A/n: Happy New Year guys... Though my next chapter may be up before then... Just in case. Thanks for the reviews. This chapter is probably one of the fluffiest. 0:-)

Chapter 11: Impulsive, or not impulsive?

For some reason, earlier today when she was doing autopsies on Jasmine Hawk and Terrance Murray; for possibly the first time she panicked. After taking out the rape-kit for Jasmine; she'd imagined little Carrie at home in her cot; or sleeping peacefully and looking so beautiful. Then Carrie's chubby, and rosy cheeked face appeared before her eyes, and she'd had to put everything she was holding down and take several deep breaths. Someone was always behind the two-way glass, as she had to have someone witness the autopsy. For once she'd been glad it wasn't Mulder observing, he surely would have been worried.

It had taken her from early morning until lunch-time to do the autopsy. So on her way from the lab she stopped in and told Mulder she was going home, there wasn't anything more for her to do. He just gave her a concerned smile. He knew better than to ask her what was wrong. Her answer would always be 'I'm fine.' She'd talk to him when she was ready.

--

She arrived home and knocked, to let Isabelle know she was coming in. It felt quite strange to be knocking on her front door, but she didn't want to frighten Isabelle. "It's me, Scully." She called before she opened the door. Isabelle came to the door, and when she saw it was Scully quickly dashed to Scully's computer. She plonked herself into the chair, and continued click-clicking the mouse.

"I'm-playing-a-game-just-a-minute..." She said slowly, her eyes never leaving the screen. Scully laughed lightly and dropped her things onto the couch. She checked the time, Carrie should be waking anytime soon.

"I'm going to make myself some lunch, have you eaten yet?" Isabelle stood looking a little grumpy.

"I lost, can you believe it? I lost." But her lips turned up into a smile. "Thanks anyway. Can I just go take a peek at Carrie before I leave?"

"Sure," Scully followed and they tip toed into Carrie's bedroom. Carrie was holding her nappy in her hands and looking at the wet sheets and blankets with a strange look on her face. "Oh no," Scully covered her eyes. "Oh no, oh dammit!" She quickly brushed past Isabelle and took the damp nappy from Carrie's hands.

"I'll... Just go," she heard Isabelle call half way to the front door by now.

"Lock up after you,"

"Will do." The door slammed. Scully looked at Carrie.

"How on earth did you get your nappy off Carrie?" She asked her. Carrie giggled.

"Oops," Scully grinned. She'd never heard Carrie say that before.

"Oops," Scully mimicked taking Carrie from her cot and placing her on a blanket on the floor. She quickly gathered the sheets and ran to put them in the laundry. By the time she'd come back in Carrie had only just begun to roll. She'd found she couldn't leave Carrie anywhere without her rolling her way into trouble. Scully stood in the doorway and watched Carrie pull herself along with one arm, and reach her toy-box. Carrie then pulled herself up and stood there staring at the toys.

"Mm-mm-mom?" She lifted one hand to the side of her head.

"Later Carrie," Scully couldn't stop the warm feeling that filled her at the sound of Carrie calling her Mom so much now. She lifted Carrie up and took her into the bathroom where she ran a bath for her. Carrie squealed in delight when she saw Scully take out her toys from the cabinet under the sink.

Scully dressed Carrie in a pink top with white flowers around the sleeves, and a little collar with flowers on the edge. She admired the top while finding Carrie a clean nappy. She then put on her white pants, and the shoes she'd bought to match her top. Mulder had complained that Scully dressed Carrie in too many outfits per day. But Carrie didn't seem to mind, and Scully just loved dressing Carrie.

Her Mom had laughed on the phone when she'd been dressing Carrie. She'd told her 'you hated dolls as a child, and never wanted to dress them. Now look at you?' Scully had literally looked in the mirror across the room. And smiled as Carrie looked up at the same time, kicking her bare legs in the air. She may have been worried about being a mother, but she was enjoying it - so far.

"We're going to go shopping sweetie," Scully told Carrie as she found her soft toy cat and attached it to the belt loop on Carrie's pants. Probably not a smart idea, but better than losing the cat. She lifted Carrie onto her hip and grabbed her baby-bag and her own hand-bag before double checking to make sure the door was locked properly. She'd learnt her lesson about making sure the door was locked properly, how many times had crazies like Donnie Pfaster been in her house? She placed Carrie in her car-seat and un-tied the soft toy cat. "Play with kitty," Scully told her and climbed into the front seat.

"Cah, Cah." Carrie said from the back seat. Scully wasn't sure if she was saying 'car' or 'cat' but she smiled all the same. It was nice, leaving work early to spend time with her daughter. It felt natural, to think 'daughter' or even to say 'daughter' now. She'd adopted Carrie almost two months ago now. Though it only seemed like a few weeks sometimes.

She couldn't say her relationship with Mulder was changing very much though. It should be, she knew that. But at night as she lay curled next to him she felt unsure of herself -- which wasn't a feeling she was used to. It's not like they were awkward around each other, it was more... They were cautious. The worrying thought that kept her up at night was 'does he really love me?' Because sometimes she was scared, she thought maybe he had lied just so that she could get Carrie. She knew he'd always felt guilty that she'd been left barren. Though she'd tried to console him many times, and tell him it wasn't his fault -- because that was the truth. She'd driven on auto-pilot, so lost in her thoughts that she made it to the shopping centre without really thinking about where she was going. Her heart jumped to her throat and she looked back at Carrie. Carrie was fascinated by something out the window. Scully shook her head, she had to stop doing that. It was dangerous.

--

By the time she arrived home it was late and time for Carrie to be fed and put to sleep. She dropped the shopping bags on the floor and found Mulder was standing in the kitchen doorway looking at her. She could tell he was happy to see her. She had an urge to put Carrie on the floor and run to him and kiss every inch of his face. But that would have been impulsive, and she didn't do that. Instead she kissed his cheek and let her hand brush over his arm and she placed Carrie in her high chair. Mulder held up a bowl of Carrie's food.

"I knew you'd be home soon," Scully smiled and stood back, letting Mulder feed Carrie. She loved to watch Mulder with Carrie. Who would have thought he would be like this? So, so great with children. She supposed she hadn't really seen him around babies, or small children before now. But as the days had gone by since they'd adopted Carrie, she'd noticed a huge change in him towards Carrie. He'd gone from nervous, and worried to relaxed and happy. She supposed she'd been the same as him at first though, they were both first time parents. It didn't help that Carrie had been through such a trauma either. Mulder cleaned Carrie up and handed her to Scully. "I'll be there in a second." He began rinsing off Carrie's bowl. Scully suddenly realised she had the perfect man. He may not be there all the time, and maybe his office was a mess. But at home, with her and Carrie he really did his best to make things easier for her.

Scully changed Carrie's nappies and put her in the cot. She squirmed under the blankets crying loudly. She was exhausted, it was really quite late for her to be going to sleep. She kissed her soft forehead, and breathed in her baby smell. Running her fingers over Carrie's hair. She still didn't have very much, but that was okay, it'd grow eventually. Mulder came in and kissed Carrie on the forehead.

On the way out of the room, Scully flicked off the light and shut the door. Grabbing Mulder's elbow she turned him around and kissed him gently on the lips. He didn't smile with his lips, only his eyes, and he pressed his lips against hers again, this time running his tongue along her lower lip. The phone rang making them both jump. Mulder pulled away first. He had his arms around her, and her arms had made their own way up and around his neck. She was surprised, in all the time he'd lived her this hadn't happened. Sure in bed it was a little different. With their bodies pressed against each other it was a little hard not to give in. But generally the most they did was hold hands, or hug. Just before Scully picked up the phone, Mulder called out to her. "Hey Scully, I loooove you." He winked, and she laughed. But she felt her heart rate speed up. Though he'd winked, and laughed along with her -- she knew he'd been serious. He loved her, and this wasn't the first time he'd said it but this was probably the first time she'd truly, truly believed it.

"Scully," she said into the phone.

"Hi Dana,"

"Hi mom," Scully rolled her eyes at Mulder who rubbed a hand over his face and collapsed backwards onto the couch making her laugh.

"What is it? What're you laughing about?"

"Nothing," Scully told her.

"Yes.. So how are you? How's Carrie?"

"We're both fine."

"And Fox?"

"Carrie's still awake Mom, can I call you back tomorrow?" Mulder sat up with a grin and tickled her ribs making her laugh into the phone.

"I guess you're busy then." Her Mom said in one of those 'all knowing' voices. "I'll call you tomorrow night then." Scully nodded and hung up the phone. Mulder pulled her down onto the couch with him.

"I actually want to talk to you about something." He told her. She curled up on the opposite end of the couch, and looked at him.

"Well, what is it?" She asked, when he didn't speak.

"Well when I first moved in... I mentioned buying a townhouse." Scully's eyes widened but she said nothing. "When we're finished this case, I figured we should go look for one." He grinned and she leapt across the couch wrapping her arms around him tightly.

"Thank you Mulder," talk about not being impulsive; She told herself as she began kissing him again.

--

"What the hell?" Scully rubbed her aching head. She found herself on the ground, and a lump on the back of her head. Then her memories flooded back. Mulder... Couch... Damn. Mulder sat up and helped her up.

"Did you fall off the couch?" State the obvious why don't you.

"Must've, I was pretty tired," she smirked. "I don't even remember hitting my head." She rubbed her head again, it still hurt. Mulder smiled and kissed her again. She sighed against his mouth, she could definitely get used to more of this...

TBC