Summary: “One young boy destined to face the past, change the present and determine the future” a William fic, enjoy and review :)

*Chapter 1*: Default Chapter

This is my Life

"One young boy destined to face the past, change the present and determine the future"

There are people in the world who think that life goes on in one swift moment, life more or less passes you by as we don't think about the people around us or what they really do mean to us, I who have never known my parents, my bloodline, my true family. Why they gave me away I understand that in my heart and in my soul, but in my head I don't.

I don't know who I am or what I am for that matter, things have been happening since I was a baby, visions, feelings of a bad presence constantly haunting me, and then there are my parents. I have seen what I think of them in my dreams, flashes of my life with my mother before I was adopted. I am seven years old, and people say I am smart for my age, my adoptive parents don't know that I know the truth of who I am, and that I am not their son. They love me with all their heart but in a way I love them for taking me in, giving me a home, for being nothing more than my carers. When my mother looks at me, this certain way its as if she senses they haven't really made me their child by taking after them, I can hear her thoughts as she wonders where I get my love of science from, my burning questions of life out there in the real world they know I am not your average kid. Since I found out my real existence I've had this deep burning desire, which grows everyday to be with my parents. It is so strong; it draws me out into the night to look at the stars into which I look up at, this very moment.

My dreams are filled with happiness and love, but sometimes at night there are the ones filled with fear, my mother fearing for my father's safety and mine at the same time. However I can feel my own fear of these people who threaten us, lurking in the shadows waiting to strike, I scream in my mind, in my dreams for them to take me, hurt my parents no more, they have suffered enough, but the dreams end with me awake and confused, knowing she sacrificed me to save me. I am William Van De Kemp and this is my life.

I always had this feeling I was someone who was never known as "normal" how does one define the word. Well that for sure is not me. As I put my belongings in my rucksack and a few cookies, and tins of food to help me on my journey, I feel happy for the first time in my life. I'm going home. Home. Its strange isn't it all of my life I have thought of the farm as home, that I would grow up and take it over for my father. Life now isn't always what it seems. I'm excited and scared for what lies ahead of me, I don't know where I am going yet, what I am going to learn along the way but now I know that life is about asking questions, not about knowing the answers.

I take as many belongings as I can, but as I sneak past my parents' bedroom, I stop and take one last look inside, these are the people who have cared and loved me as if I was their own. To them I am their son, however to me I cannot be who they want me to be.

I go into their bedroom and stare at the sleeping figures I walk to their bedside table and lay their letter next to their lamp; I stare at them one last time and cry silently allowing myself not to wake them. I close the door and head back to my room heaving my rucksack on my back, and head down the ladders looking back at the one place I called home and then head off into the night. The stars are bright tonight and there is one that has shone brighter the past few nights. I feel as if I have a connection with it. I have always felt this way about the sky for as long as I can remember. I go with my instincts and follow it.

I have been walking for five hours straight now my legs are tired and I feel as if I am about to collapse as I see the bus station I go to the bus that is heading to Washington and hand the driver my ticket. He looks at me thinking, how old I must be. I smile as he nods and head to the back of the bus away from prying eyes.

As the bus begins to fill I realize there aren't many people on it and as the engine starts I rest my head against the cushion of the chair and feel my eyes grow heavy. I'm dreaming again, however this time there is another person in the dream, a woman and my mother. She is looking at me as a baby in my crib, my seven-year-old self-watches from the corner of the room.

She turns and says to the woman that she has a choice of what kind of life she can choose for me and that I shouldn't be scared of anyone or anything. Then the woman turns to my mother as she looks down at me and touches the star upon my crib as the woman says "but who can?" and my mother begins to cry.

I suddenly find myself transported to another dream, my mother is holding me closely and telling me how much she loves me and that my dad loves me too. The woman is here again and I have learned her name is Monica; my mother begins to get me ready as if I am going somewhere, I notice a bag is lying by the door as my mother adjusts my rabbit eared hat. There is a knock at the door and Monica goes to answer it, another woman comes into the apartment. She smiles sadly at my mother then over at me. I feel a pressure on my forehead as my mother kisses my forehead for the last time. I hear her voice one last time as I am put in the woman's arms and the closes the door behind me.

I am catapulted out of the dream so fast it hurts my head as I open my eyes; I am breathing fast and shivering uncontrollably. An old woman asks me if I am okay and I nod trying not to draw attention to myself. I ask her where we are and she says that we are nearing Washington. My heart is starting to do summersaults, I'm almost home.

An hour later the bus is pulling into the station, I get off and head for the small supermarket for something to drink. On my way I spot a phone booth when I come out of the supermarket I head towards it. There is a large phone book I open it up and flick to the letter S. I know my mother's maiden name is Scully as it was used many times in my dreams. There are two-listed known Scully's in the area maybe one is my mother I only hope. I go to dial the number of a M.A. Scully but decide that it would maybe be better to go to the address in the book and find out for myself. I hail a cab and say to the driver to take me to twenty two Greenwood Drive he looks at me strangely thinking what a kid my age is doing out in a city on his own. He nods and then starts to drive the good thing about my powers is that I have learned to read people's minds; I am learning how to switch it off and on when I want it's like listening to a radio. The driver asks why I am on my own and I say I'm visiting my grandparents for the holidays. He smiles and nods again. Before I know it we are turning into Greenwood Drive as I step out the car and hand the driver the money I owe him I feel a sense of familiarity with this place as I walk up the driveway to the door.

I knock three times but there is no answer I am just about to give up when this feeling inside begins to get very strong, the door then opens and a woman looks down at me. At that moment I am catapulted into a vision it's so strong it throws me off balance.

"Do what is best for William, Dana"

"Mom, don't you think I have thought about that every single day since he was born, I can't protect him, anymore"

"And strangers can?"

At that moment I look up to the woman's face realizing who she is, she is related to my mother and may have the answers to who I am. She looks at me strangely as if about to ask me a question and then I feel the darkness cave in on me and I feel my body fall with a thud.

The next thing I feel is as if my body is being lifted and deposited on something soft.

I nod nervously "yeah I am okay now," I say.

"You scared me there for a second," she says pushing me gently back on the couch and saying that she is going to call for a doctor.

I sit upright quickly "No, its okay I have experiences like that quite a lot it's who I am."

She looks over at me obviously confused at my statement then smiles "Okay then, how about you lie there for a few more minutes and I'll make you something to eat and you can tell me why you are here."

I nod and say that I am feeling better and she says to make myself at home she goes to the kitchen and as I walk around the living room I look at the photos I pass one by the fireplace and I am compelled to look at it, it's of a baby. That baby is me.

I stand looking at it transfixed as if time has stopped I must have been about ten months old in that photo. The woman comes out of the kitchen to see if I am okay and she sees me staring at the picture, "Ah I see you've been looking at my photographs," she says.

I nervously ask, "Sorry for me asking m'am but could you tell me who that baby in the photograph is?

She looks at me shocked for a second that I seem to have asked her that question her kindly eyes begin to glaze over as she picks up the frame. "That is my grandson, William, he was ten months old." From her use of the word "was" I could now see what she meant.

She looks down at me and our eyes seem to connect she is trying to see what my reaction is, "What happened to him?" I ask innocently I need to push this; I have to find out if she is family.

She lowers her head and puts the photo back on its resting place; I can tell it's painful for her to talk about it I feel the same pain she is experiencing. Just as she is about to answer me, the phone rings, she says for me to go into the kitchen and sit and wait for her, as breakfast is ready, I do as I'm told and go into the kitchen. Ten minutes later she appears and sits next to me with her coffee, I eat slowly.

"So do you have a name?" she asks laughing.

I smile and say "Yes my name is William too."

She looks at me in surprise "That's a good strong name, in fact my late husband was called William and so is my son but he always preferred Bill," she laughed again. "My name is Margaret but call me Maggie.," I say okay then she asks me another question "May I ask what age you are dear?"

I wipe my mouth with my napkin "Seven," I say.

"Are you looking for someone here?" she asks again.

I nod again scared of telling her what I already know that she could be my grandmother.

"I'm looking for my parents," I say.

She looks at me confused just before she asks me a question, I blurt out that I'm adopted.

"That would explain the rucksack," she says I nod again. "How much do you know about them? Maybe I can help you," she says.

"I know that I was born in a place called Democrat Hot Springs in Georgia, I was adopted at ten months old and that my mother's name is Dana Scully and nothing of my father."

*Chapter 2*: chapter 2

Maggie puts down her coffee and stares at me, her face has turned white as if she has seen a ghost or something and then she speaks again. "Your mother, Dana Scully?," she says her voice trembling.

I nod again tears beginning to sting my eyes. I put my head in my hands and get up from the table grabbing my rucksack. "Thank you for the food I need to be going now," I say, as I'm about to run away. I never expected this straight away, finding a member of my family it's all too much to take in.

"William wait!," she says. I turn and look at her, her eyes are brimming with tears. "You're home," she says.

With that I run into her outstretched arms, she hugs me tightly and pulls me back from our embrace and looks into my face, "I never noticed it until now. You look so much like your father, but you have your mother's eyes," she says as she puts her hands on my face.

I laugh and she takes me into her arms again, I never want to let go. She leads me into the living room and takes out a photo album. "This is your parents," she says. She turns to a photo of a couple; the man is holding me carefully as a woman drapes her arms around us. "This was taken when you were two weeks old, the day before your father left."

"He left? Why?" I ask.

"To save you, I will never understand why, only your mother and father know that, because of who you are, and maybe how special you are to certain people."

I nod beginning to understand, what she means.

"Grandma, things have been happening to me over the past few years," I say.

"In what way?" she asks with concern in her voice.

"I can do things, for example see that ornament over there, watch."

I reach out my hand and close my eyes and concentrate the power is surging through me. I hear her gasp I open my eyes and let the ornament float over on to her lap.

"When? How?"

"I don't know but I've been doing this for as long as I can remember, and I seem to be getting stronger by the day."

That day I learned more about my parents than I had even thought possible, but there was still the question of where they were. Grandma says she doesn't know they move around a lot to stop those people who follow them, it was to keep me safe and the rest of the family like Grandma and my uncles' families. She tells me about my aunt Melissa, and Samantha my father's sister and then she told me about Emily my sister, it's strange because when she was talking about her I felt as if I already knew her.

When I was four years old I remember I woke up one night screaming from another nightmare and my adoptive mother came into my room to help me back to sleep. After she left the room, I saw something in the corner of my room it was a girl roughly the same age as me she smiled and waved at me, then she vanished.

Anytime I had a nightmare she appeared and the more she did, the more I communicated with her, she said I shouldn't be afraid, these dreams are part of who I am, her presence was comforting but when the dreams stopped coming so did she.

I always wondered what happened to her until I look at the pictures of her as a baby and up until she was four years old. My grandmother explains that Emily like me was special and had been brought up by a different family, like me she had been adopted but my mother hadn't known about her existence.

She says that my mother managed to obtain all of Emily's belongings after she died to give us some memories of who she was. Grandma had kept most of Emily's belongings due to Mom and Dad moving around so much.

It had been a long day; we had talked for a long time about anything and everything.

Grandma said she was going to call my parents' old boss to say that I was here. That night I slept soundly for the first time in six years, but I couldn't stop thinking about my adoptive parents I know they won't let me go without a fight.

The next morning I went downstairs Grams had let me sleep later than I had ever done in my life before and I heard a man's voice with hers downstairs as I approached the kitchen.

I stood in the doorway and stared at the skin headed man who sat at the table. My grandmother came to my side. "William I would like you to meet Walter Skinner."

The man got up and stooped down to my eye level and gave me his hand "It's been a long time, the last time I saw you was when you were a baby." I smile at him.

"Nice to meet you, Sir," I say shaking his hand.

"Well Maggie, he sure doesn't have Mulder's 'politeness' and call me Walter," he says laughing.

"You knew my Dad?," I say.

He nods, then sighs "William you ran away from home, you didn't tell anyone where you were going did you?"

"No sir," I say.

He looks a little disappointed in me but laughs "You really are your father's son." I didn't know what he meant by that and I shrugged my shoulders. "You'll understand someday," he said patting my head.

We sat down at the table and had some breakfast; I told Walter about all the things that I knew he seemed surprised that I could remember so much about my life with my parents at ten months old but said that I had a power that only I could control and that my mother only gave me to the Van de Kemps to protect me. He told me about the things he had seen, said my father made a believer out of him in the end. Then he told me about the things that I may have to face, a court battle between my parents and the Van de Kemps, in a way I had already made my decision if my parents still wanted me.

Then he asked me if anyone had followed me, I had said no he looked relieved and then told me the story of my birth and how these things called human replacements had wanted me dead until my father's half brother had seemingly cured me of my "gift". I tried to take it all in, I knew I was different but didn't think that I was that big a threat to these replacements.

Grams told me to go get ready as she was taking me out for a while, while Walter tried to get in touch with my parents. We went shopping and to the park, I felt like a normal kid on a day out with my grandmother.

When we returned we had just started making dinner when the phone rang, my heart leapt up into my throat. Was it them? Grams practically ran to the phone but it was only Walter saying that he thought he had found a lead and was going to follow it up, he would be back within a couple of days, and that I would have a few visitors later tonight, I wondered what he meant by that.

Around six o'clock I was helping Grams with making dinner, when the doorbell rang. I froze on the spot and she looked down and smiled at me, "That'll be them I suppose" she said wiping her hands on a cloth and going to answer the door.

I remained in the same spot and heard voices in the hallway, one was a man's it was deep it didn't sound like my father's yet it was familiar, I was sure I had heard it before. Then I heard the woman's voice from my dream. My mind flashed back to the time my mother was standing over the crib and her deciding what she should do and Monica in the doorway. It was them.

Eventually I heard my name being called. "William can you come here a minute? There's somebody here to see you!" she shouted. I gulped and straightened my clothes and made my way to the living room. I sensed the emotions in the room, wonder, excitement and then what I felt was love, could it be them? I stood in the doorway and looked at the people who stood before me.

The woman from my dream, Monica smiled at me and said "Hi" nervously as I walked nearer to my grandmother's side.

"I'm William," I say nervously holding out my hand.

She takes my hand in hers and shake it and say "I know" tears are dripping down her face. She laughs a little and wipes her eyes.

Then the man turns to me and says "Hey Mon, stop hogging the kid I wanna say Hi too," he says playfully. I smile up at him. "You've grown little man." I shake his hand.

"Hi John," I say remembering his name.

"You remember us?" he said in surprise I nod and we all sit down. Monica asks me all of what I remember and I tell them everything I told my Grams and Walter. They stay for dinner and I sit with John while Monica helps in the kitchen.

"Wanna play a game?," I say, John looks over at me and says he would love to. I run upstairs and get the magic set that my Grams stored away for my cousin Matthew. I come back downstairs and set two cups on the table with a ball under one of them. He decides to shuffle the cups and then he says ok what ones it under. I use my power to see through the cup the first one I say he lifts it up and laughs "Hey good one," he says I laugh, we keep doing it until I have tired him out of "guessing" what one the ball is underneath.

"Let's play a game of guess what card it is" John eyes me suspiciously and I smile at him innocently. I guess all the cards right. When we are cleaning up he says to me, "I know you've got powers kiddo."

I look at him in mock expression "How did you…?" then I look over at Monica and we laugh. "I guess I haven't made it much of a secret have I?"

Monica tells me to come and sit with her. "William your mother and father decided to make us your godparents if anything happened to you, when you were little I saw you display your powers, I think it scared your mother after that happened and after the attack on you…" She trailed off.

"I understand, and I'm glad you guys are my godparents," I say smiling at them.

That night we sat and talked, catching up. John said I should call my adoptive parents to let them know I was okay. He handed me a cellular phone, use this one he said the call couldn't be traced. I nodded and went into the bedroom to call them.

The phone rang twice before I got an answer "Hello" said a shaky trembling voice.

"Mom it's me," I say trying not to let her hear the emotion in my voice.

"Oh my God, William where are you? Are you okay? Why did you run away?"

"I know Mom…that I'm not your son you guys have been lying to me, why didn't you tell me the truth?" I demand I am upset and angry at the same time.

"We didn't want to hurt you, knowing that your real mother gave you up because she couldn't cope alone."

"She could cope, I found out the answers for myself!" I shout at her angrily.

My father comes on the phone instead

"Will you are seven years old, and on your own if you tell us where you are we will come and get you and talk about this when we get home."

"I am home," I answer angrily.

"Son, just tell me where you are!"

I cut him off; I couldn't hear their lies any longer.

I came out of the bedroom and handed the phone back to John "Thanks," I say and headed back into the living room. "Do they know where you are?" said Grams.

I shook my head "Good in a few days we will call them and tell them the situation until we get in touch with Dana and Fox," said Monica.

"If my parents' want me back, they won't be able to very easily there are no loopholes in the adoption," I said. Everyone looked at each other, surprised that I knew so much.

"There is one thing William," said Monica.

"When your mother had you adopted, she had the say, but your father did not because he was absent, if we can prove this in court then we can get your father the custodial rights to you as his son"

"We would need to prove it though," said Grams.

"If it means a blood test, I'll do it," I said.

*Chapter 3*: chapter 3

That night I went upstairs to bed, I had tired myself out with playing tricks with John. I lay in bed and Grams, John and Monica came to hug me goodnight. I fell into a deep sleep. I opened my eyes and found myself standing on a beach, the waves crashing against the rocks, I had the sudden feeling that I was not alone, I get down on my hands and knees and started to make what I think is a sandcastle, but it starts to look like a spaceship when I am almost finished, I hear someone laugh behind me, it sounds familiar, I turn my head and see that its Emily. I look at her she is dressed in white and looks so angelic, and so much like my mother.

"Hi little brother, guess you weren't expecting to see me again?," she says coming and standing next to me.

I laugh "You haven't changed Em", I say hugging her even though I know she is an apparition, I feel as if this real. She pulls away from me and looks down at the ship and smiles, "You are the one," she says looking at me. I don't understand what she means she looks behind me and lets go of my hand.

"It's time for me to go Will," she says. In the distance I can see the outlines of some people who call to Emily. I turn to her surprised and she nods and takes me further down the beach to that of my relatives, my aunt Sam, Melissa, my grandfathers and my grandmother, the Lone Gunmen they smile and each come over one by one and hug me.

"You will find them, you were never meant to be separated from them," says my aunt Sam, brushing my bangs back from my face. Each of my relatives tell me how proud I have made them, and that they would risk their lives again to keep my parents alive, if it meant me seeing them again. Emily turns to me one last time.

"Things are going to happen, Will, things beyond yours or even our control just remain positive and know that we will always be with you."

Frohike, Byers and Langly smile at me again and embrace me one last time. "If you need us little man, just call and we will be there," says Frohike I nod and they all begin to walk away into the mist that surrounds us and then I am alone on the beach.

I walk back to the sand sculpture I have made "So long sis" I whisper into the distance and begin to stare at it when I again feel a presence behind me.

I turn and look up into a face that resembles my own, he wears a t-shirt and jeans and he smiles at me as if he has never seen me before, with his hand he reaches out and my hand of its own accord touches his, we hug and before I know it I say "Hi Dad."

My father's face begins to fade and I know I am waking up. I awake to the sun's rays streaming through the window, I yawn but smile knowing that there in my dream I had met my relatives. Grams comes in just as I jump out of bed, she is smiling and is dressed. "Morning sweetie, put on some clean traveling clothes, we are going on a trip," she says excitedly.

"Where to Grams?"

"To New Mexico," she says standing smiling at me and I know what she means.

I run to her and hug her tightly. "Thank you, for helping me doing this," I say burying my face into her shoulder.

"I would do anything to make you happy you know that, you are my grandson and I love you," she says and then pulls away from me. "Now go and get washed and dressed," she says laughing while she packs the rest of my things into my rucksack.

An hour later Walter is waiting for us outside in the car and he takes our things and puts them in the back compartment of the car. "Are you coming too" I ask. He nods and then drives us to the airport. When we go into the departure lounge I can't help but look around, I have this strange feeling inside me, something is not right, someone is watching us. Walter notices this "You okay" he asks.

I shake my head and whisper to him. "In the crowd over there, I can feel something but it feels…. Not human," I say.

My grandmother looks down at me, and there is a fear in her eyes, I've seen once before. Walter puts his hand on his holster and indicates for me and my grandmother to go ahead and board the plane. We do as instructed, but by the time I am seated I feel myself go weak, whatever these things are they have found out where I am. Grams holds me tightly, but I pull away from her, she looks down at me.

"I'm going to go help Walter," I say unbuckling my seatbelt and running from her, by this time I am off the plane and back in the lounge, I see no trace of them, then I see Walter following him to the mens room. I run towards them, just as I am about to push the door open I find that its locked. I put my hand on the lock, use my powers to open it and at that moment I see Walter being pinned against the wall by another man. He looks familiar.

"William run!" shouts Walter as the man starts to walk towards me.

He smirks and says Ah how lucky we meet again, Abomination," he says with utter disgust and venom in his voice. That's when I remember who he is, Knowle Rhorer.

I put out my hand and the room begins to vibrate as I feel the power inside surge through my veins, I open my eyes just as I am about to fire at him "The name is William Mulder" a blast of energy comes from me and he is thrown across the room he uses his power to throw me against Walter I get up again and concentrate harder. I psychically pull the sink from the wall and throw it against him, I let the energy blast from me again and it hits him full force. He begins to scream I go and help Walter up just as he stumbles forwards we watch as his body begins to writhe on the floor, I watch as I see his skin turn to a chorroding metal color and melt away to nothing. Walter looks down at me in shock.

"Come on, we better get out of here," he says pulling me away from the scene. We board the plane and before we know it we are leaving Washington and heading for New Mexico. I explain to Grams what happened and she hugs me again to make sure I am okay and tells me to try and sleep while the air hostess covers me with a blanket. I close my eyes and let my breathing go steady.

I think the hardest part of going on a long journey is when you are wearing the same pair of blue sneakers all the time. Your feet begin to itch but you can't help but wonder at what strange force which is keeping them tied to your feet without falling off. It scares me to think that somebody else out there could be more powerful than me.

Three hours later we land in San Jose airport, I have slept the whole journey, we exit the plane and Walter goes and collects our luggage. It is very warm and I wipe my hand against my forehead as my Grams smiles down at me. Walter hails for a cab, this is it we are going to find my parents. The driver takes us to the middle of a dessert, and Walter thanks him in Spanish and hands the driver a large amount of money for only an hours taxi ride, Grams looks at him surprised like he has a hidden talent she had never known about as the man helps us out with our luggage he shouts "Adios" as he drives off.

My Grams asks him why we are here but he suddenly walks down the side of a cave and then we hear the roar of an engine, I look up at Grams surprised and then Walter puts our things in the back and we get in. From what happened I guess Walter doesn't want the same thing to happen as in the airport we head down the motorway we must be the only car on the road, until we pull in at an old gas station, its abandoned and Walter gets out the car and paces the ground obviously waiting on someone. Half an hour later a jeep pulls up and I am surprised to see Monica and John get out the car and come to my side.

"What are you guys doing here?" I ask shocked.

"Well you are our godson kiddo, and we are here to protect you as we promised and to help you and your parents to safety. We know what happened with Rhorer, they will know he is missing when he won't report back with you." said John. I look at him and remember Emily's words from my dream "Things are going to happen Will, things beyond yours or even our control."

Before I know it I feel myself saying and believing "More will come" Monica motions for all of us to get in the car and I ask where we are going "To the reservation, some old friends of ours and of your parents, who contacted us on their wherabouts" says Monica and I nod she pats my head and she draws me close "Don't worry everything is going to be alright" I swallow hard knowing that I am not long from being with them.

Three hours later we pull off the motorway into what looks like a ravine, we get out of the car and abandon it, we walk the rest of the way up the side of the mountain and just over the next hill we see the reservation. My senses tell me this is a good place, my powers seem more active here the mind reading power switches itself on inside my head and I hear the thoughts of the Indian members one thought in particular stands out "He is here" I don't' know what is meant by that thought but I know it has something to do with our arrival.

We keep walking until we get to a house, Walter and John go to the door and knock, a man appears and they all smile and shake hands. "It's good to see you again Eric" says Walter, Eric comes forward and hugs Monica and as he pulls from her embrace he turns and stares at my Grams and smiles.

Grams smiles back too as if she is remembering something comforting. "Hello, Eric you look so much your Grandfather" Eric nods sadly and they too embrace.

At that I look up at him and he stares down at me he stoops down to my eye level and looks into my eyes, as if I am some spy and then he smiles "God he has her eyes and looks so much like Mulder." I smile at him and he shakes my hand then he says something that makes me freeze inside "Its about time you came, we've been expecting you." I don't understand what he meant by that but as I was told, the answers that I seek will come in time.

"Come inside, you all must be tired from your long journey." We sit down and make ourselves comfortable, but I don't feel at ease there is someone in this house, that knows something I don't. "Where's Gibson, Eric?" asks John.

"Oh he is at the corral trying to train this young wild foal that we found orphaned, I'm telling you that boy has not rested since he found it," he says laughing. Eric turns and looks at me "Would you like to go and see the horses after you've had something to eat? Monica knows the way" I nod excitedly and he laughs "Just like your father" he murmurs and goes into the kitchen to help his wife and Walter.

After a late lunch, I change into shorts and a t-shirt and Monica and I head down to the corral, I like it here its peaceful, children play happily in the street unaware of the things out there that I have seen, my life has changed dramatically within the past week. Monica notices my silence and playfully nudges me "You're quiet, anything troubling you?" I shake my head and laugh, as we near the corral I hear laughter of older boys and the neighing of horses, some boys whistle at Monica and she glares at them "Hey don't bother trying your luck she is already taken" I hear a voice behind the fence say.

The crowd of boys part and I see a guy of twenty with glasses on come toward us. He and Monica hug. "It's good to see you again Gibson," she says with a lot of emotion in her voice I sense that this Gibson guy and she must have had a very close relationship.

"Are John and Walter here I sensed you guys would be coming."

Monica looked down at me and back to Gibson. We look straight at each other. "Gibson I would like you to meet someone, this is William, my godson."

Gibson smiles at me and as we are about to shake hands I feel the dream feeling come over me again as our hands connect I am thrown into a vision but this one is different Gibson's mind has connected with mine too, he sees all of my life flash by from when I was a baby to how I came to be with Grams again. I see his thoughts too and they are ones with him as a young boy too with my parents and from the time my dad escaped from prison.

I pull myself out of the vision and as I do, so does Gibson he is breathing fast and looks pale as I do, then he stoops down to my eye level and says "It really is you" Monica is standing shocked in amazement, and all the boys seemed surprised too. Gibson motions for me and Monica to walk back to the house. We walk in silence and it dawns on me that it was his voice I heard in my mind, when I entered the reservation.

When we get there he says "Monica can William and I talk privately for a few minutes?" I turn to him surprised and she nods and goes inside leaving Gibson and I alone sitting on the top step. "How long have you known?" he asks.

"I've always known as soon as I was old enough to remember I knew that being with my adoptive parents was not where I am supposed to be I want to be with my mom and dad."

He nods "I understand how you feel, John and Monica became like my real parents after my mom and dad were killed, as did your parents to me, I wouldn't be alive today if it weren't for them," he says smiling.

"What are they like?" I ask. He tells me that they are the most loving, strongest couple he has ever known. "Why do you ask if you can remember so much about them?" he says.

"Because if they loved me so much then why didn't they fight to keep me, all that time I could have been with them and everything would be alright, I would know who my family is and all these people that feel so much for me and yet I cannot understand why I was given away."

*Chapter 4*: chapter 4

"Come on, let's get back to the party," he says as I put my hand in his and we close the door to the stable behind us. I take his hand and we walk towards the lights of the party, when we head back, everybody is sitting talking etc and Gibson comes over "Hey wanna do some party tricks?" I nod and begin to fly things around in the air everybody begins to laugh.

"Show off" I hear Gibson say laughing at me.

I look at my watch and its 10.30pm. "I'm kind of tired you guys, I'm gonna go inside," I say as I go over to my Mom.

"Eric can Mulder and I take the back room with William?" Eric nods and Sophia comes inside to give us blankets and pillows. As I come out of the bathroom in my pajamas she turns to me and kisses me on the cheek "Goodnight William, sweet dreams," she says.

"You too Sophia," I say and head into the bedroom. I go to take the small fold down bed but my Mom turns and says we should bunk together to let Grams have the extra bed. I climb in and I lie in the middle Dad is on my left and Mom is on my right, "Goodnight William," she whispers lovingly to me.

"Night Mom" I answer as she kisses my forehead and brushes my hair back from my forehead as I give a yawn.

My Dad reaches for me and hugs me "Night, bud," he says as he pulls the cover over all three of us.

"Goodnight, love you both" I murmur as I feel sleep overtake me, I feel their arms encircle my body, and for the first time in six years I sleep peacefully with no worries and with the two most important people in my life, lying next to me, protecting me as they have always done. But this time my dream has finally become reality.

The next morning I awaken to the sound of voices in the kitchen and the smell of bacon and eggs, Sophia and Grams must be cooking, I turn on my side expecting to see my Mom's face staring back at me and my Dad's. They aren't there. They must have got up early. I get up and make the bed and grab my clothes from my rucksack to go get changed.

Half an hour later I emerge from the bathroom, to the sound of Walter and John's voices. "William, Gibson, breakfast" they shout as we head outside into the garden. I suddenly realize how hungry I am and begin to help myself. I realize Mom and Dad aren't there.

"Umm John where are my Mom and Dad?" I ask.

He looks over at me finishing his sip of coffee. "They went into town for a few things, don't worry kiddo, they'll be back soon" I nod.

Afterwards Gibson and I go inside and help with the dishes. "Hey wanna go down to the corral after we finish up here?" Gibson asks me. "Sure," I say. Later that morning Monica decides to come with us as we head down the dusty track towards the stables. Eric is already there letting out the horses one by one so they can go and graze. The young foal Spirit sprints after Thara dashing between his legs, he doesn't seem fazed by all of it, but lets Spirit stand by him, like he is an older part of the herd. I smile but at that moment I hear a voice, its clearer than any voice I've ever heard before.

"Awww come on Thara can't we have one race around the corral I'm not that slow, I mean I am going to grow up to be stallion of the Cimmaron one day aren't I?, follow in my father's footsteps?" I turn around and look around the corral confused as to where its coming from.

Gibson looks to me strangely "You OK?" he asks, as he turns to walk towards Spirit. "Not now Spirit, Gibson is taking me for a run in the dessert and I will speak to you later." I hear a deep but friendly voice say. I look at the two horses they look as if they are deep in conversation, but I can hear them, How can this be?

I am brought out of my trance by Gibson snapping his fingers in my face, "Hey, you okay?" he asks I nod and say I'm fine and we decide to continue taking out the horses one by one. Monica decides to let Gibson and I venture further out into the dessert alone.

"Gibson?" I begin.

He turns to me and says " What's up Will?" I tell him about how I heard Thara and Spirit speak. He is deep in concentration then he looks towards where Thara is grazing. "You said you felt as if your powers were more active here, maybe this is another unknown gift you have and it has decided to surface itself now. The ability to talk to animals was never a common gift in the clones or the hybrids that your parents encountered, maybe you can speak different languages and you don't even realize it." He says.

I nod and I decide to test it out.

I approach Spirit who is grazing quietly he senses me as I walk towards him he looks up at me and I lock eyes with his. I clear my mind and form a sentence. "Hey Spirit can you hear me?," I say. The young foal's eyes open in surprise and he looks around at the other horses obviously confused but when he sees them grazing he looks back to me. "Hey its okay, its just me, William remember?"

The confusion in his eyes are more relevant as he answers me "You can hear me?" he asks. I nod at him and then at Gibson who then comes forward and strokes Spirits nose. "But you are human, humans can't talk!" he exclaims at that moment all the horses hear his response and begin to wander over to us. I hear their voices "The human child can hear us!" they exclaim.

Thara begins to approach us and he stands next to me. I feel so small compared to the stature of this creature, but he looks at me with a softness in his old eyes and says "The child is not a threat, as we have heard the masters talk about he is very different from a normal human boy, this is obviously one of his many talents."

I smile at Thara who then turns away to go and graze. Gibson turns and follows Thara with an excited Spirit prancing at his heels I turn and laugh at the sight. As we sit on a hill I look around at this place. Not far from the track I hear the sound of a car pulling up to the house. Mom and Dad get out of the car and take the groceries into the house. Mom comes out a few minutes later and I sense her coming up the track, she smiles down at me and kisses my cheek "Morning sweetie," she says.

Dad follows a few minutes later. We sit on the hill and take in the peaceful view. "You like it here?" Dad asks and I nod. "Well we need to talk about what we are going to do William, we would like you to come and live with us. At the moment we are staying in Vancouver I know it's far from Des Monies but once we file for custody of you, we will stress that you be placed with Grams or Monica and John in the meantime," he says.

"Okay I understand, but shouldn't we go back to the farm first and explain the situation to my adoptive parents?," I say, even though I desperately want to be with my Mom and Dad I have never hated my adoptive family, they took me in and treated me as their own flesh and blood and for that I will always love them.

Mom looks to Dad "William's right, Mulder, if we take him back to Des Monies, it should be much easier, besides they are still his guardians and we can't just come out of the blue and demand him back."

Dad agrees and we head back to the house to make plans to travel back to Washington. I don't yet tell them about my newfound power, they have too much to deal with, I'll tell them in my own sighs and says "I can't give you answers to who you are, only those who are after you and your parents too" I nod but feel that he does not know the answers to which I seek, "So when did you find out you had powers?," he says I shrug my shoulders.

"I've always known, but I never displayed them in front of anyone before, not even my adoptive parents, I remember when I was four and I had just started elementary school, there had always been this one kid in the class who picked on the quiet ones like me, so one day we were all in the sandbox and we all were playing, the kid who bullied everyone was picking on one of my friends so when nobody was looking I sent a bucket of sand flying onto his head so he got a taste of his own medicine." Gibson laughs "What about you?" I ask he becomes silent then says "My power killed my parents, I still hate hearing peoples thoughts, it's a burden that only I can carry for the rest of my life," he coughs and then says he thinks we should go back inside, I feel tired so Eric says that the extension in the back has a bedroom in it. Grams hugs me and I hug everyone and head to my bed with my rucksack in tow, I close the door behind me and get changed, but behind the door I sense their worrying fears and emotions of what lies ahead of us. I lie down in bed and close my eyes hoping that I will again dream of my parents again but as I drift off, the fear, that lurks in the darkness overwhelms my dream and I see a face come out of the mist. It is Him.

I feel Him in my head trying to search for me, but he knows I am too strong for him and that I can block him, I can't keep this up for long so he backs off and leaves me to sleep.

Three hours later I awake to Gibson shrugging me awake. "Come on," he says I rub my eyes and he looks at me with a huge excited smile upon his face. I nervously take a deep breath and listen to the voices in the next room, familiar ones, voices I first heard when I first came into the world, I get up and pull my t-shirt and shorts back on my heart hammering in my chest nervously as I hear my Grams cry with relief and the rest of the voices that fill the air I straighten my clothes and look in the mirror my face looking back at me and for the first time in my life I am smiling happily. Gibson laughs and puts his hand on my shoulder and leads me away from it and asks me "You ready for this?" I nod and say "I've been ready for this the past six years"

He goes out to the hall first and leaves me for a second to gather my thoughts and feelings, I take a deep breath and tell myself this is it. All is quiet in the living room, the door squeaks as it opens and suddenly I feel alone I walk slowly to the room. Have you ever had the feeling of daring yourself to walk across a dark room? That way you're excited, because, you really do know that there's nothing there to hurt you. Some people get to chose their dark rooms. They get to look for places where happiness and fear are only skin deep, but some people are nowhere near that lucky.

I am brought out of my thoughts by my Grams voice, "William its okay come in sweetie" Then I step out from behind the wall my face is facing the ground and seems like an eternity as I lift it to stare at the two unknown faces in the room, a pretty woman with short red hair and tears rolling down her face looks at me in awe, as I stand with my hands by my sides and a man with my coloring of hair and the same facial structure as mine comes forward and rests his hand at her back comfortingly. Everyone in the room is smiling at the three of us in the centre of the living room. My mother comes forward first and stoops down to my eye-level and says "Hello" I look into her eyes, its true what they say I do have her eyes, "Hi," I say and I hold out my hand, she looks at me in surprise and she takes it and shakes it. At that my father does the same and she looks at him as we both shake hands crying silently as do I. Just as we let go I look at both of them and throw my arms around them tightly, I am crying with happiness as I feel myself being pulled into a protective hug by my parents. I feel my mother kiss my forehead and then she passes me to my father who in turn hugs me tightly. "You've gotten big buddy," he says laughing "Thanks," I say. I look over my shoulder to Monica and the others who are all crying and smiling too. My mother turns to Eric and asks if there is somewhere where we can be alone. He nods and says that they will all leave us to talk. Everyone leaves, and we are alone, my dad motions for me to sit down, they sit across from me and I wipe the tears away from my eyes. "How did you find out about us?" they ask. I tell them everything and my mother smiles but then she takes my hands again and says "I never wanted to give you away William you have to understand that and due to the circumstances, your uncle told me that as long as you stayed with me you would be in constant danger, but now that you have found us again things will be different William, I will assure you of that." I nod and smile. My dad asks me if I am happy with my life I shake my head and say no but seeing them here in front of me now has made me happier than I have ever been before. My dad then goes onto explain of how I came to be, the story of my birth but he fills in a few of the gaps, however I sense they don't yet know abut my powers.

"There is something that you should know," I say, they both turn and look at me and I close my eyes and concentrate hard on the small ornament of a whale carving sitting on the shelf and float it over to me bringing my hand out and waving it slowly towards my dad who catches it. "You….how, we thought you were cured?" says my mother. "This power has stayed with me for as long as I can remember, I've hidden it from others but its getting harder to control it, I've done something terrible, I've taken a life and I am scared that they will come after me, I want to know why I am different and why I mean so much to these….. things" I fall into their arms crying letting all my fears spill out. After my cries have subsided my father turns to me and says "Which one did you kill?," I say Knowle and my father nods and then smiles "You did what you had to do, it was the right thing, in a way he was already dead" I nod too and my mother gets up and goes outside to bring in Grams.

Grams looks as if she is about to cry again when she sees the three of us together in the living room she comes near me and my dad and they both hug. Everyone else comes in and everybody begins to talk, unanswered questions still flying around the room, my parents look over at me and I nod understandably that other people too have missed them and I go outside for some fresh air. I gaze out into the sky and I walk further down the steps seeing some younger kids playing, I smile at them and they smile back, overhead I hear a cry of a bird and I look into the sky and see an eagle, it looks down at me as it soars freely towards the other end of the ravine, it cries again and for once in my life, I understand what its saying. Welcome home.

Day turns quickly into night and Eric and the whole reservation decide to throw a party. I watch all the people around me who care for me all talking as if they have never been apart, I watch my Dad as he and Gibson catch up on old times with Walter and John and Eric and Monica and Grams and Eric's wife Sophia laughing. I smile and look up at the stars, I sit away from them letting them revel in their happiness, I turn back to my food when I feel a hand on my shoulder. I look up and see my mother. "What are you doing over here all by yourself?" she asks and I shrug my shoulders and laugh a little picking at my food. "You want to take a walk?" she asks I nod and get up off my seat and slip my hand in hers she smiles down at me with such love in her eyes, I feel as if I've never been separated from her.

"How are you feeling about this whole thing William?" she asks and I can't give her an answer. " I want to ask you a question, did I scare you, hurt you in anyway with my powers for you to give me up for adoption?" I ask as my voice begins to quiver. "No never, you could never make me not want you, I did it to protect you, for six years all I wanted was you all I thought about was you, I would never see you take your first step, hear you say your first word, be there on your first birthday, but whenever I felt as if I was forgetting what you looked like, I would remember that you were always with me, you were never really gone." She takes my hand and places it over her heart with her hand on top of mine and I take hers and place hers over my heart. Then she asks me the question which I have been dreading to hear. "What are your adoptive parents like?" I look into her eyes, the truth is she sent me to loving parents, but whom I couldn't give wholly my love in return. "They are everything you wished for me, but they aren't you and Dad" with that she sighs contentedly.

" I love you William, I always have and always will." She cries as she pulls me to her and I hug her tightly. "I love you too Mom," I say as she cradles me and then begins to hum a song which is vaguely familiar. "Jerimiah was a bullfrog, he was a good friend of mine…." I laugh and she begins to tickle me. "Hey you used to love that when you were little, it was the only thing that got you to sleep except when your Dad told you stories".

We begin to walk back to the party, and Dad sees us and jumps off the table he is sitting on as he makes his way towards us. "Hey," he says to both of us smiling, and Mom looks down at me, and then says to my Dad "Go and spend some time with our son Mulder." She says as she lets go of my hand and puts my hand in his as we look up into each others eyes. He smiles and we take a walk down to the stables. We are both silent scared to say what is on our minds. Dad opens the stable door and we go inside to see the young foal whom Gibson has named Spirit, as we approach him we find him lying next to Thara one of the male stallions, he seems to have taken Spirit under his wing, I look up and see my father smiling at the sight. "You like horses?," he says breaking the silence. I nod, "With living on the farm, you get used to working with them", I say as the young foal comes forward and I stroke his nose he is black with a white diamond shape on his nose. My father puts his hand forward and strokes him too. "I'm truly sorry I was never there for you William, I haven't been much of a father to you" I stop stroking the foal and stare up at my father who looks away sadly. I feel his pain, he feels as if he has let me down. "Don't ever say that, I felt in my visions that you were always there, you were never gone, you left to protect me and Mom and I understand that"

He looks down at me, and his eyes sweep over my face as if he is seeing me again for the first time. "When your Mom became pregnant with you, and I was returned, I had to admit I was scared, I thought yeah me Fox Mulder having a kid, I couldn't cope even on my own let alone helping to bring up a kid. Back then I thought I was probably better only to have been in the background as your mother raised you, being some sort of a father figure to you, God she wanted you more than anything in the world, I remember being distant with her after I came back but then, as we spent more time together I realized, I had never really fallen out of love with her, that's what happens when you have been through something like an abduction, you forget what is most important and you push people you love away, then she was taken into hospital with complications and then I saw you on the monitor. I heard your heart beat for the first time and I knew then at that moment you were also the reason, I had to live, you were my miracle too, you had saved me a thousand times over William and you hadn't even been born yet, you helped me to understand what was more important and for that I am in gratitude to you. When I held you in my arms a few months later, I realized how much I loved you, you are the best part of me, and what we, I had always longed for, as far as I am concerned you're my truth, you were what I was waiting for all this time, I just didn't know how to find it, when really it was you who found me. Your Mom and I want you now and always that's if you want me as your father. I am willing to try and be one to you if that's okay with you."

I remain silent and he strokes Spirit's head and I begin to speak "Ever since I was little, growing up on the farm, I had never felt truly at peace, sure my adoptive parents love me and treat me as their own, but there has always been that gap. I always remember Mom because she had been around me while you had gone away to protect us. I understand what you did was to keep us safe, even though you weren't there in person, I could still see you, feel your presence in my dreams, even though it was only the earliest memory I had of you. I remember the first time you held me in your arms and how you joked that I looked like Walter. Then there was those first few nights you would come into my room take me out of my crib and rock me to sleep as you stared into my face and told me stories. You made me feel safe and loved like I was the only thing apart from Mom that you cared about in the whole world. I know we don't know each other very well, yet, I feel like I've never been apart from you or Mom. I am also willing to try and be the best son I can be to you and Mom if that's okay with you, I love you Dad I always have.," I say smiling up at him

He stoops down to my size and he picks me up as I throw my arms around him he lifts me off my feet and pulls away and looks into my face, kissing my forehead. "Welcome back bud," he says ruffling my hair. "It's good to be back," I say happily beginning to fix my hair.

*Chapter 5*: chapter 5

Four days have passed and Gibson and I spend more time together, in a way he is like the big brother I never had, When you're little, you like to think you know everything, but the last thing you really want is to know too much. What you really want is for grownups to make the world a safe place where dreams can come true and promises are never broken. And when you're little, it doesn't seem like a lot to ask when I was younger and didn't fully comprehend the fullness of my visions I used to ask my adoptive parents if I could have a sibling, they always said one day but as I got older I realized that would somehow not happen. This made me angry as I was never told that I had been adopted, all they told me was that I was special.

Monica and John agree to come with us to Des Monies, for added protection and in return Walter will accompany Grams back to D.C. The day finally comes for us to leave the reservation. Eric, Sophia and Gibson accompany us to the cars, as I load my bag in the trunk, I turn and look back to the corral, Spirit looks out between the bars and calls to me. I run over to him and Thara. "Take care, young one" says Thara and I nod in agreement as he lets me stroke him. "William will you ever come back?" asks Spirit. "Hey of course I will, I won't ever forget you bud" he almost smiles at my comment, but his black eyes still display sadness. "Take care of him Thara," I say and as I stroke him one last time I hear him say "For always my young friend" I head back to the car wiping the tears from my eyes. Gibson looks down at me "Hey you aren't crying over little old me are you?, true enough I do have that great effect on people" I punch him playfully as he scoops me into a bear hug. " Take care William and if you ever come across a super soldier kick its ass for me won't you?" I begin to laugh as my Mom glares at him but then laughs as she hugs him too. Everyone hugs each other in return and as I stand back and gaze at these people, I feel immensely overjoyed at the fact that I have gotten to know them. How can anyone let someone they have become close to go? How do you understand that its alright, that everything changes, how does it make you feel good about life, instead of breaking your heart, I think the hardest thing a person can learn is how to say goodbye.

We get inside the cars, and Mom begins to cry as we pull away from the reservation, I turn back and look one last time at Eric, Sophia and Gibson and the horses and know that for the rest of my life this is one of the places that I will hold dear in my heart. A few hours later we get to San Jose airport, where we must separate. Once we check in Grams turns to me and stoops down to my eye level, she has tears in her eyes and I know she doesn't want to leave me. "Now you listen to me my boy," she says I laugh as she takes my face in her hands and our eyes lock and I read her mind, her thought displays one message " I love you William" I send the message back into her mind " I love you too Grams and thank you for helping me" At first she is surprised my voice is in her head, but then says to me " I knew there was always something extraordinary about you," she says kissing my forehead. Walter stands beside her and I look up at him " Well William, I just want to thank you for saving my life, you truly are your father's son" My Dad smiles proudly down at me then at Walter who in turn puts a hand on his shoulder. "Thanks again Skinman, for all your help, in bringing William back to us safely." Walter smiles then just as he is about to turn away I walk forward and hug him around the waist, he looks down at me surprised, then smiles and ruffles my hair " I will see you soon," he says as he hugs me back. As we part we wave goodbye to one another and know that it will be a long time until I see Grams and Walter again.

Later as the plane takes off into the sky, I stare out of the window and Dad turns to me "You okay?" I nod but an hour later I begin to have a queasy feeling in my stomach, something is not right. Another hour passes and the sickness seems to have subsided a little. We touchdown and go to collect our luggage, Dad and John go and hire a car while we wait, but at that moment I feel faint and feel myself falling I hear screams of pain in my head, I search my head for the source of who the screams are coming from but I can't see, I suddenly feel blinded and know that it's a super soldier immediately mind blocking me. I feel arms around me and being placed in the backseat of the car. "Dad !" I gasp as if I am in pain Mom is holding me tightly brushing my hair from my head telling me to breathe slowly "Shhh its okay" she whispers I begin to calm down but my heart is still racing. "Mulder, we need to get him to a hospital," she says.

"No" I shout "We need to go straight to the farm, I think something's happened, please we need to go now!" Dad begins to race down the long stretch of road as I direct him into the town of Des Monies then further outside the town where the farm is. He drives as fast as the car will go, "Stop!" I shout I get up and jump out the car racing through the crop field, I hear my parents and John and Monica shouting after me I use the route I had always used when coming home from school, as I near the house my legs feel heavier, and I am out of breath I scramble up the top stairs, there are strange tire tracks in the dirt, I run inside expecting to see Fawkes our sheepdog at the door. I run inside searching the house "Mom! Dad!, Fawkes, here boy its me William !" I search out with my mind to find them but cannot feel them. I head upstairs to my room, there is something under my quilt as I go towards my bed I pull it back and see my adoptive mother's body, She is holding my stuffed bear Rocky in her arms her eyes are open and stare back at me. I begin to break down crying "Why!" I shout through my tears I take my hand and pull her eyelids down, in the corner I hear a whimper and its Fawkes he limps forward there is blood all over the white patches on his fur, I communicate to him through my head "It's okay boy" I sob "William they came, people looking for you I tried to protect them as best as I could I've failed you" he cries in his head to me I stroke him and he leads me outside towards the barn " They came to the house first and killed your mother, then went and attacked me as I tried to get to your father to raise the alarm." We went inside and found my father I ran over to him he was still breathing but barely alive looking at his injuries. " Dad its me Will, I'm back, can you hear me," I say my voice quavering. "William, you must go, hide with your mother," he chokes out. " Dad, Mom's….gone," I say through my tears. His face contorts with the pain. "Nooo she can't be" he moans I nod again as he hugs me to him and his eyes lock with mine and they are full of fear, he says "William, I want you to go and hide, get away from the farm, take Fawkes and raise the alarm." I feel his life is slipping away with every breath he takes. "Dad I'm staying here with you," I say.

The next minute I hear the barn door squeak and footsteps outside. Fawkes begins to bare his teeth and moves towards the door barking incredulously. I use my heightened senses to read who is outside. Its my parents and John and Monica. "You guys! we are in here! Hurry!" They step inside Mom runs towards us and sees my Dad his blood has seeped everywhere all over me, Monica motions me to her as Mom Dad and John run forward and try to get my Father to regain consciousness. A few minutes later he comes round and he calls me to him, Fawkes whimpers by his side. Mom beckons me forward to him and she and Dad sit away from us they're heads bowed. "William there's nothing more we can do" I hear my Mom say "Daaad" I moan through my tears. I lay my head against my father's chest his breathing is now ragged. "Always remember we love you Will, and for always, you will be our son, never forget you were a Van De Kemp, take care of Fawkes too, he protected us the only way he knew how," Then he looks to my Mom and Dad and smiles up at them "You gave us a fine boy, thank you for sending him to us, please take care of him," he says. "For always" answer my parents, and with that my Father takes his last breath and his eyes close.

I become hysterical, crying and shouting "Why them?" to the heavens Mom and Dad pull me close. Monica and John call the police and all I remember is being exhausted and carried to the car, to rest. Later we are led from the farm to a nearby motel, the police want to question me and my parents. John says that he is going to take Fawkes to the local vet. Fawkes looks into my eyes, but I cannot meet his gaze " It's okay boy, go with John," I say. John lifts him up into his arms, as Fawkes can barely stand another minute "We will be back soon" whispers Monica to my Mom as they exit the room. I stare out of the window it has begun to rain, they both approach me. "Will honey? How about we take of those clothes huh?" I look down at myself I didn't realize I was still covered in their blood, I nod to my Mom and she lifts me to take me through to the bathroom, I shower in silence and put on clean pajamas. Dad is sitting at the table staring out into the rain. "Where's Mom ?" I murmur. "She is out getting some food, you need to eat son, keep your strength up" At that moment something snaps inside of me, an anger that has suddenly bubbled to the surface. "I DON'T WANT TO EAT! DON'T YOU GET IT?, THE ONLY PEOPLE I HAD IN MY LIFE UNTIL YOU GUYS WAS THEM! AND LOOK WHAT THEY GOT IN RETURN, THEY'RE DEAD BECAUSE OF ME, I WISH I WAS DEAD, IT WOULD MAKE THE WHOLE GODDAMN WORLD A BETTER PLACE IF IT WAS WITHOUT ME, I DIDN'T ASK FOR TO BE LIKE THIS" I roar the room begins to shake as I become more angrier, unleashing my power on objects in the room, Dad dodges the objects flying at him and tackles me softly onto the bed, where I struggle against him. "Sssssshh let it out its okay," he says as I begin to realize what I've just did, and I break down again letting out heartfelt sobs. My mother and father used to joke that maybe I was a wise man reincarnated due to the way I acted, I had never truly acted like other children my age. At that moment all I am is a scared little kid safe in his father's arms, and know that in time I will avenge my adoptive parents deaths if it's the last thing I do.

I eventually stop fighting sleep as it overtakes me I hear Mom come in and she comes into the bed with me and Dad, I dream again, I am surrounded in darkness, there is a blinding light at the end as I try to reach it I hear my adoptive parents voices calling me, but when I get to the end of the tunnel they are no longer there. I close my eyes to try and transport myself from the dream but I cannot move. He is here I know he has found me and there is nothing I can do to stop him.

Billy Miles appears from the darkness, his cold grey eyes glaring right through me. "You thought you could escape us didn't you?," he says practically sneering into my mind telepathically. I stare at him hard my blood beginning to boil in my veins. "My parents and I escaped you once we can do it again," I say gritting my teeth " Don't you understand, it was never your parents we wanted, from the moment your mother became pregnant, for many years now our only target has been you. Your adoptive parents were nothing more, than our toys, they were only an obstacle in the way of our greatest possession, you should have seen your mother in her last moments towards her death, she begged for her life, begged for us not to harm her precious little boy" he laughs. I block him from feeling my pain at the mention of my adoptive mother. "What do you want from me?," I say cutting to the chase.

"Hmm, very surprising, straight to the point William?, Ahh your name, a name that so nobly fits you. You were prophesied to be the chosen one, you are filled with courage for one so young or perhaps you are very foolish with all those powers you have, it must be a great burden to carry for one so young. How is it a baby, born with no human or alien frailties was able to be born to a woman who could no longer have children, when her abomination of a daughter was unable to survive past 3 years of age and you being able to defeat one of the most strongest super soldiers of our kind? "

"WHY THE HELL DO YOU CARE, EMILY HAD NOTHING TO DO WITH YOU SHE WAS BEFORE YOUR TIME, SHE WAS NEVER AN ABOMINATION?" I shout at him. "Temper, temper, William we wouldn't want for you to get angry again. Your father did take a beating with your mind powers didn't he, it must be very difficult to deal with all those pent up emotions releasing your powers on someone you love? »

I stand with my hands clenched, and my teeth gritted. « What I want is for you to join us, you will be rewarded in many ways that you can never imagine, together we will destroy humanity and claim it for our own. You can become much more than you are now» he says. I quickly cut him off « You killed my adoptive parents, there was no need for that, why take away their lives when its been me you wanted all along ? » he begins to stare down at me and he begins to smile evilly. « They were only the beginning, every other person in your life that you love or are close to will pay the same price, your parents made that mistake in not joining our side six years ago, I leave the decision to you, join us and you will rule the earth as our leader, but if you oppose us be prepared for a full scale war and a world full of pain and suffering on this mere planet. »

« I will never join you » I snarl at him. His eyes begin to become much more darker and turn to black « Then so be it » he practically growls at me his true alien voice, seething with hate and venom, and with that he disappears and I wake up short of breath as my parents comfort me and I begin to tell them about the dream. The next morning I awake to hear the shower running, Mom is still asleep next to me. I get up and slowly get my clothes from the bag that was brought from the farm and get dressed quickly. I look back at Mom as I close the door behind me. I run through town and come to the small highway that leads to the farm I run through the crop fields and eventually come to the barn, some of the animals are still here, I hear them all asking questions « William where are the masters ? » they ask as I go round and pet each of them comfortingly. « They're gone and they can't come back » I say. All of the animals look to each other obviously confused that a human child can talk to them, but their faces show pain and sorrow for the deaths of my adoptive parents. I say goodbye one last time and wish them luck in their new homes when they are moved from the farm. I go outside and stare at the house and the tractor. I have so many memories here that I never want to let this place go, or leave it. The memories flow back almost as if a movie is playing in my mind, from the minute that I was handed over to my adoptive parents, my first word, step, birthday, all happened in this house.

*Chapter 6*: chapter 6

The house is covered in yellow tape but I ignore it and step across it and open the door with my powers. I creep inside trying not to touch anything, I wander around the house, the scenes of yesterday playing in my head, how my mother had been washing up inside when a replicant had caught her off guard, they asked her where I was and she begins to run towards my room, there is a struggle and then Fawkes bursts into the room, fangs bared jumping on top of the replicant, when he is suddenly thrown to the side like a rag. My mind flashes to the barn, when the other intruder enters the barn and Dad runs at him with the pitchfork as he hears Fawkes barking and my mother's screams from my bedroom window. The blood begins to seep out of the replicant who just stands there grinning with the pitchfork hanging out of him, he takes it out of him and plunges it into my father and then leaves. I close my eyes and open them again, shaking off the feeling, the farm no longer feels the same it did, as I turn to go upstairs I hear a creak outside in the hallway, I grab my baseball bat from my room and quietly sneak downstairs, I reach out with my mind its Fawkes. He looks up at me and whines and I drop the bat and reach out to pet him «I'm sorry bud » and with that the two of us hug each other as I cry into his fur. We walk around the house once again, taking the last look at our home. I know that we can never stay here again and it breaks my heart that I will never see it again.

We leave the farm and head up the side road back into town, we are barely past the farm when a car rolls up beside Fawkes and I. I look into the window and Dad's face pops out, « Hey guys, need a ride » I look down at Fawkes who had still been limping and Dad gets out and picks him up and lays him in the back while I quietly slip into the front. As we head back to the motel, my Dad doesn't question me directly but I feel his questions in his mind « I had to go back one last time I needed to, both of us did ," I say into his mind he smiles down at me and nods and he places his hand on mine and says « I know »

As soon as we get back inside the motel room Mom throws herself at me, picking me up into her arms as Dad puts Fawkes back onto the ground, she looks at Dad and he just nods at her as she kisses my forehead, she knew in her heart where I had went to, but at the same time was worried incase the replicants were still hanging around. That afternoon Mom tells me that we are staying in town until the funeral is arranged, there is no family left on either side of my adoptive parents, so it will be just me and the townsfolk and of course Mom, Dad, John and Monica. Two days pass, we visited my adoptive parents lawyer Mr. Reynolds, he had contacted me saying that I had inherited the farm and everything that they had they left to me, I wanted all the animals to go to the neighboring farms and have good homes, the farm would itself would be placed into the market to be sold after the funeral and everything within the house was to be kept and put into storage and sent to Vancouver. Thing like photographs and every possession in the house were to be kept and all the items in my room were to be shipped to my parents house in Canada. The day of the funeral finally loomed, Fawkes who I didn't want to be given away, was to stay with me, he was the only family link left I had to the farm and had been with my parents just before I came to be with them. He knew parts of them, that I hadn't and that was the way I wanted to keep it. Everything had been arranged and Fawkes was beginning to heal, the house was to go onto the market and their deaths were seen as suspicious, the house was fine and the police and investigators left. I awoke the next morning to Mom nudging me awake. « Come on sweetie, its time » I got up and went to the bathroom to get washed and dressed, I had picked out my Sunday church outfit to wear, my mother always said I looked smart in it. I fixed my tie and came out of the bathroom. Dad and Mom were to ride in the cars with me followed by Monica and John. Fawkes wanted to come, so he did, he sat in with us solemnly. As we pulled up to the church, and went inside I saw the car pull up, and Fawkes licked my hand as I looked down at him. « Come on boy, time to go inside » he followed me down to the front. The police had stationed guards at the doors to the church incase of any trouble, they knew it was my life at risk. As the pallbearers came in with each of their coffins, I could feel my emotions begin to bubble to the surface, my legs felt like jelly as Dad and Mom held me up. All the townsfolk came, and I was happy to see that so may of them came. The coffins were placed down and the minister came out, For the first part I had requested that we sing « Michael Row the Boat Ashore » it had been my mother's favorite and she used to sing it to me as a lullaby. Towards the end the minister drew me up to the stand and said that I was going to deliver the eulogy. I turned and looked back at the coffin and the family photo that I asked to be placed at the coffins. I looked to my Mom and Dad and the others and began.

« I would like to thank you all for coming here today, for those who may not know who I am, I am William the son of Bob and Nancy Van De Kemp. I would like to say a few words about who my parents were. My parents were not my birth family, I came to them when I was ten months old, God had found me a family that could love me until the time came for when I was ready to know the truth of who I was. Everyday I thanked God for sending me to them, in a way if it hadn't been for them, I wouldn't have found my birth parents. For all I am to become I will always remain their son, and love them forever for being the best parents a kid could ask for and I will always love them for giving me a home, and letting me into their lives. I love you Mom and you Dad ," I say wiping away the tears that sting my eyes. The coffins are then picked up by the pallbearers and head out towards the graveyard as they play Michael Row the Boat Ashore again. The minister conducts the ceremony and as I pick up a handful of earth and scatter it onto both of the coffins and place a rose on each that I begin to feel my resolve weaken. I begin to cry as they are finally laid to rest. « I will always love you ," I say as the crowd begins to break away. Mom and Dad have let me and Fawkes be alone by their graveside. He whines and I pet him. « I know that maybe talking to you like this is too late now, I wish I could turn back time. I never wanted for me to cause you both pain or this, I am the result of why you are gone. I will always be your son and do the best I can to find those who killed you, thank you for giving me the chance in life that my birth parents could not give me, you will both forever be in my heart for now and always. »

Fawkes begins to lead me away back to the car and my parents who wait with John and Monica . As we begin to drive away and back to the motel to change to go to the airport, I realize this is the last time in a long time that I will be in the town again. This is a closing chapter on my life here, and a fresh start with Mom and Dad, We get to the airport two hours later and as I settle into my seat and knowing that Fawkes is safe in quarantine for the time being. As the plane takes off I begin to feel a little better, as John and Dad say its good to talk about my adoptive parents, I talk about how we used to camp out underneath the stars. Mom and Monica smile as I tell them stories too.

Monica and John say they have to go back to Washington when we swap over planes. I hug them both tightly. « Thanks for all your help, I love you guys ». Monica brushes back my hair as she holds me and kisses my forehead and I hug her back. « Anytime, little man » says John as he hugs me. My parents and godparents hug each other goodbye one last time. « We'll be in touch soon »