Title: Family I: Beginnings 
Author: Jo Ann Medrano 
Rated: PG-13 
Archive: Please don't archive on any site without permission 
from the author.  

Disclaimer: The characters of the X-Files do not belong to 
me. They are the property of Chris Carter, 1013 
Productions, and Fox Broadcasting. I don't own the 
characters, Fiver, Hazel and Bigwig from 'Watership 
Down' by Richard Adams. The mention of McDonald's is 
not an endorsement from the author. No copyright 
infringement is intended.  

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Family: Beginnings


At The Church... 

David William Mulder wailed when the cold rush of 
water poured onto his forehead. 

Only a moment ago, he was at peace in the many arms 
that held him. Oblivious to his surroundings, the voices 
that spoke around him were silent as one voice rose above 
them. Feeling the strange but soft pressure on his 
forehead, the infant frowned until the water hit him 
causing his cries to echo throughout the chapel as those 
who were there to witness his baptism smiled. 

Fox Mulder stood near his wife, fighting the urge to take 
his son back to comfort him from the unpleasantness that 
had just occurred. Yet, a smile like those around him 
escaped as he watched his son put up a fuss like any baby 
would at the age of four weeks.  

In the arms of Amy Scully, David continued his loud 
protest as the Father McCue proceeded with the blessing. 
Moving in closer to take the baby's hand, Charlie Scully 
beamed at his nephew, feeling proud to be the godfather 
of his sister's first child.  

When the service was over, Dana Mulder welcomed back 
her crying son into her arms. In his short time away from 
the womb, David recognized the warmth and softness of 
his mother. His tears slowing down to a snuffle and one 
hiccup escaped his tiny lips.  

Straightening the christening gown that many Scully 
children including Dana herself worn, David was quiet 
once again and let a few noises escape his throat.  

Guiding her hand along the length of the silk materiel to 
smooth it out, once Dana was satisfied, she turned to her 
husband who smiled at her. Fox bent down to kiss their 
son on the forehead that had just been blessed. 

Posing for pictures, the parents, grandmothers, godparents 
and a priest surrounded David Mulder who took no notice 
to the flashing of the cameras before him as he greedily 
sucked on his fist...  

xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx 

Somewhere In The World... 

He moved inside his space. 

Kept alive against his wishes. The many voices invaded 
him once more.  

The doctors would come. The strange men would visit.  

It took all his will to control their voices as their minds 
opened up to him.  

Forcing him to listen. 

One voice reached out to him.  

He cursed back to the hatred man. With his mouth still 
alive to express a verbal assault against his father.  

A smile soon appeared on his father's face as he opened 
his mind to him and shared the blessed event. The images 
of a baby appeared. Reliving the hatred man's joy and 
love for his grandchild. The colorful face of the newborn 
brought such peace for him. 

A child so young... so innocent as he himself had once 
been. To have those years back would be a gift just as 
Death would be most welcoming to the tormented man. 

Without speaking it, the father answered the question that 
was not asked but was seen in the face of his son. Finding 
the answer in his mind, the young man felt the tears 
escaping.  

" David... " Jeffrey Spender spoke his nephew's name... 

xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx 

Somewhere In Virginia: An Abandoned Building... 

" Emily? "  

Stirring from her restless sleep, Emily turned to the voice 
that awakened her.  

" We gotta go, Emily... Come on! " A young man pulled 
on her arm.  

Nodding her head to her brother, Emily rose from the old 
mattress with her Bible clinched to her chest. Having kept 
it with her since the older woman she met gave it to her, 
Emily treasured it. It was the only possession she owned 
besides the clothing she worn and the love of her brother 
who stayed with her.  

" Thomas...Where is Eric? " Emily asked as she allowed 
her brother to lead.  

" He's gone ahead... but don't worry, we're going to meet 
him. With any luck, he'll have something for us to eat. " 
Thomas reassured her.  

" I hope he does... I'm so hungry, Thomas... "  

" I know, Emily... So am I... " Thomas let out a sigh as 
they entered the busy metropolis. 

They were all that was left of the family they knew. 
Having spent the beginning of their lives like so many of 
them, they had only known the world in the science base 
with the men and women that walked among them in 
white coats and soured faces.  

Emily remembered her days there. The memory of it 
would never go away. Many that were like her were 
grown to be subjects to the test that were run. Housed 
together, each hybrid struggled to survive. Though she 
had no name at the time, Emily was fortunate to find that 
she had a sister among them. Knowing that they came 
from the same mother allowed their love and togetherness 
helped them through the hell they were forced to endure.  

Their end was to come near when they were found not to 
be test worthily and their ova were to be harvest as the 
sudden explosion destroyed the madness the two sisters 
and the other hybrids knew when the rebel aliens 
attacked.  

Not knowing what they were, the two sisters fled with the 
other hybrids as the scientists were killed before them. 
They themselves were not safe when the screams of the 
hybrids mingled with the death cries of the humans. 

Finding a place to hide, the two sisters huddled together 
in the safe and dark tunnel of the air vent that they 
resealed before the alien destroyers passed them. Closing 
their eyes, they both remained quiet with their hearts 
beating together as death continued around them.  

Some hours later, when the world they once knew was 
silent they came out from their hiding place and found a 
tall redheaded stranger standing before them.  

The panic in their hearts as they were about to flee when 
the stranger called to them. " Don't go, sisters! I'm a 
brother... We come from the same mother. "  

Stopping as he commanded, the two sisters hugged each 
other as the hybrid stranger approached them.  

He smiled at them with pride and voiced. " I knew there 
was reason to come here. I dreamt of this. " He placed a 
hand on each of their faces. " You are safe, sisters... I  
am your brother... I am Jeffrey but we must leave now! The 
humans are coming... " 

" Then we must stay... We will be saved by them... " One 
of the sisters spoke.  

" You will be killed. The humans don't care for you 
anymore... Look at me, you know I speak the truth... " 
Jeffrey stared into their eyes.  

Trusting him, they allowed their brother Jeffrey to take 
them away before the storm of humans arrived to the 
destruction the sisters left behind.  

In their new home, surrounded by their siblings, the two 
sisters were overwhelmed by the love that greeted them 
when Jeffrey introduced them to the family.  

" Do you have names, sisters? " Jeffrey had asked. 

" We... we have no names... They said we couldn't have  
one... " One of the sisters answered.  

" Nonsense... Everyone deserves a name. If you would 
allow me... I will choose names for you? " 

The feeling of trust to their savior and those of the family 
that stood before them, the two sisters agreed.  

" You... " Jeffrey took the face of the redheaded sister into 
his hand. " I will call you 'Annie'... For such a beauty as 
you... "  

" Annie? Oh, I like that! It's beautiful. I'm Annie!! I'm  
Annie!! "  The young hybrid smiled and jumped to hug 
her sister.  

" What... What will you call me? " The other sister asked 
her brother Jeffrey, wanting to be as happy as her sister. 

" As you see, there are many of us... We all come from 
the same mother that we love... There had been one of us, 
who had known our mother and for the short of time of 
her life... was loved by our mother... Just as we hope one 
day that our mother will know and love us... Had our little 
sister lived, she would have looked much like you... And 
to honor her memory I will give you her name... "  

" ...Emily? " Thomas pulled on her arm. " Come on, 
there's Eric... "  

Avoiding the heavy traffic as the two siblings ran across 
the street to their friend that waited for them with a bag  
of food from McDonald's... 

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The Mulders' Apartment... 

Fox Mulder would have never imagined that a loud 
production of sounds could come from such a tiny person 
as his son. 

Bringing the baby close to his chest, Fox positioned him 
carefully in his arms. Still a bit worried about not holding 
his son right, Fox was overwhelmed by the helplessness 
that David represented and the needs of care that the baby 
demanded.  

It was much easier to hold David when he wasn't crying. 
Not having to fear the movement and squirming that he 
would do when his crying fits would start. Fox was afraid 
David would slip out of his arms and fall headfirst onto 
the floor. The thought of that caused Fox to press his son 
closer to him as he carried him to the changing table.  

After his first few tries at diapering, Fox cursed the 
instructor at the birthing class for using plastic dolls as 
models for them to practice on. Never having been near a 
baby when it was changed, Fox as a kid ran away every 
time his sister's diapers stunk.  

Even for his young age, David seemed to be showing his 
sense of humor and reserved his impression of a fire hose 
for good old dad. With Dana constantly reminding him to 
cover David's area, Fox was having enough trouble with 
the baby wipes and being careful not to hurt his son while 
he cleaned him.  

It bothered Fox how vulnerable David was. Being so little 
and fragile, Fox was determined to protect his son as he 
took care of him.  

David was beautiful. A miracle that Fox never expected 
in his life. The love he felt for his son blossomed when 
the nurse placed him into his arms. At first Fox was 
frightened, wanting to put the baby back with Dana again 
where he could admire their son safe with his mother. Yet 
when he felt the warmth generating from his son's body 
and feeling the gently raising of his chest against his,  
Fox knew then he could never let go and placed a kiss on his 
son's forehead.  

Yet the romantic part of their creation reminded his 
parents that he was still a living human being and the late 
night crying was David's defined showing of power.  

The first night home and the few hours after the many 
visitors had left. Fox's sleep was suddenly disturbed by a 
sound he thought he had mentally prepared himself for.  

" What the hell is that?! " His eyes flew opened from the 
unfamiliar sound.  

" That's your son... " Dana reminded him. 

Let out a silent laugh, Fox turned to see Dana rising from 
the bed.  

" No, stay here, Dana... Let me take care of David. " Fox 
pulled her back onto the bed. 

" Well, do you feel up to it? " Dana questioned him.  

" He's my son... Of course I can. Thanks for your faith in 
me. "  

" I didn't mean it that way, Fox... " Dana settled in a 
sitting position on the bed.  

" I know... but I can do it... " Fox got off the bed with 
David's cries growing louder.  

Not having once done anything for his son since they 
arrived home from the hospital, Fox wanted to prove not 
only to himself that he could be of help in caring for 
David. Yet the first day was spent with Dana's family 
coming in and out of the apartment, holding and coddling 
the newborn that show no interest in the strangers around 
him including his parents. Only when hunger or 
discomfort disturbed the newborn's limited world that 
David's voice howled over the adults' fussing.  

Fox remained nearby, waiting and checking on his son 
even with all the bodies that separated him from David. 
Each time he heard his son crying, Fox tried to reach him 
only to be cut off by the women that surrounded Dana and 
the baby, leaving him out of the care that was required at 
the moment.  

Now with the family gone, Fox answered his son's needs 
only to rush to the room when he saw the lights and heard 
noises coming from the nursery.  

Pushing the door opened, Fox jumped in to find his 
mother-in-law, Maggie holding his crying son as she 
gently rocked him.  

" Hello, Fox... " Maggie smiled when she placed David on 
the changing table.  

Moving up to them, Fox returned the smile. He had 
forgotten that Maggie was staying with them for a few 
days to help them with the baby. 

Fox took his son's covered hand and playfully bounced it 
while he talked gently to smooth David's crying that 
continued in a loud and unstoppable volume.  

It ended when Maggie slipped a pacifier into the baby's 
mouth, which he took and sucked on hard.  

" Hungry and wet... " Maggie rubbed her hand gently on 
David's tiny cheek.  

" Where the hell does he get the voice... " Fox marveled at 
his son.  

Taking in the baby's features, from his rosy cheeks to his 
button nose gave no clues to what David would look like 
as an adult. Whether he would be cursed with a nose like 
Fox or have the strong chin of his mother, would not be 
known for years. Yet with what little hair David had, the 
color of his future mare would be that of his father's. 

Not since the hospital did Fox have the chance to be able 
to absorb the sight of his son.  

David, like so many before him, held the mystery of 
genetics.  

He was part of Fox and part of Dana, just as they were the 
continuous chains from their parents and the generations 
before them. Yet David was still individual who would 
one day stand on his own and perhaps find a person to 
expand the line that brought all generations together.  

Slipping David's nightgown past his legs, Maggie then 
stopped and pulled Fox over to where she was standing.  

Surprised by her actions, a wave of fear came across his 
face when Fox realized what Maggie was doing. The 
opportunity he was waiting for was now given to him that 
Fox suddenly doubt it he could do.  

" Have you ever changed a diaper, Fox? " Maggie asked. 

" Uh, no... " Fox shook his head. "Except on those plastic 
dolls at the birthing class... "  

" Well, it's time for you to learn to do it right. "  

Looking at Maggie then at his son, Fox swallowed hard 
and with all the caution he could give, lift the nightgown 
past what was left of the umbilical cord.  

It was the only ugly thing that David had. The last 
reminder of the nine months he spent inside of Dana, and 
it was Fox who had cut that connection when David was 
born. 

He remembered being in such a state of shock during 
the entire birth that when the nurse instructed him to cut 
the cord Fox simply did as he was told. Still in the wonder 
of the squirmy, bloody, messy and most beautiful baby he 
had ever seen that all the horrendous images from the 
birthing videos were forgotten.  

With what was left of the umbilical cord, now stood on 
his son's belly protruding toward the sky. It would be a 
matter of weeks before it would fall off that Fox at first 
teased that they would have it bronzed and use it as a 
paperweight.  

Frowning at it, Fox knew he had to be careful around it. 
Dana without meaning to made him nervous about the 
umbilical cord as she informed him of their needs to 
clean and expose it to the air to advance the healing and 
keeping it from being infected.  

Feeling a reassuring pat on his hand from Maggie, Fox 
reviewed in his mind everything that he had read, learned 
from the birthing class and from what Dana had told him. 
He didn't have to be a master of it or even make a big 
production. Yet it was the first step he would take in the 
care of his son and the feeling of responsibility weighted 
heavy on him. He was certain that this would be the 
easiest part of parenting. It would be the learning and 
guidance that would come to educating a fertile mind that 
belonged to his son that left Fox in the anxiety he was 
feeling. Where the adults in his life had failed, Fox did 
not want to repeat the pattern on his son. David needed to 
see a different world than the one that had shaped his 
father.  

With the removal of the first tape on the soiled diaper, 
Fox Mulder entered into parenthood. 

Maggie stood near him. Helping Fox step by step from 
removing the diaper to covering David's area from any 
accidents to cleaning both his bottom and the umbilical 
cord. Once the fresh diaper was taped and the nightgown 
was back on, Fox let out a breath of relief while Maggie 
patted him on the back. 

" There you did! " Maggie smiled. 

" Jesus... that was hard. "  

" It will get easier... "  

" Promise, Ma? "  

" You're going to do fine, Fox...  Now... " Maggie picked 
up the baby and placed him into Fox's arms. " ... this little 
fellow needs a feeding. "  

A kiss on his son's forehead, Fox smiled at him. " Let's go see  
Momma... " and walked out of the room leaving Maggie behind  
with her memories... 

xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx 

" Fox..? Honey, do you need any help? "  

Turning to the voice that called him, Fox answered.  
" Uh... No, I'm just about finished here, Mom... "  

Teena Mulder walked to her son's side and watched the 
progress of Fox changing a diaper.  

" Bill never did this... "  

" What? "  

" Never changed a diaper... for either you or for 
Samantha. "  

" Well, I don't think many men back then did those things. " 

" No... No, they didn't. " Teena let out a sigh.  

Reaching over to touch the baby's cheek, Teena had fallen 
madly in love with her grandchild the moment she laid 
her eyes on him a few days after he was born. Now 
visiting for his baptism, Teena spent every moment she 
could be near him. Always with the memories flooding 
her as she recalled the time she brought her own son into 
the world. Looking as beautiful as this child that stolen 
her heart. 

Bringing the baby into his arms, Fox gave his son a kiss 
on the forehead that had become a ritual for him. Simply 
saying the words were not enough to express the feelings 
that Fox had for David. This small child had given 
everyone in the family a new meaning to life and a new 
beginning for them all. Where everything had died around 
them, David was the reminder of the renewal that the 
world shared in the many aspect of life.  

" Want to take over, Mom? " Fox offered the now quiet 
baby to his grandmother. 

With a smile, Teena opened her arms and took in her new 
joy. Walking past her son, she settled in the rocking chair 
and hummed a tune that was familiar to Fox.  

He had heard his mother hum the same tune to both him 
and to Samantha. Though he had no memories from 
infancy, Fox could still remember sitting on his mother's 
lap, feeling the same motion of the chair rocking while 
the voice of his mother lulled him to sleep. Perhaps the 
memories had blended into one, leaving him uncertain at 
which age he was, it was still a memory he cherished 
even more now as history repeated itself with a new 
generation that rested in his mother's arms.  

Fox was glad that his mother was here. He was even 
gladder that he made peace with her a few months ago. 
Able to put aside the truth he accepted that night about 
his parental, Fox knew he could live without a father but 
not without his mother. No matter what sins she 
committed could not outweigh the love Fox had for her. It 
was a matter of forgiveness that Fox felt when he 
awakened that morning from the noise he heard in the 
living room.  

Without waking Dana up, Fox came into the room to find 
his mother moving her luggage to the front door.  

" Mom...? " Fox called to her.  

Startled by his voice, Teena turned to face him. " Oh, 
Fox... I'm sorry that I woke you up. Go back to bed. "  

" No... It's all right. Ma, what are you doing? "  

" I... I called the taxi service to pick me up and take me to 
the airport. I had hoped to do this before you and Dana 
woke up. "  

" You were going to sneak out? "  

" I didn't want to be a bother. "  

" I told you last night, Mom... You're not a bother... and I 
don't appreciate you leaving me like this. "  

" I'm not leaving you, Fox... I'm going home... I told  
you... "  

" You're leaving me. You always leave me when things 
get rough. I don't want you to go! "  

" Fox... I... "  

" NO! No more of this, Mom... I'm tired of it! I'm tired of 
you running from me... I'm tired of myself running too. 
It's all we ever do!! Run away from each other! I don't 
want to run anymore, Mom! I...I don't care who my father 
is... I only care about you! " Fox reached out and took her 
arm. " Please don't go, Mom... Please don't leave me 
again... "  

Pulling her into his arms, Teena responded by embracing 
her son back. Feeling the weight of her son as well as the 
guilt in her heart, Teena brought herself down onto the 
couch with Fox on his knees in front of her.  

Holding on to each other, Fox freely voiced both the fear 
and love he had for his mother. No fathers, no ghosts or 
even the truth kept him from allowing the walls to break 
down and showed his emotions to his mother. The one 
person who was his first love, an old love that was shared 
between a mother and her child that he did not want to 
end.  

With his pleading to her, Teena cried for him. For all the 
pain she had caused to her son. All the lost years they had 
spent fighting with one another through the misunderstanding  
they would have. For the many sleepless nights that she  
knew he had suffered from the truth he seek. Now a different  
truth stood before them. The truth that she known from the  
day Fox was born. A bond they shared no matter what. For 
Teena now knew the love she had for her son was the same  
as his love for her.  

Neither of them noticed Dana standing in the doorway, 
with the smiles that they both had on their faces.  

Leaving his mother and son alone in the nursery, Fox 
walked to the bedroom and opened the door carefully to 
look in. Dana was sounded asleep. With a chance to take 
a nap, she needed the rest as much as Fox did. Her 
recovery from the birth had been much easier than Fox 
expected. Fearing she would suffer from exhaustion, 
Dana was an alert and attentive mother to David. Leaving 
much of care in her hands even with the help she was 
receiving from the family.  

Crawling into bed to be by her side, Fox slipped under the 
covers without awaking her but he had no luck with Rat 
who shot her cat eyes at him for disturbing her peace.  

" Sorry, Rat... " Fox patted the feline. 

Appearing to accept his apology, Rat closed her eyes and 
curled into a ball again.  

The cat was amazing. With the change in life for her 
owners, Rat showed very little interest in David since 
they had brought him home. Afraid that Rat may not react 
well to the newborn, the introduction to the feline 
member of the family to David had been on the cat's 
terms. Hopping on to the couch during one of David's 
crying fits, Rat moved up slowly to Dana who held the 
baby in her arms with the cat's head bouncing side to side 
taking in the strange smell as well as the strange sound. 
Rat went no furthered than to David's feet and smelt the 
covered toes. With a look of who's cares written on her 
face, Rat jumped off the couch with the same grace she 
always had and went to her favorite place in the window 
to watch the birds fly by.  

Feeling Rat's soft fur, Fox thought of one day getting a 
dog to complete the family of pets they owned. His 
goldfish were still thriving despite an occasion scratching 
on the glass tank when Rat would have a sudden interest 
in fish food. Other than that, no fish had lost a life 
because of the cat's dislike for water.  

The only dog he ever owned was more of a group 
ownership that Fox was part of. Having found the stray 
living on the grounds of Oxford, Fox and his roommate 
kept the dog for a few months until they were ordered by 
the administration to get rid of it. Thanks to his 
roommate's family they were able to find a home for the 
beloved dog. 

Covering Dana with his arm, Fox nestled his face against 
the back of her neck. This was the only physical contact 
they could share thanks to the doctor's orders and the 
caring of their son affected the sex life that they were use 
to having. Fox gave light kisses on Dana's neck and 
suckled the flesh that caused her to shiver in her sleep.  

His tongue slid around the area where the scar was on the 
back of her neck that hid the metal implant under her 
skin. Fox didn't worry about it or even care at that 
moment when he felt the weight of sleep forcing his eyes 
to close.  

In a short time, Fox Mulder fell asleep with his arm 
wrapped around Dana's chest as her hand covered his 
own. The sound of Fox sucking softly on her sweet flesh 
was the only sound that disturbed no one... 

xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx 

Somewhere In Virginia... 

Emily walked between her brother and their friend Eric 
from a long day of surviving.  

Returning back to the abandoned building that they had 
lived in for the past week, Emily bit back her grief at the 
memory of what she and her brother had lost.  

The house in Virginia was the first home Emily ever 
knew. Through the comfortable surroundings she would 
only know for a few days, her brother Jeffrey sent her and 
two other siblings to the house in New York to help the 
six siblings that lived there, prepare the home for when 
the whole family was to move there after winter.  

It had been heartbreaking to leave her sister Annie 
behind, but the chance to see another part of the world 
had excited her more than ever.  

There Emily found the bond she would develop with her 
brother Thomas, who lived in the house since the 
beginning of the year, taught her many things in the books 
and pictures he would find as they spent their free time in 
the libraries that belonged to the humans. 

Her very first Christmas in her life and away from the 
madness of the Project kept the joy in her spirit. Like the 
child she was in her heart, Emily helped decorate the 
Christmas tree with the other siblings for a quiet 
celebration in New York. Yet they all wished to be in 
Virginia where their mother was now with the family just 
as brother Jeffrey had promised.  

Remembering her image that Jeffrey shared with her and 
Annie the first day they were with the family. So beautiful 
her mother was. More beautiful then Emily could ever 
believe. How she was a part of her mother Emily 
understood from the books she read. Still she marveled at 
the idea of information exchanged through the flesh and 
blood of men and women that left Emily to wonder whom 
her father was.  

" No one cares about the fathers, Emily... It is our Mother 
that binds us together. " Thomas explained on Christmas 
Eve.  

" Still, wouldn't you like to know who he is? Maybe we 
share the same father as we share the same mother? "  

" I don't think about who or where he is. I always thought 
of our Mother... She is the only person next to you, 
Emily... that matters to me. "  

" I can't wait for the baby to be born... Do you think 
Jeffrey will let me help take care of the baby, Thomas? I'll 
be careful... "  

" I'm sure he will, Emily. "  

" Do you think Mother will like us? I wish we could be 
there right now. They must be having so much fun. "  

" I wish we could be there too, Emily... but it won't be 
long. Mother and the others will be here with us... and so 
will the baby. We will be a true family... "  

" ...Emily? " Thomas pulled on his sister's hand as they 
followed their friend Eric into the building as darkness 
soon claimed the day.  

Having met Eric through the rough journey they had taken 
since the death of the family, he was hybrid just like 
them. Though he came from a different mother, he felt 
the bond with the two siblings through the creation of 
their lives. They had been victims that still suffered to 
this day. Yet together they have managed to survive the 
harshness that was the human race.  

With the one candle lit near their bedding, the three 
hybrids relaxed themselves for the night ahead. Emily 
placed the Bible she carried all today on her lap as she sat 
on the lumpy mattress on the floor. Her fingers glided 
across the cover of the Bible, feeling the comfort she had 
since it was given to her.  

" You carry that bible with you all the time, Emily. Are 
you ever planning on reading it? " Eric had asked her the 
same question before.  

" I told you... I don't believe in God. " Emily lowered her 
head.  

" You don't... but you keep that book? "  

" I like the way it feels... besides the lady gave it to me. "  

" Too bad there isn't anymore money in it... but what we 
got today, we'll have breakfast again tomorrow. " Eric sat 
near Thomas on the other old mattress.  

Laying her body down on to her mattress, Emily hugged 
the Bible to her once more. It had become a part of her 
that she needed in her life. The words that the Bible held 
never passed through her lips, Emily felt the pages 
through her fingers but the words frightened her. She 
didn't want to believe in a god that would make its 
creation suffer as they did. Suffering was all around them, 
not only in their lives but in the humans and animals as 
well. More horrors that Emily tried to shut away but they 
came to her in the dreams that haunted her subconscious.  

" Emily... Why don't you read something for us? Before 
the sun is gone. " Thomas pulled a beat-up old paperback 
from under the mattress that he had stolen from the 
library and handed it to her.  

Despite its condition, the title 'Watership Down' blazed 
across the cover. The name of the book did not reveal 
what the story was about but the drawing of the rabbit 
remained colorful as the story itself.  

It had been a favorite book among the young hybrids. 
They understood the struggle that the rabbits endured to 
find their place in the world. 

Emily imagined herself to be the smallest of the rabbits in 
the story named Fiver. Though she lack the psychic skills 
the rabbit had despite what Thomas told her in the past 
about herself, the heart and beliefs the rabbit possessed 
Emily was strongly attracted to.  

Hazel, the brother of Fiver and leader to the group of the 
rabbits, Emily knew was her brother Thomas. Had it not 
been for her brother's determination, none of them would 
be alive without his guidance to the small group they 
were in. It was not hard to figure out that Eric was 
Bigwig, a rough and strong hardheaded individual just 
like the large rabbit was in the story.  

Opening the book, Emily flipped through the pages.  
" Where do you want me to start? The beginning or where 
Bigwig gets caught in the farmer's trap? "  

" Start at the beginning, Emily... I always liked the 
beginning. " Eric answered her.  

" The beginning is always the best place to start,  
Emily... " Thomas agreed.  

With a smile that brightened the room, Emily turned back 
a few pages and began reading the first chapter... 

xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx 

Maggie Scully's House... 

Inserting the 3.5 disk into the computer, Maggie reviewed 
the pictures that were taken with a digital camera at her 
grandson's christening yesterday. She planned to email 
several of the pictures to her son Bill and his family in 
San Diego.  

Though she had trouble deciding which pictures to 
choose from or whether to exclude Fox from as many 
shots as possible so not to upset her son. Maggie decided 
Bill had to get use to seeing Fox being in family photos 
and opened up her favorite one of him holding the baby 
after the blessing.  

It was a candid shot that Charlie had taken, showing the 
care Fox was giving to his son. Maggie smiled remembering  
how scared Fox was when he held David after his birth,  
asking constantly if he was holding or not hurting the  
baby who was so quiet in his father's arms.  

Another grandson.  

Maggie was not complaining. David was a blessing for 
her daughter and husband. Seeing how Dana was with her 
baby left no doubt in Maggie's mind that despite all the 
cruel events that had happened in the last few months, 
God had been good to them.  

David was Maggie's little angel. 

She was so in love with the baby that leaving him for the 
past few days left her heart aching for him. Yet with Fox's 
mother being here for the weekend, Maggie felt it was 
best for her to give them the space they needed.  

That was just an excuse. Maggie could not stand seeing 
Teena Mulder. The woman was unbearable and much of a 
hog when it came to the baby.  

Foreseeing that Teena would compete for their 
grandchild's attention could label David a spoiled brat 
whenever she would visit. That was the only good thing 
about the woman, her living in Connecticut would limit 
her contact and influence on the baby.  

Of course, Maggie herself would have to resist the 
temptation not to spoil David. Though he was not her first 
grandchild, unlike her other grandsons, Maggie would be 
there to watch David grow up.  

It had already been arranged that she would care for 
David a few days a week when Dana returned to work 
and her being there to help out now was developing the 
loving bond Maggie was having for her grandson.  

Already the pictures of the new addition were spent 
around the house and Maggie kept as many snapshots of 
her new grandson in her purse to show off to her friends.  

After choosing the pictures she wanted Maggie attached 
and wrote a note to Bill before sending off the email. 
Once she was done there, Maggie pulled up Walter 
Skinner's email address and decided to send a few 
pictures to him.  

Walter had been so sweet to Maggie and her family. 
When the baby was born, not only did he send flowers to 
Dana and Fox, but Maggie was also shock to see the 
beautiful bouquet he sent to her congratulating her on 
being a new Grandma.  

Having not seen Walter since Christmas when Dana was 
in the hospital, Maggie had no desire for the relationship 
that they once were driving for, but the new friendship 
that was developing through the email they sent to each 
other was more to her liking.  

Once she was done Maggie shut off her computer and 
walked into the kitchen for a cup of tea. 

As she waited for the water to boil, the telephone ringing 
caused Maggie to reach over and answer it before the 
message machine picked it up.  

" Hello, this is the Scully residence... "  

The other end was silence but Maggie could hear light 
breathing.  

" Hello? Who is this? Hello!! Is anyone... " Maggie 
shouted until she heard the other end of the line 
disconnected.  

Placing the receiver back into the body of the phone, 
Maggie frowned at the rudeness and childish behavior of 
other people. Still she would make a point to be cautious 
if she would receive another call like that.  

Maggie turned and removed the whistling teapot from the 
stove... 

xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx 

Somewhere In Virginia: An Abandoned Building... 

Emily tossed and turned in her sleep. 

Visions invaded her subconscious as she tried to run from 
them. Not wanting them to consume her even as the 
dream swept her in. 

It was Christmas Eve once more. Christmas Eve when all 
hell broke loose on her family. 

She had been in bed that night, fallen asleep on the couch 
in front of the Christmas tree as she sat next to her 
brother Thomas. It was he who carried her to her room 
and wished her a Merry Christmas when he tucked her in 
for a good night sleep.  

Then the nightmare darkened her mind and pulled her 
toward two figures that stood together. Their bodies 
covered for battle and their weapons firing.  

One brother fell. 

One sister had fallen. 

Her siblings were dying as the two figures aimed directly 
to the killing point murdering her family.  

A pregnant woman, who she recognized as her mother, 
was carried in the arms of one of the murderers. Forcing 
their way as many more of her siblings died trying to save 
their mother.  

Hearing the death scream of her sister Annie, only the 
sudden heat drew her attention away as the house erupted 
into flames. 

She tried to stop her brother Jeffrey from dissolving when 
his murderer moved toward the house. 

Hearing the cries of the souls that reach out to her as their 
lives suddenly ended. Their voices demanding to be 
known and to have justice from the crimes committed on 
them for existing.  

Emily awakened by the shaking of her brother. The 
worried look on his face bared the same as the other 
siblings who came to her screams. 

" THEY'RE DEAD!! THEY'RE DEAD!!" Emily pounded 
on Thomas' chest. " THEY'RE DEAD!! OH, THOMAS, 
THEY'RE DEAD!! "  

Trying to calm her with their arms encasing her, the hours 
they spent together to reassure Emily that the family in 
Virginia was not dead. The lack of communication due to 
the precautions that brother Jeffrey had taken left the 
family in New York wondering if Emily's words were true 
when the darkness was suddenly brightened by a burst of 
light.  

Only the sound could be heard with their vision blinded. 
The gunshots fired and the screams again surrounded her. 
She felt the grab of her hand and her body moving with 
speed that the blinding light and the death cries of her 
siblings faded. 

Somehow Thomas had saved her. Only to turn back to see 
their home burning from the fire set by the men of the 
Project who hunted them down to destroy them.  

Hiding in the woods, only when it was safe that Thomas 
led her away with his promise to her that they would go to 
Virginia to find their family. Yet the journey ended as it 
had begun when a brother they had met, warned them not 
to go to the house in Virginia. He had been a survivor of 
the death that claimed the family on Christmas Eve. He 
refused to stay with them and moved on.  

Still the two siblings went to the house only to now 
believe the truth as they stood on the ground of death.  

Memories... now a part of her nightmare that soon turned 
into a dream. The image of the woman who gave her the 
Bible and the sense of love that generated from her gave 
Emily hope to the future that the woman was willing to 
give to her. Yet it was suddenly lost when Emily saw a 
lone figure standing before her.  

One of the murderers had returned. Still in his battle wear 
with no weapons in his hands and his face shadowed by 
his helmet, invaded her mind.  

The wave of death crashed through her with the one word 
that tried to voice through her mouth. 

Air... 

Air... 

Air... 

The screams of reality brought Emily from her nightmare. 
Trying to claw passed her brother and their friend as she 
begged for mercy from the visions that were now gone... 
  


The End. 

Feeback is welcome... agentsinlove@yahoo.com

  
  
  
  
Title: Family II: Heaven 
Author: Jo Ann Medrano 
Rated: NC-17 
Archive: Please don't archive on any site without permission 
from the author.  

Disclaimer: The characters of the X-Files do not belong to 
me. They are the property of Chris Carter, 1013 Productions, 
and Fox Broadcasting. No copyright infringement is 
intended.  

xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx 

Family: Heaven

  
Somewhere In The World... 

Alex Krycek closed his eyes and allowed himself to relax.  
A pleasure he did not do often.  

Not with the things he was involved with in his life that 
needed his attention.  

He was a man with a mission. A purpose in life that he 
would have never dreamed of when he was growing up and 
surrounded by his loving parents.  

Unlike those he would encounter with, his parents did not 
shape him into the man that he was now. His life then had  
a different purpose that his father hoped he would be but 
ended on a dirt road by a drunken driver that left only the 
eight-year-old boy alive near his dead and mangled parents.  

Raised by his aunt, Alex having faced death and the 
image of what death represented gave him the desire to stay 
ahead of death. Keeping it from taking him too soon in life as 
it did to his parents. Death was his enemy and one day would 
be his savior. Alex fought forward until he was led to the 
most unexpected road when a man approached him and 
offered him an opportunity that would always pit him against  
Death. 

A challenge that Alex Krycek could not resist. He became an 
agent for the United States government that still spied on 
their former enemies. It was there that he had drawn the 
attention of the Consortiums who recruited him and changed 
his life forever. 

His time in Russia could never prepare him for the new 
assignment he was to take in the States when he was to 
infiltrate the working life of a FBI agent named Fox Mulder. 
Krycek at the time failed to understand the importance 
Mulder had to the man he took his orders from.  

It was not that Mulder was a threat to the working structure 
of the Project but more of a nuisance or a spoiled brat as he 
was. Which were the true reasons for the protection Mulder 
received was nothing more then a father guarding his 
illegitimate son from the death sentence that would befall 
upon the enemies of the Consortiums. It was sometime 
before Krycek learned this secret and kept it to him. Mulder 
received his protection as well but for other reasons.  

Mulder. 

Never had there been a man who held Krycek's interest 
before in his life.  

Even when he had offered his hand to the distrusting Mulder 
the first time they met, Krycek felt the attraction that was 
reserved for the opposite sex. A revelation, that shook his 
being and the image of himself as a heterosexual.  

Yet these emotions he pushed to the side as he was forced to 
pit himself against Mulder to protect the Project and 
eventually to his own interests. 

When he had become a rogue, Krycek's world had been 
turned upside down and as well as his beliefs were shattered 
through the disk he stolen. Selling the information to build 
an empire that would stand against the Project was brought 
down by Mulder's interference.  

Goddamn Mulder. 

Krycek should have shot him dead the moment he had the 
chance. Even when he was partied in the execution of Bill 
Mulder, Krycek felt he had done Mulder a favor. Ending the 
abuse cycle with Mulder's father that had trouble the FBI 
agent. Krycek never regret his involvement even with the 
accusing eyes that burned from Mulder with his lip pouting 
and shivering from the anger growing from within. The 
forceful grabs and punches with the ever-present gun 
pointing to his head, Krycek held true to his feeling for 
Mulder as the only man that Krycek could feel this way for.  

Alex Krycek lusted for Fox Mulder. 

Wanting to touch him in ways that he had never dreamed of 
doing with a person of the same sex. For years he had fought 
these images from his mind when he felt the loneliness or his 
chance encounters with the man that haunted his subconscious  
that he dare not share with anyone. Not even the love of his  
life was aware of the feelings he had for Fox Mulder.  

With the downfall of the Consortiums, the Project continued 
under new blood that Krycek helped lead. The only survivor 
of the original group still commanded but allowed the others 
including Krycek to the decision making with one catch.  

No harm was to ever come to Fox Mulder or Dana Scully. 
An agreement, that was suitable to Krycek and forced upon 
the others who dare to disagree with the condition.  

Though the old man never stated his reasons or made 
excuses as he had done in the past, Krycek was not a fool. 
Yet he humored the old man for a short time and even 
excused his secret between them.  

A father, who loved his son... 

A son who would never love his father...  

As for Krycek, he was a man who would never explore the 
emotions or uncover the reasons for what he felt toward 
Fox Mulder.  

Perhaps it was more than simply lust that driven him to 
Mulder. He admired Fox Mulder's strong beliefs and 
determination to what was right against the injustice that 
was before him. Despite his intelligence and foresight, Fox 
Mulder, in Krycek's eyes, was still a child. It was that 
innocence that Krycek also loved and hated. For it left 
Mulder blind to what was truly in front of him and what he 
really needed in the world.  

The person who stood beside him at shoulder length was the 
one person that Krycek knew Fox Mulder had feelings for.  

Dana Scully's presence in Mulder's life had altered the 
approach the overzealous agent took in each of the cases he 
handled. Yet the fool-hardness still governed Mulder's 
actions including his over-protective nature toward Scully. 

Krycek had witnessed Mulder's downfall when Agent Scully 
was taken by Duane Barry and delivered to the men of the 
Project.  

Having dealt with Barry's traitorous mouth, Krycek went into 
hiding but remained in the shadows to witness the reunion of 
the agents and the relationship that blossomed between the 
two blind fools. 

Not since his own emotions had Krycek known such love 
that was shared by two people leaving a jealous streak in 
him. Knowing that no matter how much he loved Marita 
Covarrubias, it could never compare to what Mulder and 
Scully shared between each other. Love and trust bind them 
together but left them blinded to what each of them felt 
toward one another. Whether it was the fear of showing their 
emotions that would make them weak, it was a bond that 
made them strong through each of the crises they faced.  

There was a time Krycek actually felt pity for them. That 
they would give up the chance of the unique love they shared 
that would be envied by many. 

Through the possession of several videotapes proved to 
Krycek that he had the wrong impression of Fox Mulder and 
Dana Scully.  

Forcing Walter Skinner to spy upon the two agents, a 
recorded history was secretly being documented by the 
hidden camera in their basement office. Its task was to watch 
for details to the cases that would lead Mulder and Scully to 
any investigations connected to the Project.  

What was presented was at first hidden by Skinner, but with 
a simple movement of a switch activated the nanotechnology 
in Skinner's bloodstream, and relinquished him of the 
missing tapes from the sequence of dates.  

With his curiosity intact, Krycek slipped one of the tapes 
into the machine that was in Skinner's office as the AD 
rested on his desk to recover from the attack. 

Never had Krycek been lost for words as he watched the 
events unfold across the television screen showing Fox 
Mulder and Dana Scully having an intimate moment 
together.  

Turning his shocked face to Skinner, Krycek removed the 
tape from the machine and as he was about to walk out of 
the room, Skinner called to him.  

" Please... No one must know about this... " 

" Don't worry... " Krycek smiled. " No one will... " 

Alone in his own space, Krycek viewed the videotape over 
and over again. Still in disbelief of the images that played 
before him. The sexual encounter between Fox Mulder and 
Dana Scully had aroused him and let loose his own sexual 
fantasies that he had for Mulder... and for Scully.  

With delicate touch Mulder removed Scully's blouse and bra 
once they were undone. His hands slid forward and freed her 
of the silk imprisonment of materials that covered her lovely 
body. Despite her protest, his tongue traveled through curves 
of her breasts to her neck and upon her face that he craved.  

Her voice commanded a halt but did not stop the passion as 
she guided his hands around her body. Each part of her flesh 
shivered from his touch and the moans that escaped her as 
the fears died away.  

She wanted him to be with her, more than she ever wanted 
anyone. To be inside of her and bring forth the pleasures she 
dreamed of sharing with him. Once she released his 
manhood from the restriction of his own clothing, she held 
the prized possession as it throbbed in her grip.  

" I'm tired of these games, Fox... "  The words excited him 
more and caused an action with his arm sweeping across his 
desk to leave it barren.  

Lifting her angel body with a devilish grin across her face, he 
entered her thrusting and thrusting to become a part of her.  

The moans and shaking went on and on. The heat of their 
passion driving them forward to the wild expression of 
human connection that when another hand touched Fox 
Mulder's shoulder, he merely glanced to his back and smiled 
at the naked man behind him. 

Alex Krycek embraced his adversary and removed what was 
left of his clothing. His cool body did not flinch from the 
heat and sweat from the man whose neck Alex kissed. 
Enjoying the salt that excreted from Fox's pores, Alex 
sucked the sweat off of Fox's body and gripped him tighter 
with the movement of the two agents fuckin'.  

" Fox... " Alex whispered into his ear as he nibbled on the skin.  
His hands continued moving and ended where Dana and Fox  
merged together.  

" Alex... " Fox whispered back. " Join us... Join us... " He 
continued thrusting as Dana cried out in ecstasy of their 
lovemaking.  

The words of invite excited Alex's soul and the thrill set  
free his emotions had hardened him. He thrust into Fox Mulder 
without the lubricant for this was a fantasy.  

Fox hissed from the entrance into his buttocks but did not 
stop his own desires with Dana. Thrusting and thrusting as 
Alex continued inside of him. Thrusting as one pleasured the 
other.  

Thrust and thrust...  

Hearts beating.  

Bodies sweating.  

Dana's hands captured Alex as his arms gripped around her 
and Fox pushing them more together into heaven.  

Melting their bodies into one, as it was always meant to be.  

Their lives entwined.  

Their love and hate brought them together.  

They were one... 

They were one... 

xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx 

Alex Krycek's eyes flew opened when a sound caught his 
attention.  

When he entered the hallway, he stopped the woman who 
was about to enter the nursery.  

" It's all right... I'll take care of her. " Alex gently  
touched the woman's shoulder.  

Smiling at him, the woman returned to her room. Leaving 
Alex to attend his baby daughter's needs.  

Her cries of discomfort were answered by his soft words and 
reassuring touch upon her soft cheek as her father wiped the 
fresh tears away.  

Once the cleaning was done and fresh clothes now covered 
her, Alex carried his daughter back to his room with a warm 
bottle of milk.  

Cradling her in his arms, he placed the nipple of the bottle 
into his daughter's mouth and watched her suckle peacefully.  

Words softly left his lips as he rocked his daughter back to 
sleep. Her angel face melted his hard heart and left a picture 
none would believe he could be. Yet his daughter would not 
judge him nor even care now who or what he was.  

His little Nico.  The one person who he loved above all and 
would always protect her.  

For Alex Krycek, this was truly his heaven... 
    
  

The End

Feedback is welcome... agentsinlove@yahoo.com 
 
 
Title: Family III: Being Mommy 
Author: Jo Ann Medrano 
Rated: PG 
Archive: Please don't archive on any site without permission 
from the author.  

Disclaimer: The characters of the X-Files do not belong to 
me. They are the property of Chris Carter, 1013 Productions, 
and Fox Broadcasting. No copyright infringement is 
intended.  

xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx 


Family: Being Mommy
 


The Mulders' Apartment... 

Dana Mulder studied her body in front of the mirrors in her 
bedroom with her T-shirt pulled up exposing her stomach.  

Giving a light suck in to her belly, Dana was disappointed 
that she had not reached her normal weight since she gave 
birth to her son.  

Pulling her T-shirt down with a huff, Dana moved back to 
the bed where her baby slept. 

" Oh, David... Mommy's fat. " Dana pouted as she carefully 
lied next to him. Even with the soft bounce on the bed, 
David remained asleep on his back. Only the movement of 
his arms that shook and a few sounds escaped his lips the 
moment Dana rested beside him.  

Taking his tiny hand, Dana observed her son.  

It amazed her the changes David had gone through within 
the past few weeks. His face was a bit larger and his body 
longer than he was at birth. David actually had a nice lean 
look to himself. He was not a chubby baby like those Dana 
had seen at the doctor's office where the poor babies looked 
like they were about to pop out of their clothing. Dana was 
certain that one day not only would she be looking up at 
David, but also Fox would have to crank his neck up to the 
direction of where their son would tower over them.  

The idea really pleased Fox and encouraged him to start 
David's education about basketball.  

" Who's Daddy's future All-Star? " Fox cooed at David as he 
showed him the orange ball. Moving it side to side, Fox 
watched David's eyes follow the basketball with pleasing 
sounds he would make as a smile came across his face that 
Dana kept insisting was no more than gas.  

" You're really a killjoy, aren't you, Honey? " Fox teased as 
he continued to show his son the basketball, and bragged 
how someday they would be sitting on court side watching 
their famous son shoot hoops for the Knicks.  

Slipping her hands underneath David's arms, Dana lifted her 
sleeping boy and rested him on her chest. With her head on 
the pillows, she enjoyed the fresh baby smell coming from 
her son. David had been much easier to take care of than  
Dana expected. There were of course the sleepless nights and  
the lack of free time that was common when caring for an infant 
but David was much a joy to both Dana and Fox even with  
the drawbacks that came with parenthood.  

Adventuring out of the apartment was no longer just 
grabbing one's purse or wallet when it came to having a 
baby. Taking two arms loads of diaper bags, a stroller or a 
carrier took what was once an easy task developed into a 
checklist between Fox and Dana as they made sure 
everything including the baby was aboard before traveling.  

Dana's habit of keeping the apartment clean suffered due to 
the lack of time she could spend on it. Leaving the chore up 
to Fox who failed at the task before left little to desire but 
had to do for now as Dana kept a blind eye to mess around 
them.  

Thank God for her mother. Maggie's visits were of big help 
to the new parents that at times felt helpless around their 
new charge. Her guidance made things better to understand 
when the confusion would happen.  

One time Dana cried along with David, feeling like a failure 
when she could not understand what was troubling her son. 
Even as she looked at him with her doctor's education, she 
remained his mother worrying for him when his cries grew 
louder. With her mother's reassurance that David was fine 
and with an explanation that babies sometimes cried for no 
reason than to hear their own voices. It still made Dana want 
to reach out and comfort him. It eventually worked and 
found a peaceful David asleep in his mother's arms.  

Dana didn't know what she was going to do when it was time 
for her to return to work.  

Already Fox was away on assignment in Florida but it was 
not to investigate any cases of the unknown that her husband 
preferred. He had been forced to go to a conference with 
Assisted Director Walter Skinner for the last few days and 
wouldn't be home until tomorrow.  

Calling Skinner every name he could think of while he 
packed his suitcase, Fox could not sleep the night before he 
left and stood over David's crib where Dana found him. 

Feeling guilty for leaving them, it had been the one thing  
that bothered Fox the most. Remembering the many days his  
father would be away. Though those days would be peaceful  
without the older Mulder presented, yet there were times  
Fox did wish his father could be home more often.  

The reality of their jobs weighed heavy on their minds. 
David's present was not only a change in their lifestyle at 
home, but the choices they were to make at work could 
affect how their partnership at the FBI would go.  

Until then there wasn't anything to worry about, except for 
Fox. Dana hoped he wasn't giving Skinner or anyone else 
trouble at the conference.  

Thinking of her husband caused Dana to smile.  

" You know, David... in some ways, I hope you will be like 
your father. He can be vehement but his heart is good. There 
is a friendship you both can have together... that will be so 
meaningful... so special. I know that my time with my father 
meant the world to me... Not that I was always the best 
daughter or he was the good father. I admired him so much... 
He was my hero.  

" I know that if he was alive, he would be spoiling you so 
much... He probably wouldn't let you call him 'Grandpa'... 
but Ahab... That's what I called him. That was my special 
name for him, and I was his 'Starbuck'. Those names came 
from a book he used to read to me when I was little, 'Moby 
Dick'. I can still hear him... reading the words. No one else 
wanted to hear the story but me. It was one of the things I 
shared only with him. I liked being his little girl... but it 
wasn't always fun being a girl though.  

" I thought your uncles were so lucky to be boys and do all 
those things I wasn't supposed to do. I had to act a certain 
way... Dress a certain way.  I just wanted to be like them. 
Get dirty... Play baseball. Just have fun like they did.  

" I did play dolls with your Aunt Melissa though... but I use 
to take them apart because I wanted to see what was inside 
of them and then put them back together. One Christmas I 
received a doll that could talk... I thought it was so... neat 
that I took it apart because I wanted to know how it was able 
to speak. I cried because I couldn't get the voice box back 
inside the doll so it could talk again. Your Grandmother was 
so mad at me when she saw what I had done to the doll. 

" Your Grandpa was able to fix it. I thought that was the 
greatest thing in the world. That he brought my doll back to 
life. It could only repeat the same sentence over and over 
again though, but I was still impressed. To be able to make 
things better, to work. I guess you can say that it's one of the 
reasons why I wanted to be a doctor... to help and make 
things better for people. I also wanted to understand what 
made us what we are. How we live... and die. It's 
incredible... what makes the human body function. We are a 
great invention, whether we are the creation of God or 
merely a fluke in the universe. 

" Well... You don't need to know all this right now, baby. 
Maybe not for a long time... Being a doctor was one of the 
best choices I made... Because it led me to the FBI and the 
FBI led me to your father...  

" I just know you are going to love your father, David... He 
can be a handful... and it's so incredible what comes out of 
his mouth... The way he sees things... How he stands firm in 
his beliefs. You'll never be bored with him. I know there will 
be times you be embarrass by him... just like you will be 
with me.  

" It's just one part of growing up. So many things you will 
have to face... and what your father and I will one day have 
to do. Letting go and letting you make your choices and 
mistakes. I wish these things would not have to happen to 
you, my sweet.  

" I made a lot of mistakes that I wish I could take back...  
So many people who offered me advice that I ignored and 
passed on the wisdom that others were willing to share. 
Everyone makes mistakes... I can only hope that you will be 
more willing to let others in, where I wasn't brave enough  
to.  

" I'm always afraid to show any signs of weakness... even 
with your father. I didn't want him to think I couldn't hold 
my own. I didn't want to let anyone down... I didn't want to 
let myself down either.  

" Too much pride... is definitely one of my faults. "  

Dana gently playing with David's curled fingers, when he 
suddenly gripped his hand around two of her fingers and held 
tight to her. Staring into the face of her sleeping son, she 
wondered of his future.  

" How many mothers think of the same thing, David... 
Wondering what life has for you? Whether it is predestine or 
you create your own... If there is a true love for you... I  
wonder if she is already born? But know you will never be  
alone... You will always have us, David... No matter what  
you may or may not think of us... Your father and I will 
always be there for you... "  

Dana kissed his hand and smiled proudly at her son.  

" I promise... "  

xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx 

Somewhere In The World... 

He entered her living quarters concerned for the quietness in 
the room.  

He was aware of her grief that had troubled her these past 
several weeks. Only her time alone allowed her to drown her 
sorrows through the alcohol she kept. 

He had come to intervene and save her from self-destruction.  

" Diana..? " The Cigarette Smoking Man called to her from 
the doorway of her bedroom.  

Diana Fowley did not response to the man that now stood 
over her, nor did she try to stop him from lifting her body 
from the bed to sit.  

Her eyes were bloodshot from the lack of sleep and the 
abuse she inflicted on her body.  

Placing his wrinkled hand upon her cheek, he rubbed against 
it and tried to bring color back to her ill face. 

" Leave me alone... " Diana voiced in a dry manner.  

" No, my dear... I can't allow you end your life this way. Not 
with the future we must assure for the children... " 

" I can't have children... They're dead. Dead!! Spilled onto 
the ground before they could live... I have nothing!! So don't 
tell me of the future for any children I can't bear!! "  

" Quite true... Life indeed gave you much misfortunate... The 
loss of a love... Now the loss of someone to love... What you 
had planned... and what you would have done I would not 
have allowed. You know that... "  

" You... You and your fuckin' rules!! All I would have 
asked... and you are glad that I cannot have what I'd hoped 
for! What she has now!! You bastard!! You let her keep 
everything!! While I gave up everything because you 
promised... You promised... "  

" A promise... I should have never given... Many things I 
should have not done. My words...are not well kept. You 
should have known better, my dear... "  

" Liar... Murderer... " Diana pulled away and tried to stand. 
Her body wobbled against the wall but pulled away when he 
reached for her. " You give and take... Had I not meant 
anything to you? I am nothing but a pawn... A joke... The 
world laughs at me... What a fool I am... Believing in you... 
Believing in Fox... You two... You two shits are so much 
alike... I hate you! I hate you both!! "  

" What is love... and hate? Join together... never so far  
apart. " The Cigarette Smoking Man took her face. " Though I  
have broken my promise to you... I can and will allow you to  
have what you now desire. What I want as well... To let you  
have my son's children... "  

" Fuck you... Everything is gone... You stand here to torment 
me?! With another promise that you can't keep?!! "  

" But this is a promise I can... to use what you plan to take 
from me. Safe with me... My son's seeds... Waiting for the 
chance to grow and bring forth the life that you and I want so 
much.  

" I see my grandson... and I find it hard not to have him in my 
life... To lose it a second time and see my flesh grow without 
me... I will not go through that again! Now seeing what you 
were trying to do... made me realize that you and I can both 
have what we want. You... my son's child... and for me a 
grandchild who will know and love me. "  

" My eggs are gone... I can't have your son's babies... Rebel 
aliens saw to that. "  

" Diana... Only one woman will be the biological mother of 
my grandchildren. Only one... The question is... can you 
overlook who the mother really is... and know that the father 
is the man that you love? That their child will look at you... 
and only sees his mother? Isn't being a Mommy what you 
want? " The Cigarette Smoking Man smiled... 

xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx 

The Mulders' Apartment... 

Dana awakened to a dark room and her arms empty.  

The sudden panic rushed her when she realized her son was 
missing. Turning the lights on, Dana searched the area 
around her when she heard noises outside the bedroom and 
reached for her gun in the dresser drawer.  

Approaching the living room, Dana brought her weapon 
down when she found her husband sitting on the couch 
playing with their baby.  

Fox Mulder sat his son on his lap as he made funny noises  
to him. A burst of smiles appeared on David's face with  
pleasing sound coming from him.  

" Fox! " Dana called to him.  

Turning to her voice, Fox greeted her with a smile. " Hey, 
honey! What's with the gun? "  

" You scared me! " She placed the safety lock on the gun 
before setting it on one of the shelves on the bookcase.  
" What are you doing home? "  

" Well, I thought I would surprise you... but it seems that I 
was in for a surprise to find another male in our bed... you 
tramp! " Fox tensed as he lifted David high into the air. 

" Well... You're not suppose to be home until tomorrow 
and... Fox, what happened?!! " Dana reached for his forehead 
that had a bandage over his left eyebrow.  

" Oh... I got that when I was chasing after a werewolf... "  
Fox confessed. 

" A werewolf..? At an FBI conference..?! What did you do to 
Skinner? " Dana frowned at him.  

" No, Dana... It really was a werewolf! And I would have got 
him too, if the vampire didn't tackle me and caused me to 
bump my head on the wall... "  

" A vampire?! Oh, Fox... I... "  

" No, Dana... Really! I would have been a goner if Skinner 
hadn't shot his weapon and scared the vampire away!! "  

" A vampire and a werewolf..? "  

" Yeah... Well, I'm certain it was a vampire on account of the 
dead body that was found and the two punctured marks on 
the neck with the body drained of blood. I tell you baby... It 
was just luck... NO! Fate that we would be there when the 
moon was full and these two unnatural beings would be 
there. Oh, there was also a sci-fi and horror convention 
there... Really cool!! Could explains why the werewolf and the  
vampire were there too... and it took me a while to shake  
Skinner... but Dana, I wish you could have been there, honey...  
Text after text examples of the supernatural... Classic... just 
classic... I was hoping to track them down again after I got 
out of the hospital... Now don't look at me like that... it was 
just to bandage this cut... See? No stitches. Don't look, 
David... you're too young for this... Anyway, Dana... I really 
want to tell you the whole story from the beginning... but I'm 
hungry... Skinner wouldn't let me get anything to eat because 
he didn't want me to miss the flight back to Washington after 
I got kicked out of the hotel... Yeah... I got kicked out... I  
tell you, Dana... Skinner looked like he was about to beat my ass 
like you do... Oh, you didn't hear that, son... Mommy doesn't 
spank my butt... At least not right now... " 

Handing David over to his wife, Fox walked to the kitchen 
and asked Dana if she wanted anything to eat with their pet 
cat, Rat following right behind him.  

Repositioning her baby in her arms, Dana gave him a kiss.  

" See, David... Daddy's never boring... "  

With their son, Dana followed Fox into the kitchen...  
  
  

The End.  
  

Feedback is Welcome... agentsinlove@yahoo.com
 

 Title: Family IV: Remembering Lazarus 
Author: Jo Ann Medrano 
Rated: PG-13 
Archive: Please don't archive on any site without permission 
from the author.  

Disclaimer: The characters of the X-Files do not belong to 
me. They are the property of Chris Carter, 1013 Productions, 
and Fox Broadcasting. No copyright infringement is 
intended.  

xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx 

Author's Notes: I'm going to be quite frank, I did not like Hollywood AD. The darn episode drove me nuts! The 
timeline on this episode is really hard to say. At the beginning of the show where Mulder and Scully meet Wayne 
Federman it was stated on the corner of the screen 'Eighteen months ago' but toward the end of the episode it was stated 
after the bubble bath scene 'Sixteen months later'. Having read from the X-Files Timeline site, the web master, based 
on the eighteen months, established October 1998 as when these events took place and the premiere of the movie 
happened in May 2000. Yet I don't accept this idea because around the time in October 1998, Mulder and Scully were no longer in charge of the X-Files and the basement office was either in repairs or now was the office of Spender and 
Fowley.  Take a look at the HAD episode and see the basement office. It's arranged the way Mulder likes it.  

I may not have liked the episode but the idea was not a bad one. I just kept thinking about the real world and how all of 
this could have affected Mulder and Scully's lives during the promotion of the movie. So I thought I would give it a try and add this to the universe I'm writing because I love that bubble bath scene! I want to rewrite it! I want to rewrite it! 

So... cast aside whatever timeline you believe in, I'm creating my own. I say that the encounter with Wayne Federman took place some time in the later part of May or earlier June 1999 and the premiere of the movie happened in either late 
August or earlier September 2000.  

Going by my story line in the Fox and Dana series, the first meeting with Wayne Federman happened between the 
stories 'Almost Normal' and 'Small Town', and the movie premiere happened between the stories 'Father and Son' and 
'Decisions'.  

The bubble bath scene featuring the dialogue between Mulder and Skinner was written by David Duchovny and 
whoever else helped him. 

xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx 


Family: Remembering Lazarus
 


A Video Store... 

Fox Mulder observed the wide range of movies available for 
renting.  

He walked down each of the aisles from the comedies to the 
horrors and finally the science fiction section. With the 
video copy of the first Alien movie in hand, Fox continued to 
study the selections until he found a movie that caused him 
to smile and grabbed hold of.  

" Well, lookie here...Wait until we show this to Mommy... " 
Fox gently patted his sleeping son's rump. Strapped around 
his father's chest, David Mulder slept through the trip to  
the video store and remained asleep when Dana helped Fox 
place their son into the baby harass before going into the 
store.  

Fox walked down two aisles before he found Dana standing 
in the romance section. 

" Hey, baby... How about this one? I think you'll like it. "  
Fox offered her the video with the tittle 'The Lazarus Bowl' 
printed on it.  

Dana merely gave him the look of disgust and slammed the 
video copy of the movie into one of the shelves.  

" Not funny! " Dana turned away. 

Letting out a few chuckles, Fox looked at the discarded 
video box and noticed the name Wayne Federman printed on 
it. Remembering the ordeal they had gone through when 
Walter Skinner's Hollywood friend made their lives for a 
short while miserable.  

Fox and Dana had only been in their new relationship for a 
few months when they were called into AD Skinner's office 
to meet Wayne Federman. An overzealous and annoying 
man, whose livelihood came from making movies. The 
agents were forced to take him along while investigating the 
bombing in a Catholic Church that lead to the possible 
murder of an individual named Micah Hoffman.  

The misidentification of a body that was discovered in the 
Church where the bomb went off and the false arrest of the 
Cardinal O'Fallon lead to their month suspension by a 
furious Walter Skinner. 

Sitting in his apartment watching an Ed Wood movie 
together, Fox and Dana discussed the outcome of their 
misfortune and the offer made by Wayne Federman to visit 
the filming of the movie that was loosely based on them in 
Hollywood.  

Dana agreed to the trip but she was still worried.  

" Fox... You don't think they know? "  

" Know what? "  

" About us? "  

Fox sucked his lips out. Federman had pestered him about 
Scully and whether or not they were more than just working 
partners. " You shouldn't worry about that, Dana... And so 
what if they find out? "  

" Oh, God... I don't like this idea... Fox, can't we sue them? I 
mean they're using our names and likeness... our lives. I don't 
see us getting paid for this. "  

" Come on... You're not serious. "  

" We don't need this kind of publicity, Fox. Not when it 
comes to the X-Files... The FBI is not going to look kindly 
on this. "  

" Dana, there are so many movies made about FBI agents. 
There's no difference in this movie. Come on, honey... it will 
be great. Something to show our kids one day... "  

Well, I'm not happy about it and I'm sure the movie will still 
be made no matter how I feel. I don't know too much about 
the actors portraying us, Fox. What movies has this Tea 
Leoni made? " 

" It's Téa Leoni, Dana... not 'Tea'. 'Tay-uh'. "  

" Whatever... Anyway, I guess it will be fun to see Richard 
Gere portray you... "  

" Well, he's not going to play me... He's going to be Walter 
Skinner. " Fox frowned. 

" You're kidding? "  

" No... "  

" Well, who do they have playing you? Brad Pitt? Brendan  
Fraser? " 

" You're still watching that 'George of the Jungle' movie, 
aren't you? "  

" Well, you have your Ed Wood and I have my George...  
So who's the lucky actor to portray the dangerous, 
misunderstood and handsome Fox Mulder? "  

" Garry Shandling. " Fox pouted. 

" Garry Shandling? Who the hell is that? " Dana asked. 

The flight out to Los Angeles was First Class and the agents 
enjoyed the royal treat. Picked up at the airport in a 
limousine that contained the luxury of home on four wheels, 
Fox and Dana marveled at the design of the limo when it 
pulled up to the Beverly Ernesto Hotel in Hollywood.  

Given each their own room, Dana stood silent in the middle 
of the huge living room after the bellhop closed the door. 
Shocked by the size and beauty of the place, she was 
certain that the hotel room was bigger than her apartment.  

The bathtub was breathtaking with all the scented oils that 
Dana found hard to choose from. She couldn't wait for the 
opportunity to try it out. She loved soaking in a bubble bath.  

Compared to the many rundown or bargained motels they 
stayed in over the years, this place was heaven. Dana thought 
she would have to pinch herself to believe she wasn't 
dreaming. 

The knock on the door took her away from her dream and let 
Fox Mulder in to share his own fantasies.  

" Which tub should we try first? Yours or mine? " Fox 
pointed to the direction of the bathroom.  

" Mine! " Dana grabbed him by his suit jacket. " But first... 
(Kiss) We have to... (Kiss) go down to the studio... (Kiss) to 
meet the actors. (Kiss) " 

" OK... (Kiss) We'll go... (Kiss) but if we meet Sigourney 
Weaver... (Kiss) I don't know you... OUCH!! Not so hard!! " 
Fox grabbed the spot where Dana pinched him.  

A few hours later, Dana lavished her body with bubbles as 
the stream of the warm water engulfed her. Bringing her 
head to rest on the chest of Fox Mulder, she let out a sigh of 
pure enjoyment.  

" This is wonderful... " Dana purred. 

" We need to do this more often. " Fox gave Dana a glass of 
wine.  

" Yeah... It would be nice. Taking more baths together 
instead of showers. At least we're more eye-leveled this 
way... "  

" As long as what I want is in reach... " Fox rubbed Dana's 
breasts with his hands in a circle.  

Since they had arrived in Hollywood, the chance to spend 
time alone together was impossible because of Wayne 
Federman who dragged Fox and Dana to every event that 
Showbiz had to offer.  

After having met the actors and spent a few hours on the set 
to watch the filming of the movie, Wayne Federman shuffled 
them out of the stage set and introduced them to a group of 
business men and women who ran the studio.  

Dana couldn't believe the fancy titles each of the executives 
had brought no description to what their jobs were. Only 
with the promise of doing lunch that Wayne pushed them out 
before any dates were set.  

Wayne bragged about the clubs and restaurants they would 
hit during their stay. With the studio's credit card in hand,  
he wanted them to embrace the image of what Hollywood was 
that he took them to the shops in Beverly Hills to buy new 
outfits for the evening dinner with the stars of Lazarus Bowl 
that night.  

Sitting in one of the most elegant restaurants Dana had ever 
been she adjusted her expensive black silk dress that had 
caused a bulge to grow in Fox's pants when she modeled the 
dress for him in the shop. 

Fox immediately covered his lap but was not quick enough 
to hide it from Wayne who let out a sigh.  

Though she felt the cost of the dress was outrageous, Fox's 
pleasing look was enough to convince Dana that this was the 
right dress. 

The faces of famous surrounded her and the others that it 
was hard not to want to stare or stretch their necks out to 
have a better look at such actors as George Clooney or 
Winona Ryder. A few of the famous stopped by their table 
where the introductions were short and quick.  

More interested in being with who was who, Dana pressed 
her lips and tried not to be insulted by the huge egos she  
was with.  

Téa Leoni was the center of attention at dinner and took 
control of the conversation to her liking. Having talked so 
much without taking a breath, Dana thought of checking 
Leoni's pulse to see if she was still alive. 

Though she tried to keep a level head among the glitter and 
glamour that was the structure of Hollywood, Dana didn't 
think there was too much difference here then it was in the 
FBI or any other place of business. Where the fake smiles 
and promises of getting together for lunch held the darkness 
to all human nature.  

Jealousy, insecurity, and greed flourished here and were all 
too familiar to Dana Scully. 

Seeing Fox enjoying himself among the famous and spoiled. 
It would have not been difficult to imagine him living in this 
world if he had taken a different path then the one he was on 
now. An innocent that he was, Fox fitted in perfectly. His 
naive behavior kept him from not seeing what was before 
him or what was underneath the starlight of fame and 
fortune.  

Garry Shandling sat too close to Fox as well as Wayne 
Federman who laughed at every joke he would tell. Both 
men had a dreamy look on their faces as they stared at Fox 
who seemed not to notice the attention that was given to 
him.  

Dana raised an eyebrow.  

If anything, Hollywood was certainly interesting.  

In the bathtub, Fox nestled into Dana's hair and thought of 
nothing except for his beloved. He was lost for a moment 
until the telephone that was in the bathroom rang.  

Regretting that he did not unplug it, Fox reluctantly 
answered the phone.  

" Hello? "  

" Agent Mulder, it's Assistant Director Skinner. " The rough 
voice spoke on the other end. " I hope I didn't catch you at a 
bad time. "  

" No, sir, I'm just at the... uh... computer. "  

Dana turned toward Fox who mouthed 'It's Skinner' to her.  

" Listen, I just wanted to apologize for coming down so hard 
on you during the Hoffman slash O'Fallon case. " Skinner 
continued.  

" Oh. I appreciate that, Skinman. " Fox winked at Dana who 
kept quiet as a mouse.  

" Don't call me that. " The voice boomed back.  

" Yes, sir. Um... Uh, where are you now? "  

" I'm right underneath you. I'm in LA, at the same hotel as 
you. Right below you and Agent Scully. Federman got me an 
Associate Producer credit on the movie. " 

" A.P. Skinner, huh? " Fox laughed. But when he didn't hear 
any sound from Skinner, he changed the subject. " Uh... So 
what are you up to right now, sir? "  

" I'm taking a bubble bath. " Skinner confessed.  

" Uh, hold on just one second, sir. " Fox aimed for the hold 
button but did not press it hard enough and left Skinner to 
listen to the conversation 

" Hey, Dana, Skinman is calling me from a bubble bath. He's 
in the same hotel as we are. "  

" Wow, he's really gone Hollywood. "  

" Totally. That Wayne geek gave him an Associate Producer 
credit on the movie, that's why he's here. "  

" Hmm... Do you think it's too late to ask him for a different 
actress to play me? "  

" Why? What's wrong with Téa Leoni? "  

" Nothing. Except she can't run in high heels and had me 
running up and down while she talked on her cell phone and 
made me feel like the biggest fool on the face of the earth!! "  

" So... I take it you like her? "  

" Well, I guess she's just being what she is. I suppose it's hard 
to avoid it when there are people around you all day telling 
you how great you are. Living and being pampered in such 
luxury I guess it can go to your head. I don't think it would 
be hard for anyone to fall into the trapping of being a 
celebrity. "  

" I don't know... It's kind of fun... but I wouldn't want it to  
be my life though. I would like to be able to take a crap and not 
have someone steal it to sell it on Ebay. "  

" Well, you are a celebrity in your own rights, Fox. There are 
enough UFO fanatics that follow your every word. You're a 
hero to them. "  

" Yeah... But what is a hero? Do I fill the image of what 
these people are looking for? Being more then just a man 
and not have the faults that come from being human? I'm just 
a regular guy... who likes to chase after aliens. "  

" Do you really think Téa Leoni represents the image of what 
I am as a person? Or is this what Hollywood believes I 
should be? "  

" Come on, honey... Just an image... Neither she nor 
Shandling can ever really capture who we are. We can only 
hope they come close enough. That's why it's called acting. "  

" Do you think she's prettier then me? " Dana was suddenly 
embarrassed the moment she asked the question and cursed 
her insecurity for getting the best of her.  

" Hey! She's a nice looking lady, but she's not beautiful like 
you are, Dana. "  

" Ooh... You're so sweet. " Dana kissed his cheek.  

" Yeah, I am. "  Fox smiled. 

" God! Can that woman talk! All through dinner... Yak! Yak! 
Yak! Yak! Yak! God, these actors... so full of themselves... 
'Look at me... Look at me! I'm a movie star.' She just 
wouldn't shut up. " Dana laughed. 

" Yeah... Got to feel sorry for her husband though... "  

" She's married? "  

" Yeah... She mentioned him a few times during dinner. It 
must have been when you were blanking out. " 

" Could have been... " 

" Well, don't worry your beautiful head off... I am not 
attractive to 'TAY-UH' Leoni. "  

" No... I'm not worried about her. I didn't like the way Garry 
Shandling was staring at you. "  

" What do you mean? "  

" I mean, Fox... He was looking at you like you were dessert 
and so was that Wayne character... "  

" Like dessert? "  

" Yeah... Fox, don't tell me you never noticed men looking at 
you? "  

" No... I never made a point to... "  

" Well, my love... Not only do women find you delicious 
there are a few men wouldn't mind taking you on. "  

" I'm not gay! "  

" I'm not saying that you are... and if you were, I wouldn't be 
the one in the bathtub with you... I'm saying that there have 
been a few men during the course of our partnership that I 
have caught looking at you... in that way. "  

" Like who? "  

" Oh, I can't remember... Been so many... "  

" Liar! You're just fuckin' with me! "  

" That and a hundred guys wouldn't mind doing with you. "  

" Shut up! " Fox splashed Dana with bubbles and water.  

Dana squealed and rolled her body to face him. Pinning 
herself against him, Dana patted his face and covering him 
with bubbles. Fox blew the soap out of his mouth laughing.  

" Quit it! " He protested.  

Throwing her arms around Fox's neck, Dana brought more 
bubbles onto his face. " Ooh... I can't believe they chose  
that ugly old man to play you. That Shandling has no charm  
whatsoever... You are the sunshine, my love... and he is the  
dark part of the moon. "  

" You have got to promise me that one day we'll make our 
own movie. In a bathtub... filled with bubbles and you naked 
on top of me. "  

" Well, we'll need a rehearsal... To be sure that we get it 
right... With every move... every kiss... everything... So real 
to life... "  

" Everything is always real with you, Dana... Everything... "  

Bringing their lips together, they both jumped when they 
heard the busy signal coming from the phone receiver that 
Fox had laid on the edge of the bathtub.  

The months passed as Dana and Fox survived the many 
ordeals in their private lives. From the pain they suffered to 
the happiness of the life they conceived through their love. 
Their recent marriage had only added to the joy they were 
sharing.  

Until Wayne Federman came back into their lives and all 
hell broke loose.  

Needing to bring attention to his movie that was soon to be 
release in the theaters, Federman needed a publicity stunt.  

The actors were scheduled for interviews but the appeal for 
the movie was lukewarm.  

From the pre-testing, the movie failed to create the 
excitement that Wayne was certain would be there. With his 
connections, he was able to obtain a video copy of the 
television show 'Cops' with an episode that would not air 
until the fall season showing two certain FBI agents that 
became involved in a bizarre case one night in Los Angeles.  

Distributing copies of the tape to the media and the build up 
from the actors who credited the real Mulder and Scully as 
their role models for the movie had sparked the interest that 
Federman was looking for.  

Calls to the Assisted Director Skinner's office from the 
entertainment press demanded a statement from him about 
the two FBI agents and whether it was true about the cases 
they investigated on the taxpayers' dollars. The information 
about him being the Assisted Producer to the movie added to 
the frenzy that Skinner was now trying to avoid.  

Having enough problems on his hands because of the recent 
marriage between the two agents and of Scully's pregnancy, 
Skinner was ordered to make a statement of no comment to 
the press.  

Still under review, the fate of the two agents could be 
jeopardized by the exposure and the risk of their careers 
ending would also place AD Skinner in the same boat. His 
outside project was fast becoming an embarrassment for the 
Agency.  

It wasn't long before the media invaded the private world 
that belonged to Mr. and Mrs. Fox Mulder.  

Unaware of the actions that were set into motion by Wayne 
Federman, Fox and Dana were surprised by the cameras and 
microphones shoved into their faces when they arrived 
home. Questions about the movie and the cases they 
investigated were being shouted all around them that Fox 
immediately covered Dana with his body. Having recently 
felt danger for his wife, he wasn't about to allow anything to 
happen to her. They made it to their front door and the safety 
of their apartment when the telephone started ringing.  

" Hello? " Fox answered the phone.  

" Mr. Mulder... I'm a representative of Entertainment 
Tonight and we very much would like to interview you and 
your wife about the movie, 'The Lazarus Bowl'. Since this 
movie is about your life... We would like to be able... "  

" How did you get this number? " Fox demanded. 

" We would prefer to keep that source private, Mr. Mulder. 
We would like to... "  

Slamming the phone down, Fox turned around and saw Dana 
standing near the windows looking at the reporters who 
stood outside with their cameras aimed toward the building.  

When she felt Fox near her, Dana looked up at him.  

" Fox, what the hell is going on? "  

Suddenly the telephone started to ring again. Fox pressed his 
lips as his anger began to grow.  

" The Lazarus Bowl... " He gritted his teeth.  

Walter Skinner sat nervously in his office. With his fingers 
tapping rapidly against his lips, he had tried unsuccessfully 
to reach Wayne Federman and left several messages with his 
assistant that it was important for him to return his call. 

Already having talked to Fox Mulder left even more bitter 
blood between them as both accused the other for the 
situation they were now in. 

Mulder bluntly called Skinner a sellout and Skinner 
remarked that no one had twisted Mulder's arm to be 
involved in the making of the movie. 

" I had nothing to do with this movie!! We simply went out 
to watch the filming!! "  Fox shouted over the phone. 

" That's how you became involved! Going there, you and 
Dana gave them your approval!! " Skinner shouted 
back. 

" This is FUCK!! If anything this is your fault, Skinman!! 
How many paid dinners did Wayne take you to and blabbed 
with that so-called sealed mouth of yours about Dana and 
I?!! You son of a bitch!! You couldn't help us with the things 
that you knew in the past but the fuckin' moment you could 
become rich and famous off our hard work, you squealed 
like a schoolgirl!! "  

" Look, Fox... Let me get a hold of Wayne and talk to him... " 

" Fuck you!! The damage is done!! It's been done long before 
this... I'm glad now that Maggie is no longer seeing you!! 
You stay the hell away from my family!! "  

Skinner placed his hand over his right ear. The sound of 
Mulder slamming the phone down still rang inside as well as 
the guilt he felt for his part in the Lazarus Bowl folly.  

It was true.  

Having such a life that was not fulfilling, he gave in to the 
temptations that were offered by his friend Wayne 
Federman. A chance to leave something behind in his life 
and career, Skinner chose to ignore his better judgment and 
opened up a world that now was in danger of ending once 
more by his hands.  

His phone suddenly ringing, Skinner turned to answer it.  

The next day, Mulder and Scully walked toward Walter 
Skinner's office after his late night call on Mulder's cell  
phone that he wanted to see them in the morning.  

Having spent another day avoiding reporters, camera crews 
and spectators, they had hoped to feel safe within the FBI 
building but what they found waiting for them in Skinner's 
office sent Mulder into a cursing fit. 

" You son of a bitch!! " Fox Mulder lunged at Wayne 
Federman but was stopped by Walter Skinner.  

" Easy, Mulder, easy. " Wayne held up his hands as he 
moved away from Skinner's desk.  

With Skinner still holding on to Mulder, Scully moved up to 
Federman to let him have one across the face. Yet she 
stopped when she caught sight of two individuals wearing 
dark glasses and overcoats that tried to hide who they were 
but Scully recognized them as a now blond Téa Leoni and 
Garry Shandling.  

" Yeah... right. " Scully smirked at them. 

" Listen, Mulder... Scully... we came here to make peace 
with you and hope to make you understand that there was 
no attempt on our part to cause any harm to either of you... 
or anybody that you know. It's part of Showbiz... "  

" Showbiz? You stand here in front of us telling us that 
causing mayhem in our lives... our careers... our families is 
Showbiz?! Did it ever bother you to think of the outcome of 
others?! You can't be this shallow... none of you?!! Maybe 
all of you enjoy having your lives exposed to the public but 
not us!! " Mulder shouted.  

" It never was our intention, Mulder baby... I can't say how 
the press got hold of the video or the information they 
learned about you and your wife... Oh, by the way, 
Congratulations... " Both Wayne and Shandling gave Scully 
sour looks. " Still we're here to make it up to the both of you. 
By having you both at the premiere of the movie out in 
Hollywood. So you can both see for yourselves how much 
the movie... though it's loosely based on your lives... does 
honor to your careers, families and the American way. So... 
how about it? We'll treat you both like the stars that you  
are. "  

" Forget. Our careers, more importantly... our lives will 
outshine any fake images you try to portray. We seek the 
truth and the public will see the lies you created... "  

Mulder was about to lead Scully out of the office, when Téa 
Leoni rolled her eyes at them.  

" Oh, for goodness sakes, it's just a movie... " She shook her 
head.  

" Bitch!! " Fox Mulder snapped at her and walked Scully out 
of the room.  

Just as the fire had started the flames burnt themselves out 
once the premiere occurred and the reviewers tore the movie 
apart. The movie's low entry during its first week of release 
sealed the fate of the Lazarus Bowl and fell out of U.S. 
theaters in the shortest amount of time then any other movie 
in history. Having also failed in the foreign markets, the 
Lazarus Bowl was quietly released to video where the movie 
had gathered dust to this day. 

Though the actors were able to recover from the disaster of a 
movie, Wayne Federman career had ended. No longer seen 
among the rich and famous, his name, as well as his movie, 
was soon forgotten.  

As for the two FBI agents and the Assisted Director, their 
careers were spared. With the failure of the movie and the 
media losing interest, their life, as they were, went back to 
normal.  

Pushing the video copy of the Lazarus Bowl deeper into the 
shelf, Fox turned to his wife as she studied the video box she 
was holding. 

" Here, Fox... read this. " Dana handed him the video. 

" 'Return to Me' starring David Duchovny and Minnie 
Driver, a romantic comedy about a widowed man who finds 
himself falling for the woman who received his deceased 
wife's heart without either one of them knowing it...  
Sounds like an X-Files. " 

" He kind of looks like you... " Dana pointed to the actor on 
the box.  

" No, he doesn't... I'm more handsome. " Fox boasted. " Do 
you want it? "  

Dana shook her head and moved on to another movie.  

Fox shrugged his shoulders and tossed the video box next to 
the Lazarus Bowl video and caught up with his wife... 
  

The End... to be continued in Family: A Simple Story 
  

Author's Notes again: OK, so it didn't end like it did in the 
episode. Did you really want it too? If I want to see dancing 
zombies, I'll watch a Michael Jackson video.  

Dedicated to the following: MSR believers, Téa Leoni lovers 
and haters, Garry Shandling lovers and haters, the X-Files 
Forum. And finally to those who do like Duchovny writing 
and directing X-Files episodes but would like it if he kept his 
family, friends and pets out of the picture. Love you all.  
  

Feedback is welcome... agentsinlove@yahoo.com

  
  
  
  
Title: Family V: A Simple Story 
Author: Jo Ann Medrano 
Rated: PG-13 
Archive: Please don't archive on any site without permission 
from the author.  

Disclaimer: The characters of the X-Files do not belong to 
me. They are the property of Chris Carter, 1013 Productions, 
and Fox Broadcasting. No copyright infringement is 
intended.  
  

xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx 
  
 

Family: A Simple Story



Maggie Scully's House: Fourth of July... 

Dana Mulder watched from the safety of the house as the 
fireworks blasted into colorful images before her. 

With her infant son in her arms, Dana worried the smoke and 
loud noises would disturb him, that she went inside her 
mother's home before the fireworks were lit.  

Not wanting to miss the show, Dana was entertained by her 
husband, Fox as he dashed around the backyard with 
sparklers in his hands giving each of the children their own. 

He would howl the loudest as the fireworks erupted and 
rained down in different colors to his delight like those 
around him.  

Even her brother Bill cast a smile across his sour face. He 
would still flash a look of hate toward Fox but managed to 
put it aside and enjoy the display before him.  

Dana shook her head at her brother. His visit on this holiday  
had been a first in many years since he had been stationed in  
San Diego. Yet his visit with his family came with the news that 
thrilled their mother and brought uneasy feelings for Dana.  

After many years of trying, Bill finally received the transfer 
to a naval base in the East Coast. His living distance to his 
family was only now a drive away. Bill's wife Tara was also 
excited about the move. It brought her closer to her family as 
well. The move itself would not take place until Bill returned  
from his assignment that he was to ship out in a few days.  

Fox asked Bill what his mission was but Bill's answer was 
rude but straight to the point.  

" None of your business, Mulder... "  

Only a few things brought a smile across her brother's face. 
One of them, was when he held his new nephew in his arms. 

Fussing over David, it was quite a while before either Fox or 
Dana could hold their son as the baby was passed around to 
each of the relatives and stayed with his uncle Bill and his 
family the longest. 

Bill's son Matthew showed only a little interest in the baby 
until his mother held David and a streak of jealousy showed 
through the little boy. Matthew made a point to try and stay 
in his mother's arms to keep that baby away from her.  

Dana's other brother Charlie and along with other family 
members brought trunk loads of fireworks for the evening 
celebration. 

" You better not have anything illegal in there, Charles... 
Don't forget we got two FBI agents in the house!! " Bill 
shouted to him making sure that either Fox or Dana would 
hear him.  

Despite Bill's occasion crude remarks, Fox remained civil 
around him. Dana knew that Fox chose to take a different 
attitude toward Bill but it would take a lot of patience on his 
part not to let the older Scully sibling get to him. It helped 
that Charlie and other members of the family were there to 
balance out any disturbance that could be created, more by 
Bill than by Fox.  

Seeing two of the Scully children holding hands as they 
stood side by side watching the fireworks display, reminded 
Dana of the special meaning the Fourth of July had for her 
and her husband. 

Dana remembered the fuss Fox made last year on the Fourth, 
as he invited her to sit on his lap during the fireworks show 
to remember the first time they met as children years ago. 

Though Dana cherished the images of the photographs they 
owned she did not find the same thrill as Fox did to 
remember the day that she had no memory of.  

" Well... we don't have the memories or pictures of our 
forefathers fighting for our freedom, Dana, but we do honor 
them with the same pride as I do for the memory of the first 
day we met even if we can't remember that day. " Fox 
offered his hand to her. 

Dana respected his feelings and shared the moment with him 
that became more special then she had expected.  

Seeing Fox busy this year, he had not mentioned the 
anniversary of their first meeting and Dana kept quiet about 
it. Neither of them wanted to fuss about it in front of the 
family.  

Feeling the sudden movement across her chest, Dana looked 
down to her son as he pressed his face against her searching 
for the nourishment to calm his hunger. David let out a 
frustrated cry when he could not find what he wanted.  

Repositioning the baby, Dana turned to look at one last 
flare shot into the sky before going to another room to 
nurse her son... 

xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx 

Somewhere In Virginia... 

Emily covered her ears from the explosives around her.  

She tried not to be afraid, but the sounds brought back bad 
memories of her escape with her sister Annie when the 
Rebel aliens destroyed the science base that had been the 
place of her birth. 

Feeling once again the reassuring hug from her brother 
Thomas, he seemed not to be disturbed by the noise and 
enjoyed the colors of lights before them.  

Eric, their friend, shared the same expression as Thomas did. 
Enjoying the celebration of the humans' holiday as if it was 
their own. 

It had been a day of plenty where the humans had picnics 
and barbecues with large sets of families and friends around 
them. It was not hard to blend into the large groups that they 
would find in the park with so much food to feed an army. 
Having helped themselves to several outings, the hybrids 
enjoyed their good fortune and stuffed their faces with the 
best food they had ever eaten.  

Now watching the show before them, they were able to 
forget for the moment who and what they were. The feeling 
of one among the humans as they shared the day together.  

" It's so beautiful... I wish it wasn't so loud. " Emily covered 
her ears again. 

" It's incredible what the humans have created. So much 
beauty in their nature... " Thomas' eyes remained wide as a 
bouquet of colors burst before them. " It's hard to believe 
that they can be such destroyers... "  

" Humans are never to be trusted... " Eric jumped at the 
sudden explosion of several sky rockets. " The very things 
that use to create these beautiful colors of lights are the same 
things they use to destroy with. "  

" Must we talk about such things? " Emily sighed. " After all 
our mothers are humans... I can never hate my mother for 
that. "  

" There are exceptions... " Thomas smiled. 

" Can't a day go by without you mentioning your mother? " 
Eric frowned at Emily. " She's not that great. "  

A sudden push from Thomas sent Eric flat onto his side. He 
looked up and saw the anger revealed on his friend's face 
from the lights in the sky. 

" She's my mother too, Eric... " Thomas warned him. " So 
keep your mouth shut. "  

" Sorry... " Eric lifted himself up and sat down again. 

With a pat on the shoulder from Thomas, there was peace 
between them again. Emily on the other hand, was not so 
forgiving. It wasn't the first time Eric had made rude 
comments about her mother. At least at those times, he had 
the sense not to say it in front of Thomas.  

Emily found it hard to like Eric. His crude behavior was 
difficult to take but his willingness to survive and help the 
two siblings was a great help. He also was a good friend 
to Thomas. 

Eric idolized the older hybrid. Since the day they met, 
Eric was always willing to listen and accept Thomas' 
guidance that helped them during the early days of their 
survival. He had been a frightened and skinny hybrid when 
Thomas brought Eric to meet Emily.  

She at first felt sorry for him. The story Eric told was one 
that was familiar to any hybrid that escaped the science 
bases that were destroyed by the rebel aliens. It was quite 
natural for Emily to feel pity for the lone hybrid. He did not 
have a family like she and Thomas did. Nor did he know 
who his mother was. Yet Eric had no interest in finding her. 
He was glad to be with others that were like him. 

Yet the sorrow Emily felt for him disappeared the moment 
she became his folly for his demonic side. Though Thomas 
would defend her, Eric knew how to get around Thomas' 
protective nature and made Emily feel weak and stupid. 

The sky above them was dark once more and painted with 
stars. The celebration of the Fourth of July was over as the 
humans gathered their belongings and drove away in their 
cars. 

Walking together through the park, Emily stood between the 
two male hybrids and felt safe. 

It was a long walk back to the empty building they called 
home and the idea of catching the bus was discussed when 
out of the darkness three figures blocked their way. 

" Hey!! Got money? Give me your money!! " One of the 
strangers moved toward them. 

" We're not giving you our money... " Eric moved forward, 
but the stranger pulled out his gun and pointed directly at 
him.  

" I said, give me your money, motherfucker!! "  The stranger 
shouted but before he could fire his weapon, a flash stuck his 
hand and knocked the gun away from him.  

The surprise attack shocked the stranger but was not able to 
protect himself when Eric swing again his closed fist against 
the human's head and with the force of several men broke 
the jawbone and popped the skull from the base of the neck. 
The attacker was dead before he fell to the ground.  

The other two strangers stood in horror as they watched their 
friend fall before them. Wanting to run, Thomas rammed his 
body against one of the strangers and knocked the other 
down with his friend's body. Trying to break free from 
Thomas' grip, the stranger reached for his pocket and pulled 
out a knife, stabbing Thomas to the side.  

When the knife made contact with Thomas' body, a strong 
smell escaped through the opening of the flesh wound and 
the two humans screamed. Clawing at their eyes, they felt 
their blood boiling and the loss of oxygen tightened their 
lungs.  

Kicking and clawing on the ground, in a matter of moments 
the two humans were dead.  

Standing above them, Thomas removed the knife from his 
side and watched as his body healed itself, closing the 
wound that left no scar.  

Thomas turned to Eric and Emily and said. " Might as well 
see if they have any money before we get rid of them...  
Too bad they don't dissolve like we do... Would be less 
trouble... "  

Nodding their heads, Emily reached for the stranger that Eric 
killed and searched his pockets. Looking at the dead human, 
Emily did not like it when they were force to kill but 
Thomas would remind her that at times it was necessary and 
sometimes, unavoidable. For the humans such as the ones 
that were dead, they did not know what she and the others 
were, it was an immediate death sentence for any human.  

Once she had the money in her hands, Emily shut her eyes 
tight, as she tried to keep the images of dead humans piled 
on top of one another from her mind... 

xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx 

Arriving home before midnight, Dana placed her baby in his 
crib and covered him with a light blanket.  

Whispering a sweet good night to him, Dana quietly closed 
the door and walked to the living room where she found her 
husband sitting on the couch.  

The night sky was still filled with colorful explosives from the 
nearby neighborhoods that chose to display their own shows. 

The loud noises had frightened their pet cat, Rat that she 
remained hidden under the bed and would not come out even 
when her owners came home.  

Bringing her body on top of Fox's lap, Dana brought her 
arms around him and gave him a gentle kiss on the lips. 

With a smile on his face, Fox hugged Dana closer to him and 
whispered to her that he loved her.  

Turning toward the window, they watched the last of the 
celebration dance across the sky as they remembered their 
special day together... 

xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx 

Somewhere In North Carolina: July 5th- Full Moon... 

Edward Mullen walked alone back to his hotel.  

Having arrived a few days early before the weekend, Edward 
looked forward to the sci-fi and horror convention that was 
to take place in the hotel he was staying.  

Taken a final puff from his cigarette, Edward tossed the 
remaining bud toward the curve when he heard a growl 
behind him.  

Turning toward the sound, he found no one but himself on 
the street. No cars, no dogs, nothing.  

Edward shook his head. Believing that his imagination was 
getting the best of him, he was suddenly grabbed by sharp 
claws that dragged him into the dark alley screaming.  

His voice was silenced as a set of large sharp teeth closed 
upon him and ended his life.  

Flesh and limbs were torn apart and devoured by the creature 
as it feasted on the body of Edward Mullen.  

From a safe distance, a lone figure watched the killing. 
Having witnessed the murders done by the same creature for 
months, he was unable to stop it.  

Licking his lips, the lone figure wished he could taste  
the blood that the werewolf had all over its hairy body... 
  
  

The End. 

Feedback is welcome... agentsinlove@yahoo.com

  
  
  
  
Title: Family IV: Four Men ...and a Baby 
Author: Jo Ann Medrano 
Rated: R 
Archive: Please don't archive on any site without permission 
from the author.  

Disclaimer: The characters of the X-Files do not belong to  
me. They are the property of Chris Carter, 1013 
Productions, and Fox Broadcasting.   No copyright 
infringement is intended.  

xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
  
Family: Four Men ...and a Baby


Saturday, August 4th 2001: Convention Center- Washington, D.C.  

David Mulder felt the movement of the stroller he was in. 
The sounds around him were noticed but not discerned. His  
limited field vision and the speed of the moving carrier he  
was in left only colorful forms and the sea of voices that  
still fascinated the baby.  

One voice did get his attention as the familiar face brought  
a smile to the four-month-old. It would be sometime before  
he would have an understanding of whom this comforting  
figure was, a playful giggle came from the happy baby as he  
stared toward the direction of his father. 

Fox Mulder rose from his arched position after checking on 
his son. The crowd in the convention center was flooded 
with overzealous fans of both science fiction and horror 
memorabilia. After his meeting with the Lone Gunmen a few 
hours ago, convinced Fox that the need to investigate the 
gathering of fans might lead him again with the beings of  
the supernatural he encountered at the FBI conference he 
attended with Assisted Director Walter Skinner a few 
months ago.  

Forced to bring the baby with him, Fox and the Lone 
Gunmen searched the convention center looking for any 
signs of the werewolf or the unseen being that Fox Mulder 
believed to be a vampire.  

Checking his watch, it would be doubtful they would be able 
to locate the werewolf in its lunar form since it was daylight.  
Still there was the attack from an unseen being at the hotel  
Fox was staying at that happened during the day. 

With his lips pressed tight, Fox cursed to himself that he 
would be forced to give up the search before dark. His wife 
would be home and worry to death about the baby. Yet the 
idea of handing over his son to one of the Gunmen to take 
back home would only lead to questions from her.  

The situation caused Fox to swallow hard. For if Dana knew 
where he was with the baby, she would kill him... 

xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx 

A Few Hours Earlier: The Mulders' Apartment... 

Sealing the diaper with the sticky tab, Dana Mulder playfully 
blew kisses on her son's belly and received several giggles  
from him.  

Now redressing him, Dana tried not to let her sadness and 
worries overcome her. Yet the lump in her heart drilled the 
guilt more into her and caused a sob to escape her lips.  

Not since his creation had Dana been away from her baby.  

There were a few times she did leave David with either her 
mother or husband to spend a short time alone or do grocery 
shopping but a full day of separation she tried to prepare 
herself with failed.  

Not having to report back to work until the following week, 
Dana agreed to teach a few classes at Quantico this day that 
would cause her not to return home until the early evening.  

Dana hugged her boy and gave him several more kisses to 
his face. Now that he had been fed, diapered and redressed, 
it was time to hand David over to his father.  

Spend out on the bed in his pajama bottoms, Fox Mulder 
was deep into a newspaper article when Dana walked into 
the room with the baby.  

" Hey, buddy!! " Fox placed the newspaper to the side as he 
took David into his arms.  

Bouncing him up and down on his stomach, Fox lifted his 
son into the air when Dana warned him. " He just nursed, 
Fox... He might regurgitate. "  

" YUCK!! " Fox sat up and brought David with him as he got 
off the bed.  

Dana turned away with the look of worry on her face. The 
nervousness was noticeable as she moved around in the 
bedroom to dress. 

Seeing her tense, Fox moved up and playfully bumped into 
her. Pressing Dana against the dresser, Fox kissed the top of 
her head several times with David still in his arms and out of 
reach of his mother's hair. 

" Damn it, Fox!! Get off of me!! "  

" No... and don't curse in front of our son... " Fox kissed her 
forehead. 

" He doesn't know the words yet... " Dana closed her eyes 
and allowed Fox to continue kissing her. Once their lips 
pressed together, Fox moved down with his tongue toward 
her neck but Dana pulled away. 

" Fox... You have the baby in your arms... " 

" He doesn't know... "  

" Well, I do! " Dana finally escaped to the bathroom with a 
smile on her face that Fox did not miss.  

Going back to the bed, Fox lay David on his chest when the 
baby began to fuss.  

" Aw... Come on, David... " Fox brought him closer. For a 
moment it looked as if David was about to burst into a 
crying fit but soon settled when he found his thumb and 
sucked contentedly on it.  

" Atta-boy... " Fox patted him on the rump.  

Next to having to change a diaper, Fox hated to hear David 
cry. 

It seemed to strike the center of his nerves when David 
would wail loud and forceful to his demands. At times, it 
was impossible to please or understand what his son wanted. 
Fox found his patience thin and ready to explode. Yet, he 
kept his emotions in check. Always with the fear of being 
like his father, Fox would step away before his frustrations 
could overtake him. It was a balance that Fox was 
developing but hated to face it whenever David would cry.  

Rubbing his son's back, Fox watched Dana come out of the 
bathroom and back into the bedroom in only her bra and 
underwear.  

Sucking the air in, Fox was relieved that Dana was no longer 
shy about dressing in front of him. Having been embarrassed 
by the weight gained during her pregnancy, Dana would not 
allow him near her unless she was dressed. Now back to her 
normal weight, Dana looked lovelier than ever including the 
increase size of her breasts due to nursing caused Fox to lick 
his lips.  

By the doctor's orders, they were not allowed to have sex for 
six weeks after the birth, that left Fox to adventure back 
more into his old life of porn videos and magazines. He even 
made a call to the sex phone line where he was known as 
'Marty' for years to help pleasure himself. But he felt guilty 
and even scared that Dana might not react well about the 
phone call that he hid the bill that the call was charged to 
from her.  

Even when the six weeks were up, it was not surprising that 
their love life did not return right away. Busy with the baby 
and being tired more, Dana seemed to show no interest until 
one day she flirted with Fox and dared him to try her breast 
milk.  

The swelling of her breast from the milk that leaked 
through the nipple Dana offered him, the sense of daring 
pushed Fox to satisfy his curiosity that drowned inside of 
him.  

He at first, felt guilt for wanting to take the substance  
that belonged to his son. He wasn't a baby and shouldn't drink 
what was not meant for him. Yet in the back of his mind, the 
deep hidden emotion of jealousy, Fox shamefully resented 
that David nursed from the breasts that he considered his 
sole playthings. He missed not having his lips encased 
around Dana's rosy nipples and suckling to his pleasure. 
They were his and his alone. Still Fox knew the importance 
breast milk was to a growing baby and how they both agreed 
it was the best thing for their son. His adult mind reassured 
him that it was only for a while and to think of David simply 
borrowing for good reason. Yet no matter how much he 
convinced himself, the little kid inside of him screamed and 
kicked at the idea of having to share.  

Licking the expelled milk from the nipple, the taste was not 
at all pleasant and caused a moment of frowning in Fox's 
face, but his desire to take Dana in overcame his dislike 
when he took her nipple completely into his mouth.  

The sucking came automatic for him and forced Dana's flesh 
deep into his mouth. The warmth of her milk shocked his taste  
buds but the awful taste disappeared as Fox relished for more  
with his suckling increased. Feeling Dana raking his back with  
her fingernails, her moans he could hear developed in her chest  
were freed and echoed throughout the room.  

Resting her face on the crown of his head, Dana rubbed 
through the softness of his hair causing a wave of excitement 
as she encouraged him to keep going.  

He would have stayed there forever but released her nipple 
with a pop. Not wanting to take too much from his son, Fox 
swallowed what was left in his mouth and removed the 
bathrobe Dana was wearing.  

He didn't care about the little extra weight or the faded 
stretch marks that covered her stomach as he guided himself 
down her body. Nibbling his way to her private area Fox was 
tickled by her reddish bush and enjoyed the scent of her sex 
that was generated by her arousal.  

It had been too long since he had been here. Kept away by 
her wishes that he did not disagree with but always thought 
about it and looked forward to the day he could orally please 
her again. Tasting the wetness with both kisses and sucking, 
Fox stuck his tongue in and pleasured his beloved until she 
climaxed.  

" ... All right, Fox. Now the number to the department I'll be 
in if you can't reach me by my cell phone is on this sheet of 
paper as well as the doctor's number just in case... "  Dana 
handed it to Fox.  

" Right... " Fox took the paper. 

" I'm sure my mother will be glad to help if you can't reach 
me... Don't forget she's at her sister's house. The number is 
on the sheet of... No wait, I didn't write it down... " Dana 
took the sheet of paper from him and pulled out her address 
book from her purse. " Now there is plenty of milk for 
David, it should hold him until I get home so don't over feed 
him. Just because he's crying doesn't mean he's hungry. Don't 
leave him in a dirty diaper too long... and if you two go out, 
be sure to put a cap on David and keep him covered. Remember  
to take the diaper bag with you and put extra clothes, diapers  
and at least two bottles for him... "  

" Right... "  

" Now... " Dana handed him back the paper with the list of 
numbers on it. " I better go... Are you sure you're going to 
be all right, Fox? " Dana took her son's feet swinging them 
gently as she looked into her husband's eyes. 

" We're going to be fine, Dana. Don't worry and knock them 
dead, baby. " Fox leaned over to kiss her.  

Hesitating, Dana reached for her briefcase and purse. 

With the keys in her hands, she did not want to make eye 
contact with her family while they said their good-byes. 
After the front door closed, Dana wiped the tears away as 
she walked to her car... 

xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx 

The first few hours Fox spent with his son was in front of the 
television. Though he hardly watched any of the shows, Fox 
was more interested in what David was doing.  

Giving his son the freedom to do what he could at his age, 
David reached for everything Fox showed him. From the 
colorful ring toys to the remote control David tried to keep a 
grip on the objects he liked and placed them into his mouth.  

" Like father, like son... Huh, baby? " Fox kissed the top of 
his son's head.  

David's answer was more a grunt and salvia dripping from 
the corner of his mouth that soon produced a smile to his 
father. With a gentle bounce on his lap, Fox considered it 
was time to change David when the telephone rang.  

" Hello..? "  

" Hey, Mulder... I'm glad I caught you at home. " A familiar 
voice spoke on the other end of the line. 

" Hey, Frohike... What's up? "  

" Need you to come down here, Mulder... Can't say, if the 
lines are safe to speak to you on... If you know what I 
mean... "  

" What is it that you want to talk about, Frohike? "  

" Nope... Big Brother maybe listening. Come on over and 
we'll talk about it on safer grounds. "  

" But I... " Before he could get another word in, Fox heard 
the sound of Frohike's line disconnecting.  

Hanging the phone up, Fox closed his eyes tight. Had he 
received this call back when he was a single man with no 
family to care for, Fox would have left to the Gunmen's 
office without a thought to his own safety. Yet the baby that 
squealed in his arms with the look of trust on his young face, 
Fox didn't think it would be right to take his son with him.  

Besides, Dana might not be too happy about it.  

Three Gunmen and a Mulder equaled trouble in her eyes. 
Placing David in such a situation might put Fox's life in 
danger with Dana.  

Still his curiosity boiled, there would be no way he could 
convince Frohike to talk on the phone or even come over to 
his place. Whatever the short man had in his possession he 
would not leave the sanctuary of the Gunmen's hideout no 
matter how much Mulder would threaten him.  

Giving in to his old ways, it wouldn't hurt to go over and see 
what Frohike had.  

" Hey, buddy... Let's go out and get some air... Visit the 
park... Go see some of Daddy's friends... "  

Fox suddenly shut his mouth. He was taken back by the look  
that now painted across David's face with his young brow  
pressed together in a disapproving frown that bared a  
striking resemblance to his mother... 

xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx 

The Gunmen's Office... 

" Hey, Mulder... Frohike didn't say you were bringing 
Peewee over, too? " Langly greeted them at the door.  

" He didn't give me a chance. " Mulder walked through the 
door with David in a carrier and a diaper bag over his 
shoulder.  

Placing the carrier on one of the table, Fox checked to see if 
his son was comfortable but the baby paid no mind to him. 
The flashing color lights from the computers and machinery 
had David's attention until three large faces came in front of 
him.  

" Well, look who's here! " Frohike smiled. 

" Wow! Look how big he's grown. " Byers joined in.  

" He still looks like you, Mulder... Too bad. " Langly 
commented.  

" What do you mean too bad? " Mulder bumped Langly.  

" Nothing... Well... It's just that his mother is ...a pretty 
woman. And... um... um... "  

" Forget it... Believe me there's plenty of Dana in him. So 
what do you have, Frohike... that you couldn't tell me on the 
phone? " Mulder asked. 

" It's concerning that vampire slash werewolf sighting you 
told us about the other day. Did some digging around and 
found something interesting... " Frohike moved toward the 
computer.  

" What? " Mulder followed.  

Pulling on to the screen, a map of both the Southern and East 
Coast states appeared with three yellow stars pasted over 
three cities. Frohike pointed to the first one.  

" Here in Mississippi, a reported killing... matches the 
description of the body you found. Two punctured wounds to 
the neck and the body drained of blood. There was also a 
report of a body or what was left of it found in alley not too 
far from the other killing. The autopsy revealed that victim 
was killed then eaten. The bite wounds point toward 
canine... a large one. Two months later where you were 
staying in Florida, there was a body that was half-eaten 
found three days after you found the victim in the hotel. 
From what they learned from the autopsy... that brutal 
murder took place the same day as the victim in the hotel. 
Also, there have been police reports of several murders 
where the victims have been drained of blood with two 
punctured wounds to the neck, all following the path that you 
now see here. " Frohike pointed to the map on the computer 
screen. " There was a report last month in North Carolina of 
a body... or what was left of it... found in an alley. They 
almost couldn't make the ID, but a wallet was found near the 
crime scene that belonged to an Edward Mullen that 
matched the DNA from the victim's body.  

" Now there is an interesting connection, Mulder...Three of 
these murders... during the full moon... took place in the 
same city and near the area where a Sci-Fi and Horror 
convention was or were to take place. Surprised you didn't 
catch on that. "  

" No... Got involved in another case... Trying to protect the 
world... remember? "  

" You know... I... I don't think you guys should talk about 
these things in front of the baby... " Byers jumped in.  

All three turned toward him and laughed at the overprotective  
Byers.  

" Don't worry, Byers... The only thing that scares David is a 
dirty diaper. " Mulder informed him. " Thanks for your 
concern anyway... He's still too little to understand any of 
this. "  

" Well... Yeah... but still we shouldn't give him any 
nightmares... "  

" Yeah... well if any of us should have a nightmare, it will be 
today. Especially since there will be a full moon tonight and 
there is a Sci-Fi and Horror convention taking place today in 
our fair city. " Frohike said. 

" Hey, that's right... I remember reading about that. We 
should go, man!! " Langly jumped in.  

" Wait... Wait! Wait! Wait! How are you making these 
connections to the Sci-Fi and Horror conventions? " Mulder 
asked.  

" You said it yourself, Mulder... You think that these 
supernatural beings or perhaps an overzealous fan that want 
to imitate these creatures, could be the reasons for deaths 
taking place. 

" Now... I did a check on all the vendors that participated in 
these shows, about half of them travel up and down a few 
states along the Southern and East Coast areas. Here is a list 
of the names... we got at least ten of them that have been to  
each of the conventions where the murders have taken place. 
From what I have found out, a lot of them are scared... but 
the victims don't have a connection to anyone associated 
with the convention except for the last victim. Only he was 
there for the show according to family members. Law 
enforcement has kept these murders out of the press, much 
to the relief of the owners and the sponsors of the show...  

" Now that's about the only thing... There have been no 
witnesses or any solid evidences that can make a firm 
connection to the conventions and even what happened to 
you has been treated like shit. They don't care too much for 
the things you say, Mulder... "  

" That's nothing new... "  Mulder rested his fingers against 
his mouth as his mind began sorting through the information 
that Frohike gave him and his own ideas brewed in his head. 
Suddenly turning his eyes to his left, Mulder watched the 
bouncing of his son's feet as the baby seemed interested by 
the movement he was creating.  

Thinking that the idea of going to the convention sounded 
like a good plan to Mulder, but taking the baby with them he 
had his doubts. Especially since he would have to deal with 
the mother of his child who would not understand the 
circumstance to a possible investigation of the supernatural.  

Having lost the chance in Florida, Mulder knew in his heart 
that he could not allow another opportunity to pass by.  

Still he could not risk placing his baby in danger... But it 
wouldn't hurt to go and take a look around and ask questions 
during broad daylight?  

" Hey! Any of you guys up for a Sci-Fi and Horror 
convention? " Mulder asked the Lone Gunmen... 

xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx 

Convention Center... 

Before leaving the Gunmen's office, Mulder checked his 
handgun that was storage in the truck of his car. He did not 
plan to take in the convention center with him but wanted to 
be sure it was there if he needed it. After he changed his  
son, Mulder and the Gunmen finally headed to the Convention 
Center.  

Once they paid their admission, Mulder divided the list with 
the threesome and they parted ways into the huge crowd of 
fans... 

xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx  

He could smell the FBI agent before he had seen him.  

He was not surprised that the agent was here and asking 
questions about the killings he and his friend had done. Only 
the baby stroller that the agent was pushing was shocking to 
him.  

Moving among the crowd, he kept himself hidden. Despite 
his size, red hair and freckled face, he managed to avoid the 
FBI agent's detection. Just as he had done in Florida a few 
months back when the FBI agent learned of his friend's lunar 
habits.  

Biting down on his bottom lip, he caused a break in his skin 
to bleed. He sucked the blood into his mouth until the 
bleeding stopped.  

He was hungry.  

Having so many humans around him, his lust for blood was 
testing his willpower and it was a force he had very little 
strength to go against.  

It was one of the reasons for him leaving home.  

After he had exposed the family when they lived in Chaney, 
Texas to the same FBI agent that he was now watching a few 
years ago, he decided to leave after the hard time he received 
from the others for his misgivings.  

He couldn't help it.  

He was a vampire.  

Though he was not like those he worshipped in the movies 
or in Anne Rice's novels, he lacked certain traits that the 
vampires of legend were well known for.  

First of all, the sunlight did not affect him or his family. 
Walking in both day and night had its benefits but was not 
the true classic image he wanted to be. 

The lack of fangs was frustrating for him. Using cheap 
plastic kid fangs to terrorize his prey, the use of drugs he 
could no longer apply to his victims as he had done when he 
delivered pizzas back in Texas. Having to use his own 
strength to overpower the humans he would attack were no 
fun and made him wish he could hypnotize them like the 
most famous vampire could do.  

Still, with his own abilities, he moved ahead of the FBI agent 
and to the booth that was stationed by his friend.  

Stacking comic books and horror magazines on the display 
table, Franklin Gore looked up when he saw his friend racing 
toward him through the crowd.  

" Hey, Ronnie... Where the hell have you been? "  

" Hey, Frankie... We got a problem... " Ronnie Strickland 
warned his friend... 

xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx 

Moving from one booth to another, John F. Byers was 
unsuccessful to obtain information from any of the vendors. 
Either in silence or the lack of knowledge of the killings did 
not give much help to the Gunman as he moved on to the 
next person on the list.  

He hated being here, not because of the subject matter of the 
event, but the memory of meeting Susanne Modeski in such 
a crowded place when he worked for the FCC more than ten 
years ago.  

It was the same story when he and the other Gunmen 
encountered her in Las Vegas and helped her to escape the 
prison life she was in. 

Giving a sigh, it was not easy to love someone in that way, 
holding on to Susanne's image as he did. The love he had for 
her, Byers wished every day he could express it to her.  

It was impossible. For there was no way he could possibly...  

Possibly... 

For a moment Byers thought his eyes were playing tricks on 
him. For he saw the same face, the same hair, and the same 
lovely lips of Susanna Modeski not far from him as she 
walked away from the crowd of people. 

Trailing after her, Byers picked up speed and called out to 
her. 

He could not believe it was Susanne.  

How could she be here?  

And of all the places he would meet her again.  

Maybe this time he might have the chance to tell her his love 
for her. To feel her body press against him as he gave her a 
kiss that would shake their world. 

Turning toward the hallway that led away from the show, 
Byers was now alone as he called out again for Susanne. 

Unable to find her, he was about to turn to the other corner 
when Byers felt a strong force hit him and knock him into 
darkness... 

xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx 

Melvin Frohike wobbled across the crowd of people doing 
his best not to run into anyone that past him. 

Unable to convince anyone to talk with him, Frohike 
searched for Mulder or any of the other Gunmen to see if 
they had any luck. 

Above the crowd the familiar voice of Ringo Langly caught 
Frohike's attention as he moved toward his friend.  

" ... I'm telling you right now, the best monster of all time  
is the Frankenstein's Monster himself!! Don't give me any 
bullshit about any fuckin' mummy. Who the hell could be 
afraid of some guy with a bunch of bandages on? " Langly 
shouted at the booth owner whose stand was dedicated to  
the Mummy franchise. 

" Hey, Langly! " Frohike called out. 

" Wait... Wait a minute. Can you believe this jerk?! He 
thinks the Mummy is scarier than the Frankenstein's 
Monster?!! " 

" Well, I always thought the werewolf was scarier... "  

" Frankenstein's Monster! " Langly leaned down to Frohike. 

" Werewolf!! " Frohike challenged back... 

xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx 

Pulling out a bag of sunflower seeds from the diaper bag, 
Fox Mulder popped two seeds into his mouth as he watched 
the crowd walk by. 

Having to stop to give his son a bottle, Fox decided to rest  
a bit longer after he finished feeding David. 

Fox expected the baby to fall asleep but his son remained 
awake and watched his father suck on the seeds that were in 
his mouth. David had only slept once when they drove over 
to the Convention Center but woke the moment Fox put him 
in the stroller.  

Now watching his son's eyes drooping, Fox suddenly heard 
Dana's voice in his head and reached over to touch David's 
diaper that was wet. 

Standing up and shoving his bag of sunflower seeds into his 
pants' pocket, Fox pushed the stroller and headed to the 
nearest men's restroom. Surprised to see it nearly empty, Fox 
spotted the changing table at the far end of the room.  

First checking to see if it was clean, Fox placed a changing 
mat on it that he pulled out from the diaper bag. Once he 
was satisfied, he then lay David down on it to take care of 
business.  

Fox paid no attention to comings and goings while he took 
care of his son and did not notice a young man with long 
dirty blond hair approach him from behind. 

The young man breathed the air in and took in the different 
scents that surrounded him. The smell was foul but the scent 
of the man with the baby was the target he had searched for. 
It was the same man that his friend told him about, and the 
same man he encountered with in Florida a few months back 
when his wolf blood consumed him during the full moon of 
the month.  

This was the same man that tried to stop him. 

This was now the man he planned to kill. 

" I love eating babies... " A dark voice spoke that caused Fox 
to jump and face the young man who bared an evil grin. " I 
love eating them... Especially when the moon is full... I eat 
them whole and alive... Feeling them kicking as they go 
down... Back into the dark, deep belly... Where I hear them 
crying for their mommies... Until they die... and then I shit 
them out the next day... " The young man turned to look at  
David. " Good looking baby... I bet he tastes really good... "  

The young man reached out to touch David but Fox immediately  
blocked him and stood to defend his son. It did not take much  
for Fox to realize what was standing before him.  

" Heard you were looking for us... " The young man growled. 
" You found us now, man... or you can say we found you. "  

Before he could react, Fox fell forward when he felt a 
powerful force throw him off his feet and landed hard on the 
floor.  

The weight of another man pressed against his chest and the 
familiar face caused a shocking look from Fox Mulder. 

" Hey, Mulder... long time no see... " Ronnie Strickland 
laughed. 

Seeing the young man dashed past them, Mulder was trying 
to push himself free when he saw his son David in the young 
man's arms.  

" NO!!! " Mulder yelled, but Ronnie pushed him back down.  

Struggling to break free, Mulder looked into Strickland's 
eyes as he opened his mouth with his plastic fangs intact... 

xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx 

Franklin Gore rushed out of the men's restroom with the 
screaming baby in his arms. 

Pushing people out of his way, Franklin headed to the 
location in the convention center where he planned to hide 
the baby. There when the full moon rose that night, he would 
feast on this annoying child.  

Running deeper into the building, Gore stopped when he 
reached the stairway and found it blocked by a bearded man.  

The dull figure stared at him with no expression on his face 
that Gore did not consider a threat and growled at him. 
Throwing his body forward, Gore prepared to ram the man 
out of his way but was struck by a solid wall of strength when 
the bearded man pushed him down.  

The moment he landed on his back, the baby that Gore held 
rolled out of his arms and onto the ground unharmed.  

The baby's cries brought the bearded man to him and lifted 
the baby softly into his arms.  

Gore picked himself up from the floor. Growling and snarling  
when the scent from the man before him sent chills down his spine.  

The smell was wrong. 

He wasn't... 

It wasn't... 

The sudden reality of what was standing before him, Franklin  
Gore fled away in terror... 

xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx 

The bright green glow in Ronnie Strickland's eyes revealed  
the feeling of victory that he had over Fox Mulder. 

Remembering when he held this same man down to feast on 
his blood and lost the chance when the other FBI agent 
stopped him. Ronnie never forgot it. And if he had killed 
Mulder then, his family would not have turned against him. 

This was Mulder's fault and at last he could inflict his 
revenge on him, by drinking the blood right out of him.  

Yet, Mulder fought back. Unlike the drugged individual that 
he was when he had last faced Ronnie Strickland in the same 
position, Mulder's strength from the rage and fear for his 
child edged him forward.  

He had to save his baby!!! 

Ronnie pushed back harder. He wasn't about to let Mulder 
get the best of him again.  

Not this time!  

He moved closer to Mulder's exposed neck, ready to take a 
bite.  

Mulder immediately released his right hand to reach for his 
pants' pocket and pulled out the plastic bag of sunflower 
seeds. He threw the seeds all over the restroom floor.  

" NOOO!!! " Ronnie Strickland howled when the seeds flew 
by and landed all around him. 

Staring back at Mulder, Ronnie tried to fight his nature.  

He wasn't going to pick up those fuckin' seeds!!  

He wasn't going to... 

Releasing Mulder from his grip, Ronnie Strickland landed 
on his knees and started picking the seeds up one at a time.  

" You son of a bitch, Mulder! You're going to get it!! " 
Ronnie roared over his shoulder but just as he was about to 
pick up the next seed, Mulder slammed his fist behind 
Ronnie's head. Knocking out the plastic fangs, Ronnie fell 
flat on his face as Mulder raced out. 

Bursting out of the restroom, Mulder ran forward to find his 
son.  

Dodging the people he came close to, Fox searched each one 
he saw, but he couldn't find his baby among them.  

Mulder kept on running until he saw a familiar face not far 
from him holding his son. 

" MULDER!! MULDER!! " Byers waved to him as he held 
David Mulder in his arm.  

The baby's crying was music to Fox Mulder as he took his 
son back.  

" Oh, God... Thank God... Thank God... " Mulder clung tight 
to his son. The sudden sense of relief caused a few sobs to 
escape but Mulder didn't care. He had his baby back.  

"  Some guy had him, Mulder... He put David on the floor and  
ran off... I'm glad I was there to get the baby... I don't 
know what would have... "  Byers rambled on even as 
Mulder did a quick check on David to be sure he was not 
harmed.  

" I know... I know, Byers... Thank you... Thank you for 
saving David... " Mulder grabbed him by the shoulder and  
guided him away from the area. 

" You're welcome, Mulder... but... " 

" We got to get out of here... " Mulder pushed Byers forward 
as they returned to the large area where the show was taking 
place... 

xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx 

From a distance, he saw Agent Mulder and another man run 
past him.  

Wrinkling his nose, for a moment he thought he had smelled 
something wrong but it disappeared just as Mulder and his 
friend were gone in the crowd of people.  

Moving toward the area from where Mulder came from, he 
walked past the humans and headed to the men's restroom.  

When he opened the door, he found it empty. Only a few 
sunflower seeds laid on the ground and the fresh scent of 
Ronnie Strickland hung in the air.  

Bending down toward the seeds, he picked up the few that 
were left... 

xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx 

Finding Frohike and Langly arguing out on the main floor, 
Mulder pulled everyone together.  

" We're getting the hell out of here!! " Mulder held tight to 
his baby as he led the Gunmen out of the convention center. 

Questions were being thrown back and forward as Mulder 
explained to the threesome what had happened in the men's 
restroom when he suddenly stopped near his car and 
remembered the baby stroller. 

" Shit!! " Mulder turned around looking back. Everything 
was in the stroller including his car keys with several forms 
of identification stuffed in the diaper bag. He needed to get it 
back, besides Dana would be furious if he lost the stroller 
that was her favorite. 

" I got to go back, I left the baby's stroller in... " Mulder 
stopped when the baby stroller rolled up to him and halted 
right at his feet.  

Mulder and the Gunmen looked at the stroller then to the 
man who had pushed it toward them. 

" Hey there, Agent Mulder... Long time no see... " Lucien 
Hartwell smiled at him with his perfect vampire teeth. 

" Shit!! " Mulder backed away with his baby pressed closer 
to him. Having seen Ronnie Strickland, seeing Sheriff 
Hartwell shouldn't have been a surprise but it was.  

The Gunmen moved with Mulder, uncertain of who this 
person was that seemed to upset their friend. 

" Hey! Hey! Relax, Agent Mulder... I'm not here to hurt you 
or your baby... or your friends... " Hartwell stared at the 
Gunmen and suddenly felt a chill go up and down his spine. 
He now knew where that smell came from, but he wouldn't 
let his own fears overcome his need to speak with Agent 
Mulder. 

" Look, is there someplace we can talk? " Hartwell asked.  
" It's not safe here... for any of us... " 

xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx 

Quantico... 

Dana Mulder tapped her fingers against her cell phone as she 
listened to the ringing on the other end of the line. 

When the answering machine finally picked up, Dana called 
out over the message that Fox had recorded. Having unable 
to reach him by his cell phone, this was the second time she 
called home and only received the answering machine. 

" Fox! Fox, it's me! Pick up! Fox?! OK... Honey, I'm just 
calling again to see how you and the baby are doing... You 
must still be out... so I hope you remembered to take 
everything with you... Don't cook... I mean, don't order 
anything for dinner... I'll bring something home... OK... 
Well, I better get back... I have two more classes to teach... 
Bye... "  

Dana turned off her cell phone and let out a sigh. She had 
been worried about the baby since she left home. It was not 
that she didn't trust her husband it was just the fact that  
she was David's mother and being his mother she worried. 

Dana slipped her cell phone back into her briefcase and got 
ready for the next class... 

xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx 

Franklin Gore hurled the chair across the motel room as he 
howled his frustration at the failure to kill the FBI agent  
and his baby. 

Trying to stay out of the way, Ronnie Strickland shivered at 
the force that Franklin used as he destroyed the room they 
were staying in. 

It was always like this, when the time of the full moon was 
near. 

Frankie's violent nature took much of his willpower to hold 
in place but what had happened at the sci-fi and horror 
convention caused him to lose control. 

Backing more into the corner, Ronnie had already felt 
Frankie's wrath and wasn't ready to be subject to it again.  

Despite the fact that he was a vampire, he did not possess the 
power of a werewolf.  

Even in his human form, Gore's strength was greater than 
that of the frightened vampire.  

Franklin leaned his body against the wall and felt exhausted 
but his anger still remained. 

" Can't believe you fucked up!! " Franklin snarled at Ronnie.  

" I fucked up?! You're the one who dropped the baby! " 
Ronnie pointed his finger at him. 

" Yeah... Well, I had a good reason... You... You had to pick 
up seeds... "  

" I couldn't help it... I didn't think he was going to do that 
again... "  

Letting loose a growl, Franklin moved up to Ronnie. " We 
can't let him escape again... Not with what he knows... I'm 
not going to run away like a coward like your kind does... "  

" We're not cowards!! We're just surviving... " Ronnie 
suddenly felt home sick and ached to be with his family 
again. " Anyway how are we going to find him? "  

Frankie Gore smiled and pulled from his back pocket a large 
black wallet that was not his.  

" That baby wasn't the only thing I grabbed... " He grinned at 
Ronnie... 

xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx 

The Lone Gunmen's Office... 

Lucien Hartwell marveled at the computers and technology 
that surrounded him.  

Wanting to touch each of the buttons, he was stopped by 
Melvin Frohike who didn't care if Hartwell was a vampire.  

" Don't touch anything, bud!! " Frohike warned him. 

" Hey, sorry... I don't mean any disrespect... Just never saw 
so much equipment in one place except for a department 
store... " Hartwell raised his hands as he backed away.  

Turning toward Mulder, he observed the agent still holding 
his now sleeping baby and the being that stood near his side 
since they left the convention center. Looking the creature 
over, Hartwell still felt the desire to run but he took a deep 
breath and approached Mulder.  

" I would ask how Agent Scully is doing but I see by what 
you're holding she's doing fine... " Hartwell smiled. 

" Fuck the small talk, Hartwell... " Mulder repositioned his 
son in his arms as he tried not to hit Byers who stood next to 
him. " You mind explaining to us what the hell is going on? " 

" What's going on, Agent Mulder... is nothing more than 
family problems... " Hartwell said. " The last time we met... 
Ronnie... Ronnie Strickland had caused quite a bit of trouble 
for us... and even for you. Believe me, he was punished... but 
I'm afraid we might have step over the boundaries and the 
poor boy couldn't take it anymore and ran away from home. 
I've been searching for him since. Today is the first time I 
manage to be in the same city as he is now. I have come to 
take him home... but what I'm concern about now is the 
type of crowd he is running with... "  

" A werewolf. " Mulder finished his sentence.  

" Yes, sir... A werewolf... Something a vampire doesn't mix 
well with just like oil and water. It only leads to trouble. And 
from what this kid has been leaving behind these past several 
months is exactly what he's in... Trouble. "  

" There are people who are dead because of them. "  

" People die all the time from vampires and werewolves attacks,  
Agent Mulder... They're just better at hiding it than those two  
clucks have been doing. You never leave anything that a human  
can find... but Ronnie has always been a sloppy kid. "  

" Not the way he picks up sunflower seeds... "  

" Yeah... Trick still works... " Hartwell smiled. " Now that I 
found him... I'm here to take him home... He belongs with 
his own kind not with that werewolf. "  

" Fine... Take him... Get him the hell out of my city!! 
Because if I see him again, not only will I stab him in the 
heart once more, I'll cement it so tight that fucker will stay 
dead forever!! " Mulder shouted at Hartwell. " My baby was 
almost killed because of him!! "  

" I don't know if you have the right to blame Ronnie for 
that... " Hartwell stared directly into Mulder's eyes. " I'm sure  
you knew the risk you were taking when you took your baby  
with you... Looking for vampires and werewolves... it's not  
the place for little ones... "  

Mulder backed away, knowing the truth was thrown right at 
him. Looking down at David as he slept peacefully could not 
know how close his life came to a horrid end. 

" Now... It wouldn't be so much trouble taking Ronnie home. 
In fact I believe he would have come home on his own if  
it wasn't for that werewolf fella... " Hartwell said.  
" Werewolves... when they grab you they hold on tight and 
won't stop until they rip your heart out... Your business  
with that werewolf ain't over yet, Agent Mulder... Not by  
a long shot... "  

" What do you mean..? " 

" Well, you done inferred with it twice... This time its human 
form knows what you look like... It won't take much for the 
wolf inside of him to come hunting you down... I think you 
and I can help each other... " 

" How..? "  

" By destroying that werewolf fella... Once he's gone... Then 
I can take Ronnie home and you, your family and friends... " 
Hartwell eyed the creature that still stood by Mulder. " ... can 
go back to your lives... "  

" How are we going to find them..? I'm sure they're no longer 
at the convention center... "  

" I told you... He'll find you. "  

Mulder looked at Hartwell then turned toward where he 
placed the diaper bag on the floor.  

" Byers... Can you hold David for me? " Mulder offered his 
son to his friend. 

" Sure thing, Mulder... " Byers took the sleeping infant.  

Taking the bag off the floor, Mulder placed it on the counter 
and searched through the bag.  

Everything was there. Diapers, wipes, extra baby clothes and 
three bottles and his wallet that held all his identifications... 

His wallet..?  

Gone.  

Mulder turned toward Hartwell again, and realized what he 
had said was true... 

xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx 

Quantico... 

Entering her car, Dana noticed the time on her watch. It was 
a little past seven o'clock in the evening and she was dead 
tired.  

Having stayed longer than she had expected, Dana was 
relieved that she was finally going home.  

Not having to worry about dinner, a call from Fox on her cell 
phone put to rest that problem, though she thought he 
sounded a bit strange when she asked him where he and the 
baby had been.  

" What do you mean? " Fox asked.  

" Well, I called twice and only got the answering machine... 
You did get the messages, didn't you? " Dana asked.  

" Uh... Yeah... Yeah, I did! Look, Dana, I'll take care of 
dinner for us, so you don't have to worry about it... "  

" So you don't want me to pick anything up? " 

" No... No you don't have to pick anything up... I'll cook...  
or maybe order something in... "  

" No Mexican food, Fox... "  

" What? " 

" I said no Mexican food... I'm not in the mood to listen to 
you fart all night... "  

" I don't... OK, OK... I'll order Italian then... All right? "  

" Mmm... That sounds good... But don't just let it be a pizza. 
Now where have you and the baby been? "  

" What? " 

" I asked and I'm asking again where have you and the baby 
been? "  

" Uh... The park... "  

" The park... Did you go jogging? " 

" Uh... Yeah, jogging... we went jogging. Well, I jogged, and 
David got a free ride... and... and... We went and got ice 
cream. "  

" You didn't give any ice cream to the baby? " 

" No... Why would I do that? Come on, Dana, have some 
trust in me? "  

" I trust you... and I love you. "  

" I love you, too... " He whispered.  

" Why are you whispering? "  

" What? "  

" Fox, I'll see you when I get home... "  

" OK! Bye! " Fox's line disconnected before Dana could say 
another word. 

Entering the main highway, Dana Mulder drove for home... 

xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx 

They walked down the neighborhood streets until they found 
the right apartment building they wanted.  

Checking the area over, Franklin Gore and Ronnie Strickland  
tried not to look too suspicious as they passed a few of  
the tenants of the building by. 

" Man, I wish we could do this at night... " Ronnie  
complained. 

" Well, we can't... I won't be in my right mind... " Franklin 
snapped at him. 

Ronnie let out a sigh. His partnership with Franklin the 
werewolf had not gone as he hoped.  

Having read once in a horror novel of a time when 
werewolves and vampires hunted together, never once had 
Ronnie ever tasted from the victims that Franklin would kill 
during his full moon incarnation. It was impossible unless 
Ronnie wanted to be rip to shreds if Frankie was to grab hold 
of him.  

He even tried a few times to stop Frankie from killing the 
victims before he could taste their blood, but each time 
Frankie's mindless beast form would try to take him instead, 
leaving Ronnie to throw the victims into the werewolf's grip 
and to their deaths.  

When he had run away from home, Ronnie wandered from city  
to city and killing not only for the need of his hunger but 
for money as well. It was in one of his wanderings that he 
met Franklin Gore at a sci-fi and horror convention that 
Ronnie came across by chance.  

Seeing the werewolf in its human form selling comic books 
and all sort of other cool stuff,  they recognized each other 
for whom and what they were. Through their friendship they 
made an agreement to share the kill during the full moon as 
it was done in legends.  

How untrue that legend was.  

Ronnie feared for his own life.  

He was told as long as he could remember what would 
happen to a vampire if a werewolf were to bite him. 

The battle of two souls would commence leaving the body 
bruised, drained and with fever. It would not be able to 
survive the struggle and the death of the body would be slow 
and painful.  

The same would go for the werewolf. No body could hold 
two strong souls without it paying a price for the immorality 
that one soul would give the host, only Death would be 
victorious.  

" Here... " Frankie tapped Ronnie's shoulder. " This is where 
he lives... "  

Together they looked through the bedroom window of the 
first floor apartment that belonged to Fox and Dana Mulder. 
The smell of the male was strong as it was for the female 
and their baby. 

" He ain't home... We'll wait for him inside... " Franklin 
studied the window.  

" I... I don't know, Frankie... I mean... it's near sunset...  
and... " Ronnie worried.  

" Hey... Then we'll find out how fast you can run... " Franklin 
grinned at him.  

Getting close to the window again, both of them caught 
another scent beside the three humans that belonged to a... 

Suddenly both the vampire and werewolf leaped back out of 
surprise and shock when a ball of fur slammed against the 
bedroom window from the inside, growling and hissing at 
them.  

" SHIT!! " Franklin stared back at the creature that again 
slammed its claws and paws toward them as the window blocked  
the attack from the animal as its fur fuzzed all over its  
body. " IT'S A CAT!!! "  

" Jeez... I never saw one do that before... " Ronnie eyed the 
cat. " It must be possessed!! "  

" Or stupid... " Frankie stared back at the cat as it paced up 
and down in front of the window. " Fuckin' cat... I'm going to 
eat you... As soon as I get in there... you're going in my 
belly... "  

The only answer the cat gave was a hiss and it leaped away 
from sight. 

Giving the window panel a good shake, Franklin broke the 
lock and began edging the window open. Squeezing his hand 
in to give one good shove to let them in, the cat suddenly 
leaped onto his hand biting and clawing it furiously.  

Franklin screamed as the cat's claws and teeth ripped through 
his flesh. He pulled it free as the cat let his hand go at the 
same time.  

Bringing his hand toward him, Franklin never experienced 
such an attack since he had become a werewolf with his 
hand bleeding and throbbing from the pain the cat inflicted 
upon him.  

" THAT FUCKIN' CAT!!! I'M GOING TO KILL IT!!! " 
Franklin roared. 

" HEY!!! " Another voice shouted from behind them. " What 
the hell do you think you're doing?!! " An older man stared at 
them. " You better get out of here or I'll call the police. "  

" Just try it, old ass... " Franklin turned toward the older man. 

" NO!! Come on, Frankie, let's get out of here!! " Ronnie 
pulled on his arm. " COME ON!!! "  

" NO!! " Frankie pulled his arm free but Ronnie grabbed him 
again and dragged him away from the older man.  

" We'll do this later, man... " Ronnie finally got Franklin to 
run.  

Dodging through the parking lot structure, they were about 
to make it back to the streets when a figure jumped before 
them stopping them in their tracks.  

The lone figure's green glowing eyes stared down at them  
and he was ready to fight... 

xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx 

Interstate 95... 

Dana Mulder tapped her fingers against the steering wheel. 

Trapped in heavy traffic, Dana rubbed her eyes and cursed 
the situation she and several hundred other drivers were in.  

Now wishing she hadn't thrown her briefcase in the truck of 
the car that had her cell phone stored in it. Dana hoped that 
Fox was not worried about her lateness. With any luck he 
might hear about the traffic jam on the news.  

Seeing the daylight setting around her, Dana knew she would 
not be home until after dark... 

xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx 

Lucien Hartwell approached cautiously toward the vampire 
and the human who smelled of wolf.  

With the time growing short, he knew that dealing with the 
man-beast needed to be done quickly. 

" Lucien? What the hell are you doing here? " Ronnie called 
out. 

" I'm here to take you home, Ronnie. Where you belong... " 

Franklin let out a snort of a laugh. " So you're Lucien 
Hartwell..? You ain't nothing but a pretty boy... "  

" Thank you kindly for the compliment, Wolf... but this here 
is family business... so if you don't mind... "  

" I do mind... " Franklin rushed up to Hartwell. " This here is 
my friend... My buddy... Nobody is taking him anywhere... " 

" Like I said, Wolf... This don't concern you... Ronnie, I 
speak for everyone in the family that we're sorry for the 
things that were done to you... We let our anger get the best 
of us, which caused us to lose the best part of us... We want 
you to come home, Ronnie... I want you to come home... "  

" Yeah, right... " Franklin butted in again. " You want him to 
come home..? Look how long it took for them to find you, 
Ronnie... If they really cared they wouldn't have treated you 
the way they did... "  

" Now, I'm telling you this for the last time, Wolf... This ain't 
your business... Now, Ronnie... I... " 

The force of the hand that belonged to Franklin Gore pushed 
Hartwell away and nearly caused him to fall. 

With the darkness of the night now claiming the day, 
Franklin Gore felt the wolf slowly awakening inside of him. 
He was ready to charge at Hartwell again but stopped when 
he heard a voice shout out: " FREEZE!! " 

Fox Mulder came out of his hiding place with his weapon 
aimed right for Gore's heart.  

" Back away from him!! NOW!! "  Mulder shouted again.  

Growling at the human, Franklin sided-step as he felt his 
body beginning to change as he felt the power of the rising moon. 
It would not be long before the wolf took over him but 
Franklin wanted to kill Hartwell and the annoying human 
before he was completely changed. 

Ignoring Mulder's warning Franklin leapt at Hartwell 
knocking him down to the ground. Hartwell grabbed Gore's 
arms and fought back as he tried to keep the man-beast from 
ripping him to shreds. 

" NO!! " Ronnie Strickland screamed and jumped the distance  
to land on Gore's back.  

" Let him go, Frankie!! " Ronnie tried to pull him off of 
Hartwell. 

Throwing his body up, Franklin tried to shake Ronnie off of 
him, but the vampire held a tight grip around Franklin's neck. 
The changing Franklin roared and reached behind him, 
digging his claws deep into Ronnie's shoulder and ripped his 
flesh off.  

Ronnie's screams echoed through the parking structure and 
he let go of Franklin to fall on his side. Trying to stop the 
bleeding, Ronnie was in shock that he did not notice 
Franklin turning toward him, ready to finish the kill.  

Yet before the changing werewolf could jump, gunshots 
were fired from Mulder's weapon hitting him straight at the 
heart.  

The body that fell to the ground was the human form of the 
late Franklin Gore. 

Mulder approached the three supernatural beings as Hartwell 
went to Ronnie's side and checked his flesh wound.  

" You're going to be OK, kid... " Hartwell reassured him. 

" Did you really mean it, Lucien? Everyone wants me home? " 
Ronnie stared into the other vampire's eyes.  

Hartwell let out a laugh. " Of course we do. Ain't been the 
same since you left. We're going home, Ronnie... but first I 
have to clean this mess up... " Hartwell turned toward 
Mulder. " You go on now, Agent Mulder... I'll take care of 
everything... "  

" But... but the police will be coming... You know that 
somebody heard the gunshots... "  

" And you're forgetting what we are... You go on home now, 
Agent Mulder... Get your baby and go on home... "  

Nodding his head, Mulder turned and walked away from them.  
But when he turned back to have another look, Mulder was  
alone in the parking structure... 

xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx 

The Mulders' Apartment: A Half Hour Later... 

A knock on the door brought Fox Mulder running to answer 
it.  

" Hey, Mulder... " Byers smiled when Mulder opened the 
door. In his arms, a sleeping David Mulder rested in the baby 
carrier that Byers held.  

Mulder smiled at his sleeping child and took the carrier from 
his friend.  

Not wanting to place his son in any more danger, Mulder left 
his son in the care of the Gunmen before leaving with 
Hartwell to confront Ronnie Strickland and the werewolf 
being.  

" Thanks, Byers... I hope he wasn't any trouble... " Mulder 
asked. 

" Of course not... He's an angel... " Byers still smiled. " Is 
Dana here? " 

" No...  Not yet... I saw on the news about the heavy traffic 
on Highway 95... but I can't get a hold of her on her cell 
phone... "  

" I'm sure she's all right, Mulder... Everything is all right 
now... " Byers patted him on the shoulder. 

" Yeah... I'll be glad when Dana's home though... " Mulder 
looked at David again. 

Both Mulder and Byers turned their heads when they heard 
growling behind them. The Mulders' pet cat Rat stood tall on 
her four paws with her fur fuzzed all over. The cat seemed 
terrified and started to back away.  

" Rat! Knock it off! It's just Byers. " Mulder scolded the cat. 

Yet the cat was not at all impressed by her owner's words 
and ran out of the living room to hide under the bed.  

" What the hell got into her..? " Mulder questioned.  

" Oh, must not like the way I smell... It's no big deal... You 
sleep well tonight, Mulder... " Byers patted him again on the 
shoulder.  

" I will as soon as Dana gets home... night, Byers. "  

" Night, Mulder... "  

Once the door closed, the face of Robert F. Byers changed 
into the face of the Alien Hunter. Having been foretold of  
his need to protect the Mulders' child, he knew now that  
his work was completed until he was needed again.  

The alien stepped out of the apartment building and 
disappeared into the darkness... 

xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx 

Fox Mulder placed his sleeping son on the bed with him.  

Being careful as he lied next to his baby, Fox did not want 
David to sleep alone. 

Gently stroking his son's cheek, Fox could never be more 
thankful that David was now safe. 

The guilt he felt for placing his baby in danger, Fox vowed 
never again to be so selfish when it came to his family's 
lives. He could never promise enough as he felt the love he 
had for his son. 

Trying to stay awake until Dana came home, Fox kept the 
television on the evening news and felt his eyes growing 
heavy.  

Falling into a deep sleep, Fox did not hear the front door 
opening... 

xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx 

A tired Dana Mulder finally walked through the door of her 
home.  

Tossing her briefcase and purse on the couch, Dana called 
out for her husband. 

" Fox? "  

When she received no answer, Dana walked to the bedroom 
and found not only Fox asleep but their baby as well, 
cuddled comfortably next to his father's side. 

Quietly, Dana left the room. 

" Well... at least one of us had a good day... " Dana smiled... 

xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx 

The Lone Gunmen Office... 

The telephone ringing stopped when Langly reached over to 
answer it. 

" Lone Gunmen... "  

" Langly!! Thank God!! Why the hell did you guys leave me 
at the Convention Center?!! " The voice of a frantic Byers 
shouted over the phone. 

" Byers? What the hell are you talking about? You just left  
for Mulder's place to drop off the baby? " Langly said.  

" What?!! What the hell are YOU talking about?!! I'm here at 
the Convention Center!! I was locked in a closet and my 
clothes were stolen and I have someone else's suit on!! You 
guys have got to come and get me!! "  

" Byers... Did you go and get steak sandwiches and beers 
without us? " Langly questioned... 

xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx 

On a State Highway... 

Lucien Hartwell drove toward home as he listened to country 
music on the radio.  

It would be a few days of traveling before they reached the 
town that the vampire family now lived in. Hartwell hoped 
the body of the man-beast would not rot too much until they 
could burn it once they arrived home. 

Turning to his driving buddy, Hartwell smiled as he could 
see the wounds starting to heal on Ronnie's shoulder. 

" Hey there, Ronnie... Feeling better? " 

" I'm going to die... " Ronnie pouted. 

" What? What the hell are you talking about? " 

" The legends, man... A vampire cannot survive an attack 
from a werewolf... You know that?! Kill me now, Lucien, I 
don't want to die slow and painful... " Ronnie cried. 

" Gee, Ronnie... Don't you know that story is just old wives' 
tale..? "  

" What? " Ronnie looked up at Hartwell. 

" Shoot, they just tell that story to keep any vampire from  
not mixing it up with any werewolves... The stupid wolves are 
told the same thing. Ain't nothing going to happen to you, 
Ronnie... But...you might get those fangs you been wanting... " 
Lucien Hartwell started laughing. 

Ronnie smiled at his friend and laughed with him.  

He couldn't wait for them to get home... 
  
  
The End. 

Feedback is welcome... agentsinlove@yahoo.com 


  
  
  
  
Title: Family VII: A Different Road 
Author: Jo Ann Medrano 
Rated: PG 
Archive: Please don't archive on any site without permission from the author.  

Disclaimer: The characters of the X-Files do not belong to me. They are the property of Chris Carter,  
1013 Productions, and Fox Broadcasting. No copyright infringement is intended. 

Author's Notes: This story is to bring a connection and disconnection from the events that 
occurred in the following episodes, 'Requiem', 'Within' and 'Without'. The story takes place 
before the birth of David Mulder and in-between the two stories 'Birthday Blues' and 
'Decisions' from the Fox and Dana series. 

Parts of the dialogue are taken and written by the writers of the show. Some of the dialogue has 
been rewritten or is originally presented by the fanfic author. 
  
  

xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

       " There`s too many variables. Too many forks in the road...  "  
                        Fox Mulder from 'Monday'.

xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
  
  
Family: A Different Road


FBI Headquarters: A Few Months Ago...  

Special Agent Fox Mulder held the framed photograph of his wife  
Dana Mulder in his hand. Caressing it with his thumb, his first  
few days without her since her maternity leave started left 
the work area quiet and lonely.  

Though at times he did savor the silence that allowed him to work  
without interruption, her presence was still missed by Mulder.  
Yet knowing that he would see her again when the workday was over  
made it tolerable.  

Maintaining the workload himself, brought back old routines Mulder  
practiced when the X-Files was his lone crusade. It was what he  
expected to do until his partner returned to work until his 
meeting with Assisted Director Walter Skinner caused an unexpected  
change for both him and the X-Files...  

xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx 

Spending the early morning reviewing several cases from his new  
assignment, Special Agent John Doggett headed back to the basement  
office after a coffee break. He was sure that his new partner  
Special Agent Fox Mulder would be in when he returned. 

Doggett wasn't expecting a warm welcome. He certainly didn't  
receive one during the meeting with Assisted Director Walter  
Skinner when he was introduced to Fox Mulder as his new partner. 

It was stated that Doggett was not to replace Agent Scully who  
was on maternity leave but to be a new member to the X-Files  
unit as instructed by Deputy Director Kersh. 

Mulder did not take the news well and his reaction toward Doggett  
was insulting to the older agent. 

Though Doggett had to admit it was amusing to watch Skinner try  
to control Mulder as he would a five-year-old. It seemed more or  
less what Mulder was: A kid. A spoiled one at that who wasted  
time and talent on the absurd notion of flying saucers and things  
that did not exist. 

It was no wonder Mulder was the butt of all jokes throughout  
the Bureau. Doggett himself had partied in the many follies  
made about 'Spooky' Mulder and the X-Files that the bizarre  
agent was fixated on. Even Mulder's partner did not fair well  
in the ribbing but Agent Dana Scully still had a reputation as  
an excellent agent. Yet it was a mystery to everyone on why 
Agent Scully hitched herself with a manic like Fox Mulder.  

Having spent many years working in the FBI Headquarters without  
any contact with either Agent Mulder or Scully, the events of the  
past few months caused an encounter with the two agents that would  
lead to a change in Doggett's life forever.  

The incident in Bellefleur, Oregon with the disappearance of  
several citizens including two local members of law enforcement  
and the wife of one of the missing men placed Doggett in charge 
of the case. Having witnessed the disappearance left both Agent  
Mulder and Scully with Assisted Director Skinner out of the  
investigation by order of the newly pointed Deputy Director 
Kersh. Whose toleration toward the two agents rode on a thin  
line that if broken could cost them both their jobs.  

Doggett's determination to handle the case by the book was met  
with interfere by Mulder. It had been an expected move by the  
rogue agent that caused a clash of mind and direction between  
the two men. Ignoring Mulder's insistence of alien abductions,  
Doggett led his team away from 'Spooky' Mulder's madness but  
an occurrence soon brought the two men again to face each 
other and the realization that Doggett did not believe in. 

Break-ins to both Agent Mulder and Scully's offices as well  
as to their home resulted in the theft of their personal  
computers and certain X-Files cases from Headquarters. Mulder  
accused Doggett and his team for invasion of privacy, but  
Doggett flatly denied that neither he nor his men were  
involved. 

Despite his feelings about Mulder, the actions taken upon to the  
two agents, was a serious concern to Doggett and what it meant  
to his investigation. His thoughts of what Mulder had told him  
questioned his own motives as he met with Kersh to update him  
on the progress of the case.  

" This task force... the search for the missing, I'm running it,  
right? " Doggett questioned Kersh. 

" You're the man in charge... " Kersh answered back.  

" No one else is involved? Someone out there acting under orders  
from another office? "  

" I think I'd know, Agent... " Kersh stated.  

Doggett was no fool. 

And he didn't like being played as one.  

Knowing that Kersh was yanking his chain with encouraging words  
that were meant to inspire and keep control, Doggett was not  
one to roll over and play dead on command. 

His way of handling each investigation took all avenues that  
were available with reasonable conclusions. It was an approach  
Doggett was known for throughout his law enforcement career 
with high percent of cases solved.  

It was not done without help of course. Doggett surrounded himself  
with excellent agents that he worked with for years, all with  
experience that helped solved many cases they were involved in.  
These were the men Doggett trusted and knew would do the job, but  
it was the insanity of one man who handed Doggett the lead that  
would break the case wide open. 

It had been discover earlier in the investigation that many of  
the missing shared a common health problem and treatment for  
cerebral infliction. It was also learned that Fox Mulder himself  
had similar symptoms that he was now clear of and no longer life  
threatening.  

Mulder's inquiry was filled with the nonsense of alien abductions  
that went against the direct orders of Deputy Director Kersh. Any  
alien related stories were to be removed from the reports with  
immediate termination from the Bureau to whoever would make such  
statements. 

The comments coming from Mulder were not surprising but it was  
Assisted Director Skinner's own claims of what he had seen that  
night with Mulder in Oregon torn the man's soul apart. Wanting  
to remain truthful and the fear of losing his career, the older  
man found he could not lie to Doggett and confirmed what he  
believed he saw.An unidentified flying object that lit the  
night skies, and disappeared with a flash causing the ground  
to shake. Skinner managed to find Mulder, as the night became  
day for a few seconds when the unidentified object was gone. 

A decision on his own, Doggett made no reports of Mulder  
and Skinner's comments. Unable to obtain a statement from  
Agent Scully, Doggett developed a unique respect for her  
after she threw a cup of water at his face when they first 
met.  

With many dead ends that left the season agent frustrated,  
Doggett once more went over the reports to find what he  
needed.  

Into the late evening and alone in the office, Doggett  
reviewed the recent case file of the missing Billy Miles,  
an individual whom Mulder labeled as an abductee in a  
X-File case he had done a few years ago but was now  
missing from the basement office.  

" It looks like you're going on the right road... " A dark  
voice spoke from behind Doggett. 

Turning and standing toward the voice, the man, Doggett  
now faced, stepped forward with a grin that revealed a  
sense of danger and confidence displayed in his movement.  
The dark overtone of his clothing bared the mystic that  
reminded Doggett of the standard wear of any villain in a 
movie. 

" Krycek... right? " Doggett said. 

" You know me? " Krycek showed his surprise. 

" You were an FBI agent... stationed here a few years  
ago. Partnered with Fox Mulder... " Doggett crossed his  
arms over his chest. " Until you suddenly disappeared... 
Whereabouts unknown... as if you never existed. "  

" Impressed... but I don't ever recall working with you,  
Agent Doggett? My assignments kept me on a different  
caseload than yours? " 

" You had a mean pitching arm... I don't forget the man  
that struck me out each time I was up at bat... "  

" Glory days... " Krycek smiled. 

" How did you get in here? " Doggett asked. 

" Through the door... " Krycek pointed to it. " So busy with  
what you were reading... you didn't hear me come in and I  
didn't want to disturb... At least, not yet. " Krycek moved  
past Doggett who watched the former FBI agent study the case  
that rested upon the desk. " Billy Miles... Interesting case...  
One of the few that Mulder would talk about... First case  
he ever worked with Agent Scully. " Krycek lifted the  
photograph of Billy Miles. " How close this time, it almost  
became his last one with her... "  

" What do you want, Krycek? Why are you here? I'll give  
you that much before I escort you the hell out of here. "  
Doggett warned him. 

" Actually, I came here to help. Give you my services as I  
did for Mulder... but I doubt you'll screw it up as Mulder  
did and let what he believes in get away... But of course,  
he's determined to get it back. You're aware that he's on a  
new lead to your investigation? " 

" What are you talking about? Mulder's not a part of  
the task force... " 

" Shame, Agent Doggett... A man with all your skills and  
knowledge, you should have known better... Mulder doesn't  
give up and what he has, he isn't about to share with you.  
As far as he's concern this is still his case... He isn't  
about to let someone like you interfere with him discovering  
the Truth... " 

" And what is this... truth? What is it that Mulder found?! "  

" Billy Miles... " Krycek showed the photograph to Doggett.  
" A road trip across country... You better hurry, Agent  
Doggett... there's nothing worse than being made to look  
like a fool by Mulder. " Krycek placed the photograph back  
down and closed the case. Taking a step back, Krycek walked  
past Doggett. " Don't worry, I'll let myself out... "  

Doggett followed Krycek to the door and watched him walk  
alone down the hallway. Returning back into the office,  
Doggett reached for the phone to call security when he  
noticed a different case lying on the desk where Krycek  
left Billy Miles' file. He placed the phone receiver back 
into its cradle and brought the new case toward him. The  
printed label blazed across it and announced it as an  
X-File case with the name of Gibson Praise on it...  

xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx 

Mulder brushed the discarded sunflower seeds off his  
desk. 

The dried up shells piled up high on one spot that bared  
the appearance of a mountain that grew above all that  
was around it. Standing tall and bold there was nothing that  
could match against it. Yet it was brought down with  
one swoop of a man's hand that changed its surroundings  
and the world that existed on the desktop. 

Change was a part of life. 

For Mulder, it had been a constant experience for him.  
Life not only changed but it never stood still. Not for  
him or those who were around him. It almost seemed like  
a curse, an unexplained force that driven them to a road  
that had no end with many turns to take in life. It was  
a blind drive, no matter how much Mulder wanted to believe 
he was in control. 

He certainly had no control of what he was expecting to  
come through the door of his office. It was not the woman  
who had been his partner for eight years and within the  
last few became more special to him than any other person  
in his life. Now home waiting for the birth of their  
first child, Dana Mulder was the one person whom Mulder  
trusted.  

Though it was hard for him to imagine when there was a  
time he did not trust her at all. 

She was a stranger, and a danger to what he was searching  
for. A person at the time who could have brought down the  
very thing that mattered only in his life those many years  
ago. Finding his sister through the cases of the X-Files.  
It was an insane path he took and only regretted it once.  

Dana Scully proven to him many times over that not only  
was she a person who he could trust but also that he could  
show love to and to be wanted by her.  

Trust was not something that was easily passed out by  
Mulder. Though the desires to have the openness that was  
shared in any relationship, Mulder learned from past  
experience that it was best to be cautious before letting  
someone in. 

Having become too comfortable in his partnership with Dana  
Scully and the results of them being together in the X-Files  
despite their marriage, the unexpected announcement of  
Kersh becoming Deputy Director a few months, had once again  
brought the threat of separation.  

But it was the less of their worries at that time.  

It was the phone call from Billy Miles that reintroduced the  
two agents to the young man that they met during their first  
case together. 

Arriving in Bellefleur, Oregon was a step back in time. Seeing  
the same roads and homes that were remembered by the agents,  
the memories of what had happened to them and what then was  
the start of their future together, felt like a completion  
when Scully brought her hand to Mulder's. 

" What's wrong? " Mulder asked, squeezing Scully's hand as  
he drove them to Billy Miles' home. 

" Just remembering. The first time you drove down this road...  
you eating sunflower seeds and being your most arrogant self.  
I just didn't know what to expect then... And what it would  
mean someday... "  

" Yeah, who would have ever thought... Everything started here,  
Dana... "  

" As long as it never ends... " Scully sighed.  

Moving Mulder's hand toward her, Scully rested it on her stomach  
where a small bulged was presented and revealed her condition  
that her clothing hid.  

It was a new future that waited for them and one that Mulder  
looked forward to.  

Investigating the area where the missing deputy's patrol car was  
found abandoned, a now deputy officer Billy Miles with his father,  
Detective Miles escorted the agents to the location where more  
memories awaited as they stood over the now faded red 'X' that  
was on the side of the road.  

" That was there already in case you're wondering at all about  
it... " Detective Miles pointed out.  

" I watched Agent Mulder paint that there seven years ago... "  
Agent Scully spoke up.  

" What for? " Detective Miles asked. 

" To mark an anomalous electrical disturbance... the kind where  
time gets bent or goes missing or where your car loses power  
and dies in the middle of the road... " Mulder added. 

The extension of the investigation led Mulder and Scully to the  
home of the missing deputy and to his wife whom the two agents  
recognized as Teresa Nemman now known as Teresa Hoese, the young  
woman they met many years ago during their first investigation  
in Oregon. 

Now with her infant child in her arms, Teresa Hoese shared her  
concerns about her husband and perhaps the truth of why he was  
gone because he, like herself, was an abductee. Having both  
medical records of her and her husband as proof, Teresa offered  
her child to Agent Scully as she left the room to retrieve the  
files. 

It was a pleasant view in front of Mulder. Watching his wife  
playing with Teresa's baby made the realization of what would  
soon be there for them. Their own child that they would love  
and care for. But the thought of what their careers were, and  
the demands it made of them, brought doubts again to Mulder of  
his pending role as a parent. It was not so much for himself  
but for Dana, who now bared the perfect image of motherhood  
before him. 

Having been ordered to continue sleeping in separate motel rooms  
during any investigation, Mulder planned to go to his wife's room  
later in the evening when he heard the knock on his door. Pushing  
the photographs that cover his bed aside, Mulder was surprised 
to find Scully standing outside of his door, shaking. 

" Dana..? Honey, what's wrong? " Mulder pulled her in. 

" I... I felt dizzy. I... I didn't want to be alone... " Dana  
walked into the motel room with her husband holding on to her. 

Leading her to the bed, it was not the first time Dana felt  
this way since her pregnancy had started. Having almost blackout  
the last time, it disturbed Mulder that Dana might hurt herself  
and he would not be there to help her. 

" Do you want to go see a doctor? " Mulder asked. 

" No... No, Fox... I just want to lie down... " Dana lowered  
her body as she slid across with Fox helping her remove the  
photographs that were in the way. Once she was settled, Fox  
joined Dana in bed and wrapped his arm around her to give her 
more warmth. " Thank you... " Dana whispered to him.  

For a moment they were quiet together, listening to themselves  
breath. The beauty of the night surrounded and lulled both of  
them to a relaxed state. When his hand moved and rested upon  
Dana's stomach, Fox was reminded again of their growing child  
inside of her as the overwhelming feeling of guilt drove into  
him.  

" It's not worth it, Dana... "  

" What..? What isn't, Fox..? " 

" Seeing you holding that baby... Knowing that we'll have one  
of our own soon... It's not right for you to continue... It's  
not right for me to ask you to go on. It has to stop, Dana. I  
want you to stop... One of us needs to be here for our baby... "  
Fox gently kissed Dana on the cheek, enjoying the scent her  
body gave out. 

" We'll both be here for our baby, Fox... It will be all  
right... " Dana assured him. 

A few hours later, Mulder and Scully received a call of both  
a break-in and the disappearance of Teresa Hoese from her home.  
Arriving on the scene, Billy Miles filled them in on the  
situation when Scully discovered the burnt marks on the carpet  
in the baby's room that bared a familiar signature that was  
well known to both agents.  

" We seen this before... " Scully confirmed with Mulder. 

The connection to the alien abductions grew when Mulder and  
Scully confronted a witness that told of his friend disappearing  
near the area where they were searching for a UFO. Having the  
individual take them to the place where his friend had vanished,  
Scully encountered an unseen force that shook her violently  
and hurled her tothe ground. When Mulder found her, she believed  
that she had passed out. 

Returning to Washington, the events of the case suddenly turned 
when Walter Skinner walked into Mulder's office. Expecting a  
lecture for their actions in Oregon, Mulder charged out of his 
seat when Alex Krycek with a now recovered Marita Covarrubias  
followed behind Skinner who managed to block Mulder from his  
attacking Krycek.  

" You've got every reason to want to see me dead... But you've  
got to listen to me now. You have the singular opportunity... "  
Krycek spoke to the enraged Mulder. 

" Here or you want to step outside... " Mulder challenged. 

" Agent Mulder... The Project can be rebuilt... " Marita  
Covarrubias spoke up. " CancerMan now has the needs to  
strengthen the Conspiracy and it all starts in Oregon. "  

" The ship that collided with that Navy plane... It's now in  
those woods. " Krycek added. 

" There's no ship in those woods... " Mulder said back. 

" Yeah, it's there... Cloaked in an energy field with him  
mopping up the evidence... " Krycek answered. 

" Who..? " Mulder asked. 

" The Alien Bounty Hunter... Billy Miles... Teresa Hoese...  
her husband. He's eliminating proof of all the tests. We're  
asking ourselves... 'Where are they?' They're right under  
our noses. I'm giving you the chance to change that... to hold 
the proof. " Krycek offered. 

" Mulder..? " The voice of Dana Scully called out as the room  
of friends and enemies turned toward her.  

With help from the Lone Gunmen, the location of the alien  
spacecraft was revealed despite its invisibility from being  
discovered.  

During the conference of the mind, Dana Scully found her  
patience reaching its limits and walked out of the room with  
Mulder following after her. 

Once outside the hallway, Scully turned to face Mulder. 

" Mulder, if any of this is true..? " 

" If it is, or if it isn't... I want you to forget about it,  
Scully... " 

" Forget about it? " 

" You're not going back out there... I'm not going to let you go  
back out there... " 

" What are you talking about? "  

" It has to end sometime... That time is now. "  

" Fox... "  

" Dana, you have to understand that they're taking abductess...  
You're an abductee... I'm not going to risk... " Fox Mulder  
placed his hands and cupped her stomach. " ... losing you. "  

Dana moved to her husband and embraced him close. Both of them  
becoming as one, the understanding of his concern and the possible 
danger not only for her but their unborn baby's life was a risk  
not to take. Still Dana's own worries for Fox were not far from  
her mind.  

" I won't let you go alone... " Dana whispered. Taking a step  
back, Dana reached behind her neck and removed her gold chain  
with the cross glistering from the hallway light. Having to 
bend down closer to her level, Fox offered himself to her as  
Dana placed her gold chain carefully around his neck. Once on,  
Fox took the tiny cross in his hand to feel the texture and  
Dana's own body warmth from it. With his hand closing around 
it, Fox looked into his wife's eyes and could only feel the  
love he had for her. 

Returning to Oregon, Mulder was determined to find the  
spacecraft with Walter Skinner's help. Though the older man  
had his doubts about being there and the possible ending of  
his career was on his mind, he set to work on helping Mulder 
complete his search for the Truth.  

As he placed another rod into the ground, Mulder felt a strange  
pull in front of him. With his hand reaching out into the  
emptiness of the night, a vibration struck him and shook his  
hand hard.  

It was here.  

The spaceship.  

All the answers Mulder searched for since the beginning was now  
in his grip. A step forward and he would finally have it. But at  
that moment, he thought of Dana and her being pregnant with their  
child.  

The image of her standing alone brought a sudden chill to him and  
to a possible future he could not imagine happening. 

To walk forward, he might not return and never see Dana again...  

He could not leave her, no matter what and step back.  

It was in that moment of decision that the ground shook and the  
night burst into light. Mulder covered his eyes to protect them  
and felt a hand take his arm. The voice of Walter Skinner shouted  
his name and forced him to move away when the spacecraft disappeared  
into the night's sky.  

Within the next few hours of their return to Washington, Mulder  
was reunited with a relieved Dana Scully who greeted her husband  
back into her arms.  

" I was so scared that I wouldn't see you again... " Dana  
confessed her worries. 

" Why would you think that? " Fox smiled as he nestled into her  
hair.  

" I... I was afraid that they would have taken you... " Dana  
whispered. 

Another smile escaped him, Fox knew it was difficult for Dana  
to make that comment. " I've never been abducted... " He assured  
her. 

" No... But your past medical condition was similar to those  
who are missing. Unusual brain patterns, much like Gibson  
Praise... I was afraid that they would have taken you for the  
truth that was once in you... "  

" If they had taken me, Dana... I don't believe it would be for  
that... " Fox stared past her,feeling a strange sensation that  
his life was spared of the agony suffered by those who were  
abducted and where their lives were destroyed. 

Suddenly remembering, Fox reached behind his neck and unclip the  
gold chain with the golden cross hanging from it. 

" Let me put it back on you... " Fox offered. 

Dana turned and allowed Fox to place her cherished gift she  
received from her mother when she was a young girl around her  
neck. Feeling it resting below her collarbone, Dana placed her  
hand on it and felt blessed. It came back to her as it had done  
before in the past with Fox being the one who always returned it  
to her.  

No longer fearing a future without him, Dana embraced Fox once  
more and relaxed in his arms.  

The next morning when they arrived to the FBI Headquarters,  
Mulder and Scully discovered both their offices opened and  
trashed. Several cases were missing from the file cabinets in 
Mulder's office.  

" WHAT THE HELL IS THIS?!! " Mulder shouted. 

Lifting the discarded cases and papers from his desk, Mulder's  
rage grew with each search he did. The invasion of his office  
was the last that he was willing to tolerate from his superiors. 
Having to endure the audit that took place before the Oregon  
investigation, Mulder once more saw the walls of deception as  
the forces again moved upon him and the X-Files. 

He hadn't noticed Scully entering the room as she stared at  
the upheaval before her. The condition of her husband's office  
was similar to her own, only worse.  

Turning toward her, Mulder sat on the edge of his desk with  
the fury still brewing inward. " They took some of the cases,  
Scully!! Those son of a bitches!!! Why did they take the  
cases?!! "  

Mulder's face turned to a pout but the frustration from his anger  
and confusion extended toward Scully as her normal demure cracked. 

" Let go find out whose stupid idea this was... " Scully turned  
and led the way out of Mulder's office.  

Entering Assisted Director Skinner' office, the two agents found  
their superior on the phone. His harsh voice bellowed throughout  
the room.  

" ...Yeah, well, somebody might have had the courtesy to tell  
me!! " Skinner slammed the receiver down hard. 

" Sir, my office... "  

" I know, Agent Mulder... Orders were given to the task force to  
obtain certain files for their investigation but...  "  

" What... What task force? What investigation?!! Why the hell  
did they trash my office?!! Who's responsible for this?!! "  

" Agent Mulder, first... I was just informed that yours and Agent  
Scully's offices were found in disarranged by the agents in the  
task force. It was reported and the matter will be dealt with. 
And as for the orders given to remove any necessary materials for  
the investigation came from our 'New' Deputy Director... "  

" And what investigation is that, Sir..? " Mulder asked.  

" Search for the missing in Bellefleur, Oregon... You, Agent  
Scully and myself have been removed from the case... "  

" What?!! " Scully spoke with surprise. 

" They can't do that!! They don't know what they're searching for  
or even know where to start!!" Mulder shouted. 

" It's out of your hands, Mulder... And there's not much you can  
do about it... " Skinner turned away from him the moment his  
telephone rang. The flashing light from the caller ID identified 
who the person was. 

In a matter of moments, the three agents entered the new office  
of DD Kersh who was still in the process of moving in.  

" AD Skinner, Agent Mulder and Scully... Thank you for getting  
right over. I don't want to lose any time... Especially for  
those who are missing but the goal is to find them and it will  
be the only acceptable conclusion... "  

" Well, what's not acceptable is what has been done to mine and  
Agent Scully's offices and removing us from this case!! " Mulder  
rumbled. 

" Mulder! " Skinner scolded him but Kersh eyed the rebel agent  
and gave a foretelling smile. 

" Agent Mulder... I see that your usual way of approaching  
things is still intact. The incident in your offices will be  
investigated... unless it's nothing more than your lack of  
housekeeping... Your cooperation in the investigation of the  
missing will be needed... "  

" With all due respect, Sir... " Scully step in. " There aren't  
any better agents qualified to be directing this action... "  

" Right now, you three are the primary witnesses to the events  
that occurred in Oregon. I want your statements taken... ASAP. "  

" You make us out to be suspects, sir... " Scully spoke again  
and received an approving grin from her partner.  

Kersh's eyes barreled down at Scully who remained undisturbed  
by the glare of her superior when  Skinner asked. " Taken by  
who? " 

" My task force leader on this, Special Agent John Doggett. He's  
waiting to hear from you now. " As the three agents were ready  
to leave, Kersh added a warning. " One more thing... Anything  
leaves this building about aliens or alien abductions or any  
other nonsense that might cast the Bureau in a ridiculous light...  
You can forget about looking for the missing... All three of you  
will be looking for new jobs... "  

" I don't believe this... " Scully rumbled as they walked into  
the hallway and away from Kersh's earshot.  

" This isn't about finding the missing... this is Kersh covering  
the FBI's ass. " Skinner added. 

" More like covering the Truth... It isn't hard to figure out how  
he got his job... " Mulder growled and suddenly stopped at a  
doorway to gather his thoughts. 

Skinner moved up to him and said. " Look... I saw what I saw. I  
have to make a statement in there... I'm not going to tell them  
it didn't happen. " 

" Well, you heard Kersh... They don't want the truth. You give  
them the truth... and they'll hang you with it. " Scully warned  
him. 

" They can hang me with a lie, too... " Skinner spoke. 

" Dana's right, sir. You can't take that risk... " Mulder agreed.  
" For right now... it's best that both of you stick to Kersh's  
plan... "  

" What about you? Are you saying that you're willing to deal  
with Kersh and his men? "  

" You should know better than that, sir... " Mulder walked past  
Skinner and headed toward the opposite direction. 

" Mulder! " Scully called out and reached for his arm to stop  
him. " Where are you going? We're expected in there... "  

" I'm not going, Scully... The answers we need won't be found in  
there... but I know where to find them and for now I need you to  
cover for me... "  

" Since when do I don't... " Scully laughed. 

Mulder smiled and leaned closer to her. " I'll be back, Dana... "  

Giving his wife a kiss on the forehead, Mulder turned and rushed  
down the hallway with his cell phone ready in hand.  

In a few hours, Mulder stood with the Lone Gunmen in their office  
studying the data they managed to retrieve.  

" It took some serious voodoo... " Frohike said. 

" Major satellite hacking... " Langly added. 

" But we got the data... " Byers finished.  

" What am I looking at? " Mulder asked.  

" You're seeing real-time images right off the JPL Topex  
Poseidon... " Byers said. 

" We're wired right into the dish... " Frohike said. 

" We're not able to find raw data with UFO activity on it... "  
Byers stated. 

" But Langly was able to hack into the data storage and pull up  
something just as tasty... " Frohike smiled. 

" What is this? " Mulder held the printout to study it.  

" You're looking at UFO activity in the Pacific Northwest just  
prior to the abductions in Oregon... " Byers answered. 

" All these markers correspond with reported alien abductions...  
It's a regular shopping spree. " Langly pointed out.  

" All for the pickings... " Mulder wet his lips. " So these  
abductions that occurred... "  

" ...Were a UFO whistle stop on the way to the next pickup... "  
Frohike finished Mulder's sentence. 

" And where is the UFO activity after the Oregon abductions? "  
Mulder turned to Byers. 

" Like we said... we can't tell. Not from the data we're pulling  
down. "  

Mulder pressing his fingers against the printout and followed  
the path the Gunmen were able to obtain. " We need to find out...  
It's the only way we can stop them... "  

xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx 

Tired of reading, Dana Mulder placed her book on her side of the  
bed. The slight movement of the mattress caused the ever-presented  
feline to look cross at her owner for disturbing her catnap.  

Giving a gentle rub to her pet cat, Dana watched Rat stretch her  
four legs forth and curled back into a ball.  

Dana envied the cat. Wishing that she could be as comfortable as  
the feline was, Dana tried to reposition herself to find a better  
spot where the pressure of her extra weight was not a bothersome.  

Dana couldn't wait for the baby to be born. 

Now on maternity leave, the waiting game commenced that left Dana  
to feel anxious.  

She missed not being at work. Being homebound was an experience  
Dana had not known since childhood that she felt was boring and  
not challenging to the mind. Her own limits because of her  
condition kept her from not doing things around the apartment  
and the sudden need to depend on others was annoying.  

Stretching her arms above her head, Dana wondered how her husband  
was fairing on his first day with Special Agent John Doggett. It  
was surprising that Fox had not called her yet. It had been a  
habit of his since she had known him to call her throughout the  
day or night when the hours separated them from each other. It  
was what she expected from him but Dana reasoned that his concerns  
and resentment toward Doggett consumed his time that she might  
have been the last thing on his mind. 

Dana didn't feel insulted. There was no reason to be. How Fox  
was behaving was no more than she would have felt if she had  
been forced to work a crude man like Agent Doggett. It certainly 
brought back memories of the day Dana met Fox Mulder and how  
his own distrust toward her at the beginning had its understanding.  
Though she had looked forward to working with Fox, his reaction  
toward her as a spy was no more than what Dana suspected he was  
feeling with Doggett.  

It was what she was feeling toward the man herself.  

Dana was not at all impressed with Agent John Doggett. Her  
encounter with the hard-nosed agent a few months ago was insulting  
and not on the level of professionalism that Dana expected from  
another agent. Not with all that was on her mind when she watched  
her husband leave both her and Walter Skinner to face the roasting  
that was to be given to them from Doggett and his task force.  

Entering the large room that was flooded with other agents,  
Skinner and Scully seemed at lost when an agent approached them.  

" Assisted Director... my name is Agent Crane. " He offered his  
hand to Skinner. " You will be coming with me... but where is  
Agent Mulder? He was to report here with the two of you? "  

" Uh... Agent Mulder will be reporting soon... an unexpected  
matter came up. " Skinner covered for him.  

" All right... " Crane nodded his head. " Agent Scully, I'll  
ask you to please wait on the wall until we call you... "  

Watching a reluctant Skinner walk away from her, Scully slowly  
sat on one of the chair against the wall. Keeping Skinner in  
her sight, Scully did not notice a man sitting a few seats away  
from her. Studying her with interest, the man rose from his seat  
to the water cooler before he turned his attention back to  
Scully.  

" Water? " The man spoke as he extended to Scully a paper cup  
filled with water. 

Scully turned and eyed the older man whose chiseled features  
showed a manly appeal to him. Unable to read his badge, the man  
was unfamiliar to Scully.  

" It could be a wait... " He again offered the water to her.  

" Thank you... " Scully took the paper cup. 

" You're Agent Mulder's partner? " The man asked as he sat next  
to Scully. 

" Yes... " Scully stared at him questionably.  

" I guess nobody's beyond suspicion on this thing... " 

" Why are they talking to you? " Scully asked. 

" Me? I knew Mulder back a bit... I'm sure they're developing  
a working profile on all those who are involved... "  

" I'd say they have all the profiles they need... " Scully  
placed her eyes down, wishing that Mulder was here.  

" Certainly with unique reputations... I doubt we agents ever  
really truly know each other... I guess the same can be said 
even with spouses... "  

" I do know Mulder... " Scully tightened her body.  

" Yeah... I always took the rumors with a grain of salt... " 

" What rumors are those? " Scully turned toward him. 

" Well, you know... " The man looked at Scully and smiled.  
" Well... that, from the beginning he never felt a real trust  
with you... that you were ambitious. "  

" Where'd that come from..? " Scully frowned.  

" There are women here at the Bureau that he would confide in...  
I don't know if you knew that or not... " The man gave a short  
laugh. 

" No... When was this? "  

" I don't know... it's just talk. So, what do you think happened?  
What's your theory? "  

" What's my theory? My theory is you don't know Mulder at all.  
You never did! " Scully reached over and took his badge into her  
hand to read it. " 'John Doggett'. Kersh's task force leader...  
You might have just introduced yourself. "  

" Well, I was getting around to it. " Doggett smiled. 

Scully stood and tossed the cup of water into his face. " Nice  
to meet you, Agent Doggett... "  

And with that Scully stormed out of the office, not caring who  
witnessed her action or of Doggett who wiped his face dry. 

Returning home, Dana found the apartment empty and no messages  
from Fox were on the answering machine. Wanting to call him, Dana  
became distracted by the meows of Rat demanding to be fed.  

" Come on, Rat... " Dana hustled the young cat into the kitchen.  

Once Rat was fed, Dana turned her computer that was in the living  
room on and searched the FBI records for the name of John Doggett.  
Reading the information on the agent, Dana suddenly felt a wave  
of nausea and rushed to the bathroom as morning sickness overcame  
her.  

Once it passed, Dana wiped her mouth with a washcloth as she  
studied her own face. It was the face that stared back at her  
all her life. The vision of the physical person that she was,  
four months pregnant with her first child. Placing her hand on  
right cheek, Dana gently guided it across the curve of her nose  
to the valley of her lips. It was a face, that had not changed  
much over the years. Even her age was difficult to guess. Yet  
how she was feeling showed all over and the grief in her eyes  
flooded with tears. 

Dana suddenly wanted to talk with her mother.  

Needing to hear her mother's voice, Dana reached for the phone  
receiver and dialed her number, but the voice that was on the  
other end was not what Dana was hoping for.  

" Hi, this is Margaret Scully. Please leave a message... "  

" Hi, Mom... This is Dana. I was hoping you would be home...  
I... I just really wanted to talk and... " Dana suddenly stopped  
when she heard a clicking sound coming from the receiver. Turning  
toward the window, a lone dark figure stood on the street staring  
back at Dana as she watched him.  

Feeling her anger rising, Dana hung up the phone and immediately  
dialed a different number. It only took a few rings when a voice  
of a man answered on the other line.  

" John Doggett... "  

" You stay out of my business!! " Dana shouted. 

" What? Who is this? " Doggett asked. 

" You better have a court order!! " Dana threatened. 

" For what? Who is this? " Doggett asked again. 

" How many phones are you tapping?! How many agents are you doing  
surveillance on?! " Dana demanded. 

" Is this Agent Scully? " Doggett questioned.  

" Thank you. You just answered all my questions. " Dana hung up  
the phone.  

Startled by the sound of Rat growling, Dana turned toward the  
young cat, as she stood tall on all four legs with her fur fuzzed  
in all directions. The cat looked terrified as the sounds of  
footsteps came from the outside in the hallway coming closer to  
the door. The normally brave Rat shot her tail down and ran out  
of the room leaving Dana to grab her gun and prepare to move  
toward the door.  

With her gun aimed forward, Dana opened the door to find the  
hallway empty. Searching from side to side another sound caught  
her attention and Dana moved with caution to its direction. A 
figure moving near the hallway window and facing away from her,  
Dana gave out a warning shout. 

" STOP RIGHT THERE!! "  

The man that turned to Dana caused her to lower her gun and give  
out a heavy sigh of relief.  

" Fox!! " Dana moved toward him.  

Greeting with a hug, Fox looked past Dana and said. " Did you  
see him? "  

" Who? I heard noises outside the apartment... " Dana followed  
Fox as he led her outside the building.  

" Billy Miles... It was Billy Miles, I saw in the hallway... "  

" What?! "  

" But he moved too fast out the window. " Fox continued searching.  

Both separating to search the apartment area, neither Dana nor  
Fox were able to locate any individual that fitted the description  
of Billy Miles.  

" Anything? " Dana asked when she found Fox again.  

" No... " Fox moved back into the apartment building. " It was him,  
Dana... Billy Miles standing in front of our door. "  

" I heard noises... but I... " Suddenly stopping, Dana stared at  
their front door that was wide opened. " I closed it... "  

Moving her back gently with his hand, Fox entered the apartment  
first, his weapon aimed forward. Entering each room, Fox checked  
carefully until he walked into the bedroom and was surprised by  
Rat who dashed out from under bed to the living room. Dana watched  
as Rat hid behind the couch when she noticed that her computer  
was gone.  

" Fox..? " Dana picked up the detached power and phone cord from  
the floor.  

" Dana..? " Fox emerged out of the room that was his office.  
" My computer's gone... "  

Dana stared at her husband in disbelief. His own expression  
mirrored hers at the actions that have occurred. Only the growls  
coming from the frightened Rat as she pushed her feline body 
deeper into the corner of the wall broke the silence of the  
night. 

The next morning at FBI Headquarters, Scully entered her still  
disarranged office. Studying the chaos before her, she lifted  
one of her framed photographs to a standing position on the spot 
that it was originally placed.  

" I take it that they were unable to discover who did this? "  
The voice of John Doggett caused Scully to turn where the agent  
stood outside her door.  

" I doubt they'll find any answers here... Or do you have what  
you already need..? " Scully said back. 

" Do I take it that you're accusing me and my men of this..? "  
Doggett asked. 

" No she isn't... I am. " Mulder spoke from behind Doggett.  

Coming face to face, both men stood the same height and built  
with the age difference only by a few years. Scully watched as  
the two male agents size each other up and felt a flush of 
embarrassment at her sudden excitement by the sight in front  
her. Seeing Mulder stand against a man who was equal in both  
strength and conviction appealed to Scully's liking and made  
her husband more desirable.  

" Agent Mulder... " Doggett said. " Good to finally meet you... "  

" Wish I can say the same to you, Agent Doggett... Unless you  
came here to straighten up the mess made by you and your men...  
I suggest you get the hell out of here! "  

" Personally, Mulder... I rather be somewhere else than here...  
but you failed to report to the task force yesterday. I would  
have called but I figured my coming here would be the best  
approach to finding you... Questions that need to be asked... " 

" Read my report, Agent Doggett... You'll have all your answers  
there... "  

" Would be of help if the report existed... " Doggett commented.  
" Agent Mulder... I assure you that none of this was our  
doing... "  

" Just as the wiretapping of our phones was not as well... "  
Scully jumped in. " Your approach may have worked for you when  
you were with NYPD... but you're talking to two fellow FBI  
agents now and I'd appreciate some respect! "  

" Respect like you showed me over the phone? Give a little, get  
a little, Agent Scully... "  

" Hey!! " Mulder snapped his attention back to Doggett. " Having  
our home broken into and stealing our computers shows a great  
disrespect toward us!! It's enough what was done here, but to  
have our privacy invaded is a matter that will be pursed by  
us!! "  

" What..? What are talking about? " Doggett looked surprised. 

" You're act of ignorance is amazing, Agent Doggett... and  
insulting. " Mulder said.  

" I don't know what you're talking about, Mulder... Breaking  
and entering isn't a method that I use or approve of... "  
Doggett defended himself. 

" Well... Maybe you're not the man in charge after all... "  
Mulder sneered. 

Watching Agent Doggett, as he stood silent before them, Scully  
was relieved when he finally left her office without another word  
spoken. 

" Mulder..? " Scully said the moment she was sure they were alone.  
" Have you changed your mind? Last night you were certain that  
it was... "  

" Not here, Dana... We'll talk about it later... " Mulder then  
walked out of her office.  

An hour past as Scully continued straightening her office when  
Mulder knocked on her door. 

" Scully... Got a call from Skinner's office, he wants us to meet  
him at Doggett's place... "  

" What is it now? " Scully asked as she entered the hallway.  

" I'm sure it's now time to hang me out to dry... " Mulder said as  
he pushed the elevator's button.  

Entering the large office that housed Doggett and his team, the  
voice of Walter Skinner was heard by Mulder and Scully echoing  
throughout the room. The obvious anger in the older man's voice  
was evidence even in his body language. Deputy Director Kersh was  
near Doggett, as he stood over Skinner with other agents close by. 
Everyone fell silent the moment they became aware of Mulder and  
Scully's presence 

" Agent Scully... " Agent Crane approached them. " ...please take  
seat over against the wall... Agent Mulder... follow me. "  

Scully was about to take her seat when she felt the familiar touch  
of her partner's hand pressing against hers. Her eyes now locked  
on his, Scully slowly felt Mulder pulling away as he walked 
behind Agent Crane to the group of men that waited for him. 

It was a frightening sight. Seeing her husband once again face the  
adversaries in his life and career that he dealt with many times  
in the past. Each time, Scully wondered if this would be the last  
he would stand for what he believed in being crushed. 

Though it was no more frightening than what she felt when Fox  
returned to Oregon without her to face the Truth he sought all  
his life. It was an overwhelming of terror that she felt once  
she realized it was not her life that was endangered but Fox's  
own because of what was once inside of him.  

The sudden possibility of losing him nearly caused her to lose  
consciousness in Skinner's office but the Lone Gunmen were there  
to help Scully from any harm.  

Not wanting any medical treatment, Scully was unable to rest until  
she received the phone call from Mulder that he and Skinner were  
returning home.  

Crossing her arms over her chest, Scully tried to listen to the  
conversation that was taking place a few yards away from her. Only  
able to gather a few words, Scully noted the tension in each man's  
body including her husband's. 

It was when her eyes caught sight of Kersh that she turned away  
from them.  

Scully hated Kersh.  

It was a feeling she never thought she would have for someone who  
was an authority figure that Scully would have once admired and  
hoped to strive for. Though her own feelings toward Skinner were  
at times mixed, it did not meet the loathing that Scully had for  
Kersh. 

It was a wonder how a man like Kersh made it through the ranks to  
the position he was now in. His lack of compassion to those who  
were under him did not make him the leader that many would appreciate  
instead of despising. 

The intolerance he had toward Mulder and even with her, held the  
future of their careers that for a short while were assured but now  
hung in the balance once more and could end by the misunderstanding  
of one man.  

Hearing her husband raise his voice above the others, Scully turned  
once more and tried to listen. Yet the words were unclear and only  
left her guessing at what Mulder was expressing. 

His belief in the Truth... and his determination to make others  
believe.  

And what was her truth? What was it that Scully believed in?  

Her belief in God was at times mocked by Mulder, and his comments  
were disrespectful to the truth Scully believed in. It was more  
than just simply the belief of a higher being that created the  
heavens and earth but more from the belief she had of herself and  
the willingness to explore all possibilities that were before her.  
Still, her scientific mind caused her to distrust what her eyes  
had seen since the start of her career in the X-Files and the  
disbelief was more of a denial to the Truth that belonged to Mulder.  

Closing her eyes, Scully felt the weight of exhaustion overcome  
her. Though she had managed to sleep a few hours last night, the  
worries of the future not only for herself and Mulder but for 
their baby as well.  

Her baby was never far from her mind.  

Wondering of her child's well being brought back the memory of  
what Fox had told her the night in the motel room in Oregon a  
few days ago and how serious his words were.  

That it was not worth it anymore...  

...And it was time for her to stop.  

His words were now tempting to her. Ending this part of her life  
and starting anew with her own family. Living the normal life  
as those around her did but such a task would be impossible, not 
as along as she shared her life with Fox Mulder. All the chaos,  
mystery and government conspiracies they were involved in, it  
was as normal as life with him could be.  

The harsh footsteps caused Scully to look up again to see her  
husband with Walter Skinner following. Leaving only Doggett to  
watch them, Mulder reached for her arm. " Come on, Scully...  
We're getting out here. "  

" What happened? What did they tell you..? " Scully asked as she  
matched his speed.  

" It's more of what they wanted me to tell them... " Mulder sucked  
in his bottom lip and then turned toward Skinner. " Sir, you're  
coming? "  

" You bet I am... " Skinner said.  

The sound of all three of them walking down the hallway echoed  
off the walls and ended the moment they entered the elevator  
going down.  

Standing in the Lone Gunmen's office a few hours later, Scully  
studied the maps that were shown to both her and Walter Skinner.  

" What you're looking at, Scully, are records of microburst  
activity. What we read is UFO activity since the abductions in  
Oregon... " Mulder pointed to one of the marked maps.  

" I think this is a waste of time... " Scully shook her head. 

" No, it's not, Scully... See the activity-taking place over  
the southwestern states... " Mulder pointed again. 

" But Mulder... the abductions occurred in Pacific Northwest... "  

" I know that, Scully... And the people who were taken are on  
that ship now! "  

" Here? In the Arizona desert? " Scully questioned. 

" Yes... they're still in the process of cleaning up... Using  
Billy Miles to break into our home and the offices was just  
another step to them wiping the evidence away... "  

" Who? Are you saying it's them, Mulder? Aliens? " Skinner  
jumped in. 

" The very ones, sir... " Mulder wiped his fingers across his  
lips. " Ask yourself... Why do people refuse to believe in  
aliens and UFOs after all the sightings and eyewitness accounts  
over the years? " 

" Because there's no proof? " Frohike answered. 

" Because the ones causing the abductions are removing the  
evidence before it could prove their existence... "  

" Well... they're not doing a great job about it... " Langly  
commented. 

" Can't add to that... " Mulder laughed.  

" So who is it that they are searching for in Arizona? " Scully  
asked.  

You said it yourself before, Scully... The proof that was once  
inside of me... is still inside another... They're looking for  
Gibson Praise... "  

xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx 

Walter Skinner studied the report that was in front of him as  
he sat at his desk in his office. 

Having dealt with many issues in the morning, his thoughts  
remained on the new situation that was forced upon him.  
Special Agent John Doggett had been reassigned to the X-Files  
by order of the Deputy Director Kersh. A ruthless move on his 
part that was nothing more than a reminder of him being in charge. 

" Agent Doggett is not a replacement for Agent Scully... " Kersh  
had said to Skinner in a meeting. " A balance is needed in the  
X-Files and I don't need any nonsense coming from Mulder to  
tarnish the image of the Bureau I wish to maintain... "  

Feeling the reins pulling on him, Skinner's meeting with both  
Agent Mulder and Doggett had gone much as he expected with  
Mulder expressing his outrage and Doggett remaining calm in 
his place as he seemed amused by Mulder's behavior.  

The truth was, Skinner liked Doggett.  

The former New York cop had the edge that Skinner remembered  
being like at the beginning of his own FBI career and the  
common experience in the military brought a kindred spirit  
to both of them who knew the battle of war.  

Though at the time of their first meeting, Skinner's opinion  
of the agent was that he was no more then the lead dog for  
Kersh's witch hunt and a threat to not only his career but  
to that of Agent Mulder and Scully's. 

Wiping the sweat from his brow as he continued to work, Skinner  
remembered the drive through the desert in Arizona as Mulder  
led both him and Scully to find Gibson Praise. 

" Dana, are you all right? " Skinner heard Mulder ask his wife  
who sat in the back seat of the SUV.  

" I'm fine, Fox... " Dana assured him. 

" Mulder... I need some navigation... " Skinner called to him.  

Sitting in the front passenger seat, Mulder looked at the map  
he held when Scully pulled herself closer to him. " So, how  
do we start looking for a 12-year-old kid in the middle of  
the Arizona desert? There aren't a whole lot of choices... "  

" The choices are limited, Dana... and that makes it a whole  
lot easier to find him. The last time Gibson was seen was  
at the power plant about 60 miles outside of Phoenix. All  
the satellite data shows activity here about 100 miles to  
the north... "  

" What's out there? " Skinner asked. 

" Well, if we go by the map... Nothing... A whole lot of  
nothing. " Mulder nibbled on his bottom lip.  

Noticing Mulder lifting his face toward the front window,  
Skinner heard the sound of a helicopter flying overhead  
and its shadow appearing before them as it moved at top  
speed.  

" We need to find him... " Mulder said. 

Seeing the grimed look on the younger agent's face, Skinner  
knew the determination in Mulder's actions went over the  
line of reasonable thinking, yet Mulder's ability to stand  
for what he believed in was respected by Skinner.  

That respect remained as he watched Mulder defend himself  
against Kersh, Doggett and the task force back in Washington  
before their trek to the Arizona desert. 

Still feeling the enthusiasm from his own questioning by  
them, Skinner denied that neither he nor Mulder were  
involvement with the break in of the task force office.  
Feeling a trap being set, the play of words was being done  
that kept the older agent on his toes. 

It was when he saw both Agent Mulder and Scully that he knew  
the end was coming. 

Separating him from his partner, Agent Crane led Mulder to  
the fire. 

" Please have a seat... " Crane gestured to the chair vacated  
by Skinner. " Agent Mulder, someone came into this office  
after hours and removed some material... Files. We don't know 
exactly what just yet... " 

" It seems to be contagious... " Mulder remarked. 

Ignoring Mulder, Crane continued. " The office here is secured  
by a pass-card lock and whoever came in last night used a  
pass-card that was untraceable... We are aware of your  
association with a group called 'The Lone Gunman', and their 
methods of hacking into systems is known... "  

" Am I to understand that you're accusing them for the  
break-in? "  

" We're not accusing anyone of anything, Agent Mulder. " Crane  
added. " Your failure to report to this office yesterday...  
Your whereabouts were not reported... " 

" I had to use the bathroom... and got lost. " Mulder answered. 

" Agent Mulder... " Kersh jumped in. " ...need I remind you  
of the seriousness towards your actions. Your career... "  

" Oh, enough with the career threats! You're all blind to  
the truth of what's going on here!! What really happened to  
those people in Oregon... " 

" That's enough, Agent Mulder!! " Kersh raised his voice.  
" We're not here to listen to any fairy tales you weave!! The  
lives of these people are at stark and your behavior toward  
the situation is questionable... "  

" No more than yours is, sir. " Mulder answered. " You  
choosing to lead this with a blind eye and not keeping  
all options opened... is irresponsible and life-threatening  
to the public you serve. How many more people have to  
disappear off the face of the earth to make you understand  
the dire situation we are in?! " 

" And what situation is that, Agent Mulder..? YOU chose  
your words carefully... " Kersh dared him.  

" I won't give you the satisfaction, sir... " Mulder answered  
back. 

" Sir... " Doggett placed his hand on Kersh's shoulder and  
received an warning glare that did not stop Doggett from  
saying to his superior. " May I have a few words with you..? "  

Watching Doggett move Kersh away from the group, Skinner  
turned to look at Mulder who made eye contact with him.  
Though Mulder bared a stone look to his face, the ever  
spark of victory burned in Mulder's stare. Kersh was not 
going to win the war of words with Mulder and the proof  
of that defeat came when Kersh turned away from Doggett  
and walked out the door that was on the other side of the  
room. 

Doggett returned back to the group of agents and glanced  
at each of his men. " I would like all of you to leave...  
except for Agent Mulder... and Assisted Director Skinner...  
please remain. "  

Reluctantly all members of the task force left the room  
through the same door Kersh had used.  

Once they were gone, Doggett turned toward Mulder.  

" I'll be quite frank, Agent Mulder... I'm a man who believes  
in hard solid fact... not make-believe or stories meant to  
frighten children. I'm only interested in finding those  
missing people... and I know that's something you want as  
well... I need your help on that. "  

" Then you need to be more open-minded, Agent Doggett...  
it's the only way you'll be able to find them... "  

" Open-minded..? You mean believing in aliens... creatures  
from another world? " Doggett raised his eyebrows. " I know  
your M.O. on this, Agent Mulder... your work on the X-Files. 
What I need from you is more down to earth fact... What  
happened in Oregon, the night you and AD Skinner were in the  
forest? "  

" We were camping... " Mulder answered. 

A crooked smile appeared on Doggett's face. With his arms  
crossing over his chest, Doggett asked. " It was more than  
camping wasn't it..? What was it that you saw? "  

" The stars... " Mulder answered again. 

" Agent Mulder... I'm not here to blow away any of your theories  
or what you chose to believe in... If there's anyway for you to  
help us find these people... " 

" Then the only way to find them, Agent Doggett... is to look at  
all possibilities... even if they're not backed up with hard  
solid fact... You have to be willing to see past that... "  

" Then tell me... What happened to those people? What do you  
believe? "  

" I believe that those people were abducted by extraterrestrial  
beings that have been experimenting on these individuals for  
years... "  

" Mulder!! " Skinner shouted at him, realizing that Mulder  
allowed himself to disobey Kersh's orders, but Mulder paid no  
attention to Skinner as he continued answering Doggett. 

" ...Now they'd removed them... gotten rid of any evidence that  
could have proven the existence of alien life... What I saw in  
that forest was them succeeding in their plans... " 

" And what was it that you saw in the forest..? "  

" Mulder! Don't answer!! " Skinner jumped in. " That's enough!! "  

" Sir... am I to understand that you interfering with the  
investigation? " Doggett stared at him. 

" It's not that... It's... I was there... I know what I saw!!  
A bright light... bright as the sun... it flew over us... and...  
and... " Now knowing that he too had done what Mulder was doing,  
Skinner stared at Doggett in shock.  

" Don't repeat that!! " Mulder said to Doggett.  

" Don't know what good it would do me... Doesn't help me find  
the missing... "  Doggett reached for the phone that started  
ringing.  

Feeling a tug on his jacket, Skinner immediately followed Mulder  
away from Doggett as they went for Scully to leave the office. 

" Look... There's a gas station... Maybe we can get some ideas  
where to go.... " Scully said from the back seat of SUV that  
Skinner was driving. 

" Only a woman would ask for directions... " Mulder teased and  
received a smack on top of his head from Scully.  

" Not a bad idea... We can use more gas... " Skinner agreed as he  
pulled into the service station.  

Leaving Mulder to fill the tank, Skinner entered the station where  
a male attendant looked up from his magazine behind the counter. 

" Hi... Be filling it up... " Skinner handed the attendant a  
twenty-dollar bill. " Hey, I was wondering if you can tell me  
more about this area... My map really doesn't tell me much... "  

" Well... what you see is it... " The attendant answered.  
" Well, there is a school here... One of those special school  
for the deaf... "  

" Really? How far away is it from here? "  

" Oh, about twenty minutes... Straight ahead. " The attendant  
pointed past Skinner. 

Entering back to the outside, Skinner called to Mulder, who stood  
near the car staring toward the empty desert away from the gas  
station. " It's a school twenty minutes from here! "  

" OK... " Mulder answered but turned back once more to stare into  
the desert before they drove away. 

Arriving to the school, the sight of a helicopter near the building  
was noticed by Mulder first.  

" What the hell is that doing here?! " He asked as Skinner brought  
the SUV to halt.  

Jumping out of the vehicle, the three agents entered the building  
to find a man standing confused in the hallway.  

" We're looking for a boy named Gibson Praise... " Mulder asked  
the man. 

" Now who are you? " The man asked. 

The sound of running feet approaching them and the voice belonging  
to John Doggett caused all of them to turn toward him.  

" Kid went out the window!! " Doggett suddenly stopped in front of  
Skinner, Mulder and Scully. " What are you doing here? "  

" What are you doing here? " Scully asked back.  

" Trying to protect Gibson Praise... " Doggett moved past them as  
he ran outside to find his men arriving by vehicles. " Kid's  
on the move!! Spend out!! "  

Mass movement of agents around the school, Skinner looked around  
but could only find Scully at his side. Her face was showing a  
panic expression as she shouted out.  

" Where the hell is Mulder?!! "  

xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx 

His feet hitting hard against the dry earth of the desert,  
Fox Mulder ran after two different size figures he saw move  
away from the school before Doggett sent his team searching  
for Gibson Praise.  

The smaller figure struggled against the larger one as they  
moved deeper into the desert near the edge of a cliff when  
Mulder shortened the distance and pulled out his weapon. 

" LET HIM GO!! LET HIM GO, BILLY!!! " Mulder shouted to the  
tall figure.  

Billy Miles stopped and stared at Mulder with an expressionless  
face. His hand held tight to Gibson Praise who continued to try  
to free himself.  

" Let him go, Billy!! Just let him go!! " Mulder again shouted  
at him. " It doesn't have to be this way!! Don't let them control  
you!! "  

Appearing at his side, Mulder caught sight of Agent Doggett with  
his weapon drawn at Billy Miles.  

" Let him go, Miles!! Or I'll be compelled to use my weapon! Now, 
I don't want to do that... I don't want to shoot!! " Doggett warned  
him. 

" BACK OFF, DOGGETT!! Billy, let him go!! " Mulder ordered. 

Still with his face emotionless, Billy Miles loosened his grip on  
Gibson Praise and the boy ran past Mulder and Doggett without  
looking back.  

" Don't shoot, Doggett! He's not in control!! " Mulder warned him. 

" Enough of your B.S., Mulder!! Down on the ground, Miles!! Down  
now!! Don't make this more difficult!! "  

Billy Miles looked down at the ground and then returned his glare  
to Doggett. Walking backward away from the two agents, Miles came  
to the edge of the cliff and let himself fall.  

" NO!!! " Mulder yelled.  

Running to the edge of the cliff with Doggett following, both men  
stared in shock at the body of Billy Miles laying 100 feet down from  
where they stood motionless. 

" Jesus... " Doggett said. Hearing his name being called out,  
Doggett turned to Agent Crane with the other agents arriving to  
the scene. " He went over!! Over the edge!! "  

" Who? " Agent Crane asked. 

" Billy Miles... " Doggett moved closer to his men.  

Paying no attention to the new arrivals, Mulder stood frustrated  
and saddened at the loss of Billy Miles. It had not been a fair  
ending to the young man's life when Mulder was suddenly surprised 
at the sight of Billy Miles standing up and running away into the  
desert.  

With his mouth opened wide, Mulder now knew it was no longer a  
manhunt they were on... 

xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx 

Dana Scully jumped out of the SUV when Skinner brought it to  
stop where Agent Doggett and his team searched near the base  
of the cliff. Having heard the call through the radio about 
Billy Miles and Gibson Praise, Scully was sure she would find  
her husband there.  

Passing the other agents, Scully noticed the confused look they  
all bared on their faces. It was not a look Scully would have  
expected from the task force. Even their leader had an unsure 
expression on his face when Scully approached him before he  
entered the passenger's side of the waiting truck. 

" Where is Mulder? " Scully asked. 

Turning toward her, Doggett answered. " He's over there...  
Maybe you can make sense of what he's saying... " And closed  
the door of the truck. 

Following Doggett's direction, Scully and Skinner rushed to  
Mulder's side where he stood afar from the other agents studying  
the ground. 

" Mulder... " Scully called to him. " They said on the radio  
that Billy Miles was found... "  

" Found and gone, Scully... " Mulder said and pointed to the set  
of footprints that were left in the dirt. " He went that way...  
after he fell off that cliff. "  

" What? But that's impossible... not from a fall like that. "  
Scully looked up to the top of the cliff. " And if he did survive  
he wouldn't ... "  

" Wouldn't be running like he did... That's because it's not Billy  
Miles, Dana... It's an Alien Bounty Hunter disguised as Miles. "  

" What?! " Skinner exclaimed. 

" An alien bounty hunter..? Did you tell that to Agent Doggett..? "  
Scully asked. 

" Yup... and you can guess what his reaction was... " Mulder  
answered. 

" No more than it would have once been for me... " Scully once again  
looked up toward the top of the cliff. " What about Gibson? "  

" He's gone too. We got to find him... before that Hunter does... "  
Mulder took her arm and led the way back to the SUV.  

Arriving back to the school, the teachers and students stood outside  
with the task force continuing the search around the property. Agent 
Doggett entered the school when Scully turned her attention back to  
Skinner and Mulder. 

" ... What I want to know is how Doggett got out here? How did he  
even know where we were going? " Skinner stood frustrated near the  
parked vehicles.  

" I don't think that would be hard to figure out, sir. The question  
is whether or not Doggett's aware of what he's dealing with or that  
he's no more than a puppet being used. He seems like a smart guy but  
even smart guys can be fooled. " Mulder rubbed his finger across his  
bottom lip and then reached over to take Scully around his arm. " How  
are you feeling, Dana? "  

" I'm fine, Fox... " Scully lowered her head. " Don't worry about  
me... "  

" What could have happened to Gibson Praise? " Skinner interrupted. 

" Well... whatever happened to him, he's long gone... Wherever he is...  
he's three steps ahead of us. " Scully answered. Noticing a young girl 
cautiously getting on a bicycle near the edge of property, Scully looked  
up to see Mulder watching her.  

It wasn't hard for her to read what he was thinking and the course of  
action he was about to take when Skinner spoke up. " Don't look now but  
we've got a pair of eyeballs on us. " Nodding his head to both her and  
Mulder, Skinner gently pushed them forward before Agent Crane could see 
them. " Just start walking, I'll be right behind. " 

Making their move around the corner of the building, Scully could hear  
Skinner talking to Agent Crane as she and Mulder followed the young  
girl on the bicycle into the desert.  

The heat of the day caused Scully to wipe the sweat from her brow as  
she kept up with her husband. His long sprints forced her to move 
faster with the girl putting more distance between them. Being pregnant,  
Scully refused to show any weakness and when her husband stopped to 
voice his concerns for her, it only made her angry. 

" Fox, stop worrying!! We're going to lose her!! " Dana glared at him  
and returned her stare back to the girl who moved further away. 

" She's not what I'm afraid of... "  

" I'm all right... Please trust me... " Dana assured him. 

Running a few more yards, Scully stopped when Mulder placed his  
hand in front of her. Both stood shading their eyes from the sun  
and searching the area for the girl that was no longer there. 

" We lost her... " Mulder exclaimed. 

Scully stepped away from Mulder when she suddenly jumped from the  
strange movement the ground created beneath her. Stepping again, the 
strange motion and echoing sound caused Scully to call out to her  
husband. " Fox..? "  

Coming to her side, Mulder placed his foot and felt the ground  
bounce beneath him.  

" Could be buried treasure... " He started to brush the sand away  
with Scully helping him.  

Under a small layer of sand, they uncovered a wooden trapped  
door with a rope tied to it.  

" Guess what's behind the secret door... " Mulder said and pulled  
on the rope to open the door.  

The escape cool air rushed to their faces and Mulder entered  
first into the deep hole that was in the ground with a ladder  
that was stationed near the opening. With help from him, Scully 
carefully came down the wooden ladder to find Gibson Praise and  
the young girl sitting beside each other with an oil lamp  
piercing the darkness of the opened earth.  

" You shouldn't have come... You'll lead them to me... " Gibson  
Praise said. 

" We're here to protect you, Gibson... " Scully moved toward  
him. " I know you know that's the truth... I know you know my  
thoughts... "  

" I know why you're both here... and the people that were taken...  
And now, they've come to take me... " Gibson sobbed. 

" It's not going to happen, Gibson... " Mulder said. " We know  
why they want you... You're special... that's why they want to  
take you. " 

" You were once special, too... " Gibson turned toward him. "You  
still are... " He whispered the last part. 

" I'm sorry... " The young girl signed with her hands as well as  
speaking the words. " I didn't know that someone was following  
me... "  

" My friend Thea knows... She's the only one at school I've told.  
She says the FBI is looking for me, too. She's afraid for me... "  
Gibson said. 

" She has a right to be afraid... We don't know who to trust  
now. " Scully added.  

" We need to get you out of here... " Mulder moved toward Gibson  
when the young boy winced in pain and looked toward his leg that  
was covered by a piece of cloth. Scully removed the cloth and to  
found Gibson's leg badly wounded.  

" I fell when I was running away... " Gibson informed them. 

" I think you might have broken it, Gibson. " Scully examined it.  

" If they find me, they'll take me... I know it... I've always  
known it... "  

" I need to make a splint... " Scully said and turned to Mulder.  
" Fox, I need two pieces of wood... "  

Nodding his head, Mulder reached for an empty crate box that was  
in the cave and broke two pieces from it. Giving them to Scully,  
Mulder looked back up to the opening of the hole. " I'm going  
up to check... " And left Scully to attend to Gibson's injury. 

" I'm going to place your leg in a splint, Gibson... OK? I can  
set your leg... " Scully carefully started working. " I'm not  
going to let anything bad happen to you... "  

" You said that to me once before... " Gibson stared directly  
at her. 

Scully lowered her head. Not wanting the guilt to be seen in  
her face... 

xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx 

Agent John Doggett stood close by watching one of his men being  
loaded into the ambulance.  

The agent survived an assault but who caused his injuries was  
uncertain. Especially since the man that was being blamed, stood  
in front of Doggett and his men when the agent was attacked. 

Seeing Agent Fox Mulder standing afar when the ambulance pulled  
away, Doggett's own patience toward him was limited and testing 
Doggett's abilities to remain aloof.  

It wasn't his style to cave into the pressure of handling a case.  
Instead Doggett would thrive fromnit and welcome the challenge.  
Yet everything that had happened since he had taken over the case 
made no sense or had any familiar patterns that Doggett could  
theorize from. Still the strange occurrences that were happening  
since the start of the case concerned those that Doggett would 
answer to, that was more bizarre than Mulder's belief in space  
aliens kidnaping people.  

Having received a call from Deputy Director Kersh before the  
attack on the agent, Doggett took the call but the exchange was  
brief and harsh.  

" Agent Doggett, I'm getting reports from Arizona... " Kersh's  
voice boomed on the other end of the line.  

" Yes, sir... "  

" ... That you found one of the missing, Billy Miles. "  

" I'm afraid someone jumped the gun on that... I saw him, sir...  
but... I... " 

" What do you mean, you saw him? What the hell is going on out  
there?! I'm also received a report that Agent Mulder and Scully  
are out there!! "  

" Yes, they are, sir. Giving us assistance... but I... "  

" I put you in charge out there, Doggett. Now do the damn  
job!! " Kersh slammed the phone hard against Doggett's ear.  

Clicking the cell phone off, Doggett noticed Assisted Director  
Skinner watching him with smirk on his face that was offending  
to the agent.  

" This amuse you?! I amuse you?! " Doggett snapped at Skinner.  

" No... It just made sense to me. How you found your way out  
here. Who led you to Gibson Praise... "  

" Really..? " Doggett was curious of Skinner's statement. " You  
think I was spying on you? "  

" No, but I think our new Deputy Director was. You're being made  
a pawn in a rigged game. " 

" All right, you've painted me the picture... Now put it in a  
frame. " Doggett challenged. 

" All right... You've got a good rep, Agent Doggett You don't  
compromise... you don't quit... You're a damned good FBI  
agent... best of the best. Lot of guys put you in the Director's  
chair one day... Which is why you've been set up to fail.  
There's no amount of search to turn up those missing people...  
It's just the wrong approach. "  

" It's not a question of approach... It's the only approach  
I got. "  

" The only way you're going to find those people is to give  
into the truth. Listen to Mulder... But even then... say  
you did find them, even then you lose. You put anything  
about aliens or UFOs or alien bounty hunters in your  
report... Kersh will ruin you. I'm betting that was his  
plan... "  

Studying the older man, Doggett took in what Skinner had  
told him.  

Not believing in Mulder's pursuit, Doggett could not deny  
the chance of his career being in jeopardy because of Kersh.  
He had seen it before where fellow officers with excellent  
reputation were brought down by their superiors who felt 
threatened by them. Though Doggett could not imagine what  
Kersh feared about him, it was best to be cautious around the  
man. 

Nevertheless, Doggett had a job to do. One he would not fail  
at that neither Mulder nor Kersh could stop him from completing.  

" Is Agent Mulder or Scully here? Where's Agent Mulder? "  
Doggett called out to his team. 

Responding to Doggett's order, a young agent announced on the  
radio to the other agents who were still searching in different  
parts of the school for both Mulder and Scully to be located. 

A quick response came from an agent named Landau over the radio.  
" I'm with Agent Mulder... " 

" Then who's this? " The young agent asked as he watched a tired  
and sweating Fox Mulder walk toward him.  

Doggett turned to where the young agent was pointing and his  
reaction was much like those around him at the surprise to see  
Mulder before them. 

" What?! " Mulder asked, looking irritated by the stares.  

Not taking his eyes off of Mulder, Doggett took the radio away  
from the young agent. " You're with Mulder? "  

" Right across the room from him... " Landau asked back.  

" From who? What's going on?! " Mulder questioned. 

" What room? Where are you? " Doggett asked Agent Landau again  
over the radio. 

" Bunkhouse... We're in the dorm. " Landau responded. 

" Tell him to hold him!! Don't lose him!! " Mulder shouted as  
he ran past Doggett and Skinner.  

" Hold Mulder! We're coming to you! " Doggett ordered. And with  
the agents that were with him, Doggett followed Mulder to the  
dorm. 

Entering the building, Doggett heard Mulder shouting a warning  
but when he came upon the scene, he found Agent Landau lying  
on the ground and the sight of a man rushing away from Mulder  
bared similar features to the agent. Though Doggett doubted his  
own sight as he and his team joined the chase.  

Mulder was ahead of them and again his voice could be heard.  
" Where did he go?! Did you see him?! "  

It was Agent Crane who had answered Mulder, " No... " when  
Doggett reached them.  

" He ran back here!! I saw him!! " Mulder turned to Doggett.  
" You saw him, too! " 

Doggett did not answer him and Mulder pushed past him to where  
Agent Landau lied injured.  

" Agent... are you all right? " Mulder leaned close to him, but  
the injured agent suddenly pushed his body away, frightened. 

Watching Agent Landau panic at the sight of Mulder, Doggett was  
unsure of what to think... 

xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx 

Agent Scully awakened in the dark. 

At first she was unsure where she was and reached for her pen  
flashlight she kept on her person.  

Scanning the area around her, the familiar images came back to  
her and the person that she was here to guard was gone. 

" Gibson..? " Scully called out for him. 

Seeing that the trap door was opened and the night sky sparkled  
with stars, Scully carefully climbed back up to the world.  

Now searching the area around her, Scully continued to call out  
for Gibson until she found the boy not too far away from the  
hideout.  

" Gibson... Honey, what are you doing out here? " Scully wrapped  
her arms around him. Seeing that he was shaking and his injured  
leg was still strapped in the splint she made earlier, Scully 
tried to move Gibson but he would not budge. 

" They're out there... " Gibson stared forward. 

" Who? " Scully asked. 

" The people that were taken... They're out there... I can hear  
them... "  

" Gibson... " Scully sighed but suddenly stopped when she heard  
a sound passing her.  

It was faint but Scully looked out to the dark desert and called  
out. " Fox..? "  

Standing up, Scully ran after the sound and left Gibson to his  
horrors of the voices that spoke to him...  

xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx 

Walter Skinner observed Fox Mulder walk away when the ambulance left  
and headed toward the area where several trucks were stationed.  

Following behind him, Skinner called out. " Agent Mulder..? "  
But Mulder did not respond and disappeared behind the parked  
vehicles.  

Moving toward where Mulder was, Skinner called out once more.  
" Mulder!! "  

" Who are you?!! " Mulder shouted as he suddenly appeared behind  
Skinner with his weapon drawn. " Answer me!! Who are you?!! "  

" Who am I? " Skinner turned toward him with his own gun drawn.  

" Drop your weapon and face the truck!! " Mulder ordered. 

" I won't... " Skinner informed. 

" Do it now!! I know where to shoot!! "  

" Mulder... you're pointing your weapon at a friend... "  

" Turn around... Or I take it that you're not who you say you  
are... "  

" Mulder!! It's me!! Skinner!! " He shouted. Seeing that Mulder  
would not lower his weapon, Skinner placed his weapon down to  
his side and turned around. " I can prove it! Things that I know  
about!! About you... "  

" Yeah... tell me? " Mulder asked. 

" You tell me. How do I know it's you? " Skinner answered back.  

Watching Mulder's expression change, Skinner reached for Mulder's  
gun and took it away. Both men breathed a heavy sigh of relief. 

" I don't appreciate having a gun pointing at me... " Skinner  
handed Mulder back his gun. 

" Neither do I... " Mulder smiled. " I need the key to the car,  
sir... "  

" What? "  

" The key to the car... I need to get to Dana... " Mulder stuck  
his hand out to Skinner.  

" Where is she? "  

" With Gibson Praise... " Mulder said. " I need the car to get to  
them... The kid's injured and in danger... "  

" I'll drive... " Skinner snapped the keys out of his pocket and  
both men entered the SUV.  

Driving into the darkness of the desert, both Skinner and Mulder  
exchanged only a few words. Leaving the drive silent most of the  
way, Skinner reflected on the events of the last few days and 
how in both his life and relationship with Mulder and Scully  
changed once more.  

It had only been a few weeks ago when things between them had  
gone wrong. From ending his courtship with Maggie Scully to his  
involvement with his Hollywood friend, Skinner managed to 
damage the bond he developed with the two agents that would  
have ended any friendship. Yet somehow the forgiveness from  
Mulder and Scully and even from himself, brought them back  
together to ally against those who tried to stop them from  
revealing the truth.  

It was the truth that brought them together and kept the faith  
they had for each other alive.  

" Here, sir... Pull over. " Mulder said.  

Bringing the SUV to a halt, Skinner with a flashlight in hand  
followed Mulder to where he flashed his light on a wooden door  
lying opened and a dark deep hole in the ground. 

" DANA!! " Mulder called out as he entered the hole. " GIBSON!! "  

Skinner flashed his light around the make-shifted hole. " They're  
not here!! "  

" I told them to stay!! " The sudden panic was in Mulder's voice.  
" I didn't want her to walk in the desert anymore!! DANA!! "  
Mulder turned his flashlight to the desert and scanned the area 
when he shouted. " THERE!! There's someone there!! " 

Aiming his light toward the direction Mulder had his, Skinner saw  
a lone figure sitting on the ground that bared the shape of a young  
boy. Skinner immediately followed Mulder who ran to the person. 

" Gibson!! " Mulder said as he reached the boy. " Where's Agent  
Scully?! What are you doing out here?! "  

" I heard them... the others... " Gibson spoke. His speech was weak.  

" What are you talking about? Where is Agent Scully?! " Mulder asked  
again. 

" She went out there... toward them. They're out there somewhere!! "  

Skinner moved closer to Gibson and placed his hand on his forehead.  
" This kid's burning up... "  

" Then get him to the hospital... Stay with him...I got to find Dana... "  
Mulder stood and ran toward the darkness. 

" MULDER!! " Skinner shouted, but the younger agent had disappeared  
from sight with only his flashlight giving away his position. 

Skinner heaved a huge sigh and lifted Gibson into his arms. Carefully  
placing the boy into passenger's seat, Skinner took one more look 
toward where Mulder had run to but he could no longer see the light  
from Mulder's flashlight.  

In less than an hour, Skinner arrived to the hospital and walked in  
with Gibson again in his arms.  

" I got a boy here who needs emergency medical attention!! " Skinner  
called out that brought a hospital personnel to assist them.  

A short while later, Gibson was taken out of immediate care and placed  
in his own room. The boy was sounded asleep when Skinner walked in but 
Gibson suddenly awakened with his eyes opened wide and panicking. 

" What? Are you OK? What's wrong? " Skinner asked concerned.  

It was then the door to the room opened and Skinner turned to find  
Gibson's school friend standing behind him smiling...  

xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx 

Mulder searched the desert area for his wife.  

Following the trail of footprints he found in the sand, Mulder kept  
scanning the flashlight across the horizon and calling out her name.  

" DANA!! " 

His voice echoed back to him and was the only answer he would receive  
from the desert. 

No sounds of creatures or birds singing in the cool night, only the  
pounding of his heart beating into his eardrums and the sound of his  
voice calling out for " DANA!! " was all that could be heard.  

As he kept moving, kicking the sand forward, Mulder suddenly became  
aware of something that was around him and the fear he felt.  

There was nothing here that was living. All that once ruled the ground  
he walked on were gone. The stars in the sky bared a strange shape to 
them, a distortion to the surrounding.  

There was something here.  

Something pulling on him.  

Just as it had done in Oregon.  

He kept moving forward until he finally found what he was looking for. 

" Dana!! "  

With her back to him and sitting on the ground, it wasn't until he  
reached her that Mulder saw Dana had been crying. 

Gently brushing the moister from her face that was caused by her tears,  
Dana looked at Fox as he gave her a smile. 

" Dana... " Fox whispered to her. 

Upon hearing her name, the tears once again escaped her and Dana burst  
out her fears once more. 

" Why do I keep thinking they took you? Why do I keep hearing you  
calling me? Why..? Why?! " Dana buried her face into his chest. 

" I'm here, Dana... Nobody took me... They'll never take me... " Fox  
wrapped his arms around her.  

" It's so hard... No matter how much I don't want to believe... Some  
things never make any sense... "  

" Why did you come out here? " Fox asked. 

" I... I fell asleep... Gibson was gone... When I found him... He kept  
saying that he could hear the others... and that's when I thought I  
heard you... I had to find you... "  

" Well... you did find me and... " Fox suddenly stopped in mid-sentence  
when the night sky brightened with a single light heading toward them.  

Dana looked up to the light and held tighter to her husband. No one was  
going to take him. She wasn't going to let her nightmares come true.  

Feeling the sand kicking into their faces, the light came closer and  
revealed it to be the searchlight of a helicopter. The beam remained on 
them for a moment before it pulled away and the helicopter circled before  
landing nearby.  

One person stepped out of the helicopter and approached Mulder and  
Scully. Once they realized who it was, Mulder yelled out. " You sure  
have a knack for finding us, Doggett!! "  

" Hey, I go where the action is!! " Doggett answered back. " So what are  
you two doing wandering around the desert? " 

" Looking for Wile E. Coyote... " Mulder said. 

" Cut the bullshit, Mulder... You've been lying to me!! Flouting orders  
like you've done every step of the way on this thing... It that what it 
takes?! "  

" Hey, give a little, get a little, Agent Doggett... " Scully said to him.  

" We know about the kid... " Doggett said. " You both knew where the kid  
was and wouldn't tell me... Why? "  

" I don't know what kid you're talking about... " Mulder crossed his arms  
over his chest. 

" Lying to me again... Assisted Director Skinner took him from here to  
the hospital... " 

" What makes you say that? " Mulder asked. 

" The one thing I know for sure about this case is that Billy Miles is  
after Gibson Praise... Why? Beats the hell out of me. But when he goes 
after that kid, my men are going to be waiting for him. "  

" Mulder... " Scully turned to him. Nodding his head, Mulder walked past  
Doggett with Scully following behind him. 

" HEY!! Where the hell are you two going?! " Doggett ran after them.  

" Your men are stationed at the hospital? " Mulder asked. 

" They got it in controlled. Nobody goes in or out of the building without  
them knowing about it. " Doggett answered. 

" Can you be sure that they are your men? " Mulder said as he helped  
Scully into the helicopter and followed after her with Doggett jumping  
in.  

Arriving at the hospital, Mulder, Scully and Doggett race to the waiting  
area where the task force had stationed themselves. 

" Where's the boy? " Scully asked. 

" Door at the end of the hall, with AD Skinner... " Agent Crane answered  
her. 

" Are you certain about that? " Scully said to the agent as Mulder moved  
past her to the room down the hall. 

" HEY!! " Agent Crane shouted at Mulder then turned back to Scully.  
" Look, the nurse has been checking on the boy every twenty minutes...  
The kid's fine... "  

" SCULLY!! " Mulder called to her. Running down the hallway with Doggett  
and his team following, Scully entered the room to find only Mulder  
standing in it.  

" They're gone!! " Mulder said.  

" It can't be... " Agent Crane said. 

" What the hell is this?! What the hell is going on?!! " Doggett shouted  
toward his men. 

Taking Scully's hand, Mulder led the way back to the outside of  
hallway. " We got to find them, Scully. "  

" Excuse me! " Scully called out to the nurse. "We're looking  
for a patient, a boy. Twelve years old. He may still be in this  
building... "  

Continuing to search each room in the hallway, Mulder suddenly  
stopped when he heard his name being called out. " Agent Mulder... " 

Turning to the familiar voice of AD Skinner, Mulder turned back to 
look for Scully who was still far behind him.  

" It's OK... I got him... Gibson. " Skinner assured him. 

" Sir, how did you get out of the room? " Mulder asked. 

" We went up through the ceiling... I don't know who to trust... "  
Skinner opened the door wider for Mulder to enter.  

Walking in, Mulder spotted Gibson, but the boy stood frightened and  
shaking his head violently at him. It was then that Mulder realized  
what he had walked into and reached for his weapon. But Skinner moved  
quick and grabbed him by the neck. Being lifted off the ground, Mulder  
felt his body being hurled across the room and landing against a glass  
wall breaking it.  

Seeing Skinner coming after him again, Mulder tried to find his weapon  
when Skinner's neck suddenly exploded by the gunshot that hit him from 
behind. When he fell to the ground the face of Walter Skinner became  
that of the Alien Bounty Hunter before the body began to dissolve...  

xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx 

John Doggett with his team searched the room that both AD Skinner and  
Gibson Praise were supposed to be in. 

Testing the windows, Doggett shouted out in frustration. " The window  
doesn't even open. How's a grown man and a boy get out of the room 
except by that door?! "  

Searching the room once again, Doggett looked up to the dropped ceiling  
and noticed that one of the panels was not in correctly. Taking a chair, 
Doggett stood on it and moved the misplaced panel out of the way. With  
his flashlight, Doggett scanned inside the dropped ceiling and found 
an unconscious Skinner with his eyes badly injured.  

" Jesus... " Doggett exclaimed as he reached for Skinner. With help from  
his men, they were able to pull the older man to safety. Doggett quickly  
moved out of the room with a few of his men following.  

" AGENT MULDER!! AGENT SCULLY!! " Doggett called out when the sound of  
a gunshot echoed through the hospital hallway. 

Reaching the room where the sound came from, Doggett entered first  
to find Agent Scully with her weapon in her hand as she moved closer  
to Agent Mulder who lied on the floor with glass all around him. Gibson  
Praise stood to the side, frightened. Yet the strange sight and smell  
from a green liquid bubbled at his feet, Doggett didn't know what to  
make of it. 

" An agent needs help!! " Doggett shouted to his team.  

Moving closer to both Mulder and Scully, Doggett watched as Scully  
began to examine Mulder but the stern looking female agent stopped  
and began crying to her partner. 

" I wasn't going to let him take you... " Doggett could heard Scully  
whisper to Mulder.  

Two days later, Doggett sat in Kersh's office as the Deputy Director  
studied the photographs of the incident in the hospital. 

" The best I can say... it's lucky it all happened in a hospital. "  
Kersh lowered the photographs.  

" Very lucky... Yes, Sir. " Doggett agreed. 

" I assume the hazardous materials or chemicals which caused this must  
have been medical? "  

" That has not yet been determined, sir. " 

" So much here is undetermined... as remain the whereabouts of Billy  
Miles and the other missing people. But some of your  facts... like a 
man falls from the cliff and disappears... An agent has his throat  
crushed by an assailant who vanishes into thin air? This reads like  
a piece of pot-boiled science fiction. "  

" You mean it reads like an X-Files. But that's what you intended,  
wasn't it, Sir? When you assigned me to the case... " 

" I'll ask the questions, John. You just give me some damn answers. "  
Kersh handed him back the file. " Don't come back until you do... "  

For the next few months in Doggett's life, Kersh's wraith followed  
him in heavy paper work or absurd assignments that were degrading to  
the season agent.  

Yet what had happened in Arizona and the case involving Agent Mulder  
and Scully was never far from his mind. Trying to understand and go 
over what he might have missed keep Doggett awake at night.  

It was during the time before Christmas that Doggett again crossed  
path with Agent Mulder. Though it had been a brief encounter, it was  
one that Doggett was sure Mulder would not remember because of the  
state of mind he was in.  

When the report came in of Agent Scully being kidnapped from a  
shopping mall a day before Christmas Eve, Doggett volunteered his  
services to AD Skinner in the search to finding her. No matter  
what had occurred in Arizona, Doggett respected Scully and was  
concerned for safety and the well being of both her and her  
unborn child.  

Receiving orders from Skinner to search one of the homes in  
Virginia where it was believed that Agent Scully was being held,  
Doggett with his team arrived to find the house burning and the 
firemen pulling Agent Mulder away from the flames.  

" Agent Mulder!! " Doggett rushed to where the firemen continued  
to struggle with him. " Agent Mulder!! " Doggett shouted again but  
suddenly landed on his back when Agent Mulder punched him in the  
face. The man blinded by his grief, Doggett doubted Mulder even  
knew what he had done.  

Now rubbing his hand on his chin that had long since healed, Doggett  
was about to enter the elevator when he heard the familiar voices of  
his friends.  

" Well, John... heading down to the doghouse? " Agent Crane laughed  
along with the other men. 

" Care to join me? " Doggett smiled.  

" Sure, why not? Never been down to the 'Spooky' place... " Another  
agent joked as the elevator's doors closed...  

xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx 

Fox Mulder looked up when he heard the laughter coming down  
the hallway.  

The entrance of John Doggett and a few agents still laughing  
stopped the moment they saw Agent Mulder at his desk. 

" Look... I'll see you guys later... " Doggett said to the other  
agents as they turned around to leave.  

" Agent Mulder... " Doggett nodded his head at him. 

" Agent Doggett... " Mulder nodded back...  

xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx 

Somewhere in the World...  

Gibson Praise sat in the dark alone.  

The voices surrounded him as they had done before but knowing where  
he was, he knew he would never be safe.  

Not the safe house he was promised by the FBI but once again into  
the hands of the people who first wanted to destroy him.  

They were still here and they had him once more.  

Above all the voices that he heard, one came to him loud and clear. A  
sad voice that knew the horrors committed by the men Gibson had hidden 
from.  

It was a voice that was slowly driving Gibson mad as the voice of  
Jeffrey Spender repeated over and over in Gibson's mind.  

' It's so good not to be alone... So good... '  

The End.
  

Feedback is welcome... agentsinlove@yahoo.com
 
  
  
  
  
Title: Family VIII: Tales From the Bedroom 
Author: Jo Ann Medrano 
Rated: NC-17 
    
Archive: Please, do not post this story on your site without my  
permission. Thank you. 
Disclaimer: The characters of the X-Files do not belong to me. 
They are the property of Chris Carter, 1013 Productions, and Fox 
Broadcasting. No copyright infringement is intended. 

xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx 



Family: Tales From the Bedroom

Story One: Dana... Was That You? 
  

Dana lifted the sheet and guided it down onto the bed. 

Pulling and snapping each corner of the sheet into its place,  
Dana brushed her hand across the bed to smooth out any lumps  
that appeared.  

Preparing to spend the comforter across the mattress, Dana was 
suddenly tackled and pinned on top of the bed by an unseen but 
recognizable weight that held her down on her stomach.  

" FOX!! " Dana yelled at the top of her lung. " GET OFF OF ME!! "  

" Beg me. " Fox teased. " Say 'Pretty, Please'... 'Pretty, Please', 
Dana... "  

" I'll 'Pretty, Please' your ass... if you don't get off of me!! "  

" That's not the magic phrase... Say it, Dana... Say it!! " Fox 
began tickling her side as his hand creep toward her stomach, 
Dana's most sensitive area.  

" NO!! NO!! NO!! " Dana's screams soon turned into laughter.  
" NOOO!! "  

Trying to kick herself free, Fox held onto Dana as his fingers 
continued tickling her. Up and down, to her neck and back to  
her stomach, Dana was at the mercy of her tormentor as his  
hand danced all around her. Losing control over everything,  
Dana begged through her laughing for Fox to stop. Yet he paid  
no attention to her pleading until a loud and familiar noise  
stopped him.  

Dana had farted.  

And it wasn't a quiet one.  

It was a loud, ripping and echoing fart that caused Fox to stare 
wide-eyed at Dana in amazement.  

" Dana... was that you?  " Fox asked, loosening his grip on her  
as Dana slipped off the bed looking quite upset. Fox never heard 
Dana fart before and didn't think she was even capable of doing 
such a feat. It was an experience that left him shock but soon 
turned into a full bellyaching laughing fit that caused Dana to 
strike Fox with a pillow several times.  

" YOU FUCK!! " Dana snapped and gave one final swing with 
the pillow onto Fox's head before storming into the bathroom and 
slamming it shut.  

" Dana..? Aw... come on, Dana... You just farted... Oh, my God... 
You farted! " Fox started laughing again. " She's human! " 

Rolling side to side on the bed, Fox's stomach ached from the 
hard laughing that he was doing when he finally stopped to catch 
his breath. 

" Dana? " Fox wiped the tears from his eyes as he turned toward 
the bathroom door that was still closed. " Aw... come on, Dana... 
Big deal that you farted... Oh, God... You farted... " He started to 
laugh and clutch his stomach again. " ... That's the funniest thing 
I ever heard!! "  

Suddenly the bathroom door opened and Dana emerged in her stern  
but embarrassed face as the crimson color still remained on 
her cheeks.  

" Are you done laughing at me? " She asked. 

" Dana... Honey... I'm sorry... but... HA!! HA!! HA!! HA!! You 
farted... it's the funniest thing I ever heard!! "  

" You act like you have never done it before... " Dana scolded.  
" It's like I'm sleeping next to a machine gun... "  

" Oh, come on... Don't turn this on me... God... you women are so 
uptight... " Fox continued to laugh. 

" Uptight..? Well, we women have you men to thank for that... "  

" Oh, so you ARE laying the blame on all mankind? "  

" No... Just... You... Men!! " Dana poked at his stomach. " You 
men expect women to be and act in ways that are unreality... and 
inhuman... Because your brains between your legs expect a certain  
image that most women cannot fulfill... "  

" What's has this to do with farting? "  

" This has to do with everything!! The expectation placed upon 
us women... to be thin, pretty, tall, busty... "  

" And don't forget good mouth work... "  

" To have any bodily function is unheard... What would you think 
of me if I were to do the things that you've done in front of me? "  

" Well, you already farted... That was a treat! "  

" Would you like me to relieve myself in front of you? "  

" You already did!! "  

" I'm talking about using the toilet!! You have absolutely no 
problem about relieving yourself in front me when I'm using the 
bathroom! " 

" You're a doctor! "  

" And..? "  

" Well... you're use to this sort of stuff... "  

" It's not an excuse to do it in front of me... "  

" Well... why don't you say something? "  

" I do!! A lot! " 

" I don't remember hearing anything... "  

" That's because you are too busy farting in my face. "  

" I told you... your height's perfect... " Fox sat up and slid closer 
to Dana. " It's great for other things too... Why don't we practice 
our numbers? "   

" I'm serious, Fox!! " Dana placed her right hand on his forehead 
and pushed him back onto the bed. " The unbalance of equal 
standing in our society has not changed no matter what people 
want to believe... "  

" Dana... you just farted... "  

" And I shouldn't be ashamed of it... but I am!! " Dana snapped.  
" All that I was taught... from the crib to my standing here in front 
of you... Women are not to flatulent... Not in public and certainly 
not in front of their spouses... "  

" I don't care if you farted... " 
  
" Trust me... you do. " Dana crossed her arms over her chest.  
" You think that I being a woman would not know these things 
about you men... but image is everything... and how you choose 
to fantasy about it comes from that sick mind of yours. "  

" Oh..? I thought you loved my sick mind? Aw, come on, Dana... 
you're making this too dramatic... How about coming down from 
that soapbox and giving me a kiss? " Fox puckered his lips. 

" See what I mean... can't treat me like a person. Just an object to 
release your overzealous, lusting, testosterone driven manhood 
that throbs under your pants when a woman comes passing by. " 
Dana shook her head. " And I'm sure you'll blame this all on 
nature... A boring and overstated line that these things happen 
because 'You... Are... A... Man'. " Dana poked his stomach again. 

" Damn right I'm a man... And that's right, I got a dick... And I 
like using it... With or without a woman... I slap that meat of 
mine until it feels gooood... " Fox shook his head as he stressed 
the last word. " And since you know so much about men... you 
know that we men are visionaries... Everything that is before us 
is desirable...  We see food... we eat it. See something to drink... 
we drink it... "  

" ... And if you see a woman that fits your image... You fuck her. " 

" If we see a woman... " Fox slowly lifted himself toward Dana.  
" ... that we are attracted to... We want to know them... not only  
for what is outward but inward... to know that person would make 
them more beautiful to us... "  

" You're so full of shit... "  

" So are you... and that's beautiful too... "  

" That's sick!! "  

" That's being human... " Fox kissed Dana's left cheek. " You 
don't have to hold anything back from me, Red... it doesn't 
change what I know and see... " 

" So I could go to the bathroom in front of you..? " Dana teased. 

" That's a vision I could do without... Truce? "  

" Truce. "  

" Sorry for laughing... but I think farts are funny. " Fox smiled. 

" So do I... " Dana smiled back.  

Bringing themselves back onto the bed, Dana and Fox embraced  
each other in a single kiss that lasted until a sudden and familiar 
noise interrupted them.  

" Dana... was that..? " 

" Don't go there, Spookie... "  

xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx 

Story Two: We All Start Out As Girls 
  

Fox flipped through the magazine of glamour models that blazed 
on each page. 

His puckering lips were not from the expression of excitement he 
felt for the beauties that were before him but from the light 
pressure Dana placed upon them with her fingertips. 

Gliding the bright shade of red lipstick on his full bottom lip, 
Dana studied her handiwork and said. " Now smack your lips... " 
She demonstrated for him. 

" How old do you think she is? " Fox showed the opened magazine  
to Dana with the page of a dark-haired woman laying upon a pile  
of pillows in her bra and underwear with lit candles creating  
an erotic mood on the layout.  

" Old enough to be your daughter... " Dana answered as she 
wiped the excessive lipstick near the corner of his mouth.  

" My daughter wouldn't be dressed like this... " Fox brought the 
magazine back to him. Not minding what Dana was doing, Fox 
read out loud the model's bio. " Age 19... height 5'11" and an 
aspiring actress... "  

" What girl in those pages, isn't? " Dana gently applied blush on 
Fox's cheeks with a soft brush.  

" This one isn't... She hopes to be a doctor that way she can help 
the poor and homeless... " Fox showed Dana the magazine again. 

" Good for her... " Dana studied Fox's face and applied more 
blush to his right cheek.  
                                         
" It's incredible how people are born... " Fox continued going 
through the magazine. " Imagine all those millions of options in 
creating an individual. If a different sperm had fertilized the  
ova we came from instead of the one that helped in our creation,  
we might have been entirely different person... in the way we  
look, think or maybe being the opposite sex that we are now... "  

" Maybe... " Dana blew off the extra eye powder from the brush. 
" Close your eyes, Fox... "  

" Millions of chances that came down to one... Who we are  
now... " Fox closed his eyes. " ... And what we could have been... 
The creation of life has its own mysteries like those we can find 
in any X-File... "  

" It's not that much of a mystery... " Dana carefully used her 
finger to blend the colors around Fox's eyes. " ... Any textbook 
would explain the birds and the bees to you... Don't tell me you 
missed that class, Fox? "  

" Some doctor you are... Come on, Dana... you can't tell me you 
don't speculate the odds that you could have ended up being a 
male instead of a female..? "  

" Some believe that we all start out as females... " Dana pumped 
up and down the eye liner brush in its container until she was 
satisfied with the amount she had on it. " The sex of the baby 
does not occur until the fourteenth week... so it is believed that 
the beginning structure of the embryo is that of a female... "  

" Just because there's no dick there means it won't be a male... " 

" Of course not, the genetic code for the sex of the baby begins 
with the sperm... though you can't discount any genetic faults that 
could happen... "  

" You mean someone being born with both a dick and a pussy? " 

" Yes... so to speak... " Dana applied the mascara with ease.  
" Some also believe that one's sexual preference could occur 
during the development in the womb... as oppose to those who 
believe the environment a person is raises in, play a great  
factor in the construction of an individual's choice... "  

" I believe it's both... "  

" Well... I have to say that both sides do present interesting 
viewpoints but I being an individual that I am... the choices that 
were made on my behalf were of my own doing... "  

" So what you are saying is that the influence you were expose to 
during your childhood has nothing to do with the person that you 
are now..? "  

" It does play a part in the developing of my personality... I don't 
deny that... Yet it is up to me on the choices that are presented 
and how I choose to use them in my life... "  

" So you just don't think that you could have been born with the 
personality that you have? "  

" I don't know... I can't completely dismiss that... yet I can't 
accept it as the only answer to what I am as a person. Each day 
we are influence by some form of source, whether it is the media, 
the people around us or simply from a book I would read... I 
think the complex structure of a human being cannot be judged 
solely on a single characterized or what zodiac sign they were 
born under... With everything that is presented before us... can  
be of use in helping us become what we hope to be... "  

" Branching out and learning... " 

" Precisely... growing as an individual doesn't stop when the body 
matures... Our minds are an extension of the things that we can 
be... " Dana added the final touches to Fox's face. " There...  
done. " Reaching over to her side, Dana handed Fox the mirror.  
" What do you think? " 

Taking the mirror, Fox looked at his reflection that stared back 
with all the make-up painted across his face. He looked more like 
a clown than a pageant beauty but Fox curled his colored lips and 
flicked his thick eyelashes at himself in the mirror. 

" You know... maybe we do all start out as girls... " Fox blew a 
kiss to himself... 

xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx 

Story Three: A Matter of Taste 
  

Fox walked out of the bathroom and into the bedroom with his 
hand inside his pajama pants. His fingers tickling the tip of his 
arched penis still moist from the piss he took. 

Fox liked to pee. 

Feeling the sensation of his bodily fluids passing through his dick 
caused a bit of erection from the load of urine he had carried. 

Not wanting to lose the hardening growing in his pants, Fox 
lowered his pajama bottoms and sat on the bed stroking his penis 
to length.  

It felt really good doing this. 

Being in tune with his body that a few were ashamed of doing, 
Fox did not have any obstacles to prevent him from pleasuring 
himself. 

Relaxing and tensing, Fox closed his eyes and drifted into his 
mind, letting in the things he found pleasure in like that of a 
woman's beauty to those acts that would be considered bizarre  
by some.  

Sometimes fantasy helped. 

Sometimes he didn't need it. 

Rubbing up and down creating friction, Fox felt the burning in 
his loins that led to the climax he crave for.  

It was then the bedroom door opened and Fox shot loose too 
soon.  

Dana walked into the room to see Fox suddenly panicking and 
trying to cover himself from her.  

Raising an eyebrow, Dana found it amusing that Fox would be 
embarrassed that she caught him masturbating. It wasn't, as if  
she did not know he was doing it. Certainly during the years  
that they had worked together, he himself joked about it and  
didn't hide what he liked from her. Finding his stacks of porn  
videos and magazines in his desk drawer gave enough clues to  
Dana on how to treat the rascal before her. 

She decided to have fun with him. 

" What were you doing? " Dana crossed her arms over her chest. 

" Nothing... " Fox tried to sound cool but the redness in his  
face gave him away. 

Dana moved up and stood before him. Taking his hand away from  
the comforter Fox used to hide himself from her Dana could now  
see his throbbing penis with the head still cover in his juice. 

" You were playing with yourself, weren't you? "  

" What do you think..? " Fox pretended to challenge her. 

" I think... " Dana pushed him down on the bed as Fox landed on 
his side. Exposing his bare buttocks, Dana took full advantage of 
it and landed two hard smacks to his cheeks.  

" I'll deal with you later... " Dana turned away and headed to the 
bathroom. " Now clean up your mess... I don't want to step on 
anything yucky! "  

Once the bathroom door closed, Fox sat up and pushed the rest of 
the comforter away from him. 

He couldn't resist sticking his tongue out at her, but it wasn't 
meant out of mean spirit. 

Dana was too much fun and the evening looked to be going that 
way.  

As long as he didn't screw anything up. 

Fox then remembered about the load he shot out by accident 
when Dana had opened the bedroom door before he could have 
dealt with it properly. 

Doing a scan around the room, Fox wasn't sure exactly where it 
had landed and even looked up to the ceiling when he noticed his 
pet cat Rat a few feet from him eating something from the floor. 

" SHIT!! " Fox moved quickly to see what the cat was eating but 
all he saw now was Rat licking her choppers and a moist residue 
on the floor beneath her. It didn't take much to figure out what 
Rat had eaten.  

" UGH!! " Fox faced away wanting to throw up. " You're sick! 
You're sick cat, Rat! "  

All Rat did was let out a soft meow and bounced away leaving 
Fox to clean up what was left on the floor and to remove the 
comforter from the bed.  

Having finished cleaning up, Fox retreated back to the bed and 
went under the blankets. Feeling really tired and now wanting to 
go to sleep the idea of any rest ended when Dana came out of the 
bathroom, humming.  

Taking her place on the bed, Dana slipped the blankets over her 
and cuddled next to Fox.  

" So tell me, Tiger... is there any 'GRRRR' still in you? "  

" Of course there is... " Fox fibbed.  

Just then Rat jumped on the bed and hopped over to Dana's side. 
Moving up close to her, Rat began affectingly licking Dana's 
face.  

" Oh, Rat... " Dana started laughing. " You stop that! " But  
Dana made no serious attempt to stop the feline as she rested  
comfortably on Dana's chest.  

Fox stared wide-eyed at the two of them. Thinking that maybe he 
should warn Dana about what Rat had eaten, Fox suddenly pictured  
himself in big trouble and no hope of getting any nookie tonight. 

Fox finally shrugged his shoulders.  

It wasn't as if Dana had never tasted it before... 

xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx 

Story Four: Heaven and Earth 
  

David awakened to a dark room.  

His surroundings were not visible to the infant, yet the baby did 
not mind.  

He didn't know what it was to be afraid of the darkness or be old 
enough to know who the booby man was.  

Though the wetness in his diaper did not seem to bother him nor 
was there any desire for a feeding, it had been nothing more then 
enough sleep for him.  

David wasn't tired anymore.  

And found the sound of his voice pleasant to listen to.  

Starting out low, David felt the vibration in his throat as his  
voice rose than fell as he learned to control the volume of his  
speech. Making noises that only a baby could understand, the  
triumph he felt for accomplishing one of his many milestones  
brought laughter from David's lips. The sounds he made traveled  
to the baby monitor in his room that awakened his parents in  
their room as the monitor transferred the voice of their son  
to them. 

Fox and Dana both awoke at the same time. Silence moans  
came from both of them when they noticed that it was still dark  
and the time on the alarm clock blazed 3:06 A.M.  

For a moment either of them moved. Seeing if the other was 
awake or not, it was Dana that broke the stalemate.  

" It's your turn... " She elbowed Fox.  

" But I did it yesterday... " Fox rubbed his hand over his tired 
eyes. " Besides he's not crying... Maybe he'll go back to sleep. "  

" Maybe... but it's still your turn. " Dana reminded him. 

Both becoming quiet, they listened to the monitor as David's 
voice continued broadcasting through it.  

" Kid has quite a voice... " Fox commented. 

" He must have gotten it from you... I'm very quiet. "  

" Ha! " Fox snorted but then received a harsh hush from Dana.  

" He'll hear you. "  

Turning quiet again, both listened carefully as the monitor 
suddenly turned silence.  

" Maybe he's... " Fox was unable to finish his sentence when a 
loud squeak came through the monitor as David resume his 
talking.  

For the next few moments, Fox and Dana listened to their son 
making every noises a baby could make. Never once letting out a 
heartfelt cry that would bring either of his parents to his side, 
David seemed to enjoy his creation of sounds.  

" Do you think David's making any sense? " Fox asked. 

" Well... maybe to another baby. He does sound happy. "  

" Too happy... It must be nice not to have any worries like he 
does... "  

" Well... not the worries that adults have... but I'm sure David 
worries about being fed and changed. " 

" I don't see how that's a worry... when you have someone there 
to take care of you... it becomes their problem... their 
responsibility. "  

Then suddenly the baby turned quiet.         

David tilted his head to the side with his body moving along with 
it and nearly rolling onto his stomach. 

Something had the baby's attention.  

David was no longer alone in the room.  

A hand gently breezed across the baby's face that caused David to 
smile and to resume his laughing for the being that stood over the 
crib.   

" Not asleep... " Fox reported to Dana as they listened to their  
son giggling through the monitor.  

A gist of starlight danced above the baby, lighting the room 
gently but not too bright. Each star moved in its own pattern and 
dipped close enough for David to try and reach for them.  

The hand again returned. Lovingly stroking the baby's face, the 
being sung softly to David, but its harmony did not completely 
escape the baby monitor.  

" Did you hear that? " Fox turned to Dana. 

" Hear what? "  

" That sound... It came from the monitor... " Fox rose to his 
elbows and listened closer to the monitor that was on Dana's side 
of the room. 

" All I hear is David laughing... "  Dana answered. 

Feeling the blow of soft kisses on his face, David raised his hands 
to touch the being that showed him much affection only to grasp 
empty air.                                    

Yet the glimpse of a face whether it was a man or a woman smiled  
at the baby's efforts. It was not this being's job to guard or 
guide him, yet this being could not resist visiting the baby. 
Seeing the innocence of his eyes, the being felt pity for David, 
knowing the hardship that waited for him in the future that would 
cause the innocence to disappear, like all living things that 
reached adulthood would lose.  

But now was not time for such worries.  

It was time to enjoy David as he was now.  

Innocent... 

Sweet... 

Beautiful... 

Still there were many things in the universe that did not see such 
grand things as baby's smile, more of a desire to end such feats of 
creation and turn it no more than a meal for itself. 

The closet door crept opened and only the red eyes could be seen 
from the darkness that surrounded it.  

The creature had finally seen its chance to claim another life of 
innocence while the guardian angel was no where to be seen.  

The battle of life and death that was done over the centuries, this 
creature had contributed to it in a cowardly way. Taking life that 
could not fight back and made it unfair game. This was this 
creature's enjoy in existence, to crush the hopes of those with 
flesh and God's blessing by taking their children away.  

It did not sense the angel but what stood between it and the baby 
in the crib was a force that even caused the creature to roar.  

Fox took the baby monitor into his hand and pressed it against his 
left ear. This time he was certain that he had heard a noise that 
wasn't being made by his son.  

" I'm going to check on him... " Fox finally decided.  

The being turned to face the creature that came from the dark. 
Recognizing its foul stench of a demon, the being was prepared 
to fight and hurled a force of light so strong that the whole  
room lit like a morning star. Safe from its fury, David giggled  
in delight not knowing the danger that was close to him. 

The creature screamed out as it felt its mind being invaded and 
destroyed. The being before it was not an angel but a soul that 
belonged to God and its strength was a part of the Mighty's spirit.  

The creature could not defeat the being before it and fled back 
into the closet to the entrance that allowed it to crossover to  
the living world. The being raised its arms and shot forward all  
its strength to seal the entrance that could never be used again  
by any demons.  

The light in the room dimmed once more and only the gentle 
light in David's eyes shine back to the being that saved him.  

Once again, the hand gently rubbed David's cheek and the baby 
laughed, once more.  

Walking out of his bedroom and turning on the switch that lit his 
way to his son's room, Fox saw Rat peering down in front of the 
door that belonged to David's room. Her tail switched back and 
forth in an aggressive move.  

That was enough to alert Fox as he rushed into the baby's room 
and only found his son resting in his crib smiling at him.  

" Hey, buddy... " Fox took David into his arms.  

David let out a squeak that showed his happiness as he nestled in 
his father's arms. Fox couldn't help but smile and let out a laugh 
as well.  

He was about to say something to David when Fox felt a soft 
breeze pass by his left cheek as if a hand had touched his face. 
Turning around and seeing that there was no one in the room, 
except them, Fox shook his head and blamed it on his overactive 
imagination.  

Once he had changed his son, Fox decided it would be best for 
David to sleep with him and Dana for the rest of night.  

Walking out of the room with his son tight in his arms, Fox did 
not noticed Rat sitting quietly in the room as her eyes focused on 
the being that was not invisible to her eyes. She had no fear of 
the being and allowed the hand to stroke her fur gently and 
pleasing to the cat.  

But all good things had to come to an end and the being knew it 
was time to leave. Feeling the heavens pulling back, Rat watched 
the being flow above her and back to the fields to wait for its 
chance of life...  
  
  

The End.

Feedback is welcome... agentsinlove@yahoo.com
 

  
  
  
Title: Family IX: Emily 
Author: Jo Ann Medrano 
 Rated: NC-17 
Archive: Please, do not post this story on your site without  
my permission. Thank you. 

Disclaimer: The characters of the X-Files do not belong to me.  
They are the property of Chris Carter, 1013 Productions, and  
Fox Broadcasting. No copyright infringement is intended. 

xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx 
  
  
Family: Emily


Outskirts of Washington, D.C. 

Emily sat close to the window with her legs curled up to her  
chest watching the young couple that stood outside near her  
view. 

Their backs to her and unaware of her stares, the young couple  
leaned against the rail of the second floor apartment building  
with their arms wrapped around one another. 

Emily bit lightly on her bottom lip studying the couple that  
was separated from her by the glass window in her apartment.  
As pretty as the young woman was, it was the young man that  
had Emily's attention the most, especially with his chest bared  
that glistened in the sun.  

The summer heat was the reason for him to free his body of any  
clothing, except for the pair of jeans he was wearing that  
revealed the beauty of the young man's body.  

Slender, well-built and beautiful.  

Emily wondered what it would be like to touch him. To feel his  
living skin beneath her fingers as she would carefully glide  
to each avenue on his body. Feeling embarrassed from her thoughts 
did not stop her from imagining herself with such a splendid  
figure of a man  

Already she could feel her heart beating faster at the thought  
of being near him, wanting to know his name and wanting him to  
whisper her name back to her. 

Emily...  

Emily... 

" Hey, Emily!! " A rough voice broke her daydreaming.  

Eric walked into the small kitchen where Emily sat at the table  
near the window. Turning away so that Eric would not see what  
she was looking at, Emily was not quick enough to stop him from  
noticing the young couple.  

Letting out a snort of a laugh Eric placed his lit cigarette  
back into his mouth. 

" Spying on the humans..? Emily the Peeking Tom... " Eric reached  
over and tapped on the glass window. " Hey!! You guys into  
threesomes..? I got a hottie in here... She thinks you look good, 
man!! " 

" SHUT UP!! " Emily pushed Eric away from the window but the  
bullying hybrid stood exactly where he was and continued shouting  
out the window to the young couple that now turned toward them.  

"STOP IT!! STOP IT!! " Emily pounded harder against him. Finally  
she turned and ran out of the room, her face suddenly red from  
not only the embarrassment of what Eric was doing but also for  
the hate she was feeling toward him. 

There was no love loss between the two of them. Emily was sorry  
now that she did not go by her gut feelings when she first met  
the dark-haired fiend. 

Despite his skinny appearance, Eric was strong. Strong as any  
hybrid was, it was this false illusion that brought the humans  
they would encounter with to their deaths.  

It was a sad and horrible fact that Eric liked to kill humans.  

Certainly Emily never disbelieved that his hate, would one day  
turn on his own kind, especially against her.  

Running into the bathroom, Emily locked the door and leaned against  
it. Feeling the weight of life falling upon her, she did not like  
the idea of being such a weak person, but she could not deny the  
fact that she was. 

Weak and lonely.  

Emily found the emotions in her foreign and frightening. So much  
wanting to be comfort from them, she was afraid to reach out.  
Instead, Emily searched for the memories when she felt loved 
by her family.  

She thought of her dead sister Annie and wished that she were with  
her now. They had shared so much together when they were prisoners 
to the men of the Project. Annie's arms were the first Emily knew  
and would later feel the same warmth from her brother Jeffrey who  
was now dead too.  

They were dead. 

The siblings she knew, from the homes Jeffrey had given them.  

Dead. 

Except for Thomas.  

The only sibling she had left and now feared she was losing  
him with each passing day. 

Though she was naive to many things in the world, Emily was not  
blind either. She saw what was developing between Thomas and  
Eric. It was a bond that was not only a part of their friendship  
but a love that every living being desired.  

A bond, that was between two lovers.  

The affair made Emily feel like a third wheel. Unbalance by the  
turn of events, Emily no longer felt special to her brother. It  
seemed to her that the affection Thomas had toward her was now 
given to Eric. 

Eric did not deserve such attention.  

Certainly not from a wonderful person as Thomas was.  

For Emily, losing her shining knight in armor was worse than  
losing the siblings who were now dead.  

The dead you could grieve and move on. 

With the living, it took more to move on from.  

Emily did not believe she had the strength to leave her brother.  
Without him, she was what she truly believed herself to be. A  
weak person who was no better than a rabbit caught in a trap  
that no one would even care for after it had been dead for  
sometime.  

Wiping the tears with the palm of her hand, Emily sniffed as  
she moved toward the sink to wash her face.  

The running water cleansed the salt of her tears from her hands  
as she cupped the water in her palms splashing the freshness to  
her face. With the coolness easing the heat that burned from her 
pores, Emily continued to splash more water on her face to where  
she could have drowned in it. 

When she finished and the remaining water dripped from her face,  
Emily studied herself in the mirror.  

She almost had her mother's face.  

Tracing from the bridge of her nose to pulling her bottom lip  
out, Emily didn't think she was beautiful like her mother or  
like those women she would see in the media were. Though her 
height was above average and the slender built of her body  
would turn heads. Emily's plain look made her feel too ordinary  
to attract any man's attention. She dreamed of using make-up,  
but Thomas would not let her. Not because he believed it to be  
too trashy, only because it would be a waste of what little  
money they had.  

Still he promised her that one day she could have all the make-up  
she wanted in the world. 

One day... 

One day was too far away and Emily let out a huff as her  
strawberry blonde hair fell over her eyes.  

They were her mother's eyes.  

Big, blue and almost taking over her face, Thomas had said that  
her eyes were her best features. 

" With eyes like yours, Emily... You are more beautiful than any  
other woman in the world is... "  

Emily smiled at the memory of his words, but still not willing  
to accept what he had said. After all, Thomas was just her brother  
and was expected to say things like that.  

Eric told more of the truth that she was a bug-eyed freak. 

At the thought of his cruel words, Emily slammed with the palm  
of her hand at her reflection in the mirror causing it to crack.  

The mirror shattered all over the sink and onto to the floor.  
Parts of the mirror showered onto Emily without cutting her but  
her hand did not fair well.  

Seeing the pawn area sliced, the oozing of green blood slowly  
poured out and the familiar smell filled the air.  

This was not life threatening. Already the cut on her hand began  
to heal, sealing itself shut to stop the bleeding. Being immune  
to her own body's poison that would kill any other living thing, 
Emily merely ignored it and waited for the knock on the door,  
that she hoped would be Thomas. 

" Emily?! " She let out a sigh and whispered a thank-you that it  
was Thomas that called to her. " Emily!! Emily, open the door!! "  
Thomas banged his fist hard on the other side. 

Doing as he asked, Emily opened the door to find her brother  
standing only in his jeans and the look of worry that made her  
feel guilty for causing Thomas such grief.  

" Emily..? " Thomas looked past her and scanned the room. Seeing  
the broken pieces of mirror on and around the sink, Thomas turned  
back to his sister. " Emily... are you all right? Come here... "  
He pulled her toward him to check for any injuries. Seeing the  
wound on the pawn of her hand healing, Thomas looked into her  
eyes. " Why did you do this, Emily? What's wrong? " 

Emily shook her head 'no' and would not look at him. Trying  
desperately to hold back her tears, it took no more than a  
slight movement from Thomas' hand to bring her to his eyes.  
It was then that Emily lost it.  

" Oh, Thomas... Why does he hate me?! I don't understand why  
Eric hates me... I haven't done anything to him... I have been  
good... I swear it! " Emily barreled into his chest. " I just  
don't understand... "  

" Emily... " Thomas stroked her hair. " I'll talk with him...  
I'm sure he doesn't mean you any harm... He's just teasing... "  

" Teasing..? That's all you ever say!! " Emily pulled away.  
" He's just mean!! He hates me!! I don't see how you can love  
someone who hates your SISTER?!! " 

" You're just making it more than it really is, Emily... You're  
sensitive... I know that. I'll talk with him... I'll make sure  
he stops... " Thomas brought her close to him again. " I  
promise. "  

Closing her eyes, Emily wanted to believe her brother. Thomas  
never lied and always tried to keep his promises, but the  
situation with Eric hung like dark clouds over Emily, waiting  
for the storm to turn worse with each passing moment in time.  

It was unfair for all of this to be happening now.  

With the run-down apartment that was now their home, they  
shared it with the old black man named Bert.  

It had been Emily who befriended the blinded and near-deaf man  
in the park. Having been fascinated by his abilities to move  
in the city without his sight and only with a white cane to 
guide him, Emily followed him one day when her curiosity and  
concerns had the best of her.  

She didn't think it was possible for him to know that she was  
close. Moving ahead or keeping a few paces behind, Emily stayed  
by him until he had reached the three-story apartment building 
that was his home.  

It was home to many who were poor and government aided or those  
who could only afford such a place on their low income.  

It was a place that made Emily both sad and envious of the  
luxury of simply having a home. Having lived off the streets  
for the last few months, having shelter that was permanent  
seemed like a blessing to the young hybrid. 

As the old man carefully walked toward the stairs, he stopped.  
His voice, that sounded rough from the years of drinking, called  
out. " Are you planning on coming upstairs with me? You're more  
than welcome too, young lady... "  

The reaction of the old man knowing that she was there, Emily  
stepped back, and was ready to run.  

She had heard enough warning from Thomas about keeping herself  
away from males, whether they were human or hybrid. Yet she  
was drawn to the old man and Emily felt for certain that she 
would be safe with him. After all, he was human, and if things  
were to go wrong, it would not be difficult for Emily to kill  
him. Though Emily had never taken a life before, she hoped that  
it would not be the case as she followed the old man to his  
apartment.  

With the keen interest, Emily was amazed as the old man used  
his cane to find and judge each step of the stairs he climbed.  
Watching the cane moving side to side like a pendulum, the old 
man stopped at the third door to his left and found the doorknob  
with ease as he slipped the key into its hole. His face always  
remaining forward, Emily stood at the doorway looking into the 
semi-dark apartment.  

" There's a light switch on your left near the door... " The  
old man told her. " Or you can open some of the curtains, if  
you like... "  

Choosing the light switch, Emily now had a better view of what  
was before her. There was hardly anything in the apartment. A  
couch and a coffee table that were littered with books for the 
blind and dirty dishes piled to the side. A 13-inch television  
rested on another table not far from the couch. There were no  
other luxuries such as pictures on the wall or decor to liven  
up the room. Except for the radio with a tape cassette player  
resting on the counter that divided the living room from the  
kitchen, it had emptiness that Emily would never believe a home  
would have.  

Bringing his body to rest on the couch, the old man kept his  
head forward and patted the cushion on his side. " Come sit. "  
The old man offered to Emily. " Move things if you need too... "  

Hesitating for a moment, Emily sat on the far end of the couch.  
Enough to keep her out of the old man's reach, in case she needed  
to flee without causing any harm or death. 

" My dog died... about a month ago. " The old man touched his  
shirt pocket and located the pack of cigarettes he wanted.  
" Care for a smoke? "  

" No... " Emily said, that caused the old man to smile. 

" Sorry about that... thought you were a smoker... can smell  
it on you. "  

" My brother and his friend smoke... I don't... " 

" That's good for you... " The old man slipped a cigarette  
into his mouth. " Well... my dog... he wasn't a seeing-eye  
dog... just a mutt I found... Well, he really found me. " The  
old man lit the cigarette and took a puff. " Same place where  
you found me... in the park... A place for lost souls... those  
who come every day... not like those who picnic on the weekends  
where they take their kids for a few hours... Really lost  
ones... where nobodies can feel welcomed by nature that is  
hidden among civilization... I take it that's why you go there? " 

" It's beautiful... I like being in the park. "  

" Everything beautiful has its dark side... You are being  
careful, aren't you, darling? "  

" Always careful... " Emily smiled.  

The old man smiled as well and said. " Name's Roberto... but  
you can call me 'Bert'... like that much better... " Bert smiled  
again. " What's your name, darling? "  

" Emily... I was named after my sister... "  

" I take it she's dead... "  

" Yes... "  

" Well... I'm sorry to hear that, darling... " Bert let out  
a heavy sigh. " Emily's a beautiful name... "  

" Thank you... "  

" So tell me, Emily..? You have a home? Family? Why are you  
there at the park every day..? "  

" Well... I have my brother... Thomas... He's the only family  
I have left. "  

" What about your mother... or daddy? "  

" I don't know who my daddy is... and my mother... Thomas  
and I don't bother her. " Emily lowered her head as the sorrow  
once again overcame her. 

It had been a few days since Emily and Thomas had seen their  
mother in the park. The very mother that they loved from afar  
and only known her from what was told to them and even how 
she looked from the photographs that Jeffrey owned.  

It was the reason why they were in Georgetown.  

They wanted to see their mother.  

It was a quest that left their hearts empty from the promise  
made to them that were unfulfilled. With the death of the family  
went their dreams of being with their mother.  

It was a dream that did not need to end but simply revision to  
the new situation on hand. A proper introduction instead of  
kidnaping her as Jeffrey had done, could have left things less 
complicated and the family still alive. 

Eric had disagreed with the trip. He warned them that seeking  
her out would only lead to trouble and what had happened to  
their family, was enough for them to stay away.  

Still the decision to journey to find their mother was made  
and the two siblings prepared to leave without Eric. Fearing  
the idea of being alone, Eric decided to join them much to  
Emily's disappointment. Using the extra cash they had, three  
bus tickets were bought and the drive in the large transportation  
vehicle was exciting. Though they had used the metro system  
before, the road trip was new and with plenty of things to see.  

Once they were in Washington, D.C. and with help from some  
strangers, they arrived in Georgetown, unsure of how to go about  
looking for their mother.  

Knowing that their mother worked for the Federal Bureau of  
Investigation, they chose not to approach her there, fearing  
that they might expose themselves to the wrong people. 

Walking among the streets of Georgetown, Thomas and Emily  
searched each face in the crowd. Not bothering with the  
historical valve, the city had, only wanting to find their  
mother was important to them. They never forgot her image,  
and trying to find their mother was like looking for the  
needle in the haystack with an annoying friend, jabbering  
along. 

" I take it you guys didn't have a plan on how to find her..?  
Really smart! " Eric hounded them from behind. " I guess you  
figure you'll bump right into her... and say, 'Hey, Mom! It's  
US! You know... your test tube babies?' "  

" SHUT UP, ERIC!! " Thomas turned and rammed right up to  
him. " No one told you to come!!  Do you think any of this is  
easy?! I don't know if we will be able to find her or not?!! But  
at least Emily and I are trying... Now just because you don't  
fuckin' know who your mother is... you're not ruining this for  
us... I'll make sure you don't... "  

With a good hard shove, Eric nearly lost his footing when Thomas  
pushed him away.  

Continuing with their search, they walked until they came to  
the public park and decided to rest. All of them were tired and  
hungry with the summer heat tough on their bodies. Emily simply  
wanted to find a tree to sleep under and continue the search  
later for their mother when Thomas lightly elbowed her and pointed  
to a phone booth with a telephone book hanging from its chain  
inside of it.  

It was an idea worth trying.  

" This is crazy... You guys don't even know if she still lives  
in this stupid town. " Eric chastised them as Thomas flipped  
through the phone book.  

Ignoring him, Emily looked over Thomas' shoulder. " You need  
to look in the 'S' section, Thomas... "  

" No... she would be listed under her husband's name... Mulder...  
Fox Mulder. "  

" What a fucked-up name! " Eric snorted. 

" You're right, Thomas... I forgot. " Emily continued to ignored  
Eric and was glad to see Thomas was doing the same.  

When they had lived with their family, rules were set that helped  
guide order in the household and brought corporation among the  
siblings. Some of the rules were strange. Yet not knowing any  
better, the siblings followed them to please their brother  
Jeffrey who had rescued them from the horrors of the world. What  
he said went without question and those who did challenge any of 
his authority were never seen again.  

The name Mulder was not allowed to be spoken by anyone in the  
family. Having heard Thomas speak the forbidden name out loud,  
caused Emily to cringe. She then remembered that they no longer  
followed the rules that brother Jeffrey had set. Feeling the  
sudden freedom to mouth any word she wanted, Emily carefully  
said: " MMMMulder... "  

Emily liked the sound of that name and said it once more.  

" Mulder... "  

It was a nice name.  

But it was not as nice as her mother's name. 

Scully. 

It was a beautiful name.  

The name of her mother's family... the Scullys. 

Emily liked her mother's name much more than Mulder.  

Emily wasn't a Mulder. 

She was a Scully. 

And so was Thomas.  

They had a name and they knew who their mother was. It was  
something to be proud of and not be bitter as Eric was who had  
no history for him to hold to. Though he pretended not to care, 
Eric's own eyes gave him away to the jealousy he felt whenever  
Emily and Thomas talked about their mother.  

" It's not here... " Thomas slammed the phone book shut.  

" I told you! " Eric shouted.  

" Not even under 'Scully'? " Emily asked.  

" No... Maybe they don't want it listed... " Thomas placed his  
arm around Emily and gave her a hug. " It's not the end, Emily...  
We're find her... "  

Thomas turned and led them away to find a place in the park  
for them to rest.  

The park itself was filled with people. Enjoying the wonderful  
weather that was offered that day, it took them a while to locate  
a spot for themselves under a tree that gave relief from the heat.  

Lying upon the grass, Emily rested her head on Thomas' lap. His  
hand soon brushed gently through her hair that gave Emily some  
security that she needed.  

She was afraid to be alone.  

Every day she lived with the fear that one day she might lose  
her brother Thomas. The dreams she would have, were always  
horrible.  They would take her to a dark path that frightened  
the young hybrid and the dark figure of the Murderer who killed  
her family continued to haunt her.  

Tormenting her...  

Reminding her that she was not human...  

She was nothing but a product that was man-made and not fit to  
exist in the world that she was created in.  

Though the Murderer stood some distance from her and at times  
was not alone with two other figures standing by. It was a being  
that darkened her heart and echoed one word she could barely 
understand.  

Air... Air... Air...  

Emily covered her ears and tried to shut the voice out.  

She hated the Murderer. Not only because of the crimes that  
killer committed toward her family, but more from the fact the  
killer would not leave her alone.  

Still in all darkness there was a ray of hope that Emily held  
onto. Reaching over to take her backpack she carried with her  
throughout their trip, Emily dug through it until she found and 
pulled out the cherished bible she had.  

Pressing it against her chest, it was not the words or the belief  
that was important to her but the person who had given her the  
bible was.  

The woman, who Emily had met a few months ago, was kind to her. 

Though Emily still did not believe in God, the woman's caring  
act had helped both her and Thomas for a short while that even  
Eric benefitted from the generosity of the woman that Emily 
simply knew as Maggie.  

It was the only time Emily had opened the book to remove the  
money that Maggie gave to her. Since then, it had remained  
closed and held to her chest. If anything, it had a warmth  
of comfort for Emily, a reminder of the kindness that was  
shown to her by someone who was human.  

Letting her thumb brush against the closed pages, Emily brought  
the bible in front of her and carefully studied it. It was not  
the first time she had ever seen the book with the imprint of  
the word 'Bible' on the cover with its gold tint and leather  
cover.  

Giving a bit of a frown, Emily opened the book to see the pages  
inside. She planned not to read it, but merely to look as she  
went through each page quickly. Going backwards, Emily flipped  
to the first page last and came to the back of the front cover  
where she saw the name of Margaret Scully printed in small  
letters with black ink.  

Emily's mouth opened wide. The name Scully had her attention and  
the sudden realization that she held in her hands. 

Margaret was Maggie.  

And Maggie was a Scully.  

Scully..?  

A Scully just like her mother was. 

Was there a chance that Maggie might know her mother?  

Maybe they were related and what was it that Maggie had said  
to Emily? 

" I had a granddaughter named Emily... " 

Bringing her hand to her mouth, Emily could not get over the  
sudden revelation that was revealed to her. All the time, she  
had the answer to the questions that she and Thomas wanted to 
know. Maggie herself had told her that there were more things  
than the words of God in the book that would help her.  

Maggie.  

Maggie was her grandmother.  

Emily was certain of it. Never had anything felt more assured  
as she again saw Maggie's face before her with her hands reaching  
out and taking Emily in. There was the promise of love, warmth,  
caring and a family.  

A family, they would have once more, with cousins, uncles and  
aunts, all the relatives of different ages and sizes. No longer  
living in fear and darkness as they did with their other family. 
Yes, there was love but always the emptiness that came with it.  
They would no longer feel this way. Emily and Thomas would be  
home.  

Closing her eyes, Emily rejoiced in her visions and even thanked  
God whom she did not believe in for showing her what they needed.  

Seeing the address and phone number underneath Maggie's name,  
Emily's hand shook as she touched the print to believe that it  
was there.  

" Thomas.. ? " Emily sat up but was unable to get her brother's  
attention when she noticed what he was looking at.  

She was in a distance from where they sat under the tree and her  
eyes were covered by the dark shade of her glasses she wore, but  
none of that could hide her.  

Not from them. 

Time stood still as both Thomas and Emily watched her with the  
baby stroller that she pushed in front of her.  

A little baby that sat in the stroller was animated. The sounds  
it made traveled toward them and caused a shiver in Emily's body,  
not from any fear but the wave of reality that struck her as she 
continued to stare at the sight before.  

She sat on the bench not far from them. Her attention on the baby  
left her oblivious to what was around her. Lifting the baby from  
the stroller, she pulled her head away as the baby tried to reach 
for her glasses. She laughed at the baby's efforts and brought  
the infant onto her lap. 

Adjusting the baseball cap the baby wore, she talked to the baby  
but the words Emily could not hear but imagined them to be words  
of love and understanding that was given to the baby.  

She reached down to the bag that was attached to the stroller  
and produced a toy for the baby to hold. The baby seemed  
anxious to take it and immediately placed it in its mouth. The  
smile she gave to her baby as her red hair pulled back into a  
ponytail glisten in the sun. Though her skin showed a bit of a  
tan, it still possessed the porcelain coloring as Emily examined  
her own skin on her arms to see that they were much like hers. 

It seemed to be forever as Emily and Thomas watched her with  
the baby. The exchange between them was exclusive for both  
mother and child that it was wrong to disturb them.  

Even to watch them seemed criminal as Emily turned away and  
looked toward Thomas. His glance remained fixed on the woman  
and her baby but his face bared a stern looked to it.  

It was a frightening look that Emily had never seen before. Not  
from a gentle soul as Thomas was. 

His brow crossed together with his jaw pressed tight.  

His bottom lip produced a frown as his skin reddened around  
his face. 

He looked angry.  

It was an expression that was ready to explode. 

But what Emily saw next was one single tear that rolled down  
his cheek.  

Emily was uncertain of what to say and only turned away to  
give Thomas his private moment. Returning to the sight in  
front of her, Emily watched as a man dressed in a gray T-shirt  
and shorts with his baseball cap turned backward on his head  
carried two drinking cups that he offered one to the baby's  
mother as he kept the other for himself.  

Emily knew who he was.  

He was the one that Emily and the others were taught not to  
trust.  

For it was he who kept her away from them.  

He was the one that Emily and her siblings were taught to hate. 

Yet he seemed not at all dangerous as Emily was made to believe. 
Taking the baby into his arms, he seemed loving and caring as  
he not only gave his attention to the baby but to the baby's 
mother as well.  

Emily brought her eyes down.  

It didn't seem right to stare anymore. 

" Well... Is that her? " Eric's voice broke into their world.  
" Well, go on... go talk to her... What the hell are you two  
waiting for? "  

" Let's get out of here... " Thomas said and immediately stood  
up to walk away.  

" Hey?! " Eric jumped after him. " What's wrong? Isn't that  
her? Thomas? " 

" Shut up!! " Thomas snapped at him. " Just shut up... "  

Turning from the two male hybrids as they walked away, Emily  
looked once more at the couple with their baby smiling as  
bright as the sun. She got up and ran after her brother and  
Eric. 

Thomas sat alone once they arrived to another part of the park  
and would not talk to any one of them. Eric grew bored with the  
down manner that Thomas had and left to adventure the area they  
were in. Emily remained nearby, hoping to find some way to talk  
with Thomas and share her thoughts and feelings about seeing  
their mother. She also wanted to talk about Maggie and show him  
what she had found in the bible. Yet Thomas did not appear to  
even noticed whether Emily was there or not, he continued to  
stare away and be lost in himself. Time moved on, as the dark  
of night was not far from claiming the day. 

Still with the bible in her arms, Emily looked down at it and  
wondered why she was not happy to see her mother. It had not  
been the reaction she expected. Not with all the dreams and  
hopes she shared with Thomas and her sister Annie of how it  
would be like once their mother was with them.  

It wasn't that her mother was not as beautiful as her brother  
Jeffrey had described her to be. In fact she was more beautiful  
than Emily could have hoped for. She seemed to be a loving soul 
and cared for the baby in her arms. 

The baby had been another thing. Before the child was nothing  
more than a word or a subject discussed among her family. It  
wasn't real... yet. The baby at the time, was nothing more than  
a thought, a dream, an image of hope to all of them, a connection  
that would bring them closer to their mother and share in the  
experience of being born from her. 

It was nothing more than a false hope that hid from the truth  
of what they really were. 

They were freaks of nature, man-made products of science curiosity  
that they were.  

Not even human like the baby was and the reasons why the baby  
was born were different from theirs.  

The baby was created out of love by its parents. 

Emily and the others were created to be lab rats for the  
scientists who wanted to perform experiments on them.  

They were not created by their mother's blessing and certainly 
not by their mother's choice.  

Save for the fact that she was her daughter, Emily was really  
nothing to her mother. Not like the baby was.  

Emily did not hate the baby.  

She hated the fact that she was not like the baby.  

Being able to be born to her mother and with a father who cared  
for her as well. All this was denied by some random choice that  
had nothing to do with her or her mother.  

It was a cruel act that was done by the men of the Project, who  
created them.  

They were the ones that Emily hated and took so much from her.  

" Jeffrey was wrong... " Thomas suddenly spoke that caused Emily  
to jump and turn toward him. " ...We're wrong. " 

" What do you mean, Thomas..? " Emily moved next to him.  

" We have no business being in her life... She doesn't need  
us... We shouldn't need her. It's wrong... It's wrong for us  
wanting any part of her. " Thomas would still not look at  
Emily. His face remained as still as before.  

" But Thomas... maybe... just maybe we might... " Emily suddenly  
had doubts about her own thoughts. She wasn't ready to throw the  
dream away. 

" No... I will never bother our mother... I have no right to  
bring any pain to her... That's what will happen... Remind her  
of everything that was done to her... What was taken from  
her.... Giving ourselves back to her, is not the answer...  
Jeffrey was wrong... and everyone paid for that mistake. "  
Thomas turned to Emily with tears streaking down his face.  
" I love her, Emily... I love her so much... I love her enough  
to let her go... You need to do that too, Emily... "  

" I don't know if I can... " Emily started to cry. What Thomas  
had asked of her was more than she could bear. " I want to be  
with her, Thomas... I need her. "  

" You talk Jeffrey's words... You need to see for yourself,  
Emily... Don't be afraid to face the truth... We don't need  
her... only the baby does...  "  

" NOOO!! "  Emily crumbled beside him. The idea of giving up  
the dream was too much for her. It was a dream that had kept  
her complete and given her a reason to live. To fulfill what  
the family could not do, and be with the woman who was their  
mother.  

What was there to do without her?  

What was the reason to keep on living?  

She had been their focus, the center of Emily's universe since  
Jeffrey had brought her and Annie home. It was all they ever  
talked about, being with their mother and the baby she was pregnant 
with. Annie had died trying to be with their mother. The family  
had died for the same reason.  

Her and Thomas lived and kept the dream alive for the family.  
Always thinking about their mother and the life they wanted to  
have with her.  

Without her mother, what was to become of Emily now?  

" NOOOO!! " Emily rose to her feet and rushed away from her  
brother's side.  

" EMILY!! " Thomas called out to her, but Emily did not stop  
as she ran further into the park.  

Still with the bible in her hand, Emily moved further away  
from her brother but not from what he had told her. It was  
too much for her and no matter how far she ran his voice still  
reached out to her, telling her to face the truth and let go.  
Becoming blinded by her tears, Emily fell to the ground when  
she lost her footing and the bible flew into the air, landing  
a few feet away into the dark.  

" Mother... " Emily sobbed out loud. She no longer had any  
energy to run or even to stand. Letting her grief consume her  
as the world slipped away. " Mother... "  

It was a loud thump that caused Emily to stop and see that  
her bible was now in front her as well the Murderer standing  
above her.  

The Murderer had brought her bible back to her. Its face still  
darkened by the battle helmet it worn and the battle gear that  
clothed it prevented Emily to know whether if it was a man or  
a woman that stood before her.  

It did not matter now. Emily saw the truth before her. It was  
this Murderer... this monster that was responsible for her world  
crumbling and taking away everything that meant so much to her.  

" MURDERER!! HOW DARE YOU?!! HOW DARE YOU  
COME TO ME?!! IT'S YOUR FAULT!! IT'S YOUR FAULT!!  
YOU MURDERED MY FAMILY!! YOU TOOK AWAY  
MY MOTHER!! IT'S YOUR FAULT!! IT'S YOUR FAULT!! "  
Emily screamed. " None of this would have happened... it's your  
fault... it's all your fault... I hate you... I'LL KILL YOU!! You  
took my mother away... "  

The Murderer remained silent. It had made no move on her and  
when it turned away, Emily covered her ears blocking the sound  
that spin around her.  

Air... Air... Air... 

" I'M NOT LISTENING!! I'M NOT LISTENING!! " Emily shouted.  
" I'm not listening to you!! "  

Then she was alone. 

Crying still, Emily ignored everything around her. The world did  
not exist, only her grief was alive and chipping away at her soul. 

When she could cry no more, Emily brushed what few tears that were  
left and looked again at her bible that was on the ground.  

Seeing that the bible was opened to the first page, the small print  
that bared the name of Margaret Scully once more had Emily's attention.  
It was as of it had become a beacon to her and the promise that was  
made belonged to Emily.  

Closing the bible, Emily did not want to share this with Thomas  
anymore. He no longer believed in dreams and might take the  
bible away from her if he knew what Maggie Scully had written  
in it.  

It was her secret now and the only dream Emily had left.  

For the next few days, they wandered around or near Georgetown.  
Their stay was only to be temporary until enough money was raised  
for the three hybrids to move on to either California or Florida  
to avoid the harsh winter that was only a few months away.  

It had only been a part of the reason. Their spirits were down  
and their bodies exhausted from both disappointment and simply  
existing was enough not to move once again. 

Emily spent her time in the park. Having no desire to be involved  
with Thomas and Eric as they collected the money they needed.  
Emily was not a killer and did not wish to be one. If she were 
to be anything in her life, she would not be someone who would  
take a life from another.  

It was in that time she discovered Bert. The man, she now sat  
with on the same couch in his small apartment.  

His movements and behavior were different from the other  
humans in the park. Using the white stick in front of him seemed  
like a strange act for any human if they wished to cause harm to 
another by swinging it side to side. Yet he struck no one with  
it and the other humans were able to avoid any contact with  
the white stick. Some humans seemed to actually pay respect  
toward him by moving out of the way or offering to help him  
that seemed bizarre to Emily. 

Except for the white stick there didn't seem to be much difference  
he had from the other humans. Even his clothing was much like  
those around him including the sunglasses he wore to protect 
against the sun's rays.  

It wasn't until he removed his glasses one day that Emily finally  
saw that he was blind.  

She had never seen a blind human before, but the hybrids that  
she lived with during her prison time with the men of the Project, 
Emily had seen some of them go blind due to the test performed  
on them. Remembering the hybrids' eyes were much like the blind  
man, Emily could understand why some of the humans were  
respectful to him.  

Emily herself felt that way to the hybrids that lost their  
sights, but some hybrids mistreated those who were injured that  
Emily imagined the blind man was not free of such cruelty as  
well.  

She decided to stay nearby him, in case anyone tried to hurt  
him. And on that day she decided to follow him to his home  
brought yet another change in Emily's life.  

Bert made the offer to not only allow her to stay in his home,  
but Thomas and Eric were welcomed as well.  

When Emily brought the news to them, Eric's predictable behavior  
criticized Emily for trusting a human but Thomas agreed with his  
sister. Having faith in her as he always did because the choices  
she made were the right ones to make.  

" It will only be for a while, Eric... " Thomas turned toward  
him. " If not, live in the park if you want... "  

Eric did not argue and followed them to the place that would be  
their home for now.  

Wiping again the tears from her face, Emily pulled away from  
Thomas as they stood in the bathroom together. She didn't feel  
any better from the teasing that Eric did to her and wouldn't 
even think again to look out the window to avoid his cruel act.  
Seeing the broken glass from the mirror she shattered, Emily  
knew she had to clean it up. She would do it not only because  
she caused it but also for Bert who always pretended to see  
himself in the mirror and talk about how handsome he was for  
that day.  

Emily went to the kitchen and removed the broom that rested  
between the stove and refrigerator...  

xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx 

A Few Days Later: The Laundry Room... 

Emily hated to come to the laundry room in the apartment building. 

Especially when it was crowded with other tenants, who would  
fight over the washers and dryers that were available. Much to  
her relief, Emily found it the place emptied with none of the  
machines being used by anyone. She quickly loaded the one of  
the machines with all their clothing.  

Despite her dislike of the place, Emily did not mind doing such  
chores. She liked it when the clothes came out of the dryer and  
the warmth of the freshly dried clothes felt good against her 
skin. 

Hearing the machine humming to life, Emily sat on the only chair  
in the room and decided to enjoy the quiet time she had for  
herself. She didn't think she would ever like being alone, but 
these past few days had brought such craving to her that any  
excuse to be by herself she would make.  

Yet Emily still desired the company of others. Wanting to know 
other people such as she had done with Bert, Emily found staying  
with her own kind was boring and depressing. The hybrids that  
they would meet by chance were, as themselves, concerned about  
surviving. Always with the fear of being discovered kept them  
from savoring what life had to offer. Emily wanted to know that  
part of life but the close grip Thomas kept on her was suffocating. 

He worried a lot about her. Fearing that the world would crush  
her innocent soul, Thomas did what he could to keep Emily away  
from the truth horrors of the world, but he could not keep her 
blind forever and it was this act that Emily resented the most  
from her brother.  

What protection she really needed was from that idiot Eric. He  
was, as far as Emily was concerned, more vile than the humans  
they would encounter. Thomas would never see that in Eric.  
Leaving Emily to stay only because it was all she ever knew and  
did not trust her own ability to survive.  

Still she was thankful that Thomas trusted her with the decision  
concerning Bert. Having believed her when she came to them with  
his offering of shelter that he did not question her even after  
he had warned her that humans were dangerous.  

Hearing the door to the laundry room open, Emily snapped out of  
her daydreaming to see the young man she admired from the kitchen  
window come walking through the door with a plastic bag over his  
shoulder.  

" Hi... " The young man smiled at Emily as he made his way in.  

Emily at first hesitated but answered with her own, " Hi... "  

" Any of these machines free? " He asked.  

" Yeah... Uh... I'm only using one... the dryers are free, too...  
I haven't used them yet. "  

" I don't need those yet. " The young man smiled again.  

" Oh... yeah... you got to wash first... " Emily blushed.  

Bringing her head down, Emily slowly allowed herself to look  
up at the young man again. This time he had on a white T-shirt  
with his jeans that clung to him showing the fine built of his  
body. It was slimmer, well sculptured that any statue could  
have been model from his physique. His long brunette hair went  
no further than his shoulder but the cut his hair had gave him  
the freedom to style it to his liking. This time his bangs fell  
loose over his forehead, and nearly covered his brown eyes.  

He was beautiful. His face was shaven but already the growth  
was returning giving the stubbed look that added to his charm.  
Standing quite tall, Emily loved the fact that he towered over  
her. His hands were larger and possess the sense of strength  
that pulsed through them.  

Emily imagined those hands touching her...  

Feeling them combing through her hair... 

And feeling the power of his body but knowing he would be gentle  
with her. 

" Name's Steve... " The young man said that caused Emily to  
snap back to reality.  

" Emily... my name is Emily. " Emily felt her face getting hot  
from embarrassment. 

" Nice to meet you, Emily... " Steve smiled as he placed the  
last of his clothes into the washer. " I've seen you around...  
You and your friends are living with that blind dude. "  

" You mean Bert? Yeah... we're staying with him. My brother  
and I... and Eric... " 

" Eric's your boyfriend? "  

" NO!! " Emily's eyes widened causing Steve to laugh.  

" No... Eric is... just a friend. " Emily blushed again. She  
couldn't imagine just how red her face looked but it didn't  
seem to bother Steve.  

" Yeah... been living here for quite a while... with a few of  
my friends. " Steve rested against the wall once he started  
the machine running and pulled out a package of cigarettes.  
" Do you mind? "  

" No... go ahead. I'm use to it. " Emily shook her head. 

Emily watched carefully as each move Steve made. From taking  
a cigarette out of the package to placing it into his mouth,  
Emily recorded everything to memory even as the match was  
stuck and the cigarette burnt brightly by the breath he took  
in.  

Watching each muscle on his face, Steve's mouth curved around  
the butt of the cigarette give into the delight of what Emily  
imagined would be like to see him kiss.  

" So tell me, Emily... What do you do for fun? "  

" Oh... I like going to the park... see the people walk  
around. "  

" Kind of boring... " Steve smiled.  

" Well... Not for me... " Emily defended. " I like going  
there... It's pretty. "  

" Yeah... for little kids... You don't seem like a little kid  
to me, Emily..? Do you party? "  

" When I get the chance... " Emily fibbed. 

" Friends of mine are having a party tonight... Gonna to be a  
blast... " 

" Why would it explode? " Emily asked.  

Steve looked at her as he removed his cigarette from his mouth.  
His horsed laugh made Emily feel stupid. She couldn't believe  
she was making a fool of herself in front of such a gorgeous 
man.  

" You're funny... " Steve took another puff from his cigarette.  
" I like funny girls... especially ones that are pretty like  
you. "  

Again Emily felt the burning sensation glowing on her cheeks.  
No one except her brothers Thomas and Jeffrey had told her that  
she was pretty. It didn't have the same feelings as it came 
out of Steve's mouth.  

" Hey... " Steve reached out and touched Emily's cheeks.  
" Pretty shade... So tell me, Emily... you're interested in  
going for a walk in the park? "  

From the moment Steve had asked to the hours that past, Emily  
lost track of time and even her responsibilities were forgotten  
as she walked with Steve in the park.  

Everything was so strange but wonderful at the same time.  
Being with the man she admired from afar, he seemed to be as  
Emily imagined. Not rough or mean like Eric was or treated her  
as if she was a baby like Thomas did. For once she felt like  
the woman she was created to be. It was what she felt with Steve  
that Emily did not want to lose. 

They talked the whole time they were together. Emily asked of  
the girl that she had seen with Steve a few days ago, but he  
had answered that she was no more than a friend of his leaving 
Emily to believe that he was available.  

It had to be the reason why he was with her.  

He liked her and he did say that she was pretty.  

Emily forced herself not to say too much to Steve about her  
past and held back the feelings that were growing toward him.  

Yet she was drunk in his presence  

Twirling in the excitement she had never known before and only  
seen in others or in the movies she would watch. 

Her body burned each time he touched her and found it almost  
impossible not to want to kiss him.  

There were no explanations Emily could find in herself on why  
she felt this way with Steve. He was not the first man she ever  
met but never had the scientists, men dressed in black, or the  
men that passed her every day could trigger the passion Emily  
felt with Steve. 

He was a complete stranger that Emily felt she had known forever. 

The early evening moved forward with Emily and Steve resting  
together on the grassy lawn of the park. A few visitors still  
move about took no notice to the young couple that was absorbed  
in the conversation they were exchanging.  

Laughing at the joke Steve told her, Emily had never felt so  
alive. The emotions never seemed to want to die in her. Growing  
strong with the each passing moment, she shared with Steve whose 
charm engulfed the young hybrid who did not want to escape from  
him.  

" Gosh... Steve, that's funny. I can't believe you did such  
things... " Emily smiled.  

" It happens when you're young... You can't tell me you've  
never done any like that, Emily? Come on, you can tell me... "  
Steve brushed his hand against Emily's cheek causing a surge 
of energy to course throughout her body. Emily shyly put her  
head down, everything that Steve did to her was so alien but  
inviting that she wanted to impress him but her honesty got  
in the way.  

" I don't have any stories like that... " Emily confessed.  
" I didn't have the chance... "  

" Really? Aw... you're holding out... "  

" No... I'm not... "  

" Yes, you are... " Steve breezed his lips past her left ear.  
" We have ways of making you talk... "  

" What? " Emily pulled back.  

" Relax... I'm just playing... " Steve placed his arm around  
her. " You know how to play don't you? "  

" Of course, I do... Everyone does... " Emily tensed in Steve's  
arm but did not pull away.  

" What is your favorite game..? " Steve gently rubbed his nose  
against the side of Emily's face. 

" Uh... checkers? " Emily shivered from Steve's movement.  

" Checkers? I like that game too... " Steve's breath blew into  
her ear. " I like Dreamcast... "  

" I never played it... " Emily closed her eyes not wanting Steve  
to stop. 

" You're not missing anything... " Steve carefully turned Emily's  
face toward him. " It's overrated... "  

Then how can you like it? " Emily whispered as her heart beat  
faster than she had ever felt it before.  

" Because... " Steve moved closer to her. 

" That's not an answer! " Emily laughed.  

" The best one that I can come up with... " Steve laughed as well.  

Still expressing in glee, Emily froze the moment Steve placed  
his lips upon hers. At first she did not react, shock at his  
bold move. The voice of her brother warning her against men  
faded away when Emily found what Steve was doing was pleasing.  
Yet never having kissed a man like this before, her clumsiness  
showed as she bumped her face into his.  

" Sorry... " Emily whispered.  

" It's OK... " Steve kissed her again.  

Her body still tensed, Emily allowed Steve to make the first  
move. Following in his path, she quickly began to understand  
what he was trying to do and allowed his tongue to enter her  
mouth. Even there she made clumsy moves, jerking back when  
Steve rubbed against the sensitive part of her mouth and nearly  
choking from the force of their tongues.  

As scared as she was, Emily did not want to stop. She wanted  
more of Steve that she freed her hands from her rigid sides as  
they trembled across his back. Each step they took, Emily would 
relax more, becoming high by her own body chemistry. Still her  
inexperience showed as Steve pulled away.  

" Haven't you ever kissed before, Emily? " He asked.  

" Yes... but not like this... " Emily felt embarrassed.  

" Just relax... " Steve embraced her again. Her innocence turned  
the fuel inside of him higher. This had turned out to be much  
easier than he had expected it to be. Steve wasn't about to  
lose the chance to score. Especially with something as sweet  
and tasty as Emily was to him. Her amateur behavior was a turn  
on.  

Continuing kissing, Emily concentrated on each move she did,  
trying again to follow Steve's lead. Yet she struggled not to  
lose her mind over what she was feeling, and growing wetness  
she had between her legs. It was all so strange, Emily never  
believed any of this was possible with her body. She no longer  
felt in control and her senses seemed to leave her that when  
she noticed where Steve's hand had traveled upward under her  
T-shirt, she didn't know whether to stop him or not.  

Her flesh tingled from his touch as he reached for one of her 
breasts with his hand cupping the braless chest. Steve was glad  
that Emily did not wear a bra. He hated those fuckin' things. 
Especially when he was anxious to touch his favorite part of a  
woman's body to feel and squeeze them tight.  

Emily gasped out in pain from the pinch that Steve inflicted  
around one of her nipples. The sensation shot through her and  
the reaction caused her to dig her nails into the back of Steve's 
shoulders. 

" OUCH!! " Steve shook her off of him roughly  

" I'm sorry... I'm sorry... " Emily suddenly turned scared. She  
didn't mean to hurt him.  

" It's OK... " Steve reached over and touched one of his shoulders.  
Seeing that the skin was not broken, he turned back to Emily.  
" You're not into pain? "  

" No... No, I don't mean that... I... I liked it but I... I didn't  
expect it... "  

" You don't mind me touching you..? " Steve didn't want to ruin  
his chances with her. 

" I... like it. " Emily brought her eyes down but could not  
stay away from the enchantment of his brown eyes sparkling.  

Reaching out and bringing her down to the ground, Steve caressed  
her cheeks causing more heat that already existed to vent. Emily  
purred from the attention and felt herself go high above any 
guilt that had once forced her down.  

She was free.  

Free by his touch, his kiss and the liberation of their bodies  
to one another...  

She again felt his hands exploring her. The fascination he had  
for her breasts caused Emily to watch, giggle and hum in delight.  
She could have never imagined her breasts ever feeling this 
way from Steve nibbling and sucking on the tender flesh. The  
pulling of her skin was exquisite and exotic.  

She wanted to kiss him again and pulled hard on his hair to  
get his attention. Yet when she felt his hand pushing hers away,  
Emily cringed at the scorning face he made at her. 

" Don't do that... " Steve scolded her.  

" Please kiss me... " Emily begged.  

Responding to her request, Steve rushed at her with his mouth  
caving around hers that was wide open for his. Emily was learning  
and wanted nothing more than to please him. He had done so 
much for her in the small amount of time knowing each other. 

The slight pressure of his weight shifting above her body,  
Emily suddenly felt Steve's hand on the waist of her pants  
trying to unbutton it. Panicking, Emily resisted and tried  
to shake loose from his grip. 

" What..? Aw... come on... " Steve panted.  

Breathing hard, Emily pressed her lips together. Having sex  
with Steve was not an idea she would reject. Yet knowing her  
own experience gave in to the doubts of her readiness.  

" Steve... I... I've never done it... "  Emily confessed.  

" What? You're a virgin? " Steve exclaimed.  

It would explain a lot. She was more innocent than Steve expected.  

" Emily... " Steve thought carefully his words. He hated that  
it required extra work to reach his goal. " You mean so much  
to me... I love you. "  

" I... I love you. " Emily meant it. " I... want to do it...  
but I'm scared. "  

" Don't be scared... " Steve caressed her face and placed a  
kiss on her cheek. " I'll be gentle... " 

Feeling the loveliness from his care, Emily shifted her body  
closer to him, and took his hand to place it back on her pants. 

" I want to do it... " She whispered. 

Unbuttoning the rest of her jeans, Steve slipped his hand in  
and beneath her underwear. Rubbing from the beginning of her  
bush, Steve caused a rhythm from both ends of Emily's body,  
kissing her more passionately than before. 

Emily was terrified.  

Mixed with the desire to be with Steve sexually and frightened  
of the pain, Emily forced herself into the unknown. Letting Steve  
guided her through the change of life where Emily knew that once  
the journey she took with him ended she would be a different  
person. 

Still, she worried. Wondering if her performance would jeopardize  
the love Steve had for her. If only she wasn't so nervous and  
unsure of herself, Emily wanted to be the best lover for him.  

Gradually she began to feel her pants and underwear being pulled  
off of her. She was embarrassed. Being unclothed in the public  
park even though it was now night and less of chance of them  
being seen, Emily hoped that no one would disturb them. Now that  
she was coming close to ending her virginity.  

As he promised, Steve was gentle to her. Once he removed her  
bottom clothing, he paid close attention to her most sensitive  
area. He was not so much into pleasuring a woman than he was  
to having himself serviced. Yet because of Emily's situation,  
the added attention was necessary and only made him regret not  
having brought any beers with them or even a joint to relax  
her.  

Emily dug her fingers into the ground the moment she felt Steve's  
presence between her legs. Reacting to each kiss, suck and nibble  
he would do, Emily could not believe the sensation that rushed  
throughout her body. She jerked and threw her hand over her mouth  
to keep her screams from not escaping into the night.  

Steve had enough. Whether Emily was ready or not, he could not  
hold back himself much longer. Pulling away from her, Steve reached  
for his wallet in his back pocket of his pants and removed the  
sealed packet he kept inside of it. At least he always remembered  
to keep one on hand.  

Feeling her emotional high, Emily looked up to see Steve pull  
away from her.  

" Where... where are you going? " Emily questioned him. 

" I got to put this on, baby... " Steve answered her.  

" What is it? " Emily noticed the item in his hand.  

" A condom... " Steve flashed it to her.  

" I won't have a baby..? " Emily sounded sad.  

" Not if I can help... " Steve unzipped his pants to slip the  
condom on.  

Though disappointed, Emily lay on her back again and waited  
for Steve to return. From the corner of her eye, she thought  
she had seen something move in the bushes that were near. Only 
the sounds of the birds chirping were the only things around  
them.  

Before she could take a better look, Steve rested upon her and  
it was first time Emily felt the extent of his manhood near her.  

" Emily... Don't be afraid... " Steve could feel her heart  
beating fast against him. 

" I'm not... I want to be with you... Please Steve... I want  
to be with you... " Emily searched for his lips that she  
embraced once more. She wanted to know the magic that came  
with the love between two people like those she would see in  
the movies or television shows. They made love so easy, so  
simple to be with the one that you care for. It was the dream  
of passion and romance that came to halt as the rare pain  
exploded throughout her body as Steve thrust into her.  

Steve pumped with all his strength. The tight and tenseness  
that Emily's body had made his work more a struggle than he  
liked. It was like trying to pop a cork that was too tight  
in the bottle. Still Steve continued despite Emily trying to  
push him away.  

She didn't expect it to hurt so much.  

No one told her it was going to hurt so much.  

She imagined there would be some pain, but not like this.  

With tears falling, Emily wanted Steve to stop. She begged him  
to stop but he did not listen. He would only tell her to relax  
but it was impossible to.  

It hurt so much.  

Emily kept on begging and begging until she heard Steve scream.  

The familiar smell of her body's poison rose above her as she  
watched Steve clawed at his eyes. His body lashing side to side  
as he violently pulled away with the sound of flesh ripping from  
his groin. Emily screamed as she felt what was left of Steve's  
penis inside of her dissolving by its contact with her blood. 

Steve continued to his assault on his face, his body twisting  
in the grass as he struggled to breathe. Just as the night  
filled with his agonizing cries it soon turned silent again  
the moment Steve was dead.  

Emily sat in shock. Her hands covering her mouth as she cried  
into them.  

She had killed Steve.  

She killed Steve.  

Dear God, she killed Steve! 

She never wanted to be a murderer.  

She never wanted to kill anyone.  

Certain not someone as beautiful as Steve was.  

Emily crawled toward his still body and saw the devastation  
on his face.  

Only a short while ago he kissed her, told her that he loved  
her and that she was pretty in his eyes.  

Now he was dead. Dead like the humans, Thomas and Eric would  
kill. Now she was like them, a murderer. 

She cried and cried to Steve to forgive her. Emily wished that  
it was nothing more then a nightmare like the ones she would  
have. It had to be one when she heard the distance sound of 
the Murderer of her family whistle around her. 

Air... Air... Air... 

Emily turned to see the Murderer nearby, its towering figure  
hid in the shadow of the night. Yet its eyes burned at her  
and made Emily felt what she was now, a murderer like itself.  

" Please... kill me... " Emily begged the Murderer. " I don't  
deserve to live... Kill me... Kill me like you killed my  
family... Please kill me... "  

Cowering toward it, Emily cried over and over again for the  
mercy of death. Yet the Murderer remained standing neither  
advancing toward her nor moving away. It only stood silent,  
listening to Emily's pleading.  

Now at its feet, Emily buried her face into the ground, begging  
once more to the Murderer.  

" Please... please kill me. " Emily cried.  

The Murderer's hand suddenly touched the back of Emily's head.  
Expecting it to kill her, instead, Emily felt the stroking of  
her hair that was not threatening but loving and forgiving. She 
trembled at its touch and for the first time Emily heard its  
voice speak clearer as it said one word. 

" ...Emily... " The Murderer called her name.  

Covering her ears, Emily did not want to hear the voice that  
echoed around her. Yet it was more than one voice, it was as  
if Heaven or even Hell had opened around her and taunted her  
with her name.  

... Emily... 

Emily screamed at the voices to stop. Only wanting the pain to  
end that would come with her death, but the Murderer would not  
grant it and continued in its chorus voice calling her. 

...Emily... 

Sinking deeper into the ground, Emily no longer had the strength  
to fight the voices and cried for the world to stop around her  
to let her die. 

... Emily... 

... Emily... 

" ...Emily?!! " A voice different from the one that came from  
Heaven or Hell called to her. She felt the hands that had touched  
her before, but never with such care as he was with her now. 
Emily looked up to see Eric staring back at her.  

" Emily...? " Eric looked frightened at her. " Jesus... what  
the hell happened? "  

" I... I didn't mean to kill Steve... I just wanted to love  
him... " Emily confessed. 

" Where are your clothes? What made you think you can have sex  
with a human?! "  

" I just wanted to love him... " Emily whispered.  

Eric turned away from her and surveyed the damage around them.  
Emily's clothes were near the human's body.  

He would have to get rid of the body.  

From what he could see in the dark there seemed to be blood  
near the body.  

Human blood. The ones he killed never bled.  

" Jesus... Emily, listen to me. I'll get rid of the body...  
clean this place up. You have to get dress and hide. Hide in  
the bushes until I come and get you! You understand?! " 

" I didn't mean to kill him, Eric... "  

" I know... but maybe now you'll understand... You stay with  
your own kind. "  

" Please... don't tell Thomas. " Emily cried as she slowly  
stood up with Eric's help.  

" I'll try not to... He's worried to death about you... " Eric  
led her back to where her clothes were.  

Handing her clothes back to her, Eric looked again at the human  
body. 

" Jesus... what a mess... " Eric shook his head.  

Once Emily was dressed, Eric hid her among the bushes that were  
several yards away from where the killing took place.  

" Please... don't tell Thomas... " Emily said once more as she  
curled into a ball listening to Eric walked back to where Steve's  
body lied... 
  
  
  

The End.
  

Feedback is welcome... agentsinlove@yahoo.com
 
  
  
  
  
Title: Family X: The Beginning of the End 
Author: Jo Ann Medrano 
Rating: PG-13 
Disclaimer: The characters of the X-Files do not belong to me.  
They are the property of Chris Carter, 1013 Productions and Fox  
Broadcasting. No copyright infringement is intended.  

Archive: Please don't archive on any site without permission from 
the author. 

xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

Family: The Beginning of the End


Somewhere in the United States? 

Alex Krycek dodged the individual he nearly collided with as  
he walked down the crowded hallway.  

The presence of so many people bothered him. It was not  
that he wasn't use to crowds surrounding him. Being a man  
that remained in the darkness left a mythic or menacing image 
to those he would encounter with, it was more from the place 
he walked in where each face could represent an enemy in  
the mist.  

A new opponent that they could endanger the work he had  
done for the past few years, under the new division that rose  
from the ashes that had once been the original Project. Men 
now dead and with only one remaining alive was not enough 
to prevent any threats from trying to overthrow what had  
ruled in secret for over a half of century.  

Krycek feared the new enemy.  

Unlike the rebel aliens that still to day derail many of the  
ongoing projects, the threat once again came from the sky  
and from the very aliens that continued their conquest of  
world domination.  

What they had set loose on the earth had gone beyond  
anyone's imagination.  

Humans who had been victims of abductions over the years  
were again experimented and reshaped into unstoppable killing  
machines. The very structure of the anatomy dwarfed the  
creations of the hybrids borne under the Project that made  
them look more like tinker toys than the modern versions  
that the aliens themselves created.  

So powerful these new hybrids were that even the alien hunters  
who had remained allies to the Project feared for their own lives.  
For what these new beings were sent to do was what the Hunters  
had failed to accomplish. To keep control and prevent any  
treachery from the humans they dealt with.  

It did not surprise Krycek on how many of the Hunters disappeared 
into human society, despite their loyalty to their race. Still some  
hunters remained but were fearful of the new beings that seemed 
invincible compare to them.  

Already the new hybrids stationed themselves in higher levels in  
both the Government and military positions. Their purpose was to  
either crush what was left of the old Project or to absorb them into 
their own circle that meant the end of any humanity that was still  
in them.  

Krycek was not ready to give up being human. He had too much  
at stake to take such a risk. Perhaps fleeing would be the next step,  
a move that Krycek was known for. Still there was much to do 
and too soon to leave the game to any amateur that was beneath 
him.  

Especially with new players that needed to be moved took into  
action when Krycek entered the last office down the hallway.  

The stench from cigarettes no longer bothered Krycek but the man  
before him was a forever soreness and resentment that Krycek  
dealt with each time he approached the Cigarette Smoking Man. 

" Alex? " The Smoking Man greeted him from behind his desk.  

Observing the room, Krycek took note of Diana Fowley sitting  
across from the Smoking Man. The matter of which she was  
dressed and the noticeable weight gain confirmed the rumors that  
Krycek had heard from others in the group. The devilish smile he 
gave to her caused a sudden flush to Fowley's face that Krycek  
found amusing.  

Turning his attention back to the old man, the same wrinkled  
monstrous face grinned at him but the lack of the ever-presented  
cigarette in hand was missing but its absence could be explained  
due to Fowley's condition.  

" Your son is dying? " Krycek stated the point. " The growing  
matter in his brain as well as his inability to control his telepath  
skill is killing him. He's on life-support but the chance of his  
survival has severely dropped. " 

" I see? " The Cigarette Smoking Man answered. " What of  
the new vaccine? Has it been tried? "  

" It has failed?  He has gone beyond the stages that we can help  
him... " Krycek moved closer to the desk and placed his report  
near the older man. " Still there are changes taking place in his  
body? similar to those we have seen in the past few months?  
If he survives? he will come out a whole new life form? "  

" There must be some way to prevent this? He doesn't deserve  
this fate. " The Cigarette Smoking Man reviewed the file.  

" You should have thought of that before you made him into your  
guinea pig? " Krycek sneered.  

" I don't need your comment, Alex? I need answers? "  

" The answer is there? " Diana Fowley jumped in. " Allow the  
course of action to take place? Let Jeffrey continued his stage  
of evolution? "  

" Allow yet another one of these life forms to roam the Earth..?  
We are nearly overrun by these new beings? I can barely fart  
without one of them smelling it. " The old man slammed the file  
shut.  

" The only other option is to terminate the body? Kill it before 
any more advancement can be made? " Krycek said.  

" I can't kill my son? "  

" You tried once before? What makes this any more different?  
He certainly isn't the only one of your flesh and blood that you  
held their lives in your hands? " 

" I don't need a review of my life, Alex! " The Smoking Man  
growled. " I? I just don't want my son to die? "  

" He won't? " Diana placed her hand on his. " If Jeffrey's body  
moves into the next stage of development and equal to those who  
threaten the very structure of our work? to have him would help  
us to better understand what we are going up against. " 

" He could also be a risk? " Krycek eyed her. " The chances of 
him falling under their control? could endanger my work. " 

" Your work? " The Cigarette Smoking Man turned to Krycek.  
" Taking credit where credit is not due. As far as we know? our  
little secret may already be known to them. "  

" I spent a lot of time hiding it, old man? I don't risk my neck  
to see it get cut off? If you keep Jeffrey alive? humanity has  
no hope. "  

" Since when are you the judge and jury? If my son is meant to  
die? then he will. But he doesn't? He might serve humanity in  
more ways than one? " 

" It's your call, old man? You're still the boss? " Krycek told  
him. 

" Best you don't forget that? " The Smoking Man stood up to 
face him better. " ? Alex. "  

For a moment both men kept each other in eye contact, neither 
one trusting the other. The stalemate ended when Krycek turned  
to leave the room.  

" Oh, by the way? Congratulations? " Krycek smiled at Diana 
Fowley before he closed the door to reenter the hallway.  

Again walking through the traffic of people, Krycek pulled  
himself closer together. He hated the feeling of knowing he  
was being watched, not so much by the old man but by the  
new enemy that stood too close to the goal that Krycek had  
set for himself and the protection of the future that had become  
so dear to him. 

Especially with the mess that was caused by Billy Miles, an  
abductee that was returned to Earth as a new life form to  
serve the alien race. The mass destruction caused by him did 
not interfere with the true work but the side projects that  
continued more out of curiosity than the production needed  
to protect the world.  

The old man had worried that Billy Miles might try to kill  
his newborn grandson. Yet the infant's life was never threatened  
and the new danger was on those connected to the work of  
Doctor Parenti and Doctor Lev, both men killed by Miles.  

Still all of this did not keep Fox Mulder and his new partner,  
Agent John Doggett from learning about the deaths and the  
reforming of Billy Miles into a hybrid that was more dangerous 
than any Mulder had ever encounter with.  

Krycek had been forced to deal with the new abominations and  
meeting them in the FBI Headquarters with the now desecrated  
Deputy Director Kersh was a dangerous risk. Still the need to 
lead the new enemy away from the true mission, Krycek prepared  
to leave the FBI parking structure when he suddenly encountered  
Walter Skinner aiming his weapon at him. The Assisted Director  
was gunning him down for revenge and the mistake of Krycek  
for not bringing his control panel to use against Skinner almost  
cost him a bullet in his head had it not been for Mulder and  
Doggett distracting Skinner long enough for Krycek to make  
his escape.  

Feeling a debt to Mulder for inadvertently saving his life, Krycek  
was thankful that he did not encounter Mulder first. The inhuman 
life force still considered Mulder an ever-presented threat, and  
Krycek would have been forced to kill Mulder to prove any  
loyalties he pretended to have.  

When the killing spree had ended, Billy Miles disappeared along  
with several other key players among the new breed, but Krycek  
wagered that their leave would only be temporary. Given only  
a short amount of time to plot the next move before everything  
would be lost.  

Stepping out of the building, Krycek shaded his eyes from the  
brightness of the September's sun. The sweat he brushed away  
from his brow was not caused from the heat wave that consumed  
the city for days but the nervousness he felt from being so close 
to the danger he and the others were now in.  

Carefully checking his surroundings before moving into the crowd  
of pedestrians, Krycek slipped in when he felt certain that he was  
not being followed. Still with ever careful eye, Krycek disappeared 
among the citizens who were unaware of the danger their society  
was in and only the man that many did not notice, knew of what  
may come in the future that could end the world.  

Now it was the present that Krycek let himself worry about and  
his desire to go home to be with his daughter? 

xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx 

Washington, D.C.: A Morgue? 

Dana Scully entered the examining room prepared to face death  
once more.  

The lifeless form resting on the cold steel table with the sheet  
shielding its remains from those who might accidentally view it  
and the horrors that were done to the body that left it almost  
unrecognizably human. 

It was Special Agent Dana Scully's task to perform the necessary  
examination to determine the cause of death. 

Lifting the sheet up, Scully retch back from the smell that rushed  
at her that the surgical mask could not prevent her from breathing  
in. Taking in the full sight of the body not only brought out her  
disgust but the curiosity to what led this person to such an end. 

Dana Scully herself felt as if she had reached an end in her life.  
Her return to the X-Files after a few months away from the job,  
made her feel like the odd person out to a caseload that seemed 
to run well without her.  

So it felt that way to her.  

Having Special Agent John Doggett now on the team left less  
work for her to do and excuses from her husband slash FBI  
partner Fox Mulder to give that made her feel more useless. 

Except of course, when it came to slicing and dicing, Scully was 
the only one that Mulder trusted to do the examination. Even  
when she was home during her maternity leave and caring for  
their son, Mulder still asked for her opinion on reports done by  
other pathologists who conducted autopsies during the investigations 
done by Mulder and Agent Doggett. 

Agent Doggett. 

Scully still felt a twine of dislike toward the man. The chauvinism  
attitude Doggett had toward her at their first meeting was inexcusable.  
The impression of the man remained due to her lack of encounters 
with him over the months he had taken his place in the X-Files.  

It certainly did not help to hear her husband compare the man to 
her own self-doubt about the cases investigated in the X-Files.  
Both she and Doggett seemed to have a common goal in their  
realization to what the world was about and not so much in the  
fantasy that stroke the fire in Mulder's curiosity and beliefs.  

It nearly cost Fox a night on the couch when he referred that  
Doggett was much like her only with a dick that many in the  
Bureau believed that Scully already had.  

Jerk.  

Sometimes her husband could be such a jerk.  

Stupidity was too kind of a word for him and jerk was not enough  
to describe how she felt about Fox whenever he brought up  
Doggett's name.  

It was even worse when Doggett had first visited their apartment 
and Dana was not properly dressed when her husband and his  
partner came through the door. With a crying baby in her arms  
and only wearing her bathrobe, Dana's blushed face nearly matched  
the color of her hair that was pulled back into a ponytail as she  
offered Doggett a drink that he declined on.  

Following her husband to the office in their apartment, Dana  
noticed in the corner of her eye, that Rat, their overprotective cat,  
was making her move toward Agent Doggett who made himself  
comfortable on the living room couch.  

Dana knew she should intervene before Rat decided to use  
Doggett as a scratch post. The cat wasn't always friendly with  
strangers, certainly ones that she could sense her owners not  
liking. Yet Dana's mind was more on letting Fox know about  
her being displeased that he brought that man over to their home  
without giving her an advance warning. 

Having managed to keep their voices low as the verbal exchange  
took place and eventually moved to the topic that had brought  
Fox home, Dana listened carefully to the questions presented  
to her that only took her mind off for a moment that she was  
still pissed at her husband.  

When they finally returned to the living room, both Fox and  
Dana were surprised to see Rat laying contentedly on her back 
in the arms of Agent John Doggett as he gently scratched under  
her chin causing her to purr out loud.  

Seeing that he was being watched, Doggett gave a crook smile  
and said. " I'm more of a dog person? but I guess this cat  
don't care, do you?  "  

Rat continued purring that brought out the amusement to the  
both men but to Dana it was another annoyance to add to her  
list against Agent Doggett. 

Not that Dana felt any jealousy toward Doggett. Certainly if she  
was, she would not admit to it at all. Anyway, it wasn't like her  
to feel these kinds of things. Not with a fellow agent who had  
stepped in to help keep the work going while she was away...  

? But he didn't have to be so damn good at it.  

It was the first thing she had done when Scully returned full time  
to the X-Files was to go over the cases Agent Doggett was involved  
in, and try to find any flaws that would justify her suspicions. Yet  
the man was official, a pro that he took his work seriously. Despite 
his disagreements with Mulder concerning the material that was  
the basis of the X-Files, Doggett had proven himself to be an agent  
that did not allow any personal feelings to keep him from doing the  
job right and backing up his partner when needed.  

It was almost something to admire the man for.  

It was an uphill battle for Doggett at the beginning with Mulder.  
Having his own suspicions against the rough agent, Fox spent days 
learning as much as he could about Agent Doggett, searching for  
any weak spots or skeletons in the closet that could be of use against  
him. What Fox had found had not gain the ammunition he wanted  
but sympathy for the agent who lost much in his life that Fox Mulder  
began to understand in his own.  

The murder of Doggett's young son remained unsolved and what  
Fox was able to learn from Doggett's then-partner Monica Reyes,  
who Mulder had met a few weeks before, that the case possessed 
strange occurrences in the investigation. Reyes believed that the  
patterns bared the path to the supernatural.  

Not since Diana Fowley had Fox Mulder met an agent who was  
as eager and open-minded to the possibilities of outside forces  
dealing in the world. That when a case similar to the murder of  
Doggett's son surface a few months ago that Reyes offered her  
services to Mulder while Doggett refused to believe there was  
connection to the murder of his son.  

Dana had only met Monica Reyes once and under the circumstances  
that brought out her worse fears.  

Before her son's birth, the bodies of two abductees that were taken  
from Bellefleur, Oregon a few months ago were discovered in  
fields that were far from any civilization. Teresa Hoese had been  
found alive, yet her injuries seem to indicate that she had been  
tortured and experimented on. The body of the other victim was  
found deceased having similar injuries to the body.  

Being home now, Dana could only know the details of the case by  
the phone calls that either she or Mulder would make to one another.  
Leaving Dana frustrated that she could be of no help to her husband  
during the investigation.  

The case continued to unravel with the reappearance of Jeremiah 
Smith and a man that went by the name of Absalom, a leader  
of space-age cult. Their involvement in the kidnapping of Teresa  
Hoese from the hospital lead Mulder, Doggett and Agent Reyes  
to Montana where Jeremiah Smith once again disappeared and  
again left the Federal agents without any answers.  

Still the case did not remain closed or silent. A few weeks after  
her son's birth, the body of Billy Miles had been found floating  
off of Cape Fear in North Carolina. Having believed he was a  
drowned victim and the condition of the body indicated that the  
person had been dead for some time. The unexpected resurrection  
of the deformed Billy Miles had left the doctors shocked and  
again brought Mulder and Doggett to the case.  

Yet their arrival came too late to stop Billy Miles from walking  
out of the hospital as he completely recovered from the injuries  
he had suffered and disappeared before anyone could stop him  
from leaving.  

It was only in a short amount of time that Billy Miles resurfaced  
and began a killing spree that sent Dana Mulder and her baby into  
hiding. The deaths of several women who had once been barren  
but had given birth were killed over the last several weeks since  
Billy Miles had returned from the dead. It was Mulder and Doggett's 
encounter with Miles in a doctor's office that caused Fox Mulder  
to fear that Billy Miles might try to kill Dana and their son David.  
With the help from both Doggett and Reyes, Dana was able to 
put distance from any threat that Billy Miles could make against 
them.  

Being taken to an abandoned town in Georgia by Monica Reyes  
that was known only to Agent Doggett, Dana, keeping her son  
in her arms, worried not only for their safety but the well being  
of her husband and those involved kept Dana from resting. Yet  
somehow Dana found the conversation she shared with Reyes 
soothing, a reminder of something that she had lost.  

Dana liked Monica Reyes.  

The woman had reminded her much of her dead sister Melissa.  
Finding that she was able to relate to another woman much like  
she had done with her sister made Dana feel at ease and wishing  
for the past that was now lost forever. 

Sometime during the night, Dana gave in to her exhaustion and  
slept in a restless dream of giving birth in the rundown building  
she was now in with many eyes upon her as she screamed to 
them not to take her baby.  

It was in the early morning hour that Dana awakened to find  
Fox at her side with David in his arms. His reassuring form  
gave without any words that the danger had past and it was  
time for them to go home. 

Slipping on a new pair of latex gloves, Scully continued her  
examination on the body.  

Nearing the groin area, the determination of the victim's sex was  
unknown at the time of discovery as that the sex organs were no 
longer there. Yet the built of the body gave to the possibility that  
this was a male. A young male, but the depth of decomposition  
made the determination difficult on sight but was later proclaimed  
by the pathologist who did the first autopsy that this was the body  
of a white 20 to 28 year old male.  

The body had been found in a shallow grave that was exposed  
due to a canine feasting on the flesh. It was a jogger who had  
spotted the wild dog and saw what the animal was eating.  

The preliminary reports had attracted Mulder to the case and his  
asking Scully to reexamine the body without him giving too much  
detail was an act that he played on her much in their career together. 

At least some things did not change.  

Reading from the previous report made by the first pathologist  
gave Scully the map to follow that confirmed a pattern that was  
familiar to both Mulder and Scully. The evidence of the victim's  
blood thickening before death was not caused by any toxic found  
in the body. 

The area around the groin showed the skin burnt, mostly likely by  
acid. Yet the chemistry was unknown to nature, but again what  
was found in the test results were recognized by Scully.  

Touching two of her fingers along the edge of the burnt skin,  
Scully wondered why the sex organs were dissolved. If identity 
had been the reason to remove the penis and testicles, why not  
burn the face or even the fingertips on the hands? Unless the  
encounter had more to do with a sexual act that could only be 
speculated by her.  

With the use of dental records, the identity of the individual  
was revealed as Steve Giddings, a resident of Georgetown,  
Washington, D.C. who had been missing for about month.  

It was too close to home.  

It also was a reminder to them that they were never safe.  

Not from the secret government, the hybrids or the new beings  
that forever remained a threat. Never knowing when their lives  
would be hind by them could make one insane from worrying.  

Whomever or whatever this poor man had encountered with, Scully  
could confirm in her opinion that the death was murder.  

" So how is our friend doing? " Fox Mulder entered the examining 
room with Agent John Doggett a few steps behind him.  

" Well? " Scully turned toward him as she pulled her surgical  
mask down. Seeing Agent Doggett, Scully gave a polite nod to  
him which he gave one back in exchange. " ? you're right,  
Mulder? We have seen this before. Extreme production of red  
blood cells, causing the blood to thicken and clot. Due to the  
degree of decay, there seems to be damage around the eyes? 
possible clawing at them? The sex organs were? "  

" Careful how you say it, Scully? " Mulder grinned. 

" Have been dissolved? possibly by an acid-like substance and  
from what I read in the report? it was an agent that we have  
encounter with before in the past... "  

" I know where you two are heading? You think this kid was  
killed by an alien..? "  Doggett raised a suspense eyebrow. 

" Or a hybrid? " Mulder turned to Doggett. " Right now the line-up  
has increased? "  

" Either way we have a murder on our hands? " Scully added.  

" And why this kid was killed..?  " Mulder said as he lifted the  
folder that contained information on Steve Giddings. " Except  
for two DWI's and an arrest for brawling, this kid had a fairly 
clean nose? or he did once? "  

Moving closer to the body, Mulder looked toward the groin area, 
studying the depth of damage done to the victim.  

" It must have been one hell of a fuck? " Mulder shook his 
head. 

" Mulder!! " Scully's eyes widened then brought down when she  
made eye contact with Agent Doggett, who seemed not amused  
by Mulder's statement. 

" Well... how else can you explain this big hole in the guy's  
crotch? " Mulder looked at her then at Doggett. " Scully, you  
do agree that what had caused this young man to die was  
related to an encounter with a life form that was not human..? "  

" Well? I can say that there are unconfined conclusions due to  
unnatural circumstances surrounding this young man's death?  
whether there was actual contact with another individual or  
unknown contagion had entered the body by consumption  
or inhaling? "  

" In other words? You are choosing to ignore everything  
that we both have witnessed in the past that such a death as 
this young man had experienced was caused by an alien life  
form that its body chemical has been the result of several  
deaths? and nearly my own? which by the way if it was  
not for you, I would have ended up on a steel table much  
like this young dead guy is now..? "  

" Mulder? I'm not denying the connection to such past  
occurrences? You ought to know that by now? I'm just  
saying that you can't? "  

" ?Rule out everything. " Agent Doggett finished Scully's  
sentence.  

Turning toward him, Scully raised an eyebrow before letting  
out a sigh. " Yes? not everything can be ruled out? Not  
even the possibly of this man dying from an extraterrestrial 
encounter?"  

" That's all I needed to hear, Scully? " Mulder nodded his  
head.  

Without much expression, Scully lowered her head but lifted  
it in time to face Agent Doggett again.  

The man had been much quieter than he had been since  
Scully's returned to the X-Files. In fact, he had been quite 
a gentleman, not like the chauvinistic pig that Scully still imaged  
him to be. He did not seem to mind stepping back as Mulder  
took the lead but it did not mean that Doggett was not a follower. 
Some of the harshest exchanges between Doggett and Mulder 
could be heard throughout the basement hallway as it traveled  
to Scully's office. At first she would rush to be by Mulder's side  
to defend him, but once she understood what the fights consist  
of was no more than Mulder testing the limits of Doggett's 
patience and willingness to believe in the truth about the X-Files.  

It was as if Scully was watching history repeat itself in front  
of her. Knowing what Mulder was doing to Doggett was no  
less than what he had done to her at their beginnings. Scully  
found she was not interested in putting Doggett through such  
rigmarole. Still the man was not keen on trailing Mulder  
blindly into each case but always showed the determination  
to follow through the work he was assigned to.  

The X-Files was not Doggett's life as it was for Mulder?  
and for Scully.  

Hearing a cell phone ring, Doggett reached into his coat pocket  
and excused himself from the room.  

Scully placed her arms across her chest and stood definite  
over the body of Steve Giddings.  

Her eyes followed the length of the deceased until she settled  
on the groin area that was no longer there.  

Scully wondered if Mulder was right.  

Was the lost of victim's penis and testicles the result of a passionate  
night with an alien or a hybrid that craved the desire of sexual  
intercourse with a man from Earth?  

What it must have been like not to know, that your death would  
end like that from a black widow spider? Deep into the web this 
man had gone, feeling the heat that his body would produce and  
not knowing that the lips he would embrace or the flesh he  
would touch would be his last?  

How frightened he must have been, when he first tasted the poison 
of his lover's blood rushing into his lungs and clawing at his eyes  
as he desperately tried to breathe? to live. 

It was impossible to imagine the pain he must have been in.  
Or what was worse, unable to breathe or feel the flesh burning  
away?  

Seeing the young man now dead before her, Scully was unable  
to separate from death as she was taught to and not to place  
herself in the world when this young man was alive.  

Alive. 

Breathing. 

Living. 

Learning. 

And growing.  

All the years the young man's mother watched him grow from  
when he was inside of her womb to the man she would hoped  
he would be.  

Now the child she loved and cherished was dead.  

It was not difficult for Scully to suddenly see her son David  
lying dead on the steel table.  

" Dana... what's wrong? " Fox Mulder placed his hands upon  
her shoulders. 

" Nothing... " Dana immediately wiped the single tear that  
escaped her. " I'm fine... I'm... I'm just tired. "  

Feeling the embrace her husband gave to her from behind,  
Dana for a moment wanted to sink into his arms and forget  
about everything in the world. For them to be alone again  
just as it was at the beginning that Dana could only hope  
would never end.  

Yet the reality of the world stared back at them with dead  
eyes decaying. 

" Not here... " Dana gently pulled away from him.  

Nodding his head in agreement, Fox still wanted to touch her  
and let his fingers caress the soft skin of her cheek.  

" Fox... will you be needing me anymore..? I would like to go  
and pick the baby up from my mother's... " Dana looked into  
his living eyes.  

" All right... I don't think there's much more we can do here... "  
Fox again nodded.  

" Agent Mulder... Agent Scully... " Doggett reentered the room.  
" Got a call from Skinner... He wants to see the three of us in  
his office in an hour... "  

" Uh... all right... Dana, I can cover for you... " Fox leaned closer 
to her. " Let Skinner know that... "  

" No... no, Mulder... We don't need Skinner to be upset with  
either of us... I'll meet you both there after I clean up... "  

Receiving another nod from her husband, Fox Mulder and Agent  
John Doggett walked out together leaving Scully alone once more. 

Not quite alone, Scully thought as she studied again the body  
of Steve Giddings. Yet he was dead and his spirit no longer  
dwelled inside of him. He was an empty shell like the way  
Scully felt in her heart.  

With a huge sigh, Scully placed the sheet over the body as she  
prepared to place it back into storage. Being once more separated  
from death, Scully quickly removed the gloves and surgery robe  
from her body and tossed them into their proper area.  

She was an FBI agent again as she walked down the hallway to  
the parking structure where her car was parked. 

Even with Scully's mind on the meeting with Skinner and the  
death of Steve Giddings could not push away her desire to go  
home to be with her son? 

xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx 

Georgetown, Washington DC... 

Emily walked alone down the street. 

Afraid to go to the park since the news broke out that a body had  
been found buried in a shallow grave deep in the park's grounds  
that Emily loved to spend her days at.  

It was the same park that she had killed Steve in. It was his body 
that was found and made the headlines on both the newspapers  
and local television.  

Though no suspects were named, Emily decided to stay far 
away as possible. Though Eric assured her that they would 
never make the connection to them, she was still afraid of being 
discovered, no matter how guilty she was of the crime that she 
committed.  

Emily hated herself for killing Steve.  

His face would never leave her. Not the handsome one as she  
remembered seeing him the first time, only the face of his death  
vision in her mind and never gave her any peace.  

Sometimes at night, she would wake up screaming. Though she  
had many nightmares in the past that awakened her in such conditions,  
seeing Steve's dead was worse than the visions of her family being  
killed by the murderers that still haunted her.  

Her family's death was a horror but being the cause of someone's  
death was beyond description that she could only relate to Eric  
who kept his promise not to tell Thomas of what she had done.  

Sometimes Emily wished that he did tell Thomas.  

Not being able to talk with him made things difficult between them.  
Each time Thomas would come to her aid when she would awake  
from her nightmares, Emily could not share what was haunting  
her and brushed Thomas away angrily.  

Her reactions left him confused and frustrated that Emily would  
not allow him to take care of her that he would stay closer to Eric 
during the stressful time in her life.  

Damn that Eric.  

Even with him helping, he was tearing the bond she had with her  
brother apart and held on to the secret they shared as his best  
weapon against her. Eric took every advantage of it and made  
Emily more miserable.  

All that she had left now were the walks Emily would take  
around the city's streets, sometimes by herself or with Bert  
who would join her occasionally. Not placing any pressure on 
her to talk, Bert held the conversation with the stories of his  
life that Emily found interesting.  

She loved Bert.  

He seemed to be the only solid rock in Emily's life. Not making 
any judgments against her as she felt from her brother and Eric, 
Bert tried to fill Emily's heart with the wisdom of life and its  
beauty. Though he was blind, Bert had a better understanding  
of the world than most who could see it.  

Stopping at a window display of a gift shop, Emily studied each  
item that was arranged for viewing. The figurines and stuffed  
animal toys had a charm that Emily liked. Wishing that she could  
own such beautiful things was an impossible reality and one that  
Emily did not want to come true. Not with the way Thomas and  
Eric earned their money with the deaths of so many human  
beings. It was a wonder that more of the humans Thomas and  
Eric had killed have not been found like they did with Steve.  

Maybe Thomas was better at hiding the kills than Eric was or  
that Eric did it on purpose to cause more heartache for Emily  
by not hiding Steve's body well. Either way, there was no way 
to deny the fact that she was the reason Steve was dead. 

Studying the window display over and over again, Emily's  
moment of tranquility was interrupted by a sudden presence  
behind her. Seeing a man standing a few feet from her as  
his reflection cast before her on the store's window, Emily  
felt her heart suddenly racing when she recognized the man  
as a hybrid.  

Trying hard not to show her shock and fear, Emily slowly 
turned and walked away from the store's window. The  
tall blond-headed and well-dressed man was not the first  
hybrid that Emily had ever seen since her family's death.  
There were the rare occasions that Emily, Thomas or Eric 
would come across a fellow hybrid but the encounters would  
be brief and no benefit to either group.  

It seemed wiser to stay away from their kind. Securing a low 
profile from the world kept the enemies from detecting them  
that would lead to their deaths. 

Emily could hear the male hybrid walking a few steps behind  
her. He seemed determined to match her steps as she continued 
walking down the street. The few humans she would pass were 
not enough for Emily to try and lose the hybrid in a crowd.  
When she looked back to see how close he was to her, Emily  
spotted another hybrid coming toward her from the side.  

It was a black female hybrid that was also well dressed and  
portrayed a business-type manner to Emily that for a moment  
she had completely forgotten about the male hybrid behind her  
as she admired the beauty of the female hybrid.  

" We would like to talk to you... " The female hybrid spoke.  
" We don't mean you any harm... "  

" No... " Emily shook her head. " I have to go home... "  

" Home to your brother... his friend and the old blind man..? 
We know all about them... about you. And what you have  
done... " The female hybrid informed her.  

" I have done nothing! " Emily snapped. " I want to go home!  
I don't have to talk to any of you!! "  

" Then take this... " The male hybrid was now at Emily's side  
and handed a colorful brochure to her. " Read this... Have your 
brother and his friend read it as well... It will explain everything... 
Everything that you need to know on how to be a better hybrid... "  

" You'll fit in the world much better? " The female hybrid 
added. " You will prove to all who is the greater species? "  

" Be at peace, little sister? " The male hybrid nodded at Emily 
as he and the female hybrid walked past her.  

Emily stopped in her track.  

It was a bizarre encounter and one that did not make any sense 
to her. Looking at the brochure, Emily wondered what madness  
could be in this thing.  

She was tempted to throw it away but instead she held on to  
brochure and ran the opposite direction.  

 Emily wanted to put as much distance from the insanity of the  
world that was around her and her sudden desire to go home to  
be with her brother and Bert... 
  
  
  

The End

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