From mason@umr.edu Mon Nov 04 19:21:29 1996
Let's see...Here's the second installment and the GC part.  Rated R, mostly 
for language, and a little bit of violence, plus a few mild sex scenes.

Disclaimer: I know this will never happen on the TV show.  That's what fanfic 
is all about.  It's also about not owning the characters.  That privilege goes 
to Chris Carter, 1013, and Fox.  No harm intended.  Some mild third season 
spoilers apply.  The thing was too far gone, and I thought it was almost done 
by Oct 4th, so I didn't even THINK about referring to anything in the fourth 
season.  I swear the last few scenes and any similarities to new eps are pure 
cowinkidink.

If people asked for parts from Something New and didn't get them, let me know. 
My server did something freaky and deleted part of my mail before I said it 
could.  I think I missed at least two people, so I'm not ignoring you. : ) If 
parts don't make it to your server, e-mail me.  Responding on the newsgroup 
might not make it to me for four or five days.  The whole series is New 
Beginnings.  The sections will be subtitled but should still be considered to 
be under the main title.

New Beginnings II -- Old Issues (1/4)
	By Nicole Mason (mason@umr.edu)
	4/96-10/96

Eighteen months later... 

	Mulder had finals soon and was working on a manuscript.  Scully had 
been delayed at the lab and knew dinner was going to be a chore for either one 
of them, so she had made a stop before heading home.  She juggled her riefcase 
and the food for their dinner as she tried to retrieve her keys.  It wasn't 
working.  She used her head to knock on the door and called, "Mulder, open up. 
My hands are full."  She was surprised as the door slowly swung open from the 
slight force.

	She set the bags down in the hallway and reached for the gun she still 
carried in her purse.  They were both still very conscientious of some things 
and never left the door unlocked.  "Mulder?"  She stepped into the apartment 
and stopped just inside the doorway, her back against the wall.  A few things 
were moved and one of the end tables had been cleared of its contents.  She 
saw him lying face down near the coffee table, and her heart stopped beating 
as she reached down to touch his unmoving form.

	He was too still.

	She hadn't seen him this still in almost two years.  "Mulder?"  

	He groaned slightly and her heart started beating again.  And then her 
breath caught.  She could see a lump on the back of his head.  She carefully 
examined it and found another one a few inches from the first.  She slowly 
started to stand up and noticed the weird angle his arm was at.  After a quick 
examination, she reached for the phone and called for an ambulance.  She 
relayed everything to the operator and was ready to call her mother to 
babysit.

	That's when the silence in the apartment registered.

	She took the phone with her as she searched the apartment.  "Josh?" 
Silence.  "Josh?" a little louder, a little more worried.  More silence 
greeted her.  She went to the baby's room and found it empty.  There were a 
few signs of a struggle in there as well.  Frantically, she searched the rest 
of the apartment.

	She dialed a different number than the one she had first intended.

	"Yeah."  The voice was terse.  He didn't like to be disturbed around 
dinner.

	"Sir, this is Agent Scully."

	"What can I do for you, Scully?"  The voice was more friendly now.

	"Someone took Joshua."  She knew she was in shock.  That's why she was 
so incredibly calm.  Her baby was missing and her husband was lying on the 
floor unconscious with a broken arm, a couple of cracked ribs, and a possible 
concussion.

	"Scully?"

	"Mulder's been hurt and the baby's missing, sir."

	"I'm on my way, Dana."

	"Yes, sir."  She hung up the phone as she heard a knocking at the 
door.  The paramedics were here.

	Two uniformed police officers showed up shortly after, while the EMT's 
were checking Mulder out.  "Ma'am, can you tell us what happened?"

	She stared at them vaguely, not sure who or even what they were.  She 
couldn't understand why They had taken the baby.  And she knew it was Them.  
She knew it.

	The officer repeated his question and again she couldn't answer him.  
She was able to answer the next voice.

	"I'm Assistant Director of the FBI, Walter Skinner.  Agent Scully 
phoned me."

	She turned to the voice.  "They took Joshua."

	One of the cops looked at Skinner.  "Joshua?"

	"Their son."

	"Kidnaping?"

	"It appears that way, officer.  If you don't mind, I'm going to call 
in our own people for this.  It may be related to work Mulder and Scully have 
done in the past."

	Scully sat quietly and let Skinner handle things with the cops and the 
two FBI agents that showed up a few minutes later.  The EMT's were almost done 
with getting Mulder ready to move, when he woke up.  His opened his eyes, but 
his continued silence scared her more than anything.

	"Mulder, can you hear me?"

	Nothing.

	"Mulder, please.  What happened?  Where's Josh?"  She could tell he 
was reliving when Samantha was taken and she didn't know how to help.  She 
didn't want to push him, but Josh was at stake.

	He was in the hospital bed with the broken bones set when he spoke.  
Or more accurately he screamed.

	"NOOOOO!!"

	"Mulder, it's OK.  You're OK."  She could focus now.  She had been 
expecting this.  She could deal with this.

	He was staring straight ahead and not answering her.

	"Mulder, it's Scully.  Come on.  Look at me, Mulder."

	"They took him, Scully.  I tried to stop them.  I couldn't stop them."

	"MIB's, Mulder?"  There was no doubt in her voice.  She was looking 
for confirmation.

	"Yeah."  He looked down at himself.  "Scully, my arm hurts."  His 
voice sounded like a small child's.

	"It's broken, Mulder.  You tried to stop them."

	"But I couldn't.  They took Josh.  Like they took my sister.  Like 
they took you.  I couldn't stop them."  The voice changed from hurt and 
confused to hollow and drained.

	"Come on, Mulder.  It's OK.  We'll find him."

	"I couldn't stop them."

	"We'll find him, Mulder," she said softly again with great conviction.

	The look in his eyes ripped her heart apart.  "Like I found my 
sister?"

	"We'll find him, Mulder."  This voice wasn't Scully's.  Mulder looked 
up from his wife and saw his former boss.

	"Sir?"

	"They won't get away with it, Mulder.  We'll bring Josh home."

	"I want to believe that, sir."

	"We found a blood sample.  Did you injure one of them?"

	Scully swung her eyes between Skinner and Mulder.  Blood?  What if it 
was Josh's?

	"I think I broke one's nose."

	"How many were there, Mulder?"

	"Three.  One came in the front door and two in the back.  One came up 
behind me and hit me with something while I was trying to figure out what the 
guy at the door wanted.  They headed toward the baby's room and I got up, 
trying to get to my gun.  The first two were waiting for me.  I didn't get a 
shot off, but I did headbutt one of them.  Near the hallway.  One of them 
slammed me into the wall and I charged them again.  I don't know when my arm 
was broken, but my ribs bought it right inside Josh's room.  I knocked one of 
them out and started after the other two.  The one must have regained 
consciousness and hit me again from behind.  I don't remember anything after 
that."

	Skinner made notes so he could relay what happened to the two agents 
he had on the case.  It sounded like Mulder had really done a number on the 
men.  "Can you work with a composite artist?" Skinner asked.

	"Yeah.  Get him in here."

	Scully watched the AD leave and then looked at her husband.  He 
wouldn't meet her gaze.  "Mulder?"  He was closing himself off from her.  
"Mulder, talk to me."

	"About what, Scully?  About how I failed again?  About how I put my 
family in danger once again?"

	"You didn't fail.  There were three of them and you managed to put up 
a fight after having been hit on the head and breaking your arm.  You can 
describe them and we'll have a blood sample."

	"They don't exist, Scully.  And all the evidence will disappear.  Just 
like always."

	"You don't have to talk like that, Mulder."

	"So what do you want me to say?"

	"You could tell me you love me, that we'll find our baby, that 
everything will be alright."

	"I can't lie to you, Scully.  I never have been able to do that."  He 
turned his head away from her.

	"Don't shut me out, Mulder."  She reached for his hand and watched as 
he subtly moved it a few inches.  "I can't deal with that as well."

	He didn't answer her.

		* * * * *

	Skinner knocked on the unfamiliar door and waited.  "Hello, Mrs. 
Scully.  I was told I could find Dana here."

	"Come in, Mr. Skinner.  She's in the kitchen."  She led the way and 
stepped back as her daughter stood up.

	"Sir?"

	"Scully, I need to speak with you and Mulder."

	"Mulder's not here."

	"He's not at the hospital."  It was half question, half statement.

	"Mulder checked himself out this morning before I got there.  I 
haven't heard from him."  Her voice was hollow.

	Skinner was shocked by this.  Or was he?  Mulder was taking all the 
blame again, that wasn't new.  But Skinner wondered if Mulder had any clue 
what his actions were doing to his wife.  "Scully, are you OK?"

	"No," she said.  Then, "What did you need to see me for?"

	"We have a match on the blood that was found in your apartment."

	"Sir?"

	"It's Luis Cardinal."

	Skinner watched as her head dropped forward.  He had not understood 
the finding either when he first heard the news.  Cardinal died in his cell 
over three years ago.  "Scully?"

	"He's dead."

	"I know."

	"You're sure?"

	"Yes.  I had them rerun the tests.  It's him, Scully."

	"Then who was it that died in prison, was he a clone?"

	"I don't know."

	"What about Cancerman?  Has he been hanging around?"

	"He's been quiet."

	"Ever since Mulder left," she said.

	He was really worried about her.  It was barely twenty four hours 
since the kidnaping and she looked worse than when she had first reappeared in 
the hospital after her abduction.  "Yes," he agreed.  Then he asked, "Scully, 
has Mulder been working on anything?"

	"No.  There's been a few leads he's followed up on Samantha, but 
nothing else.  Nothing that had him worried."

	That was saying a lot.  But then maybe Mulder had dropped his guard 
since he left the Bureau.  "Have him call me, Scully."

	"I'll tell him when I hear from him."

	He ached for her.  Her voice sounded hollow, without life.  "Scully."

	She looked up at him.  "Sir?"

	"Call me if you need me."  He didn't expect an answer and he didn't 
receive one.

		* * * * *

	Her husband was gone.

	Her baby was gone.

	And she couldn't do a damn thing.

	They wouldn't let her work.  They practically forced her to take 
leave.  She had absolutely nothing to help her pass the time.  They wouldn't 
let her help with the case.  She had nothing to focus on except for what was 
now missing from her life.

	"Dana, why don't you try and get some sleep."

	"I tried, Mom."  She sat at the kitchen table with a cup of cocoa 
cooling before her, like the chicken at dinner, like the pasta at lunch, like 
the eggs at breakfast.

	"Fox is probably trying to find him."

	"He probably is."  Other things followed that statement in her mind.  
/He's shut me out.  He left me behind again.  After all we've been through, 
he's left me behind again./   His lack of faith in her was as painful as the 
disappearance of her baby.

		* * * * *

	Mulder extracted some bills from his wallet and paid the cab driver.  
He looked around the area and felt a surge of emotion.  The only time he had 
been here in the last year or so was when he and Josh would join Scully for 
lunch.

	Josh.

	Just thinking his son's name sent a shaft of pain through him.  It was 
his fault.  It was always his fault.  He hadn't been able to protect his 
family.

	Scully hated him now.

	Just like his father had hated him after Samantha's abduction.

	His injured elbow hit the park bench.  The physical pain shooting 
through his broken arm managed to distract him from the emotional one.

	He lost track of how long he had been sitting there when he felt 
someone come up behind him.

	"Hello, Mr. Mulder."  Mulder kept his eyes forward as the tall man sat 
down next to him.  "I've heard there's been an unfortunate incident in your 
life recently."

	"You know where my son is."  He wasn't going to play their games.  He 
wasn't going to go on some wild goose chase for Them.  He wasn't going to ask 
questions that wouldn't be answered.  He would kill this man if he didn't 
learn the truth.

	"I have an idea."  The man sensed the danger he was in, but that was 
nothing compared to the shock he felt at Mulder's statement.  Was he really 
the baby's father?

	"Where is he."

	"Don't you want to know why he was taken, Mr. Mulder?"

	"Where is my son."

	"Agent Scully's baby is unique, Mr. Mulder.  You will not be able to 
contact me again."  He left an envelope on the seat between them.  Then he 
stood up and started to walk away.

	"I didn't contact you this time," Mulder said without touching the 
envelope.

	Mr. X nodded then disappeared into the shadows.

	Mulder waited several minutes before he picked it up and placed it in 
the sling his right arm was in.  It was a long time before he started walking.

	She probably didn't want to see him, but he had to see her.

		* * * * *

	She knew who it was before he even knocked on the door.  Every emotion 
that she had held in control the past thirty six hours broke free.  She stood 
in the doorway, her body trembling.  Even her voice shook.  "You bastard."  
She wanted to slam the door closed in his face.  She wanted to slap him.  She 
wanted to pull him into her arms until all of their pain melted away.  "How 
could you do that to me?"  She knew she was saying the wrong thing.  She could 
see the guilt and the fear in his eyes.  He was blaming himself and she wasn't 
helping.

	"I'm sorry, Scully.  But..."  He couldn't stand to see the accusations 
in her eyes.  He lowered his gaze, handed over the envelope and started to 
turn to leave.

	"No you don't."  She grabbed his uninjured arm and pulled him into the 
house.  "What is this, Mulder?"  She was terrified to open it.

	"X gave it to me.  He hinted that this was the reason they took the 
baby."

	"And you didn't open it?"  They stood in the hallway several feet from 
each other.  He wasn't letting her cross the distance that was separating 
them.

	"No."

	"Why not?"  She watched as he shrugged one shoulder.  "Come on, 
Mulder.  You should be resting."  She led the way into the living room and sat 
down on the couch.  She carefully opened the envelope as Mulder continued to 
stand.

	There were several sheets of papers.  Two held her attention the most. 
 It contained the names of several women she had met in Allentown as well as 
her own.  What was more disturbing was the names and dates under the 
individual names.  Each of the other names had a birth date and a date of 
death listed, between six and nine months after the birth date.

	He knelt down as she raised eyes that managed to be even more stricken 
to meet his.  "What is it, Scully?"

	"Josh..."

	"What?"  He finally found the courage to reach for the papers.

	"They didn't expect him to live, Mulder.  They thought our baby was 
going to die before he was even a year old."

	He said the only thing he could think of.  "But he's alive."

	"They took him because he's alive.  They did do something to me, 
Mulder.  They expected my baby to die, that's why they've left us alone.  They 
expected my baby to die."

	He sat down next to her and awkwardly pulled her into his side with 
his free arm.  He managed to control the pained gasp as she wound her arms 
around his waist and squeezed his broken ribs.  Then he started murmuring the 
words they both had needed to hear since it all started.

	"We'll find him, Scully.  We will.  I promise."

	The words were soft and low and they made her believe. 

	"Mulder, don't shut me out.  Please, don't shut me out again."

	"No, I won't do it again.  I'm sorry, Dana.  So sorry.  God, it seems 
no matter what I do, I end up hurting you."

	"Only when you don't share things with me, Fox.  The others aren't 
your responsibility."

	He heard the conviction in her words and was eased by it just a 
little.

	They held each other for several minutes.  Then the bandages under her 
hands and the one-arm embrace registered.

	"Mulder, you should be resting," she repeated as she lifted her head 
from his chest.

	"So should you.  We have to get an early start tomorrow."

	"I love you," she said as the meaning behind his words sank in.

	"I love you, too.  I can't help it.  I never really could and I never 
really tried to stop it."

	She picked up the scattered papers from the floor and started turning 
the lights out.

		* * * * *

	Margaret Scully quietly returned to her bedroom before the pair at the 
bottom of the steps noticed her.  She didn't want to interrupt them; they 
probably still had a few things to work out.  

	She sat down on her bed and stared at the phone.  Next to it was a 
number he had left when he was there earlier in the day.  She shrugged as she 
recalled his words of  "call anytime".  It wasn't her fault her son-in-law 
decided to return at two o'clock in the morning.  Mr. Skinner should have 
realized something like that was possible before he made that rash statement. 
 
	Dana and Fox were going to need help with this.  She couldn't let them 
go off alone on whatever they were planning.  Regardless of their training, 
they were still her children and she would still be worried about them until 
this was all over and Josh was home safe.

		* * end* *

End New Beginnings II -- Old Issues (1/4)

From mason@umr.edu Mon Nov 04 19:23:44 1996
Let's see...Here's the second installment and the GC part.  Rated R, mostly 
for language, and a little bit of violence, plus a few mild sex scenes.

Disclaimer: I know this will never happen on the TV show.  That's what fanfic 
is all about.  It's also about not owning the characters.  That privilege goes 
to Chris Carter, 1013, and Fox.  No harm intended.  Some mild third season 
spoilers apply.  The thing was too far gone, and I thought it was almost done 
by Oct 4th, so I didn't even THINK about referring to anything in the fourth 
season.  I swear the last few scenes and any similarities to new eps are pure 
cowinkidink.

If people asked for parts from Something New and didn't get them, let me know. 
My server did something freaky and deleted part of my mail before I said it 
could.  I think I missed at least two people, so I'm not ignoring you. : ) If 
parts don't make it to your server, e-mail me.  Responding on the newsgroup 
might not make it to me for four or five days.  The whole series is New 
Beginnings.  The sections will be subtitled but should still be considered to 
be under the main title.

New Beginnings II -- Old Issues (2/4)
	By Nicole Mason (mason@umr.edu)
	4/96-10/96


	He groaned as the ringing phone registered.  "Skinner," he barked more 
into the pillow than the phone.

	"Mr. Skinner, this in Margaret Scully.  Fox has shown up."

	"He's there?"  He was awake now.

	"Yes.  He arrived about twenty minutes ago.  He and Dana are talking 
now."

	"What time would be too early to be there tomorrow, Mrs. Scully?"

	"I think five o'clock would be a good time to make an appearance."

	He squinted at the clock and mentally groaned.  By the time he fell 
back to sleep, it would be time to get up and get ready.  "Thank you.  I'll 
see you then.  And Mrs. Scully?"

	"Don't worry.  I'll find a way to keep them here if they try to leave 
before you arrive."

	His lips twitched at the mother's steel he heard in her voice.  
"Good-bye, Mrs. Scully."

	"Mr. Skinner."

	He hung up the phone and then got out of bed, trying not to wake the 
person next to him.  There were a few things that he might as well get started 
on before he left for Scully's mother's house.

		* * * * *

	Neither Mulder or Scully really slept, but they did rest.  Their 
exhausted emotions found new footing by the time the sun started to rise.

	Scully didn't think anything of it when she heard her mother's door 
open.  Her mother had always risen with the sun, something her daughter hadn't 
inherited.  She curved herself a little tighter into her husband's side and 
felt his arm help pull her closer.

	"You want to start by finding the cause of death, don't you?"

	"Yes."  She was quiet for a moment.  "Mulder?"

	"Hmm?"

	"I've been thinking."

	She could hear the slight smile in his voice as he said, "So have I.  
Tell me."

	"Two of the listed MUFON members were men."

	"So it wasn't just the women they did something to."

	"No."

	"When I was at Ellens Air Force Base --"

	"Yes."

	"You think they might have done something to me as well."  He had come 
to the same conclusion in the last few hours.

	"It's possible it was done then.  Or when you were infected with the 
retro-virus," she postulated.

	"Scully, maybe they don't know I'm Josh's father.  Maybe they still 
think it was just someone you chose at random in the clinic."

	"But you're listed as his father."

	"Let me ask you this, if I hadn't been and you had still gone to the 
clinic, would you have put my name down on his records anyway?"

	"I would have asked your permission, but yes, I would have wanted to, 
just in case something ever happened."

	"So it's possible they think we lied on the birth certificate."

	She sat up at the new thought.  "Maybe that's why they took him.  
Maybe if you hadn't been his father, he would have died already from the same 
things the others did."

	"They've been foiled by their own interference?"

	She laid back down.  "That would be poetic justice and too much to 
hope for."

	"Imagine their faces when they realize the truth."  He smiled at the 
prospect.

	"What if they don't return him, Mulder?  I miss him so much already."

	His arm tightened around her and he pressed his lips against her 
forehead.  "We'll find him, Scully."  The words were for himself as much as 
they were for her.

	They laid there for several more minutes, again gathering strength by 
just being together.  Finally the need to act overrode their exhaustion and 
they got out of bed.  After they cleaned up, they went downstairs to get some 
food before they left for Pennsylvania.

	Their plans hit a major roadblock when they spied Margaret's guest.

	"Shit."

	"Glad to see you're feeling better, Mulder.  Would you like some 
coffee?  Maggie just made it fresh."

	Mulder glared at his former boss and looked guiltily at his 
mother-in-law.  "Hi, Mom.  I know I'm in trouble."

	"Not anymore, Fox.  Sit down and I'll make you two some breakfast 
before you leave."

	They knew they were outmaneuvered and sat down.  Caffeine was a must 
and the plate Margaret had fixed for Skinner made Mulder's stomach rumble in 
envy.

	"Now where are we headed on this fine and lovely morning?"

	Mulder and Scully shared a look and then turned to Skinner.  
"Allentown."

	"Pennsylvania?"

	"Yes."

	"I assume you'll tell me why on the way there."

	They could read between the lines.  They either told him what was 
going on, or they would be placed in protective custody with their hands 
effectively tied.

		* * * * *

	"This was given to me yesterday."  Mulder passed the papers to Skinner 
who was sitting behind him while Scully drove.

	"By whom?"  He quickly read through the pages, confusion darkening his 
eyes.

	"My former contact."

	"And you trust him?"

	"No.  But it's a lead."

	Skinner was quiet as he finished reading the papers.  "Scully, your 
name's on here."

	"Yes," she said, her eyes focused on the road.

	"All of the children ..." His voice trailed off.  He didn't want to 
finish the sentence.

	"If these papers are accurate, they all died before their first 
birthday."  Scully voice was hard and detached.  It also scared the shit out 
of Skinner.

	"Why is your name on here?"

	"A few of the women claim to know me from when I was missing."

	"What?"

	"If you recall from a few years ago, when we were investigating that 
case that involved the Japanese Nationalist--"

	"Ah, yes.  Then there was something that involved a railcar with a 
bomb on it?"

	"Yes, sir.  While I was... on my way back to DC, as per your orders, 
Scully was following leads on a list of people we had found."

	"These are MUFON members?"

	"The names that I recognize were members then."

	"Have you had any contact with them?"

	"No.  Not since then."

	Skinner sat in back and watched as they held a silent conversation.  
They had found something else out and were probably trying to decide if they 
should share it or not.

	Mulder finally spoke.  "We think they may have done something to me as 
well when I was missing for that time."

	"Which time, Mulder?"

	He hadn't meant it as a joke, but they both cracked smiles.  "The one 
where I missed the disciplinary hearing."

	"Again, which time was that, Mulder?"

	"Ellens Air Force Base.  Max Fennig and the downed UFO in Idaho."

	"Ah, that time.  Done something?"

	"Fucked with our DNA."

	"Mulder --" They had started to watch their language, even when Josh 
wasn't in hearing distance.

	"Sorry, Scully.  But that's what they did."

	"And you think they took the baby to see why he survived?"

	"Yes.  We also think they don't know Mulder is Josh's real father."

	"Because of that little trick with the clinic."

	Mulder went against one of his rules and explained.  "It wasn't a 
trick and we honestly thought we were just friends."  Mulder's lips twisted as 
Skinner snorted.  "I was trying to be a hero and help a friend out."

	"By knocking her up?"

	"I didn't do it.  I wasn't even in the room.  Hell, we were married 
before we had sex for the first time."

	"Mulder!"  

	He couldn't believe Scully was embarrassed by that.  She could ask a 
friend for his sperm, go to a clinic, be artificially inseminated, plan on 
having the baby by herself, and be embarrassed by the fact that she waited 
until she was married to have sex with her husband?

	Skinner pretended not to notice the by-play between them.  He was just 
happy Mulder came to his senses before really screwing things up with Scully. 
He also noted that there was very little difference in the way they worked 
together now compared to when they were partners.  He idly wondered how long 
they had been lovers while they were partners and why they were still sticking 
to the artificial insemination story.

		* * * * *

	They were almost at their destination when Skinner realized that he 
hadn't told the agents in charge of the case that there was a lead.  But then 
he had known from the beginning who was behind the kidnaping and that they 
would never find any proof of it.

	They decided to check out the death certificates before they talked to 
any of the people on the list.  Scully didn't want to start asking question 
without any idea as to what lies they could be telling, but she was also 
imagining herself in a similar situation a little too easily.  She didn't want 
to speak with any of the women if she could avoid it, and with the three of 
them looking through all the records, they found what they needed in no time 
flat.

	In addition, they found out that all of the death certificates had 
been signed by the same doctor.

	Ideas that the doctor might be part of the same people that took 
Joshua flew around the table.  Mulder suggested though, that the doctor was 
part of MUFON or at least trusted by the members.  That theory proved true 
when they arrived at the doctor's office.  In the corner of one window was a 
small clear sticker proclaiming his beliefs.

	"I'll talk to him."

	"Scully --"

	"Mulder, if we all go in, we may spook him."

	"She's right, Mulder.  I think we should stay in the car."

	Mulder glared at the man in back but stayed quiet.

	"I'll see if he will agree to meet with all of us, OK, Mulder?  But I 
don't want all three of us descending on him at once."

	"Sure, Scully," he said as she got out of the car.  He rolled down the 
window when she tapped on it.  "What?"

	"I love you," she said against his lips.

	"Yeah, I love you, too."  She smiled as the pout left his voice.

	She used her FBI status to get in to see the doctor.  But once inside, 
she couldn't remain detached enough to conduct the interview like the 
professional she was.

	"Please, before you say anything, hear me out."

	She watched as the elderly man eyed her for a moment, taking her 
measure.  "OK, Agent Scully, I'll listen.  But without a warrant, and even 
then, I will protect my patients' privacy."

	"I understand, Dr. Norton.  And under these conditions, I will try and 
respect any lines you draw.  But this is personal, Doctor, I have no 
jurisdiction on this case."

	"Ask your questions.  I'll see what I can do." The words were terse, 
but the tone was friendly.

	"My husband and a friend of ours are in the car.  If you agree to 
answer the questions, would it be possible for them to be here as well?"

	"Are they FBI as well?"

	"Our friend is, and my husband was.  Right now he's a procrastinating 
student and a stay-at-home father."  Her voice wavered on the last, but she 
found some measure of her control again.  "Doctor?"

	"I think it may be OK.  Now will you give me a general idea of what 
you're looking for?"

	Scully gave him a short version of the events from a few years ago, 
expanding a little on how several MUFON members recognized her.  She glossed 
over the in-between years and then told him about her son.  She noticed his 
surprise when she describe Josh's first birthday and it increased when she 
told him about the kidnaping two days ago.

	"Your son is still alive?"

	"Yes.  That's why we're here.  We saw that you had signed the death 
certificates for several MUFON members' children.  We need a little more 
information on the cause of death."

	"You have the scar, Agent Scully?"

	She really hated that question.  "Yes.  The chip is in a safe place."

	"Not to sound paranoid, but may I see the mark?"

	She twisted in her seat and exposed the base of her neck for his 
inspection.  The scar was very faint now, but he knew what he was looking for.

	"I'll talk with you and your husband.  Your friend, is he here in an 
official capacity?"

	"No.  He's here strictly as a friend."  It wasn't really a lie.  
Skinner was with them because he was a friend.

	"Bring them in, Agent Scully."

	She felt she had to warn him.  Neither man was going to be 
companionable.   "Our friend is an ex-marine and accustomed to being in 
charge.  And my husband..."  Even after all these years, she still had no idea 
how to explain Mulder in one word.

	"Go ahead and get them, Agent Scully.  I'm sure I've met all kinds in 
my day."

	She nodded and went to retrieve the two men that were going to make 
this interview difficult.  She knew Mulder was probably driving Skinner crazy 
already.

	Mulder was out of the car before she had even opened the doctor's 
outer door.  "Scully?"

	"He said he'll speak to all of us."  At that Skinner stepped out of 
the car as well, his movements a little more controlled than Mulder's.  They 
all went into the office and Scully made the introductions.

	"Fox Mulder?" The doctor asked as he awkwardly shook Mulder's left 
hand.

	Mulder and Scully both knew what was coming by the way the man asked 
the question. They had been in a similar situation before.   "Yes.  Yes.  And 
yes," Mulder said.

	"What are you referring to?" the doctor asked.

	"Yes, it was a pseudonym.  I was with the FBI at the time and they 
frowned upon a few things.  Yes, it's a true story.  And yes, I believe."

	"Well, Mr. Mulder, I'm glad you're psychic as well as a Believer.  
It's going to save a lot of time."

	"Mulder, please.  Dr. Norton doesn't have to talk to us."  She saw his 
nod and turned to the doctor.  "Could you start with the children?  Were they 
healthy?  Or was it just a matter of time before..."

	"Actually, Agent Scully, it was a miracle the babies were carried to 
term.  And then when the children were born... It didn't look good.  It was 
difficult to watch the families and be able to do nothing as their sons or 
daughters died."

	Scully held her breath.  She had worried all through her pregnancy, 
but science had reassured her.  And then when Joshua was born, she let those 
worries and fears slip away.  Her son was healthy and she hadn't thought about 
it again.  But now she was learning about women who had not been as lucky, 
who'd had to deal with the death of their children in slow degrees.

	"The birth defects were genetic?"

	"Yes.  I can't prove it, but we all know it's from what they did to 
the ones that were taken."

	"There's one more thing."  She was reluctant to ask, so she looked to 
Mulder.

	He nodded and asked, "Were both of the parents abducted or only one?"

	"Mr. Mulder, were you...?"

	Mulder understood the half question that was being asked.  "I don't 
have a scar from an implant like Scully, but I had a Missing Time Episode that 
lasted twenty four hours and I have had other encounters that I can only 
recall pieces of."

	She was always amazed how he didn't have to choose his words on such 
occasions.  She would have stumbled over her own tongue trying to find the 
right words for several moments before choosing completely different ones.

	The doctor answered the question about both parents being abducted.  
"No.  In fact, I don't know any families in which both have been abducted.  Do 
you think that's why your son is alive?"

	"We don't know.  But it's beginning to look that way."  Mulder rested 
his hand on his wife's shoulder after he stood up.  "Thank you for answering 
our questions, Dr. Norton."

	"I hope your son is returned to you."

	Mulder knew what he was trying to say.  "The ones that took him were 
of this earth, Dr. Norton.  They just had some inside information that was and 
wasn't accurate.  They're using our circumstances to justify their actions and 
they will pay for it."

	Skinner quietly led the way out of the office.  Even with years of 
X-Files behind him, some things still managed to spook him and take him by 
surprise.

		* * * * *

	"Scully, where are we going?" he asked as they headed out of 
Allentown.

	"Home."

	"Don't you want to speak with some more of the MUFON members?"

	"No."

	"Dana?"  His voice was somewhere in between her former partner's and 
her husband's.  She kind of liked it.

	"I don't want to bother them, Mulder."

	"You feel guilty, don't you?"

	"Yes.  Just like you do.  I don't want to bring up the memories for 
them.  We have the answers we were looking for from the doctor."

	Skinner sat quietly in the back and let them do their work.  He didn't 
feel like a third wheel but he was on the outside.  He figured both of them 
wanted him there in case they could not do what needed to be done.  "Scully's 
right.  I don't think we would get anymore information from them.  However, I 
have been reading these papers on this lovely trip and I think I know what our 
next stop should be."

	Mulder mentally reviewed the pages in his mind, trying to find what 
lead Skinner had found.  "Some of the people took their children to a 
specialist for a diagnosis and testing," he said.

	"Yes.  In Chicago."

	Scully looked over at Mulder and then in the back at Skinner.  
"Another MUFON member?"

	Skinner shook his head.  "I don't think so.  Not according to the... I 
don't know... lack of compassion I see in the few notes that are here."

	"So are we driving or flying?"  Either way, there was more waiting 
involved.

	"It's up to you two."

	"I don't want to deal with crowds right now, Scully.  And there won't 
be a record of our destination if we drive."

	"OK.  But, Mulder, you have to get some rest."

	"I wasn't the only one that lost sleep the past couple of days."

	"Pull over, Scully.  I'll drive and then you can both rest."

	The voice was that of the Assistant Director and she found herself 
following orders. Then again, the road was starting to blur before her eyes.  
She wanted to curl up with Mulder but his ribs wouldn't let her.  She made him 
get in the back so he could have more room to stretch out and she ignored his 
grumblings as he did so.  Shortly after, Skinner pulled back onto the highway 
and headed in another direction.  They were both too tired to sleep and were 
thinking about a similar situation when Skinner had come for them in West 
Virginia.

	Skinner waited and was rewarded for his patience almost an hour later. 
Both of them had fallen asleep with Mulder fading away only after he checked 
on Scully one last time.

		* * end * * 

End New Beginnings II -- Old Issues (2/4)

From mason@umr.edu Mon Nov 04 19:25:44 1996
Let's see...Here's the second installment and the GC part.  Rated R, mostly 
for language, and a little bit of violence, plus a few mild sex scenes.

Disclaimer: I know this will never happen on the TV show.  That's what fanfic 
is all about.  It's also about not owning the characters.  That privilege goes 
to Chris Carter, 1013, and Fox.  No harm intended.  Some mild third season 
spoilers apply.  The thing was too far gone, and I thought it was almost done 
by Oct 4th, so I didn't even THINK about referring to anything in the fourth 
season.  I swear the last few scenes and any similarities to new eps are pure 
cowinkidink.

If people asked for parts from Something New and didn't get them, let me know. 
My server did something freaky and deleted part of my mail before I said it 
could.  I think I missed at least two people, so I'm not ignoring you. : ) If 
parts don't make it to your server, e-mail me.  Responding on the newsgroup 
might not make it to me for four or five days.  The whole series is New 
Beginnings.  The sections will be subtitled but should still be considered to 
be under the main title.

New Beginnings II -- Old Issues (3/4)
	By Nicole Mason (mason@umr.edu)
	4/96-10/96

	The two slept uneasily until Skinner finally stopped for dinner.  He 
felt bad for waking them up, but he was hungry and tired as well.  While they 
all tried to study the molecular structure of their meals, Skinner brought the 
topic up.

	"We could drive a couple of more hours, get as far as Ohio, find a 
hotel and continue in the morning.  Otherwise, it's going to be around two in 
the morning when we arrive."

	"I'm fine to drive now, sir, if that's the problem."

	"I am tired, but that's not it, Scully.  Either way, no one is are 
going to get a good night's sleep.  I don't know about the two of you, but I 
function better in the mornings."

	Scully looked at Mulder and smiled softly.  Whatever early-bird 
tendencies she may have once had were forever gone after living with Mulder 
and Joshua.  "Neither one of us is a morning person, sir.  You would probably 
have to do the driving."

	"Then I vote for stopping in about three hours.  Mulder?"

	"I don't think my ribs can handle all night in the car," he said, 
agreeing with the plan to stop.

	That brought Scully's eyes up full of worry.  "Mulder?"

	"I'm OK.  But I forgot the pain pills they gave me."

	"We'll stop and get you some then.  Why didn't you say something?"

	"I didn't really notice until I relaxed a little.  Now eat, OK."

	Skinner watched the by-play with interest.  In the past year and a 
half he had had very little opportunity to interact with the two of them.  And 
it had been in situations that were public in nature.  Now it was just the 
three of them and they had let a lot of their barriers down.  Their concern 
for each other was much more obvious.  He was happy for them.  Regardless of 
the situation, he was happy for them and what they had found together.

		* * * * *

	Mulder laid back against the pillows and warily watched Scully as she 
approached.  "They're fine, Scully."

	"Mulder, just let me look, OK?  I promise no needles."  Her lips 
twitched at his distrustful look.

	"No needles?"

	"My little black bag is at home, Mulder.  You're safe."

	"OK, but leave me some chest hairs."

	"Sure.  I have to have some to pull when you're being an ass."  
Contrary to her tone, she carefully pulled the tape back from his skin.  The 
area was swollen and an ugly purple, but it didn't look too bad.  He had 
definitely had worse.  "How's your head?" she asked and started to rewrap his 
ribs.

	"You know it's been awhile since I've been conked on the head with 
something other than Josh's toys.  But it's like riding a bike.  I hardly 
notice it."

	"I have some aspirin in my purse."

	"I think I'll save it for the car ride.  Now come here.  I need to 
hold you."

	She turned out the lights and gratefully climbed into bed next to him. 
Her mind was still swirling with what they had learned and she couldn't help 
feeling for the other parents.  She kept telling herself that her son was OK. 
He was healthy and happy and bright.  And they would find him.  She felt 
Mulder's arm tighten around her and knew he was having the same thoughts and 
worries.

	It was a short time later that they fell asleep.  The short nap in the 
car had helped, but it hadn't been enough.  They were still exhausted and 
succumbed to the shadows of night.

		* * * * *

	The nightmare images were a collage of things he wanted to forget.  
His sister was there, then she wasn't.  His father yelling, and then silence. 
His mother as she turned inward, leaving her son to fend for himself.  Then 
Duane Barry and Kristen Killar and Donnie Pfaster.  Scully gone and then 
dying.  A picture of himself as he stared into the darkness wanting it to 
consume him.  Then the three faces as they tried to take his son.  The three 
faces that were now laughing in triumph as a halo of smoke surrounded them and 
protected them.

	Mulder's eyes opened in self-defense.  It had been awhile since he had 
a nightmare like that.  Getting to sleep with Scully every night had helped a 
lot.  It hadn't cured him, but he was usually able to get a good block of 
sleep in each night.  He understood the reasons for this nightmare, but it 
didn't ease the images.

	He looked at his wife lying next to him and wanted to curl around her. 
The stupid cast and bandages prevented easy movement and he didn't want to 
wake her up.  He twisted a little and looked dispassionately at the TV.  No.  
That would wake her up as well.  He laid back and stared up at the ceiling.  
Scully shifted in her sleep and was curled against him again.  She placed her 
hand around his waist and held on, preventing him from getting up to pace.  
Mulder smiled slightly and let his mind wander for what seemed like hours.

	He was in a black void.  He wasn't floating or hovering or even 
moving; he was just there in this place devoid of light.  But he could still 
see, or more accurately, sense things.  He didn't try and concentrate on 
anything, but he did allow the blackness to grow.  As it reached out and 
covered more of his awareness, he noticed something faint and off in the 
distance.  Joshua.  As soon as he tried to focus on the baby, the sensation 
changed and became something else.  Again he tried to concentrate and it 
disappeared all together.

	His eyes snapped open again as Scully gently shook his shoulder.  "We 
have to get up.  We're leaving in about thirty minutes."

	"Yeah.  I'm awake.  I'm going to take a shower."

	"I don't have any bandages to replace the old ones, Mulder.  You'll 
have to live with a sponge bath."

	"Are you going to give it to me?"

	"No."  At his pout she continued, "We only have a few minutes before 
Skinner will start banging on the door.  I want more than just a few minutes, 
Mulder."

	He grinned, pulled her close and started rubbing his scratchy chin 
under her jaw.  "Are you sure?"

	"No.  But that's the way it's going to be."

	"Damn.  Do I at least get some food before we hit the road?"

	"Don't ask me.  I only work here."  With that she stepped out into the 
hall and headed for the lobby.  They both needed coffee or Skinner was going 
to get his head bitten off when he started talking.

		* * * * *

	"I talked to Johnson and Martin," Skinner said, referring to the two 
agents handling Josh's kidnaping.  Before they could ask, he continued, "Like 
we thought, they haven't found anything on the other two men.  And the lab is 
now saying there was a mistake on the original blood sample taken."

	"They've changed their tune?"

	Mulder looked at the back of the heads of the two people in front of 
him.  "What tune?"

	"Scully didn't tell you?"

	He twisted and could see the slight flush on his wife's face.  "I 
forgot," she mumbled.

	"Forgot what?" he asked.

	"They ID'ed the blood found in the apartment as Luis Cardinal's.  
Apparently now they're saying they did it wrong."

	"Why didn't you tell me?"

	She twisted to look him in the eye.  "You were missing at the time 
Skinner came to tell me.  Then when you showed up, you had your own bombshell 
that you dropped."

	"Was the one that shot you a clone?"

	"That's what Scully asked," Skinner said.  At that, Mulder shot her 
another look.  This one was of disbelief instead of betrayed disappointment.  
He continued, "I don't know.  Someone could have covered it up or maybe the 
man that shot me and Scully caught wasn't even this Cardinal."

	"You thought about a clone?  Scully, I'm shocked."

	"Bite me, Mulder. *IF* it is possible, the technology doesn't have to 
be of extra-terrestrial origin."

	"One of these days, I will get you to agree with me, Scully."

	"Don't hold your breath," she ordered, but she said it with a twist of 
her lips.

		* * * * *

	It was decided that Skinner would be the one to go in and feel the 
place out when they reached the address listed in the documents X had given 
them.  Mulder balked at this, but he was outnumbered and gave in with a 
decided lack of grace.

	When Skinner returned a few minutes later, he did not look happy.  He 
slammed the door shut and stared straight ahead for a moment.  "We'll have to 
call this in.  It's just a front."

	"Dammit," Mulder cursed in frustration.  "I should have thought of 
that before we left Allentown."

	"I should have as well.  You have an excuse.  I don't."

	Scully looked between the two.  She should have thought of it too, but 
she had been glad to have any type of lead at the time.  "I think this may be 
the reason they usually don't let people close to a case work on it.  We're 
acting before we think."

	"Yeah, but I don't want to call anyone at the Bureau in on this.  That 
will just tell them exactly where we are.  I have some friends that are good 
at getting information.  I'll call them and have them get right on it.  But 
knowing them, they probably have a couple of leads for us already."

	They found a payphone and Mulder got out to make the call.  Scully 
followed, not willing to let him out of her sight again.

	Mulder didn't even bother with his normal command to turn the recorder 
off.  "Tell me what you've got so far, Langly."

	"Hey, Mulder, we've been waiting for your call.  When we couldn't 
track you down, we figured you had a lead."

	"It's a front.  I need you to look into who is behind it and I need it 
fast."

	"Not a problem, Mulder.  Everything else is on hold until the Little 
Gunman's found.  We did learn that the two in charge of the case are running 
in circles.  The lab guys keep changing their tune."

	"Yeah, we heard that.  OK.  We have one Dr. Jacob M. Barnett, an 
oncologist, specializing in infants.  Here are some names that are listed as 
his patients."  Mulder relayed the information and watched Scully the entire 
time.  Because of the cast, its sling, and the phone he didn't have a free 
hand.  For a moment, he felt like they were still partners and unable to 
touch.  To disprove it, he brushed his lips against her forehead in between 
sentences.

	She knew what he was feeling and wrapped her arms around him.  He 
finished the conversation with his cheek resting by her temple.

	At the end, he said, "We need to go stash ourselves someplace so they 
can hook up with us."  She nodded and stepped away.  They slowly walked back 
to the car in silence.  As he closed the door, he said to Skinner, "You might 
want to check and see what the lab results are saying now.  My friend implied 
that they're reporting something different again."

	"Shit.  And you dealt with this all the time?"

	"Yeah."

	"Shit."

	Mulder and Scully silently agreed.

		* * * * *

	"Mulder, please try and get some rest.  They'll call the second they 
have something."

	He stopped his pacing long enough to glare at her.  But then he 
stopped that as well.  She was going through just as much as he was right 
then.  "OK.  I will if you will."

	"I can't."

	"So I'll lie there and watch you pace?  I don't think so.  We either 
both lay down or we go for a walk.  I want to run, but..."  He held up his arm 
to show he was exhibiting some common sense.

	"I won't be able to sleep.  Let's go for that walk."  She pocketed the 
key to their room and stepped out into the hall.  "You want to tell Skinner 
we're leaving so he can listen for the phone?"

	"Scully, I haven't had to report to the man for over a year.  I kinda 
like it that way."

	"I think I know what you mean, but this way we won't miss the call."

	"Yes, dear."  He knocked on the door and was at her side after one 
sentence.  "OK, I reported in, now let's go."  He grabbed her hand and set off 
at a brisk pace.

	Scully quickened her pace to keep up, concentrating on that instead of 
the thoughts swirling around in her head.  His words a few minutes later 
didn't help.

	"Scully, I think maybe we should get a divorce."

	She stopped dead in her tracks, her grip on his hand pulling him to a 
stop as well.  "What?" The rest of her world was falling down around her and 
she couldn't breathe.

	He wouldn't meet her eyes as he repeated, "I think we should get a 
divorce."

	/He's trying to protect you.  He's trying to protect you. He's trying 
to protect you./ "Why?"

	"To protect you and Josh."

	"They would have come fob him anyway."

	"Yeah, because of me."

	"If it hadn't been for you, I wouldn't have him.  Mulder, he would 
have died, maybe never even been born, if it wasn't for you."

	"Everything I touch gets destroyed, Scully.  My sister, my father, my 
career, you, Josh.  Everything."

	"Not everything.  And it isn't you.  It's them.  They are the ones 
that destroy things, Mulder, not you.  You gave me our little boy.  You're my 
best friend, my lover, my husband.  You're my life, Mulder.  Don't let them 
take that, too.  We are going to find him."

	She willed him to believe her.  She knew he wanted to because he was 
still listening, but experience had taught him a tough lesson.  These people 
didn't play by any rules.  They weren't confined by laws or morals.  They did 
whatever they wanted and didn't give a rat's ass what it did to other people.

	"Mulder.  Do you still love me?"  She felt the tears of anger threaten 
at his silence, but she refused to let them fall.   /Don't let him start lIing 
now.  Please, God, don't let him start lying now,/ she prayed.

	"God, Scully, please don't doubt that.  Ever.  But..."

	"No buts, Mulder.  As long as you love me, you're stuck with me."

	He pulled her to him and buried his face in her hair.  She somehow 
managed to unhook his sling and pressed up flush against him.  She could feel 
a wetness at her temple and knew he felt the front of his shirt growing damp.

	"How can this be a strength as well as a weakness?"

	"It's a weakness only if we let it become one, Mulder.  I won't let it 
become one."  She felt him nod his agreement.

	They stayed that way for several minutes.  They had moved out of the 
middle of the sidewalk, but the occasional pedestrian still had to maneuver 
around them.  Finally they pulled back from each other.  Scully sniffed loudly 
as she redid the loop of his sling.  She smiled as he gallantly offered her 
his handkerchief.

	After wiping her eyes, she glared at him.  "You pull this shit again, 
Mulder, and I will shoot you."

	"I'll try not to, but I think I'm always going to feel guilty."

	"Go ahead.  Feel guilty.  And I'll feel stubborn.  And you'll be 
cynical.  I'll be skeptical.  It's who we are, Mulder.  I've known that for a 
very long time.  Just don't go making rash decision like that and expect me to 
go along with it.  I will fight you.  I've outlasted your 
guilt-ridden-push-Scully-away attitude before.  And that was before we had sex 
with each other.  Now think of what I'll do to keep you."

	"I'm that good, huh?"

	"We're that good, Mulder.  Together.  We're that good."

	"I love you.  And you'll probably have to hit me upside the head a 
couple of more times before we find him."

	"I'll start packing a two-by-four instead of my gun."  She paused.  
"Then again, I might need both."

	"Come on.  I think I'm hungry."

	She smiled slightly as they headed back to the motel.  Each time he 
went over the edge with one of his guilt trips, he came back closer to home.  
She hoped this wouldn't last much longer.  The confrontations were exhausting.

		* * * * *

	Mulder called Frohike every hour on the hour and hung up in 
frustration each time.  The guys were running checks on the oncologist and 
every place he had ever worked for, all the way back to the man's childhood.

	Skinner felt he should at least inform the agents assigned to the case 
what was going on.  They could be running the background on Barnett and get 
the information faster than Mulder's friends.  But then he would have to 
explain why he wanted it done and where he got the name to begin with, and he 
knew that Mulder and Scully wanted as few people as possible involved with 
this.  They only wanted people they could trust to know anything significant 
about what was going on.

	He felt honored to be included in that list of people.

	While they were waiting for the phone to ring with information they 
could act on, conversation was sparse.  Scully left at one point to pick up 
some painkillers and bandages for Mulder's injuries, but otherwise the three 
of them stayed in the hotel room and stared at the walls.  To help pass the 
time, Scully brought out a deck of cards from a case stashed in the trunk.  
She didn't want to think about the carseat that had been in there too.

	She answered Mulder's unspoken question.  "They're from the last road 
trip we had."

	"That was centuries ago."

	"I know.  And I'm surprised I didn't have any drugs in there as well."

	"This is the first time in a long time that I've been hurt, Scully."  
He ignored the reason for his injuries.  She didn't need him wallowing in 
self-pity at this particular moment.

	"But insurance companies are still trying to recover from all your 
previous claims."

	"As I recall, you were in the hospital a time or two yourself," he 
argued in his defense.

	"Yeah, but that was only because you got me quarantined right along 
with you.  All the other times, it was just a few hours of emergency room 
care."

	Skinner listened to them banter back and forth.  He knew they were 
ignoring any references to the past two years of their lives.  He could tell 
when one of them would start to say something that involved Joshua in any way. 
 A response would be a half a second out of step and their expression would 
become strained for just an instant.  He supplied the occasional comment, but 
followed their example on topics.

	The hours dragged by slowly and dinner was a non-descript feast from a 
diner across the way from the motel.  Mulder's friends called around eight 
with the news that Barnett had worked for Pink Pharmaceuticals for awhile.  He 
had done some consulting work for their anti-mutanigen program.  That was 
enough of a link to confirm Cancerman's involvement in both Mulder and 
Scully's eyes.  Not that they had needed any more evidence than what they had 
already known.  The guys were still working on a current address for Barnett. 
So far there had been several possibilities, but they had all been bogus.  
Skinner was somewhat amazed at the extent of information that Mulder's friends 
were obtaining and decided that he wasn't hearing parts of the one-sided 
conversations.  If he thought it would help, he would give them the passwords 
for the Bureau's system.  He didn't think it would, though.  They had 
apparently already downloaded everything they could on the guy out of the 
FBI's computers.

	Shortly after Mulder hung up the phone around ten, he said goodnight 
and retreated to his room.  The lack of sleep and tension was affecting them 
all and tempers were starting to run a little short.  Plus he knew that Scully 
and Mulder needed to spend some time alone.  They could have probably handled 
this on their own, but he decided to stay as back-up.  Mulder was no longer an 
agent and would have to be reminded of that.  His presence would lend an air 
of legality to whatever they ended up doing.  He was even willing to get beat 
up if it meant that Scully or Mulder could shoot one of the assholes without 
severe consequences.

		* * end * *

End New Beginnings II -- Old Issues (3/4)

From mason@umr.edu Mon Nov 04 19:30:16 1996
Let's see...Here's the second installment and the GC part.  Rated R, mostly 
for language, and a little bit of violence, plus a few mild sex scenes.

Disclaimer: I know this will never happen on the TV show.  That's what fanfic 
is all about.  It's also about not owning the characters.  That privilege goes 
to Chris Carter, 1013, and Fox.  No harm intended.  Some mild third season 
spoilers apply.  The thing was too far gone, and I thought it was almost done 
by Oct 4th, so I didn't even THINK about referring to anything in the fourth 
season.  I swear the last few scenes and any similarities to new eps are pure 
cowinkidink.

If people asked for parts from Something New and didn't get them, let me know. 
My server did something freaky and deleted part of my mail before I said it 
could.  I think I missed at least two people, so I'm not ignoring you. : ) If 
parts don't make it to your server, e-mail me.  Responding on the newsgroup 
might not make it to me for four or five days.  The whole series is New 
Beginnings.  The sections will be subtitled but should still be considered to 
be under the main title.

New Beginnings II -- Old Issues (4/4)
	By Nicole Mason (mason@umr.edu)
	4/96-10/96

	She brushed her teeth and carefully reviewed her options.  She could 
go back into the main room, lie down, and get a few hours of restless sleep.  
Or she could go in there, make love with her husband, and they could both get 
some real rest afterwards.  When she thought about it, there really wasn't 
anything to think about.  But because of his ribs and arm, she would be doing 
most of the work this time.  It was a job she was looking forward to.  The 
only snag in her plans was that she didn't think to bring any suggestive 
sleepwear.  But then again, she wanted to catch him completely off guard.  He 
always wore the most astonished looks on his face when she did surprise him.

	Mulder looked up from the TV that he really wasn't watching to see her 
emerge from the bathroom.  His heart tripped at the sight of her and the surge 
of emotions was familiar in its intensity.

	"Dana?"

	"Uh?"

	"Do you mind if I keep the TV on for awhile?"

	"Not at all," she said as she climbed into the bed.

	He was a little disappointed at the ease of his victory, but he didn't 
dwell on it as she moved in close to his side.  He moved his left arm around 
her and scooted down the bed to get more comfortable.  He had the remote 
resting by his right hand for easy access to his confined fingers and let his 
mind wander. He didn't like where it was going and tried forcing the images 
out of his head.  But it didn't work.  He kept imagining finding Josh, but his 
little boy wasn't the same.  Instead it was a hundred different visions from 
cases he had worked on.

	"Mulder, stop thinking."

	"Like I'm the only one."

	"No.  You're not and you know it.  But you need to rest."

	"Hey, I'm resting."

	"No, you're imagining the worst."

	"And you're not?  You know the statistics, Scully."

	"I do, but I can't think like that, Mulder.  I just can't stand to 
think about him being held somewhere, hurt, alone, or with that bastard and 
doctors running tests."

	"Don't," he pleaded.  He could hear how rough his own voice was, the 
fear and worry barely held in check.

	"You're right.  We both have to stop thinking."  With that she sat up 
and pulled her t-shirt over her head.

	"Dana?"

	"Just lie back and enjoy this," she commanded and maneuvered the 
blanket and his boxers out of the way.

	"Just be careful of my ribs," he said with a grin.

	"Well, if you don't make any sudden moves, you'll be fine."  Her 
gentle hands were moving slowly up and down his arms and she trailed her lips 
along his jaw.

	"I'm in trouble, aren't I?"

	"Major doo-doo," she agreed and moved to his ear.

		* * * * *

	Skinner reached for the remote and turned the volume up a little, 
hoping to drown out the sounds coming through the wall.  He hadn't thought 
about the consequences of having connecting rooms with the beds back to back. 
Now he wished he had.  He got up and moved to the chair.  It didn't really 
help, but it did diffuse the sounds some.

	It was hours later when there was a rather loud, frustrated "No more, 
dammit."  In moments, the male and female sounds of release blended in a 
harmony that set off a twinge of envy as well as a different sort of twinge.  
He had vague thoughts about a cold shower but decided he was too tired to 
expend the energy necessary to move beyond the bed.

	As he succumbed to sleep, he was extremely relieved when no further 
sounds could be heard from the two next door.  He had no idea how they had 
managed to control themselves for the duration of their partnership.

	But then again, he wasn't so sure they had.

		* * * * *

	The shrill ringing of the phone brought him out of a sound sleep.  He 
started to reach for it with his right hand, but the screams of protest from 
his arm and ribs forced him to let go of the warm body next to him.

	"Mulder," he said, still not awake.

	"We got an address."  The excitement crossed the wires and brought him 
fully awake. 

	He sat up and reached for the light.  Swinging his legs over the edge 
of the bed, he said, "Give it to me."  He felt Scully stirring as he wrote 
down the information which included directions to the house.  He took a deep 
breath.  "Thank you, Frohike."  The other man said there was no need for 
thanks, but Mulder wasn't listening.  He was too busy trying to keep the waves 
of emotion from overwhelming him.

	He felt Scully's hand on his back as he replaced the receiver.  "Get 
dressed.  I'll wake up Skinner."

	"They found something?"  Her voice was scratchy with sleep, but he 
could hear the hope and fear underlining her words.

	"Yeah.  I want to get there before the bastard has a chance to even go 
into his office."

	Quickly and efficiently they dressed.  Mulder had knocked once, opened 
the door, stuck his head into the other room and ordered the assistant 
director of the FBI to get up and get dressed.  He had no use for protocol and 
neither did his wife as she checked the clip in her gun.  Within ten minutes, 
they were out the door and headed toward Dr. Barnett's home.

		* * * * *

	Skinner drove while Scully navigated.  He had the same fears as his 
two passengers and paid little heed to the traffic laws.  It was too early for 
rush hour and they crossed the city in record time.  He could hear their 
mental sighs of relief when the beige BMW the guys had told them about was 
spotted in the circular drive in front of the house.

	Before he could even bring the car to a complete stop, they were 
opening their doors and leaving him behind.  He caught up with them as they 
waited for someone to answer the knock at the door.  He saw part of the mental 
conversation taking place and knew Mulder was going to head around to the back 
of the house.

	"I'll do it," he said.  If there was trouble, he had the badge and the 
uninjured gun hand.  They both nodded in response and he quickly made his way 
to the side gate, praying there wasn't a dog on the other side.

	He scanned the windows and ground under them, looking for signs of 
disturbance in the soil.  Nothing seemed out of place.  Everything was 
manicure perfect.  At the back of the house, the kitchen was mostly glass with 
large sliding doors.  There wasn't even a fingerprint to mar the surface.  He 
did notice that a light was coming from down the hall and he headed around the 
other side of the house.  The french doors were closed and the drapes were 
pulled tight, except for a small crack.  Through it, he could see a pool of 
blood.

	He imagined he had taken too long to report back to the two impatient, 
worried, people waiting at the front of the house.  Before he could even think 
"probable cause", Mulder was rounding the house and Scully was opening the 
door from the inside.

	He figured his suspicions were right at the frown on her face and went 
to check it out.  Victim was a Caucasian male in his fifties with an apparent 
self-inflicted gunshot wound to the head.  There were no signs of struggle in 
the area, nor were there any bruises on the victim.  From the looks of it, he 
had been dead for several hours.

	"Did you see anything?" he asked Scully.

	"No.  No signs of forced entry.  The key was in one of those rocks out 
front."  He nodded and she leaned down and pulled on a pair of gloves from her 
purse, being careful not to move anything.  "Six to eight hours, I'd say.  The 
angle is right for self-inflicted.  I don't see any signs of bruising on the 
temple or hand.  But the coroner will have to make sure."

	"Fine.  I'll call it in," he said and reached inside his coat for his 
phone.  Mulder's hand on his shoulder stopped him mid-motion.  "What?"

	"We need to look around first."

	"Mulder, we have to call this in."

	"They'll seal this place off and we won't be able to get any 
information for several hours.  At least."

	"So you want to rifle through his files and then report it?"  He 
couldn't believe what he was hearing.

	"I want to make sure we find what information he has on Joshua before 
it gets misfiled, misplaced or just plain stolen."

	"That won't happen."

	"Excuse me, sir.  But it's happened more times than I really care to 
admit.  Evidence has a way of disappearing when that bastard and his friends 
are involved."  Skinner stepped back from the ice in the man's eyes as Mulder 
said unnecessarily, "Scully, start looking through the files."  She had 
already pulled on a pair of gloves and opened the top drawer of one of the 
cabinets.

	"Mulder, I can't let you do this."

	"You won't stop me."

	"This is a crime scene we're talking about," he tried to reason.

	"This is my son we're talking about.  I no longer work for your 
FUCKING Bureau and you will not tell me what I can and cannot do to get him 
back."

	"Mulder --" Scully started softly.

	"No, Scully.  They're not going to tie my hands again.  We get Josh 
back and that's it.  I thought we were through with this.  I quit the X-Files 
to protect you and the baby.  I let them have their little secrets.  I let 
them have their hearts' desire.  But I will not let them have my family."

	"Fox, we may disturb forensic evidence," Skinner tried again.

	"I don't care.  The man's dead; he isn't going to talk.  If they 
killed him, they won't be found.  I'm not going to lose hours, maybe even a 
full day, while someone decides whether information in here is vital to Josh's 
kidnaping."  He headed for the computer and started to reach for the keyboard.

	"Mulder, at least use gloves," he ordered and extended his hand to 
Scully for a set for himself.

	The next hour had Mulder searching the files on the computer while he 
and Scully checked the two filing cabinets.  After looking for obvious names, 
they systematically went through every piece of paper in the room.  He felt a 
small twinge as the body remained in the chair, but he didn't stop looking for 
anything that might be useful.

	"Mulder?"

	"You got something, Scully?"  He straightened up and walked over to 
her.

	"It was inside another file."

	He looked down at the papers and Skinner moved in to look as well.  
"What is it?"

	"Blood work-up results," she answered.

	"Is it the baby's?"

	"I think so.  Physical description and all of the general information 
listed is the same.  It even has his birthmark listed.  There's a copy of a 
form for notifying Family Services."

	"What?"

	"The baby's supposed to be picked up from pediatrics at Cook County 
today at 10:00."  She swung wild eyes upward after checking her watch.  
"Mulder, we have to go.  It's going to take us almost an hour to get there."

	"Shit," Skinner said under his breath as the other two headed for the 
door.  "You two go.  I'll call the Chicago office and see if I can straighten 
this mess out here."  He doubted they even heard him as they left the room 
without pause.

		* * * * *

	She said a silent litany of prayers as she navigated through the 
traffic at an angry pace.  Every so often her eyes would frantically search 
Mulder's face.  It remained sorrowful, but otherwise impassive as he refused 
to speak.  She didn't bother to look for a parking spot when they arrived.  
Finding the nearest empty curb space, she killed the engine and they both 
jumped out of the car.  Vaguely she heard some calling that they couldn't 
leave the car there, but they were already in the hospital.

	"Pediatrics," Mulder demanded at the busy information center.

	The receptionist was in the process of ignoring them to help the 
people in front of them when Scully slapped her badge down on the counter.  
"Where is the Pediatrics floor."

	The receptionist acknowledged them with a startled jerk.  "Fourth 
floor, west wing."

	They took off at a run towards the bank of elevators.  Scully checked 
her watch again as the elevator crawled up the few floors.  It was twenty 
after ten and her heart was refusing to calm down.  The ding of the bell was 
almost like a gunshot and they both exited the car before the doors had fully 
opened.

	"We're looking for Joshua Mulder," Mulder said to the nurses at the 
station.

	There were several confused frowns and Scully tried to clarify things. 
 "Eighteen month old boy, brought in for blood work.  He was supposed to be 
picked up by someone from Family Services at ten."

	"Oh, Baby John," one of the nurses said and reached for a chart.  "Who 
are you?"

	"Dana Scully, FBI."  Again she flashed her badge.  For some reason, 
she didn't want them to know she was the baby's mother.  Who knew what story 
Barnett had told Family Services.

	"Yes, Family Services did pick him up.  Almost an hour ago."

	Early.  They had been early.  Mulder's knees almost gave out on him.  
"Who was the representative?  And how can we reach her?"

	"Let's see..." she said and started looking through the file.  "Laura 
Freeburg.  Here's her office number."  She passed the information and Mulder 
headed toward the payphone at the end of the hall.

	Scully wanted more information on the baby and asked, "What kind of 
condition was the baby in?"

	"I wasn't here when they brought him in, but he was healthy.  You said 
his name is Joshua?"

	"Yes.  If it's the same baby, he was kidnaped from his home one 
hundred and fifteen hours ago."  She reached into her purse and pulled out a 
recent photo of her son.  She handed the nurse the picture and said several 
prayers.

	"Yes.  This is Baby John.  He was sweet, but quiet.  Didn't cry or 
fuss much."

	"Do you think he was drugged?"  That sure didn't sound like her 
rambunctious child.  "May I see his charts?"

	The nurse passed the papers.  "There wasn't any indication in his 
blood workup.  He just seemed really sad."

	"Scully, I got a hold of Ms. Freeburg.  She just dropped the baby off 
at a foster home.  She'll meet us back there."

	Scully handed the chart back to the nurse and they ran out of the 
building again.  Their car was being ticketed when they reached it and she 
silently cursed.  The officer wasn't too impressed with her FBI status, nor 
was he overly worried about the kidnaping case.  She impatiently waited for 
him to finish writing the ticket.  She gunned the engine and ignored the cop's 
glare as tires squealed when she pulled away.

	Her heart was pounding as she screeched to a halt in front on a small, 
neat home.  She looked over at Mulder again, afraid to hope, and she could see 
the same fear in his eyes.  Taking a deep breath, she opened the door and they 
both hurried up the steps to the house.  They were greeted by an older woman 
with a gentle smile.

	"May I help you?"

	"Yes.  I'm Dana Scully with the FBI and this is Fox Mulder.  We spoke 
with Laura Freeburg and were told that you have an eighteen month old boy in 
your care."  She extracted her ID once again and let the woman criticize it.

	"Yes, Laura called and told me she would be coming back.  I'm Rosemary 
Hopkins."

	"Ma'am, can we see the baby and make sure he's the one we're looking 
for?"  Mulder wanted to bust through the house to look for his son, but he 
managed to control the need.  Barely.

	She paused for a moment and then stepped away from the door.  "If 
you'll wait here, I'll bring him in."  She indicated that they should have a 
seat and left the room.

	Mulder and Scully both remained standing.

	When she returned, she was carrying a little boy with wild brown hair 
and warm hazel eyes.  "He's a quiet little thing.  Won't even tell us his 
name, but he does understand."

	The baby saw the other two people in the room and started squirming in 
the woman's grasp.  "Momma.  Dadda."  He managed to wiggle so much that Ms. 
Hopkins set him down and he took off across the room.

	Scully knelt and gathered the little body tight against her.  The 
tears were falling freely as she stood up with the baby still in her arms.  
Before she was standing straight, she was pulled against Mulder's chest with 
the baby in between them.

	It was several minutes later that the angry "What is going on here?" 
penetrated their little circle.  Scully passed the baby to Mulder and watched 
as the little boy held onto his father's neck trustingly.

	"I'm Agent Dana Scully with the FBI.  This is Fox Mulder, my husband."

	"You didn't mention that on the phone, Agent Mulder."

	He shrugged and continued to hold his son.

	"Josh was kidnaped five days ago.  We found papers this morning 
telling us he had been taken to Cook County and then to Family Services."

	The woman stared hard at the two people that were still holding onto 
the baby.  The little boy rested his head against the man's shoulder while the 
woman's hand rested on the baby's back.  "Your superiors let you work on the 
case?"

	"Not officially, as you well know," Scully admitted.

	"I'll need to speak with your supervisor and the agents on the case 
before I can release the baby into your custody," she warned.

	Scully told her Skinner's cellular number and could almost hear the 
man's sigh of relief when Ms. Freeburg relayed what was going on.  She 
accepted the phone when it was passed to her.  "Sir?... He seems fine, sir.  I 
want to have him checked out again.... Yes, sir."  She paused to smile.  
"Right now, Josh is attached to Mulder's neck.  Neither one is letting 
go....OK.  We'll see you soon."  She told him the address and handed the phone 
back to Ms. Freeburg so she could give him directions.

	Scully returned to Mulder's side.  "Can Momma hold you now, too?"  The 
baby nodded and crossed the small space separating them.  With his one hand 
free, Mulder pulled her head to rest against his chest again.

	"Can you tell us anything about the doctor that contacted you?"  
Mulder asked.

	"No.  It was just someone from the hospital staff.  They said the baby 
had been brought in two days ago, but no one had seen who it was."

	"Scully?"

	"I don't know, Mulder.  Maybe Skinner found something more at his 
home.  He'll let us know when he gets here," she said.  She had to be quiet as 
the baby started trying to talk.  "Boo boo?  You're hurt?"  She went to sit 
down so she could look him over.

	"No.  He wants his bear," Mulder said with a relieved smile.

	"Oh, Munchkin, your bear's at home.  But we'll get him soon," she 
promised as Mulder sat next to her.  She did a cursory exam of her child, 
looking for any recent irritation around his neck, abdomen or nose.

	"Tick-ul, Momma," he said when her fingers ran along his ribs.

	"Does it?" she asked.

	"No tick-ul, Momma."  He started to squirm in her grasp as she 
purposefully tried to lighten her and Mulder's moods.  "Dadda, hewlp."

	"Come ‘ere, guy.  I'll protect you."

	The baby scrambled across her to stand in his father's lap.  Scully 
could see the pain he was causing himself as he thought about his last words. 
"You did, Mulder," she said softly and indicated how Josh was acting normal 
around his father.

	Mulder wasn't reassured by her statement and remained silent on the 
subject.  He was relieved when Skinner and some other agent came to the door a 
short time later, preventing any further discussion on the topic.

	Skinner approached Mulder and Scully when they remained on the couch. 
He crouched down and said, "Hey little guy, how are you?"

	The little boy twisted his father's shirt and said, "Fine."  He 
recognized the big man, but there was no substitute for his Dadda.

	"Scully?" Skinner asked.

	"Fine, sir.  But I want his doctor to look him over thoroughly when we 
get home."

	Skinner nodded and stood up.  With just a few sentences, he had most 
of the mess straightened out and Mulder saw some benefit to being diplomatic. 
There were still forms and paperwork to be processed, but it all went rather 
quickly and they were back at the motel in time for dinner.

	Scully called her mother, Mulder talked to Frohike and the guys, and 
Skinner made sure the people in DC knew the baby had been found.  Johnson and 
Martin were now able to concentrate solely on finding the men involved in the 
kidnaping.  Mulder, Scully and Skinner had no real hopes that the men would be 
found and could only be ready in case they tried again.  It was a very 
relieved crew that headed back to Washington in the morning.

	"Sir, what else did you find at Barnett's?"  Scully watched in the 
review mirror as Mulder kept the baby occupied.

	"Unless they've become subtle, the gunshot wound was self inflicted.  
It turns out Barnett's granddaughter died two weeks ago.  She was only five 
months old."

	"The same thing as the other children?"  Scully asked softly.

	"It looks like it so far."

	"You think he didn't turn Josh over to them because they used his 
family," Mulder concluded.

	"I think it's a possibility," Skinner agreed.

	"It also means they could try to take Josh again."

	"We can put you in protective custody."

	Mulder laughed humorlessly.  "Right.  Like that would work.  Besides, 
I wouldn't trust anybody else in the Bureau not to be one of them."

	"We can't be the only ones with a surviving child, Mulder.  We just 
have to find a way to let them in on our secret without letting them know we 
know."

	"You forgot a "they know" at the end of that, Scully."  There was a 
little more of his normal self in that statement.

	She flashed him an annoyed look and Skinner said, "What about a nice 
little chat in my office?  I've known they've had it bugged for years."  They 
both shot him startled glances.  "I'm not completely stupid, thank you," he 
said lightly.

	"That would be a rather strange discussion to be having in the AD's 
office," Mulder said, tongue in cheek.

	"Even if you were in there to discuss the possibility of reopening the 
X-Files?"  He had been kicking the idea around for several months.  In the 
last month alone, there had been three cases that came across his desk that 
would have qualified and were still classified as unsolved.

	"Are you serious?"

	"Yes."

	Conversation ceased for several hours.

		* * * * *

	They both avoided the topic Skinner had dropped on them for the next 
several days, but Scully could see he was thinking about it.  She knew she 
wouldn't be transferred back into the division, but she also knew that if 
Mulder rejoined the Bureau, he wouldn't hesitate to ask her opinion.

	It was almost two weeks later that he said, "Scully, I want to go 
back."

	She saved the report she was working on and turned to face him.  "Are 
you sure, Mulder?"

	"Yeah."

	"OK," was all she said.

	"You're not going to give me any flack about this?"

	"Why would I?"  She was genuinely confused.

	"I'll be going back out in the field.  I'll be chasing after shadows 
and little grey men," he warned.

	"I know that, Mulder.  It used to be my job, too."

	He still didn't look convinced about what he thought was too easy of a 
victory.  "I'm going to be right in the middle of it all again, Dana."

	"And I'll have to trust that you'll come back to us, Mulder," she said 
as she crossed the room and sat down next to him.

	"You could come back, too," he said in a hollow voice.

	Patiently she shook her head.  "No.  We knew I was officially out of 
it two years ago, Mulder.  I'll help any way I can, but they would never 
reassign us as partners."

	"I know.  It was just a thought."  He was quiet for a moment as he 
stared out into nothing.  "We're going to have to get a babysitter."  His 
voice was tight with the conflicting emotions.

	She didn't like that idea either.  What if they tried to take Josh 
again?  "We can take Josh to the daycare at work.  And he would be close by."

	"He's going to be confused by all the changes, Scully."

	She couldn't tell if he was trying to point that out to make himself 
feel worse about his decision or if he was just stating a fact.  "It's going 
to take several days for the paperwork to get straightened out.  I can take 
him in the mornings and you can pick him up at lunch.  That way it won't be a 
shock for him and you can have time to deal with the red tape."

	He nodded, somewhat in defeat.

	"Mulder, you don't have to do this."

	"Yes, I do.  They're not going to stop, Scully.  And by working on the 
X-Files, maybe we can do enough to at least slow them down."

	She nodded in understanding.  They had been deluding themselves by 
thinking they would be left alone.  "I'm only going to ask you one thing."

	He tensed beside her.  "What?"

	"Remember you have people that do love you.  I know you're going to 
take chances and I know you're going to change with this.  But I fell in love 
with you while you were at your most obsessive and paranoid point and I love 
you now.  That's not going to change, Mulder, and I won't let you use that as 
an excuse to isolate yourself."

	His small smile was lighter, but still on the tight side.  "You think 
we can make it through this?"

	"Only if you don't give up, Mulder."

	"I'm not exactly known for changing my beliefs and easily letting go 
of things," he said and pulled her tight against his side.

	She relaxed into him and watched the screensaver as it flickered 
across the room for a moment.  There was one more topic they needed to 
discuss.  "As soon as I start my next cycle, I'm going to go on the Pill," she 
said after a long silence.  Their current means of birth control was good, but 
it wasn't the most effective.

	His arm tightened around her for just a second.  Then he nodded once 
and brought his other arm, still in the cast, around her as well.  "It's 
probably best," he agreed.

	Sadly, she nodded and then encircled his waist.  She had wanted more 
children, but, "I don't want to learn Josh was just a fluke by having our 
other baby die, Mulder."

	"I don't want that either."

		* * end* *

End New Beginnings -- Old Issues (4/4)