So I think we've already established that I'm mad, right? Anywho. I've figured out where I'm taking 'AFK' thanks to the amazing Animus Et Anima. She just about gets credit for anything. And the amazing person award for putting up with me for so long. )

So you get the prologue and the first chapter today only because I've been working on them forever and my mothers taking a nap and I'm bored. :)

Set season four. After 'Leonard Betts' and three weeks (maybe more) before 'Never Again' I know that time gap isn't there in the series, but it is now. There will be spoilers in this too for those that may be reading but haven't finished the series. Yet this is still a AU story.

Disclaimer: I don't own anything, obviously. My writing style is mine and this little girl. Even though Schindlers List inspired it, but just the one scene. - I don't own that either.

Burning Snowflakes

…Prologue…

He told her to meet him at the park when she was ready to talk.

She didn't think she'd have the energy and for Dana that was enough. She was tired and she was sick and most importantly she was angry with him. She wanted to use that as an excuse, mock up some fictional doctor's appointment or cold that made her weaker than what she was. But that'd only make him worry more so.

Then again, right now she felt like he deserved it.

He'd put her life on spin cycle and flipped his own life upside down, only to expect her to go along with him. To put her own furniture on the roof and act as he had. It didn't help that he'd broken the law and refused to make it right. This wasn't your everyday break-into-top-secret-facility sort of law breaking, this would ruin him completely if they took her from him. And someone would when they found out.

Hell, the shadow government would. That one man who ruined their lives so quickly would take her from him and, frankly, Scully didn't know how she'd fix him when that time finally came about. Because it would, she knew it and she knew how he'd handle it – badly.

In the end, she got up, brushed her hair and turned up at the park, two minutes before his suggested time. He wanted to talk, in minutes he'd messed with their lives, three weeks later and they were still stuck in the same predicament. And yet again, he only wanted minutes from her to fix it all, before it was far too late.

She spotted them almost immediately. It wasn't all that hard. She was so tiny compared to him. They'd moved away from the other children playing on the playground and kept to themselves, like minds and shy. His body was bent over as he chased her bright, contagious smiles on both of their faces.

German words slurred from both of their mouths mixed with her small amount of English and giggles. Every now and then she'd squeal as Mulder caught her and span her from her waist. To think this girl had come from such a terrible place and yet she was still able to laugh and smile. He'd done that, he'd shown her the world as a better place. He's shown her how to smile – albeit in his presence that wasn't hard if shown the right side.

It was there from her distance, Dana made up her mind. They had to fix whatever problems it was that they had. She needed to get better, he needed to talk about what he was going through, about how he felt. She was sick of guessing and him taking things back. And together they needed to help her, that little girl he saved from something unknown. He wanted Dana's help, but they wouldn't agree, and they needed to agree.

They had to work it out, because at the end of the day they'd get that laugh and the sweet German goodnight as they tucked her in. In the end that's what they needed, no matter what was happening in the world around them that's what they came home to, that's the truth that they found.

To think it'd only been three weeks with her and she'd changed their lives, for the better. A smile slipped on her face as she caught his eye. The girl ran unbeknownst between the adults who were smiling like idiots. He knew. She was jumping in, he could just tell by her face.

Now they just had to get through it all in one piece and safely. She knew there were going to be bumps, that was the price one payed with children, almost like a dangerous game. It was going to take stamina, perseverance, persistence and their uncanny teamwork.

They had to learn how to hold it together, for her.

Now, usually I beg for reviews. And I know how annoying people are when they do that. So I'm just gonna say "Hey, cool. They have a nice new little box that makes it easier and it sure as hell would make my day." ;)

Annaliese