Authors Note: I've completely stuffed up the timeline on this one. Mulder and Scully couldn't have come back from Florida to 4 inches of snow in late November 1998 (the show's original air date and the fifth warmest winter on record for D.C.). So, Triangle is now set in January 1999 after The Ghost Who Stole Christmas. Dreamland could have occurred before this, who knows as Mulder and Scully don't remember it anyway.


I have to remember to add ten extra minutes every time I want to get a child into the car, Scully scolded internally, especially a fractious Sophia who doesn't want to get out of her carrier or into her seat.

The hungry eleven month old didn't want to co-operate. Now she'd had enough sleep to recharge her batteries, Sophia no longer intended to be constrained. Howling loud enough to attract attention from passers-by, Scully's fatigue began to show in her jerky movements and the determined expression on her face. Mulder knew better than to offer help so he stood at her side, shielding his partner from the glares. His efforts to quieten his daughter failed dismally, until he remembered the baby snacks in the dipper bag. She fell on them like a plague of locust. Happily munching, the adults finally managed to strap themselves into the car, heaving a grateful sigh.

Not accounting for the extra time, the journey from Georgetown University Hospital to Scully's apartment in the same suburb took almost twenty minutes. They made it home just as the Baby Store truck pulled away from the loading bay in front of the building. Cursing under her breath, Scully pulled her cell phone out to call store.

Laying a hand on Scully's forearm, Mulder pointed to a gold ford parked several spaces in front of them. 'Isn't that your mom's car,' he commented, recognising Maggie's vehicle.

'Yes,' his companion snapped the phone closed, 'thank god. How would we get Sophia to sleep tonight, or changed her dipper. I only have three more in the bag.'

'Scully,' moving his hand from its resting place on her arm, Mulder took hold of her chin. Pulling her face around to his, he dropped a searing kiss on her open lips. She'd been about to protest. Mulder took the opportunity to deepen the contact. His tongue stole into Scully mouth, tangling with its counterpart. Initially she tried to stop her natural response, to hold back, to be angry at the intrusion. Passion and desire took over as her body responded. Before they could both go up in flames and give the neighbourhood a display of affection that had built over the last seven years, Mulder called a halt. Slowly he drew away, cursing himself for starting this in the open. Moving back to his seat, adjusting his trousers as discreetly as possible, he chanced a look at Scully. Amazement shone from her eyes, causing his face to split with an elated smile at the effect he'd invoked.

'What was that for,' Scully croaked out past lips as dry as the desert. Fingers, of their own accord, stole towards her mouth, ensuring it remained intact.

'We're engaged,' Mulder teased, taking her hand into his. Covering her palm and entwining their fingers, his expression turned serious. Mulder needed to explain his feelings, feelings he'd only discovered today when he held his tiny son in his embrace. 'I wanted to remind you that whatever happens now, we'll get through it together. We've always handled everything as two parts of the same whole, Scully. It's what makes our partnership so strong and enduring. It will be the glue that cements our marriage and formation of a family unit.'

'Holding that baby today,' he demanded her full and undivided attention, 'I realised something. Here,' Mulder taped the centre of her chest with his free hand, 'not just here,' moving his hand up to rest it on her red hair, 'those children are mine. Mine to mould, to teach, to love, they are and always will be a part of me. No one can take that away no matter how many mistakes I make and I know I'll make them. We both will its part of being a parent.'

'You said I'd be the best father they could ever want,' Mulder recalled, his expression filled with reverence and wonder. He entered a different life from the one he normally lived, from the one he'd become devoted too. Perhaps this new life, the one Mulder secretly wished for, sought deep in his soul to compensate for his awful childhood. 'It made me realise I'm responsible for them. Me. I'm solely accountable for William and Caleb's creation. Who carried them isn't important. Who turned them from a single cell into the little boy's I can hold in my arms doesn't matter. The very basis of their being comes from me.'

Smiling, his embarrassment at the sentiment shone from his mobile face, 'and you, Scully, I couldn't have done it without you at my side. You've been my rock for longer than I care to remember. You balance me. In my wildest dreams, I'd only ever want you to share the conception these children. We can't escape the fact that we're a family, Dana. You, Sophia, Caleb, William, you're the only family I have left and the only family I need because all of you complete me.'

He wanted to say more, she could see it in his eyes. Holding Caleb had been a watershed moment in Mulder's life, one he wanted to share with her. Sophia chose that instant to alert her parents to her presence and the fact she too came from the combination of their genes. A tired smile lit both Mulder and Scully's exhausted faces.

'We'll continue this another time, Scully,' Mulder leaned in for another quick, passion packed kiss before reaching for the door handle. 'I'll get Sophia out. You go and fill your mother in.'

'Afraid to face my mom, Mulder,' Scully returned, eyebrow raised but her tone teased.

You bet, he silently agreed watching Scully's mincing steps on the slippery sidewalk.

'I'm glad you finally made it home,' Maggie called from her position before the window facing onto the street. She'd watched the scene in the car with growing pleasure. The sexual tension between her daughter and her partner continued to increase with the time they spent together. This year something had happened Christmas eve. Dana turned up late to lunch toting Mulder in her wake. He'd finally accepted an invitation to a family function. Maggie hadn't asked why and managed to keep the rest of her family from making enquiries.

New year's found Dana and Fox at her family gathering. If anything, the atmosphere between them became thick enough to cut with a very blunt knife. Finally, this incident forced them to confront their feeling for each other and expunged their fears and insecurities. Maggie couldn't have been happier. She always sensed the unspoken feelings between them.

'I had Sophia's furniture placed in the spare room,' she explained. 'The men were good enough to disassemble and pack up your spare bed. It's leaning against the wall.'

'We are going to need a bigger place to live,' Scully commented, wondering how her mother managed to arrange the furniture in a way that'd allow movement in the smallest room in her home. 'Although I don't know when we're going to find the time.'

Continuing to watch the scene outside the picture window, Maggie clapped her hands with glee. A pink and white bundle in Fox's arms struggled as he negotiated the icy walkway. 'Mm,' Maggie answered, only to be greeted by her daughter's delighted laughter.

Scully stood behind her mother, observing her Fiancée attempting to handle the other woman in his life. 'You'll meet her in a minute, Mom,' Dana gushed with happiness, 'she'd adorable. Sophia's going to be hard work because she's displaying signs of separation anxiety. She's already attached to Mulder, it's going to take me longer to gain her trust. We're taking the week off to settle her and make all the arrangements needed to keep the children in our care. I'll go in to work on Thursday or Friday to officially apply for maternity leave. Caleb should be home by the weekend but it might take longer for William to be discharged. He's so tiny, just over five pounds. Our son needed another five ounces to maintain his body temperature. Once he can do that, we can bring William home too.'

'I'm glad you're taking time off,' Maggie responded, 'what about Fox?'

'Mulder's got eleven weeks leave due,' Scully informed her mother as Mulder disappeared from their view. 'We may have a fight on our hand to officially changed the birth certificate, so I'd like him to keep at least a couple of weeks, just in case the worst should happen. I think Mulder would be more devastated than me if the children were taken from us. I believe he's finally realised how much he's give up for his quest.'

'I have to say, he looks very comfortable with Sophia,' Maggie agreed, making her way into the kitchen. Looking up to the clock, she turned the oven on and slipped the lasagne into the rack.

'You should have seen him at the hospital with Caleb,' Scully didn't attempt to keep the proud tone from her voice. 'He's so good with children and the boys aren't identical which I'm grateful for. We've named them, William Charles and Caleb Fox Mulder. I'm hoping you can come and visit them at the hospital tomorrow.'

'Just you try and keep me away,' Maggie growled, pulling the salad vegetables out of the fridge. Stars in her eyes, Dana didn't make an effort to help, allowing Maggie to gage her daughter's level of happiness.

'Did you call Bill and Charlie,' Scully asked, worried at the response from her eldest brother under the circumstances.

'We'll talk about it later,' Maggie hedged, thankful Fox came through the door at that moment. Bill's initial reaction didn't bear repeating. Charlie's, although not as forceful contained the same content. 'Let me hold my newest granddaughter,' she enthused.

'Not a great idea, Mrs Scully,' Mulder commented, managing to remove the cold weather jacket as the wriggly child slipped to the floor. She made short work of the irritating shoes and socks. Crawling at the speed of light, she spied the packages on the couch.

'No you don't young lady,' Maggie scooped up the child, taking her to further into the living room and depositing her before a pile of new toys in the corner surrounded by a playpen. Sophia didn't get a chance to challenge the unfamiliar adult before becoming engrossed in the bright colours and sounds Maggie set off. Holding her Tigger tightly under her arm, she shyly reached out to the music centre, completely absorbed for the moment.

'I've invited Harold to join us for dinner,' Maggie stated, a determined look entering her eye, 'and I'm going to be your mother-in-law soon, Fox. You can call me Maggie or Mom, which ever you prefer.'

Suitably chastised, Mulder shrugged his shoulders and said 'yes, mom.'

'I hope you don't mind, Dana, but I brought the children some presents,' Margaret's words were accompanied by a pained look from Scully who realised how much her mother missed Bill and Charlies children in her daily life. 'Sophia's new baby bath is inside the tub ready for you to give her a soak after her evening meal. There's a pair of pyjamas I just couldn't resist and a new baby towel on the vanity. I hope she doesn't have any allergies, I brought a well know brand of bubble bath and the matching oil.'

'Maggie,' Mulder inserted, wondering how much more one little girl could possibly need, 'remind me never to let you and my future wife loose in a baby store. Scully cleaned out her bank account this afternoon. I hate to think what the pair of you could do.'

Ignoring the man, Maggie asked in seriousness, 'does he really believe this is all you'll need for three children. By the way, Sophia's dinner's in the microwave when she's ready and I've set her highchair up in the kitchen.'

'Mulder learns fast, Mom,' Scully grinned taking Sophia and Mulder's jackets and hanging them in the amore by the door, 'by the time we move into a bigger place, he'll understand what it takes. Oh, and I want to know how Harold got invited to dinner?'

'He called looking for you,' Maggie began to explain. Opening a bottle of wine, she poured three glasses and handed them around. By unspoken agreement, the adults sat in the living room to watch the delighted little girl play with her toys. Using the time, Margaret Scully explained what she'd managed to achieve in a single day, leaving out the plans she made with Harold. They would be discussed over dinner. When she finished, Maggie's eyebrow rose in much the same manner as her daughters'. 'You have some explaining of your own to do, Fox. Why is it I find out about your first wife from Harold?'

'You're on your own, Mulder,' Scully grinned, picking up her daughter and heading into the kitchen. 'Is someone hungry, baby-girl,' Dana cooed. The word caught her attention and Sophia returned her mother's happy noise. 'I'll take that as a yes.'

Harold arrived an hour later. Mulder and Scully found themselves busy attempting to establish Sophia's new night time routine. She eagerly approached the bath, taking obvious enjoyment from the tepid water and the family of ducks Maggie had forgotten to mention. Howls of protest greeted everyone's ears in the building when Scully finally decided to pull her out. Wriggling and squirming, Mulder's larger grasp and firmer handling finally managed to get her dry, a new dipper on and dressed in Maggie's gift.

After presenting her to their guest, Mulder decided to do the honours and try to get the little cherub to sleep in her new crib. Sophia would have none of it, keeping the tenants on either side "entertained", he finally admitted defeat after half an hour of constant high pitched wails. Returning to the kitchen, Scully silently handed him the baby sling. At his astounded expression, she made him sit, placing it over his head. The strap dissected his back from left shoulder to right hip. Happy with its position, she placed Sophia inside, across his chest, Mulder's shoulder and back taking the child's weight. Finally feeling safe and warm, Sophia took all of two minutes to drift off snuggled against her father's torso.

'I hope you don't think I'm going to let her sleep like this every night,' he mocked, internally happy his little girl trusted him enough to feel safe and protected.

'We'll lay your sweaty t-shit under her bottom sheet before we go to bed,' Scully explained, 'that way she'll smell you and feel secure throughout the night.'

In a moment of shared communication, Mulder asked, Am I spending the night with you Scully or on the couch?

Oh, brother, do I really need to grace that with a reply, Scully returned.

Your bed it is then, Mulder's face broke out in a million watt smile.

'Even I could read that,' Harold muttered just loud enough for everyone to hear.

'Mom said you called early this afternoon,' Scully turned on the older man, effectively changing the subject.

Chancing a gaze in Maggie's direction, Harold cleared his throat. 'I have an idea and I wanted to run it by you.'

'No,' Mulder's face grew serious. He knew the suggestion Harold would make and it angered him. Marriage to Katherine at Harold's bay side home remained perfect in his memory. To take Scully as his wife in the same location would despoil the image and be unfair to the woman seated beside him. 'We have an appointment with a realtor tomorrow morning.'

'To follow up on the Mulholland's, Mulder,' Scully sounded peeved. She understood the subtext and let her partner know with a look.

'I have information you might require,' Harold offered an olive branch, temporarily moving the conversation to safer subjects. 'They died intestate, with very little to their name. Sally Mulholland amassed quite a tidy sum from her photographic business. However the IVF attempts wiped out most of her savings. Tax returns show she didn't work while under treatment or after Sophia's birth, leaving her business just this side of solvent. Joseph Mulholland worked for the county municipality in the accounts department. His salary barely covered their living expenses.'

'You're implying Dana and Fox can give these children a better lifestyle,' Maggie enquired.

'There is no question Dana and Mulder are in a very advantageous financial, psychological and emotional position to raise these children,' Harold agreed, his voice taking on an Attorney tone. Looking at this purely from a legal aspect, he continued, 'their biological children. Sally Mulholland acted as little more than a surrogate in this transaction, even if she didn't know it.'

'I've spoken to a trusted colleague in the family court. There is one precedent for your case. I've taken the liberty of retaining the council who won the challenge on your behalf. Susan Winters represented a couple whose blastocyst became implanted in the wrong mother, effectively making her a surrogate, like Sally Mulholland. The court ruled in favour of the biological parents, however the clinic admitted culpability and the pregnancy only reached thirteen weeks. The surrogate had the unenviable task of handing over the child at birth. She miscarried due to the stress of the case when the judge handed down his decision.'

'Oh,' Scully found her hand covering her mouth. The emotions running through her brought the sheen of tears to her eyes. Everyone had lost, unlike their case.

'We have proof the IVF clinic is responsible for creating and implanting our DNA into another patient,' Mulder drew the conclusion, 'surely that shows liability on their part and the surrogate in this case is deceased.'

'My Colleague agrees with you and I'm attempting to have him hear the indictment as soon as possible,' Harold confirmed, 'he's sympathetic to your cause and can be persuaded.'

'Wheels within wheels,' Scully hissed pursing her lips, understanding Harold implication. His friend would take her abduction and the conspiracy into consideration unofficially. While Mulder trusted the man implicitly, Dana began to have her doubts about the level of his commitment within the syndicate.

'It's often the way the world works,' Harold agreed, watching Scully expressions with great interest. 'Both you and Mulder have been in the position to understand, it's often who you know, not what you know. Influence is a very powerful political tool.'

Arching an eyebrow, Scully remained silent. Mulder, realising more went on than the surface conversation, remained quiet. The battle of wills finally concluded, Harold came out the victor.

Finally feeling safe, Harold returned to his previous thread of conversation. 'Mulder,' he approached the topic carefully, capturing the younger man's attention, 'it's not the same house. After Katherine passed away, I couldn't abide to enter it. Every time I crossed the threshold of a room I found too many memories.'

'Oh,' Mulder made the action with his mouth but not a sound came out.

'Your licence is for the state of Virginia, so you have to be married in the state your marriage licence is issued. This new house is on the banks of the Potomac just outside the town of Triangle near Quantico. As part of our legal requirements, we needed to investigate you employment. Did you know you've both been reassigned?'

Looking up to Harold with an expression of shock, Mulder shook his head. 'I'm not surprised after the stunt I pulled last week and Scully coming to rescue me.'

'I don't think it has anything to do with that,' Harold's eyes communicated what his words couldn't. 'You're to take up a position in the Behavioural Science Unit after an unspecified leave of absence. Dr Scully will join you in a year, after her maternity leave has expired, teaching at the academy. The house is only a short drive from Quantico and your new positions allow you to work office hours. Of course you need to hear this officially from your current line manager.'

Mulder and Scully chanced a look at each other. They'd spoken about Kersh's easy capitulation this morning when they'd demanded a week's emergency leave. Finding all this far too coincidental, they wondered what forced lay behind the uncomplicated and effortless transition from field agents to happy families. Neither trusted their good fortune, believing it would come back to bit them in the most uncomfortable of places.