Title: How's Katherine? Author: Erin M. Blair E-Mail: eblair@sonic.net My Fanfic Archive: Erin M. Blair's Relationshipper Fan Fiction http://www.geocities.com/Area51/Shire/9926/shipperfanfiction.html Classification: VRA--Vignette, Romance, Angst. Content: Mulder/Scully Married. Scully POV. Alternate Universe. Spoiler: Duane Barry. One Breath. Erlenmeyer Flask. Rating: PG. Archive: Gossamer ok, but other please ask me before you archive. I'll say yes, but I want to know where my stories are going. Disclaimer: The characters of Fox Mulder and Dana Scully (-Mulder) aren't mine as they belong to Chris Carter, 1013 Productions, and the Fox Network. No infringement is intended. However, the character of four year old, Katherine Mulder is mine. Author's Note: This is a sequel to "Where's Mommy?" and this is set after Scully's return from her coma. I was going to write "How's Mommy?" but this one overtook my brain. This story is set in an Alternate Universe where Mulder and Scully are married and have a daughter, Katherine, during the time of Scully's abduction. If you don't like that, don't read it. Ok? =) Feedback: Most appreciated and welcomed. Summary: Scully is worried about her daughter, Katherine, after she returned from her abduction. -------------------------------------- HOW'S KATHERINE? Written by: Erin M. Blair -------------------------------------- I walked inside Katherine's bedroom, and she was playing with her dolls. I could see her auburn hair--so much like mine--bobbing up and down as she's playing. I know that she hadn't seen me. She *hasn't* seen me since I returned from my abduction. My own daughter ignores me when I'm in the room. If she wants anything, she goes to see her daddy. My Mulder. I could hear Mulder coming behind me, and he whispered into my ears. "She's dealing with this as best as she can." I turned around and faced him. "By ignoring me? I wasn't gone for that long." "I know that," Mulder whispered. He held me in his arms. "How's Katherine?" I asked him, as I needed to know how she was when I was missing. "I want to know how our daughter was when I was missing." "She had terrible nightmares, Scully. I think that she---" "She saw what happened to me that night," I said, finishing the thought that was on both of our minds. Katherine had seen the whole nightmare taking place... Oh my poor little girl... "Yes," Mulder said, simply. "I think that she needs time..." He paused. "Don't push her." "I won't, Mulder." "Come on, Scully. Let's go to the living room." "It's time for Katie's bedtime... I need to tuck her in..." "I'll tuck her in," Mulder replied. "She's used to me..." He paused, as he looked at my sad expression. "I wasn't there for her, Mulder. No wonder she looks to you. She's afraid that something might happen to me..." "Do you blame her?" Mulder asked, softly. "She's insecure... She's scared that you might leave again. You have to reassure her." He drew a deep breath. "On second thought, you can get her ready for bed." "Thank you," I replied, as I gave him a kiss on the lips. I walked into Katherine's bedroom, and I sat on her floral bedspread as I watch her play with her dolls. "Katherine, it's Mommy." Katherine looked at her doll, and she cried, "I don't have a Mommy... I *don't* deserve a Mommy..." She didn't look at me when she said those heartbreaking words, but she had heard me. I carefully chose a different tactic of reaching her. Although Mulder and I gave her the name of Katherine Dana Mulder because she resembled me, she's like her daddy when she felt that she can't trust people. "Katie, listen to me. Who told you this?" "A man..." "When?" I asked, as I had an idea when *that* happened. "That night," Katherine cried. She hugged her doll a little closer. "Katie, listen to me, that man had no right to say those things to you. He was a cruel man to both of us, and I think that you should forget what he said." "I can't..." "Yes, you can," I said, gently. I went to her, and held her in my arms. "I know it's hard, but you will." I paused for a moment, and I found the words that she needed to hear from me. "I'm your Mommy, and I love you. There was nothing that you could have done to prevent what happened to me." Katherine looked up at me with those blue eyes of her as the fog from that night began to drift away. "I love you, Mommy..." "I know, Katie. I know you do," I replied, gently. "It's time for you to go to bed." I watched her get up, and I helped her with her nightgown. "Mommy, can you tell me a story?" Katherine asked, as she hopped into bed and I tucked her in. "Sure," I replied, with a smile. I knew everything was going to be all right between us. "What would you like to hear?" "An X-File," Katherine said, as she looked at me. "Daddy had read to me some of the old cases..." "He did? He didn't read you "Cinderella" or "Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs"?" "No." "All right. What was he reading to you while I was missing?" "The one about the alien DNA," Katherine said, as she looked skeptical. "I can see that you don't believe that stuff. Do you?" "No, Mommy." I smiled when she said that. Mulder and I were right in naming her after me. I can tell where she inherited her skeptical nature from. From me... "I had a hard time believing that, but it's true. I held the original alien fetus in my hands..." "Because Daddy was kidnapped..." "Yes, he was..." "Mommy?" "What is it, Katie?" "Did he...do the same thing...when you're missing?" "He hadn't said anything. I just *showed* up at the hospital," I replied. I saw her drift to sleep, and I smiled at her. "Goodnight, Katherine." "Goodnight, Mommy." I closed Katherine's bedroom door and walked towards the living room. Mulder was watching one of his *porn* videos. "I thought that you thrown away some of your videos when we got married..." "I kept one of them, Scully," Mulder said, as he saw me arch my eyebrows. He stopped the video. "Scully, you know how much I like this stuff..." "I know you do," I said, as I sat down next to him. "I talked with Katherine..." "You got through to her?" Mulder asked, as I nodded. "I'm so happy for you." "Me too." "Everything will be all right from now on..." "Mulder, are you sure? With us? We're not that *normal*..." "Well, Scully, as normal as we can be. I believe that we'll be fine. Do you?" "Yes, I believe," I replied. "I believe." I know that he's right about us. End of Vignette