From: JoAnn Medrano Date: Thu, 8 Mar 2001 19:45:59 -0800 (PST) Subject: Fox and Dana XII: Forgotten Memories Source: revision Title: Fox and Dana XII: Forgotten Memories Author: Jo Ann Medrano Address: agentsinlove@yahoo.com Rated: PG Spoilers: Biogenesis Classification: Mulder/Scully Romance Summary: Fox receives a special gift from the Cigarette Smoking Man Archive: Please don't archive on any site without permission from the author. Disclaimer: The characters of the X-Files do not belong to me. They are the property of Chris Carter, 1013 Productions and Fox Broadcasting. No copyright infringement is intended. My many thanks to the following, Chris Carter, Gillian Anderson, David Duchovny and all who work on the X-Files. http://www.agentsinlove.com/ Fox and Dana: Forgotten Memories Saturday, December 11th- Dana's Apartment: Evening... Fox Mulder stood in front of the six-foot Christmas tree he and Dana Scully had dragged into her apartment more than three hours ago. It took them one and half-hour to get the shitty tree into its stand. Screwed it in tight, as Fox cursed the tree's existence. He and Dana then watched the tree go tumbling down, as they stood from it admiring their hard work crash before them. After another try, the tree stood as it was meant to be, tall, full and beautiful, with a few books under the stand to even out the tree's position. It had definitely been the year of rediscovery for Fox. Holidays, birthdays, and love were not forgotten thanks to Dana. Through her she had made the enjoyment of all the occasions more special than when he was a child. " When are we going to decorate the tree, Dana? " Fox turned to her begging with his sad puppy eyes. " After dinner, Fox... " Not looking up at him from the magazine she was reading. It was the fifth time he had asked her, and Dana was trying not to sound irritated when she answered him. " Please..? Can't we do it now? " Bringing his body on the couch next to her, Fox tried to block her view of the magazine by putting his face close to it. Without missing a sentence, Dana pulled away from him as she turned to the side. Trying a different approach, Fox tugged on her sleeve, repeating, " Dana... Dana... Dana... " until finally she smacked him hard on the hand. " Fox, go find something to do... " She warned him. Upon that command, Fox reached over and took her left hand. Putting all of her fingers except the thumb into his mouth he began to play with them. Sliding her fingers in and out as his tongue licked them with each movement, his teeth nibbled gently on her digits. Slipping her fingers out of his mouth, Fox was ready to move on to her lovely thumb when Dana pulled her hand away. " Hey!! " Fox playfully shouted at her. " Fox, go do a grown-up thing and check on dinner... " Dana said as she wiped her hand dry on his sweater. " Fine... " Fox said with a grumpy face. He just wasn't getting his way tonight. Doing as he was told, Fox walked into the kitchen checking the boiling pots on the stove. Next he checked the timer on the counter for the chicken in the oven. OK, he checked... now what? Walking back to join Dana, Fox stopped and picked up the case he had started working on at the office. Sitting on the other side of the couch, he slipped on his glasses going to the page where he left off. For the next twenty minutes, both were engrossed in the material they were reading until one of them got bored. Extending her leg against the inner side of his thigh rubbing gently like a cat, Fox pretended not to notice what Dana was doing. Having to stretch a bit in order to move up his leg, Dana's height prevented her not to reach his groin from where she sat. Fox grabbed her leg, and pulled her in closer to him causing Dana to lay her whole body on the couch. Holding on to the magazine she was still reading. Dana gently rubbed her foot across his crotch. Trying to keep a straight face, Fox continued to read, as Dana worked her magic. He even started discussing the case with her as he was developing a hard-on. Dana kicked the case to get his attention. " What? You don't agree with me? " Fox looked at her as he held on tight to the case. " Oh, I agree, you definitely have something in your pants... " Dana laughed as she lifted the magazine to look at him. " Since you won't let me suck on you, how about you sucking on me? " " I'm not hungry for that... " " Come on... " Fox leered at her as he placed the case on the floor. " ... You always like something meaty... " He crawled over to her. " ... juicy... " He towered over her small frame. "... and tasty... " Lowering his crotch area closer to her waist, rubbing up and down against her, smiling. " What do you say, pretty lady? " The timer in the kitchen went off. " I say it's time to eat... " Dana smiled at him. " I couldn't agree with you more... " xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx Same Day: Maggie Scully's Home... Maggie Scully was extremely disappointed. Her youngest son, Charlie had called earlier in the day to let her know he was unable to visit her this Christmas. " I am sorry, Mom. I was looking forward to seeing you and Dana... " " It's all right, Charlie. These things happen... " The disappointment was in her voice. Charlie still could not get over his guilt. " ... Yeah, they do... I really wanted to meet this Fox Mulder of yours... " xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx Monday, December 13th: Mulder's Office... Going through the file cabinet, Fox Mulder pulled out several cases for review. Placing them on his desk, Mulder hoped to be done in time to beat the Christmas rush on the road. He hated heavy traffic and considered spending the night at his apartment to avoid it. Yet as much as he hated the traffic, being alone at night he hated even more. Now having Dana with him, Fox wondered if he could convince her to spend the night at his place this evening. Going through the first case, Mulder noticed the writing on one of the pages. It was her writing. It was one of the cases Diana Fowley had handled when she and Jeffrey Spender were in charge of the X-Files over a year ago. Seeing Diana's name brought lots of regrets to Mulder's mind. What he had done to Dana last month was heart wrenching. Despite the pain he had put her through, Dana had forgiven him. To Fox, that was a miracle. He didn't believe most women would have put up with such deception. Dana was a rare flower. A few months ago, when he was plagued by voices in his mind, the discovery of another possible truth, Dana had remained his strong arm throughout the ordeal. Remembering it too, as the last time he had seen Diana Fowley. He had fallen onto the stairs at the University, unable to continue as the voices surrounded his mind. When the voices stopped, Fox reached for his cell phone to call for help. Knowing Dana was in New Mexico, he decided to call Maggie Scully for help. Trying hard to concentration, Fox pushed the speed dial for Maggie's number, but it was not her voice that answered on the other end. " Hello..? " The voice of Diana Fowley spoke. Fox recognized her but still questioned who she was. He didn't mean to call her, thinking her number was no longer program on his phone. Now it didn't matter, he needed help and Diana would be the one who would believe him. Yet it was only Dana he thought of and wanted by his side... xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx Somewhere In The World... Diana Fowley missed Fox Mulder. Being back in his life for nearly two years had not gone the way she had hoped. The recent events in their lives had left many issues unresolved. She hadn't meant to cause so much pain. With the holiday approaching, Diana knew what she wanted for Christmas... xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx Saturday, December 18th: The Mall... Fox Mulder was regretting that he had agreed to this Sitting on a bench in the overcrowded mall filled with Christmas shoppers, Dana had insisted that they do their Christmas shopping together. As far as Fox was concerned, he was just a bag holder. His arms and hands were covered with shopping bags. He found it hard to move around the mall without someone bumping into him or hitting a person with the bags as Dana guided him to shop to shop. Finally, he had enough. Fox sat down at the first bench he found empty, letting the bags fall to the floor. " Fox!! " " I'm not moving, Dana... go do what you have to do. Just come back and get me... " He frowned at her. Dana let out a sigh. Maybe he was carrying too many bags. " Fine, I'll be in that store over there... " and Dana disappeared into the flood of people around them. While he sat waiting for her, Fox studied the shoppers as they passed by him. There sure were a lot of ugly people in the world, he thought. Not that he considered himself a prize. He never understood why Dana would call him a handsome man. It was hard to get past that nose of his. As he continued to watch the other shoppers, Fox was fascinated with the people he saw. What made a person who they are was the biggest mystery to him. Each individual had their story. He had his own as well. As the crowd continued to grow, their faces were becoming a blur to him. The mall was extremely crowded, leaving the air thick. Taking in a deep breath, Fox craved the chill air outside the mall. He hoped the shop that Dana was in would be the last one. If she tried to drag him to another store, Fox planned to throw one hell of a fit. Moving among the many faces, Fox saw something. The thing was approaching him. Feeling his body tense, Fox reached and felt for his weapon but suddenly remember he wasn't carrying it. Fox was sure the thing knew that, too. The thing's mouth looked so empty without a cigarette. " Merry Christmas... Fox. " The Cigarette Smoking Man greeted him as his fingers played with an unlit cigarette in his hand. " What the fuck do you want?!! " Fox growled at him. " My, such language for this blessed holiday. I thought your mother taught you better than that... " " Leave my mother out of this... " " Oh, you still care? My understanding is that you had a fall-out with her. Such a shame... Your mother is quite a wonderful person. After all **that** I have known her long before you were born... " This wasn't the first time that son of a bitch had told him this. " If you are my father, why don't you just go ahead and SAID **SAY** IT!!! " Fox dared him. " What? Spoil the surprise? Everyone loves a good mystery... You yourself are good at keeping secrets... but not that not that well... How are things between you and Ms. Scully? You must be doing well... She does have you out here being her bagboy? " A smile appeared across his wrinkled face. Fox stared back cold as a stone. It didn't surprise him that the bastard knew about Dana and himself. It really was not much of a secret. He knew he and Dana were fooling themselves into believing they could keep everything hushed. It would only be a matter of time before someone would turn them in. The son of a bitch was now hanging it over his head, ready to drop it at anytime. " I must congratulate myself. I'm certainly the matchmaker. You should thank me, Fox. I always knew Ms. Scully was the woman for you. When you two met as children I knew then you two were perfect for each other... " Fox's eyes grew large. What did he mean by that? He had never met Dana as a kid. It was something he knew he would never forget. He was lying. It had to be another trick he was pulling. The Cigarette Smoking Man reached into his coat and pulled out a large thick envelope. He tossed to side near Fox, landing with a bang. " An early Christmas present. Something to put on your mantle... " He smiled. " Trust me this time, Fox. They are the real things. " Then he walked away, disappearing into the large crowd of people. Fox reached for the envelope. At first, he hesitated to open it, unsure if there could be something... .... The hell with it!! Fox ripped opened the envelope, and carefully pulled out more than thirty 8" by 10" black and white photographs. In the first one that he held, he recognized himself right away and the little girl... no a baby sat right next to him... xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx July 4, 1965: Huge Private Estate... Three-year-old Fox Mulder was having the time of his life. When he and his parents first arrived to the barbecue, Fox had hesitated after being warned by his daddy. " I expect you to behave yourself, Fox... " His daddy pulled and shook the belt that was around his waist. Fox hated to get spanked. It hurt too much when his daddy spanked him. He tried to be a good, but Fox was always doing something that made him a bad boy in his daddy's eyes. It didn't take long before the warning was forgotten. Fox screamed with delight as he and several other children chased each other all around the huge estate. Some of the children Fox remembered from other parties his parents had taken him to before. Tagging each other 'IT', Fox managed to stay out of everyone's reach as he ran ahead of them. Not noticing his footing, Fox lost his balance and fell flat on his stomach. Not letting out a cry, instead he laughed. Fox was having too much fun to worry about any pain. Now sitting on the grass, several children ran passed Fox tagging his head. " You're IT!! You're IT!! " Some of the tags were hard smacks that caused Fox to spring up and down like a punching clown. Again, he didn't mind the pain, his laughter was an ache in his stomach. As he was still laughing, Fox turned his head to the direction where the other children ran to but instead he came face to face with a toddler. She was a small thing for sixteen months. Her yellow-sun dress made her short red hair stand out. Her big blue eyes nearly took over half of her face. Grinning happily at Fox with a few of her baby teeth showing, she stood confident in front of him. Her feet were buckled tight with the white sandals her mother had put on her. She was a beautiful baby, but Fox did not care. He frowned at her, got up and dashed away. The toddler quickly went after him. Her chubby legs took her as fast as they could, but Fox was too quick for her to catch up with him. She was trying until her mother scooped her into her arms. " You are not going anywhere, Dana... " Maggie Scully kissed her protesting daughter, who continued to look at Fox as he disappeared into a group of children. Maggie was concerned for her infant daughter's fair skin and wanted to put more suntan lotion on her. Looking around the grounds for her other two children, Maggie had lost both Bill, Jr. and Melissa in the large crowd of people. Her husband Bill, Sr. told her not to worry, and to let the kids have fun. Being a mother, Maggie still worried and she wasn't about to let her youngest one out of her sight. Maggie felt uncomfortable being here. Though everyone was dressed in loose summer clothing, their wealth was still noticeable. Coming to the party was important to her husband. From what Bill had told her, the people who had invited them were high up in the government, very important people. There were quite a few military families here as well. Some of the wives looked just as uncomfortable as Maggie felt. Always being the friendly person, she sat with the other military wives exchanging their tales. Little Dana was putting up a fuss as Maggie rubbed the cream on her tiny face. When she finished, Maggie let Dana go and waited to see if she would take off again. Being a tricky one, Maggie was sure that Dana would have followed the young boy across the property if she had not stopped her. Seeing her daughter now standing still and looking at the crowd of people, Maggie felt for certain that Dana was searching for her Daddy. On the other side of the estate, Teena Mulder was the center of attention. Entering her fifth month of pregnancy, every one of her friends wanted her to be comfortable. She was enjoying all the pampering. The table they sat at had a huge umbrella covering the ladies from the July sun. Once in awhile, Teena would do a quick check for her son, Fox who seemed to be all over the place. Finally catching sight of him, she saw Fox running with his right-hand holding on to the front of his crotch. " FOX!! " Teena managed to get his attention. Making a sudden stop, Fox waved to his mommy, smiling, but that wasn't what she wanted. " Fox, come over here this instant!! " The sharpness of her voice made him hurry to her side as he ran with his hand still in the same place. Teena gasped at the sight in front of her. Fox's T-shirt was covered with grass stains. His face was red from both the sun and the sheer enjoyment of running so much. The worst of it, was where his right hand was, Teena removed it immediately. It looked horrible for him to hold himself that way. Teena also needed to be sure he didn't soil himself again. Any mistakes and her husband Bill would bring down the house. " Fox, you need to go to the bathroom, and look at your shirt! How could you get it so dirty?! You need to be clean up now! " " NO!! " He protested. Fox didn't want to leave any of the fun he was having. " Don't you tell me, 'NO'... " Teena was about to get up, when the lady of the house stopped her. " Teena, don't trouble yourself. I'll have Nancy clean him up for you. You shouldn't be straining yourself at all. NANCY!! " A young woman appeared from inside of the house, dressed in a plain black maid's outfit. " Nancy, please take Mrs. Mulder's son inside to use the bathroom and also do clean him up. Teena, dear, did you bring any extra clothes for him? " " Oh, I have to... he is always getting dirty. His extra clothes are in the bag I brought with me. " One of the servants had taken the bag from Teena when she and her family first arrived. Nancy knew where to find it. " It's the light blue bag with my initials on it, T.M. " Teena informed the young woman. Nancy gently took Fox's hand but he pulled away. " NO!! " Not wanting to go with a stranger, Fox rushed to his mother, trying to hide from everyone by pressing his face against her growing stomach. "Mommy, take me!! " He begged. " Fox William Mulder, you go with Nancy! Don't make me call your father over here! " The mention of his daddy suddenly quieted the little boy. As she watched her son being taken away, Teena made a final comment. " I do hope my baby is a girl. Boys are so much trouble. " Everyone around the table, agreed... xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx Howard Norris hated his job. As a government-paid photographer, he found some of his subjects boring at times, such as this event. He knew all the important figures here, many of them he had worked with for years. He had photographed many things with these men, some things, he would like to forget. The gathering was an event to find new recruits, new blood to continue the Project. Howard Norris hoped he would be dead before the Project came to an end. He lifted his camera and started shooting. William Scully, Sr. stood proudly in line as he was introduced to each of the men who were important figures in the Government. Shaking their hands, he made sure that he spoke loudly and properly. The second to the last man took his hand. " William Mulder, thank you for coming... " " William Scully, sir. It's an honor... " William Mulder grinned, shaking his head. He moved onto the next man in line. William Scully extended his hand to the last gentleman he was to meet. " William Scully, sir. It's an honor... " He spoke first. The man took his hand as removed the cigarette from his mouth. " It's a pleasure to meet you, Scully... " Howard Norris continued to take pictures... xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx Finally free again, Fox quickly left the house in search of the children he had played with earlier. The lady, his mommy made him go with, was nice to him. Fox gave her a big hug before heading back outside to the fun. The smell of the barbecue filled Fox's nose causing his stomach to growl. He didn't feel hungry before now he wanted something to eat. Seeing a group of children surrounding a table, Fox's eyes lit up when he saw all of them eating potato chips and holding cups to drink. He ran over wanting some of the potato chips for himself. When he moved up to the table, Fox was greeted with his own cup of punch and a small paper plate of chips that a nice lady handed to him. " Tank you... " Fox smiled and the lady returned the smile. Trying hard to hold onto his treats, Fox bumped into the other children knocking a few the chips off his plate. " X'cuse me!! " Fox tried to be polite. Just as he was about to take a drink from the cup, Fox felt a tug on his shirt from behind. Quickly turning around, he once again came face to face with the baby he had seen earlier. Giving him a huge smile, she held a tight grip on his shirt. " NO!! " Fox told her as he pulled free from her hand. He moved away but the baby was right behind him grabbing his shirt from the back again. " NO!! " He pulled away again and quickened his pace losing quite a bit of his punch and some of the potato chips off his plate. Thinking it was now safe Fox again tried to drink his punch when the baby reappeared before him, giggling as she rested on his chest. Frowning, Fox stuck his tongue at her. Dumb baby. Maybe if he didn't look at her, she would disappear. Fox brought the cup up to his mouth, drinking the punch as the baby watched him with fascination. She squeaked when drops of the punch juice landed on her face, dripping from the cup Fox was not holding onto very well. Some of the punch ended on his chin, down his neck and on his T-shirt. " Look! I spill... " Fox told the baby. " Your fault!! " He stuck his tongue out at her again. This time the baby stuck hers right back. Tired of the dumb baby and wanting to eat his chips. Fox walked away from her. Tossing the cup down, Fox stuffed a few chips he had left into his mouth, munching them, greedily. Fox loved potato chips and didn't get to eat them that often. " Da? " The baby stood in front of Fox again, her hand raised toward him. The gestured she made to him, indicated she wanted a chip. " NO!! " Fox swung away from her but the baby continued to match his every move. " NO!! " Fox said again, but finally gave up. There was something about her eyes so pleading that Fox couldn't resist them. Frowning again, Fox looked at the chips on his plate and handed her the smallest one. Putting the chip in her mouth, the baby sucked on it vigorously. Fox giggled. " No how you eat chip... Look! " He popped one into his mouth and slowly munched on it. Opening his mouth to show the chewed-up chip, all wet and lumpy, Fox closed his mouth and swallowed it. Finishing the chip off, the baby begged for another one. There were only two chips left on his plate, Fox again gave her the smallest one and popped the last one in his mouth. " All gone!! " Fox waved the empty plate in front of her. Taking the plate from him, the baby studied it, brought it close to her face licking it clean. " Da!! " She told Fox, as he dusted his hands on his shorts. Tired of the baby, again, Fox turned away wanting to find the children he had played with earlier when the baby grabbed his hand. Pulling his hand free, Fox frowned at her. He didn't want to hold any dumb baby's hand but before Fox could move away, the baby took his hand again. " No, baby!! No hold hand!! " Fox pulled away once more, but she grabbed him again, giggling from the fun of it. This went on for a few more seconds, grabbing and pulling, leaving Fox frustrated and tempted to push the baby down. When a boy, with red hair liked the baby's, bullied himself up to Fox. " Hey!! Whatcha doing to my sister?! " " Nothin... " Fox back away as he brought his thumb to his mouth. Mean kids like this one frightened Fox. He wanted to get away before the kid told his daddy. Poor Fox was always getting into trouble. " Better not!! " The redheaded boy shook his fist at him. With the other hand, he grabbed his baby sister's arm. Screaming at the top of her lungs, the baby tried to pull free from her brother as he dragged her away from Fox. Holding a tight grip on her, the redheaded boy would not let go, leaving the baby with one chance. She opened her mouth wide and bit her brother hard on the arm. The boy screamed, as his sister broke free of his grip and dashed back to Fox wrapping her tiny arms around him. " Dana like you. " Another redhead appeared. This time, it was a girl who was about as tall as Fox was, giggling as she brought her hands up to her mouth. The redheaded boy tried to take Dana's arm again, but she screamed, ready to bite him once more. " Better not, Billy... Dana have boyfriend. " The redheaded girl laughed again. Fox wondered what boyfriend meant, as he looked at the boy called Billy waiting for him to do something. Instead Billy shrugged his shoulders. " We going to the puppet show... wanna come? " Billy asked him. " OK!! " Fox's eyes were wide with excitement. He remembered that his mommy telling him about the puppet show and all the games they were going to have. Fox wanted to do everything. Not putting up a fight this time, Fox held Dana's hand as they all walked to the puppet show together... xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx Howard Norris was now free to roam the party. He would have to report back but this was his time now. When he was young, Norris had hoped to be a great news photographer. All his dreams ended when he was drafted into the army. His photographic skills did not go unnoticed as the Group recruited him for the Project. He never forgot the first assignment for them, as much as he wanted to. Where he developed the stomach to handle each session, he was unsure of as the strange beings he would photograph. Once in awhile, Norris would stop and take a picture. His favorite subject, were children. Norris was not a pedophile. Finding children to be a subject that relaxed him, freeing his mind from the horrors he faced each time he was called in by the Group to photograph certain subjects. As he continued to walk, Norris came upon a large group of children attending a puppet show. Lifting his camera, Norris span with each shot when he came upon a little boy and a baby girl, each with their arms around one another. Norris recognized the boy right away as Bill Mulder's son, Fox. Norris shook his head. He felt sorry for the poor kid. Mulder was rough on his son. It shocked him the first time that he had seen Bill Mulder hit the little boy. Knowing Mulder from the start, Norris remembered him to be a really nice and friendly guy. Whatever happened to the man, he thought he had known ended when Mulder hit his child square on the face. Poor kid was no more than a year old. What the poor kid's crime was, Norris recalled, was being his age and sucking on his thumb. Mulder kept yanking the thumb out of Fox's mouth but the kid kept putting it back in. This went on for a while, Mulder pulling the thumb out, the kid putting right back in. He remembered the look on Mulder's face, red and frustrated. When Fox put his thumb back in one more time, Bill Mulder slapped him across the face knocking the poor baby down. Norris never forgot the scream that Fox let out, it reminded one of the subjects made as he photographed it, shaking from fear. The baby's crying attracted the attention of everyone around. One of the men he knew picked up the crying Fox, throwing his cigarette out of his mouth as he comforted the poor child. Norris remembered the guilt and regret on Mulder's face when he realized what he had done. When he tried to take his son back, the baby refused to leave the arms of his rescuer. Fox stayed there until his mother came and took him away. Norris never saw Mulder hit the kid in the face again. He had lowered his aim more at his son's bottom. Poor kid. Norris liked Fox. He thought Fox was a really sweet kid. It was a shame Bill couldn't appreciate what he had. Whoever the baby was, she was beautiful. She and Fox looked cute together. Norris lifted his camera and shot several pictures of them... xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx Teena Mulder was fanatic. She could not find Fox anywhere. Against her friends' advice, she left the table calling for her son. Not seeing him for over a half-hour, the thoughts of anything happening to her baby drilled into her mind. She kept calling for him until Teena heard her own name called out. " Teena, what's wrong? " Her husband, Bill approached her. " Have you seen Fox? I can't find him anywhere... " Teena's worried voice caused Bill to become upset. " Teena, go sit down. I'll find him for you. " Hesitating a bit, Teena Mulder did as she was told. Hoping she would find Fox on her way back before Bill did. She never knew how he would react toward Fox. As Bill Mulder searched the grounds for his son, his anger was rising. Already the agenda had gone against him with the other members of the Group. His futile words and ideas to move in a different direction had left him again the odd man out. Always the broken one, Bill's weakness against the power he chose to follow and the path he once believed in was difficult to let go. The path tha had fueld his anger and fustration had cost his family much grief and fear. He needed some power, somewhere. A world to obey his command, to make himself more human than he really was. Bill Mulder did love his son. When Fox was born, Bill had hoped for a daughter, but loved his boy the moment he saw him. Somewhere along the line, Bill Mulder had lost all his patience with the world and with himself. The guilt he lived with, his mission in the Project made him a short-tempered man. Poor Fox with his high-strung energy annoyed his father to no end. Without meaning to, Bill Mulder turned his son into his punching bag. Now the boy had upset his mother. Bill Mulder would not tolerate this against his pregnant wife. Fox was going to get it. As soon as Bill Mulder found him, Fox was going to get the spanking of his young life... xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx Laughing out of sheer delight, Fox was enjoying the puppet show as well as the company of the redheaded baby. Every time something exciting would happen, Fox would pat Dana's knee and point it out to her. " Look, Dana, look!! " Remembering the baby's name because the other girl had called her that. Dana would squeal in delight and started clapping with Fox. Frightened by one of the puppets, Dana clung tight to Fox who reassured her. " It OK, Dana. " Fox patted her knee. During one moment in the show, Dana pulled herself up to kiss Fox on his cheek. He made a face at her. This time Dana kissed him on the lips and giggled when she sat down. " No kiss me, Dana... YUCK!! " Fox wiped his mouth with his arm. Fox looked at Dana who stared back at him with her big blue eyes. They both giggled at each other... xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx Walking quietly among the crowd of partygoers, one man lit a cigarette and marveled at the two children together. Whoever the little baby girl was, she was a beauty. She and Fox looked cute together... xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx Maggie Scully watched her children as they sat together at the puppet show. Dana had disappeared on her again. Having searched the grounds fanatically for her, Maggie found all three of her children, together. She gave much thanks to God for their safety. There was no way for Maggie to miss the little boy who Dana had her arm entangled with his. They looked so cute together. The little boy had such a sweet face that it melted Maggie's heart. He seemed to show great interest in Dana. She couldn't help laughing when Dana kissed the little boy twice. When the show ended, the little boy helped Dana to stand. Still holding each other's hands, they followed Billy and Melissa away from the puppet stage. It was Melissa who first spotted their mother. " MOMMY!! MOMMY!! We just saw the puppy show!! It fun!! " " Yeah, I liked the pirate puppet!! " Billy added swinging his arm like he held a sword. " That's sounds wonderful! I'm glad you all had fun... and who is this? " Maggie turned to Dana and her new friend. Letting out a squeak to her mother, Dana kept her hand tight on the little boy's hand. " That Dana boyfriend!! " Melissa teased. Billy was going to tell but he remembered he never asked the kid his name. Maggie bent over to the little boy. " What is your name, Sweetheart? " Feeling shy as the lady looked upon him, Fox bashfully brought his head down. He couldn't keep his eyes away from the lady, though. Her voice was nice and sweet that Fox found himself attracted to her, a feeling he didn't have for many grownups except for his Mommy. " Fox... " He said shyly through his fingers. " Fox!! " Billy laughed. " What a dumb name!! " Putting his head down again, it was not the first time someone made fun of Fox's name. " BILLY!! " His mother scolded him. She bent down closer to Fox and lifted his head with her fingertips. " I think 'Fox' is a wonderful name... " The touch somehow made a connection between Maggis and Fox. She found herself strongly attracted to the boy. Being up close to him, she suddenly noticed a bit of sadness in his eyes. Maggie wondered what could cause, such pain in a child this young? Billy Scully, Jr. frowned, not liking the attention his mother was giving to that dumb kid with the dumb name. He pulled impatiently on her arm. " Mommy, let go!! " " All right, Billy, that's enough!! " Maggie pulled free from her son's grip. " Melissa, Dana, let's go now and find Daddy... " Seeing them ready to leave, Fox stared at both the lady and Dana, who still had her hand on his. " Come on, Dana... Say goodbye to your friend... " Maggie called to her. Pressing her body closer to Fox, Dana put her free arm around his stomach. Not moving an inch and gave a firm, " NO!! " to her mother. " Dana... " Maggie shook her head and turned back to take Dana's hand, but the baby held tight to Fox. Fox himself didn't want Dana to go. He liked her and wanted to still play with her and two other kids. A thought came to him and asked. " Can I go with you? " Surprised by Fox's requested, Maggie felt bad that she had to tell the little boy, no, but thought at least they could walk him back to his mother. Before Maggie had a chance to answer Fox, a voice boomed before her. " FOX!!! GET OVER HERE!!! " All of them jumped. The voice was so commanding and frightening. A man with dark menacing eyes stared directly at Fox, who was cowering, afraid to look straight at the man. Dana had let go of his hand when the man's voice shouted behind them. She was just as frightened as Fox was, but she had her mother there to protect her as she clung to her leg. " Fox, come here immediately!! " The man shouted again, pointing to where he wanted the boy to stand. At first, Fox was too scared to move. Not understanding what he might have done bad, he fidgeted with his fingers and stared at the lady with his eyes pleading. " NOW!! " Bill Mulder shouted. Fox moved toward his father when he heard the command in his voice. Before he could stand near his daddy, a huge hand grabbed him by the arm, shaking him. " Where have you been?! You worried your mother!! I can't take you anywhere without you upsetting her... " He continued to yell at Fox as he dragged him away. Maggie stood there in shock. Suddenly a feeling of shame came across her for not saying anything. It was obvious the man was the boy's father, but he didn't need to shout or shake the boy that way. If he and his wife had kept... .... Oh no, Maggie reminded herself that she didn't do a good job of keeping an eye on her own children today. Dana had disappeared on her twice... Dana? DANA!! xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx Howard Norris was not far when he heard the voice of Bill Mulder shouting. He turned to see Mulder dragging his son. The poor kid was in tears, the opposite of what he had been only a few minutes ago at the puppet show. Norris lifted his camera and started shooting... xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx Fox was trying his hardest not to cry. Crying only made his daddy angrier. It was difficult for the small boy to hold back his tears. He couldn't understand what he had done bad? He cried for his mommy. " Stop crying!! " Fox thought of the nice lady. He wanted to go with her. He cried. " Stop crying or I'll give you a reason to cry!! " Fox thought of Dana. He missed her. He wanted Dana!! Wailing out his frustration, Fox couldn't remember what he had done bad?! Suddenly they stopped. With his body being forcefully turned around, Fox felt the hard smacks against his behind, one, two, three times!! It hurt so much that his legs gave out. Without his daddy supporting him, Fox fell hard to the ground. Crying again for his mommy, for the lady... for anyone, except for his daddy who turned away in disgust at the sissy of a son he had. Covering his eyes with his hands, Fox tried to push the tears back when he felt a soft touch on his cheeks. The softness circled his neck, hugging him as Fox slid his hands down to let the embrace tightened. He felt the soft skin pressing against his left cheek as he listened to the soft chattering which made no sense at all, but felt good to hear. A very wet kiss was placed on his forehead. His tears slowed down, clearing enough for Fox to see Dana facing him. A look of love on her face, as she urged a few more baby words then crawled upon his lap. Wrapping her tiny arms around him, she rested her head on his chest. Fox in turned hugged her back. She was so soft, like the teddy bear he once had. The embrace could have last forever... " Fox!! What are you doing?!! Let go of that baby!! " Bill Mulder roared, as he turned back to the sight before him. Never trusting his son around infants from the way Fox held the baby, Bill Mulder was certain he was hurting the little girl. Grabbing hold of the baby by her waist, he pulled her away from Fox. Dana screamed, trying to hold onto Fox, who was trying to pull her back. " NO!! SHE MINE!!! " Fox cried out to his father. The screaming of the children attracted everyone nearby. Rushing over, Bill Scully, Sr. recognized the child that Bill Mulder had in his hands. " DANA!! " Hearing her daddy's voice caused Dana to lose her grip on Fox, allowing Bill Mulder to free her of Fox's own grip. Bill Scully scooped Dana into his arms. She felt a great sense of relief and safety with her daddy. His hands were warm, compared to the icy touch she experienced with Bill Mulder. " I apologize, " Bill Mulder spoke. " It's Scully, right? " Bill Scully nodded. " For any harm my son has done to your daughter. You can't trust that boy... " Bill Mulder added. " No, it's all right... " Bill Scully replied as he patted Dana on the back. William Mulder was one of the men he and the others were introduced to, a high-up-there guy in the State Department. " No!! It's not all right!! " A female voice shouted from behind Bill Scully. Maggie Scully stormed up. Her eyes filled with hated as she stared directly at Bill Mulder. " What a horrible man you are!! What have you done to this poor child?!! Fox never harmed my daughter!! He was a gentleman, more than you ever can be!! " " Maggie, please!! " Bill Scully pulled his wife back, but her eyes never left Bill Mulder, who stood there without a single emotion on his face. " You don't deserve such a sweet little boy, YOU DON'T!! " That was it, Bill Scully gently pushed his wife away from Bill Mulder and handed Dana to her as he walked them away. Maggie Scully eyed Bill Mulder for the final time, hoping she would never see that face again. Bill Mulder stood watching until Maggie Scully was no longer staring at him. The crowd around him slowly turned away. The few people that remained watched Bill Mulder picked up his son and walked away... xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx Not seen by either Bill Mulder or the Scullys, Howard Norris clicked his last shot, ending the chapter of Fox and Dana's first encounter... xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx From a distance he lit another cigarette. He enjoyed the show that took place before him. The woman was quite brave. It was good to see someone tell Bill Mulder off. Scully was a name he would remember... xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx Teena Mulder sat alone at the table waiting and worrying about Fox. Her friends had excused themselves to care to their own business. Searching the area around her, Teena let out a sigh of relief when she saw her husband, Bill coming with Fox in his arms. Her baby was so still that the worry came back. " Here, Teena... " Bill handed Fox to her. She took her son and placed him next to her in the chair. Teena was surprised but did not say anything. Fox's eyes were dazed and as though he would fall asleep at any moment. She could not believe that Bill had not said nor done anything about Fox having his thumb in his mouth. " I need to be in a meeting for awhile, Teena. You should get something for you and Fox to eat... " Bill then turned away. The look on his face, as far as Teena could say, was regret. What could have caused that? She looked down at her baby boy, who seemed not to notice her. She brushed his hair away from his forehead, talking softly to him. Fox was trying to forget. He could remember things so clearly, like the picture books he had at home. He wanted to forget Dana and the lady, to remember them would be too painful. With each suck, he wiped an image away, another suck he would forget the little girl's name. He kept sucking until there was nothing left of Dana and her family. When he was done, Fox Mulder closed his eyes and slept... xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx Because of her age, Dana Scully had no memory of the little boy, who she adored. Margaret Scully forced herself to forget. She didn't want the guilt of leaving the little boy in the hands of a monster to haunt her forever. For Bill, Jr. and Melissa Scully, the Fourth of July Barbecue, 1965 mixed with many other barbecue memories. Fox's face was lost in the crowd of other children. Bill Scully, Sr. remembered the Fourth of July 1965, as an opportunity to advance in his military career. Nothing came from it. He was never angry at his wife for her outburst at the barbecue. His career in the Navy had gone on. Bill Mulder never forgot the woman who called him a horrible man. It stung him but it didn't stop or make him rethink his approach to child rearing. Maggie Scully's action had nothing to do with the Group rejecting her husband. The man was not the material they needed. As for Howard Norris, he had developed the pictures he would consider the best photographs he would ever take. Carefully storing them in his fireproof safe, he would pull them out once in awhile, both the good and the bad, to admire. Howard Norris forever cherished the image of Fox Mulder and the little baby girl who made a sad little boy happy for that one day in 1965... xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx Shopping Mall, Present Time... In the crowd of Christmas shoppers, Fox Mulder was alone as he studied each of the photographs. A memory lost but preserved in them, proof that he and Dana once met so long ago. The photographs of him and his father were disturbing to Fox. The form of child abuse, that he had suffered through his father's rage, burned in each of the photographs that displayed it. Fox did not need the memory of that day to know the feeling of fear that would occur when Bill Mulder would raise his voice and hand to him. He knew the little girl was Dana. Fox had seen enough photographs of her as a baby to be able to recognize her. The same was also for Maggie Scully. Mom was the same as she was today, the woman's beauty was timeless. Putting aside the disturbing photographs of him and his father, Fox held the one photograph that he loved the most. Dana was comforting him as she does today. So long ago, she once reached out to him. Walking up to Fox, Dana had decided to stop shopping. Needing only to buy one more gift that could wait until tomorrow, Dana called out to him. " Fox, I'm ready to go... " At first, Fox did not hear her, but looked up when he felt her eyes on him. " Come here... " Fox reached out to her. Dana took his hand as he led her to sit on his lap. For a moment, she was uncomfortable, doing this in front of such a large crowd of people. The wrong eyes could see them. Fox didn't notice nor care, as he wrapped his arms around her and felt her chest rising against his face. He wanted to remember. Maybe if he held her just like he did so many years ago, everything would come back. Fox took a deep breath and searched... He remembered the tears he had shed. He remembered the soft touch on his cheeks. He felt the softness circle his neck to hug him once more. The embrace tightened when he brought down his hands. The soft skin pressed against his cheek as he listened once again to the soft chatter that made no sense. A kiss on his forehead, that was wet but was welcome back. When he opened his eyes and saw the little girl whom was now was the woman he loved and adored. It was an embrace that would last forever... xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx From a distant, he watched them. Craving a cigarette, he moved away and back to the outside world. He was glad that he gave them the photographs. It seemed that he did have a kind heart after all. Eleven months ago, Howard Norris committed suicide. The man put a bullet through his head after he had destroyed all his photographs except for what had been found in the fire-proof safe, photographs of children, innocents in Norris' eyes. One stack contained the photographs from July 4th, 1965, as stated behind each photograph. More than thirty of the photographs were of a young Fox Mulder, an unknown little girl, a few of William Mulder and a young couple. When the photographs were given to him, the memory of that date came rushing to him. He kept the photographs with him, studying them, remembering the event over and over again. When he had learned of Fox and Ms. Scully's new relationship, he felt a sense of happiness for the two. He felt it was only right that he should give the photographs to them. He was in no rush. Christmas seemed to be the right time. He could have left them on Mulder's desk, to leave a sense of mystery. Instead, he chose to deliver them himself. Keeping one photograph of a young Dana Scully giving her future partner his first kiss on the lips. It had a sweetest to it just like the one of her embracing the crying Fox. Maybe one day, he would also give them that photograph. For now, it sat on a table along with the other photographs he had of Fox Mulder. A reminder of what could have been... xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx December 26th- Fox's Apartment: Late Afternoon... Diana Fowley waited nearly six hours for Fox Mulder in his apartment. Unable to stay away from him, Diana had knocked on his door. When there was no answer, she let herself in. No longer having the key, she knew a few tricks to do the job when she opened the door. Shocked at how vacate his place looked, Diana explored each of the rooms she knew so well. His closets and shelves were empty. The fish tank she had given to him was nowhere to be seen. His computer was on but dusty-looking. There was nothing in his refrigerator nor covers in his kitchen, but that was normal for Fox. She remembered that he preferred takeout food to a home cook meal. The whole apartment looked abandoned. After looking around, Diana removed her coat, revealing the sexy nightie she had on. Fox did love these things. He always said she had the body for it. This was her Christmas present for him. The chance again to show the love she had for him, Diana wanted to offer her body once more to him. With a change of plans, she moved everything to his bedroom, waiting for him to come home... .... Diana was tired of waiting. ' Where could he be? ' was the question she asked herself. Feeling hungry, Diana decided to come by later to give it another try. Redressing with the extra clothes she brought with her, Diana could not believe that Fox wasn't home. As she recalled his pattern, holidays depressed him. No matter how she tried, Diana could never get him into the spirit of the season. Fox was even a grouch when it came to his own birthday. Throwing a surprise party for him once, Fox ended up walking out as soon as everyone shouted surprise. Diana didn't see him for three days. Unless he had gone to visit his mother... but Diana remembered Fox could barely stand being around her. Every time he would talk to her on the phone, it would end up in a fight. He would throw the phone against the wall and fall to the ground, crying. When Diana tried to comfort him, he would scream at her. " GET THE FUCK AWAY FROM ME!!! DON'T TOUCH ME!!! " Fox would then get up and leave. Diana would not see him for hours, maybe even days. There were times Fox would allow Diana to comfort him, but it always led to a fight between them. Regretting that he gave into any childish feelings in front of her brought out his rage and shame. Though he never lifted his hand against her, Fox's words were as sharp as any knife that would cut her. The only time Fox was truly happy was when he discovered the X-Files. Diana was there with him. With her own background, she became his biggest supporter. Nothing pleased her more when she did. Diana never found any faults with his theories. Unlike that Scully woman... That Scully whore... Diana had wondered from the start if Fox had any feelings for that redheaded bitch. She was in disbelief when Fox defended Scully against her, when Diana spoke her opinion about his partner's skepticism in his quest for the Truth. Yet, Fox came to Diana's side as Scully accused her of any misleading concerning Cassandra Spender. How close that bitch came to revealing the truth to Fox. Still, Fox believed in Diana even as they struggled to save themselves from the invasion that never came. It would have been perfect, but Fox wanted that Scully bitch by his side. Fleeing to her even as the world was about to end. When Fox suffered some kind of telepathy ability a few months ago, he called her for help. At least, it was something Diana chose to believe... " Hello..? " Diana answered her phone. " Mo... Mom..? Maggie, is that you? " " Fox? Is that you on the line? This is Diana... " " Diana..? I didn't mean... I wanted Mom... Dana... Scully can't help me... she's not here... I meant to call Mom... " Hearing the distress in his voice brought her concerns for him. " Fox, what is it? What wrong? " " I... I need help, Diana... Dana... Scully... she can't help me... She too far away... She doesn't understand... it's too much... it's too MUCH!!! " His voice became loud as he screamed through the receiver causing her to back away. " Can't stop them... can't stop them... Dana... Scully... I need help... Diana... Only you would believe me... what's happening to me... " " Fox, I want to help you... Tell me where you are..? " When she had arrived at the University and found him in the stairwell where he said he would be. He sat motionlessly with his eyes half opened. His breathing was short as his fingers rested against his mouth. " Fox..? " Diana approached him. " What happened to you? " " I wanna go home... I wish I could go home... " was all he would say to her. " I'll take you home, Fox... I'll help you... " " I wish I could go home... " He repeated again, as Diana helped him to stand and walk away. When they arrived to his apartment, Fox immediately went to bed. " Dana said I should go to bed... " Hearing Fox say Scully's first name was foreign to her. Still, it wasn't anything to be concern about, except for Fox as she helped him undress and climb into bed. He had whispered something that Diana did not hear as the phone rang in his bedroom. She answered it and heard the one voice she could not stand. The Scully bitch was on the other end and wanted to speak to Mulder. Without addressing whom she was, Diana kept her voice calm as she handed the phone to Fox. Listening to the conversation did not bring anything understanding of what was happening to Fox. He seemed unwilling to talk to her about it. Unlike the phone conversation he was having with the Scully bitch showed no sign of any weakness she had seen earlier at the University. After making her own phone call, Diana undressed and put on one of Fox's T-shirts. Her plans were to crawl into bed with him, and give him the comfort he needed. His reaction to her was not what she had expected. " What the fuck do you think you're doing?!!! Get the fuck away from me!!! I... " His screams were like that of an injured animal. Throwing his head back as his hands covered his ears. " NO MORE!!! OH, GOD!!! NO MORE!!! DANA!!! DANAAAA!!! " Suddenly his eyes turned to her, widened with the sense of revelation. His face changed with the pure hate, she had seen him give to others. As his fit grew worse, Diana took matters into her own hands, dealing with it the only way she could. Once at the hospital, his condition became worse. He was violent and uncontrollable. Not even the medicine could slow him down, as his rage continued. While in the padded room, his voice erupted without any understanding save for two words. " Dana... Scully... " When Dana Scully did arrive to the hospital, Diana hoped to learn what had caused Fox's unstable behavior. Yet, it was information the Scully bitch seemed ready to protect. She was order out of the room into the hallway by Skinner when the voice from the TV monitor came to life. " DANAAAA!!!! " It was as if Fox knew she was there... Entering her car that was parked near his building, Diana decided she would come back with dinner. Fox loved hamburgers. She knew exactly where to find his favorite... .... Diana suddenly heard his laughter. It sounded so different, with an air of happiness to it. She turned to the sound of his voice to find her heart breaking. There in front of his building, Fox Mulder had in his arms, Dana Scully. Laughing together, Fox tried to kiss the Scully bitch but she broke free of his grip and threw snow at him. Fox was laughing as each flake hit him. He had managed to reach the Scully bitch grabbing her back into his arms. " OH, MY GOD, DANA!!! THAT WAS YELLOW SNOW!!! YUCK!!! " Causing themselves to fall down, they were laughing as they landed on one of the steps. Never once did Diana see Fox angry when the Scully bitch threw more snow at him. The sight before her was so unexpected as the words she heard him speak were unbelievable. " I love you, Dana, I love you so much... " " I love you, too, Fox. Now get up, Bad boy, and let's go inside... " Diana drove by the lovers that did not notice the car speeding away from the curve. Only the kiss they shared was the only thing they cared about. When they parted, Dana took Fox's hand and led him into the apartment building. " Come on, Bad boy, there's a couch up there that needs sex on it. " " Oh, you got a way with words, baby... " Fox laughed as he followed his beloved into the apartment building... The End... continues in Fox and Dana: Lost Chance Feedback is welcome... agentsinlove@yahoo.com