This story contains spoilers for William and The Truth. I don't own the characters, they're Chris Carter's babies, but I like to treat them a little better than he does.

Mulder stirs as he hears the jingle of keys, and he immediately opens his eyes and shoots up into a seated position, scrambling for his gun on the bedside table.

"Relax," he hears, and as he comes awake he suddenly recognizes the figure standing before him. Scully is up out of bed and dressed. Mulder still finds it odd to see her dressed so casually, clad in denim jeans, a sandy sweater and grey jacket, despite the fact they've been on the run for almost three years now. Some mornings he still expects her to walk out of the motel bathroom as Agent Scully, wearing a polished suit and killer heels. Those days have gone though. Agent Scully has gone. So has her shoulder length red hair – now it's a mousy brown color, coming to rest midway down her back. Most days – like today – she ties it back, it's practical that way, but others she lets it curl naturally. She hates it, and Mulder must admit he misses her red locks, but it has to done. She disappears into the crowd as a brunette. It's yet another price she's having to pay for following him on the run.

"Scul –"

"Sarah," she interrupts, warning him. Scully doesn't look impressed, whether it's because of the use of her real name or the fact that he's awake Mulder doesn't know.

"Sarah." The name still feels foreign on his tongue, as does his own alias, Ben. It was Scully's turn to choose this time, and she opted for traditional names. But old habits die hard, and every now and then one of them – or sometimes both – will slip up, and their old names will roll off the tongue. And of course there are quieter, more intimate moments, when anything other than 'Dana' or 'Scully' just won't do.

"Go back to sleep," Scully says, whilst slipping the car keys into her jacket pocket. Mulder blinks up at her sleepily.

"Where are you going?"

"Just out," she replies dismissively, while Mulder narrows his eyes.

"Just out?" He smiles. "You're not trying to walk out on me are you?" As soon as he says the words his smile fades, and he almost dreads her reply. It could happen. Personally he's not sure why she's followed him this far either, especially after all she'd been through and all she'd had to sacrifice. Life on the road was hardly easy, and yet still she stayed.

"Don't be ridiculous Ben. I need to go to the grocery store."

Mulder scratches his head. There's something she's not telling him, and he's not about to give up until he gets it from her. "Are we out of things already? We only went on Tuesday." Their store trips are carefully planned. Always at the busiest time of day – that way people are rushing around too much to spot them, and they blend in easier on CCTV. And they never go alone, just in case they have to keep running.

Scully moves to speak but instead changes her mind and nods. A frown forms on her face as she watches Mulder shift to get out of bed. "What are you doing?"

Scratching his belly, Mulder gets to his feet and pads over to the chair, grabbing the jeans he discarded the night before. "I'm coming with you," he says to her through a yawn as he slips on his pants.

"It's fine, I can go alone."

"No you can't S…Sarah. What if something happens?"

"I'll be quick. Nothing's going to happen."

"That's what they say in horror movies right before something happens."

"This isn't a horror movie Ben," she replies tersely. It might not be a horror movie, but often it's like they're living in a nightmare that they're unable to wake from. "It's a quick trip to a grocery store."

"Why can't it wait?" Mulder asks, ignoring her wish for him to stay at the motel. He finds a fresh t-shirt and slips into it. "I thought we'd got everything."

"We did, but I just remembered something else."

"What?" As Mulder finishes dressing, he turns to face his partner, noticing her unwillingness to meet his eye. "What is it?" She says nothing, instead folding her arms in front of her. Suddenly he's not entirely sure that she's not leaving him. "Dana?" he whispers, nausea creeping in. He wants her to answer him, but yet he doesn't; scared of what she's about to say. He's known it, deep down, ever since they went on the run. She needs to be back home with her family, in a job she loves, living a normal life. Running from town to town, staying in crappy motels and eating out of tin cans isn't what she deserves.

"I didn't mean to wake you," Scully says in a small voice, swallowing hard. "I was just going to go –"

"Go…" Mulder repeats, letting the words sink in. She was just going to leave.

She shakes her head. "It's not what you think."

"Oh really? So this isn't it then? You're not walking out?"

"I'm…what? No!" Scully exclaims, and Mulder instantly breathes a sigh of relief. She's not leaving him. She really is just popping out.

"You're not?" A shake of the head. "Then why the sneaking around? And why are you going to the grocery store?"

"I just need some bread."

"Bread." She's lying and they both know it.

"Drop it Mulder." She doesn't even lower her voice, and neither of them notice that she's used his real name.

"Not until you tell me what you're up to."

"Please."

"Tell me. I don't get why you won't tell me. I mean it's not like it's my birthday and you're planning a surprise. Are you sick? Because if you are we can get you some help and –"

"I'm pregnant," Scully suddenly snaps, stopping Mulder in his tracks. He feels the room start to spin and his legs buckle as he registers her words.

"You're…what?"

"I'm…I think I'm…I think I'm pregnant." Scully's eyes fill with tears, and a lump forms in Mulder's throat too.

"How…?" He immediately regrets the question. He knows how. They've been trying to be careful since they've been on the run for a number of reasons. For starters, a baby isn't practical if you're a wanted man, and then of course there's William… They always knew that there was a risk Scully could fall pregnant again – after all, it had happened once – but they certainly didn't think it would ever happen. "I mean…I know how," he continues. "But…are you sure?"

"I'm about 80 percent sure," Scully admits.

"So there's still a chance…?"

"I'm late." Scully is never late, her period arriving each month like clockwork. "And the signs are there. Nausea, dizziness…"

"But you never said…"

"I thought it might be the stress of everything."

Suddenly Mulder feels lighter. "It could be stress," he agrees, but Scully shakes her head. She doesn't think it is.

"I want to do a pregnancy test," she announces, and Mulder nods. "I need to know." She sniffs, wiping her eyes.

"Of course. And if it's positive…?"

"I can't think about that now," she answers quickly. "I can't believe this is happening."

"I'm sorry." He feels helpless, helpless and sick. All he can think about is the tiny little boy he kissed goodbye three years ago. They can't go through that again. If Scully is pregnant, things will change. She'll have to leave him of course, and go back to her life in DC. She'll need healthcare and a proper roof over her head. He wants nothing more than to go with her, but Mulder would rather his child think of him dead than a murderer. And right now he can't think of his child, because it'll be a child he'll never meet. He's going to be sick.

He watches as Scully heads to the door and suddenly springs back into action, stopping to step into his sneakers, before joining her at the door.

"Scully?"

She pauses and looks up at him, her expression fearful. They're both scared, about what's happening and what the future holds – especially now. "Whatever happens we'll deal with it. We'll be ok. All of us."

Scully says nothing, but reaches out and squeezes his hand. Without letting go, she leads him out of their motel room and towards the car, the two of them ready to discover their fate.