Scully sat on the edge of her bed and watched as Mulder carefully settled William back into his bassinet, making sure he was snug and comfortable. The baby stirred slightly but didn't wake, his tiny fingers twitching in sleep. Mulder lingered for a moment, just watching him, as if committing every detail to memory.

Then he turned back to Scully. "Go back to bed," he said softly. "Catch a few more minutes of sleep."

She shook her head, already pushing herself up from the bed. "There's laundry and dishes and—"

"It's all taken care of," Mulder interrupted gently. "I'll go over to the supermarket a little later today."

Scully hesitated, then smiled shyly. "Thank you so much, Mulder."

He shrugged, downplaying it, but she could see the way her words affected him.

"As you said," she continued, glancing at the book he had referenced earlier, "parents are supposed to nap when the baby is down. So, please." She reached out, patting the empty space beside her.

Mulder shifted awkwardly, tilting his head in a way that was neither a shake nor a nod. "I've been here way too long already. I should give you two some space."

Scully's voice was firm but kind. "You're William's father. You have every right to be here. We won't make you leave."

Something in her tone settled whatever inner conflict was brewing in Mulder. He exhaled, then toed off his shoes before climbing into bed beside her.

For a long moment, they simply lay there, side by side, watching the tiny rise and fall of their son's chest.

"He's amazing," Mulder murmured, his voice full of wonder. "The way he looks at things. The way he grabs my finger."

Scully turned her head to look at him, understanding in her eyes. She hesitated for only a moment before deciding to be completely honest with him.

"The pregnancy had its hiccups," she admitted. "I had spotting in the beginning, the military was after me for a while… I had every test performed possible to make sure he's okay. And I had paternity confirmed while he was still in utero."

Mulder stilled, processing her words.

"He's yours, Mulder," she said softly. "And I haven't seen any military interference ever since that was established."

She hesitated, then added, "What I don't understand is how it was even possible. Every test I've ever had, every scan, every bit of imaging showed the same thing—I don't have any viable ova left. I shouldn't have been able to conceive."

Mulder's brow furrowed. "But William—"

"I don't have an answer," she admitted, shaking her head. "Maybe there was one left, maybe it was some kind of anomaly, but I don't know how this pregnancy was medically possible." Her voice dropped slightly. "But I have this feeling, Mulder… that if the military lost interest after confirming paternity, then my pregnancy wasn't part of the conspiracy we spent years chasing."

Mulder exhaled, his expression conflicted. Ever since his return he had been assuming that Scully's pregnancy and now William's existence were entangled in forces beyond their understanding. But now, faced with the possibility that their son wasn't a product of manipulation or experimentation, but something natural—something purely theirs—he didn't know what to think.

Mulder swallowed hard. "I missed so much."

Scully nodded. "You did. But you don't have to miss out on anything still to come, if you choose to stay."

Mulder didn't hesitate this time. He scooted closer to her, wrapping an arm around her shoulders, pulling her gently into his embrace. She didn't resist.

He pressed a soft kiss to her temple, his voice steady when he said, "I'll be here for all of it."

Scully sighed against him, the tension in her body easing just slightly. "We'll eventually find out what happened to you when you were gone."

Mulder was quiet for a moment before he answered. "We never fully found out what happened to you during your abduction either…" He exhaled, shifting slightly. "I'm not saying it doesn't matter, but with William here now… I think I have new priorities."

Scully didn't respond right away, but she squeezed his hand where it rested against her arm.

They still had questions—so many questions. But for now, wrapped in this quiet, fragile moment, they had something far more important.

A family.