Title: TO TAME THE WILD FOX Posted 11/28/03 Author: FatCat (feedback to FatCat33047@yahoo.com) Website: Please visit the wonderful home Donnilee has created to house my stories at http://donnilee.tripod.com. Just follow my name to find my stories. While you are there, take a peek at all the other great stories Donnilee has at her site. Thank you Donni! Rating: NC17 Category: MSR Spoilers: This story is based on the premises that Mulder and Scully had a relationship almost immediately upon meeting and were married right after 'Little Green Men'. Scully was still abducted by Duane Barry and the rest is my way. Archive: As you wish, but please keep my name and Donni's site address attached and let me know where to visit. Summary: How would Mulder survive without Scully? How would Scully survive without her memories? Disclaimer: All characters recognizable from The X-Files belong to CC, Fox, 1013. The ones that are new, are a figment of my imagination and unleashed for our enjoyment, only. These works are used without permission-no infringement intended. Author's Notes: This story was inspired by my chat-mate, Carma. She made a jesting comment about putting her in bed with Mulder and my imagination went off from there. You know that I'm a died-in-the-wool MSR, but where there's a will, there's a way. Thanks Carma, for the story idea and the beautiful hand-painted X-File bag. Check out her site on E-Bay. This is a MSR, NC17 story with loving sexual conduct, mild reference to a rape made (but not graphic), RST, M/O, S/O, M/T, S/T and Angst, and Kidfic. PLEASE! Do not be put off by any of the identifiers in this header! This is FatCat writing and they are a very small part of the story, but necessary for the plot. Above all this it is a Mulder/Scully Romance. I am not bi-lingual, and all the phrases I have used in this story were translated by Dictionary.com. Sorry for any errors made. And most of all, a big THANK YOU to Donni, Beta- Extraordinaire for her input. CHAPTER I JANUARY 21, 2001 WATERGATE HOTEL, WASHINGTON, D.C. 2:30 A.M. I stood by the window, staring out at the Washington skyline. There was no moon tonight, only a pinkish sky that poured huge snowflakes. A light switched on and I focused on the reflection of the woman on the bed. Slender, fine-featured, reddish blonde hair, blue eyes, naked. What the hell was I thinking? "You are a heartless bastard. You know that don't you, Deke Williams?" I refused to disagree with her. "A bloody asshole," she continued. "I'm good enough to fuck but you won't make love to me." She grabbed her clothes and began furiously putting them on. "You won't even kiss me." She started to cry and I sighed. 'She deserves much better than this, better than a bastard like me,' I thought. "I told you what tonight meant to me, Carma. Right from the start, I was upfront with you," I said with my back to her. "Yes," she said softly. "Yes you were. But who could believe that a man could actually walk around without a heart?" Something like pain lanced through the spot in my chest where my heart used to be. "Was it her?" she asked from right behind me. "Her?" I dodged. "The one who's name you screamed when you came? The one the wedding ring belongs to? Was she the one that took your heart and left you?" I turned slowly to stare down at her. "And if I say yes?" "Then I hope she rots in hell for what she's done to you, what she's driven you to do to yourself and others." The fire in her eyes faded as I drew back my hand to slap her. She only spoke the truth as she knew it. I lowered my arm. I walked to the door, opening it as I turned back towards her. "Do you need me to call a cab for you?" She slipped her coat on over her evening gown and turned to face me one last time. "No, I don't need anything further from you, Mr. Williams." She straightened her shoulders and walked out of the room and my life. I paced the room, turning off the lights. I took a quick shower to wash her scent from my body after calling for housekeeping to change the bedding and take out the trash. One of the better perks of staying at the Watergate was maid service. By the time I was finished in the bathroom, the bed was freshly made and there was nothing of Lt. Carma Anderson left in the room. One call to Jason Whiting and she would be given a promotion and a new assignment. There would be nothing left of her in my life. She would be like every other woman I had ever let get close to me. Gone. CHAPTER II OCTOBER 13, 2000 SAN FRANCISCO, CALIFORNIA 1:23 A.M. Daniel Waterston opened the sliding glass door facing the ocean. The breeze felt good after the heat of the day. He had spent a week away from home at a conference in Phoenix where the weather had been sweltering. He stood for a moment to watch his wife while she slept. He hated to wake her up when she was sleeping so soundly, but his need for her body was too intense. It was this way every time they were apart. He had lost her twice before, and now, each time he left her alone, the vague feeling of dread, the fear that he would lose her again drove him to come back home to her earlier than scheduled. Even though she was here, in their bed, his need to assure himself that she was real, she was his, forced him to kiss her, to wake her, to make love to her. He stripped quickly and slid into bed. He let his hands roam possessively over her body. "Mmmmmm, Baby. You feel so good. Where have you been?" Mary Elizabeth Waterston was talking in her sleep. "I've missed you. Kiss me. I'll never love anyone like I love you." Waterston groaned. She was dreaming of ... someone else. He would not let the man's name be said. Not in his thoughts and certainly not by his lips. He kissed Liz deeper, fighting to control the combined rage, fear and need that drove him. She belonged to him now. No one or anything could take her away. "Liz, wake up," he coaxed. "I want you to be awake while we make love, darling." "Mmmmm? Daniel? You're home early," Liz smiled up at him. "I couldn't stay away from you another minute so I flew home tonight instead of tomorrow." "Daniel, you're a hopeless romantic," she teased. "Hopelessly in love with you," he said as he pushed up her gown and moved into position to make love to his wife. His heart nearly broke when she pushed him away. "Daniel, let me wake up a bit," she said softly. "I took a sleeping pill to try to get some rest tonight, and it's hard for me to wake up right away." They'd had this discussion many times in the recent past. Liz did not sleep well at times and needed to take a prescription sleeping pill. When he came home unexpectedly like this, his desire versus her need for time to wake up and foreplay in order to be ready for sex, were always at odds. He groaned but nodded and began kissing her in all the secret, special places that excited her. Behind her ear, at the jointure of her neck and shoulder, the crease of her elbow, all hot spots on her body. His need to claim her was driving him wild even as he tried to slow down. He let his hand wander lower to the trimmed curls that covered her sex and was shocked to find her wet and ready for him. "Liz?" he said as he moved over her again. "Hmmmm?" she whispered sleepily. "I need you darling," he said as he slid into her body. Her deep relaxation and the moisture that her dream had generated made his entry easy. He couldn't stop himself. He stroked into her violently and she gave no resistance. She hugged him and ran her hands over his back in encouragement, but he knew that she wasn't going to have an orgasm. She rarely did during intercourse. He gave up all pretense of trying to make it about them. He drove into her, using her to ease his violent need to touch her, control her, own her. She relaxed under him, allowing him the comfort of her body. She would deny him nothing, but her lack of response was letting him know that she was still mostly asleep. He didn't care. He wanted only his relief. Liz moaned and moved under him. She was dreaming again. Dreaming about that bastard. The one that had taken her away from him before. She began to move with him, touching him in all the places he loved and his balls ached. He was ready to come. He held off a moment or two, trying to give her the time she needed to build to her orgasm but he couldn't wait. He moaned as he came and fell away to lie facing her. He panted as he lay there, watching her. Her body was undulating as if she were still having sex. She moaned as she tossed her head from side to side. "Mulllddderrr, I love you. I'll never love any one like I do you. I've missed you so, don't ever leave me again ... oh ..." As her voice trailed away, she spasmed and an overwhelming orgasm racked her body. She never came for him like that. Only for that bastard. Her eyes opened and she looked up at him. "What did you call me?" she asked. "What do you mean?" Daniel was taken aback by her question. "Just now, when we were making love, what did you call me? It sounded like Sally, or Sullie, or Sc ... " "Nothing," he interrupted her. "I don't remember saying anything. Maybe it was me gasping in pleasure that you heard." "Probably," she smiled at him. "Why did you have to take your prescription? Miss me?" he teased. "You know I always miss you, Daniel." She smiled before she kissed him. "I know you want to talk, but I'm out of it tonight." He kissed her and said, "I understand. Goodnight, love." She was asleep before she could reply. It was a long time before Daniel Waterston could get to sleep. A very long time. CHAPTER III NOVEMBER 18, 1995 SOMEWHERE OVER CENTRAL FLORIDA UNKNOWN TIME Scully was beautiful in her wedding dress. She had a slight tan from our unscheduled trip to Puerto Rico. Her golden, healthy glow against the creamy satin of her mother's wedding dress was a striking contrast as she walked down the candle-lit aisle of the church. There were only a few people there, family and friends, but it was the way we wanted it. She smiled at me and we turned to face the alter. The priest began the ceremony. "Dust to dust, ashes to ashes. Dear Lord, please accept the souls of Dana Scully-Mulder and her unborn child into your arms. Wrap them in your love and keep them in the ever-lasting glory of your presence. Amen." Oh God! That wasn't right! The smiling image of Scully faded away. Scully smiled and held my hand as we waited at our first OB appointment. Dr. Janice Merryweather smiled as she entered the room to give us her confirmation of the good news. "Dana, Mulder ..." "Dust to dust, ashes to ashes. Dear Lord, please accept the souls of Dana Scully-Mulder and her unborn child into your arms. Wrap them in your love and keep them in the ever-lasting glory of your presence. Amen." No! No, it's not true. Scully faded away. The voice of the priest echoed throughout the cemetery and rang in my ears. "Dust to dust, ashes to ashes. Dear Lord, please accept the souls of Dana Scully-Mulder and her unborn child into your arms. Wrap them in your love and keep them in the ever-lasting glory of your presence. Amen." I looked around and the entire scene took on a familiarity that was painful. Mrs. Scully was dressed in black, all the Scullys were dressed in black. All of them were frowning at me. 'It's your fault, asshole. It's your fault that she's dead,' Bill Scully screamed at me. 'Do you hear me, Mulder? As surely as if you put a gun to her head and pulled the trigger, it's your fault! Murderer!' "Mulder?" 'Killer!' "Mulder!" I jerked awake as my name was called once again by my new partner. "Mulder, you told me to wake you when the plane was about to land." "Yeah, sure, Mark. Thanks." I sat up and scrubbed my face with both hands. I'd been dreaming again. It was the same nightmare that has haunted my dreams since October 13th, my birthday and the day of Scully's memorial service. One year after her kidnapping by Duane Barry on October 13, 1994, we had found evidence that Scully was truly dead. Mrs. Scully had arranged a service to give the family a sense of closure. The memorial service was for Scully and our unborn child. We had found out about the pregnancy just days before her abduction. She had been eight weeks pregnant. I would never know if the baby was a boy or a girl. It really didn't matter now. My life was over. I just didn't have the courage to stop breathing. CHAPTER IV NOVEMBER 18, 1995 MIAMI, FLORIDA 11:15 A.M. 'Showtime,' I thought as I stood to pull down my bag from the overhead bin after the plane landed. 'Maybe this time I'll get lucky and be killed.' I snorted aloud at the sick sentiment of my thoughts. 'Why the hell did you make me promise not to kill myself, Scully? How did you think I could possibly live without you or our child?' My most recent partner, Mark Vernon, gave me a strange look, but didn't ask about my thoughts. He was a professional, the best partner I'd had, since Scully. The case was an ugly one. A serial rapist was terrorizing Miami. I hate Miami. I hate the heat. I hate rapists. I hate my life. I also hate my luck; I found the bastard without a shot being fired. The Bureau was the hero of the day! Big fucking deal. I was in the bar of the hotel, drinking myself senseless when I saw her. Diana Fowley. What the hell was she doing in Miami? I thought she was in Europe with an undercover terrorism unit. She looked older, but she was still sexy. She was looking around the bar as if she were searching for someone. I turned my back. I didn't feel like talking. "Fox," she spoke from right behind me. "Diana," I said without turning around. "If you're looking for company, you'll have better luck talking to the bartender." "Still wallowing, I see," she mused. "I'll have a vodka martini, light on the vermouth. He's buying." I tipped my glass to the bartender to make it two. "What are you doing here, Diana?" "Looking for you," she said as she took a cigarette out and lit it. "Those things will kill you," I said automatically. "Looks like you should take up smoking, Mulder. You could cut at least a decade off your life if you combined drinking and smoking." "Yeah?" I picked up my glass and finished it off as the bartender set a fresh one down. "Maybe I will." I threw some money on the bar and stood up. I swayed as I reached for my drink and downed it in one gulp. "Keep the change," I nodded to the bartender. "Diana, can't say it's been a pleasure." Her hand on my arm was cold, but strong. "Fox, I need to talk to you. Can we go somewhere private?" Her hand moved from my arm to rest on my chest. I glared down at her hand and back up into her eyes, "I'm not interested, Diana." I tried to brush past her, but she stepped into my path. "Mulder, I have to talk to you tonight. My flight is leaving in two hours. It's ... it's important. For old times sake?" I stared down into her eyes and considered leaving for a moment. She had been a good friend. We had been lovers, sex partners, before she left for Europe. She had helped me with the X-Files when I first found them. I sighed and ran my hand through my hair. "All right, Diana, let's go. I'll give you a few minutes, for old times sake." I turned and walked out of the bar to the elevator. Whether she followed me or not was up to her. When we got to my room I walked in and stripped off my coat and tie. I hit the mini-fridge for a beer. "What do you want, Diana?" She flipped the light off and moved to pull the curtains. She pulled a small electronic device from her purse and swept the room. She then hit a second button on it and a low tone began to emit from it. "What's this? A new sex toy? I told you, I'm not interested." I held up my hand and her eyes focused on my wedding band. "I'm not offering, Fox," she insisted. She began to pace back and forth. As she passed the TV, she flipped it on. She went into the bathroom and turned on the shower. I watched this performance in amazement. "What the ... ?" She moved up close to me and pushed me down on the bed. She sat down next to me and whispered in my ear, "I can't take any chances, Fox. I could be killed for being seen here with you." I nodded for her to continue. "I have seen things, been involved with things. Things that you wouldn't believe." She looked at me and shrugged. "Well, maybe you would believe, but Fox, I'm scared. I want out. I've been involved with a group, a Consortium they call themselves. They've plotted against the human race since Roswell." "Are you saying that everything I've tried to prove about extra- terrestrials is true?" "Yes, but I don't think they're as treacherous as the bastards who are in league with them. They just want to exterminate mankind like we would a colony of ants that was inhabiting the back yard. These ... men ... for lack of a better word, are evil. They want power, control. They will sell the rest of us to the aliens as a slave race just to preserve their miserable hides." "Samantha?" I asked. She nodded. "Scully?" She nodded again. I closed my eyes in pain. "What do you think I can do, Diana?" "I thought you would be interested in bringing them down, preventing colonization." "Maybe once. Now, I don't care," I shrugged. "Well care about this, Fox. I'm scheduled to be placed in one of the testing groups six weeks after I get to my next posting in New York. I found out by accident. I'm scared and I don't want to die." "What? What do you want me to do about it?" The alcohol was still fogging my brain. "I want you to help me disappear." "Tonight?" I sputtered. "Oh course not, Fox. Just how drunk are you? Will you be able to remember this conversation tomorrow?" She scowled at me. "Eidetic memory, remember?" I snickered. "Not tonight. We have to plan this so that it looks like an accident. This is an anonymous e-mail address. I will contact you in the next few days with some suggestions." "You really want this, Diana?" I was sobering up fast. "Yes. I've had enough, but I've seen too much. They've already determined my future. I'll never survive the testing. This is my only chance." Her stare was steady and her voice held just enough fear in it to ring true. I nodded and took the paper from her hand. I memorized it and set it on fire in the ashtray by the bed. She leaned over to kiss me but I moved away. She glared at me and shook her head. "She IS dead, Mulder. You have to get on with your life sometime." "Thanks for the input," I said as I moved to open the door. She picked up her device and left. I locked the door behind her and went into the bathroom to turn off the water. I had some thinking to do. CHAPTER V DECEMBER 24, 1995 BALTIMORE, MD, HOME OF MAGGIE SCULLY 10:45 A.M. Melissa Scully was speechless. The small article in the paper was hardly front page news, but it shocked her, nevertheless. She silently took the paper to her mother. Maggie was standing by the counter, pouring herself a cup of coffee. Maggie glanced at her elder daughter's face and then looked down at the article. "Oh my God!" Maggie Scully cried and dropped her cup. Hot coffee splattered the counter, but for once, Maggie paid no attention to the mess. "Oh, noooo," she sobbed. "Poor Fox." She staggered over to the kitchen table and collapsed. "What's wrong?" Billy Scully asked when he saw his mother's distress. "Is it Charlie?" "No," Melissa said softly. "Fox Mulder is dead." "What?" Bill pulled the paper from his mother's boneless fingers and quickly scanned it. "That Son-Of-A BITCH!" he swore, his voice increasing in volume with each word uttered. "What?" Melissa asked. "He really loved Dana, didn't he? He had another woman in the car and they were both drunk. I wish he had lived, so that I could have the pleasure of killing him myself." "William Keith Scully! That will be enough of that," Maggie said quietly. Tara Scully walked into the room holding their seven-month old son, Will. "What's all the shouting about?" "Mulder is dead," Bill spat. "This other woman is probably the reason Dana ran away from him." Maggie sighed. Bill was a good man, but he was stubborn. He refused to believe that Dana had been kidnapped by someone involved with her work. He held firm in his belief that Mulder had driven her away and she had fallen victim to a random act of madness. In his book, Mulder might as well had murdered her himself. Will was scared by the harsh tone of Bill's voice and began to cry. The change in Billy Scully was almost instantaneous. "Hey, Buddy. Don't cry. Daddy's sorry. See? No more mad voice; no more mad face," he crooned as he pulled the child into his arms. "Only smiles for Liam." All the women in the room melted. Bill loved his adopted son as if he were his own. Tara smiled at Maggie and Melissa. Everything would be all right. CHAPTER VI DECEMBER 25, 1995 UNDISCLOSED LOCATION IN THE TUNISIAN DESERT The sallow man trudged through the sand towards the building that housed the hives. He hated having to report to Strugholdt in this God-forsaken desert. It was bad enough when he called him to London or New York at the drop of a hat. He lit another cigarette and trudged on. The hive building would at least be moderately comfortable and out of this sun. He slid his ID card through the security lock and entered the cool, dark antechamber. "Put that out! There is no smoking in here, Spender. You know the rules," Strugholdt censured him. "Unless you would like a stray bee or two to find their way towards you," he threatened evilly. Spender dropped the cigarette and stepped on it. "You wanted to see me?" Strugholdt stared at the man in front of him for a long minute before speaking again. "Yes. I wanted to know if you were aware of the deaths of Fox Mulder and Diana Fowley?" Spender paled, but nodded. "Yes. I had the autopsy performed by our best pathologist. The accident was suspect at first, but ... " He took out another cigarette and held it between his fingers, rolling it and considering his next words. "But?" Strugholdt urged. "It was their DNA, and the alcohol level in both bodies was extremely high." He sighed. "I believe that Mulder and Fowley had resumed their relationship and were stupid enough to be killed in a car accident. Fowley always was a fool over Mulder, if you remember. Her weakness for the man is the reason she was transferred to Europe in the first place." "It couldn't be a set up?" Spender frowned at Strugholdt and asked, "What would be the sense of attempting to fake death like that? They didn't have the ability or the resources to clone replacements. There was positive proof that it was Mulder and Fowley with the DNA and the dental records. I'm sure they're both dead." Strugholdt sighed. "Very well. I had Agent Fowley scheduled for insertion into the breeding program in January. This necessitates our finding another woman of equal intelligence and loyalty. Report with your preliminary candidates next month at the meeting in London." He stood and walked into the main chamber of the hive, dismissing Spender without a backwards glance. Spender slammed through the outside door, but pulled up short when he was blasted by the heat of the desert. He stopped and lit his cigarette before walking back to the helicopter. Some day, he vowed, he would kill Strugholdt. CHAPTER VII JANUARY 6, 1996 PANAMA CITY, PANAMA 2:38 P.M. David and Amy Nelson moved through customs and out the gate at the airport without causing a stir. They were like so many other honeymooners who visited Panama. Perhaps a little better looking, but still ordinary enough not stand out in a crowd. Their cruise ship was due in port the next day and they were sailing back to Florida on a two-week honeymoon fantasy cruise. They did not stay in the honeymoon suite, choosing instead a private bungalow on the beach. They did not socialize with the other couples bound for the cruise. They checked out of their bungalow along with the crowd of others headed for the pier. The tall, hazel-eyed man and his statuesque blond wife took a cab to the docks from the hotel lobby. The cab driver was not surprised when he was asked to stop at a local outdoor market. Let the crazy gringos miss their boat. It was no skin off his nose. The pudgy, balding man and his tall blonde wife boarded the ship and presented their passports and tickets in the name of David and Amy Nelson. They immediately retired to their suite and put out the 'DO NOT DISTURB' sign. No one saw them for the balance of the cruise. No one noticed the two men who slipped on deck from the suite to mingle with the departing passengers and their well-wishers at the Florida dock. The real David and Amy Nelson wondered how they got on the mailing list of a honeymoon cruise line after thirty-two years of marriage? CHAPTER VIII JANUARY 14, 1996 PUNTA GORDA, BELISE 11:13 A.M. Bruce Sours stumbled out of his small home in Punta Gorda, Belize. He stood at the fountain, his only source of running water, and plunged his aching head into the water. He staggered over to his hammock and flopped down. He finally had the hang of it and was rarely thrown to the ground anymore, even when he was drunk. He lay there listening to the breeze through the palm trees above him, contemplating life. Exactly how much alcohol would it take to kill him? Did he have a strong enough stomach to actually consume that much? The gate of his courtyard squeaked as Jesus Guadarrama entered with a covered tray. "Mama says eat." He thrust the tray at the man and walked into the house as if he owned it. Bruce heard him cursing and slamming as the boy cleaned up the pigpen he called home. Why did he put up with this bossy child? He lifted the cloth and sighed. Beans, again. He wanted a big juicy cheeseburger with a side of fries, but that was his other life. "Jesus! Bring me a beer!" he shouted. "No entiendo el ingles, gringo," the boy yelled back. "Traigame una cerveza," he bellowed. More slamming and cursing preceded the appearance of the arrogant child, but he had a cold beer in his hand. "Mama say, you die if you no stop drinking," he sneered. Bruce grabbed the beer and glared back at him. "That's the idea." CHAPTER IX JANUARY 20, 1997 WASHINGTON, D.C. 3:27 A.M. President Elect, Richard Matheson, paced the floor of his hotel suite in the early morning hours. This was it. The day he had worked for was finally here. All the sacrifice, all the work was paying off. He would finally have enough power to change the destiny of the world. The bastards trying to sell them out would not win. He would have his revenge. He had groomed his team well. He had been surprised at how easily he found other men willing to believe the unbelievable. Men who would work together to end the threat that hung over the United States and the rest of the world. Fox Mulder had been groomed for the team since childhood. He was the only man capable of leading the task force Matheson had had in mind for years. He had the intelligence, he had the training, and he had the blood right to destroy the men they were up against. Thank God Mulder took the bait and disappeared before his campaign for the presidency began. They could not be connected now, not at this late date. It hadn't been easy to fake the evidence, to plant Mulder's and Fowley's DNA in the wreck. However, even as a Senator he had his resources, and it had gone off without a hitch. Mulder and Fowley were dead in the eyes of the world. Fowley had plastic surgery and was living in the South of France. Her payment for convincing Mulder to join her. Mulder was trying to drink himself to death somewhere in Central America. It didn't matter where right now. His men would bring Mulder back when he was ready to begin his revenge. Matheson smiled at his wife, Judy, as she padded, naked, into the room. "Are you worried about the ceremony, Richard?" she asked. He pulled her into his arms and sighed. "No, just excited. But you just gave me an idea about how to work off some of this energy. Come back to bed." "The President Elect spent the morning before his Inauguration screwing his wife," she teased. "Please! I'm going to be President of the most important country in the world. I don't screw my wife; I make love to her." He picked her up and carried her back to their bed without giving the Consortium and the black-hearted bastards who ran it another thought. CHAPTER X FEBRUARY 23, 1997 PUNTA GORDA, BELIZE 3:30 P.M. Bruce Sours was hurting. It was his wife's birthday. 'She would have been thirty-three today,' he thought as he lifted his glass for a toast. "Happy Birthday, Baby." That was the last sober thought he had for the rest of the day. By the time night had fallen, he was falling down drunk. Only the fact that he had crawled into his hammock before he passed out kept him from taking a dirt nap. He woke late, to a rustling sound and the click of his gate. "Le dije que antes, no este interesado! Soy un hombre casado. Batalo," he slurred. The soft rustling came again. "Damn women won't leave you alone," he said as he tried to sit up. "Get out of here," he roared. "Oh shit! My head!" he groaned as he fell back on the hammock. "I don't know about you guys, but he really isn't my type," a definitely masculine voice growled moments later. "What the ...?" Sours tried to climb out of the hammock to confront the trespasser, but the sting of the dart in his neck was the last thing he knew. "Sweet dreams, lover boy." The four men that surrounded their unconscious prey stood looking down. "He's a pretty sad looking piece of shit to send us all the way down here for, Sir," the smallest of the men said. "It doesn't matter what he looks like or who he is. The Man wanted him brought back safe and sound, and that's what we're going to do," the leader said. His team nodded in agreement. Two men swept through the house, stashing the few personal items and clothing in a waterproof bag and replacing them with the ones they brought with them. One of the men pulled off his leather gloves and pulled on a pair of special gloves. He pulled out a suicide note and placed it on the table. He walked behind his partner using the special gloves to replace the fingerprints of their captive as his partner wiped the original prints. He made sure that every surface that would normally be touched held these new prints, especially the several empty and partially full bottles of liquor and beer scattered about. They backed out of the house sweeping behind them and worked their way around the small courtyard, concentrating on the area near the fountain and the hammock. "Done, Sir." The leader looked to the fourth man, who was standing guard, watching for anyone that could later testify to their presence. He signaled that it was all clear. The three men, lifted their cargo's dead weight and wrapped him in a black sheet so that only his bare feet stuck out. With one man on point and one behind cleaning up any traces of their presence, they 'walked' the unconscious man out of his gate and down the beach into the ocean. When the current swept him off his feet they flipped him over and let him float as they silently swam out to the small inflated raft they had anchored in the deep water. One hour later, the helicopter pick up went off without a catch. They were back in U.S. territory before morning. CHAPTER XI FEBRUARY 24, 1997 PUNTA GORDA, BELIZE 10:13 A.M. Jesus Guadarrama ran back into his mother's kitchen, "Mama, Mama! Venga Aprisa. El gringo ... Lo van. Pienso que el entro el mar!" "Jesus, el es un borracho, no loco! El silencio, va consigue el sherrif. El sabra que hacer," she scolded. Jesus ran to call the sheriff about the suicide of his employer. By six P.M. that night, Bruce Sours had been declared dead. Cause of death was ruled suicide, death by drowning. All his possessions were given to the boy who had taken care of him. By the next week, it was as if he had never even existed. CHAPTER XII FEBRUARY 27, 1997 UNKNOWN LOCATION UNKNOWN TIME I woke up in Hell. I was in a hospital bed with five-point restraints, an IV, a Catheter, and no clothing. Not that I was cold. Sweat was pouring off my body. The heat of the room led me to believe that I was still in Belize. I could not turn my head without a blast of pain overwhelming me. I had a metallic taste in my mouth that confirmed that I had been drugged. I hadn't gotten a look at my captors. They could be anyone. With my luck, it was Alex Krycek or that black-lunged bastard. I let sleep overtake me again. I would need my strength to escape later. ***** The next time I woke, nothing had changed except the fact that my head did not feel as if it were going to split into two pieces and that it was now dark outside. I tested my bonds and accepted that I was well and truly screwed. I was bound, naked, stuck like a pin cushion and clueless as to my location. 'You can come rescue me anytime, Scully,' I thought before I remembered that Scully was dead. Suddenly escape didn't have the appeal it had only moments before. Maybe they were going to do my job for me. Maybe they were going to kill me. I told myself I didn't care, but was ashamed only moments later when my discomfort forced me to call out for help. "Is anybody there?" My voice was just barely above a whisper. My mouth and throat were dry. I wanted a drink. "Can someone hear me? Does anybody care?" I hissed. "Of course I can hear you, Meat. Nobody gives a damn, as long as you aren't dying." A large man rose from the shadows in the corner. His long black hair and bronze skin reminded me of Chief from the movie 'One Flew Over The Cuckoo's Nest'. "Water," I demanded. "Now, now, Meat. You gotta learn that that kind of arrogance will get you nothing but pain." He casually slugged me in the gut. I fought against the restraints as I tried to cringe and protect my stomach. The sudden blow and my quick inhalation made me begin to gag. I tried to calm the spasms, but eventually I vomited the sparse contents of my stomach all down my chin and neck. "What's the magic word, Meat?" "Screw you," I spat. "Wrong answer, Meat." I braced for another blow, but the large man simply smiled at me as he ripped out my catheter. "Ah ... Fuck!" I groaned. "Still the wrong answer, Meat." He looked down at me for a long moment. I was surprised to see compassion flit across his impassive face before he turned around to leave the room. "Are you going to leave me here to die?" I tried to yell but my voice was barely above a whisper. "You aren't going to die, Meat. You're just going to wish that you had." He chuckled. "Let's see what a little solitary without bathroom privileges will do to improve that nasty personality of yours." "I will die without water," I insisted. "You got an IV, Meat. You'll stay alive as long as we want you to." His deep chuckle was the last sound I heard until the next time my IV bag needed to be replaced. The room was sound proofed. It was so quiet I could hear the drops of saline as they dripped into my IV tube. I closed my eyes and tried to think of Scully, but I fell asleep. When I woke, the battle of wills began again. I was lying in my own excrement, but I refused to cooperate. ***** It was three days before I said the 'magic' word. "Please?" I whispered. "What's that, Meat?" My captor said as he changed the bag on the IV pole. "Please, water, please." "Well, that's more like it, Meat." My guard strode from the room with more speed than I would have believed a man that large was capable of showing. He returned with a cup of ice chips, a basin of warm water and clean linens. Soon my thirst was relieved and I was clean and lying on fresh linens. It was still difficult for me to talk but I tried. "Your ... name?" The large man looked at me and smiled. "Oxford psychology and FBI profiling won't work on me, Meat." "Please?" I tried again. Obviously my captor knew everything about me. "Now that's a good boy, Meat." He contemplated for a moment. "You can call me, Sir." He grinned. "Until further notice." I slipped in and out of consciousness. I knew I was being drugged through the IV, but had no idea why. I alternated between tears of anger and tears of fear. I would shake myself awake at night, detoxing from the high level of alcohol I had in my blood. Sometime during my unconscious period he had reinserted the catheter, a stomach tube, and some kind of contraption that felt as if I were taking it up the ass, but it was at least allowing me to remain clean. He also had turned me regularly so that I did not get bed sores, but the restraints remained in place. I had no idea how many days had passed by the time I woke up free of the craving for alcohol and the drugs they had used. I was hungry for the first time in months. "Mornin' Meat," the man I had learned to call Sir said as he entered the room. He held a tray in his hands and my mouth began to water from the smell of the broth. Even the sight of green gelatin did not turn me off. After the broth and Jell-o meal, I was put on the bedpan. I hadn't realized that all the apparatuses they had inserted into me were gone until then. I was feeling better by the minute. Perhaps my time in hell was almost over. ***** Two months later, I looked back at the time I had been restrained in the hospital bed and thought of it as the easy part of my incarceration. I was tortured on a daily basis. Not the 'crimes of war' type of torture I expected. This was more insidious. I was forced to eat only what 'Sir' gave me. I was not allowed anything alcoholic to drink. I had a schedule and had to keep to it without deviation or I was punished. I was given a routine that would get me back into top physical shape. After my confinement, that should have made me happy. But, I quickly admitted to myself that I am a contrary, hard-headed man. Scully was gone and I wanted to die. When I was given nutritious but bland food to eat, I would dump it on the floor. When I was told to exercise, I would sit down in a corner and refuse to move. When I was told to sleep, I would fight to stay awake. At first when I refused to cooperate politely but firmly, 'Sir' would just smile and walk away. The day came when I found out what 'Sir' was smiling about. When I would not eat, I was forced fed a nasty protein drink that met my needs but tasted vile. When I would not exercise, I was poked with a cattle prod until I ran to the point of exhaustion. When I would not sleep, I was put in a sensory deprivation tank or gassed. When I refused to wake up on time, I was thrown physically into an icy cold shower. By the end of the third month, I was sober and in the best physical condition of my life. The exercise program had progressively expanded to include all muscle groups and even though I was almost thirty-six years old, I was in top form. I hadn't been this buff when I graduated from Quantico. I began to look forward to my lessons with 'Sir'. He was proficient at every type of physical training, both offensive and defensive, I had learned while in the FBI Academy. Once he was certain that I wasn't going to kill him at my first chance, he allowed me to practice shooting all kinds of weapons. He trained me in the use of a knife and I found that I preferred a blade to my gun. I could kill a man from the length of a football field with a gun, but I had to be close enough to look into the eyes of someone I intended to kill with a knife. It was silent and deadly, when used correctly, and I did learn how to use it correctly. At first I dreamed about the many ways I could kill 'Sir'. However, eventually, I accepted that this was some kind of rehab, not prison or a torture camp, I began to cooperate with my captor and gave up my dreams of vengeance. The day finally came when I realized I could escape at any time. I thought about it briefly, but my curiosity was peaked. Someone had gone through a great deal of trouble and expense to bring me back to top physical shape while hiding my existence. I decided to wait and find out who or what was behind my resurrection. ***** A few more weeks passed and I was losing patience. I filled my days with swimming, running, basketball, all the physical activities I had access to, but I was bored. I had just showered after a long run and walked back into the day room to see what Sir was doing. He was sitting at the computer reading an e-mail. When he heard me come in the room he minimized the transmittal and turned to look at me. "You hungry, Meat?" he asked. He still refused to call me anything but 'Meat' or to allow me to call him anything but 'Sir'. It was really starting to piss me off. I have a name. It's not one I'm overly proud of, but it's mine. Since I had stopped fighting my resurrection, he had become more deferential to me. It was almost as if I outranked him now that I was back among the living, yet he still refused to tell me his name. "Yeah, you cooking?" I shot back. "Already done," he said and motioned towards the kitchen. "Aren't you eating?" I asked. "I'll get some later. I have a mystery to solve first," he replied. I went into the kitchen to eat, but was intrigued by his remarks and found myself back in the day room, eating as I stood reading over his shoulder. "What's that?" I asked. He glanced up at me and frowned. "A friend of mine is having a problem solving a crime and he asked for my help." "You were in law enforcement?" I asked casually, taking the final bite of my sandwich. "I was a M.P. with the Marines for most of my career, but I never saw anything like this," he shook his head. He stretched and got up to get himself a sandwich. "Mind if I have a look?" I asked. He knew my background and had to know that I would be curious about an unsolved crime. "Nah, go ahead. I don't have anything to give him." He stepped away and I sat down. I was intrigued by the case. It was obviously a serial killer, but one with a very quirky MO. I grabbed a pen and yellow pad of paper. I wrote down several questions that needed to be answered. By the time Sir was back, I had filled two pages. "Can your friend get me the answers to these questions today?" I asked as I relinquished the chair. "Why?" he asked. "I'm curious," I said as I shrugged. He shook his head as he read the list of questions, but began to type. I walked away to turn on the TV. "He says he'll get back to you in a couple hours with your answers." "Thanks." Three hours later I had received the answers and had written up a preliminary profile. I asked Sir to e-mail it back to his friend and forgot it. It felt good to stretch my mind again. CHAPTER XIII SEPTEMBER, 1996 CHARLESTON NAVAL YARDS, CHARLESTON, S.C. 2:37 P.M. Bill Scully stood at his dining room window and watched Tara and Liam playing in the back yard. The little boy was in constant motion. As soon as he had learned to walk, he was running. His physical agility was almost as amazing as his curiosity and intelligence. Bill grinned as he watched his wife chasing the sturdy little guy. Liam looked nothing like Tara or him, but the nagging thought that the child did look like someone he knew kept plaguing him. His dark hair and deep, Scully blue eyes were a startling combination. He had Dana's eyes, Bill realized. He shook off the feeling that there was something he was missing when Tara spied him at the window. He could see her telling Liam that he was home. The little boy turned and looked directly at the window where he stood. He smiled, waved, and ran for the back door. Tara laughed and followed closely behind him, her pregnant body moving slower these days, but still agile and beautiful. Bill Scully was a happy man. The old adage about adoption taking the pressure off enough for natural conception to occur had certainly been true for them. William was a joy and a blessing. Tara, the love of his life, was pregnant with their second child. He missed his father, but the pain of his sudden death was fading. Mom was doing well. Melissa and Charlie ... well, they were Melissa and Charlie. Each doing well in their own pursuits. Not that he would ever understand them. If only Dana were alive ... Tara's laughing voice could be heard in the kitchen. "Liam! Wait. We need to take your muddy shoes off before you go see Daddy." "No! Mama! Beewee, NOW!" his son roared. "All right, you rascal, there you go." Tara pushed open the kitchen door and Liam ran full tilt to his father. Bill couldn't get over the way that Liam insisted on calling him Billy instead of daddy. He would refer to him as his daddy, but he had never called him 'Daddy' directly. Tara and Mom had decided that it was just a phase and ignored it. Surely it would be over before the new baby came and was talking. CHAPTER XIV OCTOBER, 1996 UNDISCLOSED LOCATION 4:00 P.M. I had been a captive of this island prison for several months now. The summer season was ending and the nights were getting cooler. I realized I wasn't in Belize several weeks into my captivity. As soon as I was allowed out doors, I knew we were on an island. Our supplies were dropped at night from a helicopter. I was not an expert on aircraft, but I was sure that by the sound of the bird, it was military issue. Very little had changed about my environment or my relationship with Sir for several weeks, except for one thing. Shortly after I solved the serial killer crime for Sir's friend he started calling me Mulder. A week later, I had been engrossed in the latest e-mailed request for help when Sir had come into the room. "Hey Mulder, are you ready for a little one on one?" He bounced the basket ball as he walked towards the screen. I was perusing the pictures of the victims and he stopped about two feet away. "Jesus, Joseph and Mary!" he exclaimed. "What the hell is that?" "Just the victims of the latest sicko your friend is trying to capture. This one is into mutilations." The screen was filled with a sickening sight. This guy was killing young, female prostitutes and mutilating them after he raped them. The post mortem said they were still alive until he broke their necks at the end. "That looks like my cousin's daughter," he said quietly. "Where did it happen?" "Sorry, man," I said. "This happened in the Bronx." He nodded, but looked relieved. "I be with you in just a few minutes. I want to get my thoughts organized and sent back right away. This guy is going to strike again within the next few days and I want to stop him before he gets his next victim." The next time I surfaced, Sir was putting a cup of soup and a sandwich on the desk. "Thanks, Sir," I said as I picked up the soup. "Mike," he said quietly. I stared at him and he shrugged. "If you can stop that kind of mindless killing, you deserve all the respect I have to give, Mulder." "Thanks, Mike." We left it at that. CHAPTER XV OCTOBER 1996 THE OVAL OFFICE, WASHINGTON, D.C. 7:38 P.M. "Sir, I highly advise against your going to meet this man in person. You're the President of the United States for cripes sake. Let him come to you!" President Matheson started at his Chief of Security and started to smile. "Bob, it just doesn't work that way with this guy. I know what I'm doing. I'll be surrounded by your top men on a helicopter that's as well armed as any piece of equipment we have at our disposal." He stood up and walked across the room, placing his hand on the shoulder of his long-time friend. "This guy is worth it. I've shown you all the background. I've shown you the cases he's solved for us without even being on board. I need to convince this man to become a part of our team. He is a vital element that we need to succeed in this war against our enemy. We owe this to the American people." "I know everything you've said is true Rich, but ... Damnit! Why is he keeping his name a secret? Why can't he come here? Why do you have to meet him in this clandestine way? I can't help feeling that this is a setup." "By who? For what purpose? What group would have the ability to pull something like this off? No, Bob. I've discussed this with the whole cabinet and the Joint Chiefs and they agree, we need this man. Why are you arguing with me about this? You know it's our best plan of action." "I knew you had your mind made up Rich, but I was hoping I could dissuade you somehow." Robert Farley shook his head at his President and long-time friend. "So, some time in the near future, exact date unknown, and at a time chosen by this unnamed man, you are going to board Air Force One and fly to an undisclosed location, where you will then deplane and transfer to the combat-ready stealth helicopter that was on board with you, manned by your hand-picked security team. You will then fly to his approximate location where you will be radioed final instructions for the meeting. Have I got it all right?" "That's about it, Bob," Matheson smiled. "What's not to like about a plan that has the potential to set off international repercussions just to interview some hot-shot for the Director's position on the new Homeland Anti-Terrorist Commission that you barely got passed in the first place?" Robert Farley knew when he was beat. "Who do you want from my team?" President Richard Matheson smiled. Things were right on schedule. CHAPTER XVI NOVEMBER 1996 UNDISCLOSED LOCATION 8:23 A.M. I woke up to the sounds of construction. There was no way Mike was making all that noise. It had been months since I had seen any one other than Mike. I knew my time here was up. I faked sleep as I contemplated what this meant for me. I had been abducted, resurrected from the dead so to speak, from the hiding place I had found. I was Fox Mulder again. I was healthy. I was sober. I was still alone. However, I found I didn't want to die any more. I didn't know what I wanted to do, but I was no longer in danger of harming myself. My time with Mike had affected me deeply. "Wake up, Meat!" Mike's teasing voice echoed in my room. "Moving day!" I rolled over and squint at him, "What's the hurry?" "You didn't think that all this luxury came without a price, did you Mulder? It's time for your job interview." Mike roared at his own joke as he threw a suitcase down at the foot of my bed. "Everything you need should be in there. It isn't an Armani, but it will do for now." His laughter could be heard echoing down the hall as he left. ***** I showered and shaved and dressed in the clothing left for me. It had been months since I'd worn anything but shorts and tee shirts. In this tropical climate, anything more was not just unnecessary, but dangerous. Heat stroke and heat exhaustion were a constant threat. I had escaped the third threat, sunburn. I had tanned to a deep golden brown, with no tan lines. Why bother with a suit when you are essentially one of two people in your entire world? The dress suit provided was custom made. There were no labels, tags, or clues as to where it came from. It was a fine grade of wool and fit me perfectly. Everything fit me exactly right. I realized then that Mike had probably drugged me and measured me at some point in the not too distant past. I certainly wasn't this buff when I got here. I'd probably put on 50 pounds, all muscle. Of course, I'd probably lost 20 when I was drinking. All in all I was very satisfied with the way I looked. I even liked my hair long and slicked back in a ponytail. I stepped out of my room and walked toward the day room. When I opened the door at the end of the hall, I got the shock of my life. The day room was gone. Every building, every piece of furniture, every generator, everything but the room I was standing in was gone. A squad of soldiers began breaking down the module I was standing in right behind me. Mike stood watching me in the shade of a tree that used to be next to the front porch. I stepped down onto the sand and walked towards him. Two of the soldiers who walked by me snapped to attention and saluted me. I nodded a dismissal and continued walking. What the hell was going on here? Maybe it was the suit. "Well, Mr. Mulder. You clean up pretty nice," Mike said as he smiled at me. "Your helicopter awaits, Sir." I stared at this man who had been my constant companion for the last several months. He had been my jailor, my torturer, my doctor, my teacher and finally my friend. I started to stick my hand out to shake with him, but the quick shake of his head stopped me. He snapped to attention and saluted me, a twinkle in his eye. I grinned at him and said, "Showtime." I walked down the beach to the waiting copter. CHAPTER XVII DECEMBER 17, 1999 MARKET STREET, SAN FRANCISCO, CA 11:32 A.M. Liz Waterston was bored. She was shopping, again. Her best friend, Regan Jeffries, had convinced her to accompany her for the final bout of Christmas shopping for the season, last minute presents, girl's day out, etc. Liz had her shopping done, wrapped, tagged and hidden weeks ago. Of course, she only had Daniel to buy for, so her shopping burden was considerably lighter than Regan's. Maybe it would be fun to buy presents if she had co-workers or children, or a mother and father, or even a pesky older brother or sister. "Liz, where are you? I asked if you wanted to get some lunch before we hit FAO Swartz?" "Yes, please," Liz smiled at her friend in gratitude. They ducked into their favorite little Bistro and were seated almost immediately. They ordered and settled back to wait for lunch. Liz was watching a family sitting two tables down from their booth. Their two children were a handful. The young parents were harried, but happy. Maybe if she could have had a child with Daniel, she wouldn't be plagued by this empty feeling she carried constantly. Regan's hand touched hers. "Are you all right, Liz?" Liz was shocked when her eyes filled with tears at the kind words of her friend. "Oh course, I'm fine," she said automatically. The scowl on Regan's face made her stop. "No," she whispered. "I'm not fine. I'm ... miserable." "Oh, hon, do you want to talk about it? Is it Daniel, is he ...? Is he cheating on you?" Regan held her breath. "No! Not that. Regan, Daniel loves me, almost too much sometimes," she said before she realized how disloyal that sounded. "I'm sorry, I shouldn't have said that. Oh course, Daniel loves me and I love him. I, I sometimes wish ..." She broke down again. "Liz, honey, this is me, Regan. I understand. I was there when you were found, remember? I was your counselor before I was your friend." Regan dug through her purse and found a tissue. Liz gave her a watery smile and tried to get hold of her emotions. "As your friend, and your ex-counselor, I have to say that it's only natural for you to feel sad during the holiday seasons. Many people who haven't gone through half the trauma you have become deeply depressed by the Hanukkah/Christmas/New Year's Eve holidays." "But I have so much to be thankful for, that I feel as if I'm being ungrateful and capricious when I get in these moods," Liz protested. "Those sound like Daniel's words to me, Liz Waterston." Regan sighed. "Think of how far you've come. It wasn't too many years ago that you were a found in the ER. You had no memories, you were not verbally responsive. You were practically catatonic. Liz, honey, look at you now!" Liz gave a sad shake of her head. "Yeah, look at me now. I'm married to a famous surgeon, I'm rich, I live in a mansion in San Francisco ... and I would give it all up if I could remember what happened to the baby we both know I had just weeks before I was found. Was I married? Do I have a mother and father out there who are mourning me? Do I have brothers and sisters? What did I do with my life before April 1st, 1996?" Her voice broke to a whisper, "Who am I?" Regan allowed her time to calm down before she spoke. "Liz, are you still in counseling?" "No," she sniffed. "Daniel said..." "Daniel, again. Honestly Liz, does he control your every action?" Regan stopped herself before she broke her own cardinal rule, 'Thou shall not dis thy friends spouses'. "When did you first notice your restlessness?" Regan asked. Liz considered the question as she picked at her salad. "I think it started around the first of October. Every year, around that time I seem to get the blues, but it's usually gone by Thanksgiving. This year, I don't know why, but it didn't go away, and I'm having trouble sleeping." "You can't get to sleep or you can't stay asleep?" Regan asked. "I can get to sleep right away, it seems like I'm always sleepy at times. But I wake up screaming and crying from a sound sleep and I can't remember anything about the dreams. I just don't want to go back to sleep. I'm afraid I'll dream again." "What does Daniel say about your nightmares? Are you talking in your sleep? Have you said anything he can remember?" "No, Daniel doesn't say anything about my dreams. I guess I get restless and cry but I don't talk in my sleep." "So, finally something Daniel doesn't say, huh?" Regan teased. "What do you think it is, Regan?" Regan chewed her salad thoroughly before swallowing and answering. "It could be a lot of things. It could be the Holiday Blues, or S.A.D., Seasonal Affective Disorder, or it could be ..." "It could be my memories coming back?" Liz prompted. "Yes, but that's highly unlikely now, Liz. It's been years. If you were going to remember, it would probably have happened before now," Regan was quick to say. "But it could happen?" Liz repeated. "Yes, with the right stimuli or trigger. You could get all or a part of your memory back." "Do you think that's why Daniel insisted that I discontinue my sessions with Dr. Harrison?" she said quietly. "Daniel forced you to stop therapy? Liz!" Once again Regan held back from giving her dear friend her full opinion on Daniel Waterston. "I would at least ask your doctor for a mild sedative. It might help with the nightmares and Lord knows, you always need sleep to fight any type of disease, even depression." "But Daniel says ..." Liz caught the anger in her friend's eye and stopped. "I'll call tomorrow." "Great. Now, how about some dessert?" Regan smiled as she waved to the waiter. "Reggie, you just had a salad with no dressing for lunch!" Liz said as she laughed at her friend. "Of course, darling! How else do you think I can justify the hot fudge brownie for dessert?" CHAPTER XVIII DECEMBER 17, 2000 DOWNTOWN CHICAGO, IL 3:30 P.M. I sat behind my desk listening to the two men seated in front of me. They were giving me their weekly update on the progress our team was making in the war on terrorism. Their earnest faces and their hard work was lost on me. I wondered if Skinner ever felt this way when Scully and I were in front of him. They were doing a good job. I wasn't so far gone that I hadn't been keeping up with the bread and butter portion of my team. But their concerns with religious factions in Iran and cults in Georgia seemed petty when compared to the threat of colonization that the balance of my unit was investigating. I gave them a nod, and they scurried out the door. I had no idea why so many of my staff were afraid of me. Unless it was the rumor that I had once killed one of my agents for a poorly done report. Killed him and got away with it. Only a select few of my chosen team leaders knew the truth about that rumor. I had killed, here in this very office. It wasn't a team member, though. It was a Bounty Hunter posing as a member of my staff. I had been suspicious for some time. Too many of our operatives were turning up dead. Too many of our plans had gone awry. I had watched and planned and when the time was right, I had surprised him with an ice pick at the back of his neck. I had a respirator handy and managed to escape the room with minimal damage. The rest of my team watched the meltdown on a closed circuit feed I had piped to a conference room down the hall. Unfortunately, my man had been killed by the alien at the beginning of the charade and thus the rumor persisted. I stood and walked over to the wall of windows that flanked my desk. The sky was cloudy and grey, typical Chicago winter weather. The lake was barely visible. The stark outline of the Sears Tower could still be seen against the darkening sky. It was after five. Time to go home. Home, what a concept. Could a hotel suite be called home? If it could, then I was going back to my home at the Omni. The irony of the name didn't escape me. I had written several articles for Omni magazine during my life as Fox Mulder, under a pseudonym, of course. Now, I was living at the Chicago Omni, a luxurious four- star hotel on Michigan Avenue, but it held no more warmth than my old apartment on Hegel. Less in fact. At least I had memories of Scully at my place in Alexandria. Here I had nothing. "Hey, Chief! Going home anytime tonight?" Mike Roundtree stuck his head through the door and grinned. "Mike, come on in." I gestured for him to have a seat. "I wanted to touch base with you before you left." "What's up, Deke?" he grimaced as he used my new name. "How is the immunization project going in your sector?" "Not bad actually." Mike launched into a synopsis of the progress of his team. For the next half hour we talked about the project. Despite our less than stellar beginnings, Mike was one of the first men I had requested for my team after my appointment by the President. After our time together during my detox, I respected and trusted him. His uncle, Albert Hosteen, had become one of the most important people in the fight against the Consortium. His translations and contributions from the Anasazi culture had given us a wealth of information with which to fight the aliens. "I've got a plane to catch, Chief," Mike said as he stood up. "It was good to see you again." "Always good to see you, Mike. Say hello to your uncle for me." I stood up and we shook hands. I watched him leave and then walked over to the window again. I stared out at the night skyline and thought about the last few years. CHAPTER XIX NOVEMBER 1996 SOMEWHERE OVER THE CARIBBEAN 10:30 A.M. I had been blindfolded when I got into the helicopter on the island. I could tell that they switched directions frequently as if to throw off my sense of direction. I wanted to tell them that I didn't have a clue where we were in the first place, so I couldn't tell where we were going, but as soon as I leaned forward to enlighten the pilot, an M-16 was shoved under my chin and I decided to let them waste all the fuel they wanted. It was their game. ***** I might have dozed off, but I think I was gassed again. When I awoke, I was no longer blindfolded but I was in a dark room with no windows. I was handcuffed to a chair in the middle of the floor, the wall in front of me was a mirror. Odds on my benefactor being CSM were rising by the minute. A bright light hanging above my head flashed on. "Good evening, Mr. Mulder." The voice that came through the speaker was disguised, metallic. For once in my life I decided to keep my mouth shut and let my captor do the talking. "I'm sorry for the inconvenience of the handcuffs, but I've had reports that you've learned all your lessons well. My informants say that you are a very dangerous man." I didn't respond. "Please answer me, Mr. Mulder. I don't like violence, but I have no qualms about using it. My time is valuable." "Yeah," I said. "Yeah? Surely you can do better than that with your Oxford- educated, FBI-trained mind. Do you consider yourself a dangerous man?" "Yes." "Would you care to enlighten us on why you feel that you are dangerous?" There was a distinct hint of humor in the tone of the voice that the metallic disguise couldn't hide. I shrugged as best I could and replied, "It could be the training I've had in the last few months, but I don't think knowing how to maim or kill makes me dangerous." "What do you feel makes you dangerous, Mr. Mulder?" I stared at the mirror for a long moment before I said quietly, "I am a dangerous man because I have nothing left in this life to lose." A long silence met my answer. "Very good, Mr. Mulder. A man without ties can be a dangerous weapon in the right hands. A man who is willing to throw away his life in the name of justice can be a ticking bomb. Which kind of man are you, Mr. Mulder?" I thought about his question for a moment before answering truth- fully, "I don't know. Maybe for a just cause ..." "What would you call a just cause? Personal revenge? Loyalty to your country? Your ... world?" "Who are you? What do you want with me?" My patience had expired. I wanted some answers, not more questions. "All in good time, Mr. Mulder. All in good time." The light dimmed and I could hear the hiss of gas as I became sleepy again. ***** The next time I woke, I was lying in a small but comfortable bed. When I turned my head and tried to rub the crust formed on my eyes away, I realized that my hands were free. "Hello, Fox," a familiar voice said. I looked towards the voice as my vision focused and was surprised to see Senator Matheson sitting in the chair in the corner. "Senator, are you a prisoner here too?" I pushed myself into a sitting position, fighting off the vertigo that the movement caused. "No, Fox," he laughed. "I am the reason you are here. By the way, Fox, it's President Matheson now." I shook my head and smiled at him. "Made it to the top, huh? Congratulations, Sir." "Thank you, Fox." He leaned forward and placed his elbows on his knees, letting his hands dangle between his legs. "I'm sure you want to know what this is all about, don't you?" "I would appreciate it, Sir, but right now, I have to hit the head," I replied truthfully. He laughed and strode to the door. When he opened it, two well- armed commando types stood at attention. "Show Mr. Mulder to the bathroom and bring him to my room for some breakfast when he's done." He smiled at me and left the room. I pulled on my shoes and stood to follow the guards. My immediate concern was finding the bathroom. After that, I wanted nothing more than a cup of coffee and a complete explanation about all of this. President Richard Matheson, obviously, could provide me with both. ***** A half an hour later, I was still in the dark, but I was well fed. I set down my cup and looked across the table at Richard Matheson. "Mr. President ..." I began "Please, Fox, call me Richard," he said with a smirk. "Richard, what the hell is going on?" The President dismissed the guards and the wait staff. He poured himself another cup of coffee and stood up. "Join me over by the fire, please Fox." I grabbed my coffee and moved to the chair next to his. I watched him as he gathered his thoughts before speaking. "Fox, what do you know about me, other than I have been a supporter of yours for years?" "Just what the public knows, Sir. I tried to investigate you once, years ago, when you first offered your support to me and you came up squeaky clean." He smirked and took a drink of coffee, "My men deserve a raise if I was able to hide the past from you." "Skeletons in your closet, Sir?" I quipped. He sighed and nodded. "What most people will never know about me is that I was not born Richard Matheson. My birth name was Ricar Krueppers." He stopped to let the shock of that information sink in. "My father was your mother's cousin, Rupert Krueppers. He died along with my mother the same year your sister Samantha and my six- week-old sister, Hannah were abducted." "That means ..." I stumbled to a halt. "That means we are related." "But how? Why?" "Fox, Bill Mulder was a good man, but he was an unwitting tool of the Consortium. My father was one of the founding members. He thought himself above all the sacrifices demanded of the others. He was cold and ruthless and he schemed to marry his young third- cousin, Martina to a member of the military that he needed to insure his control of the Consortium." His gaze softened as he spoke of my mother. "Teena was a beauty, Fox. I see a lot of her in you. She was funny and brilliant and a wild, free spirit who refused an arranged marriage. When my father was done with her she was a shadow of her former self. She meekly agreed to marry Bill, even though she loved another. "But don't doubt for a moment that Bill Mulder loved her. He loved her enough to marry her even though he found out he was sterile and could never have children with her. When my father told him that Teena was scheduled to be bred for the good of the program, he stayed with her out of love." "Spender is my father, isn't he?" A feeling of dread settled over me. "No, but he thinks he was until this very day," he replied. "If he isn't my father, who is?" I knew that Matheson had the answer to the questions that had been on my mind for years. "I am," his voice was low. "What? That's impossible. You're only ..." "Seventeen years your senior. I'm not proud of the fact that I loved another man's wife, Fox. But I'll never be sorry that I loved Teena." His voice was fierce with emotion. "She found out about the plans to impregnate her with Spender's sperm. She hated him and swore she would never let him touch her. She ran away from Bill, but my father found her. He dragged her back to our home and locked her up until they could come get her." He bowed his head and continued, "She would cry at night and I could hear her through the vent in my room. I stole the key to her room and went in to comfort her. She begged me to stay with her." He stood up and paced over to the window. He ran a hand down the back of his head to massage his neck. "I loved her so much, Fox. I knew I was too young. She did too. We were going to wait until I was older and the age difference wouldn't be such a problem but my father forced her to marry Bill." He turned and faced me. "We were together for three nights. Three of the most wonderful nights of my life. When they took her away I wanted to kill my father. But I didn't. I was only sixteen." "But how did you change your name to Matheson? How did you cover something like this up?" "I didn't. Bill Mulder did it for me. I ran away from home the next month. I changed my name and got a job on the railroad. I didn't go home until Bill contacted me about the deaths of my parents. "Hannah was a late-in-life baby. My mother and father had given up hope of having more children, but miracles happen. Bill told me the entire story. When my father was told that he had to give Hannah up to the aliens like the rest of the Consortium had done with members of their families, he flatly refused. You know how useful that was. Hannah was taken right out of my mother's arms by the aliens, while my father watched. "They never got over it. Within a week they were dead in an automobile accident, suicide by automobile was unheard of back then. I was an orphan that no one knew about." "What do you mean?" I asked. "My father had been so enraged by my running away that he had expunged all records of my existence from his life. I was a non- person. Bill and Teena knew what he had done. Bill, probably at Teena's insistence, found a new identity for me. I was Richard Matheson. Orphaned in a car accident when I was one year old. Adopted son of Agnes and Paul Matheson. Agnes and Paul had the good grace to die of carbon monoxide poisoning the same year as my mother and father's 'accident'. The real Richard Matheson had died as one of the Consortium's guinea pigs the year before." I shook my head at the convoluted plot that was unfolding. "All Bill had to do was insert a few records at a private school for gifted boys and I was once again a man with a clean history." "And now, you are the President of the United States," I said. "Yes, and the Consortium's worst nightmare," he grinned. "I'm going to rid this earth of the aliens and the scum who let them in the door once and for all." "Where do I fit into all this?" I asked. "You can't do a thing. You, Fox Mulder, are dead. But the man I'm here to hire as the new Director of the Homeland Anti-Terrorist Commission is going to plan and implement the downfall of the Consortium and Colonization on Earth." He paused to let me catch up with him. "And would that man happen to be me, Sir?" I asked. He pounded me on the back in agreement. "If you want the job, it's yours. You just have to pick out a new name." "I don't understand. Surely, you had to have an identity for the candidate for this position when you discussed it with your advisors?" "Of course I did. I have a complete history ready to insert into every available data base necessary. I told them that the candidate wanted to remain anonymous until after this interview," he said as he shrugged. "And they bought that load of bull shit?" I laughed. "I AM the President." "I need to know more before I can consider this offer, but right now I'm overwhelmed with the information you just gave me." I stood up and looked him in the eye, "I need time to think about all this." "Of course, Fox," he agreed. He pulled out a thick folder and handed it to me as we walked to the door. One of the guards was instructed to take me back to my room. "I'll see you in a couple hours," he said. "I am on a schedule and I have to leave right after dark." I nodded at him and left for my room. The next time I met with him I had chosen my path and my new name. I was no longer Fox William Mulder. I was D. K. Williams, the President's newest Director of the Homeland Anti-Terrorist Commission. All I had to do was fool the Congressional reviewers. I had just been offered my heart's desire. I finally had a way to make the bastards that killed Scully and my unborn child pay. CHAPTER XX DECEMBER 17, 2000 CHICAGO OMNI HOTEL 11:23 P.M. I had been contemplating my life all evening. I left the office and went to the Omni, ordered room service and showered. After I ate and had the dishes removed, I had tried to get interested in a Bulls game, but eventually had turned off the television. I had a briefcase full of reports to read, but couldn't muster the interest tonight. I opened the curtains and turned out the lights. I lounged on the bed and stared out at the city nightscape. I was within striking distance of my enemy. I had to hold myself and my teams back and wait until victory would be assured. I thought about all the work and sacrifice by myself and others and I was proud of the teams I had put together. I let my thoughts turn to the memories of the last few years. ***** The first year on the job, 1997 to 1998, I concentrated on publicly building a task force to fight the threat of terrorism within the United States borders while secretly setting up an organization of international scope to fight the Consortium. I used my position to research and recruit a team that consisted of a balance of military and civilian members from all fields of interest. Scientists, computer geeks, weapon specialists, chemists, metallurgists, micro-biologists worked side by side with accountants, soldiers and mercenaries. Three of the first people I approached were the Lone Gunmen. I had them rousted out of a Def-Con Convention in Vegas and brought up to my room by my bodyguards. I could hear them arguing and griping about their 'civil liberties being violated' all the way down the hall. I was seated with my back to the bank of windows in my room. The bright, desert sunlight made it difficult for them to see who they were talking to, but I had to hand it to them. Not one of them buckled, not one backed down. "What the hell is the meaning of this?" Frohike took the offensive. He glared at the large man behind him. "Why did you send your goons to kidnap us?" I couldn't help playing with their minds for just a moment. I did my best Don Corleoni impression and said, "I'm here to make you an offer you can't refuse." I thought Langly was going to pass out, but Frohike growled and puffed up his chest like a bantam rooster. Only Byers' cool head prevailed. "Who are you and what kind of offer do you want to make?" he asked politely. I raised my hand and motioned for my bodyguards to leave. They hesitated but followed my unspoken directions. My three old friends were more impressed with this move than with the muscle my men had shown. They exchanged glances and then looked towards me again. "What do you need with us?" Byers tried again. I stood up and walked towards them. Just before I knew they could see me good enough to recognize me I said, "You can come over here and give an old friend a better welcome than that." All three of them recognized me at about the same time. "Mulder!" Byers gasped. "Holy Shit! Is that you Mulder?" Langly swore. "Mulder-man! Oh, my God!" Frohike said as he threw himself at me. We all hugged and pounded each other on the backs like the manly men we are and then broke apart coughing and clearing our throats before trying to speak again. By the end of the visit, their role in the Commission was established. For public purposes, they would continue to be the geeky hackers, conspiracy-theorists they always had appeared to be. In reality, they were now going to be the spearhead for my new underground of computer specialists. They were going to set up an entire network of contacts, a veritable underground railway of information, on the conspiracy. They already knew who they could trust, but the elaborate fail-safe plan they developed would have made the French Underground of WWII look like a game played by a gang of kids. The hefty salaries and enormous retirement funds they were to be paid was an incentive to accept my offer. The arrangement for their pay to go to offshore accounts that could not be traced back to them was a bonus. The fact that they were to be given immunity against prosecution for any and all hacks committed while in my employ was the icing on the cake. The latest hardware, software and access to all governmental data bases were also good reasons for them to join with me to bring down the Consortium, but none of these were the reason they agreed. Their desire to revenge Scully's fate was almost as strong as mine. They were our friends and had been as thrilled as I was about the baby. They lost a large part of their hearts with Scully's abduction and the loss of our child. They were willing and able to commit to this project. ***** While I used a large portion of my resources for the hidden fight, I was careful to make sure the Commission achieved results that the public could recognize. It was my team that caught the Unabomber and the two men who masterminded the bombing in Okalahoma City. Several drug cartels and cults were rousted and a large number of criminals were deported when their connection to terrorist groups in Iran were identified. I was very careful to make my men aware of the danger of prosecuting the innocent. They were thorough and they were fair. They were the perfect cover for the real work being done by the Commission. During 1999 to earlier this year I had put the final players in place to complete my plan. I was ready to move, just waiting for the President to win re-election. Richard had proven to the people of the United States that he was a good leader. He was moral, loved by his countrymen, and respected throughout the world. I knew that he loved his planet with the same passion as he displayed for his country. His re-election was a landslide. President Richard Matheson had given me one directive; bring down the Consortium. He had not held back his support in any way. He asked no special favors of me. He did not involve me in the day- to-day petty politics of Washington, D.C. That was one reason our Commission was set up in Chicago, the heartland of the country. He protected me and allowed me free reign. That was why I was shocked when he asked me to attend his Inaugural Ball. I had flown into a secret meeting with him at Camp David. He had requested the conference right after his reelection victory was confirmed. He was there ostensibly as a vacation after the campaign. I often wondered what his wife made of my clandestine visits. At first I took his request as a joke and refused. He knew how important keeping my identity a secret was to our success. But when he didn't laugh, when his eyes pleaded gently with me, I re- thought my answer. This was not my President asking me to attend the celebration of his re-election. This was my father. I told him I would have to think about it. I did think about it for a long time. I had decided that the strikes against the aliens and the Consortium would come during his inauguration ceremony. I had been moving the separate teams into place since earlier this year. The weapons were ready, the teams were trained and the plans were checked and rechecked. Lying here tonight, I realized I didn't have a reason to refuse. If all went well, by the evening of January 20, 2001, every member of the Consortium would be dead or imprisoned and the aliens would be defeated. If I failed, all of our lives were forfeit anyway. I decided to accept the President's offer. I would attend his Inaugural Ball, but I would not join his entourage during the balance of the circuit of balls and parties scheduled for the evening. I would be able to thank my father for his help with my support. After that, I was going to resign. I thought about the successor I had already picked out. Jason Whiting was a retired Admiral that had ostensibly been my right hand during the entire set up and implementation of the Anti- Terrorist Commission. Jason knew all about the secret organization and how it would be dissolved after a few months of clean up. He also knew that the real threat of terrorists in the United States continued, and the work of the Commission would not be done with their downfall. Jason was the obvious choice for the Director's spot. He would not have a problem getting his appointment approved. I knew Richard Matheson would agree, after he was done being pissed at me for retiring. I picked up my cell phone and speed dialed a number few individuals in the United States knew existed. "It's me," I growled when his sleepy voice answered. "What's happening?" "The invitation to the party? Is it still open?" I said cryptically. "Yes, you know it is." "Black tie?" "Yep." "For one or two?" "Two, but Judy could arrange an escort if you can't get a date," he teased. "Not necessary. I'll find someone." "So, you'll be here?" "Yeah." "I'll arrange for a suite at the Watergate." "Fine." "For one or two?" "One." "Thanks, Deke." "Thank you, sir." I disconnected the line. Now all I had to do was find a date for the first time since 1993. CHAPTER XXI JANUARY 14, 2001 THE WATERGATE HOTEL 2:00 P.M. I unpacked and realized that everything I owned was contained in five suitcases. True, they were large suitcases, but the emptiness of my personal existence once again rose up to remind me of my losses. I had dismissed the maid when she offered to unpack my bags for me. Hugo Boss, Burberry, Armani, Bruno Magli, these were the names on the labels of my clothing. Clothing labels from high-end designers that could belong to anyone. I was a man with a fictional past. I had nothing that indicated who I really was. I no longer even possessed my own name. I had no future. I would never again be lover, husband, or father. That all ended when Scully and our baby disappeared from my life. I fought down the memories and concentrated on the next few days as I worked. I needed to maintain the hard, cold facade of Deke Williams. I couldn't blow it now. In less than a week, every one of the bastards that had destroyed Fox Mulder and killed the two people who owned his heart would be dead. The presence of the aliens would be exposed, and if the weapons my team had prepared were successful, the future plans for the colonization of the earth would be over. I hung up my new tuxedo. I grimaced as I thought about how hard it had been to find an escort for the evening. It had been excruciatingly hard and pathetically easy at the same time. ***** Lt. Carma Anderson was the personal assistant to Jason Whiting from the beginning of his appointment to the Commission. She was efficient, smart and dedicated. She had been a key member of the team and as such, I appreciated her abilities. I knew that she was attracted to me from the first time I met her. I was relieved to find that she was a professional, and kept her interest out of the work place. I suppose you could say she was attractive, if you didn't measure every woman you met by the standards that Scully had set. She wasn't brilliant, and she wasn't a scientist. She wasn't a slender, petite redhead with snapping blue eyes full of love and a caustic wit. She wasn't Scully. It took all my courage to ask her to accompany me to Washington for the Inaugural Ball, but she readily agreed. I offered to get her a room for the week, but she declined. She had family in the area and would use the opportunity to visit them. I was relieved by her answer. This was an invitation to a coworker to enjoy the fruits of our labors. I did not want her to read anything personal into it. I had nothing to offer her and I felt I had made that perfectly clear. ***** The next few days flew by. Last minute plans and contingency plans had to be confirmed for a network of teams around the world. The operation had been code named Wild Fox. I tried to nip this name in the bud, but it had taken on a life of its own. I still believed that one of the Gunmen had originated the name. All branches of the military had been scheduled to have training exercises for the week of the inauguration by order of the Commander-In-Chief of the Armed Forces, Richard Matheson. We were covering our bases. If the entire United States Military machine were in motion, our covert teams were less likely to draw attention to themselves. The day of the Inauguration dawned clear and mild even though snow was predicted before the day was over. I declined an invitation to join the President's party and ditched my bodyguard to meet the guys at their place to watch the action. They had set up a command central worthy of any sci-fi movie. There was a bank of televisions covering one of the walls, each focused on a different part of the world. They had access through several communication satellites and had picked their targets carefully. All the major news organizations were tuned in. Many of them carried the Inauguration. Some pointedly ignored the latest U.S. news and carried local information. All of that would end in just a few moments. We settled back to watch the bank of clocks that were mounted over the televisions. All were labeled and synchronized with the broadcasts from around the world. As the time approached, we fell silent. The central and largest television was tuned to the local coverage of the Inauguration. I watched as the crowd was panned, noting my operatives and the Consortium stooges they were covering. As the introductory speeches came to an end and the Chief Justice of the United States Supreme Court stepped forward, I moved to the edge of my seat. This was a moment I had been looking forward to for several years. President Matheson stepped down the steps to greet Chief Justice Rehnquist at the bank of microphones standing there. I could see Richard's wife, Judy, and their two daughters beaming proudly behind him. I felt a stab of pride. This man was my father. He was a good, just man and I couldn't help but be proud of my relationship to him. Rehnquist offered a bible and Richard placed his hand on it. I turned up the sound on the center set. The words of his oath were the trigger for all our groups to go. "Please repeat after me. I, state your name," the Chief Justice's words were clear and precise. "I, Richard Allen Matheson," Richard repeated. That was the trigger for operation Wild Fox for the teams in England and Europe. "Do solemnly swear or affirm." "Do solemnly swear." The trigger for the teams in China and Japan was pulled with these words. "That I will faithfully execute the office of the President of the United States." Rehnquist continued. "That I will faithfully execute the office of the President of the United States." his voice rang with sincerity. Australia, the South Pacific and Antarctica were given their go. "And I will to the best of my ability." "And I will to the best of my ability." The South American and African squads swung into action. "Preserve, protect, and defend." "Preserve, protect, and defend." The Artic, Siberia, Russia, Indonesia explosions went off on schedule. "The Constitution of the United States." "The Constitution of the United States of America." The multiple teams of military and civilians commenced their attack all across the United States and Canada with these words. "Congratulations, Mr. President. May you have four more years of continued success," Chief Rehnquist said as he shook the hand of the 42nd President of the United States for the press. "Thank you, Chief Justice," President Matheson said. He immediately turned to his family and pulled them down to him. He embraced his wife and kissed her. He pulled away to hug and kiss each of his daughters. The camera zoomed in on Matheson's face and for a moment, I knew he was thinking about me and our plans. He grinned directly into the camera, just before turning to the other members of his party to accept their congratulations. At that very moment, all the other televisions on the wall began to flash messages and interrupt the broadcast of the ceremony with local news. ***"We interrupt the coverage of the Swearing In Ceremony of the President of the United States for this local news bulletin ..."*** ***"Wir unterbrechen die Deckung des Schwrens in der Zeremonie des Prasidenten der Vereinigten Staaten fur diese lokale Nachrichtensendung ..."*** ***"We interrupt coverage of the Inauguration Ceremony of the President of the United States for this local news bulletin ..."*** ***"Nos interrompemos este newscast com este bullentin o especial ..."*** ***"We interrupt this coverage of the Presidental Inauguration for this local news bulletin ..."*** ***"Interrumpimos la cobertura de jurar en la ceremonia del presidente de los Estados Unidos para este boletin informativo local ..."*** ***"We interrupt this program for this local news bulletin ..."*** ***"Nous interrompons l'assurance du serment dans la ceremonie du president des Etats-Unis pour ce bulletin d'informations local ..."*** ***"We interrupt the coverage of the Swearing In Ceremony of the President of the United States for this local news bulletin," the English newscaster was pale and shaken. "There has been a series of bombings throughout the English, Irish and Welsh countryside just reported. Accompanying these blasts are a reported rash of deaths from every walk of life. We have had reports from our affiliates in other countries that this is not a localized situation ..."*** The central television continued to broadcast President Matheson's acceptance speech. Bits and pieces of it could be heard mixed with the frantic voices of the news agents from around the world. "I would like to especially thank my family whose support and perseverance has given me the strength to continue fighting for the betterment of our country through the greatest system of democracy in the world." He turned to his wife and daughters, joining the applause that raged, honoring them. ***"...in a basement room at The Home For the Aged in Sussex, a large number of elderly women were found unconscious, apparently drugged and incredible as it seems, all of the women were in various stages of pregnancy..."*** "We have made huge strides during the past four years in education, nutrition, job programs and in balancing the economy of the United States ..." Voices shouting every language available came from the various televisions in a calliope of noise. "Can you do something about the sound?" I asked. Langly jumped up and turned on the computer hooked up to the television controller. All the foreign language broadcasts were muted and English subtitles began to flash across the screens. Scenes from around the world flashed from screen to screen while the voice of Richard Matheson continued. "... the jobless rate. We have set up a Homeland Anti-Terrorist Commission that has solved several major crimes and been instrumental in the deportation of criminals from other countries that have been planning ..." My attention jumped from one screen to another. The scenes shown were horrific. Some were of bombings, some were of scenes of assassinations. In one, crowds of confused prisoners were being released from a windowless facility in Siberia. They were gaunt, squinting against the lights of the news crews, begging for food, water, blankets. "... dangers facing our democracy are not all from outside our shores. Even as we speak, there are men, high ranking men, who have been working against the greater good of our country, of our world ..." A scene from a CNN reporter based in New York City flashed on another screen. ***"In a joint raid by the FBI, NSA and ATFA, twelve men were arrested in an office complex on the 43rd floor of this building today. The warrants presented charged these men with High Treason towards the people of the United States of America and were signed by none other than the President of the United States, Richard Matheson ..."*** I sat back as the feed from the arrest flashed on screen. The camera panned the faces of the twelve leaders of the Consortium as they were led from the office building to the waiting police cars. Most of them tried to hide, but I knew them by heart. Strugholdt, Sir Lloyd Windsor-the well manicured man, Pierre Reynald, Dr. Robert Scanlon, Hientz Van der Blant, Rudolpho Braum-the heavy set man, Aro Uturdo, Ernstz Gavlin, Peter Goldman, Marcos De La Vega, Frantz Hientz. Shackled, cuffed and escorted from the building, each tried to protect their identities. All but the biggest bastard of all, CGB Spender. He walked proudly to the police car, smirking as if he had nothing to worry about, casting a jaundiced eye to the sky. I knew what he was thinking. He expected to see the ships pull into sight any minute. For the first time in years I felt like laughing. The ships, what was left of them, were struggling to leave. A scene from the Tunisian dessert flashed on the Arabic feed. A terrified reporter was screaming into his microphone and gesturing frantically at the sky behind him. The English translation could barely keep up with the speed of his words. ***"... a dozen ships have risen up out of the dessert near the scene of a tremendous explosion. Our news helicopters are circling now and the scene is total chaos. Huge fields of maize...corn are on fire next to the scenes of huge explosions that have left giant craters in the ground. Several of the flying machines that made it off the ground and into the upper atmosphere have blown up and crashed. It appears that there are at least six more such machines that never made it off the ground... Green clouds of toxic gas are escaping from the ships. Swarms of bees that have been circling the craters are dying upon contact with the yellow gas being released by an army of men in environmental bio-hazard suits ..."*** "We need to be strong in the face of these times. We need to know the truth. The truth about our fellow men, the truth about these dangerous times, the truth about the future of our country and our world ... our lives, our homes, our very humanity depends on our path for the next four years." Richard Matheson waited for the roar of applause to calm down. "I am proud to be a citizen of the United States. I am proud to have been chosen as your President. I will strive to continue to be the type of leader that this country deserves. I have been elected as a candidate for the Republican Party, but I will endeavor to be a representative of the people of the United States. One that works for the good of our country, our continent, our world. Thank you very much." The drone of the political analysts began, but was soon interrupted by the news bulletins from around the world. Major explosions were reported on both the Artic and Antarctic continents. Dormant volcanoes were erupting, blowing the magma crowns away, but no lava was flowing in Greece, Switzerland, Turkey, India, Hawaii or Washington State. The reports of mass hysteria, visions of flying saucers over Mexico City and Brasilia flowed in. I gestured for Langly to mute the rest of the televisions. Silence enveloped the room. It was too early to tell if we had won the battle but lost the war. But damn! It felt good to at least win the battle. Operation Wild Fox was a success. CHAPTER XXII JANUARY 20, 2001 SAN FRANCISCO, CA 9:23 P.M. The home of Daniel and Liz Waterston was alive with the sights and sounds of a celebration. Daniel had decided to commemorate the Inauguration of the President with a huge party at their beach home. What better way to impress the new administrator of the hospital and pay back all the people who had invited them to their parties over the holidays than to have one big bash? Unfortunately, Liz wasn't half the hostess his first wife had been. She found these parties to be distasteful and a waste of money. She felt that his ability should be all the clout he needed at the hospital. 'She just doesn't know how to play the game,' he thought. The catering staff had done an outstanding job. The food was excellent, the wine selection was exquisite, without taxing his bank account, and for once the fog that surrounded the Bay area in winter was missing. Everything was in place, except his wife. His anger boiled beneath the urbane facade he maintained. He strolled through the house, greeting his guests, joining in snippets of conversation here and there as he searched for Liz. He finally decided to try their bedroom. ***** Liz Waterston decided her headache wasn't going to go away without medication. She always got a headache when she was forced to socialize with Daniel's friends. She did not approve of the parties Daniel threw to impress the people he worked with. She rarely socialized with any of the wives and knew that they found her a bit strange. They always were kind to her face, but she felt that they excluded her on purpose. After she saw Daniel fawning over a tall brunette surgeon, she left the party in the capable hands of the caterer and retired to her room for some peace and quiet. She took two Tylenol and drank a large glass of water. She decided to rest for a few minutes before rejoining the party. She flipped on the television in order to drown out the voices in the living room. She wanted to watch the coverage of the Inaugural Balls. She loved Judy Matheson's style and had admired her quiet grace and intelligence during the four previous years. The Main Ball Room of the White House was magnificent. The glow of the lights from the chandeliers and the news cameras made it look like a fairy land. The announcer was talking about a delay in the arrival of the President and First Lady, due to some news stories that had been televised earlier. Liz started to turn off the television and rest when the newscast from New York City was rebroadcast. The first 11 of the 12 men arrested were strangers to her. The 12th man caused a blast of pain to pierce her skull. The headache that had been receding was suddenly pounding again. She stared at his sallow features and began to shake and shiver at the sight of his smirking face. She knew him. She was afraid of him. Who was he? She turned the sound back up quickly, just in time to catch ..."CGB Spender, formerly a consultant with the FBI ..." Liz quickly picked up the controller of Daniel's newest toy, the TiVo DVR. She flicked it on to record the newscast. She needed to study this man. When her head quit hurting, perhaps she could remember who he was in relationship to her past. Why did she feel such revulsion and fear when gazing at his face? The remembered smell of cigarette smoke flashed through her senses. Hate filled her every thought. She hated this man with every ounce of her being. What had he done? She sat staring at the screen while the rest of the news tape continued. Soon the scene from the ballroom was back on screen. The music in the background stopped and 'Hail to the Chief' began to play. President Richard Matheson and his First Lady, Judy swept through the doors. Behind him were his daughter, Meredith and Jessica along with several Secret Service operatives. The line of dignitaries continued with the Vice President and his wife, several Senators and Members of the House of Representatives and their spouses and/or dates. She leaned forward, reaching for the dish controller. She wanted to check out other channels and try to see the news story from the beginning. She missed the next couple that came through the door. She finally found the controller and flipped channels until she found a news station that wasn't covering the Inaugural Ball. She watched, stunned, as the entire story of the arrests in New York City was rebroadcast. She turned off the television and sat, unmoving, for several minutes. She knew this man was a key to her past. She shut her eyes and tried to use the technique Regan had taught her. She let her mind free associate for a few minutes and felt she was close to remembering. If only the pain in her head would let up! She began the deep breathing exercises that would help release her stress so that she could try to remember. She was still too distracted. She got up and changed clothes, her evening gown was exquisite, but hardly comfortable enough to allow her to relax deeply. She turned off all the lights and opened the door that faced the ocean. She loved the sound of the waves hitting the shore, and the way the wind was blowing, the sounds from the party were barely audible. She turned on the TiVo and froze it on the image of evil on the screen. CGB Spender was his name, but every fiber in her body knew that he was evil personified. He might as well be named Satan. She stared at him a long time before closing her eyes. She tried to calm her fear of this man. He was a continent away and in custody of the police. Why did that not make her feel safe? What power did this old man have in her life that left her feeling terrified? She rubbed her temples trying to ease the pain that throbbed there, trying to slow her breathing. Eventually the memories began to flow. CHAPTER XXIII MAY 1995 UNKNOWN LOCATION UNKNOWN TIME She was in restraints, her legs were in stirrups as if she was being given a pelvic exam. Her baby! A contraction racked her body. She was ... she was in labor! The people surrounding the table were all gowned and masked. She screamed and screamed again. She was pushing, pushing and screaming. Mu ...! Murder! Mulder! She was screaming for someone named Mulder. Oh God! The baby's father! The pain seemed to end and a burning, stretching sensation began. The baby was coming. The murmurs from the masked doctors let her know she was right. She was pushing and could feel the burning sensation peak, then blessed relief for a moment. A baby's cry ... then another massive contraction, forcing her to push and scream and scream ... "MULDER!" She could feel the baby slip from her body. A tiny arm or leg must have brushed against her thigh as they plucked the baby away from the delivery table and onto a warming table, pushing it away from her. "Please, is my baby all right? Please someone? What is it? What did I have? Is my baby okay? Is there something wrong?" With each sentence she had become more and more upset. No one answered her. She thrashed her head back and forth, trying to get a glimpse of the baby. She finally spotted him under the light of the warming table in the corner. Tears filled her eyes when one of the shrouded figures moved and she caught a better view of her baby. Dark hair, red faced, and crying as it was cleaned up. The person cleaning up the baby suddenly jumped back. A stream of urine shot up and she knew without a doubt that she had a boy. The figures surrounded the table again and she lost sight of her son. They soon had him cleaned, dressed and placed in a bassinet that was rolled through a door on her right. She struggled to be free of the restraints. "No, don't take him away! My baby! Give me my baby! Please!" She was sobbing. She thrashed harder, not caring that the bindings were cutting into her skin. Finally she tired. She let her head fall to the left and fought the tears that threatened to blind her. She opened her eyes and saw him standing behind the glass window in the door. CBG Spender was smiling at her as the smoke from his cigarette curled around his head. CHAPTER XXIV JANUARY 20, 2001 SAN FRANCISCO, CA 10:30 P.M. She sat up with a jolt. She remembered. She remembered everything! She was not Mary Elizabeth Smith. She was Dana Scully Mulder. She was a Special Agent for the FBI. Duane Barry had abducted her when she was two months pregnant. She had been held captive until her baby was born. He had been stolen from her as CGB Spender watched with a smile. Tears coursed down her face as she remembered the terror she felt, the loss, when her baby was taken. Oh, God, what had happened to her baby? Where was Mulder? She tried to remember what happened after the birth of the baby. She remembered delivering the afterbirth, she remembered screaming and cursing and begging to be taken to her baby. She remembered someone coming towards the table with a large hypodermic needle, telling her 'this won't hurt a bit.' Then she remembered her mind slipping away. Nothing made sense until blackness had finally enveloped her. When she woke up she was in the Psych ward of the hospital and Regan was talking to her in a soothing voice. Oh God! Her whole life was a lie! She'd had her memories wiped. Regan had helped her learn everything again. Slowly, she became functional, but even now she could remember the emptiness that ate at her constantly. She had taken a job as a medical transcriber at the hospital and gotten an apartment nearby. The hospital was where she had met Daniel ... A sob wracked her body. Daniel! Daniel Waterston had to have known that she was Dana Scully. He had been her lover years ago and she had ... she had left him when she found out about his wife! She had changed her life, doing what she wanted to do for the very first time. She had joined the FBI when they approached her. She had left him behind and had found Mulder, her friend, her partner, her husband, her baby's father. Oh my God! Mulder! What had happened to him? And her Mother and Father! Melissa, Bill, Tara, oh, God! Charlie! Her thoughts swirled around making her dizzy. She forced herself to slow down. One thought at a time. Daniel. He had to have known who she was from the beginning. Why didn't he tell her that he recognized her? Why had he kept her from her family? There was only one answer that came to mind, but it was so controlling, so insidious that she refused to believe it. Daniel was a man of honor. Wasn't he? Daniel loved her. He loved her years ago and he loved her now. Surely he wouldn't perpetrate this lie for his own selfish desires. Would he? Memories from their marriage began to surface. Daniel insisting that she quit her job. He could support her in style. No wife of his was going to be a common employee of the same hospital where he was head of surgery. Daniel's sullen pouting when she had talked about going back to school. His outright refusal to let her volunteer at the free clinic in Haight Ashbury. His constant, almost violent need for sex with her when he was upset about work or had been away for a few days. Daniel knew who she was and he had prevented her from trying to recapture her life. He knew that she would leave him if she did recover her memories. All affection for him dissolved in that second of clarity. She hated him. He had kept her from Mulder. He had kept her from finding her baby. He had prevented her from letting her family know that she was alive and well. Was he connected to Spender some way? Was he part of the plot to keep her from her family? She could not stay one more minute in this house of lies. She reached for the controllers to turn off the television. She fumbled with the TiVo controller and the information she had recorded flashed back on the screen. She sat there, transfixed as she watched again the arrest of the man who had ruined her life. The scene flashed back to the coverage of the Ball, but she couldn't muster up the energy to turn it off. The President and his family and then the other dignitaries flashed across the screen. Suddenly He was there. The TiVo controller fell from her lifeless fingers as she watched him and his beautiful date enter the room. ***** He saw the lights on in their bedroom before he was half way down the hall. His frown of irritation deepened. 'What is she trying to do, ruin me?' he thought. He thrust open the bedroom door and walked over to the sitting area, ready to give Liz a piece of his mind. He was only having this party for her benefit, after all. He jerked to a halt when he saw his wife on her knees, tears running down her cheeks, fingertips stroking the face of a man frozen on the screen of the television. Daniel felt lightheaded and struggled to keep his feet under him. The man pictured was tall and muscular. He had long dark hair neatly held back in a ponytail. His face was not conventionally attractive, but Daniel knew that his wife found him fascinating. Fox Mulder. Alive. Oh, God, what was he going to do? He backed out of the room before she realized he was there. ***** Dana Scully was mesmerized by the first glimpse of her husband, Fox Mulder, that she'd had for several years. He was still tall but much more muscular. He moved with the grace of a large black panther. His expressive eyes and beautiful mouth were as familiar as her own, but he had changed. His face was older, yes, but harder somehow. He looked like a darker, more dangerous version of her Mulder to her. Her body tightened and she felt dampness begin to gather between her legs. It was Mulder and she still loved and wanted him. The woman on his arm was staring up at him with a look of love and desire clearly displayed on her face, but his eyes were on the President and the First Lady as they walked up to greet them. The announcer babbled on, probably about his date's gown, as the President pulled him into a manly embrace. The First Lady hugged him and said something that made him smile. He turned as if to introduce his date to them, but a Secret Service man pulled the President aside and indicated that it was time for his speech. The camera panned the rest of the ballroom, but she had no further interest in any of the inhabitants. Only Mulder held her interest. She picked up the controller and pushed reverse. When Mulder first came into view, she pressed slow. She stopped the picture on a close up of him. She moved forward almost without thought. She fell to her knees and reached out to touch the image of her husband on the screen. Tears began to flow again. Why was he here? Had he moved on? Who was that woman he was with? Was she his new wife? White hot pain seared through her. She had answers to find, a family to contact, a life to reclaim. She forced herself to stand up. She turned off the TiVo and the television and walked back into the bedroom. She pulled her a large suitcase from the closet and opened it up on the bed. She returned to her closet and contemplated what to pack. Everything she owned belonged to Daniel. He had not allowed her to keep any of her clothing from before their marriage. She stood studying the designer suits, dresses, gowns, even her casual clothing was made by one designer or another. She didn't want to take any of them. They were tainted in her eyes. They were no better than money left on the nightstand for a whore. As she stood there, she decided that she could not afford to be so high-minded. She would take only what she needed and replace them as soon as she had the funds, her own money, to do so. She began to pack some casual clothes and shoes quickly and was done in moments. She moved to her dresser and packed the least suggestive undergarments she owned. She used a second, smaller bag to gather her toiletries from the bathroom. She carried the bag into her dressing room and sat down at the mirrored table to finish packing her makeup. The lights around the mirror made the diamonds on her rings sparkle. She didn't hesitate a second before pulling them off her hand and putting them in the exact middle of the counter. She removed her diamond earrings and bracelet, replacing them in her jewelry box. She rummaged around until she found the old Timex watch she had bought with one of her first checks from the hospital. She strapped it on and left the rest with no regrets. She glanced around, trying to see if there was anything she had forgotten. She called Regan for a ride and sat down to wait until she could leave this house of lies. ***** Daniel Waterston almost panicked. He strode back up the hall to the living room intending to tell everyone to go home, but as he reached the first group of his guests he knew he couldn't ask them to leave without an explanation. He went back to playing host and prayed that Liz ... Dana, would not create a scene. He told the caterer to cut off the food and slow down on the drinks. He wanted his guests to leave, but he wanted them to think that it was their idea. Minutes dragged into an hour and finally the last guest left. He dismissed the caterer, telling them to come back in the morning to clean up. He assured them that everything was fine and he would certainly pay the extra fee for the extended service. The house was silent at last. Daniel poured himself a shot of whiskey and downed it in one gulp. He needed all the artificial courage he could get to face Liz ... Dana. He forced himself to return to their room. He thought she was gone at first. Their suite was dark and silent except for the sound of the ocean that came through the open door to the deck. He stepped further into the room and was startled when a light clicked on. "Looking for me, Daniel?" Dana Scully said with contempt. "Liz ..." he began. "Don't try to perpetuate the lie, Daniel. You know my real name. Use it," she spat. "I ..." "Say it! Damnit!" She rose and paced towards him. He shrunk back and slumped down onto the end of the bed. "Dana." He looked up at her pleadingly. He seemed to age before her eyes. "Please, Dana ... I love you. I didn't mean to hurt you. I just ..." "You just what, Daniel? You just couldn't live without me? You just forgot about my parents? My husband?" He shook his head, trying to deny her words, but they cut through even his cloud of conceit. What had he done? To soothe his need to make her his, to possess her body and soul, he had kept the truth from her. He had lost her forever. She was going to leave him! He stood suddenly, panicking, and pinned her arms against her body with his strong, surgeon's hands. Dana tried to step back, but his grip became tighter, cruelly bruising her upper arms. "Don't do this Daniel. Don't add physical abuse to your laundry list of crimes." He stared at her, clearly not understanding or listening to her words. Dana Scully was several years away from her training at Quantico and the FBI Academy, but she still knew how to stop a man who was hurting her. She spoke his name, drawing his attention to her face, as she tensed her muscles and fiercely kneed him in his groin. He fell like a rock, howling in pain, before passing out. As she leaned down to make sure he was still breathing, he regained consciousness. He tried to grab her arm, but she twisted away and stood looking down at him, writhing again, on the floor. "If you ever try to touch me again, I'll make sure that your life is destroyed." "You wouldn't kill me Dana, you're my wife! You love me," he said through gritted teeth. "No, I don't love you. But you are right, I wouldn't kill you. I have something more equitable in mind. I'll make sure that every bone in your precious right hand is broken and that you never operate again," she spat. She walked away a few paces and then turned to glare down at him. "And I am not your wife. That sham service we went through means nothing. I am Fox Mulder's wife, and don't you ever forget it!" The doorbell rang. Regan was there. She picked up her bags and walked away from Daniel Waterston for the third and final time in her life. CHAPTER XXV JANUARY 20, 2001 THE WATERGATE HOTEL, WASHINGTON, D.C 9:27 P.M. I ripped off my tie again and tugged at the collar of my shirt, cursing once again my fate. I hate these monkey suits. It's bad enough I have to wear a suit to work everyday, let alone be encased in one of these terrors. I opened the offending top button and took a deep breath. The knock on the door meant that the secret service agent thought it was time to leave. I stalked over to the doorway and pulled it open, "I'm not ready yet. I'll be down in a few minutes," I growled as I strode back towards the bathroom. "I can see that, Director Williams," a soft feminine voice laughed. "Oh, Lt. Anderson," I said as I twirled back around. "I didn't ... I thought I was meeting you a downstairs?" I walked back into the bathroom to try to get the damn tie to cooperate. "That was the plan, but I felt uncomfortable down there," she said as she shrugged. "You look fine, what was the problem?" I poked my head around the doorframe glancing at her. "I was the only single woman down there without a mob of secret service men and I felt like a wall flower waiting to be picked by one of the men walking by, eyeing me," she said and then laughed. I strode out of the bathroom and stood in front of the mirror over the dresser. I struggled with the bow tie, trying unsuccessfully to tie it evenly, once again. "Here," she said. "Let me do it for you." She moved to stand behind me, and I watched as she slipped her arms around my chest to tie the bow expertly. "You've had some experience with this?" I questioned as I stared into her eyes in the mirror. "You might say that." She blushed and pulled away. "Director Williams ..." she began but I interrupted her. "Why don't we dispense with formalities for tonight? You can call me Deke or Williams," I said pointing at myself and giving her an inquiring look. "And you may call me Carma," she smiled. "Just for tonight of course." I nodded. "For tonight." "Deke," she began again. "I ... it's ... you wear a wedding band ..." "I was married," I said shortly. "I'm sorry, I was just wondering why your wife wasn't attending the ceremony with you ...?" she trailed off as she saw the dark scowl on my face. I sighed and tried to relax my frown. "Carma, this is one coworker asking another to a work-related function. This is not a date. I thought that you would enjoy the ceremony and glitz. You've worked hard and you deserve to enjoy the fruits of your labor. If I was wrong, I apologize and we can end the evening now." She stared at me for a long moment before answering, "Of course, Director Williams. I understand fully, I just didn't want to be hauled up in front of a lot of important people and called a home- wrecker!" she joked. Her eyes were suspiciously bright, but she was looking me in the eye, shoulders squared, like a good soldier. "Fine. Now, I suggest we get going or Richard and Judy will have left for the next party before we even get there." She raised a quizzical brow at my casual use of the Presidential couple's first names, but did not ask for an explanation. My admiration for Lt. Carma Anderson ratcheted up another notch. I took her arm and led her out the door. ***** The highlight of the evening came for me as soon as we entered the Ball Room at the Whitehouse. The Mathesons had already entered and were making the rounds, greeting supporters, well wishers, and the sycophants and press attending every political function. I saw Richard pull Judy away and move towards us in a circle of Secret Service operatives. What was it about those guys that made them stand out in a crowd even when they were wearing tuxedos? Richard pulled me into a warm hug and whispered, "Well done, son." I worked hard to keep the smile on my face. His words touched me deeply and I wanted to let him know how proud of him I was. "Ditto, Dad," I teased. We broke apart and Judy moved in for her hug and kiss. "Deke! It takes an act of Congress to get you to a function in Washington, I see," she teased. "No, just a mandate by the people of the United States," I quipped with a smile. She glanced towards Lt. Anderson and I realized I had forgotten my manners. I turned to her to introduce her to the presidential couple but was interrupted by one of the Secret Service men. "Sorry, gotta run," Richard said with a warm smile for my companion. "I have to keep to my schedule if we're going to make it to all the parties booked for tonight." He shook my hand and clasped me on the shoulder. He kissed Lt. Andersons hand and they left in a swirl of activity. "They certainly like you," Carma Anderson said. "Richard and I go a long way back," I said nonchalantly. "I've known Judy for almost as long as Richard." I decided to change the subject. "Would you like something to drink, Lt. Anderson?" "Yes, please, on one condition," she smiled. "It's Carma, remember? Just for tonight." I nodded and repeated her name, "Carma, would you like a drink?" "Yes thank you, Deke." Her smile was radiant. She really was a beautiful woman. I wondered why she was still single. The evening deteriorated after that. My high after the attacks on the Consortium and the alien ships wore off with each drink I had. I remembered why I decided never to drink again after my attempted suicide by alcohol years ago. I was not a happy drunk. I switched to club soda with a twist of lime and had some of the hors d'oeuvres to offset the liquor. It was too late. My normal walls were breached. I was overwhelmingly lonely in a room crowded with people. In the mean time, my date was the bell of the ball. She had not sat down for more than a few minutes all evening. I was glad she was having a good time, but as I sobered, I realized I had been flirting with her all night. Each time our eyes would meet I would hold her glance until she would blush and look back to her dance partner. What the hell was I doing? The Mathesons had left hours ago, but the party would go on all night. I suddenly wanted to leave. I claimed Carma for the next dance, intending to tell her that I was leaving. I had not danced with her all night and she misunderstood my reason for asking now. She looked into my eyes and slid into my arms as if she had been waiting forever for this moment. We danced for a moment and with each twist and turn our bodies moved closer. It had been so long since I had held a woman in my arms. It felt good. I could close my eyes and rest my cheek against her hair and pretend it was Scully in one of those ridiculous pairs of five-inch heels she would wear when we went dancing. I pulled her closer and buried my nose in her hair. I inhaled expecting to smell Scully-scent. I was jerked back to reality when I got a nose full of perfume instead. I eased back and held her away from me in a more acceptable stance. "I don't mind," she said. I looked down at her, "Mind what?" "I don't mind if you pretend I'm her. I can be anyone one you want, Deke. Just for tonight." I pulled even farther back from her and waited for her to look me in the eyes. She had to be drunk. "No, I'm not drunk, but I wish I were. I wish you were, too," she said as if reading my mind. "Why?" "Because, maybe for this one magical night, you could want who I am and forget who I am not," she began. "And I, I could have one perfect evening to remember for the rest of my life." I snorted, "What makes you think our evening would be perfect?" She licked her lips and stared at mine. "I've watched you for years. Swimming, working out at the gym, running. Your body is magnificent. You aren't gay. You aren't involved. You aren't available, but I've watched you and wanted you." "You don't know what you're asking for Carma. I'm poison. Every woman I've loved has broken my heart until I don't have a heart left." "I don't think you understand me, Deke Williams. I don't want your heart, I'm only interested in your body," she purred. I knew she was at least tipsy then. Lt. Carma Anderson was not the kind of woman who could say that without alcoholic lubrication. I considered my options. I had been alone for a long damn time. This was supposed to be one of the happiest days of my life. Colonization was no longer a threat. The bastard conspirators were either in jail or dead. Why did I feel bereft? "That's all it could ever be for me, Carma. Sex." "I understand," she said soberly. "It's been a long time," I smiled. "How does a man approach a beautiful woman these days?" "I like the direct approach. Your place or mine?" she said impishly. I pulled her closer and we finished the rest of the dance. When it was over we left the ballroom and went back to my hotel. CHAPTER XXVI JANUARY 21, 2001 OAKLAND HILLS, CA 1:30 A.M. Regan Jeffries did not ask her friend Liz a single question all the way back to her house in the Oakland Hills. She wanted to give Liz the space she knew she needed to sort through whatever had happened at their party. Regan prayed that Daniel hadn't made an overt play for Olivia Morgan, the new surgeon on his staff, in front of Liz. Daniel's indiscretions were well known by everyone except Liz, and he was careful to keep Liz away from anyone brash enough to tell her. If that was the reason Liz had called, she would be surprised. Regan didn't think that Liz would be this distraught about discovering Daniel's infidelity. This was major. She hadn't seen Liz this upset since the first days of her therapy. They climbed the circular stairway from the garage up to the main living area. Regan started to turn on a light but Liz stopped her. "Please don't," she said. "I ... I want to talk and I think it would be easier in the dark." "All right, Liz," Regan said as she removed her coat. "Dana." "What?" "My real name is Dana Scully," she sat down heavily on the couch without removing her coat. She couldn't share her last name, even with her good friend Regan. She didn't know if she was a Mulder any longer after seeing him at the Inaugural Ball with another woman. "Oh, my God, Liz ... Dana, you regained your memories!" Regan was astonished. The odds against her friend remembering her past after all these years were astounding, but she had beaten them. "Do you remember how you lost your memory? Tell me everything!" "Regan, I honestly want to tell you everything, but I have a splitting headache and I need to sleep." Dana rubbed her temples. "Do you think we could wait until morning to talk?" "Of course ... Dana." She laughed and said, "It certainly is going to be difficult to use your real name after all this time." Dana Scully smiled at the woman who had been her one true friend since the day she regained awareness in the hospital. "Thanks, Regan. I owe you one or a hundred." "Do you need anything for your headache?" Regan asked. "No, I don't think I do. I'm going to take one of the sleeping pills the doctor prescribed for me. With everything that's happened tonight, I need to sleep desperately." "Sure, Dana." She picked up the large suitcase and carried it down the hall. "You can stay in Sarah's room tonight. She's visiting my mother for a few days." Regan switched on the bedside lamp and flipped down the spread. She placed the suitcase on the luggage rack by the window and turned back to her friend. "If you need anything, I'm just down the hall on the left." "Thanks, Regan," Dana whispered. Regan squeezed her hand and left her friend alone. She would take a sleeping pill herself if she didn't know that her boys would be up in just a few hours demanding attention. She was bristling with curiosity but knew she had to wait until later to have it satisfied. ***** By noon the next day Regan's questions were answered. Dana gave her the abridged version of her story, leaving out the part about Mulder and seeing him at the Inaugural Ball. Dana had been up earlier than she anticipated. She scanned the papers, looking for his name as a guest at the Watergate Celebration, but had not found a Fox Mulder listed. She decided to check the Internet coverage of the Inauguration for pictures and articles. She finally found out why Mulder's name was not mentioned anywhere. He had changed his name to D. K. Williams and he was the Director of the Homeland Anti-Terrorist Commission. The irony of the name did not escape her. She decided to keep his secret after she found an obituary for Fox William Mulder dated December 24, 1995. "Daniel knew who you were all along?" Regan repeated this question for the fourth time since their conversation began. "Yes," Dana sighed. She knew it was difficult for Regan to believe that anyone, even Daniel, could perpetrate such a heinous masquerade for years. But he had. Regan stared out the window, trying to digest her story. Finally she asked, "What are you going to do now?" "About Daniel?" "Not him, he's not worthy of another thought. I was thinking about your family, your husband?" "My husband died on December 24, 1995 in an automobile accident," Dana stated flatly. If Mulder wanted to start over, he must have had his reasons. "Oh, honey! I'm sorry," Regan cooed as she rose to give Dana a hug. "Thanks, Regan, I'm still reeling from the news." "Well, what about your family? Your mother and father will be ecstatic to learn that you're alive." "Yeah, if I can find them," she grimaced. "They've moved?" "Yes. I tried to call their old number but it's now a dry cleaners. I tried all the Baltimore area codes, but they're not listed." Regan considered this piece of information for a moment then brightened, "What about your brothers and sister? Do you have any way of knowing where to begin looking for them?" "Not Melissa, she never had the same telephone number from year to year. Charlie, maybe, not Bill. He's in the Navy and moves around just like Dad did before he retired." "Well, there you go. I'll bet that your mom and dad are living somewhere near one of your siblings and their grandchildren. Have you tried the internet?" "Yes, I've tried everything I could think of except ..." "Except?" she prodded. "Except for contacting the FBI and, well, I do remember the number of some friends of mine in D.C. that could probably track down my family." "Why haven't you called them?" she asked as she picked up the phone and handed it to Dana. "I wanted to try everything else before I contacted them. They're a little ... different." "Are they informants? Criminals?" she asked as her eyes widened in surprise. "Criminals? No!" Scully chuckled. "Certifiable Paranoiacs, maybe but not actual criminals." "Well, try them. It couldn't hurt, could it?" Regan urged. "All right," Dana said as she dialed their number from memory. "The Silver Bullet," Byers' concise voice answered the phone. Dana hesitated, tears clogging her throat. "Is someone there?" Byers politely asked again. "John?" Dana said. "Suzanne?" was his shocked reply. "No, Byers, it's ... it's Dana." She hiccupped. "Who is this?" Byers hissed. Dana could hear Frohike and Langly in the background questioning Byers. She cleared her throat and said with more authority, "Byers, it's Scully. Turn off the tape." "Scully? Is it really you?" The click of the speakerphone let her know they were all listening. "Frohike? Langly? It's Dana Scully. Oh God, I can't believe you still have the same number after all these years." She was smiling through her tears. "My God, Scully! Where have you been?" "Is it really you?" "Where are you now?" Their questions bombarded her. "Guys, please, I'll tell you everything, but I need a favor right now." "Anything, Scully. Anything for you," Frohike's voice broke with emotion. "Wait, how do we know it's really Scully?" Byers voice of reason prevailed. "It's me, John. I was kidnapped by Duane Barry on October 13, 1994 and my memory was wiped. I've been living in San Francisco since early 1996. If you want to see a picture of me, I suppose you could find a picture of my engagement to Daniel Waterston in the San Francisco Chronicle on December 15, 1996. I was watching the Inauguration yesterday, and my memory came back when I saw a picture of Spender on a news bulletin." "My God! You got married again?" Langly's voice registered outrage. "What about Mulder?" "I didn't know who I was, Langly. As far as I knew, I was Mary Elizabeth Smith, amnesiac. I had no memories of anyone left," she whispered. "Scully, of course you didn't. You said you needed our help?" Frohike's kind voice spoke up. "I can't find my mother and father. Could you get their telephone number for me? I don't know where they live." "What about Mulder?" Langly interjected again. "I found his obituary, Langly. I know that my husband, Fox Mulder, is dead," she said flatly. "Scully, this will take a little time, can we call you back?" Byers interjected. "Sure. I'm staying with a friend, Regan Jeffries. Her number is 205-555-4832," she offered. "We knew that," Langly blurted. "Please, check out the photo and get back to me with my parents address and phone number. I don't want to make them suffer for one minute longer." Dana Scully hung up the phone and looked at her friend Regan. "Well, I've unleashed the bloodhounds," she smiled sadly. "What happens now?" Regan asked. "We wait. It shouldn't take long. They'll need to check out the photo through the newspaper archives and set up a search for my parents' phone number. They'll call when they're satisfied that I am not a spy or a plant." "Who would want to do that?" Regan laughed. "Right." Dana joined her. "Whoever would want to pretend to be me?" ***** Within the hour a florist's van pulled up at Regan's house and had a personal delivery for Dana Scully. The deliveryman's insistence that he would not release the flowers to anyone other than Dana Scully herself let her know that they were from the Gunmen. She signed the electronic pad and smiled at the deliveryman. He nodded his head and handed her the flowers. They were her favorites, bachelor's buttons and Shasta daisies. She hoped that the feed for the mini-cam got her good side. "Thanks guys," she said as she shut the door in the surprised face of the deliveryman. ***** Fifteen minutes later, the phone rang. Regan was closest and answered it automatically. She handed it to Dana with a smile on her face. "It's for you, 'Scully'." "Thanks." "Scully, my goodness it was wonderful to see you," Byers gentle voice echoed on the speakerphone connection. "Thank you, John," she replied. "I'm sorry about doubting you," he began. "John," she interrupted. "That's okay. I would have been upset by anything less than your usual thorough investigation. How did you get the flowers here so fast?" she teased. "We have connections, Scully," Frohike said, pompously. "Always, Frohike! Now, what have your connections done about finding my family?" "Scully, do you have access to a computer, an e-mail account?" Langly asked. She could hear him typing over the phone line as they spoke. She looked at Regan and she nodded back at her as she grabbed a pencil and paper and wrote down her personal e-mail address. "Yes," Dana said and read the address to the guys. "Just let me finish this up and I'll be e-mailing you a list of all the addresses and telephone numbers of your family members. I've also attached a map on how to get to their homes and a schedule for the next flights out to each location," Langly offered. "Thanks guys," she laughed. "I knew I could count on you. I can't wait to talk to my mom and dad." "Uh, Scully ... not everyone made it all this time," Byers said cryptically. She immediately thought of Mulder's obituary and sighed. "I understand. Thanks, I owe you." "Hey Scully, all you owe us is a visit and a full account of what happened to you. Glad you're back," Frohike coughed. "Ditto," Langly said. "Goodbye, Dana. Good luck." "Goodbye guys. I'll talk to you soon." She hung up and looked at her friend. "That's it?" Regan asked incredulously. "One phone call and they've got everything you need to know about your family?" "Yes, that's it," Dana smiled. "Who are these guys? Should I change my phone number now?" she teased, half seriously. "No, they're harmless. Let's see if the e-mail is here yet." By the time Regan's system booted up, the e-mail was there. Dana opened it and gasped. "Oh, no," she moaned. "What? Honey, what's wrong?" "They hinted that not everyone was alive, but I didn't expect it to be my father!" Dana cried. "No! Oh, Dana! How awful for you." Dana Scully opened the attachment with her father's name on it. She read his obituary, silently weeping. "He's been dead since the Christmas after my kidnapping," she sobbed. "It's all my fault!" "Dana," Regan switched into professional mode. "You cannot blame yourself for things that happened while you were suffering from amnesia. Your father's death could have happened even if you were standing next to him." She hugged her friend. "I know you've been through a lot lately, and this is another blow on top of a huge shock, but you have to remember the good parts." She handed Dana a tissue and said, "You still have your mother and both of your brothers and your sister. I'll bet you have even more nieces and nephews by now." Dana's tears slowed and she nodded. "I know you're right, but I need to digest this news before I find out any more. My father and I were close. I need to accept this before I speak to the rest of my family." "Why don't you lie down for a while, Dana?" Regan suggested. "You didn't get much rest last night." "I think I will. Thanks, Regan." Dana signed off the computer and left the room. Regan Jeffries watched her friend walk down the hall to her room. 'How much more heartache can one woman bear?' she thought. CHAPTER XXVII JANUARY 21, 2001 WASHINGTON, D.C. 5:45 P.M. The three men stared at one another after Dana Scully hung up the phone. Langly flicked the switch to hang up at their end. "Well," Frohike said. "Well, indeed," repeated Byers. They sat in silence for a few moments contemplating Scully's story. "Are we gonna call Mulder?" Langly asked. "Of course," Frohike said. "Why?" Byers interrupted. "What do you mean, 'Why?'," Frohike looked at his friend in surprise. "She said she knew Fox Mulder was dead," Byers pointed out. "But that doesn't mean she wouldn't want him to know she was back if he were alive," Langly said reasonably. "She's just spent almost five years as another man's wife. How do you think Mulder's going to react to that?" Byers asked. "Yeah," Frohike mused. "And she didn't mention the baby." "Maybe she doesn't remember the baby." The three men silently contemplated the problem of Scully for several minutes. "I vote we tell Mulder. She's his wife and he has a right to know what's going on," Frohike said. "I think we should at least tell him that she called and let him decide what to do," Langly concurred. "I don't know. He's got a lot going on right now with the clean up of the Consortium around the world," Byers felt compelled to say. Frohike stared at him a moment and said, "Do YOU want to tell him why we didn't let him know about Scully right away?" Byers stared back and him then swallowed, loudly. "No, I vote we call him." "Hey, hey, hey!" Langly said, backing off. "I didn't say anything about a call. I vote we e-mail him. Let him cool off before he charges in here." All three men nodded and Langly turned back to the keyboard. ***** I was still sweating like a pig by the time I got back to my room. I hadn't slept last night after the fiasco with Lt. Anderson. When was I going to learn to stay away from alcohol and women? I took a shower and dressed casually. I was monitoring the clean up of the Wild Fox strike from my laptop and cell phone. I had trained my staff well, and only the large emergencies needed my attention. I sat down at the computer and opened my e-mail account. I was surprised to see an encrypted message from the Guys. Within five minutes I was out the door and on my way to their headquarters. ***** Scully was alive! If Scully had survived, did that mean our baby ...? I halted that thought before it was completed. I didn't want to push my luck by asking for too much. First, I had to make sure this really was Scully and then I could find out the answers to my questions. I pounded on the door to their offices and waited an eternity. Each lock that was opened seemed to take a year. I rushed into the main office, not even looking at who opened the door. Langly sidled by me to stand by his friends as I glared at them. "Well?" I hissed. "It's true, Mulder. She called about two hours ago, asking for our help to find her family." Byers always was the brave one. "And?" I waited. "And we gave her the information she asked for. We saved it for you, Mulder." Langly spoke up. "Did she ... did she ask about me?" I growled. "She said that she knew Fox William Mulder was dead, but ..." Frohike began. My glare must have scared him because he swallowed hard before continuing. "I think she knows that you're still alive. She was watching the Inauguration Ceremonies last night and saw a news broadcast about Spender's arrest. That's what triggered her memory." "So?" "I caught your picture at the Watergate Ball last night, Mulder. Chances are if I did, she did too. Scully's smart. She would never blow your cover, and I'm sure she knows we'd call you if you were alive." I nodded, relaxing slightly. "Thanks guys, can I see what you have now?" They played the tapes of the phone calls for me. They brought up the images from the mini-cam the florist used. It was Scully. God! She looked more beautiful than ever. As I was reading the print out of the e-mail, Langly's computer buzzed. "I ... uh ... I set up a trigger to ring when she called an airline or logged on from the computer where she's staying," he admitted. "What's happening?" I asked. "She ... uh, she's booked two flights to San Diego. That's where her mom is living now. She's rented a car and a hotel room near her mom's house using a credit card issued to Regan Jeffries." Langly shrugged. "I thought you would want to know." "Thanks," I said shortly. I wasn't sure how I felt about these three keeping tabs on Scully's movements. "Did she call her mother before she booked the flight?" "No, she's not called anyone. She's probably still pretty torn up by Captain Scully's death," Byers said. I groaned. I had been so tied up in my own misery that I hadn't even known her father had died. Poor Maggie. Oh God, poor Scully! She had been through so much, only to find out about her father's death like this. "Do we have free operatives in the area?" I asked. "What are you thinking, Mulder?" Byers questioned. "I can't just show up there right now. I was thinking I could have someone check things out," I said. "Spy on her, you mean?" Frohike huffed. "Why don't you just fly out there and let her know that you're alive?" All three of them turned and looked at me, waiting for an answer. "I can't leave Washington right now. I promised the President that I would stick around until the clean up is done on Operation Wild Fox," I paused. "By the way, which one of you do I have to thank for that code name?" I glared at them, but they all gave me their 'who me?' expressions. I grunted my disbelief but continued. "I'm going to tell you three something I've not shared with anyone but Richard. When the cleanup of this operation is done, I'm going to resign." "Mulder! You can't! The President needs you!" "No, Jason Whiting will be a fine leader for the Commission and he's a great supporter of the President," I assured them. "Are you retiring because Scully surfaced?" Frohike asked. "No, but that is a plus," I grinned. "I gave my resignation to Richard earlier today. I've done what I set out to do." We stood there quietly for a few minutes thinking of the huge undertaking we had tackled and accomplished. "Well, I guess I could get a team together and have them tape the reunion. Scully will probably want to kill us if she ever finds out, but we have available men in the area," Frohike finally said. "Do it!" I ordered. "But, Mulder?" Byers interjected. "Aren't you going to let her know you're alive?" "She knows I'm alive. I could tell by her voice that she saw me and knew I was using a different name. I'm sure she'll contact me when she's ready, but I want ... I need to see her reunited with her mother." I nodded to them and left. I was sure they would take care of everything. CHAPTER XXVIII JANUARY 21, 2001 OAKLAND HILLS, CA 4:18 P.M. Dana Scully paced as her friend Regan Jeffries sat on the bed watching her. "Should I call first? Or should I just fly down there?" she asked for the tenth time. "What do you think? Which would be better? I don't want to scare her to death!" she said and then laughed nervously. "Dana, calm down. Let's think about this," Regan soothed. "Okay. Okay. I'm calm." She sat down and took a deep breath. "Why don't I call her, as your doctor of course, and prepare her. I could tell her that you'd been working to regain your memories and had a breakthrough. You could make the next move without having it be such a huge surprise." "Regan, you're a genius. Okay, call." "Now?" Regan chuckled. "Yes, I can't stand it another minute," Dana laughed. "Okay, here goes." "No! Wait. I'm going to go down there and check into a motel first. Then you can call her from here and we won't have to wait to see one another." "Are you sure this time?" Dana Scully nodded her head. "Yes. I'm sure." She walked over to the computer and pulled up the airline schedule Langly had sent her. Regan watched her decisive movements slow and come to a complete halt. She moved to her friend's side. "Dana, what's wrong?" She turned a tear stained face towards her friend. "I ...," she sniffed. "I can't book a flight or rent a room and car." "Of course you can!" Regan said supportively. "No, you don't understand," Dana sobbed. "I don't have any money. Everything was Daniel's." "Oh, my God, Dana! Surely you have your own credit card or some cash put aside?" Regan was shocked. Dana shook her head and said, "No, Daniel said ..." "Of course he did!" Regan spat. She marched out of the room and quickly returned with her Visa card. "Here, use mine." "I don't know when I can pay you back," Dana whispered. "You already are, Hon." Regan hugged her. "You got your memories back and now that I know you were a doctor, well ..." she teased. Dana smiled at her friend. She would pay this woman back every cent she owed her, but she knew that her friendship, offered so freely, was priceless. "While you're at it, why don't you make that trip for two, that is, if you wouldn't mind if an old friend tagged along for support?" Dana flashed her a grin of thanks and turned back to the computer. She booked their flights, a rental car and a motel room near her mother's home. She logged off and turned back to Regan. She was pale and shaky. "I did it. Our plane leaves in three hours." CHAPTER XXIX FEBRAURY 11, 2001 WASHINGTON, D.C. AREA I worked for the next two weeks without a break. I took short naps on the couch in my office, ate what was brought to me, showered in my en suite. The wrap up of Operation Wild Fox was an all-consuming challenge. No one could be allowed to escape. All the participants of the Consortium, from the janitors to the leaders had to be rounded up and arrested. Fortunately, their alien co-conspirators were not willing to leave too many of their human contacts alive. I knew it sounded cold- blooded to wish death on anyone, but every individual killed by the aliens as they left the planet was another criminal who didn't make it to an already crowded penal system. The contacts Jason and I had made in the various governments all over the world were working night and day with our teams to clean up the mess left by the abdication of our planet by the aliens. Many of the financial decisions had already been made, but any operation of this scope had its unexpected challenges. Who was going to take responsibility for the clean up of the partially developed clones found in Philadelphia? Who would provide homes for the hordes of little children found in the orphanage left abandoned by the aliens? These children were all dying now that their special medication was no longer available. Who would take care of them? Who would bury them? Who would be responsible for the hundreds of young girls and boys found on Canadian farms, growing what appeared to be alien plant life? How could hundreds of identical young girls be explained? Or hundreds of identical young men? What would the residents of the world think when the scope of this operation was revealed to them? Would there be mass hysteria? Suicides? Revolts? All these questions were still to be answered by individual leaders all over the world. I suppose I should have cared. I did, in a way. I had completed my portion of this operation. I had brought down the alien conspiracy. I was not willing to involve myself in the politics of the clean up. I continued to work with my teams, conceding all of the political decisions to Jason and his staff. I gently withdrew from the administration limelight and allowed my successors to take power. The third week after the strike I turned in my resignation to Richard and disappeared. My five suitcases and a huge bank account was all I owned in the world. I had checked out of the Watergate the day I found out Scully was alive. I needed to concentrate on the clean up and didn't want to waste a moment of my time in transit. I got a cab to the Gunmen's complex from my office. They had everything I needed ready there, a loaded laptop, an untraceable cell phone, several sets of false identities and a set of DVDs with all the information about Scully and her reunion with her family downloaded on them. I said my goodbyes and got another cab to a used car lot where I bought an old Dodge pickup with a shell for cash and headed west. CHAPTER XXX FEBRUARY 10, 2001 THE HOME OF MARGARET SCULLY, SAN DIEGO, CA 7:00 P.M. "Dana, I thought I heard someone out here," Maggie Scully touched her daughter on the shoulder as she sat down next to her. "I needed a few minutes alone," Dana smiled at her. Maggie Scully slid her hand into Dana's. She had always been an affectionate mother to all her children, but since Dana's return, she had been extremely tactile with her. Dana supposed that Maggie was afraid that she was going to disappear again. That wasn't going to ever be a problem again if what she read in the newspapers about the fall of the Consortium was true. "Do you want to join us for coffee and dessert?" Maggie offered. "No, I needed some time. I ..." Dana shrugged. "I was just enjoying the night." "Do you want to talk?" Maggie offered. When her daughter didn't say no, she continued, "Dana, I know that you said that you needed time to sort through all that's happened to you ..." Maggie hesitated. "It's been over two weeks and you still haven't told us who took you or why you were taken." Dana stared at the stars and didn't reply. "Are you in danger of being taken again?" Maggie asked. "No. It's over. I'm safe now." "I know that Fox's death was a blow to you," Maggie softly said. Dana watched her mother struggle with her next question. She knew what it was going to be. She just didn't know how she was going to answer it. "Dana, do you remember that you were pregnant when you were kidnapped?" "Yes," she whispered. Maggie hesitated but decided to ask the question that had been on her mind for two weeks, the question that had preceded the argument that had driven her daughter out here to get away. "Do you know what happened to the baby?" Tears rolled down Dana's face and she nodded. "Oh, no!" Maggie groaned. "Did they, did they murder the baby?" "No! Mom! Nothing like that. They ..." She cleared her throat before going on. "They took the baby as soon as he was born. I didn't even get to touch him." "Oh Dana! A boy? How did you know? How will you ever find him?" "He was definitely all boy. I caught a glimpse of him before he was taken out of the room and they ... they took away my mind." "But how did you know? That it was a boy, I mean?" Maggie asked, stunned. "I saw him on the warming table as they were cleaning him up. He squirted pee on one of them and that's how I knew he was a boy." Dana smiled through her tears at the memory. "Oh, Dana! What are you going to do? You'll probably never see him again," Maggie sobbed. "What kind of life has that poor child had?" "Don't cry, Mom. I'm sure he's had a very happy life with a loving parents and lots of relatives to love him." "Dana! How could you know that? After all they did to you, why would you think that they took such good care of your child?" Maggie was shocked by Dana's words. "Mom ..." Dana hesitated. She didn't want to withhold the truth from her mother any longer. "I know that my son was brought up with love because ..." "Dana!" Bill Scully interrupted her from the shadows. "I thought we agreed not to discuss this any further tonight." He walked over to stand by Dana. "Billy? Whatever are you talking about?" Maggie looked from one of her children to the other. "No Bill, you told me not to tell Mom, but I'm tired of all these lies." Dana took both of her mother's hands in hers. "Dana, so far you've not told any lies. Don't change that now," he said darkly. Dana glared at her brother. She had not told any lies to anyone, but felt that keeping quiet about the truth was a lie of omission. "Mom, I know that my son has had a happy life because..." "Dana! I forbid this!" Bill moved forward to step between Dana and Maggie. Dana's surprise quickly gave way to anger. "You forbid! You have no right to forbid me to tell our mother the truth!" Dana surged to her feet and spat, "Who do you think you are, God?" "I'm the head of this family and I said that you are not to discuss this matter with anyone! Do you understand?" Bill towered over his sister, trying to use his size and presence to intimidate her. "Bill!" Maggie stood and pushed him away from Dana. "Stop this right now. I am the head of this family, William Scully Jr., and don't you forget it. If Dana knows what happened to her baby, I have a right to know." She wrapped her arm around Dana's shoulder. Bill glared at his mother and sister. "All right. Go ahead Dana, tell her your version of what happened." He stepped back and crossed his arms. Dana closed her eyes to gather her strength, but her mother's soft squeeze of encouragement gave her the strength to tell her what she now knew to be the truth. "My son has had a good life because he's been right here. The same men who kidnapped me and took my son are the ones that arranged for Bill and Tara to adopt William." Maggie Scully closed her eyes. William was Dana's son, Dana and Fox's son. She wondered at how easy it was to accept as the truth. Had she always known this somehow? She had a dark thought and turned quickly towards Bill. "Did you know this all along?" Bill shook his head, but would not look her in the eye. "How long? How long did you know, Bill?" she persisted. Bill would not lie to her, but he obviously was not telling her the entire truth. He glared at Dana and said, "I've known since he was two." "That long?" He nodded. "How? How did you find out?" "When Charlie's little boy, Frankie, had leukemia, the base doctor type matched all the members of the family for bone marrow donations. They automatically included William. They didn't know he was adopted. He was the second best match after Charlie. It made some things come together in my mind and I had a paternity test done on William with me as the possible father." "Bill! You were worried because you had been unfaithful to Tara?" Maggie's shocked statement made him wince. "No, Mom, never, but I thought that if he was a Scully, at least they'd be able to tell by the match to some of my genes. Dana's not the only Scully with brains you know?" "Bill, I'm sorry. I was just shocked by your line of thought." "That's okay, Mom," he nodded. "So, they told you that you weren't the father, but he was a Scully," Dana prodded. "Yeah, something like that. He wasn't mine but he was related to me. Since Charlie and Rebecca have been together forever, that left Melissa or Dana. I knew Dana had been pregnant when she disappeared and I put two and two together." "Does Tara know?" Maggie asked. Bill shook his head. "No, I couldn't tell her. By that time she had Keith and William to take care of. She was still upset about Frankie's illness." "Why didn't you tell me? You know I've grieved over the loss of Dana's child for years." "I couldn't say it out loud, Mom. I was afraid of losing him. He's ... my son and I was afraid someone would take him away if they thought I knew the truth." Maggie nodded in understanding. She looked back at Dana and asked, "How did you know William was yours?" Dana stared at her mother. How could she not know? Her first glimpse of her son flashed through her mind. CHAPTER XXXI JANUARY 22, 2001 SAN DIEGO HILTON, ROOM OF DANA SCULLY 10:30 A.M. Regan had helped her through her first meeting with her mother. They had talked and cried for hours, tears of joy and tears of sorrow. They had met at the hotel, but the two women checked out and moved to Maggie's house for the night. Regan had stayed one more day, and then left to go back to Oakland. She had made Dana promise to call her if she needed anything. She offered Dana a debit card and told her to consider it a gift. Dana accepted it only after Regan agreed to consider it a loan. Maggie put an end to the entire conversation when she told Dana that she had saved every cent from Dana's estate for the possible return of her daughter or grandchild. Regan left, assured that her friend would be all right emotionally and financially. ***** Maggie had called the entire family that night. Her joy at Dana's return was matched by all her siblings. The entire family was going to converge at Maggie's home the next weekend. Dana and Maggie had spent the week catching up. Dana told her mother about her life since her disappearance. Maggie was shocked by Daniel's perfidy. She had never approved of Dana's relationship with the married doctor previously. Now she knew she'd had good reason to doubt his character. As the weekend drew closer, Dana's unease increased. She was vaguely scared about seeing her siblings for the first time in all these years but couldn't verbalize to herself or her mother why she felt as she did. CHAPTER XXXII JANUARY 27, 2001 HOME OF MARGARET SCULLY, SAN DIEGO, CA 10:00 A.M. Maggie had filled Dana in on all the names of her nieces and nephews, but seeing the entire family in person was overwhelming. Dana had tried to memorize the information before their arrival. Melissa was a single mom with a two-year old daughter named Katherine Margaret. Katherine's father was not in the picture, so Dana didn't have to worry about remembering his name. Charlie and Rebecca had added a little girl to their family since she'd been gone. The boys, Devon age seven, Frank, age nine and Christopher, age eleven now had a baby sister, Clarissa, aged three. Bill and Tara had started later than the others but made up for it in sheer numbers. They had not been able to conceive a child for the first six years of their marriage. However, as soon as they had adopted William, Tara became pregnant. Their second son, Keith was born just 11 months after William's arrival. Practically every year since then they had added to the number, so their stair-step family now consisted of William, six; Keith, five; twin girls Kathleen and Elizabeth, three; and Mary Margaret, eighteen months old. With twin boys on the way, Tara Scully was the quintessential mother-earth figure. Melissa was the first one there, then Charlie and Rebecca and their brood, then Bill and Tara and their five children. Dana had been apprehensive at first, but the loving greeting from Melissa and Charlie and their families had helped put her at ease. She had not expected the underlying hostility of Bill's greeting. He had stood between her and his children like a pit bull until Tara had pushed past him and given Dana a big hug. "Dana! We were so surprised but happy to hear that you're back. I wanted to come over right away, but Bill was on call and we couldn't leave the base." Tara smiled as she hugged Dana. "Come, meet the horde." Dana had smiled and gently greeted each of their children until only William was left. He had held back, waiting politely for his turn to be introduced, wearing his Spiderman Mask and holding his favorite action figure of his hero. "Liam! Take off that mask and say hello to your Aunt Dana," Tara admonished before turning her attention back to the others. Dana smiled down at Bill's oldest son. He was taller than his siblings and lanky. He moved forward to stand in front of this new Aunt and held out his Spiderman action figure for her inspection. Dana squatted down to his level and spoke quietly to the young boy. "Is Spiderman your favorite?" He nodded. "Mine too, but they didn't have cool stuff like this when I was a little girl." Liam cocked is head as if considering her words carefully before speaking. "Poppa Billy said they didn't have dolls for boys back then. He said all they had was something called a GI Joe, and army men for real war game simulations." His voice was husky, his words were well thought out and carefully pronounced. Dana laughed and whispered, "GI Joe was just a doll for boys, Liam. And your father had a whole toy box full." She reached up to help him pull the costume mask from his head. The boy leaned forward so that she could get a better grip and laughed. "That's what Momma T said, too." She pulled the mask off and ruffled his hair, "There you go." Liam looked directly into her eyes and said, "Thanks." Dana felt her world tilt. She stared at her brother's adopted son for a long moment before looking at her brother. Bill's glare had intensified and his feelings were clear when he shook his head slightly before she could ask the question that screamed through her mind. William was the image of a young Fox Mulder, with Scully blue eyes. His dark hair was thick and unruly. His nose was just like Mulder's was when he was a child. His lips were shaped exactly like Mulder's. This was her son. She looked at her mother and sister, expecting them to realize the truth, but no one seemed to make the connection. No one, except Bill. "Why do you call your parents 'Momma T' and 'Poppa Billy'?" she asked. The boy shrugged and considered her words for a moment before answering. "I don't know. After they told me I was adopted, it just seemed right." He shrugged again. "Maybe I'll meet my birth mother and father some day and they'll want to be Mom and Dad," he muttered. "Do you know who they are?" Dana whispered back. "No, I'm not supposed to talk about them until I'm 18." "Why?" Dana's surprise forced her to ask. The boy hesitated for a moment before answering. He leaned in close to his new Aunt Dana and said, "Momma T's feelings get hurt when I ask, and Poppa Billy gets mad. They said I had to wait until I was an adult." "Do you think you can wait that long?" Dana teased. "I don't think it's going to be that long at all," Liam answered solemnly. "Why?" Dana could resist asking even though Bill was more and more agitated by their whispered conversation. "Because of the dreams ..." "William!" Bill barked. "Yes, sir?" the boy answered right away. "Help your mother get the other kids into the house while I unload the car," Bill Scully ordered. The boy gave him a quizzical look but said easily, "Sure! Come on guys, let's go find some cookies." Dana watched the gentle way Liam had with the younger children with tears in her eyes. So responsible, so gentle, so like Mulder. She turned back to talk to Bill about the boy, but Melissa snagged her arm and dragged her into the house. ***** No one noticed the plumber's van across the street, but the occupants of the van were hard at work. They switched the external feed to the interior ones, working hard to concentrate on Dana Scully and her interactions with her family. Orders for this information had come down from the top and they wanted to do their best work. CHAPTER XXXIII FEBRUARY 13, 2001 SAN DIEGO HILTON, ROOM OF GEORGE HALE 1:00 P.M. I booted up the computer and inserted the DVD from the surveillance team. I had mixed feelings about watching Scully in the privacy of her mother's home, but I had to know what was going on. I put the headphones on. I didn't want anyone to hear this but me. I clicked play and watched in fascination as the entire brood of Scully's converged on Maggie's house. The team had done a good job of focusing on Scully. Her every word was captured. I was captivated when she knelt down to help Bill's oldest son get his Spiderman mask off. She looked so happy. The boy had his back to me, but I could see Scully's face as she looked at him. The pain that flashed across her features twisted my gut. Her look towards Bill surprised me. I wanted to see this boy. What was there about him that shocked Scully? When Bill barked at the kid he finally turned around so that I could get a look at him. It was me at that age. This was my son. Scully knew it and if I wasn't mistaken, so did Bill. I watched the rest of the DVD completely fascinated by the interaction of the Scullys. The conversation on the patio was especially enlightening. CHAPTER XXXIV FEBRUARY 10, 2001 THE HOME OF MARGARET SCULLY, SAN DIEGO, CA 8:00 P.M. "I knew as soon as I saw him, Mom. Except for the color of his eyes, he is the image of Mulder at that age." Maggie looked from Dana to Bill. "Bill, why didn't you want Dana to talk about this to the rest of the family?" Maggie was losing her temper with this overbearing son of hers. "There's nothing to talk about. He's ours. Mine and Tara's. We've raised him from the time he was three months old. Dana gave up all rights to him when he went up for adoption." "William Scully! How can you say that? Liam was taken from Dana, against her wishes," Maggie stated. "Was he?" Bill growled. "What?" Dana spat. "Was he taken away, or did you give him up for adoption when you found out that Mulder was two-timing you with another woman?" Bill stated this calmly. "Bill what are you talking about?" Maggie gasped. "After I got the DNA report, I petitioned the court to see the adoption records." He turned towards Dana and glared at her but seemed puzzled by her look of amazement. "I saw your signature, Dana. I saw the letter you left for William to read when he was 18. I didn't believe that you could do something so cowardly. But you did. You left Mulder because you found out that he was seeing another woman, probably that Fowley person he died with, and you gave up your son at birth because you didn't want to be tied to him for life." Dana Scully stared at her brother as if realizing for the first time that he believed the load of crap he had just spouted. "Bill, I want you to listen very carefully," Dana said calmly. "I was kidnapped by an ex-FBI agent named Duane Barry. I was held captive in an eight by ten foot cell for seven months. I saw no one. I spoke to no one. I was given food through a slot in the door. I believe they gassed me several times to examine me during my pregnancy. When I went into labor I was drugged and came to only during the last minutes of my labor. I was restrained, on the delivery table in five-point restraints with my legs bound to the stirrups. At no time was I allowed to hold my baby. I caught a glimpse of him just before they gave me an injection that caused me to loose consciousness." Bill's expression did not change during the entire explanation. "The next thing I remember was becoming aware of my surroundings in the psychiatric ward of Our Lady of Saints Hospital in San Francisco. I was diagnosed as being in a catatonic state at first, but as the drugs wore off in my system, I slowly became aware of my surroundings. Some of this I remember, some is from the files that are part of the hospital records that my friend and doctor, Regan Jeffries, let me read during my convalescence. "I have proof, Bill. I can produce records from the FBI, the hospital, and the San Francisco police department that prove my story. At no time," she said and took a shuddering breath. "At no time in my past would I have had any reason to leave Fox Mulder, and I can assure you, if there was such a letter in my handwriting, it was done while I was drugged and not with my consent." "What about the years since then? Why didn't you try to find your baby?" Bill asked. "I did," Dana said with a sigh. "The records are there, at the police department. As soon as I had recovered enough to realize that I'd had a baby, I filed a missing persons report. Without any memory of the birth, without even knowing if the baby was a girl or a boy, the police were unable to help me." "You said that you married another man and lived with him until a few days ago? How could you do that, Dana?" "Bill," she sighed. "If you had been listening to me the past few days ..." She started again, detailing the events that led to the return of her memory. As she spoke the look of disbelief on Bill's face melted. He sat down heavily, as if unable to stand against the onslaught of emotions any longer. "What are you going to do about William?" he looked up at her and asked finally. Dana and Maggie sat down. "Dana?" her mother asked. "I ... I don't know. I want him to know that I'm his mother, how much I love him, but I don't know if that's what would be best for him." "You know it isn't," Bill interjected. "He belongs with his family." "I am his family, Bill," she said quietly. "A boy needs his father, Dana. You know that." Bill stated firmly. "Yes, a boy needs his father," Dana mused. "Then it's settled." Bill stood up. "What? Nothing is settled!" "What do you mean? You said William needs his father ..." Bill said. "Yes, William does need his father and he certainly loves you, Bill. But why do you think he calls you Poppa Billy?" Dana asked. "Why ... it's ... it's just a phase he's going through. He started it when we told him he was adopted," Bill blustered. "Why did you tell him about his adoption?" Dana asked. Bill shrugged, "He's a smart boy. After the twins were born he heard some of our friends talking about the difference between him and our other children, you know, his dark hair and the blondes and redheads of the others." Dana nodded. "Well, he put things together and asked us outright. We told him the truth. I didn't want to tell him until he was older, but I wasn't going to lie to him." "I appreciate that much at least, Bill." "Thanks." "Bill, that's not the entire story," Maggie spoke up. Both her children looked at her and Maggie continued, "He's always called you Billy. From the time he was old enough to speak. The Poppa Billy was a compromise, if I remember, when Keith began talking. You didn't want him to call you Billy too." Bill frowned as he nodded. "Bill, are you aware that William dreams of his other parents?" Dana gently asked. "What? How would you know that?" "He mentioned it when we first met." Dana shrugged and then continued, "But you've kept him away from me since then and I haven't got to talk to him about it further." "Dana!" Maggie interjected. "It's true, Mom," Bill admitted. "Well," Maggie stated. "What ever you decide to do about William doesn't have to be settled tonight. It's late and all the kids will be up early in the morning." "I'm going to check back into a hotel, Mom. I need some time to think about what I should do." "Dana you don't have to leave," Maggie began. "Yes, I think I do," she smiled sadly and walked back into the house. CHAPTER XXXV FEBRUARY 13, 2001 SAN DIEGO HILTON, ROOM OF GEORGE HALE 4:30 P.M. I clicked off the DVD and pulled off the headphones. I thrust myself away from the desk and stalked to the window. I was furious and didn't know where to direct my anger. I kicked the chair by the window and it felt good. I knew I had to get out of that room and work off this anger somehow or I was going to wind up trashing it. I quickly changed into my sweats and running shoes. I picked up my room key and my cell phone and took off. ***** Over an hour later, I returned to my room. The overwhelming anger I had felt was gone. All that was left was a desire to see Scully. I showered and dressed in my jeans and a tee shirt. I sat back down at the desk and forced myself to watch the rest of the surveillance DVD. It ended this morning when the entire Scully crew had gone to the San Diego Zoo. I needed to talk to Scully. She didn't know it but she was registered in the room next to mine. I knew she wasn't back yet. She never left her mother's house until the kids were all asleep. I had to know what she was going to do about William. I had to know what we were going to do about us. I unlocked the adjoining door on my side. I picked up my keycard, my lock pick and the ice bucket and walked out into the hall. No one was around so I casually let myself into Scully's room. I didn't turn on the lights. I checked the time and decided that I had a good half hour before she returned. I sat down in the chair in the corner and made myself comfortable. I would wait. ***** I heard the keycard in the lock and checked my watch. I had been waiting exactly 32 minutes. She walked into the room and went straight to the bathroom, not turning on the lights. I heard the toilet flush and the shower come on. I began to harden. A vision of my Scully peeling off her clothes and climbing into a warm shower, naked and pink, flashed through my mind. I wanted to strip down and climb in with her. Only a second vision of her screaming like Janet Leigh in Psycho stopped me. I stood up and adjusted myself so that my jeans were more comfortable then sat back down to wait. ***** Dana Scully stood under the hot spray of the shower, willing herself not to start crying again. She had cried all the way back to the hotel from her mother's house and all she had to show for it was a throbbing headache. She needed to decide what she was going to do about William. Each time she was with him her desire to tell him that she was his mother grew. He was a wonderful little boy. Gentle and caring, smart and strong, he was everything she had prayed her child would be when she first found out she was pregnant. Dana turned off the water and got out. She quickly finished her nightly routine and walked out of the bathroom wrapped in her robe. She was drying her hair as she walked across the room to turn on the lamp by the bed. She bent over and wrapped her hair up in the towel she carried and untied the belt of her robe. She started to slip out of it when she heard a moan from the corner. She froze. ***** "Don't stop," a voice from the dark growled. Dana jerked her robe back up and twirled around, recognition dawning as she moved. "Jesus! Mulder, you scared me," she gasped and backed away from him. "How did you know it was me?" he asked as he rose and stalked her around the bed. "I didn't until you spoke," she replied, pulling the robe tighter around her body. They stood staring at each other for several minutes, noting the changes in each other. She was thinner than before, but her weight was distributed differently. He had added a lot of muscle since the last time she saw him. Her hair was longer and a darker red. He was tanned and healthy looking, but his face had aged, she noted. His hair was long and still a dark brown, but she wouldn't have been surprised to see a few strands of grey in the sunlight. "You've changed," she said finally. Her hand reached up to touch his face, but the passion that flared in his eyes scared her. She didn't make contact, but moved on to his hair instead. "Why the long hair?" "It was my only form or rebellion at one time, and I got used to it. It's something of a trademark now." "'Dark and dangerous D. K. Williams'," she quoted one of the news articles she had read about the Inauguration. "'Was in attendance with the lovely Lt. Carma Anderson, right hand to William's Assistant Director, Jason Whiting, on his arm.'" "You've done your homework," he growled, crowding closer to her. "I had a lot of catching up to do," she said as she moved away from him. "I wanted to know why you were at the Inauguration under an assumed name, especially after I read your obituary." Her voice had taken on a bitter tone. "Scully ..." "I prefer to be called Dana," she interrupted him. She desperately needed to put a little distance between them. When he said 'Scully' in his honeyed growl, it was all she could do to keep from throwing herself into his arms. His eyes flared again but he nodded and began again. "Dana, a lot has happened since you were taken." She snorted, "I can imagine." The image of Mulder and Carma Anderson at the Watergate flashed through her mind again. He glared at her and continued, "I'm sure you can, but it's nothing like what the tone of your voice implies." His anger was rising to match hers. "Oh, really? Well, why don't you tell me about it? Why don't you tell me why you 'died' in a drunken automobile accident with another woman? Why don't you tell me about the 'lovely Lt. Anderson'?" He stalked over to her and pulled her into his embrace. Scully thrust him away and glared up at him. "Don't touch me!" she spat. She tried to hide her weakness behind her anger. He had been trying to hold his temper. He knew that she was hurting. She had no idea of the living hell he had been through, but her words pushed him over the edge. "I will damn well touch my wife any time I choose," Mulder hissed as he wrapped his hand around her neck to pull her closer to him. A flush of desire washed over her. She had to keep her head. He was too intoxicating. She acted without thinking. Her right hand flashed out and slapped him on the face. He reeled back a step and glared at her, rubbing his cheek. "What was that for?" he sputtered. "I told you not to touch me, Mulder." Her blue eyes flashed at him angrily. She knew she had made a tactical error as white hot rage flashed across his face. He grabbed her and lifted her so that they were nose to nose. His grip matched that of Daniel's during their fight. Her bruises had healed, but the need to be free from his grasp made her frantic. She tried the same maneuver she had used on Daniel, but it only served to enrage him. He lost all control. He threw her down on the bed and covered her with his body to control her struggle. She was years away from her hand-to-hand combat training and her efforts only fed his anger. She couldn't escape. "What do you want to know, Scully? How I faked my death with Diana Fowley because I couldn't bear to continue living without you? How I tried to kill myself with alcohol? How about if I tell you how many nights I've been alone? Two Thousand, three hundred fourteen!" he yelled. "While you were living happily ever after as Mrs. Doctor Daniel Waterston, getting your brains fucked out on a regular basis, I. Was. Alone!" She quickly did the math as she stared at him for a long, silent moment, contemplating his words. "Who were you with on the two thousand three hundred fifteenth day?" she asked. He jerked back to stare at her incredulously. She could see the sparkle of humor light up his vivid green eyes. "No one likes a math geek, Scully," he growled as he lowered his lips to kiss her neck. ***** She was lost. She wiggled her arms free and curled them around his neck and shoulders. He didn't resist as she drew him up her body to kiss her lips. Just before their lips met she drew back and whispered, "What took you so long, Mulder?" Dana stared up at the only man she considered to be her husband as he processed her last statement. She tugged the rubber band from his long hair and let it fall down around his shoulders. One more tug against his shoulders and his beautiful lips lowered to hers moving from her neck to her lips, wiping all thoughts from her mind with hot, needy kisses. She threaded her fingers through his long hair and held on. His kisses were so familiar yet different. Mulder had seduced her with his mind when they were first partnered and with his kisses when they began to dance around their attraction. A brush of his lips in her hair as he comforted her, an occasional kiss on the cheek hello and a soft, romantic kiss to the back of her hand goodbye, had driven her crazy for the touch of his lips on hers. She had actually planned an elaborate seduction that had been thwarted when they were suddenly called away on a case out of town. She had been crying in her shower over lost chances when he had slid in behind her, naked and aroused. He turned her to face him and began kissing all thoughts of denial from her mind. His kisses were hot and arousing, but there had been an underlying fear of rejection, a tentativeness, that had made her feel bold and wanton as she'd kissed him back. This was not her Mulder. He was not the tender, passionate, considerate but needy lover she remembered from their marriage. He had changed. This man was everything and nothing like her Mulder. His desire for her was burning with an intensity that threatened to overwhelm her. He was gentle, tender and loving, but underneath all this, she knew he had a driving need to prove that she was really alive and still in love with him. His desire to assert his right to make love to her, to possess her body, to possess her love underscored his every action. Daniel had claimed to love her but in reality had wanted to own her. He wanted control of her mind and body but didn't care if she loved him or not as long as she was faithful to him. Mulder wanted everything from her, and she, God help her, wanted to give it to him. But she was terrified by her passion for this man. Their kisses became fierce and challenging. He pulled at her robe, trying to connect with her bare skin. He moved his hand down along the line of her hip, to the hem of her robe. He slid his fingers under the terrycloth and began stroking the back of her knee. A shiver of passion swept through her body and she tried to move to allow him better access to her. He thought she was trying to move away and pulled her back, sliding his hand up her thigh and cupping her derriere with his hand. He pushed her against his erection and groaned. She fought down a fissure of panic as she tried to move again, feeling trapped by her robe and his embrace. She moaned and he kissed her again. Flashes of memories began to overpower her passion. Hands, touching her against her will. "Mulder, stop." She became frantic to escape from the helplessness that she felt. Visions of Daniel trying to hold her against her will, segued way into the masked strangers that had held her captive. The one that came in the night and touched her while she was bound, his hands on her, his pants still on, zipper open, his penis aroused. Flashes of her fear for the safety of her unborn child, her terror, her revulsion, gave her a strength she normally wouldn't possess. "Stop!" she screamed as she thrust with all her might and pushed Mulder off her. Fear overwhelmed her. She had to get away. "Don't touch me again, you'll hurt my baby!" she shouted. "I'll kill you if you ever do that again!" She scrambled up against the headboard of the bed. She was panting, her eyes flashed right and left, seeking a way to safety. Her hands curled into fists as she gathered her feet under her, ready to jump and run. Mulder took one look at her and knew that she was not reacting to him but to previous events. He slid back to the end of the bed and assumed a non-threatening pose. He did not speak. He doubted she would hear him even if he did. Her breathing finally began to slow as she realized this man was trying to show her that he would not harm her. He was not going to grab her. He had slid back away far enough that she felt a semblance of comfort. She made an effort to steady her breathing, to calm down. She stole a quick glance at her assailant and realized that she had made a mistake. This wasn't the masked assailant she remembered. This was Mulder. He would never hurt her or their baby. Tears began to roll down her face as she realized that it was all a flashback. "Mulder, I'm sorry. I just couldn't handle being confined, even by you. It was awful. I felt ..." she fell silent. "Tell me," he gently prodded. She let her legs relax and slid down to sit on the bed with her back to the headboard. Her tears continued and she relaxed her fists to wipe them from her face. Her breathing came in great shuddering sobs as the memories, both good and bad, washed over her. "They ..." she hesitated. "They held me down and examined me while I was pregnant. I think one of them came into my cell and raped me." Mulder closed his eyes and groaned. When he looked at her again she saw a blood lust in his eyes that she would have sworn he was not capable of. "They're all dead, Scully. Everyone at the facilities in this country was killed when the aliens left. The records left there were appalling. I think that even the aliens knew they deserved to die. Even the men we arrested in New York are dead. They were found dead in their cells just this morning." She began to sob harder. She hated the look of pain in his eyes. She held her arms out to him, but he hesitated. She crawled towards him and he met her half way. He wrapped her in his arms, lying down across the bed, and held her as she cried. She told him the rest of her memories, the ones that she had not allowed herself to think about previously. They laid like this until she cried herself to sleep. ***** I couldn't believe all that she had gone through. Yeah, sure, I had lost my wife and child to a crazed henchman for the Consortium, but I at least had my memories. Even if all I did with them was to crawl away and hide, I wasn't as bad off as I had believed at the time. She had survived after having everything stripped from her. The processes they had subjected her to had robbed her of her family, her husband and child, even her education. And if all that wasn't bad enough, one of them had raped her while she was pregnant and restrained. Still, she survived. She'd fought her way back to become a fully functioning human being. She had found a way to support herself before Waterston's arrival. I was so proud of my Scully. My beautiful, brave Scully. I had run away, tried to commit suicide by alcohol. Not my wife. She had picked herself up and carried on. My love. My little Irish warrior. She had faced the return of her memories alone. Her own 'husband' was part of the nightmare, yet here she was, lying in my arms, trusting me to protect her while she slept. I pulled away from her enough to focus on her individual features. She was so beautiful, I could almost forgive Waterston for lying to her in order to keep her. What wouldn't I do to keep her with me? She stirred and opened her eyes, smiling up at me. "Hi." Her voice was low and still sounded sleepy. "Hi. Go back to sleep if you want to," I said. "I've got you. You're safe here. Even safe from my wicked desires." I waggled my eyebrows, hoping to insert some humor into the situation. I had made up my mind that she would initiate any future sexual contact between us. She didn't need another Neanderthal trying to force himself on her. It would be hard, but I was determined to wait for her. ***** Dana Scully was dreaming again. She was held safe and warm in the arms of the man she loved. Daniel? No, not Daniel. He had betrayed her and lied to her. Who then? Mulder. Mulder was holding her in their bed. She was safe and warm. She slowly drifted to the surface of her dream and realized that she was truly safe in the arms of her Mulder, but they weren't in their home. They were in a hotel in San Diego. She opened her eyes and looked up. He was gazing at her with an open expression of love and admiration on his face. "Hi," she said. "Hi. Go back to sleep if you want to," he offered. "I've got you. You're safe here. Even safe from my wicked desires," he teased. Dana smiled up at him as she touched his face with her fingertips. "What if I don't want to be safe from your desire?" He smiled at her and kissed her forehead. "I want you, Dana, but I don't think you should rush into anything. I love you. I'm willing to wait." She smiled back at him and cupped his cheek with her palm. "I love you Mulder. I'm not afraid of you or your love." Her eyes clouded as she said, "I am just as surprised by my response to being trapped in your arms as you are. I really hadn't remembered the details of my captivity before. I knew I was held in an eight by ten foot room, but ..." "But you repressed the details?" Mulder finished for her. "Yes," she whispered and then swallowed so hard Mulder heard her. "I blocked out the details of my time in captivity." "Scully, if they weren't already dead, I would find them and kill them with my bare hands," he swore. "Mulder," she sighed. "It was only one of them that assaulted me physically. He was a nameless, faceless assailant. We'll never know who it was and you did say they were all dead, right?" He nodded. "I'll be all right. It was just the shock of the memory coming back," she said as she cuddled closer to him. She stroked his chest with her fingertips. "Dana," he began. She smiled as she interrupted him. "I really don't want you to call me Dana. I was just being ornery." His answering smile was like sunshine on a dark day. "Scully, I want to let you know that I'll wait until you're ready to make love again. You call the shots from here on out." "Mulder, don't you want me?" she blurted as tears filled her eyes. "Jesus, Scully! Of course I do! I ache to kiss you and to bury myself in you so deeply that you'll never want another man again. But as much as I want you, I love you more. I love you enough to wait until you're ready." He moved slowly to kiss her, giving her space to move away if she felt trapped. He was surprised by the feel of her naked body cuddling against his as she deepened the kiss. He pulled away and looked down. She had wiggled out of her robe as they were kissing and he now held his nude wife in his arms again. He felt alive for the first time in years. "I want you now, Mulder. I'll always want you." She pulled on his hair, rolling him onto her again. He stared down at her, thinking of how many times he had dreamed of this moment. He leaned down to kiss her, still holding back, not wanting to overwhelm her. Their kiss was soft, sweet, loving. They both needed to reconnect after everything that had happened earlier. She felt her desire for him flare again. But along side the passion was a little black line of fear that threatened to overtake her as he once again settled between her legs. "Mmmmm Mulder," Scully groaned. She needed to say his name, to make sure it was him. "Hum?" he grunted. "Nothing, just Mulder," she said. Their kiss deepened once again. Her tongue fought for control with his. Their lips parted and their teeth gently clicked together. They smiled, still kissing. She let her hands roam over his back and up to thread through his hair. "So soft," she murmured. "God, Scully, I missed touching you," he responded. He felt his control slip a notch. His hands stroked everywhere. He was pressing her down into the mattress with his hips but moved up on his elbows. He let his hands cup her breasts and thumbed her nipples, promising himself hours to kiss and lick and suckle them, later, much later. For now he wanted to bury himself in her so far he touched her heart. God help anyone who tried to separate them again. He didn't realize that his touch had become possessive again, almost harsh. She was breathing hard and he thought she was as ready as he was. She began pushing against him, frantically. "Mulder, wait!" He realized the change in her voice right away and flopped over on his back. "Damn it! I'm sorry, Scully." He lay there staring at the ceiling while she tried to slow her breath. He knew she needed time, but he was so damn horny that he had let her convince him that she was all right. Well, it certainly hadn't taken much to convince him of anything that was connected to loving her. Dana Scully laid on her back near tears. What the hell was going on? She loved this man. She wanted him. Why was she having these flashes now, of all times? This was Mulder. This was the man she loved like no other. She could understand if it were Daniel. He had proven himself to be untrustworthy. But Mulder was not Daniel. Mulder was the only person, other than her mother, that she trusted completely. She fought back the tears and turned her head to look at him. He was staring at the ceiling with a blank look on his face. Scully knew that it was his 'panic face'. He was terrified that he had scared her again. "Mulder, I'm okay," she said as she let her hand slide across the bed to touch his. He didn't answer her. And she knew that he was more upset than she at first believed. "I'm okay, really," she began. He turned an unbelieving face towards her. "I didn't say I was fine. I said I'm okay. It's just that ..." "Scully, even though this happened years ago, your memory of it is fresh. It couldn't be any worse if it had happened yesterday. I should know that. I shouldn't have forced myself on you." "Mulder," she breathed. His pain was palpable. She turned over on her side, facing him. He wouldn't look at her. She stared at him for a long time, trying to understand what was happening when her answer came to her. "Mulder, take off your clothes." "No," he said. "No?" she repeated. "No," he said with a nod. "I think you need time, Scully." "I think I know what I need, Mulder. And right now I need you!" She got up on her knees and pulled him to an upright position. She threaded her fingers through his long hair and smiled into his eyes. "I think I can really get used to this." He gave her a slight smile and she felt the tension in her stomach relax and then tense up again. He wasn't going to fight her, that relieved her, but, he was a damned sexy man, maybe even more so than when he was younger. Her hand slid down his neck to the opening of his tee shirt. She let her eyes wander down his body and back up, lingering on the bulge of his erection. "I think I know what the matter is, Mulder." Her eyes were sparkling and her lips twitched in suppressed humor. "Oh?" Mulder asked. "Yes. You aren't naked." "Scully, you need time to get over the memories of what was done to you," he began. "Mulder, the man that ... raped me, never removed his clothing. He would come in the middle of the night. He must have been a guard or someone with access, but he never took enough time to do more than to expose himself." "So you think the feeling of cloth against your skin is the problem?" he brightened. "I think so. Just to be sure, move back against the headboard," she directed him. "That's it. Now, help me out here," she requested as she stripped off his shirt. She flicked open his snap and slowly pulled his zipper down over his erection. She pulled on his boxers and jeans as he lifted his hips. She was very careful to ease over his cock. She grinned as she said, "Wouldn't want to handicap our first time together in over six years." He smiled back at her but kept his twitching hands at his sides. She pulled on his shoulder and moved him forward, placing a couple of pillows between his back and the headboard. "Comfy?" He grunted and she took it to be a yes. She pushed him back, and sat back on her knees just staring at him. He was magnificent. His shoulders were broad and heavily muscled. His chest was well defined and his washboard abs were definitely a turn on. The hair on his chest was slightly thicker than before, and the line that trailed down to his cock was also darker and thicker. She let her gaze rest on his cock. It was fully engorged, standing at attention. As she continued to stare at it a small drop of pre- cum seeped out. He was more than ready for her. She wanted to kiss his entire body, to take him in her mouth, to taste him, letting her fingers touch and knead his balls, but she knew he was too close. She glanced down his legs to his feet and back up again, all the way to his eyes. "Like what you see, Scully?" he teased. She smiled and placed her hands on his shoulders to brace herself as she straddled him. "Of course I do, Mulder." She smiled at him. "I always have," she said as she slid her body up his thighs a little way letting his cock brush against her curls. His eyes trailed down her body to the place where her curls tickled his cock. His eyes widened, "When did you start trimming your mons, Scully?" She wondered how he was going to take her answer. "Daniel liked it like this." "What about you, Scully? Do you like it?" She shrugged. "Not especially. It was a lot of work and now that I think about it, it was just another way for him to exhibit his control over me. What about you? Do you like it?" His hand lifted off the bed a few inches, then he forced it back down. He looked into her eyes and shook his head. "Mulder?" "It's up to you, Scully." "Oh, come on, Mulder. Be truthful with me. I need that from you." He was quiet for a moment, glancing back down and then up into her eyes. "It doesn't do anything for me, Scully, but I think I hate it just because Daniel forced you to do it for him." She smiled at him, at last. Her Mulder would always answer her truthfully. She leaned forward and gently kissed his lips. "Thank you." She leaned back and they stared into one another's eyes for a long moment. I want you," she said. "Are you sure, Scully?" he replied as his heart raced. "I just need to take things slowly, at my own pace. Do you think you can do that for me?" He nodded. "It's all your show, Scully. I'm yours," he said sincerely. "But if you want to stop at any time, that's okay too." "Shut up and kiss me, Mulder." She leaned forward and kissed him. It began as a soft, sweet kiss of exploration, but quickly advanced to a deeply passionate kiss. He pulled away and said, "Be gentle with me, Scully." He was only partially teasing. He didn't want her to do something that would push him over the edge and allow him to scare her again. She smiled as she leaned down and sucked on his top lip, running her tongue between her teeth to smooth it as she nibbled. She moved to his bottom lip and kissed and nipped and sucked for a moment. She was imprinting him on her senses again. He tasted like Mulder. She moved her mouth to kiss and tease his ear before sliding down to bite and kiss his neck. He squirmed under her, breathing hard. She always had loved kissing and biting his neck, mostly because it turned him on so much. She had reveled in giving him love bites, just below the line of his shirt collar, when they first became lovers. She knew it was not evident to anyone but her and Mulder, but it was a mark of possession that he wore proudly. She sucked in a deep breath. This was Mulder. Only he had this particular scent about him. It changed occasionally, with his after shave, but the underlying scent that was pure Mulder was there. God, how could she let Daniel touch her when he didn't smell like this, like her mate. Tears came to her eyes and she hid her eyes there, at the jointure of his neck and shoulder, fighting for control. "You didn't know," Mulder said quietly. He could still read her every emotion. "You wouldn't have stayed with him if you had remembered." He lifted his arms to hug her, "You didn't stay with him as soon as you did." She smiled against his skin and nodded. She knew he was right. "Thank you," she whispered against his skin. He shivered at the touch of her lips and let his hands drop back down to his sides. "Nothing but the truth," he whispered. She gave one more nip to his neck and moved back a little to look into his eyes. "I love you, Mulder," she stated simply. "I've never stopped loving you," he said. "I think I've loved you forever." "Oh, Mulder," she leaned forward and kissed him again. All doubt and fear gone. This was Mulder, her friend, her partner, her lover. Her Mulder. She moved up on her knees and slid forward. She positioned her sex over his cock, hesitating at his quick inhalation. "What?" "Are you sure you're ready for this, Scully?" "Mulder, I've never been more ready." She leaned forward and began to kiss him again as she slid down his cock until she bottomed out against his balls. "Oh, God, Scully!" He was trembling with the effort it took not to come immediately. "Don't move!" "What?" she teased. "Don't move like this?" She slid up and forward, letting her clit slide across his pubic bone as she stroked upwards. "Shit! Scully, I'm going to come right now and end everything if you don't stop for a moment." "Mmmmm. Mulder, I don't want to stop. I need you to hold on for just a few minutes, but I promise, it won't take me long." She slid back down almost crying out in pleasure when his cock raked across her 'g spot' on the way back in. "Scully, damn it. Stop." "No, I can't!" Her movements became feral. She pumped up and down, letting his cock fill her on the down stroke and tease her when she moved upwards. Their first joining became one purely for sex. She moved over him, milking him, using all her strength to take him. It was hard and fast and greedy. Perfect. His breathing had become as erratic as his heart beat. He was lost in a haze of lust and heat. This was his Scully. His wife. He finally had her right where he wanted her. Over him, milking every emotion and every bit of cum in his body out though his cock. "Scully," he warned. "Come for me, Mulder. I need you to come now," she demanded. She felt the heat in her legs as they tensed and finally, finally, a great wave of release swept over her. She began to whimper and cry as he thrust his hips up, holding them against her as she quaked around him. She could feel the spasms of his release and imagined his sperm shooting into her. He gasped and fell back against the bed, panting. He had never lifted his arms to touch her during their entire joining. She fell against him and finally his arms embraced her. She felt sated and safe. They held each other and talked for a few moments before they made love again. Gentle words and touches, nips and bites and long, slow, wet kisses that fueled their passion until they were exhausted. The only words spoken were those of love and encouragement. "Yes, like that." "Oh God, Mulder." "I love you, Scully." "There, right there." "Harder." "Mulder!" "I missed you so much. Loveyouloveyoulove you!" CHAPTER XXXVI FEBRUARY 14, 2001 SAN DIEGO HILTON, ROOM OF DANA SCULLY 3:00 A.M. I woke up around three o'clock, thirsty, horny, and having to pee. I had used up a lot of fluids, sweating and cumming twice tonight already. The bathroom need was also understandable. The horny part surprised me. I'm not old, but I'm closer to 40 than I like to think about and it surprised me that I had reloaded this quickly. I contemplated my surprise, until I looked down at the woman in my arms. Scully. She was more beautiful than I remembered her. Her hair was longer and darker, but our hours of activity had made the curls she fought so hard to tame take control. Her porcelain skin was framed in titan curls, her long dark lashes lay on her cheeks that were reddened by my whiskers. Her full, berry-red lips were swollen with more evidence of our passion. She muttered something that sounded like my name and moved over on her back. Her left arm flopped up to lay by her head and her right one moved between our bodies. Her fingers curled around my erection and I gasped. I took a quick look at her face to see if she was awake, but she wasn't. She was still sound asleep. I hated to move away from her touch, but the need to use the bathroom overpowered my other two needs. I got up and used the facilities, drinking three glasses of water before I pour a fourth and took it back to the bed. She stirred as I got back in bed. "Mmmm, Mulder? What's the problem?" She sat up and slid back towards the headboard. Her hand reached for the lamp, but I stopped her. "Don't turn on the light," I said. "I was just in the bathroom. I brought you a drink of water." I handed the water to her and she smiled before downing the entire glass. "That was good," she said as she stood up and stretched. "I'll be right back." She padded, naked into the bathroom, not shutting the door all the way. I heard the shower come on and thought, 'Oh, no! Not without me, you don't!' I waited until I heard her slide the shower curtain back into place and quietly walked in to join her. Bathroom sex. Scully hadn't forgotten that I love to make love to her in the shower. Jesus, what did I do to deserve this woman? "Mulder? Are you going to stand out there all night, or are you going to get in her with me?" she teased. I pushed aside the curtain and climbed into the tub. I didn't notice before, but it was one of those huge garden tubs with a shower at one end. I slid my body against hers, back to front, completely wrapping my arms around her. "Is this okay? Scully?" I couldn't shake the fear that she would panic again. "Mulder, I can guarantee you that this is not just okay. This is perfect." She turned around in my arms and hugged me back. I haven't had sex in the shower since the last time we were together." I must have looked surprised because she said, "And don't even think of bringing up anyone else's name while we're in here. Do you understand?" I nodded. I not only understood, I was grateful. I know she didn't remember me during her marriage to Daniel Waterston, but the thoughts of my wife, my mate, being touched by another man made me alternately sickened and enraged. Waterston knew. He knew who she was and that she was married to me. Granted, he probably read and believed the obituary for Fox Mulder printed in the newspapers, but he still knew that she would never have chosen him if she had her memory back. I wanted to wash away every touch of his hand, figuratively and literally. I reached over her head and picked up her shampoo. It was a citrus blend that was new, but pleasant. "I've used this since I left the hospital years ago. I think it's time to buy something else," she said sadly. "Stay right here," I ordered. I got out and strode into my bathroom. I pulled the towels off the rack and picked up my bag of toiletries. I wasted no time getting back to Scully. "Let's use this," I said as I climbed back into the shower with my shampoo and cream rinse. "Mulder, I didn't know they still made this," she exclaimed. "I love this shampoo. I used it for years to take away the smell of the chemicals used in the autopsy rooms." "I know," I said quietly. "Oh, Mulder," she hugged me. "We've lost so many years." "Scully, Baby. Don't cry," I hugged her tightly. "We're together now, and we'll have plenty of time." She sniffed and nodded, moving back to wet her hair. I poured the shampoo in my palm and waited for her to step forward again. She started to turn around and I stopped her. "I can reach," I said as I pulled her body into contact with mine. I lifted my hands and began to shampoo her hair. It was a little awkward, but the feeling of her naked body pressed to mine from breasts to thighs made it more than worthwhile. I massaged her scalp and my erection strained against her when she groaned in pleasure. "This feels so good, Mulder," she said. She rubbed her breasts against my chest and her belly against my erection. "What?" I gasped. "What are you referring to? The shampoo job or the full frontal body rub?" "Mmmm. Both," she teased. "Step back and rinse," I said. She obliged me and moved forward to wrap her arms around my torso again. "Repeat or cream rinse," I asked. "If it prolongs the pleasure, repeat, please." "You got it." I lathered up her hair again and concentrated on massaging her scalp. She reached up and got a double handful of lather and used it to wash the hair on my chest. The feel of her fingers running through my chest hair and around my nipples, ratcheted up my arousal. Her nails scraped over my abs, following the contours across and down the middle of my belly towards my cock. "Rinse," I growled. She smiled up at me as she stepped back to rinse. I let my eyes drift down, watching the flow of water as it streamed down out of her hair and down her body. The bubbles from the shampoo finally ended and the water ran clear again. It was as if everything went into slow motion. I watched the water pour down, splashing and skittering over her hands. It fell slowly to caress her breasts in a clear sheet. It was almost as if I could see every drop worshipping her body. I fell to my knees and wrapped my arms around her. I brought my lips to her navel and let my tongue move through the drops to taste Scully. She sucked in her breath and it made her stomach concave. I nuzzled her navel again and pulled far enough away to get clear of the flowing water. Her stomach was concave, her muscle tone made her as strong and sleek as the day she was abducted. As the water splashed down her body, I could see a flash of silver here and there. When I turned her towards the light she murmured in distress and tried to turn away. "Scully?" I needed to understand her every mood. "I'm not the same, Mulder," she said cryptically. "I can see that, Scully, you've lost a lot of weight and developed a much more toned body." I smiled to let her know I liked the way she looked. "That's not it," she said. "Tell me?" I asked as I stood up to look into her eyes directly. "It's silly," she said looking away. "Vain." I lifted her chin to force her to look into my eyes. "Nothing that you think or say is inconsequential or vain to me, Scully. Its just part of you. I love you, even the tiny little part that is vain." I smiled back at her as she relaxed. "Tell me?" "I, I have stretch marks. It was the first thing I noticed when I began to heal. I asked Regan and she checked it out for me. When I first was found at the hospital, they did a complete work up on me. I had given birth less than a week before. They thought I was an escapee from some satanic cult that had killed the baby. They thought that was why I was catatonic." She shivered and said, "It set me back almost three months. I withdrew and mourned the loss of a child I didn't remember. I was so depressed." I knelt down and let my fingers slide over her abdomen. There were faint silver lines. I tried to imagine how she had looked when she had been full of our child. It was beyond my imagination, and I felt cheated. I stood up and kissed her. "I wish I had been there to see you when you were so full of the new life we made," I said. "You must have been beautiful." She lowered her head to my chest and the water sluiced over the two of us. "I wish you had been too, Mulder." I ran my fingertips over the marks that spread from side to side on her lower abdomen. She pulled away, turning slightly. "Scully, don't hide from me," I urged. When she didn't respond, I lowered my lips to her ear and whispered, "Did he think they were ugly?" She nodded. "He was a fool, Scully. He was just jealous because he hadn't planted his seed in your body. He would have thought they were wonderful if they were from his child." She looked back at me for a long moment, as if considering my words. The light of her smile slowly dawned on her lips. "You're probably right, Mulder." She pushed her face against my chest and hugged me tightly, and I held on to her for a few, blissful minutes. "You know, even if this is an upscale hotel, this hot water will run out eventually. I need to put the cream rinse on your hair and we need to get clean." She nodded against my chest and turned around. I put creme rinse on her hair as she lathered up a washcloth, quickly and efficiently washing her body. When she turned around to face me again she handed me the cloth and rinsed her hair. I washed from my neck to my feet quickly, stepping into the water as we traded places. She poured shampoo into her hand and then glared at me as she said, "You're too tall! I can't reach your hair, Mulder. You need to get down on your knees." I was happy to oblige her, especially after she placed a bath towel on the floor of the tub and told me to kneel on it. She made short work of shampooing and rinsing my hair and I stood up to give her a thank you kiss. I adjusted the water to hit farther back in the tub where she was standing and fell back down on my knees. She thought I wanted another round of scalp massage, but I soon convinced her that what I really wanted was something much more up- close and personal when I kissed her belly, following the faint silver lines to her trimmed curls. I slid my hands off the cheeks of her ass and down the outside of her thighs. I gently pulled on her legs, sliding her feet into a wider position. I looked up her body and smiled, "As good as the scalp massage felt, Scully, I've got other goals in mind right now." Her blue eyes darkened as she realized exactly what my devious mind was thinking. "Do you think you're going to score, Mulder? Do you think you'll go ... all ... the ... way?" The last word was more a moan than an actual word. I had slid my fingers up the inside of her thighs and parted the lips of her labia, exposing her soft pink clit to the flow of the water. I didn't bother answering her with words. I was going to let my tongue speak for me in a non-verbal manner. I began to stroke her clit, licking and sucking alternately. She was still sensitive from our other two bouts of lovemaking so she was quickly at the brink of another orgasm. That's when I backed off. I began to lick and kiss and touch every area of her sex except the one that would drive her over the edge. I wanted to extend her anticipation, hold off on her gratification until she was frantic to come. "Mulder, please," she groaned. "Please what, Scully?" I said as I slid my finger into her. I crooked it a little to rub against the front wall of her vagina, quickly finding her 'g spot'. "Uhmmm," she moaned again as she began to move her hips, trying to create more friction between her sensitized walls and my finger. I decided that that wasn't going to happen. I slid my finger out as I surged to my feet. I pulled her left knee up and placed her foot on the edge of the tub as my body slid up hers. I stopped as the head of my cock touched the lips of her vagina. I looked into her eyes again, wanting to make sure she was ready. The look of passion and love in her expression nearly bowled me over. My grip on her leg slipped slightly and she dropped down onto my cock. I drove into her, stopping only when I was fully seated. I was immediately scared to death that I had hurt her. Her quick intake of breath and the way she dropped her head on my shoulder seemed to confirm my worst fear. I started to lift her off my shaft, afraid to look down, afraid there would be blood if I did. She quickly inhaled and I was sure she was going to give me hell, but when I started to lift her she said, "No! Don't!" I wanted to beg for her forgiveness when I felt it. She began to quake and shiver as she moaned my name, "Mulder!" She threw her head back and the look of bliss on her face was almost more than I could stand. My knees felt weak, but I redoubled my effort not to move. She was coming! One stroke and she was over the edge. Jesus! I had never felt so afraid and so damned smug at the same time before in my entire freaking life. Scully's orgasm wasn't long but it was intense. I began to loose control as the walls of her vagina squeezed me rhythmically. She dropped her head back on my chest and she began to kiss me. "I'm sorry, Mulder. I couldn't help it. I was so close and when I slipped and you slid into me, it was perfect." She was apologizing to me? I quickly kissed. "I'm glad it was pleasure not pain." ***** Scully smiled up at him and said, "All pleasure for me, but I'm afraid I left you hanging." He shook his head and lifted her from his body, slowly. She tightened her muscles around him and he groaned as she slid off him. She snuggled up close to his body. "I love you, Mulder." He hugged her back fiercely. "I love you." He turned to shut off the water, but her touch on his arm stopped him. "Not yet," she murmured. She turned her back to him, facing the back of the tub. Then she looked over her shoulder. "Are you game?" He snorted a laugh that quickly turned into a groan. His Scully was nothing if not inventive. She had grabbed the handicap bar that spanned the back of the enclosure wall and bent over waggling her beautiful, heart-shaped bottom at him. He squatted down to rub his erection along the crease of her sex but before he could make contact, she quickly stepped up on the narrow cutouts on each side of the tub, effectively raising her to exactly the right height for him. "Jesus, Scully," he groaned. He grasped her hips in his hands and slid all the way into her. He could feel his balls sway gently between his splayed legs. The water from the shower spray hit him in the middle of his back splashing up and over his shoulder, chilling Scully. He reached behind him and hit the shower head. "Better?" She flashed a smile of contentment over her shoulder, and began to wiggle beneath him. He took the hint and began to slide slowly in and out. He started slow, but quickly sped up as every nerve ending in his body went on alert. He became hypersensitive to each touch, each stroke. He realized that he could inventory each and every touch his body felt, the feeling of her ass as it rubbed against the hairs on his crotch and abdomen, the skin of her hips beneath his fingertips, the feeling of bliss that the softness of her inner thighs created as they rubbed the front of his thighs. The water from the shower hit him in the lower back and he could almost feel the individual drops as they flowed over his ass and onto his balls. His movements became harsher, quicker. He leaned forward, craving more of her skin. He slid up her back, never slowing the pistoning of his hips and grasped the bar with one hand. He didn't want to overburden her with his weight, but he needed to feel her against him from chest to knees. He let his other hand slide up from her hip, past her waist to her breasts. They were jiggling sweetly in time to his strokes. He let his fingers play with her nipples, dragging a low moan from her as he did. "Scully, I've missed you. I've missed this. I love making love to you in the shower. Hell, anywhere. But I dreamed of this so many damn times." Words became impossible as his hips sped up and his breathing became labored. He was close to coming but he wanted to bring her with him if possible. He let his hand slide down her body, through her curls and let his fingers begin to manipulate her clit. Her soft little Scully-sounds let him know that she was close again. His stokes became erratic and she began to moan almost constantly. He let his lips kiss and nibble her shoulders and neck and just as he came, he bit her neck. She exploded in a mind-numbing orgasm as he pumped into her. She could feel his strokes drive his semen out of her, letting it roll down her legs. She could feel the muscles in his thighs shaking. "Mulder," she panted. "It's okay, lean on me." His breath was harsh against her back. He was spent, and could barely hold himself up. He rested his weight against her enough to give his quivering legs a chance to get some strength back. He laughed and said, "Good. If you didn't I'd be on the floor of the tub." She laughed with him, sliding off the niches to stand flatfooted in the tub. She felt his breathing slow and he groaned as he stood up straight. "Jesus, Scully. I'm not as young as I used to be. You almost killed me that time." She turned and smiled up at him as she slid her arms around him. "Lean on me, Mulder. It wouldn't do for you to fall in the tub and get a concussion on our first night back together." He answered her smile then sobered. "Are we together, Scully?" She nodded and said, "I don't think we were ever really apart, Mulder. We just couldn't find each other for a while." They hugged until he became aware of the cooling water again. "We better rinse off and get out. I think we actually drained the hot water tank!" He sounded proud of himself. They quickly rinsed off in the cooling water and stepped out to dry. They decided that it would be best if they each dried themselves. If they didn't, they were never going to get back into bed. They straightened up the covers and crawled back into bed. They were asleep almost immediately. ***** I jerked awake and looked at the clock. I was in another hotel room and it was six-thirty and still dark. The voice of the Priest echoed in my head. "Dust to dust, ashes to ashes. Dear Lord, please accept the souls of Dana Scully-Mulder and her unborn child into your arms. Wrap them in your love and keep them in the ever-lasting glory of your presence. Amen." The familiar feeling of loss and pain began to sweep over me. I raised my hands to my head, trying to push the words out of my mind with the pressure I applied. Tears leaked from my tightly clenched eyes. "Mulder?" Jesus! Now I was hearing things when I was awake. Quiet movements to my left made me jerk to look that way. Flashes of my fiasco with Carma Anderson prompted me to ask myself 'What had I done now?' I was shocked to find myself looking into the face of the one woman on earth that could ease my pain. Dana Scully looked up at me and smiled. "Mulder are you all right?" Her hand lifted to my face. "You're crying!" I shook my head, still trying to rid my mind of my old nightmare. But this time I knew it was just a dream. Proof of that was lying right next to me. She snuggled up against my side and I wrapped my arms around her. "Tell me," she said. "I ... I can't," I stammered. How could I tell her how I had been haunted by the words of the Priest over their graves? "Tell me, Mulder," she ordered. "It will make it easier to forget if you share it." I hesitated for a moment, unsure if I could say the words out loud. She slid up higher in the bed and wrapped me in her embrace. I laid my head against her breast and suddenly the words started to flow. As I told her the details of the dream and how they haunted me, I could feel the power of it slipping away. Somehow sharing my nightmare with Scully diminished the dream's ability to control me. Her arms tightened around me and she let her hands stroke me, gentling my breathing. "I used to dream too, but I never was able to remember what I dreamed about. Thank you for sharing this with me, Mulder." She looked down at me and said mock-sternly, "You have to promise to forget this dream now. It's the past and it obviously wasn't true." Her expression softened and she continued. "I'm right here. The thought that you've blamed yourself for my abduction for all these years hurts me." I started to speak but she interrupted me. "I have not once, since I've remembered the details of what happened, felt that it was your fault. We both knew the dangers of our jobs. We just didn't realize how evil the people we were working to expose really were." She kissed my eyes and my nose before gently and sweetly kissing my lips. "I love you Mulder. But as important as the past is, I'm not going to give it another thought. I want to live for now, for our time together." "Scully," I groaned. How could this woman be so perfect? I felt the rise of my erection against her leg and she pulled back looking at me in wonder. "Again? Mulder, I think I'm beginning to believe that you were alone for the entire time we were separated, but I don't really think we need to make up for all six years tonight," she teased. She scooted down and we kissed for several moments before making slow, sweet love. She pulled me over on top of her and even though I was afraid that she would once again feel trapped, it felt so good. Our movements were slow and languid, each kiss and taste an expression of the deep love we both felt. When we were done I moved to slide off her, but she held me in place. "Stay, please?" she said. "You won't feel trapped?" I gently questioned. "No, you feel wonderful," she sighed. "I don't feel trapped, I feel safe." My heart thudded double time for a moment. Her words of love eased my fears, but I had to ask, "Aren't I too heavy for you?" "No, I don't want you to leave. I want to fall asleep just like this, with you inside me." Her drowsy voice banished the last of my concern. "Love you, Scully," I said. "Love you, Mulder." She was asleep. Within moments, so was I. CHAPTER XXXVII FEBRUARY 14, 2001 SAN DIEGO HILTON, ROOM OF DANA SCULLY 9:00 A.M. I answered the telephone automatically. I had been on call so long during my stint as Deke Williams, I didn't give it a second thought. "Yeah?" "Oh, I'm sorry," Maggie Scully's voice said. "I must have the wrong room." She hung up and I groaned. "Shit!" "Who was that?" Scully asked. "Your mother," I grinned. "Mom?" She sat up and the covers pooled around her waist. The morning sun through the curtains gave her skin a creamy glow. That is, the places that didn't show red spots from my five-o'clock shadow. "What did you say to her?" she asked as she scrambled to pull on her robe. "I didn't say anything. She assumed she had the wrong room number and hung up." The phone rang again as I finished. Scully grabbed it before I could react. "Hello?" I acted as if I were going to wrestle it from her and she moved away. "Hi, Mom," she said as she stuck her tongue out at me. "You must have. Today? I think I'm going to hang around the hotel for a while, you know, do some research, on-line, about my options." She paused, listening to her mother speak. "I don't know, Mom. I need some time to think. I know they're going home in a couple days, but I really don't know what I'm going to do. Listen, tell everyone hello for me and give them my love. I'll call if I'm going to come over later, okay?" "I love you too, Mom." She hung up and stared into space for a long time. When she looked at me again, she had tears in her eyes. "Mulder, we have to talk." I knew I wasn't going to like what she had to say. I rolled off the other side of the bed and headed for the bathroom. "I'll be right out." ***** Dana watched Mulder close the door to the bathroom. She knew he wasn't going to like hearing everything she had to say. She decided to order breakfast. Mulder was always in a better mood after food and after sex. She blushed just thinking about last night. Damn, the man was insatiable. She heard the shower come on and knew he would need some clean clothes. She pulled on her robe and moved to open the adjoining door, taking a chance that the other side would be unlocked. She checked the wallet on the dresser and confirmed that it was Mulder's. She didn't want to pilfer some other man's possessions. She laughed to herself. Of course it was his. Where did she think he went last night, naked as a jaybird, when he brought her favorite shampoo back to the shower? When he stepped out of the bathroom with a towel wrapped around his waist, he spied his clothes laid out on her bed. "Thanks, Scully," he grinned and dropped the towel. She took a long look at his body. He had a few new scars, but nothing major. She continued her perusal, confirming the thoughts she had last night. His stomach was ridged and flat. His chest was better developed as were his arms. He looked as if he worked out every day. As her eyes swept his body, he hardened again. "Mulder!" she purred and stepped closer to him. He grinned and tried to pull her against him. "Happy Valentine's Day, Mulder." "Scully?" he growled and reached for her robe belt, ready for a taste of his valentine treat right then. "You better get dressed, lover. Breakfast will be here any minute," she stroked his cock once before dancing away and slamming the door to the bathroom. "You're a damn cock tease, sometimes, Scully," he shouted at her as he pulled on his briefs and jeans. "A real, little cock tease," he whispered to himself and laughed as he finished dressing. About fifteen minutes later, there was a knock on the door. Thinking that it was breakfast, he opened the door without looking. "You! You're supposed to be dead!" A fist smashed into his face, and Mulder went down like a ton of bricks. The bathroom door opened and Dana stepped back into the room. She saw that the hall door was open but she didn't see Mulder. As she stepped closer she saw him lying on the floor with blood pouring from his nose. She jerked the door open the rest of the way to see who was there only to be confronted with a thoroughly angry Bill Scully. "You said he was dead, Dana! You lied!" Bill pushed into the room and slammed the door. "I never said he was dead," she said as she wiped the blood from Mulder's face and tried to staunch the flow still pouring from his nose. "You did, you said ..." "I never said Mulder was dead, only that I read the obituary for Fox Mulder." She pulled Mulder's shoulders up onto her lap, pinching his nostrils together. "Don't try to confuse the issue, Dana. He took one look around and realization dawned. "You fucked him? You took this bastard back into your bed after all these years? After everything that's happened?" "Ummm," Mulder groaned and interrupted her next sentence. ***** I came to with Scully's fingers pinching my nose. It hurt like hell so I tried to pull away. "Don't move, Mulder. You're still bleeding," she said. I laid back and opened my eyes. Bill Scully was standing over us, his face red and his hands fisted. Every cell in my body screamed for me to get ready for a fight. "Why the hell did you sucker-punch me, Bill?" I said instead. "What the hell are you doing in my sister's life again? Haven't you screwed it up enough?" "Bill, that's enough! What are you doing here, by the way?" Scully asked as she helped me up and over to the bed. "I wanted to talk to you about ..." he hesitated. "About our son, William?" I interjected. Bill growled and came at me again. Scully threw me a surprised look but stood up to halt his advance. A knock on the door successfully drew his attention away from me. "It's our breakfast, Bill. Have you eaten?" Scully was trying to calm us both down and I decided to cooperate as long as Bill did. "No," he said shortly and walked over to the window to get his anger under control. I watched him breathing deeply, trying to calm down and part of me was pissed that he wasn't going to jump me again. He had a couple of inches on me, but I had more solid muscle and knew I could kill a man with my bare hands, if I had to. 'Not that I would kill Scully's brother,' I thought. I just wanted to inflict some serious hurt on him. The waiter spotted the blood on my shirt and the other man standing at the window. His eyes widened in fear. He set up the table quickly and left before Scully could give him a tip. "I don't know about you, two, but I'm starving." She winked at me and began dishing up a plate of food. "There's plenty here, Bill. Help yourself." I thought her brother was going to leave, but he just grunted and poured himself a cup of coffee. I went into my room to change my shirt and came back, half expecting him to be gone. He had moved the desk chair up to the table and filled a plate. I pulled out the last empty chair and dished up some food. We ate silently. As Scully poured us all a refill on the coffee, the tension seemed to escalate. "I came here to ask you not to tell the rest of the family that William is your son," he blurted. "I talked to Tara last night and told her the whole story. She cried all night. William is her oldest child as far as she's concerned. If you take him away, she'll never get over it." I watched him as he spoke to Scully. He was telling the truth. He loved William as much as any of his own children. Both Tara and Bill would be hurt if William were taken away, but they would get over it. They had six others kids, counting the twins on the way. Scully and I had one. "Frankly, I'm not worried about you and Tara, Bill. My main concern is William," Scully said. I looked at her, waiting for her to continue. "I don't know what to do. Last night, I had decided to hold off on mentioning it to the rest of the family until I contacted Mulder. But even though he's here now, we haven't had a chance to discuss anything." Bill's loud snort made her blush. "I have to let you know, Dana, I'll fight you for him. The only home he's known is with us. Tara is his mother and losing him could cause her to lose the twins. Don't take him away from his brothers and sisters." It was as close as Bill Scully would ever come to begging. He stood up and walked to the door. "I'm going back to mom's. We're going to stay for dinner tonight but I have to report back to the base the day after tomorrow." He walked out the door without another word. ***** Dana gathered her courage and asked, "How did you know about William?" As she spoke other questions began to surface. "How long have you known about our son? Why didn't you let me know before now?" The questions began to tumble from her. "Whoa, Scully!" he said putting up his hand to stop her questions. "I just found out about William yesterday," he assured her. "Yesterday? How?" She knew she wasn't going to like his answer by the way his eyes slid away. "Mulder, how did you find out? And for that matter, how did you find out I was alive?" "I found you the same way you found your family. Through the Gunmen," he admitted. "I should have known they would run to you right away," she said. "How did they know how to contact you as D. K. Williams?" "It's a long story," he hedged. "I have lots of time," she said as she settled back to listen. ***** I walked over to the window and tried to gather my thoughts. I wanted to tell her everything, but it really was a long story, and I was tired of being cooped up inside on such a beautiful day. I walked over to the dresser and picked up her purse. I handed it to her and said, "Let's go." "Where?" "Anywhere," I replied. "A park, the zoo, the beach. I just want to get outside in the sunshine." I pulled her coat from the closet and held it out to her. When she accepted it, I strode into my room to get my shoes on and grab my coat. She glared at me but stood up after putting on her shoes and slipping on her coat. "This isn't a way to get out of talking to me about everything that's happened, is it?" CHAPTER XXXVIII FEBRUARY 14, 2001 Pacific Ocean Park, San Diego, CA 10:30 A.M. We wound up at the beach. We walked and talked for hours. We ate and we talked. We bought a blanket and sat on the beach and talked. We were still talking when the sunset. I told her about my life. How desperate I had been to find her. How we had found the planted proof of her death. How her mother had held a memorial service. How I had started drinking. How Diana had contacted me, giving me proof of the existence of extraterrestrials on the earth, but how little that meant to me compared to her death. How Diana had begged me to help her disappear and how we had faked our deaths with the help of the Gunmen and unknowingly, Senator Richard Matheson. How I had hidden in Belize until I was kidnapped by Matheson's men. She told me about waking up at the hospital and learning to speak again. How Regan had gone from being her doctor to being her best friend. How difficult it had been not remembering her past, but knowing that she had borne a child just weeks before she was found. How painful it was to accept the futility of trying to find her child without any clues whatsoever as to the location of the birth or even the sex of the child. How Daniel had found her and courted her. How she had married him, not realizing how controlling he was until his lies came tumbling down. Her shock at remembering everything after seeing Spender on the news. Her pain when she saw the news report of me at the Inaugural Ball with another woman. How shocked she had been at their first meeting when she realized that William was our son. I told her about my role in the destruction of the Consortium. How Richard Matheson was involved with the plans, but not how he figured into my life. That was a conversation for another day. How I had contacted the Gunmen and how I had enticed them to join, secretly, with government forces. I told her about planning Wild Fox and how I felt on the day of the Inauguration while I watched it all come together. How miserably I had failed at my one sexual encounter with Lt. Anderson at the Watergate. How stunned and happy I had been by the Gunmen's call. How hard I had worked to get everything cleaned up and in the hands of others to finish so that I could come for her. She talked about finding out about the death of her father and how much she missed him. I told her about Samantha, that she had died when she was 14 under strange circumstances. How my father had been killed by a double agent. How my mother had committed suicide after being diagnosed with inoperable cancer. She told me about her nieces and nephews and how sad she had been when she found out she wouldn't have any more children due to Daniel's vasectomy prior to their marriage. I told her about the surveillance DVD. That's when the conversation ended. "You ordered my privacy to be invaded? You bugged my mother's home? You saw everything?" Her voice rose with each question. She stood up and marched back towards the parking lot. "Scully wait!" I grabbed the blanket and took off after her. "Scully, damnit!" I caught her and pulled her to a stop. I wasn't even breathing fast, but she was crying so hard she couldn't catch her breath. I pulled her to me and held her for a moment. "Scully. I had to do something. I couldn't get away until a few days ago and I needed to know what was happening. I didn't get to look at it until yesterday afternoon when I got in town. Please, Scully. As soon as I saw it, I knew we had to talk." She continued to cry for a moment, then her tears slowed and came to a halt. It always killed me to see Scully cry. "Let's go back to the hotel, Mulder," she said in a cool, rational tone of voice. It always scared me shitless to watch Scully shut down like this. Dread filled my heart. Her voice was quiet, completely devoid of emotion. She had closed herself off from me again. I drove us back to the hotel and followed her as she walked quietly up to her room. I started in the door behind her but she stopped me. "I need some time, Mulder. I have to think." I pushed by her, dragging her into the room and slamming the door behind me. "No." "No?" "You heard me, no. There are some things in life you have to think about Scully and others that you know right away what's right and what's wrong." She stared at me, waiting for me to continue. When you found out about Daniel's lies, did you 'think' about it before you acted? Did you have to have some 'space' before you could decide what to do?" She glared at me, refusing to answer. "Answer me, damn it, Scully! Did. You. Have. To. Think?" "No! What he did was wrong, evil, and selfish," she answered. "Of course it was, and you knew that right away," I agreed. She nodded, trying to follow my logic. "Then why would you have to think about our relationship? Were you coerced into marrying me?" "No." "Did you lie to me when you told me that you loved me, then or now?" "No, of course not!" "Do you still love Daniel?" "Don't be ridiculous, Mulder!" she spat. "Then what is there to think about? We belong together, Scully. We stood up in front of your family, the law, and your God and declared that love until 'death do us part'. What in the hell is there for you to think about?" I was shouting at her again. I couldn't help it. I had just spent the last six plus years isolated, thinking that she was dead, and I didn't see any reason to leave her alone now. We needed to think and talk this whole situation through, together. "That's just it, Mulder. You are legally dead. And I've been living as another person since the birth of our son. We aren't Dana and Fox Mulder. Our son isn't William Mulder. He's William Michael Scully. He has a father and a mother and brothers and sisters and a life that you and I haven't shared with him. I don't know what to do about our son, and while I'm with you, I can't think objectively about him." Her words shocked me, made me think. I knew by the expression on her face there was more coming. "We were together for less than three years. We've been apart for over six. You are not the 'Mulder' I married and I certainly am not your 'Scully'." She began to cry. "All I can think about when I am with you is how much I love you and want you. How angry and hurt I am at the way we've been forced to live our lives for the past six years. Don't you get it, Mulder?" "Ah, shit, Scully," I said as I took her into my arms. "I don't want to leave you, Mulder. I don't ever want to be separated from you again. I know we belong together, but we both need time to get to know each other again." I considered her words and nodded for her to continue. "I need time to think and I need to sleep. Those are two things I don't seem capable of doing when I'm near you." She smiled up at me. I grinned back. I suddenly realized that I had smiled more with Scully in the last two days than I had in the last several years. "All right, Scully. I'll sleep in my room. I'll give you the space you need tonight, but I want you to think about something that is important to me." Her smile faded as she concentrated on my words. "I want my family back. I have gone through hell during the past several years. Working to destroy the Consortium, I have put my life on hold and I can't live like that any longer. I need you and I need our son. From what I've seen of the boy on the surveillance video, he's a well-adjusted, happy, little boy. For that I will thank Tara, and even Bill, for the rest of my life. But, he's our son." I smiled again. "If nothing else that means he'll probably thrive on change and the unexpected." Her smile was back, but I could see by the dark circles under her eyes that she had reached the end of her endurance. "Take a bath, think, go to bed. Just don't ask me to stay away for long," I begged. "Mulder," she hesitated. "Why don't we meet downstairs for lunch tomorrow?" "What time?" I asked. "Let's shoot for one," she smiled. I gave her a swift goodnight kiss and walked towards the connecting door. "Mulder?" I turned back to her. "You need to consider what you're going to do, too," she said. I nodded and walked through the door, closing it behind me. I left my side of the adjoining door open. If she needed me, I wanted her to know that I was there for her. She had given me something to think about. What was I going to do now? CHAPTER XXXIX FEBRUARY 14, 2001 SAN DIEGO HILTON, ROOM OF GEORGE HALE 11:47 P.M. I turned over, punching my pillows again, trying to get comfortable. Scully's words kept circling my mind. What was I going to do? Fox Mulder was legally dead. D. K. Williams was retired. My credentials were for a George Hale. What was I going to do about William? What name was I going to offer him? I tried to think through these problems methodically, but each time I began a logical line of thought, my mind would wander back to the night before, making love to Scully. I finally fell asleep for a while. When I woke up it was after four A.M. I decided to give Richard Matheson a call. He was always an early riser, and he was a good listener and problem solver. If I ever needed his help, I needed it now. Our conversation was not long, but it was productive. He listened to my woes and proposed a surprisingly easy answer. I am Fox Mulder, no matter what was revealed to me previously, he assured me. He suggested that I resurface as Fox Mulder, FBI Agent and let the Bureau help with my reinstatement. He would speak to the Director and let him know that I had been undercover as D. K. Williams for all these years to plot the downfall of the Consortium. He knew the Director was an ambitious man and would welcome a chance to cooperate if it made him and the Bureau look good. He suggested that I call Walter Skinner. I was surprised at his idea, but the more I thought about it, the better I liked it. I was touched by his final offer. "Fox, you do know that I am willing to testify for you if there is a custody hearing, don't you? I know what it feels like to be separated from your family. I don't want you to have to go through another moment of pain. If anyone deserves a happy ending, it's you." My voice was low, emotions threatening to take away my ability to answer him. "Thanks," I said. I could say the word I wanted to at the end. Dad. This was a public phone line and who knew how many people were listening? I knew he heard my unspoken thanks. "You're welcome ..." he responded. Bill Mulder may have loved my mother, but I had never received one- tenth the loving support from him that I'd been given so freely by this man in the few years I had known about his place in my life. "I need to think some more before I talk to Scully," I finally said. He agreed and we said goodbye. My next call was to Walter Skinner. I gave him the story that Richard and I had concocted. Even though I know he knew it was bullshit, he went along with it. He had never contacted me during my years as Director of the Homeland Anti-Terrorist Commission, but he had made a comment in passing to Byers once, something about how familiar I looked. He asked me to tell Scully that she was welcome to rejoin the Bureau as well. I always knew that Skinner had a soft spot in his heart for Scully. I had the ball rolling to resurrect Fox Mulder from the dead and to reinstate me with the FBI. I wanted to claim my wife and my son. I needed to be alive in the eyes of the legal system to do that. I called the guys and let them know that they needed to work up a back history for me, coordinating with my undercover story. They were delighted that I had seen Scully and gladly agreed to set up the paper trail that I would need. I had nothing to do but wait until our lunch date. I fell back asleep for a few hours. I wanted to get in a workout before I met Scully for lunch, so I set the alarm clock in the room. I fell asleep with a smile on my face. CHAPTER XL FEBRUARY 15, 2001 SAN DIEGO HILTON LOBBY 12:55 PM Dana Scully stepped off the elevator and looked around. She was not truly expecting to see Mulder waiting for her. His idea of being on time in the past had always included a 30 minute window on the late side. She stopped by a grouping of palms as she spotted him. He was talking to a tall, thin blonde who obviously had a death wish. She was flirting outrageously with him, laughing and placing her hand on his chest, his arm as she spoke. She had moved into his personal space several times, but Scully noticed that he always frowned and moved away, looking over her head as if searching for an escape route. Scully decided that she had seen just about enough of blondie. She marched up to Mulder and stepped between him and the blonde bitch. "Are you ready to go pick up the children, Father Mike?" she said sweetly. The blonde stopped talking mid-word. "C...children?" she finally sputtered. "Why yes, Father Michael and I always bring children from our parish here to swim in the pool. By the way, I'm Sister Mary Katherine and you are?" "I'm out of here," she said and did a quick about face, practically running through the lobby doors. ***** Scully looked up at me with a mischievous gleam in her eyes, "I can't leave you alone for a minute, can I 'Father Mike'?" I grabbed her and gave her a big kiss, shocking a couple of the people standing nearby who had heard her exchange with the blonde. "You know you're the only one for me, 'Sister Kate'!" I quipped. She blushed and moved away, but the smile that threatened the corners of her lips let me know that she wasn't upset with me. "I'm hungry. How about you?" she finally said. "Yeah, where do you want to go?" I asked. "Well," she hesitated. "I know a very exclusive place not far from there that serves some of the best food in California." "Sounds great? What's the name of the place?" "Margaret Scully's Kitchen," she said, watching me closely for my reaction. "Your mom's house?" I asked, surprised. "Yeah, I called her this morning and talked to her about every- thing. She's anxious to see you again, Mulder. She invited us to lunch." She hesitated then said, "She thinks we should talk before we make up our minds about what we're going to do and how we're going to do it. I told her I didn't want to tell William that I was his mother yet, but she doesn't agree with me." "What were her thoughts on the subject?" I asked tersely. "She feels William is a very intelligent little boy and that he will be more upset if we lie by omission than if we tell him the whole truth at once." "And you don't want to tell him we are his parents?" "No. I want to tell him we are his parents, but not until we have reached some sort of agreement with Bill and Tara about how to handle the entire situation." I nodded my agreement and we left for Maggie's house. On the way over I told her about my conversation with Richard. She was surprised that I was such good friends with our President, but accepted our friendship quickly. She agreed that his idea was the best way to handle the questions about my reported 'death'. I also told her about talking to Skinner and gave her his invitation to rejoin the Bureau. She nodded, but did not respond to the offer. ***** For the second time in the last month, Dana Scully was concerned with the greeting she would get from her family. She glanced at the man sitting beside her and tried to read his emotions. During the time that she and Mulder had been partners and then spouses, he had never been able to hide his innermost feelings from her. This Mulder was a different man. He was sitting calmly next to her with a small smile on his lips. He glanced over at her when he felt he look at him. "This is a nice neighborhood for your mom," he said calmly. "Yes, she likes it." Scully glanced at him again and realization dawned. Fox Mulder had changed. He had learned how to hide his feelings and emotions from others. He had learned how to curb his impetuousness to protect himself and his interests. Scully wasn't sure that she was completely happy about this new side of her husband. She knew that he was very unhappy with her decision not to tell William that she was his mother just yet. She felt that finding his father would be more than enough drama for a boy of six. She also knew that he was nervous about this first meeting with her family, especially William. She pulled into her mother's drive and turned to look at him. He gave her a goofy grin and said, "Showtime." She smiled back. He knew how to hide his emotions, but he still chose not to hide them completely from her. He had forgiven her. Maggie Scully saw the car pull in the drive and had the door open before they could knock. "Fox! Oh my dear! I'm so glad to see you again." Her voice was laced with tears and the hug she gave him touched him deeply. He doubted that his own mother would have been this happy to see him again. "I was devastated when I read your obituary," she said as she pulled back to look into his eyes. "Yes you were, Mother," Melissa Scully interjected as she and her daughter walked down the stairs behind them. "Hello, Mulder." She took his hand to shake and placed her left hand on his shoulder. She gazed into his eyes for a moment before blinking. "You've changed," she said. "Your aura is magnificent, mostly white with swirls of red and brown." Melissa let her fingers stroke from his shoulder to the white streak in his hair. "Magnificent." "Melissa," Scully hissed. "Read my aura." She glared at her sister and raised her eyebrow. Melissa laughed lightly and turned to hug her. She whispered in her ear, "Don't worry Danes. I can admire, but I know that he is yours. "Summer," she said as she turned back to her daughter and picked her up. "This is your Uncle Fox Mulder." Mulder groaned at the use of his first name, but didn't correct her. He smiled at the little girl. She shyly grinned back. "Uncle Fox?" Maggie laughed and said, "You've done it now, Melissa." All the adults laughed and Summer hid her face against her mother's neck. "Sweetie, why don't you and I go get William? It's time for lunch." Maggie turned back to Melissa. "Are you staying for lunch?" "No thanks, Mom. Summer and I are going to check out a couple of day care facilities near our new apartment." Melissa noticed the question in Dana's eyes and replied, "I took the job with the University. You are now looking at the new Professor of Celtic Studies at San Diego State." "Melissa, that's great!" Dana enthused. She knew how much her mother wanted Melissa to settle down near the rest of the family. They discussed her plans to move to San Diego for a moment while waiting for Summer. Summer, followed by Maggie, ran back into the room and jumped into her mother's arms. "Liam is going potty," she said guilelessly. "Did you tell him it was time to eat?" Melissa smiled at her only child. "Yes, she told me," William said as he walked down the hall towards them. "She tried to get into the bathroom with me when I was busy," he huffed. "Summer!" Melissa said. "Don't you remember our discussion about privacy?" "Yes," Summer nodded. "But Liam is just a kid like me. Why does he need privacy?" Mulder smiled. He was glad that Melissa had this one to answer. Melissa hugged Summer and told her they would discuss the subject of privacy later. Then she and her daughter left. Mulder had been staring at William since he had walked into sight. Their son. William Michael Mulder. His son. He liked the name. It echoed though his head and sent chills down his spine. Would the boy accept him? Would he reject him and cling to Bill Scully? William looked up at the man with his Aunt Dana for the first time. His eyes widened and a small smile lit up his face. Dana and Maggie noticed the interaction between the two right away, but for different reasons. "Liam," Maggie said. "I want you to meet Fox Mulder." William stared at him for a moment. "Are you Aunt Dana's husband? I thought Poppa Billy said Aunt Dana's husband's name was Daniel?" he questioned with childlike directness. "It's a long story, William," Mulder said as he squatted to bring himself down to the boy's eye level. "One that is confusing even to the adults in the family." "Oh," William considered this for a while. "Are you going to tell me the whole story or are you going to tell me that I'm too young to understand it?" Mulder looked up at Scully and laughed. "I think we'll tell you the whole story, but it's time for lunch right now. Are you hungry, Buddy?" Liam grinned at the two women, "Yeah! Gramma made my favorite for lunch. Pizza!" They adjourned to the dining room and both Scully and Mulder were surprised that no one else was there. "I thought that it would be best to have just the four of us for lunch today," Maggie explained. "All the others have gone visiting or to an early movie. William was kind enough to stay and keep me company." She smiled at the boy as he scrambled into the chair next to her. She sat at the head of the table with William on her right. Dana Scully sat next to William and Mulder sat on Maggie's left. She dipped up the salad and the adults began to eat. "Where's the pizza?" Liam asked. "I didn't know when to start cooking, so I decided to order a pizza instead. It should be here any minute. Eat your salad first, William," Maggie said. After the pizza was delivered, eaten and the table cleared, they moved into the living room. All during the meal William had been sneaking peeks at Mulder. He watched everything the big man did, noting that he had removed the mushrooms from his pizza just like him. He was curious about him. He looked like someone that he knew. He wondered when they would tell him the long story that confused adults. He was not used to taking a nap after lunch, but the heat of the day, the drone of the adult conversation and his full belly made him drowsy. He curled up on the sofa next to his Grandmother and let the sound of Fox Mulder's voice soothe him. "Fox, it's so good to see you again," Maggie said sincerely. "What have you been up to, or may I ask?" Mulder decided against telling the half-truth that Richard Matheson had offered to her. He felt he owed Maggie and his son the truth, but he also wanted to let her know the story that was going to be public knowledge. "It's a long story, Maggie. Are you sure you want to listen to it all now?" he nodded toward William. "I think that now is as good a time as any, Mulder," Scully interjected. Mulder nodded and began his long story. He hit all the high points he and Scully had discussed the day before with Maggie, his devastation after the memorial service, his despair, his faked death, his drinking, his redemption and finishing with a bare-bones briefing on his part in Operation Wild Fox." "I thought Deke Williams looked familiar in the one photo that I saw published," Maggie said. "But I didn't make the connection." While Mulder had been talking William had drifted off. He slept through the more violent parts of Mulder's story and that made all the adults happy. "What are you and Dana going to do about William?" "No! Don't leave!" William moaned. "William, honey, wake up," Dana said as she moved to kneel in front of her child. "It's okay, baby. Wake up." She pulled the shaking child into her embrace and kissed his hair. He began to stir and clung to her. Mulder asked Maggie, "Does he have nightmares?" "Oh, no, this isn't a nightmare," Maggie said. "But he does have a reoccurring dream that has bothered him for some time." "What's this dream about?" Mulder scowled. He wasn't sure he liked the sounds of this. If Bill Scully was hurting his child in any way... "Liam, you're safe," Dana crooned. "See, it's just Gramma and me and ..." William opened his eyes and smiled at her. "And my Dad," he said softly as he looked at Mulder. "You're my Dad, aren't you?" Mulder nodded, unable to speak. Maggie regained her facilities first. "How did you know that Fox is your father, William?" she gently asked. "He was in my dream. He's always been in my dreams, the ones about the sandcastle on the beach. I've never seen his face before, but this time when I looked up he was smiling down at me." "What else did you see in your dream, Liam?" Mulder prodded. William scrunched up his face in concentration for a moment before saying, "There's a lady under an umbrella, but she's got a hat on and the wind was blowing it so I couldn't see her face." "That's really a great description William. Can you remember anything else about the lady?" Mulder did not want to lead the boy, but needed to hear about the rest of the dream. "Yeah," William laughed. "She was really fat, like Momma T." Mulder shot a glance at Scully, but she was ignoring him. William continued, "Oh, and Gramma was walking up the beach towards us this time." "Am I usually in your dream, William?" Maggie asked. He nodded and said, "But usually you're too far away to tell who you are. This time I could see that it was you, Gramma." Maggie was smiling but had tears in her eyes. She knew with this new-found happiness for William would come pain for Bill and Tara. "Why don't you two go out in the back yard and have a nice talk?" Maggie suggested. Mulder smiled his thanks to her and held out his hand to William. "Want to go out back, son? We could play a game of catch," he said but stopped. The disappointment that etched William's face let him know what he really wanted to do. "Or we could just find a nice spot and have a long talk." William beamed at his last suggestion. The two men left Dana and Maggie in the living room while they went in search of the truth. CHAPTER XLI FEBRUARY 15, 2001 HOME OF MAGGIE SCULLY, SAN DIEGO, CA 5:37 P.M. "What the hell is he still doing here?" Bill Scully bellowed. He walked away from his mother, through the living room to the French doors and glared at the sight before him. His son, William, was looking up at Fox Mulder with a disbelieving smile quivering on his lips. They were totally engrossed in their conversation. William's smile widened as Mulder began gesturing wildly as he spoke. "Boom!" Mulder yelled as he grabbed William and the two rolled on the grass, wrestling. William was shrieking with laughter, wiggling and tickling Mulder back. Bill shut his eyes against the pain that the scene before him created in his heart. William had always been such a reserved little boy. He had taken his role of big brother very seriously from an early age. He would wrestle and play with Bill occasionally, but never with the abandon that he was exhibiting with this virtual stranger. "They look good together," Tara said quietly. She had followed him into the room to try to avert the confrontation she knew was coming. "William has always been good with adults," Bill said doggedly. "Bill," Tara sighed. "Billy, look at me." Bill turned to look at his wife. She was blooming with their second set of twins. After all those years of trying, she was almost due to deliver yet again. He couldn't help smiling at her. "What are we going to do? I don't want to lose William, but I don't want to make him unhappy either." Tara laid her head on his arm, too pregnant to feel comfortable in a head-on hug. "I don't know what we're going to do. But right now I've got to get us loaded up and back to the base. I have to report in tomorrow." Bill stared at the scene in the back yard for a few more moments. He hugged his wife and turned away to load up the car. In a matter of moments he was back, task competed. He walked into the living room that was growing dark in the coming dusk. Tara had moved from the doorway to a chair that faced the yard. She was softly crying as she massaged her stomach while watching her son interact with Mulder in the backyard. Bill picked her up and carried her to the car. She protested but he told her to just wait right there. He ran back into the house and, with his mother's help, gathered up all the other children except William and took them out to the loaded van. He turned back to the house for William. "Billy, don't make a scene," Tara begged. "William is legally our son, and until that changes, if it changes, he goes where his family goes," Bill said firmly. He stalked back into the house as if prepared for battle. Bill emerged with a sobbing William. He put his tearful son in the back seat and pulled out of the drive without a word to his wife. ***** I sat quietly in the dark, trying to calm down. I knew I needed to go in the house and say goodbye to everyone and try to make my departure as easy for William as I could. I didn't know how I was going to say goodbye to my son after just meeting him. Scully came across the deck and stood behind me. "Are you all right?" she said quietly. "He's great, isn't he?" I answered. I wasn't all right. I had to walk away from my son again. How many times was I going to have to do that before he was with Scully and me where he belonged? "Yes," she sighed. "He is everything a parent could want in a son." I stood up and turned around. The concern on her face bothered me. "Scully? Are you okay with this? I didn't tell him that you are his mother, if that's what you're concerned about." "No, I know you didn't Mulder. I'm worried about you." "Thanks," I said. "It's going to be hard to say goodbye to him tonight." "Goodbye?" she gasped. "Yeah." A feeling of disquiet settled in my stomach. "Bill said that Tara needed William a few minutes ago. I was just sitting here trying to calm down before coming in to tell him goodbye for the evening." "Mulder, Bill took William home. He loaded up Tara and the kids and then came back in, got William, and left." I stared at her in disbelief. "Gone?" She nodded her head. "William was crying. I thought it was because he had to tell you goodbye." "That son-of-a-bitch took my son without letting me tell him goodbye?" I roared. "Mulder, calm down!" Scully urged. "Calm down? Are you out of your mind? How do you think William feels being dragged off after just meeting his father for the first time? How the hell do you think I feel?" I stormed back into the house towards the front door. "Fox? What's wrong?" Maggie came from the kitchen wiping her hands. "Maggie, did you know that Bill took William without letting me tell him goodbye?" I accused. "No!" she gasped and turned pale. "I thought that you two had handled it without a confrontation when I didn't hear any shouting. I helped Tara and the others out to the car, but I never thought for a minute that you didn't know he was leaving. I've been in the kitchen with Charlie and his brood." Scully grabbed my arm as I reached for the front door. "Mulder, wait. What are you going to do?" "I'm going to go to Bill's house for a little chat about etiquette," I snarled. I didn't slam the door as I left, but I wanted to, God I wanted to! CHAPTER XLII FEBRUARY 15, 2001 SAN DIEGO HILTON, ROOM OF DANA SCULLY 10:27 P.M. Scully paced as she waited for Mulder to return to his room. The connecting door was shut and locked on his side, but that didn't worry her. The housekeeping staff had probably closed it earlier that day. It had happened to them more than a few times when they were on the road as partners. She startled when the phone rang. "Mulder?" she said. "Dana, it's Mom ..." Maggie hesitated. "Mom, what's wrong?" Dana was concerned about her mother. It had taken her over two hours to calm her down after Mulder left her house earlier. Maggie was terrified that there was going to be a major confrontation between Bill and Tara and Mulder. Her loyalties were divided on this issue and it was making it difficult for her to remain calm. "Billy called. He wanted to let me know that everything was all right. Tara was very upset over the confrontation he and Mulder had so she is spending the night at the base hospital. She had some cramping and her blood pressure was up. The doctor wanted her to be in a controlled environment. I'm on my way over to stay with them for a few days while she gets on her feet again." "Mom, I'm so sorry to hear about Tara's condition. Are they afraid she'll deliver early?" "No, they think with bed rest she will be all right, but she needs my help, Dana." "I understand Mom," Dana said. "Umm ... Mom? What happened with Mulder? Did Billy tell you anything?" "There ..." Maggie sighed. "There was a huge argument. The neighbors heard the commotion and called the MP's. Mulder was thrown off the base and barred from reentry." Scully silently listened to her mother's words. She knew there was more. "Bill said ... Bill said that Mulder threatened his life and he is bringing charges up against him for assault." "Bill is such an asshole. If Mulder intended to hurt him, he could have killed him with his bare hands. He brought this on himself by leaving without letting Mulder say goodbye to his son." "William is Bill's son too, Dana. Need I remind you that he's been the only father that William's known since he was a baby." "I understand that Bill's been there for William, but Liam's known that Bill wasn't his real father for years." "A father is the man that's there for you, Dana," Maggie said firmly. "Mom! Are you denying Mulder's right to be in William's life?" "I'm being supportive of my son, my grandson, and my family, Dana. What are you doing?" "Mom, don't ask me to take sides on this issue." "I'm not, Dana." Scully could hear an unspoken meaning in her mother's voice. "What are you saying?" she asked. "Bill said that unless you agreed with their right to keep William, that he ..." Maggie hesitated. "Go on," Dana ordered. "They don't want you around William, either." "Do you agree with this, Mom?" Dana softly asked. "I want what's best for the family, Dana. Right now William is a very confused little boy. Perhaps it would be best if you stayed away for a while, at least until this worry over Tara and the twins is over." Scully was silently crying as her mother spoke. All the things the Consortium had done to her had not hurt nearly as much as her mother's soft words. "Dana?" "Good bye, Mom." "Good night, Dana," Maggie said, but her daughter had already hung up. ***** Dana Scully lay on her bed, sobbing. Her mother's words echoed through her head. The phone rang and she ignored it, sure that it was her mother again, trying to play peacemaker. Only her concern for Mulder made her answer it on the sixth ring. "Scully, it's me." Mulder's voice sounded strange and there was a lot of background noise. "Mulder, where are you?" "I'm at the airport," he mumbled. "Mulder, I can hardly understand you. Are you alright?" "Yeah," he said. "Is this better?" "Yes, what's going on? I can barely understand you." "Scully, I have a split lip after my conversation with your brother, so this is the best I can do." "Oh Mulder!" she moaned. "Look, I'm at the airport. My plane leaves in an hour and a half. I'm going back to D.C. to get all the paperwork started for my resurrection and my reinstatement. Come with me, Scully." "What's the rush, Mulder? Why didn't you come back to the hotel to talk to me first?" "I did come back, but you weren't there. I was going to leave without calling you, but I couldn't. Scully, come with me. We can take care of all the legalities and then come back to get our son." "Mulder, I can't just leave. I would have to let my family know where I'm going and take care of my hotel bill," she stalled. "Scully, I will take care of the hotel. You can call you family from the airport. Please, Scully. I need you." "Mulder, did you assault Bill in his own home?" "What?" "Did you attack Bill? Is that why he hit you?" Mulder's voice took on an icy chill. "I did not assault your brother in his own home. He sucker punched me, again. I would never start anything in front of Tara and William." "Well, Tara is in the hospital due to complications brought on by your little confrontation with Bill," Scully said. "Damn it, Scully. I didn't do anything except yell, and Bill started that. I wanted to say goodnight to William. Bill refused to call him down to talk to me. He started yelling and I yelled back. Tara tried to calm him down and he yelled at her. William heard us and came down stairs. I hugged him and told him goodnight. When I stood up, Bill took a swing at me and broke open my lip. The MP's arrived, I guess the neighbors called them, and I was escorted off base. End of story." "Oh, Mulder!" she sighed. "Scully, come to Washington with me. You can handle all the legalities there as easily as in California. Skinner said that you could be re-certified as an agent and that the Bureau would help you get your medical license back." "Mulder, I can't," she said. "Why? We'll be back in California soon." "I can't, there's nothing for me there," she said cryptically. "I'll be there, Scully." "Mulder, I need to stay in California," she began. "I get it," he interrupted. "Get what?" "That you've chosen to stay here an be Aunt Dana rather than claim your son and husband." "No, that's not it, Mulder," she interrupted. "Yes, it is, Dana. I knew it when you asked me not to tell our son that you were his mother. He's a smart boy, Scully. Don't you think he's going to figure it all out?" "Mulder," she cried. "You don't understand!" "Sure I do, Scully. I understand everything. But do me a favor Scully? Tell your brother that the next time he lays a hand on me in anger, I'll put him in the hospital. MPs or no MPs. This is the last time I will ever allow him to get away with hitting me. I had enough of that from my father. I don't need to take it from my brother-in-law, ex-brother-in-law." He hung up the phone. Dana Scully curled up on her bed in the dark and sobbed. Her inability to commit to Mulder had cost her the love of her life. She had drawn a line with her Mother over William's parentage and with Mulder over an ongoing commitment. She had chosen to close herself off from both sides. She cried herself to sleep. She couldn't tell Mulder how terrified she was about going back to Washington. She had been cut off from her education and her profession. She had no memory of any past achievements for so long and didn't know if she would ever be able to step back into her life. Why didn't she just tell him that? What level of pride kept her from admitting her fear? She knew, deep in her heart that she was afraid that Mulder would reject her if she was less than she had been before. He remembered his kick-ass, medical doctor partner and wife, but she wasn't sure that she would ever be that person again. She was Dana Scully now, but until recently, she had been Liz Waterston, housewife. She had a housekeeper and a maid. She had played hostess for Daniel, worked out and decorated. What if she could never regain her old self again? Her mother's words about staying away from William hurt her more than she could ever believe. She was angry and hurt. Mulder was right, she should have told William right away that she was his mother. He was too smart a child not to put two and two together. He would wonder why his mother had denied him by her silence. She was so confused, she cried herself to sleep. ***** When Dana Scully woke up, she was no less confused about what she should do than she had been the night before. She tried to call Melissa, but Charlie answered the phone and his terse questioning made her hang up before she got to speak to Melissa. She stared out the window of her hotel room for a long time, trying to think about what she should do. Every few minutes she would begin crying again and realized that she wasn't getting anywhere. It was proving to be difficult to think through a problem that had so many levels of emotional conflict involved. In the past when she needed help she had always turned to Mulder. Even when she didn't know who she really was she had ... Regan! Scully quickly called her friend and poured out her story to her. Regan was immediately supportive. "Why don't you come back to San Francisco and stay with us for a while, Dana?" "Oh, Regan, I couldn't impose on you and Michael." "Dana Scully! What are friends for? Besides, I happen to know a good lawyer that will help you work through all the legal paperwork you face. Getting declared un-dead is a lot harder than being ruled legally dead, you know?" "Sounds like you and Michael have been talking about this," Dana mused. "Well, you know Michael. Never knows how to leave a problem alone. He's been looking, unofficially of course, into the implications of your resurrection and your two marriages." "Oh, no," Scully groaned. "I forgot about being married to Daniel." "Pack up and get to the airport. Let me know when you land and we'll work on this together." "Thanks, Regan." Dana Scully hung up and jumped into action. She had a plan now. Everything would work out eventually. CHAPTER XLIII MAY 14, 2001 SAN FRANCISCO DISTRICT COURT 9:22 A.M. "Dana, are you still in there?" The heavy wooden door of the bathroom muffled Regan's voice. Dana Scully pulled herself off the floor and stumbled to the door, unlocking it before rushing back across the room to throw up again. "Oh, honey!" Regan commiserated as she pulled some paper towels from the dispenser and wet them. She placed one of the towels on the back of Dana's neck and used the other to wipe her face. "You didn't tell me you had the flu." "I don't," Dana said. "I think I'm just upset by Daniel's behavior in court. Did you hear what he said? The lies he told?" Dana began crying softly. "How could he say those things?" "Dana, you have to understand. Daniel is afraid that you will destroy his reputation if the truth gets out. Daniel's entire self-esteem revolves around his good reputation when, in fact, he is a liar and a cheat. He feels threatened by the truth and can't let his peers in the medical community find that out what a slime ball he is." "I'm not asking for a public apology, I don't want to hurt him! I just can't stand to be in the same room with him! I want an annulment. He can tell everyone else anything he wants, I just want this nightmare to be over," Dana sobbed. "Honey, calm down or you'll get the dry heaves again," Regan soothed. Moments later, Dana and Regan exited the bathroom to find a smiling Michael Jeffries waiting for them. "He caved. The annulment was granted and he was ordered to give you a lump sum settlement of $250,000." Michael was pleased with his efforts in bringing down Daniel Waterston. He had stood by and watched the man cheat on his wife for years. It felt good to hit him where it hurt, his reputation and his pocket book. Lord knew he didn't have a heart. "I don't want the money," Dana said vehemently. "I don't want anything to do with him." "Well unfortunately, the court has awarded you the money, payable by a cashier's check in ten days." Michael's eyes sparkled as he stated the terms of the settlement. "Michael, you've done a wonderful job with my cases. Please, take your retainer from the check and donate the balance of the money to the relief fund for the survivors of the Consortium," Dana said decisively. "All right, Dana. If that's what you want," Michael agreed. "Wait, there is one other thing. I want to make a large donation, $50,000 to the hospital where Daniel works, in the name of Dana Scully Mulder," she smiled. Michael and Regan exchanged grins. "I'll do that!" "And Michael, sweetie, make sure that it's a very prominent and very obvious just who Dana Scully Mulder really is," Regan insisted. The three smiled at one another for a moment and talked about their plans for the rest of the day. Suddenly Dana's face paled as Daniel Waterston and his lawyers walked down the hall. Dana turned to go back into the restroom, feeling nauseous again. "Dana! Wait! I need to talk to you," Daniel demanded. Dana Scully looked over her shoulder at him. "I have nothing to say to you Daniel." She pushed on through the door and Regan and Michael Jeffries moved to block the door. "Get out of my way, I need to talk to my wife," Daniel insisted. "Dr. Waterston, as of a few minutes ago, your marriage to Dana Scully Mulder was annulled. Within days the paperwork will be finalized. She's told you she doesn't have anything to say to you. Listen to her. She has already indicated that she will put a restraining order against you if you approach her again," Michael growled. Daniel Waterston's face turned a brilliant red and he was about to argue with Michael when his lawyer pulled him aside and spoke quietly into his ear. Waterston seemed to deflate in front of their eyes. He turned back to Regan. "Tell her ..." he hesitated. "Tell her I'm sorry." As he left with this lawyer, Regan could hear Dana throwing up again in the bathroom. She turned to enter the bathroom to help her friend when her husband stopped her. "Is she all right?" "I don't know, Michael. Between the crying, the flashbacks and now nausea and vomiting, I don't see how she can be all right. I need to convince her to go to the doctor. Dana has a strenuous week ahead of her and she needs to be well to get through it," Regan replied. "Why do you suppose Fox Mulder subpoenaed her to testify at the hearing? She didn't say anything to me about not testifying for him," Michael mused. "And a subpoena is not usually done for a hearing." "From what I can gather, I think he believes that she will be a hostile witness. He thinks she's on Bill Scully's side. But I don't want to discuss this now. I need to get her to a doctor. Will you be able to pick up the kids tonight?" Regan leaned against her husband for a moment, gathering strength. "Sure, no problem, Hon. This was my last case for the afternoon." Michael kissed her and gave her a hug. "See you two at home." CHAPTER XLIV MAY 21, 2001 SAN DIEGO DISTRICT COURT 11:13 A.M. Dana Scully Mulder was late. The case was to begin at 11:00 sharp but her flight had been delayed. She was not unhappy about being late, it allowed her to slip into the courtroom and take a seat in the back on Mulder's side of the room without having to confront her family. Almost as if he could feel her presence in the room, Fox Mulder turned to look directly at her. His gaze was guarded. When she nodded at him, he gave her a small smile back and returned to face the front. Moments later she could feel her brother's glare. She started to feel nauseous again and closed her eyes, trying to calm her thoughts and her upset stomach. She was suddenly glad that she had not eaten breakfast this morning. The lawyers began duking it out. Records and documents were submitted and finally, after lunch, witnesses were called. Dana Scully was one of the first witnesses to be called for Fox Mulder. She gave her testimony succinctly and calmly to Mulder's lawyer. She met every challenge from Bill's lawyer with information that had been documented by the previously submitted records. She was asked to stand down, but to remain available for re-examination. She took her seat at the back of the court and watched the rest of the proceedings. Mulder's lawyers were top-notch. They had prepared their case carefully, using witnesses that not only could prove his genetic claim to William, but his emotional ties as well. The last witness before court was adjourned for the day was a shock to everyone but Mulder and his lawyers. Richard Matheson, President of the United States, took the stand as a character witness for Fox William Mulder. News of the President's testimony spread. After he was cross-examined, he was whisked away by the Secret Service, but not before stopping and giving Mulder a handshake and a hug. Bill's face showed that he knew he had lost. Court was adjourned for the day and Scully left quickly. She saw Lt. Carma Anderson approach Mulder before she left. She couldn't bear to watch her husband and the beautiful woman together. She went back to her hotel and cried herself to sleep. ***** The next day, Lt. Anderson was called as a character witness for Mulder. She was excused but asked to remain in the courtroom until she was to be dismissed. Dana sat at the back of the room again, oblivious to most of the happenings around her. William was sitting with Bill and Tara today, and she was totally engrossed in watching her son as he listened to all the testimony. When the argument erupted between Mulder and Bill, it caught her by surprise. The judge cleared the courtroom and kept only the lawyers, Mulder, Bill and Tara in the room. She longed to go with William and her mother, but knew she wouldn't be welcomed. When Dana walked into the witness waiting area, the only seat available was next to Lt. Anderson. Dread filled her heart. She did not want to talk to this woman. She had caught her glaring at her several times during the trial already. She was feeling sick again and could barely keep her breakfast down. She looked around and decided that it was her only option at this time. Moments passed without a word being spoken between the two women. Finally the court clerk asked all the parties to rejoin the session. Dana started to stand up, after waiting for her mother and William to enter the courtroom. She was surprised when Carma Anderson's hand held her in place. "Please, could we talk for a moment?" Her gaze was level but slightly antagonistic. "I'm sorry. I don't believe we have anything to discuss," Dana said as she pulled her arm away. "Deke ... Fox Mulder," she said. Dana closed her eyes and sighed. She gathered her strength and turned towards the beautiful younger woman. "What about Mulder?" "Did you know he wore his wedding ring until he came back from California?" Scully looked at her and waiting for her to continue. "He still loves you. Even though you've broken his heart twice now, he only wants you. Why are you doing this to him?" "Why do you care?" Dana asked quietly. "I've watched him for year. I admit, I'm more than a little in love with him. But for years he turned away all the women who threw themselves at him. He held himself faithful to you and your memory while you were married to another man, and still he wants you. I have to warn you. As much as he has wanted you back, he wants his son more. Don't make him live without his son, please. Even if you don't want him, don't let your brother take away his son." "He's my son, too," Dana said as she rose and walked back into the courtroom. The hearing carried on for two more days. Endless testimony for either side was given. Dana Scully was called back to the stand a final time by Bill and Tara's lawyer. "Would you give your complete name for the court records?" Bill's lawyer, Martin Fender, asked. Dana looked at her brother, meeting his glare with one of her own. "Dana Scully Mulder," she said clearly. The lawyer was shocked. When she had first testified, she had used the name Dana Scully. "Ms. Scully, can you tell us why you have changed your name since the last time you testified?" "Yes. My lawyer just informed me that the annulment of my second marriage was final yesterday. I consider myself to be Dana Scully Mulder and was advised by my lawyer that that is again my legal name." "I see. Ms. Scully, are you currently married to Fox Mulder?" "That's Ms. Mulder," she said, correcting him before answering his question. "I believe so." "You believe so? Is there some question about the standing of your relationship with Mr. Mulder?" the lawyer pounced. "Yes." Dana did not offer any explanation. "And could you tell us why there would be a question about your marital status with Mr. Mulder?" "Well, until I speak to my lawyer and his legal council, I have to give that answer." "Why, Ms. Mulder?" Martin Fender was becoming exasperated with this woman. "Because until recently, Fox William Mulder was legally dead. He was working under the name of D. K. Williams on a special assignment for the President. I don't know where he stands in his efforts to be declared ... un-dead." A twitter rolled through the courtroom. "Is there any other reason you would not know if your marriage is of good standing, Ms. ... Mulder?" "I don't know what you mean," Dana said as she glared at him. "Isn't it true that you are not with Fox Mulder because he is a dangerous, unstable man?" "I object, your Honor!" Mulder's lawyer, Phillip Wyle, was on his feet. "In fact, Mr. Mulder has twice tried to assault your brother, Bill Scully?" "Your Honor!" Mr. Wyle yelled. "Please Mr. Wyle, this is a hearing, not a court trial. Please take your seat. I will stop Mr. Fender when he gets out of line in his questioning," the Judge ruled. "Answer the question, Ms. Mulder," Mr. Fender demanded. When Dana hesitated the Judge requested, "Please restate your question, Mr. Fender." "Is the reason you are not living in Washington D.C. with Fox Mulder because he is a dangerous, unstable man; one who attacked your brother twice? One who you believe should not have custody of your son?" Every one in the courtroom gasped. Until this moment, no one had stated that she was William's mother. "No, that is not the reason I am not living with Mulder." "Your Honor, please instruct this witness to answer my questions completely. If she does not cooperate I would like to ask that she be considered a hostile witness." "Hostile to whom, Mr. Fender?" the Judge asked, then held up her hand to halt a continued verbal assault by Bill's lawyer. "Ms. Mulder, please answer the question fully. We are trying to establish who should have custody of William Scully. Your testimony will help us make that decision." Dana Scully Mulder looked the Judge directly in the eye and replied, "Your Honor, I would like to ask your permission to speak freely." The Judge waved Mr. Fender back to his chair. "By all means, Ms. Mulder, you have the floor." "I have no doubt that Fox Mulder is a dangerous man. He was trained by the FBI in many means of self-defense. We all were. He has told me personally that he was trained even more extensively in hand-to-hand combat and weaponry while he was being groomed for his assignment for the President. Even with all this skill and knowledge of weaponry, you will never find a kinder, gentler man on this earth. "When we worked as partners in the FBI, his ability to empathize with the victims and loved ones of victims honed his skills and made him even more determined to find the perpetrator responsible for their loss. His solve rate was exceptional during his entire tenure with the FBI." Scully looked at Mulder and gave him a small smile. "Mulder has not only not attacked my brother physically, but he has held back his response to the two physical attacks my brother made on him." Dana cleared her throat before continuing. "Bill and Tara have raised William from infancy. They have done a wonderful job. For that, I thank them very much, but William belongs with his father. Bill and Tara have six other children, and while you cannot replace a child like you can a car or a pet, their pain will not be permanent. I am sure Mulder will make every effort to allow William access to the first family he knew. "Fox Mulder has completed a task set before him by the President of the United States: to bring down the Consortium of human criminals that had conspired to destroy life, as we know it, on earth. These very criminals are the ones that kidnapped me and stole my memories of my life after incarcerating me until my child was born. They gave William to Bill and Tara for their own twisted reasons. Thankfully they were good, loving parents to our son. I did not regain my memories until I saw the face of the criminal that held me captive on television. He was arrested due to the diligent effort of Fox Mulder. Mulder deserves to be with his son, and I know that William wants to be with Mulder." The entire courtroom was silent as she spoke. As her voice faded sniffles could be heard throughout the room. The Judge cleared her throat and said, "Thank you, Ms. Mulder." She asked Martin Fender, "Do you have any further questions?" "No, your Honor," Fender answered quietly. "Do you have any questions, Mr. Wyle?" "Yes, your honor, I do," Phillip Wyle said as he walked over to Dana Scully Mulder. "Mrs. Mulder, why are you not planning on going back East with my client, Fox Mulder and your son, if he does indeed get custody of William?" Scully stared at him for a moment before letting her eyes meet Mulder's across the room. "I was trained for years to use science to evaluate problems. I majored in physics in college and switched to medical school. There I completed my residency in pathology but decided to join the FBI instead of practicing in the public sector. Every choice I have made in life has been governed by my training. But ..." Dana's voice faltered and she put her fingertips to her trembling lips, trying to maintain her control. Mulder was on his feet, glass of water in hand, before she could continue. He handed it to her and let his fingers briefly touch hers. She looked into his eyes and nodded her thanks before he returned to his seat. She took a drink, holding onto the glass as she continued. "All of that was taken away from me on October 13, 1994. I have lived without my science, my training, and I find now that I remember my past, I don't know ... who ... I am. I need some time to decide what I'm going to do now that I have my life back. I don't feel that there is anything left for me in Washington, with the Bureau. I need to become a whole person again before I can be a mother or a wife or even a friend. I love my son, but William does not need to be dragged through the pain of discovery that I find to be my life. He needs stability. He needs his family. His whole family. He needs Bill and Tara and their kids. He needs my mother and his Aunts, Uncles and cousins. But most of all, he needs his father." Her voice lowered and she softly said, "And his father needs him." "Thank you Mrs. Mulder," Phillip Wyle said. "You may be excused, Ms. Mulder," the Judge said, clearing her throat. Dana Scully handed the glass of water to the bailiff, then stood and walked back to her seat. "Are there any other witnesses you would like to call, Mr. Fender, Mr. Wyle?" Both attorneys answered negatively. "Your honor?" Fox Mulder stood up. "Yes, Mr. Mulder?" the Judge responded. "Dana had her chance to ask for the court's indulgence. I would like to ask a favor of the court of my own." "Please state your request, Mr. Mulder and I'll rule on it." The Judge wanted to stop the objections of Martin Fender before they started. "Your Honor, I would like to ask you to talk to William in private and ask him what he wants. I want custody of my son desperately, but I am willing to abide by his choice if you ask him right now." "Why now, Mr. Mulder?" "I don't want anyone to talk to him but you. I don't want any of the adults in his life to put undo pressure on him, not even me." "Very well, Mr. Mulder. I agree. If there are no further witnesses, I adjourn this session and ask that William Michael Scully join me in my chambers, with no further conversation, unless in my presence. We will reconvene at 9:00 AM tomorrow. Mr. & Mrs. Scully you may wait right here for William." The Judge, the clerk, the court stenographer and William walked through the door to the Judges chambers. Dana rose to leave, but a wave of nausea swept over her. She grasped the back of the bench in front of her and willed her stomach to settle down. She looked up to see Mulder heading in her direction. Or was he going to meet Carma Anderson seated two rows in front of her? No, he walked right by Ms. Anderson and stopped at her side. "Scully," he said, but his eyes spoke volumes. "Mulder," she answered. "Thank you for what you said up there. I appreciate your vote of confidence." He smiled at her but became pensive almost immediately. "I didn't know that you were having difficulties adjusting to regaining your memories." "It's been more difficult than I expected," she said honestly. She wanted to fall into his arms and let him hold her, taking away her fear like he used to do, but she couldn't. They stood there, gazing into each other's eyes, not speaking for several minutes. They were so close together that she could feel his breathe on her face. "Mr. Mulder," Phillip Wyle beckoned his client. He was standing at the back of the courtroom with his assistant and Carma Anderson. "I have to go, Scully. I have a meeting with my lawyer. Will you be here tomorrow?" "I don't think so. My ticket is for an early flight tomorrow and I have been dismissed by the Judge." Mulder frowned at her but did not say what he was obviously thinking. "I have done everything I can do, Mulder. I told the truth as I saw it. You are the right person to have custody of William. If you win, you will be going back East, and there will be nothing left here in San Diego for me. If you loose, you will go back to Washington, and I will still not be welcomed here." "Scully! Your family ...?" Mulder asked. "My family has decided that I chose you over them and they will not be willing to welcome me back into the fold for some time. Don't worry, Mulder. I don't think it's permanent," she sighed. "At least not with my mother." "What are you going to do?" Mulder asked as he let his fingertips gently swipe a strand of her hair back behind her ear. "Come with us?" The gesture was so familiar, so poignant that she almost agreed. Only her fear over her declining health kept her from agreeing to join them. She had not told anyone except Regan about her fear that her cancer was back and had spread to her stomach. She would know soon. She had an appointment with an oncologist tomorrow afternoon. "Mr. Mulder, do you want to cancel the meeting?" Mr. Wyle had joined them. "No, I was just leaving," Scully said. "Good luck, Mulder. Good bye." She stared into his eyes for a long moment again, trying to memorize them, clinging to the strength she felt when she was near him. She finally turned and walked through the doors, passing Carma Anderson on her way out. CHAPTER XLV JUNE 21, 2001 SAN FRANCISCO, HOME OF DANA MULDER 5:00 P.M. "Dana are you sure you feel up to coming to the reception tonight?" Regan Jeffries persisted. Her concern over Dana's health during her pregnancy was a bone of contention between the two friends. "Yes, I told you I am feeling better now. I went to the doctor yesterday and she said I am fine. I can resume my normal activities if I drop one of my classes to lighten my work load." "How do you feel about that?" Regan replied automatically. "I 'feel' just fine about it, Dr. Jeffries," Dana laughed. "Really I do. It won't delay my medical boards since there was a three- month lapse between my last classes and the regularly scheduled exam. I can cram in one more class." "Sorry, Dana. It's hard to turn it off sometimes," Regan apologized. "I tend to practice on all my closest friends and relatives." "Don't worry about it. I'll probably be using your children to practice on before school is over. Even though I'm going to be a pathologist, I have to find a few live ones to treat before I can pass my practicum." "Well, if you're sure you want to go, Michael and I can pick you up around seven. That way we'll get there early enough to beat the real mooches who show up early and eat all the shrimp. Honestly, if Michael wasn't on the Board of Directors of the Landis Foundation, I would forget this whole evening." "You know you can't and you wouldn't, don't you?" Dana laughed. "Yes, yes, yes. I know," Regan giggled. She paused and said, "Dana, you know that Daniel will probably be there, don't you?" "Yes, I understand that he'll probably be there with the babe de jour, and I don't care," Dana said firmly. "I've told you this before, Daniel Waterston can no longer hurt me." "Good!" said Regan. "We'll see you in a couple hours. Who knows, maybe you'll meet a tall, dark, handsome man and get swept off your feet." "At this point, Regan, I'd settle for a foot rub." Dana Scully laughed with her friend and hung up the phone. She had to get ready for the annual fundraiser at the Landis Foundation, and things seemed to take a lot longer lately. Scully dropped her robe and examined her figure in the mirror. Her breasts were slightly larger, nipples a darker rose than they had been only months ago. She still had a small waist, only the little pooch on her lower abdomen gave way her secret. She was pregnant. One wonderful night with Mulder and he had knocked her up again! The man must be shooting pure sperm to be that lethal. Of course, she hadn't used birth control for years. Daniel had a vasectomy years before they were together so she didn't have the need for any birth control. She rubbed her hand over her abdomen and hummed. She wanted this baby, wanted it so badly that she was willing to do anything to keep it. Even if what she had to do involved shelving her schooling and waiting to reinstate her medical license until after the baby was born, she was committed to carrying this child to term. She knew she should contact Mulder, but couldn't just yet. He was still settling in with William, her other baby. When things calmed down for them and she was sure she was not going to lose the baby, she would call him. She finally drew herself out of her daydream and glanced at the clock. She only had an hour left to get ready! That's where the time went, contemplating her navel, or soon to be lack of one. She smiled as she threw herself into high gear, shower, hair, make-up and off to get dressed. Dana had chosen her dress carefully. She knew she didn't look pregnant, but still felt self-conscious about her expanding abdomen. She took advantage of her increased bust line and had purchased a simple black silk blend dress that clung to her breasts and fell in a straight line to just above her knees. She liked the way the dress seemed to cling then flow away from her lower body as she walked. It was held up by two small straps of the same fabric. She felt decadent when she slid the dress on over her bare skin. None of her bras fit anymore and certainly none of them would have been appropriate for use under this little cloud of a dress. She finished her outfit with a pair of black thigh high stockings and black thong panties. She checked her reflection in the mirror. She had decided not to pin up her long hair tonight. She decided to let it go curly. Pretty damn good, if she did say so herself. She had spent hours shopping for the perfect shoes to wear with this dress. She had chosen well, she thought. The ankle strap, curved but stable high heel and the small leather rose complimented the simplicity of her dress. The open toed sandal was much more comfortable and affordable than a lot of the other shoes she had tried on. She glanced down and wiggled her toes. The sparkly toe ring she was sporting was totally not like her. The entire outfit was unlike any of her previous choices. She stared at herself for a long time, considering her motivation for this outfit and contemplated changing into her black suit. She turned once again, taking in the entire look and decided that she liked what she saw. She was trying to decide what she should wear for jewelry when she heard a knock on her door. "Come on in, it's unlocked," she called out to Regan. She stared at her jewelry and tried to make up her mind. "Come on back, I need your help with something." She heard the floor creak as her friend walked into the bedroom. "Regan, I can't decide what earrings I should wear. Which ones do you think would go best?" When her friend didn't answer, she turned to show her the two she had narrowed it down to. She let out a small gasp as she saw Michael standing in the doorway looking embarrassed. "Michael, I'm sorry. I thought you were Regan. You should have said something." Michael blushed and cleared his throat. "I would have but you surprised me! Dana, you ... you clean up real nice." Dana smiled and blushed under his brotherly admiration. "Thanks Michael, you sweet talker," Dana grinned. "Now which of these do you think I should wear?" "I think you should call Regan and ask her," he said as he handed her his cell phone. "Number one on the speed dial." Dana's smile dimmed as she remembered being number one on Mulder's speed dial for years, but she took the phone and after a short conversation with Regan decided on the black and silver earrings that complemented her toe ring. She wore no other jewelry. "Shall we go?" she asked Michael as she reentered the living room. She picked up her small bag by the long silver chain. When they got to the street, she could feel Regan's gaze. "Now who do you suppose this outfit is in honor of?" she teased. "Do you like it?" Dana laughed. "Like it? What's not to like? I would kill to wear something like that!" Regan mournfully glanced down at her dress. "Regan, you look beautiful, and you know it," Dana assured her friend. "You will be the most beautiful woman there," Michael quietly interjected. "See!" Dana crowed. "The only opinion that matters has just been stated." The friends settled into a companionable silence as they drove towards the reception. Regan kept darting glances back at Dana until she said, "What? Go ahead and say it, Regan. You've got something on your mind?" "Daniel will eat his heart out when he sees you," she started. "You aren't going to hide in the corner like you usually do at these functions, are you? That dress needs to be seen!" "I admit, I wanted to look my best tonight. I don't want Dan ... anyone to think that I'm the downtrodden little woman." "You go, girl!" Regan interjected. "Maybe you will meet Mr. Right tonight." "Sorry, kiddo, Mr. Right is a continent away," Dana sighed. "Well," Michael said, "Maybe you'll meet Mr. Right-Now." "Michael, that's such a guy comment!" Regan rolled her eyes. The three friends laughed and continued to chat as they drove. CHAPTER XLVI JUNE 21, 2001 SAN FRANCISCO, CA, LANDIS FOUNDATION RECEPTION 8:15 P.M. Dana was totally relaxed and happy when they walked into the reception. She greeted many of her friends and acquaintances from her days as Daniel's wife. Everyone complimented her on how stunning she looked. Some even had the nerve to express their surprise that she was up to being in public after her messy divorce. Some were quick to point out Daniel and his date. But most were just glad to see her again. After the receiving line and dinner, she had danced a few times but was feeling tired and lonely, so she went out on the terrace to watch the moon rise over the mountains. She was still sitting on a secluded bench when she heard someone approach. "You look beautiful, Dana," Daniel said from the shadows. She turned her gaze toward him. Unsmiling she replied, "Thank you, Daniel." "May I join you for a moment?" "Aren't you afraid your date will be looking for you?" "Ah, jealous?" he teased hopefully. "No." Her simple reply cut him to the quick. "Dana, I've missed you. I'm sorry. Can you ever forgive me?" She stared at him for a moment and realized that he probably did miss her, after all their divorce was not his idea. Even now it was all about him. "No, Daniel, I can't. You knew who I was and how to locate my family the entire time we were married. You knew about my nightmares and loneliness, and you never once tried to help me regain my past. I can't forgive you for that level of deceit." Her voice had remained cool and dispassionate during her entire reply. Daniel knew once and for all that he had lost the only woman he had ever truly loved. He knew now how his first wife claimed to feel when he left her. It was over and for a brief moment Daniel Waterston considered the concept of karma. "I think it would be best if you went back to the reception." Dana was not willing to waste another breath on the likes of Daniel Waterston. "Goodbye, Daniel." "Goodbye, Dana." She sat there for several more minutes, allowing her mind to clear and just enjoy the scenery. The music was soft and the night was warm and balmy. A shadow fell on her and a voice asked, "Is this seat taken?" Her heart pounded. She would know that voice anywhere. "No, but I have to warn you, I've been told to look for Mr. Right tonight and I'm feeling dangerous." He chuckled and sat down next to her. "You certainly are dressed for it, Scully. You look beautiful." "You are the second man that said that to me since I sat down here, Mulder." "Was he Mr. Right?" "No, he wasn't even Mr. Right-Now," she said as she smiled at the man she considered to be her soulmate. ***** I wasn't going to come tonight. Even though Scully's friend Regan had called and told me that she was going to be here, I had hesitated. I didn't want to fly all the way across country to be rejected, again. But the information that Regan Jeffries had shared with me compelled me to make this trip. She had not contacted me herself, but I had kept tabs on her through the Gunmen. She had registered at the University of California at Berkley for refresher courses that would allow her to re-certify her medical degree by taking the board exam again. She had been in the hospital recently for two days and this alone was reason enough to help me decide to fly out. I was intrigued by the invitation and the instructions to wear a tuxedo. Now that I was here, I understood. This was a very up-scale shindig. Scully looked exquisite. I had watched her for a half an hour before I saw her come out here to rest. I had started to go to her when I saw Daniel Waterston approach her. I froze. What if she actually wanted him back? I started to leave but hesitated. I didn't realize that I had been holding my breath until I saw her turn away from him. I was glad that she had rejected that bastard, even after I saw his face as he walked away. He looked as if he were ageing before my very eyes. I could understand it. Losing Dana Scully could almost kill any man. I approached her quietly, still fearful that she would reject any contact with me and asked, "Is this seat taken?" She didn't look at me right away, but she replied, "No, but I have to warn you, I've been told to look for Mr. Right tonight and I'm feeling dangerous." I laughed and sat down next to her. "You certainly are dressed for it, Scully. You look beautiful." 'Did she have any idea how breathtaking she looked tonight?' I wondered. She smiled and said, "You are the second man that said that to me since I sat down here, Mulder." "Was he Mr. Right?" I couldn't keep the edge of anger out of my voice. "No," she smiled at me again, this time a full 1000-watt Scully- smile. "He wasn't even Mr. Right-Now. How are you Mulder?" "I'm doing well," I replied. I knew that she was hungry for news of our son. "William and I have moved back to the Vineyard. We're living in one of my Dad's properties. Well, I guess it's mine now. It's right on the beach and William is having a ball." I had to smile as I talked about our son. "Did you know that he's grown up in San Diego his whole life but had never been in the ocean?" "The Pacific Ocean is much colder and more dangerous than the Atlantic," she replied automatically. "He loves the water. He's asked about you." I watched her carefully, trying to read her emotions. "What have you told him?" she whispered. I picked up her hand and played with her fingers. "I told him that his mother loves him very much, but has been through so much in the last few years that she needs some time to sort out all her memories. I told him that she knows he loves her, too." I hesitated and added, "I told him that I love my Scully very much and hope that some day we can live together as a family." "Mulder," she sniffed. "I want that too, but I'm not your Scully anymore." I gathered her into my embrace and held her until she calmed her breathing. "Scully?" I whispered. "What do you mean?" "When we were first partners, then friends, then married, I was Special Agent Dana Scully, M.D. I was strong and driven. We complimented each other on every level. I'm not Scully any longer, Mulder. Too much has happened. I've lost so much of 'me'. I need to regain my self-respect, my drive. I need to be the person you remember again before I can come back to you." I couldn't believe what I was hearing. Scully felt we couldn't be together because she wasn't the same person she was when we were first married. "Dana Scully!" I stood up and began pacing in front of her. Clues as to her mental state suddenly became clear. She was afraid that she wasn't the same, wasn't what I needed in a partner, friend, wife. She was so wrong. I pulled her to her feet and placed my hands on her shoulders. I shook her gently, and growled, "Is that what this is all about? You've changed and you're afraid that I won't love who you are now? You think I could only love you as you were before?" I began to smile in relief. She nodded curtly and when my smile turned into a belly laugh, she got a mulish look on her face that was so familiar to me, I didn't know whether I wanted to kiss her or tease her. "Just what's so funny, Mulder?" She was magnificent when she got angry. I was much happier with her temper than with her tears. "Do you think I'm the same person I was when we met for the first time in my basement office?" I waited for her answer. "No, of course not. You've found out what happened to Samantha, you've accomplished so much in that time. You're ..." A light dawned in her eyes. "You're still Mulder, just ..." "Older? Wiser?" I laughingly interjected. "Yes, but you're still ..." she fell quiet again, thinking about what we'd said. "I'm still the man who fell in love with Dana Scully, all those years ago. Still the man who mourned her loss. Still the man who loves her now and will until his dying day. I'm still me, Scully. You are still you. No one stays the same. We all grow and change. Unfortunately, our growth didn't happen together, but nothing has happened in my life or yours that has changed us enough to diminish the love we feel for each other, or for William." I let her digest this for a moment. She had been starting at my chest during my entire speech. She raised her eyes to meet mine and said, "I do love you and William." "I know that Scully," I assured her. "I've enrolled in school at Berkley so that I can take the Medical Boards again." I nodded. "I don't think I want to be a pathologist any more." I nodded again. "I don't want to go back to the Bureau." I smiled and nodded in encouragement. "I suppose that there are classes at Boston University that I could take next semester." I grinned in agreement. "I'm pregnant," she whispered. I was shocked. Even though her friend, Regan, had told me she was pregnant, I didn't expect this level of openness from Scully so soon. She really had changed. 'I'm going to like getting to know the new Scully,' I thought. "It's mine," I stated. This time she nodded. I wrapped my arms around her and held her close to my heart. "God, Scully! That's the best news I've heard in years!" I kissed her soundly. "You're not upset?" she asked as she pulled back to look into my eyes. "Upset? Hell no! Thrilled, excited, floored, maybe, but not upset!" I led her back to the bench and sat her down, kneeling in front of her. "I got this from Jason Whiting, shortly after William and I got back to D.C. I wanted to send them to you then, but I waited until I thought you might be willing to accept them." I reached into the inside breast pocket of my tux and pulled out the two rings that I had placed there earlier. "My wedding rings! Where did they find them?" Scully exclaimed. "They were found at the site where you had been held. Jason was reading a list of evidence recovered from the site and recognized the initials inside." She held out her left hand. It was shaking slightly, but then so was mine. I placed the engagement ring on her finger and kissed it. "I love you Dana Scully, will you marry me again?" I asked. "Mulder! I've been married to you for years," she laughed through her tears. "Mulder and Scully have been married for years. This is Fox William Mulder, civilian, retired Special Agent, father of William, asking Dana Katherine Scully, retired Special Agent, student, mother of William and Little X. Will you marry me?" I kissed her hand again and said, "I don't know what I'm going to do in the future, but at least now there will be a future. I want to spend my life with you, solving all the mysteries of parenthood, loving, just growing old together. Say yes, Dana. Say yes," I urged. "Yes, Mulder! Yes, yes, yes!" she said as she laughed. ***** Dana looked down at her husband, kneeling before her, asking for her hand in marriage, again. This was his way of letting her know that he wanted her now, just as she was. How did he know that she had dreamed of almost this exact scene since their separation in San Diego? "Yes, Mulder! Yes, yes, yes!" she agreed, laughing. Mulder stood up and pulled her up on her feet. "Oh, God, Scully! When? Tonight? We can go to Reno, it's only three hours away!" "Mulder, I want William to be there when we get married this time. I want him to be included in our vows." Mulder smiled as he studied her blushing face. "You've thought about this have you?" he teased. "Yes," she said shortly. "Is that all right?" "Yes. I think that's a good idea." He placed the wedding band back in his pocket. His eyes turned darker and he pulled her closer to him, "I also think we need to seal our engagement with a kiss." "Mulder," she hedged. "What? Just a celebratory kiss to honor your acceptance of my proposal," he growled. "Well, if that's all it is ..." she whispered and looked up into his eyes. He lowered his lips towards hers slowly. At first their kiss was soft and sweet. He pulled back slightly and nibbled at her lips, first top lip then bottom. He moved back again and she licked her lips, tasting his kiss. Mulder groaned and pulled her to him, melding his lips to hers. His tongue snaked out and probed at the crease of her lips. When she gasped in pleasure, he quickly claimed her mouth in a bruising kiss. Their lips and tongues dueled, their breaths mingled, their bodies clung to one another. Mulder reached down, sliding his hands down her back to stroke her hips. He skimmed down to the hem line of her dress and up her thighs to grasp the bare globes of her derriere. He groaned when his brain realized that she was wearing thigh-high stockings and a thong. He wrenched away to gasp, "Jesus Scully! Are you naked under that dress?" She smiled up at him with a mischievous sparkle in her eyes, "Not quite. I told you I was looking for Mr. Right." "What would you have done if I hadn't been here?" he said, anger darkening his expression. "I would have gone home and fantasized that something just like this had happened," she confessed. "With Mr. Right-Now?" he teased. His anger had dissipated as quickly as it flared. "No, with you, Mulder. Only with you." "Scully!" He slid his hands back down to her thighs and lifted her up to his eye level. He walked forward to the broad stone wall that surrounded the terrace and deposited her on the ledge, carefully making sure not to damage her beautiful dress. "Damn, Mulder! This stone is cold," she hissed. "You won't be cold for long, Scully," he teased as he leaned in to kiss her again. They were evenly matched in their passion. His lips claimed hers, his tongue thrusting and probing as if he were giving her a preview of what his cock was going to do. She sucked and nibbled on his lips and tongue. He tasted so good, just like love, just like Mulder. His hands slid through her curls to massage her scalp. She groaned in protest when he let his hand slide down her body. With one hand he slid her closer to the edge of the wall and stepped into the vee of her legs. The other brushed against her knee and then back up her thigh to cup her mons. "Mulder, someone will see us." She tried to pull back but he held her firmly in place with his hand on her lower back. "I don't care. Do you? Really?" He pushed her thong to the side and began to finger her clit. "No, just, Jesus, just don't stop touching me," she moaned into his mouth. Mulder played her body like a fine instrument. He kissed her deeply, while the hand on her back slid lower so that he could gather the material of her dress up enough to slide under and grasp her ass again. "Oh, God, that feels so good," she whimpered. "Damn, Scully, you're so wet," he said as he slid first one then two fingers into her. He turned his hand so that it was palm up and crooked his fingers, seeking the spot on the front wall that would drive her over the edge. When he found it, he was careful to cover her mouth with his before her began to massage it as he used his thumb on her clit. She screamed his name into his mouth as she came almost instantly, quaking and shivering against him. Her walls were still pulsing against his fingers when her hands began to pluck at the zipper of his tuxedo. "Scully, you don't have to do this," he stepped back a step to stop her, remembering her difficulty with her memories of her clothed attacker. "In me, now, Mulder!" she ordered. He quickly moved forward and her clever, skillful hands moved to the button of his pants. "Don't bother unbuttoning it, just pull me out, he said around their kiss. "No, you'll never get your deposit back on the tuxedo if we get cum all over it," Scully said with her last practical thought of the night. "I own the tux, Scully, don't worry about soiling it, just leave it in one piece so I can walk out of here," he teased. "Mmmm, Mulder!" She held him in her hand for a moment, stroking the silky skin of his cock. She let her thumb swirl across the head as she slid her hand up and down a few strokes. "God, you feel good." "Move closer, Scully," he insisted as he tried to scoot her ever closer to the edge of the ledge. Mulder groaned as she took her hands off him. She slid her feet out of her shoes and leaned back a little, sliding her feet up his legs. She slipped her legs around his waist, under his jacket, locking them behind his back. He groaned even louder when she reached up and slid the straps of her dress off her shoulders and shrugged the bodice down, baring her breasts to him. She leaned back and rested her hands behind her on the ledge. "I believe I gave you an order a minute ago," she teased. "Do I need to repeat it?" Mulder leaned forward to cup her breasts in his hands. He knew that he was too tall to kiss them while he stroked into her, and he wasn't going to give up this chance to make love to them. He softly kissed the swell at the top of each breast, kissed and licked his was down her cleavage to her right nipple. He tongued the areola and placed little nibbles on the puckered flesh. He moved to her left breast and did the same. "Beautiful. They were fantastic before, but if possible, they're even more beautiful now," he lifted his head to kiss her again. "Thank you." "Mulder," she groaned. He lowered his mouth to her breasts again and set to sucking and kissing each one passionately. After a few minutes, he stopped. As much as he wanted to spend hours, days, worshipping her breasts, he needed to make love to her. He stood up and kissed her again. It was a long, lazy, wet kiss that conveyed first his love then his passion. She returned them both to him, moaning and sighing against him. He leaned back and, after lifting her skirt up so that he could see better. He pushed her thong to one side and rubbed his cock against her folds, letting her juices lubricate it. Scully was ready, had already come for that matter, but she was a small woman and her hot, tight little cunt always needed the extra lubrication on his cock to minimize her initial discomfort. "Are you ready, Baby?" he growled. "Will it be all right now?" "Mmmuuullllder," she teased. "I told you that you weren't Mr. Right-Now. You're my Mr. Right." He snorted a laugh at her play on words as he slid the head of his cock into her. She squeezed with the walls of her vagina, pushing him out. He automatically surged back into her and didn't stop until he was all the way in. She gasped and held her breath. The heat of her surrounded him, pulled at him as he tried to hold still. "Damn! I'm sorry, Scully. Are you all right?" He tried to pull out but she tightened her grasp with her legs and refused to let him move. She took a shaky breath and smiled. "Yes, I am fi ... It's okay. It's just been a while since, well, you were there last time." She was smiling again and his guilt slid away. He held her hips as he stroked into her. Each time he slid home, her breasts would bob and jiggle in the most delectable way. He couldn't resist lifting one hand to fondle her breasts as his stokes quickened. His gaze devoured her. It moved from her flushed cheeks down her neck where the blush of her orgasm still showed, down farther to her luscious breasts, and ultimately to where their bodies were joined. Mulder moved up on the balls of his feet to change the angle of his thrusts. Scully closed her eyes and groaned. She lifted her legs higher on his torso, tightening her gluts and letting her head fall back as it thrashed from side to side. "Mulder, so good, gonna ..." She orgasmed again, freefalling into a different dimension of space and time. Stars flashed behind her closed lids and she would have screamed his name out loud if Mulder had not chosen to pick her up and kiss her as she came. Mulder came as her vaginal walls contracted and milked his cock. Gravity had caused her to slide as far down on his cock as possible, so far it felt as if he was touching her heart. Mulder twisted around and leaned against the ledge, trying to get the strength back in his legs. He ended the kiss and pulled back enough to look in her eyes. She was glowing. Her eyes were a soft liquid blue, her hair was curling madly around her face, her cheeks were rosy and a beautiful flush washed down her neck and across her chest. Her nipples were erect, the areola pebbled. Her arms were wrapped around his neck, fingers stroking through the short hairs at his nape. "You cut your hair," she said. "You don't look as wild and dangerous as you did before." "Yeah," he replied. "I didn't think the 'Wild Fox' look was appropriate for a husband and father." "Does this mean that I've tamed the Wild Fox?" She teased, "I've trapped you now." "You've always had me Scully, even when we were apart." Mulder held her for a moment, and started to kiss her again when the shadows of another couple walking past the French doors to the terrace caught his eye. He stood up, holding on to her, and turned his back to the door again. "We better get cleaned up, Baby, or we'll be spending the next 30 days apart after taking a trip downtown with the local police for lewd public behavior." She grinned up at him as he slid back her onto the ledge again. She lowered her legs from around his waist, wrapping her feet around his calves so that he couldn't get too far away from her. She slipped her straps up on her shoulders and adjusted her dress over her breasts. Mulder stood there transfixed by her ministrations as she carefully tucked him back into his boxers and zipped him up. She brushed her hand across the front of his pants, making sure that no tell-tale fluid was hiding in the dark. She rubbed her foot up and down his calf for a few seconds before pushing back on him gently so that she could get back on her feet. He shook his head and knelt in front of her, pushing her legs apart a little further as he used his handkerchief to wipe up as much of his cum from her as he could before adjusting her thong back in place. He kissed her thighs and then leaned back and looked up at her, the tender look of love in his eyes blazing. He put her shoes on her feet after gently massaging and then kissing each foot. Tears sprang to her eyes again, but they were tears of joy. This was her Mulder and he wanted her just as she was. He lifted her off the ledge and let her slide down his body till her feet touched the ground. He gave her a quick kiss and stepped back, any more and they would be as oblivious as before. "Did you rent a car, Mulder?" she gasped. "No, I hired a limo," he answered. "Good! I hope you hired it for the night," she teased. "I've never made love in the back of a limo before." She seemed to consider her words for a moment before adding, "Of course, I've never made love on the terrace of a major Corporation during the middle of a fundraiser before either." "Scully, you make me so ..." he began. "Horny?" she prompted. "Happy, Scully. Very, very happy." He laughed at the pretend pout she gave him. "Well, happy will do for now. I need to tell Regan and Michael our good news and then we can leave." "Do you have to talk to them?" I groaned. "The limo is just down stairs." "Yes, I have to tell them I'm going to go home with Mr. Right." Her eyes sparkled with mischief, then widened in concern. "Mulder, is William in the limo waiting?" "No, I left William back east. I have a flight back scheduled in a couple hours. I didn't see any reason for him to have come for just a trip overnight." "But how can you be certain that he's safe? I mean, who did you leave him with? Certainly not the Gunmen!" She was working herself up into a frenzy. "Scully," I said, trying to calm her down. "Scully, he's safe. He's not with the Gunmen." "Thank goodness," she said. Then added, "Not that they're not reliable, it's just that he's only six and hasn't known them for that long. Where is he then?" "He's at Camp David with Richard and Judy and their girls," I assured her. She looked at me for a long time before saying, "Someday you are going to have to tell me just how close you are to the President of the United States and his family." She took my arm and we walked back to the door of the terrace. I stopped her in the light to give her a once over, trying to make sure that we had hidden proof of our lovemaking well enough to get us out of here. I watched her as she straightened her hair a little more and shook my head. "What?" she looked down at her dress. "Is my make up messy?" "Scully, I don't know how to tell you this, but anyone that knows you is going to know you just got fucked," I whispered to her. "One look at you and they'll know who the fuck-er was," she teased back and moved through the door. I bellowed a laugh that brought the attention of all the people close to the doorway directly to us. So much for slipping in without bring attention to the afterglow. "Mulder, could you keep your exuberance down just a little?" she hissed. "Why, Scully? I just asked the woman I love to marry me, again, and she said yes." I kissed her fingers right below her ring. "You do want to marry me again, don't you?" I teased. "After all, you have to think about little X." I caressed her almost flat stomach. "Do you want another boy or a girl?" I had successfully taken her mind of being embarrassed as her expression melted into a soft loving one. "I don't care, Mulder. I just want us to be together for the delivery of this baby." I kissed her hand again and said, "Me too, Scully. Me too." She wrapped her arms around me and I automatically held her to my heart. Nothing mattered as much as that. ***** Moments later, Regan and Michael Jeffries came over to meet me. I was very grateful to her friend for contacting me. I was concerned that Scully would be upset with her, but was once again surprised when she thanked her too. There were many things about the old Scully I would miss, but I certainly could get used to this new openness and acceptance. Scully asked Regan to swing by her house and take her plants home. She had been living in a furnished apartment and only had her plants and her personal possessions there. I stared at Scully, trying to make sure I understood her meaning. "You do want me to return home with you, don't you Mulder?" she suddenly asked. I thoroughly convinced her that I wanted nothing else by examining her tonsils with my tongue in front of all those people who where watching us. ***** Daniel Waterston wanted to go home and lick his wounds. He stood beside his date for the evening, only partially listening to her conversation with the others in their small group. He was waiting for an appropriate point in the conversation to interrupt and suggest that they leave without looking and sounding pathetic. He turned to reach for a fresh glass of champagne from the waiter walking by. When he turned back to rejoin the group, he realized that their attention was now fixed on a point behind him. The conversation had come to an abrupt halt. He knew who they were watching when one of the men smirked at him. His date, tall, blonde, and clueless, pulled on his arm to get his attention. He regretted asking this lovely, vapid woman to accompany him to this function. He realized after the third or fourth time she had asked him for introductions to various other members of the Landis Foundation that she was using him as a springboard into a higher social circle. He really held no malice towards her. After all, didn't he have plans to use her body for his own purposes later that night? "Yes, Tawnie?" he sighed. "Do you know that man, Daniel?" Waterston took a quick look over his shoulder then turned to stare with the rest of the group. It was Dana with Mulder and the kiss that they were sharing was so erotic, he felt himself getting hard. He knew what it felt like to kiss Dana Scully. He knew that he would never hold heaven in his arms again. She was gone and would never forgive him. "Do you know his name, Daniel? Could you introduce me?" she said in her soft, breathy little voice. Her eyed were roaming the over Fox Mulder's body and her intent was obvious. Dr. Trudy King looked at Tawnie with amusement in her eyes. "Don't worry, darling, that man won't do you any good. He's found the woman he wants." "If I'm not mistaken, isn't that your wife he's kissing, Waterston?" Neal King sneered. "My ex-wife," Daniel spat. He felt his arousal deflate completely. "That means he's that man they call the Wild Fox! He's the one that saved the world!" Tawnie practically squealed. "Oh, Daniel, you have to introduce me now!" Daniel Waterston turned and left the room. As he moved through the crowd he heard Trudy's abrasive voice telling Tawnie, "Why don't we get you a cup of coffee, dear, before we get you a cab home?" ***** Mulder and Scully were totally oblivious to this little vignette as it played out not fifteen feet from their location. Regan hugged Scully and assured her that she would ship out her stuff next week. Mulder felt like a heel, but they just had enough time to get to her place and pack a bag or two before they had to be back at the airport for their flight. Scully invited Regan and Michael to their wedding, promised to give Regan all the details later, and in a flurry of hugs and kisses between the two friends, they were off to start their new life with their son. They still had a lot of things to figure out and work through, but they would do it together. Neither one noticed the figure of Daniel Waterston standing in the shadows watching them walk out of his life forever. CHAPTER XLVII EPILOGUE NOVEMBER 21, 2001 MARTHA'S VINE YARD, MA, THE MULDER'S BEACH FRONTAGE 11:23 A.M. "Dad! Daddy! Get this one!" William Mulder threw the Nerf football with unusual accuracy for a boy six and a half years old. "Mommy! Watch me!" he crowed as his father tossed the football back to him and he caught it easily. "Liam! That's great," a voice from the huge pile of blankets on the beach called back. "Catch, Daddy!" William called, throwing the ball back a bit wild and hitting his father in the side of the head. Fox Mulder had been looking at his wife, wrapped up in a huge cocoon of blankets, trying to keep warm as they played on the beach. The football didn't hurt a bit, but the opportunity to elicit some TLC from his wife was never to be passed up. "Owwww!" he said dramatically. He staggered over to the pile of quilts and blankets that held his wife captive and fell at her feet. He made sure he caught William's eye and winked at him before hitting the ground. He kicked his feet in a comedic parody of death and yelled, "Ahhhhh, ya got me!" When his blanket-ensconced wife did not immediately come to his aid, he sneaked a peek at her to see if she was going to play. Her face was pale and sad, her eyes riveted down the beach past William. Mulder quickly turned over and saw the lone figure walking up the beach towards them. He placed his arm around her. "At least your mother came, Dana. That's a start," he soothed. She nodded and gave him a watery smile. "Yes, a start." William looked behind him and saw his Grandma Maggie approaching. He ran back to his parents, chattering excitedly. "Look, Gramma! Gramma's here! Just like my dream!" He hugged each of them before turning to run towards his grandmother. Mulder and Scully exchanged glances and smiled. It was just like William's dream, only it was nearly winter instead of summer. Maggie was walking up the beach toward them and here she was hugely pregnant with their second child. Maggie smiled and waved. Scully braved moving her hand outside of her blanket cocoon and waved back. "Thank you for thinking of sending them the plane tickets, even if they didn't use them," she sighed. Suddenly, from behind them a troop of children of all ages, mostly redheads, ran past Mulder and Scully. With a whoop of glee, they pounced on William. The smile on Maggie's face grew bigger. Mulder and Scully looked behind them and were amazed. Bill, Tara and their newest twins, Charlie and Rebecca and Melissa, with a man in tow, walked at a more sedate pace down the beach towards them. "Scully, I think we're going to be needing a bigger turkey," Mulder teased when he felt her tense next to him. He hugged her and continued, "We have a lot to be thankful for this year." "We certainly do, Mulder," she said. She had decided against telling him that she was in labor this morning when she woke up. It could be hours, or not. "Mulder, you're not upset because the family all came are you?" she asked him seriously. When he assured her that he was glad all her family had come for Thanksgiving, she was relieved. "Good, because our little X is anxious to meet the rest of the family and now we have someone to watch William while we go to the hospital." As he stared at her in disbelief, she calmly said, "My water just broke." The End.