Date: Sun, 28 Jan 1996 18:20:39 -0500 From: macspooky@erols.com Subject: Generations "Ireland" Chapter Five by Macspooky and Juliettt "How do I look?" asked Dana, putting the finishing touches on her lipstick before they went to meet the others in the dining room downstairs for dinner the next day. Fox had insisted upon taking the entire family to the wonderful restaurant at the inn that night. "Are you flirting with me, little lady?" he asked, coming up behind her and kissing her neck. "You know you look beautiful." "Well, if you don't want me to flirt with you, I'll have to find someone else to flirt with," she smiled. She turned around to look at him. He looked almost all right again after their long soak in the bathtub . . . *almost* . . . although she swore he was still just a wee bit "green around the gills." "Don't you dare," he admonished. "If you are a very good girl, when we get home tonight, I might just help you make that Rary. . . ." "A *good* girl?" "Good girl, bad girl -- just keep flirting with me like that and you'll find out what happens." She laughed aloud. "Come on, Spookster, let's go." She was grateful that Fox had been enjoying himself on this trip, but she was concerned that it had been because he always seemed to be a little tipsy. Her relatives were good at heart, but they weren't used to men who weren't used to drinking prodigious amounts of alcohol on occasion. It didn't take very much to affect her, and she had learned that it didn't take very much to get to her husband, either. Well, tonight, at least, she vowed, he was *not* going to get tipsy. Dinner was for the most part a very pleasant affair. There was a difficult moment when the waiter asked for drink orders and, remembering her earlier vow, Dana forgot herself and announced that Fox would have a coke. She knew as soon as the words left her lips that she had made a mistake, but before she could apologize he announced that he would have a whiskey like the rest of the guys. He glared at her and everyone else watched them covertly for a moment. She could feel their eyes on her as she bit her lip and said nothing. In an attempt to defuse the tension she excused herself to make an unnecessary trip to the ladies' room. She noticed with relief, however, that Fox did not drink the whiskey. Her uncle Barry, who was seated on his left, picked up the small glass and drained it during one of their many toasts and returned it, unnoticed, to its place in front of Fox. She felt a rush of warmth for her uncle, who had instinctively read the situation and had taken this action so that neither she nor his newest nephew would be embarrassed. The meal was filled with love and laughter. Dana was a bit alarmed, however, because she had had the feeling all day that everyone was whispering about her, and the sensation continued over dinner. she told herself. When the meal was over, Aunt Mary announced they were all going back to her house for dessert, no arguments, and so they rose as a group and left. Once again she had the sense that this was no impulsive move. They had discussed this beforehand without her -- but why? She soon found out. Her cousins dragged her off to one of the bedrooms at the back of the house and closed the door, mischief lurking in every corner of their faces. "What is this, Siobhan?" asked Dana looking at the white dress. Shelagh was already unzipping her dress. "It's my wedding gown, Dana . . . and now it's yours!" explained her cousin. "But I don't need a wedding gown. . . ." "Yes, you do, Dana. You are getting married!" said Shelagh. "How I wish Sinead was here." "I'm already married," she protested. "But you're not married in the Church, and you will be next Saturday at 10 AM. Fox and Gran have made all the arrangements. He's even been through the drinking ritual with Father Flynn. . . . It's all settled. Mom and Aunt Meg are doing the food. . . ." "But. . . ." She was a little angry that no one had consulted her, although now the whispering campaign was explained. She didn't care about being married in the Church. She really didn't. Despite what she had told Fo. . . . Ah, so *that* was it. She knew that he had made that promise to her father, the promise to marry her in a church with a white dress. He had even refused to make love to her in keeping with that promise. And then the hurried, hectic wedding in Gran's hospital room -- the Protestant minister they had called in at the last moment -- the makeshift rings. . . . He obviously still felt obligated to keep his promise. And then she remembered the fight they had had *before* the wedding, the one in which she had urged him to set a date so they could settle everything with the priest and the caterers and the florists. . . . She had only said all of that because she had been afraid he would back out of the wedding altogether, and because she had assumed they would have a traditional wedding. Never in her wildest dreams would she have thought she would be married in a hospital by a female Protestant minister who also happened to be her stepfather's sister, and that her honeymoon would consist of their locking themselves in her -- *their* -- apartment for a week. Not that she minded *that* part in the slightest, she thought with a slight smirk. In fact, she had discovered to her surprise that the circumstances surrounding the wedding had not mattered at all. She was married to the man she loved, and that was that. To her it was the marriage, not the wedding itself, that had been the fulfillment of all her hopes and dreams. And when she thought about it, the wedding had been completely in keeping with their life together. A little crazy, a lot unpredictable, and -- when it came right down to it -- just exactly right. And now he wanted to do it over again because he thought she had been disappointed? No, that wasn't it, precisely. He wanted to do it over again because he thought her *father* would have been disappointed. And that was exactly why Ahab would *not* have been. He would have loved Fox. It was a shame they had only met briefly that one time just before her dad had died. Well, at least Mulder's getting drunk in the middle of the morning had been explained. Father Flynn broke out the Irish Mist every time a prospective McBride groom came to see him. He had had a rather proprietary interest in the McBride women ever since he had found out that Gran had nearly been his mother, except that she had married her first husband instead of his father. They had also been very kind to him when his mother had died. Suddenly she realized just what it meant that Fox had gone, hat in hand (well, figuratively, anyway), to the priest to ask him to marry them in the Church so he could keep his promise to her dead father. And a wave of love greater than anything she had felt for him until now washed over her. "Hush now. Fox loves you so much and he wants to do it. Don't go all Danaish and stubborn on us. Pull in that lip and try the dress on. . . ." "Well. . . ." She was weakening, a small smile on her lips at the thought of Fox weaving his way home singing about the Rary. "If you won't do it for him, foolish woman, do it for Gran. It means a lot to her," said Aunt Mary, entering the room. She had sort of timed it for the height of Dana's protest. Of all the girls, Margaret's Dana was the most stubborn in her own way; the smartest of course, the most self disciplined, but also the most difficult in a way that Aunt Mary didn't consider quite normal in comparison to the rest of the Redhead Brigade. "Are you kidding? She was there the first time -- it was she who got me into this marriage business in the first place," Dana laughed. "Okay, let's get this fitting over with. I'm going to feel so silly. I've been married for months. . . ." The rest of the fitting was filled with laughter and sly jokes, and Dana discovered that there had indeed been things she had missed out on during her own earlier hasty wedding. This was sweet, it was thoughtful -- it was all Fox. ***** By the time they left for the night Dana was in a much better mood than she had been all day. She was surrounded by family and friends who were all working together to give her a day of magic because her husband was convinced she deserved one. She loved him so much. She would definitely have to think of a special thank you for this. Perhaps on their second wedding night. . . . She was so caught up in her own happiness that she didn't even notice his silence all the way back to the Inn. So she was shocked when, after entering their room, Fox spun and locked the door and grabbed her arm angrily. "Don't ever do that to me again, Scully." "What?" she asked looking up at him. His face had that dark look. He really was angry at her and she didn't even know why. "What you did in the restaurant tonight. Don't ever embarrass me like that again." "You're hurting my arm. . . ." "It was a bit too reminiscent of Phoebe, okay? I'm not a drunkard, Dana. I had two glasses of Irish Mist with Father Flynn, and it made me sick. I'm a big boy, and if I want a glass of whiskey with the family I'll have it. Do you understand?" "Yeah, well, it wasn't exactly pleasant for me, either." She looked at him angrily for a moment. "You spent the whole morning throwing up. . . ." "Maybe, but what I had to talk to Father Flynn about was important, okay?" He let her go and turned away. "Fox," said Dana softly moving up behind him. "I'm sorry. I didn't think . . . I didn't mean to embarrass you. Forgive me?" She thought he was overreacting, but knew if she didn't apologize it would escalate into a serious argument. Having made his point, he turned around and looked at her again. "I love you, Fox," she said softly. "Let's not fight." "I love you too, Dana. Even when you aggravate me." He touched her cheek gently and sighed. "I know you didn't mean to embarrass me, but you *did*, a little. I'm not a kid. I can make my own decisions -- I'm a grown man, and I don't want you to forget that." He loved her family but thought that maybe being around her aunts was having a negative effect on her. He had not been blind to the way they treated him. It was all right for Margaret and the aunts to do that, but not Dana. Not his wife. "Oh, believe me, Fox -- I'm in no danger of forgetting that you're a grown man," she murmured, seeing that he was no longer angry. He couldn't repress a grin. "Let's get ready for bed." She grinned back, their earlier disagreement forgotten. "Okay." "Is it really okay, Dana?" Fox asked as he sat on the bed. "About the wedding, I mean?" Maybe, he thought, he had overstepped his bounds too. It couldn't have been pleasant for her dealing with him that drunk twice in one week. He didn't like it, either -- they had been a little tipsy on the plane, but that had been fun. "It's really okay," she smiled. "I mean I wish you would have asked, but. . . ." "But then you would have said no," he finished. He waited until she was seated on the edge of the bed, and then pulled a box from his suitcase and handed it to her. "Will you marry me, Dana?" he asked softly, nuzzling her neck. "Again?" "Of course I'll marry you," she whispered. "Again." He smiled. "Well, love, you already had a ring so . . ." he opened the box to reveal a small emerald pendant to match her earrings and wedding band. "Oh, Fox -- it's beautiful!" she said, her fingers stroking the chain. "I love it. I love *you* -- so much." She wrapped her arms around his neck and they fell back onto the bed. "And it's time to make that Rary. . . ." She kissed him. "Mmm....he murmured. She tasted so good, but suddenly he couldn't keep his eyes open. He hadn't drunk the whiskey with dinner, but he *had* drunk the decaf coffee that Barry had spiked when the women weren't looking. At least, he didn't *think* they had been looking. Family was wonderful. Uncle Barry was great, like he wished his dad had been. And Dana. . . . How he loved his Shorts. He was drifting on a wave of relaxation, a combination of alcohol and jet lag and the aftermath of stress. And he was kissing her back and cradling her in his arms and . . . and then he was asleep. Dana sat up and looked down at her now sound asleep husband. She tucked him in gently. When she kissed him she had tasted the whiskey. "I guess no Rary tonight, love," she whispered with regret, brushing his hair from his face,"and if I don't get you home soon, I'm going to have to check you into the Betty Ford Clinic to dry out." She smiled. No one in her family was really a heavy drinker, and maybe that was the problem. They'd all been having a bit too much of a good time these past few days. Too much reason for celebration. Could there ever be too much reason for celebration? With a sigh she lay down and cuddled up to him. He automatically he pulled her close, and she fell asleep with a smile on her face. ***** It was a beautiful day with not a cloud in the sky, neither too warm nor too cold. Fox Mulder felt at peace as he walked along the quiet lane with his redhaired daughter of Eire. Dana looked as though she belonged here, he thought. Strange about the Irish. Five million in Ireland, 40,000,000 descendants worldwide, most of whom never came back. Less valued than slaves in America when they first arrived, considered a separate race by those who detested them, they had become incredibly successful. Fox found himself thinking that it must be nice to have an ethnic identity -- besides that of "American," that is. He knew little of his roots. No one ever talked about it. One thing he did know: the Mulders didn't like the Irish and they didn't like Catholics. He smiled at that. Tomorrow he would marry his redheaded Irish Catholic woman in the Catholic Church just as he had promised her father that he would. Poetic justice. Best yet, his mom and step dad would approve, and his sisters would think it ever so romantic. Speaking of sisters -- Amanda and Jennifer would be upset that they had missed his wedding. *Again.* Maybe someone would have a video camera. . . . Dana stopped walking and looked up at him. "Thinking deep thoughts?" she asked him. "Prenuptial jitters maybe?" she teased. He laughed out loud. "Deep thoughts, maybe . . . but it's a little late for pre-nuptial jitters." He took her hand. "Say, Scully, that's a lovely building there. I've been meaning to ask you about it." "Oh, that's the famous barn," she smiled. *The famous barn?* The one that . . . ooooooh, show me." "There isn't much to see -- Aunt Mary rents it out, but okay." Dana led him down the path. The McBride landholdings when combined with that of Aunt Mary's husband Barry were quite extensive. Together the couple made a good living. The barn was a bit of a distance from Gran's cottage which is probably what had made it such a popular place for lovers. Dana wondered idly if it still were. She opened the door and they were immediately assailed by the smell of horses. Manure, hay, straw . . . to her it smelled wonderful and the scent took her back years to her girlhood, to the first time she had been here. Fox stopped to pet the face of a lovely small pony. "Samantha always wanted one of these," he said, rubbing the animal's soft nose. "She had a whole collection of little ponies in all different colors. She'd spend hours combing their manes and decorating them. She liked them more than dolls sometimes." "I think all little girls like ponies," Dana smiled. "Yeah . . ." he turned away. Dana led him to a tack room. It smelled like saddle soap and old leather. Hay was piled high along one wall. It smelled sweet. Suddenly, full of mischief, all thoughts of Samantha gone, Fox grabbed his wife around the waist and pulled her down onto a pile of hay. "Hey, how about a roll in the hay," he said, smiling at her. She looked at him. He had that gleam in his eye. "Uh, I don't think that is such a good idea," she said, scooting away from him. "I mean, you never know who might come along and. . . ." "Oh come on. Live dangerously." He moved a little closer again. If she had agreed promptly, he probably would have realized that the idea was rather silly -- potentially stupid, actually -- but she hadn't. That had turned it into a challenge. Never let it be said that Fox Mulder backed away from a challenge. Of course, he wasn't the kind of man who would ever try to force his wife to do anything against her will, but he had learned very quickly that he could usually change that will in regard to the more intimate aspects of their relationship, *if* he went about it the right way. "Fox Mulder, I've been living dangerously since the day I walked into your office to spy on you," she replied drily, slipping away once again. "Ah, so you finally admit it. . . ." His arm went around her once more. "C'mon, sweetheart, I've never done it in a barn before . . . and I know *you* haven't. . . ." *Well, that was true. . . . No.* "Fox. . . ." "C'mon, Dana," he whispered in her ear, "we can make it quick. . . ." She shivered as the whisper turned into a nuzzle and the nuzzle into a kiss. She cursed her lack of willpower and did just what he knew she would, gave in, winding her arms around his neck and kissing him back passionately. Deep down inside the rational part of her mind that was fading fast, Dana had a really bad feeling about this . . . a really really bad feeling. She lay there looking up at the ceiling -- well actually into his shoulder for she was too short to see much of the ceiling -- wondering how she had found herself in this position. Why did that crazy husband of hers have to be so damn handsome, so damn sexy and so damn convincing? She was enjoying it -- oh, yes, she always enjoyed it -- but at the same time she had a deep sense of foreboding as if the roof were going to fall in on them. Dana closed her eyes as he began to caress her more ardently. Once again this "quickie" was turning into a very long moment of passion which under any other circumstances would have had her absolutely ecstatic; now, however, the fear of getting caught overwhelmed her physical and emotional reactions to his lovemaking. The only one heading toward ecstasy here was her husband, and damn the man, he wasn't being quiet about it. Suddenly there was a high pitched shriek followed by a bellow of rage from Fox as he was pulled off of her and tossed aside like a used Kleenex. Dana opened terrified eyes and pulled her skirt down at the speed of light expecting to see God only knew what. When it concerned Fox, you never knew if it would be giant bugs, aliens, mutants . . . whatever. . . . It was quite a sight that assailed them. The woman must have weighed at least 250 lbs. and couldn't have stood more that 5'3". Her oily hair was prematurely grey, her face, which even now retained traces of a former beauty, ravaged by a hard life. On her hip sat a filthy toddler of an indeterminant sex. It grabbed at her breast and squeezed, and she slapped its hand away. Fox lay there staring. He hadn't liked the long flannel shirt that Dana had bought him, but now he was glad he was wearing it. It was hiding part of his anatomy that he preferred to keep covered, not that he thought this creature would be impressed. He blinked. He was so stunned he couldn't move. So was Dana. It occurred to him that if this vision of feminine loveliness didn't kill him, Dana probably would. His life was over, and he hadn't found Sam yet. Why the hell did he never learn to listen to his wife's gut feelings? "Scuze it," said the woman. "Thought you were my Moira with that bastard Kevin Connelly. I'm not wantin' her to make the same mistake I did. . . ." For a moment it looked as though she might cry, but she didn't. She turned and walked away. Then she stopped at the door and looked back. "Go back to doin' what you were doin'." Her eyes rested briefly on Dana, whose face was flame red. She pointed at the baby and said "Remember, all it gets you is one of these." With that, she walked away, leaving them alone. "Do you know her, Dana?" Fox asked curiously. "You look like you've seen a ghost." "A ghost," she echoed softly. "That was Bridget. . . . Why does it have to be that way, Fox?" "What way?" he asked. "I mean, it's like . . . well, a woman lies down with a man and everything changes . . . her life gets so hard. She used to be so beautiful . . . and look at her now. . . ." "It isn't always that way, Dana, you know that. It wasn't that way for us." He bit his lip, realizing that perhaps that had *not* been the thing to say, considering that Dana wanted to be pregnant so desperately. "Maybe she just chose the wrong man," he continued gently,"or maybe something went wrong later." He looked at her, hoping she wasn't too angry with him. "Maybe..." Dana was thoughtful for a long moment. She was very embarrassed and a part of her was really angry at Fox for having landed her in such an undignified situation. On the other hand, it was far from the worst situation he had gotten her into. He looked so concerned. Then her mind shifted gears. There was, after all, something rather --exciting -- about making love in such a public place. And how ironic that it had been Bridget Feeney O'Boyle who had caught them. She guessed turnabout was fair play, after all. And there was something almost -- delightfully forbidden -- about rolling around in the hay with the man she was going to marry tomorrow. Forget for the moment that they were already married. . . . She had had a pretty tame adolescence. So *this* was what it was like to be wild. . . . She looked at Fox. He had that pitiful, pleading look on his face, the one that made her think of a puppy or a little boy. And that latter thought changed her mind. Maybe the tackroom would be the site of another conception -- this time a much wanted one. "On the other hand," she reminded him with a wicked grin, "we want one of those." She grabbed him by the front of the shirt and with surprising strength pushed him back down into the hay. "The time is right, Fox -- let's make a baby," she breathed against his lips. "This time you can stare at the ceiling." "Jeez, be a little more subtle why don't you?" he muttered, both relieved and alarmed, trying to remember exactly where he had left off before they had been so rudely interrupted. Then he realized he didn't have to. She was remembering all too well. ***** They walked back to Gran's cottage. Dana had promised they would have tea with her before they returned to the Inn for the night. When they arrived, Meg and Walter were there already and Dana's Aunt Mary and cousin Shelagh. Dana winced silently. That would mean they would want her to try on the dress again, and she was tired of it already. It seemed that every free moment of the week had been spent on the dress, or how her hair would be done, or the flowers. . . . It was all they talked about. They had managed to escape one day and do some sightseeing, but as soon as they had gotten home, her cousins had started in about her hair again! "Hi, Gran," she smiled at her grandmother. "Hi, yourself, Dana Kate," replied the older woman. Fox bent down and kissed her cheek. "Hello, Gran." "Been shagging your wife in the barn I see," said the woman wickedly. "From the looks of her, I'd say you'd done a fine job, lad." Fox turned beet red as Skinner sat in the corner trying not to laugh too loud. Meg made an exasperated sound and exchanged glances with her sister, as Shelagh covered her hand with her mouth and stifled a giggle. "Now, Gran," said Dana, removing a wisp of hay from Fox's hair and taking his arm, "he's allowed to shag me whenever and wherever he wants, except of course in the office," she added virtuously with a glance in Skinner's direction. "And he *always* does a good job." "Dana!" they all burst out simultaneously. Dana just smiled softly. You certainly weren't going to cure Gran, so why not join her? Besides, they all told her she was going to turn into Gran one day, so why not start now? She suggested they have their tea, effectively ending the discussion of what she and Fox had been doing in the barn. Gran was not to be outdone, however. She saw her newest son-in-law grinning in the corner and turned her attention to him. "I'd say you haven't been lacking in that department either, Wally," she informed him, "Don't think I didn't hear what was happening on me kitchen table early this morning." This time is was Mulder's turn to smirk. *End Chapter Five* =========================================================================== All disclaimers still apply. "Ireland" Chapter Six by Macspooky and Juliettt The day had dawned simply beautiful. Dana had spent the night with Shelagh and her husband and the baby, not because she had wanted to do so but because they had insisted that it was "bad luck" for her to spend the night with the groom. She tried to reason with them -- she and Fox had been married for months, after all -- but all argument had failed. And the one thing they did not need was more bad luck. And somehow it was almost -- *easy* -- to believe in those things here, in this land of mystery and mysticism. Oddly enough, she felt nervous this morning, as well as a bit foolish. She had not slept terribly well, alone there, in that strange bed without her husband. And then, too, she had ached to make love to him again, and the ache had been intensified simply because he wasn't *there*. And so, between the longing and the loneliness and the sheer unfamiliarity of the place, she had tossed and turned for most of the night, unconsciously seeking his warmth even as she slept. Finally at about two o'clock she had sat up in bed and laughed at herself. *This is ridiculous.* And then she fluffed up the pillows yet again and lay back down and resolutely set about going back to sleep. When Shelagh awakened her the next morning it was almost a relief, much as she usually enjoyed those precious few moments right after the alarm went off at home. But then Fox was usually there. . . . Fox. Right. She bounded out of bed and hurried into the kitchen, wrapping a robe around her as she went. There was food and coffee on the table, but she didn't know if she could eat. Which was ridiculous. She was acting as though this were her *real* wedding day, as though she and Fox had never. . . . She blushed a little at the thought of what they had done in the barn the previous afternoon, then smiled. Why not? Last time they had had that awful fight and neither of them had eaten for nearly twenty-four hours. And then that crazy wedding -- and then that night. . . . That incredible, glorious night. . . . She blushed again. "Now that's the way you should be looking today," her cousin said approvingly. They had talked again before bed last night and Shelagh had tried to convince Dana to treat the morrow as a real wedding and not just some ritual to get through to appease her husband. "He's doing it for *you*, Dana," she had insisted. "For you and for your father." Now, watching the younger woman sip her coffee, she grinned. "After all, 'tis not many brides that have the pleasure of *two* wedding nights." Dana's face burned again but she flashed her cousin a grin, her eyes flashing. "That's better. Eat your toast." The door opened and Siobhan waddled in. "Aye, and I'll be glad when this pair is born," she murmured, collapsing into a chair. "Dana Kate, hurry and finish eating. I have to work on your hair. . . ." "But Fox likes my hair down," she mumbled around soda bread and jam. "Then down it will be, and not sticking up as it is now! You look like Medusa this morning." For some reason that brought on gales of laughter breaking the tension as they all giggled uncontrollably. she thought. ***** Fox had missed her the night before. It wasn't something he had counted on, having her spend the night elsewhere. He never slept as well when she wasn't nearby. On the few occasions they had been separated at home by her absence he had dragged the covers into the living room and slept on the couch, unable to get comfortable in the too-empty bed with so many reminders of her surrounding him: her extra reading glasses on the nightstand, her brush lying forgotten on the dresser. Most of all, the scent of her light perfume in the sheets made him miss her all the more. Their room at the Inn, however, did not have a sofa, so he was unable to fall back into the fantasy that he was alone and stretched out on his old sofa in he old apartment. Funny -- he never wanted to go back to that time, but sometimes imagining that he had was the only way he could get through a night without her now. He realized just how much he had come to depend on her and how empty his life had been before he met her. And how much he needed her now. It hadn't helped any that he wanted her again. Which, of course, was only natural. That she wasn't there only made it worse. And the fact that his damned imagination kept replaying images from times before and inventing new ones for his fevered brain drove him to distraction. And tomorrow was their wedding night. Forget for the moment that they were already married. An image from their first wedding night arose, unbidden, in his mind, and he growled and flung himself out of bed. He only hoped his ten-minute-long cold shower at two in the morning didn't awaken the neighbors. The only alternative was to find a car somewhere and go searching for her, and he wasn't exactly sure where she was staying. They had refused to tell him, and he wasn't certain whether that were truly a part of the tradition, as they had assured him, or if it were simply another McBride trick. She was probably at Shelagh's, but he couldn't exactly go climbing in windows unless he were positive, could he? She might be mad at him for awakening her, but she wasn't superstitious. For just a moment he regretted ever making that promise to her father. And then he shook his head. No. It had been the right thing. And in a way it made Captain Scully a part of their marriage. He toweled off and went back to bed and fell asleep to dream of a man in a white uniform nodding at him in approval. Now he stood stock-still as Barry fixed his tie. Fox, he thought, seemed helpless that morning. He took another look at the dark circles under his eyes and grinned to himself, happy that his niece had found a man who loved her so much. "No, Wally, it's your job to walk the lass down the aisle," he insisted. "I'll be the best man." "But. . . ." Skinner was wondering why suddenly half the world seemed to be calling him Wally, and there didn't seem to be a damn thing he could do about it. "You're her uncle, Barry. She's known you since she was born." "Aye, but you're her father now in Bill's absence." "She might not want it. . . ." Barry threw his head back and laughed uproariously. "Well, we just won't ask her what she wants then, will we? Easier to sin first and ask forgiveness later. Oh, lad, you've a lot to learn about dealing with these McBrides." "That's okay, Barry. Wally's new," grinned Mulder. "Mulder . . ." the Assistant Director warned. He might not be able to get Margaret's siblings to call him "Walter," but he wasn't going to stand for this "Wally" business from his least/most favorite agent. He looked at the tall man standing in front of the mirror and grinned. His step-son-in-law. And Barry had just called him "lad". . . . ***** Dana looked at herself in the mirror, absolutely stunned. She was beautiful, really beautiful. The white lace dress had been altered to fit her perfectly. Shelagh had done her makeup, and Sinead had woven the lace veil and yellow flowers through the natural wave of her hair. "Aye and you look lovely," said Gran, entering the room with Margaret and Mary. "A pity Melissa can't be here to see you." "Yes," said Dana. Margaret had tears in her eyes. She had never seen her younger daughter so beautiful before. If only Bill. . . . Mary squeezed her hand. Gran stepped closer and turned Dana to face her, fiddling with something close to the neck of the wedding gown. "Each of my girls has gotten a piece of my jewelry. We didn't have much money, my first husband and I, but he found a way to buy me this as a wedding gift. 'Tis the least valuable, Dana love, but in some ways. . . ." She stepped back and Dana looked down. A beautiful old cameo was pinned near the vee of the gown. "It's perfect, Gran," she said softly, hugging her. "I've always wanted one, and the fact that it comes from you makes it extra special. Believe me, Fox and I don't need money." Gran began to cough and sat down quietly, deciding that it was best to rest until it was time to go to the church. Every one looked at her with concern. She closed her eyes for a moment and counted her blessings. Yes, she had lost a son and a beloved husband, but she had so much as well, all these daughters and granddaughters and now great- grandchildren. . . . God had been very good to her indeed in spite of past troubles. There was not a lot left for her to do on earth. ***** Walter Skinner stood next to her in the vestibule of the church and held out his arm. "I'd be honored, Dana, if you would let me walk you down the aisle. I know it's not the same. . . ." Dana looked at him, a bit surprised, then took his arm. "I think Daddy would like that," she said softly. As they walked slowly down the aisle of the softly lit church to the music from the organ, Dana barely noticed how the town had turned out to see the last of the McBride granddaughters married. Her eyes were only for the man who waited so patiently beside her uncle and the priest. For a moment, she thought she felt her dad beside her telling her that it was a fine thing she was doing, and that he was so very proud of her. She looked briefly at Skinner and smiled. She had made the right decision in taking his arm. Fox thought he had never seen anything so lovely in his life as the sight of Dana in that white dress coming toward him to seal their love and bond one final time in the eyes of God. He was glad now that he had made that promise and kept it. For an instant, he could have sworn he felt Bill at his shoulder telling him what a fine man he was, and how he was pleased that Fox had married his favorite daughter. When he looked beside him, however, it was only Barry that stood there, someone whom he had known only a week but already liked a great deal. He felt a brief pang that his own father was not there, but of course, if he had been, he would not have been proud. He would have been filled with anger. It was ironic that it was only after his death that Fox knew that his father had cared about him in his own way. He was aware that Dana's eyes were on his, holding his gaze so confidently. He felt a slight niggling doubt. Who was he that she should be so confident in him? He had hurt her in the past, more times than he cared to remember, and yet she still loved him enough to marry him -- *again* -- here in the Church and country of her ancestors. He was blessed -- so blessed to have found her, to be able to love her and to have her love him. And right then and there Fox Mulder made another vow, to take care of her and make her happy. It would take some work but he would do his best. He had to, to earn the trust and love he saw shining in her eyes.If he failed her. . . . And then Walter Skinner put Dana's hand into his and all those doubts melted away and there was nothing but calm blue. . . . Their first wedding had been, for lack of a better word, awful. Every single interruption had burned itself into their minds with a chilling clarity: the hasty summoning of a Protestant minister, her three children's misbehavior, the medical students, the makeshift rings. The McBrides and the townspeople always swore that the wedding of Fox Mulder and Dana Scully Mulder in the small county church that day was one of the most beautiful ceremonies they had seen. Dana and Fox had to take their word for it. They couldn't remember a thing after that first look. ***** They hadn't actually planned a reception, just a family breakfast of sorts with a few close friends, but the day was incredibly lovely, and somehow the townspeople just kind of strayed in. Food started arriving and tables were set up. A group of older men came with instruments, and the music and dancing started. Small wedding gifts began to appear, the first oddly from Bridget, a tiny stature of the Virgin Mary. It touched both Dana and Fox deeply. Bridget looked almost prettyin her Sunday best, and her children were all lovely, including the baby, who was much more attractive cleaned up and properly clothed. Her husband seemed a kind man, but he had lost his leg -- in an accident, they were told -- and could no longer work as he had. He wished Dana and Fox the best and reminisced briefly about his own wedding day and how beautiful his Bridget had been. It brought home to the newly-married (again) Mulder once more just how fragile the good times could be and how they should be treasured. Then Jamie looked at Bridget and they saw that to him, she was still beautiful. And they knew that the love they felt for one another would make even the bad times bearable, so long as they faced them together. Dana asked the impromptu band if they could play "If Ever You Were Mine" and swept Fox into her arms and onto the grassy area that was was being used as a dance floor. He held her close and remembered the first time they had danced together, to this very song. How long ago that seemed! And then she looked up at him with that half-shy smile and it seemed like only yesterday. After the song was over someone called for Dana to dance with her new dad and she did, while Fox danced with Margaret. She wished his mother could have been here. And then she formed a mental picture of the staid and dignified Ruth Tillot whooping it up with the irrepressible McBrides and laughed. "What?" Walter Skinner asked, drawing away to look down at her with a smile on his face. She shook her head, unable to explain, and danced on. Fox finally broke away from crowd briefly. He was breathless from trying to learn the reel. They made it seem so easy but it wasn't! Gran caught his eye, and he joined her. This had truly turned into the most wonderful wedding he had ever seen and it was his! He was filled with joy. "Now, lad," she said quietly, "while they aren't looking. It's time to do what you came here for." "Are you sure, Gran?" he asked, concerned. "You look so pale. . . ." "It has to be now, Wolf. . . . It has to be. . . ." Her piercing blue gaze held his, so like Dana's when she was trying to convince him of something, and he understood. Looking around to make certain that no one was paying attention, he led her in the direction of the cliffs. The old woman was breathless by the time they arrived at their destination. She stood for a long moment staring out across the sea. "It was here," she said finally. "'Twas twighlight, and I was walking with the little one. So sweet he was, like his da. Suddenly, he got away from me as little ones will. Like lightening they are, so very fast. . . . And then, just when I had nearly caught him, something so big appeared in the sky . . . so big with pretty colors that danced in the darkening sky, and he laughed and waved his little hands. He always liked the Northern Lights, and I suppose he thought that's what these were. But this was nothing like that -- and then we were caught in a beam of light . . . neither the boy nor I could move . . . and that's when the banshees came . . . gray they were, with big dark eyes . . . and they took him . . . they took my little one . . . I begged them to take me too . . . but they wouldn't. . . . They said he would be all right and they took him." his heart cried. The old woman sagged into his arms as he thought about her words and Samantha's abduction. According to the evidence he had found after his father's death the government had taken her, but there was more, far more going on than that. What if they had intended to take her, but it was already too late . . . what if someone -- or some *thing* -- else had gotten there first? "Finally, someone who believes me," she murmured. "You've seen them, Wolf. I know you have." "Yes," he replied softly, cradling her frail body in his arms. "Yes, I have seen them and been paralyzed by the light." "Keep looking, Wolf . . ." she begged. "When the men landed on the moon, I thought maybe they would find a clue, but nothing . . . nothing. . . ." "I will," he promised. "I'll never stop looking -- for Brendan and -- and for Sam. . . ." he swore, But that thought was just *too* painful. He might, someday, find Sam, or even Brendan. But their little one. . . . "I'll never stop looking," he said again. She was sagging against him now, worn out by the walk, worn out by life. He realized that the old woman was dying, here, now, in his arms, and there was nothing he could do to stop it, nothing except hold her. "Promise me . . . promise me that you'll stay with me tonight . . . you and Dana Kate . . . promise me, Wolf," she whispered. "I promise you, Gran. We'll stay with you tonight." Suddenly, the sky grew dark, and Fox felt the strangest vibration, an all-too-familiar sensation. He had felt it that fateful night when he was twelve and Samantha had gone, again in Puerto Rico and then again that day in the mine in West Virginia when he and Scully had found all those files. The rumbling shook the air and hummed in his very bones and he threw his head back, clasping Gran in his arms, and then it was there, the ship appeared above them with the colors dancing across its hull, and then the light came. It touched on him and the old woman, paralyzing him, but oddly he was no longer afraid. Then, as suddenly as it had come, it was gone. Gran looked up at him, her face glowing. "It's all right . . . my Brendan . . . is all right. . . . I love you, Wolf. I've always loved you. . . ." And then she was gone -- he felt her go. Suddenly, Fox heard a voice snap, "What the hell was that?" He looked up to see Walter Skinner standing there and, next to him, a breathless Dana in her lovely white dress. "It was them," said Fox quietly handing Gran's body over to Dana. The old woman was so small she took her with no difficulty and stroked her face gently, silent tears falling. "It was them coming to tell her that her Brendan was all right. . . ." Skinner turned away to give the three of them a moment of privacy. If he hadn't seen it himself, he would have thought Mulder a madman, and not for the first time. Whatever he had seen, it had nothing to do with weather balloons or satellites. His respect for Fox Mulder increased just a little more. Perhaps the man was not -- quite -- as mad as he had thought. "I'm sorry, Dana. I'm sorry about Gran," Fox said, holding his wife as she held her grandmother. "I think she knew it was coming, Fox. I think you gave her what she needed. I love you for it." End Chapter 6 =========================================================================== All disclaimers still apply. "Ireland" Chapter 7 by Juliettt and Macspooky They carried the body back to the house and the wedding became a funeral. The older women surrounded Mary Elizabeth McBride and began to let out a piercing wail while Father Flynn administered the last rites. Dana explained to Fox that the women were "keening," a mourning practice that was dying out. The Garda was summoned as the law required, but Mulder's and Scully's and Skinner's credentials kept them from getting into too much trouble for moving the body, and Dana was a McBride after all. It was a small town and everyone had known that Gran McBride was going to pass soon, in any case. The constables themselves were relatives. And no-one would have done harm to Gran McBride. She was too well loved in the small community. Finally everyone else was gone and the family was left alone with their dead. Aunt Mary looked at Fox angrily. "You had to take her to those cliffs, didn't you?" she demanded, filled with grief. "I'm sorry," Fox said quietly, looking at her. "It was what she wanted. It was why she summoned me here. I know it hurts." "Now, you're being unfair to the lad, Mairead," said Barry, slipping his arm around his wife. "You know no one could resist her demands for long." Aunt Mary nodded and buried her face in his shoulder. "I . . . I just don't know if I can spend the night here," Margaret said. "With Mom . . . like this . . . I just don't know. . . ." "It's okay, Mom," Fox said softly. "You and Wally take our room at the inn tonight. . . . I kind of . . . well . . . before she -- went -- she asked me to spend the night here. Dana and I will stay. I have to anyway." "Thank you," Skinner said softly as Mulder handed him the key to the room. The two men exchanged a long look. When all this was over, they were going to have to talk. This was no longer simply potential FBI business. It had become family as well. Skinner was still in somewhat of a state of shock from what he had seen. It had shaken him deeply. Government conspiracies were one thing. Actual beings from other worlds . . . another matter entirely. For the life of him, he couldn't think of what else that light could have been. But Meg had started to cry silently, and he put his arm around her. "Come on," he said gently. "You are exhausted. Let's go." Dana sat quietly with her grandmother for a little while, grieving. Tomorrow Gran would be placed in a coffin and buried, and she would never see her again. She would miss her terribly, and yet a part of her was glad that Gran had gone before she had lost her ability to function, her mental faculties. Finally with a sigh she got up and went to the refrigerator. Taking a small bowl she poured milk in and walked to the door. "What are you doing?" Fox asked curiously. "Putting out the bowl of milk for the fairies," she smiled. "Gran would have wanted me to. The neighbor's cat is certainly going to miss it." He nodded. Strange, he wouldn't have expected Dana to keep up such a silly tradition, not his beloved little skeptic. But then love knows no prejudice. He wondered what she had thought of the ship and the light. She hadn't said anything. Perhaps they would talk about it later, or maybe not. She had had so many of her beliefs shattered, had seen so much, that she was never entirely comfortable discussing it, not even with him. He would wait until she was ready. If she never was -- well, they would deal with that, too. Leaving Gran's body to rest in the living room, Fox had lit a small fire in Gran's bedroom and they climbed into the narrow double bed together. Dana had felt a little strange about staying the night, but it was a tradition, and Fox had promised. She shivered slightly in the plain white nightdress that was all she had to wear. Earlier she had regretted not having something special to wear on this night, just as she had had nothing new for their first night together. But then, as now, she had not known. And now it seemed hardly relevant. It was their wedding night, but Gran's body was in the next room, and this was her bed. He looked down at her, this woman, his wife. She looked so beautiful lying there next to him in the dimly flickering firelight. So lovely, as though she belonged in another age. He bent and kissed her and she returned his embrace. He pulled back and looked at her again with a small smile on his face. Their wedding night -- take two? Suddenly he had the overwhelming need to make love with her. He pulled her closer and wrapped his arms around her and began to kiss and nuzzle her with an urgency that surprised even him. She pushed him away slightly. "Fox -- I don't think. . . ." It felt so -- awkward. She wanted him -- always, tonight even more because of the wedding -- there was something about weddings, even when they weren't your own. And when they were. . . . She wanted to kiss him back but stopped herself. "I -- not here, Fox," she whispered. This was her grandmother's bed. It wasn't appropriate. Was it? "What better place, love?" he whispered. "Our wedding night . . . I love you, Dana, so much. . . ." He reached for the ribbon at the top of her nightgown and untied it, then bent to press gentle kisses down her throat and upper chest. "Dana. . . ." He paused and looked at her. He wanted her -- desperately -- but he wouldn't force her, although he groaned mentally at the thought of yet another cold shower. Dana closed her eyes, her mind working furiously. Their wedding night. He wanted her. She wanted him. She *needed* him. They loved one another. And Gran had loved both of them. She remembered the first time, when her grandmother had shooed them out of the hospital room and told "Wolf" to take Dana home and get her pregnant. Gran wouldn't want them not to be together, on this night of all nights. And suddenly instead of being inappropriate it seemed so *right* to be here like this. And wouldn't it be something if . . . they hadn't succeeded on that first wedding night, but. . . . She opened her eyes and smiled at him, a slow, soft smile with just a hint of seductiveness in it. "I love you, Fox." She began to unbutton his pyjamas and his hand slid beneath her nightgown. "I love you," she whispered again, against his neck. "Make a baby with me, Wolf . . . put your baby inside me tonight. . . ." With her slender body pressed between the old mattress and her husband's weight, she found herself wondering dimly just how many of her ancestors had been conceived and had been born and died in this very room, this very bed. The thought did not frighten her at all. In fact, it made their lovemaking seem so very right. Then, for just a moment, she had the oddest feeling. It didn't seem as though she were herself at all, but her husband, not being filled but filling, with him beneath and surrounding her, and she felt how much he loved her as though for an instant she were in his mind. Fox felt as he loved her that it was momentous -- it was more than just the two of them there in that bed at that moment -- it was sacred and it was primitive. It was Man and Woman and it was Right. And then for just an instant his perspective changed, and it was as though he were Dana, lying there beneath her, feeling her inside him. A shock flowed through his system -- she had told him so many times how wonderful it was to be a woman for that very reason, and for just a moment he understood, and he felt that wonder in his own body. He felt her love for him, her desire for his child, for that instant what it meant to be her, and then ecstasy overwhelmed them both. He separated from her and rolled on his side looking at her. Suddenly, a wind blew through the room in spite of the fact that the windows were closed. The fire flared. Dana's eyes met his. From somewhere came the sound of girlish laughter, happy and gay, and something reached out and touched their cheeks. "Goodbye, Gran," they both said softly and simultaneously, and then suddenly the wind died and all was silent once more. They stared at one another, speechless. "Dana," he whispered finally, stroking the side of her face and gazing at her lovingly. "Fox." She shook her head. "I think . . . no. I *know*." She swallowed. "Fox, we just made a baby." He nodded, wonder and awe in his eyes. "I know," he said quietly. Tears filled his eyes as he continued to stroke her face gently. "I love you so much." Her eyes were bright with unshed tears as well. "I love you, too, Fox." He sighed and rolled over, pulling her with him. He kissed her forehead and held her in silence for a long time. Then she felt him tense slightly. "Dana -- do you know what day this is?" he whispered excitedly. She frowned in concentration. Saturday night -- no, it was after midnight. Sunday morning. Suddenly her eyes went wide in shock. She turned and gazed up at him. He was smiling down at her. "Father's Day," she whispered in awe. "Oh, Fox. . . ." He kissed her, her smile warming him inside. He decided that it was wonderful to be a man on a night like this. "Happy Father's Day," Dana said softly. And this time when they made love it was solemn, almost ritualistic, and then they lay in wondering silence for a long time before they drifted off to sleep. ***** Dana yawned and stretched and opened her eyes. The bright sunlight was dazzling and warm, but not too warm. She snuggled down contentedly within Fox's arms with a little soft sigh and a smile when he pulled her closer. Bliss. Something felt different. A slight frown creased her forehead -- the sensation felt familiar. And then her eyes flew open again in shock. This was Father's Day. And -- She shifted to look up at her husband, who was watching her, a look of absolute peace and joy on his face. "You remember," he whispered. She nodded. "Yes -- how could I forget? But I thought. . . ." "It was a dream?" He kissed the tip of her nose. "If it was, it was *some* dream, and we both had it." She reached up and ran her fingers through his hair, smiling softly. "It wasn't a dream." "No," he agreed, then stopped and looked at her. "I don't understand it, either," she told him. "It just *is*." He nodded and smiled down at her. "Guess we should get up, huh?" "Guess so." Neither of them made any attempt to move for a long time. Finally she sighed and sat up. "The others will be here soon. He nodded and slid out of bed and they dressed quickly and quietly. He finished first and sat down and watched her. *His child.* He was filled with wonder. She caught his gaze in the mirror and smiled softly at him, knowing what he was thinking. Fox walked up behind her and slid his arms around her waist, his hands spanning her abdomen. "This one will live," he said quietly but with certainty. "Yes." She, too, knew this. She didn't know how she knew and, for now, she did not question it. She turned in his embrace and they held one another for a long moment. Then she reached up on tiptoe and kissed him. Neither had forgotten that it was the day of Gran's funeral, but both were happy because Gran had left them knowing that her last grandchild to conceive would give birth nine months hence. The joy in that knowledge overshadowed the grief at her loss. *End Chapter Seven* =========================================================================== All disclaimers still apply. "Ireland" Chapter Eight by Macspooky and Juliettt It seemed odd to be holding a funeral in the same church where they had taken their marriage vows -- *could* it have been just the day before? The atmosphere this time was so much more subdued, lacking the barely restrained excitement of the wedding. But death, as Father Flynn informed the assembled congregation, was simply another part of life. Dana had heard this sentiment over and over throughout her life and today was the first day it had made any sense to her. Gran had had a long and happy life, and she herself had been content to go. Her walk to the cliffs had concluded the last of the business she had on earth. It was as though she had timed the end of her life as shrewdly as she had arranged so many of its events. There had been no service for the tiny baby Dana and Fox had lost so many months earlier; it had been so young most of the world would not even have considered it a child. But they did, and now, seeing the many friends and family gathered for Gran's funeral, her heart ached even more for the little one she would never hold, never bring into a church and give a name. The child she knew she now carried would never make up for that loss. The new little Mulder would continue to make its own place in their hearts as it had already begun to do, but the other one, the one without a face, would never fully relinquish its hold on her. And so her tears, when they fell, were as much for her child as they were for her grandmother. She had a sudden thought -- an image formed in her mind. There was a lake, and a mist, as there had been so long ago as she lay in the hospital in a coma. Her father stood there now, next to the lake, his hand outstretched in greeting. And then Gran was there, embracing her father. Gran had loved all of her sons-in-law, but Dana suspected she had had a soft spot for Ahab. And then, as she watched, her father pulled away from his mother-in-law and she bent over something he cradled in his other arm. He held it out to her and she took it and smiled, and Dana knew that it was her lost child. . . . At her quick intake of breath Mulder bent his face down to hers. "Dana?" he whispered. She glanced up and into his worried eyes and nodded, speechless. "I'm okay," she whispered after a moment's pause, and then smiled at him, her eyes very bright through her tears. And for perhaps the first time since that awful New Year's Eve, it was the truth. It was Gran's last gift to her, she thought: she was helping Dana say goodbye. His eyes searched hers for a moment, still concerned, and she squeezed his hand, loving him. He nodded and squeezed back. Whatever it was, they could talk about it later. When the funeral was over they all assembled outside the church. There was the usual hugging and kissing and crying, and then the crowd melted away, leaving the Mulders bewildered. After having heard so much about an Irish wake, and knowing Gran's popularity, they had expected -- they didn't know quite what they had expected, except that this was not it. "The gathering will be tomorrow," Barry explained as they walked up to Gran's empty cottage. "This is the Sabbath, and Fathers' Day, as well -- and with the wedding and all," he shrugged. "Folks understand." They stood in silence for a moment, staring up at the house's dark windows. "God, I'm going to miss her," said Shelagh, cuddling her infant close as they went inside. "We all are," Margaret said gently. "Aye, she was an intelligent, exasperating, funny and wonderful woman," added Barry quietly. "We won't be seeing her likes again for a long time." Although he and his irascible mother-in-law had not always seen eye to eye, they had respected and loved one another. It had been the same for all of her sons-in-law. He remembered Bill Scully and smiled, then glanced over at his sister-in-law's new husband. A good man, Walter Skinner. Bill had been Margaret's first love, but he could see that she did indeed love Walt, and that he made her happy. Although -- he broke into a grin, running his fingers through his own thick hair -- he didn't know why she always went after the bald ones. "Yes, and now you'll have no one to argue with except me," smiled Mairead. She set out a pot of tea on the table and began to pour. "So much to take care of," she sighed, "so much to do . . . well, I suppose there is no rush." "I'm sorry I'll have to leave so soon, Mairead," Margaret said with a nod of thanks for the cup of tea. "I feel my place is here with you right now, but. . . ." Her sister cut her off with a wave of a hand. "Nonsense. You were here when Mom needed you. She was thrilled that you came -- you should have heard her talking about it after you called and told us you were coming! And then the wedding. . . ." She broke off and glanced over at Fox, who stood with his arms around Dana, holding her back against his chest. "She really took to you, Fox," she said quietly. He smiled and nodded, accepting her unspoken apology for her harsh words the day before. Margaret took her cup of tea and headed for the living room where Skinner was seated talking to Barry. As she passed Gran's old wooden bookcase she felt a sudden draught. She glanced up quickly but the front door had been shut. And then there was another, softer rustling and an object fell at her feet with a thud, making her jump and look down. It was a book, brown with dust and age, one they had never seen before. It must have been on the very top shelf. She started to bend down but as they all watched in stunned silence the pages ruffled slightly and a paper blew out. She reached for it and picked it up just as the strange breeze died. For a long moment she stood stock-still and simply stared at the stiff paper in her hands. "Oh my God," she whispered finally. "What . . . what is it, mom?" Dana demanded, concerned. "It's Gran and her first husband," she said in wonder. "We never knew. . . . She never told us much about him. . . ." The others crowded around her to look at the item in her hand. It was an old photograph, yellow with age. In it was a young woman dressed in what could only have been her Sunday best. She looked so incredibly like Dana that several of the members of the group gasped. The similarity was uncanny -- almost identical. Dana noticed that on her dress was pinned the cameo Gran had given her on her wedding day. And at her side. . . . Tall and lanky, much, much taller than she. He had dark hair and light eyes, a square jaw and distinctive nose. Even in the faded photo they could see the mole on his right cheek. The couple was smiling and in the bottom margin of the picture was written in Gran's schoolgirl-neat hand, "Mary Elizabeth O'Connor and Wolf Padraic Mulder on our wedding day. Love lasts forever." Tears filled Dana's eyes and rolled down her cheeks. Stunned at the image of himself standing next to Dana -- Gran -- in the ancient photograph, Fox wrapped his arms around his wife. Mairead took the picture from her sister and slowly shook her head. The edge of an envelope was sticking out from between the pages of the book as well. Margaret hesitated, then slipped it out. It was still pristine white and had obviously been placed in the book much more recently than the photograph. She turned it over, then her eyes lifted to meet her newest son-in- law's. "It's addressed to you," she said gently, handing it to him. "Thank you," he said softly, taking it and placing it in his shirt pocket for safekeeping. "I'll read it later." It was just too much to take in right now -- the abduction of young Brendan, the taking of his own sister, the "Mulder" name, his marriage to another O'Connor/McBride . . . the conception of their child the previous night. He pulled Dana against him more tightly and she wrapped her arms around his, unable to do anything more than hold him as he held her, stunned by that photo and its implications. "No wonder she called you Wolf from the first time she saw you," said Siobhan. "And we all thought that she was just being Gran. . . ." "She was," said Dana quietly, breaking away from Fox and wiping her eyes. "She knew exactly what she was about, and just how to let things take their appropriate course." "My mother always knew what she was about," Margaret replied very quietly. "Always. . . ." ***** The next few days were a flurry of activity. Like her mother, Dana felt a responsibility to her family, but she and Fox had to get back to work. If, that is, they still had jobs when they got there. They had not mentioned the recent troubles to Skinner. Given the circumstances it was hardly appropriate, and Mulder wanted at least to attempt to straighten out the mess before his boss/stepfather-in-law got back. If they failed it would mean that either they would get in trouble with Skinner, which they did not want, or he would get into trouble defending them, which, given the recent rumblings over his supposed "preferential treatment" of them, they wanted even less. It was time to go home and face the music. Tempering their anxiety over their work status was the knowledge that they would be returning home a little richer -- make that a great deal richer -- than they had come. They had not said anything to the rest of the family yet about the baby. It would be too hard, if not impossible, to explain, and they wanted to hug their secret to themselves for a little longer. Fox had wanted her to make an appointment to see Amy Chan immediately when they got home but Dana convinced him that she could not do that. "After all, what do you want me to say?" she had asked him. "'Hi, Amy -- had a great trip and, guess what? I'm a week pregnant'?" Finally he had agreed, but he silently promised himself that nothing was going to go wrong this time, not if he had to put Dana to bed and sit on her for the next nine months. Finally it was time to go and the whole clan gathered to see them off, including Shelagh and the baby, who insisted on being held by Fox until the last possible moment, to Skinner's great amusement. At least this one wasn't in the drooling and spitting stage yet, Mulder thought with a grin which softened into a tender smile as he watched Dana hugging her cousins. He guessed this was good practice. And who knew? He might even get used to all those bodily fluids eventually. He would have to -- he knew Scully would insist on his doing his fair share of the diapers. At that moment he didn't care -- so long as they were both safe. Mairead relieved him of the baby and handed him a small package instead. He lifted it to his face and sniffed. "Irish soda bread -- in case you get hungry on the way," she informed him with a smile. Dana laughed. "He's always hungry," she assured her aunt, who had pulled Fox down into a hug. Barry was next. He stuck his hand out and they shook. "You take good care of my niece, now," he said in an undertone. "Yessir," Mulder assured him. "I will." "Here," Shelagh said, handing him an oddly-shaped bundle. At his inquiring expression she shrugged. "Father Flynn dropped by this mornin' -- said he didn't want to disturb you but that you might be needin' this yerself someday." Fox took the package from her and knew immediately from its shape and heft that it was a bottle of Irish Mist. He groaned and then laughed. Briefly he wondered whether he would have to declare it for customs, then shrugged and added it to the pile in the back seat. They climbed into the rental car and, with a last wave and shout, were off. This departure reminded both of them of the one from Martha's Vineyard, and they looked at one another and smiled. Despite the differences in geographical location and social position, when you came right down to it, family was family. ***** They had stayed an extra day to help out and so they had to use their Aer Lingus tickets back to London after all. Dana was a little disappointed; after all Fox had told her of the English and Scottish countryside she had hoped for a more leisurely journey on the train, but it could not be helped. And when they boarded the plane and once again took their first class seats, she had to confess to herself that she was grateful. The trip had taken a lot out of both of them. Physically and emotionally exhausted, she fell asleep against his shoulder. She had given him the window seat, so he turned slightly to place his back half against the wall and half against the seat so that he could cradle her more securely. Carefully, so as not to awaken her, he slipped Gran's letter out of his pocket and read it yet again. He had not yet shown it to Dana because he could hardly take it all in himself. With each subsequent rereading it grew at once more difficult and more simple to accept. She knew that the letter had disturbed him but, despite her intense curiosity, had not yet asked him about it. He would not keep it -- whatever *it* was -- from her for long. She trusted him. She respected his privacy. And so as he read he gently stroked her hair, reveling in her nearness which helped to convince him that at least a part of the fantasy was real. This time, upon finishing the letter, he could not repress a little sigh of incredulity and wonder. Dana stirred in his arms and finally raised her head to look at him sleepily. The lines softened in his face as he gazed down at her, at the sweet pale face with the big blue eyes that somehow set his whole world in focus every time he looked at her. He lifted a trembling hand to caress the curve of her cheek for a long moment and her eyebrows furrowed slightly. She knew that look on his face. He silently held out the letter to her and she took it, turning away from him slightly so that the light fell on the pages over her shoulder. He kissed the top of her head and his eyes traced the now-familiar lines with her: My dearest Fox, Yes, I have always known your name was Fox, and a fine name it is too, lad. More's the pity you don't like it. I knew the moment I laid eyes on you that you were related to my beloved Wolf. Somehow, though it is lost in time, a group with the surname of Muldoon moved north and became Protestant. The name changed over the years to Mulder. Who knows how these things happen? I met and fell in love with Wolf Mulder when I was a young girl and his father came to work for mine one summer. Before many days had passed the whole town knew that the Mulders were Protestant. We were of course faithful Catholics, but my blessed father believed that we were all brothers and sisters under the skin, where our Irish blood ran true. He hired Wolf's father despite the neighbors, and got a good summer's work in exchange for his kindness. After the summer ended the Mulders remained, and by that time it was clear to my Da that he had gained much more than a faithful employee. We would meet in secret, Wolf and I, always mindful of the danger we were putting ourselves and our families under. Thomas Flynn must have known, but he kept our secret. He was a far better friend to me than I deserved; it wasn't until years later that I learned he had loved me in secret. His love was true: he loved me enough to want to see me happy, even if it were with another man. I have been well loved in my life, Fox. It gladdens my heart to know that my Dana Kate is loved like Wolf loved me. The day my Wolf asked me to marry him was the third happiest day of my life. The second was our wedding day and the first, the day our Brendan was born. He went to my father that night and asked his permission. I didn't know what we would have done had Da said "no" -- still don't. Run away together, perhaps. I would have followed him to the ends of the earth, even if it meant leaving my family behind. But Da had a long talk with him and then they went together to see the priest. Wolf promised that we would raise our children Catholic and Father O'Malley agreed to marry us. I think he decided he would rather see me unequally yoked than living in a greater sin. And God smiled on us. That Sunday it rained as hard as I've ever seen it rain, and no-one was there to hear the banns read. We were married quietly and by the time the townsfolk heard of it it was too late -- we were well and and truly wedded in the sight of God and man and one another. My sweet gentle Wolf had an older brother, Liam, who was his complete opposite: a cruel and nasty man. He married a sweet soul and moved to Boston where he grew wealthy off of the suffering of others. Liam changed his name to William, denied his heritage, and had two children, your father William and a daughter, Sophia. Sophia was intelligent enough to leave and make her own way and fortune, although it would seem she has disappeared without a trace. William stayed and became your father. Whatever he may have done to you, gentle Fox, was nothing to what was done to him by his father. I often wondered how two such different sons could have come from the same parents. Eventually I came to believe that somehow Wolf had been gifted with all the kindness and tenderness that Liam never had. The difference was evident even in their boyhood but grew more obvious with the choices they made. Whatever one has been given by God in the way of blessings or shortcomings is confirmed or destroyed by what we do with our lives. After Brendan was taken and everyone thought me quite mad, we came to America as well, but the rift between the brothers was too deep, their natures too different. My Wolf was a good man, Liam evil, a Nazi sympathizer before the war, before my Wolf was killed. God only knows what harm he and his kind have inflicted on the world. My Wolf was a policeman in Washington DC, a good man who did small kindnesses for those he could as he walked his beat. He was killed trying to stop the rape of a child, knifed to death in an alley. The biggest sorrow of my life was that I had never conceived another child with him. Eventually I married his best friend James McBride, had my girls and a good life, but there was no love like the love that I had for my Wolf. The moment I saw you, those gentle hazel eyes and the way you looked at my Dana Kate, I knew that you had taken after my Wolf and that you would be right for her. Yours is a special love. It will always endure. Perhaps this is God's way of righting the old wrongs. I believe that somehow, because of you, Wolf still lives. Remember, I love you both always. I wish I had had a son just like you. Mary McBride When she finished reading Dana closed her eyes and the tears that had been welling up spilled over and streamed down her cheeks. So many answers now, suddenly, to so many of the questions they had had. His father's involvement with the men who had taken Sam, probably an attempt to win his father's affection -- his dying plea for forgiveness -- the revelation that he had been forced into horrible government projects against his will. And Fox, suffering a lifetime for his grandfather's sins. He promised himself he would visit the old traitor in the nursing home. He had been putting it off. It was ironic -- they had looked everywhere for answers about Operation Paper Clip and now he had a feeling the old sinner might just hold the key. But he said none of those things now. Dana turned and looked at him and then shook her head, speechless, and he gathered her into his arms. She wept silently against his chest and he stared out across her flaming hair at the brighter fire of the rising sun and the promise of a new day. ***** It was good to be home. Hectic, but good. They made a quick trip to the grocery store on the way home from the airport and tossed a load of laundry in the washer while they unpacked the rest of their things. "Well, I guess I better go get that damn bird," Dana said wryly. "You won by cheating on the toss, of course." "Of course," he laughed, then took both her shoulders in his hands, "but I'll go get the monster, sweetheart. Mrs. Anderson is much less likely to try to throttle me." He kissed her cheek and headed for the door. No sooner had he gone when there was a knock. She opened the door and found Melissa's husband, Chuck, standing there looking rather sheepish. He had the little Pomeranian in his arms, the one she had gotten from Mr. Bruckman. "Uh, Dana, I'm sorry to do this to you, but Melissa has developed a terrible allergy to the dog and the doctor said we had to get rid of him. . . . Breaks my heart, you know. . . . We kind of changed his name to Thing. . . . Anyway, here he is with a bag of his food. . . . Uh . . . see you soon . . . bye" and Chuck, having delivered his obviously rehearsed speech, seemingly without stopping to take a breath, thrust the dog into her arms and escaped down the hallway like a bat out of hell. "Oh, great -- that's just *great*," Dana muttered. Fox hated the dog. She set him down on the floor just as Mulder came in with the bird cage. He was laughing at something. Until he saw Thing, that is. The dog immediately started yapping, then walked over and lifted his leg all over Mulder's shoe. "What the hell is this?" he sputtered, his eyes wide. "It's a dog. . . ." "I know it's a dog. I even know what dog it is. It just peed all over my shoe. I am now intimately familiar with this dog, this dog that we *supposedly* gave to your sister. What's it doing here?" He was standing on one leg, his $125 Reeboks dripping on the carpet, holding the birdcage in one hand for balance. "He was making my sister sick so Chuck just dropped him off. . . ." "Well, it's making me sick too." He paused for emphasis. "Dana, it *peed on my shoe,* goddammit!" " . . . Peed on my shoe . . . peed on my shoe . . . peed on my shoe. . . ." "Oh, God," Dana muttered. "I'm beginning to believe in past lives. I can't think of *anything* I've done in this one that's awful enough to deserve this. . . ." Fox put the bird cage down. "It's a good thing that Mrs. Anderson enjoys him," he muttered. "Claims he takes after his grandfather who was her first parrot and had the world's dirtiest mouth . . . until now. . . ." He very gingerly slipped out of his shoe. "It's your goddamn dog, Scully. You clean up after it. I am not walking it, and I am *not* sleeping with it." "Okay, okay. . . ." " . . . Open your legs, Scully . . . peed on my shoe . . . peed on my shoe. . . ." "SHUT UP!" Dana yelled. Then she turned to Fox with a wry smile. "Welcome home, sweetheart. . . ." ***** He took over the laundry while she cleaned up after Thing and saw to his more immediate needs. Then, both exhausted from the trip, they headed for bed very early, planning to fall right to sleep. But, well, it was so nice to be back in their own bed . . . and they *had* just been "married" a few days earlier. . . . "Dammit, Dana . . . I can't do this." Fox rolled off of her and sat up, running his hands through his hair in frustration. "Jeez." "What's wrong?" she asked. "*That's* what's wrong," he said, pointing to two glowing eyes peering over the top of the mattress and whining. "I can't screw with the damn dog watching." "Don't be crass," Dana admonished. Suddenly, Thing backed up and took a flying leap, landing on the foot of the bed. He curled up and promptly went to sleep. "He's asleep," she said suggestively, running a finger down his spine. "Yeah, in my bed," Fox muttered. He returned his attention to making love to his wife. Things went just fine for the first couple of minutes, or perhaps it was only seconds. No sooner had Fox gotten himself comfortably ensconced just where they both wanted him to be, when there was a snarl and something sharp sank itself into his buttock. He let out a howl that most definitely was not one of pleasure and leapt off of her, only to hop up off the bed when the injured portion of his anatomy came into contact with the mattress. "He *bit* me, Dana! The damn dog *bit* me!" She sat up and motioned for him to turn around, which he did slowly, looking around frantically for the dog, which had made itself scarce immediately upon hearing his would-be-master's shriek. A bite-and-run if ever he saw one. "Lie down, Mulder," she choked, pulling him down so that he lay on his stomach in front of her. She wanted to laugh so badly that she could barely contain herself and he knew it. It really wasn't funny . . . well, actually it was kind of funny. . . . She got up and disappeared into the bathroom and returned momentarily with the dreaded brown bottle in one hand. She held the other behind her back and he eyed her suspiciously. "That's peroxide. It's going to hurt. . . ." "Stop being such a baby. . . . It could be worse -- I could use rubbing alcohol," she informed him, gently bathing the affected area. "Ouch! Jeez . . . I hate that f**king mutt." "He was only protecting me." "Great . . . that makes me feel a lot better. The Thing was trying to protect you from me . . . no wonder Chuck and Melissa were so eager to get rid of him. Jeez, Dana, I'm glad you're not a brain surgeon . . . what the hell . . . OUCH!!" "It needs a stitch or two. I just gave you a local." "So because it's protecting you, I gotta get my ass stitched up . . . when I wasn't even doing anything to you. I mean doing anything to hurt you. Why do I get the feeling that this is unfair. . . . The thing probably has rabies. . . . Jeez. . . ." She gave him an injection of a broad spectrum antibiotic and suddenly the absurdity of the situation hit him. He began to laugh and laugh and, after a moment, she joined him. They had travelled halfway around the world and had arrived home safely with all their luggage intact (including the forgotten bottle of Irish Mist from Father Flynn), having suffered nothing more serious than a couple of mild hangovers, and here, in the safety of their own home, he had been attacked. In his own bed. By their dog. And then, just as suddenly, he stopped laughing. Something more *had* happened to them in Ireland. He propped himself up on one elbow to look at the woman beside him. He gently reached out and touched her abdomen. "Some watchdog, huh?" She nodded, still hiccuping faintly. He sighed. "I suppose I should be glad he's such a good protector for you." He bit his lip and shook his head. She lay down next to him and stroked his face. "I've already got one of those," she said with a faint smile on her face. His eyes lit up and he smiled. Then he grinned and patted her stomach again. "Good thing we made this little guy while we had the chance, huh?" She smiled back at him, then stood up and offered him her hand and they headed to the kitchen for some hot cocoa. As they passed through the living room an incredible sight met their eyes. Thing was curled up in the recliner with Krycek, who had broken jail, sitting on his back, head tucked under his wing, sound asleep. "It must be love," Fox laughed softly. "Oh, it is," she assured, looking him straight in the eyes. In the kitchen, Fox drank his cocoa standing. If this bite was as painful as he suspected it would be he would have to take a pillow in to the office Monday morning. If they still had jobs, that was. But for now it was still the weekend and he was standing in his own kitchen drinking hot cocoa out of his favorite MST 3000 mug, and his wife . . . his wife . . . was snickering again. "What?" She shook her head. "I was just wondering. . . ." "*What*?" She looked at him and stopped laughing. "D'you think you could teach Krycek the Rary joke before we give him to Mrs. Anderson?" The calm of the apartment building was broken by the sound of peals of laughter, masculine and feminine. In the dimness of the living room Krycek muttered sleepily, "peed on my shoe . . . peed on my shoe. . . ." To which, of course, there was nothing to say, so Thing said nothing. The End (12/31/95)