Title: Molly Author: K@t Email: [email protected] Summary: First in the Molly series. * * * * * * Molly "Hey. Pass me the red crayon, Mol, will you?" I nod and hand her the desired object, watching how she neatly colours in the smiling moon above her cottage. It's a very pretty little house, all white and old, with roses growing around the wooden door. I do a double take and grin, deciding not to tell my best friend that, although the moon is made of cheese, I don't think it's red Lester. I know it's not really made of cheese, but some things are fun to think about, even if they're not true. Like Santa Claus, for instance. Holly taps me on the arm and gins at me. "Guess what?" she whispers, secretly. "What?" I ask in the same hushed tone. "My Daddy's taking me to see a pantomime tomorrow!" She's as excited as anything. I smile at her, half-heartedly; wishing my daddy was here to do the same. "Cool," I say, not wanting to ruin the moment with thoughts about the father I've never met. "What pantomime is it?" She shrugs. "Dunno. Can't wait to see it though." I sigh and turn back to my picture. A few moments later, I sit back from my desk and look at my handy-work. It's of our apartment, or how I wish Mommy would decorate it, instead of the boring cream and pale blue it's in at the moment. In my dream-sharing drawing, there are bright oranges, deep greens and pastel pinks, flowery borders and pretty, scattered ornaments. Mommy will definitely like it. I hope she puts it under one of the magnets on the fridge. "Okay, Kids. Who wants a story?" My head snaps up, closely followed by my arm as I smile and nod my head at my teacher. Miss Parker jiggles a book in front of her face, teasing us with a smile and we all hurry to put away our pencils and wax crayons away in their correct containers. We gather on the floor in the reading corner, all smiles expectant and hopeful for something interesting to capture our minds before we go home. Jamie Thrash starts to pick his nose and I give him a disgusted look. He always does that for attention. He grins and waves at me with the hand that's not up his right nostril and Miss Parker tells him calmly to stop it. "You'll never get a girl with that attitude," she jokes and he sticks his tongue out at me. She sits down and opens the book to where we were yesterday. I like my teacher. She's pretty (although, not as pretty as Mommy: she's just plain beautiful.) and in her late twenties. She has very short sandy-blond hair, which is pulled back by lots of those tiny, gold, gripping clips. Her eyes are piercing and lazy brown. She has lots of tiny freckles across her nose, which make her look like a cute little mouse. She begins to read chapter five of 'The Wind in the Willows' and I rest my elbow on my knee, my head in my hand. I sigh, quietly. Mommy read this book to me about two months ago, so I already know the story. Miss Parker is good at reading aloud, but she still has a lot to learn about voices. Maybe Mommy could give her lessons. When the chapter is over, I'm itching to get up and run around. Everyone else is shifting against the carpet too. I guess it's something to do with seven-year-olds having to sit still for a long time. They get restless. I'm only six, so I wouldn't know. I got moved up a year when the school found out I could already read. Mommy taught me. She's smart. We all stand and lift our chairs onto the tiny tables, standing behind them and waiting to be dismissed. I love school and I love learning, but on Fridays, I can never wait to get home. Mommy lets me walk home on my own on Fridays and it makes me feel grown up. It's fun pretending to be a grown up teenager, sauntering along from big school, my satchel on one shoulder. I even have my own key to our apartment, which all my friends are really jealous of. I get some time to myself to think and muse about the world while I walk and it's fun. It took Mommy ages to agree to giving me a key and walking home on my own. She usually gets home in time to walk me back and we have these fun talks. Uncle Walter and Uncle Melvin finally convinced her, after reminding her that I'm in no danger any more. Not since the smoking man was killed last year. She knows I need my freedom. And it's not so far from school to our apartment, about six blocks and there are no roads to cross. I collect my satchel and cardigan, waiting for everyone else to exit the classroom before perching on the edge of one of the tables, swinging my legs. I watch Holly through the window and she gives me a confused look. I mouth 'wait for me' and point outside. She nods her understanding and sits on one of the cute little benches you sit on when you're naughty. I turn to Miss Parker and watch her pack away her things, reaching down to itch an insect bite on my knee. I pat my right pocket, just to make sure I have my inhaler with me. Yep. Wouldn't want to forget that. Uncle Melvin's already challenged me to a game of baseball in the park on Sunday and I'll need it for that. She looks up and realises I'm still here, giving me one of her famous smiles. "Not going home today, Molly?" she asks me and I shake my head, in jest. "I wanted to talk to you, Miss Parker. Please can I ask you something?" She gives me surprised look and stops her chore with her bag, turning to give me a worried look. I smile at her, realising that she probably thinks I'm gonna ask her about the facts of life. I bite my bottom lip to keep from giggling. I already know all that. Mommy bought me a book and explained it all. It's no big deal. It's just nature. She eventually smiles and sighs. "Sure, Honey. Go ahead." I take a deep breath and swallow, remembering my reasons behind what I have to say. "Mommy cries at night sometimes. I think she misses my daddy." She nods. "Are your parents divorced?" I shake my head. "No, he disappeared before I was born." I wince at how that sounds. "He...went missing," I correct myself, hastily. I know she'd never believe me if I told her the details. Mommy said not to tell anyone anyway. She doesn't want other people knowing. She doesn't want people to think she's crazy. "I just want to know how to make her feel better." Miss Parker gives me a tender look. "I don't know what you can do, honey, except give her lots of cuddles and ask her about him. I'm sure she'll want to tell you." I nod and thank my teacher kindly. "Tell me how it goes on Monday," she tells me and I nod. She's lovely, always willing to help everyone. I exit the small classroom and skip down the steps to a waiting Holly. "Hey. Ready to go?" she asks me. I nod and link my arm through hers, walking beside her out of the gates and into the sunshine. She smiles and sighs, beaming into the sun as we stroll, our feet sliding through the falling leaves on the sidewalk. "So, what did you wanna talk to Miss Parker about?" she asks me and I grin. "I was just..." I contemplate telling her about Mommy, but decide against it. She wouldn't understand. "...I needed to ask her about the homework." She frowns at me. "But it's math. You so good at math." I nod. "I know, but I just wanted to make sure I'd got the right idea." She nods her understanding. I feel instinctively bad for not telling her the truth. Mommy taught me that lying is never good, unless it's for protection, and I guess this is one instance she'd be proud of me for lying. Holly sighs and smiles at me, happily. "You're good at everything, Mol." I shake my head, shyly. "No. No I'm not." She nods her head vigorously. "Yes you are. You can read like a grown up, you write the bestest poems and you can do all the math we've ever done, and more." I shrug. "I just find sums easy. And my mommy helps me a lot." "I wish mine did. She's always out with her friends and the babysitter doesn't help at all. She's too busy cleaning." I shrug. "I wish I had your family," I muse, thinking about Mulder. She grins and sighs. "I'll never understand you, Molly Scully." As we turn in to her drive, I let go of her arm and wave. "See you Monday!" I call, heartily. "Have a good time at the pantomime!" "I will!" she calls back and I smile at her. I reach my apartment building and ride the elevator up to the third floor, thinking about what Miss Parker told me. Lots of cuddling. Right. I can do that. The ping sounds for my floor and I watch the doors open before me. I get to my own door and stand up on tiptoe to fit the key into the lock, turning it and opening the door. "I'm home!" I call, high-spirited, but clamp a hand over my mouth instantly. I'm supposed to be quiet, because I get wheezy when I shout. Also, the old lady below us has this thing about children and noise. I'm embarrassed. Mommy's told me so many times that the woman will complain and have us thrown out. I don't want that to happen. I'm still for a moment, listening for any sound of annoyance from downstairs. Nothing. I sigh with relief, making my way over to the coat tree and hanging my bag and coat on my peg, the one we had to move down because I couldn't reach it. Walking into the kitchen, I see her sat on one of the high stools around the small counter, drinking tea. Mommy looks up when she hears the door squeak and gives me one of her rare, beaming smiles. I skip the three meters to her and she jumps down, placing her mug on the countertop. "Hey, Mommy!" I throw my arms around her waist, almost knocking her off her feet. "Wow, hey, Sweetie. Careful!" She chuckles as I squeeze her and I feel her fingers stroke my hair all the way down my back. "Hmmmm...We need to do this properly," she says, after a moment, letting me go and wrapping her arms around my waist, settling me against her hip. "Oooo. You're getting too big for this," she murmurs into my neck. "No way," I counter, looping my arms around her neck for support. "Never too big to cuddle." She pulls her face back from my hair and gives me an affectionate look, her lopsided smile making me giggle. She rolls her eyes. "You know what I mean." I grin back at her and squeeze her tight. I lean forward and nuzzle my nose against the side of hers. She chuckles softly. "Snuggle, snuggle, kitty-cat." I wrap my arms back around her shoulders and squeeze her gently. "Had a good day?" I ask her. She nods, her hair soft against my cheek. "Yep." She sets me back on my feet and I jump onto a stool. "Skinner called later this afternoon and told me he's found some evidence about where Mulder might be." I grin excitedly and swing my legs a little. "So, is he coming home then?" I ask, excitement blanking out rationality. She sighs, sadly. "We've been through this a hundred times," she tells me gently. "I'll never know." I nod. "I know." We share a smile. "I just wish he'd come home soon." "So do I, Kitten," she murmurs, "So do I." She takes a breath and looks sadly at me. "You do realise that he...he may not come back at all." I nod, sorrowfully and she reaches for my hand, squeezing it tight. She leans forward to press a kiss against my forehead. "But we have to think positively." She smiles, keeping hold of my hand and sitting on the stool next to me. "I keep imagining him walking through that door, fit and healthy." There's a dreamy look in her eyes and I smile back. I nod and lay my head against her shoulder, snuggling against the thin fleece of her top. She rubs my back, pulls away and stands again, reaching out a hand to smooth my cheek. "I should get on with dinner. Why don't you do your homework at the table and talk to me. Math tonight, is it?" "Yep." "Good, my favourite." * * * * * * Cuddling Spooky, my stuffed rabbit, closer to me, I giggle at the familiar antics of the evening cartoon. I love 'Futurama', but it's getting a little old. The ideas aren't as good anymore. I like the old shows: The Simpsons, Friends, Tom and Jerry. Mommy's got loads of videos. I glance at Mommy, wondering whether she's gonna tell me soon to go to bed. She's just sitting in the armchair, reading over some report or other. I smile. She looks so pretty in her glasses. Kind of like the doctor she could have been. Her hair's tied back too, little wisps of hair falling out the sides and tickling her cheekbones. She pushes them back behind her ear every few seconds. The fluffy slippers on her feet contrast with the serious look on her face. When I was born, she stopped working for a while to look after me. When I was two, Grandma looked after me in the day, even though Mommy told her she didn't need any help with me. She tries to act so strong in front of others. Grandma convinced her to go back to work and start looking for Mulder again. She, reluctantly, went back to work. Grandma protested, but Mommy finally convinced her to take some money for babysitting. I like Grandma. She's kind. She's helped us a lot these last few years. I turn back to the TV and reach up with the hand that's not cuddling Spooky to finger the chain with the tiny gold cross on, around my neck. It was my auntie Melissa's, but she died a decade ago. She got shot by a man who was supposed to be killing Mommy. I shudder at the memory of Mommy telling me that. It's not one of my favourite stories. I slide down to curl up on the couch, trying not to move too much for fear of Mommy making me go to bed. The next moment, I feel myself being lifted up off the couch, arms around my legs and shoulders. I smile as I take in Mommy's familiar smell and crack open my eyes a little, not realising I'd closed them. Auburn strands smooth across my face. I'd recognise that hair anywhere. It's incredibly handy in supermarkets if I get lost. There aren't that many redheads in DC. I must have fallen asleep. The TV's off. I wrap my arms around her neck and rest my head against her shoulder. I realise, through my sleepy contentment, that she's actually carrying me to bed. "I'm not tired," I protest, softly. She chuckles. "You were zonked out down there, Kitten," she breathes, bending down to retrieve Spooky from his placement on the couch. She settles him in my arms and walks us both through the door and into my room. I yawn, sleepily. "What time is it?" I ask and I feel her turn to my teddy bear clock hanging neatly on the wall, the one that I got last Christmas from Grandma. "Eight-fifteen." I smile as she places me on the bed and I crawl under the covers. She lays my inhaler on my bedside table and takes my favourite scrunchy from my bedside table. I turn to face the wall and she sweeps my hair into her hands, putting in a loose ponytail against the base of my neck. If I don't sleep with my hair up, it's hell getting a brush through it in the morning. She gets up and goes to the bookcase, scanning it for a suitable book. Then I remember what Miss Parker said about Mulder. "Can we do something else instead of a having story tonight?" I ask, my eyes hopeful. She turns to me, her baby ponytail swinging and nods. "Okay, sure." She gives me a questioning look. "Can we talk?" She nods, giving me a worried look and moving to sit on my bed. "Would you like me to get the 'Growing up' book down again?" she asks me, a small smile on her face. I grin and shake my head. "No, I want to talk about Mulder," I finish quietly and she looks down at the floor for a second before catching my eye again. I grow nervous. Maybe she doesn't want to talk about him. "If that's okay," I add, timidly. "Sure it is." I smile softly and she goes out my room and round the corner into hers. After a lot of banging and shifting things, she returns, a leather-bound photo album, with gold swirls around the edges, in her arms. It looks old. Really old. Like one of the special antiques me and Matthew aren't aloud to touch at Grandma's. She sits down on my bed and I slide over to let her sit up against the headboard with me. She rests an arm across my shoulders and nuzzles her face in my hair, leaving a kiss against my forehead. I rest my head against her shoulder and she opens the album very slowly as if, inside, there is something too precious to mark. Peeling away the tracing paper, she smiles at the two familiar scenes. Both the photos have booth origins, and the first shows both my parents with their arms around one another. Mommy is smiling broadly and Mulder has his face part way in her hair. I glance up at Mommy for an explanation, but she seems lost in the picture, a soft kind of smile on her face. I give her a little time for memories and tear my eyes back to the second photo. Same place, same people. They still have their arms around one another. But this time, their lips are touching. I smile, secretly up at Mommy and this time she catches my eye. "I thought you never..." I trail off and wave my hand around in the air in a confused gesture. She shakes her head indignantly and purses her lips. "We didn't...do anything like that. We went out to celebrate the new millennium, just after we..." She trails off too and bites her bottom lip. "...kissed for the first time." I raise my eyebrows at her and she grins timidly, almost as if she's embarrassed about telling me this tiny little thing. "You never told me that." She nods slowly and sighs. "I guess...it was just a little secret between Mulder and I. We never really talked about it." She indicates the picture with her index finger. "That one was just for the camera," she explains, smiling. I don't particularly care what it was for, their *kissing*. I knew they were close, but I didn't realise how close. I reach down and turn the page, being careful not to rip the tracing paper on the other side. The next side shows two newspaper clippings. They both show Mommy and Mulder in a fierce embrace in what looks like a courtroom. They look a lot younger than they do in the previous ones. Mulder's hair's kinda floppy. "I thought he was dead," Mommy whispers. "He went looking for answers in Russia and..." "Is that the one with Krychek?" She nods. "You told me that one already." She grins and sighs. "So many adventures. I can hardly remember which I've told you." I giggle and chew my lip. "You have told me a lot." She nods. "I guess so, Kitten." She sighs again and looks down at the photos again. "You know, I used to take you to his apartment before they let it out. You used to watch the fish in the tank." She points to my right, where the fish still swim in their glass home. "Used to take you every evening, even when you were just a little squirt inside me." She lays her hand on her now flat belly, obviously remembering the first year she spent without him. "We'd lie on his bed and I'd point things out to you. The leather couch in the living room?" I nod. "That was his." I nod. I already knew that, but I don't want to break her out of her reverie. She seems so happy talking about him like this. "It was the only place, other than my apartment where I felt safe. "Then when they let the apartment, I couldn't take you there anymore. It wasn't the same anyway, not without his furniture and his curtains and things. You weren't too happy about that. It took me forever to get you off to sleep at night after I stopped taking you." She grins at me and I can just see little tears in her eyes. "Mulder would have said something about his 'wonderful Mulder-vibes' being the best, or something like that." She lets out a soft snort. "He was like that. Always joking with me and playing around." My Lord, she misses him. She misses him so much more than I thought. Fond memories are wonderful, if the person included is sat right next to you and you can reach out and touch them and hug them as much as you want. I look up at Mommy and watch the tiny tear roll down her cheek and land on the front of her white fleece-top. I reach up and snake my arms around her shoulders, burying my face in her neck. I feel her own arms wrapping tight around me and I just hold her for a minute, making tiny shushing noises and attempting to rock her, like she does with me when I have a bad dream and I wake up and she comes in and strokes my hair until I fall to sleep again. "It's okay, Mommy. He's gonna come back," I murmur and she sighs, heavily. "Sometimes I wish I'd been able to do more to find him." I gulp and close my eyes, letting my arms go slack around her. She stiffens and then realises. "Oh no, baby. I didn't mean that." She pulls back and takes my face in her hands. "You're the best thing that's ever happened to me. If it hadn't been for you, I'd never have carried on..." She trails off, another tear falling from the corner of her eye and I smile a little. I know she loves me, but sometimes I can't help but wonder whether she'd have found him by now and they'd be happily married or something if I hadn't been here. I sigh and smile fully at her, letting her know that she's forgiven. There's a short silence in which we just sit in one another's arms and think about the past. I break the silence. "What was he like? What was Mulder like?" I ask curiously and she grins. "Apart from being a total nutcase?" I nod. "He was sweet when he needed to be. Really kind hearted. When I was upset, he hugged me. He worked his heart out to find a cure for my cancer." She sighs "He had a lot of hurt in his life. All his family died and he had no-one." She smiles a little. "No-one but me. He once told me that I was his only lifeline, his touchstone. That I made him a whole person. I could have kissed him when he told me that." She looks away. "In fact, I almost did, but that's a story I'm sure I've told you a hundred times." I nod. In his hallway, when she got transferred to Utah and she got stung by that bee that was carrying an alien virus. I remember that one. "Mulder was always coming up with outlandish theories and..." I look up at her, confused. "Outlandish: weird, off the wall, strange..." I nod. "Out of the blue they were. He kept me on my toes, and I kept him on his. At work we were always professional with one another, even if he didn't always go completely by the book." I grin. He obviously used to break a lot of the bureau's rules. "But when we were off duty, we had fun. We'd share a Chinese in front of a movie. Have fun, grown-up slumber-parties." She gives me a grin. "He's seen me in my pyjamas more times than I can count." "Did you ever sleep in the same bed?" I ask her. She swallows. "Kind of. I felt really dizzy and cold on our...our last case together and he snuggled up with me in his bed to keep me warm." I frown. "Was it the cancer?" I ask, timidly. "Were you sick?" She shakes her head and grins. "No, I was pregnant." I grin too and chuckle with her. "I guess it could be said that you brought us together." I smile proudly and she flicks through a few more pictures of Mulder and herself, telling me each little story from the Rainking to Donnie Pfaster. I ask each little thing about Mulder I can think of to ask about. It's fun. I never really knew about Mulder the person, except what he looks like. And the thousands and thousands of stories Mommy has told me. We have a framed photo of him on the flimsy mantle piece (You can kinda tell that Frohike made it, it's practically falling down!), the one that Mommy refuses to take down, even though it's really too big and heavy to put up there. There's a picture of Mommy up there too, and one of me. They're on either side and I'm placed between them. Just like a real family. Except we're not. One third of us is missing. Mommy looks at her watch and gives me a tired look. "Glad we had this talk?" I nod. "Me too. But it's time for you to go to sleep now." My shoulders slump and I droop my eyes at her. She rolls her own eyes and sighs. "Come on, Kitten." I nod and she slips out of my bed, handing me my inhaler. I let all the air out of my lungs and open the cap, taking a long breath in of the strawberry-tasting air-stuff. I make a face and she grins. "One, two, three, four, five, six, seven, eight, nine, ten." I let it out slowly and she smiles at me. "Good girl," she breathes, rubbing my back. I pop the cap back on and place the red and pink tube on the table again, lying down in bed. She pulls the covers up to my ears and I grin, snuggling Spooky close to my face and gripping his ear in my hand. Spooky's tired too. Leaning down, she presses a goodnight kiss against my temple and strokes Spooky's head. She walks to the door, turning to smile at me. "'Night, Kitten. Sleep well." "You too," I whisper. She nods, blinking slowly at me and sighing. She turns out the light and closes the door behind her. I smile and close my eyes, slumber coming quicker than I thought it would to my sleepy brain cells. * * * * * * I awaken with a start. Something's not right. The atmosphere is weird, ghostlike almost. My room feels cold. My feet are freezing and sticky under the covers. I scrunch up in bed and grip Spooky with both hands. He seems scared, so I stroke his furry head and snuggle my nose into his whiskery cheek. I don't like this at all. I climb out of bed and make my way into the hall, Spooky under my arm. That's when I hear it. Rustling coming from the living room. Then footsteps. Big, heavy footsteps that are muffled by the carpet. I race as fast as I can into Mommy's bedroom and speed around to her side of the bed. I reach out and shake her shoulder, more roughly than I really meant to. She stirs and sighs, murmuring something about it being too early to get up. "Mommy...there's someone in the living room." She's awake at once, reaching for the gun she leaves by the side of her bed every night, just in case. She lays a hand on my shoulder and squeezes. "You stay in here, Kitten. Sit tight on my bed." I nod and clamber up and wrap the covers around my legs. She smiles at me and leaves the room, leaving the door ajar on her way out. I swallow and wrap my arms around my knees, Spooky between them and my body. I shiver. It's gotten colder, I'm sure of it. I hate it when Mommy has to act less like a Mommy and more like an FBI agent, because it shows her as a hard fighter. But it's always a little exciting. I peek through the gap in the door hold my breath as I watch Mommy slowly open the door and step through it, holding her gun out in front of her with both hands. I swallow, remembering the only time someone tried to kidnap me and wasn't very successful. It was a night, much like this and I remember getting up for a drink of water. I always leave the lights off, I don't know why. Mommy says it's something to do with Mulder liking the dark so much. The man behind me being in the shadows, I didn't see him until he's lifted me up and over his shoulder. I remember screaming and Mommy came flying through the door, her gun held against the man's back, her other hand against his neck, nails biting into his flesh. I remember her words as if it were yesterday. "Let her go, you Son-of-a-bitch, or live the rest of your life as a stupid, drooling vegetable." I almost grinned at that. To hear Mommy use such vulgar words was weird, kinda funny, even though the situation wasn't. He let me go and Mommy handcuffed him to the tap, before wrapping her arms around me and burying her face in my hair. I was still a little shaken up, so I was trembling a little. Mommy held me for a long time and sat me on her lap when she called the cops to take the horrible man away. She wouldn't take her hand out of mine and it was as if our roles had reversed, as if she was the child and I was the Mommy comforting *her*. I'm jolted back to the present again, by the sound of Mommy's voice. "Get into the light where I can see you." I clutch Spooky to me and slide onto the floor, crawling silently towards the door. I don't know why I'm doing it and I know it's dangerous. Mommy will tell me off later, I'm sure. "Into the light," she repeats more slowly and I curl my hand around the door. I can see into the dark living room, across the hallway. I can see Mommy holding her gun out at the shadows. She swings around to face the other way and I stiffen. There's a dark shape to the left of Mommy. A dark, male figure. She's seen it and points her gun at the intruder. "Hold up your hands where I can see them," she commands. "I'm a federal agent and I'm armed." "Scully." A man's voice. Mommy freezes and her arms tremble. "Come into the light," she says again, but more gentle this time, like the kind Mommy I know well. The man steps into the light from the street lamp, but I can't see him. I can't see his face, he has his back to me. Mommy drops her gun to her side and I hear her swallow. Her face turns to that of shock. "M...Mul.." Mulder. Oh my... "Scully." His voice sounds broken, as if he has a sore throat. And Mommy drops her weapon onto the floor and wraps her arms around him, burying her face in his shoulder. "Oh God..." Mommy whispers, gripping his shoulders tight in her hands and holding him tight. His arms go around her back and rub her pyjama top up and down. I stay as quite as a mouse, watching. Mulder. They hold one another for a moment before Mommy breaks the embrace and steps back. She reaches up to his jaw and traces it with her thumb in wonder. "Oh my...Are you okay? Are you hurt?" She goes into doctor Scully, like she does when I'm sick, touching his forehead and smoothing her fingers through his hair. "No, I'm not hurt. I'm perfectly fine." He takes her face in is hands. I can see the non-believing look on her face. He grins and nods, as if revealing something magical. "Always the sceptic. That's my Scully." She smiles like a cat in the sun, (one of those beaming smiles that make people want to believe her theories) and lays her head against his chest, letting him wrap his arms around her shoulders. "I thought I would never see you again." She snuffs a little and I recognise the soft sound of impending tears in the back of her throat. Her eyes gleam with tears of happiness and I watch her close them against his shoulder and sigh a shaky sigh. He reaches up to stroke her hair back from her face and wipe away her tears. "Well, I'm here. It's okay now." I see her face soften and she sighs again, opening her eyes and pulling back to look at his face. She gazes into his eyes and he gazes back into hers. Something passes between them and I smile a little at them both. It is magical. Special and sweet. I squirm on the floor, my knees rubbing against the soft carpet silently. I sure don't want to interrupt them. They look so happy. Mulder turns Mommy to see her face in the orange light from the window. They both have their sides to me now, so I can see Mulder's face in dark profile. He smiles, touching the backs of his fingers to he cheek. "Still as beautiful as ever." I watch Mommy blush a little at the comment and sigh. He sweeps a lock of her hair behind her ear and leans forward, dipping his face to nuzzle his nose against the side of hers. Mommy reaches up slowly to the back of his head and traces the soft hairs there with her fingers. Then the air changes between them. Something different invades their exchange. Mulder reaches up with his other hand to hold the sides of her face between them. Mommy just gazes up at him and sighs, tilting her chin up against his fingers and blinking slowly. He dips down to brush his lips against hers and I grin, excitedly. It's about time. He gives her a hopeful look and Mommy smiles, nodding slightly. He presses his lips firmly against hers, kissing her properly. The kiss lasts just a few seconds, but I'm captivated all the way through. When they break apart, Mommy gazes at him and completely breaks down. Her hands grip his shirt in a death grip. He holds her to his chest, tight and I feel my own eyes watering. She's waited so long for him. "S'okay, Scully," he murmurs and rubs her back. "I'm here." She nods against his shirt and plays with the collar, rubbing it between her fingers, as if trying to convince herself that he's really here. I'm itching to get up and say something, make myself known. But I stay on the carpet, tightly hugging Spooky to stop myself from squealing. Mommy pulls back and sighs, letting him brush away the tears lingering against her cheeks. She closes her eyes to these soft caress-like touches and sighs. I watch her open them and think for a moment, biting her bottom lip like she always does when she's considering something. "Mulder?" she breathes. "What?" His voice is gentle and affectionate. He reaches up to stroke her hair. "I have something to tell you." He frowns and dips his head to leave a kiss against her forehead. "Is it a good thing?" he asks. "I...don't know," she admits, avoiding his gaze. He grins. "Don't tell me. The lone gunmen are all married now, with kids." She looks back up at him and smiles, sheepishly. "No. You're close though." There's a small pause. "I'd like you to meet someone." She glances to the side and sees me kneeling on the floor. She smiles. "Molly, kitten." I swallow and stand, gripping Spooky's ear in my fist. This is it. I'm gonna meet the person I've been so curious about all these years. I smile a little and catch Mommy's eye. She gives me an encouraging smile and I turn my gaze to Mulder, who's looking my way, his head tilted to the side. I move out through the door and step into the living room, wanting to move forward. I suddenly feel shy, for one of the first times in my life. Mulder turns back to Mommy and gives her a questioning look. She smiles at him. "This is Molly," she breathes, holding out a hand to me. I move forward and take it, looking up at Mulder with wide eyes. My confidence builds as he holds out his hand and I shake it, wonder filling my mind and body. He's gentle with my hand, almost as if he thinks I'll break. Was he like that with Mommy? I shake it hard, just to show that I'm not weak. I can't speak. My mouth won't move and my voice won't work. I'm actually shaking hands with a man I should know well, but don't know at all. "Hi Molly," he says. His eyes are really friendly and warm and I feel myself smiling back at him. "Who's this then?" he asks me, pointing to my stuffed rabbit. "He's called S-Spooky," I stutter, giving him a shy, lopsided smile. He smiles right back. "Cool." I lower my eyes for a moment and grin, shyly. He looks back at Mommy and furrows his eyebrows at her. "Is she..?" He trails off and she nods. "She's my daughter." His lips form an 'o' and he glances hesitantly through the door into Mommy's bedroom. "So you're...you're married now?" he asks, obviously embarrassed and incredibly disappointed. "No, Mulder." She shakes her head and takes his hand with the one not holding mine. "She's ours. She's yours." He looks puzzled. "But we never..." He glances at me and I can tell he's wondering whether I know about sex. I roll my eyes and decide to put him straight. "It was artificially done," I tell him, feeling really intelligent. "CGB Spender implanted a fertilised egg inside Mommy one night while she was asleep. It was just before you went missing." I grin. "He took the sperm out of you when Mommy came back from Africa a year before." Mulder grins at me. "Just like your mom." I grin and blush a little. He turns to Mommy and catches her smiling at the both of us. "I taught her everything she knows," she says, laying a proud hand against my shoulder. I giggle and look up at the cuckoo clock on the wall. 4:15am. Late. I try to smother a yawn with my hand, but Mommy notices. "We'd better get you to bed, Kitten. It's late." I nod and catch the shared glance between Mommy and Mulder. "I guess..." "I'll sleep on the couch." He looks almost miserable. Mommy touches his arm and slides her hand down to his, gripping it tightly. She sighs, tilting her head to the side, coy as I've never seen her. "Sleep with me, Mulder." I'm momentarily forgotten, their shared gaze like the most beautiful words anyone could ever say. I lick my lips and look at the floor, shifting my feet around. Then Mommy breaks his gaze and looks down at me, smiling her soft, sleepy smile. "You wanna sleep with us, Kitten?" I bite my bottom lip and frown. They want me to sleep with them? I'd have thought that after all these years they'd want to...get more intimate. "Okay," I say eventually and Mommy wraps her hands around my waist, pulling me into her arms and balancing me against her hip. She holds out a hand to Mulder and he takes it, smiling at her as we walk together though the door and into Mommy's room. * * * * * * I blink and try not to wake Mommy or Mulder as I shift to get more comfortable in Mommy's arms. I turn slowly around onto my side and face Mulder. My daddy. I study his face and chew my bottom lip, thoughtfully. He has little speckles of grey in his hair and his face is more creased than it is in the photos we have. He has a thin stubble on his chin and I think it makes him look funny. I want to reach out and touch it, to see if it's soft or spiky, but I don't want to wake him up. I snuggle a little closer and sniff. He smells musty and male, a bit like Uncle Walter and Uncle Melvin. But he smells nicer. A little like...I know its sounds silly, but a little like summer. This is just what I imagined him to smell like. Weird. I bet Mulder would say it was an X-file. Mulder's arm is under my head, his hand resting softly against Mommy's hair, under her cheek. She was cuddling me, but her left hand now holds Mulder's right against my waist, on top of the covers. I smile at them both and sigh. They look so peaceful together and Mommy looks happier than she ever has. I should leave them. I should leave them be and go back to my own bed. That would be the right thing to do, I think, considering they need some time alone together, even if they are asleep. I lean up carefully on my arms and press a kiss against Mommy's forehead. "'Night Mommy," I whisper, quiet as a mouse. I untangle their fingers and crawl out of their embrace, being careful not to bounce the mattress as I go. I sit back on my knees and take both their hands in mine, gently laying Mommy's atop Mulder's on the bed. I crawl to the end of the bed, Spooky clasped tight in my hand. Just as I'm getting to the door, I hear a rustle of bed sheets. I cringe and turn slowly around, fearing that I've woken them up. When I look at them, Mulder has pulled Mommy against him and she's wrapped her arm around his shoulder. They're both still sleeping peacefully. I grin and sigh. They look so cute together. I make my way out of the door and into my bedroom, curling up with Spooky in my bed, and falling asleep. * * * * * * La fini

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