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: William gives everyone a sentimental gift, Doggett, Reyes and skinner arrive to formulate a plan; and Emily does a little information gathering for herself.

A/note: won't bore you with my ramblings, cookies for everyone who reviews; I admit to an addiction. The more I get, the more I write. Okay… maybe not addicted; I just really love them to the point of obsession. This chapter is dedicated to Dana42; as congratulations on her new story 'chosen', and because she is one of my most dedicated reviewers. Enjoy!!

PS: excuse my little misdirection, it's just fun!! ;D

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25th march- 2012

09:21 AM

Mulder/scully residence, Virginia

"Scully, come out of there!"

"NO!"

"You can't stay in there all day.""

"I know, but I haven't looked this way for a very long time!"

Scully was hiding in the bathroom; she had been in there for almost an hour. Mulder sat on their bed; his glasses sitting precariously on the end of his nose.

"Scully, it's me! Are you saying, you don't want me; your fiancé, to see you like this? It's not that bad! It's not even dramatic!" Mulder cried, waving his hands towards the door dramatically.

Scully was silent behind the locked bathroom door. "I dunno, maybe." She said uncertainly. "I just am not used to seeing myself like this, it's been years Mulder. Since we just began seeing each other!"

"Come on scully! I did it too!"

"I know! At least you look good!"

Mulder rolled his eyes. 'That's it' he thought. He got up from the bed and wandered over to the door. Her knocked politely and waited for a response. No response. He took a breath, "scully, you look adorable. Please, just come out and let me see." He waited. She eventually unlocked the door and slowly opened it, Mulder gave her a very satisfied boyish grin.

She met his eye with a slight smile. God, her insecurity made her even cuter. She nibbled on her lower lip. She looked even sweeter when she did that; she had no idea what it did to him. "I haven't had my hair this short since I had William… that was a long time ago. It really looks ok?"

Mulder smiled and pulled her into his arms. It was true. She looked as beautiful now as she did the first day he met her. There were subtle differences; her hair was a little lighter, she was a little taller and more filled out. Even at her age; her face had only just started developing lines. She didn't have wrinkles or look tired; but she looked older, more mature, her face was more aged; but her eyes… they would never change. "Yes… it does." She pulled back from him and shrugged her appreciation. "Why do I feel like we're FBI agents again? Is it the hair or the drama?"

"I don't know. What do you think Emily and William have done to themselves? We haven't done anything that bad, but they're kids… he could have gone California blonde and she might have gotten herself a Mohawk, Mulder? What time are we picking them up from the mall anyway?" she sounded a little worried. She was so adorable when she panicked, but if he told her that; he'd pay the price.

Emily and William had gone into town early in the morning to get engagement presents for Mulder and scully. They weren't totally comfortable wit their children wondering town alone; but they remembered they had been doing this all their lives. That and William insisted that only he and Emily could go; so they could keep the gifts a secret.

They had all agreed to change their appearance in one way or another; hair was the simplest option. Mulder chose to cut his hair and grow back his sideburns; which scully loved. She loved the way his hair spiked after he came back from jogging, the way his hand caressed his rough stubble; so she definitely couldn't help but stare.

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'Thank god;' Mulder thought to himself. Scully and he leaned together against the hood of their car. William and Emily walked towards them, each carrying a wrapped box. Williams was a large box; Emily's was far smaller, she had a bag looped around her arm. 'finally she looks different.' ; he didn't say anything, he loved Emily as his daughter, but sometimes; when she giggled, or when she rolled her eyes playfully, or arched one of her eyebrows sceptically; she looked almost too much like scully. 'Probably one the weirdest things I have ever experienced yet.' She reminded him of scully, just far too often.

Now her hair was very short and had been dyed a chocolate brown colour; it was curvy and silky; flipping freely in the slight breeze. William was less adventurous; he had cut his once wavy locks shorter and added faint light brown highlights. He hugged the wrapped box to his chest, like a footballer guarding the ball in the last few moments of the game.

They reached the car, everyone took a moment to admire there new looks.

"See scully? No blonde!" he jested towards scully. He approached Emily, "very nice, definitely you… it looks good."

"What about me? I did my hair too!" William stated; everyone giggled at his attention stealing whinge. Scully took a knee in front of him. She ran her fingers through his hair as she did with Mulder's.

"You look very handsome will." He smiled widely. "So what did you get us?" William hugged the present closer to his chest.

"Well, we got your presents… and we got something for everyone. But we only needed three because you already have one, mum." Emily interrupted. Scully looked up and tilted her head in confusion.

"Do we get them now?" Mulder asked curiously. Even he didn't know.

Emily looked at William, "first we'll put these in the car." Indicating to their protected purchases. Mulder unlocked the back door and let them put them in the car. Emily took three small boxes out of the bag around her arm. She turned to will, handing him one of the boxes; "give this one to dad."

William walked up to Mulder and gestured for him to lean down. Mulder got down on one knee; William opened the box and pulled out a golden chain. On the end of the chain was a small cross; identical to scully's necklace. William unclasped the chain; Mulder leaned his head forward, as though he were being knighted. William fixed the chain around Mulder's neck, he looked up at his son; he couldn't help but let a lone tear fall. He gave William a tight hug; "thank you will, this is an amazing gift."

Scully simply watched, until she was poked back into reality be Emily. "You want to do the honours?" She held out another box to scully. Scully pursed her lips and nodded, momentarily closing her eyes. Emily handed the remaining box to Mulder. Simultaneously, Mulder and scully placed the necklaces around William and Emily's necks. It was a moment to be memorized.

"It was William's idea… he thought it would be nice to all have one. Something to keep consistency, I think he couldn't have made a better choice." Emily spoke, breaking the precious silence.

"I agree." Mulder whispered.

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25th march- 2012

02:34 PM

Mulder/ scully residence, Virginia

Skinner, Doggett and Reyes were due at 3 o'clock; so they made it home with little time to spare. They took time to go through any spare details that they may need to cover; but Emily was adamant in her theory.

Emily and William were in their room changing into more neat attire. Mulder and scully sat outside on the porch steps; talking about the thinks that they held between them.

"I don't know when we are going to have time for this wedding… everything is different now. We have the kids, and not to mention the world to save." Mulder said light heartedly. He held scully's hand, entwining his fingers with hers. A simple gesture, but one that spoke in that hidden language he and scully shared. He wanted to believe they would be able to save the day and walk away unscathed, but the fear of that not happening terrified him more than all his memories of the past combined.

Scully squeezed his hand. "I know. But the difference makes up for the loss. I'm not going to regret the time we will have between now and December… it will be a dangerous journey; yes, but if I can take it with you by my side; I'll have no regrets." She looked up at him.

"It's already been a long journey…"

"Then be better make it to our destination in one piece… we can do this"

Mulder smiled and rested his forehead on her shoulder. She was so strong, she would never give up. She had run on empty before, struggling without motivation; but now she had so much to live for; he had so much for her to live for. He ran his finger along the glistening chain around his neck; they were all connected in a way that he hadn't felt in such a long time. Not since she went missing for those three torturous months.

They were startled by William and Emily coming out the front door.

"Are they here yet?" William enquired. He slipped into his childhood since they had been all living together. "Hang on, there they are now." He pointed to a lone SUV trailing up the road towards the house. It stopped in front on them on the grass. Skinner hopped out of the back of the car; Doggett came out the driver's side and Reyes came around from the passengers. Doggett waited for her to come around the car before taking her hand.

Skinner walked up and shook Mulder's hand. Everyone stood, Monica let go of Doggett's hand and ran up to scully, throwing her arms around her.

"Dana! It's been such a long time!" Scully hugged her back. She pulled away, and looked at William and Emily standing behind scully. "Their good looking kids Dana."

Scully beckoned the kids forward. "This is john Doggett and Monica Reyes; they worked on the x files with me." Monica moved forwards to greet them properly. Doggett looked on inexpressively. He wasn't much for reunions.

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They sat out the back of the house, at the wooden bench and table set. They talked, drank tea and coffee, they caught up. It was all rather informal, but comfortable considering the circumstances. Doggett even loosened up enough to have a few throws of a baseball with William. But all good things must come to an end, and they had to get down to business.

First and foremost; they needed information. Skinner had access to more classified documentation, but even still; it wouldn't be easy. They agreed to separate their efforts. Doggett, Reyes and skinner; who still worked for the FBI, would work together.

Meanwhile; scully, Mulder, Emily and William were going to go look in physical locations. Places like Tunguska, tatouine, Africa, even to Antarctica if necessary. But the first stop on their trip; was England. They were going to start in the facility that ran tests on Emily. They needed information about the colonist aliens, them they can gather Intel on the entities themselves and maybe some information on their vessels. What ever they needed, they would find.

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"So when are you guys going to tie the knot?" Mulder asked cheekily.

"Ah… we were thinking august. As summer ends so it's not to hot." Monica said, clamping her hand to Doggett's. He looked at her warmly, but not excessively. "I can't really wait."

"Neither can scully and me, we haven't really discussed a date. We got a bit distracted." Mulder ruffled Williams newly trimmed hair as he held the other arm around scully's waist.

"you people make me feel so old! I'm already married… again, and listening to you four makes me feel ancient!" Skinner chuckled into his hands as he rubbed his face. "But I suppose I was, at one point, all your boss. I think that added a few gray hairs; dealing with all of you."

"poor you! I can't imagine trying to deal with what you did!" Emily piped up randomly. Her information was accurate; she knew all of them and some of their backgrounds, the missions they went on. She and William hadn't been simply hiding; they had been tracking the five adults. But she still didn't know everything. One thing she was particularly curious about was the history of Mulder and scully's relationship. She was still in England for that part in time. She wanted to ask; but the years of independence and responsibility still didn't give her the confidence she required to ask such a question.

It was close to midnight when Doggett, Reyes and skinner left; but they walked away with a battle plan. First, gather intelligence. William had fallen asleep in scully's lap a long time ago. Emily consider gather her own intelligence; she wanted to know the nature, the history, the beginnings of her parents bond. Mulder took William to bed; leaving Emily to clear the table with scully;

"hey mum? There was something I always wanted to know about… I, um; I wanted to know your story."

What do you mean? You know more about me than I do." Scully replied without meeting Emily's eye.

"William always asked when he was younger, when he first learned about you and Mulder. I wanted to know the story about you and Mulder getting together. About when it all began." Scully met her eye now. The corner of her lips rose to a small smile. She was a 17 year old girl after all; she couldn't help being a hopeless romantic.

"it's a complicated story, it wasn't always so perfect. There were times when we had our doubt, but we knew there couldn't be any other person in the world. We had be through that much together." She said as she lead Emily back into the house and into the kitchen.

Emily threw the empty cups into the sink and sat down at the dining room table. Scully leaned on the counter and looked questioningly at her. She silently asked; 'it's a long story, you sure you want to know?' Emily tilted her head. She understood scully's silent language. Must be a family thing.

"Okay then. Get comfortable." She said coming around the counter and sitting across the dining table form Emily.

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I know, not very good. I got a bit stuck trying to work out how to fill a 9 month gap. So it's gonna go a bit sci fi after this, but next chapter will be filled with some MSR. Sorry it took forever to update. Don't worry; I'm a shipper, so there will be a least a little MSR in each chapter. Hit the review button and tell me your thoughts. You guys are the reason I write, so the more you guys tell me what you think, the more I write.