Summary:

This might be Fox Mulder's biggest challenge yet.

Fictober prompt: Okay show me

"I've got this," Mulder said out loud, offering assurance to his young daughter as his hands weaved the strawberry blonde locks in and out. He considered himself an intelligent guy; he didn't graduate all honors from Oxford for nothing, not to mention the FBI's shinning star, only to fade into the background with the X-Files. But that was beside the point.

How hard could it be?

"Daddy, don't forget to use the pink bows." The tiny voice said, pulling Mulder from his self-affirming talk.

"I know, sweetie. I have them right here." But what she didn't know was that he was nowhere near ready to put the bows on. For starters, the braids (if he could even call them that) were uneven. He couldn't figure out how to get the three strands to evenly weave together without causing his fingers to cramp.

"How does Mommy do this?" He whispered to himself.

"What Daddy?" Her tiny legs were swinging from her chair as she spoke.

"Nothing, sweetheart; I was just talking to myself."

Beads of sweat covered his forehead. Apparently, the braid would prove more elusive than big blue.

"You need help, G-man?" He turned around to find Scully standing behind him. Hands on her hips. His hand was still grasping his sorry attempt at a braid.

"Mommy! Daddy is making me braids."

"I see that Bean; he's working very hard," Scully said as she put her hand on Mulder's shoulder, holding in a tiny giggle.

"I think Mommy needs to help me," Mulder said, looking up at Scully, puppy dog eyes and all.

"Here," Scully said, taking a seat on Mulder's lap. A sigh of relief escaped his mouth as he dropped his hands from the twisted creation he had so vehemently pursued on his daughter's perfect head.

Scully tipped her head toward his cheek, stealing a kiss.

Mulder smiled. "Okay, show me," he said. Then he placed his hands on her hips as he watched her weave two perfect braids.

"There. All done." Her voice carried a sense of accomplishment.

"Not so fast; you forgot the most important part," Mulder said, holding up the tiny pink bows. A giggle escaped their daughter's voice.

Scully rolled her eyes playfully and motioned to Mulder, then he carefully put the bows on each braid.

"There! Now they're all done!" He exclaimed.

"Yay!! Thank you, Daddy." And she shot out of the kitchen chair she had occupied so patiently.

Scully raised an eyebrow, and he wrapped his hands around her waist.

"What can I say? I saved the day with the pink bows," he said.

Scully moved her lips to meet his and he smiled against her kiss, knowing very well that there wasn't anything he couldn't do as long as Scully was by his side: to include braiding a five year old's hair.