December 23rd, 2012

" Dana, you know you're welcome to stay for Christmas if you want to." Cat said.

Scully looked up from dangling a shiny ribbon for Delaney's amusement. " I appreciate the offer, but I promised my mom and Ethan that I would get a flight back to DC tonight."

"Are things serious between you and Ethan?" Cat asked, then looked embarrassed. " I know your mom is hoping so."

" I'm not sure it. But I hope so too."

" Me three." Cat smiled. " You deserve happiness too."

"Do I?" Scully asked archly.

"Of course. After everything that you and Fox have been through over the years, you've earned your peace. And...I think that it would give William piece of mind to know that you're doing ok too after all of this. He feels a lot more guilt about this than he should."

"Just like his father..." Scully murmured. "If you don't have any other plans for the day, I'd like to ask William if he'll go shopping with me before I leave."

Cat seemed surprised by the deferential tone of the other woman's statement. "I don't have any plans. Even if I did want to do something with William today, he's your son, and I wouldn't presume to keep him from you."

"You're more of a mother to him than I am." Scully told her.

"I'm not-"

"Don't try to make excuses for me. I know he's happier here with you and Mulder than he's ever been in his whole life. I'm glad my son is finally happy."

"Surely he was happy with you as a little baby." Cat said placatingly.

Scully thought about that. Fragments of song, images of a man holding a pillow, his picture after he'd been taken at gunpoint from Byers, her relief at finding him that long ago night when she'd more than half feared he'd died too, looking into his bassinet to see him sleeping peacefully..." We had our moments." She smiled. "I'm glad that I came and was able to begin to mend the rift between us. That he doesn't seem to hate me anymore is enough for me."

"I want you to know that even though I care about him very much, I'll never try to replace you in his life." Cat said quietly.

"I know that. Thank you for saying so anyway, though." Scully touched the other woman's arm. "I can't think of anyone who would be better for him. Mulder always did have good judgment when it came to picking people to care about." She added, making both of them laughed.

An hour later Scully and William got out of her rental car, and took note of which row in the parking garage they'd pulled into. "I'm glad you decided to come with me, William."

"Yeah...the mall's not half as exciting as the rest of the week." William teased. "But you never know, there could be danger from the Christmas shoppers."

"Some people will do anything for a bargain, huh?" Scully grinned. " Before you were born, there were these dolls called Cabbage Patch Kids, and people beat each other up in order to get them the Christmas that they'd become the big fad. Little old women hitting people with their purses, people being beaten with the boxes...it was all over the news.""

"Ha! I guess shopping can be dangerous, even without kidnappers..." He gave her a mischievous look. "Dana, does it make me a bad person to hope to see that news footage some day?"

"No, it makes you your father's son. Speaking of your father's sons... I was hoping that you would help me pick out presents for your brothers and sister while we're here. You know what they like."

"Yeah, I do." A look of self-satisfaction crossed his face. "Sure, it will be fun."

After being reassured that price wasn't an issue, William's enthusiasm for picking out presents amused Scully greatly. Before long they were both weighted down by bags of toys. An intricate set of building blocks for Kyle, the world's softest stuffed puppy for Avery - who kept stealing Owen's beloved bear,- A baby gym with things to push and pull for Delaney, A space ship with lurid alien figures for Owen who seemed even more enthused for them since they got home, and a race car video game for Benji.

"You've been a big help, William. What about you, what would you like?"

"Me? I don't know..." He suddenly looked bashful.

"Yes you do." She retorted.

"I kind of want a journal." He finally confessed. "So I can write down what happened to me. People might not believe that it's real, but maybe someday I'll grow up to be a writer, and it'd make a good fantasy book."

"That sounds like a great idea."

In Pen and Quill they found what William decided was the "coolest journal ever" so they left the store with it, a set of fancy pens and an electronic dictionary Scully insisted would be useful.

Right as they neared the exit, Scully pulled out her keys and asked if he thought he could bring things to the car for her. "If the bags are not too heavy, I mean."

"I can handle it." He said manfully accepting the burden, which did seem a bit too heavy from the look on his face.

"Great. I'll be out in just a few minutes. There's something I just remembered that I wanted to buy."

Staggering through the parking garage, William managed to get to the car without dropping anything, and he hummed to himself as he put the bags in the trunk. He'd only just turned on the radio to look for Christmas carols when Scully returned. "Thanks, William."

"No problem." He replied, wondering if she was going to tell him what it was she forgot. She didn't.