Dana was unhappy, this much Bill knew from the moment sheâd arrived. It was her first Christmas after she had recovered from her cancer and she was about to be an aunt, this should have been a jubilant holiday.Â
Bill was on edge about becoming a father, with Taraâs delivery overdue his nerves were frayed and he wished his fatherâs stoic presence was there. Bill tried his best to rally his little sister, begged her to be present with them, but in every encounter she seemed a million miles away.Â
Bill knew it was more than this mysterious case and that little girl she seemed to latch onto. He wanted to blame her Partner, that he was dragging her away from them; but the hardest fact to face was that this was all of Danaâs own doing, her choice to keep a moat between her and them. Each time he reached out to her, he felt like he was rejected; and it frustrated him to see her so withdrawn.
Bill did not understand how or why Dana was trying to adopt this previously unknown child. The thought that it could be her biological daughter made him dizzy, but a big part of him wanted this for her. This could be the blessing she needed to get her life on track and away from her FBI work.Â
Bill was honored to support his sister in the adoption hearing, speaking honestly of her capacity to care for others and her ability to provide a stable home. As a Naval Officer and a blood relative, he hoped his testimony would hold more weight.Â
On leaving the judgeâs quarters, Bill was shocked to see Fox Mulder there, ready to be a character witness. Danaâs boss had provided a glowing reference for her via phone already and Bill could only wonder at the fact the man flew across the country to be there for her.Â
With a scold and a sigh, Bill resented the manâs presence, ready to send him packing the moment he was done helping Dana. With one fierce look Maggie Scully informed Bill he would be doing no such thing and begrudgingly he had no recourse but to accept his fate.
Perhaps Bill would have remained sullen and cold, but that it was like a switch had been flicked on and suddenly Dana had arrived with them. So Bill endured his presence if only to get to spend time with his sister and for that he was rewarded. At dinner Dana was animated, laughing as Tara told her of her pregnancy war stories. Bill wanted to attribute her change in mood to her adoption proceedings looking more positive, but his wife knew better. Â
âItâs him Bill. I donât know whatâs going on between them, but you need to work out how to make peace with him or else youâre going to lose her.â
Bill wanted to hold a grudge, but it was clear Fox Mulder would do anything for his sister so there was no question as to where he would be staying while he was in town.Â
That night Dana was surprised to find Tara struggling to reach the clean towels in the linen closet as she went upstairs to put her paperwork away. Dana intercepted it for her with a questioning look.Â
Dana smiled as her brother walked over with some spare bedding and a pillow stacking it on to Scullyâs arms.Â
âHere you go short stuff,â Bill said with a razz in his voice, knowing his sister was poking her tongue out from behind the pile of linen. Placing them all in her room, Scully stopped in to say âthank youâ to Bill and Tara for letting Mulder stay with them.Â
Bill didnât mean to tear up as she hugged him but he felt connected to her in a way that had been missing for so long. Helping Tara to bed, the women laughed as Bill played nurse maid with Taraâs pillows, building a retaining wall to keep her partially upright.Â
Grabbing Danaâs hand, Tara assured Dana that Fox was welcomed to stay here anytime.Â
Bill nodded in silent confirmation, and Dana beamed at them both.Â
The days ahead were filled with melodrama; Danaâs child battled for her health in the same hospital Tara struggled with a complicated delivery. Finally Mathew was born and sweet Emily passed away, Uncle Bill seeing her one last time through the glass window as she slept in her coma.
Holding his son in his arms Bill felt the weight of what his sister had lost and he wondered how she would ever carry on.Â
The service for the little girl was brief. The family sat through Mass and once again, Bill watched Dana pull away from her family. A part of him wondered if losing a child you didnât know about hurt as much as one you knew from inception, but his heart told him that the Scully family was wired to love their offspring no matter what. Whether he understood how or why the child came into being no longer mattered, Bill was there to mourn the loss of his young niece. Â
As Bill left Dana behind in the church he wished sheâd reconsider driving back with them, he needed to know she was ok. It was the bouquet of flowers he saw Fox Mulder holding as he entered the church that calmed his mind. It was such an innocuous gesture amongst all the injustices that had taken place but it meant something.Â
While Bill may never consider the man a friend, he could see that he was a safe place for his sister. For all of Fox Mulderâs faults he was the one she had chosen, and that made him de facto family.Â
Dana insisted on taking a Red Eye back to D.C with Fox after the funeral. Stopping over at the house to pack their things, Fox waited on the porch for Scully to change clothes and finalize her luggage.Â
Bill made his way out onto the porch and noticed that Mulder tensed his body as he saw him approach. A part of him enjoyed the fact that the man anticipated an uncomfortable confrontation, but Bill was there on a mission of peace.Â
âDoes she talk to you,â Bill asked, trying to keep his frustration at bay.Â
âOnly when she wants too,â Mulder replied with a shake of his head.Â
Bill gave a knowing grunt and patted Mulder on the shoulder.Â
âYou look after her,â Bill said with a serious warning tone.Â
âWe look after each other,â Mulder replied with a cocky defiance that reminded Bill of why the man grated on him.
Before Bill could make his way into the house he heard Fox Mulderâs voice.
âHey Bill, thanks for letting me stay, I appreciate it.â Â
Mulder stood up and offered Bill his hand, it was a peace offering.Â
âAny time,â Bill said with a firm shake and a nod.Â
Maggie Scully and Dana arrived in time to witness the exchange but knew better than to mention anything. Instead, Dana hugged her brother longer than she had in years, telling him to send lots of pictures of her nephew. As Dana hugged her brother, Maggie gave Fox another hug goodbye and ordered him to come for dinner when they all got settled at home.Â
Maggie and Bill watched as the rental car drove away, silently they both understood that Fox Mulder was now part of their family.