It's pretty long. Not as long as the others though. Happy Thanksgiving to everyone in America! And if you're not American..... Happy Almost Holiday Season! Here's the next chapter, enjoy. & THANK YOU FOR ALL THE REVIEWS.
Piper crossed her arms and decided to remain silent the whole car ride. Her eyes occasionally glanced toward her mother who was driving through the tears that stung her eyes.
"Mulder..." Scully said in to her cell phone with a shaky voice.
"Scully?! What's wrong?" Scully bit her lip and glanced at her daughter who was staring the opposite way, out the window. They were in front of Mulder's house. He sounded so worried.
"I... I'm outside your house with Piper... in my car."
"You can come in. Coco's not going to be home for... well until tomorrow."
"Thank you," She whispered before hanging up.
Together in silence they walked to the large house. Before they could knock on the door, it was pulled open. Mulder looked concerned and his eyes grew sad after taking look at Scully. Her lip began to tremble as he let them both in.
"Can I use your bathroom?" Scully asked before Mulder could ask her what was wrong. He only nodded as she went up the staircase to the bathroom.
"Piper," Mulder said, not losing his worried face or his serious tone. "What happened?" Piper shook her head and felt like she herself was going to cry. She couldn't let herself. But Mulder saw the vulnerability.
"He... I don't know. I think he sprained her wrist or something. I heard them yelling. Mom screamed. I heard her crying. When we got into the car she was crying so hard." Scully began walking down the steps. Her eyes were red and puffy and her make-up was all gone. When she got to the bottom of the steps she was seeking refuge in Mulder's arms.
"I swear I'll kill him," Mulder whispered into her hair. Scully took a deep breath to calm her. "Do you know what's wrong with your wrist?" He asked, pulling back a little.
"I think it's just a sprain, but I'll take an x-ray at the hospital." Scully then noticed that her teenage daughter was sitting on the steps behind her. Mulder in an instant knew what Scully was thinking.
"Piper, Maddie and Kyd are outside on the trampoline... why don't you go say hello?" Piper nodded and took her green stars hoodie out to the back with her.
"Has he done this before... to you or Piper?"
"He usually only yells... he's never physically violent with us."
"Scully... I care about you as much as I care about my own kids. You and Piper are such a great part of my life now." She bit her lip and nodded as she stared at her feet. He took her chin by his fingers and angled her face up so she would look him in the eyes.
"Come on, let's go talk about this somewhere comfortable." He led her up to his bedroom and held the door open for her, then sat down next to her on his bed. The tears gathered in her eyes when she realized how grateful she was to have him in her life now.
"I'm sorry to show up so unexpected like this," she whispered. He grabbed her uninjured hand and squeezed. "I was just so scared. I didn't know what to do or where to go."
He looked down at her wrist that was starting to bruise and frowned. "How did this happen," he whispered.
"I-I don't know." She couldn't tear her eyes away from bruising wrist.
"Dana?" She looked up at him shyly. "You're not... going back are you?" She looked up at him with a blank face and shrugged her shoulders. His jaw tightened and he shook his head. "You aren't. You're staying here tonight."
"Mulder, I can't," she replied with sadness in her voice.
"You can and you will. You're not going back to that pathetic bastard, do you hear me?" She felt guilty. Mulder had his own problems with Coco, something far worse because his two young kids were involved and stuck in the middle. She leaned against weakly and cried.
"I'm sorry," she whispered.
"Sorry? For what? You have nothing to be sorry for." She shook her head and swallowed hard.
"I'm not going back. I can't."
"Then stay here," he suggested in a clam voice.
"What about your wife," she questioned, holding his stare with her bright blue eyes.
"Wife," he asked with an amused grin. He squeezed her hand one more time and that's when she felt the difference. He wasn't wearing a ring. "What wife?" She was at a complete loss for words. It was the one thing she wanted to avoid most. She didn't want to be the cause of his divorce. This only made her feel more guilty and her head began to hung, but he lifted her chin with his finger and shook his head. "It just so happens that you met me in a very... difficult time in my life. Even if I wouldn't have met you, I can promise you that my hand would no longer have a ring, though you were a nice bonus," he teased. Despite her tears, she managed to get out a few giggles. "There's that beautiful smile." He leaned forward and pressed his lips to hers in a gentle, loving kiss.
"So what are we going to do," she asked as she leaned back, breathing heavily.
"Right now, we're not going to do anything. I want you to relax, okay?"
"But what about-"
"Don't worry about Coco, or Piper, or Maddie and Kyd. Everything will be fine." She sighed and began to relax a little. "Do you trust me?"
"With my life," she whispered.
"Okay, then. Trust me on this. I'll cook us dinner, get the kids in bed, draw you a warm bath, and then we can get some sleep. Sound good?"
"Yes." She rested her forehead against his and closed her eyes. The bedroom door swung open and a small Kyd stood in the doorway.
"Mommy!" He ran from where he stood and flew into Scully's arms. Mulder straightened and opened his mouth to fuss at Kyd, but Scully looked up and shook her head quietly, letting Mulder there was no need. "I missed you!"
"But it's only been a few hours," she giggled with him and pressed a kiss to his forehead. His arms went around her and he nuzzled his nose into her sweater, closing his eyes contently. She ran a hand through his hair and smiled. She ignored the sharp pain in her wrist and held him close. Maddie and Piper showed up in the doorway seconds later.
"Yeah, I know!" He pulled away from her slightly, but remained on her lap. "Are you and Piper staying? Please, stay!" Before Scully could answer him, a loud rumble came from his stomach and he winced.
"Someone's hungry," Scully laughed. "How about this, Kyd? Piper and I stay, and I'll even cook dinner for you."
"Macaroni and ravioli?!"
"Is that what you want for dinner," she asked with a smile. Kyd nodded his head happily. "Okay then. Let's get it started." Mulder's eyes widened as he watched Scully wince when she picked Kyd up. Even Piper stood uneasy at the door. All five of them headed down stairs and into the kitchen. Maddie showed Piper something she had made at camp while Kyd helped Scully get the pots and pans out to cook dinner.
Mulder stood back and was truly touched. His two k ids had no mother figure in their life up until a few days ago. Kyd and Maddie had adjusted so quickly, it was unbelievable. They were inseparable now.
'Hell, they even call her mom. The transition won't be so hard.'
Kyd's laugh broke through his thoughts.
"Mommy said to close your mouth, Daddy. Flies might go in." Scully giggled softly and Mulder smiled warmly at his son.
"Something smells good," he muttered as he walked behind Scully.
"But Daddy-" Kyd laughed again. "-we didn't even start cooking dinner yet!" Mulder wrapped his arms around Scully from behind and nuzzled his nose into her neck.
"I know," he whispered.
It was quiet for a few seconds before an up-tempo beat filled the kitchen. Everyone turned to find Maddie messing with the radio in the living room. She turned up the volume and got back to coloring with Piper. Mulder's arms stayed loose around Scully's waist as her and Kyd made dinner. When the food was prepared and cooking, Mulder tightened his hold and spun Scully around in his arms.
She let out a small, surprised scream as Mulder began to sway back and forth to the music. Piper and Maddie laughed and sang along with the song that was echoing through the entire house.
We've got each other figured out
Whoa
We've got each other figured out
So what do we do here?
So what do we do here?
He twirled her around the kitchen and Piper laughed when they almost lost their balance. Scully's smile was wide and she laughed along with the kids at her horrible dancing.
"Whooo! Go mom," Piper called out.
"Hey! I wanna dance too," Kyd yelled over the music. Scully stopped dancing with Mulder and smiled.
"Dance with me," she asked Kyd. He happily nodded his head and tried his best to dance with Scully. Mulder danced his way over to Maddie and Piper and pulled them into the kitchen. They were so caught up in dancing that they didn't notice the water boiling over the pot on the stove. They all laughed and Scully ran to turn it off. After that whole scene, Scully went into the other room to call the hospital. She spoke of her resent injury and how she wouldn't be able to come in because of it.
"Will you be here when I wake up," Maddie asked as Scully tucked her into bed. Scully smoothed back Maddie's hair and smiled.
"Yes," she promised. "And I'll even cook breakfast. How does that sound?"
"Good." She yawned. "I love you, mommy."
Mulder crossed his arms over his chest and leaned against the door. His heart swelled with love as he watched Scully lean down and press a kiss to Maddie's forehead.
"I love you, too. Sleep tight, Maddiebug."
Scully turned and stopped when she saw Mulder leaning against the door. Maddie saw him too and called out in a soft voice.
"I love you, daddy."
"I love you too, Honey."
When Mulder's kids were tucked into bed, the couple made their way back to the bedroom.
"Where's Piper," he asked as he held the door open for her, then shut it behind them.
"She takes after me; never gets that much sleep. I think she's downstairs, watching television. She'll pass out on the couch in an hour or two." He nodded and looked down at her, smiling softly. She looked tired and ready for a good night's sleep.
Mulder led Scully into the bedroom and pulled back the covers for her. Scully slipped under the cotton sheet and waited for Mulder to join her.
"I'm going to be downstairs in my office. Is that okay?" Scully yawned and nodded.
"When're you coming to bed?"
"Soon. Maybe an hour or so," Mulder said, caressing her cheek and then bending down to give her a light kiss.
"It's funny. I can't remember the last time I was able to ask that. I can't remember the last time I couldn't wait for someone to fall asleep with me."
"Well, I can't remember the last time I was so in love." He shook his head. "I was never so in love." Scully grabbed his hand and placed a kiss on his knuckles. "I'll be in later."
Mulder walked down the steps and saw Piper on the couch she looked almost asleep in front of the big flat screen, which held no interest for her. Mulder half smiled and walked over to the closet to get a blanket for her just incase she decided to sleep there. After covering her up, he made his way into his office.
He was in there for nearly 25 minutes when he heard a soft knock on the door. Piper, in a grey band t-shirt and black shorts came in, her arms crossed over her body. Her hair was a mess.
"You can't sleep either?" He asked, ungluing his eyes from the computer and looked at his kind of daughter. She shook her head and crossed over to the small brown couch next to his desk.
"Can I sit here?"
"Of course you can sweetheart." Piper crawled up onto the couch and lay down. She wasn't going to fall asleep there either, and that wasn't the point of coming in there.
"Mulder..."
"Yeah, P?"
"You know you're the best thing that's happened to my mom, right?" Mulder tore his eyes away from his computer screen and smiled at the girl lying on the couch. She could've been her mother's twin, except for the different nose. "I haven't seen her this happy in how long?"
"What about your dad? Do you still see him?" Piper shrugged her shoulders.
"Dad comes and takes me every now and then. Marco hates it. As if he and I like each other." She let out a sigh and shut her eyes for a moment. "Dad's not really that... great to be with. I just go over his place up in Toronto... and we don't really talk. He's too obsessed with his work to even notice me."
"I don't believe that."
"It's true." Piper opened her eyes and he could instantly how talking about her father got her a little sad.
"Well, then he's not such a smart guy. The way I see it... you're an amazing kid."
"I really wish you were my dad." Piper whined and sat up on the couch, tucking one leg under her body. "It's not fair, Mulder. It really isn't. I don't understand why you and my mom can't just... go get married."
"Piper, it's not that easy."
"Well it should be."
"Things are complicated."
"That's always my mom's excuse. I know everyone would be so much happier if you two were just together."
"I know that too."
"Then why-"
"We're working on it." Piper sighed. And returned to her laying down position.
"Sorry."
"You have nothing to be sorry about." Mulder chuckled, remembering how he just said the same thing to scully a few hours before.
"I just really want you to be my Dad, Mulder. I already... love you like a Dad. It's weird you know? It's like you're supposed to be in my life and my mom's."
"I love you just as I do my other children. But you mean like fate, right? Or another life?" She giggled a sleepy giggle and shut her eyes. Sleep was obviously trying to overcome her now.
"Exactly like that. My mom doesn't believe in that. But I do. What did you feel when you met her?" Mulder beamed from ear to ear as the scene played itself out in his mind. Piper watched him and almost could read his eyes. He zoned out, just remembering.
"I felt... like my life was complete, like I was whole. When I saw her face... I felt like I saw her before. I swear I saw her before... I felt like I already knew her. And I knew I was supposed to be with her because once I saw her smile the world started revolving around her. She blew me away." Piper would've smiled just a big as Mulder if it weren't for her almost falling asleep on the couch. So, she gave a slight smile.
"You two definitely knew each other in another life then. And I bet you were both married."
"How come your mother doesn't believe in this stuff?"
"Mom says I'm just like my aunt Melissa and my aunt Zoe. They believe in that, but she doesn't. I think she's been washed by all of her science." Mulder chuckled and ruffled his hair before clicking a few more times on the computer.
"So what do you like to do, Piper?"
"Sleep."
"You're tired now?"
"A little." Her eyes were completely closed as her head rested on one of the couch throw pillows. She was silent for a while before answering him. "I like to draw... paint... take pictures."
"Do you think you want to pursue a career in that?" Nothing. Just silence. "Piper?" Mulder glanced over at Piper and it seemed that she was now fully asleep. He smiled and let out a long sigh.
He was on the computer for another hour before he too began to grow tired. Piper was still fast asleep on the couch, and the way she was sleeping, she was sure to get a stiff neck the following morning. Mulder now loved Piper as much as he did his own children. He decided to do her some courtesy and take her up to Maddie's bedroom. He scooped Piper up in his arms bridal style and carried her out of the room, up the stairs.
Scully peeped out of the door and saw Mulder carrying Piper in his arms through the hallway and into Maddie's room. The trundle bed was already pulled out for her, with the sheets and everything. Mulder pulled back the sheet with one hand and gently laid Piper in the bed, covering her back up. He checked on his own daughter and tucked her back in nicely. Maddie was always a wild sleeper. She always made Mulder laugh.
Scully had crawled back into bed and faked sleep on her side. When Mulder came into the dark room he began to strip out of his clothes to pull on a t-shirt. Of course, Scully peeked open one eye, admiring him.
After pulling on his light green t-shirt, Mulder crawled under the sheets with Scully. She instantly curled up into his side, and placed her hand on his beating heart. He kissed her forehead, allowing his lips to linger.
"Goodnight, Mulder." She whispered into his shirt as she inhaled his sent.
The morning came too quickly for her. Her cell phone started vibrating next to her and she sprung up in the bed. Mulder's arms were still wrapped around her as she reached for her phone that was about to fall off of the night stand. Caller-ID showed it was hospital.
"Hello?"
"Dr. Scully. Good morning."
"Ah, I'm on my way right now." She hung up her phone and turned to Mulder, who was still in a peaceful sleep. She smiled and leaned down to press a kiss to his lips. Slowly, his eyes started to flutter and he awoke with a smile on his face.
"Good morning," he whispered.
"Morning." He noticed how tense she felt in his arms.
"What's wrong?"
"The hospital just called. I need to get going," she whispered in a sad voice. He nodded, completely understanding. "This is the first time ever I don't want to go to work," she admitted. He laughed and sat up in the bed, grabbing her hand and pressing kisses to her knuckles.
"Your patients need you. I can't keep you all to myself, now can I?"
"I promised Kyd I would make breakfast." She looked down at the bed sheets and sighed. It was reliving Piper's childhood all over again. She never got to spend as much time with her daughter than she liked, all because of her career. First Piper, now Kyd and Maddie?
"He'll understand. So will Maddie." He got out from the bed and pulled on a pair of jeans and a button down shirt.
"What about Piper," she asked as she crawled out from the bed and retrieved her clothes from last night. She held them up and winced. Oh well, they'd have to do, she thought.
"Piper can stay here, if she wants. We'll all just hang out until you come home."
She smiled. Home.
"I'll try and come back as soon as I can. I promise." She was dressed and downstairs in minutes. She grabbed her keys from the kitchen table and he walked her to her car that was parked in his driveway. His arms went around her waist instantly and she settled into his embrace.
"We'll miss you," he whispered. She giggled against his chest and looked up at him.
"It'll only be a few hours."
"A few hours, a few minutes- there's no difference." He placed a sweet kiss to her lips and opened her door for her. "Be careful, love." She nodded and stood on her toes to kiss him back.
"Have fun."
He watched her drive away and didn't go back into the house until her car disappeared. When he closed the front door behind him, Piper was walking downstairs, her arms stretching above her head. She yawned and smiled when she saw Mulder leaning against the door.
"Good morning."
"Indeed."
"Where's mom?"
"The hospital called. She just left." Piper nodded and plopped down on the couch. She stretched out against the leather cushions and reached for the remote.
--
"Dr. Scully. The results came back in for the boy." A short nurse with dark, spiky hair walked up to Scully, holding a white folder. Scully smiled at the young woman and accepted the paperwork.
"Thank you." She flipped through the papers and nodded, expecting everything she read on the papers as she walked through the hallway. The nurse kept up with her every step, waiting to answer any question Scully had. "How is he holding up?"
"Pretty well. The medication is really starting to work. The surgery went smoothly. I think he has a chance." She came to stop at the glass window, glancing at her small patient who was asleep in his hospital bed. "I don't know if anyone could've preformed a better surgery." Scully looked down at the tiny nurse and smiled.
"Thank you."
The rest of the day went exactly as she had planed. She visited the parents of the young boy and let them know what to expect. Relief washed over her when she realized the boy was going to be fine and she wouldn't have to tell the parents before her bad news. When her shift came to an end, she grabbed her car keys and all but ran to the parking lot.
She started the engine of her Ford Fusion and slowly drove to the end of the hospital's parking lot. Five o'clock traffic was always the worst. She waited patiently for her turn to pull out onto the busy street, but she was suddenly cut off by a blur of red. She slammed on her breaks and she flew forward, missing the steering wheel by mere inches. She honked the horn at the car that was now parked in front of her, taking her deserved spot on the road. Scully shook her head when a blonde woman threw open the car door and stepped out onto the street, staring at Scully.
Scully got out of her own car, also, and slammed the door shut. She was tired, hungry, and just wanted to get home to the four, amazing people waiting in an amazing home.
"What the hell is your problem," the blonde yelled from her car.
"My problem," Scully asked in confusion. "Lady, I think you're the one with the problem."
"Hardly! Did you find the need to be so rude as to honk your horn at me?"
"Wh…What? That didn't even make sense!"
"Are you calling me stupid?!"
"Lady, look-"
"Okay, you bitch!" Scully's head shot back.
'Did she just call me a… oh HELL no.'
"Look, you bleach blonde bimbo," Scully screamed out, truly fed up with the tan, obnoxious woman in front of her. "-I'm tired, I'm hungry, I'm stressed and I'm just wanting to get home to three kids and the love of my life. Getting in a car accident was not on my list of 'things to do' today. Okay?!"
"What-What? Because you have a job at the hospital… you think you're better than me?"
"Come on, Babe!" A man with black and grey hair in a beater at aviators stepped out of the car and yelled.
"Hold on Bob," She said, without even glancing back.
Scully opened her car door and before sliding back into the driver's seat. She didn't want to deal with this anymore. She just wanted to get back to her family; she yelled,
"You know… it's people like you who make me grateful that I went to college."
In minutes, she was back at Mulder's house. She parked her car right next to his and walked up the driveway. She could hear the loud music booming from the door and smiled before she walked in, finding all four them dancing to the radio.
"Oh kids, mom's home!" The three kids cheered and Mulder ran to the stereo to lower the volume of the music.
Kyd and Maddie bolted for the door, leaving an amused Piper and Mulder behind to watch. The two kids threw themselves into Scully, wrapping their arms around her waist. She gasped in shock, then ran her hands through their hair.
"We missed you," Maddie announced, mumbling into Scully's jeans.
"And now that you're back, we can start dinner," Kyd added with a smile. Mulder saw how tired and restless Scully was and smiled at his kids.
"Speaking of dinner, that pizza guy should be here any minute!" Piper looked over at Mulder, then at her mother and caught onto what he was doing.
"Yeah! Let's go set the table and get everything ready." Piper held out her hand for Kyd to take, which he did. Maddie was at her side in an instant, and the three of them disappeared into the kitchen.
Mulder held out his arms and she walked willingly into his embrace. He chuckled as she leaned all her weight against him and let out a tired sigh. He smoothed down her hair and pressed gentle kisses to the top of her head.
"How was your day?"
"Pretty much like I expected it would go. First, it goes by great and there's not a damn thing in the world that can bring me down, then the second I try to squeeze my way into traffic to come home, some stupid… bitch cuts me off and then goes ballistic!"
Mulder had to bite his bottom lip to keep himself from laughing at her misfortune. He rubbed her back soothingly and pulled back a little to get a look at her tired face.
"What happened?" She took a deep breath.
"Well, my shift had just ended. I was all excited because I would be coming home. I get into my car and I waited at least fifteen minutes at the exit of the parking lot for a spot on the road. I went to take it, but then this car just zooms past me and I nearly flew through the windshield when I slammed on my brakes. And as if that didn't piss me off to a great extent, the woman gets out of her car and starts yelling at me!"
"In the middle of the road?!"
"In the middle of the road." He laughed suddenly, a picture of his very soon-to-be ex-wife standing in the middle of the busy road, yelling at a pissed off Dana Scully.
"That's funny. That sounds a lot like…" His voice trailed off when her eyes snapped to his. "-Coco." She suddenly tensed in his arms and he cursed himself for bringing her up in the first place. There was no going back now, might as well get it over with. "What did she look like?" Scully made a face, as if she smelt something rotten and pressed her lips together.
"Tan, Tall, blonde, big boobs, short hair, blue eyes-"
"Holy shit."
"Don't tell me," she pleaded.
"You've come face to face with the devil herself. What do you have to say about that, Dana Scully?" Scully ignored what he had just said about coming to face to face with the devil and her mind averted to the man in the car calling Coco 'Babe'. How would she tell Mulder?
"Daddy! I'm hungry!"
What the hell is Scully going to do? Next chapter! The next one will be a really good one. Mulder and Scully experience a first... if you know what I mean.
-A.