ReinventionTITLE: Reinvention AUTHOR: Jerry CATEGORY: S KEYWORDS: MSR, Doggett, Skinner RATING: PG SPOILERS: All the way through S8 SUMMARY: Reinvention. Minor schmaltz warning -- nothing of the "Dearest Dana" or "Forever Yours" magnitude, however. DISCLAIMER: No harm, no profit, no infringement intended NOTES: There are mentions of characters from my casefile, "Substance of Things" and this universe is consistent with "Three of a Kind," but you do not have to read either one to follow this. Many thanks to Shari for her usual wonderful beta and to Jean for the periods. FEEDBACK: Gratefully accepted at jerrycanary@att.net OTHER FIC: http://jerrycanary.home.att.net -------------------- February Washington, DC The streetlight three stories below the bedroom window guided her to the side of her son's crib. She looked down at him sleeping peacefully, small snuffles in each breath the only sign of the cold he was just getting over. His pajama'd feet had kicked his blanket aside and she repositioned it around him, leaving her hands on his soft, warm body for a moment, smiling at her small miracle. She felt Mulder's presence before his arms wrapped around her and his chin settled on the top of her head. "How's our little guy?" "Sleeping well, no temp. I think he'll be back to normal tomorrow." "I'll put the dropcloths on the kitchen floor tonight then." She laughed as she turned in his arms and looked up at him. "His eating is a bit...Jackson Pollack, I'll admit." "You're the messy eater, you know, Scully. That splatter technique does not come from me." "I prefer to think of it as normal baby boy technique." Mulder held her tighter. "Normal baby boy. He is, isn't he?" Scully rested her head on his chest, feeling the strong pulse of his heart through the grey t-shirt. "He is. His blood carries the immunity, but in every other way...yes, he's our normal baby food flinger." "I wonder if we'll ever need him." "If we do, we already have the blood stored. It's probably in more than the three places we know about, if I know the Gunmen." Mulder pulled away. "Hey, speaking of the Three Wise Men, let's go unwrap their latest offering." Before she could respond, he pulled her with him into the living room of their loft, pausing only to let her close the door of the nursery. The bulky object sitting on the hardwood floor near the fireplace was about the size of a large walrus and was wrapped in what looked like several rolls of colorful "it's a boy!" paper. Scully sighed indulgently. "How much longer are they going to keep this up, Mulder? He's 21 months old!" "Aw c'mon, Scully. You gotta admit that mobile they made is pretty cool. And what about that learning software?" "Uh huh..." she said, distracted, as she tried to find a reasonable place to start unwrapping. Mulder watched her carefully peel away one piece of tape before stepping in and ripping the paper down the center. Scully's protests were stopped by what his action revealed. A child-sized dark leather couch. A nearly perfect match. They both stared at it for a moment before Mulder broke out into laughter and soon Scully had joined him. They finished removing the wrapping while gasping for air and wiping their eyes, then collapsed on the floor next to it. "Oh my god," Scully panted, "Where did they get this?" "I...a...." Mulder slowly regained the ability to speak. "I don't think I want to know." He grinned at her. "But I love it." She smiled back just as the phone in Mulder's study rang. Mulder climbed to his feet, looking at his watch. "10pm." "Do you suppose they've found another...." "I don't know." She followed him to his study, waited as he undid the high latch on the door and stood in the doorway as he went to his desk. The larger, original version of their son's gift sat along the opposite wall, and the corkboard wall on her left was almost covered with clippings, photographs, scribbled notes and copies of pages from official reports. "Mulder," he said as he answered the phone and then, after a pause, "I'll be there in 15 minutes. What's the mile marker?" He scribbled something on a pad in front of him. "Ok." He turned to her and confirmed the unspoken statement in her eyes. "That was Doggett. They've found another body." "Oh, Mulder." Scully's heart sank. Another young woman was dead. The third in an apparent series. "I know, Scully," Mulder said as he put the note in his jeans pocket and reached for his leather jacket on the coatrack near the study door, "but remember how we didn't get that big rainstorm we expected this weekend? The body wasn't submerged. There'll be more evidence." Scully waited for him to clip on his gun, then they walked to the front door together. He took her face in his hands. "Don't know when I'll be back." "I know," she said, "but I know John's there to watch out for you." "You've taught him well. He makes me eat and everything." "Call me when you can. I'm taking my class into the field tomorrow and having lunch with Deborah, but I'll have my cell." He lingered as they kissed, wrapping his arms tightly around her once before pulling open the door and heading down the hall. She shut the large door behind him, pushed the bolt across it and armed the security system. If the pattern held it would be at least 36 hours before Mulder returned, and that was if he made a breakthrough. She might not see him for several days. Fifteen minutes later she was settled in front of the fireplace with a book and a cup of tea. Shifting on the couch after the first chapter, she felt something poke at her hip. She reached under the cushions and found the source: a pocketknife. Skinner's. He and John had been here for dinner last week, she remembered; it must have fallen out of his pocket. She rolled the silver object between her fingers, stroking the side with the pad of her thumb. She was sitting in almost the same place as the last time she'd seen Skinner do the same thing, except of course, the couch was in her apartment then and his gesture had been one of frustration and discouragement. _______________________________________ She'd been home from the hospital for three days when Skinner knocked on her door early Friday evening. He asked after her health and made small talk as she fixed coffee for them both. When they were settled in her living room, she forced him to come to the point. "They're closing the X-Files." She stated it as fact. "Yes." He nodded, pulling off his glasses and rubbing the bridge of his nose before looking at her again. "I met with Kersh this afternoon and with the Director afterwards. They have the auditor's report, your unauthorized visit to Oregon, my return there with Mulder and his disappearance -- which, by the way, they are treating as a criminal case." "Criminal? They're assuming he was kidnapped?" "They seem to be keeping all options open." He glanced at her raised eyebrow. "Except that one, of course. Scully, they're assigning a task force and proceeding as though Mulder's disappearance may be voluntary." Scully's eyes narrowed. "Voluntary?" Her voice grew stronger. "They think he just...why on earth would he...what can they be thinking?" Skinner pulled his pocketknife out of his pocket and rolled it between his fingers. He stared at the floor. "I can't read Kersh's mind. He seems committed to finding Mulder, but for what purpose, I could not tell you." "This is ridiculous," Scully muttered. "So, where does this leave me? I don't suppose I can count on being part of the posse." "You are being reassigned to Quantico. Assistant Chief of Pathology, faculty and field consultant when requested." He held up his hand as she opened her mouth to protest. "It's not a bad deal, Scully. You'll be working with Craig Reskin. Your input as a pathologist will still be valued." She felt the control she'd been holding begin to slip, felt tears gather. Skinner looked up as he put on his glasses. He saw her eyes glistening and put the pocketknife back in his pocket, then leaned forward and took her hands in his. "Dana, as your supervisor I cannot tell you what to do -- but as your friend, as Mulder's friend - " His voice broke slightly. "You have other resources, better resources, really. You and I both know that a conventional search, no matter how far-ranging, is not going to help you find Mulder. The tools you need are information, surveillance, intel. The...your...your friends are fully equipped to help you. And I will help, and Len, and that Dr. Burks...you have a team, Scully. We will find him." He seemed exhausted by this speech and sat back, releasing her hands. She used her fingertips to wipe the few tears that had fallen, then stood up. "Thank you, sir. You're right. This is the best way, and I need to get started now. Do I report to Quantico on Monday?" He stood, matching her matter-of-fact tone. "Yes. Craig will get you settled and do the paperwork with you." He looked around her apartment. "Is someone...do you have...?" She led him to the door. "My mother calls every day. She's done this before, you know." A harsh laugh escaped her lips before she could stop it. She tried to reassure him. "And Deborah and the Gunmen have been by every other day or so. I'm fine, sir." "All right, Agent Scully." He seemed to use her title as an acknowledgement of that statement. "Call me anytime." "I will, sir." ------------------------------------------- In her mind, the door to her old apartment closed, and she was alone. She shivered and pulled an afghan up over her lap, sinking a little further down into the couch. She rested her head against the large pillow at one end. Thinking of Skinner naturally brought Doggett to mind. Those two finding each other was another miracle, really. If Mulder had never been abducted, if Doggett hadn't been assigned to the case.... She met John Doggett on that first day at Quantico. He arrived as she was settling into her new office and quickly established that he was there to talk to her as a witness, not to receive an education on alien abductions. Despite this, she saw something in him that seemed trustworthy. He wouldn't find Mulder, she knew, but she also felt sure that he wouldn't hide information from her or treat her as a leper, no matter what his superiors said. Her instincts had been correct and now John was a valuable partner to Mulder in his BSU profiling. Doggett's stubborn "just the facts" approach balanced Mulder's leaps and improvisation.... Her mind was wandering again and she yawned and pulled the afghan over her shoulders. Her baby was sleeping and the pillow was soft and warm under her head.... ------------------------------------------ She awoke, disoriented and sweating. The loft was dark, lit only by the glowing logs in the fireplace. Everything was quiet, but her head was filled with images, motion. A man, inexplicably flying in the darkness....shooting her gun and John beside her, firing his weapon as well....a crowd of people, surrounding her in a barn ....a pony carousel and another image of John beside her, this time outside a strange circular chamber...heavy pounding coming from inside...a strange small man, lying in his own blood in front of her. She sat up quickly, shaking her head as if to dislodge the pictures, but a feeling of loneliness persisted. It was a feeling she hadn't had since.... She stood up and folded the afghan, placing it on the couch. As she did, she looked around the loft. A basketball in the corner, under the fishtank. A bag of sunflower seeds on the counter of the kitchen. Mulder was here. Not lost. Here. Peeking into the nursery, she found all was quiet. Why was she so anxious, she asked herself. Where had those dreams come from? Mulder was on a case, but he'd been on many in the last year and a half. Well, she needed sleep if she wanted to keep up with her once-again healthy son. A warm shower and a real bed would help. ----------------------------------------- "I'm sorry, Agent Scully, I'm so sorry." A strange woman was speaking to her. Where was she? Some sort of cabin? Doggett and Skinner were there too, their faces showing despair, sympathy...grief? Why was she screaming? A casket lowered into the ground...Skinner beside her. A tombstone...Mulder's? No...no...it wasn't right. Where were they? This wasn't where his father was buried, or his mother. Her mother, holding her. Something familiar but different about her body...pregnancy? A tunnel, and video monitors...a laboratory with deformed fetuses in glass jars...Mulder there, then gone again...then suddenly in a hospital, his skin scarred and grey, almost lifeless...then just as suddenly arriving at her apartment with a pizza and an old-fashioned doll in a box... That strange woman again. Shouting at her. "Push, Dana!" Figures surrounding them both...a cry...blood....Mulder...Mulder.... Mulder, holding their son, kissing her. Fear subsiding. His hand coming up to tuck her hair behind her ear.... ------------------------------------- She was awake again and he was there, tucking her hair behind her ear. She rolled over in bed and saw his tired but smiling face. "What time is it?" He chuckled. "You always ask that when you wake up. It's 6am." "You're back," she murmured sleepily. "Your investigative skills are as strong as ever, Agent Scully." "I was dreaming." "I know, I almost woke you up a few minutes ago. It looked like a bad one." She nodded. "It was. Awful feelings. The second one of the night. I don't know why." Mulder stroked her face. "Well, maybe those skills need a little work. Do you know what today is?" She paused and then her eyes went wide. "February 16th. Your return day." "There you go." She sighed and nodded again. "That makes sense. Last year we actually celebrated -- " He grinned and moved his hand to her hip. "We certainly did." " -- but this year I didn't remember it...at least not consciously." "You had other things on your mind." His voice was suggestive and his lips were on her neck. Small gurgles and nonsense syllables came out of the nursery monitor. She pulled away and looked toward it. Mulder gave a small snort. "Yup, he's up -- but keeping himself company for the moment. I checked on him." "You're back so soon. How...?" Mulder stopped smiling. "We got the son-of-a-bitch. He tried to run down the fire escape when we got to his apartment, but Doggett took him out." "So there was more evidence...." "On the body, yes." His face darkened. "The bastard killed one more but she was the last piece of the puzzle. It was all about geography...I'll explain later." Scully sat up in bed and crossed her legs. "It's okay, I'm awake. Do you want to talk now?" Mulder stood up and held out a hand. "Actually, I was wondering if you could come somewhere with me." Taking his hand, she scooted off the edge of the bed. "Where? Should I get the little guy ready?" "No, just you and me. I...Deborah's here. She came back with me." He held out her robe and she slipped into it while looking at him quizzically. "Deborah? To babysit? Why?" Mulder sat down on the edge of the bed and pulled her into the V of his legs. He reached for her hands. "The girl who was killed...she didn't have any family; parents dead, no siblings, aunts, uncles. She was living in a small apartment set up by one of those shelters for homeless families." "But you just said she didn't have any --" Scully waited, feeling his intensity, his focus. "She had a baby daughter. We found her in the apartment. She's at Georgetown Memorial now -- looks like she was just a little hungry but otherwise fine." "Mulder...." "Scully, I know you've always expected that we'd just have one child. Whatever Cancer Man did, he's not around to do it again. But...this little baby, Scully..." He paused. "Just come and see her. I have a feeling. Please." His eyes, as they had been so many times, were a place of healing and hope. She leaned foward and kissed his cheek. "Then let's get going, G-man. Your son is going to leave the crib anyway as soon as he sees his couch." ----------------------------------------- AUTHOR'S NOTES: I haven't written anything for quite a while and I'm not watching S9. I had some ideas about M&S's future, however, and I'd had an itch to to tie up some loose ends. Then this premise arrived and smacked me around until I sat down at the computer. For the sake of my sanity and physical well-being, I crammed everything into this one story and let the schoop flow. If you got this far, thanks!