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They thought spending the day in DC would be a good idea. Will had never been to a big city before, and they wanted to show him around. After picking him up at the airport, they took him to the FBI building and to see the White House, but Mulder could tell that by the time they were done with taking pictures in front of the lawn, the boy seemed overwhelmed by the sights and the amount of people bustling about. He pulled Scully aside and she agreed that it might be a better idea to just go home.
Mulder checked the rear view mirror often as he drove them home. Will looked out the windows with growing interest the further they got away from the city and out into the rural roads to the house. He grew more talkative, pointing out certain facts about the vegetation and foliage along the way that indicated a deep interest in agriculture and nature that extended beyond the fact that he'd grown up on a farm. A small farm, nothing more than some chickens, a horse, a pair of goats, a vegetable garden and an apple tree, but a farm nonetheless.
"We're here," Mulder said, parking the SUV at an angle in front of the porch.
Will slid out of the car, dragging his backpack out with him and hoisting it over his shoulder. He looked up at the house with some relief. He didn't know what to expect about houses in the city and thought everyone just lived next to each other and on top of each other and too close for comfort. This house looked like all the other houses he had grown up with and it made him feel better about being there.
Scully got out of the car and watched Will contemplate the house. She came up next to hi and tried to see it from an outsider’s perspective – from a teenager’s perspective. It needed a new paint job and the siding was a little warped in places, not at all that remarkable, but it was cozy and she’d missed it when she was gone. She put a hand on Will’s shoulder, glad that even though her son had inherited Mulder’s long, lanky frame, it came in a petite package and he was not yet taller than she was.
“I know it’s not much to look at,” Scully said.
“No, I like it!” Will answered. “I like it very much.”
“So do we.”
The sound of barking from inside the house made Will’s eyes go round. “You have a dog?”
“Daggoo!” Mulder called, walking up the porch. “Relax! We have a Jack Russell holy terror.”
“Brace yourself,” Scully added. “He’s a little energetic.”
Will peered around Mulder’s arm as he opened the door and the dog bolted out of the house like a bullet fired from a gun. He jumped on Scully first, barked at Will, jumped back up on Scully, spun around in a circle and then flew off the porch into the grass and disappeared. Will’s right eyebrow shot up in the perfect image of an incredulous Scully.
“Woah,” Will said.
“Come in.” Mulder cocked his head, holding the door open for both Will and Scully. “He’ll be back in a minute or two after he runs around the house about twenty times.”
“This is nice.”
“Your room is this way,” Scully said, leading Will to a door to the left of the entryway. “It used to be an office, and we didn’t do much to it figuring you might want to make it up how you want it.”
Will sat down on the twin bed under the window. His backpack slid off his shoulder and he looked around at the dark wood and cream-colored walls. There were some holes in places where it looked like thumbtacks had been. He touched the lamp on the nightstand that looked antique and like a replica of Saturn.
All of a sudden, the dog barreled into the room and took a flying leap up onto the bed, tongue out and instantly covering Will’s face with wet kisses. Will laughed and Scully tried to drag the dog off of him, shouting “Daggoo! Down!” but Will hooked an arm around Daggoo’s body and held him against his chest until the dog calmed down on his own and wiggled out from Will’s arms to sniff at him while pacing behind him on the bed.
“He knows how to open the screen door,” Scully said.
“To get in or out,” Mulder added. “Try to remember to keep it latched when you’re inside.”
“It’d be fine except let him see a squirrel or a rabbit and he’d go for miles.”
“Or the occasional and unfortunate skunk,” Mulder grimaced.
“I used to have a dog,” Will said, scratching Daggoo under the chin. “Her name was Lady. She was a yellow Lab.”
“Lab’s are good dogs to have,” Mulder said. “Very loyal.”
“I should see about dinner,” Scully said, turning and wrapping her arms aroun Mulder’s waist. “Mulder?”
Mulder chuckled and rubbed Scully’s shoulders, winking at Will. “What she really means is she’s ordering a pizza and I have to go pick it up.”
“And if we’d gone shopping yesterday like I wanted to instead of-“
“I know, I know.” Mulder squeezed Scully’s hips and pushed her to the side and towards the door. “Will, you like pepperoni?”
“I don’t know.”
“You don’t know?”
“I’ve never had pizza.”
“Never had…”
“I can make something else,” Scully interrupted, a worried look on her face. “The store’s not far. What do you want?”
“No, no!” Will protested. “I’d like to try pizza, please, if that’s okay.”
“Of course it’s okay,” Mulder said. “We’ll get one with everything you can figure out what you like. You go ahead and get settled.”
“You want the dog in here, or should we kick him out?” Scully asked.
“Oh, he can stay.”
Daggoo stood attentively on the bed, ears up, watching as Mulder and Scully left the room and shut the door behind them. He whined for a moment, but then panted happily when Will scratched his back and sides. Loving the attention, he flopped over onto his back and presented his belly for more scratching. Will laughed and willingly obliged.
“Your name’s Daggoo right?” Will asked. “I’ve never heard of a name like that before. Kind of weird. Are they nice people? My…parents? They seem nice. Do you think I’ll like it here? I didn’t really like Washington DC all that much, but it’s nice out here. Do you like it here? Huh, Daggoo? Can you speak?”
Daggoo barked once and flipped over to his feet. He shook himself off and then jumped up with his paws on Will’s chest. Will let himself fall onto his back and Daggoo trampled him, stepping on his face before curling up and laying his head in the space between Will’s neck and shoulder.
There was glow in the dark stars on the ceiling, emitting a faint, neon green glow. Will wondered if they were always there or if his…parents put them up for his benefit. He’d had stars in his room when he was little, and he remembered how peaceful he thought they were. His dad took them down when he repainted the room once and said Will was too old for them anyway and didn’t put them back up.
Will rolled onto his side and hugged Daggoo. The dog lifted his head and licked Will’s nose once, and then settled back down, letting out a sigh and closing his eyes in contentment.”
“I think it’ll be okay,” Will said. “I’m glad you’re here.”
The End