A/N: My deepest apologies that took SO long to update. I have no excuse, 'cept I've actually kind of been trying to have a life. Sometimes. On occasion. :] I'm moving this story forward a bit, cause I don't want to loose you guys by keeping things at the same pace. Elli is now five. Mulder has partial custody at the moment.

Dedication: Katy (my big light BFF) and Ashley (my Pusher, she's the driving force behind this story) and Lily (who is just my all around bff) LOVE YOU GUYS!

Disclaimer: Naht Mine, OOPS!

October 18th, 1996
Fox Mulder's Apartment
Alexandria, Virginia

It was Friday night, Fox Mulder had picked his daughter up after school and they had returned to his apartment in Alexandria. Things had changed in the last three years, he and Scully had worked out a custody arrangement, he had Elisa on weekends and they tried to have time with all three of them together. Mulder and Scully were still partners, working on the x-files, they made a goal though, to never bring work home, there were some things that Elisa didn't need to know. Mulder had put Elisa to bed an hour prior and was now stretched out on his crappy couch watching Psycho for the first time in years.

"DAAAADDY!" Elisa screamed from her bedroom. Her nightmares had gotten worse in the last three years, it seemed she was plagued with the same sleep issues as Mulder. She woke up two or three times a night, crying or screaming. Generally, she rolled over and went back to sleep or crawled in bed with one of her parents. "DAAAADDY!" She screamed again.

Mulder hopped off the couch, sprinting down the hall to Elli's room, he kneeled beside the girl's bed. Elli sat with her knees drawn to her chest, her back pressed up against the wall, "Elli it was just a dream, I'm right here." Mulder said and held out his hand. Elli reached out and took his hand. Mulder pulled his daughter forward and he scooped her up, Elli clung to his neck, sobbing. He carried her to the living room and placed her on the couch, turning off the TV. He went and got her a cup of water, sitting beside her, "What happened?"

"They got William." Elli sniffled as she wiped her nose on her sleep shirt.

Mulder grabbed a tissue and handed it to her, playing with her hair, "Who's William?"

"My brother. I was older, Daddy." Elli said softly, "The men, they came to get us, then they decided they didn't want me. They just wanted William. I tried to stop them, I tried Daddy!" Elli cried.

Mulder wrapped an arm around her, pulling her close, "It was just a dream Elli." Mulder kissed her auburn curls, "Just a dream."

"Can I call Mommy?" Elli asked, she needed to hear Scully's voice. Mulder nodded, dialing Scully's number and handing her the phone.

"Hello?" A sleepy Scully said on the other end of the line.

"Mommy?" Elli sniffled and couldn't stop the tears that were sliding down her cheeks.

"Elli what's wrong?" Scully asked, now wide awake.

"I had another night mirror." Elli said and the tears fell freely at the sound of her mother's voice.

"Oh Elli, it was just a bad dream. Daddy's right there and he won't let anything bad happen to his favorite girl." Scully promised.

"They got William. Why won't they just leave us alone?" Elli asked, not really speaking to her parents as she was racking her brain for an answer.

"Hand the phone to Daddy." Scully sighed as she began to get dressed.

"Hi Scully." Mulder said as he took the phone from his daughter.

"I'm coming over. Mulder something is really wrong, this isn't normal."

"Alright. We'll see you when you get here." Mulder said and hung up, turning his attention back to Elli, "Mommy's on her way."

"I'm sorry." Elli said and pouted slightly, Mulder picked her up and placed her on his laps so she was eye level with him.

"Elisa Jo Scully. You have NOTHING to be sorry for. Did you ask to have a bad dream?" Mulder asked her.

"No." Elli said and wiped her tears on the back of her hand.

"Then you have NOTHING to apologize for." Mulder said and kissed her nose.

"Daddy?" Elli asked and looked up at him.

"What baby?"

"Can I watch Land 'Fore Time?" Elli gave her best puppy dog face.

"Sure. Why don't you go grab Dink and I will put it in." Mulder said and sat her on the floor. The little girl nodded and sprinted off to her bedroom. Mulder found the VHS and stuck it in the VCR when he heard Elisa scream.

"DAAAAAAADDY!" Elli yelled, Mulder grabbed his gun from the holster by the door, sprinting down the hallway.

"Hello Fox." A man stood in the corner.

"Get the fuck away from her!" Mulder demanded, the man held Elli close to him, a hand on her shoulder.

"Time is growing close Fox." The man blew a puff of smoke.

"Leave my daughter alone you bastard!" Mulder raised his gun, pointing it at the man's head.

"You don't want to do that. You know I am your only hope for her survival." The man said again, but he let Elisa go, she sprinted across the floor to her Daddy, hiding behind his legs.

"Get the fuck out of my apartment." Mulder said, keeping his gun on the man, "And stay away from my daughter."

"Whatever you want Fox." The man said, raising his hands in surrender. Mulder kept his gun on the man as he left the apartment. He then locked all four locks on the door and rushed back to Elli.

"Daddy!" Elli clung to his neck, "It was the man from my dreams!"

"That man was in your dreams?" Mulder said, wide eyed as there was a knock on the door.

"AGH!" Elli screamed and buried her head in Mulder's shoulder.

"It's okay baby, it's just Mom." Mulder said and opened the door.

"Did I just see leave, who I thought I just saw leave?" Scully asked, wide eyed.

"Yeah."

A/N: Sorry guys. I'm sick so if this sucks, I blame it on the medicine. Next chapter will be better, I swear!