"Shssh."

"Shsssh."

"Shssssh."

"Shsh."

Then there is giggling. They've yet to accomplish a mission without lots of giggling. It is soft laughter, though, as their subject is still fast asleep. Scully is dreaming while the keepers of her heart are playing.

They are soldiers. Or as Mulder explained to Will, after upon seeing his mom's Easter basket being manhandled by his dad and being concerned that his mom wouldn't like that at all, "We're the bunny patrol buddy; we're special. Peter Cottontail knows all about us, and he told me we could move the basket." By the time Mulder had finished, Will's focus had shifted to his own basket, so all was right with the world again. And besides, his dad always had a story. And better yet, now they would be in what his dad called 'cahoots.' That was the best.

Mulder stepped back and studied their handiwork which had just been taped to the refrigerator door. The note read:

'Where is Mommy's Easter basket? Did the Easter Bunny forget her? Or is it in the linen closet?'

There is art work, also. Will's eggs look almost identifiable. They are purple and orange - so far the two crayons that are the most popular in the little boy's palette.

"I don't know, Will, I think we need to move it up. Mommy's short, but she's no munchkin. We want her to see it."

This remark makes Will laugh. He loves the munchkins, and oddly enough, the winged monkeys. Mulder is amazed when they have watched "The Wizard of Oz," to see this. Those monkeys gave him nightmares when he was a kid. Mulder peels the tape away and moves the note so that it will be eye- level for Scully.

"Okay, on to the linen closet. Two more stops left. Step quietly." They head for the hallway off the living room. Will is a chocolately little soldier now, having finally gotten the foil off a rabbit.

"Daddy, will Mommy wake up soon? Maybe you need to kiss her." Now Mulder grins. Will is always surprised that Scully can sleep while he is up and raring to go on weekend mornings. He remembers the first time Will had asked this question.

*****

"Daddy, Mommy's still sleep. I want Mommy to play with us."

"Will, that's a-sleep. Mommy's still asleep."

"A-sleep. I want Mommy to play." Mulder picked him up and they sat down on the couch, side by side.

"Will, Mommy is special. She's like a princess, so she gets to sleep as long as she wants." Will thought about this for a moment and ran the gallery of princesses he knew through his head, and landed on Sleeping Beauty.

"Daddy, you need to kiss her. Then she will wake up." Mulder was disintegrating here, but he kept going. "Will, come here." Will climbed onto Mulder's lap and into his dad's wonderful hug. "You're an amazing boy, Will. Maybe we'll both give her a kiss if she doesn't show in an hour. Deal?"

"Deal."

*****

"Maybe we'll try the kiss in a bit. Here we are." Mulder had note number two ready to go. The art work on this one is a succession of purple stars. Will has a particular fondness for stars and chooses them above any other shape to draw more often than not. Mulder opens the door to the linen closet and tapes the note to the middle shelf. It reads:

'Oops. Not here. Could the basket be under the aquarium? Have the fish eaten all the candy by now?' Mulder reads this aloud.

"Daddy, the fish don't eat chocolate."

"Is that so? Did they tell you that? Have you been talking with them again?" Another favorite video for father-son movie night at the Mulders is "The Incredible Mr. Limpet" and ever since watching it for the first time Will had become the confidante of the inhabitants of the aquarium.

"Yes."

"Well, then I guess Mommy's basket is safe." Will nodded solemnly, or at least as solemnly as the cutest little chocolate covered four-year old boy in the world could. Mulder was melting on the inside. This was an existence so removed from what he had known for most of his life. At times it seemed surreal. But he knew better. He swiped a finger across Will's cheek and licked it. "Mmm. That's tasty. Let's go visit the fish." They headed for the family room.

And there it was. Not under the aquarium, but on top of it. It wasn't nearly as big as her son's, but Scully's Easter basket had been lovingly assembled by her most beloved bunny. He'd chosen all her favorites, and he knew from long experience that the bordeaux eggs would be the first to go. There was one more thing, though, and Mulder turned and bent down to consult his artist-in-residence.

"Will, we need to make Mommy a card for her basket. Are you up for it?" Mulder held out a piece of folded paper to the boy. Will nodded, always happy to draw. He took the paper from Mulder and the two of them walked to the couch and sat down. Will's crayons had been conveniently placed on the coffee table. He started with his favorite, the purple one, and made more stars. Can't have enough stars. Then he switched to orange and drew more eggs. Later he would get to hunt for real ones. He couldn't wait. He stopped and Mulder looked at it. Not for the first time did he marvel at the boy's fascination with stars. Now it was time for his contribution. He chose a green crayon.

"Will, this is beautiful. Do you mind if I add something? I won't spoil it, I promise."

"Okay. Can you draw stars, Daddy?"

"I can, but I think you have that covered, buddy. Your stars are the best I've ever seen. I think I'll write Mommy a message from us." He opened it to the inside of the card and very carefully printed:

'Happy Easter Scully. We love you.'

Then he signed it:

'Forever yours, The Bunny Patrol.'

Mulder then handed it back to Will who nodded in approval and smiled. And left it with a chocolate thumbprint.

"Mommy needs to wake up, Daddy." Mulder placed the card in the basket and returned to the couch.

"Let's give her little more time, Will. Tell you what, I'll make coffee and if she's not up by then, we'll try the kiss routine."

"Okay."

"But we need to be quiet."

"Shssh."

"Shsssh."

"Shssssh."

"Shsh."

Archiving: If you would like to archive anywhere, I'd appreciate a quick note first. E-mail: leighchristine@hotmail.com

Feedback: Always happy to receive it.

This story is (c) Copyright 2003 by Christine Leigh. "The X-Files" and its characters are the property of the Fox Network and Ten-Thirteen Productions and are borrowed here without profit or intent for profit.