From argo@easynet.co.uk Thu May 01 14:16:35 1997 Subject: Infanticidium (1/4) From: Jason Cleaver -------- I didn't write this, I'm just posting it for Erica ******************* TITLE: Infanticidium AUTHOR: Erica Miszti EMAIL: xhamadryad@hotmail.com RATING: PG CLASSIFICATION: SA NOTES: It’s more like UST and lots of GTM’s than MSR, which I know seems like a hell of a change for me. This is set after Herrenvolk; imagining that Mulder’s mother made an almost total recovery and that none of the season 4 episodes have happened yet, or at all. REFERENCES: Pilot, Conduit, EBE, Colony, End Game, Anasazi, Paperclip, Talitha Cumi, Herrenvolk SUMMARY: Mulder’s mother confesses to a murder. DISCLAIMER: X Files, Mulder, Scully = Chris Carter, Fox, 10-13. No copyright infringement intended. I’d grovel in person if they’d let me. Beg for forgiveness. On my hands and knees. Wearing just my underwear. Handcuff me and..CUT!! ;) XXXXXXXXXXXXXX Infanticidium (1/4) by Erica Miszti XXXXXXXXXXXXXX FBI Headquarters Scully knocked lightly on the door to the X files basement office but it was just the politeness her mother had instilled in her as a child. She walked straight in without waiting for an answer. Inside it was dark, but then it always was, and empty. “Mulder..?” Scully said into the easy silence of the room. There was no answer because Mulder wasn’t there. She rested one hand on the desk and ran the other through her hair as she let out a tired exhalation of breath. Momentarily she stood and pondered where he might be. Who could even guess with Mulder; he could have gone to get lunch or he could have gone on a cross country chase after an EBE. Except that he’d have called her first if he’d done that. “Hey Scully, come and save me *yet again*.” She muttered sardonically under her breath. Then paused. “I need chocolate.” She told absolutely nobody and headed determinedly towards the door. She left the office and the door closed behind her. At that exact moment the phone started ringing. The door was abruptly opened again and a Scully, emotions precariously balanced somewhere between anger and concern, practically ran back into the room. “If that’s you Mulder..” She threatened, then picked up the receiver. “..Hello.” She said politely. “Have I come through to the right place? I’m trying to get Fox Mulder.” A terse male voice said into her ear. “This is his office but he’s not here right now.” She answered. “Are you his secretary?” The man asked. Scully bristled. “No.” She said flatly. “I’m his partner.” “Oh, sorry.” He seemed genuinely so. “Uh, when will he be back?” “I really don’t know.” She replied. “Can I get him to call you back?” “Uh, I’m actually calling from the police station in Chilmark.” “Is it about his mother?” Scully asked in concern. “Has something happened to her?” “Uh,” The man paused. “Could he come and pick her up?” “What’s happened?” Scully insisted, her nerves jangling uneasily. “She’s, uh, she came in this afternoon and confessed to a murder.” He finished warily. Scully’s blood turned to a river of ice. “Who’s murder?” She demanded incredulously. “Her daughter’s.” Scully’s grip tightened convulsively on the phone. She thought that her heart would stop altogether. She opened her mouth to speak but no words would come out. ***End of Part One --------------------------------------------------------- Get Your *Web-Based* Free Email at http://www.hotmail.com --------------------------------------------------------- From argo@easynet.co.uk Thu May 01 14:16:40 1997 Subject: Infanticidium (2/4) From: Jason Cleaver -------- Didn't write it, just posting it. ********************* TITLE: Infanticidium AUTHOR: Erica Miszti EMAIL: xhamadryad@hotmail.com RATING: PG CLASSIFICATION: SA DISCLAIMED IN PART ONE XXXXXXXXXXXXXX Infanticidium (2/4) by Erica Miszti XXXXXXXXXXXXXX FBI Headquarters Scully sat on the edge of the desk staring at the cell-phone in her hand. How was she ever going to tell Mulder about this? “Mulder, your mother is claiming that she killed your sister.” She said out loud and winced at the words. She sighed, then set herself determinedly. “Just call..” She told herself. With another deep exhalation, she hit the speed dial and brought the phone to her ear. It rang three times. “Mulder.” His voice answered. “Mulder it’s me, where are you?” She asked, attempting to keep the concern out of her voice. The office door opened and Mulder walked in. “I’m..” He began, then saw her propped on his desk. His face broke into a broad grin. “..here.” He answered her into the phone and to her face. She smiled weakly and turned off the phone. He did the same, but his smile disappeared as he saw her concerned expression. “What’s happened?” He asked as he came across to sit beside her. His right hand slipped around behind her to rest on the desk, almost hugging her bottom. She moved away and crossed the office in a few steps to stand with her back to him. From the corner of her eye she could see the poster on the wall, with it’s hovering UFO and it’s almost mournful legend; I Want To Believe. “Scully..?” Mulder prompted, still sat on the desk. “The police station in Chilmark called for you.” She blurted. There was silence behind her. No sound. No movement. “What did they want?” He asked suddenly, shattering the effect with an affected bland tone. Scully forced herself to turn around. Mulder was wearing the blank mask that he used when he was unsure of entering a potentially emotional situation. It disturbed her because she knew that it could only get worse. “They want you collect your mother.” She stated. His face was perfectly expressionless. “Did they say what she’s doing there.” It wasn’t even a question, it was that flatly spoken. Scully crossed the office once more. This time she moved close to Mulder and placed both hands on his leg in an attempt at a close gesture. She looked seriously up at him. She couldn’t force the words out. “What..?” He asked and the single word was suddenly all that was holding back all of his emotions. The change of tone startled Scully into speech. “She’s claiming that she killed Samantha.” She stated, emotion making her voice sound strange to her. Mulder’s face went through a rapid succession of emotions, shock; disbelief; horror; before finally closing up entirely into that once more bland, distancing, expression that she hated. He moved away and Scully reached out to keep him with her. He stopped and stood next to her, allowing her small hand to remain on his sleeve. Tears glistened in her eyes as she felt the pain coming off of him in waves but she held them back for both their sakes. “Mulder, that doesn’t mean..” She began but he moved away, grabbing his coat from the rack by the door. “I better go..” He said. She reached out and stopped him again. He turned to look at her with pained eyes. For a long moment silent communication of mutual support passed between them. “I’ll drive you.” Scully said. Mulder nodded and they left the office. Mulder took a final look at his poster in half-light, before he flicked off the light switch and plunged the room into darkness. XXXXXXXXXX Police Station Chilmark, Massachusetts Scully gave Mulder’s arm a reassuring squeeze and was rewarded with an attempt at a smile, that didn’t reach the outer corners of his mouth let alone his eyes. He touched her hand with his and let his fingers slide over hers as he moved away. Him and a police officer, whose name Scully had already forgotten, walked away down the hallway. She watched him disappear around a corner with a sad expression, before turning to the police officer who had originally greeted them. It was the same man who had upset her on the phone by asking if she was Mulder’s secretary. His name was Detective French and he was hardly taller than she was. His dirty blond hair fell scraggily around his face and he was altogether not a reassuring sight. “Will you be charging Mrs Mulder with anything?” Scully asked flatly. The detective shook his head. “Doubtful.” He said. “We’ll have to check out her story, of course, but after all these years the details may be difficult to corroborate.” He shrugged. “Not to mention..” He tailed off and Scully looked up at him with her best I’m-an-FBI-Agent-so-tell-me-now expression. “Agent Scully, I guess I can tell you this because she’s your partner’s mother and you two seem close.” Scully was unsure how to take that but let it slide. “That woman doesn’t need to speak to us, she needs a shrink.” “What do you mean?” Scully asked warily. Detective French looked unsure of how to word his next sentence. He took a deep breath. “She claims that she killed her daughter because she was an alien and her life was a threat to the survival of humanity.” He finished with a small laugh, as if to reassure himself - as well as her - that it was all just a joke. “Oh shit.” Scully said out loud, startling herself and Detective French. She looked in the direction that Mulder had gone. “You better show me to where they are.” Scully stated and began walking down the hallway. Detective French hurried after her. XXXXXXXXXX Interrogation Room Mulder waited as the police officer unlocked the door. The man stepped out of the way to allow Mulder into the room, but Mulder stood in the doorway for a moment longer. All the way here his mind had turned over the memories of his mother and sister. Could it be true? Could his mother have killed her? He just couldn’t allow himself to believe it. He looked into the room and saw his mother sitting slumped over the small Formica-topped table. She hadn’t looked up when the door was opened but had stayed sobbing softly into her hands. “Mom..” Mulder said in a broken whisper and her head snapped up. Her eyes were red, puffy and over-flowing with tears. She smiled when she saw him. “Fox.” She smiled weakly and stood up. Mulder met her halfway across the room, enfolding her into his arms almost desperately. “I’m sorry, baby.” She cried into his ear. “I’m so sorry.” “It’s alright mom. I’m here.” He answered into her snowy hair. She didn’t seem to hear him but held on tighter to his shoulders. “I had to do it.” She insisted and Mulder shook his head. “We’ll talk about it later mom.” “She was evil.” Mulder steeled himself against her words with difficulty. “We’ll talk at home.” He said, denying to himself that he was hearing her. She stepped back and looked at him seriously. “You know, don’t you?” She asked. “You know about *Them*.” She looked upwards as she said the word. “She was one of Them.” She whispered for his ears alone. Mulder couldn’t speak. He simply stared at his mother with wide eyes. “Mulder.” Scully’s voice from the doorway woke him up and he turned to her. She was watching him with an understanding expression and a reassuring smile. He couldn’t say anything to her. Scully walked into the room and took Mrs Mulder’s arm. “Come on, we’ll take you home.” She told her. Mrs Mulder held stubbornly onto her son’s arm. “You do believe me, don’t you Fox?” She asked gravely. “Let’s go home mom.” Mulder managed and Scully was proud of him. She knew how much it cost him to take his mother’s other arm and help Scully guide her through the door. “I wont go to your father’s house.” Mrs Mulder said suddenly. “It’s alright Mrs Mulder.” Scully reassured. “We’ll go to your house.” “Not the summer house?” Mrs Mulder asked in concern. Scully gave another reassuring smile, both to mother and son. “Not the summer house.” She agreed. XXXXXXXXXX Mrs Mulder’s Residence Chilmark, MA Mulder lounged in the kitchen doorway as Scully brewed some tea in a small floral-patterned teapot. They had said little during the short car journey from the police station. Scully wanted to say something reassuring but no words were making themselves apparent. She wanted to tell him that his mother hadn’t killed his sister but that might not be true. She wanted to tell him that his sister had not been a alien but.. But what? She didn’t believe. She just didn’t know what she should say. So she waited for him to speak and continued to brew the tea. “Thanks for being here Scully.” He said with feeling. She turned to smile at him. “I’m always here for you Mulder.” She answered. “I know, I just wanted you to know that I’m grateful for it. However it appears sometimes.” He gave a feeble smile. Their eyes locked across the room for a moment that felt like forever in the length of a single heartbeat. He looked away suddenly. “Scully, what if my mother did kill her?” Scully’s heart contracted and she found herself next to him before she had even thought of moving. Her arms found their way around his shoulders and she pulled him into her embrace. He returned the hug and pressed his face into her neck. “I don’t know how to help you Mulder.” She told him after a moment. “Just being here is enough.” He replied, tightening his hold on her. “Maybe the stroke affected her brain.” Scully tried. “Maybe her thought processes have become confused. She could be translating her guilt into believing that she killed her.” She finished and Mulder chuckled into her hair. “Nice try.” He whispered. “But what if the stroke brought up a repressed memory and she did kill her?” They stepped apart. Scully regarded him with a sad smile. He gave what he may have intended as a smile. “You want to know if I believe her when she says that Samantha was an EBE, but you can’t work out how to ask.” He said. Scully raised a skeptical eyebrow. “I think I already know.” She replied softly. “You half-believe it but you don’t really want to.” He nodded. “Mulder, don’t pre-judge your mother’s story.” Her mouth quirked. “And I’ll promise not do the same.” “You’re right Scully.” He answered after a moment’s thought. “Maybe I should leave you two alone.” She suggested. “I’d like you to stay.” Mulder answered as he took her hand. “Please stay.” He insisted. Scully looked up at him seriously and nodded. XXXXXXXXXX Scully placed the floral teacup and saucer into Mrs Mulder’s trembling hands. “Thank you.” The elder woman said with a weak smile. She took a single sip and placed the cup down on the coffee table with excruciating precision. Mulder watched her movements from across the room. There were a million questions that he wanted to ask her but he thought it best to let her proceed in her own time. Scully retreated to stand by the window, out of Mrs Mulder’s line of sight, so that she could give her partner reassurance if he needed it but not hamper his mother’s story. Mrs Mulder looked up from the tea cup at her son. “Fox..” She said, reaching out her hand to him. He looked to Scully for assurance before he walked to his mother. Scully nodded and smiled. Mulder took his mother’s hand and sat down beside her. Mrs Mulder reached out and touched his face with a gentle hand. She smiled and sighed. “I want you to understand why I did it.” “What did you do mom?” He asked with a touch of desperation. “I killed It Fox.” She answered firmly. “It was evil.” She looked away and grimaced. “Your father brought It home. He dressed It up like a little girl, called It Samantha, made everyone think It was our daughter. He loved It - more than you and me - he loved *It*. I took It to the summer house and I killed It.” Mulder looked over the back of the couch at Scully in dumbstruck horror. Scully was leaning on the window ledge as if it were the only thing solid in the room. Mrs Mulder really believed what she was saying. She really believed that she had killed Samantha. But had she killed a little girl, an EBE, or an alien-human hybrid? Or was it all the twisted nightmare of a guilt-ridden stroke victim? “How did you kill it mom?” Mulder asked with a heavy heart and a tightening throat. His mother looked at him seriously. “I gave you the tool.” She answered, unknowingly driving a spike through Mulder’s heart. “I pushed it through the base of It’s neck. Then I watched it go green and *die*.” ***End of Part Two --------------------------------------------------------- Get Your *Web-Based* Free Email at http://www.hotmail.com --------------------------------------------------------- argo@easynet.co.uk naXis#002, M&S, Dragon Posse, EMXC, XFF, AnnD I don't suffer from insanity, I enjoy every minute of it! "The Truth is out there - and it's got bloody great teeth!" "Do not worry about the bullet that has got your name on it. It will hit you and it will kill you, no questions asked. The rounds to worry about are the ones marked: TO WHOM IT MAY CONCERN." From argo@easynet.co.uk Thu May 01 14:16:49 1997 Subject: NEW: Infanticidium (3/4) From: Jason Cleaver -------- Didn't write it, just posting it *********************** TITLE: Infanticidium AUTHOR: Erica Miszti EMAIL: xhamadryad@hotmail.com RATING: PG CLASSIFICATION: SA DISCLAIMED IN PART ONE XXXXXXXXXXXXXX Infanticidium (3/4) by Erica Miszti XXXXXXXXXXXXXX Mulder Summer House Quonochontaug, Rhode island Mulder withdrew the key and opened the door of the house. He took a deep breath before he walked inside. The interior of the building was cool but musty. Dust sheets still covered the majority of the surfaces and, despite the mess caused by his search for the object his mother had directed him to, the house still had the air of a place which had been abandoned overnight. Which it had, on one star-less night; 27 November 1973. According to his mother, she’d brought here a non-human creature masquerading as a nine year old girl. She’d taken an unearthly tool and driven its spike into the base of the ‘creature’s’ neck. She’d watched it die. Then she’d repressed it. Buried it so deep within her own psyche that she’d actually managed to forget. Or had help forgetting. The only problem was that Mulder wasn’t sure her story was the truth. So here he was; still searching for answers, for the truth, for the reason why his life was the way it was. As usual he had no definite answer. There was no one to ask. No one to believe. The house held many good memories but the thought of his mother’s words - her description of the ‘thing’ dying on the kitchen floor - sent him out of the house and onto the wooden deck overlooking the bay. Mulder stood there for a long time just watching the deep blue water gently sloshing against the jagged shoreline beyond the house. Remembering. What his mother described as a ‘thing’, as a ‘creature’, as ‘It’ and as ‘evil’, he had called sister and had loved. Samantha was a soft, almost ethereal, image in his memory. Little sister. Sometimes hated in the unreal way siblings often believe they hate. Sometimes the most precious thing he could imagine. His flesh. His blood. His genes. Always his sister. His guilt personified. So much of his life devoted to her memory. If not his sister, then what? Could he be remembering her wrong? Was his mother mentally unstable? Which was the answer? What was the truth? Mulder sat down on the edge of the raised wooden level and put his head into his hands. Even the fresh breeze coming off the bay couldn’t cool his troubled thoughts. Mulder couldn’t have said how long he sat there before the faint smell of cigarette smoke began to tease his nostrils. “You’re a hard man to find.” The familiar, rough-edged, voice stated from behind him. “So you’ve said before.” Mulder replied without looking at him. “As I recall that time you tried to kill me. Just like you killed my father.” “How’s your mother?” He asked, instead of commenting on Mulder’s bitter statement. “What’da you care?” Mulder answered nastily as he watched a bird fly across the multi-coloured dusk sky. “I care.” The Cancerman told him seriously. Mulder turned to look at him and found him leaning on one of the posts of the deck, casually smoking. “She’s at home. Scully’s with her.” Mulder said flatly. The Cancerman looked pleased. “Is she..alright?” He seemed genuinely concerned. “You know she went to the police?” Mulder asked, wanting clarification of something he already suspected. Cancerman nodded. “Did she kill Samantha?” Mulder couldn’t stop the question. He already knew that the Cancerman knew the answer. Whatever that answer was. He took a long puff off his cigarette. “Yes.” He answered at length. Mulder felt sick. “What did she tell you?” Cancerman continued. He’d succeeded in catching Mulder by surprise, which was why Mulder told him everything his mother had said. “That Samantha wasn’t human. That dad brought her home. That she’d killed her.” “I’m sorry Fox.” Cancerman said sincerely, which was more than enough to wake Mulder up. “You’re sorry?” He demanded incredulously. “Yes. Your father didn’t want you to know. He wanted to protect you from the truth.” “I have only your word for that.” Mulder said bitterly. “Yes, but I know the truth Fox and it’s time you knew too.” “Right. You’re gonna tell me the truth.” Mulder drawled sarcastically as he got up and tried to walk back into the house. The Cancerman stopped him. “I don’t care what you think of me. I know that the things I’ve done are right.” Cancerman deadpanned. “The only regret I have is about you.” “Me?” Mulder demanded harshly. “Sit down and listen.” It was an order but he appeared sincere. Mulder, however, had seen to much to believe him. Mulder shrugged and sat down on the small bench that was a part of the wooden deck. The Cancerman leant on the rail opposite him. “I can’t tell you everything.” He told Mulder. “Then why tell me anything?” Mulder shot back. “I care for your mother too much to let you think badly of her.” He replied softly. “It’s long past time that you clarified your relationship with my parents.” Mulder said flatly. The Cancerman turned away momentarily. “You wont like it.” He said. “I already don’t, but if you’re ready to tell me the truth..!” He turned back and the two men regarded each other icily for a long moment. “Your mother and I were lovers.” Cancerman said finally and Mulder sneered. “Really!” “Yes!” The Cancerman spat back. “I loved her.” “That I *don’t* believe.” Mulder commented nastily. “I don’t care what you believe.” The statement’s tone was positively glacial and it caught Mulder’s attention. He froze and stared at the man opposite him. “And my father?” He asked. The Cancerman paused to stub his cigarette out on the floor, making sure that it completely dead. “Your father loved his work. He loved Samantha.” “What about Samantha?” Mulder asked, ignoring the stabbing pain that he was feeling in his heart as he thought of his father. “Was she..?” The Cancerman laughed ironically. “He loved his work.” He replied. “Above everyone; his friends, his wife,” He paused to look at Mulder. “Even more than his son. The man was mad, I always wanted a son. He had everything I ever wanted and threw it all away.” He turned away from Mulder and looked out over the ocean instead. “Your mother loved you more than anything.” Cancerman continued. “Much more than she loved me. We had some good times but it was doomed to come to nothing.” He sighed. “When she found out about Samantha..” He paused. “She saw her as an abomination against nature. She said we were evil and turned her back on all of us. She killed her to protect you Fox.” “Then it *was* my fault.” Mulder whispered. At this instant believing every word. “No.” He replied, shaking his head. “It was your father’s fault, for not caring enough about you.” The stabbing pain in Mulder’s heart turned into a blinding ache. He’d thought that his father blamed him for Samantha’s disappearance. Now he believed that his father blamed him for the death of the only thing precious to him. Samantha, whoever or whatever she was. Then, when that clone had appeared, his father had known what she was but had seen her as a new Samantha. As another chance. And Mulder had been responsible for her death too. No wonder his father had sounded as if he hated him. He must have hated him. “Samantha was very special.” Cancerman mused, turning to look at Mulder again. “Everyone loved her. Even your mother, until she found out the truth.” “And you covered up Samantha’s disappearance.” Mulder stated flatly. “It wasn’t that easy. Your father and I weren’t as well connected then as you might expect. It was only the risk of exposure that led to manipulation of the events.” “Including my memories.” Mulder’s expression displayed hatred. “The CIA were still discovering the benefits of hypnosis at that time. It seemed appropriate.” He shrugged. “If you can manipulate memories, then how can I trust a word you’ve said? Or that my mother says?” Mulder commented sardonically. The Cancerman smiled thinly and drew a cigarette from his pocket. “You can’t.” He said as he raised a lighter to it. Mulder realised with dismay that he was back where he’d started. What to believe? That the person he’d believed to be his sister was in fact something else? That his mother had killed her? That his own father had hated him because of that? Or that Samantha had been abducted, experimented upon and copied as part of a sinister colonization project? Or none of it was true, maybe it was all a lie? Maybe she’d just run away? Or been murdered by a psycho? <”It’s what you want to know, isn’t it?”> The man, the Well-Manicured Man, in the greenhouse when they were looking for Klemper. After they’d found the files in the mountain vault. “What about the file?” Mulder demanded suddenly. The Cancerman looked confused. “What file?” He asked. “Samantha’s file.” Mulder said. “In the vault.” Mulder almost smiled as he took in the moment of horror on the elder man’s face. He pressed his point. “The Stronghold Mining Company vault. There was a recent tissue sample.” “There couldn’t be a file. She was killed by your mother.” Cancerman said flatly. This time Mulder did smile. “Can They manipulate *your* memories too?” He asked. “Do *you* even know the truth?” “I know the truth!” He exclaimed. “I know more than you could ever dream of.” “Are you sure?” Mulder asked, enjoying turning the tables. “Yes!” He stated. “Samantha was the prototype, your mother killed her, your father gave up on the Project hating us all, then your parents got divorced. That’s the truth!” “Are you sure?” Mulder asked again. Half-teasing and half-desperate to know. If the Cancerman really didn’t know, then what hope did he have of finding out the truth? Cancerman sank dejectedly down to sit on the bench next to Mulder. “We’ve got a lot in common, haven’t we?” Mulder said. “Neither of us knows the truth. All we have is our respective work, which is poles apart but we’re equally committed. To the extent that neither of us can sustain a relationship with another human being.” “I’ve seen too many things to be able to make small talk on a date.” Cancerman admitted ruefully. “Me too.” Mulder said with a laugh, oddly aware that he was sitting here chatting with his enemy. “You have Agent Scully.” Cancerman reminded him. “Yeah.” Mulder said expressionlessly. “I have Scully.” ***End of Part Three --------------------------------------------------------- Get Your *Web-Based* Free Email at http://www.hotmail.com --------------------------------------------------------- argo@easynet.co.uk naXis#002, M&S, Dragon Posse, EMXC, XFF, AnnD I don't suffer from insanity, I enjoy every minute of it! "The Truth is out there - and it's got bloody great teeth!" "Do not worry about the bullet that has got your name on it. It will hit you and it will kill you, no questions asked. The rounds to worry about are the ones marked: TO WHOM IT MAY CONCERN." From argo@easynet.co.uk Thu May 01 14:16:57 1997 Subject: Infanticidium (4/4) From: Jason Cleaver -------- TITLE: Infanticidium AUTHOR: Erica Miszti EMAIL: xhamadryad@hotmail.com RATING: PG CLASSIFICATION: SA DISCLAIMED IN PART ONE XXXXXXXXXXXXXX Infanticidium (4/4) by Erica Miszti XXXXXXXXXXXXXX Mrs Mulder’s Residence Chilmark, MA “Do you think he’s alright?” Mrs Mulder asked. Scully looked up from the paperback copy of The Third Twin at the woman sat on the couch. She attempted a reassuring smile. “Mulder can take care of himself.” She lied. Mulder couldn’t go jogging without getting into trouble of one kind or another. “He’s been gone a long time. Did he say where he was going?” She asked. “No.” Scully answered honestly, although she thought that she could make a good guess. “He said he had to think.” “I love my son Miss Scully.” Mrs Mulder blurted out suddenly. Scully closed the book and concentrated on the conversation. “I’ve never really been able to show him how much.” She mused. “I was never overly affectionate with anyone, not even when I was a child. Intrinsic lack of trust maybe.” The elder woman pulled a face that reminded Scully so much of Mulder that she had to smile. Mulder was certainly his mother’s son, whatever Samantha had been. Not that Scully believed that she was.. “You don’t believe in aliens do you Miss Scully?” Mrs Mulder asked. “No I don’t.” Scully answered honestly. “That’s naïve at best dear.” She told her. “There been here for years, long before Bill brought Samantha to live with us. He tried to tell me that she was our only hope to stop the aliens but I didn’t believe him.” She sighed. “But now I look around at the world and sometimes I wonder if he was right. All this disease and war, maybe it’s the aliens managing to take over. Colonization always leads to civil wars, look at the growth of the British Empire!” Scully smiled at the woman, not believing her at all. “There are no aliens, Mrs Mulder. Disease and war are human failings, progressed by the exploits of other humans. We don’t need aliens to create these things for us.” “Of course we don’t.” Mrs Mulder agreed. “But that still doesn’t mean that the aliens aren’t real, amongst us and taking over.” “Now I know where Mulder gets it from.” Scully muttered. “Oh, don’t patronise me Miss Scully.” She said bitterly, having heard her muttered words. “I may be getting old and not in the best health but I’m not mad.” “Mrs Mulder, how can you be sure that you’re not? Do you really believe that you killed an alien?” “I’m one of only three people that have.” Mrs Mulder insisted. “But..” Scully began. “Miss Scully, my son respects you and that’s why I respect you, is it too much to ask you to extend the same courtesy to me? You say that I’m mad, but I could easily ask you how come it is that you are so confident of your own sanity?” “Well, uh..” Scully tried. “Anyway Samantha wasn’t an alien, she was the prototype attempt at a hybrid created by my husband’s associates to counter-act the threat from alien viruses.” Scully opened her mouth but couldn’t think of a single answer to that and so she closed it again. She went back to her book. XXXXXXXXXX Quonochontaug, Rhode island Mulder stood on the hilltop overlooking the ocean and wished that he could float away on the unseen currents that moved there and never have to concern himself with any of these thoughts and fears ever again. The truth was like the ocean; too diverse to ever truly understand but always coaxing you to fly in it’s face and challenge it to reveal it’s answers. Those unseen currents could bring you close to the shore or set you to drown under it’s painful pressure. Which was all very well, but not at all helpful. He was still no closer to the shore. The woman stood some distance behind him with a bland expression on her face. She didn’t say a word, just waited for him to turn around and notice her. Which, at length, he did. “Hi.” She said as he walked closer. “Who sent you?” He demanded. “It seemed a good time.” She replied with a twist of her lips. “What am I supposed to call you?” He said bitterly. “How about Samantha.” The woman suggested and pushed a loose strand of long brown hair that had escaped from her long braid back behind her ear. Then she shrugged. “Or maybe Dolly.” XXXXXXXXXX Mrs Mulder’s Residence “Miss Scully,” Mulder’s mother called. Scully lay the book flat on her knee and gave the woman her attention. “How do you feel about my son?” She asked. Scully had a variety of answers to this question, designed for a variety of situations but she’d never anticipated answering Mulder’s mother. She decided on the Skinner Answer. “He has an enviable intelligence and I respect him immensely.” “Is that all?” Mrs Mulder surprised her by answering. “What else is there?” Scully asked. “Friendship.” She suggested. “Well yes..” Scully acknowledged. “Companionship.” She added. “Yeah..” Scully agreed. “Love.” She stated. “Mrs Mulder, I..” Scully tried to say, shaking her head in rejection of the idea. “Don’t worry, I’m not saying that you’re in love with my son, or even that he’s in love with you, but love is an important part of life.” “Yes, it is.” Scully said but Mrs Mulder wasn’t listening. “You wont truly understand until you have children. There is no love more special than that of a mother for her child.” She looked intently at Scully for a long moment. “Would you kill for Fox?” She asked bluntly. “Yes.” Scully answered immediately. “Why?” His mother asked. “I killed for him because he’s my son. Why would you?” “Latent maternal instinct?” Scully joked. “That was a very glib response,” Mrs Mulder stated flatly. “Now what do you really feel?” “Uh, I guess that I’d kill for him, uh,” She rubbed the bridge of her nose. “Because, well, because it’s my job to.” She finished weakly. “But that’s not the only reason.” She cut back in quickly. “I really do care about him but it has to be more than that because I’m not sure I’d kill for my brothers. I guess that I don’t know why. I just would.” “So we’re two women who would kill for Fox just because something in us told us to.” She said. “I guess we are.” Scully responded contemplatively. “What has he done to deserve us?” She asked, surprising Scully by sporting a wide smile. “I have no idea.” Scully replied, smiling too. XXXXXXXXX Mulder Summer House Quonochontaug, Rhode island The girl who wanted to be called Samantha - and looked exactly like the clone who had fallen off a bridge in Bethesda two years previously - followed Mulder back inside the summer house. “Make yourself at home.” Mulder drawled sarcastically. The woman sat down on the couch and stretched out comfortably. “What do you want?” He demanded. “Who sent you?” “I came to see you. To tell you that your mother didn’t kill your sister.” She said flatly. “And why should I believe you?” He sneered. “I don’t even know who you are.” “I’m your sister Fox, you have to trust me.” She said sincerely. Mulder pulled his gun suddenly and pointed it at the woman. “Are you going to shoot me?” She asked blandly. “I wouldn’t recommend it.” Mulder held the gun on her for a moment longer. Then lowered it dejectedly. He turned away from her and she leant forward, so that her arms rested on her knees. “Fox, your mother’s memories have been altered to make her think she killed her daughter but it’s just not true. Your memories are the real ones.” “Which memories?” Mulder asked bitterly. “How can I believe you when I can’t even trust my own memory?” “Then you *have* to trust me.” She answered. “No, that would mean that you could just be a figment of my imagination implanted by someone else.” “I’m as real as I can be.” She replied. “That’s helpful.” He deadpanned. “I guess then that I can’t say anything to convince you.” She stood up to leave. “Sit back down.” Mulder told her firmly and she raised her eyebrows skeptically. “It’s my turn.” The woman sat down and placidly crossed her legs. “I want some answers.” “Fine. This figment of your imagination should be able to provide you with the answers you want to believe.” She stated sardonically. “Who do you work for?” He asked. She shrugged. “The Shadow Syndicate.” She answered seriously, then smiled. “You have 19 questions left!” “What do they do?” “This is fun. They attempt to cover up the planned alien invasion.” “To what ends?” “What ends?” She said with a frown. “To stop them taking over the planet!” “But..” He attempted. “This is getting stupid. I came here to talk about your mother and your sister.” She said. “Okay, what happened to Samantha?” He asked with a lop-sided scowl. “She was abducted by aliens.” She replied with a slow smile. The woman stood up. “Sit down.” Mulder told her. “I don’t think so.” She replied and faced him off. Mulder’s eyes widened as the woman morphed into another familiar figure. The large ‘man’ stood over Mulder threateningly. “I tried to help you.” “Some help.” Mulder told him. “What are you?” “A friend.” The Bounty Hunter replied. A startlingly bright light enveloped the room in an instant and Mulder felt the light scorch him with an excruciating coldness. Reality slid away momentarily and forever. XXXXXXXXX Scully was startled into waking up by an undefinable noise. She found herself lying on Mrs Mulder’s couch but the room around her was dark and Mrs Mulder was no where to be seen. Scully stood up and followed her instincts about the sound out into the hallway. The front door was wide open. A startling white light exploded into life, shattering the darkness of the evening, and a thin figure was silhouetted in the doorway by the light. Scully squinted to make out any features but couldn’t. The figure moved away from the doorway and Scully tried to follow but found herself frozen to the spot. “Fox!” She heard Mrs Mulder scream. Scully managed to look up and saw Mrs Mulder at the top of the stairs. She was swept off her feet as if by an invisible hand and was carried across the hallway towards the door. Scully watched in horrified awe as the frozen body of Mulder’s mother drifted out the front door of her own house. She could do nothing at all. XXXXXXXXX Mulder blinked as his eyes adjusted back in the moment after the light. A look out of the window revealed a morning sky but the sun had only just been going down when he and the woman had entered the house. Looking at his watch, Mulder discovered that he had lost six hours. XXXXXXXXX Scully was startled into waking up by an undefinable noise. She found herself lying on Mrs Mulder’s couch but the room around her was dark and Mrs Mulder was no where to be seen. Scully stood up and followed her instincts about the sound out into the hallway. The front door was wide open. A figure stepped into the doorway and was turned into a thin silhouette by the bright early morning light. Scully backed away in fear. “Scully..?” A familiar voice said. Scully stopped backing away as she recognised him. “Mulder!” She exclaimed. They met halfway with a tight embrace. XXXXXXXXX Unknown Location “Is the situation satisfactorily contained?” The first man asked the other, as he accepted a cigarette from him. “I told you that I could deal with it. Our plausible denial remains intact.” He assured the man. “Without bloodshed for a change?” He commented sarcastically. The Cancerman chose to ignore the biting remark. “Mulder has been given a number of stories that should adequately confuse the truth and Agent Scully is not likely to believe that what she saw was anything more than a dream.” He took a drag from the cigarette. “Although Agent Mulder will undoubtedly attempt to convince her otherwise.” “And Rebecca Mulder?” The Well-Manicured Man asked. “What are her whereabouts?” “His mother is in a safe location. It would, of course, be preferable not to kill her.” Cancerman said. “It’s always preferable.” The other man said flatly. “Can we deal with her and return her?” “That’s not likely. There are too many issues involved in her disappearance to insure that our version of the truth is the accepted one.” “Have the local police been dealt with?” He asked. “They have been encouraged that Mrs Mulder was quite mad and convinced that she committed suicide. There wont be a messy investigation.” “Good.” The Well-Manicured Man replied. THE END XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX “Why is this so hard to believe?” Fox Mulder - Terma As unsatisfying as a real X-File? Good, that was the plan. Feedback would be nice, please. Pretty please.. Erica ****** xhamadryad@geocities.com xhamadryad@hotmail.com ***Classified Writings*** http://www.geocities.com/Area51/Cavern/1919/fanfic.htm “The truth is often a terrible weapon of aggression.” Alfred Adler “One kills a man, one is an assasin. One kills millions, one is a conquerer. One kills everyone, one is a god.” Jean Rostard “It’s not a prison if you never try the door.” Jonathan Blumen, ‘Optimism & Free Speech’ --------------------------------------------------------- Get Your *Web-Based* Free Email at http://www.hotmail.com --------------------------------------------------------- argo@easynet.co.uk naXis#002, M&S, Dragon Posse, EMXC, XFF, AnnD I don't suffer from insanity, I enjoy every minute of it! "The Truth is out there - and it's got bloody great teeth!" "Do not worry about the bullet that has got your name on it. It will hit you and it will kill you, no questions asked. The rounds to worry about are the ones marked: TO WHOM IT MAY CONCERN."