Archive of Our Own ^beta

Chapter Text

Chapter 1 —

October 29th, 2005

“Isn’t it a little soon to be planning Thanksgiving?” Mulder asked, watching as Scully hurriedly packed all the d’oeuvres she’d prepared.
Mulder wasn’t exactly over-excited about the idea of hosting Thanksgiving. The holiday was always been something of an emotional sticking point for him, a day he and his family had come to associate with Samantha’s disappearance. And as such, he’d not celebrated it for the thirty years between his sister’s abduction and his own daughter’s brith. Now, three Thanksgivings in, he was still slightly uncomfortable with it.
“No.” She said, still occupied by her task. “Mulder people plan ahead, far ahead.”
“I just don’t know how I feel about hosting.” He shrugged, taking one of the snacks just before it was packed away.
She smiled slyly, pretending to disapprove. “My mom deserves a break. Worried I’m inviting my brother?” She asked, her smile turning almost flirtatious.
“Admittedly yes.” He deadpanned.
“No worries Mr. Spooky.” She smiled, kissing his lips quickly as she passed him. “I invited yours instead.”
“Wait, you what!” He cried, following her out to their living room.
She sighed, smiling, stuffing a stash of very different snacks into the baby bag. “He’s not a bad guy Mulder, not really. And he’s all alone now.”
“I thought you were inviting …”
“John and Monica?”
“Yeah.”
“Well of course, but would you want to come to someone else’s house for dinner with a three day old baby?”
“So they won’t come.” He guessed.
“I’d say no.”
“So that’s us, mom,” Mulder had started calling Maggie Scully ‘mom’, “Spender and Skinner.”
“A family Thanksgiving.” She beamed, on cloud nine at the idea.
……
Mulder wasn’t exactly enthused about his obligations that day. It wasn’t that he didn’t enjoy spending time with his daughter. In fact, if anything, he lived for it. He would just rather be taking her somewhere fun, or staying home with her. Instead, Scully asked him to take her to a kids’ Halloween party at a daycare she sometimes attended in D.C. while she threw a baby shower for Monica.
Maggie Mulder had all the benefits of a loving home a child could ask for. She had a stay at home daddy, a devoted mommy, and a doting grandmother. Sometimes, though, she got left at this daycare just to develop some social skills with other children. Fox didn’t care for it, believing she was too young. Today though, Maggie seemed excited about the idea.
At least he’d gotten to choose her Halloween costume: the Loch Ness Monster. Scully hadn’t been too happy about it, but had acquiesced that it was in fact, adorable. And fierce little Maggie, who enjoyed anything that might serve to spook was crazy about it.
Fox sighed, softening about the idea of the daycare party as soon as they arrived. He was surprised at how many tiny kids and their parents were packed into this grade school gym. And it was less of a party, and more of a carnival. 
 “This is kinda fun I guess isn't it Mags?” He whispered, putting her on her feet. “You wanna go play in the ball pit?” He asked, quietly.
He bent down to her level, whispering in her ear, watching as a bunch of other toddlers jumped in the Chuck-e-Cheese style pit.
She paused, shy, but burst into giggles when he tickled her. He laughed. “Yeah, there’s my girl, go play. Make a friend, daddy’ll be right here.”
He kissed her cheek and she squeaked with joy, rushing off and climbing into the pit. She had some difficulty at first and he paused, watching to see if she could do it herself. Sure enough she did, just about that time another brunette little girl, just her age climbed in and they started to babble to each other.
‘Maybe.’ He thought. ‘She will make a friend.’
He watched her smiling, proud, his heart happy. While watching, he began to observe the other adults in his periphery. Having been an FBI agent, it was a skill that was more fine tuned in him than in most other people, and several years after ‘retirement’ he found he couldn’t turn it off.
It was in that moment he saw something he couldn’t believe. No it just couldn’t be. In addition to the fact that she wouldn’t be caught dead here she was in fact dead, wasn’t she? Still, every fiber of his being pressed him to speak up, to utter her name even though he thought it would only lead to embarrassment and confusion… But his gut urged him on.
“Diana?” He asked the woman carefully, his eyes flashing with shock has he grew closer, his heart speeding.
“No I’m sorry. You must have me mistaken for someone else.” The woman said nervously.
She cupped the side of her face in hand, turning her attention toward the children in the ball pit, hiding from his gaze. Mulder’s heart twisted. He’d know her eyes, her face. Her voice anywhere. He reached over, trying to grab her arm to turn her toward him.
“Oh my God you’re alive!” He persisted, amazed. “How in the hell are you alive Diana?!” He pressed quietly, grabbing her arm successfully this time, holding it just loosely enough that it wouldn’t draw attention from the other adults in the room.
She gulped, turning to him. Caught. Wide-eyed, but far from alarmed and just simply gulped. Mulder was intrigued and not as shocked as he should’ve been by her presence. This, after all, had turned out to be a world where, very often, the dead were not very dead after all.
She searched his eyes a beat, surprised to see them sort of sparkle at the sight of her, as if he were happy.
‘God.’ She thought… ‘Is he really that good of a person? That he’d be happy to see me?’
Diana searched Mulder’s eyes, her heart taking a second to lament over what she could’ve had.
“You escaped.” He smiled, realizing.
“You can’t be happy to see me.” She dismissed.
Mulder paused, his face falling. “Well… Yeah I. I think I am. What are ya doing here?” He laughed.
She just blinked. ‘What are you doing here?’ That was his question after everything that’d happened? After the betrayal and her supposed death?
“What am I doing here?” She repeated, deadpanning.
“Well yeah. I mean, it’s a Halloween carnival for toddlers. At a daycare. It’s not like you’re here for the same reason I am. Ooh there’s my little monster.” He smiled as Maggie rushed up to him gleefully, the other little girl she’d been playing with following her, giggling.
“Loch Ness Monster, Fox?” Diana raised a brow, understanding immediately that this was his child.
Her heart dropped at seeing him with his daughter. She’d not thought a lot about kids, but knew without question he’d be a good father. That much had always been obvious, and she wished it was something she’d really valued when they’d been together. ‘Something else you just threw away…’ An accusing voice echoed.
“Yeah.” He smiled, lifting Maggie into is arms. “Maggie’s super excited to be a little monster, aren’t ya?” He asked, tickling her again and she burst into giggles.
Diana gulped, seeing something of Scully in Mulder’s mini, the idea stinging just a bit. She shook her head, as if to shake off the feeling, looking down when something tugged on her pant’s leg.
“I wonder who this little monster belongs to?” He pried gently, nodding at the little girl who’d been playing with Maggie.
“Ma-ma.” The girl blinked up at Diana with big sad eyes, reaching up.
Diana sighed, relenting, a soft, sad smile playing across her lips as she took the child (who was dressed as a baby tiger) into her embrace.
“Well I never would’ve guessed.” Mulder deadpanned, stunned. He’d not seen her as the maternal type, and yet, this news made him happy.
She bit her lip, saddened. “I didn’t want you to find out this way Fox.” She said, cuddling her baby, her voice barely above a whisper.
“Find out? Find out what?” He asked gently. “She’s not mine, is she?” He joked. He froze, noting she grew deathly serious. “Diana?”
“No Fox.” She said grimly. “She’s your father’s.”
“WHAT!”
……
“By my father, you mean CGB Spender?” He clarified, horrified.
He put his head in his hands, confused, disgusted.
The four had retreated to a quiet little coffee shop nearby, a place they used to go together, their little girls in tow. The two toddlers, neither of whom really had playmates, were enthralled by each other, much like young cousins often were, and the more Mulder looked at them, the more he realized they looked very much alike.
“So…” He laughed, sickened. “You’re telling me that not only are you alive. You had a thing with… Him!” He almost barked under his breath, betrayed. “And that he’s also alive!”
Diana shivered, uncomfortable. Ashamed. “Er… yes. I had an affair with your father.” She admitted uneasily. “And somewhere. I don’t know where, he’s alive. Please, don’t judge me, Fox.” She begged.
He laughed, unnerved. How could he not judge her?
“I thought I’d gotten away. I fled, knowing I might be killed because I couldn’t stand or stop what he was doing to you.” She said honestly, looking into his downcast gaze. He bit his lip, angry, barely able to fathom any of this. “I faked my death with the help of a friend. We thought I’d escaped. And I had, until just after you were kicked out of the FBI.”
“I was told he was dead.” He said quickly, concerned that this was not the case.
She shook her head. “Badly burned. But by then he’d found me. I was kidnapped and forced to serve him. Used to look after his interests while he was incapacitated. Believe me Fox, if I could’ve gotten away I would’ve. I was in-between a rock and a hard place… A glorified slave.”
He narrowed his eyes, looking between her and the child critically. “And so you slept with him?” He challenged, whispering so the kids wouldn’t hear.
Diana put her head down. “I was trying to protect myself and play him for my freedom Fox. And I got my freedom … And I got pregnant.”
Mulder sighed, deeply frustrated, and throughly disgusted. His feelings for Diana had faded with time, with her betrayal and the erosion of their relationship. It couldn’t compare with his love for Scully, and all they’d endured together. And yet, there was still feeling there: he still cared what happened to her, and somewhere inside, this shred of masculinity was slighted by the fact that she, his former girlfriend, had had a baby with his own father.
“So.” He said, turning to the girls, too overwhelmed to understand. They’re… Cousins…?”
“My daughter is your daughter’s aunt… She’s your sister, Fox.”
“My sister.” He could barely repeat, pain in his eyes as he stared over at the girl, his heart softening.
Diana gulped. “I um… I was going to tell you someday but… He doesn’t know about her. I’m trying really hard to keep her from him. I know all the awful things he’s done to you… to your brother… to your son.” She whispered. “My daughter’s a target too.”
Mulder softened, the notion ringing true. “My sister.” He whispered, marveling.
“You know what he does to little sisters.” She gulped honestly, almost breathless, her nerves shining through.
“What do you need?” He asked flatly.
“Protection, Fox.”
……
“Dana I really couldn’t thank you more for doing this.” Monica beamed, rubbing circles over her very round belly. “It means a lot to me.”
Monica didn’t have a whole lot of women friends in the area and it met everything to her that Scully had gone above and beyond to make this shower happen. She was blown away by the gesture, having not had the formal wedding or the shower that went with it either.
“You guys excited?”
“John’s freaking out and over protective.” She sighed. “And I’m… nervous.”
“Well I’ve done it twice now, and the minute you have that baby in your arms, you’re going to forget all that pain.”
“If only it were that simple. OH!” She hissed.
“You okay?” Scully asked, concerned.
“Yeah I just… Big kicking. John keeps calling him his little placekicker which, if you don’t know, and I just learned, is the football player who kicks field goals.”
“Ah.” She nodded.
“Oooh!” Monica whined. “Give mommy a break huh, baby? Oooh I’m so not ready for this.” She admitted.
Scully paused, watching her friend, the physician in her already knowing what was wrong.
‘She’s going to have back labor… That’ll be fun.’ She thought, but decided not to be the one to break the news. She was already jumpy enough about this.
“Whale sounds, remember?” Scully teased.
Monica looked up from her place on the couch, brow raised, surprised she’d brought this up. They didn’t talk about William. Not at all. She smiled, softening at the thought.
“I um… I hope that helped.” She said uneasily.
Scully chuckled lightly, pushing the thought away. It was painful she just didn’t show it to anyone but Mulder.
“It um… It was a good distraction for the time. Want me to drop by when your water breaks, help with those whale sounds… Calm John down an octave?”
“Oh my god would you?!”
……
Scully smiled, kissing her baby’s nose as they sat down to dinner, just the three of them. Maggie giggled, kissing her mother back in the same fashion.
“I know what mommy’s grateful for this year.” Scully beamed. “That’s you Mags! Ha! That’s you!”
Mulder paused, watching Scully and their baby from the kitchen, holding the wine in one hand and its opener in the other. He loved how happy she was these days… How happy they were. How on earth could he possibly break this to her? It’d be earth shattering, she’d think it was a ploy, when it was anything but.
He knew Diana. Her hopes, her fears. Her odd logic. And he’d loved her in spite of all that. The woman he knew, wouldn’t have wanted a baby or agreed to have one for anyone’s sake. Not purposefully. More than anything though, she would’t have asked for help protecting that child. Not if she didn’t feel she really needed it.
“So how’d she do today, daddy?” Scully asked as Mulder finally sat down. “Make any friends?”
“Er… Kinda yeah.”
“Oh? What’s her name what’s she like?” She asked Maggie, as if she could articulate anything about the other child.
“Mand.” The little girl said sincerely.
“Hmmm Mand, could that be Mandy?”
“Scully…”
“That’s a cute name.”
“Scully!”
“What?!”
“Er…Yes we met someone interesting at the party.”
“Interesting?”
He put his head down.
“Mulder what’s going on?” She asked, her eyes darting back and forth with concern, knowing his tone instantly.
He laughed. “You’re never going to believe this.”
“Try me.”
“I… Yes, Maggie met a little girl named Amanda.”
“Okay.”
“They look so much a like, and they played so well together it … It was amazing.” He reflected, marveling.
Scully’s face totally fell and within seconds she was fearing the worst. A clone, a child from a stolen embryo she’d never carried? … A stolen twin? What did he mean they’ looked alike?
 “And she and her mother are coming to our Thanksgiving.”
“I…” Dana paused, searching for the question she wanted to ask, she just didn’t know what that was.
“Because it turns out.” He was laughing now, ridiculous laughter. “It turns out she’s my sister.”
“A… Mulder! It was Samantha?” She asked, wanting to remind him how many times he’d been introduced to a fake version of his sister.
“No.’ He shook his head, laughing harder now. This was just ridiculous. “Of course not. The girl is my sister, the mother is my ex-girlfriend, and your very best friend, Diana Fowley. Because what else would happen?”
“I… What the hell Mulder that’s not funny, she’s dead!”
“No. No she’s very alive… And she ran away. She faked her death.”
“Uh-huh.” Dana crossed her arms. “And after we left the FBI, the Smoking Man kidnapped her.”
Dana’s face fell, her eyes growing wide. “He’s alive!!! How can he be alive??? No I can’t accept this!!!’
“I couldn’t either, but the girls are so much alike… Other than the fact that she's obviously got quite a bit of the smoking bastard in her… Doesn’t make her less cute.”
“What are you saying Mulder? Are you saying he’s her father?!” Scully asked, her mind racing .
“I’m saying I love you, in a way I’ve never loved anyone else, and I’m committed to you and our life and your comfort. But I’d like to help protect my baby sister in anyway I can… Even if that means helping her mother too.”

Chapter Text

Chapter 2 —

November 15th: Nine Days Before Thanksgiving

“You feelin’ okay, baby?” John asked.
“No.” Monica admitted, trying desperately to adjust herself in the passenger’s seat.
“We shoulda taken leave two weeks ago at least.” He raised a brow as he drove, wishing she would listen to him.
The only thing was she wouldn’t. She didn’t hear his concern about her condition, all she heard was his anxiety and that worried her immensely.
“No.” She shook her head, wincing. “I wanna give it as much time after he’s born as we can…”
He sighed, skeptical, knowing his wife was planning on starting her twelve-week-long maternity leave the minute her water broke and not a moment sooner. He watched her a moment, unsure what to say.
“Mon, honey… I think it’s time.” He finally said.
“No, no its just Braxton Hicks … I’m fine.” She hissed.
“Erm….” He paused, knowing it was not fine. He hesitated, signing. Nervous. “Remember that case I said we were goin’ on?”
“Yeah…?”
“Well we’re not goin’ because I think your in labor.”
“I am not!’
In actuality, John (and Skinner) had turned down the case that’d been handed to them: the murder of a pregnant woman and her baby, something they wouldn’t tell her about for many years. John knew he couldn’t handle that right now, nor would he allow her to pretend she could just days before giving birth.
“John please, I think ..ouch! I can get in one more case.”
He sighed, pulling the car over. She blinked in surprise.
“John…”
“I don’t normally say this kinda thing, because I don’t wanna upset you, but your about to pop darlin’.”
“I…” She looked down, seeing he was right. She couldn’t even put on her own shoes anymore.
“I know you’re scared…”
“I’m not.”
“You’re scared.”
John thought he figured it out: taking leave met having the baby was close at hand and she wasn’t ready for it. He couldn’t blame her, he didn’t feel much different in truth. She blinked, wanting to accuse him of being the one who was on pins and needles, his over preparedness was giving her anxiety.
“But we’re going to go home…” He began.
“You didn’t pull the trigger on our leave!” She cried.
He smiled, softening. “I’ll make a bet with you, Mrs. Doggett. We go home. Take tomorrow off, we have take out, watch some movies, chill…And if that baby doesn’t come out by the end of that thirty-six hour period then yes, I’ll let you give birth at a crime scene, put yellow tape around ya and everything.”
Monica paused a beat, then just beamed. “Oh John thank you!”
“My pleasure.” He said, putting the car back in gear, still nervous.
He didn’t think he was wrong, and he didn’t want to be. He didn’t want to be in a precarious place, or in the middle of something hectic or dangerous when the baby came… He wanted it all to go smoothly.
‘Your a cop, remember John? NYPD.’ He said to himself. ‘You can deliver a baby… even if its not in a cab or an elevator.’
……
“Thank you for doing this, Fox.” Diana had said. ‘I promise I won’t make it a regular thing…’
Mulder hadn’t hesitated a beat when Diana had called, reluctantly asking him to take Amanda for the day because her sitter was sick. The girls were thrilled to see each other and Mulder quickly found having both his sister and his baby daughter in his care felt natural. The three of them were fast, close friends, as if they’d all always spent their days together.
Even Amanda was unbothered by having been left with relative strangers. Something about Maggie enthralled her, and Fox calmed her little soul.
Several hours into their day, Mulder found himself sitting on the living room floor with the girls as they played together, Maggie excitedly sharing her toys with her new friend. Mulder remained quiet, observing his new little sister closely, searching for any vestige of the Smoking Man in her physicality. Diana had certainly made her mark on the child, the girl as much her mini as Maggie was his, a strange observation given that the two also looked so much alike.
“Hey Manda.” He teased, getting her to look up at him. Just what he wanted: a good, long look at her face.
The girl babbled, engaging right away, handing him a stuffed alien that belonged to Maggie. Scully hated the thing, naturally.
‘That’s ironic.’ He said to himself. ‘Your father’s kid handing you an alien…’
“Oh! Amanda, is that for me, you want me to have this?” Mulder asked, keeping her focus on him as long as he could.
The girl clapped, squealing, her joy filling Mulder’s heart.
“Thanks Manda. You know what, I’m your big brother, did you know that?”
“Oooh.” She babbled, staring up at him, curious now, her little eyes wide. She gnawed on her fist, concentrating on him, perplexed. She knew that phrase, but not what it met. Not really.
Mulder smiled. ‘Ah-ha!’
There it was, the way the little girl widened her eyes and wrinkled her brow: the Smoking Man. On their own, they were pure, loving eyes, untainted, innocent… But yet they were CSM’s all the same. The shape, the color, the intensity.
That was not where he’d expected to find father dearest, in the windows to this beautiful little girl’s soul. Something about that fascinated Mulder.
‘Surely there must have been a sweet little boy in there… Once a long time ago.’ He reasoned.
He’d never thought of it that way, comparing the CSM to all the serial killers he’d profiled. He supposed you could apply the same principles, figure out why he turned, or maybe evil was just evil. He took another long look at the sweet little girl, his heart wrenching, worried she’d turn out evil. Worried he’d loose her too.
‘It’s not her fault, just like its not yours…’ Something pressed as the child softened, handing him yet another toy he took with a smile.
He leaned down, kissing her forehead, causing her to gaze up at him in what seemed like total wonder. No one but mommy kissed her, what did this mean?
“It’s okay.” He told the child. “If we raise you right, you’ll turn out great, and we’ll love ya anyway.” He teased.
…….
Five Hours Later

“I’ve…. Never seen her play that well with anybody before.”
Scully crossed her arms, marveling. She’d come home from work at the hospital a little nervous at the prospect of meeting Amanda for the first time, a notion that seemed ridiculous to her even though she couldn’t shake it.
‘She’s a toddler.’ Scully’d reasoned, scolding herself. ‘She’s just a baby. You can’t dislike her because you dislike her parents.’
Well, alleged parents. Part of her was skeptical of the claim that the Smoking Man was the baby’s father. Scully’s irrational jealous side thought this was just a trick of Diana’s, to get back in Mulder’s good graces, or worse, under his skin. She would know how to play him and the sister angle would certainly do the job.
“Hey Manda.” Mulder said sweetly, “Hey come here I have someone I want you to meet.” The little girl looked up, but so did Maggie.
“Ha, mama!!!” Maggie cried, running toward Scully when she saw her.
“Hi my baby!” Scully cried, lifting her baby into her arms, hugging her tight, kissing her cheek repeatedly. “Did you have fun with your new friend?”
Amanda watched curiously, remaining quiet as Fox picked her up. “Hey Manda.” He soothed, holding her close. “I have someone I want you to meet, this is Scully, Maggie’s mommy, can you say hi?”
“Hi.” Amanda blushed, giggling, hiding her face in Fox’s shoulder.
Dana stopped, the girl’s reaction giving her a moment of pause. She was immediately taken aback by how comfortable the baby was with Mulder, and the strong resemblance between them. It was unmistakable: she looked almost as much like him as Maggie did… Except the parts that looked exactly like Diana. Scully gulped, the child’s very being straining her heart, reminding her of the relationship he’d had with Diana. Of the pain and jealousy she’d felt all those years ago … What if she were… His?
Scully’s heart skipped a beat, wavering. Logically, she knew that would not and could not be true. That bringing it up would just cause a problem. Instead she swallowed her doubt and turned toward the little girl, feeling cornered when her own child reached out, and took the other girl’s hand.
“Umm… Hi Manda. You can call me Dana.”
Amanda squealed shyly, turning toward Fox again.
Mulder smiled, “Gee Scully I think she likes you.”
“You um… Having a good time?” She asked uneasily.
“The three of us are peas in a pod… It’s like we’ve always been together, idn’t that right girls?”
Amanda giggled and Maggie clapped.
“I… See that.” She acknowledged, bewildered.
“What are you girls thinking for dinner?” Mulder asked.
“Oh I…”
Mulder looked down, his phone suddenly buzzing. “Hey look at that Manda, its mommy.” He said, Scully’s heart sinking when she heard Mulder call Diana ‘mommy’ but he didn’t notice, answering without another word.
“Fox I’m going to be a little late…” Diana cringed, explaining.
She’d pulled over to the side of the road in the pouring rain, one of her tires totally shredded.
“I’m just a few miles away but, no way I can get there like this. AAA’ll be a couple of hours.”
Scully watched intently, only reading Mulder’s expression, unable to hear any of this.
“I’ll be right there.”
“No, Fox it’s okay! I really don’t want to be any trouble.” Diana almost begged. “Please, just if Amanda can have dinner with you…”
“Of course she can. She’s always welcome, but I have a spare I’ll get you out of there before they can.”
Diana grimaced, mortified. “Only if you’re sure…”
“Of course I’m sure. Be there soon. Scully’ll keep the girls.” He said, hanging up.
“I’ll what?” The redhead asked.
“Ugh!” Diana cried, putting her forehead on the steering wheel, defeated.
She was nervous enough about being reintroduced to Scully, the very last thing she wanted to do was ruffle feathers, or make it look like she was taking advantage… Or trying to take him back.
“I’ll do what?” Scully asked as he put the phone back in his pocket.
He smiled, handing his baby sister to his reluctant ‘wife’. The two stared at each other in surprise for beat before Amanda settled into Scully’s embrace, trusting her immediately, something the doctor took immediate note of.
“Diana’s got a little tire trouble. AAA’ll be a couple of hours so I’m just going to go get her with my spare, should take less than half the time.”
“Oh um…. Okay.”
“And hey, while we’re out I’ll get us a pizza I think we all need to talk anyway.”
“Mulder…” She warned.
He ignored her, kissing her softly as he headed for the door, grabbing his coat and keys. “Be like an hour, tops.” He promised, heading out, then popping back in. “An hour and a half with pizza.”
“Ughhhh.” Scully cried, her heart dropping as he shut the door.
Just then, her own phone started to buzz. She put the girls down, scrambling for her phone.
“Oh no…"
John: All systems ago!
“No, not now!” She cried, realizing what he met: Monica was in labor. Finally.
She bit her lip, struggling to type… Unsure what to say.
Dana: Childcare emergency on my end…. Keep me posted.
She blinked, seeing John start to type the little dots floating back and forth then nothing, no reply.
“Ughhhh.” She cried, frustrated. “Mulder!”
She resented Diana enough as it was. But she was furious she was going to miss Monica’s birth. Diana’d aided in causing so many of their problems, and Monica had gone through hell with her to try to make everything okay. Scully felt terrible, knowing Monica and John were both scared, feeling they needed her to calm the storm as they’d calmed hers.
“Maybe I can get mom…No.” She reasoned. “Not with someone else’s baby not in this storm… Besides, it’ll be an hour… Right?”
……
Two Hours Later

Scully sighed, sitting by the fire with both girls. The lights had gone out and the rain picked up tremendously. She was upset, and unsure if she was worried more for Mulder’s safety, or if he was enjoying his time with Diana. She sighed, heartbroken. Defeated. Part of her worried she would loose her dear friend for abandoning her, the other terrified she was losing the love of her life.
’It’s silly…’ Scully said to herself. ‘You know he doesn’t love her little that.’
She wasn’t totally convinced. She sat with the girls, holding a picture of the Smoking Man out in front of her, trying her best to compare it with Amanda’s little face. Who said she had to look like him? Maggie didn’t look much like her at all and she and Mulder had decided that was a good sign: that her DNA had not been tampered with.
She frowned, comparing the toddler and the picture. It wasn’t an easy comparison, but something indiscriminate, something she could not name or define matched the child, just as it had with the girl and Mulder. Scully gave up, tucking the photo away, her gut feeling telling her that Diana was telling the truth. She could see where that might be, after all, she knew the CSM had been attracted to her and she thought it was partially because he wanted what belonged to Mulder… If that was true of her would it not be the same with Diana?
‘Perhaps.’ Something suggested, ‘This is how Agent Fowley came to be in this mess…’
She was going down the right trail of thinking, but Dana didn’t want to honor that truth. She shook her head, dismissing it for now.
“Hungy.” Amanda pouted.
“Pwease.” Maggie followed, agreeing.
“Oh… Girls… I’m sorry, we’re supposed to have pizza.” She said, looking at her phone, realizing it was dead. “Maybe we can have a snack.”
Just then, the door opened, roaring rain and wind practically pushing Mulder and Diana inside, the two soaking wet, laughing, happy. She just stated at him as the girls giggled in excitement at their return. Diana froze, as if caught, the two women locking eyes. Diana got on her knees, intimidated, her gaze on Scully as her baby excitedly ran into her arms.
“Mom-me!!!” Amanda cried, running into Diana’s embrace.
“Aweee my baby.” She whispered, kissing her cheek.
“Hey Scully, I’m sorry that took a while. It’s a lot crazier out there than it seemed.” Mulder said, leaning down, kissing her head as he passed by, heading for the kitchen, pizza in hand.
“I don’t know.” Dana swallowed, staring Diana down. “It seems pretty crazy from here to me.”
The brunette gulped, embraced. Cornered. She’d wanted a fresh start with Dana, or, short of that not a giant misunderstanding.
“I think we’d better go… “ She said.
“Are you nuts Diana in this storm?” Mulder questioned.
“I….’
“Sleep on our couch. Please.” He insisted.
Suddenly they heard a huge SNAP followed by a THUD. The girls shrieked, each hugging their mother tight, scared. But all three adults understood: a tree had fallen, struck by lightning.
What were the odds of that?
“Er…” Scully hesitated. “I’ll make up the couch.” She acquiesced deciding to be gracious. She had to be.
“Hear that girls?” Mulder asked his daughter and sister. “Looks like you get your first sleepover.”
The toddlers squealed, neither knowing what that met, or that their mothers were both mortified.

Chapter Text

Chapter 3 —

Thanksgiving Day 2005

“Scully ya didn’t have ta make all this.” John said, sneaking a bite of what she’d brought, pretending he hadn’t done it.
“Yes I did.” She said, smiling coyly. “It’ll feed you for days, and when its done I’ll come back with more.”
John blushed, touched. “Thank you, i-it means a lot ta us. What’s goin’ on with you, where’s Mulder?” He bit his lip.
She sighed, having hoped he wouldn’t bring this up. “I… Well first, I wish you’d come to dinner but with a week old baby, I understand why you didn’t.”
“Maybe next year.” He smiled.
“And…Well, I invited Mulder’s brother…”
“Agent Spender.” He recalled.
“And he invited …” She paused, John tilted his head, encouraging her to continue.
She shook her head not wanting to say it. But this was John, her former partner and she just had to say it.
“His ex-girlfriend.”
“Oh.” He said, awkwardness in his voice.
He’d not experienced anything in his life like that, not until he and Monica went on a ‘baby moon’ a couple of months back. They’d gone to a Broadway show. He still didn’t know how it’d happened: how he’d ended up standing on the street with his ex wife, her fiancé and his own very pregnant new bride … He’d never live down the awkwardness he’d felt, despite no one else having felt that way. And it was awful.
“It’s not just that…You may remember her name if you’ve read a lot of X-Files, Diana Fowley.”
“Fowley, Fowley…It ain’t ringin’ no bells… Wait! Didn’t she help that smoking bastard do somethin’ to Mulder’s brain… And isn’t she dead!?” He yelled, then whispered, suddenly cognizant to not wake his newborn upstairs.
“She … Turned out to be alive. And was held in bondage by him for a while….” She said, as John took a sip of his coffee, honestly kind of intrigued. “And I guess they had a thing because… now Mulder has a little sister.”
John choked, spitting the coffee everywhere, not seeing that one coming.
“Excuse me?”
“She had the Smoking Man’s baby… She’s a month younger than Maggie.”
John just stared at her, his eyes widening, trying to fathom it.
“I just… I can’t get past this. Not for Mulder’s sake… Or that little girl’s sake. Diana and I never saw eye to eye… I don’t know how I can let her in my home after what she’s done.”
John sighed, thinking about it. “This sister thing… It’s, it’s always been his sore spot, huh?”
She nodded. “I didn’t think she was…. That it was all a lie. But having spent some time with both of them. Yeah I’m pretty sure the story checks out.”
“I think ya gotta let him have it. Trust me, from someone whose just been rewarded with his heart’s desire … It’s, it’s not replacin’ my son. No one could ever do that.” He smiled sadly. “But… havin’ another one Scully it’s … Healed my soul. Ya gotta let Mulder have that.”
She bit her lip staring up at him, not wanting to admit he was right.
“Now after all of that, I want my reward.” She smiled. “Where’s that beautiful baby?”
“He and mommy are sleepin’ but you can still see him, come on.”
……
Diana sighed, watching her daughter play on the floor of her room, babbling happily to herself as she served little stuffed things tea. The former agent placed her head against the doorframe, wondering if she was doing the right thing. She’d not celebrated Thanksgiving in several years now, not since before the Smoking Man reentered her life. She felt badly that she’d not had a Thanksgiving with Amanda and had not really observed her first Christmas either… What was the point when she knew no different? She’d been just weeks old for her first holiday season. It’d just been the two of them and she didn’t exactly have the mothering thing down back then.
But Diana’d been making more an effort lately. She’d made a thing out of Amanda’s second birthday, just weeks before. This Christmas there’d be a tree, and Santa … Thanksgiving was supposed to be one of those rotisserie chickens you find at the market, and an introduction to the whole concept of turkey and gratitude … She’d have never expected a full-on invitation to Mulder and Scully’s and she wasn’t sure how she really felt about it.
Mulder was full of grace, whether he knew it or not. And sadly, Diana knew he still had affection for her, something that overwhelmed her guilty heart, and made it ache just a bit. She hoped, for everyone’s sake that she could learn to love him platonically. She’d rather have him as a brother than not have him at all. She didn’t want to admit it to herself, but so far, she was finding it was good to have him in any sense. He soothed the part of her that’d been frantic, and remained so ever since the pregnancy test turned blue.
Even so, things with Scully were exceptionally awkward, just as they’d always been. She wished they could come to an understanding, a stalemate even, but understood why, in Scully’s eyes that would not be probable. Even she couldn’t forgive herself for the things she’d done.
‘Oooh, do I have to go?’ She asked herself, but then her baby caught her eye. ‘This is for her, remember?’ Something inside urged. ‘It’d be wrong for her to not know some family. Especially such a wonderful big brother.”
She missed her family… Who didn’t even know Amanda existed. She’d kept her distance for some time now, to keep them all safe. She’d last spoken with her mother and sister the Christmas Amanda was born. She’d sat on her couch in Georgetown, crying quietly, an eight week old baby finally asleep in her arms, and told them she was in Beirut.
“Amanda, honey.” She called quietly.
The girl paused, looking up, giggling upon the sight of her mother, her gaze warming Diana’s burdened heart.
“Baby. Are you ready to go?”
…..
“Okay so…” Diana began, putting a sock on Amanda’s foot, the girl watched her mother eagerly. “You know Fox and Maggie?”
Amanda squealed, clapping. “We’re gonna have a special dinner with them at their house its called Thanksgiving.”
“Oooh.” She babbled, interested.
Diana ran her fingers through the child’s hair, marveling over how sweet and delightful she was. Sometimes, it was hard to swallow when mommy and daddy were monsters.
“Its a big holiday everybody celebrates together where we say we’re thankful, and there’s a turkey. Gobble, gobble.” She baby talked, pressing her nose to her daughter’s, causing the toddler to giggle. “Your going to get to see Maggie’s mommy.”
“D…” She managed eagerly. Amanda liked Scully right away.
“Yes, Dana.” She said nervously, not excited about seeing Scully. “And meet her grandmother… And.” She paused, taking the girl’s hands. “Your two big brothers. Did you know that, you have two big brothers: Fox and Jeffrey.”
“Manda.”
“That’s right, and Amanda.” She said, kissing her forehead. “I love you, baby lets see how this goes.…”
“Luv.” She said, kissing her mother’s nose, causing her to smile.
…..
“Mulder thanks for, thanks for having me.” Jeffrey smiled, joy spreading across his badly maimed face. “It means a lot to me.”
“I’m glad we could… Reconnect.” Mulder nodded, slapping his shoulder, inviting him in.
“I… Understand I have a niece now. I’d really like to meet her.” He enthused offering Mulder the bottle of wine he’d brought. Fox took it readily, gesturing his thanks.
“Yeah. She’s in the kitchen. She’ll be excited, she likes new relatives… but I… I have something to talk to you about might be kinda hard to swallow.”
“Oh.” His face fell. “Please… Don’t tell me this is about… Him?”
“Kinda. Come on, let’s open this up… We’re gonna need it.”
“Oh boy.”
…..
Mulder took Jeffrey to sit in his tiny study. Spender found the place a little bit overwhelming, it was an absolute mess littered with papers and boxes that echoed the chaos of the X-Files office. If they were the Odd Couple, Jeffrey was definitely Felix to Mulder’s Oscar. The two brothers sat opposite each other in big comfortable chairs Jeffrey was surprised Mulder had bothered with.
“Gee, where do I begin?” Mulder asked himself. “Do you remember Diana Fowley?”
“Of course.” He blinked.
“Well. It looks like she faked her death, and dear old dad.” He teased, Jeffrey shuttered at the term, surprised Mulder could joke like that. “Well, he survived my last encounter with him. Diana, thinking he was dead came out of hiding and unfortunately for her, he found her.”
“That sounds insane Mulder.” He frowned, skeptical.
“And he entrapped her… And one thing thing led to another …”
“And?” Jeffrey asked, not getting it, but now seeing where this could’ve happened.
“And the the next thing you know, we have a baby sister, surprise.”
“What!”
“He knocked up my ex-girlfriend. Kid’s a month younger than my kid.”
“E-you sure?”
“She looks like him so… Yeah.”
Jeffrey shifted in his seat, uncomfortable like he was going to be sick.
“How’s Dana taking it?”
“Loving every minute of it.” He quipped sarcastically.
“A sister.” Spender marveled, blinking. “Like a kid?”
“She’s cute and you’ll get to meet her in an hour.” Mulder looked up when the doorbell rang. “Oh crap, I gotta explain this to Skinner.”
…..
An Hour Later

“Hi Fox.” Diana said shyly, putting her head down as soon as he answered the door, Amanda on her hip.
“Hey, come on in.” He smiled, taking her hand and pulling her inside. “You look great.” He smiled, unable to help it. She blushed, wondering if he knew what he was saying.
Amanda squealed upon seeing him, reaching toward him and waving.
“Well hey.” He smiled, “Hey baby sister, happy Thanksgiving.” She blushed, momentarily hiding her face in her mom’s shoulder.
“I think she likes me.” He joked, taking Amanda from Diana.
“Manda, Can you say hi big brother?” Diana asked, taking off her coat.
“Hi.” She smiled, happy, but almost whispering.
“Hey Manda, Manda you wanna meet our brother Jeff?”
Amanda raised a brow, curious. She was beginning to understand the concept of ‘brother’ and found it intriguing that there could be a second one.
“Hey Manda.” Jeffrey smiled, coming back into the room.
Diana paused, saddened to see Jeffrey. She’d heard what happened to him, it’d been part of the reason she’d taken her unborn baby and fled…
‘God.’ She thought, starting to shake a bit. ‘Oh my God he did that to his own son.’
Diana wasn’t sure this would’ve bothered her in the same way, before she became a mother herself, but now she thought she might cry. She looked up, pried out of her thoughts when in an instant, Amanda started to sob.
…..
“Please Dana will you just let it be.” Maggie whispered, frustrated, setting the table.
Scully turned around, a tad hurt. ‘You’re not on my side…?’ She wanted to clarify.
“Mom…?”
Maggie sighed. “I know this is hard…But the truth is. I feel terrible for that woman.”
“Er…” Scully choked, disturbed by this. Had she not heard what she’d said about Diana?
“I can see the pain in her heart, Dana. Can you? She has a tremendous burden not unlike yours. Can you imagine being that man’s mistress?” She snapped, whispering.
Maggie Scully was disgusted by Diana’s ordeal, what she’d heard of it anyhow. And while she appreciated her daughter’s apprehension, she thought accepting and helping her was the right thing to do.
“I don’t trust her motives, mom.”
“You mean you don’t trust her around Fox.”
“Er…” She gulped. “I trust Mulder.” She clarified. “But she’s always been able to sway him and she’s doing it again.”
“Swaying him by what? By being there for his little sister?”
Scully sighed, putting her head down, feeling Mulder was very manipulated by the concept of having a new sister to love. It was too perfect a weapon.
“Its just… It’s too uncanny.” She said, watching little Maggie and Amanda in the other room, just feet away.
The two babbled like crazy, absolutely smitten with one another still. Diana on the floor with them: Scully didn’t like that either. The girls were very similar, in their appearance, the way they laughed and moved…
“I know what your thinking.” Maggie senior blinked. “They’re not an experiment Dana.”
Scully shook her head, wanting to end the conversation.
“You may not like this woman, but give her grace. Look at her, is that the Diana you knew before?” She pointed.
Diana sat on the floor with the girls, playing with them both, hugging her own child tight as she sat in her lap.
“Let Fox have his friend, and his baby sister. He needs that. And let your daughter have her cousin.”
“She’s her aunt.”
“Sure.” Maggie shrugged. “But as cousins, they’ll be thick as thieves.”
……
“Hmmmm?” The Smoking Man raised a brow, lighting a fresh cigarette as he put his car in park, watching the Mulder residence from a short distance away.
He wasn’t entirely sure what had compelled him to get in his car and drive to his son’s house on Thanksgiving. It seemed oddly sentimental for someone like himself who was so fiercely calculating, so used to being alone. He hadn’t celebrated a Thanksgiving in so long he had no clear recollection of doing so. Perhaps there’d been an awkward invite by an associate in the 80s? For sure there’d been a Thanksgiving or two with Bill and Teena. It’d been Bill’s turkey, but he’d insisted on carving it…He was better at carving it, after all.
There’d of course been Thanksgivings with Cassandra where she’d tried to make him say what he was grateful for… And then there was that last Thanksgiving with her, the one where they’d tried to make things look normal for Jeffrey but they both knew what lay ahead for her… And for them.
He shook his head, trying not to think about it, still not entirely sure why he was here on his older son’s property, a pariah amid a host of welcome guests. He would not admit it to himself, but he had multiple places he could and should be this Thanksgiving only he wasn’t sure which spot he’d be less welcome at. That’s why he’d chosen Mulder and Scully’s… He expected to be tossed out, but had arrived to find another dilemma entirely.
He lit a cigarette, eyeing the other attendees cars with concern. He knew them all on sight and understood without question that he’d at least come at the right time: fashionably late. He got out of his car quietly, careful with his feet on the gravel, hoping to ambush the unwitting group.
‘There is Mr. Skinner.’ He acknowledged, counting the cars. ‘Mrs. Scully. Jeffrey is still driving that, I see and…’
He’d stopped dead in his tracks, at the sight of a vehicle he’d not expected to see. Was that… Diana’s?
‘Well.’ He reasoned. ‘She did run off and sacrifice to herself to save Mulder… Should you be surprised she’d be here now? That she’d betray you for him?’He thought, the idea infuriating him.
There had been one more Thanksgiving. One spent with Diana alone in their opulent penthouse, just after she’d moved in, just following the point at which their relationship turned physical. He wasn’t sure he’d call it a Thanksgiving. It certainly hadn’t been a proper holiday. No turkey was had, no gratitude shared, but he certainly could tell you he’d gone to sleep that night a thankful man. He gulped, peering inside the car, his throat running dry.
His cold heart tightened as he peered inside the car, quickly determining that yes, it was hers. The backseat caught his eye, packed with a carseat, toys… Evidence of her changed life. He took a long puff of his cigarette, for once, unsure what to do.
‘Its your fault.’ The most secret part of his heart reminded. ‘You let her go. You left with no forwarding address.’
He’d fled, broken off their affair and her servitude to him abruptly amid a very credible threat to his life and what remained of the project. He’d wanted to take her, to force her into hiding with him, but instead had set her free. He regretted that with every fiber of his being, having returned months later to discover she was pregnant and didn’t bother to tell him.
Since that time, he’d let her and the child be. Watching them from afar, letting her enjoy the illusion that she had won. He wondered if he’d broken her heart, or if she’d been all too happy to rid herself of him. In truth he couldn’t tell. He couldn’t read her. That’s what he loved so much about Diana. He couldn’t read her. He couldn’t play her, and she never showed her hand. Yet, she was the one person who seemed to actually care about him.
‘But…’ He thought, almost unable to admit it to himself. ‘I love her…’
He’d been torn, you see, between showing up at his son’s house, and at Diana’s in Georgetown. Ultimately he’d chosen Mulder’s because he expected to be confronted, thrown out… But he didn’t know if he was ready to face Diana’s rejection. For now he could watch, manipulate her circumstances unseen….Wait for a time when he could more easily enter his daughter’s life.
He’d never expected to arrive and find them all here together. It made the evil mastermind feel cornered and sad in a way he refused to admit to. His head swam, and in a moment he found he was totally consumed with fury, then grief. He blinked, trying to compose himself, knowing this wouldn’t get him anywhere. What was done was done, whatever it was. He let his heart ice over, as it was so expertly trained to do, trying harder to access the situation.
And then it hit him.
This was still an opportunity to see his daughter in person, something he’d not done since the day she was born (unbeknownst to her mother). But then there was the other baby, Maggie. Perhaps she was his ticket. What if he said he was there to see his new grandchild, and feigned total ignorance about his mistress and their baby? Yes that was it.
Besides he did want to see his granddaughter, and not entirely for sentimental reasons… The project was basically completed, and Scully barren or so he thought. He had to see the girl for himself, just to know if she was real, and if she was a thing of science or of heaven itself.
‘It’s about the project, the work.’ He told himself, when really, something in his heart did just want to be a normal man. To see his only granddaughter in addition to his daughter. He’d never gotten the chance to see William, and that opportunity had passed… For now.
‘That’s it.’ He decided, heading back to his own car. ‘Young Margaret will be my excuse for having come.’
……
“Oh … Oh my god.” Skinner managed, looking out the window.
Things were actually going kind of smoothly despite the competing presences among the guests. The house full of the succulent smell of turkey, stuffing and everything that went along with it. Dinner was nearly ready, Jeffrey was helping Mulder with the table, Skinner was trying to make Diana feel welcome despite his own misgivings, and the children were very obviously enjoying each other’s company…
But suddenly, the assistant director heard a shuffle on the gravel, and went to look out of pure paranoia, his drink in hand. Mulder quickly caught wind of his friend’s concern, hearing the ‘crunch’ sound as well and following him over to the window.
“What, who is it?” Mulder asked, “Oh…. oh my God.”
Scully came out of the kitchen in that moment, her heart sinking when she saw the two men she trusted most huddled at the window.
“Mulder?!” She cried, rushing toward them, looking out the window too. It’s… oh my God he’s alive, Mulder what’s he doing here?! She brought him here, didn’t she!” She cried turning toward Diana.
Diana just stared, like a deer in headlights. Realizing. Everything went into slow motion as her heart began to thud. She swept down, picking up Amanda at lightening speed, causing the girl to protest.
“No I didn’t, hide me! Please! Please!!!”
“Shuuu will you all just keep your voices down.” Maggie Sr. whispered, coming into the room, ascertaining who had arrived. “And close that curtain your going to draw his attention.”
Mulder did so quickly, perhaps a bit too quickly. Scully swept in, picking up her own baby and rushing into the kitchen.
“I’ll solve all your problems… I’m gonna kill him.” Jeffrey growled, picking up a long, pointed umbrella and heading for the door.
Skinner grabbed him immediately, restraining him.
Mulder sighed, “Somehow I’m not sure that’s the answer either.”
“Hide me, please Fox.” Diana pled, tears welling in her eyes. “Please… He doesn’t know about the baby.” She choked, crying. “He’ll trap us… Please….”
“Come on.” Maggie said kindly, putting her hand on Diana’s back, ushering her in the direction Scully had headed.
The three women had ended up in the kitchen. Scully sat curled up in a ball by the kitchen sink, hugging her daughter tightly.
“Oh honey…” Maggie started, getting on her knees. “It’s going to be okay baby.”
“No it isn’t. Mom he always comes with destruction, and games! … He’s the reason for all of this. For my cancer, for what happened to my baby.” She sobbed, reminding. Thinking of both her other babies.
Diana’s heart dropped and she lowered her head. Feeling like a coward. If she’d not fallen in with the Smoking Man, she could be in Dana’s place exactly. But it wasn’t as if Dana hadn’t been offered the option to turn right at the start. She had, she just hadn’t seen it. Meanwhile, little Maggie and Amanda stared at Scully, both deeply troubled by her tears, both about ready to cry too…
“He followed you here.” Dana accused. Diana gulped, realizing her car was parked outside.
For a half a beat, part of her held out hope he wouldn’t count the cars, or get info on the plates. But he was smart, calculating, and through in the way only a possessive person would be (but conveniently without the emotional attachment), he would do just that. Even so, she still didn’t think he knew about her child, and she didn’t think she’d been followed per se.
‘Oh God.’ She thought, feeling sick. ‘Carseat… He knows now. You have to run… Or hide.’
“Dana.” Diana said, getting on her knees too. “I am sorry for all the horrible things you perceive about me. I didn’t want to hurt Fox I…” She paused, knowing she couldn’t tell her ex’s partner and ‘mother-in-law’ that she’d loved him even though she had. She did. “I fell in because I tried to protect him. And I never got out. That was the price I paid. Does that make sense to you? Like that time you went away with him and he tried to show you the cure for cancer apparently.”
Maggie Sr furrowed her brow, turning to her daughter as if she’d been slapped in the face. “When did this happen?” She demanded.
“How did you know about it?” Dana questioned sharply, ignoring her mom.
“He told me.” She said simply.
Scully gulped, wondering the context in which the story had been told, and if it had anything to do with William.
“Something similar happened to me when I was still Fox’s partner. Only, unlike the countless times he’s saved you, and you him… Nobody came for me. I had to play dead to get away. And I did… Twice with a different price.”
“And what is it, may I ask that led to…” She gestured toward Amanda, already having a dark theory.
“I knew he was attracted to me.” She said, wanting to say she thought he was equally as attracted to her, or maybe more so. But Scully already knew this. “When he found me I tried to use that to my advantage to get away. I slipped up, and I got pregnant. That’s purely it.”
It wasn’t. There’d been a connection beyond the darkness. Diana had found that CSM could be charming, and a gentleman … But she supposed the devil could too.
“You cigarette smoking son of a bitch!” The three women looked up, alarmed when they heard Mulder yell.
“Dana, I think I need to hide her.” Maggie insisted.
Scully paused a beat, not replying, but Maggie followed.
“For Godsakes Dana, don’t you see… She’s where you were, but worse… How much do you think he’d have wanted William if he thought he were his father.”
Diana froze, knowing this had been the case. But she didn’t feel it was her place to say, nor did she believe it to be true.
“Okay.” Scully nodded in agreement, drying her tears, “Hide her.”
Maggie pushed Diana and her baby toward the other side of the kitchen: toward the basement door and opened it.
“Down I go too.…” She sighed, gulping.

Chapter Text

Chapter 4 —

“What are you doing here you smoking son of a bitch?!” Mulder cried, the front door swinging behind him as he ran out onto the porch.
Skinner and Spender rushed out behind him, each prepared to pounce. Scully shook, holding her baby tight as she and her mother listened carefully from the kitchen, on pins and needles. Diana did the same, scared to death, with her daughter in the basement.
“Fox is that any way to treat family on Thanksgiving?” The Cigarette Smoking Man chastised kindly, his two sons staring him down, the younger one ready to snap. But for the moment, Skinner restrained him.
“Leave!” Mulder commanded.
“Not until I see my granddaughter.” He smiled.
“You’ll never lay a hand on her!” Mulder declared.
“Of course not. She is my flesh and blood.”
Mulder was seething. “So is my son!” He shrilled. Inside the house, Scully started to blubber at the mention of William. “Hell, so is Jeffrey here, the poor bastard. He’s your own son!!! What do you call what you’ve done to them?”
In the basement, Diana shivered, hugging her baby tight. It was cold and dark down there and little Amanda, an apartment dweller, was not having it.
“Shuuuu sweetheart its okay. Mama’s got you don’t be scared.” She promised, about to be sick.
She’d tried so hard to protect her daughter, to keep her from her father’s clutches, and now all of that was deeply in jeopardy. She’d wanted to get away from him, but getting pregnant had given her the guts she needed to do it. She’d fled in part because of how he’d treated his other children: he’d tortured Fox, he’d shot Jeffrey … She was mortified when she’d become pregnant in part because she had no idea what plans he would make for her child, and did not want to find out. She shook, the yelling outside and her baby’s frantic tears making her panic, her fight or flight response at an all time high: only she had nowhere to go.
“Shuuuu baby no, no don’t cry. Don’t cry. Manda panda its really important you be quiet for mommy okay?” She asked frantically, brushing her daughter’s head with a kiss.
Amanda whimpered, hiding her face in her mother’s shoulder.
“Dat…” She pointed. She meant ‘that’. Diana turned around blinking, seeing the menacing figure her daughter referred to in the corner.
“Fox.” She sighed.
In the corner of the basement, there was an alien mannequin, a big tall stereotypical grey, with huge black eyes…wearing a Santa hat, holding a sign that said, ‘Christmas Greetings, Earthling’
“Bet Scully loves that thing.” She mumbled, turning to her daughter. “He’s not real honey, Mr. Alien is just a silly Christmas decoration.”
Amanda sucked her thumb, considering this, but shook her head, unwilling to accept it.
“He’s a big ugly doll.” She reasoned flatly, kicking it, quieting Amanda. Her kicking the doll coinciding with the sound of the CSM’s voice outside.
CSM chuckled, nursing the cigarette in his hand. “Fox. It’s simple. William is a very special boy. A gifted boy. I think you know that. And Jeffrey… “ He searched for something to say, not wanting to say that Jeffrey was the opposite of special, even though that was his opinion. “He got in the way, just as you’ve gotten in the way many, many times.”
Provoked, Jeffrey tried to break free of Skinner’s grasp once more, but found he couldn’t budge more than an inch or two, the Assistant Director far stronger than he.
“You are my sons.” The Smoking Man reiterated, sighing. “I don’t want to hurt you. I only ever aim to do what is absolutely necessary for the sake of the cause. You both know that.”
“The cause? You freaking shot me, Dad!!!” Jeffrey cried.
“Tisk, tisk, tisk.” CSM rolled his eyes as if saying ‘boo-hoo.’ “You took a wrong turn.”
“So what’s any different now than it was the day you shot Agent Spender?” Skinner raised a brow, the vein in his forehead bulging.
Walter was over it, all he wanted was a traditional Thanksgiving dinner, time with old friends and a day away from messes like this. He would’ve shot CSM himself, but it was far too much paperwork.
“Fox.” The elder Spender shook his head. “It’s Thanksgiving, and I’m your only living parent.”
“Oooh I’m warm and fuzzy all over! Leave now, or one of us will kill you!” He assured.
“I’ll make a deal with you.” He offered.
“No, no deal.” Mulder shook his head.
“I’m a lonely, lonely man.” CSM began.
“Ha! You’re lonely? That was your choice!” Jeffrey spat bitterly.
“No. Son. It was not.”
The Smoking Man paused, despite his commitment to the project, he had his own regrets, ones the two men he’d brought into the world would never believe. He’d not loved Cassandra, not exactly, but he hadn’t taken joy in sacrificing her, or in breaking up their family … Mastermind or not, his hand had also been forced. At least, from his perspective.
Jeffrey’s memory was too clouded to recall that last Thanksgiving: just days before Samantha and Cassandra were taken. But it’d been the last holiday the six year old had not had a care in the world, and he’d had no sense of the emotional quandary his mastermind of a bastard father had been in. But like Mulder, it was the last somewhat normal Thanksgiving the Smoking Man had ever had and it hung on his cold heart.
Until now.
“The deal is.” He offered. “We all have turkey…”
“No.” Mulder crossed his arms.
“And you let me see my granddaughter.”
“Hell no.”
“She’s a normal human girl, Fox.”
“My sister was a normal human girl, and so was your wife!!!” Mulder asserted, his brother’s eyes filling with rage at the mere mention of his mother.
“Well, with Jeffrey being such a hit with the ladies here…” CSM slighted.
“Again dad, not real easy to date when you’ve been shot in the fucking face!!!”
“And your hiding William away.…” He took a puff of his cigarette, ignoring his younger son’s rage, acting like this wasn’t his fault. “That makes Maggie my only grandchild. The project has no use for her. You don’t need to worry about any harm coming to her. I won’t allow that. Quite the opposite.”
“What do you mean, the opposite?” Mulder narrowed his gaze, suspicious, realizing he had to go down this line of questioning.
“She’s the sister of a very special child… While she herself isn’t unique… Like Jeffrey here….I have taken the liberty of ensuring young Maggie isn’t a choice.”
Personally, he’d been very surprised when he heard Mulder and Scully had had another baby. He’d not authorized it, nor had anyone in the new syndicate. In fact he’d not even known where Mulder and Scully were leading up to her birth.… So he recognized the child as being a legitimate miracle. It was part of the reason he’d wanted to see her, although he’d never admit to that, it’d give far too much away.
He sighed. “I’ve made sure young Maggie is off limits to those who might want to harm her. Notice how no one has bothered you since she’s been born? How you’ve been able to come back out of the shadows Fox?”
Scully blinked, listening intently from inside, realizing he was right. Maybe, sadly, just as he’d had the power to harm them before, he now had the power to keep them safe. Maybe that’d be worth a little turkey and bullshit grand-parenting? As much as she hated to think that. Mulder hesitated, letting his guard down a beat, considering it.
“Go on.”
“Who else would have the power to do that?” The Smoking Man added. “Who else would do that for you but me? Your loving father.” He said coyly.
“What do you get out of it?” Mulder asked.
“You now know the truths you’ve always desperately sought. As long as you keep your nose out of it, and stick to investigating the Wolf men and the demonic cults of the world, you, and Agent Scully, and your little family will be left alone. I’ll ensure it… Well that and if, well…”
“If what?”
“If you let me see my granddaughter.” He smiled, knowing he had them all now.
The Smoking Man grabbed something out of his car, and lifted it high, revealing it to be a bottle of wine. “I hope you all like merlot.”
…..
“Oh my God!” Diana panicked, realizing they were bringing the CSM inside the house. “Where do we go, what do we do?!”
Suddenly the door opened and her heart started racing, light pouring in from the kitchen.
“Mrs. Scully?” She asked apprehensively, hoping to see the friendliest face upstairs.
Instead Skinner came down, frowning. “I think you’d better come up… He… Knows its your car, Diana. He’s asked for you.”
Diana’s face fell, her knees going weak. She stumbled, holding her baby tight, afraid she’d just sink to the floor.
“Please.” She choked. “Please, not for my sake, I know you must hate me too… For the sake of my little girl please.” She begged, not really knowing what she was begging for.
Skinner sighed sadly, reaching out and placing his hand on her shoulder. “I don’t hate you, and I know you’re scared, but… Could he have in any universe realized you were pregnant? He is the father… I have that right?”
Diana nodded, crying. “I was really careful.” She swallowed, her heart pounding in her throat. She was very careful but had always known that probably was not enough.
“Come on.” Skinner swallowed. “I’m gonna try to sneak you two out back.”
…..
Scully shook, furious. Confounded. Terrified.
She would’ve never imagined a future where the CSM took one step into her home, and yet here he was at her perfectly planned out family Thanksgiving. She clenched her fists, holding her daughter on her hip, so furious she didn’t want to look at anyone.
“You know he’s going to pick up on that…” Maggie told her daughter.
Scully sighed, not really caring. Maggie hadn’t met Mr. Spender before today, but had heard enough about him to write a book. She knew he’d toy with her daughter no matter what happened, especially if she showed too much anger. She was not about to say it, but the mother in her was ready for a battle, one she was willing to fight herself.
“I hate that he holds the power to keep my child safe in his hands… But he’s right… He does.” She choked, the two of them pausing as they listened to Mulder and Jeffrey ‘welcome’ their father into the house.
“Well then, give him crumbs… And hold him at a distance.”
Scully laughed, finding that wholly ridiculous. “Mom, he’s not gonna…”
“Hey. He’s not the only one who can play games Dana.” She said, almost warning.
Scully sniffled, her tear filled eyes wide. Did she not understand? She was done with games. Mulder was done with games. She thought now that maybe even Diana was done with games.
She swallowed hard, turning her attention to the basement door as Skinner and Diana emerged, the brunette clearly shaken.
“Come on.” He said quietly, holding her arm. “I’ll get you to the car.”
“I just have to get my keys they’re in my…”
Diana and Scully locked eyes, realizing at once that her purse was in the living room.
…..
Meanwhile Mulder and Jeffrey sat their ‘father’ down in the living room, the younger man filled with rage and nerves at a sudden realization.
“So what happened after you almost burned to death?” Mulder asked curiously, realizing that if he was going to stay there had to be some kind of conversation that wasn’t a threat, well, not a pointed one.
The CSM chuckled and started to tell a bullshit story of escapism that was only partly true. Meanwhile, Jeffrey was freaking out, having realized something everyone else had forgotten in the moment: he knew where William was.
‘Oh God.’ He thought. ‘What if that’s why he’s really here… To get to me? To get to William?’
In that moment Skinner snuck in the room, tip-toeing, hoping to grab Diana’s purse without drawing too much attention. But it turns out, sending a formidable man like Walter Skinner to pick up a Chanel bag was anything but inconspicuous. The CSM looked up at him, kind of surprised.
“It’s…. My purse.” Skinner said.
“I had no clue you were a connoisseur of women’s high fashion Mr. Skinner. Too bad, could’ve been an interesting bargaining chip for me….” The CSM smiled, knowing full well that it was Diana’s purse. He knew it because he’d gifted it to her. And it was expensive, why she still had it actually.
“I, er…Yeah, sure.” Skinner said kind of dismissively.
Mulder paused in thought, studying his father’s smile. ‘Shit he knows she’s here.’
He swallowed hard, finding it almost impossible to subdue the number of sarcastic quips that came to mind in that moment. The ones about taking up with his ex-girlfriend. About becoming a ‘father’ again just as it was time for him to enter an old people’s home for international conspirators ….
“Oh crap.” Diana realized once Skinner handed her her purse. “The baby’s bag…”
“Go without it.”
“I can’t… Her cold medicine’s in there. She’s fine but they told me I had to finish it.”
“I.. I’ll write you a new script for it.” Scully offered.
In that breath the CSM got to his feet, already knowing the game plan going on in the kitchen. Quite frankly, he didn’t have the patience for it. He wasn’t really going to spend Thanksgiving here… not without Diana present. He smiled, pretending to look around the pleasant little home, his body language denoting that it was ‘quaint.’
Mulder and Jeff panicked, Mr. Spooky following, not getting to CSM before he poked his head into the kitchen, catching everyone there all in a mad rush to the back door.
“Ah there you all are.” He smiled his crooked smile, pretending he was equally happy to see everyone, but his eyes drilled into Scully’s, then Diana’s. “I was hoping you’d be here.” He said, his words sending a chill up her spine.