The wooden floor was cold, sending chills down her spine. Her neck was stiff as well as the rest of her body. Curling into a ball had done nothing to protect her from the cold draft inside the church. She sneezed, particles of dust flying into the air.

Running away had been a terrible idea.

The tips of her fingers were numb. Cold shivers wracked through her body as she sat up. Through a tiny window, Samantha stared out at D.C. The sun reflected off the windshields of the cars littering the street. People dashed to and from small businesses, attempting to make it to work on time.

Samantha cracked her back, wincing at the unexpected pain. She made a mental note to find somewhere warmer and cleaner to sleep tonight. This was only if her plan didn't succeed.

As the night sky grew lighter, she thought long and hard about her ticket back home. It wouldn't be easy, and it wasn't exactly safe. If she got caught, she could be accused of stealing confidential FBI information. Samantha's only chance of getting home was to find Jackson before her parents found him. She would need to somehow make copies of his case file without arousing suspicion from a highly classified government agency. Yeah. No problem.

If that plan failed, she came up with a few backups. Maybe she could sneak into her childhood home when her parents were at work, causing a perfect distraction to scope out the place. Samantha was somewhat confident that her dad kept a few of the Lone Gunman's possessions in the attic. But finding Jackson would be her best bet.

Her stomach growled, pulling her out of her thoughts. The old grandfather clock in the corner of the attic told her it was 11am. Samantha swung her bag over her shoulder and sneaked out the church through the backdoor. She could hear churchgoers singing hymns as she closed the door. She couldn't finalize her master plan on an empty stomach.

Sitting in a café near the Hoover building, Samantha frowned at the menu in front of her. One pastry cost seven dollars. She had enough money for a small cup of coffee. Her stomach let out a growl of protest, unaware of Samantha's lack of money. Her mouth opened as a waitress passed by her with a stack of pancakes and bacon, placing it in front of a customer a few seats away. Samantha doesn't usually go out to eat, except for special occasions. Dana's food was tastier and healthier than anything a restaurant could do. Every morning, her mom would make scrambled eggs and rows of bacon for everyone in the house to devour. She had recently been complaining about wanting cereal or takeout rather than her mom's cooking, wanting to purposely push her buttons. When her mom would leave the room, she would sneak a few bites of eggs and bacon before she came back.

"What would you like to order?" The waitress asked, holding a pad of paper and a pen in her hands. Samantha looked at her name tag. Emma.

"Um, I," Samantha stuttered, twirling the menu before she pulled the crumbled bills from her pocket. Ten dollars and 25 cents. "Could I have a cup of coffee, please?" She extended her arm, passing her the ten dollar bill, somewhat begrudgingly.

Emma took the ten dollar bill, promising to be right back with her change. After she left, Samantha could see the figure sitting at the table next to her. It was Arlene. Her hair was much shorter than in the future, falling just over her shoulders. Even though she was 17 years younger, she looked as wise and beautiful as she did in the future. She was peeling the wrapping off a muffin, making sure not to spill any crumbs on the table.

Arlene looked up, meeting Samantha's eyes. She smiled. "Do we know each other?" She asked, head tilting to the side.

Samantha returned her smile, shaking her head. "No, no we don't," she said, "I noticed your name tag. FBI. That's pretty cool." She already knew Arlene wasn't a special agent, but it helped steer the conversation away from her.

Arlene blushed, waving her hand. "Oh, it's nothing," she replied, "I'm just visiting my husband. I used to be his assistant, you know, back in the 90s."

Emma came back, placing a five dollar bill on the table and a cup of coffee. Samantha thanked her, taking a sip of the hot liquid. It burnt the roof of her mouth, but she didn't care. She welcomed any amount of heat after the frozen tundra she experienced last night.

"No way. That's so scandalous," Samantha gasped, unaware that her aunt and uncle had such a complicated start to their relationship.

Arlene giggled. "You bet it was. Lucky for me, everyone was too focused on the infamous Mulder and Scully." She stared off into the distance, a glazed look over her eyes. "Those two love each other more than anyone I have ever met in my whole life."

Samantha furrowed her eyebrows. What was happening between her parents at this point in time? Are they even together? They were at least civil with each other because they were partners on the X-Files. She didn't know what was going on, but she made a mental note to visit her aunt and uncle more in the future.

"Did something happen between them?" Samantha asked. "Did they ever get together?"

"Yes, they did. They lived together for a few years, but they never got married," Arlene said, hesitating to go into further detail.

"Lived? They broke up?"

"All relationships have their fair share of problems. In this case, Mulder's continual obsession with the paranormal and his depression was their problem," Arlene whispered, wary of the FBI agents going in and out of the room.

"No, that can't be the end," Samantha argued, "If they're so in love, then they should be fighting to get back together. They can't just give up."

Arlene leaned back in her chair, releasing a deep breath. "Believe me, Mulder tried. My husband kept in touch with both of them. Mulder called him the moment he decided to go on antidepressants and go to therapy. It didn't matter though. The damage was already done."

Samantha's eyes widened. If Arlene wasn't over exaggerating, then that meant her parents weren't a couple yet.

Arlene's phone buzzed, her phone lighting up with a text message. "Oh, it's my husband," she said, "I have to go, but I don't want to take this muffin with me. Do you want it?"

Samantha's eyes sparkled with relief, not because she wanted her future aunt to leave, but because the woman had given her something to fill her growling stomach. She nodded her head, accepting the muffin. Arlene placed the food on her table, said her goodbyes, and left in a rush, eager to see Skinner.

After quickly devouring the muffin in front of her, Samantha left the café. She walked across the street and toward the Hoover Building. It wasn't the best place to go at the moment and she would get loads of questions about her family, but she needed Jackson's files. She would do whatever it takes to get them. Either way, she was so confused. She knew her mom was pregnant with her so why were her parents not together? Was this a parallel universe or did her parents lie to her about her paternity? No, it had to be more complicated. She was her father's daughter. Paranormal obsessions and all.

It didn't sit well with Samantha that the entire FBI knew more about her parents than she did. Obviously, she knew more about Jackson's abilities than anyone else, but she wouldn't dare open her mouth. The last thing she needed was more attention. The future needed to remain unchanged.

Samantha reached the entrance to the Hoover Building. It was different compared to last night. The quiet, empty hallways were replaced with loud, crowded ones. Visitors were coming and going, passing through security detectors and joining their prospective tour guides. Luckily for Samantha, it was the perfect cover story. If she got caught, she would say she had lost her tour group.

She rushed over to join the last group going through security, blending in with the mix of different ages.

"Are you here with a group?" A security guard asked.

Samantha looked to her left, spotting a middle aged couple. "Yeah, my parents are waiting for me over there. I think the tour is about to start. Can we hurry this up?"

The security guard nodded, stepping out of the way. She passed through security and stood next to the couple she had spotted. She was close enough for the security guard to believe her story yet far enough for the couple to not ask her questions. Usually, it took a month to schedule a tour, but Samantha's doe eyes were all she needed to blend in. They headed straight for the FBI education center, but she planned on splitting off before they reached the doors.

As the group filed through the double doors, Samantha slipped away to find the elevators. It wasn't too hard considering every single agent was too busy looking at their phones to notice a teenage girl sneaking through the hallways of the FBI. If her dad could see her now, sneaking into a government building with no credentials, he would be so proud, especially if he knew it was for something as weird as time travel.

She stepped into an elevator, pressing the button for the basement. There were other people in the agents, so she went into the corner and kept her head down, hoping she wouldn't get caught. One by one, people excited at their prospective floors, leaving Samantha alone as the basement crept closer. The elevator doors opened to an empty hallway. Hopefully her parents weren't here.

A feminine voice echoed through an open door, catching Samantha's attention. She spoke too soon.

There she was.

Her mother.

Dana was pacing back and forth, anxious after having nightmares the night before. She wasn't alone. Mulder sat behind the desk, asking Scully questions about her nightmares.

"That's odd," Mulder interjected, "usually people run away from dark figures."

Samantha snapped out of her head at the sound of her dad's voice. Mulder was staring up at Dana as if she were the only woman in the world. Her heart began to race and ache at the same time. Samantha flatted herself on the wall next to the door, eavesdropping on the rest of their conversation.

"It was leading me somewhere," Dana said.

"Where?" Mulder asked.

Samantha already knew the answer to that question. The dream was leading her directly to Jackson. It would be super great if her parents said his location out loud. It would make her life so much easier. Unfortunately, like the cryptic people they are, they did not do that.

"It was leading me here," Dana replied. Samantha couldn't see what her mom was talking about. Was she pointing at a map? A document? A picture? She slowly crouched onto the ground, putting most of her weight on her hands. If she poked her head out a little bit while they were distracted, they would never see her. She looked through the doorway, preparing to see her parents staring back at her, ready to shoot her ass into oblivion. Instead, They were looking at something on the desk.

Her mother was beautiful. Her auburn hair stood out against the gray walls, slightly longer than Samantha knew. She looked younger, but no less commanding, no less stunning, even with the strain she wore on her face. One thing that was different were her eyes. The mother she knew wore a peaceful, loving sparkle in her eyes at every single second of the day. The woman standing before her looked tired and worried, as though the world had kicked her too many times when she was down. She was so caught up in watching her mom that she didn't notice the conversation change.

Mulder stood up, walking around the desk to stand next to Dana. "Scully, before we go off on another case," Mulder said cautiously, wary of Dana's reaction, "I think we should talk about what happened the other night."

They stayed silent for a few seconds, simply staring at each other. Mulder hadn't left her mom's side.

"I don't know, Mulder," Dana whispered, staring into his hazel eyes.

Mulder's determination only grew stronger. "Yes, Scully," Mulder argued, "We need to talk about this. This is the first time we've had sex since we broke up."

Samantha gasped. She didn't know her parents' past was filled with so much drama. There was more gossip in that one room than all the shows she has ever seen.

Dana took Mulder's hand. "I know, Mulder," Dana replied, "I just-I don't know if I'm ready to jump back into a relationship with—"

Mulder's face fell. "With me."

A silence fell on them. Samantha stood as still as a statue, more curious about what her mother would say in response to her dad.

Dana sighed. She watched as Dana broke eye contact, staring down at her feet. Samantha had never seen her mom look so small. "Yeah."

Mulder nodded, looking down at his laced fingers. He took a step back. For the first time in Samantha's life, she saw her dad withdrawing into himself. He took a deep, shuddered breath and met Dana's eyes once more. "Well, I'm glad we could clear that up," Mulder said, preventing his pain from seeping into his voice, but he had failed to hide the dull look in his eyes.

Samantha was watching them as if they weren't her parents and instead a couple from a tragic fairytale. The sadness that poured into the room in the small amount of time she watched them was quick. In fact, Samantha snapped back to reality once she felt second hand embarrassment from watching her parents. As she started to stand up, she fully intended to sneak away to the bathroom until they left, giving her ample time to snoop around the office. She wanted to give them their private moment. To prevent herself from getting sadder than she already was.

But she stood up too fast.

It happened in slow motion. Her leg had been asleep, stinging from the pain of sitting on it for too long. Samantha closed her eyes and braced herself as she hit the ground with a thud.

Her eyes watered, pain vibrating through her left arm. When she opened them, Mulder and Dana were staring at her.

"Are you okay?" Mulder asked, helping her off the ground. Her heart felt as if it would fly out of her chest.

"How did you get down here?" Dana asked, narrowing her eyes. "This area is restricted to the public."

"I just-um," Samantha stuttered. Her mind was completely blank. "I got lost."

Dana cocked her hip, placing one hand on it. "The education center is on the opposite side of the building." Her mother's tone was sharp.

Samantha scratched her head, playing dumb. "Is it? I didn't notice.".

"Where are your parents?" Dana and Mulder asked simultaneously.

If she weren't in huge trouble, she would've laughed at their like mindedness. They both had their hands on their hips, suspicion displayed on their faces. This wasn't the time or place for Samantha to hysterically laugh at two well-trained FBI agents (even though they were her parents). She didn't want to be dragged out by security guards.

"I don't have any parents," Samantha blurted out, thinking of the first lie she could think of. "And I stupidly spent all my money on snacks. The money that the orphanage gave me. You know, the place where orphans live." Okay, she had to admit that the last part was her laying it down a little too thick.

When Samantha met their eyes, she noticed a significant change in her mother. The coldness in Dana's eyes slipped, softening from Samantha's orphan status. She used it to her advantage.

"So yeah. I don't really have…anyone. Sorry for bothering you," Samantha said, turning around to leave the room. "I'll just make my way back to the orphanage on my own. If I can remember where it is."

And in one two three -

"Wait."

Samantha stopped, turning back around. "What's your name," Dana asked.

"Sabrina." It felt weird talking to her parents without actually talking to them. It was as if she was in a hazy dream. It was nice. She didn't need to listen to her mom criticize her bad habits or feel pressured to hold herself back in fear of starting an argument. But it wasn't great at the same time. They looked at her as if she was a complete stranger. Looked at her as if she was irrelevant to their lives. The constant love in their eyes was gone, replaced by ones with caution and concern. "Who are you guys? What do you do in the FBI?"

"Fox Mulder," Mulder introduced himself, walking up to Samantha and holding his hand out. She shook it, then looked towards her mother. She had chosen to stay silent. Mulder answered for her. "This is Dana Scully. We investigate unusual events."

"It was nice to meet the both of you," Samantha said, smiling at the new energy in the room. The sadness that had penetrated the space had disappeared. Samantha was a nice distraction to the complications of Mulder and Dana's relationship.

Before she could think of an excuse to leave, her stomach let out a loud growl. The muffin Arlene had given her wasn't enough to completely fill her stomach. Naturally, Mulder had to acknowledge it.

"We need to head out to Norfolk as soon as possible, Scully," Mulder said, "but I don't see anything wrong with letting her come along. Maybe buy her some food. Then we can drop her off afterwards."

Dana's eyes widened. She pulled Mulder aside and attempted to whisper her concerns. Samantha could faintly hear her. "Mulder, we're about to go onto a crime scene. We can't bring a kid with us."

"We'll drop her off at the nearest police station before we get there," Mulder whispered into Dana's ear. Samantha couldn't hear them. He pulled back and continued, "The least we can do is give her a taste of what it's like to be an FBI agent. She could learn something." He looked like a wounded puppy.

"Don't give me that look," Dana whined, crossing her arms. "You know I can't say no to that look." Contrary to her earlier statement, she was still insanely in love with Mulder.

Mulder caressed her arms, pulling her closer to him. "Please, Scully."

Dana stared into his eyes, trapped in a deep trance. "Okay."

Her dad whipped his head to her. "Ready to be an FBI agent for the day, kid?"

"Ready as I'll ever be," Samantha replied, a wide grin spreading across her face. She didn't know the deep details of her parents' current situation, but it was obviously more complicated than she had initially thought. Her mom didn't want to be in a relationship with her dad at the moment despite melting at the touch of his hands. Samantha had always assumed that her parents had established their relationship before or around her conception, though that clearly wasn't the case at all. She decided to use the time she had with them and gather as much information as possible. She needed to make sure her parents stayed together.

Her existence, quite literally, depended on it.

Author's Note

I did some dialogue updates on this chapter. Also I saw a grammatical mistake or two that I corrected. All mistakes are mine. Remember to like and comment!