From: eblair@sonic.net   
      
   TITLE: Happy Birthday William   
   AUTHOR: Erin M. Blair   
   E-MAIL: eblair@sonic.net   
   CLASSIFICATION/CATEGORIES: SRA--Story, Romance, Angst   
   CONTENT: Mulder/Scully Romance. William Fic.   
   DISTRIBUTION/ARCHIVE STATEMENT: OK to Gossamer,   
   Ephemeral, MSR Fanfic Cheerleaders Archive.   
   RATING: PG   
   SPOILERS: Existence then AU.   
   SETTING: AU after Season Eight.   
   DISCLAIMER: Mulder and Scully belong to Chris Carter.   
   DATE: Completed September 1, 2004.   
   ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS: Thanks to Jen for the beta reading   
   this story; I would also like to thank Kelly for the challenge.   
   SUMMARY: It's William's third birthday! More changes   
   are in store for Mulder and Scully.   
      
   *This story is for MSRPreservationSociety's June   
   Challenge. The details are below in the author's   
   notes.*   
      
   ---------------------------------------------   
   Happy Birthday William   
   by Erin M. Blair   
   ---------------------------------------------   
      
   The little boy was excited when he woke up,   
   knowing that it was his birthday.   
      
   His third birthday.   
      
   He quickly ran to his parents' bedroom. His   
   chubby hand patted his mother's arm. "Mommy!   
   Wake up!"   
      
   Scully woke up. Her blue eyes were trying   
   to focus on her excited son and she lowered   
   her voice, trying not to disturb Mulder. "William,   
   what's wrong?"   
      
   "I'm OK, Mommy. It's my birthday!"   
      
   Scully smiled at her son. "I know, Will."   
      
   "Can I wake up, Daddy? Please, Mommy?"   
      
   Scully's smile deepened. "I think we should   
   wait until he wakes up on his own. He had   
   a hard day yesterday." She got up from the   
   bed and put on a robe. She looked at   
   her son as she sat down on the bed. She   
   looked into William's eyes and smiled at   
   him. "You're three today."   
      
   "I know," William said with a grin. "Can I open   
   my presents now?"   
      
   Scully laughed. She couldn't believe he already   
   knew about presents. "You have to wait for Grandma   
   today. She's coming today to bring you a gift."   
      
   "Yay!" exclaimed William. "More presents!"   
      
   "William, yes -- but you have to wait until she   
   gets here."   
      
   "I'll wait, Mommy."   
      
   "Scully? William?" Mulder mumbled. He tried   
   to focus on his wife and son. He got up slowly   
   and then he kissed her gently on her full red   
   lips.   
      
   "Mulder, I'm sorry we woke you," Scully   
   murmured in his hair. She gave him a kiss on the   
   nape of his neck. "William's excited about his   
   third birthday today."   
      
   "I know, Scully," Mulder said with a smile. "I hope   
   his excitement doesn't wake up Katherine and   
   Melissa."   
      
   Scully's voice lowered a decibel as she whispered   
   into her husband's ear. "I think they'll be all right   
   for now."   
      
   "I hope so, Scully. I really hope so."   
      
   "Come on, Mommy and Daddy. I want to open   
   my presents."   
      
   "Do you think we should let him?" Mulder asked   
   in a teasing tone.   
      
   "Oh, I think we should give him at least one of his   
   presents now."   
      
   "That's a good idea, Scully."   
      
   Scully went to pick up one of the wrapped packages   
   for her son. "I think he'll like this one. He loves bright   
   blue wrapping paper."   
      
   Mulder smiled, "Aww, good choice." He paused as he   
   whispered into Scully's ear. "He's going to get mad when   
   he realizes that it's clothes."   
      
   Scully smiled at him. "I think you're right, Mulder." She   
   paused. "He's very intelligent for his age."   
      
   "Mommy! Daddy! I want to open my present!"   
      
   *  *  *   
      
   "Dana?"   
      
   "In the kitchen, Mom!" Scully called out to her   
   mother. She was in the kitchen, making breakfast   
   for her family.   
      
   Maggie Scully entered the kitchen and she placed   
   her present for William on the clean kitchen table. "How's   
   the birthday boy?"   
      
   "He already opened one present from Mulder and me this   
   morning. We couldn't satisfy him for long, Mom."   
      
   "Oh, I can understand."   
      
   Scully made a face as she reflected on what had happened when   
   they gave William one of his presents early that morning. "So   
   he opened one of the packages. It turned out to be clothes. You   
   should have seen his distaste."   
      
   "You did that, Dana, when you were little."   
      
   "Really? I really don't remember."   
      
   "When you were William's age," Maggie said with   
   a laugh.   
      
   "Grandma!" William exclaimed happily. His grin was   
   infectious.   
      
   "Come here, William. You've grown since the last time I   
   saw you," Maggie said. She stroked his light brown   
   hair and she could see the red highlights in the sunlight   
   shining in through the windows.   
      
   "You always say that every time you come over,   
   Mom."   
      
   "I know. I'm always intrigued by the changes I see   
   in him." She paused. She turned her attention towards   
   her grandson. "I bet you can't wait to open all your   
   presents."   
      
   "Oh, I want presents."   
      
   "Remember to say please, William."   
      
   "Mommy!"   
      
   "Where's Fox?"   
      
   "Mulder's out picking up the cake."   
      
   "Is it just going to be us -- you, Fox, William, Katherine,   
   Melissa and me -- or will there be people from your   
   work?" Maggie asked.   
      
   "Mulder and I pretty much wanted a small gathering   
   this year. I think after everything that happened   
   a few years ago, we didn't want anything to intrude.   
   After all, it's William's day. Besides, we're going to   
   have another party for him later in the week at his   
   daycare at the FBI. So Skinner, John Doggett, Monica   
   Reyes, et al will be there."   
      
   "I bet William's thrilled about that."   
      
   Mulder came in carrying a pink box. "I've got the   
   cake and the candles, Scully." He noticed his   
   mother-in-law with William. "Hi, Maggie. William's   
   been excited about seeing you today."   
      
   "Daddy, can I open my presents now?"   
      
   "We have to get ready for our birthday party and   
   your mother has to get the girls ready."   
      
   "Katherine and Melissa are ready, Mulder. They're   
   in their playpen in the living room."   
      
   "Maybe you should move them into the kitchen?"   
      
   "Mulder -- "   
      
   "I'll watch them, Fox."   
      
   Mulder looked relieved. "Thanks, Maggie." He paused.   
   He looked at his wife and he knew that she was upset.   
   "I'm sorry, Scully, if I overreacted. I don't want anything   
   to happen."   
      
   "Mulder, I know it's been no picnic sometimes, but I   
   love them. You know that."   
      
   "I do know that, Scully. It's just that I never thought   
   this would happen. We thought you were barren not   
   too long ago."   
      
   "I would think after I became pregnant the second   
   time that you would know that it wasn't true," Scully   
   said. "I know we believed it so much that we doubted   
   what William was at first." She was glad that William   
   was with her mother and their twin daughters.   
      
   "I know, Scully. We were both lied to by the doctors,   
   by the Kurts. They even showed me your ova. When   
   they said they took all of them -- I believed them. I didn't   
   even think..."   
      
   "I know. If I was in your position, I would have believed   
   the same thing. This is proof  that I can get pregnant again."   
      
   "Scully?"   
      
   Scully nodded. "I know. I wanted to tell you last night,   
   but you were asleep when I did the test. Then William   
   wanted us to...  Mulder, I'm pregnant."   
      
   "You're...."   
      
   Scully nodded again. "Pregnant. I know; I know. I still   
   can't believe it myself."   
      
   "You're telling me..."   
      
   "Mulder, I know it's a shock."   
      
   "Color me speechless. I thought after Katherine and   
   Melissa, we wouldn't have anymore. The doctors said -- "   
   Mulder said with a sigh. He needed some time to   
      
   [continued in next message]   
      
   --- SoupGate-Win32 v1.05   
    * Origin: you cannot sedate... all the things you hate (1:229/2)