Disclaimer:  Fox Mulder, Dana Scully, the X-Files, and associated
characters are property of David Duchovny, Gillian Anderson, Chris Carter,
Ten-Thirteen Productions and Fox Broadcasting Corporation.  They are used
without permission but no copyright infringement is meant.  I just wanted 
to borrow the characters for a while.

Thanks to J. Ackerson and the other members of the SOCAL mini-con for 
helping me along with this particular story idea.  I owe ya, guys!

This song was borrowed from the Beatles, written by Richard Starkey (aka 
Ringo Starr).

Author is not responsible for any song stuck in reader's minds after the 
end of the story.  You've been warned!

Any elements not recognized as being taken from the television 
show copyright Christina Shuy.  Usually not much... if anything.

Comments and other things are much apprieciated and can be sent to 
cshuy@netcom.com.  I like email, so please reply! I'll do what I can 
about responding to any replies.
   
Rating: G, MSR, no spoilers
Summary:  


The Beatles Files:  "Octopus's Garden"
by Christina Shuy
cshuy@netcom.com

     "Michelle, your pool is ready!"
     Dana Scully heard the male voice shout in the back yard from the 
bedroom of the little girl in question.
     "Mommy, Daddy's got the pool ready!  Can David and I go out and play?" 
     "David's been helping your father.  You can go and find him and Daddy.  
I'll be out in a minute."
     The little girl raced out of her bedroom in the bright green bathing
suit they had just bought.  Her long, curling, dark hair was tied back in
a braid and Scully sighed remembering the picture Mulder always hung onto
of Samantha.  Michelle, through no fault of her own, bore more than a
passing resemblance to the missing Mulder... and she was also nearly the
age when-
     "Whoa!" an indignant shout followed by a splash from the back yard 
broke through Dana's train of thought... and she was glad.  She hadn't 
liked where the thoughts had been leading.
     Dana ran out of the room to the back porch where her husband already 
stood, watching the children play in the pool.  He looked calm and 
relaxed and she was glad they'd been dragged out of DC and its environs 
to go on vacation in Maryland.  The house had belonged to an old Scully 
family friend and the friend had willed it to Dana when he died a few 
years back.
     There were the faint strains of old, familiar music playing, but she 
couldn't quite place it.
   
  "I'd like to be under the sea
   In an octopus' garden in the shade
   He'd let us in, knows where we've been
   In his octopus' garden in the shade"

     "David, listen!" Michelle commented, just as the little boy gave his 
sister a spray of water to the face.

  "I'd ask my friends to come and see
   An octopus' garden with me
   I'd like to be under the sea
   In an octopus' garden in the shade."

     "Michelle... its... its..." David was so excited, he could barely 
speak. 
   
  "We would be warm below the storm
   In our little hideaway beneath the waves
   Resting our head on the sea bed
   In an octopus' garden near a cave"

     Michelle looked towards the patio glass doors where her parents 
stood watching.
     "Mommy!  Daddy!  The ice cream truck is here!  Can I have some?"   
Though they had only been here two days thus far, Michelle already knew 
the signs of the ice cream truck coming.
     "Only if you take your brother with you!"  Fox Mulder said, gesturing 
for them to come in for a moment.  "Can they get ice cream, Scully?"
     Mulder dug into the pocket of his jeans for his wallet and watched 
Michelle and David's eyes light up.
     "Sure, Mulder, it's early enough... Mom won't be over for a while 
yet and we aren't going to be eating until then.  It was nice of her to 
insist we come down here to get away from work and all."
     "Yeah."  Mulder grinned.  "And with Michelle and David on spring 
break from school, it made the decision all the easier."  He handed 
Michelle a few bills.  "Remember, sweetie, you have to get things for 
your brother as well."
     "Yes, Daddy."  Michelle and David each planted a kiss on Mulder's 
cheek before running out to the ice cream truck.
   
  "We would sing and dance around
   because we know we can't be found
   I'd like to be under the sea
   In an octopus' garden in the shade
   
   We would shout and swim about
   The coral that lies beneath the waves
   (Lies beneath the ocean waves)
   Oh what joy for every girl and boy
   Knowing they're happy and they're safe
   (Happy and they're safe)
   
   We would be so happy you and me
   No one there to tell us what to do
   I'd like to be under the sea
   In an octopus' garden with you."

     Mulder and Scully followed their children out to the corner where 
the ice cream truck waited, selling its wares to the local children.
     From the porch, they watched as the children of the neighbourhood 
flocked over to the truck.  Scully leaned her head on Mulder's shoulder 
as he slipped his arms around his wife's waist.  They both sighed 
contentedly at the scene, the ability to relax coming easier with each 
breath.  It was a good vacation.

-end?-


"The Truth is Out There.  Trust No One."- from "The X-Files"
Pursuing a BS degree(Electrical Engineering) - Electronics is my forte!
"In the moment that you think you can't, you'll discover that you can." - 
Celine Dion - "Power of the Dream" "Let's get Dangerous!" - Darkwing Duck.
Looking for work and a place to live... somewhere in the SanFran Bay Area.