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Being in the basement office at the FBI’s Hoover building meant everyone left Mulder and Scully alone.
Usually.
But… Sometimes things were out of their hands. Like now. The ‘greater power that be’ in the actual pedestrian-minded FBI administration selected them for a short-term undercover job. It was terrifically boring. Except for one aspect.
Mulder and Scully were to play house for a few days at a gated community in a no-name suburb located about an hour-and-change south of D.C.-proper. The goal was to wait out a group of suspected animal smugglers that were using one of the community houses as a halfway point before continuing the next phase. And as for Mulder and Scully, they were to only survey suspected house. It happened that the original agents assigned the case were not ready to step in. Yet. A different assignment was keeping them longer.
So… Mulder and Scully were made to wait. Pretending to be an expectant married couple was an attempt in getting the neighbors on their side. Their part was over now. Completely. Their fellow agents had taken over.
Now it was time for Mulder and Scully to return to the real world once more. And on an iconic date, to boot.
FEBRUARY 14
LARIAT RENT-A-CAR
In truth, Mulder and Scully were comically stranded at the rental agency.
It was the closest establishment to the community where they’d just spent the past few days already. And the reason for the stranding was out of their hands. Technically.
On the way to their own destination further off in a different direction for a team-building seminar, a group of other FBI from the Manassas field office had picked Mulder and Scully up in a large passenger van from the Hoover building. Others had made arrangements in advance. Mulder and Scully gratefully accepted the lift while also secretly relieved that their own assignment would be better than a tried seminar. Still… The Lariat rental agency was a halfway point.
Now they had to return to HQ. In one fashion or another. Scully still found herself in a state of amusement as she and Mulder continued their visit in the festively-decorated office in what felt like the middle of absolutely nowhere.
Logistics were a funny thing. Truly.
The prosthetic bump she wore belonged to a prop division at their office building. But what Scully the most was that everyone they came into contact with really did seem to believe that she was nine months pregnant. She carried herself well. And Mulder cheerfully played along. It was fun in a weird way.
Scully also didn’t mind the prolonged bump-wearing.
And Mulder, when he looked across the room at her, thought she looked radiant. The man also wondered what was going on in her head. He also wondered what was happening in her head.
Turns out… There was quite a lot.
Some time had passed now since learning about being barren. Her heart also ached over the loss of Emily. That was all certainly true. Scully still felt determined to experience motherhood. One day. But Scully also thought about something else entirely. Her birthday was in over a week. She hoped Mulder would be there. Even if a case happened.
Scully’s mind shifted again.
Not many feet from where she sat was a young family.
The father seemed to be tying up loose ends on the other side of the room. But then there was his wife. She sat on one of the chairs in the waiting area to watch their children. And adoringly so. They were in their own bubble.
A toddler boy and his early elementary-aged sister stood in front of a big black double-wide stroller. Nestled inside were two twin girls bundled up against the cold outside. But they were watching their siblings in riveted amazement. The others were engaging them in multiple rounds of peek-a-boo. Each close to a year old, the twins were clumsily but delightedly engaging their siblings in the game. Nothing else mattered.
Mulder turned back to the counter where he stood again.
It was then that he noticed a small display of different types of small stuffed animals for sale, settled off to the side. Amongst them was a fox holding a toy heart. So Mulder decided to buy it when he remembered today was Valentine’s Day. The proceeds even went to a local medical charity house. Mulder also felt happy to be with his own valentine right now. Even though she seemed as if she was contemplating the fabrics of space and time.
The clerk at the counter made an observation after Mulder pocketed the change and the transaction receipt. “Hm. Foxes are cool.”
Realizing that she hadn’t seen anything about his name because the transaction had involved cash instead of their bureau-approved expense card, Mulder allowed himself a proud grin as he said, “Yeah. They are. I got it for my wife because it’s Valentine’s Day. And she loves foxes.”
Back in her seat, Scully watched the family exit the building when their business was done. They even passed Mulder on the way out. He continued to be weak-kneed as he drew closer to Scully. The disguise really suited her. Still, Mulder hoped from the bottom of his heart that Scully’s wish of experiencing motherhood longer than she had with Emily would come true.
Now anchoring himself to reality, Mulder set the fox toy on Scully’s bump, Mulder said, “Happy Valentine’s Day.”
Lightning up and gently but lovingly keeping the toy in place with one hand, Scully beamed at Mulder. “Wow. Thank you. I actually forgot about the holiday.”
Quite aware and trying not to laugh because of the festive decorations, they were surrounded by, Mulder said, “Oh?”
“I guess I was thinking about how my birthday is just over a week away.” Scully said with a shrug.
Mulder sat beside Scully. Without thinking, she leaned into him for support. This wasn’t acting for the sake of maintaining some disguise. She genuinely cared for him. And he knew.
Now Mulder lovingly wrapped one arm around Scully’s waist, making her comfortable as he said, “Got any plans for the big 3-4?”
“No.” laughed Scully. “But I’m sure I’ll be with you because of work. And that has always been enough. You are my best friend. Any time with you is time well-spent.”
Cheerfully in love, Mulder said, “You’ve definitely been my best friend for years now. But… Is there anything you are not wanting to do on your birthday?”
Scully decided, “Another gig like what we just finished because I actually miss monster-hunting with you. The pretending was fun. Definitely. But…”
“Oh.” Mulder quickly filled in the blanks. “Okay. Then… Are you saying that you were bored…?”
“Guilty.” now Scully cleared her throat and continued to keep her new trinket in place as she spoke again. “What’s the official word on getting back…?”
“Turns out that our previously-Manassas-bound companions are on the way back from their team-building seminar, and they will be picking us up.” explained Mulder.
“Wow. Guess that saves a whole headache about us getting back on our own.” Scully remarked.
“Yep. I’m not even going to question the arrangements at this point.” Mulder knocked his knuckles against a faux-wooden armrest now. “But the clerk had a note of it in the computer system. She informed me after I finished turning our things in.”
“Ah. So now the two of us are waiting on everyone else to get here.” deduced Scully. “Is that it?”
“Yes.” confirmed Mulder. “They should actually be here in twenty minutes. Or so.”
“Got it.” Scully acknowledged.
But after a few more moments went by, Mulder asked her, “What are you thinking about? I saw you watching that family.”
Before Scully could answer, she noticed a pair of stuffed animals on one of the seats where the family had been sitting. One rabbit. One puppy. They’d been left behind. Scully realized this was an accident because the oldest child came jogging back for them. She made a noise of excitement when she saw the toys exactly where she’d remembered they were. Then the girl brushed imaginary dust off the toys and cuddled them close. Here was a sister who loved her siblings enough to care of their toys for them since they couldn’t.
And then the girl’s mother called to her from the building’s main doorway. “Melissa Christine! Did you find your sisters’ toys?”
Pleased with herself, Melissa jogged back as she trilled, “I did!”
Melissa and her mother were then gone just as quickly as they’d arrived.
Pulling herself together, Scully turned back to Mulder. “Wow. I know that ‘Melissa’ is a common enough name. But…”
Mulder connected a dot. “Oh. Are you thinking about how that was Emily’s middle name?”
“Yes.” confirmed Scully. “And my sister was Melissa Christine. The four of us were given family names in some fashion for another.”
“But especially Bill, huh?” joked Mulder.
“Yes.” laughed Scully. “The man was named after our father. And the shared middle name is Finnbar.”
“Holy Ireland…” remarked Mulder.
“Bullseye. Even at that, Finnbar was my granddad Scully’s first name. He came from Cork. Still…” Scully paused for a moment. “Even Charlie agrees that he got shafted on his own middle name.”
“Yeah?” Mulder said in amusement. “How’s that?”
“His middle name is McGovern.” Scully told him.
Eyebrows raised, now Mulder asked, “Is that your mother’s original family name?”
“Yes. A fun fact is that both she and her twin were both born in the states after their parents moved to Boston from Dublin.” explained Scully. “But ‘McGovern’ is the family name their parents chose to make things easier. I still can’t begin to say the pre-emigration version.”
Mulder laughed. “Anything else?”
“Well…” shrugged Scully. “My dad and his older sister moved to New York from the motherland when they were toddlers.”
“Wow. That really is impressive. But…” Mulder’s brow furrowed as he processed something else his partner had said. “Maggie’s a twin? Did I hear that correctly?”
“Mhm. They’re identical. And my middle name is Katherine because that’s my mother’s middle name. But…” Scully wondered how to say her next words in a sensible way.
Mulder figured it out. “Was one of the Ireland McGoverns a Katherine?”
“Their mother was a Katriona. But she changed it when they moved to Boston.” Scully looked at Mulder, deeply touched that he was genuinely invested now. “Hey. Are you still following?”
“Yes. Until the last stop.” he meant this in more than one way and they both knew it. “I suppose we’re back to Aunt Christine?”
Scully said, “Yes. Now I think you understand where my sister’s name came from?”
“Uh-huh. I do.” laughed Mulder. “Keep going.”
Shrugging again, Scully told him, “Everything worked out because Christine is as eccentric as my sister was. Melissa got the full brunt of everything. Ask my mother sometime. I think she’d be tickled to tell you a few tales.”
“Deal.” vowed Mulder. “What about you, though?”
Scully understood what he meant. “My aunt is the same person who I learned some of my outdoor survival skills from.”
Now thinking about how she’d gotten them out of different outdoor ‘misadventures’ over the years, Mulder said, “Wow. But if the McGoverns are Bostonians, then where did Aunt Christine learn her outdoor skills at all?”
“I think that that is a story for later on when we get back.” decided Scully. “Alright?”
“Okay.” agreed Mulder.
Sighing because she’d finally come back to the subject she’d been avoiding, Scully held the fox toy closer as she said, “I was also thinking about being a mother. One day. And I was thinking about how much I miss Emily.”
The next words out of Mulder’s mouth were completely honest. “I think about her, too.”
Scully’s heart skipped a beat as it swelled with a mixture of surprise and affection. “Really?”
“Oh, I definitely do.” promised Mulder.
“Wow. That means the world to me. And I thank you for it.” Scully hugged him for a few moments with her free arm. “And… When I do have kids one day… Will you be there with us on a nice quiet property? Please?”
Mulder held her gently and pressed a kiss to Scully’s brow. “Of course. We’ll all be at a quiet house in the countryside. How does that sound to you?”
“It sounds perfect.” Scully sighed happily when Mulder hugged her again. “Thank you.”
Gesturing around to their surroundings, Mulder asked Scully, “Did you ever imagine spending any stretch of your Valentine’s Day at a Lariat Rent-A-Car place before?”
Scully shook her head as she said with a laugh, “Mm. But you know something?”
Mulder asked, “What’s that?”
“I’m enjoying it because I love spending time with you. Even on the days when we just drive each other nuts.” Scully leaned against Mulder a little more. “Time with you is definitely something I always treasure.”
Only just withholding a marriage proposal because this wasn’t the right setting, Mulder told her, “I feel the exact same way about time spent with you.”
Both knew he meant it, exactly as she’d meant her own words.
Then Scully spoke again. “Fox?”
He spoke unguardedly because almost never called him that. “Yes, Dana?”
She indicated the toy, still purchased on her faux bump. “Thank you for the gift. I’ll always treasure it, too. Happy Valentine’s Day.”
And Mulder cheerfully responded, “Happy Valentine’s Day.”
But… Only the universe knew that February 23rd, 1998 (Special Agent Doctor Dana Katherine Scully’s fast-upcoming birthday) was to see both her and her partner en route to the other side of the country because of a new case… Where they would the next day begin a short stay in a quaint but peculiar gated community in California called The Falls at Arcadia.