50.

Mulder watched Scully sleep as he had through their time together. It had taken him years to fathom what made her so perfect for him and at times he still wondered. It probably had something to do with her never ending faith in him. She had never given up on him, even now, when life kept throwing miseries at them. She had been taken away from him, the baby had nearly been lost, twice, and now as she slept he could see her face twitching with a dream that didn't look all that pleasant. He wished he could make life better for her, that he had more to offer her. Was love going to be enough to pull them through everything? They may have survived the upheavals of life on The X-Files but was it really as easy as it all seemed? Could they really grow old together and be relatively happily married? He hoped so. He never doubted her decisions, unless you counted the abortion, but that was fuelled by her confusion about the baby's origin. She still hadn't seen the photo. He reminded himself to give it to her later. She had mentioned the Doctor wanted her to have another scan that morning before she left for home as routine procedure after a threatened miscarriage.

This time looking at the baby wouldn't be a huge deal for her. She actually wanted it now. He wondered if she had changed her mind because he was desperate to see her through an entire pregnancy. Although the first three months or so she hadn't even been in the country! It was funny. Usually it was him who disappeared, not her. He couldn't describe the feeling he had towards her in that moment. She was the most precious thing he had ever encountered. If he was given the choice of owning the Hope Diamond or marrying Scully he knew exactly what he could choose. He might be able to see through the diamond and know its value but to him Scully was worth more than that. Besides he could see what was in her soul and that meant more than all the riches in the world. When she looked at him his world slowed to a standstill. She stopped the traffic in his life and made the world a better place. The thought of losing her compared to nothing. He would rather jet into space and open his suit than let Scully go. She stirred softly kneading her face into his chest. She looked so beautiful.

"Fox, stop tickling me." She murmured.

"I'm not. You are dreaming." Scully opened one eye to see if he was lying. He wasn't.

"Then… what was?" he chuckled at her puzzled face.

"Like I said you were dreaming." She shook her head as her face became serious in expression.

"What's wrong?" there were two reasons for that face one being a serious problem and the other was her telling him something about a case he was not going to like.

She grabbed his hand almost desperately and pulling up her pyjama top she placed his hand against her hard stomach. She began pressing his fingers into her stomach harder for a few seconds before smiling.

"Do you feel that?" she asked softly. He shook his head. "Press harder, the baby is kicking." Mulder grinned widely and pressed his fingers into her belly he still couldn't feel anything.

"Maybe it's too soon for me to feel." Scully looked disappointed. She had wanted to share every moment of this pregnancy with him. The baby's first kick was so important but at least he had been there to share the moment with her unlike the times before. Holding his hand against her belly they kissed tenderly. He wanted to bury her beneath him but didn't want to spoil the moment by turning it into an excuse to make love to her. Sometimes that surprised him, with Dana he made love but even with his previous girlfriends he had sex with them or shagged them. It had never meant anything apart from relieving him of the tension of his anatomy.

****

The following Tuesday 9.55am, Maitland's Adoption Agency

Scully and Mulder sat patiently staring at the painting in the office. It had barely changed from Scully's memories. It hurt to think William had once been left in this room to become another statistic, another unwanted child. She had wanted him, giving him up had been the hardest decision of her life and that would never change. She regretted the decision but still stood by it, even now when she had the chance to take him back. She couldn't be a mother to him after these years but she could let his new parents finally have their son for real. She knew that if they wanted they would probably get him legally anyway. He had been with them for too long for Scully to claim him. She had discussed everything with Mulder, adding to her own stress levels when he asked if they would be able to see their son. She hadn't known if it was possible. Meeting him after all this time would be too traumatic for her.

Samantha had been poorly that morning and was currently being entertained in the children's lounge. Scully hoped that no-one saw her daughter and thought she was there to be adopted. That could prove highly embarrassing! 

Sarah Maitland walked in and she remembered Scully. Never before had it struck her how a mother wanted her child but was forced to give him up. Little William, he had been adorable, now the 'biological' mother had to sign away her son for good. The man beside her was obviously the boy's father. He looked confused by the situation and now she had to resolve it. The adoptive parents would be there in a minute. William had been poorly that morning and was being settled in the Children's lounge.

Mr and Mrs Vanderkamp walked into the room after knocking. To Mulder they were the vision of perfect parents. The mother was wearing a simple blue wrap skirt with white flowers upon it with a white t-shirt. The father was wearing cream slacks with a red and cream check shirt. Country parents who were raising his child, he could profile them in an instant but refrained. Scully's face had fallen. She had wanted the mother to look like a witch with a hook nose and a boil but she was nothing of the sort. She may have been plain but there was contentment behind the nervousness showing in her eyes.

 Both women smiled nervously at one another. They were seated on the sofas in the room. Scully had sat exactly where she had seven years ago. Mulder sat beside her and when the Vanderkamp's had knocked he had tightly gripped her hand for support but he was not quite sure who the support was for, him or for Scully. The Vanderkamp's sat opposite Mulder and Scully and looked incredibly uncomfortable and apprehensive although Mulder sensed that should Scully say something wrong they were on the verge of legal action and from his analysis he could surmise they had already sought legal council.

"Bob and Marcy Vanderkamp, this is Dana Scully and Fox Mulder." Began Sarah realising she was finding this whole situation awkward herself. "We are here today to discuss William's future. Would anyone like to start?"

"Well… err... ok… We have been waiting for the papers to be signed for years and have been wondering what the hell is going on?" Mr Vanderkamp began "We love William as our own child and have found it increasingly hard to think you may one day turn around and demand to have him back."

"I understand that, Mr Vanderkamp, I am sorry that it has been delayed for this amount of time. I have… well… there are no excuses really but I have come here today to sign those papers for you." Scully said in her rehearsed voice.

"You have?" Mrs Vanderkamp said nearly choking on her words.

"Yes. I can't deny that I would love to have William back with me… with us but we have discussed this and think it is better for him emotionally and psychologically that he stay with you. We had one request, really, I don't know if it is allowed but we would like to know how he progressing in school and things. You can decline. I… we just thought that it may be a possibility."

Mr and Mrs Vanderkamp looked bewildered. They had expected some sort of resistance from them, not the signing over of William.

"I think we can do that. Would you like photos, too? I'm a little taken aback by this. We expected you to want him back."

"Don't get me wrong, we do want him but he is your child now and has been for so long it is hardly fair for us to take him away."

"Did you have any other children?" Mrs Vanderkamp said "Its just William has this idea he has a sister. That and I guess I am curious."

"We have a daughter, Samantha." Scully didn't want to rub their faces in the fact she was pregnant. For all she knew Mrs Vanderkamp was infertile and she knew the pain that caused. It hurt like hell.

Sarah Maitland handed Scully some papers to sign, which she did without a moment of hesitation although it took all her strength to sign away her little boy. It was for the best. They had agreed to update on his progress which was something but if they failed to do so Scully could always ask Skinner to find their whereabouts.

"When you say William talks about a sister, what do you mean by that?"

"He sometimes tells us about his sister and he has drawn a picture of her. He displays… err… abilities."

"Abilities?" Mulder asked "What kind?"

"He is very sensitive to emotions and has said he can see things."

"Do you mean psychic abilities?"

"No, not really he is just sensitive to the situations he is in."

"Is there something we should know about William?" Mrs Vanderkamp said in utter concern.

"No." Scully interjected, "Fox has an obsession with the paranormal. He is fascinated by anyone with abilities like that." Scully scowled at Mulder. Mulder nodded his agreement realising why Scully had given him the look that could kill.

He hadn't thought about it but the Vanderkamp's might not want a 'special' child. A child who displayed paranormal abilities but considering they had lived with William and his abilities for seven years they may still want him.

After some small talk both couples left the room and headed for the children's lounge. Mulder stopped in his tracks as he saw the two red-haired children talking. William and Samantha were deep in conversation. Mulder's mouth hung open when Samantha rushed over to him.

"Daddy, Daddy… This is William, my brother." Mulder turned to Scully not knowing what to do.

"We know sweetie." Scully said hugging her daughter. She turned to the Vanderkamp's and smiled "She wasn't feeling too well this morning."

"William either" Mrs Vanderkamp said before laughing. "Anyone would have thought they cooked this up between them.

"I wouldn't be surprised if they did!" Mulder whispered in Scully's ear.

"We have to go I'm afraid. It was nice meeting you both." Scully said ushering Samantha towards the door. "Please keep in touch."

"We will." William rushed over at that moment and put his arms around Scully. She wasn't sure what to do and eventually hugged him back. When he broke free she crouched down to his level. Scully caught the jealous look in Mrs Vanderkamp's eyes. William had run to his biological Mother as he should have done for his whole life and she had never known him to do that to her ever!

"Hi, how are you doing?"

"Fine. You ok now?"

"Yes, thanks. Take care of yourself."

"I will. Thank you for giving me a great Mommy and Daddy." He headed to Mulder and hugged him before going to his parents who swiftly left before anything else could happen. Scully's heart felt like ice. She went cold as her son left the room looking back over his shoulder at her. He blew her a kiss, which made the wound of her longing for him reopen and cut deeper into her heart. Mulder slipped his arm around Scully's shoulders and spoke softly to Samantha.

"Go and play for a minute Sam, Mommy and I need a moment alone." She skipped to the toy area and Mulder turned to Scully laying his hands upon her shoulders. "Are you okay? Don't play the martyr, be honest with me."

"Honestly? No I'm not. He is my son, Fox and I want him! I want him so bad it hurts right to the centre of my heart." Her lip trembled as tears began flowing down her face. "He is my first born child and no matter how many children we have it never feels the same. I want him, I always will. I didn't want to let him go when he hugged me. I only signed him away because I had no choice but to."

"Dana, I thought you were okay with this before?"

"I was until I saw him. I should be the one he calls Mommy, not her! He should call you Daddy. I want our son home with us, Fox, I want MY BABY!!!!" she cried onto his shoulder with guilty sobs, for both her, Mulder and the adoptive family. She was tied wanting her son and knowing the Vanderkamp's loved him as much as she did.