So, here is the last chapter, which I think I've ricocheted on more than anything else I've ever written. It's much more lighthearted than the previous chapters. Regardless, enjoy and thanks very much for reading, and all the wonderful reviews!

8:30 am

April 5, 1999

Maggie Scully woke up with the sunshine, happy to have her family under one roof, but at the same time, with a heaviness in her heart. She hurt for her daughter, who was in so much pain, but so damned determined not to show it. Fox was dead. They'd been so close the last several years, Maggie worried for her little girl. There were certain things she would never be able to protect her children from, and those were somehow the most painful experiences in life. She'd relied on God to protect her children from some of these things, and she was a little peeved to find out he couldn't this time around either.

Dana had suffered so much already, what possible reason could there be to add it all that?

Shaking her head, she stepped down the stairs, and walked over to the den, surprised to see the door open. Dana wasn't there. Puzzled, she tried the kitchen. It was as silent as the rest of the house, and deserted as the den. Growing a little concerned, she circled the ground floor of the house, stopping in the living room, her mouth dropping open in surprise.

Her daughter was sleeping in the embrace of a ghost.

But, then she saw his chest rise and fall slowly under Dana's hand. Not a ghost.

Maggie stood and stared at the pair, trying to figure out what was going on. Then her lips curved into a pleased smile. It didn't really matter did it? He was alive, he hadn't been in his apartment during that fire, and that's what was important. He may have disappeared for the day, but he'd found his way home.

She'd get the story when they woke up anyway.

"Wha-huh?" She turned to see her youngest, yawning and looking confused, his sleepy daughter in his arms.

She gestured him toward the kitchen, she had to start breakfast anyway. He sat Jackie at the table, and then stared at his mother. "I didn't know Dana was seeing anyone."

"If you ask her if she is, she'll deny it." Maggie reached into the refrigerator and pulled out eggs, butter, and blueberries.

"Why? And, who is he?"

"Fox Mulder."

"What?"

"I'm not sure, but apparently, he isn't dead."

"Well, that's good."

"You sound as if you're unsure about that, Charlie."

"It's just if Bill sees him wrapped around Dana like that, he may not stay that way long."

"Well, Bill will just have to get over it, won't he?" She said, setting the bag of flour down while she gave him a pointed look.

"You need any help?" He asked.

"Do you want to start the coffee for me?" He nodded and set to work on the coffee, while Maggie mixed pancake batter, and let Jackie eat a few blueberries.

"What the hell?" A surprised cry startled them as they worked. Charlie shot a look at his mother.

"Bill's up."

"Oh dear." They hurried out to the living room, where they found Bill glowering over Mulder and Scully, who were squinting and trying to figure out what was going on.

Once Mulder did, he immediately removed his hands from Scully, and shifted over to give her a little more space. He was obviously uncomfortable with the audience, and tried to appear very small and invisible. Scully was trying very hard not to blush, and sat up, straightening her top, trying to appear like she wasn't the slightest bit embarrassed.

"Isn't he supposed to be dead?" Bill demanded loudly.

"Good morning to you too, Bill," Scully answered.

"Fox, I'm so happy to see you're alright," Maggie said, ignoring her unhappy children.

"Thank you, Mrs. Scully. I hope you don't mind that I crashed here last night." Mulder straightened himself out, tried to appear proper.

"Of course not, and I don't think Dana would have had it any other way."

Scully actually blushed at that, but quickly cleared her throat—she was not a teenager caught with a boy, she would not be embarrassed.

"So, you want to fill us all in?" Charlie asked, Jackie attached to his leg.

Maggie held up a hand. "I think we should all have some coffee first."

Her three children, and near-surrogate son all nodded in agreement. As they were trudging into the kitchen, Jackie tugged on Scully's pajama pants. Scully reached down, and lifted the little girl into her arms.

"Aunt Dayna, who he?"

Scully looked at Mulder and then back to the little girl. "You remember that I told you I lost a friend yesterday?"

Jackie nodded.

"Well, it turns out that I was wrong. This is my friend, Fox." She involuntarily cringed at the name, it didn't sound right coming from her mouth, but it would be less confusing for a child.

"Fox? He not a fox!" She giggled.

"No silly, that's just his name."

"Why?"

They turned at the sound of Mulder chuckling. "Oh god, I wish I knew."

Scully rolled her eyes at him and turned back to her niece. "Because his mommy and daddy liked that name."

Jackie seemed to consider that, and then nodded her head, apparently satisfied. They'll all fell into seats at the kitchen table, Jackie on Scully's lap, until she decided to crawl over to Mulder. She sat on his lap facing him, seeming to study him, while Mulder watched in return, a little lost as to what to do with her. Then he noticed something, his head cocking slightly to the side, and turned to his partner.

"She has your eyes."

Scully nodded. "Grandma Scully's. Ahab's mom, her mother had them too, right Mom?"

"Yes, she did. Those blue eyes seem to go only through the women of her line, except for her little brother, he had them too. Melissa didn't get them though, and neither did your cousins." Maggie paused in her stirring, hand on her hip, thinking.

"Ok, can we cut the chitchat, and you just tell us why you aren't dead?" Bill turned to Mulder, scowling.

"Well, when you put it that way," Mulder responded.

"Forgive my lack of enthusiasm."

"He was in Connecticut, with no cell reception," Scully supplied, ending the pissing match before it could begin.

"What's in Connecticut?" Charlie asked.

"My parent's summer home, I was cleaning it out. I didn't get Sc-Dana's message until after eight last night, and even then it was only the first bit. Then the phone died, I knew she was here, and she had sounded upset, so this is where I went. She told me what happened when I got here."

"That's it?" Bill was less than impressed.

Mulder simply shrugged.

Charlie looked somewhere between skeptical and amused when he spoke. "Wait, so you're telling me, you got part of a phone message from my sister, in which she sounded like she was upset, and then drove what, seven hours, in the middle of the night?"

"I was, uh, worried." Mulder cleared his throat, and shifted around in his seat, pretending to focus on Jackie as she climbed back into her aunt's lap.

Charlie began to chuckle. "Now, I know why Mom likes you."

"Oh!" Scully suddenly said. "I've got to call Skinner." She took the cordless Bill handed her from the wall, thanking him.

"You want me to do it?" Mulder offered, not entirely comfortable among her family.

"Better not. Wake-up call from a dead man?"

"Good point. He likes you better anyway, better you bum him out," he joked.

Scully shot him a look and dialed. Mulder watched her, while helping Jackie back on his lap. He looked over at Charlie to make sure it was okay (he had a feeling Bill would smack him if he touched Mathew), and relaxed when the other man shrugged.

"Good morning, sir." The three men in the room turned and watched Scully's half of the conversation. "I'm doing fine, sir. Thank you. Um, good news, Mulder's fine." She paused. "Yes, he's right beside me. He was unreachable in Connecticut." Another pause. "Yes sir, I told him. We'll go out and get him some news things today." Pause. "Thank you, sir. I know he'll appreciate it. I'll put him on now."

Mulder took the phone a little apprehensively. "Hello, Sir." He listened for a moment. "Yes, so am I, and I do appreciate the time." He paused. "I can do that, but I won't be able to tell them much." Pause. "Shopping and visiting the insurance people, I guess." He scratched his head. "I'll crash on Scully's couch until I find a new place, or she gets sick of me." His eyebrows rose at Skinner's next words. "Yeah, figures. Well, we promise to behave ourselves, and we'll be off duty anyway. Besides, I think we already broke those rules a few dozen times."

Scully's eyebrows were so high they were about to pop off her face, and Bill was squeezing his coffee cup tight enough to whiten his knuckles.

"Thank you, sir. I'll let you know." Mulder finally hung up the phone, and noted that he had unwittingly gained everyone's attention.

"What rules did we break?"

"Fraternization. Skinner seems to think the Bureau would frown on me crashing at your place. But, according to him, if we're good, he won't say anything."

Scully rolled her eyes. "Then I guess we'll be good."

Charlie chuckled, while Bill was grimacing painfully. Maggie had a small smile on her face as she transferred a couple finished pancakes to a small plate. A little tab of butter, and a squirt of syrup later, she set them in front of Jackie, who was still parked on Mulder's lap. The little girl wasted no time grabbing the fork and going to work on the pancakes.

They were soon joined by Tara, who's mouth dropped open at the sight of Mulder, and Rose, who looked similarly at the sight of her shy daughter on a strange man's lap. Scully quickly made introductions, and explained the story that had already been told twice. She had no trouble sensing Mulder's discomfort with the attention and general family atmosphere. She asked him in a whisper if he wanted to move to the living room, but he gestured to the child on his lap, reluctant to disturb her. Scully had to smile at that.

An hour later, after they'd eaten, and Scully had showered and changed, they prepared to leave to deal with his lack of belongings and home. Jackie was still attached to Mulder, who seemed to have grown more comfortable with her. At least, comfortable enough to hold a doll and use a funny voice.

"I'll give you a call tomorrow, Mom," Scully promised.

"Alright, I wish this had been more of a break for you." Maggie seemed resigned as she watched her daughter shrug, and embraced her. A little voice objecting startled them.

"But, I don't want the fox to leave!" Jackie had her arms crossed over her chest, and a scowl to match her Uncle Bill's.

"Told you," Charlie said. "Just like her aunt."

Scully shot him a look, but turning to Mulder, who already looked guilty for leaving the little girl. She almost laughed at that, apparently his guilt complex extended to disappointing small children. She crouched in front of her unhappy niece.

"Hey Jackie, we have to go take care of some things today, but I'll make you a promise, okay?" The toddler remained unconvinced. "When I come to visit for your Fourth of July barbeque, I'll bring him with me. How's that?"

Jackie seemed to consider that. "You promise?"

"Cross my heart."

Jackie nodded. "Okay." She then consented to hug her aunt, and 'the fox', who was trying very hard not to be embarrassed.

Maggie took her turn with him then. "Fox, I'm so glad you're alright. You let me know if you need anything."

"Thank you, Mrs. Scully."

They made their way outside to Mulder's car, and drove off toward Washington. Jackie stood staring at the door they'd just left through. Rose watched her daughter, looking amused.

"Charlie, I think our child has a crush."

He chuckled. "Yep, just like her aunt."