There's just enough plausible deniability - she's been trying, he was merely a convenient sperm donor - that they could have gotten away with it, provided they were subtle. Whether anyone actually believed them would have been immaterial, after a point; the possibility of a lawsuit over EEOC violations could have been a powerful deterrent regardless. Shining a spotlight on the X-Files in court wouldn't have benefited the Bureau, especially if they were retaliating against a working mother.

Scully's hand is gentle, reassuring. Mulder can't help the sensation that he doesn't deserve this affection, even though he can already hear her replying, I don't believe that, either. He sighs, leaning his cheek against her hair. "I couldn't be what either of you needed. When you get there, you'll understand."

It's barely lunchtime, and he feels overwhelmingly like he wants to crawl into bed and stay there. He's trying to stay on his best behavior, though; when he changes the subject, it's with the idea that he'll be exploring the wild world of Scully's couch. "Let's stay here tonight. It'll give us time to keep looking around, and you can take advantage of that bathtub. If she were here, I think she'd want you to have some time to relax."

He can't imagine Scully begrudging herself a bubble bath, especially knowing just what she just learned.