Things Are Looking Up

Disclaimer: I still own nothing X-Files related. I do still own this story idea.

Two months before Dana Scully-Mulder was scheduled to begin her teaching job, she ran across an ad for a medical examiner needed in the next town. She had been on her coffee break and picked up a paper someone had left lying on the table she had decided to occupy. It had been opened to the classified section and she began skimming the various ads to pass the time. Dana fished around in her pocket for change to make a call to set up an interview. Not only did the position require someone immediately, in the long run, it paid better than the teaching job.

"Hey, Liz, can I ask a huge favor?"

"Sure hon, what is it?" The elder woman asked as she filled the saltshakers.

Dana grabbed the bag of sugar from behind the counter and started filling the sugar shakers. "I need tomorrow off, or a couple of hours tomorrow. Could you come in and cover for me? I'll make it up to you, I swear, any time you say."

"No need to do that. I could use the extra hours. The husband wants a big screen for his birthday this year and I figure pulling an extra shift or two could just about pay for it. Unless you need the money."

"No, its okay. I could stand to lose a couple of hours."

Liz leaned up against the counter, "so . . .anniversary? Doctor's appointment?"

"An appointment." Dana didn't want to jinx her interview and opted for not telling anyone but Mulder about it.

"Have you and that husband of yours finally decided to start a family?"

That was a knife to the heart she wasn't expecting. Liz could have thrown anything else in the world at her. But the thought of having a child with Mulder, of creating anything resembling a 'normal family' with Mulder, was too much to take. In Liz's defense, she had no idea about William. Or about Emily or even Queequeg for that matter. All three were sore points for Dana, people that passed through her life just long enough to leave a lasting impression on her heart, and then moved on. All three reminded her of a different failure in her life. She felt her face grow warm and averted her gaze to a newspaper dispenser across the street. "Uhm . . .not exactly."

Liz was a dear woman, but a little nosey. Dana knew that when she decided to ask her to cover a couple of hours of her shift. "Oh God, Dana, honey, I'm sorry. I've hit a nerve haven't I? I . . ."

"It's okay, Liz. Really, it's fine. It just made me think that's all." Dana screwed the lid onto the last shaker and placed it on a tray. "I'm going to put these on the tables now. Thanks for covering for me tomorrow, I'll let Rob know before I leave."

"All right. I'm gonna call it a day." Liz untied her apron and quickly walked to the break room. "See you tomorrow, Dana."

That night when she arrived home, Mulder was seated in the floor reading through a stack of papers he had on the coffee table. "Mulder! You are never going to believe what happened to me today."

He jumped to his feet and followed her into the bedroom. As she began removing her uniform, he began peppering her neck with kisses and assisting her with any fasteners she might not be able to reach. "Try me," he muttered into her neck.

"I have a job interview for a medical examiner's position in the next town. If I get the job I can start immediately and it will pay better than that teaching job." She shivered as his hands traveled down her sides to rest on her hips. "I would work less hours than I'm working now and my time at home wouldn't be spent grading papers or . . .did I mention that I still need to go to the library and type up my resume?"

"Tonight?"

"Yes, my interview is tomorrow morning at eleven o'clock." She insisted half-heartedly.

Mulder stepped back reluctantly and sighed. "I guess my going with you and continuing this is out of the question?"

Dana laughed. She seemed to laugh more these days and for that he was grateful. "I'm afraid not. You can come with me though. We can stop off and have dinner on the way home, come back here and pick up exactly where we are leaving off."

"How about we start all over when we get home?" He countered with a lopsided grin and a hopeful gleam in his eye. "Or I'll get dinner while you are doing what you need to do, we'll bring it back here and eat after dessert?"

"Yes, to both. I'm going to finish changing and I'll be right out."

Mulder waggled his eyebrows, "want some help?"

"Nope, I can get dressed all by myself thank you. The faster we get out of here, the faster we get home."

They were enjoying their renewed sense of love and true happiness. Despite everything that had happened in their past, their future seemed to be looking bright. Mulder's job was working out as well or maybe even a little better than he had hoped, and now with the opportunity Dana had to be a medical examiner. "Mulder?" She questioned as she emerged from the bedroom moments later, fully dressed and ready to go.

"Hmm?"

"Do you ever think about, I don't know, getting a dog or something?"

This caught him a little off guard, but he tried not to show it. "Well, not really. A fish maybe, but not a dog – dogs require so much attention and we are so rarely home. Then there is the whole finding an apartment building that will let you have pets. That is until we get a house. But even then I would be worried about keeping a dog or anything else that requires more than a pinch or two of fish flakes a day." He stopped, locked the door, and they continued walking down the hall. "This isn't really about a dog, is it? Its more the 'or something' you are seeking an answer for."

Dana sighed, "I asked Liz to cover for me for a couple of hours tomorrow. You know Liz, always asking questions. I didn't want to say anything to anyone about the interview until I knew for sure I had the job, or a decent shot at the job anyway. So, Liz asked if it were an anniversary or doctor's appointment and I responded with just an appointment. Of course then she asked if you and I were finally going to start a family and that got me thinking."

"That is an 'or something' I am most definitely for, Dana. You know that. If at all possible, I would love to raise an 'or something' or two with you."

Dana Mulder studied the tops of her shoes as she walked. The lack of pattern or color fascinated her in the moment and provided a home for her gaze until she could once again meet her husband's eyes. "We were given one miracle, Mulder. A miracle I sent away to live with strangers in who knows where."

Mulder stepped in front of her and stopped, grabbing her shoulders to hold her at arm's length. "Now just stop right there, Dana. We've been over this and you can not and will not beat yourself up about making the right decision for our son for the rest of your life."

"If I had just kept him for a little while longer. I could have brought him to Canada or taken him to London, changed our names, and raised him myself."

"Stop, you're kidding yourself if you really think that. You couldn't have kept him hidden from them forever, Dana. As long as he was with you or with me . . .with us, he was in danger. Because of what we have seen, what we now know to be the truth, and who we are. Dana, William was in constant danger with us. But I promise you here and now, a promise as solemn as the vows we took months ago, I will get our son back. If that is what you really want, as soon as I know its safe, I will go and get him and bring him home to live with us, where he belongs."

She met his gaze and nodded. "I do want him with us, Mulder. He's our son. But I don't want to put him in a situation where he isn't safe. My track record with children and pets isn't the greatest. I lost Queequeg to a man eating alligator, Emily not long after I learned of her existence, one of your mollies, and I couldn't keep William. Maybe I'm not cut out to be a mother."

He didn't know what else to do so he hugged her, tight. "Don't, Dana, please? Don't ever put yourself down like that. You are a mother, to the core. It's your former job that prevented a successful attempt at motherhood until this point. Wait and see, the next kid we won't be able to get rid of until she is in her fifties or sixties. By then we will be begging for the days when we were alone and carefree."

A smile tugged at the corners of her lips, "you're just saying that so you'll still get lucky later."

Mulder, desperate to lighten the moment, feigned insult. "I am not! I'm saying that because I'm your husband, I love you, and its true."

"No more talk about dogs or children, or even fish. I know I brought it up, but I can't handle it as well as I thought I could. Not right now."

"I understand. We'll talk about it again when you're ready, or never again if you aren't." He took her hand and they walked the rest of the way to their car in silence.

The next evening, Dana burst into their apartment in search of her husband. "Mulder! Mulder, where are you? I've got something I have to tell you! Mulder!" She made her way through the small apartment and stopped when she heard the shower running. A few images flashed through her mind and she quickly disrobed and quietly slipped in the bathroom to join him.

She stepped into the shower behind him and placed soft kisses along his bare back. "Mmm, evening," he growled happily.

"Evening," she mimicked in a husky voice. "Miss me?"

"Always. How was your interview?"

"Do we really want to discuss that now?"

"Yeah, because I've got plans for you later." He informed matter-of-factly.

Dana arched an eyebrow and smirked, "anything I'll approve of?" His mischievous grin told her everything she needed to know. "I put in my two week notice at work. I start my new job as medical examiner two weeks from today."

"That's great, Dana. I think we should start celebrating now." Mulder wrapped his arms snugly around her and pulled her to him. "Did I mention I've missed you today?"

"N . . ."before she could finish her first word of reply, his lips captured hers.

Mulder and Dana were both running late and hit the front door to their apartment building in the same instant. Together they dragged themselves to the elevator and then down the hall to their unit. Once inside, briefcases and shoes hit the floor and they both flopped down on the sofa, heads resting on the high back, feet propped up on the coffee table. "I'll cook," Mulder offered through a yawn.

"I think I'm too tired to eat."

"Then I won't go to much trouble. Is the phone handy?"

Dana wearily passed him the phone, "the usual is fine."

"Chinese or pizza?"

"Whatever you're in the mood for. I'm going to attempt to take a quick shower and get ready for bed." It had been a week and a half since she started her new job. Saying things were a mess in her new office was putting her situation mildly. The bulk of her day was spent doing current reports and autopsies and overtime was required to get the office back to a point of orderly function.

"How about whatever I can remember the number for?"

"That's fine too," Dana called from the bedroom. "I've been thinking, Mulder. I think we can finally afford a larger apartment. Or at least one with a lock on the bedroom door."

"Or a better car." Mulder suggested over the beeping of the phone as it dialed. "And a lock for that door, just for now."

It was several minutes before Dana responded. She had heard him, but didn't bother to reply until she got out of the shower. "That would work too I guess."

"Its just that I don't think it is a very good idea to get too deep in debt in case something happens to one of our jobs. I mean I could be fired tomorrow for all I know. Or we may have to move on in a couple of months. I don't know what the future holds for us, Dana, and I don't want to put down roots until I'm more certain."

"We will never be totally certain, Mulder. Life just isn't meant to come with guarantees." She kissed the top of his head as she walked around the sofa to sit next to him. "But I understand what you're saying. We can stay here awhile longer, I just thought you would want to move."

"This place is growing on me. After all, Mrs. Spooky, this is our first love nest." He leaned in to give her a kiss and someone knocked on the door. "Hmm, that's new. I've heard bells, seen fireworks, but never heard a knocking when I kissed you."

Dana giggled and pointed to the door. "I think it's dinner, Mulder."

"Of course." With a heavy sigh and a groan as he got off the couch, Mulder moved to the door to pay for dinner.

"Twenty-five eighty-seven."

"Geez, okay. Keep the change, have a nice night." Mulder shut the door before the kid could protest to the thirteen-cent tip. "Dana, dinner's here."

"On second thought, Mulder, I'm way too tired to eat. Go ahead without me," she leaned up and kissed him quickly on the lips, "I'll see you in the morning."

"I'm really not that hungry and I'd probably fall asleep in the middle of the first bite. I always thought "hell week" referred to some sort of initiation, turns out it refers to midterms."

Scully offered a weak laugh, "come on, let's get some sleep."

Little did she know that Mulder was working overtime himself, on something that would make their lives absolutely perfect. And though he wasn't planning to tell her just yet, he would continue working on his little surprise and tell her very soon.

To be continued . . .