DISCLAIMER: I, in now way own the X-files. However, if Chris Carter would like to cut me a share.... I have NO problem. (: (I think Frank is a closet snogger and shipper. Go listen to the IWTB commentary track during the bed scene. NEED I SAY MORE? oh, and the major kiss scene too.) I have no idea how this turned out to be so long (5,027 words!)! LOL. Brittney's been beating my ass to update. So here. I guess you can say this chapter is dedicated to all you guys.... since it's going to be one of the few before all this drama I have in store comes up. *Sigh* Okay, so I'm loving the reviews. (: They make me smile with no end. Seriously. Well, I hope you like this chapter Chapter 10
The next day, Scully drove to down the street to Monica's earlier than usual. Monica needed help with her Calculus homework, so Scully figured she would help her. Even though she hated going into school early because she was always so much more tired, her friend needed help and she would get some time with Mulder if they decided to work in his room.
Monica was half asleep when she got in the car, spilling her coffee almost when she shut the door. Luckily, she wasn't the one driving. So, they drove off to school in silence, Scully concentrating on the road while her friend rested her head against the car window. Within fifteen minutes, thanks to the traffic, they were pulling into the parking lot.
It was actually pretty nice outside. The weather they had been experiencing had seemed like it was pregnant with all the constant mood swings it had been having. If she had to guess, she would say the temperature was about 63F.
Scully walked into the building with Monica. Her hands were tucked inside the pockets of her North Face fleece zip up hoodie, and Monica was gradually waking up. She shifted her bag off of her shoulder and pulled out her Calculus homework. She handed it to Scully.
"You already did these in your class, right?"
"Last week."
"Good, so are we going into homeroom?"
"Nah, whatsherface is definitely not in school yet."
"Who is?" Scully smiled, and Monica instantly knew, "Right. Mulder's here."
"I'm hungry," Scully sighed like she hadn't heard Monica. "Wonder if he wants to feed me."
Mulder was behind his desk at his computer grading papers in the dim light of the classroom. Only the standing lamp behind him was on. He had a pair of wire rimmed glasses on, and he was reading over the essay portion on one test.
"Why is it so dark in here, Mulder?" Scully asked as she came into the room, Monica behind her. She sat her bag on her usual desk, and Monica did the same.
"Orders from my optometrist," He said, sarcasm layered in his tone. Monica openly laughed. Scully tried to hide her smile, but eventually it broke through. "So what can I do for you girls?"
"I'm helping Monica with her math."
"What class?"
"Calc, with Mr. O'Herron," Monica answered, sitting on her desk. Scully took out her calculator and then heard Mulder reach for something in the small fridge near his desk.
"Strawberries?" He offered them, holding up a plastic container of perfectly ripe and red fruit. Scully was immediately at his side. It was almost like he had heard her comment in the hallway.
"I'm starving," Scully said, reaching for the container. "Wait, why do you have food in your fridge all of a sudden? Usually you just keep a root beer in there." She raised an eyebrow, now taking the strawberry in between her lips and biting down.
"You said you were coming in early. I knew you weren't going to feed yourself. And- maybe I'm trying to be extra nice."
Her eyebrow remained arched up as she eyed him suspiciously. "Why?"
"I need your help." He handed her the whole container, motioning that she could have all of them if she wanted.
"With what?"
"Well... I have Cara for the week." She waited for him to go on. "After Diana's dinner function last night, she called to say she was busy the whole week. She wouldn't tell me why or anything... only that I had to take Cara. So... naturally, this morning I called my mother. What I failed to know beforehand was that my mother is sick. I ended up calling Mr. Sims... since we're friends. He told me that I would be allowed to have Cara here, but just for today."
"You could've asked my mother to watch her for you today. She can do that the rest of the week, Mulder. I'm sure it's no problem."
"Well, I didn't get to the part where I need your help." She waited. "Can you either take her trick or treating tomorrow or hand out candy at my place? Please." Scully smiled at the plea in his eyes.
"That's fine," Scully said with a smile, turning back to Monica and beginning to help her with her homework during the next 24 minutes. However, a moment later Cara ran in, her wavy brown hair bouncing behind her.
"Walk, Cara," Mulder warned, without even having to look up. Cara stopped running and turned to see her favorite person, Scully.
"Dana!" Cara said excitedly, running over to and giving Scully a hug. Cara wore a purple corduroy jumper over a white turtle neck with light purple and white striped tights on her legs. Her tiny little feet where in purple Mary-Janes.
"Hello, Cara," Scully smiled. Mulder had looked up from his test grading and smiled at the scene before him, Scully with his little girl. His eyes flashed up to Mulder's neighboring teacher, Ms. Whitaker, also a friend of Mulder's.
"Was she good, Celine?"
"She was perfect, and all the secretaries loved her."
"Look Daddy," Cara held up her hand that held presents from the secretaries, while she sat on Scully's lap. "Free pencils!" Ms. Whitaker spun on her hall and walked off toward her room.
"That's a very nice outfit you have on, Cara, very purple. I like it."
"Thank you. Daddy did you ask her yet?" Mulder nodded. Cara cheered and gave Scully the biggest hug Scully ever thought possible for such a small girl.
"What's your costume, sweetie?"
"A princess."
"Aren't you already a princess every day?" Scully said arching an eyebrow while she smiled down at Cara. Her green eyes were just like Mulder's. They were perfect. Cara giggled.
"Cara, come over here next to Daddy and color."
"No, I want to be with Dana." Now, it didn't necessarily come as a surprise to him that she preferred Scully. She was practically in love with Scully, but Monica did need to finish her homework and there were only 17 minutes left until the homeroom bell would ring.
"Dana's busy with Monica. She's helping Monica with her homework." Cara groaned in a toddler-like tantrum way. "You said you would be a good girl for me today." Cara stomped over to her father who was staring down at a paper.
"But I want to be with Dana!"
"Sweetie-"
"Cara, if I have lunch with you would that make you feel better?" Scully asked as she watched Monica work on her homework, seeing if she was doing everything right. Cara sniffed and wiped her left eye with a fist. Scully couldn't believe Cara was actually about to cry.
"Okay-"
"That's if it's okay with your father." Mulder's heart skipped a beat when he saw and heard Scully say those words. She sounded just like a mother.
"Is it Daddy!?" Cara asked excitedly.
"I don't see why not."
When it was just about a minute and a half until the homeroom bell rang Scully and Monica left. The next time Scully saw Mulder, other than whenever she would walk by his room, was when she came to get Cara for lunch. Mulder was starting his class when Scully had stepped in the room. At hearing the door open, Cara's head popped up from the back of the room where she was drawing and she ran towards Scully right in front of the projector, casting a small scurrying shadow across the wall. Scully pulled her up into her arms.
"Bye?" Scully heard Mulder say followed by an uproar of laughter when she shut the door behind her. Scully giggled to herself and then put Cara on the ground. They walked hand in hand to the cafeteria.
----
The next day when Scully had gotten home from school she was in a hurry to get things ready before she had to go to Mulder's. Her mother had Cara, and she had told Mulder that she would bring Cara over when she had gotten home. She was greeted at the door by an excited Cara wearing a hot pink jump suit and light pink bunny slippers. Cara threw her arms around her and Scully picked her up.
"Hey, sweetheart," Scully said to Cara, placing a kiss on her cheek. "Mom," She called out into the house.
"In the kitchen," Mrs. Scully answered. Scully made her way through the hallway and into the kitchen where her mother had begun making pot roast.
"You know how I'm going to Mulder's to take Cara trick or treating, right?"
"How wouldn't I know? It's all Cara talked about all day, huh?"
"Yep!" She nodded gleefully and wiggled out of Scully's arms. Scully smiled after her. "All my stuff's ready."
"I have to clean up my room real quick and then we can go, alright?"
"Dana, your room's clean enough."
"I have to-"
"No, you don't. It's fine. Just change and you can go."
"Alright," Scully sighed and walked up to her room to change and grab her things.
She came back downstairs wearing a black velour jumpsuit and carrying a tote bag with her. She pulled out her cell phone and found Mulder's number on her contact list.
"Hey, I was just about to call you."
"You were? Well, I was wondering what you were planning on making for dinner."
"Oh, I figured I would just order pizza since it's Halloween."
"Mulder, do you know how bad of a mixture pizza and candy is?" Scully asked with a giggle.
"Enlighten me."
"We're going to have one very hyperactive four year old on our hands. I'll make something, okay?"
"What did you have in mind?"
"What's Cara's favorite?"
"Spaghetti."
"What's yours?"
"The same thing."
"Looks like that's what I'm making." Scully rummaged through her pantry to find the right ingredients. "So, I'll see you in about ten minutes."
"See you."
"Dana honey, what are you doing?"
"I'm making Mulder and Cara dinner." She tossed ragu, some spices, and a box of spaghetti noodles into her bag. "Cara, you ready to go?" Scully asked as she began to walk out of the kitchen.
"Mmhm!"
"Bye, Mom," Scully said, picking Cara up in her arms and pressing a kiss onto her mother's cheek.
"Bye, Maggie," Cara waved.
"Bye sweethearts. Drive safely, Dana."
"Always!"
---
Scully came around to Cara's door to unbuckle her from her car seat. Mulder was already at the window watching. Scully just seemed so comfortable with his daughter, and Cara was already in love with Scully completely. They raced to the front porch, and Mulder swung the door open for them.
"Daddy!" Cara threw her arms around her father's leg. And he laughed, ruffling her hair. "Daddy, Dana said that since I'm a princess for Halloween I get to pick the dinner."
"Did she?" Cara nodded excitedly.
"And I pick spaghetti!"
"Well," Scully began, as she dug through her bag. "You're in luck. I just happen to have a bunch of ingredients for spaghetti right here." Scully said with a grin as she came to stand by Mulder.
"Cara baby, why don't you go get your princess costume to show Sc –Dana. She was telling me about how much she would like to see it." Cara's eyes lit up when she thought about the idea of Scully seeing her costume. She ran up the steps as fast as her little legs could go, and even used her hands some of the way up. "So, where's your costume, Miss Scully?"
"I'm wearing it."
"You're wearing it?"
"Well, hold on," Scully reached into her bag and shoved something into her mouth, then smiled.
"Ah, I see you're a vampire." Scully nodded. "Do you believe in vampires?" Mulder asked as he led Scully into the kitchen. She arched an eyebrow at his question.
"Mulder, are you serious?"
"I guess I was wrong asking you that." He frowned. Scully shook her head.
"No," She laughed. "I just think it's completely fictional. Do you, Mulder?"
"Well, there have been written accounts of vampire bites and s-"
"Have you yourself seen or have been bitten by a vampire?" Mulder placed his hands on Scully's hips. She giggled.
"Okay," And she quickly stood up on her tippy toes and bit his neck quickly. Mulder chuckled and placed a kiss on the crown of her head.
"I guess it's true what they say about vampires then," Mulder said as Scully reached for a glass next to her.
"What's that?"
"They're out of their mind beautiful." Scully blushed. Then she saw Cara walk into the kitchen behind Mulder. Instead of just bringing her dress down, she had put it on.
"Speaking of beautiful," Scully announced, causing Mulder to turn and see his little princess. "I love your dress, Princess Cara." Cara spun around and Scully marveled at her light pink poofy skirt that flowed out to her ankles and the white sparkly sweater part of her dress. Her crown was made of rhinestones, sequence, and glitter, and she carried a matching wand with pink, blue, and purple rhinestones on it to add color.
"Thank you, Daddy got it for me."
"Cara, you look lovely, but I didn't want you to wear it until after dinner. You might get it dirty."
"Daddy, please? I'll be extra careful!" Mulder sighed, knowing that especially with spaghetti his daughter would end up being a mess.
"Mulder, how about she wears her dress until dinner? I'm sure you'll be careful right, Cara?" Scully suggested with a smile. Mulder nodded before agreeing.
Around five thirty they were all at the kitchen table eating the spaghetti Scully had prepared. Mulder and Scully were talking about school and next week's lesson. Good thing Cara had taken off her princess costume, because her white t-shirt was a mess of spaghetti sauce. She loved Scully's spaghetti so much that she was just about finished. Right now she was just chasing a meatball on her plate with her fork.
Scully stopped the conversation on dreams when she realized Cara's long hair was starting to get into the sauce.
"Cara, let me pull your hair back so it doesn't get into the sauce." Scully walked over to where Cara was sitting in her booster seat. Mulder smiled as she began gently pulling back his daughter's soft fine hair into a low pony tail. He was seeing a whole new side of her. She was so caring to his daughter, his light, his life. Scully felt his eyes burning on her skin; she blushed.
"Dana, is it time for trick or treating yet?" Cara asked once she finished chewing her meat ball. Scully checked her watch and smiled as she tied the hair tie in her hair.
"You can run upstairs and get ready, Angel." Mulder said, and Cara jumped out of her booster seat and began running upstairs. Scully laughed and took all three plates to the sink.
"Are you already to hand out the candy?" Scully asked after she dried her hands on the cloth on the refrigerator handle. Mulder leaned against the sink.
"I wish I could be with both of my two favorite girls, tonight." Mulder said with a smile, pulling Scully into his arms. She rested her ear against his chest, listening to his heart beat. She inhaled deeply and closed her eyes. "Actually, I know how I can be." Mulder pulled himself away from Scully and ran to plastic drawers in the living room where a bunch of Cara's stuff was stored. He pulled out a yellow piece of construction paper and a black crayola washable marker, bringing them over to the dinner table.
"Mulder what're you doing?" Scully was confused, but once she saw what Mulder had written she understood. 'Take one.' He had written on the paper in his messy, yet legible handwriting. Scully took the marker from him and added the word, 'please.' Mulder laughed, and wrapped his arm around her side, placing a kiss on her temple.
"Dana, Dana!" Cara called from the living room. She stood in her dress and accessories, holding her orange pumpkin candy bag. "I'm ready!"
"Cara, it looks like Daddy's coming with us too."
"But Daddy don't have costume." Scully laughed at Mulder's daughter's verbal skills, loving how adorable they made her seem.
"Ah, but I think I do, Cara." Mulder reached into the basket full of candy and small toys and pulled out a pair of green tinted vampire teeth in a clear plastic wrapper. "I'm going to be a vampire."
"I don't know what that is."
"Dana's a vampire."
"Oh. I like vampires." Mulder and Scully both shared a laugh.
"Go get your princess slippers on, Cara." Cara ran off into the hallway, leaving Mulder and Scully by themselves in the kitchen.
"So I figured since you bit me I could become a vampire too."
"So I guess I'm the more powerful vampire?"
"Nah, I'm taller."
"Mulder, you being a big macho man has nothing to do with it." She playfully hit him in the chest.
"Well, my teeth a cooler. They glow in the dark," Mulder said triumphantly as he tapped his plastic false vampire teeth.
"Sometimes I think you're the teenager." Mulder laughed and hugged her tightly before pulling her out into the foyer where his daughter was waiting.
"I have something to give you," Mulder whispered into her hair as they walked together.
"What?" She whispered back.
"Later," He said as he smiled to his little princess before him, her hands behind her back holding her treat bag. "Ready to go, sweetheart?"
"Yup!"
"Okay, just let me take a few pictures first," Mulder said, reaching for his digital camera.
---
The whole night was eventful for the three of them. They both enjoyed watching little Cara being so entertained by getting candy and seeing all the other kids in their costumes. Mulder and Scully learned more about each other as they walked along the side walk together. It was a nice moment for the two of them, to be out together in public, without people drawing conclusions or assuming. It was Halloween, and it was perfectly normal for a student to baby sit her teacher's child, hell she already had three other friends who babysat their teacher's kids. It was normal. Besides, it was dark out too. They learned more about each other. Mulder learned Scully's favorite candy –Sugar Babies, and Scully learned Mulder's –Sour Gummi Worms. They must've walked six blocks before Cara had grown tired. Scully, who had been holding Cara's hand all night, lifted her up into her arms bridal style. Cara was asleep within moments of being picked up.
"You sure you don't want me to take her?" Mulder asked Scully as they walked in the night. There were few children out now, seeing that it was nearing nine o'clock, the time the town's trick-or-treating had ended.
"No, Mulder's it's fine. I got her." She whispered back. The wind blew the fall leaves around them at their feet. Scully, who was just in her velour sweat suit, shivered. Mulder didn't ask for permission, he just slid off his brown leather jacket and draped it around Scully's shoulders. He walked behind her closely, wrapping his arm around her waist. "What if someone sees?"
"There's no one out here," he reminded her, "Barely." And he was right. Everyone was inside their houses by now as they walked back to Mulder's. Besides, Mulder lived in a neighboring township, not one that was a part of the school district he taught at. "We're safe. You know I wouldn't do this if we weren't." Scully let out a sigh of relief.
"I know."
"You're so good with her," Mulder whispered as he bent into Scully. He was so close their lips were almost touching. The feel of his warm breath on her lips sent chills throughout her body. "I know I already said this countless numbers of times, but it never fails to surprise Me."
"Well, I've always loved children, but your daughter falls into a category of her own. I've never met a girl like her. She's amazing, Mulder. There's so much you that I see in her." He couldn't help but smile. He knew how much he looked like his daughter. "Oh, and it's not in looks alone, because you and I both know that Cara is a spitting image of you. There's so much of you I see in her personality. She's so curious and imaginative. The way she asks questions..." Mulder was at a loss for words. He just smiled down at Scully and his sleeping child down in her arms.
"She loves you, Scully. I can tell."
When they got back into the house, Scully let Mulder take Cara. She Mulder and Cara went up into Cara's bedroom and got Cara ready for bed. Cara's bedroom looked like something out a pottery barn kid's magazine... in other words it was a room a four year old only hoped to have, unless the four year old happened to be like Scully was when she was younger, a tomboy. The furniture was white and the walls were the perfect shade of light pink. Everything was organized to perfection, and there were a countless number of dolls and toys. There was another thing Scully saw reflected in Cara's personality that had originally belonged to Mulder. Cara slept like a rock. While Mulder was changing her sleeping form into pajamas, Cara did not wake once. Mulder kissed Cara's forehead, and then lead Scully out of the room into the living room.
"What time did you tell your mother you would be home?" Mulder asked as he took a seat on the couch next to Scully. It was dark; Mulder had just come back from the kitchen with a bowl of popcorn in his hands. The huge 60 inch flat screen before them had the Verizon Fios symbol on it as it loaded to bring up On Demand.
"I told her probably around 11 or something. Why did you plan on getting rid of me early?"
"Maybe," Mulder admitted, sarcasm layering his tone, as he tucked a stray piece of hair behind Scully's ear. As he did so he traced the curvature of her ear, making her shiver. "You're in my jacket, and you're still cold?" Mulder asked, taking note to her shiver. Scully laughed and brought her knees to her chest, leaning more into Mulder. He sighed, taking a breath, and smelling her fragrant hair.
"So, what're we watching?" Scully asked, remembering that they were to be watching a movie.
"Well, in light of todays date... I was thinking we could pick something off of fear net. That good?"
"Sure."
"You don't strike me as someone to get frightened by scary movies," Mulder began as he went down the list of scary movies on the TV. "But your brother did tell me of one that even scared him... so I think I'm going to pick that one." And he clicked on a movie called, One Missed Call.
"Oh, Monica saw that in theatres last year. She said it wasn't scary at all."
"Yes but.... this is the Japanese version, and I heard it's scarier. And it doesn't have subtitles if you were wondering."
"Subtitles don't bother me, Mulder. But okay... put it on. If you're hoping for a movie that involves me being frightened to death burying my face in your chest, I hope you know that you won't find one. I don't get scared easily." And with that, Mulder hit play.
Just as the credits began to roll at the beginning Scully picked up a package of sour gummi worms from the treat bag she had used while they were all trick or treating. Mulder's eyes flew to his favorite candy being ripped open. He ripped them away from Scully's grasp.
"Ah, your favorite candy," She noted, remembering how he told her and Cara his child hood with that candy and how much he loved eating them on hot days in the Summer. She laughed and snatched them back from them before he could even take one to snack on.
"Hey!" Mulder yelped with a pout. Scully giggled at his disappointed expression. "Come on."
"Mulder, you just up and snatched them out of my hands... how am I not allowed to do the same thing to you?" Mulder opened his mouth to speak, but no words came out. She beat him; she was right. "That's what I thought." Scully said with a smug smile and placed a red and yellow worm in between her lips, the part sticking out. "Hah." And with that, Mulder grabbed her shoulders and pushed her down onto the couch, not too rough though. He didn't want to hurt her. His lips attacked hers with a purpose. He wanted that worm... it was his favorite flavor. This sent Scully into a fit of giggles once half of the worm was bitten off.
"Don't mess with me and my sour gummi worms," Mulder told her, pulling her up so that she was now sitting across his lap.
Throughout the movie, Scully was finding it difficult to believe that she was actually becoming afraid. Naturally, she wouldn't let anything scare her. This was a surprise. She found herself burying her face in Mulder's chest, just like she had said she wouldn't. What made this movie so creepy?
Around 11 o'clock the movie was nearing its end, and Scully was relieved. She wasn't going to admit how afraid she was of the movie. She knew it was all fake and that there was no way possible that any of that could happen, but it was very creepy. She wasn't going to admit it to Mulder though.
Mulder laid on the couch with his head resting atop of the large cushion on the arm rest. Scully had snuggled into his side, fitting perfectly against him. His arms were around her. He turned the TV off, and her fingers were running idly over the gold chain that Mulder had never taken off... as long as she knew him. Mulder smiled down at her, pressing his lips to her forehead in a sensual kiss.
"I said I wanted to give you something," Mulder whispered into her hair. Scully angled her face so that her eyes matched his. She held his gaze, telling him with her eyes that she was curious. Both of his arms left her, and his hands went to his own neck to unfasten the chain that hung around his neck. He unhooked it, and then wrapped it around Scully's neck, hooking the ends so it would stay. It was just a bit longer than the gold cross necklace that never left her neck. Her finger's traced the chain that was now hers –hers and Mulder's –something they shared. Her eyes darted back up to his, asking the simply question of 'why' in one glance. "Samantha got it for me the year before she was gone. Well, my mother had taken her shopping and Samantha picked it out to get for me for Christmas. She was always so proud about how she selected it," Mulder smiled, remembering his memories from so long ago. "I want you to have it. It shows how much I tryst you. It shows how much I care about you."
"It's the one thing you never take off," Scully commented, his intense gaze into her eyes, holding her in a trance.
"You noticed..." Mulder said, his right index finger tracing her cheek. Scully's fingers went to behind her neck, and for a moment Mulder thought she was going to unhook his chain, but instead she unhooked her gold cross necklace. It was the one piece of jewelry she was never seen without.
"I got this for Christmas a few years ago... Melissa and I both did. It was from my mother. Of course, Melissa with her wild self wasn't as thrilled as I was. I loved it since the moment I saw it. My story doesn't have as great as a meaning as yours but I never take it off either." With both of her hands she caused the two ends of the gold chain to meet around his neck. She fastened it. "You don't have to wear it if you think it looks girly. I just want you to have it." Mulder's fingers traced the necklace that now hung around his neck. He smiled to himself. He too noticed it was something she never took off.
"I think I can pull it off." Scully smiled and pressed her face into his chest.
"I think you're right."
"I think you should probably get home now." Mulder whispered through the dim lighting of the living room. She smiled slightly and nodded against him. She maneuvered her tiny body to sit on the edge of the couch where she stretched. His hand rubbed her back tenderly while she did so.
"Are you okay to drive home?" Mulder asked, worried that maybe she was too tired after witnessing a yawn escape her lips.
"I'm good."
"Not too tired?" She shook her head. Mulder got up and Scully grabbed her bag she had brought to his house. He escorted her to the door where they parted. He wrapped his arms around her tightly and smiled. "I'll see you tomorrow in class, Miss Scully." Scully smiled as his head bent down to give her an affectionate seven second kiss on the lips.
"I'll see you too, Mr. Mulder." She said as she reluctantly left his embrace to go to her car outside.
"Drive safely," He called out the door after her. She smiled and nodded to him, loving how caring he was. As she got in and sat down in her in-need-of-heat sedan, her fingers traced the new piece of jewelry that hung around her neck, Mulder's chain –her chain. She smiled, knowing that was going to be the new piece of jewelry she was never going to take off, even at school. She wondered if he would do the same with her necklace.
It was dedicated to all of you! So I hope you guys liked it! If you did.... or even if you didnt (yes I'm inviting the ones who didnt too) please review.
-A.