Child of Yesterday

by Aislinn Carter

A child that Scully gave up 15 years ago finds her, and Scully and Mulder's lives are changed forever. A secret from the past rears it's ugly head, proving that fate really does exist. A look into their lives from then until death.

Title is "Child of Yesterday"

Author is Aislinn Carter

Timeline: Season 7,in place of Requiem. Alternate universe from then on.

Summary:A child that Scully gave up 15 years ago finds her, and Scully and Mulders' lives are changed forever. A secret from the past rears it's head, proving that fate really does exist. A look into their lives from then until death.

Spoilers: I don't know...Most of them? I don't have time to go through a list. Sorry.

Category: MSR, children,future, eventual character death(don't worry, it's from old age).

Disclaimer:I definitely don't own or have any rights to Fox Mulder,Dana Scully,Walter Skinner,yadda yadda yadda and any of the other established X-files characters mentioned in this story. Fox,1013,and most especially Chris Carter and all his writers and whatnot own them. I'm just borrowing them for a little while.The character of Jessica belongs to me, along with anyone else who I created specifically for this story who is new to the x-files universe. I don't intend any copyright infringment, and no profits will come from this except my own personal satisfaction.Suing me would be pointless. I have no money.

Post it anywhere, just let me know at and please keep my name on it.Thanks.

Feedback: Please,yes. Let me know what you think, love it or hate it.

A/N: This was the first fic I ever posted, so if it's a little unpolished, that's why. But I hope it is enjoyed :)

---

May 4, 2000

Dana Scully wasn't often tempted to resurface old memories. She didn't like to think of what she had done all those years ago, her biggest regret, when she was just 21. She didn't like to think about her father, or her horrible abduction, or the awful way Melissa died. She hated to think about her barren womb, and she despised thinking about Emily. She was in her 36th year, heading closer and closer to that horrible big 4-0. Her chances, under normal circumstances, of conceiving would about now be slimming. But it didn't matter anyway. She would never have a child. The in-vitro with Mulder hadn't worked. She had hoped, and prayed, but once again, her faith had been in vain. There would be no baby.

She had never told Mulder, of course.Or anyone else, for that matter. Not her parents, not Missy or Bill or Charlie.They would have been so disapointed. She had only told the people necessary to help her, professionals, people who had no personal interest in her.After that, she tried hard to put it out of her mind, and with each passing year, the memories faded. Until recently, it was just a dull, grainy picture in the back of her mind, a fleeting image that she managed not to dwell on. When she found out about her infertility, the memories had briefly and painfully resurfaced, as they did when Emily died. But she shut them out. It was another person, another life.

But oh, how she wished she could go back, do it differently...

Stop that, she scolded herself, as the elevator let her out onto the basement floor of the J. Edgar Hoover building. Don't think about it, don't remember...

But why now, after all these years? Why had she been constantly thinking about it in the past few weeks? Why wouldn't it let her alone?

Dana sighed and walked down the hall to the office she shared with her partner, best friend, and the would-be father of her child, Fox Mulder. She was still somewhat pissed off at him.She had recently been informed by Skinner that Mulder had hid a degenerative neurological disorder from her, probably caused by the surgery cancer man had ordered on him all those months ago.

He had been receiving treatment for it, and suddenly, it disappeared. She had her suspicions, but she didn't tell anyone, and Mulder kept it to himself as well.But she was almost certain that cancer man himself had found a way to cure his supposed son of whatever ailment he himself had caused. His last gift, a way to try to make up for his misdeeds. She was more relieved than she would let on that Mulder hadn't suddenly and suspiciously died, only for her to find out what he had died from, what he had kept from her. They had argued about it terribly, but put it behind them, as they always did. She was so happy Spender had did this, but it still couldn't bring back everything else he had taken from them.Her children, her sister, Mulder's entire family.What they had done to her was bad enough, but they had done it to restrain him. They had destroyed Mulder, as much as she had tried to prevent it.She would kill for him, she would die for him, but cancer man had been right: she would never let herself love him. Too much pain was associated with Fox Mulder, too much of a chance of more pain. And as much as she did love him, with all her heart, she would never, ever admit it, or make any move to change the status of their relationship. That was up to him, if he felt the same way. She suspected he did, but that was a line neither would cross. It was too late. Nearly 8 years.Nothing would change now, and that was fine with her, and, she suspected, fine with him as well.

He had his feet up on the desk when she entered, munching on sunflower seeds, nose buried in a manilla file. He glanced up when he heard the clicking of her high heels, and a slow grin worked its way across his face.

"And where have you been?It is now..."he lifted his arm to look at his watch. "Oh, my God, it's ten after nine. Ten after nine, Scully! A whole ten minutes late! You go, girl. I guess my slothy ways are starting to rub off on you."

She shoved his feet off the desk and perched in their spot. "You're funny."

"And you love it. I'm the highlight of your day, the cream of your crop, the cherry on your sundae, the-"

"Why are you in such a good mood?" she asked, suspiciously. "Please, please don't tell me it's a big X-file. I've only just recovered from our recent tramping around in Missouri. That whole Genie thing creeped me out. I'd prefer to stay in D.C. a while, if it's o.k. with you."

"Fine by me." He stood up and handed her the file, leaning over her shoulder as she perused it. "Fifteen year old girl was found wandering around the Potomic around midnight night before last.She had I.D. on her, but she was in a trance-like state until yesterday morning. Kept saying she was looking for her mother. Around 6a.m. yesterday, she finally snapped out of it, having no idea how she got to D.C. She's from Long Island."

"So? You call this an X-file, Mulder? She was probably doped up and didn't want to admit it."

"The police thought of that. Gave her a tox screen, had her with a shrink. Bunch of medical and psychological tests.Perfectly healthy, normal teenage girl, from all appearances. But last night, she went into a trance again, and tried to escape social services. She was screaming for her mother. The thing is, her mother's been dead since she was two."

Scully's interest was piqued. "Do we have a history on her? I don't see one here."

"It's in the fax machine. Detective Madison at the P.D. just sent it."

Mulder reached over and grabbed a paper off of the fax machine tray. "Jessica Corrine Montgomery, 15 years of age. No place of birth, which is strange..oh, she was adopted at 2 days old, but there's no record of a birthplace or of her biological parents.Parents were Turner and Candace Montgomery, mother died of breast cancer when she was two, father had a heart attack when she was six, raised by paternal grandmother, Helane Montgomery...grandmother died two weeks ago, at which time she was placed with a cousin. They reported her missing yesterday morning, and have been contacted.Detective Madison put a personal note, that the cousins want to give custody to the state."

"Nice people." Scully bit her lip. "Okay, since it's in D.C. As long as I don't have to go to Long Island."

Mulder stared at her. "What's wrong with Long Island? You got Manhatten, you got the Hamptons. You got Splish Splash!"

She frowned. "What?"

"Water park. I have a cousin on Long Island with kids who I visit ever now and then. They like to make me take them to the water park. It's cute. They have fun, and I get to be a big kid."

Scully smiled faintly, resisting the urge to burst into tears. What a wondeful father he wouold have made to their child. Now, she was sure, he would never be a father. He was married to the X-files, and to her. He would never leave either one them.

"You always act like a big kid, Mulder. All right, come on. Let's go see this girl."

"Great." he grabbed the file from her and ushered her out of the office, chattering all the way up in the elevator."I personally think this might be something paranormal,or a past life or something. Maybe a spirit living through her with unfinished business. What do you think? Or maybe it's some sort of brainwashing technique..."

Scully managed to tune him out most of the way there, keeping her mind a blank. A fifteen year old girl, just like...No, better not to dredge it up again. Forget, Dana. Just forget.

---

The girl was being held in a social services facility close to the F.B.I building, so it was a short drive. They pulled up to the building, a four story brick affair with a discreet brass plaque next to the door, saying D.C. Social Services. They went in , showed their badges, and were escorted to a comfortable office in which sat an attractive, fifty-something woman with dark hair, bright eyes, and a puzzled frown. She was gazing at a file in front of her, but looked up and managed a smile for the agents as they walked in.

"Agent Mulder, I presume? Detective Madison called that you were coming. And who is this?" she smiled at Dana.

"This is my partner, Agent-"

"Pleased to meet you. Let's get down to business here, Agents. I've got a young girl here who keeps on having these horrible episodes, and yet no signs of a psychological order can be detected. I managed to break into her adoption records - which wasn't easy. The mother had some government contacts, and the records were completely sealed, except from Jessica. She would have been allowed full access to them when she turned 18, or in the event of a medical emergeny, at which point her guardians could access her mother's medical history. The mother's full medical file is in here, and she included a family medical history.There are no abnormalities, no psychological orders of any kind. No illnesses, or diseases. And Jessica is fine all the rest of the time. I've been told you specialize in the paranormal. I have to admit, I don't believe in that sort of thing, and I don't think you'll find anything here. But you're more than welcome to look into this, and to talk to Jessica, provided you don't upset her." She looked at Dana. "I'm so sorry, terribly rude of me. I'm Catherine Harless. I didn't get your name, Agent..."

Dana smiled. "Scully. Agent Dana Scully."

Catherine's smile faltered. "Dana..Scully? But..." she looked at the file in front of her. "I don't understand. How can you be...? Dana Katherine Scully? You're her?"

Dana felt a sudden chill, an inkling of terror."How did you know that?" she whispered.

"Why, it's right here in the file, dear. Under biological mother. Dana Katherine Scully, father William, mother Margaret. It's all right here. Didn't you know? Is that why you're here?"

She felt the shock wash over her, the fear and nausea and horror and joy. Was this true? Was the baby she gave up all those years ago just a few rooms away, close enough to touch and to hug? The baby she had though so many times of finding, her last chance to be a mother, her only living biological child? Was it true?

"I can't...I can't...I can't really breathe too well." she gasped. She saw Mulder out of the corner of her eye jump up and kneel beside her, rubbing her back. "Please...some water, please."

A cup of water was placed in her hand, and Mulder kept his hand on her back while she sipped. She placed the cup on the desk and took a deep breath. Glancing at Mulder, she could see that he didn't know what to think. Was it another Emily, or a child she had indeed given up? What was going on?

"Mrs. Harless, could you give us a moment? We need to have a word, then I'd like to be taken to...to Jessica." Dana said hoarsely.

"Of course." Catherine said quietly, then slipped out of the room, shutting the door softly behind her.

"Mulder, sit back down. I have a long story to tell you." she whispered

The shock in his eyes increased, but he sat back down in his chair. "Scully, is it true? Did you give a baby up for adoption?"

She licked her lips. "Well, when you told the judge during the fiasco with Emily that a physical exam would show I'd never given birth, it would have been a lie. I have given birth, although I don't remember it too well. I had a baby, when I was 21, and I gave her up for adoption. And I have regretted nothing more than I regret that."

"Oh, Scully..." he said softly.

"It happened when I was 20, the fourth of July holiday. A friend of mine from school dragged me home with her to the Hamptons - hence why I hate Long Island - for summer vacation. There was a huge party somewhere on the island - I don't remember where - for the fourth, and we went, and drank and danced and had more fun than we should have. I slept with someone, some guy. I didn't know his name, or if I did, I don't remember it. It was the greatest sex of my life, I remember that, but that doesn't matter anyway. We got separated later on, and I wouldn't know him again if he was right in front of me. My friend never remembered him either, which isn't a surprise. There were hundreds of people there, and every one of us was drugged up or drunk. I didn't think about pregnancy, although I guess I should have. But a month later, my period skipped, the morning sickness started, and I was pregnant.

"I was so ashamed. Me, Dana, the levelheaded, good girl. The future doctor, the child genius who got drunk, got laid, and got knocked up. I knew I couldn't tell anyone. I took night classes once I started showing, so I wouldn't see anyone I knew, and I got an off campus apartment after Christmas, so I wouldn't have to be in the dorms. I think most people assumed I had transfered. I didn't visit home at all after Christmas, saying I had too much schoolwork. I kept to myself, and arranged through some dicreet friends of my fathers to have the baby put up for adoption. A couple was selected, I met them and was satisfied that my baby would be well cared for, and two days after she was born, I personally handed her over to them." Dana sniffled, and wiped a tear from her cheek. "I knew I couldn't have a baby. I was too young, barely 21, and I had a strenuous career to look forward to. I told myself I would have more babies, that someday I'd get married and have a big family, but only after I had saved enough lives. But there was no marriage, and there will be no babies. I hardly even saved any lives." she looked into her partners eyes. "I could have raised her, Mulder." she said mournfully. "There was no reason for me to give her up. I could have raised her, and we could have been happy."

Mulder held out his arms, and she fell into them. He stroked her dark red hair while she sobbed into his shoulder. "It'll be okay now, Scully. She's found you. You found her. Someone up there saw how sad you were, and decided to give you someone to love. It won't be like Emily, honey. You heard what the lady said. Jessica is comepletely healthy. The only thing off about this is her trances that led her to you, but that's been known to happen. She needed a mother, you needed a daughter, and your minds must have reached out to each other. And you found each other. You have a child, Scully. You can't raise her, but you can love her. And she can love you."

"Oh Mulder!" Scully wept. "I have messed up so much. Please don't let this get messed up. I want my daughter back. I've wanted her back for 15 years. Don't let her get taken away from me, please."

"I will not let this one get taken from you." he said fiercely, hugging her tighter. "I will never let that happen again."

---

It was another few minutes before she could pull herself together, and they summoned Mrs. Harless back to the room. Scully explained the situation to her, and expressed her desire to get custody of the girl. It would be different this time, different from Emily. There was a clear government record stating that Dana Katherine Scully had given birth to Jessica Corrine Montgomery fifteen years ago. Getting custody, especially with the legal guardians giving her up, would not be a huge battle.

Mrs. Harless led them up a short flight of stairs to a small dormitory on the second floor. Two little girls played with dolls on the floor, and a young teenager sat in front of the television, flipping channels. But Dana knew Jessica the minute she saw her.

She sat on her bed, knees tucked into her chest, writing in a black spiral notebook. Her hair was long and straight, and was a pale combination of reddish brown and strawberry blone, not seeming able to make up its mind what color it was. She had her mothers lips, and the small smile as she wrote was no doubt the same as Scully's. She had the same shape face, more prominent cheekbones, though, and a nose that must have been her fathers. It was bigger than Dana's, but not unpleasant, She was a beautiful girl, and as she looked up and Dana saw her bright green eyes, that opinion was even further enforced.

They locked eyes with each other, each silently examining the other. Jessica set down her notebook and slowly stood up. She came over to them, continuing to stare at Dana. Tilting her head, she smiled a little more.

"Are you my mother?" she said softly. "Did they find you for me?"

"No. He found you for me." She jerked her head in Mulder's direction. "And yes. I am your mother. How did you know? How did you know where to find me?"

Jessica shrugged faintly, suddenly very pale. "I don't know." she said faintly. "I dreamed about my mother, that she wanted me to find her,and then I was in D.C. Are you angry I found you?" she asked in a small voice.

No." Dana said in a choked voice. "No, I'm very glad you did. I regret very, very much giving you up."

Jessica smiled. "I know. I've always known."

After a few minutes, Mulder and Catherine tactfully left the two alone, taking the other girls in the room downstairs with them. As soon as the door closed, Scully's daughter launched herself into her mothers arms and they held each other tight, each sobbing. When they had calmed down, they sat on Jessica's bed together, telling each other everything about themselves, about their lives. Dana made Jessica relate her entire life, horrified at what her child had gone through. Even though her grandmother had loved her, the woman had always been frail and sickly. Hardly the ideal parent. Then she had died, and Jessica had been sent to live with an elderly cousin of her father's, a woman and her husband who had no desire to keep a teenage girl they didn't know around. Once she started exhibiting strange behavior, they were more than happy to relinquish custody to the state.

"But that means I can live with you, right? If you want me to, that is." she said quickly.

Dana smiled. "If I had known, I would have gotten you back years ago. In fact, I requested that should you be in need of another guardian, that I be contacted. I guess that was overlooked. It won't be easy, but I won't rest until you live with me." she pushed a strand of her daughter's chameleon hair back. "You are my child. We belong together. And I am so sorry for everything. I can't turn back time. I can't change the past. But I can make a future, one for you and me."

Jessica smiled. "I'm glad. I knew I would find you. You're in the F.B.I.?"

Dana nodded.

"And that man, is he your husband?"

Dana bit her lip. "No. He's been my partner at the F.B.I. for nearly 8 years. He's my best friend. We work together on a unit in the bureau specializing in that paranormal. That's why we were investigating your case. The most miraculous of all coincidences."

"You're not married?"

"No. I'm married to my work,I guess. I could never abandon it, or Mulder."she said softly. "But I will abandon everything for you. You are my last chance to be a mother, when you should have been my first. You'll be my entire life now, Jessica. My entire world."

Jessica shook her head. "I'm very independent, very self sufficient. Please don't give up everything for me. Not your work, and especially not Agent Mulder. You two have a bond. I noticed that right off. I won't let you spoil that, or make any drastic changes in your life, because of me."

Dana pulled her daughter into a hug. "I'm going to love you very much, you know." she whispered.

"Just as much as I'll love you."

---

Mulder drove Scully home that night, after mountains of paperwork had been filled out and countless appointments had been made. It wouldn't be that hard for Dana to get custody of Jessica, but it wasn't going to be easy, either. Just because Catherine Harless seemed to like Dana, there were still state and government formalities to consider. A custody hearing would have to take place, observations would have to be made,and interviews would be required. But this time, they were both fairly certain that Scully would have her child.

The ride home was fairly quiet. Dana's emotions were too raw, and even this short separation from Jessica for the night was painful. They had cried upon parting, with Dana promising to be there first chance tommorow. Now, guilt and regret boiled up inside of her, as well as rage that she allowed herself to give up such a beautiful, precious child. A part of her was curious, and somewhat frightened, of how Jessica had found her. But, as Mulder said, they had both needed each other, and fate had brought them together.

Mulder pulled up to her apartment buliding, and placed the car in park.

He turned to her and smiled softly.

"If you need anything tonight, you know I'm only a phone call away."

She swallowed hard, debating within herself over what she was about to say, but deciding to go with it. "Could you come up, maybe just stay until I fall asleep? I don't think-" her coice caught on a sob. "I don't think I can be alone tonight. I'm in a lot of pain. I still can't believe its real, and I guess I'm afraid it might all go away."

Mulder hesitated, then nodded. "Of course. Tommorow's Saturday, so we don't have to work. If I crash on the couch, it won't interfere with the morning or anything. Are you sure?"

Dana nodded.

"O.K." Mulder shut the car off. He and Scully made their way slowly up to her apartment, again not speaking. Once inside, she went into her bedroom and reappeared with the black boxers and gray t-shirt that she kept for him for the times he spent the night. Times when she was scared, or lonely, or just couldn't seem to get Emily or Melissa out of her head. Times when she just needed him to hold her tight, or even just to stroke her hair or hold her hand. Times like when she told him the in-vitro hadn't worked, and they succumbed - for the first and last time in their 8 year history - to the their feelings of loss which culminated in their desire, ending with a night of passion that was never, ever discussed again.It had been just a few short weeks ago, but both of them had buried it so deep that it may as well have been a decade ago. Neither was willing to cross that bridge, not knowing what it would do to them.

Mulder changed in the bathroom, while she threw on a pair of silk shorts and a long t-shirt, then climbed into bed. He joined her shortly, turning out the lights and laying down next to her.It had been an unspoken agreement for some time now that he was to sleep in the bed when he stayed the night.

She needed it. They both needed it.

He wrapped his arms around her, and they settled into the comfortable embrace. She could feel his warm breath on his neck, could feel the warmth of his hand on her stomach, his body heat surrounding her. "Want to talk about it?" he asked quietly.

Dana swallowed hard. "I'm so sorry." she said hoarsely. "I should have told you. I should have told you so long ago. It was just that it's such a painful memory. I locked it away, pretended it didn't happen. It wasn't that I didn't trust you, or that I felt it was none of your business or anything. It's just not something I allow myself to dwell on. I told no one. I should have told you, but I couldn't bring myself to do it, especially after I found out I was barren, or after Emily.I was ashamed. Ashamed that I had thrown away my only chance at motherhood, even if I hadn't known it. I'm sorry."

"Don't you dare apologize. This was your demon to fight. If you had never told me, it would have been your decision, and none of my business. I'm just glad you have her back. And I will do everything in my power to make sure she stays with you forever. No one will be taking this child." He placed a light kiss on her cheek.

"Thank you, Mulder." she said tearfully. "Good-night."

"Good night, Scully. Sweet dreams."

---

Getting custody of her daughter was a fairly easy process. A few short weeks later, Jessica was settling into Dana's spare room, which she had transformed for her child's arrival. She found out that Jessica's favorite colors were blue and gold, so she had bought everything for a bedroom consisting of gold moons and stars against a blue background. She bought Jessica everything she could possibly think of, and Mulder did his own damage as well. The day Jessica moved in, he showed up at their door with a state of the art home theatre for Jessica's room, and a sheepish grin. Surround sound, DVD/CD/VCR, and a sub woofer to make any teen envious. Jessica squealed and hugged him tightly, and Dana gave him a thin smile and a sarcastic 'thanks so much'. But secretly, she was thrilled. Mulder and Jessica had clicked almost as instantly as she and Jessica. It wasn't his own, biological child, but it was a child whose life she hoped he'd be a part of. And from the looks of it, he planned to be.

Dana took a brief leave of absence from the bureau, and was nervous about returning to work and having Jessica stay home alone until she got home. But the girl hadn't been exaggerating about her self-sufficiency. Most nights, dinner was on the table when Dana - usually with Mulder in tow - came home at five or six. She had drastically reduced her office hours, and any and all work that she and Mulder could do at home, they did. Sometimes when they went on an out of state case, Jessica came with them, but she usually stayed with her new grandmother, who adored her.

Dana had told her family about Jessica a week after finding her. Bill, Tara, and Mathew happened to be at Mrs. Scully's for a visit then, and she contacted Charlie to come out with his wife , and they brought along their twin boys. Mulder accompanied her to her mother's house, and held her hand as she told her family what had happened all those years ago. Margaret had cried terribly, distraught that Dana had felt she couldn't confide in them, that she felt she had to give up her child. Bill had just looked disgusted with her, as he often did, but Charlie was very sympathetic. After they all calmed down, they became excited about meeting Jessica. So they all went with Mulder and Dana to the social services building, and Jessica got to meet her new family.

The weeks turned into months, and the summer flew by. Jessica had just been 15 in April, before she found her mother, so the family held a birthday picnic for her in August. She had finished her freshmen year with a tutor, but now, Dana had enrolled her as a sophomore at the local high school for the fall. They spent the summer bonding, getting to know one another. But Dana also had other things on her mind. Whether the in-vitro had actually taken, or whether it had been a miracle from their love-making, she didn't know. All she did know was that she woke up one morning shortly after Jessica moved in with her in May, and ran immediately for the bathroom. When her illness peristed, she visited a doctor, who confirmed her pregnancy. Dana argued with the doctor for a good hour or so, before finally admitting defeat. Shocked, she went home and gazed at her naked body in the mirror. There it was, just the tiniest of differences, a slight change in her breasts, a different look about her body. Only a month along, and the subtle changes, changes consistent with a pregnancy, were already there. She couldn't believe it, it was impossible. But there it was. She kept it to herself for months, too afraid of it going away if she said anything, too afraid that she was dreaming. Her daughter had been a dream come true, and now she would be a mother yet again, this time from start to finish. How her luck had changed so perfectly, she didn't know. But she knew they deserved it. They all deserved it.

She and Mulder were so completely wrapped up with Jessica that summer that they neglected their work on the X-files. They did enough cases to keep Skinner happy, but the consuming quest it had just been was now just a job, an way to pay the bills and buy Jessica yet more new things.Dana didn't know what would happen when the baby came. She didn't even know how to tell it's father. But the time came when she had to tell, one day in the middle of August.

She had started to show, and Jessica had commented on it one day when Dana lifted her arm to reach for something. Her shirt had gone up, revealing her pouchy tummy, and Jessica had laughed and teased her that just because she had been eating like a teenager lately, didn't mean she would always look like one. That night, she took Mulder out to tell him.

Their reationship still hadn't changed. They were closer, certainly, but on a friends level, or a level of pure unsexual matrimony. It was always there, hidden just beneath the surface, the insatiable attraction that had conceived their baby, but they always kept it firmly hidden now. They worked during the day, putting in their time at the F.B.I., and they spent their nights with Jessica. Tonight, though, Dana took him down to the Potomic, and they walked along the river in the bright moonlight.

They talked about nothing at first.Then, she led him to a bench and they sat down. She took a deep breath, and looked up at the sky.

"There's an awful lot of stars out tonight, aren't there?" she said softly. He gazed up at the sky and nodded.

"Yeah, which is a little unusual for summer. Beautiful, though."

"I've wished on so many of them. So many wishes. And now, some of them have come true."

"You have your daughter." Mulder said with a smile. "That certainly came true."

"Mmm." she bit her lip. "I have something to tell you. I was afraid to say anything, afraid that it would go away if I did. I was afraid it wasn't real, just a cosmic joke on my part. But at this point, I have to concede that I'm not dreaming."

"What is it?"

She looked deep into his hazel eyes. "Something worked, Mulder. Maybe the in-vitro, or that one night, but something worked. I'm pregnant."

His face was blank for a moment while that sunk in. Then his eyes widened. "You're pregnant? From me?"

"There wsn't anyone else, so yeah. Of course."

He blinked. "So...I'll be a daddy. Is that what you're saying?"

"I am."

"I thought you gained a few pounds, but it never crossed my mind...My God, we're having a baby. When? When's it due?"

"January eighth."

"January...So you're about four months pregnant."

"Yes." Tears came to Dana's eyes. "I'm so sorry I didn't tell you. I didn't want to jinx it."

"Shh." Mulder pulled her into his arms. "Shh, it's all right. It's okay. We're having a baby, Scully. That's all that matters. Jessica will have a sister or brother, and we will have a child.Nothing else matters."

"Nothing?" Dana said in a small voice, her face buried in his shoulder.

She felt him tense up, and he sighed. He gently pulled away from her, and looked down at her, cupping her face in his hand. He smiled. "I guess we have been a little shut off with each other, lately." he said, knowing immediately what she meant.

"I'm not asking for anything more than what you want to give." she said hurriedly. "We never had a solid agreement for what would happen with a baby. I can't ask you for anything, Mulder."

"Yes you can." He took a deep breath. "I guess we always knew it was inevitable. We can't go on like this forever, existing somewhere between friendship and lovers. I'm not saying we should get married or anything, just because of the baby. I mean, I'd marry you in a second if I thought it was what you wanted. But I suspect you'd like to start out real slow. We don't want to ruin anything, although I don't think that's possible. I think we were meant to be together. Neither one of us has ever really looked at anyone else in years. We need each other.There is no one else in the world I'd rather spend my life with but you, and I'm willing to do whatever you want - whatever it takes - to make sure we stay this way, you and me, together for the rest our lives."

Dana sniffled and gave him a tremulous smile."Should we pick out china now? I have a feeling we'll be needing it one day soon."

He rubbed her cheek with his thumb. "We do this the way you want it done. As slow as you want. I'm content to wait, as I've waited for years. But I don't mind waiting now, because now I know that you'll be my wife someday."

"I know." she whispered. "I think I've always known."

Mulder leaned towards her, and gently placed a soft kiss on her lips. They stayed there for a few moments, locked together, feeling each others warmth. They broke apart, gazing at each other. By unspoken agreement, they stood up, hands clasped tightly together, and walked together into the night.

Jessica was at her mother's computer when they got back to Scully's apartment, feet up on the desk, looking for all the world like she belonged there. Her long hair, mostly on the blonde spectrum now from the summer sun, was pulled into a messy bun, and she was dressed for bed in a low cut white tank top and powder blue pajama pants with 'flirt' printed down the leg. She idily snapped on a piece of gum as her green eyes perused whatever it was she was looking at. Not for the first time, Dana marveled at her daughter's appearance. As emotionally wrought as she had been when first brought here, she had settled into the teenage daughter role with ease. Dana was contantly after her to pick up her room and clean up after herself, or to lower her music, or not try on her mother's clothes and carelessly discard them on the bathroom floor. She had been dressed in plain, simple clothes when they first met, but once her mother and Mulder started taking her on shopping trips, her wardrobe had ammassed into a collection of styles that Dana saw on young girls everywhere. Not that Jessica followed the crowd, because she didn't. She traveled to her own drum, rather like Mulder, and didn't seem to care what anyone though about her. And rather than turning people off with that quality, everyone she met seemed to love her. The kids her age in the building had been quick to adopt her into their circle, and it was as though she had lived there forever.

Scully was also amazed at how beautiful her daughter was, and at how different she could be from her mother. Her eyes were so green, and while green eyes were common in Dana's family, Jessica's were greener than any she could remember seeing. So many of her feautures were just like Scully's, but then there were those things about her that were familiar, and yet at the same time, completely foreign. She wasn't as cool headed as her mother, which worried Dana when she left Jessica and Mulder alone. They were each like a loaded gun, and she worried that they might get one another into mischief. They got along so well, like brother and sister. Mulder was just immature enough around Jessica, and she was just like him in the maturity department. Dana sometimes felt overwhelmed by their silliness, but they would always get her to join in on the laughs. She was glad Jessica and Mulder got along. When Jessica had asked to be baptized just a few weeks ago, Mulder had stood with them as her Godfather (Bill's wife Tara, always a good friend of Dana's, was the Godmother). The three of them were like a family, and now, with the new baby, their family was complete.

Jessica glanced up as her mother and Mulder walked in. "What's up, Gilbert and Sullivan?"she said with a huge grin. Lately, she'd given them paired nicknames. Laurel and Hardy, Abbott and Costello, Siskel and Ebert. Tom and Jerry had been yesterday, Romeo and Juliet (to Dana's embarrassment) the day before.

Scully threw her small handbag on the couch and sat down, Mulder plopping down next to her. "Come sit with us, Jess. We want to talk to you."

Jessica got up and sat down warily in between them. "What'd I do?"

"Nothing at all. We just have some news for you, and I'm not sure how you're going to take it."

"Well, just tell me."

Dana took her daughter's hand. "Sweetie, you know how I told you I couldn't have children anymore?"

Jessica nodded.Her mother had one day sat her down and explained not only the delicate subject of how she had been conceived, but all her work, and everything that had happened to her and Mulder in almost 8 years. Jessica had been slightly skeptical, but she pushed her doubt aside and embraced what she knew was the truth.

"Well, I didn't tell you - there didn't seem a point - but about four months ago, Mulder told me he had obtained one of my eggs from a government facility. After I found out it was viable, I asked Mulder to be the sperm donor so that I could have a baby. But the in-vitro, I was told, didn't work. I was devestated. This was just a few weeks before I found you."

"That sucks, Mom." Jessica said softly. "I'm really sorry."

"Thanks, sweetie, but it's okay. I found out a few months ago, but I was too afraid to say something, too afraid that It wouldn't be real. But it is real. The in-vitro worked. I'm going to have a baby in January. You're going to be a big sister." Dana took a deep breath. "And we want to know how you feel about that."

Jessica opened her mouth, then closed it. Then opened it again. "And Mulder's the father?" she asked quietly.

"Well, it's a toss up between the pizza man, me and A.D. Skinner, but..." he grinned as Scully shot him a nasty look. "Yes, I am the father."

"So why aren't you guys getting married?" Jessica whined suddenly. "Come on, let us be a family. I want a dad, and I know this kid is gonna want his parents together."

Scully flushed and Mulder snorted on his laughter. "Sweetie, it's not really that easy." Mulder patted Jessica's other hand. "We're not promising you anything like that, Jessica. But if things go the way I plan, I'm hoping to get your mom down the aisle by Frebruary, March latest."

Scully gasped in indignation. "Oh, really? Do I get a say in this?"

"Nope." They smiled at each other.

Jessica was ecstatic. "Oh my God, I knew it. You guys totally love each other. Oh Mommy, thank you for everything!" She threw her arms around her mother. "Thank you for a home and a family and a baby brother or sister and a mom and probably a dad and everything! I love you so much. I love you both so much." she pulled them both to her, and the three of them sat like that, with their arms around each other, as a family.

---

Dana's family was ecstatic when she told them, although Bill was characteristically less than thrilled that Mulder was the father. But as time went by, everyone threw themselves into preparing for the baby. Mulder went with her to doctors appointments, lamaze classes, even baby shopping. He wanted to be in on the baby shower, but Margaret Scully and Jessica put their collective feet down. Margaret couldn't believe her good luck, acquiring two grandchildren in less than a year.

As involved as they were in this new baby, Scully and Mulder were also deeply involved in each other. Every repression emotion or desire they'd had for 8 years came to the foreground, and they made love again one day in September, while Jessica was at school. It wasn't much longer before they discussed living options.Each of them only had two bedrooms each, and with the new baby, they needed at least three. After much consideration and debating about whether or not it was too big a risk, too big a step for them, they made a down payment on a well-sized four bedroom home in Alexandria. It was a few weeks before Christmas that their carefully constructed world was shaken once again.

Dana was huge by now. Nearly eight months pregnant, she could barely move without Mulder's assistance. Her doctor had ordered early maternity leave, so she stayed home and watched soaps, while Mulder worked and Jessica went to school. It wasn't ideal, but she wasn't about to do anything to put their baby in danger.

One weekend, Dana sat on the cold leather couch in Mulder's apartment, watching as he and Jessica cleaned out closets and packed things up. They were all moving to the new house in about a week, and all that needed to be packed and sorted now was Mulder's stuff. So Dana sat back and watched in amusement as they ran around being silly, not really getting much done, while Christmas music played in the background.

"Come on, guys." she whined. "I want to spend Christmas in the new house, but at this rate, we won't even be spending Easter there."

"You hear your mother, Jess? Lazy, lazy. She can't work, so she has to slave drive us." Mulder grinned at Dana. She rolled her eyes.

"Well, she's missing all the fun." came Jessica's muffled voice from the hall closet. "Look what I found." She came up for air, holding a pair of tattered, almost sparkly bell bottom jeans. They were horrible, revolting even, and Dana laughed as Mulder looked on in horror.

"Oh, God. I haven't worn those since 1976, at least. They're horrible. Please throw them out."

"And lose that blackmail? No way. Jess, pack them up." Scully said happily, her hand on her huge stomach.

"Ewww.I found your old Lava lamp. It's all congealed and disgusting."

Mulder laughed. "I haven;t used it in years, but I can't bring myself to throw it out."

"Oh, too bad I don't have that problem." Jessica placed it in the box going out to good will. Dana laughed.

"Thank God. Thank you, sweetie. You've done Mommy a big favor."

"Hey."Mulder pouted, then grinned.

"What's this? It's awful." Jessica wrinkled her nose as she held up an old maroon jacket with a black tiger on the back.

Mulder looked at it with confusion for a moment, then smiled. "Ahhh. That was a souvenier from a particularly rowdy party I went to one summer. This beautiful girl I met left it on me after I passed out. Beautiful girl. Not as beautiful as your mom, of course-" he turned to grin at Scully, but saw her staring at the jacket with a look of horror."Hey, what's wrong?"

"Let me see that." she said shakily. "Jessica, bring it here."

Jessica,confused, brought the jacket to her mother. Dana caressed the once silken fabric, them looked at a tag on the collar. All at once, her world turned upside down, and they could tell by how white her face turned.

"What is it?" Mulder asked, concered.

"This girl who had this jacket, did you sleep with her?"

"Mom!" Jessica screeched.

"Did you?"

Mulder frowned. "Yeah, I did. We were both so drunk. It was...a fourth of July party, i think."

"What year? Where was it?"

"Oh, Scully, I don't know what year. It was on Long Island, I think, because I remember being with my cousins. Why?"

Scully sat up straighter, and held up the jacket. "The initials on this jacket are D.S. I wrote them in there myself. I lost this jacket the night Jessica was conceived."

"That's your jacket? How did I get your-" Mulder stopped short as the implications of the words set in.

There was silence in the room. No one moved, no one blinked. Jessica stood next to her mother, Mulder stayed crouched by the junk falling out of the closet, his eyes riveted to Scully. They stared at one another, until finally, Jessica had the courage to speak.

"Does this mean what I think it does?" she said in a voice barely above a whisper.

Mulder swallowed thickly. "It means that Tequilla may have introduced your mother and me, and not Scott Blevins."

Dana was shaking. "I can't remember...I just can't picture his face...it could be..."

Mulder jumped up and ran into his seldom used bedroom. They heard him slam open his closet door, then rummage around, cursing when things fell on him. A few minutes later he was back, holdng a very large, very dusty photo album. He sat next to Scully, and tore through the pages until he stopped at a page marked 'July 4th, 1984 East Hampton, New York'.Below that caption were pictures of a huge party at a house near a beach. Twenty-three year old Mulder was in many of them, arms slung around a guy around his age. "That's my cousin Tommy. Him and his sister still live on Long Island. I visit them..." Mulder said absently, scanning the pictures. He came to one one, and his face turned just as white as Dana's. "Oh, shit." he said softly.

"What?What?" Scully said impatiently, trying to get a look.

He looked up at Dana and Jessica. "I swear to you Scully, I haven't looked at these pictures probably since I put them in here, probably in sixteen years. I didn't remember...I met you and I had no recollection, even with that goddamned perfect memory of mine."

Dana ripped the heavy album away from him, her gaze falling on a picture at the bottom of the page. "Oh, My God." she breathed.

It was a group picture, as many of them were. It was dark out, but someone must have had a flash on the camera, because everyone was seen clearly. Mulder and his cousin were in the picture, doing shots. Mulder's arm was wrapped tightly around that of a slim redhead, her face partially blocked by another person. She was laughing, looking every bit as inebriated as Mulder, and was practically sitting on his lap.She wore the maroon jacket now sitting on the couch next to her. Even with half of her blocked, Dana had no doubt as to who that girl was.

"That's definitely me." she said shakily."That's me, and that's you, and I know it wasn't that kid Tommy that I slept with. There was only one guy that night, the same guy I started doing shots with and ended up rolling around with-"

"In the back shed, on a pile of sheets that we stole from the clothesline." Mulder finished off. She looked up at him and nodded in stunned silence.

"And that's how I got pregnant." she said softly, tears running down her cheeks.

Mulder was having trouble breathing. "So that means that Jessica...Jessica is quite probably my child."

The words hung in the air.

"We'd have to take a blood test to be sure, though, wouldn't we?" Jessica asked quietly."I mean, no offense, but you guys were so drunk that you could have hooked up with other people and not known it, right? We have to make sure."

"We can go down to the F.B.I lab." Dana said, still not believing thiswas actually happening. "I will not wait for Monday."

"Well, let's go." Mulder said. He reached down to help Scully up, and placed his hand on the small of her back as he led her to the front door."Greatest sex in your life, huh?" he whispered, repeating the same words she had spoken the day they found Jessica.

"Shut up." she hissed, opening the door and walking out.

"Mulder?" Jessica said, coming up behind him. "I just want to let you know, no matter what the test results are..." she hesitated, then smiled. "I already consider you my father. We are a family, and I don't need a test to confirm that. You're my dad, no matter what."

Mulder took her hand. "And you are my daughter. Nothing can ever change that."

They walked out together, the three of them, as a family.

---

The holidays were a happy occasion that year. They were completely moved in by Christmas Eve, Dana having had made arrangements for the house to be painted, fixed, and furnished weeks ago. All they had to do was unpack, and they did that the day they moved in. By Christmas Eve, it felt as though they had always been there.

Dana's entire family came out for Christmas that year, to spend the holiday in their new house. Her mother showed up first, earlier in the day, and couldn't help but be deliriously happy for her daughter. A year ago, she had had nothing. A friendship with Mulder that had no chance of going anywhere, a barren womb,a job no one took seriously, and the prospect of a lifetime of lonliness. Now, she had a house, a daughter, a baby on the way, and she had found love in the deep rooted friendship of her best friend. Mulder's world no longer completely revolved around the X-files; now, it revolved around his family. In fact, he had been inching his way away from the X-files, and now spent time helping to profile for the behavioral sciences unit.He had found the truth already, he had found out what happened to his sister. He wasn't even that interested in the X-files anymore. He had other interests now.

And while it was difficult and a little strange for him to begin to release his decade long quest, he knew that it was time. He couldn't be Spooky forever.

They greeted Margaret warmly and showed her the house, then led her to the living room and sat her down. Explaining that they wanted her to be the first in the family to know, they told her about everything they had recently found out about Jessica's conception, culminating in the results of the lab test. Fox Mulder was, without a doubt, one hundred percent Jessica's biological father.

Margaret was, understandably shocked by this. But once it sunk in, she started to cry, saying how absolutely thrilled she was that Mulder was the father. "I always told Dana you two were fated for each other. I knew it. I knew it the moment I met you, Mulder, I could just tell.You two were meant to be together."

Mulder smiled and wrapped his arm around the very pregnant Scully "If I weren't so happy about it, I'd be a little scared that our lives seem to have been planned to intersect by whatever powers that be. But I am happy, so I won't question it."

Scully gaped at him in mock shock. "Fox Mulder not question something? You really have changed."

"That's all thanks to you and our daughter." he said happily.

The rest of the family showed up a few hours later. Bill, Tara and Mathew came first, Tara already showing with the child she would give birth to in five months. Charlie, Candace, Devon and Steven came next, the boys bounding around with an energy that was no doubt the reason their parents hadn't had more children. There were hugs and kisses all around, and the aunts attacked Jessica with "oh, how pretty she is!", and "Look how she's grown!", and the ever popular "Do you have a boyfriend yet, Jessica?" As annoying as it would be to any other teenager, Jessica ate it up.

After the bags had been put away for the visit, Dana and Mulder sent the boys to the den to play and ushered everyone else into the living room. They sat on the loveseat with Jessica between them, the rest of the family sprawled around the spacious room, and told them what they had just told Margaret. "I know it's such an impossible thing to believe, such an improbable event. How could we have had that night together, then met just eight years later and not even known each other? My only answer to that is that we were just...so drunk. So young and so drunk. The fact of the matter is, Mulder and I met sixteen years ago, we made a child, and we forgot each other. It's a common enough occurence among young adults. I gave Jessica up, which I will never, ever forgive myself for, and life went on. I made the very conroversial decision, as we all remember, to leave medicine and join the F.B.I. Why did I make that deicsion? To make a difference, or divine intervention? Who knows? All I know is, a few years later, I was assigned to debunk the work of the bureau's biggest problem agent. The same agent who fathered my child. It's just fate, I guess. It's a twist of fate that worked out in my favor. In our favor.We're very, very happy about this. I have the life I dreamed of, a life that was stolen from me, and returned. I know it's a shock, but this is for real, so..." she trailed off.

Her sisters-in-law stared at them, trying to comprehend what had just been said. Her brother Bill had a frown on his face, no doubt pissed off that yet another link had popped up to Mulder. Charlie was smiling, having had liked Mulder immediately, in part because Bill hated him. The room was silent.

Finally, Charlie spoke up. "We are so happy for you. This is so amazing. And you're right, it is fate. It has to be. Dana, you finally have the family you always wanted. Congratulations."

This seemed to break the ice, and there was more hugs and kisses and laughter. They were up for hours talking. Finally, everyone headed off to their respective rooms. Margaret was in the guest room, and Jessica was in the trundle bed under hers, having given up her bedroom to Bill, Tara and Matt. Charlie and his wife and kids were in the den. Everyone slept soundly, until they were woken at 7 a.m. to the sounds of excited children screaming in the living room. The boys had found the presents that had been placed under the tree after they fell asleep.

Jessica was the first one down there, still in her pajama pants and a tank top, rubbing her eyes sleepily. She glared at the twins, who were egging little Mathew on to start opening presents. "Don't you guys know how to sleep? It's barely seven."

"So are we!" piped up Steven, the smart ass. "But Matt's gonna be three soon."

Jessica stared at him for a moment, then shook her head, smiling."You're a little punk, you know that?"

"That's what my daddy says." he said cheerfully.

Margaret came into the room, and wrapped Jessica in a tight hug. "Merry Christmas, my sweet girl." she whispered. "I'm so very glad you found us."

"So am I, Grandma." Jessica whispered back, hugging her just as tightly

The rest of them trickled in, looking tired but not as irritated as Jessica had. Her parents came in last, her father supporting her mother, and he led her over to the loveseat. Once everyone was settled, the children were permitted to open their presents, and they did, tearing into them with gusto. Jessica wasn't much better, eagerly going through her presents like they were water and she was in a desert. She'd stop occasionaly to hand her parents gifts for them, but she mostly concentrated on what was likely the largest amount of presents she had ever gotten.Her parents watched her fondly, glad to be able to give her this.

The presents trickled away, and Devon began complaining that Jessica seemed to have more to open than them. "We all have 16 years worth of gifts for Jessica. "Aunt Candace said, smiling at her new niece. "She won't be so lucky next year."

They laughed, and Jessica made a big show of searching for more presents. One caught her eye, a small gold wrapped box. She picked it up and read the tag. "Aww, to Jessica and Mom, love Dad." she grinned at her parents, and perched on the arm of the loveseat, next to her mother. "Here, open it."

Dana took the package, glancing quizzically at Mulder, who just smiled enigmatically. She slowly unwrapped it, revealing a black velvet box. She opened that, and gasped, drawing the attention of the entire room. Nestled inside was a beautiful - and somewhat large - diamond engagement ring.

"Oh, Mulder, it's beautiful!" she looked up at him, a luminous smile on her face. "Is this a proposal?"

"It depends." He took the ring out of the box and placed it on her left ring finger. "Is your answer yes?"

"You know it is. Yes. Yes,yes, yes." she kissed him deeply, and laughed when her family gave a collective 'aww'.

"It's about time." Margaret huffed. "8 years together, two children, a house, and no ring. I was almost scandalized."

Mulder grinned. "Sorry, Mrs.Scully. You know how your daughter and I love to flought convention."

"Well, if you detest convention so much, I hope you'll finally decide to call me Maggie. I've been telling you for years Fox, Maggie. It's an easy word. Maggie. Drop this Mrs.Scully nonsense."

"Only if you stop calling me Fox." Mulder said teasingly, and everyone laughed.

There was congratulations all around, and hugs and kisses.It finally died down, and everyone began to clean up. Jessica stayed on the couch with her parents, her head on her mother's shoulder, gazing down at her parents intertwined hands, the diamond glistening brightly. "One question Dad." she said.

"Yeah, sweetie?"

"Why was it written out to both of us? The ring was for Mom."

Her father smiled at her. "No, it was for you, too. If anyone wanted us to get married more than we did, it was you. You don't understand, Jessica. You brought us together. Even with the baby, I don't think our relationship would have progressed to this level, at least not by now. You made our lives so much better. We were living these miserable existences, and you saved us, Jess. You made us a family. If you hadn't found us, we'd still be denying our love, still be living in those dreary apartments, still be 'just partners'. We'd still be the laughingstock of the bureau - not that we really cared, but still - and we'd still be so alone. But now, we're never going to be alone again. And that's because of you. So that's our big present to you this year, sweetheart. A real, true, legal, conventianal family." Jessica giggled. "Hope that's not too boring for you. We'll try to be a little strange sometimes, just to keep things intersting, I promise."

Jessica wiggled in between them, and hugged them tightly. "I couldn't ask for anything more."

---

The day passed fairly uneventfully, aside from the wedding talk, since everyone felt they had to contribute their advice. Scully and Mulder just listened with a smile, almost appreciating it. Everyone was so happy for them that they really didn't care if everyone else did try to plan their wedding.

Walter Skinner showed up at dinnertime with his girlfriend, as Mulder and Scully had insisted.Spurred by Mulder and Scully's courage to defy their superiors and have a relationship, Skinner had made it known to his long time secretary, Kim, that he would like to pursue an acquaintance with her. She admitted to having similar feelings, and two months later, they were already very much involved. They showed up at the house, holding hands and smiling.

Skinner already knew about Mulder's fathering of Jessica, but he was surprised and very pleased to hear of their engagement. He also had some news for Scully and Mulder.

"Here's the thing," he told them,in a private conference in the kitchen. "I just found out I beat Kersh for Deputy director." he held up his hands as they started to congratulate them. "Thanks, I know you're happy for me. That's not the point. I now have full control over the X-files, as well as you two. I can assign you anywhere I want. I've noticed that you both seem to be removing yourselves from the files, and I can't say I blame you. There's so much more for you to concentrate on. And Mulder, you originally became involved with the X-files becasue of your sister. You've found the truth, you know about the conspiracy. All you haven't been able to do is expose that, but you know what? I don't think you'll ever really be able to expose it. They have too many safeguards, and now you have a family to worry about. Before, they could only use Scully to hurt you. Now, they can use your children."

"What are you suggesting, sir?" Scully asked quietly.

Skinner took a deep breath. "I was paid a visit by our good friend Krycek recently. He had with him the body of the last member of the original syndicate. Spender."

Mulder felt a momentary pang. C.G.B. Spender, the man who may have been his biological father, or at the very least, Samantha's. The man who had kept them from killing Mulder, then tried to kill him himself, then prevented it, over and over again. The man who killed his own son, Jeffrey. Could Mulder mourn that man? Could anyone?

"How did he die?" he asked.

"I had an autopsy performed, with Krycek in custody, of course. He had an irreversible neurological disorder, most likely caused by the brain surgery he and you underwent. The same disease, in fact, that you had. But because of his age, and the bad state his health had been in to begin with, the disease couldn't be controlled. He died, and Krycek brought him to me as proof. He told me it was over. Oh, there are still those out there who will come after you to protect themselves and their interests, but they won't start anything unless you do. The truth can't be exposed, Mulder. But it should be enough that you know it, that the conspiracy is only a shadow of what it was. If there is a colonization, there isn't much we can do to stop it. So we should enjoy the time we have, and the lives we can make for ourselves. Don't you agree?"

Mulder nodded slowly. "I do agree. Once, I would have fought your opinion, insisted that the truth was all that mattered. But things are different now. I have a reason to live. I have loved ones to protect. It isn't just about Scully and me anymore. It's about the children. We chose our path in life, but I will not make my crusade their's, or their end. It had to end sometime, and I think now is a good time."

"So you want to be reassigned? Those in Behavioral Sciences are saying good things about you. And Scully, you know there is always a job for you at Quantico. It's up to you two."

"I don't know..."Scully said, running her hand over her belly. "The X-files has been our life. I mean, there are cases in there that don't involve aliens. There are safe unexplained cases. I would feel a little disloyal abandoning them."

"I never thought I'd see the day thay Mulder's all for re-assignment, and Scully is doubtful."Skinner said in disbelief.

"Well, would anyone be replacing us?"Scully asked.

"Actually, I've given that some thought. There's an agent in the New Orleans field office, Monica Reyes. She a complete believer in the paranormal, and she's done some very good work. I've met her, and I'm impressed."

"Would she have a partner?"

"Of course. There's an agent I had in mind, John Doggett. He's worked with Reyes before. Complete skeptic, but that will balance out nicely, won't it? It'll be just like you two. Of course, I'm hoping they don't satisfy the office pool the way you two did." he said, grinning.

Mulder smirked."We'll have to think about it." he said. "We've had so much change in our lives, in less than a year. It'll really take some thought."

"Well, it's not a decision that needs to be made right away. Scully has all her maternity leave, and you'll be taking time off, I'm sure.Think it over, let me know." He nodded at them, and left the room.

They looked at each other, frowning. "I guess we have a lot to think about." she said softly.

"But we have other things to think about right now." he placed a hand on hers over her stomach. They smiled at each other, and went to join the others.

---

They spent New Year's Eve together, just the three of them. They spent the day putting the finishing touches on the baby's room, done in soft shades of neutral green. Jessica had begged them to find out the sex, but they wanted to be surprised.

They watched the ball drop in Times Square, and at midnight, Scully and Mulder shared a kiss much different from the year before. Last year, it had been a hesitant kiss, a kiss between friends who had no intention of becoming anything more. Now, it was a kiss between lovers, a kiss of love and passion and the promise of a lifetime together.

"The world didn't end." she whispered, echoing his words from last year.

"No, it didn't." he grinned. "Even if it is the real millenium."

They all went to bed around 2 a.m. But it was only a few hours later that Jessica was shaken awake by her father.

"Jess?" he whispered. "I'm taking your mother to the hospital. Do you want to come?"

"Is she having the baby?" Jessica mumbled sleepily.

"Yeah. Come on."

They drove to Georgetown Memorial, and Jessica watched as her parents were rushed into a delivery room. Her mother had told her she could be in there if she wanted, but that had been a bit much for her. So she called her grandmother, as she had been instructed, and Margaret rushed right down. She waited until after the sun rose to call Skinner, who showed up an hour later. When the baby still hadn't been born by nine, she called her parents' weird friends. The Lone Gunmen showed up not too long after, and they all sat and waited. Jessica started to get nervous, but Margaret assured her that it took hours to give birth.

At around noon, just as Jessica was starting to fall asleep, her father came into the waiting room, wearing scrubs and a goofy grin on his face. "Hey, you're all here!" he said happily. "Great, that's so great."

"How's Dana? How's the baby?" Margaret demanded.

"Dana is terrific.Just terrific. I think she may have broken my hand, and she may hate me, I'm not sure, but she held that baby in her arms and she just glowed. Beautiful. More beautiful than I've ever seen her."

"Well? Is it a boy or a girl?"

"Well, that's the thing. It's a boy."

Jessica jumped up and down and hugged her grandmother. "Oh, I have a little brother.Yay!"

"Both of them."

Jessica stopped jumping and looked at her father. "Heh?"

Mulder grinned. "Two. Two boys, completely identical. There was only one egg, but it probably split, I don't know. And I don't know why it wasn't detected months ago. The doctor said one was probably hiding the other. I don't care how it happened. We have 2 babies, guys. Two beautiful boys."

Margaret held a hand to her heart."Oh my God. She's had twins! My daughter had twins!"she said to the people waiting on the other side of the room.

They nodded with respect and went back to their conversation.

"Jesus Christ, Mulder." Skinner said, earning a reproachful look from Margaret. "That's unbelievable. Completely unbelievable.

"How is the lovely Scully?" Frohike asked. "Is she okay?"

"She's great, but I think this probably means you can't hit on her anymore. You know, being as how she's the mother of my three amazingly beautiful children and my future wife."

"You have all the fun." Frohike grumbled.

"She wants to see Jessica on, honey, Come meet your brothers."

Jessica followed her father, leaving behind the beehive of conversation their loved ones were now engaged in. She held his hand. "Oh, Daddy, this is so, so great. I have never been so happy in my entire life."

Mulder stopped short and put his hands on her shoulders. "I have. I was this happy the day we found you, and I was even happier when I found out I was your father. I'm just as happy now. We really are a family now, honey. All of us. But you were our first baby, you remember that. You were our first miracle." He pulled her close for a hug, and she returned it.

"I know, Dad. Thank you. Now, come on. I want to see them!" she tugged him down the hall, and he followed, laughing.

He showed her Dana's room, and followed her in. Her mother sat up in bed, looking so incredibly exhausted, but more happy than that and still beautiful. Her smile was wide, and tears rolled down her cheeks. She looked down at two baby boys in her arms. One was sleeping, one was flailing it's arms around. Both had downy tufts of light brown hair, and they were beautiful, like her father said. So beautiful.

"Hi, Mom." Jessica said softly. She leaned down to kiss her cheek.

"Hi, baby. Oh, look at them. Look at your little brothers."

"They're perfect." she said. Her mother smiled at her.

"They're going to love you, Jess." she said.

"I hope so."

"Ms. Scully? Are you okay in here with them?" A middle aged nurse came in, smiling at the new mother.

"Oh, just fine. I want to keep them right here with me forever."

The nurse laughed. "Well, for a little while longer. Then they have to go in the nursery, and you need to get some sleep." she glanced at Jessica. "And who is this? Your sister, Ms. Scully?"

"No, this is our daughter, Jessica." Mulder said proudly. "She'll be sixteen in April."

"Well, hello. Excited about your brothers?"

"Completely."Jessica said.

The nurse left, and Scully looked at Mulder, suddenly terrified. "Mulder, I want you get Skinner to put a guard near the nursery. Better yet, I want you to stand there all night. I don't want them left alone. Please." she begged.

Mulder smoothed back her hair. "Honey, no one is coming to get them. Not this time. It's over, you know that. They are completely healthy, completely human, and completely ours. Don't worry. I'll talk to Skinner,though, and see what he can do, if it makes you feel any beter."

"Okay." she said nervously. Then she looked down at her new babies, and smiled. "Our little miracles. Just like you, Jess. Miracles."

---

The babies turned the house upside down. They were christened in March, and by then, there was no confusing them at all. William Andrew, or Billy, as they called him, was the mischief maker, the one who always cried, always had to have attention, and always made noise and messes. Samuel David, or Sam, was quieter. He would just gaze around with the bright blue eyes he and Billy shared, taking in his surroundings. Mulder joked that he was just learning how he could make more mischief than his brother.

They began to plan the wedding, and at the same time made a decision about their proffesional futures. There was no getting around it; their prioroties had changed. Doggett and Reyes were assigned to the X-files, while Dana took an indefinite leave of absence, and Mulder went back to behavioral sciences. It wasn't long before he was their golden child again, and he was told that if he kept it up, he'd make assistant director in no time.

They threw a huge Sweet Sixteen for Jessica in April. She had never felt so loved before, and cried most of the night, thanking her parents over and over again. Like them, her life had changed so perfectly, so drastically. She was more happy than she had ever remembered being. The elderly grandmother who had raised her had loved her very much, but this was different. This was a mothers love, and a fathers love, and the love she could already feel from her baby brothers. This was a family.

They were married on July 4th, their 'anniversary', in the D.C. Botanical gardens. Jessica was her mother's maid of honor, Candace,Tara,Kim, and two old friends and a cousin of Dana's were bridesmaids. Skinner was the best man, Charlie, Bill, and the lone gunmen ushers, and Devon, Steven and little Mathew shared ring bearer. The daughter of Mulder's cousin Tommy, to whom they somewhat owed this occasion, was the flower girl. The babies were held by Margaret, who stood just near the altar. It was a beautiful ceremony, and they wrote their own vows.

"Dana, when I met you, you were so young and innocent. You were so eager to help people, and I wanted so badly for you to be able to do that. But you were assigned to me, assigned to spy on me. And then we became best friends, almost instantly.

"I don't know when I fell in love with you, whether it was the minute I met you, or a minute after that. You were my Scully. I had to protect you, but at the same time, it was because of me that you were always in danger. I have so many regrets, and your sorrow and pain are only a few of them. But I couldn't let you go. I should have, but I couldn't. I loved you too much.

"We finally knocked down those walls, or maybe fate did it for us. If I had known that going to a simple party with my cousin would result in a beautiful wife, and three fantastic children, I wouldn't have fought going so much." There was a scattered chuckle. "But I did, and we had our night, and what we made came back to find us. She brought us together, and made us a family. And today, I pledge my eternal devotion to you, Dana Katherine Mulder. I promise to love and protect you forever, and hope that you continue to put up with me,for all the days of our lives. I love you, and I love our children, so, so much. Nothing is more important to me. Nothng."

"Fox, I've followed you for almost nine years, and I will follow you for the rest of my life. You are my best friend, and my greatest strength. There is no one in this world I could have wanted more to be the father of my children. Fate did bring us together, and it will keep us together, because you are my destiny.I used to think you were crazy, and maybe you are. But that's okay, because we can be crazy together.

"Every time I was in danger, every time I needed you, you were there. Without fail. And I have no doubt in my mind that you will always be there for me, as I will be for you. So today, I pledge my eternal love. My love, my faith, and my life. You and our children are my life, and I could never love anyone more. If I live to be a hundred, you will always be my greatest love. I want for us to always be exactly as we are, but I know we won't be. Our love will change and grow, as we will with it.I can't wait to see what the rest of our lives will be like, especially because I know I'm spending mine with you.

"So I take you as my husband, Fox William Mulder. To love and cherish for all the days of my life. You are my life, you and the children, and I could not imagime my life without you."

They were married, and the final partnership that had been set in motion 17 years ago was complete.

---

The years passed, with the twins growing into rambunctious little boys, and Jessica becoming a lovely young woman. She graduated high school, and decided to attend her father's alma mater, Oxford. They were sad to see her go so far away, and she did become very homesick. She came home after her first year, and instead got into Harvard, which made her family so proud they could barely speak. Mulder told everyone withing range about how smart his daughter was, how she was just perfect.

Dana decided she really did miss teaching, so when the twins were four, she finally went back to work at Quantico. She loved it, especially since classes ended early enough so that she was always on time to get her boys from pre-school. Her work was nowhere near as important as her family.

Mulder occasionaly helped out on an X-file, but he caugt more criminals in his new work than he ever had aliens, so he stuck with that. Then one day Agent Doggett came to him with a case, which ended up with them in a government cold storage facility. That's where he found the eggs of thousands of women the government had abducted. This time, the lid was blown off the conspiracy. Mulder's name was never mentioned, and no one knew he had helped, so he was safe. But Agent Doggett was so repeatedly attacked that he finally left the bureau, and was entered into Skinner's own personal witness protection program. A few years later, he returned, with a different, name, face , and life, to be re-partnered with Agent Reyes. No one knew but her and Skinner, and the Mulder's. Many years later, they would be intrumental in naming every single person involved in the government conspiracy, destroying the lies and ending the farce. But it would be a very,very long time coming.

After the eggs were found, the women were located and told that any fertilization processes they would want to undergo would be on the government. Hardly anyone knew that it was the government behind it, largely because they had ways of cleaning up their own messes, but everyone had heard about the warehouse where all these ova were found. Among them were, of course, Dana's ova.

Now they had the option of more children, and they took it. It was like a dream, how perfectly their lives had suddenly gone. The twins were 6 when Melissa Victoria was born. Scully was 43, but the pregnancy was easy, the delivery quick, and a darling girl with reddish blond hair and hazel eyes came into their life.They thought that would be it, but Dana insisted on one more. "Just one more," she said. "I never thought I would ever have even one."

So at 45, she had little Olivia Grace. Dark haired and green eyed, she looked exactly like her father.

Their little family was complete, and life went on. Skinner and Kim were married three years after the Mulder's, and they, too had a brood of their own: Tyson, Elyse, Kevin and Maria. The children grew up together, and one day in the future, little Elyse Skinner would marry Billy Mulder.

Tara had her baby the May before Mulder and Dana got married, a girl named Sasha. They would have another child, Christina, two years later. Predictiably, Charlie and Candace did not have any more children. Their sons were more than enough, and they couldn't imagine how Dana and her husband handled all those children.

Dana was 48 when she went through her mid-life crisis. Jessica was 27 by then, and had three years earlier received her masters in psychology, like her father. She had breezed through the F.B.I. academy, like her mother, and now worked in her father's department. Mulder had been Assistant Director for a few years by then, and his protege', his personal favorite in the department, the now 34 year old Mason Hudson, had fallen head over heels for the young Mulder, and they were engaged to be married. Dana, feeling her age and the fact that she would probably someday soon become a grandmother, decided to have another baby.

Mulder agreed to this only because he, too, was beginning to feel out of date. Little Christopher Tyler was born just before Jessica's wedding, dark haired and blue eyes, the baby of the family.

They stood together after the wedding, posing for a family portrait, and anyone who had met Dana and Mulder say, fifteen years earlier, would not have believed their eyes. There was Dana Mulder, 48 years old, still slim even after six pregnancys. Her hair had neither grayed nor thinned, but had lightened to a reddish blonde. Her eyes were still a vibrant blue,and the only lines on her face were those she got from laughter, and indeed her life had been filled with laughter. She held a newborn baby, sleeping peacefully, and her husband stood next to her. At 51, Mulder was still almost the same man. He still worked out regularly, and he held himself tall and proud. His hazel eyes were sharp as ever, his dark hair still thick, even if his temples had started to gray, and his face unlined. Had their lives comtinued the course it was set on, they would no doubt look vastly older, or maybe would not have looked like anything at all, for they likely would have been dead. Perhaps it was like that in another reality, but in this one, they were happy.

Their children were around them, so beautiful and vibrant. The bride, 27 year old Jessica, smile brilliantly, her dress a dream, just as her life had become. As beautiful as she had been when they found her at 15, she was so much more now. A slender figure, flawless peaches and cream complexion, and deep emerald green eyes. The slightly large nose she had inherited from her father had long since become assymetrical with the rest of her face, and in fact could now be called delicate. Her long hair still couldn't tell what color it was, and changed throughout the year from reddish blonde to reddish light brown. She was the most beautiful out of all of them, although her parents would have never told her so (her ego tended to match her father's). Blissfully happy, she had a job she loved, and a husband she loved even more than that.

The twins were eleven, not yet the men one of whom would marry Skinner's daughter, still the boys their parents loved so much. They were tall and lanky, like their father, with light brown hair and sparkling blue eyes. Billy's eyes had been filled with mischief practically since the day he was born, and he wore a silly grin that bordered on a grimace, with his eyes crossed. Sam was laughing at his twin brother, his best friend, and they had their arms around each other.Identical, best friends, yet infinitely different.

Melissa was five that year, and she, along with Olivia, had been a flower girl. Her strawberry blonde hair was a halo about her freckled face, a sweet smile on her lips, her hazel eyes lit up. Dana and Mulder both agreed that Melissa looked the most like her namesake, but even more like little Emily. Little Emily, who they had not forgotten. The pain had never really gone away for Dana, but she felt as though Emily lived on in the sister who looked so much like her. She would be 18 now, probably her sister's maid of honor. But she had not been meant to live, and Dana had accepted it a long time ago. She could look at Melissa, and while she felt longing for her long lost sister and daughter, she mostly felt love for her little girl.

Olivia was the complete opposite of Melissa, more like Billy than any of them. She had stuck her tongue out a bit, and had wrinkled her nose up at the photographer. Her dark hair was disheveled, and hidden in her green eyes was the desire to be running around getting dirty. Dana had her hands full with that one, and could never understand how she and Melissa could be so different, or how Billy and Sam could be so different. One was Mulder, she supposed, and one was her.But different as they were, Melissa and Olivia were also the best of friends.In fact, Melissa treated Olivia as her own little girl, always worrying about her. They loved each other so very much.

The Mulder's stood together, a happy family. Dana and Mulder had now been married eleven years, and while they did occasionaly fought like married couples do, they were more in love than ever, and their love deepened every year. They didn't agree on everythiong, but they agreed on that. And they had their beautiful bride to thank.

Dana would look at her oldest child, all grown up, and while she mourned the years they hadn't had with her, she rejoiced in the life Jessica had given them. She would look at her and flash back to that day all those years ago, when she had walked into a bedroom at social services and saw a beautiful child who belonged to her, a beautiful girl who more than made up for the children she had lost. But she found them,too. They had all found each other.

Dana would think a lot about the years that had passed by. She could hardly believe it. She could remember screaming at Mulder in their basement office like it was only yesterday. "Will this never end, Mulder, this continuous quest for the truth, your self deluded belief that the truth is anything but what we see?" And then she remembered saying to him what she had really wanted. ""Don't you ever just want to stop? Put up a white picket fence and settle down and stop?"

She remembered being abducted, and she remebered Mulder finding her in the hospital after her sister died, after she was killed by a bullet meant for Dana. She remembered almost dying from cancer, and discovering she was barren, and finding, loving and losing little Emily. The X-files had been closed, reopened, closed and opened again. Spender had killed his son, he had killed Diana Fowley, and he had driven Mulder insane. She remembered Mulder convincing her to investigate the case of a young girl, a case which would become one of the greatest gifts of her life. She remembered the day she told Mulder she was pregnant, and the day they found out he was Jessica's father, and the Christmas Day he proposed. She remembered the twins being born, and the look on her 16 year old daughter's face when she first saw them.

She and Mulder had chased aliens for 8 years. They had seen things that she could only pray her children would never come close to seeing, and she had experienced things she sometimes wished she could forget.She had danced in Mulder's arms at a Cher concert for a mutated man (Walking to Memphis was still 'their' song), they had posed as the husband and wife they would someday become to find a killer in a nauseatingly pefect planned community. They had survived what could not be survived, and they had given it all up for their ultimate dream; a family. This family.

And now she stood on her daughter's wedding day, and could feel nothing but happiness, pride, and love.

---

Years passed, as they have the tendency to do. Jessica had her first child, a girl she named Emily Marie, two years after her wedding. Dana and Mulder visited her, shocked at being grandparents, and at the same time, thrilled. Emily had dark blonde hair like her father, with a hint of red, but she had her mothers bright green eyes. She was beautiful, and Dana was just so glad to have someone else to love.

The children grew up, and they enjoyed every minute of it. Dana, her faith restored, thanked God every night for giving her what had been taken. Sometimes she was so scared that she'd wake up and it would all be a dream, and she'd be back in her little apartment in Georgetown, and Mulder would be calling her to go chase an alien, and she'd be barren and alone. She savored every minute with her fmaily, just in case it did turn out to be a dream. Nothing came before them, not ever. And she watched them grow up, the children she never thought she'd have, and before they knew it, little Christopher, their final baby, was off to college.

Olivia was 21 then, and off at college herself. As Dana had predicted when they were children, Olivia and Melissa had remained the best of friends, even if Melissa was incredibly over protective of her. Melissa was 23, and working on her masters in journalism. She looked so much like her aunt that it scared Dana, but she had none of the flightly tendencies that the first Melissa had exhibited.She was very much like her mother, as was Sam, and Olivia and Billy were just like their father. Christopher and Jessica were a little bit of both.

The twins were 29, and Billy had married Elysa Skinner a few years before. They had a one year old boy, Jason, who looked exactly like his blonde haired, blue eyed mother. Billy was in marketing, making funny commericals and sales pitches, and he was brilliant at it. Sam had gone into medicine like his mother, and like Jessica, had joined the F.B.I. Jessica had left the bureau after the birth of her second child, and at 45, she now had five children of her own: Emily, Samantha, Michael, Brandon and Valerie. Mason still worked there, but Jessica wanted to be solely devoted to her children. Still beautiful, she was nethertheless no longer the darling child they had found all those years ago, and was now instead their much loved daughter who, along with her siblings had given them more happiness than they felt they deserved.

Mulder had retired years ago, and he and Dana still live in the house they had bought before the boys were born, even though it had been added on to in years passed. He was 69, she was 66, and they were now completely gray, although still fairly unwrinkled. Mulder had gone gray gracefully, but Dana wouldn't hear of it and kept her hair the strawberry blonde it had become before it turned gray. They could be mistaken for a couple in their forties, and often were. Dana had retired as well, and they spent their golden years enjoying each other, and their chidren and grandchildren. Now, with Christopher gone, it was just them.

The years had gone by so quickly,it seemed.One day they had been on an X-file, the next they were bringing their youngest child to college.Their 30th wedding anniversary was next year.So many,many years. So many people gone, and so many people gained.

Walter Skinner had died just after Jason had been born. His wife had moved to Florida, and all his children were grown. Dana's brother Bill had died five years earlier, but they had drifted very far apart, so she didn't feel his loss as much as she had their mother's. Margaret Scully had died not too long after Skinner.She had been so old, and had such a long life, but Dana still missed her terribly.

She still thought of Melissa and Emily often, and Mulder thought of Samantha.They were forever young in their minds, never allowd to grow old.When Dana remembered Melissa, she could see a youthful woman, smiling brilliantly. Always so young, just like the child Emily would always be.

She could remember a time when she too, had been young. When she and Mulder had been so young and innocent. She looked back now, and couldn't believe that she had ever been that young and innocent. So much promise, so much life. And she had lost it far too quickly. Even with how happy she had been these past 30 years, she could never get back that innocence.

She knew Melissa and Emily waited for her on the other side. So did everyone else. Ahab, Bill, Maggie, William, Teena and Samantha. She could see them waving at her in her dreams. "Don't worry, Mommy." Emily said. "We'll be right here."

Sometimes she wondered if that bastard Spender had snuck his way in, or Krycek. Of Krycek and Covarubbias she had heard nothing about since the day he brought Caner man in, and dissappeared. In fact, except for the incident that returned her ova to her, their lives had been free from the X-files. Doggett , now living under his rightful identity since he had usurped the governement years before, had married Reyes, and they had left for God knows where.Byers and Langly had gone their own way after Frohike's death ten years ago. They still heard from them occasionally, and she knew Byers had gotten married and had two children, but she had never met them. No one they knew from those days was around anymore.Not even the enemies.

She sat with Mulder on the porch swing one late September day, just a few weeks after they had brought Christopher to school. Everything around them had changed, but they were still the same people. Still Scully and Mulder, the scientist and the nutjob. Still amazingly in love, still best friends.

"It's hard to believe, isn't it?" she said, as they watched the sun go down." Our last child has flown the nest. A child we never thought we would have."

Mulder reached over and took her hand. "I don't know how we got so lucky. Even today, i can't believe that I'm Jessica's father. I can't believe we found all your eggs, just waiting there for us. There was a stroke of pure luck if I ever saw it."

"It was fate." she said quietly. "Fate - or God. "

"Yeah, one of them woke up one day and said, aww, shit. We've been tormenting Mulder and Scully for 8 years, when we should have been after the other guys. Who fucked up the plan? Oh well, now we have to make up for it double time. Hmm, okay. I've got it. Make their lives perfect, and I won't feel so guilty anymore."

She laughed. "You're such a weirdo."

"But I'm your weirdo." He kissed her gently, and she layed back in his arms.

"We are so, so lucky." she said softly. "I once hated the fact that I had been assigned to the X-files. But where would my life be now if I hadn't? Maybe I would have gotten married, but I can't imagime I could have loved anyone the way I love you. And our children are so perfect. And children I might have had with someone else probably would have been boring,"

"That's one thing my offspring definitely are not."

"Your offspring? What, did you sire them, Sir Mulder?"

"And I had so, so much fun doing so."

"Yeah, you and that test tube." she teased.

"Ouch." he winced. "Got me right in my manhood."

"Oops. I'll need that later."

They laughed together. Then she touched his cheek. "I thank God eevryday for sending you to me."

"So do I." he whisperd.

"It turned out just the way I wanted. We finally got the normal, wonderful life I dreamed of."

"The life we both dreamed of."

She hoped the people they had loved and lost could see them. She hoped her father and Melissa knew how happy she was, and she hoped William could be proud of his son, and Samantha happy for her big brother.She knew they were waiting, somewhere beyond the veil. How long until they met again, she didn't know. What she did know was that she wanted to spend as many years on Earth as possible, with her wonderful family, who she loved more than anything. They were everyhting she had ever dreamed of. And when, one day, the veil was parted for her, she would make sure everybody knew.

---

It was a warm day in April. Her birthday. Jessica Mulder-Hudson stepped out of the limosuine she had hired for the occasion, her low heels sinking deep into the earth. Her nurse hurried to help her, but she shrugged her off

.She could do this herself.

A hundred years. It had been a hundred years ago today a precious little girl had been born because Fox Mulder and Dana Scully had met at a party, got drunk, and without knowing it, had set themselves on a path towards destiny.Jessica had never imagined, as she cried at her adoptive grandmothers funeral, that she would be standing here today, on her one hundreth birthday, having spent more of her life as Jessica Mulder than as Jessica Montgomery. Jessica Montgomery had died the day she saw her mothers face. Then she had been Jessica Scully, who hadn't died but had simply merged with Jessica Mulder. Even after seventy-three years of being Jessica Hudson, she would always truly be a Mulder.

She walked slowly to the graves, gingerly kneeling down, not caring how dirty her dress got. There it was.

"MULDER: Fox William and Dana Katherine. October 13, 1961-July 4, 2066 and February 24, 1964-July 4, 2066.Together Forever." It was a lovely stone. Jessica had been satisfied with it.

Her parents, too, had made it to one hundred, and beyond. They had died together on their 65th wedding anniversary, and 82 years after Jessica had been conceived.They had been found in bed together, and near as they could figure out, they had gone to sleep the night before and never woke up. Jessica thought that one of them had died, and somehow the other had sensed it, and died as well.She was glad they had died together. She coldn't imagine one of them without the other.And she knew they wouldn't want to live without each other anyway.

It was just she and her sisters left, now. Olivia and Melissa lived together in their parents old house, their own husbands having long since died, as well as a few children, and their progeny scattered. They were still the best of friends, Melissa still overprotective of Olivia. The twins had died in their eighties, and poor Christopher had died so young. It had broken their mother's heart when, not too long after the birth of his daughter(he already had a son), he had been killed in a car crash. Jessica knew the son had died long ago, but her niece lived not far from her, and they spoke occasionally.

There had been a family reunion just a few years ago. Only her cousin Devon had passed on, the rest of her cousins were alive, and many of their children, grand children, and great grandchildren. As for the Mulder's, well, there were many of them. For a woman who had once never been able to have children, Dana Mulder and her husband had left quite a legacy for themselves. They had 6 children, although only 3 were alive now. Jessica had five children, all still alive, and they had given her thirteen grandchildren, and thirty-four great-granchildren. Billy and Elyse had three kids, culminating in ten grandchildren and eight great grandchildren. Sam had only one child, who had two, and those two had six. Melissa had given birth to three children, but only her daughter had children, four of them. She now had ten great-grandchildren, and Olivia had two kids, eight grandkids, and twenty-three great grandchildren.As for Christopher's daughter, she had never married, but had a daughter, who had a son.

All these people had assembled, close to 200, most descendants of Scully and Mulder. She told her parents this now, speaking to the photo she'd had mounted and protectively covered on their tombstone. It had been taken before they found Jessica, very shortly before. From the date, Jessica could only assume the twins had been conceived, and their relationship had already begun to change. they were at work (she actually knew that her aunt Kim had taken the picture), and they sat together on Mulder's desk, their arms around each other's shoulders, smiling brightly. They had been so, so very young, not as happy as they would become, but happy with each other. So young, she thought sadly. So young and beautiful.

But she didn't mourn them, as she hardly ever did. She celebrated their life instead. She rememebred so clearly the day she found them, when her mother walked into her room, with her father close behind. She knew immediately who her mother was, and to this day she couldn't explain what had brought her to D.C., in a trancelike state. For a fleeting moment she had hoped Mulder was her father, but after a few minutes, she figured that couldn't be the case. And then they found out, all those months later, after he had become her father anyway.

She had been young then, too, just a child. A lonely child.And they had given her a home, and a family, and so many brothers and sisters, and so much love.She knew that it had forever weighed on her mother's conscience that she gave her first born up, but Jessica could almost be glad she did.What if she hadn't, and things had worked out so much differently, and probably worse? She hadn't suffered with her grandmother, and she firmly believed that everything had happened exactly the way it was supposed to.

She finished telling them about the reunion, as she had been unable to visit for several years and hadn't yet told them. She looked up at the sunny sky and smiled.As old as she was, as gray as her hair was and wrinkled as her skin had become, two things remained the same; her green eyes, and her smile.

"I know you're watching me, and I'm glad. I love you both very, very much. Tell the boys I miss them, and tell everyone else I'll no doubt be joining you within the next few years. I think of you all the time, and the love you gave me, and how the years passed far too quickly. You told me all the time that I brought you together, that I made you a family. And maybe I did. But you kept our family together. You gave us all that love, and the love between you inspired us. I thank you for that. I thank you for giving me a life I never dreamed of, as much as you said the same thing to me. I'll see you soon."

She got up and walked back to her car. The nurse tried to help her in, but she pushed her aside. She turned for a last look at their grave, quite certain she would never see it again. She squinted in confusion, then smiled softly. There they were, standing there silently, Scully and Mulder. Just the way they had looked the day she met them. They nodded to her, smiling, and she knew the veil had been opened for her.

---

Jessica Corrine Montgomery Scully Mulder Hudson died at the close of her 100th birthday, with a smile on her face. Like that of her parents', her life had been well lived, and it was all because of two people who had given her more love than she could have ever imagined, and more happiness than she had ever dreamed of.It was because of Dana Scully and Fox Mulder, whose lives had begun together so sadly, and had ended as one of the greatest love stories, and one of the best friendships.

And for their desendants, they had left their legacy of love. For generations, the names Scully and Mulder were spoken at family gatherings, their sacrifices always to be remembered, their lives to always be revered, and their love always to be cherished.