"Scully, is he there? You're blocking the entrance and I can't see. Talk to me Scully?"

"Mulder...he's asleep. They both are."

"Asleep?"

"Yeah, completely fast asleep. Thank God. Awww, Peter must have put Mattie's snowsuit on him...backwards."

"C'mon Scully, let's get them out of there. I think your brothers and their wives might just like to see them."

"Of course. Let me get Mattie and you can get Peter. Okay?"

"Sure...I don't know if Peter will really appreciate this though."

"Why not Mulder?"

"It doesn't matter. Have you got Mattie?"

"Yes. On you go in for Peter, I think he's beginning to wake up...Mulder, I know you said it doesn't matter but I want to know what you meant...Mulder?"

"Let's just get them inside Scully. I'll tell you later if you really need to know."

"I do. Ready?"

"Yes, let's go return these two rascals to their parents."

Mulder and Scully carried the two boys close to their chests to protect them from the snow, which was pelting them relentlessly. The wind had picked up as well and Scully's hair blew in her eyes, blocking her view. She stopped moving to try and clear her vision but her hair kept blowing straight back as soon as she had swiped it away. Mulder noticed that she was no longer beside him and turned back to grab her free hand and they made their way across the garden to the house together. Pushing the door open, Mulder placed his hand on Scully's back to guide her in and followed her through. They hurried to knock the snow off their shoes and went straight to the den where everyone was still gathered.
Jess and Tara's tears had stopped and they were both now sitting in their husband's arms staring blankly at the floor. All five adults looked up expectantly at Mulder and Scully as they entered and they all rushed to them when they saw the two boys in their arms. They handed them over to their gratified and relieved parents and took a step back so that Scully was in Mulder's arms and they were both out of the way. The two boys were hugged by all of them, which caused Mattie to wake up but Peter slept through it all. Once all the hugging was over, Jess and Tara sat back down with their sons in their laps, holding them as close to them as they could. Charlie was choked up with emotion so when he turned to speak to Mulder and Scully, he found himself unable to say a word, instead letting his brother take over.

"Where were they Dana?"

"We found them fast asleep in the igloo that you and Charlie built for Peter yesterday. Peter thought Mattie would enjoy playing in the snow so he took him out and then they must have been tired so he took him into the igloo to sleep."

"What on earth made you think to look there, Dana? I had forgotten all about that."

"It was Mulder who thought of it really, mom. He remembered something Peter had said yesterday about wanting to play with Mattie in the snow. We thought it was worth a shot so we both went to look outside and saw Peter's hat lying on the snow - it must have fallen off when he was getting to the igloo. Then we saw the snow heap and remembered about the igloo."

"Thanks Day. Thanks Mulder. I don't know what I ...thank you both so much."

"No problem Charlie. We're both just so glad that we found them and that they're both okay."

"We're going to take Mattie up to his crib. He's still tired and should really get some more sleep if we're going out later."

"Okay Bill."

Bill and Tara made their way across the room and went through the door to the lounge, heading upstairs. Scully twisted round to face Mulder who had bent down somewhat and was resting his chin on her shoulder, his arms tightly wrapped around her. She was just about to ask him about what he had meant outside when he caught her lips with his own, slightly smirking into the kiss since he knew exactly what she had been going to ask. Peter chose that moment to wake up and, after a brief instant of confusion, he smiled up at his mom from where he was sitting on her lap and then turned round to face the room. He spotted Mulder standing near the doorway into the kitchen still cuddling Scully and pushed himself off his mother's lap. He walked over to the two of them and held his arms out to Mulder, demanding, without saying a word, to be picked up. Mulder looked unsure, remembering the boy's comments and frightened behaviour the day before but when he looked over to Charlie he found him nodding that it was okay. He let go of Scully after giving her a quick squeeze and a light kiss placed on her brow, which was furrowed in confusion.

Mulder bent down to reach Peter's level and was taken aback at the force of the hug that Peter bestowed upon him. He straightened up taking Peter, whose arms were still wound tightly around his neck, with him. He stood for a long moment just cradling him in his arms and wondering what Peter would do next. Hearing him mumbling something into his neck, he leaned his head backwards so that Peter was no longer speaking into his neck.

"What is it Peter?"

"I'm sorry Mr Fox. I didn't mean to make you sad. I 'm sorry."

"Hey that's okay kiddo. It's alright now."

"Daddy told me Uncle Bill wasn't telling the truth - but I never knew. I'm sorry. Will you be my friend again?"

"Course I will Peter."

"Thank you. Mr Fox ... will you come ice-skating with us later? Daddy says you'll come if I ask nicely. Please?"

"Uh...Scully? Are we going skating?"

"Yup. Didn't I tell you before? We hired skates when we went to the Mall on Christmas Eve and Charlie's going to pick them up. We're all going but mom and Bill aren't going to skate - they'll just watch all of us make fools of ourselves."

"Okay...well then Peter, I guess I'll be going skating with you. You'll need to help me though - it's been a long time since I've done any ice-skating."

"Don't worry Mr Fox. Daddy taught me how to skate last year - I won't let you fall."

"Thank you Peter. I wouldn't want to fall and embarrass your Auntie Day now would I?"

"How are you going to embarrass me Mulder? If you fall you'll only embarrass yourself."

"Oh no Scully. If I go down, you're going down with me."

"You wouldn't."

Mulder just smiled a cheeky grin at her and when Peter started laughing he joined in, glad that the little boy was no longer afraid of him. Scully glared at him for a moment but she too started laughing, unable to keep her face straight when the two of them were laughing so hard. As all three calmed down, Scully wrapped her arm around the back of Mulder and leaned against him on the opposite side to where Peter was. He pulled her tighter to him with his free arm and she tilted her head up for a kiss. Peter wriggled in Mulder's arms as he became bored with watching them smooch and Mulder reluctantly released her mouth so he could set him back on the floor. Once he was standing tall again and Peter had gone back to his parents, they both edged backwards into the kitchen, closing the door so that they could kiss in private. Mulder bent his knees slightly, wrapping his arms around Scully's thighs so that he lifted her when he stood up properly again. Their mouths were now on the same level as each other and they wasted no time in joining them firmly, and passionately, together again. Scully eventually pulled out of their kiss in order to breathe and they rested their foreheads against one another.

"So what did Peter hear Bill say? Is this something else you've been keeping secret from me?"

"No...he heard what Bill said to me when we were sledging yesterday. He thought I would hurt him so he didn't want to be near me."

"Oh, Mulder..."

"It's alright. It's over with now and he's not scared of me anymore as I think you saw just there. I do think I'm going to have bruises from that bear hug of his though."

"Well maybe your doctor should take a look - just to be sure there's no permanent damage."

"Maybe she should - you haven't seen her anywhere lately have you?"

"Hey!"

"I'm only kidding Scully. You know that I wouldn't want to play doctor with anyone but you."

"Glad to hear it. I suppose I'll just have to take a look then."

"I suppose you will."

Mulder walked backwards further into the kitchen and sank into one of the kitchen chairs bringing Scully down with him to sit in his lap. She tugged on his jacket until it fell away onto the floor and started pressing gentle kisses to his neck at the site of the 'bruises'. While she was busy examining his neck he pushed her coat off her shoulders and she let it drop off her arms until it lay beside his on the floor. One of his hands slid down her back and underneath her sweater, warming his cool fingers with the heat of her bare skin. He stroked her hair gently with his other hand as she trailed kisses from his neck and over his jaw, her mouth finally coming to rest back at his mouth. His hand on her head kept her lips pressed tightly to his as they fought with their tongues between their two mouths. His other hand drew light circles across her back, his fingers dancing across her spine and then coming to rest with the tips of them laying just under the waist of her pants. She moaned softly, breaking the kiss for an instant and he became aware of their surroundings, realising that they were sitting in a room where anyone could enter at any moment. Still kissing, he returned his hand to her upper back and crushed her to his chest, making her gasp and break their kiss once more. Once they parted they sat in comfortable silence, listening to the kids playing in the lounge and contentedly staring into each other's eyes.