Hey, y'all! Happy Thanksgiving. Hope you enjoy the story! No copy right intended.
I woke up in the middle of night sweaty and uncomfortable. Belle was nestled against my chest, with her arm in my face. I turned around, Mulder had his head in the crock of my neck, snoring very loudly. His arm was wrapped around my waist, and his body was smashed against my back. No wonder I was sweating. I had a warm feeling come over me, and it wasn't all the body heat. It was love. I was finally in the moment that I'd wished for.
I needed to figure out how to get myself out of my current situation. So, I rolled over on top of Mulder, choosing to wake him rather than Belle.
"You okay, Scully," he mumbled with concern.
"Yeah, I am just hot. You're snoring, and I am squished between you two," I complained.
"Oh, well, you know, you snore too," he pointed out.
"I do not!"
"Yes, and you drool. Nobody's perfect, Scully," he tossed back.
"I know. I just needed a little breathing room. She's like a little heater," I joked with him. He gave me a chuckle.
"Well, it's time you knew, Scully. I am a cuddler."
"That doesn't surprise me," I whispered. No need to wake Belle. It was only 4 a.m. "With any luck, we have about two more hours of sleep, before she wakes up. Let's try to get a little more shut eye, huh," I offered.
"Sounds good to me," he snuggled back into the covers and laid on his side. He looked at me, waiting to see what I was going to do. I took a chance and snuggled back into his chest.
"I am buying you breathe right strips tomorrow, Mulder," I joked, but not really.
"Laugh it up, Scully. But you'll get used to it. Then, when I am not around you're going to miss my snoring," he tried.
"Where the hell do you think you're going," I asked.
"Nowhere any time soon. Now close your eyes, and go back to sleep," he hushed.
It didn't take me long to fall back to sleep. Laying back down with Mulder and Belle, was like cuddling into a warm cloud. This was my safe and happy haven. I didn't want to leave ever.
I woke up three hours later, to find Belle staring at me. It caught me off guard, and to be honest, nearly gave me a heart attack. I heard kids do that to their parents, but I didn't ever think it'd happen to me.
"Belle, whats wrong, sweetheart?"
"I can't sleep anymore. I am hungry," she whined. I looked over to see Mulder fast asleep, snoring some more. I made a mental note to add breathe right strips to the shopping list.
"Alright," I whispered. "Let's go see if we can make some breakfast. I could use coffee anyway."
I climbed out of bed, stiffly. Grabbing my robe, I threw it on and tied it loosely. I looked down at Belle and she reached up for me. I couldn't resist. I picked her up. So, she was a sweetie in the morning but a terrorist at night. I would definitely remember this one.
"What do you think? Should we have pancakes," I asked. I knew she wouldn't pass those up.
"I love pan-a-cakes," she tried saying. I giggled a little. I wondered what other words she was going to stumble over. I knew as a child I had a hard time saying 'animal' and 'pumpkin'. My brothers always teased me.
"Pancakes, for breakfast," Mulder cheered, walking out with messy hair.
"Good morning, Foxy," she sent him a smile over. He walked over to her and gave her a kiss on the forehead. He turned around and she climbed up on his back. I loved this little duo.
"Let's go see if we can find some Saturday morning cartoons," I raised my eyebrow in disapproval. "It's tradition," he said to me, knowing I didn't want her to be glued to the television all the time.
"Fine. Maybe later we can have that tea party though," I shot back, knowing he was probably not looking forward to dressing up like a girl.
"Yay! Foxy, can I put some lipstick on you and maybe do your hair," I heard her ask. I snuck away, so that Mulder couldn't use me as a life line. He would have to get used to these things. I also knew he was going to try to teach her all about sports, too. She was probably going to be just fine with that. If it made her Foxy happy, she'd try her best.
"Well," he squeaked. But then, she gave him the eyes. Those big, chocolate brown eyes. He couldn't resist. "I suppose so."
I smiled to myself. I suppose it wouldn't kill us to buy her some costume make up and clothes for her tea parties. It would probably save me a fortune on make up. I knew that once Belle got away with putting makeup on Mulder, she was going to try again.
I walked into the living room to find Belle and Mulder watching Scooby-Doo, a classic. Belle sat between Mulder's legs, with a blanket, and his arms wrapped around her, while I finished our breakfast.
"Alright, you two, come grab some breakfast," I interrupted their quality time.
"Scully, you have out done yourself, look at all this food. Oh, and strawberries too," he cheered.
"I love strawberries," Belle cheered with equal excitement.
After we were all dished up, I gave the okay for us to eat in the living room and finish out Scooby-Doo, but only if they promised not to make a mess. Mulder threw up his scouts honor fingers, and Belle said she'd try. I made sure to cut Belle's pancakes into little pieces, and did not overs do it on the surprise, unlike Mulder did. He was such a child. I secretly loved his playfulness.
I soon found that Belle really was a good eater. I could see I wasn't going to struggle in that department. Clearly bedtime was the real struggle. I took all our plates and rinsed them off, while letting Mulder know that the chef never washes the dishes.
"Don't worry, Scully. Belle and I will clean up. But, I am going to have to run to my apartment and collect a few things. I am running out of clothes. I might even go down to the office and see how things are going."
I raised my eyebrow. I was curious what he needed to check on at the office.
"I was thinking about talking to Skinner about switching divisions, or at the very least, giving me lighter loads. Maybe I could find something close to home," he offered, gently. He was unsure of what I was going to say about it. I certainly didn't want to discuss it right now.
"You do what you want, Mulder. But, you're not first priority anymore. You have a little girl waiting for you to come home at night, now." When a woman says "do what you want," you never do what you want, under any circumstance. I hoped Mulder knew that.
"Awe, Scully. I didn't know you waited for me to come home," he teased with a genuine smile, trying to derail our conversation. I wasn't letting him off the hook so easily.
"You know what I mean," I said, jabbing him in the ribs, earning a gasp from him.
"I promise to think about Belle with every decision I make."
"Alright. I am going to jump in the shower, before you leave. I'll make it quick."
"Take you're time, Scully. I'll clean up around here and get Belle ready for the day."
I rushed to the shower, excited to have some alone time. I loved those two, but there is something so satisfying about alone time.
After my fifteen minute shower, I decided to check on those two. Who knows what they could get up to in fifteen minutes. I dressed quickly in my jeans and a black, v-neck shirt, with a pair of white socks.
When I walked around the corner, I noticed Belle was dressed, kind of. She wasn't matching by any means. She had cheetah print leggings on, with her blue, flannel shirt. And her socks... one sock was blue and the other was white. I walked into the room and gave Mulder the look.
"What, Scully? I let her pick her outfit out. I know it doesn't match, but it's good for kids to choose their outfits. It'll give her a creative streak."
"Yeah. Well, as long as she doesn't go out in public, it's fine," I smiled.
"Oh, relax. It's not like plaid and cheetah prints are mortal enemies. I think she looks adorable."
"What do you think, Scully. I picked it out all by myself," she said proudly, obviously concerned I didn't like her choices.
"Well, I think you look marvelous. Would you like me to do your hair up, too," I asked.
"Yes, please!"
We went into the bathroom, and I brushed her hair thoroughly. When I asked her what she wanted done to it, she said she wanted pigtail buns on top of her head. I split her hair in sections, and instead of doing pony tails, I made them into round buns. Then I took her tiny pink bow, and placed it on the left bun. If she was going to mismatch her clothes, we might as well give her a wild hairstyle too. Mulder was going to laugh his ass off.
We walked out into the living room, once we brushed our teeth. She loves her mermaid toothbrush, which Mulder picked out for her. When Mulder saw her, he smiled. He bit back a laugh, making sure not to give her a complex. But, he walked over to me, raised his hand in a high five motion, and said, "parents of the year, Scully," and I could help but slap his hand.
"She was very specific as to what hair style she wanted. I think we have a creative little girl on our hands," I cheered, very proudly.
"Let's just hope she doesn't get too creative on us. I don't want any facial piercings," he said, wincing.
I could high five to that.
"Well, you know, I had a nose piercing once, in high school," I said, impressing him.
"Dana Scully, you did not!"
"Yes, I thought my mom was going to rip it out of my face, instead, she just let do my thing, praying it was just a phase; which it was."
Mulder laughed at me and gave me a proud smile.
"Foxy, are you going somewhere," Belle noticed he had put his shoes on.
"Yes. I have to run home for some clothes and go to the office. But, I will be back."
"But, I thought this was your home," she whined.
"It is, Bells. It is. But, I still have my old place, and that's where I keep all of my stuff. Maybe, if Scully says it's okay, I will bring my fish home," he offered, hoping to allay all her abandonment fears.
"Well, I don't see why not. Do you think they are still alive," I worried.
"Oh, yeah, I gave them an auto feeder. After that last Molly died, I thought I better make some changes. The tank might need cleaned though."
"Well, bring them home, and I'll make some space."
"Fish! Thanks, Scully," she said, overjoyed.
"Alright, ladies. I am out of here. But, I shall return," he reached out to give Belle a hug good-bye. She jumped in his arms and gave him a peck on the cheek.
"Kiss Scully good-bye too. You're 'posed to kiss the people you love good-bye, just incase they never come back," she said, very seriously.
"Oh, well, I guess I better give Scully a kiss," Mulder squeaked, walking over to me. He was unsure of himself.
"Yeah, Foxy. You should probably give me a kiss good-bye," I encouraged him. He walked over and gave me a gentle kiss on the lips, lingering for longer than necessary. Belle broke us out of our moment with a giggle. I looked into Mulder's eyes and gave him a sincere smile.
"Alright, my work here is done. You two have a wonderful day."
When Mulder left, I felt a sense of loss. We'd spent so much time together recently, I forgot what it was like without him. I didn't like it.
"Scully, can we play a game of Gold Fish," she brought me back.
"Yes!"
After two rounds of Go Fish, another episode of Scooby-Doo, Belle looked like she was ready for lunch. I made a turkey salad for myself, with Belle's help. She liked making salads. When I asked Belle what she wanted, she said she wanted a grilled cheese sandwich. Perfect, easy enough.
After we ate our lunch, I thought it was best for nap time. I was very happy to find that she still liked naps.
"Alright, young lady. I think it's time for a nap."
"Will you cuddle with me until I fall asleep," she asked, giving me those puppy eyes, which were unnecessary.
"There's nothing I'd rather do."
When we made it to her bedroom, I tucked her in for a nap, and cuddled in on top of the blankets.
"Scully," she paused. I nudged her, asking her to continue. "I miss my Mommy and Daddy."
It knocked the wind out of me for a second. The FBI still hadn't found her killer, and even though she went to their funeral, she didn't have the closure she deserved. There really wasn't any kind of closure for death, and I am sure Sasha didn't have an explanation that satisfied her curious mind.
"I know you do, baby. I am sure they miss you, too. They are probably really proud of you, as well. You're so strong. I don't know very many kids who are as strong as you."
"Really," she said, insecurely.
"Yes. You're doing so great."
"But sometimes my tummy hurts and my throat feels funny, when I think about them," she tried explaining heartbreak.
"Well, that will go away. My dad died too. It's been almost five years. I still miss him, but the pain goes away. He wouldn't want me to be sad. He'd want me to be happy. I think that's what your parents want too."
"Do you think I would know you and Foxy, if my parents didn't die," she quizzed.
Truthfully, it's possible. If they were drug dealers, we may have had to do a background check on them. Instead of death, they'd be in jail, and Belle would be left alone. It'd be a whole other ball game. She'd probably hate them instead of grieving for them.
"Well, maybe. I think you, Mulder, and I were meant to find each other and be together," I said, with a happy tone.
"I love you, Scully." Her confession brought tears to my eyes.
"I love you, too, Bells. Have a good nap. I'll be here when you wake up."
I woke up to the front door opening, on high alert. I hadn't realized I fell asleep with Belle. I looked at my watch, and it seemed I had only been asleep for thirty minutes. Belle could use another thirty as well. I crept out of bed and went to go see Mulder. He was very flustered.
He had brought his fish tank over, and was struggling not to spill it all over my floor.
"Mulder, what are you doing."
"I am bringing the fish over. That's still okay, right?"
"Well, yes, but I thought you might have put the fish in a container and dumped the tank," I giggled.
"See, Scully. I didn't think of that. I did empty a little water, tho."
"Oh, Mulder," I smiled. He really was something. Only Mulder would make his life more difficult. "I cleared a space over by the bookshelf. Why don't you go put it over there. I'll just go grab some water to top the tank off."
He did as he was told. When I came back in the living room, he was sitting on the couch, clearly exhausted.
"Is Belle napping," he asked, obviously.
"Yes. I don't know for how much longer though."
"Well, I talked to Skinner. He found an opening for you at Quantico, teaching slicing and dicing. I will keep with the X-files, until there is an opening for me somewhere else. He suggested maybe I could do some profiling. I could even do it from home."
"Okay," I said, unsure.
"Skinner says no rush. You can wait until next semester. They will be fine for now. Whenever you're ready."
I smiled. Mulder was taking care of his family. I was so proud.
"Why are you looking at me with those eyes," he teased.
"What eyes," I flushed. I knew I was looking at him with my sweet, moony eyes. The truth is, I am incredibly turned on. This domestic side of Mulder was very alluring.
He gave me a knowing smile. He knew. "Mulder, it's just... you're doing such a good job with Belle, and you're taking care of things. I'm just really proud of you."
"Awe, shocks. Thanks, Scully," he leaned in for a hug. I fully embraced him. "I told you I wasn't going to joke around. I am taking this seriously," he breathed into my hair. "And I am also proud of you. You're great with her, too."
"Thanks, Mulder."
I told Mulder about Belle's tears before her nap. He told me it was to be expected, and he was sure I handled it properly. He knew she was going to be going through some heartbreak, but assured me that we were going to be able to handle it. He suggested, that right now, she is still probably in denial, and not accepting her parents were gone. She was going to need more time to process everything. But, she was young and she could recover quickly. Children lived in the moment, he said.
"You know, Scully, I was thinking. It might be a good idea to call your mom and let her know about our situation. I'd hate to keep this a secret from her. It may upset her," he suggested.
"Oh, I hadn't even thought about that. I think that's a very good idea, Mulder. We should invite her for dinner, sometime this week. I want to try and get Belle in a routine, before we introduce her to new people."
"I agree!"
"I'll give her a call now," I let him know.
My mother had me on the phone for around twenty minutes, before I could even invite her to dinner. Once I did invite her, she seemed nervous. I told her that I didn't want to discuss our news over the phone, and she seemed uneasy about it. I assured her that nothing was wrong, but we needed to see her. She was very curious when I said we, instead of me.
"Alright, the deed is done. She is coming over Monday night. I think I may have frightened her," I said. "She sounded worried."
"She'll be fine. How about we wake Belle so that she sleeps tonight. I don't want another episode of last night. We are going to get a routine down, and she isn't going to push her limits tonight," he said, sure of himself. I laughed on the inside. Mulder was very optimistic, and I was sure he was going to have a Hell of a time getting her to sleep. But, I didn't want to rain on his parade.
"Alright, you go wake her up," I suggested.
"Yes, m'am."
And so we had everything figured out. Mulder took care of our jobs. I took care of my mother. And he promised to put her to bed tonight. Life seemed to be going great.. until later the next day, when I was doing Mulder's laundry.
TBC
RED