Chapter 8 & Epilogue
Father McCue looked at the couple in front of him with joy reflected in his eyes, through the lenses of his glasses and with the experience of those who lived long enough to watch how love could change and heal. The double ceremony – marriage and christening, happened on a Saturday morning and had only three witnesses: Skinner, who was also their best man and Grace's godfather, Dr Joyet, who became Scully's close friend, and Chuck, their old coworker at the FBI, a computer genius who helped them solve many cases through the use of technology. The Lone Gunmen were there in a photo frame placed on the front pew.
A wide-eyed Grace watched, from Skinner's arms, as her mom and dad stood in front of the elderly priest and respectfully listened to his loving words. One didn't have to be religious to be touched by what he was saying. The valuable message that all of them received was that faith needs to be combined with hope and courage so we can face life's struggles and make goodness and light prevail upon darkness and despair.
"I've known you two long enough to be able to say that you never gave up on hope. To know that your hearts are noble and that you two have an immense love for each other." He said, with a friendly smile, not missing the quick gaze Mulder and Scully shared, as if confirming his words. "Of all the choices presented to you along your life, you picked the one that brought you here. And looking at you and at that little one standing over there, I'm entitled to say you made the right choice."
Father McCue spoke for a few more minutes and then asked them to hold each other's hands.
With a serious expression on his face, but a fierce love written in his eyes, Mulder was the first to speak.
"I, Fox William Mulder, take you, Dana Katherine Scully, for my lawful wife, to have and to hold from this day forward, for better, for worse, for richer, for poorer, in sickness and in health, until death do us part. I will love and honour you all the days of my life." He said, placing the wedding ring he'd bought her so many years before in her finger. Then he smiled and added. "You were once my one in five billion. How fortunate I am that now, two decades later, you're my one in eight billion."
With a trembling smile, it was Scully's turn to speak the words dictated by Father McCue.
"I, take you, Fox William Mulder, for my lawful husband, to have and to hold from this day forward, for better, for worse, for richer, for poorer, in sickness and in health, until death do us part. I will love and honour you all the days of my life." After she placed the ring holding the inscription "my touchstone" in his finger, she too spoke the words that came from her heart. "One day, a long, long time ago, I looked at you and saw something more than I did on the night before. And since then, you became the only person I could ever imagine myself with."
With a broad smile, everyone watched as Father McCue blessed them and spoke the famous words.
"I now pronounce you husband and wife. Mr Mulder, you may kiss your Scully."
Mulder pressed his lips against Scully's, in a loving and tender kiss and they rested their foreheads together for a moment, as if more loving words had been exchanged through the incredible bond they shared, which didn't require words sometimes. They only pulled away when Grace cooed and pointed at her mommy and daddy, causing Skinner to look at her with eyebrows raised.
"Been waiting 26 years to watch this. You've been around for only four months and already got to watch it from the front row! How unfair!" He told her, receiving a cute teethless smile in return.
"And it's not every day that we see a couple bringing to the altar the concrete proof of their love!" Father McCue said, turning his eyes to the little girl with evident joy.
"Scully and I are not the kind of people who wait, Father." Mulder replied, with his usual irony.
"Yes, I can see that, son!" His fondness of the little girl was evident. "Let's invite the wee lady to step ahead then!"
"I guess it's our turn, Cupcake!" Skinner spoke against the baby's ear, rising to his feet slowly but without the help of crutches or anyone. The FBI assistant director walked up to the altar holding his goddaughter with pride and his head raised: he too had looked into the darkness face and won.
"There's something adorbs in hearing Skinner saying 'cupcake', Scully!" Mulder whispered in her ear, causing Scully to hold a small laugh and nod in agreement.
Father McCue started another ceremony, under the eyes of happy parents, who watched as Skinner carefully placed the little one above the baptismal font. Grace's eyes were wide open as she looked around with a confused expression on her face, causing Mulder to chuckle with amusement at the way her little eyebrows were raised in a questioning way, just like her mom's.
And as her godfather spoke his vows and water was poured over her little head, Grace's lips finally turned downwards and she frowned, crying with annoyance a second later.
"It's ok, poppet. It'll be over soon..." Skinner spoke softly to the baby girl, while a deeply moved Scully reached for Mulder's hand and felt his gently squeeze in response.
"I baptize you, Grace Katherine Mulder, in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit." The elderly priest finally spoke.
"I want you to know that you are much loved, little one. By your mom and dad and by your godfather." Kissing Grace's head, Skinner gently deposited her in her mom's arms. "It's an honour to me, Dana. I couldn't be more thankful." He said, with gratitude in his eyes.
Gently rocking the fuzzy baby girl, Scully looked at him with tenderness. "We couldn't have chosen anyone else, Walter. You are a witness to this story."
"You're family, Skinner." Mulder added, extending his hand to him. "Thank you."
Seeing that Grace was still a bit annoyed, Father McCue touched Scully's shoulder. "You can use the sacristy if you want, Dana."
"I do, Father. Thank you."
"You know the way." He replied, with a smile as his memory came back many years before, when Scully and Mellissa were little girls who attended the Sunday school brought by her mother.
She nodded, sharing the same memory. "I never forgot it."
Excusing herself, she grabbed a bag with extra diapers and left.
Scully followed the short way up to the small room that stood behind the altar shushing Grace and kissing her head.
"It's ok, sweetheart," she said, arranging a blanket over a small balcony. Then, she carefully laid the baby over it. "Let's dry your hair first and then check if you need a new diaper, ok?" She kept on talking softly, trying to soothe the little girl's heart.
A minute later, Grace was changed and her brown strands were dry. Chewing her fist, the little one was still fussy, nonetheless. Scully held her close to her chest and sat down on a nearby chair for a while, singing softly and kissing the top of her head.
Suddenly, the little girl stopped crying and her lips curved in a cute smile.
"Hey...Feeling better already, huh? That was fast!"
Also smiling, Scully bent her head to look at her daughter's face and it was then that she noticed that the baby was looking at an invisible point ahead of her.
Frowning a little, she followed Grace's look but saw nothing. "What is it that you saw, huh?"
Grace raised one chubby arm and pointed at the same place she was looking at, her smile growing wider.
Intrigued, Scully looked at her daughter and then back at the point the little one kept staring at. There was nothing there besides a white wall and a cross hanging on it.
But all of a sudden, she felt, just like Grace, as a light shone across the small room and her heart was instantly filled with an indescribable sensation of joy and peace.
Her eyes were immediately filled with tears and even though she couldn't see what Grace was seeing, she knew who was standing there next to them.
"Mom..." Scully whispered, closing her eyes as she felt the gentle and familiar touch against her face.
Margaret was smiling, first at her daughter and then at her granddaughter, contemplating them with happiness.
"Oh, mom...I'm so glad you're here..." Scully spoke, the warmth filling her spirit was amazing.
At Grace's giggle, she opened her eyes and saw that the little one was still looking at that invisible point and moving her arm.
"...she's beautiful, isn't she?"
Once again, Scully felt another gentle caress against her face and then Grace turned her little head up, now searching for her mommy's eyes with a smile that caused her heart to melt.
"That was your grandma, sweetheart. She was very happy to see you too!" She spoke, rising her up so they could be face to face and kissing her forehead.
"Hey..."
Mulder's voice caused them to turn and look at him. Grace's smile remained the same, but now it was directed at her daddy.
"Something wrong?" he frowned, kneeling on the floor in front of Scully and noticing her tears.
"No..." Came the soft reply, along with a tender smile. "Everything is just perfect."
"You sure?" He insisted, gently wiping her tears at the same time he held Grace's tiny hand.
Scully nodded. "Yes. I am one hundred per cent sure. These are happy tears, I promise you."
Feeling those words were genuine and aware that his Scully was, for those who knew her so well, a very emotional person, and added to the occasion combined with post-partum hormones, he smiled.
"Okay then! You see, we've been married for five minutes and I wasn't planning to start our honeymoon with you crying..."
Scully let out a small laughter.
"I mean…not that type of crying!" He added, with a wink. "Plus, if Father McCue sees that, he'll sent me to penitence and tell me to pray a thousand Hale Mary's! I don't want to be under the wrath of God!" he added, making a dramatic intonation.
Laughing more, Scully reached out and stroked his face with tenderness.
"I love you!"
Epilogue
By the end of the afternoon, the car was parked in front of the unremarkable house. Scully opened the passenger door and got out, opening the back door afterwards to remove Grace from the car seat. Mulder also got out, closing the door behind him quietly.
They'd had lunch with Skinner, Father McCue and the few friends that attended the ceremonies and it was a pleasant afternoon. Then, they bid themselves goodbye and Mulder and Scully returned home, now with new joyful memories etched in their hearts.
"I can take her," he offered, picking the car seat along with the little one, who blinked a few times and yawned. Scully grabbed the bag with Grace's things, her own bag and closed the door and locked the car, following them up to the house.
Mulder unlocked the front door, but turned around and made a sign with one of his hands.
"You wait here, Scully!" He said, quickly carrying wee Grace along still in her car seat up to the sofa.
"What?!" Scully frowned with confusion.
"Stay right there, Scully! Don't move!" He replied, keeping his voice low as the little girl was almost asleep.
"Mulder…"
He came back and took the bags from her hands and carried them inside the room as well. With eyebrows raised, she faced him when he returned and stood right in front of her with a sly smile on his handsome face.
"You need to let me carry you inside now, Scully!"
She rolled her eyes with amusement. "Aren't we too old for that, Mulder?"
Mulder pointed at Grace, who had been watching them with her blue eyes almost closing. "Were we too old for that, Scully?" He winked playfully at her, watching as she let out a pleased sigh and smiled broadly.
He gave a step ahead and took a giggling Scully in his arms, lifting her up and carrying her inside the house, enjoying as she kissed his face repeatedly.
The end.
