A/N: Whole story mapped out now. I am pretty proud of myself. Dedicated to Eastern Washington and Idaho. I am sorry for making fun of you in the last chapter, but let's face it. It's easy.


"Starbuck, it's time to get up."

"Dad! Five minutes."

"Nope. You don't want to be late on your first day of school."

"Yes, I do."

"Dana Katherine."

"Alright, I'm up. Did you make me breakfast, daddy?"

"There's cereal upstairs."

She sighed and crossed her arms.

"How in the world am I supposed to get good grades and make you proud if all I have to eat in the morning is cereal?"

"Take it up with your mom. She's the one who thinks you need to start fending for yourself."

"I'll just hurry and stop at Dolly's on the way."

"You're not having blueberry pancakes and fries for breakfast, Starbuck."

"Come on dad, it's the breakfast of champions."

He laughed and picked up a pair of jeans from her floor, then tossed them at her head.

"Hurry up, you have to pick up Monica and John too."

"Yeah, yeah, yeah," she muttered, shooing him out of the room.

It didn't take her long to shower and do her hair, and soon she was bounding to the front door, a bookbag thrown over her shoulder.

"Bye, Daddy."

He looked up from his paper and gave her a little smile.

"Bye sweetheart. Have fun."

She rolled her eyes as Charlie came down the stairs.

"Dana, wait!"

"What?"

"Good luck."

"Thanks, Charlie. See you later."

She left the house and threw her bag in the backseat of the car as Mulder started up the driveway.

"Hey," she said, slipping her sunglasses on. "You can sit in the front."

"Monica might pinch me."

"You'll get over it."

He chuckled and slid into the seat next to her.

"Did you get your locker number?"

"Yeah. 117 G."

"Oh, I'm sorry."

"Why?"

"That's down in the gym hallway. Not convenient to anything. You'll never be down there during the day. You can share with me."

"So all my stuff smells like a chick? No thanks."

"My locker never smells like a chick."

"Alright then, it's a deal."

She started the car and pulled out of the driveway. They drove the half block to Monica's house in silence, and Dana beeped the horn twice once they arrived. Monica came out of the house, a back pack slung over her shoulder, and a bag of makeup in one hand. She slid into the back seat, flicking Mulder on the arm.

"That's my spot," she said, half glaring at him.

"She said I could."

Monica sighed and sat back in the seat, pretending to pout.

"MJ, grow up."

"I can't. I want to be a Toys R Us kid."

Mulder laughed and Dana rolled her eyes.

"You're so weird."


The day passed uneventfully. It was the same treadmill of classes and teachers, and besides one round with a stubborn locker, Dana was pretty sure she'd lived this day several times before.

She raked her hair away from her face and sighed, juggling her books and trying to find her car keys.

"Need help?"

She whipped around at the noise, anger rising in the back of her throat. Daniel stood next to her locker, the self assured smile gracing his face. His eyes bore into hers, and she wanted nothing more than to punt him across the hallway.

"I don't need help, Daniel," she muttered, shoving a book onto the top shelf of her locker. He chuckled at her.

"You're looking for your keys. They're in your pocket."

She sighed heavily, and he stepped a little closer, reaching his hand out to take the keys out of her pocket. She managed to slap his hand away and he stepped back to where he had been before.

"What's your problem?"

"What's yours, Daniel?" John asked as he approached them. "Do you have amnesia or are you just that much of a moron?"

"Get out of here, Doggett. This is between me and Dana."

"Not anymore."

"This is none of your business."

"You treat my cousin like that and it becomes my business."

"Your cousin is nothing but a gutter slut and I don't know why you would want to defend her anyway."

John Doggett had always had a short fuse. Dana was actually surprised that he had reigned it in this long. So when his fist came out and connected with Daniel's jaw, she just stood there. Daniel grabbed onto a locker and managed to keep from falling to the ground, then righted himself and punched John.

The fight that ensued was the first the school had seen in three years, and Dana couldn't help but be somewhat proud that it was over her, even if John was only her cousin. A small crowd had gathered, and Daniel and John were headed towards the glass doors, which had ended the last after school fight. Dana sighed and made her way through the gawking students and reached into the fray, grabbing John's ear.

"Getting hauled out by a girl?" Daniel asked, standing up and wiping at his bloody nose. Dana rolled her eyes and sent her foot flying at him, nailing him in the shin. She pushed John out of the crowd and over to her locker. He leaned against the flimsy metal and caught his breath as Monica ran towards them.

"John, were you just fighting Daniel?"

"Yeah. And I was winning too until Dana decided she was my mother."

"Shut up. You don't need to start the year with in school suspension."

"Whatever."

"What happened?"

"He called her a-"

"Nothing," Dana said as Mulder approached. The tone of her voice very clearly indicated that the conversation was over.

"What's going on?"

"Nothing. Let's get out of here," Dana said, slamming her locker and heading for the front doors. John sighed and followed her, but Mulder grabbed Monica's arm and held her back.

"Seriously, what's going on?"

"Nothing. Doesn't matter," she answered, not meeting his eyes.

"But she's-"

"I know. But that's Dana. Stubborn to a fault. There isn't anything anyone can do about it."

He nodded and followed her out the doors.

"You guys want to stop somewhere? I need a milkshake," Dana said as they got into the car.

"Sounds good. McD's?"

"Sure."

Mulder watched her as she drove, her eyes focused on the road and her hands tense on the wheel. Whatever had happened, she wasn't prepared for it. He'd never seen her this flustered, and concern gnawed at his stomach. Whatever it was, it shouldn't be like this.


"You guys want something to eat?" Dana asked as she pulled the car into her driveway.

"Yeah, I'm starved. We have got to find something better to eat for lunch than cup-a-soup from the school store."

"We could always go back to Pop-tarts and Gatorade."

"You have such refined palates," Mulder said, making a face.

"You actually bought food in the cafeteria for lunch. You have no idea how bad that stuff is."

"I didn't eat much of it," he said, getting out of the car. "And I will never make that mistake again. My hamburger patty was blue."

"We'll go out somewhere tomorrow."

"Thank heavens for open campus," Monica said as the quartet made their way inside.

"Hey daddy," Dana shouted out the back door. "What are you doing?"

"Pouring some concrete for this walkway."

"Need some help?" Mulder asked.

"Sure, if you want to. Ever done concrete work before?"

"A little last summer. I'm pretty good with a float."

"Perfect. John?"

"Sure, Uncle Bill."

The boys went outside and Monica and Dana exchanged amused glances.

"Did I miss the grunting and scratching?" Dana asked. Monica laughed and walked over to the freezer, grabbing an ice-pop.

"Dana, what was that fight about today?"

"You used my real name, you must be serious."

They sat down at the table and Dana stared outside, watching the guys. They were all kneeling on the ground, using the floats to smooth the concrete down. Her father was a perfectionist, and from what she could tell, so was Mulder.

"Dana, talk to me."

"It's nothing, MJ, I swear. Daniel is just a pig, John got tired of it. That's all."

"Are you ever going to tell me-"

"No. It doesn't make any difference. You already hate him."

Monica sighed and finished the ice-pop before speaking.

"I just hate to see you like this, Dana."

"I know. But I'm getting over it. I'll be fine."

"Okay. Then can I ask you something else?"

"What?"

"What do you think about Mulder?"

"No, MJ."

"Not for me, for you!"

"I said no."

"Why?"

"Because this isn't 90210."

"Your pop culture references are in serious need of an update, sister."

She just shrugged.

"Look, Pops likes him. He's laughing."

"MJ, stop. You know my rules. I'm not dating."

"I know. I just... I want you to be happy."

"I'm happy. I promise. If I wasn't, you would be the first to know. Okay?"

"Okay. Now how much longer do you think we can put off this biology homework?"

"That's a great way to start of the year, Mon."

"At least I tried."