WhereTheresAWill.html*

Title: Where there's a Will, there's a will
Author: Girlie_girl7
Date: 4-24-02
Rating: PG
Category: Baby ff
Archive: anywhere
Disclaimer: I do not own M/S, Will or Sk.
Spoilers: How should I know, I'm not a 9'er
Summary: Skinner is asked 'the big question'.

~ Where there's a Will, there's a will ~

Walter Skinner knocks on the door to apartment 35, somewhere in
Georgetown. Standing before the unopened door, he pensively shifts
from foot to foot.

A click is heard. Fox Mulder appears at the door.

< Damn. >

"Hello sir, thanks for coming." Mulder smiles as he stands before
Skinner clad in a worn tee shirt and comfortable jeans.

Skinner nervously looks down at his muddy shoes, brushing them
against the throw rug in front of the door.

"Thanks for asking.Me to come," Skinner quickly adds upon seeing
the shocked expression on Mulder's face.

< Damn. This is not starting out well. >

" Come on in, Scully will be out in a second. Can I take your
coat?"

"Better take my shoes too," Skinner smiles.

"Don't worry sir, Scully is use to having my muddy shoes on
her carpet. Have a seat."

Just then Scully appears, bouncing Will on her hip. The wispy
hair, Scully-blue eyed baby is jumping up and down in his
mother's arms, a game both seem to enjoy.

"Oh sir, I didn't know you were here." Scully says,
shifting Will to her other hip.

"He's gotten so big since the last time I saw him." Skinner
leans down to look at the baby.

Will stares back at Skinner, mesmerized.

"He's almost crawling," Scully beams.

"Dana, this little guy will run you ragged," Skinner laughs.

"I'm looking forward to that," Scully says meaning it.

Mulder and Scully snugly sit next to one another on the couch.
Skinner sits down across from them.

< Mulder with a family. It still shocks the hell out of me. >

Mulder finally breaks the silence as Scully continues to play
with Will.

"I'm sure you're wondering why we've asked you to come."

"I was surprised. You haven't found an X File have you?"
Skinner says with a slight chuckle.

"No, no sir. I'm channeling my energy into other areas."
Mulder says looking down at Scully and William.

Scully looks up with a crimson face and nervously asks,
"Sir would you like some coffee or tea or, . . ."

"No, no thanks Agent Scul . . . sorry." Skinner blushes,
"I mean Dana."

Scully settles back down next to Mulder, talking to and
still fussing with Will.

< That's one loved little boy. >

Mulder rubs his hands down his jeans and begins, "Sir,
as you know Scully and I have a child." Mulder can't help
but grin.

< He can't be this dense can he? Oxford would be ashamed. >

"Mulder, I'm well aware of what's sitting on Dana's lap."
Skinner nods toward Will.

"Sir, Scully and I have been talking." Mulder begins to
clear his throat.

< Oh brother, here it comes. What can I say! I can't
care for a kid. >

Just then the phone rings causing the three of them to
jump slightly.

< Thank God! >

Scully gets up to answer the phone but instead of handing
Will to Mulder she gives him to Skinner.

< Wait! Wait! Oh hell! >

Skinner looks wide-eyed at the tiny being seated on his lap
that is now drooling on his tie.
Will blinks and breaks out into a toothy grin.

"Sorry about that sir, he's cutting teeth."

"That must hurt," Skinner winces.

"Scully says it's uncomfortable."

< Poor little guy. >

Just then Scully peeks her head around the living room wall.
"Mulder, its Frohike. Says it's important."

Mulder excuses himself, leaving Skinner to tend to Will.

< Come on Scully! Get back here. What if he cries! They'll
think I'm hurting him. >

Skinner looks down at the baby, who seems determined to get
his tie into his mouth.

< He doesn't look like he's upset with me holding him. He
seems okay with it. >

"Hey Will, you getting some teeth?" Skinner whispers.

Will looks' Skinner in the eyes, finally getting his tie
into his mouth.

< So trusting and so satisfied. Hard to believe Mulder
is this kids father. >

Will glances around, looking for Scully. He begins to squirm.

Skinner stands up, jiggling the baby.

"Okay Will, don't cry. I know you miss mom but I'm 'it'
for a few minutes."

Skinner walks into Wills bedroom, hoping to pacify the baby,
who is still chewing on his tie.

Will spots a rubber duck, pointing to it, and babbling in
baby talk.

"You want that?" Skinner asks, holding the duck up to Will.

Will drops Skinners tie and begins to chew on the soft
rubber duck.

"Those teeth must be driving you crazy." Skinner softly
pats Wills bottom.

Walking around the tiny but brightly decorated bedroom,
Skinner spots a picture of Mulder and Scully taken shortly
before Williams' birth.

< They both look so worn down and tired. How did they ever
get through those days, I couldn't be happier for them. I
think I know the real Mulder and Scully as well as anyone and
still at times I can't figure them out. It does seem like
they have a connection I can only wish to have with a mate.
Sometimes it's down right spooky. >

Skinner breaks out in a small grin.

Will seems' content to just chew on his duck.

Skinner cradles the baby in the crook of his arm as he
continues to walk around the room.
The walls are painted light blue and trimmed in a sports
motif border.

< I'll bet the Mulder/Scully fight that went on during the
redecorating of this room was a great one. >

The crib and the dresser are both well worn but covered in
fresh paint.
< These are probably part of the Scully clan hand-me-downs.
Dana always did have a sense of family and tradition. >

Skinner, still holding Will, walks over to the dresser looking
down at the assortment of baby items and toys scattered
across the top.

In the middle of the jumble he spots a tiny FBI badge with
Wills picture on it.

< The apple never falls to far from the tree. >

Skinner moves on to the changing table. It's neat and well
stocked.

< From cutting up stiffs to changing diapers. How does she
do it? Mulder should have made his move years ago but I'd
bet my pension Scully made the first overture. >

Skinner grins down at the small bundle in his arms. Will
has' the ducks head in his mouth, chewing for all he's worth.
As their eyes meet, Will hesitates', then pulling the duck
out of his mouth, he offers it to Skinner.

Skinner chuckles, "No you keep it Will. My teeth are fine."

Skinner hefts the baby up to eye level.

< He's is one cute kid, just like his mother. I can see how
Mulder and Scully became so enchanted with this little guy.
What's not to love? >

Will kicks' his feet and tries to put the duck back into
his mouth.

Skinner cradles the little boy to him once again. Will finally
gets the duck back into his mouth.

Skinner spots a mitt and a bat hung on the wall while a ball
sits on the near by shelf.

< Mulder is one lucky man. He gets to teach his kid how to
bat and field, how to be graceful when he wins and how to
suck it up when he loses. Yeah, he's one lucky man. >

He turns toward the closet. Finding the door slightly ajar,
he peeks in. Fingering through the tiny clothes, he finds
a small, blue wool dress coat, a light blue snowsuit, a pair
of striped bibs and several tiny shirts.

On the shelf above are shoes. Tiny, perfectly placed shoes.

< Where will this little guy ever wear this many shoes to?
He can't even walk yet! There's Nikes, Jordans, dress shoes,
hiking boots, cowboy boots, every kind of shoe imaginable. >
Skinner chuckles.

"Will you trying to keep up with Inelda Marcos?"

Will reaches' out for the little sandal Skinner holds' in
his hand. Skinner pulls it back and places it back on the
shelf.

He spies a rolled up paper in the back of the closet.
The investigator in him takes over. He pulls the paper
out, the words
'I want to believe' appear as he unrolls it.

Skinner smiles and gently places the poster back into the
closet.

Skinner continues to look around the room. He suddenly
realizes he's been bouncing Will in his arms and brushing
the baby's fine hair across his cheek.

"Must be contagious," he whispers to a sleepy eyed Will.
The rubber duck falls from Wills' hand and hits the floor
with a thud, just as his eyes' drift shut.

Just then Scully appears at the door, stopping short as she
sees Skinner with William. "Oh sir, sorry about that,"
she whispers as she scoops the sleeping baby from Skinners
arms. "Sorry about the tie too."

Skinner looks down to see his wet, crumpled tie hanging
loosely from his neck.

"That's okay, he was showing me how to get a suspect to talk."

Scully glances up at Skinner as she places Will into his crib.

< She's so good with this child. I wonder if I would be
like that? >

Skinner leaves Scully to tend to her son as he joins Mulder
in the living room.

"Sorry about that sir. The Gunman had some information for
me but it didn't pan out."

Skinner takes his seat across from Mulder once again.

Scully reappears from Will's room. Mulder never takes his
eyes off her as she sits next to him.

"He's out for the count," Scully softly says, placing her
hand on Mulders crossed leg.

Mulder moves to sit on the edge of the couch, his elbows
on his knees.

"Sir, Scully and I have been talking."

Mulder looks over at Scully who looks up, nodding her
head slightly.

"Anyway, Will has us to care for him but what if we
weren't here? I know things can happen; an accident,
illness, injury, . . ."

Scully touches Mulder lightly on the arm and softly says,
"He knows what death is Mulder."

Mulder draws a breath in and begins again. "Sir, Will needs
to be taken care of in the event that both Scully and
I . . . can't."

< What a thing to have to discuss. This has to be hard on
him. Mulder is a nervous wreck. >

Scully reaches out and clasps Mulders hand, steadying him.

"Sir, as you know I have no family left."

Skinner glances down, folding his hands.

Mulder continues, "We want Scully's mom to raise Will and
she's agreed to but we feel that we need someone else, just
in case Maggie is unable to take on that responsibility."

Skinner swallows hard.

"Scully and I are hoping you would be that person."
Skinner lifts his head to find Mulder staring at him.

Scully adds, "There is no one we trust more than you sir.
We know you would do what ever it takes to keep William safe."

Mulder reaches over and rubs Scully's back.

Skinner sits there, military stiff, his eyes turning red
as he clears his throat. Softly and slightly broken he says,
"I would be honored."

Mulder wraps his arm around Scully as his eyes turn watery.
He then raises to his feet, as does Skinner. Mulder
clasps Skinners hand, shaking it vigorously.

"Thank you sir," Scully says as she draws Skinner
into a hug.

Skinner pulls away. "Well I'd better go. Let me know
when you have the paper work together."

"Thank you sir, we will. Mulder says as he hands
Skinner his coat.

Skinner turns to leave. Stepping outside the door, he puts
on his trench coat, pulling the belt tight.

< How hard that must have been for them. To realize you might
have to give that wonderful child to someone else, to trust
that person unconditionally. I'm glad I don't have to make
that decision. >

Skinner pulls up his coat collar.

Skinner smiles and straightens his wet, crumpled tie as he
heads down the hallway.

~ The End ~