AN: hello everyone... it's been a very long time since I've updated, but RL got in the way. Things have been hard and busy since I've last updated. Writers block didn't help either :). Hope you guys like this!

Fifteen minutes later Katie came back to the table they were sitting at. She had fallen in the water and now her jeans were wet.

'I fell in, and now I'm all wet,' she pouted

'That's okay, sweetie, that's why I packed extra clothes for you. I was kind off expecting something like this to happen,' Dana said. 'Let's go to the bathroom and get you changed.'

Both girls left and came back 5 minutes later, Katie in a different pair of jeans.

'Do you want to play for a little while, or should we go check out some more animals? They also have a petting zoo we haven't been to. They have rabbits, goats, chickens and donkeys you can pet.'

Katie wanted to go to the petting zoo, so that's where the three of them went to spent the last hour before the Zoo closed.

At first Katie was a little bit overwhelmed with all the animals there and available to pet, but once Fox had started to pet a baby goat, she got down next to him to pet it as well. After that she moved over to the other animals. She didn't like the pigs, but loved the rabbits.

'They're so soft, look Dana, I think this one really likes me!' She was holding a small rabbit, just a baby, it was snuggled up close to her and sniffling her. The tiny nose twitched and twitched, but it seemed content to let Katie pet her.

Dana took the opportunity to shoot some more pictures of Katie interacting with the different animals. She hoped the one of Katie with the baby rabbit and the one with Mulder, Katie and the baby goat would turn out well. She gave the camera to Mulder and asked him to take some pictures with Katie and her.

Finally it was time to go.

'Do we really have to go?' Katie asked. She was getting tired, that was obvious, but she had so much fun that she didn't want to go home.

'Yes, sweetie, the Zoo is closing and it's time to go home. Remember tomorrow we are going shopping with my mother for some stuff for your bedroom in my house. You will need your energy then as well. I don't want your mom to pick you up tomorrow evening and having you be exhausted.'

The ride in the car back to Scully's apartment was mostly silent. Katie was to exhausted to say much and Scully and Mulder knew that they would have time to talk after dinner.

Once at home, Mulder carried Katie inside and went to sit with her on the couch. They were going to watch a cartoon, while Scully was going to make dinner.

Even though Katie had rested on the ride home and when Scully was making dinner, she was still quiet during dinner. Scully and Mulder tried to make small talk with her, but she could hardly stay awake enough to eat the pasta. After dinner Scully gave her a quick bath and put her to bed.

'Tomorrow we are going to buy some things for this room for you, so that you have your own things here. But now it is time to go to sleep. Remember, I'm just outside in the living room or in my bedroom if you need something. Goodnight Sweetie.'

'G'night Dana, see you tomorrow,' was the sleepy response from Katie.

Scully went back to the living room, feeling a little bit apprehensive about the rest of the night. She had promised Mulder they would talk and she knew they had to, but talking about her feelings and emotions had always been hard for her. She found Mulder sitting on he couch, he had lit a fire and put on some jazzy music. The atmosphere was meant to be relaxing, but it made her feel a little on edge. After watching Mulder sitting on the couch with his hands clenched, she went over and joined him.

They sat in silence for a few minutes, both not knowing where and how to start the conversation.

'One of us has to say something first,' Dana thought.

'I believe I promised you some wine,' she said and got up again en went to the kitchen to get them some wine before he even got the chance to react.

AN2:

Hopefully I'll be able to update again soon, because I do love to write and want to see where this story will go (don't have a definitive ending in mind). If there is anything you would like to see happen, let me know!

If you would like to help me by beta-ing for me and keep me motivated and keep the updates coming, let me know. I work better with deadlines :)