Author's Notes: OMG!!!!! It has been like 4 months since last updated. Well school kind of became overbearing and you know writers block is the worst thing to get in during that time. So here it goes I don't know how long I plan on making it. Please review

9:25 am

Mulder and Scully were busy getting themselves and Max ready. They were heading to the Campbell's and then to that park where Michael mentioned seeing the suspicious man larking about. Neither one spoke of the goings on of the night before, each putting on a façade of just two close friends falling asleep while watching a movie, nothing more and defiantly nothing less. However Scully, knew deep down that it was much more then that. She had wanted to sleep on the couch with Mulder. Even with the consequent of her now having an aching back, she wouldn't have changed it for the world. She felt safe in his arms that night, wanted and even loved. This sleeping over thing was beginning to turn into something more then just a dog sitting favor.

She awoke with the feeling of him surrounding her. She could tell he was awake by the way he was breathing and the beating of his heart. Upon opening her eyes she didn't' know what to say, so she did the only think there was left to do, she got up and went to the security of the bathroom. Only then did she run her fingers throw her hair and stare at herself in the mirror. The whole bet thing was beginning to turn into a reality and Scully needed to know if Mulder's motives ran deeper then the simple fact of winning a bet. She had to ask him but she just didn't know how. And now she ran away instead of confronting the issue. Maybe on the drive over things wouldn't feel as odd.

Mulder on the other hand thought nothing of it. In fact, he woke up feeling better then he has in a long time. He even woke up before Scully had and just watched her sleep. He practically memorized how much air she took in, how her chest moved in and out. How she wiggles her toes before she fully awakes. He couldn't notice all of her sleeping nuances in the bedroom because they weren't confined to such a small space and Scully was up and dressed before him. But what really got him, hook line and sinker, was the look in her eyes when they flittered open. He couldn't explain it. It was as if she expected for him to be there. Nothing was said between the two. After a few minutes of casual waking up time, Scully untangled her legs from his and quietly padded into the bedroom and then into the bathroom. A few minutes later Mulder heard the shower begin.

He knew Scully fosters the same feelings for him as he did for her. His bet was a surefire way of getting Scully to let her guard down without the feeling of her losing total control. And that is what she was beginning to do.

"You ready Scully? We've got a full day ahead of us."

"Let me just tie up these laces and we can go."

"I'll take Max to the car." yelled Mulder from the door.

"Alright, I'll be down in a second."

Happy to be alone for a few seconds, Scully breathed in slowly and exhaled thinking to her self, "this is just Mulder, what am I so worried about?" Pushing all the drama out of the way, she grabbed her keys and walked briskly down the hallway to the elevator, meeting Mulder moments later at the car.

"Ready?"

"Yup, let's go."

10:24am

At the Campbell's Resident

"It's so nice to see you again Agents Mulder and Scully, would you please come in. Could we offer you anything to drink or eat?" Sara Campbell spoke with a welcoming smile on her face.

"Oh, no think you." They answered in unison.

"Mrs. Campbell…" Scaly started

"Oh no, please call me Sara, everybody else does."

"Sara, were you at the park with Maya and Michael on the day that they reported seeing the strange vehicle?"

"Yes, but I never witnessed the vehicle or the driver. Michael and Maya and some of the other children were the only ones."

"MS, DAANAAA, Maya squealed from the back door leading to the patio." She ran and gave Scully a surprisingly tight hug before choosing to settle in between Mulder and Scully.

"Hi Maya, how are you doing today?" Scully asked.

"Find," she replied. "I was outside with Michael we were looking for ladybugs. Mommy always calls me her little ladybug because of my red hair and freckles."

"Well you are the prettiest ladybug I've very seem." spoke Mulder from her right side. This caused little Maya to blush and cover her cheeks. She giggled into Scully's arm as most children do when they are given a compliment by somebody whom they secretly have a crush for.

"Maya, why don't you take Max outside so he can run around with you and Michael, Agents Mulder and Scully and I are having a grown up conversation. I'll come to check up on you in a little bit okay?"

"I'll right mommy, bye Ms. Dana and Mr. Mulder."

"Bye Maya."

"See you later kido." Mulder said with a wink.

Just as fast as she came she was gone.

"You have some really amazing children Mrs. Campbell." Scully spoke

"Thank you so much Agent Scully, I take it that you don't have any yet?"

"No not yet, being in the F.B.I has made it kind of hard to have a family."

Mulder caught the double meaning behind "has made it hard," he silently cursed those bastards that took away Scully's right to conceive her own children.

"You're young though; you have a lot of time left don't fret."

Scully returned her womanly and mother support with a smile.

"So when are we going to be able to speak with Michael. More importantly would you be willing to take us to the park so that we can have a little investigating.

"That's no trouble at all. I always take Maya and Michael to the park on Sunday's afternoons. We can head over there right now if you'd like let me just round up the kids and we'll be on out way.

"I'll go get Max Scully you can stay here."

"Giving him a nod, Scully sat back waited for them to return.

Sometime Later at

Laurel Springs Community Park

"Your getting great at throwing the Frisbee Mike, just keep doing what your doing, Max will retrieve it from anywhere don't worry." Mulder and the kids were playing with Max while Sara and Scully sat on a near by bench just talking. Mostly Sara was doing the talking and Scully was listening.

"So tell me Dana, why haven't you and Mr. Mulder gotten together? I can tell that he thinks highly of you."

"Well, we're just good friend, and given fact that the F.B.I doesn't take well with agents who work together consorting with one another, it would be impossible."

"Oh I see do you care for him as more then just a good friend, if you don't mind me asking?" Scully would have probably been offended if asked by anybody else, but she felt she could trust Sara and maybe she needed another woman's opinion.

"To be honest, I've been battling with that question for a while now. Sometimes I worry about him a lot, well most of the time. We are putting out lives on the line a lot of the time and I guess my feelings for him have changed over the years. When someone is responsible for saving your life more then once, I guess it's the only thing left. But what if going further than just being friends isn't the right thing to do, I don't exactly know how he feels..." Scully stopped for a second to think.

"I would gather that he cares for you as more then just a friend. I've notice how he glances over here and smiles at you. You should just ask him one day when the mood is right he'll tell you."

"You think?"

"Yeah that's how I won Michael Sr. He was one tough cookie to figure out at first, but the more I was around him the better I became at reading his signals and I know you two have spent way more time around each other, being partners and all, then Mike and I ever did. So I'm going to take a guess that the two of you can read each other pretty well. Just ask him Dana."

"I think I might, thanks for the talk. But I think Mulder and I better hit that trail and try and find out if our suspect is back for another go around." Scully got up and ran over to Mulder. Mrs. Campbell smiled at how they would make a cute couple one day.

"Mike Maya, come over here I have something for you."

They ran over while Scully and Mulder headed off toward the trial. Mean while a black tarsus pulled up along the tree lined street and parked. The occupant inside carefully surveyed his territory. There weren't as many couples out with their dogs this afternoon, probably due to the media attention that was flooding around, however he spotted one nice looking young couple. The man was about 6'1 dark hair and fairly built, the woman was short and fit with fiery red hair. The dog, a short hair black lav, resembling a dog that he thought he took care of a few nights ago. He's prime targets were none other then Mulder, Scully, and Max. He didn't understand why people were so obsessed with their dogs. He hated them with a passion wishing that eh could rid the world of their filthy, annoying selves. If he had to do it one by one he would. He was a real lunatic. Little did he know that Mulder, Scully, and Max would be his down fall?

"Hey Scully what do you think about our suspect, did you notice anything strange while you were talking with Mrs. Campbell?"

"Not anything out go the ordinary, just the random park fillers, children, parents and pets." Scully replied matching her stride with Mulder's.

"Well how about we jog for a about a mile and turn around if we don't spot anything."

"That sounds good to me Mulder."

Mulder and Scully continued down the path unaware of their perpetrator following them. He would have to wait until they turned back around before he could follow them home. About 30 minutes later Mulder and Scully were both running back through the clearing in the bushes. Scully took that time to canvas the area one last time. She spotted a vehicle that matching the description that Michael gave them. They were in A.B.I mode now.

"Mulder I've got a suspect at 3 o'clock."

"Mulder moved his eyes toward the street, after getting the car in view he ran toward Sara and the kids who were all eating ice cream on the bench. To make it seem like he came with them he called Michael over so that he would get a positive ID.

"Okay Mike Agent Scully and I believe that we have our suspect in view I just need you to look over there and conform it for me can you do that without making eye contact?"

"Oh yeah sure thing Mr. Mulder" Michael looked and shook his head while throwing the Frisbee.

"Good job Mike, now stay here."

Scully was seated on the bench next to Mrs. Campbell explaining everything to her. Mulder joined them and trying t come up with a way of catching him.

I'm going to call for back when we get into the cars.

"Mrs. Campbell would you mind of you drove your house if he follows it will be a lot easier to catch him."

"Is this going to be safe? I don't want to put my children and family in any danger."

"Yes, you and the children won't even be in the house, Scully and I will go into the house and let Max out in the backyard. Hopefully, Mr. Dog stalker will be dumb enough to show up so that we can arrest him. Michael positively ID him, now all we need to do it catch him in the act. When we leave here I want you to make a left before we get to your street and there will be some F.B.I. agents waiting there to meet you. Scully and I will proceed to your house and wait for him to show up."

"With everyone in agreement let's go."

Mulder and Scully go into their car after putting Max in the back seat. While Sara and her kids got into their car. The crazed dog hater followed just as Mulder expected he would. Meanwhile Scully was on the phone with the agents at the rendezvous point she was giving a description of everyone's care, the set plan of action, and address of the Campbell's.

"Mulder I'll be happy when this day is over and we can just relax."

Mulder smiled over at Scully with her usage of the pronoun "we" and not I. He was looking forward to relaxing with her too.

TBC……………….