From: JoAnn Medrano Date: Wed, 11 Apr 2001 20:03:46 -0700 (PDT) Subject: Fox and Dana XXX: The Family Source: revision Title: Fox and Dana XXX: The Family Author: Jo Ann Medrano Address: agentsinlove@yahoo.com Rated: R Category: S Spoilers: Two Fathers, One Son Keyword: Mulder/Scully Married Summary: It is a race against time to find Dana Mulder... Archive: Please don't archive on any site without permission from the author. My many thanks to Chris Carter, Gillian Anderson, David Duchovny and all who work on the X-Files. Disclaimer: The characters of the X-Files do not belong to me. They are the property of Chris Carter, 1013 Productions, and Fox Broadcasting. The Batman/Dark Knight belongs to DC Comics and Warner Brothers. The mention of McDonald's and its food items is not an endorsement by the author. No copyright infringement is intended. http://www.agentsinlove.com/ Fox and Dana: The Family December 24th: Somewhere in Virginia... Dana Mulder studied the room she was locked in. The huge old bedroom offered some light through the windows where the black paint had peeled away. The lamp on the night table glowed through the tint of its faded lampshade. No longer knowing what day it was or how long she had been out, Dana silently prayed. From the way the light stole into the room from the tiny lines in the blackened windows, Dana assumed it to be the afternoon. Even then she couldn't be quite sure. Her back hurting and her arms stretched out ached from being tied to the bed frame. No longer wearing the maternity outfit she had on, Dana was now dressed in a long white lace dress. The long sleeves ruffled at the end, and her cleave was revealing. She could feel the coldness of her bare feet. The discomfort of her body as she tried to move to a better position only left her in more pain. The movement of her baby brought some peace of mind to Dana. Her child was alive. Active as he was before all this had happened. Yet the worries of any serious harm to her baby's health and body weighted heavy on her mind. " David... " Dana spoke to her son. " Mommy's scared... I'm so scared... " Not stopping her tears, Dana allowed herself to cry. Always believing it to be a sign of weakness, Dana would struggle to hold back the emotions that led to such a scene. How many times did she fight the weakness in front of Mulder? Those rare times she would give in with him nearby as his arms encased her with security. How she missed his arms. How much she missed him. " Fox... " Dana cried his name. The sudden noise outside the bedroom's door caused Dana to lift her head. The sound of the doorknob turning with the door opening wide. A young tall man walked through the entrance carrying a tray of food in his hands. " Hello, Mother... " The young man smiled. Carefully placing the tray on the dresser near the bed, the young man moved up to Dana. Pulling back, Dana's body tensed when he came near her. " No... " His smile remained as he reached for her nearest hand to untie her from the bed frame. " I'm sorry for this, Mother... but I didn't want to risk you hurting yourself... " Once her hand was free, Dana brought it close to her, watching the young man untie her other hand. " Are you hungry, Mother? " The young man asked. Though her stomach growling gave her away, Dana answered the opposite. " No... " " Well... Do you need to... " He gestured to the door on the other side of the room. " ... use the bathroom..? " His cheeks suddenly blushed. " I can send one of your daughters in to help you... " " Who are you..? " Dana asked. The young man brushed his red hair from his brow. " My name is Jeffrey. I am your son... I'm sure the others have mention me to you... I brought everyone together... to be with you, Mother... " " They created you? " " Yes, Mother, just like the others, including Emily... Though Emily was allowed to be a child... many of us were grown to adulthood... " " How many are there? " Dana asked with her breathing increase. The reality standing before her was difficult to accept. " Those of us who have survived, and who I have found... There are over forty of us living here... There maybe more out there, I'm sure of it... So many of your children, Mother... Lost to the Project of mad men... " " I can't accept this... This is not true... " " It is the truth, Mother... " " No, you're not... You're not my son... None of you are my children!! I don't accept this!!! I can't!!! " Jeffrey turned his head away letting out a sigh. His eyes returned to Dana. " I know your scientific beliefs keep you from accepting the truth, Mother... Science had to prove to you what you knew in your heart that Emily was your daughter... The baby... " Jeffrey's eyes cast down to Dana's middle. " You accept without doubt... We may not have grown inside of you, Mother... but we are your children... We need your love just as much... " Dana shook her head at him. " I can't accept this... I can't accept any of this... Please..? Let me go... My baby might be in danger... What you used on me... could have causes serious harm to him... " " The baby is not in danger... nor are you. I will not let anything happen to the two of you, Mother. I don't kill our own... " Jeffrey smiled. It was a grin that sent chills through Dana. An expression she had seen before on other men. " It shall be the best Christmas ever, Mother. Tonight, we celebrate Christmas Eve, our first one as a family. The feast we will have... you should see the food your daughters are preparing... Would you like to see, Mother? " Dana was silent for a moment with her eyes studying the young man before her. " Yes, I would... " She answered him. Jeffrey's smile had increased. With his help, he took Dana by the shoulder walking her out of the bedroom... xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx The Lone Gunman's Office... " Find anything, Byers? " Mulder asked when he walked into the office with Frohike and Langly behind him. Byers turned his bruised face to them. " Jesus, Byers!! Mulder wasn't kidding!! " Frohike said when he saw his friend. Byers had insisted to Mulder that it was he who had struck him, but the video surveillance tapes and audio were missing. There was no proof to who the person was that Byers had let in. " I swear, Mulder... it was you... The guy on monitor was you! " Seeing the evidence gone, Byers believed his friend but still could not get over the similarities the intruder had of Mulder's. " Feeling all right, Byers? " Mulder asked. " I'm fine... I was able to pull up the records on John Housested. Very rich man, many homes and large bank accounts. Makes you wonder why he would be living in an apartment when he owns so much... " " Maybe he liked the view... " Mulder said dryly. " He had sold three of his homes a few months ago... Large amounts have been withdrawn from several of his accounts but still leaving him quite well off. " " Any family..? " Mulder asked. " None... Handles his finances on his own. A self-made man by all accounts. " " What about his homes? Have any reports come in? " " So far, only two houses have been checked out. No sign of anyone living in them... All empty, no furniture... Nothing... " " What about those other suspects, the ones that took Dana? " Frohike asked. " No records on any of them. It's as if they didn't exist... " " We came to the same dead-end as well... " Mulder added. " What about the other houses he had the ones he had sold? Have you been able to find out who had bought them? " " Private parties... Still trying to break through the red tape... but we should have answer soon... " " Where are the locations for these houses? " " One home is in New York... The other two are in Virginia... " " What are the addresses on the two Virginia homes...? " Mulder had asked when his cell phone rang. " Mulder! " " Fox!! Thank goodness I found you... This is Maggie... " " What? What is it, Mom? Have they found Dana?! " " No, Fox... I, I need you to come home... It's very important for you to come back right now. Your mother is here... and... " " I can't come right now, Mom... I... " " Fox!! You have to come back now!! There's someone here who needs to speak with you... It's about Dana... Please come home?! " Hearing the urgently in her voice, Fox answered. " All right, Mom... I'm coming right now... " and hung up his phone. " What's that all about? " Langly asked. " I don't know... I have to leave now... Byers, can you print those addresses for me? " " Sure thing, Mulder... " " I need you guys to keep looking... and keep me updated... " Taking the printout from Byers, Mulder ran out... xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx Somewhere In Virginia... Dana allowed Jeffrey to lead her downstairs. Walking through the hallway, they were greeted by the others. Wanting Dana to know their names, they brought their hands closer to hers. Each expressing their concerns and love to the Mother. The strangeness of so many bodies near her was overwhelming. The faces again haunted her when Dana tried to move away only to be held by the steel grip Jeffrey had on her. " See how your children love you, Mother... You were always on our thoughts... That was something they could never take away from any of us. " Jeffrey spoke. " What did they do to you? " Dana asked. " Things that you are better off not knowing... Each of us has our tales... It is Christmas, not a time to worry about the past, but to rejoice in the future we will all share together. " " You can't keep me here... I have my own family... my husband and my mother... " " You have us now, Mother... more than any parent could hope for. " The young woman named Annie approached them. Dana had remembered her and noticed how pretty the young woman was. " Hello, Mother... did you sleep well? I'm so sorry we scared you earlier... We didn't mean any harm... " " Annie here was one of the last ones I had found. Lost in the wasted science base that had been destroyed by the Rebel aliens... Monsters themselves, maybe even worse than the men who created us... " " Rebel aliens..? " Dana had remembered the report Mulder made, claiming the existence of an outer force that had brought down the Consortium. It was something Dana found hard to accept. " They are very bad... but Jeffrey saved me... Just like the others... " Annie smiled at Dana. " Annie, why don't you take Mother in the kitchen and let her see the feast we will be having... " Jeffrey gestured to Annie as he gently offering Dana to her. " All right... " Annie carefully took Dana's hand. Not resisting, Dana allowed the woman to take her. " How long have you been living here, Annie? " Dana asked. " Since October... I wished I could have passed out candy for Halloween, but we don't live anywhere near children... " " Where are we? " " Well, I don't know if I'm suppose to say... Jeffrey said everything should be kept quiet... " " Even from me? " " Well... yeah... Jeffrey said you're really smart, Mother... That it's best that you don't know too much... " Annie walked ahead when they entered the kitchen. The rundown appearance of the room shocked Dana. She wondered how anyone could cook a meal in this hideous kitchen. The strong smell of turkey, ham and boiling pots of potatoes and vegetables filled Dana's senses. The ever reminder of her own hunger had triggered a sudden movement from her baby. Placing her hand where she felt him kick, Dana continued to look around. Four women moved about in the large kitchen and stopped when they noticed her and Annie standing in the doorway. " Look who's here, everyone!! " Annie announced. The chord of 'Mother' ran toward Dana, sending a chill through her... xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx " What have you to tell me..? " Jeffrey stared at the young hybrid that entered the living room at the same time he and the Mother walked by. Sending the Mother with her daughter allowed the moment between the two brothers. " A Hunter was after us... Tim and I... I don't know what happened to him... but it was two Hunters, one disguised as a female... I almost didn't escape until a car hit her... " " Hunters... You let yourself be seen by these Hunters?! " Jeffrey's voice grew loud. " We didn't mean... It wasn't done on purpose...We did as you told us to... " " Not to bring Hunters to our doorsteps!! Are you sure you weren't followed?! " " No, brother.... I lost the female Hunter... The other Hunter must have went after Tim... I haven't seen him since. " " You allowed a Hunter to take your brother... " " He would have taken us both if we had stayed together... With two Hunters, I'm lucky to be here... " " Don't feel so lucky... " The young hybrid's head threw back as the pain of death came over him with a quick plunge to the back of his neck. His body collapsed where it dissolved before Jeffrey and the other hybrid brother who did the killing. " Clean up the rug when it's done... I don't want Mother to see it... " Jeffrey walked out of the room... xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx The Mulders' Apartment... Fox Mulder arrived home near dark. The neighborhood was decorated in colorful lights blinking from several of the apartment building. The many Christmas trees were proudly displayed near the windows for all to see. Seeing the Christmas tree that Dana had picked for them, reminded Fox it was Christmas Eve. A time to be with family and friends. Yet, this Christmas was empty and lonely with his worries for Dana. Maggie Scully peeked through the window the moment Fox appeared in front of the building. She rushed to open the door for him. " Fox... " Maggie hugged her son-in-law. " Mom... " Fox hugged her back. " You scared the wits out of me when I didn't find you in your room... " " I'm sorry... Where's my mother? Who is this person you said wants... " His voice ended when the smell of cigarettes caught his attention. Turning to the source, Fox stood a few feet away from the hatred man before him. " Merry Christmas, Fox... " The Cigarette Smoking Man greeted him. " WHAT THE FUCK ARE YOU DOING IN MY HOME?!!! " Fox charged up to him. Grabbing him by his jacket, Fox shook the older man. " WHERE IS SHE?!!! WHAT DID YOU DO TO HER, MOTHERFUCKER?!! I'LL KILL YOU IF YOU DONE ANYTHING TO HER!!! " " FOX!!! " Turning to the voice that called him, his mother's hand was on him trying to push Fox away from his enemy. " Let him go, Fox!! " Teena Mulder spoke. " NO!!! HE KNOWS WHERE DANA IS!!! " Turning back to the Cigarette Smoking Man, Fox tightened his grip. " I'LL BEAT THE SHIT OUT OF YOU, IF YOU DON'T TELL ME WHERE SHE IS!!! " " I don't know, Fox!! I don't know where she is... but I can tell you who did take her... " " LIAR!! YOU TOOK HER!!! " " WE DIDN'T TAKE HER!!! We would have never taken her!!! NEVER AGAIN!!! YOU, YOUR WIFE AND CHILD ARE NO LONGER CONCERN TO THE PROJECT!!! " " Even that's a lie... " " What I tell you now is the truth... We don't have her... The hybrids do... " " What?!! " " Listen to him, Fox... " His mother once again tried to put space between them. " He's telling you the truth... Please, Fox, let him go and let him talk... " Fox stared at his mother. " You believe him? " " Yes... I do... and so will you if you let him talk... " " Please, Fox... let him talk... " Maggie Scully soon joined in. Looking at both women, Fox let his grip on the Cigarette Smoking Man's jacket loose. Pulling away from him, Fox kept his eyes on him. " Talk... what is it you have to say..? " Letting out a sigh, the Cigarette Smoking Man remained standing as did Fox. He pulled out a cigarette but did not light it. " As you know, the Project has suffered within these past two years, crippled by the Rebel Alien Forces... Many things were lost. Including the control of the hybrids we have created over the years. Many had escape during the raids done by the rebel aliens... Many of them included those that were created with Dana Mulder's ova... " " Oh, my God... " The words slip out of Maggie's mouth. " We have been able to deal with some of the escapees, but our resources have been limited manpower required elsewhere... Many of these hybrids have disappeared into our society... " " What proof do you have that it was a group of hybrids who took Dana..? " Fox questioned with his curiosity in full-gear. " From the surveillance photos taken from the security video in the mall... We were able to identify all three individuals as hybrids who had escaped over a year ago from one of our medical facilities... " " We were unable to identify any of them... " Fox recalled from the investigation that was being led by Walter Skinner. " Of course not... They had no identities except for the names they would choose for themselves... By making the ID's, we were able to trace these three from the stock that was taken from Dana Mulder... " " Oh, my God... " Maggie turned away with her hands covering her face. Teena moved over to comfort her. Fox looked at Maggie but remained where he stood. " Dana's children... just like Emily... YOU USED HER CHILDREN!! " " I don't make excuses for the things that were done... " " YOU MONSTER!!! WHAT RIGHT HAVE YOU TO BE DOING THESE THINGS?! OH, GOD!! IT CAN'T BE TRUE!! " Maggie cried. " My dear lady, everything is the truth... " " They came back to bite us in the ass... but it's not you that suffers... " Fox shook his head. " There you are wrong, Fox... My concerns for your wife and child... My abilities has failed to prevent these things... I suffer as well... " Lowering his head, he turned his body away for a moment. The grief in his face was noticeable. " ... But what I can do is help you find her... I have already sent one of my men to search for her... He has yet to report in. What I was able to discover on my own, will provide the help you need... " Reaching for the large envelope resting on the coffee table, the Cigarette Smoking Man handed it to Fox. " These photographs, I have... I found a fourth hybrid that also came from the same stock that was taken from Dana. This one I believe has been stalking you and your wife for sometime. " " Seems everyone has been stalking us... " Fox examined the five photographs showing the different stages of Dana's pregnancy. There in the background was the same man. Red hair, tall, well built with his eyes on Dana in each of the photographs. The sixth photo was a close-up of the man. " This hybrid does have an identity he created for himself. Social Security number, birth certificate, driver license and properties he now owns that once belong to a man named John Housested... " Hearing the name of the suspect the FBI had been following, Fox looked at the older man straight in the eye. " The hybrid has given himself the legal name of Jeffrey Daily... What relationship this hybrid has with Mr. Housested is unknown but it seems that when Housested's bank accounts decreased, Jeffrey Daily's accounts received large amounts of deposits... " My abilities to send help to search for your wife is unavailable, only the man I sent was all I could afford to spare... Now with his absence, my concerns grow... For this man to be defeated by the hybrids proves how dangerous they are... " You know the dangers of the hybrids yourself, Fox... if the FBI or any other agencies were to find them first, it would be not only their deaths but your wife and child as well... " " There are two homes here in Virginia that were sold a few months... I have those addresses... " Fox informed him. " The closest one would be your best choice... I have dealt with the hybrids for many years. They are intelligent but child-like... " " They wanted their mother... " " It seems to be the obvious reason... " xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx A Motel Room... Resting on the bed, Ashley Mulder carefully studied the map before her. Outlining the directions to each of the homes John Housested owned in the locations near Washington, D.C., Ashley had also marked the two houses in Virginia that no longer belong to Housested. One of the homes was not too far from where they were staying. Having convinced her brother, Aaron that they needed to stop and get their baring together. The low-class motel was perfect for them to hideout, and also a place for Ashley to question her brother. " Aaron, why did you not want me to kill that Hunter? " " I don't know... I just didn't think he should die... " Aaron did not look at her when he reached for the remote control for the 13-inch color television that was in the room. A quick study of the hand device, Aaron turned on the television and surfed through the channels. " Shouldn't die... What an answer... " Ashley shook her head, remembering the many times Aaron himself would kill a Hunter with no mercy. " What can I tell you, Ashley... I just didn't think he should die... " Aaron repeated himself, never taking his eyes away from the television. Watching her brother play with the clicker flooded Ashley again with memories of their childhood before the world ended. The fights she and her brothers would have over who was to be in charge of the remote control. The tug wars, the name calling, or someone crying (most of the time it was Aaron), as the siblings wrestled for control. Until either their mother would put a stop to it or their father would end the fighting as he always did with him announcing to his children, " I'm bigger than all of you, so we're going to watch what I wanna watch... So tough tiggers!! " Though the source of entertainment did not die as the world did. The endless supplies of videotapes, CDs and DVDs were plentiful in the abandoned shopping centers, as well as the many books, magazines and newspapers frozen forever with the last date they were issued. Pulling her face back with the palms of her hands and through her hair, Ashley moved toward the bathroom for a shower. She needed to clear her mind as well as to ease the muscles that were sore from being hit by her father's car. Her father... Good God, she still couldn't believe how young he looked. Being his daughter, Ashley always thought her father was a handsome man, an important figure in her life. His sharp mind she always admired. With his theories and philosophy of life seemed to hang near a fairy tale, her father managed to find the humor in everything. Even as they struggled to survive in the New World that was born from the old. David was not always impressed by some of the things their father would say especially if they seemed to be grasping for straws in the sky. He would always shake his head and ask the same question in his own dry humor, " How the hell does my mother put up with you?! " " Aaron, I'm going to take a shower... " Ashley informed him. " Uh.. huh... " Aaron's attention remained on the television. When she entered the bathroom, Ashley heard the familiar music and voices coming from the television screen. " ALRIGHT!!! ASHLEY, LOOK!!! BATMAN!!! " Aaron finally turned to his sister and pointed to the television screen. The excitement all over his face for the one character he loved the most. " Oh, whoopee, Aaron, it's not like you never seen that show before... " " Yeah, but I have never seen it in the year 2000... " Aaron turned back sitting with his legs crossed over the bed, lost in the world of the Dark Knight... xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx Hearing the shower running, Ashley was glad she went in first. From the way the water was going, she might have to break into the bathroom to pull Aaron out of the shower... xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx With the warm water hitting his back, Aaron had remained in a curled position with his legs pulled up and his head resting on his knees while he sat down on the bathtub for some time. Rocking his body back and forth, Aaron took no notice to the surrounding only to what his mind was showing him as he was pulled deep in his consciousness... ... The many voices surrounded her. Calling her 'Mother' as each tried to bond with her. The many daughters who wished to be like her. Smart, strong, independent, a woman who spoke her mind. Each wanting to show her what they had made for Christmas Eve dinner. The many smells of food, that was cooking. The stream escaping from the pots on the stove. Escape. That was what was on her mind. Wanting to save herself and her unborn baby, she was willing to risk the chance for freedom. Noticing one of the women coming in from the outside through the backdoor, it had remained unlocked. She tried hard to move toward it... ...But a daughter interfered, and pulled her away to show her the cake she had decorated. Again she tried. Pretending to look at the food displayed on the counter. Her hands reached for a boiling pot and hurled it to the direction of the daughters. Causing a moment of confusion, enough time for her to escape. Pushing one daughter out of the way, she grabbed the doorknob, and opened it. The cold air rushed at her did not stop her from moving into dusk to her freedom. Her condition makes it difficult to run. Her bare feet touch the ice-cold steps that send shivers through her body. Bracing her hand on her stomach, she tried to move across the yard until a hand takes her shoulder. Her training skills stayed with her as she tried to defend herself but defeat came when the many hands took her back in. Her screams for help had gone unanswered in the depth of the terrain... " ... mom... " Aaron whispered to himself. His eyes were not free from the images he continued to see, as he felt his mother's struggle to break free of the hands that held her. The face before her burned in Aaron's mind. He was the one who stalked her. He was the one who brought them all together. He was the one who ordered the kidnapping. He was the one who wanted the baby dead... ... Aaron bolted to a standing position bringing himself away from the shower. Turning to the sound she heard coming from the bathroom, Ashley was about to get up when Aaron came out. "JESUS, AARON!!! Put a towel on!!! " Ashley turned away from her brother's nakedness. " He's going to kill David, Ashley!! He's going to kill our brother!! " Aaron shouted. Turning back to him, Ashley's eyes widened. " Who?!! " " The hybrid who caused all of this... He never planned on letting David live... " Aaron moved to the bed pulling the map toward him. Seeing what his sister had worked on, his wet finger pointed to the house in Virginia that was not far from them. " She's here, Ashley... Mom's trapped in this house... " xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx " You disappoint me, Mother... After all the things we have done for you. To do this to your children... " Jeffrey spoke as he stood before Dana Mulder. The many hands held on to her, preventing Dana from moving. Her anger outweighed the fear she had. " YOU'RE NOT MY CHILDREN!!! I AM NOT YOUR MOTHER!!! I AM NOT!!! " Dana shouted. " How could you hurt us? How could you favor this... over us? " Jeffrey placed his hands over Dana's stomach. " GET AWAY FROM MY BABY!!! " Dana tried to pull away, but the bodies behind her kept her from recoiling. Jeffrey's hands began to tighten around her stomach. Pushing in as his squeeze became painful. " NOOOO!!! " Dana screamed. " Let her go, Jeffrey!! Don't hurt the baby!! " Annie pulled on his arm. " You promised the baby would be one of us!! You promised!! " " Leave her alone, Jeffrey!! " Another voice shouted out. " Leave her alone!! " Another voice spoke. The sudden bodies that were on Dana, now moved onto her attacker who let her go. For a moment, chaos had erupted among the siblings. Their concerns for the Mother and her child as the one brother who had promised to bring them together as family seemed to be clasping. Jeffrey Daily stepped back only to return standing with his arms raised above him. " MY BROTHERS AND SISTERS!!! PLEASE CALM YOURSELVES!!! I... I have committed an act no son should do to their mother... I let my anger get the best of me... I... I was hurt by Mother's words. I know she doesn't mean any of it... I'm truly sorry... I never meant... Mother, please, forgive me... I will never lay a hand on you again. I love you... and I love the baby. " " You promise not to hurt Mother or the baby..? " Annie asked, wanting to trust her brother. " Of course, my little sister... I will never bring pain again. " Jeffrey hugged Annie with the others watching. " Come... everyone. " Jeffrey stretched his arms out to his brothers and sisters with the Mother between all of them. Too exhausted to fight, Dana closed her eyes hoping somehow the madness would disappear. The voices around her again gladdened to the joy of the holidays and of being reunited as a family again. " Now!! We have a holiday to celebrate!! Let us get back to the Christmas cheer!! " Jeffrey called out. Turning back to the Mother, he placed his hand on her cheek as Dana tried to pull away from him. " Why don't you two sisters take Mother back to her room? She has a tiring day. We want her rested to join us for the Christmas Eve celebration... " Jeffrey smiled... xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx They readied themselves. Their battle suits in place. The weapons they bared were checked and armed. Bringing her fists down on her brother's armored chest, Ashley was ready. The exhilaration in her voice howled throughout the room. Aaron looked at his sister. His voice was silent, yet the same emotions could be seen in his eyes. The wait they had been put through came to end when he took his sister's hand. " They are our brothers and sisters, Ashley... but they are the enemy. We must show no mercy to them... We must bring them down... Save our mother... and David... " " We're going to, Aaron... We'll bring them home... " " Let us pray... " Taking both his sister's hands, Aaron quietly spoke a prayer for them while Ashley bowed her head and prayed with him. Believing in God, Ashley did not attend services like Aaron did with their mother. It was a practice he did whenever they were home. Her feelings were much like her brother David, who had not been to services since he was a teen. The quietness of her room was where Ashley chose to be close to God and talk with her heart open and her mind feeling blessed. Ashley believed Aaron felt the same way, but his desires to please their mother was strong enough for him to wake up early and go with her to the tiny chapel that was stationed in the base where they lived. The sun was setting in the horizon when they stepped out of the motel room. Still using the army jackets to cover their assortments, Ashley and Aaron Mulder went unnoticed by the other patrons. Unconcerned by the young couple while they went about their business. Entering the vehicle they had stolen, not word was exchanged between brother and sister when they drove out of the seedily motel and on to the road... xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx Fox Mulder raced out of his apartment with his cell phone in his hand. Dialing the number before he reached his car, the phone rang twice before he heard the familiar voice on the other end. " Skinner... " " Sir, this is Fox Mulder... " " Mulder, I thought I had told you... " " No, Sir!! You have to listen to me!! You're going after the wrong suspect... The wrong houses!! The information I have obtained leads to another suspect... The two homes in Virginia that were sold to a man named Jeffrey Daily, who may have had some kind of personal or business relationship with John Housested. I have evidences that shows that Jeffrey Daily had been stalking Dana and I for months... " " What evidences do you have, Mulder...? " " Photographs showing Jeffrey Daily near Dana and myself... I have also obtained the information that three homes were sold to a fraudulent business that belonged to Daily. " His call to the Lone Gunmen confirmed that three properties were transferred to the false organization that Daily had created. With their help, the information given to him by the Cigarette Smoking Man was proven to be true. Information on Jeffrey Daily could only go up to early 1999, the beginning of the end to the men of the Project. What records Daily had conjured for himself stated his birth mother as Dana Katherine Scully who was born on February 23rd, 1946. The father was addressed as William B. Daily. Whether this was the actual father was only known to Jeffrey Daily. Starting his car, Mulder continued his conversation with Skinner. " ...The two homes sold that are in Virginia are the ones that we need to send a team to investigate... Listen to me carefully on this, Sir. No officers must enter the house without the protection of a gas mask, or fire upon any one of the suspects... " " What?! " Skinner questioned. " Sir, these four individuals who are involved in Dana's kidnapping are hybrids!! They were created by the men you and I have dealt with in the past... " " Hybrids? How were you able to find this out? " " A mutual... associate told me. I believe him. These hybrids came from the ova that were stolen from Dana when they first taken her... " " Jesus Christ... Are you sure this informant can be trusted and not leading us..? " " Trust me, sir... I do believe him... " Mulder let out a sigh. " Mulder, you are not to do anything... Allow us to handle this... Do you understand..? " " Yes, sir... " Mulder quickly hung up his phone. " I'm coming, Dana... I'm coming... " xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx Jeffrey Daily entered the bedroom. Ordering his two sisters out, he stood before the bed where Dana Mulder was forced to rest on. Though she gave the appearance of being helpless, the Mother was far from it. She was an opponent who would search for any opening to prove her abilities. It was a shame he had to take it away from her. " Everything is ready, Mother... Christmas is about to start... " Dana remained silent. With her hands holding her stomach as she tried to both comfort herself and to protect her unborn baby. " Everyone is asking for you... no one wants to start without you, Mother... We have all waited for this Christmas... I know have I dreamt about it many times... " " You need help... " Dana's eyes remained on him. " Trying to create a life you only dreamed of... Giving those poor people down there an illusion that will never be. I can't give anything to you... I can't be the mother you want... I will not try or be force to... " " What if I asked..? " " Then I would say 'No'... and ask you to let me go... Please..? It doesn't do you any good... it only makes things worse. Please, let me go and be with my family... " " You are with your family... and you will stay with your family forever... " " No, you can't have it that way... It isn't how you make a family... " " You do prefer the old-fashioned way, don't you, Mother? That baby inside of you is the way you want things to be... You accept one hybrid child, but you reject your others... Not all of us can be 'cute' like Emily was!! " Jeffrey stormed up to her. " Or like that baby... It's not fair!!! We were each denied the chance... The roll of the dice to be conceived as nature meant it!! Do you think that I will allow another to have what I don't?!! " Dana grasped her stomach tighter. " No... Leave my baby alone!! YOU'RE NOT GOING TO HURT MY BABY!!! " " Mother... I don't plan on hurting the baby... Don't you remember what I had said? I don't kill our own... " Jeffrey pulled away and moved to the bedroom door, opening it to let another man in. There in his hand was a syringe filled with an unknown substance that Dana was unable to recognize from a distance. " I have someone else do the killing... " Jeffrey smiled at her. Dana began to pull away trying to get off the bed, until Jeffrey was on top of her. Trying to claw him with her free hand, Jeffrey grabbed and held onto it tight. " Don't do that, Mother... I don't want you dead either... " Forcing her arms down, Dana screamed and kicked her legs trying to defend herself. The other man avoided her assault as he ejected her with the needle. Dana's whole body revolted from the poison shot in her. Her mind began to drift as she heard the voice of the monster before her. " The baby won't die right away... it will be a slow death... Enough time to let you enjoy this Christmas Eve with your children... And on Christmas morning when the world celebrates the birth of the Savior... we will mourn the loss of our sibling... Unexpected death... for one so young... " Letting her go, Dana's hands return to her baby. Tears escape her with her mind becoming foggy. " David... my David... " " I'll remember to put that on the baby's headstone, Mother... Now come, the family waits for you... " With both hybrid sons lifting her from the bed, they helped Dana walk out of the room and to the Christmas downstairs. " Fox... " was the last conscious word Dana Mulder uttered... xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx They had moved like the shadows. The original plan was to activate their infrared- vision to guide them through the darkness of the land that surrounded the old home. The house that had remained dark for many years now stood as bright as any star. " My God... Why don't they just put a sign up saying 'Kidnapped Pregnant FBI Agent in here'..? " Ashley Mulder commented as she shook her head. The house was covered with tons of illuminated Christmas decorations. Leaving it the only source of light to be seen for miles. Its beauty hid an obscured that was only known to the Mulder siblings that stood before it. Still remaining in the shadows, Aaron Mulder moved quietly toward his sister. Each step he took, he watched for any signs of dan... ... He suddenly felt the needle pushing into her skin. Her screams had volume in size. The rush of liquid death through her vein caused his body to revolt... " Aaron... Aaron?! " He heard his sister's voice. " Aaron, are you all right? " " Ashley... David's dying in the womb... " Aaron immediately got to his feet. " We have to move... NOW!! " Upon his command, Ashley drew her automatics. Now armed with both her weapons, Ashley moved forward keeping to the darkness. With her eyes moving side to side, she spotted the hybrid at the same time her brother did. " Look up there, Ashley... " Pointing with his head, Aaron took his eyes off the hybrid for a moment to stare at the small satellite dish that rested on the roof of the house. " They must get great channels... or blocking out signals... " Aaron pressed his lips. " Do you think you can bring him down from here?" Ashley brought him back to the problem on hand. " Easy... but it might cause attention... They don't die like a drop of hat... Move to the left and he'll be all yours... " Stalking toward the hybrid, Ashley's steps kept her in the dark while Aaron waited for the right moment to make his move. Once he was certain his sister was in position, Aaron let the hybrid know he wasn't alone... xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx The sudden noise caused him to lift his head. The young hybrid had been stewing in his own resentment because he had been chosen to guard the outside that kept him away from the Christmas Eve's celebration. Brother Jeffrey had sworn they were safe. No need for any safeguards or patrolling the area. The sudden change of his decision had caused concern from him but he was told to remain silent, and not to worry the others. After Christmas, the whole family was to move to the house in New York instead of remaining here for the winter. Moving, the young hybrid headed to the direction of the sound he had heard. He was about to speak when a stabbing pain behind his neck brought him down to his knees. The green blood boiling as his body died and began to disintegrate... xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx The voices, the music and all the images blended into one, Dana Mulder could not focus on the things around her. Slumped in the armchair, faces would come close to her, but they were a blur. Hands touching her were not noticed as the drug affected Dana's state of mind. A few times she would whisper for Fox or for the baby. The answers would come from someone else but Dana couldn't comprehend the meaning of their words or the feeling of joy and concern they were all expressing. Jeffrey Daily watched the Mother with her children. It was not the picture he had image many times in his mind. The many lonely Christmases he had spent in the laboratory. The experiments, that were done on him and the others. Many had died before him. Seeing their lives ended while life continued to pump in him. He would not give up no matter what horrors they performed on him. The hate he had where he was forced to watch the scientists enjoy the celebration of the holidays behind the clear glass walls. The cheers they gave to all mankind while he was reminded that his creation had gone against the laws of nature and the belief of the holiness the mad men would honor. He and the others had suffered until the Day of Judgment came upon the scientists when the rebel aliens attacked. Through the confusion, he and several other hybrids managed to escape. Leaving behind the death of fire caused by the rebels. From those early days of survival, he dreamt the same dream he always had. The dream of the Mother. The woman that he came from. A woman, that was well known throughout the Project. It had been one of the scientists that told him of the Mother and showed him her image. An image, that was forever encased in his mind. A day did not go by, that either in the prison of the Project or the freedom he now had, did his thoughts not go to the Mother. Caring for her, as child should for their mother. Wishing for the day, he could tell her of the love he had for her. Knowing she would share the same feelings and speak of her love for him. How disappointing the Mother had turned out to be... ...Perhaps it would be best if she was to die with her baby. The only child she seemed to love. Turning away from the sight before him, Jeffrey Daily could never wish such a thing. The Mother would learn to love them once the baby was dead. Jeffrey studied the surrounding of the home that was now his and his siblings. How he managed to take it off of John Housested's hands brought a smile to his face. John was a man who ached for companionship. The bar where Jeffrey Daily had met and befriended him ended the loneliness John had been feeling. John was an easy target for him, where he lived was more important to Jeffrey than the wealth in the bank and the many holdings that belonged to John Housested. All that matter was that he could see her and to know that she was near him. Not illusion or an image on a monitor but the Mother he loved above all other things. He cherished her in silence, across the street from where the Mother lived. Yet his past could never avert him. Where he had been fortunate enough to create a life and identify for himself, the hybrids like him who had escape the devastation suffered through the complex structure of the human race. Many perished because of their inability to fit in. Others were hunted down by the Project or met their ends by their own hands. He had found to his surprise that many of the hybrids he met were his siblings. Children of the Mother that he recognized as they did with him. Determined to help his siblings with his new found knowledge of computers and finance, Jeffrey Daily built himself an empire through the wealth that belonged to ever-trusting John Housested. Three homes that had once belonged to John came under his control. Giving shelter to his family that grew with each passing month. It was a shame he had to have John killed. He could not take the risk of John discovering his agenda. Yet even in his death, John was still a service to the family. Leading the FBI away from them and following a dead man whose body rested in the backyard of this house. It had become Jeffrey's obsession, to unite themselves as a family. The neediness in his siblings swarmed around him when he shared the knowledge of the Mother's existence. Evidence in photographs, information either in print or on the Internet. The pride of the Mother had enlightening the lost souls to know where they had came from and hoped to be. Their whispers shared with Jeffrey of their love for the Mother had set a path that would lead him to an unexpected discovery. When one day he noticed something different about the Mother. Something had changed in her. His mind could not discount his sudden suspicion or even dare speak of what he knew to be true. It could not escape him. When it glowed from her. A light that burned so bright around her that the sun's own rays could not match the truth of what was before him. The Mother was pregnant. Where her womb should have been barren, life now existed. A life that all accounts should not have been. The reality of it had not brought joy to him but anger. Anger at the lost that could have been. That he could have been that child. Instead he was a victim. Force to suffer, as did the others without the chance of life. A life he wanted with the Mother. A life now given to another who did not know the misfortunate of cruelty as they did. Safe from the unspeakable horrors they were forced to endure while another was allowed to exist in the safety of the Mother's womb. It wasn't fair. Not fair to know the Mother. Not fair to know her love. It was now his determination to correct what was wrong and bring proper judgment to the evildoers. By destroying the lies they had layout. By destroying the life that they had chosen to grow human. By giving back themselves to the Mother to love. It had gone all wrong. Still it could be corrected. In matter of time her womb would be barren again, like the many Mothers that had came before her. Daily had been aware of what had been done to the other Mothers throughout the years of the Project's existence. Left to live their lives childless and short once they discovered the truth about themselves. The Mother herself had discovered this truth and if it weren't for her mate she too would have perished. Despite this, Daily did not care for the Mother's mate. The hate he reserved for him that could only match the emotions he possessed against the men of the Project. Holding him responsible for what had been done to the Mother. Not only exposing her to the madness of the Project, but the lost they all had suffered because of him being involved in the Mother's life. He had been the planter of the seed that led to such destruction as well as the creation of life the Mother was pregnant with. The mate's history in the Project had been an opened book much like the Mother's. An adversary not to be taken lightly. Jeffrey had hoped to eliminate the Mother's mate when they took her. He was not at all pleased with the actions that had taken place when the Mother was brought home. The three hybrids had been dealt with. Not for the failure to rid of the Mother's mate but for exposing themselves to human technology. Giving the leads to the Mother's mate that Jeffrey was sure he would discover before the law enforcement would realize they were following a dead man's path. Jeffrey pressed his lips tight. The mate was out there and determined to find the Mother. It would be a matter of time when the encounter would take place that Jeffrey planned to handle himself. Yet the two Hunters that were mentioned by his deceased brother were another concern. Because of the exposure, the men of the Project were now after them. Sending a killing force that was more deadly then the Mother's mate or the FBI combine together. The second Hunter worried him. Hunters did not work in a pack. For two to be hunting made Daily wondered what outside forces were involved that were willing to work with the alien killer and the men of the Project. The pressure he felt was growing. All that Jeffrey had worked on could fall from the lack of common sense from his siblings. They did not know how to hide themselves from the world. So innocent that they believed anything he would say. Giving them the one thing he too had craved, but it did not blind him from the risk their actions would cause if they were to be discovered. He did his best to take the precautions. The investment of the satellite dish to block the signals from the Mother's implant had kept the Project from not finding her. Preferring to leave, Jeffrey knew the celebration of the holiday still needed to be conducted. Giving his child-like siblings the Christmas he had promised. Keeping control on them to prevent any rebellious actions that had taken place earlier. The baby's death was necessary and much wanted by him. Though he had dreamed of strangling the baby to death himself after it was born. The pretend loss would keep his siblings preoccupied from the dangers they were now in and making the move easier if the Mother was no longer pregnant to give them away. Despite all of this, the pleasant time they were sharing could be heard from the laughter near where the Christmas tree stood. Jeffrey smiled as he watched a group of his siblings enjoying themselves, until the laughter stopped. One of the brothers shook violently. Throwing his body into the others, he grasped his head tight. The screams that left his voice bared the horror when the brother dropped dead in front of everyone. The sudden crash of the bay window near the Christmas tree with glass and pieces of the wood frame spread across those who were near and the first to die when the bullet hit them in the neck. The marks were perfect as each victim dissolved where they fell. Panic in the room where each sibling struggled to break free, the chaos created by the intruders sent them running for their lives. " PROTECT OUR MOTHER!!! " was ordered by Jeffrey Daily. Pushing his body to reach her, the siblings that fled crashed into him forcing him away from the Mother. It was enough for him to see the two beings aiming their weapons upon his siblings. Their marksmanship showed with each kill they made. Fleeing out of the house, several siblings ran into the darkness of the night, while others escape to the many rooms inside the house. Far from the glowing light of home, Annie was pushed out of the house. Afraid of being stampeded by the others, Annie moved with the crowd. Once outside, she screamed to whomever would hear her. " MOTHER!! WE LEFT MOTHER BEHIND!!! WE HAVE TO SAVE HER!! WE HAVE TO... " Her voice was cut short as her head was thrown back when the pain pierced the back of her neck. Annie was no more when her body disintegrated as a third intruder moved to the house, killing any other hybrids that came his way. Inside the house, Ashley Mulder forced the remaining hybrids away from the woman in the armchair. Her familiar form sent Ashley into a rage as the next few killings she made them pay for what they had done to her mother. Always remembering her mother was not protected against the poisonous green blood, Ashley's aim was perfect. Shooting straight to the killing point. When the opening came from his sister, Aaron Mulder moved to the woman in the armchair. Going down to his knee, his heart raced when his eyes took in the form of the woman he knew too well. His mother, despite what they had done to her, her beauty remained intact. Her body slumped in the chair with her eyes closed and unaware of the commotion around her. For a moment he hesitated, as if it was a dream that stood before him. Aaron looked upon the youthful face of his mother, who he loved so dearly. Finally, with his right hand, he touched her cheek when Dana Mulder opened her eyes. " Fox..? " Dana stared at him. Uncertain how he and his sister would explain themselves to her, his mother mistaking him for his father had become the answer to the problem. " Yes, Dana... it's me... We're going to get you out of here... " " Fox... I knew you would come... Please..? Please, don't let them kill the baby... Please don't let them kill our baby... " " The baby's going to be all right... We're get you out of here... You're safe now, Dana... I promise... " " Fox... " " Yes, Dana..? " " I love you... " Dana spoke before returning to unconsciousness. Though Aaron knew the expression of love was meant for his father, it did not stop him from expressing his own feelings. " I love you too, Momma... " Aaron brought his face close to hers. " Aaron... " Ashley called to her brother. " It's clear... Let's move it... " Lifting his mother into his arms, Aaron saw flashes of images approaching them. The desire for the Mother was stronger than the fear they had for the two intruders. " Ashley, they're coming back... A group of them... We didn't scare them that much. " " Where? " Ashley lifted her weapons after reloading them. " Toward the hallway, some are coming from the outside, near where we came from... " " Shit!! " Ashley cursed. " Maybe I can take them all out... " Aaron said. Knowing that he could kill two at the same time, but a larger group Aaron had never attempted before. " Aaron, this is no time for you to experiment... I'm strong but I'm not strong enough to carry the both of you and kill any hybrids on the way out... Just tell me where they are... and I'll blow their necks out!! " " They're ahead of you, Ashley... I can't tell how many... " Seeing the first hybrid charge at them, Ashley carried out her words and blew the hybrid's neck out. Staying ahead of her brother, each step they took brought them closer to freedom, but the dark hallway covered any danger that was near. With her senses at its height, Ashley moved cautiously when another hybrid attacked. Aiming and killing the female hybrid, Ashley was suddenly grabbed by the shadows. Her body was thrown against the wall. Jeffrey Daily stood before Aaron Mulder. His eyes blazing with hate for the intruder. " You're not going anywhere... " Jeffrey growled. It was the face Aaron recognized from the image he had seen. The very hybrid that caused all of this. The pain his mother was in and the feeling of death near his brother David. Aaron reached out and invaded the mind of Jeffrey Daily. His body shook with his mind burning, Jeffrey's eyes widened to the man he had mistaken for the Mother's mate. He felt his mind crushing. His life breath leaving him, as death came to claim him... ... The connection was suddenly broken. Collapsing to the floor, Jeffrey witnessed one of his brothers attacked the intruder who held onto the Mother even as he fell to the ground. When the brother moved in for another assault, the intruder met him with a solid kick to the chest. Hurling the hybrid brother to the fire that blazed in the fireplace. The clothes and hair were on fire. The hybrid screamed with panic, trying to stop his body from burning. Blinded by his fear, the hybrid brother's arm caught hold of the Christmas tree as it branches ignited. The quick moving flames erupted through the tree. Ornaments burnt or melted from the heat. The brother struggled to free himself caused the tree to topple and trap him to the ground. Fire leaped from the tree as it spent to the furniture and Christmas decorations. Burning the room into a version of Hades itself. The brother finally succumbed to death as he and the Christmas tree burnt as one. The heat and smoke caused Jeffrey to turn away and again faced the intruder, whose eyes once more stared into him. Ready for the kill. It was enough for Jeffrey to stand and run from the intruder. The Mother was not important if he could not be alive. Breaking free through the front door to the cold air of December, Jeffrey's steps took him no farther than the hand that grabbed his neck, and pulled him close to the stone face of the Hunter. " You die... " were the last words, Jeffrey Daily would ever hear. Ashley Mulder was rushed by three hybrids, each trying to bring her down. Their inexperience of fighting was the advantage Ashley used against them. Each met their death with her hissing knife as she plunged it into their necks. The growing heat and smoke from the fire, the old wooden house erupted from the quick flames spreading. The fire moved toward the direction of the Mulders. " ASHLEY!!! " She heard her brother's voice. " LET'S GET THE HELL OUT OF HERE!!! " Moving to her brother, Aaron stood with their mother still in his arms. " AARON!!! " The sudden weight of a hybrid crashed against her body forcing Ashley to slam her brother's side. Aaron struggled not to fall with his mother when he braced himself against the nearest wall. The scream they heard were not theirs but the hybrid who died before them. His body fell to the ground to reveal the Hunter behind him. For a moment there was hesitation by all, it was the Hunter who made the first move. Offering his hand to Ashley as she lied on the floor. " Come, let's get out of here... " The Hunter spoke. Gently pulling her up, Ashley stared at the Hunter then to her brother, unsure of how to make of the situation. " GO, ASHLEY!!! " Aaron ordered her to move. Running to the direction of the front door, Ashley pulled a hissing knife out from her belt, readying herself for any danger outside. With Aaron behind her, their unconscious mother secured in his arms, and the Hunter covering the rear, they all made it out of the house as it soon was overcome by the flames. The heat from the fire kept the cold air from reaching them as they returned to the outside world. Avoiding the green slush that had once been living beings, Aaron brought his body to a halt once they were a good distance away from the fire. The Hunter stopped behind him when Aaron called out to his sister. " ASHLEEE!! " His voice stopped her in her tracks, Ashley doubled back to them. She moved to his side when Aaron slowly brought himself and their mother to his knees. " David... he's so weak... Mom... They're both dying... " Pulling her close to him and cradling her body, Aaron's grieve was visible with Ashley's own emotions expressing themselves. This wasn't supposed to be happening, their mother and brother were dying and both helpless in aiding them. Hearing the sudden movement, Aaron glanced at the Hunter who stood near them. The Hunter whose healing powers could perform the miracle they needed. " Please..? Save my mother and my brother... Please don't let them die... " Aaron begged. " I don't plan to let them die, child... " The Hunter responded as he moved toward Dana Mulder and her adult son. Bringing his body down, the Hunter placed his hand on Dana's forehead. His other hand rested on her extended stomach. Aaron felt the energy the Hunter released through him. The healing he could feel as it surged through his mother's body and the young body of his brother. Ashley moved in closer to watch the Hunter. She had seen this before but it never stopped her amazement at it. Feeling the life coming back to them, the Hunter suddenly smiled at Aaron. " Your brother has quite a kick... " " He's all right? " Ashley moved to her family's side with her hands touching her mother's face. Just as she had seen her father young, her mother's youthful face showed the beauty Ashley had known all her life. It did not matter what age her mother was at, the love and respect Ashley had for her was always there. " They're both all right... They're alive!! " Aaron's own smile beamed at his sister. Seeing the Hunter jerk with his smile remaining. " There he goes again. Do you want to feel him? " Without hesitation, Ashley placed her hand on her mother's stomach. She didn't have to wait long when she felt the kick that told of her older brother's existence. " OH, MY GOD!! David's in there!! " Ashley turned to her brother. " Weird... huh..? " Aaron laughed as he brought their mother closer to him. Still unconscious, Aaron's body gave her warmth she needed. " Don't you want to feel David kick, Aaron? " Ashley smiled at him. " What if he gets mad? " " AARON!! " Ashley laughed at him. Suddenly feeling embarrassed Aaron ducked his head near his mother's. It was a sight Ashley always remembered Aaron doing when they were young. Carefully placing his hand on his mother's stomach, Aaron jumped the moment he felt the kick. " Yeah, that's David all right... " xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx He had seen the fire from the distance as he drove to the house in the countryside. Fox Mulder pulled his car over. His eyes remained on the sight before him. The house, he was certain that Dana was being held hostage in was dying in the flames. Like a moth being pulled toward the light, Fox left his car walking close to the devastation. The flames lapped onto the nearby trees as they too caught on fire. He didn't hear the sirens behind him. His inner fear of fire did not stop him. With the thought that remained with him. This was where Dana was... Where the hybrids held her... Dana... Dana... The firemen had to forcefully pulled him away from the burning house... xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx A Hospital... The man had appeared out of nowhere. Bald, bearded face and short of height, the man had managed to carry an unconscious woman in his arms. " You there... " He called to the nurse in the crowded emergency room. " This woman needs help... " Looking up at the man who had called her, Nurse Chapman witnessed the baldheaded man placed the woman on the empty chair near the nurse's station. Noticing the woman's condition, Nurse Chapman rushed to her side. " What happened to her? " " She needs your attention... " The short man turned and walked away. " Wait a minute!! " Nurse Chapman shouted out, but before she could stop the man, he had disappeared into the crowd that surrounded her... xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx Aaron and Ashley Mulder watched from the back seat of the car that belonged to the Hunter. His shape once again took on the appearance he was known for when he returned to the car after leaving the hospital. " She will be all right... You need not have to worry for her... " He informed them. Starting the car up, the Hunter drove them away from the hospital. Ashley glared at the Hunter then turn to Aaron, who faced away from her staring at the stars. Holding her tongue until her mother was safe, Ashley's frustration boiled to the surface. She wanted answers from her brother who seemed to be bliss from the events around him. It was driving her absolutely crazy!! " Aaron... " " Mom's all right now, Ashley... I'm tired, I wanna go back to the motel room and rest... " Aaron turned to her while he pulled on his bottom lip. " Oh, no, you don't!! I want some fuckin' answers, Aaron!! Why are we trusting this... this Hunter?!! We should kill him!! Kill him like the others!! " " We're not suppose to kill him, Ashley... He belongs to another... It's not our place to judge... " Aaron's eyes began to close. Smacking him hard on the face, Aaron turned wide-eyed at his sister, whose own face bared the rage he had seen before. " No, you don't!! I'm not going to buy any of your pieces of riddles this time!! You answer me clear, Aaron!! Tell me why you are trusting this Hunter?!! " Ashley pointed toward the alien. " I don't know... " Aaron's bottom lip pouted. " If I knew I would tell you... I'm not hiding anything... He saved Mom and David... Isn't that enough for you?!! " " No, it's not!!! " Pulling one of her hissing knives out, Ashley brought her body up to Hunter's back, and position the knife ready to release it killing point on the Hunter's neck. " Since my brother is too busy acting like a two- year-old, you answer me, Hunter... or would you like to die with your secret?!! " " There is no secret, daughter of Mulder... Your brother speaks the truth... I answer to another, who asked that you be safely guarded... A task I will gladly fulfill... " " Who demands this?! My Grandfather?! Does he know we're here?! " " He knows nothing... Though he is the one who sent me to find your mother... but now... I no longer answer to him... " " Jesus Christ!! Can't anyone give me a straight answer?! " " Don't use the Lord's name in vain, Child... " " What do you care?! Your kind destroyed everything in God's creation!! Monsters!! You do the Devil's work!! " " I do God's work now... " " What? " With her brow crossed, Ashley had heard many proclaim such things in her life. Madness seemed to be more in control of the fools than the good Lord was. " He tells you the truth now, Ashley... Let him do God's work... " Turning to her brother's voice, Aaron Mulder rested with his head back on the cushion of the seat. His eyes closed with his breathing gave away that he was sound asleep... xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx A Few Hours Later... Rushing through the hallway of the hospital, Fox Mulder ignored the warning from the nurse in the station. He ran to the three figures standing in the hallway. His mother, Maggie Scully and Walter Skinner, who had called him no more than a half-hour ago, stood together when he approached them. " Where is she?!! " Fox exclaimed. " She's in here, Fox!! She's all right!! Her and the baby!! They're all right!!! " Maggie hugged him. Gently pushing Maggie to the side, Fox would ask his questions later. Now he needed to see his wife, to know she was alive. Entering the room alone, the sight of his Dana resting in the hospital bed brought a rush of relief to him. He moved slowly to her, his hand touching her cheek. He bared no shame for the tears that escaped him. Dana was alive. She was brought back to him. His lovely Dana was alive. " Fox... " He heard her voice speaking. Looking at her with blue eyes half opened, a smile appeared on her face. " I knew you would come... " He could find no words to tell her when Fox brought his face to hers... xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx The Motel Room... Life had given Ashley Mulder many wonders and strange sights, but never would have she dreamt what was before her. Observing the Hunter from the only bed in the room, Ashley was amazed as the alien rested in a chair watching a Christmas mass on television. There was peacefulness to his face that she had never seen before in any of the Hunters they had encountered. Despite what the Hunter had told her as well as what Aaron spoke in his sleep, Ashley found it all hard to believe. " Go to sleep, Ashley... " Aaron spoke to her with his eyes closed, his arm wrapped around her stomach as his head rested near her shoulder. " He isn't going to hurt us... " Having shared many sleeping spaces with her brothers, it was not a time in their lives to be concern about being modest, only what was available to them. Sleeping in each other's arms, an asexual act between them, always brought comfort to them. Knowing one was close to the other. Turning to him, Ashley watched her brother sleep so undisturbed by the danger near them. Brushing his hair to the side, she couldn't help but noticed how Aaron looked like the little boy he once and still was. The innocence never left him. Wrapping both her arms around him, and resting her head on his, Ashley looked once more at the Hunter who continued to watch television when she finally fell asleep... xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx Christmas Day... He walked down the hallway of the hospital. Meeting him near the room, Teena Mulder had given him the great news over an hour ago. The guard at the door allowed them to pass as Teena carefully opened the door for them to peek in. Sleeping beside his wife, Fox Mulder kept his right hand protected over her pregnant belly. His head resting near hers while they slept the Christmas morning away. A smile appeared on his face. He would go no farther then where he stood. Bringing his eyes down to Teena Mulder, they shared a smile together. Closing the door to the room carefully, neither one of them exchanged a word while they walked quietly down the hallway of the hospital... xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx December 26th: Somewhere In Pennsylvania... Entering the room where the circular metal pool was stationed, Aaron and Ashley Mulder walked beside each other, with the Hunter walking before them, observing the room. " ... So all we have to do is jump into the pool of water and it will send us where we belong..? " Ashley repeated what was told to them. " Yes... Everything will activate the moment your bodies enter the pool... " The Hunter informed them. " Gee, Aaron... why didn't we think of that? And here I thought we just needed to push a button... " Ashley laughed. Smiling at her, Aaron turned his attention to the Hunter. " So this is a time machine? " " It is many things... Things you will learn when you return home... " The Hunter answered. Walking near the edge of the pool, both Mulders rechecked their suits and weapons. Aaron double-checked the plastic bag tied to his belt making sure it was sealed tight. Inside of it were several boxes of chicken nuggets and french fries. Ashley did the same with her plastic bag that was filled with Quarter Pounders and Big Macs. Using what was left of the money they stolen, these gifts were to be taken back to the future for those to enjoy the taste of the past. " It is time for you both to return to your mission in life, to continue your battle for your world... That I can only regret being a part of for so much of my life... " The Hunter spoke. " Thank you again, Hunter... for what you've done for our mother and brother... We owe you a great debt... " Aaron spoke. " You owe me nothing... A debt that will never need to be paid for what you have given me... " Raising an eyebrow, Ashley stood amazed at the Hunter's calmness again. It was still difficult to believe the sudden change in the alien. What experience that occurred in the alley a few days ago could be called a miracle. Taking his sister's hand, Aaron smiled at her. " Let's go home, Ashley... " Together, they leaped in with the water splashing over them, deep into the pool they went. With the strength of their legs, they swam back to the surface... xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx Margaret Scully's Residence... Maggie Scully had slept Christmas away. Spending her time at the hospital, the holiday had been lost but the blessing of the season was still with her and her family. Her daughter Dana had been returned. How she was found in the hospital, Maggie did not care. What she did care about was the safe return of Dana. The well being of her unborn grandchild had endured the suffering her daughter was once again been put through. Maggie closed her eyes. It had been a pain she had prayed never would happen again. Her struggle to hide any anger she had was a losing battle from the fatigue she was feeling. Bringing her head back into the armchair, the flashing light from the answering machine caught her attention. Reaching over to press the button, the voice she heard had melted her heart. " Hi, Mom... This is Bill... Uh... I'm calling to wish you a Merry Christmas... Are you home? Well, I'm thinking about you... and... Hey, Charles... want to leave a message for Mom..? " Hearing the voices of the ones she loved. From her oldest son to her grandchildren made her realize how lonely she was feeling at that moment. She reached over and dialed her son's number... xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx A Church... He sat peacefully in the church after the last service was over. His eyes rested on the crufrix that stood above the altar. Many times he would pass these places of worship. Chastising the humans for worshipping a god that did not exist, when he and his people were the true gods of many things. Their abilities to heal and change things, to be almost immoral where others died from a few years of existence. Such beliefs gave them the strength to conquer many worlds, where they were worshipped, as they believed themselves to be. Paying no mind to the warning of those that worshipped the one god they believed in. A belief his people had turned their back on many centuries ago. How wrong they were. How wrong he was. When he stared into the eyes of the human boy, he saw the face of the one god. The strength of its might... The heart of its soul... The judgment of its faith... For there he saw with his own eyes, the one God's Angel of Death was the human boy sent to punish him for his disbelief and abuse his people had spend across the one God's creation. The Angel of Death stood before him ready to pass judgment as his mind felt the power of its fire. Then it stopped. The Angel of Death stared upon him and let him go. The one God had let him live. The one God spoke to him... and forgave him for his sins. The one God had a task for him. The task he would carry out. He would secretly betray his race. He would secretly pretend to believe in their unholy quest. He would secretly protect the children of Fox and Dana Mulder. As the one God had requested to its lost and now found son... The End... continues in Fox and Dana: Between Two Brothers Feedback is welcome... agentsinlove@yahoo.com