And so begins the next chapter of their lives. The “what happens next” portion of the end of the series and of Soulmates (which I recommend you check out and of which I have recently posted). A season 12 of sorts, but no more X-Files, no more monsters in the dark, no more conspiracies. This is the life they deserve after all the shit they have been through- happy, together, a baby on the way that will not be taken, hunted, or need to be given up.
I NEVER planned to fall into family stories for any reason. Seriously, it was not even on my radar. I had so many other stories to tackle and a baby story was not one I was super interested in working on. Then a tweet was posted about it being Father’s Day and Scully would be so far along and how Mulder would he be talking to her belly and well... I was gone.
I wrote this one and thought I was done, but no. I went on to write over 30 more, so get ready... :)
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Mulder and Scully, together once again, content and cuddling in the Unremarkable House.
(Oh, and we obviously don’t have any pregnant photos from the revival, sooooo.... )
June 2018
Mulder sat on the front porch, his feet up on the railing, as he leaned back, enjoying the breeze of the summer day. It had not been too hot, for which he was grateful. It had been warm the last couple days, but today was good. Today was good.
Scully was inside making a late lunch/early dinner. Now that they were not working at the FBI anymore, they were home more. Scully had been back at the hospital for almost two months. Mulder was still thinking of what he wanted to do with his time. He had been writing, but he was not completely devoted to it yet. It helped him though, helped with all they had gone through.
He was content for now. Content being home with Scully. Watching her body change as her pregnancy progressed. Being there for every step of it this time. Holding her hand while they heard the heartbeat for the first time. Him crying and falling to his knees. She had murmured to him that it was okay, they were okay.
He scrubbed a hand down his face and closed his eyes. He still did not know how this baby came to be. Well, he thought with a smile, he knew how, because he had been there and it had been amazing. Both times. And every time since.
But this pregnancy, five months in and he still was stumped. Years of no discussion, no thought, no consideration of it and they were never expecting. Then they had a discussion in a hotel room, a roundabout discussion about their lives, their hopes, and what they had wanted. Then, he thought smiling, then she had kissed him. Kissed him like she had for years, full of love and promise.
He had rolled her on her back and looked at her until she smiled, giving him the green light. He took care of her first, he owed her that. Owed her his time and devotion. She broke quickly, calling his name, and holding tightly to his hair. She had been breathing hard, whispering his name, as he kissed her and joined their bodies. It was fast, but wonderful.
He got up and stepped over to the screen door and looked in at her. She had music on, though he could not place it. She was swaying to it as she made whatever she was working on. His heart swelled watching her. At the way her body was already changing. The extra weight, the shape of her body. He loved her so much, he would do anything to make her happy. He knew that beyond anything else. She was more important to him than anyone had ever been.
He sighed and sat back down in his chair, feeling the wind blow, closing his eyes. He needed to relax, will his body to calm down, his mind to stop racing, to not start thinking beyond what was happening in the here and now.
“Hey,” she said through the door, then pushed it open. She walked over to him and touched his arm. His eyes flew open and she smiled. “You hungry? Ready to eat?” She ran her fingers across his arm, tickling him, her smile widening. Her other hand was on her belly. The swell of her made him smile.
He pushed himself up and grabbed her hand, heading inside. She laughed and followed behind, squeezing his hand.
She had made a salad and chicken breasts for them. Something healthy for them and for the baby. She was determined to be better with her eating habits of late.
“This looks great,” he said, as he sat down and took a big bite of chicken. “I’m even going to eat the salad.” He said with a wink and a smile. “But, do we have any beer? It will make the salad taste better, I think.”
She laughed as he got up to see if there was beer in the fridge. She heard the bottle open and knew he had found at least one. He winked at her again as he sat back down. She smiled at him and grabbed her knife and fork. It was quiet for a bit as they both ate their food.
Mulder looked at her as he took a drink of his beer. “How are you feeling, Scully? You okay?” He stared at her looking for any sign that she was sad or feeling sick.
“Mulder, you’ve asked me that at least three times today. Every time, I’ve told you I’m fine. Do I not look fine to you?” she asked as she stared back at him, eyebrows raised, a small smile on her face.
“That’s not a fair question, Scully. If I say no, it implies I don’t think you’re fine- which I absolutely do,” he said with an eyebrow waggle, while she rolled her eyes. “But if I say yes, it implies I’m not actually sincere in my questioning. So..how are you?” He smiled and waited.
She sighed and folded her hands in her lap. “I was a little sick this morning, as you know. I’m a little tired, but other than that I am okay.” She gave him a small smile, but it didn’t quite reach her eyes. He reached for her hand and she took it. He threaded his fingers with her and squeezed.
“How about if we watch a movie after we eat? You pick, and I’ll clean up. Any movie you want to watch. Yes, even Steel Magnolias.” She chuckled and squeezed his hand back. She nodded and let go of his hand so they could finish their food.
He took their plates to the sink as she picked out a movie. He was washing the dishes when he heard the music of the movie she picked and he smiled. Mystery Men. He liked this movie and she tolerated it. Of course she would pick something he would like. As he set the dishes in the rack, he looked over at her as she sat on the couch and rubbed her belly. He loved watching her do that almost as much as he loved doing it to her.
He hurried his cleaning so he could go sit with her and touch her belly. Hopefully the baby would be awake tonight so he could feel it moving again. The first time it happened, it scared the shit out of him. They had been lying on the couch spooning, his hand on her belly when he felt it move. He pulled his hand back and shouted. She had laughed and put his hand back. For twenty minutes, he had felt the wave like feeling of his baby moving around inside her. He had cried into her neck as she turned to him and held him.
He joined her on the couch, lying down, put a pillow on her thighs, and put his head down, facing her belly. She smiled down at him, while she stroked his hair. The late afternoon sun was coming through the windows and his face looked beautiful in this light. He pressed a kiss to her belly and started mumbling into it, his lips warm against her shirt.
“Do you want me to turn the movie on? Or do you want to just speak to my stomach?” She scratched her nails into his scalp and his eyes closed. He loved when she did that, it felt so good. He put his head back and looked at her.
“Scully, I read in one of the numerous books I ordered, it is important for the baby to hear our voices. He, or she, hears yours all the time, but I don’t get unlimited belly time. So, I have to use my time wisely. Tonight I’m telling him or her, about the Mothmen in Florida. About how we were hunted down and built a kickass ladder tower of dead bodies. So, if you’ll excuse us.” He put his mouth against her stomach again and started talking.
She leaned her head back against the back of the couch and smiled. She muted the television and instead listened to him tell their baby about a trip in the woods that had almost killed them. Well, another trip in the woods, as there had been many. But she could hear him telling this little miracle about how brave she had been, how she tried to light a fire with gunpowder-really smart your mom, how she had held him, kept him warm, when he was hurt.
She ran her fingers through his hair over and over, reveling in the feel of it. So soft and so familiar. She had missed him so much. Had missed nights like this, lying on the couch and watching movies. Now, his attention was on her and the life growing inside her. She loved him so much, her heart ached with love every time he laid like this and talked to their child.
She raised her head and looked down at him. He was talking about how she had sung him a song and it had been the most beautiful singing he had ever heard, when the baby moved, right against his mouth. He pulled back stunned and Scully laughed and laughed at his expression.
“Oh Mulder, I think either he or she is telling you to shut up, or calling you the liar that you are. Remember, I am with him or her all the time. My singing has been heard.” She laughed again and he put his mouth back against her.
“Don’t listen to her little bean, her voice is beautiful, because it’s hers. I love everything about her and her singing voice is part of the package.” He put his hand on her belly, moving it around, trying to feel the movement again. “She didn’t have to sing, but I asked her to and she did. That’s how it works with us, my bean. We ask of each other and we oblige. It’s a partnership. Give and take, push and pull.” He put his head back and looked at Scully. She smiled at him and stroked his face.
“I got incredibly lucky when they sent your mama to me, little bean. They thought she would be my undoing, but she was what I needed. She was my saving grace. I don’t tell her that enough, but it’s the truth.” He was telling the baby but looking at Scully. Her eyes filled with tears, but he was not done. “I almost lost her, my sweet bean. I was so close. I made some bad mistakes and I almost lost the one person I love most in this world.” He was still stroking her belly, staring in her eyes. Her tears spilled over and ran down her face.
“But, we found our way back,” his voice was lower now, the one that gives her the shivers. “We fought through the bad and the darkness to find the light again. You are part of that light, my sweet bean. You would not be here if we hadn’t fought like hell to get back to each other. I am so grateful for you. You are a testament of our love and our hope for the future." He put his mouth back on her stomach and she resumed stroking his hair. “We are going to have so many wonderful adventures. I can’t wait to experience them with you.” He kissed her belly and closed his eyes, his cheek resting against her.
As he lay there quietly, the baby moved again, right on his cheek. His eyes flew open and he looked up at her. She smiled, tear stains on her face. They both laughed at what appeared to be the baby giving him a kiss goodnight. He pressed his face against her and whispered goodnight.
The sun had set and it was the beautiful moment in the day, when the crickets and nighttime insects started their mating sounds. The males calling for their females. Mulder empathized with them tonight. He understood their hope and pain, he had felt in himself. But his female, his mate, his love, was there and his heart was happy, so very happy. They sat in the silence of the house, listening through the screen door. They began to breathe in unison.
Mulder shifted and sat up. He moved to the end of the couch, and reached for her. She went to him and laid her head on his shoulder, on her side. He shifted again, lying on his side wrapping his arms around her. He lifted his leg, allowing hers to slide between his. He pulled his leg up close to her hip, holding her close. One hand moved to her hair, the other low on her waist.
“Pretty soon we won’t be able to lie here like this,” she said as she nestled into his neck, smelling his scent and closing her eyes.
“What do you mean? Feels pretty cozy to me,” he said as he scratched her head with his fingers. She hummed and kissed his neck. He hummed back and pulled her closer.
“Right now, we fit perfectly with, as you call it, the bean between us. Give it a month..” She trailed off and he scoffed.
“Then we will just have to cuddle like this in bed. Problem solved.” He ran his hand up her back and she sighed.
“If we stay here too long, I’m going to fall asleep,” she said, her eyes already feeling heavy. His fingers in her hair was like a sleep aid. She felt so relaxed, content.
“Sleep then, Scully. Sleep.” He tightened his hold on her and brushed a kiss on her forehead. “I love you, my angelic songstress.”
He felt her laugh against his neck. “I love you too, you absolute liar.” He chuckled and kissed her again as she sighed and relaxed further into him.
The crickets sang and the summer air was warm. It created a peaceful atmosphere as all three inhabitants rested in a cocoon of love. Love created on the outside in the tangle of limbs, and love created on the inside. Swirling, growing, and preparing for the adventures her father would take her on.
[A kinda short post-MSIV kid/babyfic, obvious spoilers, this is pure fluff]
I wrote this because even if the situation Scully has been thrown into is the actual worst, I wanted a story in which having the baby with Mulder could be a healing experience. I’ve never written or posted fanfiction before, so here goes nothing.
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In the days and weeks and months after revealing her pregnancy to Mulder, life shifts into a predictable routine for the first time. In the unremarkable house, they begin to embrace their miracle.
Mulder falls for her all over again as they both fall in love with their unborn baby, taking every step of the way together. Ultrasounds, shopping for diapers and clothes, painting a nursery...It’s normal. It’s boring. It’s comfortable.
He spends hours—at least until his eyes get tired—reading books and searching the Internet to learn everything he can about pregnancy and babies and how he can support Scully when she goes into labour. He puts his glasses down and crawls into bed when he notices it’s late. An hour to midnight wasn’t ‘late’ before, but now it is.
They share so many beautiful moments together as the baby grows, and Scully along with it. Mulder is mesmerised once he’s able to feel the baby kick, and Scully often takes his hand to place it on her belly when it’s moving. In bed, he talks to the belly, kisses it, making Scully laugh. It’s adorable, and he savours every minute of it.
The two of them have the kind of honest, frank conversations about all of this that they’d never had time to have before. Mulder asks so many questions and Scully answers them, chiding him if they’re silly or he knows the answer already. She is his touchstone.
The last weeks of her pregnancy are spent in deep relaxation. They don’t go out as often, and Mulder finds himself tending to the house and the groceries and the laundry. Whenever she needs it, he massages and kisses and holds her in his arms, both of their hands on her swollen belly. Sometimes, he thanks her for giving him this gift of a normal life. Other times, he silently thanks whatever power there is in the Universe for giving him her.
By the time she goes into labour they are prepared to face whatever struggle may come. Ready to meet their child. In fleeting moments between the pain, all the trauma of the past fades, at least for a second, as she lies back in Mulder’s arms and he whispers words of encouragement to her. None of their preparations could never make this easy—she is, of course, having a baby at 54—but it is calm. It is, for the most part, quiet and reflective, a deep meditation on the possibilities, the miracle life has thrown at them.
As Scully brings their child into the world, Mulder marvels at how strong she is. He tells her she is incredible, kisses her temple. Feels entirely helpless as her face contorts in pain but is making all the difference for her by simply being there. There is no threat, no mysterious circumstances. There is just a man, a woman, and their child, whose cries as it is finally born immediately dissolve the both of them into tears, too.
This child is not remarkable in any larger sense. It’s just a tiny little human with ten fingers and ten toes. The fate of the world is not resting on its shoulders. But it is everything for the two of them. It is a victory. It is their glimmer of hope for a life with a semblance of normalcy. And...
Special thanks to @dana-katherine-sculder for co-writing this with me and agreeing on how perfect of a prompt this photo is.
Scully is self conscious while getting ready for her date. Post MSIV.
The sunshines through the window as Scully holds the dress up to her chest, the long black shadowing in the light. She didn’t know what to expect when she’d pulled it from the back of her closet, but here she was, contemplating on wearing it tonight. But there was so much holding her back. She wasn’t 35 anymore, not many 54 years old women wear such revealing outfits in their day to day lives. She just didn’t want anyone to stare at her, judging her.
“You look beautiful, Dana.”
She looks up to her partner, her date, and drops the dress on their bed beside her. “No I don’t.” She mumbles, not meeting the man’s eyes. “I doubt I can even fit in it anymore.” Frowning, she turns away from him, roughly picking up the dress and taking it to the closet to hang back up. A step from the closet door, his large hand finds his way to her hips, halting her in her movements. His fingers resting near her navel reminds her of the small fetus in her womb, yet another reminder that she won’t be fitting in any of her clothing in the coming months, upsetting her even more.
He steps behind her, his lips pressing against her crown. “Don’t say that.” His breathy whisper tickles her head. “You’re the most beautiful woman in the world.” She rolls her eyes, tilting her head to look up at him, but doesn’t reach his eyes. “In my world, then.” He presses another kiss to her head and wraps his arms around her waist.
“Mulder…” She wants to tell him to stop, that she wasn’t worth it. But the words never came, she couldn’t push him away, not today it seems. “I’ve had that dress for nearly 20 years, since before William was born.”
“I know.” He caresses her flat stomach, thinking of the now teen who they found out was still alive only earlier that week, the day when she had collapsed at work due to another massive headache from the shared vision she had of the boy. “I was there the first night you wore it.”
She recalls that night, so long ago. Their first date, disguised as her birthday dinner. He had gone all out, asking her mother to take her out dress shopping the week before, booking reservations at a Five Star restaurant called Ocean Prime, and keeping their cases close to home that entire week. Everything he had done that week had been for her. To take her out on what he declared was the perfect date. And what she later told him, it was.
She’s hasn’t worn it since.
“Wear it, you’re stunning” She hold the dress back, glancing at the long skirt and low hanging back. She debates strongly on giving in and wearing the damn dress. But the fear of her age and pregnancy was stopping her.
“I can’t.”
“Yes you can, you won’t know for certain until you put it on.” He still hasn’t let her go, and by now, she doesn’t want him to. The moment he does, she would have to put on this dress.
“If I put it on, would you stop pushing me?”
He laughs, his voice deep in his chest. “Then I would win.” He pauses as he pressesing his nose into her hair, taking a deep breath. “But yes, I will.” He caresses her once more before stepping out of her space and out of the room. She takes a deep breath, a stray flashes through her mind to fling the dress away and say ‘fuck it’ and just not go out on this date with him. But she wouldn’t; she hasn’t been pampered like this for so long. ‘Just do it.’
Scully stands in front of the bedroom mirror in just her underwear, scanning her body for all the imperfections, turning to the side and sucking in, her small baby bump showing. She places a hand over the small mound before letting go of her breath, the bump disappearing. This miracle child, the second one she was never supposed to have, was starting to show that they were there.
She stands like this for a good few minutes before she finally picks up the outfit for the night. Pulling it over her head, she smooths down the fabric as it falls to her feet. Her fingers play with it as she criticizes herself for wearing such a thing. She wasn’t some red carpet celebrity, she wasn’t meant for wear something so revealing. She turns around to face away from the mirror, watching as it dips to the small of her back. She’s too old to have so much skin revealed. She’s too old to be wearing this dress.
The knock on the door brings her back in from her negative musing. “Scully?” She doesn’t say anything as he lets himself in their room. He stops when his eyes settle on her. “You’re gorgeous.” He smiles, grabbing her small hand into his large one. She doesn’t meet his gaze as she opens her mouth to argue against his declaration, he lifts his other hand and brushed her growing hair behind her ears. “Don’t deny it.” Mulder pulls her back in front of the mirror, standing behind her.
“Mulder please, just-” He shushes her.
“You’ve ripened with age, Scully. You are more beautiful than you were back then, any man would be more than happy to be with you. I am overjoyed to be that man today.” His voice was soft, he grabbed her wrist, his hands slightly callassed from the years of abuse, and pulled her hand up to his mouth to kisses her knuckles. “You may not see it, but I do. You are perfect.”
“I’m getting fat.” She couldn’t tear her eyes away from her figure. Yes, her dress fit her perfectly, but she has noticed that her pants were starting to get tighter, and give it another month, they will probably not button up.
“No. No no no no, Scully, you’re not fat.” He pauses, catching her eye in the mirror. “You’re pregnant. There’s a different.” He turns her to her side, showing off her petite figure. “See? You’re not fat, you’re still my Scully.” However, she wouldn’t take his word for it. This baby was already making itself known, making her sick everyday, refusing to let her good jeans fit, and ranking up her dizzy spells. “You’re beautiful.”
Beautiful? No, she’s old and pregnant.
He was probably reading her mind again. “Believe me.” She follows his lead as he turns her around to face him. “You are beautiful. You’re pregnant with our second miracle child.” He whispers, pressing his forehead against hers. It was calming, she realized, being here with her partner.
It took a moment before she whispers, “I believe you.”
“What do you believe, my love?” Their eyes close, heads press together, they stand together for many minutes.
“That according to you-”
“And many people out there-”
“I am beautiful, that you love me the way I am.”
He smiles, she doesn’t see it, but she just knows.
“Told you so.” She feels the smile grow on her own face. It’s ridiculous, her worrying about the way she looks. But when she goes out to the store and sees the young mothers with their children, or their own baby bumps, Scully gets self conscious. She was the oldest pregnant mother at the mall, buying the newest pregnancy books to know the new ways to do the mother thing.
“I keep getting asked if it was my first grandchild when I was picking up pregnancy books from the store.” She frowns, recalling the memory of the previous weekend. “Whenever I correct them, I get disapproving looks. When I do start showing, the looks won’t stop. They’ll just get worse.”
“Hey,” He softly says, brushing his knuckles against her cheek. “Just ignore them. It’s just us, just the three of us. You, me,” He places his hand on her flat stomach. “And baby.”
“And Jackson.” She adds, opening her eyes to him.
“And Jackson, wherever he may be hiding.” He smiles at her, gazing into her blue orbs. “So four, it’s just the four of us. There is no one else in our world.”
“Even Bill would give me weird looks, telling me to ditch you, to give it up and-”
“No one else, Scully. He doesn’t run your life, nobody does, he’s not the one who chooses what you get to do with your body. Love it the way it is, and the way it will grow with our baby.” His hands ran over her shoulders, running down her body to her hips, his thumbs reaching for her navel. “Things have changed since we were younger, there are more and more people have children at an older age. Because we’re healthy.” She gave him a questioning look. “Ok, you’re healthier than I am, but I can still have a couple go’s in a single night.” He winked and she smiles widely before letting out a short laugh. “I know you know those nights.”
“Mulder, is there a point to bringing up our sex life?”
“You mean the sudden increase in it?” He smirks at her before pressing his lips against his forehead.
She groans, but doesn’t leave his grasp. “Mulder…”
“What I mean, Scully, is that we may be older, but you’re as healthy as you were ten years ago. We won’t lose this child, and we aren’t giving them up, no matter what your idiot brother says.”
“Be nice.”
“I will if, and only if, he does.” He grabs her hands, lifting her right above her head and spins her, the long flowing dress gathering air as it spins with her. “Which is why I had ask you out on this date, to show that I’m still the fun guy you know and love, before you drag me off to California to explain to your brother that you are pregnant and, indeed, still with ‘the sorry son-of-a-bitch’ that he warned you about. Why you’re telling them the news is beyond me.”
“He’s still family.” She knows that he and her brother don’t get along, but she wants to do this, as a family. It’s what they wanted to be, after all. To be together.
His hands finally left her body, kissing her on the lips. “Remind him of that on Monday.” With him finally off of her, she looks over herself in the mirror again, happier with her appearance this time around. She opens up the closet door, pulling out her favorite black heels that goes with most of her dresses. “I’m going go get changed, reservations are at 8.” She nods, walking to the bathroom to do her hair.
Fifteen minutes later her hair is neatly curled into soft waves and a light touch of make-up graces her eyes and lips. She walks down the stairs of the unremarkable house. She meets Mulder at the front door, his hand reaching out to offer his hand to hers.
“Are you ready, beautiful?”
She blushes, taking his hand, and they walk out the door.
So here we are... moving along to a year of firsts for the new little Mulder-Scully household. First story up is one revolving around Thanksgiving and the fun revolved around it. I hope you............
Oh!! I got my days mixed up and... well, I thought I had a different story to post, one that was a multi-chapter one. I think I might post it later along with this one, so keep a “weather eye on the horizon.” (Yeah, I just tossed in a POTC quote)
For now, here is a story I wrote for a very sweet and supportive commenter for her birthday. Hope you enjoy.
A Ninja in the Night
Life with a newborn is tough, but some nights come in like an adorable ninja, and the toughness and worry make it all worth it.
6/15
January 2019
Mulder woke with a start and sat up. His heart was racing and his ears were ringing, anticipating the crying he thought he had heard. Glancing at the bassinet, he listened, but heard nothing.
Just a dream, he thought, as he laid back down and let out a breath. Scully was asleep beside him and the last thing he wanted was to wake her, especially over nothing. They were working on getting Faith on a sleep schedule and it was having its ups and downs.
Last night had been great, but the night before… he shook his head with a sigh. Scully had been nearly beside herself and he hated to see her that way.
Tonight, he had made a vow to himself to keep an ear out and be the one to get up with Faith, should she start to fuss. They had gone to bed almost two hours ago and he had already fallen asleep on his first watch.
But damn, it was hard to stay awake when that little girl seemed to have a schedule of her own, and trying to alter it was incredibly tough.
He turned his head and looked over at Scully, smiling at her open mouthed heavy sleeping. He wondered if she would even wake up right now if Faith did begin to cry. Sighing, he closed his eyes and attempted to simply rest and not fall asleep this time.
Then he heard it. A sound he knew had not been a dream after all.
Quietly and carefully leaving the bed, he walked over to the bassinet. Looking down he saw that Faith was awake, her big blue eyes looking around with the aid of the light from the small night light in the room.
When her eyes landed on him, she slowly smiled at him and he grinned, all thoughts of tiredness gone. Glancing back at Scully to be sure she was still sleeping, he gently picked Faith up and walked out of the bedroom.
“Little miss,” he whispered, stepping into her bedroom and closing the door, the extra night light they had added, removing the need to turn on another light. “What are you doing up? You are supposed to be sleeping. I know you’re not hungry yet.”
He sat down in the rocking chair and laid her on his lap, looking down at her in her expertly wrapped blanket. She smiled at him again and his heart melted. Lifting her to his shoulder, he leaned back in the chair and closed his eyes.
“Oh little girl, you have no idea the power you wield,” he whispered, one hand rubbing her back and the other on her bottom. He sighed as he rocked her, humming softly as the chair made a soft whishing sound.
“I feel as though I’ve told you a lot already, in your short couple of months, how much your existence means to us, but I’m sure that I will never stop telling you, so be prepared to hear it for the rest of your life.”
He fell silent, listening to her little grunts and sighs as he held her close and rocked her. Sighing contentedly, he thought of the future they would now have, the happiness she would bring to them and he smiled.
“When I was little,” he said softly, rubbing her back. “After your Auntie was gone, I was always lonely. My family life wasn’t ideal before that, but… I vowed to not have a family when I grew up, not wanting to screw it up.” He opened his eyes and let out a sigh, thinking of the past, and how it had been screwed up, despite his efforts to avoid it.
“I can’t think about that,” he whispered, shaking his head and closing his eyes. “I tried. We both did… My girl, this time it will be different. Not because we love you more, but because of the circumstances. It was out of our hands, especially your mama’s. There will be days, when you’re older, that you will see your mama looking at you with a look you will not be able to identify, and it might confuse you. I don’t want that for you. I want you to know the past, the good and the bad, because that’s what made your mama and I who we are.” He smiled, his fingers running gently over her dark silky hair. Pressing his lips to the top of her head, he kissed her softly.
“The good and the bad, Faith… that’s what makes life worth living. Without the bad, you can’t appreciate the good and without the good, the bad seems never ending. Balancing the two is difficult, let me tell you,” he said with a soft chuckle. “I’m sure I will tell you often, but it’s the truth. And the good in my life, for over twenty years, has been your mama. She is my balance, my light in the dark. And you… you have definitely added to the balance of good in my life.” He heard her yawn and he laughed with a shake of his head.
“I know. Your dad can really prattle on and I’m afraid that will be something that never changes. But, I’ll be quiet now. You need to get some sleep before your tummy wakes you up. Sleep, my love.”
He kissed her head again, breathing in her intoxicating smell. He rubbed her back softly, before he moved her to the crook of his arm, staring at her as she fell asleep, her yawns so big for someone so small. Smiling, he marveled at the perfect person they had miraculously created.
“I love you,” he whispered, putting his feet on the footstool as he closed his eyes. “So much.” Holding her closer, the rocking of the chair pulled them both to sleep.
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“Mulder. Hey.”
He opened his eyes and saw Scully’s sleepy-eyed face in front of him. She smiled softly and then looked down at Faith.
“She woke up again? I didn’t even hear her,” she said quietly with a sigh.
“She was like a ninja tonight, that’s why you didn’t. Lying there wide awake, happy as could be,” he said with a yawn and she chuckled.
“She’s really got you figured out, Mulder,” she teased and he smiled with a shrug, knowing he could not disagree with her. He was already putty in her impossibly tiny hands.
“She looks so peaceful, I hate to wake her, but if I go much longer, I fear my breasts will explode,” Scully said, stroking a finger across Faith’s eyebrows.
“Well, none of us want that, so let’s switch places and I’ll get you whatever you need to avoid that horrible catastrophe,” he stated and she laughed softly.
He stood up with a groan, his back complaining at sleeping in a chair, even if it was only for a little while. Scully sat down and he handed Faith to her, leaving the room to get the nursing pillow.
Bringing it to her, he helped her to adjust it, and get as comfortable as possible. She opened her buttoned pajama top and pulled down her nursing bra, bringing Faith close to latch on and begin feeding. When she did, Scully sighed with relief.
“Explosion averted,” she breathed, and he chuckled softly, listening to Faith’s little sounds. He sat on the footstool and reached out to touch her small head, again marveling at the perfection of her.
“She wasn’t crying? I really didn’t hear anything,” she said and he shook his head.
“No. I had a dream and thought I heard her crying, but she wasn’t. I heard her make a noise and got up to check her before she could disturb you and she was staring up at me with those big beautiful eyes, wide awake. Then she smiled and…” He shrugged and she nodded with a grin.
“Yup, she’s got you figured out,” she whispered and he nodded with a smile, as she laughed quietly.
Closing her eyes, she began to rock the chair slowly, her fingers running lightly over Faith’s head. Shaking his head, he stared at them, happy beyond anything he ever could have imagined.
As Faith had the first of her nightly feedings, no words were spoken in the quiet of the night.
But then again, when love could be spoken silently, no words were needed.
So begins the second year of being parents. They have had a wonderful first year getting to know their little girl and each other once again. A year of tears and happiness, and now it’s time to see what will be in store for them. I hope you enjoy these stories of love and family life. ❤💕
A Remarkable Christmas 1a/8
Chapter One
Christmas Trees and Declarations of Love
It’s Christmas time in the Unremarkable House. Time for decorations, memories, friends, happiness and celebrating the holiday.
December 2019
Scully closed the gate, stopping Bella from running off the porch and out into the night, as Mulder set the last bin down, sighing deeply as he did.
“That’s the last of them,” he said, scooping Bella up and holding her to his chest, kissing her head before setting her back down.
“Did they multiply out in the shed? Why don’t I remember having this many last Christmas?” she asked, frowning as she touched the lid of the top bin.
“No, this is how many we had. Six, nearly full to the top.”
“I don’t remember so many.”
“Well, that may be because you didn’t carry each one out to the shed last year,” he quipped and she looked at him.
“Oh that’s right, because I had pushed a baby out of my va…”
“Hup,” he interrupted her, putting up his hand and pointing a finger at her face, giving her a look. “That’s enough of that then, Miss.” She laughed and he shook his head, taking off the lid of the bin.
“Oof,” she said, leaning up to look inside. “That’s… a lot. Most of this stuff goes inside, but I don’t think we need all of it in the house.” She stopped speaking at his scoff and looked at him.
“Her first Christmas, well the first one she won’t mostly sleep through, and you want to skimp on the decorations? For shame, Scully,” he tut tutted at her, shaking his head.
“Mulder, six bins.”
“Scully, first Christmas.”
They stared at each other and she smiled, reaching for a bin and lugging it to the door. He muttered a yes under his breath and she laughed, stepping inside the house, Bella following behind, rising on her hind legs to look inside the bin when it was opened.
“No, Bella!” she laughed, as she grabbed at the golden garland Bella had taken into her teeth, attempting to run away. A game of tug of war ensued, the garland missing some bits as a result. “I know it’s new and exciting, but we don’t eat decorations.” Bella barked and Mulder tossed a ball across the room and she chased after that instead.
They unpacked the bins, exclaiming over the decorations they acquired last year and the ones from years previous. She smiled at the small items that brought such joyous memories. The dishes, ornaments, and candles; it all held happiness within, even if some were bittersweet.
Working together, they cleared spaces and placed the usual home decor into the bin, taking the place of the Christmas items. By the time they had finished, stopping occasionally as he twirled her about the room, singing along to the holiday music that was playing, the house resembled the winter wonderland from last year.
“We just need the tree,” he said, setting the stand on the floor and looking around. She smiled at him, watching his face as he took in all the beauty. He loved Halloween, she knew that, but truly he was just a kid at heart, and it showed up most during the holidays.
He caught her staring and he walked close to her, his eyes asking questions. She put her hands on his chest and he placed his hands over them, smiling happily at her. She laughed softly and he shrugged, their conversation silent, though each of them heard it.
“Let’s put these bins away and have a cup of tea before we head to bed. We can get the tree tomorrow, yeah?” she asked and he nodded. Closing the lids, they carried out the bins, leaving Bella inside the house.
She shivered as they closed the door and then she gasped. “Bella!” she cried and ran over to her dog bed, taking away the decoration she was chewing on. “Oh, Bella.” She sighed, knowing she did not understand what she had done or why it was wrong.
“What did she do? Oh, Scully, I know you liked that one.” He took the wooden nutcracker from her hands, large bite marks now covering his face and head. “Maybe they have another one at the tree farm.”
“It’s okay, but we could ask tomorrow." She sighed, taking the nutcracker back, as Bella came and sat at her feet. “I know, you don’t understand, but you’ve got a box full of toys, girl, let’s stay away from the decorations, okay?” She knelt down and patted her head, rubbing her ears, and Bella licked her face. “I know, you’re sorry. It was too much of a temptation.” Mulder laughed beside her and she looked up at him with a smile.
They sat on the couch with their cups of tea, candles glowing in lieu of any lights, reminiscing over last year. She set her cup on the coffee table, and laughed as she remembered his struggle with the tree and he huffed, but then laughed a rather evil chuckle.
“What’s that laugh?” she asked, glancing at him.
“Oh, it’s just quite ironic that you’re laughing at my struggles, when this year you’ll get to help. We’re in this together now, baby,” he said and she laughed.
“Should go smoother than, especially if I’m helping,” she teased.
“Ha. With your height?” he teased back and she gasped in mock shock. He laughed and she pounced on him, his words of warning about his cup of tea, falling on deaf ears. Bella barked and ran over to see what all the excitement was about.
She jumped on the couch and wedged herself between them, whining and wiggling as she licked at them excitedly. They both laughed, struggling to stop her, as they disentangled from one another and she moved from atop his lap, Bella still licking at him.
“I’m liking your thinking, Scully, but let’s move this to a more… private location,” he said, as he handed her his cup and lifted Bella off of the couch, grabbing her leash to take her out one last time.
Scully put their cups in the sink and blew out the candles. She smiled as she imagined the wide eyed look of wonder Faith would have when she came downstairs tomorrow. She picked up the snow globe and turned the winder on the bottom, hearing Greensleeves playing as the snow fell on the house and the small woodland animals inside.
Yes, she thought looking around again with a smile, she was going to love it.
_____________
The time it took to put the decorations up was worth it as they watched Faith look around the room, her head swiveling back and forth, trying to stare at everything all at once. They let her toddle around, not guiding her or trying to draw her attention, simply letting her look her fill.
Bella walked beside her, gentle as always when it came to Faith, which was still incredibly spooky every time it happened. Mulder tapped Scully’s hip and nodded with his chin toward Faith. She had walked over to the snow globe and stared at it closely.
“Ha,” she said, touching the glass and looking closer. “Ha.” She looked up at them and smiled, before looking at the snow globe again.
Scully knelt beside her and smiled as she gently moved Faith’s hands. “It looks like a horse, you’re right, my love. But it’s a fawn, a baby deer.” She picked up the snow globe and turned it over, winding it to play the music, and set it back down. “See how the snow falls? It’s falling on the little house and the animals. You don’t understand, but that group of animals symbolizes our little family. The fawn is you, daddy is the fox, mama is the bunny, and Jackson is the bear. He’s hibernating right now and that’s why we don’t see him much, but we might one day. Until then…” She turned the globe over again, letting the snow fall as she looked at Faith, who touched it gently and stared inside. When the snow had stopped, she looked up at Scully and smiled, making the more sign with her hands.
Scully turned it over a few more times and Faith stood in front of it, mesmerized as much the fifth time as the first. Smiling once again, she moved on, looking at the snowmen, santas, the gingerbread house which Scully allowed her to touch and then hold the little boy and girl who stood outside the house. She wandered around, holding them tight as she looked at the angels in white flowing robes, blowing golden trumpets. Turning around, she smiled at them again and they smiled back.
Mulder lifted her up, causing her to squeal with excitement, and brought her to her chair at the kitchen table. She set the gingerbread children down and stared at them as Scully and Mulder worked together to make breakfast, Christmas music playing from her phone on the counter. He kissed the back of her neck as he passed by to grab a plate, pinching her butt as he did.
“See? Six bins,” he said triumphantly.
“Yes, you’re right once again.”
“Oh… I never tire of hearing those words,” he said with a happy sigh. She laughed as she dished up the food and he kissed her softly. “Never tire of it.” Giggling, she sat down to join them, before they went to find their Christmas tree.
__________________
“So, we’ll stop in the house and drop this off and then head out to find the tree,” Scully said and Mulder nodded, sliding on the backpack and then setting Bella down, as she put Faith in the carrier and grabbed a plastic bag from the backseat.
Doors closed, car locked, they walked toward the little gingerbread house inside the Christmas tree farm. Breathing deeply, she smiled as she looked around. Memories of last year hung about like ghosts, coming to meet her as though waiting to say hello; tired but happy with a newborn, relief that everything was healing as it should, being home with the man she loved, Christmas being planned in their little house.
She glanced at Mulder, the leash held loose in his hand as he let Bella explore, her excitement evident in the wiggling of her little body. Reaching for his hand, he turned his head to look at her, happiness in his own eyes.
“Do you feel them too? The memories?” she asked, surprising herself at what she was admitting.
“As if they’ve been held within the trees?” he asked, nodding with a smile.
“It’s weird,” she whispered.
“Spooky. It’s spooky or it’s nothing,” he corrected her, squeezing her hand, and she laughed.
They walked to the house and at the door, he picked Bella up, shrugging as Scully looked at him. “Not sure their policy on dogs and I don’t want to get in any trouble.”
“You? Trouble? Isn’t that one of your middle names?” she teased, as he wrapped the leash around his arm.
“Government facilities, places with no trespassing signs: yes. Little old women who look like Mrs. Claus: no. Can you imagine how long I’d be on the naughty list?” He shuddered as he opened the door and she laughed, squeezing Faith’s legs gently and kissing her head.
It was warm in the little house and smelled as she remembered; of chocolate, spices, cookies, and Christmas. Everything was the same; the large sled for photos, the pot bellied stove, and the extraordinary amount of decorations filling tabletops and shelves, with Christmas music playing softly in the background. Yes, it was the same and it made her smile.
A door opened and Betty walked out, carrying a wreath with a red ribbon woven into it, pine cones, and red holly berries. She glanced up and smiled at them, then looked again, her face breaking into a huge grin.
“Hello!” she exclaimed, setting the wreath on the counter beside the register. “Oh my goodness, look at you all! Look at that girl!” She walked over and stood in front of them, her eyes shining with happiness. “I can’t believe how much she’s grown, but of course she has, it’s been a whole year already.” She smiled at Faith who stared at her and then smiled back, before she looked up at the decorations all around her.
Betty laughed and turned her attention to them. “I am so pleased to see you again, I was hoping you would be back this year. How are you? Oh my goodness, look at that, you also have a puppy! You are very brave indeed.” They all laughed and Mulder nodded in agreement.
“If you can believe it, was her idea, not mine,” he said with a smile and a nod toward Scully.
“Of course it was, we mothers are a special breed. We do crazy things at times, like agreeing to open a Christmas tree farm with three children underfoot,” Betty said, with a wink at Scully. “A puppy is tiny in comparison.” She reached out and held Bella’s head in her hands. She wiggled and tried to lick at her hands as she pet her ears.
“Howard will be happy to see you both. He was just talking about you two, you especially, Fox. He said he wanted to continue your conversation about, I believe it was, moth men?”
“Mulder, no,” Scully said, looking at him with a groan. He opened his mouth to say something, but knowing he had been caught out, he sighed and nodded. Scully sighed in exasperation as Betty laughed.
“He truly enjoyed it, so apparently it was a good conversation,” she said, patting his arm and stepping back.
“See? He enjoyed it,” he said, looking at Scully, and she rolled her eyes with a smile, before looking back at Betty.
“Betty, last night we were putting up all the wonderful items we bought last year. Well, I say bought, but…” Scully said as she looked at Betty, who smiled as she touched Faith’s arm before winking quickly at Scully. “Thank you so much for each of them, they are all so beautiful. The snow globe especially, as they are important in our home and that one in particular… it’s very special.”
“It was calling to me, like I said. It was meant to belong to you,” Betty said with a smile.
Scully nodded, smiling back as she opened the plastic bag and took out the nutcracker, holding it out for Betty to see. “This was another favorite, and somehow little miss puppy got a hold of it. I was hoping you might have one similar to it.”
“Well, my goodness. Puppy teeth can be quite sharp and at times dangerous, can’t they?” she asked with a laugh as she took the nutcracker from Scully and ran her fingers across the teeth marks Bella had made. “She obviously liked this one nearly as much as you. Yes, I think I might have a similar one, let me have a look around.” She smiled and took the bag from Scully, placing the nutcracker back inside. “Howard was just helping another customer load their tree, I’m sure he will be back soon. Why don’t you head out and he’ll meet up with you out there among the trees?”
Scully smiled and rubbed her hand on Betty’s arm. Looking at Mulder, he nodded and they began to walk towards the door, when it opened and two people walked in, stopping short as they looked up.
“Fox?”
“Rachel?”
“Dana?”
“Skinner?”
“Rachel!!”
Everyone froze, looking at one another. Scully looking at Betty, wondering how in the world she knew Rachel. Faith clapped her hands, reaching for her Uncle Walter, as they continued to look at one another. Then from behind them, a great booming voice sounded and it broke the silence.
“Rachel!” Howard shouted and quickly walked towards her, engulfing her in a bear hug that lifted her off the ground. “Oh, my girl! It’s wonderful to see you!” She gave a strained laugh and he set her down, kissing her loudly on the cheek.
“Hey, Uncle Howard. I’d ask how you are, but you’re obviously still strong as an ox,” Rachel said, rubbing her ribs and moaning.
“Ha!” he laughed, clapping his hands loudly, pulling her in for another hug as Betty walked over, smiling and waiting for her own hug.
Scully, Mulder and Skinner stared at one another, not sure what to do or say, when suddenly Bella barked and Faith screamed, her arms still out, trying to get to Skinner.
“Come on, hand her over,” Skinner said gruffly, stepping closer to Scully, causing Faith to laugh and bounce up and down. “I know, honey, you just need to wait for your mama to release you from that strange contraption.” Scully grinned as she opened the carrier and handed Faith to him. “Ah see, isn’t that better? Now you’re free.” She put her hands in her mouth with a smile as they all turned to look at Howard, Betty, and Rachel, who looked back at them and laughed.
“If you could see your faces,” Rachel said, shaking her head, a hand covering her laughing mouth.
“So, you all know each other somehow?” Howard asked, a large smile on his face.
“Uh, something like that,” Mulder laughed.
“Uncle, Auntie, you obviously already know Fox and Dana, and little Faith there,” Rachel said with a smile, looking at Faith in Skinner’s arms. “Howard and Betty are my uncle and aunt, well, not blood, but family just the same.” She smiled again as Howard put his arm around her with a chuckle. “And this… this is Walter.” Skinner stepped closer, his hand out to shake Howard’s.
“Oh, Walter, hello,” Howard said and grasped his hand in what Scully saw was a hearty handshake. Betty stepped forward and shook his hand too, though a much softer version of Howard’s.
Scully watched them, a hand to her mouth to hide her smile. She cut her eyes to Mulder’s as she felt his hand tapping her back. He raised his eyebrows and she nodded slightly, knowing this was a big moment and she felt giddy with happiness for Skinner.
“It’s a pleasure to meet you both, Rachel’s told me a lot about you,” Skinner said, switching Faith to his other arm, and Mulder stepped forward to take her, but stopped when Skinner shook his head. “I just got her and I haven’t even said a proper hello.” Everyone laughed and Scully saw Betty nod as she looked Skinner up and down, apparently approving of him instantly.
“Well, it’s wonderful to meet you too, Walter, and to see you all again,” Howard said, smiling at Scully and Mulder. “Would you mind if I held this little one? You can have her right back, I promise.” Skinner handed Faith over without hesitation and Howard held her, making faces and bouncing her around. She laughed as she touched his face and he made an elephant noise. “Absolutely gorgeous.” He handed her back to Skinner, smiling at Scully with a wink.
Scully glanced at Rachel and smiled. She smiled back, taking a deep breath, and then clearing her throat. “So, we getting a tree or what?” Laughter and agreement rose up and everyone but Betty headed outside. Mulder set Bella down and Rachel bent down to pet her. “What did you decide to call her?”
“Bella,” Mulder said and Rachel stood up with a look of disbelief.
“Bella? That’s it? A black dog was given to you on Halloween, the birthday of your daughter, and you named her Bella?” she asked, raising her eyebrows and Scully smiled, liking Rachel more and more.
“Well,” Mulder laughed. “Her full name is Belladonna, which I chose, and yet her name tag, with that name engraved on it, had been already been purchased beforehand and sat in her box of items. Is that a more fitting name and story for a Halloween dog?”
“Oh, hell yeah. That’s a much better story than simply saying her name is Bella,” Rachel said, rolling her eyes with a smile.
“Uh huh,” Mulder grinned and then pulled her in for a hug. “It’s great to see you, Rachel.”
“Of course it is,” she said, stepping back and grinning. Scully smiled and Rachel looked at her, hesitation on her face until Scully embraced her, telling her she was happy to see her again.
“Hey! What the hell? Let’s go get the trees!” Skinner yelled, holding a laughing and happy Faith, as Howard laughed.
“Cool it, man. We’re coming!” Rachel called back and they all laughed, walking over to join them and pick out their trees. Mulder fell into step with the men and Scully and Rachel walked behind them, smiling at one another.
“It’s amazing how big Faith’s gotten in just over a month,” Rachel said, looking at her and Scully smiled, waving at her as she looked at her over Skinner’s shoulder.
“She has been going through a growth spurt. Eating a lot and sleeping more. Some of her clothes never had a chance to be worn, she’s growing so fast. I think she’ll be tall, well, taller than me anyway. Although that’s not too hard to accomplish.” She laughed and Rachel nodded with a smile.
“And here I always wanted to be shorter. It’s how it seems to go, right?” Rachel said and Scully nodded, truth in the statement.
“So, Howard and Betty. How exactly are they family?” Scully asked, as she heard the men laughing heartily knowing they were definitely not discussing moth men.
“Oh, they are old family friends. We moved here when I was ten, and that year we searched around to find a cut your own tree place like we had gone to in Washington, and we found this place. We didn’t really know anyone and my dad was a very charismatic man. You can imagine how he and Howard got along,” she smiled at Scully and she nodded, knowing how much she and Mulder had liked Howard. “Well, their kids were grown, and the oldest had gotten married and had a little girl, I think she was about four. We all sort of became this little non family-family. They were there after my father passed away, taking care of us and making sure we had food, and were doing okay. I didn’t come out here last year as my mother and I took a trip, so I missed them, and I’ve been busy recently with… well.” She looked at Skinner and Scully grinned.
“Yeah ya have,” she said under her breath and Rachel looked at her, her face reddening more than from the chill of the day. Scully laughed and hooked her arm through Rachel’s. “Please don’t be embarrassed or think I’m teasing you out of maliciousness. I am truly happy for the two of you. Mulder has never had anything but wonderful things to say in regards to you. And Skinner, Walter…” She shook her head and smiled, stopping them for a second, so she could look at Rachel. “He’s a good man, one to which I owe my life. I know you and I don’t know each other very well, not personally anyway, but seeing him with you, knowing you through Mulder, I can’t think of anyone better for him.” Rachel smiled and blinked her eyes, wiping at them quickly.
“Walter has said so many wonderful things about you, and Fox too, but mostly you. He’s told me how he was always impressed and in awe of you; the command you demanded without saying a word. As much as that is impressive, I told him that’s simply a woman getting shit done,” Rachel said with a smirk and Scully laughed loudly, her head falling back. She looked back at Rachel and they smiled at each other. “But he also said he owes you his life, so it seems you two are equal. I don’t know everything that’s happened, but I thank you. Thank you for saving him.” Scully stared at her and her eyes filled with tears. Nodding, she put her arms around her and they both gave a shaky laugh, wiping their eyes when they pulled apart.
“SCULLAAYYYY!” Mulder bellowed and Scully shook her head and laughed.
“Come on, we better catch up. He only says it that way when it’s really serious,” she said, rubbing Rachel’s arm as they started to head toward the sound of his voice.
“A fox in a forest calling for his mate,” Rachel said, shaking her head and laughing, as Scully smiled, thinking of all the forests and places he had called for her in that manner.
Yes, that was exactly what he was doing.
Catching up with them, the next forty five minutes were spent arguing, laughing, and passing Faith and Bella between them as they searched for the perfect trees. Howard laughed at them, siding with the women in every dispute over height, fullness, and kind of tree.
“I’ve been around a long time,” Howard said, slapping Mulder on the back as he shook his head at Scully. “It’s always best to side with the woman.” Scully smirked and Mulder sighed as he mouthed never, causing her to laugh.
Finally settling on a tree, they took turns, Scully and Rachel laughing, as Mulder and Skinner argued over the best way to cut them down.
“I did this last year, I know what I’m talking about,” Mulder said, instructing Skinner of the angle at which to cut the tree.
“One tree. You’ve cut down one tree and that makes you an expert? Shut up,” Skinner said, looking up from the base of the tree and shaking his head. “Just hold onto it and I’ll cut it down.” Mulder looked at Scully as Rachel danced around with Faith.
“One tree,” he said quietly, wiggling his eyebrows, looking down at Skinner and over at Rachel. Scully nodded with a smile, understanding the implication.
The tree cut, they carried it to the one Mulder and Scully had chosen, and set it down. Rolling up his sleeves, Mulder cleared his throat and knelt down to cut theirs down.
“Anyone interested in taking notes or a video even, to see how to properly cut down a tree, I’ll be here for a few minutes and willing to narrate as I work,” he said, as he began to cut down the tree.
“Seriously, how do you put up with him?” Skinner asked Scully and she laughed.
“He’s really cute and a great kisser,” she replied and he made a sound of disgust as he shook his head. Howard laughed and Scully winked at him.
The tree cut, Mulder stood up and grabbed Scully, kissing her loudly as he lifted her off of the ground, causing Bella to bark excitedly. Scully laughed against his mouth and kissed him again before he set her back down.
“One tree, Scully. Whose place do you think will be gifted with it?” he whispered close to her ear. He grinned as he stepped back and she bit her lip to keep from laughing.
“Jesus… come on,” Skinner said and Scully saw Rachel smack his chest, Faith reaching for him with a laugh. “Sorry, honey. I have to help carry the trees, but I will hold you again soon.” He kissed her head and Scully saw a look on Rachel’s face that she had seen before, almost a sadness or longing. She smiled quickly, but her eyes still seemed sad.
“Here, I’ll take her,” Scully said, walking over to Rachel, smiling as she reached for her.
“Oh, it’s not a problem. You have Bella there, and I really don’t mind,” Rachel said, tickling Faith, not looking at Scully. Dropping her hands back down, Scully nodded and kept an eye on her as the men picked up both trees between the three of them, laughing and cursing as they did.
Walking behind them, Scully held Bella’s leash and stayed close to Rachel, feeling she wanted to say something. She heard her sigh, as Faith laid her head on her chest, saying Mama as she looked at Scully. Rachel suddenly sobbed out a breath and Scully stared at her. Tears ran down her face as she held Faith close.
“Rachel?” Scully asked, stopping her and touching her arm. Faith wiggled and pulled back to look at Rachel, touching her face with one hand, causing Rachel to cry harder.
“I’m… I’m so… sorry,” she gasped out and Scully shook her head.
“Don’t apologize. It’s okay, you go ahead and cry.” They stood in the middle of the trees, Scully gently touching her arm as she cried and Faith continued to stare at her, before laying her head back on Rachel’s chest.
As Rachel's tears began to slow, Scully took off the backpack she had taken from Mulder and searched inside for a tissue. Finding a small pack, she took them out, putting the backpack on again and handing one to Rachel.
“Thank you,” she whispered, taking it and wiping her eyes. “I don’t normally do this…” She gave a shaky laugh and Scully smiled.
“I shed some tears here myself last year. I think this place may carry some magic. Please don’t tell Mulder or he would want to conduct a thorough investigation,” she said, handing her another tissue.
Rachel laughed softly and nodded. “I’ve always felt that way about this place,” she agreed. Wiping her eyes again, she shook her head. “What you must think of me.” She looked down, not meeting her eyes.
“I think you’re carrying something heavy within you and it’s been there for a while. Something you may not even have known was there, but it’s decided to poke its head out and it’s causing you hurt and pain,” Scully said softly, watching Faith’s eyes grow heavy, tired from the excitement, and feeling warm and cozy as she was held by Rachel. “That’s what I think. Nothing more, nothing less.” Rachel nodded and rubbed Faith’s back, her eyes closed as she rested her cheek on Faith’s head.
“I’ve always wanted kids. Always. But…” She swayed slightly and shook her head. “It just didn’t work out. Seeing Faith at your wedding dinner, and even little Raina, it brought those feelings to the surface. I hadn’t thought of them in so long and that night… they were there again. And now,” She laughed softly and bitterly. “I’m with this amazing man, and all I can think is how much I would love to have a child with him. I know it’s fast. So fast.” She opened her eyes and looked at Scully, tears pooling in them. “I love him so much. It sounds so cliche, but I can’t imagine my life without him. I can’t.” Scully smiled and pulled her close for a hug, mindful of Faith sleeping, and they both sighed.
“Is your fear that he wouldn’t want a child? Because…” Scully said, shaking her head, stepping back as she looked at Rachel, who shook her head sadly.
“It’s not that. I’m 43. I’m… past child bearing age. There is adoption or foster care, of course, but I really wanted to have one of my own and my time has passed.”
“Oh, Rachel,” Scully said kindly. “No, you’re not. My situation was… well different to say the least, but… I’m 55 now and well…” She touched Faith’s back gently and smiled. “It’s not too late.”
“We haven’t even discussed anything close to this,” Rachel whispered. “I haven’t even told him that I… it’s too fast.”
“Is it?” Scully asked softly. “Is it really? Who determines when we fall in love? It may seem fast according to what society deems as “normal” but, six weeks, six months, would you still feel the same?”
“I would. I can’t begin to explain it, but I would. I... I knew it when I first saw him.”
“You just needed to be sure,” Scully whispered, staring into the distance, remembering many days of uncertainty, until she knew beyond a doubt that Mulder was her choice. He was and would always be the choice she made, again and again.
“Seven years,” she breathed, shaking her head, and closing her eyes with a smile. Laughing softly, she opened her eyes and looked at Rachel. “Don’t wait seven years to tell him how you feel. Don’t wait seven days. If you love him, tell him.” Rachel smiled, tears filling her eyes again, and Scully handed her another tissue.
“As for children…” Scully smiled at Faith. “I don’t think you need to worry about him. He acts gruff and grumbles a lot, but that’s how he shows his affection. How quickly did he take Faith from me? And he wouldn’t give her back.” They both laughed and Rachel nodded. “However children may come into your life, Rachel, if they do, he will love them with his whole heart.”
Rachel nodded and smiled, wiping her eyes again. Shifting Faith a little, she held her close and took a deep breath. “Thank you,” she said. “I talk to people every day for a living, but sometimes I’m the one who needs to be heard.”
“We all need that,” Scully said with a smile. “Are you ready to head back? Or would you like a little more time?” Rachel smiled and nodded once more.
“I’m ready” she said. Scully gave a gentle tug to Bella‘s leash and they continued walking toward the little gingerbread house, which they knew would be warm and inviting, and smelling of hot cocoa.
As Scully suspected may be the case, Betty had found a nearly identical nutcracker and would not hear of charging them to replace the one Bella had destroyed.
“You keep both,” she said. “It’s always good to see how what we do affects those around us. Seeing something like this, is a good learning tool sometimes. Life is messy, but we can always try and fix it, but it might not be exactly the same, which is why care needs to be taken with things we love.”
“Damn,” Mulder said. “You come for the trees and the pretty decorations and you get words of wisdom to boot.” She smiled at them both, and then continued to wrap the nutcracker.
They drank hot cocoa, eating fudge and cookies as they looked around, rehashing the experience of cutting down the trees, laughing as they did. Faith woke up, happy to find everyone was still together. Demanding attention, she found it was not hard to come by, when she flashed her blue eyes and smiled her sweet smile. They let her try some fudge and she enjoyed it, evidenced by her chocolate drooling smile.
A few new decorations were chosen for the tree and the house. Scully saw Betty throwing extra items into their bags and she knew by the time the decorations had been packed up and put away, they would most likely need another bin to hold all their new treasures.
Howard encouraged them to take a picture in the sled, all of them together, Bella included, as Mulder held her in his arms.
“Let’s get one of everybody,” Rachel insisted. “That means you too Uncle and Auntie.” Despite their protests, she maneuvered them into the sled as she set the timer on her phone and ran back to stand beside Skinner and wait for the picture to be taken.
They left together, walking out to their separate cars, the trees tied securely to the tops. Mulder placed their overflowing bags and the backpack in the backseat and put Bella in the travel crate they bought for her, in rear of the car.
Rachel still held Faith, but Scully saw a difference in her now, as though a worry had been lifted. Catching her eye, Rachel smiled and Scully knew it had. Whatever happened next, Rachel was ready to face it.
“Mama!” Faith shouted, reaching for Scully and Rachel smiled. Hugging her close once more, she handed her to Scully.
“She always smells so deliciously wonderful, I had to have one last sniff. That’s not super creepy is it?” Rachel laughed and Scully shook her head with a chuckle.
“Not at all. I find myself absolutely intoxicated by her scent as well. There’s something about the smells of a baby.”
“Hits you right in the ovaries, that’s for fucking sure,” Rachel mumbled and they stared at each other, understanding passing between them. Scully nodded and Rachel smiled. “Thank you for everything today. The listening ear, the discussion, the lending of this beautiful girl.” She touched Faith’s cheek and smiled again. “She’s so beautiful and such a happy little girl.”
“Unless she’s tired and hungry, then you might not recognize her,” Scully warned her with a smile.
“I don’t blame her, I’m the same way. Ask Walter about Pittsburgh one day. It was not pretty,” Rachel said with wide eyes. Scully laughed and nodded.
“Mulder could tell you many stories about that in regards to me. We’ll just steer clear of that topic around them, agreed?”
“Agreed,” Rachel laughed.
“You ladies ready?” Mulder asked, walking over and kissing Faith’s head.
“Yeah,” Scully answered, smiling at Rachel.
Skinner walked over and they all shook hands and hugged goodbye. Faith was taken from her, lifted up and hugged and kissed. Mulder took her from Skinner, and as they said goodbye once more, Rachel grasped Scully’s hand and smiled, silently thanking her again. She nodded and squeezed her hand before Skinner and Rachel got into their car.
Watching them drive away, Scully smiled and took a deep breath, happy for what she knew was coming for them.
“What’s got you smiling so happily, Miss Scully?” Mulder asked, putting his arm around her.
“She loves him,” she said quietly, turning her head to look at him. He stared at her and gave her a look of mock astonishment.
“Yeah, obviously,” he said with a puzzled frown.
“Oh, did she tell you too?”
“She didn’t have to, I could see it,” he said, opening the car door and buckling Faith into her car seat.
“You could see it?” she asked as he shut the door.
“Yeah,” he answered, crossing his arms and staring at her. She raised her eyebrows at him and he grinned.
“I recognize the signs,” he shrugged. Her eyebrows went higher and he laughed, uncrossing his arms and pulling her towards him. “She looks at him the way you looked at me… the way you do look at me.”
“Is that right?” she asked, wrapping her arms around his neck with a smile.
“Mmm-hmm,” he murmured. “Has she not actually said it yet?”
“No, not yet.”
“Hmmm… and what was the brilliant advice you gave her?”
“I told her not to wait for seven years. Not even seven days. If she loves him, she should tell him.” She stared at him and he nodded, smiling as his eyes dropped to her lips.
“I love you,” he whispered.
“And I love you,” she smiled.
He kissed her and she pulled him closer, trying to put every missed I love you moment into the kiss. The times when they had nearly died and she wanted to tell him. The moments that seemed so small and insignificant, when her love for him had bubbled up to the surface, only to be tamped down; she tried to convey it all.
Breaking apart, they smiled, kissing once more before they got in the car. Reaching for her hand, he softly kissed her fingers and smiled.
“I know that saying it, putting it out there and leaving yourself vulnerable, is terrifying. Seven years, Scully,” he said quietly, staring at her with a smile. “Hearing it, of course it’s important. But, Scully… I saw your love far before I ever heard it. Rachel may be worried to say it, but trust me, Skinner already knows. Love can’t be ignored, not when it’s being silently shouted every time you look at the person you love.”
“God… you always say the science talk gets you hot, well when you talk like that, hoooo boy…” she said with a low moan. He raised his eyebrows and she nodded slowly.
“Well…” he said, clearing his throat, letting go of her hand and fumbling with the keys to start the car. “I say we, uh, we head on home.”
She laughed as he quickly backed up and they started down the road. The car smelled of Christmas as Faith babbled away in the backseat and Mulder reached for her hand again. Interlocking their fingers, he hummed under his breath, and she smiled at him, her heart filled with happiness and love.
Contentment And so begins the next chapter of their lives. The “what happens next” portion of the end of the series and of Soulmates (which I recommend you check out and of which I... AHHHHH!!!... And...
And now... for the last chapter...
The Ninth Month 6i/6
Chapter Nine
Heading Home
Mulder and Scully are heading home with their little girl. Time for the Unremarkable House to become remarkable.
November 2nd- mid morning
“Okay, do we have everything?” Mulder asked as they began to load up to head home.
He looked again in the backpack. There was the black beanie stuffed cat from Elise that she had brought when she checked on Scully, along with a picture from Raina. A drawing of a little baby with arms coming from her head.
He saw the necklace from Skinner. Scully had told him about it and he felt a wave of thankfulness to still have him in their lives.
There were a couple of hospital blankets that he knew he was not technically supposed to take, but he wanted them for the memory. To keep and connect it to the first time he held his little squatch.
Scully was not crazy for that nickname. He told her it was her fault for packing the Sasquatch blanket. He had sat on the couch holding Faith, that blanket covering her, the first time he called her Squatchy. Scully had scoffed but the name had stuck.
He saw the beautiful cards Karla and Jill had given them. There were also the items they had packed to come to the hospital. All the outfits except for the one Faith was wearing.
It was a black onesie with green and grey alien faces on it, as well as flying saucers. It had even come with a little cap with alien eyes on it. Scully had requested it and he had thanked her with a big kiss.
He double checked the bathroom and all around the room. Scully was properly dressed for the first time in a couple days. She was going home with a lot of stuff: a plastic basin, a squeeze bottle to use in the bathroom, a big cup she had been drinking out of obsessively along with a few other things. They also had a huge stack of paperwork to take home and file.
It felt as though they had signed more paperwork than they had ever done at work. The best of all the paperwork though, was signing the birth certificate.
Scully had to fill it out as they were not married yet. She had wanted to wait and get married when she was not “as big as a pregnant blue whale.”
Watching her put down the baby’s name, her whole name, made him grin. Faith Katherine Mulder, his little Squatchy. He had signed his name with hers and it was official in all aspects. He kissed Scully and then the baby, his love for both of them filling his heart.
The pediatrician had been in to check on Faith and Elise had come in to check Scully once more before they were to leave. Good bill of health was given for both and now they were just waiting for the discharge papers.
The bags were ready and the car seat was on the couch. Scully was sitting on the bed holding the baby. They would not put her in the car seat until they were ready to go.
As much as he knew they were going to be on their own after they left the hospital, he was anxious to leave. Being in the same room, with people coming in and out at all hours, was wearing on his nerves. He wanted to get home, sleep in his own bed, and be able to have Scully by him as he did.
The door opened and Jill came in the room. She smiled at them with a folder in her hand.
“These are all your discharge papers. I put them in this folder for you. You will have a checkup with your doctor in six weeks unless something changes. The baby will see the pediatrician in a few days to be sure she’s getting enough to eat and gaining as she should,” Jill said to Scully, while handing Mulder the discharge folder. He added it to their backpack.
“I have an orderly on his way with a wheelchair and then you three are good to go,” she smiled at them. “I have enjoyed meeting you both. That little girl is adorable, take good care of her.”
They both thanked her and the door opened. The orderly pushed the wheelchair into the room. Mulder walked over to Scully and took Faith from her. Jill helped Scully off the bed and she lightly groaned. She stood still for a minute and then walked to the wheelchair.
Mulder put the baby in the car seat, only fumbling with the straps once. He covered her with a soft blanket and then he picked up the car seat and turned to Scully. The orderly had hung the backpack on the wheelchair and slung the bag over an arm. He grinned at Mulder and nodded at the baby.
“You just worry about that little one, sir,” he said, handing Scully the basin of things. “I’ve got your wife.”
Scully met his eyes and they both grinned. No reason to correct him.
He made sure the baby was covered and then stepped behind the orderly to follow them out. Jill held the door and Mulder thanked her for everything as they passed by. She squeezed his forearm and nodded.
Mulder followed them down the hall, his eyes staying mostly on the little girl in the car seat. What a difference walking out as opposed to walking in the hospital. He had felt so nervous and terrified, now he felt love and a peace he could not explain.
The orderly was making Scully laugh and he was thrilled to hear it. She was on an emotional roller coaster these past few days. Sobbing one minute, happy the next, then asleep or grouchy. He knew she would be, it was just hard to see her that way, especially when she tried to brush it off.
He told Karla he had read up on what to expect, but the truth was he had done more than just reading books. He had found a chat group of fathers online and they shared their stories of new babies and what they learned about postpartum. He had asked hundreds of questions and they had all been incredibly helpful.
They had shared tips and signs to watch out for when it came to depression or emotions. He understood where they were coming from and he appreciated all they had to say. He felt he had the upper hand when it came to this instance, though. He had spent almost twenty five years hearing “I’m fine” and knowing that was not the truth. He did not have all the answers, but he knew her and he knew how to read her. They would be okay.
They arrived at the lobby and Mulder left the baby with Scully so he could get the car. The orderly was exclaiming over how cute she was and her alien cap when Mulder walked through the door.
It was a bit chilly out and he zipped his jacket on the walk to the car. He wondered if they had put socks on Faith and then smiled at his dad thoughts already taking place.
He arrived at the car and kept grinning as he got in and turned on the car. He shook his head as he backed up and drove to the hospital entrance.
He got out of the car and walked back into the hospital. He took the baby and placed her car seat in the back, clicking it into the base. He pushed the handle down and again made sure she was covered. He looked at her face and smiled. God, he was already so in love with her.
The orderly pushed Scully out and Mulder helped her into the backseat next to Faith. The orderly offered to put their bags in the back of the car and Mulder accepted, making sure Scully was doing all right as she climbed in and put on her seat belt. He kissed her cheek and then softly closed the door. He thanked the orderly and he got back in the car.
“All right,” Mulder said, looking at the hospital and beginning to slowly drive away. “Mama Bear and Squatchy, you ready to roll?”
“Mulder, absolutely not,” Scully said.
“To which?” he asked, pulling onto the main road.
“I know you have Squatchy set in your mind, so I’m going to veto “Mama Bear,” she said, causing him to look back at her. She shook her head and he nodded.
“Okay, we’ll work on a name,” he said as she scoffed, and he headed to the interstate.
He felt as if giant potholes and rocks had been added to the road since they left the house. Every bump, he looked in the rear view mirror worried the baby had woken. He looked quickly both ways before he slowly proceeded through the intersections. He heard Scully laugh quietly and he glanced back at her.
“This Mulder is a far cry from the one who jumped onto a moving train. Or broke into government buildings,” she said with a smirk.
“Well, I have more important things to think about than myself these days,” he said, stopping and looking again.
“More important than your own life?” she asked skeptically.
“Way more important,” he said glancing back at her again. He reached a hand through the seats and she grasped his hand.
Finally, they approached the road to their house. He sighed as he pulled up their driveway and parked the car. They were quiet for a second, her hand in his, as they looked out the window.
Then he felt it. Three squeezes. They were okay, they could handle it. He squeezed back and got out of the car. He took a deep breath as he walked around to her side and opened the door.
He helped her out and she stood waiting by the side of the car. He got the car seat out, checking to be sure the blanket was still covering her, before he stepped back and shut the door.
He reached for Scully’s hand and they walked toward the house. Slowly, they made their way up the stairs and onto the porch. Mulder unlocked the door and let Scully inside before following with the baby.
It was warm in the house. He set the car seat down on the floor and took off his jacket. He hung it up and reached for Scully’s. She walked over and sat on the couch, sighing as she leaned back.
He walked back to the car seat and unbuckled the straps, carefully taking Faith out. He wrapped her with the blanket and held her in his arms.
“Welcome home, my sweet girl. You’ve not experienced the place on the outside. Let me give you a tour,” he said and began to walk around the room.
He told her of the first time they walked into the house and how it felt immediately like home. How they had held each other tight and slowly danced that night, knowing they could finally stop running.
He showed her the I Want To Believe poster. He told her how important it had been to him and to her mom over the years. It was a symbol of their quest and what drove them to be who they were.
He took her by the stairs and told her how much her mother enjoyed them.
“Mulder!” Scully cried from couch.
“What?” he asked, turning toward her with a surprised look.
“Don’t talk to her about how I “enjoyed the stairs.” She’s a baby, but she still doesn’t need to hear about that,” she said, shaking her head.
“Scully, I was referring to the color and the structure of the stairs. Also, the sound they make as you walk on them. You told me many times you like the creak of old stairs,” he said innocently. “Get your mind out of the gutter, woman.”
He shook his head dramatically and turned back to his tour. “But she enjoyed them for other reasons, too,” he said, in a staged whisper.
“Mulder,” she said warningly.
He laughed and continued on, telling her about their first Christmas here and how her mom had bought a tiny little “Charlie Brown” tree. They had decorated it with a small amount of hodgepodge decorations she had found on a last minute shopping trip. It had been his favorite Christmas because it was the first one in the home they lived in together, just them.
Scully got off the couch and came over to them. She held his elbow and put one on his waist. He looked at her and the memory of the last time they stood this way with a new baby between demanded his attention.
The way she looked at him, he knew she was thinking of it too. The tears in her eyes confirmed his thoughts. She looked in his eyes and the love she felt for him radiated from them.
“One day, Scully,” he whispered. “One day he’ll be back. He’ll find us again.”
She nodded and her eyes spilled over. He bent his head and kissed her softly. The old memory and the new meeting in the middle creating a joint memory. Two moments bound together by the two who created them.
He pulled back and rested his forehead against hers. Slowly, and without planning, they began to softly rock back and forth. Mulder began to quietly hum the song he did on that first night in this new home as she held on a little tighter to him.
There they stood and slowly swayed. In the middle of their living room, in the middle of their lives, with their daughter in the middle of them. He smiled at the thought. If this was the middle, the ending was going to be amazing.
_________________________________________________
Wow! So this was a journey I never expected to take, but I have enjoyed it. Going through the months has been very fun. I have loved this little peek into their lives, of what they could be like in their little home.
I’m sure you all now know that this is not the end of the story and I check in on them from time to time. I need to see Mulder dancing in the kitchen with his girls. Scully watching her girl take her first steps. Mulder falling asleep with his daughter on his chest. Scully and Faith giving Mulder “the look” simultaneously causing his eyes to widen before he bursts out laughing.
Yeah.. this story is not over. <3 The next one will be posted tomorrow.
Oh, and I know that is a picture is of William, but it fits here for sure. : )
So here we are... moving along to a year of firsts for the new little Mulder-Scully household.
First story up is one revolving around Thanksgiving and the fun revolved around it. I hope you enjoy them...
1/15
A Thankful Morning
Mulder, Scully, and Faith sit together in the dawn of their first Thanksgiving together as a family.
November 2018
The house at the end of the long dirt driveway did not attract many visitors. It was rather rundown and unassuming, some may even say unremarkable. The house however, held within it a family. It was a rather new little family, still learning the ropes. At the moment, just before sunrise, there was only one lone light shining in the downstairs window, all else was dark and quiet.
Inside the aforementioned unremarkable house, Mulder shuffled quietly around the room, putting on his zip up hoodie and a beanie. He was on a mission and nothing could deter him. He glanced at the stairs and listened. Hearing nothing, he continued in with his task.
“Okay, little bean, just lie still,” he whispered as he dressed Faith in a long sleeved onesie and some pants. “I know it’s almost time for a feeding and you’re getting a little cranky, but let’s give your mama a few more minutes okay?” Socks and a little pink beanie with silver stars completed her outfit.
He wrapped her in a blanket, the way Karla had shown them in the hospital, and she stopped her tiny amount of fussing. She loved being swaddled, feeling securely held, as she had been in Scully’s womb.
He glanced up and listened again, but still no sounds came from upstairs. He smiled as he scooped up his girl, and grabbed a warm fleece blanket. He opened the front door and quietly closed it, not wanting to wake Scully or let the cold air inside.
He paused on the porch, holding Faith to his chest, as he wrapped her in the fleece blanket. He held her in his arms, bundled against the cold, and he continued across the porch and down the stairs.
He walked with her around the yard and told her about the stars that were beginning to disappear in the growing morning light. The names of the them rolled off his tongue, as he looked down at Faith. Her eyes were open, as if she was listening to every word he said. He kissed her cheek and smiled.
Once more around and the sun was beginning to rise in earnest, the last remaining spots of darkness being chased from the sky. He went back toward the house and sat on the porch swing. He moved her to his chest as he rocked her, the blanket tucked around her to keep her warm.
She lay against him, but began to fuss a little. He hummed to her and she settled down. As he stroked her back, a song came to mind and he smiled. He began to sing quietly to her as he held her close, putting his mouth close to her little ear.
If I needed you
Would you come to me,
Would you come to me,
And ease my pain?
If you needed me
I would come to you
I would swim the seas
For to ease your pain
He rubbed her back as she shifted around and made some noises. He had not thought of that song in years, but now it seemed perfect for this particular moment. He kissed her head, closed his eyes, and ran his fingers up and down her small back. He thought about the next words and continued his song.
In the night forlorn
The morning's born
And the morning shines
With the lights of love
You will miss sunrise
If you close your eyes
That would break
My heart in two
He looked out toward the sky as it became lighter. There would be many sunrises they would experience together, and for that he smiled. Thankful, especially on this day, that he had been given a second chance to get everything right. This little one though, she was so much more than he had ever expected. He pictured all the fun adventures they would have, and he closed his eyes as he held her, his chin resting lightly on her head. He hummed to her, and then finished the song.
The lady's with me now
Since I showed her how
To lay her lily
Hand in mine
Loop and Lil agree
She's a sight to see
A treasure for
The poor to find
If I needed you
Would you come to me,
Would you come to me,
And ease my pain?
If you needed me
I would come to you
I would swim the seas
For to ease your pain
He opened his eyes as he finished the song, and found Scully standing in front of him. She had a soft smile on her face and her phone in her hands, obviously taking pictures of them sitting there.
“Good morning,” she whispered, stepping closer to kiss Faith on the head, then kiss him softly on the lips. He placed a hand on her neck and pulled her in for another kiss before she stepped back.
“We didn’t wake you did we?” he asked her as she gazed at Faith tenderly.
“No,” she said, placing her hands on her breasts. “These guys did. It’s time for a feeding.”
“Yeah, we were trying to give you a few more minutes, weren’t we my love?” he asked Faith, as she began to fuss again.
“Sing to her, Mulder,” she said, placing her hand on top of his, which was resting on Faith’s back. “She calms down when she hears your voice, especially when you sing.”
He scoffed at her, but she nodded. He began to hum and then sing the song again softly. She moved around a bit, but then settled and was still through the song. Scully smiled at him and raised her eyebrows.
“See?” she asked quietly. “And she doesn’t even seem to mind that the song was stolen from her mother.” He met her eyes, seeing the laughter there, and he chuckled. He remembered when he sang it to Scully.
One rainy night in yet another hotel room, running from the very organization they used to work for, he had held her close and sung that song for the first time. She had cried as he stroked her hair, wrapping her naked body around his, holding him close. She had whispered how much she loved him and then shown him, in case he had not heard her.
She smiled at him, and he knew she was thinking of the same memory. “I suppose we can share the song,” she relented, squeezing his fingers with a smile. He smiled back and she moved her hand.
“Now, it may not be too cold out for you two, but I don’t think my naked breasts could take it. Let’s move this party inside,” she said as she stepped back.
He groaned as he stood up carefully with Faith. “I don’t think it’s fair of you to mention your naked breasts in such a blasé manner, when they are absolutely off limits for awhile. For me anyway,” he said, following her inside.
She laughed as she sat on the couch and reached for Faith. It was warmer inside, so he unwrapped her from the fleece blanket before handing her to Scully. As soon as she realized who was holding her, she began to root around for her breakfast.
Scully smiled and opened her pajama top and her nursing bra, helping Faith to latch on to her breast, and she sighed as she began to nurse. Mulder watched her eyes close and her fingers stroking the baby’s soft hair as she took off her pink beanie.
“What were you two doing outside on such a cold morning?” she asked as she opened her eyes and looked down at Faith.
“Hmm,” he responded, watching them together. “Just taking a little walk, she likes being outside. Letting you sleep a little longer, before the lady demanded her breakfast.”
She chuckled and looked up at him, thanking him with her eyes. He nodded and smiled back at her. He kissed her head and stepped back to start the coffee.
“What time did you say Skinner would be here?” she quietly called to him.
“Uh.. he said three, I think. He’s bringing everything and he seemed pretty excited about it,” he answered, as he poured water in the coffee pot. He added the coffee and turned it on, walking back toward the couch and sitting next to her.
“It was nice of him to offer a home cooked Thanksgiving meal. I was set on cereal and toast,” she said, looking at him again. “And he’s preparing all of it on his own?”
“That’s what he said,” he replied to her. “Said he had everything purchased and to not worry about anything.” He stroked Faith’s soft hair and kissed her head. She continued her feeding, her eyes closed.
Faith was so beautiful, sometimes it took his breath away, as he spent what felt like hours staring at her. He was mesmerized by her features, the way she moved, how she yawned, and the way she would hold onto his finger. He was astounded by how something her size could so quickly hold so much of his heart.
She was a calm and content baby who was happiest when she was close to Scully’s heartbeat. Scully could say his voice and his singing calmed her, but it was nothing like when she laid on Scully’s chest and slept. The look of peace and relaxation that came over her was beautiful to behold.
Scully switched Faith to her other breast and Mulder stared at her again as he came out of his reverie. He watched Scully settle her and get her latched on before he spoke.
“Can I tell you what I’m thankful for this year?” he asked quietly, as Scully adjusted her bra, covering her other breast.
“Have we ever done this before?” she asked, glancing up at him with an amused look on her face.
“Yeah, we did at your mom’s a few times when we went there.”
“And you hated it. Every time. You would get all fidgety and you would clasp and unclasp your hands under the table,” she said, shaking her head.
“Because Bill was always eyeballing me. When he was there, anyway. But I always did it because... well because your mom asked us to and... it was your mom,” he finished quietly, thinking of all Maggie Scully had done for him. Scully leaned her head on his shoulder and they were quiet for a few minutes.
“So... I want to tell you, and I just want you to listen, okay?” he said, putting his hand on her knee. She nodded against his shoulder and took a big breath. He followed suit and closed his eyes.
“I’m thankful for every second of my life that I lived without you. Every second I was alone before you opened that basement door,” he said, as she exhaled and sat up, taking her head off his shoulder. His eyes opened as she looked at him, her eyes searching his face.
He stared back at her, holding her gaze, shaking his head and smiling. She really had no idea. No matter how many times he told her, how often he did, or the different ways he approached it, she would never know how much he truly loved her.
“I am thankful for those seconds, hours, days, years without you because as soon as you walked into my life, I knew. I knew that you were it for me. You had been sent to the basement to take me down, to cut me off at the knees, to shut me up. But, Scully, you saved me." He looked at her, at this woman holding his child and he felt overwhelmed with love for her. “I know I’ve told you this before, but you did, you saved me. I was not just physically in that basement, I was there mentally and emotionally. I had no redeemable qualities to offer the bureau, I was a laughing stock. If they needed me, it was asked grudgingly and always accepted with a touch of skepticism. “Spooky Mulder” was a joke. You came along.. and you became my saving grace.”
“Mulder..” she said, shaking her head.
“No, just listen,” he said. “You pulled me out of that basement. Maybe not physically, but in every other way. You were my redeemer. I was a pariah and you shined a light on my good sides, while you helped rebuild the bad ones. If you could stand me, and my crazy theories and ways, if you saw my worth, well... I must not be all bad, right?”
She was crying softly as she moved the baby to her shoulder and began patting her back. She leaned her head on his shoulder again and took another deep breath. He waited a minute and then began again.
“I was drowning, Scully, and I had no idea. I had been destroyed by former partners and I was a shell of my former self. My only thoughts those days were on finding Samantha, and proving I was right about aliens, monsters, and any other creature that went bump in the night. I didn’t care what others thought about me, but from the moment I met you, I cared what you thought, how you saw me. No matter how crazy a theory, how odd I may have acted, you were always there. Standing beside me, or between me and a stupid idea,” he said, his mind thinking of all the times and ways she saved him. “If I had met you before, I wouldn’t have been ready. I would have looked past you, missed you, and missed out on the best part of my life.”
Scully sniffled and again they were quiet for a few minutes. She continued lightly patting Faith’s back, rubbing up and down, and patting again.
“So, I am thankful for the fucked up crazy life I lived before you came into it. I am thankful for the pain I suffered, because the pain allowed for the beauty to shine through: the flower that grows in the middle of a cement wall. Hard, unyielding, and a difficult journey- yet the flower is persistent and blooms where it seemed impossible,” he said, turning to face her. She stared at him, her eyes wet with tears. “You brought sunshine into that dark basement, Scully. You brought me out of that dark basement. I can never hope to express the level of my thankfulness to you, but I will try and show you, every day.”
He leaned forward and kissed her, his hand on her neck, his thumb stroking her cheek. She held his wrist with one hand and the baby with the other. He pulled back and smiled at her. He settled back on the couch, putting his arm around her, as she moved the baby into her arms and off her shoulder.
“Thank you, Mulder,” she whispered, laying her head on his shoulder, once again. He hummed his response and rubbed her arm lightly.
“My turn now?” she asked, and he laughed softly, before squeezing her arm. She was quiet for awhile and he waited, curious about what she would say.
“I’m thankful for the past two years. Thankful for crazy cases, motel rooms that sucked, greasy all night diners, and rental cars that smelled,” she said softly. “I’m most thankful for this past year. For the doppelgänger case, a crazy man named Reggie, learning the truth about William, robots and technology going haywire, and churches with prayer candles.” She shifted and turned, placing a hand on his face, and looking into his eyes.
“I’m thankful for them because, while we were still in contact when we were separated, we weren’t us. I missed us, Mulder,” she said, her eyes once again filling with tears. “Working together again, it pushed us back toward each other, right where we needed to be. This past year, these cases, the time spent together... I fell in love with you all over again.”
She fell silent and he put his hand over hers on his face as he bowed his head. He raised his eyes to hers and her soft smile tugged at his heart.
“I’m thankful for you, Mulder. For the growth and change that we both went through during our separation, but mostly yours. I hated being apart, but if it’s led to this point, this version of us, then I am thankful forever for it,” she said, staring in his eyes.
He nodded at her and turned his head to kiss her palm. He closed his eyes and kept her palm at his lips. The feel of her hand, the scent of her lotion, and the sounds of Faith’s small baby sounds, created a forever memory. He opened his eyes and looked at her before kissing her forehead and sitting back with his arm around her again.
They sat cuddled up and quiet for a little while. He thought she had dozed off when she spoke up quietly.
“You need to start making a list for next year now, because I feel my thankful speech was much better.”
A second of silence and then he laughed softly and she joined him. He grabbed a couple couch pillows, laid them on his lap and told her to lie down. She did, lying on her side, facing him, with Faith in her arms. He stroked her hair and still he chuckled.
She sighed and closed her eyes, stating how tired she felt. He hummed and then began to sing softly. She smiled and held Faith closer, their shared song pulling them both into a deeper sleep.
He continued to sing softly as the sun began to lighten the little unremarkable house. As a day set aside for thanksgiving dawned, he sat with his two women and his heart felt full.
Yes, the little house at the end of the long dirt road was unassuming and unremarkable to passersby. They did not know that the little house had more heart and character than the fanciest of homes. They did not know of the laughter and love inside its walls, nor of the tears and sorrow it held and hoped to never relive. They did not know any of that as they drove or walked past, and that suited the little house just fine.
Contentment And so begins the next chapter of their lives. The “what happens next” portion of the end of the series and of Soulmates (which I recommend you check out and of which I have...... Hope......
The Eighth Month 5f/6
Chapter Six
Questions and Answers
I’m just gonna let the picture speak for itself. ; )
“There is one more thing,” Mulder said into her hair as he held her. He pulled back and looked at her, holding her face in his hands.
“You have to close your eyes,” he said with a smile.
“Mulder,” she said, a suspicious look on her face as she let go of him.
“Come on, Scully. Humor me,” he said crossing his arms.
She looked at him, narrowing her eyes, then she closed them, her eyebrows raised. He put his hands on her shoulders and turned her around, her back to the door. She laughed, but kept her eyes closed. She could hear him moving around and her curiosity began rising.
“Okay,” he said quietly.
She opened her eyes and Mulder was kneeling on one knee with a jewelry box in his hands. With a greater ability than she thought she could handle at that stage in her pregnancy, she fell to her knees in front of him.
“Mulder,” she said breathlessly, her heart racing. “What are you doing?”
“Scully,” he said, lightly grasping her hands, setting the box down, his other knee dropping to the floor. “I know I’ve asked you this question before..”
“Four times,” she responded quietly, her mind finding every one of them, like files stored away in a drawer.
The first time, after they lay hot and sweaty in a motel room awash in the afterglow, running for their lives. The second time as they were stuck in traffic coming back from dinner at her mother’s house. The third time sitting on the porch one evening, her with a glass of wine and him with a beer. The fourth time, New Year’s Eve, the two of them on the couch.
Every time she had said no. Sometimes laughingly when the mood had felt light and he had seemed half serious. Sometimes with a long speech as to why she felt it was unnecessary for them to need a piece of paper to state who they were to each other. How marriage was an antiquated practice and she was happy with what they had.
The only time she had come close to saying yes, was on New Year’s Eve. She had been sitting with him, homemade popcorn and the dark chocolate fudge her mother had sent back with them after Christmas dinner on the coffee table, remembering a New Year’s Eve long ago. The first time he had kissed her and the butterflies she had felt. The way he had smiled at her and how she felt happier in that single moment, than any other she could remember.
She had leaned her head on his shoulder and grasped his hand. A minute left and she had thought of how this could possibly be their last year. If the world was going to end, by his side was the only place she wanted to be. He squeezed her hand as the seconds counted down.
As the ball hit, he had leaned in and kissed her, the same soft kiss from years ago, and the same smile as he had pulled back. It was like he could read her mind at times. She had held his face as she kissed him back, deeper and with more intent. She had slid in his lap and began to slip her hands under his shirt.
“Marry me, Scully.” He had said, stilling her hands.
She looked at him, his eyes serious and full of so much love. She could hear the music on the television and could not think of a better moment to say yes, to agree to be with him forever in every way possible. She had stared at him, felt the answer climbing up her throat, the word “yes” preparing to tumble out, but it got stuck along the way. Jammed up by a force she did not understand.
He had sighed, his disappointment showing, but then he had given her a small smile. He had held her face and kissed her, softly and so sweetly.
“One day, Scully,” he had whispered, resting his forehead to hers. “One day, I will figure out how to get you to say yes. One day, I will find the key that will open that lock.”
That was the last time he had asked her. The next year they did not celebrate New Year’s Eve. The predetermined date that had been set, had come and gone, and nothing happened. Mulder did not understand why and he began to fall down the darkest hole he had ever been in before. She could no longer reach him, the distance was too great.
Seven years. It had been seven years since they were in a place where he would have thought to even ask her again. What a waste of such precious time. She felt her heart growing heavy as her eyes filled with tears and he gently wiped them from her eyes. He held her face in his hands, looking at her with the eyes she loved and could read so well. She saw such love and tenderness reflected in them, she wanted to weep.
He pulled her close and held her. Their growing baby between them, the love they shared which created a new life, nestled within her body. He pulled back and leaned back on his calves.
“It’s been seven years since the last time I asked you. Almost, anyway. Seven years full of ups and downs, mostly downs. Deep downs. I.. I know we’re moving past the pain and suffering I put you through, put us through. But it happened and I know I fucked up." He took a deep breath and he closed his eyes.
“Do you want to stand up?” he asked her, as he opened his eyes.
“I don’t think I can,” she whispered, and he nodded, helping her to sit cross legged as he continued kneeling. She thought maybe he was doing penance, by staying on his knees, again asking for absolution.
“When you left, Scully, I was broken. I was angry and hurt. But, I know now, it was what we both needed. You were right to go,” he said, holding her eyes with his, being sure she understood.
“But, Scully,” he said shaking his head. “the moment, that defining moment when I realized exactly what a huge mistake I had made, pushing away the one person I loved and needed in my life, was that day I stopped reaching for you.”
She looked at him with tears in her eyes again. His head was bowed, his eyes closed. He looked up at her and he had tears in his eyes as well.
“Every morning, I would wake up and reach for you, as if I forgot during the night that you were gone,” he said quietly, his eyes full of sadness. “Every morning for two years, Scully, I would reach for you and my arms would come up empty.”
She bowed her head and cried. Those days always so fresh in her mind. The days without him, the nights even worse. Missing his warm body beside her. His scent, his arms around her as they slept. Their conversations in bed which were some of the most intense and soul searching they had ever had. His touch on her skin, making her tingle. Their lovemaking and the way he knew just how to please her.
“That morning,” he began again, taking her hands as she looked up at him. “I got up and walked into the bathroom. I took a shower, got dressed, went downstairs to make coffee. As I waited for it to brew, I couldn’t shake the feeling that something was wrong and it hit me as the coffee finished brewing. I didn’t reach for you that morning.”
She bit her lip to stop the tears she felt building. She needed to hear this again as much as he needed to say it. To take this pain they both suffered and finally move past it.
“As soon as I realized what was wrong, I sat at the table and wept. That it had become so normal to not have you there, I forgot to try and reach for you. I cried for everything I had put us through and then I cried for me. I didn’t know how to get you back, or even if you would want to come back. I had pushed you so far away,” he said and she squeezed his hands.
“I sat there at the table for a long time. Making decisions and plans to get you to come back. To be with me again, happy and whole. But, in the days after, I did nothing about it. I grew angry with myself at my lack of action. Angry at you even though you hadn’t done anything. Then you called me and asked me about Tad O’Malley." He shook his head, his eyes closed. “I was still sore at myself and you by association, so I was short with you when I saw you. I made callous comments that I knew would rankle you. I wanted you to hurt the way I was hurting, so I pushed when I should have reached out. So many times..” He trailed off, shaking his head again.
“It has taken us a long time to get back to where we are, Scully. For me to even consider asking you. To have the balls to even venture taking this chance. I’m not asking this of you now because we are on the verge of this crazy new chapter of our life together,” he said, letting go of one hand to hold her face. “I’m asking because, I don’t ever want to wake up one day and not reach for you again. I want to reach out and find you there, right where you have always belonged. By my side and close to my heart.”
She wrapped her hand around his wrist and closed her eyes, taking a deep breath and tears spilled down her cheeks. She opened her eyes and he was staring at her. She could see fear and hope intermingled in his eyes. She let go of his wrist and held his face, pulling him down for a kiss. She wrapped her arms around his neck and his went around her waist. They sat there for a few moments before he pulled back and gave him a small smile.
“Mulder, I have said no in the past because marriage is not something I felt was ever “us,” she said quietly. “I don’t need to see your name and mine on a piece of paper, or have a ring around my finger to know where I belong. I’ve known that since I first met you. You challenged me from the moment I walked through the door. You ran headlong into me and I didn’t try to stop you. Your desire for everything was contagious and I willingly became infected with it.”
He smiled at her choice of words. It was a good explanation for their relationship. A contagious desire to find answers. It had infected them both until she wanted out and he did not. None of that was worth the price he paid losing her and she him. She knew he knew that now. Knew they both knew it.
“I almost said yes the last time you asked me. I felt it, but I couldn’t do it. But look where that would have left us. Married and separated within two years. Of course we didn’t know the future, but would it have made these past four years harder or easier? Would being married have made us try harder? Would we.. have gotten divorced? God.. that hurts to even think about, let alone to say." She clutched her chest and took a sobbing gulp of air.
“Scully, we can't change the past. I.. I don’t even know that I would,” he said and her head jerked up. “Seven years we were partners, the only person the other trusted implicitly, best friends, until the night we took that step forward. Would you change that past? Move it forward or back?”
She stared at him. So many moments raced through her mind. Moments where they had been so close to moving forward. Nights she had stood outside his hotel room door, wanting to go to him. Nights she had wanted to call him and tell him how she felt. Times when he had driven her crazy, but all she wanted to do was kiss him, push him against the wall and rip his clothes off.
But then she thought of the what the morning after those times would have been like, how they would have proceeded. Would they have gotten closer or pushed each other away? Knowing what they went through then, his brain anomaly, his abduction, his death and then resurrection. No. She would not change that past. It all led to where it needed to go. The heartache that came with it, that was a learning tool. Preparing them for the future. This future.
“No,” she whispered, shaking her head. “No, I wouldn’t change that past. It all transpired the way it was always meant to.”
“Exactly,” he said, reaching for her hands again. “Things happened the way they did for a reason. We may have wanted them to go quicker or wish they had slowed down when we knew their outcome in the future, but then it wouldn’t be our past, Scully. Our story is ours because of it. These past four years have been hard and so goddamn lonely, but they have made me appreciate you more than ever. I can’t say with total honesty that I would understand that, if I hadn’t lost you. If you walking out that door hadn’t woken my ass up. I can’t say where we would be.”
She nodded and they looked at one another. Relying on their unspoken communication to speak to the other the best way they knew how. She heard so much when they spoke this way; his eyes had always been her guide. She knew something was wrong when he would not look at her. Had seen his heart laid bare to her so many times when his eyes were on hers.
He took a deep breath and reached for the box. She took a deep breath too, feeling anxious, nervous, and excited all at once. This was it, this was the last time he would ask. The last time he would need to. She knew she would say yes, but she wanted to tease him a little first.
“Can I see what’s in the box before you ask me?” she asked him, a teasing smile on her face.
“No, you cannot,” he said, staring at her hard, an exasperated huff coming out of his mouth.
“Well, I’m just a little curious because, as you know, they say two months salary is what you should spend. And Mulder, seeing as how you don’t have a job right now…” She shrugged her shoulders and raised her eyebrows.
“Shut up,” he said through this teeth. She smiled and crossed her hands in her lap, looking up at him expectantly. He cleared his throat and shook his head. She smiled wider and he grinned back.
“Scully, I’ve asked you this many times. Sometimes I’ve asked halfheartedly, trying to get a rise out of you." She chuckled and he smiled. Then his face was serious. “Other times, I’ve asked and been completely serious, my heart breaking a little when you said no. But, I always knew it wouldn’t matter if we were married or not, because it was still us. You’re right that a piece of paper and a ring does not a marriage make, but..I’d like it anyway. Knowing that we have been bound by law as well as by heart,” he paused and reached for her hands, setting the box down.
“What it comes down to Scully,” he said quietly, looking in her eyes. “Is that I love you. I want to be joined with you in every way. So, I ask you this now, reaching out from my heart to yours. Will you marry me?”
She stared at him, here on the floor of their baby’s room. Him on his knees, her sitting cross legged and heavy with their child, their hands joined together. There was no fancy dinner, no ring in the champagne or fancy dessert. Just them, in a room of new beginnings and journeys that lay ahead. It seemed fitting that it would be here in this room, in this house they turned into a home together. This was where they became them. Here they would remain and add to the fray. She took a deep breath and said the only words that seemed fitting to such an important question.
“I guess,” she said with a smile. He smiled the goofy grin she loved every time she saw it, raising his fists in the air and throwing his head back.
“She said “I guess”!!” he shouted loudly in the quiet house.
She laughed and then put her lips together, trying to hold back her smile. She failed horribly. She felt so happy and he was so adorably excited, she felt her soul light up. He put his hands down and looked at her and she could see her happiness reflected in his eyes. They both reached for each other at the same time, her wrapping her arms around his neck again as his went around her waist. He chuckled into her hair and she smiled.
He pulled back and held her face in his hands, kissing her deeply, all of his love seeming to pour into this particular kiss. She felt it all over her body and her heart was fairly singing.
“You guess?” he asked, rolling his eyes as he pulled back and stroked her cheeks with his thumbs. He smiled at her and shook his head.
“Well.. I still haven’t seen what’s in the box..” she said playfully, as she eyed it on the floor.
He laughed and took his hands off her face. He picked up the box and turned it toward her before he opened it. She was looking at the box, waiting for him to open it, then she looked up to find him staring at her. She kept her eyes on him as he opened it. The ring did not really matter, not nearly as much as the man holding the box did.
She heard it creak open and she glanced down. She gasped and then her eyes flew back to his, then back to the box. It was not a ring at all, but a gold cross necklace, just a bit bigger than hers, with a stone in the middle. An opal. It was beautiful.
“Mulder..” she said as she touched the necklace, shaking her head at the colors that were captured from the light in the opal.
“I know you’ve said you’re not a ring person,” he said, taking the necklace out of the box, closing it and setting it back down. “But, you are a necklace one. I also know that eventually, boy or girl, you would want to pass your necklace on." He raised her chin up to meet his eyes. “So, I wanted to get you a necklace that was still you but a little different. Just as you are now.”
He held the necklace in his hands, hanging it by the chain. She looked at it as it swung lightly, before she caught it in her hands. He let go and she stared at the beauty of the stone inside it. So many colors danced and played in the light, it was absolutely beautiful.
“You know,” she said as she touched the opal and marveled at its perfection. “Some cultures believed that opals had supernatural powers, or fell from the heavens when lightning hit the earth. Some people thought it could guard them from disease. Some even considered it as a symbol of hope and truth or simply good luck,”
“Who needs Google, when you’ve got Scully?” he said with pride in his voice.
She looked at him and her brows furrowed. She pulled him to her and buried her face in his neck, breathing in the scent of this man she loved so much. The man who knew her so well, he bought her a necklace instead of a ring.
She put her head on his shoulder. “My answer definitely wasn’t good enough,” she whispered and he chuckled, pulling her tighter. He breathed a deep breath and rubbed her back.
He pulled back and looked at her. “Will you marry me?” he asked again with a smile on his face.
“Yes,” she whispered.
“Phew, that was a close one,” he said as he reached around to unclasp her necklace, both of them chuckling. He handed it to her and exchanged it for the one in her hands. He leaned back and looked at her, the goofy smile back on his face.
“It looks beautiful,” he said, holding the cross between his fingers. “You’re right about the history of the opal, but that’s not why I chose it." He released it and let it fall back onto her chest.
“I chose it because it’s the only stone that captures the colors of every other stone. All of our birthstones reflected in one. Yours, mine, the baby’s, and William’s,” he said as she reached and held it in her fingers, softly caressing it. “All of us together, close to your heart.”
She smiled and felt tears in her eyes. “God, Mulder. Seriously, you are getting so mushy and sentimental in your old age.”
“Hey!” he said, feigning outrage. She leaned forward and kissed him. She held his face in her hands and stared at him.
“I love it, Mulder. It’s perfect. It’s exactly what I would have picked.”
He smiled and kissed her again. Then he leaned back and started to get up. He moaned and she laughed as she heard pops and cracks as he stood all the way up, putting a hand on his lower back and swearing a couple of times.
She put her hands out and he pulled her up carefully, holding her while she regained her balance, and stealing a kiss while he did. He took the necklace she still held in her hands and walked over by the crib, where there was an empty nail on the wall she had not noticed before.
He hung the necklace there, his fingers stroking it, before he ran the cross between his thumb and forefinger. He shook his head and turned back to her, pulling her close as they looked at the necklace hanging there.
“Think of it, Scully. Think of how much has happened with that necklace. How many times it has been lost and found it’s way back. It’s like us in that regard. We’ve lost our way many times. Yet here we are, together, as we were meant to be,” he said against her hair, as she wrapped her arms around his waist.
She sniffled lightly, but these tears were tears of happiness. He was right, the necklace was symbolic of them. It may have lost its way from time to time, but it always came back.
The new necklace would never lose its way. She knew where it, and she, would always be and always stay. Here, in this home with this man who had been like a strike of lightning in her life; bright and full of energy. The man who found a cure for her disease and was her symbol of hope and truth. He had surely picked the best stone when he picked that opal. He knew what he was doing. She held him tighter and closed her eyes. She loved him so much. He squeezed back and kissed her head.
“I love this necklace, Mulder. I do, but.. hmm I don’t know. I kinda feel like maybe, I might, be a ring person. Maybe?” she said into his chest, joking but not wanting him to see her smile.
He laughed and let go of her, stepping back and smiling at her, as he turned and walked back by the box. She looked at him quizzically as he picked it up and walked back to her.
He opened the box and took out the necklace holder. Underneath, lay a simple gold band with a small diamond set in it. She gasped as he took her hand and slid the ring on her finger. It fit perfectly.
“I’m not an idiot,” he said, giving her a knowing smile.
“Oh, Mulder!” she exclaimed, looking at the ring. She was speechless.
This too was perfect. Nothing too grand...simple and beautiful, just what she would have picked. She shook her head and looked at him and he smiled at her raising his eyebrows.
“I love you,” she said, staring at him. She felt surprised, but also not, all at once. Of course he would have a ring. Of course the man who asked her four times and had been rejected every time, would be traditional, but also so Mulder about it. The necklace was the real gift, but the ring was for her.
As much as she said she did not want to get married, that it was not necessary, deep down she knew she did. And he knew she did. And he knew she wanted the ring, too.
He stepped back and put his hands out wide, gesturing to the room, to her, and the room again. She smiled and then stepped toward him.
“You did a great job painting the room, Mulder. I’m sure Skinner appreciated your help as he put all the furniture together,” she said cheekily.
“You wound me, Scully. Right in the heart,” he said, as he put his hands over his heart. She laughed and wrapped her arms around him again.
“It’s perfect, Mulder. All of it is perfect. Aside from the room, when did you have time to plan all this?”
“Well,” he said, putting his hands on her shoulders. “As you so kindly mentioned earlier, I am unemployed. It’s amazing the things you can find to do when you have nothing but time and the drive to find what you need. Both of those pieces of jewelry are antiques. I knew what I wanted, I just had to find them.”
She thought of him, spending his days searching for just the right items, and her heart filled with love. He had grown and changed so much in the last couple of years. She loved him more than ever for it.
She looked around the room. The paint, the pictures, the furniture, the chair, everything was perfect. It felt good. They were ready. They were engaged. Jesus..
She pulled back and looked at her ring again. She looked up at him and he was watching her as she looked at the ring. She shook her head and smiled at him.
“Is it time for bed yet?” she asked him, putting her hands on his chest. The ring catching the light and lighting a fire inside her.
“Bed? It’s the middle of the afternoon. Are you tired?” he asked, surprise showing on his face.
“Oh, no. I’m not tired,” she said, her hands running down his chest to the bottom of his shirt. She looked at him and watched his eyes widen.
He grabbed her hand and whirled her around, pushing her shoulders to get her through the door. She laughed as he kept going until she was in their bedroom and he closed the door firmly behind them.
Her laughter echoed down the hall, filling the recently lonely house with happiness and love.
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This has been another fun and challenging story to write. I love them at this stage in their lives, happy and together. Hope you all enjoyed this story.
