Title: A Man Who…: Happily Ever After

Author: DC Luder

Disclaimer: FM, DS, MS, WS belong to them crazy CC and Co. out in LA.

Summary: Yeah, Walt's in the game now!

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Surprisingly, when I landed in New York, the weather was nice for autumn. Foliage that was once green had turned into golds and reds and the sun was actually shining. Every time I had ever visited the state, either for work or leisure, it had been dismal, dark weather that had me craving for the moderate Atlantic climate in DC.

I found my small bag that they wouldn't let me carryon in the luggage carousel with surprising ease. It had my weapon and two changes of suits. The security system prevented even an agent to take on a firearm since a criminal could take it away and use it on others. I would like to see some hijacker take my gun away form me. Bastard wouldn't be able to walk for months if he even attempted.

After renting a sedan from the Syracuse Airport's Hertz base, I navigated my way from the main highways west towards the hilly roads that lead to Scully's location. After two hours of spell binding scenery and winding roads, I was ready for a pit stop. I pulled over at a rest area and walked around. It was nearing late afternoon and the sun was beginning to head westward.

I had timed myself so that I would arrive at her house hopefully when she was home and no one else. Earlier, I had called the hospital where she worked and was glad to hear that Dr. Baker was in but Dr. Scully-Baker had the weekend off.

Hopefully all went well.

Having Mulder up here made things a bit more complicated, for there was no telling where he was and what his plan was. Even calling him didn't help because there was no way of knowing if he was telling the truth or covering his own hide. I hoped he would steer clear of her for a few hours so I could try and sort things out.

So I could tell her what was really going on.

On some level, I'm sure Mulder understood that Scully had moved on in her best interest. She couldn't work at the Bureau anymore after he had been taken so she left the area to start a new life. To cope with the life she had cherished being shattered before her eyes. So she did things she always had wanted to. Worked as a doctor, got married, had a family.

But then again, as much as Mulder wanted Scully to be happy, or so he said, every fiber of him yearned for her to be happy with him and no other. It was expected, especially after they worked for so long aside one another. Unfortunately that was the case at hand and I was all but certain that he was about to change it.

The question was whether or not Scully would leave her happy life to try and recreate one that she had lost. Her and Mulder had been closer than any other couple I had ever seen, and not just romantically. Spiritually, emotionally and mentally, they worked in a true partnership. It was almost too perfect.

I had called Mulder from the airport just as I was about to leave. He had seemed irritated and everything I said to him seemed to feed the fire. So I stated my point bluntly and hung up on him. Probably not the best course of action, but it needed to be done.

With thoughts of Mulder barging in and taking Scully form her happy marriage, I got back into the rental and finished the hour trek to Scully's house. New to the town, it took a good fifteen minutes to locate her address amongst all the other humble and homey houses.

It was almost picture perfect.

Beautiful pruned hedges, raked yard and evenly painted house. It seemed to fit Scully very well.

I parked a block up and decided to approach on foot, uncertain as to whether Mulder was there or not. His car was absent, but that hardly meant anything with him. After taking the steps to the porch, I heard music coming form inside. Light jazz filtered through the walls and tainted the quiet air. I paused and then rapped three times on the door. After ten seconds it opened and I held my breath.

He couldn't have been more than six, with dark hair and crystal eyes. He smiled goofily at me and stared intently at my face, as if he were trying to recall my name. I had seen pictures and Maggie of course talked about him all the time but this was my first real introduction to the Scully child.

"Hi," he said as he opened the door further. He wore wrinkled blue jeans and blue long-sleeved tee with a sports logo on it in lime green. "Can I help you?"

"Yes, I was wondering if your mother was home, I'm Walter Skinner."

Will looked over his shoulder and then stepped back as his mother appeared, wide eyed and out of breath, "Skinner?"

"Hello, Dana," I managed before she tackled me with an embrace.

"Oh, it has been way too long," she exclaimed as she released me. She smiled and bit her lip before she turned to her son, "Will, go finish setting the table, bud."

"Okay," he mumbled and trudged away.

"Come in, come in," she motioned me in and I followed. She stared at me with a soft smile I hadn't seen in ages.

Before she had a chance to speak I said, "Is Mulder here?"

"No. Mulder?" she was visually taken aback, "How do you…?"

Not knowing what else to do, I blurted out, "Scully, I know Mulder came up here. He told me before he left."

Her smile faded, "What?"

"He told me, said he was taking a trip to see you, to get out of the city for a while and to also settle some things with you," I frowned and walked over to a chair and sat quickly, "When he came back, after the… kidnapping, he lived with me, so I could help him get back on his feet. He's on his own now but we're still fairly close."

"Skinner," she looked around warily, "I don't think this is the time---."

I looked up at her, pleading "It is. I need to get this out. I should have a long time ago and I'm paying for it now."

Scully sighed, glanced once more to the kitchen and then walked over and sat across form me on the couch, "Okay. What's going on? First Mulder shows up after six years and now you're here telling me it's your fault he's here?"

"Sort of. I offered several times to contact you for him and to tell you that he was back. But then he refused the offer, needing to do things on his own."

"Well, that's Mulder."

"Exactly. And he was as determined as ever, but maybe a bit too much. The doctors said his drive for the goal of finding you was therapeutic for his condition, that it gave him something to focus on."

Her face had grown even more confused, "Wait, his medical doctors? Is he ill? Is he dying?" she asked as panic over took her fine features.

I paused, suddenly aware of the fact that Mulder hadn't told her anything about his condition. Maybe this wasn't the time. Too late for that, Skinner.

I took a breath, "He has some psychological problems as a result of the abduction. Stress disorders and depression mainly. He was doing fine until he caught on to the fact that you had a family. That you had a son."

Scully rose to her feet and faced away from me, "Jesus, he never even, didn't even mention it."

I sighed, "Well, that's Mulder."

She nodded slowly. Will suddenly returned, "Mom, can I watch TV?"

I scanned the room to find a set in the rear corner. Scully nodded, "Why don't you watch in my room?"

"All right," he rushed out of the room and raced up the stairs with incredulous speed.

All the while, his mother had been watching him with watery eyes. She paused, "Is he on meds?"

"Yes, as far as I know. But generally when he goes off them he gets erratic."

Erratic as in violent, I thought to myself.

She shook her head as turned back to me, "Walter, I had no idea it had gotten that bad. He seems fine."

"I know. But I've seen him when he's down and Scully, it scares the hell out of me."

Scully sat down again and looked down at her hands, "How did he find out about me? About us?"

"He found a family tree for the Scully family on the Internet. And it listed Will as your son with David Baker."

She let out a laugh and it almost scared me.

"I've seen it. It's not very accurate though. Actually, it's not their fault for posting it wrong; I guess it's mine. After all, Dave's the only one that knows besides me."

"Dana?" I asked, her words being clear but confusing.

She looked up at me once more, "It shouldn't be Dave's name next to mine. It should be Mulder's. He's Will's real father."

I sat back, my breath suddenly failing me. What was she saying?

That she and Mulder had produced a child together, one that Mulder had no idea of. She had a baby that was his, who was raised by another man and would most likely continue on that way. Had she told Mulder? Was that why he was so upset?

Was that why he was trying so desperately to take them away?

So he could have the life that he wanted?

A safe job, a wife and a child?

A life that ended happily ever after.

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"I made this!"

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