Fox found himself slipping into the old patterns of his youth.

He'd never been able to please his father and since he couldn't please his father then his mother wasn't satisfied because she got blamed for his failures. It was his fault his father yelled at his mother, his weakness that led to Samantha's abduction. Fox had never been able to please the old man before him either. As a psychologist, he knew clinically exactly what was occurring here, but he felt almost helpless in the presence of this old man. He felt again like the screw up he had been told he was as a child. No adult who he had cared about had ever thought him good enough. Tired... so tired of fighting... His body sagged, his shoulders slumped, head started to bow. He tried to reach inside for the strength to resist but he'd spent his entire childhood listening to these messages and he didn't know how, couldn't seem to muster the strength to fight.

The old man thought to himself that he had him now, when a stranger walked into the sitting room. "Hey, you, now. What do you want? This is private?"

The tall man simply nodded at the old man and walked up behind Fox Mulder and briefly squeezed his shoulder. Fox straightened, turned and looked up into Walter Skinner's face. "Sorry I'm late, Fox. My business in Boston kept me longer than I'd planned." Skinner held out his hand to the old man and said.

"You must be William Mulder, Fox's grandfather. I'm Walter, his father-in-law. Told him I'd join him and help him set the house in order after the tenants moved out."

Fox was stunned. What the hell was Skinner up to and why hadn't he told the old bastard who the hell he was? And what is he doing here, anyway?

Walter had moved over behind his grandfather to get a chair and as Mulder looked up into his face again, he was startled by the expression there. So many emotions conveyed with a single smile.

Compassion, strength, acceptance, and love. As Walter moved the chair over beside Fox his expression again became neutral and almost stupid?

Well if not stupid, then blank.

Special Agent Fox Mulder remembered again his training and who he was, no longer was he the little boy who had failed everyone but a man determined to get the truth.

The old man couldn't pinpoint what had happened or exactly when but he had lost his grandson. Surely this rather stupid man who was the boy's father-in-law couldn't be behind it. Fox had better taste than to admire so dull-witted a man. That was the only thing that he'd ever liked about the boy was that he appeared to have inherited his smarts from his grandfather. Liam Mulder began to get irritated. He hadn't worked so hard all his life rising from the son of an itinerant farmhand in Ireland to millionaire status... he hadn't worked to shed every ounce of his hated accent and found his own corporation and initiated scientific investigation into genes before anyone else, only to lose now. He cursed silently. He would not lose. He simply would not. He couldn't get the boy to do what he wanted, couldn't get him to feel like the failure he was. He needed him to want to prove himself to him so that he would wreck vengeance on his enemies, but every time he seemed to be making head way young Fox slipped away again.

For another half hour after Walter Skinner arrived the game was joined, but the old man knew he had to be very careful what he said now. This man was an outsider. He became more subtle, even a bit friendly, almost loving. For the most part Walter's mere presence was support enough to fight off the old bastard's tricks but every now and then if one hit too close to home Walter would say or do something that appeared stupid or off the wall and Mulder would look startled and come out of the blue funk that had started. Finally the old man claimed that he was tired and told Fox to come back tomorrow. He sounded almost whiny. The implication being not to bring his father-in-law but Walter, after having watched the old bastard, wasn't about to let Fox face him alone. The man was purely vile and knew every button to push. He must have been the one Fox had gotten his brains from because he was way ahead of them on several occasions.

The only thing that had saved them was that he had been out of the game so long that his talents were rusty. So in the end they had gotten more out of him than they had given up, although it hadn't been much. They had won the round, but just barely.

They walked side by side out of the retirement home each lost in his own thoughts. Walter was carrying his overnight bag which he had stashed behind the entry desk. "So I take it you didn't drive or rent a car?" Fox asked.

"No I caught the train out of Boston. Much quicker at that time of day. Getting a taxi from the station to here was the hard part."

"I don't recall inviting you. Maybe I should just leave you here?" Fox felt very shaken and started to take some of his anger out on Walter.

Walter threw his bag in the trunk that Fox had opened for him.

He turned to face his son- in-law knowing full well that he had every reason to be angry and not wanting to say anything that would hurt him further.

"So I take it you would have preferred me to mind my own business and not come interfering." Walter's tone was unemotional, very cool.

But Fox remembered the look he had given him when he had first come into the retirement home. And something... a wall so high and solid that it had never come down since the day his father beat him with a two by four, finally gave way and he spoke the truth from his heart shocking both himself and Walter.

"I've never been so glad to see anyone in my life. I don't know why you came but I'm glad you did." He grabbed his father into a brief hug before pulling away and going around to unlock and open Walter's door and then doing the same for his own.

"I'm staying at my dad's house, would you like to stay there with me, go to a hotel or my mom could put you up. Very luxurious, her place. I stayed there last night."

"At your dad's with you if it won't put you out too much. I thought you were going to sell the place?"

"The housing market was down and I didn't need the cash so the estate attorney recommended that we rent it out for a year or two until the market picked up, or maybe keep it as a rental property.

The tenants moved out last month and I've been too busy to decide if I want to keep it or sell it. So I had all the boxes that I'd had packed and put in storage moved to the house to go through some this weekend. It won't be much of a break. Sure you don't want to go to a hotel?"

Skinner decided that if Fox could open up a little so could he, "I'm not here for a break I'm here for you."

Fox gave him a side long glance as he drove, quietly accepting his friend's words. "How did you know I needed you? I didn't even realize that I was in trouble until you walked in the door."

"You're not going to believe this." At Mulder's skeptical look he laughed, "Yeah, I know you believe a lot of things but Cancerman's the reason I came."

"Now that I do find hard to believe."

"I was in a meeting with him when Sophia showed up. He went into the other office but apparently listened. She was very distressed, even for her. She was afraid of what your grandfather was up to."

"Yeah she tried to talk me out of going but I'd been putting off talking with the old SOB for months and I knew time was running out." As a thought occurred to him he started to laugh. "You don't mean to say she showed up at the Bureau? Do you?"

Skinner nodded laughing back. "She told Angela that she was my fortune teller and needed to talk to me. Didn't identify herself to anyone so don't worry, this won't add to your mystique but to mine.

I swear, Angela thought one of your X-files had walked into the building. Has your aunt always been this flamboyant?"

Fox laughed, "She's gotten worse with age but she's always been a bit eccentric. So what did Cancerman have to do with it?"

"Well after she left we started our meeting back up but he couldn't concentrate so we called a halt. As he was leaving he told me that your grandfather was one of the cruelest and meanest SOB's he'd ever known and that if he wanted to see you it wouldn't be in your best interests. He seemed to think that he was going to use you to exact vengeance on those he thought had wronged him."

"So this was for my benefit?" The sarcasm dripped form Mulder's voice.

"I didn't buy that either but his last comment was that he might be on your grandfather's hit list so it was self interest. That I could buy. You've gone after that smoking bastard before so I didn't figure it would be a stretch to get you started on him again.

So did you get the feeling that that might have been what he was up to?"

"You know now that you mention it. That could well have been what he was getting at." Fox was silent for awhile replaying the conversation between him and the Liam Mulder before Walter had shown up. "He asked me if I was a good shot..."

"What was with you in there, Mulder? What was he doing to you?"

"Playing on some old memories, but they are long gone now."

Walter let the subject drop knowing that it wouldn't do to push Fox.

He'd talk when and if he wanted to, and from everything he'd heard Fox probably wouldn't talk at all. They drove on to the ferry to Martha's Vineyard in silence.

Chapter 3: Haunted

They stopped and picked up Fox's things at his mother's before going on to Fox's dad's house. He could tell that his mother had not been happy to see Walter but wasn't quite sure why, though of course she was the ever gracious hostess. For his own part Fox was glad to have Walter along since his mother didn't seem to harp on all the negative stuff while he was around. Teena had invited them to stay for lunch and they had accepted. The conversation ranged over his mother's classes, how his little sister's were doing in school and what college they would attend in the fall.

The girls wanted to go to Georgetown in DC but his mother and Ed were pushing hard for Wellesley, Yale or Harvard.. Suddenly in the last couple of weeks they had been talking about totally unacceptable schools such as University of Chicago, Northwestern, Sanford and UCLA.

His mom had been horrified at the thought of her daughters half way or clear across the country. Fox suspected that this was his sister's way of getting to attend Georgetown. Washington, DC where their brother lived suddenly sounded not near so dangerous as clear across the country with no relatives near by.

"It's too late to apply to most of these school for fall admittance anyway, Mom, so there isn't any need to worry."

"That's what Ed and I thought but it seems that Amy and Jennifer have applied to over twenty-five schools across the country and with their grades and SAT scores have been accepted by all of them."

Walter thought he might offer a suggestion. "Did they apply to William and Mary in Virginia? That would be close to DC and their brother but not in the middle of a large city. It might be a good compromise."

Teena looked up startled. She wanted to reject the idea outright, she was very jealous of Walter's relationship with her son but the idea had it's merits. Closer to home would have been preferable but in Virginia near Fox would be better than those awful California schools. "I'll talk to Ed and we'll look into it, Walter.

Thank you for the suggestion."

"It's a good school and I think you'll like it." Yeah, and it's not practically right next door to the FBI either. Those two girls are damned smart. Too smart.

"That's a good idea. You want me to talk to them later and see if they might be interested, Mom?"

"Let me talk it over with Ed first but then, yes, maybe that would help. They seem to listen more to you than they do their own parents. They just hand on every word your wife says... take it as gospel." His mother's voice began to take on that whining quality that so grated on his nerves. Little alarm bells went off... not Dana... but your wife... what the hell was going on now?

Fox looked over to see that Walter had finished and spoke.

"Well, Mom, I've got at least thirty boxes to go through this weekend, grandfather wants to see me again tomorrow and I'm supposed to be back at work Tuesday so we'd better get started. I really don't want to put anything back into storage. It either gets given away or I'm going to ship it to DC."

"Are you sure you don't want my help, Fox?" The offer was half hearted at best, the last thing she felt up to facing just now was going through Bill's things but it irritated her that Walter was up here helping. She didn't understand why Fox had invited him and why someone as important as Walter would take the weekend to help her son go through his father's things. Bill had always told her that when you worked for the government your job had to come first. But then, maybe that was a lie too... He had left her alone much of the time to raise the two children. She'd had servants but that wasn't the same.

Even Ed who dearly doted on his two daughters was a very busy man. So what the hell was the Assistant Director of the FBI doing helping her son pack up. Why didn't he just mind his own business? Teena Mulder Tillot was as sensitive as her son but not as insightful.

She knew there was something about Walter Skinner's relationship with her son that was bothering her but couldn't figure out what it was.

She decided that she would have to talk to her counselor about it.

Maybe together they could figure it out. Lately she really had been confused. Seeing Fox standing over the crib looking at little Patrick had brought back so many painful memories... memories she thought she had dealt with... and that Dana... such a know it all... never confused... thinking that it was so easy to just unconfuse yourself...

What could she know? How would she know what it was like to lose your baby girl, to wait and wait and have her never come home... She had tried to love Dana. She really had. She had tried to help with the babies... and the woman had just yelled at her. That had really hurt.

She'd been trying to express her feelings and... well, Dana had just gotten annoyed.

Thirty boxes can either go very quickly or very slowly. Most of these were the slow variety. They'd found the bedding and towels without too much trouble and the kitchen boxes had been well marked.

Besides they planned to order take out for most of the food and had only bought the bare necessities, such as milk, coffee and sun flower seeds at the store. They had a place to sleep and something to eat with. Skinner found himself laughing at Mulder's childish habit. He could still remember the agent who took over the wire tap detail from Mulder swearing that the agent he relieved must have a parrot because no human could consume that many seeds. The man obviously didn't know a bored or nervous Mulder, Skinner thought to himself. Right now Mulder was working up quite a pile. Walter wondered how much he and Dana argued about it. Dana was decidedly a neatnick, a trait she had apparently gotten from her military father, although Margaret kept a lovely home. It occurred to Walter that to Fox, this house was probably haunted. If it hadn't been, he would have been a fool to sell it. It would have made a wonderful summer home.

Walter had the easy job. He went through the household stuff and listed it down, re- boxed it a more orderly manner and moved it into a stack to be donated. Anything he had doubts about, he put in a separate box for Mulder to look at later. He found it ironic that whether he was here or at home he would be going through boxes, packing up and unpacking. From his last conversation with Meg, she wasn't missing him at all. Well she wasn't missing his help in the move. Personally was another matter and her words brought a smile to his face. Just a few more days to her recheck with Amy. The Scully's apparently had moving down to an art and his presence would interfere with the artistic process. It seemed that he was too detailed and orderly in some areas and not detailed enough in others. Well she had promised that he could unpack his own office so he wasn't too concerned about the rest of it. Actually he was glad that she was assuming the responsibility because he hated moving. It made him grouchy.

Meg had asked how Fox was doing and Walter had replied fine, which was true now. He didn't tell her that Sophia had been right about the old man and that his presence had been needed by Fox. No sense in worrying her, unnecessarily. He was here now and would ride this out with his son-in-law.

Fox had been quiet most of the afternoon. He seemed to appreciate having someone there with him to go through the boxes but he didn't appear to want to talk much. He was lost in thought most of the time and a sadness had settled over him. Walter didn't pry. He remembered how hard it had been, even with his sister's help, to go through all of his mother's things and pack them up to save or donate to charity. And his mother's death had been natural. Fox had been putting this off almost two years now and Walter knew it had to be hard to face all these memories. Even for someone who worked with violence on a daily basis losing a loved one to murder was still traumatic and painful and that didn't take into account all the other baggage that had gone on at the time. He also realized that Fox missed Dana terribly. The younger man was never quite complete when she was not around. Sometimes it seemed almost as though, in spite of the fact that their relationship was not always easy, they were soulmates.. one not whole without the other, an idea which he would have debunked entirely if he had not been married to Annie all those years. For ten years after she died he'd felt incomplete, a part of his soul had been missing, then he had walked into Scully's hospital room and found it. Walter Skinner knew that he was a lucky man to have found two such wonderful women in his life.

Finishing taping up the box he was working on, Walter stood up and stretched. The work wasn't hard but it was tedious. Boxes had been packed rather haphazardly by whoever had been hired by the estate. He looked around the room. Not much to show for a life and very little of a personal nature. Fox had paid to keep the phone hooked up for these few days and had rented the house furnished.

Walter was glad for these facts because it would allow them to stay at the house and work late into the evening. Hopefully they could get most of it done tonight and Saturday, leaving Fox some time on Sunday to spend with his mom and sisters, after the meeting with the old SOB of course. His companion hadn't said any more about it but Skinner hoped to broach the subject over dinner so that they could plan a strategy for getting more information out of him.

As Walter was opening another box and considering possible interrogation approaches, Fox stood up suddenly and spoke for the first time in over an hour.

"I need some fresh air. I'll be back." He practically ran out the door. His father-in-law looked up and debated following him but decided to give him some space.

Forty-five minutes later dusk was fast approaching and there had been no sign of Mulder's return. It was getting cold out and Mulder had run out in jeans and a short sleeve t-shirt. Walter was getting worried. He finished the box he was working on and then went over to where Fox had been working and looked down. It didn't take a genius to see why he had gotten upset. A photo album was opened about mid-way through. Walter turned to the beginning and began to leaf through.

At first it appeared to be a normal family but as he turned the pages Walter realized that almost all the pictures looked posed, formal. There were very few candid shots and everyone of those appeared to have been taken by Fox. Skinner wasn't sure how he knew it, but he did. One of his mom, one of his dad and several of a young girl that Skinner recognized as Samantha. And finally one of a young boy. The picture wasn't composed very well. If Walter had to guess he would bet that it had been taken by Samantha. The perfect picture album of a perfectly normal family on the surface but it was all illusion. Even the short look that Skinner took through the album told him that this wasn't a real family, especially when he compared it with the Scully albums he had seen. They had been full of warmth and love of people living and caring for each other. This album was pure image and with the exception of the half dozen pictures taken by the boy Fox and the one by Samantha there was no life or love in the album. No wonder her loss was so devastating to him. She was the only real thing in his life. Another thing that astonished him was just how much the infant Fox looked like a single baby picture of Bill, and how he looked like Patrick... identical... three Generations. Cancerman had been right about the child's physical appearance when he had shown up at the hospital that day. Perhaps that was a part of what was bothering Fox, and his mother... too many bad memories represented in that one tiny body, a body that looked so much like Fox and his father.

About two thirds of the way through the album the pictures stopped. The last pages had only contained formal school portraits of Fox Mulder. The last one appeared to be his college graduation picture. Again, the resemblance to a younger Bill Mulder was astonishing. The rest was blank. Walter Skinner wondered about the man Bill Mulder was and could have been. A couple of hours with Fox's grandfather coupled with what Sophia said gave Skinner a pretty clear picture of how Bill Mulder had been raised. He felt sorry for the man who had missed out on the life of his son, whose whole life could be reduced to a precious few boxes of personal effects that weren't all that personal. Walter Skinner shivered at the thought of how close he and Fox had come to just such a life. If it hadn't been for Margaret and Dana... but they were there, and crying babies, crazy family and all he wouldn't trade it for the world.

He checked his watch as he looked outside. Still no sign of Fox and it would be dark soon and it was definitely getting cold. He went to the thermostat and turned up the heat, then grabbed a sweatshirt and a down jacket for Fox. Putting on his own heavy clothes, he headed out to look for his straying agent.

The beach was only a short walk away and Walter headed towards it. Somehow he knew that that was where Fox would be. He found the younger man sitting on the remains of an old set of stairs looking out to sea. His son-in-law didn't lookup or speak as Walter approached.

But Walter was sure that he knew it was him. Sitting down quietly a couple of steps behind him he handed him first the sweatshirt to put on and then the jacket. Mulder turned back and gave him a disgusted look but did as he was silently told. They sat, looked out at the sea and said nothing as the light started to fade.

Fox Mulder then gave Walter Skinner and himself one of the biggest surprises of both their lives. He started to talk about what his life as a child had been like. Never before had he told anyone about it... not really... not in any kind of detail and definitely not about how he felt about it all. Hell, he'd avoided most of his adult life even thinking about the pain associated with his childhood. But suddenly right now he needed someone to listen... not just someone but Walter Skinner... a good friend who would not pity him, and never repeat what he had been told, and so Fox talked... and Walter Skinner listened.

"Nothing I did was ever good enough for my father. Only once in my entire life did he ever tell me he was proud of me and that was the night he was killed. He was proud because I'd kept my politics my own and hadn't fallen into the trap he did. Something to be proud of, huh?" Sarcasm dripped from his voice.

"I'd say that was one thing to be proud of, Mulder."

"You know I was first in my class both in high school and college, I played on two state championship basketball teams in high school, was the leader of our state championship debate team, won several academic scholarships and so many academic awards that I couldn't keep count. My teacher's throughout school were always praising me for my intelligence and diligence studying but he never once gave me a word of praise for anything I did.

"I can count the times in my life that he hugged me on one hand and still have a few free fingers. And, mom, she would never stand up to him. Sometimes she'd whisper to me that I'd done good, but she was always careful not to let him catch on. He'd beat me... no not bad and I wouldn't even call it abuse... at least not the kind that kills kids... yeah, I know what you've probably heard and you're thinking that I'm just not willing to admit it but until after they took Samantha it wasn't quite abuse. Then it slipped over into child abuse but before that, well it was strict and hard and frequent, but it never did more than sting for a little while. Even when he used the belt it didn't raise welts, a few red marks maybe but they would fade quickly. He was careful. The physical wasn't the worst part for me... for me it was never being good enough. He constantly criticized everything I did. Lazy, stupid, wimp, irresponsible... over and over and over. And he wasn't the only one. By her very silence mom seemed to agree and...

"That old bastard in the nursing home... you know what his nickname for me was? The illegitimate brat. Samantha he mostly ignored. Females weren't worth bothering about. You know I have a feeling that's why she was taken instead of me. Grandfather thought I might be useful to him down the line but he didn't consider Samantha to be worth much. To this day I don't know whose choice the abduction was and if it was me or her that my father wanted to keep. I keep hoping that he chose to keep her and that the old bastard overrode the decision. I could forgive Dad almost anything except him letting them take her and leave me..."

Walter held his silence. He knew that Fox wouldn't appreciate the thoughts that were running through his father-in-law's head at the moment. He couldn't help but be glad that he had Fox Mulder in his life and he didn't want to imagine a life without him or what might have been done to him if he had been the one abducted. He had never known Samantha.

"You want to know what's really pathetic and sad about it all... and why I loved my father?" He turned to look at Walter for the first time his eyes full of pain... a pain so deep that he'd never been able to release it with tears. "Underneath it all I knew he loved me and was doing the best that he could. As he beat me in that damned drunken rage I knew it was himself he was beating, himself he hated... I wanted to hate him but I couldn't because I could sense that deep down underneath it all was a darkness and pain that he could never get out of. His soul was buried so deep and in such darkness that no one could reach him. He was so very alone. Mom wasn't a companion but another dependent. I know he chose her but she never stood by his side. Not like Dana stands by me. God, even now, Walter, I feel so sorry for him. Every time I hold my son and love him... every time I touch Dana... and our daughter our beautiful daughter... I realize just what my father missed out on."

He turned to look at Walter briefly and ask, "Did you look at the album?"

At Walter's nod of yes he continued. "It was so empty... so hollow... no depth... He tried so hard to make it real but it was all illusion and in the end it slipped through his fingers like sand... like so many grains of sand... I feel so sorry for him and so lucky... so very lucky..." His voice faded and broke on the last word and he began to cry into his hands. His heart breaking.

Walter who was sitting a couple of steps up was wondering what to do when Fox leaned his head against his father-in-law's knee and held on to his calf. Walter touched his head briefly amazed at Fox's willingness to let him in and at the depth of his caring and understanding of the man who had hurt him so. The tears didn't last very long. They subsided slowly, but Fox didn't move for a long time.

He was like a little kid holding on for dear life to a favorite stuffed animal for comfort. He began to talk again, this time about himself.

"I'm so scared of ending up like him. There have been a few times... not many thank God... but a few that I've been awful that way to Dana. It scares me how vicious and cruel I can be and how manipulative. Just like that old bastard with me earlier today.

Withdrawing my love and approval so that I can get what I want... even about little things. Do you remember the trip the amusement park? The one you and Mom cut out on?" He looked up and back and saw Walter smile. He managed a bit of a smile himself recalling the look on everyone's face when Walt and Meg had pulled out of that parking lot.

"Smart move on mom's part not to expose you to that right away. Dana didn't want to go but I pouted until she gave in, then I go off with the rest of them and leave her stuck with all the babies because she doesn't like rides. You know it really irritated me when her family did that and there I was, using her just like the rest of them. But I'd never gone to one before and I wanted..." His voice faded again and he paused before continuing. "Since I found Dana, Mom and you," the 'and you' was said so softly that Walter could barely hear it, "I've spent the time trying to fill in all the pain and hurts and emptiness of a lifetime."

He sat up and looked out at the sea again. "Kind of a futile endeavor, huh?"

Walter wanted to take his son in his arms and hold him close but he refrained. He doubted Mulder would have appreciated it. They were males after all in this society, and that would have been unacceptable. Instead he squeezed his shoulder and left his hand resting there.

"Fox, you can't make up for all you've lost. That's gone, and besides it's made you what you are today..."

"Yeah a fucked up mess."

Walter shook him gently. "No, it's made you one of the most caring empathetic person's I've ever met, male or female. You got inside the minds of serial killers not because you are like them... yeah I know that's what you're afraid of but it's not true.. you've never been in any danger of becoming like them.

Whatever the demons that occasionally come out they are all your own..."

"That's supposed to be comforting?"

"I'll get back to that later... The reason you can get into the mind of a killer so well is that you have a brilliant mind that can piece all the parts together and what separates you from the rest of the brilliant minds is that you can feel their pain, you understand the agony within them and that helps you predict their actions. It's a terrifying combination and I don't blame you for wanting out after awhile. The weight of all that pain must have become unbearable."

Fox nodded. "The cases they put me on kept getting worse and worse... I knew that if I didn't get out soon that the pain would push me so far down in a hole that I'd end up killing myself in a few more years. I would have never been able to claw my way out. But I still have my own demons. And they are pretty horrible. You have no idea what I was like to Scully after the Phoenix case."

"Oh, I've got a pretty good idea. I was the one who took care of her in the hotel room. Do you have any idea about how close you came to losing your babies? And I don't mean to that mad man in Arizona."

Fox looked up confused and startled. "What do you mean?"

"That flu that Dana had. The one I told you about in my office when you took a swing at me." At Mulder's nod that he remembered Walter continued. "Well one of the women in my sister's congregation had the same thing, she was a little farther along than Dana but she got severely dehydrated and that caused her to go into labor early and she lost her baby. Yours were twins, I don't have to tell you how much smaller they were and the likelihood of their survival that premature do I?"

Fox nodded no horrified at the thought. And Dana hadn't said a word to him. Dana, his anchor... the source of everything beautiful in his life

"Dana wasn't trying to neglect herself she was just so sick that she couldn't think straight, By the time I got to her she could barely walk. So when I realized that she was on her own and how sick she was I called Amy and she prescribed something for the nausea.

Dana was finally able to keep some fluids down, but I have a feeling that a few more hours..." His voice trailed, off and he knew that Fox was about to start beating himself up again. Well Walter wasn't going to allow that either.

"Stop it right now, Fox." His voice and tone were an order.

"I didn't tell you that so you could wallow in your guilt. You use that damn guilt to avoid changing. You need to accept responsibility and then figure out what you're going to do about it, not keep kicking yourself over the past."

Fox looked up startled. He'd never realized it before but that was exactly what he did. By concentrating on the guilt he avoided the need to change. He didn't become a horrible human being too often but when he did... Shit. "You would have made a pretty damned good psychologist yourself, Wally."

"You can call me Wally from here to eternity but I'm not letting you distract me."

A chagrined look appeared on Fox's face. "You can be a pretty brutal bastard yourself."

"I didn't work my way up through the Bureau without learning a few things, Fox. Now the question is what are you going to do to keep your dark side in line?"

"I don't know. I try, but it still slips out every now and then. This last time though, Dana got fed up. She was looking for apartments to leave me. Scared the shit out of me."

"Scully will only put up with so much."

"So I learned. I've really been trying since then."

"I know. I can see the difference."

"Can you? I keep thinking that maybe I'm succeeding but then that week with mom and Ed visiting... The way she kept looking at me.

Oh, I wanted to thank you for what you did, running interference and all." Walter smiled at him and nodded. Fox continued, "Then today with grandfather... well I suddenly found myself back in that hole with no way out. If you hadn't shown up."

Walter leaned forward and put his arm around his son's shoulder. "You have a family now. And although we can't change what is past we're here to help you out of that dark pit any time you fall back in. You don't even have to ask, Fox, we'll be there pounding on the walls as soon as we realize you're there. It'll take time but I know that you can do it. There are a lot of great family memories to make. Like the first time you forget to cover Wally Wolf's shooter and you get it between the eyes."

"That happen to you yet with Little Fox? And I thought last summer would have taught you."

"I refuse to comment on the grounds... Come on it's freezing out here and I'm hungry. What was that comment Scully made once?

That's right... Why can't you ever have a mood someplace warm."

Walter stood and reached down a hand to Fox and pulled him to his feet. They headed back to the late Bill Mulder's house.

Chapter 4: Exorcism

Dinner was Chinese take out that Fox had called and ordered and they had driven out to get. Walter had figured that Fox would want to put some distance between them after the scene on the beach but instead he seemed to not want to be alone. Too many painful memories Walter guessed. They ate quietly as they worked some more on the boxes.

He'd been going to go back to working on the household boxes but Fox had called him over to look at some stuff of his father's and then started to talk. As he went through the box Fox talked about friends he had made during his time in New York with Aunt Sophia, and teachers and how they'd helped him with their support. "Each year there was a new one though. Nobody stayed around for long, although they would remember my name and say hi when they saw me in the hall at school. I got teased allot at first for being teacher's pet but then I developed a smart mouth and that took care of that. 'Course then I wasn't quite so popular with the teachers." He grinned over at Walter and Walter laughed.

"I bet not. With your brains you probably had the class in stitches and drove the teachers to distraction. I still remember your telling me that one of your goals in the FBI was to find Elvis.

Sheesh, Mulder, even back then you had big balls. All that practice came in handy for use against the Assistant Director."

"Now that's not fair. You quit playing it straight first. I was very well behaved until you made that comment about Freeman, and implied that he lacked a certain part of his anatomy. I'd come to the same conclusion myself in his interview with me. You know it's your fault I joined the FBI. You misled me."

"Now what the hell are you talking about? I never lied to you."

"Yes you did. You led me to believe that there were people under those robot facades."

"Now you're being caustic."

"No I'm not. You're the exception, Walt. You really care about the job and making a difference. You stick to you're convictions no matter what danger it puts you in and you don't go around bullshitting people. I know that your career's important to you, but you've never sold out your beliefs to get ahead. And most of all you're willing to accept others for what they are and not try to make them fit into your mold."

Walter was stunned. This is what Fox thinks of me? He felt very flattered.

"When I worked in Behavioral for Patterson... I really wanted to please him. Hell I've spent my life trying to find a father figure that I could please." At Walter's startled glance Fox gave a sarcastic laugh. "I'd have to be a pretty poor psychologist to not recognize one of my own prime motivating factors, now wouldn't I?

I've been looking for a father that would be proud of me since I could remember. Mine never could give me that. Anyway for awhile I thought Patterson might be that. But I couldn't make myself over into his image. I couldn't be like him and eventually when I saw the toll it was taking on him... Well I decided that I didn't want to be like him.

He couldn't accept that, couldn't let me be myself, find my own way.

He took my need to find a different path as rejection. You know I wasn't trying to be rebellious but if I got anything from my dad it was an independence to be myself. He beat me to make me a man but he never tried to make me fit some kind of mold. He let me find my own path.

Skinner thought Yeah, right... till he nearly killed you when you were 12 and Sophia took over, but he said nothing. Let Mulder have some good thoughts about his father too... It couldn't hurt. The man was, after all, dead."

"Anyway with Patterson he couldn't handle that I

wanted... needed to do it differently than he did. And the darkness of the job... it was taking it's toll on me so that when I found the X-files they were a way out. I didn't want to end up alone like Bill and my father. Course I ended up feeling like a failure, I'd let someone down who I looked up to." Fox sighed, "Again." Fox shook his head and went back to work on the box handing Walter stuff to either pack to DC, throw away or give to charity.

"Fox, just because you don't do everything perfectly, doesn't mean that the people who care are going to stop loving you. You don't have to earn love, at least not that way. Real love... it's because of who you are, not what you can do for somebody, and that kind of love doesn't go away because you fight or disagree or don't live up to some unrealistic expectations. You're too hard on yourself... expect too much. Perfection isn't a requirement to be loved.

"I broke my father's heart when I enlisted. He was terrified for me... imagine it... he'd already lost one son and here was his last one, stupid and arrogant enough to think he was invincible. But when I came back from Nam, my father hugged me hard and loved me. To this day I know the heart attack he had while I was over there shortened his life and worry about me contributed to that attack. But no matter what I did, what stupid mistakes I made, he never stopped loving me. Real fathers don't. You don't have to agree all the time just be willing to work through the differences." Fox smiled at Walter and continued on with his task.

"I'll keep that in mind the first time Wally Wolf wants to stack the blocks his way..." he said with a chuckle.

Walter had given him a lot to think about. Suddenly he couldn't wait to get home. After he hugged Dana, the first thing he was going to do was pick up little Wally Wolf and tell him he loved him, no matter what. They worked silently together until they came to an old wooden box at the bottom of the pile.

Fox gasped when he opened it. Walter looked over his shoulder into a box full of awards and prizes that looked like they dated back to kindergarten or first grade. Blue ribbons, certificates of achievements, candid snapshots of both Fox and Samantha. And they were all carefully labeled in Bill Mulder's distinctive handwriting.

Fox picked up each one carefully and studied them. He didn't notice the tears running down his face until Walter handed him his handkerchief. He looked up at his father-in-law in embarrassment, but before he could say anything Walter commented.

He nodded towards the box of mementos and said, "I'd say that's the work of a proud father."

Fox just nodded trying to collect himself. "Sorry I'm being such a wimp."

"Fox, going through a late parent's effects is difficult even at the best of times and in the best of circumstances and you've got a lot of baggage to work through and an old bastard to face tomorrow.

There isn't a thing wrong with crying."

"Yeah right. I bet you do it all the time."

"No, I was brought up in the same culture as you were where men didn't cry. So, no I don't cry very often. I did however cry when I helped my sister go through our mother's things and when my first wife died. Hell, when Annie died, I didn't even want to live anymore. The only thing that kept me going was knowing how hurt she would be if I didn't."

"So the last time you cried was... what...? Ten... fifteen years ago?"

Walter sighed. He really didn't want to get into this... he definitely didn't want to admit this to Fox Mulder. But shit the young man had opened himself so much today that he couldn't bring himself to shut him out.

Fox wondered what Walt was thinking. He looked put out and like he didn't want to talk. "Hey, look, it's none of my business..."

Walter interrupted. He didn't look at Fox but somewhere out the dark window as he said, "The last time I cried was when Scully came back from New Mexico and told me you were dead. I could see the devastation she felt, so I knew that she believed what she said. So I went through the motions for the rest of the day and went home and let go.

"You don't have a corner on guilt. I felt like it was my fault that I couldn't get either of you to trust me, that maybe I could have done something. That I should have done something. And there was Scully, right in the middle of danger and she wouldn't let me near. It was the last thing I thought I could do for you and that was keep her safe and she kept me at arms length, kept shutting me out. I kept trying to catch her out of the office. Hell, Cancerman was constantly under foot with his minions and they were determined to crucify her and I couldn't find out what was going on and Margaret was busy dealing with her own and her daughter's grief. God that was one hell of a week." Walter rubbed the back of his neck in frustration and anguish over the memory. That week was one that he did his best to avoid thinking about.

"That night when you walked in alive... Well I knew that I'd been given a second chance and I decided there and then that I didn't give a damn what it took. I was going to help you two even if it got me killed." He finally turned to look Fox in the eye. "I've never regretted that decision."

Fox smiled, nodded and looked back down at the box. He didn't know what to say to Walter. It was comforting to know that they were on a two way street, however. "I'll have to show this to Dana. You know I'm torn between anger at him and pity for him. The pain he caused... the emptiness in my soul that it's taken me thirtyfive years to finally find someone to fill. I want to scream at him, 'How could you?' But then I realize how alone he was, how empty his life and I just feel sorry for him, and wish I could have somehow gotten through, somehow have shared with him some of the joy I've found."

"That last night... did you reject him or accept his love?"

"I was pretty drugged up, but I remember hugging him back and holding him as he died."

"Well then I imagine that he knew that you loved him and that was enough."

"I hope so. Look, let's call it quits for tonight. This was the last box of personal effects, so the others we should be able to knock out quickly tomorrow after we go talk to my grandfather. I want to get out of here and get some coffee or hot chocolate at this place I know. Used to hangout there during junior high and high school when I came back to visit. We can plan out our strategy for interrogating the old man. Although I must say you play the fool well, Walt. You even had me going for awhile there. Figured they must have cloned you with a dumb duplicator.."

"I had to improvise but it seemed to work. He won't be as easy to fool tomorrow. He's as smart as you, very shrewd and very mean and he'll have had the night to think about things."

"No shit. But we have an advantage. He hasn't changed much so I know him pretty well. I on the other hand have acquired a family and my strings can't be pulled as easily as before. The SOB has a temper, we can use that as a weakness. I'm sure that's where I got my vile temper from and if we turn the tables on him about mid-way in and let him see that he can't control me like he used to... well we've got to shake him up or get him to lose his temper but if he does I bet we can get information out of him. Let's go form a plan of attack."

Walter nodded his agreement and said, "I could use some hot chocolate."

They packed up the last box of Bill Mulder's personal things and headed out to the diner for a break.

_______

He paced back and forth, chatted with the staff and other residents of the nursing home, and kept an eye on Fox and his grandfather from a distance. They had talked and debated until late last night at the diner but it had all come down to the realization that they stood the best chance of getting information out of the old man if Fox played along. Both had been reluctant but the old man's health was failing and this would probably be the last chance to get anything out of him and it was obvious that he knew something. The question was how much of what he said could be believed? Walter and Fox had discussed the previous visit and compared it with what Cancerman had said, they had reluctantly come to the conclusion that everything they learned was going to be suspect. It was all part of the old man's attempts to get Fox to settle the score for him. Still there might be enough truth in what he said to give them several leads, and if they could shake him up maybe even more would come out.

So after having said good morning to Fox's grandfather, Walter had excused himself and watched and waited providing silent support to Fox.

They had been lucky that the sun room which residents of the retirement home could reserve for family gatherings or business meetings had glass french doors on both sides. It would allow Fox to signal Walter when he was ready to turn the tables and it allowed him to look at Walter and gain strength when the old man's words got too close to home. Fox found that he hadn't even really needed to look at Walter, just the knowledge that he was there and with it the memory of Dana and his children was enough to counter the old bastard's criticisms and keep him from falling into the same old self condemning behavior.

Fox had derived his own personal strategy. Whenever it was starting to get to him, he would focus his mind on the conversation he and Dana had had on the phone the night before. It had started with, "Hey, I miss you, Scully... talk dirty to me..." The old man had been particularly vicious today. He'd gone through all the old stuff leaving out everything he had done wrong of course, and had finally moved on to the death of his 'beloved' son. Beloved my ass. Thought Fox to himself. You used us both as little more than tools. Sophia doesn't bear thinking about.

The SOB blamed his father's death on him and pointed out his failure to stop or even catch the killer. "Right there in the same house. Boy, your father deserves justice."

Fox let his shoulders slump and his head bow. It wasn't hard, his grandfather's words still had the ability to sting, to play on the guilt that was so much a part of his nature even though he knew what the old bastard was up to. He glanced up briefly to see Walter sitting quietly in the other room reading some reports that he had brought along. He thought of Dana. His father-in-law glanced up briefly and nodded at him. Mulder felt the confidence behind that nod and fought off his demons. Time to see what Grandfather has in mind.

"What do you want me to do, Grandfather? What would you consider justice?"

"I'll give you the names of some people. They were behind your father's death... and a lot of other things as well... don't deserve to live. You make sure justice is done, Boy. The law will never touch them they are too cleaver and too well protected, especially that smoking man... bastard... You have to take care of them." The old man reached down and retrieved a small document case and handed it over to Fox.

Fox Mulder took the case, opened it and examined the contents.

About fifty sheets of paper and a dozen floppy disks were inside.

"This will tell me all I need to know? Will it tell me what happened to Samantha?"

"These are the men you need to deal with. Don't you worry about why. The documents give you background information on how to handle them and the disks have the details of some of their projects.

Also what they've done to deserve death. You got the balls for this, Boy?"

Mulder straightened up and nodded at Walter indicating that he was ready for him to come in before replying. "I've got the balls to make sure justice is done." Now's the time to shake him up. See if this stuff will stand up to scrutiny.

As Walter entered the old man looked up slightly upset about the intrusion. He'd wanted to get the boy to promise to execute the men on his list but he'd got him to agree to justice for them and they both knew what justice meant. Didn't they? Why the hell Fox was hanging around with this stupid fool was beyond him. Must be some slut he married to put up with her stupid father like this. Walter Skinner walked over to Fox and squeezed his shoulder looking down at him. You okay? He asked silently.

Yeah. Fine. Thanks. Was the silent answer.

Ready for the next stage?

Fox nodded. Ready.

The old man watched this exchange in silence. He was an astute observer and what he observed in the silent conversation shook him... Something about this Walter had changed... He didn't appear near as foolish as before and an air of authority suddenly surrounded him. And the boy's reaction to him. The boy relied on him he could tell and respected him. How the hell could he respect such a fool? Then Walter spoke shaking him further. "Did you get what you came for, Mulder?"

"As much as I'm likely to get. Not much truth but maybe some leads."

"What do you mean, boy? I gave you truth." The old man defended. The boy had to do what he wanted.

"You gave me what you wanted me to hear. Whether there is any truth in it is yet to be seen. But don't worry, I'll use it to the best of my ability to get justice for all concerned. You can count on that."

Walter reinforced what Fox had said, "You can count on both of us to work to find the truth and see justice done, Mr. Mulder."

"You work with my boy at the FBI?"

"Not with exactly."

"Didn't I introduce you, Grandfather. This is my boss, FBI Assistant Director Walter Skinner. Walter, this is my grandfather, Liam Mulder."

"Where'd you hear that, boy?" The man's temper snapped. Very few people knew about that... very few. How he had hated his people... especially those Catholics... and working for them... inferior... well he was different.

"From my wife's late grandmother," Fox suddenly pulled a picture out of his wallet. Walter saw that it was one of the pictures taken in Ireland... a wedding picture. It was the same as one of two portraits Mulder had hung over his mantle at home. He had had Gran's old wedding photo enlarged, and then hung one of he and Dana next to it.

The old man gasped. Mary... it was Mary Elizabeth

O'Connor... but it couldn't be... there had been no color pictures then. Suddenly he was confused. Now there was a woman... that Mary O'Connor... but what had she done? Married that weakling of a brother of his instead of a strong man like himself. He could have kept Mary in line.

"That's my wife Dana, Grandfather. Looks just like her grandmother, don't you think?"

"You lied to me, Boy. You're not interested in justice."

"On the contrary, Grandfather. Both Walter and I are determined to see that justice is finally done. Thank you, for this."

He held up the case. "Hopefully, this will help right allot of wrongs."

The old man was beside himself with anger. The boy wasn't going to do what he wanted. Wasn't going to exact the vengeance on those he wanted punished. The little bastard had married the grand child of his former sister-in-law. Damn the boy was full of surprises. How the hell had he resisted the conditioning? But as he watched the brief interaction between the two men before him he knew.

He realized with the insight that Fox was so noted for that the boy had found the father he'd always sought, someone who accepted him for what he was and wasn't trying to get anything from him or use him for his own ends. No one would be able to use a father like role to manipulate Little William again. Assistant Director of the fucking FBI, the boy had certainly found a powerful and well connected mentor. Deep down the old man found a trace of admiration for the young man before him. Despite everything he'd come out on top. Well there is enough truth in the information I've given him to cause plenty of trouble for my former associates and enough money to give the boy the ability to do so. I just may get my vengeance after all.

It may take a little longer but the bastards can twist in the wind wondering what Little William is up to. Yes. He nodded to himself.

Vengeance will come.

Walter and Fox watched the old man. He looked pale and upset but as they watched his expression changed to one of satisfaction.

Then he spoke. "You don't like my truth, Little William, then go find your own." He nodded at the pouch he had given him. "There's enough truth in there to give you a start and a surprise for you when I'm dead. Which won't be long. No sense hanging around. You can go now.

I won't be seeing you again. By the way I prefer to be cremated.

Don't remember if I put that in my will or not so take care of that for me."

He then turned to Skinner who he addressed as an equal for the first time. "Adopted him, have you?" At Skinner's nod of yes Liam Mulder nodded back, "The boy'll give you a lot of trouble." At Skinner's unguarded smile the old man did something that Fox had never heard before. He laughed. Not a bitter laugh, but an amused laugh. "Take it he already has. Well you wouldn't have adopted him if you didn't like challenges. You're both in a game now that may get you killed but I guess you know that."

He looked Fox straight in the eye now, another thing he had never done before. "Fox William, I'll tell you the truth now but I doubt you'll believe it. Call it my dying gift to you so that you'll owe me one. I don't know where your sister is. Didn't know since the day she disappeared... I always suspected that Bill did it to keep her out of our hands. Of late I've had my doubts as to whether he was behind it or not. He always claimed not but... She disappeared... whether it was Bill, someone else in the project or something entirely different, I can't tell you. I always thought they did it as a club to hold over me or your father but no one ever used it so now I have my doubts about who was behind it. I was also there when the banshees came for my nephew. I saw them. That started me on the course I took, all the way back then." The old man sighed almost wistfully, "Well, if you married O'Connor stock, maybe it didn't all go for nought in the end. That's all, Boy. Be on your way. Have kids."

With that the old man pulled himself to his full height his shoulders only slightly bent and with the aid of a cane walked slowly out of the room.

Walter Skinner and Fox Mulder exchanged looks, both thinking the same thing, both wondering what the old man had meant by that last remark.

We'll talk later, in private. Fox squeezed the document case in his hand and motioned towards the door with it. Their business here was over.

It had been a tiring morning for both of them so they stopped at a restaurant on the way back to get some lunch. They didn't talk much, both were lost in their own thoughts. Fox was wondering what the disks and papers contained and if there would be anything in them he could use to find out more about the experiments that had been conducted and who had been behind them. He was also debating what had happened in the retirement home. What did the old bastard's attitude at the end mean... and could he believe what he had said about Samantha? And if he did believe what he said, was it good news or bad news?

Walter Skinner was worried about the old man's perception. He was concerned that his and Fox's relationship was becoming too obvious, and it didn't take a stretch of the imagination to see that relationship being used against them if it became known. Walter had given up denying the relationship. At least to himself. What they had gone through together since Thanksgiving made denial... silly. The god awful fight that had gone on seemingly forever... Meg's c-section... and then Dana's twins. Walter still remembered last week when he had, out of habit, made some comment implying that Fox Mulder was a pain and he wished he wasn't related to him. He hadn't meant it... it was just habit, but Meg had stopped what she was doing, put her hands on her hips and given him the look.

"What?" he had asked defensively.

Meg had shaken her head and sighed before letting him have it right between the eyes. Every now and then he got a glimpse of where Scully had gotten the balls to stand up nose to nose with the best of them in the old boy's club that was the FBI. This was one of those times. His wife had declared, "Walter Skinner, you can deny it all you want, make believe it isn't true and pretend that it's not the case. But you have loved Fox Mulder as a son since the day I met you.

I doubt you know why or can even say when it happened. Denying it isn't going to change the facts. Neither is all the macho posturing in the world. If he hadn't married Dana or you hadn't married me you'd still feel the same. Maybe not so openly but the feelings would still be there. So accept the fact and learn to live with it. And quit making such silly statements." She'd turned on her heel and left him there gaping as she walked away.

Okay. Denial might be silly but keeping those feelings from getting out at work wasn't. It was a necessity. Yet Fox's grandfather had pieced together the relationship within minutes of him entering the room today. Of course we were trying to shake him up a bit. Still he knew that they had to be careful. His superiors were still giving him grief about supervising his step daughter. If only they knew. He shook his head. Supervising her wasn't near the problem for him that supervising Fox was. Walter knew that the love, respect and trust he felt for his son-in-law meant that he got one hell of a lot more leeway than most other agents. Oh well his record justifies it and I'm not changing now. But I'm going to have to be careful and keep it very businesslike at the Bureau. Course it hadn't helped that they had named their sons after each other.

"So, Walt." Mulder's voice interrupted his deliberations.

"What's bugging you?"

He thought about denying it but knew that they'd have to talk about it eventually. "I'm worried about how easily your grandfather picked up on our relationship."

Mulder nodded. "We wanted him to see some of it but he was quick. Do you think we're obvious?"

"I certainly hope not. If this gets out at the Bureau..."

"You don't have to tell me. I don't happen to want a new boss either. Just got you broken in."

Walter smiled at him. "Don't you mean broken down."

Fox smiled back, shrugging. "Either way. We'll just have to be careful."

"Agreed." Skinner changed the subject. "So what do you think about the stuff he gave you?"

"My guess is that there are a lot of fabrications, a lot of twisted truth and some major leads. It'll probably take months to sort out which is which. I doubt that I'll ever get to the bottom of all of it. I'm going to get copies of everything made the minute we get back and give you a couple of sets for safe keeping."

"Good idea." Walter saw the look that Fox shot him and asked.

"Okay, now it's your turn. What's bothering you?"

"What do you think was going on with that old SOB there at the end?"

"What?"

"Calling me William, telling me about Samantha, and the banshees and the stuff he said to you?"

"I don't know about the Samantha information. I've never believed in little green men..." As Fox started to interrupt he held up his hand to silence him. "Fox, I've always thought you were gullible about that area. But after what we saw in Ireland... I don't know anymore. And to hear old Liam say it... You've got a lot more courage than I ever gave you credit for and probably a lot more curiosity than is good for you if you chase what I saw every chance you get. I'd prefer my world view not to include aliens from outer space, thank you very much." He saw his companion smile at his words.

"No I don't believe... at least that's what I'm going to keep telling myself for awhile. As to who took your sister?" Here Walter shrugged his shoulders. "We may never know but I'll be by your side to help you try to find the answers. But I'm not going for a ride in one of those things, even for you."

Walter's words gave Fox comfort and made him smile.

Especially the picture of tall thin grey men trying to get Walter into their space ship.

Seeing that smile Walter gave him one of his own before continuing. "As for calling you William... is that rare? It's your middle name isn't it?"

"He's never called me anything but boy, or little brat my entire life."

"Then I'd say you won his respect at the end. That is about all you can hope for. I don't think the man is capable of love." At Fox's nod of agreement he concluded. "As for what he said to me. I think that was his way of acknowledging us as winner's in this latest hand and of showing off one last time that he can read people easily."

He looked down at their empty plates.

"Let's go finish up at your house. There are only seven or eight boxes left. We should be able to knock them out tonight, then you can spend tomorrow with your family up here. I'll catch a shuttle down to DC tomorrow afternoon."

"I've been thinking about that. As much as I'd like to spend time with my sisters I don't feel up to facing mom again. How 'bout I stop by there in the morning and then you want to ride back to DC with me. If you're good I might even let you drive the mustang." Fox grinned at him.

"It sounds good to me but it won't win me any more brownie points with your mom."

"Yeah, what's with you and her? I noticed she wasn't as welcoming as usual."

"My guess would be that she's jealous. It doesn't take a rocket scientist to know I've been sticking my nose in where it doesn't belong the last few weeks."

"Not as far as I'm concerned. Don't worry about it. We'll drive home together tomorrow."

They rose together and left the restaurant.

Chapter 5: New Ghosts

The boxes were packed. Someone from William Mulder's lawyer's office would come on Monday to make sure the boxes and furniture would be shipped to Fox's DC home. A local charity had sent a special truck out to pick up all of the furniture and household goods that Fox was donating. The house was bare and decidedly empty. Fox and Walter had packed their bags in preparation to move to a local hotel. As luxurious as his mother's house was it had been a hard few days and he didn't want to face her now. They were sitting at his dad's desk, it was one of the few pieces that he had wanted to keep, and idly talking when Fox's cell phone rang.

"Mulder."

"Is this Fox William Mulder?"

"Yes."

"Could you come to Chase Brook Retirement Center as soon as possible?"

"Why? What's wrong? I was just there this morning."

"I'd prefer not to discuss this over the phone. I have some bad news about your grandfather."

"I see. I'll be right there."

After he hung up Walter raised his eyebrow in question.

"That was the retirement home. I think grandfather's dead."

He looked a little stunned as an idea occurred to him. "Do you think they had him killed?"

"I don't know about that. No sense speculating until we get there."

They grabbed their bags, turned out all the lights in the house and locked up.

When they arrived at the retirement home they were treated to a song and dance by the manager and his grandfather's doctor. Fox Mulder got tired of the bullshit quickly and cut to the point. "Cut the crap. You two don't show up for just any death. Do you think my grandfather was murdered?"

Both men looked horrified. The nursing home manager finally spoke. "No, Mr. Mulder, no one at the home abused your grandfather..."

Fox interrupted him, "I never thought that they did. But that doesn't answer my question."

The manager was getting more flustered by the moment. Why would they think that someone would kill a harmless old man. Yes, he was a mean SOB but you didn't kill men for that. "No, we believe... I mean that is to say..."

Even Skinner's patience was beginning to wear thin. If they had had him killed then they'd be coming after the pouch that Fox had and neither of them would be safe until a few dozen copies had been made and safely hidden. "Look. We both work for the FBI so cut to the chase and quit trying to spare our feelings." Skinner ordered.

The manager paled even more but got to the point. "We believe that your grandfather took his own life, Mr. Mulder."

Walter and Fox exchanged looks. Yeah, right. "We'd like to see the room and the body."

"I don't know if that would be advisable..." His voice trailed off as he saw the looks on the faces of the men confronting him. Murder. I don't need that kind of gossip. "Very well, gentlemen. If you'll follow me." He led them down the hall talking as they went. "The doctor feels that he ingested some form of poison. Since your grandfather had a medical science background he would have been able to chose one to meet his needs. It was very fast acting."

"Were any strangers seen around the house today? Did anybody come to see him after we left this morning?" Fox began grilling the manager when he felt Walter's hand on his shoulder.

Take it easy. Fox understood his father-in-law's silent message and backed off.

They went in and looked around the room. It didn't appear to have been searched, nor did it look like any force had been used.

Still that didn't mean much considering the men they were dealing with. Fox and Walter examined the body carefully. No external injuries no sign of force. They exchanged looks wondering if they should send for Scully to do an autopsy.

Walter found the piece of paper first, it was sticking out of a medical text on the night stand and handed it to Fox. The hand writing was spidery, but Fox recognized it as that of his grandfather.

The message was short and to the point. /My choice, m y terms, then and now./

"So?" Walter asked.

Fox nodded feeling relieved. "I think they're right and it was suicide. I don't think anyone would make up a note like this.

Short and to the point but in his own way. If they faked it it would probably say something about his declining health, pain et cetera.

This gets the message across but with out any feeling or sentiment.

It's cold and cryptic just like him."

Walter nodded. Still instead of two rooms at the hotel he was going to suggest that they get one. It would be safer that way just in case they had read the situation wrong. And tomorrow he was going to see about getting duplicates of those documents made. No sense waiting and risking trouble.

Neither man slept well. They both missed having their wives in the bed beside them. Mulder was glad that the hotel had been able to get a room with two queensized beds. He hated full sized, no place for his feet and having to share a bed with Skinner just didn't bare thinking about. The way he reached for Dana half the night when she wasn't beside him he knew that he either wouldn't get any sleep or would embarrass himself in the middle of the night by grabbing the wrong person. He'd been a little reluctant to share a room but he knew Walter was right. They would be safer together than apart until the documents his grandfather gave him were safe.

Walter, for his part felt much the same as Fox. He'd started the night on one side of the bed and worked his way across in the middle of the night looking for Margaret. Amazing how quickly I've gotten accustomed to having someone beside me. It was always bad when he was under stress and sleeping last night with one eye opened waiting for an attack was definitely stressful. They'd propped a couple of chairs and the table by the door and the window had the desk in front of it. Even being on the forth floor neither man had wanted to chance it. They had also requested a room that had guests all around it. The desk clerk had looked strangely at them over that but hadn't argued. The more people to disturb the less likely to be hit at the hotel. Even with all these precautions they'd still slept with their guns under their pillows. When the wake-up call had come at seven am both men had set up gun in hand aiming it at the phone.

Walter a little quicker to wake up had chuckled and said, "Don't shoot, Fox, we'll never explain it."

Fox had uncocked his gun and smiled sheepishly.

As they were preparing to check out Sunday morning the phone rang. "Mulder."

"Mr. Mulder. My name is Henry Blake and I'm your

grandfather's attorney. I was wondering if you could come by tomorrow morning to discuss his estate?"

"I'm planning on leaving town tonight. At my grandfather's request he's been cremated and we are entombing his ashes this afternoon. I need to be back to work Tuesday."

"Would you meet me at my office this afternoon after the entombment?"

"Is that really necessary?"

"Mr. Mulder as your grandfather's sole heir we need to discuss the estate."

"His heir? I didn't know he was leaving me his estate. Can't you just drop me a letter..."

"This is a little more complex than could easily be handled by mail. However, if you want me to fly down to Washington or if you want to come back here at a later point..."

"No that's alright. We'll stop by about 2:30 if that's alright. Fine. See you then."

Fox looked up at Walter. "You heard?" At his father-in-law's nod he continued, "I figured he'd leave his money to charity or something or maybe in trust to hire hitmen to take out his enemies... hell I don't know. But after being called the little Bastard all my life I sure as hell didn't figure he'd leave me anything. He should have left it to Aunt Sophia."

"From what you've told me I don't think she'd take it. Do you?"

"No I guess not. I'm not sure I want it either."

"So how much is it?

"No idea. Maybe a couple of million. Can't see how it could be much more. He always lived well so I assumed that he spent it as he made it. He's been retired over twenty years from most everything as far as I can tell and lived well since then. Actually I'm surprised that there is enough left to worry about. Oh well, maybe the lawyer just wants to get it over with. Come on let's get to the funeral home and make sure everything's taken care of."

"Some how I doubt that, Fox," sighed Skinner. "It's Sunday.

I doubt he would be calling you at this hour on Sunday if it weren't something very out of the ordinary, or potentially lucrative."

Fox just nodded thoughtfully. He wasn't at all concerned about the lucrative part. It was the out of the ordinary that interested him. As it was turning out, his family was not just dysfunctional but a true enigma as well. From what Gran had told him, it had all started with Liam. Interesting... they had sent Scully to spy on him... hmm... a coincidence... it had to be a coincidence... or had it been... really... The possibility that they were pawns was mind boggling. No... he was being unduly paranoid... or was he?

As they drove to the funeral home Skinner listened to his fears and didn't accuse him of being paranoid. Fox wasn't sure whether to be comforted or fearful at the fact that Walter thought there might be something behind his suspicions.

His boss' words stopped him from being too upset, however.

"So, Fox, what would you do differently if you're right? Divorce Dana."

At his son-in-law's quick nod of no he laughed, "I didn't think so. So if they did send her to you because she was Mary McBride's grand daughter send them a thank you note. I'd sure as hell bet they didn't plan for it to work out like this. I probably wouldn't have met or at least had reason to get to know Meg if it wasn't for the two of you being paired so if you find out someone was behind it let me know who and I'll send them a present every year on my anniversary."

Fox smiled back at Walter. He was right if they had sent him Scully he should send them a present.

"Mr. Blake I'm not really sure that I want the money that my grandfather left me. Some of his dealings weren't the most ethical and I don't like taking money made at the expense of others." Fox Mulder was addressing the middle aged attorney who currently represented his grandfather. He did not trust the man.

"Well I really can't say about that." Blake said

quickly. "Since I took over Mr. Mulder's affairs, most of his earnings came from him playing the stock market. He was a very good judge of stocks and has extensive holdings in several companies. He's particularly fond of high tech companies, particularly those in the biotech area. Not very common in a man of his age."

"Still I'm not sure that I want to mess with his estate.

Maybe I should just donate it to charity." Mulder wasn't paying attention to the lawyer but Skinner was and the look of shock on the lawyer's face at that comment made Walter Skinner curious.

Putting a restraining hand on Fox's shoulder Skinner asked, "Just how big of an estate are we talking about, Mr. Blake?"

The lawyer stuttered a bit. Personally, he had always thought this account to be rather bazaar and wasn't really comfortable handling it, but neither had any of the senior partners been either.

Otherwise such a large account wouldn't be in the hands of a junior partner. From rumors that had flown around the firm when he started many years ago the transactions in this account used to be alot stranger. So in trying to rise in the firm during difficult economic times, he hadn't argued when it had been assigned to him by the powers that be.

"Well it's hard to say. There are stocks, bonds, a

considerable amount of property, some cash of course. None of it has been valued recently so we'll have to go through that process. My best guess is that once everything is done and the taxes are paid, you should inherit somewhere in the neighborhood of twenty five million dollars. Give or take a few million."

"What? You've got to be kidding?" Mulder was shocked. He would have thought the old bastard would have thrown all his money back into whatever nefarious project he had been working on. On the other hand, perhaps he had been clever enough to get the government to fund it for him.

"I'm quite serious, Mr. Mulder. You're grandfather was very astute with his investments. For example he invested in Microsoft in the early eighties. Quite heavily actually. That investment alone accounts for a fifth of his estate. This firm has handled his business since the early forties and he has been an astute money manager."

"I don't want it."

Walter's hand settled again on his son-in-law's shoulder.

"May we have a few minutes to discuss this, Mr. Blake."

The attorney nodded. He didn't know what to think of William Mulder's grandson. Any man he knew that heard he was heir to a large fortune would have been ecstatic. Instead Fox Mulder looked horrified, sick, like he wanted to throw up. This fed his suspicions that all was not what it seemed to be with the late William Mulder, and he found himself wishing he could be rid of the account entirely but the revenue generated by the firm for handling such a large account would be sorely missed. As Mr. Blake walked out the door, he heard the young man say in an appalled voice.

"My god, Walter, what am I supposed to do with that kind of money?" The door shut cutting off the rest of the conversation.

"Calm down, Fox, and think before you act." Walter sighed.

How many times had he wasted his breath giving Mulder that sort of advice in the past and what the hell had he really become embroiled in? This was far more involved than an obnoxious old man destroying his family. Whatever was going on, it was truly insidious... and he, Walter Skinner, had landed right in the middle of it, not only in his capacity as AD at the FBI but on a deeply personal level. Still, he thought, he wouldn't trade Margaret.. wouldn't trade the family, Who am I kidding. He thought to himself, I wouldn't trade knowing Fox for anything.

"Think? About what? About who he killed to get that kind of money or maybe how he sold out his country during the war... or what he did to my aunt? What do you want me to think about? I don't want his blood money." Fox got up and began pacing. Twentyfive million!

I'm going to be sick.

Walter walked up to Fox and grasped him by the upper arms stopping his pacing. "Are you calmed down enough to listen?"

Fox shook his head no. "Hell I can barely manage what my dad left. It's a lot of work. Although the investment broker you recommended has been a lot of help. But still twentyfive... I don't want it or need it."

"Fine, then put it away and let it sit. Your kids might feel differently."

"No, that kind of money only brings unhappiness."

"So don't tell them. Come on, Fox. Sit down and listen."

Sometimes Mulder really was too good to be true. For all his dark side, in some ways he still managed to be naive. Skinner supposed that was an indicator of the younger man's innate goodness, something he had apparently inherited from Gran McBride's first husband, but still...

Mulder finally stopped pacing and sat down in a chair across from his father-in-law. Skinner sighed... finally... How many times have I had to wait him out in the office?

Walter continued. "For now at least I think you should take it. Later if you want to give it away, fine, but now you might be able to use it. Money brings power, especially in Washington.

Campaign contributions, Pacs, lawyers, you know the deal. With this kind of money you can fight the conspiracies."

"Money corrupts. Money's not going to do it."

"No, not alone, but it will help in the right hands. If they do succeed in closing the X-files at some point in the future this kind of money will assure that you can continue your work and still take care of your family. Hell, when they boot me out on my ass for being caught dead with you," he chuckled, "you can take care of Margaret and the Squirt."

Mulder couldn't help but smile at that. "Yeah, well I would anyway, Walt..."

"I know that you think," said Walter rolling his eyes, "that the three to four million your father left is a lot, but it wouldn't last very long if you lost your job and tried to continue your investigations. Private detectives, trips and research doesn't come cheap. Hell later you can set up a foundation for the investigation of the paranormal if you want. But now and more importantly accepting the inheritance gives you the right to investigate all your grandfather's old records and the money to do so. You said yourself that you didn't think he came by all this honestly. So access to all of his files might give you some leads as to what companies have been benefiting from the experimentation that has been going on. Right now you have the right to follow up the paper trail that this kind of money leaves. If you turn it down you won't. That's an extensive list of names he gave you even if a lot of them are false.

Investigating them to find out what's true and what isn't isn't going to be cheap. It's up to you, son, but my advice is to take the money now and use it to do what good you can."

Fox Mulder thought about all that Walter had said and sighed.

"I'm never going to get my check book down to a reasonable level.

Look I'll tell Dana, and Aunt Sophia, of course. She's got a right to the money if she wants it. You can tell Mom, but let's not tell anybody else. Well I suppose I should look on the bright side."

"And that is?" Skinner was very curious to know what Mulder would think of as the bright side in this whole situation. Anyone else would think the money was it. Not Fox of course. "I have an excuse to never have to do my taxes again. Dana's been bugging me about them the last couple of weeks, that we need to sit down and do them. I keep telling her that I should hire somebody, but she says we can handle it. Now there is no way."

Walter started laughing and couldn't stop. The tears rolled down his face and still he laughed. Fox looked at him puzzled and a bit indignant. Finally his boss collected himself enough to speak.

"Only you would think that the only benefit to twenty five million dollars is that it can get you out of some paperwork."

"Well," said Mulder with a sigh, "let's go get this brunch at mom's out of the way so that we can go home. By the way, I'm not sure that I trust any lawyer that worked for my grandfather and his cronies do you have anyone that you could recommend to help settle the estate.

I'm also going to need someone to investigate that paper trail your talking about."

"I know a few people that I think we can trust. I'll introduce you when we get back to DC."

The meal had gone alright, elegant and perfect of course as was everything of a social nature that Teena did. Sitting and observing, Walter couldn't help it but be amused by the contrasts in Mulder's life. Scully had a lovely home too, but it was different.

It was a house in which you could be comfortable, in which something was always going on. Somehow, he couldn't quite picture the dog peeing on Mulder's shoe in this environment, or any parrot being permitted to say anything as crass as "Open your legs, Scully." Poor Fox raised in this cold sterile environment, no wonder Dana and her family seemed like a warm fire to him.

He realized that he had been daydreaming and that the girls were inviting him and Fox out to see to see the horses their father had finally broken down and bought them after years of saying no.

Well, he supposed he didn't mind. It wouldn't take long. All of a sudden, however, Fox's mother said she needed to talk to him, so Skinner found himself bracing for the inquiring minds who wanted to know... everything... and he left Mulder alone with his mother.

Hoping that he would be able to relate to the two teenaged Mulderlike dynamos who had Uncle Wally by either arm and were dragging him to the stable.

And surprisingly enough he was. They thanked him for recommending William and Mary and said that they had talked their mom and dad into visiting it in a couple of weeks. "This way we'll get to see more of Fox and Dana." Jennifer had commented.

Amy continued, "Mom's afraid of Fox and Dana. She's always been so overwhelmed by strong people. He'll be able to understand us better, don't you think, Mr. Skinner?"

Walter raised his eyebrow at Amy's change from Uncle Wally to Mr. Skinner. She laughed up at him in a tone that was decidedly Mulderish. "We just call you Uncle Wally to throw Mom off and give Fox a laugh. He likes to see you cringe we noticed."

Jenn jumped back in. "But we know it's best not to irritate the person who we want to be our boss one day. Don't tell Mom though because if she realized that we were interested in the FBI she'd lock us up for life. Probably send us to finishing school in Switzerland.

You know she actually talked about it. Yuck! How awful."

"Can you imagine." Amy piped in, "Learning gourmet cooking, how to run a large house with staff, throw dinner parties... Being trained to be some rich man's accessory."

"We definitely had to stop that idea. Wasn't easy. We shopped around for someone who had their sister go over and then she ran off with one of the art teachers to Paris. Last they had heard she was an artist's model in Paris. You know the kind that doesn't wear much when they model." Jenn grinned up at him and winked.

"You should have seen Mom and Dad's face."

"That's the last we heard about Switzerland."

And so they went on. Walter was impressed. The girls were young and naive and had a bubbly quality that would probably go away as they matured but beneath all that they were smart, brilliant actually, tenacious and very good judges of character and behavior.

They worked together excellently as a team and knew how to get what they wanted. Also they were willing to sacrifice to achieve their ends. That surprised him in children of such well off parents.

Normally children with so much weren't willing to give up anything.

Didn't understand the concept of delayed gratification. At least in his experience.

Jennifer and Amy however talked about how they had used their allowance for several months to fund their college applications. He'd never thought much about it but at between twentyfive and fifty dollars an application applying to all the schools the girls had must have cost a few thousand. Both knew that if their parents caught on to what they were doing they would have made them chose only a few schools but they were determined not to be stuck close to home even if it meant academic scholarships and working their way through. Their determination and willingness to sacrifice at so young an age made Walter realize that in ten years he might be very happy to have them as agents. Especially since they showed a bit more political savvy than Mulder by switching to calling him Mr. Skinner for their talk.

Amy explained that it was best to get on the good side of a man that might well be the director by the time they applied.

Very charming and very flattering. These girls would one day be a force to be reckoned with, was Walter's thought as he examined their new horses.

"What is it, mom?" asked Fox. His mother had seemed okay during the meal, but now seemed nervous. He supposed it had been too much to hope that he would be able to simply enjoy his sisters and leave.

"I... I was doing so much better... I mean... my therapist said that I have to talk to you about Dana..."

"She's fine. What about her?" he asked.

"Well, maybe you can provide me into some insight into why she is so hostile towards me. I just don't understand it."

"Dana? Hostile?" he asked. He hadn't seen Dana being hostile towards his mother. Somehow, he decided, he didn't think that he was going to like this discussion.

"She yelled at me..." Suddenly the woman burst into tears.

From old habit, Fox slipped his arm around her... falling back into old patterns... always falling back... feeling twelve years old again...

"When... when did Dana yell at you?" he asked her.

"When we were visiting. I tried... I tried to tell her that I felt so confused because in some ways your daddy was a smart man and... well... I just wasn't sure about what he told me about boys... I mean... you're the only one I have..."

He sighed. Yeah, his mom sure had done some backsliding in her recovery. He supposed it was to be expected, but another battle between she and Dana was the last thing anyone needed, and somehow, he just couldn't picture Dana yelling at his mother. He released her from his embrace.

"She said that her daddy was a very nice man and held his sons all the time and... then... when I expressed some

doubt... well... she told me I had better unconfuse myself... as if I could... as if... I..."

Suddenly Fox was tired of it... just plain old tired. He suspected he saw the scenario here. His mother had inadvertently insulted Dana's father. Dana would not have yelled, but she wouldn't have tolerated it either. She would have made certain Teena knew she had committed a faux pas. That was just Dana and he loved her for it.

Oh, Lord. Why him?

"Look, mom..." he said suddenly impatient, "Dana is my wife, okay? I don't know what went on between the two of you, but don't try to drag me into it. That woman is the source of all the joy in my life..."

"Even if she insulted me..."

"Mom, I doubt she did, except in your own mind. Besides I would say that Dana is right. Going by how she and her brothers turned out her father was a wonderful man. Dad was wrong. And I don't plan to make the same mistakes he did. I'm going to love and hold Patrick Steven just as much and as often as I can. That way he won't spend most of his adult life looking for a father's love and approval. It took me almost thirtyfive years to find someone that would love me like I am, that wasn't trying to get anything out of me, didn't want or need anything from me but to love them and be myself."

"Dana is certainly a remarkable..."

He interrupted her sarcastic reply before she could continue.

"I wasn't only thinking about Dana. I've got a family now. People who love and support me through good times and bad, even when I'm wrong they don't shut me out. And I want to tell you something, Mom, I thank god that I've found that father because if I hadn't Grandfather would probably have sent me out as his executioner to take his revenge on all the people he felt wronged him. That was exactly what he was trying to do this weekend, why he called me up here before he killed himself. He gave me a list of names of people he wanted justice done to and he fully intended that I kill them."

"Fox, you can't really believe that?"

"Ask Walter, he was there, and he believes it."

Fox Mulder held his mother's shoulders and finished, "I plan on loving my son. If that makes you uncomfortable because you can't accept that the way you and dad raised me was wrong. I'm sorry, but I won't live with your fearful looks every time I hold him in my arms."

"I don't..."

"Yes you do and if you felt that Dana was irritated with you that's probably why. I think it's time you started thinking about someone other than yourself again. For awhile there, I thought you were..."

"Fox... that's..."

"Mom, did it ever occur to you that my wife had just given birth to twins, one a breach, after a 30 hour labor with no pain medication? Maybe she was just goddamned tired and worn out. Whatever it is that's bugging you, get the hell over it, because no one is going to come between my wife and me again... ever... Accept the past that you can't change and let's make a better future. I have a father now, that gaping hole has been filled. I can't undo the past but I plan on enjoying the future. I hope you'll enjoy it with me and my family." He walked away leaving his mother standing there opened mouthed.

Teena was confused. What did he mean that he'd found a father?

That didn't make any sense... Dana's father was dead. So who was he talking about? She looked out the window to see Fox join his sisters and his boss. Walter exchanged looks with Fox and then came up beside her son, grabbing his shoulder and squeezing it. Fox slapped him on the back and the frown on his face cleared.

That insensitive bore? How could he? But then she started to think. Walter Skinner had always seemed to be around during their visit, at least the last part of it. This had really irritated her, didn't he realize that he was intruding? She had come to the conclusion that he was simply a work-acholic bore who refused to recognize that Fox might want to spend time alone with his family.

Now she saw the week in a new light... What he had done had been deliberate he was protecting Fox from her. How dare he! ...but it was him that had just made her little boy smile.

She suddenly felt jealous, sad, lonely and bereft, feeling like she had lost her son. Meg Skinner he called mom and now she knew that he considered Walter Skinner as a father. It hurt... it hurt a lot but she realized that he hadn't shut her out of his life yet... even after all he had been through. She knew that there was still a chance to be part of his and her grandchildren's lives if she would work at it. Teena Mulder Tillot was determined to try.

Chapter 6: New Beginnings

"Some psychologist I am," sighed Mulder in the car as they headed toward the ferry and home. He'd just finished describing what had gone on with his mother while Walter was out looking at horses.

"Sounds to me like that was just what she needed, son," said Walter. He chuckled suddenly, "Sounds like something my sister might have said in the course of her pastoral counseling. Lisa doesn't believe in victims. Ten to one she does... get over it... I mean..."

"We'll hope. I'd really like her to be a part of my kid's lives. I didn't have any real grandparents. That old SOB sure didn't count."

Walter decided to bring up a subject that he didn't think Mulder had considered. "You might ask yourself if you're ready to be a father to two teenage girls.

Mulder looked up startled. "Hun... what?"

"You're sisters. Especially if they go to Georgetown or William and Mary. Which, I will inform you, they are determined to do. A big part of their motivation is to be near their cool older brother."

"I'm not a father figure."

"Fox, you're more than old enough to be their father and they are going to need and want your advice and guidance. So far they have been pretty good, but I got to have a good long talk with them today and they are getting tired of Teena's and Ed's over protectiveness.

They are well aware that the horses were bought as a bribe to keep them at or near home for college and it isn't going to work. I'll let you in on another secret that I don't think their parents have picked up on, you either for that matter. They've got your photographic memory."

"You're kidding?"

"I got to watch them last month and then again today and believe me they do. They do the same thing you do, pull random and minute details out of seemingly nowhere. When I mentioned that a lot of reading and rereading was necessary in college and that they would probably be studying a lot I caught them exchanging secret smiles."

"Surely Mom and Ed would have picked up on it."

"You're mom's been pretty self absorbed and by the time it would really start to make a difference to the girls I think they decided to keep it a secret. You might try asking them. I think they'd tell you."

Fox nodded thinking that he'd better get to know his sister's a lot better and fast if he was going to be watching out for them when they came to college. "Maybe I should encourage them to stick closer to home?"

"I don't think you'd be able to. They have at least three full academic scholarships and if anyone tries to force them to stay nearby I get the feeling that they will use them. They are very determined. I'm just hoping that they are level headed enough not to go too crazy when they get away form home. I think the DC area would work nicely. They won't have to rely on just you and Dana but they'll have the Scully clan to depend on as well. I think they feel sort of lonely and want a big family. Hence all the effort to attend college near where you live."

Fox nodded wondering if Walter was right. He'd come to admire and respect his father- in-law's judgment so he imagined that he probably was. Catching a look that Skinner threw him out of the corner of his eye Fox asked, "I saw that look. What's bothering you?"

"I've got some other news about your sisters that I don't think you're going to want to hear."

"You've just informed me that I'm about to become a surrogate father to two teenage girls what could be worse than that?" Fox smiled at Walter.

"I'm not sure but something about the way they talk or for that matter don't talk about a certain subject... Well I could be wrong but I don't think I am..."

"What have they got boyfriends?"

"I wish it were that simple." Walter took a deep breath knowing that what he had to tell his son-in-law was going to upset him. "Fox, I think one of their goals in planning on joining the FBI is to look for Samantha."

He heard Mulder's sharply in drawn breath and knew the devastation he must be feeling.

"Oh god, Walter, you've got to be wrong. Surely you're mistaken."

"I don't think so. It's not the personal quest for them that it is for you but they have a burning curiosity about her and a desire for the truth. Seems that that runs in the family, too."

"I've got to talk them out of it. Think of the danger... this search almost destroyed my life... if it hadn't been for Dana I'd have eaten my gun a long time ago. The secret organization isn't going to put up..."

Walter reached over and grasped his companion's upper arm, getting his attention. "Listen very carefully to what I am about to tell you, Fox. First answer me one question. Could anything or anyone have talked you out of your search for your sister?"

At his son's nod of no he continued. "I think it's going to be the same with your sisters. They have your stubbornness and determination and your need to know. The fact that they aren't as emotionally involved as you are might work to your benefit. If you try and discourage them you'll just drive them underground and they'll hide things from you. I think the best you can hope for is to help train them so that they will at least be prepared for what they face."

"But how do I do that?"

"Teach them what is important, what lines not to cross, how to deal within and without of the institutions they will have to work with. In less than five years they will be considered grown up and ready to face the world on their own. Even if they go o n to graduate school like they plan it will still be less than ten years before they are out on their own. Help them get ready. If you manage to direct their energies in another direction... great... if not at least they'll be prepared for what they'll have to face and even more importantly than that they'll have us to turn to. They won't be on their own like you were."

Fox smiled at Walter glad that he wasn't alone anymore and determined that if his sister's were to get involved that he wouldn't let them be alone either. He thought about Walter's words and also determined to do his best to distract the girls from his quest. Time to think about husband hunting. It hadn't worked with him but maybe...

Fox stopped in front of his house and looked at it for a moment. The sun was shining, and he realized how good it was to be home...

"Admiring your mansion?" inquired Walter.

"Yeah, yeah I am. I never thought I'd admit this, but I'm glad I bought it. Let's go in and find the family."

Dana melted into his arms immediately, her customary reserve gone when she saw him come in with Walter. It hadn't been long, only three nights but it seemed like so much more. Both Fox and Walter had a weary look to their faces. She kissed her husband allowing the passion to overwhelm her for a few brief minutes. Waiting till bed time was going to be hard.

Walter tried to remain a little more dignified primarily because Margaret was nursing the little Fox, who was one child that did not like to have his meals interrupted and let the whole world know it when they were. But once he had sat down next to her on the couch he realized how much he missed her and how glad he was that she and her family were so wonderful. He put his arm around her shoulder planning to settle for kissing her cheek, but by the way she smiled at him, it was obvious that Amy had given her the go ahead they had been waiting for. He couldn't wait to get home. It had taken Meg a little longer to heal, and it had been difficult on both of them to be patient. He felt himself falling into her eyes and his lips met hers.

It was a long kiss and he was thinking about asking little Fox to share when he heard Mulder cough and clear his throat. Walter looked up a bit embarrassed to have forgotten where they were. Dana and Fox with their arms around each other were smiling down at them on the couch. By the grin on his son-in-law's face he could tell that an obscene comment was being thought of, if not said. Margaret's presence had a restraining effect on Fox's more untoward comments.

"I've got coffee and sandwiches," said Dana finally breaking away. "Might be the closest thing you get to a meal with all the unpacking left to do at home, Walter," she smiled.

"Sounds good, babe... I'm starved..." said Fox. He headed into the family room and looked at his children, he moved toward's their bassinets. Brenda was asleep but Patrick's eyes were wide open.

"Hey there, Wally Wolf," he said softly, "you're awake." He picked up the baby and held him up. The tiny face, so like his own, looked down at him with incredibly blue eyes, his mother's eyes. Fox lowered the infant, cuddling the boy to his chest. "I love you, Patrick. You make me so happy. I'll always love you, and I'll always be proud of you no matter what you do."

Suddenly Wally Wolf let out a terrible noise. Fox held him away. "See what I mean... such talent... uh... I seem to recall a certain woman promising me she would never buy cheap diapers... Let's go Wally Wolf... I'll change you and then me. We'll both smell better and yellow doesn't match these pants."

Walter had come to the door of the family room. He laughed at his son-in-law, "What is it about you, Mulder, that has this effect and I have news for you there aren't any diapers, no matter how expensive, that don't leak at one time or another."

Fox walked towards Skinner, the look on his face surprised Dana, he was more relaxed and open than she could ever remember him being. The sadness that was so much a part of his being seemed to have gone. "I take it that's the voice of experience, Walt?"

Walter just grinned and slapped him on the back as Mulder passed him.

Dana smiled and exchanged a look with Walter Skinner as Fox left the room. She was full of questions. "How was it up there, Walter? Was Sophia right?"

Smiling down at his step daughter he wondered how much to tell her. What had gone on between Fox and himself was something for the other man to discuss if he chose to but some of it she would have to know. He decided to tell her the basics and let Fox fill in the details. "Yes, Sophia was right. Fox's grandfather planned for his grandson to be his executioner. Unfortunately for the old man's plans Fox wasn't the easily manipulated little boy he remembered. Seems he's found a family to give him stren gth."

Smiling at him she said, "Thanks for being there for him."

He nodded uncomfortably. "It was hard and there were a lot of memories for him to face but he faced them and I think that he's finally past them."

"His childhood must have been rough and going back there brought back all those memories."

"Yes, it was, but it's in the past for him now."

Dana looked up startled. The way her stepfather talked... he must know... Fox told him? She could hardly believe it Fox had never been able to discuss his pain with anyone but it seems that finally he'd opened up. Tears glistened in her eyes as she said, "Well I'd better get the sandwiches."

Meg and Walter stayed for another hour talking and eating.

Dana covertly watched the interaction between her stepfather and her husband. The differences were subtle but they were there, Fox had finally accepted his painful past and put it behind him. And along with that he had come to accept Walter Skinner as the father he'd been looking for all his life. She smiled at the thought as she watched them playing with their sons. Fox had good taste.