Title - Wake To This Nightmare 

Author - Henle Girl ([email protected])

Rating - PG-13

Spoilers - Emily, Requiem, Within, Without - anything up to beginning of Season 8

Keywords - Mulder/Scully romance

Summary - Scully sinks deeper and deeper into a depression as the hunt for Mulder seems to wind to an unsuccessful conclusion.  As she struggles to hang on to hope, Mulder awakens to a life he doesn't remember and faces his own struggles to maintain his grip on reality.

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.

 

 

Wake To This Nightmare

 

 

* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *

Chapter 1

* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *

 

Scully's sitting in what used to be Mulder's chair when her partner gets back from lunch.  She's so engrossed in the I WANT TO BELIEVE poster that she doesn't hear him come in.  He watches her for a few moments, wondering what could be going through her mind to have her so enthralled.

 

"So do you?" he asks, finally breaking the silence.

 

"Agent Doggett.  I didn't hear you come in," she says, wiping what looked like tears from her face.  She has a confused expression on her face when she looks at him, realizing that he asked her a question.  "Do I what?"

 

"Do you believe?  You've been staring at that poster for awhile.  I just assumed you were still trying to figure it out."  Doggett goes to sit on the corner of her desk.  He studies her intently.   From certain angles, she looked so thin and withdrawn.  He worried about her.  But other times, she looks as if she's picked up a few pounds.  She sighs and turns back to the poster.

 

"I want to believe," she whispers.  "I used to believe.  But I don't think I do anymore."

 

"Believe what, Agent Scully?"

 

"Believe that he's coming home," she sighs, stifling a sob.  They sit in silence for awhile longer before she shakes herself from the trance the poster has lulled her into again.  Her voice breaking the silence startles him a bit.  "I'm going home for the rest of the day."

 

"That's probably a good idea," he agrees.  "Are you going to be alright?"

 

She stares at him and seems to faze out again.  Very un-Scully like, Doggett thinks to himself.  She seemed detached.  Distracted.  Maybe even a little bit confused.  But mostly just sad.

 

"I haven't been alright in awhile, Agent Doggett," she finally answers.  After gathering her stuff, she smiles faintly at him and walks out the door.  She wobbled a bit in her trek and Doggett runs to catch up with her and tries to steady her.

 

"Agent Scully, you seem a little shaky on your feet," he comments.  "How about I drive you home?"  He expected an argument.  The Scully he met three months ago would have argued.  But he didn't get one.

 

"That would be nice.  Thank you," she says quietly.  She puts her stuff into his outstretched arms and follows him into the elevator.

 

He watches as she shrinks into a corner of the elevator as far from him as she could get.  It was almost as if something inside of her suddenly broke.  Three days ago, she was fine.  Or about as fine as she had been since they'd been paired up.  But now, she's just an empty shell of a woman, in danger of shattering with the slightest breeze.

 

The drive to her apartment was much like the ride in the elevator.  Eerily quiet.  The air thick with an almost suffocating layer of sadness.  She's silent until he gets ready to turn from M Street into Georgetown.

 

"Key Bridge," she says quietly.  "Take me to Mulder's."  She pleads with him silently until he makes a quick lane change and heads towards Arlington.  Certain that he's going the right way, she leans her head against the window and allows her eyes to close.

 

When they pull in front of Mulder's building, he's worried that she might be asleep.  He'd hate to wake her.  Rest looks as if it had been escaping her lately.  He shuts the car off and sees that he was wrong as her eyes pop back open.  She smiles a sad smile of thanks towards him and begins to gather her things.

 

"I'll get that," he offers.  "I want to make sure you get in okay."  Again, he expected an argument.  And again he was shocked when none was forthcoming.  Now he was really worried.  It was like she was no longer her former self.  No trace of Scully left in there.  Just a hollow abyss of something dark.

 

She walks into the building, barely aware of her surroundings.  Amazingly, they make it to Mulder's front door without incident.  She takes out her keys and opens the lock, much to his surprise.  But when he thought about it, it made a lot of sense for her to have a key to Mulder's place.  They'd been partners for almost 8 years.  And best friends based on some of the nicer rumors he's heard about them.  He tried to ignore those other rumors he heard.

 

"Thank you," she says once they get inside.  She kicks her shoes off and shrugs out of her coat, letting each item land in a puddle at her feet.  She steps over the discarded items and heads to the bedroom, no longer even aware of his presence.  She crawls in the bed, snuggling deep in the covers and falls straight asleep.

 

Doggett retrieves her shoes and coat from the center of the floor and places them neatly in the closet by the front door.  He puts her briefcase on the kitchen table and reaches for the phone.  Looking back into the bedroom, he can see that her breathing is deep and regular.  She was still asleep.  He dials a familiar number and waits for someone to pick up.

 

"This is Skinner," the voice on the other end answers.

 

"Sir, it's Agent Doggett.  I'm calling to let you know that neither Agent Scully nor myself would be back into the office this afternoon," he says.

 

"Why, what happened?  Is something wrong?"  Skinner asks abruptly.  His panic shocked Doggett.

 

"I'm not sure, Sir.  Agent Scully seemed a little . . . off, I guess is the best way to put it.  I don't know what's wrong.  She asked me to bring her to Mulder's place and she went straight to sleep."

 

"You did the right thing, Agent Doggett," Skinner replies.  But he seems distracted now and there's a sound of papers being shuffled around in the background.  "I'm going to clear my desk and then be right over.  Do you think you could stay until I arrive?  It may take an hour or two.  I have to make a stop first."

 

"No problem, Sir.  That's why I drove her home.  I was worried about her being by herself.  I'll see you when you get here."  They say their good-byes and the men hang up the phone.  Doggett peeks in one last time at Scully before sitting to make himself comfortable.  He turns on the TV, but his thoughts are filled with his partner.  He wondered to himself what was going on in her mind as only sounds from the television fills the silent apartment.

 

* * * * * * * * * *

 

Scully feels herself falling deeper and deeper into the darkness.  She didn't have the energy anymore to do anything else.  Whatever strength she had needed to go to the baby.  She couldn't handle holding herself together as well.  It's just been too long.  Too long since he's been gone.  The darkness is soothing to her.  Comforting, somehow.  Because it's in the darkness she can see him.  She can feel his kisses on her.  She can feel his arms hold her tight.  In the darkness is where Scully is finally able to live out her courtship with him.

 

Every night in the darkness, they do something different.  Sometimes dinner.  Sometimes a movie.  Sometimes they sit out in a field of flowers having a romantic picnic.  In the darkness Scully finds peace.  She's able to live the life with him she's always dreamed.  The darkness was so wonderful that eventually, the daytime began to pale in comparison.  It's gotten to the point where she can no longer stand the day.  So she comes here in the daytime now.  Plunging herself into the darkness to be with him.

 

Tonight it was dancing.  He takes her in his arms and they begin to sway together, moving in a rhythm their bodies seemed to be made for.  There's no music at first, but soon the air is filled with a small melody.  It sounded small and tinny.  Kind of like one of those cheesy music boxes they sell around Valentine's Day.  She strains to hear the melody and smiles at her recognition of it.  Memories.  From the musical Cats.  It was one of her favorite soundtracks.  She sighs in contentment and buries her head in his neck.  They spin and spin until the world's just a blur.  And then he's just a blur.  And then everything is still again.  The light comes to blind her.

 

* * * * * * * *

 

Mulder's head pounds as he struggles to open his eyes.  There's light everywhere.  Everything seemed lit up in a blurry haze.  He blinks a few times to clear his vision and notices the sun streaming through a window.  He looks around some more and sees that he's in a room he doesn't recognize.  Many times he's woken up with this feeling and unconsciously he checks himself for injury.  Everything seems intact, and except for the splitting headache, he couldn't see that anything was wrong with him.  So, he probably wasn't in a hospital. 

 

His ears pick up a sound outside the door.  A little music box is playing a song.  Memories, he thinks it is.  From that musical Cats.  But he doesn't get to hear much of it because with a swift snap, the music box is slammed shut.  The silence left by the music was filled with a shrill cry of a child.

 

"Shut that noise up, you little brat.  I told you to stay out of that room."  It was a woman.  And she sounded angry.

 

"I just thought he'd like some music.  It makes me feel better when I have bad dreams," a sobbing little girl explains.  "And he looked like he was having a really bad one.  He was crying out in his sleep."

 

He?  Who are they talking about, Mulder wonders to himself.  And then he realizes they're probably talking about him.  But he doesn't remember having a nightmare.  In fact, he doesn't remember much of anything, including how he got to that room.  Or why he was in the bed.  Or why the pounding in his head just won't quit. 

 

The door opens slowly and the woman quietly tips in.  She seems momentarily surprised to see him awake, but she covers it quickly and crosses the room to his bedside.

 

"Fox!  You're awake," she says with much enthusiasm.  Whoever she was, she certainly seemed to care a lot about him.

 

"I'm sorry.  Do I know you?"  The look on her face turns to a scowl and he can't help but feel a pang of guilt over hurting her.  Was he supposed to know her?  He looks closely at her, examining her for anything familiar.  She was an attractive woman.  Probably in her late thirties, early forties.  Shoulder length dark hair.  Nice body.  But nothing sparked his memory.

 

"Fox, honey.  It's me.  I'm your wife," the woman claims.  "You had a nasty little fall and got a big bump on your head.  I guess you forgot some things.   Why don't you close your eyes, take a deep breath, and say the first name that comes to you?"

 

He looks warily at her, but decides to indulge her.  If this was his wife, then he was sure he'd be able to remember her if he tried hard enough.  He closes his eyes and takes a deep breath.  He begins to focus on the facts.  Just what did he know?  First, she was his wife.  So he must love her.  He thinks about love.  And all he can see is a flash of a woman with bright red hair.  But in an instant, she's gone.  He opens his eyes and says the first thing that comes to him.

 

"Dana?" he guesses.  It's a wrong guess from the look on the woman's face.  He suddenly felt very sorry for the little girl who was just a victim on this woman's wrath.

 

"No," she says through clenched teeth.  "But you're close.  It's Diana.  Diana Fowley Mulder."

 

"And you're my wife?" he asks incredulously.  Something about this seemed wrong.  But he just couldn't put his finger on it.   She wasn't who he loved.  His heart couldn't forget something like that, even if his mind did.

 

"You're having a hard time with this, aren't you, Sweetheart?" she asks sweetly.  "I know it must be strange waking up like that and not remembering anything.  But there's someone out there waiting to see you.  Someone who I know you didn't forget.

 

Diana runs to the door and opens it, reaching her hand out to pull a little girl inside.  The little girl snatches her hand away from Diana as soon as she's inside the room and runs over to the bed.  He throws herself into Mulder's arms and hugs him as tightly as her little arms would allow.

 

"You know who this is, don't you Fox?"

 

Mulder gently pries the little girl's arms from around his neck and holds her out a distance to get a good look at her.  She didn't look familiar either.  But if Diana was his wife, he could only assume this was their child.  Her little eyes stared at him with so much hope that it broke his heart to have to hurt her by not recognizing her.  So he tried the trick he did last time.  Closing his eyes and taking a deep breath, his mind is flooded with images of this girl.  But she was much younger then.  Maybe only around three years old or so.  And suddenly it became clear who she was.

 

"Emily?"

 

End Chapter 1/11

 

 

* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *

Chapter 2

* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *

 

"Mr. Skinner, I really wish you would just tell me what's going on," Margaret Scully begs.  "Why have you dragged me out here to Fox's apartment in the middle of the day?"

 

"It's a long story, Mrs. Scully.  One I'm sure Dana would rather explain to you herself," Skinner responds.  "Besides, we're here.  You can ask her yourself."

 

Skinner shuts off the car engine and runs around to the other side of the car to let Mrs. Scully out.  He leads her up to Mulder's place and knocks gently on the door.  Doggett said that she was asleep and he didn't want to risk waking her.  Doggett opens the door and ushers them inside, much to the surprise of Mrs. Scully.

 

"Who are you?  Where are Dana and Fox?" she demands to know.

 

"Mrs. Scully, this is Special Agent John Doggett.  He's Dana's new partner."

 

"Her new partner?"  A panicked look strikes her face as she realizes the implication of that statement.  "What happened?  Why does she need a new partner?  Where's Fox?"

 

Doggett can tell by the reaction that Mulder was more than just Scully's partner.  He was also like a son to this woman.  Just what was it with this guy and the Scully women, Doggett wonders to himself.  But he's shaken by his thoughts by a sound coming from the bedroom.

 

"She's back there," Dogget announces to the others.  "I think she's having another nightmare.  She keeps screaming out for Mulder.  Begging him to help someone named Emily..."

 

Before he can finish explaining, Mrs. Scully has flung open the door and gathered up her child in her arms in the way that only a mother can do.  She whispers sweet hushes into her ears and eventually calms the hysterical woman down.

 

Scully blinks her eyes into focus and notices that she's attracted an audience.

 

"What are you all doing here?" she mumbles.  With a shaky hand, she manages a sip of the water that Doggett left by the bed for her.

 

"Mr. Skinner called to tell me you needed me," Mrs. Scully says simply.  "What's the matter, Honey?  Just tell me what's wrong."

 

"You didn't tell her?" Scully asks Skinner. 

 

"It wasn't my place to tell, Scully," he assures her.  "But I know that she needed to know."

 

"Know what?" Mrs. Scully is confused and starting to get angry.  "Dana, Honey.  Why do you have a new partner?  Where's Fox?"

 

"Gone," Scully whispers, trying her hardest to hold back the tears.  One lone tear manages to escape, though.  "Taken."

 

"Oh, Dana," he mother gasps, pulling her into her arms again.  "When did all of this happen?  Why didn't you tell me?"

 

"You were on your cruise.  I didn't want to bother you.  Besides, it's been too long, Mom," Scully admits defeatedly.  "Three months.  I came back in three months.  But he didn't.  It's been too long now."  Scully finally lets the rest of the tears fall, her body wracked with the forces of her sobs.

 

Skinner motions for Doggett to follow him out the room and he closes the door behind them to give the women some privacy.

 

"You said she started acting this way a couple days ago?" Skinner queries.  "That was three months to the day that Mulder had been taken.  My guess is that she set that as a time limit for finding him.  Figuring he'd be returned within that time."

 

"But why three months?" Doggett is curious.

 

"Agent Doggett, you read through the X-Files when you were first assigned, correct?  Then you may remember that Agent Scully has been featured in there a few times.  The first time was about 7 years ago.  She was abducted.  Gone. Vanished.  Mysteriously disappeared.  And three months later, she simply reappeared.  To this day, we don't know who took her, where she was, or how she got back.  I think Agent Scully may have hoped for that to also be the case with Agent Mulder.  When the three month mark passed, she just lost hope.  And this pushed her over."

 

"Sir, she seemed fine a week ago," Doggett argues.

 

"That's what she wanted everyone to believe.  But she was a mess," Skinner explains.  "This depression was a long time coming.  I didn't know she'd sink this far this quickly.  And now, I'm afraid that only one person will be able to get her out."  He sighs and walks Doggett to the door.  "Thanks again for taking care of her.  I'll handle your reassignment papers in a few days."

 

"Reassignment, Sir?" Doggett asks as he walks out the door.

 

"I don't think Agent Scully will be back," Skinner sighs.  "Not until Mulder is."

 

"Sir, let's not rush anything.  I'm not particularly fond of working on the X-Files, but from what I understand, Agent Mulder and Agent Scully have made it their life's work.  I wouldn't feel right abandoning the X-Files, because in all honesty, Sir, I think it'll be the only thing to help Scully in case Mulder is never . . . well, you know.  No matter what happens, she won't be like this forever.  And when she's better, she'd never forgive either of us if we allow anything to happen to that division," Doggett expresses.

 

"You may be right.  Carry on for now."  He gives Doggett a sad smile before closing the door.  He leans back against it, letting out another heavy sigh.  He let them both down.  First he lost Mulder.  And just now he almost threw away the X-Files.  And if Mulder isn't found soon, he's afraid that Scully's also just as good as gone. 

 

* * * * * * * *

 

"Rise and shine, sleepyhead," a voice calls through the fog of sleep.  Mulder blinks his eyes and looks around at his unfamiliar surroundings.  Instantly memories of the day before flood his mind.  This apparently was his home.  And the attractive brunette calling to him is apparently his wife.  She explained all of that to him yesterday.  Unfortunately, it didn't feel like home to him.  And this woman most definitely didn't feel like his wife.  The only thing remotely familiar to him was Emily.  He felt a love for her.  A bond that confirmed what Diana said about her being his daughter.  He accepted that fact easily enough.  It was everything else that left him unsettled.

 

But in all fairness, Diana didn't seem completely unfamiliar to him.  So he must know her.  But not as his wife.  That place in his heart is already filled by someone.  But for the life of him, he couldn't remember who.  He remembers the flash of red hair in the vision earlier.  And now he has another piece of the puzzle - her eyes.  They're Emily's eyes.  He could almost picture this mystery woman by looking into Emily's eyes. That's how he's sure that Diana isn't what she's claiming.  She's not his wife.  And she's not the mother of his child.  That honor belongs to someone else.  But until he can figure out what's really going on, he has to play Diana's little game.

 

"How are you doing today, Fox?  Is your head feeling any better?  I was worried about this memory loss you seem to be having.  But the doctor said it was probably temporary.  That I should just fill you in on all the details of our life until you can remember it for yourself," Diana tells him.

 

"I'm sorry I can't remember.  I know that must scare you.  And Emily must be terrified.  Can I see her to make sure she knows I'm alright?  We can put off our little trip down memory lane until later," Mulder suggests.

 

"Sure, I'll go get her," Diana says with a little frown.  She tries to cover the disappointment with a tight lipped smile before leaving to go retrieve the little girl.  Minutes later, she's in Emily's playroom.  She scowls at the girl playing in the corner and is pleased with herself when the child cowers in fear. 

 

'Good.  That little brat needs to be afraid of me,' Diana thinks to herself, allowing an evil smirk to spread across her face.

 

"Mrs. Mulder," a small red-haired woman says when she finally notices Diana's in the playroom.  "What can I do for you?"

 

"Audra, get Emily cleaned up and take her in to see her father.  I have some phone calls to make.  And I am not to be disturbed," Diana says sternly, casting a warning glare at the nanny.  Quickly, she turns and leaves the room, not wanting to spend any more time with that kid than she had to.  She didn't understand why they insisted on bringing her here.  She didn't want to deal with her.  But she could see how it could work out to their advantage.  Just as they had suspected, Mulder harbored deep feelings and memories about the child.  A few well placed lies easily made him believe she was his daughter.  And once he sees the nanny, any memories of that partner of his should be explained away by Audra's resemblance to Dana Scully.  He'll just assume that he had some misguided, mid life crisis type of fantasies about the young woman caring for his daughter.  Dana Scully will soon just be a figment of his imagination.  And once she's out of the way, Mulder will belong to Diana.

 

* * * * * * * * * *

 

"Rise and shine sleepyhead."  Scully moans and pulls the covers over her head, trying to block out the sun.  Her mother's cheer was too much to deal with this early in the morning.

 

"Dana, get up," her mother calls again, this time with more force in her voice.  "I won't have you sleeping the day away."

 

"Mom, I'm fine," Scully insists.

 

"You most certainly are not, young lady." 

 

'Oh no', Scully thinks to herself.  'She's using young lady now.  She's determined to get me out of this bed'.  Scully relents and sits up, letting the covers pool around her middle, covering the small bump beginning to grow there.

 

"That's better," her mother smiles.  "I didn't think you'd get much further than that, so I brought your breakfast to you."

 

Scully's eyes bulges at the sight of the tray of food placed beside her.  All of her favorites, but nothing that her stomach could handle right now.  Just the thought of the food gave her images of herself throwing it all up and she could literally feel her skin turn green as the nausea began to rise.  She covers her mouth with her hand and races to the bathroom with more energy she thought she had.

 

"Dana, honey," her mother calls over the gagging.  "Are you sure you're alright?"

 

"Yeah, I'm fi . . " she manages to get out just before a second wave hits her.  She sticks her head back in the toilet for a repeat performance.  When she's finally done, she rises unsteadily and makes her way to the sink to wash up.  The door opens slowly and her mother sticks her head in to check on her.

 

"Dana?"

 

"Mom, I really am fine," Scully insists.

 

"Dana, that didn't sound like fine to me.  Now tell me.  What's going on with you.  You can barely muster up any energy to do more than sleep since I got here yesterday.  You haven't eaten.  And when I do finally bring you food, you throw up before even tasting a bite.  Honey, are you sick?  It's not the cancer is it?  Dana, you'd tell me if something were wrong?"

 

"Calm down, Mom," Scully interrupts.  "I'm not sick.  It's not the cancer, I promise."  Scully walks past her mom and makes her way back to her bed.

 

"Then what is it, Honey?"  Her mother sits on the bed next to her and lifts Scully's chin so that she's eye to eye with her daughter.  "Tell me the truth.  And remember, I'm your mother.  I can see it in your eyes when you're lying to me," she says with a little grin that works and elicits a small smile from Scully.

 

"Mom, it's not the cancer," she repeats.  "Although it would be easier if it were.  That way, Mulder would forgive me for giving up.  Calling it quits.  He'd understand me not being able to live with the cancer more than he would me not being able to live without him."

 

"Dana, don't say that!  Don't ever say that.  You're not thinking about . . ."

 

"Killing myself?  Every day actually," Scully answers with a morbid grin.  "The longer he's gone, the more I realize that I might not ever see him again.  And I can't live like that."

 

"He's been gone for months now, Honey.  What has stopped you?" Her mother's curious, but grateful at what ever reason that has been keeping her daughter alive.

 

"Mulder.  He's gone, but he didn't leave me alone." Scully begins.  It wasn't hard delivering the news to her mother.  She'd be happy about the baby.  But, she won't be happy being left in the dark again.  Scully figured now was as good a time as any to tell her the whole story. 

 

"I wasn't feeling well a couple months ago when Mulder and I got back from a case in Oregon.  So when something came up and we needed to go back, Mulder wouldn't let me go.  He thought I was in too much danger.  And he thought the same thing you did.  That it was the cancer again, even though he never said it out loud.  He made me promise to stay here and go see my doctor.

 

"But, I never made it to my doctor.  At least not for awhile.  I found out that Mulder was the one in danger.  And the next thing I knew it, I was in the hospital.  I passed straight out and some friends of mine rushed me to the ER.  After running some tests, they finally figured out what was wrong with me."  Scully looks up at her mother and smiles a small teary smile.  "Mom, I'm not sick.  I'm . . . I mean, I'm going to . . . I don't really know how this is possible, but I'm . . . pregnant."

 

Scully watches as the look on her mother's turn to relief.  Relief that she wasn't sick or about to die.  The relief quickly passes to joy, accented with tears streaming down her face and a huge smile.  She pulls Scully into her arms, thanking God for the miracle in her baby girl's life. 

 

"Dana . . oh, Dana . . . this is . . . I can't . . ." Mrs. Scully happily stutters before finally  pulling back to look at her daughter's face.  And instantly her heart is broken at the sight of Scully.   Her daughter was painfully trying to hold in her grief that was eating away at her.

 

"Oh, Honey.  He didn't know, did he?  Fox didn't know about the baby?"

 

Scully shakes her head.  Unable to get any words out for fear of tears coming instead.  But soon, they were streaming down her face despite her efforts.  She crumbles in her mother's embrace, allowing the older woman to hold her up.

 

"Dana, I'm so sorry.  So very sorry I wasn't here before.  But I'm here now," Mrs. Scully promises.  "And I'm not going anywhere until Fox returns."

 

"You mean if he returns," Scully sobs.

 

"No.  I mean WHEN he returns."  Mrs. Scully lifts her daughter's face until she locks on her eyes.  "Listen to me, Dana.  When you were gone, I was too quick to want to give up on you.  But Fox was there the entire time.  I could tell he wanted to give up, but he wouldn't.  He couldn't.  He believed you'd come back to him.  And now, you've got to believe he'll come back to you.  To both of you," she says, laying a hand on Scully's stomach.

 

"Thank you, Mom," Scully whispers, giving a small smile and placing her hand on top of her mother's.  "I can't do this alone."

 

"Don't worry, Honey.  You won't have to," Mrs. Scully whispers back, kissing Scully on the forehead.  "You won't have to."

 

End Chapter 2/11

 

 

* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *

Chapter 3

* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *

 

4 weeks later . . .

 

 

Diana casts a furtive glance around the room, ensuring she's alone before picking up the phone to place a call.  She had to hurry, though.  It was only a matter of time before everyone got back home. And this was a phone call she did not want to be overheard.

 

"This is Diana.  I need to speak with you," she says to the person on the other line.

 

"Diana, why are you calling?" the mystery man demands.  "We are the ones who will get in touch with you when we need you.  Has something happened?"

 

"Nothing's happened.  That's the problem," Diana complains.  "I told him all of those false memories, but he still treats me like a stranger.  And he still fawns over that kid as if she were some kind of princess."

 

"Diana, what did you expect?  There was only so much we could do with his memories.  If he doesn't want you, then there's nothing we can do about that.  That wasn't even part of the deal.  Be grateful that you're allowed to be there with him.  We only need him to stay clueless and content until the time comes when we'll need him.  That's why we have the little girl there.  You are not necessary."

 

"But . . " she tries to object.

 

"There's nothing else to say.  That will be all," the man yells, slamming the phone down.

 

She stares at the phone for a moment, angry at having been dismissed that way.  There was a time when she was an integral part of the organization.  A key player in their little game.  But now, she was no more than a foot soldier.  Thought as only a tool to do their bidding for the rest of her life.  However long they allowed that to be.  They would not tolerate any more disloyalty.  But the last time couldn't be helped.  She didn't want to see Mulder dead.  Even if that meant allowing Scully access to him in the hospital.  Luckily for her, the powers in charge didn't want to see Mulder dead either, unlike that heartless cigarette smoking thug.  So her indiscretion was forgiven.  That time.  But her actions did not go unpunished.  The news of her death was only slightly exaggerated, though not by much.  They made it very clear to her that her life was now in their hands.  And now she would do as they said.  She's just glad that this time, she gets to be Fox Mulder's wife.  Now if only she could get him to believe it.

 

* * * * * * * * * * *

 

Mulder lifts Emily to help her into the canoe.  The middle of their lake seems to be the only place where he can spend some quality time with the girl without Diana's constant hovering.  Emily loved being out on the water even though it made Mulder nervous.  A little queasy even.  But he'd do anything to be with his little girl.  Every day of the past month he's been getting to know all about her.  And now, he loved her more than he ever remembered.  More than he thought possible.

 

"Put on your life vest, Em," he advises.  "It's a little windy today.  I don't think we should stay out very long."  He looks nervously at the water that would soon be surrounding them.

 

"Oh Daddy," she sighs, staring at him with one small eyebrow raised.  And at that moment, he could almost imagine her mother looking at him the exact same way with those exact same eyes.  "Don't be scared.  It's just a little water.  Besides, there's barely a breeze blowing.  And the lake isn't even all that deep."

 

"Not that deep, huh?  Great.  It'll make it that much easier for them to find our bodies should this tiny vessel capsize," he says sarcastically.

 

"Daddy," she groans, giving him the eyebrow again.  "Stop teasing.  We'll be fine.  Okay?  Now let's go."

 

"Okay, my little impatient one," he jokes as he finally begins rowing them out on the water.  "You're just seven and already so demanding.  Where do you get that from?"

 

"Must be from my mom," she ponders.

 

"I doubt that, Squirt.  You're nothing like Diana," Mulder says, thanking God silently for small favors.

 

"I meant my real mother," she almost whispers, lifting her eyes to see his reaction.  She sees that he's stunned to silence and decides to continue.  "Diana's too horrible to be my mother.  I know she's not my mother.  And it looks like you also know that she isn't my mother."

 

"I guessed as much," he nods.  "But how did you . . . ."

 

"I've known all along.  But you weren't supposed to find out.  I wasn't supposed to tell you.  She said that if you ever found out, they'd put you to sleep again and make sure you didn't wake up."  Her little voice was trembling, but strong. 

 

"Emily, I'm so sorry," Mulder gasps.  How could Diana do that to a little girl?  How could she threaten to make her an orphan?  It was too cruel to even think about.  The poor thing has been through so much because of Diana.  There was no way Mulder was going to let her stay in that environment.  "Emily, do you know your real mother?  How we can find her?"  An idea was already forming in his mind.  If only he could find Emily's mother, then he could get her away from Diana.  He'd worry about himself later.

 

"And get away from Diana?"

 

"Don't worry about her anymore.  That woman is not my wife.  I've known that all along.  I just didn't say anything because she said you were ours.  And I was afraid that if I said anything, she'd take you away."

 

"So we can go find Mommy?"  she asks, suddenly sounding very much like a little girl again.

 

"I wish we could, Honey.  I just can't remember her.  I don't know her name.  Where she lives.  Or even what she looks like," he frowns.  "I know that she has red hair.  And blue eyes just like yours.  And I think your lips are tiny versions of hers."  He looks over at his daughter, a smile replacing his frown as he gently taps her on the nose.  "Unfortunately, it looks like you got that from me.  Sorry about that, Kid."  His smile grows even bigger when the action generates a little giggle from the girl.

 

"She looks kind of like Audra.  So sometimes I don't know if I'm remembering my mom or getting her confused with Audra," Emily starts.

 

"I think that was on purpose," Mulder realizes.  "Your mom must look a lot like Audra.  Diana's trying to make us think your mom doesn't really exist."

 

"I know that she wore a gold cross around her neck.  Audra doesn't have one.  I remember once she put it on me and it made me feel so safe.  She made me feel safe," Emily continues to smile at one of the few cherished memories of her mother she had.

 

"We'll find her, Em.  Because I can feel in my heart that we both love her very much.  Even if we can't remember her.  And I'm sure she loves us both, too.  Our hearts will have to find a way back to each other.   Then we'll all be together again."

 

"You promise?"

 

"Cross my heart and hope to die."

 

They both get huge smiles on their faces at the promise of new hope looming on the horizon.  They may not know where they belong, but together, they were destined to find out.

 

* * * * * * * * * *

 

Doggett is clearing away some of the dishes from his living room table when Scully walks back into the room.   A nice smile still graces her face from when she escorted the visiting agents to the front door.  Doggett finds it hard not to stare at her, unable to believe this was the same woman he last saw a month ago at Mulder's apartment.  The sadness was still there.  But no longer was there any despair.  Before, it seemed like she couldn't go on without Mulder.  His search consumed her and ate away at her until she was just a picked over carcass.  But now, Doggett could see a light in her eyes that had long been extinguished.  She practically glowed.  He smiles to himself at a bittersweet memory of his ex-wife.  She too had been luminescently happy like that once upon a time.

 

"They seemed nice," she says, breaking him from his memories.  "Good, capable agents.  I think they'll do fine.  They seemed like fast learners."

 

The 'they' she was referring to were the newest members of the X-Files division.  With Scully's month long, possibly indefinite, absence, working the X-Files was difficult for Doggett.  Skinner thought it wise to expand the division, adding other agents under the temporary supervision of Scully and Doggett.  When Mulder returned, he would take over.  Skinner and the new agents met with Doggett and Scully at Doggett's house for an informal organizational meeting.

 

"Skinner left too?" Doggett asks her, suddenly aware they were completely alone.

 

"Yeah, I told him I could call a cab to get home later.  I wanted to talk to you."  She sits down on the floor between the couch and the coffee table, pulling down a pillow to place behind her back.  She unbuttons her blazer, finally able to relax a little with the other agents gone.  Her plate of uneaten chinese food is in front of her and she pushes around the remains with her fork until the sight and smell of it all reacts with her hypersensitive senses, causing a twinge of nausea.  She covers the plate with a napkin and pushes it away.

 

"You okay, Agent Scully?  You looked a little green for a second," Doggett asks with some concern.

 

"I'm fine," she assures him with a small smile.  "I think I've had enough of that."  She nods her head towards the discarded plate.

 

"Okay.  So, what did you want to talk about?"  He reaches into the carton for the last pot sticker when he notices her eyes kind of glaze over.  With the fork perched halfway between his plate and his mouth, he wonders what's distracted her.  The look in her eyes turns hungry and at first, he thinks that lust is directed towards him.  But her focus moves to the dumpling and he sees her lick her lips.  Before he can even blink, she reaches across the table and grabs his fork, greedily shoveling the food into her mouth.  Doggett is frozen, fascinated by the actions of the possessed woman, trying to figure out if he was afraid or aroused.

 

"That was so good," she groans, eyes shut savoring the flavor.  He witnesses her lick a remaining crumb from her fingers and all feelings of fear are now gone, leaving Doggett with the other sensation clouding his eyes.

 

"I'm sorry," she apologizes when she notices his flushed expression.  "I guess my food just wasn't very appetizing.  Your pot sticker was just so . . . . irresistible," she almost purrs.  Never had Doggett seen anyone make a chinese dumpling seems so appealing.

 

"No problem," he mumbles, gulping his ice water in hopes of cooling down a bit.  Once again, he's overcome with memories of his ex-wife.  He remembers the glowing skin.  The secret happy smile constantly plastered on her face.  Certain foods being nauseating while others evoking the same reaction he just saw with Scully.  But his ex-wife was like that back when she was . . . Doggett gasps suddenly when the realization hits him at the same time Scully rises to get more water.  Her blazer falls open and for the first time, he notices the small bulge around her middle.

 

His gasp stops her in her tracks and she looks at him.  He's unable to tear his eyes from her stomach.

 

"I guess my secret's out," she lightly jokes, placing a protective hand on the bump.

 

"This is what you had to tell me?" he manages to ask through his shock.

 

"I figured it was time," she nods.  "I didn't think it was right for me to keep this from you anymore.  Not that I could hide it for much longer," she adds with a little laugh.

 

"Forgive me for asking, but this doesn't have anything to do with our search for Agent Mulder, does it?  I mean, is this the reason why he's gone?  Why we're looking for him?"  He tried to phrase the question as gently as possible, but he could see the anger rise in her eyes anyway.

 

"I'm sorry.  I'm not trying to be nosey," he adds quickly.  "But I just wanted to know . . . "

 

"No, I understand," she sighs.  "You just wanted to be sure I wasn't making this personal.  You need to know you're not wasting your time looking for a man who doesn't want to be found.  You would have every right to be angry with me for keeping this from you if that were the case.  But let me assure you that Mulder's disappearance has nothing to do with the baby.  He didn't even know," she adds with a whisper, giving her stomach a comforting pat.

 

So many questions are racing through Doggett's mind, the most obvious one being answered by her last comment.  But it was clear she didn't want to come out and say that Mulder's the father, so he didn't ask.  Besides, Mulder should be the first to hear those words.

 

"He may not know now, but one day he will.  We'll find him, Agent Scully," Doggett promises with a renewed determination.  "Stay right here," he says suddenly, leaping to his feet and running up the stairs.

 

Scully hears bumping and stirring in the attic and a loud thump followed by a curse from Doggett.  She begins to worry until he finally returns with layer of dust graying his hair and a slight limp.  One hand is behind his back and he has a mischievous little grin on his face.

 

"Here," he offers, holding out his hand for her to examine the contents.

 

"A stuffed animal?  All that noise for a toy?  Agent Doggett, you really didn't have to," she teases slightly.  "Where did you get this from anyway?"

 

"It was my son's," he says somberly, taking a sad moment to look at the toy, memories threatening to drown him until he shakes himself from them.  "Besides, it's not just some toy.  It's a little fox," he explains, it's meaning suddenly dawning on her.

 

"A little fox for my Little Fox," she mutters through a sad smile marred by tears.  "Thank you," is all she able to say.

 

"This is just a loan," he smiles.  "I'll be expecting that back when I bring you the real thing."

 

A big promise, but one he intended to keep.  It was a big leap of faith on her part to believe him, but one she was willing to make.  A huge smile spreads across her face to seal their little pact.  It's the biggest smile he's ever seen her give.  It seemed to be an opening into her soul.  His heart flips, knowing this smile must be a rare treat for it's recipient.  And at that moment, he can see just how Fox Mulder fell in love with this woman.

 

End Chapter 3/11

 

 

 

* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *

Chapter 4

* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *

 

"Okay, Em.  I'm going to go in there and get Diana.  You stay right here.  Hopefully, she'll agree to come with us," Mulder explains to the little girl.  The other day out on the lake with her got him thinking.  He had to find a way to get Emily away from Diana and to her mother.  And he thinks he's finally found a plan.

 

"Daddy, why does she have to come with us?"  Emily whines.  "Why can't we just go.  Just the two of us.  We'd have more fun that way."

 

"Emily, I already told you.  The trip to the zoo in San Diego is only a cover.  We need to get away from this tiny town and into a bigger city in order to do a more thorough search for your mother without Diana getting suspicious.  I have a feeling that if we used the computer at the house or at the library, she'd find out what we were looking for. This way, I'll surprise her with a 'family trip' out of town for a few days.  She'll be caught off guard and won't have time to monitor us properly.  We'll have a day or so to poke around without her realizing."

 

"Okay," Emily sighs, appearing to understand what Mulder just said.  "But can we still go to the sea otter show?  My friend Becca says they're really cool."

 

Her innocence causes Mulder to chuckle.  To her, this really was just a vacation.  A day at the zoo with Daddy.  But really, it was much more.  It could be a matter of life and death.  He just hoped life would be the end result.  He smiles at her one last time before going into the house.

 

Minutes later, he emerges with Diana.  She's smiling uncomfortably and wondering what he's up to.  Nevertheless, she gets in the car anyway.  She was surprised that he seemed to be making the first step towards her this time.  Ever since he woke up, he's been so distant.  Almost like he knew he really didn't belong there.  This was the first time he's ever made any move of this nature.  And she didn't want to ruin that.

 

"Fox, where are we going?" Diana asks after she's strapped into the front seat of the jet black Lincoln Navigator.  She turns around and notices Emily in the back and sighs her disdain.

 

"I thought a family trip would be nice," he smiles, trying hard to hide his contempt for the woman.  "I wanted to surprise you and Emily with a trip to San Diego.  Her friend went a few weeks ago to the zoo and it's all Emily's been talking about.  It's only an hour and a half drive, but I thought we could stay a few days."

 

"A few days?" Diana almost groaned.  But she saw a frown starting to form on Mulder's face, so she changed her tune.  "That would be nice, Fox.  I'm glad you're starting to feel like yourself again.  You used to surprise us with trips like this all the time," she lied.  "Especially before Emily.  We'd slip off for a romantic weekend all the time."

 

She began to run her hand up his thigh and Mulder could actually feel his skin crawl.  He started to regret his decision until he peeked at Emily in the rear view mirror.  Her teeth gently bit down on the corner of her rosebud lips and he knew he couldn't let her down.  He'd do anything to protect her.  Even if that meant playing footsie with Diana.

 

The trip was quiet and fairly uneventful.  Emily fell asleep shortly into the drive and Diana used the quiet time to continue to fill Mulder's head with lies about their past.  He barely listened to her, though, his mind busy thinking about his plan.  It was fairly simple in concept.  But in reality, it might be a little bit more challenging to pull off.  Stage a kidnapping to make Emily disappear.  Then, begin framing Diana for the girl's murder.  It would be easy to prove that Diana didn't love Emily.  Even more so to prove that she wasn't Emily's real mother.  And while Diana's fighting to prove her innocence, Mulder can slip away and join his real family.  The only thing was that the plan hinged on him being able to find Emily's mother or someone else they could trust.  But with his memory being gone, that someone just may have to find him.

 

Emily awakens just as they get settled into the hotel, excited and ready to get to the zoo.  Her excessive energy is amusing to Mulder, but annoying to Diana.

 

"Fox, will you get her out of here?  She's getting on my nerves with all of that bouncing around," Diana whines.

 

"This is a family trip, Diana.  Aren't you coming with us?" Mulder pleads, trying to make it sound sincere.

 

"You know, I actually have a couple of things to take care of before I can have any real fun," she claims.  "So why don't you two go.  And maybe I'll be ready for the zoo tomorrow?"

 

"Are you sure?" Mulder questions one last time.  "Alright then.  We'll see you later.  Come on Em."  They both walk out into the hall, leaving Diana alone in the room.  That was almost too easy, Mulder thinks with a smile.

 

The two walk down the crowded city street, looking at all of the store displays as they pass.  A busy store catches their eye and they peek inside to see what was causing the commotion.

 

"Daddy!" Emily shrieks.  "It's the Powerpuff Girls.  We have to go in and see them.  Please?" she begs, jumping up and down in her excitement.

 

"Em, what in the world is a Powerpuff Girl?  And why do you want to see one of them?"  Mulder asks quizzically.

 

"Only the very best crime fighting team on Cartoon Network," she explains.  "Can we go in? Please?"

 

He was a little wary at first, but relented, knowing that he couldn't deny her request.  The store was one of those big bookstore chains.  And off in the corner, he noticed a row of computers.  They could kill two birds with one stone.  Emily could see her cartoon superhero.  And he could begin to surf the net for any information about their past.

 

"Emily, I'm going to be right over here at these computers.  You make sure you can see me at all times, okay?"  He instructs the girl.  But she was barely paying attention, already entranced by the actors dressed up as the cartoon characters.  He stands where he is until he's sure she's gotten in the long line to wait her turn before heading towards the computers.

 

The search was slow and unproductive.  Mulder had no idea where to even begin looking and was starting to lose hope.  He looked up to check on Emily's position when he realized he could no longer see her.  The crowd of parents waiting was growing larger and this one man was blocking his view.

 

"Could you excuse me, please?" he petitions the man in front of him.  "I'm trying to keep an eye on my . . . "

 

"You!" the man growls.  "What in the world are you doing here?"  The man was large.  Taller than Mulder and much bigger.  Military in stature and attitude.  And he seemed to be very angry with him.

 

"I'm sorry.  Do you know me?" Mulder asks, thinking maybe the man just has him confused  with someone else.

 

"Don't try it, Fox Mulder.  I don't think I'd forget the crackpot who ruined my family's life," the man spits out.   But he notices the genuine look of confusion on Mulder's face and pauses for a moment.  "We've established that I know you.  But you have no idea who I am, do you?"

 

"Everything before about a month ago is a blur.  I have no idea how I got to where I am, living with the people that I'm living with.  But I know that I don't belong there.  My daughter and I . . "

 

"Daughter?  You don't have any kids," the man tells him.  This time, he's the one who's confused.

 

"Yes, I do," Mulder insists.  "She's seven.   Here she comes now."

 

Emily comes running excitedly back to Mulder, an autographed copy of the latest Powerpuff Girl video waving wildly in her hand. 

 

"Look what I got Daddy!  We'll have to watch it when we get back to the hotel."  She stops abruptly when she sees the strange man talking to her father, grabbing onto his leg and hiding behind him.  "Daddy, who's that man?"

 

"Emily?" the man asks, gasping in shock at seeing the girl.  "It can't be.  You were . . . we saw you . . ."  He looks up at Mulder with a questioning look in his eyes.  "Where did you get her?  What are you doing with Dana's daughter?"

 

"Dana?  That's her mother's name?  Do you know her?" Mulder asks excitedly.

 

"Know her? Of course I know her.  I've known her all her life.  She's my sister."  The man sticks his hand out to Mulder as a way of introduction.  "Bill Scully.  But you probably don't remember that.  My sister, Dana Scully, works with you.  This is her daughter.  But we all thought that she was . . . dead."

 

* * * * * * * * * *

 

". . . and that was the last she's heard from you.  It's been about 4 months now, I think.  And much to my dismay, she's been pretty heartbroken about you," Bill finishes.  The story behind Mulder's disappearance had to be told.  And it left Mulder's mind spinning.

 

"I woke up a month ago.  So I guess they took me and kept me for a few months before that," Mulder mumbles to no one in particular.  He was just trying to get things straight.  "I take it you weren't very fond of me.  But I can't say that I blame you.  All that stuff I put your family through.  How could she have stayed with me for as long as she did?  Why didn't you make her quit.  Just pack up and leave me?  She would have had a much happier life."

 

"Believe me.  I tried.  But my sister is stubborn.  She does what she wants.  And the reason why she was with you, was because that's exactly where she wanted to be.  And as much as I hated that, I couldn't do anything about it.  Except fight with you.  And fight with her.  Until now, we barely speak anymore," Bill sighs.

 

"But what about your other sister?  And Dana's disappearance?  All the other stuff that's happened to her.  Not to mention the heartbreak your mother must feel on a daily basis worrying about her baby girl.  That's all because of me," Mulder insists, feeding into what Bill was telling him.

 

"I can't believe I'm going to say this, but it's not your fault, Mulder.  Dana tried to tell me that time and time again, but I needed someone to blame.  So I blamed you for her absolute devotion to you and your cause.  She's so devoted to you because she loves you.  But I can see now that you care about her just as much.  You don't even remember her, yet you care.  That says a lot, man.  I just wish now that I could somehow make it up to her.  All those years that I could have been supportive."

 

"I think maybe I know a way," Mulder hints.  "That woman, Diana, told me she was my wife and that Emily was our daughter.  Right away I knew something was off.  But Emily seemed so familiar.  My love for her seemed to come naturally.  I didn't have any reason to doubt that.  Because of that love, I have to get her out of that house.  Away from Diana and back to her real mother.  Until today, I didn't know who that was or how I'd accomplish my goal.  I won't be able to take her to Dana.  But you can."

 

"Won't that woman notice that she's gone?" Bill asks, confused.  "And why can't you just come with me?  Take Emily to my sister yourself?"

 

"It would be too dangerous.  Diana's up to something and I refuse to drag your sister into this.  I need to stay awhile until I can safely get away.  This is my way to make up for the past.  I couldn't protect her always, but I can now," Mulder insists.

 

"She won't like it," Bill warns.  "And I can't promise she won't come looking for you herself.  I told you that Dana's determined.  And what are you going to do about Diana?"

 

"That part I already have planned.  Just be at the front gates of the zoo tomorrow afternoon at 4:15.  I might not be there, but Emily will.  Get her out of town as soon as you possibly can.  But don't take her to Dana's.  That'll be the first place they look.  Let her know who's involved and she should be able to keep Emily safe after that," Mulder says optimistically.  He looks over at the play area where Emily is with Bill's son Matthew.  She leads the younger boy around, protecting him from some of the other kids.  A sadness comes over Mulder when he realizes this could be the last time he sees his daughter.  Or at least, who he thought was his daughter.

 

"I'll take good care of her, Mulder," Bill assures him, noticing the gloom on the other man's face.  "Both her and Dana.  Until you come back for them."

 

Mulder flashes a smile of thanks to the man before calling Emily over to him.  He grabs her hand and after saying their good-byes, leads her to the door.  Her hand closes around his and he feels a connection with her too strong to deny.  No matter what anyone said, this little girl would always be his daughter.  Soon they would be parted, but if all went well, they'd be back together again - for good.

 

* * * * * * * * * * *

 

The next morning, Mulder's awake before Diana and Emily, getting things ready for what he called the great escape.  This was the day Emily would win her freedom.  Her backpack was already by the door, filled with all she'd need for her getaway.  He paced around the hotel room, unable to get any sleep worrying about how things would turn out today.

 

"Fox," Diana says, breaking the silence.  "What are you doing up?  Why didn't you ever come to bed?"

 

"Emily couldn't sleep last night.  She was afraid to be out here on the sofa bed alone.  And I didn't think you'd appreciate me bringing her to bed with us.  So, I stayed out here with her," Mulder explains.

 

"Fox, she's a big girl now.  And I thought this trip was the start of something new for us.  You've been so distant since your accident.  I haven't said anything before because I wanted to give you time.  But I'm starting to get awfully lonely in that bed of ours.  The one you haven't slept in since you woke up last month."  She says the last part louder than she realized and they both look over her shoulder to make sure she hadn't woken Emily up.

 

"I realize that, Diana.  And I'm sorry.  But you're still a stranger to me.  And what kind of husband would I be if I could sleep with strangers so easily?"

 

"But Fox . . ."

 

"Listen, just give me some more time, okay?  And I promise, the next trip we take will just be the two of us," he lied.

 

"You mean it, Fox?"  She runs over to hug him, but is beaten to him by Emily who has just woken up.  Mulder sighs in relief that his arms now held his daughter instead of Diana.  But he didn't know how much longer he could hold her off.  He just hoped he wouldn't actually have to take this trip with her.  Once Emily is safely with her mother . . . with Dana  . . then he'd be able to take care of things with Diana and join them.  But everything depended on things at the zoo today.  He said a quick prayer that Emily's escape goes smoothly, because it all depended on that.

 

"I'm going to go take a shower," Diana says, glaring at Emily and causing the little girl to bury herself deeper in Mulder's embrace.  Diana sighs impatiently and turns to leave.  Moments later, they hear the shower start.

 

"It's almost over, Princess," Mulder whispers in Emily's ear.  "Are you sure you can do this?"

 

"I'm scared, Daddy," she confesses.  "What's Diana going to do to you when I'm gone?  I don't want her to hurt you."

 

"And I don't want her to hurt you anymore than she has already.  That's why we have to do this now.  Just think of it this way.  Pretty soon, you're going to be with your mom.  She loves you, Squirt.  And she'll take care of you."

 

"But I want you to take care of me.  I'm going to miss you, Daddy," she cries.

 

"I know, Baby," Mulder says, barely able to hold back his own tears.  "I'm going to miss you, too.  That's why I'm going to do whatever it takes to get back to you."

 

End Chapter 4/11

 

* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *

Chapter 5

* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *

 

 

San Diego Zoo

3:57 PM

 

Mulder looks at his watch one more time.  It was about time to put the next phase of his plan into action.  Bill would be at the front gates soon for Emily.  All he Mulder had to do was put the girl into Diana's care and then somehow manage to distract her so that Emily could slip away, making it seem like Diana lost her.  He looks around and figures this was a good enough place.  There was a public restroom to the left with some benches in front.  To the right, directly across from the benches, was a souvenir shop attended to by a cute and perky red head.

 

"Okay, kid," he whispers to Emily.  They were lagging a bit behind Diana who's been complaining about the heat.  "You ready?  The front gates are right up this path and your Uncle Bill will be there waiting."

 

"I'm ready, Daddy," she says, taking a deep breath and grabbing on a little tighter to her back pack.

 

"Diana, wait up," Mulder calls.  "Em has to use the bathroom."

 

"Again?" Diana whines.  "Didn't she go with us when we all went right after lunch?"

 

"I have to go again," Emily adds, doing a little squirming dance to emphasize the dire necessity.

 

"You take her," Mulder suggests.  "I'll be right in that shop with that nice looking red-haired lady."

 

"Nice looking?"  Diana fumes through clenched teeth.

 

"I meant, she looks nice . . looks like a nice person, I mean," Mulder says quickly.  He has to stop himself from patting himself on the back at the way he's playing Diana.  He feels her eyes on his back all the way into the shop.  He planted just enough doubt to make her keep a close eye on him.  There was no way she'd let him out of her sight.  Which should give Emily just enough time to get away.

 

Mulder gets inside the shop and stands at an angle where he can see both Diana and the bathroom door.  Just like he expected, Diana sent Emily inside alone while she waits on the bench, staring daggers at the shopkeeper Mulder was now flirting shamelessly with.  While attempting to pretend like he cared about the contents of the store, his mind begins to wander to Emily.  She had 15 minutes to get from the bathroom up to the front gates where Bill would be.  He imagines the scene in the restroom while browsing the selection of souvenirs.  He imagines Emily pulling off her jeans, revealing a pair of white capri pants.  He imagines her taking off her pink t-shirt to reveal a yellow tank top underneath.  He sees her taking off her little tennis shoes and putting on a pair of slides.  A wig with two long black ponytails and a pair of sunglasses top off the ensemble.  Flipping her reversible back pack and storing her old clothes is her final act in the transformation.

 

Sure enough, Mulder is able to finally let out a sigh of relief when the little disguised girl pokes her head out the bathroom door.  Seeing that Diana's attention was elsewhere, she slips out the door and heads up the path towards the exit.  Mulder smiles when she's out of sight.  He picks up two stuffed pandas and goes to the register to pay for them.  Walking back to the bench, he gives Diana one of the bears.

 

"For you, my lady," he says gallantly with a little bow.  "Where's Emily?  I got one for her too."

 

"What? Oh, she's in the bathroom," Diana says distractedly, still rejoicing in the way Mulder was being so nice to her.

 

"Still?  Diana, I was in the shop for like 20 minutes.  Are you sure she didn't leave?  She's been dying to get to that sea otter show all day.  Maybe she snuck past you and went without us."  He tries to mix the right amount of panic in his voice for the act.

 

"Fox, I was right here the whole time.  I doubt she got past me," Diana says defensively.  "Stay here and I'll go in there to get her."

 

Diana goes into the restroom and comes out five minutes later with a look of mild irritation on her face.  Emily is gone she informs him.  Which wasn't a big surprise, but he had to act like it was.  They called the zoo officials and searched the entire ground. But to no avail.  There was no sign of Emily.  A mixture of relief and worry filled Mulder's heart.  Thankfully Emily had gotten away.  And hopefully she was on her way to her mother.  But he'll never know for sure until he completes his plan and gets Diana out of their lives for good.

 

* * * * * * * * * *

 

Scully waits patiently in the car as Skinner and Doggett perform a thorough sweep of the area, making sure the location is secure.  They've both been pretty protective of her lately, and normally she wouldn't stand for it.  But she refused to take any chances where her baby was concerned.  And because of that, she tolerated the extra care attention showered on her by her colleagues.

 

She sighs a sigh of relief when she sees Skinner finally coming back around the corner and towards the car.  She gets out the car and meets him halfway.

 

"Is this all really necessary, Sir?" she asks her boss.

 

"I didn't want to take any chances.  Your brother sounded pretty spooked.  And he insisted that your meeting place be secure.  You should get inside.  He should be here soon."  Skinner escorts her into her mother's house.

 

"You know, I don't know how you convinced my mother to allow you to agree to this.  She hates her space being invaded and . . ."

 

"Scully, your mother was fine with it.  She's actually in there having tea with Agent Doggett as we speak," Skinner laughs.  Doggett wasn't thrilled with having a tea party, but it was necessary to appease Mrs. Scully for her to allow the invasion of her home.

 

Scully and Skinner go inside, joining Doggett and Mrs. Scully at the kitchen table.  Scully is understandably distracted and no one bothers her much over her lack on input into the conversation.  She just couldn't help but wonder what her brother had planned.  This wasn't like him.  She just hoped he wasn't planning on trying to convince her to leave the FBI again.  That was one reason she didn't tell him about the baby yet.  Because he flipped when he found out about Mulder's disappearance and how it was affecting her.  She hated to think what he'd do if he knew she was pregnant.  But, it wouldn't be a secret to him for much longer.  He'd be there any minute and her small body couldn't exactly conceal the bulge anymore.

 

There's a knock at the back door that registered through Scully's preoccupied mind.  She jumped at the noise, knocking over her cup of tea.

 

"Mom, I'm sorry.  I got tea all over the tablecloth," Scully apologizes.

 

"Don't worry about that, Honey.  Just go get the door.  That must be your brother."

 

Scully follows Doggett and Skinner through the living room to the back door.  This was getting weirder by the minute.  What was so secretive that Bill couldn't come to the front door?  However, all thoughts leave her head the moment her brother and his companion step over the threshold.

 

"You must be Agent Doggett," Bill says, sticking his hand out to the man.  "Bill Scully.  We spoke on the phone."

 

"Nice to meet you," Doggett says before looking down to the person at Bill's side.  "And who's this little one?"

 

"Emily," Scully manages to barely gasp before falling to her knees.

 

Emily tentatively looks up at Bill, grabbing his hand a little tighter.  He nods and gives her a small push in Scully's direction.  The little girl walks slowly to her mother, stopping just inches in front of her.

 

"Mommy?" she asks quietly, almost afraid.

 

Scully lifts a shaky hand to brush an unruly lock of hair from the girl's face.  She'd changed a lot in the 4 years since Scully has seen her.  But still, she'd recognize her little girl anywhere.  Her hair was darker and longer than it was before.  A sandy blond color with red highlights.  But her eyes were the same.  The same piercing blue ones that Scully owned.

 

"Emily?  Is it really you?"  Scully sees the girl nod through the tears blurring her eyes and doesn't waste another second with questions.  She pulls Emily into her arms, hugging her as close as her stomach would allow.

 

After a few moments of hesitation, Emily finally latches her arms around Scully's neck and starts sobbing into her shoulder.  The two stay entwined for awhile until Emily's sobs slow into quiet snores.  Scully tries to lift the girl, but is stopped by Skinner.

 

"You shouldn't be picking her up like that," he admonishes.  "Let me take her."  A look of panic crosses Scully's face and he has to amend his request.  "Just until you get to the couch.  You'll get her right back."

 

"Bill?" Scully finally asks once she and Emily are settled on the couch, remembering the person who delivered her precious cargo.

 

"He's in the kitchen with your mom.  I'll go get him," Doggett offers.

 

"I don't understand," she says.  "Where did he get her?  How did he get her?  I thought she was dead.  I was there with her when she died.  I don't understand."

 

"Dana, the story only gets more bizarre," Bill says from the doorway.  He makes his way to the couch and sits next to his sister.  "Why don't you let me take her up to bed.  You and I need to talk."

 

"I'll take her," she starts, but is given a warning grunt from Skinner.

 

"No lifting, Agent Scully," he tells her again.  "Don't be so hard headed about this."

 

"Fine," she sighs, growing annoyed with Skinner's constant warnings about what she can or can't do. 

 

"What was that all about?" Bill asks after Skinner leaves with Emily.

 

"He's been like that since Mulder left," she says.  "Since I told him about this."  She looks down and runs her hands over her stomach, revealing the protrusion.

 

"Dana, you're . . ."  Bill looks up at her face with shock.  "You're pregnant?"

 

She's surprised that he didn't have anything to say about it.  No smart remarks about Mulder running off and leaving her in this condition.  And how he'd find him and kill him with his bare hands.

 

"What?  Nothing to say, Bill?  No death threats directed towards Mulder for knocking up your baby sister and deserting her?" She asks him sarcastically.

 

"Dana.  Why didn't you tell me?  I didn't know.  I'm so sorry.  If I had known I would have dragged him back here myself," Bill babbles.

 

"Wait a minute.  Back up.  Dragged who back here," Dana shrieks.

 

"Dana, what is it?" Mrs. Scully asks frantically after running into the room.  By this time, Scully is clawing at Bill's shirt, trying to force answers out of him.  Skinner and Doggett have to work together to pry the small woman from her brother.  She takes a moment to collect herself before continuing with her questioning.

 

"Bill, you saw him?  You saw Mulder?"  Her voice is small and shaking from her attempt at holding back her tears.

 

"A few days ago.  At a bookstore in San Diego." Bill calmly tells her, waiting on her to erupt again.  When he sees that she's too shocked to say anything, he continues.  "He has amnesia, Dana.  He didn't even know me.  He didn't remember anything about his life."

 

"But he had Emily?  And you brought her here and left Mulder there?" she asked, still not understanding what was happening.

 

"No, he begged me to bring Emily to you . . . "

 

"But you said he didn't remember anything about his life.  Did that include me?  What about Emily?  How did he know her?  Why did you leave him, Bill?  You knew I was looking for him.  Do you hate him that much?"  Scully starts to get worked up again with her rapid firing of questions.

 

"Calm down, Scully," Skinner firmly suggests.  "Let Bill tell us what happened.  Bill, why don't you start at the beginning."

 

"Okay.  A few days ago, Matthew and I were in downtown San Diego at a bookstore.  That's where we ran into Mulder and Emily.  Needless to say, I was shocked to see him, but he didn't know who I was.  I explained to him that I was your brother and that you were Emily's mother.  I told him as much as I knew about his life, but he still didn't remember it. He said he woke up about a month ago and some woman claimed to be his wife.  Then she introduced Emily as their daughter."

 

"Wife?" Scully interrupts.

 

"Yeah.  Some woman named Diana.  Whoever she is, he was terrified of taking Emily back to her.  He was desperate to get her away from that situation."

 

"Diana?" Scully interrupts again.

 

"Yeah, Diana.  What?  Do you know her or something?" Bill asks.

 

"Oh, I know her alright . . ." Scully says angrily before getting another warning glare from Skinner to calm down.  "She's an agent with the bureau.  Used to be Mulder's partner . . . in more ways than one.  Supposedly she died, but apparently that's not the case."

 

"Well, whoever she is, Mulder was determined to get Emily away from her.  He said that no matter what that woman told him, he knew his heart belonged to someone else.  To you, Dana," Bill tells her.  "He cares a lot about you.  I know I haven't been the guy's biggest supporter, but I never realized how much he cares."

 

"Where is he, Bill?  I have to go to him," Scully begs.

 

"I promised I wouldn't tell you.  He wants to protect you.  This Diana woman is up to something.  Mulder doesn't know what.  But as long as you and Emily are safe, he can deal with her."

 

"Bill I can't let him do this alone," Scully says, briefly taken back to the moment four months ago when she said the same thing to Mulder.

 

"He won't have to.  I'll go," Doggett offers.  "You said that this Diana woman was in the bureau, so she would know you or Skinner.  But she won't know me.  I could go out there and bring him home to you."

 

"Well, then.  What are we waiting for?" Bill asks, standing with Doggett.  "Let's go get Mulder."

 

End Chapter 5/11

 

* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *

Chapter 6

* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *

 

Margaret Scully sits quietly at her kitchen table.  The only sounds around her are the sighs her daughter breathes every now and then.  She's been like this since Bill and Doggett left.  And after she called those three weird friends of Mulder's to let them know what was going on.  She's been pretty much silent since then.  It was like there was too much going on in her mind and she didn't know how to express it verbally.

 

"Dana are you sure you're okay?"  Margaret looks again at her daughter to see if her words even registered.

 

"I don't know, Mom," she whispers.  "I know that I should be ecstatic.  Having Emily back.  And knowing that Mulder's alive out there somewhere.  But . . . "

 

"You're still worried," Margaret finishes for her.

 

"Skeptical is more like it," she says with a cynical laugh.  She always seems to fall back to that role somehow.  The skeptic.  The unbeliever.  The one who always has to look the proverbial gift horse in the mouth. 

 

"I know I should be happy," Scully continues.  "But right now, I have questions that need to be answered.  Why did they take Mulder?  What did they want with him?  What did they do to Emily?  Did they have something to do with me getting pregnant?  What if all I am is some pawn to Them?  Whoever *They* are.  Everything I ever wanted is right here, Mom.  Mulder.  Emily.  This baby.  But at what price are They giving it to me?"

 

Margaret can only sigh, not sure what to answer her daughter.  Because in all honesty, she had those same questions and reservations.  Her daughter's career has always worried her.  But she always seemed happy.  It wasn't Margaret's place to dispel that satisfaction she felt from being in the FBI.  But now, she can see the pain her daughter's choices is causing.  She just hopes that Dana can cope with this on her own until her partner returned.

 

Her thoughts are interrupted by a small cry coming from the other room.  Almost instantaneously, Scully is out her seat and up the stairs to get to the source of the sound.

 

"Emily?" Scully asks into the dark room.  The light from the closet casts a small glow into the room, just enough to keep the girl from getting scared.

 

"I thought you had left, Mommy," Emily sobs.  She buries her head in Scully's shoulder and cries some more.

 

"Shh.  It's okay, Baby.  I won't leave you.  I promise," Scully tries to assure the girl.  Her words work somewhat because she soon hears the  sobs turn into sniffs. 

 

"You mean it?  Even when Daddy comes?  You won't make him go away like that other lady did?"  Her sad eyes look at Scully. 

 

"Of course not," Scully promises, stroking the little girls hair.  "We're going to be a family.  You.  Me.  Daddy.  And one other person."  Scully turns to sit next to Emily on the bed before grabbing the girl's small hand.  She places it on her stomach before looking down to smile at her.

 

"Someone's in there?" Emily asks in amazement.

 

"A baby," Scully nods.  "You're going to be a big sister soon."

 

The little girl's face lights up with a grin.  She leaned down to put her arms around Scully's waist.

 

"What are you doing?" Scully wonders.

 

"Giving the baby a hug," Emily explains.  "To let him know I love him."

 

"That's nice, Emily," Scully tells her, wiping away a stray tear that manages to fall.  Those pregnancy hormones have her tearing up at the slightest provocation.

 

"I love you too, Mommy," she whispers.  "And so does Daddy.  I can't wait until he gets back and we can be a family."  She snuggles closer to Scully's stomach and drifts back to sleep.

 

Scully pulls Emily closer and smiles, thinking how right this all felt.  She soon finds herself falling asleep too, sweet visions of the life Emily imagined filling her dreams.

 

* * * * * * * * * *

 

 

"I still don't understand why we came back home," Mulder rants.  "She disappeared from San Diego.  We should be looking for her there."

 

"But whoever took her knows we're from here.  Besides, we can't get the police involved for another couple of hours anyway," Diana reminds him.

 

"Well, I can't just sit around doing nothing.  I'm going out for awhile," he says on his way out the door.  He doesn't even say good-bye as the door slams behind him.

 

His leaving was fine with Diana.  She needed to get in touch with her people to see how to handle this situation.  She didn't like that little brat anyway.  So her disappearance was nothing tragic.  But if Mulder insisted on getting the police involved, then there could be a slight problem.

 

She holds the phone up to her ear when she hears him answer the other end.

 

"It's me.  The girl is missing," she tells the mysterious man.

 

"She wasn't important.  What's the problem?" the man asks her.

 

"The problem is that soon the police will be involved.  And I'm sure that won't be good.  I don't know how to stop Fox.  Except by erasing his memory again," Diana suggests.

 

"We can't do that again.  He'll be useless to us," the man sighs.  "Just sit tight for a day or two.  We'll take care of everything."

 

"A day or two?  By then, the cops will be here.  Possibly the FBI.  What are we . . ."

 

"I said sit tight for a day or two," the man reiterates.  "I'll send someone from our group to act as the local law enforcement.  And then, I'll take care of this little situation."

 

Diana barely hears the clicking of the phone hanging up over the pounding of her heart.  She was a 'situation' to them now.  Not the best thing to be.  Suddenly, she was very afraid of how things were about to be resolved.

 

* * * * * * * * * *

 

The mystery man pushes an intercom on his desk, wordlessly beckoning an associate.

 

"The Mulder situation has gotten completely out of hand.  It's time for us to wash our hands of the entire fiasco.  Take care of them.  Permanently," he orders.

 

* * * * * * * * * *

 

Scully awakens the next morning to a pair of small hands on her face.  She blinks her eyes open and looks straight into a pair that mirror her own.

 

"Good morning, Sweetie," Scully smiles to the little girl.

 

"Morning, Mommy," Emily's little voice sings out, causing joyous tears to fill Scully's eyes.  She just couldn't seem to stop crying these days.  But at least this time, they're tears of joy.

 

"Mommy, what's wrong?" Emily asks, worry suddenly gripping her heart.

 

"Nothing, Emily.  I'm fine.  I just didn't think I'd ever see you again.  You were really sick.  And then you went away.  We thought you'd be gone forever.   And I missed you so much."

 

"Don't worry, Mommy.  I'm okay," Emily assures.  "I think I missed you too."

 

"You think?" Scully asks, confused at the girl's statement.

 

"I didn't really remember you.  I just remembered this." Emily looks down and fingers the delicate cross around Scully's neck.  "You gave it to me once.  So I wouldn't be afraid."

 

"You remembered that?" Scully is amazed as the girl just nods.

 

"But we couldn't remember you.  Daddy remembered your hair.  And he said my eyes and mouth were just like yours.  But he told me to apologize," Emily adds with a giggle.

 

"Apologize for what?"

 

"He said to tell you he's sorry, but it looks like I got his nose," the girl laughs.

 

Scully laughs along with her, but really her mind is somewhere else.  On a face that looked so much like her own, she finally notices Mulder's prominent nose, but in a smaller version.  She notices a chin shaped much like his.  And she notices a small mole on the girl's cheek in the same place as Mulder's.

 

"No need to apologize," Scully says when she finally manages to speak again.  "It looks perfect on you.  You're a little bit of me and a little bit of your . . . daddy."  A daddy she never had before, Scully adds silently.  She finds herself wondering how Emily can have so many of Mulder's physical traits when the only human DNA she had belonged to Scully.

 

"Emily, why don't you get washed up.  I'll go start breakfast."

 

The little girl climbs over Scully and out the bed, scurrying to the bathroom.  Scully gets her robe and makes her way to the kitchen, grabbing the phone on the way by.  Searching the pantry for pancake ingredients, she dials the Lone Gunmen.

 

"Frohike, it's me," she says into the phone when the man answers.

 

"Agent Scully.  It's a pleasure.  What can we do for you?"

 

"Is this line secure?  I need to ask a favor."

 

"Hold on a second," he says before she hears a series of clicks and beeps.  "Okay, go ahead.  I take it this is about Emily."  Frohike wasn't surprised to hear from Agent Scully.  He was surprised yesterday when she told them about Emily and Mulder both being alive.  But the shock has worn off.  And he figured she'd want answers eventually.

 

"I need some tests done on her.  And any results you had on the tests we ran before," she pauses and sighs before she continues.  "Also, bring a sample of Mulder's DNA to compare."

 

"Mulder?" Frohike asks, surprised at what she wanted.  "What are you expecting to find?"

 

"Well, I'm trying to find out if my eyes are playing tricks on me.  Because Emily has grown up into a little girl who looks very much like a father we didn't think she even had."

 

"We'll be right over," Frohike says before hanging up.

 

True to their word, the guys arrive 45 minutes later.  They take hair and saliva from Emily and a little blood from a pinprick to her finger.  By that evening, they had results for Scully.

 

"Well, she's the same little girl as before, in case you were wondering," Byers begins.  "But there have been significant changes to her genetic make up."

 

"How is that possible?" Scully wants to know.

 

"Before, the only human DNA she had belonged to you.  The rest was of alien origin.  But that alien DNA was in too high proportions and her system couldn't handle it.  When we thought she had died, she really had been put in a state of suspended animation.  Sort of like a place between a coma and death.  Her vitals were unnoticeable.  After they took her from the funeral home, somehow they introduced more human DNA into her genetic code, essentially giving her a 'father', biologically speaking."

 

"Mulder," she says more as a fact than a question.  Byers just nods to the affirmative.

 

"According to the DNA tests, this little girl is genetically your and Mulder's daughter.  The procedure was done early enough in her development before her physical features were set.  Which is why she looks so much like Mulder now."

 

Scully just nods, sinking down into the couch.  All the evidence was there in black and white.  Scientific proof of how *They* have messed with her life yet again.  But this time in a good way.  They've given her two of Mulder's children.  And she vowed silently to watch over them and protect them until he returned.

 

* * * * * * * * * *

 

Mulder wanders around town, pausing at every pay phone he came to.  He was so tempted to call that number Bill left with him.  Just for a minute so he could hear for himself that Emily was safe.  But that could mean putting the little girl in danger.  And he refused to do that.

 

The more he walked, the more he wondered about Emily.  What was she doing?  Was she getting along with her mother?  Did she miss him as much as he missed her.  The questions started to get to him.  He had to know.  The call wouldn't have to be long.  Just long enough to hear her little voice.

 

Mulder reaches the payphone on the next corner and grabs the handle, digging in his pocket for enough change to make the call.  Just as he's about to dial the numbers, he hears a voice behind him.

 

"Fox, what are you doing?"  Mulder closes his eyes and cringes.  It was Diana. And she almost caught him.

 

"I actually was about to call for a ride," he lies easily.  "I walked longer than I realized and got tired."

 

"You've been walking this whole time?" she questions.  "You've been gone all day."

 

"I didn't mean to worry you.  I was just thinking about where Emily could be.  Have you heard anything?"

 

"Nothing.  But, I called the police and they're sending someone out later on this evening," she claims.  Although Mulder doesn't believe this.  She probably hired someone to pretend to be a cop.  But it really didn't matter seeing as how Emily really wasn't missing.  He just needed enough evidence to frame Diana for the girl's disappearance.  Hopefully he'll be able to scare her into running, and then he'd be free of her.

 

"So I guess we should go back home to meet them," Mulder suggests.

 

"How about we go get a drink or something," she counters.  "It's such a nice day.  There's no reason for us to be all cooped up."

 

"Nice day?  Diana, our daughter is missing," Mulder yells.  He couldn't believe how heartless this woman was.  It was like she already forgot that Emily ever existed.

 

"And there's nothing we can do about that," she whispers, looking around to make sure no one heard his outburst.  "Now you're tense.  We should get that drink."

 

He allows her to lead him across the street to Jake's Tavern.  The town maybe small, but the local watering hole was decent.    It wasn't crowded since it was early evening in the middle of the week.  So that made it extra difficult to hide the two men following Fox Mulder.  Luckily they were able to duck into a booth before Diana noticed them.

 

"Maybe this wasn't such a good idea," she scowls, nose turned up at the dark interior of the bar.  "We should get out of here."  She wanted to keep him out of the house, but this wasn't her idea of the ideal place to spend some quiet time.

 

"But we just got here," Mulder protests.  "You're the one who suggested we come out for a drink."

 

"Fox, this place is nasty," she whines.  "Let's go."  She stands up to leave and runs straight into a man walking past.  The man was tall and well built.   She swooned a little at the intense look in his crystal blue eyes.   Such an anomaly on one who looked so burly.

 

"Oh, excuse me," she gasps.

 

"No problem," he drawls with a slight southern accent.  "Hey, don't I know you?" the man asks Mulder.

 

"Me?  I don't think so . . . "

 

"I do.  You're Fox Mulder.  Right?  We went to school together back in Massachusetts.  I'm Glenn Rodgers.  Don't you remember me?"  Doggett turns his back to Diana and gives Mulder a look that only he could see, begging the man to play along.  "I'm in town with our old buddy, Bill.  You remember him, don't you?"

 

Mulder starts to realize what's going on.   The Bill this guy was talking about must be Bill Scully.  He had to get rid of Diana somehow to talk to this guy alone.

 

"I'm sorry.  I don't remember much," Mulder admits.  "And I would stay and chat, but my wife and I have an important meeting later this evening."

 

"Actually, Fox.  Why don't you stay," Diana insists.  "You could use a distraction.  And I'm sure your friend here would like to catch up."

 

"Are you sure?  You shouldn't have to deal with that all alone," Mulder argues.

 

"Stay, Fox.  Glen take my seat," she says, practically pushing Doggett down into the booth.  "I'll see you at home."  She sighs with relief as she practically sprints out the door.  Maybe now she can meet with these so called cops before Fox gets home.  That way she can control how this situation plays out and avoid angering her bosses anymore.  She was beginning to feel they were losing patience with her.  And she feared what that meant for her.

 

End Chapter 6/11

 

* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *

Chapter 7

* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *

 

Mulder watches the door until he's sure Diana's gone before turning back to his new companion.

 

"Alright.  Who are you really and what do you want with me?" Mulder asks him point blank.

 

"Calm down, Agent Mulder," Doggett says, pulling out his badge.  "Special Agent John Doggett.  I'm out here with Agent Scully's brother.  We're here to help you get home."

 

"What about Emily?" Mulder panics. 

 

"She's fine," Bill says, walking up behind Mulder.  Doggett slides over further into the booth to make room for Bill.  "But she made me promise to bring you home.  Both she and my sister are anxiously awaiting your arrival."

 

"They're okay?" Mulder sighs, relieved to know it for certain.

 

"Just missing you, Sir," Doggett adds.  "Which is why we have to get you home."  He reaches behind his back and pulls an envelope out of his pocket, tossing it across the table to Mulder.

 

"What's this?" Mulder asks, opening the envelope and pulling out some papers.

 

"Brief dossiers on yourself and on Special Agent Diana Fowley.  I figured you'd want to be informed about yourself and the work you used to do.  Also, this sheet lists a rundown on what Agent Fowley has been doing since her supposed death 2 years ago.  This will help us figure out how to get her out of the way to make your return possible."

 

The men sit in silence, slowly sipping their drinks while Mulder reads through the information. 

 

"This woman really was my wife?"  Mulder asks with some surprise.

 

"Right after you got out of the academy, you two had a fling.  You got married.  She left a few months later.  Soon after that, Agent Scully came to be your partner," Doggett explains. 

 

"How could I have forgotten my entire life?"  Mulder sighs.  "What did Diana let those people do to me?"

 

"We don't know," Doggett admits honestly.  "But we will figure it out.  We both made a promise to Agent Scully and that little girl that we'd bring you home.  And that's not a promise that either of us plans on breaking."

 

Bill nods in agreement.  His sister was incomplete without this man. It took him long enough to see it, but now that he did, he'd do anything to reunite the two.

 

"But before I go back, I have to make sure that Diana is out of our lives for good.  I can't risk her coming back to hurt us," Mulder vows.  "We have to find a way to stop whatever it is she's planning with me.  Actually, we have to find out who she's working for and stop them.  According to these files, she's never been the one in charge.  There's no reason to believe otherwise in this case."

 

"Do you have any idea who that could be?" Doggett asks.  "Have you seen her meet with anyone?  Does she have an office or something?"

 

"No.  Unless it's at the house somewhere.  She's been hovering over me since I woke up a month ago.  The only time she's not around is when I'm with Emily.  She says she has important calls to make," Mulder says. 

 

"Probably calling her boss," Bill guesses.

 

"Okay, let's go back to what you said about her hovering since you woke up.  Did you wake up at the house or at a hospital?" Doggett questions, his mind trying to pick on any little thing they could use.

 

"I was in the house.  Which means I had probably been there a while.  Quite possibly the entire time I've been missing," Mulder realizes.  "But why would they keep me in a bedroom in a house in the middle of a tiny west coast town for months?"

 

"Maybe they didn't keep you in the bedroom the entire time," Bill suggests.

 

"I think you're onto something, Bill," Doggett joins in.  "Like you said, Agent Mulder.  Why would they keep you there?  Unless they were using you for something.  Your memory is gone, so it's likely they took it somehow.  They probably have some kind of clinic or lab nearby." 

 

"And Emily was probably brought there to keep you in line in case whatever they did to you didn't work," Bill interjects with his own theory.  "Because they don't seem too concerned about her disappearance.  She must not have been vital to the plan.  You said yourself that Agent Fowley's been filling your head with all kinds of false memories. She's telling you what she wants you to believe.  She's telling you what she wants you to remember in order to get you ready for whatever they're planning to do with you."

 

"So it's possible that the answers have been right under my nose this whole time," Mulder concludes.  "I've got to get back to that house and search it from top to bottom.  You're probably right about the lab or something in the house or someplace nearby.  I have a feeling that there's something there to explain this whole mess."

 

"Alright, we'll all go," Doggett decides.  "You get started.  Then tonight after Diana's asleep, we'll come in and help you search."

 

* * * * * * * * * *

 

Scully wanders around the house, rubbing the sore spot on her side where the baby kept on kicking.  She roams through the kitchen, not really looking for anything to eat, but reaching into the fridge anyway to try to find something to settle her stomach.  Her hand shoots to her side again and a grimace crosses her face, alarming her mother somewhat.

 

"Still kicking?" she asks her daughter.

 

"This baby is so active tonight for some reason," Scully says.  "He just won't settle down."

 

"Here," her mother offers, holding out a cup of tea.  "I can't promise it's a miracle cure, but it'll relax you."  Scully takes the cup with a smile and sits at the table across from her mother.  They sit in silence for a few minutes, neither of them wanting to bring up what was at the forefront of both their minds.

 

"I found out I was pregnant with Bill after your father had left for his first long tour after we got married," Mrs. Scully suddenly starts, her daughter surprised at the odd comment. "I won't presume that I know what you're going through, but . . . "

 

"Mom, it's not that simple with me and Mulder," Scully sighs.  "You and Daddy were together and married.  You two knew you loved each other and were embarking on this life together."

 

"You may not have said those words to him, Dana.  But you can't tell me that there isn't just as much love between you and Fox as there was between your father and I.  This baby was conceived in that love.  And I know that love will bring him home to you."  She looks over at her daughter.   She looked resigned.  Not so much sad and depressed anymore, but resigned that life without her love was a very real possibility.

 

"I want to believe I'll see him again.  I want to believe he'll be back to help me raise our children.  But what if he's not, Mom?  What if these kids never get to know their father?"  Scully sighs, too tired for any more tears. 

 

"I know you're scared," her mother cries, wiping away her own tears.  "And I wish I could say something to reassure you."

 

"Mom, you've been great.  I don't know what I would have done this last month without you.  Or even the past few days, being thrust into motherhood with Emily's arrival."  A sound from upstairs alarms both the women.  "Seems like both my children are having trouble sleeping tonight," Scully comments before wearily making her way up to Emily.

 

Emily lay on the bed, crying out in her sleep.  She wasn't quite awake so Scully silently sat on the bed next to the girl, stroking her hair and rubbing her back until she settled down.  Emily turns in her sleep and latches on tightly to Scully.  She seemed to be shaking with fear.  At the same time, the baby started to do what Scully could only describe as flip flops in her stomach.  That's when Scully knew.  Her children were sensing  something.  A feeling of dread so heavy fell on her heart and she knew what it was.  Something was very, very wrong with Mulder.  The kids could feel it. She could feel it.  But the tears began to stream down her face as she realized there was nothing she could do about it.

 

* * * * * * * * * *

 

Mulder returns to the house just in time to see two men in dark suits leaving.  Their sudden appearance is a bit of a shock to him and he turns quickly to make sure the car Doggett and Bill are sitting in isn't visible from the door.  The last thing he needs is Diana getting suspicious at this point in time.

 

"You must be the detectives," Mulder says, blocking the doorway.  "I'm sorry I'm so late.  I didn't know you'd be here this early."

 

"Fox, the detectives have to go.  I gave them all the information about Emily," Diana claims, pulling Mulder out of the way to allow the detectives passage.  "They'll call us in the morning if there's any news."

 

"That's right, Mr. Mulder.  The best thing for you to do is sit tight.  We'll find your little girl," the detective on the left says.  He flashes the couple a phony smile and turns to leave.  Mulder closes the door behind them, trying to quickly come up with a way to search the house without Diana knowing.

 

"You know, Honey, I'm kind of wiped out.  Why don't you go get ready for bed.  I'll be there soon," he says, almost choking over the term of endearment.

 

"You're coming with me?" Diana asks excitedly.  "To bed with me?  Before you said that . . . "

 

"I know what I said.  But tonight is different.  With Emily being gone, I think we should be there to comfort each other," he lies easily, praying earnestly that he wouldn't have to go through with his promises.  The thought of being in the same room with this woman, let alone in the same bed, was enough to turn his stomach.

 

"Give me a little time," she says with a big smile.  "I want to make things special for you." 

 

"Take your time.  I'll bring something for us to drink," Mulder offers.  'Spiked with sleeping pills', he adds silently as she eagerly runs up the stairs.  A genuine smile crosses his face.  Diana won't even know what hit her.

 

He hears the shower start and goes to get the drinks ready.  The first stop is the downstairs bathroom.  He opens the medicine cabinet and finds the bottle of sleeping pills.  The next stop is the wine cellar, where he picks out a random bottle of wine.  He drops a half a bottle of the pills in there to give them time to dissolve.  The pill bottle slips from his hand, causing a few pills to roll under the table.  As he's picking them up, his hand sweeps across a bump on the floor concealed by the carpet.  Moving the rug out of the way reveals a trap door leading down into another sublevel of the house.

 

"Unbelievable," he whispers to himself.  "It really was right under my nose this whole time."  Mulder looks around the cellar and finds a flashlight on the shelf.  Clicking it on, he shines it down the stairs and begins his descent.

 

* * * * * * * * * *

 

Doggett and Bill watch from across the street, ducking down when the two men in suits leave the house.  Assuming that they're detectives calling about the kidnapping, Doggett doesn't pay much attention to them.  They stand in the doorway a few minutes before Diana pulls Mulder inside and closes the door.  Expecting them to get in their car and leave, Doggett is surprised to see the blond haired man go around to the side of the house.

 

"What's he doing?" he mumbles out loud, causing Bill to look out the window himself.   The other man, a light complexioned black man with his long dread locks pulled neatly back in a ponytail,  goes to the car and starts it, creeping around to wait on his partner.

 

"Looks like he's fiddling with something," Bill guesses.  "It's so dark.  I can't really tell."

 

"I don't like it," Doggett grunts.  He pulls out his phone and tosses it across the seat to Bill.  "Call the cops and tell them you've seen some strange characters lurking around the neighborhood.  They'll probably send a unit out to check it out.  We don't want to alert the whole cavalry right now." 

 

He gets his gun and eases out of the door, trying to remain unnoticed by either of the men.  Slowly he makes his way towards the house and waits on the other side of the wall where the man was standing.  Flipping off the safety, he holds the gun out with a flashlight and calls to him.

 

"FBI. Step out with your hands up," he orders.  The man hurries with a few more movements that Doggett cannot see.  Doggett lets his gun lead him around the corner until he's standing just behind the man.  "I said, step out with your hands up."

 

"You're too late," the man snarls with a slight european accent as he complies with Doggett's orders.  "And if you knew what was best for you, you'll let me by or we're both dead."

 

"I can't do that, Sir," Doggett tells him.  "This is the last time I'm going to tell you.  Step out where I can see you.  Keep your hands up."  The man takes one step and stops again.  At that moment, a squealing of tires sounds as a car races down the street.  A look of panic crosses the man's face and Doggett turns in time to see the black man in the car rushing off in the other direction. 

 

That was just the distraction the blond needed.  He charged Doggett, knocking him off his feet and takes off in the same direction as the car, trying desperately to catch his partner.  Or to get away from something, Doggett hypothesizes.  But he doesn't have time to wonder what that something could be.  He quickly scrambles to his feet and chases the man, stopping when he reaches the sidewalk in front of the house, knowing he'll never catch him.  Instead, he carefully aims and sends a bullet into the man's leg, effectively stopping his retreat.

 

Doggett jogs up to his writhing form and kneels next to him, checking his vitals to make sure the man wasn't mortally wounded.  He was surprised to see the man attempting to drag his body down the street, desperately trying to get away from the house.  That's when it all begins to click.  The accomplice leaving behind his partner more than likely feared something more than being caught.  This man's attempts to get away from the house despite a gunshot wound.  And his cryptic warning a few minutes earlier.  '. . . let me by or we're both dead.'

 

"What did you do?" Doggett screams to the man on the ground next to him, realizing that something bad was about to happen.  "What are you trying to get away from?  What's about to happen?"

 

The answer to his question comes in the next second.  A strange calm falls.  It was if time suddenly stopped for one brief moment.  Doggett could literally feel his blood run cold the split second before his world was suddenly bathed in fire.  The brilliant heat engulfed the house before he actually heard the explosion.  The sheer force of it all knocks him back, slamming his head into the street beneath him.  A siren in the distance is the last thing he hears before the darkness over takes him.

 

End Chapter 7/11

 

 

* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *

Chapter 8

* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *

 

Doggett awakens to bright lights and sirens blaring.  He doesn't know how long he's been out, but the prior events all come suddenly rushing back to his memory with each pound of his aching head.  He raises a shaky hand up to his head and feels the bandage.  He also notices several bandages on his hands and arms.

 

"Don't move, Agent Doggett," a voice tells him.  Doggett looks into the face of a paramedic who was now working on the cuts on his legs.  "Do you remember what happened?"

 

"There was an explosion.  The house blew up," he says groggily, trying to rise again to a sitting position.

 

"Don't try to move," the paramedic warns again.  "You hit your head pretty hard."

 

"Was anyone else hurt?  What about the people in the house?" Doggett panics.  Despite the paramedics warnings, he manages to rise from his makeshift bed.  He stumbles over to where Bill was standing, a little closer to the house, but still far enough from the flames still burning.  "Bill, what's going on?  Did they find Mulder?"  Bill had a look on his face that made Doggett's stomach turn.  He had a feeling that Bill's news wasn't good.

 

"They found two bodies.  Dead," Bill says with a tear-filled voice.  "They're bringing them out now." He nods his head towards the door where 4 firemen were bringing out bodies.  Bill and Doggett race to the part of the lawn where they put the bodies down.  The first body Doggett recognized as a dark haired woman whom he assumed was Diana Fowley.  The second body caused Bill to lurch violently and almost vomit right on the spot.  Seeing the burned figure, Doggett could see why.  It was another woman.  Short, with fiery red hair.

 

"I thought it was Dana for a second.  It looks just like her.  But I think Mulder mentioned a nanny," Bill says with a slight sigh of relief.  But the relief didn't last long when they realize that Mulder was still missing.

 

"Did you find anyone else?" Doggett asks the nearest fireman.  "A man?  We saw him go in the house about ten minutes before the explosion."

 

"Are you sure?" the fireman questions.  The fire was beginning to blaze out of control.  He didn't want to risk sending in any of his men on a wild goose chase.

 

"We're positive.  He's a friend of ours.  We saw him go in before the explosion," Bill swears.  "You have to go back in there."

 

"That fire is out of control, sir," the fireman warns.  "If he's still in there, then . . ."

 

"That doesn't matter," Bill yells.  "Just find him."

 

The fireman sighs with frustration and radios the men that remained inside.  They've checked almost every room in the main part of the house with no sign of anyone else.  Their next destination is the cellar area.  They wine bottles were all broken and were feeding their own branch of the fire.  Through the smoke and haze, one of the rescue workers notice a stream of white light coming from the floor.  Rushing over, they discover the entrance to the sublevel.

 

"I think I've found something," one of them calls.  The other workers come over and quickly descend the stairs, quickly stumbling upon Mulder's unconscious form.  The flashlight he previously held somehow managed to land on it's end, the light pointing straight up the stairs.  A beacon signalling his presence to the rescue workers.  Without which, they might never have found him.

 

"We got him," a second fireman radios back to the chief.  "Pulse is weak but it's there."

 

The fire chief sighs again, this time in relief, as he turns to Bill and Doggett to give them the good news.

 

"Your friend has been found.  They're bringing him out now," he informs them.

 

"Is he . . . " Bill tries to ask before the words get stuck in his throat.

 

"He's alive.  Barely.  It looks like God was smiling on him today."  Bill and Doggett thank the fire chief as he walks away to another area of the lawn needing his attention.  Unbelieving smiles come across their face. Mulder has escaped death once again.  That man has more lives than a cat is seems.  Their joy is short lived as the firemen emerge from the house with Mulder's body.  Being in the sublevel protected him from the flames, but not the smoke.  Not even the grayness of soot covering every inch of his body could hide the blue tint to his lips from too little oxygen.  He may be alive now.  But how long would that last?

 

"We have to call Dana," Bill struggles to say through the tears threatening to fall.  "She'll want to be here.  No matter what." 

 

Doggett nods his head in agreement, barely able to hold back his own tears.  They both watch in complete silence as Mulder's loaded into the back of an ambulance.  The doors close and the vehicle speeds away, leaving the men silently praying for the recovery of their new friend.  Because neither of them wanted to think of what would become of the petite red-head back in DC who's very existence depended on this man.

 

* * * * * * * * * *

 

The phone rings 6 times at Maggie Scully's house before she finally answers.  Her sleepy hand knocks the phone off of the bedside table as she wonders to herself who would be calling at this hour.

 

"Yes," she answers groggily, yawning and trying to rub the sleep from her eyes.

 

"Maggie, it's Walter," the gruff voice says.  Right then all the tiredness fell from Maggie and she jumped out of the bed.

 

"What happened? Is it Bill?  Is it Fox?"  She knew the answer, but felt it was her role to ask.  They've done this dance so much.  Sometimes it was Fox on the other end of the phone telling her about Dana.  Sometimes it was this very man telling her about them both.

 

"Agent Doggett just called.  There was an accident about an hour ago.  Bill's fine.  Just being treated for minor cuts and bruises.  But Mulder is serious.  We have to get Dana and Emily out there as soon as possible," Skinner explains, trying hard to keep his voice detached and professional, but Maggie could hear the tremble of fear.  "I'll be by in an hour."

 

"We'll be ready," Maggie whispers into the phone before hanging it up.  She lets out a heavy sigh.  She knew how difficult it was for Walter to call to deliver the news.  Because now, she has to do the same.  She has to walk down that hall and tell her little girl something that just may break her heart.

 

She pulls her robe around her and makes her way to the room Scully's staying in with Emily.  Taking a deep breath, she gently knocks on the door and pushes it open.  She's shocked to see her daughter's tear streaked face sitting in the rocking chair in the corner holding an equally teary Emily.

 

"How bad is he?" Scully whispers.

 

"How did you know?" her mother wants to know, amazed at the connection her daughter shared with Fox Mulder.

 

"They knew.  That's why they were so restless," Scully explains.  "Then about an hour ago, everything got really . . . . still.  Eerie.  A weird kind of unsettling calm.  And that's when I got scared.  They know that something is wrong.  They can feel it.  We all can feel it."  She pauses to wipe her tears only to have them replaced by more streams of her salty anguish.  She's not really sure she wants to know, but she asks anyway.  "What happened?"

 

"Walter didn't say," her mother confesses.  "He just said we have to go out there now.  He'll be here soon to pick us up."  Scully nods to let her mother know she understands.  The silence in the room was deafening.  The grief almost suffocated Maggie.

 

"Go down and let me know when he gets here," Scully whispers.  "I think Emily and I will just stay up here for awhile longer."  Her eyes plead with her mother to just leave them alone, although she didn't say the words.  Maggie understood, though, and left her daughter to grieve in peace.

 

* * * * * * * * * *

 

Doggett paces the floor of the hospital waiting room impatiently, as he's been doing almost nonstop for the past few hours.  Each step is filled with twinges of pain from his injuries, but he keeps on moving nonetheless.  Because if he sits still, his mind will dwell on the man inside the room across the hall.  The man who's shoes he could never fill professionally, much less personally.

 

"Stop that pacing, John," Bill pleads.  "You're starting to make me dizzy.  Why don't you go get some coffee or something," he suggests to the man before turning to his wife.  "Tara, could you go down with him?  I think he could use a break."

 

Tara Scully catches her husband's eye and nods her understanding at him.  She turns to give a warm smile to Doggett before grabbing Matthew's hand and leading him down the hall.  Doggett follows, not really needing the coffee, but needing time away from the situation.  He could always leave and go back to the hotel, but he didn't feel right leaving Mulder until Agent Scully had gotten there.  He promised to find the missing agent for his partner.  And even now that he did, he's feeling guilty for the state Mulder's in.  He can't leave Scully now to face that alone.

 

They only get a few steps down the hall before the elevator doors fly open and Scully comes rushing out, followed closely by her mother, Skinner and Emily.

 

"Where is he?" she demands to know, eyes red with unshed tears.  Tears of joy that he's been found.  Tears of grief that he might not live long enough for a reunion.

 

"Dana, you should calm down," Bill warns, grabbing his sister's arms to try and settle her.  He keeps her back to the big window looking into Mulder's room so that she can't see him.  Her adrenalin is flowing however and she easily breaks from his grasp.  She turns around and is able to see into Mulder's room from her new point of view.  Through the window he seems so still.  So peaceful.  Everything is so silent.  But her professional experience reminds her that it's anything but quiet in that room.  He's hooked up to so many machines making all sorts of beeps, blips, and hisses.  The sounds of the machines measuring Mulder's life.  Or lack thereof. 

 

Despite her efforts, a shocked gasp escapes her lips followed by a stream of tears finally breaking free of their barrier.  She closes her eyes to shut out the sight before her and doesn't even notice herself sway unsteadily.  Instantly, she's flanked by Bill and Doggett, each holding on to one of her arms to support her.

 

"Dana, are you alright?" Bill asks concerned.  He's surprised to see his usually unbreakable sister quickly shake her head and admit she was less than fine.

 

"I think I need to sit down," she whispers in a shaky breath.  Through a haze, she barely registers her brother and Doggett helping her to a chair next to Mulder's door.  The nurse in the room has noticed the commotion outside by now and came over to close the blinds, blocking out the view into the room.

 

"Emily," Scully gasps, looking around desperately for her child.  Her fog has lifted and she realizes that her daughter is no longer anywhere around.  "Where is she?"

 

"It's okay, Dana," Bill assures her.  "Mom and Tara took her and Matty down the hall to the playroom."

 

"She can't . . . see him like this," Scully sobs.  "Not with all the machines and tubes."

 

"Don't worry, Dana," Skinner says soothingly, coming over to comfort her much like her father would have.  "We'll make sure she's taken care of.  You just worry about taking care of yourself.  Because Mulder's going to need you whole and complete if he's going to get through this."

 

She nods her thanks at him, feeling relieved that Emily will be looked after. But also thankful for the reminder.  She had to keep it together because so many people were depending on her.  She had to take care of Mulder and their children.  And to do that, she had to stay healthy.  She gives all the men a smile, assuring them that she would be okay, before she rises slowly and carefully begins her way down the hall to the restroom to freshen up a bit.  She gets about halfway down the hall when a doctor emerges from Mulder's room.

 

"Dr. Reynolds," Doggett calls out to him.  At the mention of this doctor, Scully turns around and heads back towards the men, hearing Doggett continue his questioning of the doctor.  "How is he doing?"

 

"I'm not going to lie to you, Agent Doggett.  It's not looking too good," the doctor reluctantly admits.  "He's not making as much progress as I had hoped by this point in his treatment."

 

"How are you treating him?" Scully asks, surprising the doctor slightly since he didn't see or hear her approach. 

 

"Oh.  I didn't realize Agent Mulder had more visitors.  I'm Dr. Reynolds.  Are you his wife?"  Taking in Scully's puffy eyes and red nose, he assumes this guess is correct.  But as a twinge of hurt fills her eyes, the doctor feels like putting his foot in his mouth.  First, he felt bad being so pessimistic about his patient's condition and having this obviously distraught woman overhear.  And now,  he feels even worse when he notes her ring free left hand gently caress her rounded abdomen.

 

"No," she whispers.  "I'm not his wife."

 

"Agent Scully's the only family Agent Mulder has," Skinner explains. 

 

He places a hand around her waist and helps her into the chair again, without any protests coming from the woman.  Because the truth was, with her knees feeling much like bowls of jelly, she could hardly support herself anymore.  Getting settled and taking a deep breath, she looks up to face the doctor again, repeating her earlier question.

 

"I'm a doctor and Agent Mulder's personal physician.  What exactly is his condition and how are you treating him?"  She seems to have found her voice again because this time her question is more demanding.  The doctor is almost amazed at her transformation into clinical detachment.

 

"Mr. Mulder was in an explosion.  The force of the explosion appeared to have knocked him down a flight of stairs, which is where the head injury more than likely resulted.  He was unconscious for awhile in the burning building, so smoke inhalation was inevitable.  The head trauma for right now is secondary.  We're keeping an eye on that.  But more than likely, he just has a concussion.  Our primary mission is to lower the levels of carbon monoxide in his blood stream.  This is his second round of dialysis.  We're trying to replace the poisoned blood with fresh oxygenated blood," the doctor explains.

 

"And the breathing machine?"

 

"A precaution for right now.  We didn't want to tax his heart and lungs anymore than necessary. And we need to make sure his brain gets enough oxygen. We'll be taking him off the machine later this evening to see if he'll be able to breathe adequately on his own."  The doctor's beeper goes off and he reaches into his pocket to retrieve it.  "I'm sorry, that's an emergency.  I'll be back later to check on Agent Mulder.  It was very nice meeting you Dr. Scully."  He smiles encouragingly at them all before walking away.

 

After the doctor leaves, Scully lets out a breath she didn't even know she was holding.  It takes her a minute to assimilate all that the doctor had told her.  But she files it away for later reviewing and mentally prepares herself to face the three men who were staring down at her.

 

"I need to go in there," she finally says, swallowing back a sob.  "I want him to know I'm here."

 

"Are you sure, Agent Scully?" Doggett asks her.  "You just got here.  And I know it's a shock seeing him like that . . . "

 

"John, please," she interrupts him.  "I think after all we've been through, you can call me Dana," she says with a small smile that barely extends past her lips.  "And yes, I'm sure.  He has to know that I'm here.  He needs to have something to hold onto."  She holds out her hand and grabs one of Doggett's, using him to pull herself up.  Immediately, Skinner takes his place at her other side, supporting her as much as she'll allow.   Bill holds the door open for them and she pauses, just on the other side of the threshold.

 

"Do you want to go in alone?" Bill asks her quietly.

 

"No," she whispers, shaking her head.  "I can't do it alone yet."

 

"We'll be right here with you for as long as you need us, Dana," Skinner assures her.  He kisses her on the forehead before pulling her gently into the room.

 

The few steps to the bed seem to take an eternity.  Skinner and Doggett can feel her trembling and stop once more, making sure she still wanted to do this.  She nods silently and eases herself from their embrace, walking the rest of the way on her own. 

 

"Oh, Mulder," she sobs upon finally reaching his bedside.  His lifeless form was so pale and still, yet Scully could feel the inner turmoil of his body and soul.  He wanted to hang on, but his body was about to give up.

 

"Mulder," she whispers into his ear.  "I don't know if you can hear me.  But you have to fight.  I'm here.  I'll help you.  You just can't give up.  You have to come back to me.  I need you."  She pauses as a few tears escape.  "I love you." 

 

The tears continue to come as she lays her head on his chest, reveling in the feeling of just being near him again.  The rise and fall of his chest from the breathing machine pushing air into his body soothe her.  His steady heart beats assure her that he's still in there.  Eventually, her tears stops and she rises from his bedside.  Leaning over to gently kiss him, she whispers her good-bye and promises to be back later.  She looks up at her companions and notices their equally teary expressions.  A small smile is all she can muster.

 

"He'll be fine," she tells them.  "He has to be."  She straightens her back with renewed determination and walks herself out the door, no longer relying on their strength.  She had Mulder back.  And she had the strength of his beliefs fueling her own faith.  And right now, that's all that she needed.

 

End Chapter 8/11

 

 

* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *

Chapter 9

* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *

 

Scully stands in the doorway of the playroom, marveling at the giggling sounds coming from within.  Despite the aching in her heart she felt because of Mulder, she couldn't help but be affected by the infectious laughter of the children.  She finds herself smiling along with them, remembering the last time she heard the girl laugh like that.  In a hospital playroom, not unlike this one.  When Scully couldn't seem to make a connection with the shy little girl all those years ago, Mulder breezes in and instantly amuses her with that stupid Mr. Potato Head face.

 

"Mommy," Emily exclaims when she finally notices Scully's presence, running over to hug her legs.  "Can I go see Daddy now?"

 

"Not yet, Sweet Pea," Scully tells her.  She looks up at her mom and sister-in-law, silently begging them for a few minutes alone with Emily.  They nod in understanding and quietly tip out of the room.  When they're gone, Scully takes a deep breath to give herself a minute to think of how to explain Mulder's condition to the girl.  "Daddy's asleep right now.  He breathed in a lot of bad air that made him really sick.  The doctors are trying really hard to make him better, but they can't do it alone.  They have to use these big machines that look kind of scary.  You don't want to see Daddy like that, do you?"  She looks over at Emily and smiles at the sight of the little girl, seemingly deep in though,  nibbling on her bottom lip much like Mulder does when he's contemplating a perplexing theory.

 

"Don't worry, Mommy," she finally says.  "He'll be okay.  He has the strength of your beliefs"

 

"What did you just say?" Scully gasps, surprised at the words from the girl's mouth.  Almost verbatim to the words she just whispered to Mulder.

 

"Daddy used to say that," she explains nonchalantly.  "We couldn't remember you, but he said that he knew we'd all be together one day because he had the strength of your beliefs."

 

"Sounds like you and Daddy were really close," Scully says, unable to swallow back the twinge of jealously rising up in her throat.

 

"Diana was so mean," Emily says with a shudder remembering the woman.  "She wouldn't let me play with Daddy a lot.  So he took me out to the lake every day.  It would just be the two of us and we'd row out to the middle and talk for a really long time.  Daddy said he couldn't remember much, so he needed new memories of me."  Emily can't help the smile growing on her face when she talks about her father.  Scully can tell that the girl obviously adores him.  She almost cries when she realizes that she doesn't have that closeness with her own child.

 

"Daddy would be so scared being out in our canoe," Emily giggles.  The happy sounds from the girl brings Scully out the funk she was slipping in.  Even though she couldn't be there to see her daughter grow up, she could follow Mulder's example and try to make new memories with the child.

 

"Daddy probably didn't remember, but he tends to get a little seasick," Scully remembers with a smile.  She revels in the memories for awhile and barely notices Emily climbing up into her lap.  "I, on the other hand, love being out on the water."

 

"Me too!" Emily says excitedly, grinning widely at her mother.  And once again, Scully feels herself having to fight back tears.  But not because of jealousy or feelings of being a inadequate mother.  But this time it's because she sees a look of amazement in Emily's eyes and realizes the she's the object of the girl's awe.

 

"Well, we'll have to make sure we go sometime," Scully promises, placing a gentle kiss on Emily's forehead.  "We'll just have to make sure we cut the trip short when Daddy start to look a little green."  Once again the little girl erupts in a fit of giggles.  And this time Scully joins her.  The two sit in the playroom for sometime, laughing together at past memories.  Silently vowing that the future would be filled with new ones.

 

* * * * * * * * * * * * * * *

 

Doggett's the first to arrive at the diner across the street from the hospital.  He got a call from Skinner about 20 minutes earlier saying that they all should meet and fill each other in on the events leading up to Mulder hospitalization.  Scully was getting pretty anxious, not really knowing all of the details.  He let the older man convince him that sooner, rather than later, would be better to let her know what exactly was going on.

 

He looks for a place to sit and notices that he actually isn't the first to arrive.  Scully's already there, sitting down to a table full of food.  Enough food to feed a small army in fact.  Doggett wasn't naive enough to think that she politely had ordered from them all.  He was sure all of that food was for her.  He chuckles to himself, remembering well those days when his ex-wife was pregnant.  He almost pities Mulder for what he has to look forward to.  The late night cravings for food inevitably not in the house.  Having to get up in the middle of the night to go to the grocery store in the next town because it's the only one to carry the brand of chocolate peanut butter crunch ice cream she wanted.  Only to finally make it home and have her want cantaloupe and pickles to top it all off.  Cantaloupe of course wouldn't be in season, so he had to go two towns over to find the specialty market with a stock of the melon.

 

But as much as he may have complained about it, he was glad to do it.  It was the least he could do for the woman bearing his child.  He was honored to do it.  And now he realized how lucky he was.  Because men like Fox Mulder didn't have the opportunity to experience the pregnancy from the impending father's point of view.  Fox Mulder couldn't stare in awe at the incredible changes a woman's body could go through when she's getting ready to have a baby. He couldn't feel his unborn child come to life in its watery home just from the very sound of his voice.  He couldn't wake up in the middle of the night to soothe the leg cramps from his pregnant mate.  He couldn't whispers reassurances of his love and he would never realize how unbelievable beautiful the sight of a woman, full with his child, could be. 

 

But as much as Mulder was missing out on, Doggett couldn't forget about the petite woman sitting at the table across the diner.  She was also missing out.  Not having Mulder there during her pregnancy was taking its toll on her.  And now she had to deal with his being back, but not exactly in the state she expected.  Now that Mulder was back, Doggett feels his responsibilities shift to Scully.  As long Mulder couldn't, Doggett would make sure Scully could enjoy the little things that impending parenthood offered.  He smiled to himself as an idea came to him.

 

"Excuse me, Miss," he calls to the waitress at the counter.  "Can you fix me an ice cream sundae with all the fixings.  Whipped cream, hot fudge, bananas, nuts, and cherries."

 

"No problem.  I'll get that right over to you," she promises.

 

He points out the table where he'll be sitting with Scully to make sure she knows where to deliver it.  He smiles again and begins his walk over to join Scully, watching the surprised look on her face when the treat is delivered.  It's not much, but it's true what they say.  It's the little things that count.  The smile on Scully's face and seeing her heartily dig into the sundae prove that to him.

 

"Are you responsible for this?" she asks, smiling that dazzling smile at him.

 

"Yeah.  I thought you could use some fattening up," he teases.

 

"Thanks," she laughs.  "But I think Junior here is handling the fattening up part just fine," she says, patting her stomach.  He smiles at her, but is kind of shocked at the unusual additions she seems to have made to her dessert.

 

"Okay, I know I got you the works, but what's with the red, green, and black stuff?" Doggett asks, his stomach turning slightly at the altered version of the sundae.

 

"Pickles and olives from my sandwich," Scully smiles.  "They dropped on top accidentally, but they actually taste pretty good.  They make good toppings."

 

"On a sandwich - yes.  But on ice cream?" he cringes, turning slightly green when she shovels another big spoonful of the concoction into her mouth.  "What about the red stuff?  Please say it's strawberry sauce or even jam for that matter."

 

"Catsup," she says almost reverently with a gleam in her eyes.  "You can never have too much catsup.  On anything.  Don't knock it til you tried it, John," she giggled.  Doggett was amazed.  She was smiling.  Laughing.  Having a genuinely good time. 

 

"Is this a private party, or can anyone join, Agents?" a voice booms from next to the table.  The two look up and see Skinner staring quizzically at them. 

 

"Have a seat.  Please," Doggett offers, moving over to make room for Skinner.

 

"Dana, your brother was right behind me.  He should be here soon," Skinner tells them, wondering silently who all the food on the table belonged to.  His eyes land on the ice cream sundae and his curiosity gets the better of him.  "Am I allowed to even ask what that is?"  He nods towards the unidentified messy goop Scully was so diligently ingesting.

 

"Ask Agent Doggett.  It was his idea," she smiles.

 

"I guess I just know what pregnant women want," he jokes.

 

"Well, you've certainly made this pregnant woman happy," Scully sighs contently, adding another squeeze of catsup over her dessert.  Happy.  For the first time in a while, she could honestly say that she felt joy and happiness.  She suddenly felt guilty about the happiness because of Mulder's current state.  She shouldn't be happy until he's back to how he's supposed to be, right?  The more she thinks, the guiltier she feels and soon finds unexpected tears in her eyes.

 

"Okay, who's the genius who made my sister cry?" Bill asks as he makes his appearance.  He sits next to Scully, throwing an arm across her shoulder.

 

"Nobody, made me cry Bill.  I'm just crying," she snaps, shifting instantly from teary to annoyed.  "Sometimes I just do that.  Is that alright with you?"

 

Bill and Doggett have a hard time stifling the laugh threatening to erupt while Skinner sits there in shock over the sudden transformation of the woman sitting across from him.  The look on his face is too much for them, however, and they fall out in a fit of laughter.

 

"It really is a wonder you two idiots made it through your wives' pregnancies alive," she spits at them.  "I'm going to the bathroom.  If you knew what was good for you, you'd get that giggling out of your system by the time I return.  We have some serious things to discuss."  She shoots them one more warning glare before waddling away to the bathroom.

 

"What just happened?" Skinner asks.  "One minute she was fine.  Ecstatic even.  Then she was crying.  Then she was yelling."

 

"Hormones, my friend," Bill laughs.  "Get used to the mood swings."

 

"Yeah, she'll probably be fine when she gets out of the restroom," Doggett snickers.  "But just in case, let's get rid of the knives." 

 

The men's laughter is just dying down as Scully returns to the table.  She silently sits down and returns to her ice cream sundae.  They sit and wonder what's going on in her mind.  They don't have to wait long for the answer to that question.

 

"How long was he in the fire?" she whispers.  She seems to be concentrating on her ice cream, but they can tell that she's struggling not to cry.  "He's afraid of fire, you know."

 

"He probably didn't even know about the fire.  Chances are, he was unconscious from the initial blast, Dana," Skinner says, trying to assure her.  But he's not really sure if what is said was helpful or more hurtful.  He hears her heavy sigh of resignation.  Probably trying to hold back feelings of guilt over not being there to back him up.  Guilt for having to move on for the sake of herself and her children.

 

"What about Diana?  Were they . . . together?"  Scully manages to ask, not really sure she wanted to hear the answer to that question.

 

"Diana was found upstairs.  She was pronounced at the scene," Doggett explains.  "I saw her body myself."

 

"But are you sure?  You didn't even know her.  How do you know it really was her?" Scully interrogates, taking the man a little by surprise with her vicious questioning.  "Where's her body?  Did they bring it here to the hospital?"

 

"I'm not sure," Doggett admits.  "We can check down in the morgue."

 

"Let's do that.  Sir, if she's there, I'll need for you to arrange for the FBI to get her body," she says to Skinner. 

 

"Dana, you're not thinking of . . . ."

 

"I have to, Sir.  I'm going to do the autopsy myself.  I need to know for sure that that woman is out of our lives for good."  Scully's eyes are filled with a look warning Skinner not to go against her on this.  She was determined to get her way on the matter.  And they all knew that nothing was going to stop her.

 

End Chapter 9/11

 

* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *

Chapter 10

* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *

 

3 days later . . .

 

Skinner makes his way down the hall towards Mulder's room.  He peeks inside and sees just what he expected to see - Scully sitting vigil by his bedside, only moving when a trip to the bathroom was necessary.  Mulder's nurses took pity on her and brought her meals and snacks every few hours, so she hasn't even left to go to the cafeteria.  Emily was also a constant fixture in that room.  Starting the day the doctors took Mulder off the breathing machine, the little girl kept Scully company for as long as the staff allowed.  Right now, Emily was was sitting on Scully's lap, holding Mulder's hand in one of her tiny ones.  Her other hand gently stroked Scully's belly.  If Skinner didn't hear the quiet little tune the girl hummed, he would have sworn they were all asleep.

 

He creeps into the room as quietly as he could, but still alerted both Scully and Emily.  Both their heads turn briefly to see the intruder before returning their gazes back to Mulder's still unconscious form.

 

"Scully, I think you should get out of here for awhile.  Both of you.  You need a good night's sleep in a real bed," Skinner advises.

 

"Sir, he could wake up any minute.  I have to be here," she says with a yawn, unable to hid her obvious fatigue.

 

"You've been here since day one.  And I know that doing Diana's autopsy exhausted you, both physically and emotionally.  It's late.  And Emily looks tired.  Will you please go rest if I promise to stay?  I'll call you if anything changes."  He holds his breath as she contemplates his offer.

 

"I can't ask you to do that," she whispers.

 

"You don't trust me," Skinner realizes.  No wonder Scully's barely allowed him access to Mulder the entire time they've been at the hospital.  "I lost him before.  You don't trust me to watch over him.  Scully, I'm so sorry about that."

 

"Sir?" she asks him confused.  "Lost him?  You think you were responsible for Mulder's disappearance?"

 

"Don't you?  You sent me with him to watch his back.  I look away for one second and he vanishes," Skinner sighs, looking down at the floor.  Too ashamed to look at Scully.

 

"Sir, look at me," she says.  When he doesn't comply, she sets Emily on the bed next to Mulder and goes to stand in front of her boss.  She reaches up to his chin, tilting his head up slightly to meet his eyes.  "You did nothing wrong.  I don't blame you for losing Mulder.  Is that what you thought this whole time?"

 

"But you entrusted him to me.  And I let you down," he argues.

 

"It's not your fault," she assures him.  "Sir, you've been nothing but a friend this whole time.  You were the first I told about the baby.  You were the one I trusted with my secret.  And you've watched out for us, protected us."  She pulls him into her arms, hugging him tightly.  "And I never even said thank you for all that you've done.  So, thanks, Sir.  Thanks for being there for me."

 

"No thanks are necessary, Scully.  But you can do one thing for me," he proposes.  "You can go home and get some rest."

 

"I should have seen that coming," she sighs.  "But I can't go home, Sir.  I can't leave him.  I will, however, go down the hall to the nurse's lounge.  They told me I could go in there to rest if I ever needed to."

 

"Good enough," he smiles, relieved she was going to take his advice.  He walks her and Emily to the door, allowing them to pause once more before leaving.  "Don't worry, Scully.  I'll let you know the second anything changes," he promises.  She smiles and pulls a very sleepy Emily through the door.  He waits for the two to disappear down the hall to the nurses lounge before taking Scully's vacated seat by Mulder.  It's been a long week, but it was going to be an even longer night.  He settles in to keep watch, this time determined not to let the man out of his sight.

 

* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *

 

Skinner awakens the next morning to the sound of the nurses attending to Mulder.  He shakes the sleep from his eyes, realizing that he he drifted off for a couple of minutes. 

 

"Sorry to wake you, Sir," the nurse apologizes.  "I'm going to get Mr. Mulder cleaned up if you don't mind waiting outside." 

 

Skinner smiles slightly and complies with the nurse's wishes.  He makes his way out the door, stretching and yawning along the way.  Outside the hall, he finds Bill talking with Mulder's doctor.

 

"Good morning, Walter," Bill greets.  "I see you finally convinced my sister to leave that room.  Thanks."

 

"My back's going to punish me for it, but I knew she needed the sleep.  And the only way I could convince her to go was if I promised to stay in her place."

 

"Well, whatever you said worked.  She looked much better when I saw her.  She even took Emily down to the cafeteria for some breakfast," Bill explains.

 

"I think her presence has been a great help to Mr. Mulder," the doctor interjects.  "He's progressing quite nicely.  I expect him to wake up any day. . . "

 

The doctor stops midsentence, a resounding yell echoing down the hall. All three men look at each other, trying to figure out what the sound is and where it's coming from. 

 

"Did you hear something?"  The doctor looks at the two men, quirking his ears for the sound he heard before.  His eyes widen when he hears the sound again.

 

"Yeah, it sounds like someone yelling," Bill says.  "And it's coming from Mulder's room!  He's calling my sister.  I'll go get her," he says hurriedly, before rushing off in the direction of the cafeteria.

 

The doctor and Skinner rush into the room, surprised, but pleased at the sight that greeted them.

 

* * * * * * * * * *

 

"Scully!" Mulder screams as his eyes fly open.  He takes a look around at his surroundings, desperately trying to catch his breath.  From all appearances, he was in another hospital.  All the usual props were there except for one - Scully.

 

"Scully," he whimpers again before everything comes rushing back.  The fire.  Diana.  Emily.  Scully.  The life he's been living for the past month.  He remembers everything now.  How he was taken. How he woke up with Diana claiming to be his wife.  But most importantly, he remembers the time before all of this happened.  And there was only one person he wanted to see at that moment.

 

"Scully," he calls one last time before the door to his room finally opens, revealing the doctor and a very relieved looking Skinner.

 

"Mr. Mulder, it's good to see you awake.  But you're going to have to calm down," the doctor scolds, moving next to the bed to read the monitors.  He takes Mulder's chart from the nurse who was jotting down notes before Mulder's outburst.

 

"I need to see Scully.  Sir, you have to get me out of here," Mulder begs Skinner.  "I have to get home to Scully and my little girl."

 

"Agent Mulder, you're not going anywhere," the doctor admonishes.  Mulder groans and turns a frustrated glare on Skinner.

 

"Don't look at me like that, Mulder.  You're staying put.  Besides, Dana is here," Skinner smiles.  "She took Emily down to the cafeteria for some lunch.  Bill went to get them when we heard you in here making all that noise.  They'll be back any minute."

 

"Agent Mulder, we can't have you getting all worked up," the doctor warns.  "Your heart and lungs suffered extensive damage in the fire.  If you don't settle down, I'll sedate you and won't allow you any visitors."

 

"He'll be good.  I'll make sure of it," a voice from the doorway calls.  Mulder looks up and sees Scully standing there, barely able to contain the wriggling Emily.  She almost cries at the look of recognition in Mulder's eyes.  He knew who she was.  Not what Bill told him about her, but he knew her.  Somehow his memory had returned.

 

"Scully," he sighs contently, a relieved smile spreading across his face.  She locks on his gaze and returns his smile, barely even noticing the other occupants of the room at the moment.  The doctor's voice breaks through the spell with his consent.

 

"Only for a few minutes," the doctor relents.  "But Agent Scully.  You're a doctor.  Make sure he remains calm."

 

"Yes doctor," she smiles sweetly as the doctor and nurse leave.

 

Emily races to the bed, intent on flinging herself into Mulder's arms when Skinner catches her mid jump.

 

"Hold on a second, Emily," the man laughs.  "Your Dad can't play like that right now.  How about you just give him a kiss and then we'll go and let him and your mom catch up."

 

"I missed you, Daddy," she says, placing a sweet little kiss on his cheek.

 

"I know, Princess.  I missed you too," he smiles.  "And as soon as I get out of here, I'm going to give you the biggest, tightest Daddy-Hug ever."  The little girl giggles as Skinner carries her out of the room.

 

"She really did miss you, Mulder," Scully says from the chair next to the bed.  She managed to get herself settled there while Mulder was greeting Emily.  "I missed you too," she whispers, trying desperately to hold back her tears.  It doesn't work and one manages to slip through.

 

"I remember now.  I remember you.  Finally.  This face," Mulder says, gently cupping one of her cheeks.  With a thumb, he wipes away the tear that fell.  "I tried so hard to remember this face.  To remember you.  Now, you're here. And you're even more beautiful than I remember.  Why didn't I ever tell you that before?"

 

"Mulder, we never needed words . . . "

 

"But that's something you should hear.  Everyday.  Something I'm going to start saying.  I can't take you for granted anymore.  There's so much I want to tell you, Scully.  Things that can't be left unsaid anymore."  He smiles at her, gently pulls her closer, and kisses her forehead before continuing.

 

"All that time I was gone, I couldn't remember your face.  But I remembered you.  Somehow in my heart, I remembered we were connected.  I remembered that I loved you."

 

"Mulder," she gasps, not even trying to hold back her tears any longer.

 

"I love  you, Dana Scully.  And you're going to have to get used to hearing it.  Because I've been waiting a long time to say it and I'm never going to stop now."  He reaches up to kiss her lips.  Gently.  Almost chastely.  She pouts slightly when he pulls away, breaking the sweet contact.

 

"Agent Mulder.  Is that the best kiss you can do?" Scully teases, bringing a big smile to Mulder's lips.  "It's been awhile since you've seen me.  I'd think you'd be . . . happier," she challenges.

 

"Well, Little Lady.  Why don't you climb up in this bed and we'll see what we can manage," he smiles again.

 

"Somehow, I don't think this is what the doctor had in mind when he said you should remain calm," Scully laughs, climbing up into the bed anyway.  Mulder scoots over to make room for her.  They straighten out the many wires and lines connected to him and settle comfortably in the bed.  Mulder on his back, Scully on her side facing him.

 

"Much better," Mulder sighs.

 

"No funny business, Mister.  Keep your hands where I can see them," Scully threatens playfully.

 

"Yes ma'am!" he says and they both laugh heartily before settling back to the comfortable silence again.  They both take the time to remember what the past few months apart have been like.  Scully looks and notices a somber look now haunting Mulder's face.

 

"What are you thinking?" she asks, brushing a lock of hair across his forehead.

 

"Diana.  How she once again stomped through my life, leaving it in shambles," he sighs.

 

"We won't have to worry about her.  When they told me she died in the fire, I did the autopsy myself.  She's not coming back from the dead again.  That I can promise."

 

"That's a relief," he chuckles lightly before turning serious again.  "But her lies still live.  She told me that Emily was my daughter.  And for a month my heart was so full knowing she was my little girl.  Now that I know the truth, I can't just shut off those feelings.  But to tell you the truth, Scully, I've always had those feeling.  I grew to love her those few short days all those years ago in San Diego."

 

"Mulder, why didn't you ever tell me?" she asks, surprised at his confession. 

 

"I don't know," he shrugs.  I guess I didn't think you wanted me to share that pain with you. So we suffered the agony of her death separately.  We tried to bury our feelings with Emily.  Until a month ago when Diana's lie brought back those feelings along with our little girl.  But how am I going to explain the truth to Emily?  She won't understand."

 

"We won't have to worry about that, Mulder.  It's ironic, but Diana's lie turned out to be closer to the truth than any of us realized."  Scully sees the confusion on Mulder's face and attempts to explain.  "I had the Gunmen run some tests on Emily.  It turns out that she's your daughter."

 

"I don't understand.  Before when we had the tests done, yours was the only human DNA she had."

 

"The alien DNA was making her sick.  After we thought she died, they took her and did another procedure on her.  They introduced more human DNA into her system to combat the alien DNA.  But instead of using more of my DNA, they used your DNA, Mulder.  So by all the laws of genetics, she's your daugher now.  Which would explain how much she looks like you," Scully smiles.

 

"Right down to that nose," Mulder laughs.  "Sorry about that.  I was hoping that I wouldn't curse any kid of mine with the Mulder family trademark."

 

"Don't be sorry.  I love it on her.  And on you."  Scully places a little kiss on the tip of his nose.  "But if you're that self conscious about it, maybe we'll have more luck the next time."

 

"Next time?" The confused look in his eyes amuses her, eliciting a small giggle she can't control.  He looks so cute that she can hardly resist kissing him.  She pulls his face down to hers, meeting his mouth with a urgent one of her own.  Her hand trails from his cheek down to his neck, marking a trail all the way down to his hand.  Without breaking this kiss, she clasps his hand and moves it on top of her protruded abdomen, where he's promptly rewarded with a swift kick.

 

"What was that?" Mulder gasps, somewhat reluctantly breaking the kiss, but more curious about the mystery under his hand.

 

"You felt that?" she smiles, watching him nod his head in wonder.  "Just someone trying to say hello."

 

He looks down to her stomach, eyeing the curve of the swell and slowly comprehending what it all meant.

 

"Scully, your stomach," he says finally, rubbing his hand along the bulge.  "You're pregnant?  You're going to have a baby?"

 

"No Mulder," she sniffs, tears threatening to overcome her again.  "We're going to have a baby."

 

"You?  Me?  A baby?" he gasps.  His mouth falls open as his mind is unable to produce a complete thought.  He's unable to do anything at all except stare at her.  Tears well up in his eyes and within moments, he finds himself bawling shamelessly.  He slides down further in the bed and rests his head on her stomach, the tears soaking through her shirt.

 

"Our baby," he whispers once his sobs subside.  "He's going to be so beautiful, Scully."  He looks up into her eyes, pleading silently with her for a further connection with her and their child.  She smiles her consent and unbuttons the bottom four buttons of her shirt, revealing the bulge.  Mulder kisses her stomach reverently, gently stroking the areas where he felt the fluttery replies from inside.

 

Scully allows him the moment, wiping away the silent tears that continuously fall with one hand.  Her other hand runs through Mulder's thick hair, soothing him the best way she knew how.  She sent up thanks to God for bringing him back to her.  He was back where he belonged.  With her and with their kids.  And nothing was ever going to change that again.

 

End Chapter 10/11

 

* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *

Chapter 11

* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *

 

Mulder awakens and feels around the empty bed, becoming more and more dismayed when he realizes he's the only occupant.  It must have just been a dream, he thinks with a heavy sigh.  Scully.  The baby.  Everything.  All just a dream.  The sigh alerts his visitor to his conscious state.

 

"Agent Mulder," Doggett calls.  "You're awake."

 

"Where's Scully?" Mulder asks, afraid to know the answer.  Afraid for Doggett to tell him she was just a figment of his imagination.

 

"We finally convinced her to go get some real rest.  I don't think she's slept the entire time you've been in here," Doggett explains.

 

"That's good," Mulder sighs in relief.  Although he missed waking up with her, he couldn't deny her need for rest.  She had to take care of herself and the baby.  Mulder tests his strength by trying to sit up in bed, but is quickly stopped by Doggett.

 

"You shouldn't be sitting up yet," he tells Mulder.  "Doctor's orders."

 

"Scully's the only doctor I listen to," Mulder wheezes.  His lungs were still weak and he found that his attempt to sit was too much of an exertion.  "You could help me up.  I feel like I've been laying there for a long time."

 

Against his better judgment, Doggett helps Mulder prop himself up on a couple of pillows.  He wasn't quite in a sitting position, but he wasn't completely reclined either.

 

"Thanks," Mulder whispers, a little out of breath.  "And not just for helping me just now.  But for everything you've done for Scully  while I was away."

 

"Well, it was no problem.  I promised her I'd bring you back."

 

"And you did," Mulder interrupts.  "And you were there for her when I couldn't be.  For that, I'll forever be grateful."

 

"I didn't do much.  She mostly took care of herself.  And she didn't make it easy for me to help, you know," Doggett says with a small laugh.

 

"Oh I definitely know.  I bet you got a lot of 'I'm fine's' from her," Mulder laughs.  "She doesn't like to seem weak or needy."

 

"She was fine for awhile.  But then . . . . ," Doggett pauses, not sure how to tell Mulder the next part.  "Things got kind of bad for her."  He looks at Mulder and sees a look begging him to continue.  "About three months after your disappearance, she just kind of broke down.  If it weren't for the baby . . . "

 

"I know," Mulder whispers, trying to hold back his tears.  He knows exactly what it was like.  Because he went through the same thing when she was missing.  There was very little hope to hold onto.  The only reason he's still alive to this day is because he somehow knew he'd be hurting her mother that much more by killing himself.  "She disappeared awhile back."

 

"Skinner told me about it.  I guess she expected you to return in three months like she was returned.  When you didn't, she just shut down.  I didn't see her much that next month.  She stayed at your place.  Her mother had to pretty much take care of her.  She snapped out of it, though.  She realized she had to live.  That she had a baby to take care of."  *Your baby*, Doggett wants to add.  But he doesn't want to make any assumptions.  Although he's sure he would be assuming correctly.

 

"I'm sorry she had to go through that," Mulder says quietly.  "But I'm glad she didn't have to go through it alone.  She had her mother.  She had Skinner.  And she had you."  He looks up just in time to see Doggett drop his head.

 

"But we weren't who she really needed," Doggett sighs in resignation.  "She needed you.  And she didn't let a day go by without letting us know.  Don't get me wrong.  I know that she appreciated us.  And no matter how much she tried to deny it, she needed help.  And we were there to give it.  I didn't get to know her very well, but it was easy to see how much she was hurting.  I knew I couldn't leave her alone.  I felt like I had to be there.  I couldn't help it.  I couldn't help wanting to reach out to her.  I couldn't help wanting to comfort her.  I couldn't help . ."  Doggett trails off, catching himself before he said too much.

 

"Couldn't help falling in love with her," Mulder realizes.  He watches Doggett shift  his eyes nervously around the room, unable to deny the accusation.  "She's easy to fall in love with.  Trust me."

 

An uneasy silence settles in the room and the men stare uncomfortably at each other, not sure of what to say.  Both loved Scully.  It was obvious now.  But she only loved one of them back.  Doggett knew he never had a chance with her.  But that didn't stop him from loving her all the same. 

 

The tension is broken by the arrival of a very special visitor.

 

"Emily," Mulder says when the little girl's head pokes through the door. 

 

"Daddy!" she squeals excitedly, wanting to run into his arms, but remembering that he was still hurt.

 

"Agent Doggett, do you mind?" Mulder asks, nodding towards Emily.

 

"Sure. I'll leave you two alone," Doggett says, moving towards the door.

 

"No, you don't have to leave," Mulder calls after him.  "I just needed you to lift her onto my lap if you would."

 

"Oh," Doggett blushes.  "Well, I can do that, too."  He picks up the little girl and plants her on Mulder's lap.

 

"Mommy's just outside.  She said she wanted to give us some time alone, Daddy," Emily explains.

 

"In that case, I think I will step outside and talk to her," Doggett says as he excuses himself.

 

"I really missed you, Squirt," Mulder says to the little girl once Doggett is gone.  "But I knew it was for the best that you go live with your mother."

 

"She's really nice, Daddy.  I like her a lot."

 

"Me too, Em.  I like her a whole lot.  And I remember how much I used to like her before," Mulder tries to explain.

 

"You got back your memories of Mommy?" she asks with a worried look in her eyes.  "Does that mean you'll forget all about me?"

 

"No, Sweetie.  It doesn't work like that.  I'll never forget about you," he assures her.  "I've loved you for every minute that I've known you, Emily.  Do you understand that?  You probably don't even remember the first time I met you, but I do.  You were so little.  So helpless.  That's when I started to love you.  And that's something I can never forget.  Just like I never forgot that I love Mommy.  Because when I didn't even remember who I was, I remembered that I loved you as soon as I saw you."

 

"I love you too, Daddy," she whispers sweetly, pressing a little kiss on his cheek.  She puts her arms carefully around his chest, taking care not to squeeze him too tightly.

 

"Can I join in on this hug too?" a voice calls from the door.  Mulder looks up and smiles brightly at Scully.  Even though he knew he wasn't dreaming seeing her, he felt better being reassured by her presence.

 

"Of course.  Come on over," he invites, holding out his arm to her.  He places his arm around her shoulder once she gets settled next to him on the bed.  "Perfect," he sighs, leaning back against his pillows and closing his eyes.  He's able to sleep peacefully knowing that everything in the world important to him was secure in his arms.

 

* * * * * * * * * *

 

"Knock, knock.  Can I come in?" a voice calls from the door.

 

Mulder looks up from the questionable lunch on his tray and smiles brightly at his visitor.

 

"Mrs. Scully!  Please, come in."  He pushes the tray aside to make room for the woman.  "Tell me you've brought me something decent to eat."

 

"Sorry, Fox.  Dana wouldn't let me.  She said that hospital food hasn't killed anyone yet.  And that it won't kill you," Maggie Scully says with a laugh.  "And please.  Call me Maggie. 'Mrs. Scully' is so formal."

 

"Okay, Maggie," he smiles.

 

"Fox, it's so good to see you back.  Breathing.  In one piece," she sighs.

 

"I guess sometimes it's hard for some people like me to be all three at once," he jokes.  "Kind of like walking and chewing gum."

 

"I'm serious, Fox.  We missed you so much.  Dana especially."

 

"I know, Maggie.  I'll never forgive myself for leaving her to deal with this alone."

 

"I didn't even know about you being missing.  Or about the baby.  Not until a month ago.  She kept it all to herself for all that time.  Her being alone to deal with things is as much my fault as it is yours.  I failed my baby girl," she sobs.

 

"Maggie, don't say that" Mulder admonishes, reaching up to brush away her tears.  "You're always there for her.  Even when she pushes you away.  You didn't fail her.  You're a good mother, Maggie Scully.  The best one I ever had."

 

"You really believe that Fox?"  More tears flood her face, but they're tears of joy.  Tears of pride.

 

"My mother was never really very . . . nurturing.  But in the short time I've known you, despite all the pain I've caused on your family, you've taken me in and treated me like your own.  For that, I'll forever be grateful.  And for that, I'll forever love you."

 

"Oh, Fox," she sobs again, folding him gently into her arms.  "I love you, too.  Don't you ever forget that."  She sits back to look at him and smiles.  "Now, you should make this official.  Become my son for real and make an honest woman out of my daughter," she hints.  Her boldness brings a loud, nervous laugh to Mulder.

 

"One step a head of you, Maggie," he smiles.  He carefully reaches over to the desk drawer and pulls out a small black box from inside.  He opens the box and turns it around to let her view the contents.  The shine from the diamond sparkles in her still moist eyes.  "I had the guys bring this for me.  I was going to give it to her when I got back from my little ill fated trip to Oregon, but a small case of amnesia got in the way.  I decided now was the time.  Don't want to tempt fate again."

 

"Fox," she gasps.  "This is beautiful."  She fingers the intricate design of the ring, marveling at it's exquisiteness.

 

"I found it when my mother's estate was settled.  Once I saw it, I knew I had to give it to Scully.  I was just trying to work up my nerve to ask her," he blushes sheepishly.

 

"Ask her what?  To marry you?" Maggie's eyes bulge.  "Fox, I was kidding before.  I mean, I would love for the two of you to be married, but that whole thing about making her an honest woman was just a joke.  I didn't mean . . . "

 

"You don't approve?" he teases.  "But Maggie, I'm begging for your daughter's hand in marriage.  Don't break my heart," he smiles.

 

"Don't tease, Fox," Maggie playfully swats at him.  "You know I approve.  And of course you can have my daughter's hand in marriage.  I just didn't want you to think I was forcing you to do this."

 

"Maggie," Mulder says, grabbing her hand and suddenly turning very serious.  "Thinking you're forcing me to love your daughter is like thinking you have to force me to breathe.  I take air in my lungs because I need it.  I love your daughter because I need her.  She's my life force.  My everything.  And with your help, I want to proclaim that very thing before God and everyone important to us.  Before I leave this place, I intend on making your daughter  my wife."

 

* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *

2 days later . . . .

 

"Okay, you guys.  What's going on here?" Scully demands to know.  Her patience was starting to wear a little thin.  At first she was curious why they were all there just staring at her with these goofy expressions.  But they all seemed to have temporarily lost their minds because no one was saying a word.  Her mother sent her here to light a few candles for Mulder, reminding her not to neglect her faith.  And when she finished praying, she discovered her mother was gone and the chapel suddenly filled with her closest friends and family.  Tara and Bill were there, holding a squirming Matthew between them.  Doggett and Skinner were there.  Which is strange because she could have sworn they went back to DC days ago.  Even the gunmen were there.  She didn't even realize they were in town.  Her gaze finally falls on her daughter, sitting on Langley's lap.

 

"Emily, baby," she tries to coax it out of the little girl.  "What's going on?"

 

"I can't say," she giggles, covering her mouth with her hand.  "Daddy said it's a surprise."

 

"Daddy?  So Mulder is up to something."  She glares at the gunmen, thinking she could get one of them to spill the details.  "Frohike," she says sternly.

 

"No can do, Sweet Cheeks.  My lips are sealed," the small man replies.  Byers and Langley just look away, avoiding eye contact with her.

 

"Why won't anyone tell me what's . . . " her tirade is stopped by the sounds of the chapel doors opening.  She spins around and finally sees where her mother disappeared to.  At the entrance to the chapel, her mother stood behind a tuxedo clad Mulder in a wheelchair.

 

"Mulder?" she gasps, one last attempt to gain a clue.  "What's all this?"

 

He just smiles at her, never taking his eyes off of her as he motions for her mother to start pushing him up the aisle.  Maggie parks the chair right next to Scully and puts on the brakes.  Doggett and Skinner come up next and help the man out of the chair, bringing him crutches to help him support himself.  Scully looks around and realizes that her and Mulder are standing at the alter.  And a priest has suddenly appeared before them.

 

"Dana Katherine Scully," Mulder says, reaching out to grab her hand.  "I'm here today in front of God and these witnesses to pledge my undying love to you.  And to ask you to make me the happiest man in the world by honoring my plea to marry me."

 

"Mulder?" she cries.  The tears are streaming down and she can't see the panic stricken look on Mulder's face through her blurred eyes.

 

"Please, Scully," he begs.  "I love you with all my heart.  And I want nothing more than to be a family.  Me, you and the rugrats."

 

She hears the desperation in his voice and realizes that he's gotten the wrong idea.  She decides to very quickly put him out of his misery.

 

"How could a girl refuse an offer like that?" she laughs through her tears.  She leans over and kisses him deeply.

 

"I think that comes a little later," Frohike calls from the audience, eliciting laughs from everyone.

 

"I take that as a yes," Mulder teases.

 

"Yes, Mulder," she answers.  "That's a yes.  I will marry you."

 

"Today?  Right here?  Right now?" he asks, to be sure.

 

"Today.  Right here.  Right now," she assures with a bright smile.

 

"In that case, take it away Father," Mulder signals and the priest begins the ceremony.

 

The ceremony was short, both Mulder and Scully tiring of standing quickly.  But it was beautiful.  Even Skinner had moments where his eyes weren't quite dry.  It was an event that everyone expected, but was surprised nonetheless when it finally happened.   A joining of two individuals.  A making of one soul.

 

Mulder stares at his almost wife with a smile, not really noticing anything but her.  The words he was waiting for are finally spoken by the priest.

 

"Dana and Fox, I now pronounce you man and wife.  What God has joined together, let no man put asunder.  Fox, you may kiss your bride."

 

Mulder smiles again, this time at his wife.  Pulling her close, he gets ready to seal their vows with a kiss when she mumbles something.

 

"You know, Mulder," she whispers.  "They say when you get married, you may find that while you're concentrating on saying the vows, the rest of the world just fades away.  All other everyday nagging concerns.  The ticking of my biological clock.  Which isn't ticking so loudly these days," she says with a smile, rubbing a hand gently across her belly.  "How you probably couldn't afford this nice ring on a G-Man's salary.  Especially one considered MIA and wasn't getting paid anymore.  How I threw away a promising career in medicine to hunt aliens with a crackpot, albeit brilliant, partner.  Getting to the heart of a global conspriacy.  Your obscenely overdue triple X bill.  Which by the way, will be paid in full and then immediately cancelled."  They both laugh, reliving that day out on the baseball field.

 

"Shut up, Scully." He gently cups her cheeks and pulls her closer to him.   "I'm getting married here."   His mouth lightly grazes her before finally making solid contact.  He pulls her even closer and fully engulfs her in himself, promising never to let anything come between them ever again.  A little jab to his ribs reminds him otherwise.

 

"Sorry little guy," Mulder says, bending down to kiss her stomach.  "I didn't mean to squish you."

 

Fatigue finally overtakes him, and Mulder's forced back into his wheelchair, his hand never leaving his wife's.  He kisses it gently before finally releasing his grasp on her.  He holds out his arms to Emily, who eagerly climbs into her father's lap.

 

"Well, Kid.  Looks like we got our happily ever after.  I told you we'd find your mom.  Our hearts found their way back to each other.  We're all back together again," he smiles, reminded of that day on their boat seemingly so long ago.

 

"Forever Daddy?"

 

"Forever, Princess," he assures her.

 

"You promise?"

 

"Cross my heart and hope to die," he swears.

 

They're both surprised with a kiss for both of them from Scully.  She takes their hands and places them in a pile on her stomach.  Mulder just smiles because he finally knows what the future holds for him.  A future so bright and so close he can reach out and grab it.  This time, he doesn't intend on letting it go.

 

The End.

 

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