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Title: Reason For Hope Summary: Scully gave William up for ADOPTION? after 'Emily'? Ok, well I had a hard time believing that. William returns. Time frame mostly from "William' to 'The Truth.' Thanks: To Sylvia for beta and patience. You are the best. Also to CC for leaving so many possibilities out there... Mid-afternoon The sidewalk in front of the local grocery store was drawing a small, chattering crowd. Residents of the town who were shopping at the main street grocery store were ogling at the newest addition to the community. There was an air of festivity surrounding the grocery cart that was carrying a sleepy infant strapped into an infant carry seat, proudly displayed by his mother. The festive atmosphere masked the tension in the woman's stance and the sadness that she was determined no one should see. The bright afternoon sun and a warming breeze had chased away the morning chill in the air when Emma Van de Kamp shivered briefly, rubbing the sudden goose-bumps on her arms. She felt a warm rush of hope clench her stomach on seeing the eyes of her newly adopted son go wide and a flash of awareness flicker through them. The awareness went as quickly as it had come. Her clenching stomach dropped in despair. No one noticed the tears that she hid, as she quickly moved to un-strap him when his features slackened and his eyes dulled. Emma's eagerness of several weeks ago had turned to a quiet despair. The first few days she had not noticed his deepening apathy, and she had attributed his non-response to the whole adoption and the separation from his previous family, but he was not improving at all. He seemed to be slipping away emotionally and made no attempt to accept or reject the overtures made to him by his adoptive parents. He simply existed. His new parents were trying hard to interest their son in his home and surroundings. Emma Van de Kamp acknowledged all the "Oohs" and "He's grown hasn't he?" comments, smiling through the misery. The impassive, bulky figure in the dark blue car that had shadowed Emma's moves all day sat unobtrusively in the small parking lot of the store observing the activity. That same car then slowly pulled away and left the small town behind. The car was followed as it left town by a pair of field glasses trained on the town's main street. Mid-Afternoon Water hissed and steamed as it was poured over and stirred into the few remaining smoldering coals of a small campfire. The small group was tense, and they worked silently. A faint whimper, quickly shushed, broke the silence. The makeshift campsite was hastily being cleared up, and the gear was packed away in a dusty SUV. At the edge of the cluster of trees that was used as the campsite, a pair of field glasses followed the path of the car that was leaving town. The man observing the scene on the street below lowered his glasses and handed them to the man standing beside him. "We can't wait any longer." The only comment made was abrupt and needed no response. The second man looked briefly in the direction the car had taken, and then trained the glasses on Main Street. The residents were disbursing, some following the young mother into the store, who was still chattering away. The group at the campsite gathered silently and watched the cart with the baby disappear into the grocery store. Time was running out. They had to act now. In desperation, Emma had fled the farmhouse with her new son in an attempt to flee the feeling that her son wanted nothing to do with her or her husband. She thought that a trip to town, seeing other people and the noises of the town would perk up the child. Apart from a brief jerk and the boy's eyes suddenly going wide for a moment at the grocery store, the dullness in his eyes didn't change as she showed him off. Un-strapping him from his seat, she had picked him up to show off how much he was growing. They had visited the park and gone to story time at the library, and the final stop had been the grocery store. The baby was perhaps too young for the library activity, but she had hoped that the other children might stimulate him. All the activities had passed without a whimper, fuss or emotional response of any kind. He simply lay quiet and impassive in his carry seat or her arms. Emma had finally left town to return home, feeling just as desperate as when she had left. He was just not responding, no matter what she or her husband tried to do to perk him up. They sang to him, played with him, read to him and took him for walks but nothing seemed to work. The only time he seemed to rouse was when she dressed him in the UFO pajamas in which he had arrived. It was only a brief awareness, but the dullness left his eyes and a sparkle lit his whole countenance, until the realization that neither the face above him, nor his surroundings were familiar. The pajamas would not work for much longer since he was growing quickly, and he was really too big for them. Before leaving town, she dug into the diaper bag and pulled out a card with the adoption agency's phone number on it. She ran her finger around the edge then shoved it back into the bag. They would not give up yet; seeing that sparkle light up the baby's face was worth hoping that a miracle would occur. Swallowing the lump in her throat and blinking back the tears she would not let fall, she closed her eyes and whispered a small prayer, asking wholeheartedly for that miracle. Ranch House After dinner that evening, Emma and Jake Van de Kamp settled onto the porch swing, gently rocking back and forth. The baby held tenderly by Emma appeared to be nodding off, but they both knew better. They didn't notice the brilliant turquoise and pinkish orange sunset, the sky slowly deepening to a cobalt blue as they watched their newly adopted son. Emma took a deep breath and while stroking the baby's cheek, and holding him close, she spoke in a hushed tone. "I almost called the agency today," she said, muffling a sob. "I don't know what to do. I just prayed for a miracle." Turning, she leaned onto her husband's shoulder and clutched onto the baby. "Jake, what are we going to do?" When she finished she turned fully into his arms and cried out at the feeling of desolation that deepened every day. Clinging to each other, they looked down at the baby between them. He was dressed in the UFO pajamas that he wore every night. They were too small for the baby now, but it was a ploy that Emma hoped every night would work. She had found that when he felt the familiar pajamas his whole demeanor changed. Hope and love sparkled out of his face and body, but it never lasted more than a few seconds. The reaching arms and kicking legs would still, and his eyes would again dull to blankness. Jake reached over and stroked the small head, dreams shattering as he pulled his hand away. He spoke softly, the finality in his tone breaking his wife's heart. "We have done nothing wrong. He's searching for someone. We are not who he is looking for." He began to relinquish the visions he had so vividly imagined only a few short weeks ago. A boy to be proud of riding tall in the saddle, and teach how to throw a baseball. Someone to shoot hoops with in the driveway. He had spent the day driving aimlessly over the rough dirt tracks of the ranch, hope slipping away like the miles and the day. He had finally stopped and pounded out his frustration on his steering wheel, jerking open the door of the truck, to pour out his grief to the wind and the silent hills. The last of his hope drifted away, and he returned to the ranch house. Emma had settled the baby into his crib and was getting ready for bed. Returning from brushing her teeth and changing into her pajamas in the adjoining bathroom, she saw Jake sitting on their bed with the baby. The baby was gurgling and babbling, grabbing his father's fingers, nose, and anything else he could reach. Emma watched in astonishment as the baby spied her, his vivacity and playfulness directed at her. Her heart swelled and silent tears formed in her eyes as she thought about her prayer and the seemingly miraculous turnaround. She did not question why the baby was on the bed with Jake, as she had seen him pause to glance into the baby's room before she prepared for bed. She did not know Jake had then gone to the kitchen to get a snack before bed. He had only rooted aimlessly for a few minutes through the fridge. He had given up on the snack that he hadn't really wanted in the first place and gone back towards the bedroom. The door to the baby's room was half open, the light turned off. He could see the outline of the crib, and a small bump under the blanket from the light in the hallway spilling into the baby's room. A breeze from the open window gently moved the curtains in the darkened room, the scene matching his previous glimpse of the room. Seeing the baby wriggling on their bed through the bedroom door on the opposite side of the hallway, he thought Emma had temporarily laid the baby in the middle of the big bed when she had dashed to get something for him. The moving baby was a surprise, since he was normally so still. He assumed the small bump that he had taken for a sleeping baby to be a stuffed toy. He did not notice when he turned and crossed the hallway, turning off the hallway light as he went, that the door to the baby's room silently swung shut. He noticed the pile of pillows surrounding the baby, preventing an easy escape. This bright eyed, drooling, fist-chewing baby startled him. His heart jumped and a cautious hope welled up despite his attempt to quell it. Jake fully expected the unresponsiveness to return as soon as the baby saw him, but the spark remained in the baby's eyes, his babbling and smile focused on Jake as he leaned over the bed. The baby's liveliness caused a wave of light-headedness that weakened Jake's knees. Those same knees giving out completely when he realized what the baby was babbling. His chant of "da, da, da." the cause of his suddenly useless bones and muscles. He sank down on the bed beside the pile of pillows. This smiling, babbling infant was almost a different child. The small UFO pajamas he wore were almost bursting off him. They were getting too small, but the hopeful thought popped up in Jakes buzzing mind that maybe now they wouldn't need them any more. He sat next to the pile of pillows and shakily moved them away. The baby began wriggling even more, grabbing for his new father's fingers and when he leaned closer, his nose. Jake was just as stunned as his wife who had just now entered the room. Smiling through the tears at each other, they hovered reverently on either side of their son, and for the first time the pure joy of being parents flooded them. They felt that this might finally be working. The fuzzy feeling was not going away. The past few weeks had become a blur of activity and sadness that William was unable to shake. The harder he tried to focus, trying to capture the emotions and thoughts of those around him, the more intensely those murky feeling increased. He was fading into a permanent dreamlike haze. The familiarity of the pajamas in which he had arrived was his only connection to his past and he clung desperately to those moments, which were quickly fading as time passed. The fog seemed to deepen every time he slept. He could not get a grasp on his mother's presence, or why the images his father had been sending him had stopped. He vaguely remembered the blinding light, movement and heat the last time fear and a separation from his mother had occurred. He remembered less and less, however, as the days wore on, and he was aware of a feeling of helplessness that had not been there previously. What had the scarred man done to him? William had felt how tenderly the man had held him and had been reminded of the few brief times his father had held him. He hadn't had any sense that the man meant him harm, merely the man's belief that he was helping William. He had felt the overwhelming panic taking over his mother after the sharp needle pricked him, but had abruptly lost his connection when the pain, then the fog had descended on him. He had been drifting since then in the deepening haze that he couldn't shake. Why could he not sense his mother, father or his grandmother? Everything that he had known of love and happiness since his birth? His desperate attempts at contact had netted no response. Every attempt he made caused him to fade in and out, not connecting to anything. He could feel himself becoming lost in the world where he now found himself, alone and unprepared. The couple who were tending to his physical needs were not the ones he needed to survive. They were trying desperately to gain his love and attention, and just as desperately, he was trying to not succumb to the haze as he incessantly tried to re-establish contact with his birth parents. He needed the steely strength, logic, and love of his mother. He also needed the guidance and love of his father. His father's ability to make leaps over the logic, and tie the pieces together and correctly align them was crucial, as was his passion and tenacity. Together they would teach him to ask the hard questions, pursue the clues until the answer satisfied him. As he began to give in to the deepening fuzziness, he felt a breeze from the open window ripple through the room and a warm feeling finally relaxed his body and a rare moment of full awareness broke through the fuzz. The awareness was strong enough to know that the person looking at him was not the nice woman or the kind-hearted man who had been hovering over him the past few weeks. They were doing their best to care for him, but there was no interest on his part to become attached to these two people to whom he could not establish a connection. He was too physically exhausted to fuss at the fact that his pajamas were being changed hastily. He did not acknowledge the other shadow that moved around the room, which minutes later slipped out the window, as the face on which he was drowsily focused seemed to melt from the woman's face into a gently smiling Jeremiah Smith. William's need of his biological parents was his and their very survival. He had to find them, and he knew immediately that he would be able to with the help of the person looking at him so intently. Jeremiah briefly laid his hands on him. William felt an immediate clarity and grasped onto the hands that were touching him. The presence of others who would also help him was sensed as well. The man smiled softly at William. William then felt a stronger rush of thoughts and raw emotions as the hands holding him pressed lightly into him. His body jerked, ready to give out a wail when Jeremiah smoothed his hand over William's head and made him understand that would not be wise at the moment. The anguish and despair William had felt from his birth parents had almost overloaded his still developing and newly aware senses. The connections he had tried so desperately to retain had returned, a heady rush that almost overwhelmed him. Before he was fully aware, Jeremiah had tempered the effects with his soothing touch. His body quivered and tensed but he remained silent. They were so close to giving up hope. He lost the connection almost as soon as he had it, and he clutched fiercely at the hands touching him. Jeremiah picked him up carefully from his crib. He quirked his eyebrow at William, who was squirming in the unfamiliar pajamas that actually fit him. The snaps were not about to burst, and his toes were not trying to curl up in the too small feet of the pajamas. William smiled a wobbly smile, at least as well as a suddenly drooling, teething, FEELING baby could and relaxed, snuggling into his caretaker's arms. He had a brief moment of uneasiness, knowing that his leaving would cause pain to the two who had cared for him so well but so briefly. Jeremiah carried William quietly to the bedroom door of the couple, keeping to the shadows in the hallway. William was startled to see that the couple was snuggling on the bed with a baby who was a close duplicate of himself, right down to the UFO pajamas he had been wearing. The baby on the bed saw William and Jeremiah, and began excitedly waving his arms and babbling away, keeping the attention of the couple while they prepared to slip away. His parents laughed in delight. Their new son was finally coming to accept them. Jeremiah smiled at both Williams, looking back and forth between them. William focused on the other 'William.' William was startled by who the new baby was. The two boys suddenly grinned mischievously at each other, and each settled into his new guardian's care. William and Jeremiah silently stole away. The new 'William' focused his attention on the faces above him and he let out a delighted squeal. The past few months had not been the most comfortable; the constant moving while sitting in a carry-seat had been quite unpleasant. He felt pure joy at finally having a mother and father, and their unconditional love and a sense of finally being home. He was happy that he could still sense William, though he had only minutes before became aware of him. He did not understand why he had the connection with the other baby but accepted it eagerly as well as the vague sense of a heightened vigilance, to always be on guard. The love he felt surrounding him now was what he and his new parents needed. A new beginning with the two who hovered over him and were delighted to finally have their new son's love and attention directed at them. As Jeremiah was silently exiting William's window, the buffalo toy began to slowly turn as William looked back into the baby room one last time. William had a sudden need to keep a link with the family who had cared for him, and Jeremiah obliged him by returning to the crib and removing one of the white buffaloes, keeping it for William. An uncertain future awaited all of them and this talisman was welcome. William felt another presence approaching, and a flash of awareness ran through him. It was the same feeling that he had experienced earlier that day, and he still did not fully understand. Jeremiah was startled by the image that flickered to him from William. He hastily exited the window. When he saw a car slowly approaching the house with its lights off, Jeremiah stepped away from the house window and abruptly pulled himself back into the shadows. The car was so quiet it went unnoticed. As Jeremiah watched the car, it pulled up and stopped under the swaying trees. The engine kept running as a figure inside the car slowly emerged and moved quietly towards the house, hugging the shadows created by the nearly full moon. Jeremiah was just as quiet as he backed slowly away from the approaching figure and melted into the darkness. Returning to the SUV, he silently nodded towards the house, warning the other occupants. Loading their precious cargo they fled across the fields into the moon bright night. The figure approached the house, using the same shadows Jeremiah had so recently vacated, freezing when a light inside the bedroom suddenly came on. The sharp light cut so close to the Alien Bounty Hunter that just another fraction of movement would have revealed his presence. The light stayed on for several minutes as the sounds of a baby being changed into a new diaper and pajamas blended in with the breeze. Voices could be heard talking quietly while the crib was stripped, searched, and remade in an attempt to look for a loose toy, but it was not found. The missing buffalo had been noticed, and the thought that it had landed in the crib was what prompted the crib search. They settled the sleeping infant in his crib and reluctantly returned to bed. They had spent several minutes simply watching their son sleep as they hugged each other. The husband and wife were oblivious to all except their utter happiness. The missing buffalo was filed away as part of the miracle surrounding the sudden turnaround in their son. The Bounty Hunter eased up to the house and using the same window Jeremiah had used he gained access to the 'new' baby William. There was a brief moment of silence, followed by a rush of footsteps to the window and the Bounty Hunter burst out the window, the sound of a baby's warning cries piercing the darkness. The only thing the Bounty Hunter could see and hear outside was the darkness of shadows and the wind in the trees. Returning to his car as silently as he had approached, he left the house behind, ignoring the lights that had turned on. Anxious parents roused hastily, and tried to calm a clinging, sniffling baby who refused to release his grip on the two holding him even when he fell asleep, cradled between them. Jeremiah and the others in the SUV were tense and silent for several miles, relaxing eventually when it appeared they had managed to escape detection. Jeremiah and Gibson could sense no one in pursuit. William was excitedly 'talking' with Gibson, but he was disappointed that he still could not sense his parents. William relaxed in Gibson's presence and in the quiet smiling eyes of the other occupants. Their attention shifted to the need to get quickly away from the possible danger posed by the Bounty Hunter. Allegiances were not yet set. They settled in for a long drive. William finally nodded off to sleep in his car seat, no longer afraid of losing himself. They turned to the southwest and by taking side roads, avoided populated areas. Driving through the night, they joined in a journey so recently undertaken by two new fugitives. Motel Room Scully burrowed in closer to Mulder's chest. She tried to reach the comforter at the foot of the bed to cover her and the emotionally and physically exhausted Mulder. It was not to be. She was as devastated as he was, and the effort too great. Mulder's body was a warm furnace when she gave up on the comforter and curled in as close as she physically could to Mulder. His arms and legs provided a warm cage and his chest a warm, solid blanket as he leaned slightly over her, not quite crushing her into the mattress. His arms holding her were a bit too tight, but it felt too good to protest. After so much time alone, she finally had her partner back, but there was a hollow ache inside that wouldn't ease. She thought she had been protecting William, but was not so sure now. She had Mulder, but had lost more than half of her soul, or so it seemed. She berated herself constantly for making the choices she had made during those turbulent times. Her seeming inability to hold on to the fact that she and Mulder had always sustained each other, no matter what the odds. They had managed to bring themselves back from the edge of death and terror several times, and they had always come back to each other and carried on the fight. Why had she given up on that? Dana Scully had given in to sheer blind panic, and she was only now beginning to realize what she had done. The past few months without Mulder and the few weeks since William's departure had frozen her emotions. Having Mulder come back was restoring them. Realization and horror were sinking in. The realization of what she had done in a panic after the last harrowing experience. William's blood on her hand, his screams echoing in her ears. Jeffrey's urgent warning and the desperate attempt at all costs to save and protect her son were now sending her into a tailspin of depression. Mulder said that he understood, but she could still sense his defeated hurt. He would never say anything to her about her decision; he knew how she felt and the burden she carried, but he was not able to help her with it yet either. Her mom had gone to San Diego to find solace with Matthew and stay indefinitely with Bill and Tara. She had made no attempt to contact Dana since her departure. Bill had called to ask why their mom was now staying with him, and why she seemed so upset and refused to let Matthew out of her sight. Maggie Scully was refusing to discuss anything that had happened to Dana in DC. Dana was grateful to her mom for not telling, but she could not discuss it with anyone yet. Monica had tried to talk her out of it, but had eventually given up. She did not agree with the decision at first, but had been supportive in the end. Sleep deprivation magnified her already shattered emotions. She could not quite get to sleep even though they had been on the road and in the desert for the past few days. They were fugitives on the run, and the future looked exceedingly bleak and empty. Dana closed her eyes in a futile attempt to sleep, a dim light still on to chase away the dark shadows. Mulder pulled her in closer and tried to pretend to sleep as well, hoping Scully would finally give in and let sleep take over. Her small body was warm and soft, but there was an underlying tension. He pressed her into the mattress, and some of the stress in both their bodies relaxed when they snuggled in as close as they could get. The thunder, lightning and rain outside the motel room continued, and the fresh breeze blowing in through the slightly open window made the curtains float about. The desert had been a mixture of hot and cold. The revelations and the encounter with that black lunged son of a bitch caused cold shivers, and the heat of the sun was not enough to chase away that chill. The hair raising flee across the desert ravines. The hope that the black choppers were allowing them to leave because they believed Knowle Rohrer to have succeeded in his bid to destroy them. Exhaustion, both physical and emotional, was taking its toll. Perhaps the oblivion of sleep would enhance the glimmer of hope to which they had managed to latch onto. Monica and John had met up with them earlier, and they were in another motel in the area. They had to plan a future if any of them had one. A simultaneous crash of thunder and flash of lightening outside flooded the motel room with a vibrating boom and a blinding flash of light. Mulder and Scully jerked and clutched tighter to each other. They opened their eyes simultaneously, and Scully instantly stiffened and gave a healthy scream, right in Mulder's ear. Lightening enhanced the silhouette Scully saw behind Mulder, when she opened her eyes. The stark black shadow created by the lightning, was outlined in the now open door. The man moved further into the room. The wriggling bundle the man held was momentarily neglected in his effort to let Scully see him clearly. She fought to escape the cage that before had felt so safe and now hindered her ability to help Mulder, whom she thought was in grave danger. The man reached out to turn on another light and toe the door shut, but a gust of wind and rain banged the door open wider. Mulder released Scully, turned and launched himself off the bed in the direction of the intruder as the overhead motel room light came on. He had seen her eyes flicker past him, then widen in fear, heard her blood-curdling scream. He tackled the mans legs and they both hit the floor in a bone jarring crash. It ended in a piercing wail from a set of small but enraged lungs in Mulder's other ear. That sound was followed by instant silence. As the wind and rain seemed to instantly cease, a pair of small lungs took in a deep breath. There was no sound for a couple heartbeats of time, then a gentle rumble of thunder, closely followed by a wail that was even louder than the previous one broke the silence. Mulder's ears were ringing from Scully's scream. Combined with the look of horror on her face it was all that he could concentrate on. He thought he was having a nightmare. The painful jolt with the floor and another ear piercing wail in his ear convinced him otherwise. He clutched tighter to the man he had tackled until he realized that the legs he held were motionless. The new wail in his ear sent a jolt of awareness that froze him, squeezing his eyes shut, afraid to believe what his mind had revealed to him, not trusting his eyes to see what he so desperately wanted to be true. That wailing was not a sound that normally would come from a full grown adult male. It could, however, be a very unhappy small one. Scully was already at the man's side removing the wriggling bundle, somewhat surprised when the bundle was carefully placed in her arms. Her eyes widened and her throat closed up when she recognized who was gently transferring the bundle. When she parted the blanket, a choked scream erupted from deep inside her. "William. Oh my god, Mulder, its William." Scully's voice scratching out the words past a dry, tight throat. The baby was HER William. His wails stopped abruptly when he realized who held him, and he began smiling and bouncing, temper evaporating instantly as he began wriggling gleefully in the too tight clutch from his mother. He patted her face, and blew bubbles at her, his wriggles somewhat restricted by her desperately clutching arms as she knelt on the floor. She hugged him fiercely and drowned his face and head with kisses and tears. The feel of his soft baby body, clinging, hugging arms and the smell of HER baby almost overwhelmed her. When William saw Mulder he almost launched himself out of Scully's arms. She hung on desperately, but William was not to be deterred. He had missed the brief physical presence of his father and the images his father had shown him while he was gone. William was demanding that the person who was turning towards him would hold him. Now. "William." The sound was barely audible as Mulder loosened his grip on the intruder. He had heard Scully declare the truth that his mind had already confirmed. His eyes opened as he sat up and turned. Time seemed to expand when he saw his son, the understanding and sheer happiness on the small face and the tiny reaching arms. He finally tore his eyes away from William and looked more closely at the man. He saw a silent Jeremiah Smith, with a slightly crooked grin and arched brow. Mulder jerked his head towards the door. He thought he saw someone, and he felt a familiar presence. He dismissed the first possibility, thinking he was seeing ghosts again. The image had been so fleeting. He decided it must have been the breeze blowing and creating shadows, now that the storm seemed to be over and patches of moonlight were peeping through. The familiar presence was solemn, and slightly reproachful at first. Gibson was happy that William was finally where he wanted and needed to be. The wistful thought that he had liked playing big brother the past couple of days. Mulder acknowledged Gibson, promising to address the issue before Mulder's attention was abruptly pulled back into the room. William's babbles became more excited and demanding as he began to chant "Da, da, da," over and over. Jeremiah and those outside were forgotten by Mulder and Scully at William's chant, and two awestruck faces turned to the source. Mulder released Jeremiah, remaining seated on the floor. Jeremiah stayed where he had fallen for only a moment. He stood up and placed a bulging diaper bag on the floor. "We will be back in the morning," he said quietly. The three in the room were oblivious as Jeremiah backed out of the room. He closed the door silently. He and his companions would return in the morning. Hearing William's laughter and his first words had stunned both his parents, and jerked Mulder's thoughts back into the room. They were speechless. Scully's already dry throat was turning into a desert that sucked the air out of her lungs, while she was deciding whether to laugh or cry. She ended up with tears and smiles on her face as she looked from William to Mulder. Scully was about to release William to his father when his small fist clenched around her cross and pulled her with him into Mulder's embrace. Mulder ended up with an arm and lap full of a wriggling baby and Scully. Now both Mulder and Scully were laughing and crying at the same time. They all relaxed instantly into the warmth created by their circle, William's prattle binding them together. William laid his head on his fathers shoulder and held on to his mothers cross. Mulder managed to scoot them all over so he could lean against the bed. Scully let her head fall to Mulder's shoulder near William as well, reaching up to gently caress William's cheek. "Mulder," she whispered, "He's so beautiful." She suddenly jerked and tried to stand up, panic rushing into her face. "We have to get away. We can't stay here, they will find HIM, US!!! Mulder..." she started to struggle against the tight hold Mulder had managed to get around her shoulders, not noticing the tug and pull that should have broken her necklace or at least caused William to lose his grip. He hung on tightly, as well. "Shhh, Scully," Mulder whispered. "Jeremiah brought him to us. He can help us or we can help him, whatever it turns out to be. Lets wait." He tugged them closer, shushing Scully, managing to draw them tighter to him and hold on. Questions needed to be asked and answered, but all that could wait for once in their lives. Mulder had felt a rush of conflicting emotions rage through him as William made a grab for him. Mulder was afraid that he would somehow hurt William, but the moment the father felt the warm little body of his son it instantly felt right. The tightness in his throat and chest that had arisen from William calling him 'Da' was the proudest moment in his life. His right arm now held the baby. William's bottom was cradled in the crook of his elbow. Mulder's arm curved up so his hand could stroke William's cheek. His left arm was circling Scully, his hand briefly gripping her upper arm and sliding down to hug her tightly to him. The baby patted Mulder's face, then snuggled into his fathers chest. William's small head found his fathers shoulder, his babbling fading out. William smiled and gummed on Mulder's index finger that he had grabbed on to with his small hand, his first two teeth giving the finger a vigorous workout. Mulder spread out his remaining fingers and thumb to touch the soft, smooth cheek and head of his son. The sharp teeth still gnawing on his finger a welcome pain. As he ran his fingers down across the side of William's head, feeling his features, Mulder felt the baby relax completely against his chest. William was a warm soft weight that settled its feet near his heart. Another rush of emotion hit him as he 'heard' William silently express his contentment. He felt Scully relax into him as well, and he temporarily lost his ability to breath while he took in the responsibility that would be required to protect the two most important people in the world to him. Mother and son nodded off, Scully's hand tenderly cupping William's head. She felt his baby body close to her for the first time in weeks. Scully's hollow feeling was gone, but the guilt remained. The guilt began to melt away when the small clenching fist clenched tighter and released the cross. William's open palm came to rest on her pulse where shoulder and neck met. Scully was surrounded by warmth. Mulder's arm hugged her into his chest as she sat on his lap. She could feel his solid warmth combined with William's , and she felt the last chill in her heart and mind melt away as she relaxed and finally succumbed to exhaustion. William felt the loneliness of the past few weeks leave him as sleep overtook him. He was finally home. He was where he needed to be, with his parents. The hope and reason for continuing was in their arms. As the two in his arms nodded off together and snuggled closer to each other and him, Mulder's thoughts drifted off. He leaned back against the bed, kissing the top of William's head and Scully's cheek. Resting his cheek on the top of Scully's head, breathing in the scent of mother and child, he felt vibrantly alive for the first time in months. As he relaxed further, he contemplated the chaos of the past months in all their lives. His previous attempt at returning had been a defeat that had almost had him giving up hope of ever returning. The subsequent severing of his connection to William and inability to contact Scully would have been a final blow, but for the arrival of the credentials and necessary codes to access the facility in Virginia at that precise time. He would try to find out what had happened when he went East. Gibson had found him when he had made his way southwest. Albert Hosteen's son and grandson had welcomed him and provided a temporary home. Gibson was helping him understand the abilities re-acquired from his second encounter with the rubbing from the space craft fragment found on the coast of Africa. Mulder smiled and rubbed his cheek over Scully's hair. He relived a night from several months ago. A copy of the rubbing had been in one of the files that Scully had stored at her apartment. She had moved her files and some of Mulder's more personal files before his return from the dead. He had been poking through the files soon after his return and found the copy. Apart from a brief jolt, and a body tingling hum that had quickly left he thought it was no longer affecting him. It had startled him when he 'heard' Scully make a very un-Scully like comment while he was slightly bent over the sink brushing his teeth later that night. She had been leaning against the doorjamb watching him, a towel slung low around his hips, when he distinctly heard her say "Mighty fine piece of ash, Mulder." He jerked his head up and looked at Scully in the mirror as she leaned against the door jamb. Her eyes had been firmly attached to his backside. While watching her he definitely heard once again, "Mighty fine," even though her lips did not move. He saw her face flush and her eyes dilate. His eyes closed and he froze, toothbrush forgotten, as he tried to process the myriad pictures that were now flashing through his mind, coming from her. The vivid detail as well as her accompanying silent commentary caused his head to spin. How she had admired his easy lanky form from the beginning. Flashes of thought. The glimpses she had of him that she had memorized in picture perfect detail. Her favorite seemed to be the night he had given her baseball lessons. The gentle teasing and their slow approach to first base. His "hips before hands," and holding on to her long after the first few swings. It had become an all out race to home-plate when they finally reached that first base. They had already spent close to an hour hitting balls, Mulder finally letting Scully attempt a few on her own. Mulder had sent poor-boy home and they were playfully hitting a stray ball that had caught Scully's eye by the backstop. For this final at bat he had once again stepped up to her back and grasped the bat with one hand, her hands under his on the bat. He had pulled the bat back, thrown the ball straight up and closed his arm around Scully and grabbed the bat. They had swung hard at the ball, Mulder lifting Scully off her feet when the bat connected with a solid whack and the ball flew out over second base. Before he could react, Scully took the opportunity to slip out of his grasp. When her feet hit the dirt she was off and running towards first base. An image of his subsequent tackling of Scully before she made it to her destination. His arms had snaked around her middle and they had tumbled onto the grass in a tangle of arms and legs. Scully triumphantly ended up sitting on his chest. His hands on her hips suddenly lifted and twisted sending her to the ground with him leaning over her, both of them laughing as she wriggled trying to get away. Although she didn't seem all that determined to escape. There lips had been a scant inch apart when it ended abruptly. The whine of a microphone switching on and booming, "Jeez, get a room!" and the sudden darkness of the lights being turned out caused them to retreat hastily to Mulder's apartment. It was the closest. The other images of arriving at his apartment, clothes scattered from the front door to the bed. Hours of loving, taking a shower, napping, then starting all over again. He had almost swallowed his toothbrush then, and began choking. Scully had rushed to him and made sure he was ok. The feel of her small hands on his bare back and bicep had completed his undoing. She was flustered, but quite willing when he had hastily disposed of his toothbrush with one hand and fisted the other in the front of the t-shirt. His t-shirt looked so good gently draped over her extended tummy. He pulled her up against his body, his fist twisting in the material of the t-shirt and crushed her mouth under his. The taste and feel of her soft parted lips and gripping hands that clutched onto his back after sliding under his arms, added to the raging desire he felt. Pre-pregnancy, the rug on the bathroom floor would have seen swift heavy action that night, but a gentle bump from her tummy caused the few functioning brain cells he had left to work, and he swooped her up and made a swift exit to the bedroom. She had been unsure of his reaction to her pregnant body, but he had proved beyond a shadow of a doubt that it was nothing to worry about. He had become well acquainted with Scully's enhanced form and thoughts that night. It was different this time. The confusing onslaught of everyone's thoughts and the dizziness of the first time were not there. Now it was clear snippets of thoughts and images only from those close to him. After William's birth the ability seemed to sharpen and focus immediately upon the first look into his son's eyes. A fuzzy warm feeling had come over him, and he knew from the small hand clutching his finger where the feeling was coming from. It had not taken long to establish a clearer link. Although William was a baby, he could send images and feelings that Mulder sensed immediately. When he had to go away, he had been able to let William know he was leaving, but had done it clumsily and William had cried fiercely for a long time. Mulder always knew when William was hungry, needed a new diaper, or a cuddle even after he had left. He managed to keep the link with William open under Gibson's guidance. He sensed most of what William had gone through when the cult had taken him, the intense curiosity, and some fear. The cultists had tried to use him, and William had panicked when he had been unable to sense his mother or father while in the presence of the ship. Mulder too had felt a panic when he briefly could not connect with his son. William had felt a greater presence and Mulder had 'heard' his son's surprise when it was over so suddenly. The 'other' presence abruptly faded, leaving William with a sense of opportunity lost. Mulder had been unable to get a clear sense of what William had experienced, and William had been unable to relay that amorphous experience. Mulder had lost contact completely with William when Jeffrey gave him the injection. At that same time he had been given the credentials and codes to gain access to the facility in Virginia. It would give him a chance to go East, and after accessing the facility, to try to find out why he could no longer sense William. He could only 'hear' Scully when she was near him, concentrating on him. Luckily she concentrated on him a lot. He fiercely missed the connections from William and Scully. They had made his exile bearable. Returning was a risk, but one he was willing to make. He had to try and find out what had happened. Of course this was the time when his plans went awry and spiraled into a living hell. He had conflicted feelings towards Jeffrey Spender when Skinner had explained what had happened to William. Scully's thoughts had been an ongoing tumbling plea for forgiveness from him that he hadn't understood at first, and she had been unable to express, even in her thoughts. He had been shaken and horrified, by what he had learned from Jeffrey during the trial and had sensed no ill will from him. He had doubts however, when he realized that Jeffrey did not want him or Scully, to have any influence over William. It was not Jeffrey whom he doubted, merely those who had tortured and used Jeffrey to hurt William and influence a vulnerability in Scully. The fact that the card key and codes came to him at that time made him even more suspicious. Hopefully Jeremiah and the others would now be able to steer them in the right direction. With what Eric had led he and Gibson to. Chuck Burkes was already investigating the potential of the discovery. Perhaps there WAS a way. He and Scully would do everything in their power to prevent William becoming a pawn in a power struggle. Jeffrey may have thought he was helping, but Mulder had a hard time understanding Jeffrey's reasoning. How was leaving William to face the same fate Jeffrey had endured and the rest of humanity was facing by making him 'normal,' being helpful? He had his son back now, and with Scully by his side felt a renewed hope and determination to somehow change that fate. Mulder stood slowly, making sure to not disturb the two sleeping so peacefully in his arms. He thought it would been difficult, due to his previous physical and mental exhaustion, but was amazed to find that combined they were almost weightless. He stood effortlessly and moved to the bed slowly. He lay down with his burdens, keeping them close and covering them with the comforter. William was lying on his chest, anchored there by Mulder's large hand on his back, puffing small baby breaths against his neck. Scully burrowed into Mulder's side, her hand still cupping William's head. Sleep came almost instantly. They all slept peacefully past the sunrise and into the morning. Mulder woke up when Scully began stirring and felt somewhat uncomfortable when he noticed the spreading warm wetness on his chest. He was aware of a small warm wet weight on his chest and another warm, soft presence at his side, using his shoulder and upper arm as a pillow. He would have thought his arms would be asleep, since they had apparently not moved all night, but they felt fine. He wouldn't give it up for the world, but Scully was getting the warm pungent bath as well. The front and side of Mulder's t-shirt was soaking wet, and the front of Scully's pajamas were getting soaked as well. Scully began to shake and Mulder at first thought she was cold or crying, but soon realized it was stifled giggles shaking her as she rose slightly and propped her chin on her hand. She reluctantly untangled herself from Mulder's embrace, but remained close to his side. Mulder made a mock ferocious look at her as she now laughed openly at the sight of a wet, sorrowful looking man, and a matching look from the small sleepy-eyed and beginning to wriggle baby that had just woken. Her heart fluttered at the sight of her two men, who looked almost identical at that moment. "Good morning, beautiful," Mulder said in a near whisper. "Good morning, Mulder, and how is my handsome young man this morning?" She softly whispered back, smiling at them both, her eyes settling on William. Her lips started quivering and she tried to blink back tears. She reached out and gently caressed William's sleepy face. He gave her a sleepy smile in return and drooled, trying to catch her finger to chew on it. "Oh my God, Mulder, how is this possible? We had so little hope last night." Scully's voice still whisper soft, but shaking. "Shhh, I think somehow its going to be all right. It's not over, but there is hope now beyond what we even dreamed possible just last night," his own voice shaking, his free hand running through her hair, then joining his other hand in holding a now vigorously wriggling body. "We need him, and he apparently needs us. We have to hold on to that. We can discuss particulars after we get, uh, dry?" Mulder lifted the soaking, and now even more aromatic baby off of his chest, and looked him in the eye. William made a grab for his nose and tweaked it in his baby fist, getting a growl and kiss for his trouble. William began grabbing for Mulder's nose again and almost managed to begin chewing on it. Mulder felt small teeth begin to nibble and held him up a little higher. Reaching over to get William from his father, Scully gave each of them a loving kiss. William's cheek was soft and smooth, in direct contrast to Mulder's bristly stubble. As she trailed the kiss to Mulder's lips, the soft lips and surrounding bristle caused a shiver of awareness to tingle through her when those lips parted and invaded. She smiled as she moved reluctantly away. Mulder shot a sparkling look back at her, promising silently to get back to this moment later. She spied the discarded diaper bag by the door where it had been placed the night before, then moved off the bed to take one of her wet men for a bath. Snuggling William into her arms she picked up the diaper bag. With a last lingering look and smile at Mulder, she disappeared into the bathroom. Mulder heard the bath start to run, and sat up taking off his soaked t-shirt. His eyes were still half closed, and his lips still felt her kiss. Shaking his head to clear away wayward thoughts he stripped off the t-shirt. Wrinkling his nose, he attempted to wipe off some of the wetness with the balled up shirt. He stripped down to his boxers, and he peered into the bathroom to see if it was ok to rinse off in the sink. He froze upon seeing the two in the bathtub. They were flushed, pink, wet, giggling, and covered in bubbles. The bubbles were overflowing the bathtub and splashing seemed to be the main attraction. Mulder finally moved and entered, knelt on the floor by the tub and joined in getting water everywhere. Mulder took William out of the bathroom while Scully finished her bath. Her sparkling eyes and smiling face, that had turned into a playful pout when he lifted the baby from the bath and wrapped him in a towel was the most beautiful sight he had ever seen. He managed to put a diaper on the wriggling baby, and after a minor struggle, Mulder had William dressed in a new outfit consisting of a small t-shirt and overalls. Scully emerged from the bathroom to the sound of laughter and Mulder telling William all about box scores as they watched the baseball highlights on the sports channel. Mulder was bare-chested and still in his boxers that had gotten slightly damp while playing with them in the bath. He was lounging on a pile of pillows against the headboard. William appeared to be enthralled with the knowledge Mulder was imparting to him as he sat on his father's lap, held securely in the crook of his arm. She felt happiness well up that she had not felt since William's birth. She picked up William and shooed Mulder into the shower. Scully spread the blanket in which William had come wrapped the night before out on the floor, and she placed him on it after hugging and cuddling with him for several minutes. She did not want him to roll and tumble off the bed. She dressed in jeans and a button-down shirt, staying barefoot for the moment. Searching the diaper bag for formula and a bottle, Scully found the hand carved white buffalo toy tucked into a pocket of the diaper bag and carefully held it for a minute. She felt a calming peace in the talisman, and then gently replaced it. She readied a bottle from the supplies in the diaper bag, regretting for a moment not being able to breast feed when she picked William up and sat leaning into the pile of pillows Mulder had vacated to feed him. William sensed her regret and patted her face and blew bubbles at her, babbling a string of "Mummummum." She hugged him fiercely for a moment, a sparkling smile on her face, and gave him his bottle, which he began to furiously devour. Mulder finished his shower and shaved, coming out of the bathroom just as William was finishing his bottle. He dressed without really looking at what he was doing, entranced by the sight of William in his mother's arms. He finally came out of his trance when William burped loudly after only a few pats on the back, laughing along with Scully. William was suddenly an invigorated baby, who was bouncing wildly. He began babbling and reaching for his father. Scully stood and handed William to Mulder, who had easily taken to holding the baby. She picked up the blanket from the floor and placed it at the foot of the bed, then straightened the comforter. Mulder pulled Scully in to hug her, when she returned to him after a hasty clean-up of the rest of the motel room. She settled her head on his chest, regretting her bare feet and short stature for only a moment, before tilting her head back and standing on her tip toes to kiss her leaning down man, then her growing son. She could get used to a crick in the neck, if it meant being this close to those she loved and hearing their hearts beating every time she hugged them. They slowly pulled away from the kiss and took a deep breath, not quite ready but needing a new beginning. It was time to open the door and face the future. Outside the door, Jeremiah had returned and was listening to the sounds from the motel room. It would be difficult. A final struggle was in the making. It was the beginning of a new existence, and perhaps an alliance that would save them all. Mulder, Scully and William moved as one to the door. Mulder reached out and opened the door wide, to greet those who waited outside. Jeremiah Smith, Gibson Praise, Albert Hosteen's grandson Eric, and a well dressed elderly man. Mulder thought the man had been killed in a car explosion after giving him the means to rescue Scully from Antarctica. Mulder smiled at him, realizing that he had NOT been seeing ghosts the night before after all. William smiled and bounced up and down when he saw his recent traveling companions outside the door. There were plenty of handshakes and hugs as they entered the room, silent questions hovering. "Thank you." Mulder directed this to all who had just arrived, breaking the silence. He tightened his hold on William and hitched him up a little higher and hugged Scully closer. Mulder hung the 'Do Not Disturb' sign on the doorknob before closing the door. Jeremiah and the English gentleman occupied the two standard issue plastic cushioned chairs. Scully took William and had settled on the edge of the bed. Mulder moved to the bed after closing the door, sitting next to her. Gibson and Eric were sitting on the bureau. It was crowded, but it felt right. "Why?" Mulder had been looking at the floor when he asked. Mulder lifted his head and pinned the older man with a clear-eyed stare. He flicked his eyes to Jeremiah, but then returned them immediately to the other man. "I KNOW this is William," he touched William's head briefly. "But why did you bring him to us? What about the adoption? Is he ok?" The questions trailed off. "Mr. Mulder, Miss Scully. There is no simple explanation. William was giving up hope without you, and you were giving up hope without him. He is now more than ok. The effects of the injection have been negated. Jeremiah has returned him to his natural born state. He IS different, more human than you or I, but he is still your son, who is in need of your love, guidance and teaching. You now have a reason to nullify a date, to make it meaningless. To make a future possible, not only for yourselves, but also for every other man, woman and child on the planet. The adoption is still in effect. More explanations, Mr. Mulder, are not easy." A pained expression crossed the elderly man's face, and he lapsed into silence. When she heard that the adoption was still on, Scully clutched William and turned sideways on the edge of the bed as if to hide him. Her eyes were closed tight, and she was trying desperately not to cry. William's whimper at being squeezed so hard barely registered in her mind. All she could see and hear was a descending blackness and a buzzing in her ears, her recent happiness shattering. A soundless scream forming. She did not hear Mulder when his arm tightened around her, and he tried to turn her back to him. "Scully?" He had 'heard' the silent scream, as had William, who had gone wide-eyed and began to whimper. Gibson too jerked in surprise and slid off the bureau, then pulled himself back, waiting. Scully suddenly was struggling fiercely, attempting to pull away, shoving and kicking at Mulder, squeezing William close and trying to duck under Mulder's arm and escape with her son. Mulder finally managed to pin her by leaning her over the bed and lying on top of her. He freed William from Scully's grasp, and motioned to the standing and silent Gibson to come and take their son. Eric too had jerked up straight, startled by the sudden turn of events. "Take him for a walk, but not too far. Stay close." Her frantic struggles slowed. The heavy weight pinning her eased up as Mulder shifted his body to the side. Mulder's voice murmuring her name in a soothing voice slowly penetrated the darkness. Mulder eased slowly away from Scully keeping a firm grip on her. Gibson and Eric left the room with a sniffling, wide-eyed William. Mulder placed a pillow under her head, tucking William's blanket around her shoulders. He went into the bathroom and wet a wash cloth in cold water, returning to sit by Scully's side. He gently wiped her forehead and face with the cold cloth, seeing her eyes slowly brighten and blink, then fill with tears. He hugged her tight and she whispered, "Where's William?" "Sshhhh. It's ok. Gibson and Eric took him for a walk. He's right outside. Scully... Dana," he cupped her head in his hands and looked into her eyes, "can you listen? I need you on this. WE need you. Can you do that? I know its hard, but we have to hear more of the story." He slowly helped her sit up and wiped her face again gently with the washcloth when she managed a jerky nod. He set aside the cloth and wrapped his arm around her waist, keeping her close. Jeremiah and the Englishman had sat still and silent throughout the outburst. Now the Englishman leaned forward, hands clasped, elbows on his knees and slowly started again. "Agent Scully, I believe you are familiar with a ship that was completely demolished in an explosion. You were searching on that vessel for information concerning the anomalies you feel certain concern your son." He paused and then continued. "We," he nodded towards Jeremiah, "were on that ship, barely escaping before you. I saw you searching those pouches..." he paused again for several seconds as if trying to decide what to say, then took a deep breath and continued. "We have information you may find hard to accept, but both of you must understand that this information can go no further at this point in time. All the data concerning this disappeared with the explosion aboard that ship. DNA testing has confirmed it. You were looking for evidence to support your belief that tampering produced your child. You are right and wrong. Your William," his eyes flickered towards the door, "had nothing to do with any science that we know of." There was silence for a short time, and then Jeremiah continued. "You were examined when you were 'persuaded' to take a short trip with CGB Spender." At the name, Scully tensed and anger glowed in her cheeks. "You were a prime candidate for receiving the information on the disc, in light of your afflictions. It was discovered that the disc was not required. You have no trace of ever having cancer and you were not barren. It was also found that your implants were not functioning. Replacing your implants with new ones rendered them useless as well. They were simply left in place, so you would assume they were still functioning." At the last comment Scully ran her fingers over the back of her neck. She looked at Jeremiah and his slight nod caused her to straighten and feel a deep nagging burden that had plagued her for the past three years begin to melt away. She turned towards Mulder and clutched him tightly, her eyes a bright and brilliant blue. Cleared of the hanging threat of a relapse should the chip controlling the cancer fail. A fear that was constantly in her sub-conscious. The anxiety that the other implant found after Ruskin Dam would be used against her. That she would end up on another bridge, but not survive next time. And the most distasteful, that she was tracked and monitored by the implants. Mulder's fear concerning the implants had mirrored hers and he hugged her fiercely in return, closing his eyes and burying his face in her hair for a long minute. After another hug and a trail of kisses that ended near her implants, he rested his chin on top of her head. She turned her head that was now on Mulder's chest and looked at Jeremiah asking tentatively. "They can be removed safely? Now? I want them out. Please. I want them out now." her voice trailed off into a whisper. Jeremiah smiled and nodded. He stood and offered Scully his chair, moving to stand behind her. He moved the hair and collar of her shirt out of the way, laying the palm of his hand against her neck. She felt a tingle and what felt like a light pinch in her neck. She felt a lightheaded floating feeling for several seconds, then the room came back into focus. She jumped a little when she opened her eyes fully. She was looking into hazel eyes directly in front of her, almost nose to nose, concern and hope looking at her intently. She smiled a wobbly smile at Mulder, threw her arms around his neck and squeezed tight. Mulder returned her fierce embrace. She felt a light brushing at her collar, and Jeremiah flicked the tiny dots into the trash can by the bureau then continued, looking at Mulder. "You are part of the key, Mr. Mulder. Your genetic code was enhanced when you came into visual contact with the symbols on the exterior of the craft. The part of your brain activated by that genetic sequence was subsequently removed, but the genetic fingerprint remained. They removed what they considered the affected area, but the blueprint remained in your DNA, passed on to your son. Why the combination of restored ova and your altered DNA produced a 'perfect' human is not known. That is a mystery of science, or miracle, depending on your outlook." The Englishman took the tale over after a short pause, looking at Scully. "There is more information I have. I told you we barely escaped the ship before you. I did not tell you that I took something off that ship that you were looking for, Agent Scully. It is the ultimate evidence that they WERE experimenting with your fertilized ova, provided by Dr. Parenti. What you do not know is that the IVF was successful in experiments on that ship." He took another deep breath and continued on, "You have a son that was conceived and gestated using IVF without you, or any human as an incubator. He is a non-altered true test tube baby from fertilization to viability. I took him from the ship. He is not genetically perfect like William, but he is the genetic offspring of both of you." He paused again straightening his spine and pinning them both with a direct look. "There were other fetuses that they were experimenting on using your fertilized ova. I could not help them. None of them survived the experiments." He trailed off slumping over, looking at the floor. Eye contact was simply not possible at that moment. Scully's eyes had widened and she suddenly paled and bolted for the bathroom, slamming the door shut. No breakfast, not having eaten much in the past few days, and the emotional turmoil of the past hours merely produced dry heaves that were almost worse than if she had been able to vomit properly. The wrenching heaves slowly stopped and she sank down to curl up on the cool floor dry eyed yet oddly feeling somewhat better, even with a throbbing headache. Mulder followed her, but he stopped at the closed door and leaned his forehead on the cool wood waiting for her to return. Mulder felt a deep anger begin to well up and raged at the constant manipulations, then clamped down on the raw emotions when he felt William flinch in his mind. Mulder's heart was heavy, but knew at this moment Scully needed to gather her strength and resolve. After a few minutes she stood and brushed her teeth vigorously, washed her face and peered at herself in the mirror. She was still pale, but had a determined look in her eyes. She brushed her hair and composed herself as much as possible. The tremors in her hands and legs would take time to leave, but she could finally face the men outside the door again. Taking a deep breath, and closing her eyes for a moment, she reached for the door handle and stepped back into the motel room. Mulder had stayed near the door and was waiting for her when she came out. She took his hand and squeezed it, giving him a shaky smile. "Mr... uh," Scully's voice trembled then she straightened and continued, this time in a stronger voice. "We, um, Mulder... Fox and I, have another son?" At his nod, she sagged a bit, Mulder squeezed her hand, drawing her close. She closed her eyes trying to keep her composure. Not 12 hours ago she had almost nothing to cling to, except Mulder and a hollow hope that she did not fully understand. Now she had so much more. She had her health, and they had William, their true miracle and son conceived in her body. They also had a son that they had not known about. She felt a renewed fire and determination, as an image of Emily and dark images that she simply could not form completely flashed through her mind. "Where is he? What exactly does that mean for us?" she asked. "Agent Scully, it means you can claim your 'miracle' son with no one being the wiser. You never told the entire FBI that you had placed your son for adoption. It was an anonymous adoption, with no names provided merely that the baby's name was William, from a single mother making a difficult choice. "Your other son 'William,' is in the adoptive parents care. He is a much-loved son. The adoptive parents won't raise a fuss about a missing child because they still have a child. It will mean you will still have lost a child, but gained one as well." Mulder felt a familiar nudge in his mind. He breathed deep and concentrated on what William was trying to convey to him from outside. He sensed that William had calmed down and was no longer frightened by what was occurring. He 'saw' wide-open spaces and valleys, and 'heard' the gentle tones of someone singing a lulling tune. He was experiencing what William felt from his brother, their other son. A gift from William to cherish. William's quiet conveyance stilled his simmering anger instantly and he tightened his arms around Scully and whispered to her, "They're both William, Scully. And they both are loved so much." He hugged her even tighter. He turned and faced Scully cupping her face in his hands, and leaned his forehead against hers. William directed his connection to Scully and Mulder saw her face assume a look of confusion, then her eyes closed and she took a deep breath the spreading look of wonder on her face heartening. When she opened her eyes a few minutes later, her eyes were bright and clear, brimming with love and hope. "Your explanation is simple. You sent William to be with his father, your mother went to help with him as she was helping you when you had William. You have friends in high places, Mr. Mulder. Find them and use them. I hesitate to speculate, but I presume you have assets from your parent's estates?" At Mulder's brief nod, not looking at Scully who had giving him 'the look.' The arched brow and skeptical look turning to humor at his continued perusal of his foot scuffing the floor. He mumbled, "You didn't think some of our adventures were actually paid for with government funds, did you? Not that I didn't try to file expenses, but more often than not they were denied." He shrugged, still not looking at her. "It was THEIR money that I inherited from my father. Why not use it the way I wanted to? My mother's money is in a trust fund. It is in Scully's name, but requires a positive identification of my body and one year wait, or the first birthday of her natural born child or one year anniversary of her adoption of a child." He turned and finally looked at her sheepishly. Scully was secretly amused by his attempt to hide it from her. The Gunmen were extremely supportive during his abduction and 'death.' She had spent many lonely hours pestering them. She grimaced slightly at that, then pushed the thought away. She was somewhat startled when Mulder looked at her suddenly with a pained and guilty expression, one he always got when he thought he had hurt her. The brief thought flashed through that he could read her mind, and was going to dismiss it, especially when she thought of some of the things she had thought about during their morning kiss. At his suddenly sly smirk, her eyes widened and she mentally whacked him. His startled look confirmed it, when she tried blocking him out with thoughts of beetle larvae, a crimson tide of embarrassment rising in her cheeks. The two men watching were fascinated by the silent exchange, one silently laughing, the other bemused. Mulder finally continued, "So you could buy that house in the 'burbs, picket fence and anything else you wanted." Turning away he continued, "Anyway, yeah, I have funds I can access. Why?" "A good private lawyer to ensure your custody of William. It will be the first thing they will try to use against you should the adoption be questioned. A birth certificate for both children are on record. I took the liberty of sealing both. DNA records are also available. A good lawyer can make it so both will be Oxford graduates, and you grandparents before it even gets to court." "You go back together, with William. You make sure EVERYONE knows that William is your son. From the head of the FBI to your Dry Cleaner, and the clerk at the corner store. You must be vigilant. There are factions who still want Fox Mulder and or William harmed, and they are not necessarily alien, although nothing is certain. You will have guardians. In fact if you look outside, you will find you already have another one, besides Mr. Smith and myself." Mulder and Scully moved to the window and looked out. They saw William, Gibson and Eric following the progress of a horny toad across the sand at the edge of the hotel parking lot, Eric telling a tale to Gibson and William about the toads. At the opposite end of the lot they saw a car with a figure leaning against it watching the boys. Mulder and Scully both stiffened instantly and whirled around to gape at the two men, as they instantly recognized Billy Miles. They were both smirking, then smiled outright. "You have to trust, Agents. Not everything is as it seems. Remember his birth. If they had wanted him then he would not be here. We will do everything we can to protect you. That protection includes your other son." The Englishman was thinking of his own trial by fire that he had endured after the car explosion. He had been taken out of commission. His punishment had been being assigned to the ship, losing his family and forced to endure years at sea, never going into port. Jeremiah had shown up as a transferred in numbers analyst and had eased his physical injuries, still suffered because of the car bomb. It had not been easy, the past months taking care of an infant with no settled permanent home. They had been forced by circumstances to use aliases and resorted to almost kidnapping Gibson from under Skinner's nose. In fact Gibson had found them, outside the FBI building. He had sensed Jeremiah and been drawn to find him, slipping away from his observers. When he had realized the Englishman was no longer a threat to him, as he had been years earlier he had accepted him with no questions. Reading minds came in handy. He had them pick up Eric and they had set out on their quest to retrieve William. Gibson had played a key role in finding him. Gibson and Eric returned, laughing and taking turns holding and playing peek-a-boo with a happily shrieking William. There was a brief moment of silence when all were gathered in the room once more, where the mood had lightened considerably. The sudden loud rumble from a hungry tummy had all eyes suddenly centered on a diminutive redhead, who was silently cursing the blush that took up residence in her cheeks again. That load rumble and a deepening crimson from someone so petite and professional in public, caused a sudden burst of laughter to erupt in the room. Scully hastily dug out a pair of sneakers and socks and was ready for breakfast in record time. Mulder reached out to open the door. He glanced down at William held securely in his arm, then stiffened when he saw William's eyes go wide and fly towards the now opening door. He whipped his head towards the door attempting to slam it shut, but was forced back, the door opening to admit the intruder, then slamming shut. Everyone was frozen in place. No one was willing to make the first move. William was the first one to move, and his gesture had the desired effect. He quietly reached over touching the newest member in the room. His tiny hand firm as he pressed his palm into the broad shoulder. The Alien Bounty Hunter cocked his head slightly and looked intently at every person in the room, his gaze finally settling on Jeremiah. They looked at each other silently for several tense seconds, then the bounty hunter strode purposefully towards Jeremiah removing a slim silver object from his pocket. The whole room tensed then looked on in disbelief as the object was offered to Jeremiah. Jeremiah took the weapon and slipped it into his own pocket. The bounty hunter turned and not speaking, merely a brief flicker of his eyes towards William and his parents, left the room. Mulder felt like he had been stuck in molasses. His muscles had refused to move from the moment he had been pushed back into the room, until the click of the door closing announced the exit of the bounty hunter. He was rendered speechless by what he had just seen, but a sudden clarity and understanding of the enormity of what had just occurred nearly floored him. William was looking intently at him, then smiled and laid his head on his shoulder, snuggling in. Jeremiah was showing a serene exterior to all those assembled. It had begun. A simple gesture had pushed everything up and activity would begin immediately to either undo what had just been done, or to cement it. There was nothing to do at the moment, except let the knowledge of what had happened to spread. Everyone slowly absorbed what had occurred and trooped silently out of the room in search of breakfast. The outward gaiety they had expressed before the bounty hunter invaded had been replaced with awe. The simplest of gestures, and yet it was a beginning and an end for everyone. The silent sentinels had melted away. They were close, but would rarely be seen or acknowledged. There were still many obstacles to overcome and time was short, but there was hope now, beyond anything that any of them had felt before. John Doggett and Monica had arrived as the bounty hunter left the room, and could swear that they had glimpsed Billy Miles. They were hastily exiting their car and drawing weapons when the motel room door opened and it seemed a river of people, quiet, but smiling exited the room. They stood slack-jawed as the group headed towards the restaurant a block down the street. The defeated and listless couple that they had last seen the night before was completely gone. The presence of the baby dumbfounding the pair. It looked almost like a party was about to start. Scully saw them first and elbowed Mulder, nodding her head in the direction of the two stunned agents. The silence broke, when a familiar loud rumble seemed to echo off the wall of the motel and into the parking lot. "If you hurry, you might get something before its all gone," Mulder's quip and nodding his head towards the restaurant that advertised an 'all you can eat' buffet, earned him another elbow. Stifled giggles quickly dissolved into full laughter. Reaching out and grabbing John and then Monica's arms, face afire but head proudly held, Scully led them all off in the direction of the restaurant. Explanations would have to wait until after breakfast. In the meantime Scully was thinking, a smile forming, that San Diego was a beautiful place to start rebuilding their life, beginning with healing the breach with her mother. After which a stroll down the hallways at the FBI seemed to be in order. Mulder was pondering his role, when he grinned devilishly on seeing a trio silhouetted in the distance. The gunman's lair would make an excellent base of operation. They could begin the task of cataloging what they, Gibson, Eric, Eric's father and Mulder had begun. The investigation Chuck had undertaken after standing in silent awe for several minutes. Eric had found them. He said his grandfather had shown him the way. The labyrinth of caves they had discovered, sprawled throughout the mountains. The walls etched with seemingly endless symbols. End?
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