Their first child was a difficult delivery. The child almost did not make it to them. Mulder had sat in the spacious kitchen of their Victorian home in Fresno. She had not known him to read anything other than case files and Celebrity Skin, but social science teachers had to keep up on current events for their classes.
"Hey Scully?" He asked grabbing her hand as she walked by. "Remember you said we could change the world?" He looked up at her, puppy dog eyes already out.
"You were the one that said we could change the world Mulder, I am just along for the ride." She leaned into him and kissed his head. He pointed to a newspaper article that had caught his eye.
Scully sat to read it, no words were spoken between them as she read. "It's so sad." She said finally. "I wish there was some—"she was stopped cold, he got the same look on his face he used to get when hot for a field assignment. "Mulder, I don't know about this, we have a hard time feeding the mollies." She looked at the picture of the little boy that had been abandoned at LAX. His brown hair and eyes and caramel skin were beautiful.
"Scully, when we got married you said you were on board with this, I am counting on you—"He got up to get his coat.
"You already arranged it didn't you Mulder?" She asked, more than a little upset and trying not to let it show. "Mulder, have you given any though to the fact that this toddler is African American, there are all kind of-"
"I don't care Scully." He said adamant in his decision, tapping his long fingers on the picture of the child in the paper. "I want him; I thought you were on board with this? Or were you just trying to get into my pants?" He grinned helping her into her coat.
"I just don't see why we have to do this now; we haven't got a thing here for a child."
"Aww come on Scully, Live dangerously, besides you know me better than that. The stuff will be here tomorrow. "He offered her a lop-sided grin.
"Mulder" she whined.
The case workers were happy to meet the Mulders. They fell in love with them right off. Though, their previous jobs were at best questionable, they seemed to fit in with their new quieter lifestyles. He was a teacher and Basketball coach for one of the local high schools, and she was a part time physician. They could not have been more perfect for fostering the little lost boy, although some of the workers thought the wife already had her hands full raising Mr. Mulder. The husband was obviously ready for fatherhood, and they sped through the process. Mrs. Daugherty was a gentle older Irish woman glad to handle their application.
Scully still had her doubts, not sure if a year after his recovery from so much was enough time for them to start a family. She did not voice her opinion at the first or second interview. During the home visit she was the perfect wife and mother to be. She happily got the forms filled out in triplicate and filed in duplicate. But in the back of her mind she wanted to scream at him for an hour non stop.
But she had agreed to this, as they stood in front of the judge at the civil ceremony, he had stopped the proceeding to make sure she knew what she was getting into. Yes she had answered, and yes again. She was in love with him, and did not care.
And, yet, he had made this decision without her, had gone against her and found their first child. Oh well, this is Mulder's crusade. But isn't that how it started the last time, she had just gone along for the ride and ended up being in the driver's seat?
The day had came for them to bring little Ryan home. They had never seen him, for the rules were set that way. The two were openly loving and affectionate to each other, and the nervousness showed on their faces as they paced the small office waiting for the worker to bring the toddler in.
When they placed Ryan in her arms, it was love at first sight for Scully, she could not have loved him more if he had been covered in her blood.
Mulder signed all the papers as Scully sat rocking the two year old in her lap. Ryan was in heaven too, there was no separating them.
"Hey Scully, so can I pick 'em or what?" He asked from over the top of the paperwork. He was more than just enjoying watching her be a mother. It was all he wanted in the first place.
Their second child was easier; it was Scully who brought him home. He had been abandoned at the hospital right after birth. Since doctors were allowed to handle adoptions in the state of California, she simply filled out the paperwork and brought him home. He had been born addicted to cocaine and had heroine in his system. When Dana had heard about him from the peds wards where she worked, she didn't even stop to call home, just went and claimed her second son. Of course the state agency was glad for them to take him. "Mrs Mulder, just come in next week and finish filing all the papers." Ms Daugherty had laughed." Are you sure about this? Now you have three boys at home"
"Don't I know it" she agreed.
"We saving the world Scully?" He asked caressing the blonde fuzz of the baby's head.
"One world at a time, right Mulder," She grinned.
"Yeah," He smiled kissing her then the baby. "Something like that."
They named the new baby Tjaden; it was Mulder who came up with this name. He had explained to Scully that the name translated from the Hebrew meant 'heard by God'
"Cause when that kid screams," He said pointing to the newborn, "EVERYONE can hear." He really did have a good set of lungs.
They both took maternity leave for Tjaden, enjoying, if not between bleary midnight feedings, the time they spent at home with their little family. Of course Mulder was the hands on parent,. He had been through this before. Scully was embarrassed that he could get the kids calmed down when all she managed to do was get frustrated. "You'll get the hang of it," he said giving her a small hug. "You're a good Mom." He reassured her a lot; maybe more than most husbands, but he felt he had to, felt he owed it to her.
They found happiness in simpler things of life, watching the kids play in the lawn, chasing fireflies with Ryan, going to Wal-Mart. Scully only would work part time, she refused to hire a nanny and didn't like leaving the boys with anyone other than Mulder. And even then, she was never sure what she would come home to when the boys were left on their own. Mulder often made experimental meals, things that tasted better than they looked. She had worked late one day when he offered her something which included barbecue sauce, eggs and pork and beans.
"Mulder!" She whined waving it away from her.
"Hey, don't knock it, Tjaden really loved it." He said popping another forkful into his mouth.
"Mulder, Tjaden sucks on his own toes, I am sure that is a step up."
Soon after the adoption was finalized with Ryan and Tjaden, Mulder received a phone call from Social Services.
"Mr. Mulder, Hi its Mrs. Daugherty, how are you? That wife kill you yet?" she had all smiles in her voice.
"Surprisingly no, apparently she loves my cooking." He joked as Scully aimed an oven mitt at him and fired. "Is there anything wrong Mrs. Daugherty?" He didn't want to sound paranoid, but could not help imagining one of the birth mothers showing up at their door.
"Nothings wrong Mr. Mulder; in fact this might be a good thing. We have a situation here, and we kind of thought this was right up your alley. "Mulder listened for a while, agreed with her that this was their party, and hung up.
"What is it Mulder?" She asked, figuring they would have to clear out one of the offices in the house to get ready for a new waif.
"Um, Scully. " He asked, easing out of the kitchen to give her the news from behind a wall. "How do you feel about having our own basketball team?" He ducked, but she was faster.
The three boys ranged in age from three to six. They were thin and wispy looking. Form what the social workers knew, the parents had been arrested for the murder of the youngest one, the baby. Apparently he had died from shaken baby syndrome, and the parents were not expected to get out of it. The only foster family they had willing to take all three boys was full already. The Mulders were a long shot, but in the end a good call. Scully was beside herself getting the house ready for their new charges. She was sure that she would have to rearrange her work schedule because two of them attended school. They had decided to give up the master bedroom, and take a smaller one figuring that the siblings would want to room together. Mulder childproofed the room and kept Ryan and Tjaden out of the way.
Tyler, the oldest had red hair and freckles, he could have easily been Scully's own kid. The six year old had the most intense sad green eyes Mulder had ever seen. Michael was a sweet sensitive five year old, while Heath, the three year old, was a terror to match Ryan.
"Mulder," Scully began as they lay in their new bedroom. "You get first watch." She rolled over and fell asleep easily, He didn't mind, it was getting easier every day, he should have done this saving the world thing sooner.
Five boys was a lot for the most patient of people, for Mulder and Scully, who had faced fluke man and murderous twins, it was a walk in the park—comparatively speaking. Scully had to cut back her hours at the practice, coming in only three mornings a week and every other Saturday. Mulder did what he could, but he began to admire his wife, she had a handle on things at home. She cut coupons, made cheap one pot meals, and put up with crap from a house of men. Maggie had moved to California shortly after Ryan came. She became the biggest help. The only time they got out to enjoy each other was when St. Maggie came over to baby-sit. No one else in the neighborhood would sit the Mulder children.
"Scully, are you happy? I mean are you ok with how things turned out?" He had never asked her this, it had been three years since coming out to California and giving up their old lives. He was always too afraid to ask her; afraid she would come to the realization that she was wasting her talents cleaning up after six little boys.
"Yeah Mulder, I think I am truly happy, just wish you guys would leave the toilet seat down more often." She smiled.
"Oh yeah, the guys wanted me to talk to you about that. Seems Tyler did the math and figured out that you are out numbered. They took a vote and decided it was you who needed to leave the seat up.' He smiled at her shocked expression.
"Those little…..Was Ryan in on this too?" It was hard for him to admit, but their first child was a real Momma's boy.
"Fraid so, " he grinned." So I guess you will be leaving that seat up now huh?"
"In your dreams G-Man" She laughed drawing him into her
"Mulder, I don't want to start a whole thing here, but I am starting to notice this house id taking on a real theme." She pointed to all the gym shoes, water guns, video games, and action figures strewn about the living room floor.
"I'll get the boys to clean up; they'll all blame Tjaden anyway. Poor kid it must suck being the youngest."
"I appreciate that, but that is not what I am talking about." She had her hands on her hips and gave him the infamous Scully glare of Death.
Uh oh, he thought, what did I do now? He mentally ran down a checklist in his mind of anything that she would possibly want to kill him for. He had thought to apologize in general, mostly for his gender.
Gender, he smiled I get it now. "No girls here? We took a vote and they are not allowed in the clubhouse." She didn't laugh and he got nervous.
"Mulder, can't we just have one girl? I feel like the den mother around here. Even Ryan has defected to the dark side; I caught him trying to shove Heath into the dryer. If I hadn't come downstairs he would have had that kid on fluff."
Mulder suppressed a laugh, but he still managed to make a noise that got him the raised eyebrow. "Aww Scully, what a bout a dog?"
"Mulder, I mean it, I know you are not done here. They are getting older and the baby will start school next year. But I am telling you I can't take one more boy. If Social services call again, you better flip the phone over and check the gender." She stormed off to go take a hot bath to peal off some of the layers of boy germs.
Women.
Christmas had become a day Fox Mulder looked forward to. He used to duck out on it and plant himself in front of the TV trying to lose his emotions in the idiot box. But after he married Scully, life had gotten sweeter, easier to handle. The boys made Christmas, he and Scully began Christmas shopping right after Halloween.
Scully's demand for a less testosterone house had not gone unnoticed by him. He did want to bring more kids into their lives. Dylan had told him there were so many that needed him more than she did. She was so right. There were only so many they could help, and though they did not have a figure in mind, he knew they were stretching themselves soon.
He had thought they would wait another few years to take in another child, but something happened that changed his mind drastically.
They were to have Christmas dinner at the home of Bill Scully; he had foolishly invited the entire Mulder clan over for dinner. The year before the three brothers had come and they had decided it would be safer to have dinner at home as a family and whoever wanted to stop by was welcomed.
Now that the new Mulder boys had been adopted into the family, Mulder figured it was safe to let them out around the rest of the family. Mulder and Scully had verbally admonished any strange happenings while out at Uncle Bill's. They had begun preparing for this outing from Thanksgiving. Even two year old Tjaden was not above the eagle eye of Mom.
"I don't know about this Mulder, I don't think the boys are ready for this." She shook her head as Michael dumped kool-aid into Ryan's plate and Tyler smacked Heath over the head for laughing at this. He did try to help maintain order, but in a lot of ways, Tyler was the worst of them all. Seems he took after Mulder the most, stubborn smart and a tendency to always be right.
Oh Brother, she thought.
"Hey Scully," He smiled "How do you feel about shock collars?"
"Where do I sign Mulder?"
"Maybe we are going about this the wrong way Scully." He was getting a little frustrated, as if home weren't bad enough, the basketball team he coached had made the state finals and he wasn't home as much as he wanted to be.
"What you mean G-Man?" she asked playfully. Glad you can still keep your sense of humor Scully; I think I am going to start plucking grey hairs by the thousands.
"We have five boys. Tyler is eight, Michael is seven, "He ticked off fingers as he counted. "Ryan and Heath are five, and Tjaden is four." He took a breath after all that. It seemed like so many more when you had to run down the list.
"What's your point Mulder?" She asked raising the eyebrow from over the medical journal she was reading as they sat up in bed.
"Well, maybe we have to be harder on them, get rid of some of their extras. You know like the video games, and the comic books. I have been reading up on blended families-"
"Mulder, we are not only blended, someone set the mixer to puree"
"-and they say," he went on trying to ignore her humor, still impressed that she could maintain it." That we should take them out as much as possible as a unit, so how about it?"
"What?" she asked, a little afraid, it was bad enough the PTA wanted to give her the Congressional Medal of Honor, just for Tyler and Ryan alone. Taking them out together was tantamount to self destruction.
"I think we should fire up the Mulder mini-van and take the boys out to dinner."
The look of horror on her face was enough to make him wish he hadn't said that. "Mulder, do you still have your Sig?"
"Scully I am serious."
"So am I."
"Scully…."
"Ok, fine, whatever, but if anything happens..."
"Yeah, I know it's my fault." He sighed, wondering just how far his boys would get him into the dog house.
Chucky Cheese never knew what hit it. The Mulder clan hit the restaurant like a hurricane; the boys flanked each section and took over. Tyler had control over the game room, while Michael busily kicked kids out of the play room and Ryan and Heath took turns dunking kids in the ball pits.
"Mulder, "she began squeezing his hand.
"I know I'll get the big ones, you get the little ones."
Mulder had a hard time rounding them up, surprisingly it took one glare from Mom to get them to the table, heads bowed feet dragging. "How did you do that?" He asked in awe of his wife yet again.
"S'ok Mulder, takes practice, you'll get the hang of it. You're a good Dad." She emphasized her point with a pat to his head. Not funny Dear. He mused.
The thing he had begun to realize before that Christmas was that she had everything under control. She spent more time with the boys, sure, but they respected her on a wholly different level. They were her minions, and she dolled out love and affection like water. They in turn, listened and returned for seconds often.
God how I love this woman.
She overwhelmed him, her capacity to love, to simply roll with the punches. All she wanted was one girl. He could do that, as long as she bore no resemblance to a certain red haired little girl that once took care of him.
They had finished their Christmas shopping, no small task. Mulder mulled back to a time when that included one person; he pushed that thought out of his head. Can't afford that one he mused. You're ok though Dyl, though I gotta tell you we could really use you around here.
They had hid all the presents in the attic, though he was seriously considering setting up an armed guard there. They were sneaky little boys. He could not blame this on genetics; instead he pointed it back to the last name. Seems once they all officially became Mulders, that's when the fun began.
Scully looked so happy, planning her own Christmas for her own family after so many years of living vicariously through her brothers. She decorated the house until it looked like elves had puked all over it. He loved it.
Christmas Eve, Scully stayed in the kitchen, giving Mulder explicit instructions to keep the boys and himself outta her hair. He had taken the boys out into the yard to throw around the ball and play a little catch. His cell phone rang while he was yelling for Tyler to stop tormenting his brother. That's the thing when you have a lot of kids. Sometimes you forget names and just run down a list until you hit the right one.
"Mulder here." Some old habits were hard to break.
"Mr. Mulder," the voice smiled. "How is your Christmas?" Ms Daugherty could here the kids giggling in the back ground; she thanked god everyday for people like the Mulders.
"It's good, but somehow I have the feeling it is about to get really crowded." He laughed.
"Have I got a Christmas present for you." She began.
Christmas morning came and the boys were up jumping around their parents bed like cannibals dancing at the large pot. Mulder tried to ignore them, but Scully would not let him.
"Mulder, you need to do something with them. " She moaned putting the pillow over her head.
"Uh Uh G-woman, they are yours too." He laughed taking the pillow from her.
"Mom, Dad get UP! It's freaking Christmas!" Mulder and Scully looked at Michael trying to decide who to blame for the onset of their son's potty mouth.
"He gets that from you." They accused simultaneously.
They went down into the living room and Mulder put on the coffee. And Scully got everyone lined up in their spots to exchange gifts.
"Whose turn is it to play Santa this year?" He asked passing her a cup of Joe
A chorus of 'mines' went around the room .until the Mom glare came out. They knew not to push her, especially when they were so close to getting presents.
"Hmmm, I think it is Heath's turn to play Santa this year." Scully announced as they settled in and the boys began tearing open gift after gift.
Mulder and Scully always exchanged last, while the kids were wrapped up in their excitement. "Scully," He said looking out the window as if anticipating something. He handed her a box, and she ripped it open faster than one of the boys.
She blushed at the ring, it had a birthstone for each one of the boys, she loved it. "Mulder this is so beautiful, it kinda goes along with the gift I have for you." She shyly hands him a small box.
"What he saw in there defied logic, defied any sort of reality. She relished at the look on his face, trying hard not to have a giggle fit. "How?" he asked completely dumbfounded.
"Mulder, If I have to tell you, then we have a problem." She was really giggling now.
"When?" He had not changed expression, just sat there looking as stupid as ever.
"July fourth," She laughed. He grabbed her, held her close and cried.
"Scully, I have to tell you about your gift."
Just then the doorbell rang.
Mrs. Daugherty placed the tiny little bundle in the hands of Mrs Mulder. She squealed at the pink hat. "Is she?"
"Yeah but your husband didn't tell you did he?" She beamed as another bundle was produced for Mulder to hold onto.
"MULDER!" she whined
"I think next Christmas we get a bigger house ."He grinned.