TITLE:               LULLABY REDUX
AUTHOR:          DONNILEE
E-MAIL:             DONNILEE@SNET.NET
CATEGORY:     MSR
RATING:           NC-17
SPOILERS:       Fight the Future, Requiem, Empedocles
SUMMARY:       They promised not the harm the children.  Can they be trusted?
AUTHOR'S NOTE:  In "L is for Lullaby", Mulder was returned from his abduction 
to find Scully pregnant.  He made a deal: get them a sample of Scully's blood, 
and they would remove all surveillance equipment and not take Scully.  He finds 
Scully still in love with him and moves in with her to help her through the last of 
her pregnancy.  An alien pays them a visit and foreshadows twins, leaving 
behind more questions than answers.  This is a continuation of that story.
A LITTLE NOTE:  I have no idea if a "de-scrambling device" actually even exists but it 
has been invented for this story! 
DEDICATION:  I received several requests for a sequel to this story.  The most 
recent voices were Cate and Jensync1999, though.  And so this sequel is for 
them.  Hope they enjoy it!

XXXXXXXXXX
PART 1 (PG-13 )
GEORGETOWN MEMORIAL HOSPITAL
GEORGETOWN, VA
SATURDAY - 2:00 AM

Scully was screaming in between bouts of casting aspersions on my parents' 
marital status.  I'd never heard her like this, totally uncaring of how she appeared.  

It was awe-inspiring.  It was also scaring the shit out of me.

"Oh God!  You bastard!" she wailed.  I'd lost count of how many curses she'd 
flung since this began 10 hours ago.  Fortunately, I'd been warned to take 
nothing she said too seriously at this point.  If anyone had doubted that she was 
sailor's daughter, they no longer had any doubt.

She was exhausted, reclining between my legs as I rested against the headboard 
of the birthing bed.  She flopped back against me, her body going limp.  Sweat 
soaked strands of hair clung to her temples.  She was pale and her lips were 
trembling.  The young nurse next to me handed me a cold wash cloth and I 
applied it to her forehead, wiping away the sweat.

Dr. Louise Marin looked at me from her place at the foot of the hospital bed and 
shook her head slightly as though exasperated.  She said softly, "You're about 
eight centimeters dilated, Dana.  You're getting there, but not close enough, and you're 
too weak for this stage of the birth."

Scully shouted feebly,  "No! Drugs!" through clenched teeth.   Dr. Marin ignored 
her and addressed me.  "I'm going to have to do an episiotomy, or she'll tear.  I 
really prefer to do that with the epidural in place."

"Don't talk about me like I'm not here!" she spat at the doctor, who seemed to 
take her outbursts in stride.

I took a deep breath.  I couldn't stand it anymore.  I could see the fatigue in every 
line of her body.  Risking her wrath, I pleaded with her softly, "Please, Scully, 
you're killing me here."

She shook her head stubbornly.  I lost the composure I'd been clinging to so 
tightly.  "Damn it, Scully!  Why do you have to be so stubborn about this?!"

"Women have had babies for centuries without drugs, Mulder!" she panted.

"And a lot of them died in childbirth too!" I spat out, immediately wishing I hadn't 
said it.  Despite swearing that this thought would never see the light of day, I'd 
voiced my worst fear.  I backpedaled.  "Damn it, Scully.  If I was sick or injured 
and screaming in pain, exhausted from fighting the pain, you have me high on 
morphine before the first scream ended!  And you know it!"

"I'm not sick or injured, Mulder.  I'm giving birth!" she said testily, as if I didn't 
know.

"I know that.  That isn't the point!"

"Then what is your ...?"  Her words ended abruptly as another contraction hit.  
She wailed and gripped my forearms so tight I could feel my hands starting to 
tingle and go numb.

The doctor said, "Don't push yet, Dana."  Scully grunted with the effort.  I tried to 
remember our Lamonz training.  "Breathe shallow, Scully.  It's less tiring.  
Remember to breathe," I urged as I realized she was holding her breath.

Instead of obeying, her lungs emptied of air and she dragged a ragged, deep 
breath into her chest.  She punctuated her defiance by spitting out, "Fuck you, 
Mulder!"  Then she collapsed onto my chest again.

I pressed my chin into her shoulder.  I let her hear the tears in my voice.  "Scully, 
please.  You're not going to be any good to the babies if you collapse and have 
to spend extra days recuperating.  This is ridiculous.  They're going to need you 
to be healthy and strong.  I'm ... going to need you.  No one expects you to be 
Wonder Woman.  The epidural won't hurt the babies.  They wouldn't use it all the 
time if it did.  You know that!  Plleeaassee, Scully!"

I hiccupped, suppressing a little sob.  Her head flopped back and rolled onto my 
shoulder.  I twisted awkwardly to see her face.  Our eyes locked.  

She said, "I'm so afraid of doing anything that might ..."

I knew what she was trying to say.  We had both been a bit paranoid that 
something was going to go wrong during this pregnancy.  It all seemed to good to 
be true.  But the moment of truth was here and it was time to stop trying to cover 
every angle and let the chips fall where they may.  "Shhh, I know.  But, Scully, it 
won't hurt them.  I promise.  I know it won't.  It won't help them if you're not strong 
enough to do this.  A cesarean would be more risky, infection ...  I love you, 
Scully.  Please stop torturing yourself for no reason.  I can't stand it."

She must have seen the near panic in my eyes, or maybe she was finally just too 
tired to fight anymore, but she nodded weakly.  The doctor had said that if she 
didn't start to deliver after being fully dilated, she might have to do a cesarean.  
Neither of us wanted that.  The recovery period was longer and she would have 
to go under anesthesia which she didn't tolerate well.  I had envisioned all sorts 
of horrible possibilities if they had to open her up.

I sighed in relief and hugged her gently, kissing her sweaty temple, whispering, 
"Thank you, Thank you."  I nodded to the doctor.

The doctor was nearly hollering to the nurse to run and get the anesthiologist on 
call, in the room, stat.  Less than thirty seconds later, a tall, skinny man in 
hospital scrubs, with a hooked nose and gentle eyes, going bald on top, scurried 
into the room, pushing a cart filled with the tools of his trade.  He nodded at me.  
"I'm Dr. Byron Croce.  I'll need your help.  We need to roll her on her side.  Is she 
allergic to any medications?"

His speech was a staccato chatter.  I shook my head in answer to the medication 
question and Scully grunted and leaned forward.  I began to move when another 
contraction hit.  I settled back in and she rode out another round of spasming 
pain.  As soon as it subsided, he said, "Quickly now, before another one comes.  
Let's work fast.  Where are we, Dr. Marin?"

Dr. Marin calmly said, "Nine centimeters dilated, contractions 3 minutes apart."

Dr. Croce nodded curtly, "I can do it two," he said in a teasing lilt and waggled his 
eyebrows at Dr. Marin.  She chuckled good-naturedly.  I couldn't tell if they were 
flirting or not, and didn't care at that point.

I squirmed out from behind her and the doctors and I quickly and gently rolled her 
onto her side.  The man was good.  It couldn't have been two minutes and he 
had the epidural needle in her back and was adjusting the drip on the I.V. bag.  
He taped the needle firmly to her back.

While this was going on, I kneeled on the floor, staring into her eyes.  She 
whimpered when the needle went in, and then said, "I don't know if I can do this, 
Mulder.  I don't think I can."

She sounded pitiful, totally defeated.  I'd been told to expect this too.  At some 
point during childbirth, I guess every woman thought it was hopeless and she 
couldn't do it.  Her face crumpled and she began to cry softly.  I cooed to her.

"Shhh, sure you can.  You're getting the pain killer.  It'll make you numb and it's 
going to take effect any second now.  Then you'll feel better."  I sighed.  "You're 
so strong, Scully, the strongest woman I know.  You'll get through it.  We're in the 
home stretch now.  And I'm with you every step of the way.  You know I'd take 
your pain if I could."

She closed her eyes and pressed her lips together, nodding at me.  "Sorry."

"Nothing to be sorry for.  Hang in there.  It won't be long now.  You don't have to 
be in control today, Scully.  Today, that's my job.  Let me do it."

Christ, I was exhausted, I couldn't imagine how she felt.  Her water had broken at 
4:00 PM, the previous day.  Dr. Marin had told her to come in.  She was a high 
risk pregnancy because of her age and the fact that she was having twins.  So 
although they didn't expect the main event for many hours, Dr. Marin wanted her 
under observation.

Dr. Croce nodded to me over her shoulder.  We rolled her over and I climbed 
back behind her while he held a pillow against her back to cushion the needle 
between us.  I didn't want to jostle it by sitting behind her.

Dr. Marin examined her quickly.  "Coming fast now, You're fully dilated, Dana.  It 
won't be long now.  Now we start pushing."

Scully nodded, her brow furrowing.  She sighed and murmured, "It's working.  It's 
helping already.  I'm going numb."

"Good, that's good, Scully.  It won't exhaust you as much."

The doctor said, "I'm going to make the cut, Dana, as soon as I give you some 
Xylocaine."  Scully nodded.  The doctor worked fast, giving her the local 
anesthesia and making the cut that would prevent her from tearing.  I shuddered 
at the thought of it.  Scully was such a small woman.  And she was enormous.

At six months, you knew she was pregnant, but a big sweatshirt would hide it.  
After that, all bets were off.  She grew like a weed.  By 7 and a half months, she 
was waddling.  For the last two weeks, she was bed ridden, and needed my help 
just to get up and go to the bathroom.  That had been a humbling experience for 
her.  She was just so small and she was hauling two babies.

Women were undoubtedly the stronger sex, at least as far as pain tolerance.  I 
was going to have new respect for every mother from now on.  I vowed silently 
that if these babies were healthy, I would seriously discuss with her, not putting 
her in this situation ever again.  My heart had broken with every blood curdling 
scream of pain.  I felt so helpless.  This was a humbling experience for any man.  
The doctor had joked, saying, imagine pushing a basketball through your penis.  
That's about what it's like.  I'd cringed and tried not to think about it.

Two contractions later, the first baby's head was crowning.  The doctor shouted, 
"Here it comes!  Push, Dana.  Push hard.  Once more.  Come on!"

Two surprisingly uneventful pushes later, the baby slipped out and was handed 
to the nurse as the doctor cut the umbilical cord.  She said, "Mark the chart, time 
of birth: 2:30 AM."
 
The doctor crowed, "That one's a girl!"  We hadn't asked the sex.  Scully said it 
would be like opening a Christmas present three months early.  We did know 
they were fraternal, two amniotic sacs, which made this pregnancy even more of 
a miracle than it already was.

"One down, one to go!" Dr. Marin said in a singsong voice.  I swallowed a gasp of 
joy.  "A little girl, Scully.  We have a little girl.  Not much longer now, honey.  Not 
much longer now."

She nodded, panting heavily.  I knew she was near done because she didn't 
even react to me calling her Honey in front of these two doctors and two nurses.  
Five minutes later, the second baby was born.  It was a boy.  He was taken to be 
cleaned as Dr. Marin delivered the afterbirth and stitched her up.

We declined the standard blood tests given to the babies.  We would do that on 
our own.  We didn't want to answer all the inevitable questions if their blood was 
abnormal.  We could only assume it would be.

Three months ago, I'd been returned after a six-month absence, having been 
abducted, to find Scully pregnant with my baby.  One fateful night of passion in a 
hotel room in Oregon, had changed our lives forever.  We'd been given a miracle.  
She was having my baby and she was in love with me and my entire world had 
turned upside down.  We'd been married two weeks later in a private ceremony 
with family and friends at Maggie Scully's house.  Father McCue had graciously 
rearranged his schedule to help us out.

Dana Scully, against all odds, had become my wife.  And now, she was the 
mother of two beautiful babies ... my babies.  My God.  I was going to have a 
family again.  Scully was all I'd had left after my mother died, but now ... I was 
going to have a family.  It was unreal to me.  I rocked her gently as she was 
cleaned up and helped into a new, dry Johnny coat.  We were grinning like idiots, 
despite our exhaustion.

Two crying babies were trundled into the room by two nurses, beaming big 
smiles.  The nurse helped Scully prop up and start to breast-feed the little girl.  
The other nurse handed me the boy.  The girl was a peanut, a mere 4 lbs., and 
14 oz.  
The boy was 6lbs. 2 oz.  Eleven pounds of baby had been squeezed out of that 
tiny body.  I cringed just thinking about it.  She had been huge.  It was a miracle 
all the way around.  

I stared down into the baby's puckered, pink face, touching his tiny knit cap and 
began counting fingers and toes.  He'd stopped crying as soon as I settled him in 
my arms, and I'd felt something break wide open in my chest.  He was still 
fussing and I imagined he was hungry.  Silent tears tracked down my face as I 
held him, glancing at Scully, watching her breast-feed our ... daughter.  Holy, 
Jesus.

Our eyes met and I said, "God, Scully, they're perfect!"

She smiled a tired smile, "They are, aren't they?  So, which names?"

We'd picked out two girl's names and two boy's names to be on the safe side, but 
had decided which of each we would use if they were different sexes.  "As we 
agreed," I said.  She nodded.

One of the nurses asked, "I'll make up name armbands if you like."  We both 
nodded.

I said, "Melissa Margaret Mulder and Sean Ryan Mulder."  She nodded and 
scurried out of the room.  Sean was Scully's father's middle name and her 
grandfather's name, and Ryan was Bill, Jr.'s middle name.  The other nurse was 
hastily making up the basinets in the corner of the room.  They were tiny little 
beds on wheels with heat lamps above them to keep the babies warm.  Childbirth 
and birthing rooms had come a long ways since the old days.

The nurse returned from the cribs and told Scully it was time to switch.  "Not 
too much at first," she'd admonished.  We'd exchanged babies and she helped 
Scully attach little Sean to her other breast.  I'd been shown, with some mild, 
indulgent amusement, how to burp my little girl.  Little girl.  Oh God.  The 
enormity of what had happened hit me like a ton of bricks and I sunk down on the 
bed next to Scully's legs.  

I held the little treasure in my arms and repeated the ritual toe and finger 
counting as Scully chuckled softly.  I felt that odd swelling sensation in my chest 
again and realized it was ... unparalleled joy, true unconditional love for the tiny 
being in my arms.  I just hoped I could do a better job than my parents did.  I 
reached with my free hand and tucked hair behind Scully's ear.  "I love you .. 
Mom," I whispered.

She grinned through her own silent tears of joy.  "I love you too.  Two healthy 
babies, Mulder!  How?!"  We were both still stunned.  I knew her question wasn't 
waiting for an answer.  It was a miracle, pure and simple.  Her breath hitched and 
I leaned over to kiss her softly.  At this moment, I didn't care about the how or 
why.

"You're amazing," I whispered.

"Sorry I was so awful to you.  You know I didn't mean it, don't you?"

"Don't give it another thought.  You were incredible."

"So how does it feel ... Dad?" she asked sheepishly.

I swallowed a sob of joy.  "I think I'm totally overwhelmed.   And I think, I'm the 
happiest man and the luckiest man alive right now."

She said, "You better tell everyone."

I nodded, biting my lip, loathe to involve the outside world just yet.  "Yeah, your 
Mom will be frantic by now.  It's been a long time."  I stood saying, "Can I take 
her with me?"

Scully nodded.  "Of course.  I want to see my Mom, but I don't think I'm up for 
anyone else right now.  Apologize for me.  I'll see them tomorrow after a good 
night's sleep."

I nodded, kissed her brow and walked out into the corridor, slowly, cradling this 
unbelievably tiny, little person in my arms.  I'd picked up pot roasts that weighed 
more!  That was a strange thing to think, I thought, immediately after it flicked 
across my mind.

I reached the door of the Waiting Room and stood just outside, smiling.  They 
were all chattering and watching T.V.  Frohike was flirting with Mrs. Scully and 
the other Gunmen and Bill were arguing over the baseball game.  I was surprised 
to see Doggett and Skinner, who were watching the Gunmen with amusement.  
Flowers, balloons and cards were scattered on the table on top of the three-year 
old magazines they always had in these places.

I cleared my throat and silence struck like a blow.  They all turned to me 
anxiously.  My grin was plastered on my face.  I was smiling so hard, my cheeks 
hurt.  They erupted all at once.

Maggie exclaimed, "How is she?  Is she all right?"

Frohike asked, "Boys or girls?"

"Can we see her yet?"  This from Bill, Jr.

Langley rattled off, "Height, weight, stats?"

I held my hand up, cradling the baby easily on my one arm, surprisingly unafraid 
of dropping her, chuckling at their excitement.

"One at a time," I scolded, good-naturedly.

They quieted, fidgeting with impatience.  I walked in and they crowded around to 
peer at the baby.

"Mom ... is fine, she's breast feeding Sean Ryan.  I saw Bill, Jr.'s eyes go wide 
as I nodded at him in acknowledgement. 

"One boy and this ... is my little girl." I said, answering the gender questions.  I 
was getting choked up again.

I looked at Maggie.  "She wants to see you.  She will probably want help 
showering."  Maggie nodded.

"I'm sorry, but she isn't up for seeing anyone else just yet, probably tomorrow.  
She told me to apologize for her."

Bill, Jr.'s eyes narrowed.  "Is she really all right?'  I swallowed, hearing the 
distrust in his voice.  I looked him in the eyes.  "Yes, she's really fine.  But she's 
exhausted.  It was a hard, eleven-hour labor.  I finally convinced her to get the 
epidural just before they were born, but by then she was already wrung out.  
She's going to need a lot of rest for a few days."

He nodded, accepting my explanation.  I smiled gently at Maggie.  They had all 
still been peering at the baby, who appeared to be asleep, her little fists curled up 
next to her face.  I could tell they were afraid to ask me to give her up and I could 
see the yearning on Maggie's face.

I smiled down at her and looked at Maggie again.  "So, Grandma, would you like 
to hold Melissa Margaret?"

She gasped and her eyes became wet.  "Oh, Fox!" she exclaimed softly.  She 
stepped into me and gently took the baby.  "Ohhh, my, my, my," she murmured, 
staring at the tiny bundle in her arms.

My arms felt bereft as soon as I let her go and I stared at them like a hawk.  God, 
Scully thought I was overprotective of her.  It was nothing compared to what I 
was going to be with these babies.

Doggett said, "My God, she's tiny."

We all chuckled.

I said, "4 lbs, 14 oz.  She's a peanut.  But her brother's a bruiser."

They looked at me expectantly.  Langley held his pocket pad at the ready, pencil 
poised.  I chuckled at him. 

Frohike said, "Spill it."

I grinned.  "He's tipping the scales at 6 lbs., 2 oz." 

They all laughed.

Byers said, "Actually, I think that's big for a twin."

I nodded.  "It is.  No wonder she was huge, 11 pounds of it was baby!"

Skinner whistled, "Yeah, she's tiny to carry two babies, let alone ones that size."

"Don't let her hear you say that."  They all chuckled again.

Langley cooed at the baby and asked, "Do they need to be in incubators?"

"Nope.  They aren't premature and as long as they are over 4 pounds and 
healthy, which they are, they're all set.  As long as no problems arise, they can 
go home in three days or so."

Maggie was cooing at the baby as she began to fuss.   The baby began to cry.  
She sounded pitiful.  I held out my arms, anxious to have her back.  As I settled 
her into my arms, I cooed, "O.K. now, Missy, we're going back to Mommy soon."

She quieted instantly, smacking her little chops.  I shivered, breaking out in 
goose bumps.  She was so tiny.  I felt silly all of a sudden, a goofy smile on my 
face, and looked up to find them all grinning, amused.  I shrugged, chuckling at 
my own embarrassment.  This was slightly surreal.  Scully was now a Mommy.

I was a Daddy.  God help us both!

Maggie said, "She quieted right down.  She knows who her Daddy is, all right."
I felt the tears sting the back of my eyes and I swallowed heavily, smiling at her.  
Maggie grinned, Bill, Jr. scowled.

"God, does it get any better than this?" I asked, to no one in particular.  They 
smiled at me.  "Thanks everybody, for coming down and waiting so long.  I'll let 
you know when she's up for company.  Let me see if I can get a volunteer to 
gather up all these gifts, which were unnecessary by the way."  I turned to 
Maggie and said, "Why don't you come now."

"Are you sure? I can wait if you need time alone."

I shook my head.  "We'll have time alone later.  I'm spending the night."

"O.K." she replied.  I waved at everyone and went back towards the room, 
Maggie following behind me.

I heard Doggett say, "I've never seen a man that in love."

Frohike replied, "Who wouldn't love the luscious Agent Scully."

Bill said, "Watch it, frog man."

Skinner broke in.  "I think he meant the baby, Frohike."

Frohike grunted.  "Oh."

Langley muttered, "Lucky bastard."

I grinned and tuned them out.  I was a little overwhelmed, but I know I didn't want 
to be away from Scully and the babies for a second.

XXXXXXXXXX

I smiled as my mother entered the room with Mulder.  He made such a picture 
standing there with the baby, cooing at her.  He looked at me and caught me 
staring.  I smiled.   He smiled.  We were almost shy about it.  

Mom chuckled, "How are you doing, honey?"

"Good Mom.  I'm exhausted though."

She nodded.  "Did you want to shower tonight?"

I shook my head.  "I don't think I can."

I was cradling the baby in the crook of my elbow.  "How about a sponge bath?"

"That would be good."

Mulder asked, "Do you want some privacy?"

I laughed.  "I haven't got anything you haven't seen, Mulder."

He flushed, glancing at my mother, but she merely smiled.  He was 
embarrassed.  But he said, "I meant ... would you like a few moments alone with 
your mother?"

I inhaled.  "Would you mind?"

He shook his head.  "How about we trade?  Maybe I can catch the guys.  I'm 
sure they'd like to meet Sean too."

He looked down at the baby as he approached the bed.  With a perfectly straight 
face, he said, "I'm so sorry, Scully."

I furrowed my brow, having no idea what he was talking about.  I saw his lips 
twitch, and then he said, "I'm afraid I've fallen in love with another woman."  

He looked down at Melissa and we all cracked up.  It hurt to laugh and I held my 
stomach.  "Sorry, sorry!" he quickly sputtered.

I rushed to reassure him.  "It's all right.  Had me big time there for a second."  He 
smiled and we exchanged babies and Mulder went out with Sean.  

My mother flagged a nurse and asked for what she needed.  A minute later the 
nurse appeared with a basin of warm soapy water and a sponge.

Mom put the baby in the crib but wheeled it over next to the bed where we 
could watch her.  She helped me to disrobe and wiped down my whole body.  It 
felt good and was so refreshing.  I didn't hardly feel like I could lift my head, but I 
felt human again having fresh deodorant on and my hair combed.  We talked 
while she worked.

"So, are you really all right?"

I raised an eyebrow at her.  "I'm exhausted.  Other than that, I'm fine."

She nodded.  "Fox seems over the moon."

I smiled.  "He is, so am I."

"What is it?" she asked, picking up on the slight worry in my face.

"I'm afraid."

She chuckled.  "All new parents are afraid."

"It's more than that."

She waited silently.  I'd told her about the alien's prediction of twins and the blood 
sample they'd demanded and taken from me.  I'd confirmed my twin diagnosis, 
with her later when my tests came back positive.  A week earlier the tests had 
only showed one.  We were never really sure how it hadn't been detected.  The 
sonogram, at six months should have showed the two sacks.  But the doctor 
dismissed my bewilderment saying that one sack was probably directly behind 
the other and that's why we hadn't seen it.

"Are you afraid ... someone ... might come for them?"

I sighed.  "It's always a concern.  And although I have no reason to trust these ... 
things, I believed him when he said they didn't want to harm them."

I didn't know how much my mother really believed.  She took my explanations in 
stride, never showing any incredulity she might feel.  She was very supportive.    

She sighed.  "Then I think you just have to live your life the best way you can and 
watch them carefully."

"No worries there.  Mulder will be like a parental Gestapo."

She laughed out loud at that.  "I'll bet he will be.  God, Dana ..."

"What?"

"If you could have seen his face out there.  He was so overwhelmed, but so 
proud, just beside himself, he's so happy."

I smiled.  "He'll be a good father, Mom."

She patted my arm.  "I know he will."

"He's afraid of that too, I know.  He didn't exactly have Ozzie and Harriet as role 
models."

"He'll do fine.  He has you to guide him."

"What makes you think I know anything?" I asked.

"It's a trial and error, process, Dana.  Unfortunately, they don't come with an 
instruction manual."

"I'll be calling you for help, I think," I admitted a little sheepishly.

She replied, "You call me any time, for any little thing.  You know I'm happy to 
help.  And if you two need a night away, I'll baby-sit too."

I grinned.  "I'll bet you will."

She said, "Don't get me wrong, I won't be a built in babysitter.  I do have a life, 
you know."

I laughed.  "I know, Mom, I would always ask first.  I would only surprise you if it 
was an absolute emergency."

"Like running off on a case?" she asked, her voice tense.

I touched her arm to soothe her.  "No, Mom, I'm not going to be traveling for a 
while."

"You're not?" she asked, surprised.

"No, Mulder was adamant about me being home with the babies.  He talked me 
into taking the full Family Medical Leave.  The Bureau is keeping Doggett on the 
X-Files for the time being and if a case requires agents in the field.  Mulder and 
Doggett will go together.  If it only requires one, Doggett will go by himself and  
Mulder will work the home front."

She sighed in relief.  "I'm so relieved."

I chuckled.  "I won't lie to you, Mom.  I'll miss being in the field.  But our lives are 
going to change drastically now.  Not that they hadn't already.  Mulder's only 
been back for three months and this is all a LOT for him to assimilate in such a 
short time.  He's taken it really well, I think.  But he's stressed.  I don't think he 
WANTS to go running off right now unless he needs to.  He needs time to settle 
into being home again.  Think about it.  In just over three months, he's been 
returned from his abduction, found out I was pregnant, moved in with me, 
married me and now has two babies to look after.  He's not fully recovered from 
his abduction.  He still has nightmares sometimes."

She hung her head a little.  "I forget how much he's been through."

"Everyone does."

"I'm sorry."

"It's all right.  It's normal, I guess.  If it isn't in your face, you don't think about 
it.  
He's trying to be really brave.  But I know he lives in fear of letting me down."

Neither saw a shadow appear just outside the room and come to a halt. 

"He's a good man, Dana.  There were times when I wasn't sure.  But I believe it 
with all my heart now.  He's a noble and good man.  And anybody with eyes can 
see that he is head over heels in love with you."

"I know.  It's trying to convince HIM that he's a good man, that's the problem.  
And I know he loves me."  I paused, my breath hitching.

"What?"

I looked her in the eyes.  "Mom, he ... he loves me so ... fiercely.  God, it's so 
overwhelming sometimes.  I'm afraid sometimes I can't give him as much as he 
gives me.  I try to give him everything, all of me, but sometimes I get scared."

She smiled gently.  "You don't have to give him as much as he gives you."

"What do you mean?"

"You give what you can, Dana. He loves you and whatever you can give, it will be 
enough for him.  He can't believe you're with him to begin with.  I think you give 
just as much as he does.  He's scared too, sometimes.  And besides, it isn't a 
contest."  This last was a bit of a scold.

"I know that, intellectually, but ..."

"But nothing.  Honey, you are now the mother of his two children.  For better or 
worse, you two are bound together for life because of those two babies.  And 
you're worried you don't GIVE him enough."

I smiled.  "I wanted these babies as much or more than he did."

"I know.  But that's the point.  Not only have you been blessed when you thought 
you couldn't have any children.  But you were blessed with two.  Then you were 
blessed with a man that loves you beyond all reason.  And ..."

She paused.  "What?"

"I think that maybe this will have more far reaching effects for Fox."

"I don't know what you're getting at."

"Much of his guilt over you revolved around the things he believed he took away 
from you, the sacrifices you had to make to stay with him.  And although there 
are others, I think the one that bothered him the most was that you were barren."

I choked up and swallowed hard.  "I know."

"Well, that's not the case now.  Maybe you can't have any more children.  But 
you have been blessed with two.  And I think until you had them, he was never 
really sure it wouldn't all go up in smoke - your love for him, having the babies, 
having a family."

"Oh God, Mom."

"But now it's here and although he's overwhelmed, like any normal parent ... I 
think some of his guilt will wash away when he realizes he didn't take this big 
thing away from you."

"He didn't, even before I got pregnant.  It was never his fault, any of it."

"I know that and you know that, but this is about what HE believes."

"I never thought about that angle of it. not recently anyway.  I've had so much to 
think about."

"I know.  But when he sees how happy you are, how happy you continue to be, 
WITH HIM, I think he will heal."

"Heal inside, you mean?"

"Yes."

"God, I hope so.  I want that for him, a guilt free existence.  How did you get to be 
so wise?" I asked, a touch of irony in my voice.

She chuckled.  "I'm a mother."

"So am I, now.  I don't feel suddenly wise.  In fact, I feel rather mystified and 
stupid."

"Yes, you are a mother now, but when you've been a mother for over forty years, 
you learn things about human nature, about people."

"I'll look forward to it."

"Don't hurry old age and wisdom, dear.  It'll get here before you know it."

"You are not old!"

"I'm 65 years old, dear."

"That's not old."

"Your idea of old changes as you get older yourself.  Old is always 30 years older 
than you are."

I chuckled at that, supposing that was true.  My mother was so vital and seemed 
so young.  I forgot sometimes that she had done a lot of living.

"I'm so happy, Mom.  I'd given up on all of this; having children ... marriage ... 
being loved so completely by someone as wonderful as Mulder.  I don't want to 
screw this up.  I keep waiting for it to fall apart."

She grinned then.  "You won't screw this up.  And stop worrying about it falling 
apart.  You'll pre-disaster yourself.  You love him so much.  And he loves and 
adores you.  And you both will be good parents.  I just know it."

I felt my chin quiver.  "I do, love him that is.  I never knew it was possible to love 
like this, Mom.  It blows me away sometimes.  He just ... thrills me all the time.  
God, the way he looks at me sometimes, even when I was big as a house, like I 
was a Goddess or something."

"To him, you are, a miracle all by yourself."

"I think he's always wanted a family, Mom."

"I know he has.  His childhood was miserable.  I wouldn't wish that on anyone.  
And although it made him gun shy, I think he perversely wanted it more than 
anything else in the world."

I smiled.  "I think you're right."

"And he didn't think he'd ever get it," she added.  "And you've made those 
dreams come true for him, Dana.  Don't ever worry that you haven't given 
enough."

I closed my eyes, suddenly very tired.  "He's made my dreams come true too, 
Mom.  And, well, he's got it now!  Ready or not, here we come!  Insta-family!"

Mom laughed softly.  "Sleep honey, I'll send him back in." 

I nodded.  I think I was asleep before she reached the door.

XXXXXXXXXX

Both women still failed to notice the tall shadow outside the door, holding a baby.  
He had tears streaming down his face.



PART 2 (NC-17)
DANA SCULLY'S APARTMENT
GEORGETOWN, VA
2 WEEKS LATER
SATURDAY, 8 AM

Mulder decided to take some Family Leave as well.  He went to work for two 
days and said he couldn't stand it, wondering what was going on at home.  He 
took three weeks and then made the announcement that we were going to buy a 
house. 

I was shocked, and lodged an automatic protest, out of habit I think.  I was so 
overwhelmed, caring for two babies that the thought of moving was just too 
much.  I said so.  He told me I didn't have to do a thing, he would do it all.  I'd 
snorted, not believing it for a minute.

But he surprised me.  In between running for me and the babies, grocery shopping, and 
cleaning house, he packed boxes day and night.  I'd never imagined that he could be so 
domestic.  He looked at over twenty houses, finally settling on one and bringing me to 
see it while my mother babysat.  

XXXXXXXXXX
INDIAN HEAD, MD
ON THE POTOMAC RIVER

It was a beautiful home, two stories, four bedrooms, three bathrooms, and a 
cathedral ceiling in the sunken living room, a separate dining room and a big 
kitchen.  And it even had two rooms downstairs that he excitedly told me would 
be used for an office/library combination, and a playroom for the kids.

I lodged another protest when I found out how much it cost.  They wanted nearly 
$250,000 for it, and after taxes and real estate fees, it would be more than that.  I 
went nuts, saying it was lovely, but we couldn't afford a mortgage payment of 
$1,000 a month or more, for the next 30 years, which it would undoubtedly come 
to when all was said and done.

He'd let me burn out my tirade, watching me calmly.  Finally, he asked, "Are you 
done?"

I went silent, suddenly aware that something was wrong.  He looked so hurt.  I 
know he'd spent many hours trying to find the perfect home and I was squashing 
his hopes, but I just couldn't see tying ourselves down to that kind of money.  I 
nodded in answer to his question.  And then he rocked my world.

"We won't have a mortgage payment."

My eyes got wide.  "And how the hell do you propose to make that happen?  
What do you mean?"

He looked out the large plate glass windows that overlooked a beach and 
swallowed hard.  "I've been meaning to tell you something."

I had a sense of dread come over me.  "What?"

"I swear to God, I just found out myself, about a month ago.  And with the babies 
coming, I didn't want to deal with it.  But ... my accountant dealt with it for me."

"WHAT?!  What are you talking about?"

"I'm a rich man, Scully."

"Huh?"  I injected as much incredulousness into that one word as I could.

He swallowed.  "My parents left me well off.  When I returned, I called my 
accountant to find out if I still had enough money in the bank to pay you back for 
maintaining the rent on my apartment.  I had no idea what had happened to my 
finances since I'd been gone.  He was my parents' accountant and I'd hired him 
to look over the few investments I'd made over the years as well.  He laughed at 
me, then he went ballistic,  scolding me and telling me he'd been trying to find me 
for six months."

"While you were gone."

He nodded.  "He was pissed because no one at the Bureau or my apartment 
building could tell him where I'd gone."

"Ahh, and what did he have to tell you?"

"My parents had left not only a trust fund of half a million dollars for me, but they 
also left ... other things."

I was stunned now.  "Other things?"

"Stocks, IRA accounts, houses ..."

"Jesus, Mulder!  Why didn't you tell me?"

"It never seemed like the right time."

"And now is the right time?!"

He gathered me into his arms and hugged me to this chest.  "I should have told 
you, I'm sorry.  I didn't want to make a big deal out of it, but I wanted a house for 
us and the kids.  They're going to outgrow your apartment fast ..."

"So when you found out about the money, you started looking for a house."  It 
was a statement.

"Yes."

"Why do you want to blow all that money?  We could get by with a lot less."

He cleared his throat.  "I'm tired of 'getting by', Scully.  And half that money is 
probably my father's blood money and ... I'm not going throw it away, even if I 
don't like where it may have come from.  I want it to be used for something 
good.  Besides, I'm selling my mother's house on the Vineyard and my father's 
house in Greenwich.  There will be even more money after that, and I intend to 
keep that as liquid cash and invest the rest, or whatever's left after we buy this 
house and furnish it the way we want."

He paused and I could tell he was upset and there was more to this than met the 
eye.  I was shocked but he also knew I wouldn't really care about the money.  I 
mean, I cared ... but it didn't matter to me whether he had it or not.

"What else, Mulder?  What is it that you really want to say?  Why is this big 
house so important to you?"

"I've wanted ... my whole damned sorry life ... to have a wife and a family."

I sighed.  "Oh, Mulder.  You have that, no matter what."

"I know that, but I also want to ... provide for that family."

"You already do!"

"I want this ... for us, for the kids.  I want to be able to give you and them ... 
something better.  It will make me feel good to know that I gave you some things 
you wouldn't have without me.  You gave up so much."

I groaned.  "We aren't back to that are we?  How many times do I have to tell you 
that I made my choices, nothing is your fault and I don't feel like I've given up 
much at all.  Look at what I gained, look at what I have."

He scrunched his brow as I looked up at him.  "Mulder, I have a incredibly sexy 
genius who loves me to distraction and gave me two beautiful children I didn't 
ever think I'd have.  I have a husband who would go to ends of the earth for me, 
and has.  I feel blessed, Mulder, not cheated.  What kind of a person would I be if 
I begrudged the little things, like where I have to live."

He hugged me to him tightly.  "I love you, Scully."

"I know.  I love you too, and that's all that matters to me."

"I wasn't trying to buy you, or buy my way out of guilt.  That isn't what this is 
about."

"I know that!"

"Is that really how you think of me?  Sexy?"

I chuckled.  "Yes, you know I think you're sexy."  We both chuckled at his 
disregard for the rest of the compliment.

He chuffed in frustration.  "I just ... I WANT to be able to give you things, Scully.  
It makes me feel good.  I want my family to have the best.  And if fate has 
decided to give me the means to do that, why shouldn't I?  Why should we deny 
ourselves out of some misguided notion that it's noble to live ... modestly or be 
poor?"

I smiled at him.  "You are an incredible man, do you know that?"

He smiled softly, "You are an incredible woman."

"This would really make you happy?"

"Yes.  I want this for us, but I ... I need this, Scully," he said softly.

I realized he needed this to make himself feel more worthy of all the blessings 
that we had experienced since his return.  And did it matter?  He had the money.  
And I couldn't deny that it would be wonderful to live in a place like this.  "I want 
to make you happy, Mulder."

He smiled again.  "You've made me the happiest man alive, Scully.  I didn't know 
it was possible to be this happy.  Now, let me make YOU happy."

"I already am, Mulder."

"I know ... let me do this for our ... family.  Please."

I kissed him softly.  It was a kiss filled with love and affection and reassurance.  
He broke the kiss and asked, "Does that mean, yes?"

I grinned.  "That means, yes."

He beamed at me.  "Good.  Now let's get you home.  You look tired."

I nodded.  

A change had taken place over the last few months.  In the latter part of my 
pregnancy, whether I liked it or not, I'd had to depend on Mulder.  I'd been cranky 
about it too.  I'd appeared ungrateful, but it wasn't that.  I was grateful.  I had 
thanked God every day that he was with me since the day of his return.  But I 
was an independent woman and having to rely so heavily on anyone, even the 
man I loved, was a humbling experience.

In the end though, it had been a turning point for us.  He hadn't let me down.  He 
hadn't been scared by my abrasive attitude and moods.  He'd born it with silent 
stoicism, doing what needed to be done.  And I realized near the end, how silly I 
was being.  I trusted Mulder and he loved me.  He wouldn't think any less of me 
for being in need.

And he needed to feel that he was helping, contributing to the whole process of 
my having these babies.  He hovered, which drove me nuts, but I realized it was 
more from his own fear that something would go wrong, rather than any belief 
that I needed him.

But I did need him and finally had told him so.  The smile he'd given me then had 
broken my heart, it was so full of love and amazement.  I'd been a fool for too 
many years.  And I hadn't forgotten my vow to God when he was missing.  I'd 
promised to never take him for granted again if he was returned to me.  I'd 
promised to make sure he felt love every day for the rest of his life if God would 
return him to me.  

I think I'd kept my end of that bargain.  And Mulder still seemed amazed every 
day ... that I was his wife, that I loved him, and that we had two children together 
... that we were indeed, a family.

XXXXXXXXXX
THE MULDERS' NEW HOME
INDIAN HEAD, MD
ON THE POTOMAC RIVER
TWO WEEKS LATER

True to his words, I hadn't had to do a thing.  Within a week, Mulder closed on 
the house.  My mother and the Gunmen started helping transport things to the 
house which was really close to D.C., and still close to my mother in Baltimore, 
which made her happy.  At last, he called professional movers and had all the 
furniture transported.

We left some furniture behind.  We'd bought a huge new sectional couch with a 
recliner in each end and a big California King size bed for ourselves.

We sublet my apartment and were out of it in two weeks flat.  Amazing.  He tried 
to hide it but I know Bill, Jr. was impressed.  He'd wandered through the house 
from room to room,  his eyes wide.  He'd gazed out at the Potomac River and the 
expanse of beach that stretched out in front of the sliding glass doors.  He loved 
the water as much as I did.

Grudgingly, he said, "This is a dream house, Dana.  Right on the water, too."

I grinned.  "Mulder was so excited when he found it.  He knew I loved the water 
and wanted to live near it someday.  It's not the sea, but it's the next best thing."

He looked down at me.  "Mulder picked this out?"

I nodded.  "He sure did.  And the Gunmen moved all the boxes and he hired 
movers to bring the furniture.  I never lifted a finger.  He wouldn't let me."

He swallowed hard and I smiled up at him.  "You're really happy, aren't you?" he 
asked.

"Yes, Billy, I really am.  I love him so much.  And he'd give his life for me.  Almost 
has on several occasions.  How many wives can say that?"

He draped his arm over my shoulders and we watched Mulder and Mom, walking 
with the babies, up and down the beach.

Without looking at me, he said, "That's all I ever wanted, you know?  For you to 
be happy."

"I know."

"I really thought it was his fault that you weren't happy."

I swallowed.  "You were wrong, Billy.  I wasn't happy because I WASN'T with 
him."

He looked at me confused, "What do you mean?"

"I wasn't with him the way I wanted to be with him.  I was just his partner and 
friend."

I saw the understanding sweep over him.  "Oh," was all he said.

"Yeah.  I was in love with him for a long time.  I didn't want to admit it.  And even 
after I did, I was afraid."

"That he didn't love you back?"

"Maybe.  But also that we would ruin what we already had.  We had a rare thing, 
a work partnership that worked, that balanced itself out, and was based on 
friendship and respect."

"Ahh," he said, nothing more.  After a pause, he said, "I'm sorry I was so rotten to 
him, Dana.  I really thought ..."

"I know what you thought.  But that's different now, right?"

He nodded, grudgingly.  "I'm trying," he replied.  "It's hard.  I hate the danger 
you've been in, but I see now that you ran into it willingly, like the stubborn little 
pip you've always been.  You weren't dragged."

I hugged him around the waist and he wrapped both arms around my shoulders.  
I laid my head on his chest, like I hadn't done in many years.  "I know you're 
trying.  I understand that attitudes and beliefs don't change over night.  But 
you've been wrong about Mulder.  And I love you for trying.  It means so much to 
me."

"I want you to be safe, Dana, and happy."

I paused.  "I can't guarantee I'll be safe.  That's not the life we lead but I am 
deliriously happy.  I'm not exaggerating, big brother.  We are very much in love.  I 
have everything I've ever wanted ... and more.  And Mulder's responsible for all 
of it.  He lives to make me happy, Billy.  It's a little scary sometimes.  But I 
honestly don't know what I'd do if I lost him now.  I went insane when he was 
gone.  He loves me like ... I don't know.  He'd do anything for me."

He chuckled.  "I'm glad and relieved that you are happy.  You deserve to be 
loved that way."

"I don't know about that.  I'm no bargain on a good day."

"Yes, you are," he stated firmly.

I smiled up at him.  "Thanks, Billy.  It means a lot to me that you two get along.  
And Mulder deserved to be loved that way, too, you know?"

He nodded and hugged me again.

This was nice.  We hadn't been close in many years.  I felt like we'd broken some 
real ground today.  I didn't realize how much I'd missed this closeness with my 
siblings.  I felt a moment of sadness for Melissa, but pushed it down.

XXXXXXXXXX

Maggie and I returned to the house.  We were both a little startled to find Dana 
and Bill hugging one another.  We smiled secretive smiles.  It was an unusual 
sight.  In fact, I didn't think I'd ever seen it.  I smiled, hoping they had mended 
some fences.  I'd always felt guilty for causing a rift between them.  She'd had to 
choose between us at one point, and I'd hated that.  I'd also been too greedy and 
selfish, and too in love to let her go.

They disengaged as we entered from the patio.  The babies were a month old 
now.  Both were still bald, but Melissa had green eyes and Sean had blue.  Bill 
looked at me and tentatively asked, "Can I hold him?"

I smiled and handed Sean over to him.  "Hey, little guy," he cooed to Sean.

Maggie and Scully were beaming.  Both had commented that there was nothing 
like a baby to melt a man's machismo.  I couldn't agree more.  Sean grasped his 
finger in his tiny fist and Bill smiled.  "Good grip you've got there, buddy.  Aunt 
Tara can't wait to see you again."

Scully and Maggie went into the kitchen, Scully saying, "I am going to make a pot 
of tea."  Meet us in the living room."

Bill and I stood silent for a while, Bill just looking at the baby.  He finally said, 
"They're beautiful kids, Fox."

I cringed internally.  He'd picked up his mother's habit of calling me, Fox.  But I 
didn't want to upset the apple cart right now by complaining.  I smiled.  "They 
lucked out.  I think they're both going to look like their mother."

I flicked my finger against my nose in emphasis.  He chuckled, "They wouldn't be 
doing badly to look like you either."

I startled, taken completely off guard by the compliment.  It was indirect, but it 
was the first one he'd ever given me.  "Uh, thanks ..." I muttered.

He looked up at me.  "I never said you were ugly, just crazy."   His lips twitched 
at the corners.

I smiled, not sure how to take that comment.  He looked at the baby and then 
towards me again.  His face was now serious.  I swallowed and tensed, a bit 
uncomfortable alone with him.  But I knew how much it meant to Scully that we 
get along, so I was determined to try.  After a few moments, he said, "Dana tells 
me she's happy, happier than she's ever been in her entire life."

I couldn't help grinning.  "Same is true for me.  She makes me so happy.  And 
the babies have made her so happy ... she glows."

He cleared his throat.  "She said it's because of you," he said quietly.  "She told 
me that you're responsible for all of it ... the babies ... the house ... her being in 
love ... being so happy."

I blinked rapidly, hoping he didn't see how his words choked me up.  My voice 
gave me away anyway with its ragged tone when I responded, "She's ... very 
generous to say that.  Maybe even delusional," I added, trying out a little humor 
on him.

He chuckled at that, displaying a mild sense of humor I didn't know he 
possessed.  "I just wanted ..." he began.

"What?" I asked.  "Just tell me," I said when I noticed his hesitation.

"I wanted to ... thank you."

"Thank me?  For what?"

"For making her happy."

I nodded in acknowledgement, amazed that we were having this conversation.  
"You're welcome.  It's not exactly a hardship.  She's made me ... happy beyond 
my wildest dreams."

He looked at me again.  "Still ... I owe you an apology," he said nervously.

"No, you don't," I said automatically.

"Yes.  I do," he said firmly.  He cleared his throat.  "I judged you, misjudged you, 
without knowing the whole story."

"You were right to be afraid for her.  I was too.  She'd probably be better off 
without me.  I know that, but ..." I paused. 

He peered at me closely.  "But?"

My voice was barely above a whisper.  "I love her so much, Bill.  She's ... 
everything to me.  I couldn't go on without her.  I couldn't let her go, then or now.  
She and the babies are my whole life, you have to believe that."

"I do.  Now I do.  And according to her, she wouldn't be better off without you."

"That delusional thing again," I quipped.

He actually smiled a full, amused smile.  "She wouldn't be better off because 
without you, she'd never be happy.  I can see that now.  And that's all I ever 
wanted for her, happiness."

"I know.  Me too.  She'll be safer now.  The kids are going to keep her out of the 
field, for the most part.  She'll miss it, but I'm sure the kids will keep her busy.  
I'm 
glad about that, but don't tell her I said so."

"Me too," he said, grinning.  "Your secret's safe with me."  We shared a moment 
of rare agreement and understanding.  Sean began fussing and he handed him 
back to me.  I settled him into the crook of my arm and he settled down.

I gazed at the baby for a moment and said, "Yeah, you have your mommy's 
beautiful eyes."

I glanced up at Bill, feeling a little stupid.  But he tipped his head to side as if 
pleased and said, "They do know who their Daddy is.  Ma was right."

"Thanks, Bill," I said.  It was a thanks that said a lot.  A thanks that said I was 
grateful for his acceptance, however tentative it might be.  I was grateful that we 
were talking, that this would ease Dana's heart, and that we wouldn't be fighting 
each other at every turn anymore.

He seemed to understand as he looked at me.  I could FEEL that he understood 
and saw him shiver a little as he locked his eyes with mine.  I nodded and stuck 
out my free hand.  We shook hands briefly.  "Let's go join the ladies," I said.

He followed me into the living room where Scully and Maggie were sipping tea.

XXXXXXXXXX
LATER THAT NIGHT

I was spooned behind Scully in our new enormous bed. The basinets were in the 
bedroom with us for now.  We were still decorating the two rooms down the hall 
that would be a nursery and later bedrooms for each of them.  Maggie Scully was 
sleeping in the fourth bedroom that we'd hastily made into a guest room.  She'd 
been staying with us quite a few nights to help out until we could get things 
settled.  She'd been sleeping on the couch in Scully's apartment and I'd hated 
that.  I was glad she would have a bed now.

I felt a sense of contentment steal over me.  We were in our new home.  It was 
glorious feeling.  I'd never really felt like Scully's apartment was home.  I couldn't 
tell her that, it would hurt her feelings.  But I'd wanted a home, a new place that 
wasn't hers, and wasn't mine, but was OURS.  A place to raise our kids away 
from the city.  Georgetown and Alexandria were just too congested, and I wanted 
them to go to a smaller school system.  Although now I could afford to send them 
to private schools if we wanted to.

God, listen to me! I thought.  They were a month old and I was already thinking 
about school systems.  I'd lost it completely!  Scully felt me chuckle against her 
back and she said, "What's so funny?"

"Sorry, I didn't mean to wake you."

"You didn't, I'm still awake."

"I was laughing because the kids are only a month old."

"And ... ?"

I realized that didn't make any sense.  "And I was thinking about schools."

She laughed then, her laughter like tinkling music in my ears.  "Yup, that's pretty 
funny, Mulder.  Let's get them through diapers first, shall we?"

"You got it," I said mildly.

She squeezed my arm where it lay across her tummy.  It'd been six weeks and 
we still couldn't make love.  It was driving me crazy, but I'd be the worst sort of 
bastard if I'd mentioned it.  So I suffered in silence and masturbated in the 
shower a lot.  The last two weeks of her pregnancy, she'd been bedridden and it 
had been impossible.  Now it had been a month since the kids were born.

Her laughter caused her butt to brush against my groin and I was hard in an 
instant.  A stiff breeze would make me hard these days.  I pulled my hips back, 
hissing and cursing softly under my breath.  She chuckled and turned over to 
face me.  "Sorry," I muttered.

She smiled.  "Don't worry about it.  I know, the wait's killing me too."

"It is?" I was genuinely surprised.  She hadn't said a word.  Then again, neither 
had I.

"Yes.  I'm not quite healed yet.  I have a check up tomorrow and I'll get an 
estimate from Dr. Marin."

"You're not going to ask her when you can have sex again, are you?" I asked, 
appalled at the thought of her asking the doctor such a personal question.  Then I 
realized it was probably very ordinary for an OB/GYN to get such a question.

"Sure I am.  But just because I have to suffer another two weeks or so, doesn't 
mean you have to."

"Oh Scully, don't worry about it.  I can ... take care of it if I need to."

Her eyebrow raised and she smirked.  "What if I want to take care of it?"

I shook my head as I became more flustered.  "If you have to wait, then so can I."

"You could, but I miss ..."

I smoothed my palm over her silky hair and down the back of her head.  "What 
Scully?  What do you miss?"

"The intimacy.  Being close to you ... that way."

"Oh Baby, I miss it too, but it's just a little while longer to wait."  I loved that I 
could call her pet names.  Here alone with me, she was Scully, my wife, not 
Agent Scully.  I needed that distinction.

She didn't answer me, but reached down and slipped her hand over my throbbing 
flesh.  I groaned at the feel of her holding me.  I was hot, heavy and pulsing in 
her hand as she stroked gently up and down, spreading my precum with her 
thumb. 

I'd slept nude since I'd returned.  She had at the beginning, but now slept in her 
underwear so that her stitches were less likely to be disturbed.  She wore a panty 
shield to soak up any wetness that might cause the skin to deaden around the 
stitches.  I had looked once and they were healing, but she had a little ways to 
go.  Even then, she'd probably be tender for quite a while.

"Scully, don't feel like you have to do this."

She pushed the covers down, pushed me onto my back and crawled between my 
legs, spreading them wide.  "Shhh, I told you.  I want to do this."

I began to breath heavily with anticipation.  It had been so long.  I chuckled 
internally, remembering that I'd gone five years, having sex only with my right 
hand before being with Scully.  And now six weeks seemed like an eternity.  How 
quickly we get spoiled, eh?"

Then I didn't think another thing as her lips slipped over me and moved down my 
shaft.  Her mouth was hot and wet and she sucked on me hard but slowly.  Her 
hand held me by the root, squeezing the portion she couldn't fit into her mouth.  
Her other hand toyed with my balls, rolling them between her fingers.

I bucked gently, weaving my fingers into her hair and pulling it back so I could 
see her face.  She looked up at me and hummed with pleasure, the vibrations 
washing over my cock.  I groaned, putting my feet flat on the bed and began 
thrusting very gently into her.  "Oh God, Scully.  You make me feel so good.  
Awww, that's perfect.  I missed this.  You're so beautiful.  I love you so much.  
GOD, Scully!"  I nearly shouted this last as she sucked especially hard, hollowing 
her cheeks.  

She sped up her movements and rubbed her finger on the tender skin behind my 
balls.  I was aching deep inside from her ministrations.  I knew when I came it 
was going to be hard.  I thought I'd better warn her as I felt my climax coiling in 
my balls.  "Scully," I panted.  "Be ready.  I'm gonna come, Baby.  I'm going come 
hard."

"Mmm," was her only response as she continued her rhythm.  Both hands slid 
under me and began fondling my ass, as she pulled me toward her harshly. I 
degenerated into constant moaning an instant later.  Another thirty seconds and 
then I exploded into her mouth, jetting stream after stream of  cum to the back of 
her throat, helplessly bucking my hips as she held one and moved with me.  She swallowed 
three times before I was done and then I collapsed back on the bed, as she licked me 
clean.

I pulled her up to sprawl over my chest and kissed her deeply, tasting myself on 
her tongue.  I whispered, "I wish I could make you come."

She shook her head.  "Too risky.  I don't to want to hurt something and have to 
wait longer."

"You sure?  There's more than one way to make it happen."

"No, thanks for the offer though."

XXXXXXXXXX

I'm the luckiest man alive.  Every other night for the next two weeks, my wife 
gave me a blowjob.  Her skill improved rapidly.

By the end of those two weeks, she was swallowing me whole, taking my cock 
deep into her little throat.  I was going crazy, not being able to return the favor.  
But I would always remember that time.  Who had it better than me?



PART 3 (NC-17)
THE MULDERS' NEW HOME
INDIAN HEAD, MD
ON THE POTOMAC RIVER
TWO WEEKS LATER 

The twins were six weeks old and I'd been given the green light by Dr. Marin to 
have sex with my husband again.  I couldn't wait.  I'd felt good about satisfying 
him over the past two weeks and wished I had thought of it sooner.  But I know 
he felt guilty that he couldn't return the favor. 

I was really looking forward to his appeasing his guilt!  Mulder was turning out to 
be the perfect husband.  I think everyone was amazed.  Except me.  I'd known he 
would throw his heart and soul into being a husband and a father, just like he 
threw his heart and soul into everything else he did.

He spent all his free time with the kids.  He bathed and changed them.  He 
eagerly got out of bed and fetched them for 2:00 AM feedings.  I loved breast-
feeding.  It made me feel so close to them and so ... feminine and ... maternal, 
like nothing else ever could.

And Mulder loved to watch.  His voyeur tendencies hadn't waned just because 
we got married and had kids!  But he assured me that watching me breast-feed 
was more exciting than any one of those films he didn't own.

My mother had finally retreated to her own home, with firm instructions to call her 
if I needed any little thing.  I'd promised and she'd gone, albeit reluctantly.  For all 
her claims that she wouldn't be a built in babysitter and she had a life of her own, 
she'd been loathe to leave my side.

But I was back on my feet now.  I was strong again, well rested and I wanted to 
be alone with Mulder in our new home.  I loved my mother, but it was time for her 
to go.

XXXXXXXXXX

Agent Doggett followed me home that night.  Scully was surprised, but graciously 
didn't make a big deal out of it.  It was the first time I'd brought work home.  We 
sat on the couch and spread paperwork out on the table.  

Skinner had assigned us a new case, and I thought it was going to be a big one.  
I was cradling Melissa in the crook of one arm as I flipped pages with another.  I 
looked up suddenly to find Doggett staring at me.  I returned his gaze and asked, 
"Everything all right?"

He cleared his throat and looked way.  "Yeah."

"Want to talk about it?" I asked, ignoring his denial.

He looked back at me.  "Do you know how lucky you are?" he asked.

I nodded.  "Yes, I do.  I'm in awe of my life every day."

He nodded and frowned.  "I lost my son."

I swallowed.  "I know," I said.  I had forgotten about that but it all came back to 
me in an instant.  I hadn't been the most sympathetic person at the time Agent 
Reyes had asked for my help on that case.  I'd just come home and had a lot of 
other things on my mind.  Right after that, I'd taken two weeks off for Family 
Leave and not thought about it since.  Now that I had two kids of my own, I 
couldn't imagine the devastation of losing one of them.

"I'm sorry," I said, knowing it sounded lame.  He nodded.  "I can't imagine ..."  I 
choked up and looked down at little Missy.

"It hits me at the weirdest times," he said.  "I won't think about it for weeks, then 
something ... like seeing you with that baby, so comfortable with her in your arms 
... and I ... "  He broke off.  "I miss him so much!"

I felt the tears clog the back of my throat.  He blinked rapidly, quelling his own 
tears.  "Sorry," he blurted out.

"It's all right.  Don't worry about it."

He nodded.  "I hope one day I'll have a chance to ... do it again.  I mean, no one 
can ever replace my son, don't get me wrong, but ..."

"But it would ease the pain."

He nodded.  "Yeah, I want to have a family again."

"You'll get your chance."

"I hope so," he said quietly.  "I know Agent Reyes meant well when she called 
you in on that case, but ... it dragged up a lot of ugly memories for me."

"Are you seeing Agent Reyes?" I asked.

His head snapped around and he looked at me.  "No," he said, but something 
flared in his eyes.  I felt turmoil rolling off him.  I had hit a nerve.

"Maybe you should be," I said quietly, looking back at the police report in front of 
me but not reading it.

"What made you say that?" he said.  

I didn't know.  I'd just felt a wave of emotion roll off him at the mention of her 
name.  It wasn't hostile emotion though, it was ... repressed, hidden.  This had 
been happening more frequently.  It wasn't like I knew what people were thinking.  
But it was like I knew what they were feeling sometimes.  The empathy was 
stronger sometimes than others, depending on how close I was to the person.  I 
think I only felt it when the emotion was extremely strong.  Then again, it was 
happening more frequently.

It blew me away when I was with Scully.  I could feel her unconditional love and 
happiness roll over me sometimes when we were together.  Without even 
realizing it, feeling that was what had finally convinced me that this wasn't a 
dream.  She really did love me as much as I loved her.  This must be one of the 
special abilities, that heightened intuition that I'd been told I would have.  It was 
developing slowly, but when I focused on it, I could feel things even more clearly.

There was something here.  He had feelings for Agent Reyes, but they were 
muddled with something else.  I realized I hadn't answered his question and 
looked at him.  "I don't know.  I just thought ..."

"Thought what?"

"I don't know.  I got the impression that you cared for her."

He looked at me strangely but then admitted, "We used to see each other."

I waited, seeing if he would say anything else.  When he didn't, I said, "You know 
it won't go any further."

He looked at his lap.  "When I was a cop in D.C., we dated.  She was a first year 
agent, and I was going to the academy.  We dated for about six months.  We 
were ... hot and heavy for a while."

"What happened?"

"My son died."

I waited again, knowing there was more.  Finally after a long silence, he said, 
"That investigation tore us apart.  I was obsessed with finding his killer.  I didn't 
have time for our relationship and frankly, I just couldn't put anything into it at the 
time."

"You were grieving."

"Yes, but that's no excuse."

"Don't be so hard on yourself.  There's nothing worse than losing a child.  It tore 
my folks apart.  They were never the same after Samantha was gone.  Neither 
was I."

"She ... helped as much as she could, but finally ... we argued a lot during that 
time.  We were both on edge.  My ex-wife was a basket case and I had to spend 
time with her and ..."

"Monica was jealous," I said, not knowing how I was so sure of that.

He looked at me queerly again.  "Yes, and ..."

"And?"

"I didn't give her many reasons to be secure about our relationship at that point."

"What happened in the end?"

"She was assigned to the New Orleans field office.  She took the job.  We said 
good-bye."

"I'm really sorry."

"C'est la vie, huh?"

"Not necessarily."

"What do you mean?" he asked.

"I mean ... " I said carefully, "that if you still care for her, it might not be too 
late.  
You should talk to her.  Things are different now.  She's back in D.C., both of 
your lives have changed."

"I don't know," he said skeptically.

"Do you still love her?"

He stared at me hard again.  "I didn't say that."

"I know you didn't." 

"Then how did you ..." He stopped abruptly, realizing that he had just admitted it.  
"What made you think that ..."

"I feel it," I said, cutting him off and then I shrugged.  "You should talk to her 
again."

He turned away from me and said, "You really are one spooky son of a bitch, and 
you know that?"

I grinned.  "Tell me something I don't know," I quipped.  

It broke the tension and we laughed.  

Scully appeared and announced dinner.  We all traipsed into the dining room.  
The babies were put in their basinets we had downstairs and parked in the 
corner of the dining room.  We ate and chatted amicably.  Scully asked questions 
about the case, and Doggett told her about the medical evidence.  Throughout 
dinner he kept casting glances at me.

I wasn't sure if I regretted what had passed between us.  I didn't want him to be 
nervous around me, now that he'd finally relaxed about my return and my 
marriage to Scully.   Now I'd gone and made him nervous again.  But I had an 
uncanny feeling that I'd given him the right suggestion.

After dinner, Scully joined us in the living room.  We didn't have the office/library 
set up yet.  After laying out a plan of action, Doggett thanked Scully for dinner 
and took his leave.  

As soon as he was gone she said, "He seemed nervous at dinner.  How come?"

"I said something to him that ... threw him a bit," I admitted.

She pursed her lips.  "Mulder, what did you do?"

"Moi?" I asked innocently.

"Mulder," she said, her voice a warning.

I sighed.  "We talked about relationships."

"Relationships," she stated blandly.

"Yes, his relationship with a certain ... lady."

"And?"

"And I promised to keep it confidential."

She looked annoyed, but then her brow smoothed out.  "All right.  Just tell me 
this.  Does it have anything to do with your new found ... intuition."

I nodded.  "Damn it, Mulder.  We talked about this.  You have to be careful."

"I know.  I have to exercise ..."

"Restraint of pen and tongue," she said matter of fact.

"I know.  I'm still struggling with it myself.  I feel things and sometimes they 
broadside me.  I haven't learned to control it yet, but it's getting better."

"Keep trying.  That can get you in a lot of trouble, Mulder."

"It could come in handy too."

"That's true, but let's play on the side of caution until we know more, O.K.?"

"You're right."

She nodded and slid into my lap, straddling my legs where I sat on the couch.  
Her crotch, covered only by a pair of cotton shorts landed on the zipper of my 
dress slacks and I hardened partially against her stomach.  

I grunted.  "God, woman, you're going to kill me."

She giggled.  "I couldn't wait for him to leave.  I have a surprise for you."

"Oh yeah?"

"Yes."

"And what would that be?"

"My mother is coming over to take the babies in about ..."  She looked at her 
watch.  "One hour," she finished.

I stared at her.  "And then what?" I asked, smiling.

"I have a job for you."

I groaned.  "What now?  More wallpapering?"

She grinned, leaning over and nipping my earlobe.  I moaned gently, pulling her 
face away from my ear.  "Don't tease," I  scolded her.

"I'm not," she said, a mischievous grin on her face.

"You're not?"

"No, I'm not."

I felt my heart rate double and asked, "What did Dr. Marin say?"

Her smile could have lit up the room.  "Red light, green light, Mulder?"

"Red light?"

She beamed another smile at me.  "Green light, baby."

I started laughing and pulled her to me, covering her mouth with mine.  All I could 
think was, "Hurry up Maggie, and ... FINALLY!"

XXXXXXXXXX

We waved at my mother as she drove off with the babies tucked into car seats.  
As soon as she was out of sight, we ran for the bedroom, shedding clothes along 
the way.  The Foyer, the staircase and the hallway upstairs were littered with 
clothing by the time we reached the bedroom.  Mulder leaped onto the bed, 
bouncing like a little kid and we laughed.  

I crawled on top of him and attacked.  God, I was so horny, it was unreal.  He 
didn't let me have fun for too long before he flipped me onto my back and pinned 
me down, holding my hands next to my head.

"Mulder, I wanted ..."

"Shhh, I want to do this."

"I want to touch ..."

"You can touch me, but I'm way overexcited.  And you're overdue," he teased.

I grinned.  "I know.  God, I feel like attacking you."

He chuckled.  "Glad to hear it, but you'll have to wait.  I want to make you come 
first."

I whimpered.  He kissed my neck and then took my mouth under his, kissing me 
until I couldn't breathe.  He murmured in my ear, "Mmm, I want to make you 
come ... hard.  I want to do that first.  I'm not convinced my endurance will be 
great tonight.  It's been so long."

I teased, "I just went down on you day before yesterday."

He chuckled again. "I know and it was wonderful.  But being inside you is 
exquisite pleasure like no other.  And I want to make sure you're not left 
hanging."

I ran my hands up and down his back.  "O.K.," I sighed dramatically.  "Do what 
you must."

I saw his lips flash a smile as he worked his way down to my breasts.  I tensed 
as he reached my stomach.  But he lovingly licked the stretch marks on my 
stomach, muttering, "Beautiful, my beautiful, Scully."

My eyes grew wet in response to his tenderness.  I'd been a teeny bit afraid they 
he would be repelled by those marks and the changes in my body.  Having 
Mulder go down on me wasn't much of a hardship.  The man should get a medal 
for cunnilingus.  But I wanted to feel him inside me.  I ached for him.

I was slick and ready by the time he kissed my stomach, tongued my navel and 
scratched my hipbones with his fingernails.  I shuddered as I felt him slowly lick 
me from bottom to top, swirling the tip of his tongue over my clitoris.  I bucked 
into his face and felt him smile against my entrance.  He drove me nuts, sliding 
his tongue in and out of me, sucking each of my lips into his mouth and lapping 
my wetness, only to drag it up and torture my pleasure center.  

His long, strong fingers slid under my ass and grasped my cheeks, pulling them 
apart, making my skin taut.  Every nerve ending was on fire, and the slightest 
brush of his fingertip in the crack of my ass made me shudder.  One hand 
snaked back between my legs and he sunk his middle finger deep inside.  I was 
moaning, nearly in agony now from the need for release.  He removed his finger
And replaced it with his thumb.  He'd never done that before.

I didn't have time to ponder it, because he sucked my nerve bundle into his 
mouth and licked it.  At the same time, his lubricated finger slid firmly but gently 
into my ass.  He pushed deep and sucked hard.  I wailed and shattered.

"Aaaawwww, Mulder!  Oh God!  Yes!  Oh God!  Oh Yeah!"  I sobbed as the 
waves of my orgasm washed over me.  I felt my back arch off the bed as my 
thighs locked in a spasm of pleasure.  My womb contracted heavily and warmth 
rushed up my torso.  My nipples were so hard they ached.  The tremors began to 
abate and he chose that moment to slowly slide his finger backwards out of my 
rear end.  He licked me again, hard and slow, swirling the flat of his tongue 
around my clit and I was hit with another round of tremors.

I shrieked as my thighs vibrated against the side of his head, as they clamped 
together involuntarily.  "Sweet Jesus!  Again,  oh God, I'm com...coming again!"  

I was probably suffocating him, but I had no control.  He slid his finger back and 
forth gently, working his way back out, as I continued to tremble with aftershocks.  
When I hissed, he finally retreated fully.  

Just to torture me, I think, he lapped my entrance again, sucking my wetness 
gently into his mouth and swallowing.  It made me shudder with the last of my 
aftershocks.  I unclenched my hands from where they had fisted in the 
bedspread and flexed my fingers.  They were stiff and sore from clenching so 
hard into a fist.  He came up beside me, his head on one hand, elbow on the bed 
and smiled down at me.  "God, you're so beautiful.  I love the way you fall apart 
when you come.  You are so unbelievably beautiful."

I rolled onto my side and kissed him.  "You're the only man that's ever made me 
fall apart.  I can't believe what you do to me sometimes."

Reaching down, I found him hot, hard, and heavy.  God, I loved the feel of him 
like this.  He moaned.  "Your turn," I whispered.

His lips twitched and he rolled me onto my back.  I wrapped my legs around his 
hips and nudged my opening with his shaft.  He was breathing hard.  "You O.K.?" 
I asked.

He nodded.  I noticed his arms were trembling but decided not to mention it.  "I'm 
so excited," he panted out. 

I grinned.  "Go ahead, I need to feel you inside.  Fill me up, Mulder.  I want to 
watch you come."

He moaned and slipped slowly inside, pressing deep and rolling my hips back on 
the bed.  We both groaned and he stopped.  We kissed for a minute, just 
savoring the feeling.  I could feel him pulsing against my walls.  He shuddered 
and grinned sheepishly at me, shrugging.  "God, Scully, I wasn't this bad our first 
time together."

I chuckled and rocked my hips.  He grunted and began to move with exquisite 
slowness, letting me feel every bit of him slide in and out.  His hands roamed 
over my shoulders, coming back to cup my face.  He arched his back to reach 
and kiss me.  Then he relaxed, stretched out above me, lying low and close as 
he continued to pump slowly.  His sparse chest hair tortured my sensitive 
nipples, making me shiver.  He was making the sweetest, slowest love to me.

My hands roamed over his back, loving the feel of the muscles bunching and 
rolling under my hands.  My breath came in tiny gasps as I felt myself climbing to 
another peak.  He stopped several times and just kept still, blowing air out of 
pursed lips, trying to make it last.  

His chest hair tickled my nipples, making every hair on my body stand on end.  
He groaned and his head dipped down into the crook of my neck.  "Oh Goooddd, 
I missed this," he whispered.  "Still can't believe sometimes that I can make love 
to you."

"Me too," I said softly.  "I missed it too."

"I love you, Scully."

"Love you too, Mulder ... so much."

His hands slipped down and he held my hips still.  His torso lifted above me and 
his weight fell on my pelvis.  He stopped thrusting and just began grinding 
himself against my mons, trapping my clit.  I whimpered as I felt a wave of acute 
arousal flow through me.  

He was panting hard, but his movements were slow and precise.  I could feel his 
cock twitching inside me and knew he had to be close.  He panted out, "Touch 
your breasts, Scully."

I reached up, cupping them, amazed at their extra weight from breast-feeding. 
My nipples were too sore so I just kneaded the heavy flesh in my fingers.  "You 
feel so good, Mulder.  Oh, I ached for you.  I love the way you make love to me."

He groaned, still embedded and began grinding against me in earnest. The small 
muscles in his cock flexed and teased my hyper sensitive walls.   My feet went to 
the bed and I flexed my butt muscles and pushed against him, meeting him as he 
ground himself against me.  He rasped out, "Come for me, Scully."

It stole over me like a wave.  He shifted his weight only slightly, but my 
hypersensitive womb and clit exploded from the change in pressure.  He yelped 
and began thrusting into me gently, shouting as I felt his hot seed pour into me 
as my walls quivered in a hard, slow motion release.  

I hadn't realized that when my peak hit, I had squeezed my breasts really hard.  
As I shuddered with aftershocks, Mulder's weight fell on me and he licked up the 
milk that had squirted out and landed on my breasts and rib cage, making me 
shudder again with after shocks.

I just lay there and moaned.  I was wrung out, exhausted.  And I felt like a million 
bucks.  He gently extricated himself and pulled me into his side as he flopped 
onto his back.  "You, O.K.?"

"I'm fabulous," I mumbled.

"Are you sore anywhere, Scully?"

I forced myself to lift my head off his shoulder and look him in the eyes.  
"Everything's perfect," I said and my head flopped down onto his chest.

He chuckled softly.  "Yes, you are."

We squeezed each other tighter, then he drew the covers over us as our bodies 
cooled.  I hadn't realized how much I'd missed this until now.  I'd missed it, but 
without it, you forget the blissful feeling of intimacy that comes from making love.

I fell into a deep slumber and knew nothing for about five hours.  We woke at 
midnight, and stumbled into the shower, only to return to bed and sleep until six 
the next morning.  My poor unused body was in need of a battery recharge.  But I 
wouldn't have had it any other way.

We ate breakfast in the kitchen where there was a little breakfast bar and two 
stools, playing footsies and enjoying the few hours alone.  I missed the babies 
though.  I reached for the phone to call my mother and let her know that she 
could bring the kids home any time she was ready.  My hand touched down and 
the phone began to ring.

XXXXXXXXXX

"Scully," I said into the phone.

[Agent Scully.]  His voice was quivering.

"Agent Doggett, what is it?"

Mulder heard the worried tone of my voice and came to stand beside me.  He 
picked up the portable phone from the cradle on the counter.  They were one the 
same line.

[I don't know how to tell you this.]

Mulder's voice was sharp.  "What is it?  What's happened?"

[I got a weird phone call about an hour ago.]

"Get to the point," Mulder said.

[They asked me to meet them at the reflecting pool.]

"And?" I asked.

[I was just handed an envelope by someone.  He looked like Agent ...]

"Agent who?"

[Pendrell.]

"Agent Pendrell's dead," I said, fear creeping into my voice.

[I know.  When I tried to ask him what this was all about, he ran.  I couldn't catch 
him.  He was so fast]

"What's this about?"

[The envelope had pictures in it.]

Mulder's voice was a bark, "Of WHAT?!"

I couldn't breath.

[Of, oh God ...]

Mulder gasped, "Of the babies ..."

"Noooo!" I shook my head in denial.

Agent Doggett cleared his throat.  [And your mother, Agent Scully.]

"Who has them?!" Mulder shouted.

[I don't know.  We're putting a team together in the Third Floor Conference 
Room.]

"We're on our way," Mulder said, and disconnected his line.  I hung up and felt 
my knees buckle.   

Mulder was there in a flash, banding his arms around me.  "Hang on, Scully.  
We'll find out what this is all about."

"They promised!" I wailed.  "They promised not to hurt them!  They promised!"  I 
broke out sobbing, hitting Mulder's chest.  He pulled me to him.

He sounded so confident when he said, "We'll find them."

XXXXXXXXXX
J. EDGAR HOOVER BUILDING
WASHINGTON, D.C.
THIRD FLOOR CONFERENCE ROOM

We broke all land speed records from Indian Head to D.C.  Scully had thrown on 
jeans and sweater, stuffed her feet into sneakers with no socks and was running 
for the car before I could turn around.  

I'd thrown a similar outfit on, only I'd pulled on my socks and boots, and grabbed 
our weapons and I.D.'s as I raced to the car.  I slid into the passenger seat and 
Scully had her foot on the accelerator before my door was closed.  

She had the expression of a fighter pilot in a dogfight as she wove through the 
traffic at break neck speeds.  I fastened my seat belt and held on.  I didn't dare 
say a word.  I just prayed she didn't kill us trying to get there.

People were practically lining the hallway as the elevator doors opened and 
Scully and I exited the car and took off down the hall at a trot.  It had been a 
while since anyone there had seen us together.  Scully wasn't due back to work 
for another month and a half.  People saw me and Doggett together more now.  
No one had seen Scully in weeks.  And they'd probably never seen her out of 
suit.  I heard murmurs behind us, but didn't bother to acknowledge anyone.  

We broke into the conference room to find Doggett, Reyes, Skinner and Agent 
Julie Rinto, the head of the Kidnapping unit at the Bureau.  There were three 
other agents there and I could only assume they were Julie's agents.  Scully 
looked ready become hysterical.  I hoped a solid plan of action would calm her 
down some, although I didn't hold out much hope.

We stood across the table from Doggett and he slid the pictures to us, without a 
word.  The first one was of Mrs. Scully, tied with some sort of cord hand and foot 
and fastened to a chair.  She was wearing a gag made of a bandana.  

The other two were off each of the babies, still in their car seats, both visibly 
crying, but otherwise unharmed.  They were all in a room with what looked like 
blocked, concrete walls.  The typed note that came with the pictures said only, 
"Not to worry.  They will be returned."

Scully's hands shook as she held the pictures and I pried them out of her hands 
gently as her hands began to crumple them.  I cooed to her, "Let go, Scully, we 
need these."

Three other agents entered the room.

She nodded and released them.  I set them on the table.  Her face crumpled and 
she voice cracked, "Oh God, Mulder, we HAVE to find them."

She choked on a sob and I scooped her into my arms, pulling her head to my 
chest while she cried.  I didn't give a damn if we were in the Hoover Building and 
it wasn't professional.  No one seemed to mind.  I glanced at the other agents.  I 
knew them by sight, but I didn't know them personally.  They all looked slightly 
surprised to see Scully like this.

If they knew her at all, they'd never seen her show emotion.  And most of them 
blindly adhered to her reputation as an Ice Queen and consummate professional.  
Her tiny body wracked with sobs and I held her, rubbing her back and kissing her 
hair.  The real Dana Scully was making an appearance in the Hoover Building for 
the first time.  The Dana Scully that was a mother first, an agent second.

I saw a couple of the agents swallow hard, obviously affected by how upset she 
was.  She calmed and I pulled back, my tee shirt soaked and cupped her face, 
wiping her tears with my thumbs.  I kissed her chastely on the forehead.  "We'll 
find them, I promise," I whispered to her.  She nodded her head against my 
chest.

"Are you O.K. now?"

She nodded again and cleared her throat as one of the female agents handed 
her a box of tissues.  She nodded her thanks and blew her nose, mumbling, 
"Sorry, everybody."

They all smiled sad smiles, totally understanding.  I wondered if anybody in 
kidnapping had kids of their own.  She wiped her face and straightened her 
shoulders.

"O.K.," she breathed out.  She cleared her throat.  "Let's get to work."

I saw the furtive smiles travel around the room.  Agent Scully was back.

XXXXXXXXXX

Pulling myself together in that conference room had to be one of the hardest 
things I'd ever done.  I was humiliated that I'd broken down there, but I couldn't 
help it.  I felt like my limbs were ripped off me, seeing those pictures.  Not only 
my babies, but my mother.  My God, what had happened?

There were skeptical looks around the table as Doggett related his belief that the 
kids and Mom had been taken by an alien or aliens.  He didn't say why or that the 
kids were supposed to be special.  I gave him credit for staring down the 
incredulous looks that were shot his way.  The looks said, 'Oh no, he's becoming 
one of THEM.'

He ended his explanation by saying, "Whether you believe that or not, doesn't 
matter.  Someone has taken Agent Scully's children and her mother.  And we 
need to get them back ... fast.  Those babies are only six weeks old."

"I know many of you don't believe in the work we do in the X-Files.  Regardless 
of that, the man that handed me these pictures, and then ran, was a 
doppelganger for Agent Pendrell and we all know he's dead."

"Meaning?" Agent Riley asked.

"Meaning that I think the man was a ..."

"Alien?" he said, his disbelief and disgust apparent.

Doggett looked him right in the eye.  "Yes, I think he was a bounty hunter, like the 
one I told you about.  They can look like anyone.  I've looked in the mirror at one 
of those bastards myself.  It ain't no picnic."

I grinned at his repeating Mulder's words the night of our visit from Hemplar.  It 
seemed so long ago now.  "Regardless, if it wasn't, then it was someone who's 
really good at disguise, maybe realistic latex masks.  It's a possibility.  Agent 
Reyes and I will check out that angle."  

He looked at Agent Rinto and she nodded.

They nodded.  "Now let's figure out what we are going to do."

Agent Rinto asked, "There was nothing else, no ransom demand?"

One of the agents said, "Nobody here has that kind of money.  Why would they 
try to ransom them?"

I looked at Mulder and he was examining the floor.  Everything went quiet.  
Everybody looked at him.  He looked up tentatively and said, "I have ... a lot of 
money."

There were raised eyebrows all around.  Agent Rinto broke the silence.  She was 
all business. "Doesn't matter, there's been no demand.  Burlington and Stokes, I 
want you to head out to Mrs. Scully's house in Baltimore and tap the phone and 
set up trace equipment.  Sit on that phone.  Here's the address."  She handed 
them a piece of small notebook paper with the address on it.  "Don't disturb 
anything there.," she added.

The nodded and headed for the door.

"Agents Riley and Petril, you go the Mulder's house in Indian Head and do the 
same."

"The Mulder's?" Agent Riley asked.  He made the question sound like a joke.  
Obviously our marriage wasn't common knowledge yet.  I knew this guy.  He'd hit 
on me several times a couple of years ago and I'd rebuffed him.  He was one of 
the few pesky agents that kept hounding me to reveal who the father was when 
my pregnancy became noticeable.  'Who's the lucky guy?' he would ask.  

"You mean Dana's house?" he tried to clarify.

I held up my left hand and wiggled my ring finger, flashing my heavy platinum 
band and sizeable engagement ring.  Mulder said nothing and held his hand up, 
showing his matching wedding band.  Agent Riley grunted in surprise and 
blurted, "Dana, you didn't!"  Then in a joking tone laced with genuine shock, 
"Dana, say it isn't so.  You DIDN'T marry Spooky, did you?"

Mulder smirked but I knew he was pissed at the Agent's tone.  He no longer 
flipped out about comments like these.  He knew I was his forever now, but that 
didn't mean it didn't still rankle that grown men could be that juvenile.  He said, 
"AGENT Scully is my wife, Agent Riley and you'll address her with respect."

He swallowed hard, looking at Mulder, but didn't apologize.  Then he stuttered, 
"You don't mean ... he isn't the ... fath"

"Father of my children?" I asked calmly.  That little tidbit had not been confirmed 
with a lot of people.  Since Mulder didn't work and play well with others, he was in 
the basement a lot with only Doggett and occasionally Skinner or Agent Reyes.  
Very few people interacted with him here and probably very few had noticed the 
wedding ring on his finger.

He swallowed again.  I continued, "Yes, Agent Riley, Agent MULDER is the 
father of my children and my husband."  I hated that people called him Spooky, 
but it was even more unforgivable to say it to his face, and doubly obnoxious 
under the circumstances.

"Sorry," he mumbled.

Everyone else had watched the exchange with closed lips and wide eyes.  One 
look and I could tell those that had their suspicions confirmed and those that 
were shocked.  No one else was stupid enough to say anything.

Julie Rinto took a deep breath, frowning at Agent Riley.  Finally she said, "Agent 
Petril, work with Agent Marren instead."

"But ..."  Riley began.  

Agent Rinto interrupted him.  "Your behavior is unprofessional and unbecoming, 
Agent Riley, particularly under the circumstances.  But right now, I don't have 
time to deal with it.  You're off this case.  You are excused."

"But ..."

"OUT!" she said harshly and pointed at the door.

He hurried out, slamming the door behind him.  I said, "I'm sorry everyone." 

They all mumbled, "No apologies necessary," and other platitudes.  

Skinner broke the uncomfortable tension by saying.  "This leaves Agent Marren's 
partner on her own.  Have you two ever worked together?"

Karen Petril and Joshua Marren shook their heads in the negative.  Karen Petril 
was only a second year agent, but I'd heard rumors that she was very good, if a 
little green around the gills.

Skinner deferred to Agent Rinto by asking, "Look, why don't we leave Marren 
with Halleron.  I'll go with Agent Petril.  I want to be involved."

The young agent, straightened her shoulders and smiled, obviously surprised by 
this offer, and feeling honored that the A.D. would work with her.  She was a cute 
woman with snappy black eyes and dark brown hair pulled into a thick ponytail.  
She was short, like me, probably only an inch or two taller, maybe 5' 4".

Agent Rinto nodded, "All right.  I don't have a problem with that.  Marren and 
Halleron?"

"Yes, Ma'am?" they asked in unison and Agent Rinto smirked at their obvious 
play on proper professionalism.

"You two will take these pictures to the lab.  Run them through every test you can 
possibly think of to figure out where they might have been taken.  Then meet me 
at Mrs. Scully's house.  While Burlington and Stokes set up a tap, you two are 
going to help me look for evidence in the house.

She sighed and looked at us.  "I'm not stupid enough to give you two an 
assignment because I know you're going to do exactly what you want to do.  And 
frankly, that's your right under the circumstances.  But I'm ASKING you not to go 
running off half-cocked."

We both looked at the floor, knowing that we couldn't make any promises.  She 
sighed.  "We have a better chance of finding them if we cover all the bases.  I 
know they are your children.  But I'm good at what I do, Agents, and I promise 
you that I'll leave no stone unturned.  And if I find anything at your mother's, I'll 
put every hand I've got on it.  You have my word."

We both nodded.  Mulder said, "Thank you.  We appreciate anything you can do.  
And we'll try not to interfere ... but we know more about the ... people who may 
have taken them."

She waved Agents Marren and Halleron out.  They scooped up the pictures and 
left.  Agent Petril looked at her, waiting to be dismissed as well.  Agent Rinto 
looked between us and Agent Petril.  Skinner said, "Let her stay."

She beamed a smile at him and he smiled back.  Agent Rinto motioned to the 
chairs around the table and we all sat down.  She looked at us and said, "O.K., 
tell me what we are really dealing with here."

Mulder sighed and said, "This should not leave this room for now."

Everyone nodded.  He looked at Doggett, and he replied, "It's your story to tell, 
Mulder."

He swallowed, casting his eyes between Agents Rinto and Petril, the two here 
that he would have to convince.  Doggett and Skinner were already believers.  
Reyes was open minded enough not to dismiss his story or make judgments.  
She'd seen a lot in her short time here.

"When I was gone ..."

I picked up his hand and brought it over to rest on my thigh, squeezing it with 
reassurance.  His eyes told me 'thank you.'

He took a deep breath.  "I was abducted ... by aliens.  I know that's probably hard 
for you to believe, but it's true.  I was tied to a metal chair/table thing for ... I 
don't 
know how long, six months I guess.  I was tested and poked and prodded.  I was 
dying when I was abducted from an anomalous condition in my brain."  

He stopped and licked his lips.  I saw him note that neither woman was looking 
incredulous yet.  "When I returned, I had a chip in my neck and I was no longer ... 
dying.  They ... found a way to control my decline.  In order to secure my release, 
I had to promise them to give them a sample of Scully's blood."

His leg bobbed in an uncharacteristic display of nervousness.  "I ... didn't know 
she was pregnant.  But they told me if I didn't do this, they would ... take her to 
get it.  I'd just been through a horrendous experience and I couldn't ... allow the 
possibility that they might take Scully."

He looked at the floor.  Everyone was silent.  "He, one of them, named Hemplar, 
came to get the blood sample.  He came right to Scully's apartment.  When he 
appeared ... he was a double for Agent Doggett."

Now eyebrows went up.  "To make a long story short, he told Scully that she was 
carrying twins and that they were special.  Because of my exposure to a 
retrograde virus and some ... alien junk DNA, and Scully's immunity to that virus 
..."  He broke off, realizing they didn't know about my situation.

"There's so much to tell."

Agent Rinto nodded sagely, encouraging him to go on.  "Scully was abducted too 
and I was given an antidote to the virus and was able to save her.  It made her 
immune to it.  It's a virus the aliens created to wipe us out."

Agent Petril gasped quietly, her eyes round and fixed on Mulder.  I was exposed 
to ... something different.  Suffice it to say that I came in contact with some things 
that activated a ... alien physiology that was dormant.  It's what started the 
condition that was killing me.  

"In any event, our combined DNA, Scully's and mine, supposedly would create ... 
special children.  We were told this by this ... alien.  He said that they wanted the 
children to be born and didn't want to harm them.  He predicted the twins that we 
didn't know she was having at that time."

"They told me that I would develop certain ... abilities but they wouldn't say what 
they were.  The only hint they gave me was that I would have incredible intuition 
or a sixth sense."

Skinner chuffed, "You already had that."

Everyone smiled.  He squeezed my hand.  I squeezed back.

"So the kids were born, and they were healthy.  They had said that the kids 
would have special abilities also, but we have no idea what.  We do know that 
they will supposedly have superior immune systems.  We've done our own blood 
tests on them and they indeed have anomalous blood.  There is alien DNA in 
their blood.  Not full junk DNA like Dana has ... but a variation of that.  Neither of 
them has had so much as a sniffle so far."

Doggett said, "Is one of your abilities ... reading minds?" he asked tentatively.

Mulder smiled and shook his head.  Doggett released a breath and everyone 
looked at him.  I wondered what the hell they had discussed and what Mulder 
had said to him, but I couldn't think about it right now.  I was fidgeting, in a hurry 
to get out of there.  

Mulder diverted them by saying, "I FEEL things very strongly.  I've always been 
empathetic by nature anyway, but now ... it's much stronger.  It's like I feel things 
coming off people, more emotions than thoughts.  They hit me like a wave 
sometimes.  I haven't learned yet how to control it or shut it off."

Doggett nodded, "That's how you knew about my ... situation."

Mulder nodded.  "You were thinking of it and reliving it and I couldn't tell what you 
were thinking, but I could FEEL what you were feeling."

He turned to Agent Petril.  "You WANT to believe me, but I can FEEL your 
skepticism."

She looked at the table.  Mulder grinned and added, "I can also feel your 
excitement."

She looked up at him again, her eyes wide.  Mulder looked at Skinner and back 
to her.  "That excitement spikes when you look at him."

She blushed and looked down again, whispered, "Shit."

Mulder chuckled.  "I didn't mean it that way."

Skinner was chuckling.  Mulder said, "I meant you are very excited about being 
able to work with A.D. Skinner.  You admire him and respect him and you feel ... 
honored to be chosen to work with him."

She nodded shyly and looked down again.  Skinner mumbled, "My pleasure."

She blushed furiously and Mulder drew attention away from her.  He turned to 
Agent Rinto.  "You want to find my kids.  It's a matter of honor for you.  You have 
a nearly perfect record."  He paused.

"But you think I'm full of shit."

She coughed behind her hand.  Mulder smirked.  "Doesn't matter what you 
believe."  His voice hitched now and came out softly,  "Find my babies and I'll 
owe you for life."  

She met his gaze and nodded.  "I'll find them."  

She made to stand and Mulder said, "One more thing."

She stopped and looked at him expectantly.  "We think these ... creatures have 
taken the babies to examine them.  We are praying that they keep their promise 
and don't harm them.  But ... whatever you feel or think ... they are real and they 
are VERY dangerous."

"How dangerous?" she asked. 

"They have the strength of ten men.  They can look like anyone and if they aren't 
a hybrid ... "

"Hybrid?" Agent Rinto asked, her eyebrow raised in a fair imitation of mine.

Mulder looked at her, resigned to her disbelief.  "There are hybrids as well, 
alien/human hybrids.  But if they are an alien and not a hybrid, they have green 
blood and it's VERY toxic to human beings.  It's like acid.  It will burn your skin 
and it will blind you in seconds.  It gives off a vapor."

The tilt at the corner of her lips was almost annoying, except I knew how all of 
this must sound to someone who didn't live in our world.  Mulder looked her in 
the eye.  "You don't believe me, but remember this.  IF you do run into one of 
these things, you'll believe in an instant and at that point, you need to know this."  
He stopped, then said, "There's only one way to kill these things."

Agent Petril looked at him expectantly.  He returned her attention.  "A kill shot to 
the base of the skull.  Agent Scully got lucky once and was able to kill one by 
shooting upwards through his throat.  She hit the spot, but as a rule, you have to 
get them from behind with either an ice pick-like tool or a bullet to the base of the 
skull, about where your C2, C3 vertebra would be.  Nothing else will kill them."

They both nodded.  He sighed.  "Just remember that ... in case."

XXXXXXXXXX

As soon as the meeting broke up, Agent Rinto followed us to my mother's house.  
Agents Burlington and Stokes were there, setting up in the kitchen.  The house 
was trashed, or at least the living room was.  The sofa was overturned.  A torn 
afghan lay on the floor.  The mirror above the mantle was smashed and a lamp 
lay broken on the floor.  I surveyed the damage, breathing hard, trying to control 
my urge to break out sobbing again.  Mulder followed me silently as we made our 
way up the stairs.  Surprisingly, the guest room where the babies slept was 
totally undisturbed.  The baby monitor was still on, I noticed.  The window was 
open, but other than that, nothing was disturbed.

Agent Rinto called for a finger printer to come out. 

My mother's room and the far end of the hallway was another story.  A vase lay 
shattered on the floor next to an end table with a broken leg. In her bedroom, the 
bedclothes were tangled and hanging off the bed, the curtains were ripped.  We 
found one drop of blood on the door jamb where the molding was torn back from 
its mooring.  

Mulder ran his finger over the splintered wood, careful not to disturb the splinter 
with the blood.  I bagged it and then yelped as Mulder nearly fell into me, going 
down to his knees and knocking my shoulder on the way down.  "Ooohhh, shit!" 
he shouted.  I was on my knees next to him instantly.

"Mulder!  What's wrong!?"

He was pale and his lips were trembling.  A sweat had broken out on his hairline.  
He panted heavily and held his stomach as Agent Rinto came running down the 
hall to see what we had yelled about.

I touched his arm and he frantically waved me away.  He panted out, "Don't 
touch me ... for a second."  

I nodded, my gaze fixed on his face.  He took a few steadying breaths.  Agent 
Rinto asked, "What's wrong?"

I shook my head, "I'm not sure yet."

Mulder's skin regained his color and he looked at me, his eyes blinking slowly.  
"Jesus, Scully, I felt her."

"Mom?" I asked, embarrassed that my voice was so small.

He nodded.  "She fought, Scully.  God, she was terrified, but in a rage."

I swallowed another sob and he pulled me into his arms.   He buried his nose in 
my hair.  "But she ... she was determined ... to protect them."

I felt my face crumple as we lay crumpled on the floor, clinging to one another.  
Agent Rinto held her respectful silence until we got it together, stood up and 
acknowledged her.  

She looked at Mulder's sweaty face and glassy eyes and whispered, "Jesus, 
there is definitely SOMETHING going on with you."

His lips jerked up quickly in the corners then fell.  "Yeah ...  there's always 
SOMETHING going on with me."

Agent Rinto chuckled at that.  "Are you all right, Mulder?" I asked.  

He looked at me.  "Yeah, but I feel dehydrated."

I helped him downstairs and sat him down in the dining room which was 
undisturbed as well.  I ran to the fridge and poured a glass of orange juice.  I 
gave it to him with instructions to drink the whole thing.  He did and rose to go 
into the kitchen, filling his glass with water and gulping it down.  He did it a 
second time and then wiped his mouth with the back of his hand.

He got a far away look on his face as he gazed out the window.  "I wonder ..." he 
said.

"What, Mulder?  You wonder, what?"

He turned to me slowly.  "I wonder if I can follow it."

"Follow it?"

"The feeling.  It was so strong up there.  I wonder if I could focus on it and ... 
follow it."

"Mulder, that brought you to your knees, whatever it was.  You don't know what's 
happening to you or how to control it."

"I don't care, I'll risk it."

"No!"

"Scully, I have to try."

Without thinking, and in front of Agents Burlington and Stokes, I blurted out, 
"Don't you go down, Mulder.  I need you!"

He pulled me into his arms and murmured, "Ahhh, Scully.  I'll never leave you."

"Not intentionally.  But Agent Rinto is right.  I want to be running all the place 
looking for them.  But all that will do is exhaust us.  We need a plan.  I don't want 
to run into this unprepared.  There's too much at stake.  And I need you whole 
and healthy.  I couldn't take it if you collapsed."

We didn't have any more time to discuss it.  Agent Rinto entered the kitchen with 
her cell phone to her ear.  She said, "Right, as soon as possible."

She hung up.  She looked at us.  I have more people coming out here.  I'm going 
to have them bag all that glass, everything and bring to the lab to test for trace 
evidence and finger prints.  We nodded.

"The lab had some information on those pictures."

We both looked at her expectantly.  "The concrete in that foundation was laid in 
blocks.  That's an old way of doing things.  There are only seven buildings in D.C. 
with foundations like that."

"Where?"

She walked over to the laptop on the kitchen counter.  "They're sending it over 
now."

We peered over her shoulder.  She pulled a pad out of her briefcase which was 
next to the laptop and wrote down the addresses.  She knew it was no use trying 
to stop us.  When she had them written down, she peeled the paper off and 
handed it to us.  As we turned to race out of the house, she yelled, "Call for back 
up if you find anything!"

We nodded and trotted through the living room, dodging the debris.  I heard her 
say, "Yeah, right, fat chance."


PART 4 (PG-13)
ARABESQUE SUPPLIES
WASHINGTON, D.C.

I walked into the shop that sold theatrical supplies and costumes and flashed my 
badge at the kid behind the counter.  He had a ring in each of his eyebrows, a 
diamond stud in his nose and a stud in his tongue  and in the flap of skin below 
his bottom lip.  His eyebrows were plucked.  And I could see several tattoos 
down his arms.  He was wearing a torn up muscle shirt and spandex pants that 
left nothing to the imagination.  There was a ring on every finger and several gold 
necklaces around his neck.  His dark hair spiked straight up in the air two inches 
all around his head.

He smiled a coy smile at me, sitting on a stool with his legs crossed.  He said, 
"And what can I do for you, G-Man?"

His voice was a tease and I almost laughed out loud but managed to tamp it 
down.  Monica came up behind me, flashing her badge as well.  The kid frowned, 
sighed and sat back on his stool, obviously disappointed.  Monica winked at me 
and I felt something coil deep in my gut.

To be working with her again was great in some ways and disturbing in others.  
Memories seemed to be assaulting me all the time now.  I cleared my throat, 
bringing back my focus.  "We need to know if you sell latex for masks."

"You're into latex, are you, big boy?"

Monica laughed out loud this time and I couldn't help the smile that came to my 
lips.  This should be interesting.  "Latex ... for MASKS.  You know, people make 
masks to wear to look like someone else."

"Heavy stuff.  That stuff usually only gets done in the movies where they can 
afford that kind of talent.  Possibly it's done on Broadway, but the average theater 
producer isn't going to do that kind of elaborate costuming.  There are some pre-
made masks over there."  He pointed to the far corner of the store.

I sighed. "Can we look at them?"

"Of course, darling.  Take your time." 

I turned away and went to the section he indicated.  Monica followed and sidled 
up next to me. She teased, "I think you mad a friend, John."

I chuckled, "Yeah, I can always attract the good ones, huh?"

Her eyes sparkled but I could see something else there too.  Was she 
uncomfortable around me too?  Did she have memories that revisited her?  I 
looked at the wall covered in pegboard and scanned my eyes over the masks.  
The inevitable Presidents masks were there, Clinton and Regan making an 
appearance.  The grim reaper and all kinds of ghoul masks were displayed.  
They were for Halloween and not what we were looking for.

She said, "I think we're barking up the wrong tree here."

I nodded.  "I think so too, but we have to check it out.  Let's check the other two 
stores and then head back to the office.  I want to check with some friends on 
recent UFO sightings."

She raised her eyebrows at me.  "Why, if I didn't know better, I'd think you were 
becoming open minded, John.  Better be careful.  Wouldn't want to ruin your image."

I smiled and chuckled softly.  "I've changed quite a bit since working on the X-Files."

"I know, I've noticed."

I turned and looked at her.  "Monica ... do you ever miss ...?"  I trailed off, not sure 
I even knew what I wanted to say.

"Miss what?"

I couldn't hold her gaze and let my eyes roam over the wall again.   "Being in a 
relationship," I said finally.

"Of course I do."

"I'd like to talk to you sometime."

"About what?"

I looked at her again.  "Some things that ... still haunt me.  Things that were 
unresolved between us when you left."

She looked at the floor and said, "Let's get out of here."

We exited the store.  I cursed softly, thinking that she was upset now, but when we slid 
into the car, she turned to face me, pulling one leg up on the seat.  I started the car 
but didn't put it in gear.

"Why now?  What's bringing all this up now?" she asked calmly.

I looked out the windshield, not really seeing anything.  "I'm not sure.  Working with 
Mulder, seeing his passion for everything in his life.  I don't know.  It's made me 
realize how ... empty my life is now."

"It's not empty.  You have your work and now you have some close friends here."

"My work is a cold bed fellow."  I looked at her again.

Her eyes darted away and she took a deep breath.  "I know that feeling too."

"Did you date in New Orleans?"  I asked the question that had burning in the back of my 
brain since I'd seen her again.

She looked at me sharply.  "Once," she said, simply.

The silence stretched out.  "Do you ever want to have kids, ... someday I mean?" I asked 
tentatively.

Her expression softened.  "Yeah ... yeah, I do.  Someday."

I held her eyes with mine.  "I'm sorry, Monica."

"Sorry?" she asked, suddenly confused.

"I'm sorry for everything that happened.  I'm sorry I was so obsessed and couldn't put 
anything into our relationship.  I'm sorry I spent time with my ex and didn't make sure 
you knew that it was purely platonic and shared grief at work there.  I'm sorry ... for 
so many things."

I looked at my lap, swallowing hard, wondering why I chose the strangest times to 
approach things.  But Mulder's words had been echoing in my head since he'd spoken them 
to me.  God, I hoped I wasn't making a huge fucking mistake trying to talk to her.  But 
she wasn't running away yet.  I looked up at her again, struck again with how beautiful 
she was to me.

Her eyes were suspiciously wet.  She blinked rapidly and licked her lips.  "It's all 
right, John.  At the time, I was hurt.  But I forgave you a long time ago.  Some time 
and distance helped me to put in perspective.  I knew you were grieving and I understood 
that.  I really did.  I knew that you didn't have anything to give me just then, but 
..."

"But?"

"But I was grieving too."

"You were?"

"Yeah, I was grieving the loss of our relationship.  You were drifting further and 
further away.  You shut me out, and all I wanted to do was help you.  I wanted you to 
share your grief with me, not with Elizabeth.  I knew she needed you too, but so did I.  
But I also knew that it would make me seem like the most heartless, selfish bitch to 
complain at that time.  It would seem like I didn't care.  And I did.  I was fond of 
your boy too, you know?  I was growing to love him, too.  And I think in time that I 
would have grown to love him as nearly as much as you did."

She looked down but kept talking.  I never knew any of this.  I was so wrapped up in 
myself then.  God, I should have talked to her.  It wouldn't have been impossible to 
share my grief with her.  I had just thought that it was too early in our relationship.  
I used the excuse that I didn't want to burden her with it.  After all, it wasn't her 
kid.  But now I could see that I had hurt her by shutting her out and trying to 'not 
burden' her.  She'd felt like I didn't care.

"I saw it destroying you and there was nothing I could do," she continued.  "You 
wouldn't let me help you.  And I ... I couldn't stay and watch you destroy yourself.  I 
couldn't do it, John.  I couldn't do it because I was ..."  She stopped abruptly.

"You were what?" I asked softly.

She shook her head as if she'd almost said something and it would have been a terrible 
mistake.  She was fighting tears and looking at the seat between us again.  I reached 
out and palmed her cheek, gently tipping her face up. She sniffled, and looked at me.  
"What were you going to say?" 

My voice was embarrassingly breathy and nervous.  She shook her head again.  "Tell me, 
please."

She just stared at me.  "I can't," she said finally and looked down.  

I wound my fingers into the hair at the nape of her neck and she shivered.  "Look at me, 
Monica."

She raised her eyes without raising her head, peering at me from under her lashes.  I 
leaned towards her so slowly I almost irritated myself, but I didn't want her to pull 
away, and I wanted to give her a chance to stop me.  I drew close and I saw her eyes 
flare with something.  Fear?  Hope?  I wasn't sure.  I paused.  She didn't pull away, 
and I leaned in and laid my mouth across hers, kissing her gently, not pushing.  I 
didn't deepen it, just kissed her softly.  Her breath hitched as I pulled away.  The 
words I should have said to her years ago, just slipped out, easy as you please.  "I'm 
still in love with you."

She gasped.  I tried to remember if I'd ever told her, back then.  I couldn't remember, 
which meant that I probably hadn't.  But I wasn't getting any younger.  How many years 
did I have left?  Was it worth clinging to my pride and dignity and fear?  For what?  So 
I could be alone for the rest of my life, regretting chances not taken? 

Her eyes searched mine, boring into me, trying to see the truth. I licked my lips, 
breathing deep, as the silence continued.  She wasn't saying anything.  I pulled back, 
dropped my hand and gripped the steering wheel again.  I mumbled, "I just thought you 
should know that."

I glanced at her and she was nodding.  "O.K." 

I put the car in gear and pulled out onto the road, using it as an excuse not to look at 
her now.  "We'll talk some more later, all right?"

"Yeah," she muttered.  She turned to look out her window, the fingers of he right hand 
curled under her chin.  The rest of the trip, except for questioning clerks in stores 
was made in silence.  I hoped to hell she still felt something for me.  She'd let me 
kiss her.  She hadn't returned it, but she hadn't pushed me away either.  And, she 
hadn't told me to fuck off, so I guess that was a good sign!

I chuckled internally, thinking about how your idea of what was a 'good thing' changed 
as you got older.

XXXXXXXXXX
THE MULDER'S HOUSE
INDIAN HEAD, MD

Agent Petril was like an eager little pup.  I was amused by her although I knew 
she wouldn't appreciate my amusement.  I remembered being young and 
idealistic like her.  It had been a long time since I'd done duty like this, but I still 
remembered how.

We pulled up to the house and Karen gasped.  "My God, it's beautiful."

I exited the car saying, "Yeah, there's a lot people don't know about Agents 
Mulder and Scully."

"I guess so," she said as she exited and then helped me haul the equipment from 
the trunk and up to the front porch.  I pulled out my keys and opened the door.

She looked at me strangely and then said, "You have a key?"

I realized that I hadn't even thought about how strange that would be.  Mulder 
had given me a key in case of emergencies.  I'd never used it before now.  They 
could have given me one, but this one was on my own key ring and I knew she 
wouldn't believe me.

"I have it for emergencies only.  I've never used it."

"Do you have keys to all your agents homes?" she asked warily, obviously 
disturbed.

"No, just here.  Look, I'm Agent Mulder and Agent Scully's superior.  But I'm also 
their friend.  We all been through a lot together and we've become ... friends, 
close friends.  Don't let this make you nervous."

She nodded and smiled, easily dismissing it.  I sighed in relief.  We set up in the 
kitchen, setting the trace onto the kitchen wall phone.  When we were done, we 
sat at the breakfast bar, where the remains of their breakfast were still littered 
over the counter.

Agent Petril picked up the dishes and washed them, leaving them in the strainer 
by the sink.  She wandered around the house, peeking into the rooms, her eyes 
wide and her mouth open.  She returned to the kitchen and said, "God, this is a 
beautiful place.  I've always wanted to live on the beach."

The phone rang and we both jumped, chuckling at ourselves.  It had been very 
quiet.  She swallowed and I nodded to her.  I saw her hand shake slightly as she 
reached for the receiver.  I pretended not to notice.  

She picked up the phone and didn't say anything.  I pressed the mike into my ear 
to block out any extraneous sounds and clicked on the equipment to begin the 
trace.

A mechanical voice asked, "Agent Scully?  Or Agent Mulder?"

"Agent Scully," she said and nothing more.

"We have your children, Agent Scully and I just wanted to tell  you that they will 
not be harmed.  I'm sorry it had to be this way."

She was a good little actress as she inflected tears into her voice.  "It didn't have 
to be this way.  We would have cooperated with you.  Please don't hurt them, or 
my mother.  She has nothing to do with this.  Let her go!"

"I can't do that right now."

"Let them go!  We'll cooperate with you!"

The line went quiet and he said, "You won't trace this call.  Please tell Agent 
Scully to sit tight and we will return her children."

She said, "You're talking to Agent Scully!"

"No, I'm not," he said and disconnected the call.

He was also correct about tracing the call.  The computer was routing the call 
through station after station and I realized the call's signal had been scrambled.  
We needed different equipment here.  Without saying a word to Agent Petril, I 
pulled out my cell phone and called the Gunmen.

Frohike answered on the third ring, "Lone Gunmen."

"Frohike, I need your help."

"Skinner?"

"That's me."

"What's up, dude?"

It had taken me a while to get used to him addressing me in this fashion, 
amongst us, we had gained mutual respect for one another.  "Boys, ..."

"What?" his voice instantly serious.

"Sean and Missy have been taken, along with Mrs. Scully."

"OHMYGOD!" he shouted into the phone.

I heard the line click and he said, "You're on speaker phone.  What can we do?"

"Look, I need you to come out here with some a de-scrambler for phone tracing 
equipment."

"Where's here?"  Langley asked.

"At Mulder's house.  I've got another agent with me here and we just got a call.  I 
need to call it in, but I wanted to get you guys on this right away.  This call was 
scrambled, and scrambled good."

Byers said, "Anything else we can do?"

"I'm not sure, we've got a lot of people on this.  I'll let you know.  Just get over 
here for now."

"We're on our way, dude," Frohike said.  I smiled in spite of myself.

"Just get over here."

I hung up and looked at Agent Petril.  "I've got some friends coming over here."

"So I heard."  She didn't seem annoyed, rather fascinated in fact.  Maybe she 
was fascinated with the idea that I had friends at all, I thought.  Wouldn't surprise 
me.  And when she saw them, she was probably going to freak out.  I'm sure they 
aren't the kind of friends she would expect me to have.

"They are a little strange, but they are all geniuses with electronic equipment.  
They put out a subversive publication called the Lone Gunmen."

"You know people involved in that sort of thing, against the government?"  She 
looked disappointed.

"Ahh, Agent Petril.  You're so young and I've seen so many things."

"I'm not a baby."

"I know that.  But even if you stay with the Bureau for your entire career, you 
probably won't see the things that I have, or Agents Mulder and Scully have."

"You mean the X-Files."

I nodded.  "I don't mean to sound condescending.  I really don't.  But you need to 
trust me on this.  We are up against something that you can't even imagine."

She stared at me, meeting my gaze bravely, appeased but still not happy about 
my comments.  "So who are these friends of yours?"

"They'll probably shock you.  They are conspiracy nuts, they are paranoid and 
they are a weird lot.  But don't let that fool you.  They are all brilliant, however, 
sometimes it's hard to take them seriously because they are sort of ..."

"Sort of ..."

"Retro-hippies for lack of a better term."

"Retro-hippies?" she repeated, raising her eyebrows at me and smiling.

I nodded, smiling.  "Not the kind of friends you thought I'd have?" I teased.

She chuckled.  "Don't know as I thought about it at all."

We talked then about a lot of things.  I encouraged her to always maintain a life 
outside the Bureau and not make the mistakes I had and become a workaholic, it 
wasn't worth it. I told her a little bit about the politics inside the Bureau and she 
listened with an attentive ear, seemingly appreciative of my input.

The Gunmen arrived with a flourish, smoke billowing out from under their VW 
Microbus.  She grinned as they piled out and unloaded some equipment, stalking 
confidently to the door.  I let them inside and they headed for the kitchen where I 
pointed.  

Langley passed me saying, "Cavalry's here, bud."

Frohike grunted under the weight of the electronic suitcase he was hauling.  "Hey 
dude.  You owe us for this one, you know?"

And finally Byers, merely rolling his eyes and barking out.  "Let's get to work boys 
and while we're at it you can fill us in, Skinner."

I ignored Karen's look of amazement and followed them into the kitchen.  I'm 
sure the way they greeted me was amusing to her.  Langley was wearing a T-
shirt that read, 'Fancy a fuck?'.  Frohike was dressed in jeans and a button up 
shirt with a leather vest.  Byers was, as usual, in a suit.

They were going to want to know all the details, so I sat down and got comfy, 
preparing the to tell the whole tale.  Frohike looked up from the laptop he'd set up 
and said, "Are you going introduce the dish?"

Karen cleared her throat and pulled her I.D. out of her back pocket, flashing at 
him.  He smirked.  "Ooo, another feisty one, like the delectable Agent Scully.  
Can't have too many of those."

I laughed.  I couldn't help it.  Karen turned pink and Byers said, "Shut up, frog 
man, show some respect."

"What?" he asked, totally innocently.

Langley said, "There's no hope for you, Dohicker, that condom in your wallet has 
to be 10 years old."

"Shut up, Four eyes."

"BOYS!" Frohike barked.  "Let's get busy!"

And they did.  I was still chuckling.  Despite my worry, the expression on young 
Agent Petril's face was priceless.

XXXXXXXXXX
THE BELTWAY 
AROUND WASHINGTON D.C.

We'd checked out all seven buildings.  Three had turned out to be residences.  
The people had been gracious and let us check their basements.

One was the Washington Historical Society.  We tramped through their cobwebs 
too and found nothing.

One was a business that sold used tires, nothing.

And the last two were abandoned apartment buildings.  We'd found nothing, 
absolutely zero.  We were exhausted and on edge from being nerved up.

I whispered, "They have to be O.K., Mulder."

He nodded, tense behind the wheel.  "We'll find them Scully."

I pulled out my phone to check in with Agent Rinto.  "Shit!"

"What?" he asked.

"My phone's not on!"  I flicked the button furiously but it remained dead.

He looked at me and said, "I didn't bring mine, Scully.  I left it home when we ran 
out."

"Shit!  We have to call in.  Anything could have happened!"  I could feel the panic 
welling up in me again.  It came and went all day.

"We'll head back to the house now and I'll check the voice mail and we'll call 
Agent Rinto from there."

I nodded, sniffling.  "I'm sorry, Mulder.  I've never been this weepy."

"Give yourself a break, Scully.  You have every right to be emotional.  Your not 
an agent right now, you're a mother."

"I'm an Agent!"

His voice was soothing.  "I know, but now you're a mother first and an agent 
second.  And that's all right."

He reached across the seat and curled his fingers into mine.  I sighed deeply, 
brushing the tears off my face with my free hand.  "Damn it, I knew this was too 
good to be true.  I was just too damned happy.  I should have known it couldn't 
last.  All I wanted was to be left alone and raise my babies."

He squeezed my hand.  "It's not too good to be true, Scully.  We'll find them, I 
promise and then if I can, I'll talk to them.  Make them understand that this isn't 
the way to garner our favor and cooperation."

"I don't want to give them anything!"  I knew this was unrealistic and 
unreasonable.

"I know, but I'd rather cooperate than have my family taken away.  Jesus, Scully.  
You and the kids are everything I've always wanted.  I didn't think I'd ever have a 
family again.  I was in love with you and I knew you couldn't have children, and 
I'd accepted that.  But then I came back and you were pregnant ... and ..."

He stopped and swallowed harshly.  I realized I had been being selfish.  He'd 
been my rock all day and I hadn't given much thought to how upset he must be, 
as much as I was at least.

"And it was like a miracle," he said softly.  "This whole thing, being with you, 
being a father, is a miracle to me, Scully.  And I'll die trying to preserve it, you 
have to know that.  I love you, and I love Sean and Missy more than I thought 
possible."

I tried to reassure him, "I know, Mulder.  I love you too, and I'm sorry I haven't 
stopped to think how upset you are too.  You've been my rock and I needed you 
to be and ... "

"We'll find them, Scully.  There just isn't any other option.  We'll find them."

XXXXXXXXXX
THE MULDER'S HOUSE
INDIAN HEAD, MD

We arrived to find the Gunmen's bus in the driveway.  I peered at Scully and she 
was furrowing her brow.  "Who told them?"

"I don't know, let's get inside."

The kitchen was like a beehive.  Agent Petril was making ham and cheese 
sandwiches from lunch meat I knew wasn't ours.  Frohike was waving a 
sandwich in the air as he explained what the de-scrambler did to Agent Petril.  
Langley was tapping furiously on another keyboard set up on a chair turned 
backwards to face the one he was sitting on.  Byers was pacing the outside the 
kitchen, in the dining room, with a cell phone to his ear.  

"What's going on?" I asked.

Silence fell in the kitchen and just then Skinner returned, saying, "Bathroom's 
free."

He looked up and saw us and came to a halt.  He motioned to the dining room 
and we followed him in.  He sat down and Byers retreated to the living room.  
"We got a call.  Agent Petril pretended to be you, Scully, but he figured it out."

"Who was it?" I asked.

"We don't know.  He was talking into something that digitized his voice."

"Shit!" Scully exclaimed.  "What did he say?"

"That we couldn't trace the call.  That you should sit tight and the kids would be 
returned."

"I want to hear it," I said.  He nodded and we got up and went back into the 
kitchen to where the tape machine was set up.  He rewound it and we listened.

[A mechanical voice asked, "Agent Scully?  Or Agent Mulder?"

"Agent Scully," she said and nothing more.

"We have your children, Agent Scully and I just wanted to tell you that they will 
not be harmed.  I'm sorry it had to be this way."

Karen's voice came from the tape,  "It didn't have to be this way.  We would have 
cooperated with you.  Please don't hurt them, or my mother.  She has nothing to 
do with this.  Let her go!"

"I can't do that right now."

"Let them go!  We'll cooperate with you!  What do you want?"

The line went quiet and he said, "You won't trace this call.  Please tell Agent 
Scully to sit tight and we will return her children."

She said, "You're talking to Agent Scully!"

"No, I'm not," he said and disconnected the call.]

We sat in silence for a moment.  Scully turned to Agent Petril and said, "Thanks 
for trying."

She nodded and held out a sandwich.  I realized we hadn't eaten since breakfast.  
I said, "You better eat it, Scully.  Don't know when we'll get another chance."

She frowned but took the sandwich, biting tentatively.  I could tell she had no 
appetite.  I smiled and took another one from her that she held out.  I looked at 
Skinner and talked with my mouth full.  "Did you call Julie Rinto?"

He nodded.  "They're on it, but I called the Gunmen.  I didn't want to waste time 
requisitioning a de-scrambler and getting it out here."

"Good thinking.  Sorry we didn't call to tell you boys."

Langley said, "Yeah, well, we'll extract our revenge for that later."

"Eureka!" Frohike shouted.

"WHAT?!" we all shouted at once.  

He looked up, his eyes lit with excitement.  "Call was from a phone booth in 
downtown Phoenix, AZ, baby.  He scribbled the location on a pad and handed it 
to Skinner who was already dialing Agent Rinto.

"Julie?" he asked.

"We traced the call.  Sent the birds down there."

XXXXXXXXXX

We raced back to D.C. and we loaded onto a chopper off the roof of the Hoover 
Building.  Scully cut off the circulation in my hand as we flew southwest.  
Doggett, Reyes, Skinner and Petril had waited for a second chopper.  Agent 
Rinto was with us.

She'd called ahead to the AZ field office and alerted them that we needed every 
available hand ready to go.

We touched down at a hospital helo-pad in Phoenix where the field agents there 
had a car waiting for us.  We went to the field office only to find that the agents 
had already been to the phone booth and took prints.  They were running them 
through the computer, but it would be a while.  There were hundreds of prints.  
As soon as a match was made, they were feeding the information into the 
database to see if there was a hit on any of the identified prints.  It was a lengthy 
but necessary process.  

I knew they were wasting their time, but I didn't bother to tell them so.  Scully 
turned to me abruptly and said, "Mulder, where did they release you?"

I felt the color drain from my head and thought, 'Oh God, please don't them be on 
that ship.'  "The middle of the Arizona desert."

"Where exactly?"

I shook my head.  "I don't remember."

"Call the boys.  They'll have the coordinates."

I nodded and began to dial.  She went into a furious conversation with Agent 
Rinto, asking for the chopper to take us to the coordinates that I was procuring 
on the phone.

Agent Rinto looked perturbed and highly skeptical.  Agent Scully was following a 
HUNCH, and I couldn't help but smile at the changes that had taken place in both 
of us.  Rinto finally relented, under the condition that we allow other agents to 
come with us. 

By then Doggett, Reyes, Petril and Skinner had arrived.  Rinto stayed behind.  
The rest of us headed for the chopper.

XXXXXXXXXX

Being in the desert again was, dare I say, a spooky experience.  Feeling of 
anxiety I thought I had conquered resurfaced.  I found myself sweating profusely 
and trying to calm the nervous butterflies in my stomach.

Skinner noticed but said nothing at first.  Finally he said, "Are you all right, 
Mulder?"

I nodded.  "Nervous, I guess."

He nodded.  We reached the coordinates and touched down about a quarter mile 
away.  We walked carefully towards the spot our eyes peeled for anything 
unusual.  And then it happened, Scully was grabbed up by that damnable ... 
force field ... or whatever the hell it was and shaken like a rag doll.  

I screamed, "SCCUULLLYY!! NNNOOO!  YOU FUCKING BASTARDS!"

I lunged toward her and Doggett and Skinner held me back.  Agent Petril's eyes 
were wide with shock.  As she was released and fell to the ground, they let go of 
me.

I raced to her and dropped to my knees, cradling her head in my lap.  "God, 
Scully!  Talk to me!"

She groaned and her eyes opened.  "What happened?"

"Same thing that happened in Oregon.  It pushed you back.  Lie still."

She nodded and then reached for head as the motion caused her a wave a 
dizziness.  I heard Skinner shouting,  "Stay back!"  

I gently scooped her up and carried her back about 500 yards and sat in the sand 
with her, cradling her body close to mine, her head on my shoulder.  Agent 
Reyes said, "What now?"

"We wait," I said.  "They can see us."

They huddled off a bit away from us, giving us some privacy.  I cooed words of 
love in her ear until she was able to stand.  Her legs were shaky and she held 
onto me tightly, but I felt her spine stiffen and her shoulders square up.  She was 
ready to do battle again.  

I looked up and squinted.  If I squinted really hard, I could see a shimmer, but to 
the casual glance, it was invisible.  I turned to everyone else and said,  "We 
should back up.  If they come out, the light is blinding and the sand storm will 
knock you down."

The nodded and we trudged back another 500 yards or so.  Then I turned to 
Scully.  "I'm going to go up there and see if they'll answer me."

She shook her head furiously, holding on my wrist.  "I have to try, Scully."

Her face crumpled and she started to cry.  "Be careful, please.  I can't lose you 
too.  I can't lose you again."

I nodded.  "I have to try."

She nodded and I started walking slowly, feeling the anxiety coil in the pit of my 
belly.  I squinted hard until I approached the spot where we had been before, our 
footprints marking the spot.

I shouted at the top of my lungs, "TALK TO ME!  GIVE ME BACK MY BABIES!"

Nothing.  I staggered as I felt a wave of relief so strong it buckled my knees.  I fell 
down, feeling nauseous, knowing the relief wasn't coming from me.   Maggie!

I closed my eyes and concentrated on locating it.  It was coming from above me.  
I shouted, "I CAN FEEL YOU MAGGIE!"

I heard Scully shout my name, but I ignored it.  I hoped if they were watching, 
they would relay the message and she would try to project her feelings.  But why 
would she?  She had no idea about this ... intuition ... I had acquired. 

But then I felt it again.  Massive relief.  A picture flashed behind my eyelids of 
Maggie Scully, clutching one baby in each arm against her chest.  I shouted 
again, "GIVE THEM BACK!"

I suddenly remembered the names I'd heard and the way the alien had been 
insulted when I disregarded his name.  I shouted again, "HEXLA!  HEMPLAR!  
PLEASE GIVE THEM BACK!  I'M BEGGING YOU!"

Nothing.

For about fifteen seconds.

Then the sky lit up with blinding light and sand pelted me furiously as I covered 
my eyes with my arm.  I hoped everyone else had.  The heat rolled over me and I 
felt like I was going to pass out.  I leaned forward until my head hit the sand.  I 
felt my equilibrium return and could see the light fade through my closed eyelids.  
I came up on all fours and they were standing there.  There were two bounty 
aliens.  They both looked like the dreaded bounty hunter.  I didn't know if they all 
were hunters, but I didn't think so.  But they all looked alike.

One of them had Mrs. Scully in a baby carry in his arms.  She was not conscious.  
The other one had a baby cradled in each arm.  I leaped to my feet, staggering at 
the weakness in my legs from the relief flooding through me.  I ran toward the 
babies and I could hear the others coming up behind me.  I turned.  "Stay back!"  

I didn't want any of them to be hurt.  I looked at the one carrying the babies.  I 
held out my arms, my eyes pleading with him.  He didn't move at first and I said, 
"You know I'll die trying to take them from you."

He nodded and stepped forward.  I took them in my arms, awkwardly cradling 
them, one to each shoulder, an arm under each ones butt.  He said, "They were 
not harmed."

"You shouldn't have taken them without telling me."

He just stared at me.  "I might kill you next time."

"Then you would die."

I swallowed hard.  "But I would take you with me."

He nodded again, believing me.  "Ask next time."

He just stared at me.  I figured this was probably out of his control.  I asked, "Can 
Skinner come up to get Mrs. Scully?"

The one holding her said, "Yes.  She is all right, but she passed out."

I turned and hollered, "Skinner, come here!"

He came at a trot, her eyes furtive and afraid but determined.  I croaked, "Can 
you carry Maggie?"

He nodded.  "Yes."

The alien stepped forward and gently laid Mrs. Scully in his arms.  He looked at 
me and said, "Good to see you again."

I barked out a sharp retort of sarcastic laughter.  "I'll bet.  Which one are you?"

"I am Hexla."  I looked at the other one.  "I am Hared."

I looked back to Hexla.  Scully and Agent Reyes were suddenly at my side, each 
taking a baby.  Scully was crying, but this time with relief and joy.  They scurried 
back away from the ship.  I looked up to see it hovering in the air.  Hexla said, 
"We can not stay exposed for long."

"I know, but we need to come to an arrangement."

"I will visit you."

"YOU will, or one of your minions."

"Are you more comfortable with me?"

Oddly, the answer was, yes.  "Yes."

He nodded stoically.  "Then I will come."

"Are they really all right.  Your idea of all right and mine are two different things, I 
think."

He actually smiled.  A closed lipped smile.  "They are fine."  God, he sounded 
like a bad imitation of Arnold Swartzenegger.  

I stared at him hard and he added, "No experiments like with you.  You had a 
condition to cure.  We merely examined them and took some blood samples."

"I would have given you that.  And you didn't have to take my mother-in-law."

"We wanted to examine her blood as well."

"Why?"

He stared.  I wasn't going to get the answer.

"You are free to go.  I will visit."

I turned and made my way back to the group.  

Hexla stopped me by saying, "One more thing."

I turned to look at him.  He asked, "Do you want more children?"

My eyes widened.  I nodded.  He said, "Breed with your mate before the moon is 
high tonight."

"What are you saying?"

He stared.  Bastard.  Bits and pieces he fed me.  I nodded and turned away, 
trotting back toward the group.  He said to the back of my head, "Before 
midnight."

Mrs. Scully was conscious but disoriented.  Doggett volunteered to go get the 
van we'd taken out here and come back to get us.  It was burning hot now and 
we were all sweating.   Agent Petril was still wide eyed with shock, her head 
darting back and forth.  

Skinner approached her and put his hands on her shoulders, shaking her lightly.  
She looked up at him.  The top of her head barely reached his shoulder.  His 
voice was amazingly calm considering I knew the fear he had as well.  He said, 
"It's over now, Agent."

She nodded tentatively, her chin quivering.  He said, "You're all right.  It's over 
now.  We're going back now."

She blinked furiously and Skinner mumbled, "Fuck protocol."  He gathered the 
tiny agent into his arms and held her until she stopped shaking.  Scully and I 
exchanged a wry grin.  I was holding Sean and she had Missy.  Reyes was 
watching the perimeter of our spot like a watchdog.  

The van roared up to us and came to a stop.  We all piled into the van, Skinner 
helping Maggie Scully.  I sat in one of the back seats and pulled Scully sideways 
into my lap.  I cradled her with one arm behind my back and braced Sean against 
my other shoulder.  She turned into me, laying her head on my shoulder and 
holding Missy close to her chest.

I just wanted to hold my family.  My head was still spinning.  It wasn't over yet.  
We were going to be paid another visit. 

I just wanted it to be over.  I squeezed them tight.  The babies fussed and then 
cried, nearly all the way back.  They were hungry.  Doggett drove straight to the 
field office after we turned down the offer of the hospital.  Scully and I checked 
them for implants and there didn't appear to be any.  That was a relief at least.  
They were tired and hungry, but otherwise, did indeed, seem unharmed.  I was 
afraid to believe it.

Scully hurried into the bathroom with Reyes and Petril behind her.  They were 
going to help examine the babies and Scully needed to breast feed them.  They 
were very hungry.   Scully had said, her breasts were becoming achy and sore 
from not being suckled all day.

I met with Rinto and gave her a run down, the whole time, casting furtive glances 
at the door to the ladies room.  She finally waved me off and said, "Go Home.  I 
booked you on a flight to Dulles.  Give me a report later.

When Scully was ready to travel, I gathered up my family and an agent drove us 
to the airport.



PART 5 (NC-17)
THE MULDER'S HOUSE
INDIAN HEAD, MD

We took Maggie home with us.  When we reached D.C., Scully took her mother 
to the hospital to be checked out.  She protested, but Scully insisted.  And 
although she didn't want to let the babies out of her sight, she let me take them 
home.

She arrived back a few hours later, with Maggie in tow.  We tucked her into the 
guest room.  She was exhausted and fell instantly into a deep sleep.

We sat in the living room curled up in the corner of the couch.  I held Sean and 
she held Missy and leaned on me, my free arm over her shoulder.  We sat like 
that, silent for a long time, neither knowing what to say. 

I finally broke the silence and said, "I'm sorry, Scully." 

"Sorry?  For what?" 

"None of this would have ..." 

She cut me off.  "Stop.Right.There!" 

I swallowed.  "I can't help it, Scully." 

"God, you exasperate me with your guilt complex sometimes, you know that?" 

I sighed hard against the lump in my throat.  "I wanted us to have a normal life, a 
normal family." 

She chuckled.  "That's not who we are, Mulder." 

"But it's who I wanted us to be." 

"Naa, that would be boring." 

He smiled then, amazed at her capacity for acceptance and adjusting.  "I could 
do with a little boring time, myself." 

She turned her head to me and smiled.  "Yeah, me too, but it would drive us 
crazy after a while." 

I looked at the ceiling, then back down at Sean in my arms.  I said, "I would never 
wish for this to touch them though."

She nodded.  "I know you wouldn't.  And I'm not saying I enjoyed this particular 
excitement.  I was terrified.  You know that.  But instead of blaming yourself, why 
don't you pat yourself on the back for once."

"For what?" 

"You got them back." 

I shook my head.  "They gave them back." 

"But they talked to you.  I don't think they would have talked to anyone else.  And 
maybe now we can prevent this from happening again."  She paused.  "I know 
you were scared, Mulder, going there again."

I looked down at her.  "I was petrified." 

She smiled.  "But you did it anyway.  You marched up to them, despite your fear 
and brought our kids and my mother away from them."

"If they didn't want to hand them over, I wouldn't have gotten them." 

"No one else even had the courage to walk up there.  You got them back, 
Mulder.  Just be grateful for that." 

"You got them back, Scully.  It was your hunch about the location." 

"Why don't we both give ourselves a break?" 

I looked at her.  She stretched up and kissed me softly.  I murmured against her 
lips.  "I love you so much." 

"Mmm," was her only response, and she kissed me again. 

"I have to tell you something," I said. 

She peered at me.  "What is it?" 

"First, I need to ask you something." 

"So ask." 

"Do you want more children.  Do you want to risk it?" 

She looked at me queerly.  "I don't think I can have anymore, Mulder.  I mean, I 
haven't gone through the tests again, but I'm fairly certain that my condition 
hasn't changed.  These babies were a miracle."

"But if you could have another one, would you want it?" 

She sighed.  "Yes." 

I looked down at her and said, "Hexla told me that if I wanted more children, I 
should ..." 

"What?" 

"He has a crude way of putting things." 

"Just tell me." 

"He said, 'Breed with your mate before the moon is high,' and as I walked away, 
he said, 'by midnight.'" 

She was staring at me now, frozen.  "Are you saying that he was telling you ..." 
"I'm not sure.  But I assume he meant that you are fertile until midnight." 

"How?  You're not supposed to be able to get pregnant while your breast feeding.  That's 
true for a normal woman, let alone me.  I mean, it has been know to happen to a few 
woman, but it's rare.  And me, well, it goes without saying, I shouldn't be fertile at 
all." 

I shook my head.  "He wouldn't say why or how.  I'm sorry to spring this on you, but we 
don't have much time." 

She looked at the clock.  It was 10:00 PM.  She stood up and faced me.  She 
stared for a several long moments and said, "We have to try.  What have we got 
to lose.  I planned on making love to you tonight anyway."

"You did?"

"Yes ... I need to feel close to you, Mulder."

I smiled and rose up.  I bent over and kissed her softly and we turned to go 
upstairs, each of toting our precious bundles.  We put them in the cribs that were 
still in our room.  I made a circuit of the house, making sure all the doors and 
windows were locked, then I returned to the bedroom to find Scully laid out in the 
middle of it, naked as the day she was born.

Moonlight was the only light in the room and it filtered in from the window, casting 
her in soft shadow.  Her porcelain skin glowed against the burgundy comforter on 
the bed.  I stared at her as I slowly undressed, taking my time. 

When I was naked, I crawled up to her, kissing her gently again.  She ran her 
hands up and down my back, squeezing my rear end playfully and moving back 
up to pull my head down to her lips.

I let my fingers roam over her neck and shoulders, her ribcage and down to her 
stomach.  My lips followed my fingers.  She was humming a contented sound as 
I worked slowly.  I'd always loved the sounds she made.

I scratched her hipbones lightly and she gasped.  He hardened at the sound.  
Each gasp and soft moan, breathed life into my cock, until I was throbbing with a 
deep pulse and ached to sink myself inside her.  

I was about to get busy between her legs, when she pulled on my shoulders.  I 
looked up at her and she said, "Not tonight.  Just come up here and make love to 
me."

I shivered in anticipation.  You would think that the novelty of making love to my 
wife would wear off.  But so far, I was just as thrilled every time as I had been 
that first time.

I rose up to meet her and settled into the cradle of her thighs.  I lifted her legs up 
and rested her feet on my shoulders.  Her eyes widened but she didn't protest.  I 
sank into her slowly, embedding myself deeply.  She groaned and threw her 
head back, spreading her hair on the pillow.  I leaned down to lave at her neck 
behind her ear and on her pulse.  

I sunk into her deeply over and over, feeling her clench her internal muscles 
around me, driving me insane as usual.  In no time, we were both frantic.
Her body was bent in half but she stretched her arms downward and grasped the 
sides of my ass, urging me on. I covered her mouth with mine just as I felt her 
walls flutter around me.  I exploded inside her, groaning low into her mouth as we 
rode out the waves together.

I lowered her legs gently and massaged her hip flexors.  She moaned in 
appreciation.  I ran my thumbs over her newly acquired stretch marks, smiling 
softly at her.

"They don't bother you?" she asked softly. 

I shook my head.  "They are like badges of honor." 

She chuckled quietly then.  "Just another war wound, huh?" she teased. 

I nodded.  "It's funny, when you were in labor last time, I told myself I would talk 
to you about not having anymore, even if we could."

"Why?" she scrunched her brow. 

"I couldn't stand seeing you in pain like that.  I didn't ever want to see it again, 
certainly not because you volunteered for it."

She smiled.  "At the time, I thought it was the worst  pain I'd ever felt, or ever 
would feel.  I didn't think I could take it on more than one occasion."

"I know." 

"But about three minutes after they were delivered, I couldn't remember any of 
the pain.  All I could feel was love for those babies.  I didn't care.  It had been 
worth every second."

I lowered my head.  "I have no idea if he was stringing me along, Scully.  I have 
no way of knowing." 

"I know.  But what have we got to lose?" 

"Will you be disappointed if it doesn't happen?" 

She sighed deeply.  "I don't know.  But I know that I have two beautiful, healthy 
babies and that's more than I could ever have asked for."

"And if you are pregnant again?" 

She grinned.  "It'll be another miracle.  Why do you think ... why now?  It's so 
soon after having the twins." 

"I have a theory." 

She quirked her eyebrow at me in inquiry.  I loved that eyebrow, I thought idly.  

"I think, no, I know that you conceived the night we spent together in Oregon.  
You say I was the only one you'd been with ..."

"Of course!" she scowled indignantly. 

I smiled and put my fingers to her lips.  "Shush, I know you were.  I'm just saying, 
that was the only time we'd been together then, so it had to have happened that 
night."

"Right." 

"And if this alien bastard wasn't just yanking my chain, you conceived tonight." 

"I'm with you so far." 

"What do those two days have in common?" 

She stared at me blankly for long moments.  I could see the gears turning in her 
head.  Finally, her eyes widened and she said, "Oh my God, the ..."

"Force field around the ship, or whatever the hell that thing is, caught you on that 
day, and I made love to you that night."

"And today I was caught in it again." 

"Yes, and he told me to ... make love to you before midnight if I wanted to have 
more children." 

She swallowed hard.  "So you're saying that that ... thing, makes me ... ovulate?" 

"I think it does.  In the case of the twins, each ovary must have ovulated.  There 
were two eggs, not just one.  If there was one and it split, they would have been 
identical." 

"Why would they do it that way?  Leave it so much to chance?" 

"I don't think it was intentional.  I think it was an accident and they discovered its 
affect on the human female body only after you walked into it and then 
conceived."

"We may never know." 

"No, they are pretty stingy with the information." 

"Well, come here and spoon me." 

I crawled over behind her and pulled her against my chest.  

She asked, "When do you think he will come?"

"I don't know.  I hope he gives a few days, but I don't want it be a long time 
either.  I want to make a deal with them.   I hate that we have to give anything to 
these bastards, but I don't see how we have a choice.  And I don't think I can go 
through this again.  Now every member of this family has been abducted.  It's 
getting ridiculous."

"I don't think I could stand this again either.  God, Mulder.  I felt like my heart had 
been ripped out."

"I know.  I don't want to give anything, but Scully, anything's better than what we 
just went through."

"I agree."

"We'll talk some more in the morning, O.K.?"  She nodded and snuggled deep 
into my chest.

I dreaded trying to negotiate with these things, but it was our best chance to live 
as close to a normal life as possible.  I didn't want my wife or me to live in fear of 
our children being snatched at every turn.  I would do anything to keep my family 
together and safe ... anything.  I would have to cross that bridge when I came to 
it though.  He wasn't going to come to my call.  He was going to come when it 
suited him.

XXXXXXXXXX

I fell asleep but was wakened some time later by a sound in my subconscious.  One of 
twins fussing!

I sat bolt upright in bed and spun toward the cribs.  Mulder was holding Missy in his 
arms and signing softly to her.  God, this man new more lullabies than I did.  I would 
have to correct that.  I couldn't sing for shit, though.  

"Hush, little baby, don't say a word.
Papa's gonna buy you a mocking bird.

And if that mocking bird won't sing,
Papa's gonna buy you a diamond ring.

And if the diamond ring turns brass,
Papa's gonna buy you a looking glass.

And if that looking glass gets broke,
Papa's gonna buy you a billy goat.

And if that billy goat won't pull,
Papa's gonna buy you a cart and bull.

And if that cart and bull fall down,
You'll still be the sweetest little baby in town."

I smiled.  He turned and saw me, smiling softly.  He whispered, "She was fussing."

"I heard," I whispered back.  "You have a beautiful voice, Mulder."

He laid her back down in the crib and covered her carefully with the blanket.  He 
returned the bed and slipped under the covers, rolling me away from him and spooning up 
against my back again.

XXXXXXXXXX

"I love you, Scully," I whispered into her ear.

She shivered slightly and responded, "I love you too, Mulder."

I ran my hand around her hip and massaged her tummy gently.  She hummed in the back of 
her throat.  "I think we made a baby tonight, Scully."

"Hmmmm, I hope." was her only reply.

We fell asleep curled around each other, with my nose buried in her hair.  Everything 
that was precious to me was sleeping right here in this room.  I would find a way to 
protect it.  I wanted to sing a lot more lullabies to my kids in the next few years.  I 
sighed.  God, there was nothing better than having a family.

THE END.

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