I sat on the short couch next to his bed waiting for him to dry off and put on his pajamas after his bath. Mulder and I take turns reading or telling him a story before bed and tonight was my night. Will walked into the room and plopped down next to me on the couch. I tousled his hair thankful he got Mulder's thick, dark, mane. He leaned against me throwing his arms around me. I never tire of this feeling, our son cuddling up to me. I buried my nose in his hair and kissed his head.
"I love you mama."
"I love you too Will, you ready for bed and your story?" I asked as he jumped from the couch into his bed. I have told him so many times not to do that. I fear one of these days our rambunctious son will be in the emergency room with his first broken bone. He slid under the covers and smiled that smile that looked so much like his father's I could only hide my own and shake my head.
"I want you to tell me a story tonight mama."
"Okay, what kind of a story do you want to hear and remember only your dad tells the alien stories, I don't."
"How did you meet daddy?"
He stared at me with such a serious look for a boy of eight. His blue eyes dark in the shadows of his room, only the light near his bed provided the story telling ambience. Sitting on the couch I looked at him. I never thought I would ever have the chance to tell or read bedtime stories to my own child now he's at the age of asking questions about how I met his dad.
"I met your dad at work Will."
"Ah uh, how?"
"Your dad was working in a busy unit, and he needed help." Wow, did I just simplify that or what. Until he knows enough to ask further, I think that should suffice for his eight-year-old curiosity.
"Did you like daddy when you met him?"
"I thought your daddy was interesting and a little weird." He snorted a laugh, squinting his eyes.
"You thought daddy was weird."
"Yes, I thought daddy was weird but, he was interesting and very smart."
"Did you think he was pretty?"
"Yes, I thought daddy was very pretty but, I didn't let him know that."
"Why?"
"Well, I didn't want him to know I thought he was pretty because I didn't want him to think I noticed he was pretty at least not right away."
"When did you know you liked daddy more?"
"Well, I knew I liked your dad a long time before I told him."
"But when did you know you liked him more?"
I could see he wasn't going to let this go so, answering mini-Mulder was probably the best thing to do or he'd be up all night. Thinking back over the last sixteen years I have asked myself this question many times and I have never been able to pinpoint the exact time I knew I loved Mulder. So many late-night dinners, visits or stays in hospitals, cross country drives, late nights, all the disasters, loss, and near-death instances where would I begin to tell him the exact time I knew Mulder was THE man for me. I looked at this child, our child, always the miracle Mulder told me to never give up on. He had Mulder's curiosity, his whimsy, his temperament. He was an inquisitive boy and had such compassion for the things around him, but I could tell by looking at him he was waiting for his answer.
"I knew I liked your daddy more when I gave him a root beer when he wanted an iced tea." I smiled at that one. Iced tea, or root beer come to find out the flavor that night didn't matter, it was fate even if it wasn't an iced tea.
"Why did you do that mommy?"
"I brought your daddy dinner, but I forgot to ask him what he wanted to drink. After that when I brought him dinner, I always made sure his drink was iced tea."
"When did you tell him you liked him?"
"Well, your daddy was thinking about leaving the FBI and I really didn't want him too. I really liked seeing him and talking to him. I told him something like I would consider it more than a professional loss if he left the bureau. I was afraid I'd never see him again."
That statement was true, I was afraid I'd never see him again. I was afraid to lose the only man I had ever felt comfortable with. The only man who treated me as an equal not arm candy. The man who respected me and my intelligence. He never belittled me, never made fun of me, never made an off-color comment, and never overtly hit on me. His little flirtatious comments and looks were so innocent and shy. Those things just made me love him more.
"What was the worst thing daddy ever did."
His eyes were growing tired, but he had Mulder's 'never quit' attitude fighting the sleep monster with everything he had. I thought about the worst thing Mulder ever did and it had to include Fowley in my opinion but, I couldn't do that to our son. His relationship with that woman was long before me, and other than my own insecurities never posed a serious threat to me, and in the end walked out of Mulder's life for good when she found some conscience left in the depths of herself.
"Your daddy went to find a ghost ship in the middle of the ocean."
"Why did he do that."
"Because he did something Incredibly silly." I said choosing that word, so I didn't call Mulder stupid as I had that day in the hospital. I never want our son to not see his father as anything but his hero. Not to mention Mulder had done so many incredibly stupid things in our early years, how could I choose just this one to use that word.
"Did he get hurt."
"Yes, he had a terrible headache and bruise under his left eye, so he had to be put in the hospital for a few days."
"How did he get the bruise momma?" His eyes were wide with his imagination trying to see his father with a black eye. This kid is so incorrigible I had to smile.
"That is a question you need to ask your daddy. It's time to go to bed William. I love you sweetie." I kissed his head and pulled the covers over him as he shifted down in his bed. "I'll see you in the morning."
"Good night, Momma, I love you too."
I turned off his light and pulled the door almost shut. I walked downstairs and sat next to Mulder who had fallen asleep on the couch with a book over his chest. He stirred but didn't wake up. I knew he was exhausted from the hours he had been spending at Quantico. I carefully lifted the book from his chest, marked the page and put the blanket over him. I shut off the light, went upstairs and prepared a bath. Stepping into the very warm water I laid back and just let myself relax. The candles I lit were flickering as the cool, gentle breeze from the open window swirled across the narrow, flames. It added a slight chill to the room and made the water feel even better. As I dried off and stepped into the room, I saw Mulder pulling clothes out of the closet for tomorrow.
"I was hoping you'd join me in the bath." I said as I raised my left eyebrow and winked at him.
"Then why did I wake up on the couch?" He said as he left the closet and flopped onto the bed next to me.
I leaned over him from my side of the bed and kissed him full on, no question of my intentions. I slid my robe off and ran my hands over his chest. The cool breeze filled the room as he joined me in passionate love-making. It took us seven years to cross the line and we have never regretted it. The excitement and arousal we felt when we touched was electric, like some chemical reaction that explodes when two compounds collide. We rarely ever pass up an opportunity to take advantage of the sensuality we create.
The alarm went off way too early. The air in the room was crisp from the chill of the night breeze. I snuggled closer to Mulder rubbing my cheek across his stubble. He stirred and wrapped his arms around me pulling me closer. We lay like that for another 15 minutes before either of us spoke.
"It's nippy in here close the window." He said lazily.
"No chance I'm leaving this bed. I snuggled next to you because I was cold, you close it." He half-heartedly tried to nudge me, but I didn't move. "Mulder it's cold, you close it."
"What's my reward if I do." I loved Scully but I'm not a stupid man.
"Shower sex." She said with her sexy bedroom voice that was barely above a whisper. I had that window down in a flash.
"I'll get the coffee started; you start the shower." I said as I headed for the door.
"Mulder, you'll wake Will. If you want shower sex coffee has to wait." She said as she headed for the bathroom.
"Right." I can always count on Scully to see the big picture.
I was tucking in my shirt as I left our bedroom, I stopped at Will's room, but he was already up. I walked downstairs and found him in the kitchen making a bowl of cereal.
"Hey buddy, what's up did you sleep ok." I asked as I flipped on the coffee maker and leaned against the counter to watch him make his breakfast. Our son was growing up, it seemed like only yesterday he was grabbing at Scully's necklace when she held him. His hair had her soft waves, and his blue eyes could not be mistaken for any except hers. I'm going to have to put security bars on his windows to keep the girls out.
"I slept ok." He said as he sat down and ate.
Scully came downstairs, kissed Will and took her cup of coffee from my hand. She stood on her toes and kissed me, sliding her arm around my waist.
"Where's your tie?" I asked him as I sat down at the table.
"Debating which one to wear, or maybe just go without one today, you know I hate wearing them when all I am going to do today is sit at my desk writing lesson plans. William go brush your teeth and grab your bag so we can go, you're going to be late for school." He placed his bowl in the sink and ran upstairs.
"We are lucky he likes school right now." I said as I turned and gave her a kiss. You going to be at the hospital late tonight?"
"No, I am just checking on a few patients and I'm out so maybe 4 hours. Your son asked questions about our relationship last night, not the heavy ones just how we met so, if he asks you questions tonight, you'll know. I am sure he wants to confirm my answers with yours."
"Should I be worried?"
"Mulder I am sure we have very similar recollections as to how we happened."
"Should we have a review later." I smiled as I kissed Scully again when Will came running into the room.
"Dad, we have to go, besides that's gross."
Interested in his use of the word. I couldn't help myself. "Why is it gross William I love your mother and I kiss you."
"Yea, but you kiss me on the head or my cheek, not my mouth ewww." He scrunched up his face and grabbed my hand.
"Give your mom a kiss goodbye." He dropped my hand and gave Scully a kiss on her cheek before grabbing my hand again as we left.
I turned and looked at her, winking, I blew her a kiss and walked out. I am glad she'll have a few hours to herself this afternoon before Will gets out of school and I get home.
Scully made dinner, she lit up the grill, made some chicken, a salad and baked some French fries…William's favorite type of potato. After dinner we all went for a walk along the lighted path through our yard and listened to the crickets and watched the fireflies as they lit up in the night. Will was mesmerized by them. One landed on him, and he watched it walk on his arm until it flew back into the darkness.
"Daddy how do they light up like that." He asked me with wonder in his eyes.
"They have what is called bioluminescence. It is a chemical reaction inside their bodies."
"Why can't we do that." My first thought, not for our eight-year-old son, but for Scully. She and I experience our chemical reaction every chance we get but that wasn't for his ears, ever.
"You'd look pretty silly walking around with a green belly light don't you think."
"I guess so, but it would be like magic."
I placed my hand on his shoulder and grabbed Scully's hand and squeezed it. She laid her head on my shoulder, and I let go of her hand and wrapped my arm around her. I knew I would never want more from life, my family and a place where peace and calm are a daily routine. I look around our yard, happy with our place. The small but big enough home, a small yard but a large piece of land and a life worthy of enjoying.
It was my night to take of story time with Will. He ran into his bedroom from the hallway launching himself onto the bed. I tickled him over his stomach listening to him laugh, Scully's laugh. It was infectious, silly, expressive, and unbridled.
"What do you want to hear tonight little man."
"Tell me about when you met mommy and how you got a bruise on your eye."
"Well, that may take all night. Let's see I met mommy at work. She came to work with me and helped me out."
"Is that how you got the bruise."
"No, no, it is not."
"Did you think mommy was pretty."
"I thought your mommy was very pretty but I couldn't tell her that because I didn't want her to leave. I was afraid I'd get an ugly partner, so I didn't say anything for a long time."
He laughed at that comment. "When did you get the bruise."
Boy, Scully was right he was asking questions I can't give entirely truthful answers to, at least not while he's this young. He was not letting the bruise thing go. He wouldn't understand the truth but, telling him I was seeing things is going to make him think I am really weird.
"I had an accident while I was looking for a ship in the ocean a long time ago and I hit my cheek on… something, I'm not sure what it was but it hurt."
"Do you still think mommy is pretty and what did you think of her when she worked with you." He said that with a twinkle in his eye, a glint, something akin to an older boy asking because he had noticed a girl in his math class but didn't want to admit it.
"William, I think your mommy is breath-takingly beautiful, gorgeous, and she is the only woman I think about each day. When I met your mommy, I thought she was smart, eager to learn, and a little weird." His Scully giggled surfaced again and I couldn't help but laugh when I heard him.
"Do you still think mommy is weird."
"Of course, I do but now we are weird together."
"Am I weird Daddy."
"William you are very weird because you have mommy and daddy's weirdness together but, don't ever think that is bad. Enjoy being weird, embrace it, love it and all your friends will love it too. Being weird is a good thing, it means you aren't afraid to be who you are, and you are very special to the people who love you."
"I think you and mommy are weird for being weird."
"Yes, we are, we are all weird and wonderful in our own way, that is why we love our weirdness, there is no one else like us. Get some sleep little man. I'll take you to the lake tomorrow after school and we'll feed the ducks, ok?"
"Ok daddy, I love you 'cause your weird."
"You're more weird than I am." I said as I kissed him good night and tucked him in. I couldn't help myself; this is our son so I let the words drip into his ear with a whisper. "I love you too, weirdo."