Here's a longer chapter to make up for last chapter! Also, there is major foreshadowing.
Enjoy!
"Has Chloe mentioned Kyle anymore?" Scully asks one day as they head out of town for a case.
"No, why?" Her partner asks as he drives. Shrugging, the red head replies, "I think I may have seen his mom at the hospital the other day when I was leaving my appointment."
"I would've come with you," Mulder states dismissing the earlier comment.
"Mulder, it's just a routine appointment," Scully remarks as she squeezes his hand in reassurance. Seeing her partner sigh, Scully looks back at the road wondering if she is wrong in not letting him come with her. She knows he is having trouble dealing with her cancer.
"You'd tell me if something bad happened though, right? If you were worse?" The man questions. His partner nods before saying as he veers a little to the right, "Keep your eyes on the road!"
"I am, Scully! Calm down."
There is a pause before Mulder asks, "At the risk of playing Devil's advocate here, Scully, are you sure that was Kyle's mom?"
"She looked familiar, and I've seen the kids before when I went to pick up Chloe the other day," The woman explains. Nodding, Mulder asks, "What's Kyle's mom like?"
"I didn't really get to talk to her. She was preoccupied," Scully answers seemingly lost in thought.
"Hey, what's wrong?" Mulder asks as he pauses at a red light. He notices his partner becoming more reserved lately and really wants insight from her on her feelings as well as her diagnosis.
"It's nothing. I'm just thinking," She answers before articulating, "Has Chloe always wanted to be an older sister?"
"I guess. When Diana and I were together, she asked a few times for a sibling. I'm glad that didn't work out though. I'd hate to be an absentee parent."
Scully nods knowing her partner does his best with the job he has. She smiles a little to herself thinking that he is not too bad an option if she ever wants an Uber Scully. Realizing what she is thinking, the red head clears her throat saying, "I don't think you could ever be an absentee parent, Mulder."
"Thanks for the confidence," Mulder answers before asking, "I'm going to stop for gas soon. Is there anything you need?"
"A water?" She asks searching for a gas station.
Returning to the car to pump gas, Mulder gives his partner her water while tossing a bag of sunflower seeds on the seat.
"You okay?" He questions as his partner rests her eyes. She makes a postive noise before answering, "The sun's in my eyes."
"Well, let me fill this baby up and we can get you out of the sun," The man jokes before shutting the car door. Scully smiles a little just as her phone rings.
"Scully," She answers.
"Mom?" The voice on the other end says. Sitting straighter, Scully asks, "Chloe? What's wrong?"
"Kyle's mom wants to talk to you."
"Why aren't you at school?" The red head questions looking at the time on the dashboard.
"I am, but school ended," Chloe answers, "Can she go ahead and talk to you?"
"Yeah," Scully asks confused. Her look causes her partner to raise an eyebrow as he enters the car and puts it in drive.
"Kyle's mom wants to talk to me?" The red head whispers as her partner heads onto the road. Scully listens as the phone changes hands before saying, "Hi, Mrs. Hodiak"
"Please, call me Katherine, Mrs. Mulder," Kyle's mother replies, "I was just wondering if Chloe could come over and who I'd need to contact since you both are out of town?"
"Um," Scully begins before putting the woman on hold and turning to her partner explaining the situation.
"Your mother's closest, Scully, if that's okay? And, it's just a project?" Mulder asks with concern. Nodding, the red head adds, "Yes. Do you want me to have her talk with you?"
"Yeah," The man replies before taking over the phone saying, "Katherine? This is Fox Mulder, Chloe's dad?"
Rolling her eyes at the man's protective nature, the red head still has to smile. By all accounts, her partner is a good father. Part of her hopes he is just as good with her future children. Noticing her smile as he hangs up the phone, Mulder asks, "What?"
"You're just a good Dad," She answers sincerely.
"I'm good at a lot of other things too, Scully," He teases. Rolling her eyes, Scully replies, "Tell me more about the case."
Heading back a few days later, the adults surprise Chloe by picking her up from school. Standing outside the car, mainly to stretch their legs, Mulder soon sees Scully go back to the passenger side of the car.
"You okay?" He asks in concern. He merely sees his partner nod slightly as she finds a tissue in the glove compartment. Going to the trunk, the agent grabs a water bottle and hands it to the woman. She mumbles her thanks as Mulder continues to look out for his daughter. Thinking he sees her, the man is soon confused when a little boy runs up to him calling, "Daddy!"
Confused, Mulder says, "Sorry Bud, I'm not your Dad."
Realization dawning on the two year old's face, his eyes grow wide. Bending down, Mulder answers, "It's okay. Do you know where he might be?"
Seeing her partner with the boy, Scully says, "That's Kyle's little brother. Are you looking for your Dad?"
The two year old nods just as a man around Mulder's height with dark brown hair comes up with a one year old in his arms.
"Sorry about that. Katherine usually picks the kids up, but she's working late today. I'm William Hodiak," The man greets holding out his hand for Mulder to shake.
"Fox Mulder. Are you Kyle's father?" The man asks happy to put a face with at least one of the parents.
"Yeah," The man replies as Scully explains, "Chloe is friends with Kyle. They met up last week?"
"Oh, yeah. You're her parents?" William questions. Nodding, Mulder replies, "Yep, thanks for having her over."
"No problem," The man replies just as his son and Chloe come to them. Seeing him talking to her father, Chloe waits a moment before saying, "Hi Mr. Hodiak."
"Hey, Chloe," William answers as his middle son starts whining. Re-positioning the youngest in his arms and grabbing the two year old's hand, William looks at Mulder and Scully saying, "It was nice meeting you both."
"Same," Mulder answers as Scully smiles in return before asking her surrogate daughter, "How was school?"
Chloe shrugs saying, "It was okay. How was your case? A couple people found out you're FBI agents and think you're like the agents on T.V., but I had to tell them you mostly sit in your office doing paperwork."
"You're killing the dream, Chloe," Mulder teases as Scully rolls her eyes answering, "Your dad thought it was aliens again."
"It wasn't aliens," The man defends before entering the car and beginning a long winded explanation on the complexities of the case. The conversation continues as the three leave the parking lot before Scully says, "Mulder, enough. Chloe, what was your project on?"
"Huh?" Chloe asks as she takes away a headphone from her ear. Rolling her eyes, Scully restates, "What was your project on?"
"Russia. Do you know how hard it is to find information on that?" The girl questions.
"Harder when I was a kid," Mulder mumbles as his partner shoots him a look.
"Hey, will you drop me off at my place?" Scully questions realizing another nose bleed is coming. Squeezing his partner's hand, Mulder says, "Why don't you stay with us tonight?"
"Mulder," The red head begins just as Chloe adds, "You could have dinner with us!"
Sighing, Scully agrees and heads home with her surrogate family. As they eat dinner, Mulder and Chloe watch as Scully darts off to the bathroom. After a few minutes, Mulder gets up and heads to the hall bathroom and knocks on the door.
"Hey, Scully. You okay?" He questions. The man hears a muffled noise before the door opens. Scully looks up at her partner telling him she is fine before going back to their meal.
"You okay," Chloe asks softly trying not to call the woman mom again. Nodding, Scully says, "Tell me more of what you did while we were gone. How was my mom when she picked you up?"
"I don't know. Fine, I guess," The twelve year old answers before asking, "Scully, can you help me with my science homework?"
"You want my help?" The red head jokes slightly. Smirking, Mulder answers, "Careful, Scully. She could rescind her offer."
Rolling her eyes at her partner, Scully answers, "Yes, Chloe. I'll help. What are you studying?"
"Cells right now, but I'm having trouble understanding the different parts of it."
"Sure. We'll look at it after we clean up," The woman answers. Confused with how his partner takes over his apartment by saying she will clean, Mulder says, "Scully, you don't have to do that."
Shaking her head, the red head replies, "It's fine Mulder. I want to."
As the night progresses, Mulder finds himself on the couch while Scully finally explains the inner workings of a cell. Making sure she does not have anymore questions, Scully proceeds to sit on the couch with her partner.
"You okay?" He asks noticing the tired look in the woman's eyes. She nods saying, "Yeah. I just wanted to make sure Chloe was okay before I got a cab home."
"Scully," Mulder challenges seeing the circles under his partner's eyes.
"I'm fine, Mulder. Just tired."
"So, stay here. I'll let you take the bed," The man offers just as his daughter comes in the room. He looks up at her asking, "You finished?"
"Yeah, I just came to tell you good night," Chloe answers before kissing her father.
"Night Mom," She says before kissing Scully on the cheek and heading off to take a shower. Eyeing her partner curiously, Scully states, "She just called me Mom, again."
"You want me to talk to her about it? If it bothers you- -"
"No, I'm just not used to it. Mulder, if she calls me Mom, would that end our partnership?" The woman questions.
"Probably not, unless someone higher than Skinner caught on."
"Okay," Scully says softly before closing her eyes and leaning her head on her partner's shoulder. She stirs slightly when she realizes she is not on the couch anymore. Mumbling the man's name, Mulder whispers, "Scully, it's okay. Go back to sleep."
He can feel her tense in his arms until he puts her on his bed and pulls the blankets over her. Seeing her fall back asleep, Mulder kisses his partner on the forehead before heading to bed himself.
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