floor, "I have for a while. But not so much in a romantic way. I've always known your heart belonged to Mulder." He laughed and glanced up at her. "Probably before the two of you even realized it. It was so obvious, even from the beginning." Scully smiled a watery smile, trying not to cry again. "Maybe I'm being selfish here. I want William to have a father. I want you to have someone you can depend on. I just wanted to stand- in for you until Mulder comes back. Then I can kick his ass and you and he can go on with your lives." She laughed a little at that. He took off his glasses and cleaned them on the end of his soiled tye. "I do have a confession to make. I thought...I have been thinking..about asking you to marry me." She gasped, but he held up his hand. "Let me finish. I'm talking about a marriage of convenience. I'd be there for you and William and you wouldn't have to be alone in this. You wouldn't feel so alone against whatever conspiracy you and Mulder feel is brewing against William. I could protect you both." He shrugged, "And I wouldn't be alone either. Like I said, I am selfish. I enjoy this time with William...and you." Scully stepped forward and fiercely hugged Skinner. He wrapped his arms around her in return. The two stood there in her kitchen, embracing, until Scully pulled away and looked into his face. He looked so vulnerable without his glasses. Younger. Accessible. She did love him. But she wasn't in LOVE with him. Scully sighed. Life would be so much easier if she was. He put his glasses back on and looked at her with a half-smile. "Well, its getting late. I'd better go." She nodded and escorted him to her door in silence. Skinner paused and turned to face Scully. "Do..Do you need me to back-off?" She shook her head. "No, please don't. I just miss Mulder, that's all." He regarded her for a moment, leaned forward and kissed her quickly on the cheek. "It will be alright, you know. Mulder would go to the end of the Earth for you two. He'll be back soon. Until then, I'm here, whenever you need me, o.k.?" She smiled and closed the door behind him as he left. For the first time in a long time, she felt safe. The End
|