Be It True
Author: T. Collins
Rating:PG-13
Spoilers:Emily sort of
Disclaimer:They do not belong to me, even though I wish they did.
Summary: Another daughter turns up and she is not what you think.
Feedback:This is my first attempt at fanfiction so any kind of 
feedback is greatly appreciated. Write me write me write me 
write me write me write me WRITE ME! DAZEDCAVIAR@aol.com

~*~*~

A struggle ensued over the pistol lying invitingly on the hardwood
floor. Male law enforcement officer pitted against a teenage girl.  
You would think he'd have the upper hand but at the moment the teenage
girl was getting the best of him. His female partner was of no help
with back up because during the first attack, the girl disarmed him
and kicked her in the stomach preventing the female from regaining
control of the situation. And now both officers were pleading with the
girl to put down the gun. The girl in return began refusing their
help.  Within the time it took the two officers to coax the weapon out
of her hand, the teenager had voluntarily given it up when she shot
herself in the temple.


PART 1

chapter one:


Dana Scully walked into the basement office of the Hoover building in 
which she shared with her partner of the last six years, Fox Mulder. With 
an Alanis Morisette song still on her lips, Scully sat down at her desk 
humming the sorrowful tune realizing it's ironic take on her life. 
"Uninvited" sung the tale of her loveless life. She had yet to know of 
a love or the love in which her parents experienced. At the age of 
thirty-six, Dana Scully had not found the one man who could make her 
tremble with his voice alone. She was in denial of course because Fox 
Mulder did that and more. He could make her breathless with a look and 
make her heart beat rapidly with a simple touch. Dana Scully would never 
admit to herself that the man she was longing for sat beside her in the 
lower level of the FBI headquarters. Admitting that love she wanted was 
something Dana was too proud to do.

Being alone for the first few minutes of a sure to be busy morning was 
a moment Scully cherished. Not being bothered by Mulder while she 
sipped her coffee and ate her cream cheese bagel were minutes she 
treasured. It was a time when she was allowed to relax before their 
stressful day of alien hunting began.

The quietness of the office was beginning to become deafening. She 
needed noise. Being with Mulder all these years had made her aware 
of the few moments of silence she had. Reaching to turn on the boom 
box on the stool beside the desk, Scully decided she wanted to hear 
Macy Gray's soothing voice. Track 8. The sax solo leading into the 
organ and percussion set the mood of the song. It makes Scully's hips 
sway from side to side as Macy scratchy voice begins to sing. Soon after 
her arms are swaying in rhythm with her hips and her fingers begin to 
snap to the beat.

Mulder thought he heard music coming from the office. But he didn't 
think Scully would be playing it this early in the morning. He had 
never known her to be cheerful at this time of day. Each morning she 
stalked into the basement with an expressionless face. A smile did not 
dare graceher porcelain face until coffee had been served. Peering 
around the door, Mulder saw his partner dancing.He watched her hips move 
like he had imagined many nights alone. He watched her shoulders shrug 
along with the music and her fingers snap to the heavy bass. Mulder had 
watched Scully be a woman. Her sensuality had caught him staring lustfully 
at her body wishing to be apart of her private dance. He stood minutes 
gazing at her secret talent.

Scully was enjoying the music she had to admit. It released any stiffness 
she was having in her body. It loosened her muscles. It made her relax. 
So relaxed in fact she hadn't heard or seen Mulder standing at the 
door watching.

"Mulder!" she said startled.

"Nice moves, Scully."

"How long have you been standing there?" she asked smoothing her hair 
down and straightening her suit.

"Oh, a few seconds," he lied strolling over to the stereo.

Mulder turned down the volume.

"I was...I was..." Scully stammered.

"No need to explain yourself, Scully," he answered nonchalantly 
taking a seat at his desk.

Fox Mulder watched his partner squirm and blush.

"I'll be right back," Scully said nearly jogging out the office.

Scully knocked down a fellow agent on her way to the ladies room. Once 
inside, Scully leaned against the door with her head back. Letting out 
a long sigh, she couldn't believe she was caught dancing by him. He had 
seen her moving alone to the music. The thought made Scully's cheeks 
redden with embarrassment. How am I going to live this down, she thought 
to herself. Mulder is sure to bring this up whenever he fishing for a 
laugh.


"Hey Scully. You in there?" Mulder asked prying the door open.

He felt her weight on the door, which made him push harder.

"What Mulder?"

"Skinner has called us up to his office."

"I'll be right out," she answered.

~*~*~

A teenage girl eluded the security guards as they tried to capture her 
at the south side of the federal building. Peeking around the curved 
corner near the building's entrance, the young girl fictitiously 
glued her body to the dirty bricks. She inched closer without being 
noticed by the crowds of employees and visitors who walked to the 
revolving doors. Almost in the clear of making it inside, she was 
grabbed forcefully by the arm by a security guard that resembled a 
football player. Mounds and mounds of muscle blocked anyone from 
seeing the chaos. Screaming Dana Scully's name over and over, the 
girl demanded to see her mother.
  
~*~*~

AD Walter Skinner awaited the arrival of his two best agents upstairs 
on the seventh floor. He couldn't believe his ears when the news was 
delivered to him minutes before. A fifteen year old girl was discovered 
lurking behind the federal building trying to gain access inside to meet 
with who she called her mother. The girl was beaten and battered until 
her face was unrecogniz-able. Security guards apprehended her but 
she was putting up a fight. Screaming over and over the name 
of the woman who she was here to see.

The side door opened and in stepped Agents Mulder and Scully.


"Sir, who wanted to see us?" Mulder asked taking his usual seat in 
front of Skinner's desk. 

"A situation has developed outside."

"A situation? What kind of situation, sir?" Mulder inquired.

"One that concerns Agent Scully."

"Sir?" Scully questioned with her expression along with her voice. 

"A young girl was found outside asking for you," Skinner stated.

"Do I know her?" Scully asked.

"I don't think so. She says that you are her mother."

"Her mother? Are you sure that she isn't being misled?" Scully asked 
placing her hands on the armrest of the chair.

"It's obvious that she's being misled. But by who?" Mulder questioned.

Scully glanced sideways at Mulder. She too wanted to know who was behind 
this. 

"Well right now the girl is at the hospital," Skinner said.

"Hospital? What wrong with her?" 

"The young girl had been beaten up badly. I don't know all the details 
but from what I was told her face was covered with bruises probably 
from punches. And..."

"Ohmigod. What hospital was she taken to?" Scully asked.

"Bethesda," Skinner replied.


Scully didn't wait for Mulder's reaction about the girl's condition. 
Immediately after Skinner supplied the information she asked, Scully 
fled out the door. She left Mulder sitting in the office.

"Well follow her, Mulder."

He looked at his supervisor and quickly chased after Scully.

~*~*~

chapter two: be it true


Dana Scully drove recklessly to the downtown Washington hospital. 
Her partner had caught up to her in the parking lot as she turned 
on the ignition. He held on as she drove furiously out the lower 
level-parking garage. She was grateful that he held his comments 
about chasing after this teenage girl to himself. Scully didn't know 
if she would be up to arguing with Mulder over a girl she hadn't even 
met yet. But Scully knew effectively what was on his mind. Memories 
of Emily flashed through her thoughts. The blonde three-year-old, who 
looked identical to her older sister Melissa at that age, had came 
into her life abruptly and had left it the same way. But Scully had to
focus on the young girl at the hospital who claimed to be her daughter.

Pulling up along side the emergency entrance, Scully exited the carrier 
and didn't bother to turn off the engine. Mulder was left in the car to 
handle all of that.The ER was full in the early morning. People with 
gunshot wounds and broken limbs decorated the waiting room. She scanned 
the room for police officers, who she knew had accompanied the girl to 
the hospital. At once the presence of an acquaintance of both she and 
Mulder was seen. 

Officer Alfred Clayton stood outside the trauma room three guarding 
the young girl. She had been brought in by him and his partner. He 
could tell that she was disoriented. Her eyes were clouded over. 
Something about that made Alfred feel eerie. His partnerhad went to 
report in to command by way of the car radio so Alfred stood posted 
outside the room while a doctor examined her. She had told the doctor 
that her name was McKenna and that she was looking for her mother. 
McKenna couldn't remember how she got there or how she had got into 
the battered condition she was in. McKenna wouldn't be examined with 
Alfred standing in the room. He graciously stepped out. 

"Alfred! Alfred!"

Officer Alfred Clayton turned into the direction of his name. Agent 
Scully was running toward him.

"Agent Scully?"

"Alfred, is she in there?" Scully asked.

"The girl I brought in? Yeah. Why?"

Scully didn't answer. She pushed the door open to see a dark 
haired male doctor applying a liquid solution to her face. The girl 
had her eyes closed when Scully slowly walked closer to the gurney. 
She tried to get a better look at her face but with the color of the 
bruises it was difficult.

"May I help you?" the male doctor asked stopping to look at Scully.

"I think she knows me," Scully gently said.

McKenna opened her eyes at the sound of Scully's voice. 

"Mom?!" she called out.

"McKenna take it easy. Lay back down," the doctor ordered.

"McKenna," whispered Scully to herself. What a beautiful name, she 
thought.

"Are you McKenna's mother?"

"I...I don't know," Scully honestly answered.

"What do you mean you don't know?  Don't you remember giving birth 
to her?"

"I... I..." Scully walked out the room.

~*~*~

Mulder had seen Scully exit a room down the hall.

"Scully," he called.

She automatically turned to his voice. Scully stood at the door 
watching Mulder make his way down the hall. She was taken aback 
by the doctor's comments. If she had given birth to that young 
girl, Scully would have definitely remembered it. All of the stories 
Scully had heard from her mother and Tara about the pain and 
joys of having a child echoed in her mind. 

"Why wouldn't I remember?" she thought to herself. But look at her, 
McKenna... her name resonated in her mind. McKenna has to be at least 
sixteen. I couldn't have had her. I would had to have been twenty 
years old when or if I did give birth to her. That's impossible 
not chronologically anyway. But I didn't give birth her. 

"I didn't give birth to her. I didn't give birth to her," Scully 
drilled into her brain.

"Scully?" Mulder asked with concern on his face.

Scully looked up into the face of Mulder. His brows were drawn 
together with worry. Once she offered a slight smile, his eyes 
relaxed and his own smile crept across his face.

"I'm fine, Mulder."

Mulder hated whenever she gave him that answer instead of 
telling him what she really felt. 

"Did you find her?"

"Yeah. She's in there with a doctor."

Officer Clayton stood by and waited to say hello to the other agent. 

"Hey, Agent Mulder," Officer Alfred Clayton greeted.

"Hi Alfred. How's it going?"

"Can't complain. How's your life treating you?"

"Not bad. Same old stuff."

"Still trying to catch aliens?"

"Yup."

"Mulder?" Scully interrupted.

"Yeah, Scully?"

"Her name is McKenna," she said barely above a whisper.

Scully was staring at his chest.

"What?" he asked.

"Her name is McKenna," she repeated still staring at Mulder's navy 
blue shirt.

He knew what she was telling him. Scully was in awe over the teenage 
girl. Another one had surfaced. Another daughter had found her. 
Mulder didn't want this to be happening again. He knew that she 
wouldn't be able to take it for a second time. He had to figure out 
where this had come from and if she too had alien blood.

~*~*~

The prematurely graying doctor opened the exam room door to 
reveal a cleaned up McKenna. Mulder stuck out his hand and 
introduced himself.

"Special Agent Fox Mulder."

"Doctor Ian Quinn," the young doctor stated shaking Mulder's 
hand.

Scully walked past the two men into the room. She stopped and 
stared at McKenna. The young girl's eyes were closed. She 
appeared to be asleep. Scully stepped closer and reached out to 
touch the hand that was resting on her stomach. But she had second 
thoughts. Scully didn't want to disturb the girl's slumber. Instead 
she watched her chest rise and fall with every breath she took. Lost 
in thought, Scully didn't notice McKenna's eyes flutter open.

"Mom?"

Scully jumped at the sound of her voice. "I'm not your mother," she 
responded.

"Mom, don't say that. Please don't say that."

"You have me mistaken for someone else. My name is Dana Scully."

"You are my mother. Please Mom remember."

"I'm sorry. I'm not your mother," Scully said backing away from 
the girl's outstretched hand.

McKenna reached further and further for Scully's hand pleading 
for her to come closer to the gurney. Scully continued to back 
away from the teenage girl. She left the room.

~*~*~

"Besides the bruises on her face, McKenna is free to go home," the 
doctor told Mulder.

"Yeah but to whose home?"

"She says that the lady with the red hair is her mother."

"Well she is wrong. My partner is not the girl's mother."

Scully joined the men in mid conversation.

"Scully is something wrong?" Mulder asked with concern in her voice.

"No, nothing," she lied.

"Are you the girl's mother?" the doctor questioned Scully.

"Uhh."

"Scully?"

"The reason I asked is because your partner says that you are not 
and I need to know if I should discharge her into your care or let 
family services know that an apparent runaway needs placement," the 
doctor stated.

"Scully?" Mulder waited for an answer along with the doctor.

Scully inhaled a deep breath and looked at both men.
 
"You can release her into my care," Scully replied avoiding eye 
contact with Mulder.

"Good. I start on the paper work," doctor said walking away from 
the two FBI agents.

~*~*~

Mulder waited for the doctor to be out of hearing range before he 
started in on his partner.

"Scully, what's the deal?" he questioned with his hands on his hips.

"Mulder, she is scared and I don't want her to be in a place that 
is going to scare her more."

"That's a weak excuse and you know it. I'm sure where ever they 
place her it will be safe."

"How do you know that, Mulder? Have you seen the group homes these 
kids live in? They are dirty,damp and sometimes rat infested."

"Scully, please. I'm sure the good doctor is looking out for her best interest."

"I just don't want her to go there, that's all," Scully responded 
looking down at the floor tiles.

"You don't need this now," he said placing a hand on her shoulder.

"Need what?" she asked looking into his hazel eyes. 

Scully knew what he meant but didn't want to hear what he had to say.

"You'll only become attached to this girl. And what happens when you 
find out the truth about her?"

"The truth?"

"She is not your daughter," Mulder stated.

"How do you know that, Mulder? I didn't think Emily was mine either 
but she was. You saw what happen to her. I don't want to not have the 
chance to get to know her if she is my daughter. I waited until 
it was to late with Emily and she died."

"For one thing, this girl is ... uh, mixed racially."

"So, that doesn't mean anything. That doesn't change the fact that 
she could be my daughter."

"But Scully what if the same people who were behind Emily are doing 
the same thing to McKenna? How do we know that she isn't like Emily?"

"We don't and I'm not sure I want to know if she is."

"That's being selfish, Scully."

"So what?! Maybe I want to be selfish and have her all to myself."

"That is not like you. The Scully I know would want to know the truth 
about where this girl came from and who is behind her sudden appearance 
in Washington, DC."

"Well I don't care who you think I am. I'm taking her home with me," 
Scully said leaving Mulder standing in front of trauma room three.

Mulder rubbed his face with his hands. He couldn't believe Scully 
was willing to take a chance on a girl she didn't know. This McKenna 
could be dangerous, he thought to himself. Letting out a long sigh, 
Mulder entered the exam room. The window was wide open and
McKenna was gone.

~*~*~

Chapter three: running on empty

The rain slicked streets squeaked under the rubber soles of dirty 
red canvas sneakers. The feet inside were tired and wet from the 
downpour that erupted in the past fifteen minutes. A steady rain 
and a cold wind blanketed the national's capital. Fall had arrived 
early this year and made McKenna wish she had a warm jacket instead 
of a thin sweatshirt. She had no money and nowhere to go. Her stomach 
came alive at the smell of food from the local diner. Digging in her 
pockets hoping for anything that counted as money, McKenna pulled out 
a single penny. 

"That's not gonna buy much," she joked to herself.

She continued walking looking for shelter from the rain. Strange 
faces stared at McKenna as she walked down different streets with 
her arms wrapped around her body trying to keep warm. It felt as 
if the temperature dropped a few degrees since her unexpected 
departure from the emergency room. McKenna was relieved that her 
mother agreed to take her home but the tall man who was her friend 
didn't like the idea. She had heard them argue over her. The man, 
his name Mulder she recalled, was dead set against her mother taking 
her home. He tried to convince her that McKenna wasn't who she said 
she was. McKenna heard the doubt in her mother's voice. That's when 
she knew that the woman who she traveled several miles to see again 
didn't want her. Now McKenna's only priority was to get back to her father. 
But without money, that was going to be a difficult processes. Now as she 
thought about, McKenna couldn't remember the phone number to her house. 
That was odd. That was more than odd. 

The rain began to pour harder. Thunder and lightening began to accompany 
the downpours. Every so often the wind would shift and the rain would 
slap McKenna in her already sore face.  Drawing her shoulders up and 
lowering her head, she trudged forward.

~*~*~

Scully glared at her partner. She was angry with him for the comments he 
had made that McKenna obviously heard. Angry wasn't the right word to 
describe how she felt. Scully was mad. She was mad at him and herself 
for allowing that conversation to take place. And now because of it a 
hurt teenage girl was wandering the streets. 

Mulder looked at his watch for what seemed like the hundredth time trying 
to avoid eye contact with Scully. He felt the heat from her gaze. He knew 
that she blamed him for McKenna running away. But he didn't think that the 
girl had heard their conversation. But he was wrong. And now she was out 
in a city she didn't know and probably wet, tired and hungry. Mulder didn't 
need Scully's eyes throwing daggers at him. He was plunging them into his 
own heart. The guilt was eating away at him.

"Scully, I don't want to wait for the police to update us. Why don't we 
search for her on our own?"

Scully didn't bother to reply. She walked out the station house. Mulder 
quickly followed her out the door.

~*~*~

McKenna found an opening of a storefront that provided enough room to 
protect her from the storm. She huddled against the door and hugged her 
knees to her chest trying to create some warmth. The sun was setting 
and the people of Washington, DC were rushing home to their families. 
McKenna wished her mother would come and rescue her from the weather. But 
she knew that wasn't going to happen. Tears welled up in her eyes and 
threatened their release. Shutting her eyes tightly, hoping to will the 
tears away, McKenna felt them slide down her face. Using the back of her 
hand, she wiped them away. She lowered her head to rest it on her knees. 
Sleep was knocking at her door but she didn't want to answer. She needed 
to stay awake.

"Stay awake, McKenna. You can't go to sleep," she whispered to herself.

"Hey beautiful."

McKenna's head snapped up to see whom the voice belonged to. A boy who 
looked no older than her loomed over the doorway.

"You look lost. Are you lost?"

"No."

"Mind if I sit here with you?"

McKenna looked up at the boy. He was dressed in jeans and a denim jacket. 
A gym bag was slung over his shoulder.

"Go ahead. I don't own the property."

"Thanks. I was getting pretty wet."

She watched as he sat Indian style next to her. He reached inside his 
jacket and pulled out a wet cigarette. Flicking a match, he tried to 
light it. But with every attempt, the fire had gone out due to the wind.

"Cover the hand that's holding the cigarette," McKenna said.

The boy looked at her and did as she suggested. The cold wind seeped 
through his fingers and blew the match out.

"Think someone is trying to tell me something," he smiled at her.

"Smoking is not good for you anyway."

"True. I should quit. But I can't quit without at least one last smoke, 
ya know."

The boy tossed the damp cigarette into the rain. He turned his attention 
back on McKenna. He watched her stare at the rain as it pounded harder 
into the pavement.

"I'm Jake," he introduced extending a clammy hand.

McKenna looked at it and then back at him.

"I'm not going to bite," Jake stated with his hand still waiting to 
be accepted.

"McKenna," she replied shaking the clammy hand.

"You from around here or just passing through?" he asked moving closer to
her trying to prevent the rain form splattering on him.

"I'm looking for someone who lives around here."

"Really. Who?"

"My mother."

"Oh. Well I'm just passing through myself. Traveling from state to 
state, catching the sights."

"Been to New York City?"

"That's my next stop. Then after that I'll be heading west. I spent 
summer on the East Coast but I don't want to spend winter here. I hear 
that winters on the East Coast are brutal. California is my kind of 
place anyway. Sun, sand and all the pretty young ladies are awaiting 
my arrival," Jake said smiling at the thought of scantly clad girls laying 
on the beach soaking up sunrays. 

"Yeah, right," McKenna replied.She smiled.

"Whoa."

"What?" McKenna asked.

"That smile."

"What about it?"

"I never seen one like it before."

"Well consider yourself lucky because I don't gives those out often."

"I do. I'll never forget it."  

McKenna wrapped her arms tighter around her knees trying to keep whatever 
warmth there was with her. Jake moved closer.

"Move over," he said offering his right arm to help keep her warm.

Unsure if she should accept his offer, McKenna stared at his inviting arm. 
Checking his eyes to make sure that he wasn't a threat, McKenna moved 
into his arms.

"So tell me about why you're here," Jake inquired.

McKenna took a deep breath and let out a long sigh.

"That bad, huh?"

"No. It's just that I came looking for my mother and it seems she doesn't 
want to be found."

"What do you mean?"

"I finally found her today after searching everywhere I could think of. 
She works for the FBI and I should have known to check the field office 
here. Actually it's the headquarters. But I couldn't get in. Some football 
type looking security guards dragged me off. And then when I was taken to 
the hospital by the police because they thought I needed medical attention. 
Just because my face is a little ... a little bruised they thought I was hurt."

"Your face is bruised? Really I didn't notice."

"Yeah right. Anyway at the hospital she came looking for me. But when I 
reached out to her, she backed away saying that she wasn't my mother. I 
kept reaching for her but she walked outthe room," McKenna said taking a 
ragged breath.

"But when the doctor asked her if she was taking me home, she said yes. I 
thought that was weird but I didn't really care at that moment because she 
was taking me home with her. I was happy. But..."

"What?"

"Her partner, from work, starting arguing with her over the fact that 
she didn't know me. Their argument became heated. She was letting him 
talk her out of taking me home. I didn'tstay to hear the rest of it. I 
climbed out the window and started walking."

"And that's how you ended up here," Jake finished.

"Yeah."

"Well that sounds like a long day."

"It was. But I don't want to talk about it anymore. I want to hear about 
your travels."

"My travels, huh? I don't know what you want to hear."

"Tell about the places you've seen," McKenna suggested laying her head 
on Jake's shoulder.

"Well, let's see.  Uhh, the last place I was was a small town. Population 
five hundred. Can you believe it? Only five hundred people. I think I 
would go insane living in a place that has fewer residents than my high 
school."

McKenna listened to Jake tell his tales of adventure as his voice 
lulled her asleep.

~*~*~

chapter four: daybreak

"That was Diana Krull singing When I Look Into Your Eyes off her current 
CD with the same title.Up next the smooth sounds of Miles Davis right after 
this commercial break. The timeis 4:54 and this is WPIX 102.3," the radio 
disc jockey stated.

Mulder glanced at Scully out the corner of his eye as he changed the 
music station. He picked the jazz station because it was one of her 
favorite types of music. But she hadn't even noticed.Still scanning 
every pedestrian that walked the streets, Scully's main focus was finding 
her daughter.

"What did she say the time was?"

Scully's voice startled Mulder. It was first thing she had said to him 
since leaving the station several hours earlier.

"4:54," he answered.

"Damn."

"We'll find her, Scully."

"It's been more than eight hours, Mulder. I don't think..."

"We'll find her," he told his partner firmly.

There was no doubt in Fox Mulder's mind that McKenna would turn up. He 
just hoped that it wasn'ther dead body they would find. For his best 
friend's sake he prayed that wasn't the case. He saw the urgency in 
Scully's face that told him to drive faster, faster to where McKenna 
was hiding.

~*~*~

A moan escaped McKenna's lips as her eyes opened. She was still wrapped 
in Jake's arms. The rain had slowed and but the wind persisted. Her head 
ached as she lifted it from Jake's chest. The boy stirred slightly but 
calmed back down. Checking her watch McKenna saw that it was five minutes 
after five. The sun was already rising on the east. Morning dew had settled
on the grass across the street and the birds had begun their chorus of songs. 
Her stomach growled but she wasn't sure if she could keep anything down. That 
was a sharp contrast from last nightwhen she had been starving. Her headache
was growing worse and her throat felt as if it was closing.Opening her mouth
and inhaling deeply, a fit of coughs racked her body. Gripping him 
tightly, Jake quickly woke up. He tried to soothe her by rubbing her back. 

"McKenna?"

"I'm fine. I'm fine."

"No you're not," Jake replied holding her hand.

He felt the heat radiating off it. Jake pulled her close to place his lips 
on her forehead. It was burning.

"I think you have a fever," he said.

"I feel fine," she lied.

"Come on, I see if I can get you some tea,"he said standing while pulling 
McKenna to her feet.

She stumbled back. He caught her before she hit the glass door. McKenna's 
head was spinning. She was seeing three Jakes instead of one. She hadn't 
realized how weak she was until she stood up. Her legs felt like jelly 
beneath her. She didn't think they would be able to hold her much longer.

"Jake?"

"Huh?"

"I don't feel so good."

"What is it? What's wrong?"

"I feel like I'm about to pass out."

Jake walked to the curb with McKenna attached to his side and tried to 
flag down a car.But nothing was going by. It was too early for the people 
of Washington, DC to be up and going to work. But then one lone car 
approached the teens.

~*~*~

Scully saw them first. A tall boy waving his hands frantically trying to 
gain the attention of anyone whom would stop. Mulder almost turned the 
car at another intersection but Scully had instructed him to drive to 
that young couple. As they got closer, Scully could see that the girl was 
McKenna and she looked as if she needed medical help.As the car came to 
a stop,Scully jumped out. She rushed to the girl's side.

"McKenna,McKenna what's wrong?" Scully asked slipping her arms around 
the girl's waist.

"You know her?" Jake asked.

"I'm her mother. I've been looking for her all night."

"Mom?"

"McKenna, what's wrong?'

"Jake,"McKenna said hoping that he would explain how she was feeling.

"She has a fever, I think. I'm not sure but her forehead is hot."

Scully felt McKenna's head and sure as Jake had said it was hot. Mulder was 
now helping Scully put Mckenna in the back seat of the car. Without waiting 
for permission,Jake climbed in along side her.

~*~*~

two days later...

Starched sheets, a soft bed underneath and a tube down her throat alarmed 
McKenna that she wasn't on the street sleeping beside Jake. Opening her eyes
 
slowly to adjust to the light shining in the room, McKenna saw a figure slum
ped over in a chair. The red hair alerted her mind that it was Dana Scully. 
Dana Scully was in fact sitting by the bed holding McKenna's hand. But her 
head was face down into the linen. Talking was definitely out of the question with
 a tube down her throat, so McKenna placed her free hand on Scully's head. She
began to stroke Scully's hair.She watched as her mother's head shifted side to side 
from her touch.

"Mmm," Scully moaned.

Scully lifted her red hair draped head off the bed. She ran her fingers 
through her red mane and looked at McKenna.

"McKenna."

McKenna stared at her mother.She motioned that she wanted the tube to be 
taken out of her mouth.

"Okay. Let me get the doctor,"Scully replied standing up. 

But McKenna grabbed her hand.

The girl did not want to let the woman go.Surprised by the sick girl's 
strength, Scully sat back down.

"I'll stay right here. Mulder," Scully spoke.

The 6'2 frame quickly jumped to attention.He had practice being able to 
hear the softest whisper from Scully.His eyes scanned from Scully to 
McKenna'a face quickly.

"She awake," he said.

"Yes, she is. Get the doctor," Scully instructed.

The female agent watched her partner stand on his feet and walk out the 
door.McKenna squeezed her hand to signal that she wanted Scully's 
attention.

"You're probably wondering how you got here?"

McKenna nodded.

"Mulder and I found you on the street."

McKenna's eyebrows drew together trying to remember what Scully was 
talking about.

"A boy was flagging us down.He was holding you up.He told us that the 
two of you had spent the night on the street sleeping in the rain."

McKenna nodded her head yes remembering Jake.

Mulder returned with a short woman in tow.

"Well, it's nice to see you up, McKenna. I'm Doctor Cannon," the woman 
said smiling.

"Dr.Cannon,she wants the tube taken out," Scully informed the petite 
blonde haired woman.

"Let me check her out first and then we'll discuss the tube."

Dr.Cannon placed the stethoscope between her ears and pulled down McKenna 
dressing.She listenedto her heart and then her lungs.

"Her lungs sound better but there is still fluid in them.Her heart 
sounds strong," the doctor told Scully.

"Well then?"

"Let's take out this tube!"

"I'll get some water for her to drink," Mulder said.

"Okay, McKenna,I want you to take a deep breath and cough as I pull 
out the tube. Okay McKenna nodded her head yes.

A few seconds later after the doctor excavated the tube,McKenna went 
into a coughing fit. Scully stood by her side rubbing her back trying 
to soothe her.

"Take small sips," Scully instructed as she held the paper cup to the 
girl's lips.

Taking a gulp, McKenna started coughing again.

"Small sips."

McKenna held her throat as the water went down.She then took a deep 
breath and whispered the doctor's name.

"How are you feeling?" Dr. Cannon asked.

"I'm hungry."

"Well that's a good sign.I'll make sure the nurses bring you some 
Jell-O."

"When can she go home?" Scully questioned hopefully.

"I'll see how she is feeling later on today and if she is still 
improving,then maybe tomorrow I'll discharge her," Dr. Cannon stated.

"That soon?" Mulder asked.

"Yeah. I don't see why not. Home would be a better place for her to recover."

"Thank you, Dr. Cannon," Scully said.

Before leaving the room, Dr. Cannon patted McKenna on the knee.

"See you later, sweetie."