Discalimer: I do not own anyone or anything pertaining to the X-Files

With thanks to those who reviewed.

Chapter 2

11 weeks later – Scullys POV

It's Saturday the 9th. I am in my usual Saturday morning position on the sofa with a glass of orange juice, the newspapers and Pathology Weekly. Today is my mother's birthday, she is coming round later to collect me so that we can go out for a meal, and I really should get in the shower and start to get ready, but it's just too comfy here. Today also marks the day that I am officially 23 weeks pregnant. I'm at that 'in- between' stage, as of yesterday I have given up the fight with regular clothes but I haven't yet succumbed to maternity wear, which is why I , Dana Scully, Queen of the tailored suit and shirt combo, am currently sat wearing a pair of jogging bottoms and a vest top.

Sighing I turn over the pages of the colour supplement. My phone rings, caller ID shows that its my mother.

"Hey mom" I say cheerfully, glancing at my watch, 11am? Didn't she say she was coming over at 12?

"Dana" Her voice is hushed "I'm in your building"

"Are you okay?" I ask anxiously, after all, why she would be calling me from 2 floors below?

"I'm fine, I need to tell you, jssjhajfhfjhs"

"Mom" I repeat, "I can't hear you, speak up a bit!"

"I said, I ..."

I still can't hear what she's saying, she must be in the foyer as there's laughter in the background " Mom, I really can't hear you, just come on up and I'll see you in a minute". I hang up shaking my head, wondering what on earth all that was about.

Less than a minute later the door bell rings. A glance out of the spy hole reveals my mum on the step looking nervously around her. I open the door, my gun is within reach if needs be.

"Mom, what were you...?" I'm interrupted by the sight of Bill, Tara and Matthew flying round the corner.

"SURPRISE!" they yell, Bill grabs me in a loose hug, looking over his shoulder I can see mom raise her eyebrows - so that was what she was trying to tell me...

"what are you guys doing here?" I ask drawing back behind the door and using it as a shield as Tara gives me a kiss on the check and a suddenly shy Matthew follows suit.

"We thought we'd surprise mom for her birthday" Bill explains as he brushes past me and into the apartment "we flew over yesterday, spent last night in a hotel and turned up at moms this morning! We got ya good didn't we!" The rest of the family head inside, mom giving my hand a quick squeeze as she walks past.

"Yes you really did get us alright" I reply, my back to them as slowly I close the door behind us. My palms are beginning to sweat, any second now I am going to have to turn around and my secret will be revealed. Being naturally slim I don't have a huge 'bump' compared to other people who are at a similar stage in their pregnancy, but my condition is nonetheless very obvious from the front at least, especially given that the waist band of the jogging bottoms has been rolled down to rest on my hips and the lycra vest top is particularly form fitting.

"Something interesting written on the back of that door?" Tara jokes and I realise I have been in that position 30 seconds too long. I pivot round.

"So Day how are y..." Bill trails off, his eyes having finally travelled down from my face to my stomach.

There's a silence. I look at mom who is looking at Bill, as is Tara. Matthew, oblivious to the tension is sat on the floor playing with his toy car.

"You're pregnant" he finally gasps after about 60 seconds of silent contemplation

"uh-huh" I don't trust myself to say any more

"Congratulations" Tara leaps to her feet and gives me a hug. This is why I like Tara, she's not bothered about the 'ifs', 'hows?' and 'whys?', unlike Bill, she just accepts things on face value. It's refreshing.

"Thank you" I whisper

"When's it due?"

I mentally try and calculate whether it would be better or worse to give her the time in months or weeks. I can't tell, it's obvious that I have kept this from them for a considerable while anyway.

"Just over 4 months." I glance at Bill, his face is blank. I can tell he is still trying to process it all, I can practically see the cogs moving in his brain.

"Aunty Dana, can I have a drink?" Matthew interrupts

"Sure" I go to the kitchen and quickly pour a glass of milk, relieved to escape my brothers' scrutiny for a minute or two.

On my return I notice Bill has changed position, ready for a confrontation

"Here you go sweetie" I bend down and hand Matthew his drink, "would you like.."

"Who is the father?" Bill's words cut across the room.

I straighten and turn to face him, I have been expecting this moment. "It's none of your business"

"To hell it is!"

"Bill!" Mom shouts

" It's him isn't it?"

"I don't know who you mean" Of course I know exactly who he means. Hell the furniture knows who he means, but for some reason I have reverted into my 13-year old self and I want to wind him up.

"You know dam well who I mean, that giant waste of space of an FBI partner, Mulder" He spits out the name in disgust.

"I said it's none of your business, it doesn't matter who the father is" I shout

His eyes narrow "are trying to tell me you don't even know who the father is? Christ Dana you're 36 years old, not some teenager who doesn't know any better"

I open to my mouth to make a retort, but to my horror I feel a tear role down my cheek. Dam these hormones! As a rule I never, ever cry, I see it as a sign of weakness. Yet recently I have found myself spontaneously bursting into tears at the drop of a hat and I just can't help myself. The other week Doggett and I were arguing over a case and I involuntarily began to cry. It freaked him out completely, I have after all a reputation as being the Ice Queen of the Hoover building, though on that occasion it did help me win the argument…

"Bill.." I begin, but I can't continue because now my voice has gone all watery.

" Now look what you've done" Mom rushes over and hands me a tissue "you've made your sister cry. Apologise!" I can't help but smile, it is as if we have turned the clock back 30 years.

"I will not!" Bill is contrite. " I was merely asking a question"

Matthew is looking up at the pair of us in awe, he has never seen Daddy and Aunty Dana act like this before.

"Hey" Tara is rubbing soothing circles on my back as I finally manage to get my tear ducts under control. "Why don't you go get dressed and then we can all get out of here and have something to eat and clear our heads" she says pointedly, looking in Bills direction.

I nod, "But" I suddenly remember, "I've got nothing to wear!" bursting into fresh tears. Jeez Dana, I chide myself, get a grip, yo're a doctor and a federal agent, you do not cry over wardrobe related emergencies.

"Just hop in the shower" Tara gives me a gentle shove toward the door "We'll sort something out".

The shower is hot and relaxing, and I take my time, shampooing my hair twice over. I stop the water and step out. Opening the bathroom door the tiniest amount to let out some of the steam, I can hear an animated conversation from the living room "but mom" Bill is saying, "she's my little sister, is it so wrong for me to be concerned..?"

I slam the door shut, I don't want to listen to him right now. I rub my hair vigorously with a towel, dry myself and pull on some underwear, and by the time I open the door once again the only sounds I can hear are cartoons radiating from the television set in the living room.

I pad down the hall to my room and find that Tara has laid an outfit on the bed. A pair of jeans that I hardly ever wear and a green peasant blouse. I'm still staring at the clothes when Mom and Tara come in. "See" Tara indicates the top "and you said you didn't have anything, I found this right at the back of the wardrobe"

"It's not mine" I say in a small voice "It belonged to Missy, she left it here once just before she died…"

"Well" Tara interrupts before I can fall into melancholia, "I'm sure that given the circumstances, she wouldn't have minded. Come on try it on!"

I roll my eyes and pull it on over my head. Ordinarily I would never be seen dead in this type of thing, but I have to admit, it is comfy.

"And the jeans" Tara continues

"They won't fit" I tell her

"Oh ye of little faith, just put them on"

I put them on. "See!" I indicate the 4 inch gap at the top, where no amount of breathing in and tugging will allow the two parts to fasten. Tara produces a very large and very thick elastic band. She hoops one end around the button on the jeans, and loops it through the button hole.

"Ta dah" she finished with a flourish "You can't fasten them up, but at least they won't fall down now, and the gap is covered by your shirt!"

"Mommy I'm hungry" Matthew bursts into the room.

"It's okay sweetie, we'll be going out soon" Tara soothes

"Yeah, Aunty Dana just needs to um fix herself up a little.." I gesture to my hair which is drying and slowly falling into its natural ringlets

"Just leave it like that" Mom pipes up

I raise an eyebrow.

"What?! It look's nice, I don't know why you always straighten the life out of it"

"Mom…"

"I'm really really hungry!" Matthew stomps his foot

"Alright!" I cry "give me 5 minutes."

XXX

I'm sat in the restaurant. The atmosphere was strained in the car on the way over here and it hasn't got any better. Tara is sat opposite, Mom to my left, my two bodyguards. Not that Bill will try and resume our 'discussion', we are both far too well brought up to air our personal problems in public. I catch a glance of my reflection in the window. Here I am dressed in cheese cloth and denim, my hair curly in public for the first time since I was 13 and, as I barely even had time to put on eye make up before Matthew threatened us all with a tantrum, my freckles are also on display to the world at large. I have never looked or felt less like myself, but it is oddly refreshing, as if I am taking a break from being me for a while. If any of my work colleagues could see me right now they would think I was on an undercover operation disguised as a Hippy.

Matthew chatters to mom, Tara and I. Bill sits there pretending to be enjoying himself, but the smile doesn't quite reach the eyes. The meal finishes and we decide to decamp to a nearby park. Matthew, Tara and Bill start playing some kind of ball game, mom and I retire to a bench to watch.

"He's just concerned about you" Mom says after a while.

"I know" I reply " but he needs to understand that there are certain things in my life that I want to keep private, and that just because he is my brother he doesn't have the right to judge me or my actions. There are enough people doing that already"

"I think he is upset that you kept this from him for so long"

"With good reason- because I knew how he would react!"

"Just talk to him, please" She pats me on the shoulder and gets up, walking over to join the group on the grass. I can see her talking to Bill. Well, lecturing him might be more accurate as I can see that there is a lot of finger pointing and arm waving going on. The next thing I know Bill is sauntering towards the bench. I ignore him, keeping my focus on Matthew & co who have now resumed their ball game. He sits down next to me with a thud.

No one speaks. There is a silent battle of the wills going on as to who will be the first to talk. Finally Bill breaks the moot point.

"I worry about you that's all"

I turn to face him.

"

"You're my little sister, I always feel as if it is my job to protect you" He continues.

"Protect me? Protect me against what?" I ask.

"Against irresponsible idiots who get you pregnant and then seemingly disappear" He spits.

"Bill, I've told you before, it's none of your business." My voice is beginning to rise, and I can tell that the old couple sat on the neighbouring bench can probably hear everything that we are saying, but right now I don't care "Besides, I am an FBI agent, I can look after myself just fine"

"Yes, but can you raise a child by yourself just fine? It's hard work Dana, even when there's two of you"

"I won't be by myself, mom will help me out"

"I know, but it's not the same as if you were settled"

"Is this what this is about? You and your Victorian values are ashamed of your unmarried sister being pregnant?"

"No! I just want the best for you"

"Then be happy for me! I'm human Bill, don't you think I want 2 kids , a house , a dog and a husband? But it's not happening that way, life isn't always like that. So stop brooding and just accept that this is the way things are."

When he doesn't respond it enrages me more ."Do you want me to apologise for not telling you sooner? Then I am sorry, I'm sorry that I didn't tell you 2 months ago when I told mom, but silly me wanted to spare myself all of this!"

I try to stand up but he grabs my arm and pulls me back down. "Let go of me!" I say through gritted teeth.

"No" he replies rather forcefully, before pulling me into a hug which I think takes us both by surprise.

"I'm the one who should be saying sorry" he mutters into my hair, his voice so low that I can barely hear it. "I shouldn't have reacted the way I did. I just don't deal well with surprises, and this was certainly a 'surprise' "

"I know, and I probably really should have told you sooner, but I didn't know how" I admit.

"I understand. And it doesn't matter how big or old or fat" he looks at my stomach, "you get, I will always want to look out for you, I'm your big brother"

"Yes, Bill, my brother, not my father"

"I've already said I'm sorry" he moans "Do I have to say it again"

"No" I smile, I know I can be afford to be lenient, Tara will be tearing strips off him tonight over his actions, so it's best to give him a rest. "You're forgiven," I point to a drinks stand "but only if you go get me a vanilla milkshake"

"You're on fatty" he pokes his tongue out and calls out to Matthew to see if he wants one too.

And just for a moment I allow myself to forget about Mulder, my abduction, the computer chip, the FBI and the X-Files, I close my eyes, lean back, rest a hand on my stomach and listen to the birds sing. For those 10 seconds at least, I am normal.

XXX