Disclaimers in Part One.
Mulder sat on the floor in front of the television. He knew he should go out and talk to Scully. But he had no idea what he was going to say. What should he say? What could he say?
The happy memory unfolding in front of him didn't do anything to lighten his mood.
Scully was standing in the middle of the room with a hand on one hip, holding a roller. She turned and hollered towards the back of the room.
'Frohike, come out of the closet already!'
Langly had been walking by and he turned and exchanged a glance with Krycek.
'I've been trying to get him to do that for years.'
Krycek snickered and moved towards the camera. 'You want me to take that, Maggie?'
'No, Alex.' She said. 'You go ahead and paint. I'd rather direct.'
'You ain't no fool.' He said, smiling. 'You're getting out of the hard stuff.'
Frohike emerged from the closet at the back of the room.
'Finally outta the closet?' Langly asked.
Krycek began to paint a wall. 'What the hell were you doing in there, Frohike?'
'What's it to you, punk ass?'
'You've been in my kid's closet for awhile now.' Krycek said. 'If you don't expect us to think that's just a little weird-'
'If you must know-'
'No, no, no.' Scully held up a hand. 'That, I don't need to hear.'
Watching everyone taking part in building a life for Scully's baby, for Scully and Krycek's baby, his nephew, Mulder felt left out again. This time he did know that there was no one to blame but himself. Scully had asked, Krycek had asked, the Lone Gunmen had asked, Skinner had asked. Everyone had asked. But he had been too wrapped up in other things.
Mulder was shocked to hear a song in the memory. A song he had heard many times, whether he really liked it or not. Someone was singing sappily along with the radio, joking around.
'…Hello girl, it's been awhile…'
A strange feeling swept over Mulder. He had thought of Scully every time he'd heard that song since she'd supposedly died.
'…Guess you'll be glad to know…That I've learned how to laugh and smile…'
It was how he'd felt. He thought he'd loosened up considerably since then. Because Krycek had told him he needed to laugh more. To enjoy life more, otherwise he'd end up like their father. Even though he'd never admitted it to anyone, especially Krycek, the thought of ending up alone and burned out in his later years terrified him.
'…Getting over you was slow…'
It had taken almost a year before he could think of her without feeling like his insides were falling out. When he'd finally been able to look up towards the heaven that she'd believed in and hoped that she was there. He'd finally been able to believe that maybe she could see the person he'd become. That he wasn't as serious and brooding and so damn uptight as he'd always seemed.
Someone else had joined in the sappy crooning.
'…They say old lovers can be good friends…But I never thought I'd really see you…'
Everyone in the room had wailed the last part, making fun of the song, being over-dramatic.
'I'd really see you again…I go crazy…'
They all careened off into laughter.
Mulder shook his head to himself. He had been so proud, so stubborn. He had refused to take any part in Scully's life because he couldn't get over the whole Krycek thing. Over two years later, he was regretting every moment he'd missed.
Oh yes, who was the idiot now.
Mulder sighed and stood up. He had been putting it off long enough, catching up on memories he'd never be able to share. He needed to go talk to Scully.
He cautiously walked out onto the deck and stood there, staring at the back of Scully's head. She was staring out over the ocean, her long hair blowing in the breeze. He had no idea what to say, no idea where to start. This was quite possibly the most helpless he'd ever felt in his life.
'…Somebody's Heinie…Is crowding my ice box…Somebody's cold one…Is giving me chills…Guess I'll just close my eyes…'
Music floated out to them and he opened his mouth to speak but Scully beat him to it.
'Hey, Mulder.' She greeted.
He stepped up next to her and shared the view of the ocean.
'…Say it ain't so…Your drug is a heart-breaker…'
Mulder put a hand over hers. 'I don't know what to say.'
'I know.' She said softly.
'…Say it ain't so…My love is a life-taker…'
'You were supposed to be dead, Scully.'
'I know.'
'You were dead.'
'I know.' She said, turning her head away from him to look down the coastline so he wouldn't see the tears on her cheeks.
'I'm sorry.' He said. 'I don't know what to say.'
'The timing couldn't be better.' She tried to joke.
'I can't just leave Marie because you're back.' Mulder said. 'It wouldn't be fair-'
'I'm not asking you to, Mulder!' Scully stared at him in astonishment. 'I can't believe you just said that! I can't believe that thought even entered your mind.'
He reached over and wiped a tear off her cheek 'I'm just at a loss right now, Scully.'
She stared back at him. He seemed much older to her now. More mature. She looked away.
'Maybe it's a blessing in disguise.'
She whipped her head back towards him. 'What?' She asked, totally in disbelief. 'I was taken away for two years, Mulder. I was kept from my child, from anyone who cared about me. What the hell do you mean, a blessing in disguise?'
'I didn't mean that, Scully.' Mulder turned back towards the ocean. 'I meant, I don't know how to start. We were the only people in each other's lives. You were the only person I trusted. It was natural for us to turn to each other, since each other is all there was.'
She turned away again.
'Let's take each of us.' Mulder said, rambling on in places he had no reason to go. 'You were always after your father's approval. You never got it. You only dated men in your life that you knew you couldn't have. Daniel, he was married, had children. And me, I was so committed to my work…'
'Don't you dare dissect me, Mulder.' Scully said, turning on him.
Mulder was silent.
'I don't need your justification.' She continued. 'Shit happens, things change. I understand.'
Mulder stared back at her. 'All I meant is that you never know what's going to happen. Maybe things are ending up, as they should.'
'It sounds like you need to convince yourself, Mulder.' Scully said softly. 'Maybe you're feeling guilty.'
'Guilty, no.' Mulder said. 'Loyalty, yes.'
'Oh great.' She grinned humorlessly. 'Now we're dogs.'
'I'm serious.' He said. 'We've always been very loyal to each other. It's almost like we're obligated to be together. I believe that your loyalty to me kept you from letting yourself get close to-'
Scully turned towards him, eye's flashing in anger. 'Stop right there, Mulder.'
The next several minutes were spent in silence until Mulder looked over at her. 'You're doing okay?'
She was silent, and slightly shook her head. 'I don't know. You think you have a handle on something.' She closed her eyes and ran her hands over her face. 'You think you have everything in control. You try to accept things; you try to get over things. You try to let things go.'
'Scully, you're talking in the second-person.' Mulder said. 'That's disassociation. Maybe you should-'
'You're dissecting again.' She said, desperately trying to keep some sort of semblance of sanity. This wasn't the time or the place for her to have her meltdown.
'You okay, Scully?'
She took a few breaths and managed to nod while listening to the music.
'…In spite of years of silence…You cleaned up…Found Jesus…Things are good also out here…'
Processing…Processing…She thought to herself.
'…Say it ain't so…You're drug is a heart-breaker…'
They had taken her away from her son, from her family, from Krycek and from Mulder. They had taken two years of her life and in the meantime, everyone else had gotten on with their own.
'…Say it ain't so…My love is a life-taker…'
The whole time they'd known each other, outside forces had always been trying to split her and Mulder up. Take her away from him; take him away from her.
They'd finally won.
*************************
The next summer…
Mulder brought Scully a glass of iced tea. They were sitting on the bottom deck of the beach house. She smiled her thanks at him as he sat down in the chair next to her.
They both watched Cade, building some crazy sandcastle.
'I can't believe how big he's getting.' Mulder observed. 'Every time I come out, he's doubled in size.'
Scully smiled. 'It's amazing.'
Mulder came out to visit Scully every chance he got, which wasn't as often as she'd like. At least it's better than the last time, she sighed. She didn't blame him for not being there with her, she knew he thought he was doing the right thing, trying to fight Spender. Wherever he was.
Things were different between them.
A lot had happened while she was away. People had moved on with their lives. Back when she had been pregnant, it had seemed that Mulder would never be able to forgive her for having Krycek's child, that they were always going to have problems.
Now she saw how much he loved Cade. She saw that he had even managed to half bury the hatchet he'd had for Krycek. Mulder seemed happy and at ease with himself and with her. With Cade and with Krycek. She knew that Mulder had loved her, that maybe he still did. She made sure that he knew how much she cared about him.
But things were still different.
Mulder knew that Scully missed Krycek terribly. Hell, he himself did. He had just started to get to know the man. Had just started to get over the past. Had just started kicking the idea around in his head that maybe it'd be nice to have a brother.
Mulder had always wondered what had happened between Krycek and Scully the night before Cade was born. He didn't know. He figured he never would. Mulder knew that Scully had loved him, that maybe she still did. He made sure that she knew that he cared about her.
But things were still different.
Later on that evening, Mulder was preparing some veggie burgers on the grill; Scully and Cade were sitting together on a bench, visiting without saying a word.
'Mommy?'
'Hmmm?'
Cade had looked up at her with his beautiful blue eyes.
'Sometimes I hear Daddy.'
Scully smiled at him sadly. 'I know, sweetheart. Sometimes I do too.'
Cade had left it at that, seeming to understand without needing to hear a word.
After 'Uncle Fox' had put Cade to bed, he and Scully had sat in the full moon, having a glass of wine.
'You've never told me.' Mulder said. 'Krycek talks to you?'
'No.' Scully shook her head. ' Alex would never torture us like that. I think that sometimes when he thinks about us, that's what we're feeling.'
Mulder sighed, putting a hand over hers. She immediately interlaced her fingers with his, enjoying the support he gave her.
'Tell me about my brother.'
Scully smiled over at him. Mulder had never called Krycek that before. 'He loves music.'
'Yeah?' Mulder returned her smile. 'What's his favorite group?'
'Pink Floyd.' Scully said. 'He said that he'd always thought they were singing to him. That all their songs mirrored his feelings.'
Pink Floyd, Mulder thought to himself. I remember that. They kept him sane.
Krycek, sitting in a huddled in a black ball on the beach getting drunk.
He shook his head to clear it before Scully could pick the image out of his head. She didn't need to know any of that. It would just upset her.
He took a sip of his wine. 'What's his favorite song?'
'Imagine.'
Mulder looked surprised. 'John Lennon?'
'Yes.' She nodded. 'Alex may have seemed evil and mean and harsh, but underneath, he wanted nothing but peace on earth.' Scully smiled, remembering all the times Krycek had told her he was bitter he'd missed the sixties. 'He was just a big hippie.'
Mulder was silent for a moment. 'I've missed a lot, haven't I?'
'Yes.' She said softly. 'You have.'
They didn't speak for a very long time. Scully suddenly took a deep breath. When Mulder looked over at her questioningly, she smiled and set her other hand on top of his. 'See what I mean?' She asked softly.
Mulder felt Krycek, thinking about Cade, Scully, and him. He smiled at the odd feeling that his brother was reaching out to him. He tried to reach back, to let him know that all was okay, that all was finally forgiven. That he hadn't been forgotten; that he was his brother. He spoke aloud softly to put more effort behind it.
'Hey Alex.'
'…Hey you…Out there in the cold…Getting lonely, getting old…Can you feel me…'
Krycek's favorite band came over the stereo and his contact with his brother was immediately cut off. Mulder drew in a quick breath. The disconnection was not a pleasant feeling. He sat for a moment, feeling quite empty. He had felt his brother's desperation and pain and longing. Not quite the feelings he'd want to have hanging around. But feeling a presence that was so Krycek, a confirmation that his brother was alive, was too large an emotion to want to give back.
'…Hey you…Don't help them to bury the light…Don't give in…Without a fight…'
'You okay, Mulder?'
He turned to see Scully staring back at him, slight concern on her face.
'Yeah.' He nodded. 'Why?'
'You were off again.' She smiled at him. 'Off, somewhere…'
'Scully, we have to find my brother.'
The smile was instantly gone from her face. 'I know, Mulder. But I don't know what to do about it.'
He stood up and her hand was pulled out of his. 'We can't just leave him there anymore, it's been, what, eight months?'
'I don't know, Mulder, since New Year's day.' She said softly, before glancing up at him. 'I don't know what to say, you haven't brought this up since you first brought me home.'
Mulder shook his head, staring out over the ocean. 'I've never felt him like that before.'
'It's not always pleasant.' Scully said softly.
They were silent for a moment as the song played on.
'…Hey you…With your ear against the wall…Waiting for someone to call out…Would you touch me…'
'Mulder, you're the one still in contact with everything. You're still with the Verein. You're still with the Bureau. You would know better than I would out here, hibernating.'
'Yes.' Mulder spun around and leaned back against the railing. 'I've noticed you still haven't decided what you want to do with yourself. Your mom is still the only person who knows you're alive. Not even Bill or Charlie, or Skinner or any of the Lone Gunmen. You're still legally dead.'
'…Hey you…Would you help me to carry this stone…Open your heart…I'm comin' home…'
'I'm still scared.' She said honestly.
'Ah, Scully.' He slowly crossed over and knelt in front of her. 'You know I won't let anything happen to you.'
She smiled at him and gently touched the end of his nose. 'You're all the way across the country, Mulder. Can you really blame me for not relinquishing total control of my safety into your care?'
'Yes, I can.' He grinned back. 'You should know I won't ever let anything happen to you.'
'Shall I state the obvious?' Scully looked away from him and upwards, grinning.
Mulder smiled at her. 'Are you trying to look cute?'
'No.' She said seriously. 'Why, do I?'
He laughed and looked away, nodding. 'Yes, you do.'
They both laughed, reliving the memory. Scully smiled over at him. 'Do you really have to leave tomorrow?'
'I'm afraid I do.' He said, leaning back and letting her try to hold him by his hands. 'The Verein will be very upset if I don't show my smiling face soon. Not to mention Skinner's ever-lasting stoicism.'
Scully couldn't hold his weight, even after standing up and trying to use her body weight to balance him, and he fell on his butt. 'Ah, Skinner.' Scully said. 'I do miss him so much. You puttin' on weight, Mulder? Because you seem much heavier to me now.'
'Kiss my ass, Scully, how about that?'
'Mark the spot, Mulder.' She grinned evilly. 'Because you're all ass.'
He threw his head back and laughed and she smiled larger in return.
'Got you big time.' She said.
Mulder smiled in return and folded his hands in hers. He gave a small shudder as the song continued, thinking of what Scully had said…
'Pink Floyd. He said that he'd always thought they were singing to him. That all their songs mirrored his feelings.'
'…But it was only fantasy…No wall was too high…As you can see…No matter how hard he tried he could not break free…And they worms ate into his brain…'
Mulder shook his head, trying to somehow get away from the feeling that his brother was alone, suffering and in pain. He had many regrets the past three years, but none as strong as the passing time that was wasted over the last three years. He felt the same way whenever he boarded the plane back to the East Coast. Always felt like he was going to miss something.
He sighed. 'I really hate it when I have to leave.'
'Well.' Scully said, pulling him to his feet. 'You never really HAVE to leave, you know.'
'Ah, Scully.' He let her help him up off the deck. 'You know me better than that.'
'Unfortunately.' She sighed. 'Yes, I do.'
'I'll be back by the end of the month, Scully.' He pulled her into a hug. 'You know that.'
Scully accepted his hug and they stood in the embrace for a few moments, each thinking their own thoughts of times past, and times they both hoped would come.
'I feel, Scully, that there are times ahead.' Mulder said. 'That nothing is done, that the future's uncertain and the end is always near…'
She smiled against his shoulder. 'And I feel, Mulder, that you were Jim Morrison in an alternate universe…That the times ahead have everything to do with you sitting half-baked around a foldable card table, much like that 70's show, laughing at nothing and rambling on nonsensically…'
Mulder laughed, tilting his head back. 'You and I still have some times left, my partner, hopefully involving the great idiocy of my brother and a few other unmentionable personalities, maybe sitting half-baked around a card table, spewing obscenities at each other and giggling like imbecile's until the sun comes up.'
'I can only hope that day will come.' Scully said as they both wondered about the future ahead of them. She smiled as her favorite part of the song played on.
'…Hey you…Out there on the road…Always doing what you're told…Can you help me…'
Mulder closed his eyes again at the thought of his brother. He didn't know how he could help him. He only knew that he could not leave him out there, all alone. For all their sake's. For Scully's, for Cade's, and for his own.
'…Hey you…Don't tell me there's no help at all…Together we stand…Divided…We fall…'
*************************
Scully was tidying up the kitchen after dinner. Mulder had left earlier in the day and she was already missing him. She was missing anyone. She had been out here alone for far too long. At least when she'd been out here with Krycek, it had been a little easier. Then, they'd been waiting for the arrival of Cade, she'd been enjoying the summer scene, having had been far too wrapped up in the East Coast, the X-files, the seriousness of everything. She'd been rediscovering herself. The carefree Dana she'd found out here at the beach was good to her.
'…No one knows what it's like…To be the bad man…To be the sad man…Behind blue eyes…'
The song that played softly over the speakers caused Scully to jerk. She remembered a couple of years ago, walking out onto the deck and finding Krycek listening to that song. His face had been hard, evil, set in stone. Not the Alex she knew, but the way she remembered Krycek.
'…No one knows what it's like…To be hated…To be faded…To telling only lies…'
She had stood to the side, marveling at the fact that he was so lost in the past. He hadn't noticed her yet, sixth sense or not. He was simply staring straight ahead. The only feeling she caught from him was despair. Maybe a little anger mixed in for good measure.
'…But my dreams…They aren't as empty…As my conscience seems to be…'
She knelt down next to him. She really didn't like the look on his face, the look of Krycek. How he been so evil and manipulating and done a one-eighty on himself baffled her mind.
'…No one knows what it's like to feel these feelings…Like I do…'
She put a hand on his arm. 'Are you wallowing in your mire again?'
He shook his head, remaining silent.
'…But my dreams…They aren't as empty…As my conscience seems to be…'
'And here I thought you were flawless.' She said. 'But I guess even the laid-back, mellow, Taoist surfer has a momentary lapse of reason every now and again.'
His face relaxed in a smile as he looked over at her.
'Oh there you are, Alex.' She returned his grin. 'I was wondering where you went.'
The doorbell ringing roused Scully out of her reverie. She looked towards the front door and frowned. Who the hell could that be?
'Stay there, sweetheart.' She said, motioning for Cade to hang out in the living room. She crept towards the door, swiping her .44 off the top of the kitchen cabinets on the way, the whole time trying to get a sense of who was on the other side of the door.
'Dana.' A voice urgently hissed through the door.
Scully stood still. She was rooted to the spot, her mind spinning. It couldn't be him. It couldn't.
'Agent Scully.' The voice came again.
She reached out and unlocked the door, opening it to see the two men on the other side.
'Sir?' Scully asked, her voice high and unsure.
Skinner smiled down at her before hugging her. 'I can't tell you how good it is to see you, Dana.'
She stood inside his strong embrace, numb and unfeeling.
'Sir.' She stammered out. 'How did you know?'
He pulled away at the sound of Cade's voice as the little boy ran up.
'Uncle Walter!'
Skinner caught the boy in a hug, laughing and giving him a peck on the cheek. Cade hugged him back, throwing his little arms around Skinner's neck, and gave him his own little kiss.
Scully stared at the two of them. It was so odd to see Skinner and her son, interacting in this way. Come to think of it, she shouldn't be surprised. Krycek had kept the old friends and family around quite a bit, judging from all the home videos she'd been able to get through. She'd always assumed that Mulder had concocted some story about where Krycek and Cade had gone. Traveling the world or holed up snowboarding in the Swiss Alps. Surfing the hotspots of Africa. Something.
She suddenly became aware of Skinner's wardrobe. Khakis and a Hawaiian shirt over those broad shoulders? Totally shaved head and sunglasses? He looked celebrity-worthy and she smiled in spite of herself. The serious guy with Skinner looked even more out of place than her former boss, jeans and a T-shirt, baseball cap covering his black hair.
'Nice threads, Sir.'
'Why don't we drop the Sir, call me Walter.'
'How did you know?' She asked again. She didn't dare ask if Mulder had said something. For all she knew, they weren't aware that Mulder knew she was alive.
Skinner set Cade down and Scully put an arm around Cade's shoulders.
'I didn't, Agent Scully.' Skinner said. 'I was recently told. By this guy.'
The man with Skinner hunkered down and smiled into Cade's face.
'So this is the little guy who's going to save the world.'
Scully pulled Cade closer to her, smashing him against her legs.
'Agent Scully-'
She held up a hand at Skinner. 'Why don't we just stick to Dana, okay?'
'I think that's a good idea.' He nodded. 'Let me introduce you to Dale Cooper.'
'Agent Dale Cooper?' She asked, turning to him, recognition on her face.
Cooper smiled gently, his perfect, white teeth matching his perfect, white skin.
'Yes. I can see you've heard of him. Chip here used to be quite the agent.' Skinner said. 'Mulder worked his first case with him.'
'Twin Peaks, I know all about it.' Scully said. 'You're efforts are regarded quite highly, Mr. Cooper.'
'Thank you, Miss Scully, as are yours.'
'Cooper's with the NSA now.' Skinner said.
Scully turned towards him, trying to hide any immediate fear that surfaced on her face. 'And why is the NSA visiting my house?'
Cooper leaned in close to her and whispered. 'I'm here to help.'
Scully slightly leaned away from him, not liking his proximity to her or her son. 'Help me?'
'The Syndicate knows you're alive, of course, you know this, considering they exchanged you for Cade's father. However, they were keeping it quiet, holding their cards close. That way, the greedy organization that they are, if it ever came down to the wire, the Syndicate could save themselves, and restore their New World order that they've been preaching about. Well, that time is upon us.'
Scully stared back at Cooper, barely able to breathe. She didn't know where this was all going, but she knew two things. That it was bad any way you diced it. And that it had to do with her son. Probably with Krycek as well and she was sure she and Mulder would be thrown in there somewhere for good measure.
'The Syndicate has a leak. Someone with rebellion on the brain, with altruistic ideas. If it was only the Syndicate that was aware of your survival before, now it is the Verein, the CIA, and the NSA. It will not take them long to find you. And your son.'
If possible, Scully drew Cade even closer. 'And you're here because?'
'I'm here to offer you a proposition.' Cooper said. 'A solution. A way out.'
*************************
'Okay.' Scully said when Cade was down on the sand, building one of his sandcastles. 'What is this proposition of yours?'
Cooper leaned towards her, his hands folded in his lap. 'I can bring you in, like you've been working with the NSA all along.'
Scully stared back at him, disbelief on her face. 'What?'
'They're going to find you, eventually.' Cooper said. 'If you come in with me, it will seem like you've been working with the NSA all along. It can buy you some time, get you some protection.'
'If I go with you where?' She asked, a horrible suspicion beginning to take form in her mind.
'Time is running out. There is a rumor that we will all be joining together, in this, the final quarter of the game. The NSA, the CIA, the Verein, the Syndicate, even Naval Intelligence has been poking around.' Cooper leaned back in his chair. 'It is crunch-time and all the players are on the field. Cade may be the last hope and everyone knows it. If needed, he will be hunted. And he will be found.'
Scully looked down at her son, fear enveloping her. Never a dull moment in her life. Nope. Not a one.
Scully turned back to Cooper. 'Don't you think that someone would recognize me?'
'The fact that you were incarcerated there shouldn't have any direct bearing on anything. The reason they wanted you was for the anti-agent you carried, which you only got as a direct result of being involved in the X-Files, while cooperating with the NSA. It can all be explained. It makes sense.'
She thought for a moment. 'And if I refuse?'
'Then I would suggest running now. Get as large of a jump on them as you can. Because when they decide to find you, I believe they will.'
'And you?' Scully looked over at Skinner; he'd been silent this whole time. 'What do you think?'
'My opinion?' He asked.
'No, I want to know where you got that lovely designer Hawaiian shirt.'
Skinner grinned at her. 'You've developed quite a tongue, Dana.'
She stared back at him, tilting her head and giving him 'that look' which had always let people like Mulder and Krycek and her brother's know that she wasn't in the mood.
'It's going to be hard either way.' Skinner said. 'But like this, you have a chance. And you will be protected. It will seem like you've been working against the X-Files and against the people who want to expose this truth this whole time. It will throw them off, and you can help in the final stages of the vaccine creation, which will earn your story credibility. It is nearly complete and once this is over, it will be over. This new vaccine might work, but if it doesn't, they're going to want Cade.'
Scully shook her head. 'I don't know.'
Cooper gave her a small smile. 'I'd give you time to think, if I had it to give. Wednesday is the meeting between the CIA and us. I'm fairly certain that's when our new plans will be announced. It would be helpful if I could have you waiting in the wings. If I could just tell them that 'I have the perfect scientist for you'.'
Skinner put a hand on her arm. 'I think it's the best thing. I can watch out for you. And so can everyone else.'
'The NSA, the CIA, the Syndicate will probably throw some bones your way once they realize that you're important.' Cooper said. 'What better protection than all that?'
All things are leading here? Scully thought. There are two choices, one right and one wrong, but which is which? She looked over at Cade again. How tempting to flee and hide. But what about her family, her friends, Mulder and Krycek?
They had just been talking about how to save Krycek. Maybe this was the way.
'Okay.' Scully said before her resolve weakened.
'I have to warn you.' Cooper said.
Scully gave a small laugh. 'Now that I've agreed?'
'You're going to be asked to do things.' Cooper said. 'Things that will scare you.'
She met his level gaze. 'I don't scare easily, Mr. Cooper.'
*************************
Scully wandered through the beach house, lounging in jeans and one of Krycek's old UCLA sweatshirts. She had spent the last two days packing and shipping everything that was valuable to her Mom's house. There were tons of pictures and home videos that Krycek had saved. She had managed to pack most of his vintage Hawaiian shirts, her jewelry, some collectible's of Cade's that she just couldn't bare to leave behind. Not to mention all her cherishables that she had brought out to California when she'd left her apartment in Georgetown. That seemed like a whole lifetime away, and in a way, it was.
REO Speedwagon was playing. This disturbed her, for some reason. She didn't know why.
'…But I can feel it coming…If you leave tonight keep running…And you need never look back again…'
She checked the cabinets in her bathroom for the fifth time and rifled through the closet in her bedroom again. She didn't want to leave anything behind. Just in case.
'…You take it on the run baby…If that's the way you want it baby…Then I don't want you around…'
She stood in Krycek's room one last time, surveying everything. His surfboard was propped in the corner. She assumed it was still there from the day that Cade was born. The day that she had been taken.
'…I don't believe it…Not for minute…'
Scully's breath caught in her throat. There it was. The reason that she wasn't getting along with REO Speedwagon today. The horrid argument had been buried in her mind but the lyrics were bringing it out for her to mull over. The mind works in mysterious ways.
'You're telling me what's true?' He quit packing and looked at her. 'I can feel almost everything you say.'
'Then you should already know.'
'No.' He replied, almost smiling. 'To quote REO Speedwagon, I don't believe it. Not for a minute.'
'We need to talk this through.'
Krycek held up his hands. 'What is there to talk through?'
She couldn't look back at him; the three of them stood in silence.
Much like the silence she was standing in now. She still felt the same. Lost, confused, alone.
Stupid.
How very, very stupid they had all been. Squabbling like teenagers at a high school dance. Not a mature one among them back then. They had fallen into their respective roles quite easily when Mulder had returned from his disappearance to find Krycek hanging around.
Mulder had wanted to run away from the situation, he tried the 'if I ignore this long enough, it will go away' approach. He hadn't communicated well with her and had refused to talk to Krycek. He had fallen into the role of the insecure, defeated, boyfriend. Krycek had been the one who wanted the three of them to 'talk it through, to work it out', while she was trying to step back and let them hash it out themselves.
Six months of space had chilled Mulder out considerably, while six months of life with friends and family had made Krycek afraid that he was going to lose it all, therefore making him more insecure. After a mental-meltdown of a conversation on the beach that had been entirely her fault to begin with, the three of them decided to play ring-around-the-emotional mindset.
Krycek had been the defeated one this time. He was the one who wanted to run away and ignore what was happening, while she wanted the three of them to talk everything through. Mulder was the logical person that time around, who had felt the need to step aside and let her and Krycek clear the air.
The whole thing had been very stupid.
'…You're under the gun…so you take it on the run…'
Scully sighed and took one last look around the room before closing the door.
*************************
She made her last sweep through the kitchen after locking the French doors. She lifted Cade up to sit on the counter and they both washed the sand off their hands. She reached over and kissed the top of his head while drying her hands with a dishtowel.
'Mommy, your ring.'
She knitted her eyebrows together. 'What, sweetheart?'
'Your ring.' Cade pointed his little fingers towards the corner of the counter. Scully leaned down a bit to look under the raised counter and her heart stopped before jumping into her throat…They had been at Fashion Island, window-shopping in Neiman Marcus; she'd seen the ring and pouted playfully. It was a band of Celtic lace in white gold. A few days later, she'd been on the deck when he casually sauntered out with an up-to-no-good look at his face.
'I'm not striking a pose here, Dana.' Krycek had held his hand out towards her. 'Gimme your hand, I'm not going to bite you.'
'With you, Alex, one can never be sure.'
He dropped the ring into her outstretched hand and she gasped.
'Alex, I can't take this.'
'The first present I ever give anyone and it's rejected right off the bat. How rude. What kind of pattern am I supposed to develop off of this response?'
'It's not that I don't like it-'
'Next time you see something you like,' Krycek had said, 'I'll just be proactive and break it right in front of you.'
Scully slid the band on the ring finger of her right hand and admired it.
'I can see if I brought you home one karat diamond earrings or something that you could refuse, but come on, it's white gold, how expensive can it be?'
'I'm not stupid, Alex. If you brought home diamond earrings, I would justify keeping them.'
'Oh great, so now the ring's not good enough.'
She laughed before glancing up at him. 'I don't know what to say.'
'You don't have to say anything.'
'Yes, I do-'
'No really.' He grinned. 'I can read your mind, you don't have to say anything.'
Scully burst into laughter. 'You're such an asshole.'
He gasped. 'I'm so glad our poor child isn't around to hear the way you're talking to its father.'
'The poor child would probably agree with me.' She said, giving him a look.
'I'm hurt. I'm shocked and amazed. I even brought gifts and still got kicked to the curb.'
The phone rang and he pushed himself off the railing.
'Yeah, you mind getting that for me?' Scully asked, taking a drink of her tea.
'You know, I don't need this abuse.'
'Whatever.' She said, throwing a look in his direction. 'Punk.'
'Loser.' He disappeared into the house.
'Freak.' She called after him.
'Crackhead.' He yelled back.
Scully stared at the ring, still in the corner from years ago. Had it really been that long? They were going to clean out all the pumpkins and she hadn't wanted to get it all goopy. She had taken it off and set it under the counter.
'Maybe I should put this away, with my luck it will go down the drain.'
'I'm sure it'll be fine under there.' He replied as she pushed it into the corner.
The memory hit her like a hard wave in the ocean.
'…Hey Jude…Don't make it bad…Take a sad song…And make it better…'
'You're not very neat in the kitchen.' Scully said, cutting open another pumpkin.
'Cook first, clean later.' Krycek said, scooping out seeds and innards.
She hated these memories that seemed to pop up out of nowhere. She hated that she could still sense everything. She hated that she could be upset at any time and that she couldn't hide this from Cade.
Her hands were shaking and she put them over her face.
Krycek turned back towards her, grinning mischievously. He picked all the seeds out of his hands, and was left holding the goo. He flicked his eyes up at her.
Scully slowly looked over at him, shaking her head. 'Don't you dare.'
'What?' He asked innocently.
'Mommy. You can get it.' She felt Cade's small hands on her arm. 'He left it there for you.'
Krycek took another step towards her and was rewarded with a nice splat of pumpkin in his face.
'Dana!' He acted surprised. 'What on earth would posses you to do such a thing?' He threw his own handful and it landed with a resounding 'smack' on her forehead.
When she finally managed to pull herself together enough to take her hands away from her face, Cade was holding the ring out to her. 'He left it there, Mommy.'
Scully did her best to smile and took the ring. The second her fingers touched his, her mind was flooded with images.
Her Mom, Frohike, Langly and Skinner were at the breakfast table. They'd been discussing her funeral. Mulder was leaning against the wall five feet away, looking like he'd rather be anywhere but here. Krycek had been putting dishes in the sink and had spotted her ring in the corner.
Scully suddenly couldn't breathe, she felt like she'd had the wind knocked out of her and knew she was feeling what Krycek had felt. She was reliving his memory. She couldn't breathe.
She heard her Mom's voice. 'Alex?'
'Alex.' Skinner's voice came next.
'What's wrong?' Frohike had asked.
Krycek took a step away from the sink, eyes glued to the ring.
He was shaking. His eyes burned with tears. His chest was tight. He couldn't breathe.
'Krycek.' Mulder was at his side and gently took his arm, a mixture of anger and sorrow burning in his eyes. 'Look at me, Krycek.'
'Damn.' Frohike said, standing on Krycek's other side. 'It's her ring.'
There was silence in the room until her Mom walked up to him. 'Come on, Alex. Let's take a walk.'
'Should I put it somewhere?' Frohike's voice sounded in his head as he was mechanically walking out the French doors. Scully could feel someone's arm, probably her mom's, around his shoulders, guiding him. He still couldn't breathe.
'He'll need to deal with it later.' Mulder's voice softly followed him out. 'Leave it there.'
'Shit.' Skinner's voice was faint in the house. 'I'm not sure he's going to make it through this.'
Scully was trembling. She looked at Cade, not quite knowing how to phrase the question.
'From Daddy.' He said, answering her unanswered question.
'He showed you that?' Scully asked in disbelief.
Cade shook his head. 'I can see them.'
'You can see them? You can see what, sweetheart?'
Cade shrugged. He looked back at her. 'I feel the big ones.'
She stared back at her son on the verge of tears, her eyes wide. She had a feeling that there was going to be a lot about Cade that they wouldn't know until he was old enough to communicate better.
Cade began to hum. The melody was familiar. Bell Bottom Blues.
*************************
The Town Car pulled up in front of the building that had been her prison for just over two years. Scully eyed it with distaste as a string of curses flowed through her mind. She must be insane to agree to this in the first place. What if this didn't work? What if they couldn't pull it off? Spender, the vilest man ever to crawl the earth, wasn't a stupid man. What if he saw right through this?
Cooper looked over at her, raising his eyebrows in question and she nodded back. Too late now.
Her legs became rubbery as they approached the entrance, thinking of Spender and all the time she'd been subjected to him and his wench of a sidekick. Diana Fowley had played Mulder like a fool, using him to get close to her and Krycek. She had been working for the Verein, for a cause that Mulder had believed in, using whatever information she could squeeze out of him and then reporting back to the Syndicate.
Remind me why I'm doing this, she asked herself.
For Cade, for Mulder, for Krycek, for myself, for everyone.
Scully finally understood where Mulder had been coming from all these years.
Inside the building, they went through a series of locked doors, Cooper swiping his card key through several of them.
They stopped at a guard station and they both held out their NSA badges.
The young man looked up at them. 'Project name?'
'Purity Control.' Cooper answered, causing Scully to cringe inwardly.
They walked through a maze of hallways, through door after door, left after rights. Scully tried to keep mapping out their trail, but couldn't quite keep up. They finally arrived in a lab that was so cold, it seemed to be existing in Sub-Zero temperature.
'Dr. Jenkins.' Cooper strode up to an older man and Scully followed. 'I'd like to introduce you to Dana Scully, the scientist I was telling you about.'
The man had hard, cold eyes and Scully's matched. 'Dr. Scully.'
'Dr. Jenkins.' She said, willing her fact to relax. 'It's an honor, I've followed your work on Quantum Mechanics.'
'Have you now?' He asked, a tiny grin surfacing.
'Schroedinger's cat…Wave interference…Fusion anomalies…Particle energy.' She forced herself to smile back at him. 'I've always been fascinated with Quantum Mechanics. I believe it is the next religion.'
'The next religion?'
'Of course. What better time for science to be the dominant belief? The thought that we are all energy? That everything in existence is built up of nothing more than electrons, protons and neutrons?'
Cooper had taken off back to the NSA and she felt leery hanging around here without him. Scully again forced herself to relax throughout the morning as Dr. Jenkins took her around to show her the ropes. She was introduced to scientists, military officials, people in government service, mostly people she'd only read about
She was being shown around the building, had seen the medical facilities, the clean rooms, the labs.
'What you see here are all of our current subjects.' Dr. Jenkins said. 'Twenty in all. We monitor them twenty-four-seven. We never know what oddity will be surfacing or when it will happen.'
Scully's face burned as her gaze wandered over the monitors. These people, being held captive and tested upon like she herself had been.
Her gaze stopped on number 13. It had been over four years, and he'd grown up quite a bit, but she could recognize him plain as day. Gibson Praise. How old must he be now? Fifteen or sixteen? He was sitting on the floor, his head titled back on the wall.
'You're a very special boy, Gibson.'
'I'm a very special lab rat.'
She could feel the anger boiling inside at the thought that he'd spent most of his younger years cooped up in a lab, in a cell, having tests performed. He should be in high school, going to dances, driving cars and flirting with girls.
But this was not the time or place to be thinking of this.
Scully forced her gaze to wander down the line, but her stare stopped on the next monitor. Number 14. Her blood went cold; her face automatically closed in fear of any emotion.
It was Alex.
*************************
She stood staring at the monitor, crossing her arms in what she hoped seemed casual enough. In reality, it was just a symbolic way to hold herself together. Her vision doubled, then tripled, and she forced herself to breathe. She stared at the monitor, biting her lip.
She was definitely not prepared to handle this.
Krycek seemed fine, thinner, of course, but well enough. He was sitting on the floor, leaning back against the wall. In fact, if there were no wall, he and Gibson would be sitting back to back.
'Number's 13 and 14. Gibson Praise and Alex Krycek.' Dr. Jenkins voice interrupted her seething anger. 'Those two are quite a pair. They are the most gifted here and have attitudes to match.'
Scully couldn't tear her eyes from the monitor. She knew she was trembling and was afraid to speak. She couldn't wait to get her hands on Cooper. Didn't he know who Alex Krycek was? Why didn't he tell her that he was here? Her thoughts suddenly spun to Skinner. God help him if he had any idea what was going on here. She would be addressing that issue the second she could.
In the meantime, she really needed to get a grip on herself before Dr. Moreau became suspicious. She only hoped that when she did squeeze the words out, she wouldn't sound like a soprano wailing out a high C, full of vibrato. 'Gifted how?'
'The little boy, Gibson, has amazing mind reading abilities. Word for word, he can recite what you're thinking. He has complete control of what he hears and what he projects. Number 14, Alex, lacks the control that Gibson has and tends to feel emotions more strongly than any clear words. But he makes up for it with his telekinetic abilities.'
Scully recalled a scalpel flying into Krycek's hand. The one he'd slit Diana's throat with. It was the only time she'd ever seen him do anything of the sort. She wasn't sure he'd really known what he'd done, thought that maybe it was just one of those things. 'Telekinesis?'
'I've only seen him do it a couple of times.' He replied. 'And he will not do it on command. He turns the electronics off sometimes, just to irritate us and he slid my coffee mug around the table one day, keeping it from me whenever I'd reach for it.'
'I'm assuming you believe he's somehow manipulating the energy around him?' She said, hearing her voice from a thousand miles away.
'Basic Quantum theories, Dr. Scully.' He replied. 'Although rest assured that Alex would rather die a horrible death then help us determine how he uses the DNA he was given. I doubt he'll ever cooperate.'
Scully was silent for a moment, steadying herself to speak again. 'What else?'
'We can't accurately test their IQ's because they're always playing games with us. It's the way they amuse themselves, and each other. When we administered the first Cattel B, Alex answered everything wrong. He picked out the least logical answer. He made Forrest Gump look like Einstein.'
'Implying that he would know the correct answer in order to pick the one most contrary.' Scully said.
'Yes.' Dr. Jenkins said. 'He was showing off.'
At least his spirit didn't break, she thought. Still as obnoxious as ever.
'Gibson, however, would give the correct answer before the question was out of my mouth. And they both soared off the charts with Raven's Advanced Matrices and Wechsler Scale's. We don't the capability to interpret results like that. Especially considering we don't know how much is coming from their cognitive abilities.'
On the monitor's, Krycek and Gibson smiled at the same time.
'They can communicate with each other?' Scully asked, surprised. She hadn't been able to sense anything in her tin can and had noted that only when she was brought into Spender's office for the first time had she been able to reach out to Krycek.
'They're the only two who can.' Dr. Jenkins answered. 'Gibson told me that they play chess together, in their minds. Sometimes they can sense when they're being watched and make it painfully obvious. I don't think the director of the CIA was used to getting the finger.'
'No.' Scully said, suppressing a grin. 'I can't imagine he would be.'
Dr. Jenkins looked at her, then reached in his pocket to hand her a handkerchief. 'My dear, you have blood on your lip.'
Scully swiped at her mouth in surprise then took the offered handkerchief. She had bitten her bottom lip so hard it was bleeding. 'Thank you.'
He nodded, then turned towards her. 'If you'd like to see their records, we can move onto my office.'
Scully nodded and then froze, staring at the monitors. Both Gibson and Krycek were looking into the camera. It seemed they were looking right at her. Her heart stopped. Tears surfaced in her eyes. She briefly felt the touch of Krycek's mind and tried to respond.
I'm here, Alex. I'm here.
On the monitor, Krycek looked away in disgust.
'At least you didn't get the finger.' Jenkins said.
Scully turned her back on the monitor's and followed Dr. Jenkins out of the room.
*************************
'Mulder.'
'It's me.' Frohike said. 'Where are you?'
'Just pulling up in front of Skinner's.'
'We've got something you need to see.'
Mulder put the car in park and glanced over at Koskie. 'What's up, Frohike?'
'Yoo-hoo, lover boy.' Koskie crooned towards the phone at the mention of Frohike's name. 'Where you at you sweet thing, you? Daddy needs some luvin'.'
'You can tell that freak that I got some luvin' for him.' Frohike said. 'And it's the kind that comes with a footprint on the ass.'
Mulder grinned over at Koskie. 'He said he misses you too.'
'Oooh, sugar,' Koskie sighed, 'you need to bring your sexy little self over here-'
'Mulder, we need to show you something.' Frohike interrupted. 'It's important.'
'How important?' Mulder asked, suddenly listening to his friend's somber voice.
'Very.' Frohike said. 'As in, I'm sure Skinner will want to know too.'
'Well, hell.' Mulder said, getting out of the car and heading to Skinner's front door. 'What is it about?'
'Can't say.'
The front door opened as Mulder held a hand up to pound on it.
'You're late.' Marie said. 'And you know how he gets when he's hungry.'
'Tell Marie I said hello.' Frohike asked.
'Frohike say's hi.' Mulder smiled at her and they exchanged a quick kiss before he nodded his head towards the car where Koskie was emerging. 'And blame your brother for our tardiness. He got his foot stuck in a sewer grate.'
'Sewer grate?' She asked, raising an eyebrow as she looked past Mulder's shoulder towards her brother. 'Steven, how on earth…'
'Well, you see.' Koskie said, slinging an arm around her shoulders. 'That's a funny story.'
'Stories involving your usual grace are always amusing, brother.'
Mulder headed towards the kitchen where Skinner was. 'Frohike say's he has something-'
'I'm starving.' Skinner flipped a towel over his shoulder and gave Mulder a stern look. 'You think as much as that damn cell phone is attached to your ear, you'd learn to call if you're going to be late.'
'I don't know, Frohike.' Mulder said. 'He seems kinda cranky. But after he eats-'
'What's that, Agent Mulder?' Skinner asked, stirring something on the stove. 'You want to get busted down to jump-out squads?'
'Oh please, say it ain't so. Anything but that.' Koskie said, appearing behind Skinner and sticking his finger in the pot. 'Ouch, damn that's hot!'
Marie looked at her brother. 'Yeah, and all that steam rising up surely couldn't have been a clue.'
Skinner laughed and shook his head. 'Sometimes it's painfully obvious who got the brains in the family.'
Mulder leaned in close to Skinner. 'Frohike has something he thinks we should see.'
'Lasagna for everyone.' Skinner said. 'Tell them to come on over.'
'And tell them to bring more Chianti.' Marie said.
Koskie grabbed the phone from Mulder and sighed into it. 'I am counting the minutes until I set eyes on your lovely attributes, my lover.'
'You know, Koskie,' Frohike said, 'If you weren't so damn sexy, I'd kick your ass.'
'Grrrr.' Koskie purred. 'You know how that tough-guy talk just turns me on…'
*************************
The Lone Gunmen arrived just as Marie slid the lasagna into the oven. Langly walked into the kitchen and held up a twelve pack of Miller.
'Mind if we stash this in your fridge?'
Skinner shook his head and Marie grimaced. 'That's disgusting, Garth. Beer doesn't quite go with Italian.'
Langly gasped as Frohike ripped open the pack and took one out for himself. 'Beer goes with anything.'
She shook her head and cracked open a bottle of wine as Skinner set glasses on the counter.
'My dear bachelor.' Marie said, shaking her head. 'What happened to that set of goblets I gave you last Christmas?'
'They're probably still in the box they came in, stashed in his basement.' Mulder said, reaching into the top cabinet to scrounge up anything that resembled wineglasses. He found odds and ends and pulled them down.
'You giving me a hard time, Agent Mulder?' Skinner asked, smiling at him.
Mulder fixed him with a look. 'Am I right?'
Skinner shook his head. 'I don't know what you're talking about.'
'That's what I thought.' Mulder said, then turned to see the somber face of Byers. 'You finally ready to give it up?'
'I'm not sure it's a good idea right now, Mulder.' Byers said. 'Maybe we should wait until you can-'
'I think he's saying that I shouldn't be around.' Marie said.
'As well as your brother.' Byers replied. 'No offense meant.'
She shook her head. 'None taken. We can disappear for a bit, but your going to have to sacrifice a bottle of wine.'
'Nonsense.' Mulder said. 'Anything you have to say can be said here.'
Langly and Frohike looked at each other, then back at Mulder.
'What?' Mulder asked.
Frohike sighed and tilted his head. 'It's about Scully.'
The silence in the kitchen stretched out for a minute. Both Koskie and Marie looked at Mulder.
'What about Scully?' Skinner asked in a flat monotone.
Byers shook his head and walked into the living room. 'A tape was given to me today by one of my contacts.'
'Not Susanne?' Mulder asked, following Byers to see him sticking a tape in the VCR.
'No.' He replied. 'A contact in the CIA.'
Everyone huddled behind Mulder as the tape began to play. It was a laboratory. Scientists and men in suits drifted back and forth in front of the camera.
'What are we looking at?' Skinner asked, looking down at Frohike.
'There.' Byers pointed at the screen.
Everyone leaned closer to take in the picture. A man and woman stopped in front of the camera, both wearing white lab coats. The woman was being introduced to several others.
Byers turned and looked at Mulder.
'It's Scully.'
Mulder couldn't look at anyone. He didn't know how to respond. He didn't know if he should. He knew she was alive, but no one else did. What was he supposed to say? He knew she couldn't be working with anybody. What did she think she was doing? One thought kept invading his mind.
What the hell has she gotten herself into?
'You okay, Mulder?' Frohike asked.
Koskie's voice came next. 'Mulder?'
Marie put her hand on his arm and he knew that he was going to have to put on the best acting job of his life.
'It can't be Scully.' He said breathlessly.
He was saved when someone knocked on the door.
End Part Five
Continued in Part Six.
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