| John Doggett took them to eat at a diner that was casual enough for the baby, but took itself seriously enough to have really good food. "You shouldn't have worried about him," John said, indicating the baby. "He's really good." William, smashing up a cracker on the tray in front of him, looked up with wide, quizzical blue eyes. "Smart, too," John added. "He knows I'm talking about him." Dana smiled at her small son. "He just knows a friend when he sees one. Thanks for doing this, John. I was two seconds away from having a nervous breakdown when you asked me out." "That's what friends are for," He said lightly. Then, in a more serious tone, he said, "I'm worried about you, Dana. Everyone who knows you worries about you. I thought when you got Mulder back, everything would be fine and you'd be happy. You don't always seem happy, though." "It's complicated," She said, looking down at her plate. "What's so complicated about it? It would be perfectly clear to me." "I know, but you're not Mulder. He likes going off in different directions at the drop of a hat. He's always got a million things on his mind." "And you get the leftovers," said John. "It's not right. You deserve better. You're one of the smartest, funniest, most beautiful women I've ever met. One of these days I'm going to tell Mulder what an idiot he's being." "No, John, don't. He is what he is, and nothing will ever change him." "And that's good enough for you?" "I don't know," she said softly, and at that moment she didn't. She had to turn away from those soul-searching blue eyes of his. She glanced at William and found him twisting around in his high chair, looking at an elderly couple getting up from the table behind them. The older woman smiled at Scully. "Your baby is so cute, and such a well-behaved little thing!" Turning to Doggett, she patted him on the shoulder, and said, "You must be very proud." He sighed as she walked away. "Sorry about that," said Dana, embarrassed, picking up her son. Not as sorry as I am, he thought, but for different reasons. Being around William reminded him how much he really missed being a dad. He changed the subject to work, which seemed safe enough. They talked about cases they'd gone on, FBI politics, the new computers they'd gotten and how difficult it was getting them up and running. Dana told him how she'd joined the Bureau out of medical school and what it had been like. He told her a little bit about New York and his police work. William had been asleep in his mother's arms for an hour before they paid their check and left. All talked out, Dana felt as peaceful as the baby. It had been so long since she had really talked about anything to anyone. John Doggett helped her get the baby into his car seat. "Thank you again," Dana told him sincerely. "Any time," he said, then unexpectedly, he leaned over and kissed her on the cheek. "Hang in there. Things are going to get better." "I hope so." She smiled, and hugged him quickly. He walked away and she watched him drive off in his shiny silver truck. As she did so, she heard it. "Da!" She looked at William sitting in his car seat. "What did you say?" "Da, da, da, da, da." said the baby happily. Dana groaned. "Mommy has been humiliated enough for one day. Don't you start!" He banged his small hand on the padded seat, and firmly repeated, "Da!" Maybe Mulder IS an idiot, Dana thought. He should be here. |