Title: The Ties That Bind Author: jrw Feedback: jrw@aracnet.com Classification: Vignette, post-ep, familyfic Rating: PG for language Spoilers: "All Things" and "Requiem" Archive: Please do, just let me know where. Ephemeral, Gossamer and Spookys--yes!!!!!! Disclaimer: These characters do not belong to me. Summary: I stole this title from a short story I published several years ago in a small (and no longer existant) magazine titled Random Realities (sigh). Anyone wants to read the original, please contact me. I'll e-mail a copy. It's not as good as I would do today, but I'm fond of it. Note--it's straight sf and not even remotely X Filish. More would give it away. Feedback: yes, please! Author's notes follow the end of the story as any comments now would spoil it. *************************************************** She'd finally persuaded the nurses she could walk alone to her room from this last series of tests. After all, she was being discharged once Mom came to pick her up--Skinner had insisted she not be alone for the first few days. "Just trust me," he'd said. "You're a MIA wife right now--legal ceremony or not. Trust me. I saw enough of it in connection with 'Nam. I don't want to see you in the office for a week. I want you with your family. That's an order, Agent Scully. I'll do what I can and keep you posted." It wasn't until he'd threatened to have her tossed out of the Hoover Building should she show up earlier than he specified that she'd agreed. Not what she wanted--too much time to think, too much time to deal with Mom fussing over her--she wanted to immerse herself in work and get away from the eyes staring at her, feeling pity for the poor left behind pregnant woman. She wasn't going to find Mulder by sitting at home knitting booties, and despite her best efforts, her pregnancy was an open secret, both at the hospital and at the Bureau. Hell, even Daniel'd gotten into the act, slipping into her hospital room with a big bouquet she'd made him take away, along with his offer of help. Daniel was a closed book now. While she appreciated his thoughtfulness, looking at him now just made her ache more with Mulder's loss. It made her remember that first night, the night she'd finally put Daniel's shadow to rest and openly chosen Mulder. Actually, maybe it would have been helpful to have one nurse along to scout ahead and see who was waiting for her this time. She wouldn't put it past Krycek or Marita to try something. As for the others-- Daniel--the Gunmen--right now she didn't want to see anyone but Mom. And telling Mom everything was going to be hard enough. Dana paused by her door, and took a deep breath, then entered. *Oh shit.* Brother Bill stood by her bed, in full uniform, staring out the window into the darkness. *I am not up for this.* Her fingers tightened into fists, waiting for his diatribe to begin. Bill pivoted sharply to face her, standing at attention, his face as blank as if he was prepared for a reprimand by a superior officer. She couldn't read his emotions, couldn't tell what he was going to say, think, whatever. She stared back at him, clenching her fists tighter to keep her entire body from trembling. *I do not need this.* Unshed tears betrayed her, her whole body conspiring against her will. Wetness welled up from her eyes, and she could feel one tear trickle down her cheek. Bill took a deep shuddering breath and the tension left his body. "Danie, oh God, Danie..." Without knowing how it happened she was in his arms, crying, like she hadn't since the one time he'd chased off the bully who'd been too big for her to fight off as a little girl at school. They'd never been close as children, but after that one incident he'd taken her out and showed her the best ways to fight bullies like Jonathan. "You have to be tougher than they are," he'd told her. "I can't be there to protect you forever." She'd forgotten about how protective a big brother he could be. Now--it felt right. At last she was able to control herself. She pulled back, wiped her eyes. "How--" "Mom wasn't home when your boss called. Both Charlie and I are at the Pentagon indefinitely--Charlie's up to his neck in the Bellefleur incident, his guys are working with the Air Force on that plane--when he heard that an FBI agent had disappeared along with the locals--" his voice trailed off. "He called me. We didn't have any other information other than an unnamed FBI agent had disappeared, so of course we thought--since the others were abductees--" "Does Mom know?" Bill shook his head. "We haven't said a word to her. I was going to make Mulder tell her and then rip that bastard's lungs out--" "Bill. Don't. Start." She turned away from him. "You're wrong about him--" her voice broke and she gulped, fighting back more tears, swallowing hard *Mom why weren't you there instead of Bill, I can't do this!* "--he wouldn't let me go with him, he thought I was the one at risk but damn it, I'd already been there and the damned things didn't want *me,* they wanted *him* but they didn't take him when I was there, damn them all to hell, they took him when I was gone, maybe I could have stopped it--" "Dana. Stop it." Bill's hands rested on her shoulders and turned her to face him. "You don't know that it would have made a difference. *He did the right thing.*" "But if I'd figured it out sooner, not let him go back there without me--" "Then maybe both of you would have disappeared. I'm glad he didn't let you. For once he did something right." "Bill--" "Look. Skinner told me what happened. Also gave me royal hell when I started yelling about Mulder." Bill swallowed hard. "I don't know if I buy what he saw, but I do know the brass--*everyone,* not just Air Force--has their panties in a major wad over this, so *something* is going on, little sister, and you and Mulder are smack in the middle of it. What little Charlie's able to tell me scares the shit out of me." "You should be. If what we've been told is true--" she sighed. "I've got to find him, Bill. And stop what's coming." "What about this?" He gestured toward the bed, the room. "What happened? Skinner said you'd collapsed--Dana, is it the cancer again?" She shook her head. "No. I'm fine. Exhausted and dehydrated, but otherwise fine." He eyed her. "You don't faint. You've never been a fainter, especially in the face of tough news. Tara, now--I can see her, or Missy, but you--no, I'd have expected you to be single-handedly leading a charge to rescue Mulder, not passing out in shock at the idea of his disappearance. Hell, you were practically on your deathbed the last time he disappeared, and that didn't stop you--You're not--Dana, I can't believe it, you and he haven't, I thought it wasn't possible--" "Neither did we." She crossed her arms. "Believe me, this is a complete surprise." *Here it comes.* "It--ah--um--eh, it's--not--like, like the other one? Or something--else?" She shook her head, surprised he wasn't ranting at her. "No." She blinked back tears. "No, this baby isn't like Emily and it was conceived in the normal fashion, probably six weeks ago when we first--" She gulped and sank onto the bed as another wave of tears threated to wash over her, burying her head in her hands. *God, am I going to be this emotional the whole damned time it's only been six weeks we had only six weeks that isn't fair damn it!* Bill sighed. He sat next to her. "At least it's easier with you than it was with Missy." "Wha-what?! Missy wasn't--" "No one else knew," Bill said sharply. "And I'd appreciate it if you didn't say anything to Mom. No need to raise it up now. No one else knows, not even Tara. She came to me because she was scared to go to Mom and Dad and the asshole ran out on her when he found out she was pregnant. She didn't think you'd understand and Charlie was too young to deal with it. I was the only one she could turn to. I took Missy for her abortion and made sure everything was all right, chewed her out for being careless. I assume you don't need that lecture." "No. If I'd known it was possible--" she shook her head. "I just don't know how--it wasn't supposed to happen--I don't think he would have gone if he knew--oh God, Bill--" she gulped. "What if--" "Don't let yourself think that. *Don't.* You were gone for what--three months? He'll be back. Even if I have to drag him kicking and screaming every step, he'll be here." Dana shook her head. "I--I don't know what to say, Bill. I expected you to yell at me about this, be madder than hell and blaming Mulder, calling me--all sorts of things--" "Damnit, Dana, I'm your big brother! No, I don't like the sorry son of a bitch, never have and probably never will. He's brought a shitload of sorrow into our lives and from the looks of things we've got even more of it now and he's got to answer for that. But--" "Bill, I made these choices. I freely chose this path. Don't blame him." "But--" Bill repeated, more firmly. "Hear me out, damnit Danie, let me finish!" "Okay." Bill sighed. "You're thirty-six years old and pregnant with his kid. From the sounds of it, you were a willing participant. *This* I can understand, not like the other crap you two are into. Because of this, I want him back as much as you do. Not because I like the son of a bitch--I never will for what he's led you into, for the pain he's caused all of us--but because he's the father of your child. Because he obviously means something to you above and beyond this FBI crap, and I hope to hell you mean the same thing to him--" "I do, believe me, I've been the one lagging behind here--" "Good. Because otherwise I *would* knock the crap out of him for playing with you like this. As it is, I am going to give him some shit when he's able to deal with it, especially if he tries to duck out on you with this kid--but--" he shrugged. "It's a done deal. Maybe having a kid will knock some sense into your heads." "I'm NOT staying at home knitting, Bill. I can't. I'm not a Martha Stewart--" Bill shook his head. "I'm not going to argue this with you, Danie. Ground rules are I don't like him, I don't have to like him, and I won't. But I'm going to do my best in whatever way I can to help you find him and meet his responsibilities to you." He sighed. "I don't like him but I also don't think he's the sort of asshole who would run out on you willingly. Not like this." "Thank you," she whispered. She reached out and squeezed his hand. "I really didn't expect this--thank you." "We're family, Danie. Those ties go above and beyond anything else. For family's sake--for *your* sake--I'll deal with him. Just don't ask me to like him." "You might surprise yourself," she said quietly. "Maybe." He stood up. "Let's get you out of here, okay? Too many memories--I'm going to take you to Mom's, your boss doesn't think you should be alone right now and I agree." She nodded. "I'll change. I hope you don't mind making a couple of stops first--I've things to get from both our apartments--" "As long as it's not your office. Skinner gave me strict orders--" She shook her head. "Covering all the bases--I wish he'd been able to do that with Mulder--" "Danie. Don't. Don't do that to yourself." She sighed. "I guess you're right." "Want me to leave so you can change?" "No, I can go into the bathroom." She walked to the closet and gathered up her clothes. "Danie." "Yes?" She stopped in the doorway. "It's a hell of a way for this to happen--but congratulations. I wish the circumstances were better--but after what Tara and I went through before Matty, I think I know what you've been facing. I'm glad for you. I just wish you weren't alone. Hell, I don't believe I'm saying this, but I wish he was here. For your sake." She blinked back the all-too-present tears. "Thank you," she whispered. "Thank you." Then she closed the door. ******end*** Author's notes: I think this is probably the first Billfic about his potential reaction to little sis's pregnancy--at least I've not seen others yet (hey! maybe I beat folks to the gun!). I personally find it hard to believe that he would be a complete and total butthead about this situation, especially given the strong Irish Catholic background and the circumstances of Scully's pregnancy (and for the purposes of this story, Mulder's the father and The Event Happened fairly recently--their behavior appeared to be that of fairly recent lovers still figuring things out, not long-term and settled). Additionally, while Billy boy doesn't comprehend the FBI stuff, pregnancy and a father missing due to something happening in the line of duty is something he should be well-enough familiar with as a military officer. If not, I'm sure a little chat with ex-Marine Skinner would more than put him straight . There may or may not be sequels to this. I haven't decided yet and it depends how swiftly my realfic pours off the page--this storyline deals with impending colonization and I doubt CC will go this route (and I'm a colonization fan, myself). There's several routes I could go, including a crossover to the obscure Gerry Anderson "UFO" series. Of course, if anyone begs and pleads, I might think about it..... Thanks for reading!