Disclaimer: Chris Carter, aka god, owns Mulder, Scully and the Scully family.

Author's note: OK, I am totally a self conscious writer, I write what I want to read and sometimes it's not what others would like to read, but sometimes i get lucky, like with this story. I know i have had no complaints and my beta-reader is in love with the story, but...again self-conscious and as a writer, i am my own worst critic. Anyway, I've come to a place that I am having second thoughts about continuing to post. I like the story, but well, duh, I wrote it for my pleasure as I said in the beginning. Anyway, I am totally thinking of giving up on this story for public viewing but I'll let you guys tell me what you think of this chapter. I'll keep updating if anyone really wants me to, otherwise this is the last update.

Chapter three

The drive to her mother's wasn't as bad as she thought it was. She parked and entered the house. She was the last one to arrive.

"Charlie, Bill," Dana greeted when they came into the hall.

"Dana, hey," Charlie said embracing her, "It's really been to long," he said.

She smiled, and was then attacked by two girls and her nephew,

"Aunt Dana," the girls said.

Matthew, Bill's son, was nearly three. She picked him up and kissed him. The little boy only smiled at her.

"Hey Sara, and Joyce," she said to her niece's and was led into the living room by them.

In the living room were her sisters-in-law, and mother.

Margaret got up, "Hi, honey," she said and kissed Dana's cheek.

"Hi, mom," Dana said and sat next to Bill's wife, Tara.

"Hi, Tara, gosh, Matthew is so big now," Dana smiled.

"Yeah, and handful, running all over the place," Tara said, smiling.

"Hello, Heather," Dana greeted Charlie's wife.

"Hi, Dana, it's been a while," she smiled at Dana, "The girl's miss you a lot,"

"I miss all of you guys too, I realize every time I come and visit, I let work take up too much of my time," Dana said.

"Yeah, but mom says you're working back at Quantico, that's great," Bill said coming to sit on the floor next to his wife.

"Yes, I am, but it's not permanent," Dana said a bit annoyed.

Charlie saw a Bill and Dana fight beginning and changed the subject, "Well, Dana, we need to get you down to San Diego, the girls really do miss their aunt, and I miss my big sister too," he said.

She smiled at him and the girls, who were now sitting at her feet, playing with Matthew, "Maybe, when I can find some time,"

The Scully's all got caught up and then moved the conversation to the dining room for dinner.

Dana was happy being with her family, but she always felt a bit down. Seeing all the kids with their parents, her brothers, made her realize all over again, how she would never have that.

She started to feel nauseous and excused herself to the bathroom.

She did get sick, and was feeling worse.

Her mother knocked on the door, "Dana, honey, are you all right?"

"Yeah, mom, give me a minute," Dana said as she cleaned up.

Dana opened the door, "I'm fine, really,"

"You don't look fine, maybe you should rest," Margaret said.

"No, I don't get to see family too often, I don't want to spend it sleeping," Dana assured her.

"Well, all right, but you can rest if you need to, no one would hold it against you, we all know how tiring your job is," Margaret said.

Dana only nodded and went back downstairs.

Everyone was back in the living room.

"Dana, are you all right," Tara asked.

"Oh, yeah, just stress," Dana said sitting next to Charlie.

"Well, at least being away from Fox and those X-files, should make you better," Bill said.

"Bill, lay off, I work there not you," Dana snapped.

"I'm just saying you push yourself too much with that work," Bill said.

"Come on guys, we hardly ever get to see each other, can we have peace," Charlie said.

Dana and Bill eyed each other, but relented.

Dana played with her nieces. She loved being with them. She wished that she could have a child of her own. And it hurt so much when she reminded herself that she could never. It didn't matter if she ever got married. She would never give birth.

"Um, well, it's getting late, and soon we will have to go, but we also want to make an announcement," Bill started not able to suppress a grin.

"Oh, Bill really?" Margaret said catching on quickly.

"Yeah, mom, you will be a grandma for a fourth time," Bill said taking hold of Tara's hand, smiling at his wife.

"Congratulations," Margaret said kissing Tara and Bill.

Every was excited. Dana tried to be. She would have a new niece or nephew in January.

It was nearing midnight when everyone left for home. Dana hung around to help her mother clean up.

"I'm sorry for the way you must be feeling, Dana," Margaret said when they finished with the dishes and sat in the living room.

"I'm fine mom, I'm really happy for Bill," Dana said not at all sounding it.

"I know you are, but I know you're feeling a loss," Margaret said.

"I am, but really, I like having nieces and nephew, and a new one on the way," Dana said.

"I know, so tell me, why were you feeling sick, are you really okay," Margaret said seriously.

"Mom, really I am," Dana said looking at her.

"I hope so, its just that you didn't tell me when you first got cancer, I don't know if you wouldn't do the same again," her mother said.

"Mom, I know better now, I've just been feeling some stress, and I've been so tired, but I know I'm not sick," Dana said.

"Are you sure, maybe you should go to the doctor," Margaret said.

"Mom, I'm fine, just tired, maybe it is work, but now I'll be up at Quantico," Dana said getting off of the subject.

"I'm glad, you'll be in town more often," Margaret said.

"Yeah, I think I will like traveling less," Dana yawned.

"Will it be permanent?" Margaret asked.

"I don't think so, I'm sure the teacher before me will return," Dana said unsure, "Well, anyway, mom, I should go, before I get too tired,"

"No, why don't you stay," Margaret said, "It's the weekend, you don't have to work,"

"I know…," Dana started.

"I hardly get to see you the most and you live closer then your brothers," Margaret pleaded.

"All right mom, I'll stay," Dana said, "I'm going to head up to bed, I'll see you in the morning,"

Margaret kissed her daughter goodnight, and Dana went up to her old bedroom. The one she had shared with her sister Melissa.

Dana got ready for bed, but as she did, she realized how much she really did missed her sister.

Dana missed talking with her sister. Maybe Melissa could have helped her sort out her feelings, help Dana make sense of everything, like she used to. Melissa was always nonjudgmental and had given her good advice, and supported her through anything. Dana really wished she had her sister.

Dana sighed and settled in her bed. She saw her cell phone had four missed calls. She had turned off the volume so that she wouldn't be disturbed.

Dana knew who the calls were from, and right now she was too tired to deal with it. She closed her eyes and drifted off to sleep.

Dana woke the next morning feeling very ill. She spent most of the morning in the bathroom vomiting. She and her mother couldn't figure out why she was so sick.

"Maybe it was something I ate," Dana complained, once her stomach calmed.

"Hey, I ate my cooking, and I'm fine," Margaret said, making Dana some tea and toast.

"Sorry, I just don't know what's wrong, honestly, I've been feeling sick for a few weeks now, but it's getting worse," Dana said from the couch she was laying on.

Margaret brought her the tea and toast, but Dana rejected it.

"You need some nourishment, you'll dehydrate," Margaret said.

"I can't, later mom," Dana said weakly.

"Should I take you to the doctor," Margaret asked worrisome.

"No, I should probably head home," Dana said.

"No, not while you are this sick," Margaret said.

"Wanting to baby me?" Dana smiled.

Margaret gave her a warm smile, and smoothed Dana's hair from her face, "Maybe, I miss mothering you and your siblings, all of you are grown now, and don't need me as much,"

"I need you, I'm just never around," Dana said.

"I know, I just miss having all of you home; Bill has Tara and Matthew, and now another one coming, and Charlie has his family and never has time to come up, I just miss the family," Margaret said.

"I'm sorry I can't give you a grandchild," Dana said softly.

"Oh, honey, I didn't mean it like that," Margaret said.

"I do, I mean if I did have a child, I would be close so that you could see it, you wouldn't be so lonely then," Dana said.

"I know, but I love this life anyway, and I don't want you feeling any guilt, at least for me, I love you, I'm just sorry for you," Margaret said and kissed her daughter's forehead.

They were quiet for a while, lost in their own thoughts.

"So, how is Fox?" Margaret asked.

"He's fine," Dana answered simply.

"Is he dating?" Margaret asked.

"Not that I know of," Dana said.

"Oh, how are you two doing with work, he can't be too happy having you away from the division," Margaret said.

"He's fine, I don't think he would mind," Dana said a bit bitterly, "He has a partner for this case,"

"Ah, a beautiful woman, you're jealous," Margaret lightly teased.

"I am not, I just don't…I don't know, maybe," Dana finally relented.

"Why don't you tell him, that you love him," Margaret said.

"It's not that simple, we're partners, it would get in the way of work," Dana said, knowing that was her argument with Mulder.

"Then stay with Quantico, you wouldn't be working together then," Margaret said, "You're not getting any younger, both of you,"

"I know, can we get off of the subject?" Dana said.

"All right, are you seeing anyone?" Margaret said.

Dana laughed, "So now you're going to pick on me personally,"

"No, I just want to know, so are you," Margaret said smiling.

"Maybe, it's not serious though," Dana said deciding that she didn't really want to lie to her mother.

"Is he a good man?" Margaret asked sounding surprised.

"Yeah, he is, but we don't really have a relationship, I don't know what we really have, everything is so confused right now," Dana said.

"Well, you should bring him up, I would like to meet him, I mean when you two get things figured out," Margaret said.

"We'll see, but I should leave today, I feel well enough to drive now," Dana said sitting up.

"Oh, I was hoping you would stay through the weekend, I mean if you have to go, then…" Margaret said disappointed.

"I could stay, I just don't want to be a bother," Dana said.

"How could you, you're my daughter, I love having you here, come on, let me make you something for lunch," Margaret said.

"All right," Dana said.

Margaret disappeared into the kitchen.

Dana loved being home, but she was worrying about what could be making her so sick, and also trying to not let her mind stray to the worst.

She instinctively touched the back of her neck. Her finger's ran over the skin that was now scarred from where the chip was put in nearly three years ago. It had to still be working. She wasn't in a place to be dealing with it again. She had too much to deal with now, and too many people she cared about, and that cared about her to go through that misery again.