TITLE:  Find the Future - Chapter Two

AUTHORS:  xphilernj and Fibbie (aka FBIWhistleblower)

E-MAILS:  xphilernj@aol.com and FBIWhistleblower@aol.com

WEBSITES:  https://donnilee.xf-redux.com/xphilernj.html and 
http://members.aol.com/xphilernj/fbiwhistleblower.html   

DISTRIBUTION:  Please ask first!

RATING:  At least, no one under the age of 13, please, due to some 
curse words.  If rating changes, a 'CONTENT WARNING' will be 
included.

CATEGORIES:  S, MSR, H, A 

KEYWORDS:  AU, Mulder/Scully married

SPOILERS:  All episodes up to Requiem and before Mulder's 
abduction.  Then ventures off into an unknown future.

SUMMARY:  The Mulder men partake in a little Fall mischief.

DISCLAIMER: Fibbie - Sorry CC, we just couldn't help ourselves, 
but we will return them when we're good and ready.  nj - Shhhh, 
don't tell anyone.  We'll sneak them back in before midnight. 
(Maybe...)

* * * * * * *

Chapter Two 1/1

* * * * * * *

'eefs
by xphilernj & Fibbie

* * *

November 22, 2004
Tuesday before Thanksgiving


Once again, the backyard resembled a patchwork quilt: maroons, 
scarlets, reds, oranges, ambers, yellows and greens.  Yes, Fall 
had arrived and Mother Nature decided to redecorate the back 
yard, once again.  

Mulder sighed, picked up the rake and headed for the far end of 
the yard.  It was Tuesday and this job had to be done by Thursday.  

After about an hour and a half, he had five multi-colored piles 
of leaves and was slowly working on the last.  He paused for a 
moment and wiped his brow.  A screech and bang of the back screen 
door alerted him to an intruder.  A smile played at the corner of 
his mouth when he heard the crunch of leaves and the shuffle of 
small feet creep closer.

"Daddy, Moma to'd me to gif dis to 'ou."  William announced as he 
slowly walked closer, mindful of the glass of iced tea he was 
holding.  He held it up to his Daddy, proud that not a drop had 
spilled.

"Why thank you, Buddy.  I really needed this.  I'll have to thank 
mom later."  Mulder gently patted William on the head and then 
winked at his son which elicited a giggle from the little boy.

"Daddy?"  

"Yeah, Buddy."

"'ou pay in da 'eefs?  I 'on't ta pay too, Daddy,"  William 
announced enthusiastically as he jumped up and down.  Then 
without warning, and before Mulder could reply, his energetic 
son dove for the nearest pile of neatly raked leaves.

"William Fox Mulder!"  Mulder yelled as he stood stunned for a 
moment, watching as his little boy rolled around, scattering the 
neat pile.  Mulder shook his head and chuckled.  He stepped over 
to the porch, set down his glass and turned to see William running 
as hard as his little legs could carry him. 

"No!  William!"  Mulder took off running and snatched up a 
laughing little boy before he could dessimate another pile.  "Oh 
no you don't, Buddy.  I didn't spend the past hour raking so you 
can destroy it."  Mulder said laughing as William squirmed in his 
arms to be let down.

William stopped wiggling and said, "'ut Daddy, I 'ont ta pay, too," 
William said, his bottom lip prominently sticking out.  Sometimes, 
Mulder thought, looking at his son, it was like looking in the 
mirror.

Mulder sighed as he looked between the leaves and his pouty son.  
Apparently, to his young son, raking leaves was child's play.

Surprised, William squealed with delight and clapped wildly when 
his Daddy suddenly plopped down in the middle of the biggest pile 
of leaves, scattering them everywhere.  William picked up a 
handful and tossed them on top of his Daddy's head.

"Pay, Daddy, pay wif me!" William called, little fists full of 
leaves.

"Hey, you!  I'm gonna getcha for that!"  

His Daddy grabbed his short leg as he tried to scramble away and
shrieked as a handful of leaves was dumped on top of his head.  

Father and son tumbled around laughing and destroying yet 
another pile.  

* * * * * * *

Scully shook her head as she stood at the kitchen window 
smiling, watching her two boys play amongst the fallen leaves.

"Mulder's gonna have to get those leaves raked up by morning.  
But, I doubt he's gonna mind it too much," she said aloud and 
chuckled.  

She wiped her hands with the dishcloth, made another glass of 
tea, peeked in the oven and then headed out the door to find 
her two hard-working boys.

* * * * * * *

Delicious aromas drifted across the yard and the sound of the 
screen door closing alerted the two prone figures that someone 
was approaching.  Father whispered to son.  The son giggled and 
nodded.

Scully set the extra glass of tea on the porch, slowly walked to 
where her two boys were huffing and puffing, clearly exhausted and 
a little dirty from their romp through the gorgeous color palette 
of leaves.  She was oblivious to the conspiracy about to unfold. 

"Hey, you two, whatcha ... ?" Her question was abruptly cut short 
by two large hands grabbing her waist and pulling her down between 
father and son, leaves once again flying everywhere.  She yelped 
when her son doused her with the fallen leaves.

William giggled behind the small hands that were covering his 
mouth.  He started inching away from his squirming Moma.

"Daddy, to'd me ta do wit," he announced as he pointed his finger, 
a very Mulderesque smirk tempting the corners of his mouth.

"Traitor!" Mulder yelled as he lunged for William.  

Scully laughed as her son screamed and started running to get away 
from his Daddy.  Mulder caught William and they both tumbled into 
another pile, rolling and laughing.

"No! Da ... deeeee!"  William screamed as his Daddy tickled him, 
legs kicking wildly in his attempts to escape.

Mulder and William were so engrossed in their bonding session that 
they did not see or suspect Scully was sneaking up behind them.  
Suddenly, leaves rained down upon them, causing them to stop 
abruptly, mouths agape.  They sat up quickly only to see Scully 
disappear through the screen door.  

"Uh, oh," William whispered breathlessly, looking worried.  "Is 
Moma mad?" 

"Uh, oh, is right.  I don't think so, Buddy.  But, You know what?  
I think we better get these leaves raked up and then get cleaned 
up for dinner without Moma having to tell us.  Whataya say, want 
to help me out here, Buddy?"  Mulder asked as he stood and brushed 
off his and William's clothes.

"'kaee, Daddy.  I git ma yake and hep ya, Daddy," William said.  
He ran to the porch as fast as his chubby little legs would carry 
him, picked up his little plastic rake and joined his Daddy.

Mulder grinned as his son struggled with the small plastic rake, 
stopped, wiped his forehead and then with an exagerated sigh began 
again.  Even though it took twice as long with his son's help, 
they had all the leaves, once again raked, picked up and stored in 
the compost bin.

Both looked tired and dirty, but happy as they tried to quietly 
slip up the stairs and into the bathroom.

* * * * * * *

Meanwhile, in the kitchen, Scully hummed while putting the 
finishing touches on their evening meal.  She glanced out the 
kitchen window and smiled wistfully thinking about the last three 
years.  Good times overshadowing the bad had been the only way 
they managed to survive, considering what it had taken for them 
to reach this point.  They truly had something to be thankful for 
each and every day.

As she was taking the sweet potato pie from the oven and placing 
it aside on a cooling rack for their family Thanksgiving dinner, 
she heard her two favorite men noisily stomping down the stairs.  
A pair of strong arms encircled her waist.  Scully shivered as 
Mulder's breath blew across her ear.  A smaller pair of arms 
encircled her leg and squeezed.

"Love you, Scully," Mulder whispered in her ear.

"Wuv 'ou, Moma," William said as he looked up at her with a 
sheepish grin.

"Love you, too.  Both of you ... with all my heart."  

Scully reached down, lifted her son, kissed him on the cheek and 
then kissed his Daddy on the lips.

"Ewwwwww. 'uk," William announced and stuffed his face into the 
crook of Scully's neck.  Both parents laughed at his reaction.

"Come on, my backyard heroes -- let's eat," Scully told them.

Then Mulder and Scully sat at the table to eat, with William 
secure on his toddler booster seat, in a chair between them. 

Scully looked from her husband to their son and decided that, 
yes, they truly had a lot to be thankful for.


* * * * * * *

End of Chapter Two


FEEDBACK:  Yes, but please be kind.  'Fragile Ego Zone Ahead.'

xphilernj@aol.com and FBIWhistleblower@aol.com