�I�m sorry, Mulder.� She said in a hushed voice. �I haven�t been able to talk to you yet.�
Mulder stood in front of her and put his hands on his hips, concern in his eyes. �Scully, what the hell is going on?�
�Cooper and Skinner came to see me the night you left.� She said softly, looking towards the house. �Cooper said that everyone knows I�m alive. He suggested that he bring me in like I�ve been working with the NSA all along. Against you and the X-Files. He said I would be protected that way. That it would throw them off and buy me some time.�
Mulder pondered this for a moment. �Buy you some time from what?�
�He said that they�re close to creating an effective vaccine. But if it doesn�t work, they�d come for Cade.�
Dawning realization swept Mulder�s face as he recalled a conversation back in that seedy bar years ago.
�I thought Gibson was the solution�. Mulder had said. �I�ve always got the impression that he was the child we were all waiting for.� He held up his hands and made quotation marks in the air. �I thought he was �the one�.�
�Maybe they thought that at one time.� Cooper said. �But he�s not the one. Not anymore.�
Scully studied his face. �What�s wrong, Mulder? You�ve got that look. The one that says �I�ve just put two and two together and it doesn�t look good�.�
�Damn.� He shook his head. �Cooper and I had this conversation years ago. About how Cade was the one. I forgot all about it. I don�t remember half of what happened back then, because of my mental instability at the time.�
�Mentally unstable?� She asked sarcastically. �From what?�
�Oh I couldn�t possibly imagine.� He replied. �Probably stress in the workplace.�
�If it makes you feel any better, Mulder, I think you�ve always been crazy.�
�Thanks.� He replied, retracing their conversation. �Who knows you�re alive?�
�The Verein, the CIA, the NSA.� Scully said, looking up at him. �Everyone. I feel like a damn celebrity.�
Mulder glanced towards the house to see Koskie and Frohike staring out at them. He adopted a more hostile body language to seem more displeased and frowned down at her. �What else?�
�Cooper said that the NSA, the CIA, the Verein, everyone, even the Syndicate is going to join together. That they�ve made a deal. I guess someone finally decided that the survival of our planet is more important than who gets the glory.�
Mulder knitted his eyebrows. �What the hell does this have to do with Skinner?�
�From what I�ve been told, Cooper knew I was alive, but didn�t know how to find me. That�s why he went to Skinner.�
Mulder was silent, thinking about everything he�d been told. �You said something about Krycek.�
Scully pressed her lips together for a moment. �Mulder, I saw him.�
�Saw him where?� Mulder asked, his face registering surprise.
�In the same damn laboratory I was in.� She said, her voice barely above a whisper. �That�s why I came here so angry. Cooper didn�t tell me that Alex was there. I was being shown around, and saw him on a monitor.�
�Oh my god.� Mulder said, his face torn. �What did you do?�
Scully shrugged and shook her head before meeting his eyes. �What could I do? I tried to act normal. I thought I was going to throw up. I didn�t realize I had been biting my lip so hard until the lead scientist pointed out that it was bleeding.
�Oh my god.� He said again. �I�m sorry, Scully, I wish I would have been there. You let Skinner and Cooper off easy. I would�ve come in swinging.�
�I haven�t let anyone off yet.� She replied softly. �I may go back in there swinging.�
They were both silent for a moment.
�You saw him on a monitor?� Mulder asked.
�He was in a room, like I was. Mulder, he�s there with Gibson Praise, and eighteen others.�
Mulder�s eyes grew wide. �Gibson Praise?�
�Yes.� Scully nodded, her eyes teary. �Dr. Jenkins told me about the tests that have been conducted on them. Mulder, I�ve seen documented evidence. Proof of what is being done to these people. What I was being subjected to in there pales in comparison.�
�Maybe because you don�t have any alien DNA.� He said. �They only needed you for the physiological changes that happened to your body when I injected you with the vaccine.�
She nodded in response. �Unless the physiological changes are alien.�
Mulder�s face was red, his expression harsh. �What are they testing for now?�
Scully didn�t answer.
�What are they doing?� Mulder tilted his head at her.
�They�re studying the basics, Mulder. Neurobiology, Immunology, RNA��
�You�re not telling me something, Scully.� Mulder said. �I�m a big boy, I can handle it.�
Scully sighed and licked her lips. �Mulder, they�re studying biological regeneration using techniques of molecular and cellular biology and biochemistry.�
�English, Scully, layman�s terms.�
�The alien DNA contains extraordinary regenerative capabilities, Mulder. Which is why I think Alex can heal people. His body can heal itself rapidly, although he�s not indestructible. If he got fatally injured, I don�t think his body could heal itself as fast as it would degenerate. I think that�s the part of the vaccine that they need, that�s what they think withstands the virus. As the virus causes cellular breakdown, this regenerative gene counteracts and builds it back up. They are trying to find out exactly which DNA sequence makes this possible.�
Mulder stared at her, a horrible thought forming in his mind. �How do they do that?�
She looked away. She didn�t answer. She didn�t need to.
Mulder raised his gaze to the sky. �Scully.� He whispered. �We have to get him out of there.�
�You don�t think I know that, Mulder?� She whispered, tears in her eyes. �I don�t know what to do. We can�t very well bust into Fort Knox and blast his way out.�
Mulder bit his bottom lip and looked back towards the house. �How did he look, Scully? How did he seem?�
She shook her head, thinking of what Dr. Jenkins had said. �Well, he flipped off the director of the CIA, he purposely bottomed out on his IQ tests, he�s been mentally torturing everyone there.� A small smile graced her lips. �I�d say he seems like Alex.�
Mulder couldn�t help but grin. �Such a charming brother I have.�
�Yeah.� Scully replied, leaning against her borrowed car. �Too bad it doesn�t run in the family.�
He leaned against the car next to her and put his hands in his pockets. �You picking again?�
�Just playing.�
They both remained serious.
�What are we going to tell everyone in there?� Scully asked, eyeing the house forlornly.
�They don�t need to know anything right now.� He replied.
She threw him an amused look. �And I�m sure that will satisfy everyone.�
�You trust everyone in there?�
�Cooper and Skinner know everything. The Lone Gunmen are harmless. I don�t know Koskie that well and I�ve never met Marie, if that�s who that was.�
Mulder nodded somberly, it was an awkward moment for him and she ignored it.
�I trust you, Mulder. If you trust them, then so do I.�
Mulder shrugged. �We can tell them the truth.�
�I don�t know.� She shook her head. �That�s a long truth.�
�Not really.� He turned towards her. �You faked your death to work with them in exchange for Cade and Krycek�s safety. Where is Cade, by the way?�
�In upstate New York with my Mom.� She replied. �And that reminds me, you told everyone that Alex and Cade took off traveling, right?�
He nodded. �No one needs to know any different.�
�Skinner and Cooper know different.� Scully said, looking towards the house again.
�I�ll bring them out here, we can talk to them, get everything straightened out before you go back in.�
�I�m sure you�re going to be bombarded right now.� She said as he walked towards the house.
He grinned at her over his shoulder. �I can take �em.�
Scully returned his smile and watched him walk inside. She nervously chewed at her lip as a car full of teenagers pulled up in front of the house across the street. Old heavy metal blasted away in a song she had heard, but couldn�t name.
��Close your eyes, look deep in your soul�Step outside yourself and let your mind go��
Mulder came out of the front door with Cooper and Skinner and she saw the group of people in the house standing by the window, looking out at them.
��Close your eyes and forget your name�Step outside yourself and let your thoughts stray�As you go insane�Go insane��
Going insane suddenly doesn�t sound too bad, she thought. It has to be better than hanging around at Skinner�s house with Mulder�s girlfriend while my son is a few states away with his father locked up. Scully sighed and closed her eyes, taking a minute to relax before beginning this next round of conversation.
She found herself praying for the first time in years.
***
The four of them stood around out front for a good half-hour, debating on what story they were going to spin for everyone�s benefit. They all agreed that Scully trading herself for Cade and Krycek�s safety was the most plausible, since that is precisely what Krycek had done.
�And Alex and Cade are supposedly still traveling?� Skinner asked, looking at Mulder.
�It seems best right now.� Mulder replied. �But Frohike and Langly got pretty tight with him, so they�re bound to get suspicious sooner or later, and question why he hasn�t contacted them at all.�
Skinner was silent. There was a strange look on his face. Scully�s body posture suddenly changed and she stiffened next to him. Mulder assumed that she knew what Skinner was thinking, because he knew the look on Scully�s face when she threw him a quick glance and it only meant one thing. Bad.
�What?� Mulder asked.
�You were the person who was supposedly keeping in touch with Alex, Mulder.� Skinner said. �You were the one who was getting his calls and postcards.�
Mulder stared back, the blood in his veins suddenly turning to ice. How had they managed to overlook that? Damn, he thought, one small mistake�One tiny detail they hadn�t thought about�He met Skinner�s gaze as his mind raced for an explanation. There was none.
Skinner narrowed his eyes. �If he�s been captive all this time��
Mulder watched Skinner�s face, seeing all the pieces of the puzzle fall into place one by one, until there was nothing but disbelief on his face.
�You knew she was alive.� Skinner whispered.
Mulder�s mouth twitched involuntarily, watching the disbelief on Skinner�s face quickly turn to anger.
�All this time?� Skinner�s face darkened to an alarming shade of red.
�Sir,� Scully was quick to put a hand on Skinner�s arm, �the only person we told was my Mom. My brothers don�t even know.�
Mulder picked up right after she stopped, running his words together in the hope that Skinner would hear something before passing right over anger and jumping into the middle of fury. �Sir, I only knew because I was with Krycek when he found out she was alive. Otherwise I wouldn�t know either.�
�Agent Mulder-� Skinner hissed before Scully�s calm voice cut him off.
�I�m responsible.� She said. �I made him promise he wouldn�t tell anyone.�
Skinner looked over at her. She flinched back an inch at the look on his face.
�Can you really blame me?� She asked softly. �I have a child to think about. I didn�t know what to do.�
�Mulder, weren�t you with Alex over New Year�s? When all this happened?� Skinner�s eyes were on fire. �Didn�t you take off to Seattle?�
�Yes, Sir.� Mulder said softly.
�So you were a part of all this?�
�I don�t what you call �a part� of this, Sir.� Mulder and Scully exchanged a glance.
�You know damn good and well what I�m talking about.�
�It wasn�t planned. We found out she was alive on New Year�s and left on the first flight out. We dropped Cade off at Maggie�s and went to get Scully.� Mulder sighed, suddenly taking great interest in his shoes. �He only took me to make sure I got Scully out, Sir.�
He was aware of Scully�s eyes on him but he continued anyway. �He knew that she couldn�t leave him there.� Not like I did, he thought.
The thought did not need to be spoken aloud. Mulder somehow managed to involuntarily convey it anyway, without speaking.
�Mulder.� Scully said softly, taking his hand, knowing that this fruitless gesture would never tame the guilt he still felt.
Skinner let out a heavy sigh and put his hands on his hips, glaring at the both of them.
�Back up, Scully.� Mulder said. �He�s about to explode into The Amazing Aggravated AD�
Cooper snickered, winning his own glare from Skinner.
�This is no laughing matter, Chip.� Mulder said. �I�ve seen it happen and it�s not a pretty sight. Trust me, you don�t want him to grow fifty feet tall and stomp all over DC, spouting fire from his mouth and shooting laser beams from his eyes.�
Scully suddenly slapped her hands over her face and her body began to shake.
Skinner appeared concerned. �What�s wrong?�
�Nothing�s wrong.� Mulder grinned. �She�s laughing.�
Scully kept her hands on her face and bent over.
�You sure?�
Mulder nodded. �And it�s a good one.�
Loud giggle�s suddenly erupted from her, causing Mulder to laugh himself. She couldn�t seem to contain her hysterical laughter and it was contagious. She straightened up and put her hands over her stomach. Her face was red and there were tears under her eyes. This was just the release that she needed after the day she�d had. She pointed at Skinner, trying to talk through her laughter.
�You�I�ve seen you angry�� She took a breath. �Fire does shoot out of your mouth.�
�No, Agent Scully.� Skinner said. �I think that�s just my morning breath.�
His reply was so unexpected that the other three stared at him in stunned silence. It didn�t last long before both Scully and Mulder broke out in laughter, leaning against each other.
Skinner joined in their laughter, looking over at Cooper, who had a lopsided grin on his face.
�Chip.� Mulder breathed through his fit of laughter. �You�re always so somber. How depressing to be you.�
�Look who�s talking.� Cooper replied �I�m not the one chasing down the end of the world and then brooding about what I find.�
�I never brood.� Mulder said, wiping his eyes. �I�m just too cool to laugh.�
�Oh yeah.� Skinner said. �That must be it.�
�You guys okay out there?�
They all turned at the sound of Koskie�s voice. The Lone Gunmen stood with him on the front porch, all with bottles of beer in hand.
�Look at that.� Mulder said. �It�s King of the Hill come to life.�
That got them going all over again. Cooper joined them this time, his obnoxious cackle startling Scully.
�Oh my god.� She looked at him, trying to talk. �If I sounded like that, I wouldn�t laugh either.�
�You are evil, my dear Scully.� Cooper said, shaking his head. �Pure evil.�
Scully looked back towards the house, still giggling. Marie had joined the others on the front porch, sipping a glass of wine. Scully caught her eyes and they regarded each other for a moment.
�If you guys are done playing �Who�s Got The Best Line�, feel free to join us anytime.� Koskie yelled down to them. �I�m starving and unlike the wine, lasagna does not improve with age.�
�I think we�re done here.� Skinner said, looking over at Cooper and Scully. �You guys are going to stay? We�re all happy and not fighting?�
They looked at each other and Cooper shrugged. �No pending issues here.�
Scully smiled at him. �I guess I�ll let it go for now.�
�Good, because I was starving an hour ago.� Skinner said, walking towards the house with Cooper, leaving Mulder and Scully alone.
�You�ve had a day, Scully.� He said, nudging her. �Should I ask how you�re doing or will you just give me the mandatory �I�m fine�?�
She nodded in return. �I�m managing.�
�What are we going to do?� He asked. �The thought that we�re hanging around here, having dinner and drinking wine and laughing while Krycek is stuck in the government three-ring circus makes me sick.�
�At least I saw him and we know he�s okay.� Scully said. �I don�t think we have to worry about them�� Her throat closed up and she couldn�t finish the sentence.
�I know, Scully.� Mulder replied softly. �They need him until the vaccine is finished.�
She cleared her throat. �We�ll figure it out. We just need some time, so I can get a better feel for that place, see what�s going on.�
�I really don�t like what you�re doing.�
�I know, Mulder.� She said. �I don�t like it either. But what must done, must be done.�
�The least you could do is rig yourself with a wire or something.� He said. �That way we can follow what�s going on, in case you get in trouble.�
�I�m already in enough trouble, Mulder.�
He paused. �Was that supposed to make me feel better?� They both laughed as he continued. �Because if that�s what you were shooting for, you misfired, drastically.�
�Maybe we should see what the Lone Gunmen could do.� She tried to alleviate him but he shook his head.
�Then they might find out the truth about Krycek.�
She shrugged. �Maybe we should tell them anyway. We can�t hide the truth forever and all of our lies keep tripping over each other. This whole thing is giving even me a headache.�
�They might be able to hack into the security system, maybe we could get something useful. Maybe even get into the monitor feed.�
�Maybe.� She nodded and they were quiet.
Mulder looked down at her. �Your call.�
�I don�t know.� She said. �Maybe we should see how the week finishes out.�
�I hate the idea of you playing this game, Scully.� He turned towards her.
�It�s our best bet right now.� She shrugged and smiled, trying to lighten the moment up. �Besides, you know how much I like games.�
He stared at her, then nodded his head towards the house and held out his hand. �You want a game? I got one for you. It�s called �Who Can Survive A Dinner Party at Skinners�. To be perfectly honest with you Scully, because I know you hate it any other way, I�m scared to death on how this evening is going to go.�
Scully smiled and took his offered hand. �Then let the games begin.�
***
She was met back inside with hugs from the Lone Gunmen. It seemed as if the initial shock of having her standing in front of them wore off and after seeing her acting human out in the front yard, they welcomed her back with open arms.
�Welcome back.� Koskie nodded his head at her. �I�d give you a card or something but I don�t think Hallmark currently has one out for �Glad you�re not really dead�.�
�Thank you.� Scully smiled at him before focusing on the woman standing next to him. The person she was really interested in. She extended her hand towards Marie. �I�m Dana Scully.�
�I know.� Marie accepted the handshake and smiled. �I�m Marie Koskie.�
�I know.� Scully smiled back.
�I�ve heard so much about you.� Marie said. �From all these guys.�
�I�m not sure whether to complimented or scared.�
They both laughed a little too loud and an awkward silence fell over everyone.
�Well.� Koskie was the first to speak. �Where ya been hiding, Agent Scully?�
�Jesus, Steven.� Skinner shook his head.
�What?� Koskie asked. �Like I�m the only one here who isn�t wondering what�s going on. The four of you ran out to have your little pow-wow but the rest of us are left in the dark.�
�You shouldn�t know what�s going on.� Cooper said. �National Security.�
�I�m not concerned with National Security.� Koskie said, glaring down at her. �That�s not the issue I�m having problems with right now.�
Scully could feel the animosity he had towards her like she put her palm down on a hot stove.
�Then what is your problem, Koskie?� Mulder asked.
�Scully is gone for over two years, then suddenly shows up here, after being videotaped working with some ultra-secret-government group, you guys go out front and hash everything out in under an hour like fast-food marriage counseling. Now we�re going to sit down and eat dinner like we�re having grand, high times?� Koskie shook his head. �Uh uh, it makes no sense. That�s what I have a problem with.�
�Scully has been through a lot.� Mulder said. �You don�t know anything about what�s happened, and there�s an explanation for everything. So can we just take a minute to calm down? I don�t want this to be ugly, she�s very happy to be home.�
�She should be happy.� Koskie said, staring down at Scully. �Unlike everyone else in this room, she didn�t have to watch you have a nervous breakdown.�
Mulder stood in front of Scully. �Now wait-�
�Calling the Newport Beach house to talk to her because you forgot she was dead. Oh wait, she wasn�t.�
Mulder put up a hand. �Wait a minute-�
�The part where you were hospitalized and put on Zoloft was especially fun.�
�Stop it.� Mulder barked.
Skinner got in between them. �That�s enough.�
�He�s right.� Scully said softly.
Everyone turned to look at her and she met Koskie�s stare. �You�re right.�
Mulder shook his head. �Scully-�
�It�s true, Mulder.� She looked up at him. �I was gone for a long time. I didn�t have to see what was going on back here. I did just barge in her almost three years later.� Scully looked up at Koskie. �I don�t expect you to understand.�
Koskie stared down at her for a couple of beats, then smiled. �If I understood anything that I�ve seen since being assigned as Mulder�s partner, I�d be concerned about my mental health. I�m just�� He thought for a moment before shaking his head. �I�m just confused and my involvement in this began when I was assigned to protect you. I�ve spent a long time trying to forget what happened that night at your apartment. I don�t understand what�s going on and haven�t since day one. I�ve only seen bits and pieces and heard conflicting stories and none of it makes any sense, especially when you�re standing right in front of me after being dead for three years.�
�You�ve been involved in this for three years?� Scully asked.
He nodded. �More or less.�
�Wait until you hit that decade mark.� She said, grinning. �Things will get really fun.�
Koskie sighed. �I�m sorry.�
�Don�t be.� Scully replied, exchanging a look with Mulder. �I�ll try to explain. Maybe we�ll both feel better.�
At the picnic table in the backyard, Langly and Frohike planted themselves on either side of Scully. Mulder sat down across from her and Byers and Koskie took a seat on either side of him. Cooper and Skinner were going to bring the food out while they talked.
Marie had been standing behind Koskie, looking uncomfortable. �I think I�ll help them.�
Scully raised her eyes to look at her. She could sense Marie�s confusion. She knew that while Marie wanted to understand, for Mulder�s sake, she wasn�t all that sure about what Scully�s reappearance would mean to their relationship. Marie had carefully kept her mouth shut while Koskie berated her, but Scully knew that the way Mulder had defended her from Koskie�s verbal assault had surprised her. On one hand, Scully didn�t blame her. To look at it from Marie�s point of view, Scully probably wouldn�t be handling this situation as well. On the other hand, Scully�s relationship she had with Mulder was one of the most important in her life. She�d be damned if she�d let anyone come between them. She knew that Mulder felt the same way.
Scully also knew that if someone was able to capture Mulder, they must be one hell of a person. And if Marie was going to be around, regardless of how Scully felt about it, there was only one first meeting that they would ever have. First impressions make or break relationships all the time.
�I think you should stay.� Scully said softly.
Marie hesitated. �I feel like I�m intruding.�
�Intruding?� Koskie said loudly. �With this bunch? Oh, you have to be kidding.�
�Besides,� Langly said, leaning to the side as Skinner put loaves of garlic bread on the table, �after an entrance like that, who wouldn�t want the backstory?�
Frohike laughed. �The best entrance I�ve ever seen is when we walked into Alex�s house and you guys were having that pumpkin fight.�
Langly and Byers laughed and Skinner rolled his eyes. �If I have to hear that story one more time��
Mulder smiled at Scully. �You and Krycek looked like we�d caught you with your hands in the cookie jar.�
Scully gave him a small smile. �I didn�t know you were coming out, it was the mother of all surprises.�
