Title - On My Side

Rating - G

Classification - V

Spoilers - up to Nothing Important Happened Today II

Keywords - Mulder/Scully romance implied

Summary - Scully learns something new about Deputy Director Kersh that causes her to see him in a new light.

Disclaimer - Most of these characters aren't mine. You know that. And I know that. They're property of someone else and used without permission strictly for entertainment purposes.

On My Side

I roll my eyes and huff impatiently for probably the millionth

time during the conversation. Monica Reyes was going on and on

about something I really didn't want to take part in. She was as

determined to make me do as I was not to.

"But it's mandatory, Dana," I hear her say for time number million

and one. "Deputy Director Kersh says . . . "

"You know, I've never really cared before what the Deputy Director

says. Why should I start now?" I'm starting to whine, but I

don't care. The last thing I want to do is go to some party

thrown by Kersh just because he says so. That man has had too

much say in my life already. "Besides. I don't have a sitter for

William."

"Don't use him as an excuse," she says, catching on to my game.

"The invitation says this is an informal get together. A cookout

type of thing. And it also says families are strongly encouraged

to attend as well. That means William can come."

"Monica, I don't want that man to be able to use me or my son in

this campaign in good will or whatever it is. You know the only

reason why he's throwing this party is to try and placate the

masses. Morale is so low in the FBI right now that he *has* to do

something to show the Attorney General we're all not a bunch of

gun toting lunatics."

"It'll be fun," she says. I laugh. Yeah right. Fun and Deputy

Director Kersh are not things I associate together.

"Free food," she offers. I groan in frustration. She was really

getting desperate. I almost give in just to get her off my case.

But then I finally hear the magic words come out of her mouth.

"I'll baby sit William every Friday night for a month so that you

can sleep in on Saturdays," she says.

"A whole month? You've got yourself a deal," I agree with a

smile.

* * * * * * * * * *

The party was that weekend. So by Saturday morning, I was about

ready to back out again. I haven't had too many run ins with

Kersh since Mulder's been gone. But seeing him will only remind

me of why I'm raising my son without his father. I don't know if

I can handle it. The knock at the door tells me that it's too late

to back out now. I walk across the living room to open it.

"Hi Dana," Monica says cheerfully. She steps into the apartment

while I go get William's bottles from the refrigerator to pack in

his back. When I return, she has the baby and is showing him off

to one of the most gorgeous men I think I've ever had the pleasure

of laying my eyes on.

"Hello," I say, tossing her a quizzical glare. Apparently she

learned a thing or two about my 'looks' from Mulder, because she

answers the question before I can even ask it.

"This is Jerrod. A new friend," she explains, giving me a glare

of her own in return. A look that said, 'I'll tell you all about

him later.' From the blush on both their cheeks, I could tell

that it was going to be some story.

"It's nice to meet you, Jerrod," I say, offering my hand to him.

"I'm Dana. And this is William."

"Nice to meet you too, Dana," he says with a silky, smooth voice

to match his creamy milk chocolate complexion and deep dark

chocolate eyes.

"Jerrod, can you take the stroller and baby bag to the car?"

Monica asks sweetly. "Dana and I will be down in a second." He

flashes one last heart melting grin before obeying her every

command.

"Wow," I gasp after leaves. "That's some guy you found, Monica.

He's very . . . "

"I think hot is the word you're looking for," she giggles. I

laugh with her, nodding enthusiastically.

"I don't think I've ever literally drooled over a guy before," I

gush.

"Hey, Mulder's no slouch," Monica reminds me.

"Oh, I know," I smile, blushing at how attractive I've always

found him. "He definitely lives up to his name."

"No kidding!" she agrees whole heartedly. A little *too* whole

heartedly.

"Monica! You better keep your hands on your own man and leave

mine alone," I warn her playfully.

"Yeah, and you keep your hands off of mine. Don't make me have to

tell Mulder on you." We fall into another fit of giggles before I

grab William's seat and we walk out the door.

* * * * * * * * * *

The party actually wasn't too bad. Most of the agents invited

were curious about William, but they didn't ask anything rude or

make any comments about Mulder. I had long ago stopped caring

what others said, but I was still a little reluctant about putting

myself into certain situations where I would possibly have to deal

with that. After a while, I find a nice quiet spot for ourselves

to relax a bit and just watch the crowd. But William wasn't

having any of that. He starts squirming around in the stroller,

gearing up for what I've come to recognize as his 'change me' cry.

"What's the matter, Baby Boy?" I ask in a ridiculously high

squeaky voice that seems to always calm him. I stick my finger

inside his diaper and confirm my suspicions that he was wet. "You

need a new diaper? Is that what it is, my love?" I turn around

quickly when I hear someone chuckle behind me. It turns out to be

the deputy director's wife.

"I'm sorry," she says, still laughing. "You just don't hear many

FBI agents using that tone of voice."

"He seems to like it," I smile tightly, not sure how to act around

this woman. "Mrs. Kersh, do you have somewhere I can change him?"

"Of course, Dear," she says kindly. "I'll show you." She bends

down to get William's bag for me and I follow her into the house.

"You can leave the stroller right here. I have a changing area

set up upstairs."

I nod and lift William from the stroller and follow her up the

stairs.

"You have a lovely home, Mrs. Kersh," I tell her, trying to break

the silence. She had a gentle smile, but I was still a little

suspicious considering who her husband was.

"Thank you, Agent Scully."

I raise an eyebrow at her.

"You know who I am?" I ask her, feeling myself unconsciously hold

William tighter. He lets out a small cry of protest and I loosen

up on my grasp of him a little. "How do you know who I am? I

didn't realize I was one of your husband's favorite agents." We

stop in front of a room and she opens the door, ushering me

inside.

"Here," she says, pulling William from me. "Why don't I take

him."

I almost resist, but I hear her soft, soothing words towards

William and change my mind. She lays him on the changing table

that's been set up and begins to unbutton his pants.

"Hand me the wipes," she orders gently. She quickly and

proficiently changes the diaper, lifting the happy and dry baby

into her arms when she's done. She pulls him close to her chest

and takes a whiff of his baby fresh hair. "You are so precious,"

she coos. "I can see why your daddy had such a hard time leaving

you."

I gasp and she looks up to meet my eyes.

"How do you know us?" I ask her again. My voice was shaking, like

I was about to cry, but I didn't care.

"He looks so much like Fox," she tells me, seemingly ignoring my

questions and tears. She gives him a kiss on the forehead before

placing him back into my arms.

"How do you know Mulder?" I'm getting the feeling that I'm

wasting my breath with these questions. She just stares at me,

not saying anything. And not answering what I've been asking for

the past few minutes.

"He'll be back," she finally says. "He loves you. And he loves

William."

"How do you know that?"

"When he left, he came here. Alvin and I hid him for two days

before it was safe enough for him to leave town," she explains.

"What?" is all I can manage to gasp.

"He cried and cried that first day he was here. He sounded like a

man who's heart just got ripped out. In a way, I guess it had."

My mouth opens and closes a few times, wordless sounds seeping

from between my lips.

"Agent Scully, I know what you must think about my husband. He's

tough. He has to be. But he doesn't mean Fox any harm. He was

only trying to help him. To help all three of you."

"Really? He never wanted to help us before. Why now?" I say in a

mean, sarcastic tone that I instantly regret. The look on her

face turns sad, haunted even. I feel bad for what I said and try

to apologize. "Look, I'm sorry . . ."

"No," she interrupts me. "I understand. Alvin's told me about

the . . . difficulties he's had getting along with you and your

supporters. But believe me when I say that his intentions where

your family is concerned are honorable."

I nod, not really sure I believe her. I mean I believe that *she*

believes what she's saying, that she believes in her husband. But

I don't know if I'll ever be able to. That theory very quickly

gets tested when the deputy director himself comes walking into

the room.

"Agent Scully," he nods in my direction. "I'm glad you were able

to make it." He looks at me and can see the anger and confusion

flashing in my eyes. He looks next to his wife and can see the

sadness in hers. "What's going on in here?"

Right then, my little angel decides he no longer wanted to be left

out of the conversation. He starts flailing his arms and babbling

incessantly, wondering in his little baby brain why he wasn't the

center of attention. We all chuckle lightly at him.

"What was that, Little Guy? You getting tired of being left out?"

Kersh says, surprising me with his gentle tone. He reaches out

for William, glancing up at me for permission. "May I?"

"If he'll go to you," I tell him, with a nonchalant shrug trying

to play it cool on the outside. But inside, my heart was pounding

and I began to visually scan the room for danger.

But to my surprise, William eagerly reaches towards the man,

smiling brightly at him. To my even bigger surprise, Deputy

Director Kersh smiles back and starts, and I kid you not, to coo

at my son. He looks back at me with a smile that I can only

describe as grateful before imitating his wife's earlier actions.

He hugs William to his chest and takes a deep breath, enjoying his

fresh baby scent.

"How are the two of you doing? Really?" Kersh asks me, the

tenderness still evident in his voice.

"We're fine, Sir," I answer him, still confused by this completely

different Alvin Kersh than the one I'm used to seeing and promptly

running from.

"Agent Mulder warned me you'd say that," he grins. He gives

William one more hug before handing him back to me. "Honestly,

how are you?"

"We miss him, Sir. Very much. We want him home," I tell him, not

really sure why I'm being so forthcoming with him. He just nods

his head, as if he totally understands what I'm saying.

"Agent Scully, I know you don't have any reason to trust me or to

believe me, but if there was any other way . . . I just don't

think a man should be separated from his son. Ever." He looks to

his wife and his face soon reflects the sad, haunted image she

wore a few minutes ago. He grabs her hand and squeezes it for

quick second, making a vital connection that seems to have kept

them going all of these years.

"Well ladies, I think I'm heading back to my party now," he

announces, suddenly breaking the oppressing silence of the room

that even William seemed to respect. He turns to leave and we

watch him go. I'm too much in shock to say anything.

"We should be going back, too," I hear Mrs. Kersh say, although I

think it takes a few minutes for the words to make any sense in my

brain.

"Mrs. Kersh," I say, stopping her from walking out the door. I

don't want to ask, but I have to know. "I don't mean to be nosy,

but do you and the Deputy Director have any . . . " But then I

see that lost look in her eyes again, and I figure I'm better off

not knowing. "Nevermind. It's really none of my business."

"We called him AJ. Alvin Jr.," she says, her voice hoarse with

the unshed tears from years passed. He was just three when he

died. He was the light of my husband's light. That light died

with the baby. I didn't think I'd ever see that light again. But

I did. Just now when he was holding William." A small smile

spreads across her face.

"I'm sorry." I know it sounds lame, but that's all I can think to

say.

"Now you know why he's doing this. So that one day, you and Agent

Mulder will hopefully have more than three years to enjoy with

your son."

I smile at her and nod. Because I did understand. And for the

first time ever, I was grateful for Deputy Director Kersh.

* * * * * * * * * *

I convince Monica and Jerrod to leave well before the end of the

party. William was getting cranky and ready for a nap in his own

crib. They didn't seem to mind too much, though. I think they

had plans on a more private soiree anyway. On the way out, see

Kersh and his wife chatting with some other guests. I stop by

there on the way to the car.

"Sir, I just wanted to thank you for inviting William and I. We

had a really nice time," I say honestly. "In fact, I think

William would love to come back and visit. He seems to have made

a few new friends." William adds his input and lets out a happy

squeal, reaching a chubby hand out to the Deputy Director. "I may

have just found another babysitter, if you think you two are up

for it."

"Anytime, Agent Scully," Kersh smiles. "Maybe I'll be able to

keep *this* Mulder under control."

"Don't count on that, Sir," I say with a laugh. "He's going to be

just like his daddy."

I hug my sweet baby and kiss his plump cheek before saying our

last good-byes. This day hasn't turned out like anything I

expected. It's nice to know there are people on my side. I never

would have expected Deputy Director Kersh to be one of those

people. But I'm glad I was proved wrong.

The End.

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