Elysian Fields
Part 7
From: Amy Schatz <risamy@epix.net Newsgroups: alt.tv.x-files.creative Subject: NEW: ELYSIAN FIELDS - 7/7
Date: Mon, 25 Mar 96 11:36:18 PDT
See the non-existent disclaimer and the existent story notes in part one... If you've made it this far, thanks for reading...

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Elysian Fields - 7/7
by Amy Schatz

Melissa smiled again, her hazel eyes filled with happiness. When she spoke, it was the only word that she associated with Mulder, besides love. She looked at Mulder, and said it softly, but certainly.

"Daddy."

****

Mulder looked at the girl before him, and felt as though time had stopped all around him, as his vision narrowed to encompass only Melissa. And then a wave of dizziness swept over him, and he sagged back into the couch, his eyes closing. Scully moved closer to him, concerned, and put a hand to his forehead.

"Mulder?"

With his eyes closed, she had no way of gauging how he was taking this. She was about to move closer, when Melissa crawled up onto the couch, and kneeled next to her father. She smiled sweetly at him, and touched his cheek with her small fingers.

"Daddy? Daddy, wake up," she said in her small voice, one of her hands pushing that stubborn lock of hair off his forehead. The moment Melissa spoke, his hazel eyes flew open, and Scully saw tears in them. He pushed himself up into a sitting position, and took Melissa's hand. He looked at her for a long time, just looked, and then he slowly pulled her into a fierce embrace. The little girl went into his arms happily and willingly - she had dreamed of being held by her father - and Mulder looked over her shoulder at Scully, as tears fell down his cheeks. After a while, Melissa pulled back and looked at her father. She grinned, and brought a hand up to wipe his tears away.

"Don't cry, Daddy." Mulder smiled at her and said,

"I'll try."

"Why cry, Daddy?"

Mulder couldn't believe what he felt when she called him that. As he looked at her, he saw so much of himself and Dana in her face. He couldn't believe that she was his.

"I'm crying because I'm happy to meet you, Melissa." Scully looked at him, at the instant tenderness and love he felt for their daughter, and she wondered how she could have ever doubted him. Melissa considered this for a few moments, and then she nodded, seemingly happy with his answer. She was about to get down, when he said,

"Happy birthday, Melissa. I'm glad I was here on such a special day." Melissa smiled at him.

"Me, too, Daddy."

Then, wiggling out of his arms, she gave him one last look, before going back to her toys. This was not an earth-shattering development for her. She had always known who her father was, and she had always known that he would come home one day. However, for Mulder it was the most amazing thing he had ever heard. Wiping the rest of his tears away, he turned to Scully and took her hand tenderly. She moved closer to him.

"Scully, how can this be?" She looked at him, a slight smile on her lips.

"Mulder, do you remember that last night in Boston?"

"I thought we might want to forget about that," he said, his gaze downward. Scully put her fingers under his chin, and made him look at her.

"Mulder, that was the night I found out about...Melissa. I was coming to tell you about it." He took in a sharp breath, frightened at the fact that Scully *would* have told him, had it not been for Reese. He closed his eyes.

"Oh, God, Scully. I'm so sorry..."

"No, Mulder. I'm the one who's sorry. If I hadn't been so jealous and insecure, I would have stayed and tried to sort it out. Because of me, you've missed three years of your daughter's life, and I hate myself for doing that to you," she said, tears welling up in her eyes. Mulder pulled her close, loving the feel of her in his arms again.

"No, Scully, don't say that. You did what you did because you thought it was best. We're not perfect. We're just people. I can't blame you for protecting...our daughter," he said, his voice catching on the word 'our'. "I can imagine how it looked to you that night. I should never have let Reese manipulate me like that." She touched his jaw gently, and said,

"Let's not talk about that anymore. It's over. I want to forget about it." He nodded, reveling in the feel of her touching him, and said,

"What do we do now, Scully?" She pushed away from him, wiping some tears away.

"Mulder, it *has* been three years, and I don't know how you feel about me, but if you'd like to, I'd like you to come back. I still love you." Mulder felt like the wind had been knocked out of him. He hadn't allowed himself to hope for this, but now it was happening. He smiled.

"If I'd like to? Scully, it's all I want." He was quiet for a moment, as they looked at each other, lost in the power of the bond between them - a bond that had survived so much. When he spoke again, his voice was soft. "Have you ever heard of Elysian Fields, Scully? It's another name for heaven, and that's what's it's like being with you. I've never loved anyone like I love you, and all I ever wanted was to spend my life with you. And now, with Melissa, too." Scully felt as though all her fears were plucked away by his admission, and she smiled as she hadn't in years, secure in their love. She reached out to him, and stroked his cheek with her fingers.

"I've dreamed about you wanting that, and now that you say you do, it's hard to believe. But I *do* believe you, and I love you so much." Then she moved closer to him, and their lips came together as if for the first time, and all the same electricity was there. The spark that only came to life when they were together. The kiss turned more passionate, and Scully let it continue for a little while because she ached for him. As they kissed, the lines of a song passed through her mind... Scully felt all the same passion and fire that had been between them for so many years come back to the surface and ignite her soul. She wanted it to last forever and to never part from him again, but she suddenly realized that there was a third party in the room. She broke from him, glancing at Melissa, who was playing in the corner.

"Not in front of you-know-who," she said, her eyes dancing. Mulder blushed and stole glance at his daughter.

"I can't believe I have a daughter. It's so amazing... How does she know me?" Scully looked at him, this man that she loved more than life, and wondered how she had gotten along without him. the voice told her. Scully knew that was true. She could always feel his presence - that sense of security that he gave her. But she had also been strong enough to go through the whole pregnancy without him. She wished now that he had been with her, but she *had* done it alone, and maybe it had changed her for the better.

"She knows you because every day since she was born I've shown her pictures of you and told her about you. Even before she was born, I told her all about you." Mulder was at a loss. The thought that Scully would do that, even though she had been hurting terribly, told him so much. "You did that?" She nodded. "I wanted her to know who her father was. I wanted her to know what a special person you are." Mulder touched the side of her face softly.

"Scully, that means so much to me. Thank you." She smiled and was about to say something when Melissa called out to her.

"Mommy?" Scully grinned at Mulder, as she saw his reaction to their child calling her that, and said,

"Yes?"

"Can I have some sunny seeds?" she asked, taking in the sight of her parents together for the first time. Mulder's eyebrows raised.

"Don't tell me she..." Scully nodded, pushing that strand of hair away again.

"Yes, she loves sunflower seeds." Mulder felt the enormity of this situation overcome him again, and he took a deep breath.

"She likes sunflower seeds, like I do," he said in disbelief.

"And she has your eyes," said Scully, looking at him. "I always knew she would." Mulder was silent as the meaning of those words sunk in. He watched as Scully got up and walked into the kitchen to get her daughter...*their* daughter her 'sunny seeds', and he smiled. This was all he had ever wanted in his life: to be with Scully. And now, he even had his extra secret little fantasy come true: a family with Scully.

****

Unionville, Virginia
October 20, 2000
Scully's apartment
10:13 pm

They had spent what was left of the day together and the evening simply talking, watching Melissa, and just being together. They had been apart so long, that a simple quiet day together was enough to make them happy. And now the three of them sat on the couch in Scully's living room, looking out the bay window at the starry night sky. Melissa was snuggled between them, and Mulder had pointed out constellations until she had fallen asleep. Now she snored lightly, a baby's snore, and Mulder turned to look at her, his love for her all encompassing. He looked up and found Scully watching him, a warm smile on her lips.

"I love her so much, and I hardly even know her. Thank you for letting me know her," he said, taking a strand of Melissa's hair between his fingers. "She's so beautiful, Dana. Just like you." She said nothing, just touched his cheek.

"And just like her daddy..." His eyes took on a sly gleam.

"Flattery will get you everywhere, Miss Scully." And then a strange emotion flickered across his face that Scully couldn't name. "I'd like to be able to call you Mrs. Mulder..." Scully's breath left her in a great rush, and she felt slightly dizzy.

"You...you what?" He smiled.

"I think you heard me. Will you marry me, Scully?" Mulder held his breath, not really sure what her answer would be. Scully took his hand.

"Say Dana and I'll think about it."

"Okay...will you marry me, *Dana*?" She leaned in to kiss him softly, and then said,

"There's nothing I'd rather do."

"Good, because there's no one I'd rather ask," he said with a large smile. Scully nodded and motioned to their sleeping daughter.

"It's time she was in bed. Would you mind carrying her?" Mulder couldn't believe that he was going to carry his daughter to her bedroom. He shook his head and gently scooped Melissa Fox up into his arms, holding her close to his chest. They both rose and began to walk to her bedroom. As they did, he looked across at Scully, never loving her more.

"Scully, thank you for calling me, and...thank you for naming her Fox. Maybe it'll work out better for her." Scully smiled and put her arm around his waist.

"I think it's going to work out for all of us." As she looked at him, she wondered what it was between them that kept them connected even when they were apart. She decided that whatever it was should just be accepted and not analyzed. For the first time in her life, Scully accepted that in *this* she should simply believe.

They stopped before Melissa's bedroom door, and Scully leaned up to kiss him again, and it was full of the promise of good days to come. He looked down at his daughter, then at Scully.

"I think you're right."

With that, Scully opened the door and they disappeared inside, finally together, finally a family.

THE END