NOTE: Written for the Easter Exchange on Twitter. I got so excited when I saw Anika ( Baroness_Blixen) was my recipient! :) No specific prompt, so I absolutely HAD write a nice family fic for her with fluff and angst. Hope you enjoy this, girl! Many thanks to Monika MonikaFileFan and Cate RationalCashew for their awesome beta work on this! And to the amazing Paislie for the wonderful cover art! This fic takes place within the same post-MSIV universe as Into the Unknown. :)
Six months had passed since Scully had developed a cure for the Spartan Virus which led to millions of lives being saved across the globe and just over two months since the birth of their daughter, Katie.
Another remarkable power Scully seemed to possess, was the ability to drag not just Mulder, but also their teenage son to Easter Vigil; Their son who would be eighteen just next month.
The last time she was in a church like this was not long after their daughter had been born. It was around Christmas time when she had felt comfort in prayer and took solace in Mulder's presence as she confessed her sins behind closed doors. It was a complicated and difficult time with the onset of postpartum depression.
The reality of being a geriatric mother old enough for an AARP membership was starting to settle in and she had been dealing with episodes of what Mulder insisted were signs and symptoms of PTSD as a result of everything that had happened when William was a baby. Everything hit her full force along with postpartum depression.
Katie was now five months old and when she wasn't sleeping, she and Scully were inseparable. Normally, she knew Mulder enjoyed the sight, but he knew something was wrong and it took a trip to the ER and a diagnosis of a double ear infection for Scully to break down her facade of steel.
" I'm afraid I'll lose her ," she had said as he held her. She didn't have to continue for him to know what she was referring to. " Like William ," he thought.
As she stood at the altar pondering, she proceeded to light several candles as she had done before. One for each family member. Her mother, her father, her sister and Emily, the daughter she never had a chance to know.
Instinctively, she wrapped her arms around the infant that snuggled securely against her in the Moby Wrap as she stared ahead at the intricate scene etched into the glass before her.
The baby scrunched her little face and balled up her tiny hands into fists as she let out a small cry, shifting against her mother and startling Scully from her thoughts. She looked down at the perfect combination of her Mulder and gently rocked her. "Shh, it's okay, sweetheart. You're okay," she soothed.
With the gentle reassurance from her mother, Katie's lids closed over her crystal blue orbs as she settled back against her and drifted off to sleep once again. Scully had an hour or so before she would need to nurse her and she was still trying to master nursing in the wrap.
While Mulder and Jackson waited in the car, Scully contemplated what she told Mulder all those months ago. " I want to stop running and get out of the damn car...and that isn't my four-year-old self wishing for a miracle. That's my leap of faith forward and I'd like to do it together. " She wanted to try again...wanted him to take her back after she made the choice to flee.
Little did they know where they'd end up, she mused with a smile. She was pregnant and hadn't even known it at the time. Closing her eyes, she gently rested her chin on the baby's head as she breathed in her daughter's sweet baby smell.
Scully opened her eyes as she heard footsteps approaching from behind and turned to see Jackson walking towards her, his hands shoved into the pockets of his jeans. "Hey," he said awkwardly.
"Hi," she smiled a wide smile at the sight of her son.
"Is Mulder getting impatient?"
The dark-haired teenager shook his head. He was no longer a boy, Scully realized with an ache. He was eighteen now, growing every day.
"No, I uh, I actually just thought I'd come and pray with you. For my folks, you know?"
Scully couldn't help but feel a pang in her heart, but she understood. Her son had lost the two people who raised him for sixteen years.
When she didn't respond right away, he continued. "We also came to mass every Easter. Well, we actually went to church every Sunday, but I found it boring. Sometimes I'd fall asleep and my adoptive mom would be pissed."
Scully couldn't help but chuckle. She felt fortunate his adoptive parents had given him an upbringing that was faith-based. She smiled as she turned her attention to the candles in front of her.
Jackson followed her gaze to the several rows of glowing votives.
"When I come here, I like to light these candles and pray for those lost to us both physically and spiritually. Last time I was here I lit candles for my mother, father, sister and my daughter Emily," she explained.
Jackson's eyes went wide as she spoke and he glanced from the infant cocooned against their mother and back to her.
"Emily? You had another child? I had a sister?" he admonished.
Scully turned towards him, placing her hand on Kate from outside the wrap. "It was a long time ago, but yes. My ova were used to create her through surrogacy. When I found her, her adoptive parents had been killed. I wanted to adopt her, but I soon discovered she was very sick."
Scully's eyes filled with tears at the memory and Jackson couldn't help but search her mind. Not her thoughts per se, but he could read her feelings.
"She was different, like me," he said.
Scully turned away to afford herself some privacy as she wiped at her tears. When she turned back to face him, she nodded. "Yes."
Jackson looked to the tiled floor, clearly uncomfortable. "I'm sorry."
Scully sniffled. "It was a long time ago."
A small silence passed between them before Scully continued. "I also lit a candle for you. After I had seen you the first time, I was afraid for you. Having just lost your parents and already running for your life," Scully sighed deeply and averted her gaze as she felt tears prick at her eyes.
Jackson watched Scully closely as her voice caught in her throat, prompting the small being resting so close to her heart to emit a small whimper. As if she could sense their mother's pain and anguish.
Scully bit her lip before she blurted out. "I never wanted any of it for you," her voice cracked as the dam erupted.
Before Jackson could process what was happening, he stood and moved towards his mother before he pulled her into his arms and held her as she sobbed against him uncontrollably. He couldn't explain the overwhelming need to hug her, but he just knew he needed to stop the sight unfolding in front of him.
Jackson felt a lump form in his throat before he forced it down with a swallow. His vision blurred as he mustered up the courage to say, "I know."
Several moments passed as they wept together, completely oblivious to everything around them, including the small whimpers of the baby between them. It was then that he realized how undoubtedly small his mother was. He was amazed someone so strong could reside in such a small stature. Thankful for the lack of audience in the church, they remained that way for some time until his tiny sister opened her eyes and started to break into a full out wail in protest of being wedged between them.
As Jackson pulled back, Scully stepped back as she sniffled, wiping away her tears before she moved to soothe her teething daughter.
"Oh, Sweetheart, it's okay," she crooned as she stroked the soft chestnut hair. Katie quieted before she pressed against her mother and pushing herself to turn towards her brother. She smiled a gummy grin as she reached a tiny hand towards him and squealed.
Jackson couldn't help but smile back. Ever since his sister had been born, he felt an immediate connection and an indescribable bond. The need to protect her was a feeling like no other.
Scully smiled as she observed her children connecting with one another before she regrettably broke the silence.
"We should get back. Patience was never one of Mulder's virtues and this little one is due for a feeding," she said with a glance back to her daughter. "What do you say we get some dinner on the way home?"
"Sounds great," Jackson admitted.
Forty minutes later, the four of them arrived home with takeout from one of the local burger joints. Scully had excused herself to nurse Katie while giving her boys permission to dig in ahead of her.
She listened as Mulder and Jackson's voices drifted up to the second level of their house as Scully got herself situated in the nursery. Her tiny daughter had started rooting around and licking her lips in search of her meal as she whined.
"I know sweet girl, I know," she soothed.
Once she got her into position, Scully unbuttoned her blouse and unlatched her nursing bra, waiting until her daughter's tiny mouth was wide open before she gently pushed her towards her breast. She latched on almost immediately and began to suckle greedily. Scully closed her eyes, sighing in content as she felt the tingle of the let down as Katie nursed.
Looking down, relishing the sound of the little satisfied grunts, Scully began to speak. "I love you so much, little one, you know that?" she whispered. "And so does your daddy and your brother. None of us will let anything bad happen to you."
Katie opened her eyes as she continued to suck, her blue eyes catching her mother's. As her right arm supported the baby's weight, Scully reached over with her left hand to gently smooth the tendrils on the baby's head. "You may not know it yet, but many people love you," she whispered. "Uncle Skinner, Uncle Doggett, and Aunt Reyes."
When the baby unlatched, she gently shifted her to the other breast and let out a contented sigh. She closed her eyes as she listened to the mixed sounds of Mulder and Jackson talking along with the twitter of birdsong just outside the window, marking the beginning of springtime.
Once she was done feeding, she laid a burp cloth over her shoulder and gently patted her daughter's back. A few minutes later, she finished burping her before going to check her diaper. After she got Katie into a fresh diaper, she gently set the baby down into her crib.
She smiled, admiring her daughter's blue eyes and chestnut tufts of hair. Placing a gentle hand on her chest, Scully started to sing.
" Jeremiah was a bullfrog, was a good friend of mine ."
She hated hearing the tone-deafness in her voice as she sang the lullaby, but it always worked when it came to calming or getting William to sleep and it seemed to work just as well with Katie.
" Joy to the world...all the boys and girls ," Scully's voice echoed from the monitor, causing Mulder and Jackson to pause and look at one another.
Mulder made a silencing motion to Jackson who grinned before he whispered. "Don't mention anything, she's pretty self-conscious about her lack of ability to carry a tune."
"Really?" Jackson couldn't help but chuckle, his mouth full of burger meat.
Mulder smiled as he took a sip of his soda.
"Yeah. She sang it to me once and to you. I was only there for a short time, but she sang it to you when she was trying to put you to sleep. You didn't mind," Mulder smirked.
The sound of footsteps from behind them got their attention and Mulder wondered just how much Scully had overheard as she approached them. If she did, she didn't give any indication.
"I'm glad it doesn't take much to put her down. I hope it stays that way," she says as she joins them at the table.
Both Mulder and Jackson look at one another as if they were just caught with their hands in the cookie jar.
"What's going on between you two?" she asked skeptically as she unwrapped her veggie burger.
"Nothing," Jackson quickly offered.
Scully eyed them both dubiously but decided not to implore further as she was famished and started to devour her burger.
"So, actually something there is something I've been wanting to ask you guys," Jackson said, changing the subject. He averted his eyes, unsure.
"What is it?" Mulder asked, perplexed by his son's sudden change in demeanor.
"I um….I never got to visit my parents since they passed away. I was wondering if you could maybe take me to see where they're buried?" Jackson asked, still looking away.
Scully abruptly stopped chewing and reached out to touch Jackson's arm in gentle reassurance.
"Honey, you...don't have to ask. Of course, we'll take you. We…we know how much they meant to you and I'll always be indebted to them for giving you a life we couldn't during that time."
Jackson simply nodded. "Thanks."
Mulder looked over and smiled his approval.
Scully continued eating for a moment before she stopped to continue.
"I was thinking...I'd also like to show you where your," Scully hesitated, considering her words. "Grandparents' ashes are scattered."
Jackson considered for a moment. He remembered Scully talking about her as they went through some photo albums together a few months back. He knew that he was originally named after both her father and Mulder's father, but that his maternal grandfather had died years before his birth. Scully had also told him at length how much his grandmother, Maggie, loved him.
To Scully's surprise, Jackson nodded. "Sure, okay."
Mulder extended his hand towards Scully and she took his in her own as she took a deep breath.
"Your folks aren't too far away," Mulder explained, turning back to his son. "We ensured they received a proper burial after we were able to collect most of your things from your house."
Jackson smiled a real smile. "Thanks. I just wish I had one more chance to talk to them. To tell them how much I miss them. They were good parents even if they couldn't always understand me."
The first stop was the Arlington cemetery. The Van de Kamps didn't have specific wills other than Jackson inheriting everything they owned and since Jackson had for a brief time gone missing and later was pronounced dead, it made probate more complicated as the Van De Kamps' estate and financials would revert to the state had Mulder and Scully hadn't intervened.
They decided to go big rather than go home in their final days at the FBI and, with Skinner's help, they were able to fulfill this last thing on their agenda.
As Mulder and Jackson got out of the car, Scully opened the back passenger door to get Katie, who was lulled to sleep by the ride into town. After a single attempt to get her Moby Wrap situated, Scully gingerly reached for her baby. Although her eyes remained closed, Katie let out a whisper of protest as Scully scooped her up and got her situated inside the wrap, making sure she was nice and secure against her.
"You're really getting the hang of that thing, aren't you, Scully?" Mulder's voice came from behind her.
Scully scoffed as she pressed her lips to her daughter's downy head, full of dark hair. She was snug in a little off white onesie with a fox hoody.
"Well, it definitely makes a difference. I wish we had these when Will-Jackson was born," she corrected herself. "The closeness and security that resembles the womb keeps them calmer."
Mulder nodded as he gently brushed his hand against her shoulder before stepping back.
The three of them made their way past several headstones. The cemetery was surrounded by lush cherry blossom trees and as a light wind passed through the area, light pink petals danced about before landing on the graveled dirt.
Unsurprisingly, several other families had chosen Easter to visit lost loved ones. The park was fairly busy today.
Jackson carried a bouquet with a mix of pink and white carnations. Remembrance and gratitude, Scully had mentioned to Jackson as he struggled to pick out appropriate flowers at the store. It was a small gesture but, in a way, she wanted to express her own gratitude to these two people who loved and kept their son safe all these years. Their sacrifice wouldn't be forgotten.
Vibrant pink cherry blossom petals littered the ground beneath them, marking the beginning of the end of their already short season.
Scully's breath hitched as Mulder came to a stop in front of another familiar headstone that read Melissa Scully. Jackson, who had been looking down nearly ran right into his mother before he realized they had stopped.
He turned in the direction they were looking to see a headstone with overgrown grass that looked as if it hadn't been visited in ages.
"This is where Melissa, my sister was buried. Your aunt," Scully explained.
Jackson nodded as he stood next to Scully. Mulder moved forward to set some flowers, a mix of gladiolus and larkspur, beside her headstone.
He remembered her from the albums Scully had shown him.
"Strength of character and a beautiful spirit. That's what she was. She was very passionate about her beliefs, just like someone else I know," Scully said as she turned to Mulder.
Jackson rolled his eyes and Mulder couldn't help but smile, but they were quickly serious once again.
"It should have been me that night," Scully said as she knelt before the tombstone and placed her hand upon it. "But Melissa always believed everything happened for a reason. And I realize now, I was meant to be here," she said, her voice wavering.
Katie shifted from inside the wrap at the movement and Scully gently sushed her as she smoothed her hand over the baby's back.
"She would have loved to be an aunt," Scully said wistfully.
Mulder closed his eyes as if reliving everything that led up to that moment.
Several moments passed between them as Scully closed her eyes, reliving cherished memories. She moved to stand as Mulder helped her to her feet. Dabbing at her eyes, she continued, "Since your parents didn't have a specific will or close family nearby, we decided this would be the perfect spot for their burial."
Jackson kicked at a rock nearby. "So she wouldn't be lonely," he mused.
"No one is ever truly alone," Mulder quipped.
Jackson was about to keep going before he realized his birth parents had come to a stop. When he realized this was the place, he stopped and clutched the bouquet tightly in his grip. His heart pounded in his chest.
Scully and Mulder parted just slightly and he could tell his birth mother already had tears in her eyes that threatened to fall.
Kimberly and Brad Van De Kamps. Slowly, he moved closer to the large headstone with their engraved names. He reached out with his free hand and gingerly ran his hand along the textured edges. Loving, husband and wife, father and mother, together forever. As he looked around at the other headstones, he realized his parents' headstone had to have cost a fortune. All the engravings were in marble.
Jackson wasn't one to get emotional, but as he set down the bouquet of flowers, the weight of everything suddenly became too much. The sound of gunshots, the image of their lifeless forms imprinted into his memory...his mother's guttural scream. He felt his mother's hand on his back as he sunk to his knees, a hand resting against the headstone.
Suddenly, his shoulders started to shake violently as he let out a year's worth of pain and anguish he'd been carrying around for so long. He should have felt self-conscious by laying all his emotions on his sleeve, by displaying any sign of weakness or vulnerability, but right now he didn't care.
At some point, he was vaguely aware of Mulder and Scully kneeling beside him and rubbing his back as he ugly cried. His sister fussing against her constraint in an attempt to get his attention. This was the first time he had really allowed himself to be completely vulnerable and he was thankful that Mulder and Scully remained silent while letting him know they were there with their hands on his shoulders.
"I'm so sorry," he found himself sputtering and he immediately recalled Scully's tearful revelation to him in the morgue just over a year ago now.
"You don't have anything to be sorry for," Mulder's words triggered an immediate deja vu.
Jackson said nothing, but he felt the dam stop overflowing as he took a deep, shuddering breath. Unphased by anyone who may have been nearby them, he sighed as he rubbed at his eyes with his sleeve. As he pulled away to look back at the headstone, he was startled by Scully handing him a tissue. He took it without a word and blew his nose.
Once his breathing returned to normal, he heard Mulder speak again.
"You know, I once said that I want to believe. Over twenty-five years ago it was a reference to little grey men from outside this universe, but there came a time when I questioned everything, including the truth. And even though I received all the answers I sought, I still wanted to believe. I still do."
Jackson sniffled as he turned towards Mulder, who stood. Scully remained by his side, a hand on Katie who nestled against her chest and the other on his back.
" I want to believe that the dead are not lost to us. That they come to us as something greater than us...greater than any alien force. I want to believe that if we listen to what's speaking, it can give us the power to save ourselves. "
Scully sniffled as she started to openly weep at the memory. So many years ago, they were left with such uncertainty, but she had her faith and they had each other. They carried on. For better or worse.
Jackson stood and extended his hand toward Scully to help her to her feet.
Mulder turned towards Scully and opened his mouth to speak, possibly regretting his choice of words and the effect it might have had on her.
"Scully…"
She shook her head as she wiped her tears. "No...it's. I'm okay, Mulder. It's just...who thought we'd be where we are right now?
A gentle wind picked up around them and a dancing pink cherry blossom landed right on Katie's head.
The baby roused slightly at the featherlike touch. Scully plucked the tiny petal off of her silky head.
"Cherry blossoms have but a short lifespan. A common symbolic flower of the spring, it represents a time of renewal and the fleeting nature of life. It is known as the "Sakura" in Japan, but also not exclusive though it's cultural importance is significant, reminding us that though life is overwhelmingly beautiful, it is tragically short," Scully explained wistfully as she held out her hand, watching the tiny flower dance away from her palm.
Mulder watched his wife in awe. "I thought you were immortal though, Scully," he chuckled, lightening the mood. "See," he said, turning to Jackson. "Who needs Google when you have Scully?"
Mulder gave a small smile before he turned towards Jackson. "Ready?"
Jackson nodded. "Yeah...can I just, have a minute?"
"Of course," Scully replied as she gently reached out and touched her son's arm.
"We'll be at the car, okay?"
"Okay."
Mulder slipped his arm around Scully's shoulders as they walked back to the car. Jackson watched them for a moment, before turning back to his parent's headstone, contemplating Mulder's words.
"So much has happened Mom...Dad. I'm so sorry, for everything that's happened. You both never gave up on me when you probably should have...thank you. I wish...I wish you could have met my birth parents. Dana reminds me a lot of you, Mom. And, Dad...Mulder likes playing ball too. They're good people. I...I have a sister now, too. I think you both would have liked her. I know how much you wanted to give me a sibling. I think in some ways she might be like me, but I don't want to scare Dana or Mulder… but I don't feel alone anymore. There are also others out there, like me."
Jackson closed his eyes as he placed his palm on the headstone once again. "I miss you both so much," Jackson's voice wavered, but he remained composed.
The light breeze of spring caressed his hair as he took a deep breath. He felt a light sensation on the top of his hand and he opened his eyes to see a small cherry blossom flower that had come to rest against his skin.
With his right hand, he picked up the small flower to observe before setting it on top of the headstone. He looked up at the luscious blooms of the trees around him.
"They couldn't have picked a better place to lay you both to rest," he mused. Another moment passed and he figured he'd better get back. "Well, I'd better get going...bye, Mom...Dad."
As Jackson turned and started toward the car, back to his new family, he felt as if a massive weight had been lifted from his chest as a gust of pink blossoms cascaded around him in the fresh Spring air.
Mulder had just finished changing Katie when Jackson returned to the car and she had immediately demanded her meal.
Using a small blanket cover that hung from her neck to afford them both some discretion, Scully fed their daughter.
Jackson rode in the front seat on the ride to the park where Maggie Scully's ashes had been scattered.
It had been two years since her mother had passed away, yet Scully still had lingering pain in her heart. Though her heart was now full, perhaps there would always be a small piece of her heart that her mother left vacant.
" My son is named William, too ." Scully bit her lip to prevent another onslaught of tears.
A moment later, Mulder brought the SUV to a stop as close as they could get to the beach area.
Once again, Scully made sure Katie was secure in her wrap and resting peacefully against her before they headed down to the beach area.
Hands shoved in his pockets, Jackson followed. When they reached the rocky shore, Mulder gently placed his hand on Scully's back and offered a small smile.
"I'm gonna look around," he said. Scully turned to see the silent offer in his eyes to provide them some privacy, not that they really needed it, but they had been here before, she and him. They scattered Margaret's ashes together.
He offered a smile of approval before he turned towards the little one against her chest.
"Want me to take her?"
Scully shook her head. "No, it's okay."
"Alright, holler if you need me. I won't go too far," he promised.
"Okay," she smiled as she saw him venture towards the large log not too far behind them. Its presence was timeless, now at one with this beach.
She couldn't help but remember the conversation they had on it as she watched him retreat. They had been talking about her mother's last words, how they were about William...how she felt as if she had treated him like trash and had abandoned him. How she would never find answers to her own mysteries.
" I won't know if he thinks of me, too, or, if he's ever been afraid and wished that I was there. "
" Does he doubt himself because we left him ?"
" I want to believe. I need to believe, that we didn't treat him like trash."
"Mo…Dana? You ok?" Jackson's voice startled her from her thoughts and she nearly missed his slip up.
She quickly wiped at her eyes before turning towards him, wondering if it was her imagination or if he started to say what she thought he had said.
"Oh, yeah, sorry."
Jackson raised an eyebrow at her, unconvinced and she couldn't help but laugh. As she looked over at the oddly calm waters today, she felt at peace. She reached into her pocket and thumbed at the coolness of the quarter inside.
"This is where my parents' ashes were scattered...my dad some time before my mother, your grandmother."
"So, what was your dad like?" Jackson asked as he bent down and picked up a rock, impressing Scully with his skills as he skipped it along the balmy waters.
Katie started to mewl and she shifted against her constraints. Scully gently shifted her so her upper body had more freedom to move.
Jackson watched as her blue eyes met his and she cooed.
"Well," Scully said, placing a gentle kiss to the baby's forehead, "He was a Navy Captain and a very authoritative one. You couldn't get much passed him, but we bonded over Moby Dick, I called him Ahab and he called me Starbuck."
Jackson made a face. "Seriously?"
Scully chuckled. "I was rebellious when I was younger. I studied to be a doctor and never quite earned his approval when I decided to go into the FBI."
She swayed back and forth, gently bouncing the baby.
"He would have loved you...just like your grandmother did," Scully continued with a smile. "You...were the apple of her eye. She had two other grandsons, your cousin Matty and Mike. But you..were her favorite," Scully shamelessly admitted. "It's probably because I was never supposed to have children."
"Yet, here we are," Jackson nodded towards Katie who was tired of being in her sling.
Scully gently lifted her out and carried her against her chest as she tried to hold her head up and examine the world around her.
Jackson sensed there was more as Scully continued. "When...I gave you up for adoption, we didn't talk for some time. She was devastated. She didn't understand how I could be given such a miracle to give it away," her voice wavered as Katie shifted against her.
"She died from a heart attack; she'd had congestive heart failure for some time, but I never knew about it. She was just suddenly hospitalized. Her last words, however, were about you."
Jackson's eyes widened as Scully replayed the events for him in her words.
"I had told her you were with us and she woke up saying what she did. But she said it specifically to Mulder. In a way, I knew that it was her way of letting us know she was at peace with our decision and wanted us to know that you were okay even though we couldn't see you."
Jackson looked away as he responded. "So that's why you guys kept following me, huh?"
Scully managed a small laugh. "It was important to her that she knew your Uncle Charlie was okay before she passed away and I guess in a way, she got some closure by hearing him on the phone. But anyways, when you told me to let you go-I understand what she meant now. I had to make sure you'd be okay, that's why we followed you. Even though I didn't get to raise you, I still brought you into this world, so I felt responsible," her voice started to break.
Jackson was startled by the information. "Charlie...is that…"
"Your Uncle," Scully explained as she knelt down. Holding the baby with both her hands, she gently dabbled Katie's feet into the water and she shrieked into a fit of giggles at the sensation.
"They were estranged and none of us really know why."
"I see."
Jackson sank to his feet and found the smoothest surface he could possibly find before he sat down and watched his mother and sister. Her happiness and enthusiasm were contagious. Before she was born, he felt a connection to her he couldn't quite discern. She was like him, but also different. He just knew that he would do anything to protect her so she'd never have to experience the life he did.
He realized he had gotten lost in his thoughts as his sister emitted a shriek as she reached a chubby arm towards him as Scully held her upright.
"You want to see your brother?" Scully crooned in a sing-song voice.
Katie let out a squeal of delight as Scully moved to place her in Jackson's grip. Her heart swelled at the sight of them and she reached into the small bag she was carrying for her phone. Jackson frowned at the implication but complied as she snapped a few photos of them. He had seen his birth mother shed too many tears in the short time he knew her that he thoroughly enjoyed seeing her happy.
She returned her phone to her pocket and pulled out the quarter necklace. Jackson looked on in confusion as his sister pushed against his chest.
"What is that?"
"Your grandmother was wearing it when she was admitted to the hospital. I still to this day don't understand it's significance other than that it was important to her," Scully mused as Jackson looked over it briefly before passing it back to her.
Scully glanced at it once more before awkwardly seating herself next to Jackson.
"I wish I could have met her; she sounds like a nice person."
Scully's widened at the familiarity of the words and was instantly transported back to the gas station in Norfolk.
Before she could respond, the sound of footsteps startled them both.
"I got bored," Mulder whined. "Ready?"
Mulder held his hand out towards Scully as she moved to sit up.
"Yeah, I'll...uh, meet you guys back at the car in a minute."
Mulder nodded in silent understanding before Scully reached for Katie so Jackson could get to his feet.
Jackson offered a small smile as he followed Mulder.
Once they were a good distance away, Scully turned back to the vast blue waters as she slipped Katie back into the wrap. Once the baby was securely against her chest, she sighed.
"I wish you were here, Mom," she whispered, suddenly overcome with emotion. "I wish you got to meet William and your grandaughter...you have a granddaughter now. I know you would have spoiled her terribly. And Mulder...I finally found my way home," she gushed, tears stinging her eyes.
"I miss you. I wish you were here with us," she began to weep. As if on cue, Katie started to whimper. It never failed. Whenever she was upset, her daughter seemed to sense it. Scully gently smoothed her fingers over her daughter's downy head to calm her as she placed a kiss against her baby smooth skin.
She took a deep breath as she gathered herself and released a slow breath into the air.
"Say 'hi' to Ahab for me and to Melissa," she whispered. "I think Katie looks a lot like her already."
With a small smile, she turned and moved up along the rocky path, but not before a sudden gust of wind rushed past them. Despite the mild temperatures, Scully felt a sudden warmth permeate throughout her entire body. She let out another breath she hadn't realized she had been holding and looked down at her beautiful daughter who was now eerily content, resting against her chest.
"Time to go home, baby girl."