Archive of Our Own ^beta

December 21st, 2019

Farr’s Corner, Virginia

2:57 PM

Fox Mulder sat in his home office, reading the brief cover letter for the fifteenth time that day. 

Thank you for your recent submission to Montgomery & Glick Publishing. We regret to inform you that your work has not been accepted for publication. While fantasy and science fiction are among our specialist areas, we found the material to be somewhat far-fetched even for our tastes, and lacking in human interest. We wish you the best of luck, Mr. Luder. Please find enclosed your returned manuscript, as requested.

He sighed, dropping the pile of bound papers into the bottom drawer of his desk, where it landed with a despondent thunk, kicking up dust from the teetering pile of identical rejected items. 

"Merry Christmas to you too," he huffed, pushing the drawer decisively shut. 

He heard the floorboards creak overhead as Scully softly padded about, no doubt taking the chance to clean or tidy or do some other domestic chore while Lily napped. Mulder had done his best to render this busywork unnecessary today: throwing in a load of miniature laundry, emptying the dishwasher, and vacuuming both floors during Scully's appointed morning shower time, before pointedly leaving her worn copy of Breakfast at Tiffany's on the arm of the couch next to the baby monitor. But if he'd learned anything about Dana Scully over the years, it was that she was her own woman: stubbornly determined to work herself to the point of exhaustion, especially against medical or friendly advice, and while he could lead her to relaxation, she alone would decide when she was ready to partake. Perhaps he would run her a bath later; he had never known her to be able to resist a scalding, foamy soak.

He turned his attention to the returned manuscript, exhaling in resigned defeat and patting the front of the drawer; an almost paternal gesture.

"You guys would have published it without question," he lamented under his breath, his gaze drifting to a framed image on his desk featuring The Lone Gunmen. Langly was goofing around pretending to check the lens for surveillance bugs, and Byers and Frohike hovered close behind. He remembered the day Langly had given it to him, as a gag birthday gift back in the mid-nineties, all wrapped up and presented with solemnity until he’d opened it and they’d all laughed. I’ll treasure it always, Mulder had joked, not realizing how true his jest would later become.

His self pity was interrupted by the buzz of his cell phone notifying him of a new email. Please, not another rejection, he groaned inwardly. I can't take it this close to the holidays. But as he peered at the incoming message, a grin crept across his face, and there was a renewed spring in his step as he made his way to the kitchen.

***

Scully tucked the last of Lily's tiny sweaters back into the wicker baskets on the shelves beneath the changing table, her delicate hands lingering on the soft wools and gentle cottons, still dryer-warmed and softener-scented. She retrieved an errant sock that had fallen from the top shelf, returning it to its dedicated section. As she straightened up, she heard the snuffling, rustling sounds of her daughter stirring, and crossed the room to smile and coo over the white wooden rail of the crib. 

"How's my little monster doing after her sleep?" she asked, reaching down just as Lily stuck her arms up to be lifted out. 

“Monster,” Scully repeated, playfully growling at the carrot-topped girl staring up at her, and Lily gurgled an attempted response. Smiling, Scully settled the toddler against her left shoulder, then gasped at the unexpected sound of the bedroom door creaking open, whipping around to face whatever intruder had silently breached the inner sanctum of their home. Her hand shot instinctively to her hip, a leftover reflex from her Special Agent days, but landed not on a sturdy leather holster and the comforting cold metal of a SIG Sauer, instead meeting only the stretch fabric of her off-day sweatpants and the hem of her matching hoodie. A shiver of fear overtook her body for the fraction of a second it took to process that the advancing creature was not a horrifying freak of nature or extraterrestrial bounty hunter out to destroy her relatively newfound peace, but only Daggoo, the family terrier. He was in the habit of quietly trailing Lily about the house and yard when she was awake; standing dutiful sentry while she played, eagerly snapping up the floor-bound scraps when she ate, and catching up on his own rest during her naps.

"Daggoo," Scully breathed out, purging her panic. "You've got to stop sneaking up on me like that." 

He yapped in response, and Lily laughed mischievously.

With the baby changed, Scully took her downstairs, finding Mulder in the middle of some very complicated-seeming sandwich preparation. She set Lily in her playpen and pulled over a chair to keep watch. Daggoo plopped to the floor beside them both.

She cleared her throat quietly. "So was that UPS package another-"

"Yeah," Mulder interrupted her, “Apparently the story of my life lacks human interest.” 

He waved away her sympathetic frown.

“Why do you even need a publisher?” she asked. “Can't you just self-publish online?” 

“Self-publish ?” Mulder responded, reacting as though Scully had just suggested “Enterprise ” were the superior Star Trek series. “I’m already seen as a crazed lunatic shouting into the wind by most people who know what my life’s work has been. If I self-publish it’s like finally crossing over into full blown crackpot territory. I need the endorsement of a legitimate imprint to be taken seriously.”

Scully nodded in acknowledgement, taking his point. 

"But forget it,” Mulder continued. “I have other news. In fact," he said, grabbing a knife from the cutlery drawer with uncharacteristic exuberance, "I bring good tidings of great joy... depending on your perspective." 

Scully tilted her head, the frown turning curious.

"You know how you were worried we were becoming too isolated out here, and thought that we should make the effort to socialize more, for Lily's sake?" He generously slathered mayonnaise onto three slices of rye, and picked up a packet of ham.

Scully’s brow tightened.

"And,” Mulder continued, “you know how I’ve been craving more adult conversation since you’re out working most of the time and the initial excitement of ‘Ma-ma’, ‘Da-da’, ‘A-doo’ has worn off?"

Scully narrowed her eyes.

Mulder piled his creation high with cold cuts and crisp lettuce leaves, balancing the third slice of bread on the top. Scully wasn't sure how he was going to fit the tower into his mouth, but she knew better than to question any of his outlandish plans at this stage in their relationship. She was wary of providing him with any opportunity to prove himself right at her expense, no matter how trivial the stakes. 

“And you may recall,” Mulder went on, “that Bill and Tara are coming for Christmas so consequently you owe me - and I do believe I’m quoting here - big time?”

Scully pursed her lips.

Lily pulled herself up to her feet and hurled a long-suffering plastic clownfish in the direction of the living room. 

"I get the distinct feeling my reaction to this message of yours isn’t going to rival the shepherds’ exultation over the advent of our Lord and savior," Scully sighed, standing up to retrieve the toy before Daggoo did.

"Relax, Scully," Mulder chuckled, pressing his overstuffed behemoth down with both hands, squishing it against the counter, and proceeding to tear from it great, choking mouthfuls, "bud… jush rememmer tha’ Chrishmash is a time o’ forgibenesh."

Scully rinsed the plastic fish under the faucet, glad her back was to Mulder so he couldn't see how hard she was rolling her eyes in anticipation of his latest scheme. “Enough stalling, Mulder, just tell me already.”

Mulder swallowed his large mouthful, helping it down with a sip of water before speaking. "You remember when we ran into my old neighbors at the park?"

Scully shook the toy dry, using her other hand to deftly grab a side plate from the cabinet. She placed the latter on the counter in front of Mulder as she passed back towards the playpen.

"The couple? Kevin and..." 

"Devin."

"Sure. On your birthday."

"Right." 

Scully handed the clownfish back to Lily. "Two more chances, sweetie," she said to the toddler, not unkindly, holding up two fingers. “Two.” 

Lily bashed the toy against the playpen walls, watching her parents with apparent interest.

"Well I've been emailing back and forth with Devin and it's possible I casually mentioned it would be fun to have them both over for dinner, and it's possible Devin accepted and proposed a date this side of Christmas, and it's also possible I said that night worked for us too." He took another oversized bite, gulping it down while pawing at crumbs, sweeping them into a pile.

Scully sat back in her chair. "It's possible?" she repeated, raising a single eyebrow. 

Mulder grinned. "I'm thinking about making that holiday bass recipe I've been meaning to try. Those largemouths in the freezer need eating; what do you say?"

Lily tossed the clownfish behind the trash can, and Scully traipsed off after it.

"Muld-err," she whined. "We can't possibly fit any more food in that fridge."

"I'll do a grocery run late in the afternoon and cook it right away." 

She scoffed, searching for another excuse to reverse this decision. "But Santa still needs to wrap all the gifts."

"I'll take Lily with me, she loves the store; you'll have the place to yourself for a couple of hours. Maybe Santa’s little helper can fill in?"

She huffed, turning to face him with her hands on her hips, the toy clutched in one fist. 

"Mulder," she began, feeling the need to level with him. "How well do you actually know these people?"

"What do you mean? They were my neighbors for, what, seven years?” She felt his eyes on her as she crossed the kitchen once more. “They did a lot for me."

"I know, I know," she said, apologetically, flicking on the faucet again, twisting to address him, "but you don't really know who they are, or where they came from.” She halted between oddly selected words as she spoke.

“Chicago, I’m pretty sure.”

Scully shot him a look. “No, I mean-” she hesitated, worried she’d come off sounding ridiculous. “You don’t know anything about them or what… what their agenda was for all that time."

Mulder finished off the sandwich, speaking with his mouth full again. "Agenda? You talk like they're undercover agents for the enemy or something."

"Well," Scully shrugged nervously, "didn't you ever think it was strange how they moved in right across from you just when it became clear I wasn't going to be Spender's little spy on the inside? And somehow they managed to get so acquainted with you they were all of a sudden feeding your fish - using your key to gain access to your apartment at will in your absence. They seemed to have an intense interest in your every move, especially the little one-"

"I’m pretty sure Devin‘s interest wasn’t professional, babe," Mulder grinned.

Scully side-eyed his specifically embargoed term-of-endearment as she passed by. "They just seemed way too invested in the two of us,” she continued. 

“Careful there, Scully; you’re starting to sound a little like me,” Mulder smirked, washing down the sandwich with the rest of the water. “Need me to fix you up with a tinfoil hat and a ghillie suit for ‘squatching?”

She rolled her eyes. “I’m not crazy, Mulder; I'm sure I caught them watching me through the peephole a time or two, and remember how we always used to hear footsteps going to the garbage chute every time we... you know...?" She handed the toy to Lily again. "Only one more, now, little lady," she gently warned, indicating with her forefinger, then sitting down once more.

"You used to hear that," Mulder corrected her, dropping his empty plate into the dishwasher, "or so you claimed." 

"Yes, well, I didn't blow out my eardrums listening to Elvis Presley at full volume on my walkman until I was twenty five years old." 

“Nobody calls him that, Scully,” Mulder mumbled, wiping down the counter. “Anyway, excuse me for being a bit more focused on the task that was at hand. Or tongue,” he grinned wickedly.

"All I'm saying," she sighed, working hard to ignore his attempt at distraction, "is that you’ve probably only spent a total of fifteen hours of your life with these men. Brief playground reunion aside, we haven’t seen them for almost twenty years and out of the blue you're inviting them into our home?” She pinned him with a look. “After the care we’ve had to take to make sure we’re all safe?" There was a certain emphasis on the word ‘all’ that she hoped would convey her deeper meaning. 

"Well, how else are we going to get to know if we can really trust them, Scully?" Mulder grinned over at her, clearly not taking her in any way seriously. “Come on, it’ll be fine.”

Scully exhaled heavily as Lily, who appeared to have inherited her mother’s precise markswomanship, launched the clownfish clear onto the couch with a satisfied squeal. "And when is this blessed event taking place, oh divine herald?" Scully asked, starting to rise.

"Tomorrow."

Scully scowled, heading towards the living room. “Well don’t smile so big, Da-da ,” she said, trying to shoehorn in a last word. “You’re up next on Nemo duty.”

December 21st, 2019

Bethesda, Maryland

4:16 PM

“Kevin, you’re not gonna believe this!”

Devin Li sprung up from the couch as spryly as his fifty-year-old frame allowed. He stepped carefully over two-year-old Carl, who was playing with his Paw Patrol vehicles on the floor, and traipsed over to his partner, who was rather festively lit by the sporadically flashing Christmas tree lights.

“Mm?” Kevin Cargill asked, taking a bite of raspberry scone, his apparent interest in some news article on his phone outweighing the very important news Devin had to share. Devin took the phone out of his hand and Kevin protested, a couple of crumbs stuck to his lip. Devin wiped them off.

“I’m supposed to be the messy one,” he teased. “Anyway, I need your full attention for this.”

“What is it?”

Devin took a deep breath, the weight of what he was about to say threatening to knock him over. “I have a very important Agent Smolder update.”

“Pray tell,” Kevin replied, with a reasonable amount of interest.

“Ever since we ran into him at the playground a couple months ago he and I have been emailing back and forth, and…” he grasped for some significant way to deliver this momentous news, but somehow found himself just blurting it out instead. “We’ve been invited to dinner at their house!”

Kevin’s expression brightened, betraying his interest. “Oh yeah? When?”

“Tomorrow night!” Devin announced proudly, holding his own phone to his chest as if he’d secured seats at the Golden Globes. Smolder and Sally practically were celebrities to them, considering the amount of time they’d spent scavenging for information about them before they’d ever actually properly met.

Kevin gestured to Carl on the floor. “What about the kids?” Lola, four, looked up from her bowl of goldfish crackers. Georgie was most certainly in a trance upstairs playing Minecraft. 

“Claudia can watch them,” Devin suggested. Devin’s sister and her own brood were due that evening for Christmas vacation. “It’s kismet!”

Kevin smiled. “Okay,” he agreed. “This is certainly an unexpected surprise.”

“Smolder and Sally,” Devin sighed to himself happily. 

“Dana, remember?”

Devin grimaced. “Oh yeah, I’m going to have to work on that.” His eyes suddenly widened. “Great British Bake Off; what am I going to wear?” He turned and hurried upstairs to their bedroom, poking through their closet as Kevin followed. 

Kevin leaned against the dresser as Devin fitfully threw sweaters onto the bed. “Wow, Dev,” he said, a hint of reverence in his voice. “This is kind of a huge deal. We’ll actually get to talk to them, finally. Have a real conversation.”

Devin paused his wardrobe raiding and peered out of the closet. “Oh my god, you’re right. What the hell are we going to talk about?”

“They’re just people,” Kevin reminded him gently. “People with… rather interesting lives, to be sure, but don’t get too worked up, okay?”

Devin felt a slight rush of embarrassment at his own enthusiasm. He thought of the small photograph of Smolder he’d taped to their bathroom mirror; one he’d gleefully stumbled across in a newspaper article several years prior. Something about the ex-agent helping rescue a kidnapped woman, and there was a pedophile priest involved… he thought? He’d cut that part out, obviously. The photo was all he’d wanted.

Both he and Kevin had always admired - nay, ogled - Agent Smolder from afar. Their interactions with him had been sparse to the point of almost nonexistent. He’d always seemed a little like a fantasy figure for them. But now, Fox Mulder was inviting them both to be an actual part of his life. Things felt a bit different.

Not too different, however. 

Devin approached Kevin, a grin spreading across his face. “I have so many questions I want to ask them. Do you think they’re married?”

There was a familiar weariness on Kevin’s face as he reached out for his partner, drawing him in close. “Devin...” He exhaled loudly. “They have two children, they live together; why on earth do you need to know whether or not they’re legally married?”

“Kev,” Devin said, drawing himself up to the peak of his limited height. “I watched that relationship blossom millimeter by millimeter over seven years like the slowest blooming flower known to humankind. You know that the romance genre is the closest to my heart. By god, I must have my happy ending ,” he finished with a flourish.

Kevin sighed. “Just promise me you won’t do anything stupid, okay? We’re going to be there as guests. None of your little investigations this time.”

Devin smiled as he leaned in for a kiss. “Who, me? I would never.”

December 22nd, 2019 

Farr’s Corner, Virginia

6:56 PM

Farr’s Corner was way off the beaten path, situated in a sort of woodsy area that Devin found quite beautiful, but nowhere near civilization, so to speak. He’d never had occasion to visit this place, and it felt so far removed from the world he was used to seeing Agent Mulder inhabit that for a moment he thought they had the wrong address.

“Are you sure this is right?” he asked, peering out the windshield at the unassuming, friendly-looking home with the wraparound porch and smoking chimney. A few snowflakes drifted lazily down, settling on the gate posts and dusting the tips of several spruce trees that were dotted around the house.

Kevin, handsomely dressed in a forest green button down shirt with a charcoal sport jacket, leaned forward a bit. “227700 Wallis Road? Yep, this is definitely the place,” he said as he stopped the car at the end of the long driveway. “Take a deep breath, Dev.”

Devin nodded, smoothing down his carefully selected red plaid shirt and straightening his festive emerald bow tie. “I’m fine,” he said. He began to unbuckle his seatbelt and Kevin reached an arm out to stop him.

“Whoa, we aren’t quite there yet,” he said. The driveway that led to the Mulder-Scully homestead was quite long.

“I know, hang on a sec, I just want to check something.” Devin opened the door and hopped out, rounding the car to open the mailbox that was situated at the end of the drive. 

“What are you doing?!” Kevin hissed. 

“I just want to see the names on their mail, that’s all,” Devin said as he pulled open the mailbox door. “See if there’s anything for a Mrs. Dana Mulder.”

“Jesus, Devin,” Kevin grumbled. “We haven’t even arrived yet and you’re already being inappropriate.”

“I’m going to put it back,” Devin huffed. “Jeez.” He pulled out the stack of bills and went through them one by one: Fox Mulder. Dana Scully. Dr. Scully. Mr. Mulder.  

No helpful information here, he thought to himself, slightly disappointed. A flicker near the house caught his eye and he looked up, noticing the porch light had been turned on. A somewhat familiar figure was standing there, arms crossed, and even from this distance he could tell Dana Scully’s body language was not quite as welcoming as he might have hoped.

“Great,” Devin heard Kevin muttering. “How are you going to explain this one, Einstein?”

Thinking quickly, Devin closed the door to the mailbox, bundling the letters inside his coat to keep them dry. He hopped back into the car. “Just being helpful,” he winked. He held up one of the letters. “She’s a doctor now ! How very sexy of her.”

“If she’s cross, this is entirely on you,” Kevin said. They continued along the winding drive and came to a stop at the end. The lady of the house seemed to have gone inside, thankfully. They tumbled out of the car, Kevin grabbing the bottle of cabernet he’d been saving and now hoped to impress their previous neighbors with, and Devin followed, clutching their mail to his chest.

They mounted the steps. Kevin took a deep breath and knocked. The door instantly opened to reveal the guarded but still somewhat indulgent face of Doctor Dana Scully. She wore a camel colored roll-neck sweater with black pants. Her red hair cascaded over her shoulders and a single eyebrow was raised at the two men. 

For a moment, just a moment, Devin thought perhaps he wasn’t entirely gay after all.

“Sal- Dana!” he greeted her, holding out the mail. “So nice to see you again! It’s starting to snow a bit, so I thought I’d grab your mail for you.” He grinned hopefully. “It’s a long slog out to that mailbox. Just being neighborly.”

The diminutive redhead looked at him warily, but reached out to take the mail just as Mulder approached from behind her, holding their adorable pajamaed daughter on his hip.

“Hi!” he said. “So glad you two could make it.”

Dana turned her head to look at him, holding up the stack of mail. “Look, Mulder,” she said with thinly veiled irritation. “They grabbed our mail for us.” She cast a Look at him, which he seemed to shrug off.

“Neighborly, Scully,” Mulder said, returning her pointed gaze. 

Devin found it unbearably endearing that the couple referred to one another purely by last name. He wondered if he could get away with starting to call Kevin ‘Cargill’, but somehow he doubted it.

“Thanks, guys!” Mulder said, breaking eye contact with Scully and waving them inside. “Come on in! Looks like it’s starting to come down out there.” The delight on his face was enough to settle Devin’s nerves about his misstep becoming henceforth known as The Great Mail Incident.

As he passed her, Devin could swear he heard Scully sigh. He threw her an apologetic nod, feeling Kevin’s guiding hand on his back as they entered the living space.

“Welcome to our casa,” Mulder smiled. “You remember Lily.” The little girl watched Devin with the very same eyes that had observed him from the porch, red curls framing her tiny face. She was a miniature carbon-copy of her mother, save for the drool on her chin wetting the chubby fingers she had inserted into her mouth.

Devin took in the sight of Agent Smolder in the flesh once more: dark jeans with a burgundy sweater, his sleeves rolled up a bit to reveal a pair of quite tanned forearms. He smelled amazing, the salty marine undertones of his aftershave permeating the air alongside a faint musk that Devin somewhat shamefully recognized as distinctly Mulder. The adorable tot attached to his hip only heightened his attractiveness.

“Thanks for having us,” Kevin said, after enough time had passed to indicate Devin had been rendered speechless by the specimen before him. He held out the bottle of wine to Scully and she took it with a brief smile that Devin hoped meant any awkwardness had been left on the porch. 

They were all making their way across the living room and into the kitchen when Devin heard a distinct scratching sound. The tiny pup they’d seen at the playground in October bounded over to Kevin, yapping delightedly at the new visitor. Kevin crouched down, scratching him behind the ears.

“I remember this little guy too,” Kevin said. He had a soft spot for dogs.

“That’s Daggoo,” Scully said.

“I love Moby Dick,” Kevin responded immediately. Scully beamed at him and Devin was instantly jealous that Mulder’s partner had clearly already picked a favorite.

“I think this little one is ready for bed, honey,” Mulder said, and Devin quickly turned to Kevin to catch his eye and mouth “Honey!” with great excitement. Kevin rolled his eyes as Devin waggled his eyebrows at the casually-thrown-out term of endearment. 

“Can you take her up?” Mulder asked, “I want to check on the sauce.” He set Lily down in front of him on wobbly legs, and Scully stood the wine bottle on the counter, squatting down, arms outstretched. 

“Come on, Lily-bear,” she said in a sweet voice that made Devin nostalgic for similar moments with all three of their children. “You can do it!”

Lily stood holding her father’s pant leg, fingers still in her mouth, stubbornly refusing to take a step, until the temptation of Mommy was far too great and she fell to her knees, crawling swiftly across the floor into her arms.

“Next time, maybe,” Scully sighed as she stood up with her daughter and began to make her way upstairs. Devin’s eyes followed her, then his gaze began to wander around the living room, taking it all in. The Mulder-Scully home was welcoming and homey; a fire crackled and the Vince Guaraldi Trio floated through the air as a pervasive reminder of the season, complementing the garland stretched along the stairs and the sizable Noble fir in the corner. He wasn't standing very close, but he was pretty sure he spotted an ornament that looked like an alien and another that was... was that Bigfoot?

“Make yourself at home,” Mulder said warmly as he stirred a large pot of simmering liquid, adjusting the burner to a lower heat. Appearing satisfied, he picked up the wine from the counter and began to uncork it. He poured Kevin a glass and handed it to him, then did the same for Devin.

Kevin thanked him, making his way over to the couch.“Smells great,” he commented amicably. 

Devin half-listened to the two of them make small talk as he looked around the living room, trying to make note of everything he saw, committing each detail to memory for the inevitable debriefing with Kevin later. But it was difficult to concentrate with Mulder standing so near, sipping wine, looking so gorgeous. He couldn’t focus on any other smells when Mulder’s own scent was so tantalizingly close, practically giving Devin butterflies. 

“Bass,” Mulder was saying to Kevin’s unheard-by-Devin question. “It’s supposed to be a kind of festive alternative to turkey, but also I needed to use up my latest catch. Hope that’s okay. Devin mentioned you both eat anything.”

“Sounds delicious,” Kevin said. 

“We actually discussed serving Chilean sea bass at the commitment ceremony we kept meaning to have,” Devin suddenly piped up, hoping to get Mulder onto the topic of marriage, “but Georgie’s adoption was happening around the same time and it just kept getting pushed back more and more.”

Kevin eyed Devin, taking his cue. Of the two of them, Kevin wasn’t as interested in the investigative portion of the evening, but Devin knew he’d help him out if at all possible. “We never got around to it in the end. We feel like an old married couple anyway, you know what I mean?”

“I do know what you mean,” Mulder smiled, and just when Devin was about to press one step further, he heard Scully calling from upstairs.

Mulder took a swig of his wine. “Be right back,” he grinned, setting the glass on the coffee table. “Lily probably wants a kiss from Daddy.” He set off towards Scully’s voice.

“Save one for me,” Devin muttered under his breath as he watched Mulder’s backside make its way up the stairs.

“I’m standing right here, darling,” Kevin said, but Devin could tell he wasn’t really bothered. Lusting after Agent Smolder had always been a group activity for them.

“Daddy,” Devin whispered. “I wish he’d let me call him Daddy.”

“Shh,” Kevin hushed him, stifling a laugh. “I don’t want to get kicked out of here before we’ve even had dinner.”

“Check out the broken banister,” Devin whispered, nudging his partner, pointing towards the staircase. One of the railings had been snapped in half.

“Baluster,” Kevin corrected, much to Devin’s annoyance.

“Oh, who cares?” Devin sulked. “Clearly it was broken during some mind-blowingly hot sexual escapade, is all that matters.” 

Kevin chuckled. “Whatever you say, dear.”

Kevin settled onto the couch, but Devin lingered near the stairs, taking in every detail. Here they were, in the midst of this new world that their old, mysterious neighbor had landed himself in. He wanted to savor it, to devour each morsel of information greedily; they might never again have a chance to recreate this type of experience. They weren’t friends, exactly, however much he’d like them to be. This felt more like some kind of experiment.

He walked over to a closed door near the stairs, next to which there were maps adorning the wall, and photographs of various strange phenomena. A large poster with a flying saucer was pinned in the center, stating I Want To Believe. Remembering the tree, Devin looked over to confirm the ornament he’d seen earlier was, in fact, a miniature alien. He cast his mind back to Hegal Place, and recalled noting a flying saucer in the fish tank back in the day. Devin would have to ask Mulder about this apparent interest sometime.

On a table beneath, there was a framed photograph of the two agents themselves: wearing FBI jackets, perhaps at a crime scene of some sort, standing in close proximity and talking together intently. It was featured proudly, positioned front and center.

“What are you doing?” Kevin asked anxiously.

“I’m looking for a wedding photo or something. Anything,” Devin explained. “Can you see anything?”

Kevin shrugged, enjoying the wine. It was clear that this mission was going to be entirely up to Devin.

Frustrated by the lack of any evidence of a marriage: a wedding album, engagement photos or the like, Devin moved over to the fireplace. On the mantel there was a photograph of Mulder and Scully at the National Mall: she in navy blue, he in a suit. They looked immeasurably happy, and Devin nearly teared up at the emotion the camera had been able to capture. Next to this were a small black urn, presumably containing the ashes of someone close to them, and a framed baby picture of Lily in a soft pink blanket, surely taken shortly after her birth. There was also a photograph of a young man, no more than seventeen or eighteen, who Devin assumed to be their son. But no wedding picture.

Above the fireplace there was a plaque on the wall that read Director’s Award for Excellence, Presented to Agents Fox Mulder and Dana Scully, for Outstanding Contributions and Exceptional Service to the FBI and its Mission. Devin shook his head. What a mouthful, he thought. He marveled at everything they had been through: all of the things he and Kevin had witnessed, all of the things they definitely hadn’t. That after all of it they’d somehow wound up here in a cozy house together, situated on a tiny road in the middle of nowhere, felt so appropriate. They deserved the peace and quiet, surely.

Mulder and Scully came downstairs after a couple of minutes, his arm slung around her shoulders; completely, utterly at ease.

“Sorry about that,” Mulder said. “She’s down, I hope.”

Scully picked up a glass of wine and eyed Devin briefly - suspiciously, he almost thought - then sat next to Kevin on the couch, making small talk. Devin listened as she told him about her job in pediatrics at a nearby hospital, and Kevin, much to her apparent delight, told her about his volunteer work with the Kamala Harris presidential campaign. She’d dropped out of the race recently, but Kevin assured Scully there were big things ahead for her.

Mulder, meanwhile, had made his way back into the kitchen, and was tying on a very familiar apron as Devin sauntered over. It was black with the words SOMETHING SMELLS GOO-OOD! across the front. Devin couldn’t help but smile and acknowledge it.

“You kept that?” he asked, incredulous. The idea that their parting gift had survived so many years touched him.

“It brought back good memories,” Mulder explained with a smile. “There were a lot of times we needed some.”

Devin nodded, more curious by the minute as to what exactly had gone down over the past couple of decades with these two. 

“How’ve you two been?” Mulder asked. “How goes the business of… uh…”

“Journalism,” Devin interjected, not at all surprised that Mulder had no idea what he did with his days. “Well, the traditional model is circling the drain, of course, and fake news sells better than the truth, but I’m hanging in there for now,” he shrugged.

Mulder nodded sympathetically, opening up the oven to retrieve the bass. 

“Can I help with anything?” Devin asked.

“No, I think we’re almost ready here,” Mulder said as he plated the fish and carefully poured the sauce. The sight of him serving food while wearing the apron he and Kevin had bought for him all those years ago was such a strange, satisfying display, Devin wasn’t quite sure what to do with himself.

Scully and Kevin made their way over, and Scully gestured for both men to sit down as she collected the side dishes out of the oven and set them on the table: scalloped potatoes, a salad, and fresh bread. Everything looked and smelled delicious.

“Dig in, everyone, please,” Scully said. 

Kevin took a bite of the fish. “Oh my god, this tastes so good,” he said to Mulder, chewing fast. Devin felt a swift kick to his shin as Kevin’s foot shot out and made contact under the table, hard, but the shocked stare Kevin was also giving him stopped Devin from outwardly reacting to the pain as Kevin spoke again. “You caught it yourself?”

Mulder nodded. “Out on Lake Anna. Friend of mine has restricted access out there,” he explained. “Government perks, you know.”

Devin had just taken a mouthful of the main dish, and was discovering the source of the bruising Kevin was inflicting on his leg. The bass had an overwhelmingly fishy taste, and was so greasy he had to fight the urge to gag. “You don’t strike me as the fishing type,” he said, reaching for the paper napkin on his lap.

“He isn’t,” Scully smirked, narrowing her eyes at him.

“Fine, I’m not,” Mulder admitted. “Skinner caught it, okay?”

Scully grinned at him from across the table and sipped her wine. Devin took advantage of their prolonged eye contact with one another, using the moment to pretend to cough, spitting his fish into the napkin. Kevin gave him a panicked look as he swallowed his own mouthful.

“Skinner, that’s….” Devin said, hoping to distract anyone who might wonder what he was slipping into his pocket. “I’m sorry, the name is familiar. He came to our apartment back at Hegal Place a couple of times, I think.”

“That’s right,” Kevin said, taking a large gulp of water. “When we thought you… well, when we thought you were dead. The first time.”

Everyone was silent and Mulder cleared his throat. Scully looked at Kevin somewhat sadly. “I’m sorry about that,” she said very seriously. “We had no idea at the time that particular scheme would have an outside effect on anyone.”

Scheme? Devin wondered. Now maybe we can get to the bottom of some of this stuff.

“You see, Dev,” Mulder began, and Devin felt a slight thrill at Mulder’s use of the nickname, “when Scully and I worked at the FBI, we had quite a few… enemies. Our lives were in near constant danger. What you were witness to that morning was, ironically, a survival tactic.”

Scully gave Mulder what looked to Devin like a warning look. She didn’t have to speak for Devin to pick up on what she was trying to get across: stop talking. He wondered if, and why, after all these years, she could still be afraid. He watched her with interest as she took a bite of the bass, and noticed her eyes flashing with surprise momentarily before she covered her reaction by reaching for her wine glass.

Mulder appeared to heed Scully’s warning, and steered the conversation away from themselves and back to their guests. They chatted about Devin’s plans to pivot exclusively to online journalism, Kevin’s hopes for working on the Democratic presidential campaign in some capacity, and the Cargill-Li children’s latest achievements. Both Kevin and Devin resorted to cutting the fish into sections and pushing it around their plates. Devin did his best to squash some pieces into smaller chunks, making it look like he’d taken more than a single bite of the bass. At one point, he could have sworn he saw Scully bend down to feed a piece of her fish to Daggoo. The potatoes, however, were a big hit, and before long everyone laid down their knives and forks.

A momentary quiet settled over the room, and Devin spoke up. “Could I please use your restroom?” he asked politely.

“Sure, although you’re going to have to go upstairs,” Mulder said. “Our downstairs bathroom is a little… fussy right now. Just up the stairs on your left, in the master. It’s clean, I promise.”

Devin nodded, hardly believing his own dumb luck that he was mere seconds away from standing in Agent Smolder and Sally’s actual bedroom, with permission, no less. Scully seemed to watch him closely as he stood. He headed up the stairs and followed Mulder’s instructions, and as he entered their sanctuary, his heart raced.

Smolder and Sally’s bedroom.

He’d barely had time to appreciate what an impactful moment this would be before he was in the middle of it. A skylight was located directly above the bed, and peeking out between the misty nighttime clouds he could see the Big Dipper pointing towards the North Star. He pictured their hosts lying awake at night stargazing, and felt the sudden need to pinch himself to check whether he was really awake himself. Standing in this sacred space, he was struck by the renewed need to find answers to his burning questions concerning Mulder and Scully. He was a man possessed; he had to know everything he possibly could. 

He began looking around the room for clues of any sort. He desperately wanted to solve the mystery of whether or not Mulder and Scully were married, but at this point any interesting information would do. There was no television in the bedroom, and he took a salacious moment to imagine what they did for entertainment in here instead. He noted the care taken to create a beautiful, restful space: the well-made bed, the high thread count of the sheets, the lack of dust. 

And there, in the corner of the bedroom, sat a familiar bunch of old friends.

Not the same friends, surely, as fish didn’t have lifespans that would have allowed it, but they were familiar all the same. Devin approached the bubbling tank and peered inside: a white molly, an orange one. A red one. And a bobbing spaceship, just like he remembered. Watching this new aquatic collection swim about, he felt a tiny pang for his old finned friends. 

Aware he was on a bit of a timetable, Devin quickly ducked into the bathroom, closing the door and lifting the toilet lid to hastily empty the contents of his napkin into the bowl. Reaching down to flush, he caught sight of the medicine cabinet, stepping over to open it - please, dear God, do not let this sex god be on Viagra - and was simultaneously relieved and disappointed to find nothing more than some allergy pills and a bumper size bottle of Advil. Then, guiltily peering over at the door, he finally peed, giving himself plausible deniability. 

After washing his hands, he fully intended to head immediately back downstairs, but something caught his eye on the night table nearest to the door. He stepped up to the bed and saw a note. Picking it up, he read: 

Gone for a run, didn’t want to wake you. Will pick up diapers and those little yogurts you like. XO

Charming love notes aside, there was still nothing in this room that proved or disproved these two were, or had ever been, married. Devin sighed.

Just then, Daggoo tore into the bedroom and jumped up onto the bed, barking his tiny head off. 

“Easy, easy, I’m leaving.” Devin said to the little rascal. He set the note back down, turning around, and came face to face with Scully, standing in the door frame, hands on her hips.

“Did you find the bathroom okay?” she said. There was an edge to her voice that he couldn’t ignore. Dana Scully was definitely wise to his clandestine activities.

“Yes, thank you. Just heading downstairs!” he replied, a bit too quickly. She moved aside and he squeezed past her, heading back to the kitchen, trying hard not to look back over his shoulder.

***

Scully stood alone in their bedroom, listening to make sure Devin really had gone downstairs. Everything seemed to be in its proper place, but she couldn’t shake the unsettling feeling she had about these men. That being said, she couldn’t fully pinpoint its source either. She hadn’t been lying when she’d voiced her doubts to Mulder the day before; Kevin and Devin’s behavior back when fate had first thrown them all together did strike her as odd, but if she was being honest with herself, she was only applying this logic retroactively. At the time, she hadn’t had any particular feelings either way about the couple. She’d never given them much consideration. But when Mulder had raised the subject of inviting them over, she’d had an instant negative reaction.

It just felt odd, she thought, having people in their house. She’d been so used to her cloistered life with Mulder, so comfortable with it being just the two of them, then the three of them, that it was jarring to have near-strangers in their home. 

She sat on the bed, running her fingers over the fabric of their comforter. They’d redecorated their bedroom after she came home, both wanting a fresh start. Maybe that was what this feeling was: she loved their life now so much, the prospect of the threats of their past coming screaming back into it, however unlikely, was terrifying. It had been only a year since Lily was born, only a few months since they’d had a real reunion with their son. The Syndicate was gone for good. Everything bad in her life felt like it was truly over.

Maybe she simply wasn’t quite ready to accept that. She’d been so conditioned for so many years to expect the worst. Now, she was finally living the best part of her life - she truly believed that - and it felt like she was waiting for the other shoe to drop.

Deep breath, Dana, you’re overreacting, she told herself. She followed her own advice, took a couple of lungfuls, and made her way back downstairs.

Peals of laughter echoed around the house as she returned to the dinner table.

“‘Sally?’” Mulder was saying. “Really? The whole time?”

“For seven years!” Kevin laughed. 

Scully sat down, not wanting to interrupt, figuring Mulder would probably explain whoever ‘Sally’ was later. When the laughter died down, she offered up seconds. Only Mulder accepted the bass, but Kevin and Devin enthusiastically attacked the remaining side dishes. She took a sip of her wine, eyeing Devin closely. After a few moments, he seemed to notice.

Clearing his throat, he turned to Mulder. “I noticed your fish tank upstairs,” he said. “Glad to see you’re still a fish guy.”

“Scully bought it for me after we moved in,” Mulder said. “It was a birthday present. We sort of had to leave the others behind when we…” he trailed off. Their history wasn’t easily explained to outsiders. “Well, we had to leave town very suddenly.”

“Agent Doggett took the fish,” Scully added. “He was… a good friend,” she explained, for the benefit of their guests. “Someone we trusted.”

“Why did you have to leave town?” Kevin asked, innocently enough.

Scully was torn over how much to reveal. Still quite unsure about these two men and what they were doing here, exactly, she certainly had no intention of elaborating much. But Mulder spoke before she could answer.

“Well, I don’t know how much you know about our former line of work but let’s just say we didn’t make a lot of friends in the government during that time and we sort of ended up… fugitives. At least, I was.” He looked at Scully again. “She became a bit of an accomplice, I suppose.”

Devin’s eyes widened, and Scully couldn’t help but find it convincing. He seemed to have no clue about this development in their lives. “Fugitives from what?” he whispered. “What did you do?” 

Scully noted Kevin throwing his partner a sharp look, but Devin didn’t seem to notice it. His voice sounded so shocked, Scully had to shift her perspective a bit. For a moment she played with giving Devin Li the very hard-won benefit of her doubt. Perhaps he was entirely innocent. Maybe he was just… particularly curious?

“I was being accused of murder,” Mulder said darkly, hamming it up for his guests. “But unfortunately for them, there was no body.”

“-Because he didn’t kill anyone,” Scully added quickly, “to be quite clear.” She glared at Mulder.

“She’s right, I didn’t. But I almost got a lethal injection for it anyway.”

Kevin’s forkful of potato stopped halfway to his mouth. Devin looked about to fall off his chair. 

“Can we maybe not talk about this?” Scully asked. She hated even thinking about that time, one of the lowest times of her life, for multiple reasons.

“Sorry,” Mulder said. “Anyway, the fish.”

“The fish,” Kevin repeated, seemingly eager to steer the conversation back to friendly territory.

“I named them after some of our more memorable cases, actually,” Mulder revealed.

“I really wish you hadn’t,” Scully mumbled.

“There’s Flukey, he’s the white one. Named him after the giant blood-sucking worm man I chased down in the sewer.”

Kevin set down his fork.

“The red one is Dr. Blockhead. He was a traveling circus performer. Enigma is the blue one.”

“Mulder…” Scully sighed, shaking her head.

“And Laura Petrie is the beautiful orange and white one,” Mulder finished. He winked at her. “She’s my favorite.”

“Orange and white,” Devin sighed. “Just like Molly Ringwald.”

“Excuse me?” Scully asked. She had been watching Devin looking at Mulder. He had a sweet, slightly dazed expression on his face. It reminded her of something she couldn’t quite put her finger on.

“Oh,” Devin said, seeming a bit embarrassed, straightening up. “We sort of… gave Mulder’s fish names too. His old ones.”

“Molly Ringwald?” Scully grinned. “Really?”

“She died,” Devin blurted out. Then he looked ashamed. “It was my fault.”

Scully looked at him a bit sadly, and knew exactly which fish he was referring to. “I remember,” she said softly. “No, Devin. That wasn’t your fault.”

Devin didn’t look too sure, but he nodded at her in appreciation anyway. They all ate for a short while, the room ripe with the sound of cutlery and Christmas music. It was comfortable, and Scully felt herself relaxing.

“So, it looks like Lily is pretty close to walking,” Devin suddenly said in what seemed like an attempt to bond directly with Scully. “How old was William when he walked?”

The table fell silent. Mulder looked up at Scully, and their eyes locked. Kevin and Devin seemed to connect as well, in a shared understanding that they’d stumbled upon another, even more sensitive subject.

“I don’t know, actually,” Scully said, turning her attention to her food. She moved a potato aimlessly around her plate with her fork, waiting for the long list of inevitable questions to come pouring in. This was a topic she typically circumvented at all costs.

“We… unfortunately, we had to give our son up for adoption,” Mulder explained, so Scully wouldn’t have to. She looked at him tenderly, acknowledging his choice to use the word we. It was her decision, it always had been, but he’d long since told her it would have been his as well, given the inescapable and dire circumstances.

Scully looked over to catch sight of Kevin, sympathy etched onto his face, but he said nothing. Devin was uncharacteristically quiet as well.

“Our lives were simply too dangerous at the time,” Scully explained. 

She knew now her decision had been the right one. Her son had been in more danger with her than he ever was without her. She still wondered if Jackson’s visions might never have reconnected them at all had they not been in close proximity to each other out of mere happenstance. She had been grateful for the chance to see him, but as she’d feared when she gave him up, that proximity had indeed put him, and more particularly his adoptive parents, in danger once again.

“It was… a very painful time. For both of us,” Mulder said, sensing Scully’s reticence. This was all too much to explain to Mulder’s ex-neighbors, at least this early in their renewed acquaintanceship. Scully could tell he was trying to end the discussion of William as quickly as he was able, and her heart was full with love for him in that moment for doing so.

Devin and Kevin read the room. “I’m so sorry,” Kevin said quietly. Devin looked down at his plate.

“I don’t know what to say,” Devin finally spoke up. “How do you even start to cope with something like that?” 

“Honestly,” Scully admitted, “a lot of avoidance and trying not to think about it.” She took a sip of wine. “It didn’t really work, actually.”

Mulder spoke next. “Eventually it all kind of imploded. I imploded, really.”

“We both did,” Scully corrected him gently. 

Everyone was quiet. Next to the loss of William, their breakup had been one of the worst times of her life. It occurred to Scully that the breaking point in their relationship was actually seven years ago to the day. December 22nd, 2012. That was when everything had changed for them.

What a sad anniversary, she thought to herself. It wasn’t one she ever wanted to revisit. She worried this day would forever be marred by that painful memory.

Mulder eyed her meaningfully, and although she hadn’t brought the date up, she knew he must be thinking the same thing. “We were apart for a while,” Mulder continued. “But I suppose we just couldn’t keep away from each other.” He grinned and winked at her.

Kevin and Devin smiled apprehensively. 

“You’re just too damn charming, Mulder,” Scully said softly, somewhat playfully, and with only the hint of an eye roll. 

“We’ve been in touch with William- I mean, Jackson- recently,” Mulder added. “He’s almost a man now, with his own life to lead. But we’re grateful he’s decided he wants us to be a part of it.”

Scully smiled at Mulder. She took a sip of her wine, enjoying the accompanying warmth that spread through her body, and a huge figurative sigh of relief settled over the table.

The foursome chatted and laughed and enjoyed each other’s company long after everyone had eaten their fill.

During a lull in the conversation, Scully rose to clear the dishes, and Kevin stood politely, probably out of gentlemanly habit. He laid his napkin down on the table and followed her into the kitchen, carrying empty dishes to the sink. She smiled at his thoughtfulness.

“If I may,” Kevin said softly, out of earshot of the others, “I’d just like to say one thing… about your son, about the decision you made.”

Scully’s stomach flipped, but she nodded.

“I know it may not be much consolation, but I can tell you from personal experience, and without any shadow of a doubt, that you gave his adoptive parents a gift beyond measure.”

Scully smiled, touched, at the parent of three adopted children, and understood. He was right about that, certainly. And after all was said and done, their son was a part of their lives again; maybe not in the way she’d hoped at his birth, but life had a funny way of shaking things up. Particularly for her and Mulder.

She reached out to touch his hand.

“Thank you, Kevin,” she said, and was suddenly immensely grateful Mulder had orchestrated this little dinner party after all.

***

Devin finished the last of his wine and looked over at Mulder. “Guess we ought to pitch in as well,” he said, collecting up a fistful of glasses and the scooped-clean dish of potatoes. Mulder picked up various items of stray cutlery, and they ambled over to the kitchen together.

The faint sound of Lily’s cries crackled through the monitor next to the couch, and Devin watched as Mulder and Scully instantly found one another's gazes across the room. Scully was shifting a stack of dinner plates along the counter, and Mulder nodded almost imperceptibly, leaving the cutlery and heading off in the direction of the stairs. 

Kevin and Scully paired up to fill the dishwasher, Scully siphoning off all the glassware and setting it by the sink. She dumped the food scraps into the trash can, filling it to the brim. Kevin, poking cutlery into the plastic contraption, noticed her tying the handles and swept in to take over. Devin could see this was not a household bound by stereotyped male and female jobs but, gender aside, he also knew there was no way Kevin's chivalrous side would allow Scully to take out the garbage in the dead of winter while he dealt with the dishes in the cozy comfort of the stove-heated kitchen. Scully indicated her acceptance, offering a small smile in gratitude. She issued brief instructions on locating the outside trash cans, and Kevin briefly took off into the snow. Scully replaced the bag with a practiced flick of the wrists and returned to the remaining pile of dirty crockery.

Devin noticed that the living room was empty, and that Scully was paying him no mind, apparently lost in her own post-dinner-conversation reverie. He quietly removed himself from her immediate vicinity, sipping his wine and feigning great interest in the ceiling until he was out of sight. 

Passing the stairs, he looked upwards through the railing. It seemed like the coast was clear. He was momentarily unsupervised. What could he quickly investigate?

Ahead of him, the door that had earlier been closed stood just barely open. He stepped over to it and pushed it a little, bracing himself for a telltale squeak that might alert Mulder upstairs or Scully in the next room to his snooping. But there was no sound. He was in the clear.

Glancing up the stairs one last time, Devin pushed the door halfway open and stepped inside. Out of the dusty gloom there appeared a sturdy wooden desk, the surface cluttered with file folders and books, newspaper clippings and piles of ancient photographs.

 Turning his attention to the walls, Devin did a quick scan for any wedding pictures: no luck here either. He ran his gaze over the bookshelves: works by presumably esoteric authors Devin himself had never heard of: Chung, Bloodworth, Heuvelmans.

On the desk stood a framed photo. Devin saw it featured the trio of men he'd seen a few times back at Hegal Place: Gangly... Myers - right? - and something that sounded like hickey, he vaguely recalled. He wondered if they ever came over to the house for dinner parties like this one. He’d always thought the three of them were strange companions for Mulder; they seemed to have nothing in common with a hunky federal agent, and yet Mulder obviously felt some sort of kinship with them, seeing as they were the only friends Devin had ever seen at the apartment, and he’d displayed their picture here as a treasured memento. 

As his eyes adjusted to the dark, he became aware of an accordion file sitting on a half-sized file cabinet at the back of the room; exactly the type of thing in which one might keep important documents like marriage certificates. Jackpot. As he drew nearer, he noticed the desk was situated next to Mulder's old billiard ball hatstand; this must be the room in which Scully had sequestered Mulder's ugliest homewares, he figured. He grabbed the file and carried it over to the desk where the light from the living room allowed him to see better. 

In the front pocket were birth certificates. Devin didn't need to look at those, really. But then again it was always interesting to know more about the provenance of acquaintances, wasn't it? Middle names alone were usually quite fun… and frankly he felt he would benefit from having written confirmation that the lady of the house wasn’t actually called Sally. 

He pulled out the thick pages and skimmed them.

Fox William. So, Mulder - like his son - had been named after William Mulder Senior. And Mulder was fifty eight now, he noted, only two years older than Kevin.

Dana Katherine. Definitely Irish Catholic then. Pisces. Huh. Devin would have pegged Scully as more of a Virgo. 

Samantha Mulder? He hadn't known Mulder had a sister. He’d never seen her at the old place in Alexandria. Unless...? No , Devin assured himself; Cersei ‘ Steal-Sally’s-Man ’nister had most definitely NOT given off a sisterly vibe. 

Next was William. Place of birth, Democrat Hot Springs. Where in god's name was that? And finally Lily, a Halloween baby. Too cute , Devin thought, checking the listed names of the parents. Alas, no Dana Mulder here, just Doctor Scully once again. He popped the papers back in their assigned pocket.

In the second section he found a more somber collection: death certificates. Teena and Bill Mulder; he recognized Mulder's parents' names from the birth records. Then Margaret Scully, Dana's mother, he now knew, from a few years prior. At the back were three melancholy bundles in quick succession. 

First was William Scully Senior. Is literally everyone called William in this family? Devin wondered. 

Next up was one Melissa Scully. The name didn’t seem the right era for a grandmother, and Devin checked the dates to confirm his suspicions. With a pang of sadness he noted the age and year on the form, reading on to uncover the cause of death. Cardiac arrest following a cranial gunshot wound. Devin clenched his fist, pressing it to his chest. He held in his hand the dry administrative testament to the violent and untimely death of Slightly-Less-Tiny Redhead of Hegal Place. He swallowed hard and shuffled the certificate to the back of the pile.

The last pages looked like adoption papers, relinquishing all parental rights to baby William. Devin blinked away the tears threatening to blur his vision. He and Kevin had been so grateful for the chance to create a family with their three children, and they'd always wondered about the biological parents whose circumstances had been such that raising children wasn't an option. He hoped that one day Georgie, Lola, and Carl would have the chance to know their birth families, and understand that sometimes love is expressed in unexpected forms. 

He shook off his sorrows, remembering his mission. He replaced the papers and checked the third pocket. Not a marriage certificate, but the deeds to the house. The kind of document on which you might use a married title, Devin hoped, but when he flipped to the signature pages he found the frustratingly familiar names of Mr. Fox William Mulder and Dr. Dana Katherine Scully signed, dated, and initialled. No new information here.

There was a collection of neat looking papers in the back of the box; maybe a marriage certificate would be among those, Devin thought as he pushed apart the cardboard folds to drop in the house deeds. 

"Ahem. "

Devin's heart skipped a beat at the sound, and he leapt backwards, putting as much space as possible between himself and the desk, where the folder rested, the top flipped back, gasping a silent accusation. The lights flicked on, floodlighting him where he stood, documents still clutched in his hand. He stared over at the source of the noise, eyes wide and unblinking, mouth hanging open.

Mulder stood in the office doorway holding Lily against his side. His stony eyes were trained on Devin, his jaw tense and jutting forwards. The baby had tucked her head into her father's shoulder and was looking sidelong at Devin through long eyelashes. Even she looked sad and disappointed. 

"What are you doing, man?" Mulder's voice was quiet, and he stood uncannily still.

Devin stuttered, searching for a plausible answer that didn't make him sound like an asshole. His attempts ground to a halt.

"Did you find what you were looking for?" The slow pace and even pitch of Mulder's words were more terrifying than any yelling or direct threats.

Devin didn't know what to say. He hung his head as Mulder approached and sharply grabbed the papers from his fist. Mulder shoved the documents back into the folder and clipped it loudly shut, aggressively depositing the whole thing back on top of the file cabinet. He stepped closer, looming over Devin.

"Who sent you?" he growled. Lily coughed over his back.

"What?" Devin sputtered, his heart pounding. "Sent me? What do you mean?"

"What do they want to know?" Mulder lowered his voice to a near-whisper now. "Goddammit, Scully warned me and I vouched for you. What an idiot!"

"They ?" Devin asked, confused. A sweat broke out on his forehead.

"The men who sent you to spy on me, twenty-six years ago. The men you've been reporting to all this time." Mulder shook his head, apparently more mad at himself than at the man cowering before him. “Is it him? Surely that bastard can’t still be alive.”

Him? Devin had no earthly idea what Mulder was talking about. He raised a hand to touch Mulder's arm, desperate to bridge this yawning gap between them. Mulder flinched, moving backwards and cradling Lily protectively.

"No, no," Devin pleaded. "You've got it all wrong.”

“Did you sneak around my apartment whenever I was away, after I handed you my own key?” Mulder spat out. “I bet you went over every inch of that place. Jesus.”

Devin wanted to deny it, but he knew his guilt was written all over his face. 

The anger rose visibly throughout Mulder’s frame, his chest heaving, his face turning red. He pulled Lily a little closer.

“I-I didn’t…” Devin’s breath came in shorter and shorter gasps, his panic compounding with every second. “Nobody sent me. I'm not a spy , I'm not... I'm not anything. Except... an ass. I'm a complete ass. You're not an idiot; I'm the idiot here."

Lily started to squirm in Mulder's arms, and he shifted her position, gripping her tightly to his chest. He kept his eyes on Devin, his expression still hard set. He seemed to be listening, at least.

Devin felt his knees weaken. Worried he might collapse from the stress if he stayed standing, he sat down heavily in the office chair. He leaned forward and held his head in his hands. 

"Oh god, Kevin is going to be so mad at me." Devin shook his head woefully. He looked up at Mulder, a lump growing in his throat. "I’m so sorry. I get like this sometimes. Overexcited, I guess. I just always... admired you." At this, Devin looked away, figuring Mulder would decode his meaning, and instantly filled with shame. "I always had so many questions about you, about your life, and you seemed so mysterious; it was like this puzzle I was trying to figure out, and I had to pick up all the pieces in these short bursts whenever I was around you or…”, he looked up at Mulder, swallowing hard, “in other ways. We never really got to talk, or spend any time together. So sometimes I just… looked for things. Looked at things. I’m sorry, I know it’s rude, I know it’s an invasion of privacy, but I didn’t do anything with the information, I just wanted to know. I guess somewhere along the way I was having so much fun finding out about you, I forgot you were an actual person, as dumb as that sounds. Tonight, I saw this door was open, and I just came in to... see." His voice trailed off.

Mulder looked incredulous. 

"You're in my home. You sat at my dinner table tonight. You could have asked me anything you wanted. You didn't have to come in here and snoop through my things." 

"I know, I know." Devin's voice broke. He was struggling to breathe. "And I did, and you were so generous and open, but I still had more questions, and I was just having fun, I guess. I didn't think... I didn't mean..." A tear welled up and spilled over his cheek. He had never felt so small. “I’m so, so sorry.”

"I told you stuff tonight I've never shared with anyone." Mulder's voice remained quiet, but the tone had softened. "I barely even talk with Scully about those things."

Devin could only nod now, his throat so constricted no words could pass. He covered his face with his palms. 

There was silence for a few seconds, then Lily pierced the air with a squeal of complaint. Devin looked up to see Mulder setting her down on the floor, tucking his forefingers into her grasping fists as she balanced herself on her onesie-covered feet. With a determined frown, she let go with one hand and took a step in Devin's direction, wobbling a little as she moved. Pausing to recalibrate, she caught Devin's eyeline with a sympathetic gaze. Devin, calming a little, managed a shallow breath and smiled over at her mournfully. 

“Dare,” Lily said, pointing at Devin with one stubby digit.

He looked up at Mulder, wary of overstepping any more boundaries. The taller man’s brow was still knitted, but he didn’t interfere with the toddler’s focus. Apparently somewhat of a truce was within reach.

“Hi Lily,” Devin whispered.

Taking another step, Lily slowly released her remaining grasp on Mulder’s fingers and held her arms out at shoulder height, counterbalancing her oscillating gait. The two men caught one another’s eyes in shocked surprise.

“Is she…?” Devin began.

Mulder was speechless, his mouth falling slowly open as, doggedly placing one foot in front of the other, Lily ambled clumsily over to where Devin was seated. She soon reached his knees, grabbing on to his pants with tightly clasped fingers. 

“Oh my god,” Devin whispered, looking over at Mulder and feeling the beginnings of a smile. A new kind of tear dripped over his nose as he reached down to squeeze the girl’s bunched up fist. 

Mulder stepped in to swoop her up, joyously lifting her face to his own. “Good girl!” he praised her, beaming with pride. “Good gi- SCULLAY !” he yelled with sudden urgency, and Lily was startled by the volume. He rocked her and apologized, burying his grin in her auburn curls.

Panicked footsteps swiftly approached as Scully hightailed it into the office, and Devin rose as she appeared in the doorway. Kevin closely followed.

“What is it? Is everything okay?” Scully asked quickly, holding onto the door frame with whitening knuckles, looking from Mulder to Devin and back, poised to spring into further action.

“Yes, yes,” Mulder reassured her, turning Lily to face outwards, “Guess who just took her first steps!”

A stricken look fell upon Scully’s face, and her voice became hushed as she asked “- and I missed it?”

“No, no,” Mulder jumped in, “it was barely a trial run; hang on, hang on. Devin, sit back down!” he barked in his excitement.

Devin obeyed, and Mulder returned to the other side of the room, putting Lily down on the floor again and pointing over at Devin. “There you go sweetie, go to Devin; show Mommy.”

“Dare!” Lily said again proudly. She teetered forward and lunged herself step by step towards the chair, and the office was filled with cheers and applause, followed by a loud intake of breath and a choking sound. Devin looked over to find Scully sobbing, fat tears running down her face as she covered her mouth with both hands. 

Mulder rushed to her side and pulled her into him, leaving Lily grabbing at Devin’s knees. He hushed Scully and hugged her as she pulled herself together, wiping at the tears and attempting to speak. A pensive smile was spreading across her cheeks in spite of her reddened eyes and streaming nose.

“It’s just…” she gulped, sniffing.

“I know,” Mulder reassured her, kissing her damp cheek. “I know.”

Devin picked Lily up. Thoroughly pleased by the reaction of the adults, she was beaming; joyously clapping at her own accomplishments. He carried her over to Scully, placing the laughing child in her arms. Scully clutched the girl with what looked like the force of a thousand regrets, her eyes tightly closed as she pressed her face to her daughter’s temple.

“Thank you,” she whispered, and Devin got the impression she wasn’t directing her gratitude towards him. Taking Kevin by the elbow, he led them out into the living room, leaving Mulder and Scully to celebrate and grieve in equal measure.

When the proud parents emerged, Scully’s eyes shining but dry, Devin looked over at Mulder.

“Congratulations,” he said shyly. “Big moment.”

Mulder nodded, reaching out to squeeze Devin’s shoulder. "A wise couple once told me that every moment is precious at this age." His eyes were kind, and his face was relaxed once more. The earlier danger seemed to have passed.

Devin took a breath, almost choking up again. He pulled Mulder a few feet to one side. "I'm really so very sorry about… before," he whispered, ducking his head down. 

Mulder tightened his grip, shaking his head. "Apology accepted," he said with great sincerity. "But from now on, if you wanna know something, just ask. That's what friends do."

Devin nodded again, his breath catching.

Friends.

"Now relax," Mulder said. “Let’s have some eggnog."

They settled in the living room, with Lily granted special permission to stay up a little later, seeing as it was Christmastime, and, Devin surmised, because her parents were so clearly tickled pink by her latest milestone. Mulder and Scully were tucked into one corner of the couch, with Kevin nestled in the armchair. Devin perched on the side of the seat next to him. Eggnog and a large bottle of Southern Comfort were perched on the coffee table, out of Lily’s reach while she milked her new party trick for all it was worth. She toddled between the two couples, looking up at them all for approval every time she reached her destination, grinning and applauding herself with outstretched fingers. She was very much indulged by all in attendance, receiving cheers and whoops that interrupted the conversation at regular intervals. 

Mulder poured his own drink after filling Scully and Devin's glasses with a generous alcohol to eggnog ratio. Kevin, responsible designated driver that he was, declined whiskey in his serving. Lily finally tired of her performance, and Scully lifted her onto her lap, where the baby snuggled between her parents, sucking her thumb and resting her cheek against Scully's chest.

"I miss that stage," Devin said, tilting his head in fondness as he watched Lily's eyes droop closed. "Especially at Christmas. It used to be all family time and magic, and now it's endless shopping lists and having to bribe Georgie downstairs for anything other than presents and food." He felt Kevin's hand drift to his thigh and pat him gently.

"No more, darling. Three is perfect."

Devin sighed, nodding his reluctant agreement.

"And Lola and Carl still love all the traditions," Kevin pointed out. "Even Mother's mandatory carolling." He rolled his eyes.

Devin covered Kevin's hand with his own. "Even that," he agreed, with a meaningful flash of his eyes.

"What's all this?" Mulder asked. "Mandatory carolling?"

Kevin gave an exaggerated sigh, leaning back into the chair and crossing his legs. "Oh it's this whole thing she insists upon; her father was a pianist and every Christmas they'd sit around the parlor on Christmas Eve singing hymns together, and ever since I was small it's been 'The Cargills have sung carols every Christmas since time immemorial; I won't be the one to sever the chain, take a seat and grab your songbook.' It lasts for hours."

"Losing the feeling in your asscheeks around nine p.m. is the tradition no one speaks about," Devin added.

"Ah, but it builds discipline, young man," Kevin said, putting on an aristocratic accent and turning his hand over to interlace his fingers with Devin's.

"Don't pretend you don't secretly love it, Mr. Countertenor,” Devin teased.

Kevin brushed him off with a wave of his hand, but didn't deny it.

"You sing?" Scully asked, and Kevin shrugged.

"Yes he does," Devin interjected bossily. Then, proudly, "Very well, in fact."

Kevin blushed faintly. 

"You should give us a demonstration," Devin suggested, a gleam of mischief in his eye, and Kevin shot him a look of dismissal.

"Yes, please," Mulder said. "Imbue the evening with a touch of that Cargill family tradition. We'll join in, won't we, Scully?" He grinned, squeezing her tighter to him with the arm draped over her shoulders. If Kevin seemed only shy, Scully looked downright horrified.

"Mulder, nobody wants me to ruin Christmas with my terrible singing," she whined. 

"Oh, the Cargills always insist that everybody can sing, it's only a matter of confidence," Devin said, his voice dripping with sarcasm.

"Confidence," Mulder said, tightening his one-armed hug once more so that their foreheads almost pressed together, smiling and boring his eyes into Scully's, which were mid-way through a roll of impressive height.

Kevin, apparently warming to the idea, sat forwards. "Actually, there is a simple one we could sing. It’s quite effective. Just one; I won't make you do the full evening's program."

Scully looked dismayed, but Mulder gave Kevin his full attention.

“Do you know Carol of the Bells?" Kevin asked, straightening his back. "You each only have to sing four notes."  

"That might be three too many," Scully grumbled, but Mulder kept his gaze on Kevin, awaiting instruction. 

Devin, who had only been teasing, was delighted this joint melodic effort might actually be about to happen.

"Okay," Kevin began. "Dana and Devin then, you're on the ostinato. Like this." He sounded out a descending four-note phrase, repeating it a few times. "'Ding Dong, Ding Dong', that's it," he instructed. He held the ‘ng’ sound at the end of each word, mimicking the resonance of the titular bells. "I'll start with you.”

Kevin sang out the notes in a strong voice, using what Devin knew to be the low end of his range, and Scully looked hesitantly from Kevin to Mulder, reluctantly taking in their encouraging nods. She waited a few bars then joined Kevin on the first note. Her voice wavered a little, crackling as it settled into the phrase, but soon she was following along with some level of assurance. Her voice wasn't so bad, Devin thought. A little flat perhaps, and lacking in vibrato, but nothing to frighten anyone off. He cleared his throat and joined her to offer moral support.

When he opened his mouth, both Mulder and Scully turned to him in surprise. Devin didn't make much use of it, but he had a rich, low, velvety tone that could fill a space nicely when he chose to sing. His sonorous voice filled the living room, and he was secretly pleased with the obvious fact that he was impressing everyone with his talents. At least one bass was a success this evening, he thought wryly. Kevin's eyes twinkled with pride, and Devin swept his thumb over the back of Kevin's hand. 

Kevin had pulled up the lyrics on his cell, and stood to hand the phone to Mulder, who took it, and looked to Kevin for his cue. Kevin waited for Scully and Devin to return to the beginning of the phrase before coming in at the top of the song. 

Mulder's voice was a rough baritone. He'd obviously spent a few Christmas Eves singing carols himself, Devin thought, as he seemed at least comfortable with the intimate performance, and somewhat familiar with the words and music. Or maybe he was just enjoying getting the chance to tease Scully, relishing the opportunity to see her so out of her element. He kept glancing over at her, not bothering to hide his grin.

It came to the second verse, and Kevin jumped up a third to the high harmony, his sweet, pleasing timbre soaring above the others as he really let go and gave it his all. He enunciated his consonants and shaped his vowels like he was back in the chancel, and Devin imagined him filled with boyish adulation for a handsome young choirmaster, sending his vocal offerings to the arching rafters. 

Scully sang along with Devin, sometimes flat, sometimes sharp, but blending in maybe half the time, and she glanced at him now and again at the start of the phrase, and wasn’t sulking. Mulder took advantage of a split second break in the song to plant a peck on her temple, and she leaned her head against his shoulder, rocking Lily to the beat as she repeated the phrase.

Devin watched them, basking in the glow of their evident affection. After all his years of amateur sleuthing and speculation, he felt incredibly privileged to simply sit in the presence of their obvious togetherness. To see them touching one another, openly and casually acknowledging the romantic nature of their relationship in front of him and Kevin, was more than he'd ever dared to dream possible with these two. At Hegal Place, he had grown used to stolen glances, interpreting the subtlest of body language, eavesdropping, and gleaning what he could in thirty second conversations; this front row seat and all access pass to their domestic life in Farr’s Corner was suddenly highly emotional for him. He was worshiping at the altar of his very own religion, drinking the communion wine, and ready to dedicate his life to the Order. The addition of Lily, now fast asleep in her mother's arms with her thumb barely resting on her pouting lower lip, nearly set him off on a fresh jag of tears. It wasn't even Christmas yet, and Devin already felt as though he'd been gifted more than he could ever ask for. 

The song ended and Scully exhaled, sounding relieved. Kevin hid behind a shy smile while Mulder beamed. 

"Thanks guys," Mulder said, his cheeks red from the eggnog, and perhaps the general atmosphere of merriment.

"If you try to make that an annual tradition here, you're a dead man," Scully threatened Mulder, but she smiled as she said it. 

"I know enough to quit while I'm ahead," Mulder protested, a statement that Scully's facial expression suggested she found highly contestable.

"Anyway, I feel we should share something with you now, fellas," Mulder said. "Anyone wanna see my collection of holiday ties?"

"Save yourselves!" Scully mouthed over at Devin and Kevin, and Mulder chuckled.

"With that beautiful dinner, you've shared more than enough," Devin offered with a completely straight face, and Kevin tilted his face forwards to inspect his lap. Devin knew he was either holding in a laugh or covering a blush. “Delicious,” he added with breathy enthusiasm, and watched the tips of Kevin’s ears turn pink. 

Scully moved Lily a little higher up her arm, and looked over at Mulder.

"You could show them your book," she suggested.

Mulder tilted his head, silently questioning her.

"You should," she urged him. "I bet they'd really like it. Devin especially." She threw the subject of her comment a look, and Devin was momentarily frozen, wondering if she was perhaps aware of his office transgressions; whether Mulder had told her all about it when they'd been left alone with the baby. But her face seemed calm: jocular, not accusatory.

Kevin spoke. "You wrote a book?”

Mulder made a slight face. “Well, I wrote a something. No one has yet agreed to turn it into an actual book. It seems to be lacking a certain je ne sais quois.” 

“What's it about?" Kevin inquired.

Mulder held Scully's gaze for a moment before deciding to engage.

"It's kind of an autobiography, the story of my life's... quest, if you will. All the cases Scully and I used to work at the bureau. Sewer-dwelling mutants, government mind control, invisible elephant autopsies: the many weird and wonderful adventures we had together back in the day."

In his peripheral vision, Devin saw Kevin’s mouth open as if he were about to ask a question, but no words came out. He just sat there with his bottom lip hanging down, looking up and to one side as though his left eyebrow could offer some sort of clarification.

Devin jumped in. “So this book; it’s about you and Dana...” He cleared his throat. “...working? It’s about your old job?”

Mulder nodded, and Scully gave him an encouraging smile. “Kind of an action-adventure, sci-fi, horror tale,” Mulder added.

“Interesting,” Devin said, almost to himself.

Kevin found his voice, stuttering an interjection."I’m sorry, did you say invisible elephant autopsies?" He picked up his glass.

Scully pursed her lips. “Well, it wasn’t actually invisible at the time,” she attempted to clarify. 

"It's a whole- you'd have to read it." Mulder said. "You want me to go get it?" He started to stand.

Devin interjected. "No, it's okay, maybe some other time."

Kevin coughed, emitting a few watery hacks as though his drink had gone down the wrong way. His eyes began to water, but he pounded his chest and swallowed, indicating that he was okay. 

Mulder looked from Kevin over to Devin, somewhat bemused. "You don't want to see it? Are you sure? You're passing up the chance to read all about the mysterious adventures of Special Agent Fox Mulder, rebel at large?" he teased.

Devin swallowed his embarrassment. "No, it's okay," he announced, standing up. "I'm sure the boss is going to have you up bright and early in the morning," he said, nodding over at Lily. Scully herself looked like she was about to drop off where she sat. "We should leave you to get your beauty sleep."

Kevin looked up at Devin, his mouth open practically to his knees.

"Come on Kev, let's get home to our own little rascals."

Kevin vaguely murmured an agreement as he rose, looking around for their coats. Devin felt his shocked gaze upon him throughout the whole process of thanks, festive wishes, talk of the Cargill-Li clan switching to Dana’s pediatrics office, and promises of a repeat of the evening at an unspecified date in the future, although without the singing, Scully insisted.

Scully and Mulder stood by the door, Mulder now holding Lily against one shoulder, to bid them goodbye. Scully and Kevin were engaged in a last minute exchange about the upcoming primaries.

As he and Mulder shook hands, Devin grabbed the taller man by the elbow, leaning in. Mulder lowered his head to meet him halfway.

“Sorry again about earlier,” he began in hushed tones, still more than full from dinner and wine and eggnog but willing to eat all the humble pie he needed to keep Mulder onside. Mulder shook his head as though to dismiss the need for any further apology, and Devin felt immensely relieved once again. Especially because what he was about to say might potentially be construed as meddling in Mulder’s affairs. 

“Listen, I’m no biographer,” he qualified, “but I do know a good story and-” He hesitated, wanting to make sure this came out exactly right. “Your book - the manuscript - your potential publishers are telling you something is missing, you said?”

Mulder gave a grim nod of confirmation.

“If I may,” Devin continued, “there’s something you might want to consider.”

Mulder looked slightly apprehensive as Devin continued.

“You had all these adventures, you said, at the FBI. You two plane-hopping all over the country trying to solve these weird… elephant sewer cases, or whatever.”

Mulder gave a little smile, and nodded.

“Well, it’s just… that might not be the real story of your life. Well, at least, not the only story.”

Mulder frowned in confusion. “What do you mean?”

Oh, god. The man was just as dense as he’d appeared to be back in their Alexandria days, when he was still denying there was anything going on between him and his standoffish little partner.

Devin stepped even closer to Mulder, indicating Scully with a tilt of his chin. 

“You two?” he said. “You and Dana? It isn’t an action-adventure. It’s not a sci-fi mystery, or a horror blockbuster.”

Mulder frowned at him quizzically.

“This?” Devin said, pointing back and forth between the two of them, giving Mulder his most pointed look of emphasis. “This is a love story.”

Mulder, finally catching on, nodded thoughtfully, rubbing Lily’s back.

“Trust me,” Devin finished. “Add in that angle, and publishers will be biting your hand off to get the rights.”

Mulder appeared to consider this. “Okay,” he agreed. Then, again, more decisively: “Okay.”

Kevin broke away from his conversation with Scully, hovering expectantly at Devin’s elbow. 

“Don’t miss a single detail, and be sure to send me a copy when you’re done,” Devin instructed Mulder, feeling brave enough to finish with a wink.

“Get outta here,” Mulder grinned, tucking Scully under his spare arm. She tiredly leaned her cheek on his closest pectoral, and reached up to cup Lily’s cotton-ensconced foot in her palm.

Having run out of hands, Mulder lifted his fingers from Scully’s upper arm and waved his goodbye to Kevin. Scully and Devin exchanged nods, and Devin felt the stirrings of a new energy from her, regarding himself. Was it respect? Acceptance? Whatever it was, he welcomed it. 

Kevin led the way back to the car, and when they were safely inside and out of earshot, turned to stare at Devin.

“Who are you, and what have you done with the real Devin?”

Clicking in his seatbelt, Devin feigned ignorance, offering a coy smile. “What do you mean?”

“That man just offered to show you his entire life history and somehow you’re not sitting there right now three chapters into it, making notes in the margins?”

Kevin put the car in reverse and checked over his shoulder. “Did you solve your big mystery already, is that it? Did you find the wedding rings on the bedside table or something, and you don’t need to know anything else?”

Devin shrugged. “I decided it doesn’t matter whether or not they’re married.”

Kevin struggled to keep his eyes on the road, making scoffing noises of disbelief as he looked back and forth between Devin and the windshield. 

“I know, I know,” Devin conceded, “it’s a change of heart.”

“It’s a personality transplant!” Kevin exclaimed.

Devin sighed, tilting his seat back a little and stretching his legs. “Well, maybe I learned a little something tonight,” he said, peering through the passenger window as they approached a small block of Mom and Pop convenience stores.

Kevin glanced over at him curiously.

“I was watching them while we were singing, and they just looked so happy. What matters is they just belong together, wouldn’t you agree? I feel like what really means something is making your own family. Just the day in and day out act of loving someone enough to keep waking up and choosing... them.”

Kevin pulled up at a stop light and set the car in park, reaching across to grab Devin by the hand. He pulled Devin’s fingers to his mouth, and kissed him hard on the knuckles. 

“You know what, darling? I couldn’t agree more.”

The light changed from red to green, matching the store-front decorations. Kevin eased the car forward, resting their hands on the console between them. 

“So,” he grimaced, “are we going to talk about Mulder’s cooking?” 

Devin closed his eyes, shaking his head. “Let’s just say it’s a good thing he’s exceptionally handsome,” he responded.

They glanced at one another and burst into peals of laughter.

“Eyes on the road, mister,” Devin instructed, giggling.  

Kevin checked the windshield and mirrors swiftly before turning his head to Devin, his eyes narrowed in jest. He lifted one shoulder haughtily. “Kiss my bass,” he grunted.

Another round of laughter echoed around the car as Devin and Kevin sped home through the night, looking forward to a cozy festive gathering with their own chosen family.

***

Mulder unwound his free arm from around Scully’s shoulders, pushing the door closed and twisting the locks shut. The gate at the end of the property stood open, the way he’d left it for Kevin and Devin, but he’d go out and close it in the morning. He had more pressing tasks ahead of him right now: getting the women in his life into bed before Scully fell asleep and he had to carry them both up the stairs, one lolling ginger head on each shoulder. 

He switched off the various lamps that were dotted around the living room, and Scully deposited the eggnog glasses next to the sink. Waiting for her to join him at the bottom of the stairs, he thought over his discovery of Devin in his office not much more than an hour prior, nosing through their personal papers. His former neighbor had clearly crossed a line, but Mulder genuinely believed he hadn’t meant any harm; Devin clearly had a strange idea of friendship and a severe lack of personal boundaries, but then Mulder himself wasn’t exactly the poster child for healthy platonic relationships either. He told himself it wasn’t just the avoidance of an I-told-you-so that meant he had decided not to tell Scully about the little incident; he truly had accepted Devin’s apology, and he wanted to put it all behind them. 

As luck would have it, she seemed to have put some things behind her as well.

“I probably owe you an apology, Mulder,” she mumbled through a yawn as they trudged up the steps. “Tonight was actually quite pleasant.”

“Pleasant? You sang, Scully; it was downright preternatural.”

She gave a lazy smile, her eyelids drooping unevenly as they rounded into Lily’s room. “A Christmas miracle.”

With their own tiny miracle tucked beneath her sea-themed blanket, the motorized mobile activated and the baby monitor on low, they wandered back into their bedroom.

“That Kevin’s quite interesting, you know,” Scully informed Mulder, stepping into her pink satin pajamas. “I think he could be going places in the next administration, God willing.”

Mulder gave her a look of agreement, heading for the bathroom.

“And Devin,” Scully added, in a blithe manner Mulder knew was slightly forced. “He seems okay, in the end.”

Mulder playfully raised his eyebrows at her. “Okay? So now you’re firmly convinced that he’s not been sent here by the powers that be solely to spy on me and keep them up to date on the latest high security Fox Mulder intelligence, such as where I keep the formula, and that I like to shop for groceries three towns over because they have the best deals on diapers and I just cannot resist a good bargain?”  

“Ha-ha, very funny,” she sidestepped him, beating him to the sink. “I just mean I’ve changed my mind about him-”

“A woman’s prerogative, of course,” Mulder quipped. 

Scully paid him no mind, “-and I think he’s harmless, really.”

“Harmless,” Mulder echoed, handing her the white terry cloth band she used to keep her hair off her face. “What made you decide that?”

She pushed the hairband back, brushing red strands from her forehead. “I was watching him during dinner: the way he looks at you. I recognize it.”

“You recognize it?”

“Yes.” She squeezed a quarter-sized dollop of face wash into her hand and began to lather it up. She paused as she looked over at Mulder. “It’s the way I used to look at you. The man’s got a huge crush on you, is all,” she shrugged, smiling sweetly.

“Oh, is that all?” Mulder grinned, stepping over behind Scully to envelop her in his arms and bury his face in the mess of her pulled-back hair, kissing the top of her head. 

Scully, still holding the facewash in her palm, giggled, and nodded. “Yep, just your standard-issue Fox Mulder infatuation, plastered all over his face. I can hardly hold it against him when I’ve been exactly where he is myself, hopelessly mooning over you while you remain completely oblivious. He’s not the first, and he certainly won’t be the last.”

Mulder released her, and she began to circle the face soap over her nose and chin, leaning over the sink and watching him in the mirror. 

“Well I’m glad to know you’re not making a mortal enemy of this potential rival for my affections,” he said gravely, stepping away, moving towards the bedroom. 

“Oh,” Scully said, “I feel pretty secure. After all, I’ve seen the way you look at me .”

Touche. Mulder had finally accepted he might perhaps have a certain way of gazing at Scully. And who could blame him? She rinsed off the soap and towelled off to reveal a fresh-faced vision of beauty, with clear skin and shining eyes, all this despite her advancing years and many a recent long day - and night - spent on shift at the hospital. And more than that, he loved her way of existing in the world: the grace, intelligence, pride, and loyalty she exhibited at every moment, the way she was entirely besotted with and devoted to Lily. It was enough to keep him staring at her for a hundred years more, at least.  

“Well,” he replied. “You keep giving me so much to look at.” 

She lowered her eyes demurely. Mulder reached the door and paused, wanting to offer one last comment over his shoulder before he stepped into the bedroom. “Oh, and Scully?” He waited for her to meet his gaze before he completed his thought, his voice low and serious. “I was never oblivious to you.”

He saw the steady rise of a pink blush blooming on her cheeks.

Channeling Devin, Mulder winked, and slipped off into the dark.