Disclaimer: I don't own the characters, (dammit!) I just write some new stories for them to run around in. So, Chris, don't sue me; I'm just a fan.

Summary: skinner gets in on the secret. Everything is explained to him and they agree that they need help. But for now they agree to enjoy life whilst they still have it.

A/note: this was a hard chapter to write, but here it is. Woke up this morning, checked my inbox and found some fantastic reviews; so now I'm do this chapter and chapter 4 of my other running story (lab partners). This one goes to tashy, for giving me some new ideas. (And helping me work out how to use messenger) damn technology. I just realised that coffee is a reoccurring theme in my story…

"It's not an obsession… I'm just passionate."

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07:19 PM

24th march- 2012

Mulder/ scully residence, Virginia

Skinner pulled up to the rusty gate that guarded the dirt road to Mulder and scully's house. He opened the gate, drove through, and shut it behind him; as he continued driving along the dusty trail, he recalled the cryptic phone call he had received from Mulder the day before;

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'Skinner.'He still answered his phone like an FBI agent.

'Sir? It's Mulder.'

'Mulder? How are you and scully doing?'

'As of late scully and I are fantastic. You know about our engagement; but something else has come up. That's why I called.'

'Care to share, Mulder?'

'Actually sir we were wondering if you would be available to come over to our place. There are a few things we need to tell you, sir, but I think it would be easier to explain it in person.'

'I'll be free tomorrow night. Arlene is out of town though, but she'll be back late tomorrow night. How about I drop by at around seven? Is that okay with you and scully?'

'Yes sir, there's also two people we would like to introduce to you. Well, actually you've met one of them before'.

Skinner considered asking who Mulder was referring to; but thought it would be better just finding out when he got there. He knew it wasn't a baby; scully didn't look pregnant when he saw her three weeks before hand.

'I guess I'll meet them tomorrow night then, see you tomorrow Mulder.'

'Yeah definitely sir, have a good night.'

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Skinner pulled his car up at the front of the house; Scully's car has parked in front of him. He left his car and walked up to the house; he sighed, and knocked on the door. He heard footsteps approaching the door and laughter could be heard from the back yard. Scully opened the door;

"Sir! Good to see you, did you get here okay?"

Good to see you too scully. The trip was quiet. You know you and Mulder don't work for me anymore; you can call me Walter you know." He said as he stepped into the warm house and removed his jacket.

"I think that will happen the day you call us fox and Dana, sir. Do you want a coffee?" she replied; taking his coat and putting it on a coat rack. She looked rather domestic in her attire; she had boot cut jeans and a black long sleeve, button shirt; but the apron had caught skinner off guard. He nodded and followed her to the kitchen.

"Good point. Old habits never really die. I have to admit scully; I'm quite curious- "he paused when scully pulled a plate of cookies from the fridge. The apron he could get over, but cookies? What happened to her? She was going all steppford housewives on him. He continued; "curious… about what it is that you and Mulder have to tell me."

She offered him a cookie. Chocolate chip. Now all he needed was for Mulder to walk in saying 'honey! I'm home!' to complete the look. He took a cookie and sat down on a stool near the bench. Scully left the plate on the counter. She took off her apron and put it on the counter. She grabbed a cookie for herself and walked around to sit next to skinner.

"Sir… do you remember Emily?"

"Your daughter? The kid that died in like, what… 97'? Yeah I remember the case on her. I never met her but I know the story. Why?"

Scully want up and added the hot water to his coffee, she came back, handing him the mug; "I know you remember William, you met him when I had him."

Skinner sipped the coffee. "Yeah, I do. Scully… why are we talking about your kids? One of which is dead, and the other is living in Wyoming? What are you pregnant?" He took another sip of coffee.

She giggled; "no sir I'm not pregnant…"

He looked at her over the top of his mug. She sighed and continued; "the reason I'm talking about my kids is because they're in the backyard with Mulder."

'WHAT!?' skinner thought as he coughed into his coffee, spilling some of it. He quickly withdrew the cup from his lips and wiped his wet jaw with his hand. "Excuse me?!"

Scully tightened her lips to stop herself from laughing like a mad woman. "On the day of my mother's funeral; Mulder and I were the last to leave. We spotted them walking up to her grave, their grandmother's grave; we investigated and had a very interesting reunion. It would be better if Emily explained how she survived and how she found William. There's more sir;" skinner let out a small desperate chuckle. "There's something we learned of after we helped Mulder escape from prison, but never told you. I think Mulder can explain it better than I can."

"You don't have much to explain." He stared wide eyed and disbelievingly at her. Was this possible? He saw Mulder come back from the dead. It is possible Emily did too; and William was alive and had been living across the country. This was possible, but the odds were incomprehensible. She smiled and looked out the kitchen window. She turned back to him;

"well…Would you like to meet them sir?"

Skinner raised his eyebrows, "definitely" ne nodded. Scully stood and walked to the back door that led out to the decked patio. Skinner followed her and watched her walk down the back steps. He watched William drop his baseball bat and run into her open arms. Mulder was on the grass teaching Emily how to pitch a baseball. Skinner slid back to reality and took a few awkward steps to the edge of the steps. He never thought he would see Mulder and scully, standing before him; with their children. It made him want a child of his own.

Emily and Mulder spotted skinner and walked back towards the house; grabbing the abandoned baseball bat on their way passed. Scully walked back up the steps with William on her hip. Skinner saw his face, his eyes, and his hair. Oh, he was very much Mulder's son. Scully stopped in front of him. William smiled at skinner, "I know you. You're Walter skinner. You were in the paper from…" he looked up thoughtfully. "2008. You helped catch the guy who tried to hurt my dad." Skinner was astounded. He looked at scully.

"He also inherited Mulder's eidetic memory." She replied. Skinner lifted his chin. Ahh.

Mulder walked up the steps with Emily in tow. Skinner looked at Emily in pure amazement, she looked exactly like scully. She just looked younger. He looked at scully, then back at Emily. Emily, noting his obviously astonishment; held out her hand to him;

"Nice to meet you assistant director skinner. I understand how hard it is to get your head around this, but everything will be clear by the time you leave tonight." He shook her hand.

Scully spoke up "I'm going to take will up to have a bath and get him out of these clothes. That should be enough time to bring sir up to speed." Mulder and Emily nodded. They all walked back into the house. William whinged "mum! I don't need a bath. I'm not dirty. I swear!"

She went to the counter and picked up a cookie, holding it up to William, his eyes widened; "one now, and two after your bath." William considered his mother's offer; he bit his lip, a habit he inherited from her. He took the cookie from her "alright", easily persuaded, like his father.

Scully walked upstairs with a very happy William in her arms. He had a cookie; he was entirely satisfied with the agreement. Mulder, Emily and skinner went to sit in the lounge room. They began the tedious process of telling him; everything. The alien invasion, scully and will's immunity, will's powers, her inheritance, the tests; everything.

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William was tired after playing baseball with Mulder for two hours; so he went to bed after his bath. By the time scully had returned to the room; she found Mulder laughing and Emily giggling like a child. Skinner was even chuckling and shaking his head. Scully couldn't help but be curious.

"What did I miss?"

"Scully!" Mulder stood and walked up to her, he gave her a peck on the cheek, still laughing. She raised her infamous eyebrow at him. "Did you know that Doggett and Reyes are together!?" He took her hand and led her to the couch. She had to laugh too. She didn't know why but, it seemed that laughter was infectious. "Apparently, they were arguing so much when they were working the X Files, that they moved Doggett to the violent crimes section; one week later, they're together!" Now scully understood. Definitely funny. Mulder laughed with her. "Even better! They're engaged!" Scully's head flipped back as she laughed whole heartedly. Nobody even noticed William sneaking down the stairway in his pyjamas.

"You guys are really loud…" he said as he waddled into the room. Mulder saw him and leant forward on the couch. "Come here buddy." William walked forwards and crawled into Mulder's lap where he snuggled into his father's chest. Everyone quietened down for him.

"I must admit… I'm still curios about William's powers." Skinner said, placing his empty cup on the coffee table.

"So are we; the only time we've seen him use them was that day in the cemetery." Scully replied looking at Mulder cradling a sleepy looking William. Emily leaned forward and took skinner's mug in her hands. She looked at it and then at William. "William! Catch!"

Williams tired eyes snapped open as the mug flew towards him. It stopped mid air, about a foot from mulder's head. Mulder brought his hand up and held t under the floating cup. The cup fell into his hand. Everyone, except Emily, stared at William in shock; he on the other hand, closed his eyes and rested his head on Mulder's chest.

Mulder looked at the cup now resting in his hand. "Wow that was cool!" He put the cup back on the coffee table and picked up will, carrying his sleeping body back up to his room. Skinner shook himself mentally and thought seriously. "If we are going to make it to next year, we are going to need some help. I think it would be wise to bring in Doggett and Reyes. They will be able to help us get information, I'm sure there is information on the ship that was buried in Antarctica. We also need to find exactly when, where and how many are returning. I haven't done this line of work for years. It will look a little suspicious if a suddenly take an interest. At least Reyes has easy access to the X Files-"

"Told you the truth was in there scully" Mulder interrupted as he walked down the stairs. "I agree with you sir, we need to get our acts together and start looking for answers. We need to start soon. But we can start tomorrow. I want to spend the last night of freedom with my fiancée' and kids. I'm sure you want to be with Arlene before all this begins."

Skinner sighed; "yeah, I kind of don't want to though. I don't want to risk losing my wife. That's the reason I'm a bit hesitant."

Scully spoke up. "This is why I'm doing this sir… I have finally got Mulder and two fantastic kids that I have spent most of my life with out. I'm not going to lose them to a little grey bastard from the reticulan galaxy. We at least have a chance if we fight. I want to watch my kids grow up. I want to see them graduate college and start there own families. And god forbid; I want to grow old… with my husband."

Mulder considered her attitude carefully. She fought for so many years to find other answers, but she was willing to dive head first into the dangerous world they gladly left behind; for their family. The sentiment made Mulder love her so much for her courage. Skinner agreed; he wanted a family of his own, he wanted to spend his life with Arlene. Emily found this heroic statement as humbling. She hoped this was the kind of strength she would inherit from her mother.

They agreed. They would call in Doggett and Reyes the next afternoon. The next 24 hours was a time to enjoy themselves before they began the long search for the truth. Emily went to bed; skinner went home to Arlene. Mulder and scully walked outside and stared up at the stars together.

"Dana?"

"Yeah, fox?"

He looked at her; "I just want you to know…" he trailed off.

"I know. I kind of wish this night would last for ever."

He stood in front of her; his hands laced with hers; "Dana… I love you."

She released one of his hands and pressed it to his cheek. He closed his eyes and kissed her palm, truly grateful that she was there.

"I love you too fox… I always have." She released his other hand and brought it up to his other cheek. He leant done and kissed her, tears now rolling down his face. Scully's hand slid down and rested on his arms. His hands rested on her hips. They rested their foreheads on one another, as they had a hundred times; but this time it was the entirety of their souls pouring out of them. They were in love. Complete opposites, but complete none the less.

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Like it? Hate it? Let me know. Sorry this took so long to update, I just had trouble finding the words to describe these two beautiful characters. Please review, please??