Title: Chip Off The Old Block Author: mimic117 Email: mimic1172@gmail.com Rating: G, believe it or not Category: S, MSR Spoilers: Absolutely everything, all the way through the Season 9 two-parter. This could get a little confusing right here, so stay with me. Everything that happened up through the beginning of Season 9 is implied, but it diverges from canon at that point because I couldn't stand where they were taking the show. So we've got William, but we've also got Mulder, cause I want him there. No Doggett appearances, but that doesn't mean I'm ignoring him. Just assume that everything that's happened on the show has happened here, without that really idiotic bit about Mulder getting fired and leaving. Did I lose you yet? Summary: Charlie Scully visits his sister, meeting his new nephew and catching up on what he's been missing. But there are some things about her baby brother even Dana Scully doesn't know. Keywords: Charles Scully, baby William, Mulder present, Scully present, Doggett not Archive: I'll do Gossamer and Ephemeral, thanks. Okay to anyone else who wants it, especially The Charlie Fic archive, who was the instigator in the first place. Disclaimer: I'm not disclaiming anything anymore. In my opinion, Carter has forfeited all his moral rights to these characters. They may be his legally, but morally, anyone who doesn't take better care of their toys than he has doesn't deserve to play with them. Thanks: To my Big Guy, who isn't even a fan of the show, but who keeps coming up with the most wonderful story ideas. I just wish he'd write a few of them himself, seeing how I've already got more than I can deal with of my own. I really need to quit talking to him about story ideas. Extra Special Beta Thanks: To Jake, for wielding her Beta Bitch comb on short notice. We'll probably have that 'talk' a few more times, Twinsy. I can be stubborn about the oddest things. Just keep whacking me upside the head and I'll eventually get the idea. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Chip Off The Old Block by mimic117 12:35 PM "Charlie!" A squeal erupted from Dana Scully's mouth that would have left her FBI colleagues slack-jawed. Charles Scully didn't even bat an eyelash. Gathering his sister into a tight bear hug, he spun her in circles until he set her back on her feet inside the apartment door. Identical pairs of bright blue eyes gazed at each other as twin, fat- cheeked grins blossomed across their freckled faces. It was like watching reflections in a mirror, except that one red-haired head was over a foot higher than the other. "It's so good to see you again, Charlie," Scully sighed. "I can't believe you're really moving to DC. It will be so nice to have you close by after all these years." "I'll actually be closer to Mom, but it still beats living half the continent away," he agreed. "It's good to see you, too, Dana. I've missed you." Tugging on his hand, Scully pulled him further into the room so she could close the door. Leading him toward the couch, she was just about to offer him a seat, when the sound of gurgling baby giggles made their heads turn toward the hallway. The noise warbled up and down a liquid scale of delight, creating involuntary smiles on the listeners' faces. "Sounds like this might be a good time to meet the men in your life I keep hearing about," Charlie suggested. Father and son were too engrossed in their game to notice when company arrived at the door of the nursery. Clothed in a stretchy, footed sleeper, William kicked his legs and waved his fists on the dressing table. Through the gap left by open snaps, Mulder blew soft zerberts on his exposed belly as he worked on tucking the flailing arms into the pajama sleeves. It was taking twice as long as it should have since, every time William calmed down, Mulder would flutter his pursed lips on the little rounded abdomen again. It was hard to tell from the high- pitched shrieks and the baritone chuckles which of them was having more fun. As if he sensed their presence, Mulder's head turned toward the doorway. Seeing his audience, he returned to his task, rapidly pulling the sleeper on the little wiggling body and snapping the front closed. Placing the baby on his shoulder, he strode to the door, right hand outstretched in welcome. "Nobody could have that coloring without being a Scully," Mulder stated, raising his eyes to look the taller man in the face. "Nice to meet you, Charlie. Your sister has done nothing but talk about you since we heard you were moving here." "I've heard a lot about you, too, Mulder. From several sources, I might add." He chuckled as Mulder rolled his eyes. "I take everything I hear with a dose of skepticism, depending on the speaker. I just can't believe we've never met in all the years you and Dana have been together. It's good to finally put a face with the name." He studied the long look that passed between his sister and her partner. It was apparent that this was a standard way of communicating for them. He rather wished he could read their minds; it might make for interesting listening. Scully took the baby and turned to Charlie with a soft smile. "Here's a new face with a name," she said. "This is William Fox, Charlie." "Hey, Will," he whispered. Charlie caught one waving fist between two gentle fingers, smiling as tiny digits uncurled to wrap firmly around one of his own. "You're a real cute kid, you know that? Pictures just don't do justice to that sweet little face." "Too bad he got his old man's nose," Mulder complained. Charlie glanced up with twinkling eyes. "I didn't think Jimmy Durante was still alive." Trying to restrain a snort, Mulder choked on his own saliva and turned it into a coughing fit. He leaned against the wall while Charlie thumped his back in a helpful manner. Wiping tears from his cheeks, Mulder croaked, "You want a beer, Charlie? I think I'm gonna need one." Releasing the tiny fingers that held him captive, Charlie winked at his sister before following Mulder to the kitchen. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ 4:10 PM "No shit! He looked like you?" Charlie ran his hand through his hair, making the red spikes flatten to his head, then spring back up. Nodding, Mulder rubbed Will's back as he slumbered, drooling on his father's t-shirt. "Just like me. Hair, eye color -- he even sounded like me. He was headed for first base with Scully when I bashed the door in." "Sis, you wouldn't have! Would you?" Scully chuckled at the look of fascinated horror on her brother's face. "We'll never know. When Mulder came bursting through the door, it hit me that he'd been right about Eddie being able to change his appearance. I was appalled by what he'd tried to do." "Admit it, Scully." Mulder waggled his eyebrows. "You would have let him jump your bones because you thought it was me." One of Scully's brows quirked in response, but he could see the laughter shining in her eyes. "It's a moot point now, Mulder. I refuse to second-guess myself. It will remain a mystery forever." The sound of Mulder's stomach rumbling was audible in the silence that followed. Will twitched. "You know what we forgot to do today, Scully?" "Oh damn. I forgot all about the groceries when Charlie showed up." Scully jumped off the couch, headed for the kitchen. "I'll have to go now or we'll be ordering take-out for supper. Do you know where I put the list, Mulder?" Carefully levering himself off the sofa, Mulder carried the baby toward the nursery. "I've got it, Scully. Let me put Will down and I'll be right with you." They met in the hallway, Scully carrying her purse over one shoulder, hand outstretched as he came back into view. "Give me the list and you can stay here with Charlie." "It's in my head," Mulder replied, pressing a kiss into her outstretched palm. "Why don't you stay here with your brother and I'll get what we need?" "Why don't you both go and spend some time alone for a few minutes?" Charlie piped up. "Oh, but -- " Scully stopped. Charlie couldn't quite see the look she gave Mulder, but from where he sat, it looked a bit desperate. "I've babysat Bill's kids before, Dana," he assured her. "I know what to do. Besides, he's sleeping now. What kind of trouble can we get into before you get back?" "Come on, Scully," Mulder chimed in. "You hardly ever go out of the house anymore unless you're working. When was the last time we did something as mundane as grocery shopping together? It might be fun to go out by ourselves for a change." "But don't you think -- " Charlie cut her off. "I think you should both go out and find some food, before Mulder's stomach attacks someone. Didn't you eat any breakfast, man? I can hear you all the way over here." The two partners stood for several minutes, holding a silent conversation. Finally, Scully's shoulders drooped in defeat, and she sighed. "Okay. We'll both go, if you don't mind staying here, Charlie." He shook his head. "Take as long as you like. I can use the time to relax and catch my breath. Flying clear across the country in one day is a bit disorienting. I'll be fine." After one more glance at Scully, Mulder got his coat out of the closet and went for his keys. "Emergency numbers are on the fridge," Scully informed her brother, "and you know Mom's number. Our cell numbers are there, too, in case you need us for anything." "We'll be fine." Mulder grabbed her hand and started dragging her toward the door, still talking. "If he gets fussy before we get back, you don't have to do anything. Just let him fuss a bit. Don't worry about entertaining him." "We'll be gone for thirty minutes tops, Scully." Mulder had the door open, and was trying to pull her into the hall, with minimal success. "Let's get going before all the noise we're making wakes Will up." She looked from one man to the other, indecision written large on her face. At last, she shrugged and stopped backpedaling. Mulder nearly fell out the door from the lack of resistance. Charlie had the feeling this was more than a display of separation anxiety. As Mulder and Scully finally left on their shopping run, he grabbed a magazine at random, and settled in to see what was interesting in the AMA Journal of Medicine. It always seemed to Charlie as though babies possessed a radar system that went off as soon as their parental units were out of range. Will was no different. The door hadn't been closed for more than ten minutes when wailing could be heard coming from the nursery. Charlie put down the magazine he was holding and went to see what his nephew's problem was. Leaning over the crib, he rubbed the baby's belly in tiny circles and smiled. "Right on schedule, little dude," he said. "You need a bit of company to fall back to sleep?" As if in answer, the mobile over the bed began to move. Creaking and shivering, it rotated inch by inch until it had made a complete revolution without stopping. Charlie watched in fascination as the toy began its second circuit before he reached up and gently held it still. Releasing the mobile's arm, he saw it resume its rotation, squeaking in the silence of the nursery. "So that's what your Mom and Dad were so worried about," he mused. "They were afraid I'd find out. Can't say I blame them, little Willy." A slight grin spread itself across his face, reaching to his eyes. "Bet I know something they don't, though." The spinning mobile slowed to a stop. Then, it gradually reversed its rotation. Charlie grinned down into the crib where Will lay wide-eyed. "I can show you all kinds of things, Will," Charlie said. "You've got a lot to learn, and I'm just the one to teach you." A pacifier floated across to his hand, where he plucked it from the air. Poking it at the baby's mouth, he stroked back his downy hair as Will suckled happily, staring up at his spinning toy. "You're a chip off the old Scully block, William Fox. It's never too early to learn control, you know. Good thing I'll be nearby to help. With the parents you've got, you're gonna need all the help you can get." ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ The End Author's notes: In the first place, I don't want to hear any guff about the baby's name. What other middle name would Scully give him? That one just seemed the most logical, even if it is a bit trite. In the second place, I never thought I'd ever write baby fic, and certainly not baby fic with him being so important to the whole story. Just goes to show what a good idea will do to your muse. In the third place, I hope you found the whole idea vaguely plausible. When my husband suggested the basic premise, it hit me right between the eyes. If you think about the Scully family, it's been established that Mrs. Scully has prophetic dreams, Dana is open to extreme possibilities, and Melissa was at least empathic to other peoples' feelings. We were never told anything at all about Charlie. So it seemed possible that he could have something similar in spades. It made sense at the time. Feedback on this story, another story, even stories by other writers, is worshipped and adored at mimic1172@gmail.com.