From: bellydancergirl7@aol.com   
      
   All notes disclosed in chapter one.   
      
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   Christmas Eve, Indianapolis, Indiana   
      
   Dana braced herself as the plane landed at the Indianapolis    
   International Airport. She couldn't believe she was nervous. She'd    
   already been through this one. Why was she still nervous?   
      
   Mulder reached over and took her hand in his. "Dana, relax. Stop    
   being so nervous. My family loves you," he calmed her. She still    
   fidgeted in her seat.   
      
   "I know but why am I still so nervous?"   
      
   "Maybe because this time you're on their turf?" he suggested.   
      
   "Oh, my god, what if that's it?" she realized. "Maybe I'm afraid that    
   their true colors are going to come out or something."   
      
   "Their true colors have come out. They really like you."   
      
   "Are you sure? I mean…."   
      
   He placed a finger over her mouth, getting her to shut up like he    
   wanted. He pressed his forehead to hers. "I want you to take a deep    
   breath and count to three."   
      
   She did as he asked, closing her eyes as she did so. She kept them    
   closed after; she knew she was being paranoid. She felt his lips on    
   her cheek, lingering there.   
      
   "I'm sorry; I think everything's finally getting to me. I'm    
   overwhelmed. I mean, the planning for the wedding, the natural stress    
   of the holiday season, other stuff," she explained, her voice    
   faltering a little.   
      
   "You better now?" he wondered. She nodded, kissing him as    
   thanks. "Everything will be fine."   
      
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   Mulder led his family inside his aunt's house. They'd make fun of him    
   if he rang the doorbell again. Family just didn't do that.   
      
   "Mulder, good to see you again," his Aunt Peggy greeted at the door.    
   She hugged him tightly. "Nice to see Dana hasn't dumped you yet."   
      
   "Ha, ha. Very funny. I'll have you know we're engaged," he told her,    
   holding up Dana's hand. Peggy's jaw dropped.   
      
   "Oh, my god. Look at that rock. It's huge!" She brought Dana's hand    
   closer for a better look.   
      
   "I helped pick it out," Cassie said, making her presence known.   
      
   Mulder nodded. "Yeah, and that's where I learned she's gonna cost me    
   a fortune one day."   
      
   Dana smothered a laugh. "I told you not to spoil her," she reminded.    
   Mulder didn't bother to say anything.   
      
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   Mulder settled next to Dana on the floor, sprawling across it,    
   settling his head in her lap.   
      
   "I'm surprised you helped with clean up," Dana told him, stroking his    
   hair.   
      
   "I promised at Thanksgiving. I had to," he explained. He sat up. "You    
   know, I do know how to clean."   
      
   "I know. If you couldn't, I wouldn't live with you."   
      
   He pretended to look hurt. "Well, it's nice to know where I stand."   
      
   She gave him a smile that he knew meant she didn't believe his act.    
   He opted to kiss her instead.   
      
   "I'm glad your family… approves of the engagement. And the date. It    
   makes everything so much easier."   
      
   "Why wouldn't they approve?"   
      
   "Well, I'm not used to family being so accepting, no explanations."   
      
   "Your brother's gonna kill me, isn't he?" he semi-joked. She ran a    
   hand down his cheek.   
      
   "No, I'll protect you," she promised. He kissed her again in form of    
   a thank you.   
      
   A gust of wind blew by them. "Eww!" it said. Mulder pulled away to    
   see a smiling Cassie. He pulled her into their embrace.   
      
   "What's so `eww' about it, huh?" he asked, tickling her.   
      
   Her girlish giggles were his only answer.   
      
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   Continued in next chapter……   
      
   A/N: That doorbell thing is very true in my family. If you're family,    
   you walk in. We can always tell it isn't family because they always    
   ring the bell.   
      
   All notes disclosed in chapter one.   
      
   A/N: This is the end. I hope everyone enjoyed this as much as I    
   enjoyed writing it. I want to thank everyone who reviewed. It really    
   means a lot to me and it keeps me going. This will probably be my    
   last X-File fic for just a little while. I do have something else in    
   mind but I wanted to take a little break first.   
      
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   Christmas Day, Albany, New York   
      
   "When are you going to tell them?" Mulder whispered over to Dana. She    
   shushed him.   
      
   "When the time's right. It's not the perfect moment yet." She kept    
   her eyes on the bustle in the kitchen. She didn't want anyone    
   overhearing them.   
      
   What she didn't know was that her mother already suspected something    
   was different about her daughter. She seemed different … tense but    
   happy all in one.   
      
   The women of the family finished putting the final touches of dinner    
   on the table. Before long, it was time to eat.   
      
   Maggie kept an eye on her daughter next to her. It concerned her that    
   she was only pushing her food around rather than eating it.   
      
   "Dana, you don't want any wine?" Maggie asked, bringing her daughter    
   out of her thoughts.   
      
   "No, I can't have any," she answered cryptically.    
      
   Maggie's brow crinkled. "Why not?"   
      
   "Because I'm pregnant."   
      
   Maggie swore she stopped breathing for a second. Had she gone deaf?    
   Everybody at the table looked up.   
      
   "Pregnant?" Dana nodded. "I knew it! I know something was different    
   about you!"   
      
   She had to admit, that wasn't the reaction she was waiting for.   
      
   "You're not mad?"   
      
   "No, why would I be mad?" Dana struggled with words. She knew her    
   mother was telling the truth. She could see it on her face. What she    
   couldn't figure out was why she wasn't mad. Who had this woman turned    
   into?   
      
   "I don't know."   
      
   Maggie leaned over and embraced her daughter. "I'm so happy for you,    
   Dana."   
      
   "Really?"   
      
   "Yes, really. Dana, what's wrong?"   
      
   She actually smiled. "Nothing. I'm just really stressed out."   
      
   "When did you find out?" Maggie asked, speaking of the pregnancy.   
      
   "A couple of days ago."   
      
   "When's the baby due?"   
      
   "Um, in July. Because of that, Mulder and I are moving the wedding    
   date to December 9th. That was we have more time to focus on    
   everything," Dana explained.   
      
   "I think that's wonderful, Dana."   
      
   She still didn't know who this mystery woman was.   
      
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   Dana followed her father into his study after dinner. She hadn't    
   gotten word out of him all throughout dinner. He hadn't ever said    
   anything regarding her news.   
      
   "Ahab," she called out to him, "you're not disappointed, are you?'   
      
   He turned from his spot at the mantel. "What do you mean?"   
      
   She smiled and slowly moved forward. "Well, I'm Catholic, pregnant,    
   and not married."   
      
   "Well, I can't really be disappointed when you're engaged," he    
   pointed out.   
      
   "Ahab." She sounded annoyed. "I want your real opinion."   
      
   "I do wish," he said quickly, "that you had been married when this    
   happened, but… you're an adult and you're smart and you're in love. I    
   can't be mad at you when I know all that."   
      
   He stopped his small speech to look her straight in the eye.   
      
   "It's different than with Cassie," he assured. "I wasn't    
   disappointed, mind you, when you had her. A little angry but never    
   disappointed. I love Cassie more than anything. But this time, I can    
      
   [continued in next message]   
      
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