Title: Lies Once Told, Love Once Given: Part VII
Author: Gillian Leigh
Summary: A teenage girl's world falls apart, and her mother's begins to fall back together.
Disclaimer: I'm just borrowing them for the duration... using them as puppets to act out my insane plots... Please don't sue!!!
Author's Notes: This is the shortest chapter of them all, but it's the last one!! I finished this and was ready to start writing another paper when I realized that I had finished this one without knowing it! Okay, a few minor things: the thing about Concord Jets--yeah I just totally made it up, LOL. And a big thanks to everyone who has taken the time to read and review!
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Liv sighed, for the fifth time in two minutes, and Dana looked over at her.
"What is it?" she asked.
"This is so screwed up, Mom," Liv responded. "Why did we leave if you still love my dad?"
"It's complicated, Liv."
"I'm all ears, Mom. Explain it." Dana raised her eyebrows at her daughter.
"I don't know that it's really any of your business," she replied. Liv was growing angry, as was Dana.
"He's my dad and I want to know why we're not even attempting the 'big happy family' thing," she replied hotly. "So I'm making it my business."
"It's not that we're not trying to work things out, Olivia," she replied, emphasizing her daughter's given name out of anger. "It's just that he's got his life there, and ours is here. We have jobs and responsibilities, and we can't just abandon them. And besides, we're not even sure what we want to make of our present situation. It's been a long time, and it's very complicated." Liv rolled her eyes as her mother unlocked the front door and pushed it open.
"Whatever. I'm gonna call Dad and tell him that we got home safe." They were both startled by Mulder's voice as he emerged from the living room.
"Message received," he said, and both women jumped.
"Mulder?" Dana queried, trying to keep her jaw off the floor.
"Dad!" Liv yelled, running toward him. She hugged him tightly. Still shocked and surprised at his presence, Dana unceremoniously dropped her suitcase and continued to gape at the man standing in her living room.
"How...?"
"Concord Jets. They cut flight time in half," he replied, kissing the top of Liv's head.
"Forgive me for how this is going to sound, Mulder, but what the hell are you doing here?"
"I took a sabbatical from teaching. We can't start all over again if I'm in England and you and Liv are an ocean away," Mulder responded, releasing Liv and stepping over to Dana.
"Does that mean you're going to stay here?" Liv asked, watching as her mother and father stood just under a foot apart.
"It's a possibility... I've got a year to decide what I'm doing, and I've got something in mind to start with." He reached up and unhooked the chain around his neck. "I have to say, Scully, that this ring would look far better on you than it does on me." Her eyes widened.
"Are you proposing to me?" she asked. Liv watched with bated breath.
"Well that depends on if you'd say yes or if you'd--" Both Mulder and Liv were very surprised when his speech was cut short when Dana threw her arms around his neck and kissed him.
"...And that would be a yes," Liv responded, her face morphing into a wide grin. Three days ago, she had believed that her world was ending, but now she understood that it had been only the beginning.
-x-the end-x-