Title:  Hey Scully

Author:  S.A. Spooky

E-Mail:  saspooky@hotmail.com

Summary:  Agent Scully dives further into the alien 
conspiracy while looking for her missing partner and 
discovers an unlikely ally.  In her search, she uncovers 
the truth about her pregnancy and is forced into hiding 
across the country.  Special Agent Steven Koskie used with 
permission from O&M



HEY SCULLY
By S.A. Spooky

Scully watched Assistant Director Skinner's back disappear 
through the door of her hospital room.  She opened her 
mouth to call him back - she didn't want to be left alone - 
but changed her mind and blew out a heavy sigh instead.

She was too proud to ask for help.  After all, she was the 
Undefeatable Dana Scully!  She was fine.  She was always 
fine.  She was always so damn fine that she wanted to 
scream!

When Skinner had patted her hand a moment ago and asked if 
she would be okay, what did she reply with?

I'm fine.

Well, she wasn't fine.  Tears came to her eyes as she 
thought of Mulder and she rested her hands on her belly.  
The wonder of it all swirled through her mind for the 
hundredth time in the last ten minutes and the unfairness 
of Mulder being taken away burned her heart one more time.

She blinked back the tears.  'I will not grieve for him 
like he is gone.'  She whispered aloud to feel the 
conviction.  'He didn't doubt me for a moment while I was 
away and I will not doubt him now.'

However, for him to be taken like this, just when they both 
found the courage to find footing in their relationship was 
too much for her to take.  Their ridiculous pride, their 
fear of feelings, finally shoved aside.  What a wonderful 
time it had been, however brief.  Years of one coming to 
the other, the other not ready.  From a tentative kiss 
shared seven years ago, through drifting apart, then 
finally coming together, only to lose it all now.  She 
thought back to the first time she saw Mulder, as his own 
person and not the spooky agent everyone talked about...

Relieved beyond belief that they were only mosquito bites, 
Scully had thrown herself at Mulder and leaned against him.  
She let herself be comforted for a few moments, finding 
herself surprised by the feelings that had been sneaking up 
on her.  She didn't know him, didn't trust him and sure as 
hell didn't believe any of the wild ideas he flung her way.

She stilled her mind and there it was.

Attraction.

The wall went up.  She looked down and gathered her robe 
around her when he asked if she was okay.  Of course, she 
was fine.  She immediately shut him out then berated 
herself for being weak in the first place.  She sat down 
and took some time to gather her wits.

Mulder gave her some space, but when he noticed a tear 
slide down her cheek, he knelt in front of her.

'Are you okay?'  He tried to see in her face, but her hair 
obscured it.

'I'm fine.'

He brushed the hair away so he could look in her eyes.  'I 
don't think so, Scully.'

She met his gaze.  'I don't know what I was thinking, 
Mulder.'  My God, were his eyes always this green?  'Being 
scared by some mosquito bites, how stupid.  This whole case 
has...I don't know.  This whole case has been difficult.  
Maybe I'm just a little afraid of things I can't explain.'

Mulder gave her a grin.  'Welcome to my world.'

Scully didn't return the smile.  She didn't understand his 
mindless devotion to this dead-end assignment, his refusal 
to see any kind of logic, turning instead to fairy-tales 
and folklore.  And somewhere, in one fleeting moment, she 
suddenly throws all her science out the window and believes 
that some bumps on her back are the work of something 
extraterrestrial.

She searched his eyes, thinking of something, anything, to 
say and break this awkward silence.  Ah, his beautiful 
eyes.  There was a lot going on in those eyes.  She saw a 
brilliant intelligence; she saw wisdom beyond his years, 
and she saw desperation.  Pain.  Longing.

She saw that Spooky Mulder wasn't so spooky.  He was just 
hurt.  He was alone.  He was haunted.  Behind the myth that 
was the cunning Spooky Mulder was just a man who was 
searching like the rest of us.  Scully felt an attachment 
to Mulder she could never explain.

She leaned forward and gingerly pressed her lips against 
his.

Scully was jolted out of her memory by a knock at the door.  
She sat up and wiped at her eyes.

'Yes?'

Frohike peered around the door, light reflecting off his 
glasses.  'Just saw Skinner leave, thought I'd check up on 
you.'

Scully smiled at him.  'Come on in.'

He wandered over to stand beside the bed, looking 
uncomfortable.  'I uh, heard about Mulder.  Being taken.  
Disappearing, whatever.'

Scully looked down at her hands on her belly again and 
nodded.

There was silence for a moment, and then Frohike shook his 
head.  'Sucks.'

Despite herself, Scully let out a small snort of laughter.  
Leave it to Frohike to sum up an entire situation in one 
small word.  She gave a slight nod of her head.  'It does 
suck.  As a matter of fact, it sucks big time.'  Tears came 
to her eyes again and she cleared her throat.

Frohike switched his balance from one side to the other.  
'But you're okay?  There's nothing wrong?  Nothing...coming 
back?'

'No cancer.'  She smiled up at him again.  'I'm fine.'

'Scully, you weren't fainting for no reason.  What did they 
find?'

She hesitated, thinking.  Did she really want everyone to 
know?  She herself couldn't explain it.  Was she ready to 
answer all the questions?  She was alone, and frightened, 
and missed Mulder terribly.  She couldn't look into the 
face of reality if her reality was a life without Mulder.  
A single mother forever reminded of her soul mate in the 
small face that would smile up at her.  She was scared out 
of her mind for herself, her child and for him.  She was in 
pain over the fact that he may be in pain.  She wanted and 
needed support.

Tears fell from her eyes as she let the fear envelop her 
body, her heart, and her soul.

'I'm not sure I want everyone to know...'  Her voice 
trailed off.

'I won't tell.'  He said softly, convinced that her 
horrible cancer had come back and she was being the brave 
one yet again.  'I won't even talk if you don't want.  I'll 
just listen.'

She looked at her odd, little friend.  A couple of moments 
went by before she found the courage to whisper.

'I'm pregnant.'

Frohike stared back at her, his face going through 
disbelief, shock, and confusion.  He shook his head.

Scully nodded at him.  'I'm pregnant.'

'But you-' Frohike shook his head again.

'I know.'

'You can't.'

She smiled through her tears.  'I know.'

He shook his head one more time.  Then he smiled.  He began 
to laugh before something settled over his features and he 
looked at her again.

'Does he know?'

Scully looked down again.  'I just found out.'

Frohike slowly put a hand over hers.  'He'll be so crazy 
about this.'

She entwined her fingers with his.

'He won't shut up about it.'  He said.  'He'll drive us 
nuts.'

'I never got to tell him.'  Scully said.  'I just found 
out.  I just found out...'  She trailed off, beginning to 
cry, unable to continue.

Frohike leaned over and put his arms around her.  'It's 
okay.  We'll find him, Scully.  If he doesn't find us 
first.'

She buried her face in his chest, hiding from the world.  
She didn't notice Byers and Langly standing solemn at the 
door.  'I couldn't tell him.'

'It's okay.  It will all be fine.'  Frohike shut his own 
eyes against the tears.

***

The kiss lasted for a few moments before Mulder broke it 
off.

'Scully-'

She immediately stood up.  'I'm sorry-'

'No, no, no.'  He stood up with her.  'I-'

Scully turned and headed for the door, face burning with 
embarrassment.  Mulder put a hand on her shoulder to stop 
her.

'We've both had a long day.  You've had a hard time since 
we've been here.'  He turned her around.  She couldn't look 
up at him.  She was feeling the rejection.

'It's just that...'  He cupped her chin to make her look up 
at him.  'I don't want to screw anything up.'

Scully searched his eyes, she didn't understand what he was 
saying, and slowly nodded.

Mulder, on the other hand, wanted to say so much more.  
That he'd never met anyone like her before.  That he was in 
awe of her intelligence, her beauty.  That he'd instantly 
felt attracted to her because she didn't take any of his 
bravado.

Mulder slid his hands down her arms.  'You know, I've been 
waiting for you to explain your rewriting of Einstein to 
me.'

She smiled up at him.  'Break out the snacks I saw you 
stash in your bag and have a seat.  I could go on about 
this all night.'

They had talked for hours, joking and laughing like they'd 
been friends forever.  The topics ranged from college, to 
childhood, to irritating family members.  When the 
conversation turned to work and their current assignment on 
the X-Files, the atmosphere turned somber.  Mulder felt she 
should be included in on his whole experience when his 
sister was taken.  He wanted her to know why he took on 
such an unpopular assignment to begin with.  Scully thought 
it sounded like a science fiction comic book.

Government conspiracies, tests, aliens...

But she could see that Mulder believed in the scenario one 
hundred percent.  She thought she could glimpse into his 
soul and see his pain and anger of the abduction of his 
sister.  She felt that maybe his guilt had created a need 
to try to solve things that were unsolvable.

'Dana?'

Scully broke out of her memory to see her Mom standing at 
the door.  She started to sit up.  'Mom?  How did you know-
'

'Walter called me.'  She said, hurrying to Scully's bedside 
and gently easing her back down.  'He said it was important 
for me to be here.'

'Damn, Skinner.'  Scully's face let out a small smile.  
'I'm sure he means well but I know you've been a worried 
mess since his phone call.'

'I've been a little concerned.'  Margaret looked down and 
took one of Scully's hands.  'I thought maybe...'

'No, Mom.'  Scully shook her head.  'The cancer didn't come 
back.  This is a bit more complicated.  At least I could 
explain remission.'

Margaret searched her daughter's face.  'You've been 
crying, I can tell.  What is it sweetheart?'

Scully bit her lip and looked away.  She didn't want to 
start the tears all over again.  She felt empty, dried out.  
'It's like the most wonderful gift during my worst 
nightmare.  I want to be happy, but I can't.  I feel full 
of joy, but feel empty at the same time.  And why should I 
be happy if he's not here with me, enjoying this too?'

Margaret was silent for a moment, trying to make sense of 
what her daughter was saying.  'Honey, is this about Fox?'

'Mom.'  Scully's voice was barely above a whisper.  
'Mulder's been taken.'

Margaret's face flashed some fear.  'What do you mean, 
taken?'

'Skinner said that there was a light...That Mulder walked 
into the light and he was...That there was...A UFO and 
it...'

Scully cringed at how this all sounded.  Like she was a 
believer.  The very thought made her cringe.  Thankfully, 
her Mother finished it for her.

'And the flying saucer took him away.'

'Yes, Mom.  But it sounds so crazy.'

'Well.'  Maggie gripped her daughter's hand tighter.  'If 
Walter believes it, then so do I.'

Scully looked away.  'I know.  Skinner's always been as 
cynical about this as I have.'

They were silent for a moment before Margaret spoke up 
again.  'But why are you here, in the hospital?  What has 
happened?'

Scully didn't look at her.  'Mom, I don't really know how 
to tell you this, except for coming right out and saying 
it.'

Maggie's face grew pale.  'What is it, sweetheart?'

'Mom.'  Scully gathered courage, then turned to face.  
'I'm...'

Margaret searched her daughter's face.  'What, Dana?  You 
can tell me.'

'I'm pregnant.'

Astonishment flooded her Mother's face.  She didn't say 
anything.

'Yes, Mom.'  Scully smiled a little.  'I'm pregnant.'

After a few moments, Margaret smiled back.  'Are you sure?'

Scully nodded, tears coming to her eyes again.  'I've had 
them run every test.  I'm sure.'

Her Mom hugged her tightly.  'Sweetheart, I'm so happy for 
you!'

Scully closed her eyes against her tears.  'Oh Mom...'

Margaret pulled away and looked at her.  'Does Fox know?'

Sculled snorted laughter through her crying.  'What would 
make you think its Mulder's?

Maggie smiled at her.  'Because I know my daughter, and I 
know Fox.'

At this, Scully broke into tears all over again.  'Mom, I'm 
so scared...'

Margaret held her daughter while she cried.  'I know you're 
frightened, Dana.  But try to remember that you have lots 
of people that care about you.  And I will be with you 
every step of the way.'

'I just don't understand it, Mom.'  Scully said through her 
tears.  'I wasn't supposed to be able to conceive.'

'Well, maybe the tests were wrong, sweetheart.'

'Not just that, Mom.'  Scully said, pulling away.  'I've 
been on hormone therapy on top of everything else.  There's 
no way I that should be able to get pregnant.'

Maggie stared at her.  'What are you trying to say, Dana?'

'I don't know, Mom.'  Scully said, wiping at her eyes.  'I 
don't know anything anymore.'

Margaret sighed and sat down in a chair.  'What do the 
doctor's say?'

'They are even more clueless then I am.'

Margaret smiled.  'Well, I'm sure they weren't able to 
rewrite Einstein.'

Scully looked back at her and the two exchanged a smile 
before Margaret spoke up again.

'Can I ask you something, Dana?'

Scully eyed her wearily.  'I'm not sure...'

'I know how much you and Fox care about each other.'

'Oh, Mother.'  Scully closed her eyes.

'I just want to see you happy and it seems like ever since 
he came into your life that everything is going wrong.'

'You don't think I've thought about that?'  Scully said 
softly.  'I have, a lot.  I don't blame Mulder.  I was 
assigned to the X-Files.  Believe me, Mulder didn't want 
anyone working with him.'

'I just wonder, sweetheart.'

'And I used to as well, Mom.'  She said, facing her Mom.  
'But Mulder is the most brilliant person I've ever known.  
He is the most passionate person I've ever met.  At first 
he may have seemed selfish and careless and withdrawn, as I 
remember telling you.  But that was because no one would 
actually see him.  They would hear the stories and walk 
away.  But he isn't like that at all.  He care's about me 
because I SAW him.  I KNOW him.  He's my best friend, the 
only person to whom I can say half of the crazy things I 
think.  He would give anything, ANYTHING, to keep me safe.'  
Her voice faded as she realized that Mulder had done just 
that.

Scully took a deep breath to calm down.  Her voice had been 
increasing in volume.  'Mom, I don't think you understand 
all that Mulder has done for me.  He followed me up to 
Antarctica, crawling through ice to find me.  He found the 
cure for my cancer.  He never gave up on finding me while I 
was abducted.  Mulder will always protect me.  He is all I 
have.'

Margaret smiled and pushed hair out of Scully's face.  'Not 
anymore.'

Scully glanced down at her stomach before smiling back at 
her Mom.  'No, I guess not.'

Someone barged through her door without knocking, catching 
both women off guard.

'What the hell happened now?'

Scully looked at her older brother.  'Nice to see you too, 
Bill.'

'Where is he?'  Her brother asked, coming around to the 
other side of the bed.  'He's usually skulking around here, 
looking like the wounded animal.'

Scully held a hand up at him.  'Wait a minute-'

'No, you wait.'  He pointed a finger at her.  'You wait.  
I've been quiet long enough about this.'

'Really?'  Scully looked up at him incredulously.  'When 
was this?  I've always thought you quite vocal about your 
feelings for Mulder.'

'He has brought nothing but heartache to this family.  You 
run around, living in his insane, little world and you 
willingly follow for more.'

'I don't think you know what you're talking about right 
now, Bill.'  Scully said softly.  'I think you should be 
careful.'

'You're telling me to be careful?  You put your life in 
danger every day because of your association with him!  He 
is selfish and insane and cares nothing about anyone.  If 
it weren't for him, you never would have been ill.  If it 
weren't for him, you would still be able to have children.  
If it weren't for him, Melissa would still be alive.'

Margaret stood up.  'Bill, that's enough!'

There was total silence in the room.  Bill stood, staring 
at his Mother defiantly.  Margaret glared back, daring him 
with her eyes to say something else.  And Scully sat there, 
hands resting on her stomach, tears filling her eyes once 
again at the thought that Melissa would never know her 
baby.

'Agent Scully.'

All three looked over to see Skinner standing in the 
doorway.

'Sir.  How long have you been standing there?'

Skinner came all the way in the room and held the door 
open.  'Long enough to know that visiting hours are over 
and you should be getting some rest.'

Bill stared at Skinner for moment, seeming a bit 
embarrassed, then reached down to briefly take Scully's 
hand.  She looked up at him in surprise, meeting his eyes, 
and he turned and walked out.

Skinner closed the door behind him, giving a small shake of 
his head.

'Please excuse my son, Walter.'  Margaret said, smiling a 
bit.  'He's been that way ever since my husband died.'

'Just since then, Mom?'  Scully didn't look up.

'Okay, worse since then.'  Margaret picked up her purse.

'You don't have to leave, Mrs.  Scully.'  Skinner said.  'I 
just didn't want a confrontation in here.'

'Oh, that's okay.  I need to let Dana rest anyway.  I'll be 
by later sweetheart.'  She leaned down and kissed Scully 
and the forward and put her hand on Skinner's arm as she 
walked by.  'Thank you, Walter, for calling me.'

'That's quite okay.'  Skinner said.  'I'll keep in touch.'

Scully marveled at how respectful and pleasant Skinner was 
around her Mom before huffing in exasperation.  'What a 
pompous ass.'

'Agent Scully, do you always insult your superior's?'

'I was talking about Bill.'

'I know that Agent Scully.  I was taking a stab at humor.'

They both stared at each other with stony expressions, each 
trying to bluff the other out, then burst into laughter.

***

Scully sat in the car, debating whether or not to go back 
into the hospital to look for Mulder.  Seeing Harold 
Spuller's ghost in the review mirror certainly didn't give 
her any of the comfort that she thought she'd find in the 
solitude of her car.  She had needed to get away from 
Mulder, needed to repair the gap in the wall between them 
that had started to crack during the last couple of days.

'I know what you're afraid of.'  He'd said.  'I'm afraid of 
the same thing.'

Scully closed her eyes again as the memory relived itself.  
Such a small statement and yet it had moved her beyond 
words.  She wanted to reach out to him in her fear.  Needed 
support from her closest friend.  Yet, her pride stood in 
the way.

A knock on her window caused her to jump and a breathy sigh 
escaped her.  She didn't want to turn and see any other 
ghosts.  Her Father, perhaps, come to get her a little 
early.

It was Mulder.  He was leaning over to look at her through 
the window.  His green eyes were awash in concern.

Scully rolled down the window.  'Mulder?'

'You okay, Scully?'

She swallowed before nodding.  'I'm fine.  What are you 
doing out here?'

He leaned his arms against the window and squatted down.  
He opened his mouth to speak, then smiled.  'You want the 
Mulder answer or you want the truth?'

'Mulder, I thought truth was your middle name.'

'Bartholomew, actually.'  He said with a straight face.  
'You look a little pale, Scully.  What's wrong.'

'You didn't answer my question.'

'An unexplainable psychic flash told me that you were out 
here all alone being swarmed over by Hawaiian elves called 
Menehune.'

She smiled in spite of herself.  'I'm assuming that's the 
Mulder answer.'

'Ah, Scully,' He grinned, 'Please don't tell me you don't 
believe in the Menehune?'

'No, Mulder.  I don't believe you're psychic.'

'I beg to differ.'  He said, giving a slight imperious 
raise of his head.

'Please don't beg, Mulder.'  She said, unable to help a 
big, stupid flirtatious smile.  'It really doesn't look 
good on you.'

'Why Dana Scully.'  Mulder looked astonished.  'If I didn't 
know you better, I'd say you were smiling right now.'

'If it bothers you,' she said, feeling vulnerable, 'I can 
put a stop to it.'

'Now I'd say you were blushing.'  He chided.

'Stop it, Mulder.'

'It's almost of if you were acting like, like normal.'

'Mulder!'

'There she is.'  He sighed heavily.  'Hey Scully.'

There was silence for a moment before she spoke up again.  
'Well if you wouldn't pick on me all the time...'

'I do not pick on you.'  He leaned back a little, holding 
onto the door.  'I play.'

'You do not play.'

'I do too.'

'You pick.'  She said.  'You pick all the time.'

'I do not PICK.'

She turned and looked at him.  'My little feet reaching the 
pedals Mulder?'

He winced.  'Ouch.  That must have stuck for you to be 
bringing it up now.'

'You pick.'

They were quiet again and the silence stretched out.

'I was playing.'  He said again.

'Mulder, why are you out here?'  She looked him in the eye.  
'You're so good at dancing around things.'

He seemed confused for a moment.  'I don't believe you've 
ever seen me dance, Scully-'

'MULDER!'

He trailed off into laughter.

'Why Fox Mulder,' she mimicked, 'if I didn't know you 
better I'd say you were laughing.'

He laughed harder.

She stared at him, then smiled.  'There's something you 
don't see everyday.'

'I'm sorry.'  He said through his giggle.

'No, no.  I like it.'

'Really?'  He ran his hands through his hair.  'I always 
thought my laugh sounded like a horse.'

'Oh I don't know, Mulder.'  She looked at the windshield.  
'You seem more like a horses ass to me.'

He burst into laughter again.

'Well, maybe you do sound a little like a horse.'  She 
said.

'Now you're picking on me.'

'I'm PLAYING.'  She stressed.

'How rude.'

'Oh what a hypocrite!'  She screeched.

He started laughing harder, this time she joined him.

'Now that,' he pointed at her, trying to talk through his 
fit, 'was a girly screech.'

'Your point?'  She glared at him.

'Agent Scully doesn't screech like a girl?'  He raised an 
eyebrow at her.

'Agent Mulder doesn't usually laugh at my jokes.'  She 
returned his gaze.

'You never make any!'  It was his turn to raise his voice 
playfully.

'Whatever.'

'Ah,' Mulder pouted a little.  'Scully's giving up.'

'What?'

'Whatever.'  He imitated her.  'That's the give-up.'

'It is not.'  She said.  'It's indifference.'

'If telling yourself that makes you feel better-'

'"Whatever" means that I'm done with you now.  That it's 
not worth my time.'

He stood up.  'You're just angry that I won.'

'You did not.'  She leaned out the window to look up at 
him.

'Think I did.'

'You thought wrong.'

He held up a hand at her.  'Whatever.'

She burst into laughter.  He smiled and put his hands in 
his pockets, watching her laugh.  She looked back up at 
him, smiling.

'I think my work here is done.'  Mulder said.

'You came out here to cheer me up?'

'Did it work?'

She smiled again.  'Yes, I think it did.'

'Then that's why I came out here.'  He said.

She paused.  'Is that the Mulder answer?'

He looked down at the ground and kicked a rock.  'Kinda.'

'The innocent boy act comes into play.'  She mocked him.  
'Is there something wrong Mulder?'

He shrugged.  'I just didn't like the way we left things 
earlier, you know?'  He looked up at her.  'I didn't like 
the way you left.'

'Did you think I was angry with you?'

'No.'  He shook his head, looking at the ground again.  'I 
just felt like, I don't know...Unresolved.'

'Unresolved.'

'I could have said more.'  He glanced at her quickly before 
looking away.  'I didn't want you thinking I didn't, care.'

There was a beat of silence before she spoke up.  'Mulder, 
I know you care.  You've been very supportive about my 
cancer.'

'It's not just that, Scully.'  He said softly.

'Then what is it, Mulder?'  She suddenly couldn't look at 
him anymore.  She felt on the verge of tears and didn't 
know why.

Mulder didn't answer, and when she looked back at him, he 
was still, staring down at his shoes.

'Mulder?'  She asked.  'What is it?'

He shook his head, but still didn't answer.

She sighed and got out of the car.  She closed the door and 
leaned against it, crossing her arms.  'We can stand here 
all night, if you'd like.  I know you came out here for a 
reason.'

'To cheer you up.'  He said, not averting his gaze from the 
ground.

Scully studied him.  'I thought that was the Mulder answer.  
Why can't you talk to me?'

A moment of silence stretched out.  Scully was just about 
to get back in the car when Mulder did something that 
caught her quite off guard.  He suddenly clucked like a 
chicken.

'Mulder?'  She took a closer look at him, only to hear him 
cluck again.  She stepped up to him and gazed into his 
face.  'Mulder, why are you clucking?'

'I'm searching my soul.'  He suddenly looked up at her.  
'Let's get some dinner, Scully.'

'Dinner, Mulder-'

'Oh come on, come on.'  He took her hands and pushed her 
towards the car.  'I'm buying.'

She regarded him skeptically.  'You're buying?'

'Yes,' He said, opening her car door for her.  'I'll even 
let you drive.'

'And we're not going to that horrible place that brings 
their coffee in those big Styrofoam cups?'

'No, let's go to that Thai place over by Fourth.'

'Thai Racha, Mulder.'  She smiled over at him.  'That's my 
favorite.'

'Agent Scully.'

Scully jerked awake in the car to find them in front of her 
apartment building.  She suddenly remembered where she was.  
Skinner was driving her home from the hospital.

'We're here.'  He said, getting out to open her door.

Scully didn't want to leave the wonderful memory she was 
sifting through.  She wanted to relive the entire evening 
she was just remembering.  She closed her eyes for a few 
moments more until Skinner opened her door and held his 
hand towards her.

'Thank you, Sir.'

He walked her up to the door.  'Will you be alright?'

'I'll be fine.'  Scully nodded.  'I'm just going to sift 
through my mail and make something to eat.'

'Why don't you let me take care of dinner, Agent Scully.'

Scully smiled, she really didn't want to be left alone.  
'Are you sure?'

'To be quite honest with you, I'm not in the mood to go do 
piles of paperwork.  I'll go pick something up, what do you 
feel like?'

Scully smiled to herself before looking up at him.  'I'd 
really love some Thai food.'

***

'Are you sure there's no meat in this?'  Scully asked, 
digging through her Phad Thai.

'I asked for vegetarian Phad Thai, three stars.'  Skinner 
said.  'Since when do you not eat meat, Agent?'

'Since I'm pregnant, Sir.'  She dug her chopsticks into the 
noodles.  'There's a lot of hormones and antibiotics in 
meat.'

'There's organic meat that's hormone-free.'  Skinner said.  
'My wife wouldn't eat anything else.'

'I doubt Thai Racha uses it.'  Scully replied, stuffing 
noodles into her mouth.  She rolled her eyes.  'I looooove 
Phad Thai.'

'So, you had all the tests run?  Everything's fine so far?'

She nodded, chewing.  'Everything seems normal.  What's 
wrong?'

Skinner's whole head was bright red; he had stopped chewing 
and was staring over at her.  Suddenly, he reached for his 
tea, nearly knocking over her water.  'Holy shit!'  He 
exclaimed, draining his glass.  

Scully began to giggle and rushed to her refrigerator to 
get him a beer.  'It's the only thing that works.'  She 
laughed, opening it for him.

He took some huge swallows.  'My mouth is on fire, my God!'

She sat back down.  'How hot did you get it?'

Skinner took another drink.  'Five stars.'

Scully set her chopsticks down.  'A little brave tonight?'

He smiled at her.  'A little macho tonight, couldn't have 
you eat something more manly then mine.'

'The first time Mulder had Thai food, he did the same 
thing.  He nearly choked to death on his food.  All the 
waiters were gathered around the table...'  She began to 
laugh.  'Everyone was handing him all their drinks, he 
couldn't get them down fast enough.'

Skinner was laughing too.  'I think I remember that night.'

She pointed her chopsticks at him, her eyes wide.  'You 
were there that night, I completely forgot.'

'Yes, you told me about it later that night, when we ran 
into each other at-'

'That Japanese bar.'  She finished with him, both of them 
laughing.

***

'So, are you okay now, Mulder?'  Scully smiled up into his 
face.

'I am never taking you out again.'  Mulder replied.  'Every 
time we go out to dinner, you try to kill me.'

She slapped his arm playfully.  'I do not!'

'What about that time we were working that case in Seattle?  
You had to go to that Cajun place.'

'The Ragin' Cajun.'  She said innocently.  'What about it?'

'The Jambalaya's great, Mulder!'  He mocked her.  'Not 
spicy at all!'

'It wasn't!'

He turned towards her.  'I had blister's in my mouth!'

She started to laugh.  'No you didn't, big baby.'

They were taking a walk after dinner.  Mulder felt he 
needed the cool air after his spicy meal.

'Hey Scully.  You wanna get a beer?'

She shrugged.  'Sure, sounds good.'  Scully was glad the 
evening, which had started out so horribly, was turning out 
so nice.  They hadn't done this sort of thing in a long 
time.

He took her hand.  'I know a great little dive just up the 
street and I'm not really ready to go home just yet.'

'A dive?'  Scully smiled.  'You must be moving up in the 
world.'

Mulder dropped her hand and held his up at her.  
'Whatever.'

The dive turned out to be a Japanese Karaoke bar.  They 
took a table in the back of the smoky, dark room and leaned 
in close to hear each other over the horrible screeching of 
the singers.

'I don't know, Mulder.'  Scully said.  'I've never had sake 
before.

'You, Scully?'  He was pouring their drinks from a small 
carafe.  'Miss Educated?  Miss Cultured?  Miss Traveled The 
World Three Times Over?'

'Okay, Mulder.'

'Miss I'll Eat Anything Passed My Way?'

'You're picking again.'

He handed her a glass and clicked his against hers.  
'Cheers.'

'Cheers.'  She watched him take it as a shot, then did the 
same.

'Yeah!'  Mulder said loudly, slamming his glass down.

'Oh yeah.'  She said a little less enthusiastic, grimacing.

'How is it?'  He asked her.

'Strong.'  Scully replied.

'Then let's have another!'  He refilled their glasses.

A few carafes and couple of beers later, they were giggling 
at everything.

'I never knew you were in Japan, Mulder!'

'Only for a month.'  He said.  'I followed someone there.'

'Someone you thought was involved in your sister's 
kidnapping?'

Mulder burst into laughter.  'No silly.  Always thinking 
work.'  He reached out and touched the end of her nose.  'I 
followed a girl.'

'A girl?'

'Well don't seem so surprised, Scully.'  He took another 
swallow of beer.  'She was a student at Oxford.  Japanese.'  
He leaned in and whispered.  'Her father didn't like me so 
she cut it off.'

'Oh.'  She said, unsure what to say to his uncharacteristic 
revealing of his past.  She suddenly decided that she 
wanted more behind the mysterious man and smiled at him.  
'So what else don't I know about you, Mulder?'

'I think it's your turn, Scully.'  He said, leaning in and 
smiling.  'Truth or dare.'

'What?'  She grinned back at him.  'Truth or dare?'

'Come on!'  He smiled.

'No.'  She looked away, laughing.  'I am not going to play 
truth or dare with you.'

'Oh come on!'  He sank back in his chair.  'What's wrong?  
Chicken?'

Scully shook her head, smiling.

'I'll start clucking again.'  He warned.

'Truth.'

'Are you a virgin?'

'Mulder!'  She looked at him wide-eyed.

'What?  It's not National Security.'  He appeared to think 
for a moment, then laughed.  'Well, I don't know, maybe it 
is...'

'No, I'm not.'  She glared at him.  'Happy now?'

They sat in silence, listening to someone wrap up 'The Way 
We Were.'

'Your turn, Mulder.  Truth or dare.'

'Dare.'

Scully seemed surprised.  'Dare?'

'Of course.'  He took another swallow.  'I ain't no fool.'

'We'll just see about that.'  An evil grin spread across 
her face.  'I dare you to go sing.'

'Sing?'  He looked at the stage.  'Up there?'

'Where else?'  She asked.  'Let's see you do it.'

He was silent for a moment, contemplating, and had another 
swallow of beer.

She leaned across the table.  'I double dog dare you.'

He stared back at her for a moment, then put his beer down.  
'Oh no you didn't.'  He said, standing up.

Scully stared, open-mouthed, as Mulder took the stage.  Was 
he really going to do this?  Her quiet, low-key partner, 
singing?

Mulder stood on the stage and entered his selection into 
the machine.

Right Said Fred soon started playing with 'I'm Too Sexy'.

Scully couldn't laugh, couldn't talk, she merely sat there, 
staring at her partner.

He was dancing around the stage like a fool, singing.

'...I'm too sexy for your party, too sexy for your party, 
no way I'm disco dancing...'

At this, Mulder did a pathetic, drunken imitation of John 
Travolta in 'Saturday Night Fever'.

Scully began laughing so hard, she had to clutch her 
stomach and bend over.  She was laughing so hard no sound 
came out.  Was this really Mulder?  He was so funny; he was 
so cute, so sexy.  He was so...  Drunk.

She burst into laughter all over again as Mulder began 
walking the 'Catwalk', modeling his lovely suit.

'Agent Scully?'

She looked up in the middle of her laughter to see Skinner.  
He was staring between her and all the empty beverages on 
their table.

'Yes, Sir.'  She said, tears running freely down her face 
from laughing at her idiotic partner.

'Agent Scully, what on earth are you doing?'  Skinner 
caught sight of Mulder, prancing around the stage, and he 
held up a hand.  'Nevermind, I don't want to know.'

'Come here often, Sir?'  Scully flashed Skinner a smile.

'No, I saw your car and just wanted to check in.  Thought 
maybe you might be on a case.'  He looked back up at Mulder 
and shook his head, nearly cracking a smile.  'Hard night?'

'Hard liquor.'  Scully patted the chair next to her.  'Have 
a seat.  Want some sake?'

'Thank you, no.'  Skinner signaled the waitress and pointed 
at Scully's beer, ordering another round.  'If I started in 
on the sake, Mulder and I'd both be up there, singing 
'Ebony and Ivory'.'

Scully laughed again, nearly spitting out beer in the 
process.

'Why, Assistant Director!'  Mulder exclaimed, making his 
way to the table.  'What an unexpected pleasure!'

'Nice gig you got there, Agent Mulder, thank you Miss.'  
Skinner tipped the waitress as she put the beers on the 
table.  'Planning on taking that one on the road?'

Mulder plopped down in his chair.  'And leave this 
luxurious life?'

'I'll drink to that!'  Scully said, holding up her beer.

'I've noticed you'll drink to anything, Scully.'  Mulder 
said.

She turned her face to one side and held up a hand.  
'Whatever.'

Skinner snorted some laughter.  'You are off duty, right 
agents?'

'God, Sir, I really hope so.'  Scully said.  'My boss can 
be a real-'

'Alright, Agent Scully.'  Skinner interrupted, raising his 
beer as well.  'I've heard that rumor too.'

Mulder followed suit and the three knocked the bottles 
together.

***

'God, what a hangover I had.'  Scully said.  'I swore I'd 
never go anywhere with Mulder again.'

'I'm surprised we all managed to make it in the next day.  
We didn't get home until three in the morning.'  Skinner 
smiled, his eyes lost in the memory.  'Then we had that 
meeting the next day.  I cannot imagine what the three of 
us looked like.'

'I nearly fell asleep.'  Scully said.

'Mulder did!'  Skinner burst into laughter.  'I kept 
kicking him under the table.'

She nodded, joining in.  'So did I!'

They both laughed harder; Skinner took off his glasses and 
polished them.  'I still have no idea what that meeting was 
about.  I don't think the three of us together said more 
than ten words.'

They were quiet for a moment, and then Scully burst into 
laughter again.  'It was about our expenses.'

'Oh God.'  Skinner said.  'Then I'm glad I don't remember.'

It took a couple of moments to quiet down.  They both fell 
into silence, thinking about Mulder.

'Damn, Dana.'  Skinner said, not looking at her.  'I'm 
sorry.'

'Sorry for what, Sir?'

'For losing him.'  He said softly.  'It just happened so 
fast.  He was there, then he was gone.  I went to protect 
him, but I still lost him.  I don't know how.'

'Don't.'  Scully reached across the table and put her hand 
on his.  'We will find him.  I know we will.'

'I just can't believe the timing.'  Skinner shook his head.

Scully smiled wryly.  'I agree with you on that point.'  
She released his hand and sank back into the chair.  'I 
just don't know where to start.'

'I'll make some calls tomorrow.'  He nodded.  'Poke 
around.'

'I guess I can pay a visit to the Lone Gunman.'

'The three stooges?'  Skinner smiled before there was a 
soft knock at the door.

Skinner motioned for her to stay where she was, and went to 
the door, pulling out his gun.  'Who is it?'

'Alex Krycek.'

Scully stood up.  'What the hell is he doing here?'

Skinner opened the door, but didn't put the gun away.

Krycek gave Skinner a nod and looked over at Scully.  'I 
need to talk to you.'

This was the person they thought killed Mulder's father.  
This was who they believed was responsible for Melissa's 
death.  This was who they believed had been plotting 
against them from the beginning.  Could she really invite 
this man into her home?

All things were coming down to this moment?  Everything 
she'd done until now had led her here?  What was she 
supposed to do?  There were two answers, one right and one 
wrong.  But which was which?

She studied Krycek.  His eyes were red and raw, his 
expression desperate.  He had never looked as human as he 
did now.

'Have a seat.'  She gestured at the empty chair across from 
her.

Krycek hesitated in the doorway, staring back at her; an 
odd look covered his face.

Scully returned his gaze, wondering about the confused 
expression Krycek was wearing.  She suddenly had the 
feeling that something was happening, something important.  
Something was changing.  Something had just spun something 
off in another direction.

Something.

She didn't know what had just happened.  She couldn't put 
her finger on it.  She felt odd, detached from herself.  
She suddenly knew that something had changed.  Something 
had happened.

Something important.

Skinner cleared his throat.  'If you're waiting for an 
invitation, Krycek.  I think you just got it.'

Krycek blinked, breaking the staring contest between them.  
He stepped into the room and Skinner closed the door behind 
him.

Scully sat down at the table and eyed him as he crossed the 
room.  'What can I do for you?'

'This is all wrong.'  Krycek shook his head and pulled out 
the chair.  'This is all terribly wrong.'

'Which part?'  Skinner asked, moving to stand behind 
Scully.  With Scully's pale face under the bright light of 
the lamp, and Skinner standing in the shadows behind her, 
he looked like an avenging angel.

'All of it.'  Krycek said.  'Mulder being taken, you being 
pregnant, Cassandra Spender...'

'How did you know?'  Scully looked stricken.  'I've hardly 
known for-'

'How do you think you got pregnant in the first place?'

Scully was silent; she sat staring horrified across the 
table at him.  Krycek watched dawning realization spread 
across her face.  She slowly began to shake her head.

Skinner put a hand on her shoulder.  'What are you talking 
about, Krycek?'

'Haven't you figured it out, yet?'  Krycek looked from one 
of them to the other.  'Mulder's been talking for years, 
neither of you ever bothered to listen?'

'Mulder has said a lot of things.'  Skinner said.  'When 
you put everything together, it makes no sense.'

'It makes perfect sense.'  Krycek said softly, a small 
smile of disbelief on his face.  'Don't you see?  This has 
all been orchestrated perfectly, from the beginning.  The 
grand scheme, the master plan and we all have our parts to 
play.  We're all pawns in their universal game of chess.'

'Are you suggesting that I was assigned to the X-Files as a 
part of this master plan?'  Scully swallowed a rising lump 
in her throat.  'That I was set-up?  That my course of life 
has been carefully laid out for me?'

'That's exactly what I'm suggesting.'  Krycek said softly.  
'Your life, mine,' he looked up at Skinner, 'even yours.'

The Assistant Director scowled.  'What?'

'I don't believe you.'  Scully whispered.

'Why would I lie?'

'I don't know, Krycek.  Why would you lie?'  Scully raised 
her voice.  'Why have you been lying all these years?  Why 
have you been playing both sides?'  She was almost shouting 
now.  'What is it you do back there in the shadows that you 
find so important to kill for?'

Skinner put his hands on both her shoulders.  'Easy.'

'How can you say that, Sir?'  Scully turned around to look 
up at him.  'This man has plotted against us for years.'

'And arguing about all that now isn't going to change 
anything.'  Skinner said.  'We need our own plan.'

'And you would trust him, now, Sir?'  Scully said quietly.  
'Because you really trust him?  Or because he has the Nano 
Palm Pilot?'

Skinner stared down at her and Krycek glared up at Skinner.

'Mulder told me he could read everyone's thoughts while he 
was ill.'  Scully whispered.  'I thought he was 
experiencing hallucinations, but by the look on your faces, 
I guess he was right.'

There was silence all the way around the room.  It 
stretched out for several minutes.  Finally, Krycek cleared 
his throat.

'I will give you the controller back, it means nothing 
anymore.'  He was avoiding their eyes.  'We can have the 
Nanotechnology removed, but we'd have to stage something.  
I don't want them knowing I've been in contact with you.'

'This change of heart is suspicious.'  Skinner said.  'The 
last time you came to us for help, Agent Mulder 
disappeared.

'I have been just as misled as everyone else has, if not 
more.  I have sacrificed others and myself for a cause that 
never existed.'  He looked up at the two of them, across 
the table.  'I see no reason for you trust me now.  But 
events are taking place.  The men in charge are deluded.  
Everything is spiraling out of control.  Something must be 
done.'

'This is all very noble of you, Alex Krycek.'  Scully said.  
'You're throwing regrets around and expect us to roll over 
for you.  But you've given me nothing.  No reason to trust 
you.  No reason to believe you.  How do I know that I'm not 
the pawn in your master plan.'

Krycek sighed.  'You've never recognized me.  There were 
times when I thought you had.'

A feeling of dread settled over Scully.  'What are you 
talking about?'

'You said you were recruited out of medical school.'  He 
replied.

She was silent for a beat.  'I was.'

'You remember Edward Logan?'

Scully's eyes flicked back and forth as she reached back to 
so many years ago.  'Edward, blonde hair, blue eyes, we 
went out with a couple of other students for beer 
sometimes...'  She suddenly looked up at him, her face even 
paler than usual.  'Oh my God.'  Her eyes were wide, her 
mouth slightly open.  'He was you.'

'From the beginning, Agent Scully.'  He smiled sadly at 
her.  'They've been living our lives from the beginning.'

'From the beginning.'  Scully repeated.

'They put me in medical school to recruit a scientist.'  
Krycek said, rubbing his hand over his eyes.  'Someone who 
was logical, rational, brilliant-'

'Stop it.'  Scully whispered.

'You were the smartest in the class.'  He went on.  'You 
were never afraid to argue your point, with anyone.  
Remember that time some of us went to that seminar on 
Quantum Physics?'

Scully nodded.  'I remember.'

'You grilled the lecturer, what was his name?'  Krycek 
asked.  'Dr.  Adams?  Dr.  Arlen?'

'Avery.'  She whispered.

'Yeah.'  He smiled.  'Avery.  Totally rude man.  
Condescending as all hell.'

Quiet once again engulfed the room.  You could hear the 
ticking of the clock on the kitchen wall.  Scully stood up 
and rested her hand on the back of a chair.

'So you've been using me from the beginning?'

'No.'  He looked her full in the eyes.  'Not me.'

'You picked me out.'

'I picked the smartest.'  He stood up to face her.  'I 
picked out the person who was able to bring Fox Mulder 
down.'

'Bring him down?  Scully exclaimed.

'Mulder had been guided towards the X-Files.'  Krycek 
walked around the room.  'His father had hoped that when 
he'd find what was out there, he'd want to help the cause.  
But Mulder didn't.  He only wanted to expose them.  And 
that couldn't happen.'

Skinner held up a hand in question.  'Mulder was led to the 
X-Files then brought down because he chose to believe in 
them?'

'Think on it, Assistant Director.'  Krycek said, turning to 
face them.  'Millions of people, learning of the existence 
of alien life?  Alien life far more intelligent than ours?  
Alien life whose sole purpose is to wipe us off the planet, 
to use our bodies to populate the earth with monsters?'

'There'd be mass hysteria.'  Skinner said softly.

'At best.'  Scully answered.

'Mulder wanted to expose all that.'  Krycek said.  'He made 
it quite clear when he was given the choice.'

Both Skinner and Scully rapidly glanced back at him.  'What 
choice?'  They asked in unison.

'That's the reason you were assigned to the X-Files, Agent 
Scully.'  Krycek smiled again.  'Mulder never told you 
that?'

'Told me what?'  She whispered.

'He was approached.  He was offered a deal.'  Krycek sat on 
her couch and casually crossed one leg over the other.  'He 
was offered a choice, to work alongside us.  He didn't take 
it.  He wanted to expose us instead.  He given the choice 
to join or fight against us.'  Krycek shrugged.  'He chose 
to fight.'

'And so I was assigned as his partner to bring him down.'  
Scully closed her eyes.  'I thought I was assigned to the 
X-Files because of my scientific expertise.'  She said.  
'Because of my mind.'

'You were assigned because of your mind.'  Krycek replied.  
'You were brought on to debunk the X-files.'

Skinner came around to stand on the other side of Krycek.  
'Mulder knew he was being assigned a partner to discredit 
his work?'

'He knew he was being assigned a partner.  He didn't know 
who it was going to be, or why.  Although I'm sure he 
suspected.'  Krycek smiled.  'Mulder was always the 
smartest guy around.'

'Do you know where Agent Mulder is?'  Skinner asked softly.

'All I know is he's with his father.'  Krycek replied.

'His father?'  Scully whispered.

'His father is dead.'  Skinner said harshly.

'You must be referring to Bill Mulder.'  Krycek said.  
'That is not Mulders father.'

'What?'  Skinner and Scully both exclaimed.

'Bill Mulder was the most influential mind in the group and 
therefore the most expendable.  He did what he needed to 
do.  He took in some of the experiments, the children of 
the experiments, and claimed them as his own.'

'You are suggesting that Bill and Tina Mulder aren't 
Mulder's parents?'  Skinner asked as Scully sat down 
heavily in the chair again.

'Bill and Tina Mulder were both unable to have children.'  
Krycek sighed, shaking his head.  'The result of a test 
gone horribly wrong.'

'If this is true,' Scully said, 'then who are his parents?'

'The Spenders.'  Krycek replied.

It seemed as if time stood still in Scully's kitchen.  
Skinner looked over at her, his usual stoic expression 
actually showing great disbelief.  Scully could only stand 
there, swallowing repeatedly as she tried not to be knocked 
down by the overwhelming information.

'Cassandra Spender.'  She said softly.

'Yes.'  Krycek confirmed.

'And Cancer Man?'  Skinner asked.

Krycek nodded.  'Yes.'

Now it was Skinner's turn to pull out a chair and slowly 
sit down.  'I guess it make's sense.'  He said.  'Mulder 
should have been dead a dozen times over by now.  A father 
cannot kill his own son.'

'What about Jeffrey Spender?'  Scully asked.  'It was 
rumored that he was killed by the group.'

'He's not dead.'  Krycek said.  'He's working with the 
others now.'

Scully put her hands over her face and leaned back in her 
chair.  'What am I supposed to believe about anything.  
It's all lies.'

'It hasn't been lies, Agent Scully.'  Krycek shook his 
head.  'It's just been a matter of letting you guess.  You 
go off in one direction and form your own truth's and those 
truth's are usually only a fraction of what's really going 
on.'

'Like I said before,' Skinner jumped in, 'when you put it 
all together it makes no sense.  I could use another beer.'  
He stood up and glanced down at Scully.  'Do you mind?'

'Not at all.'  She paused, looking over at Krycek.  'Beer?'

He softly laughed in response.  'Yes, thank you.  Seems 
strange to be sitting at your kitchen table, having a beer 
with the Assistant Director.'

'Not as strange as it seems to me.'  She replied, not 
smiling.  'I'd join you if I could.'

'Can I get you anything?'  Skinner returned with the beers 
and handed one to Krycek.  'Water or something?'

'I'm fine, thank you.'  She turned her attention back to 
the mysterious figure in front of her.  'What role do you 
play, Alex Krycek?'  Scully asked.  'How is it that you're 
so informed.'

'I've always been informed.  I was brought up knowing 
exactly what I was.'  He said softly.  'In some ways I 
think it was a lot better than believing the lie.  Mulder, 
Samantha, Jeffrey, they were given a semblance of real life 
to go by.  I never was.  I know I was conceived in a lab, 
genetically altered.  I know I wasn't a child conceived for 
the sake of love, or a family or anything else.  I was 
created purely for the sake of trying to save the human 
race.'  He took a deep swallow of his beer and stared back 
at their blank faces.

'Can you maybe start at the beginning of this?'  Scully 
asked.

'That would take forever.'  He said back to her.

Skinner huffed in exasperation.  'Then give us the cliff 
notes.'

***

The three of them sat around the table for an hour or so, 
conversing back and forth, drinking beer and breaking out 
the leftover Thai food.  Skinner and Krycek were hungry, 
but Scully had no appetite after trying to digest what she 
was hearing.

'Let me simplify this.'  Skinner said, pointing chop sticks 
at Krycek.  'When the aliens first made their intention of 
colonization clear, the Syndicate began genetically 
altering humans to withstand the virus.'

'The virus being how the aliens will spread.'  Krycek said.

'Mulder, Jeffrey, Samantha and you, were the first wave of 
children to be experimented on.'

'We couldn't withstand the virus.'  Krycek elaborated.  'We 
merely had some extraterrestrial characteristics, and each 
of ours was different.'

'And now not only has science grew by leaps and bounds, but 
there is a lot more known about the aliens and the virus.'  
Skinner said.

Krycek nodded as pieces of a vegetarian spring roll fell in 
his lap.  'Yes.'

'Forgive me,' Skinner said, 'My medical and genetic 
background are a bit lacking.'

'It's quite simple.'  Scully spoke up for the first time in 
awhile.  'Since the first wave of children already have the 
alien genetics, their offspring's are easier to genetically 
alter.'

'Mulder is an alien-human hybrid.'  Krycek reiterated.  
'This makes it very simple to engineer his children's DNA, 
since they already contain alien genetics.'

Scully sat quietly at the table, not hearing the other two 
bantering back and forth.  Then they did this, then they 
did that and because of that they did this.  She couldn't 
care right now.  She was too busy dealing with the fact 
that Mulder was totally not who she, or he for that matter, 
thought he was.

'An alien-human hybrid.'  She whispered aloud, causing both 
men to turn her way.

'Agent Scully?'  Skinner asked.

She was unresponsive to them, lost in her own head.  'This 
is insane.'

Skinner looked at her carefully.  'To which part are you 
referring, Agent Scully?'

'The part where children are being created solely for the 
purpose of avoiding human extinction brought on by little 
green men.'  She said bitterly.

'Well, that would about sum it up.'  Krycek smiled.

'How can you find this amusing?'  Scully asked harshly.

He raised his eyes to meet hers.  'Because this is what 
I've been living with all my life, Agent Scully.  This has 
been my reality since I was old enough to remember.  While 
you and your friends were playing hopscotch and making 
lemonade stands out in the front yard, I was strapped to 
machines.  I was wondering how come other girls and boys 
got to go to school while I went to a laboratory.  I didn't 
know what a mom or dad was until I realized that I didn't 
have one.'  Krycek stopped for a moment and looked away.  
'So yes, I am able to find humor wherever I can.  This is 
all I have known.'

Scully didn't look at him.  She couldn't.  She didn't know 
what to say.  She wanted to hate him, but felt like 
apologizing at the same time.  She didn't have a chance to 
say anything before there was a knock at the door.

Skinner pulled his gun out again and went to the door.  
'Who is it?'

'It's Byers.'

Skinner looked back at Scully and she whispered back at 
him.  'The three stooges.'

He opened the door to reveal The Lone Gunmen.

The three walked into her house, Frohike in the lead, 
asking Scully how she was feeling.  He stopped short when 
he saw Krycek, causing Langly to run into him and Byers to 
run into Langly.

'What's the punk ass doing here?'  Frohike asked in his 
delicate manner.

'Relax, Frohike.'  Scully said.  'He's been catching us up 
on the big secrets.'

'Brewski's!'  Langly exclaimed.  'Flow me a Heinie?'

'Have at it.'  Scully said, waving in the direction of the 
refrigerator.

'I'm impressed.'  Krycek said.  'I didn't know that about 
you.'

'What?'  Scully asked.

'That you were a boardhead.'

'I went to Berkeley for my undergrad.'  Scully said.  
'Spent a lot of time with the surfers in Santa Cruz.'

'Sharky.'  Krycek smiled.

'Woofy.'  Scully replied.

They smiled at each other in spite of themselves.

'Where'd you pick it up?'  Scully asked, suddenly irritated 
at the quick connection they'd shared.

Krycek smiled and adapted the accent.  'Newport Beach, 
California.'

'That must have been where you got the blonde hair from.'  
Scully said.  'I've never seen so many beautiful people in 
my life.'

'I went to UC Irvine for my undergrad studies.'  Krycek 
said.  'It was quite different from living on the East 
Coast.'

Scully suddenly noticed the other four staring at them, all 
with beers in hand, looking intrigued at their exchange.

'What?'  She asked, looking innocent.

'Scully, I never knew you were a California Girl.'  Frohike 
said.

She smiled back at him.  'I wasn't really.  I just went to 
school there.  Spent most of my weekends at the boardwalk 
in Santa Cruz.'

'Most of my time in California was spent in the Inland 
Empire.'  Langly said.  'I went to UCR for two years.  But 
I tried to make it out to Hollywood and down to Orange 
County as much as I could.'

'UCR?'  Scully and Skinner both asked.

'University of California in Riverside.'  Krycek answered.  
'A very frightening place.'

'The punk scene out in the Inland Empire is popping right 
now.'  Langly said.

'That's not all that's popping over there.'  Krycek said.  
'There are more meth labs than people.  They call 
Interstate 5 through California 'The Crank Highway'.'

'Is anyone going to tell me what is going on?'  Byers 
asked.  'Or am I the only one here that finds it odd that 
Krycek, Scully and the Assistant Director of the FBI are 
all hovering around the table, having a few beers.'

'I'm not having any beer.'  Scully said.  'I've been 
sticking to water.'

'God, that is so Mulder.'  Frohike said.

'What is?'  Scully asked.

'To take away from a serious question with a joke.'  He 
answered.

'I have had enough seriousness for one night.'  Scully 
said.  'It's nearly time to get back up in the morning and 
I've been dealing with serious crap all night.'  She looked 
over at the three Lone Gunmen.  'What are you doing here 
this late, anyway?'

***

Scully finally had the place to herself.  Skinner had 
brought her home from the hospital and ate dinner with her, 
the Lone Gunmen had come by to make sure she was okay and 
Krycek came by to...

She wasn't sure why Krycek had come by.

He wanted her to know what was going on and why; he wanted 
her help, her trust.  He had painted a story of himself 
that was tragic, heart wrenching, unforgivable.  He was the 
child of Armageddon, one in a wave of the last hope.  He 
had told her and Skinner that he shared the same father as 
Mulder, the same father of Samantha and Jeffrey.  That 
would make him Mulder's brother.  After the awkwardness of 
him being there had worn off he had been funny, charming, 
believable.

She wasn't sure if she bought it or not.

Scully sighed and made the nightly rounds of locking up the 
apartment.  Skinner and Krycek had cleaned the place up and 
that visual was enough to make her laugh softly again.  
Skinner had told her to rest the next day, that he would be 
back later on that afternoon.  Krycek had assured her that 
he would check some resources and be by as well.

She climbed into bed and sank down under the covers.  Her 
mind drifted back to the night they had been at the 
Japanese Bar and what had happened when Mulder had shared 
her taxi home.

***

The three of them piled in a cab together after closing the 
bar down.  Mulder took advantage of the close quarters and 
flung an arm around Scully.  She was smashed against his 
side and he didn't mind it one bit.

'Sir?'  Mulder asked, an innocent look covering his face.  
'Does this mean we can all take a personal day tomorrow?'

'No, Agent Mulder.  You cannot take a personal day 
tomorrow, we have a very early meeting to attend.'

Mulder winced.  'And what time does the torture begin?'

'Seven am.'  Scully said.  'Don't you read your Email?'

'We have Email?'  Mulder asked.

Skinner flashed him a look as Scully drunkenly looked at 
her watch.  'We have about 3 hours to sleep.'

'Hell with that.'  Mulder said.  'I'll just stay up all 
night.'

'I always feel better pulling an all-niter as opposed to 
grabbing two or three hours.'  Skinner said, revealing a 
human side.

'Really, Sir?  I didn't think you needed sleep.'

'Whatever.'  Skinner said seriously, trying not to crack a 
grin.

Mulder and Scully burst into laughter, winning a small 
smile from their superior.

'This is my stop.'  Skinner said.  'Mulder, you are picking 
me up in the morning since I had to leave my car?'

'I'll be there right after I pick up Scully.'

'Six thirty.'  Skinner shut the cab door.

Mulder nodded.  'Quarter to seven.'

The door was automatically opened again.  'Six thirty, 
Agent Mulder.'

'Damn.'  Mulder shut the door himself.

Mulder and Scully sat in silence for a few minutes.  She 
finally patted his knee.

'Thanks, Mulder.'  She said, unable to look at him.

'For what?'  He looked out his window.

'For cheering me up.'  She laughed.  'I haven't had this 
much fun in a long time.  I really needed it.'

'Needed to get drunk?'

'I'm not drunk.'  She said.

'You're drunk.'

'I am not.'  She slapped his arm.

'Okay, you're not drunk.'

She tilted her head up.  'Thank you.'

'You're trashed.'

'I'm a bit inebriated.'  She compromised.

'Smashed.'

'You're picking again.'

'Sorry.'  He smiled, but still didn't look at her.  'You're 
welcome.  I needed tonight too.'

'Why's that?'  Scully asked.  'You can get drunk at home 
while you watch your Oscar-winning movie collection.'

'Now who's picking?'  He turned and looked at her wide-
eyed, making her laugh.

Silence settled over them again.  Mulder reached over and 
covered her hand with his own.

'You know I care, Scully.'

She looked over at him, but he was still gazing out the 
window.  'Yes, Mulder.  I know you care.'

A few moments passed before he had the nerve to turn and 
look at her.  'You're the only person I trust.  The only 
person I can talk to.  You're my best friend, Scully.  And 
when I cannot talk to you about my fears, I can't talk to 
anyone.'

Scully searched his eyes.  They were flashing pain.  How 
had such a wonderful night turned somber again?

'Mulder.'  She put her other hand on top of his, turning 
towards him.  'You can always talk to me, about anything.'

He shook his head, looking down at their entwined hands.

'Yes, you can.'  She put her head down, trying to see into 
his face.  'I'm always here for you.'

'That's what I'm afraid of.'  He whispered.  'I'm afraid 
you're not always going to be here.'

Scully didn't say anything back.  She looked down at their 
hands now, her lips pressed firmly together.

'I know it's selfish of me to think this way.'  Mulder 
said.  'Here you are battling a horrible disease and all I 
can think is how scared I am of...'

His voice trailed off.

'You can say it.'  Scully said softly.

Mulder shook his head.

'Of me dying?'  She asked.

'Of losing you.'  He corrected.  'I don't think I could.'

Scully stared at him for a moment, eyes brimming with 
tears, before taking a breath.  She was going to be strong, 
she was going to be rational, she was going to be Scully.  
'It's not something you really have any choice in, Mulder.  
You'd get through it.'

'I don't think I could.'  He said again.

Scully tried to think of something to say.  A million 
things ran through her mind and they all sounded trite.  
She looked over at Mulder to see him staring back at her, 
his eyes teary.  He reached out and brushed an errant 
strand of hair off her forehead.

'I don't think I'd want to.'

'Mulder...'  Was all she could strangle out of her throat.

'Hey, Scully.'  He let his hand fall from her face onto her 
shoulder.  The look in his eyes, he had let his guard down 
and his emotions were showing through.  She could only 
stare back at him as he cupped her cheek with his other 
hand.  Mulder slowly leaned towards her, his intentions 
clear.  'Have I ever told you how beautiful you are?'

'Mulder...'  She whispered again, trying to stop this, but 
not sure how.  Not sure if she wanted to.

He kissed her tenderly and her mind went blank.  She was 
lost in emotions.  How long had she thought about this?  
How long had she wondered if this was the road they would 
eventually travel down?  Why now, after all this time?  She 
was fighting cancer, she had just come off a terrifying 
case, and she was drunk.

'Mulder, wait.'  She broke the contact.

He stared back at her, hurt and disappointment shining in 
his eyes.  'I'm sorry.'

'No, Mulder.'  She said.  'It's not like that-'

'We're here, miss.'  The cab driver said.  The taxi came to 
a halt in front of her apartment.

Scully sat for a moment, berating herself for not handling 
this as well as she could have.  'Mulder-'

'I had a lot of fun tonight, Scully.'  He said, looking 
straight ahead.

She slowly got out of the car and hesitated.  She regretted 
that the night had ended awkwardly, after all the fun 
they'd had.  After how much closer they'd gotten.  She 
wanted to repair the damage, but didn't know how.  She bent 
back down to look at him.  'I had a lot of fun too, Mulder.  
Thanks for taking me.'

'Thanks for going.'  He glanced her way.  The wall between 
them was definitely back up.

***

The sunshine peeked through the blinds and landed on 
Scully's face, waking her.  She had dreamed the same dream 
over and over throughout the night.  The wonderful evening 
her and Mulder had, leading up to the kiss in the taxi, 
then the whole relationship slamming on it's breaks.

Again.

When she opened her door the next morning, he had greeted 
her like he always did.  Everything was back to normal.

The ride to Skinner's had been silent.  In some ways she 
took the blame.  He had reached out and she had slapped him 
down.  She knew Mulder was sensitive, she knew he didn't 
reach out to people.  Why couldn't she have been more 
receptive?

Skinner, sensing something was odd, had babbled all the way 
to the FBI Headquarters.  It couldn't have been any more 
obvious, if you thought about it.  The night before they 
had seemed like best friends and today they were cold and 
distant.

Scully spent the ride into work chewing on her lip.  He was 
the one who had rejected her to begin with!  He had 
expressed doubts at the beginning, why couldn't she?  She 
guessed it was the fact that they were five years into the 
friendship by then and had been through five dozen times 
more.  Scully had responded to Mulder just as indifferently 
as he had responded to her and they had gone off to their 
meeting, never mentioning the previous night again.

Scully sighed, looking into her refrigerator.  It was very 
bleak.  Now that she wasn't eating meat, there didn't seem 
to be anything in the kitchen that she could fix for 
herself.  She was going to have to do something about this.  
Maybe some minestrone soup...  Made with beef broth.  
Damnit.

'Scully?'

There was a knocking at her door and she recognized 
Krycek's voice.  She frowned, thinking that he wasn't 
supposed to be here until the afternoon.  She realized, 
startled, that is was the afternoon.  Had she slept all 
morning?

'Krycek.'  She greeted, letting him pass through the door.

'Have you slept all day?'  Krycek eyed her wardrobe.

'It appears so.'  She said.  'Any news?'

'It looks like I may have a lead.  I'm supposed to call my 
contact back in an hour.'  Krycek looked around her 
apartment.  'Seems different in here today.'

'How so?'  Scully opened her pantry and frowned at the 
contents.

'Lighter, more revealing.'  He looked over at her, nearly 
smiling at her somber look.  'What are you doing?'

'Wishing I had something to eat.'  Scully shut the pantry 
and leaned her forehead against it.  'I'm starving.'

'Nothing in there looked good?'  He asked.

'I've given up meat.'  Scully said, opening her eyes and 
rolling them towards him.

Krycek nodded at her.  'Hormones and antibiotics.'  He 
picked up a picture she had on her mantle and stared at it.

She and Mulder had been at the FBI Christmas party a couple 
of years ago.  They were trying to look serious, but they 
both had grins tugging at their lips.  She remembered the 
horrible joke they had shared about the Section Chief, whom 
had his picture taken just before them.  That's what was 
causing the struggle not to laugh.

'If you want to get dressed,' Krycek said, placing the 
picture where he picked it up from, 'I'll buy us some 
lunch.  I know a great vegetarian cafe around the corner.'

'Vegetarian cafe?'  She asked, staring at him.

'I'm vegan.'  He replied, then smiled at her startled look.  
'Don't look so surprised, Agent Scully.  Hell, I'm all for 
animal rights.  It's the people I can't stand.'

***

The walk to the cafe was silent.

Scully spent all of it wondering what the hell she was 
doing.  She had never liked Krycek, never trusted Krycek, 
had always put a lot of blame on Krycek.  She had grown to 
hate and despise the man.  Now here she is, going to lunch 
with him?  What if this was all a part of some scheme to 
get to her?

'I'm not going to hurt you.'  Krycek's voice suddenly 
interrupted her thoughts.

'What?'  She squinted up at him in the sun.

He stopped and turned towards her.  'This isn't part of any 
plan.  You can trust me.'

Scully stared back at him, trying to recall the last thirty 
seconds of their walk.  Had she been thinking out loud?  
'What makes you think I don't trust you already?'

'Because you never have.'  He walked over to the cafe and 
held the door open for her.

She hesitantly walked inside.  'Thank you.'

'You're welcome.'  He held his hand out, gesturing for her 
to pick a table.  They sat at a table in the back in front 
of a corner waterfall.  The inside was made up like a rain 
forest.  Krycek ordered for both of them because Scully had 
insisted that she knew nothing about vegetarian food and 
wouldn't know where to begin.  They tried to indulge in 
mindless chatter until the waitress brought over drinks and 
an appetizer.

'Now.'  Scully said, smearing some pita bread with a tofu-
olive dip.  'You skillfully avoided my question.  What 
makes you think I've never trusted you.'

Krycek laughed.  'Because I wouldn't trust me either.'

Scully shot him a look.  'Very good at avoiding questions, 
I see.'

'It's strange.'  Krycek said, his eyes drifting off.  'I've 
lived my whole life believing something so strongly.  These 
beliefs shaped the person I became and molded me into 
someone I always thought I was.  Then the other day, I find 
out I have siblings, I have parents.  I mean, I knew the 
science behind where I came from.  But discovering the 
identities of the people that are made of the same flesh 
and blood that I am.'  He shook his head.  'I can't believe 
I'm telling you this.'

'Me neither.'  Scully said, head resting on her hand.

'I've never talked about myself.'  Krycek shrugged.  'I 
never knew why I should.  It never seemed important.  
Everything was about,' Krycek held up his hand and made 
quotations in the air.  'The Cause'.'

'What a horrible way to grow up.'  Scully said.  'I can't 
imagine missing out on my childhood.'

'Yeah.'  Krycek said softly.  'But in a way I don't blame 
them.  I believe that they did what they thought they had 
to do.'

'Experimenting on people, abducting them from their 
families, causing illnesses.'  Scully shook her head.  
'Creating children whose only reason for being alive is 
what, to save the world?'

'Sounds noble.'  Krycek joked.

'It's inexcusable.'  Scully said.  'Not to mention a lot of 
pressure on the kids.  If I was told I had to save the 
world, I'd go hide in a corner.'

He looked up at her to see if she was serious.  She wasn't.  
He began to laugh as the waitress arrived with his 
portabello mushroom burger and her veggie wrap.

Scully's eyes widened as she looked at his plate.  'That 
smells so good.'

He smiled.  'I knew you were going to do that.'  He divided 
the burger and set one half on her plate.

'Oh, I couldn't possibly.'  She held up a hand.

'Don't worry,' Krycek said, grabbing one of her wraps.  
'I'm taking half of yours too.'

Scully was suddenly reminded of Mulder.  He had done just 
that in a Mexican restaurant they frequented.  Threw a slab 
of carne asada on her plate then stole half of her chicken 
mole enchilada.

'Mulder is very valuable to both sides.'  Krycek said, 
staring at her somberly.  'No one will hurt him.  He'll be 
okay.'

She raised her eyes to his.  'You always seem to know what 
I'm thinking.'

He shrugged before speaking in a no-nonsense voice.  'I'm 
not stupid, Agent Scully.'

She smiled a little.  'That's one opinion.'

Krycek just shook his head and took a bite of his burger.  
'You should eat that before it gets cold and tastes like 
rubber.'

Scully raved about the food and Krycek talked about his 
time in Newport Beach.  He was in the middle of talking 
about a harrowing ride around the Balboa Fun Zone in a two-
seater bike when he noticed Scully wasn't hearing anything 
he was saying.  She was staring back at him, an odd 
expression on her face.

He stopped talking and waited for her to speak.

'I can't believe you're Mulder's brother.'  She said 
softly.

'It came as quite a shock to me too.'  Krycek smiled sadly.  
'I didn't think it was going to change the way I felt about 
him, but it did.'

'Hmmm.'  She put her elbows on the table and rested her 
head in her hands.  'How so?'

'I'm not sure, really.'  He leaned back in his chair and 
wiped his mouth with a napkin.  'I can't explain it.  I've 
never had a sense of family.  I've always been alone.  I 
was never given love; I was given lectures, lessons, and 
education.  I didn't sit around the tree at Christmas and 
open presents.  I never knew I was lonely until later.'  
Krycek smiled.  'Sorry.  I'm straying.'

'No, no.'  Scully said.  'Go on.'

'When I first found out that Mulder was my brother, I 
didn't think of it that way.  I thought of is as,' Krycek 
adopted a monotone, nasally voice, 'someone who was created 
from the same gene pool as I was.  It took some time for 
the reality of it to sink in.  That he was my brother, that 
he was family.'  He looked up at her, smiling.  'I've never 
had a family before.  It's scary but nice at the same 
time.'

'I can't imagine.'  Scully said.  'I can't imagine how it 
feels to suddenly have a brother.'  She sat for a moment 
then spoke again softly.  'I cannot imagine how Mulder is 
going to feel when he learns all this.'

'I'm sure he'll still not like me very much.'  Krycek said.

Scully smiled at him, really hating the fact that she 
didn't hate him just then.  'I cannot imagine never knowing 
any of my family, as vile as some of them are.'  Her 
thoughts drifted to her family members who were in her 
life, and those who had moved on.

'Scully.'  Krycek leaned in close to the table.

She sensed his serious mood and leaned close too.  'What?'  
She whispered.

Krycek's eyes locked on hers.  'I didn't kill your sister.'

Scully stared back at him, her eyes brimming with tears 
before she pushed them away.

'I was there, but I didn't kill her.'

Scully couldn't look at him.  She looked across the 
restaurant, down at her plate, over at the waitress, 
anywhere.  She couldn't look at him.

'I was sent there to make sure you were assassinated.  But 
I didn't know.'  He said.  'I didn't know.'

Scully felt herself start to tremble.  She felt trapped; 
she didn't know what to do.

'If you only knew what I've been told, what I've been 
taught.'  Krycek's voice seemed a bit shaky.

She gathered strength and looked up at him.  His eyes were 
boring into hers.  They were full of sadness, regrets, and 
compassion.

'I know now that I've been on the wrong side.'

Scully tried once more to hate him.  But if what he said 
was true, she couldn't.  A tear fell from her lashes and 
she quickly lowered her face.

Krycek reached over and covered her hand with his own.  
'I'm sorry.'

She immediately drew her hand away and stood up, heading 
for the restroom.  She went into a stall and closed the 
door behind her to lean against it.  Her hand covered her 
mouth and she closed her eyes.

Mulder, she thought to herself, this is too much.  She sank 
down in the corner of the stall and buried her face in her 
arms.  Mulder, I can't do this without you.  Her body began 
shaking as the sobs wracked her body.

***

Scully took some time to compose herself, splashing cold 
water on her face and looking at herself in the mirror.  
She felt weak for getting so upset, but the thought of 
Melissa's death was something she hadn't conquered just 
yet.  Hearing Krycek speak of it, 'I was there, but I 
didn't kill her', flooded her mind with images.  It had 
been too much on top of what was already a 'too much' week.

Someone came into the bathroom, invading Scully's private 
space.  Scully returned the friendly smile and headed out.  
Krycek was waiting for her right outside the restroom.  He 
opened his mouth, to apologize she assumed, but she held up 
a hand, cutting him off.

'Don't.'  She said flatly, walking past him.  'I don't know 
how much regret I can take from you.'

Krycek followed her outside, a smirk planted on his face.  
'Oh there you are, Scully.  I haven't seen you since last 
night.'

She stopped and turned to face him, standing on the 
sidewalk.  'What the hell is that supposed to mean?'

'Nothing, I'm sorry.'  He shook his head.  'My fine-tuned, 
hard, sarcastic edge is going to be difficult to tame.  I 
developed it quite young and have been using it to survive 
ever since.'

'Must run in the family.'  She mumbled.  'Mulder can't stay 
serious for more than three minutes at a time before he 
goes into overload and has to do something stupid.'

A beeping at his side interrupted Krycek's laugh.

Scully eyed him suspiciously.  'You're beeping.'

'Relax.'  He pulled his phone out and showed it to her.  'I 
had the alarm set to remind me.'

'Remind you what?'

'Pregnancy cause memory loss?'  Krycek asked, tapping her 
lightly on the head with the phone.  'I need to call my 
contact back.'

And to Scully's surprise, he dialed the number, apparently 
staying right in front of her.

He began to spew short, Russian sentences.  Halfway through 
the conversation his eyes locked with hers.  She raised her 
eyebrows in question and he gave her a small, lopsided 
grin.

'Well?'  Scully asked as soon as Krycek took the phone away 
from his ear.

'Spender's been spotted.'  He said as they resumed their 
walk towards her apartment.

'Cancer Man?'  She asked.  'Where?'

'Seattle.  Security cameras recorded him and a woman in 
SeaTac Airport.'

They both dialed numbers on their phones and began walker 
faster.

Scully called Skinner and the Lone Gunmen, arranging for 
them to meet.  Krycek made several calls, each one seeming 
to be in a different language.

People got out of their way and stared as they walked past.  
Scully and Krycek both had a demanding presence.  
Especially when angry or emotionally charged somehow.  No 
matter the size of the crowd, they were easily spotted.

Across the street, a camera lens slid out of a window.

***

Krycek knocked on the door to the Lone Gunmen's building 
and looked down at Scully.  'This is one place I never 
thought I'd visit.'

'I thought the same thing.'  She replied in a low voice.  
'They kinda grow on you after awhile.'

'Who goes there?'

'It's me Langly.'  Scully said.  'Open the door.'

'What's the password?'

Scully sighed.  'The password is 'Langly's going to get a 
swift, kick in the ass if he doesn't open the goddamn 
door'.'

Krycek smiled down at Scully as they heard several locks 
being disengaged.  'Such influence you have.'

'Whatever.'  She made a face at him as the door was opened 
and Krycek followed her inside.

'Whoa!'  Krycek exclaimed, taking in all the equipment.  
'What's all this shit?'

Frohike popped up from behind a table.  'What's it to you, 
punk ass?'

'Easy big guy.'  Krycek put his hand up in surrender.  'I 
come in peace.'

'We've managed to clear the image up quite a bit.'  Byers 
said, adjusting knobs.  'The image of him is almost 
perfect.'

Scully walked over to stand between Krycek and Byers, her 
arms crossed.  'No sign of Skinner?'

'He called just before you showed up.'  Frohike said, 
smiling.  'He was lost.'

'You gotta love those FBI people.'  Krycek said.  'So 
perceptive.'

'So observant.'  Langly agreed.

'Always paying attention.'  Frohike chimed in.

'That's enough.'  Scully said threateningly.  The three 
quieted down like little kids.

The image on the screen suddenly snapped into view.  Byers 
reached down and hit a couple switches.  'Okay, here we 
go.'

Scully and Krycek leaned closer to the monitor.  It was 
obviously an airport.  People were scurrying by, pulling 
luggage, airline personnel were sliding by slowly in two's 
and three's.  The image suddenly zoomed in as Byers pointed 
at the screen while controlling the picture.  'There he 
is.'

It was Cancer Man.  He put his hand on the back of the 
woman next to him, causing her to turn towards the camera.

'Oh my God.'  Scully whispered, looking up at Krycek.  'Is 
that Samantha?'

Frohike frowned.  'You know her?'

Krycek nodded, straightening up.  'It's my sister.'

***

'What are you going to do?'  Skinner asked, turning away 
from the screen.  He had shown up just after them, 
irritated and embarrassed at his lack of navigational 
expertise.

'I'm going to go out there.'  Krycek said.  'I'm sure he 
knows where Mulder is and I have to get to my sister.  I 
doubt she has any idea that Mulder's been abducted.  I'm 
sure my father is hiding everything from her.'

Skinner crossed his arms and leaned against the table.  'Do 
you need me to do anything?'

'Get me a car through the Bureau.  No one would expect me 
to be in cahoots with the FBI.  I want to remain 
anonymous.'  Krycek smiled.  'If I'm going to disappear, 
I'm going to do a good job.'

'What about us?'  Langly asked.

Skinner and Scully exchanged a glance.  'What have you been 
doing?'  He asked.

The three Lone Gunmen glanced among themselves before all 
three launched into various explanations.

'We've been monitoring all phone calls from the FBI...'

'Pirating all the security tapes...'

'Hacking into the databases...'

Skinner held up a hand, nodding.  'Just keep doing what 
you've been doing.'  He looked over at Krycek.  'I can get 
you a car now, if you want to come with me.'

Krycek smiled down at Scully.  'I guess I'll be going then.  
I'll call you when I learn something more.'

'Wait a minute.'  Scully said, putting a hand on his arm.  
'I'm going with you.'

Skinner and the Lone Gunman immediately objected in various 
ways.

'I think I can take care of myself.'  Scully said, raising 
her voice.  'I don't have to remind any of you-'

Krycek was shaking his head as she launched into her 
tirade.  'You're not coming with me.'

She eyed him, anger sparking in her eyes.  'Why the hell 
not?'

'Your baby is very important.  They will stop at nothing to 
get their hands on it.  It's better if you stay here, 
protected.'

Scully hesitated, thinking on what he'd said.  While it 
made some sense, it didn't entirely dissuade her from 
needing to help.  'Then you can protect me, Mr.  Big, Bad, 
Hit Man, Tough-Guy.  I'm going.'

Krycek stepped closer and looked down at her, speaking 
softly.  'I really don't think it's a good idea, Dana.'

Scully blinked at the use of her first name.  Except for 
her Mom and brothers, a couple of close friends, no one had 
used her name in so long.  'I'm going, and that's all there 
is to it.'

Krycek stared down at her for a moment, then shrugged.  He 
turned to face the other four.  'You all heard me say it, 
this isn't a good idea.'

***

Mulder poured her another glass of wine.  They had been 
plowing through his music collection, not to mention his 
supply of alcohol, for hours.  It had been a few days since 
they'd seen each other.  She had gone to Maine on a short 
vacation and come back to realize that she had missed 
Mulder almost as much as he'd missed her.  While she had 
taken over his place on an X-File she'd stumbled across, he 
hadn't done anything other than litter the ceiling with 
pencils.

Scully picked up another album.  'Super Tramp?'  She 
exclaimed.

'Well, now, Scully, don't be so hard on yourself.'  Mulder 
began before he was clipped in the head by a flying pillow.  
'Oh, come on!  That was funny!'

'Could we have kipper's for breakfast...'  Scully broke 
out.

'Mummy dear, mummy dear.'  Mulder joined her and they both 
continued on.  'They gotta have 'em in Texas, 'cause 
everyone's a millionaire...'

'Dana.'

The voice interrupted her dream and Scully opened her eyes, 
the cramp in her neck making her cringe.  'Where are we?'  
She asked groggily.'

'We're almost there.'  Krycek said.  'I didn't want you to 
miss the view, it's really cool.'

'You know Seattle?'  She asked, putting her seat in the 
upright position.

'Yeah.  When I would leave Russia to hide for awhile, this 
is where I'd always go.'

'What did you do in Russia?'  Scully rolled down her window 
to get some fresh air.

'Another conversation for another time.'  Krycek said, 
nodding his head at the view ahead of him.  'Check it out.'

Scully looked ahead of her.  'What is that?  Not the 
ocean.'

'Lake Washington.'  Krycek answered.  'I came across 520 
instead of I-90 because it's so much nicer.  This is the 
longest floating bridge in the world.'

Scully smiled.  The view was really impressive.  The water 
spread out to either side of the bridge and the city loomed 
in the distance.  She smiled at him.  'I never saw much of 
Seattle.  We were only in the city for two days.'

'I booked our rooms at the Westin.'  Krycek said.  'You'll 
get plenty of Seattle.'

***

Scully stared at her suitcase sitting on the bed and 
sighed.  She didn't feel like unpacking.  Her back hurt 
from the long drive across the country.  They had driven 
straight through and took turns sleeping, although Krycek 
never seemed to sleep, and it still took forever.

They had talked a lot.  Krycek had been very open about his 
past and didn't seem to mind that she was guarded with her 
own answers.  She was surprised at some of things they had 
in common.  Music, for instance.  They both had a very 
broad range of musical interests.  The Doors, Pink Floyd, 
Depeche Mode, Red Hot Chile Peppers.  Krycek seemed very 
surprised at that one.  But she liked all music.  Opera, 
classical, jazz.  Even some country she had admitted 
reluctantly.

What's wrong with country, he'd asked, surprising her this 
time.

Scully smiled to herself.  She had to admit that she liked 
Krycek.  He was highly intelligent and had a great sense of 
humor.  He was blatantly open, almost honest to a fault.  
He had grown up horribly; he never had a family, no one to 
show him right or wrong.

She found herself hoping that Mulder gave him a chance.

After all, Mulder needed family almost as badly as Krycek 
did.

Although it's still really hard for me to let my guard 
down, she thought.

Scully went into Krycek's room through the door that joined 
their rooms.  His own bags were still sitting on his bed 
and he was standing at the window, staring out at Seattle.

'You look as drained as I feel.'  She said, walking over to 
stand next to him.

'And maybe worse then that.'  Krycek replied, not looking 
at her.

'Feeling sorry for yourself again?'  She nudged his side.

He smiled to himself, seeming a million miles away.  'You 
always seem to know what I'm thinking.'

'I'm not stupid, Agent Krycek.'  She said in a no-nonsense 
voice.

He opened his mouth, then began to laugh.  'I'm not even 
going to say it.'

She turned away from the window and leaned against it so 
she could look at him.  'What are we going to do first?'

'I should check in and feed them a story so they don't get 
all crazy on me.  I'm sure they have some news about Mulder 
or Spender.'  Krycek looked at his watch.  'It's too early 
to call back there now.'

'I feel like we should be doing something.'  Scully said 
softly.  'But I'm not sure what.'

'We can't do anything yet.'  He replied, putting his hand 
in a pocket.  'We need something to go off first.  They're 
obviously not at SeaTac anymore.  Why don't you go get some 
rest, I'll wake you when we get some news.'

'What're you going to do?'  She asked.

Krycek smiled at her.  'Wallow in my mire.'

They were both silent for a minute then Scully looked at 
him.  'Screw that.  I'm starving.  Let's get something to 
eat.'

Krycek grabbed his jacket off the bed.  'Where do you want 
to go?'

'This is your gig.'  Scully passed through the door as he 
held it open for her.  'Surprise me.'

***

Mulder struggled to open his eyes.

'Fox.'

The voice seemed a million miles away.  He blinked over and 
over.

'Fox.  You need to keep breathing.'

Mulder was finally able to focus on an object in the room.  
It was a woman.  He could see the back of her blonde head.  
He struggled to speak, but couldn't get any words out.

'Take a deep breath.'  Her voice was familiar.  'You need 
to keep breathing.'

Mulder pulled a breath into his lungs.  His whole body felt 
bruised and he began to cough, which caused greater pain.  
He stopped and only took shallow breaths when he had to.

'Just keep breathing, Fox.'  She approached his bed, a long 
needle in her hand.  'You've had a long ordeal, but it will 
be better soon.'

Mulder's eyes widened as her face came into view and she 
administered the shot.  He opened his mouth to speak again, 
but the world faded in a blurry, black haze.

***

'You did not.'  Scully laughed.

Krycek nodded, laughing with her.  'I did.  I was acting so 
cool, running down to the canal, and slipped right into the 
water.  It was so filthy.  It was so disgusting.  Needless 
to say, I didn't impress the young Italian girl.  It was 
the most embarrassing moment of my life.'

'If I ever go to Venice, I will try to remember the stairs 
are covered in algae.'

'I'm surprised you've never been overseas.'  He said, 
digging into the vegetarian jambalaya.

'Surprised?'

'Since your Dad was in the Navy.'  He said.  'I'm surprised 
you weren't relocated all over the place.'

'We were.  But it was all over the country.'  She chewed a 
little, looking around.  'But never to the Pacific 
Northwest.  It's very beautiful here.  Where'd you say we 
were?'

'Pioneer Square.'  Krycek said.  'This place is insane on 
Friday and Saturday nights.  Too bad you're pregnant 
otherwise we could really do it up.'

'What's different?'

'There's nine or ten clubs.  You pay one price, get your 
hand stamped and go club hopping.'  Krycek's eyes lit up.  
'It's insane, but a lot of fun.  Things get kinda crazy 
around one or two in the morning.'

Scully was frozen, staring out the window.  'Alex.'  She 
whispered.

He barely had time to notice that she used his first name 
for the first time he could ever remember before he noticed 
her face drained of it's color.  Krycek followed her gaze 
to the entrance of the restaurant.

Sure enough, there was the old man, walking into the New 
Orleans Cafe, Samantha trailing behind him.

They didn't have time to do much of anything before Cancer 
Man appeared at their table.  'Well, well, Agent Scully.'  
He said, taking a cigarette out of his pack.  'I never 
expected to find you having dinner with this son.'

'Where's Mulder?'  She asked.

'I'm afraid I have no idea of Mulder's exact location.'  He 
said, lighting his Morley and gesturing at the chair next 
to her.  'May I?'

Scully didn't bother answering as he sat down.  She didn't 
notice that Krycek had stood up to greet Samantha until the 
two were engaged in a hug.

'How are you?'  Krycek asked her.

Samantha nodded and sat down in the chair he offered.  
Krycek came around the table to sit next to Scully.  A 
minute of silence passed.  Scully was staring at Samantha, 
not believing that she was siting two feet from the person 
that began Mulder's never-ending quest.

'Well, here we are.'  Spender said.

'You said if I helped you stage your death that all this 
would end.'  Krycek said.  'Now Mulder is missing and Dana 
is pregnant.  That was never part of the plan.'

'Dana?'  Cancer Man said, taking a drag off his cigarette.  
'I take it you two have become close.'

'Cut the crap.'  Scully said to him.  'Where's Mulder?'

'So sensitive.'  He replied.

'We've come a long way.'  Krycek said.  'She's worried 
about Mulder and quite frankly, so am I.  This wasn't 
supposed to happen.'

'I'm sorry to be the one to inform you that Mulder is with 
Marita.'  Spender said.

Both Scully and Krycek stared back at him.

'Marita?'  Krycek asked.

'Mulder has been working with her.'  Spender said.  'Trying 
to restore a New World order to save the human race.'

'I don't believe you.'  Scully whispered.

'Neither do I.'  Krycek agreed.

'It's true.'  Samantha said softly.  'I saw the pictures 
myself.'

Krycek's eyes flicked between the two of them.  'What 
pictures?'

'Jeffrey has been tailing Miss Covarrubias for some time.'  
Spender said.  'He has pictures of Mulder, Marita and other 
members of the group.'

'Doing what?'  Krycek asked.

'Talking.'  Spender replied.  'Just talking.'

'That's why we came out here.'  Samantha said.  'There's 
people we need to meet with to fight this.'

'Fight what?'  Scully asked.  'I'm not sure I follow.'

'Marita has been working with the alien rebels.'  Krycek 
said.  'The rebels perform tests on people to see how 
easily they can be infected with the virus.  After the 
tests are complete, the test subjects are incinerated.'

Scully was silent, horrified.  'What?'  She finally 
whispered.

Cancer Man stubbed his cigarette out in an ashtray.  'They 
don't want to leave any trace of their work behind for the 
group to get their hands on.  So they burn them to make 
sure nothing remains.  '

Scully's thought's involuntarily drifted back to the night 
Cassandra Spender had disappeared, when the faceless rebels 
had set everyone on fire.  She suddenly felt ill.  Krycek 
immediately noticed and reached over to put his hand on 
hers.

'You see why we've tried to keep this away from the 
public?'  He asked.

She looked at him, her eyes sad, and he tried to smile when 
he continued.  'There's nothing we can do yet, so why let 
the world worry their last days away.'

Scully sat in silence, stunned.  Could Mulder really be 
working with Marita?  Could she even consider what Spender 
was saying?  Could she believe that this was really 
Samantha?  Could she really trust Krycek?

That last thought dropped in her mind and stayed there.  
Whether or not she wanted it to happen, Krycek had become a 
friend in all of this.  But could she, should she, let her 
guard down?  She thought not.  True, he had been kind and 
supportive to her, he had bared his feelings, and he had 
revealed what had been going on with him and everything 
else.

But he was still Krycek.

'You're saying that Mulder knows that these people are 
being killed?'  Scully asked softly.

'I do not know what Mulder knows.'  Spender said.  'All I 
know is that he is with Miss Covarrubias and the rest of 
the group.'

'So he could be there as a prisoner?'

'Agent Scully,' Spender leaned towards her, 'I do not doubt 
anything anymore.  My life has shown me a lot of 
unbelievable things.  But I do know Mulder.'  He took 
another Morley out and lit up.  'If Mulder is involved in 
this, it is because he believes it is the right thing to 
do.'

Silence went around the table again.  Scully remembered 
that Samantha was sitting across from her and again 
marveled at the fact that Mulder's sister was two feet 
away.

'And what part do you play in all this?'  Scully asked.

'I am trying to protect mankind.'  Samantha said.  'I 
believe that this cause should be kept quiet and we should 
be working in secret.  Why should we burden the public with 
what is going on when it will be over so quickly if we do 
not succeed?  They are better off living the rest of their 
lives in blissful ignorance.'

'I see you are having a hard time believing that Fox could 
be involved in something so sinister.'  Spender said.  'If 
you could think of it from his point of view, he has always 
wanted to expose the truth.  He always believed that the 
world should be informed of any conspiracy.  This is where 
we've disagreed.'

***

Mulder felt a cool hand on his face and the soft voice 
spiraled down to the bottom of the black hole he was lying 
in.

'Fox.'

He tried to open his eyes and they fluttered open a couple 
of times.

'Fox.'

Mulder gave up on trying to open his eyes and licked his 
lips instead.

'Don't try to talk, Fox.'  The voice said.  'Just keep 
breathing.'

'Scully?'  He managed to squeak out.

'Just relax, Fox.'

Mulder licked his lips again.  'Where...Am I?'

'You're in the hospital.'  The voice was beginning to sound 
familiar again.  'You need to relax and concentrate on 
breathing.'

Mulder blinked his eyes several times before managing to 
keep them open.  Shapes began to form in his blurry vision.  
The light above...The tiles in the ceiling...The sprinkler 
system...He rolled his eyes to his left and stared as he 
saw the blonde woman that he had seen before.

Mulder swallowed again, trying to clear his throat and 
whispered.

'Diana?'

***

Scully thoughts swirled around in her mind.  Too much, her 
mind kept saying.  Too much, don't get overwhelmed.  She 
took a deep breath and forced the clutter from her 
thoughts.  Focused on the discussion at hand.  She looked 
at Cancer Man.

'You used me to get to that information you needed and now 
you want me to trust you?'

'I didn't ask for your trust, Agent Scully.'  He replied.  
'You asked me where Fox was and I told you what I thought.  
We're just talking.'

Scully stared back at him for a moment, silently and 
reluctantly admitting to herself that he was right.  She 
wouldn't allow herself to feel the confusion that pressed 
down on her head.  She knew it was coming, her unavoidable 
meltdown of information, but she wasn't allowing herself 
the luxury just now.  That was for another time, all alone, 
in a warm shower, with the door locked.

'Are you okay?'  Krycek asked her.

She hadn't realized her hand was touching her forehead and 
her eyes were closed.  'I'm fine.'

'Maybe you should get some rest.'  He said.  'It's been a 
long trip.'

'I don't believe Mulder would lie to me.'  Scully said.  'I 
don't believe that he could be involved in something like 
that.'  Her voice was close to breaking and she hated 
herself for it.  'Mulder is a good person.'

'Mulder isn't on the wrong side, Agent Scully.'  Spender 
said, blowing out smoke.  'He is just on the side that he 
believes in.  Our goal, after all, is one in the same.  We 
just have different ways of getting to it.'

'I don't believe Fox would lie to you either.  He has never 
been the deceitful type.'  Samantha gently broke in.  'But 
I do think that he would keep things from you if he thought 
he would be protecting you.'

'You don't even know him.'  Scully snapped at her, 
immediately sorry for doing it.  She normally didn't lose 
her carefully constructed cool.

'I beg your pardon.'  Samantha said, completely indifferent 
to Scully's bite of anger.  'I do know Fox.  He is my 
brother and I spent the first part of my life with him.  
Even though we were brought up believing in two different 
things, I still know who he is.'

Scully was tired, confused and pregnant and her patience 
was reaching his end.  'You knew him when he was twelve!'  
She exclaimed.

'Let's not get into this right now.'  Krycek interrupted.  
'No good will come from arguing.'  He looked at his father.  
'We came here to find you hoping for an answer on Mulder's 
whereabouts.  But I guess you are in the dark on that as 
well.'

'We can put out our own inquiries.'  Cancer Man said.  'But 
who's to say that Fox wants to be found.'

'There's one thing that I don't understand.'  Scully said.

Krycek smiled.  'Just one?'

'I never had any connection to any of this while I was 
growing up.'  She looked at Krycek.  'You and Mulder, all 
of you were involved because of your parents, because of 
the project.'  She shook her head.  'Where did I come 
from?'

'I picked you out of medical school.'  Krycek answered.

'But since then.'  She went on.  'Everything that has 
happened to me, it is too coincidental.  Almost like...'

'Someone close to you was working against you?'  Cancer Man 
finished.

Scully didn't answer and moved on to another topic that had 
been bothering her.  'I'm assuming it was you who made sure 
I was able to conceive a child?'

'The child was conceived before it was implanted in you.'  
Spender said.  'I do not know when or where this happened.'

'And you had no part in it?'  She asked, recalling the 
morning she had awakened in his cabin with no recollection 
of the previous evening.

'I am not part of the group trying to create the new human 
evolution.'  Spender smiled.  'That is the campaign of 
Marita Covarrubias.'

'Then what are you doing?'  Scully asked, frustrated that 
no clear answers were available.

'We're creating the vaccine.'

'Creating a vaccine?'  Scully repeated.  'In order to do 
that, wouldn't experimentation be needed?  Not to mention 
you don't easily stumble across alien DNA?'

'Perhaps you'd like to see how we do it?'  Spender offered, 
blowing out smoke.  'Someone with your expertise would be 
welcomed into our project.'

'I'm not a geneticist.'  Scully replied before recoiling in 
horror.  What the hell was she thinking?  'And I'm really 
not interested in having any part of your project.'

'Rather hard to be a fence-sitter when presented with both 
sides.'  Spender said.  'One does usually tend to lean in 
some sort of direction.'

'I have not been presented with any sides.'  Scully replied 
harshly, rather irritated with the fact that she was 
already leaning away from the faceless rebels.  Which, if 
what Spender were saying was true, would be Mulder's side.  
'You haven't answered any of my questions with any clarity 
nor have you shown me any proof to substantiate anything 
you are claiming.  For all I know you have Mulder locked in 
a cage, draining him of whatever alien traits you need to 
make your vaccine work!'

Krycek frowned, obviously bothered that Scully was getting 
so upset, but Spender wasn't phased and turned towards 
Samantha.  'Show them the pictures, will you dear?'

Scully didn't say anything as Samantha reached into her 
purse and brought out some pictures.  She put them on the 
table and slid them towards Krycek and Scully, who leaned 
over the table to get a closer look.

Spender smiled.  'I'm sure your rational mind will find an 
excuse for what you see.'

The first picture was an office.  Mulder was sitting in a 
chair, leaning forward, hands dangling between his legs.  
He was looking up at Marita who was leaning against a desk, 
arms folded, staring down at him.

'This doesn't prove anything.'  Scully said softly, 
cringing inwardly at the sadness on Mulder's face.  'He 
doesn't look all that thrilled to be there.'

Krycek suddenly looked up at Scully as she glanced down at 
the next picture.

There were people seated around a table, someone up in 
front mapping on a graph of the world.  Mulder was looking 
up the map, chin resting in his hand.  Marita was sitting 
on his left and there were two other men seated at the 
table as well.  One looked familiar but Scully couldn't 
concentrate on that as she was staring at the blonde woman 
on Mulder's right.  Scully couldn't move, couldn't speak.  
For a moment, she couldn't even breathe.  It was Diana 
Fowley.

'Dana.'  Krycek said softly.  'This still means nothing.'

Scully put a hand over her mouth, her brain moving too 
fast.  Diana was dead.  She had looked at the autopsy 
report herself.  Diana was dead; Mulder wouldn't be hanging 
around with Diana and not tell her.  Diana was dead, she 
had been found dead.  She was dead.  Mulder wouldn't lie to 
her.  Mulder wouldn't lie.  He had saved her life too many 
times to count.  He had always been there for her.  He had 
followed her up to the Arctic to find her.

The thought suddenly slammed home exceptionally hard and 
her rational mind started to view things in a different 
way.

How had Mulder managed to find her up there?  He said that 
English man who was so high up in the Syndicate had given 
him her location.  That he'd been approached by this man 
and been offered her cure and her location.

That suddenly seemed a bit coincidental.

'Dana.'  Krycek's soft voice interrupted her thoughts.  
'Maybe we should leave so you can get some rest.'

Scully suddenly shoved the pictures back at Samantha, 
knocking everything on the table over in the process.

Tears welled up in her eyes.  Mulder couldn't have lied to 
her.  He couldn't have lied.  He couldn't.

Get a grip, Dana.  Her rational mind tried to surface once 
more.  Get a grip.  She knew Krycek was eyeing her with 
concern.  She ignored him.

'There is one other matter.'  Cancer Man said, lighting 
another cigarette.  'One that I've been reluctant to bring 
up.'

'Dear God.'  Scully said softly.  'Do you ever quit?'

Spender eyed her.  'I only bring this up because it 
involves my son.'

Krycek looked over at him, searching his eyes.

Samantha leaned over and spoke softly.  'I thought we had 
decided against this.'

'That was before I found out about Fox.'  Spender said.  'I 
could always count on him before to do the right thing.  
But he seems to have been...Misled by those others.'  He 
reached down into the briefcase and pulled out some charts.  
'This is your DNA,' he looked at Scully.  'And this is 
Alex's DNA.'

Krycek suddenly sat back in his chair, as if to remove 
himself from the conversation.  Scully looked at his face 
to see him eyeing Cancer Man with disbelief.  She felt fear 
in the pit of her stomach.

'We have a very valuable source.'  Spender said.  'I don't 
know who it is that acts as our double agent, and I don't 
care.  This person is usually able to provide us with 
everything we need.'

Scully swallowed the lump that had lately seemed to be 
visiting her throat quite often.  'Our DNA, that should be 
easily enough to obtain.'

Spender pulled out another chart and laid it on the table 
in between the two.  'This is the DNA of your unborn 
child.'

Krycek suddenly stood up, knocking over his chair in the 
process, and hastily walked out of the restaurant.

Scully looked after him, then back at Spender.  She 
couldn't look at the charts and once again, she was unable 
to speak.

'If you compare the DNA charts of the two of you to the 
chart of the child, you'll see, the child has both.'

Scully managed to drag her eyes down to the charts.  She 
eyed all three before looking up at Spender.  'How?'  She 
whispered, desperately trying to push the tears back into 
her eyes.

'I don't know.'  Cancer Man replied.  'But I do believe you 
should go away where they cannot find you.'

'I can't.'  Scully said softly.

'Alex has the highest IQ of the four children.'  Spender 
said.  'He has shown more alien characteristics than the 
other three combined.  For his child to be in existence 
combined with your tendency to combat the alien virus-'

'How would I have any anti-agent in my body to fight this?'  
She sputtered out, swiping at her eyes.

'Mulder injected you with the vaccine in those horrid ice 
caves.'  Spender said.  'It altered your physiology.  You 
will survive any attempt of the alien invasion because of 
it.'

Scully tried to keep a sane, rational mind about all this.  
She searched for any sense of comfort in anything she'd 
been told and found none.  She extended her search to the 
man sitting in front of her.  'Do you really think Mulder 
is doing wrong in all this?'

'As I've said before, Agent Scully.'  Spender said.  'I 
believe that Fox believes he's doing the right thing.  I 
don't know if he's there because he's being forced, or 
because he chose to deceive everyone around him.  All I 
know is he's there.'

'I've always believed him to be the father of my child.'  
Scully whispered.

'You mustn't think of it that way.'  Spender said.  'The 
child was created for the future.  In a lab.  With 
genetics.  The child was created with science.  The child 
was created specifically to ensure the survival of the 
human race.  The child is the hope for the future.'

It was some time before the dinner broke up and Scully 
wandered outside to find Krycek sitting on a bench out 
front.

'Are they gone?'  He asked before she could say anything.  
His face was in his hand.

'Yes.'  She replied.  'They went back to the 'cottage by 
the lake' they asked me to tell you.'

'I had nothing to do with this.'  He said, not moving.

'I believe you.'  Scully sat on the bench next to him.

'All my life, whenever my mind wandered far enough away to 
dream of having a family, I never wanted my kid to end up 
like me.'

Scully looked at the horse-drawn carriage as it pranced by.  
'I don't quite see it that way.'

Krycek leaned back on the bench and took his hand away from 
his face.  'How is it not?'  He asked.  'The child is being 
bred specifically for scientific reasons.  The offspring of 
two people who know nothing of its origin?  How is that not 
like me?'

'Because the child will have a mother that loves it.'  
Scully replied.  'And hopefully the father will feel the 
same way.'  Was she really saying this?  Was this really 
happening?  Was she really excepting the fact that Krycek 
was the father of her child?

This was insane.

Krycek didn't say anything and they both sat in silence for 
a few moments.

'I'm sorry it wasn't Fox's.'  Krycek said.

'Let's not be concerned with that just now.'  Scully said, 
her voice much sturdier than she had dared to hope.  'I 
wasn't supposed to have children and I desperately wanted 
to be a mother.  Yours or Mulder's, either way this baby is 
a miracle.'

Krycek finally looked over at her.  She ignored him again.  
Scully was trying to deal with the fact that she was 
carrying Krycek's baby and not Mulder's.  It was not an 
easy thing to swallow.

Krycek looked down at the ground.  'What do you think we 
should do?'

'I don't know.'  Scully couldn't look at him yet.  'If us 
going into hiding would create a safer environment for the 
baby, maybe we should.  I could always leave word for 
Mulder on how to find me.'

'We don't have to go into hiding together.'  Krycek said.

'No,' Scully replied, 'but it would be better that way.'  
She looked over at him.  'That is, assuming you want to be 
around.'

Krycek didn't respond.  He sat there with his head in his 
hand.

So this is it.  Scully thought to herself.  This man will 
be part of my future if he wants to, Alex Krycek, 
supposedly the father of my child.  I'm supposed to accept 
this?

Scully was suddenly confused as to why she already seemed 
to be accepting it.  Either she was far more rational than 
she thought, or she was in denial.

Krycek was lost.  She could see it.  She was definitely 
handling this better than he was.  She forced herself to 
put a hand on his leg.  'It would help if I knew what you 
were thinking.'

Krycek shook his head.  When he responded, his voice was 
hoarse.  'I don't know how to deal with this.'  He said.  
'I don't know what I'm supposed to feel.'

'You're not supposed to feel anyway.'  She said.  'However 
you feel is how you're supposed to feel.'

Krycek looked up at her.  She was amazed; there were tears 
in his eyes.  She didn't think his body had been capable of 
producing them.

'Can we go back to the hotel?'  He asked.  'I can't sit out 
here like this anymore.'

***

They were back in their rooms.  Krycek was sitting in the 
chair by the window, leg up on the table.

'I'm sorry.'  He said.

'Sorry for what?'  Scully asked.

He sighed.  'I don't know.'

'It doesn't make this any easier when you're so damn lost.'  
Scully said.

'Hey, you've had time to adjust to the fact that you're 
having a baby.'  Krycek said.  'I've only had about an 
hour.'

'You're right.'  Scully said.  'I'm sorry.'

Krycek leaned back and threw his other leg on the table, 
letting his head fall back on the chair.  'I'm thinking we 
should try to find Fox.'

'Maybe.'  Scully said, sitting on the bed.

Krycek looked at her suspiciously.  'Come on, you don't 
believe all that shit my father said, do you?'

Scully shrugged.  'I don't know.  I'm more worried about my 
baby right now than anything else.'

'Well.'  Krycek said.  'Tell me what you want to do and 
I'll do it.'

There was a knocking at the door and Scully walked over to 
answer it.

'Wait.'  Krycek said, standing up.

She stopped and turned back towards him.  He was already 
walking to her side.

'Who could that be?'  He whispered.

'I don't know.'  She said, looking through the peephole.  
'I don't see anyone-'

'Look out!'  Krycek suddenly shoved her aside.  She fell to 
the ground, a huge boom echoing through the room.

Scully lay on the floor and heard footsteps growing fainter 
as they sounded down the hall.  She took her hands away 
from her ears and looked back at the door.

Krycek was lying on the floor, a puddle of blood collecting 
around him.

'Alex?'  She asked, crawling to his side.

'Don't let me go to...The hospital.'  He said through 
ragged breaths.

Her eyes flooded with tears and she applied pressure to the 
wound as a strange feeling enveloped her.  'You need a 
doctor.'  She said, realizing that the strange feeling was 
trust.  He had just saved her life.

'You are a doctor.'  He sputtered.  'Please don't...let 
me...go to...the hospital.'

'Alex, you need more than what I can do.'  She said.  
Someone burst through the door, a bellboy.

'Call 911.'  She hissed at him before turning her attention 
back to Krycek.  'You're going to be okay.'

'I can't go to the hospital.'  He whispered.

The paramedics arrived after mere minutes.  They gathered 
Krycek up on a gurney and began to wheel him out of the 
room.  He gripped at one of Scully's hands.

'Please don't let them take me.'

Scully blinked as confused tears fell down her face.  
'Alex, I'm going to be right next to you.'

He only shook his head at her.  'Please don't leave me.  I 
can't go.'

'I'm not leaving you.'  She said, wondering again how had 
known that someone was going to be shooting through the 
door.

They rode down the elevator in silence; Scully refused to 
let go of his hand.  They rushed through the lobby and 
towards the freight loading and unloading zone.  He 
suddenly gripped at her hand again.

'Oh my God.'  He whispered.  'They're going to take me.'

'Alex, I'm right here.'  She said.  'No one's taking you 
anywhere without me.'

'Be careful, Dana.'  He said.

The paramedics loaded him into the ambulance and one of 
them turned towards her.

'Sorry, Ma'am.'  He said.  'You cannot come with him.'

'Of course I can.'  Scully replied.  'I'm his doctor.'

The paramedic looked at her.  She barely had time to 
realize that he looked familiar before she was hit in the 
back of the head.  She gripped at Krycek's hand, trying to 
focus on something to keep her awake.  She barely had the 
time to hear him say her name before everything went black.

***

'Mulder, you don't remember anything?'  Scully asked him, 
sitting in her apartment.

He shook his head, not looking at her.

She shook her head.  'I wish you could remember something 
about where you've been.  It might explain who decided to 
conduct neurosurgery on you.  Plus how you can be psychic 
one minute, then have it turned off the next.'

Mulder shrugged at her.  'Bother's the hell outta me too.'

Scully patted his hand.  'I guess you're okay and that's 
all that matters.'

'Yeah, I feel okay.'  He looked up at her, smiling.  'Hey, 
Scully.  You got any of that Godiva I gave you for your 
birthday?'

She smiled at him.  'Why do we drink whenever we're 
together?'

'Oh, I don't know.'  He said, grabbing her hand.  'Maybe I 
like it when you loosen up.  Or maybe it gives me the 
courage I need to tell you how important you are to me.'

Mulder tangled his hand in her hair and brought her face 
closer to give her a quick kiss.

'Agent Scully?'

She blinked her eyes at the authoritative voice.

'There you are.'

She focused on Skinner.  He was standing above her, 
smiling.  'How are you feeling?'

Scully touched her head.  'Where am I?'

'You're in the hospital, but you're okay.'  Skinner said.  
'You were found in the garage of the Westin.  Do you 
remember what happened?'

Scully thought back.  The Westin?  The hotel?  The last 
time she'd been at a Westin was in Los Angeles.  No, in 
Seattle.  Downtown Seattle.  Krycek and her had come out to 
find Mulder.

'Alex.'  She said, sitting up.

Skinner gently eased her back down.  'Easy, Agent.'  He 
said softly.

'Where's Alex?'  She asked.

Skinner looked at her, a strange expression on his face.  
'If you're referring to Krycek, we've found no trace of him 
other than what was left in the hotel.'

'He was shot.'  Scully said.  'He saved my life...'

'Agent Scully.'  Skinner said.  'It's improbable that he 
survived with how much blood he lost.'

Scully's eyes welled up in tears.  Again.  She hated the 
water that seemed to be a permanent fixture behind her eyes 
these days.

'There was no evidence?'  She asked.

'On Agent Mulder?'

'On Alex.'  She responded softly.

'No.'  Skinner replied.  'There was no sign of where he 
went or who could have taken him.  All we found was his 
blood.'

Scully squeezed her eyes shut.  'I promised I'd stay with 
him.'  She said softly.

'You never know about Krycek, Agent.'  Skinner said, 
tilting his head to the side to look at her.  'He could be 
just fine.  He is a slippery son of a-'

'I didn't find anything much about Agent Mulder, Sir.'  
Scully lied to Skinner, but wasn't quite sure why.  'Only 
that he is probably alive.'

'What makes you think that?'

'Krycek showed me some pictures, Sir.'  Scully said, not 
able to look at him.  'It showed Mulder alive with Marita 
Covarrubias.'

Skinner frowned.  'Doing what?'

'Talking.'  She said.  'Just talking.'

She wanted Skinner to leave.  She felt uncomfortable with 
him there and didn't know why, which made her feel worse.  
She assumed that a lot of it was due to the fact that she 
didn't want to expose her new loyalty to Krycek.  She 
didn't think anyone would understand right now and didn't 
want to complicate things.

'Where were they talking?'

'I don't know.'  She replied.  'Krycek was very, reluctant, 
as far as giving information away, I mean.'

'He probably knows where Agent Mulder is.'  Skinner said.

'I don't know, Sir.'  Scully said.  'He seemed just as 
confused.'

***

Mulder sat in the chair, his hands dangling between his 
legs, his head down.  He tried to speak, couldn't, and 
cleared his throat again.  It was still sore from the 
oxygen tube.

'How long have I been here?'  He asked softly.

Marita came around the desk to lean against it.  'Only for 
a couple of days.  We thought it was safest for you to come 
here, after being abducted.'

'Why?'  He looked up at her.

'We needed to make sure you weren't infected.'  Marita 
replied in her sophisticated voice.  'We needed to monitor 
your vital signs.'

'Does Scully know where I'm at?'

'No, no.'  Marita said.  'This has been kept in the 
strictest of confidence.'

Mulder shook his head, staring down at the ground.  'She 
must be worried sick.  I have to let her know I'm okay.'

'Agent Scully is fine.'  Marita said.  'Right now we need 
to worry about you, and where you're going to go from 
here.'

'What do you mean, 'where I'm going to go'?'  He glanced 
back up at her.  'I'm going back to my apartment, to the 
FBI, to the X-Files and to Scully.'

Marita leaned down and put a hand on his arm.  'Things may 
not be so simple, Agent Mulder.'

He resisted the urge to move away from here.  'How so?'

'There are things you need to be aware of.  Things that 
will change the way you look at everything.'

***

Skinner drove Scully back to the Westin.  She was extremely 
reluctant to stay in the same hotel, but wanted to know 
that Krycek could find her if he needed to.  She requested 
two different rooms, one for her and one for Skinner, and 
then she thought better of it and requested two more for 
when the three freaks showed up.  The last thing she did 
was leave a note for Krycek at the front desk.

Skinner preceded Scully into her room.  He flicked on the 
light and looked around.  'You sure you want to stay here, 
Agent Scully?'

'I'm not leaving.'  She said, walking past him to sit down 
in one of the chairs by the window.  'I wish you'd quit 
trying to talk me out of it.'

'I just don't see what staying here is going to 
accomplish.'  He said, sitting across from her.  'It seems 
to me that all our resources are back in D.C.'

'Sir, I know you don't understand it.'  Scully said.  'But 
I need to be here.  There's, other contacts I have that are 
here in town.'

An annoyed look spread across Skinner's face as he realized 
that she had been hiding things from him.  'Other 
contacts.'

'Yes.'

'Like who?'

Scully paused, then looked at him.  'Krycek and I met with 
Cancer Man and Mulder's sister last night.'

Skinner let that settle in for a moment.  'When were 
planning on telling me this?'

'I don't know.'  Scully said softly.  'I learned some 
things that were very difficult for me.  I didn't plan on 
sharing them yet.'

'You want to share them now?'  He looked at her sternly.

'Spender said that Mulder is working with Marita 
Covarrubias.  They are trying to create and alien-human 
hybrid that will contain the genetics needed to create a 
vaccine against colonization.  He said that they were sided 
with those faceless rebels you keep hearing about.'

'I don't think I believe that.'

'Neither did we, Sir.'  She paused.  'But then they showed 
us pictures.  Of Mulder and Marita and of Mulder and 
others.  Other men gathered around a table, plotting, doing 
something.  And Diana was with them.'

'Diana Fowley?'  Skinner was shocked.

Scully nodded.  'Yes.  That's why, whether I want to or 
not, I find myself believing that Mulder is with these 
people.  I know that he would have tried to contact one of 
us by now.  I mean, why would he be hiding with Diana if 
there were something he doesn't want us to know?'

***

'I don't believe it.'  Byers said.

Scully had repeated the story again when the Lone Gunmen 
showed up at the hotel later that morning.  Of course, she 
left out the part about her baby having Krycek's DNA.  She 
didn't quite feel like letting that little secret out of 
the bag yet.

'Mulder wouldn't side with those freaks.'  Frohike said in 
his delicate manner.

'I don't mean that he's siding with anyone.'  Scully said.  
'Just that he's there now, and hasn't tried to contact us.'  
She looked around at everyone.  'That doesn't seem strange 
to anyone else?'

'Maybe he's unable to contact us.'  Skinner said quietly.

'Maybe he is.'  She agreed.

Langly cleared his throat and she looked up at him.  He was 
even paler than usual.  'I just realized something.'

'What?'  She asked when he was silent.

'Your ova.'  He said, looking over at Byers.

'My what?'  Scully looked between the three of them.

Now Byers had the perfect definition of disbelief on his 
face.  'Oh my God.'  He said.

'Now wait.'  Frohike said.  'That means nothing.'

'What?'  Scully demanded.  'What the hell are you talking 
about?'

'Mulder had asked us to store something for him.  He had 
stumbled into a laboratory, while you were in the hospital, 
fighting your cancer.'  Byers began to explain and Langly 
picked up for him.

'He told us it was your ova, we needed to know in order to 
store it correctly.  He didn't want us to tell you.  He 
said he'd tell you himself when he was ready.'

Scully's mouth was agape, her eyes were wide.  'He stumbled 
across my ova?'

'Our lab was broken into a couple of months ago.'  Frohike 
said.  'That was one of the things that we could never 
find.'

Scully stood up, her hand over her mouth; she turned in a 
slow circle.  When she looked back at them, her face was 
livid.

'And none of you ever thought you should tell me this?'  
She raised her voice.

'Mulder said he was going to tell you.'  Frohike sputtered.  
'We didn't feel it was our place.'

'Your PLACE?'  She yelled.  'Mulder finds my ova and you 
don't think it's your PLACE to tell me?'

'I guess that explains the mystery of how they managed to 
conceive a child from you.'  Skinner said softly.

Scully sat down on the bed and buried her face in her 
hands.

Skinner approached Scully and put a hand on her shoulder.  
She was shaking.  He assumed that she was crying but when 
she looked up, he saw that she was furious.

'Why the hell didn't anyone tell me about this?'  She 
demanded, standing up.  'The man suddenly finds my ova and 
this seems normal to everyone?'

'We were with him when he broke into the lab.'  Langly 
said.  'We were there when he found it.  It didn't seem 
suspicious.'

'Scully,' Skinner said softly, 'this still doesn't mean 
he's in cahoots with the enemy.'

'Sir,' she said looking up at him, 'I don't even know who 
the enemy is anymore.'

'I just don't believe that Mulder would do this.'  Frohike 
said.

'Alex said the same thing.'  Scully gave a small shake of 
her head.

'Screw Krycek.'  Frohike said.  'He wouldn't know the truth 
if it bit him on the ass.'

Scully whirled on him.  'Can we please leave Alex alone for 
one minute?'

Everyone was taken aback by her sudden defense of Krycek.

Skinner stepped towards the door.  'Maybe we should all let 
Scully get some rest.'

The three filed out the door and Skinner closed it behind 
them.

'You want to tell me what's really going on now?'

'What do you mean?'  Scully didn't look at him.

'Your sudden loyalty to Krycek.'  Skinner said.  'A man you 
wanted dead for a long, long time.'

Scully didn't say anything.  She wiped at her eyes.

'Now you don't want to leave Seattle.'  Skinner continued.  
'When we both know the search for Mulder isn't even on the 
pacific coast.'

'And how would you feel, Sir?'  Scully asked.

Skinner didn't answer; he waited for her to go on.

'Mulder always came to my rescue.  Always managed to find 
me.  Even up on top of the world, he manages to find me in 
the middle of a maze in a spacecraft that's buried deep 
under ice.  Manages to have the vaccine.  He said a man who 
was high up in the syndicate approached him with all this.  
Does this sound real to you?'

Skinner still didn't say anything.

'I'm shown pictures of him conspiring with Diana Fowley, 
who should be dead.  He's been missing for a week and he 
hasn't called anyone, but is sitting around a table in a 
meeting with someone who should be dead?  I just find out 
that he had my ova, my ova for God's sake, after I 
mysteriously become pregnant.'  She turned to face him.  
'What would you think?'

'I don't know what I'd think.'  Skinner said softly.

She walked over to the bed and sat down.  'I've been told I 
should go into hiding.'

'Cancer Man?'  He asked.

Scully nodded.  'Apparently my baby is the savior of the 
human race.'

'What're you going to do?'  He asked gently.

She shook her head.  'I have no idea.'

***

A month had gone by.  Scully had decided to go back to 
Washington D.C.  after staying in Seattle for a week and 
coming up with nothing.  There were things she needed to 
take care of back home, and no threats had been made on her 
life or the life of her baby.

Upon her arrival back home, she had found a cryptic message 
from Mulder on her answering machine:

'Uh, Scully it's me.  I just wanted to let you know that 
I'm okay.  I will be back as soon as I can and then I'll 
tell you everything.  You won't believe what I'm learning.  
Anyway, I'm fine and I'll be home.'

Well, that was three weeks ago and Scully wasn't impressed.  
At first she had cried, then she had gotten angry.  Now, 
she was detached from it.  The whole ova thing had thrown 
her ove