AN: Guess what I got the next month off of school to get some creative writing done. Fun fact I will be taking a creative writing course next quarter through school...STOKED! My oldest starts kindergarten next week, which means I only have to battle a 2 year old to get some writing done. ;-)

Let's get this story finished huh? Thanks for hanging with me guys! I feel the love.

AN: I OWN NO ONE STILL...dammit all to hell...ENJOY!


"Come on Scully? It'll be fun just like the other night, it's just more kids to entertain. You take care of kids for a living, isn't it fun to see them in a different light?" Mulder was pleading with her to go out back with him, enjoy a little fire light and cozy time around the fire. For Mulder it wasn't about the people it was about spending some quality snuggle time around a fire with his better half. He loved when she was cold because instinctively she'd get closer to him for warmth or comfort, it was a secret he knew about her— "…maybe it'll rain sleeping bags?" he grinned at her like a fool, he had a few beers in his system and she had to laugh.

"We still haven't made up that camping trip have we?" She laughed in question, grinning like a fool in return. The things Mulder would randomly remember always made her smile, some of the crazy things they had done while working together for so long and that was a memorable one.

"We could always scare them with mothman stories and we could be left out there alone…"he wiggled his brows at her.

"You do know it's January don't you? It may be California but the nights still get a bit cold." She wasn't opposed to going outside, figuring it was just his way of feeling young again.

"Perfect way to get warm then isn't it? Come on, get bundled and let's go. At least I'm not dragging you out in 3 feet of snow." He threw on a pullover sweat shirt and sat on the bed to get his shoes on. Scully let out a heavy breath and grabbed a sweatshirt herself, sitting herself on the bed close to him. Slyly reaching out a hand, touching his shoulder in a gentle loving way, then not wasting any time and taking a fist full of sweater and pulling him towards her for a firm, wanting kiss, nibbling at his full lips. She swiped her tongue along his and pulled him down on her, leaving him with one shoe on, not even tied.

He fed into her fantasy, her ploy to get him to stay in tonight, pressing her into the mattress with his body more fully, moving one of his hands down to her hip and teasing the sensitive hip bone. Scully couldn't help the subtle moan that escaped her lips and made their lips part. Mulder nuzzled his way into her neck, kissing and licking the most sensitive spots, she's going to hate me, he was just going to drive her crazy then leave, she knows better than to play this way. He maneuvered over her, kissing his way down her neck, kissing her breast bone most gently, slowly making his way to the tops of her breasts, leaving a trail of warmth from his kisses and breath. He carefully straddled her left leg and pressed his leg against her center, he could feel warmth from her and that was all he needed to know when to stop, feeling her grind against him subtly. He let her do it while he kissed at her chest and neck more, getting her all worked up for something that won't happen until later. She was good at this game but he knew over the years how to win. Moving his mouth up to hers again and kissing her with an intensity that should have been the selling point on them staying in tonight.

"Mmm, nice try doc…but I think I have more willpower than that by now." He whispered against her mouth, slowly retracting himself from her body, which was now completely flushed and aroused. "Now you get to explain to your family why you look so flustered…" he sat up continuing putting his shoes on. "…come on, it'll be fun. I'll keep you warm." He winked at her and threw her sweat shirt at her and waited patiently.

"Oh fine…" She drawled out simply, not really wanting to entertain teens after some of the questionable flirting she received earlier that afternoon.

They made their way downstairs simply enough, it was quiet in the living room area and as they made their way towards the dining and kitchen area towards the back door they spotted Bill watching the through one of the kitchen windows. Trying to spy what was going on around that bonfire out back.

"Hey got your own surveillance equipment to go with this little stakeout?" Mulder asked quietly, only to be hit by Scully gently.

"I just have to make sure he's not getting into trouble." Bill whipped around and faced the couple. "Where are you two headed?" He sneered almost jealous like.

"Oh we were invited out back with Matt and his friends, I'm sure to share more stories…they really are easy to entertain you know?" Mulder put it simply, not bragging. "Honestly I just wanted to get her out too…" gesturing to Scully who was attached to his arm, trying to not come across as flushed, "…we never get a chance to get out and really enjoy life, she's always working, never gets to let loose. It's nice to be able to hang out and relax with family and friends." Bill nodded, he understood, he didn't remember the last time him and Tara had a date night either.

"It's nice to talk to Matt…I feel like I need him." Scully felt quite emotional when it came to spending time with Matt, it was the closest thing she had to feeling like a parent anymore, though she'd only ever done it from a distance. He was always full of questions and curiosity, he wanted the knowledge of his family, he craved it deep down and Scully was his in, the information source without sugar coating everything.

"Dana, keep an eye on him, I know he trusts you but please, some of these kids he brings around…something strange about all of them. It's a conspiracy in itself with all of them." He smiled at his sister and headed out of the kitchen, leaving with a subtle 'goodnight' and making his way down the hall to his study.

"He's afraid he's losing control of him, that he'll make the wrong decisions." Scully spoke up gently as they made their own way to the back door.

"Scully I don't think I told you that I had a heart to heart with Matt. He knows what he wants to do, he has drive and motivation. He's a good kid; I don't think Bill and Tara have anything to worry about. I mean besides the weed but what kid isn't going to experiment anymore? As long as he doesn't let it run his life and get lazy in his ambition." Mulder shrugged off the thought as he and Scully made their way out the back door, breathing in the nice cool fresh air from the outskirts of the city. It was dark in this area, much like home in that respect.

"You really talked to him?" Scully was still in a little shock at his admission.

"You know you have this little mentality that says men are just primitive beings…guys talk too Scully, you'd be surprised what comes out after a good work out." He smiled and wrapped his arm around her shoulders as they strolled along towards the fire, being able to hear the teens laugh.

"I don't think guys are all that way, I mean you have to see what I work with, and I've always worked in testosterone driven workplace." She defended herself quite nicely, though she knew she probably didn't need too.

"Hey there they are!" Matt yelled towards his aunt. "Took you guys long enough, I was afraid you weren't going to come down."

"We almost didn't…" Mulder shot Scully a look and she blushed. "One thing I can teach you girls now, sex doesn't always buy your way out of things or into things." Scully flushed a much deeper shade of red and snuggled into his side more embarrassed than anything, jabbing Mulder lightly. The teens laughed lightly and welcomed them to sit with them in the few scattered chairs left.

"Ok so hey this is Jenny and her boyfriend Dan, Alisha and her girlfriend Lexi, and Zoe and her boyfriend Nick and obviously Sam and myself, everyone this is my aunt Dana and her—um—Mulder."

"We'll just say uncle ok?" Mulder spoke up, not really shy about the subject. "I've been 'with' her since before you were born, I'm not going anywhere." Mulder smiled as they pulled up a few chairs around the fire.

"So you guys aren't married?" Alisha spoke up, questioning why.

"We'll just say it's a common law marriage. Been together so long, lived in the same house, etc…" Scully rambled on.

"Just go to the courthouse…" Lexi offered something simple.

"You've met Matt's dad right…my brother? He already brought up this conversation our first night here. We are happy with the way things are and we've got a strange past, so we'll just keep it the way it is." Scully stated her case and put her foot down on the subject, ending it right there.

"So what do you guys do out here?" Mulder questioned the teens who all were snuggled with their perspective partners.

"Just hang out and have a good time…"Jenny smiled and reached over, handing Mulder the little joint that they had been passing around. "…I know you want too…" she sing-songed the phrase out and he couldn't help but let out a little laugh and take a drag from the tiny butt.

"Mulder…be careful you've been drinking too…" Scully warned him quietly, he had a couple beers after cake and knowing all too well that all of it in his system at once could make for an interesting night.

"Oh come on I'll be fine, I got you by my side right…" he smiled at her and let out a puff of smoke.

"So it's true you guys used to work for the FBI? This is not FBI behavior, I mean can't you guys get in trouble for something like this?" Dan piped in.

"Nor is it typical behavior for either of us. Must be this wonderful California air," Scully threw out somewhat sarcastically. "We are not that close to the FBI anymore, plus we are grown adults that make our own decisions."

"We were young once, regardless of what you see now…" Mulder poked fun at his own age, he'd never dream at poking fun of Scully.

"You guys look great, I mean I'm sure the FBI keeps you young in a certain way, you have to be in great shape right?" Alisha questioned them and Scully knew this was going to turn into another story hour with the kids. How many times she could tell the same stories she didn't know but she knew Mulder was having a hay-day with it.

"It's been around 13 years since we've actually worked for the FBI…I don't plan on going back anytime soon. We keep each other in good shape, she makes me eat healthy and looks after my health, I like to run in the meantime. FYI sex also keeps you young…" he winked at the group. "…took us long enough in the first place, eh Scully?" he nudged her.

Christ Mulder you just couldn't resist. Scully hated that he got so mouthy when he had a few beers and she guessed now slightly stoned. The girls couldn't help but giggle lightly and the guys laughed, as usual Scully didn't really want to be the center of sex talk but Mulder opened this can of worms apparently it was going to happen and in front of her nephew, who up until a couple days ago, she'd only talked to through e-mail. Could be worse…

"Well how long did it take in the first place?" Lexi questioned, completely curious as to why it would have taken so long.

"What was it Scully…like 7 years…" Mulder took another hit off the tiny joint that had come around again and passed it to Scully, who passed it up the first time but in light of the conversation thought she might need it.

"Well it was premeditated around six years but never got around to it until about seven yeah…" She was honest and a little embarrassed. "When you have everything to lose, job, respect, and life in general, you learn to keep it in your pants." She smiled, proud in a way that they had waited, as much as neither of them really wanted to.

"So you guys knew for a long time that you were going to be together?" Sam was into it now, how their relationship developed, why so much mystery.

"I knew he was my best friend and the thought of trying to go out and find someone else, during all the 'free' time I didn't have…was impossible. We had spent so much time together that it ultimately just ended up being inevitable. I wouldn't change a day…" the little comment led to a few 'aww's' from the girls in the group.

"So who jumped whose bones then?" Nick finally speaking up, you could tell he was completely out of it.

"That'd be the feisty red-head here…" Mulder smiled at her and squeezed her knee, getting a huge grin out of her. Scully was slowly starting to warm up to the group surely having a drag off the joint helped.

"Nice going Aunt Dana…" Matt smiled at her, a little blush on his own cheeks, thinking about his aunt this way.

"You know Matt after hearing you and Sam…this should be nothing." Scully caught the group off guard and made Matt blush profusely.

"Oh God, I'm so sorry guys, did we wake you?" Sam giggled out, Matt shushing her and keeping it on the down-low.

"You woke me, she was dead asleep…" Mulder laughed slightly as did the rest of the group, besides Matt, who was slightly embarrassed that he was technically caught in the act. "Sound proof my ass…" Mulder smirked.

"Sorry…" Matt fumbled over himself and tried to think of a way to change the subject. "So do you guys have anymore cool stories to share, you know from your FBI days?"

"Matt told us you guys tracked down UFO's…is that really FBI stuff?" Zoe was curious and suspicious. "I mean seriously, you believe in that stuff?" She was as skeptical as Scully used to be when she was first assigned to Mulder eons ago.

"Wow…you sounded just like I did 20 years ago…" Scully couldn't help but laugh a bit, "…you wouldn't believe some of the stuff we've seen. You wouldn't sleep for days…" She grinned at the sound of her own ghost story. The group went silent and waited for something else to be said, Mulder looked at Scully and grinned. He knew it was his time to shine as prime story teller, he knew all the facts, especially from the early days, when things were really creepy.

"Back in 1993, we tracked down a man who could stretch his way into vents, into smaller spaces than most rodents could squeeze…he would hide and stalk his prey, then at the right moment he'd attack them and eat their livers right out of their bodies…" the group went silent and stared at him in complete fascination, they looked at Scully for confirmation and all she did was nod. "Scully herself was almost victim to his attack," he added simply, "she's tough as nails, still is." There was 'awe's' from the girls of the group again and they all laughed.

"So what happened? Is the guy alive? Institutionalized?" Dan almost looked scared.

"He was institutionalized and then released, no conclusive evidence against him to keep him there. He is fortunately, now dead." Scully let out a sigh of relief, reliving for a moment the attack in her apartment. It took her weeks to get rid of the thought that someone was crawling around in the vents.

The group was silent for several moments trying to figure out how it was at all possible.

"Well I think that warrants another round…" Nick pulled out another joint and everyone laughed, knowing this would be a lot more fun under the influence.

"Hey why don't we stick with entertaining ones huh?" Sam smiled, obviously enjoying the circle time. Mulder took the joint from Sam and took a long hit before passing it to Scully, who knew she could only handle a little bit more before passing it to Lexi.

"Hey Matt did your Aunt Dana here ever tell you she got a tattoo after a one night stand…while on assignment?" Scully about choked on her tongue at his statement.

"MULDER!" The group laughed, obviously she sounded like she was defending herself.

"I bet it's something tiny on her foot or ankle..." Lexi whispered to Alisha.

"It's on my back, more towards my right hip…" Scully looked over at the girls and smiled.

"Tramp stamp huh? Very nice…" Nick laughed, "…do we get to see what it is?"

"Yeah come on Scully show 'em…" Mulder poked at her and she was becoming more defensive quickly. She huffed and puffed and stood, just barely, turning so that her backside was facing the fire and the group. She heard a couple cat-calls and shed her coat, throwing it at Mulder as hard as she could, getting a laugh out of everyone else again, slowly riding up her shirt, exposing her back in the light of the fire. The little image appeared, a snake eating its tail, the color has faded over the years but it didn't change the fact that she had the tattoo. I permanent part of her that wouldn't be removed, not a part of her past she really wanted to revisit but it was a period of trouble for her and it marked that moment.

"Ouroborus…" Alisha spoke up, curious why Scully would have chosen that particular design. Scully lowered her shirt and grabbed her coat, plopping back down next to Mulder and laying her head on his shoulder.

"I'd rather not explain it. It was a time in my life where I was having personal issues and on one drunken night in Philadelphia I went a little crazy…" she smiled.