Chapter 10

It was mid-afternoon the next day when Mulder and Scully let themselves into Gull Cottage. They were surprised to find the house quiet, but they heard the unmistakable sounds of cooking from the kitchen. Shrugging they walked into the kitchen to find Carolyn and William seated at the table with a generous sampling of food before them.

"What have we here?" Mulder said, entering the kitchen.

"It looks like a feast."

"Daniel is cooking for us," Carolyn said.

"It looks wonderful," Mulder reached in a nabbed a shrimp appetizer from the tray, and then rolled his eyes in surprise. "Pretty good, he-man."

Daniel grunted in recognition but didn't bother with a response.

Scully walked up behind the Captain and peered over his shoulder at the stove. "What are you cooking?"

"Chinese. I wanted to try something a bit out of my normal sphere of taste, and I know that my wife likes Chinese."

"So, do I," William said as he snatched another egg roll off the tray and onto his plate.

"How many is that?" Scully asked her son.

"I dunno, I lost count because they're so good."

"Save some for us," Mulder said and snatched the egg roll out of his son's hand.

"Hey! Dad!"

Carolyn laughed. "He's been at this since lunch. I think he's seeing if he can do this, and if he wants to do it."

"Do what?" Mulder asked.

The Captain shook his head, indicating the women shouldn't share his potential career change with Mulder. Carolyn shrugged, clearly not worried about the Captain's instructions to the contrary.

"Daniel is considering a career change."

"Carolyn!" He shook his wooden spoon at her, but she only laughed.

"Fox should know, the rest of us do."

"You're thinking about being a chef? Would you open a restaurant?"

"Well, yes…if I decided that is what I want to do," he agreed cautiously.

"Danny, that's great!" Fox came over and clapped the Captain on the shoulder. "What kind of restaurant would you open? What kind of food would you specialize in?"

"I do not know. It is only an idea."

Mulder studied his friend for a moment as Scully went back to the kitchen table to sample the food.

"What are you afraid of, Danny?"

"Why must I always be afraid of something?"

"Because we all are. Don't be afraid of starting over."

Daniel muttered something inappropriate under his breath and Mulder laughed.

"If you want dinner, go sit down," he grumbled.

Mulder went to join the others and took a seat by the table.

"How soon until everything is ready, Daniel?" Carolyn asked.

He regarded the stove as he stepped away from it and rubbed his hands together. "Oh, not long, half an hour I'd say."

"Then come sit while we enjoy your appetizers," Carolyn indicated a got off her chair and indicated he should sit there.

"Nonsense, my dear. The chair is yours."

"I thought we could share," she blinked her eyes demurely and everyone chuckled at the consternation on his face.

"In company?"

"They're hardly company. They're family and they've all seen us…canoodle before," Carolyn said.

"Conoodle? What's that?" William asked, wrinkling his face.

Daniel took the chair as Carolyn sat on his lap, she leaned over and gave him a brief kiss on the lips.

"Eww," William said, "more kissing?"

"Yes, it's because I love Daniel."

"Yeah, and Mom loves Dad. Too much kissing."

The adults laughed.

"These are great, Uncle Daniel!"

"Oh, you like them, do you?" he asked popping a crab wonton in his mouth.

"Yeah, I could eat this all day!"

"A resounding compliment from my son. He doesn't always eat everything put before him," Scully said.

"Hey, why aren't you sitting on my lap?" Mulder asked, noticing that Scully was sitting beside him.

"Mulder!" Scully blushed, and everyone chuckled again.

"Hey! If they can do it why can't we?"

Scully hit him on the arm. "Oww!"

"Behave," she hissed.

"We can see that you two are getting along, in fact you seem very happy. Any news?" Carolyn asked.

Mulder and Scully exchanged happy glances.

"Mom's going to have a baby," William stated, still concentrating on his eggroll.

"William! We haven't told you for sure," Scully said.

"It's okay, Mom. I already knew."

The Captain grinned at Mulder. "Congratulations, Fox. It didn't take the pair of you long, did it? A few hours and…"

Carolyn squeezed his hand. "Daniel…"

"Ahh, yes. You are most wise, my love." He gave her a peck on the lips.

"I see you two are doing better," Scully said cheerfully.

"Yes, I am…understanding better what it is to be a human male. I still have much to accomplish but I am doing better."

"He is," Carolyn agreed.

Mulder's eyes twinkled with mischief. "Does that mean that? Have you?"

Scully elbowed him in the ribs. "Oww! Stop that."

"Not our business," she said.

"Why not? I helped Danny."

The Captain sighed but inclined his head in agreement. "Fox, you did. But should you share our conversations with anyone I may be forced to kill you. Do you understand?"

"You can't be serious," Fox started but saw the intent look on Daniel's face.

Mulder regarded him with an appraising look and nodded. "Point taken. It would be unprofessional in any case."

"I was a client?"

"First and foremost a friend, and so I am even more committed to keeping our talks in my confidence. You have nothing to worry about."

"Thank you, Fox."

"You're welcome, Danny. You two need to be together and if I helped at all I'm very glad."

With a gentle push, Carolyn was off his lap as he stood up.

"I must return to my duties. After we enjoy dinner I trust that you will give me honest reviews regarding the meal?"

They all agreed and within minutes a sumptuous Chinese feast was laid before them. The kitchen was quiet as they were all busy consuming the delicious meal that Daniel had prepared.

8888888888888888888888888888

Later that evening, after dinner, the adults sat in the living room enjoying drinks as were appropriate, liquor and iced tea, and laughing at personal anecdotes of the last few days. They were all surprised when the room suddenly grew very still, and the clock stopped.

"Oh, oh," Mulder said.

"Is that the best you can do, Mr. Mulder?" Sucellos said as he appeared in the room.

"What do you want, to be trumpeted in?" Daniel asked.

"Daniel, must you be so snide? We've hardly started."

"Apologize," Carolyn whispered in his ear.

"Very well, I am sorry for such a rude welcome, Lord Sucellos."

"Apology accepted," Sucellos inclined his head and then looked at the other adults in the room. "Mrs. Mulder, Mr. Mulder, a pleasure to see you as well."

"Thanks," Scully said.

"Are you here to find out what we want to do?" Mulder blurted out.

"Fox!" Daniel admonished.

"What? It's what we all want to know."

"Not much for small talk, are you?" The spirit asked. "Oh, and congratulations to you Mrs. Mulder."

"You were right, I was pregnant, but how did you know just hours after…"

Sucellos waved his hand and regarded her with amusement. "Because I'm so old," he whispered loudly, and everyone laughed.

Everyone seemed to have relaxed a bit, and the spirit nodded at them. "May I sit?" he asked, indicating a nearby chair.

"Of course," Carolyn agreed, and Daniel simply stood behind her with a long-suffering sigh.

"Get on with it, will you?" the Captain said.

"Daniel, really? Must you be so testy? All will happen in due time." He paused and looked at the Mulders. "And I have made sure your son will sleep deeply while we have our discussion so that there is no interruption to the adults." He looked around and saw four apprehensive sets of eyes. "Have any of you heard of relaxing? You really should try it some time."

"Get on with it," Daniel growled.

"Honestly, Daniel. I am offering you a prize why are you so garrulous?" He turned to the others. "As you all know, you had a choice to make in an allotted amount of time and that time is now up. The career choices need to be put in place. You will be provided with all the proper knowledge, credentials and history so that no one will question you. It will be as if you had always been in that profession." He paused. "Do you have any questions?"

The room was silent.

"Very well then. As is proper, I will start with the ladies first. Mrs. Gregg, I expect that you have given this considerable thought and that you know your own mind. Please start us out. What is it that you would like to do, dear lady?"

When all the eyes turned to her, Carolyn felt put on the spot, and dropped her gaze to the floor while she gathered herself together. It wasn't hard, she knew what she wanted, she had known what she always wanted. She wanted to write, it was part of her, much as breathing was. She couldn't imagine not writing, not putting words to paper to tell a story. Even if she never made a dime from it she would want to write, her need to tell stories was that great.

She looked back at the ancient ghost Lord and smiled. "I don't want anything different, I want to write." She shrugged. "It's what I do, what I've always done, and I don't have any reason to change. I love to write."

Sucellos nodded in approval. "Well said, my dear. It must be comforting to be so sure of what is important to you, and what you want. Congratulations on your choice." He tilted his head at her in acceptance. "Will you allow me to make your way easier?"

"How?"

"Would you like a degree? Several degrees?"

"I don't know, I don't think I need it for writing."

"Any knowledge that you wish?"

"No, I don't think so. I mean I've studied and practiced what I know and been fairly successful."

"Please allow me to impart the knowledge that a master's degree would have given you in writing. It will not remove anything you already know, only enhance your current abilities."

"All right. That would be acceptable."

"Perhaps some fame?" he suggested.

"No. That will come on its own if it's meant to be."

"You are a wise woman, Carolyn Gregg. I will arrange a few gifts for you."

"Gifts?" She asked suspiciously.

"Do not worry, dear lady. I assure you, they will all be wanted."

Carolyn silently took Daniel's arm and leaned into him as Sucellos turned to Dana Scully.

"Mrs. Mulder? Please tell me. What may I do for you?"

"I guess I'm much like Carolyn. I want to remain a doctor because it's what I love, but I do want to make changes." She exchanged a look with Mulder, and he offered her an encouraging look of support. "I don't want to be a forensic investigator any more. I want to work with children, at the very least be a pediatrician, though I think I'd like to specialize in something with children."

"Hmm," Sucellos rubbed his chin as he regarded her. "That is a bit more complicated. I can give you the knowledge and credentials you need to be a pediatrician. And you were a surgeon, were you not?"

"Yes, I was. I don't want to lose any of the knowledge I already have."

"No, of course not, but in view of your new ages, it would be unrealistic to give you all of that right now. Would it be acceptable for you to begin your career as a pediatrician here in the area? You can have put the forensic skills behind you as a career change at an early age." He smiled at her. "You will of course be regarded as brilliant no matter what you choose to do, dear lady."

"Thank you," Scully blushed. "What about my specialization?"

"You will retain the knowledge you already have, and it will be enhanced. If in three years you still wish to pursue this course or another, you may. I will pop back and check in on you."

"That would be wonderful," Scully agreed, a huge smile gracing her face.

"Consider it done." Sucellos gave the ladies a pleased smile and then turned to focus on Mulder. "Mr. Mulder? What decision have you arrived at?"

Mulder shifted uncomfortably, realizing he hadn't shared his decision with anyone other than Scully, and uncertain as to what their reactions might be. Would they consider him lazy for wanting to stay home with his children? At least for a while?

"Mr. Mulder, we are waiting."

"Umm, well, it's like this…" he scratched his head and finally met Sucellos gaze. "I don't want to lose any of the abilities I have either. I'm a damn good psychologist…"

"Fair," Daniel agreed with a faint smile, and Fox briefly glared at him while the Captain chuckled.

"…so I don't want to lose that. Maybe I'll work with kids too, be a child psychologist."

"That would suit you, Fox." Daniel said, and his voice held approval.

"Thanks, I think. You're not calling me childish, are you?" Mulder glanced back at the Captain, who shook his head.

"Mr. Mulder, please go on," Sucellos encouraged.

"Oh yeah, right. I want to retain the right to hang up a shingle as a child psychologist, or maybe even profiler if I want."

"Mulder, I thought you weren't going to do that anymore?" Scully's concern was evident.

"I'm not planning on it, but you never know when that skill might come handy." He turned back to the spirit in front of him. "And I want to maintain my knowledge of the paranormal. In case I decide to do something with that."

"May I remind you of who you are speaking to? That request goes without saying. But Mr. Mulder, you haven't really said anything new. What is it you want?"

He shuffled in front of the others, uncomfortable once again. "I don't need any special skills…I just wanna be…be a house husband."

"A what?" Daniel gasped in astonishment.

"A house husband?" Carolyn's mouth crinkled in a warm smile.

"Yeah. Now that we're expecting another child, I just, well, I just want to be with them."

"That's hardly an occupation for a man," Daniel commented.

"Maybe not in your day, Captain, but it's perfectly acceptable now," Scully said, defending her mate.

"Does that reaction mean that you wouldn't stay home and take care of any children we may someday have?" Carolyn said with great innocence.

The Captain paused, realizing that although couched in innocence, his answer needed to be well thought out. "No, that is not what I said."

"Daniel, you had best be quiet before you get yourself in trouble," advised Sucellos.

"Perhaps you are right," the Captain said and shut his mouth.

"Mr. Mulder, you can choose whatever you want, and you have, your choice is acceptable." He gave Mulder an understanding smile. "If you want to be that, then you may. You will not lose any of your other sets of knowledge or skill. It is a noble thing to raise a child."

"Good, yeah, good." He grinned up at Sucellos. "Can I get a newer mini-van?"

Daniel smacked him on the back of the head.

"Ow!"

"Fox! This is about potential life changing events, not cars."

"Besides, Mulder, we can afford our own."

Sucellos just laughed. "You are an entertaining group of people, I have to say that." His smile faded as he turned to Daniel, the last of the group to answer Sucellos. "And last, but certainly not least, Daniel. Well, my boy, what is it that you would like to do? All of the others have stayed close to what they have been doing in their present life? Will you be the same? Will you return to the sea?"

The spirit watched his protégé expectedly, but the Captain remained silent.

"Daniel?" he prodded.

"I am reluctant to answer."

The ancient spirit regarded him with concern and noticed that Carolyn Gregg was fidgeting quietly by his side. He hoped the Captain's answer would not be hurtful to that amazing woman that had remained by his side through everything.

"Daniel? We are waiting."

"Very well." The Captain stood tall and clasped his hands behind him and turned to regard Sucellos with a steely gaze. "You have already allowed me to maintain my knowledge of the sea along with appropriate new knowledge to assist me with any seafaring career I may wish to have, either merchant and military."

Carolyn gave an internal sigh. This wasn't what she wanted, but it wasn't fair for her to hold him back if he truly wanted to return to sailing. They would need to discuss how this would work, and how much time he planned to spend away, but she would somewhat reluctantly support him. She was keeping her profession after all, he should be allowed to keep his as well if it was what he desired.

Sucellos raised an eyebrow in question. "You will take up sailing again?" There was slight disapproval in his tone.

"Perhaps someday…but not yet." He swallowed, and his expression grew uncertain. "There is something else that I want to do, something I want to try…but blast! It seems so unmanly!"

Carolyn gripped his arm. "Daniel, are you saying?"

"Yes, blast it. I want to attempt to be a chef, to have my own restaurant."

Sucellos mouth gaped open in astonishment.

"Close your blasted mouth! You look like a fish out of water!" He snapped at the elder spirit.

Then Sucellos laughed. He threw back his head and laughed, long and hard, but it was a laugh filled with love and laughter. After a minute he wiped his eyes.

"Oh, Gods, I never expected that. Out of this entire group, you are the one who changed his mind on his profession?"

"I do not wish to forget about it, much like the others I may use it someday. But, for the moment I find that I wish to remain closer to home, closer to my wife." He pulled Carolyn close and looked into her eyes, his filled with warmth and love. "If that is all right with her?"

Mutely, Carolyn nodded.

"We have a few things to work out, my love, and I want to assure you that I have every intention of doing so. It will be far easier to do that if I am not gone for months at a time, don't you think?"

"It sounds wonderful, but Daniel, are you certain?"

"I promise you, my love, I have never been more certain of anything." He laughed. "Maybe not the profession choice, but being here with you, I have no doubt."

He turned back to Sucellos. "A chef it is."

"Fair enough. I will set up the capital for you to set up your restaurant, but you will have to do the work."

"I would expect so."

The spirit waved a hand expansively at the group. "You will, of course all receive a stipend to help you with your goals." He offered them a smile and soon the group of them was hugging each other and patting each other on the back in congratulations.

Sucellos cleared his throat until the group stopped to look at him. "There is one more thing…"

"I knew it," Daniel said. "There's always a catch."

"It's a small thing, something I mentioned before. There may be, from time to time, some paranormal … situations that we need help with."

"And you want us to help?" Mulder asked, exchanging a knowing look with Scully.

"Of course, he does," Daniel scowled.

"Oh, don't be so upset. It will be a rare thing, but on occasion we need the help of people on the physical plane and there is no one more qualified than the lot of you because of your expertise."

The group regarded one another, shrugged and looked back to the spirit. Daniel spoke for the lot of them. "Very well, we agree."

"Excellent! Then we are done." Sucellos stood up and bowed to them.

"That's it?" Scully asked. "Just like that?"

"Just like that." He agreed and began to make a gesture to disappear when the Captain stopped him.

"Sucellos, may I have a word with you in private?"

He seemed surprised but readily agreed. "Of course, my boy. If you will excuse us," he bowed, and he and Daniel disappeared.

88888888888888888888888888888888888888

AN: We are nearing the end; a couple of more chapters and we will be done. Thanks for reading.