Maggie wasn't entirely comfortable with taking care of a big dog.

"You'll do fine," Scully tried to assure her. "You know Mulder."

"I only met him two days ago," Maggie pointed out.

"Well, that's enough," Scully insisted. "Dogs are… just dogs. They don't hide their feelings. What you see is what you get. And I see you two bonding with each other just fine."

Just fine was an understatement. Maggie was sitting on the couch with Mulder lying next to her and his head was resting in her lap. Maggie stroked him so fondly that Scully was almost jealous. That's the thing about people, they do hide their feelings.

Scully was particularly good at hiding hers, at least when it came to people. But when it came to dogs… Her armor was rapidly falling apart and it scared her, a lot. At least she still had her work to distract her from this weird relationship with her dog.

Her partner! Not dog, partner!

"Mom, listen," she said, very seriously. "Nothing can happen to him while I'm gone. Do you understand?"

"What could happen?" Maggie was confused. "Is he sick or something?"

"No, he's not sick," Scully assured her. "He's perfectly healthy and I want him to stay that way. I need him to."

"Dana, I've been dog sitting before," Maggie said. "He'll be fine. Besides, he's just a dog."

"He's not just a dog, mother!" Scully snapped. "That's what I'm trying to tell you! He's my… dog. My dog!"

"Your dog will be fine, Dana," Maggie said slowly, as if she was talking to a child or a mentally challenged person. "Are you okay? Is everything all right?"

"Yes," Scully answered, a little too quickly. "I'm just… nervous about leaving him."

Mulder growled when he heard that.

"That is not what I meant!" Scully snapped again, this time at the dog. "I didn't leave… No, we will not talk about that now. I have to go. Take care of Mrs. Scully and be obedient. I don't want any problems."

"Dana…?" Maggie was getting more and more confused.

"Not now, mom," Scully cut her off. "I really have to go, I don't want to be late. See you in the evening!"

She left before Maggie had a chance to say goodbye. Puzzled, her mother turned to Mulder.

"She is hiding something," Maggie guessed. "Something is wrong. It's her partner, I suppose, you know, the one she named you after? She doesn't want me to worry, but I can feel that something has happened to him."

"Woof," Mulder agreed.

"She called me Mrs. Scully, for God's sake! Who calls her mother that?"

Mulder didn't understand this part, so he didn't bark anything.

"I had a dream last night," Maggie continued. "I dreamed that you were him. Or he was you, something like that…"

"Woof," Mulder agreed.

"He wanted to live with her, but the only way for that to work was if he became a dog," Maggie remembered. "It was like a fairytale. I can't tell that to Dana, she doesn't believe in dreams. I could tell him, though, I think he would understand."

"Woof," Mulder agreed again.

"I don't know, Fox," Maggie sighed. "Maybe he's not perfect for her, but he loves her and she loves him. It would be better than staying alone, for both of them. When I was her age, I already had four children! Dana, on the other hand, only has her job, and that can't last forever."

Mulder got tired of trying to understand her, so he stopped listening. He closed his eyes and drifted to a light sleep, lulled by Maggie's gentle voice and petting.

"She was right about one thing, though," Maggie smiled. "You are a good dog."

When Scully returned from work, she found them in exactly the same position as she left them, curled on the couch together, watching some soap opera.

"Did you spend the whole day in front of TV?" she wondered. Hearing her voice Mulder jumped and rushed to her, so fiercely that he pushed her on the floor.

"Nice of you to notice I'm back," she said in a slightly accusing tone of voice. Apparently, she was still jealous of the connection that he shared exclusively with her mother and she couldn't help to notice that it took him a bit longer to register her return than the day before.

"Oh, no, of course not," Maggie answered her question. "We went to the park, and I even took him to my place. I forgot to take my pills so we went to get them. He was great in the car and we went for a walk around the neighborhood. He met Kelly's Lucy, and they seemed to really like each other! Oh, and I cleaned this place a bit when we got back, I hope you don't mind."

Scully did mind, but she didn't say anything.

"Is he pure breed?" Maggie asked.

"What?" Scully was confused.

"Kelly is thinking about breeding Lucy, and since they really get along she asked me if-"

"No!" Scully cut her off.

"No what?" Maggie inquired. "No, he's not pure, or no, you won't let him mate with Lucy? Because Kelly would pay you for that, of course!"

"No, mom! How can you even suggest that I take money for his union with another woman?"

"Dana?" Maggie was now seriously getting worried for her daughter. "I was talking about your dog, not about your… friend. Kelly is a lesbian, you know that."

Scully briefly closed her eyes and took a deep breath, trying to stop herself from saying something even stupider. She wanted her mother to disappear and if Genia came in that moment Scully would have a hard time stopping herself from wishing just that! True, she would never see her mother again, but she would at least still have her dog. Mulder might have the enjoyable rest of his life as a dog, even if it'd be the shorter one. Scully wasn't sure that she could keep him alive for longer as a human, anyway.

God, what is she thinking about? Weighing pros and cons of making the people closest to her disappear or change shape forever?

This is exactly why you shouldn't grant three wishes to a skeptic who doesn't believe in them!

"What would Mulder wish for?" Scully caught herself thinking. "He would probably ask for peace on Earth."

She chuckled at the thought, forgetting that her mother was watching her, by this point seriously concerned for her sanity. Like a little child, Scully acted as if just because her eyes are closed and she can't see anybody, it means nobody can see her either.

"And his second wish would be to undo the first wish because he's too restless to find peace in peace!"

"Woof," Mulder commented, as if he could hear her thoughts.

"Dana?" Maggie, luckily, couldn't read them.

"I'm sorry mother, I'm just tired," Scully finally pulled herself together. "It's been a long week and I can't think straight at the moment. I need to catch up on sleep, nothing more."

"Okay," Maggie sighed. "I'll let you get some rest. I'll call you tomorrow, okay?"

"Yes, thank you," Scully agreed, leading her to the door.

"Don't worry, Dana," Maggie turned around one last time. "You will find him. You always do. Let me know if there's anything I can do to help."

"I will," Scully promised, closing the door after her. She let out a heavy sigh of relief. It was indeed a rough week, but it was over. She had a whole weekend ahead of her to figure something out. Or not. At least she wouldn't have to leave Mulder alone for the next two days.

"Woof," Mulder tried to get her attention.

"I brought some files," she informed him. "Do you want to check them out with me?"

Mulder tilted his head, looking interested. It brought a smile to her face, but she wondered if he could understand her or if she was just imagining it. They had so many differences, even without him being a dog. How was it possible for someone like her to fall in love with someone like him?

Love? Where did that word come from? Again!

"I'm just tired," Scully reminded herself.

She turned the TV off and took out her files. Mulder jumped on the couch next to her and looked at those over her shoulder.

"UFO sightings?" she sighed, examining the first file. "Not worth my time!"

She put the file away while Mulder whined behind her in protest.

"How about this?" she ignored his displeasure, opening another file. "Virgin pregnancy? Oh, come on! These days anybody can get pregnant but…"

She didn't finish the sentence. She didn't have to. Mulder whined again, this time sadly.

Anybody but me.

Anybody but us.

"Third time's the charm," she said, forcing the cheerfulness while opening another one.

"Pole dancers are mysteriously disappearing from a night club in Iowa…" she read aloud. Mulder didn't whine this time, but he was definitely paying attention.

"Mulder, you're drooling on me!" Scully accused him, closing the file. He licked her cheek in response.

"Oh, that fixes it. Right!" she feigned feeling offended and Mulder licked her again, broader this time.

"Stop it!" she smiled, and he knew she didn't mean it. The truth is, she rather enjoyed it. She never got to feel his tongue when he was human. She felt basically every other part of him, but his tongue remained a mystery. Now, as a dog, he more than made up for that lapse.

"You are not sleeping in the bed tonight," she informed him, and he didn't object. He obediently stayed on the couch, listening to the sounds of her breathing from the bedroom, and when he was sure that she fell asleep he sneaked inside and quietly jumped on the bed next to her.

Now he too could finally sleep.