TITLE: Almost Home (28/?)
AUTHOR: Shoshana
EMAIL ADDRESS: [email protected]
DISTRIBUTION STATEMENT: Gossamer, Spookys. Please ask permission
otherwise.
SPOILER WARNING: Seventh season episodes through Requiem.
RATING: NC-17 (Most of the story is rated R, NC-17 parts will be
clearly marked)
CONTENT STATEMENT: MSR
CLASSIFICATION: SRA
KEYWORDS: Mulder/Scully Romance
SUMMARY: Post ep for Requiem. Mulder comes back... but he's
missing something.
DISCLAIMER: These characters do not belong to me.
NOTE: Thanks to my great beta readers Keleka, Lisa and Sallie!

Almost Home (28/?)
By Shoshana

Saturday
March 3rd, 2001
4:00 p.m.
Mall parking garage

Mulder had no badge to flash at the cops surrounding the crime scene
but he recognized the officer in charge, Derrick Johnson. Years ago
he had assisted the suburban police department with a string of
murders that may or may not have been committed by one individual.
The crime remained unsolved to this day but Mulder remembered the
rookie cop well. Now a lieutenant, he crossed the parking lot to
lead him past the black and white cruisers and toward Mrs. Scully's
car.

"Agent Mulder! We've been trying to get a hold of you at home!"

"Didn't Mrs. Scully tell you? She dialed Scully's cell phone and
managed to tell me what happened-- just barely though. She must have
dropped the phone after that but I was already on my way by then,"
replied Mulder.

His voice shook with anger and fear despite his attempt to appear
calm and rational in public. He dug his hands deep into the pockets
of his coat, forming tight fists to keep from screaming. His heart
had been beating double time since Margaret Scully's phone call less
than a half hour ago, and every brain synapse had been totally
devoted to making the trip to the mall as swiftly as possible.

"No, she must have passed out, Agent. I just got off the phone with
AD Skinner though. I guess you talked to him after you dialed 911 a
half hour ago. He's sending a task force immediately--should be here
within minutes. Dana Scully is your partner?" Johnson questioned.

"Yes. And my fiancee, Derrick," he said, dropping the formality
intentionally. Johnson was just being polite under the
circumstances--they'd become good basketball playing buddies after
the case years ago and addressed each other without their titles on
the court.

"She is? Skinner didn't say that but he did tell me she was seven
months pregnant. Mulder, we're doing whatever we can to canvass the
neighborhoods and look for any abandoned vehicles. We have a
forensic crew coming out as we speak. When the fibbies get here I'll
know what to do next. Do you want to see Mrs. Scully? I think the
paramedics said she was coming around slowly a few minutes ago."

Derrick motioned toward an ambulance parked nearby, then steered
Mulder in its direction with a firm hand on his shoulder. They
continued to talk as they walked there

"Mulder, we're gonna find her. I just know it. You've gotta
believe that," he assured his old friend.

Mulder cracked an uneasy smile for a few seconds, then shook his
head in dismay. "I should never have let her go without me. I
should never have let her call off the bodyguards. There's a lot
more to this than I can tell you now, Derrick. I don't think her
kidnappers will harm her, but it doesn't make it any less harrowing
an experience."

"You think you know who these guys are? That might help. Come on,
Mulder. Let's see Mrs. Scully before the Feds get here."

Mrs. Scully was sitting up and drinking a cup of water when Mulder
appeared at the ambulance's tailgate.

"Fox!" she exclaimed through tears that wouldn't cease. "They took
her!"

She tried to get up from the gurney but the female paramedic
cautioned her, "Don't get up yet, Ma'am. You need to rest a few
minutes more."

"Can I climb on through?" Mulder asked. At the technician's nod, he
clambered into the vehicle and sat down on a gurney opposite Mrs.
Scully.

"Fox, we were just talking about this--I had just asked her about
your safety before we left the dress shop," she told him rapidly.
"What's going on?" she added, her voice lowering to barely a
whisper.

Mulder dug into his jacket's inner pocket and offered her his
handkerchief. He shook his head and faced her with sad eyes.

"I don't think they'll harm her, Margaret. I don't think either of
us are much good to them dead. I think they'll keep her until
they're through testing her and the baby--then give me a call."

"You're not going to pick her up alone, are you?" she wondered
incredulously.

"I think I'll have to. I think that's the only way." Mulder leaned
closer and whispered softly, "Don't mention this, Margaret. When the
Feds get here they'll insist I stay out of the way and off the case.
They know I won't and I also know they won't try to keep me chained
to a desk somewhere. Skinner should be here soon. I called him as
soon as I heard from you and made a 911 call."

"Have you called Bill? Fox, even if you haven't gotten along in the
past--I think you should call him at the base. He needs to know
right away," she pleaded.

"Here's my phone, Mrs. Scully. Please call him for me. I just
spotted Skinner pulling up in the lot. I better go talk to him. Do
you remember anything? A physical description of the kidnappers?"

"No, I'm sorry, Fox. It happened so fast. I knew Dana was reaching
for her gun but it's so awkward when you're that pregnant," she
replied, her voice breaking on her last word. "You go... I'm sure
you need to talk to the AD before they can proceed," she concluded,
taking his proffered phone.

"Okay, I'll be back in a few minutes to see how you're doing and to
get the phone. Lie down and rest, would you?"

"I will. You go now," she said, gently pushing him toward the
ambulance door.

Skinner was dressed casually in a turtleneck and jeans. He ran over
to Mulder as soon as he spotted him.

"Mulder! What does Mrs. Scully say?"

Mulder sounded as dejected as he felt. "Not much. It was well
planned. I'm sure of that. I don't think they meant to harm either
of them but I have a pretty good idea what they want from Scully,
Sir. They'll do tests on her and release her later today if my guess
is on the money. I think this is nothing but a waiting game from
here on in."

"We'll be combing these neighborhoods anyway, Mulder. Maybe they'll
leave some clue." Skinner put his hand on his agent's shoulder.
"You know I can't put you on the task force--you're not fully
reinstated. I can let you participate as an observer though. You
have a weapon with you?"

"Old service weapon, Sir," he responded, flipping his jacket open
for a fraction of a second to reveal its presence.

"It's good to have, but you better be discreet," he dictated softly.
"You think they'll call you?" he asked in an even softer tone.

Mulder nodded affirmatively, then studied the tips of his sneakers
for a brief moment. "I have to believe that, Skinner. If I can't
hold on to that--there's not much hope--"

His voice broke and he turned abruptly from his boss's scrutiny for
a good minute. When he turned back, Skinner was still standing
there, fists curled against his sides, expression grim.

"There's always hope, agent. Let's go talk to the new arrivals and
get a look at the condition of scene."

Skinner put his hand on Mulder's shoulder for a few seconds, to lend
moral support as much as to guide him toward the waiting task force.

*********************************************************************
Warehouse
Unknown location
5:00 p.m.

Scully woke slowly, a strong medicinal odor assaulting her before
she could open her eyes. She was tired and groggy, still feeling the
effects of some mild sedative. Bodies bustled around her, obviously
preparing for some intended procedure.

Panic rose through her with the realization she was the patient in
question. Her eyes flew open, then closed again tightly, aching from
the too bright light overhead. She tried to move her hands and feet,
but couldn't--wrist and ankle restraints bound her to the padded
table.

Her eyelids fluttered open once again, determined to regain
consciousness before anything was done to her child. The room spun
for a few minutes as she took in the objects and personnel around
her. She didn't dare lift her head until the vertigo stopped.

A woman's voice across the room caught her attention and she pivoted
her head in that direction. Recognition forced bile up from her
digestive tract; she fought the impulse to vomit her last meal.

"You fucking bitch!" Scully spat at the well-dressed woman. "You're
going to kill my baby!"

The blond woman nodded at her subordinate, then strolled casually
closer to the examining table.

"Quite the opposite, Agent Scully. We've done everything we can to
insure your safety. Your baby is alive and well."

"Let me go! You have no right to do this! You have no right to
touch me or my baby!"

Marita shook her head slowly, a half-smile etched on her face.
"We're not going to harm you, Agent. We have every intention of
keeping you and your partner happy and healthy for the rest of your
lives."

"What do you want from us? Our baby is normal. There's nothing
unusual about him at all. I've already had an amnio done. I've done
DNA tests. I've had ultrasounds. What could you possibly need to
know that would necessitate this, this *kidnapping*!" Scully
protested vehemently.

Scully tried to modulate the tone of her voice, hoping beyond hope
she could still talk Covarrubias out of harming her child. It was
useless. Her words flew out like venom-tipped arrows despite her
best interests. She could not, would not, control her outrage with
this woman.

"Agent Scully," Marita repeated calmly, pulling up a round stool on
coasters to sit on. "If I had asked you to submit to these simple
tests--would you have?"

Scully just glared at her, undisguised wrath in her eyes.

"That's what I thought. You know, you have to understand that we
can save humanity with the child's antibodies. I didn't want to do
it this way. You know I had no other option."

"Your option should have been to stay the fuck away from me and my
child! I'm not a lab rat! You of all people should know what it's
like!" Scully shouted back.

Marita bent her head toward her chest, sighed deeply, then lifted
her eyes back to Scully. "I do. I know what it's like. But I have
an obligation, a duty to find a vaccine for the coming plague. I
know you and Agent Mulder are planning on studying the problem but
you are so far behind the research we've done--we need to speed
things up. There will be no future for your family or mine if we
don't develop the vaccine now."

She parted her lab coat, revealing the growing curve beneath. "I
have everything to gain by saving the world, Agent Scully. This
child is the last thing I have of Alex. You may not have liked him;
there was a time when I hated him passionately. But I grew to
understand him, to trust him and follow him. He was trying to save
us all."

Scully pursed her lips in thought, trying to recall every encounter
she and Mulder had ever had with this woman. She had no reason to
trust her, none at all. She didn't want to be led astray by the same
line of altruistic bullshit the Cigarette Smoking Man had fed her.

She looked around the room more closely now, scrutinizing the
medical equipment and supplies waiting to be utilized. They were
going to do an amnio on her, and an ultrasound--whether she liked it
or not. Struggling against them would potentially harm the baby; she
had to submit to their demands upon her body.

Hatred rose within her chest, tightening the muscles until she
willed herself to breathe again. She swallowed hard, banishing her
nausea back to the pit of her stomach. She had to get control of
herself. She had no choice.

"Will you release me as soon as you have your precious tests?"
Scully tilted her head toward the equipment across the room.

"You have my word," Marita responded with the same chilly composure
she'd maintained throughout the conversation. "Agent Mulder will be
notified where to pick you up. I reiterate, you will not be harmed
here."

"Why now? Why did you wait so long to take me? Why not before
Mulder came back?" Scully asked with a touch of sarcasm.

Marita bit her lip in thought for a second then told her, "There was
some disagreement before his return about when to do the tests...
that obstacle fell with Spender's death." She looked away for a few
more seconds, tamping down her emotions. "Alex had approached you,
warned you about the others. If--" Her voice broke on that one word
and she forced herself to continue with little or no expression. "If
he had lived--he planned on asking for help from you."

"He expected it?" Scully asked incredulously.

"I guess he thought it was worth a try. I had no such illusions. I
knew we would need to detain you. We were waiting for the right
time--we expected you to maintain the extra protection, and then
suddenly it was gone. It was a tactical decision, Agent Scully. We
need you for a very brief time and we may never need your help
again."

"No guarantee of that, though?" Scully questioned.

Marita said nothing.

Scully's distrust had waned not one iota; Marita's little display of
remorse had virtually no affect on her opinion of the woman. Dana
knew she was wasting time trying to reason with her. The tests would
be performed this evening. If she was lucky, they would let her go
in a few short hours.

"Let's get it over with," Scully offered at last. "I don't want to
prolong my mother's agony over this."

"Or Agent Mulder's," Marita provided.

"I'm sure he's dealing with it better than she is. Let's just get
this over with, please," she entreated, closing her eyes in defeat.

Scully listened to the movement of humans and machine around her,
opening her eyes when she felt a nurse preparing her for an IV. She
was determined to watch every odious step of the way; she couldn't
stop this from happening, like her abduction years ago, but she would
at least know what was being done to her this time.

*********************************************************************
 
Skinner's office
7:15 p.m.

Mulder slumped down in his chair, fighting the dizzy spell he didn't
want to deal with right now. He couldn't get sick now, Scully needed
him too damn much. He cradled his head with his hands, rubbing the
fingers of one hand over his forehead. Skinner had insisted he go to
his office to take a break from the situation room. He'd gone with
some reluctance, then acceptance of his need to stay lucid.

"Hey," Skinner said as he opened the door to his office. "Feeling
better now?"

Mulder raised his head a few inches to meet his boss's eyes. "A
bit."

"Good." Skinner sat down behind his desk. "Nothing yet, Mulder.
Sorry."

Mulder sat up straight in the chair, continuing to rub his forehead
with two fingers.

"You really think they'll call?" queried Skinner.

"I'm convinced of it."

The older man saw unshakable conviction in the younger one's eyes.
He wondered to himself how Mulder and Scully had survived so many
years of trials just like this one. It boggled his mind they could
stay sane, stay committed to their cause, to each other.

As though on cue, Mulder's phone rang. He reached in his jacket,
then placed it against his ear.

"Mulder. Yes. Yes. All right. I'll be there."

He thumbed the cell off, avoiding Skinner's gaze.

"Alone, right?" the AD asked.

"Alone," Mulder repeated.

"When?"

"Hour from now."

Skinner heaved a sigh, then flipped his spectacles off his face and
onto his desk.

"Go. I didn't hear a thing here."

Mulder looked up at him, and their eyes met for a few brief seconds
before Mulder stood and headed for the door.

"Thank you, Sir. Thank you for everything," he told his friend as
he shot out of the office and into the hallway.

*********************************************************************
8:10 p.m.
A bench along the Potomac

Scully sat, watching the cold river flow relentlessly. She was
tired. She had minor cramps in her abdomen. But she was alive. And
Mulder would be there any moment to take her home.

She gathered her coat around her tighter, braving the rising wind.
She heard footsteps behind her and she turned to face their source.
Out of the shadows came Mulder--walking, then rushing, to her side.

He hurried to embrace her, crushing her against his chest. She
buried her face in the leather of his coat, unleashing all the tears
she'd held back in Marita's presence. Mulder was shaking against
her, sobbing quietly as he ran his hands up and down her back.

"Scully."

She squeezed him soundly around the waist and mumbled his name into
his turtleneck.

He pulled back a bit, eyeing her general condition.

"Are you okay?"

"Yeah. I am."

"What happened?"

She averted her eyes, still too overcome with emotion to discuss the
last few harrowing hours of her life.

"I'll tell you later, okay?" she choked out between sniffles and
sobs.

He bobbed his head ever so slightly, then gave her a chaste kiss on
the lips.

"Let's go, Scully," he said, helping her to her feet.

She nodded silently in agreement, briefly, painfully, smiling at him.

He wound his arm around her shivering, cold body and took her home.

fin

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