Mulder and Scully begin an unusual form of communication after his abduction.
This was written sometime during that long summer between Seasons 7 and 8. I knew when I wrote it that Robert Patrick would be playing this Doggett guy, but I had yet to see him in action. Rated PG-13 for language and intense situations
It had been six months since that night. Scully sat at her desk, glancing at the calendar next to the computer. Six months since her baby had been conceived. It didn't seem that long. And yet, it seemed as if it had happened years ago. She placed her hand on her belly and gently rubbed. As if in response, the child inside moved. She smiled. Despite her fears, all the stress, her loneliness, all she had to do was think of the miracle growing inside of her and she felt better. Even if she didn't have a job anymore.
Okay, so it was just temporary, but it was horrible to wake up in the morning with nothing to do. Skinner had insisted a week ago that she start her maternity leave now. Doggett had backed him up; their last two cases had been more than a little risky. He told her she had to start thinking of the baby.
Scully sighed. As if she ever didn't think about the baby. Now that she was showing, she was getting more than her fair share of curious looks at Headquarters. Rumors had always
existed, but her enlarged abdomen seemed to confirm the rumors as far as her co-workers were concerned. She shook her head at the thought. She and Doggett had joked a while
back that they should start a new rumor; one that said Skinner was the father. But Scully had no intention of denying the real father of her child. She was more than proud to be carrying Mulder's baby, and didn't care if the world knew it.
Scully had been on leave for less than a week, and she was already bored stiff. Her mother had spent most of the early part of the week with her, buying baby stuff. It had been fun, but she could only take so much shopping. She supposed she was missing some gene that kept her from enjoying the activity that most women seemed to worship.
With another sigh, Scully turned off the computer, already bored with surfing the net, and got up to get ready for bed. She'd worry about what to do tomorrow when tomorrow came. Maybe Doggett would stop by. The man had visited her twice this week for no other reason than to check up on her. She hated the idea that she needed protection of any sort, but he had grown on her in the past few months, and as lonely as she was, she enjoyed his company.
He just wasn't Mulder.
Once in bed, it took quite a while for her to drift off to sleep. She had realized long ago that she missed his presence in bed next to her. They had only shared a handful of nights together before his abduction, but it had been enough to convince her that they belonged in the same bed every night. She thought Mulder felt that way, too. Though he had never said anything, she knew he had slept better the nights he stayed with her.
Sleep finally came. Scully had had several odd dreams since the abduction, but tonight wasn't so much odd as it was too real. She found herself, dressed casually, at a playground.
Several children were playing, their voices loud and happy, laughing and shrieking their joy. She smiled, watching them play tag or swing on the jungle-gym. Slowly, she walked closer.
She recognized one of the children almost immediately. She had seen the girl's picture many times in the past. Samantha. Her long dark hair hung down her back in two neat braids, and she wore a pair of denim overalls with a bright red shirt. She and two other girls were playing in the sandbox. Samantha turned her head to look behind her, and called out to a boy a few years older than her.
"Fox! Come see!"
The tall, dark-haired boy walked over to the sandbox and smiled down at his sister. Scully felt her own smile widen. She had seen pictures of him as a child, too.
Suddenly, a sharp, frightened scream brought her attention over to the jungle-gym. The boy-Mulder turned quickly at the sound. A girl about Samantha's age had fallen from the
monkey-bars. Fox ran toward her.
"Dana! Are you alright?!"
Scully's eyes widened. The little girl did look like her! Red hair, freckles and all. She watched as Fox bent down beside little Dana, gently brushing the hair out of the child's face and wiping her tears away. "It's all right, Dana. You'll be fine." Scully felt her heart swell as, in a gesture that was oh-so familiar, Fox gently grasped Dana's chin in his hand and tilted her face upward. "Right?" He smiled at her.
She smiled back, her eyes full of love and trust.
"Come on. Let's swing." Fox took her hand in his and led her toward the swing-set.
Scully felt tears in her eyes. She had no idea why she was dreaming about herself and Mulder as children, but it was comforting here. Relaxing. She noticed a man sitting on a
nearby bench, watching the children, and she decided to join him.
Halfway there, she stopped suddenly. The man was Mulder. Her Mulder, all grown up. He was watching the children intently, a small smile on his face.
"Mulder?" she whispered.
His body tensed. Slowly, he turned his head to look at her. His eyes grew dark, and his expression angry.
"No! I don't want you here!" He closed his eyes tightly, as if he was hoping she would disappear.
"Mulder?" she asked again, confusion filling her voice.
He stood abruptly, opening his eyes to glare at her. "You only make it worse," he told her. "I can't do this."
Mulder's hazel eyes darted downward, noticing the bulge that was their baby. They widened, and his gaze caught hers again. Scully felt her breath catch at his pain-filled and
desolate expression. Then, the anger was back. He started shaking his head. "No." His voice cracked, and Scully took a step toward him, reaching out, wanting to comfort.
He backed away quickly. "No!" he shouted. Then he looked at the sky above him. "Stop this! Haven't you tortured me enough?! Leave me alone!" He looked at Scully again, venom in his gaze. "Leave me the hell alone," he growled.
With a start, Scully woke. She was sweating and her breathing was ragged. The baby was moving, seemingly agitated by the disturbing dream. Without thought, Scully began to rub her belly. "It's okay. It's okay." She spoke to comfort both herself and the child.
Slowly, her breathing and heart-rate came down to normal. But her heart was still aching. "Oh, Mulder," she breathed. "Where are you?"
************************************************************
Scully was desperate.
She had been having the same disturbing dream all week and she was beginning to think it wasn't just a dream. It always started the same: the playground, the children, the young
Fox looking after all the smaller children, including Samantha, Dana, and an older girl Scully recognized as her sister, Melissa. She always walked over to the grown Mulder,
who was always on the bench watching the children. That was where the dream always changed. At first, he continued to tell her to leave him alone, then he simply began to ignore her. It was obvious he knew she was there, but he refused to acknowledge her, becoming sullen and turning his glare toward the children.
She always tried to reach for him, to sit next to him on the bench, but she always woke up before she got too close. Her imagination let her wonder if these dreams might not be
hers, but Mulder's, and that he was controlling how far she could go. But if that was the case, then why wouldn't he let her close? Why wouldn't he talk to her?
When she had finally told Dr. Werber, he had been more than a little anxious to talk with her about the 'dreams'. Though his expertise was in regression hypnosis, he was a dedicated study of dreams. He agreed with Scully's idea; She wasn't controlling these dreams, but someone was. Most likely it was Mulder himself.
"Then he is alive?" Scully had asked Werber breathlessly.
"Have you ever doubted it?" he had asked in return.
Yes, she had. She explained how she, Skinner, the Lone Gunmen, and eventually Doggett had all done their best to find Mulder after his abduction. But there had been no trace
of him or the others. He had already been gone longer than she had been when she had been taken. The search had tired her, and she had slowly deflated, her hope turning into
despair. She had seriously begun to wonder if Mulder would ever even know he had a child.
"If they are his dreams, then why doesn't he want me there?"
"You told me the playground was a peaceful place, relaxing. Maybe these dreams are the only peace he finds after 'they' are done with him. Maybe seeing you, something he is convinced he'll never have again, is disturbing that peace."
Scully nodded, but was still unconvinced. "I have to find some way to talk to him. Every time I get close or say too much, I wake up. I talk to him. I try to touch him. He never
responds. He seems happy until he realizes I'm there, then he's mad."
Werber thought for a moment. "There is a kind of hypnosis that might help. It will allow you to go into REM sleep without really falling asleep. You'll be able to control whether or not you want to wake. If he continues to push you away, you would be able to follow." He smiled slightly at Scully's doubtful look. "You've done it before, Dana. You know it works."
Scully agreed to try it, but not before she made one more effort to reach him on her own. She would try one more time, tonight, in real sleep.
************************************************************
The night before, Scully had attempted to walk quietly up to the bench without saying anything. Not necessarily sneaking up on Mulder, but not trying to get his attention, either.
The minute her posterior hit the bench, she woke. But not before her brain had recognized the familiar warmth of Mulder's body. Even in a dream, it had felt so real. Spooky.
Tonight, she was going to try a new tactic; she wasn't going to go to him at all.
When she entered the dreamscape, she quietly sat on the grass on a hillside facing the playground, near the bench, but not too close. She silently watched the children play.
The only children she recognized where the Scully and Mulder kids. She guessed that the others were kids Mulder had known as a child. Even though Melissa was present, neither Bill nor Charles, her brothers, were. That made sense. Mulder didn't like Bill, and he didn't know Charlie.
The children interacted well with each other, rarely fighting, and the young Fox seemed to be in charge. He was a tad bossy, she thought wryly, but never mean, and Scully observed how carefully he watched over both Samantha and little Dana. He watched the two little girls with definite love in his eyes.
Out of the corner of her eye, Scully saw Mulder look her way. She waited. And waited. Finally, he got up from the bench and faced her direction. He stood, unmoving, for a long time. She turned to look at him after a while, and the expression she saw on his face nearly broke her heart. He was looking at her with almost the same expression Fox had
given Dana out on the playground. Yet, it was different. Mixed in with the adoration and love was yearning. And the same pain Scully felt deep down inside.
She tried to meet his eyes, to encourage him to come over to her. But he refused. With a sad shake of his head, he turned away.
And Scully woke up.
************************************************************
Scully went into Dr. Werber's the next morning feeling both nervousness and anticipation. She sat on the couch in the office, his assistant helping her to get comfortable. Just like before, she thought, only Mulder wasn't there. The doctor then proceeded to talk her into a dream world.
He told her once more that his goal was to set her into REM without actually putting her to sleep. The last words she remembered were: "You are in control of this dream, Dana.
You can wake when you want to wake, not when whoever controls the playground decides it."
She soon found herself at said playground, but it was different than in her nightly dreams: There were no children. A stiff wind was blowing, causing the empty swings to sway back and forth on their own. Scully walked toward the playground, stopping to look down at the empty sandbox, it's bare expanse of sand depressing.
She turned her head, suddenly realizing she wasn't alone. Mulder was sitting at his usual place on the bench. He was hunched over, elbows on his knees, his face in his hands. His tall, lean body seemed shrunken. He looked utterly defeated. She immediately turned to walk toward him, her stride determined, her mind set.
He heard her coming. His head shot up, his eyes wide. Every time she had approached him before, she had done it with caution. But not his time. He stood, turning to face her.
"What is this place?" she demanded. "Why don't you want me here?"
There was a new weariness in his eyes today, as if he was too tired for any emotion, anger or otherwise. "Why do you keep coming back?" he asked softly.
Scully stopped in front of him, a bit startled that he had actually answered her, even if it had been with another question. Why indeed? She took a deep breath. "Because I miss you. Because I want to be with you, even when you're angry with me." Her voice sounded fragile even to her own ears. She could only imagine what he thought. She was suddenly ashamed, and she lowered her eyes, staring at the green grass at her feet. Silence reigned.
"I come here to get away."
Scully looked up, Mulder's voice breaking the silence startling her. He had sat back heavily on the bench, staring at the same ground she had been studying.
"Away from what?" she whispered.
He looked up at her, his eyes dark. "My life. If you want to call it a life." He sighed. "And I don't want you here because it hurts too much. It hurts knowing you aren't real."
"But I am, Mulder. I am real. I don't know how or why, but I am really here. In my dreams."
His brow furrowed, and his eyes once again became wary.
"What do you mean, your dreams?"
"I dream of this place, Mulder. I dream of you." She shook her head in frustration. "I was sure at first that it was just a dream. But why I would ever dream you angry at me, I have no clue."
Mulder leaned back in his seat, closing his eyes briefly. "Do you mean to tell..."
He stopped suddenly, looking upward toward the blue sky, as if he heard something. Then he looked back at Scully. She felt a chill run up her spine at the fear she saw in the hazel depths. "I..." Again, he stopped.
Scully was about to wake up; she recognized the feeling. But she remembered Werber's words. She would only wake up when she wanted to.
Everything went black for a moment, then she opened her eyes, only to find more darkness. But she could see some things. She felt herself sit up, and realized she had been
laying on a bed with a uncomfortably hard mattress. She swung her legs over the side of the bed, but she knew she hadn't actually done the movement; She wasn't in control of her own body!
She looked around the dark room. It was cold, no warmth coming from the walls or the floor, which appeared to made from a dark grey metal. She stood, only she hadn't. With
sudden clarity, she gathered that she wasn't even in her own body. She felt herself move over to a small sink and looked into the mirror above it. Shock flooded through her as
everything she had been experiencing the past few days began to make sense.
Her dreams weren't being controlled by Mulder. They weren't her dreams at all! They had been Mulder's dreams. She had been invading them! And she was still there, in his head.
Seeing things through his eyes, including his gaunt reflection in the mirror.
She was in Mulder's mind!
******
When Doggett walked into Dr. Werber's office, without invitation, he was surprised by the comfortable feel to the place. His eyes focused on the good doctor himself, holding
Dana's hand as she reclined on the sofa, her eyes closed. Werber didn't notice him, but the other occupant of the room, a pretty blonde, sent him a glare.
He stood silently as he watched Werber, who was talking to Dana in a soothing voice. Soon, he stopped, glancing at his assistant. "She's in," he told her softly. Doggett's eyes narrowed as he focused on the petite red-head he had come to care far too much about in the last few months. He couldn't believe she was here, with this quack. Still trying to find
Mulder.
Suddenly, Dana's eyes flew open, glazed and unfocused, and her breathing became erratic. Werber leaned closer to her, concern spreading across his face. "Get some water," he demanded, and the blonde woman rushed out of the room.
"Dana?" he asked forcefully.
She was hyperventilating. Doggett sped over to her, grabbing her other hand in his. "What the hell did you do to her?"
Werber sent him a glare, then continued to talk to Dana in a soothing yet commanding voice. "Dana! It's all right. Just breathe deep, Dana. Concentrate on breathing slow and deep. That's it."
Dana's eyes began to focus, and her breathing slowed. The blonde handed Werber a glass of water, and he held it up to Dana. With trembling hands, she took it, and sipped from it
slowly.
"What happened?" Doggett demanded when she lowered the glass.
Her eyes flickered to him, surprise causing her pupils to dilate briefly. "What the hell are you doing here?"
With a slightly embarrassed frown, Doggett stood up from his crouch by the sofa. He opened his mouth to answer Scully when she interrupted him. "Never mind."
She turned her eyes to Werber. "I know what's going on. They aren't my dreams."
"What do you mean?" Werber asked.
"They're Mulder's. I was in his head, in his dream. When he woke up, I was still in his head. I saw what he was seeing, through his eyes." She shook her head slowly. "I was so
startled, I guess I came out of it." She met Werber's eyes again, a smile slowly spreading across her face. Doggett felt something tug at his insides; he'd never seen her smile like that before.
"He's alive," she whispered, joy seeping through every pore of her body. "Mulder's alive!"
************************************************************
Doggett followed Scully to her apartment after she left Werber's office. He still hadn't given her an explanation as to why he had been there in the first place. 'Overprotective
jerk,' she thought to herself. 'Either that, or Skinner threatened him with bodily harm if something bad happens to me.' Why was it, she wondered, that after all these years of feeling like she was no more attractive to men than an old pair of jeans, was she suddenly tripping over more than one member of the male species everywhere she went? Skinner,
Doggett, the Gunmen. Even Alex Krycek had stopped by to check up on her well-being, never batting an eye at the gun she never stopped pointing at him. Must be something about a pregnant woman that brought out the natural instinct to protect in all the men in her life. She wouldn't be one bit surprised to find a message on her answering machine at home from one of her brothers.
She sighed. Too bad the one man she wanted protecting her wasn't. But only because he couldn't. She could only imagine what Mulder would be like in an over-protective mode.
Unfortunately, he was stuck in some sort of cell, with a hard bed and cold floors. He had to dream of a playground with happy children in order to stay sane.
Though she had only caught glimpses of his 'life', she had remembered every bit of the experience, every feeling. The cold. The quiet. The aches and pains of a body that had very
obviously been abused with test after test. The eyes staring back into her soul from the mirror; eyes filled with such despair, and yet tinged with hope. Because of her? She wondered.
She had wanted to go under again, but Werber said it wasn't a good idea after her reaction to the first attempt. Her shock had nearly been her undoing. Now, she was anxious for night to fall, when she could try to talk to Mulder again, in 'her' dreams.
She parked her car in its usual spot in front of her apartment building, then slid out. She was still able to maneuver well, despite her enlarged girth, but she knew in a couple of months, that maneuverability would be greatly decreased. Her mother was planning on staying with her when her due-date got closer. It was a comfort to Scully to know she wouldn't be alone, but at the same time, she wished her partner was the one moving in.
'And not this partner,' she thought. Scully heard Doggett come up behind her as she entered the building. She didn't speak, and neither did he, as they walked to her door. She unlocked it and entered. He followed. She dropped her purse and keys on the counter and pressed the button on the answering machine, where one message waited to be heard. All this without acknowledging her 'partner's' presence.
"Hey, Scully," Frohike's voice sounded from the answering machine. "The guys and I were wondering if you'd be interested in going out tonight. If you want, I could tell them to meet us at Casey's, and then we could go to La Costa's instead, just the two of us. ("Hey, I heard that." Langly in the background) Call me when you get a chance. Bye, Sweet Pea."
Scully laughed softly. Ever since he found out she was pregnant, Frohike had been even more attentive than usual, if that was possible. He treated her like blown glass and flooded her with compliments. But she had had it with all the men in her life. She turned to face Doggett, who was looking at the answering machine with his eyebrows raised.
"That man is seriously disturbed."
"Aren't we all?" Scully responded. "Doggett, what were you doing at Werber's?"
He looked at her, his face serious. His eyes weren't. "I was hoping to get his help so that I could recall more details about my pet dog's disappearance when I was two years old."
Scully's expression didn't change, but her eyes darkened.
Doggett cleared his throat nervously. "Sorry." He sighed. "I heard a rumor that you had an appointment with him today, and I had to go down there to prove to myself that you weren't that crazy." He shook his head. "Unfortunately, it seems that you are. What were you thinking, Dana? You don't really believe you're communicating with Mulder, do you?"
With a firm voice, Scully responded, "Yes, I do."
Doggett closed his eyes. "The rumors are true. Mulder's insanity did rub off on you." He said it lightly, as if he was making a joke, but Scully knew the rumors were true. Yes, indeed. 'Mrs. Spooky' had graduated into the upper leagues of paranormal expertise and experience.
Scully turned and walked tiredly to the couch. "Go home, John. I don't need you here." She stopped and glanced back at him. "I only need one person here, and you believe he's dead. So, what more can you do for me?"
He stared at her a while, an intense stare that sent a shiver running down her spine. This man and Mulder were nothing alike, but they did share one thing in common. They were both frighteningly intense. It was almost overpowering in both men. She gave herself a mental shake, turned away again, and sat down. "Go home." She spoke as if she was talking to a stray dog that had followed her home.
She felt his gaze on her for a while longer. Then, he quietly left the apartment.
*****
The playground had children on it again that night. Loud, boisterous, happy. They raced around playing a game of tag, laughing and screaming as children do when they are excited.
Despite the flurry of activity, Scully's attention wasn't on them. The second she entered the dreamscape, she turned and headed for the bench. For Mulder.
He rose to meet her, his eyes no longer angry, but anxious. Hopeful. Scully stopped a few feet in front of him, not saying a word, waiting for him to speak first.
"You really are real?" Mulder's voice was low and husky.
Scully nodded.
"How?"
She gave him a small smile. "I don't know. But I don't want to question it."
His brow furrowed. "Before..." He took a deep breath. "Last time, you were with me, even after I woke up."
"You knew that?"
"I could feel you." He touched his head. "Here. But then you were gone."
"I was with Dr. Werber," she explained. "Usually, when you wake, so do I. But I didn't last time." She paused. "Mulder, where are you? It looked like some kind of prison."
Mulder didn't answer her. In fact, it appeared he hadn't even heard the question, as his attention had been drawn elsewhere. Scully felt her heart beat faster when she realized he was staring at her belly.
Slowly, Mulder's eyes rose to meet hers. "Is that part of my dream, or real?"
"He's real."
"He?!"
"I actually don't know if he's a boy or a girl, yet. But I'm not going to call him 'it'. That sounds too impersonal. And if he's a she, then I don't think she'll mind being called 'he'." She blushed slightly. "I guess I just want to be surprised."
He looked back down. "How... How far along are you?"
"A little over six months."
"How long have I been gone?"
"About four and a half months."
Mulder let out a huge breath and sat heavily on the bench behind him. "Only four and a half? Seems like longer than that. Much longer."
"For me, too."
"How did...?" He nodded toward her belly.
Scully's eyebrows rose questioningly.
"How did you get...?" He still couldn't finish, but Scully guessed what he was trying to ask.
"The usual way," she said, humor filling her voice.
He looked at her sharply. "You know what I mean."
She smiled. "I don't know how. But everything is fine, Mulder. As far as anyone can tell, this baby is perfectly normal. The doctors have run their tests. They don't know how I became fertile...but I have my suspicions."
"Cancer Man." Mulder's voice was hard. "You told me that when you went away with him, there were several hours you don't remember. When he told you that you had just been
asleep."
Scully took a step toward him, nodding. "Mulder, maybe you're right, but it doesn't matter now. He's dead. And this baby is alive!"
"But if he healed you somehow, made it so you would be able to conceive, how do you know he didn't do something else to you at the same time? And..." He stood again. "Six months?
And I've been away for..." Scully couldn't help but smile as she watched him 'do the math'.
"Our first night together," he whispered.
"Glad you remember," Scully said dryly.
"Then it is mine?"
She clenched her jaw for a moment, getting her temper under control. "I'm going to pretend I didn't hear that."
"I'm sorry, Scully." Mulder was immediately contrite. "It's not that I don't trust you or think anything bad about you. It's just that he could have done something to you other
than just..."
"Mulder!" Scully interrupted him. "We've run tests. He is most definitely yours."
Mulder stood there for a moment, trying to absorb the fact that he was about to become a father. Then he took a long step toward her, reaching out with his right hand to softly
touch her face. She closed her eyes in relief when she felt his touch; she hadn't been sure they could touch in this dream-world.
"Oh, Mulder," she sighed.
Suddenly, he dropped to his knees in front of her. He laid his cheek on her belly and wrapped his arms around her waist. She brought her own hands up to cradle his head,
feeling tears stream down her cheeks. He gently kissed one of her hands, then turned his face inward to kiss their baby, safe in the womb. She felt tears on his cheeks, as well.
"Scully," he whispered. "God, Scully. I want to come home."
************************************************************
Doggett sat hunched in his chair, one leg set across the opposite knee, hands folded loosely in front of him. Through half-lidded eyes, he watched Skinner as the older man
thumbed through his report. His report on Scully. As ordered by Skinner himself. Obviously, Doggett wasn't the only one who had been taken in by the red-haired dynamo with the soulful blue eyes.
It had been six months since Doggett had been transferred from New York. Six months since he had been put in charge of the team established to find the missing Agent Mulder. And four months since he had been re-assigned to the X Files.
He had been angry that day, he recalled. Only the idea of working with the Ice Queen had kept him from lodging a full-blown complaint. That had been around the same time that said Ice Queen had begun to exhibit evidence of her pregnancy. Apparently, 'someone' had melted the ice.
As he had mentally predicted, Doggett had found working with Dana more than interesting. While she spent the majority of her time hiding behind her wall, Doggett had still found her intelligence, her coolness under fire, and her patience a joy to work with. And if the moments when he saw behind the wall were few, they were worth the wait. A small smile here. A short laugh there. The glimpse of pure joy the first time she had felt her baby move. The despair that immediately followed as she was reminded that the baby's father wasn't there to share in her happiness.
Doggett wasn't about to admit that he had fallen in love with Dana Scully, but he wasn't about to abandon her anytime soon, either.
When Skinner had put her on an early maternity leave, he had also assigned Doggett the 'job' of watching over her. While still half-heartedly working the X Files, he also made
bi-weekly reports on the pregnant agent, detailing any strange people or occurrences in her life. Including her 'contact' with Mulder.
"So, she went to Werber's again last week?" Skinner asked.
"Yes, sir. It's the seventh time in the last two months. Every time she goes, she comes back worse. I don't like it."
"Worse in what way?"
"More tired. Angry. More depressed. She's only under for a few minutes at a time, but it's enough."
"Does she speak while she's under?"
"No. And she doesn't tell anyone, not even Werber, what she thinks happens. She simply says that she stays until, and I quote, 'he doesn't need me for a while'."
"So, she is entering his mind, seeing what he is going through, what 'they' are doing to him." Skinner took off his glasses and rubbed the bridge of his nose. "He must be aware
of her presence. She's doing it to offer him comfort."
Doggett sat silent, seeing as it appeared Skinner was more or less talking to himself anyway. But he was also a bit concerned that his boss seemed to believe in Dana's claims
of telepathy.
"Does she ever tell you about her 'dreams'?" he asked finally.
"No, sir. And I don't ask."
Skinner looked thoughtful. "I want to talk to her. Her due date is coming up, and we need to know if she can help us find him."
"I'm sure she would have told us by now if she knew where he was."
"Yes, but she may be able to recall a detail or two that she doesn't think will help when it might," Skinner argued. "She's too close. No doubt her emotions are more in charge during these dreams than her intellect."
Doggett leaned forward, placing both feet flat on the floor. "Sir, Agent Scully has survived many traumatic events in her life. Agent Mulder's disappearance was the straw that broke her back, so to speak. Her imagination has taken control. And I don't believe it's good for her or the baby."
"That is where you are wrong, Agent Doggett," Skinner answered darkly. "Even if these 'dreams' of hers are part of a fantasy, and I don't think they are, her belief that Mulder is still alive is the best thing for her and the baby."
Doggett shook his head. "These trips to Werber's; whatever happens while she is under hypnosis, it can't be good."
Skinner sighed. "You may be right about that part of it. I'll stop by her place tomorrow and talk to her." He looked at the younger agent. "But, Doggett. I do believe Mulder is alive. And I do believe that he and Scully are connected mentally. I've seen it, time and time again, with my own eyes. I just never recognized how strong it really was."
He leaned back in his chair, his eyes holding an almost feral glint. "She'll find him. And she'll bring him home."
************************************************************
After two months of 'communicating', both Mulder and Scully had gotten quite good at controlling their talent. Scully, while under hypnosis at Dr. Werber's, was able to connect to Mulder even while he was awake. She often was 'there' to give him much needed strength during the tests, most of which revolved around Mulder's brain. They both believed it was because of the tests that their bond had strengthened to the point where they could telepathically communicate.
Mulder, in his hours of solitude, had taught himself self-hypnosis, and had visited Scully during her waking hours as well. The first time he had done this had nearly given Scully a heart attack. She and her mother had been in the guest room in her apartment, working on changing it into a nursery, when she had felt him. It was as if he had entered the room and come up close behind her without her seeing him. So close she could hear his heartbeat, feel his breath, smell his intoxicating scent.
Her mother had immediately noticed her startled look, and asked her if she was all right. Scully gave her typical 'I'm fine,' ignoring what she was sure was Mulder's laughter in her head, and went back to work. She still felt him, knowing he was aware of everything that she was aware of. It was frightening. And it was exhilarating.
During sleep, the two still met in their dreams. Only now, Scully had a dreamscape of her own that Mulder often visited. It was different than the playground. In her dreams, there was no one but them.
Scully was there now, sitting under an ancient Oak tree, whose leaves were still small, listening to the birds sing their courtship songs, and smelling the lilacs in bloom on a nearby bush. In Scully's dream, it was spring all the time.
The sun was shining and the creek next to the tree babbled away to itself. The grass was a rich green and soft to the touch. It was her version of heaven.
She heard Mulder approach, even though her eyes were closed, and she smiled. Although they 'met' nearly every night, she still felt a moment of panic before going to bed, wondering if she would see him. Praying he had not given up hope and let the demons that held him captive destroy him.
She opened her eyes and looked at him. He stood looking down at her, a sad smile on his beautiful lips. Scully became worried. "Mulder! What's wrong?" She began her struggle to
get up from her grassy seat, but her belly, which had increased greatly in the last two months, got in the way. More than once, Scully had wished she was back to her pre-pregnant size in this dreamworld. But, her belly refused to go away, despite her wishes. Mulder reached down, grasped her arms, and helped her to stand.
"Nothing's wrong," he told her. Then he brought his hand down and placed in on their child. "You're due very soon, aren't you?" Time didn't have much meaning in his world. "I wish I could be there."
"Of course, you can be there!" Scully demanded. "If not in person, then up here." She tapped her head.
Mulder shook his own head. "But will I be able to hold you while she's born. Will I be able to hold her?" He had started calling the baby 'her', not necessarily because he thought she was a girl, but because it was the opposite of what Scully called her. And they had always been opposites of the same coin; why change now?
Scully reached up to cup his cheek. "Then we'll just have to get you home before I pop, won't we?" Despite all their attempts, neither of them could figure out where Mulder was
being kept or who might know. It had been frustrating for both of them, but especially Mulder, who had lost hope once before, only to get it back when Scully 'appeared', and was
now losing it again.
He closed his eyes, not wanting Scully to see his pain, but she would have none of it. Standing on her tip-toes, she leaned in and kissed him. It wasn't easy to do, seeing as she was barefoot and he was standing his tallest. Her belly didn't help, either. But she succeeded in what she set out to do. Mulder quickly lowered his head and wrapped his arms
around her.
Scully took advantage of her 'conquest' by pulling him down to the soft, sweet grass beneath them. This was the main reason she had wanted her 'normal' body. When she had, in a weak moment, told him of her wish, he had laughed at her, causing her to punch him rather hard in his then bare shoulder. This only made him laugh harder. Because he so rarely laughed, Scully had eventually started giggling with him. When he had his breath back, he told her that while he loved her 'normal' body (obviously, or she wouldn't have
gotten pregnant in the first place!), he loved her current shape just as much. He loved watching their baby grow, even if it made loving a tad more difficult.
In this dreamworld, Mulder and Scully didn't have to pretend to be 'just friends'. Here, they could love each other, free from the worry that someone might find out; That their
partnership could be damaged by discovery of their affair. And when it came right down to it, Scully didn't mind the baby's presence either. It just meant that they had to be more inventive in their lovemaking.
Mulder loved to talk to her belly. And Scully was amazed at how the baby jumped upon hearing his voice. Mulder believed that the baby shared in their mental attachment in some way; that 'she' could hear and feel him just like 'her' mother could. Scully agreed that the baby did indeed know who 'his' daddy was.
After an immeasurable amount of time had passed, the lovers lay in the grass, Mulder's arm tight about Scully's naked body. The breeze felt cool on their bare skin, but not cold.
It was never cold here. While Mulder still visited the playground frequently, he had long ago learned to love this meadow more. But, he thought, his heart breaking, it wasn't
real. Yes, Scully was feeling all these things, thinking all that she was saying to him here. But it was still just a dream. He became determined to find his way out, and soon. Before the birth. He had to get home.
Even if it killed him.
******
Doggett was following a lead. The very first lead they had had since Mulder's disappearance. It was a small one, probably nothing, but one he couldn't refuse to check out.
He had told no one where he was going; he refused to get anyone's hopes up. Not even Skinner, who was feeling a bit sorry for himself lately. Scully had refused his requests to
stop visiting Dr. Werber's, and the disagreement between the two had turned into a full-blown argument. Not the first the two had had, Doggett understood.
Now, here he was. Hawkins Communication, Inc. HCI. The factory was located in central Minnesota, in the small town of Clarissa. It was the largest employer in the area, which
consisted mostly of small, family farms. With its three separate shifts, it ran twenty-four hours a day, building the tiny parts found in cell-phones and lap-top computers. It employed hundreds, but it wasn't unique. In fact, the only thing special about it was that a man by the name of C.G.B. Spender had been a major stock-holder before his demise several months ago.
Doggett was meeting with the current CEO, a man named Anthony Aldrich. He was a small man, standing only to Doggett's shoulder, and his shiny bald head was encircled by a fluffy halo of white hair that reminded the agent of duck down. He was completely unintimidating, and Doggett felt almost guilty lying to the man as he introduced himself as
Charlie Roberts, a potential buyer of HCI stock.
Aldrich led Doggett on a tour of the facility, and the more Doggett saw, the more he became convinced that he was sniffing up the wrong tree. Two hours after arriving at HCI,
he left, frustrated and very glad he had told no one of the visit.
************************************************************
It was his chance at last.
Though Mulder and his fellow prisoners were allowed very limited time together, he had managed to speak to Billy for several minutes yesterday. Long enough to formulate a plan.
Now, it was time to put that plan into action.
There was a routine in this hell-hole they were living in. A routine that was rarely broken. Mulder was almost always tested after Billy. Today, as they passed each other, with their respective guards, in the hallway they had dubbed the 'Tunnel of Doom', Billy suddenly fell against the wall. It wasn't uncommon for one of the abductees to faint, especially after undergoing tests, but Billy made of show of it today. 'The kid deserves an Emmy,' Mulder thought wryly.
Then he concentrated on his own actions.
As expected, his own guard moved forward to help the other guard with the moaning and limp Billy, leaving Mulder unguarded for a few seconds. That was all the time he needed.
He backed up quickly and quietly, not taking his eyes off the drama before him, then slipped through a door midway down the hall. It led into another hallway, this one more
brightly lit. Here, there were several exam rooms, one of which Mulder had been in once. He hadn't been very aware of what was going on at the time, but he had remembered one
feature in particular. Now, he ran down the hall, intent on the one room he had been in. The room with the vent in the ceiling.
He found the room with little trouble, and he quickly jumped to the exam table, which enabled him to reach the vent. It was then that he felt her. For the first time since they had established this communication, he cursed that fact that she could enter his mind without warning. He felt her shock and fear when she realized what he was doing, but she quickly controlled her emotions, knowing that they may distract him.
He continued to pry at the vent, using a dull knife he had managed to palm at his last 'meal'. He heard yelling down the hall, and he felt the adrenaline that had kept his weakened body going start to fade.
'Go, Mulder!' Scully's voice demanded from inside his head. With one last giant tug, the vent cover popped off. Using every last bit of strength in his body, he pulled himself up
into it, encouraged by Scully's mental cheering. Breathing hard, he began to crawl. He knew they would catch him, but he hoped to evade them long enough to see where he was or find someone he recognized.
He heard sounds ahead of him. Machinery. And voices. Laughter. He hadn't heard laughter in months...outside his dreams. He tiredly crawled toward the sounds, ignoring the echoing yells of the guards who had entered the vent behind him. He came to another grate and looked out onto an amazing sight.
People. Hundreds of people. Working. He was in some sort of factory. And beneath him under the vent he saw two men talking.
He felt Scully's shock and it hit him like ice water. It was Dr. Death himself, the devil disguised as a little old man. The man who was in charge of the tests. And he was chatting
companionably with a vaguely familiar face. A face he had seen only through Scully's eyes.
Special Agent John Doggett.
He felt Scully's presence leave him at the exact moment one of the guards sunk a needle into his leg. He passed out without making a sound.
*****
Doggett was standing at the office coffee pot chatting with a couple of his buddies, laughing and joking about the Redskins game the night before. He wasn't anxious to get to
work this morning. In fact, he was really getting sick of that basement. Things were much more interesting up here. And besides, Agent Tara Mackenzie was up here, and she had
been eyeing him a lot lately. He knew an office romance wasn't the best career move, but she was damn attractive.
Then the tornado blew through the door. A tornado named Dana Scully. He noticed her almost immediately; she was hard to miss with her flaming red hair and her gloriously ripe body. She ignored all the people in the room, but they all noticed her. Head after head rose to watch as she moved past their desks. It was obvious even to the most casual of observers that she was royally pissed. And she didn't care who knew it.
It was also very obvious who she was pissed at.
Doggett felt his back stiffen in an instinctive defensive posture. Kyle Mortensen and Daniel Rohrbach, whom he considered friends, quickly sidled away from him. Doggett
wished he could leave the premises as well. Or sink into the floor. Offense, he thought. Think offense.
"Agent Scully. What a surprise. What brings you...?"
Scully, her eyes blazing, strode directly up to her 'partner' and, without blinking an eye, doubled her right fist and threw the punch of her life, catching Doggett on the left jaw. The coffee cup he had been holding went flying as he stumbled back. He turned to her, a shocked expression on his face. Who knew such a small woman could punch so hard?
He stood straight, anger beginning to simmer in his own eyes. Scully had stepped back, breathing hard. She flexed her right hand, trying to relieve the pain in her knuckles. Despite the fact that there were over 30 people in the room, there was no noise whatsoever.
"Agent Scully!" Skinner's voice broke the silence. He stood in the doorway, but nobody even turned to look at him.
Everyone kept their eyes trained on Doggett and Scully. They didn't want to miss anything.
"I trusted you!" Scully whispered. Her voice was soft, so only Doggett could hear, but it was harsh nonetheless. Doggett's brows furrowed. "You bastard! You've known all along, haven't you?"
"Known what?!" he demanded, his voice far from a whisper.
Skinner started to make his way across the room, as intent on reaching the pair as Scully had been on reaching Doggett only minutes earlier.
"You knew where he was!" Scully had stopped whispering as well, but her voice cracked with emotion. Her anger had started fading, and despair was taking control. 'Damn these
hormones,' she thought. 'I can't even stay mad!'
Skinner was suddenly behind her, grasping her shoulders lightly. "Scully. Come on. Let's take this into my office."
Scully shook her head, tears suddenly forming in her eyes. But she refused to cry in front of all these people. In front of Doggett. She glared up at him, but she directed her words to Skinner. "He knows where Mulder is," she said softly.
Doggett looked at Skinner. Both men looked astonished.
"What?!" they said in unison.
Scully closed her eyes and sagged a bit. All the emotion drained out of her. Suddenly, the baby kicked her hard, and she realized she had to pee. "I need to go." She felt heat creep into her face as she turned and saw all the faces staring at her. All eyes immediately looked away, or back at their work, pretending not to care what was going on. Oh, good god! What had she done?
Raising her chin, she started to leave the room, feeling like an elephant trying to sneak out of a room full of curious apes. She heard Skinner behind her. "Doggett. Come."
She felt the urge to laugh. He sounded like he was talking to a dog.
The minute she left the room, Skinner took her elbow and began to tug her along with him. She followed with little resistance, too tired to fight him. Doggett trailed along as Skinner led them to his office.
"Kimberly, no interruptions, please," he told his assistant. He directed Scully to a chair, which she sank down into gratefully. Doggett sat stiffly in the other one. Skinner walked behind his desk, his arms folded. He glared at both of them, then he began pacing.
"Agent Scully, please explain yourself." Skinner stopped his pacing and glared directly at her. "And don't try to tell me it was hormones or something like that."
Doggett gave a muffled laugh, but immediately shut up when both Scully and Skinner glowered at him.
Scully turned back to Skinner and sighed. "I saw him. I saw him talking to the doctor in charge of Mulder and the others."
"When?" Doggett demanded.
"Yesterday. When I was at Werber's."
"You mean you saw him through Mulder's eyes?" Skinner asked.
Scully nodded. "He tried to escape. He failed, but he did find a way out. And you," she looked at Doggett. "We saw you, just before he was caught." She looked down, shifting
uncomfortably in her chair. "I waited for him last night, in my dreams. He never came." She looked up at Skinner. "I'm afraid of what they might have done to him."
Skinner was silent for a moment, but then, his voice hard, he asked, "Where were you yesterday, Doggett? I know you weren't here."
"I was following a lead on a case," Doggett told them.
"Which case? I didn't think you had any pending cases at the moment."
Doggett opened his mouth to speak, but then he glanced at Scully and stopped. He looked like he was contemplating something very important. He took a deep breath. "I still have one pending case. The one I was transferred to D.C. for."
Scully turned slightly in her chair to face him. "Mulder?"
Doggett nodded. "I went to check out a company that was partially owned by this Spender guy you two mentioned a while back. I toured the facility and talked to the CEO."
"Who is the CEO?" Skinner asked.
"A man named Anthony Aldrich."
"What does Aldrich look like?" Scully demanded.
"Short. Balding. Fuzzy white hair."
"Dr. Death," Scully whispered. She turned back to Skinner. "That's him. That's what I saw."
"Dana, the place is a manufacturing plant for cell-phone parts. Not..."
"Did you see all of it?" she asked.
He shrugged. "I assume so."
She shook her head. "No. I don't think you did. In fact, I'm sure of it."
She stood suddenly, and Doggett flinched, not expecting her to be able to move so quickly in her condition. He felt his face heat when both Scully and Skinner smiled at his reaction.
"Where were you, John?" Scully asked.
"Minnesota. A little one-horse town called Clarissa."
Scully smiled. "Looks like I'm going to Minnesota."
************************************************************
"Like hell, you are!"
Scully rolled her eyes, crossed her arms, and glared at the man in front of her. She should have known one of the Gunmenwould say the exact same thing Dogget had said when she told him she was going to Minnesota. The surprise was who. Frohike rarely talked like that to her! It was kind of amusing, though.
Both Skinner and Doggett had talked her out of going already. All they had had to do was remind her of the baby.
Skinner was sending Doggett back to do a little more digging, and Scully wasn't about to let him go alone. That's where the Gunmen fit in, and she knew she could get the three men, especially Frohike, riled by telling them she was planning to go.
"Calm down, Frohike. I'm not really going. But I'll be there in a sense if you go."
Byers stepped forward. "You want us to follow Doggett? Spy on him?" He sounded far too excited about the prospect.
She shook her head. "No. I want you to work with him. We'll need to talk him into it, but I think I can manage that." She twisted her lip in consternation. "I need to apologize to him anyway."
"Yeah. We heard about you popping him one," Langly crowed with delight.
"What'd ya need to apologize to Doggie for?" Frohike demanded. "He deserved it. He's an asshole."
Scully smiled. "He did not deserve it. He really has been trying to find Mulder. He really has been helping me." She sighed. "I've spent so many years living by the creed 'Trust No One', it's hard to believe in anyone. But I think we can trust him."
When all three men began to argue, she held up her hand. "Not completely. Don't turn your back on him or anything. But give him a chance."
She grimaced suddenly and leaned back in the chair Frohike had immediately set her in on her arrival.
"You okay?" Byers asked.
"Fine. He's just a little restless tonight." She looked up to find three pairs of concerned eyes on her. "Don't look at me like that! I'm not due for another two weeks." She adjusted herself in the chair. "Just bring back Mulder before this little guy decides to make an appearance, and I'll be perfect."
"Have you had any contact with him since he almost got away?" Frohike asked.
Scully's eyes darkened. "No. I haven't." She looked up at the little man. "Please. Find him."
Frohike nodded slowly, then turned toward his companions. "Come on, guys. Let's figure out a way into this place. Byers, you better call Doggie and get him over here. Tell him it's an emergency."
It was rare for Frohike to take charge. The acknowledged leader of the group was generally considered to be Byers. But Melvin was inspired. His Dana wanted his help, and
Mulder, who he considered his best friend (Byers and Langly were family) needed him.
Scully settled even farther in the chair, her apology to Doggett running through her head. She was sure she could get him to agree to let the boys help; he really did seem to care about her. That was the main reason she had been so upset when she thought he had betrayed her.
But, for now, she was going to rest. The boys would take care of things. She trusted them. Soon, this whole nightmare would be over.
************************************************************
The playground was empty again. No children. And clouds hung low overhead, threatening rain. Scully was confused; it never rained here. She looked over at the bench, but no one
was there, either. Now she was worried. She never entered Mulder's dreamscape unless he was already there. Just as he never entered hers without her dreaming it first. Slowly, she walked toward the bench.
"Mulder?" Her voice sounded small in the cool air. A chilly breeze swept her face. She felt both her heart and her breath quicken, and her nerves started to tense. "Mulder?" She called louder.
"Here."
Scully spun around as quickly as she could on her ungainly body. "Mulder!"
He stood a short distance away, his expression pained.
"Are you alright?" She moved toward him, reaching up to wrap her arms around his shoulders, breathing a sigh of relief when his arms closed tightly around her. But her body
tensed again as he stayed silent, not answering her question. She pulled back, looking at him closely.
"What did they do to you?" she asked. "Please tell me they didn't move you."
His brow furrowed. "Why? Did you talk to Doggett?"
She nodded. "We know where you are. Doggett and the Gunmen are going to find a way to get you out."
Hope flared in his eyes, but it couldn't diminish the pain. "Mulder?" Scully was worried again.
"I don't know if they'll make it in time, Scully." His voice sounded defeated. "I'm tired. And I hurt. God, I hurt." He closed his eyes and shuddered.
"No!" Scully said sharply. She grabbed his face between her hands. "No! Mulder, look at me!"
He opened his eyes.
"You have to make it! You have to! This baby needs to know his father! He needs you!" She took in a rough breath. "I need you."
"Scully," Mulder whispered. He brought his hands up to her belly. "I...I don't know." He was shaking his head. "It's hard."
"I know. But you can do it!"
"They keep me...on the table. All the time." He let out a harsh laugh. "It's my punishment for trying to escape."
"You're strong, Mulder-"
He was shaking his head again. "NO! No. Without you, I'm nothing."
"You have me! I'm here, waiting. You have to hold on until they come for you. So, you can come home to us. Promise me you'll hold on!"
He nodded. "For you." He rubbed her belly. "For both of you."
<Scully?>
The corners of Mulder's mouth twitched upward. "I'm not even gonna ask why Frohike is in your bedroom."
Scully laughed. "I must have fallen asleep at the Gunmen's"
<Scully. Wake up.>
"I don't want to go," she whispered.
He leaned down, taking her lips with his, kissing her slowly and thoroughly. Then, he gently pushed her away. "I'll see you soon."
Scully would have felt better if his eyes were as confident as his words. "Promise?"
"I promise."
******
"Scully? Are you okay?" Frohike was leaning over her. Langly was at the computer watching her with worry in his eyes and Byers and Doggett stood in the doorway.
"He's alive." Everyone in the room let out a sigh of relief. "But, he might not be for long if you guys don't hurry. You have got to hurry."
******
"Mr. Roberts! What brings you back to Clarissa?"
Dr. Aldrich was his usual, cheerful self, Doggett thought as he shook the little man's hand. Then he gestured to his companion.
"My friend, David, was so curious about this place after I told him about it, he decided he wanted to check things out for himself. David, this is Dr. Aldrich. Doctor, David Billingsworth."
He watched as Byers shook the doctor's hand. He couldn't believe he had agreed to this. Sure, the Gunmen had been of some help in the past, but this was an incredibly delicate
situation. If they got caught... He couldn't believe he was actually going to try to enter a secured building and 'rescue' a man that was supposedly being held there against his will. He still wasn't convinced Mulder was here, but everyone else seemed to be. Scully had asked him to go along with it all, and he would. He owed it to her to make sure her lover wasn't really here.
While Aldrich took them on another tour, chatting away, Doggett knew Langly and Frohike were tapping into the building's security systems. Tonight, after dark, he and Byers would sneak in, with the assistance of the computer geeks in the van outside, and do a little search and rescue. Doggett couldn't help but feel anticipation; B and E was always a challenge, and he didn't get to do much of it anymore.
He just hoped these guys knew what they were doing.
************************************************************
"Would you quit that!?" Langly slapped Frohike's hand. "We don't need to do that, yet! Just chill!"
Frohike sent him a glare, then settled in better to see outside the rented van's back window. Byers and Doggie had returned from their tour about three hours ago. They had
changed clothing, discussed the plans one last time, then waited until dark. Now, the two were about to enter the factory a second time, this time through the back door.
Frohike was reminded of a similar escapade several years ago, when they had helped Mulder break into a fertility clinic in search of answers about Scully's cancer. Mulder had come back with some of Scully's ova.
Well, she certainly hadn't needed those. But she did need Mulder, and they were about to get him for her.
"Okay. They're in." Langly's voice startled him out of his thoughts. "Now where?" Langly asked him.
Frohike began to talk into the headset, telling the two men inside where to go to get to the area of the building they hadn't seen earlier that day.
He hoped to God they knew what they were doing.
************************************************************
<Mulder?>
He could hear her. He opened his eyes, clearly expecting to be in her dreamscape, but no. He was still in the exam room. Still strapped to the table. His head ached horribly and his
mouth was bone dry. He couldn't feel his legs anymore. He didn't really care.
<Mulder?>
He closed his eyes again. <Scully?> he thought.
<I'm here.>
<You mean you're with Werber, don't you?>
<Yes.> There was a smile in her voice.
<Scully. Go away.> He didn't want her in his head now. Feeling his pain, his depression.
<No.>
It was simple and to the point. He couldn't help but smile a bit.
<They're coming for you.>
He opened his eyes again, his heart giving a small leap at her words. <Already?>
<Yes. If everything is going as planned, they should be breaking in right now.>
<Okay.> Eyes closed again. He was so tired. <I'll wait for them.> Everything was quiet for a while. <Scully?>
<Yes?>
<Stay with me. Talk to me.>
<Talk?>
<You know what I mean.>
<I'll stay, Mulder. I'll stay until you're safe.>
Mulder felt himself drift off into sleep again. His last thought was that he hoped Byers and the others knew what the hell they were doing.
*****
<Mulder!>
"What?" His startled reply was weak, but it echoed in the small room anyway.
<Don't fall asleep! You need to be ready to go!>
<I don't know if I CAN go.>
<Dammit, Mulder! Quit being so negative!>
<It's not negativity. It's honesty.>
<Oh, shut up!>
Mulder felt a laugh building in his chest.
<And don't you dare laugh at me!>
He laughed. He couldn't help it. Like his voice, it was weak and it hurt his stomach, but it felt wonderful.
The door to his right opened and, smile still on his face, he turned his head to look.
<Oh, my. Look who's here.> Scully almost sounded giddy.
"Doggett," Mulder answered.
"How did..." Doggett started to say, then stopped as Mulder's smile widened.
"Mulder!" Byers rushed in behind Doggett. "Are you all right?"
"Hell, no!" Mulder groaned, still on a high from his 'argument' with Scully. "Get me outta here!"
Both Doggett and Byers began working at Mulder's bonds. Together, they helped him to sit up and swing his legs over the side of the table. He was wearing a dark grey jumpsuit, but he was barefoot, which would make running a bit more difficult. Not to mention the fact that he still couldn't feel his legs.
<Oh, quit complaining!>
As he moved, the circulation in his legs began to return. The pins and needles he felt were almost like heaven.
<Buddy, you haven't yet been to heaven.>
<Oh, yeah? What about the night we spent in LA after the movie premiere?>
He felt her laugh. <Oh, yeah.>
Byers and Doggett started to help him stand. "Wait!" His two rescuers stopped. "The others. We can't leave them here."
"Mulder, we can't carry out a bunch of other people!" Byers argued.
"They can walk. They haven't been strapped to a table for days."
"Frohike?" Byers asked into his headset. At Frohike's response, he looked at Doggett.
"Go!" the agent said. "I'll get him out."
With one last look at Mulder, Byers turned and left the room, intent on letting the other captives go.
"So, you're Doggett?" Mulder asked the man next to him.
<Mulder.> There was a warning in Scully's 'voice'.
"Yeah," Doggett responded, bringing Mulder's arm around his shoulders and helping him stand.
"You're in charge of the X Files now, right?"
<Behave.>
"Yeah. How do you know about me?"
Mulder just smiled.
Slowly, they made their way through the dark halls. As they moved, Mulder became weaker and weaker. He hated having to depend on someone so much just to walk, but he found himself leaning on Doggett more and more. Scully's presence still surrounded him, silently encouraged him. They rounded a corner.
And he was there. Mulder groaned. Scully's response was a bit different.
<Oh, shit!>
"Going somewhere, Mulder?" The alien bounty hunter had made only brief appearances since he 'escorted' the abductees to their new home. Now, he stood in the way of their freedom.
"I just want to go home," Mulder said quietly.
The 'man' stood there, his expression, as usual, blank. "I don't think that's going to happen."
Suddenly, Billy Miles appeared behind the bounty hunter. "I do." With a quick jab, he stabbed the alien in the back of the neck.
"Get out of there, Billy!" Mulder shouted. The young man obeyed, running quickly past the screaming alien to safety. The three of them stood and watched as the creature disintegrated before their eyes.
Then, more shapes appeared from where Billy had come. Byers and the others.
Billy moved to Mulder's other side, helping Doggett support him. "Come on," he said to Doggett, who was still staring fixedly at the green pile of steaming goo on the floor.
"Let's go."
The group continued, only to run into another road block. About a dozen greys, their large, dark eyes gleaming, stood in front of the back door. Dr. Aldrich stood in front of them.
<Oh, my God!>
"Holy shit!"
Mulder sighed. "Scully. Doggett. Come on, don't fall apart on me now."
Mulder felt both Doggett and Aldrich look at him.
Aldrich smiled. "You're communicating with her, aren't you? I suspected as much. This is why we can't let you leave."
"Want to make a bet?" Byers asked. "Now, Frohike!"
An explosion rocked the back of the building, the area the prisoners had just come from. Alarms blared. No doubt, the night shift employees of HCI were running for the doors.
The greys were panic-stricken, turning and running for the other end of the building. Aldrich looked dumbstruck. Billy and the others easily made their way past him out the door.
Doggett and Mulder followed.
************************************************************
"Good grief," Frohike mumbled when he saw the crowd of about 13 refugees, plus Byers and Doggett. "Think they'll all fit in the van?"
"They'll have to," Langly replied.
************************************************************
"Scully?" Mulder felt Doggett's eyes on him again as they sat side by side in the van.
<Yes?>
"I'm coming home."
<I know. I...> A scream erupted inside Mulder's head. He felt its cause immediately. Stabbing pain lanced through his back, shifting around to his belly. He knew it was Scully's
pain he was feeling.
"Scully!" He shouted. "Are you in labor?" All eyes were on him, now.
There was no response, but suddenly the pain and fear that swept through him answered the question. Then, she responded.
<Something's not right, Mulder. Something is wrong. Oh, God. I'm bleeding! It's not supposed to be like this!> She screamed again, and Mulder shouted in response. Then, she
was gone. The connection was cut off.
"Scully?" Mulder tried desperately to re-establish contact. It was no use.
"Scully!!!!!!!"
******
It took more than an hour to drive the refugees to Minneapolis. Another hour to get them settled in a hospital and give the local and state authorities enough information on the rescue as they could before slipping away. By mutual, silent, agreement, aliens weren't mentioned by anyone.
Doggett, the Gunmen and Mulder (who refused to stay in the hospital with the others) had to wait another two hours for a flight back to D.C.
Calls to Scully, her mother, Skinner and Dr. Werber went unanswered. Mulder was still too weak to move much, or else he might have been pacing. He tried to sleep, but his dreams
were dark and confusing and he couldn't find Scully in any of them. He tried to lull himself into a state of hypnosis, but all the noise and activity around him was just too distracting. His mind refused to quiet down, and it was giving him a headache of epic proportions.
What was happening to her? Was she alright? Was the baby all right? Why couldn't he have been born with wings so he could just fly there himself?!
On the plane, he tried Scully's apartment once more. He finally got an answer other than the machine.
"Hello?" A male voice said.
Mulder was pretty sure he knew who it was, but he asked anyway. "Who is this?"
There was a long silence at the other end, broken only by the faint static that always accompanied airborne phone calls. Then, "Mulder?" The voice sounded shocked.
"Where's Scully? Is she all right?" Mulder demanded.
"Where are you?"
"I'm on the way there! Come on, Bill! Where is she?"
Bill Scully sighed. "She's in the hospital. I'm on my way there now. I just stopped by here to pick up a couple of things for Mom." He paused. "Mulder. It's not good. She started to hemorrhage earlier, and when they finally got it stopped, the baby's heart rate had dropped considerably. They're doing a c-section right now." His voice was subdued, missing the usual venom he reserved for Mulder. "How soon can you get here?"
Mulder grabbed Frohike's arm and looked at his watch. "A couple more hours." His voice was tight.
"She's at Georgetown Medical Center. Dr. Werber took her there from his office." He paused again. "Just get here. Soon."
"I will."
Mulder hung up the phone and sat staring out the window to the darkness beyond. His companions watched him with nervousness and curiosity, but no one wanted to break his
sudden, intense concentration.
Mulder had finally managed to enter a trance-like state, his desperation turning to peace. His eyes closed and his mind drifted...
He found her. Alive. But not conscious. In surgery, he knew. Her mind was full of images, most of which made no sense to him. But, from time to time, he recognized himself. Even
while under anesthesia she thought of him. He tried to get a response from her, but she was beyond any awareness of him. So, he 'spoke' to her, not knowing if she would ever
remember 'hearing' him or not.
<Hold on, Scully. I'm almost there. Just hold on. I need you, too.>
************************************************************
It was 4 A.M. before they finally reached the hospital. The halls were nearly empty and the footsteps of the five men echoed dramatically. Mulder, who was wearing a pair of shoes Langly found for him in Minnesota, lead the way. He knew he must look like an escapee from the mental ward, but he didn't care. He needed to see Scully.
He felt stronger now. But his head still pounded. 'How many times have I done this?' he asked himself. 'How many times have I rushed to the hospital, asking for Dana Scully, only
to find her at death's door?'
'But she's always made it,' another voice argued.
When his inquiries finally drummed up her doctor, the man told them little.
"She's still in recovery in ICU. She lost a lot of blood. No visitors at this time." When Mulder began to argue, the man cut him off. "Her mother is in the waiting room over there. Please, talk with her. She's been here all night. Wait with her."
Mulder was too tired to argue. He let Frohike lead him to the room the doctor had indicated. They stepped inside to find that Mrs. Scully wasn't alone. A nurse in pink scrubs
was with Maggie, who's back was facing Mulder. When she heard the door, she turned. When she recognized Mulder, the small smile she was already wearing grew. "Fox!"
Then Mulder noticed the bundle in her arms.
Maggie walked quickly towards him. Mulder couldn't take his eyes away from the bundle of blankets she was carrying. A tiny pink face peered out, and Mulder felt his heart leap. The baby yawned, the little face screwing into an almost comical expression. Then a pair of blue eyes opened. They were unfocused as of yet, but beautiful nonetheless. A sparse sweep of reddish hair covered the tiny head. Mulder's headache immediately disappeared as he fell
hopelessly in love.
Slowly, he reached out for the baby. He felt a tad intimidated, but Maggie, who handed the child over without hesitation, seemed confident in him.
"Fox," she said. "Say hello to your baby girl."
************************************************************
When Scully woke, the first thing she was aware of was sunlight. She slowly opened her eyes, looking off to her left where the window was. Where was she? Not at home, that was for sure. Then she moved slightly and felt the sharp pain in her lower body. Everything came back to her all at once. The escape. The aliens. The explosion. Her joy, which had immediately been destroyed by her fear for her child. The pain, the wrenching, horrible pain, as contraction after contraction wracked her weakening body. The doctors, fearing for the child, asking her permission to perform surgery. Her own voice, fear and pain filling it, telling them to do anything to save the baby.
Mulder, telling her he was almost home. To hold on. That he needed her.
Mulder! She turned her head to the right. He was there, slouched in a chair, asleep. His face looked worn, exhausted, with a few day’s growth of beard. He was still wearing the jumpsuit he had worn during his captivity. She knew, somehow, that he hadn't left her side since he got there.
The baby! She looked around the room, her heart speeding up. What happened to the baby? Her movements created more pain in her belly, and they also brought an uncomfortable feeling of fullness in her breasts.
She looked at Mulder again. He was awake, watching her.
"Mulder?" Scully's voice cracked slightly.
He sat up and leaned forward. "I'm here."
"The baby?"
He smiled. "She's fine. A perfect, healthy baby girl."
Scully sighed, relief pouring through her. She realized she was gripping his hand tightly. "I'm just sorry you missed her birth."
He laughed softly. "I'm sorry you missed it, too."
She smiled. Then she became serious. "Oh, God, Mulder. Are you really here? This isn't a dream?"
He was still smiling. "I certainly hope this isn't a dream. I hate the thought of you dreaming of me looking and smelling like I do right now."
She reached her free hand up to touch his face. "I think I'd rather have you this way real than perfect in a dream."
Mulder turned his face and gently kissed her hand.
The door to the room opened, and Doggett peeked his head inside. "Hey, I heard voices and just wanted to make sure Mulder wasn't talking to himself again."
Scully laughed softly as Mulder gave the agent a glare without any real anger behind it. "Come in, John," she said.
"Just for a bit. I just wanted to say congratulations. On both the baby and getting Mulder back."
"Thanks to you." Scully's voice was soft. "On getting Mulder back anyway." This time, Mulder glared at her.
Doggett laughed. "Well, I gotta be going. Mulder, see you soon, I hope?"
Mulder looked at him, brows furrowed.
"Well," Doggett explained. "I assume you'll be working on the X Files again. With me."
Mulder looked at Scully, who simply smiled, then back at Doggett. "Only until Scully can work again."
"We'll see," Doggett said, then quickly left the room.
Seconds after Doggett left, a nurse came in with the baby. "I was hoping you were awake," she said when she saw Scully. "She was getting very anxious to meet her mother."
Mulder stood as the nurse settled the baby in Scully's arms. "Are you ready to feed her? She's eaten already, but I'm sure she'd like some straight from Mama."
Scully nodded. Then, with the nurse's help, began to feed her daughter. It hurt, she discovered. The nurse told her it would get better and easier for both in a few days time. The pain eased slightly as the baby suckled.
Scully smiled down at her, then looked at Mulder, who was watching them with fascination in his eyes. He looked up, dark green eyes meeting blue.
<You are both so beautiful.>
It took them a while to realize he hadn't spoken. They stared at each other in astonishment.
"I'll leave you three alone," the nurse said, but neither of them took notice of her as she left.
"How can that be?" Scully asked. "We're both awake."
"I don't know." He was silent for a while, looking at her intently. "It's not happening again."
"But it did happen, didn't it? You just spoke in my mind?"
Mulder nodded. "Looks like we'll have to start practicing this trick like we did our others. Maybe this connection is permanent."
Scully smiled. "Only if we can control it. I'd like to keep some secrets from you, Agent Mulder."
He smiled in return. "Ditto."
Scully looked back down at the baby. "She needs a name. We never talked about names."
Mulder shook his head. "Can't we wait until she's old enough to name herself?"
"No!" Scully laughed. "Come on, Mulder. What does she look like to you."
"How about Dana, Jr.?"
Scully bit her tongue and glared at him.
"Well. I've always liked the name LouAnn."
"Mulder, be serious."
"Hope."
"You hope? Or the name Hope?"
"The name. Or do you think that's too sappy?"
"Hope." Scully rolled the name on her tongue. "Hope Marie." She smiled. "Hope Marie Mulder."
Little Hope had stopped nursing and was dozing, her eyes closed, her little mouth moving softly as if she still nursed. "She doesn't seem too impressed," Mulder said dryly.
Scully smiled. "She will be. When she's old enough to understand all the events that led to this day, she'll be impressed."
************************************************************
Hours later, after Mulder had gone 'home' (Scully's apartment) to shower and change, and Scully had finally gotten rid of all her visitors, the three of them sat quietly in the hospital room. It would be several days yet before Scully could leave, and Mulder was planning on spending the time recovering from his own experience. The radio was playing softly, and when a familiar song came on, Scully nudged Mulder.
"Mulder. This song. It's perfect for Hope. Listen."
He listened:
>>>I hope you never lose you sense of wonder.
You get your fill to eat but always keep that hunger.
May you never take one single breath for granted.
God forbid love ever leave you empty handed.
I hope you still feel small when you stand beside the ocean.
Whenever one door closes I hope one more opens.
Promise me that you'll give faith a fighting chance.
And when you get the choice to sit it out or dance...
I hope you dance.
I hope you never fear those mountains in the distance.
Never settle for the path of least resistance.
Livin' might mean takin' chances, but they're worth
takin'.
Lovin' might be a mistake, but it's worth makin'.
Don't let some hell-bent heart leave you bitter.
When you come close to selling out, reconsider.
Give the heavens above more than just a passing glance.
And when you get the choice to sit it out or dance...
I hope you dance.
**Time is a wheel in constant motion, always rolling us
along.
Tell me who wants to look back on their years and
wonder where those years have gone.**
I hope you still feel small when you stand beside the ocean.
Whenever one door closes, I hope one more opens.
Promise me that you'll give faith a fighting chance.
And when you get the choice to sit it out or dance....
I hope you dance.<<<
Mulder smiled down at his two ladies. For the first time in his life, he felt like he hadn't a care in the world. He knew it wouldn't last. The future was still dark in many places. But now there was light, too. Glorious light.
And now, there was Hope.
THE END
How do you define normal?
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