From: JoAnn Medrano Date: Fri, 31 Aug 2001 19:05:34 -0700 (PDT) Subject: Fox and Dana XXVII: Decisions Source: revision Title: Fox and Dana XXVII: Decisions Author: Jo Ann Medrano Address: agentsinlove@yahoo.com Rated: PG Category: S Spoilers: Arcadia, Dreamland I, Amor Fati Keyword: Mulder/Scully Married Summary: In every life, decisions must be made... 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 Chris Carter, Gillian Anderson, David Duchovny and all who work on the X-Files. http://www.agentsinlove.com/ Fox and Dana: Decisions FBI Headquarters: Late August... Assisted Director Walter Skinner walked out of the meeting in total disbelief. He had expected to put up a fight concerning the two agents, Fox Mulder and Dana Scully, who were now married and expecting their first child. Regulations required that family members or married couples were to be stationed in different departments. A course of action he believed would fall on the young couple. The meeting lasted no more than fifteen minutes had decided the fate of the two agents. A fate, Walter Skinner would have never believed... " ... It has come to our attention, Assisted Director Skinner, that Special Agent Fox Mulder and Special Agent Dana Scully were married on August 8th, 2000 after completing their assignment in New Mexico. " " That is correct, Sir... " " It has also come to our attention that Special Agent Dana Scully is pregnant. " " That is also correct, Sir... " " Director Skinner, it is the policy of the Bureau that married couples are not to be partnered in the same department. Such actions require reassignments... but because of the nature of the caseload both agents are assigned to... it has come to the decision that both Agent Fox Mulder and Agent Dana Scully will remain assigned to the X-Files... " It was news that shocked Dana Scully and left a satisfying smile on her husband, Fox Mulder. The treatment of the two agents were so different than it was almost two years ago when the X-Files was completely removed from their hands... xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx Over Two Months Later: FBI Headquarters... Special Agent Dana Scully sat in her office reviewing the paperwork she received from Special Agent Fox Mulder. Placing her hand on her extended stomach, Scully gently rubbed herself. The smoothing effects were calming to the mother-to-be. Now looking more pregnant than she had expected as she entered her fifth month. Her sudden change in her body shocked her husband Fox, who expressed it in not the most kindness of ways. " Oh, my God!! Dana, you gotta belly!! " Fox placed his hands on her stomach. Feeling the tenderness of his touch, Fox brought his eyes back to Dana. The look of amazement had softened his face and his bottom lip hung with innocence. " Wow... There really is a baby inside of you... " Bringing herself up as she rubbed the back of her neck, Scully viewed the room that was now her office. It wasn't a large room like the one she shared with Mulder over the years. Yet, it didn't matter to her. She had her own office down in the basement a few doors away from her partner's. It was Skinner who decided it was best for them to work in separate rooms. Mulder was upset with the sudden separation from his partner. If they were still working together in the X-Files there was no need for two offices? His protest came to end when Scully walked into the room that was no longer cluttered with boxes and useless items. There in the middle of the office was her own desk with her own nameplate and her own name on the door. " Mulder, shut up!!! " Scully put a stop to his fussing. Her own office. It took marriage to finally receive her own space. The corner to call her own. No longer having to dig through the mess her partner called a desk, or feel pencils hitting her head when she sat there. The room bared no chaos of photographs, newspaper clips, odd items or strange personal belongs that were in Mulder's office. Though Scully did hang some framed pictures of her liking, not too many personal items she kept in her office. The globe Fox gave to her for her birthday sat on one of the file cabinets. The photograph of herself and Fox that was taken at her mother's house last Christmas was place on her desk. Scully even kept a picture of Rat on there as well. She did love that cat. Not that Mulder did not try to add his own taste to her office. A few days after Scully had her office just the way she wanted it. She returned from a much needed bathroom break to find Mulder pinning several bizarre photographs from his collection onto her bulletin board. " Mulder, what are you doing..? " " Hey, Scully... just putting a few things up... " " Does this have anything to do with a case you want to discuss? " " Uh... no, just thought you could use some... color... kind of dull in here... " " Dull..? " " Well... not dull... it's just... " " Mulder... this is not your office. Unless these have something to do with a case... I want those things out of here!! " " But... Sculleee... " " Get them out of here or I'll throw them in the trash!! " Standing to stretch her back, Scully rested her hands behind her. Feeling some discomfort from her pregnancy, Scully found it hard to complain. She was blessed with the baby she never believed she could have. What right did she have to gripe about the condition she was in? Even though it was annoying at times. Already she was suffering from the swelling of her ankles and feet. Her breasts never seemed to want to stop growing. Aware of the chance of having nosebleeds brought back the memory of her cancer. Thank God, it only happened once and not in front of her husband. Not needing to add anymore to his overbearing protection he had on her. Fox was in full-gear the moment he heard the heartbeat of their child and treated Dana as if she was made of crystal. Even sex between them had a minor set back when Dana's stomach grew, but the communication between them settled the uneasiness Fox was having at first. Mulder recently tried to discourage Scully from an investigation they were involved in, left a bitter argument between them. Though Scully continued with the case much to Mulder's disapproval, she proved her worth and won renewed respect from him. The gossip in the office was never too distant from their earshot. With Dana Scully walking down the hallway there were many eyes glued down to her middle. Trying hard not to be self-conscious of the glares, Scully moved with the confidence she always had. Some co-workers were forward and congratulated Scully on her pregnancy but very few would congratulate her on her marriage to Fox Mulder. " Hey beautiful Momma, wanna go get some lunch? " Fox Mulder popped his head into Scully's office. " Love to... " Dana Scully reached for her coat but Mulder beat her to it, helping her put it on... xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx The Headless Woman Pub... Despite the crowd in the popular hangout, Fox was able to find a table for himself and Dana. The loud voices drowned in the background as the young couple talked. " Looks like it's a green light to go to my mother's for Thanksgiving, honey... " Fox leaned over to Dana. " Yeah... good... " Dana couldn't hide a bit of sadness in her voice. " You don't want to go to my mom's, do you? " Fox asked, not showing any signs of being hurt or angry. " No... It's just... it's been a long time since I haven't had Thanksgiving with my mom... It feels weird... " " Yeah... well, I know what you mean... I haven't had Thanksgiving with my mother in years... " Leaning back into his chair, Fox brought his hand close to his mouth as his fingers danced across his bottom lip showing his nervousness for the holiday. " I hope we don't fight... " Fox eyed Dana with look of concern. Things between him and his mother had been peaceful but wary. Fox still at times felt a need to be careful of what he would say to his mother to avoid any harsh words from her. When he called his mother from Maggie Scully's house a few months ago to tell her of his marriage to Dana and of her being pregnant, Teena Mulder's voice bared the excitement Fox didn't think he would ever hear. " Oh, Fox!! That's wonderful news!! When can I expect the videotape?! I can't wait to see it!! " " You should be getting it soon, Mom... We sent it Fed-Ex... " " Oh, Fox!! I'm so excited!! I'm going to be a grandmother!! I never thought I would be... " " Hey!! I came through!! Life is full of surprises... " " It certainly is... What religion do you plan to raise the baby in, Fox? " Taken back for a moment, Fox hadn't expected his mother to ask that kind of question. " Well, we haven't even talked about that, yet... It doesn't really matter to me... Dana's the churchgoer, the baby will learn from her... " There was silence on the other line. " Mom, are you still there..? " Fox asked. " I'm here, Fox. So, you are going to let the baby be raised Catholic? " " Yeah... I have no problem with that... like I said Dana and I... we haven't talked about it... " " I see... Well, I hope you don't forget your own roots in your religion, Fox. The baby should know it as well... " " Mom, you don't need to worry about it. " " Well, I just don't want the baby not know more about his father's family. You do remember you have a family here, Fox? " " I haven't forgotten, Mom... but I'm sure they would like to forget about me. " " That's not true, Fox... How could you say such a thing!! Everyone in the family loves you... They're always asking me about you. " " That's nice... Listen, Mom, I got to go... I'll call you tomorrow... " " All right, Fox... but do think about what I've said to you about the family... " " ok... bye... " Hanging the phone up quick, Fox was glad he had ended the conversation without any fighting. Sometimes his mother made it really hard with his stomach flip-flopping on him. Not to say anything that could lead to cruel words between them. " I circled a few places we can go and check out this weekend, Dana... " Fox showed her the classified section of the newspaper as they ate their lunch. Having decided they needed a bigger apartment to live in and wanting to stay in Georgetown had turned up dry. It wasn't difficult to find a three-bedroom apartment but finding one that would allow pets, was another thing. Not wanting to give up their cat, Rat had left many places limited to their needs. The idea of buying a house did come up, but they decided against it. Even with the taste they had for it almost two years ago when they went undercover in California as a married couple. They both loved the house, but not the neighborhood for obvious reasons. " This one sounds good. It's not too far from where we live... I have seen that building... it's beautiful... " Dana pointed to the second ad Fox had circled. " Yeah, that's the first place I called up... They're expecting us around two o'clock... that gives us time to check the other places in the morning... First one is at ten and the next one is at eleven... " " Kind of close... " Dana added. " We'll make it... They're not too far from each other. " Fox winked at his wife... xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx In the crowded pub, he watched them. The Mother and her mate were unaware of his stares. They were too busy with their lives to notice him. Too busy to even care or worry about any strangers near them. How beautiful the Mother was. With the life growing inside of her. How he wanted to touch her... And feel her arms surround him... Life did not give him the opportunity. And blessed it upon another. Another who would know the Mother, that he and the other siblings had lost. A decision, that was denied to the rest of them. To live the life he so craved. Standing up to leave, he could no longer bear the pain. And walked out only with his dreams of the Mother's warm embrace... xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx Somewhere In The United States... It continued. Despite the many losses they had suffered nearly two years ago, the Project went on even as the rebel aliens continued their attacks. So much had been lost because of them. Lighting a cigarette, he lifted the ongoing report of Dana Mulder's pregnancy he ordered to be given to him. His grandchild was growing, strong and healthy. The recent photographs showed the progress as Dana Mulder revealed her motherhood to the world. He smiled when he saw the proud expression on his son's face in the photographs. He remembered having the same feelings, whenever he saw Teena when she was pregnant with their son. Even his old friend, Bill Mulder bared the same expression of a proud father even though the child was not his. A truth Bill did not learn for some time and in the end he refused to believe. Despite what he had done to Fox when the truth was revealed. He knew Bill was abusive to Fox. He had witnessed it many times, a shameful act on his part for not stopping it sooner. Only because of his word to Teena, he remained silent about their affair that gave birth to their son. Teena had called him a few nights after the exchange between the men of his group and the alien race, to trade members of their families for the alien DNA they needed to secretly stop the invasion. The choice he made saved his son. It also revealed the secret he and Teena Mulder kept from her husband, Bill. " HE KILLING HIM!!! HELP ME PLEASE!!! " Teena's frightened voice still haunted him. He was not far from the Mulders' home in Martha's Vineyard and made it in record time to witness Bill's drunken rage. " Please!! Please you have to stop him!! Please don't let him kill my baby!! " Teena begged as she pulled him into the house. He entered the home to find a mass destruction of furniture and broken glass all around. In the middle of it was Bill Mulder, swinging the last of the dining room chairs before he smashed it to the ground. No sign of Fox anywhere, had worried him more than the drunken fool before him. " SAMANTHA!!! IT WASN'T SUPPOSED TO BE HER!!! NOT MY DAUGHTER!!! NOT MY SAMANTHA!!! " " BILL!!! " He shouted at his friend. Hearing the voice, Bill Mulder stopped. " You... You're the reason they took her... You and that whore!!! " Bill pointed the accusing finger at them. " They would had taken her no matter what, Bill. You knew their demands... " " You... You tricked them!!! You let them take your wife!!! They knew!!! Even they knew!!! He wasn't my SON!!! " " I couldn't let them take him... I couldn't let Teena lose both of her children... " " My Samantha... my beautiful Samantha... It's all your fault!! ALL YOUR FAULT!!! " " Where is Fox, Bill?! Where is the boy?! " Bill stopped as he eyed him. His body swaying from his drunken state. " You want him..? Fine!! Take your abomination!!! " Bill moved passed them to the closet door, swinging it open to reveal a horrendous sight. Hidden far in the corner was his son Fox, curled in a fetal position. His thumb fastened to his mouth, a strange sight for boy who was twelve. It wasn't the thumb that had frightened him but the way Fox's left arm hung lifeless to his side. Though Fox's head was covered by the shadows, the fear in his eyes was visible as were the red marks across his face. He stood frozen, as his mind absorbed the horror before him. His son, his beautiful boy beaten for a crime that was not his fault. His love child had paid the price for the passion between his parents. Bill Mulder reached in and grabbed Fox by the collar of his T-shirt, throwing him away from the safety of the closet. " NOOOO!!! " was all the boy could shout when he landed before him. His son cried out from the pain of landing on his injured arm. His frightened face looked up but saw nothing as his eyes were drowned in tears. His son whom he left with a monster. He did not know how quick he moved when he punched Bill Mulder in the face. " I WARNED YOU, BILL!!! I WARNED YOU NEVER TO USE HIM!!! " He grabbed Bill before he fell back. Pushing Bill Mulder against the wall, he was going to kill him. For all the crimes this monster committed against his son. Pulling his weapon out, he pressed it against Bill's throat. " I told you once, I will kill you for this... " Pulling the trigger back with all his rage focused on Bill Mulder. Nothing would take him from fulfilling his revenge until he heard the cry of his son. " NO!! Don't hurt my dad!! " Fox pleaded. Turning back, he saw his son still on the ground. His face looking at him, begging for the monster's life. " Please... don't hurt my dad... " Fox repeated himself. His dad. How was the boy to know the truth? Despite the things said to him, the poor child still believed Bill Mulder to be his father. How could he blame his son? What kind of father had he been? Leaving his child, his responsibility to another. He was the true monster. Letting his grip loosen on Bill as he removed the gun away from him. " Why don't you go to bed, Bill... Sleep it off... I'll take Fox to the hospital... I'll take care of everything. " Bill stood nodding his head in agreement. He moved his drunken body down the hallway to the bedroom. Turning back to his son who now was in his mother's arms, Fox once again looked at him. " You...you're not going to send my dad to jail, are you? " Fox asked. " No, Fox... but your mother and I need to get you some medical attention. " " You're not going to tell them my dad did this to me? Please don't tell? It's my fault they took Sam... Please don't tell... " " Don't worry, Fox... I'll take care of everything... " Placing the report and the photographs down, he remembered taking care of everything that night. From making false reports of Fox's injuries to helping his son forget what had happened to him and his sister Samantha the night of the abduction. He also took away any memories of him from his son. It was best he made sure that Fox forgot everything that night... xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx Saturday Afternoon... " Oh, my God... " was the reaction of Dana Mulder when she walked into the vacated apartment with her husband, Fox and the manager of the building right behind them. Having been disappointed with the first two apartments they had seen in the morning, Dana could not get over the huge living room with the front windows much like the ones she had at home only more beautifully displayed. The first floor apartment was the first thing she liked, not having to climb stairs or bother with an elevator especially with a baby in tow. It was one of the things she loved about her apartment, a love that could now be passed onto this place. The dining room area was separated from the kitchen, which had its own room. ' I could cook without anyone looking or bothering me... ' Dana thought as she passed through the kitchen door. Though the kitchen was not large, it was the perfect fit for a family of three. The bedrooms themselves varied in sizes. The master bedroom was perfect with the sliding mirrors covering the huge closet. There was plenty of room for their wardrobes compared to the bedroom closet back at home. " Hey... I like this... " Fox stood before the mirrors. " If we angle the bed just right... we'll have a great view of our... " " Fox, shut up!! " Dana scolded him. The manager was only a few feet away from them. " You don't even know what I was going to say... " Fox turned back to the mirrors. Suddenly having the urge to want to dance before the mirrors, Fox had a funny feeling he had done something like this before. He couldn't remember ever doing it, but the feeling would not leave him. Shrugging his shoulders, Fox watched his wife through the mirrors. After all these years, he still couldn't help but be consumed by her beauty and marvel at the fact that she loved him. There was no denying his love for her. Fox's mind stretched to the unthinkable of what his life might have been had it not been for Dana's forwardness the night in the motel room almost two years ago. " I love these hard wood floors... " Dana said as she walked out of the large bedroom. The next bedroom was half the size but just right for the baby. Dana could already imagine how she would fix it up with Winnie the Pooh items all around, not the Disney Pooh but the one based on the original drawings. Following her, Fox checked the windows and looked outside for anything that could give an intruder a place to hide. Noticing the locks on the two windows not being well secure, he would bring it up with the manager, if they decide about the place. Already Fox wanted to move in even before seeing the rest of the apartment. The third room was larger than the second room but still smaller than the first one. Having built-in shelves, Fox pressed his hands against each of them checking for their sturdiness. Once again, looking outside through the windows, Fox checked the area that surrounded them. He knew it would be difficult to find any place that wouldn't provide coverage for their enemies. Everything in life had to have risk, still Fox needed to be sure. If he could find the avenues before they could, he would be ready for them. " So... what do you think? " Fox whispered to Dana, hoping she was feeling the same way about the apartment as he was. " It's very nice... " She answered. " Nice... Is that in a good way or..? " Fox was fishing. He hated it when Dana wouldn't give a complete answer. Looking toward the direction where the manager was standing outside the room, Dana smiled at Fox. " I really love this place, Spookie... " Dana whispered to him. " So do I... " He whispered back... xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx Greenwich, Connecticut... Teena Mulder made a decision. No more lies would she give to her son. Fox needed to know the truth, that Bill Mulder was not his biological father. She would tell him everything she knew and the reason why she named him, 'Fox'... xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx The Mulder's Apartment... Dana rested next to her sleeping husband on the floor near the fireplace. Being kept warmed by the fire's blaze, neither one of them desired any clothing or a blanket as they rested naked with each other. Holding the Polaroid pictures in her hands, Dana studied each shot. Looking at the one of her lying nude on the floor with her arms covering her chest and her body turned to the side showing her growing stomach. It was Fox's idea to photograph her once a month to show the progress of her pregnancy. Something they could gross their kid out in a couple of years with. It seemed like a cute idea at the time, though Dana wondered if she would have any patience for it in the future. ' I'm too big for five months... ' Dana complained to herself. It was amazing she wasn't at all uncomfortable being on the floor, especially since they had started out on the couch and fully clothed. " You are sooo cute... " Dana told Fox as she sat near him on the couch. " No, I'm not... " Fox stared at her. His long body taking up much of the couch he was on. " You are sooo cute... " Dana snooped up closer to him. " No, I'm not! " " Yes, you are! " " No, I'm not!! Stop saying that... " " ...But you are sooo cute... I can't stand it... " " I'm not cute... " " Look at your nose... " " Don't look at my nose! " " Look at your nose... look at it... " Dana grabbed the tip of it giving Fox's nose a squeeze. " Such a cute nose... " " No, it's not... " " Yes, it is... I love your nose... Can I kiss your nose? " " You want to kiss my nose? " " I want to kiss your nose... I want to suck your nose... I want to eat your nose... " " No, you don't... " " Yes, I dooo... Can I? Pleazzz..? Let me kiss your nose... I'm going to kiss your nose... " " Well... if you got to... " " Mmmmm... Such a cute nose... " Dana gave him two light kisses on the tip. " I just love your nose... " " Don't you love anything else..? " " Mmmmm... Maybe... I just can't stand it... You are so cute... You drive me crazy!! " " I do..? " " Oh, sometimes you make me so sick... I can't stand it... You just make me want to beat the cramp out of you!! " " Yike!! " " Don't you know I can't stand it... that you are so cute? I just want to tear you apart... " Dana began to rub Fox's face with her hands traveling up to his hair and around his face again. " Well... what can I do to make you not want to do that..? " " You drive me crazy!! I can't stand it... I can't stand you looking at other women... " " I don't look at other women... " " You fuckin' liar... I saw you looking at that fake blond at the doctor's office... Don't give me that look!! I know you were looking... That bitch... That fuckin' bitch... Looking at her... What were you thinking..? How you were going to fuck her?! " " Thought never came across my mind... " " You piece of shit... You're such a fuckin' liar... You think you could lie to me? I know all your shit... You can't make a move without me knowing about it... " " A woman with power... " " Don't you ever look at that woman again... " " I don't know what woman you're talking about... " " You do know... bottle blonde... skinny... flat... even I got more tits than her... and a geeky smile... How could you fall for that..? " " She didn't have a geeky... OOPS!!! " Fox covered his mouth with his hand. He gave himself away. " So you were looking... Oh, you bad boy... I can't stand bad boys... Bad boys make me mad... I have to punish bad boys... " " I don't want to get punish... " Fox lied. " I don't give a shit what you want... but you are too cute... too cute to be spank... " " I'm not that cute!! " " Why would I want to spank you..? You're just so cute... " Dana moved in pressing her face into his neck. " Oh, God... I can't stand you... Why? Why do you have to be so cute? " " I'm... Not... Cute... " Fox's head tipped back as Dana raked her teeth across his neck. " I'm going to make you forget her... " " Please do... " Carefully lifting her body off the floor and away from her snoring Fox, Dana moved slowly in order not to become dizzy from any sudden movement. The other day, she nearly passed out when she turned her body too quick when Mulder called to her outside the door of her office. He was there to catch her before she lost her footing. Dana was aware of the changes her body was going through, but experiencing it was another matter. Forgetfulness was the one thing Dana found the most frustrating. Yesterday, she tore the apartment apart searching for her keys. When Fox asked what she was doing, Dana let her anger get the best of her. " I CAN'T FIND MY KEYS!!! I LEFT THEM HERE!!! RIGHT HERE ON THE GODDAMN TABLE!!! WHY CAN'T ANYTHING STAY WHERE YOU PUT THEM!!! IS THAT SO DAMN HARD TO DO?!! " " Dana... " " WHAT?!! " " Your keys are in your hand... " Walking into the bedroom, Dana placed the snapshots on the night table while she slipped on her robe. Deciding to wake Fox up, Dana turned back to leave the room when the snapshots caught her attention. From the corner of her eye, she thought she had seen something in the first photograph. Looking at it carefully, Dana could have sworn she was looking at the face of Jeffrey Spender but the man in the snapshot was her husband, Fox. It never occurred to her how much Fox and Spender looked alike. She never was attracted to poor Jeffrey Spender. It was hard to find anything appealing about that brown-nosier. Bringing her body to rest on the edge of the bed, Dana held the snapshot in her hand. Why did she not see the connection before? Fox had long suspected Bill Mulder not to be his real father, but another man whom his mother might have had an affair with. Fox never said the name out loud fearing that perhaps in his mind he would make it true. When Dana asked him whom he believed his father was, Fox tightened his lips. " I'm afraid to say it... Please don't make me say it... " It was the end of the discussion. Dana brought the snapshot closer to her. Dear God, no wonder he never wanted to say it... xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx Thanksgiving: Mother Mulder's House... " Fox, is this all you're going to do? Watch football..? " His mother addressed him. Rolling his eyes up, Fox grabbed the remote control and shut the television off. " Fine, I won't watch football... " Fox was about to get off the couch when his mother stopped him. " No, Fox... I didn't say for you to stop watching. You can watch all the football you want... Would you like me to get you something to drink, dear? " Resting in the armchair near the couch, Dana watched Fox and his mother exchange words with each other. It had an amusing temper to it. Both were trying not to upset the other. It was also sad to see they were both still uncomfortable with each other. Dana had come to the conclusion several months ago concerning her thoughts about Teena Mulder. Though her feeling toward the woman was mixed, Dana found she could not condemn Mrs. Mulder's actions when Fox was taken from the hospital by her orders over a year ago. The method that was used was deceiving, but the end result had saved Fox's life. Perhaps knowing her choice had not been easy, it was done out of the love Mrs. Mulder had for her son. It was something Dana would accept and remain silent on. Still not wanting to risk any hurt feelings on Fox's part, if he was to know about his mother's involvement. Now that Dana understood the possible role the Cigarette Smoking Man might play in her husband's life. Placing her hand on her stomach, Dana hoped that she and her child would have a good relationship, much like her own with her mother. Her child. Her son. Dana was certain the baby was a boy. She felt it with all her heart. Though if she told Fox about her feelings, she was sure he would make fun of her. Accusing her of being clairvoyant, something Dana did not believe in. Still, she couldn't help it with the dreams she would have, of a young boy talking to her and calling her 'Mommy'. " No... It's OK, Mom... I'm fine... " Fox answered his mother. Teena Mulder nodded her head at him, smiling at the calmness of his voice. " Dana dear, you would like something to drink..? " Teena turned to Dana. " Yes, please... water would fine, Mrs. Mulder... " " 'Teena', remember, Dana? How about some milk instead? Would be much better for you and the baby... " Dana was about to tell her 'no', but smiled at her and said. " Milk will be fine... " With that, Teena Mulder walked out leaving them alone for now. Fox turned to Dana, giving a crooked smile. " Do you think we're trying too hard? " " You're doing all right, honey... but you do need to relax... Stop worrying about the next word you're going to say. " " I don't want to make her mad... " " Then stop looking for it... and just be yourself. That's who she wants, Fox... " Lifting himself off the couch, Fox leaned in and kissed his wife. " You're too damn smart, you know that..? " " I learned from the best... " Dana smiled. Fox smiled back, with his chest puffing out. " Ann Landers... gives the best advice in the world... " Dana laughed... xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx Peeking into the kitchen, Dana watched the preparation for dinner. The cook who Mrs... Teena hired had done many dinner parties for her over the years. With Teena's praises, Dana couldn't agree more with the aroma in the kitchen was appealing as well as mouth watering. Still, it felt funny having a stranger make the Thanksgiving dinner. It didn't have a family feel to it. Though Dana's own mother had hired help when it came to her dinner parties for a large crowd, the holidays felt as if the meals should be a family affair. Dana wondered if the cook and the lady who was helping her had their own families waiting for them with their own Thanksgiving meal prepared and set on the table. " Dana dear... is there something that you need..? " Teena spoke from behind her. Jumping, Dana blushed from being caught in the act of snooping. " No... no, I'm... just being nosy... " Dana confessed. " Would you like to see the roast beef, dear? Angie makes the best... " Teena wrapped her arm around Dana's shoulders. Dana gave a half-hearted smile. She and Fox both were disappointed that the main course was not going to be turkey. With half of Teena's family hating the poultry, she promised to have something other than the traditional meal. Leaving Fox to curse under his breath at the resentment of the holiday being spoiled by his family being finicky. Sitting in the den watching another football game, Fox nervously chewed on his knuckles. About ten relatives were coming for dinner. Ten relatives he hadn't seen in years. Not sure how he should react to them, when they came knocking on his mother's door. His mother had updated him over the past few weeks. Of the losses in the family as well as the new additions during the years that Fox was separated from his relatives. Not knowing how his father's side of the family was doing, his mother was no longer in speaking terms with them. Best as well, he never did care for his father's relatives. Fox nearly bit the skin off his already chewed-up knuckles when the doorbell surprised him. Hearing his mother passing the room he was in, Fox stood up and walked out. Running into Dana as she was coming down the hallway, Fox was glad to see her and took her hand squeezing it tight. Dana patted his hand, giving him a reassuring smile. " I'm here for you, love... " Dana's voice calmed him... xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx It had been quite a surprising dinner, one that Fox did not expect. Becoming reacquainted with his mother's family turned out to be a pleasant experience. Finding out that his cousin Marty wasn't such an asshole as Fox remembered him. Being in law enforcement, Marty was anxious to exchange tales with his cousin. Having heard Fox and his wife were both FBI agents and his own encounter with the Feds led to some interesting raps between them. Without getting into too many details about his and Dana's work, Fox answered his cousin's questions with relish. His own curiosity was at work when he asked questions back to Marty. Dana was pulled into their conversation a few times, but her main focus was with the other people in the room. Spending their time making sure she was comfortable, many of Fox's relatives showered Dana with tons of advice about what to do and not to do while she was pregnant. Though once they learned that Dana was a doctor, the older relatives began asking her for advice on their own condition. Fox's Uncle Ronald asked her what was this thing growing on his face and pointed to the direction of his nose. Being patient with the older fellow, Dana leaned in but could not find anything on his face that he was complaining about. Suddenly Uncle Ronald grabbed her and gave her a big kiss on the cheek. " My God!! Where did he get such a pretty thing like you?! I didn't think that boy had any taste... Even with that belly hanging out, you're still the prettiest thing I've ever seen!! " " Dad!!! Knock it off!! Let her go!! " Marty shouted at him. " Mind your own bee-wax!! Can't a man say what's on his mind? " Giving Dana one more hug, Uncle Ronald let her go. " Welcome to the family, Red... " Once free from his grip, Dana thanked him. Though it was meant to be a harmless gesture of affection, Dana made a point to stay away from Uncle Ronald the rest of the night. Fox's cousin Mandy flew in for the occasion. Remembering her from when they had gone to Boston over a year ago, Dana found she liked Mandy. Even when she had talked to her on the phone to apologize for them not meeting her for dinner as originally planned, Mandy had been understanding concerning the situation between her cousin Fox and his mother. From then on, Mandy had remained in touch with Dana and Fox by phone and e-mail. Hearing stories from the older family members about Fox's childhood, it pleased Dana to know that there were some pleasant experiences Fox did have with his family when he was growing up. They certainly seemed to adore Fox when the older women would pinch his cheeks remembering how cute and sweet he was when he was little. Leaving Fox more red and embarrassed than the marks they would leave on his face. Though Uncle Ronald would not let up on one incident that happened to Fox the night he stayed at their house when he was four years old. "... He kept crying all night for his momma saying the monsters were coming to get him. Big-eyed monsters!! That's all you kept screaming, Fox! The monsters were coming to take you away from your momma... Finally we just gave up and let you sleep with me and your Aunt Lucille, it was the only way to get you to shut up!! " " Bad dreams, huh..? " Fox looked at Dana, who gave him an 'I don't know' look, hoping her husband would not turn it into anything more than just a child's nightmare... xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx After the family left, Fox and Dana sat together in the den watching the late news. Keeping each other warm, Fox brought Dana closer to him with his arm around her. " Fox..? " " Mmm..? " " What do you think of the name 'David' if the baby is a boy? " " 'David'? David Mulder..? Simple... Common... I like it... " " David William Mulder... 'William' for our fathers... " " Sounds good to me... Wanna put it on top of the list? " " Actually, that's the only name I thought of for a boy... the only one I like... Do you have any names you like? " Suddenly the name, 'Aaron' appeared in Fox's head. Feeling some strange comfort from that name, Fox decided not to mention it to Dana. It wasn't the right name for this kid. " Well... as long as we don't call him 'Fox, Jr.' I can live with just about any name... I like 'David', I say we go with that one if the baby is a boy... What about a girl's name, have you thought of any..? " " No... I haven't... I don't think the baby is a girl... " " What?! You're turning clairvoyant on me? " Fox tensed. Dana rolled her eyes up. She knew he was going to say that. " You don't have to call me a name... I just feel that the baby is a boy, that's all... " " Well, we should choose a girl's name just in case... " " Do you have any favorites? " Dana asked him. Dreading he might want to name the baby after his sister, Dana had nothing against naming a child after a person. Yet the name, 'Samantha' had too much history to it, too much pain. Dana did not want her daughter to walk in the shadow of a memory. " I like Tiffany... or maybe Jennifer... or Ashley? Those are cute names for girls... " Fox answered her. " Tiffany, Jennifer or Ashley... Are you sure those aren't the names of some of your little phone friends you use to talk to? " Dana smiled showing she was teasing him. " Oh, now I'm hurt!! " Fox placed his hand over his heart. Looking to the door hoping his mother was not in earshot, he wanted to add one more thing. " Whatever name we go with, I want 'Margaret' for the middle name, after your mother... " Dana smiled. Knowing if she had a daughter, she would be free of any ghost. Closing her eyes, Dana felt the tiredness of her body. Having only taken one nap today, she was ready to sleep right where she was. " Wanna go to bed? " Fox noticed her expression. Letting out a yawn before answering him, " Yes... " Dana smiled again. Helping his wife up, Fox led the way to the stairs and up to the bedroom where they were to sleep. Opening the door for Dana, Fox was about to follow when he heard his mother call to him. " Fox... " Teena stood at the entrance to her bedroom. Giving a quick look to Dana, Fox moved up to his mother. " What is it, Mom? " " I... " Teena hesitated. She had promised herself to tell her son the truth. Tomorrow, they would be leaving in the late morning. She herself would not be home to say her good-byes because of her plans to go shopping with her friends. " ... I love you, Fox... " Was the only truth, Teena could tell him. " I love you, too, Momma... " Fox hugged and kissed her forehead. Hearing her express her feeling to him caused him to feel special. Just like it was when he was a little boy and they were the only ones in the world. " You have a good night sleep... Wake me before you go shopping so I can say 'good-bye'. " Nodding her head 'yes', Teena watched her son walk back to the bedroom. She was about to return to hers when Teena felt a touch on her shoulder. " Good night, Teena... thank you for a wonderful Thanksgiving... " Dana hugged her mother-in-law. Surprised, but touched by Dana's gesture, Teena hugged her back, being careful of her grandchild. Looking into the young woman's blue eyes, Teena's own affection for Dana had grown. " You're welcome, dear... and thank you for making me a grandmother. " Teena touched Dana's stomach. " You're welcome... Good night, Teena... " " Good night, Dana... " xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx December 8th: Somewhere In The United States... Walking through the apartment, he handled with care the items he chose to take with him. With the woman dead, he did not need to rush. It would be along time before anyone would notice her missing. He had indeed chosen a loser for a lover. Lover... he didn't even think of her that way. She was there for his needs until a few months ago, when he walked out of her life. He had not planned to come back and left her with the problem she chose to keep. A problem, he could not bring himself to forget. Once he had all the items he needed packed, he moved to the cradle where the newborn rested. Only a week old, the infant girl showed no sign of waking up from the commotion. Carefully lifting the baby from the bedding, he brought her close to him. His sudden love for his daughter, he never felt he could have. The name the woman had chosen for the baby would be forgotten, a bad memory like the woman herself. " Nicole... " Alex Krycek whispered to his newborn daughter. " My little Nico... " xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx December 16th: Somewhere In Virginia... They all listened to him. They were survivors like himself. Victims of the rebel alien attacks. Forgotten by the Project and left to defend themselves. Left without guides or foster-parents to care. Though many like themselves were still growth. They were the unwanted ones. They would be killed if they returned to the Project. Killed by the rebel aliens if they were to approach them. Killed by anyone who would know their truth. He brought them together. His siblings. All who came from the Mother. They had come to be united and to agree on a course of action. The desire to be cared. The desire to be loved. The desire to be like the child whom the Mother carried inside of her. Only one voice disagreed. Demanded that the Mother be left alone. His voice ended with a stab to the back of the neck. They now all agreed. The Mother and her child would be theirs... xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx December 22nd: Somewhere in Pennsylvania... They stood alone. Many underground buildings with rooms of secrets left to gather dust. Left to the quiet of the land that once had importance to the secret Government. In one room, a large circular metal pool came to life. The water no longer fresh but drinkable to the rats, glowed a bright blue. The computers and machinery buzzed to life as the command was given from a time not of our own, but from a world that was still Earth. The water began to move waves in a circular pattern. The computer acknowledged the presence of two human forms inside the pool that were not there before. Bursting free from the water, they gasped for air. Keeping their bodies upward as they struggled to touch a surface. Though the body armor and weaponry would have drowned a normal man, their strength in their bodies pulled them out of the pool as one helped the other. Once they freed themselves, their minds quick to act. They noticed to be in the same room where a battle was suppose to be taking place. Their fellow soldiers and the enemy were gone. " Aaron... " Ashley Mulder reached for her twin brother. Turning to her voice, Aaron Mulder reached for his twin sister's hand. " Ashley, are you all right..? " For a moment, her mind raced as she tried to gather what was around them. A room that was quiet with no sign of battle, only dust and dim lights. " Aaron... where's David? Where is everyone..? What the hell is going on?!! " The End... continues in Fox and Dana: The Mother Feedback is welcome... agentsinlove@yahoo.com