He's not about to quibble over whether it ought to be comfortable to haul several extra pounds of baby around with her, let alone feel bad about it. Even if he was gone, something of him remained - delighting her on some occasions, probably driving her crazy on others. Exactly what Mulder would have done, more likely than not, if in a (very slightly) less intimate way.

William moves under their hands, shifting like he's trying to figure out how to get comfortable, and Mulder can't help but feel a swell of pride. The longer they're here, the more he sits with the idea of fatherhood, the more it feels like it could be a part of his life. For the first time since his return, he feels something like hope.

"Not so theoretical now," he murmurs, his gaze still on their hands. "And not so alone. What's his middle name?"