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By the middle of the first semester of school, the family is beginning to adjust to their new schedule. Scully is spending more time in the office and less on autopsies at present as well as filling in for a teacher at Quantico a few days a week, Mulder and Reyes are still going out searching for X-files, contacting Scully when needed for research and theory ideas, and Chloe is going to work and school.
On a rare night off for both of them, Mulder and Scully are sitting in the living room of the Unremarkable House with the baby monitor in front of them watching television when they hear the door open and their daughter come in the room with some papers in her hand and looking at her parents expectantly. Looking at their daughter's expression, Scully raises her eyebrow in waiting as Mulder asks, "Yes?"
"There's a school trip that I want to go on. It's to Atlanta and the entire eleventh grade is going," Chloe begins before handing them her brochure and permission slip. "There will be plenty of chaperones and it's completely educational. We'll be going to the CNN center, I think a baseball game one night, and everyone has to be in the building by nine o'clock."
The adults exchange glances knowing they need to look over the paper first. They are also surprised the teenager does not have a slideshow prepared for them.
"Let us talk it over, okay?" Mulder asks.
Nodding, Chloe heads to her room to change for work. Then, just as her parents begin to look the trip over, Chloe runs back in adding, "There's an information meeting in the gym next Thursday night."
Leaving half an hour later, Chloe gives her parents each a kiss on the cheek, tells them she loves them, and heads for the door.
"Do you want to let her go?" Scully asks once she and Mulder look over the papers Chloe gives them.
"Yeah, I think so. Looking this over, it looks like it's well thought out. She really just needs to talk to her work about it."
"You just want her to go see the baseball game so she can update you on who wins with actual play by plays," Scully teases. Mulder simply laughs before kissing Scully adding, "It wouldn't hurt."
The next Thursday, Mulder goes to the parent meeting for the trip, promising to fill Scully in later. When he comes home, Mulder finds Scully asleep on the couch with Audrey beside her while a TV show plays on the screen. Quietly, Mulder sets his keys down and walks over to the couch. Only when he picks the baby up does Scully wake up.
"Hi," She says drowsily. "How was the meeting?"
"Good. I feel better about her going with her class. They're apparently going to a couple places around Atlanta too. Is Chloe here?"
Shaking her head, Scully tells him that their daughter is on a date. Joking, Mulder answers, "She's always on a date."
"Don't I know it. You need to talk to her about coming home more," Scully states as she stands up from the couch and heads to the kitchen for some water. Following behind his girlfriend with their baby in his arms, Mulder asks, "How was your day today? I know we didn't get to see each other at lunch."
Shrugging Scully answers, "It was fine. I found out that the professor I'm subbing for has actually quit and moved with his family to another state."
Shifting the baby to his other arm, Mulder asks, "Do you think you'll take over?"
"I doubt it, but it may be best since I can't do autopsies right now," Scully remarks as she grabs some crackers from the cabinet. After a moment, Scully asks, "Are you hungry? I forgot all about making dinner. I'm sorry."
Shaking his head, Mulder tells her he grabbed some food on the way home. The couple is decidedly quiet for a moment before Mulder asks, "Do you think we're boring?"
Confused, Scully asks, "What do you mean?"
"All we do is come home, see the girls, eat, and go to bed."
Scully ponders his statement for a moment before finally answering with a small laugh, "Mulder, I think we're turning into our parents."
"Your parents, maybe. My parents were never boring."
"Either way, we may have to rectify the situation," Scully remarks suggestively causing Mulder ask with a smile playing on his lips, "Oh yeah?"
Nodding, Scully asks, "What are you doing tomorrow night?"
Dressing up and going out the next night after leaving Audrey with Chloe as a babysitter, the couple happily heads to a restaurant they have never tried before. Mulder, being the romantic that he is decides to order Scully's favorite dessert toward the end of the night just to watch his girlfriend's face light up and smiles.
"What?" She asks just as she brings her fork away from the plate with a bite of dessert.
"I love your smile," Mulder replies. Surprisingly, Scully finds herself blushing a little before finishing her bite. The night for them ends well with Chloe watching television when they get home. Taking her shoes off, Scully follows Mulder into the living room just as Chloe mutes the TV.
"How was your sister?" Mulder asks sitting beside his daughter on the couch.
"Fine. She went out fairly well. Hasn't cried yet," Chloe states pointing to the baby monitor on the coffee table.
"I'm going to go check on her," Scully announces, kissing Chloe on the forehead before heading upstairs. Alone with his daughter, Mulder broaches the topic of her Atlanta trip.
"So I can go?" She asks eagerly. Nodding, Mulder replies, "But there will be rules. I saw Kyle's dad at the meeting. I'm assuming he's going?"
Chloe nods allowing her father to launch into the rules of her trip.
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