"Mommy, can I have pony?"
Emily trotted into the kitchen, where Scully was pouring cereal into bowls with baby William on her left hip.
"I don't know if we have the room for a pony, Em. You should ask Daddy... he might know where to find a local stable and we could go visit them, if you want"
William was playing with the cross around Scully's neck, as she placed the bowls onto placemates on the table. Emily hopped onto a chair, as Mulder came in and sat down.
"DADDY!"
Mulder smiled, and ran a hand down one of Emily's strawberry blonde pigtails.
"Daddy, I want a pony!"
"Since when?"
"I dreamed I was a Princess... I had pony... and we lived in a Castle"
Scully looked at Emily, then to Mulder before sliding Will into his wooden highchair and sitting down.
"If you ever had reason to doubt she was your daughter, I think you have your answer now"
Mulder glared at Scully.
"Well, that's a big dream for such a little girl"
Emily pouted, a lot like Mulder did back in the day.
"What did Mommy say?"
Mulder looked to Scully for the rigth answer. Scully was spooning lukewarm oatmeal into William's mouth and using her fingers to remove the rest from his chin.
"I was thinking we could find a place around here, and if she REALLY wanted a pony, we could sign her up for riding lessons"
Emily was quietly eating her cocoa pops.
"Hmm. I might know of a place... but I don't know if it's worthy of a Princess"
Emily's plastic 'Disney Princess' spoon slipped into the matching 'Disney Princess' bowl.
Mulder was on the floor playing with William, while he called the stable, and set up a time to visit.
"Scully, they have a block of time free this afternoon. Should we take it?"
"Sure. I think Emily would explode if we made her wait any longer. Come on, Will, let's get you ready"
Scully picked Will up off the floor and left Mulder to make the appointment.
"Emily?"
"Are we going to see the ponies now?"
Mulder was sitting on the couch, and pulled Emily close.
"Yeah. Get dressed. Quickly. Go!"
"I love you, daddy"
Scully was getting William dressed, in warm wintery clothes, when Emily rushed past.
"DADDY! I'm ready! Can we go now?"
Emily bounded into the loungeroom wearing a blue tutu, white leggings and glittery princess top.
"Yes, but we have to wait for Mommy and Will"
They drove twenty minutes to the stable and when they arrived it was covered in a dusting of snow.
"It's so pretty, Mommy"
Scully turned her head and looked at Emily and William in the back seat.
"It really is, Em. You should thank Daddy for driving us"
"Thank you, Daddy"
Mulder turned the car off, and smiled into the rearview mirror.
"You're welcome, kiddo"
Scully unbuckled William, while Mulder helped Emily out of the SUV.
"Are the ponies sleeping?"
"Some might be, but the owner said they would have a pony prepared"
Mulder was holding Emily's hand and he could feel her anticipation beating through her and into him.
"Can we take one home, Daddy?"
"Probably not. I don't think Mommy would let Daddy sleep in the house, if we left with a pony. I promise to bring you back here, whenever you want though"
Scully laughed.
"How about we stop by the Mall on the way back home, and get a soft toy pony, for you to play with at home?"
"Really, Mommy?"
"Promise, Em"
The owner of the stables opened the huge barn doors. There were two rows of horses on either side of the inside of the barn. Mulder looked down at Emily.
"What do you think, Em?"
Emily looked up at the horses in awe. William squealed and wiggled in Scully's arms.
