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Title: Daniel Skinner Summary: Scully meets Skinner's teenage son while going for printer paper at the Hoover. Author's Note: Based on a Baby/Kidfic plot Generator idea from The Nursery Files, owned and operated by NeoX. Prompt: "Skinner has a teenage son." Who knew? July 23, 1994 "Mulder. We need more printer paper." "Yes. Please go get it. Before I forget, I need to wrap up the Rafferty case, and I can't leave anything out." Scully frowned. The case had been long, and she was tired after five days in Austin. "Aren't you glad it's over?" Mulder rubbed his eyes. "Uh huh. Brandon Rafferty finally behind bars. I'll put the coffee on. Drug, dealing, murder. Life in prison." As she left the office she smiled and thanked her partner. As the elevator reached the seventh floor and proceeded to the Supply room, she saw a familiar young man walking down the hall with three large boxes. "Pardon me, but I think I know your face", the youngster commented. "Oh? How?" "Well, my Dad showed me some pictures of some of the people he supervises." "Our supervisor is A.D. Skinner. My name is Scully." "Nice to meet you. My name is Daniel." "Daniel Skinner. I am so sorry about your mother." "No problem. I miss her. I have to deliver these things to Accounting." "Well, it was nice meeting you, Daniel. What are you doing working here?" "Putting my self through school. Teacher's College. I'm running late. Gotta go." "Okay. I'm sure we'll meet again." Twenty minutes later, she returned to the office with the paper and loaded the printer. Mulder removed a disk from the computer and poured his partner coffee. "What kept you." "Did you know Skinner and his wife had a son?" "No. He never says much about his private life." "I just met a summer student upstairs names Daniel Skinner. Thanks for the coffee." "Will wonders never cease." "I remember seeing some pictures in the office, come to think of it. Skinner's parents, and a young boy." Mulder sipped his coffee. "I hope he knows male pattern baldness tends to run in families." "Mulder! That's not necessarily true." "Okay, I'd like to meet him. Now, let's just get this finished. We're both tired and have things to do like taking suits to the dry cleaners and then our homes. By the way, what is he studying?" "Teacher's College." Then there was a knock at the door. "Come in. It's unlocked." It was Daniel. "Are you busy" "We were," Scully replied. "Mulder, meet Daniel Skinner." Mulder stood and shook the young man's hand. "How can we help you?" "It's... my Dad. He's having so many nightmares about the war and seeing a ghostly woman. I don't think her ever got over my Mom. I know I am still grieving." "He could see the Employee Social Worker. She knows what she's doing," Mulder replied. "From what I heard, you're a psychologist. Can you help him?" "I am a profiler right now. I don't deal with Post Traumatic Stress Disorder." "Your partner here is a doctor. Maybe she can help." "No." Scully told Daniel. "My job is autopsies." "I know, Dr. Scully. Your partner deals with the paranormal from what I understand." Mulder told the youngster sternly, "We are over- loaded with cases right now, but I suppose I can talk to him." "That would be great, because since he works here, he doesn't have much time for friends and does not want to hang around with his old war buddies. I have another delivery to make. Just try." Mulder a file and thought it over. "I will. You have your mother's hair." "Thanks. She was beautiful. See you." The Next Day Mulder pushed the elevator button and dreaded going to his boss to find out what was happening with him. Nightmares are bad enough. Reminders are worse. When he entered the office, he saw a very tired Walter Skinner. "Sir?" "What is it, Agent Mulder?" He was on his second coffee. "Another lead? I haven't sent you any new cases." "Well, I met a young man yesterday. Daniel Skinner." "My son. He is working here for the summer to help pay tuition. I am proud of him." "He's worried about you." "How did you find that out?" "Scully met him on her way to supplies, and he came to our office." "I see. Don't worry about me, Mulder. I can deal with it." "Walter, despite the fact that I may be a troublemaker sometimes, we are friends. You can tell me anything you need to, and I do keep things confidential." Skinner took a deep breath, and thought things over. "Well?" Mulder waited patiently for some response. "I'm okay." "Don't tell me that. You do not look okay. Meet me tonight at Louie's and we'll have a couple of beers? Around six." "All right. By the way, I have a new assignment for you and Scully. No rush." He handed Mulder a thin folder. "Thank you. Remember, Louie's at six." 'Yes. Please just go read the file. Mainstream." "We will." As Mulder left the office, he wondered whether he should call an old colleague who could be more helpful. 6:05 p.m. Skinner was already sitting at a table reading an evening newspaper. "Sorry I'm late, Sir. I had to break up a fight between to teenagers in my building." "Don't worry>" Mulder ordered two beers. "So, we never usually do this. Daniel told us you're having nightmares about that apparition." "Yes." The man took a long sip of the beer. "I told him not to worry about it." His tone was rather unemotional. "With all due respect, he loves you, and I doubt either of you are over Sharon." "We're trying." Still no sign of emotion. "Have you eaten?" "No. I wasn't in the mood to cook." "Neither have I." Mulder signaled the waiter. "I'll have a steak with onions and potatoes. Walter?" "A Caesar salad, I suppose." As the waiter left to process the order, Mulder tried to think of a way to broach the subject further. "Sir, you know it isn't doing you any good to hold things in. And you don't seem to be eating well, either." "Don't worry." "My background is Psychology, and I have a right to worry about a friend." "She just keeps coming back every night." "Your wife?" "No. That old woman." "I see." A couple of sips of beer. "She keeps reappearing to you in real life or in your dreams?" "Both. I really don't want to take it any further." The meals came. "You're only doing yourself harm. I think you know that." "I can deal with it." Another long sip of beer. "Eat. I'm hungry. The murder case was rough." "That reminds me," Skinner told him as he picked at the salad, "I'd like it on my desk tomorrow." "Deal. Please, Walter, eat. That's not Play Dough." "I'm only trying." They decided to watch a baseball game and few words were exchanged. They left the bar at 10:30 in silence. 10:40 p.m. "Scully. You're late, Mulder." "How did you know it was me?" "You usually call around 10:20. Any luck with Skinner?" "No. I have an old friend from Oxford who might be able to help him." "Try anything Mulder. We both consider him as a friends, and his son is still to young to have to see his father like this." "I agree. Look, I'm calling from my call just outside the bar. See you tomorrow." Click.
the Next Day Daniel Skinner was waiting at the door when the agents arrived. "Any luck with my father?" "No," Mulder replied. "I know someone who may be able to help." "Thanks for befriending my father." Scully hugged the young man. "Take care of yourself, Daniel. Your Dad is our friend." "I'll try. I know, I have to get to work and so do you." "So who are you going to find to deal with this, Mulder?" Scully, always the skeptic. "When I was at Oxford, I met someone who spoke fluent Sanskrit. He told me some things about mythical things like African spirits, healing entities, and I believe one thing I remember about Sharon's death could apply here. Remember Skinner said he had seen a woman in red and thought it was his wife? It was an avatar." "What!?" "A spiritual entity that watches over a human in trouble. I am not kidding, Scully." "And I truly believe in leprechauns, Mulder. There's one right beside you." "I am serious. It may be crazy to you, but I still have an email address for him." "A voodoo master?" Now she was laughing. No, an English student, and he is an expert in African categories as well. Edward Milton. I mailed him last week." "Well, go ahead and make a fool of yourself while I read our new assignment. This is real." "I'll read it later. I have to contact Edward." He starting typing; she started reading. 11:50 a.m. Mulder was about to read the new assignment. "So, did you contact your friend?" "He's flying over tomorrow and wants to see what is going on with Skinner. Almost lunch. I'll pay." "Fine. Where are we going? I packed my yogurt with bee pollen." "Well, bring it with you. I want a big cheeseburger. Let's go." To their surprise, Daniel Skinner was there with a girl. Gee, small world. "Agents Mulder and Scully, meet my girlfriend, Maureen." Skinner's son dating a gorgeous brunette. "Hi. Nice to meet you. So you work for Daniel's Dad?" "Yes," Mulder replied. "Did you find a way to help my Dad? Don't worry. I told Maureen. Join us." Scully told them the story and was surprised the young woman believed it. "So, how are you going to do it?" "You don't need to know," Scully warned him. "I need to know, dammit!" The kid was seething. "I want to see for myself. I am the only family he has left." Mulder tried to calm Daniel down. "Let's just eat." "All right. But I need to see this. God knows I have tried." "Can I watch, too?" Apparently curiosity was her strong suit. We'll see. I've contacted an old friend, and he will be here tomorrow. Look, it might scare you." "Nothing scares me. Let's eat. I have a day off and I want to be there for Dad." Scully had to agree. "Are you sure? It might scare Maureen. "Nothing has scared me since I joined a fandom of a science fiction show. Nothing." *Oh brother*, Mulder thought. *Probably writes fanfiction, too.* NEXT DAY 11:15 a.m. Mulder meet his old brown-skinned friend at the airport. "Long time no see." "Ten years. Just take me to a hotel and we can get down to business. I need to shoer and eat. Then we can see your boss." "Gotta warn you. His son and his girlfriend want to see for themselves." "Fox, I do not mind. I can deal with them." "Well, after I give you a tour of the Hoover Building, we can go to his office at around 2:00 this afternoon our time." "Already set my watch." "Let's go to the motel. Is he ready?" "Yes. Please, be easy on him. He feels haunted, and is lacking a lot of sleep." "Don't worry. I know what I'm doing." 2:00 p.m.
Scully stayed in the office reading the file over. Skinner and son were in the office talking over coffee as Maureen read a woman's magazine. Mulder and Milton knocked on the door. "Come in." The men entered the office. "Sir, I'd like you to meet my friend, Edward Milton." "Nice to meet you. Do you need help?" Skinner seemed on edge. "Well, no. But I may able to help you." "Daniel, please take Maureen to the park or wherever you want. It's your day off." "Dad, we're staying." "No." "Dad. We are. We all want to help you." Milton stepped in. "It's alright. I see something here. A woman." Maureen saw her as well. "Yes. Beside Daniel's Dad." Milton said something to the spectre in Sanskrit. Skinner was shocked. "What was that all about" "She's gone," Maureen said. "It seems so," Skinner said. Milton explained his words. "I told here, she's an Avatar who was tring to protect you, that she is not needed. She understood and left. "Well, I never thought that would happen. I guess I should thank you." A wave of relief swept over Skinner. "You are quite welcome." Mulder, Daniel and Maureen thanked him as well. What are family and friends for? Love and help, even if you don't want it. END
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