Chris Carter and Fox TV own everything related to the X-Files. No copyright infringement is intended nor should be inferred. This is my take on thing. (In my world William was returned to them and they didn't break up.)

Ready

"Are you ready for this?" Scully stared at her reflection in the mirror above the sink. She knew she was repeating Mulder's words from earlier. Skinner wanted them back. The Government had sanctioned the reopening of the X-Files. She would have laughed if she hadn't known both AD Skinner and Mulder were deadly serious. Sighing she stared at the image in the mirror. She was twenty years older, not necessarily twenty years wiser. Her weight had plummeted since Mulder had been ill, working full time, studying and raising two children would do that she reasoned.

"Mom!" She smiled slightly. The fifteen year old boy was a replica of his father, but with her red hair and knack for science.

"I'm in the bathroom! Call your Dad!"

"Lucy is driving me insane!"

"She's your sister!" She heard her partner call. "That's what sisters do! Man up!"

Scully picked up the brush, pulling it through her hair she cursed. She didn't want her son to 'man up'. He was her baby boy and always would be. Turning she left the bathroom before heading downstairs.

"Mom, William is a dork!"

"Sorry Sweetie, that's what brothers are. I have two, I feel your pain." Scully ruffled Lucy's dark brown hair.

"He won't let me watch TV."

"Oh?" Scully had become used to these petty childhood squabbles. "William?"

"Ah Mom, all she ever does is want to watch sci fi crap! All aliens and flying saucers! The football is on." The teenager watched as his parents exchanged slightly amused glances.

"I see." Scully folded her arms. "I also see that you both have assignments for school. Now get those done and I might think about listening to television related arguments. Ok?"

"But Mom!"

"Mom, really?"

"Guys, listen to your mom." Mulder chipped in as she raised an eyebrow. Both adolescents left the kitchen in a huff as Mulder shrugged. "What?"

"Way to go, backing me up there Mulder. Make me the bad guy." She closed the kitchen door, relieved both kids had gone up to their bedrooms without too much drama.

"I." He watched as she walked across the room. "Dana."

"What about them? You know what this cost us both. Ten years of our lives stuck in that basement. Ten years of trying not to get killed." She kept her voice calm.

"That's where we fell in love." He smiled. She took a breath.

"No one but the FBI's most unwanted." She looked him in the eye. "That's what you said to me. In those ten years both your parents died, my dad, Melissa, Emily, I got cancer, was abducted more times than I can count. You, your sanity was destroyed, you lied about having a brain disease, were declared dead. Our son was almost killed. I had to hide him." Tears filled her eyes. "I kissed my baby boy goodbye that day not knowing if or when I'd see either of you again. And that's not mentioning Super Soldiers, flukemen, Pusher or anything else that tried to destroy us over ten years! Remember the Arctic?"

"Dana."

"And why does Skinner want us? What about Reyes and Doggett? You vanished and I gave up the X files when I was pregnant with Will. As far as I can see, Monica and John should be asked to go back. Not us." She got up, walking away from him. Mulder remained on the couch, running a hand over his face.

"You know why."

She was already headed towards the small room she used as a study. Her mind focused on spending an hour studying while the kids did their homework. Mulder followed her.

"You know why." He repeated. Dana nodded before turning to face him.

"Monica Reyes is a bloody good agent. She knows the X files as well as you and I. John would follow her to the end of the earth."

"I thought that about us."

"Yeah." Scully agreed. "But it's not about you and me anymore. It's about a fifteen year old boy and his eleven year old sister. It's about what's best for the two kids I'd never thought I'd have." Mulder nodded. He completely understood she wanted to put the kids first. Going back into medicine had been one way of doing that - while he had been the stay at home dad. One of them needed to have a normal job. He just didn't see how he could make her see.

"I spoke with John Doggett and Walter Skinner yesterday. The reopening of the."

"I have work to do."

"Damn it Scully! Listen to me!" She turned, eyes glowing in anger as she stared at him.

"Opening the files again. It may be the only way to end this, once and for all. Finally bring to justice the men that killed Melissa, that gave you no option but to give William away." He watched as tears filled her eyes. "To stop them doing it again."

"Mulder."

"I can't do this without you. Reyes and Doggett are going to be there but I need you with me." He stepped forward. "I love you, I wouldn't ask you if I didn't think we could do this. They lied to us back then. 2012 wasn't the end. It was the starting point." He rested his hands on her shoulders as she listened to him.

"Mulder, our children. They have to be safe. You know Will isn't like other teenagers. You know Lucy shouldn't either exist. If anything happened to them."

"I'd die before I let that happen." He kissed her gently as she let her eyes fall closed. A moment later he stepped back. Scully frowned slightly.

"You asked if I was ready. Thing is Mulder, are you?"

Xxxxxx