a/n: thank you for all of the positive and supportive reviews! here is a speedy update for you guys.

The next morning brought Tuesday, which also brought the kids' weekly sessions with Julie. Scully was sitting in the waiting room reading a pregnancy magazine while Megan colored and they waited for Zach. He'd only been in there for around fifteen minutes, so she wasn't expecting anyone to come for her for some time. But they did, and it was in a hurry.

"Dana?" the receptionist, Amanda, called.

"Yes?"

"Julie needs you in back."

"What's the matter?" she asked, spiking up with the intensity of a mother.

"She just said Zach needs you."

Whatever Zach needed, Scully would provide for him. She practically ran down the hallway to Julie's office, trusting Megan in the care of Amanda. When she arrived on the scene, Julie was trying to console Zach, who had obviously been crying.

"Hi Dana. Please have a seat. Zach, Dana is here," Julie told him. He buried his face in his hands, as though he were ashamed. It broke Scully's heart to see her little boy like that. Yes, there had been tears during sessions in the past, but this was a different animal. When Scully looked at Zach, she saw fear, and she was worried they'd gone back to square one in that moment.

Scully sat down, but it wasn't long before she couldn't stand just sitting there watching Zach cry and she asked, "Zach, what's the matter bud?"

She knew she'd done the wrong thing when he started crying even harder, which she hadn't thought possible. So badly she wanted to go over to him and cuddle him, but she was afraid to spark further emotional outburst. It was a terrible feeling, feeling like Zach didn't trust her anymore. Her emotions probably paled in comparison to what the nine-year-old was feeling, though, Scully realized.

"The reason I asked you to come in here was because Zach has told me something that's a little concerning. Zach knows that we just want to help, but he's a little nervous about something he heard over the weekend," Julie explained.

Scully felt her stomach drop. She had a sick feeling that she knew what had upset Zach, and mentally berated herself for not seeing it sooner.

"What is it? What is it Zach?" Scully asked, trying to keep her tone as soft as possible.

At least he looked at her this time. But he still couldn't tell her what was wrong.

"Zach heard someone at the birthday party say you were pregnant, and now he's worried about what that means for him and his sister," Julie finished.

Scully's heart was swallowed up by deep regret at the way Zach found out about her pregnancy. It was no doubt from Bill, whose anger and confrontation had prevented her from protecting her children from fear. And since the party, they had been living with the terrifying idea that they would be replaced, sent away, given up on once again. Tears stung her eyes.

"Is it true?" it was the first thing Zach had said to her since she'd been in the room.

"Yeah buddy, it is."

No change in emotion registered on Zach's face. He wasn't even shocked.

"Dana, Zach has plans for him and Megan to run away. It took some questioning, but I know Zach thinks that you and Mulder won't want them living in the house once your child is born."

"Zach…" Scully was lost for words. She sat down on one of the chairs and put her hands to her eyes.

"I'm sorry Dana," his little voice rang out in the room. If there was one thing Zach shouldn't have been at that moment, it was sorry. Scully was sorry. Scully was so sorry for all of his tears. And her tears that fell in response to them.

"Come here baby," she opened her arms to him. At first, she knew Zach didn't want to go to come to her, but she pulled him with her heart like a magnet. Her body fit around his perfectly, and as she cradled him close, she felt him relax. Once again, his cries escalated.

"Shhh, shhh," Scully cooed, "everything is okay. You don't have to be afraid."

"I don't want to leave you," he wailed his truest feelings, clinging on to Scully for dear life.

"Nobody is leaving, Zach. You and Megan are staying with Mulder and me."

"But what about the baby?"

"The baby isn't taking anybody's place. We're all going to live together."

"We're never going to have to leave?" Zach asked, suddenly very hopeful, as if the thought had never occurred to him.

"Mulder and I are never going to make you leave sweetheart." Even though the adoption had yet to go through, Scully felt confident saying that. Upon hearing those words, Zach grasped on to her with a renewed strength. Scully was able to shift the little boy so that he was on her lap, and they rocked back and forth for a long time. So long, in fact, that Amanda ended up bringing Megan into the back because she had been crying over Scully and her brother's absences. Once Scully got both children's tears to subside, the three had a chat with Julie about the baby and what things were going to change and what things weren't. By the time they left the office a half hour later than usual, Scully knew the kids were in no state to be going to school. In all honesty, she wanted to spend the next several hours—several years—holding them close and never letting go.

It wasn't long after they got home and popped a movie in that both kids were asleep, emotionally exhausted after that morning. Megan's head was laying on Scully's outstretched legs while Zach was curled up snugly into her side. It was just after lunch, and it was as good a time as ever to call Mulder and explain what had happened that morning.

"Mulder."

"Mulder it's me."

"Hey. How is everything?"

"Not great. Well, it wasn't. It's better now."

"Did something happen at the therapist's?"

"Mulder, Zach was planning to take Megan and run away."

A pause. "What?"

"He heard Bill the other day say I was pregnant. They both did. They thought we didn't want them anymore and were going to kick them out to give their room to the baby."

"Oh my God," she could hear his hands running over his face and through his hair in guilt.

"Everything's okay now. But it was pretty emotional in Julie's office. I decided just to bring them home and not even bother with school today."

"Scully, I had no idea that they heard."

"I know. I didn't either."

"I can't believe they were able to keep this from us."

"According to Julie, Zach had a pretty elaborate plan for a nine-year-old. He was going to get a job and buy a house for the both of them while Megan went to school."

"I can't say I never had those thoughts when I was his age."

"Mulder?"

"Yeah?"

"Is it selfish of me to feel responsible for this?"

"No, it's not. But I really hope you don't."

"Well, I do. It's my fault Bill was even here and it was my fault for not telling the kids about this sooner."

"Scully, the decision not to tell them yet was ours, not yours alone. And even if we did everything right, neither one of us can say for sure that the exact same situation wouldn't have panned out. Zach obviously would've had a strong reaction to the news either way, and Megan would feel any way Zach told her to feel about it. So please don't beat yourself up."

"I just can't shake the feeling that I've caused them so much unnecessary pain."

Realizing he most likely wasn't going to get through to Scully over the phone, Mulder asked if she wanted him to come home.

"No. Stay at work. They're asleep right now and everything is going to be okay."

"Yeah, but are you going to be okay?"

Taking a deep breath for the first time since leaving Julie's office, Scully was sure of her answer.

"I'm going to be fine."

He believed her.

"Alright. I love you."

She smiled. Those words coming from him made her feel tingly, like her happiness was bubbling right at the surface.

"I love you too."

She thought that was the end of the conversation, that she was going to hear the click of him hanging up, but when she brought the phone away from her face, she heard him call out.

"Scully?"

"Yeah?"

"Thank you. Thank you so much."

"Any day, Mulder."

Every day.