It's been a good long while, and I'm sorry! I did have THE perfect chapter, but accidentally deleted it off my notes on my phone. I was angry for about three days. Maybe I should go to counseling? Speaking of, I hope you like one of the names I stuck in here!
Enjoy!
Heading into work the next day, Scully watches from the doorway as her partner holds the office phone receiver in one hand while crossing off something on a note pad with a pencil in the other. Hearing Mulder mutter angrily to himself, Scully bites her lip before walking toward the desk.
"What's wrong?" Scully questions as she sets her purse down. Mulder merely sighs in frustration before explaining his calling about twelve child counselors only to find either they do not accept his insurance or he does not find them reputable adding, "To top it off, we now have a case down in Florida we've been sent on and Chloe wants to have a sleepover. I don't know anything about sleepovers! I just wish-"
Now, standing next to her partner, Scully runs her hand through his hair as she lets her partner release some of his tension as he leans his head against her torso and simply rambles more about his life.
"How do you want me to help?" Scully asks gently. The look on her partner's face when he looks up at her scares her a second. Only then does she realize her partner will either kiss her once or thank her for the next couple days. A grin spreading across the man's face, Mulder opts for the second option.
"Well, first, I don't know anything about sleepovers."
Scully chuckles answering she will work on the sleepover before asking, "Have you talked to Chloe?"
"No. She didn't have any nightmares or anything that I know of until last night. I tried to ask what was wrong, but she dismissed me and asked about a sleepover again," Mulder answers with a sigh adding, "She won't talk to me.
Scully can see the frustration emanating from her partner as he picks up the phone again. Putting her hand on the phone, she stops him, saying, "Let's wait and see if Chloe has any more nightmares or anything else comes up that can warrant her seeing a grief counselor."
"Yeah," Mulder answers distractedly. Placing the phone back in the cradle, Mulder stretches before standing from his seat.
"Now, what was the case you had involving Florida?" Scully questions. A small smile gracing his lips, Mulder fills his partner in on the details of the case before telling her they leave the next day. As they drive back into the city a few days later, Mulder gets a phone call. Stuck in heavy traffic, the man asks his partner to answer his phone.
"Mr. Mulder?" The voice on the other end asks. Realizing a woman is calling, the red head immediately goes on the defensive.
"He is busy at the moment, but I can take a message?" Scully replies trying not to come off as a snarky, jealous girlfriend.
"Yes. This is Mrs. Rivera, his daughter's teacher," The woman answers. Immediately forgetting her uncharacteristic emotion, Scully's mind goes into overdrive. Shock coursing through her veins, the red head asks, "Did something happen to Chloe?"
At the mention of his daughter, Mulder's ears focus on the conversation his co- worker has with the person on the other line who explains, "No, but I would like to set up a meeting regarding his daughter's recent behavior."
"Yes. Let me ask him," Scully assures before she places her hand over the mouth piece and relays the information to her partner. She can see his knuckles whiten on the steering wheel as he answers, "That's fine."
"He says that's fine. Is there a certain time that would be best for you?" Scully questions. Confirming a date between both Mulder and Chloe's teacher, the red head ends the call and places the cell phone back in the middle console.
"Mulder, it may be nothing. We don't know," The red head reassures placing her hand on his upper arm. The father merely sighs at his partner's response as he drives through a yellow light.
"Did she say what the problem was?" Mulder questions once he parks in front of the school. Scully shakes her head. Sighing, Mulder mumbles, "I guess I'll find out on Thursday afternoon."
The adults are silent for a minute until Scully asks, "Do you want me to watch her?"
"Yeah, but don't bring up her having a slumber party until after I make sure she doesn't need to be punished," Mulder insists causing his partner to chuckle. Hearing the school bell, Mulder steps out of the car with Scully following behind as they stand in front of the vehicle to greet a less than enthusiastic ten year old.
"Hey, kiddo! What's wrong?" Mulder asks when his daughter doesn't greet them.
"Nothing," She grumbles as she climbs into the back seat. The agents exchange nervous glances before heading to their car doors. About to slide into her seat, Scully notices Anna standing rather concerned off to the side.
"Chloe, who's picking Anna up today?" The red head questions. Chloe shrugs answering, "Beats me. She's a traitor."
Mulder raises his eyebrow at Scully who shakes her head. Walking toward the child, Scully smiles and waves to get Anna's attention. The nearby teacher looks at the agent skeptically before Scully explains that she knows the girl. With confirmation from Anna, the teacher lets the red head continue her conversation.
"Who's picking you up today?" The red head asks.
"Mom," Anna mumbles trying to stay calm. With a small smile, Scully asks the teacher if they can call Anna's mom before Mulder watches incredulously as his partner exits the building with Anna behind her.
"We're taking Anna home with us," Scully explains as she helps the chestnut haired girl into the car.
Arriving at Anna's apartment less than half an hour later, Rachel opens the door hugging her daughter to her.
"I'm so sorry, Sweetheart!" The mother states smoothing her daughter's hair. Looking up at Mulder and Scully she explains, "I put Ben down for a nap and fell asleep myself. Thank- you so much for getting her!"
"It's no problem Rachel. We should have thought of this arrangement sooner," Mulder jokes as his daughter rolls her eyes. A sharp look from Scully, scares the child into behaving. Sighing, Rachel answers, "I'd let you come inside, but-"
Mulder shakes his head explaining, "No, we understand. We've got a lot of stuff we need to do anyway. I'm just glad Scully did something when she did."
A look of gratitude coming across her face, Rachel hugs the red head whose eye's grow wide at the sudden expression of gratitude. However, her shock is doubled when the brown haired woman whispers, "You'll make the best mother someday."
Letting go, Rachel says her good- byes before letting the Mulders and Scully finish out the rest of their day.
Seeing his partner out the door, Mulder asks if Chloe will tell her good- bye. Answering she does not give hugs to people who bring traitors home, Chloe sulks on the couch. Mulder gives his friend an apologetic gaze, but Scully merely squeezes her partner's arm and offers him a reassuring smile. Closing the door, the father turns to his daughter saying, "That was rude of you."
"So was Anna," Chloe mumbles. Giving a defeated sigh, Mulder asks as he sits next to his daughter, "What did she do?"
"She didn't defend me," Chloe explains as she curls up on the couch with a pillow in her arms. Seeing her father's confusion, the child elaborates, "Some kids in class said you don't love me and Anna didn't defend me when I tried to explain to them what happened."
"What do you mean, what happened?" Mulder questions. Chloe says nothing more leaving her father to worry over something someone did to hurt his daughter. Seeing the concern on her father's face, the girl says, "Some kids in class started a rumor that you're gone a lot because you don't love me. Then, I tried to explain that you work for the government, but they still teased me."
"And Anna didn't stop them," Mulder supplies trying to piece together the story. His daughter nods. Looking at the child seriously, Mulder answers, "You know I love you, right? What I do is for your safety."
"Chasing monsters and being taken from me isn't safe, Dad," Chloe points out shocking her father at the girl's slight maturity. Taking in a breath, the man merely nods. A beat later her responds, "No, it's not. But sometimes my job is dangerous. Some kids at your school don't realize that."
His daughter shrugs noncommittally. Trying to make his daughter feel better, the father states, "They also don't get to have a gun, do they?"
A small smile creeping to her face, the child responds, "No."
Faltering in her happiness, Chloe adds, "That still doesn't make me forgive Anna. She could have backed me up!"
"Well, Chlo. Sometimes life doesn't work that way, but she's still your friend right?" Mulder asks. Seeing his daughter nod, he continues, "Remember when Scully was mad at me for working so much? We made up the next day, right?"
"Yeah," Chloe grumbles realizing she cannot hold a grudge on her friend anymore. Sighing, Chloe exasperatedly states, "Fine."
A couple days later, Mulder says as he begins to stop his car, "Remember, Scully's picking you up after school. I'll meet you-"
"When you finish meeting with Mrs. Rivera," Chloe finishes remembering the plan from the night before. As she opens the car door, Mulder asks, "Remember I love you, right?"
A smile crossing her face, Chloe answers as she kisses him on the cheek, "I love you too, Dad."
Arriving at the office twenty minutes later, Mulder checks the messages on his office voicemail before looking back over the couple names of grief counselors that still make the cut for his daughter. He is still mulling the names over when his partner comes in.
"Have you decided yet?" The woman asks tentatively. Shaking his head, Mulder looks up to see his friend stand near him fidgeting with a piece of paper in her hand. Leaning back in his seat, the man asks, "Got something to share with the class there, Scully?"
Exhaling, she says, "I may have someone you may want to consider."
Taking a look at the paper his friend gives him, Mulder raises an eyebrow.
"Gillovny? This sounds like a really bad singing group," He laughs.
"I know, but Ellen told me she's really good with kids. Trent's friend went to her for a while after his dad died and both Ellen and the boy's mom saw a vast improvement," Scully insists.
"You talked to Ellen about this? Who's next, Skinner? My mother?" He asks angrily. Appalled, Scully sarcastically states, "I'm sorry for asking people for recommendations! Next time, I'll just go in blind and sit at my desk crossing off names."
Her eyes are blazing as she watches her partner tower over her as he roars back, "I'm trying to do what's best for my daughter!"
"And you don't think I am?" Scully questions glaring daggers at the man, "What? Am I simply allowed to only commit to your daughter when it's convenient to you? Is that all I am? A glorified babysitter? At this moment, I'm the only mother she has!"
Mulder stares at his friend slack- jawed wondering where his friend's anger comes from.
"You know what? Forget I tried to help! I'll take Chloe tonight, but don't expect me to bend to your every need with her," She thunders before walking out the door to work on an autopsy. Running his hand over his face, Mulder sighs heavily before answering the office phone which has just started to ring.
"How'd it go?" Scully asks when she lets her partner into her apartment to pick up his daughter. Neither holds any tension from their fight earlier, but both want to make amends. Instead, focusing on Chloe, the red head can see the worry in her partner's face as Mulder shakes his head quipping, "I just hope they don't call Social Services. I think I made Mrs. Rivera think I'm an unfit parent."
When the woman gives her signature eyebrow raise after she locks her apartment door, the man explains, "I told her how her grandfather died, but she said Chloe is being demanding?"
"Well, she does seem to learn from the best," Scully answers her arms crossed over her chest.
"Very funny. She then asked how I initially dealt with Chloe and Dad's death, but I told her you dealt with it. You saw me," Mulder states causing his partner to nod her head.
"So, how does that make you an unfit parent?" She questions.
"Besides being mad at Anna the other day for not defending her, Chloe's also been telling kids that you're her mom and Maggie's her grandmother. Apparently she got into a fight with another kid over it?" The man questions shaking his head adding, "I really need to talk to Chloe about this."
"Why don't you calm down first? Remember the last time a parent teacher conference made you angry?" She asks raising her eyebrow. Rubbing his neck, Mulder sits on his partner's couch as he states, "You're right. Where is Chloe?"
"Taking a shower. She didn't know how long you would be gone and I bribed her with my body wash," Scully explains sitting next to her partner, but far enough away to deal with any reservations the other may have from their fight earlier. The pair sits in silence until Mulder says, "I sometimes forget it's not just me taking care of her. I raised her for nine years by myself and am still trying to get used to having help."
"It's fine Mulder. I shouldn't have yelled at you like I did," Scully replies uncomfortably. She has no desire to explain her irritability to her partner. Instead, her eyes grow wide as Mulder takes a bar of chocolate from his jacket pocket and hands it to her.
"I felt this could be a peace offering if something went wrong," He explains with a smirk. Scully pushes him a little and calls him a jerk before taking the candy from him. As she smiles at the packaging noticing it's her favorite, Scully's attention is diverted when Chloe asks from the entryway, "Will you braid my hair?"
"Sure Sweetie, but first lets dry your hair a little more," The woman answers guiding the girl back toward the bathroom. Smiling, Mulder tries to think of the best way for his partner to not think she is a glorified babysitter. For all intents and purposes, she is Chloe's mother. Mulling over what Mrs. Rivera tells him at his daughter's parent teacher conference, he has not problem with Chloe calling his partner her mother. His only worry is her aggression which he only knows from Scully's abduction when the woman's t- shirt goes missing. Listening to his daughter's laugh come from the bathroom, Mulder makes a mental note to call the counselor Scully suggests earlier in the day.
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