From: ephemeral@ephemeralfic.org
Date: Mon, 24 Jan 2000 14:41:52 -0600
Subject: Motherly love (1/1) by Mizander
Source: direct

Reply To: mizander@yahoo.com


Motherly love, by Mizander
Rating: G
Spoilers: vague references to Orison, nothing specific.
Disclaimer: Not mine, and I have no money so
don't even think about it. 
Archive: Anywhere, just let me know. 
Feedback: Yes, please! mizander@yahoo.com



I snap my fingers impatiently as I wait for the door to open, even 
though I'm not sure I want to see what's on the other side. My 
daughter
 is waiting for me behind that door, my baby girl, and again she's 
hurting. When Fox called last night I knew something had happened 
before he even said hello.
I didn't ask to speak to her for he would have offered to put her 
through if he had thought she could take it, and no one knows my 
daughter better than he does. 
The door opens. 
He is wearing the remains of a suit - his tie, jacket and shoes are 
gone, and the expensive shirt and trousers and wrinkled. His jaw is 
starting to darken, not quite a five o'clock shadow yet but close 
enough - and it's past seven already. His eyes look tired, but he 
does 
not seem worried or upset. In fact, he looks quite calm. 
'Come in, Mrs Scully.'
'Thank you, Fox.'
I follow him into the living room. Papers that probably usually lie 
all
 over the place have been shoved to one side, and on the couch, 
blankets and a pillow testify that someone has slept in here. There 
is 
no sign of Dana, and my face asks the question.
'Dana's in my bedroom.' He points to a door. 'I think she's asleep.' 
I nod. When she's upset, she either sleeps not at all or a lot, so 
this
 is none too surprising. 
He gestures to a chair, and gathers the bedding from the couch. 
Tossing
 it in the general direction of the door that I suppose leads to his 
bedroom - and Dana - he lets himself drop onto the leather cushions. 
'The hearing was today - they sped it up at AD Skinner's request.'
'Your boss?'
'Yes. I...uh...he has a soft spot for Sc...Dana. She's saved his 
life a 
couple of times, so I guess it's normal.'
I smile and wonder where that puts him. I've lost count of the 
number 
of times she has saved his life and him hers. 
'And what happened, at the hearing?'
'They immediately ruled out all implications of anything other than 
self defence.'
'And that's good news?'
'The best. She's off for the mandatory two weeks, and then we're 
back 
in business.'
'Ah.'
He sounds thrilled. I can tell he can't wait for these two weeks 
to be 
over so he can drag my precious girl back to another crime scene. 
Me? 
Well, I just hope that she takes full advantage of the two weeks. 
She's
 been working like one possessed lately, so busy that she barely 
even 
shows up at mass on Sundays anymore. I'd like her to take some time 
to 
treat herself a bit - go to bed early and stay there 'til late, go 
shopping, read, paint her toenails, whatever. Maybe spend some time 
with me...
No.
No, I refuse to be bitter. She chose her own path, and it was clear 
from the beginning that as an employee of the Federal Bureau of 
Investigation, she would put her job first and the rest second. 
And Dana seems to have taken this to heart. As far as I can tell, 
she spends most of her time with Fox. 
I wonder again if they're lovers. There was a time when she would 
have 
told me if anything like that happened in her life - whereas 
nowadays...well, I think that the only reason I found out about her 
daughter was because I happened to be there at the time. 
But I love her, and I know she loves me, and I want what's best for 
her, and if this man is the choice of her heart then so be it. God 
knows I love him well enough myself... But here comes my daughter, 
and 
there he goes to greet her, not embracing her exactly but guiding 
her 
with one arm around her shoulders. She looks small and fragile in 
the 
clothes I know must be his, but with him beside her she will not 
fall. 
She will not fall, and she will fight, and all I can do is give her
 my 
most loving blessing and watch as she takes on the monsters of the 
world with her guardian angel at her side. And if she chooses to
 love 
him as he loves her, then it can only make them stronger, and 
they 
will fight harder and longer, and I can only pray that one day
 they 
will find peace.