Present Day, Mulder Residence...

Monica knocked softly on the door and put on the bravest face she could summon. Dana opened the door and she was a little surprised to see her thinking she would still be working. Dana smiled the same smile everybody had been giving Monica for two weeks now, one full of sympathy and sorrow for her. She was sick of it. She walked into the house and Jack came wobbling over to her. She picked him up and gave him a cuddle before he realised he liked it better walking around so she placed him down and looked back to Dana.

"Where's Anna?"

"She's outside with Mulder. Before you go out there, you should know she's spent most of the day in tears. I really think you should reconsider work Monica."

Monica sat down and ran her hands through her hair.

"I can't. I can't spend anymore time dwelling on this, I know it's unfair on Anna, but I can't do it, I can't do this alone, it makes me feel so sick and angry at the world. I wish I could change the way I feel, but I can't... I love my daughter more than anything, but I don't know how to do this alone."

Monica let the tears flow and Dana quickly sat beside her and took her into her arms as she cried a river of tears in just a few short minutes. Jack watched the two women with a look of bewilderment on his face. He cried when he wanted food or attention, or changing, he understood that grown-ups could do these things for themselves, so why were his mommy and aunt crying now?

Monica was grateful for the hug that Dana was still sharing with her. The two women were close friends and Monica knew that Dana cared a great deal for her. She wished just as badly as her friends did that there was something else they could do to help her get through this and come out on the other side. But right now the fact that someone was showing Monica they cared at all was all she needed to be able to face another day. As she pulled back from Dana they both wiped their eyes and looked at each other. They managed to laugh slightly and they both sighed.

"What a sorry sight we are."

"Well you needed it."

Monica smiled appreciatively and slowly stood up, Dana did the same and they both headed towards the back door. Jack slowly followed them and Dana picked him up before he got carried away and ran outside too. His cries to be let down alerted Mulder and Anna to their presence and Mulder slowly made his way back indoors.

"You should talk to her."

He put his head supportively on Monica's shoulder before walking away and allowing her to be alone with Anna.

Monica sat down beside Anna on the bench and tried not to let the fact Anna wouldn't even look at her upset her too much. She could do this.

"Anna I need to talk to you, is that ok?"

Anna shrugged her shoulders and Monica was relieved that at least she wasn't completely ignoring her.

"Anna, I know that I wasn't a very nice person to be with this morning, and that I didn't have any answers for you last night, but I have the same questions that you do. I miss your daddy too; more than anything I wish that he were waiting for us at home right now. But he isn't. It's just you and me now, and I would love for us to be able to help each other out and love each other even when things get bad. I love you so much baby. I really hate that I upset you. I'm so sorry..."

Anna looked at her mom for the first time and was heartbroken to see that she was crying again. She got onto her knees on the bench and turned to Monica for a hug, Monica pulled her so close she was almost on her lap. It felt so good, Monica knew she had to make this happen everyday, she had to show Anna that she was the most important person in the whole world. And it shouldn't be difficult because it was true.

Dana smiled to herself as she watched from the window and was startled when Mulder came from behind and put his arms around her.

"William's bathing Jack, it's gonna get very wet in there."

"I'll go up in a second."

"You ok?"

"Yeah. I just, I just never realised how much I wanted to see that happen today."

"I know. Me too."

Mulder kissed Dana as they continued to watch Monica and Anna holding onto each other as if they were all they had in the world.

June 29th, Doggett Residence...

Monica couldn't believe that it was one o'clock in the afternoon and she had only just got dressed. She went down the stairs and was greeted by the smell of pancakes from the kitchen. She walked in and was so hungry that she couldn't help taking a sample whilst John wasn't around. But as she stood chewing he came in from the garden and playfully hit her hands.

"They're not ready."

"They're delicious."

"Well of course they are."

Monica smiled and turned to the two cups of coffee on the table. She picked one up and took a sip as she looked out of the window.

"God its such a nice day."

"Yeah, I was thinkin' we could have a picnic outside to make up for not eating out last night, before we collect Anna."

"That sounds great. It's so weird without her here..."

"I know... I even checked her room when I got up to see if she was really not there."

"Oh my God I did the same."

They both laughed and John finally turned around with two plates of pancakes and placed them on the table. They sat down to eat and made small talk whilst enjoying being alone. They both adored their daughter and loved being parents, but there was something about being in love and being alone with the person you were in love with that made you feel something no other person could make you feel. Being a family and spending all day every day with each other was something that most people took for granted, but spending time alone as a married couple, those moments were precious and few and far between.

Without even mentioning it to each other Monica and John both made a conscious decision to make this kind of thing happen more often. They just hoped that Mulder and Dana weren't in a hurry for the favour to be repaid, having a four year old, a two year old and an eight year old stay over was more than either of them were looking towards coping with.

That afternoon they went for a walk and held hands the entire time. They went to the park and the children's play area and John talked Monica into going on a swing so he could push her. They both had a lot of fun and reluctantly walked home to prepare to collect Anna. When they got home the telephone was ringing and Monica quickly ran to answer it before they missed the call.

"Hello... oh hi, is everything ok? ... We couldn't ask you to do that... but she's been there since last night... are you sure? ... Ok, is she there? ... Oh, well call if you change your mind. And thanks."

Monica hung up the phone and walked up the stairs to find John.

"Mon, who was that?"

"It was Dana."

"Everythin' ok?"

"Yes actually, it appears we have another night alone..."

"What are you talkin' about?"

"Anna and William want to see how many times they can watch 'Finding Nemo' before getting tired, and they begged Dana and Mulder to let Anna stay over again."

"You're kidding?"

"No... So we have the place to ourselves for a second night... I don't know that there's anything else we can do that we haven't already..."

John walked over to Monica and very seductively wrapped his arms around her and started kissing her neck.

"I'm sure I could think of a thing or two we haven't tried yet..."