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Title: First Born Summary: How far would you go to protect your child? Note: Although there are spoiler references for S8 in this story, you'll notice Doggett is not mentioned here. It's not due to my disliking the character. He is no doubt off investigating cases with the new agent. My intent was to make this Mulder and Scully's story of what happens after his return. I'd also like to thank Michell, who answered my call for help in beta reading this story. Present Day We've been here a week now. It seems like another lifetime when we left the States, but it was necessary as it was no longer safe for you or your father and I. Now we're here hoping we've eluded the enemy and have found a safe place to lead a normal life. Is that possible after all we've experienced? I don't know, but I want to believe it is. This place is definitely having a calming effect on us. Maybe it's because we left our cell phones and laptops behind. In essence, we've left the rat race. We've forgone those material things that use to define our every day existence. I do know that sitting here and taking in the beauty that's here is helping me to heal from all the heartache of the past. So much has happened in the last few weeks that led us here that I felt the need to write those events in this journal. April 20 Georgetown 8:30 a.m. "Mulder, we have no reason to trust Marita, but if anything she has told you is the truth, I have to take it seriously that someone will attempt to kidnap our baby", Scully said as they lay in bed. Since Scully started her leave that week, Mulder found himself going to the office later, allowing him more time to be with her. "No, we can't completely trust her, but you know what that means, don't you? There is no way you can have the baby at that hospital. They'll make an attempt right there." "I know. I was thinking about it last night. The questions are endless, Mulder. What if I can't even trust my own doctor? What if the kidnapper is there in the delivery room or the nursery? It could be the bounty hunter posing as my doctor or a nurse anyone. It makes me crazy thinking about it." She curled her body closer to Mulder's as much as her belly would allow. Mulder took this opportunity to caress the baby within her and was rewarded with a jab of it's foot. "I guess you woke her up." Scully rested her hand on his as he gently rubbed the sore spot where the baby kicked the most. It never ceased to amaze him that Scully was now pregnant with his child. Remembering that night in Oregon when she came to him because she was dizzy and having chills, he never thought the reason was because she was pregnant. "It could be a boy, you know" Mulder replied. Although she had all the tests run and had the results, she did not want to know the sex. She wanted at least to be surprised at the time of birth. "I know. But to tell you the truth, I don't really care about the sex. A little boy would be fine, too." She just wanted first and foremost for the baby to be born healthy. "You know, maybe you're right. I shouldn't have the baby in the hospital as planned". She was trying to steer the conversation back to the matter at hand. Mulder propped himself up on his elbow and looked at her, "What are you suggesting?" "I mean everyone would be expecting me to deliver in the hospital, but maybe it would throw them off if I had a home birth with a midwife." "Scully, you would really consider a home birth?" Mulder was in deed surprised at this statement as he had always felt she trusted the medical community; that using a midwife would be unsafe. "You sound surprised that I could suggest a home birth. I know that complications can occur, but the chances are likely that my labor and birth will go just fine. Given the circumstances, I feel that it is the best alternative. I delivered that woman's baby in Florida. That was a home birth, although I don't think she planned it that way" she said with the hint of a smile. "I'm not knocking it. In fact, I think it's a good idea. But we don't have to decide anything just this moment. Wanna join me in the shower?" "Why Mulder, I think you have other ideas than just getting clean." Scully giggled. "Who me? You're the one who's suddenly insatiable." Scully reached up and gave him a passionate kiss that seemed to go on forever. They both knew where this was leading. Mulder started to push her back down on the bed as they kissed, his tongue exploring her mouth. Unfortunately the phone rang, interrupting what they started. With one hand, Mulder tried to reach for the phone. "Umm, don't, Mulder..." "It might be Skinner. I left him a message last night." They both heard Skinner's voice on the answering machine. "This is Skinner returning your call. I guess you're not in..." Mulder grabbed the receiver before he could hang up. "Good morning to you, too. Sir, Scully and I really need to see you today. Uh, uh, well it's rather urgent and I really prefer not to go into it on the phone. Ok. We'll see you in an hour." "Do you think he'll be able to help us?" Scully inquired as he hung up from the call. "I don't know, but I think based on what he witnessed in Oregon and my subsequent return, I think he'll give it his best shot," Mulder said as he swung his legs over the side of the bed. FBI Headquarters 10 a.m. "Mr. Skinner will see you now." Kimberly said as she showed them into the office. She closed the door after they entered. "What is so urgent that you needed to talk to me in person," he asked out of both curiosity and concern, gesturing for both of them to have a seat. "Marita Covarrubias approached me in the garage last night to warn me that our baby is in danger." Skinner sat back in his chair as he digested this news. Part 2 "Go on", Skinner urged him to continue. "If this is true then I... we are not willing to stand by and wait for something to happen to our baby." "Where did she obtain that information", Skinner inquired. "Krycek!" Mulder spit out. "Krycek confided in her that he and his group want to use our baby as a weapon against the pending colonization and they will stop at nothing to achieve their goal." "If that is true, this is a serious matter," Skinner said addressing both of them. "I want to be able to help you, but how...?" "Help us to disappear without a trace. I guess you can call this our unofficial resignation." At this, Scully turned to Mulder not believing what she just heard. "Mulder, that's not an option we've discussed." "Listen, Scully, I don't like it anymore than you do, but I'm not going to watch this go down. You know what those people are capable of and the reach they have." He knew this wasn't something they had discussed that morning and although he hated surprising her with this now, it had to be done. "Mulder, I can empathize with you on this, but are you sure you want to do that since there is no turning back." Skinner said eying both of them. "I may be able to help, but it seems to me that both of you need to discuss this further before you make a final decision." Scully turned to Skinner, "You're right, sir, we do indeed." "We'll let you know what we decide", Mulder said as he and Scully stood to leave. "Oh, and one more thing..." Both Mulder and Scully turned to Skinner. "Whatever you decide, I know it will be the right decision and I will do whatever is in my power to support you in that decision." On the drive back, both were silent. "Scully, what's on your mind?" Mulder glanced at her. He couldn't see the expression on her face as she was looking out the passenger side window. "You know what's on my mind, Mulder. After that little bombshell you just dropped in Skinner's office, what else could I be thinking about," she said with a certain degree of anger. "Why is that so shocking to you? Tell me one good reason why we should stay" Mulder asked, anger rising in his voice, as well. "First of all, where would we go?" Scully finally turned to face him. "I don't know, but it would be far from here", Mulder replied. "Second, I'm due in three weeks, but this baby could come at any time. How can we just up and leave. We don't know where we're going. What are we going to do about this baby's birth? Another thing is what about my family my mom? Are we going to tell her?" She blurted out all these questions. All of a sudden she realized just how overwhelming this turn of events was becoming. "I know, Scully. Last night, that's all I thought about, but I meant what I said in Skinner's office. I'm not willing to sit idly by and watch our child be taken from us. When we were in Oregon and I told you that it had to end, I was thinking of you and all that has happened in the eight years since you came to work on the X-Files. Seeing you hold that baby really brought it home that you would never experience motherhood and that I was partially responsible. The only thing I... we didn't know then was the reason you were feeling so sick was because you were already pregnant. Scully, this baby is our little miracle." Hearing the conviction in his voice made her realize that the tragedy would be to remain in DC, that this was in deed the end of the road for them on the X-Files. Their quest for the truth was secondary to their child. "This baby means more to me than anything, Mulder. I don't think I could ever forgive myself if I didn't do everything in my power to protect it. These people Krycek, Marita and any remaining Syndicate members, have such a vast reach, where could we go Bora Bora?" "Hey, that's certainly an idea. Never pictured you as an island girl, Scully." Mulder was half joking, attempting to lighten the mood. Lone Gunmen Headquarters 1:30 p.m. "What can we do for you guys?" Frohike asked as he let Scully and Mulder in. "We're in need of your vast resources", replied Mulder as he walked over to one of the computer terminals. "Question, if two people wanted to completely vanish would you be able to help them?" "Well, it depends on who you're talking about... whoa, are you guys talking about yourselves?" Byers asked shockingly. "Yes", Scully replied. She sat down in a chair next to one of the desks. "Mulder was contacted by Marita who stated that our baby would be kidnapped." "See, our theory is that they want our baby for what can be obtained from it's DNA. Both Scully and I were exposed to the virus and we were administered the vaccine. Now, what if the baby has a natural immunity I mean don't you see what that could mean?" The three men stared stone faced at Mulder. The implications were sinking in. "I'm assuming we're being monitored and I'm quite certain they'll know the minute Scully goes into labor." This statement made Scully nervous. The thought of them knowing when she went into labor, perhaps even being there in the delivery room or having someone posted in the nursery made her blood run cold. "Ok, so if the kid is naturally immune, wouldn't that be a good thing for mankind?" Frohike asked. "Yes, it is, but we're not going to have our baby used as a pawn, so can you help us?" Mulder posed his question again. "This is really going to be a challenge to get you guys out of the country if that is your intent, without tipping them off", said Frohike. "What about decoys?" Mulder asked. "Yeah, that could work. We just need two people that vaguely look like you two with the exception that the woman has to look like she's about to deliver," Byers answered. "I know a couple of people who owe me a favor. Let me contact them and see what I can arrange", Langly offered. While they all talked amongst themselves, Scully sat in front of the monitor researching maps of the South Pacific. She came upon the island of Bora Bora. Out of all the islands, it was the most appealing. The island had a population of only a few thousand people, the temperature moderate, but most notable was the meaning of Bora Bora. The island's name in Tahitian is Pora Pora which quite simply means First Born. She thought of her baby her own first born, when she read this and knew that this was where they would go. "So guys, have you come up with anything?" Scully got up from the desk and joined Mulder and the others, "because I've come up with the perfect place." She pointed to the group of islands on the printout. All eyes were focused on her in amazement. "Are you serious Scully, Bora Bora?" Mulder asked. "Mulder, look at this. There are only a few thousand people on that island it could be the ideal place." "Well, I have no complaints, but guys do you think the pilot can take us there." "That's what I was getting to. We were thinking it would be best if you and Scully lay low in a little town called Twin Lakes, Colorado until the baby is born. There is a friend of mine in that town who is a nurse. I believe she is capable of handling the delivery", Langly answered. "Then...", Mulder urged him on. "You'll drive to a the private air field outside of town, it's the same one that'll be used when you arrive there. Then you'll be flown to Honolulu where he'll have to refuel for the trip out of the country", Byers continued. Georgetown 7:15 p.m. "What would you like to eat, Mulder?" Scully called from the kitchen. "We've got chicken and stir fry veggies. "Why don't you let me do that," Mulder said as he came into the kitchen. "You relax while I cook for you." "No, that's ok... "But I want to, Scully." Scully decided to give into him. It had been a pretty tiring day and being pregnant didn't help. "You know, we need to figure out what we're going to do for money. We're going to have to close out our accounts." Mulder said as he cut up the chicken. "I was thinking about that myself. Not only the bank accounts, but I have money in a mutual fund. An offshore account might be the answer. At least they're numbered accounts." Scully sat back on the couch and put her feet up on the coffee table. "I'll look into that tomorrow." Mulder said as he continued to putter around the kitchen. They ate in silence for much of the meal. Mulder noticed that Scully hardly touched her food. "Is my cooking that bad? You hardly touched anything." "I'm just not very hungry", she said while at the same time moving the food around on her plate. "A lot has happened today; so much that needs to be done and soon", she added. "Do you want to talk about it"? Mulder asked in return as he got up from the table and started clearing the dishes. "I don't know... sometimes I'm so confused and other times it's crystal clear what we have to do. Let's just enjoy this evening, okay." "Okay." They both washed and put away the dishes followed by watching a movie. As they sat together on the sofa, Mulder put his arm around her and she snuggled into his embrace. It was nice to lose themselves in each other like this, even if briefly. "You want to go to bed now?" Mulder asked as he kissed the top of her head. "Hmm, that sounds good. Although, I don't know if I'll be able to get any sleep. The baby has been kicking and moving a lot and I'm... "What?" "...tense, worried." Scully finished. She pushed herself off the sofa. "Coming to bed?" "Yeah, in a minute," Mulder replied. He turned the TV off and then proceeded to turn off the lights before heading into the bedroom. By the time he had come from the bathroom, Scully was already lying on her side in bed. Mulder climbed into bed behind her, caressing her belly as he snuggled closer to her body. "What's really bothering you?" he asked as he stroked her belly. "I'm scared... I'm so scared of what we're about to do. I know that if we stay they'll take our baby, but at the same time we're leaving behind our life here." Scully turned over to face Mulder. "It's the only way, Scully." Mulder said looking into her eyes. "Besides, what life a life of fear? We don't want that for ourselves or for the baby." He could see the conflict she was going through. "You and this baby are the most important people in my life and I'll do whatever is necessary to keep both of you safe. If it means going to some remote place far from here then so be it." The tears she had been trying so hard to hold back began to fall freely. "C'mere." Mulder pulled her closer to him, wiping her tears with his thumb. "It's going to be ok. I'll see to that. I know it's been hard these last months and now this. But we're together now and it'll be a new start for both of us." Hearing him say that relieved some of the fear. "Have I told you lately how much I love you?" she asked. "Yeah, but you can say it again." Mulder said as he leaned in to give her a kiss. A restful sleep was hard to come by that night as thoughts of the day ahead plagued them both. Part 3 April 21, 2001 9:30 a.m. A dreamless, but very deep sleep was what Scully awoke from only to find a note on the pillow where Mulder had slept. "You were sleeping so soundly, didn't want to wake you. Have to go see the guys to pick up some things. I'll see you later this morning. Love, M." Although she was a little disappointed not to find him next to her, she knew the nature of his visit to the Gunmen. "Okay, well I guess I've slept long enough," she said to the air. "Ouch, baby do you have to lay right there on mommy's bladder," she complained to the baby as she got out of bed. She stopped at the mirror when she caught a glimpse of herself on the way to the bathroom. Lately she had been avoiding mirrors. Her body had changed so dramatically that she wanted to memorize it all now that she was so close to the end of her pregnancy. Mulder obviously loved the changes in her body, if their sex life was any indication. Whenever she complained about the bulk around her middle he never hesitated to tell her. She lifted her shirt to see her belly. She ran her fingers over the taut skin and noticed that the baby had in deed dropped. "Won't be long now," she commented to herself. She marveled at how big she had gotten in such a seemingly short period of time. It also scared her to think she was going to birth a big baby, if her belly was any way to gauge its size. She broke from her reverie when her cellphone rang. "Hello." "Agent Scully, this Marita Covarrubias." "Yes, can I help you?" "Is Agent Mulder there with you?" "No, he isn't and how did you get my cell phone number?" "That's ok because it's really you I need to talk to. "What is this about?" Scully asked suspiciously. "I don't want to talk about this on the phone. Can you meet me at Georgetown Mall in say an hour. This is urgent." "Look, I..." "All I'll say for now is that this concerns your baby." "Ok. Where in the mall?" "Food court in one hour." Before Scully could say anything else the line went dead. Lone Gunmen Hqtrs. 9:45 a.m. "Ok, Mulder, the good news is the new IDs and passport documents will be ready for you tomorrow, as well as the offshore account, but the bad is my contact who I thought could pose as Agent Scully is out of town," said Langly. "Do you have any other ideas?" asked Mulder disappointed, but not defeated. "Other than finding someone else who resembles Scully and willing to do this kind of thing, I have none. But we'll keep working on it." "What about transportation to Colorado?" "All set. Once everything is finalized, the pilot can take you at any time." "Sounds good. I have to go meet Skinner so I'll call you later," replied Mulder. "Ok, but I'm sorry about the decoy..." "Hey, you couldn't foresee that," said Mulder as he exited the apartment. "Talk to you later." As he walked to his car he dialed Scully's number. After a number of rings the machine picked up. "Scully, it's me. Pick up." After a pause he realized she wasn't home. "Well, I guess you're not there so I'll see you in a little while." Georgetown Mall Food Court Scully entered the food court area. She went over to one of the concession stands and ordered a decaf latte. When she turned around she saw Marita sitting at one of the tables. "May I join you?" she asked and sat down. "Agent Scully. I'll get straight to the point," Marita said almost in a whisper. "By now Agent Mulder should have told you he met with me the other day." "Yes, he did and...", Scully asked impatiently. "It's worse than either of you could ever know. From what I had gathered from Alex, someone is going to kidnap your baby, but they have grown impatient waiting for you to give birth. I don't know how to tell you this without..." "What?" Scully asked, her anger rising. "They plan to abduct you and induce your labor and if induction fails, they'll do a c-section." Marita finally let the words tumble out. "Who are THEY?" Scully asked trying to keep her voice down; not wanting to believe what she was hearing. "Krycek has revived the syndicate now that the Smoking Man is dead. There are doctors amongst these members," replied Marita. "But why my baby?" Scully said visibly shaken by this news. "I think you've guessed some of it already. Your baby is the key to everything. Both you and Mulder were exposed to the alien virus and were given the vaccine, and in all likelihood you have passed on this immunity to the baby a child with natural immunity, though there's no guarantee. But there's also something else your baby may have inherited Agent Mulder's anomalous brain activity. That's why he was abducted and now that they know about your baby..." "I still don't understand why they need my baby if they only need DNA. Wouldn't a DNA sample accomplish what they're attempting which I'm guessing is a vaccine that would make us all immune." "They already have a vaccine. That's why you and I recovered, but you were implanted with a chip. That chip altered your DNA." "How?" "That's what they want to know. They want to know what it has done to your baby; if your baby would be start of a super race of humans. Krycek will stop at nothing to get this baby." "Ok, so if all this is true and you're with Krycek, why are you helping us?" inquired Scully out curiosity and suspicion. "Because I want to pay that bastard back for what he did to me." "And what was that?" "I was subjected to the black oil, and held at a research facility. There they tested vaccine after vaccine on me until they found one that worked. Krycek found me in that hell hole, but chose to leave me there to die." Scully sensed that Marita's relationship with Krycek went far beyond what she revealed. "So, why do you stay with him? You could walk away." "It would be nearly impossibly for me to get out. I thought there was still some compassion left in him until I saw the look on his face. He looked at me like I was yesterday's garbage when he saw what affect the vaccines and tests had on me. Now, I just want to see him fall." Marita exclaimed, hostility in her voice. "Agent Scully, have you ever wondered how you were able to conceive?" she asked attempting to change the subject. "Yes, but my doctor couldn't offer me a reason and so I like to think of it as mine and Mulder's little miracle." Scully replied as she reflexively rubbed her belly when she felt the baby move. "Krycek thinks the chip restored your fertility, along with curing your cancer, but that's not as important as you and Mulder have to get away from here as soon as you can. I don't know when they'll make their move." Marita was more anxious now to end their meeting. "Plans are being made as we speak." She paused as she got up from the table. "And think again about getting out. Don't let him destroy you, which he will." Scully said finally as she began to walk away. Georgetown 3:30 p.m. Scully heard Mulder unlocking the door. She had been on edge since the meeting and now she was faced with telling him what she found out. "Hey, Scully. I tried to call you earlier. Where were you?" "I could ask you the same thing", she said as she exited the kitchen with a glass of juice in hand. "You were gone when I got up this morning." Scully said somewhat shaken. Mulder could tell she was hiding something. "You first," he said reaching out to give her a hug. He felt her tense as he did so. "What happened this afternoon, Scully?" "Come sit down," she said as she led him over to the sofa. After they were both seated she relayed to him what Marita had told her. "Mulder, they're planning to take our baby by any means necessary. They would go so far as do a c-section if induction isn't successful. She was barely able to choke out the words through the sobs. Mulder took her in his arms to sooth the pain and fear he knew she felt. "Nobody listen to me, Scully. Nobody is going to take this baby. I won't let them," he said wiping away her tears. "But how can you make that promise, Mulder?" she asked looking into his eyes. "They've always been one step ahead of us so far." "We've got people on our side willing to help us, but ultimately it's us together that's going to protect our baby. As long as we're a team, we won't lose this time. We can't." His words helped, but something told her danger was not far behind and their journey to safety was only beginning. "When I went out this morning, I was able to get our new ID's and passports from the guys. Wanna take a look and see who we'll become?" "I'm almost too scared to look," she said with a small smile as she took the envelope off the table and emptied the contents in her hand. "And there's more, we need to be ready to go tomorrow night", Mulder added. "Tomorrow... but I still haven't told my mother." She knew time was something they were running short on, but the reality of it hit her now. "That's another thing. We can't tell her until after we arrive at our final destination. We'll get a message to her through the Gunmen." "She's going to be so shocked when she learns what we had to do, but I don't want to put her in danger," Scully said sadly, rationalizing it more to herself than to Mulder. "It's going to get better, Scully". Mulder took her in his arms again. Part 4 It was indeed a busy evening. They packed the essentials that they would need, nothing more. They called it a night when they had done about all they could do. Scully looked exhausted and Mulder suggested that they turn in, but Scully had other things on her mind other than sleep. It started with a chaste kiss, but soon it intensified into passion. As their tongues explored each other's mouths, Mulder's hand traveled under her t-shirt to caress her breasts. He loved the fullness of them, now that she as pregnant. Not that he didn't love them before, but now they were fuller, heavier than before. He took one already erect nipple in his mouth. Her breasts were so sensitive to his touch. She arched her back allowing him to take more. He then slid his hand up her inner thigh, allowing his fingers to spread her already slick folds. The sensations he was creating within her were driving her wild. She could feel the ache between her legs as well as the resulting wetness that he had created. She ran her fingers through his hair, not sure if she could stand much more of what he was doing to her. She spread her legs further apart as his fingers were seeking the spot that drove her over the edge. Then he stopped. "Mulder... why did you stop?" He then rolled over on his back bringing her with him so that she was straddling his thighs. "Come up here," he pointed toward his chest. She knew what he wanted to do and she was more than happy to obliged him. Parting her folds with his fingers, his tongue traced circles around her clit. She was so wet with arousal that he couldn't resist bringing his fingers into play. First one, then two he pushed in and out of her engorged center. The pressure from his thumb on her clit was driving her wild, but she needed something to brace herself against, even though Mulder was using his free hand to hold her. She braced her hands against the headboard as she pushed herself against his mouth, allowing him more access. "I'm so close", she panted. He continued to tease her clit with his tongue and lips -- "Oh, my god, don't stop," she screamed. She then moved down his body until his very erect cock was brushing against her entrance. "I need you inside me," she said breathlessly. "God, I want to be inside you...." his words were cut off by her kiss. It was unspoken, but she knew he was hesitant. "It's ok." She squeezed her inner muscles for emphasis as she slid down over him. "I need this tonight, Mulder. I need to feel connected to you in this way and I think you need this, too." Her movements were shallow and slow at first, but rapidly became faster. It felt so good to be inside her. Though he let her set the pace, he was resisting the urge to plunge deeper into her. As she took him deeper and deeper, her moans intensified and he knew she was close and that he would soon follow. She would see to it. "Scully, touch yourself for me," he whispered. "I love to watch you. You know that, don't you?" he asked more as a statement than a question. She reached down and began lightly and rapidly stroking her already sensitive clit. "Oh, oh " "Look at me, baby. I want to watch you come." She opened her eyes and what she saw was the love and passion that he felt for her. She continued to ride him and he matched her stroke for stroke through the orgasm that rocked both of them. She rolled off him and onto her side next to him with both of them feeling sated. "I love you," he said. "I know." she sighed in relaxed contentment. April 22nd "Scully, have you finished packing?" Mulder yelled from the living room. He was busy packing away their laptop and other things. "Uh, almost." Scully answered back. She felt another contraction as she packed, but decided not to alarm Mulder. In fact, they started that morning, but appeared to be Braxton-Hicks as there was no particular pattern or change in their intensity. She packed the last items which were baby things mostly basics like shirts, sleepers, blankets and diapers. They were only a few of the things she and Mulder had bought after he returned. They couldn't take much, so she had to pack the very basics. "Do you need any help with any of that?" Mulder asked her as he came into to check on her progress. "No, just packing the last few things." "I just spoke with the guys and everything is in place," Mulder said to Scully who was still busy with final packing. "I hear someone at the door. It's probably Skinner," Mulder said. Mulder went to the door and opened it. "I can't stay long," Skinner said as he entered the apartment which was in somewhat of a disarray from packing. "I've got the paperwork you requested." Mulder looked at the documents that he handed him. "What documents are those?" Scully asked as she stood in the doorway. "This is the termination paperwork which is dated tomorrow. All we need to do is sign off on them." Scully looked at each of the documents as Mulder handed them to her. By delaying the effective date of their termination with the Bureau it bought them a little time so that nobody would leak this information to the wrong parties. "Walter, I can't thank you enough for what you've done," Scully said. "Hey, I consider you guys more than just two of my best agents. You're like family", Skinner responded to her. Both she and Mulder signed off on everything. "Oh, and another thing, I need to get the laptops and cell phones from you, Skinner added. It will make it look even more real if it looks like you turned them in." "Gee, Walter, how do you think we'll survive without those. It's like being cut off from oxygen", Mulder joked as he retrieved the equipment. "It's probably for the best. No one will be able to trace us if we're cut off from any form of communication for awhile," Scully added. Things got a little tense for a moment, but eased when Skinner spoke up. "I don't want to keep you any longer. I see you've got a lot to do." He extended his hand to say goodbye for probably the last time and Mulder took his hand. Then Scully joined in and gave him a hug in gratitude for all he had done to help her during the months that Mulder was gone. "I'll miss you guys", he said rather teary eyed. "And Mulder, I'm admonishing you to take care of her and that baby, ok". "Or else you'll kick my ass, right?" Mulder joked as he walked him to the door. While Mulder was talking with Skinner at the door, she felt another one. Scully made sure she turned away so that neither of them saw the pain register in her face. Oh, god, please don't let this be labor. National Airport United Airlines Terminal 6:30 p.m. "Ok, Scully this is it. Here's the ticket. I'll meet you downstairs near the baggage claim area in 15 minutes." Scully took the ticket and opened the folder. It had her name on it with destination to Miami. "I've gotta go to the ladies room. See you down there," she said squeezing his hand as she walked away in the direction of the restrooms. She walked as purposefully as she possibly could, trying not to alert anyone who could be watching that something was about to happen. She entered the restroom, but found it empty save one woman who was washing her hands at the sink and looking very pregnant. In deed this woman could possibly pass for her double, she commented to herself. She approached the sink and started to brush her hair. "So when are you due?" Scully asked the other woman. "In less than a month" she replied with a smile. Knowing that was what her contact was supposed to say, Scully walked over to her, handing her the tickets, one for her and one for her partner whom she guess was nearby at the boarding gate. "Thanks" was all the other woman replied. Scully was thankful she was wearing a trench coat to hide the fact that they were not dressed alike. It was late April so it didn't look out of place. She watched as the woman left the bathroom, but waited a few more minutes before leaving herself. Across the terminal he saw her leave the ladies room. He had been watching since they entered the airport terminal, but followed a discreet distance behind her. He waited and saw that she was headed for the boarding gate for flight 172 to Miami. He stopped short when he saw her take a seat next to the man. So as not to be noticed by either of them, he turned and walked towards the pay phones. There he pulled out his phone from his pocket. The number he dialed rang a few times before it was picked up. "They're boarding a plane for Miami." he informed the party on the other end. "Yes, sir, I'll be on that flight as well", the man answered. "I'll call again for further instructions." He pushed the end button and hurried to the ticket counter. Part 5 Bellagio Hotel Las Vegas, NV "Well, I hope you all are finding our present accommodations to your liking." Since the old syndicate no longer existed a new group formed. Alex Krycek led this new syndicate. The old men of the past met at a musty, smoky apartment in Manhattan. Krycek wanted no part of the trappings of the old guard. This was why he chose Bellagio as their meeting place. The Bellagio was opulent. It was a hotel for the high rollers. The conference room table where they sat was made from the finest mahogany, the chairs were of leather and there was audio/visual equipment at their disposal. "I just got a call that our duo just boarded a plane for Florida. Seems that someone must have tipped them." The 6 men and the sole female in the room looked at each other wondering who was the traitor. "How did this happen?" one of the men at the table asked. "How is this going to affect our plans?" another asked. "It's only a temporary set back. I'm going to see to it myself this time and they will be found. You have my word on that." Krycek answered back. "The date for colonization is growing closer. Can you assure us that our plans will go forward?" a younger man in his 30's, asked. "Yes, rest assured our plans will proceed. I've accessed Dana Scully's prenatal records and her due date is within the next three weeks, but since she's considered at term now, there is no reason our plan shouldn't proceed as soon as I've found her." "But what about Mulder. He's very protective of her right now. I can see him doing everything in his power to prevent this from happening", the same man asked. "I can take care of Mulder," Krycek responded icily. National Airport Scully saw him standing near one of the luggage carousels. "Let's get out of here," she said quietly. "The guys will be waiting for us." Mulder assumed from her smile that the meeting was successful. He collected the luggage they had brought with them after managing to explain that they would not be boarding the flight to Miami. Suburban Airport 7:35 p.m. The small airport was quiet for this time of evening. Most of the time it was fairly busy with arrivals and departures. Scully saw some of the planes and wondered which one they would be using. "Hey, Frohike, do you know what we'll be flying in tonight?" she asked. "John said it was a Beech 58 Baron. Don't worry Scully, it's not a one of those puddle jumpers", he responded with a chuckle. They pulled into the parking area behind the hangar where their plane waited. As she got out of the van, she felt that familiar tightening in her abdomen which caused her to gasp. "What was that about?" Mulder asked. "Nothing," she responded as she stroked her belly for what seemed like the umpteenth time that day. Mulder gave her a lingering look, not totally convinced that it was nothing. "Hi, my name is John. I'll be your pilot this evening. You must be Kevin and Delia Richards." The pilot extended his hand to both of them. "Yes, we are. How long do you think it'll take us tonight?" Mulder asked. "Well, barring any weather conditions, which I've been informed that there were storms near Colorado, we should get there in about 4- 1/2 hours. Don't worry, everything will be fine. I have 10 years flying under my belt," the middle-aged man said trying to alleviate any anxiety. "We should be leaving in about 10 minutes," and with that he walked back towards the plane. "Well, guys thanks for all your help." Mulder said. "I don't think we could've done all this without your help." Mulder gave each of them a hug. "Hey, the pleasure was all ours", Frohike said. The others nodded in agreement. "Same goes for me, too," Scully said rather tearfully. "C'mere momma-to-be", Frohike said giving her hug. All three men gave her a hug, as well. "Well, I guess we need to board now", Mulder finally said trying to make the goodbyes a little easier. As they started to towards the plane, Byers called out to Mulder, "You take care of her and that baby or you'll have to answer to us." "Have you been talking Skinner," Mulder joked for the last time. "You know I will." Mulder said turning towards the men one last time. Mulder looked out the window for most of the flight. After the events of the day, Scully was taking a nap. He occasionally looked at her sleeping. She curled up next him with her head in his lap. Fortunately, the seats on this plane were wider than the ones found in other coach sections of other airlines. Every once in awhile he noticed that she would grimace in her sleep and wondered if it was a dream or something else. "Hey, go back to sleep. We're not there yet." Mulder said to her. "I can't sleep anymore. I'm just too uncomfortable," she said as she tried in vain to sooth pain in her lower back. "I'm going to the restroom." As he watched her walk away, Mulder knew that they needed to reach Colorado soon. Sometime later John called back to them that they were headed into some turbulence over Colorado and that they should fasten their seat belts. "How much longer, Mulder?" Scully asked anxiously. "About an hour. "Why?" "Well, for one thing my back is killing me, it seems like I have to pee every five minutes and this bumpy ride..." Scully said with more than a touch of irritation in her voice. "I'm sorry. I didn't mean for it to come out like that. It's just that... it's just that my back really hurts. "Hey, John, how long til we're on the ground?" Mulder asked again. "We'll be there in about 20 minutes. Anything wrong?" "Oh, no, just anxious to get there," Mulder lied. Las Vegas "They're where? No, don't do anything more. I'll take care of it from here on", Krycek said ending the conversation with the other man on the line. "It seems the couple was a decoy. But we've got a fix on them now, Marita. They're headed for a town called Twin Lakes in Colorado." "So what's your plan now?" she asked. "We're going there", he replied. "Why do you need me?" she asked trying to sound interested, but at the same time trying to get as much as she could out of him. "When we have Dana Scully in our hands, she's going to need to someone to well let's just say hold her hand after labor is induced." "What do I look like her labor coach? That's Agent Mulder's job", she said coming around to him. "Besides I think I'm one of the last people she wants to see." "What's your problem?" Krycek said suddenly growing annoyed at her attitude. "The only problem I have is understanding why you want this baby so much; seems more trouble than it's worth", she shot back at him. "Ah, but that's where you're wrong. That kid is going to be the gold mine we've been looking for. A kid that's not a hybrid, but has in all likelihood all the characteristics we've been trying to engineer." Krycek said with a grin on his face. "So it's going to be a lab rat in order for you to find out?" "Do I detect a bit of maternal instinct, Marita?" Krycek said sarcastically. "Hell, no. It's just that for all the trouble we've gone through already, what if there's nothing special about it." "But we'll never know until we get the kid and then we'll be rich beyond belief and will hold the key to stopping colonization." 11:21 p.m. Highway 114 "Are you sure the directions said take that turn back there, Scully? "I'm sure, Mulder. We shouldn't be too far from the cabin." The rain was coming down harder now and visibility was difficult. "I see it now," Mulder said. They pulled up into the driveway of the cabin. "Here are the keys. You go in and I'll bring in our stuff," Mulder said handing her the keys. Scully made her way to the door of the cabin as fast as she could to avoid getting soaked by the down pour. Mulder came in shortly after with their suitcases. Scully had already turned on the lights. "This place isn't so bad in fact it's really nice", he said. "It's really cozy", Scully added noting the fireplace. "After I put our stuff in the bedroom, I'll start a fire. It's kinda cold in here." "I'll see if there's anything to eat," Scully said in return. Scully went into the kitchen and noted the refrigerator and cabinets were fully stocked. Whoever lived here lived well. Just as she was taking the pasta that was already cooked out of the refrigerator, a contraction overtook her. "Scully, there are two bedrooms upstairs. I put our stuff in the master bedroom..." letting the rest of his sentence drop off as he saw Scully leaning against the counter breathing through a contraction and at the same time trying to time it. He rushed to her side, but said nothing as she put up her hand as a sign not to say anything. Part 6 "Oh, god, that was the strongest so far," she said after it was over. "What do you mean so far?" Mulder asked, not missing a beat. "I've been having them periodically during the day. Before you say it, Mulder, I know I should've told you, but..." "You were having them on the plane, too?" "Umm, but Mulder what were we going to do? I just prayed that if it was labor that we would make it here in time," she said a little sheepishly leaning against him, knowing in all likelihood this baby was coming tonight. He took her into his arms placing a kiss on the top of her head. "It's ok, Scully. We're here now and maybe, just for a little while, we're out of danger." "I hope so, 'cause I'm tired so tired of this." "Come here", he said leading her to the sofa near the fireplace. "Just sit back and let me take care of you. I think the first thing we need to do is..." "Another one is starting, Mulder." "Ok, breathe through it. Good. You're doing good". "I'm ok. It's almost over." Scully said as she rhythmically stroked her belly. "That was about 5 minutes after the last and almost 40 seconds long," Mulder said. "I think this is really labor, Mulder." "I'm calling Rebecca," Mulder replied reaching for the phone. He dialed the number, but there was no answer until the machine picked up. "Uh, this is Kevin Richards. My wife has started having contractions and thinks she's in labor. The number is 555-7727." Hearing that this woman was unreachable was not what she wanted to hear. "Mulder, I don't think this baby is going to wait. I may be wrong and this may turn out to be a long labor, but I feel it's going to go fast." "Is there anything I can do?" Mulder asked. "It's kind of cold in here, a fire would be nice." "I was going to start one," he replied going over to the fireplace. There was wood stocked nearby. He busied himself stacking some of it and added some newspaper to get it going as Scully watched. "This should last awhile... Scully?" When he turned around, she was having yet another contraction and it was taken a good amount of her attention to get through it. He didn't want to say anything as he sat beside her, but felt that he needed to say something that would direct her attention. "That's it, relax." "That's easy for you to say, Mulder", Scully said as the contraction eased. "They have definitely become stronger, but they still seem to be averaging 5 minutes apart and Rebecca still hasn't called. "I wonder if she got the message?" Mulder said with a bit of edge. "She obviously wasn't expecting us this soon. She may be out of town." "Scully, if she doesn't call, we need to get medical attention for you," Mulder said. "No! No doctors," she said sharply. "But Scully..." "No, Mulder. You're going to have to deliver this baby. We can't take the chance of going to a hospital even if there is one nearby. That's the whole point of coming here; so I won't deliver in a hospital. I'll tell you want you need to know when the time comes," Scully said with urgency. "That was before... what if there are complications with either you or the baby." Mulder queried. "That's a chance we have to take, but the chances are more in our favor that nothing will happen. Mulder, you can do this." Mulder took her in his arms. "Scully, are you sure?" "As sure as I've ever been," she replied as she rested her head on his chest. Although he still wasn't comfortable with it, the need to protect them both overrode any fears that were either real or imagined. "Are there any supplies that we need?" "Yeah, we need to warm the baby blankets, we need clean towels, scissors and something to tie off the cord. Shoelaces would work, and any plastic bags you can find. We need to boil most of things", she said as he rubbed her belly. "Ok, I'll do it, you stay put." Mulder said. "It will be awhile before I won't be able to do anything. I want to keep busy. Helping you will distract me from the labor for awhile." Scully said rising from the sofa. 12:04 a.m. Las Vegas "Mr. Krycek, no planes are allowed to land in Gunnison due to the storm up there." The pilot in the airport informed him. "Well, when do you think they'll be allowing flights again?" "Hard to tell. It's a pretty bad storm." "Just let me know the minute there is any change in the weather," Krycek demanded. He walked away angry that a little thing like the weather would prevent him getting to his destination and taking a baby that he knew would enable him to possess what the others had been trying to achieve for the last 50 or so years. "Alex, what did the pilot say?" Marita asked. "There's a storm over most of the state. We won't be able to leave until the weather conditions improve. Damn. I've got to get there everything depends on it." "Well, we don't control the weather," Marita commented. "What do you plan to do - walk?" "You have as much vested in this as I do. Where do you get off being so sarcastic?" "I'm just being realistic." Marita responded. Redwood Road 3:10 a.m. "Ohhhhhhhhhhh!!!" Scully moaned. "Scully lie back against me." She was leaning forward as the contraction peaked. Mulder gently pulled her towards him. "Come on, breathe through it," he coached as he applied pressure to her lower back with the heal of his other hand. They had spent the better part of the last hour in the bathtub; adding more hot water as needed. The warmth of the water had offered her some relief. Over the last couple of hours since the contractions intensified, he noticed she was less and less communicative. Instead, most of her attention seemed be focused inward. Earlier, he walked with her through the contractions, alternating with frequent pauses so that he could rub her back when the pain became unbearable. When that no longer worked, she wanted to try the tub. The power had gone out and the only light that illuminated the bathroom and bedroom were from the candles. Heat came from the burning fire in the fireplace. He could feel her body tense during the contraction and she was losing focus. "Scully, listen to me," he said into her ear at almost a whisper trying to calm her. "Don't try to fight it. Just go with it." Her breathing began to slow after the contraction peaked and began to fade. "Mulder, I can't do this anymore", she cried. "Yes, you can, Scully. You're going to get through this. Just don't think about the last one or the one to come, ok. I'm here for you." "Ughhhhhhh..." she started to moan again. Do you want me to rub your back? She shook her head, but placed his hand just below the curve of her stomach. He could feel the contraction as her belly grew hard under his touch. He rubbed her there hoping that, too, would bring her some comfort. "Baby, I know it hurts," he said as he brushed the damp hair away from her face. "Just focus on relaxing your body." The softness of the lighting helped her a lot, but she wanted to get out of the tub after it subsided. Mulder helped her as much she would let him. She wrapped a towel around herself. Mulder was barely able to get his jeans on, when he saw the expression in her face that another was coming. "I, I feel another one..." barely able to get the words out. The strength of it made her whole body tremble and again, she started to moan as she leaned against Mulder. "Ok, Scully just give into it -- let your body do what it needs to do." "Pressure... feel a lot of pressure," she said as it again subsided. Mulder led her over to the bed. Just as she laid back against the pillows another contraction over took her. "Oh, god I've got to push", she screamed. She tried to take shallow breaths through it, but it wasn't working. "Mulder, I need you to check me. Use two fingers to see if you feel the surface of the baby's head," she said after the contraction ended. "But...." Mulder hesitated. "If I start pushing before I'm ready... and I haven't dilated enough, there could be problems", she tried hurriedly to explain before the next contraction. Unfortunately, there were no latex gloves for this and they both realized infection was possible. He gently inserted two fingers into her. He could feel the rounded surface of the baby's head. "Scully, I think I'm feeling the baby's head." Soon another contraction started only this time she didn't resist the urge. "I'm starting to see a little more," Mulder announced with excitement. "Keep pushing..." Mulder encouraged her. After the urge was gone, she tried to rest which was short-lived as another began to build. Something caught her eye in the mirror nearby. She could see what Mulder was witnessing their baby's birth. Seeing the beginnings of her baby's birth gave her strength to push harder. "You're doing good," Mulder said encouraging her. "You're almost there." The baby was indeed making progress, but slipped back a little. "I'm so tired," Scully said breathlessly. The next push brought even more progress than the last. Scully watched through the mirror and saw more of the slowly emerging baby. It was such an awesome feeling emotionally when she reached down and gently touched her baby's head a head covered with dark hair. She knew that the end was near and she would soon see her baby. Mulder brushed the sweat from his brow as he saw the baby's head emerge. "The head's out, Scully." "Make sure the cord isn't around the neck", Scully said between pushes. Mulder checked and found the cord there, however, there was enough slack for him to slip the cord over the baby's head. "Ok, Scully, the cord is free." He supported the baby's head as a shoulder emerged and then a rotation of the baby on the next push brought the baby out. "It's over, Scully. The baby is here and it's a little girl," he said with tears in his eyes. He held the tiny baby in his arms as she took her first breaths and let out a loud cry. "We have a little girl?" Scully asked incredulously. "I want to see my baby." Mulder placed the wet, slippery baby on Scully's bare skin. The cord was still pulsating. He had read that it was good to wait until the cord stopped pulsating before cutting it. Scully looked down at her new baby in awe. "You did it, Scully. She's here and she's healthy." "We both did it," she said not taking her eyes off the newborn she thought she would never have. Mulder turned his attention back to the job at hand. He took the scissors and cut the umbilical cord and tied it off with the sterile shoelaces since there were no clamps. As he was doing this, the baby turned her head in what seemed like a search for food and started to cry again. "Sounds like she's hungry", Mulder said as Scully brought the baby to her breast. The baby latched on without much help and was instantly content. Scully continued to nurse the baby while Mulder attended to her. "She's beautiful," Scully said. Once the afterbirth was expelled and put aside, he cleaned her up and put some clean towels under her. He used one of the fresh towels to help clean up the baby as she vigorously nursed. Later after everything was done, Mulder climbed into bed with Scully and the baby, who had by now fallen asleep. "I still can't believe she's really ours," Mulder said gazing at the sleeping baby that had a head of dark hair and who looked like a combination of both he and Scully. "Neither can I", she replied. "Mulder, thank you." "For what?" he asked. "I never thought this would ever be possible. My hopes were dashed every month. Emotionally, I just couldn't take another failure and then we agreed that it just wasn't worth it to keep trying. It's so incredible that as soon as we started to accept that parenthood would not be in our future, that I would conceive once I finally realized that I needed to follow my heart -- that it felt right to be with you. I believe it's because she is a testament of our love." Hearing her say that brought tears of happiness. He gave her a small kiss on the top of her head as acknowledgment that he was grateful to be responsible for giving this to her and he leaned down to do the same to the baby. "What should we name her?" Mulder asked. "Before I went into labor, I was going to ask you if you liked the name Jordan if it was a boy, but since we have a girl, what do you think of the name Grace?" "Grace is the perfect name for this beautiful little one," Mulder answered. "We should give her a middle name, too" Mulder added. "I'd love to give her a middle name, but I haven't thought of any," said Scully. "Ok, so Grace for now, but we have all the time in the world to give her a middle name", said Mulder. He snuggled closer to the two most important people in his life. "Um, I think we should all get some sleep", as he pulled the covers up over him and Scully as Grace slept peacefully between them. "It's been a long night," Mulder said. He turned his head in her direction for her response, but she and Grace were already fast asleep. "I love you", he whispered. 8:33 a.m. The torrential wind and rain of the night before stopped and the sun was beginning to peek out from the diminishing clouds. "Frohike, I thought I'd call to let you guys know all is well and that Scully had the baby early this morning." Scully could hear the one-sided conversation as she sat on the sofa with Grace in her arms. "Yeah, we made it here just in time before she went into labor." "Well, that's what I'm calling about. I wasn't able to reach her. I tried twice actually..." "I delivered the baby because Scully wouldn't have it any other way. She's doing great and so is the baby. Anyway, I don't know how long we'll stay here at least until Scully is feeling up to traveling again." "Hey, Frohike I have to go. I hear someone at the door" and with that he hung up the phone. Mulder grabbed his gun which was on the table and approached the door. "Mulder... "Scully, take the baby upstairs" he said in a hushed voice. There was another knock on the door. Mulder looked through the peep hole in the door, but was relieved somewhat. Seeing that he was no longer alarmed, she paused, but remained frozen where she stood, still cradling the now sleeping Grace in her arms. Having concealed the gun in the waistband of his jeans, Mulder opened the door. "Hello, my name is Rebecca," she said extending her hand with a genuine smile on her face. "Come in," he said stepping aside so that she could enter. "I called last night. I figured you never got the message." "Yeah, well I was visiting my sister up north and when I checked my messages, I tried to call but got no answer. Guess it was the storm. So, where's..." "She's right there," Mulder motioned in the direction of the sofa. Rebecca turned and saw Scully holding the newborn. "She couldn't wait any longer," Scully said with a giggle. "She was born earlier this morning." "So you two did this all on your own?" Rebecca asked somewhat shocked. Figuring that the woman who had just given birth was a first- time mom, surprised her that the labor had gone as fast as it did. "I don't think we had a choice in the matter." Mulder said smiling back at Scully. "So what's her name or have you named her yet?" Rebecca asked as she joined Scully on the sofa. "Grace," Scully answered. "That's a beautiful name for a beautiful little girl." Rebecca responded. "So how are you feeling? I know it must've been a rough night for the two of you." "I'm a little sore, but nothing I can't handle," said Scully. "Actually, I feel remarkably good." "Since I'm here, would you mind if I check to make sure everything is ok with you and the baby?" Rebecca asked as she watched the baby contentedly sleep. "That'll be great", Scully responded. "So are you going to stay on here awhile?" "Right now, we don't know, but maybe we'll stick around awhile longer," Scully answered. "Well, I hope you do, but if you can't that's ok. I know from Langly that you're a doctor, so I don't have to tell you how important it is that you get enough rest and not try to do too much in these next few weeks." "Thanks for the reminder. I know the next few weeks are going to be hard, but I'll try." She knew that the rest Rebecca spoke of would only come when they were all safely out of the country. "Maybe this is a good time for you to do that exam," Scully said to Rebecca kind of as a way of changing the subject. "Scully, I made some tea for you and..." "That's great, Mulder.... but we're going to go upstairs so Rebecca can examine both me and Grace." Sam's Market & Feed Store 9:10 a.m. "Marita, they were spotted leaving the airport last night." She was casually browsing the shelves of the little grocery store. "How do you know it was them?" she asked. "Another pilot recognized them from the pictures I showed him," he said as he pretended to be interested in what the store had to offer. "So what if he saw them. That doesn't tell us where they are now", she responded. "I have an idea of how to get that info." Then he walked away towards the cashier had been eying them suspiciously. "Uh, can you help me Pete?" Krycek noticed the name tag the clerk wore. "Maybe, what did you need?" Pete replied still suspicious. "I'm wondering if you've seen these two people come into your store?" He produced two pictures of Mulder and Scully from the inside of his jacket. "The woman is pregnant would look like she's due any time." "Can't say I have." Pete replied as he took a look. "Are they wanted for something?" "Not officially." Krycek said taking the photos back. "One other thing, my partner and I are looking for a place to stay. Are there any cabin rentals around here or a motel?" "Well, if you're looking for a cabin rental, there's the Oaks up on Highway 114. They should have some. There's a rental office that should be able to help you." Pete offered. "Thanks for your time," Krycek answered. He turned to Marita who then followed him out of the store. "So I gather you want to check if they could be hiding out up there." "Right. Look, they have to be there. Scully is in no condition to be roughing it out here in the wilderness." "Right." Marita offered as a response, but only she knew it was not in true agreement. The Cabin Redwood Road "Well, it appears you and your baby are doing just fine, Rebecca said to Scully as she packed away the things that she brought with her in preparation for the birth. "That's good news. I really do feel good." "But you still need to get as much rest as possible," Rebecca warned. Scully picked up baby Grace, who was becoming a little fussy. "I'll walk with you down stairs", Scully said as Rebecca prepared to leave. "So is everything ok, Scully?" Mulder asked when he saw them coming down the stairs. "Everything checks out just fine." she replied. "Grace is healthy and I am, too." "I've got to be going since you two look like you could use some rest and time alone with your new baby." Rebecca said smiling. "But, if you have any problems, please call me. I don't live that far and it wouldn't be any problem for me to stop in." "Thank you, again", Scully said as she walked Rebecca to the door, with Mulder behind her. Rebecca once again gazed at the couple who had just become parents and wondered who these people were and who or what were they running from. But she knew that it was none of her business; she was only helping out a friend. Nevertheless, she left with the feeling that danger would follow those two no matter where they tried to hide. Highway 114 Twin Lakes, CO "The turn off for The Oaks should be coming up", Alex informed Marita. "Once we ascertain they are there, what are you going to do?" Marita asked. "We're going to pay them a little surprise visit", Alex replied with a sly grin. "They won't suspect that we've tracked them down so soon and will be off guard." He almost missed the turn off and needed to back up so as to make the turn. "Ok, here we are," he said as he made the turn. There were no other vehicles on the road except for the one he just passed. Rebecca noticed the couple in the SUV make the turn and mused that they probably didn't know exactly where they were going. Fortunately, there was a stop sign or they would have collided. She continued on her way, but started to remember the couple that called themselves, Kevin and Delia Richards. She knew that wasn't their real names, but she played the game. Although it was unspoken, she knew they were in danger and she was there to help them. What if those people she just passed on the road were part of the equation? It couldn't be, she again mused to herself. "You watch too much TV, Rebecca," she said to herself aloud. Nevertheless, she figured it wouldn't hurt to call them and at least find out if this was indeed all in her active imagination. "Hello, Muld...." he almost gave himself away. "Uh, Kevin, this is Rebecca again." "Are calling to check on us already?" he jokingly asked her. "Well, yes and no. This may sound insane and you might end up wanting to write me off as some wacky midwife." Rebecca said hesitantly. "What's the problem?" Mulder asked getting to the point. "I'm on my way back home right now, but as I was turning onto the main road, I saw a couple in a SUV. They almost missed the turn off and there would've been an accident between us. Getting to the point, this couple struck me as odd. I don't know. Something just didn't feel right about them and as this is a slow period up here folks like them stand out like a sore thumb." "What did this couple look like? The alarm bells already going off. "I only got a brief glance at them, but I think the guy had dark hair and the woman was blond." "Krycek." Mulder said under his breath. "Who?" Rebecca asked confused. "Oh, he's someone we're very familiar with that's all." Mulder responded. "So I was right, you do know those people. Are you in any kind of danger?" Rebecca asked because somehow she was feeling drawn into this world of danger. "It's nothing we can't handle. I've got to go Rebecca, but thanks for calling. Don't worry. We'll be just fine." Mulder said into the receiver. "I wish..." was all she got out before the line went dead. She still had an uneasy feeling that all was definitely not well at that cabin; she just didn't know why. "Who was that?" Scully asked as she came down the stairs. "We've got to get out of here now, Scully." "Why, who was that on the phone?" she asked. "It was Rebecca. She called because she saw two people headed this way. Call it intuition, but if she's right, the two people she saw were Marita and Krycek." "Oh, my god, Mulder how did he..." she didn't allow herself to finish the question because she knew the answer. "But where will we go? We told the guys we'd be in touch when we were ready to leave." "First thing we need to do is pack up our stuff. I'm going to call the guys and see what they can do for us, if anything, but we don't have much time. The best thing we can do is get on the road. If it was that bastard Krycek that she saw, then it's just a matter of time before he finds this cabin." "May I help you?" the clerk asked. "Yes, my wife and I are looking for a cabin. Do you by any chance have any vacancies?" Krycek asked. "Sure. This time of year the vacancy rate is pretty high until June and then people start flocking here for Summer vacations. We do have some residents who live up here on and off during the year, as well." "Oh, so we could make this our home more or less if we wanted to?" This piece of information piqued his interest. "Sure. Were you interested in something more permanent?" the clerk inquired. "Yes, we are, but I'm just going to go out to the car and talk it over with her." Marita was waiting in the car. She could see Krycek talking to the clerk. Knowing that they were closer than ever to finding Mulder and Scully, she knew she had to find a way to stop him. "I hope they are long gone", she mused to herself. "If not..." She opened her purse to reveal a gun. The Cabin 3:33 p.m. "Do we have everything in the car?" Mulder asked. He had come in from loading the trunk of the car. "I think so," she responded as she was putting a little cap on the baby and finishing bundling her for the trip ahead. "I'd feel safer if we had a car seat, but this baby carrier will have to do." She attempted to put the contraption on, but was having some difficulty. Mulder helped her with the straps and in making sure it was snug enough. Next he placed the baby inside so that she was facing Scully. "She should stay nice and warm next to you," he said. Scully gave the cabin one last look as this was the last time she would see the place where her baby was born. Once they got to the main road, she took out the map to see where they were going. "Why don't we head north toward Aspen?" "Sounds like a plan," Mulder responded. "There should be an airport there," Mulder replied. "All the skiers must have a way in and out." Somewhere off Highway 114 "All these cabins look deserted," Krycek commented as they drove the back roads. "Maybe we should get out and have a look around." He pulled off the road near one of the cabins. They started their walk up to one of the cabins. "I think someone has been here recently." Marita noticed that there were multiple tracks on the road leading to the cabin. "Yeah, and they appear fresh. Let's head around to the back. There maybe a back entrance." They hurriedly went around to the back of the cabin. They listened at the door for anyone who may be inside, but couldn't hear anything. Krycek tried the door knob and to his amazement, it was open. As they entered the back door, they noticed that the place had been used. There were dishes in the sink and upon inspection of the fireplace, there was evidence that it had been used earlier. "They could've been here and gone", Marita offered. "Well, let's just look around some more. Maybe there will be clues to their whereabouts," Krycek said in return. "You look around down here and I'll check out upstairs," he ordered. While he went upstairs Marita went back to the kitchen. Nothing other than the dirty dishes seemed out of the ordinary. She was about to leave the kitchen when she heard shouting. "Goddamn it", he shouted. Krycek was running down the stairs with towels. "I found these upstairs in the bathroom", he said indicating the towels he held which were still damp and blood soaked. He suspected whose blood was soaked into the towels, but didn't want to voice it. "What?" Marita looked at them in disbelief. He walked over to the trash can to dispose of the towels, but noticed that the liner was tied. He untied it and saw the remaining remnants of the birth. "Fuck! She has already given birth." Marita came over behind him and saw the afterbirth. He tossed the towels in the direction of the sink in a fit of anger. "Damn it, she's already given birth to that brat", he shouted. "If that after birth is hers, the baby is only a few hours old. They couldn't have gotten too far," Marita said. "It's not a matter of if the after birth is hers, it is hers and we have to keep pursuing them until their luck runs out." He started to head for the front door when he heard a familiar sound, the cocking of a gun to his head. "This is where it ends, Alex." "What are you talking about, Marita?" He paused dead in his tracks. "Is this some twisted game of yours?" He put his hands up in mock surrender. "Twisted?" She laughed at his remark. "I'm not as twisted as you, you sonofabitch. Try and turn around and I'll blow your fucking brains out." "I get it now, you're the leak. That's why they were able to stay one step ahead of us?" Krycek was biding his time so that he would be able to disarm her. "But why give me one good reason?" "Oh, Alex, don't play stupid with me. Did you really think I'd forget that you left me in that medical facility at Ft. Marlene. You looked at me like I was the lowest form of life like I was a non- entity. You left me there to die! Did you really think I'd forgive that?" She was beginning to feel power over Alex Krycek because she was going to make him beg for his life. "You've got it all wrong. I had a mission to accomplish. It wasn't because I didn't want to get you out of there." He was growing tired of the game. The longer it went on, Mulder, Scully and now their baby got further away. He had to get the upper hand. "Sure, Alex, tell me more lies. Now move." She still held the gun to his head. "If you try to turn around, make no mistake, I will blow your brains out all over this floor." He started to move towards the door. "Ok. Now, turn the knob and step away from the door", she ordered. He did as he was told. Only as he started to step away, he swung around and grabbed for her arm at which time there was a struggle. The gun flew out of her hand, landing a few feet away. He then pushed her to the floor. Although, she was only stunned by it momentarily, she tried hard to scramble to her feet when she saw him coming towards her. She spotted the gun just as he was grabbing for her legs and was able to get a hold of it. She turned and pointed it and without realizing she had done so, a shot was fired. Aspen Airport 8:10 p.m. "Our flight will start boarding soon," Mulder informed Scully, who was sitting in the corner of the waiting area of the tiny airport. She had found a discreet way to nurse the baby. Mulder sat down next to her. "I find it odd that we weren't followed, Mulder. If that was Krycek and Marita that Rebecca saw, then why didn't they catch up with us along the way?" "Maybe we have someone watching over us. But, I do know this is far from over." The announcement over the loud speaker announced their flight to Honolulu was starting to board those who were handicapped or with small children. They both got up and started to head for the boarding gate. Once on the plane was safely in the air, they both were able to breathe again. Scully was holding the baby, who was now fast asleep again and Mulder had his arm around her as she leaned against him. "I can't believe that just by being up here in the air would make me feel so safe," Scully said as Mulder caressed her shoulder. "I know. It's a good feeling, isn't it?" Present Day Island of Bora Bora To them we're like merchandise we are valuable to them. We still haven't determined whether it was Krycek and Marita that were headed towards the cabin that afternoon, but on the chance it was, we will stay here as long as the threat is there. Oh, I know that one day, perhaps in the not so distant future, we will have to make a stand to stop colonization, but it will be on our terms. I see your daddy walking towards us. He actually looks happy or maybe he's finally found peace. I'm going to end this journal for now. "Scully, how long have you and Grace been out here?" Mulder smiled at her as he sat next to her on the beach. Grace was asleep in her little porta-crib. "I thought I'd come out here and think about things our future." "Well, it looks like they're good thoughts," Mulder said playfully kissing her. "Yes, they were because this is where we're supposed to be," she answered returning those kisses. Fini End Notes: If you've come this far, it means you've read my story. I'd appreciate feedback from you guys at diamondlife17@hotmail.com. First Born" by Martin, Marissa This story was downloaded from the Gossamer Project on 12 December 2017.
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