A/N: You may have noticed that english is not my mother tongue! So, please be kind and accept my mistakes. I'm really trying to make this as pleasant to read for you as possible. But most importantly, enjoy the story!

11. 21 AM EST-Time, Friday

Park at Lafayette Square, Washington DC

They were sitting in the cooling shadow of a large plane tree and simply watched the swirling in front of a small marble fountain. Many people were spending some time in the park, taking a break. Probably, from their work and from the heat.

Mulder scrutinized Scully's face from the side, while she exterminated her Tofu-icecream. Watching her doing completely normal things such as enjoying an ice always made him smile for it was a very rare sight.

Scully looked up uncertainly, checked if she had spilled some ice on her suit or her face. She had seen Mulder's smirk, which caused her to assume she must have spilled some of the icecream. But there was nothing wrong with her suit. "What is it?" She asked a little irritated.

"Oh … actually it's nothing. I just thought why anybody would eat this?" He pointed to her tofu-ice.

Now, she knew what he wanted to say. He was making fun of her taste. All Dana knew was that Mulder was not up for healthy eating. "This is, on contrary to your calorie bomb over there, rather healthy."

"But … what is healthy ice cream good for, if it tastes like cardboard?" He defended himself and licked his chocolate-vanilla-combination while smiling at her happily. He was grateful she was here. With him. Spending some time and not talking about work related topics.

"Well, …" She thought about what to say next and suddenly she knew exactly what to say. "… it's good for overtaking grannies, I assume!" A teasing smile spread across her face.

And Mulder grinned back, looking once more over to that glistening fountain where children were playing with the water. The sudden ringing of a cell phone sliced through the children's shouting and both Mulder and Scully fumbled for their phones.

"It must be yours." Mulder said, getting up to get rid of some sticky handkerchiefs, as Scully started answering her phone.

"Dana Scully?"

Dana, honey!

Scully frowned worriedly and swallowed. "Mum? Is everything alright?"

Mulder reapproached the bench they were sitting on, as he saw Scully's face. Who was on that phone? He wondered.

Oh, sure, sweetie. Why wouldn't it be?

Scully's features softened and she leaned back against the bench. "So, why are you calling me?"

You forgot about it, haven't you?

"Sorry?" Scully asked and made contact with Mulder's eyes that still looked worried. Scully gave him a reassuring smile and immediately his features softened as well.

The birthday.

"Mum?" Dana could hear her mother giggling a little. But she didn't know what her mother wanted to tell her.

The birthday of your grandmother, darling.

Oh my god. Dana had completely forgotten about this special day. Her only, still living granny, was going to have her birthday tomorrow. Scully sighed heavily and brushed her free hand through her hair. "Damn." Mulder next to her started smiling as he heard her cursing. Scully and cursing was something that didn't fit together.

Dana, it's okay. Charles forgot about, too. I just wanted to remind you, because you know, she's going to be 85 years and you know how your grandmother reacts if you'll miss it. She's just like your dad.

"Yeah, I know how she can be." Scully answered with a smile on her face remembering the last time she had been visiting her granny.

So, you're coming?

Of course, she would come. This weekend was actually very perfect – nothing to do, nothing to work on and she had to be back at Monday. There was a lot of time for heading down to Georgia, spending some time with her family and celebrating her grannie's birthday. She was even looking forward to it. That old, white colonial mansion that was situated in an old forest of magnificent Jacarand trees where she used to play hide and seek as a little girl. "Sure. I'll just pack my things and start driving. I'll be there in the evening."

Now, it was Mulder's turn to frown. I'll be there in the evening?

Lovely! Bill, Tara, Matthew and me are already here. Charles, Megan and the kids are going to arrive tomorrow.

Scully's grin grew even wider. "Charles is coming, too?"

Of course, he is. After I told him you'd come, he was quite enthusiastic.

Scully happily closed her eyes. She would finally meet her youngest brother again, who was stationed in Great Britain with the US military. "Okay, mum, see you then.".

Drive carefully!

"I will!" She said and hung up.

"Uhm, so … care to tell me who that was?" Mulder asked, as Scully got up fom the bench, packing some things into her purse.

"My mother. I would have nearly forgotten my grannies' birthday if she hadn't called me." Scully looked at him with her huge, blue eyes.

"You … still have a granny?" Mulder asked curiously. He had been working with this woman since seven years but the fact that she still had a granny was completely new to him.

"Oh yes, I do. I never mentioned it? She's going to be 85 tomorrow. That's why I have to get to Goergia today, because otherwise she'll rip my head off and disinherit me." She grabbed her suit jacket and walked with Mulder to her car.

"Georgia?" Mulder swallowed.

Dana Scully clearly sensed the dissapointed tone in his voice.

Mulder cleared his throat, played with the sunglasses in his hands and started: "I … had been hoping … that …"

She quickly unlocked her car and turned towards him again. The sparkle in his eyes had vanished and he looked a little sad. He would be alone the whole weekend. Like always.

Mulder adjusted his sunglasses.

Scully tried to read his expression but the sunglasses made it really hard – and then she suddenly had an idea: "Well, … maybe … uhm, you'd like to join me on going to a retired person's birthday?"

He slowly looked at her. Did he get that right? Did she want him to come along?

"If you have nothing against feeding cups, I'm sure my granny will welcome you." She smiled shyly and inwardly she really wished he'd say yes.

Mulder shrugged his shoulders and seemed unsure. He couldn't accompany her to her granny's birthday party with all her other relatives around. They were most likely starngers to him. That was not right. He would be the intruder. "Ah, Scully, … I … uhm … I don't know. I couldn't impose, you know? Additionally, I don't even know your grandmother and …"

"Mulder!" A strict look spread across her face and she took hold of his right arm, forcing him to look her into her eyes. "I just invited you a few seconds ago. So, how could you possibly impose? And besides, I'm sure that my granny wouldn't mind you coming. In fact, she'd adopt you right away if she'd knew you properly. Just … trust me." He was the kind of person that tried to avoid making trouble for her.

Mulder chuckled slightly and immediately a grin spread across his clearly defined face. He was lucky and happy. He wouldn't be left behind or spend a weekend alone. He would spend the time with her. And her family. Her social traits were quite distinctive. Just one simple look out of his puppy brown eyes and she was lost. But he didn't use this special look on purpose. He really wanted to accompany her to her granny's birthday – and this time it had been all Scully's idea. So, he was just grateful. "Okay then, I'm coming. Drinking coffee out of feeding cups is completely new to me, so … I'm in!"