A huge huge thanks goes to DearPearlie, the Batman to my Robin, for writing this chapter, which I adore. Enjoy.
Mulder looked at himself in Scully's full-length mirror disdainfully. His clothes were way too tight for a late-October night in the nation's capitol. He was sure his nipples were going to be bleeding by the end of the night thanks to the skin-tight lycra material covering his torso. The boots on his feet, if seen by even the lowliest of the staff at the J. Edgar Hoover Building, would get him goaded for being a Peter Pan cos-player for the rest of his life. And the cape was just the cherry on top. He'd been beyond grateful to discover that his costume came with a mask when he opened the package.
Why was he, a 35-year-old man, dressed up in a Robin costume on Halloween? Because four years before, a tiny little partner and her tiny little daughter had walked themselves into his basement and into his life for good. Because earlier this year, that same partner had been diagnosed with cancer as a result of her association with him. Because every day it became increasingly more likely that her daughter would have to face a world in which she'd lost both parents. Because they'd asked him.
Because he loved them. God did he love them.
"Are you ready yet Mulder?" he heard from the other side of the door from Ashley. There was no doubt in his mind that she was pressed up against it and occasionally trying to peek under it. Ever since he'd said yes, she'd been unable to contain her excitement. This was her perfect day.
"Give me a second, gotta get the belt on," he called to the youngster. His words were immediately followed by a huff and the sound of something (someone) sliding down the door. At least one thing was clear – Scully was getting her entertainment for the night.
His man-tights were just that… tight. But after one last glance in the mirror, a deep breath, and a second of silence to remember why he was getting ready to be seen in public wearing that outfit, Mulder opened the door to find the most excited little she-batman the world had ever known.
He suddenly remembered.
"You look just like Robin!" Ashley squealed, brushing her sweaty locks from her neck. Her grin was enough to light up one thousand days.
"That's the idea," Mulder smirked, pausing to take in just how adorable she was. Ashley was getting older, no doubt. She had days where she'd assert her independence with all the ferocity of a Scully female and days in which she all but demanded to be treated like a little girl. Lately, her inherited independence had been winning out. But that night, Mulder felt that he towered hundreds of feet over her. He was amazed at how tiny her hands and features were. When she gazed up at him, dressed in a cheap Robin costume, he felt like a god. She had never seemed so small and vulnerable to him, and that was how he knew they needed each other.
"How do you like my costume?" she asked, twirling around. Her curled hair fluttered around with her. It was hot, and both Scully and Maggie had tried to get the girl to pull it back, but her argument that everybody thinking she was a boy because of her costume would mortify her won out. After a marathon of the old TV show (which Mulder had the complete works of on VHS) one Saturday at Scully's place post-chemotherapy, Ash had been talking about Batman and Robin non-stop. She'd spent weeks bouncing off the walls of Scully's home pretending to vanquish The Joker and Mr. Freeze. Mulder's visits were plagued with repeated requests to play with her. Scully was certain it was just a phase – all kids went through them. But it made her proud that her daughter had watched this silly old TV show and decided that she wanted to be the hero, even if he was a he. It was exactly the kind of decision she had always wanted her daughter to make.
"You look like you're ready to protect the world. Or get a ton of candy. Which one do you wanna do?"
Ashley pretended to think about it for a minute, but gave him her signature smirk not long after.
"Candy."
He should've made that choice somewhere down the road.
"Sounds like a plan. Where's Mom?"
"Here's Mom," Scully surprised him, making her way to the hallway from the living room. There was a camera in her hands, and pictures Mulder was sure were going to end up being used for blackmail were going to be taken that night. But before she could snap any, she had to get over the shock of seeing her full-grown partner dressed in an ill-fitting Robin costume. Her chuckles were impossible to hide.
"Why are you laughing Mommy?" Ashley asked with wide eyes.
"Nothing baby, nothing," she got control of herself. Mulder was rolling his eyes the whole time.
After pictures and a strict rehashing of the rules (no taking candy from anyone on the street, no running ahead, hold Mulder's hand at crosswalks), Mulder and Ashley had managed to make their way out the door and into the cooling night air. It wouldn't be dark for a long time yet, but the smell of autumn was definitely present.
"How much candy do you think we're gonna get Mulder?" Ashley inquired, swinging her empty plastic pumpkin bucket.
"At least thirty pounds. I'd say," Mulder answered. Scully had said that once her bucket was full, trick-or-treating was over for the night, but Mulder had other ideas in mind.
"I don't think this thing is going to carry that much."
"Not to worry," Mulder reached into his shoe to retrieve something he hoped would put a smile on the little girl's face, "I've got an extra bag."
Lo and behold, he shook his arms to reveal a plastic grocery bag, and Ashley was indeed excited by that.
"I'm gonna get more candy than anybody in my class. Even more than Megan, and she steals candy from her mom and dad's candy bucket."
"That's cheating. Tonight is going to be all about good old-fashioned candy acquiring tactics, so turn up the cute there, Batman."
Even for her mask, Mulder could feel her inherited Scully gaze bore right into him, letting him know he'd said the wrong thing.
"Batman isn't cute Mulder," she said with dead seriousness, then proceeded to stretch out her arms and run forward, making her cape flap behind her in the wind.
No, Batman wasn't cute. She was downright irresistible, and Mulder started up a jog to keep pace with her.
XXX
They'd been trick-or-treating for two hours by the time the sun finally started to go down. Ashley had been absolutely ecstatic for it to start getting darker. She'd told Mulder that it "felt more like Halloween that way." Seeing all the scarecrows, jack-o-lanterns, ghosts, and vampires adorning the streets of Georgetown, Mulder was inclined to agree. It still didn't stop Ashley from hitting a wall of sorts, her usual bubbling energy simmered a bit by all the walking, talking, and treat-carrying she'd had to do over the night. Mulder could tell she'd almost had enough when she walked down from the steps of a stately colonial that he knew for a fact was handing out full-size candy bars and resumed her position at his side, not saying a word to him. They continued walking.
"How about we hit a few more houses and call it a night, munchkin? There can't be very much room left in the second candy bag anyway," he suggested. Ashley remained silent, but Mulder chalked that up to her reaction to the unpleasant thought of no longer trick-or-treating. They continued to walk, getting ready to hit up another house in this very profitable neighborhood.
Excuse me, Mulder heard a woman call from the distance. He assumed she was speaking to someone else, though, so he didn't pay her any mind as he kicked his shoe at the ground. Ashley was long gone up the walkway to the next home.
Excuse me. Whoever that woman was trying to call out to had better hurry up and answer her, Mulder thought. She didn't sound happy.
"Man in the Robin costume!" she finally yelled, and Mulder looked up. He hadn't seen any other Robins over six feet tall that night, so she had to be speaking to him.
"Yeah?" he asked a thirty-something woman with shoulder-length blond hair coming toward him. There was a crying kid at her side… a crying she-Batman to be precise.
Uh oh.
"I think we switched Batmans," she told him, flustered. Her hands were settled on Ashley's shoulders until they neared and the little girl flung herself at Mulder.
"You lost me," Ashley cried, the shock of finding herself alone in DC for however short a time not dissipating now that she'd been returned to her guardian for the night.
"I'm sorry Ash… I thought you were right beside me."
"Um, I think my son followed you instead. He was very impressed with your costume and thought you were the real Robin," the woman said, a stern look taking over her face as her son appeared. Mulder felt extra stupid as he realized that not only was the child he mistook for Ashley a boy, but he was several years younger and inches shorter than her. Ashley cried harder.
"Thank you for bringing her to me. I'm sorry for the confusion."
"It's not a problem," the woman conceded. Because what else could she say? It only took her a second to snatch up her young son's arm and pull him in the opposite direction, obviously upset with him. Mulder stayed put, upset with himself.
"You're okay, you're okay," he cooed as he ran his fingers through Ashley's hair. Her mask long gone, he tried his best to swipe the tears away with his thumbs.
"I was scared," Ash said through deep heaves.
"I know sweetie. I'm sorry it was scary."
"Can we go home now?"
The sun had officially set now, and that sounded like a perfect idea to Mulder.
"Yeah, we can. You got all your candy?"
Calming slightly, Ashley nodded.
"Perfect." In a move that she hadn't done since she was a very little girl, Ash held up her arms as a sign that she wanted to be carried. Instead of fighting her or telling her that she was too old to be carried like Scully would've no doubt wanted him to, Mulder scooped her up without hesitation and breathed a deep sigh of relief when she lay her head down on his shoulder. He walked all the way back to Scully's that way. Because that's what sidekicks were for.
XXX
Ashley was out like a light by the time Mulder knocked on Scully's door. It was to be expected. She'd had a big night ending with a big scare. Her bat ears were now on his head, making him an adult man in a Robin costume with a Batman mask on. Scully laughed when she answered the door.
"Have a good time?" she asked, letting them in.
"You don't know the half of it," Mulder exhaled as he placed the sleeping Ashley carefully on the couch. And of course he didn't miss Scully's look of scorn when he deposited two chock-full candy bags on the kitchen table.
"Mulderr…"
"Come on Scully, it's Halloween. She's eight. Let her have all the candy she wants."
"I hope you're ready to pay for her dentist bills."
"You know, we could help eliminate some of the candy Ash may eat in a very simple way."
Scully thought it over. Eating her child's candy before she'd even had a chance to dig into it seemed very wrong on a parental level. On the other hand, it was the natural order of things. She knew her dad had done it when she was a kid. Plus, it would be irresponsible of her to not even check the bags for razor blades…
Giggling like children, Mulder and Scully dumped the bags out on the table and carefully picked out the ones they wanted most. Bat-Ashley slept on, blissfully unaware.