"Miss Laura!"
Scully had barely turned around before she was engulfed by Emma in a flying hug-tackle. Mulder stood awkwardly next to the pair, not quite knowing what to do.
"Hi, sweetie, but I told you it's Dana."
"Oh, right, you were playing pretend." For the first time she seemed to notice Mulder. "Are you Miss La- Dana's husband?"
Mulder and Scully exchanged a look. "Uh, not exactly."
Confused, Emma's face held the universal 'adults are weird' expression that kids learn before they even learn to speak.
"Where were you heading, sweetie?" Scully asked, quickly changing the subject.
"To see Mr. and Mrs. Evans. Mrs. Evans said I could help her bake cookies." She glanced around and leaned in to whisper. "Mom and I aren't allowed to make cookies at the church, but Mom said when we move into our own house we can."
Brushing Emma's hair back behind her shoulders, Scully merely nodded.
Switching emotions just as quickly as before, Emma's face lit up. "You should come and bake cookies with us!"
"It would be nice to see the Evanses." Scully looked back at Mulder to check if he was okay with this change of plans, to which he shrugged his acceptance.
"I'll go tell them you're coming!" Emma yelled, running off.
Mulder glanced around the little town as they walked in the direction Emma had just run. "This seems like a nice place."
"You'd be bored within a month."
He studied her intently. "You wouldn't be. It doesn't look like a bad place to 'stop and get out of the damn car'."
Scully started upon hearing the words that had haunted her the entire time she'd been here the first time. "Come on, Mulder. This isn't such a bad place to disappear to for a few days, but I wouldn't want to live here."
A grin split across his face. Without saying anything, he grasped her hand as they continued walking.
The End
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