A Normal Life?

Title: A Normal Life?
Author: Nosmeagel
Feedback: Constructive criticism and feedback always appreciated, but please keep it civil and helpful! :)
Disclaimer: Most of these characters are not mine

Summary: The last 5 episodes of S9 never happened. Instead, Mulder returned safely to expose and defeat the Super Soldiers with Scully, Doggett and Reyes- effectively foiling the alien's immediate plans for colonization. Believing the imminent danger to have passed, Mulder and Scully have settled down with William to finally have that "normal life" they both have dreamed of. Or so they think...

Not much longer now, Mr. Mulder. Enjoy your normal life while you can. In very short order, it will all come crashing down around your ears.

Silently gazing out the window at his young son playing in the back yard, Mulder laughed to himself. He was so amused and delighted at Will's antics with his new puppy. He watched them chase one another around and around the giant oak tree then to the fence and back. It was so perfect. He had to admit that Scully was right on this one - a dog was a good idea. Smirking, he recalled his own arguments against it. He'd said that Will was too young to take care of it and, since he was the one who was the "at-home" parent, he didn't want to end up spending all day cleaning up after "some mangy mutt." He even pointed out that Scully's own brief foray into dog ownership had ended badly - but it was all to no avail. Scully just gently shook her head smiling "We have a house now and just wait until you see Will with a puppy. You'll forget that you ever had objections." She was so right. He wouldn't trade the scene unfolding before him for the world. The little golden retriever, Walter, had jumped up -- plopping his oversized puppy paws onto little Will's chest and gently knocking him down into the fallen leaves. Not missing an opportunity, Walter covered Will's face with slobbery kisses causing the boy to giggle and shriek with delight.

"I'd better break this up before Mommy gets home," Mulder mused aloud as he watched the pair rolling from the leaves into the somewhat muddy flowerbed.

Getting up from his desk, he laughed and shook his head at himself as he made his way to the back door. Not only did he just call Scully "Mommy" without Will being anywhere near but HE--Spooky Mulder--was worried about mud getting tracked into the house and on the carpet. "My god, I am SO completely domesticated." Things had sure changed in the last three and half years-and he wouldn't have it any other way.

"Hey you two!" Mulder called walking into the back yard and trying his darndest to keep a straight face. Will and Walter were too busy wrestling in the fresh earth to even notice him until he was practically right on top of them. "I thought we had enough mud pies yesterday when we planted Mommy's flowers" Mulder laughed as he scooped Will and Walter up, one in each arm, and carried them towards the house.

The squirming puppy turned in his arms and began furiously licking his face-sending Will into peals of laughter. "Get him Walter!!" he giggled.

Reaching the porch, Mulder gently set them both down on their feet and knelt to pick the leaves out of Will's tousled hair as Walter pranced excitedly around them. Looking into his son's beaming, mud streaked face Mulder, trying in vain to muster a "serious Daddy" voice, asked "How are Mommy's flowers ever going to grow with the two of you playing rock'em sock'em wrestler on top of them?"

"Aw Daddy, we didn't hurt 'em..." Will groaned. "...and besides," continuing in the same tone that his mother would use when proving a point, "YOU said yesterday that those two-lipped bulbs wouldn't come up until my birthday and that's for-ever away!"

"That's tulip bulbs" Mulder laughed, completely giving up on the idea of holding in his joy and amazement at the miracle that was his little boy. He was so smart and remembered everything-just like his mother in countless ways. Mulder could also see so much of himself in Will-especially when he got himself into trouble. Looking him over from head to toe, Mulder chuckled in a mock-stern voice "You sure made a mess of yourself, Slugger. Look at you!" Then, tickling him for emphasis, "You know the rules. NO MUD MONSTERS IN THE House!!" Will laughed that wonderful little laugh that Mulder loved so much as he hugged him close.

Releasing Will from his embrace as he stood, Mulder went on, "We'd better hurry and get cleaned up before Mommy gets home. So, take those muddy shoes off so we can go inside and give you a much-needed bath."

"But you said we'd play space cowboys when you got done with your papers!" Will pouted as he sat down to kick off his sneakers.

Immediately, Walter ran to him and jumped in his lap, knocking him down again "Hey!!!" Will laughed.

Picking the puppy up and tucking him under one arm as he opened the back door with his free hand, Mulder grinned at his son. "We can still play later, but we have to do this first."

Will got up and obediently left his shoes on the mat as he moped through the open door toward the bathroom. "I don't see why" he sulked with just the slightest hint of a whine in his little voice "I don't want a dumb bath."

"Hey now. Remember when we talked the other day about how hard Mommy works and how tired she is when she gets home?" Mulder mildly scolded as he shut the back door and followed close behind.

"Well, you know that the one thing that she waits all day for is getting home so she can get lots of hugs and kisses from you when she comes through that door. Now, how do you suppose she can she get those with you being such a little mud-ball?"

"I dunno." Will sighed as he walked into the main bathroom and sat down on the tile floor. Mulder followed, put Walter down beside Will and shut the bathroom door behind them before the puppy could escape and track muddy paw prints across the house.

"Well I do," Mulder responded chipperly as he plugged the tub drain and started running the water. "You can take a bath, put on some clean clothes, and be all ready with super clean hugs and kisses for Mommy when she gets home."

"Alright Daddy," Will relented, stripping off his mud-stained clothes and tossing them on the floor.

"Like father like son" Mulder thought as he picked them up and threw them into the dirty clothes hamper. Feeling the rising water with his hand to make sure the temperature was just right, he looked at Will and said, "You ready then, Tiger?"

"You do," Mulder murmured as he gingerly picked Will up and sat him in the tub. Opening the adjacent cabinet and peering inside he then asked "What toys do you want?"

Will eyed the muddy puppy scampering about the floor. "I don't want toys. I want Walter to have a bath with me."

"No. First you. Then Walter." Mulder grimaced shaking his head. Although the eager look on Will's face tempted him to give in, he could just see the mess and the look on Scully's face when he told her he'd given their son and the dog a bath together. Not a good idea-time for diversionary tactics. "How about the diver or the sailboat instead."

"The diver!! The diver!!" Will loved that toy and shouted with glee as Mulder tossed it into the soapy water.

"The diver it is." Mulder sighed, thankful that Will had let the idea of bathing with Walter go so easily. "Now, lets see if there's a little boy under all this mud" he joked as he began shampooing and scrubbing.

After Will's bath was done, it was Walter's turn. As Mulder helped Will towel off he glanced at the clock on the bathroom wall. "3:55 Slugger. That gives us about two and half hours before Mommy gets home. Do you think you could help me get Walter clean?"

"You betcha, kiddo." Mulder grinned. It was so wonderful to see things through Will's eyes. Who else could get so excited about washing a dog? "You hold the shower curtain so he doesn't splash all over the place while I scrub him down. Then you can dry him off while I hold him. Sound like a plan?"

"You betcha, Daddy." Will beamed with pride. Only BIG kids could manage washing a dog.

4:15pm and Mulder, Will and Walter were completely drenched. While the "plan" sounded good at the time, it soon fell apart. Mulder thought he was so smart and conservation minded by re-using Will's bath water to wash Walter. The problem was that Walter didn't want to stay in the tub all by himself and splashed around in a vain attempt to get to Will. While they were able to get Walter clean, all that splashing made for the edge of the tub very slippery- as Mulder found out when he balanced himself on it with one hand while trying to keep Walter from jumping out of the tub with the other. Suddenly, his hand slipped out from under him and he pitched forward, face first, into the soapy water-which sloshed over the edge of the tub onto the floor.

"Great." Mulder thought, pulling back onto his knees and shaking the water from his dripping arms. Not only was his sweatshirt was completely soaked but the whole front of his jeans was wet from the tidal surge his falling in the water had created.

Will just howled in amusement. Completely forgetting about holding the shower curtain, he pointed at that front of Mulder's jeans and laughed "Daddy, you look like you peed yourself!!" He then rolled onto the floor laughing uncontrollably.

Mulder grinned mischievously as he scooped up some bathwater with his hands "Oh, you think that's funny do you? We'll see who looks like they peed themselves." He proceeded to splash Will with bathwater. Will just shrieked and laughed. The more Mulder splashed him, the harder Will laughed.

Not wanting to be left out, Walter took this opportunity to escape the tub and scurry over the side. Touching down on the tile, he jumped around between Mulder and Will-eager to be a part of the game.

Pausing to catch his breath Mulder panted "Had enough? Do you surrender or do we need to continue the water torture?""

Father and son grinned at each other. Just then, Walter bounded in between them and shook the excess water from his coat. "Hey!" they yelled in unison, raising their hands against Walter's showery onslaught.

Grabbing a towel from the cabinet, Mulder threw it over the dog to end the watery assault and began toweling him off. Looking around to survey the damage, Mulder groaned. Water had gotten all over the mirrors, the counters, the walls-nothing escaped the dousing. "Oh boy, we'd better clean this mess up before Mommy gets home." Mulder whistled, tossing Will a towel. "Why don't you dry yourself off, go put on some dry clothes, and go color in your coloring books while I take care of this?"

"Aw!! Can't we play some more?!? This is way better than space cowboys!!" Will cried wanting their one-sided water battle to continue.

"Sorry Slugger" Mulder countered gently "Mommy's going to be home in less than two hours and we certainly don't want her coming home to this mess. I haven't even figured out what we're having for dinner."

"Now you know better than that" Mulder smirked "Friday's are pizza night and this isn't Friday. Now, you'd better go-those dry clothes and coloring books are calling you."

Will shrugged, got up and started for the door--discarding his towel on the floor. He then turned saying "Daddy, you always say that but I never hear them. I think you need to get your ears checked."

"You're probably right," Mulder chuckled, shaking his head "but you don't want to keep them waiting if you're wrong."

Will shot Mulder that same look Scully always gave him whenever she humored him by going along with doing something she thought was silly just because he asked her to. "You're silly, Daddy," Will giggled as he turned and walked down the hall toward his room.

"Like mother, like son." Mulder smiled to himself as he began mopping up the mess they'd made. It was days like these that Mulder knew they would both treasure for the rest of their lives.

It took Mulder only twenty minutes to get the bathroom looking "normal" again. Sighing as he peeled off his wet clothes, Mulder decided that, if he did the laundry quickly, Scully would never know about their little "battle." "It's probably better that way" he smirked to himself "she never seems to get male bonding anyway."

Tossing the clothes in the hamper, he started for their bedroom to get some fresh clothes. Popping his head in Will's room as he walked by, Mulder piped "Hey Will, Mommy doesn't need to know about all the splashing. It might upset her if she knew so let's keep it our little secret, okay?"

Will was sitting at his little game table coloring intently while Walter lay dozily at his feet. Looking up from his coloring books momentarily, Will smiled. "Okay Daddy. I won't tell on you" and then went back to coloring. Mulder continued on smiling, shaking his head and convinced that he and Scully had created a mischievous little monster.

Pulling a grey sweatshirt over his t-shirt and jeans, Mulder walked back into the hall. "Hey Slugger!" he called to his son as he retrieved the clothes hamper "Why don't you bring that into the kitchen and keep me company while I make dinner?"

"Okay! In a minute," Will called back as Walter bounded out of the room and into the hallway at the sound of Mulder's voice.

Mulder walked down the hallway, through the kitchen and into the laundry room with Walter scampering along behind him. Opening the washing machine, he slyly looked around him before dumping the entire contents of the hamper inside. "I wouldn't do this if Mommy were here you know" he explained to the waggling puppy "She'd kill me if she knew that I didn't sort it by colors but we don't have time for that right now. As long as we wash it in cold, it'll be fine. Just our little secret, right Walter?" Mulder grinned as he tossed in a cup of detergent, lowered the lid and started the wash.

Moving into the kitchen, he opened the refrigerator door and stared at what was inside. He definitely needed to go to the grocery store. All they really had was some fresh broccoli and thawed chicken breast-just enough for three. He put them on the counter along with Scully's skim milk and no-fat butter spray. Sliding over to the pantry he took out a box of instant mashed potatoes. "Voila! We have din-ner" he said aloud in an outrageous French accent. Reaching under the counter, he pulled out a mixing bowl, baking sheet, and the vegetable steamer. Quickly looking at the oven clock he muttered to himself "4:45-you'd better get a move on."

"Daddy, are you talking to yourself?" came Will's little voice from the doorway.

"You betcha Slugger" he replied with a chuckle, pulling the garlic and oregano from the spice rack "cause no one else is a better listener."

"You're so right." Mulder smiled walking over to him and kneeling down to tousle his hair. "Hey. Wanna be a big boy and help Daddy make dinner?"

Just then the phone rang. Mulder checked the caller ID to make sure it wasn't a telemarketer. Federal Bureau of Investigations came up on the LCD. "Mommy's going to be late for dinner" Mulder advised Will as he picked up the phone. Smirking, Mulder decided that he'd try to pull a fast one on her.

"International House of Pancakes. This is Rodney speaking. How may I help you?" Mulder quipped, trying his best to fake a cracking teenage voice.

Not missing a beat Scully responded using her most sultry voice "Yes, my sex-craved husband and I would like two orders of HOT blueberry syrup to go please...and a couple of cans of whipped cream if you have them."

"Why Agent Scully, I don't know what to say." Mulder blushed furiously. She'd gotten him but good-talking to him that way knowing full well he couldn't say anything back because Will was nearby. Turnabout was fair play. That was alright though, he'd get her back later. "Would you like to talk to your son?"

"You know very well that he is smarty." Mulder replied slyly- already trying to figure out how he was going to get her back.

"Mommy!! Mommy!!" Will cried, reaching for the phone. Mulder handed him the cordless and turned his attention to the instant potatoes.

"Hi Sweetie!!" Scully cooed into the phone. "What have you and Daddy been up to?"

"We didn't have a water fight in the bathroom." Mulder, his mouth agape, turned and stared at Will. Will just smiled back innocently.

"I see." Scully replied rolling her eyes-more of that incomprehensible male bonding no doubt. At least she knew that Mulder would have it cleaned up well before she got home. "Anything else that you didn't do?"

"Noooo," he said shaking his head as he said it and looking at Mulder who nodded approvingly. Then turning and sitting on the floor he asked "Mommy, are you going to be late for dinner AGAIN?"

"Yes Sweetie, I'm sorry" she wincingly replied. She hated having to work late and hated disappointing Will even worse. "Mommy has to stay pretty late tonight. You'll probably already be asleep by the time I get home."

"Why don't you talk that over with Daddy, Sweetie?" She replied, sighing. She hated not being there to tuck him in.

"Sweetie, I love you and I'll see you soon. Now, can you put Daddy back on the phone?"

"Okay Mommy. I love you too" Will sighed. Walking over and poking Mulder in the leg with the phone he dejectedly said, "Mommy wants to talk to you." He dolefully held the phone to his Daddy.

Mulder reached down and stroked Will's hair as he took the phone. "So what's going on there?" he asked gently, knowing how much it bothered her to have to stay late.

"The Omaha field office sent up a body that needs to be autopsied tonight. Since I pulled cadaver duty at the Forensic Center tonight, I have to stay and do it. I'd have called sooner but they tagged me just as I was leaving. I'm sorry-you haven't started dinner yet have you?"

"No, that's okay. I'll just grab a salad or something at the cantina before I start the autopsy."

"Scully, you should eat more than rabbit food-especially if you'll be working late." Mulder really worried about her eating habits sometimes.

"Well, I should be done no later than eight. So, with the drive, I'll be home by probably nine or nine-thirty at the latest."

Hanging up the phone, Mulder walked over to Will who was skulking around the kitchen doorway. "Hey Slugger don't be sad" Mulder said brightly trying to cheer Will back up "Mommy will be back before you know it."

"Yeah, I know." Will despondently replied "But not in time to tuck me in or read me a story." Tiny tears hung in his eyes.

"I'll tell ya what" Mulder suggested picking Will up and holding him close as he carried him back into the kitchen. "Why don't we get you ready for bed at seven like we normally do and then we can stay up and watch videos or play whatever you want until Mommy gets home."

Will looked up at Mulder with eyes filled with gratitude and adoration "I love you Daddy."

"I love you too, son" Mulder whispered tenderly, blinking back tears of his own. Not wanting to make Will sad again, Mulder then deliberately brightened up. Setting Will down on a stool at the counter he smiled "Now, let's get dinner going. I'm hungry!"

They finished eating dinner by six. Will had been less than enthused about the broccoli and baked chicken-that is until Mulder brought out the cheese sauce. Slathering a healthy dose over Will's meat and vegetables, Mulder urged "There. Try it now."

Wrinkling his nose, Will cautiously took another bite. A smile of delight slowly spread across his tiny face. "Wow Daddy, this isn't so bad after all. We should put cheese on EVERYTHING!"

Smirking from over his own cheese- covered plate, Mulder replied "Mental note: Will wants cheese sauce on everything-including his ice cream and his cereal and his cookies." Picking up the ladle from the pan of cheese sauce, he continued, "here, let's put some in your milk--"

"No Daddy!!" Will squealed, clamping his hands over the top of his cup in an effort to protect it from the approaching ladle.

"Oh, I'm sorry." Mulder started in feigned surprise as he put down the ladle "I thought you said you wanted cheese on everything. Isn't that right?"

"Well that's good-cause you know how Mommy feels about cheese--too much fat and calories," Mulder grinned between bites. "I don't think she'd buy off on you having cheese for breakfast, lunch and dinner." They grinned at each other as they finished their meal.

Once dinner was over, Will "helped" Mulder clear the table while Walter jumped about their feet, hoping for scraps. After the kitchen was cleaned and the dirty dishes stowed safely in the dishwasher, Mulder focused on wrapping up the plate of leftovers.

"Can't we give Walter the leftovers Daddy?" Will asked as he eyes the dancing puppy.

"Oh" Will replied. Then, looking at the anxious puppy, Will whispered "Sorry Walter. Mommy needs food too." Walter sat down and whimpered, looking balefully at Mulder with his puppy dog eyes.

"Hey" Mulder laughingly scolded the whining puppy "you have your own dish of food. Besides, I've seen exactly what a starving dog really looks like and does-so I'm not buying your sad routine and..."

"Augh" Mulder thought, just catching himself in time. It had been on the tip of his tongue to say "and don't even think about pulling a Queequeg on me." That was close. He really needed to be more careful about that-especially now that Will was always so full of questions. The LAST thing Mulder wanted was for Will to ask Scully about Queequeg and what starving dogs do.

"Poor Walter " Will sighed as Walter gave up and walked over to his dish. Sniffing his food, the fluffy pup began to eat. Fascinated, Will watched intently as Walter picked out a piece of food and began tossing and batting it around the kitchen floor.

Smiling at the scene, Mulder put the covered plate of food into the refrigerator and walked over to the laundry room and took the clothes from the washer and put them into the dryer. Returning to the kitchen, he hugged Will from behind saying "Hey Slugger. How'd you like to play a game of catch with your old man?"

"Would I ever?!?" Will squealed, running off to his room to retrieve his baseball glove.

Mulder sighed with relief. The diversionary tactic seemed to be working. Normally during the week, Will's time between dinner and bedtime was exclusively reserved for Scully. Mulder would usually leave them alone and finish up work on his papers until it was time for Will to go to bed so that Scully could have at least a little quality time alone with Will. Of course, he and Scully would always tuck Will in together and then have "quality time" of their own. Since Scully wouldn't be home to do the things she normally did-like get Will ready for bed, Mulder was worried that he absence might make Will's sadness and disappointment resurface. So, rather than giving him the opportunity to miss his Mommy even more, Mulder decided to keep Will as busy as possible- completely occupied until Scully got home.

Mulder's strategy worked--albeit too well. By eight o'clock, Will was fast asleep on the couch. They'd tossed the baseball around in the back yard for an hour and a half. The whole time Mulder kept Will too excited and pumped up to be sad. When they finally came back inside, Mulder helped a noticeably drowsy Will get ready for bed. After that, the pair descended upon the living room couch to wait for Mommy's return. Snug in his pajamas with freshly brushed teeth and a washed face, Will was just too exhausted to stay awake beyond the first ten minutes of the "Space Cowboys" video he'd chosen to watch.

After watching him sleep for a few minutes, Mulder gently picked Will up and carried him to bed--being extra careful not to awaken him. Gingerly pulling his "Space Cowboy" sheets over the boy's tiny body, Mulder smoothed down Will's tousled hair and placed his favorite stuffed animal next to him on the bed. Gazing tenderly at his sleeping son, Mulder was struck by how completely this little boy ruled his heart. Apart from Scully, he loved Will more than anyone or anything in the world. Reflecting sadly on the distant and strained relationship he'd had with his own father, Mulder hoped that things were indeed different between Will and himself. He had made a concerted effort to make them so and truly hoped that Will would always know just how much his Daddy loved him. "Sweet dreams Tiger" he whispered, kissing Will lightly on the forehead. Quietly going to the door, Mulder turned back for one more quick peek at his sleeping son. He noticed that Walter had climbed up on the foot of the bed and was curled up at Will's feet. It was the picture of perfection. Mulder smiled and slowly shut the door behind him. He truly believed he was the luckiest man in the world.

Looking at the clock, he sighed. It was only 8:20pm, so he had to wait at least forty minutes before Scully would be home. Walking over to his desk, he sat down to get back to work on the papers he'd abandoned hours earlier. He did have to admit that he had the perfect job. The online college course phenomena had been just beginning when he left the FBI. In fact, the University of Maryland had just started such a program when he was trying to find part time work that would enable him to be home most of the time. It turned out that he was in the right place at the right time. With his degrees from Oxford and his FBI experience, the University snapped him up in a heartbeat and quickly awarded him one of their first adjunct faculty positions for teaching exclusively online. That meant no lectures, no formal class, and-best of all-he could do it from home. All he had to do was post the class materials, respond to student emails, and grade the papers he received from them. Granted, he did have to attend the initial training seminars to get his course websites set up and going and to make sure that his syllabi and course content were in order, but he was able to do all of that while Scully was still on maternity leave. By the time she was ready to go back to the FBI, he was already up and running in his new job.

This semester he was handling three classes: a freshman introduction to psychology and two senior seminars-one in criminal profiling and another in the psychology of the alien abduction phenomena. He was paid by the number of students who signed up for each of his courses--$250 per student. Although each class was capped at 20 students, he always ended up with the maximum. He'd become quite popular with the students in his three-year tenure- which also meant that he provided a nice supplement to Scully's income for only 8-10 hours of work per week.

Today, he was busy grading papers from the alien abduction class. He had to laugh when the University approached him about creating and teaching this course. "Amazing what they'll give college credit for these days" he'd thought. Regardless, he really enjoyed teaching it and reading about the students' various takes on the issue. "Ah, if they only knew" he mused to himself as he settled in to read the last group of papers.

He'd just finished reading the last paper and was in the middle of typing up his comments when he heard the garage door open and Scully's car pull in. "Ah, there's my one in five billion now" he smiled broadly. Even though they'd been together for nearly five years, his heart still leapt with excited anticipation whenever she came home. Getting up from his desk, he strode (with a bounce in his step) through the family room and the kitchen to meet her at the door.

Scully pulled the keys out of the ignition and sighed with relief, so glad to be home. All evening she'd been steaming at having this autopsy sprung on her at the last minute. She'd been so looking forward to spending a relaxing evening at home with Mulder and Will-only to be deprived of it just as she was walking out the door. When she left the X-Files to go back to teaching at the Academy's Forensic Science Research and Training Center, she'd thought that she was done with working late hours and weekends. Boy had she been wrong. Granted, she very rarely had to come in on weekends but this having to stay late during the week was starting to become a regular thing. While she understood that the Forensics Center was understaffed right now, she was really getting tired of disappointing the two most important people in her life.

"The whole reason I left the x- files in the first place was so that I could spend more time at home" she muttered, unbuckling her seatbelt and opening the car door. "Actually, that's not altogether true" she reminded herself, recalling how she'd nearly died during her last x-file case. Although she still didn't remember the details, she clearly remembered waking up in the hospital after two weeks in a coma. She would certainly never forget the effect it had on Mulder. Although he never said anything to her about it, she could clearly see the agony and desperation in his eyes at the thought of losing her. She vowed that very second to never put him through such an ordeal again. She also realized that, whatever measure of fulfillment working on the X-Files had given her, it could NEVER be worth the risk of leaving her little Will without a mother. Shuddering at that thought, Scully sighed. It had been three years since she made the decision to leave the X-Files. She never regretted it and never looked back.

"That's enough of work for one day, Dana" Scully told herself as she got out of the car and put work out of her mind. She was finally home and within a few moments she would be wrapped snugly in Mulder's arms. Although she would never admit it to Mulder, just the thought of his arms around her still made her as giddy today as it did the first time she let herself imagine it. Smiling broadly at the thought, she shut the car door and slung her briefcase over her shoulder as she made her way into the house. "I guess it's a good thing we don't work together anymore" she mused to herself "we'd never get anything done."

As she put her keys into the lock, the door opened from the inside. There stood Mulder with a warm smile. "Hey you" he said softly, taking her briefcase from her shoulder and stepping to one side so she could come inside. "How was your day?"

"Better now" she sighed wrapping her arms around his waist and snuggling her head into his chest. All of the day's frustrations just melted away, leaving her feeling happy and warm.

Closing the door with his free hand as he hung her briefcase on the hallstand with the other, Mulder nuzzled his face in her hair. Then, wrapping his arms around her, he closed his eyes and let himself become ever so slightly intoxicated by the scent of her hair.

"Is Will asleep?" she asked quietly, although she already knew the answer. She knew very well that Mulder would let Will stay up as late as he could so that they could both have their allotment of hugs and kisses for the day. But, she also knew that 9:15 was way too late for a three and a half year old who was used to going to bed at 7:00.

"Yeah" Mulder whispered, opening his eyes and grinning down at Scully as she raised her head to look at him "He made it until eight though. Rather impressive all things considered."

Scully smiled, standing up on her toes to lightly brush Mulder's lips with her own. Then slowly breaking away from their embrace she replied softly "I'm going to go look in on him for a minute but I'll be right back" and started toward Will's bedroom.

"Are you hungry at all?" Mulder asked moving toward the refrigerator "I have a plate that I can heat up for you."

"I know I go on some weird diets Mulder, but since when did I start eating plates?" Scully turned smirking teasingly.

Grabbing a dishtowel and snapping it playfully at her rear, Mulder grinned "You know what I meant you saucy wench. Do you want me to heat up any food for you or not?"

Jumping with a yelp, Scully laughed as she walked from the kitchen to the hall "Yeah, but just whatever's left over from dinner-assuming you BRUTES didn't devour it all!!"

Smiling and shaking his head, Mulder took the plate of leftovers from the refrigerator and removed the foil he'd used to cover it. He put it in the microwave on the low setting for five minutes so the broccoli wouldn't over cook but the chicken would get warm. From her demeanor, he could tell that she'd gotten her second wind and wasn't tired at all. "Good" he thought wickedly, "She needs to get her payback for this afternoon." Mulder walked over to the hallstand and picked up her briefcase. Bringing it back into the kitchen with him, he set it on the counter and focused intently on the microwave as he waited for her to come back.

Carefully opening the door to Will's room, Scully smiled at the scene before her. She'd gone to his room disappointed that she hadn't been home to tuck him in but that quickly melted away as soon as she saw him. Her boy looked like such a little angel sleeping there with his arms wrapped around his teddy bear and the new puppy curled up at his feet. Her heart filled with joy at the sight. Deciding not to go in for fear of waking him, she blew him a kiss as she quietly shut the door.

Returning to the kitchen, Scully immediately noticed her briefcase on the counter. She knew Mulder was up to something-probably payback for her turning the phone game tables on him. Smirking devilishly, she took off her blazer and threw it over her briefcase. She then crept over to Mulder and hugged him from behind, hoping that he had something incredibly naughty in store for her. "Will's fast asleep" she whispered softly into his ear as she slowly slid her hands under Mulder's sweatshirt and across his bare stomach. This was her signal to him that she was ready for her "comeuppance."

Starting slightly at the touch of her hand on his skin, a wry grin crossed his face. "Let the games begin" Mulder thought roguishly. Turning slowly to face her, he nodded toward her briefcase "I looked but I didn't see any blueberry syrup or whipped cream in there."

"Huh?" came her murmured reply as her fingers slithered from his stomach to gently massage the small of his back. She looked up at him provocatively, with a mischievous smile and gleam in her eye. She knew how he liked to be touched-and even though she knew she had some payback coming, no one ever said she had to take it lying down.

"Starting with the big guns, huh?" he thought "Well two can play that game." Folding his arms around her, Mulder pulled her body close to his. Lightly caressing her back through her silk blouse, he slowly lowered his mouth to hers, stopping just short of kissing her. "You're such an inconsiderate little tease" he softly crooned as he deliberately began backing her toward the island counter.

Raising her eyebrows in mock surprise, she sensually drawled "How's that?" Her lips tingled in anxious anticipation of his mouth on hers. She jutted her lips forward in an attempt to brush them against his but he pulled his head back ever so slightly to stay just out of her reach. He knew just how to tease her and he loved doing it-especially when she was asking for it. He could also see from the look in her eyes that she loved it too as she subconsciously licked her lips with desire.

Making sure to keep his lips hovering just out of reach above hers as his hands moved slowly down her back, he seductively continued "Getting me all worked up like that by conjuring up images of you and syrup and whipped cream. I couldn't get it out of my mind all day. Then you don't even bother to bring any of it home for me. That's just mean." His hands traveled down over her silk trousers from her waist to her hips and along her thighs. Needless to say, they ignored the microwave when it went off.

"Well I'm here. That's part of the equation isn't it?" she sighed heavily as he gently pushed her up against the counter. "That should count for something." Her palms glided from his back to his stomach and up his chest. Deliciously frustrated at not being able to kiss him, Scully lightly bit her lower lip as she tried to ease Mulder's sweatshirt up. Smiling devilishly as he shook his head. "Nope" he admonished her as he gently took hold of her wrists and placed her hands behind her-causing her to lean back slightly and accentuating her heaving chest. She looked at him enticingly with intense and unabashed lust-which excited him immeasurably. He had always been amazed and delighted at how quickly he could get her going. Of course, she had always been able to do the exact same thing to him. Still, he thought she needed a bit more teasing so he had to hold out a little longer.

"I don't know" he murmured softly in her ear as he let her wrists go and slid one hand down to the small of her back "I seem to have this insatiable craving for blueberry Scully topped with whipped cream." Then, sliding his free hand down behind her knee as he braced his other hand flat against her back, he gently pushed against her and raised her up onto the counter. "I don't think anything else will satisfy me."

As he lifted her, she brought her hands forward and pulled his body even closer to hers. With clear access, Scully fervently pressed her lips into the crook of his neck and began kissing upward. As her mouth moved toward his ear, she could feel his pulse racing under her lips. It was almost as fast as hers and she knew he couldn't hold out on her much longer. Her own breath was coming even shorter now as his hands roamed up and down her back while hers snaked up around his shoulders and through his hair. Gently taking his earlobe between her teeth and stroking it with her tongue, she huskily whispered, "Why don't you let me try?"

Moaning aloud at the unexpected jolt that the flick of Scully's tongue had sent through his body, Mulder slid his hands up to her face and through her hair, as he ardently pulled her face towards his. The teasing was over. As their smoldering eyes met, he breathlessly smiled, panting, "Didn't anyone ever tell you not to talk with your mouth full?" before finally giving in and pressing his lips to hers.

Kissing him back with passionate abandon, Scully again slid her hands under his sweatshirt as his roamed everywhere over her silk- clad body. His touch sent electric shivers through her body- just as it did the first time he made love to her. From her mouth, his lips moved to her neck. He let himself become fully intoxicated by the sweet scent of her skin, becoming lost in the sea of sensations that was his beautiful Scully. Turning her head to one side to give him better access, a short gasp escaped her lips as he gently bit the crook of her neck. She could feel herself helplessly sliding into the sweet, swirling oblivion that was Mulder.

As she teetered on the edge of that precipice, Scully became dimly aware of motion at the kitchen door followed by a soft sound-a small yawn. Stiffening, her eyes flew open. Mulder, who hadn't heard the noise, immediately felt her reaction and turned quickly to see what was there.

There in the kitchen doorway, rubbing his eyes and holding his teddy bear stood little Will.

Simultaneously seeing Will standing sleepily in the kitchen doorway, Scully and Mulder instantly jumped away from one another as if repelled by some unseen force. He leapt back a few feet while she quickly sprung from the countertop in the opposite direction. Blushing furiously in embarrassment, both were thankful they at least still had all of their clothes on. Catching his breath, Mulder strategically positioned himself behind the island as Scully anxiously straightened her disheveled clothes. Exchanging nervous glances with each other, they both hoped that Will hadn't been standing there long.

Trying to sound nonchalant, Mulder stammered, "I thought you were asleep Slugger." Starting toward Will, he continued, "When Mommy checked on you a few minutes ago..." Mulder stopped and his voice trailed off as he suddenly realized that he really needed to stay put behind the counter for a few more minutes.

Regaining a modicum of her composure, Scully went to Will instead. Kneeling beside him, she breathlessly asked, "What's the matter, Sweetie? Did you have a bad dream?" Her brow slightly furrowed with concern as she ran a hand over his tousled hair.

"No Mommy" Will yawned, still rubbing his eyes, which weren't quite focusing yet "Walter woke me up." At the sound of his name, the puppy scampered into the kitchen and danced around them happily.

"Walter?!?" She whistled in surprise, raising an eyebrow. Then, more gently "Is that what you decided to name your new puppy?" She shot a mildly disapproving look at Mulder who, still red-faced, shrugged in feigned ignorance. Rolling her eyes, Scully simply shook her head and turned back to Will.

"Yeah." Will continued drowsily "He was scratching at the door and didn't stop until I opened it. Something must've woken him up."

"Damn that microwave" Mulder thought somewhat acrimoniously putting his head in his hands "I always knew its buzzer was too loud."

"I'm sorry, Sweetie" Scully cooed gently as she picked Will up in her arms and walked him into the kitchen toward Mulder. "We didn't mean to wake you" she murmured as she softly stroked the back of Will's head. "Daddy and I will try to be more quiet from now on." As Mulder looked up from his hands, his and Scully's eyes met. In that gaze, he wordlessly apologized for this happening while she silently assured him that she wasn't blaming him.

"That's okay Mommy" Will groggily replied-completely oblivious to his parents' nonverbal exchange. Wrapping his arms around Scully's neck as he laid his head on her shoulder, he sighed, "It means I got to hug you goodnight after all."

"Yes you did" Scully whispered tenderly. Tears sprung into her eyes as she hugged him close. Will was such a sweet little boy.

Smiling warmly at Scully as he reached out to tousle Will's hair, Mulder joined them on the other side of the counter. "So Slugger, it looks like Mommy can read you a story and tuck you in after all, huh?" he grinned, wrapping his arms around both of them.

"Yeah" Will murmured, half-closing his eyes. They stood there for a few moments as Mulder and Scully were finally able to calm down a little. Mulder was about to suggest that they should go and tuck Will in when Will spoke again.

Shooting Mulder a stricken look, Scully coughed and sputtered before hesitantly starting "Um...well...because...uh..."

"She was there because I put her up there" Mulder blurted out- trying to help. Scully looked at him gratefully and silently mouthed "Thank you."

Trying to be matter-of-fact, Mulder replied "Um...so I could...uh... check her for...uh...Cooties." Scully stifled a giggle as Mulder internally berated himself for not being able to come up with something better.

"Ah...well...uh...you know how Walter needs to have a flea collar to keep away nasty bugs?" Motioning toward the door, Mulder silently indicated that they should take Will back to his room as he asked his questions. Nodding in agreement, Scully turned, carrying Will down the hall as Mulder followed closely behind.

"Well, Cooties are another type of nasty bug that only people get. I put Mommy on the counter so I could get a better look at whether or not she had any Cooties."

"Oh." Will paused briefly as if in thought and then continued "Is that why you were biting her? Did you find a Cootie?"

Scully started "coughing" as Mulder groaned internally. Raising his eyebrows and exhaling slowly, he finally responded "Um, yes. Mommy had some Cooties and I had to get rid of them. And it isn't called biting, Slugger. It's called PREENING."

"Yes, preening." Mulder continued, flying by the seat of his pants "Many people, just like apes and monkeys, preen or groom one another. Chimps, for example, pick bugs off of each other to get rid of them and keep their coats clean." Grimacing at Scully as he walked to the bed, Mulder pulled down the top sheet while she gently lay Will down.

"So they eat the bugs?" Will asked drowsily wrinkling his nose at the thought while his parents pulled the covers over him.

"Well yes, they do" Mulder and Scully glanced at each other questioningly as they sat down on either side of the bed, puzzled by where that question came from.

"Um...ah...yes." Mulder put his head into his hands, desperately hoping that Will would not remember this conversation in the morning. He couldn't believe he'd just admitted to eating fictitious bugs.

For her part, Scully was having a very hard time keeping a straight face. While she felt bad for Mulder (especially since he'd intervened on her behalf) she was glad it wasn't her.

"Yes Sweetie?" Scully replied- silently admonishing herself for counting her chickens before they hatched.

Looking to Mulder for assistance, he gave her an "I have no idea" look. Scully thought for a few seconds before coming up with what seemed like a reasonable explanation "Well, the Cootie species that lives in this region of the United States is interested only in grown ups. In fact, human children naturally produce chemicals that repel the North American Cootie. So, children don't need to be preened for Cooties. That's why we don't preen you."

"Oh." Will replied "Okay." Sighing loudly he, snuggled up to his teddy bear. Then rolling over on his side to face Scully, he grinned up at her with sleepy eyes "Mommy, will you read me a story?"

"Sure sweetie" she smiled back at him, grateful that the Cootie questions were over "What would you like to hear?"

Impressed by how she'd been able to put an end to Will's questions, Mulder took Scully's hand and gave it a gentle squeeze as he got up from the bed. "From now on, you handle all the questions" he murmured softly kissing her on the cheek. Then winking at Will before kissing him on the forehead, Mulder whispered "It's finally your turn to spend some time with Mommy. Goodnight Slugger."

"Goodnight Daddy" Will chirped in reply as he settled in to hear Scully read his favorite story.

Looking back as he headed into the hall, Mulder waved at Will as he slowly pulled the door shut behind him. Sighing as he walked to the living room, Mulder shook his head and rubbed his temples muttering "Latest Parenting Lesson Learned: Fooling around in the kitchen is definitely NOT a good idea."

"...he never knew it was his own Bunny, come back to take one last look at the little boy whose love had made him real. The End." Scully finished reading and closed the book, as she looked at Will and smiled.

"I love that story Mommy- 'specially when the little boy's love turns him into a real bunny" Will beamed sleepily as he hugged his Teddy bear close.

"It was my favorite story when I was your age too Sweetie. It was your Uncles' and my bedtime story whenever we stayed at your great- Grandma Scully's." She smiled down at him as she caressed his little face.

Remembering asking the exact same thing as a child, Scully replied using her grandmother's words. "If you REALLY love him and NEVER forget him, then one day he will become real for you." Saying those words made Scully think of her own stuffed tiger, Tigger, whom she had gotten when she was only three. Although now he was worn and ragged and his little blue overalls were had holes in them, she wouldn't part with him for the world because, for her, he was real. "I KNOW that much is true" she reassured her drowsy boy.

"Oh, a long, long time" Scully lovingly answered. "Would you like to hear it again?"

Trying not to close his eyes, Will murmured softy "No Mommy. You need to get your hugs and kisses from Daddy too."

With a long yawn, Will responded "Daddy says you wait all day just so you can come home and get my hugs and kisses...but I know you want his hugs and kisses too." Then, turning on his side and wearily grinning up at her he continued as he drifted off, "Don't worry Mommy... I'm not jealous 'cause...love makes... you... real..."

Putting a hand to her mouth, tears suddenly sprung into her eyes. Will's sleepy words touched something inside her that Scully had never been aware of before. Standing up, she slid the book back onto the shelf and bent to kiss the forehead of her sleeping boy. "Goodnight, Sweetie" she tenderly whispered, blinking back her tears.

Carefully she crept to the hall and quietly shut the door. With tear-blurred vision, Scully made her way into the living room where Mulder was watching the nightly news. Hearing her come in, Mulder got up from the couch. "How's our little Tiger doing? Did he drift off okay?"

"Yes." Scully answered trying to keep her voice from giving away her tears. She cast her eyes to the floor.

Immediately sensing that she was distressed, Mulder quickly went to her. Gently lifting her face to his, he softly asked "What is it, Scully? What's wrong?" He hoped that it wasn't what had happened in the kitchen earlier.

Falling into him, she buried her face into his chest as she tightly wrapped her arms around his waist. "It's nothing. It's stupid." Her tears ran freely now

"Hey, hey," he whispered gently, holding her tight and trying to reassure her. "Nothing that makes you cry could EVER be stupid to me."

Looking up at him and grimacing, she smiled through her tears. He always knew how to make her feel better. "Well it IS stupid... and if you EVER tease me about it... I'll...I'll kick your ass."

Grinning down at her, Mulder knew she would be okay - especially since she was up to threatening him with an "ass-kicking." Still, he knew something was really bothering her-something that she needed to let out. He took her by the hand and led her over to the couch. As they sat down, Mulder picked up the remote and turned off the TV. Then putting his arms around her, he held her close as she reclined against him. "I'm listening whenever you're ready" he murmured softly.

Taking a deep breath, Scully began by telling him how she'd read Will the story - just like she'd done dozens of times before. She then told him about their conversation and what Will had said as he feel asleep. "Mulder, I don't know what it was about what he said. I just suddenly realized that before I had the two of you, I was just like the rabbit in the story. I wasn't real-my life was just a pale imitation of what it might have been. I mean, I may as well have been a mannequin for all intents and purposes. It wasn't until I had your love that all that changed. I don't know what I'd ever do if anything happened to you" tears welled back up in her eyes as she finished. Then, wiping her eyes with the back of her hand, she continued. "See, I told you it was stupid."

During her entire monologue, Scully hadn't been looking Mulder in the face. She felt like such a baby letting it get to her like this. She really didn't know why it was affecting her this way and, even though she knew Mulder was there for her, she was too embarrassed by her reaction to look at him as she was talking. Now that she had finished, she glanced up at him. She was taken aback by what she saw.

Mulder looked down at her, his eyes filling. Meeting her gaze for an instant, he darted his eyes to the ceiling as a tear trickled down the side of his face. "Scully, I know why it bothered you so much - and it isn't why you think."

The sight of Mulder's tears sent Scully's heart plunging into the pit of her stomach. Mulder very rarely cried. She could count on one hand the number of times she'd seen him this way in the past twelve years and, in all that time, she'd never been the cause - until now. Her own despair instantly became a distant memory as she fervently wished she could take back whatever words she'd said to cause such pain. She wanted to get down on her knees and beg his forgiveness, desperate to say or do anything that would take away his tears. Reigning in her panicked impulses for the moment, she reached up and tenderly wiped away his tear with her hand, carefully and gently asking "What do you mean?"

Pulling away from her, his face distorted with pain, Mulder turned his eyes to the floor. "Scully, you were never like the rabbit - at least not until after you met me. You were always real. I was the one who robbed you of that with my idiotic obsessions. It was because of me that you lost who you were and suffered so much. Your abduction, Missy's death, your cancer, Emily's suffering and death - the list just goes on and on." Mulder's voice cracked as the tears fell from his eyes. Scully touched his arm but he pulled further away, getting up from the couch, walking over to the fireplace and leaning heavily on the mantle-his head hung in shame. "I've tried to make it up to you every single day since I realized what I'd caused." He couldn't bring himself to look at her as he choked. "You tell me that my love made you real, but the truth is I was just replacing what I stole from you. What's upsetting you now is that you are finally realizing it-you just don't want to admit it to yourself." Mulder closed his eyes as the tears fell freely. "I was always afraid this day would come. Now that it's here..." he broke off, unable to finish.

"Mulder, you're so wrong" Scully rose, going to him with tears of her own streaming down her face. "Long before I ever met you, I built a protective wall around my heart that no-one could penetrate. That wall kept everyone out but it also kept me isolated and alone - afraid to live and afraid to love. My life was pathetic and empty. You alone changed all of that. You wore that wall down-day after day, year after year until I finally realized that you were not only IN my heart, you WERE my heart." Taking his hand from the mantle, she turned him toward her. Although he didn't resist her gentle pull, he still wouldn't look at her. "Did I suffer while we were on the X-Files? Yes I did-but that suffering didn't have anything to do with you. NONE of it was your fault. I have never blamed you and I never will. In fact, if it wasn't FOR you, I doubt I would have made it through any of it at all." Then, taking his face in her hands, and forcing him to look at her, she sobbed "Mulder, you've given me so much...so much that I never had before...things that I NEVER want to live without again. I would never trade what we have together- -even if it meant that all of my past losses would be erased. Please don't ever forget that."

Listening to Scully's heartfelt plea as he gazed at her earnest, upturned face, Mulder realized for the first time that the latent fears he'd been harboring for the past five years were completely unfounded. Lifting his hands to her face, he gently caressed her cheeks, wiping away her tears as he tenderly whispered "I never knew you felt that way."

"I didn't completely either - until today." She smiled up at him and stood up on the tips of her toes to kiss the tears away from his face. Then, pulling his forehead to hers, she looked deeply into his eyes with concern "I had no idea how guilty you felt about what happened to us while we were still on the X-Files. You do know that you weren't responsible for any of it don't you?"

Breaking their gaze to pull her in and hold her close, Mulder kissed the top of her head saying "I do intellectually. Emotionally is another story." Then, slightly changing the subject, he continued "You know, if one of us was made real by the other's love, it was me by you. Before you, I was alone and obsessed by aliens and conspiracies. They were the center of my world. Your love changed all of that. Now, you and Will are the only center of my universe. Everything else is just peripheral."

Scully, squeezed him tight and smiled up at him teasingly. Lightening the intensity of the past few minutes she mockingly complained, "You always have to one up me don't you? If I say I was pathetic before I met you, you have to have been even more pathetic before you met me. I see how this works."

"I'm glad you do" he grinned back at her. Then looking at the mantle clock, he continued, "It's almost ten. If you're going to have something to eat before we go to bed, you'd better do it soon. Do you want me to go reheat the leftovers?"

"Yeah, just let me get out of these clothes and washed up. Then we can catch the news on CNN while I eat." She hugged him tightly one more time before breaking away to head off to their bedroom.

Grabbing her hand and gently pulling her back, Mulder slid his hands around her waist and waved his eyebrows at her, saying "You know, I can help you with that first part."

Smiling up at him, Scully mildly scolded, "The idea is that I eat BEFORE we go to bed."

Planting a big kiss on her mouth as he released her, Mulder laughed "Aw! You're no fun!"

Turning back with a devilish grin as she walked toward their bedroom, Scully saucily replied, "If that were true, you wouldn't want to help me get out of my clothes would you?" Then, haughtily tossing her head, she disappeared down the hall.

"Touch,!" Mulder called, watching her go. Heading back toward the kitchen, he smiled to himself. Mulder had no doubt that he was the luckiest man in the word.

From the second floor window of the empty house, a camera shutter clicked behind the blinds. This vantage point provided him with an excellent view of the Mulder's living room and everything that transpired in it. After capturing their entire interaction on film, the watcher mused quietly to himself, "For a moment, it looked like trouble in paradise - but you soon got everything under control didn't you, Mr. Mulder?"

Taking another draw from his cigarette, he packed up the camera equipment. "I think we have enough film for one evening. I certainly wouldn't want to catch you and your lovely wife in any compromising positions."

Crushing out his Morley in an ashtray on the windowsill, the cigarette smoking man walked to the door and down the stairs. "Until tomorrow then Mr. Mulder," he hummed, as he walked out the door to his car. He drove away, disappearing into the night.

Sauntering back into the living room, Scully found Mulder waiting on the couch - remote in hand and channel surfing. Turning as she came in, Mulder flipped the channel back to the news network as he covertly looked her up and down with a smile. For some reason, he just loved it when she wore that plaid flannel nightshirt to bed - probably because it showed a lot more skin than her customary pajamas. Surreptitiously eyeing her bare legs as she walked toward him, he nonchalantly informed her,"Your food's on the coffee table," nodding towards the plate and silverware laid out before him.

Stopping in front of him, Scully blinked coquettishly at him - purposefully presenting him with an unobstructed view of her legs. "Will you rub my neck and shoulders?" she asked innocently.

"Assume the position," he replied with a grin that he hoped wasn't too lascivious.

"Thanks," she smiled as she sat down "Indian-style" on the floor in front of the coffee table. Mulder scooted over on the couch to sit directly behind her - putting one leg on either side of her so he had ready access to her upper back. Perfectly positioned in front of her food, Scully picked up her knife and fork and began to devour her chicken and broccoli. She hadn't realized how hungry she was.

For his part, Mulder pushed Scully's tresses aside as he gently gripped the back of her neck to massage her tense muscles. "Wow, you're tight!" he exclaimed as he worked her muscles over "What have you been up to, young lady?" he teased suggestively.

"Unspeakable things with cadavers," she quipped with a grin. She figured that comment would buy her enough time to finish her food before they moved on to bigger and better things.

"Ugh!! You sure know how to kill a mood, don't you?" Mulder grimaced at the suggestion with overly dramatic revulsion. He wouldn't let her off that easy - but he would let her finish her dinner. Then, keeping in the vein of Scully's last comment, Mulder continued with a smirk "Speaking of turn-offs, do you want to call the child psychiatrist or should I? Will is probably horribly traumatized now. Not only did he witness our untoward countertop activities but now he also has to deal with the shocking revelation that his parents eat bugs off each other."

"Oh I don't think our 'kitchen activities' will be nearly as traumatic in the long-term as the Cootie thing. I mean, every child walks in on their parents in the middle of something 'untoward' at one time or another and we DID have all our clothes on. Besides, it's all just a matter of how you explain it."

"I'll have to disagree with you there, Scully" Mulder replied, shaking his head vigorously. "I walked in on Mom and Dad once - I think I was about five. To this day, even the THOUGHT of marshmallow sauce makes me want to hurl." He shuddered with genuine revulsion at the memory.

"Marshmallow sauce?!?" Scully gasped incredulously - nearly choking on her chicken. "Mulder, I MET your mom. Why'd you have to tell me that?!?"

Amused by her reaction, Mulder continued. "Hey, YOU'RE the one that thinks it's 'normal' to walk in on your parents doing the naked pretzel. I didn't think you'd be so squeamish about a little marshmallow sauce. It's not like I told you what they were doing with it..."

"Enough!!! Stop!!!" Scully shrieked as she dropped her fork and covered her ears with her hands so she wouldn't hear any more.

Gently taking hold of Scully's hands and moving them away from her ears, Mulder jokingly whispered in her ear "If it will make you feel better, you can tell me what 'normal' activity you witnessed as a child." He loved pushing her buttons sometimes.

"Well, I didn't see the naked pretzel or anything with marshmallow sauce-that's for sure!!" she shot back. Still shuddering at the mental image Mulder had conjured for her, she continued. "All I saw was what I guess you'd call some mild 'petting' on the living room couch late one night when I came downstairs to get a glass of water. When they saw me, they gave me some BS about Mom having sore chest muscles that I bought hook, line, and sinker. It wasn't until years later that I realized what was really going on."

"So, are you saying I should ask your mom about how her sore chest muscles are doing the next time I see her?"

"Okay!! Okay!!" Mulder laughed holding up his hands to fend off her feigned attack "I'll change the subject!!"

"Good." Scully replied turning back to her food "....and please make it something that won't cause me to lose my appetite."

Thinking for a second, Mulder smiled wryly and said, "So you think Will's going to be more traumatized by the idea of us preening the Cooties off one another for a little after-dinner snack?"

Giggling with her mouth full, Scully swallowed hard and responded "Yeah, I still want to know where THAT One came from!!"

Mulder laughed "Hey, I didn't hear anything from you but sputtering!! So, you can just talk to the hand." He playfully shoved one palm in front of her face while snapping the fingers of the other.

Gently swatting his hand out of her face, she replied haughtily "That may very well be, but who got him to stop asking Cootie questions? Yes, I believe that was me - thank you very much!" For emphasis, she stabbed the last bite of chicken with feigned viciousness. Then, noticing that he had stopped massaging her, with her mouth full, she exclaimed "Hey, that wasn't much of a backrub!!"

"You didn't ask for a BACKRUB Mistress Scully," Mulder teased with playful sarcasm, "You asked for a 'neck and shoulder' rub."

Using her sweetest, most syrupy voice, Scully turned, batted her eyes at Mulder and crooned "Would my strong, brave and ever-so-manly husband please consent to rubbing my back whilst continuing to massage my neck and shoulders, PLEASE?"

Finishing her meal, Scully got up to put her dirty dishes in the dishwasher. When she returned, she found Mulder lounging on the couch flipping channels. Dropping onto the other end of the couch, she plopped her feet into Mulder's lap. "Foot massage?" she asked coquettishly with a wink.

At his touch, Scully jumped-squeaking "Don't tickle!!" as she picked up the remote and began scanning for something to watch.

"Sorry," he replied, stealing a glance at how far up her nightshirt had ridden when she jumped. Occupied with her own task, Scully lay back against the pillows comfortably. Thinking dirty thoughts, Mulder gently pulled off her grey socks one at a time and gingerly began massaging the balls of her feet. Moving slowly to her arches, he made a special effort to be thorough and not tickle. He knew very well the effect an intensive and prolonged foot massage had on her. Just thinking about it aroused him considerably. After only a few minutes of attention to her feet, he began to see the fruits of his labor. Furtively stealing a glance at her, he noticed that she had stopped paying attention to the television altogether and was now looking hazily at him with a sultry gleam in her eyes and a sly little grin on her face. Pretending not to notice, he focused his attention on her delicate feet - all the while anxiously anticipating what would come next.

After few more minutes, Scully, her eyes half-closed, huskily purred, "Could you get my calves and ankles too?"

Smiling devilishly, he replied, "Your wish is my command." As his hand migrated to her ankle, he caressed it with deliberate sensuality - completely relishing the effect it had on her. Closing her eyes, a barely perceptible moan escaped her lips as his hands traveled rhythmically up her calf. It was taking a considerable amount of effort for him to keep his excitement in check and his touch gentle and slow, but Mulder knew that the effort would be more than worth it. She was already beginning to squirm ever so slightly as her breath grew shorter.

A few minutes later he was preparing to move to her thighs when Scully stilled his hands. Using her toes to gently massage his inner thigh, she gazed at him intensely - her eyes sparkling with desire. Licking her teeth, she drawled with a wicked grin, "You know, my chest muscles are a little sore. I think a massage might help them too."

Grinning with pleasure, he replied softly "It wouldn't hurt to give it a try," as he shifted his legs to the floor so he could lean forward and oblige her. As he moved toward her, she reached up and passionately pulled him to her, wrapping her arms around his body and kissing him deeply. Mulder's pulse raced with excitement as he could feel Scully's body tensing beneath him in delicious anticipation of his touch.

Moving his lips from hers, he softly whispered "Hey, shouldn't we take this elsewhere before we get too carried away? We wouldn't want to be interrupted again."

Slowly running her tongue along his neck as she ran her hands through his hair, Scully breathlessly teased, "I don't know. It might be worth it just to hear your explanation of what we're doing."

"Maybe," he grinned down at her "But I can think of more productive uses of our time right now. Can't you?" She silently nodded in agreement as she turned her attention to the crook of his neck. Exhaling heavily at the touch of her lips, Mulder slid one arm under her back and another under her knees, picking her up and heading toward their bedroom. As they passed through the doorway, he gently kicked the door closed behind them and murmured, "Now where's that blueberry syrup and whipped cream?"

The 5:00 A.M. alarm came way too soon for Scully. Groaning, she blearily turned it off as she sat up in bed. Although it had been positively earth shattering, they'd definitely made too late a night of it. Dragging herself away from the warm, cozy sheets she quietly grumbled, "Four and a half hours of sleep - definitely not enough." Sighing, she consoled herself with the knowledge that it was finally Friday and she would at least get to sleep in tomorrow. Stumbling to the Master bathroom, she carefully shut the door behind her before she turned on the light. Going to her walk-in closet, she fished out her running gear. Getting dressed quietly, she pulled her hair back in a loose ponytail before flipping the light off and softly making her way from the bathroom through their bedroom and into the hall. She gently shut the door to their bedroom so as to not wake Mulder and groggily made her way to the front hall.

Taking her running shoes from the lower shelf of the hallstand, she sat down on the adjacent bench to put them on. After finishing, she stood to do a series of stretches to get her body ready for its early morning torture. As she did, Walter came prancing up to her waggling furiously.

"Do you need to go outside, boy?" she asked the dancing puppy as she opened the front door.

Like a shot, Walter was out the door. Watching the puppy relieve himself on the lawn as she continued to stretch, Scully shook her head and murmured to herself, "I can't believe Mulder named the dog after Skinner." They were going to have to have a little talk about that sometime.

Finished doing his business, Walter pranced back through the open door and scampered off toward Will's bedroom. "Just wait until you're a little older," Scully mumbled after the puppy "I'll make you run with me - so you'd better enjoy being a slug while you can."

Making sure she had her keys, Scully quietly shut and locked the door behind her before running off into the brisk October morning. These early morning runs, while good exercise, served two other purposes - getting her blood pumping for the day and, more importantly, giving her time to think. While she had plenty of time during the hour or so commute to and from Quantico, it was generally too aggravating to let her reflect on anything other than her frustration with the other commuters. This was her only time to be alone and ponder the important issues in their lives.

Wide-awake by the end of the first half-mile, Scully considered what had been heavily weighing on her mind recently - namely family and career. She'd hoped to discuss some of the issues with Mulder last night, but that last minute autopsy sure torpedoed her plans. By the time she'd gotten home, all she wanted was to melt into his arms and forget all about work. She certainly wasn't up for a lengthy, in depth discussion about her current dissatisfaction with her job. It actually had worked out for the best anyway. She saw their spending time openly expressing their hidden fears and feelings as MUCH more important. She was a little worried about Mulder and the guilt he still harbored about the bad things that happened to her while on the X-Files. At least now that she knew, she could do something about it.

Passing the mile marker on the jogging trail, Scully's mind turned back to her pressing work and family concerns as sweat finally began to bead on her forehead. The job front was the simpler issue. She was frustrated-frustrated with the commute and frustrated with the hours. Worse still, she didn't feel fulfilled by the work anymore. She couldn't quite place her finger on the "Why" yet but it seemed clear that she needed some kind of change. The problem was she didn't know what form that change should take. She'd had several offers outside the FBI over the years: The local County Coroner's office had been heavily recruiting her off and on ever since she and Mulder had bought their house two years ago. She also had yet to go to an AMA meeting without getting at least one job offer. She knew she had opportunities, she just was unsure about what direction she should to take. Heck, she wasn't even sure that the FBI was the problem.

Running on a little faster, Scully realized that this confusion was directly related to her desires regarding family and children. Will was already in pre-school two half-days a week and would start kindergarten next fall. When that happened, there would no longer be a need for one of them to stay home - that is, unless they had more children. She knew that she desperately wanted to have more children with Mulder but she wasn't sure where he was on the issue of remaining at home after Will started school. They actually hadn't discussed it since they didn't even know if it would be possible for her to conceive again. The doctors had been so ambiguous on that issue. All that the specialists could tell them was that, while they could see no reversal of the physical damage she'd sustained when she was abducted, they also saw no reason why she would not be able to conceive again. In a nutshell, it was a crapshoot. They wouldn't know if they could have more children until they tried and since she'd been on the pill as a precaution since Will's birth, they hadn't really tried.

Finishing her second mile, Scully made up her mind to discuss these issues with Mulder as soon as possible. The only problem was that she wasn't sure when they would have an opportunity. With her working late so much lately, Friday night being 'Family night' and the barbeque they had planned for Saturday, she figured that they'd probably have to wait until Sunday before they could even begin to discuss these issues.

Walking the last half-mile back to their house as her cool-down, she resolved to not get anxious about it. Forcing herself to put the issues aside for the time being, she told herself "What's a few more days when we have the rest of our lives together?" She already knew Mulder would immediately be receptive to talking about anything she wanted. That was one of the things she treasured most about their marriage - they could count on each other to truly listen as well as be completely honest and frank about their concerns. Scully smiled, remembering how that level of trust had grown gradually over their eight years of working together on the X-Files. It had been hard work at times, but now that they were partners in EVERY sense of the word, that work had really paid off.

Making her way up the incline of their steep driveway, she stopped on the porch to stretch before going inside. Taking off her sweat-jacket and mopping her dripping face with it, she looked up at the stars that were only now beginning to fade with the dawn. As she silently prayed they could have another baby, Mulder's words from so long ago came back to her, "Never give up on a miracle." Smiling at the memory, she opened the front door and went inside to wake him.

From a parked car up the road, the figure watched Scully return from her run. She hadn't taken any notice of it - after all, it was only one of several on the street. He lit another cigarette as he watched the sun begin to rise. Smugly he murmured, "You really should be more aware of your surroundings, Agent Scully. Perhaps your domestic bliss has made you forget the importance of always knowing who might be watching." Pausing to take a long draw, he continued, "No matter. Soon enough you'll see the error of your ways."

Tossing her sweat-jacket over a hook on the hallstand, Scully made her way back to their bedroom. Turning on the hall light, she opened the bedroom door, allowing the soft light to stream across their bed. Mulder lay asleep on his back with the sheets pulled up halfway over his bare chest. Pausing for a moment to watch him sleep, she briefly let a flurry of dirty thoughts flit through her mind before completely banishing them for the day. It was already 5:45 and she had to be out the door in an hour - so there was no time for such pleasant diversions.

Walking over to his side of the bed, she sat down next to him, gently caressing his face and stroking his hair. With a soft moan and a deep inhale, he stirred, sleepily murmuring "Hmmmm....What is it?"

Opening his eyes to look at her, a sly grin spread across his face as he noticed her chest heaving gently under her sweaty sports bra. "I'm already up and ready for round three whenever you are."

Grabbing a pillow, Scully gave him a gentle whack across the face with it as she got up from the bed. "Don't you ever get enough?" she laughed as she walked into their bathroom and turned on the light.

"I think you already know the answer to that," he smiled as he rolled to his side to watch her go. He definitely found Scully, sweat and spandex to be a stimulating combination. Still, he knew she didn't have time for additional calisthenics if she didn't want to be late. "Better forget about it until tonight," he groggily told himself.

"Don't forget that Will has preschool today," Scully called from the bathroom as she turned on the shower and began to peel off her wet workout clothes.

"I know. Russ and I are going to the gym to lift after we drop the boys off," he replied, finally sitting up on the bed.

"WHAT?!? I can't hear you!" Scully called back, unable hear his answer over the running water.

"I SAID," he yelled as he slowly pulled himself out of the bed and slipped on a T-shirt and boxer shorts "I KNOW!"

Staggering to the bathroom door, Mulder began even louder "I SAID - " but the rest of his words stuck in his throat as he caught sight of Scully slipping into the shower. Sudden thoughts of lathering her wet skin made him sorely want to join her.

"WHAT? YOU SAID WHAT?" she called as the running water hit her bare skin, completely unaware that he was in the bathroom.

Turning away quickly Mulder called back "NEVER MIND!! I'll GO START BREAKFAST!!" Shaking his head, he walked back into their bedroom muttering, "Boring thoughts. Think boring thoughts." Making his way into the hall, he stopped in the main bathroom to splash some cold water in his face before heading to the kitchen. Once reaching the kitchen, he started the coffee and set a place for each of them at the kitchen table. He then set about slicing up the strawberries and bananas Scully liked to have with her cereal. He was more than a little proud of the fact that he'd been able to modify her atrocious eating habits. Before they'd started having breakfast together on a daily basis, she often would only have half a bagel - if anything at all - to eat before lunch. "No wonder you're always so tired," he'd lectured her disapprovingly, "You starve yourself." Gradually, he'd been able to convince her that she needed to eat something more substantial to last her through to lunch. Of course, part of his argument was that she needed to set a good example for Will. At least it worked.

Once he finished getting breakfast together, he poured himself a cup of coffee and started packing Scully's lunch, which consisted of half a turkey, lettuce and tomato sandwich, one cup of yogurt and a red apple. As he put the healthy meal into a lunch sack, Mulder grinned to himself at all the mileage he'd gotten with Scully out of the "Setting a good example for Will," argument. Of course, that argument worked both ways. Using it, she'd gotten him to lay off both having take-out so much and claiming that sunflower seeds counted as a vegetable. "Ah, the compromises of marriage," Mulder grinned to himself as he put the sack lunch into the half empty refrigerator.

Taking notice of just how empty the refrigerator was, he could see that they were running low on just about everything. He definitely needed to get to the grocery store today - especially with all the company they were expecting on Saturday. He and Scully were having their annual "Last barbeque of the season," in honor of all of their friends from their days on the X-Files. For some reason, after Will was born, it became extremely important to Mulder to actively maintain the friendships he'd forged. Before, he would have simply lost touch but now that idea seemed unthinkable. He felt that was a change for the better and was glad for it.

Of course, this year, the barbeque was also doubling as a mini-Scully-family reunion. Charlie had just moved to the DC area last week and Bill had been stationed at Annapolis a little over two years ago. Ever since Maggie Scully had heard about Charlie's plans to move to the area, she had wanted to have a get together with all of her children and their families as soon as possible. When Mulder suggested combining their annual barbeque with Maggie's get- together, Scully jumped at the opportunity to kill two birds with one stone. Maggie also readily agreed on one condition: That they let her help in the preparations. Naturally, Mulder quickly accepted her terms - eager to have another set of hands to handle things. Since entertaining was never his or Scully's forte, he was thankful for Maggie's help.

In terms of the guests, Mulder still hadn't had a chance to ask Scully if she'd heard back from Skinner, Doggett or Reyes yet. He made a mental note to ask her before she left for work whether they were all coming and if any of them were bringing dates. Ticking through the list in his mind, Mulder thought of Scully's family. When he briefly talked to Maggie yesterday, she assured him that the whole family would be there - including Bill and Tara's two boys. Finally, from their e-mail responses, he already knew that Byers, Langley and Frohike would be able to make it. He knew better than to ask the Lone Gunmen whether they were bringing dates -especially since, much to Scully's chagrin, Frohike was still giving him a hard time about marrying her and "Stealing away his best girl." Anyway, if all of the FBI folks made it, it would be an even ten without dates and thirteen with. "Looks like we'll need a lot of brisket and beer," he murmured to himself as he sipped his coffee, suddenly wondering what he'd gotten himself into with his bright idea of combining the two gatherings into one party. He was just glad that the deli section of the grocery store took orders for everything they needed. He knew only too well that he would've been in a world of hurt if he had to prepare everything himself.

Putting that out of his mind for the time being, Mulder looked at the clock. It was already 6:15 and time to wake Will up. Making his down the hallway, he suddenly heard a crash from Will's room. Running now, he burst through the door, which was slightly ajar.

Throwing open the door, Mulder's fear turned quickly to relief when he saw Will and Walter happily wrestling together on the floor beside Will's overturned coloring table. Papers were still wafting to the ground while the markers and crayons had spilled from their tin box and rolled across the floor-many of them disappearing under the bed and nightstand.

Repressing a smile and using his best "Dad voice," Mulder bellowed "WHAT"S GOING ON IN HERE???" Both Will and Walter froze instantly at the sound of his voice.

"Nothing, Daddy." Will answered sheepishly, looking up at Mulder with his big blue eyes and an expression of apprehensive guilt on his little face. For his part, Walter pranced happily over to Mulder and began dancing and jumping about his feet-completely oblivious to the fact that they were in trouble.

Striding over to Will, Mulder swept him up in his arms and sat down on the bed hugging him. He knew Will could have easily hurt himself or Walter seriously if the table had tipped in the other direction, so he knew he needed to make sure that Will clearly understood the full gravity of what might have happened. He took a deep breath before he started. For Mulder, this was the hardest part of being a dad.

"What were you doing just now?" Mulder asked in a very stern voice as he sat Will down on his lap.

"Just playing?" Mulder continued in the same voice. He really hated having to discipline Will but, for his own safety, it needed to be done. "Since when did playing include knocking over your furniture?"

"You don't know, hmmm? Maybe you don't know because playing DOESN'T include knocking over furniture, does it?"

"Right. It doesn't and there's a reason for that. What do you suppose would've happened to Walter if that table had fallen on him?" As Mulder continued in the same stern tone, he prepared himself internally. The hardest part was yet to come.

"I dunno." Will replied quietly with his face turned downward. His chin was beginning to vibrate ever so slightly.

With a slightly gentler voice, Mulder continued, "Are you sure you don't know? Because I think that you DO know. You remember what happened to that bird we found last week, don't you?"

Mulder hated having to bring that up, but it was crucial that he illustrate the seriousness of the point. Having gone into the back yard last week to play catch, they'd found a morning dove that had crashed into the glass of the back door. It had broken its neck and died instantly. Will had cried bitterly for the bird. So after staging a small "funeral" for it in the back yard, Mulder made a special trip with Will to the local garden center to get a bird of prey silhouette. Together, they placed it on the door as Mulder explained how it would keep other birds from dying on their back porch the same way that poor bird had. Mulder knew too well the effect that bringing this up would have on his small son.

Mulder felt just terrible as he continued "Well, the same thing that happened to that bird could just have easily happened to Walter with that table. You understand that don't you?"

"Well, when we talked about you having a puppy, we discussed how you had to be responsible for it and careful with it. Do you remember that?"

Wiping the tears from Will's face, Mulder turned the tiny boy's face toward his. "Well, we got lucky this time. Nothing happened to either of you. But, if you don't start being very careful and responsible, who knows what will happen next time." Kissing Will on the cheek, Mulder gave him a big hug before putting him down on the floor. Righting the overturned table, he continued, "Why don't you think about what you're going to do differently next time while you pick up all of your papers, crayons, and markers. Meanwhile, I'll put Walter out in the back yard and think about whether or not you can handle having a puppy yet. Then, when you're finished cleaning this up, come into the kitchen and we can talk about whether or not we need to find Walter a new home."

"But Daddy, I..." Will started to plead but stopped when he saw Mulder put his fingers to his mouth.

"We'll talk after you're finished here," he said as he scooped Walter up in his arms and headed out the door into the hallway. Looking back, he saw Will wipe tears from his face with his pajama-covered arms as he started to pick crayons off the floor. Mulder felt just like Dr. Mengele as he softly pulled the door shut.

Just then, Scully walked out of the bedroom, sliding a long black blazer on over her matching skirt and cream colored vest. Noticing Walter in Mulder's arms she asked "Did I hear a crash? What happened?" Filling her in on what had just transpired as they walked to the back door, Mulder sighed as he let Walter out. The puppy pranced happily about the yard, completely oblivious to anything but the joy of frolicking in the dew-stained grass.

"Do you think I was too hard on him?" Mulder asked as they walked into the kitchen.

"No, I don't. It is important for him to understand that pets are a responsibility and he has to be careful with them..." Scully's voice trailed off as she sighed, pausing at the kitchen table. " I just feel bad for pushing the issue of a dog with you. I mean, maybe he ISN'T old enough yet..."

Turning her toward him and hugging her gently, Mulder replied, "No, you were right. He IS old enough. He just needs to understand his responsibility better. After the talk we had, I think that he does." Mulder turned her face towards his and pushed the hair away from her eyes as he kissed her forehead. Grinning down at her, he continued, "Now, you'd better get started on your breakfast or you're going to be late."

Sitting down at the table, Scully poured her cereal and scattered the strawberries and bananas on top of it before covering it all with skim milk. Mulder brought his cup of coffee over to the table along with a cup for her. As he was sitting down, Will crept quietly into the room.

"Yes, Slugger?" Mulder replied brightly, beckoning for Will to come over to him and sit in his lap.

Climbing into Mulder's lap, Will looked over at Scully and tearfully asked, "Mommy, does Walter really have to go live somewhere else?"

"It depends on what you and Daddy decide together, Sweetie," Scully gently replied, looking Will directly in the eyes. She definitely understood what Mulder meant when he said he felt like Dr. Mengele.

Looking up at Mulder, Will pleaded silently with his big blue eyes to keep his beloved Walter before beginning "Daddy, if I can keep him, I promise that I'll be extra-special careful from now on. I won't do ANYTHING that might get him hurt ever again. I PROMISE. I don't want him to end up like that poor bird."

Gently looking down at Will and exchanging an affirmative glance with Scully, Mulder smiled down at the boy. "Alright. I believe you will be more careful from now on so you can keep him. Just don't let us down, Slugger."

"I won't, Daddy!!!" Will exclaimed excitedly, overjoyed that Walter was going to stay after all.

Putting Will on the floor and playfully tousling his hair Mulder grinned "Okay then, why don't you let Walter back in so he can have his breakfast too?"

"No running in the house!!" Scully called after him as he went. Looking at each other from across the table, Mulder and Scully sighed heavily together in relief. "Where's the owner's manual when you need it?" she grinned trying to lighten the mood as she took a bite of cereal.

"I don't know, but let me know when you find it." Mulder groaned putting his face into his hands as he fervently hoped that the rest of the day wasn't going to be like this.

Scully reached across the table and gently squeezed his hand "Don't worry, Mulder, you did just fine. I know I couldn't have done any better myself."

Looking up to meet her gaze, Mulder smiled warmly, suddenly feeling much better. "Thanks, I needed that," he murmured, squeezing her hand back. Then, suddenly remembering the Saturday barbeque, he asked "Say, did you hear back from Skin-man, Dog-bait or Reyes about Saturday?"

Grinning at Mulder's nicknames for Doggett and Skinner, Scully replied "Yeah. Skinner's secretary left message on my voice mail saying he would be here between four and four-thirty. I also got an email from Monica saying that she wouldn't miss it and that she was catching a ride with Agent Doggett - so he'll be here too."

Mulder raised his eyebrows in surprise and grinned, "So they're coming together?"

"I thought you'd find that interesting." Scully grinned back taking another spoonful of cereal.

"Must be another conspiracy," Mulder jokingly smirked "They put something in the air or the water in that basement office to distract the x-file agents from 'the truth' with thoughts of each other. It's a good thing for me you left when you did." He winked at her before he continued "Lucky for John too that he got another female partner, eh? I'd hate to think of him stuck being infatuated with a Jeffery Spender type."

Shaking her head slightly as she chewed, Scully teasingly replied, "Mulder, your theory is full of holes. The only way it might hold up would be if they upped the dosage of this mysterious 'love potion.' John and Monica still have to go another two or three years together before things can get that far." This playful conversation reminded her a little of the kind of debates they'd had when they worked the X-Files together.

"Oh, I don't know about that," Mulder continued with a mischievous glint in his eyes "It all depends on when you start counting." Swallowing hard, Scully's curiosity was piqued. "What's that supposed to mean?" she asked, intrigued by his suggested possibilities.

"Now, never you mind." Mulder grinned knowingly as he turned his attention to his own cereal. He loved teasing her, especially when it came to the topic of exactly when he first felt what towards her. Just then, Will bounded back into the kitchen with Walter close on his heels. "Oh, saved by the bell," Mulder shrugged smugly.

Playfully narrowing her eyes as she pointed at him with her spoon, Scully directed pointedly "To be continued later."

Meanwhile, Walter stood post at Scully's feet, hoping for any morsel she might drop for him. "Don't hold your breath Walter" she warned the begging puppy as she pondered how she could turn the tables on Mulder. As she gazed down at Walter, an idea struck her. Returning to the table, Mulder lifted Will up into his booster seat before sitting down. Deliberately giving Mulder an ornery smirk, Scully turned to Will and brightly asked "So Sweetie, how did you settle on Walter as your puppy's name? When I left for work yesterday you had your heart set on Scruffy. What happened?"

"Oh he did, did he?" Scully replied raising an eyebrow and looking directly at Mulder with a triumphant gleam in her eyes and grin on her face.

"Now Slugger, that isn't quite right is it?" Mulder objected quickly "I just SUGGESTED the name, but I didn't pick it. You picked it. Right Slugger?" He looked at Will eagerly, hoping that he would corroborate his version of the events leading to Walter's name selection.

Mulder playfully stuck his tongue out at Scully, shooting her a "see I told you so" look as he gently tousled Will's hair.

Shaking her head knowingly, Scully responded "But you wouldn't have thought of the name yourself or picked it if Daddy hadn't suggested it. Is that right, Sweetie?

"Yes." Will replied hesitantly, not quite sure why his parents were suddenly so intensely interested in Walter.

Throwing his hands up, Mulder conceded defeat saying "Well, I may've thought up the name, but it's still a good one isn't it Slugger?"

Rolling her eyes and shaking her head, Scully laughed "Just so you understand that YOU'LL be the one explaining the choice to Skinner when he's here on Saturday."

Picking up her empty cereal bowl and heading for the dishwasher as she looked at the clock, Scully giggled, "Well, on that note, I'd better go. Don't want to get caught in any more traffic than I have to."

"Aw Mommy, you don't have to go ALREADY do you?!?" Will cried from over his cereal.

Bending over to kiss him on the forehead, Scully replied, "I'm sorry, Sweetie. Yes, I do. But I'll be home early today - so you won't even have time to miss me."

"Yes I will, Mommy," Will replied, somewhat dejectedly, as he stirred his spoon in his cereal.

Intervening, Mulder piped in "Hey Slugger, don't forget that you get to go to pre-school today and play with all of your new friends and all of the cool toys they have there. So you'd better give Mommy a kiss and get back to your breakfast so we can get there on time."

Kissing Will's upturned face as she hugged him goodbye, Scully was struck by the wonderful rapport Mulder had with his son. The way he handled Will's sadness and turned it around made her love him even more every time she saw it.

After saying her goodbyes to Will, she walked wordlessly past Mulder to the door. He confusedly followed closely behind, wondering if she was angry. As soon as they were out of Will's eyeshot, she suddenly turned around, threw her arms around his neck and planted a long, deep kiss on his surprised lips.

"What was THAT for?" Mulder stammered, grinning down at her and blushing mildly at the effect her unexpected passion had on him.

Scully smiled up at him, her with eyes filed with love. Then, gently wiping her lipstick from his mouth with her thumb, she replied, "That was just for being you."

Sliding his arms around her waist, Mulder chuckled with a lopsided grin, "Well, remind me to do more of that when you get home."

"Don't worry, I will" she smiled suggestively. Then hugging him, she continued, "You two have a good day, okay?"

Caressing her face, Mulder smiled back "We will. You too. Drive carefully, okay?" He pressed his forehead to hers.

Looking up at him tenderly, she whispered "You too. See you soon." She then kissed him one more time before gently breaking from their embrace.

Mulder held the door for her and watched her head towards her car. As she turned around to look at him one more time, Mulder waved at her, calling "I love you G-woman!"

Grinning back at him, she smiled "I love you too ex G-man!" as she got into her car and started the engine.

Slowly closing the door as she drove off, Mulder sighed. "You'd better go get that little monster ready for pre-school" he smiled to himself as he headed back to the kitchen. "We've got a big day ahead of us." Their lives couldn't be any more perfect.

From his vantage point up the road, the shadowy figure watched Scully drive away. Taking the last draw from his cigarette, he threw it to the pavement and crushed it out beneath his heel.

Looking at his watch, he took note of the time. "6:51AM. Running a little late today, Agent Scully? It seems you have lost your touch after all."

Turning on his heel, he got back into his car. Taking out another cigarette, he lit it quickly. Drawing on it thoughtfully, he exhaled "We'll see today if Mr. Mulder has also let his guard down."

Sitting back down at the kitchen table, Mulder began his own breakfast as Will finished his. "Do you want some more milk, Slugger?" he asked as he poured the milk over his own cereal.

Looking at the clock as he poured the milk, Mulder commented, "Well Slugger, we've got an hour and a half before we have to be there. So we'd better get a move on. We don't want to be late this time. You know how Miss Shelby gets when we're late."

Laughing to himself as he took a napkin to Will's face, Mulder continued, "Well, you finish up your milk and get started on getting changed while I finish my breakfast and pack up my gym clothes. Okay?"

Taking the empty glass from Will's hand, Mulder grinned as he again wiped away a milk mustache from Will's tiny face before helping him down from his booster seat.

"Can I wear my space cowboys sweatshirt Daddy?" Will asked sweetly, turning back as he headed toward his bedroom.

"Wouldn't you like to wear something else instead?" Mulder suggested hopefully. Will was so proud of that sweatshirt that he ALWAYS wanted to wear it to pre-school. Jeez, people were going to start thinking that the poor child had nothing else to wear when the reality was that he had draws full of clothes. Looking down into Will's eager eyes, Mulder silently admonished himself, "Since when do you care what people think?" As long as Will was clean and healthy, it was nobody's business what he wore. "Okay, Slugger," he replied warmly "Wear whatever makes you happy."

"Thanks Daddy!!!" Will cried as he skipped off to his room with Walter prancing behind at his heels.

Finishing off his own breakfast, Mulder sipped his coffee as he cleared the table and put away the dirty dishes. Walking to his and Scully's bedroom, he changed into a pair of athletic shorts and slid a sweatshirt on over his t-shirt. After he put on his gym shoes, he set about packing up his gym bag with his shower supplies and the clothes he'd wear when he picked Will up. Done getting dressed, he went to check on Will. Finding him in the living room watching cartoons with Walter, Mulder immediately noticed that Will had his sweatshirt on backwards. "Hey Slugger" he called from the hallway "come here and let me fix your shirt."

"What's the matter with it?" Will asked innocently as he got up from the couch and came to him.

"Nothing if you want to walk backwards all day." Mulder grinned as he helped Will turn his shirt around the right way. "Now, let's get your shoes and both get cleaned up so we can get you to pre-school."

Finding Will's shoes, Mulder helped him put them on and showed him how to tie them. Next, carrying Will "piggyback" to the bathroom, Mulder helped him wash his face, brush his teeth and comb his hair. Once they were, he bent down to grin at his small son, asking "So are you gonna help your old man brush his teeth and comb his hair?"

"Sure Daddy, but I don't think you REALLY need my help," came the giggled reply.

"Well of course I do, Slugger!" Mulder replied in feigned shock. "How else will I know if I look like a dork or not?!?!" Giggling, Will agreed to help.

After Mulder was finished, he put Walter out back one last time as Will got his little "book bag" ready. Making sure he had his grocery list and coupons, Mulder picked up his gym bag and let Walter back inside. Once they had everything, Will followed Mulder outside as Mulder shut and locked the door. Together, they walked to the garage and got into the car. Strapping Will into his car seat, Mulder fastened his own safety belt before starting the car and pulling out of the driveway. As the garage door closed shut, Mulder looked at the dashboard clock and then grinned over at Will. "Eight o'clock, just enough time to get there with ten minutes to spare. Looks like we'll need to figure out another way of making Miss Shelby grumpy today, huh?," Will giggled loudly as they pulled into the street and drove away.

Watching from his same vantage point up the street, the cigarette smoking man watched Mulder's SUV pull out of the driveway and down the street. There was no need to follow since he knew where they were going. He himself would be there soon, but all in good time.

Starting the engine of his own car, he drove down the street and parked in front of the Mulder's house. "I'm disappointed in you, Mr. Mulder," he puffed on his Morley "I would have thought you would have been much more aware than that." Getting out of his car and crushing his cigarette out beneath his heel, he briskly walked to the front door. Within seconds he had picked the lock and was inside. Anyone who saw him would have thought that he had his own key, but he was aware enough to know that no one was there to see him.

Walking through the house, he ignored the puppy dancing about his feet as he debated whether or not to partake of another cigarette. Making his way to the mantle, he picked up a framed picture of the Mulder family. "There was a time when the presence of cigarette smoke would have alerted you both to my presence," he mused aloud to the photograph "But now, I believe the sky would have to fall before you'd take notice." Replacing the picture, he took out another cigarette and held it between his teeth. Striking his lighter, he raised it toward the cigarette. At the last second, he thought better of it and replaced the lighter in his pocket.

Moving from room to room, he mentally recorded the layout of the house - taking particular note of the access points from the outside. Stopping briefly at the Master bedroom, he glanced inside, noticing the family portrait on the nightstand. He sighed as he continued down the corridor. "With such a handsome family, Mr. Mulder, one would think you would take better precautions to protect it."

He stopped again when he reached Will's bedroom. He'd found his destination of interest. Going inside, he went to the bed and picked up Will's teddy bear. Looking it over slowly, he murmured "Hello, old friend," before unceremoniously tossing the bear back onto the sheets. Moving to the drawing table, he picked up several of Will's drawings and examined them closely. "You have a very special boy here Mr. Mulder. Even you have no concept of just how special," he mused aloud.

Selecting one drawing from the stack, he tossed the others back on the table before folding it up and tucking it neatly into his front pocket. Taking out his lighter, he slowly lit the cigarette he still held in his mouth. Taking a few deliberate draws, he exhaled slowly and then walked silently from the room. Quickly and quietly exiting the house, he made sure that the front door was locked just as he had found it before returning to his car and driving away. His business inside the house was done. He now had other, more important tasks to address.

Mulder slowly pulled his SUV into the lot of the pre-school, parking it in a nearby space. "We're here Slugger" he called into the back seat as he shifted the gears into park. "Are you sure you want to go in or would you rather hit the gym with me and Russ?" he asked jokingly.

Unbuckling his seatbelt and getting out of the car, Mulder grinned to himself at just how well his and Scully's plan was working. They'd been worried about how well Will would adjust to pre-school-especially with all of the horror stories they'd heard from other parents. Apparently, some kids would actually scream and wail when their parents left while others would refuse to even get out of the car. As soon as they heard about this, Mulder and Scully decided that they would approach the issue differently to make sure Will's experience would not be so traumatic. For starters, they always presented it to as Will his "getting" to go rather than his "having" to go. As simple as it sounded, the distinction really made a difference. Second, on the days Will went to go to pre-school, they made sure that Mulder would be doing something that Will wouldn't want to do. For example, on the first day of class, Mulder brought Will in with him on the pretense of meeting the teacher while on his way to get the tires rotated. Since Will had been along when he'd gotten Scully's tires rotated the previous week, the last thing he wanted to do was spend another three boring hours in the auto-shop waiting room. As soon as Will caught sight of the other kids and the cool toys, he begged Mulder to stay and play. From there, it was a simple matter of introducing him to Miss. Shelby and making him promise to obey her before Mulder was on his way to having the tires rotated while Will happily stayed at pre-school. So far, they hadn't had ANY of the problems that the other parents reported. "Knock on wood" Mulder thought to himself as he opened the back door to let Will out of his car seat.

As he unbuckled Will's last buckle, Mulder suddenly felt a hand on his shoulder. Spinning around in surprise, he was suddenly confronted with a rapidly approaching jab to his stomach. Unable to react in time, Mulder braced himself for the blow, which just as suddenly pulled back at just the last second. "Fox, my man! You getting slow in your old age!?" came the chuckled greeting "Maybe one of us will finally be able to beat you at paintball after all."

"I wouldn't bet on it if I were you" Mulder laughed in reply, putting out his hand. "Just because you were finally able to catch me off guard doesn't mean I'm getting soft."

Taking hold of Mulder's outstretched hand and shaking it vigorously, Russ replied "I don' t know. I think that the other dads will side with me on this one."

Mulder had met Russ Spangler through the "Stay-at- Home Dads." Every second Saturday of the month, the group got together to do "guy stuff" without wives or kids in tow. Scully had pushed Mulder to join. Although he'd resisted at first, she insisted-- literally shoving him out the door when the Dads came to collect him for his first outing and saying "You need to get your testosterone ya-yas out. Now get out of here and go thump your chest!" Now Mulder couldn't imagine life without the group. It was a ready-made bunch of guy-friends who were doing the same thing he was-staying home and raising the children while their wives worked. It was sure nice to know that he wasn't the only "modern father" in the DC area.

Mulder raised his eyebrows and grinned "Oh, does that mean that I won't have a handicap at next Saturday's paintball match?" Next weekend, the Dads were going paint balling. Of course, after the first time Mulder went along, the Dads unanimously voted that he needed to be given a handicap so that everyone else could stand a fighting chance against him. As a result, the whole group broke down into teams of two- except for Mulder. He had to be a one-man team because of his FBI marksmanship experience.

"Hel-I mean Heck no!!" Russ laughed, correcting himself as he noticed Will. "Hey Sport," he continued, addressing Will "You ready to go have fun with Tyler and Jamal?" "Yeah Russ!!" Will shouted gleefully as he climbed down from his seat.

"Where are the twins anyway?" Mulder asked looking around as he took Will by the hand and shut the car door.

"They're already inside playing. I came out here to wait for you" Russ grinned widely as he headed toward the building. "I was beginning to think that you were standing me up-either that or just pussing out."

"Nah, man. You should know by now, we're always running late" Mulder smirked following with Will "Gotta do something to preserve our bad-boy rep with Miss Shelby, right?"

"Hey, you leave my wife outta this," Russ laughed "I'm not the one who's being a pain in the teacher's arse with my tardiness." When they first met, Mulder and Spangler had hit it off almost immediately-they both had the same smart-ass sense of humor. Plus, Russ had been a DEA analyst prior to becoming a stay at home dad-so they pretty much spoke the same language. When the twins were born, Russ and his wife, Julia, decided that it made more sense for Russ to stay at home with the boys while Julia went back to work as a DOJ federal prosecutor. She and Scully clicked almost as well as Russ and Mulder did. As a result, it was no surprise that the Spanglers quickly became the Mulders favorite couple with whom to socialize.

"Force of habit left over from high school," Mulder grinned. "Besides, we're on time for once. Barely on time, but on time just the same."

"Yeah? Tell it to the judge." Russ laughed as he held the door open for Mulder and Will, nodding toward the corpulent Miss Shelby who was glaring disapprovingly at them with her arms crossed and her foot tapping.

After Will quickly said goodbye and ran off to play with the twins and Mulder apologized again to Miss Shelby for keeping her waiting, the guys headed off to the gym. "Do ya wanna take my car or yours?" Mulder asked as they made their way back to the parking lot.

"Yours. Just let me go get my gym bag out of the trunk." Russ replied. Within a few minutes, they were pulling out of the parking lot and on the road headed toward the gym.

Moments later a black car pulled into the parking lot that Mulder and Spangler had left mere seconds earlier. The cigarette smoking man stepped out of his car and hurriedly headed toward the front door. Walking in, he was greeted by the receptionist.

"Yes," he replied curtly as he pulled out his pack of Morleys "I have an appointment to observe Ms. Shelby's 8:30 AM class."

"Oh yes, you're Mr. Spender. We've been expecting you. Come this way." She began to lead him towards the classroom but stopped as she noticed he was preparing to light a cigarette. "Sir, there's no smoking in the building."

"Very well," he responded as he replaced the pack in his front pocket. Then motioning toward the classroom he continued, "After you."

"Miss Shelby," the receptionist called as she entered the classroom "Mr. Spender is here."

Spender quickly followed in behind her, his eyes darting from one child to the next until he caught sight of Will. Noticing the boy's "space cowboys" sweatshirt, Spender silently sniffed in disgust "One would think you could find the child something new to wear, Mr. Mulder."

Looking up from the storybook over her enormous glasses, Miss Shelby immediately lumbered from her chair toward him with her hand extended-momentarily forgetting that she was in the middle of story-time. "So nice to meet you Mr. Spender," she gushed as she went to take his hand "We hope you'll agree that our pre-school will be the best place for your grandson." With the introductions made, the receptionist smiled weakly at them both and quickly returned to her desk, suddenly and inexplicably relieved to escape Spender's immediate presence.

Keeping his clenched hands in the pockets of his overcoat, Spender forced a smile. He abstractedly wished that he could simply light up and blow smoke in this odd woman's face-but he knew too well that his customary disregard for the rules would only arouse suspicions in a place such as this. With cool detachment, he replied, "I'm sure I will be quite satisfied with your facilities, Ms. Shelby." Then, nodding toward the seated children he continued, "Please, don't let me keep you from your class."

Oblivious to his obvious slight, she giggled as she put her hand to her mouth in an "oops" motion. Heading back toward her chair, she chirped, "Do feel free to look around the play areas and ask me any questions you might have. Oh, and please call me Arlene." She smiled and winked at Spender as she reseated herself. "Children," she continued motioning toward him "we have a special visitor with us today." With those words, fifteen tiny faces turned to look at him. "Mr. Spender is here to find a new pre-school for his grandson who'll be coming to live with him. So, he'll be joining us for class. Let's all be on our best behavior for him okay?"

"Yes Miss Shelby" the children answered in unison, each slowly turning his or her gaze back to their teacher. For his part, Spender was mildly incensed at the attention being drawn to him and more than moderately nauseated at the romantic interest the frizzy Ms. Shelby was exhibiting. He found most women quite exasperating but he truly despised flighty ones such as her. As the story resumed, he coolly reminded himself that cultivating her interest might prove most invaluable, at some point, to accomplishing his goals. Moving toward the semi-circle of children, he stopped behind Will and leaned against the wall as if to listen to the story. Politely, he returned Ms. Shelby's gaze and smile, while internally, his stomach turned with revulsion at the thought of the time he might have to spend with her.

As the story progressed, he took the opportunity to size up the room. The large windowpanes were easy access points and the front entrance was essentially unguarded. Any professional could quickly make short work of both the receptionist and Ms. Shelby within seconds. He imagined that the playground and other play areas would be just as unprotected. "You really make things much too easy for your adversaries, Mr. Mulder" he silently mused to himself. This visit had already been quite revealing and illuminating-well worth the risk of discovery.

Sooner than he'd expected, the story was over and it was time for the children to choose their first morning activity. Spender was mildly surprised at the number of choices available to them. Painting, playing house, drawing, blocks, computer number and alphabet games-the list seemed endless. He took particular notice of Will's choice--painting. Now he knew precisely where he would be spending the bulk of his "observation" time.

With a clap of her hands, Miss Shelby sent the children to their respective choices. As they made their way to their own selected area, she made a beeline to Spender-intercepting him on his way to the painting easels. "So, Mr. Spender, what do you make of our little pre-school so far?" she toothily grinned up at him with a snorty giggle.

"Arlene. Please, it's Arlene," she insisted, lightly touching his arm before quickly scanned the room for problems.

Blinking slowly as he regarded her hand on his jacket-sleeve, Spender diplomatically replied with a concerted effort to appear receptive "Well, 'Arlene,' it does have a certain potential." All the while, he kept Will clearly in his line of sight.

"Oh I'm sooo glad," she gushed looking at him and rolling her eyes in relief. Then, continuing in her attempt to engage him she went on, "So, how many schools have you visited so far...um...MISTER Spender?" Ignoring her none too subtle attempt to elicit his first name and keeping his eyes covertly affixed on Will, he replied "This is my first and, although there are other quality schools, I suspect I'll be back." To emphasize the last phrase, he looked her directly in the eyes and smiled with steely warmth as he spoke it.

Blushing slightly, she demurely lowered her eyes. "Well, we'd love to have you-and your grandson-with us." Remembering herself, Miss Shelby quickly took a look around the room to see how the children were doing before continuing. "What was his name again?"

"Really?" she exclaimed, not noticing where his gaze had fallen. "Then that will be two Williams we'll have. William Spender and William Mulder. Tell me, does he go by Billy, Will, or Liam?"

Turning his head slightly in her general direction, he vaguely answered, "I'm not really sure what he prefers right now." Then regaining his cool detachment, he continued, "I'm sure you know how temperamental children can be."

"Oh, to be sure," she grinned with her snorty giggle, "the Mulder boy likes to go by Will-so we'll just hope that your grandson prefers Bill or Liam." She silently hoped he was as interested in her as he seemed to be in the school. Slyly looking him over after she scanned the children again, she saw that he wasn't wearing a wedding band. "If he DOES enroll his grandson here, the possibilities are just endless," she mused happily to herself. Then, noticing his overcoat she exclaimed, "Oh, please let me take your coat."

Removing his coat, he silently handed it to her as he watched Will fumbling with the fasteners of his painting smock. "May I watch the children a little more closely and possibly ask them some questions?" he asked distractedly as he watched the various shades of frustration cross the boy's face.

"Certainly. Please do," she beamed. The children absolutely adored her and she knew every one of them would give her a glowing report. "I'll just go put this in the closet. I'll be back in a few seconds." Then, taking another quick scan of the room, she darted into the hall to hang up his coat. It would only take a second.

Spender took the opportunity to slowly make his way to Will. The ties on the back of the boy's smock had come undone and the frustrated child was unable to reach them.

Crouching down on his knees and looking Will somewhat hesitantly in the face, Spender gently asked, "Do you need some help there, son?"

"Yes, please Mister...uh...Mister..." Will innocently replied, unable to remember the strange visitor's name.

Re-tying the fasteners, Spender quietly replied, "Charles...my name is Charles." Then looking intently into the young boy's face again, he continued softly "...but you can call me Charlie."

"Okay Charlie," Will grinned brightly, holding out a paint-smeared hand. "My name's Will." Then remembering the manners Mommy and Daddy had taught him, he added, "It's nice to meet you."

Noticing the paint, Spender paused momentarily before taking the boy's hand and shaking it gently. "Very nice to meet you too Will."

"Ah, I see you've met our other little William," Miss Shelby crooned, coming up behind them. Noticing the paint on both their hands she scolded Will saying "William Mulder look at what you've done. You've gotten paint on Mr. Spender!"

"It's quite alright Ms. Shelby," Spender curtly hissed, barely containing his growing annoyance with this strange woman. Taking a long breath, he paused for a moment to regain his composure. Then winking playfully at Will, he continued more patiently "Will was just acquainting me with the fine art of finger- painting." Smiling down at Will as he stood, he gently tousled the boy's hair with his paint-free hand. Then with an air of detachment, he turned to face Miss Shelby saying "Could you possibly show me around the various activity stations so that I can see how well suited your facilities are to my grandson?" He knew very well that showing too much interest in William at this point would only arouse suspicion. It was much better to actively maintain the pretense of a grandfather looking for the best preschool for his grandchild. Such a strategy would also take full advantage of Ms. Shelby's obvious crush-a tactic that could prove quite useful at some later date.

Forgetting completely about the paint, she blushingly stammered, "Why of course Mr. Spender! It would be my pleasure!!" She beamed with excitement, knowing very well that he didn't need her to accompany him around the room in order to get a look at the various toys and games they had available. This would kill two birds with one stone. She could check on the children at each station while simultaneously engaging this intriguing gentleman in all sorts of conversation.

Spender watched each of these thoughts cross her face with cool detachment. Given the circumstances, this couldn't have worked out better if he had planned it. "Very good. After you then, Ms. Shelby," he smiled sharply, motioning for her to go ahead of him. Starting forward, he patted Will on the head, loudly whispering, "Nice painting Will."

"Thanks Charlie!! See ya later!!" Will laughed as he smeared paint across his paper.

"Yes, you will," Spender mused silently to himself as he followed behind his waddling guide at a safe distance. After all, he still had another 3 hours of "observation" time before Mulder would be back to collect his son. Her ears perking at Will's remark, Miss Shelby turned to speak with her guest. "Charlie? So your name is Charlie? What a small world!! My brother's name is Charlie."

Silently reminding himself that this interaction would prove fruitful in the long run, Spender dispassionately replied, "You have a brother named Charlie? Imagine that."

"Yeah, her brother Charlie will be there too but he's not the one who gave me that stupid book," Mulder explained as he spotted Russ doing his set of military presses. "So it was the other one..." Russ paused as he slowly lifted the dumbbells over his head one last time. "Bill. Yeah, he's a real Johnson." Mulder steadied Russ' wavering hands. "That's enough reps," Russ panted slowly lowering his hands and dropping the weights to the floor. Then returning to their conversation, he continued, "So what's his problem anyway?" "I don't think he's ever gotten over all the things that happened to Scully when we were partners at the FBI. I think he blames me for every bad thing that ever happened to her-although he has gotten a little better since Scully went back to teaching at Quantico." "So why did he give you a 'Naval Wives Handbook?!?' Sounds like an insult to your manhood if you ask me." Russ shook his head as he got up to spot Mulder for his set of presses. "That's what I said-like he was trying to make some comment on me being the one who stays at home with Will. But Scully insisted that it was just his 'weird sense of humor' and a bad attempt at being funny. It wasn't worth arguing over, so I just dropped it-at least with her." Mulder sat down on the bench and picked up the free weights Russ had discarded. Inhaling, he pressed the weights high over his head, with enough force that he accidentally clanged them together. Spotting Mulder, Russ replied, "Man, wives just don't understand that kind of stuff. I would have been really pissed if Julia's brother pulled that crap with me." Continuing his set as he spoke, Mulder panted, "Yeah... Well, I think...that's what he wants....but...I'm going to beat...him...at his...own game." "How're ya gonna do that?" Russ' curiosity was piqued. He knew that Mulder has just as devious a mind and smart-ass sense of humor as he did-so whatever it was, it had to be good. "Well...first of all...I read it." Then slowly lowering the weight before dropping them to the floor, Mulder continued. "I actually got some good ideas too. But anyway, I'm going to sprinkle quotes from it into every conversation I have with him- regardless of who else is around. Eventually, he'll be dumb enough to ask what the heck I'm talking about and that's when I'll go in for the kill." Mulder stood up and toweled off his sweaty brow, heading toward the track. "Ready for that run now?" Following behind, Russ objected, "Hey now, don't leave me hanging. How will the kill go down?" "That's the best part. But I don't want to jinx it by spilling the details. Let's just say it's ALSO going to entail a free gift subscription to the Oprah magazine and Martha Stewart Living-both sent to his ship." "Man you're cold! Remind me not to ever piss you off." Russ laughed as he stretched his calves in preparation for their two mile run. "I'll be sure to fill you in on the details next week," Mulder grinned as he bent to stretch his quads, pleased that his plans passed muster with Russ. "Yeah, well if the kill doesn't pan out as planned, let me know. I'm sure the Dads will be more than happy to pay this Johnson a little visit to set him straight." "Ha! I think I'd actually pay to see that one," Mulder laughed out loud as he stretched his hamstrings, "but I think my plan will play out just fine. Thanks for the offer though-may need to take you up on it later." "I doubt it. Somehow, I think this will be the LAST time this Bill character takes you on-Dana's brother or not." Russ finished stretching his legs and stood waiting for Mulder. "You 'bout ready man? Remember, I have to pick the twins up early for their annual check-up-so we need to get this run going." Standing, Mulder replied, "Sure enough man, let's go." As the pair ran down the track, Mulder wondered if he should pick Will up early too or whether it would be better to let him stay the full four hours. "Just decide on the way there," he thought to himself. He figured he'd better get Russ' take on his full plans for Bill by Russ ahead of time-after all, two devious minds were better than one.

By ten o'clock Mulder and Russ were through with their run and by 10:30 they were already on the road headed back toward the pre-school. "Yeah, I think your enhancements really improve my plan," Mulder laughed as he drove "Bill really won't know what hit him now."

"And even better, Dana won't have any reason to get mad at you," Russ laughed. "See, I told you that you needed my expert input," he grinned as they pulled into the parking lot. Unbuckling his seatbelt, he continued, "So are you coming in to get Will or are you going to let him stay?"

"I think I'll let him stay," Mulder sighed as he pulled up to the front of the school, "Scully and I have worked hard to make pre-school something fun that he wants to do. I don't want him to think that we're punishing him by making him leave two hours early. Besides, I still have to go to the grocery store to pick up everything for tomorrow. It'll be easier to do that solo."

Getting out of the passenger side of Mulder's SUV with his gym bag slung over his shoulder, Russ turned and leaned into the car. Holding out his hand palm-side up, he said, "Well, good luck with the plan. You'll have to fill me in on how it goes."

Slapping his own hand down on Russ' upturned palm, Mulder laughed, "You know it!! I'll have a full report for you Monday AM. Thanks for the help!" Backing away from the SUV and shutting the door, Russ grinned, giving Mulder the thumbs up sign and saying "No problem, man. Go in there and take down that futher mucker. Take no prisoners! Oh, and give Dana my best."

"Same to Julia. See ya next week man!" Mulder laughingly called, pulling away and rolling up the passenger side window. Heading toward the door, Russ took a quick look at his watch. It was 10:34. He had a little less than a half an hour to collect the twins and have them to the pediatrician's office. He'd need to hurry if he was going to make it on time. Striding past the receptionist's desk, he told her that he picking his boys up early and that he'd just head on back-she didn't need to get up. Walking to the door of the classroom, Russ knocked quickly before opening it and going inside.

The children were sitting in a semi-circle on the floor as Miss Shelby was going through the letters of the alphabet with them, using he set of "letter people" dolls. Leaning against the wall on the edge of the semi-circle stood a strange man that he did not recognize. Pausing in mid-sentence from "Mr. M's" song, Miss Shelby looked up at Russ. Smiling at him and nodding toward the twins, she called, 'Tyler, Jamal, your Daddy's here. Go and get your things." Then, without missing a beat, she picked up the song right where she left off. "This is Mr. M, with the munching mouth..."

"Daddy!!! Daddy!!" the twin boys called as they excitedly got up and ran into Russ' outstretched arms. From his place in the semi-circle, Will turned around and waved at Russ-who smiled and waved back.

"Mind Miss Shelby and get your things," Russ laughed as he hugged them tight before letting them go. "We're running late, so hurry up!"

"Okay Daddy!!" the boys cried in unison as they ran off toward their cubbies to go and get their backpacks.

Watching them disappear around the corner, Russ' attention turned toward the stranger. The man struck him as eerily out of place here - especially with his dark suit and icy demeanor. He seemed too old to be one of the fathers and, although Russ couldn't put his finger on why, the man gave him the creeps. Shaking off his suspicions, Russ walked toward him with a smile, his hand outstretched. "Hi there. I'm Russ Spangler-Tyler and Jamal's Dad. Are your kids in this class?"

Spender regarded this man coolly. He'd been uncharacteristically taken by surprise by his sudden appearance. He could have just as easily have been Mulder. Such a discovery would have severely compromised his ability to successfully accomplish his immediate goals. Silently admonishing himself, Spender knew that he needed to be much more careful in the future. Taking his outstretched hand and shaking it with deliberate reserve, he slowly answered "No. I am simply observing to see if this place is suitable for my grandchild."

"Oh? Is he one of the students Mr...?" Russ replied, struck by this man's chilling demeanor and countenance.

"Spender. Charles Spender," he answered carefully, "and no, he is not currently enrolled here. I am simply assessing the quality of this school to ascertain whether or not it would be suitable for him."

"I see." Russ replied, eyeing him with much more caution than he had before. This man truly gave him the chills. Something about him just wasn't quite right but at the same time, he seemed oddly familiar. He still couldn't put his finger on it...

"We're ready Daddy!!" called the twins as they ran to Russ and wrapped their arms around his legs, giggling loudly.

Breaking from his suspicious thoughts, Russ suddenly remembered their appointment and just how late they were running. "Well, gotta go. Nice meeting you, Mr. Spender." He nodded at the man as he hustled the boys out the door. Looking back, he noticed the stranger staring icily at him. The man's glare actually made the hair on the back of his neck stand on end. Shaking it off for the second time, Russ told himself "You don't have time for this nonsense - he's just an old geezer looking out for his grandkid. Nothing more." With that, he hurried the twins out the front door toward the car. Julia would not be happy if they missed another appointment.

Spender watched the man and his two boys leave the building. It was clear that Will knew both him and his children on more than a casual basis. He wondered silently what the connection might be. Since the man was clearly suspicious of him, it was imperative to obtain that knowledge as quickly as possible. Observation of the Mulder house might reveal that information but it would take time. There were definitely more expeditious means at hand for finding out what he wanted to know. He would start with the most obvious one.

While he'd been talking with Russ, Miss Shelby had finished going through the letters of the alphabet. It was now time for the children to go out to the playground to burn off some of the excess energy they had pent up from listening and playing quietly all morning. As the children lined up to head outside, Spender crouched down to speak to Will. "It seems you just lost your two favorite playmates," he murmured gently as he tousled the boy's hair.

Smiling brightly at the boy, Spender replied, "Well, I don't have anyone to play with either. Would you like to play with me?"

"Okay Charlie!!" Will happily chirped, taking hold of the old man's hand. "Do you like the swings? You can push me just like my Daddy does!!"

Letting the boy lead him toward the door and the playground, Spender replied softly, "I would like that very much Will. Do you think you could tell me a little more about yourself and your two friends while we play?"

Mulder pulled his SUV into the grocery store parking lot . The dashboard clock read 10:40. He had almost two hours before he had to pick Will up-just enough time to get everything, take it home, and get it put away before heading back to the pre-school. Parking the car, he walked toward the store as his cell phone rang. As he took it out to answer it, he quickly checked the LCD to see who was calling. It listed the FBI so he knew it was Scully.

"Mulder," he answered simply out of habit. "Damn!!" he quickly thought in self-admonishment. He'd meant to say something unbelievably naughty that would take her by surprise and make her blush. He knew she should be in class right now and was probably calling him from the phone in her classroom during their short break-so she wouldn't be able to respond in kind to anything suggestive he said. All she would've been able to do is stand there and blush. Turnabout WAS fair play after all...but he'd missed his chance.

"What's up?" Mulder replied, mildly mourning his lost opportunity to tease her and earn a little payback of his own.

"No, but I'm in the parking lot on the way in. Did you forget to put something on the list AGAIN you thoughtless wench?" he playfully teased as he grabbed a cart and headed in the front door.

"What do you mean AGAIN?!?" she laughed into the receiver. "I NEVER forget to put things on the list- unlike some people who have been known to forget to BRING the list."

Mulder rolled his eyes and laughed, "That's only happened twice. Are you ever going to let me live that down or are you planning to hang that over my head for the next fifty years?"

"No, not nearly that long, but I'll only stop when reminding you doesn't amuse me any more," she giggled. From her voice, he could hear the beautiful smile on her face. Although he wished he could see it, he was glad to have brightened her day a little. Over the past few weeks, he'd gotten the impression that work was more stressful and frustrating for her than usual-so he was glad to be able to do anything that would release some of the pressure. "Anyway, I called because I was just thinking that we should get something to serve for dessert tomorrow. I know you ordered the brisket, Cole slaw, potato salad, baked beans, and rolls but I didn't think you ordered anything for dessert."

Pushing his cart through the produce section as he balanced the cell phone between his shoulder and his ear, Mulder replied, "No, I didn't. Did you have something in mind?"

"Yeah, Mom is kind of partial to pineapple upside- down cake. Do you think you could try to get one of those?"

"Ugh!! I hate pineapple!! How about something chocolate or strawberry?" Then with a devilish grin, he added "Or there's always blueberries and whipped cream."

Smirking to herself as she ignored his last comment, Scully replied "Well, why don't you get the pineapple upside-down cake for Mom and whoever else wants it and then get something else that you'd be willing to eat for dessert."

Taking immediate advantage of how unbelievably wide-open Scully had just left herself with her last comment, Mulder chuckled suggestively "Hmmm. Somehow, I doubt I can get what I'd really like to eat for dessert here--that is unless you're hiding somewhere in the back storeroom with a can of whipped cream." He paused a second to let that mental picture sink in for her before continuing. "Besides, I don't think that would be suitable fare for this little family get together. Do you?" Grinning to himself, he already knew he'd gotten her good with this one.

Feeling her cheeks flush at the images Mulder's suggestion conjured in her mind, Scully was silent for a moment before breathing "Ah, no." Then deliberately repressing those thoughts, Scully quickly recovered a professional tone as she continued, "I will just talk to you about that later then, okay?"

"I'll be licking my lips in breathless anticipation," he crooned suggestively. He knew he was being terrible, but he also knew she'd make him pay for it later. In fact, he was counting on it.

"Right," she replied as she gently bit her lower lip in a futile effort to banish Mulder's innuendos from her mind while her students slowly filed past her back into the room. He was definitely going to get some big time payback for this one. "Well, I have to go now. The break is almost over. I'll call if I think of anything else. Okay?"

"I love you," Mulder grinned into the phone with the most innocent tone he could muster. He knew she wanted to kill him for turning the tables on her like this. He, for one, couldn't wait to take his punishment.

"Me too. See you later." Scully replied as her students sat watching her, waiting for class to resume. She quickly hung up the phone and took a deep breath before turning toward her class to begin her lecture. "Just wait until after Will goes to bed," she thought wickedly. "Bye."

Mulder chirped as he shut his cell phone and put it back in his jacket pocket. Pushing the cart along, he smirked-silently pleased with himself for being able to so deftly turn the tables on Scully for her little phone games from yesterday. Smiling to himself as he put some pre-packaged 96% lean hamburger patties and turkey bratwursts into his cart, he silently hoped that he and Scully would never stop playing these little phone games. They sure gave his day a tantalizing little perk. He also knew that Scully really enjoyed it too-especially since she started it more often than he did.

As he headed down the dog food aisle to get some treats and things for Walter, Mulder's cell phone rang a second time. The LCD read FBI again - it had to be Scully calling back for more. Grinning wickedly, he answered in his most seductive voice, "So, can I assume that you DO want to hear about how I'm going to slather your body with whipped cream and slowly lick it off you for dessert tomorrow?"

"Well, Mulder, if I knew that plan was a part of your invitation," a decidedly male voice replied with a chuckle, "I'd have thought twice before accepting. I just never knew how much you cared."

Nearly dropping his phone in shock as his face rapidly turned about eight different shades of red, Mulder quickly re-checked the LCD before nervously stammering, "Who is this?"

Laughing uncontrollably, the man's voice continued "Oh, well NOW I'm just hurt, Mulder. After all we've been through together, you don't even recognize my voice anymore."

Finally recognizing the caller's voice, Mulder put a hand over his eyes and sighed heavily in extreme embarrassment "Doggett - you dog. Did Scully put you up to this?"

Grinning over at Reyes who had just walked into his office and was eyeing him like she thought he'd gone completely out of his mind, Doggett continued to laugh as he replied, "Sorry, I haven't talked to her in weeks. Looks like you got yourself into this one all on your own." Winking at Reyes' quizzical look, he continued chuckling "So is it safe to assume that your dessert plans don't actually involve me?" He was laughing so hard that he had tears in his eyes.

Rubbing his forehead and internally berating himself for making such a stupid and embarrassing mistake, Mulder curtly responded "John, don't take this the wrong way but SHUT UP." He'd sure learned his lesson. He would never answer the phone THAT way again - at least not that graphically. Meanwhile, Doggett just laughed hysterically in the background. After patiently listening to Doggett's peals of laughter for what seemed like an eternity, Mulder took a deep breath and finally spoke "Look, sorry to disturb your mirth, but I'm sure you didn't call just to be amused. Was there something particular that you wanted?" His voice was a little harsher than he'd intended toward the end there but he never took embarrassment well. Although he knew full well that, if the tables were turned, he would be the first one to laugh his head off and tease unmercifully, he could only put up with kidding directed at him for so long.

"Oh, I'm sorry Mulder," Doggett replied wiping his eyes "I'll stop. But I do have to thank you. I haven't had that good of a laugh in a LONG time." He could barely suppress his urge to continue laughing but he could tell by the tone in his voice that Mulder's patience was wearing thin. He would have to content himself with releasing his amusement through smirks and grins at Reyes.

Rolling his eyes as he pushed his cart along, Mulder sarcastically replied, "Glad to be of some service to the FBI again-just think of me as the local morale officer."

"And what a wonderful morale officer you are--going so far above and beyond the call of duty to service our agents." Doggett chuckled before clearing his throat and faking a cough.

Deliberately attempting to change the subject, Mulder interjected impatiently "So you'll be there tomorrow, right?"

"Oh definitely. Wouldn't miss it. Do you want me to bring anything?" Doggett grinned widely, "coughing" again. "It would be no problem whatsoever for me to stop and pick up a can of whipped cream on my way there." Barely able to contain his laughter, he smirked at Reyes who just looked at him like he was stark raving mad.

"Dude, you're about three seconds away from being hung up on." Mulder growled mildly as he tossed a bag of puppy food into the cart, "So step off 'cause I'm starting to get a little pissed here."

"I'm sorry," Doggett apologized for the second time in the past two minutes, finally regaining control of his laughter. "I'm done. I'm done. I won't mention it again." he thought to himself.

"Good," Mulder replied. Then as a tactical diversion, he continued, "So, Scully tells me that you and Agent Reyes are coming together tomorrow. That wouldn't be a DATE would it Agent Doggett? You know how the FBI frowns on such fraternization- especially between male/female partners such as yourself and Agent Reyes." Mulder smirked to himself. By the long pause that followed, he was betting that Reyes was standing right there in Doggett's office.

Looking at Reyes surreptitiously, Doggett finally answered, "Well, it's a professional relationship that works very well."

"Standing right there is she?" Mulder laughed with glee as he threw a box of dog treats into his cart.

"Yes, that's true." Doggett fumed mildly. He guessed that he had that coming-especially with all of the ribbing he'd just dished out. Still, he gestured to Reyes that she should leave and come back later.

Rolling her eyes, she got up from her seat and headed toward the door. Then turning back with a smile and pointing a finger straight at Doggett, Reyes loudly bellowed "Stop talking about me!!" before heading out the door and down the hallway.

"Was that her?" Mulder asked incredulously as he loaded several 12 packs of soda into his cart.

"Yeah," Doggett replied as he leaned over his desk to peer into the hallway, making sure that she was gone. "She is one eerie lady."

"That you just happen to be DATING!" Mulder smirked mirthfully as he pushed his cart down the cereal aisle. He was much more happy being on the giving rather than receiving end.

"Hey," Doggett gruffed laughingly, "This may come as a complete shock to you, but not everyone uses the FBI to find a love connection. You know, we STILL have to live down the jokes about the X-Files really being the 'seX-Files.' We have YOU and Agent Scully to thank for that."

Balancing his phone between his shoulder and his ear, Mulder reached for the Cocoa Puffs and grinned, "Yeah, but just think of all the money you could save the Bureau if you two shared a hotel room on all of your travels. With all of the budget-reduction fervor that was going on before I left, you'd think they'd encourage that kind of stuff. Besides, now that you two are dating..."

"Mulder, we are NOT dating! We just thought that it would make more sense to carpool out there than driving separately."

"Uh-huh. So you'll be bringing Skinner along too right?" Mulder quipped with amusement. Dead silence followed. After a few moments, Mulder spoke again "Hey Doggett, you still there?"

"Thought so." Mulder grinned triumphantly as he scanned his grocery list," If it makes you feel any better, I was in the same level of denial after Scully and I had worked together for four years."

"Mulder, this isn't why I called." Doggett sighed, putting a hand over his eyes.

"Well, why did you call if not to discuss the sordid details of your love life?"

"From who?" Mulder's curiosity was piqued. Everyone he kept touch with at the Bureau knew how to reach him. Why would anyone call Doggett to find him?

"Well a woman called here looking for you. She said that she couldn't reach you through the switchboard because every time she asked for Agent Mulder she got misconnected to Agent Scully's voice mail. By the way, I didn't tell her that Scully's the only Agent Mulder with the Bureau now. Anyway, I think she called several times before she finally spoke to me because I had several hang-ups on this line over the past few days. She didn't seem to want to talk to me either-she just said that this was the last number she had for you and that she wanted you to contact her."

"She left her name but wouldn't leave a number. She said you'd know how to get in touch with her and that it was of vital importance that you meet."

Confused by who it could possibly be, Mulder quizzically asked "So what was her name?"

"Covarrubias?!" Mulder felt the blood drain from his face as a chill swept up his spine. He hadn't heard that name in years-since long before he left the FBI. It was not a name or quest that he wanted to remember. He'd been through with obsessions and aliens for a long time. Marita Covarrubias was part and parcel of both. He didn't want to pick them up again. He just wanted to have a normal life-like everyone else. Why was she trying to contact him now? Why couldn't he be left alone?

"Yeah, that's it," Doggett replied, completely ignorant of the effect that name had on his friend. "Does that make any sense to you?"

"Yes, it does," Mulder replied icily. Pausing for a chilly moment, he slowly continued, "Could you do me a favor, John?"

"Sure, Mulder." Doggett responded cautiously, concerned by the dramatic change in Mulder's tone.

"If she calls back, you tell her that you passed along the message and that she needs to stop trying to contact me because I want absolutely NOTHING to do with her. Tell her that YOU are now in charge of the X-Files and that anything she wants to say to me she should say to you because I AM NO LONGER INTERESTED. IS THAT CLEAR?!?!" Mulder's icy tone had melted into virtual yelling during the last part. People far down the aisle were turning to look at him.

Surprised by Mulder's violent reaction, Doggett carefully answered "Sure, Mulder. Can you tell me what this is about?"

Mulder sighed, "Something that is long dead and buried. Something I want to keep that way." Regaining his composure, he continued, "Look, I'm sorry if I was yelling for a minute there. It's just the situation. Let's leave it at that, okay?"

"Then I'll see you tomorrow." With that Mulder abruptly hung up the phone. He stood in silent shock for a few moments. Then shaking his head, he murmured aloud to himself, "This isn't getting the grocery shopping done. Just forget about her and the syndicate. They can't touch you or your family now- they have no reason to." With deliberate effort, he turned his attention back to his list and pushed his cart forward-but his mind wouldn't stop revolving around Marita's phone call. Even the most casual observer would readily say that he seemed to have aged ten years in the past ten seconds.

Doggett held the dial-tone blaring receiver for a few moments before hanging it up. His brow furrowed in concern and confusion. For a split second, Mulder sounded like the same arrogant horse's ass he'd met nearly four years earlier rather than the loyal friend he'd grown to respect-if not admire. Doggett wondered what force on earth could've aroused such a furious change in him. Who was this Marita Covarrubias and why did Mulder have such a violent reaction to the mere mention of her name? Having read them all, he knew she wasn't mentioned in any of the X-Files. So what was the connection? Was she one of the many 'anonymous sources' listed? Perhaps if he called Scully, she could shed some light on the subject...

He was still pondering this issue when Reyes returned to his office with a smile.

"My ears stopped burning so I figured it was safe to come back," she grinned from the doorway. "So what were you two hens cackling about anyway?"

"Excuse me?!?" Doggett asked incredulously, unceremoniously broken from his thoughts at ridiculously being labeled a 'hen.'

"I thought that would get your attention," Reyes smirked as she sat down in the chair opposite his desk. "Was that Fox Mulder on the phone?"

"Jeez John," she chuckled at his obvious question "it wasn't too hard to figure out-especially since you called him by name when I was in here earlier."

"Oh yeah," Doggett replied distractedly slipping back into his own troubled thoughts. He was still puzzled by Mulder's reaction and wondered silently if it was something to be worried about.

Noticing his obvious distraction, wrinkled forehead and knitted eyebrows, Reyes paused, looking at him questioningly. "John, are you alright?"

Sighing as he looked back at her, he replied "Yeah. I'm fine. It's Mulder I'm not too sure about." In response to her concerned look, Doggett relayed the details of the woman's phone message as well as the last part of his and Mulder's conversation- particularly Mulder's violent reaction to the name Marita Covarrubias.

Her own brow furrowed in confusion, Reyes suddenly drew in a quick breath and exclaimed, "You don't think that Fox has been fooling around on Dana with this woman do you?!?" Her tone indicated that she was afraid this might be the case and that she desperately wanted Doggett's assurance that it wasn't.

"Oh come on Monica," Doggett gruffed in disbelief, "You've seen for yourself just how devoted they are to each other. You were at their wedding just like I was. The man WORSHIPS the ground she walks on. Jeez, you may as well be suggesting that the Pope is a closet Buddhist!!"

"Well that WAS more than three years ago," Reyes replied with some irritation at Doggett's condescending tone. Feeling a sudden need to defend herself for even making the suggestion, she continued. "Things change. People fall out of love every day- and men cheat on their wives every day. Just look at our elected officials and tell me I'm wrong."

"We're not talking about them. We're talking about Fox Mulder and I can positively guarantee that the Mulder marriage is doing better than alright." < "I know better than I want to"> Doggett thought to himself, remembering Mulder's cream-laced greeting intended for Scully. "He is definitely NOT having an affair with this Covarrubias woman. Besides, if they were, why would she be calling me to get in touch with him? It's got to be something else."

Conceding the point, Reyes nodded in agreement. "Well, maybe she's an old flame-that would be consistent with his 'dead and buried' comment as well as his violent reaction. Nobody wants an ex sniffing around and causing trouble."

Considering her suggestion, Doggett replied, "Now THAT'S a possibility. But why would he then make a point of emphasizing that I'm the one who's in charge of the X-Files and therefore the one she should be talking to?"

"Hmmm." Reyes reflected for a second before conjecturing, "Maybe she was involved in a past case. Has her name shown up in any of the case files?"

"Thought of that already. She isn't specifically named in any of them-although there are quite a few mentions of 'anonymous sources' throughout."

"So you think she might be one of those sources, eh? That DOES fit all of the facts." Thinking for a moment, Reyes then suggested, "Have you checked the federal database for her name? I mean, if we knew more about her record, we might be better able to piece things together." Pausing for another second, she hesitantly observed, "I suppose we could also always call Dana and ask her about it, but I think we should save that as a last resort. Don't you?"

Grinning at how well they complimented one another when it came to casework, Doggett replied "Yeah. I'll check the database now. No need to bother Dana with something that may be relatively trivial- especially if it's one of Mulder's ex-girlfriends." THAT possibility actually amused him somewhat.

Punching "Covarrubias" into the FBI federal database search engine, Doggett waited momentarily for her profile to come up. "Says here that she was attached to the UN for several years. She then contracted some kind of highly contagious disease and was quarantined by the CDC. She had some brief contact with the Bureau just before Mulder's abduction in 2000 but there isn't anything else on her after that."

"That's odd for someone like that to just drop off the map." Reyes shook her head in confusion.

Knitting his brows together, Doggett replied, "Sounds to me like something fishy is going on here."

Getting up from her seat, Reyes decided aloud, "Well, then maybe I should go ahead and call Dana and give her the low-down on Fox's reaction after all. That way, she can fill in the blanks for us on this Covarrubias woman as well as be prepared for any residual fall-out there may be waiting for her when she gets home."

Lost in solving the mystery, Doggett didn't look up from his screen when he responded, "Yeah. You do that. I'm going to see what else I can find here."

"Right. I'll give you a call if I find out anything." With that Reyes was out the door and headed up to her own office. She sincerely hoped that Dana would be able to clear this up and that it was really something minor like an ex-girlfriend. Her gut, however, already told her that it wouldn't be quite that simple.

Deputy Director Kersch was seated at his desk, gazing distractedly out the window when his phone rang. "Deputy Director Kersch" he answered coolly.

"Sir," came the anxious voice on the other end of the line, "You asked to be notified when specific file names were accessed via the FBI Federal Database."

"Sir, the name was Marita Covarrubias and her file was accessed by Special Agent John Doggett at 10:55am-just a few minutes ago."

"Thank you," came the Deputy Director's curt reply before he hung up the phone. Getting up from his desk and walking to his window, he reflected on the view momentarily before picking up the phone again. Dialing an outside line, he waited for a moment before beginning. "We've found another one..."

Pushing himself through the supermarket, Mulder tried to put Marita's phone call out of his mind. Meticulously going down the shopping list, he made sure that everything written on it was in his cart. Still, he couldn't get rid of that nagging anxiety that he'd had ever since Doggett told him about Marita wanting to meet with him. It wasn't that he cared about WHY she wanted to meet. That was superfluous. The truth was, he was scared- plain and simple. Scared of getting drawn helplessly back into his addictive obsessions and terrified of losing the only things in the universe that mattered to him now.

As he dragged along behind his shopping cart, he thought about his life before Will, before he won Scully's heart and before he'd given his own to her. He remembered all of the empty, sleepless nights that he lay awake-willing himself to find and figure out 'the truth.' The truth about Samantha's disappearance, the truth about his father's secret life, the truth about the government conspiracies, the truth about alien life, and an endless litany of other mysterious 'truths' obsessed and controlled him. Sighing heavily, he remembered the endless days spent in driven and breathless pursuit of answers that always remained just beyond his grasp. It was always the same-give just a little bit more and the truth would be his. But no matter how hard he pushed himself, it was never enough. The 'truth' always remained elusive. Even when he caught a glimpse of it or thought he'd found the answer, other 'truths' emerged to taunt and tempt him-compelling him to begin the chase anew.

It was a potent and seductive addiction-more insidious and powerful than any elicit drug. Nothing could satisfy him the way that pursuit could-not his many accomplishments, not any of his one-night stands or girlfriends, not even Diana Fowley. Although each could provide temporary solace, none of them were ever enough to silence the ever-present and deafening call of the 'truth.' That chase was a brutal and sadistic mistress. For years he pursued it and for years he came up empty-handed. Yet, throughout it all he desperately clung to the fervent belief that if he could only capture those elusive truths, all of the pain and yearning that plagued his existence would finally be alleviated and the emptiness inside him would be filled. It was that reason, more than anything else, which kept him relentlessly chasing one lead after another-never sitting still for fear of losing his chance at finally having peace.

Then Scully came into his life. How he resented her presence at first! But with her integrity and sacrifice, she won his trust. With her kindness and loyalty, she earned his friendship. With her rigorous personal and professional standards, she earned his respect. But most importantly, with her tender and vulnerable heart, she won his love. Thinking back, he couldn't name the specific day or time that he first began to love her - it came upon him so gradually that he never noticed it happening. But the moment Scully told him she had been diagnosed with inoperable cancer and that she may die, he knew all at once that he couldn't bear to be without her. It was then that he first realized that he was in love with her. Although for years afterwards he made every effort to deny it - even to himself - when confronted with the very real possibility of losing her, that simple fact was undeniable.

And yet, despite that, his obsessive addiction to the 'truth' remained. Even with Scully's diagnosis, he was unable to let it go. Maybe it was because he feared that she could never love him in return and that his love was be doomed to be unrequited, but he still obsessively and recklessly pursued the ever- elusive 'truth.' During those times, that addiction was a welcome ally and stealthy accomplice in helping him to bury his feelings for Scully. Yet, when she lay in the hospital on what everyone believed was her deathbed, that same 'truth' seemed pathetically insignificant in comparison to the love that he was so desperately afraid was slipping through his fingers. Despite that, his brutal mistress wouldn't let him go so easily and he remained trapped in her thorny clutches for years to come. However, there was one important difference. Now, Scully stood between him and it's full wrath. She alone could mitigate that intense and irresistible drive that had kept him prisoner for so long.

Things remained that way for a long time until one day, everything unexpectedly changed. He'd been afraid that his friendship with Scully was disintegrating before his eyes and he was powerless to stop it. For some time, there had been palpable tension between them and she seemed to be deliberately pulling away from him. Subconsciously, he'd prepared himself for the beginning of the end. But then, one night shortly thereafter, she was there in his arms saying the words he'd waited an eternity to hear-that she'd always loved him but had been too afraid to admit it, even to herself. Once she'd uttered those words, he knew that he NEVER wanted to stop kissing her. But still his possessive and jealous mistress remained. It was that demanding addiction that compelled him join the other abductees in Oregon rather than turning tail and running when he had the opportunity. More than any other action he'd taken in pursuit of the 'truth,' he regretted that one the most-not because of the physical torture he had endured but because of what it had done to Scully. When he awoke in the hospital months later, he could see the terrible toll that his decision had taken on her. From that day onward, he had been unable to forgive himself for going willingly and he realized that he wanted to spend the rest of his life making it up to her and keeping her safe from harm.

With that realization, the change in had him begun. He was determined to stop putting Scully through the torture and pain his relentless pursuit of the truth had caused. He would overcome his addiction one way or another. That was why he didn't care when he was dismissed from the FBI. In fact, he was relieved because he was now removed from temptation. Simply, his means of chasing the 'truth' were effectively severed.

Yet, just as that happened, those same addictive truths began to threaten both Scully and their newborn child--forcing him to go into hiding and become separated from his new family for several unbearable months that seemed like an eternity.

Then, after he'd been gone nearly a year, the unthinkable happened. Scully was critically injured in the line of duty and near death. Unwilling to let her die alone, Mulder immediately came out of hiding and became a fixture himself at her side. Shortly after she recovered, they and her new partners were finally able to expose and defeat the "super-solider" conspiracy that had infiltrated both the federal government and corporate America. With the crisis finally averted and the plans for alien colonization seemingly damaged irreparably, Mulder finally understood exactly what he'd had to live without and almost lost during his long absence.

That reality more than anything else, fueled his final transition. Suddenly, his tiny family had eclipsed his addictive drive to pursue the 'truth.' Scully and Will had became the only truth he wanted or needed. With the danger passed, he finally felt like he was free - for the first time in his life. He loved the idea of staying home with the year-old Will and readily volunteered to do it. For the past three and a half years, he hadn't even given pursuit of the 'truth' a passing thought. Of course, he had also been far removed from temptation.

Now it was here and knocking on his door again. He realized for the first time that his addiction was still strong. Part of him wanted to meet with Marita and find out the 'truths' she had to offer. That realization terrified him. He truly felt like a drug addict or an alcoholic. He was fine as long as he was away from the temptation. But once he was confronted with an opportunity, he felt the strong pull of 'the truth' beckoning him to leave his life behind and follow relentlessly - regardless of the consequences. Was this going to be with him for the rest of his life? Would he always be able to resist? Mulder shuddered at the possibilities.

Then, in the middle of the dairy section, Mulder suddenly stopped-as if struck by a thunderbolt. Quickly, he took out his wallet and opened it to the pictures of Will and Scully that he always carried with him. Looking at their smiling faces, he suddenly realized that he had nothing to fear. He knew instantly that he wouldn't give in to the temptation-he loved his family far too much to EVER let that happen. After all those years of relentless pursuit, victory and vindication came only when he'd learned the value of partnership and teamwork. More importantly, he'd only found real happiness when he let his bitter obsessions go and recognized the truly meaningful things in life-namely love, family, and friendship. Now that he had the family and normal life he'd never dreamed would be his, he would be damned if he was going to let anything interfere with that-be it Marita Covarrubias and her mysterious truths or anything else that came down the pike. That was just the way it was going to be.

Sliding his wallet back into his pocket, Mulder smiled for the first time since receiving Doggett's news. The worry that had added years to his appearance melted away like the evening frost retreating from the morning sun. Looking at his list one more time, Mulder headed toward the check out- confident that he had everything. Then, realizing that he was in the dairy aisle, he turned his cart around and looked over the shelves in the dairy case. Within a few seconds, he found what he wanted-a can of whipped cream. Smiling, he chuckled to himself, "Scully would've been pretty disappointed if you forgot that-especially after the build up you gave her." Then taking a look at his watch, he continued "11:20-you'd better get a move on if you want to get this stuff put away before it's time to pick Will up." Whistling as he made his way to the checkout counter, Mulder was unusually excited about seeing his wife and son again. He could hardly wait.

Looking at the clock on the wall, Spender realized that his time was nearly up. He would have to leave soon if he didn't want to be here when Mulder returned. The children had now come back inside and were engaged at the various activity centers. He'd easily gotten the information he needed from Will on the playground. He was amazed at how malleable the boy was. Of course he supposed that most children are - there was nothing unique about William Mulder in that respect.

What was unique was the amount of insight the child seemed to possess. Will was now playing blocks with two other children while Spender pretended to be watching Miss Shelby's interactions with her students. Gazing at William from across the room, he reflected on the singular conversation they'd had as he pushed the boy on the swings.

Will had pulled him excitedly toward the playground, like a playful puppy would pull on a leash toward another dog. Happily hopping up on the seat, the boy looked up at him with his big blue eyes, saying "Charlie, you should hurry up and get me started 'cause once the other kids see what fun you can be, they'll want to play with you too."

"Well, we'd better get going then hadn't we?" Spender had replied warmly, all the while thinking about how, if this or any other child knew the truth about him, they would find him anything but fun. Undoubtedly, it would give them nightmares. Grabbing hold of the chains on either side of Will swing seat, Spender gently instructed "Hang on tight," as he pulled the seat backwards. Then giving it a firm shove, he sent Will rocketing forward.

"WEEEEE!!" Will cried gleefully as he pumped his legs to go faster. Spender, in spite of himself, couldn't help but smile at the enjoyment the small boy derived from this simple action. He couldn't remember a time in his own life when he ever had a comparable level of delight. The boy's happiness was contagious and, for a moment, Spender could feel himself getting caught up in it. Realizing this, he quickly took steps to quash it and accomplish what he was here to do.

"So who were your two little playmates?" Spender asked innocuously as he pushed Will on his swing.

"Tyler and Jamal Spangler. Their Daddy is friends with my Daddy. They play together too just like us kids."

Raising an eyebrow at this information, Spender continued his line of questioning, "So what does their Daddy do? How does he know your Daddy?"

"Well, Russ-that's their Daddy's name-he stays home and takes care of them. That's how he met my Daddy- cause they both belong to the same play-group for Daddies." Pumping his legs faster, Will continued innocently, "I guess Daddies need to play too. Do YOU belong to a play-group, Charlie?"

Smirking at the irony of the question, Spender replied, "Well, in a manner of speaking, you could say that I do."

Excitedly Will asked, "Do they go paint-balling? That's what my Daddy's group is going to do next week."

"Really?" Spender responded making a mental note of that information, "No, my group doesn't do anything like that."

Frowning and knitting his brows for a moment, Spender slowly replied, "Lots of very important grown-up things that you wouldn't like." Then continuing with a smile, "It sure doesn't sound as fun as your Dad's group does it?"

"No," Will replied wrinkling his nose. "Well maybe you can join my Daddy's group. You should ask him when he gets here 'cause I think you could use some fun playing too."

"We'll see," Spender replied cautiously, knowing full well that he would be long gone before then. More directly, he continued, "Tell me more about Russ and your friends. Do you know what his job was before he stayed home?"

"Yeah, he did something like my Daddy did and like my Mommy does-only he did it somewhere else."

"I see," Spender replied carefully. So Spangler was involved in law enforcement in some capacity-that explained his natural suspiciousness. He was definitely a factor that needed to be considered. Perhaps he could prove to be a useful pawn in rather than a hindrance to his plans. "Does he have a wife?"

"Yeah, he's married to Tyler and Jamal's Mommy. She's a law-yer but I don't know what that means. Do you, Charlie?'

Smirking to himself again, Spender replied, "No, I don't son. I don't think anyone knows what lawyers do except lawyers themselves."

Looking toward the other children on the playground, Spender noticed that most of them were headed in their direction. Looking up from her clipboard with a smile, Miss Shelby noticed them too and followed behind. As the other children reached the swings, each of them plopped into a seat. Then came a broken chorus of "Push me," "Me next Mis-ter!!," and "Play with me too please!!"

Walking over to Spender, Miss Shelby laughed, "Now you've done it. They all want to be pushed on the swings. Don't worry though, I'll help you." She winked at him as she moved to get another child started.

Sighing loudly, Spender was exceptionally annoyed. He didn't come here to play babysitter to more than a dozen little brats or Romeo to a dumpy, middle-aged frump. His interest was in William Mulder and the tactical accessibility of his pre-school-nothing more. Containing his irritation, Spender reminded himself that all of it was a necessary preliminary step to safeguard his plans-plans that were crucial to his future. Putting on a plastic smile, he moved from child to child, pushing each in turn so that they could swing as high as Will. He really wished he could have a cigarette. After he had gone through the each of the children several times, he moved to speak with Miss Shelby. "I'm having a nicotine fit," he explained casually, "is there someplace where I can go to have a cigarette?"

Turning on the charm, he replied, "I understand completely Arlene. I'll just go out to the front of the building." Then taking her hand and kissing it, he continued "Until later then," and started toward the door.

Standing there for a moment in silent conflict with herself, Miss Shelby suddenly called "Mr. Spender!"

Returning to her, knowing that his subterfuge had worked, Spender replied, "Yes."

Stammering she hesitantly began "Well...the building IS non-smoking...but technically we're outside. So, if you want to smoke over by the fence and away from the children, I don't see any harm in that."

"Thank you Arlene," he smiled warmly, touching her arm. Turning, he then strode to the fence before taking out his pack of Morleys. Striking his lighter, he lit one and took several deep draws. As he stood there, he examined the fence construction. It was a simple wooden privacy fence - similar to the ones popular in many newer housing developments. The boards were nailed to it in such a way that it would be a relatively simple matter to simply pull several off and create an exit. In seconds, a professional could easily make off with a child that way.

Lost in his silent musings, Spender didn't notice Will as he approached. It wasn't until the child spoke that he realized his presence.

"Charlie, what are you doing?" the boy asked innocently, looking quizzically at Spender's cigarette.

"Something that is very bad for me-something you don't want to start," came his careful reply. Looking over at Miss Shelby, he saw that she was momentarily distracted with the other children and hadn't noticed Will's departure from the group. Instantly, he saw how simple it would be to pull off a few of the fence boards, grab Will and be gone without a trace. "You make it far too easy, Mr. Mulder," he thought as he gave one of the boards a gentle tug, "you should really be much more careful."

Releasing the still attached board, Spender crouched to face Will. Eye to eye with the child he gently murmured, "You are a very special boy Will. You do know that don't you?"

Taken aback by the child's words, Spender paused before saying, "Yes you are." He was about to say that he simply reminded him a great deal of his own grandson when Will spoke again.

"Are you my Grandpa?" Will asked tentatively. Spender just gaped at him wordlessly in astonishment. Looking soulfully into the old man's eye, Will continued, "Mommy and Daddy say that all of mine are in heaven but-"

Tersely interrupting Will in mid-sentence, Spender threw down his cigarette and growled, "Listen to your Mommy and Daddy." Then stomping out the still smoldering butt, he continued more gently "Look, I'm done here. Why don't we go back to the swings so we can play some more? Would you like that?"

"Sure Charlie," Will smiled as he put his tiny hand in the old man's. Standing to his full height, Spender kept hold of Will's hand as they slowly walked together back to the rest of the children.

Mulder quickly pulled his SUV into the garage. Turning off the engine and shifting the gears to park, he unbuckled his seatbelt and hurriedly got out of his car. Opening the trunk he began to unload the groceries to bring them into the house. Looking at his watch, he noted to himself, "11:50. You've got twenty minutes to get everything unloaded and put away before you have to be on the road to pick up Will." While Mulder wasn't too concerned about dropping Will off after class had already started, he was religious about NEVER being late to pick him up.

Balancing three bags of groceries, he made his way to the door. Juggling the bags, he fished out his house key and managed to open the door. Going inside, he dumped the groceries on the counter-nearly tripping over Walter in the process. The puppy was jumping and dancing wildly about his feet. "Do you need to go outside boy?" he asked gently as he headed toward the back door. Walter scampered after him and was out the door like a shot as soon as Mulder opened it. Shutting the door, Mulder decided to leave Walter outside while he brought in the groceries-that way he wouldn't have to worry about the puppy being underfoot.

As he made his way back out to the garage, he propped the door open a little so he wouldn't need a free hand to open it again when he came back with an armload of bag. Heading toward the car, his cell phone rang. The LCD read FBI but he wasn't going to take any chances this time. "Mulder," he answered blandly as he grabbed another couple of bags out of the trunk while simultaneously balancing his cell phone between his shoulder and his ear.

"Hey yourself," he replied with a grin as he walked toward the kitchen. Just the sound of her voice still gave him a warm feeling all over. "I hope you aren't calling to tell me something else you wanted from the grocery store 'cause I just got home and I won't have time to go back before I pick up Will."

"No, that's not why I'm calling," Scully smiled at his warm intonation. He certainly didn't sound upset, but she would ask anyway just to make sure. "Mulder, I just got off the phone with Monica Reyes. Are you okay?"

Shaking his head and sighing as he pushed the door open with his foot, Mulder replied, "So Doggett spilled the beans about Marita's little phone call to Reyes who, in turn, spilled them you, eh?" He dumped the groceries on the counter and headed back out to retrieve some more.

"Well, she and Doggett were a little concerned about you. Doggett told her that you had a bad reaction to the message so she called me." Pausing for a moment, Scully to a deep breath before continuing, her voice tinged with concern for her husband. "Mulder, what's going on?"

A little annoyed by the well-intentioned actions of his friends, Mulder quickly answered, "Don't worry Scully. I told Doggett that I didn't want anything to do with Marita Covarrubias and that she needs to give him any information that she wants to share." Although he'd planned on telling her about Marita's message, he didn't want Scully to know about his reaction to it because it would only upset her- especially after their conversation last night.

Sighing, she replied, "I know. But that's not what I'm concerned about - I'm worried about you. How are YOU doing?"

Stopping at the trunk of the car, Mulder sighed tenderly, "Honey, I'm fine. I just got a little angry at her trying to track me down. That's all. I wish they hadn't bothered you with this."

"Well, if it makes you feel any better, they were also doing their jobs. They needed to know what her ties were to you so they could get an idea of what she wanted. So, I went ahead and told Monica what little I knew." Scully paused. She didn't buy Mulder's claim for a second and, knowing what she now knew about his feelings of guilt, she wasn't going to let him off the hook. "By the way, I also don't think you're as fine about it as you're claiming to be. Do you want to tell me what's really going on?"

Exhaling heavily, Mulder conceded, "Yeah, I do and I will. But can't it wait until later? If I don't get going soon, I'll be late to pick up Will." He grabbed the last of the groceries and slammed the trunk shut.

Narrowing her eyes and smirking, Scully warily replied, "You aren't just dodging me are you?"

Struggling to the door with his burden, Mulder shook his head chuckling, "No, I'm not. We'll talk about it tonight after you get home, okay?"

"I promise," he replied dutifully as he set the last of the bags on the counter.

"Hmm, sounds kinda sexy," Mulder grinned lasciviously as he began to put the groceries away. "What do I get to hold you to?"

"Oh no, we're not starting THAT again today!" Scully laughed as her cheeks flushed mildly. "I have a luncheon meeting in about five minutes and I'm not going to be sitting there with a goofy grin on my face the whole time!"

"Oh, then I WON'T tell you about the can of whipped cream I bought." Mulder smiled wickedly as he took it from the bag and put it in the refrigerator.

With a wicked sparkle of her own, Scully replied, "You're a VERY naughty boy. You know that don't you?"

"Yeah, but you wouldn't have me any other way," he breathed slyly. Damn, he loved this game!

"Oh, I can think of lots of creative ways I could have you," Scully crooned seductively. (I guess I can live with a goofy grin after all), she thought as she allowed herself to fully enjoy this latest round of their teasing phone game. Then with a sigh, she continued "But, I suppose we should both go, huh?"

"I love you too.." Mulder smiled as he closed his cell phone. He silently wondered if other people's marriages were just as wonderful as his. He hoped for their sake that they were. Then snapping out of his reverie, he realized he had under ten minutes to get everything put away before he had to be on the road.

Spending the next eight minutes feverishly tossing things into the refrigerator and freezer, Mulder decided that the canned and dry goods would have to wait until he got home. With that finished, he took the last two minutes to let Walter back in and put the single red rose he'd bought for Scully into a vase and water.

"Perfect timing," he said to himself as he headed out the door and looked at his watch. It was exactly 12:10-leaving him twenty minutes to drive the few miles to Will's pre-school. Locking the door behind him, he hopped into his car and backed out of the driveway as he buckled his seatbelt. He couldn't wait to see Will again. Although he knew it was silly, he actually missed the boy when he went to pre-school. "Man, you'd better get used to it," he told himself as he pulled into the street and shut the garage door with the remote. "He'll be in kindergarten next year and then you REALLY won't know what to do with yourself!"

Smiling to himself, he wondered if now was the time to approach Scully about trying to have another baby. He really wasn't sure where she stood on the subject, but he knew for sure that he wanted to have more children with her if they could. As he drove, he decided he would wait until Sunday to bring up the subject. After all, tonight was family night and they would have plenty of time to talk after the barbeque was over. "This is sure going to be one interesting weekend," he laughed to himself.

Lost in his musings about Will, Spender didn't hear Miss Shelby's question the first time. "Excuse me?" he said, mildly annoyed with himself for momentarily losing awareness of his surroundings. For once, he was glad for the intrusion of her nasal tones. Being distracted like that was very unlike him-especially when he was in the middle of business. Perhaps his cure had been only temporary after all.

Giggling at his obvious distraction and hoping that she was the reason behind it, Ms. Shelby laughed, "I asked if you wanted to read the story to the children yourself. After all, you seem to have already won them all over. I think it would make them very happy and you might enjoy it." She wondered if that would be enough to keep him around until after all of the children left. After all, it wouldn't be inappropriate of her to invite him to lunch - especially since he'd said he was new to the area and had no lunch plans.

Looking up at her in stunned surprise from where he was crouching by the paint easels, Spender quickly replied, "No, I don't think so. I'm not very good at storytelling." Glancing back at the clock, he realized he NEEDED to be leaving as soon as possible. Class would be over in ten minutes and the parents would be shortly arriving to pick up their children. That meant Mulder would be here very soon. He couldn't afford to let himself be seen by him-at least not yet.

Standing to go, Spender was about to tell Miss Shelby that it was time for him to leave when she linked her arm through his and said, "Rubbish, I've seen how you interact with the children. You would be wonderful at it. I think you're just self-conscious." Then, winking up at him, she smiled, "Besides, you'll need the practice if your grandson will be coming to live with you soon."

He started to insist that he had to go when Miss Shelby announced to the class "Children, I've asked Mr. Spender to read the story to us but he's feeling a little shy. Why don't we make him feel better by telling him how much we'd really like for him to read the story." Suddenly, a chorus of "please read for us" resounded throughout the room. Even the little girl he was standing next to looked up at him from her painting and with her big brown eyes pleaded, "Please, read us a story Mister."

"Oh dear God," he thought to himself with terrible annoyance. Now, it would be very difficult to get out of this situation while still preserving his pretense of merely being an interested grandparent. He certainly couldn't dispatch Miss Shelby in front of all these children and causing a scene would only prolong his stay and arouse suspicion-especially since he'd already told Miss Shelby earlier that he had no pressing plans for the afternoon. "Very well, but only a quick one," he agreed curtly and with great reluctance.

"Thank you Mr. Spender," Miss Shelby grinned, handing Spender a copy of the children's book "Where the Wild Things Are." Taking note of his obvious discomfort, she put her arm around him as she led him to teacher's chair in the reading circle, whispering, "Don't worry. If you're that nervous, I have some props that go along with the story that might help you."

Mulder pulled his SUV into the parking lot of the pre-school. He'd made pretty good time. It only took him fifteen minutes to get there from his house when it usually took twenty. "Making up for the half hour it took this morning," he thought as he parked and undid his seatbelt. Grabbing his checkbook out of the glove compartment, he jumped out of the car and slammed the door shut. Walking toward the door, he was glad to be a little early. That way, he could pay Will's monthly tuition and still be ready to go when class ended. Maybe he'd even be able to surprise Will and catch the end of his class.

As Mulder walked through the front door, he made a beeline for the receptionist. Grinning at her as he opened his checkbook and picked up a pen, he jokingly began "Hi, I'm Fox Mulder-William Mulder's dad. I forgot to pay his tuition last time, so I'm here to pay up before you confiscate my child."

Laughing a little too loudly at his joke, the receptionist replied, "I remember who you are Mr. Mulder-I would never forget such a handsome face." She winked at him as she continued, "Let me look up your balance in the computer. It'll just take a second."

"Damn, Russ was right," Mulder thought to himself, "She IS a flirt." He'd honestly never noticed before. "Good thing Scully and Julia never pick the kids up from pre-school. Neither of them would care too much for this little piece of work."

"Two hundred thirty dollars is what you owe," the receptionist chirped, gazing at Mulder provocatively with an unmistakable gleam in her eyes.

Writing the check, Mulder made a deliberate effort to write quickly while prominently displaying his wedding band and avoiding eye contact. Tearing the check from the book, he quickly handed it to her and headed toward Will's classroom.

"Wait Mr. Mulder!" she called after him. "Wouldn't you like to wait for your receipt?" She stood and tilted her head at him, as she tried to coax him back for a visit with her.

Shaking his head as he reached the door to the classroom, he looked back with a grin saying, "Nah, I'll just pick it up on my way out. Besides, my gun-wielding, federal agent wife doesn't let me talk to strangers." Amused by the shocked look on the receptionist's face, Mulder quickly rapped on the classroom door before opening it and heading inside.

As he walked through the doorway, Mulder nearly collided head-on with Miss Shelby. "Oh, excuse me Miss Shelby," he muttered as he stepped back into the hallway to let her through the open door.

"Ah, Mr. Mulder," Miss Shelby sighed heavily as she took a step back herself to let Mulder pass into the room. "Haven't I told you that you don't need to knock when you come to pick up Will?"

"I'm sorry. I must've forgot." Mulder replied somewhat sheepishly. He didn't know what it was, but Miss Shelby had this uncanny knack of making him feel just like an unruly schoolboy who was about to get a stern lecture. Shaking it off while still holding the door ajar, he changed the subject. "Were you on your way out?" he asked quizzically, wondering if she was intending to leave the children in the room alone and unattended.

Raising an eyebrow, she tersely replied, "Not at all. I was just seeing who was at the door." Then gesturing for him to come in, she continued "But do come in and please have a seat over by my desk. I'd like to have a brief word with you while the children listen to their story if you don't mind."

"Um, okay," Mulder replied confusedly as he stepped back into the classroom. If she was going to be talking to him, then who would read the story? Looking about the room, he noticed the children sitting in their regular story-time semi-circle. At the center, a man wearing a suit and a pullover monster mask was seated, reading to the children from "Where the Wild Things Are." Since Will had that same book at home, Mulder instantly recognized the mask as one of the characters from the story. he thought to himself, wondering where on earth he could get something like that for whenever he read that story to Will. "I see you've already found an assistant to replace Miss Moriarty," he commented to Miss Shelby, nodding toward the man in the mask. "A little overdressed isn't he?" He was more than a little surprised that they would choose a man for the job.

"Ah, no," Miss Shelby replied as she beckoned Mulder toward her desk at the other end of the room "That's just one of the grandparents who graciously agreed to volunteer some of his time to help out while Miss Moriarty is on maternity leave and we find a suitable temporary replacement for her." Okay, so that wasn't completely the truth, she admonished herself, but she had to tell him something. Besides, with that version, she might be able to get Mr. Mulder to volunteer some time of his own.

"That explains it," he thought to himself as he made his way to the seat across from her desk. He knew the traditional Miss Shelby would never select a male to be either a teacher or an assistant in her exclusive pre-school. As he sat down, Miss Shelby began.

"Mr. Mulder, I wanted to chat with you a little bit today about your and Will's chronic tardiness ..."

oh, brother=""> he thought, sighing to himself as he settled back to take his lumps. It looked like he'd be getting a lecture after all. From behind his mask, Spender intermittently watched the interaction between Mulder and Miss Shelby as he continued to read the story to the children. He knew the key to remaining undiscovered lay in staying cool and collected. He also realized that it was actually a good thing that Miss Shelby had cornered him into reading the story. Otherwise, he would have undoubtedly run into Mulder in the lobby as he tried to make good his escape. Such an encounter at this early stage would have been disastrous for his plans. At least now, he had a place to hide-albeit in plain sight. Miss Shelby's character mask was a stroke of pure luck. Not only did it hide his face from Mulder but it also obscured and distorted his voice. Now, if he simply stayed put and finished the story to the end, other parents would arrive and he could easily blend in with the crowd and slip away unnoticed-that is, assuming the dreaded Miss Shelby would let him out of her frumpy clutches.

Meanwhile, here he was stuck reading a children's story aloud to more than a dozen little urchins who were hanging on his every word. Will in particular, seemed to be enjoying the story, smiling widely and giggling throughout. For some reason that he couldn't explain, seeing Will's happy reaction pleased him immeasurably.

Just then, he noticed that Mulder and Miss Shelby were standing up from her desk. Being careful to not break the rhythm of his reading, he watched the pair shake hands and Mulder take what appeared to be an apologetic stance with her as they headed toward the semi-circle of children.

At Mulder's approach, Spender felt his level of anxiety rise momentarily before quickly subduing it. There was no cause for concern. After all, Mulder would have no reason whatsoever to suspect who he was or what he was doing there. Besides, from the last information he would've had about him, Mulder would have reasonably concluded that he was long dead by now. There would've been no reason for Mulder to question that information either-especially since a good deal of it would've come from his own wife. Surely Agent Scully had passed along the information about the terminal condition he had been suffering from during their clandestine excursion five years earlier. Moreover, that conclusion would only be corroborated if either Krycek or Covarrubias had ever bragged about how they "assassinated" him shortly thereafter. Spender grinned smugly at these realities as he continued with the story--relaxing considerably. It would seem that simpering pair of spineless traitors had proven useful to him after all.

Continuing with his reading, Spender watched Mulder sneak up behind Will. Tapping the boy on one shoulder, Mulder darted crouching to the other side so that Will wouldn't see him until he turned in the opposite direction. The tactic worked. Will looked over the shoulder Mulder had tapped on and, seeing nothing, turned to look over the other shoulder. Immediately seeing his Daddy kneeling behind him, Will excitedly cried "Daddy!!" and threw his arms around Mulder's neck. Smiling as he wrapped his arms around his small son, Mulder tenderly kissed the boy on the cheek before pulling him into his lap and sitting back to listen to the end of the story.

As he watched this little reunion, the words to the story caught in Spender's throat and his voice cracked. Clearing his throat, he forced himself to shake off the sudden and unexpected surge of emotion that the scene had evoked. Quickly continuing with the story, Spender coolly reminded himself that he had a job to do and he was here to do it. Emotional involvement was out of the question-regardless of the blood relations concerned. Pushing the last remnants of sentiment out of his mind, Spender focused exclusively on maintaining the subterfuge and stopped looking at the pair of Mulders in before him.

Needless to say, he was substantially relieved when the first set of other parents came straggling into the classroom.

"So, are you liking the story Slugger?" Mulder whispered into his small son's ear. Mulder sat "Indian style" on the floor with his arms wrapped around Will who was perched on top of his crossed legs.

"Yeah," Will giggled in a whisper. "Charlie is really funny. I like the different voices he uses!"

"Oh, is that his name?" Mulder laughed quietly, wondering how Miss Shelby had roped this poor sucker into volunteering his entire morning to her 'noble cause.' "So have you two become friends already?"

"Yes Daddy. Charlie pushed me on the swings and helped me paint and everything!" Will whispered over his shoulder, positively beaming up at his father.

Smiling at his son's obvious joy, Mulder whispered, "Well, in that case, maybe I should meet this Charlie for myself. Would you like us to stick around to do that Slugger?"

"Sure thing Slugger," Mulder replied as he hugged him close. He just had to meet for himself anyone who had such a huge and positive impact on his little Will.

It was now 12:30pm and several parents were now mulling about the classroom, waiting for class to be over. Spender finished the story with a flourish of showmanship-to the applause of both children and parents alike. Miss Shelby herself was extraordinarily pleased with Spender's performance and clapped her hand on his back in congratulations. "I think you may've missed your true calling Mr.-"

"Charlie - please call me Charlie," Spender bluurted insistently as he spied Mulder and his son standing and coming toward them. While the subterfuge with the mask may've hidden his true identity, the mention of his alias - which was well known to Mulder - might just awaken the former Agent's sleeping suspicious nature. Better to have this odd woman address him familiarly than to have Mulder realize his true identity.

Blushing, Miss Shelby demurely replied, "Well Charlie, I think you've missed your true calling. Your grandson is one lucky little boy."

"Why thank you Arlene," Spender replied, suddenly pouring it on thickly. "Coming from you, that is high praise indeed." From his observation of their interactions, he concluded that there was no love lost between Mulder and Miss Shelby. Perhaps if he could keep her by his side, it might deter Mulder from approaching him. In a deliberate effort to ensure that she didn't wander too far away, Spender gingerly grasped Miss Shelby's hand and gave it a gentle squeeze before interlocking his fingers with hers.

Blushing furiously now, Miss Shelby turned her attention to the approaching parents. Although she was able to maintain a professional demeanor with them, she also made a point of continuing to hold Spender's hand throughout her interactions with each parent. Inwardly, she was giddy with joy-so much so that she didn't care that her new beau was still wearing the silly monster mask. It was beginning to look like she would have that lunch date with him after all...

Watching the interplay between "Charlie" and Miss Shelby, Mulder smirked to himself in amusement, "NOW, I know how she roped him in. Who'd have thought the old girl had it in her? This rash of flirting by the staff is reaching epidemic proportions. Just wait until Russ hears about this!"

Picking Will up and balancing him on his hip as he moved toward the pair, Mulder jokingly whispered in the boy's ear, "Hey Slugger, you didn't tell me that Charlie was Miss Shelby's boyfriend."

"Is he?" Will asked innocently as he looked questioningly into his father's eyes. "How can you tell?"

"Well, that's just one way that grown-ups show that they like one another. When a boy and a girl do it, it usually means that they're more than just friends. They're probably boyfriend and girlfriend." After he said that, Mulder grinned at the irony of how he and Scully would have never admitted that this description ever applied to them while they were partners on the X-Files-even though it was obvious to everyone else that it was more than true.

"Well sort of, but not quite," Mulder replied wondering if his son could read his mind and wishing he hadn't brought the subject up. "Why don't we go and say goodbye to Miss Shelby and Charlie first. Then I can explain the difference to you in the car on the way home. How does that sound, Slugger?" All the while, Mulder silently hoped that Will would forget the question long before they ever got to the car.

"Okay Daddy," Will smiled up at him, wrapping his arms around Mulder's neck as he was carried toward his teacher and his new friend.

As he and Will reached the pair, Miss Shelby was engaged talking with other parents and children as she clung to Spender's right hand. Meanwhile, he simply stood there, nodding his masked head at her conversation but not actively taking part.

Not wanting to wait around or talk with Miss Shelby again, Mulder lightly touched "Charlie's" arm, saying "Hey man, great storytelling. You're a real natural."

"Thank you," came Spender's muffled reply as he turned toward Mulder, making every effort to seem relaxed and nonchalant. Unconsciously, he held out his free hand for Mulder to shake.

"Hello yourself," Spender replied gently but with some caution. He didn't want to seem overly familiar with Mulder's boy. That might arouse his suspicions. He made a deliberate effort to use words sparingly- lest Mulder recognize his somewhat distinct voice through the muffling of the mask.

Taking his outstretched hand and shaking it firmly, Mulder smiled, "That's a great mask. Where did you get it?"

"It isn't mine. It's Arlene's," Spender responded casually as he released his grip on Mulder's hand. Looking at Mulder up close and in person, he was genuinely surprised by the man's transformation. There was absolutely no trace of the anxiety and desperation that had been an ever-present characteristic of Mulder's face during his time with the FBI. Had someone told him then that the defiant young man that stood before him so many times before would ever be able to exorcise the numerous demons that plagued him, he would've laughed in their faces. Now, confronted with this new and relaxed Fox Mulder, Spender realized that he needed to consider the very real possibility that Mulder could no longer be counted upon to serve as a dupe or pawn in the grand overarching scheme. That could definitely work in his favor. That possibility made it all the more important that Mulder not become aware of his true identity until the time was right. He definitely needed to get away from him as soon as possible but without arousing suspicion.

"Arlene's?!?!" Mulder smirked teasingly with a grin and a wink. "Wow, I'm impressed. None of the OTHER parents have graduated to first names with Miss Shelby."

Spender was taken aback by this casual playfulness coming from Mulder. For a moment, he was at a loss for how to respond-particularly while still preserving his anonymity. Thankfully, he was spared from further conversation by Will's sudden interjection.

"Excuse me?" Spender coughed incredulously as Mulder's eyes widened in embarrassed horror.

Red-faced, Mulder suddenly wanted nothing more but to disappear immediately. Covering Will's mouth with his hand, he laughed nervously "Ah, that's just a little game we play. You know--girls have Cooties and all..." He desperately hoped that this Charlie had a sense of humor--but the man's silence seemed to indicate that he didn't.

"Anyway, we gotta go," Mulder stammered. "It was very nice meeting you Charlie." With that, he bolted for the door with Will in his arms--his mouth still covered.

Once the pair were out the door, Spender finally allowed himself to chuckle at the ridiculousness and stupidity of it all. The bottom line was that he'd gotten careless and the only thing that had saved him was dumb luck and a child's faux pas. He truly needed to be much more vigilant if his plans were to succeed. Controlling his amusement, he soberly reminded himself that this was nothing to laugh at-- particularly with what was at stake.

Mulder now understood only too well what Scully meant about that Cootie thing coming back to haunt them.

Not only did Will remember ALL of the Cootie mytharc he and Scully had made up to explain their countertop activities, but he also was sharing that new information with others. "I should've seen this coming," Mulder silently admonished himself. He knew that he REALLY needed to have a talk with Will as soon as possible-especially since he might be casually mentioning to just about anybody how his Mommy and Daddy eat bugs off each other. That was certainly one of the LAST things he wanted to have to explain to Miss Shelby.

Once they were out of the room, Mulder took his hand from over Will's mouth and set the boy gingerly down on the floor. Kneeling down beside him, he gently stroked his son's hair as he began, "Will, I'm going to tell you something VERY important. So make sure you listen really carefully, okay?"

Taking a deep breath, Mulder continued very quietly, "Slugger, we don't to ask people about their Cooties.

"Well, because it's something very personal that they are probably embarrassed about." Trying to come up with an example that Will would understand, Mulder continued, "It would be like someone asking you what color underwear you have on."

"But I have on space cowboy underwear," Will replied, not even remotely grasping Mulder's point.

Sighing heavily as he shook his head, Mulder started to explain again when he noticed that the receptionist was leaning forward over her desk to listen to their conversation. Mulder rolled his eyes.

"Let's finish this in the car," he murmured gently as he picked Will up and carried him toward the door.

As he walked toward the receptionist, she held out his tuition receipt with a coquettish giggle.

"Reminds me of that underwear commercial with Michael Jordan and the two women in the park," she giggled, looking Mulder up and down as he took the paper from her outstretched hand.

Annoyed with both her flirting and eavesdropping, Mulder sarcastically bit, "I always wondered what became of you after that Clinton humidor scandal."

As he and Will passed through the exit, the confused receptionist had to stop and think for a moment before she suddenly gaped in insulted shock at Mulder's comment.

Once he and Will were outside, Mulder tried to explain his point again as they made their way to the car. "Maybe this will make more sense. You know how embarrassing it is when a kid wets himself-kind of like that little bathroom accident you had a few months ago?"

"Well, that yucky feeling you have about your accident is the exact same way other people feel if someone asks them about their Cooties." Reaching the car, Mulder pulled out his keys and unlocked the door, hoping that Will would better understand this latest example. "It's not a nice feeling to give people-so that's why we don't talk to people about their Cooties."

"Oh," Will replied thoughtfully. With Will securely fastened into his seat, Mulder shut the back car door and got into the driver's seat. Mulder knew by his son's tone that a whopper of a question would be coming soon. He just had to wait for it...

"Yes, Slugger?" Mulder replied with just a trace of dread as he buckled his own seatbelt. He sorely wished that Scully were here to help him out.

Looking in the rearview mirror as he backed the SUV out of its parking space, Mulder replied, "Well, yes...a bit."

Shifting gears, Mulder realized that it just wasn't a good idea to make up any more explanations. Deciding to give a "G" rated version of the truth, he replied, "Um, because you caught us doing something that we didn't want you to see and because Mommy and Daddy BOTH should've known better than to be doing that where you might be able to see us."

"Oh." Will responded as he thoughtfully looked out the window at the houses and cars they went by. As they drove toward home, Will was unusually silent for several minutes as he watched the passing scenery.

After a few more minutes, Mulder became a little concerned by Will's silence. "You okay back there, Slugger?" he asked hopefully.

"Okay," Mulder replied quizzically, wondering to himself if he had brought home the right child.

Usually Will was full of questions, so it was very unlike him to be silent for so long-especially with such fertile grounds for questions. As he wondered what Will could possibly be thinking, Mulder's silent musings were broken when Will finally spoke.

"Daddy, I don't think you and Mommy should be embarrassed just 'cause I accidentally saw you hugging, kissing, and preening."

Smiling back in the rearview mirror at his insightful little boy as he remembered what Scully said Will told her last night, Mulder chuckled as he pulled the car into their driveway and opened the garage with the remote. "No, I suppose we shouldn't be embarrassed then, should we? Adults can be pretty silly can't they?"

"Yes they can." Will agreed soberly as he looked out the window toward the inside of their garage.

"Yeah Slugger?" Mulder replied as he put the car in park and turned off the ignition.

Raising his eyebrows at the odd question, Mulder unbuckled his seatbelt saying, "Yeah, he seemed nice enough I guess."

Surprised, Mulder turned around in his seat to face his son. "Why do you say that, Slugger? Did he tell you that?"

"No, but he was scared of you anyway." Will replied despondently as he looked sadly into his father's eyes. "Why is he afraid of you Daddy?"

Knitting his brows in concern, Mulder could see that the small boy was genuinely troubled by this inexplicable belief. Touching Will's face to offer some comfort, Mulder gently asked, "Will, how do you know he's scared of me?"

Looking at the floor of the SUV, Will replied, "I don't know. I can just tell. I could feel it." As he said these words, a single tear trickled down Will's tiny face.

Hurrying out of the driver's seat to open the car's back door, Mulder rushed to Will and quickly freed him from the car seat before hugging him close. "Hey now, it's okay," Mulder murmured tenderly as he kissed Will's cheek and gently cradled him in his arms. He was completely at a loss as to where this sudden surge of sadness was coming from. "Look, even IF he is afraid of me-which I don't really think he is-I have no idea why he would be. As far as I know, Charlie has no reason to be, okay? I promise."

Standing as he held Will close and rocked him gently, Mulder shut the car door and headed into the house.

Trying to cheer his small son up, Mulder quipped "I'll bet Walter really missed you while you were gone. I think you'll probably need to play with him a for a good long while to make it up to him."

True to form, Walter was waiting for them expectantly as they came through the door. The happy puppy jumped and pranced at Mulder's feet, frantically trying to reach his beloved Will. Putting Will down gently, Walter immediately bounded up to the boy and plopped his oversized puppy-paws on his chest.

Gleefully hugging his puppy, Will seemed to have forgotten all about this mysterious Charlie just as quickly as he had remembered him.

For his part, Mulder was very confused about Will's emotional reaction and what it meant. Although the boy seemed fine now, Mulder knew one thing for sure: he needed to find out more about this "Charlie" and the strange effect he had on his son as soon as possible.

Watching Will and Walter happily play on the kitchen floor, Mulder picked up the cordless phone and hit number 13 on their speed-dial-the number to the preschool. He would ask Miss Shelby herself about this "Charlie," who he was, and why he had been allowed to scare his tiny son.

"The Shelby Academy. May I help you?" came the receptionist's voice on the other end of the line.

"Miss Shelby please," Mulder replied rolling his eyes and fervently hoping that he didn't have to give his name. On the drive home, he realized that he really shouldn't have made that Clinton comment to the receptionist-even though she WAS behaving inappropriately. All it did was alienate her. He knew it was a juvenile decision on his part that just might hinder him now. Still, he couldn't quite bring himself to apologize precisely because it was her own actions that precipitated his. At any rate, he imagined that she would be none to helpful if she knew who he was, so he thought better to withhold that information as long as possible.

"I'm sorry but she's gone to lunch," the receptionist chirped. "Can I take a message?"

"Sir, since we close at 1:00pm on Fridays, she won't return to the office until Monday morning at 7:00am.

"Well, maybe you can help me instead," he quickly interrupted as he looked at his watch. It was 12:55far too late for him to go back and catch anyone still around. "My child was in her 8:30 class this morning and there was a man there. Apparently he is the grandfather of one of the children and was there to help out while Miss Moriarty is on maternity leave. His first name was Charlie."

"Yes sir, I know who you're talking about." She thought she recognized his voice, so she mentally ran through the list of fathers in her head trying to find a match.

"Well, my son was a bit upset by him and I was hoping to talk with someone who could tell me exactly who he is, what his qualifications are to be there, and most importantly what he did to upset my son."

Not quite certain which father this was, she bubbled, "I'm sorry sir, but I'm not at liberty to give out any kind of personal information about either parents or students. However, if you'd like to leave a message, I'll be happy to make sure that Miss Shelby receives it and gets back to you when she returns on Monday. I have no doubt that she'll be eager to discuss your concerns."

"Can't you just give me his last name?" He pleaded, hoping she would take pity on a concerned father.

"What was your name again, sir?" She replied rather pointedly, suddenly suspecting his identity by his familiar intonations. He was about to say that his name was Russ Spangler when she coolly continued, "Mr. Mulder isn't it?"

His heart sank. There was no point in trying to lie if she already recognized his voice. Slowly, he replied, "Yes, this is Fox Mulder..."

With a noticeably icy tone, the receptionist interrupted, "I'm sorry Mr. Mulder, but as I said before, I cannot give out such personal information.

To do so would be a violation of our policies and procedures as well as a breach of the confidentiality of both our parents and children. I'm sure you can understand the legal liability we would incur were we to violate that confidentiality."

Interrupting him again, she coolly replied, "Then would you like to leave a message for Miss Shelby?"

"No, I'll just call back and talk with her personally on Monday." Mulder bit his lip with some annoyance.

He'd suddenly lost any urge he had to apologize to her for his earlier comment. As he hung up the phone, Scully's warnings from their early days on the X-Files about how he would "do much better in life if he'd only learn when to keep his mouth shut" came rushing back to him. "Guess you still haven't learned that lesson yet, have you Spooky?" he acrimoniously muttered to himself.

Thinking for a moment as he watched Will and Walter chase each other around and around the kitchen island, Mulder picked up the phone again. Russ must've seen Charlie when he picked up the twins and he may've even talked to him. Mulder was betting that he could give him some more information on this mysterious stranger-especially given his keen sense of observation. Hitting number 7 on their speeddial, Mulder waited as the phone rang.

"Damn," Mulder thought as Russ and Julia's answering machine picked up. He positively HATED leaving messages. After painfully waiting through the greeting and the beep, Mulder took a deep breath before he began his message. "Hey Russ, it's Fox Mulder. I hope the twins' appointment went well.

Anyway, I'm calling to find out if you know anything about that guy who was at the pre-school today with Miss Shelby. I don't know if he was there when you picked up the boys, but he was there when I came to get Will. I'm just a little freaked out about him because he upset Will. I couldn't get any info on him while I was there or over the phone so I was hoping that maybe you saw him and could tell my anything you knew about him. Anyway, if you could give me a call when you get this, I'd really appreciate it. Thanks! Talk to ya later." With that Mulder hung up the phone.

Walking from the kitchen, Mulder wondered what he could try next. Sitting on the couch as he watched Will and Walter's chase migrate into the family room, he toyed with the idea of returning to the pre-school and breaking in to get the information he wanted.

tools from his days with the FBI. Thinking better of it, he reminded himself that he no longer had a badge to get him out of trouble if he were caught-something that would be highly likely considering that it was still broad daylight outside. Besides, he didn't think Scully would be too appreciative of having to bail him out of jail or explain to her superiors why her husband was arrested for breaking and entering.

"So much for that idea," he mumbled with some annoyance as he put his face into his hands.

"Are you talking to yourself again Daddy?," Will giggled as he and Walter rested in front of the coffee table. Will had kicked off one of his sneakers and was working on the other while Walter playfully snapped at his shoestrings.

"Of course Slugger. You know that nobody listens better," Mulder laughed as he got up from the couch to sit on the floor with the panting pair. Maybe he was overreacting. Kids just get upset over nothing sometimes. Pulling Will into his lap, Mulder gently asked, "So are you feeling any better Slugger?"

"About what?" Will asked innocently, poking at Walter with his toes. In response, the puppy gently grabbed one of Will's socks in his mouth and began tugging on it. "Hey!! I'm still wearing that," Will shrieked with delight

Smiling down at his precious boy, Mulder decided to let the issue drop for the time being. There was no sense in bringing it up to Will if he'd already forgotten it. Besides, Russ would call him back as soon as he got his message and, if worse came to worse, he could always call in the Lone Gunmen to hack into the pre-school's computer files and get the information he wanted. Satisfied with his game plan, Mulder suddenly grabbed Will around the waist, laughing, "Hey, is there anyone here who'd like to go play catch in the backyard?"

"Well, then get that dog off your foot and get your shoes on so we can go play!!," Mulder chuckled as he tickled Will to get him moving. He was sure he was making something out of nothing and he certainly wasn't going to let his worries about this "Charlie"

Doggett was still crouched over his computer when Reyes returned to his office. "Did you get to talk with Agent Scully?" he gruffed as he looked up at her and wearily rubbed his eyes.

Grinning an apology at having stepped on his words, she motioned for Doggett to go ahead first, as she sat down in the chair opposite his desk.

Leaning back in his chair as he spoke, Doggett sighed with frustration, "I've been looking on this database for hours and it's like this Covarrubias woman just fell off the face of the planet after 1999. How can that possibly be?"

"Well, what Dana had to say may shed some light on that," Reyes replied getting up from her chair and walking over to the file cabinet. "Do you remember reading the X-File cases concerning some 'government conspiracy' to kidnap people-women in particular-and trick them into thinking they were being abducted and experimented on by aliens?"

"Remember? How could I forget?" he asked, rolling his eyes with a chuckle. "To be honest, if it weren't for all the documentary evidence, I'd have written that mumbo gumbo off as Mulder's wishful thinking."

Raising an eyebrow as she opened one of the drawers searching for specific files, Reyes testily replied, "Well, you'd better hold onto your hat then, because, according to Dana, this Covarrubias woman had connections to that underground syndicate and as well as ties to dozens of the cases in this filing cabinet. Looks like we're treading in the black world or 'data masked' realm." Reaching into the cabinet, she pulled out three adjacent files and tossed them on Doggett's desk. "Remember seeing these?"

Sitting up in his chair and pulling it toward his desk, he picked up the files and looked at the labels on each. They were separate entries on three different people with the same surname. "Spender?"

he whistled raising his eyebrows. "Sure, I remember these. One of them is the apparent suicide of one Special Agent Jeffery Spender. Did you know that he blew his brains out right in this very office? Under very suspicious circumstances too. Still, I don't get what this file is doing buried down here in the X-Files." Looking back up at Reyes as she sat down across from him, he continued, "Are you trying to tell me that this Marita Covarrubias was involved in that?"

Shaking her head, Reyes replied "No. All I know is that Dana said if we wanted to get a handle on Covarrubias' ties to Fox, that we should pull any and all files dealings with the Spenders or that make any reference to a 'cigarette smoking man.' Covarrubias was apparently an anonymous source in several of those cases."

"A cigarette smoking man? Should we throw in a onearmed man for good measure too?" Doggett snorted with a sarcastic grin.

Rolling her eyes as she again shook her head, Reyes continued "No, that's was just what Fox and Dana called him before they knew his real name-or I should say, before they knew one of his aliases-CGB Spender."

Turning his attention to the file with that label, Doggett opened it looked at the man's photograph as he thumbed through the pages. "Yeah, I remember reading about him. This one's a real sweetheart of a guy-evidently handed his own wife over to these goons for years of experimentation. But I understood that the syndicate's operations ended when it was exposed some seven years ago. Moreover, all three of these people are dead. The last notation in 'Smokey's'

file states that he was dying from some incurable illness-and that was written by Scully herself five years ago. What could any of them possibly have to do with why this woman is trying to contact Mulder now?"

Shifting in her seat, Reyes replied, "Well, I'm not quite clear on that but, Dana seemed to think that this Covarrubias woman must be some kind of insider in the same organization that the elder Spender was involved with. We also know from Fox and Dana's own accounts that his organization was alive as of six years ago AND well enough to abduct Fox from his guarded hospital bed and perform clandestine surgery on him. And lets not forget all of the internal leaks and conspiracy that accompanied both Fox's abduction, return and later disappearance as well as Will's birth. Seems highly plausible to me that this syndicate was behind these later incidents and potentially is still alive and well today."

"Yeah," Doggett murmured distractedly, reflecting on her words. He knew that Kersh was involved in something dirty back then

unable to find evidence to prove it. There was also the inexplicable involvement and disappearance of Agent Crane and Knowle Rohrer-not to mention that strange Krycek fellow. "Your and Scully's instincts are probably right on this one," he acknowledged reluctantly. "But what connection could they possibly have to Mulder or Scully in the here and now? I mean, Mulder's been out of the FBI for nearly four years, Scully's been off the X-Files for three and if they were interested in Will-by your own account-they could've simply taken him as soon as he was born."

Sighing heavily, Reyes leaned forward on Doggett's desk. "I honestly don't know," she breathed, rubbing her temples. "For the record, I'm not altogether sure that those people-or whatever they were that tracked us down in Georgia-were from this same syndicate. Regardless of that, it does seem clear that this Marita Covarrubias has no idea that Fox is no longer with the FBI or on the X-Files. That suggests to me that she is not as well connected as she once was-either that or her syndicate has been substantially weakened. Either way though, it seems clear that she has SOMETHING that she feels is important enough to share with Fox. The real question is: what could that possibly be?"

Leaning back in his chair and folding his hands under his nose, Doggett sighed, lost for a moment in thought. Then sitting up, he continued, "Well, there's only one way to find out for sure and that's to meet with her. Unfortunately, she doesn't want to meet with us. She only wants to meet with Mulder.

"So where does that leave us?" Reyes asked, leaning back in her chair and crossing her arms.

"Someplace neither of us wants to go," Doggett replied somewhat apprehensively. "We have to involve Mulder in this-or talk with him further about it at the very least. If his earlier reaction was any indication, that isn't going to be pleasant for any of us."

"Do you want to handle it or shall I?" Reyes asked cautiously, feeling the same level of dread that Doggett was feeling.

"We both will-and with any luck, Scully will help too. We'll try approaching him tomorrow evening after the barbeque. Who knows, he might be more receptive then."

Smirking as she got up from her chair to leave, Reyes grinned, "Well, rather than leaving that to chance, I think I'll call Dana again and run our plan by her beforehand. She would know better than anyone how to approach Fox on this. Better to be safe than sorry, right?"

"Yeah," Doggett smiled as he turned back toward his computer. "You do that. Meanwhile, I'll run a database cross-check on these Spenders and see if anything else useful comes up." He hated the idea of having to bring up such an obviously raw and sensitive issue with his friend, but he didn't see as how he had any choice. If nothing else, he needed to find out how to get in touch with this Covarrubias woman and only Mulder knew how to do that...

Marita nervously ran a hand over her shoulder length blonde hair as she sat pensively in the corner booth far to the back of "The Silent Woman." She didn't like meeting her contacts in enclosed places like this. She liked even less that he or she had chosen a well-known FBI watering hole. Although the lunch crowd had already departed, Marita wasn't going to take any unnecessary chances. To mitigate the possibility of being seen by anyone who might recognize her, she deliberately sat very close to the rear exit with her back to the front door. "Your contact is doing enough risk taking for the both of us," she murmured to herself acrimoniously as she impatiently drummed her fingers on the table.

Starting slightly at the sound of the woman's voice, Marita quickly replied "A large glass of water and a diet cola please."

Marita wasn't hungry. She just wanted to get this meeting over and done with as quickly as possible.

It made her extremely uneasy that she didn't know anything about her contact-not even whether it was a man or a woman. Silently, she mused that this had to be an unavoidable part of the recovery process. Ever since the alien rebels had broken the syndicate's back and its unholy alliance with the colonists, things hadn't been the same. Everything was now conducted much more like a haphazard guerrilla exercise than the careful and meticulously orchestrated operations of years past. Perhaps she was a fool to remain involved in the syndicate's plans-especially after they'd abandoned her and left her behind to die. Yet, the new guard of the syndicate had all been in the same boat as she.

Reminding herself that their collective betrayal by the old syndicate was the ONLY reason that many members of the new outfit were still alive and had not perished beside the old guard at that Air Force base, she recognized that what she belonged to was now a completely different organization. The only vestige remaining from the old outfit was the mission-and that mission was still of vital importance.

While that fact remained unchanged, she had personally taken steps to ensure that other traces of the old syndicate had been completely erased. Like an avenging angel, she had taken great delight in her orders to dispatch both CGB Spender and Diana Fowley.

The fatal mistake that each of them had made was in letting their personal feelings concerning Fox Mulder get in the way of the mission. Their blatant acts of insubordination were all that the new syndicate needed to order their executions.

Smiling to herself, Marita slyly appreciated the ironic hypocrisy of it. While that WAS the stated reason behind their terminations, everyone in the organization knew it was just a hollow excuse. The unspoken reality was, those who had been left behind wanted SOMEONE to pay for their betrayal. Spender and Fowley were just the most convenient targets.

For her part, Marita couldn't be happier with the choice. Although they'd vehemently denied it, she also knew full well that that pair HAD unlimited access to the appointed alien rendezvous point AND had deliberately left her behind. It was just luck that the two of them were both able to escape with their lives that night. But their luck didn't holdshe and Krycek had seen to that.

Krycek. She blinked at the unexpected surge of emotion that the thought of his name brought to the surface. Truth be told, she hadn't thought of him-or let herself think of him-in years. Sighing heavily, she realized that she would never understand the complexities of the relationship they had shared-at least not in this lifetime. On the one hand, she'd always despised him and his underhanded ways. At the same time, she'd been strangely drawn to him and inexplicably attracted by those same despicable qualities. Pushing his image from her mind with deliberate effort, she concentrated on the task at hand as she looked at her watch impatiently. It was 1:15pm and her contact was already fifteen minutes late. "This is ridiculous!" she muttered to herself.

In the old days, this might be cause enough for termination. Now, there was little Marita could do but cool her heels while she sat and waited.

"Did you decide what you wanted?" the perky waitress quipped as she placed Marita's drinks on the table.

"No, I'm not hungry," Marita coolly replied pushing the menu to the edge of the table as she tried to recover from the second start this woman had given her.

Noticing the menu, the waitress cheerfully responded, "Why don't I leave that here. You might change your mind." As she walked away, she nodded at the menu resting on the edge of the table. "You might find the Tuesday special particularly appealing."

"Tuesday?" Marita thought with some annoyance. Why did she always have to get the bubble-headed waitresses? It was air-headed women like that who made it harder for every other woman to be taken seriously. Was it really so difficult to get right what day it was?

In a deliberate effort to calm her annoyance, Marita turned her thoughts to her current assignment as she sipped her diet soda. She had no idea why she'd been summoned to this meeting in the first place. As far as she could see, she'd done exactly what was asked of her. She tried to get in touch with Fox Mulder to pass along the information they wanted her to give him. It wasn't her fault that he was no longer at the same number and wasn't listed in the phone book.

Perhaps if the new syndicate had put more resources at her disposal or had set her up in a position with better federal database access, she would have been able to quickly track him down herself rather than having to rely on that Doggett person to pass along her message. The more she thought about it, the angrier she became at the fact that the organization was so stringently limiting her access and knowledge.

Hadn't she ALWAYS done what was asked of her without question? Had she EVER done ANYTHING to elicit such mistrust from them?

Realizing that her current train of thought was doing anything but calming her down, Marita vacantly picked up the menu from the edge of the table. Slowly thumbing through the pages of greasy, cholesterolfilled foods, she silently wondered if this contact was ever going to show. Marita's thoughts stopped cold when she reached the daily specials page. Taped over the Tuesday special was a typewritten note: THEY'RE ONTO YOU. TREAD CAREFULLY. GO TO THE LADIES' Room, Second STALL FROM The End. YOU'LL FIND WHAT YOU NEED THERE. LEAVE QUICKLY.

Taking a deep breath, Marita slowly tore the note from it page and slipped it into her purse.

Carefully looking around her as she stood, she noticed that her brunette waitress was nowhere in sight. There were only a few people left in the restaurant but any one of them could be watching her.

Making her way to the restroom, she was careful to appear casual and not to draw any attention to herself. Pushing open the door and going inside, she made sure there was no one else in the ladies' room before she crept into the second stall from the end.

Going inside and locking the door behind her, she took a quick glance around but she didn't see anything unusual. Crouching beside the toilet, she carefully looked behind the commode and metal pipes while trying not to touch them directly. There was nothing there.

There wasn't a tank to put anything in. Where else could it be? Turning around in a full circle, she realized that there were only two options-the toilet paper dispenser and the sanitary disposal bin. "Ugh, they wouldn't," she thought wrinkling her nose as she opened the bin and lifted out the bag inside. Sure enough, underneath it was a medium-sized, bulky manila envelope. Grabbing it and replacing the bag, she silently acknowledged the cleverness of the hiding place. No one in their right mind would have been looking around there. Sliding the envelope into her trench coat, she could feel that it contained a videotape as well as some papers, but there was no time to look at it now.

Flushing the toilet, she came out of the stall and washed her hands before leaving the restroom.

Walking nonchalantly back to her table, she saw that her bill was already waiting for her. Picking it and her soda up, Marita walked casually to the register at the bar. Taking out her wallet, she handed the bartender a five along with her bill. "Give my waitress the change as a tip," she smiled as she took one last sip of her drink before leaving the glass on the bar. "Oh, and if a tall, good-looking man named Alex happens to come in looking for his lunch date, would you please remind him that he should know by now that she waits around for no man?" She knew that her last remark would more than explain her short stay.

"Sure thing ma'am," the bartender replied, quickly but covertly looking her up and down as she strode out the door.

Once she got on the subway, she would be able to tell very quickly if anyone was following her. Once she was sure that no one was, she would be able to head back to her car and examine the contents of the mysterious envelope that now weighed heavily in her front coat pocket.

Spender gazed vacantly across the table at the droning Ms. Shelby as he took a long draw from his cigarette. Although she grated on his every last nerve, he understood only too well how vital an inside connection to the pre-school would prove in the days to come. Glancing down at his watch, he could scarcely believe that an hour hadn't even passed-especially when it had seemed like at least three had gone by. The only saving grace during that eternity was that the overwhelming noise of the people crowded into this tiny restaurant had made it nearly impossible for him to hear what Ms. Shelby was saying-and vice versa. Knowing that she couldn't understand a word he was saying, he'd amused himself by lobbing an insult or two at her. While keeping a broad smile on his face, he told Ms. Shelby that her mental capacity would rival only that of a rutabaga.

Smiling brightly, she nodded-completely oblivious to what he'd said. Smirking to himself, Spender roughly equated communication with the vacuous Ms. Shelby to talking to a dog-it didn't matter what was said as long as you maintained a gentle tone and expression.

Unfortunately, now that most of the lunchtime diners had gone, he was forced to sit, smile blandly, and actually listen to her boring stories and laugh at her inane and tired jokes-all the while keeping up the pretense of being an interested suitor. What he wouldn't give to go back seven years to the seclusion of his remote mountain hideaway. He may've been hunted, but at least he wasn't being subjected to such mindless drivel. Taking control of his annoyance, Spender quickly reminded himself that it was much better to keep her talking than having to provide information on himself.

"And so my brother Charlie told him that it was either his way or the highway. Isn't that funny?"

Spender smiled tightly and nodded as he placated himself with thoughts about how easy it would be to simply snap her neck.

Seeing something flash behind Charlie's eyes, Miss Shelby suddenly stopped. Was there something wrong?

Had she said something to offend him? All at once she realized that she had been completely monopolizing the conversation and hadn't let him get a word in edgewise since the crowds had gone and they could actually hear one another. If she wanted to keep him interested, she would have to remedy that as soon as possible. Besides, it just wouldn't do for her to not know everything she could about her new beau. "Oh, but that's enough about me, Charlie. Why don't you tell me a little bit about you?" Miss Shelby smiled as she reached across the table and gave Spender's hand a gentle squeeze. "So, what is it that you do for a living?"

Eyeing her hand upon his, he carefully responded, "I'm in the security business."

"Oh, really? That's so interesting." She gushed, with heady enthusiasm. "Do you mean security as in home or business security or securities as in investment?"

"Security as in private security," Spender responded slowly taking another draw. While that was actually a fair description of what he did, he knew better than to give her too much information about himselfeven if that information was misleading. Still, it probably didn't matter. He was certain she would turn the conversation back toward herself within the next few seconds.

"Well, imagine that! I just happen to be in the process of looking into obtaining some private security system for the school," she beamed gleefully as she gave his hand another squeeze. "Do you have any recommendations for me?"

Amused at his own predictive accuracy, Spender nonetheless instantly recognized the golden opportunity that she had just laid before him.

Determined to take full advantage of it, he casually replied as he blew the smoke from his lungs, "Well Arlene, since you're asking-I actually DO have some security concerns about your school. Have you noticed how loose the boards in your privacy fence are? As remote as it sounds, it would be a very simple matter for some stranger to remove a board and lure a child away through the opening. And then there's your outdated video surveillance system."

Carefully watching her expression, he continued, "Being in the business, I could personally oversee the updating of your current video surveillance system as well as institute some target hardening strategies."

"Yes. It's taking precautionary measures in order to prevent certain problems and reduce the risk of others. For example, if you reinforced that fence with chain-link you would virtually eliminate that abduction possibility I described."

Gauging the look on Ms. Shelby's face, Spender could see that his words had the desired effect. Not only did they heighten her fears about the safety of the children under her care but they also served to build her confidence and trust in him and his knowledge of private security.

"Well, I never thought about that," Miss Shelby replied soberly with great concern on her face.

Smiling at his own manipulation skills, Spender gently took her hand and squeezed it. "Not to worry, Arlene. If you'd like, I can handle all of the arrangements for you. Since I'm in the business, it would be a very simple thing for me to do. I could also probably get you a VERY good deal on the hardware too." Of course, he didn't mention that the upgraded video equipment would include an uplink feed of his own so that he could remotely monitor Will Mulder any time he was at the pre-school. Once that system was up and running, there would be no need to further risk discovery by coming to the pre-school.

Moreover, he could maintain nearly continuous surveillance on the Mulder household-which would necessarily become the most viable target. This couldn't have worked out more perfectly if he'd planned it.

"Thank you so much, Charlie. We will definitely discuss the details of the changes when we get back to my office." Miss Shelby readily and gratefully agreed. However, not liking the new turn their conversation had taken away from his personal information, she continued, "But, since we're supposed to be having a relaxing lunch, no more shop talk. Why don't you tell me a little more about yourself? I'd really like to hear about your familyyour grandson in particular."

Taking a deep draw from his cigarette, Spender casually replied, "Well, there isn't really much to tell. My grandson is very much like Will Mulder in many respects-which is why I think I have taken a particular shine to that boy." He was quite pleased with his response. After all, the most convincing lies always contained a kernel of truth.

"Now that you mention it, I did notice that you two seemed to share a special connection. How sweet that he reminds you of your own little grandson." From her limited experience, Miss Shelby had not known many men to be so open and candid so quickly. This Charlie seemed a real catch-and with any luck, he would be all hers. Miss Shelby grinned from ear to ear at the thought. Then, suddenly conscious of the lull in the conversation, she quickly chirped, "So just when is your precious grandbaby going to be coming to live with you?"

Sighing, Spender slowly replied, "Well, things are still a bit up in the air about that right now, Arlene." He deliberately used this ambiguous answer as a stalling technique to give himself a little more time to think up a convincing lie.

With a smile that was slightly strained, he paused for a long moment before quickly replying with forced lightness. "Let's just say that his parents have become a little complacent and seem to have lost sight of the best interests of the boy. If things don't change for the better soon, I may have no choice but to force the issue and have him come live with me."

Misinterpreting his tone and expression, Miss Shelby suddenly took his hand in both of hers. She looked at him seriously with great concern and sympathy.

"Oh you poor man! That's why you don't know what your grandson prefers to go by. You're estranged from his parents. I am so sorry!"

Taken aback at the insight this rutabaga was exhibiting, Spender blinked hard but still managed to cleverly evade the issue. "Now, now," he replied with a much gentler smile and patting her hand, "We're supposed to be enjoying ourselves. That means we shouldn't be discussing my sad family history.

Besides, I believe that is more of a fourth date topic for conversation." He smiled warmly at her as he delivered that last line, his eyes sparkling diabolically. He had no doubt that she would quickly forget her last statements as soon as she realized what he had said.

Then suddenly it hit her. If that was a fourth date conversation, then he not only must consider this a 'first date' but he also must be planning on several more 'dates.' She simultaneously blushed and beamed with joy at the realization. "Um...okay, Charlie.

Smiling like the devil, Spender squeezed her hand as he crushed out his spent cigarette. Things were going better than he could have ever planned. He just hoped that his streak of luck held until he could make the necessary modifications to the Shelby Academy. Then, nothing could stop his plan from succeeding.

Scully glanced at her watch as she pushed open the door to escape from the stifling conference room. It was 2:00pm. If she left right now like she planned, she would be home before three. That was the ONLY benefit to working late-it meant that she was required to leave early on Friday so that she didn't exceed forty hours in her workweek. "Ah, the benefits of working at the Academy instead of being a field agent," she mused to herself. Smiling at the thought of spending the rest of the afternoon with Mulder and Will, she hurried to her office in order to grab her briefcase before she hit the road. She could hardly wait to get home.

Sliding her key into the lock and turning the knob, Scully flipped on the light as she entered her immaculately kept office. Walking over to her desk, she noticed the message light flashing on her phone as she reached for her briefcase. "Damn," she thought with mild annoyance, wondering who had called. Picking up the receiver and dialing her voicemail codes, she silently hoped that whoever left the message wouldn't be keeping her from getting home early.

"You have one new message," droned the computerized voice on the other end of the line.

"Well, that's good," Scully sighed to herself as she punched in the message retrieval command, "only one person stands between me and an early parole."

Sitting down at her desk, Scully balanced the phone between her ear and her shoulder as she picked up a pen in case she needed to take down a number. As the message started to play, she immediately recognized the familiar female voice.

"Hey Dana, it's Monica Reyes again. I'm sorry but I'm calling to ask another a favor. As it turns out, John and I actually WILL need to talk to Fox about how we can get in touch with this Marita Covarrubias person. In fact, we probably will need to involve him in setting up the rendezvous with her and might even have to have him take part in it. Anyway, given his earlier...um...reaction, we both thought that we should run it by you first before we approached him about it. So, if you could give me a call back either at my office or on my cell before tomorrow's barbeque, I'd really appreciate it. Thanks and hope to talk to you soon."

Once the message ended, the electronic voice prompted Scully to select whether she wanted to reply to the message, save it or delete it. Choosing delete, she hung up the phone with a heavy sigh. She just didn't know how Mulder would react to their questions and propositions. Turning toward her computer to check her email one last time before she left, Scully decided that she would call Reyes with her cell phone on the way home. Having no new email messages, Scully logged off of her computer and got up from her desk. With her briefcase in hand, she turned the light off as she walked out the door

As she made her way down the hallway, Scully had a sudden urge to run to the elevator so that no one would prevent her from leaving like they did last night. The last thing she wanted was to get tagged with another autopsy-even if it meant authorized overtime. Fighting her flight impulse, Scully instead took out her cell phone and dialed the FBI switchboard on her speed dial. "Special Agent Monica Reyes please," she replied when the operator asked how she could direct her call.

Stepping onto the elevator, Scully listened to the phone ringing on the other end as she sighed in relief at having made good her escape. She was about to hang up to avoid having to leave voice mail message when Reyes picked up. "Reyes!" she breathlessly answered the phone.

As the elevator doors closed, Scully began, "Hi Monica, it's Dana Scully returning your call."

Slinging her briefcase over her shoulder, she punched the first floor button on the elevator as she continued, "Are you okay? You sound out of breath."

For a second, she wondered if Mulder's theory about Reyes and Doggett was truer than either of them had imagined.

"Yeah, I'm fine," Reyes breathed heavily in response as she plopped down into her chair. "I was halfway down the hall when I had this strange feeling that you were calling. So, I ran back here and lo and behold, my phone was ringing and you were on the other end," she continued, catching her breath.

"Anyway, I take it you got my message. We were hoping to speak with Fox about this Covarrubias person after the barbeque tomorrow. What do you think? Will Fox be willing to at least talk to us at all about her?"

Raising her eyebrows and taking a deep breath, Scully slowly responded, "Well, I honestly don't know.

We're supposed to talk about his 'reaction' tonightso I won't really be in a position to tell you anything until after then." At that moment, the elevator doors opened on the first floor and Scully stepped outside

"Hmmm, that's cutting it kind of close," Reyes murmured, shifting the phone from one ear to the other. "Do you think we should give up on the idea of talking to him about it tomorrow?"

"Tell ya what," Scully replied as she pushed open the front door and stepped out into the warm afternoon sun. "I'll feel him out about it tonight and, after you get to our place tomorrow, I'll let you know whether or not it's a good idea to approach him.

"Sure, sure. Thanks a bunch Dana." Reyes nodded with a grateful smile-thankful that she had agreed to help them. "I'll let John know and we'll be sure to talk with you before we do anything else."

Smirking to herself as she reached her car, Scully decided to give in to her curiosity and ask what both she and Mulder were dying to know. "Say, speaking of doing anything else, what's with you and Agent Doggett coming together? Tomorrow wouldn't happen to be a DATE would it?"

Laughing as her face flushed slightly, Reyes casually responded, "You know, you and Fox are definitely two of a kind!! I believe your husband asked John that exact same question not three hours ago." Shifting in her chair uncomfortably, Reyes continued nonchalantly, "You know, just because the two of you made a love connection on the X-Files doesn't mean everybody else does."

"That may be true," Scully responded with a grin as she got into her car, "but you didn't answer the question. That wouldn't be a sign of denial would it?"

"Not at all-I'm just curious," she responded shaking her head in amusement as she put her keys in the ignition. "And don't think I haven't noticed that you're still evading the question."

Giggling, Reyes replied somewhat jokingly "Come on Dana. After that fiasco with Brad Follmer, do you REALLY think I'd get involved with a co-worker again?"

"Well, stranger things HAVE been known to happen on the X-Files-and YOU'RE still stalling."

Realizing that she wouldn't get away without answering the question in some way, Reyes finally relented "Look, we're just carpooling because of the distance. There's really nothing more to it than that. Okay?"

"Uh-huh," Scully nodded, rolling her eyes with a smirk as she pulled out of the parking lot. "So what time can we expect you and your 'non-date' to arrive?"

"Well, he's picking me up at 3:15 so probably about 3:45 or 4:00-and don't even THINK about making any comments about how that 'sounds like a date' to you."

"I wasn't going to say anything," Scully smiled in amusement, "but now that you mention it..."

"Enough!" Reyes laughed. "No more! From now on, that topic is now officially and indefinitely off limits. Do you understand me Dana?"

"Ugh!" Reyes replied with frustration that was only mostly feigned. "I can see that there's no talking you out of your very unscientific romantic notions, so I'll just see you tomorrow."

"You two drive carefully," Scully knowingly crooned as she hung up the phone. Now more than ever, she was convinced that there really was something between Doggett and Reyes-even though they themselves may not have realized it. Laughing to herself, she remembered how she and Mulder had, for the longest time, reacted the exact same way to any suggestion or implication that they were more than simply partners.

Shaking her head, she smirked, "They'll be the last ones to know-just like we were."

Grinning at the memory of when she and Mulder had finally admitted their feelings to themselves and to one another, Scully decided to take a little detour on her way home. There was something special that she wanted to pick up for the man who had been 'just her partner' for so long.

Marita unlocked the door to apartment 42 and walked inside. Closing the door behind her, she hadn't even bothered to look down the hallway before entering her relatively new home. What was the point? She already knew that no one had tailed her. The circuitous route she took on the Metro before returning to her vehicle virtually guaranteed that nobody who may've been following from The Silent Woman could have kept up with her. Moreover, once she reached her car, she had taken the least direct route to her home.

The only way anyone would find her now would be if they knew her address-which was, of course, a complete impossibility. The Outfit had provided her with a completely new job, alias and apartment-things that ensured her safety if not quite satisfying her expectations.

Sliding off her trenchcoat, she pulled the bulky manila envelope from the front pocket as she disdainfully looked around the rattrap the Syndicate had deemed a "suitable residence." Although she knew it wasn't nearly as bad as she made it out to be, it was definitely a far cry from the New York penthouse she had occupied when she was attached to the UN.

While she had to admit that the woodwork in this apartment was exquisite, she hated the fact that it was so dark as well as that her unit was only on the fourth rather than the top floor. Moreover, the entire apartment had a ridiculous layout that made contemporary furniture arrangement nearly impossible.

Why would anyone make it so that the only access to the bathroom was through the bedroom? To make matters worse, there wasn't a closet by the front door. "That's what I get for agreeing to being housed in an older building," she thought with some annoyance. People back then just had no concept of either ergonomics or practicality. Sighing she reminded herself that these were lean times for the Syndicate and that her personal discomfort with her accommodations was but a minor sacrifice that she could happily make for the good of the mission.

Hanging her trenchcoat on the antique coat rack she had personally purchased to remedy the problematic lack of closets in her apartment, Marita turned her attention to the mysterious package that had been left for her by her as of yet unknown contact.

Taking a seat on her cream colored sofa, she placed the envelope on her coffee table. Before she would open it, she needed to examine it thoroughly for oily residues to make sure no plastic explosives were contained inside. While she had no reason to expect that the Syndicate would try to assassinate her, given its track record, she knew only too well that it was better to be safe than sorry. Once she was satisfied that the package did not contain a bomb or any other type of booby trap, she got up and took a pair of scissors from her desk drawer. Returning to the sofa, she sat down and gingerly cut one end off the envelope. Peering inside, she ascertained that it contained exactly what she had originally thoughtsome papers and a videotape.

Pouring the contents of the envelope onto the table, Marita focused first on the papers. Paying careful attention to each page, she first examined an internal FBI memo, which stated that a Special Agent John Doggett had performed a federal database search on one "Marita Covarrubias" at 10:55am this morning.

Interestingly, the names of the corresponding parties had been obliterated from this copy. "So that's what was meant by 'they're onto you' in the Tuesday special note," she mused to herself. It didn't matter though-the only thing that such a search could possibly yield would be a record of her time at the UN and her subsequent quarantine by the CDC. There would be no mention of either her new alias or her new position. She was perfectly safe from discovery for the time being. Still, she knew that she now needed to tread more carefully than ever beforeespecially when dealing with the FBI and its agents.

In retrospect, she probably shouldn't have left a message with that Doggett person, but there was little she could do to rectify that now. Any resulting damage was already done. Pushing the first page aside, she moved on.

The next page yielded something of a surprise. It was a printout of the insurance benefits package for one Special Agent Dana Scully Mulder. The new addition after Agent Scully's last name particularly caught Marita's eye. "Alex, looks like you were right about them after all," she murmured with a smile-looking toward the ceiling as she

simultaneously wondered if she was speaking in the wrong direction. Regardless, that certainly explained why she kept getting her voicemail whenever she called the switchboard and asked for Agent Mulder. But it didn't explain what happened to Special Agent Fox Mulder. Looking further down the second printout, she was amazed to find not one but Two people listed as beneficiary dependents-a husband, Fox Mulder, and child, William Mulder.

Raising an eyebrow, Marita was more than a little confused. Did that mean Fox Mulder was no longer with the Bureau? Moreover, she knew that Dana Scully had been left barren by the experiments of the Syndicate-as had every other woman abducted in the quest to create a human/alien hybrid. How then was it possible for them to have a child? "Maybe they adopted or used a surrogate," she thought with annoyance as she noticed that no contact information was listed on this copy. Again, this was interesting information to have, but she didn't see how it related to her task at hand. Either a current address or phone number would have been much more useful. Then again, she wondered, why was the Syndicate so interested in having her make contact with and manipulate someone who was no longer in a useful position?

Relegating her last question to the back burner as she pushed that page aside in disgust, Marita turned to her attention to the third paper. It was a registration sheet for an internet course from the University of Maryland, made out in her alias. "What the hell is this?" she muttered acrimoniously. Why did they have her wasting precious time with a senior-level class on the psychology of the alien abduction phenomena when she had a job to do? Then, looking further down the sheet, she took in a deep breath when she saw the professor's name-Fox Mulder.

"So that's how I'll contact him," she smiled wryly, "Quite ingenious." Yet, upon further inspection, she found that this registration paperwork only provided her with the electronic classroom website, her user name and a pass code. There wasn't anything concerning how to contact the professor. "Well that's about useless," she muttered as she unceremoniously cast that bit of paperwork aside.

Looking at the final page, she saw that it was a series of typewritten instructions. It read: WATCH THE ENCLOSED VIDEO TAPE. WRITE A PAPER ABOUT WHAT YOU SEE AND SUBMIT IT FOR Mulder'S CLASS. DO NOT REVEAL WHO YOU ARE OR ATTEMPT TO ENGAGE HIM IN ANY WAY OTHER THAN TO SUBMIT YOUR PAPER.

HE WILL ATTEMPT TO CONTACT YOUR FORMER ALIAS. MEET WITH HIM AND HAND OVER THIS VIDEO TAPE AS INFORMATION MERITING HIS IMMEDIATE ATTENTION. DO NOT DISCUSS ITS ContentS WITH HIM.

ONCE YOU HAVE ACCOMPLISHED BOTH of THESE, YOU WILL BE CONTACTED WITH FURTHER INSTRUCTIONS.

The wheels turned in Marita's mind as she got up and slid the tape into her VCR. Undoubtedly, all would make more sense once she viewed the tape. Still, the Syndicate was more than hesitant to provide one with more information than one needed to know to accomplish the task at hand. She imagined this case would be no different.

Despite this, Marita was confident that she would easily be able to put together the puzzle pieces after she saw what was on this tape. That was the problem with the Outfit. Both incarnations of it had chronically underestimated her. She was much more intelligent and resourceful than they ever gave her credit for-and that was her trump card. Once she discerned the 'big picture' that they strove so tirelessly to hide from their soldiers, she would be virtually untouchable-her safety would be permanently guaranteed.

Settling back on the couch, she picked up the remote and simultaneously turned on the TV and started the VCR. Leaning back against her overstuffed tapestry pillows, Marita, sighed contentedly. It was now just a matter of time before she would be the one calling the shots.

"Hello? Anyone here?" Scully called cautiously as she entered the house. Since the SUV was in the garage, she knew that Mulder and Will were home. The question was: where? Luckily, there was no response. "Good. They must out back playing catch," she grinned to herself as she snuck her shopping bags into the house. It hadn't taken her long to pick up her special surprises for Mulder. Now, she just needed to find suitable hiding places for them before she went out back to greet her two favorite fellas.

Walking to the kitchen and opening the refrigerator, she placed the smaller of the two bags in the lower vegetable crisper. "I know Mulder won't be looking in here anytime soon," she smirked to herself. Getting him to eat vegetables of any kind was harder than pulling teeth. At least that bad habit had finally proved useful. As she moved to shut the refrigerator door, Scully caught sight of a single red rose in a vase and water on the top shelf. She smiled to herself at what a closet romantic her husband truly was-despite his vehement denials to the contrary.

Closing the refrigerator door and heading from the kitchen back toward her and Mulder's bedroom, Scully made a beeline for her walk-in closet. Once inside, she parted the sea of hangers containing her extensive collection of suits and blazers and hung the second bag from one of the coat hooks that lined the walls of her closet. "Perfect," she smiled to herself. Everything was safely hidden and Mulder would be none the wiser-at least not until AFTER Will went to bed.

Now that Mulder's surprises were safely stowed, Scully slid off her suit jacket and hung it on its empty hanger. If the boys were playing catch, she may as well get changed now so she could join in the fun. After hanging up her vest and skirt, she pulled a pair of relaxed-fit blue jeans off the shelf behind her. Then, going to her chest of drawers, she fished out a long-sleeved navy blue T-shirt and a short pair of athletic socks. After she finished getting dressed, she slipped on her pair of Keds and went to the front hall closet to retrieve her baseball glove and Mulder's Yankees cap.

Tucking the mitt under her arm as she pulled her hair into a ponytail through the release hole of the cap, Scully headed to the back door. Looking out the window, she smiled widely as the sweet sight before her. Mulder was crouched down beside Will, helping him with his batting stance and showing him how to swing with his hips first and his arms second. Meanwhile, Walter lay on the ground half-asleep dozily watching the father and son. She paused for a moment watching the precious scene before opening the door and going outside, she called cheerfully, "Hey, is this game for 'boys only' or can mommies play too?"

"Mommy!!!," Will called excitedly as he dropped his bat into Mulder's hands and ran toward Scully with his arms wide open. Perking at the sudden activity, Walter quickly scurried after him.

Crouching down, Will crashed into her waiting arms. "Hey there Sweetie," she crooned lovingly. "Did you miss me?"

"Did I ever!!" Will cried with glee as he wrapped his arms tightly around her neck. Picking Will up and balancing him on her hip, Scully smiled down at Mulder. From under his "Stonehenge Rocks" cap, the glow in his eyes instantly showed her that he was just as happy to see her as Will was. Standing and walking over to her with a wide grin on his face, Mulder smirked, "I don't know. As I recall, Mommy already had her own private lesson from Fox Mantle on how to hit a home run." Scully just rolled her eyes and giggled at his double entendre as he leaned in to kiss her. Unfortunately, as he closed in, the bills of their caps collided-nearly knocking his hat off and effectively preventing their lips from meeting.

This little snafu elicited peals of laughter from Will. "You look like a couple of kissing ducks!" he giggled uncontrollably.

Looking at his son with a crooked grin, Mulder laughed, "Oh, you think that's funny do you? I'll show you funny." With that he took the hat from his own head and hung it over Will's-completely covering the boy's face with his oversized cap.

Meanwhile, Mulder took this opportunity to slide his hand over Scully's free hip and successfully maneuver around the bill of her cap to kiss her quickly but deeply. Winking at her as they parted, he took his hat from over Will's face and quipped with a smile, "Oh, I'm sorry. Wasn't that funny?"

Smiling, Mulder stooped to pick up Scully's baseball glove, which had fallen to the ground when she opened her arms to catch the oncoming Will. "You're so right Slugger," he grinned as he handed the glove back to her and put his cap back on. Then taking Will from Scully's arms, he winked at her as he said, "Now, do you want to play some baseball with Mommy or would you rather show her the trick you taught Walter first?"

As soon as his feet hit the ground, Will was off to find a stick for Walter to fetch. As Will looked about the backyard with Walter following closely at his heels, Mulder and Scully took the opportunity to greet each other properly. Sliding his arms around her waist, Mulder looked down into her eyes and tenderly murmured, "Hey you."

"Hey yourself," she smiled up at him lovingly as she wrapped her arms around his neck. "How'd your day go?"

Smirking, Mulder replied, "Other than accidentally threatening Doggett with a severe tongue-lashing, pretty good."

Scully raised an eyebrow and was about to ask him what that was all about when Will interrupted her.

"Hey!! I'm ready!!," Will called as he held up the perfect fetching stick and waved it over his head. For his part, Walter jumped up and down in a vain attempt to reach it. "Are you watching?!?!" Will yelled insistently.

"Yes we are Sweetie," Scully called back as she and Mulder turned to watch. Assured that their attention was completely focused on him, Will threw the stick across the yard with all of his might. Naturally, Walter quickly scampered after it. Once he reached it, Walter picked up the stick in his mouth and trotted back to Will.

"That's great Slugger," Mulder called with a chuckle to his son. "Why don't you show us again?"

"Okay Daddy!!," Will called as he tried to take the stick from Walter's mouth. Not quite understanding the game, Walter galloped away-staying just out of Will's reach every time he approached. "Hey!! You're supposed to give it back!!" Will protested with a giggle as he chased after his puppy.

Laughing at how adorable their son was, Mulder and Scully looked at each other and shook their heads. "Suppose we should help him?" Mulder grinned as they watched Walter lead Will on a merry chase all about the yard.

Looking up at him with a wry grin, Scully replied, "Nah, let's let them burn off a little energy while you tell me all about this 'tongue-lashing' you were going to give Doggett."

With a burning cigarette in hand, Spender entered the second floor bedroom of the no longer empty house. From this room, he had a commanding view of the Mulders' front and back yard as well as through their family room window. Picking up his camera and looking out through the blinds with its telephoto lens, Spender saw that the Mulder family had congregated in the back yard of their home. The boy chased his new dog around the yard as Agent Scully laughed uncontrollably at something Mulder was telling her. Spender was somewhat relieved to see that, despite their involvement in conversation, both parents simultaneously maintained careful watch over their young son. Perhaps they had some precognition of the imminent danger that loomed just beyond the horizon-or maybe they had just come to their senses. Regardless, their improved vigilance would make his task decidedly easier.

Clicking the shutter a few times to capture some stills of this scene, Spender took a draw from his cigarette as he set the camera down on a nearby table and walked from the room to survey the house's transformation. With one simple phone call, all of his equipment needs had quickly been supplied. Now that he had secured Ms. Shelby's written agreement contracting him to "update" the security measures at the pre-school, he no longer needed to be as concerned about that point of access. In fact, soon he would have an immediate and complete written and visual record of any and all visitors to the Shelby Academy. That would serve as a crucial early warning system to alert him as to when attack was imminent. Moreover, the physical and procedural changes he'd be implementing there tomorrow morning virtually guaranteed that any attempts against William Mulder would be made at the family home rather than at any other location. This desired effect made his continued presence at his current observation post an absolute necessity-causing this house to now become his permanent base of operations for the days to come. That meant he now needed the conventional creature comforts here that would be present in any average residence.

Walking about the second floor of the house, Spender moved from room to room examining the Spartan accommodations-with which he was completely satisfied. Having only simple needs, he clearly understood that he had already obtained the only luxury he wanted-time. From his extensive connections, he knew that the danger would not manifest until sometime in the coming week. After all, it would take some time for them to go through the captured data and realize the true importance of this boy and his parents-a truth that he had personally known all along. That crucial bit of information had given Spender the past few weeks to take preventive actions enabling him to shape and, to some extent, control the coming firestorm. He knew all too well that he was playing a very dangerous game-but considering what was at stake, he considered the risk to be more than worth it. With any luck, his efforts here would be enough to prevent the global tragedy that undoubtedly WOULD occur without his intervention.

Striding back to his observation post, Spender peeked through the blinds and watched the happy little family that was completely oblivious to the conspiracies that threatened their very existence. "Enjoy it while you can," he murmured thoughtfully as he took the last draw from his cigarette and crushed it out in the ashtray on the windowsill "because it won't last much longer."

Looking incredulously at Mulder, Scully burst out laughing, "Mulder! I can't believe you actually said that when you answered the phone-especially to Doggett of all people!"

"Hey, it's not like I knew it was him," Mulder smirked down at her as he kept one eye on their son, "I thought you were calling back with something else you wanted me to pick up. How was I supposed to know that anyone else from the FBI would be calling me?"

"Ugh! How embarrassing!" Scully giggled her face turning red from laughter. "Still, I guess it's better you than me," she teased with a grimace as she watched Will finally catch up with Walter. The boy and his dog rolled in the grass and leaves, playfully wrestling for control of the stick.

Turning toward her as he slid both arms back around her waist, Mulder crooned suggestively, waving his eyebrows at her, "That's for sure. I wouldn't want him to get the wrong idea about your friendship- especially given your track record concerning former partners."

Giving him a playful swat on the arm, Scully grinned back at him, "I seriously doubt that it's MY friendship that he has 'ideas' about." Then, suddenly remembering the question he wouldn't answer from that morning, she turned her eyes back toward Will as she deliberately continued, "I think he and Monica are in the same place we were after four years of partnership." Intentionally drawing a parallel between the two relationships, Scully silently hoped that Mulder's reaction to the comparison would provide some insight about when he first started viewing her as more than just a partner.

With a Cheshire cat smile, Mulder gently broke their embrace as he moved across the yard to keep better track of what Will and Walter were doing. "And where would that be, pray tell?" he queried playfully. He knew full well what she was up, so he thought she deserved to be teased about it a little more. However, to convincingly pull it off, he knew he wouldn't be able to look her in the eyes.

Following Mulder and taking a hold of his hand as she watched Will finally wrest the stick away from Walter, Scully nonchalantly replied, "Hopeless denial, of course." She was careful to keep her eyes on Will rather than looking Mulder directly in the face. He knew her too well. If she looked at him, she knew he would instantly read the dual purpose in her eyes and the gig would be up. Her only chance was to act casual and keep her eyes averted until he answered.

Chuckling as he took a quick sidelong glance at her, Mulder knowingly grinned, "Well I think you're right on one count. From what Doggett said today, I definitely think he's in denial about his feelings for her." Pausing for a long moment, he then made a concerted effort to sound serious as he continued, "But I think your characterization of us is a little far-fetched. While it is an interesting interpretation, you don't REALLY think that's where I was then, do you Scully?!?"

Her mouth dropping open in surprised and disappointed shock, Scully quickly turned toward him as she simultaneously pulled him to face her. It was on the tip of her tongue to protest "You mean you weren't!?!?" but the look in his eyes and grin on his face told her immediately that he was just teasing her and that he'd known all along what she was up to. Shaking her head, Scully narrowed her eyes and playfully stuck her tongue out at Mulder who laughed and pulled her in to hug her close. "You didn't really think I would give up the goods THAT easily did you?" he chuckled as he watched Will come toward them with Walter scampering close behind.

Smiling up at him, Scully replied, "Well, it never hurts to try does it?" as they both turned to face their approaching son-their arms around each other's waist.

Squeezing Scully gently, Mulder softly murmured, "I'd be disappointed if you didn't."

Just then, Will reached them with Walter scampering close behind and jumping at the stick in his hand. "I don't think I should try to show you again. Walter doesn't get the giving it back part of fetch yet. Can we play ball instead?"

"Sure thing, Slugger," Mulder replied as he crouched to take Will's baseball cap with one hand and tousle the boy's hair with the other. Then replacing Will's hat, he took the stick from his son's hand and held it out for Walter to see. He then stood and tossed it across the yard, causing the puppy to immediately tear after it. Looking at Scully, he grinned "Is Mommy ready?"

Sliding on her glove and giving it a punch into her palm, Scully grinned with a smirk, "Mama Mantle is ALWAYS ready."

Chuckling, Mulder picked up the discarded plastic bat and handed it to Will. "Let's show Mommy what you can do, okay?" Then with a wink, as he picked up the ball and his own discarded glove, "Remember, hips first then arms."

"Okay Daddy!," Will giggled, taking a perfect batting stance. "I'm going to hit it to you Mommy-so get ready, okay?"

Giggling as she took a place slightly behind and to the left of Mulder instead of her customary "catcher" position, Scully called back, "Sure thing, Sweetie!"

"Ready Daddy!!," Will called back, swinging the bat every so slightly in anticipation of the pitch.

Scully and Mulder exchanged quick smiling glances just before Mulder let the ball fly. Life just didn't get any better than this...

They played ball until the sun started to go down. Heading inside, Scully took Will to go have a bath while Mulder went and ordered dinner. A few months ago, after some trial and error, they had finally realized that a half and half pizza was best to keep everyone happy for these Friday family nights. That way, Scully didn't have to go without her onions, mushrooms, peppers and olives and Will could still have his pepperoni and cheese. Since Mulder didn't care one way or the other, everyone got to have what they each wanted.

"Don't forget the coupon on the fridge," Scully called to Mulder as she ran Will's bath water and retrieved his pajamas.

"Right! Got it!" he replied as he dialed the delivery number. After placing their order, Mulder thought it would be a good idea to check his University email account and electronic classroom for student activity while Scully was having her alone time with Will-especially since he knew for a fact that he wouldn't be checking it again until Monday. Logging into the internet server, he clicked on the University site listed in his web address book.

"Welcome Professor Mulder," came the electronic voice through the computer speakers. "You have seven new messages."

"Ugh! Don't you people have anything better to do on a Friday?" he murmured to himself, hoping he could get through them all before Scully finished getting Will ready for bed. Since nothing was due today, he wasn't surprised to see that none of the emails were from his freshman class. In the past three years at this job, he could count on one hand-and still have fingers left over-the number of times freshmen had contacted him when they didn't have to.

Reading through the messages, he saw that all of them were students from his senior alien abduction seminar. Four of them were asking about the grades they received on the papers that were due yesterday while three were asking if was too late to turn in those papers. Rather than responding to each student individually, he sent out a group mailing to the entire class stating that he would send each of them their grades and his written commentary on their papers by late Monday afternoon. He also said that he would continue to accept late papers until 5:00pm Monday but that those papers would automatically be lowered two letter grades for being late. Mulder tried not to be too annoyed by such stragglers- especially since he remembered all too well what it was like to be an undergrad. However, he also wasn't going to let their missing the due date interfere with his weekend. He wasn't even going to think about grading another paper until Monday-and that would be only AFTER he posted the grades for the people who submitted their papers on time. That's just the way it was going to be.

Logging out of the University website, Mulder exited the server and turned off the computer as the doorbell rang. "Dinner's here!!" he called down the hallway as he walked to the door with his checkbook in hand. After paying the pizza guy, he strode to the family room and put the piping hot pizza box on the coffee table. Walking to the kitchen to get plates and napkins, he again called down the hall to Scully and Will, "Hey, if you guys don't hurry up, there won't be any pizza left for you!!"

At the sound of his voice Will came tearing down the hallway with Walter close on his heels. "We're coming! We're coming!!"

"No running in the house!" Scully called after them as she emerged from Will's bathroom and headed into hers and Mulder's to get herself a little cleaned up. Playfully, she added, "And there'd better be some pizza left for me when I get out there if you guys know what's good for you!"

Clad in his "space cowboys" pajamas and bear feet slippers, Will slowed to a fast walk and plopped down on the family room couch. Smelling the aroma of the pizza, Walter curiously walked around the coffee table, sniffing the air and trying to figure out how to get at the pizza.

"Shooo Walter!" Will mildly scolded as Mulder returned from the kitchen. "Doggies can't have pizza!"

"Maybe if he's good, we'll let him have the pizza bones," Mulder teased Will as he sat down beside him.

"Sure they do, Slugger." Mulder smirked knowingly. "When Mommy gets here and after she has her dinner, I'll show you."

"What are you going to show him when I get here?" Scully chuckled as she entered the family room.

"Oh really?" Scully replied raising an eyebrow at Mulder, "That should be interesting." Then, walking over to the entertainment center, she turned on the stereo and tuned it to Will's favorite-the 70s and 80s station. They weren't quite sure how it had happened, but their child just loved disco music. As a result, this station was always the dinner music of choice for family night. Finished with the stereo, Scully took a seat on the floor in front of the coffee table as both Will and Mulder slid from the couch to the carpet to sit opposite her.

"Just wait. You'll see," Mulder grinned as The Pointer Sisters played in the background. For his part, Walter tried unsuccessfully to get into each of their laps several times before giving up and going to lay on his dog-bed at the end of the couch. As they ate their dinner, Will told Scully and Mulder about all of the cool things he did at the pre-school that day-especially all the time he spent with his new friend Charlie.

"Is he one of the other kids?" Scully asked as she discarded the pizza crust onto her plate and reached for another slice.

Surprised, Scully raised an eyebrow at Mulder and looked at him quizzically. Shaking his head with a grin, he corrected, "No Slugger, we just THINK he's her boyfriend cause they were holding hands." Scully feigned a cough as he continued, "But we KNOW that he's one of the grandfathers who has volunteered to help out while Miss Moriarty is away on maternity leave." Mulder decided not to mention to Scully yet how upset Will was earlier. He'd wait until after the boy went to bed so as not to risk upsetting him again.

Clearing her throat, Scully observed, "Well, that was pretty nice of him." Then, after chewing and swallowing a bite of pizza, she continued, "I think I'd like to meet this Charlie-especially with how much you seem to like him, Sweetie." With that she reached across the table and tousled Will's hair with her free hand.

Trying to change the subject before it turned to a something that might upset Will again, Mulder interjected, "See there! What did I tell you? Mommy's got pizza bones on her plate."

Looking at the pair of discarded crusts on her plate and then at each other before looking at Mulder, Scully and Will simultaneously wrinkled their brows before rolling their eyes. Then giggling slightly, Will replied, "You're just silly Daddy."

"My sentiments exactly!" Scully chuckled giving Mulder a wink and broad smile. Then crooning with a feigned pout, Scully continued, "Poor Daddy. No one ever gets his silly jokes."

Narrowing his eyes at her with a smirk, Mulder huffed playfully, "Well, I bet our dog would like a pizza bone." With that he grabbed one of the crusts from Scully's plate. "Here Walter," he called to the pup as he held out the crust.

Perking at the sound of his name, Walter made a beeline to Mulder and gingerly took the crust from his hand. Then taking it back to his dog bed, he lay down to gnaw on it just like he would a real bone.

"You keep telling yourself that if it makes you feel better Mulder," Scully laughed as she got up to put her plate in the dishwasher. Then turning back to Will, she continued, "Hey Sweetie, would you like an ice cream bar for dessert?"

Hurriedly getting up with his empty plate, Will trailed behind her into the kitchen, excitedly replying, "Can I Mommy?!?"

Closing the pizza box and putting his plate on top of it, Mulder picked them both up as he got to his feet. Following Scully and Will, he called teasingly, "Hey! Doesn't Daddy get anything for dessert?"

"Yeah Mommy, doesn't Daddy get an ice cream bar?" Will quipped with curiosity, looking at Mulder as he entered the kitchen.

Looking up at Mulder from over the dishwasher with an unmistakably wicked gleam in her eyes, Scully replied, "No Sweetie, Daddy doesn't want an ice cream bar right now. He and Mommy won't be having...dessert...until later on tonight." Then wiping the saucy expression from her face, she turned to Will, taking the plate from his hands and gently continuing "But since you'll be going to bed in a little while, you can go ahead and have yours now. Okay, Sweetie?" "Okay Mommy," Will replied as Scully put his plate in the dishwasher. Then looking over at his father, he innocently continued "Are you sure you don't want dessert now Daddy?"

Grinning wryly, Mulder slowly replied as his face flushed ever so slightly, "Ah, no-that's okay Slugger. I'm going to wait and have it with Mommy." He couldn't wait to see what she had in store for him.

After loading the dishwasher and putting away the extra pizza, all three of them returned to the family room to sit on the couch. With a bib around his neck, Will carefully ate his ice cream bar as a Gloria Gaynor song played in the background.

Pushing the hair out of the boy's face, Mulder gently asked, "So, what would you like to for the rest of the evening Slugger? Remember, you get to stay up late on Fridays." For Will, 'late' meant going to bed at eight thirty or nine rather than seven-that was IF he could stay awake that long. Since Will always got to choose the family activities on family night, it also meant he had roughly two hours of doing whatever he wanted before it was time for bed.

"I dunno," Will replied, slurping his ice cream bar and getting the chocolate coating all over his mouth.

Holding a plate under her son's chin and the rapidly melting ice cream, Scully suggested, "Would you like to play a game? You've got lots of different board games we can play together." In her other hand, Scully held a clean but damp dishtowel in reserve to wipe Will's face and sticky fingers when he was through with his dessert.

"Yeah, we could play 'Twister'-and Mommy and I could go first," Mulder grinned waving his eyebrows at Scully who just smiled and shook her head. "Nah," Will replied focusing intently on not letting any of the chocolate or ice cream drop. "I don't want to do that."

Maneuvering the last bites of ice cream into his mouth, Will distractedly replied, "No, I don't think so."

"Well what do you want to do Sweetie?" Scully asked gently as she watched Will lick the last remnants of ice cream from the Popsicle stick. Taking the now bare stick from his hand, she wiped both of his hands with the damp dishcloth before cleaning the chocolate from his tiny face. When she finished, she put them both the drip plate which now rested on the coffee table.

Pausing to listen to the familiar Abba song beginning to play in the background, Will suddenly chirped, "I want to dance with you, Mommy-just like Dewey did with the babysitter on the 'Malcolm in the Middle' rerun yesterday afternoon!!"

Grinning as he picked Will up, Mulder walked over to the stereo and turned the volume way up. "Like this!" he replied as he stood Will on top of the kitchen table. With the boy now being of sufficient height to dance with his father, Mulder proceeded to Tango with him-being especially careful to keep tight hold of him and not dance him off the edge of the table. For his part, Will squealed and giggled in delight.

"I knew there was a reason he was supposed to watch Sesame Street instead," Scully chuckled as she walked over toward the dancing pair. Then, tapping Mulder on the shoulder, she laughed, "I believe the gentleman wanted to dance with me." Then dramatically bowing to Will, she continued with a smile, "Sir, may I have this dance?"

Giggling, Will bowed to her as Mulder steadied him on the table, "Of course Mommy!"

Taking her son in her arms, Scully laughed as she began to dance with him just like Mulder had shown her. Then glancing over at Mulder, she teased with a grin, "You do realize that's you'll be the one cleaning any footprints off this table before Mom gets here tomorrow, don't you?"

Laughing at the sight of mother and son dancing together to this ridiculous 70s music, Mulder decided that this moment was too priceless to not permanently capture. Striding over to the entertainment center, he opened the top cabinet and took out their camcorder to begin filming. Suddenly remembering the rose he'd bought for Scully, he went to the fridge and took it out. Then, walking over to the pair, he chuckled "Open wide," to Scully and put the stem of the rose between her teeth before he began filming them.

Mother and son giggled hysterically as they danced throughout that song and the next while Mulder played cameraman. As their second song ended, Scully turned to Mulder and laughed through her clenched teeth and the rose stem, "Your turn Mr. Coppola-hand over the camera."

Grinning, he replied "Yes Ms. DeMille," as he dutifully surrendered the camcorder to her and immediately began to gyrate with Will to the music. Walking away for a moment, Scully put the rose back in the refrigerator. As she returned, a hopping KC and the Sunshine Band song blared from the stereo. Scully couldn't help but laugh at the scene before her-Mulder and Will were dancing in almost perfect mirror images of each other. As she operated the camcorder, Scully could see why Mulder had wanted to capture this all on tape. This was one memory that they would cherish for the rest of their lives-not to mention all of the teasing mileage they'd get out of Will with it in the years to come. Besides, Will was laughing hysterically and loving every second of it- and that in and of itself was reason enough to tape it.

Not wanting to be limited by the table as a Kool and the Gang song came on, Mulder picked Will up and danced him into the family room. Following close behind with the camcorder, Scully decided that she really wanted to rejoin the fun. Carefully positioning the camcorder on the mantle so it would capture all the action, she joined Will and Mulder on the family room "dance floor" as they moved to a groovy Commodores tune. When a song by the Village People came on, Mulder gently put Will on the floor so that he and Scully could show him how to make out the letters "YMCA" with his arms.

With all of the fun they were having dancing with their son, Mulder and Scully quickly lost track of the time. When 'The Hustle' came on, they sat Will down on the couch to teach him how to do it. However, they ended up getting into a mild debate on the subject because Mulder insisted that Scully wasn't "doing it right." Saucily replying that since she had learned it from watching "Disco Fever," Scully argued that HE was the one who wasn't "doing it right." When they finally resolved the issue-well after the song had ended-they were both surprised to see that their small son had fallen asleep right where he sat. It was only then that they looked at the clock and saw that it was already 9:30 PM.

"Poor little guy," Mulder murmured gently as he smoothed the boy's hair. "Looks like we tuckered him out." Picking him up carefully so as not to wake him, he carried Will to his bedroom with Scully following closely behind.

"Somehow, I don't think he minded," Scully grinned as they reached Will's room. Pulling back the top sheet and comforter, she continued, "Even though he DID miss his favorite bedtime story."

Mulder lay Will down on his bed and Scully pulled the "space cowboys' sheets up to cover the boy's tiny body. Picking up Will's Teddy Bear from the foot of the bed, Scully gingerly placed it next to Will on the bed while Mulder went to let Walter outside one last time. Scully silently stood smiling as she watched her boy sleep until Mulder returned with Walter, who quickly jumped up on the foot of the bed and curled up to go to sleep. Then stooping to kiss Will's cheek, she tenderly whispered "Sweet dreams, Sweetie."

Bending and stroking the boy's hair, Mulder gently murmured, "Goodnight, Slugger," before kissing him on the forehead. Then taking each other's hands, Mulder and Scully walked quietly from Will's room. Looking back one more time at their sleeping miracle, they warmly smiled at each other before slowly closing the door.

As they walked hand in hand back to the family room, Mulder lasciviously looked sidelong at Scully and suggestively asked, "So what do I get for dessert?"

Stopping in front of the fireplace, Mulder pulled her toward him as he slowly leaned in to kiss her. Flushing slightly as she gently smiled up at him, Scully put a hand on his chest to stop his approach as she saucily replied, "Not so fast Casanova. You're supposed to tell me what happened this afternoon, remember?" She knew that if she was going to hold him to his promise tonight, she had to stop his advances before they started-otherwise, if it got any further, she would be unable to resist his seduction. Ever since their first night together, they'd both found each other completely irresistible.

From the look on her face, Mulder could see that Scully was somewhat torn between wanting to talk first and wanting to play first-even if she wasn't consciously aware of it. Since he preferred to play first, he decided to help her make the decision. Sliding his arms around her waist and gently stroking the small of her back, he looked softly and deeply into her eyes as he sensuously replied, "I will, but there's no law that says we have to talk before dessert is there?"

"Well, no..." Scully replied with some hesitation. It was still early. They should have plenty of time to talk afterwards. Still, she didn't know how tired they might get or just how long they would last. She did know that they needed to talk before Reyes and Doggett got here tomorrow. Scully gently bit her lip in indecision. Maybe they should talk first after all...

At that moment, fate intervened on Mulder's behalf. Recognizing instantly the song that was beginning to play, he knew exactly what Scully's choice would be. "Besides," he murmured softly in her ear, "We can't have such a serious talk during our song can we?"

Pausing to listen to the music, Scully immediately recognized the song and was momentarily transported back to that night all those years ago when they'd finally had "the talk." Mere days before that night, she finally had found the courage to admit to herself just how deeply in love she was with Mulder. She had already shown him what she hadn't been able to say to him in words. Still, she had to TELL him how she felt. Full of fear, she had gone to his apartment, not knowing what to expect or how he would react. They'd already shared so much and had been so incredibly intimate-did she really have anything to fear? She remembered him opening the door with a warm smile that melted to concern when he saw the nervous look on her face. Ducking into his apartment, she'd been unable to meet his eyes as she darted to the couch. Kneeling in front of her and taking her hands in his, he'd started to ask her what the matter was when the dam inside her burst and all of her feelings came pouring out almost faster than she could form the words. The simple fact was that she loved him. She always had and she always would. The tears streamed down her face as she spoke of how she would understand if he didn't feel the same way- especially since she knew the X-Files would always be the most important thing in his life. When she finished, there was a long silence-broken only by the sounds of her own sobbing. Fearing that she had just made a complete fool of herself as Mulder stared at her in what she'd thought was appalled shock, she quickly stood to go-wanting to run as far away from him as possible.

She didn't get past the couch. Mulder had caught her in his arms and turned her to face him. Raising her face to his, he tenderly kissed her tears away before passionately kissing her lips. Then, pulling back so he could look deeply into her eyes, he told her that now that he knew she felt the same way he did, he would NEVER let her go. Looking up into his intensely earnest face, she'd suddenly burst into tears-releasing the pent up fear and anxiety she'd been carrying for the past few days. She stood sobbing in his arms for what seemed like a lifetime. Then, he gently took her by the hand and led her to the stereo that she hadn't even noticed had been on. Turning up the volume, he'd taken her in his arms and began to slow dance with her. Gently singing the words of the playing song to her, he tenderly looked deeply into her eyes as his own filled with tears of joy. At that moment, all of her fear and anxiety had melted away and she was left blissful-safe in the knowledge that he loved her too.

She heard those same words now as Mulder sang them softly in her ear and slowly danced her around the family room to the flowing music.

"For so long...You and me been finding each other for so long ...And the feeling that I feel for you is more then strong, girl...Take it from me...If you give a little more than you're asking for...your love will turn the key...Darling mine...I would wait forever for those lips of wine...Build my world around you, darling...This love will shine girl...Watch it and see...If you give a little more then you're asking for, your love will turn the key...I...I just want to be your everything...Open up the heaven in your heart and let me be the things you are to me and not some puppet on a string ....Oh...if I stay here without you, darling, I will die ...I want you laying in the love I have to bring ...I'd do anything to be your everything..."

Everyone, especially the FBI folks and the Lone Gunmen, had teased them unmercifully for playing a Bee Gees song at their wedding and for having it as their first dance. But she and Mulder didn't care. It was their special song and it described them so perfectly-almost as if it was written just for them.

Smiling at the beautiful memories that the music evoked, Scully knew she didn't need to think anymore. Talking could wait.

Looking up into Mulder's eyes, she wordlessly pulled his lips to hers as she ran one hand up his neck and through his hair while the other glided passionately across his back. The softness of his mouth on hers opened a door inside her to which only he had the key. Her lips tingled at the delicious touch of his and she quickly became hungry for more of him. Insistently, she rhythmically moved her lips under his as she wrapped her arms tighter and tighter about his body. Parting her lips, she delicately found his tongue with her own-sending an electric jolt through both of their bodies as they touched.

Surprised by how quickly Scully's intense desire surfaced, Mulder helplessly surrendered to it. Sliding one hand up her back and the other down over the seat of her blue jeans, he clung to her body with a passion that equaled hers. As his heart raced faster and faster, he hungrily explored the depths of her exquisitely expectant mouth with his own eager tongue. Breathing heavily, he pulled back slightly and murmured against her lips, "Let's move this to the bedroom while we both still have some higher brain functioning left."

Huskily chuckling as she slowly broke from their embrace, Scully's smoldering gazed burned into Mulder's soul as she licked her teeth and breathlessly whispered. "Not just yet. I have a surprise waiting for you in the bottom drawer of the refrigerator. If you could get that and the can of whipped cream together and bring it with you, I'll go to the bedroom and get things ready for us there."

Smiling devilishly at her as he looked with intense pleasure at her flushed face and heaving chest, Mulder panted, "You naughty little girl. Did you get what I think you got?"

Laughing wickedly as she headed toward their bedroom, Scully looked over her shoulder at him with a wink and seductively purred, "You'll just have to look and see." Then from down the hall she teasingly called, "Just make sure the microwave buzzer doesn't go off this time."

Staring after her as he caught his breath and sought to regain some of his senses, Mulder paused a few moments before heading to the kitchen. Opening the refrigerator, he quickly pulled second drawer open, eager to see what she'd bought him. Taking the bag out, he quickly peered inside and grinned widely at what he saw. It was a gift box of assorted syrup flavors-all in microwaveable plastic squeeze bottles- from the International House of Pancakes.

Taking the bottles out of their packaging and putting them in the microwave to heat for three minutes, Mulder retrieved the rose and whipped cream before shutting the refrigerator. Then, going to the dining room and quickly digging around in their china cabinet, he retrieved the silver tray they'd received as a wedding present and brought it back into the kitchen. Stopping the microwave just before the timer went off, he arranged the syrups, whipped cream and rose on the tray along with a bottle of hot fudge sauce and a bowl of strawberries he'd cleaned earlier that afternoon while Will was napping.

Smiling to himself as he picked up the tray and headed toward their bedroom, Mulder couldn't wait to see what Scully had in store for him there.

Cutting through the family room on the way to their bedroom, Mulder set the tray down on the coffee table as he moved to turn off the stereo. Turning from the entertainment center, he noticed the camcorder sitting on the mantle-still locked in the "record" position. Immediately he realized that it had captured the entire romantic interlude between Scully and himself. Grinning into the lens, he quipped with a chuckle, "This is a family film, so -that's all folks," before turning thee camera off.

Returning it to the top shelf, Mulder turned back and retrieved the syrup-laden tray before heading for his and Scully's bedroom. He briefly toyed with the idea of bringing the camcorder with him but he knew what Scully's reaction would be. She was far too shy about herself and her sexuality to be at all comfortable with a camcorder capturing everything. She would just be too self-conscious and inhibited to fully enjoy herself or anything they did-and that was the LAST thing Mulder wanted. Just watching her as she completely let go of everything but him, lost control, and gave herself entirely over to the pleasure of their intertwined bodies was one of his favorite parts of making love to her. So, he definitely wasn't going to do anything to hamper her full enjoyment of their 'dessert.'

Still, he was thrilled by the fortuity of their earlier passion being accidentally captured on film with both of them completely unaware. He secretly hoped that once Scully saw that portion of the tape, she would realize that not only did she have nothing to be self-conscious about but also just how erotic such a film of them could be. But that possibility would have to wait for another day. Right now, Mulder was happily focused on the tray of goodies he carried as well as anxiously anticipating was waiting for him behind their bedroom door, which was slightly ajar.

Gently, pushing it open with his shoulder, Mulder was awed by the sight that met his eyes. As he looked Scully up and down, his mouth watered subconsciously with desire. Sitting provocatively on their bed with one bare leg dangling tantalizingly off the edge and the other folded gingerly beneath her, Scully looked at Mulder with sultry eyes that made him feel weak in the knees. She wore a very short, light amethyst silk chemise with black lace trimming the side release slits and v-neckline-all of which perfectly accentuated her glorious body and drew his eyes to her flawless skin. A matching kimono-style wrap with a sash tie rested loosely about her shoulders. Her luscious deep red hair was tied up in a loose French twist held with a black ribbon while a few stray ringlets provocatively framed her face. Mulder was absolutely speechless at the gorgeous sight before him.

Reading the expression on his face, Scully grinned slyly as she huskily giggled, "I take it you like what you see." Still dumbstruck by her appearance, Mulder could only nod wordlessly-which pleased Scully immeasurably. This was the precise effect she was hoping for. Then gesturing slightly toward their open bedroom door, she continued laughingly, "Don't you think you should shut that before you do anything else?"

Momentarily snapping out of the spell she had cast, Mulder hurriedly set the tray down on the dresser next to him and wordlessly shut the door. Turning back toward her, he grinned devilishly as he picked up the tray and headed toward her. Setting the tray down at the foot of the bed, he suddenly noticed that their standard cotton sheets had been replaced with satin ones that perfectly complimented Scully's alluring negligee. Running his fingers along the satin sheets as he walked toward her, he imagined just how sensuous that would feel against their naked bodies as they made love. Stopping just in front of her, he looked down at her with intense love and unabashed desire. She knew just what he liked best and she'd gotten it all perfect to the letter. "All of this just for me?" he asked with seductive incredulity.

"Uh-huh," she drawled sensuously as she leaned back on her hands. As she did, her silk kimono wrap fell from her shoulders and revealed even more of her creamy skin to Mulder's hungry eyes. "Or the pizza guy," she laughed with a wink.

Chuckling at her words, Mulder lustfully moved forward to take her in his arms and have his way with her but he was stilled as Scully teasingly raised the foot of her dangling leg to rest gently but firmly against his chest. "Not so fast cowboy," she huskily purred, "You have to change too." Mulder looked at her with a questioning but wry grin as she continued, "Everything is ready for you in the bathroom."

Intrigued, Mulder seductively raised his eyebrows at her as he gently ran one hand down the softness of her inner leg as he cradled her delicate foot in the other. Stealing a glance at what her new position revealed, he saw that she wore silk and lace panties that perfectly matched her chemise. That sight was nearly enough to send him over the edge in terms of self-control. She knew exactly how to tease him and was she ever doing a thorough job of it. Taking a deep breath, he reigned in his animalistic impulses- but not without some serious difficulty.

Scully's eyes gleamed with pleasure as she read the delicious turmoil in his face. Licking her teeth, she sensuously drawled, "You know, the sooner you get in there, the sooner you can come back." Getting her point, Mulder raised her foot to his mouth and softly kissed it before gently lowering it to the bed- knowing that action would give her at least a little taste of her own medicine. As he turned and headed into their bathroom, she playfully added, "And don't forget to shave-I don't want any whisker scrapes."

Grinning and shaking his head as he closed the door behind him, he was quite impressed and pleased with the lengths to which Scully had gone to pay him back for their earlier phone games. It already surpassed his wildest expectations-and they hadn't even started yet. He could hardly imagine what she had in store for him next.

Looking about their bathroom, he immediately found what Scully wanted him to wear. Laid out on the vanity was a pair of black silk boxer shorts and a matching silk robe. Turning on the faucet so the water would be warm for his shave, Mulder quickly stripped out of his jeans and sweatshirt. After he shaved, he jumped in the shower for a quick and cold rinse before he toweled off and got dressed in Scully's silky presents. Knowing Scully, she would keep him teetering on the edge of ecstasy for as long as he could stand before finally giving in. So anything he could do to help him withstand her devilish torture-like taking a cold shower-was a definite must. Looking at himself in the mirror before he headed out the door, he smiled at his reflection and said, "Man, you are one lucky dog."

Looking toward the bed as he emerged from the bathroom, any calming effect that the cold shower had on him disappeared at once-rendered ineffectual by what he saw. Scully lay on her stomach across the middle of the bed, propped up on her elbows and looking over their tray of goodies. She was gingerly sampling the syrup flavors by pouring each one over a large strawberry and slowly licking every drop of syrup off. As she did this, she had subconsciously bent one knee and raised her foot in the air. It swayed gently to the tune she was humming and caused her whole body to undulate ever so slightly and provocatively. Since her robe now lay draped over the footboard, Mulder could also see that her negligee was completely backless except for the short length of material that nearly but didn't quite cover her matching panties. Confronted with that tempting sight, Mulder was instantly as highly aroused as he had been before he'd taken the shower. "So much for that plan," he mused to himself--still transfixed by the sight of Scully draped across their bed.

Suddenly aware that Mulder had emerged and was intently watching her, Scully looked intensely into his eyes as she seductively ran her tongue along the strawberry before taking a deliberately slow and sensual bite. "Things were starting to cool off," she grinned suggestively, "so I had to heat them up again."

"Mission accomplished," Mulder grinned with a flushed face as he moved toward her. Getting up onto her knees and crawling catlike to the edge of the bed, Scully met him halfway. Running her hands over his bare chest, she wrapped her arms around his neck and kissed him deeply-savoring the rush of excitement that came with the touch of his lips. Then, backing away slightly, she sultrily looked up at him before she breathlessly whispered, "There is just one rule to this game."

"And what's that?" he breathed sensuously, still tasting the sweetness of her strawberry mouth in his own as he wrapped his arms around her body and ran a hand over the softness of her bare back.

"Simple," she replied as she leaned back and retrieved the can of whipped cream. "Only foreplay is allowed for the next half hour." Kissing him again, she simultaneously applied a small line of whipped cream to the crook of his neck. Taking in a quick breath at the sudden feeling of cold, he moaned aloud as it was deliciously followed by the heady sensation of Scully's warm tongue licking it away. Looking up at him with a lascivious grin, she continued, "But otherwise, anything goes. Do you think you can handle that?"

Truly surprised at how much that simple action had augmented his already formidable excitement, Mulder decided that turnabout had to be fair play if he was going to make it that long without completely ravaging her. "Sure, if I have to," he grinned wickedly as he took the whipped cream can from Scully's hand, "But I don't think you'll want me to - any more than I will - before I'm through."

Sometime much later, they lay spent in each other's arms-their overwhelming desires completely sated. Under the satin sheets, Mulder lay on his back, his arm wrapped around Scully's shoulders and his hand gently caressing her flank. Scully curled up on her side in the crook of Mulder's arm with her head on his shoulder and one arm draped across his chest. Sighing contentedly with a smile, she slid her arm down to his waist and squeezed him gently as she snuggled her face into his strong chest-his intoxicating scent pleasantly filling her nostrils. She absolutely loved laying in his arms after they'd made love. It made her feel so safe, warm, and cherished. She didn't know how, but it was almost as if Mulder could reach into her very soul and, with just a touch of his hand, soothe her instantly. Never in her life had she ever experienced such complete intimacy-physical, emotional, and spiritual-with any other person. She treasured it more than almost anything and knew she never wanted to have to live without it again.

Tenderly kissing the top of her head, Mulder raised his head from the pillow slightly to look down at her. Raising her head to meet his gaze, Scully's eyes were filled with happiness and love. His own eyes glowing with adoration and contentment, Mulder was still amazed that this beautiful and captivating woman actually wanted to spend the rest of her life with him. Thinking back on the night she had first poured out her true feelings to him, he remembered being so afraid when she had come to his door, darted into his apartment and refused to meet his gaze. He'd thought that the nervous look on her face meant that his worst fears were coming true-that she regretted what they had done and that she wanted to end their partnership because of it. As he'd closed the door behind her and stepped slowly toward the couch, he'd taken a deep breath and steeled himself in preparation for her devastating words that would rip his heart out. He knew that he couldn't break down until after she left. He had to hold it together and be the understanding friend she needed him to be. For her sake he would do it-despite the fact that he was dying inside. He had to because, for the first time in his life, he fully understood the true meaning of love. Taking her hands in his, he'd made up his mind to make it easy on her and was about to speak to let her off the hook.

Thankfully, Scully began first and he never got those words out. As he slowly grasped what she was saying, Mulder was stunned in disbelief. He never thought that she could feel the same way about him as he did about her-that was a dream that he'd thought was just too far beyond his grasp to even hope for. Yet, here she was, saying the words that he'd waited for what seemed like a lifetime to hear. Not only that, but she was actually afraid that he wouldn't love her and was willing to make the same sacrifice that he had been preparing to make just moments earlier. He'd sat dumbfounded as her words sunk in-not fully cognizant of how anxiously she stared at him until she quickly rose to flee. Knowing exactly what was running through her terrified mind, he couldn't let her go believing that her worst fears had come true-especially when the exact opposite was the case. Physically stopping her from going, he knew he needed to make her understand how grossly she had misinterpreted his reaction. Having just been where she was now, he knew exactly what to do to. After kissing away her tears, the perfect words came to him out of nowhere. When he finished, he'd understood all too well why her sobbing began anew. They were tears of relief and joy, much like the ones that filled his eyes as he'd sung his heart out to her. Even though that night happened nearly five years ago, he still hadn't gotten over his amazement that she could and did love him the same way he loved her.

"Where were you just now?" Scully murmured gently in his ear as she saw that faraway look in his eyes.

Turning on his side to face her, Mulder slid his other arm around her waist as he smiled into her beautiful blue eyes. "Back in my old apartment that night you first told me that you loved me. I was actually thinking about how lucky I am to have you in my life," he whispered as he pressed his forehead to hers.

"That's funny," she smiled as she gently caressed his face, "cause I was just thinking how lucky I am to have found you. I guess it's true what they say-great minds do think alike."

Chuckling as he kissed her forehead, Mulder looked softly into her eyes before he spoke. "Well if that's true, then you know that I'm ready to have that talk now."

Understanding that the Covarrubias issue might be hard for him to talk about, Scully looked into his eyes with immeasurable warmth and a hint of concern as she gently asked, "Do you want to get up and dressed first?" She knew that he generally liked to have some physical distance between them when they discussed the tough issues.

Grinning at how well she knew him, he gazed deeply into her eyes as he softly murmured, "No, I can't think of any place I'd rather be than naked in your arms when I tell you what was going on inside me this afternoon."

Simultaneously surprised and deeply touched by his words, Scully's eyes filled and she blinked back the tears as she looked deeply into his eyes and suddenly realized what he was saying. He was about to share his deepest, darkest, and innermost fear with her-leaving himself completely helpless and vulnerable to her, which was exactly where he wanted to be. Kissing him softly, she shifted to her back and pulled his head to rest on her chest so that she could use both of her arms to hold him as he spoke.

Grateful that she understood him so well, Mulder snuggled against her shoulder like a child and wrapped his arms tightly around her. Taking a deep breath, he began to tell her all about his obsession with "the truth," the horrible choices he'd made in pursuit of it and how he'd believed he had finally overcome his addiction to it. Although he knew she was already aware of most of it, he made a point of telling her things that she didn't know-like the truth behind his abduction in Oregon. His tears flowed freely onto her bare skin as he told her that he had no concept of what was going to happen, how deeply he regretted his choice, and how he wished with all his heart and soul that he could undo all of the suffering she'd endured because of it. He also admitted how the idea of hearing and becoming a part of Marita's mysterious truth had sorely tempted him-making him realize that his addiction was just as strong as it ever was.

Clinging to Scully even tighter, Mulder went on, "That was why I reacted so violently to Doggett's news that Marita was trying to reach me. I was afraid of what lengths I might go to or what other horrible decisions I might make all in the name of that idiotic and worthless truth." Then raising his head to look into her eyes, Mulder continued, "But then I finally realized that you and Will are my world now and the only truths I need. There is nothing in this universe that could tear me away from the two of you." As a fresh tear streamed down his face, his voice broke as he pleaded, "I know that my track record doesn't make me very credible, but I NEED for you to trust me when I say I don't want or need Marita's truth-especially now that I have you and Will. Please believe me..."

Having silently stroked his hair throughout his confession, Scully's eyes filled with tears at his desperate plea. Gently touching his face with her hand, she hoarsely whispered, "Of course I trust and believe you Mulder. I KNOW that you could never desert us to chase after some mysterious truth any more than you could forget what happened to you, or me or Samantha at those people's hands. It's just a part of who you are and what makes you the man I fell in love with." Then rolling onto her side so she could face him, Scully gently kissed Mulder's tears away as she softly continued. "And please know that I, for one, am glad that you made the choice you did in Oregon. It was that decision that made it possible for you to be here with me now rather than dead and buried from some incurable brain disorder. I'm sure Will would see it that way too. He'd much rather have a living Daddy than a cold gravestone. I believe that it all happened the way it did for a reason-including Marita's phone call."

Smiling at her with grateful eyes, Mulder gently caressed Scully's face. "Thank you for always believing in me-more than I ever believe in myself," Mulder whispered as he kissed her gently.

Looking tenderly into his eyes as their kiss ended, Scully softly murmured, "I have always known that you're a lot stronger than you ever gave yourself credit for." Then, looking away from him momentarily as she took a deep breath, Scully gazed back into Mulder's eyes deeply as she continued, "If I didn't believe that or in you, I wouldn't be asking you what I'm about to ask you."

Looking at her quizzically, Mulder wrinkled his brow in mild concern as he asked, "What is it Scully?"

Sighing heavily, she slowly replied "Doggett and Reyes were hoping that you'd be willing to talk to them about Marita Covarrubias after the barbeque tomorrow and maybe even help them meet with her. I told them to let me run the idea by you before they approached you. Anyway, they want your help on this and I just need to know if you're willing to give it."

For a moment, Mulder just stared at her in stunned silence. Then, taking a deep breath, Mulder raised his eyebrows as he whistled, "Wow. You really DO trust and believe in me." Looking down toward the foot of the bed, he continued somewhat bitterly, "Well, I guess it's time for me to put up or shut up, huh?" He figured he had that coming given his past track record. Scully had every reason and right to test him. Still, he couldn't quite meet her gaze now...

Knowing exactly what was running through his mind, Scully took hold of his chin and forced him to look at her before snapping more harshly than she'd intended, "Oh, no you don't! Don't you DARE think that this is some kind of test-because it isn't!" Then taking Mulder's face in her hands and pressing her forehead against his, she continued much more gently as she looked softly and deeply into his eyes, "Look, I don't care one way or the other whether you help them or not. You don't need to prove anything to me. I have never questioned your loyalty to Will and me-and I'm not going to start now. All that's happening here is that Doggett and Reyes have asked a favor of me and they want to ask one of you. Whether you decide to grant or refuse that favor is your choice entirely. Whichever way you decide, I know that you'll have your own very good reasons for it. My ONLY concern is how it affects you-and that's because I love you and I just don't want anything to hurt you anymore." Scully blinked back tears as she pulled back and could now see the fading red mark her thumb has left on Mulder's chin. As those tears brimmed over her lashes and slid down her face, she hoarsely continued, "You do believe me don't you?"

His brow furrowed in concern and regret for even momentarily doubting her, Mulder caressed Scully's face and wiped away her tears as he tenderly whispered, "Always. I always believe you." Then kissing her the remnants of her tears away, he continued softly, "I have always known that I never need to question your motives. I just seem to have forgotten that for a second-probably because I just don't trust myself as fully as you do." Looking earnestly into her tearful eyes as he pushed the hair from her face, he breathed, "I'm sorry I hurt you."

"I'm okay. I'm just sorry I hurt you," Scully replied hoarsely as she gently rubbed the disappearing redness left by her thumb on Mulder's chin.

Taking her hand from his face and kissing it tenderly, he grinned at her warmly, "It'll take a lot more than an overzealous thumb to hurt me-even if it is your overzealous thumb." Then holding up her offending thumb, he kissed it softly-all the while gazing lovingly into her eyes.

Chuckling as she looked tenderly into his warm eyes, Scully murmured softly, "How is it that you always know just what to say and do to make me feel better?"

"Years of practice," he laughed, pulling her in to him and hugging her tightly. "I screwed up enough in the past twelve years to know what not to do. Besides, after all of that, the only thing left for me to do now where you're concerned is the right thing."

Giving him a gentle nip on his neck, Scully pushed Mulder onto his back with her body weight so that she ending up laying on top of him. "Is that a fact?" she laughed playfully as she propped herself up on her elbows and grinned down at him. Then, kissing him softly as her hands rested on either side of his head, she continued, "So what are you going to do about Doggett and Reyes? I have to tell them something when they get here tomorrow."

Relieved that she was feeling playful again, Mulder resolved to make it up to her. "Let me sleep on it and I'll let you know in the morning," he replied with a grin, changing the subject as he ran one hand down her bare back. Enjoying the warmth of her soft skin pressed up against his body, his eyes traveled slowly down to her chest before he looked back up into her eyes and gave her a wry smirk.

With a sly smirk of her own, Scully saucily replied, "Oh, were you ready to go to sleep already?" As she spoke, she slowly wove the fingers of one hand through Mulder's hair as she gently traced his lips with the index finger and thumb of the other.

"Oh...well...I guess not," he murmured slowly as he savored her touch and ran his other hand up the side of her neck, along her face, and through her disheveled hair.

As he did so, Scully smiled and closed her eyes with a barely audible moan, fully enjoying the tingling sensation of his feathery touch. Then opening her eyes, she looked down at him sultrily as she purred coquettishly, "Hmmm, if you don't want to sleep, what else could we possibly do?"

Grinning mischievously up at her, he sighed playfully "Oh...I don't know. You wouldn't happen to have any ideas in that department would you Agent Scully?" As he spoke, he slowly ran his hand down the back of her thigh-which she let gently slide down to one side of his body.

"Maybe one or two...Professor Mulder," she smiled teasingly. Then with a playful smirk, she continued, "We could clean the bathrooms, defrost the freezer, change the oil in the cars, or grade your papers."

Smiling broadly at her suggestions, Mulder chuckled as he replied, "Well, I suppose we could do any or all of those. Or-" Before he finished his sentence he hooked one hand behind her bent knee and steadied the other flat against her back as he rolled with her over to the other side of the bed. Now on top of her, he grinned down at her with a sparkle in his eyes as he seductively continued. "-we could have a little more dessert."

Her own eyes gleaming as his delicious suggestion, Scully mockingly scolded, "Now, as a medical doctor, I'd have to advise against having multiple helpings of dessert. It just isn't healthy to have all those sweets and empty calories." However, as she spoke, she wound her arms around his body and gently caressed the bare skin of his back-causing a wave shivers to run up his spine.

Catching onto her game, Mulder raised his eyebrows suggestively as he continued, "Well Doctor Scully, while you do have a valid point, let me humbly submit that there are some definite callisthenic benefits associated with my proposed course of action." Sensuously massaging the back of her thigh, he bent to kiss the crook of her neck and slowly work his way upward. His heart began to race faster as he could feel her body tensing eagerly under his. Her sweet scent permeated the air and he wanted nothing more than to lose himself completely in her.

Grinning hazily as her eyes drifted unfocused toward the ceiling before closing, her breath grew shorter as she replied, "I'll definitely take...your position ...under ...advisement..." She just loved this delicious feeling of being feral and wild that he could evoke in her-losing control and letting go of everything but her beloved Mulder. Running one hand up the back of his neck and into his hair as he reached her earlobe and gently held it in his teeth while slowly stroking it with his tongue, Scully gave a short gasp as she succumbed completely to their resurging desires. "Now, shut up and kiss me," she breathed heavily as she turned her face to intercept his lips. Gazing down at her with immense pleasure, Mulder obliged her passionately as they both slid helplessly into the sweet oblivion of each other.

"One would think you were still on your honeymoon, Mr. Mulder," Spender grumbled as he removed his headset in disgust for the second time that evening. His state of the art listening equipment required no placement of 'bugs' in the conventional sense. Rather, all he had to do was aim the hi-tech audio receiver at one of the windows on the Mulder house to pick up the sound vibrations that passed into the glass from inside the house. This instantly enabled him to hear every word that was said and every sound that was made inside the Mulder home. Unfortunately, nothing was being said at the moment that he was interested in hearing.

Shaking his head as he lit a new cigarette, Spender mused that it was unlikely that any additional useful information would be obtained this evening. Shutting down his eavesdropping equipment, Spender considered the pertinent facts that he did obtain as he performed maintenance diagnostics on his electromagnetic signal monitoring equipment. It was clear that his earlier suspicions were correct-Mulder would not be as easily or readily manipulated by the organization as he had been in years past. That bit of information meant that the Syndicate's plans for him would ultimately fail. At the same time, it did increase his odds of success in his own mission that was completely independent of the Syndicate's agenda. Years ago, he learned only too well that the Outfit could not be trusted and was best used as a tool or a means to an end rather than an organization deserving of his loyalty. He knew he was lucky that the younger generation of Syndicate foot soldiers had yet to learn that lesson. He was sure that Marita Covarrubias had yet to realize this fact or just how disposable she actually was to the Syndicate. Smiling at the implications of his new information, Spender realized that not only would Marita's efforts fail miserably, but also that her careless involvement of additional FBI personnel could easily mean the end of her. He couldn't think of a more appropriate end for such an arrogant person who couldn't be bothered to fully consider the consequences of her actions.

Deciding to call it a night, Spender slid a CD into his computer as he put his surveillance equipment into "rest mode" for the night. Music was the only human comfort he had allowed himself to retain through his long years of service. He smiled as "Mack the Knife," a theme from "The Threepenny Opera," began to play. He'd always felt a strong affinity for that song-seeing it as particularly appropriate to his line of work. But perhaps all of that would change soon....

Spender awoke before dawn as was his custom. Rising from the mattress that lay on the bedroom floor, he looked immediately at the surveillance equipment indicators. All of them remained in rest mode, telling him that nothing had occurred to activate them during the four or five hours he had slept. Satisfied that the Mulder household was still slumbering and he hadn't missed anything of consequence, Spender lit a cigarette as he made his way to the bathroom to get ready to go. He had a busy day ahead of him.

As he turned on the faucet to warm the water for his shave, he puffed on his cigarette thoughtfully as he pondered his day's activities. His 'improvements' to the security system at the Shelby Academy would begin promptly at 7:00am. Although the loathsome Arlene Shelby would be there, Spender was confident that the entire process would be completed well before he needed to return to personally monitor the Mulder barbeque. From the partial guest list he had obtained, he knew that Agents Doggett and Reyes as well as Assistant Director Skinner would all be in attendance. Their presence meant that some relevant discussion of Marita Covarrubias was inevitable-particularly given the conversation between Mulder and Scully he'd listened to the night before. From the content of their conversations with the Agents this evening, Spender would quickly be able to determine whether a recommendation to the Syndicate of her termination would be in order or not.

Passing his hand through the running water, Spender found it to be sufficiently warm for his needs and proceeded to shave. Turning his mind back to Marita and the question of his recommendation, Spender knew he would wait and see what his eavesdropping efforts for the evening revealed before reaching any decision. Beyond that, he could honestly say that Marita Covarrubias' ultimate fate wasn't even remotely interesting to him. If she was doing her job efficiently and effectively, then she could be retained indefinitely. However, if she was being sloppy and careless, she should be eliminated. It was as simple as that. Her previous attempt on his own life would never even enter into the process. He silently mused at what a pity it was that the younger generation of operatives couldn't seem to understand that such decisions were nothing personal-they were simply a matter of business. That seemingly scarce ability to separate business matters from personal issues is what enabled him to continue working with the Syndicate, despite the fact that it had ordered his execution on more than one occasion.

Finished with his shave and crushing out his cigarette to quickly take a shower, Spender thought about his own history with the organization. In each instance where the Syndicate had ordered his execution, he fully understood that they'd simply identified him as a security liability. Disposing of him was simply the most expedient way of addressing the problem. It was certainly nothing to harbor hostility about. That he survived each attempt was due mainly to his own preparedness and resourcefulness and, to a lesser degree, the incompetence of his assassins. Of course, their failures had actually worked to the benefit of the Syndicate-especially given the growing difficulty in finding operatives with his particularly broad repertoire of skills and lack of moral inhibitions. He knew full well that he was a significant asset to the organization-one that they could ill afford to lose in lean times such as these. They apparently recognized this fact as well--given that they had relinquished much of the direct planning of the current operation to him.

Of course, what the Outfit was too myopic to recognize was that he now served them only out of convenience. Then again, given their past performance, he wasn't surprised. It's leaders and operatives alike had pathetically been unable to discern the implications for the future from all of the facts they had at their disposal. For years, the organization had all of the pertinent information on Mr. Mulder, Agent Scully and their child that was necessary to fit the various pieces together to see the whole picture. Yet, despite the Syndicate's connections and resources, Spender alone had been able to recognize their individual and collective value to the survival of mankind. Naturally, he'd kept that knowledge to himself as he doggedly pursued his personal agenda concerning the Mulder family-all, of course, at the Syndicate's expense.

Toweling off after his shower, Spender quickly got dressed in the second of the two suits he'd brought with him as he lit another Morley. Looking at his watch, he saw that he had another hour before the sun came up and nearly two hours before he needed to be at the Shelby Academy. He decided to spend that time efficiently by testing his equipment further to ensure that no syllable uttered, email read, or fax sent from the Mulder house escaped capture while he was away. Now more than ever, it was absolutely imperative that he keep close tabs on each member of the Mulder family.

Hours later, sunlight flowed softly into Mulder and Scully's bedroom through the translucent window shears. Inhaling deeply as he slowly awoke, Mulder yawned and stretched where he lay before he glanced at his alarm clock. It was 7:55. Blinking, he rolled over on his side to look at Scully who lay sleeping peacefully at his side with a contented smile on her face. Grinning as he watched her sleep, Mulder was struck with the same sense of wonderment that overcame him the first time he woke up next to her. Just as he had that first morning, he knew without a doubt that he was the luckiest man on the planet.

Then, realizing that he didn't have much time left, he quickly got up and went to the bathroom before returning to pull on a t shirt over his black silk boxers. Getting back into bed, he lifted the covers slightly to make sure Scully was wearing something too. Thankfully, she was clad in her plaid flannel nightshirt-which meant that he didn't have to wake her to get dressed. Since she knew as well as he did what to expect on Saturday mornings, he figured she must've gotten up sometime in the night to get dressed after they had exhaustedly fallen asleep in each others arms. Happy that she would be able to sleep a little bit longer, Mulder slid his arms around her from behind and held her close, nuzzling his face into her hair. Mumbling something unintelligible in her sleep, Scully responded by snuggling into his arms and unconsciously sighing contentedly.

With her warmly curled up in his arms, only one more thing was needed to start their Saturday morning off just right. Expectantly, Mulder carefully watched the digital clock change from 7:59 to 8:00. Within seconds came a gentle knock at the door followed by the knob turning and the door creaking open a sliver.

"Mommy? Daddy?" came Will's cautious whisper from the hallway. "It's eight o'clock. Can I come in?"

"It's okay Slugger," Mulder whispered, "You can come in but be really quiet. Mommy's still asleep."

Tiptoeing carefully into their room and over to Scully's side of the bed, Will peered up over the edge at his sleeping Mommy and his grinning Daddy. "Should we wake her up?" he asked quietly, looking up at Mulder with his big questioning eyes.

"In a little bit," Mulder replied in a hushed voice, "Meanwhile, why don't you come up here and hug Mommy too."

Grinning, Will quietly chirped, "Okay Daddy!" before climbing carefully onto their bed. Once he got up there, he lay down beside his Mommy and put his tiny arms around her. Then, looking at his father quizzically, he asked "Now what, Daddy?"

Suddenly struck with an idea, Mulder grinned and whispered, "Do you remember the story of Sleeping Beauty?"

"Well, why don't you wake her up with a big kiss just like the prince did in the story?" He knew Scully would appreciate being awoken by her son like that.

Smiling, Will replied, "Okay, Daddy." Then, scooting up toward Scully's face, he planted a big smooch on her cheek.

Inhaling deeply, Scully slowly blinked open her eyes and saw Will leaning over her with a big smile. "Good morning Mommy!! Rise and shine!!" he called cheerfully.

"Good morning, Sweetie," she groggily replied with a yawn and a smile. Feeling Mulder's arms around her as he tenderly nuzzled into her hair a little deeper, Scully couldn't imagine a sweeter wake-up call than this. Sluggishly opening her arms so that she could cuddle Will as Mulder snuggled her, she softly murmured, "Have you been watching cartoons?"

"Uh-huh," he nodded cheerfully as he snuggled into her arms, "Are you ready for breakfast yet Mommy?"

Yawning again, she sleepily replied, "Not just yet Sweetie. Mommy's real tired."

Winking at his son, Mulder softly interjected, "Well in that case, why don't you go some more sleep while Will and I get up and concentrate on making you a fabulous breakfast. How's that sound?" He'd actually forgotten until just now that Scully hadn't gotten much sleep in the past week. She definitely could use a little extra shut-eye.

"Absolutely wonderful," she replied, drowsily kissing the top of Will's head before yawning again.

"Then we'll get out of here and let you sleep," Mulder chuckled as he gave her a gentle squeeze and softly kissed her cheek. Motioning to Will for them to go, they each got up from the bed and crept quietly to the door. Looking back at Scully before he closed the door, he saw that she had rolled over to his side of the bed and wrapped her arms around his pillow before falling back asleep. Smiling at how sweet she looked, Mulder gently closed the door behind him trying to think of something special he could make her for breakfast. Then, remembering what he'd gotten at the grocery store yesterday, he turned to Will and picked him up, brightly asking, "What do you say, Slugger? Want to help me bake some cinnamon rolls for Mommy?"

For Mulder, baking cinnamon rolls was an easy proposition-especially since he wasn't making them from scratch. It simply meant preheating the oven and popping open one of those cans of pre-made dough. Then, all he had to do was arrange the rolls on the baking sheet, slide it into the oven, and wait for the timer to go off before drizzling the sugary icing over the top. He knew only too well that if he attempted anything more complicated it would be a major disaster, so it was best to keep things simple. After Will "helped" him get all of that accomplished, father and son settled on the couch to watch cartoons together while they waited the forty minutes for the rolls to bake.

About two minutes before the time was up, Mulder got up to make sure that the buzzer wouldn't go off and wake his sleeping beauty. Taking them from the oven and setting them on the stove top, he slowly poured the creamy icing over each of the golden brown rolls. They'd turned out perfectly and he hoped that the sweet cinnamon scent would weave its way through the house and into their bedroom so that Scully would wake up to the delicious cinnamon aroma. Knowing how she was about watching her figure, he'd also been sure to buy the low fat variety so she didn't even need to feel guilty about having more than one if she wanted. Finished preparing the rolls, Mulder moved to the coffee maker and poured himself another cup of coffee. Then, cleaning out the filter, he started a fresh batch of Scully's favorite vanilla blend. He loved to pamper her like this but he so rarely got to do it that he wanted to take full advantage of this opportunity. After he started the coffee brewing, he rejoined his son on the couch. Together, they decided that they'd let Scully sleep until ten before bringing her breakfast in bed.

Back in Mulder and Scully's bedroom a few minutes later, Scully rolled onto her back and inhaled deeply as she blinked herself awake. Sniffing the air, she caught the intermingled scents of vanilla and cinnamon as her lips curled into a smile. "Mulder, you know just how to tempt me don't you?" she murmured to herself as she rolled to her side and snuggled her face into his pillow. Inhaling deeply, she loved how it smelled like him. If she closed her eyes, it was almost like still having him lying beside her. That little trick had gotten her through many a night after Mulder's abduction-at least until her steady stream of tears had finally washed his scent away completely. Shaking her head, she banished those unhappy memories from her mind. She had him with her again and that-along with their little boy-was all that mattered.

Sitting up in bed, Scully looked at the alarm clock. It was well after nine, which meant that it was definitely time for her to get up-especially since her mom said she would be there at 12:30. Sleepily casting off the covers and swinging her feet to the edge of the bed, she pushed herself to her feet. Making her way into the bathroom, she pulled her robe off the hook on the back of the door and grabbed a pair of athletic socks from her closet before heading back into their bedroom. Looking at their rumpled satin sheets with a wry grin as she sat down to pull her socks on, she realized that it would probably be a good idea to change those before Mom got there. She sure didn't need any teasing from her mother on that front.

Quickly stripping the sheets off, she found her silk chemise balled up at the foot of the bed where Mulder had impetuously discarded it the night before. Picking it up and smoothing it out, she smiled with guilty pleasure as she noticed that the silk was stained with both blueberry and strawberry syrup. Taking it into their bathroom, Scully filled one of the sinks of their double vanity with cold water so she could thoroughly soak the chemise and hopefully remove the stains. From his stunned silence when he saw her wearing it, Scully knew that Mulder would be highly disappointed if her new negligee were now completely ruined-so she had to do her best to salvage it. Smirking to herself as she walked back into their bedroom to remake the bed with regular cotton sheets, she hoped that the cold water would do the trick. She certainly didn't want to have to explain to her mom why she needed to know how to get syrup stains out of silk. Along those same lines, after she finished making the bed, she tossed the empty whipped cream can and syrup bottles into the garbage can in their bathroom and stowed the satin sheets safely in the laundry bin.

Satisfied that she had completely sanitized their bedroom of any trace of her and Mulder's syrupy nocturnal activities, Scully slid on her robe and slippers before picking up the tray bearing what was left of their illicit goodies. Heading toward the kitchen as she opened the door, Walter came scampering up to her wagging his tail. "Hey there boy!" she smiled warmly at the puppy scampering about her feet.

Moving down the hall with Walter trailing close behind, she silently snuck past Mulder and Will, who were engrossed in a Bugs Bunny cartoon, and into the kitchen. Putting the tray down on the counter, she returned the remaining strawberries and bottles of syrup to the refrigerator. Then, noticing the sheet of cinnamon rolls cooling on the countertop, Scully smiled as a little idea for repaying Mulder's thoughtfulness suddenly came to her. Quietly getting out three plates, napkins, and silverware, she dished out one pastry for each of them. After pouring a cup of coffee for herself and one for Mulder along with a glass of milk for Will, she placed all of the items on the tray before carrying it out to her two favorite people in the world.

"Who's ready for breakfast?" she called cheerfully as she breezed into the family room with a smile.

"Hey!" Mulder replied in surprise with a hint of disappointment, "We were going to serve you breakfast in bed!"

"Yeah, Mommy!" Will protested with a pout, "You weren't supposed to get up until ten!!"

Setting the tray down on the coffee table, Scully grinned widely as she sat in between them on the couch. "Well, maybe I wanted to watch Bugs Bunny while I had breakfast with my two best guys. Ever think of that, Sweetie?" she crooned playfully at Will as she hugged him close. "Besides," she continued, looking at Mulder as she handed him a plate and a fork, "Grandma is going to be here in less than three hours. So if we want to have a leisurely breakfast in our PJs, I thought I had better get up sooner as opposed to later."

Looking at her with a smirk, Mulder shook his head and laughed, "You just refuse to let me spoil you don't you?" Then, kissing her on the cheek, he grinned and whispered in her ear, "Then I'd better go clean up all of the evidence from last night before she gets here, huh?"

Winking at him as she put a hand on his arm to keep him from getting up, Scully replied, "Nope, it's already done. So you just stay put and have breakfast with Will, Bugs and me."

"Yes ma'am!" Mulder grinned with a playful salute as the family settled in to enjoy their breakfast together.

Marita quickly scanned through her paper one last time before sending it in an attachment to Mulder's University email account. Although she knew the grade she would receive for the paper was inconsequential, she still felt compelled to proofread it for incomplete sentences, typos, and punctuation errors before sending it. That was an old habit left over from her undergraduate days as on the Dean's list and was one price she paid for being such a perfectionist.

She'd followed the instructions on the typewritten note to the letter. Still, after she had watched the video, the meaning of bits and pieces of information she had remained elusive. Frustrated by her inability to decipher the puzzle, she'd gone ahead and written a first draft before deciding to sleep on the topic in the hopes that a good night's sleep would enable her to make new connections. Rising before dawn, as was her custom, Marita revisited and revised her draft, hoping to now be able to discern the larger pattern with her well-rested eyes. However, it was still to no avail. Even in the morning light, the puzzle pieces would not take shape into a larger whole. Finally, after five straight hours of work, she decided to have done with it and just submit the paper.

Yet, even though that part of her task was over, she just couldn't let the issue go. Racking her mind, she tried in vain to figure out what connection Mulder had to the scientific information presented on the tape. In footage of worse quality than any of those bogus "alien autopsy" films, it showed a briefing from someone who appeared to be a bio-geneticist concerning the biological consequences of meiosis between humans and aliens. One notable point was the effect exposure to alien DNA had on human DNA. In an odd reaction that affected human cell mitosis, the alien DNA had the effect of "turning on" those latent genes that were normally dormant in the human body. That unique side effect was actually why the ovum of the abducted women were always removed AFTER the subject's exposure to alien DNA-because, in conjunction with their individual genetic predispositions, it served to increase the chances of producing a viable human/alien hybrid. One of the spectators asked what effect the union of two humans who had been exposed to alien DNA would produce but the response was muffled and distorted by the poor quality of the footage.

Marita knew that the video's graininess and poor sound quality was deliberate to make it seem like it was captured covertly and add an air of authenticity and credibility to its claims. None of those, however, were anything that she wasn't already familiar with. The Outfit had been doing this sort of thing to the people it abducted for decades. It was the very reason that microchips had to be implanted in the subjects' necks-to artificially keep those newly activated genes from turning on their hosts and forming cancers throughout their bodies. One day, they hoped to refine the process to the extent that the chips would no longer be necessary-but given the current state of the Syndicate, Marita knew that possibility was still a long way off.

Turning her attention back to her paper, the honor student inside Marita cringed at the poor fit between the question asked and the response given. Mulder's assignment to the class had been to write a credible and plausible explanation for the alien abduction phenomena that had become entrenched in US pop culture from the 1990s onward. She knew that her response didn't meet the requirements of the assignment-but she reminded herself that she wasn't writing it for a grade. It was simply another mind game that the Syndicate was playing with Fox Mulder. The question was: why? She could see no current connection between him and the information she was relaying. Yes, Dana Scully-or more correctly Dana Mulder-had been abducted, exposed to alien DNA, and even had a chip in her neck. But Fox Mulder had known those facts for years. What was the point of going to such lengths to dredge this information up and bring it to his attention again now? What was his value to their cause?

Pacing about the adjacent living and dining rooms of her oddly shaped apartment, Marita mentally sorted all of the pieces for the hundredth time, trying to figure out the hidden significance of it all. Perhaps it had something to do with the Mulders' child-but how could it? Obviously, the child was not a human/alien hybrid. She'd seen those before and knew that, if he were one, there was no way the boy would ever be able pass for human. Moreover, Agent Scully's ovum had been removed during her abduction-leaving her completely barren. Therefore, it was impossible for the child to be hers naturally anyway.

Frustrated at the maddening puzzle, Marita decided that she'd spent too much time consciously pondering it. She always solved problems best when her subconscious had a crack at it. So, she needed to put the issue out of her mind and focus on something else before the answer would come to her. Heading into the bathroom to take a shower, she resolved that the easiest distraction would be to simply go out and do something. It was a beautiful day and, after all of the hard work she'd put in, she felt she'd earned a little break-regardless of standard Syndicate policy. As the cold water hit her body, Marita resolved to put the Mulder family out of her mind for the rest of the day.

After finishing their leisurely breakfast, Mulder put away their dirty dishes while Scully wrapped and stowed the leftover cinnamon rolls in the fridge. Then, Scully headed off to take a shower as Mulder walked Will to the main bathroom and helped him get cleaned up. Once Will was ready, Mulder sent him to go tidy up his room while he went about straightening up the family room and kitchen before heading back to his and Scully's bedroom. When Scully emerged from their bathroom, she sent Mulder to shower alone after a brief but playful discussion about how they really DIDN'T have time for her to join him. Quickly dressing in faded jeans and a casual sweater set, Scully ran a brush through her hair one more time before giving the whole house a once-over to make sure things were cleaned up and put away. Pleased at how everything was in spotless order, Scully made a mental note to personally thank Mulder for being so wonderful about cleaning up the house and everything else he'd done to prepare for their barbeque. Then, looking at the clock, she realized that her mom would be there any minute. Hurrying to check on Will again, she found him quietly coloring at his coloring table with Walter curled up asleep at his feet. She was about to go and sit next to him when the doorbell rang. Turning to get the door, Scully almost collided with Mulder as he emerged from their bedroom, clad in jeans and a navy blue rugger.

Grinning at her devilishly, he winked, "Don't worry, I'll get it. Meanwhile, you need to go take care of that little sexy number you left soaking in the sink-that is unless you want your Mom to see it." Then, popping his head into Will's room, he called, "Grandma's here, Slugger. Gonna come out and see her?"

"Uh-huh!" Will cried excitedly as he jumped up from the table and skipped to the door. Walter, waking up at the noise, scampered closely behind him.

Meanwhile, scolding herself for having forgotten all about her chemise, Scully literally ran to her and Mulder's bathroom, hurriedly wrung it out and quickly hung it in the shower. She then dashed to the front door just as Mulder was about to open it.

"You'd be too if you lived with my Mom for eighteen years," she whispered back playfully as he opened the door.

Opening the door, both Mulder and Scully were surprised to see Scully's brother Charlie standing there, holding a couple of grocery bags. "Charlie!" Scully cried, throwing her arms around her younger brother, "Mom didn't tell me she was bringing you!"

As Mulder took the bags from his arms so he could return his sister's hug, Charlie chuckled, "Mom wanted to surprise you. Besides, she thought you might be able to use another pair of helping hands." Then breaking from their embrace, he continued, "Now let me take a look at you, Dana." Holding onto her hands as he took a step back from her, he grinned, "Jeez Dana, marriage and motherhood sure do look good on you!"

Grinning up at her younger brother, Scully replied with a smirk "Maybe you should try it sometime-at least the marriage part." She had to remind herself that they hadn't seen each other since her and Mulder's wedding nearly three years earlier-so he really wasn't used to seeing her like this. "Where is Mom anyway?" Scully asked, looking toward the driveway. Unfortunately, the shrubbery partially obstructed her view.

"Oh, she's getting some more stuff out of the trunk," he replied jabbing a thumb over his shoulder. Then turning to Mulder who had returned from putting the sacks in the kitchen, Charlie held out his hand with a warm smile. "Good to see you, Fox," he grinned as Mulder shook his hand. Then, pulling his brother-in-law in to give him a couple of hearty slaps on the back, he laughed, "I can tell just from looking at my sister how happy you've been keeping her. Keep up the good work!"

Backing away from Charlie, Mulder was a little taken aback not only by the striking resemblance between Charlie and Bill but also by the genuine affection Charlie seemed to have for him. From his experiences with Bill, he just wasn't at all used to being liked by Scully's brothers. Although he and Charlie had finally met at the rehearsal for his and Scully's wedding, that was such a huge weekend for Mulder that he really didn't remember much about Charlie other than shaking his hand. Still, he'd always gotten the impression that Charlie was much more supportive and accepting of their marriage than Bill ever was. Grinning, Mulder replied, "Don't worry, I intend to." Then pausing for a moment, he continued, "Scully and Maggie have really been looking forward seeing you for weeks. I'm glad you could make it."

Suddenly, Mulder felt tiny arms wrapping themselves around the back of his leg. Looking down, he saw Will standing behind him, clinging tightly to his leg and shyly peering around it to cautiously look at the stranger with whom his parents were talking. Grinning down at his small son, Mulder picked him up in his arms and gently explained. "Hey Slugger, we'd like you to meet someone special. This is your Uncle Charlie-he's Mommy's younger brother."

"Hey there Sport," Charlie grinned at his nephew as he tousled the boy's hair. "Do you remember your Uncle Charlie?"

"No, but you look like Uncle Bill with red hair," Will replied as he clung to Mulder's neck, not quite sure about this stranger yet and wondering where his grandma was.

"Yeah, I do don't I?" Charlie chuckled gently. "That's because he's my big brother." Then teasingly he continued, "You know, we met when you were just a teeny tiny baby. Are you telling me that you don't remember that?"

"No Silly!! I can't remember being a baby!," Will giggled, relaxing significantly. Then after a pause and with sudden curiosity, he continued, "Hey, I want a brother too. Can you tell me how you got yours?"

"Hey guys," Scully interjected with a slight blush, in an attempt to change the subject, "Why don't we go and see what's taking Mom so long. Maybe she could use some help." Walking down the path from their front door to their driveway, Mulder carried Will and told him that he and Mommy would answer his question later while Charlie and Scully merrily chatted away like time had stood still for the past three years. Meanwhile, Walter straggled behind them, eager to sniff out the new person. As they passed the shrubbery, they could see that Maggie Scully was bent over the back of her car, fiddling around in the trunk.

Raising her head, Maggie smiled and waved to them. "Just trying to figure out what I should bring in first. But now that you're all here, it can all go in now."

"Grandma!!!" Will cried exuberantly as Mulder gently put him down. Running to her and wrapping his tiny arms around her legs, he continued, "I missed you!!"

"Oh Sweetie, I think I missed you more," Maggie crooned as she picked her grandson up and hugged him close. Then winking at Mulder and Scully, she continued, "Maybe if we're both on our best behavior, Mommy and Daddy will let you come and spend the night at my house tonight."

"Can I Mommy?!?! Daddy?!?!" Will cried excitedly, squeezing his grandma tightly as Walter scampered eagerly about their feet.

"We'll see," Scully sighed with a grin, narrowing her eyes and shaking her head at her mother. Then noticing all of the bags in the trunk of the car, she teasingly exclaimed, "Jeez Mom!! How much stuff did you get?!?!" as she hugged her and kissed her on the cheek.

"Just enough for everyone," Maggie smiled with a short laugh. "Since you helped me cook for them, you of all people should remember how much your brothers can eat." Then, putting Will down so he could keep track of his waggling puppy, she turned to Mulder and gave him a big hug. "And how's my favorite son-in-law?" she grinned.

"Pretty good," he smiled as he hugged her back as he teased, "considering that you've brought enough food to feed a family of five for a year. Who did you invite Mom-the fifth army?" Shortly before Mulder and Scully had gotten married, Maggie had made arrangements to have a talk with Mulder alone. It was then that she asked him to please consider calling her Mom. Confessing that she had always informally viewed him as a son ever since she saw firsthand how devoted he always was to her Dana, she said that she couldn't be happier now that he was officially going to be a member of her family. She'd also said that since he had no family of his own left, she hoped that he would now consider himself a part of her family and view her as a surrogate mother. Deeply touched, Mulder readily agreed to her request. Ever since, their relationship was more like mother and son than mother and son-in-law.

"Oh Fox," Maggie laughed, breaking from their embrace and handing him a bag of groceries, "You're terrible." Then addressing all of them, she continued, "Now why don't you all help me get these things inside? If everyone carries something, we should be able to do it in one trip." Giving each of them a couple of bags to carry, Maggie even handed Will a package of napkins to take into the house.

Grinning at Scully as he walked past her on his way inside with his armload of groceries, Mulder whispered with a wink, "Now I know where you get it from. Like mother, like daughter."

When they got back into the house, Maggie quickly took charge of the kitchen while her children helped her put the overabundance of groceries away. While they worked, Scully and Charlie caught up and reminisced on old times while Mulder kept a close eye on Will and Walter who chased each other around the dining room table.

As she preheated the oven and prepared to slow bake the brisket, Maggie asked, "Dana, what time are the guests arriving again?"

"Well, they should all be here between four and four thirty," Scully replied looking up from under the counter where she was fishing out various sizes of serving bowls and platters for all of the food.

"Good-so we still have plenty of time," Maggie smiled as she walked to the refrigerator and rearranged its contents to accommodate everything she brought that needed to be kept cold. "Oh, by the way," she continued, "I told Bill and Tara to be here about 3ish so they could help out a bit too."

"Oh goody!" Mulder replied sardonically as he folded the paper grocery bags and rolled his eyes at Scully. She just grimaced and shook her head at him.

Picking up on the non-verbal exchange between Mulder and Scully as he loaded ice into the cooler before filling it with cans of soda and bottles of beer, Charlie interjected chuckling, "Ah, I see Bill has found himself a new whipping boy. I was wondering why he finally let up on me. Now I know." Then, getting up, he walked over to Mulder and gave him a high five. "Let me take a moment to officially welcome you to the black sheep club, bro!!"

Returning the high five, Mulder laughed aloud at Charlie's words. Even though they hadn't interacted much, they were already becoming fast friends. Of course, having Bill's animosity in common only helped to hasten that process. "Finally Bill's done me a favor," Mulder thought with a wry grin as he imagined how angry Bill would be if he only knew the role he'd played in fostering an alliance between his younger brother and his 'fiendish' brother-in-law.

He was about to ask Charlie what he could've possibly done to piss off the high and mighty Captain Bill but, before he could, Maggie patiently interrupted. "Now, you guys really should be more charitable toward Bill. I know that ever since Dad died, he's been a bit overprotective. But it's only because he loves you all so much and now sees it as his job to protect you like Dad did. He just doesn't want anything bad to happen to any of you."

Shaking his head with a grimace, Mulder laughed, "Mom, I seriously doubt that Bill loves me--or even likes me--enough to..." Before he could finish, Scully kicked him gently in the leg before getting up from under the counter and shooting him "the look." In response, Mulder quickly shut up, but it was already too late.

"Oh Fox," Maggie sighed, turning toward Mulder and gently touching his arm, "I know he's been hard on you at times. But, you know how older brothers are-nobody is ever good enough for their little sister. These things just take time. He'll come around soon enough. You'll see. He may just surprise you today." What Maggie didn't say was that, just the night before, she'd called Bill specifically to have a serious discussion about his behavior toward Mulder. Bluntly telling him that she thought his sending Fox a copy of "The Naval Wives' Handbook" as a birthday present was completely inappropriate and uncalled for, she made it clear that if Bill couldn't treat Dana's husband with respect in his own home, then he shouldn't bother coming to the barbeque at all. Grudgingly, Bill agreed that he would be there and on his best behavior before unceremoniously hanging up on her. While Maggie knew Bill wasn't happy with her, she new that her son would keep his word.

Still, Maggie truly hated that Bill was continually putting her and Dana in the middle like this. While she understood that Bill was still very angry about what had happened to both of his sisters after Dana had been partnered with Fox at the FBI, she just couldn't comprehend why he persistently blamed Fox for it. After all, not only was none of it his fault or doing, but Maggie could also tell that Fox already felt enough unwarranted guilt concerning those situations that he didn't need Bill adding to it. Yet, for his part, Fox always bore Bill's maltreatment better than anyone could ever expect or would even do themselves under similar circumstances. Maggie could only view Fox's incredible tolerance as a monument to his love for Dana. He would put up with just about anything from Bill if it meant Dana wouldn't have to suffer. Why wouldn't Bill see that? Why didn't he realize that he was the only person hurting his little sister now?

While Maggie had personally tried to intercede with Bill on Dana and Fox's behalf on many occasions, it usually had only a minimal effect. She also knew that Bill and Dana had several heated exchanges on the subject prior to her marrying Fox. Those seemed to help for a while, but gradually Bill would return to his old habits. He just seemed to have a blind spot where Fox was concerned-so that no matter what he did, Bill saw it as self-serving and selfish. Often, Maggie wished her children's father were still alive. Since Bill always listened to his Dad, she knew that he would have been able to put a quick end to Bill's childish and pigheaded behavior. But, unfortunately, he was no longer with them and she was at a complete loss as to what else she could do.

"You okay Mom?" Mulder asked with concern, putting a hand on Maggie's shoulder. "You looked pretty faraway there for a minute."

Scully, who'd been standing next to Mulder, gently touched her mother's arm in concern. "Yeah, Mom. Are you alright?"

Hooking one arm around Mulder's waist and another around her daughter's, she suppressed her sadness and forced a smile as she slowly replied, "I'm fine. I just wish Dad could've been here to see how happy you two have made each other."

"Me too, Mom," Scully whispered, giving her a tender hug. "But wherever he is, I know that he can see us now and already knows how happy we are."

"I know you're right Sweetie," Maggie smiled tearfully into her daughter's eyes. Then, looking up at Mulder, she continued, "I also know that he would've been thrilled at how happy you've made his little Starbuck and extremely proud to have you as a son-in-law."

Folding his arms around both of them, Mulder smiled tenderly, "Thanks Mom. I needed to hear that."

Charlie, who had taken over keeping track of Will as he finished putting the drinks into the cooler, called to them from the dining room. "Hey! Is this a group hug or what? How come we weren't invited? Is there a minimum age or something?" Then picking up his nephew, he continued playfully, "C'mon Will, lets force our way in on this."

"Okay Uncle Charlie!," Will giggled as Walter scampered behind them. Working their way into the opening that Mulder and Scully provided for them, Will wrapped one arm around his grandma's shoulders while keeping a firm hold of his Uncle Charlie with the other one. Meanwhile, Mulder, Scully and Charlie formed a tight little circle around Maggie-each of them holding and comforting her.

As Maggie stood surrounded by the loving arms of her family, she suddenly felt her late husband's presence and realized that everything would work itself out in the end. Bill would come around eventually. It may not be today, but it would happen someday-she just knew it.

After a few moments, Maggie regained her composure and gave each of them a quick peck on the cheek to thank them for being so supportive. Then, telling them that this group hug wasn't doing anything to get ready for the barbeque, she quickly went back to work. Both Charlie and Scully immediately followed suit-leaving Mulder and Will looking at each other quizzically. Seeing their confusion, Scully winked over at them, whispering, "That's just Mom's way." Mulder, shrugging at Will, set him down and watched him promptly get tackled by Walter. For his part, Mulder went about the business of putting bags of chips, paper plates, cups, napkins and plastic silverware out on the dining room table. Then, heading to the back door to get the grill started with Will and Walter close behind, Mulder grabbed the bag of charcoal and shook his head.

Opening the door and holding it for Will and Walter before heading directly to the grill, Mulder's mind drifted to his plans for Scully's older brother. If Bill's behavior was affecting Maggie this way, maybe he should have put a stop to it years ago. He'd thought he was sparing Scully and Maggie but, in retrospect, he could now see that he was simply enabling Bill. At least now, by giving the jerk a dose of his own medicine, he would hopefully put an end to his little game once and for all. Of course, that didn't mean he wouldn't thoroughly enjoy ensuring that Bill got what he had coming to him.

Meanwhile, Charlie, Maggie and Scully had finished with their tasks. With everything either heating in the oven or dished out into serving bowls and properly stowed in the refrigerator, they migrated to the family room to visit. Sitting down on the couch next to her mother, Scully was the first to speak. "Mom," she began slowly, eyeing her mother cautiously, "Has Bill been doing anything else to upset you?" Sighing, Maggie decided that it was time to come clean with her children about the Bill situation. She told both of them the details of her conversation the previous evening with her eldest son-including the part concerning his 'gift' of the Naval Wives' Handbook.

"That wasn't necessary," Scully groaned, silently wondering if combining the family reunion with their annual barbeque wasn't such a good idea after all. She could just picture what would happen if Bill pulled his usual crap around the Lone Gunmen or any of their FBI colleagues. Secretly, part of her hoped Bill WOULD be his usual overbearing self and get a little shredding from that crowd-especially considering how he seemed to love baiting her and Mulder. Yet, at the same time, he was STILL her brother and she didn't want to see him hurt or made a fool of. Scully continued with a grimace, "I already gave him quite an earful when he sent Mulder that stupid book. I believed him when he swore that it was only a joke and it would never happen again. NOW he's probably going to think that we're all ganging up on him."

"Good!!" Charlie interjected, bristling with anger that he didn't even bother trying to hide, "He SHOULD know what it feels like!!! Just because he thinks he's taken Dad's place in the family doesn't mean we all do!! I, for one, am tired of him trying to boss me around. I'd be willing to bet a paycheck that Fox is none too appreciative of his constant needling either! I can't believe you bought his load of bull Dana!"

"Charlie," Maggie sighed intervening diplomatically, "I understand what you're saying, but what can we do? You know your brother has a stubborn mind of his own. Anyway, we've all made our point of views crystal clear to him. There isn't much more to do about it." Then gently squeezing his hand, she continued, "Look, why don't you go see if Fox needs any help with the grill, okay?"

"Fine!" Charlie snapped tersely, as he sharply tore his hand away and stood, "but don't expect me to just sit back and let him treat Fox the way he treated me 'cause it's NOT going to happen!" With that, he stormed to the back door, slamming his way out.

"Whoa man!" Mulder blurted as Charlie nearly ran into him as he was preparing to light the charcoal. "I haven't started the grill yet, so where's the fire?"

"It's not where but who," Charlie muttered acrimoniously, shaking his head as he looked toward the yard in an attempt to hide his frustration. Trying to calm down, he watched Walter and Will chase each other around the yard. He didn't mean to lose his temper with his Mom like that-especially today. He knew he needed to calm down before he made matters worse. Still, he meant what he'd said. He wasn't going to let Bill disrespect Mulder in his own house-older brother or not.

Mulder could see that Charlie was upset since he had the same look on his face that Scully got when she was trying to hide the fact that she was angry. In an attempt to lighten the mood, he joked casually, "Let me guess-big brother's been watching you a little too closely, eh?"

Smirking at his brother-in-law who he was liking more and more by the minute, Referencing an old Saturday Night Live skit, Charlie replied, "Yeah, Mr. Bill's going to be squashed pretty soon if he isn't careful-and that's with or without Mr. Sluggo." Then, with a sigh, he continued as he turned to look Mulder in the eyes, "I don't know what his problem is, but I want you to know that I'm proud to have you as a brother-in-law. I've never seen Dana happier. Anyone who could do that for her is better than alright in my book."

Grinning at his brother-in-law, Mulder turned back to the grill and lit the charcoal as he replied, "Thanks Charlie. It's good to know that Bill is decidedly in the minority as far as the Scully family is concerned." Then turning back toward Charlie, he continued, "But don't let him get to you. It's not worth it."

Looking at Mulder incredulously, Charlie replied, "Man, you're amazing! How do you keep your cool and not rip Bill's head off when he pulls this crap? I mean, I've endured it for years but I've never been able to shrug it off like you do. What's your secret?"

Smirking as he leaned against their patio table, Mulder laughed, "Charlie, you forget what I used to do for a living. Having been a profiler, I know what Bill's game is and what he's after. His whole payoff is controlling you by pushing you and pissing you off. If you let him get to you, you're giving him what he wants. Besides, I don't want to put Scully or Mom through any more by going off on him. I mean, One of us has to act like an adult right?"

"I guess," Charlie replied with a sigh as he shook his head. "But it really bugs me how he treats you. I can't believe he sent you that book. What an asshole! I just wish there was something I could do to give him a dose of his own medicine."

Smiling at his brother-in-law's words with a mischievous glint in his eye, Mulder smirked, "Funny you should say that. I've finally decided to put an end to his games once and for all. You just might be able to help me with a little plan I have to teach our Captain Bill a lesson. Interested?"

Grinning back, Charlie exclaimed "HELL YES!!" Then looking over at Will and Walter wrestling on the lawn, he continued quietly but eagerly, "Whatever it is, I am DEFINITELY in. What's the plan?"

"Well, let me tell you," Mulder whispered with a grin as he filled Charlie in on what he and Russ had concocted for his older brother.

When Mulder finished, Charlie laughed uncontrollably for a full minute before choking, "Oh that's too perfect!!! I am definitely in!!"

"But you can't tell Mom or Scully," Mulder quickly warned. "It won't work if they're in on it."

"Oh, you can count on me. I won't say a word." Charlie assured him. Then gleefully rubbing his hands together in anticipation, he continued, "He's had this coming for a long time. I can hardly wait."

Spender quickly walked in the door of the house that now served as his base of operations. Tossing his coat over the banister after he shut the door, he headed up the stairs to his observation post. Everything had gone according to plan with the security improvements to the Shelby Academy. The only problem was that the exasperating Miss Shelby had kept him longer than he'd anticipated with her inane prattle. He had finally been able to free himself with a clever half-truth. Telling her that he had an important business function to personally attend to, he assured her that he would call her "soon." Thankfully for him, "soon" was open to a wide variety of interpretations. Spender smiled with satisfaction to himself, knowing full well that she wouldn't be hearing from him until Monday at the earliest.

Moving to the window of the upstairs bedroom, Spender pulled his telephoto camera from it's case and focused in on the pair of men conversing in Mulder's back yard. He could readily see-even without the benefit of the magnifying camera lens-that one of them was Fox Mulder. However, the identity of the other man would remain uncertain until he could see his features more clearly.

"Ah, Charles Scully," Spender murmured, instantly recognizing Agent Scully's younger brother as he peered at him through the lens. "So, it is to be a Scully family reunion is it? How very interesting."

Since the two men were outside, he was unable to pick up their conversation with his state-of-the-art sound wave interception equipment. As a result, he had to resort to more traditional means. Turning to his bay of surveillance tools, he selected a high-powered receiver from the arsenal and took it to the window. Sliding the pane open a crack, he slipped the microphone out the window before moving to the control panel to adjust its settings to the optimal frequency. Although he didn't really think that Mulder and Charles Scully would be discussing anything relevant to his mission, this was a perfect opportunity for him to ensure that his outdoor listening system would perform satisfactorily. Spender was quite pleased with the results as he listened in.

"Well, we should probably head back in before Scully starts to suspect that we're up to no good," Mulder laughed as he patted Charlie on the back before heading into the yard to retrieve his leaf-covered son and dog who continued to wrestle in the yard. Picking one up in each arm, he playfully lectured "Hey you two!! Trees aren't invited to this barbeque, so we need to lose the leaves."

"Aw Daddy!!" Will groaned as Mulder carried him toward the house, "I was winning!!"

"That's good. Now we can see how you do in battle against the water monster," Mulder chuckled as he rolled his eyes at Charlie. "Let's get washed up." Then speaking directly to Charlie, Mulder continued with a grin, "See, they never tell you that parenthood is just one long series of clean-ups. That's something for you to consider before taking the plunge."

Laughing at the suggestion, Charlie held the door open for his brother-in-law as he smirked, "Well, I'll be sure to keep that in mind-but I think that's a bit premature. I haven't even come close to finding Miss Right-not that I'm even looking right now, mind you."

"Still having too much fun with Miss Right Now, eh?" Mulder laughed as he walked through the door.

"Uncle Charlie?" Will asked with innocent curiosity as he turned in Mulder's arms to look at Charlie. "Who's Miss Right Now? Is she a pre-school teacher like Miss Shelby?"

"Never you mind," Charlie replied, trying hard not to laugh as he stepped into the house. "You're still way too young for this conversation. Ask me again in about fifteen years." With that, the door shut behind him and Spender could no longer hear them until he switched to the other monitoring system.

Maggie and Scully were talking quietly on the couch as they came in. While they were still engrossed in their conversation, Mulder covertly handed Charlie the copy of 'The Naval Wives' Handbook' so that he could look it over for himself.

Catching sight of her boys, Maggie quickly touched Scully's hand to stop her from continuing with what she was saying. "Well, it's settled," Maggie beamed at Will as she stood from the sofa, "Mommy says you can come stay with me tonight, Sweetie. Isn't that great?"

"But Mom," Mulder playfully whined as if she were talking to him, "I wanna stay here!!"

"Not you Daddy!!," Will giggled as he rolled his eyes, "Granny was talking to me!!"

"My goodness Will," Maggie exclaimed, noting Will's disheveled clothes and the leaves interwoven through his hair as she took him from his father's arms. "What happened to you?"

"Walter and I were wrestling in the leaves while Daddy and Uncle Charlie used bad words and played with the grill."

"Oh really?" Scully smirked as she stood from the couch, raising an eyebrow at her husband and her brother each in turn.

"It was me, Dana," Charlie interjected on Mulder's behalf, knowing all too well what that look on her face meant. "Fox didn't say anything. I was the one who used both the A and the H words." Then more playfully, he continued, "and before you say anything, I have already accepted my punishment. I'll go ahead and get Walter cleaned up."

"And I'll take care of this little bandit while you two make plans for your free evening," Maggie added with a wink to her daughter as she held Will. Then, heading down the hall with Will, Charlie and Walter, she called over her shoulder, "We'll use your and Fox's bathroom while Charlie takes care of Walter in the other, okay?"

"That's fine Mom," Scully replied with a grimace, blushing slightly as Mulder eyed her with curiosity.

Intrigued, Mulder took her hand and gently pulled her to face him, before teasingly whispering with a wry grin, "What's that all about? Don't tell me last night wasn't enough you insatiably lusty wench."

Giving him a playful punch in the arm, Scully smirked saucily "It was all Mom's idea you lascivious letch." Then more seriously, she continued, "But it all works out anyway because we do need to talk before anyone else gets here."

"About?" Mulder asked with some trepidation, wondering if she suspected what he and Charlie had in store for Bill.

"Whether or not you're going to help Doggett and Reyes with the Marita Covarrubias situation. You never told me what your decision was. I mean, if I'm going to let them know, I kind of have to know too." She grinned up at him as she put her arms around his waist.

"Oh, yeah." Mulder replied with some surprise. He'd actually forgotten all about it. "Yeah. Sure, I'll talk to them about Marita, but I'd rather do it after everyone else leaves-that is if they can stick around that long." Then looking down at her tenderly, he continued, "I also want you to be there too-if that's alright."

Hugging him tightly, Scully murmured against his chest, "Of course it is-and I'll be sure to relay that to them." Then looking up at him lovingly, she softly continued, "But I hope they don't stay too long because there's some other job and family related stuff that I'd like for us to talk about tonight."

Caressing her face, Mulder smiled tenderly into her eyes as he gently whispered, "Yeah, me too." Just then the doorbell rang. "Ah, that would be your darling older brother," he continued with a sigh as he broke from their embrace. "Don't worry, I'll get it," Mulder smirked devilishly as he walked to the door.

"Not without me," Scully insisted suspiciously, following him to the door-intuitively sensing that something was up.

Together, Mulder and Scully opened the door to Bill, Tara and their two boys-Mathew and Ryan. Without missing a beat, Mulder immediately moved forward and crushed Scully's older brother in a giant bear hug. He knew Bill wouldn't be prepared for that, so he deliberately poured it on thick. With syrupy-sweet intonation and a cynical smile, he gushed, "Bill, how are you doing?!? It's GREAT to see you!!! Come on in!!"

Taken aback by his brother-in-law's unbelievably friendly greeting, Bill stepped back and stammered, "I'm just fine Fox." Such a warm reception from his sister's husband-especially after the birthday present he'd sent him-was the last thing he expected. After a moment's pause, Bill concluded that this incredible behavior was simply confirmation that Fox Mulder was really as demented as he'd always thought he was-either that or he was on drugs. Raising an eyebrow, Bill carefully continued, "How are you?"

"Oh, I'm just great!" Mulder replied with extreme enthusiasm as he took Bill's hand in both of his and vigorously shook it. Grinning at the uncomfortable look on Bill's face, he figured that he'd given him enough saccharine for the time being. Turning to his sister-in-law, Mulder gave her a quick hug and kiss on the cheek before continuing with a genuine smile, "Tara, you look as beautiful as ever." Noticing the plate of cookies she carried, he went on, "Here, let me get those for you" before taking them and placing them on the front hall table.

"Oh thank you Fox," Tara smiled warmly and gratefully. Once Bill told her what he'd sent Fox as a birthday present, she'd truly dreaded this moment. Even she thought Bill was wrong to send that book and felt that her brother-in-law had every right to be offended. However, since she didn't want to disappoint her mother-in-law or her boys, she reluctantly accepted Maggie's invitation to the barbeque. Still, she feared what Fox's reaction might be when he next saw Bill-and even more what Bill's reaction would be. Because of that, she'd nearly told Maggie that they wouldn't be able to make it today-but now her fears seemed totally unfounded. Tara was considerably relieved by Fox's graciousness and glad that she had decided to come after all. Truth be told, she just didn't understand where Bill was coming from as far as Fox was concerned. He'd never been anything but a complete gentleman to her and she had always liked him. As a result, she and Bill had long ago agreed to disagree as far as Dana's husband was concerned. "I see you're still the same charmer you've always been," she chuckled before turning to greet her sister-in-law. "How are you Dana?"

"Um...I'm great Tara," Scully replied haltingly as she gave her a hug. For her part, Scully had been stunned into silence from the moment that Mulder hugged Bill. Transfixed by the unbelievable sight, she stood speechless-wondering just what her husband was up to-until Tara's words snapped her out of her trance. Recovering her composure, Scully turned to welcome her brother. Giving him a hug, she continued, "Hey Bill. How's Navy life treating you?"

"Fine Sis," Bill smiled warmly. Then nodding toward Mulder, he muttered sarcastically in her ear, "What's with him? Is he high or something?"

Narrowing her eyes and shooting her older brother "the look," Scully bitingly replied "No Bill. I don't think the Bureau would look too kindly on one of its agents being married to a junkie." Then more playfully but pointedly, she continued, "He's just happy to see you. Is there any reason that he shouldn't be?"

Thinking better of starting something with her this early in the day that would undoubtedly break his promise to their mother, Bill simply shrugged and shook his head.

Smiling with triumphant satisfaction at this minor victory, Scully took her brother's arm to lead him inside. Meanwhile, Mulder turned his attention to Bill and Tara's two boys who skulked about on the front porch behind their parents. Crouching down to talk to them on their level, he smiled brightly "Well who are you two big guys and what did you do with Mathew and Ryan?"

"Uncle Fox!! We ARE Mathew and Ryan!!" Ryan giggled in protest. He was Bill and Tara's youngest and just a few months younger than Will.

"You are?!?" Mulder exclaimed in feigned surprise. "Are you sure? 'Cause I remember the two of them as being a lot smaller."

"Well, so you did!!" Mulder laughed, hugging them both. Then, picking both of them up-one in each arm-and standing to his full height, he continued as he walked into the house, "C'mon in. Let's see if we can find Will and get you guys some cool toys to play with. What do you say?"

"Sure Uncle Fox!!" the boys chimed excitedly. Then, looking toward Tara, Mathew chirped, "Can we Mommy?"

"Sure, I don't see why not," she smiled warmly as she followed them in the door. "Just make sure you're careful with Will's toys."

Mulder's uncanny ability to immediately establish a rapport with children was undeniable. As Bill carefully eyed him with his boys, even he had to admit that much. Still, he wasn't too keen on the idea of that man spending any length of time with Mathew and Ryan-any more than he was about him being married to his sister. It wasn't that he didn't believe that Fox truly loved Dana in his own warped little way. After all, he had seen firsthand just how devastated his brother-in-law was three years earlier when they had all thought Dana would never awaken from her coma. It was just that he was so irresponsible, selfish and unpredictable. Bill knew that Dana didn't really need someone like that in her life-regardless of her protestations to the contrary. Even worse, he was absolutely certain that Fox would break her heart sooner or later. That he was powerless to do anything to stop it was the main reason Bill found it so difficult to be tolerant of Dana's husband.

As they walked from the front hall to the family room, Bill made a concerted effort to put those thoughts out of his mind. Turning to his sister in an attempt to lighten his mood, he asked, "So where's your boy Dana?"

Before she could answer, Mulder quickly jumped in with another dose of saccharine as he took Mathew and Ryan to Will's room to look for toys. "You mean Will? Mom's cleaning him up while Charlie handles Will's new puppy, Walter. They should all be out in a couple of minutes."

Bristling at Mulder's words as he watched him disappear down the hall, Bill could barely contain his urge to say something sarcastic. He just hated it when that man called their mother "Mom." Not only that, but why on earth was he having HER clean up after HIS child in the first place? After all, he was supposed to be a "modern father." Wasn't that HIS job? Who did he think he was anyway?

"Hey Scully," Mulder called excitedly from Will's room, "Do you know where Will's Twister game got to? Mathew and Ryan want us all to play."

Smiling at how much Mulder was still so much like a kid himself, Scully laughed as she turned to head for the hall. "I'll be there in a sec, Mulder!" Then looking back at Bill and Tara, she smiled, "I'll be back in just a second. Help yourself to drinks-they're in the cooler just off the kitchen."

"Great! Thanks!" Tara smiled brightly, starting toward the kitchen as Scully headed down the hall. Then suddenly realizing that Bill wasn't following her, she turned to look at him.

Bill was visibly irritated. Not only did he hate how Dana jumped every time that man hollered, but he also couldn't stand the way they called each other by their last names. Jeez, Scully wasn't even Dana's real last name anymore. As far as he was concerned, it was just plain weird and too antiseptic-like they were strangers instead of a married couple. "If only THAT were true," Bill thought acrimoniously.

Seeing the tension rising in Bill's face, Tara quickly moved to take his arm and stroke it soothingly. Looking down at her, Bill smiled faintly but his annoyance only slightly abated. Exhaling heavily, he wished that they hadn't come at all. If it was going to be this hard to keep his cool, it was going to be a very long day.

Charlie walked into the family room with the "Naval Wives' Handbook" in his hand as Walter pranced happily about his feet. Sitting on the couch, he continued to thumb through the pages, looking for more quotes he could use on his overbearing older brother as Walter tried to jump into his lap. Although he had been busy brushing the leaves from Walter's coat when they arrived, Charlie knew from looking at his watch that Bill and Tara had gotten there much later than expected. That bit of information let him pick out a perfect opening quote. Then, catching sight of Bill and Tara coming from the kitchen with their drinks in their hands, he quickly got up and stashed the book on the mantle before turning to greet them.

Being the first one to see him, Tara excitedly called, "Charlie!" Holding her arms open to hug him, she continued, "It's been too long!! How are you doing?"

"Great, now that my favorite sister-in-law is here!" he grinned as he hugged her. Charlie had always liked Tara-even if he did wonder sometimes how someone as sweet as she was ever got stuck with someone like Bill.

Looking at him with a smirk as she broke from their embrace, Tara chuckled teasingly, "Wow, I know what a compliment THAT is-especially given that I'm your ONLY sister-in-law."

"That's hardly my fault is it?" Charlie smiled at her as she noticed the puppy prancing at their feet.

"Hey, boy!" she crooned gently, as she stooped to pet Walter who scampered about the floor. "What's your name?" Then smiling up at her husband, she continued, "We'd better not let Mathew and Ryan see him-or else they'll be begging for one of their own."

Snorting at her in agreement with a wink and a grin, Bill stepped up to Charlie and playfully gruffed, "Hey kiddo! Don't you have a hug for your older brother?" as he heartily thumped him on the back. Then, as Charlie moved to hug him, Bill quickly slid his arm around his neck and bent him over in a headlock, before proceeding to give him a "wet willy" just like he did when they were children. Charlie struggled to free himself but it was no use. Bill had too strong a hold on him.

"Bill!!" Tara cried, standing quickly. Horrified by her husband's behavior, she stammered, "You two aren't kids anymore-Charlie might just like being greeted like an adult for once." Then glancing toward the hallway, she continued, "Besides, what if the kids see you?"

"Aw, it's alright Tara," Bill laughed, maintaining his hold around Charlie's neck and giving him a series of nouggies. "The boys are too busy playing with Dana's two children to care about what we're doing." Then releasing Charlie, he continued confidently with a laugh, "Besides, Charlie doesn't mind-do you Charlie?"

Standing and rubbing his now sore neck after smoothing down his disheveled hair, Charlie held his sharp tongue in check. He truly hated it when Bill did that and he was more than a little annoyed by Bill's swipe at their brother-in-law. Normally, that treatment would have been enough to make him go ballistic but he remembered what Fox had said earlier about not letting Bill get to him. "Nah, I don't mind Bill," he replied evenly, letting it all slide in favor of Fox's plan, "Not any more than I mind you telling me that my haircut makes me look like a hippie."

"Hmmm, it's not so bad now," Bill smirked looking Charlie over, "but it could stand to be shorter. Good thing Dad's not here to see you looking like that." Bill loved to bait and tease his little brother and smiled in anticipation of Charlie's vehement protestations. He was usually such an easy mark and had been ever since they were kids.

Yet, rather than reacting, Charlie simply smiled as he matter-of-factly replied, "You surprise me Bill."

Confused by his brother's unexpected calmness, Bill looked quizzically at Charlie before responding, "In what way?"

With a wry grin, Charlie replied, "Well, I shouldn't have to tell you that 'common sense, tact, and ordinary courtesy are the fundamentals of social success.' Plus, you were awfully late and you know what they say about being on time. 'One of the most valuable habits that you can acquire is that of being on time. Promptness and responsibility go hand in hand.' Honestly Bill, I can't believe that, as a Navy captain, you haven't learned all of that by now."

"What?!?!?" Bill asked, furrowing his brow in confusion. "Where did that come from?" He was not at all used to being corrected by his younger brother on anything-especially social etiquette-and he definitely didn't want it to continue. Such behavior was completely uncharacteristic of him and Bill wondered what could've possibly gotten into his little brother to make him react that way. Then, narrowing his eyes at Charlie, he continued suspiciously, "You and that nutcase brother-in-law of ours haven't been smoking anything have you?"

Charlie started to laugh at Bill's ridiculous suggestion and look on his face when the doorbell rang. At the same time, Mulder, Scully and the two boys emerged from Will's bedroom-Twister box in hand. "I'll get it!" Mulder called as he handed the box to Scully before heading to the front door. Opening it, he found the Lone Gunmen waiting on the porch-each with a small bouquet in their hands.

"Flowers? For me?" Mulder quipped with feigned coquettishness, "Aw guys, you shouldn't have."

"Shut up Mulder," Frohike smirked, "It was either flowers or canned bean dip and guacamole. That was the best we could do because these two morons didn't want to stop anywhere but the local Piggly Wiggly."

"Hey, I didn't see you coming up with anything better than the collectible section on Ebay," Langley tersely countered. "So I don't want to hear it."

"jeez guys, knock it off." Byers interjected. "Can't you two behave yourselves for more than half a minute? You know, Scully's family is here and you're going to embarrass her if you don't cut it out."

Peering in the door, Frohike looked around and throatily purred, "Speaking of the luscious Mrs. Mulder, where's your lovely better half anyway?"

Chuckling, Mulder stepped aside saying, "She's in the family room with her older brother. I'm sure she'll be glad for both the relief and that you haven't given up on her yet, Frohike." Then gesturing toward the family room, he continued, "C'mon in guys."

"Nice digs!" Langley observed, looking around the foyer and into the family room.

"Thanks." Mulder replied before nodding at the flowers and continuing, "Do you want me to take those and put them in some water?"

Smirking up at him, Frohike countered, "Well aren't you a regular Martha Stewart?" Then protectively guarding his bouquet, he continued, "Besides, I'll have you know that THESE flowers are for the LADY of the house."

"Sorry, my mistake," Mulder grinned as he took the bouquets from Langley and Byers as he led them into the family room. As they walked in, they were confronted with the sight of Scully playing Twister with her son and two nephews as her mother spun the wheel and her brothers and sister-in-law looked on. The four players were already quite tangled and it looked like one of them would fall with the next spin.

Lasciviously surveying the scene, Frohike huskily purred, "Ah, Scully and Twister," Then elbowing Mulder, he continued --completely transfixed by the sight of Sccully bent over the game board, "Mulder, you're such a good friend. I'll never forget this sight as long as I live. Thank you so much."

Looking at Frohike with mild disgust, Mulder gave him a not so gentle swat on the back of the head. "Hey, that IS my wife that you're talking about you horny little toad."

"Yeah man," Langley interjected, "That's just not cricket-openly scoping on a man's wife like that. You need to be a lot more subtle."

Rolling his eyes and shaking his head as he covered his face in his hands, Byers moaned, "God, I can't take you two anywhere!"

Grinning as the Gunmen now argued amongst themselves, Mulder watched Scully and the three boys all fall in a heap on the Twister board after Mathew slipped trying to put his right foot on a green circle. Like a row of dominoes, his fall sparked a chain reaction causing all of the other players to lose their precarious balance. Laughing, at the four of them tangled on the floor, Mulder called to his wife, "Hey Scully, look at what the cat dragged in!"

Responding to the sound of their name, the whole clan of Scullys looked over toward Mulder and the Gunmen as Scully extricated herself from the tangle of giggling arms and legs and pulled herself up from the floor. Grimacing apologetically, Mulder laughed, "Sorry, I meant just my wife." He kept forgetting that they all would respond to that name. But since he had all of their attention anyway, Mulder shrugged and continued, "You all remember the Gunmen, right?"

Leaning in and whispering in Tara's ear, Bill sarcastically bit, "How could we ever forget that ragtag bunch after what they did at Dana's wedding? I'll bet they're the ones who supply his drugs." In response, Tara narrowed her eyes at Bill and elbowed him in the ribs. That jab was a little harder than she intended and was enough to make him grasp his side and double over slightly. Still, it effectively communicated her message that he should cut it out. Coughing, Bill headed into the kitchen to get another drink while Tara followed behind him a few moments later.

Moving forward to greet Byers, Langley and Frohike, Scully, her arms open to hug each of them, enthusiastically chirped, "Hey guys!! Long time no see!"

"Now straighten up you two," Byers hissed in a whisper to his compatriots before Scully made it over to them.

"Oh, straighten up yourself, fur-face," Frohike shot back with a smirk as he stepped forward to personally hand Scully his bouquet of flowers. "For you m'lady," he crooned with a bow and smiled up at her as he presented her with the bouquet.

"Oh Frohike," she smiled as she took the bouquet and gave him a kiss on the cheek, "you shouldn't have."

"Don't let him fool you," Mulder grinned as he handed her Byers and Langley's bouquets. "They all brought us flowers-and from Piggly Wiggly no less," he continued raising his eyebrows as if impressed.

"I see," Scully giggled in response-giving Mulder a wink before moving to kiss both Byers and Langley on the cheek as well.

Laughing, Mulder replied, "Hey, you're the one trying to score points with MY wife. I'm just trying to protect my interests before you steal her away from me."

"Ha, ha. Very funny!!" Frohike grimaced at the group of them. Then, taking Scully by the arm, he leaned in with a wink and loudly whispered so all of them could hear, "Now, if this Mulder character isn't treating you right, you just let me know and I'll set him straight."

Grinning up at Mulder before turning back to Frohike, she smiled, "Thanks Frohike. I'll be sure to keep that in mind." Then with a wink, she continued, "We gotta keep him in line somehow."

Noticing that Charlie and Will were on the approach, Byers interjected, "Sorry to break this up guys but brother and son alert-incoming at eleven o'clock."

"Aw, saved just in the nick of time," Scully teasingly chuckled at Mulder as she slid her arm around his waist and gave him a gentle, reassuring squeeze. Shaking his head and smiling down at her, Mulder kissed the top of her head before they both turned to face Charlie and Will

"Hi Uncle Gunmen!!" Will chirped as Charlie carried him. Although he knew them by sight, Will still hadn't gotten their names straight because the only time he saw them was when they were all together.

"Well hello yourself, Will," Byers chuckled as he held out his arms to take Will from his uncle. "How'd you like that computer game we designed for your last birthday?"

"It's great!!" Will beamed at his surrogate uncles, as he wrapped his arms around Byers' neck. "That's my favorite game!!"

"Hey, we could upgrade and reprogram it for you while we're here," Langley suggested excitedly. "The new space cowboy graphics we designed are WAY cooler than what is on the version we gave you!"

"Yeah, we could download it from our encrypted website in two shakes of a lambs tail with no problem if you want," Frohike interjected enthusiastically. It was very clear that they all loved spoiling Mulder and Scully's little boy.

Grinning at how the Gunmen seemed to morph back into children themselves whenever they were around their son, Mulder and Scully smiled at each other before turning to introduce Charlie. "Hey guys," Scully called, drawing their attention away from Will for the moment. "I know it's been a long time, but do you remember my brother Charlie?"

Holding out his hand to Charlie, Langley replied, "Yeah, I remember you. As I recall, you're the one that ISN'T corked."

Mulder, Scully and Charlie all simultaneously burst out laughing at Langley's astute comment while Byers nearly died from embarrassment. "Jeez," Byers whispered aghast, "do you think you could've said that any louder?!"

"What?! He didn't hear anything." Langley replied, shrugging it off. "He's not even in the room-he and his wife went to the kitchen to get a drink or something."

Being the first to recover enough to speak, Charlie wiped a tear from his eye as he laughed, "No, it's okay. He's right. I'm NOT the corked one." From that moment, Charlie knew for certain that he would get along great with these guys.

Looking at Scully, who had finally regained a modicum of her composure, Frohike asked, "Um, I take it there's no love lost between them?"

"Ah...no," Scully smirked, trying not to giggle as she silently admonished herself for laughing so hard at Bill's expense. Just then, the doorbell rang again. Taking the opportunity to extricate herself from the situation before Bill and Tara returned from the kitchen, Scully quickly chimed, "Don't worry! I'll get it," as she headed for the door.

Knowing why she was being so quick to get the door, Mulder teasingly called after her, "Chicken!!"

Shaking his head as Scully high-tailed it to the door, Mulder suddenly noticed that Maggie had turned in her seat on the couch and was looking at them quizzically. Since it appeared that Mathew and Ryan were not interested in a two-man game of Twister, he thought it would be a good idea to take Will and head back over there before Maggie got too curious about the conversation he and Charlie were having with the Gunmen. "Hey Will," he chuckled as he took his son from Byers' arms, "What do you say we go and play another round of Twister with Grandma and your cousins?"

"Sure Daddy," Will chirped happily. Then looking at the Gunmen and his Uncle Charlie, he continued, "Will you guys play too?"

"We'll get the next round buddy," Charlie replied. Then giving Mulder a wink and grinning over at the Gunmen, he continued, "The four of us have some serious strategizing to do."

Grinning widely and rolling his eyes as he immediately understood what Charlie was up to, Mulder laughed, "Then I'd better hurry out of here before you all get me into trouble. Remember, I'm not supposed to be taking part in any evil plotting." Then winking at the Gunmen as he took Will over toward Maggie, he smirkingly went on. "Watch out for this guy. He has a devious mind-something you should all appreciate!"

"I'm sure we have no idea what you mean," Frohike replied with a sarcastic grin before turning his attention to Charlie. "Okay, so we know what Mulder's beef is with Mr. Holier-than-thou. He's put up with enough from that jerk to last two lifetimes. What's your story?"

Smirking at the three of them, Charlie replied, "Well, you've all experienced firsthand what a horse's ass he can be, right?"

"Yeah, he made some pretty snide remarks to all of us at Mulder and Scully's wedding," Langley answered shaking his head angrily at the memory. "He actually told me that I could have at least taken being an usher seriously and gotten a haircut!

"And he told me I should've taken a shower-like I didn't do that in the first place!!" Frohike bit sarcastically.

Shaking his head in incredulity at the extent of Bill's asinine behavior, Charlie continued, "Well, now just imagine being his younger brother-spending eighteen years growing up in the same house as him, not to mention another twelve putting up with his crap. 'Nuff said?"

"Definitely," Frohike agreed, rolling his eyes at the thought of what Charlie must've had to endure. Then looking at him more seriously, he continued, "You seem like a good kid Charlie and we'd like to help you take him down a peg or two, but Mulder's never let us do anything that would teach that overbearing punk a lesson-no matter how much we begged."

"And he wouldn't he let us melt down the hard drive on his home computer with a nasty virus," Byers added.

"He even forbade us from putting ole Billy boy on the mailing list for NMBLA-which would've been my payback of choice-or, for that matter, from doing something as harmless as signing him up the Oprah book club." Frohike sighed, shaking his head.

"Yeah, but things have changed," Charlie whispered to the Gunmen, as he moved to the mantle and retrieved the "Naval Wives' Handbook." Handing it to Frohike, he continued, "and with good reason too. Has Fox filled you guys in on Bill's latest stunt or how he's finally planned to put an end to his games once and for all?"

Regarding the book quizzically, Frohike replied with a devilish smile, "No, but do tell."

"Yeah, if Mulder's finally decided to put this toad in his place, we definitely want a piece of the action," Langley added rubbing his hands together. "It's about time he let us unleash on this loser."

Grinning at the Gunmen, Charlie whispered, "Good. I knew I liked you guys for reason. Anyway, let's go out back and check on the grill so I can let you in on the plan without anyone accidentally overhearing...."

Meanwhile, Scully had opened the door to Doggett and Reyes. "Hey guys," she beamed, giving each of them a hug. "It's great to see you!" Then, noticing the bag in Doggett's hand, she continued, "John, you didn't have to bring anything."

"Oh yes I did," Doggett replied with a wry grin. "But this particular present is a joke for Mulder." Then looking around, he continued, "Where is he anyway?"

"I think he's in the family room with the Gunmen," Scully shook her head as she answered with a chuckle. Nodding toward the bag, she continued, "That wouldn't happen to be a can of whipped cream would it?"

Looking at her with a smirk, Doggett replied, "Told you about his little case of mistaken identity, did he?"

"Uh-huh, and I'm sure he'll appreciate your reminding him of it in front of all our guests," Scully laughed with a smirk.

"Ah, I'll tell you later in the car on the way back," Doggett replied, wanting to turn the conversation to the more serious issue at hand. Looking directly at Scully, he continued "Have you had a chance to ask him about helping us with that Covarrubias woman yet, Dana?"

Nodding her head, Scully replied, "Yeah. He said he would talk to you but he wants to wait until after the barbeque is over and everyone else leaves."

"Thanks so much for asking him for us, Dana," Reyes added, sighing with relief. "I'm glad he's fine with it. We were a little worried about him after his earlier reaction."

"Well, he seems alright about it now," Scully replied. "But he does want me to be there when you all discuss her and your plans for setting up the meeting."

"Good," Scully replied, "Now, let's drop the issue until later." Then, weaving an arm through each of theirs, she continued, "Since you both already know the Gunmen, I'd like to go ahead an introduce you to my family."

"Yeah, lead the way," Doggett grinned as Scully led them both into the kitchen to get some drinks before they ran the gauntlet of her family. As they made their way to the cooler, they ran into Bill and Tara who were heading back into the family room.

"Guys, this is my older brother Bill and his wife Tara." Scully chirped with a smile, "Bill, Tara, I'd like you to meet a couple of my former partners from the FBI. This is John Doggett and Monica Reyes."

Bill was silent, eying them suspiciously as he shook their outstretched hands. In contrast, Tara was much more gregarious. "Nice to meet you both. What do you two do at the FBI?"

"They're the Agents who currently head up the X-Files," Scully answered for them as she fished a couple of beers out of the cooler for Doggett and Reyes.

"Wow, that sounds absolutely fascinating," Tara excitedly replied, vigorously shaking each of their hands. "I just love hearing Dana and Fox's stories about all of the weird things they ran across while they were in that division. Is it just as exciting and supernatural as Fox makes it out to be?"

Grinning over at Doggett before responding, Reyes chuckled as she answered, "Well, that depends on who you ask. John is a decided skeptic-a lot like Dana-while I'm more inclined to be a believer-more like Fox in that respect."

"We'll I'm a bit of a believer myself, so I think I'd rather hear your perspective Monica," Tara replied with a grin. "No offense John."

"None taken, ma'am," Doggett replied with a smile as he took the beer Scully offered him. Raising the bottle as if in a toast, he continued, "To each his own."

"Well, why don't we go sit down," Reyes laughed as she took hold of her own beer, "and I'll be happy to fill you in on all of the 'weird things' we've encountered."

"This should be interesting," Scully laughed as she followed Tara and Reyes toward the family room. Then turning back toward Doggett and Bill, she continued, "You two coming?"

"Nah," Doggett laughed, "I've already heard Monica's position on the cases we've handled. Suffice it to say that, since we've agreed to disagree, I don't want to have to rehash anything."

"I think I can understand that. Have fun you two," Scully chuckled, grinning at his response, as she headed back into the family room.

Looking over at Bill after Scully had gone, Doggett took the initiative and tried to strike up a conversation on a topic he knew they had in common. "Say Bill, as I recall, Dana said you were a Navy man. Is that right?"

"Yep," Bill responded coolly, regarding Doggett dispassionately as he sipped his beer. He thought that this guy must be another kook just like his brother-in-law-especially if he was investigating the same mumbo jumbo that Fox Mulder had dragged Dana into. Smirking bitterly at the freak show of people that his brother in law had the gall to invite to the Scully family barbeque, he acrimoniously continued, "So John, just what exactly ARE the qualifications to head up the X-Files? Do you need a degree in Voodoo or do you have to be a full-fledged witch doctor?"

"Excuse me?" came Doggett's surprised reply, after he quickly swallowed his gulp of beer. For a moment, he eyed Scully's older brother questioningly. Deciding to give Bill the benefit of the doubt-for Scully and Mulder's sake if for no other reason, Doggett continued with a forced chuckle, "Yeah, it must seem like that to someone like you. That was my first impression of the X-Files too. You know, even after all of these years, I can still honestly say that none of my training prepared me for it."

Snorting with some mild disgust, Bill slowly sipped his own beer before responding, "I don't think anything-except a long commitment to a psychiatric ward-could prepare someone for all of that. Which, of course, explains why Fox fit right in." Then, remembering his promise to his mother, Bill continued more lightly in a deliberate attempt to distract Doggett from his last statement. "So how long did you work with Dana?"

Raising an eyebrow at Bill's comments, Doggett slowly replied, "Just under two years. We actually met when I was the special agent in charge of finding Mulder and investigating his disappearance back in 2000."

"Ah," Bill replied with some bitterness, raising an eyebrow at Doggett, "So YOU'RE the one responsible for his return."

Brushing off what Bill's intonation suggested, Doggett continued, "Well, I wasn't working alone. Dana, Monica, Assistant Director Skinner and a host of other good agents put in a lot of long hours to bring him-well, his remains-home. A.D. Skinner's really the one who was responsible for saving Mulder's life. I know that I would never have exhumed his body-no matter what the evidence was. It was a good call on his part and we got really lucky."

"Yeah, real lucky," Bill retorted, shaking his head at the ridiculousness of just how many people were completely taken in by what he saw as Fox's elaborate scheme to abandon Dana and their unborn child. He snorted again in disgust before the A.D.'s name slowly stirred his memory. "Skinner? Is he the tall, balding guy with glasses?" Bill asked with deliberate attentiveness.

"Yeah," Doggett replied, somewhat curious at Bill's unexpected interest, "that's a pretty fair description of him. When did you meet the A. D.?"

Surprised by the question, Bill paused but quickly recovered, "Oh, I saw him at the hospital visiting Dana a couple of years back." Reading his face, Bill knew that he'd satisfied Doggett's curiosity with his answer. That was a good thing because he wasn't about to tell him about the hostile and confrontational nature of that encounter. Quickly changing the subject, Bill continued, "I'm surprised I didn't meet you there. What, were you on a case or something?"

Now it was Doggett who was the one who felt the need to be less than forthcoming as pangs of guilt stabbed at him. The truth was that he just couldn't bear to see the horrible condition his poor judgment had left Dana in-let alone face Mulder and his small son. The knowledge that he may cost them the most important woman in their lives-not to mention his-was simply unbearable. Because of that, Doggett could not bring himself to visit Scully in the hospital. In fact, it wasn't until she was well enough to come home that he was finally able to gather enough courage to finally see any of them. "Yeah, I was out of town on a case for several weeks around that time," Doggett shrugged with a shiver as he took a large swig of beer and forced the whole incident out of his mind. Then, in a deliberate attempt to lighten his own mood, Doggett smirked, "But to answer your original question, I do have a PhD in public administration from Syracuse. So you could say that the X-Files do require a doctor to head it up-although not necessarily a witch doctor."

"I don't know about that. I always thought that raising someone from the dead required a witch doctor," Bill replied sarcastically. Then, looking directly at Doggett, he continued, "I wonder about you Bureau people sometimes. Aren't you supposed to be the best our country has to offer? Yet none of you were able to see through that man's charade. I mean, can you honestly tell me that you believe that he rose from the dead?"

Whistling as he tried with difficulty to take Bill's comments in stride, Doggett slowly replied, "Well, I wouldn't say 'rose from the dead' so much as I would say buried alive..."

"Oh come on!" Bill gruffed with disbelief, interrupting Doggett in mid-sentence, "How many months can someone survive in a coffin-and at six feet under no less?!?! Certainly not as long as Fox SUPPOSEDLY did."

On the verge of his breaking point from the combined weight of Bill's innuendos, Doggett narrowed his eyes and evenly replied, "Just what are you suggesting Mr. Scully?"

"Only the obvious," Bill growled with contempt. He was certain that this guy must've been in on Fox's scheme to defraud Dana from the beginning. This, coupled with her extreme vulnerability at the time, did much to explain why his little sister had bought the whole thing hook, line and sinker. "It's too bad that the FBI doesn't take in more of our honorable military veterans instead of ivory tower academics like you-maybe then concepts like honor and dignity wouldn't be such a foreign concept to you people."

Taking a deep breath and letting it out slowly, Doggett paused for a few moments before coolly replying, "It's obvious that you don't know anything about the Bureau or it's agents. Suffice it to say that a good number of us are 'honorable military veterans' WITH combat experience-and we CLEARLY have a stronger grasp on those concepts than you EVER will. Good day Mr. Scully." With that, Doggett stalked out of the kitchen-away from Bill Scully and into the family room.

As Doggett entered, Mulder was standing talking with Maggie as he held Will while Scully, Tara, and Reyes all sat on the couch laughing at the story Reyes was telling. Handing Will to Maggie as he saw Doggett, Mulder quickly strode up to him and greeted him with a smile and a hearty handshake as he teased, "Hey, if it isn't Spook Doggy Dog-that dogcatcher who's in charge of investigating all that creepy stuff at the FBI. How's tricks boy?"

In response, Doggett just glared at him coldly. Picking up immediately on Doggett's foul mood, Mulder quickly added, "John, I was just kidding." Then as Doggett looked at the floor and shook his head in frustration, Mulder put a hand on his shoulder and continued with concern, "Is something wrong?"

Noticing that Scully's mom was within hearing distance, Doggett grabbed Mulder by the arm and lead him further away from her. Then, looking Mulder square in the eyes, Doggett hissed, "Has anyone ever told you that your brother-in-law is a class-A horse's ass?!"

Grinning slightly as they stopped near the back door, Mulder chuckled, "I see you've met Bill." Then more soberly, he continued, "What did he say to you?"

Filling Mulder in on the details of his brief conversation with Scully's older brother, Doggett finished with exasperation, "God, I don't see how Dana could possibly be related to that man!!!"

"I've wondered about that for years myself," Mulder sighed, nodding his head in agreement. "Maybe he's an early prototype of the human/alien hybrid gone horribly awry." He was pleased to see that this last comment finally let his friend crack a smile.

Chuckling at the idea of Bill Scully being an alien mutant, Doggett replied, "Well, I can definitely see that one-skeptic or no."

Slapping Doggett on the back, Mulder grinned, "See, I'll make a believer out of you yet!"

Walking out of the kitchen Bill spied his wife and sister sitting and conversing with the woman who came with John Doggett. Sighing, he resigned himself to the fact that he wouldn't be able to escape discussion of their X-Files work as he decided to join his wife on the couch. However, as Bill headed over in their direction, his mother intercepted him.

"Bill," Maggie called softly as she held Will in her arms while simultaneously keeping an eye on Mathew and Ryan who were playing on the floor with Walter, "can I talk to you for a second."

"Sure Mom," Bill replied with a sigh, wondering what new excuse for Fox she was going to hit him with now. Then turning to his nephew, he smiled, "Hey there yourself, kiddo!" Bill truly felt sorry for that little boy. After all, it wasn't his fault that Fox Mulder was such a screw up. Sadly, Bill reflected on the thought that it was just a matter of time before this innocent child would suffer because his father's immaturity and insane beliefs.

Nodding at Bill, Maggie turned to Will, "Sweetie, why don't you go play with Walter and your cousins for a minute while I talk to your Uncle Bill?"

"Okay Grandma!!" Will smiled as she put him down and he ran off to join Mathew and Ryan.

Smiling after him as he went, Maggie then turned to her eldest son with a serious look on her face. "I thought I heard raised voices coming from the kitchen. Was there a problem out there?"

"Not for me," Bill replied with a shrug, Then grinning, he continued, "although I can't guarantee the same for that John Doggett fella."

Looking at his mother with incredulity, he responded, "Nothing. We just talked about Fox's disappearance-a subject that HE brought up even though it is apparently a sensitive topic for him." Then, responding with some resentment to her skeptical facial expression, Bill bitingly continued, "What's the matter Mom-disappointed? How about you tell me why you always want to assume that I am in the wrong?"

Relaxing her face as she put a hand on his arm, Maggie sighed, "Bill, you know better than that. I don't assume anything, but given your track record where Fox is concerned and the strong opinions you've voiced, I just.."

"Assumed that I wouldn't honor my promise to you?!?!" Bill hissed in annoyance. "Look, I didn't bring it up. He did. Am I supposed to be seen and not heard just because my opinions about that topic aren't popular around here?"

"No, Bill. That's not what I'm saying," Maggie sighed as she cast her eyes toward the floor. "I just wish that you would give Fox a chance-I mean, you never really have. He's a very different person from the man you met seven years ago and he's always been completely devoted to Dana for as long as I've known him."

"The only thing that man is devoted to is himself! Just look at how he dragged Dana around chasing little green men all over the place WHILE SHE WAS DYING of CANCER," Bill growled, his voice beginning to rise. Then, forcing himself to regain control as he deliberately lowered his tone, he muttered acrimoniously, "You and Dana have blinders on as far as he's concerned. The day is going to come when those blinders are going to get painfully and permanently knocked off-and then you'll both see just how right I am about him."

"Bill," Maggie replied anxiously, "You almost sound like you WANT that to happen."

"No Mom," Bill whispered with steely intonation. "It's the last thing I want. You think I want to see either you or Dana as heartbroken as I know he can make you? I pray to God every day that I'm wrong about him. The problem is that I honestly don't believe that I am." With that, Bill stalked away from her and back into the kitchen--leaving his mother staring at the floor, blinking back her tears.

Once he reached the kitchen, Bill knew he needed to cool off before he rejoined Tara in the family room. Tossing his empty beer bottle in the garbage can, he fished through the cooler to retrieve another cold one. Holding it against his forehead, Bill hoped that its icy coolness would help to subdue his rage. Sighing, he wondered if the damage inflicted on their family by Fox Mulder would ever be repaired.

Meanwhile, Mulder and Doggett had made their way out the back door to join Charlie and the Gunmen on the patio.

"Well, as I live and breathe, if it isn't the FBI's answer to John Wayne-Special Agent John Doggett," Frohike smirked as Mulder and Doggett approached. Then with a lascivious grin, he continued, "Hey Doggie-style, where's your tasty partner, the luscious and vivacious Monica Reyes?"

Suppressing a laugh, Doggett replied with a smirk, "Agent Reyes is inside talking with the OTHER love of your life, Frohike."

"Yeah, you'd better not let Scully hear you talk that way about another woman," Mulder chuckled, "she might just get jealous."

"What a tasty idea," Frohike lustily purred. "What I wouldn't give to see a cat fight between THOSE two voluptuous vixens." Then, with a wink, he continued. "Besides, a little competition might help my cause with those two lovely ladies."

"Yeah, sort of like pissing on a raging forest fire," Langley laughed, rolling his eyes. "Just a drop in the bucket."

"And just what is it that YOU know about bagging the fairer sex, you long haired hippie?" Frohike retorted with a sarcastic smirk.

"Hold it right there, guys," Byers interjected. "We aren't going to start that again. We still have lots of strategizing to do."

"Yeah, we've devised a little plan to teach my overbearing older brother a thing or two," Charlie quipped, holding his hand out to Doggett.

Suddenly realizing that he should've already introduced them, Mulder quickly added, "Doggett, this is Charlie Scully, my other brother-in-law. Charlie, this is John Doggett. He works the unit that Scully and I used to be on."

"Likewise," Doggett replied, shaking Charlie's outstretched hand. Then with definite curiosity and interest, he continued "So what's this about teaching your 'overbearing brother' a lesson?"

"He's already had the pleasure of Bill and his...uh...unique sense of humor and ever so tactful commentary," Mulder explained to Charlie and the Gunmen.

Listening to the various exchanges taking place at the Mulder household, Spender smiled with satisfaction at the opportunity that was slowly emerging. He'd never known that there was a weak link in the Mulder family that he might easily exploit to suit his own purposes. That chink in the armor was Bill Scully. Clearly, there was no love lost between Fox Mulder and his wife's older brother. Moreover, the situation was clearly causing tension between the eldest male Scully and the rest of the Scully family-not to mention between Bill Scully and his own wife. From the sound of the backyard conversation, it looked like Bill Scully was in for one humiliating day. Proud of the level of deviousness that Mulder and his comrades could aspire to when given sufficient reason, even Spender had to admit that he wouldn't like to be in Bill Scully's shoes that afternoon.

As he continued to take in the patio planning session, an idea slowly developed in Spender's mind. Smirking to himself, Spender considered the new possibilities that this information brought to mind. While he didn't expect for a moment that Bill Scully would knowingly do anything to betray his own sister, he did realize that the current tension between him and the rest of the family-coupled with his beliefs about Fox Mulder-would make it much easier for Captain Scully to be manipulated into taking steps that would help the Syndicate in achieving its goals.

With that thought, Spender also immediately recognized that his malleability made it all the more important that HE personally be the one to contact and dupe Bill Scully rather than any other Syndicate operative. That way, if he controlled the process from the beginning, he could be certain that the outcome would be in his own favor rather than that of the Syndicate. Turning his full attention to the patio proceedings, Spender took careful notes as he simultaneously planned a means of approaching Bill Scully. He knew he would have to work quickly if he was going to establish a link with that man before it was too late and the approaching thunderstorm hit.

Meanwhile, Reyes continued to relay her and Doggett's latest adventure to Tara and Scully, as they relaxed on the couch," ...so we ended up chasing after it in the dark-that's how Doggett twisted his ankle. He got his foot caught in a prairie dog burrow."

"Ah ha!" Scully laughed hysterically, "So THAT's the real story behind the crutches he had last month. He told me that he'd gotten hurt taking in a suspect!!"

"Ha! That's if you consider a fleeing Chupacabra to be a suspect," Reyes chuckled as she went on. "Needless to say, I wasn't going to let that stop me from getting to the bottom of those killings."

Grinning, Reyes replied with a shrug, "What? He's a big boy. He can take care of himself-just ask him." Then, with a wink, she continued, "Besides, he was fully armed and would've easily been able to fend off an attack from just about anything that was out there."

"Including a bloodthirsty Chupacabra?" Scully teased with a grin. "You know, according to Mulder, those little buggers can be downright vicious."

"Yes, but last time I checked, John was not a goat-so I figured that he'd be reasonably safe from a goat sucker until I got back." Reyes laughed. Then, more seriously, she continued, "Actually, they aren't malevolent at all. They can really be quite docile-that is once they feel that you aren't threatening their young. That supposed viciousness is just a by-product of the media hype and hysteria." Then smirking at Scully teasingly, she went on, "I'm going to have to have a little talk with your husband and set him straight on a few things about them. Sheesh! I'll bet that he's never even SEEN a Chupacabra himself."

Before answering, Reyes looked at Scully cautiously, as if to ask how her sister-in-law would take an honest answer.

"Don't look at me," Scully quipped laughingly in response, "The closest Mulder and I ever got to seeing a Chupacabra was when we were investigating an outbreak of killer fungus that was the result of some externally induced immunodeficiency-but even then we didn't find any physical evidence even remotely suggesting the presence of such a creature. "

Giggling at Scully's scientific analysis of their experience while simultaneously wondering how Mulder would describe it, Reyes decided to take a chance on Tara. Turning to her, she softly answered, "Well...to be honest... yes I have."

Tara just stared at Reyes for a few silent moments before breaking into hysterical peals of laughter. "Oh Monica, you are too much!! You actually had me there for a second!!"

Scully and Reyes looked at each other and grinned-trying hard not to laugh. Then, with a chuckle, Scully laid her hand on her sister-in-law's shoulder and gently explained, "Tara, she was serious."

Tara's laughter caught in her throat as she paused in embarrassment. "Oh, I'm sorry, Monica. I thought you were just pulling my chain." Stifling a giggle, she continued, "So, um...you caught it then?"

"Well, I'd say that I caught up to it rather than caught it," Reyes grinned. Tara's reaction actually wasn't bad compared to other's she'd encountered-especially Doggett's.

"Wow!" Tara marveled, "Weren't you the least bit scared? I mean, you were all on your own-without your partner to back you up. What if something happened? What if the Chu... Chu-pa-cabras weren't friendly? You could've been killed or seriously injured!"

"Hmmm, that's a good point," Reyes replied thoughtfully. "I actually hadn't looked at it that way. No wonder John was so pissed at me-and here I thought it was because I left him lying there like that. "

"What a visual," Scully chuckled as she shook her head, "Doggett stranded in the desert with his foot stuck in a hole." Then, teasing Reyes, she continued, "Not that I can't sympathize completely with poor Doggett. After all, I've had very similar experiences of my own-that nicely parallel his-with a former agent who will, of course, remain nameless."

"Are you taking my name in vain again?" Mulder quipped, overhearing her last comment while he and the rest of the guys came in from the back yard. "Jeez, couldn't you have waited until the company was gone? I guess the honeymoon's over after all," he teased with a wink as he blew her a kiss.

Winking back at him, Scully smirked, "Well, with all of you guys tending to it, the grill MUST be ready by now. By the way, just how many grown men does it take to run one anyway?"

"Don't worry your pretty little head about it," Frohike smirked, "It's a well-documented fact that it's exclusively a guy thing to roast animal flesh over an open fire. You couldn't possibly understand." Then, with a wink he hurriedly scurried toward the kitchen before Scully saw through him and realized that something was up.

"Oh really?" Scully replied, raising an eyebrow. After Vegas, the Gunmen were never good at keeping secrets from her. She was pretty sure that they were up to something-although she had no idea what it could be. Looking at Mulder suspiciously, she wondered if he had anything to do with it.

"Yeah, it's got something to do with the Y chromosome," Byers added jokingly as he quickly followed Frohike. "Excuse me, but I need to get a drink," he called over his shoulder.

"Yeah, I think the human genome project has officially announced that's where the barbeque genes are located," Langley added with a smirk. Then realizing that he really didn't want to withstand one of Scully's deceptively innocuous interrogations alone, he called after them "Dude, I could use a cold one too! Wait up, guys!"

Shaking his head as he chuckled at the Gunmen's hasty retreat, Mulder sat on the arm of the couch next to Scully while Charlie and Doggett remained by the back door for a moment, putting the finishing touches on their plans for Bill.

Narrowing her eyes playfully as she looked up at Mulder, Scully smirked "So what's with the Gunmen? They were acting even more shifty than usual."

With a mischievous grin, Mulder laughed before replying, "Let's just say that I think they're all really looking forward to interacting with your older brother."

"Well, they're in luck then," Scully grimaced, shaking her head with a chuckle and wondering what they had in store for her big brother, "Cause I think Bill's in the kitchen-alone."

Looking up from the cooler, Bill could barely stifle a groan as he saw the Gunmen approaching. "Great. Just what I needed-a visit with the three stooges," he muttered acrimoniously to himself as he stood. Perhaps he'd be able to get by with just a terse greeting on his way to the family room.

Reading the look on his quarry's face, Frohike smirked evilly as he held out his hand, knowing that their prey wouldn't get away so easily. With syrupy enthusiasm, he purred, "Why, if it isn't Captain Scully, illustrious Poseidon of the seven seas. What a true pleasure it is to see you again."

Exhaling slowly, Bill wearily replied as he briefly shook Frohike's extended hand, "Ah, yes. I remember you, Mr...ah..." Not able to remember this little troll's name, Bill could only sputter helplessly.

Barely able to suppress a grin at Bill's discomfort, Frohike gregariously slapped a hand on his back and boomed, "Ah Bill, please. You can call me Melvin." Then with a sly smirk he put his arm around Bill's shoulder as he continued, "You know, I've been meaning to thank you for quite some time now."

"For what?" Bill responded suspiciously, as he eyed the other two Gunmen who just happened to be blocking his escape route from the kitchen.

"For all the pointers you gave me on personal hygiene," Frohike chuckled loudly. "You know, ever since you so kindly pointed out my little 'problem' on the day your baby sister drove a stake through my heart and joined the house of Mulder, I've made a special point of showering every week-whether I needed it or not." Then, with a lascivious wink and a nudge from his elbow, he continued, "You know, maybe if I'd met you sooner, I'd have stood a real chance with her."

Disgusted, Bill raised an eyebrow and grimaced in revulsion, condescendingly muttering, "I'm sure." For the first time, he was beginning to realize that it WAS actually possible for Dana to have married someone WORSE than Fox Mulder.

"Yeah, man," Langley interrupted, pouring it on thickly in an attempt to top Frohike's performance as he extended his hand to Bill "As his compatriots, we would both like to thank you from the bottom of our hearts. You've definitely improved our quality of life-especially in terms of the smell factor."

"Really. It was nothing," Bill uneasily replied as he tersely shook Langley's hand. He was more than a little perplexed by the friendly reception these weirdoes were giving him. After what he'd said to them at Dana's wedding, he'd just assumed that they would steer clear of him from now on. This was certainly the last thing he expected.

"You know," Langley added thoughtfully and with feigned humility, "After the huge improvement we saw in Melvin here, I probably should have taken your advice too."

"And what was that Ringo?' Bill replied, rolling his eyes and sarcastically comparing Langley to one of the 'long-haired' Beatles.

For a second, Langley just stared at him, in what came across in awe and wonder, before he spoke. "Oh man, you are so cool," Langley gushed with feigned emotion as he threw his arms around Bill and hugged him tightly. "After all of this time, you-a captain in the US Navy-remembered the name of a nobody like me!! I am so moved, man!!"

Wishing desperately that they had a video camera to permanently capture the moment, both Frohike and Byers nearly burst out laughing at the sight of Scully's older brother locked in Langley's embrace. Meanwhile, Bill stiffened in alarm and horror at the unexpected affection his biting remark had elicited from this obviously drugged-out hippie. "Uh...your name really is Ringo?" he sputtered in shock. Bill could barely contain the urge to break and run-desperate to get away from these nutcases as soon as possible. Instead, he pleaded, "Um...please....I'm spilling my beer," in a vain attempt g to politely extricate himself from Langley's grip. He only managed to spill his beer all over his hands.

Reading the extreme discomfort in Bill's face, Langley looked up at him hazily as if he were indeed stoned as he poured it on even thicker, "Do you still think I need a haircut? Now tell me the truth 'cause I really look up to you man!!"

Making a concerted effort to contain his laughter, Byers knew he had to get in on the act. Smirking, he leaned over to Bill and loudly whispered in his ear, "Yeah, it's his secret dream to be a Navy man just like you. You-and the Village People-have really inspired him."

Hearing Byers' words and not to be outdone, Langley 'sobbed' loudly into Bill's chest as if on cue. "I DO!!! I want to be just like you Captain Bill !!" Then sniffling loudly, he continued, "Growing up, it was like those guys were singing just to me... 'They want you! They want you! They want you as a new recruit!' Do you think I can I serve on your ship, Captain Bill? PLEASE?!?!"

Putting a hand over his face to hide the grin he could not longer contain, Frohike croaked, "Seeing him like this always chokes me up-the poor fella."

For Bill, that was the last straw. With considerable effort, he was finally able to free himself from Langley's passionate embrace. Shoving him away roughly, Bill gruffed, "Look, the Navy isn't interested in long haired stoners like you!!"

"Yeah, didn't you know Ringo?" Byers added with overly dramatic seriousness. Then, using a Dylanesque voice, he fluffed Langley's hair as he dryly continued, crooning," ...and the sign said long-haired freaky people need not apply."

"You mean I'll NEVER be in the Navy!?!?" Langley cried mournfully as if completely crushed. Then turning and burying his face into Byers' chest and pounding his fists on Byer's shoulders, he wailed "NO!!!!!!" With his face now hidden, Langley was finally able to break out laughing-passing it off as sobs. For his part, Byers couldn't hold it in any longer and buried his own face in Langley's shoulder and started loudly "sobbing" himself.

Bill stood frozen, staring in stricken shock at the embracing pair. Using every ounce of self-control he possessed to hold in his laughter, Frohike put a hand on Bill's shoulder and comfortingly soothed, "Bill, you'd probably better go and give us a little space. It will just be too painful for him to see you right now. As it is, I'll have to hide all of his Village People CDs when we get home." Then walking Bill to the kitchen door, Frohike continued, "Please now, just go and leave us to pick up the pieces of poor Ringo's shattered heart."

"With pleasure!!" Bill roughly replied, throwing up his hands and storming from the room. That whole encounter had really unnerved and infuriated him. Those people were just plain crazy-certainly not suitable for his family to be exposed to! Just what kind of wackos did Fox and Dana let into their home anyway?!? Deciding he needed some time to calm down, Bill charged down the hall and into the bathroom. Shutting the door behind him, he splashed cold water in his face as he washed the spilled beer from his hands. He already wanted to leave and the barbeque hadn't even started. Shaking his head, Bill knew that this was going to be an even longer day than he'd thought.

Meanwhile, after Bill had exited the kitchen, the three Gunmen looked at each other and broke out in hysterical laughter.

" You AND THE VILLIAGE PEOPLE have really inspired him?!?" Langley barely could choke out to Byers as he doubled over in laughter, "God, I nearly pissed myself when you said that!"

"ME?!?! What about ole Melvin here?!" Byers gasped, leaning heavily on the counter to keep himself from falling to the ground in a fit of laughter as he tried to catch his breath. Speaking directly to Frohike, he continued, "Once a week whether you need it or not?!?!"

"Man, I thought Bill was going to hit you when you said that bit about Scully," Langley gasped, also trying in vain to catch his breath.

"And him unknowingly calling you by your first name was just priceless," Frohike chokingly laughed. "That sure backfired in Billy-boy's face didn't it?!?!" Then, catching his breath, he continued, "D'ya suppose we lived up to our part of the plan?"

"Oh, I think so!!" Byers laughed, wiping a tear from his eye. "We were so successful, I almost feel sorry for him. Just wait until Doggett takes a bite out of him!!"

"And Skinman gets here!!" Langley chuckled. "Rumor has it that the ol' A.D. personally ripped our favorite Captain a new one a couple of years ago. If that's true, I'm sure HE'll have no compunction about taking another shot at that over inflated windbag."

"No Fox, I've got it. You stay put-right by Dana's side," Maggie grinned, stilling him by putting a hand on his shoulder as she clutched the Twister box with her other arm. For some reason, Maggie just loved seeing Dana and Fox together like that. It was probably because fate and countless other things beyond their control had separated so often over the years that Maggie didn't want to see them part-even if for only a moment. Although she knew that she was being silly, it was one indulgence that Maggie always permitted herself. Squeezing Mulder's arm, she continued, "The boys and I were going to Will's room anyway-so I'll just get it on the way."

"Yeah, we're going to teach her how to play my Space Cowboys computer game," Will beamed proudly from the edge of the couch where he and his cousins stood.

"Are you now?" Mulder grinned down at Will as he tousled the boy's hair. Then speaking to all three of the eager boys, he teasingly continued with a wink to Maggie, "You guys go easy on Grandma, okay. After all, she doesn't have the same computer time that the Gunmen do."

"Humph," Maggie snorted haughtily, nodding toward Mathew and Ryan, "I'll have you know that I've beaten both of these two rascals on their play-station version several times."

"Well, I stand corrected," Mulder replied, playfully bowing with a grin. Then with a chuckle, he teasingly continued, "Maybe we should have a face-off between you and the Gunmen. What do you say?" Meanwhile, the doorbell rang a second time.

"Ha, we'll see," Maggie laughed as she headed toward the door, "But I'd better get that before whoever it is gives up and goes home."

"Thanks Mom," Scully smiled after her mother as she took Mulder's hand and squeezed it gently. She loved how well the two of them got along. It always made her smile to see how Mulder treated Maggie like his own mother while she viewed him as another son. Not that either could truly replace the parents and child who were lost, but they each could help to fill the void left in the other's life by the alien conspiracy. As she smiled up at Mulder, who was picking up where he'd left of in their conversation with Tara and Reyes, Scully thought to herself that both her husband and her mother had enough pain in their lives to deserve the warm relationship that they now shared.

"So, Scully didn't mention the yellow rain when she told you our Chupacabra story, huh?" Mulder laughed incredulously to Tara and Reyes. Then, putting an arm around Scully's shoulders and giving her a gentle squeeze, he continued, "Typical. You know how THOSE SCIENTISTS are..."

Meanwhile, Maggie had opened the door to A.D. Skinner. "Ah, Mr. Skinner. Come on in," she smiled as she stood to one side to let him inside. "It's so nice to see you again."

"Mrs. Scully," he replied with a grin and a nod, "It's always a pleasure to see you." Then, noticing the Twister box in her arms, he gestured toward it and playfully smirked, "I didn't realize that there were any official games planned."

Not understanding at first, she looked at him quizzically before realizing that she still held the Twister box in her hands. Blushing slightly, she laughed somewhat nervously, "Oh, the boys were playing this earlier-but now we're moving up to computer games."

"Well, it's always good to move up in the world," he smiled down at her warmly, as he looked intently into her deep blue eyes.

For a moment, Maggie returned his gaze before remembering herself. Looking away, she continued, "Well, Fox and Dana are in the family room if you want to head on back-or you could stop by the kitchen and get yourself a drink from the cooler. I think the...uh...Gunmen-that's what they go by right?-are in there."

"Hey Uncle Walter!" Will cried gleefully as he ran up to Skinner who swooped him up in the air before giving him a hug.

"So how's my favorite godson doing?" he grinned as he held the small boy in his arms. Noticing Mathew and Ryan peering at him from behind Maggie, Skinner continued, "And who are your two little friends?"

"They're Bill and Tara's boys," Maggie added in response to the look of confusion that had crept across Skinner's face.

"Ah," Skinner responded with a nod. He knew that Scully had two brothers but he didn't remember which was which. Smiling somewhat tensely at Maggie, he sorely hoped that Bill wasn't the one he'd lost it with back when Scully was in the hospital. The last thing Skinner wanted was to cause friction at Mulder and Scully's gathering or alienate Mrs. Scully because of his rash flash of temper all those years ago. He was thankfully spared from further thought on the issue at the moment because, just then, Walter bounded in from the living room and began jumping frantically about Skinner's feet. "Who's this little guy? Is he yours Will?" he smiled, chuckling at the puppy's antics.

"Yeah, he's my new puppy. His name is Walter-just like yours!!" Will chirped innocently.

"Walter, eh?" Skinner replied, playfully narrowing his eyes suspiciously as he shook his head. "Let me guess. Did your dad come up with that name?"

"How did you know?" Will replied in awe, wondering if his Uncle Walter could read minds too.

Rolling his eyes, Skinner replied "Oh, just a lucky guess." Then sighing, he grinned at Maggie as he continued, "Well, I won't keep you from your computer games. Besides, I have a bit of a bone to pick with Spooky Mulder."

Taking Will from Skinner's arms, Maggie laughed, "You be sure to call him that. We all know how much Fox loves nicknames."

"Yeah, almost as much as he likes being called Fox." Skinner playfully called after her as he made his way into the family room.

Overhearing Skinner's last comment, Mulder laughed as he and Scully got up from the couch, "Are you talking about me again Walter? See if I ever invite you over to my house again!!"

"At least I didn't name my dog after you," Skinner replied with a grin as he heartily shook Mulder's hand.

"What's with the sir?" Skinner grimaced at her. "You don't work for me anymore, Dana, and I'm Will's godfather for Pete's sake-so knock it off and call me Walter."

"Yes sir," she replied with a smirk. "Although that might get a little confusing since there are two Walter's around here."

"I know," Skinner gruffed playfully as he narrowed his eyes at Mulder. "It's a good thing YOU don't work for me anymore either-otherwise you'd be on wiretapping and background investigation detail for time immemorial."

"Ah, I knew there was a good reason not to be upset about leaving the Bureau," Mulder laughed as Doggett and Reyes simultaneously walked up.

Before either could speak, Skinner pointed a finger at both of them and chuckled with a grin, "Now, both of you DO still work for me so I expect 'sirs' all around. None of this informal Walter stuff."

"Hmmm, I wonder who told you that," Skinner responded sarcastically as he narrowed his eyes at Mulder for the second time in two minutes.

"Wasn't me. Must've been an alien replicant," Mulder shrugged his protestations in feigned innocence.

"Uh-huh. Sure. And I'm a giant fluke-man who lives in a port-a-john," Skinner chuckled as he shook his head. He was about to make another smart comment to fend off the verbal parry he expected from Mulder when he caught sight of Bill emerging from the bathroom down the hall. Suddenly, Skinner's heart sank at the memory seeing him evoked.

At the sight of Bill, Skinner instinctively looked away. In a flash that lasted only seconds but seemed like an eternity, the whole incident that had taken place nearly three years ago replayed in his mind. It was mere days after the horrible accident that had left Scully comatose and lying at death's door. While both her mother and her brother were at Scully's side within hours of her admittance-taking turns to maintain a continuous bedside vigil, it was several days before Mulder arrived. Although he wasn't sure of the details, Skinner knew that when Mulder had "disappeared" months earlier it was in a clandestine attempt to finally ensure the safety of his and Scully's tiny family once and for all. Unfortunately, with Scully being the only one who knew Mulder's true whereabouts, Skinner had no way to get in touch with him to let him know what had happened to her. Arriving at the hospital that particular morning, Skinner was quite relieved to see that Mulder had gotten the news somehow and was now firmly rooted by Scully's side.

That relief, however, soon turned into grave concern as soon as he glimpsed Mulder's face. Skinner had never seen him in such a terrible state-even after his mother had died. When Mulder haggardly looked up at him from where he'd buried his face in Scully's unresponsive shoulder, Skinner gasped in shock-almost not recognizing the man before him. His ashen countenance and hollow, bloodshot eyes communicated to Skinner the extreme magnitude of Mulder's grief, guilt, and anguish. As Scully's life support systems hissed and wheezed in their horrific chorus, Mulder raspily spoke of how he "just knew" that something was wrong-especially after all his messages to her went unanswered. Tears streaming down his face as he cradled her limp and lifeless hand against his lips, he mumbled incoherently about sending Maggie home to try and get some sleep before she went to Bill and Tara's' to check on Will. The fact that Mulder couldn't go to his infant son without putting him in terrible jeopardy was left unspoken since Skinner already knew that fact all too well. Mulder wouldn't say where he'd been or how long he'd been holding vigil by Scully's side. He would only mutter over and over how he "should have been there to protect her" and that it was his fault that she was dying now. Although Skinner tried his best to assure Mulder that Scully's injuries were the result of an x-file completely unrelated to him or his situation, it was all in vain. He could do nothing to alleviate Mulder's self-blame and regret. Unfortunately, it was at that very moment that Bill Scully entered the room.

Catching sight of Mulder as he came through the doorway, Bill paused in disbelief for a moment before charging forward in anger. "It's about time you came back, you deadbeat!!" Slamming the door behind him, he seethed, "As if it wasn't bad enough that you abandoned her and your child, but you actually had her BELIEVING THAT YOU DIDN"T HAVE A CHOICE!!" Glaring at Mulder with pure hatred from the other side of Scully's body, Bill spat, "You had her so emotionally screwed up and turned around, it's no wonder this happened!! You put her here, you leper!! Because of you, she's going to die!! It should be YOU in that bed, NOT HER!!!!"

At the sound of these words, Mulder vacantly looked up at Bill. After a long pause that seemed like Skinner to be an eternity, Mulder choked out his barely audible reply, "I would give anything to trade places with her." Skinner could see that Bill's words had pierced Mulder's soul as what little color had been there drained away from his tortured face. Those bitter accusations had only served to reinforce the horrible guilt and regret that he already bore. Mulder sat stonily--motionless and speechless-with new tears flowing freely down his cheeks as his eyes drifted forlornly back to Scully's pale, tube-ridden face.

Meanwhile, incensed by the excruciating sincerity of Mulder's words, Bill charged furiously around the bed and toward him-presumably intent on attacking him physically. Yet, Mulder made no defensive moves whatsoever. Instantly, Skinner knew that he would have to protect Mulder because it was clear that he wouldn't defend himself. It was clear that Mulder believed that he deserved it and had resigned himself to passively endure Bill's wrath-as if it could somehow atone for what had happened to Scully.

Moving quickly, Skinner intervened-stepping between Mulder and Bill. Turning to the angry man before him, he attempted to diffuse the situation. "Look," Skinner whispered calmly, looking into Bill's eyes sympathetically, "I understand that you're worried about Dana. We all are. But, getting angry isn't going to help her at all. If you could just stop for a second, take a deep breath and try to calm down a little..."

"CALM DOWN?!?!? Who the hell are you!?!?" Bill demanded, giving Skinner a violent shove backwards. "Get out of my way and mind your own damn business!!" With that, he blasted past Skinner, roaring, "Damn you Fox Mulder for what you've cost our family!! You've got no business being here!!"

At that moment, Skinner surmised that Bill Scully was fully intent on making sure that, one way or another, Fox Mulder would stay out of his sister's life-no matter how long or short it would be-for good. He also knew that he had to do something to stop him before Mulder was seriously injured. Thinking quickly, Skinner took hold of Bill's arm as he passed and, using it as a fulcrum, deftly used Bill's weight and momentum to redirect him harmlessly back toward the door. Then, with both hands up in a conciliatory position, Skinner again tried to curb Bill's anger-or at least deflect it from Mulder. Desperate to cool down the situation, he soothingly and softly spoke, "Please, Mr. Scully. If you're looking for someone to blame, you should blame me. Dana is one of my agents. I'm the one who gave her the assignment that landed her here. I could've easily chosen someone else, but I didn't. So, the buck stops here. This is my fault and no one else's."

"Don't try to defend him!!" Bill barked furiously, as he aggressively moved toward Skinner. "He's done nothing but cause her pain and suffering since the day they met!! You may've sent her, but he hamstringed her!!"

Keenly aware of Mulder's fragile emotional state, Skinner lowered his hands to his sides as he reigned in his rising anger in another futile attempt to neutralize the situation-or at least move it into the hall and away from both Mulder and Scully. He knew that further exposure to Bill's rampage would only cause worse damage. Steeling his resolve, Skinner evenly replied, "Look, this is the last thing that Dana needs. Why don't we go in the hall and discuss this calmly and rationally?"

"YOU'RE asking ME to leave?!!?" Bill roared incredulously, now pushed well beyond his boiling point. Gesturing wildly with his hands, he spat, "You may be used to barking orders at the FBI but I'm NOT going anywhere." Then, pointing directly at Mulder, he furiously continued, "If ANYONE needs to go-it's THAT NUTCASE!! He's got no business being here now-especially after he abandoned her!!" Then jabbing a finger into Skinner's chest, Bill seethed, "Now, you'd better get him the hell out of here before I do him some serious harm."

Narrowing his eyes and clenching his teeth in a concerted effort to control his temper, Skinner hissed, "I think you've already accomplished that." Then, taking a deep breath and letting it out slowly with his rising anger, he calmly countered, "Look, as the man Dana loves, the father of her child, and the executor of her living will, Mulder has more right to be here than anyone else. Knowing all of that, you couldn't possibly think she would want him to leave!"

"It doesn't matter what she wants!! He's got her so messed up that she hasn't been capable of recognizing what's best for her for a long time!" Bill bit furiously. "Now either YOU get that freak show out of here or I will!!"

His fists now clenched, Skinner stood his ground. Slowly but deliberately, he growled, "Mulder's NOT going anywhere. He's staying right where he is. If anyone is going to leave, it's going to be YOU. Now, it's your choice. Either calm down or get out. Which is it going to be?"

"I'll toss you BOTH out if I have to!! Now get out of my way!!" Bill spat as he charged forward to push past Skinner.

"Sorry, I can't let you do that," Skinner hissed as he quickly grabbed Bill by the arm, twisted it behind his back and instantly subdued him with a judo wrist-lock. "Dana's brother or not, you're doing more harm than good and I'm not about to let the two best agents I've ever worked with be hurt by the likes of YOU!" As Skinner pushed Bill's palm to meet his inner wrist, Bill instantly cried out in agony at the intense, unexpected pain. Skillfully steering Scully's brother to the door, Skinner growled in his ear, "Cooperate and I won't have to cause you any permanent damage." With that, he walked him into the hallway-all the while maintaining his grip on Bill's wrist.

"You jack-booted thug!!" Bill seethed in agony, "You won't get away with this!!"

"Watch me," was Skinner's terse reply. As they reached the nurse's station, he pulled out his badge with one hand while continuously maintaining control over Bill with the other. Instructing the duty nurse to call security to have this man removed for causing a disturbance, he showed her his credentials and she complied instantly. While she was talking to security dispatch, Skinner leaned over and whispered in Bill's ear, "Next time you show your face here, you'd better be calm and leave Mulder alone. If I hear otherwise-or even that you've said one word to him, I'll have you barred from Dana's room AND this hospital permanently. Do you understand?" Bill only groaned in response. Once security arrived they immediately removed him from the premises and followed Skinner's instructions to the letter-banning Bill Scully from the hospital for the next 24 hours.

Although Bill caused no more problems the entire time Scully was in the hospital, Skinner wasn't the least bit proud of how he'd handled the situation. After all, the guy WAS on the verge of losing the only sister he had left and obviously wasn't thinking clearly. Skinner had no such excuse and, even though he knew that he couldn't have let Bill hurt Mulder, he still couldn't help but feel regret at the whole incident. If only he hadn't lost his temper, he might have been able to talk Bill down without resorting to using physical force and his position at the Bureau. Now, all he could do was hope that Bill didn't hold a grudge that might ruin Mulder and Scully's barbeque. Looking back up at Bill as he strolled down the hallway-oblivious to his presence, Skinner wondered what would happen in the next few minutes when they inevitably crossed paths again.

"Something wrong, sir?" Doggett asked with mild concern-snapping Skinner back into the here and now. "You look a little ill." Then, catching sight of Bill himself, Doggett understood completely the look of abject revulsion on Skinner's face. Nodding toward Scully's approaching brother, he continued with a smirk, "Or did you just happen to see something that didn't agree with you?"

Following Doggett's gaze, Mulder immediately understood Skinner's reaction, while Scully and Reyes could only look at each other in confusion as to why seeing Bill would elicit such a response. Not wanting Scully's suspicions to be aroused any further, Mulder quickly elbowed Doggett to stop him from saying anything else. Reading the urgent meaning behind Mulder's eyes as they darted from his to Scully and back to his, Doggett immediately shut up-but it was already too late.

Perplexed, Scully knitted her eyebrows in confusion. "Sir, I don't remember you ever meeting my older brother. When did you meet?" The hesitant look in Skinner's eyes coupled with the silent exchange between Mulder and Doggett, immediately told her that something was up. Suspiciously, she added, "Did something happen with him that I should know about?"

Looking to Mulder for direction, Skinner could see from the way he subtly shook his head that Mulder had opted to not make Scully's recovery any harder by telling her about the hospital room incident. Thinking quickly as he recovered his composure, Skinner brushed it off, laughing, "No, no. He just looks like this incompetent oaf I used to work with. For a split-second I thought that it actually was him."

"You know, you really shouldn't talk about me that way," Mulder jokingly interjected, trying to humorously divert Scully's attention. "It's not very nice. Didn't your mother raise you any better than that?"

"Uh-huh," Scully replied, raising an eyebrow. Skinner's excuse, Mulder's attempt at subterfuge and their silent exchange proved to her that her suspicions had merit. She knew instinctively that there was more to it than either of them was letting on. Because of that, she decided that it probably wasn't a good idea to call Bill over to introduce him-even though the encounter would undoubtedly knock her overbearing brother down a peg or two. Still, her curiosity was piqued about what had transpired between Skinner and her brother. However, although she knew she could easily get the truth out of them if she really wanted, she decided to let it go without pressing them any further. After all, this WAS a party and they were all there to have fun with friends. An interrogation certainly wouldn't be appropriate. Whatever Skinner was hiding about his previous interactions with her older brother, it couldn't be that important-at least not enough to call him on it. Instead, Scully contented herself by smirking sarcastically at them "Amazing how my older brother always seems to have that effect on people."

"Why Agent Scully," Mulder crooned down at her innocently as he slid an arm around her shoulders. "Whatever do you mean?"

"Hmmm, I wonder," she grinned as she reached up and playfully tweaked his nose to remove any doubt he may've had about her buying his innocent routine.

Meanwhile, realizing that they might just have another player on their hands, Doggett suddenly quipped, "Sir, would you like something to drink?"

"Yeah," Mulder immediately chimed in, instantly catching onto Doggett's plan, "We've got plenty of beer and soda in the kitchen-which is probably why the Gunmen have been hanging out in there this whole time. C'mon out and we'll set you up before those guys guzzle it all."

"Sure thing," Skinner quickly replied, jumping at the opportunity to get out of the hot seat and away from Scully's suspicious gaze. "I could definitely use a cold one."

Turning back to Scully before following Doggett and Skinner to the kitchen, Mulder winked at her and grinned, "Don't worry. We'll be back before you know it."

"I'm sure you will," Scully smirked, rolling her eyes as they walked away. Shaking her head, she turned to Reyes, "They never grow up do they?"

"Nah, they'll always have their little 'boy's clubs," Reyes chuckled. "Like we have no idea that they're up to something."

"Yeah, but we don't know the specifics," Scully replied as they watched the animated but whispered exchange between Skinner, Mulder and Doggett on their way to the kitchen. "With all the time they spent in the backyard with the grill, it must be something pretty big that undoubtedly involves Bill." Then noticing Reyes' look of confusion, Scully briefly filled her in on the hate/hate relationship between Mulder and her oldest brother-a relationship that the Gunmen, Skinner and even Doggett seemed to share. Finishing the story of what she knew, Scully sighed, "I'd sure like to know what they're planning."

"Maybe. But, unlike me, you'll get it out of your partner after everyone leaves," Reyes chuckled knowingly. "Being his wife, you have a lot more ways of getting Fox to talk than I do with John."

Snorting with a smirk, Scully laughed, "So you SAY. But I've seen how you two look at each other." Then grinning slyly, she suggestively continued, "Besides, your options are only limited by your imagination."

"AND by Bureau policy!" Reyes countered in protest. "Anyway, I told you that topic is off limits remember?!" she continued, blushing slightly at the thought of the various ways she might get Doggett to talk.

Noticing the slight flush in Reyes' cheeks, Scully grinned knowingly at the truth it revealed but decided to let her off the hook. They had bigger fish to fry. "Be that as it may," Scully continued as they watched the guys disappear into the kitchen, "After everyone leaves may be too late-especially if they have something planned for today." She pondered for a moment how they might find out what the guys were up to. Then, out of the corner of her eye, she glimpsed Charlie heading toward the kitchen. Suspecting that he was going to meet up with his co-conspirators, a simple but ingenious plan formed in her mind. "Watch this," she whispered to Reyes. "We'll get to the bottom of this and they'll be none the wiser. Just follow my lead and pour it on thick." Then striding directly to Charlie, she grabbed him by the arm, laughing "Hey little brother. Where are you off to in such a hurry?"

"Just going to the kitchen to get a brewski, Sis," Charlie stammered, feeling like a kid who just got caught with his hand in the cookie jar.

"Something wrong with the one in your hand?" Scully smirked, nodding toward the half full beer bottle he carried. Then, mindful that she didn't want to spook him, she changed gears, laughing, "Besides, a refill can wait. I've got someone special I want you to meet." Taking Charlie by the hand, she led him back to where Reyes stood watching them with an amused smirk on her face. All the while, Charlie looked over his shoulder toward the kitchen, trying to figure out how he was going to shake his older sister.

"Charlie, this is my good friend Monica Reyes," Scully smiled sweetly at her brother. Then, turning to Reyes, she continued pointedly, "Monica, meet my brother Charlie."

Immediately receiving Scully's silent message, Reyes grinned as she proceeded with her instructions. "Nice to meet you," she smiled sweetly, extending her hand to him.

However, at that moment, Charlie was still so engrossed in figuring out how he'd give Scully the slip and make his way to the kitchen that he wasn't paying much attention. It wasn't until Scully gave him a not-so-gentle elbow to the ribs that he turned to meet Reyes' gaze. For him, it was like being hit with a lightning bolt when his eyes met hers. Suddenly, meeting up with the guys and giving Bill some payback were the furthest things from his mind. His eyes glowing, Charlie stammered in almost speechless wonder at the beautiful woman before him, "Hi Monica." Taking her extended hand, he breathed, "It is a true pleasure to meet you."

Surprised and rather flattered by Charlie's obvious interest, Reyes blushed slightly as she replied, "Likewise." Then, glancing at Scully before returning Charlie's intense gaze, she casually added with a grin, "I've always been just a little curious about what kind of men Dana's brothers would be. I imagined they'd have to be pretty confident to hold their own with a sister like her."

"I see," he smiled broadly-detecting a note of interest in her crooked grin, "and do I measure up to your expectations?"

"Well, I'd have to say that the jury's still out," she replied coyly, unable to suppress a flirtatious smile. "After all, we did just meet."

"Hmm, I'll be sure to put in some extra effort to win your approval," Charlie grinned with a wink.

Watching her baby brother blatantly trying to flirt with Reyes, Scully smirked laughing, "jeez, Charlie! You're about as subtle as a chainsaw."

Narrowing his eyes at his sister, Charlie retorted playfully, "Hey now! You've already bagged your special someone." Then looking at Reyes with a sparkle in his eyes, he continued pointedly, "So you should let me have a chance to capture some of that same magic that I've only heard about."

In response, Scully snorted and rolled her eyes. However, like a desert flower when the rains come, part of Reyes couldn't help but relish Charlie's attention and the images his pretty words evoked. In fact, she was quite surprised by just how much she enjoyed it. Although she and Doggett had grown even closer over the past three years, he'd never once given her any hint that he felt anything for her beyond friendship. In fact, it was the exact opposite. He was always the consummate professional with her-no matter what the situation was and despite her own growing attachment to him. Truth be told, she often thought John viewed her just like he would a male partner. That, coupled with Doggett's tendency to do everything by the book, made Reyes believe that there would never be anything more than a professional, working relationship between them. He certainly never looked at her the way Charlie was looking at her now. In fact, it had been so long since she noticed anyone looking at her like that, she had forgotten what it felt like. Casting her eyes toward the floor under the unexpected heat of Charlie's gaze, she strove to hide the impact his attention had on her-especially from Scully. Reyes was more than a little intrigued by this man and his forthright, unabashed approach. It was certainly something that she wasn't used to or expecting but she definitely welcomed it.

Oblivious to Reyes' internal disarray, Scully looked at Charlie as she raised an eyebrow with a chuckle, "Uh-huh. So there's magic in the air, huh?" So rarely having the opportunity to pay Charlie back for all the teasing she'd borne from him over the years, Scully wasn't about to let this one pass. With deliberately overdone drama, she put a hand on Charlie's arm and chidingly whispered, "Hark! Are those violins I hear playing? Perhaps even the strings of a Cherub's harp?" Then, bursting out laughing, she continued-teasing unmercifully, "Really Charlie, you're going to have to cut way down on the cheese factor if you expect to get anywhere with a hardened FBI Agent like Monica Reyes."

"Don't you have a roast or something you should be attending to, Dana?" Charlie smirked with mild annoyance at his sister, eager for her to go anywhere else and leave him alone with Reyes. "I think there's a grill out back calling your name."

"That's funny," Scully smirked teasingly at her brother, "I don't hear anything. It must be your imagination."

"Maybe it's an x-file," Reyes laughed playfully. Then looking at Charlie and raising her beer to him, she added, "But I do think it's quite refreshing for a man to know what he wants and not be afraid to go after it."

"Ah, the lady approves," Scully mused with a knowing grin, "and the plot thickens." Her plan was going even better than she'd hoped. It was simply astounding how well Reyes was playing her part. In fact, if she didn't know about her feelings for Doggett, she'd say that Reyes was as interested in Charlie as he was in her.

"You know, I think your guests must be missing you," Charlie looked rather pointedly at his older sister, raising an eyebrow as he slid his arm around her shoulders. "Why don't you be a good hostess for once and go find them?"

"Well, I would," Scully drawled as she deftly sprung the trap, "But I don't see them anywhere. I wonder where they all went. Maybe I should check the kitchen. What do you think Charlie? Should I?"

"Yeah, why don't you do that?" He murmured distractedly as he looked into Reyes' dark eyes. Dreamily, Charlie mused to himself how a man could easily get lost in those eyes if he wasn't careful.

Somewhat surprised that Charlie didn't take the bait, Scully wondered if maybe she'd lost her touch during her teaching stint at the Academy. Perhaps there was nothing going on after all and it was just her imagination. Shrugging, she nodded to Reyes before starting toward the kitchen.

It was Scully's movement that snapped Charlie back to reality. Suddenly remembering the plans for Bill and the strategizing that must be taking place in the kitchen, he grabbed hold of Scully's arm before she could go. Then, realizing that any more of a reaction would tip her off, he released her, saying "Hey, shouldn't you check the meat on the grill. It's been out there for a while and you wouldn't want it to burn."

"Well, since you seem to want to be left alone with Monica so badly," Scully smirked mirthfully, "why don't you go check on it while I tend to my guests who appear to be hiding out in the kitchen?" Scully could only smile smugly. Charlie's reaction had more than assured her that she should not have doubted for a second that she still had it when it came to ferreting out the truth. Now, she just needed to get a little more information out of him and she looked to Reyes for assistance.

Scully's earlier movement had also snapped Reyes out of her own reverie. After listening to Scully and Charlie's exchange and noting Scully's cue, Reyes put on her best flirtatious expression and touched Charlie's arm, adding, "Why not let her go, Charlie? We can check the grill together. That'll give you a chance to show me your grilling...prowess." Then with a wink, she chuckled, "Besides, I thought the barbeque gene was exclusive to the Y chromosome-so we'll HAVE to be the ones to go."

Sorely tempted to follow Reyes' suggestion and let the guys fend for themselves, Charlie sighed deeply before grudgingly speaking, "Dana, it just wouldn't be a good idea for you to go in there right now, okay?"

"Well, why ever not?" Scully replied with feigned innocence as she made a concerted effort to suppress any signs of victory from playing across her face.

Searching for an answer, Charlie stammered a little before muttering, "Uh...I ...it has something to do with the present Bill gave Fox for his birthday." Flying by the seat of his pants, he struggled to concoct a plausible explanation. "Look, I know you think Bill was just antagonizing Fox with that book. I did too-at least until Fox showed it to me. It was only then that I realized what a TRULY thoughtful gift it really was." Once those last words escaped his lips, Charlie instantly regretted it. It was over the top and came completely out of nowhere. With a sinking feeling, Charlie paused to gauge their reaction. In response, Scully and Reyes just stared at him in stunned amazement.

Taking a deep breath, Charlie knew that he was already in deep so he figured that he may as well lay the rest of it on thick. Quickly going on before either of them could reply or he could think too much about what he was saying, Charlie continued. "I just had no idea that it had so much useful information in it. I mean, it's really quite helpful with all of those recipes, etiquette guides, and clean up tips-so much that I've actually decided to ask Bill if he can get me a copy too. I know the guys all felt the same way-especially after seeing how well Fox has put it to use. They've actually been trying some of it out for themselves."

"I don't follow," Scully countered somewhat suspiciously. "What does that have to do with me not going into the kitchen?"

Pouring it on, Charlie continued in feigned amazement, "Don't you see?! We're guys. We can't admit to enjoying THAT KIND of stuff-at least none of US are man enough to do it. That's why there's so much tension about Bill. We're all in awe that he had courage to stick it out there and not be ashamed to show his feminine side by giving Fox that book. We would never admit it, but we're all just a little envious of him." Pausing for a breath, Charlie couldn't tell if either of them was buying his line of bull. Deciding to go for broke, he moved in closer to Scully and Reyes before continuing in a hushed whisper, "Look, the worst thing for them would be if either of you or Mom found out. They would never be able to live it down." Then, with pleading puppy-dog eyes, he closed, begging, "So please Dana, if you know what's good for your husband and his friends, don't go in there."

"And what about you?" Scully smirked, having difficulty suppressing a grin. "Aren't you worried about what we'll think?"

"Well, I'm trying my best to follow in Bill's footsteps," Charlie replied with his eyes downcast, trying his best to look a little ashamed, "but I'm not quite there yet. He has very big shoes to fill." Even he almost burst out laughing at the ridiculousness of what he was saying.

Playing the understanding sister, Scully resisted the urge to roll her eyes as she put an arm around her brother, saying, "It's alright Charlie. Go on to the kitchen and join them if you want. We won't bother you guys and we'll make sure Mom doesn't either."

"Thanks, Sis," he choked, having a very difficult time containing his amusement at how quickly they bought his idiotic story. Then, regaining his composure and looking directly at Reyes, Charlie continued hopefully, "I just hope that this revelation doesn't negatively affect your view of me." Finally, something true had passed through his lips.

Playing off Scully, Reyes softly touched Charlie's arm and gently replied, "I knew Dana's brothers would have to be pretty confident and self-assured-I just had no idea how much." Then, with a wink and a playful smile, she continued, "Go on now, you scamp, and I'll see you again later."

Grinning with satisfaction at the reception he'd gotten from Reyes, Charlie turned and walked to the kitchen. He was perfectly confident that he had just saved the plan and felt quite smug at how easily he duped them both.

Meanwhile, Scully and Reyes closely watched Charlie's departure. After he was safely in the kitchen and well out of hearing range, they waited another few seconds just to be safe. Then, looking at each other, the two women burst out in hysterical laughter.

Spender listened intently and with some amusement to the laughter and conversations simultaneously taking place within the Mulder household. It was quite a fascinating thing to once again be an intimate party-albeit vicariously-to the personal aspects of Mulder and Scully's lives. Not so long ago, the carefree playfulness and trickery they were exhibiting would have been out of the question. Back then, they were far too guarded and paranoid to even consider the dangerous frivolity of hosting a party let alone the juvenile plans Mulder had in mind for Bill Scully. What a pity it was that they had lost their seemingly omnipresent vigilance and paranoia just when it would have served them best. However, Spender knew all too well that their comfort and complacency would soon be replaced by acute awareness of their precarious situation. In a way, he dreaded having to shatter their false sense of security-but it was necessary for the good of the mission.

Taking a draw from his cigarette, Spender contemplated the hand he had played in what was unfolding before him. Not only had he personally made this particular social event possible-but he'd also engineered the entire chain of events leading to the here and now, where fate of mankind hanging in the balance. If it hadn't been for him, there would have been no X-Files, no Mulder and Scully partnership or marriage, and no little Will Mulder to be the last and best hope of the world. Instead, the world's fate would have been sealed long ago and there would be absolutely no hope of stemming the Colonists' plans for invasion. Smirking to himself with perverse pleasure, Spender knew for certain that if either of Scully or Mulder ever became aware of the extent of his involvement in the professional and personal decisions they'd made, they both would be completely horrified.

In all actuality, Spender had been pulling the strings in both their lives for years now-albeit for much longer in Mulder's case. From well before Samantha was abducted, Mulder never had a choice but to be a pawn in his game-Spender had made sure of that. He'd easily infiltrated Bill and Teena Mulder's home-quite an accomplishment considering his and Teena's past. Firmly ensconced in their lives, he was able to manipulate both the Mulder's and their children to suit his and the Syndicate's plans for years to come. Spender had always ensured that nothing in Fox Mulder's life was an accident. The sundry mind games of Phoebe Green, Mulder's 'discovery' of the long buried X-Files, and his intimate involvement with Diana Fowley were all orchestrated with specific outcomes in mind-just one of which was to play on Mulder's latent persecution complex and paranoia. From day one, Spender had molded and shaped Mulder to play his specific role in the grand scheme-always steering the young man in the direction that he wanted him to go. Yet, throughout it all, it was important to Spender that Mulder be able to retain his integrity. For some reason-probably foolish sentimentality-he was desperate to ensure that Mulder retained one thing that Spender himself had been unable to keep. The wishes of the Syndicate made that goal a very difficult one to meet.

Spender never saw eye to eye with the Syndicate on the issue of Fox Mulder. From the beginning, he'd espoused the value he would have to the project. Yet, the myopic old men of the Outfit disregarded his words. Instead, they ignored Fox Mulder as a child and a young man. When he became an adult, they began to view him as thorn in their side-especially after Spender had placed Dr. Werber in Mulder's path to awaken his long buried memories of Samantha's abduction. Now that they were taking notice of Mulder, the Syndicate did eventually did buy off on Spender's arguments concerning Mulder's utility in misdirecting and diverting the public's attention. However, they always viewed him as completely expendable-something Spender knew to be a completely ignorant and foolish stance. Still, that meager function, coupled with the fact that he was Bill Mulder's boy, was sufficient for the Outfit to usually grant Spender wide latitude when it came to dealing with Fox Mulder. Truth be told, that was all that mattered. Spender didn't really give a damn about the Syndicate's reasons for letting him keep Mulder alive-so long as they remained oblivious to his true value and didn't interfere too much with his plans.

One such minor interference was Diana Fowley. She had actually been the Syndicate's choice for Mulder. However, Spender didn't bother to object because he knew he had nothing to worry about. From what he'd seen of her, he saw it as a foregone conclusion that she would fail miserably. Mulder would never let her all the way in. While there was no doubt in Spender's mind that Mulder did actually care for her, their relationship was always lacking one key element-complete trust. Obviously, the problem was that she had ulterior motives as far as her lover was concerned. Mulder had always been a smart man and, although he may not have been consciously aware of Fowley's divided loyalties, on some level he must have recognized it. That, Spender believed, is what kept Mulder from taking their relationship to the next level. Obviously, that problem would have to be rectified if his plans were to succeed-so Spender ensured that Fowley was quickly dispatched overseas and out of Fox Mulder's life.

Not long afterwards, Dana Scully came to his attention. When he arranged for her assignment to the X-Files, Spender never had any intention that she would actually debunk them. After all, that would have forced Mulder to take his search for 'the truth' underground-making it much more troublesome and difficult to manipulate and keep track of him. No, his plan was much more subtle and, some would say, insidious. He wanted to give Mulder a confidant and an intellectual equal-someone who he could trust without hesitation and who would be irreplaceable to him. Not only would her presence make Mulder more easily manipulated but it would also play into the rest of Spender's plan beautifully.

Spender had spent a great deal of time and been very careful in selecting just the right woman to assign to "debunking" the X-Files. Having a wide range of genetically suitable candidates to choose from, Spender knew instinctively from viewing her dossier that Scully was the perfect woman to unknowingly play the central role in his greatest design. A stand out at the academy, her scientific background would make her the ideal foil to Mulder's blind faith as well as gave her the rigorous credentials to garner Mulder's respect. When she revealed her innocent idealism in that tedious meeting so long ago by speaking of her decision to join the FBI and her parents' reaction, it only confirmed Spender's certainty that he'd made the right choice. Her captivating mixture of trusting, wide-eyed innocence, intelligence, determination and integrity, practically guaranteed it. Mulder wouldn't be able to help feeling protective of her -especially given her trusting naivety. At the same time, he would have no choice but to respect and admire her convictions, strength, kindness and loyalty. All of this would provide a solid foundation for a deep and long-lasting friendship based on complete trust at EVERY level. Spender was counting on that to provide the means for bringing his plans to fruition. After all, there are no more fertile grounds for the seeds of love-and that, for some reason he couldn't quite explain, had been a necessary part of his plan for Mulder and Scully all along.

Naturally, Mulder's dysfunctional childhood made that process slow and difficult. So, whenever he could, Spender used the Syndicate to help it along. Closing down the X-Files periodically had the wonderful effect of forcing them to build even more trust in and dependence on one another. Likewise, Scully's abduction and cancer as well as the discovery and death of Emily served his goals very well. While, first and foremost, they addressed the Syndicate's immediate needs, they also exposed Scully to the alien DNA and technology while simultaneously fostering and nurturing the feelings Mulder was developing for her. Those latter purposes were what Spender had always viewed as the most vital to the success of his and the Syndicate's ultimate goal-the survival of mankind.

One hurdle Spender didn't expect was how difficult it would be for Agent Scully to finally give herself over completely to Mulder. Her falling in love with him was never the problem. After only a few years, it was obvious to even the most casual observer that she harbored very deep, passionate feelings for him. The difficulty was in prodding her to move beyond her own past and admit to herself that she loved him. When Spender had selected her, her dossier made no mention her intense, self-protective need to shield her heart from repeating past mistakes or from intimate involvement that might cause her pain. However, during his and Scully's clandestine excursion, she had unwillingly and unknowingly revealed the full extent of her fear. With that information, Spender finally understood why his injecting Diana Fowley and an element of jealousy into the Scully/Mulder partnership did not have the desired effect of pushing Scully into Mulder's arms. As a result, once Spender put some effort into removing Scully's fear as an impediment, it quickly fell by the wayside. Even now, he was still amazed by the extreme impact that Scully's not-so-chance encounter with Daniel Waterson had in dispelling those fears. Spender's simple but deliberate action of switching Daniel Waterson's hospital files had done much to further his personal agenda where Mulder and Scully were concerned.

Of course, Spender's intimate involvement in their lives abruptly but necessarily ended with Marita and Krycek's attempt on his own life. After all, it just wouldn't do for him to be playing an active role in manipulating them when he was supposed to be dead. Still, Spender was overjoyed when he heard the news that Scully was pregnant. Not only did it mean that the manipulations he'd made to Scully's neck implant had succeeded in restoring her fertility but, from his earlier surveillance of them, he knew that Mulder was the father of her baby. Finally, after years of waiting, his labors bore fruit.

Now, all of that was in jeopardy. The Syndicate was already suspicious of the true value of Scully and Mulder's little boy. Unfortunately, what the Syndicate knew the Colonists soon learned. It would only be a matter of time before they sent operatives-or worse still, bounty hunters-to collect the tiny family. That was why Spender now had to act quickly. He told himself that he wasn't about to see his years of hard work go down the drain for nothing. Turning his full attention back to the Mulder barbeque, Spender listened intently for any additional information that might help him in his cause.

"Have you ever heard a bigger line of bull in your entire life?!?" Reyes laughingly choked as she wiped a tear from her eye. They'd laughed so hard that they were both nearly crying. "Was he always that rotten a liar?"

"Ever since we were kids," Scully chuckled as she put a hand on her chest and finally caught her breath from her fit of laughter. "But that WAS the worst. It's a good thing he never followed in my footsteps and tried to work for the FBI because he'd MAYBE last all of two minutes in an undercover operation."

Nodding in agreement, Reyes laughed, "Well, at least we know for sure that they're up to something." Then, smirking with a grin, she continued. "Now, if only we knew the specifics."

"Well, from what Charlie said, it's definitely got something to do with the present brother Bill sent for Mulder's birthday. I'd wager that what they've got cooked up for him is centered around that stupid book. It's probably something quite humbling to make Bill deeply regret ever sending it." Then shaking her head with a wry grin, Scully couldn't help but feel a little proud of her husband as she continued with a smirk, "I'm sure Mulder is the mastermind behind it. You know, I really should have known better than to take his acceptance of Bill's explanation at face value. I guess it just goes to show you that, after all these years, he can still keep me guessing."

Raising an eyebrow in confusion, Reyes looked at Scully questioningly. "You mean you aren't mad at him?"

"For what?" Scully replied with confusion of her own, surprised by Reyes' evident perplexity.

"Well, for starters, how about turning your barbeque into a free-for-all on your older brother? I mean, if Fox is behind it, that means he recruited A.D. Skinner, the Gunmen, Charlie AND John." As she said Doggett and Charlie's names together, Reyes suddenly felt twinges of guilt for how much she'd enjoyed and relished Charlie's flirtations. She almost felt like she'd been cheating. Deliberately brushing those feelings aside for the moment, she continued, "I know I would be more than a little upset if my significant other did something like that at a family gathering."

Unable to resist the temptation that Reyes had presented her with, Scully countered with a teasing grin, "Oh? Well, you don't have anything to worry about. I seriously doubt JOHN would ever do something like that." Then remembering how convincing Reyes had been in her flirtations with Charlie, she tauntingly continued with a smirk, "But then again, as you have already seen, Charlie is another matter entirely. I mean, if he'd turn on his own brother, who knows what he's capable of?"

Shooting Scully a look of mild displeasure, Reyes took a deep breath before she bit somewhat tersely, "Dana, you know what I mean. Stop trying to turn the conversation to a subject you know is off limits." Then realizing that she'd come across much more harshly than she'd intended, Reyes cracked a grin and continued, "Besides, this is your family feud not mine." She hoped that last jibe was enough to cover her tracks. Even though she was pretty sure that Scully was unaware of the intense affect her younger brother's attentions had on her, Reyes didn't like being reminded-even accidentally-of her earlier reaction. Guiltily, Reyes turned her eyes toward the floor and pondered what exactly it was that she'd been doing in terms of both Doggett AND Charlie.

Now Scully was perplexed. Reyes' defensive reaction was much different than the gigglish, playful one she had exhibited on all the previous occasions when they'd touched on the issue of her feelings for Doggett. Deciding it was best to give her a wide berth in that arena for the time being, Scully swiftly turned the conversation back to her own reaction to Mulder's scheme. "Look, the way I see it, Mulder has been more than patient with Bill and his obnoxious behavior. I can only imagine how hard it must've been to hold his tongue all that time." Then with a note of sarcasm, she laughingly continued, "Especially since we ALL know how good he is at keeping his mouth shut and his opinions to himself."

Reyes laughed with a snort in response. " True. It's not like Fox Mulder ever was mistaken for the docile or compliant type." Further nodding her agreement as she sipped her beer, Reyes conceded, "I actually forgot what a smart-ass he could be. Now that you mention it, it really must've taken A LOT of self-control for Fox to keep his cool and not say something smart to Bill."

"Well, let's just say that Mulder's put up with it and Bill's had it coming for a very LONG time," Scully nodded, wrinkling her brow and blinking at just how long Mulder had silently endured Bill's barbs. It had been well over seven years since their first encounter. Even then, there was no love lost between Bill and Mulder-a condition that only worsened after she and Mulder became a couple.

"So you aren't going to put a stop the boys' little game?" Reyes wondered aloud with a curious grin. Secretly, she hoped that Scully wouldn't foil Mulder's plans. Not that she had anything against Bill-after all, she had just met the man. However, she was quite interested in see the full team go into action in a controlled setting. After all, the idea of watching them all work together on a covert but frivolous operation was more than a little intriguing and would undoubtedly be quite amusing.

"Oh no. Definitely not!" Scully replied with a laugh, "There isn't enough money in the world to keep me from having a front row seat for this little grudge match. I know it's terrible, but after all he's put Mulder through, I want to see Bill get a big dose of his own medicine." Then, with mild indignation and a slight pout, she smirked and continued, "In fact, the ONLY reason I have to be mad at Mulder is that he didn't include me in the fun."

"Well," Reyes chuckled, glad that the guys' plan-whatever it was-would be allowed to continue, "we could take a little trip to the kitchen and demand to be included in the festivities."

With a smirking grin, Scully considered the possibility for a few moments before slyly responding. "No," she murmured thoughtfully as she nodded her head slightly, "I don't want to let on that I know. I want to see just how Mulder thought he was going to keep me from catching onto his game." Then, with a wicked grin, she continued, "Besides, I want to keep him guessing too and I happen to have some ideas of my own on how to do just that."

Smiling wickedly herself, Reyes took Scully by the arm. Leading her toward the back door so they could 'check the grill' and not be overheard, Reyes laughed, "Really? By all means, DO tell!!"

As Scully and Reyes made their way to the back porch, Bill eyed them with annoyance before turning back to Tara. Shaking his head, he bitterly muttered, "So this is how we get to spend our Saturday afternoon. Ignored on Dana and Foxy-loxy's couch while they entertain their friends and Mom takes care of their kid! SOME family reunion this has turned out to be!"

Sighing, Tara reassuringly patted Bill's knee as she gently reminded him, "Maggie's taking care of our kids too, Sweetie-two out of the three. Besides, Fox and Dana probably haven't seen their FBI friends in a long time. Can you REALLY tell me that you'd behave any differently if you were at a party with the guys from your last ship?"

"That's different," Bill countered defensively, "We all were very tight and I haven't seen those guys in years."

"Well," Tara replied softly, "You know that the same is probably true for Fox. I mean, he used to work with these people on a daily basis AND they saved his life on more than one occasion. Now that he's at home with Will, I doubt that he ever has a chance to get down to DC to see any of them-so he probably wants to spend as much time with them as he can while they're here. Now, tell me, how is that so different from you?"

"It just is," Bill scowled angrily, getting her point and knowing that she was right. Then, after a moment of thought, he was struck with a counterargument. With almost smug triumph, he added with a snort, "Besides, Fox never worked with Charlie. Yet HE's right in there with all the rest of them-thick as thieves!"

Shaking her head with mild frustration, Tara looked at Bill and sighed. "You know Bill, you can't treat Fox the way you do and then expect him to welcome you into his circle of friends like nothing happened. Charlie hasn't done anything to him that even remotely approaches what you've done. Put yourself in his shoes for a second. I KNOW that you wouldn't take that treatment from anyone, why should Fox be any different?"

"Hey, I've kept my promise to Mom today!" Bill scowled defensively, not wanting to admit that she had a valid point. "Whose side are you on anyway?!"

Gently taking his hand as she looked tenderly in his eyes, Tara softly replied, "Yours Sweetie. I'm just trying to get you to see that you have a double standard anytime Fox is involved. That's all."

"Well, I get your point, okay. Can we please just drop it now?!" was his gruff reply as he picked up the TV remote and turned on the television. "Besides, there's a Patriots game on and, since our hosts are so busy entertaining everyone else, I don't see any reason why we should have to miss it." As Bill turned his attention to the television, Tara continued to gaze at him as a knowing smile spread across her face. She knew from his reaction to her words that she'd hit home and actually gotten him to start thinking about the role he' might've played in fueling and perpetuating the family tensions. Granted, he probably wouldn't think about it again today, but at least it was a start. Leaning her head on Bill's shoulder, she settled back to enjoy the game with her husband, hopeful for the first time in a long time that things might actually get better between him and his sister's husband.

"Alright. So we all know what we're supposed to do." Mulder loudly whispered like a football coach in the middle of a huddle. "Gunmen, since you've already gotten to have some fun, you'll run interference if Scully, Mom or the boys come into play."

"Yeah, just so long as I get dibs on interfering with Scully," Frohike throatily purred.

"Jeez Melvin, would you get over it?!" Byers groaned, "She's Mulder's wife now, for Christ's sake!!"

"Yeah well, she's married-not dead," Frohike replied with a smirk. "Besides, I can still dream can't I?

Grinning, Mulder chuckled, "Yeah, Melvin. You can keep on dreaming-just don't do anything to Scully that will make me have to smack you again."

Rubbing the back of his head at the memory, Frohike grimaced and sarcastically replied, "Oh, well after that assault, I wouldn't dream of it." Then smirking, he added, "But if I did, you'd be the last person I'd tell."

Rolling his eyes and shaking his head with a grin, Mulder decided that it would be best just to ignore Frohike's commentary. Returning to the plan, he continued, "Skinman and Doggett, you're up first. You know what to do."

"I still can't believe that I let myself get drafted into this scheme," Skinner chuckled, shaking his head.

"Drafted?!?" Doggett retorted in incredulity, "You sounded more like an eager volunteer than a draftee to me!" Then, as Skinner raised an eyebrow at him, Doggett suddenly recalled that he WAS speaking to his direct supervisor and quickly added, "Sir."

Grinning at this exchange, Mulder chuckled to himself before he went on. "Charlie, you're with me. We'll distract Tara while Doggett and Skinman get their shot."

"Mulder, would you quit calling me that," Skinner growled semi-seriously as he sardonically narrowed his eyes at Mulder. "OR do I have to start calling you Spooky or Dr. Strangelove?"

"Dr Strangelove?!?!" Mulder replied incredulously, raising his eyebrows in surprise. "I never heard THAT one before."

"That one came out about the same time that office pool started about Scully's pregnancy," Doggett explained with a laugh, "which was just before you rejoined us in the land of the living." Then grinning at Mulder, he added with a smirk, "Then, of course, the there was Night of the Living Dead-which is pretty self explanatory."

"Laugh it up, fuzz ball," Mulder retorted with a grin, "At least no one ever called me Dog breath."

"Yeah, despite the fact that you often deserved it," Langley interjected with a grin.

"ANYWAY," Mulder interjected, impatiently trying to end the sudden barrage of jibes directed at him and refocus everyone's attention to the plan. "Like I was saying, Charlie's with me."

"Well, what about Monica?" Charlie asked casually, not wanting to draw too much attention to his interest and ulterior motives as far as she was concerned.

"Huh?" Doggett replied, taking acute notice of Charlie's interest in her and the fact that they were already on a first name basis.

Suddenly aware of Doggett's close attention, Charlie continued nonchalantly, "I mean, who's going to divert her? Somebody has to, right?"

Nodding in agreement, Mulder answered, "Yeah, you're right. Somebody should be keeping track of her too." Then looking to the group, he asked, "Does anyone want to volunteer?"

Recognizing what was happening, Mulder grinned to himself in amusement. Charlie was interested and Doggett was definitely NOT happy about it. Suppressing a laugh, Mulder casually replied, "Well, we only need one of you. So, since John's up first, Charlie will take care of Monica." Then looking directly at Doggett with a smirk, he flippantly added, "That is, unless there are any objections..."

While the others shrugged and shook their heads, Doggett simply groaned and covered his face with his hands. He knew Mulder had him but good and, unless he was willing to admit that he did indeed have feelings for her, there was nothing he could do about it. Meanwhile, Charlie simply beamed-knowing that he would soon have the opportunity to pick up where he and Monica had left off.

"Alright then," Mulder laughed as he addressed the group, "if there are no other questions, let's move out." Then with a mischievous grin he added, "and remember, we take no prisoners!"

Being the first to emerge from the kitchen, Mulder caught sight of Bill and Tara relaxing on the couch in front of the TV. Taking a quick look around the room, he saw that Scully and Maggie weren't around and the coast was clear. Grinning to himself, he quietly slid up behind them. Placing a hand on each of their shoulders, he enthusiastically quipped, "Hey lovebirds! Whatcha watching?"

Startled by the unexpected sound of his voice so close behind them, both of them stiffened and jumped forward slightly. Laughing as she recovered, Tara turned to look at him and smiled, "Oh Fox, you scared us!"

Annoyed that Fox had been able to sneak up on him so easily, Bill had the exact opposite reaction. With a scowl, he gruffed, "We're watching the game cause we had nothing better to do. It's not like you or Dana were being attentive-OW!"

Having just given Bill a hard punch in the arm to shut him up, Tara continued without missing a beat. Batting her eyes at Mulder, she brightly chirped, "You'll have to excuse Bill. He's just a little grumpy today." Then, looking rather pointedly at her husband, she raised an eyebrow and continued, "He hasn't had his afternoon NAP." With deliberate emphasis on the last word, she non-verbally punctuated it by narrowing her eyes at him ever so slightly.

Instantly getting her message, Bill understood immediately that, if he didn't want to spend the night on the couch, he'd better quit while he was ahead and keep his mouth shut. Grudgingly rubbing his arm where she'd punched him, he sullenly added, "Yeah Fox, I haven't been sleeping well and I seriously doubt I'll sleep any better tonight."

Catching the underlying subtext behind their interplay, Mulder was somewhat taken aback. He never figured that overbearing Bill would ever back down from anything-let alone Tara. For a moment, Mulder actually wondered if he'd misjudged him all these years. Then, remembering everything that he and Scully had put up with from him over the past seven or so years, Mulder pushed those doubts aside. Raising his eyebrows, he replied, "Sorry 'bout that, Bill. You can stretch out here on the couch if you think it will help." Then, unable to resist, he added with a grin, "As I recall, it's quite comfortable-at least it was the last time I slept on it about four years ago."

Narrowing his eyes at his brother-in-law, Bill countered in a barely civil tone, "Thanks Fox, but I'm just fine as I am." Despite the fact that Mulder had no way of knowing how many nights he had spent on his and Tara's couch, Bill was just certain that Fox's last comment was meant to rub his nose in the fact that he NEVER had to spend the night on the couch.

Suppressing a smirk as he read Bill's expression, Mulder chuckled, "Well, suit yourself Bill." Then looking directly at Tara, he continued, "Hey Tara, can I bend your ear for a minute? I'd like to ask your advice on planning Will's birthday party. I know it's still a bit early but I know you just had Mathew's party and I thought, since it was fresh in your mind, you might..."

"Oh, of course Fox,' Tara beamed, eager to make up for Bill's past and present behavior, "I'll be happy to help out in any way that I can." Standing from the couch, she walked over to Mulder and took him by the arm. "I have the phone number of a really good clown and tons of other connections. What do you need?"

"Well." Mulder smiled craftily as he led her away from the couch, "we were thinking of something small, only about five or six of his pre-school friends. I've got some information already-it's in my office. Will you look it over and tell me what you think?"

"I knew there was a reason why I liked you so much, Tara," Mulder chimed smoothly as they passed by the kitchen door where the rest of the guys had congregated. Giving a subtle nod to Skinner and Doggett before disappearing with Tara down the hallway, Mulder grinned to himself, knowing that the plan would soon be in full swing behind him.

Recognizing Mulder's covert signal that everything was a go, the team instantly swung into action. As Doggett and Skinner slowly made their way to the couch, Byers and Langley followed a short distance behind Mulder and Tara before disappearing into Will's room to make sure that Maggie and the boys stayed put. Meanwhile, Charlie and Frohike caught sight of Scully and Reyes talking on the back porch and nonchalantly headed out to intercept them before they could come inside.

With everyone in place, Doggett and Skinner silently looked at one another and nodded with a grin. Doggett acted first. Coming around one side of the couch, he noticed enthusiastically, "Oh, the Patriots! They're one of my favorite teams!!" Then looking at Bill, he added, "You don't mind if I join you, do ya Bill?" Without waiting for an answer, Doggett plopped himself down next to Bill.

Immediately uncomfortable, Bill stammered, "Uh...actually, Tara WAS sitting there. She should be back shortly."

"That's okay," Doggett crooned with a knowing grin, "I'll move just as soon as she gets back." Then pretending to turn his attention to the game as he sipped his beer, he continued, "You know Bill, a man can't be all bad if he likes the Patriots. Isn't that right Assistant Director?"

"It sure is, Agent Doggett," Skinner grinned slyly as he came around the other side of the couch to sit on the opposite side of Bill. "Hello again Mr. Scully. I trust things have been going well for you and yours."

Turning an ashen shade of white at the sight of Skinner, Bill quickly tried to recover his cool. Nonchalantly, he sharply quipped, "Well, I haven't had any more run-ins with the law, if that's what you mean. Can the same be said for you? I heard that the Ruby Ridge, Waco, and McVeigh screw ups, along with all of those missed connections about the terrorist attacks, sure caused a lot of heads to roll over at the FBI. Isn't that right? YOU didn't happen to have anything to do with any of that did you?"

Exchanging a glance with Doggett as he raised an eyebrow, Skinner smirked wickedly. This guy really DID deserve getting taken down a peg or two. He knew, without a doubt, that he was going to enjoy this even more than he'd originally thought or than he really should. "Yeah, it's true that there were mistakes," Skinner replied coolly and casually, "but, although I didn't have anything to do with the subsequent investigations, I'm confident that we've been able to fix the problem." Then turning to look Bill directly in the eyes, Skinner tersely continued, "You know Bill, I've been meaning to say something to you for some time now."

With a subtle grin at Bill's reaction, Skinner leaned in close to him-partially for effect but also so that he wouldn't have to try to keep a straight face as Doggett smirked at him from behind their quarry. "Well Bill," he replied with deliberate slowness. "I just thought you should know that I'm really sorry for what happened in the hospital all those years ago."

"What!?!" Bill replied suspiciously in utter disbelief before cautiously turning his eyes back toward the television. This was sure the last thing he'd expected from the jack-booted thug who'd barred him from his own sister's hospital room and nearly gotten him thrown in jail. This little barbeque was really starting to creep him out.

"Yeah," Skinner replied with a smirk as he slowly sipped his beer, "I heard from Dana that you're a military man and it just wasn't right for me to treat a fellow veteran that way. Do you think you could forgive me and let bygones be bygones-for the sake of the Corps?"

"Good!" Skinner replied, jubilantly slapping Bill on the back as if they were the best of buddies, "I knew ANY military man who likes the Patriots would have to be a good man!" Then, glancing over at Doggett, Skinner cued him with a grin.

Seeing that it was now his turn to start in with the mind games, Doggett quickly interjected without missing a beat, "I'm actually relieved to hear you say that and to see that you're such a forgiving man, Bill."

"Yeah," Doggett replied with a grin, being careful to not look at Skinner who was grimacing in the background. He knew only too well that if he did look at him, it would be impossible for both of them to keep from laughing. Looking Bill squarely but sincerely in the eyes, he continued, "I overreacted back there in the kitchen."

"You did?" Bill replied evenly, getting highly suspicious of this sudden deluge of apologies.

With seemingly genuine remorse, Doggett stoically began. "Well Bill, you expressed your legitimate doubts about the validity of the unit I head up and I went off on you. I know that was wrong of me. All I can say in my defense is that I'm just REALLY sensitive about that issue. I mean, you wouldn't believe the teasing I put up with day in and day out from all of the guys down at the Bureau. I'm not ashamed to admit that it hurts me sometimes."

As those last words passed through Doggett's lips, Skinner immediately started "coughing" uncontrollably-nearly spewing his sip of beer across the family room. Recovering quickly, he gasped, "I'm alright! I'm alright!" as he pounded his chest with one fist. "It just went down the wrong pipe, that's all." With that, he turned away and covered his mouth with his hand and continued to "cough" quietly. He knew that was a close one and that he'd have to do a much better job at not laughing the drivel Doggett was spouting if Mulder's little plan was going to succeed.

Trying his best to ignore Skinner so that he wouldn't have a "coughing" fit himself, Doggett intently focused his gaze on Bill's face. "Look, I'm sorry I took my personal insecurities out on you," he continued, managing a convincingly earnest look of shame and genuine regret. "Do you think maybe we could start over from scratch? Whaddaya say Bill-for the sake of the Corps?"

"Um...okay...John," Bill replied suspiciously. Despite what they seemed to think, he wasn't a stupid man and this overly apologetic behavior was just a bit much for him to swallow. Bill knew that these guys wanted SOMETHING-he just didn't know what. "That's okay," he thought smugly to himself, "I'll just play along and wait. They'll get to it sooner or later."

Carefully watching Bill's face, Doggett could see these thoughts flitting through their prey's mind. Turning his attention toward the football game as he sipped his beer, Doggett grinned slyly to himself as he replied, "Thanks Bill. I am so relieved that you aren't going to hold my little temper tantrum against me." Phase one, getting Bill suspicious and off balance, was complete. Now they could move on to the stage two. After a moment or two of watching the game, Doggett nonchalantly continued, "So Bill, I hear you're stationed at Annapolis. How long have you been in the Navy?"

"Fifteen years," he replied with some satisfaction, "I pinned on Captain just this past summer-two full years below the zone." Smirking to himself, Bill knew that if these jokers knew anything about the military, they should immediately be intimidated by this accomplishment.

Grinning as he saw through Bill Scully's pathetic attempt at mind games, Skinner decided to beat him at his own game just for the fun of it. "Oh, so you must've seen some combat-either in the Gulf or Panama maybe?"

"No," Bill replied in surprise and somewhat defensively, "I was stationed on a supply ship at Pearl about that time. We didn't make it to either theater." Then raising an eyebrow at Skinner, he continued rather pointedly, "But at least I served my country and willingly put my life on the line for her-unlike those card-carrying liberal peaceniks who don't think they owe this country a darn thing."

"I know what you mean, Bill," Skinner replied with only the slightest smirk indicating his amusement at how poorly Scully's older brother had judged them. Obviously, Bill thought that neither he nor Doggett had any military service. Deciding to correct that misperception, Skinner grimaced, "when I was in 'Nam I put it all on the line every day for nearly two years and actually woke up in a body bag once." Shaking his head, he continued, "After all that, it sure was hard to come home to all of those protesters who just wanted to spit on me." Then looking at Bill with a "gentle" grin, Skinner patted him on the shoulder and chuckled, "But then I guess you've probably never had to experience that have you?"

"Ah...no," Bill replied slowly, realizing he'd just put his foot in his mouth and suddenly feeling quite inadequate

Smirking at how deftly Skinner had augmented Bill's discomfort, Doggett chuckled before slapping him on the back, "That's okay Bill. I was never spit on either." Then, seizing the opportunity to further twist the knife by bringing up his own combat experience, he continued, "When I got back from Lebanon, there wasn't anywhere near the same level of hostility from the public that the A.D. and other Vietnam vets experienced." Then nonchalantly, Doggett added, "But I did see plenty of combat when I was on that Multi-National Peacekeeping Force. Heck, I actually had to retire because of the wounds I sustained in the line of duty." Then looking at Bill as if he had just realized that he might be rubbing salt in a sore spot, he apologetically continued, "But hey, not everyone can be a combatant. Escorts, transports and supply ships are just as important. I mean without the Navy, Marines like the A.D. and myself would have had no way of getting to where we needed to be."

Immediately recognizing where Doggett was going, Skinner added in a saccharinely assuring tone, "Yeah, supply is just as important to the mission as anything else. Besides, it's hard to be a frontline combatant when you're stuck in the middle of the ocean like you Squids inevitably are." Skinner could instantly see from Bill's reaction that their opening volley had hit the mark.

Bristling slightly at the moniker "Squid" and at what he saw as their not-so-subtle implication that the Navy was nothing but a glorified taxi and shipping service, Bill tersely interjected, "Well, you Jarheads don't have a monopoly on heroism. The Navy had its fair share of heroes-especially in Vietnam."

"You most certainly did," Doggett agreed with a smile, ignoring Bill's use of the somewhat derogatory nickname for Marines in favor of a subtler takedown. Shruggingly he continued, "But almost all of them were fighter jocks. Denton, Alvarez, McCain, Stockdale were all shot down pilots-which, if you think about it, makes them Air Force for all intents and purposes. You have to admit that, anymore, there's not much threat of capture for most Navy jobs."

Impressed that Bill Scully actually did know something about the heroism of his service, Doggett replied, "Ya got me there, Bill. Hedgedahl did save the lives of every one of those unreported POWs when he smuggled out their names and serial numbers after the North Vietnamese government released him. If he hadn't, they all could have been tortured or killed and the US and the world would've been none the wiser. "

At this acknowledgement, Bill beamed with smug pride. The Marines didn't have anyone who even came close to saving the same number of lives that Hedgedahl did.

Nodding in agreement, Skinner replied, "Yeah, he saved a lot of lives." Then with a wicked smirk he added, "And to think that the only reason he was captured and had the opportunity to be such a hero in the first place was because he forgot the most basic rule of Naval service."

Knowing the story full well, Doggett smirked. For the benefit of taking Bill down another couple of pegs, he decided to feign ignorance and innocently asked, "Hmmm. I'm not familiar with that part of the story. What is it?"

Chuckling, Skinner looked at Bill with a grin. "Do you want to tell him or shall I?" In response, Bill just glared at Skinner coolly. He hadn't bargained on the fact that either of these men would be combat veterans who also happened to know military history. He'd assumed that they'd be just as ignorant about it as his worthless brother-in-law was. Boy was he ever mistaken. Shaking his head, for the first time he realized that sitting back and waiting for them to make their move would prove to be much harder than he originally thought.

In response to Bill's cold silence, Skinner chuckled as he patted Bill on the back and continued. "Well Agent Doggett, the rule that Hedgedahl forgot was that you can't stand on the deck of a destroyer when it's firing its guns."

"Oh yeah," Doggett replied as if suddenly remembering, "Because the suction of the blast will pull you right off the deck."

"Exactly," Skinner chuckled, as grinned mirthfully at Bill, "Hedgedahl was a brand new Seamen who thought he could have a front row seat to watch fireworks if he stayed on the deck while his ship bombarded the Vietnam coast. When the suction pulled him overboard, his ship kept going he had no choice but to swim for shore-where a V.C. patrol picked him up almost immediately." Then, as if suddenly realizing that Bill might find the story embarrassing, he deliberately wiped the grin from his face and hesitantly continued, "But there's no question that, after his little screw up, he really was a hero. Memorizing all of that information, faking insanity, and getting sent home for being a lunatic-all so that he could relay that POW information to the Red Cross. He took a serious risk and saved a lot of lives in the process. No one will begrudge the Navy that."

In response, Bill just scowled in stony silence. These guys had hit on several choice sore spots-seemingly without even trying-AND beaten him at his own game. Captain Bill Scully was certainly not used to either happening to him-especially not at family gatherings. Yet, this was the THIRD time it had happened today. Bill could feel it in his gut that something was up but he couldn't figure out what. All he knew was that he didn't like it and wouldn't be able to take much more of it. He earnestly hoped that they would get to whatever it was they were after sooner as opposed to later.

Seeing these emotions flitting across Bill's face, Doggett quickly glanced at Skinner who nodded, signaling his agreement that it was indeed time to move onto the final stage of the plan before their quarry got too spooked. "But enough talk about the horrors of war," Skinner gregariously continued, closing in for the kill, "We actually have a bit of a favor to ask you Bill-that is if it isn't too much to ask."

Perking up, Bill smirked with wicked pleasure. Now it was his turn. Whatever this favor was, he was sure that it would enable him to turn the tables on these pukes and put them in their place once and for all. He would take great delight in stringing them along before refusing them outright. As his lips curled into a sly grin, Bill smugly replied "Sure guys. What is it?"

"Well," Skinner began slowly as his eyes darted around the room, "I was wondering if you could tell us where we could get something."

Lowering his voice to a whisper, Skinner nodded to Doggett as both of them leaned in so that only Bill could hear them. "You know that book you got for Mulder-the one for Navy wives?" he breathed in a barely audible whisper as his eyes darted about the room, making sure no one was in hearing range.

"Yeah," Bill replied as he raised an eyebrow, not understanding where they could be going with this.

"Do you think you could tell us where we could get copies for ourselves?" Doggett whispered as he too looked about the room.

Totally confused by this request, Bill blurted incredulously, "What? For your wives??"

"SSSHHHH!! Do you want someone to hear?!?!" Doggett hissed as he looked frantically about the room. The shocked look on Bill's face was simply priceless-so much so that he was having real difficulty suppressing his urge to laugh. Taking a deep breath, he continued in a whisper, "Look, I'm not married but if I was, I sure wouldn't give that gold mine of recipes and household tips away. I want the copy JUST for myself!!"

Dumbfounded by Doggett's response, Bill could only gape in incredulity. While he'd suspected that Skinner and Doggett wanted something from him, he never dreamed it would be anything as ridiculous as copies of the Naval Wives Handbook. For the life of him, he couldn't figure out why on earth would any self-respecting man want that! After all, that was a women's book!!

"Yeah," Skinner replied as, with difficulty, he stifled the laugh that Doggett's delivery and Bill's expression nearly evoked, "We've seen the wonders that Mulder has done with that book and we would really like to get in on the action." Then, gently elbowing Bill in the ribs with a wry grin and wink, he continued, "Besides, I'll bet it really goes a long way with the chicks too."

In response, Bill just looked at him, wrinkling his brow in disgust, dismay and incredulity.

Doing his best to not react to the look on Bill's face, Skinner excitedly added, "So Bill, old buddy, do you think you could come through for us on this?"

At that moment, the back door opened partially and Scully popped her head inside. Seeing the three men on the couch, she cheerfully called, "Hey guys. The meat's about done. Could you gather up everyone and let them know it's almost time to eat?" Immediately noticing how 'comfortably' Doggett and Skinner were sitting with Bill, it was more than evident from the look on Bill's face that they were hard at work implementing Mulder's plan-whatever that was. Scully could barely suppress a smirk as she wondered just what exactly they had done to her older brother.

Turning on the couch to face her, Doggett tried his best to sound innocent and nonchalant as he replied, "Sure thing Dana. I'll make sure everyone knows that it's chow time." Meanwhile, Skinner quickly averted his eyes and deliberately focused his attention on the football game. He knew better than to try to pull one over on Scully. She always had an uncanny ability to see through him.

Skinner couldn't have been more right on this one. Doggett's innocent routine coupled with Skinner's avoidance of direct eye contact confirmed to Scully that her suspicions were indeed correct. Trying not to laugh at what she knew must be going on, Scully quickly chirped in reply, "Thanks, John!" before disappearing outside again. Shaking her head, Scully resigned herself to the fact that she would have to get the low down on it from Doggett later on after everyone else left.

With Scully and the threat of discovery gone for the moment and suppertime looming ominously on the horizon, Doggett and Skinner both knew it was time to wrap up their part of the operation. Turning his attention back toward Bill, Doggett heartily slapped him on the back as he stood. "Well, thanks buddy! We sure won't forget this!" Then, handing Bill his card, he 'gratefully' continued, "Here's my contact information. Just give me a call when you find out anything on how we can get our own copies of that book-and if you ever need anything, please don't hesitate to ask." Shaking Bill's hand one more time, with a huge grin, he turned and made his way down the hallway to retrieve everyone as well as report their success to Mulder.

"Uh....sure...you're welcome," was the only reply Bill could muster as Doggett walked away.

Not to be outdone, Skinner leaned in to Bill, handed him one of his own cards and whispered, "Now, if you ever need any help from the Bureau, just let me know." With a grin, he continued, "It doesn't hurt to have friends in high places. After all, we veterans have got to stick together, right?"

Enjoying the immense discomfort on Bill's face, Skinner was about to pour it on even thicker to cause him even more confusion when the back door suddenly swung open. "Hot stuff coming through!" Frohike bellowed as he breezed through the doorway. As he held the door open, Reyes and Scully followed closely behind him-each carrying a platter of grilled burgers and brats. Watching the two women pass by in front of him, he added with a sly grin, "Oh, and the burgers and brats are done too!" In response, Scully and Reyes just rolled their eyes and exchanged smirks before shaking their heads at Frohike and his referring to them as 'hot stuff.' "What?" was his surprised reply as he followed behind them and Charlie brought up the rear as they all headed toward the kitchen.

Watching the group disappear into the next room, Skinner smirked at Bill, "Looks like dinner is served," Smiling as he read the perplexed and dumbfounded expression that remained etched across Bill's face, Skinner stood to follow Scully and Reyes. Then, pausing a moment, he turned back toward Bill who remained motionless on the couch. "You coming?" he quipped nonchalantly, doing his best to cover his amusement at Bill's reaction as well as needle him one last time.

"Uh...no," was Bill's stammered reply. "I think I'll just wait here for Tara and the boys."

"Well, suit yourself," Skinner grimaced in amusement as he headed toward the kitchen, "But if you wait to long, it might all be gone. I'll try to make sure there's something left for you."

"You do that," Bill responded acrimoniously as he shook his head in disbelief. He should have known that his brother-in-law's friends would be just as strange as he was. This was definitely going to be a long day.

Meanwhile, on their way to the kitchen, Maggie and the boys ran into Tara and Mulder who were chatting with Doggett in the hallway.

"What's that Slugger?" Mulder laughed with a grin as he scooped Will up in his arms and gave him a bear hug.

"She did?," Mulder chuckled, raising an eyebrow and shooting a wry grin at Maggie and then Langley.

"Ha! I think I would've paid some real money to see that," Doggett grimaced with a laugh.

"Oh, really?" Maggie interrupted with a teasing smirk, "Then what would you call a 12 to 3 score? Trouncing you?"

"Now THERE's an apt description," Byers chuckled, covering his grin with one hand so that Langley wouldn't see just how amused he was by the whole scenario.

"Mathew !! Language!!" Tara interrupted firmly, shaking her head and grinning at Mulder and Maggie. Then, taking both Mathew and Ryan by the hands and leading them into the kitchen, she continued in her 'Mom' voice, "You boys need to mind your language-especially when you're a guest in someone else's home."

"Aw, Mom!" Mathew whined as they disappeared down the hall, "I didn't say anything bad!"

Grinning at Mathew's description, Mulder turned to Maggie and jokingly laughed, "Way to go Grandma Top-Gun!. It's about time someone taught this long-haired, rogue hippie a lesson." Then smirking, he continued, "I'm surprised. Who knew you had it in you?!"

"Humph," Maggie snorted haughtily with a giggle, "and just where did you think Dana got it from, Fox?" With a playful and knowing grin as she followed behind Tara and her boys, she continued, "Her father wasn't the only one who knew a thing or two about winning."

Once Maggie disappeared down the hallway, the guys were left alone. They waited a few moments to make sure that she was out of hearing range before Mulder turned to Doggett as asked with a devious grin, "So, how did it go?"

A few minutes, back in the kitchen, everyone overheard the uproarious laughter coming from the hallway. "What in the world could they be laughing at?" Tara wondered aloud to Maggie and Scully as she filled her plate from the impromptu buffet line set up in the kitchen.

Suppressing a grin, Scully quickly covered for them, "Oh, you know-probably more of that incomprehensible and inane guy stuff." Hiding her intense amusement, Scully grinned to herself devilishly, "Mulder, you really owe me big for this one!" She could hardly wait to collect.

After everyone had gathered in the kitchen and filled their plates, most of them moved into the dining and family rooms to sit and enjoy both the meal and each other's company. However, Reyes and Maggie, having struck up an immediate rapport as they visited in the buffet line, had chosen to take seats at the kitchen table somewhat removed from the rest of the group so that they could chat.

"So," Reyes continued with a chuckle and warm smile, "Dana was always the Tom-boy, huh? I can definitely see that one."

"Yes," Maggie smiled broadly at the memories talking about her children evoked, "Dana was always either playing with her brothers or following her dad around-but Melissa was the exact opposite. I honestly don't know how my two girls turned out to be so different from one another." The thought of Melissa suddenly caused a shadow to briefly cross Maggie's face. Deliberately pushing the pain from her mind, Maggie renewed her smile and changed the subject. "So, which were you, Monica? Tomboy or little lady?"

With a sheepish grin, Reyes replied, "Well, I was always more on the 'feminine' side growing up. Not that I had a choice, mind you. Dad was always of the opinion that a girl should always act like a young lady. I guess that was his staunch Mexican traditionalism and upbringing talking more than anything else."

"Oh? So you're Hispanic?" Maggie nodded with genuine interest, "I've always loved the liveliness and flavor of Latino culture. It's so wonderfully diverse and rich in tradition." Then squinting slightly at Reyes, she continued, "But I wouldn't have guessed you to be Hispanic-although I suppose your last name should've been a give away."

"Oh, but I'm not actually Hispanic," Reyes responded casually, "I was adopted when I was very young." Then with a wry grin, she continued, "Which, I suppose, partially explains why I didn't fit well into the traditional gender roles for young Chicanas. I guess it's fair to say that I rebelled against those cultural expectations early on-running the gamut from smoking to joining the FBI." Shaking her head with a laugh, she chuckled, "Although I don't know who or what my birth parents were, I'm quite sure that they must've had pretty big rebellious streaks of their own because I sure didn't get that trait from either Mom or Dad."

With a laugh, Maggie gently patted Reyes' hand as she replied with a smile, "Don't be too sure of that. You might be surprised at how little children really know about their parents. Why, there are some things about their father and I that our children would be quite scandalized to know."

"What's this Mom?!?" Charlie interjected with definite interest as he pulled out a chair from the table after sneaking up on the two of them. Sitting down, he laughingly continued, "What deep, dark secrets did you and Dad keep from us? Don't tell me that you actually drove faster than the speed limit once!" Narrowing her eyes playfully at her youngest son, Maggie shook her head and smirked before turning to Reyes and laughing, "See what I mean? He has no clue whatsoever."

"Hey now!" Charlie retorted in playful protest, "What kind of mother are you? You're supposed to talk me up to the girl not down!"

Reyes couldn't help but blush slightly at Charlie's reaction-a point that Maggie quickly took notice of. Recognizing her son's obvious interest in her daughter's friend, Maggie smiled knowingly. "Well pardon me," Maggie playfully chuckled with a grin, "I had no idea that she was one of THOSE girls." Then with a wink to Reyes as she put a hand on Charlie's shoulder, she continued, "At least you've gotten the part about meeting the parents out of the way already."

Standing, Maggie grinned down at him and laughed, "Don't worry, I won't keep you two from getting better acquainted." Then turning to Reyes, she extended her hand and smiled warmly, "Monica, it was truly a pleasure to meet you. I hope we can chat again soon."

"Me too Maggie," Reyes grinned back with heartfelt sincerity as she gently shook Maggie's hand, "I'll be sure to have Dana invite you along the next time we meet for lunch."

"I'd really like that," Maggie smiled back at her as she wistfully released her grip. For a moment, she saw just how right Dana was-Monica really WAS a lot like Melissa. Then, noticing Charlie's somewhat impatient look, she was shook from her reverie, grinned at him and then playfully added, "Okay. Okay. I'm going."

Taking her plate, Maggie smiled to herself as she made her way into the family room. With a wry grin, she wondered if Charlie had finally found his "Miss Right." After all, Bill and Dana had already found the blissful happiness in their respective marriages that she herself had enjoyed with their father. It was only natural that she would want the same thing for her youngest boy. Besides, from what Maggie knew of Monica, she seemed like the perfect woman to give him just that. With hopeful anticipation, she deliberately sought out Fox and Dana so that she could get the inside scoop on Charlie's new love interest.

"So, what kind of things did Mom say about me?" Charlie asked playfully as he took a sip of beer. "I trust that no embarrassing childhood stories were told that would completely ruin my chances."

Swallowing her bite of hamburger, Reyes grinned playfully, "Not to burst your bubble, but we actually didn't talk about you." Then with a teasingly wry smirk, she added, "But, now that you mention it, just how many embarrassing stories are there to tell? Since it could affect your chances, I'm actually quite interested to know."

Immediately intrigued by her quick wit and forthright approach, Charlie laughed as he shook his head, "Well, too many to be told in the space of one afternoon. Maybe if you agreed to have dinner with me sometime we could delve into all the sordid depths of my highly embarrassing childhood."

Impressed by his confidence and directness, Reyes cleverly countered with a grin, "I'll tell you what. You pick the most embarrassing one, tell it to me now and we can go from there."

Smiling broadly at her as his eyes sparkled, Charlie laughed, "Okay but it has to be quid pro quo. If I tell you one of my embarrassing childhood stories, you have to tell me one of yours." Then, playfully daring her, he added with a grin as he held out his hand to shake on it, "Do we have a deal?"

Narrowing her eyes at him playfully, Reyes wondered for a moment just what she was getting herself into. Then, impetuously casting her doubts aside, she grinned broadly as she firmly took his hand, "You're on!"

Emerging from the dining room with a sigh, Maggie still hadn't succeeded at finding Fox and Dana. Instead, she'd been sidetracked by the lively conversation between Bill and Tara's boys and the Gunmen concerning her victory over Langley. After taking and giving few good-spirited jabs from the Gunmen, she was finally able to make her way past the group and into the family room. Looking about with her plate in hand, Maggie finally spied Mulder and Scully sitting cross-legged on the floor, enjoying dinner with their son at the coffee table. Immediately heading over to them, she took a seat opposite them on the couch. Grinning like a Cheshire cat, Maggie put her plate on the table as she spoke, "Well Dana, don't look now, but I think your baby brother is completely smitten."

"You mean with Monica?" Scully replied with a knowing grin as she chewed her bite of brisket. Winking teasingly at Mulder, she continued with a chuckle "Yeah, I picked up on that. He was about as low-key as Mulder used to be when he had a new lead on the location of some alien spaceship. "

Playfully elbowing Scully, Mulder smirkingly grinned as he nodded toward Will who was busy playing with his food. "Hey now. Not in front of the kid. We don't want to shatter the illusion that his father is completely sane and rational JUST yet, do we?"

"So true," Scully laughed as she grimaced playfully at her husband. All the while, Will continued with his meal-completely oblivious to his parents' exchange.

Shaking his head and rolling his eyes with a grin, Mulder turned his gaze to Maggie and chuckled, "Yeah, I definitely think you're right Mom. Charlie could barely contain himself when we..." Stopping, Mulder suddenly realized that he was about to give his plan away to the two people who could put a stop to it. Pausing briefly to recover, Mulder nonchalantly nodded to Scully and picked up where he'd left off, "Ah...we suggested that he join you two out on the back porch." Genuinely amused by how besotted his brother-in-law seemed to be, Mulder added, "He sure couldn't get out there fast enough. He shot out of the kitchen so quickly, you'd have thought the house was on fire."

Chuckling at the account of Charlie's giddy behavior, Maggie made every effort to seem casual as she asked, "So, do you think Monica would be interested at all? I mean, I think they'd make a very cute couple."

Glancing over at Mulder with a wry grin, Scully looked at Maggie with a smirk and playfully chided, "Hmmmm, where have I heard that before?"

Smiling broadly, Maggie countered playfully, "Hey! I'm two for two!" Then, noticing Mulder's quizzical expression, she explained, "I'm the one who first introduced Bill and Tara. She was the daughter of one of the other ladies from the Officer's Wives Club. Long before they ever hooked up, I always said that the two of them would make a very cute couple."

Shaking her head with a crooked smile, Scully interjected, "Yeah, but what she isn't telling you is that she started saying the exact same thing about us while I was still in the hospital after being abducted by Duane Barry."

Grinning broadly, Mulder responded with a smirk, "I see. Quite the little matchmaker, eh Mom?" Then sliding an arm around Scully, he turned to her and teasingly chuckled, "Hmmm, and all this time we thought it was OUR idea. Who knew we were just helpless pawns in Mom's grand scheme?"

"I just want my kids to be happy," Maggie grinned in reply as she took a bite of her sandwich, "I can't help it if I have a good instinct for these things." Then, swallowing hard, she continued, "So, what do you think? Would Monica be interested? I mean, she's not taken already is she?"

Looking at each other with a smirking grin, Mulder and Scully both laughed before Scully replied, "Well Mom, it depends on what you mean by taken already."

Meanwhile, Doggett and Skinner were still covertly laughing about Bill's earlier reactions to them as they made their way to the kitchen to refill their plates. "I can hardly wait to see what Mulder does him," Doggett chuckled as they rounded the corner into the kitchen, "After that, Bill REALLY won't know what hit him." Grinning with amusement, Doggett was quite pleased with how their part of the plan had turned out. He was actually looking forward to seeing Bill learn firsthand what it was like to be on the receiving end for a change. However, as those last words escaped his lips, Doggett suddenly caught sight of Reyes and Charlie cozily sitting at the kitchen table and laughing at some joke they were sharing. Oblivious to the new arrivals, Reyes unconsciously laid a hand on Charlie's arm as they continued to laugh. He, in turn, covered her hand with his own and grinned at her warmly. Smiling up at him coquettishly, she coyly lowered her eyes with a giggle. At the sight, Doggett could feel the blood drain from his face.

Meanwhile, not having seen the giddy pair or noticed Doggett's reaction to them, Skinner laughed with a smirk, "Yeah. With any luck it will do more damage than a Mach truck!" Grinning over to Doggett, Skinner was surprised at what he saw. Doggett had inexplicably stopped in his tracks and his suddenly ashen face stared straight ahead with a stricken expression. Following Doggett's gaze to Reyes and Charlie, who were still too engrossed in their conversation to notice them, Skinner immediately recognized the familiar symptoms. Rolling his eyes, he muttered to himself, "Oh brother. Not again." Then shaking his head, he smirked wickedly before turning to Doggett and smoothly crooning, "Something wrong Agent Doggett? You look just like you've lost your best friend."

Suddenly aware of how closely Skinner was looking at him, Doggett desperately tried to cover his sudden and inexplicable flare of jealousy as he quickly stammered, "Uh, no sir...I mean yes sir. I...uh...just realized that I...uh...think I may've...accidentally

...left the stove on this morning when I made my breakfast." Recovering a modicum of composure, he deliberately looked Skinner in the eyes as he continued with forced casualness, "Seeing Mulder's kitchen suddenly reminded me of it." With a stilted attempt at humor, he limpingly added, "Hopefully, I won't return home to find my house burned down."

"Well, if you need to go Agent Doggett," Skinner grinned, baiting Doggett with a mirthful glint in his eye, "I'm sure Agent Reyes will be able to catch a ride home with someone."

"Oh, no sir!" Doggett replied too quickly. Then with deliberate effort to project a calm demeanor, he causally continued, "I mean, I'm sure that any damage is already done and there's nothing I can do about it now." Although he strode to cover his emotions from Skinner, for the first time, Doggett couldn't hide them from himself. As if struck by lightning, Doggett was acutely aware that the LAST thing he wanted was for his partner to get a lift from anyone else-ESPECIALLY Charlie Scully. His mouth suddenly dry, he strode over to the cooler to retrieve another beer. What had gotten into him? This was Monica Reyes-a woman he'd known and worked with for years-he was thinking about. Yes, he cared about her and was very protective of her-but jealous about her? And THIS jealous!? Doggett felt a terrible sinking feeling and was suddenly very uncomfortable at the whole situation. He knew full well that Bureau policy strictly prohibited any such relationship between partners and-despite what Mulder and Scully seemed to think-he and Reyes were no exception. For one of the first times in his life, Doggett was at a complete loss as to what he should do.

Smirking at the gamut of emotions that had flitted across Doggett's face, Skinner shook his head and knowingly replied, "Well, I certainly hope your homeowner's insurance is paid up."

"Huh?" was Doggett's confused reply as he was snapped back to reality and his eyes were helplessly drawn back to Reyes and her new companion.

"In case your house caught fire?" Skinner grinned as he suppressed a chuckle. It didn't take a rocket scientist to see that Doggett had it bad for Reyes-even though he himself hadn't quite realized it until just then. Confronted with this, Skinner mused to himself that it actually was a good thing this wasn't happening in the office. If it did, he would probably have to take some kind of official action to either nip it in the bud or separate them. However, since this was taking place during everyone's free time, he was technically under no such obligation. Besides, it wasn't as if Doggett had declared his undying love for Reyes in some explosive emotional outburst. Smirking to himself as he sipped his own beer, Skinner knew that he could honestly say that all that he saw was a reaction that was 'open to interpretation.' After all, this wasn't the first time he had looked the other way when it became obvious that more than friendship was developing between two agents under his supervision. He just hoped that, for their sake, they could keep it discreet and not let it interfere with the work. He also hoped, for John's sake, that Doggett's opportunity with Reyes hadn't already slipped through his fingers.

Dimly aware of Skinner's words, Doggett murmured distractedly in response, "Oh yeah. I'm sure it is." He was still very much disconcerted by his reaction to seeing Charlie and Reyes engrossed in what seemed like an intimate conversation. For some inexplicable reason, he just couldn't shake the sudden possessive and territorial impulses that were coursing through him at the moment.

Watching Doggett kneeling stonily over the cooler, Skinner shook his head with a grin as he turned and headed toward the buffet with a chuckle, "Well, I don't know about you, but I came in here to get more brisket." Then laughing over his shoulder, he continued with a smirk "But do feel free to hang out at the cooler if you want."

Blinking as Skinner's parting remark stirred him from his thoughts, Doggett suddenly realized that he'd been staring blankly at the open cooler for who knew how long. Standing, Doggett resolved that he was not going to let this sudden surge of jealousy get the better of him. After all, ever since the truth about Mulder and Scully's relationship became public knowledge, he'd always been acutely aware of the careful scrutiny that he and Reyes were under. He knew only too well that they could never become romantically involved and remain partners at the same time-especially while preserving their professional reputations. Naturally, the idea HAD crossed his mind from time to time. After all, she had such an engaging way about her and was quite a beautiful woman-anyone with eyes could see that much. However, he never allowed himself to give it more than a passing thought. He'd always dismissed the idea immediately, sensing intuitively that it would be more than a little dangerous to dwell on the issue. Besides, the more he thought about it, the more he convinced himself that this was just a one time overreaction brought on by the surprise of seeing Monica's more flirtatious side. After all, he'd always been aware of her past with A.D. Follmer and it had never bothered him to see them together. Why should this be any different? "Then again," he thought nervously, "Monica's never expressed any romantic interest in the A.D. either." Pushing that last thought from his mind, Doggett told himself that Reyes was a grown woman who made her own decisions for her own reasons. If she wanted to spend her time with Charlie, that was her business and hers alone-certainly not his. Taking a deep breath, Doggett resolved that he would get a handle on these ridiculous feelings once and for all.

Steeling his resolve, Doggett marched himself over to the table where Charlie and Reyes were talking and, what looked like, holding hands. "Well, you two seem to be hitting it off nicely," Doggett boomed with an overly broad grin that he hoped didn't seem too forced, "I guess I don't need to make any introductions here."

"John!" Reyes jumped as she quickly but unconsciously pulled her hand from under Charlie's, "I didn't see you come in." Her face flushing slightly with mild embarrassment and extreme guilt, she stammered with downcast eyes, "Ah, you startled me."

"Hey, John." Charlie chimed simultaneously. Then, with a sidelong grin at Reyes, he winked at Doggett as he continued, "I was just trying to persuade the lovely Agent Reyes to go out with me."

"Really," Doggett replied evenly as his mouth pursed into a thin straight line. Nodding in an attempt to seem casual and supportive, he looked directly at Reyes and somewhat tersely bit, "What's the problem Monica? Charlie's seems like a nice enough guy to me." Yet, all the while, the bitter bile of jealousy welled up even higher inside him and Doggett was finding it very difficult to mask what he was feeling. With a clenched grin and distant eyes, he coolly added, "Why not give him a chance?"

Until that point, Reyes had been unable to meet Doggett's gaze-beset with both guilt and shame at her own disloyalty. Yet, his words deeply stung her as she angrily snapped her eyes up to meet his. It was on the tip of her tongue to sharply bite back at him with an acceptance of Charlie's invitation. But, at that very moment, she saw something behind Doggett's eyes that gave her pause. Suddenly confused, Reyes quickly darted her eyes toward the floor. Taking a deep breath, she paused a moment before looking brightly at Doggett and quipping with a grin as she playfully swatted his arm, "Hey, no fair ganging up on me!"

With an unexpected sense of relief, Doggett grinned back at her. "What? You resorting to violence now, Monica?" he laughingly replied, "Why I oughta charge you with abuse! See if I ever take you anywhere again!!"

Having listened attentively to their entire exchange, Charlie's eyes widened suddenly at the last words that Doggett uttered. "You guys came here together?!?" he asked incredulously, his heart sinking in disappointment. Then turning to Doggett, he stammered apologetically, "Man, I'm sorry. I didn't mean to move in on your date. I...I didn't know."

Realizing that Charlie had completely misunderstood their playful banter, Doggett and Reyes exchanged smirking glances. Unbeknownst to the other, each toyed with the idea of leaving Charlie's misperception uncorrected. However, fate had already made the decision for both them.

"Did I just hear you say that the two of you are going out on a date?" Skinner asked somewhat authoritatively as he came up behind Doggett with his plate of brisket. "I'm sure you are both aware of the Bureau's policy concerning fraternization between male/female partners."

Exchanging quick but worried glances, Doggett quickly responded, "No sir!" while Reyes blurted "Yes sir!" Now exchanging exasperated glances, they quickly realized that Doggett was answering Skinner's first question while Reyes was responding to his second.

"Excuse me?" Skinner replied, narrowing his eyes in confusion at their seemingly contradictory answers.

Taking a deep breath, Doggett began, "Look, sir. Charlie here just misunderstood that..."

"I see," Skinner nodded stoically. For his part, he'd known all along that the two of them really WERE just carpooling, but he could tell from their playful banter that they were getting dangerously close to flirtation-which was something that he wasn't going to let them do-at least not in front of him. Still, he DID need to come across like he would come down on them hard if he got even the slightest hint of an infraction

"But we are also BOTH aware of Bureau policy in that area as well, sir." Reyes nodded emphatically.

"Glad to hear that Agents," Skinner replied, suppressing a smirk, "because I'd hate to have to separate you. You're one of the best teams I have and I'd hate to lose it." With that closing remark, he turned and walked from the kitchen as a wry grin spread across his face.

"Jeez guys," Charlie chuckled, "I'm sorry that I almost got you in trouble." Then looking at Reyes with a gleam in his eye, he added, "I sure am glad that we cleared all of that up."

Smiling back at Charlie, Reyes shot a quick wink to Doggett as she replied, "Me too."

Amazed at how relieved he felt, Doggett chuckled as he headed toward the buffet, "Well, I'd better refill my plate and get back to the party before the Skinman gets too suspicious again."

"Yeah John, and thanks for the good word!" Charlie added, somewhat blind to the subtext of their banter.

"You betcha," Doggett waved over his shoulder without looking back. Inexplicably, every ounce of jealousy he'd been feeling had completely disappeared. Not one to look a gift horse in the mouth, he didn't question it as he went about the business of filling his plate while confidently leaving Charlie and Reyes to their own devices.

Meanwhile, back in the family room, Scully, Maggie and Mulder leisurely continued their conversation as they finished their meal. Moments earlier, Will had finished his dinner and been excused to go with his cousins and Langley to continue their Space Cowboys tournament back in Will's room. Now, as the three of them relaxed around the coffee table, Maggie nodded thoughtfully, "So, you can't say for sure about the nature of Monica's relationship with her partner-except that they are close friends."

"Right," Scully nodded toward Mulder with a grin, "but remember that Mulder and I started out the exact same way. So don't get your hopes up too high."

"Don't worry Dana," Maggie countered with a grin, "I'm not getting any ideas." Then wryly narrowing her eyes at Scully she continued, "Besides, you know perfectly well that I don't interfere with my children's love lives. Your father and I never once voiced an opinion on any matter where your boyfriends were concerned."

Laughing with a snort, Scully replied, "You didn't have to Mom. You and Dad were never very good at hiding how you felt." Remembering with a slight shudder the decidedly cool and lackluster reception they'd given Jack Willis the one and ONLY time they'd met him, Scully silently thanked her lucky stars that she'd at least had the good sense to not tell her parents about her relationship with Daniel Waterston. Then, looking at Mulder with a wry grin, she teasingly continued, "Especially when it came to a certain former partner who will remain nameless."

"What's this?" Mulder interjected with definite interest. Then, with playful suspiciousness, he turned to Maggie and chided, "Mom, don't tell me that you didn't approve of me."

Shaking her head with a chuckle, Maggie replied assuringly, "Oh Fox, you know that I liked you from day one." Then narrowing her eyes at her daughter with a smirk, she continued, "I really have absolutely no idea what Dana could be referring to. After all, I only made the occasional... observation...from time to time."

"Oh, is THAT what you're calling it?" Scully laughed in incredulity. "I seem to recall more than one occasion where you heavily implied that there should be more than a professional relationship between the two of us."

Smiling knowingly, Maggie countered, "Ah! Well THAT'S where the problem lies, Dana. You misunderstood what I was saying."

Grinning at both of them, Maggie knowingly beamed, "Simple. I wasn't implying that there SHOULD be more than a professional relationship between you. I was observing that there already WAS more than a professional relationship-despite what you kept telling me and yourself."

Scully could only gape at her in response as Mulder grinned broadly at Maggie's revelation. Wrinkling her brow in confusion, Scully stammered, "But Mom...you started making your 'observations' right after I got out of the hospital in '94."

"But I...I mean we..." Scully sputtered as she looked quizzically at Mulder who raised his eyebrows and grinned at her like a Cheshire cat with a victorious gleam in his eyes.

"Ah-ha," Mulder smirked playfully as he gently elbowed his wife, "I always suspected that you had a wild crush on me. Was it my single-minded obsessions or my expansive video collection that first caught your attention?"

In response, Scully, playfully narrowed her eyes and stuck her tongue out at him before turning her eyes toward the floor as a sudden blush spread rapidly across her cheeks.

"Look," Maggie gently replied as she amusedly watched the teasing interplay between her daughter and son-in-law, "It's really quite simple." Suppressing a laugh, she continued, "From just watching you, anyone could see how much you both meant to one another-even then." Then looking directly at Mulder, she decided what was good for the goose was good for the gander as she chuckled, "Take your behavior, for example, Fox. I could tell just by looking at you that you felt much more than a professional loss when Dana was abducted and we feared the worst-especially after she'd been returned and we made the decision to discontinue life support. Why, even Melissa said that she thought you were in love with Dana but just wouldn't admit it to yourself." Smiling gently at the look of utter amazement that spread across Mulder's face, Maggie softly patted his hand as she went on, "Then, the night you came to my house looking for Dana after she'd been brainwashed from watching those video tapes, I knew from the moment you selflessly stared down the barrel of her gun that she was much more to you than a simple partner. Seeing you with her at the hospital the following autumn and spring only confirmed it."

Now it was Mulder's turn to blush as he cast his eyes toward the table and paused before sheepishly replying, "Jeez, Mom. I never knew I was such an open book."

"Hmm," Scully grinned in triumphant delight as the tables were suddenly turned. Gently nudging Mulder with her elbow before sliding her arm around his shoulders, she playfully teased, "So, it was much earlier than I'd thought-no wonder you've been holding back that bit of information."

"Don't look so smug Dana," Maggie teasingly corrected with a laugh, "You were even more of an open book than he was."

"Oh really?" Mulder brightened with intense interest as he slid an arm around Scully's waist and gave her a wry grin and gentle squeeze before turning his full attention to Maggie, "By all means, go on."

Smiling at them both, Maggie noticed that the people in the dining room had finished eating and were migrating into the family room. Diplomatically she chuckled, "Let's just say that, when you disappeared in the New Mexico desert, it was pretty clear to both Melissa and I that Dana had much deeper feelings for you than she was willing to admit." Then standing from the table, she laughed, "But enough of that. Now that everyone seems to be finished eating, I'd better get going on the clean up." Quickly heading toward the dining room, Maggie smiled to herself, confident that Fox and Dana would be too taken aback by her observations to even think of objecting to her doing the clean up.

"Hey!" Mulder stammered, completely taken in by her strategy and understandably disappointed that Maggie didn't provide the details about Scully's reactions like she did with his, "THAT'S all I get?!?"

Scully, however, recognizing her mother's diversionary tactic almost immediately, wasn't about to be taken in by it. "Oh no you don't," she countered as she and Mulder rose to their feet and followed behind Maggie who had already begun picking up empty cans and discarded paper plates on her way to the kitchen, "Don't think that your little ploy is going to make us let you do the clean up."

Pretending not to hear her daughter, Maggie grinned as she continued gathering up the meal remnants from the dining room before heading into the kitchen.

Desperately trying to persuade her mother to leave things be, Scully sighed as she and Mulder trailed behind her into the kitchen, "Please Mom-just leave that alone. We'll get it later-after everyone leaves."

"Now, I told you guys I would help out." Maggie replied, shaking her head and disregarding her daughter's wishes as she stowed her haul into the garbage and immediately grabbed the tray of leftover brisket. Taking a plastic storage container from the cabinet, she scooped the remaining brisket into it as she cheerfully continued "and that's exactly what I'm going to do."

"Yeah, but helping out and doing all the cleanup are two different things," Mulder countered as he took the plate of brisket away from her and handed it to Scully. Then, with a wry grin he added, "Besides, we have a conversation to finish. Not to mention the fact that you're making me look bad-like I can't handle clean up detail!" as he proceeded to relieve Maggie of the storage containers

Unable to resist the obvious opening Mulder had given her, Scully chided him with a grin and a nudge as she returned the brisket to the counter, "Well, you can't can you? I saw how you lived in that mess you called an apartment."

"Ha-ha," Mulder countered with a wry smirk as he put the storage containers on the counter, turned and wrapped his arms around Scully's waist, "Just keep it up G-woman. You'll get yours soon enough-especially after I finish talking with Mom." Then, nodding toward Maggie who had taken the opportunity to elude them and head into the dining room to continue with her clean up efforts, he chuckled, "Who, by the way, has made good her escape."

"Humph," Scully snorted with a grin as she smoothly extricated herself from Mulder's embrace and darted quickly after her mom. Turning back briefly with a quick wink, she quipped, "To be continued later," before disappearing around the corner.

"Promises, promises," Mulder laughed as he charged after Scully into the dining room and grabbed her from behind. As he tickled her, she squealed and jumped forward-nearly colliding head-on with Maggie.

"Now children," Maggie jokingly scolded them with the same tone she normally reserved for her grandchildren as she cleared the table, "Behave yourselves." Then with a smirk she added teasingly, "or do I have to separate you two?"

"No Mom," Mulder and Scully replied with feigned pouts as they playfully wrapped their arms around each other. Then, with the realization that there was no talking Maggie out of cleaning up, Mulder broke his and Scully's embrace and moved to take the plates from Maggie's hands. With a wry grin, he chuckled, "Well, if you're going to insist on doing this now, at least let us help you."

"Yeah, it's about time you finally did something rather than leaving all the work to Mom," came Bill's sarcastic voice from the other side of the room. Leaning against the door jam between the dining and family rooms, Bill slowly sipped his beer as he eyed Mulder with an almost malicious glint in his eyes.

At the sound of Bill's voice, Mulder just smirked with a crooked grin as he tossed the paper plates he'd taken from Maggie into the garbage. Shaking his head in amusement, Mulder actually couldn't believe his ears. Bill's attempt to needle him was incredibly pathetic -even for him. Truth be told, Mulder had been so swept up in Maggie's revelations about his and Scully's relationship that he'd actually forgotten all about Bill and the plans he'd made to give him a dose of his own medicine. Now, although they'd refocused him on the task at hand, Bill's words didn't bother Mulder in the least. In fact, they only demonstrated that it really was finally time for him to put an end to Bill's little jibes once and for all. With difficulty, Mulder fought back his grin as he turned an eye over to Bill who continued to lean against the door jam with a smug look of triumph on his face.

In contrast to Mulder, neither Scully nor Maggie were amused in the least by Bill's commentary. Both women turned to glare at Bill furiously and, if looks could kill, he would have died instantly. "And just what is THAT supposed to mean, Bill?!?!" Scully bit as she narrowed her eyes and scowled at her older brother with more than a hint of hostility that she was unable to conceal.

"Jeez Dana," Bill countered with a laugh, nonchalantly brushing her anger off with a shrug and wave of his hand, "I was just kidding. Lighten up. There's no need to be so defensive about it." Then with a smirk he added, "That is unless you two can't take a joke."

"It wasn't much of a joke," Maggie countered sourly as she looked at her oldest son with thinly veiled anger, "and if you ask me it sounded a lot closer to a promise being broken than anything else."

"Oh Mom," Bill snorted as he smirked with a chuckle, "Fox knows I was just teasing him-don't cha Fox?" As those last words escaped his lips, he looked directly at Mulder with a malevolent gleam in his eyes that dared Mulder to contradict him.

In response, Mulder wrinkled his forehead ever so slightly. NOW he WAS starting to get upset-not at how Bill was treating him but rather at how his behavior affected Maggie and Scully. Pushing his rising anger down, Mulder refocused his attention on the plan. With a deliberately good-humored demeanor and sparkling grin of his own, Mulder sauntered over to Bill as he laughingly replied, "Yeah, we all know what a great joker you are Bill." Putting an arm around his brother-in-law's shoulders to give him a not-so-gentle brotherly squeeze, he looked Bill up and down as he flippantly added with a chuckle, "Just look at how you dress when you're in civvies." Then pulling back and giving Bill another once over, he laughed, "Man, are you TRYING to prove that what they say about military uniforms is true?"

"What's that?" Bill replied with a smirk as he raised one eyebrow-unsure of exactly where Mulder was going with this.

"That they're Garanimals for men who don't know how to dress themselves," Mulder laughed as he gave Bill a broad smile and a couple of hearty slaps on the back.

Immediately recognizing Mulder's reference to a distinctive brand of children's wear designed to help kids learn how to match their own clothes by using the same animal-shaped insert tags for coordinating pieces, neither Maggie or Scully could suppress a short giggle. Both of them knew just how much Bill hated being the brunt of even the best-humored joke and couldn't help but be highly amused by the fact that Mulder had nailed him so perfectly-especially given that Tara usually had to pick out clothes for him to wear to civilian functions. Quickly recovering their composure, the two women exchanged quick glances before each slid a hand over her face to cover the smirk that was spreading across it.

With the shoe suddenly on the other foot, Bill could only tensely grimace at Mulder with a forced smile. Any reaction other than that would immediately tip off his mother and sister that his threadbare claim of merely joking about Maggie doing all the work was simply an excuse to needle and provoke his sister's husband. With a thin smile, Bill narrowed his eyes at Mulder and, with a brittle chuckle, replied, "Good one Fox, but you still haven't explained why you've been working Mom like a pack-horse. Jeez, I never realized that being a housewife was so beyond your capabilities." Putting a hand on Mulder's shoulder with an truly wicked grin, he added," -but then again, who could blame you? I mean, chasing after little green men all of your adult life just doesn't prepare you very well for taking on the REAL responsibilities of life like you'd think it would does it?"

Gasping simultaneously, both Scully and Maggie were dumbstruck by the audacity of Bill's last remark. However, before either of them could give voice to the vitriolic thoughts that coursed through their minds, Mulder quickly intervened. Bill's acerbic words had only fueled his resolve to see his plan through and end Bill's games once and for all. With a joviality that shocked both Maggie and Scully alike, Mulder brightly quipped, "Well Bill, you've got me dead to rights. I guess I HAVE been relying too heavily on Mom and letting her do too much-in large part because I've been so unprepared for the responsibilities of running a household."

Momentarily stunned into silence by his words, all three of them could only stare at Mulder in complete incredulity.

"Fox..." Maggie began in protest, her brow furrowed at how unjustly Bill was treating him. She knew full well that Bill had no idea what he was talking about and fully intended to set him straight on the subject before telling him that it was time to leave.

"No Mom, it's all right," Mulder interrupted smoothly, with an assuring smile as he moved to gently pat her on the shoulder. Although seeing the stricken and distraught look on Maggie's face made it all the more difficult for him to maintain his calm demeanor, he knew that, if he didn't want things to escalate out of control, he needed to maintain the facade of good-natured teasing and stick to the plan. Taking a deep breath, he confidently continued with a gentle smile, "I'm man enough to admit when I'm wrong. You really HAVE been doing more than your fair share today."

"Mulder..." Scully, finally finding her voice, interjected. She fully intended to point out that, before they ever decided to combine the barbeque with the family reunion, the three of them had unanimously agreed that Maggie would be as equally responsible for the party as they were. In truth, Scully knew that she herself was the only person who hadn't done her fair share of the work and it was on the tip of her tongue to correct her brother by saying so.

"Now Scully," Mulder interrupted again, "I know what you're going to say. But Bill does have a valid point."

"Well, I think Bill can speak for himself." Mulder smiled as he gestured toward his brother-in-law who could only gape in amazement at Mulder's non-reaction to the barb he had thrown. "Can't you Bill?"

Suddenly in the hot seat and not quite recovered from Mulder's unexpected reaction, Bill coughed and fidgeted uncomfortably before slowly stammering, "Um...I was just...uh...kidding...Fox."

With a broad smile that completely masked his uncharitable intentions, Mulder strode back over to Bill and wrapped an arm around his shoulders. Walking him into the family room, Mulder chuckled, "Oh come on Bill! You're just being modest now!"

Perplexed, Maggie and Scully could only look at each other in confusion before following close behind the unlikely pair. As the group entered the family room, Byers and Frohike took immediate notice and nudged Doggett and Skinner to make sure that they were aware that the final trap was about to be sprung. Meanwhile, from his vantage point on the couch where he chatted with Reyes and Tara, Charlie could readily see that Bill was finally in for his just desserts. Rubbing his hands in anticipation, he kept an eye on Mulder and Bill as they made their way across the room.

"I really don't know what you're talking about Fox," Bill limpingly stammered as Mulder deftly steered him over to the mantle.

"Now Bill," Mulder crooned gently, "you're among family and friends. There's no need to try to keep your intentions secret anymore."

Clearing his throat, Bill looked hesitantly around the room at the familiar faces turned toward him as he sputtered, "I...I don't know what you mean." Surely Dana's husband wasn't going to call him on the carpet and cause a scene-especially not in front of everyone like this. Even Fox Mulder wasn't THAT crazy.

Immediately seeing the alarm cross Bill Scully's face, Mulder smiled almost menacingly at him as he gently put a hand on his shoulder and smoothly crooned in a voice that was noticeably louder than normal, "Now, don't be shy Bill. You can tell everyone what you've been up to-it's not a secret anymore."

Unconsciously, a look of sheer horror spread across Bill's face as he looked into Mulder's darkly glittering eyes. For a moment, Bill was truly afraid-afraid of what Mulder was going to say and afraid of what Maggie, Dana and Tara would do once they heard Mulder's words. Then, deliberately reigning in his panic-stricken thoughts, Bill silently assured himself that he had nothing to worry about. If it was a fight that Fox wanted, that's what he would get. Besides, if he tried to say that Bill was deliberately trying to antagonize him, all he had to was play it cool. He'd simply say that he'd only been joking and, playing off Mulder's past paranoia, that his brother-in-law really needed to not take things so seriously. Essentially, the way he saw it, if Mulder actually called him on the game he'd been playing, it would only make him look like a stark-raving lunatic. Then, everyone would see Fox Mulder for what Bill always knew he was. Bill harbored no doubts about his ultimate success. After his numerous victories over the past seven years, Bill was fully certain that Dana's nutcase husband could never be a match for him. Smugly confident in this, with just a hint of gloat in his voice Bill smirkingly replied, "And what's that Fox?"

Reading his brother-in-law's face, Mulder could barely contain a laugh as he grinned widely. The plan was working perfectly. Bill was feeling smug but slightly defensive-the perfect combination of emotions needed for the next step to go off without a hitch.

Having stopped in front of the fireplace, Mulder reached up and, with slow deliberation, pulled the "Naval Wives Handbook" from where it lay on the mantle. Holding it in both hands, he made a point of looking at it then at Bill and then back at it before allowing a sly grin to spread across his face. Eyeing Bill with a diabolical gleam in his eyes, Mulder purposefully paused a few moments just to ensure that Bill saw what he held in his hands.

The moment that Bill glimpsed the book, a second wave of panic coursed through his veins as everyone's attention focused on the two of them. He just couldn't believe that Mulder was really going to do this in front of all of his guests like this-especially since it was a private family matter. With that sudden realization of what Mulder was about to do, all of Bill's previous confidence and bravado suddenly deserted him, leaving him feeling vulnerable and afraid. Taking a deep breath as he did his best to put on a brave front, Bill stammered, "Now Fox...you know..."

Smiling broadly at him, Mulder laughingly but pointedly interrupted, "Yes Bill, I DO know." Then breaking from his brother-in-law's gaze to pace leisurely in front of the fireplace like an actor performing onstage for his audience, Mulder chuckled as he continued, "You'd like for us all to think that this little birthday present was just a good-natured joke on your part." Handing the book to Reyes so that she could peruse it and pass it along, Mulder confidently laughed as he went on, "But you don't really expect us to buy that, do you Bill?"

"I...uh..." was all Bill could must in response as his eyes darted quickly about the room.

Meanwhile, Reyes smirked to herself as she thumbed through the pages before handing the book to Charlie. Although she wasn't in on the plan, she had a pretty good idea where Mulder was going with all of this and she was more than a little amused by it. Glancing over at Charlie with a knowing grin, she pointedly raised an eyebrow at him. Charlie winked at her in response, acknowledging that he was indeed in on it. Then, without even bothering to look at it, he quickly handed the book over to Tara, who simply covered her face with one hand. She was just certain that Bill must've said something to Fox that finally broke the last straw. Undoubtedly Fox would blast him with both barrels and Tara knew better than anyone that Bill really had it coming.

Standing behind the couch, Byers leaned in close to Frohike's ear and quietly whispered, "Should we go get Langley? I know he wouldn't want to miss this."

"No can do macho man," was Frohike's smirking reply, "he's back with the kids-and Mulder doesn't want them around for this. Just let him stay put."

"Fine with me," Byers shrugged with a grin as he turned to watch the festivities, "I'm just glad I'm not the one who has to miss everything for once."

Back in front of the fireplace, Bill's nervously darting eyes finally settled on Maggie who looked like she was about to witness a train wreck. Finding his voice, Bill quickly but hopefully stammered, "Mom..."

"Don't look at me, Bill," came her gentle but firm reply, "We never discussed what you were up to."

Turning his gaze toward Scully, Bill knew immediately from the look in her eyes that she wasn't about to throw him a lifeline. Suddenly feeling very alone, Bill could only look back at Mulder with pure hatred that was impossible for him to mask.

Reading the simmering anger in his brother-in-law's face, Mulder smiled broadly as he gently crooned, "C'mon now Bill. We all know the truth. So, why don't you just fess up." Then with a smirk, he added," -or do I have to be the one to tell everyone what you've been up to?"

"Well Fox, since you seem to think that you have all the answers," Bill bit angrily, preparing himself for the fight that he believed was imminent, "why don't you just go ahead? I'm sure we'd all like to hear what you THINK I've been up to."

"Thanks Bill. Don't mind if do," Mulder grinned widely as he turned with the book in his hand to address his guests. Looking directly at Maggie and Scully with an almost playful smile, he confidently began, "Now, I know that some of you were a bit...surprised...at Bill's choice for my birthday present this year." Then turning to the rest of his guests, he continued, "I have to admit that I was a bit taken aback at first too. I mean, what does it say when your brother-in-law sends you a book that was expressly written for military wives?"

"That he's calling you a pusillanimous house frau!!" Frohike bellowed loudly from the back of the room before Byers could give him a swift elbow to the ribs.

"Well, you might just think that." Mulder smiled widely as he nodded in Frohike's direction. "After all, it just seems to logically follow, doesn't it?"

"Damn right!" Charlie quipped from the front, much to the surprise of both of the ladies sitting beside him on the couch-not to mention his own mother.

Fuming at the entire situation-especially his little brother's interjection-Bill exhaled heavily and clenched his teeth before pointing a finger at Charlie and bristling, "Look--"

"Now Bill, don't get your knickers in a twist," Mulder gently interrupted as he reassuringly patted him on the arm, "You wanted me to tell the story for you and that's all I'm doing. So just settle down, let me finish and try to ignore the comments from the peanut gallery, okay?" Then turning back to his guests, Mulder brazenly continued, "Alright. So, we've established that one MIGHT think that Bill was sending me a rather pointed message with this...unique...birthday gift." Then walking back over to Bill and putting an arm around his shoulder, Mulder gave him yet another 'brotherly' squeeze and a playful wink as he added, "But that's not really the truth, is it Bill?"

Mulder's last words were not what Bill was expecting at all. Taken completely off guard by being so suddenly and inexplicably let off the hook, he could only stare in dumbstruck incredulity at his grinning brother-in-law.

Taking Bill's silence as tacit agreement, Mulder could barely contain his amusement with the near-perfect execution of his plan as he continued. "No, it definitely isn't. The TRUTH is that ole Bill here was just trying to give me a helping hand in the one area where he knew I needed it most." Then turning back to his guests, he went on with what seemed like earnest sincerity, "See, Bill knew that I was really inexperienced about this whole house-husband, modern father thing but that I was just too proud to admit it. Knowing that, he used my birthday as an excuse to give me the pointers that I needed while at the same time, sparing me the abject humiliation of having to ask him for help." Then, turning again toward Bill and doing his best to come across as deeply touched, Mulder softly continued as he touched his brother-in-law's arm, "Isn't that right buddy? That book was your way of giving me the help that I didn't have the courage to ask for myself. I can't thank you enough. " Then, pretending to blink back tears, he gave Bill an enormous hug bear hug as he "sobbingly" choked, "I always wanted a brother-now I really have one. I love you man."

Bill's mouth helplessly dropped open at Mulder's words and emotional outpouring. With a stricken look on his face, his eyes darted frantically about the room for any excuse he could use to extricate himself from his brother-in-law's embrace. Instead, he only saw the tearful smiles of both Maggie and Tara while nearly everyone else in the room had either turned their faces away or buried their faces in their hands. In fact, Fox's cohorts were so emotionally overcome that they all were red-faced and no longer able to look directly at him. From the loving looks that both Tara and Maggie gave him, Bill knew that he was truly and hopelessly trapped by the circumstances. He could only grit his teeth as Mulder deliberately tightened his embrace.

"Billy my boy," Mulder thought wickedly as he buried his face in Bill's shoulder and squeezed him even tighter, "If you think THIS is painful, you ain't seen nothing yet." With that highly amusing thought, Mulder had no choice but to release some of his pent up laughter by pretending to sob uncontrollably on his brother-in-law's shoulder.

For her part, Scully quickly turned away, slid a hand over her mouth and closed her eyes tightly as she struggled to stifle the peals of laughter that welled up inside her at what Mulder had just pulled off. This was the first time in her life that she'd ever seen her older brother completely thrown and at a loss for words-and she sorely hoped that it wouldn't be the last.

Standing there, locked in Mulder's embrace, Bill was simply too stunned for words. He couldn't figure out, for the life of him, just what the hell had just happened. He'd been so sure that Mulder was onto him, fully understood the malicious intent behind all of his jibes-especially the Naval Wives Handbook-and was finally about to confront him about it. He'd been prepared for that. Yet, here Mulder was, letting him off the hook and actually THANKING him for giving him such a thoughtful gift. "What the hell is going on here?!" Bill thought as he wrinkled his brow in confused anger, "Maybe he really is on drugs!".

Meanwhile, as everyone else in the room struggled to contain their laughter, Tara and Maggie were genuinely moved my Mulder's 'poignant' speech. For her part, Maggie was hoping that her prayers had been answered and that Bill had finally come to his senses as far as Dana's husband was concerned. Conversely, Tara sadly wondered if she should correct Fox's "misperception" and tell him that Bill's intentions were anything but honorable or helpful. Yet, as she gazed at the two of them, she realized that saying anything would only shatter their best chance in a long time to finally make amends. She convinced herself that, maybe if she kept quiet, things would work out. Deciding to hold her tongue for the time being, Tara lowed her eyes to the floor and exhaled slowly with a sigh, "Poor Fox. If he only knew"

Finally regaining his voice, Bill did his best to swallow his angst as he helplessly patted Mulder on the back. With uncomfortable exasperation he was finally able to muster a few appropriate words as he sighed, "Thank you Fox...I...ah ...always wanted...um...another brother too."

"You sure could've fooled me," Charlie quipped mirthfully with a wink and a wry grin, quickly taking the opportunity to augment Bill's discomfort," -especially given how you treated me over the years."

In response, Bill could only glare sourly at his younger brother as Mulder tried his best not to laugh. Desperately striving to ignore Charlie's comment and muster a straight face, Mulder "coughed" and "choked" into Bill's shoulder as he squeezed him even more, "Do you really mean it Bill?"

Willing to say just about anything to free himself from his brother-in-law's ever tightening grasp, Bill slowly responded, "Yeah...sure I mean it." Then deliberately trying to pull away, he carefully bit, "Now, please let go of me."

Catching this last part, Scully forced herself to pull together enough composure to finally turn around. With a sudden but devilish thought, she quickly darted toward the fireplace. "Oh come on Bill," she called with a breaking voice as she made her way to Mulder and Bill, "Don't be that way." Although she had succeeded in containing her surge of laughter, her face was still quite red and her eyes watery from the effort. Instantly, she'd realized that she could capitalize on both to the advantage of her own plans for Bill. As she reached the two men, she gazed up at her brother with "tearful" eyes as she "thankfully" sighed, "Oh, this is so wonderful. You two have finally had the break through I've been praying for all these years." Using every last ounce of her strength, Scully managed a deceptively convincing plea to her brother as she continued, "Now maybe you can become the real brothers I'd always hoped you would be." With that, she wrapped her arms around both men and hugged them tightly-effectively keeping Bill from breaking away from Mulder.

With her immediate goal accomplished, Scully snaked one of her hands down along Mulder's side and gave him a gentle pinch-just to let him know that she was fully aware of exactly what he was up to. As they quickly exchanged the briefest of glances, Scully silently winked up at Mulder to convey her approval and the fact that she wasn't about to be left out of all the fun. Grinning in amused delight at her unexpected reaction, Mulder took the precaution of turning his face back into Bill's shoulder so that he didn't have to look directly at Scully. He knew that if he didn't take this preventive measure, she would make him laugh out loud and ruin everything. "Oh Scully," Mulder thought with a wry grin, as he "coughed" a little more into Bill's shoulder, "You still always keep me guessing."

Meanwhile, as Reyes bemusedly watched the trio in front of the fireplace, she laughed to herself, rolling her eyes and shaking her head. Then, turning to Charlie who sat next to her with an equally amused look on his face, her lips curled wryly upward as an idea crossed her mind. "Oh. How sweet," she observed with a chuckle, giving Charlie a gentle nudge with her elbow, "Now, THAT's a Kodak moment if I ever saw one."

"Hey! Now THERE's a good idea!" Charlie grinned wickedly as he jumped to his feet. "Mom! Didn't you bring your camera?"

"Oh yes!! What a good idea Charles!!" Maggie replied excitedly as she darted to retrieve it from the hallstand where she'd left it with her purse. Calling over her shoulder to Mulder, Scully and Bill, she quickly added, "Now don't any of you move before I can get a picture of the three of you together just like that!"

"Oh dear God!" Bill thought acrimoniously as he rolled his eyes toward the ceiling. Now, not only was he trapped in his insane brother-in-law's clutches, but Charlie's little "idea" had also just ensured that he wouldn't be able to escape any time soon. Grudgingly resigning himself to the situation, Bill sighed and decided to make the best of it by taking another crack at Mulder that just might spring him from the whole uncomfortable situation. "Jeez Fox," he crooned with a malicious glint in his eyes, "What's with all the waterworks? Been watching too much Oprah lately?"

But, before either Mulder or Scully could react, Frohike intervened from behind the couch. "C'mon Bill. Who do you think you're kidding? YOU of all people should know that you can NEVER watch TOO MUCH Oprah."

"Excuse me?!?" Bill bit with more than a little irritation at having his jab at Mulder being intercepted and so harmlessly deflected.

Also somewhat surprised by Frohike's interjection, both Mulder and Scully turned slightly to look questioningly at him. "Oh c'mon Bill," Frohike replied with a wickedly sparkling grin and overdone feigned admiration, "There's no need to be bashful. You're amongst friends. Anyone who could send such a wonderfully thoughtful birthday present has to have done some serious Oprah screen time himself." Then, nodding to Byers, Doggett and Skinner, he devilishly continued, "You know, any man who's willing to publicly admit to watching Oprah has got to be One sensitive dude!"

"Not to mention supportive!" Doggett smirked enthusiastically as he moved to stand beside Frohike and get in on the act. Mustering a pretty convincing look of awe and admiration, he continued in what seemed like abject sincerity, "After all, most men aren't so willing to show their feminine side. And yet, here you are, Bill, waving yours like a banner. Just knowing that you'd do the same if you had the chance really has to make Fox feel a lot better about being a stay at home dad." Then with a slight bow to hide the grimace that was helplessly spreading across his face, he added, "Wow Bill, I'm impressed! My hat is really off to you!"

"Now hold on just a minute!" Bill objected vehemently as both Mulder and Scully stifled a giggle, "I NEVER said that I watch Oprah and I don't know where you got the idea that --."

"Oh good! You haven't moved!" Maggie interrupted excitedly as she breezed into the room with her camera. Oblivious to the exchange that had just transpired, she happily peered through the lens as she called, "Alright! Everybody ready?"

With a wicked smirk, Mulder gently murmured to Bill, "It's alright man. You don't have to pretend anymore. Just open up and let that woman inside you come out and say hello to everyone. Don't be afraid to let her shine."

"Fox," Bill hissed through his gritted teeth, barely able to contain his rising fury, "just shut up and smile for the damn picture."

"Say Cheese!!" Maggie called to them, completely oblivious of Bill's boiling anger as she prepared to snap the picture.

"Sure Mom," Scully smiled sweetly at the camera as she amusedly braced herself. She could tell just from looking at him that Bill was teetering on the verge of losing it. All he needed was one last push to send him careening over the edge. Looking sidelong at her older brother, Scully wryly chuckled, "Wow, Bill. And all these years you said you hated it when Melissa used to make you play dress-up with her and bake things with her Easy-Bake Oven. I guess I NOW know better. You really DO learn something new every day!"

Swallowing a laugh as he turned toward slightly toward her, Mulder smirkingly replied, "Hey Scully, maybe we should return the favor and get Mathew an Easy-Bake Oven for his next birthday. That way, Bill can relive his childhood and, at the same time, help his sons get in touch with their feminine side the same way that he helped me."

Then grinning quickly at each other, both Mulder and Scully smiled broadly as they turned back toward the camera with a Cheshire cat smile-each with an arm around Bill-and, in unison, said, "CHEESE!"

As Maggie snapped the picture, Mulder and Scully's comments pushed Bill beyond the breaking point. Completely oblivious to the camera and everyone else around him, Bill couldn't take it any longer. Roughly shoving Mulder away, he shouted, "Look, you MORON! I wasn't trying to help you!! I was making fun of you!! I don't like you and I never did!!" Throwing his hands up in exasperation, Bill continued angrily as he stalked over to Mulder, "How could anyone be so dense!?!? When will you get it through that thick skull of yours that I think that you're the WORST thing to ever happened to this family!?!?" As those words escaped his lips, Bill felt a perverse satisfaction at having finally given public voice to his true feelings. However, that exuberance was short-lived-deserting him the moment he heard the horrified gasp from Tara and saw the appalled look on his mother's face. Now he'd really done it. "I...uh..." Bill stammered, trying desperately to think of a way to backtrack out of what he'd just gotten himself into.

Smirking at Doggett as he nudged him with his elbow, Frohike laughed, "Wow! All that AND he's in touch with his feelings too! What a guy!"

Time seemed to grind to a standstill for Bill as he became acutely aware that everyone's eyes were focused upon him. Seething with a strange mixture of outrage, panic and embarrassment, he glared at Mulder-knowing instinctively that, somehow, this was all his doing.

Raising his eyebrows with whistle and an amused grimace, Mulder couldn't resist making just one comment. "Don't mince words, Bill," he droned in his trademark monotone with a barely perceptible mischievous glint in his eyes, "Tell us how you really feel."

In response, Bill narrowed his eyes and angrily retorted, his voice dripping with venom, "Weren't you paying attention, Fox!? I think I just did." Focusing his hostilities squarely on Mulder, Bill moved forward to take matters into his own hands when, unexpectedly, a hand on his shoulder stilled him. Turning, he was surprised to see his sister. The cold look in her eyes made him instantly forget about Mulder and everyone else in the room.

"So, it was all a joke, huh? Isn't that what you told me?" Scully bit tightly and evenly, not bothering to keep the utter disgust and disappointment she felt from showing in her eyes. Although she had only meant to give her older brother a little taste of his own medicine, his unexpected revelatory outburst suddenly infuriated her and demanded a clear response. Not about to let him talk his way out of this one, with an uncharacteristic hardness in her narrowed eyes, she angrily continued, "You really had me fooled Bill. I bought it all-hook, line and sinker. I bet you were pretty pleased with yourself-laughing at just how easily you pulled the wool over my eyes and played me for the fool."

"Dana, I never..." Bill stammered, trying desperately to find the words to explain himself to her.

"SHUT UP!" Scully growled through her clenched teeth, "I'm not finished." Taking a deep breath as her nostrils flared, she spoke with surprising restraint as her fierce blue eyes bored a hole right through him. "All this time, I trusted you but you just looked me straight in the eyes and LIED." Shaking her head as she pursed her lips into a thin and straight line, Scully looked away and sighed heavily. Then, turning her fiery glare back toward her older brother, her voice quivered ever so slightly in controlled fury as she continued, "I've worked SO HARD to try to understand where you were coming from and see your side of things because I thought that, if I did, I could make you see just how happy Mulder has made me. I truly believed that once you realized that, you would accept him and finally welcome him with open arms. But now I can see just how naive and foolish I was to think that you could ever see or admit how badly you've misjudged him."

"But he..." Bill interjected in protest, trying desperately to lay the blame where he thought it belonged-right at Mulder's feet."

"Did nothing but put up with YOU and all of your little digs for the past SEVEN Years!!" Scully interrupted, her booming voice completely overpowering Bill's. Then, moving in close so that she stood toe to toe with her older brother, she glaringly continued, "And WHY do you suppose he did that, Bill?!?! Why did he take it and take it from you all that time WITHOUT ONCE giving you anything in return?! Do you have ANY idea?!? DO YOU BILL?!?"

"I...I..." Bill stammered, shocked at how intensely his sister raged at him. He'd never seen her like this before in his entire life and, for the first time, he was worried that perhaps he taken things way too far this time.

"ANSWER ME!!!" Scully yelled as she shoved him with both hands. "You've got a mouth for everything else-SO YOU'D BETTER SAY SOMETHING NOW!!

Stumbling backwards, Bill would've fallen if Mulder had not jumped forward to steady him. Quickly backing away after the glare that Bill shot him, Mulder could only stare at Scully with a vile mixture of guilt, concern and regret. This was not what he'd intended at all. He thought he'd get the best of Bill by beating at his own game and giving him a dose of his own medicine. Never did he imagine that Bill would cause a scene or evoke such an angry response from Scully. Now, Mulder couldn't help but feel the sharp pangs of guilt and regret for the role he'd played in orchestrating this explosion. Blinking back the sudden tears that sprung to his eyes, Mulder knew for certain that he-and he alone-was responsible for the pain and suffering that Scully and the rest of her family were going through right now.

Meanwhile, looking at Scully as if she were a complete and total stranger, Bill, in an uncharacteristically small voice, bit in confused anger, "I DON'T KNOW! I have no idea Dana! Okay?!?"

Shaking her head as his words cut into her like a knife and she hopelessly closed her eyes, a single tear brimmed over Scully's lashes and slid down her face. For a moment she stood there quietly with her chin jutted out and quivering ever so slightly as the whole room was deathly still. Then, as her eyes slowly fluttered open, they fell on Mulder, who smiled weakly at her. His eyes, full of concern, told her just how deeply he regretted causing this horrible mess. Tenderly meeting his gaze, Scully's eyes brightened as she slowly and gently smiled back, silently assuring him that he wasn't the one she blamed. "It's because he loves me," she murmured softly as she gazed warmly into Mulder's eyes and another tear trickled down her face. Then, turning her eyes coolly toward her brother, her face hardened considerably as she tersely bit, "A hell of a lot more than YOU do or could ever understand Bill."

His mouth agape, Bill's eyes traveled from her to Mulder and back to her again, but he said nothing.

Regarding her older brother with an icy coolness, Scully again stepped close to him and, with slow deliberation, hissed, "Get out of my house Bill and don't come back. You are no longer welcome here."

For a moment, Bill could only stare back at her in incredulity. Surely she didn't mean it-she just couldn't. He was her brother, after all, and he knew that family was more important to her than anything. Desperately trying to casually laugh the whole thing off, Bill tried to sound playful as he limpingly chuckled, "C'mon Dana, you don't really mean that..."

Dead silence followed as Bill stared at his sister in disbelief. Although it seemed like an eternity, the silence was shortly broken by Maggie's sobs.

"Oh, Bill!" Maggie choked, her eyes filled with angry tears, "How could you?! And in front of all of their guests too!! If your father were here...he..." Her voice broke as she was overcome with sadness and tears flowed freely down her face. Then, looking directly at Bill, she hoarsely whispered, "He would be...so...ashamed," before her voice completely gave out.

From where he stood behind the couch, Skinner went to Maggie and put an assuring hand on her shoulder. Turning into him, she lowered her face to Skinner's shoulder and cried bitterly as he slid his arms around her in a comforting gesture. Looking at Bill, Skinner couldn't hide the disgust and loathing that burned inside him at that moment.

Meanwhile, Bill cast his eyes downward as his face turned an ashen shade of gray. All at once, he began to see the true extent of the damage he'd done-damage that might very well be beyond anyone's ability to repair. Too stunned for action or words, he stood rooted to that spot unable to do anything but hear his mother's words as they echoed over and over again in his mind.

Getting up from the couch where she'd sat stunned in horrified silence, Tara slowly moved toward Will's bedroom to gather up her children so they could all leave. Pausing behind Scully for a moment, she tentatively reached out to touch her sister-in-law's arm but stopped just short at the last moment--fearing that the gesture would be unwelcome now. With a mournful sigh of regret, she whispered, "I am so sorry Dana. Please....I...." Unable to find the words to adequately communicate her shame and regret, Tara's voice trailed off as she again started for the hallway. Unable to even look at Bill as she passed him, Tara instead raised her eyes to meet Mulder's gaze. Touching his arm, she blinked back tears as she whispered, "Fox, I am so sorry."

Looking intently into her eyes, Mulder hoarsely replied with genuine remorse, "No, I'm the one who's sorry," before pulling her in to embrace her warmly.

Thankful for this comforting gesture, Tara stood gratefully in his arms for a few slow moments wishing with all her heart that she could erase the whole ugly episode from their lives but knowing full well that there was nothing she could do. Then, smiling up at him tenderly through her tears as she pulled away, she gently touched Mulder's face as she murmured, "Always the gentleman," before disappearing slowly down the hallway to retrieve her boys.

Shocked out of his reverie by his wife's words, Bill's eyes angrily snapped upward to meet his sister's. "So you really mean it?!?! You're taking his side!?!? You want ME, your own brother, to leave?!?!" he growled, furious at how easily Mulder had played him-tricking him into revealing his true feelings in front of everyone like this.

"You heard me," Scully icily replied, coolly raising an eyebrow and eyeing her brother with a cool disregard as she crossed her arms in front of her. "I think I've made it more than crystal clear. You're the one who forced me to make a choice between you and him. Don't stand there and whine about it now just because you lost."

Stunned at first, anger quickly welled up inside Bill and, within moments, he let his angry words fly unchecked. "FINE! YOU WANT IT, YOU GOT IT!!" Bill barked savagely, hoping beyond hope that his sister would back down when faced with his fury. Yet, she didn't move a muscle and, from all appearances, was completely unaffected by his wrath. Breaking her gaze in frustration, Bill stormed toward the front door. Then as he passed their mother-who was still being cradled in Skinner's arms, he turned around and pointed a finger directly at Scully as he shouted, "But don't you come crying to me when he finally breaks your heart because I WON'T BE THERE!!!"

Shaking her head ever so slightly, Scully looked at her older brother with a strange mixture of pity and cold indifference as she coolly replied, "Goodbye Bill."

Gaping in disbelief, Bill abruptly turned to his mother and tersely demanded, "So Mom, are you staying with them or are you coming with me? Make your choice."

Raising her tearful eyes to look briefly at her eldest son, Maggie could only shake her head and weakly choke, "Oh, Bill..." before beginning her sobs anew.

With barely controlled anger, Skinner slowly fumed, "Go home Bill. Go home and leave your mother alone. Haven't you hurt her enough for one day?"

Infuriated by the intervention of this practical stranger, Bill angrily shouted, "You stay out of this!! It's none of your business!!"

"But it IS MINE!" Charlie barked as he angrily rose from the couch and strode over to where Bill was standing. "You've done more than enough damage and I'm not going to let you cause Mom any more pain. GOT THAT?!?" Then, taking a deep breath, Charlie reigned in his fury and lowered his tone as he coolly added, "Now, Dana's already asked you to leave-so please, just go."

"Or else what!?!" Bill laughed in sarcastic disgust, "Are you going to make me, little man?"

"If I have to," Charlie glared up at him in confident self-assuredness, "I'll kick your ass right to the curb."

Something in his little brother's eyes told Bill that he was serious and that he wasn't going to back down this time. About to make a snide comment daring Charlie to go ahead and try, Bill was unexpectedly interrupted.

"And he won't be alone either," came Doggett's controlled voice as he stepped forward to stand beside Charlie, deliberately showing Bill that he would have to deal with a lot more than just his younger brother if he didn't do as he was asked.

"So, it would be better for you and everyone else if you just went ahead and left of your own volition," Byers added as he and Frohike joined the ranks beside Charlie, "before things have to get any uglier."

Realizing quickly that he was vastly outnumbered, Bill angrily turned on his heel and headed toward the door. "Don't worry. I'll show myself out," he muttered acrimoniously, still not quite believing that this was really happening. Then as he put his hand on the knob to open the door, he turned around and pointedly bit, "Just know that once I go, it'll take a lot more than just an apology to ever get me back."

Stepping forward through Charlie and his comrades, Scully looked calmly at her brother and stonily replied, "Yes, it WILL take much more than an apology for me to ever let you come back into our lives." Her cool exterior betrayed nothing but contempt for Bill as he stared back at her before angrily slamming his way out the door.

Having watched the entire exchange in silence, Mulder slowly came up behind Scully and gently laid a hand on her shoulder. "Scully...." he murmured in a voice broken by emotion, "I'm sorry. If...I had known Bill would...react...that way, I would never have pushed and baited him like that. I just thought I could...get him to stop playing those games by giving him a dose of his own medicine. I was so wrong..." The rest of the words caught in his throat as he began to fully realize how much his actions had widened the growing rift in the Scully family. Sick with remorse, he wondered whether there would ever be any way to undo the damage he'd caused.

Now that Bill was gone, Scully turned to face Mulder. Looking deeply into his eyes, she smiled weakly as she gently shook her head before she fell into his waiting arms, whispering, "Oh Mulder, you didn't do anything but hasten the inevitable. This would've happened eventually-no matter what you did." Safe in his embrace, she finally stopped trying to hold it together. Letting her grief-stricken tears flow freely down her face, she sobbed into his shoulder.

Kissing the top of her head as he held her close and gently rocked her in his arms for what seemed like an eternity. Then, stroking her hair, Mulder whispered in genuine regret, "Well, I'm still sorry that it happened-especially like this. If I could take it all back, I would."

Wiping her eyes and looking up at him with a weakly playful grin, she replied, "Well, I wouldn't. It's about time he learned that, when you dish it out, you also have to be able to take it."

Grinning down at her, Mulder chuckled at her response as he gazed tenderly into her eyes. Caressing her face, he gently murmured, "Are you sure you're going to be okay?"

Squeezing him tightly before releasing him, she brightly replied, "Yes. I think we all will." Then, going to her mother and taking over for Skinner, Scully wrapped her arms around her and gently soothed, "Won't we Mom?"

Looking into her daughter's eyes, Maggie weakly smiled and gently touched Scully face before she softly replied, "Yes my darling baby girl. We will." Then, regaining her composure, Maggie put an arm around Scully's shoulder to lead her toward the hallway, saying, "Now, let's go make sure Tara understands that she is not at all to blame here. She and her boys will always be welcome in our homes-no matter what Bill does." Then, pausing, Maggie turned to gaze tenderly at Mulder. Wordlessly, she gently took his hand-nonverbally telling him that she didn't blame him in the least for Bill's behavior while simultaneously asking him to join them. In response, he smiled gently and put an arm around Maggie's shoulders, silently nodding his gratitude and acquiescence.

"You bet Mom," was Scully's gentle reply as she blinked back tears of relief. As a family, the three of them headed down the hallway together.

Meanwhile, in front of the house, things were not quite so calm. "Damn that Fox Mulder!!" Bill fumed aloud to himself as he paced back and forth on the front porch, impatiently waiting for his wife and children. "He thinks he's so clever, but I'll show him!! He'll get his when he least expects it. I'll make sure of that-if it's the last thing I ever do! He'll never know what hit him!!" Stalking angrily toward his car, he muttered, "Just you wait. I'll make you pay for this. I'll hurt you in ways you never dreamed possible. I promise you."

As he listened intently to every syllable with his surveillance equipment, Bill's words were music to Spender's ears. This couldn't have played out better if he'd planned it all himself. Adjusting his headsets, Spender grinned in devilish delight as he rubbed his hands together in delicious anticipation. "So Mr. Scully," he murmured as he amusedly watched Bill get into his car and continue to rage at his sister's husband by pounding his fist into the steering wheel, "you want to make Fox Mulder pay, do you? Well, be patient just a little bit longer. What will seem like a wonderful opportunity to do so will present itself sooner than you could ever imagine." Spender was actually incredulous at how well his plans were going. With Mulder, his family and his friends practically doing the job for him, virtually all Spender had to do was sit back and reap the rewards. With a sinister laugh, Spender smugly settled back as he returned his full attention to what was going on inside the Mulder home.

Shortly after Tara and her boys had left, Skinner and the Gunmen were preparing to go as well. Although Langley initially bemoaned the fact that he had missed Bill's downfall, the look on his friends' faces quickly silenced him. "We'll fill you in on the drive home," Frohike quietly growled as they headed out of the family room.

"I've still got to swing by the office to clear up some unexpected, last minute paperwork," Skinner explained apologetically as he hugged Scully goodbye. Then, still concerned about how the evening's events affected her, Skinner gently laid a hand on Maggie's shoulder, softly asking, "How are you feeling, Mrs. Scully? Is there anything more I can do for you before I go?"

Smiling up at him gratefully as everyone else made their way to the foyer, she gently sighed, "I'm doing much better now Mr. Skinner but thank you for asking." Then, looking at him with a slightly playful glint in her eye, she paused a moment before thoughtfully adding, "You know, now that you mention it, there is one more thing you can do for me."

"Just say the word and it's done," Skinner replied, looking at Maggie with a tinge of concern. He could only imagine what it must've been like for her to stand by and watch that whole explosive scene between Scully and her older brother. Desperately wanting to make up for any role he'd played in bringing it about, he was happy to hear that there was something he could do to make up for it. "What is it?" he asked eagerly.

Grinning broadly, Maggie gently touched his arm as she laughingly replied, "You can call me Maggie, that's what you can do." With a playful smile, she added, "Mrs. Scully just seems a little too formal now, don't you think?"

Smiling widely, Skinner chuckled, "Okay...Maggie." Then, with a smirk, he held out his hand and added, "Just as long as you start calling me Walter. Do we have a deal?"

Taking his outstretched hand and shaking it firmly, Maggie laughed, "You have a deal, Walter." Then, releasing her grip, she continued with a shy smile, "I don't suppose you'd be willing help me distribute the packages of leftovers we're sending home with everyone-would you?"

Taking her arm so she could lead him to the front door via the kitchen, Skinner replied with a smile, "It would be my pleasure, Maggie."

Meanwhile, as the group reached the foyer, Will tiny face suddenly grew clouded, darkened with concern. "Why is everybody leaving?" he innocently asked his parents as they walked the Gunmen to the front door, "Is something wrong?"

"Why do you ask Slugger?" Mulder replied, as he gently stroked his son's hair. He desperately hoped that the boy had not overheard the heated exchange between his mother and his uncle.

"Well," Will replied slowly, as he cast his eyes toward the floor and shuffled his feet, "Aunt Tara wouldn't even let Ryan and me finish our game and now all my Uncles are going too." Mournfully gazing up at his parents with his mother's big blue eyes and his father's trademark puppy dog look, he hesitantly asked, "Did I do something wrong?" The little boy had absolutely no idea just how excruciatingly his sad look pierced both his parents' hearts.

"No Sweetie," Scully wincingly replied, as she scooped Will up in her arms to hug him tightly, "You didn't do ANYTHING wrong." She just hated that the problems between her and Bill had spilled over to affect Will like this. Although some fallout was unavoidable, she would still try to minimize the impact as much as possible. The LAST thing she wanted was for him to think he was in any way responsible for what had happened. Deciding to tell him a half-truth that would distract him from his cousins' sudden and unexpected departure, Scully forced herself to brighten up as she continued, "It was just time for them to go home-just like it's time for you to get ready to go to Grandma's. You DO still want to spend the night at Grandma's don't you, Sweetie?"

"Well then," Mulder added with a wink to Scully, impressed by how deftly she had diverted their son's attention, "You'd better hurry up so that there'll be plenty of time to play with Grandma and Uncle Charlie before you have to go to bed. So, say goodbye to your uncles so you can go get packed."

Quickly taking Mulder's cue, Byers stepped forward. "We'll see ya soon Will," he grinned as he gave Will's tiny hand a gentle shake before hugging Scully goodbye.

"Bye Kiddo," Langley laughed as he tousled Will's hair and gave Scully a quick peck on the cheek, "We'll finish up that game next time, okay?"

"Okay Uncle Ringo!" Will chirped happily, having completely forgotten to be sad.

"Darn tootin' you will!" Frohike boomed as he playfully tickled Will before following Langley's lead. Leaning in to kiss Scully's cheek, he softly whispered to her, "Don't let that bastard get you down. He's had that coming to him for a long time."

"Thanks Melvin," she grimaced with some embarrassment before she mustered a grateful smile. Even though she knew Frohike's heart was in the right place, she was just a little uncomfortable at being reminded of just how badly she'd lost her temper with Bill. Flushing slightly at the memory, she cast her eyes toward the floor.

"Hey now," Mulder, instantly reading the look on Scully's face, joked playfully as he tried to get her mind off her older brother, "Where's MY kiss big boy?!"

"Don't look at me," Frohike countered with a snort, "From what I hear, that's John and the local dairy case's department." Then, with a wink to Doggett, he continued with a marked lisp, "Now, don't you two boys go overboard with that whipped cream!"

Realizing that Doggett had shared his case of mistaken identity with the whole group, Mulder narrowed his eyes at Frohike and sardonically replied, "Ha-ha. Very funny." Then, shooting Doggett a sarcastic grimace, he continued, "Thanks a lot, John."

"My pleasure," Doggett smirked mischievously with a chuckle, "After all, you were the one who said that being party to an embarrassing moment is no good if you can't share it."

Thankfully, from the amused look on Scully's face, Mulder could see that his self-deprecating humor had done the trick and cheered her up-which made his minor embarrassment more than worth it.

"Wait a second guys!" Maggie interrupted as she and Skinner emerged from the kitchen carrying an unexpectedly sizable care package for each of them, 'Don't think you're going to get out of here without taking at least SOME of this leftover food home with you!"

"WHOA MAMA!!" Frohike exclaimed, as he saw just how much food Maggie intended to send back with them. "Do we really look THAT needy?!?"

"Dude!" Langley whistled at the sight, "You'd think we were a bunch of Somali refugees or something!"

"We can't take all of this, Mrs. Scully," Byers protested, suddenly feeling more than a little guilty that that they'd only brought flowers.

"Oh yes you can!" Scully interjected quickly, "There's NO WAY we could possibly eat all of that food before it goes bad. As it is we're going to have a hard time eating what's left, so PLEASE take it."

In response, the Gunmen looked at each other confusedly before they each nodded in acquiescence. Peering into his bag and inhaling deeply, Frohike sounded just like Homer Simpson as he drooled, "Mmmmm. Scully leftovers."

Meanwhile, as the Gunmen received their care packages and were repeating their goodbyes, Charlie took the opportunity to approach Reyes one more time. "So," he playfully chided, as he came up alongside her, "you never did give me an answer about that date."

Grinning and blushing slightly as she cast her eyes to the floor, Reyes slowly replied, "No, I guess I didn't did I?" Then with a wry smile, she raised her eyes to meet Charlie's gaze and, with a flirtatious chuckle, continued, "I'll tell ya what. My schedule for the next few of days is kinda up in the air but things should calm down by next week." As she spoke, she reached over to her purse and retrieved one of her business cards. "Why don't you give me a call then and we can figure out something from there." Taking out a pen and writing her home phone number on the back of the card before handing it to him, she added, "How does that sound?"

Smiling back at Reyes as he took the card from her hand and carefully slipped it into his pocket, Charlie happily replied, "Sounds perfect. I'll look forward to talking to you next week then."

"Me too," Reyes replied with a smile. She figured that giving him her number was harmless enough. Besides, even if he DID call her for a date, it would just be dinner and a movie or something else just as innocuous. Confidently, she assured herself that it was certainly nothing to feel guilty about as she and Charlie turned their attention back to the departing guests.

With their "doggie bags" in hand, Skinner and the Gunmen headed out the door, waving and grinning at everyone as they left. "Thanks for coming guys!," Mulder chuckled as he closed the door behind the four men, "We'll see ya soon!"

As the group moved out of the foyer and back into the family room, Maggie made her way over to Scully and Will. "Come on Sweetie," she crooned as she gently took her grandson from her daughter's arms, "Let's get ready to go while Mommy and Daddy say goodbye to the rest of their friends."

Overhearing this, Doggett and Reyes looked quizzically at each other for a moment before turning questioningly to Mulder and Scully. Reading the confused looks on their faces, Scully nodded to reassure them that she hadn't forgotten their plans, before quickly saying, "Actually Mom, we still have some work-related issues to discuss tonight. So, John and Monica will be staying for a while longer."

"Oh...um...okay," Maggie replied confusedly, more than a little surprised by her daughter's words. Ever since they'd had Will and she and Fox had gotten married, it just wasn't like Dana to bring work home. Wrinkling her brow as she took Will to pack his overnight bag, Maggie teased rather pointedly, "Just don't work too late-after all, you two deserve to finally have an evening alone together."

From the tone of her voice, both Mulder and Scully knew immediately that Maggie was more than a little concerned that work was involved in their plans for the evening. Feeling the sudden need to reassure her mother, Scully darted after Maggie, saying "Here Mom, let me get Will packed up while I fill you in on what we're doing tonight." Curious to hear how his sister wriggled her way out of this one, Charlie followed close behind with a smirk-leaving Mulder, Reyes and Doggett standing alone in the family room.

Watching the Scullys disappear down the hallway, Mulder turned to Doggett and Reyes, who now were more than a little embarrassed at having disrupted their friends' quiet evening together with X-Files work.

"Fox, I'm sorry if we ruined your plans," Reyes apologized, wrinkling her brow. "We can do this another time if you want."

Grinning at both of them, Mulder shook his head and replied, "Nah, that's okay. You're here now and we may as well get this Marita Covarrubias business over and done with-the sooner the better." Then, with a laugh and peering back into the hall to make sure he wouldn't be overheard, he quickly added, "That is AFTER the rest of the family leaves."

A few minutes later, Will came tearing out of his room in front of Maggie, Scully and Charlie. Charging down the hallway with Walter scampering close behind on his heels, Will just HAD to find his father immediately. Spying him sitting on the couch catching up on old times with Doggett and Reyes, Will launched himself into his father's lap, gleefully begging "Can I, Daddy?!? Can I?!?!"

Having the wind almost knocked out of him from Will's unexpected leap, Mulder gasped in surprise before chuckling, "Whoa, Slugger!! Slow down!!" Taking Will in his arms and gently sitting him down in his lap, Mulder grinned at him warmly. "Now, just WHAT are you asking me again?"

Talking a mile a minute without even stopping once to catch his breath, Will breathlessly gushed, "Grandma asked Mommy if I could stay with her tonight AND tomorrow night too! Mommy said it was okay with her if it was okay with you but I had to ask you first. She told me that if you said yes then I could go-and I REALLY wanna go so PLEASE Daddy-can I? Can I go?!? Please, please, please?!?"

Unable to suppress a laugh of sheer delight with and wonder at his little boy, Mulder smiled broadly as he replied, "Wow! That was really impressive, Will, but I don't think I got it all. Could you repeat that for me?"

"Aw, DAD!!!!!" Will groaned as he threw up his hands in playful frustration. He knew full well that his Daddy was just teasing him now. "You don't really want me to say it AGAIN?!?!"

Watching the adorable negotiations, Reyes couldn't help but smile at just how cute Mulder was with his son. She'd actually never seen this side of him before. She was actually more than a little surprised by just how different Will's Daddy was from the Agent Mulder that she knew. Grinning over at Doggett, she was about to share this observation by making a cute remark when the look on his face stopped her cold.

With a profound sadness, Doggett sat transfixed by the sight of Mulder and Will laughing together. Instantly, Reyes knew was running through his mind. The scene undoubtedly reminded him of some lost, long ago moment with his own son. As if she were hearing his thoughts, she could see how desperately Doggett wished that he could have just one more moment like that with Luke. As Doggett blinked his eyes downward, Reyes gently laid her hand assuringly over his and gave it a gentle squeeze. Glancing up at Reyes, the warmth he found in her eyes, coupled with her gentle smile, gave Doggett the strength he needed to muster a weak grin. "I'm okay, Monica," he whispered softly as he interwove his fingers with hers, "thanks."

Meanwhile, Scully and Maggie strolled back into the room followed shortly by Charlie. "So what's the verdict Daddy?" Scully quipped with a wry grin, "Is it to be one night or two?" Although she knew full well what Mulder's response would be, part of her just enjoyed hearing him say that he'd prefer two nights alone with her as opposed to just one.

"Well," Mulder grinned knowingly at Scully, "I suppose we could do our best to manage without him for two whole nights-but it'll be hard." Then with a mischievous glint in his eyes, he continued, "I can't imagine how we'll be able to keep ourselves busy without him." In response, Scully grinned wryly and flushed ever so slightly as she cast her eyes toward the floor in guilty pleasure. Hearing him say that he still relished their time alone as much as she did always gave her a tingly thrill.

"Humph!" Maggie laughed with a snort as she shook her head, rolled her eyes and grinned, "Well, I'm sure you two will figure something out."

"So give us your answer, Fox," Charlie interjected with a grimace, "before this conversation reveals more information about my sister than I EVER wanted to know!"

With the subtext of the conversation going completely over his head, Will impatiently interjected, "So can I Daddy? Please!?!?"

Grinning playfully at his son, Mulder laughed at Will's sweet innocence as he responded, "Well, I suppose," before hugging him close. Then setting Will down, he continued, "Just as long as you promise to be on your best behavior for Grandma."

"I PROMISE!!" Will cried excitedly as he wrapped his arms around his father before jumping out of his lap to run to Maggie and wrap his tiny arms around her legs. Then, looking up at her with his big blue puppy dog eyes, he sweetly asked, "Can Walter come too, Grandma? Please?"

"Hey now," Scully started, using her best "mom" voice, "Grandma's already having you for two nights-don't push your l..."

"Oh Dana, it's okay," Maggie interrupted with a broad smile as she picked up her grandson and hugged him close, "Charlie was planning to get a dog once the renovations on his new house are finished, so helping us with Walter will give him a chance to see firsthand whether or not he wants to rethink that decision." Then turning to Scully, she continued, "We'll just bring him back here Monday and leave him out back after we drop Will off at preschool.

Laughing as she walked over to him with Will in her arms, Maggie chuckled, "No need to thank me, Charles. That's what are good mothers for!"

A little while later, Maggie, Will, Charlie and Walter were out the door and safely on their way home. As Scully and Mulder brought in four beers and a bowl of chips from the kitchen, Doggett and Reyes settled back down on the couch. Handing his two friends a beer, Mulder placed his and Scully's on the coffee table before pulling up a couple of armchairs so that they could sit opposite Doggett and Reyes. Meanwhile Scully put the bowl of chips on the table before she and Mulder took their seats. Now that all of them were settled, the four of them could finally get down to business.

"So, I suppose you're wonderin' why we wanted to talk to you about this Marita Covarrubias lady," Doggett began tentatively, acutely mindful of Mulder's earlier reaction to the sound of her name. He desperately hoped that his friend would have a more subdued response this time around.

Taking Scully's hand in his and giving it a gentle squeeze, Mulder smiled tenderly at her before turning to grin playfully at Doggett and Reyes, "Well, the question did cross my mind." Then, taking a deep breath before smirking at both of them, he continued, "I suppose this has something to do with the mysterious message she wanted to give me." Smiling with a snort, Mulder laughed as he shook his head, "Let me guess-she won't talk with you and insists on dealing only with me. Am I right?"

With a laugh and a sidelong glance to Scully, Mulder chuckled, "We've dealt with these people for so long that we know their modus operandi by heart. I mean, you guys remember that whole railroad debacle with Mr. Shadows and that Patty woman, right? It's the exact same scenario only with different players and motivations. This tired little ploy is ops normal for them." Then, with a more serious tone, he released Scully's hand and leaned forward, adding, "But what I don't get is what she...they-because it is her organization that we're talking about-what they want with me now. It's not like I'm in hiding anymore or even in a position to pose any further threat. Not to mention the fact that we exposed the 'super soldier' conspiracy nearly three years ago. Why pull a stunt like this now? What purpose would it serve?"

Wrinkling her brow, Scully asked Doggett, "You don't suppose they're planning on using him to get at someone or something the same way that Spender used me to get 'Cobra' and that medical data, do you?"

"You both ask good questions," Doggett nodded in response, "but, unfortunately, we don't have any answers."

"Which is why we're hoping that you'll agree to help us meet with her," Reyes continued hopefully. "If you can set up the meeting-or even participate in it-we can try to get to the bottom of this together."

Looking sidelong at Scully, Mulder could see that she was more than a little uneasy with the whole scenario-remembering all too well the murderous intent behind the Consortium's last attempt to contact him. Despite her evident concern, however, Scully remained surprisingly silent. Taking a deep breath, Mulder turned back to Reyes and Doggett, sighing heavily, "What did you have in mind?" Then, in response to their surprised looks, he added with some concern, "You DO have a plan, right?"

Leaning back in his chair and crossing his arms with a heavy sigh, Mulder shook his head as he cast his eyes to the floor. Surely they didn't expect him to plan the whole affair. That would be much more than a simple favor-not to mention pushing the bonds of their friendship pretty far.

Instantly reading the incredulous discomfort in Mulder's face and posture, Reyes quickly added, "Before you jump to any conclusions, Fox, hear us out."

Looking up from the floor with his characteristic bemused grin, Mulder replied, "I'm listening."

Taking Mulder's grin as his silent acquiescence, Doggett cautiously began, "Look, we all know just how skittish and borderline paranoid this Covarrubias lady is. So, we were hoping that, since you know how to get in touch with her, you would set up a meeting between you and her."

"Then," Reyes continued, picking up where Doggett had left off, "We would accompany you to that meeting. Naturally, we'd stay out of sight until she made contact so as not to spook her. But once she's out in the open, we'd take over from there."

Nodding, Doggett added, "Yeah. We figured that you could make the introductions and assure her that she can trust us just as much as she trusts you. Plus, it gives you a golden opportunity to tell her in no uncertain terms that you don't want her trying to contact you anymore." Then, trying unsuccessfully to read the look on Mulder's deadpan face, he hopefully added, "So how does that sound?"

Thrown slightly by the ambiguity of Mulder's expression and her inability to read it, Reyes quickly added, "Keep in mind that we don't know how to contact her or where you normally rendezvous, so we couldn't plan much further than that without your direct input."

Breaking her uncharacteristic silence, Scully leaned forward, her brow furrowed and an eyebrow raised. "What kind of security precautions were you planning on taking," she bit somewhat tersely, "I don't think I need to remind either of you what happened the last time these people said they had information for Mulder's eyes only."

"No you don't, Dana," Reyes quickly responded, knowing all too well the horrible toll that whole fiasco had taken on Scully-both emotionally and psychologically. Suddenly, she felt guilty for even suggesting involving Mulder.

"We'll take every precaution possible," Doggett tried to assure Scully as he looked into her obviously worried eyes. Then, turning his gaze to Mulder, he continued, "That is assuming that Mulder agrees to our plan and once he gives us the location."

Although he'd been listening to the entire exchange, Mulder's eyes never left Scully's face from the moment she started talking. He could plainly see that she was scared of what the Syndicate could possibly want with him and desperately feared for his safety. Until that very moment, he hadn't fully realized just how fiercely protective of him she had grown after his abduction and subsequent flight underground. Touching her hand, she started slightly before turning to look deeply into his eyes. Smiling at her gently, Mulder wordlessly assured her that he wouldn't agree to anything that she felt uncomfortable with. Seeing this in his eyes, Scully's face softened, relaxing considerably as she gave him a gentle but weak smile. Clasping his hand tightly in hers, she gave Mulder the briefest of nods, silently indicating that she was okay with the plan before slowly turning her eyes toward the floor.

Silently turning his gaze back to Doggett and Reyes, Mulder took a deep breath before slowly replying, "It was a surprisingly simple way of setting up a meeting. All I needed to do was put a blurb in the Post's classifieds advertising about a fictitious lost foxhound. The name of the dog would correspond to the meeting place-Lincoln for the Lincoln Memorial, Smithy for in front of the Mammoth at the Smithsonian, Uni for the United Nations building and so on. The phone number would simply be a reference for the date and time. So, Monday the twenty-first at 10:30am would be 221-1030. The area code would show the city-either New York or DC."

"That's pretty clever," Reyes replied with a smirk, "I'll bet the people who really had those phone numbers just loved you."

Ignoring Reyes' attempt at humor, Doggett interjected somewhat impatiently, "Okay, so now we know how to contact her, but we still need you, Mulder, if the plan is going to work." Then looking at Mulder then Scully and back to Mulder again, Doggett continued tentatively, "So what do you say, Mulder? Are you in?"

Turning his gaze back over to his wife, Mulder searched her downcast face before cautiously asking, "Scully? What do you think? Are you okay with this?"

Looking up from the floor into her husband's eyes, Scully smiled weakly before turning to Doggett and Reyes. With a more hardened expression and just the slightest edge in her voice, she pointedly asked, "Will you two give me your word that you will take EVERY precaution to ensure his safety and make absolutely certain that this isn't another trap?"

Having gotten a satisfactory answer from Reyes, Scully turned her cool blue eyes to Doggett for his response. Gazing deeply into those eyes he once loved so completely albeit unrequitedly, Doggett very seriously replied, "Dana, I swear to you on Luke's grave that we won't let anything happen to Mulder."

Nodding her assent as she cast her eyes toward the floor, Scully softly responded, "Then I have no objections."

Covering Scully's hand with his free one, Mulder looked back at Doggett and Reyes and grinned, "Then I guess I'm in."

"Good," Reyes replied as she stood from the couch, "Then we'll swing by the Post on our way home. Since this is official FBI business, we should have no problem getting the ad in the Sunday edition." Turning to Mulder, she continued, "Fox, do you have any preference to the time and place?"

Shrugging his shoulders, Mulder grimaced as he thought for a second. "Monday morning at 8:45. That should give me plenty of time to be back here to pick up Will after preschool. I don't really care about the location."

"Then we'll take the Smithsonian," Reyes replied. "The enclosed space, limited exits and multiple tiers of the Museum of Natural History should make it relatively simple for us to keep track of Ms. Covarrubias as well as assure your safety." Then moving over to Scully and crouching in front of her, Reyes looked up at her downcast eyes and continued, "Don't worry, Dana. We would both die before we ever let him be taken from you again. You know that don't you?"

"I know," Scully whispered as she fought back her sudden and unexpected tears of anxiety.

"Well," Mulder interjected in a playful attempt to calm her fears, "It's a good thing you were never this cautious when we worked together-otherwise we'd have never found out anything on most of our cases."

"That's because I was always there to watch your back," Scully countered with a grimace as she teasingly punched his arm. Then specifically remembering New Mexico and Oregon, her face darkened as she added more seriously, "The only times you ever got hurt or in trouble was when I wasn't there."

Recognizing the genuine fear behind her humor, Mulder leaned forward and caressed her face as he gazed lovingly into her eyes, saying, "Hey now, I WAS a trained FBI agent, remember? I've gotten through a lot worse before and I promise you that if get even the slightest inkling that things aren't Kosher, I'll call it off immediately. Okay?"

Taking a deep breath, Scully smiled weakly as she gazed deeply into her partner's eyes and breathlessly whispered, "Okay."

"Then it's settled," Reyes smiled as she stood to her full height and put a hand on Scully's shoulder in a comforting gesture, "We'll place the add for Smithy the foxhound at 220-0845 tonight and you'll meet us in our office at 8:00am Monday morning." Then glancing sidelong at Doggett, she continued, "C'mon John. We've taken up enough of Fox and Dana's evening with shop talk and it's a long drive back to DC, so we'd better get going." Then turning back to Mulder and Scully, she added, "Thank you both for agreeing to this and all of your help. I'm sure you already know that we couldn't do it without you."

"Don't worry about it," Mulder shrugged with a grin, "I'll just send ya my bill later."

"But there's just one fly in the ointment," Doggett interjected, as he stood from the couch, "How do we know this Covarrubias woman will see our ad-or that she'll even show?"

"She's looking for me, John" Mulder responded slowly and soberly, the gravity of what he had just agreed to finally hitting him, "She'll see it, alright. She'll make a point of looking for it and of being there. Knowing the organization that she's involved with, her life may very well depend on it."

Meanwhile, as Spender listened attentively through his headsets, he couldn't help but laugh at these last words. "Oh, Mr. Mulder," he chuckled sinisterly, "you have no idea how true that is."

As Mulder and Scully stood on their front porch, waving goodbye to Doggett and Reyes as they pulled out of the driveway, Mulder snuck an arm around Scully's shoulder and whispered gently in her ear, "So, now that they're gone, do you want to tell me how you really feel about this whole deal?"

Maintaining her fixed smile until Doggett and Reyes' car was out of sight, Scully looked up at Mulder with a smirk, "I think you already know how I feel." Then turning toward the door, she continued, "C'mon, let's go inside. It's getting chilly out here."

Mulder stared after her for a moment before following her inside. He could tell that something was wrong but he wasn't sure if she was really cold or if she just didn't want to argue on the front porch for all of the neighbors to see. Cautiously, he closed the front door and trailed behind her into the kitchen where she immediately set about cleaning up the few remaining items that Maggie hadn't gotten to.

"It's a good thing Mom thought of making up care packages for everyone," Scully observed with forced casualness as she rinsed out the serving bowls and platters Maggie had left soaking in the sink, "Otherwise, we'd be eating brisket for the next six months."

"Scully..." Mulder began, immediately recognizing her symptoms and realizing all at once that he'd been wrong on both counts. Scully wasn't mad or cold, but she was desperately trying to hide her feelings.

"Why don't you go and check the dining room to see if we missed anything," Scully interrupted with a brittle laugh as she began loading the dirty platters into the dishwasher, "I don't want to get this load started only to find a stray fork or coffee cup left over."

Knitting his brows together, Mulder just stood and looked at her for a second unsure of how to proceed. He could see that this was still really bothering her. As she stood from the dishwasher to look back at him, he moved forward to touch her arm and gently replied, "Look, I know that you don't like their plan. Why don't you stop trying to hold everything inside and tell me what's going on."

At first, she wouldn't meet his gaze and she tried to talk her way out of it. "Really, Mulder..." she shakingly began, but as he caressed her face her voice broke off. Gently, he guided her face upwards to his and she finally relented. Looking up into Mulder's eyes, she couldn't stop her own from filling with tears. "Oh, Mulder," she choked as she blinked back the now unstoppable tears, "I don't want you to think that I don't trust you."

Surprised and a little confused, Mulder gently smiled and chuckled, "What?" as he tenderly searched her face for an answer.

Looking up at him with a furrowed brow and a slight pout, she wrapped her arms tightly around him and buried her face in his chest. "Last night, you said that you needed me to trust you when you said that you were finally free of your obsessions with the Syndicate and all it's conspiracies," Scully rasped as she clung to him. "I don't want you to think that's the reason I'm so scared. That has nothing to do with it."

Sighing heavily, she sobbingly continued, "I'm just so afraid that something will happen to you and I'll lose you all over again. I went through that once and I don't think I could survive it a second time."

"Oh, Scully," he sighed as he enfolded her in his arms and held her tight. After she cried in his embrace for a few minutes, he gently pulled back and looked down into her still moist eyes, softly whispering, "So you thought you'd pretend everything was fine instead?" As fresh tears filled her eyes, Mulder pulled her in close again and nuzzled his face into her hair, whispering, "Dana, we know each other too well for that. You already know that you don't have to be strong for me. I wish you'd stop forgetting that."

"I know," Scully replied mournfully, squeezing Mulder even tighter, "it's just today...so much has happened today."

Wincing at the reference to her confrontation with Bill and the memory of the role he'd played in orchestrating it, Mulder held her even tighter as he gently rocked her in his arms. Kissing the top of her head, he whispered, "I know. I know. I'm sorry about Bill and I'm sorry about this. If you want me to call the whole thing with Doggett and Reyes off, I will. I can call them on their cell phones right now."

Pulling back from him and looking directly into his eyes, Scully firmly replied, "No Mulder, I don't want you to do that." Gazing down at her questioningly, Mulder was about to speak when Scully continued, "Look, I know I'm just being foolish and irrational. I mean, the circumstances are completely different now. If they wanted to hurt you there are much easier ways to do it than drawing you out into an open and public place. It's not like our address is a secret and, given what we know they're capable of, it would be much simpler for them to simply arrange for an accident at home than to orchestrate the same kind of ambush they did at the train station." At that awful memory, Scully's voice trailed off momentarily before she found it again and continued, "When I think about it rationally, I know that I'm overreacting and that just isn't a good enough reason to keep you from doing this."

"Oh, I don't know," Mulder replied warmly, as he smiled down at her, "After all that you've had to endure with me over the past dozen or so years, I think you're entitled to a little overreaction every once in a while."

Grinning back up at him, she playfully replied, "Hmmm, I'll have to remember that the next time you do something-like naming the dog after A.D. Skinner."

Smiling broadly, he teasingly replied, "Well, I guess somebody's really feeling better if they can bring that up." Then, gently touching her face, Mulder looked deeply into her eyes and tenderly asked, "Are you sure you don't want me to call it off?"

"I'm sure," she replied firmly, "But let's not talk about that anymore." Then, with an excited grin and a hopeful gleam in her eyes, she continued, "There's something particular that I want to discuss tonight."

"Hmmm. It doesn't involve your brother does it?" Mulder countered with playful wariness.

"No!" Scully grimaced, giving him a teasing punch to the arm, "and, just for the record, that topic is now officially off limits until further notice."

"You'll get no argument from me on that," Mulder replied with a wry grin. Then eyeing Scully playfully, he continued, "So just what is this mystery topic, anyway?"

Taking his hand and leading him from the kitchen, Scully smiled mischievously as she countered, "Well, you'll just have to come with me to find out."

Stopping at the front door, Scully obviously and deliberately eyed it before looking at Mulder with a wry grin. Immediately understanding her meaning and with a rapidly broadening smile, he wrapped his arms around her waist and playfully chided, "Oh, so it's to be a porch swing discussion, eh?" Then looking down at her tenderly, he continued, "This must be something really special if you want it to be our first 'official' porch swing talk."

Scully just smiled up at him, recalling how, on the first night in their new house and with Will asleep in bed, the two of them had sat on the front porch swing imagining what their lives would be like here. That night, she told Mulder how, as a little girl, she'd always fantasized about how she and her future husband would have cute little house with a huge wrap-around porch and a wide porch swing on which they would make all their plans for their lives together. Blushingly admitting for the first time that the very porch swing they were sitting on was what had first attracted her to the house, Scully sheepishly looked at Mulder and quietly asked him if he thought that was foolish. Tenderly kissing her hand as he gazed lovingly into her eyes, he not only told her that it wasn't silly but he also made a solemn promise to her that, from then on out, every important or life-altering decisions they made or discussion they might have would take place on their new porch swing. Then, looking up at Mulder with eyes that glowed with happy anticipation, she softly responded, "It is VERY special."

"Well, in that case," he grinned as he gently released her, wondering if it was even remotely possible that she wanted to discuss the same thing that he did, "let me get us a couple of blankets and we can head on out."

Catching his hand in hers, she gently stopped him, saying, "No, let me get those after I put on a warmer sweater. While I do that, you can finish in the kitchen. Okay?"

With playful protestation, he countered, "Oh I see how it is. You expect me to do all of the hard work while you take the easy job." However, as she smiled up at him, Mulder already knew that he could never refuse her anything. "Scully, you just think you have me completely wrapped around your little finger don't you?" he playfully teased her as he pulled her toward him and planted a huge kiss on her lips.

"You mean I don't?" Scully replied coquettishly as she tugged gently on the front of his shirt and wiped the remnants of her lipstick from his mouth.

"You already know that you do, you saucy wench," Mulder chuckled as he gently turned her away and swatted her on the rear to send her on her way. Then with a laugh, he called teasingly over his shoulder to her as he headed back into the kitchen, "Just don't keep me waiting too long-otherwise the suspense might just kill me!" Smiling to himself and shaking his head as he walked into the kitchen, Mulder knew intuitively that his wife was up to something, but since she so thoroughly enjoyed giving him these little surprises, he wasn't about to spoil it for her by giving any sign that he was onto her game.

Smiling with slightly devious satisfaction and heady anticipation as she moved through the family room, Scully knew that her little subterfuge would buy her just enough time to prepare the surprise she'd planned for Mulder. Since he would be too busy in the kitchen to catch her, he would have no idea what she had in store for him until after they finished their discussion and came back inside. Grinning at the thought of what she hoped the evening would bring, Scully headed toward the hall closet to retrieve everything she needed.

As Doggett and Reyes finally managed to find their way back to the main highway after getting lost in the winding maze of suburban houses, Reyes crumpled up the map to Mulder and Scully's house that they'd had sent their email invitations. "That was about worthless," she muttered half to herself. She was about to toss it in the backseat when Doggett spoke.

"I hope you're not plannin' on throwing that anywhere but in the garbage when we get to the Post," he grinned over at her with just the slightest hint of playful accusation in his tone.

"Wouldn't dream of doing otherwise, John," Reyes smirked in reply, rolling her eyes in amusement. Then changing the subject to what she couldn't get off her mind, she thoughtfully observed, "We sure are lucky that Mulder agreed to help us. Otherwise, we'd be up a creek without an oar."

"That's for sure," Doggett agreed with a nod as he turned on his turn signal to get onto the freeway. Still a little preoccupied by the day's events, he retreated back into his own reverie about Monday, Marita Covarrubias, and what it was that she wanted to convey to Mulder. Yet, despite the fact that these subjects should have been his top priority, his mind kept wandering back to a completely unrelated scene-Reyes and Charlie Scully holding hands in the kitchen. Although one look into Monica's eyes had enabled him to let it go at the time, that insidious green-eyed monster kept creeping back into his thoughts. Taking a deep breath and letting it out slowly, he resolved to push that image from his mind and concentrate on the important matters at hand rather than indulging in schoolboy fantasies and petty jealousies.

Seeing the sullen change overcome her partner but being unsure what to do about it, Reyes shrugged and continued, "Well, remind me to thank Fox again on Monday and Dana when I see her next."

"The way I see it," Doggett replied dryly, "the best way to thank them is to make damn sure that Mulder is protected the entire time. Remember that he won't be armed so we're his only defense. We can't let anything happen to him. I don't think Dana could take going through that again."

"True," Reyes countered as she looked sidelong at Doggett, "I'm not disputing that. But some additional gesture of our appreciation would be nice and certainly wouldn't hurt. After all, this hasn't been Fox's job for a very long time and he certainly didn't have to bail us out."

"Well, you go ahead and handle that," Doggett nodded with a shrug, "In the meantime, I'll be makin' sure the security team is in place so that Mulder can come home safe and sound."

Rather than replying, Reyes simply shrugged as she turned her attention to the passing countryside. The sun was just beginning to set, so the rolling hills and bright orange and red leaves were still plainly visible from the freeway. As she watched the fall colors streaming by, they rode along in silence for several miles before Doggett spoke again.

"That sure was an interesting party, wasn't it?" he chuckled as he looked sidelong at his partner. It wasn't like her to be so quiet. He couldn't tell if she was annoyed, daydreaming, or wistful. He figured by talking to her, he could get to the bottom of Reyes' uncharacteristic silence.

With a whistle, Reyes replied, "Yeah, it sure was." Shaking her head, she continued, "Especially after that scene her brother pulled. I felt so terrible for Dana and poor Maggie-having to ask him to leave like that."

"Yeah," Doggett replied evenly, "but the creep definitely had it coming to him."

"True," Reyes sighed, "but I still wish, for Dana's sake, that it hadn't had to come to that."

"Yeah," Doggett nodded in agreement, quickly realizing that this train of conversation was more than a little depressing. Deciding to change gears to the topic that, despite his best efforts, continued to monopolize his thought, he did his best to sound nonchalant and amused as he tightly laughed, "Speaking of brothers, what's with you and the younger one? What's his name-Charlie is it?"

With a wry grin, Reyes turned to him and smirked, "Yeah, that's his name. He's really quite charming. We're supposed to get together for dinner sometime next week." Then, sensing a significant rise in tension from Doggett, she teasingly added, "What's the matter John? Not jealous are you?"

"What? I'm not allowed to be curious anymore?!" Doggett replied grumpily, deliberately ignoring her last question. "I just wanted to know if I'm going to be partnered with another Agent Scully in the near future-that's all." Then, in a stilted effort to counteract Reyes' suspicions, he tightly laughed, "If so, just don't expect me to change my name too so that the X-Files can be Mulder and Scully forever."

Raising her eyebrows in bemused incredulity, Reyes countered, "Don't you think you're jumping the gun a bit there, John? I mean, I just met the man today but you already have us running to the altar to tie the knot around our necks." Then, strongly suspecting what was really behind his questions, she decided to take this opportunity to spark a discussion of their true feelings. Grinning as she crossed her arms in front of her, she absently looked back out the window as she casually observed, "Sounds like a lot more than simple curiosity if you ask me."

"And just what is that supposed to mean, Monica?!?" Doggett testily shot back, turning to give Reyes a hard look before remembering himself and putting his eyes back on the road.

Sighing heavily at his unexpectedly hostile reaction as she kept her eyes on the passing hills, she tersely replied, "Only that we've been dancing around this issue for years now without ever talking about it. We've always ignored the proverbial elephant in the room and I, for one, am tired of it." Then, turning back toward her partner, she rather pointedly continued, "It seems to me that you need to figure out just what it is that you want from this relationship-and sooner as opposed to later. That's all." Surprised at how suddenly annoyed she was by the whole situation, she quickly turned her attention back to the passing countryside. Suddenly, at that moment, the last thing she wanted to look at was John's face.

Surprised by unexpected turn their conversation had taken, Doggett did not know how to respond. What could he say? He knew she was right, but just what could he do about it? Bureau policy was clear on this issue. Yet, at the same time, he couldn't deny that his feelings for her had only grown and deepened since she joined him on the X-Files. Pondering the issue, he drove on in silence.

As the minutes passed, Reyes angrily concluded that Doggett would simply pretend that this conversation had never happened and Monday morning would be business as usual. That thought made her sigh heavily in angry indignation. She told herself that this had to be the last straw-she just couldn't keep holding out hope like this. Something had to give and it looked like it would have to be her obviously unrequited feelings for John.

Meanwhile, hearing her sigh and knowing instinctively what it meant, Doggett could feel his heart sinking to the pit of his stomach. Noticing the pull off for a rest-stop just ahead, he made a split second decision. Turning on his turn signal, he steered the car into the exit lane.

"What are you doing?" Reyes quickly asked, with more than a hint of resentment in her voice. At that moment, all she wanted was to get home and have a good cry. However, this little detour meant she would have to hold it together that much longer-something that she wasn't quite sure that she'd be able to do. "Why are we stopping?" she demanded in a voice that was more strained than normal.

"We need to talk-and we need to do it right now," Doggett replied evenly, without looking at her as the car glided off the freeway and into the rest area parking lot. "It can't wait any longer."

"Ha! Look who talks!" Mulder countered playfully, as he tossed the damp dishcloth he'd been using into the sink and moved slowly toward her, "Just HOW LONG does it take for you to get a sweater and a couple of blankets anyway?!"

In response, Scully unconsciously blushed and grinned devilishly before tossing the jacket to her husband. "Now never you mind. There's a porch swing waiting with our names on it so we'd better get going."

"Yes ma'am," Mulder playfully saluted as he read with delight the muted excitement that played across Scully's face. Pulling on his jacket, he decided to let her have her fun by dropping the time disparity issue in favor of their imminent porch swing discussion. Taking her hands in his, he grinned down at her and softly chuckled, "I'm ready when you are."

"Then let's go," she replied with a smile as she wrapped an arm around his waist and they headed for the door. Shutting the front door behind them, they made their way to the porch swing and settled down on it. Mulder sat first, leaning back against the corner where the armrest and seatback met and stretching one leg across the length of the swing before Scully sat in front of him. Lifting both of her legs onto the swing, she reclined against Mulder's chest as he spread the blanket over the top of them both before tucking his arms under the blanket and wrapping them around her from behind. In response, she crossed her arms over his and gently grasped his hands in hers. Gently rocking the swing back and forth with the foot that remained firmly planted on the porch, Mulder gently nuzzled his lips into Scully's hair as the two of them silently watched the sun beginning to set on the distant horizon.

"It's so beautiful," Scully murmured as they gazed at the lovely myriad of colors that streaked the evening sky, "I'm so glad we bought this house."

"Me too," Mulder replied softly as he held her close. Gently swaying back and forth, the two of them sat in silence for a few minutes, enjoying the relaxing view. For her part, Scully was unexpectedly becoming a little nervous about just how to broach the subject with Mulder. After all, since they didn't even know if it was possible for her to conceive again, she had no idea where he stood on the issue of them trying to have more children. For all she knew, he couldn't wait for Will to go to school so that he could go back to work full time. With her brow furrowing unconsciously, Scully silently searched for the right words as her tension mounted. Meanwhile, feeling Scully's body tensing as she reclined against him, Mulder surmised the cause of her anxiety and decided to try to set her at ease. "Just so you know," he murmured gently in Scully's ear, "I've been meaning for us to have a porch swing discussion too."

"Oh," Scully replied with some trepidation, wondering what life-altering discussion he could possibly want them to have. Quickly considering the possibilities, she shuddered to think that perhaps he did want to pursue full time employment after all. Taking a deep breath, she continued hesitantly, "Did you want to go first."

"No, that's okay," he tenderly replied, "It was your idea, so you should go first." Then, intuitively sensing that her anxiety was growing rather than abating, he squeezed her gently as he softly whispered, "Besides, I have this sneaky suspicion that we both want the exact same thing."

Sighing heavily, Scully turned her head slightly to hopefully search his face in the hopes that he was right before breathlessly whispering, "Do you really think so?"

"Uh-huh," he smiled down at her, "I'm almost sure of it." Then with a playful smirk, he continued, "After all and despite what you may think, I WAS listening to what you said all those years ago back on that park bench in Home, Pennsylvania. I haven't forgotten that you've always wanted to have lots of children."

"Oh, Mulder," Scully sighed as a smile of relief spread across her face and she snuggled back against her husband's chest, "Is that really what you wanted to talk about?"

Grinning at how amazingly their wants and desires always seemed to be in sync, he chuckled, "Yeah, I've been thinking that it was about time for us to see if maybe you could pump out another Uber-Scully or two. I mean, there's no harm in trying, right?"

"No," Scully giggled at Mulder's amusing turn of phrase, "I just thought that maybe you were looking forward to Will starting school so that you could finally get your career back on track." Then, taking a deep breath, she continued more seriously, "I mean, I would understand if you didn't want to stay at home anymore. Are you sure that you wouldn't mind another baby and all that it would entail?"

Gently shaking his head with a grin, Mulder replied, "Scully, I have all the career I want or need right now. You and Will are my only priorities. Everything else comes in a pale second-including the University-and I wouldn't have it any differently." Then, taking a deep breath, he softly continued, "Look, when I was on the run all those months, I finally learned that your love and our family were the only things that truly matter in this life. I think it took having it and then losing it for me to finally realize just how empty and meaningless my life would be without it. The truth is, I couldn't wait to come back to you and Will then and I can't wait to be there for this child now."

Her heart melting at his passionate words, Scully tearfully murmured, "Even if it may not ever be? I mean, we don't know if it's even possible for me to conceive again."

"It is," Mulder replied with breathless certainty, "I know it is. We can't give up on the miracle-just look how far it took us the last time." Then, giving her another gentle squeeze, he added in a bittersweet murmur, "Besides, how else am I going to be a part of everything I missed the last time." As Scully turned and looked up at him quizzically and with a hint of concern, he gazed tenderly at her and whispered, "Scully, I want to be there to take care of you when you have morning sickness. I want to be the one who is with you for all of your doctor's appointments and..." Mulder's voice cracked as the pain-tinged words caught in his throat. Swallowing hard, he took a deep breath and regained his voice before he chokingly continued, "I want to be there when our next little miracle is finally born."

"Oh, Mulder," Scully sighed as she turned in his arms so that she could gently caress his face, "Missing that with Will was all beyond your control. You know that don't you?"

"Yeah," he responded soberly as he kissed her forehead, "but, now that my ridiculous quest for the 'truth' is out of the picture, nothing in this world can stop me from being there for you and our baby this time."

Wrinkling her brow in concern, Scully looked up into his eyes and softly whispered, "Mulder, you don't need prove anything to me or Will. We have you with us now and that's all that's important to either of us. Are you sure you aren't seeing another baby as a way to make it up to me for not being there the last time?"

Chuckling with a grin at the suggestion, Mulder deeply into Scully's eyes and tenderly murmured, "Scully, I would want to have more children with you regardless of what had happened during your pregnancy with Will."

Slipping on hand up from under the blanket to touch Scully's face, Mulder's eyes filled as he lovingly replied, "Because from the instant I saw you holding Theresa Hoese's baby, I never stopped wishing with all of my heart that I would be the one to give you all the children you ever dreamed of."

Deeply moved by Mulder's unexpected confession and with her own eyes brimming over with tears of joy, Scully sighed with a radiant smile as she gazed lovingly into Mulder's eyes, "Then, I guess it's settled. We're going to have another baby."

"You'd better believe it." Mulder smiled broadly into her eyes before kissing her tenderly. As their lips finally parted, they smiled broadly at each other before settling back to enjoy the sunset together.

At the sound of Doggett's words, Reyes' heart jumped to her throat. For an instant, she couldn't believe her ears. This was certainly the last thing she'd expected. Stunned into silence, she remained speechless as Doggett pulled the car into an empty space, shifted the gears to park and pulled the keys out of the ignition.

For a long moment, Doggett stared forward, trying to prepare himself and think of just what it was he wanted to say because he honestly didn't know. Pulling off the freeway had been a sudden impulse, but now that they were here, he was at a complete loss for words. Taking a deep breath, he opened his mouth to speak, but still the words would not come.

For her part, Reyes hadn't taken her eyes off Doggett since he'd said they needed to talk. She could see from his troubled face that he was desperately searching for the right words. With a sudden surge of empathy and regret for snapping so harshly at him, Reyes wrinkled her brow in concern as she haltingly began, "John...I...I'm sorry." Turning slowly to face her, Doggett looked at Reyes questioningly. Unable to meet his gaze, she cast her eyes downward and stammered, "I shouldn't have said what I did. You've never been anything but completely professional with me and I...I just..."

"No Monica," Doggett interrupted forcefully and with surprising emotion, "you hit the nail right on the head." Then, taking another deep breath, he let it out slowly to regain his composure before nodding slightly as he soberly continued, "We DO need to clear the air and stop dancing around the issue once and for all."

Gazing up at him from under her down-turned lashes, she softly whispered, "Okay, John."

Looking almost tenderly into her eyes, Doggett nodded slowly before abruptly breaking their gaze. "C'mon," he muttered, quickly opening the driver's side door and unfastening his seatbelt, "Let's walk." Reyes, taken aback by his sudden departure brusque demeanor, was too startled to move. Out of the car, Doggett slowly turned back and bent to face her, almost pleadingly adding, "I just can't do this in the car, okay?"

Biting her lower lip, Monica quickly nodded her agreement before unbuckling her seatbelt and wordlessly exiting the passenger side. Silently they shut the car doors and slowly made their way to the gravel footpath that wound its way around the tiny park. Turning back toward the car, Doggett activated the alarm and shoved the keys into his pocket. As they reached the path simultaneously, Doggett and Reyes stood face to face cautiously regarding one another at arms length. Jamming his hands into his pockets with a long exhale, Doggett couldn't bear to meet the intensity of her gaze, so he cast his eyes toward the spate of picnic tables and scattered families who had pulled over to enjoy a relaxing break from the road. With a sigh, he murmured, "Monica, you must really think that I'm a class-A horse's ass."

Confused slightly by Doggett's unexpected observation, Monica wrinkled her brow slightly before reaching out to him. "No, John. I don't think that at all," she murmured gently-hoping to assuage his obvious inner turmoil. As her hand lightly touched his arm, he startled slightly before looking directly into her eyes. Continuing where she'd left off, she breathed, "I'm the one who always pushes too hard. I'm so direct and forthright about my own feelings that I forget too easily that you aren't the same way." Then, with a look of earnest regret, she sighed, "John, I'm sorry if I pushed you too hard back there."

Breaking her gaze as he turned his eyes back toward the park, he slowly replied, "No Monica, I needed to be pushed 'cause we DO have to talk and I SURE wouldn't have done this on my own." Then, with a weak chuckle and ironic grin, he shook his head and continued, "You know, for a long time I thought that, if I just ignored these feelings or pretended that they weren't real, they would eventually go away and we could get back to business as usual." Then forcibly tearing his gaze from the lush colors of the trees and falling leaves, his steel blue eyes pierced Reyes' with an intensity that made her heart skip a beat as he whispered, "But that isn't going to happen, is it? And my clinging to the belief that it will is just about as delusional as all that mumbo jumbo in most of the X-Files."

Swallowing hard, now Reyes was suddenly the one who was flustered and at a complete loss for words. While she'd always harbored hopes, part of her was simply astonished and in complete disbelief. She certainly never expected Doggett to acknowledge that he had feelings for her, let alone admit that he had long been in denial about them. She was not prepared for this. Taking a deep breath and letting it out slowly, she blinked a few times as she cast her eyes downward from the heat of his gaze before slowly responding, "I...I never thought...I mean...I just assumed that..." Breaking off, she shook her head and murmured, "I need to sit down," before quickly retreating to a nearby picnic table. Using the bench as a step, she perched herself atop the table to sit and face the sunset. Leaning forward with her elbows on her knees, she buried her face in her hands before folding them pensively under her chin.

Going to her wordlessly, Doggett came up alongside her and gazed quizzically at her profile for a moment before evenly sighing, "You're the one who asked for this, Monica. Don't tell me now that you don't want it."

Nodding as she crossed her arms in front of her, she weakly replied, "I know. I know-and I'm not. It's just that I'm suddenly...afraid. That's all."

Nodding in understanding, Doggett silently regarded her for a moment before evenly murmuring, "Of what? Of what I'm going to say or of what this all means?"

"Both, I think," Reyes replied, staring into the setting sun-still unable to meet Doggett's gaze. Then, taking a deep breath and steeling her resolve, she forced herself to look at him, before smiling bravely and sighing, "But I asked for it, so I should be prepared for the consequences." Squinting as she raised a hand to shield her eyes from the rays that had suddenly grown too intense for her, she continued, "Go ahead and tell me. I'm a big girl. I can take it."

Moving to stand in front of her and block the offending rays, he teasingly responded, "Jeez, Monica. You make it sound like I'm sending you to face a firing squad."

"Well, aren't you?" she replied with a grimace and a tinge of apprehension as her eyes slowly adjusted to the change in light after Doggett's form eclipsed the sun.

Shaking his head with a smirk, he gently replied, "You'll have to be the judge of that." Then, looking down into her fearful eyes, he gently continued with a hint of concern, "Monica, are you sure you want to do this? I mean, once we have this conversation, that's it. We can't go back to the way things were. Maybe, in the long run, it WOULD be better if we just forgot all about it and simply chalked this up to a momentary lapse in judgment."

"No, John," Reyes replied with lucid certainty as she took a deep breath, "I don't want to do that. Besides, I think we BOTH know that its already gone too far for that. So, let's have it out. I'm ready." As she looked up at him, she made no effort to mask her hopes and fears as she breathlessly whispered, "I can take it."

Nodding wordlessly, Doggett looked down at the ground for what seemed like an eternity before raising his eyes to meet her intense gaze. "So what do you want me to say?" he murmured with just the slightest hint of anxiety, "I mean where do we start?"

"Well," Monica replied with a smirk, "One of us needs to take the plunge-so I'll just go ahead and say it so we can have it out in the open once and for all." Pausing a long moment, she sighed nervously as she gazed tentatively up at him. Then, taking a deep breath and marshalling her courage, she continued, "I'm in love with you, John, and I have been for some time." Then carefully eyeing his face for any signs of a reaction, she softly breathed, "John, I need to know whether on not you feel the same. Yes or no-either way, I just can't keep going on in limbo like this. If there's no hope, just say so. Don't try to sugar coat it. But if there is a future for us...please tell me"

As her words echoed in his ears, Doggett could feel his heart pounding furiously in his chest. On the one hand, her words were music to his ears-like a lifelong dream finally coming true. Yet, on the other, it was the worst possible news he could've ever had. Looking mournfully into his partner's eyes, Doggett solemnly whispered, "It's not that simple, Monica." Moving forward and taking her hands in his, he breathed, "I can't just give you a yes or no. It's so much more complicated than that."

Shaking his head as he closed his eyes for a moment, Doggett sighed before opening his eyes. Gazing intensely into her questioning eyes, he whispered breathlessly, "Monica, you know that I care very deeply for you-too deeply. I'd also be lying if I said that there weren't at least a dozen times that I wanted us to be much more than friends or partners."

"But...?" Reyes replied with trepidation, knowing instinctively that something else was holding Doggett back.

"But, we ARE partners, Monica, and, because of that, there's a line that I just can't cross."

"I see," Reyes nodded, now unable to meet Doggett's gaze as her eyes filled. This was exactly what she'd been afraid of and now she feared that she'd just lost him forever.

"No you don't see, Monica," Doggett passionately blurted as he saw her thoughts flit across her face. Grasping her hands tightly, he suddenly became desperate for her to understand what he was saying. In response to his frantic grip, Monica slowly lifted her face to meet his. "If you did," Doggett continued breathlessly as he looked deeply into her eyes, "you'd know that I can't let myself love you and be your partner at the same time. I made that mistake once and I almost lost everything. I won't do it again. I just can't--especially not to you. I won't knowingly put you at risk like that." With that, his voice trailed off as he looked pleadingly into her eyes, silently begging her to understand what he was saying. Letting out a long sigh, she turned her eyes downward to consider his words. After what seemed like an eternity, Reyes finally looked back up at her partner and softly whispered, "You're thinking about what happened with Dana aren't you?" Gazing tenderly into his eyes with sudden and complete understanding, she hoarsely whispered, "You were in love with her too."

Looking at her with shocked incredulity as he dropped her hands and stepped backward a step or two, Doggett stammered, "How...how did you know?!?"

"I have eyes, John," Reyes sighed as she stood from the table and gently clasped his hands in hers, "and I was seeing 20/20 when I came up from New Orleans to help the two of you find Mulder." Looking at him tenderly, she stepped in close to him. "You still blame yourself for what happened to her just before Mulder came out of hiding."

At the sound of her words and the horrific memory they evoked, Doggett stiffened and looked away. "It WAS my fault," he bit tersely, "The Bureau's regulations prohibiting romantic attachment between partners are there for a very good reason. If my feelings for Agent Scully hadn't clouded my judgment, I would've taken that shot at Kobold when I had the chance instead of letting him get away. While she might've been wounded in the exchange, at least he'd had never been able to...to..." "John," Reyes interrupted gently as she laid a hand on his shoulder, "It wasn't your fault. Dana doesn't blame you. Kobold played us all. He tricked her into going out there and me into chasing after ghosts of the past. So, if you're going to insist on taking blame, then Dana and I both have to share in it."

"Still," Doggett replied stoically as he looked at the ground, "You understand my point. I can't let myself feel...THAT way...about you. Not when those feelings could put you in danger."

"Oh John," Reyes whispered as her eyes filled with tears and she reached up to take his face softly in her hands, "Don't you see that it's already too late for that? We wouldn't be having this conversation if it weren't.

"For a long moment, Doggett tried desperately not to meet her gaze as his lower lip quivered slightly with emotion and his own eyes began to fill. Forcing back the tears, he finally relented and looked into Reyes' eyes. Seeing the intense glow behind her gaze, at that moment, he wanted nothing more than to take her in his arms and never let her go. Overtaken by his own overwhelming feelings, he inclined his face dangerously close to hers. For a long moment, his lips hovered just above hers and he longed to feel the softness of her delicate mouth against his own. Yet, as he gazed into her soft and inviting eyes, he knew that he loved her far too much to go through with it. The choice HAD to be hers. It just wouldn't be fair for him to coerce her this way. He owed her far too much for that.

Turning his face abruptly from hers, he pulled Reyes into a tight embrace and whispered into her hair, "You know me too well for your own good, Monica." Then taking a deep breath, he sighed, "But right as you are, it doesn't change the facts. I CAN'T put you at risk." Pulling back as he touched her face, Doggett gazed deeply into her eyes as he whispered, "If we're going to pursue this...this... thing between us, then I can't work with you anymore."

Looking with quizzical concern into his eyes, Reyes furrowed her brow as she breathlessly whispered, "John, what are you saying?"

Gazing deeply into her eyes, he slowly replied, "I'm saying that I'll ask Skinner for a transfer-effective immediately. If you want us to go forward, then, after tomorrow, I won't be your partner or assigned to the X-Files anymore."

Meanwhile, as the sun slowly disappeared, Mulder and Scully wordlessly continued to watch descend below the horizon as they comfortably snuggled together on their porch swing. Gently rocking them back and forth with his dangling leg as he held Scully tightly underneath their blanket, Mulder whispered softly into her ear, "So, was there anything else you wanted to talk about or have we successfully concluded our first official 'porch swing' discussion?"

"That's all I had," Scully sighed contentedly with a smile as she gently brushed her temple against his lips, "So, unless you had something else, I think we're done."

"I see," he murmured with a wry grin as he kissed her hair, "Well, in that case, don't we have something we should be getting to?"

"And what would that be?" Scully replied with a sly little smirk as she grasped his hands under the protective warmth of their blanket. Since the temperature had steadily dropped with the sun, the blanket was slowly proving to be insufficient defense against the cold night air. Although reclining against Mulder's body was doing a pretty good job of keeping her warmer than she otherwise would've been, goose bumps were already beginning to form on her flesh from the evening chill.

"As I recall," Mulder replied lasciviously as he shifted his hands beneath the blanket, "there was that little project of trying to make a baby that we were going get started." Then, with a chuckle, he teasingly added, "I know it's a chore, but we really should try and make ourselves get on it tonight-so to speak."

As the last rays of light faded from the autumn sky, Scully sat up and turned to face her husband with a devilish smile. "Well, since you're so gung ho to get started, why don't we take this back inside? My sources tell me that there are blankets and pillows in front of the fireplace waiting for us already. All we need is to get the fire started," Scully grinned suggestively with a husky giggle. In response, Mulder seductively raised his eyebrows at her. "Besides," Scully blushingly countered as she shivered despite the blanket and rubbed her arms to warm them up, "I think it's a little too cold out here even for you to get my engine started."

"Oh really?" He mused wryly as he sat up and gently guided her body to face away from him. Then, pushing her auburn tresses up from the back of her neck with his free hand, he murmured, "We'll just have to see about that."

"And just what do you think you're doing, Mister?" Scully giggled as the cold night air chilled her newly exposed skin while the touch of his fingers combing upward through her hair sent a tingly wave down her spine.

"Nothing," Mulder murmured softly as he lightly and slowly brushed his lips upward over the nape of her neck. That feathery touch evoked a tantalizing wave of shivers-sending them coursing throughout her entire body. Noting her physical reaction, Mulder smiled to himself as his lips gradually pressed more firmly to kiss up the back of her neck. As her sensitivity heightened, Scully couldn't help but inhale sharply as she unconsciously and ever so slightly arched her back against him in excitement. As he gently bit the back of her neck, goose bumps quickly resurfaced all over Scully's skin-but this time, not from the cold. Sighing heavily, she reclined all the way back into Mulder's lap to rest her head against his upper arm as she reached up and caressed the roughness of his slightly stubbled face. "You don't waste any time, do you?" she purred huskily as she gazed warmly up at him, her eyes filled with a mixture of love and desire. Grinning down at her as he leaned in and his lips closed in on hers, Mulder chuckled seductively, "Not when you issue a challenge like that. I've got a reputation to uphold." Then, kissing her deeply, he slid his hand back under the blanket to take better advantage of the access her new position afforded him.

Moaning softly at his touch, Scully reached up and wound her fingers through his hair as she passionately pulled him closer. Parting her delicate lips with his own, Mulder savored the sweetness of her mouth before moving to slowly and tenderly kiss his way down the side of her neck. Relishing the prickly sensation of his whiskers brushing against her skin as his intoxicating scent filled her nostrils, the heady combination of heat and cold made Scully feel like she was slipping helplessly away into a swirling oblivion-and she couldn't wait to get there.

Feeling her excitement quickly growing out of control, Mulder pulled back from Scully slightly and teasingly chuckled, "So, is it safe to assume that I successfully got your motor running?"

"Uh-huh," she breathed impatiently, craving the return of his lips to her skin as she ran her hand down over his, wordlessly urging him to continue what he had started.

Taking immense pleasure in how insistently ravenous Scully had become-despite the fact that they were still on the front porch, Mulder decided that she could use a little teasing as he mischievously grinned down at her and playfully smirked, "Why, Agent Scully, what will the neighbors think?"

"Who cares?" came her quick reply as she snaked one hand up through his hair while the other wound its way around his waist. Tugging upward on the back of this rugger, she pulled it out from his jeans before running her hand up over the warm flesh of his back. Giggling huskily, Scully then sat up in his lap to nibble gently on Mulder's earlobe before slowly working her way downward as she breathlessly whispered, "Besides, it IS dark out and we did leave the porch light off." Closing his eyes with a grin and a low moan, Mulder leaned his head to one side, giving her better access as he thoroughly enjoyed her attentions. Immediately recognizing the fruits of her efforts, Scully smirked mischievously as she then ran her hand from Mulder's hair, down his chest and beyond to erotically emphasize her last point as well as give him a heavy dose of his own medicine.

Starting slightly at her unexpectedly erogenous touch, a short gasp escaped Mulder's lips as his eyes flew open in surprised but sensually erotic pleasure at Scully's brazenness. Meeting her intensely sultry gaze, the temptation overwhelmed him as he grinned wryly up at her and sensually drawled, "True enough." Then deliberately adjusting the blanket to better cover them, he suggestively added," ...and this blanket of ours can hide a multitude of sins." "Mmmmm. I like how you think Professor Mulder," Scully whispered as she moved in to kiss him deeply. As their lips met, Mulder passionately wrapped his arms around her, pulling her body even closer to his. Running his hand down the outside of her thigh, their breath came faster and faster, filling the dark and cold night air with wispy, cloud-like billows. Their hearts pounding in heady unison, they quickly lost themselves in the heat of the moment as Mulder torridly slid his hands up under her sweater and Scully tugged at his belt buckle.

Yet, at that very second, the two of them were unexpectedly jolted back to reality as the outside lights of the house across the street suddenly flickered on and the garage door opened. Starting at the unexpected light and sound, Scully nearly fell out of Mulder's lap. Quickly catching her in his arms, Mulder glanced quickly toward the neighbors' house to make sure that no one was there who might've seen them before turning back to face Scully. As their eyes met, both of them burst out laughing-their faces flushed from both embarrassment and excitement.

Hugging her close, Mulder sighed with relief as he laughed, "And we thought we needed Will around to get ourselves in trouble!"

Hugging him back, Scully giggled, "It just goes to show you that, where there's a will there's a way." Shaking her head with an embarrassed grimace, she continued, "Still, we need to be much more careful with our...ah...impulses-cause I'm sure an arrest for indecent exposure wouldn't go over very well at the Bureau."

"Oh, I don't know about that," Mulder replied teasingly, "If Clinton were still president, it would probably HELP your career."

Gently extricating herself from his embrace, she laughed, "You're terrible!" Then, slowly standing, Scully took Mulder's hand and, with a wry grin, murmured, "C'mon you. There's no reason we can't pick up where we left off once we get inside, is there?"

With a wink and a grin of his own, Mulder stood and teasingly chuckled, "No-not unless you had your heart set on being able to embarrass our next child with the story of his or her exhibitionist conception."

"Ha, ha," Scully grimaced sarcastically in reply before lasciviously pulling Mulder toward her. Then, with a husky laugh, she wrapped her arms around his body and kissed him passionately before opening the door and steering him inside. "That 's enough talking for now," she giggled as she shut the door behind them.

Exiting from the computer program that remotely controlled the basic functions of his new base of operations, Spender never expected that this hi-tech innovation would have such a laughable practical application. It hadn't occurred to him that remote controlled outdoor lighting could ever come in so handy. Still shaking his head in incredulity at his quarry's risky behavior as he crushed out the butt of his cigarette, Spender was thankful to have been able to spare himself from having to personally witness their exhibitionist impulses by scaring them off their front porch and forcing them to take their lusty plans back into the relative "privacy" of their own home where they belonged. Snorting at the fact that he himself was responsible for the Mulder/Scully union in the first place, Spender seriously wondered if perhaps he had done his job too well in terms of finding the perfect partner for Fox Mulder all those years ago. "Ah, Mr. Mulder. Had I known that the two of you would be so persistently...compatible," Spender mused to himself with a smirk as he lit a fresh cigarette, "I would never have bothered with any clandestine attempts at sidetracking your investigations. I'd have simply focused all my efforts on fostering your budding romance. "

However, despite his momentary levity, Spender's continued and prolonged exposure to the overt love, affection, and sexuality that were the hallmarks of the Mulder marriage was slowly taking its toll. Although he would never admit it, bearing silent witness Mulder and Scully's seemingly endless love and devotion was a painful reminder of just what he himself had given up when he chose the dark path of the Consortium. He and Teena had been like that once-passionately in love and hopelessly devoted to one another. Yet, so many years ago he had foolishly forsaken their love when he continued on his current path-never realizing until it was too late just how it would eventually separate them forever. Then, recovering himself, Spender snapped out of his reverie. Disgusted by his own weak sentimentality, Spender deliberately forced those sappy, bittersweet memories from his mind and refocused himself on the task at hand.

Turning his attention back toward his surveillance equipment, he stopped the audio digital recording of the goings on in the Mulder home. Rewinding the write capable CD to the point just before Mulder and Scully had left their kitchen, Spender dispassionately hit record so that their discussion of trying to have another child would be overwritten by their current "activities." Taking a draw from his cigarette as he removed his headset, Spender coolly observed, "There's no need for my colleagues to learn just yet of you and your lovely wife's current plans for expanding your little family, Mr. Mulder. After all, if they did and you were successful too quickly, they might start to suspect just how you really got your original little bundle of joy in the first place."

Pulling back slightly and looking somewhat incredulously up at Doggett, a mildly scolding grimace spread across Reyes' face as she raised an eyebrow and teasingly smirked, "Do you really think that's necessary? I mean, aren't you jumping the gun a bit and possibly being just a tad overdramatic?"

Taken aback by her seemingly cavalier reaction, Doggett angrily furrowed his brow before breaking their embrace and defensively backing away from her with a frown. Stung by her words, he briefly paced in front of her before finally turning sharply toward her and biting, "I don't get you Monica!! I finally open up about how I feel and all you can say is that I'M OVERDRAMATIC?!"

Suddenly realizing just how grossly he'd misunderstood her teasing jibes, Reyes quickly moved forward and grasped his shoulders as she looked tenderly up into his eyes. "Oh, John," she whispered passionately, "I didn't mean that the way it sounded." Then, reaching up to touch his face, she intently searched his eyes for forgiveness as she carefully continued, "Given what happened with Dana, I can understand why you're afraid. But you need to remember that I am not her and this is not the same situation."

"Don't you think I know that, Monica?!?" Doggett tersely bit, grabbing her hands away from his face and clutching them tightly in front of him, "Despite what you seem to think, I'm not some kind of knuckle-dragging moron!"

Sighing as she looked softly into his eyes, Reyes could see that she'd wounded him deeply. In regret, she turned her gaze to the ground and closed her eyes, shaking her head and delicately murmuring, "You know that I don't think that, John." Turning her hands over in his and raising both of his hands to her lips to kiss them softly, she gingerly continued, "I just think it's all too easy to let past mistakes overrun your future. That's all." Then, gazing up deeply, almost pleadingly into his eyes, she breathed, "All I want is for you to think through your feelings-not react instinctively to them. I mean, an hour ago, you would never have even considered asking for a transfer from the X-Files. Yet now, here you are, ready to throw away the past four years of work simply because you're terribly afraid of some horrific nightmare that may never happen." Pausing a moment before reaching up to tenderly caress her partner's face, Reyes softly added, "John, we haven't even begun to explore where this may take us. I think that it's too early for you to be making any career changes because of it-especially when its only fear that's motivating you."

Sighing heavily, Doggett was now the one who turned his gaze toward the ground before nodding slowly-finally grasping her meaning. Despite that, he was more than a little surprised to realize how much he was still smarting from what he'd thought she'd expressed. Unable to reign in those feelings of rejection, Doggett remained silent, unwilling to meet her gaze. Seeing this troubled expression, Reyes gently guided his face toward hers. Grudgingly, Doggett raised his eyes to meet hers as she softly whispered, "Don't you think that asking for a reassignment right now would be taking things just a little too far, too fast?"

Looking deeply into her eyes, he hoarsely whispered, "So what am I supposed to do, Monica? Just stand by and hope that your life is never in danger? Delude myself into believing that it will never happen? C'mon. We're FBI agents for Christ's sake. It's part of our job."

Again taking his face in both her hands, Reyes' brow wrinkled in concern as she stepped in closer to him and whispered, "John, I'm not asking you to suspend your beliefs or disregard what your gut is telling you. All I'm saying is that you should think it through some more before you take such a drastic step." Then, in an attempt to lighten his darkened mood, she grinned and added, "Besides, we can't very well call off Smithy the foxhound's little rendezvous now, can we?"

Snorting in mild amusement, Doggett cast his eyes toward the ground as he nodded and smiled weakly. Of course she was right. He SHOULD take more time to consider his actions and not act so impetuously. Asking for a reassignment now would be a premature overreaction to his fears. Then, a horrible thought suddenly occurred to him. Quickly he raised his eyes to look questioningly into hers as fear crept slowly into his heart. Swallowing hard, Doggett hesitantly stammered, "Um...this isn't your way of saying that you need time to think about whether or not we should pursue our...I mean...this...is it?"

"No," Reyes laughed gently with a reassuring smile as she slowly inched her face closer to his, "I've had plenty of time to think about what I want." Then, glancing up into his eyes as her lips edged toward his, she added, "and, in case there's any doubt what exactly that is, I think I know how to put it to rest." With those last words, her eyes deliberately locked with Doggett's as she closed the distance between them and delicately brushed her lips against his. That feathery kiss was like Fourth of July fireworks, sending a shivery wave coursing through them both.

"Monica..." Doggett whispered weakly as his lips still tingled from the too brief touch of hers and he desperately fought his intense desire to throw caution to the wind, take her in his arms and kiss her with a reckless abandon that she would never forget. While his discipline finally won out, it took every ounce of strength and self-control that he possessed to keep his impulses in check.

Sensing his internal struggle and knowing that he was fighting in vain against the wishes of his own heart, Reyes deliberately pushed the envelope of his self control as she snaked one hand up around his neck and through his hair, gazing sultrily up at him from under her lashes. "What's the matter, John?" she whispered teasingly against his slightly parted lips that he couldn't stop from tingling in eager anticipation of hers, "Don't you WANT to kiss me?"

Looking ardently into her soft eyes, Doggett's heart pounded wildly in his chest as he breathed, "Monica, you know that I do." His resolve was weakening by the second and his reasons for holding back in the first place were rapidly becoming distant memories as he lost himself in her eyes. Unconsciously, his hands found their way around her waist as his eyes slowly scanned the delicate contours of her face.

"Well then," Reyes breathed as her eyelids drooped seductively and her lips jutted forward ever so slightly under his, "why don't you?"

This last temptation was more than Doggett could withstand. Like a dam bursting under the pressure of tremendous and overpowering floods, his lips surged forward and found hers. Kissing her with passionate abandon, he clung to her body as he explored the depths of her eagerly expectant mouth with his own. Overpowered by the intensity of his ardor, Reyes could only helplessly yield to it as she wrapped her arms around Doggett's body, pulling him even closer. Finally, they each had found the courage to take hold of what they wanted most in the world.

With a furious intensity, their sudden passion crested like a tidal wave. Then gradually, like an ebbing tide, it released its fervent grip over them and they slowly regained an awareness of their surroundings. With slow and gentle kisses that they both savored, Doggett and Reyes finally found the strength to part slightly and eventually tear themselves away from each other's lips. Inclining his forehead down to rest gently against hers, Doggett looked down into his partner's eyes as she smiled up at him-her eyes filled with joy. His own heart overflowing with emotion, Doggett smiled tenderly down at her as he raised a hand to caress her face and softly whispered, "You got me dead to rights. I confess." Pausing for a moment as he gazed deeply into her eyes, Doggett took a deep breath before gently breathing, "There's no sense in denying it. I love you Monica Reyes."

Wryly smiling up at him, Reyes countered with a gently teasing smirk, "Hmmm. I don't know. Is this confession is completely legal? After all, your lawyer isn't present and I haven't read you your rights."

With a chuckle, Doggett gently grinned down at her, "Ah. So you're saying it's inadmissible in a court of law, eh? Well, then maybe I should get outta here while the getting is good. You know, make good my escape."

Playfully taking hold of his collar, Reyes pulled Doggett's face close to hers and saucily teased, "Just try it mister. I'll teach you a whole new meaning to the phrase 'police brutality.'" Then releasing him and stepping with a grin, she took his hand and led him back toward the gravel path as she continued, "Besides, we DO need to get over to the Post sooner as opposed to later. Otherwise, come Monday morning, we'll have Mulder waiting in our office all dressed up with no place to go."

"Yeah," Doggett replied with a grin, sliding an arm around her shoulders as they headed back toward the car, "We can't keep Smithy the foxhound waiting." Then, as they slowly made their way down the gravel path, the heady rush of the past few moments gradually began to fade. As his mind slowly cleared, Doggett's naturally pragmatic mind couldn't help but turning back to the very real problems that he and Reyes would face in embarking on a new romance together. As his doubts quickly and inevitably resurfaced, he stopped dead in his tracks before gently pulling Reyes to face him. "Monica..." he stammeringly began, "I'm still a little...um...I mean...I think you're right. We should both slow down and think about just where we want this to go before we rush into anything."

Reading the sober and almost fearful look on her partner's face, Reyes instantly understood that Doggett needed some time to come to terms with this new and dramatic change in their relationship as well as what it might eventually mean for their professional partnership. Smiling tenderly into his eyes, she gently whispered, "Okay, John." The pausing for a moment, she sighed softly before continuing, "We have all the time in the world. I'm not going anywhere and neither are you. We can afford to take this as slow as you want." Gently brushing her hand against his cheek, she breathlessly added, "We'll find our way through this-together. I promise."

His inner fears abruptly silenced by her soothing words, Doggett grinned and shook his head with a chuckle of disbelief, "Just HOW do you do that, Monica?"

"Make me see how just how ridiculous I'm being," Doggett countered with a smirk. "I mean, all it takes is a couple of words from you and I'm suddenly believing that everything will work out just fine. HOW do you do that?"

Weaving her arm through Doggett's as she gently steered him back toward the car and the streetlights of the now darkened parking lot, Reyes laughed softly as she replied with a knowing smile, "Ah...ancient Chinese secret, huh?" Then, with a grin and a wink, she teasingly continued, "C'mon John, you didn't expect me to surrender my secrets that easily did you? A woman's got to protect her mystique, you know."

Immediately catching her deliberately evasive reference to a 70s Calgon commercial as they reached the car, Doggett rolled his eyes and shook his head with a grin as he muttered, "Oh, brother!!"

Lying in each other's arms atop Scully's makeshift bed of blankets and pillows, Mulder and Scully contentedly basked in the roaring fire's glow as they gradually caught their breath. The heat from the fireplace washed over them, deliciously warming their bare skin as the glistening sweat of exertion slowly evaporated from their intertwined bodies. Kissing each other gently, Mulder and Scully tenderly grinned at each other as they lovingly snuggled in the warm afterglow of their passion.

"Let me just say," Mulder whispered huskily into Scully's hair, "that, if all your little surprises are like ones from the past two days, then PLEASE keep them coming." Then, gently kissing her forehead, he added with a grin, "I, for one, can't get enough of your...fertile...imagination."

Laughing gently as she silently hoped that more than just her imagination would turn out to be fertile, Scully squeezed Mulder with a smile as she contentedly closed her eyes. "Hmmm," she dreamily giggled into Mulder's chest, "in that case, maybe we should send Will and Walter over to Mom's more often-cause I sure could get used to this."

"Yeah?," Mulder chuckled with a smirk. Then caressing her face and gently guiding it up to his, he smiled into her deep blue eyes as they slowly opened and suggestively whispered, "Well, maybe if you're a good little girl, one of these days you might just come home to find a surprise or two of your own."

"Oh, really?" Scully huskily replied with a devilish grin and mischievous glint in her eye, "I can think of one or two things that would be quite...stimulating...to come home to."

"Well, if you can give me some hints about what you've been...craving." Mulder smiled wryly, "I'd wager that something could be arranged-especially now that we have our little 'project' to get underway."

Smiling wickedly at the implications, Scully imagined the possibilities for a few moments before she suddenly remembered something she'd almost forgotten. "Speaking of our project," she grinned as she sat up and reached into the basket of pinecones that they always kept beside the fireplace, "there was something else that we needed to take care of."

Raising an eyebrow with a smirk as he lifted himself up on one elbow to look quizzically at his wife, Mulder teasingly chuckled, "What? You want more ALREADY?!? Damn, girl!! At least give me a couple minutes to recover, you wanton sex-goddess."

Grimacing back at him as she playfully narrowed her eyes, Scully quickly retrieved from the basket what she'd been looking for. As she held it up, Mulder could see that it was her birth control pills.

Wrinkling his brow in surprise, Mulder chuckled as he teasingly observed, "Well now, THAT's a novel hiding place. Let me guess, you're keeping the aspirin in the freezer, right?"

Reclining to face him as she propped herself up on one elbow with her pills in hand, Scully playfully narrowed her eyes at him as she haughtily countered, "I'll have you know that I didn't want to have these out in the open just in case you'd decided you wanted to focus on your career right now." Then grinning mischievously, she gingerly removed the card of pills from its holder and folded it into Mulder's hand. "But since that isn't the case," she continued, gazing into his eyes with a wry grin before looking from the fireplace to the pills and then back to the fireplace, "I think you know what to do."

Catching onto her meaning, Mulder smiled broadly before leaning in to kiss her tenderly. Then, as their lips parted, Mulder gazed into her eyes-his own filled with love and happiness. Softly, he whispered, "I love you, Scully," before opening his hand and looking down at the pills. Then, turning his eyes back to Scully's, he grinned tenderly as he gently murmured, "Here's to never giving up on a miracle," before tossing the pills into the fire.

Smiling up at him with abject joy and adoration, Scully reached up and gently caressed his cheek with her fingertips before drawing his lips closer to hers and kissing him softly. As the heat of the fire caused the card of pills to crackle and pop, they once again snuggled down into the pleasure of one another's arms. For a long time, they lay there, simply holding one another next to the glow of the roaring fire and blissfully basking in the joy of finally being alone together without the omnipresent worries of parenting intruding on them. However, as these beautiful minutes steadily passed, Mulder was having difficulty resisting his urge to slowly and sensuously caress the velvety skin of Scully's back. He'd always adored how her body felt under his fingers and he'd never gotten over the intoxicating pleasure of how quickly and eagerly she responded to his touch. Although he knew that, physically, he wasn't quite ready for round two just yet, he didn't see any reason why he shouldn't give her every last morsel of gratification she could withstand. Giving into the delicious temptation, he wordlessly slid his arm from around Scully's waist to gently stroke and massage the sensitive skin of her flawless back.

Savoring the exquisite sensation of Mulder's touch and the erotic thrill of his bare body gently pressed close to hers, Scully moaned softly as she felt her desires slowly re-igniting. "Mmmm," she sighed breathlessly as Mulder's fingers continued to sizzle their way down her spine and beyond, "now you've done it."

"And just what's that?" Mulder distractedly replied as he slowly slid his hand down the silkiness of her outer thigh and moved in to gently kiss her delicate and incredibly responsive neck.

"You're getting me started again," Scully murmured softly as she turned her head ever so slightly to give Mulder better access while simultaneously weaving her fingers through his hair. Hazily, her eyes drifted toward the ceiling before closing as her breath quickened and she teetered on the edge of surrendering to her rising passion.

Grinning to himself as he gradually but deliberately worked his way down from her neck, Mulder chuckled lasciviously against her warm flesh, "Ah...well that WAS part of the plan Scully."

With a barely audible moan, she huskily replied, "I thought you said you needed...some more...time...before..." However, before she could get her last words out, Mulder quickly silenced her with a wonderfully erotic shift of his hands and touch of his lips. As a short gasp escaped her lips, Scully completely lost her train of thought-wantonly abandoning it in favor of Mulder's stimulating, albeit non-verbal, "conversation."

Pleased immeasurably by the quick intensity of her physical response, Mulder smiled as he gently shifted Scully from her side to her back. Taking full advantage of the new access her position afforded him, Mulder chuckled softly as he murmured against her gently heaving chest, "Patience my dear. We'll get there again all in good time. In the meanwhile, just sit back, relax and enjoy yourself. I know I will."

After they finished their business at the Post, Doggett drove Reyes back home. For him, it had been more than a little strange having to put on the "professional partners" front at the Post-especially after the emotional conversation that he and Reyes had in the park just a few short hours before. That awkwardness renewed his concerns that maybe he just couldn't handle having that kind of relationship with Reyes after all. In fact, no matter how he tried, Doggett couldn't get it off his mind as he silently pondered the issue all the way back to her place. One thing was for sure, he KNEW he couldn't handle mixing business with pleasure while they were on the job. As they finally pulled up to her building, Doggett wondered if he should say something now about what he was thinking or if it should wait until Monday morning. Parking his car alongside the curb, Doggett turned off the engine and pulled his keys out of the ignition. Monday morning would take far too long, he should tell her now.

"Well, this is my stop," Reyes smirked with a chuckle as she unbuckled her seatbelt, "I guess I'll see ya Monday." However, as she moved to open her door and get out of the car, Doggett stilled her by gently laying a hand on her arm. Turning back toward him in mild surprise, Reyes searched his face quizzically before asking, "What is it, John?"

Raising his eyes to meet hers, he began hesitantly, "Monica...about what we said earlier today. I..."

Smiling gently at her partner, she softly replied, "Look John, there's no need to explain. I understand what you said about wanting to take it slow. I want you to know that I plan on giving you as much time as you need to think about what you want to do." Then in response to the worried look on his face, she teasingly added, "So, don't worry. I'm not expecting a goodnight kiss or anything." As Doggett lowered his eyes and chuckled at her words, she grinned over at him and playfully laughed, "See, I knew I could get a smile out of you."

Shaking his head with a grin, Doggett raised his eyes to hers as he softly replied, "No, there was never any question about that." Then, hesitating for a moment, he took a deep breath before continuing, "It's just that I think we should keep our...this...thing ...out of the office. I mean, we take enough ribbing already about the X-Files and how Mulder and Scully hooked up there. I just don't want this to cast dispersion over OUR professionalism."

Gently raising her hand to caress his face, Reyes firmly replied, "It won't. Everything will be business as usual come Monday morning. No pressure. I promise." Then, dropping her hand to his, she briefly gave his hand a gentle squeeze before turning to exit the car. Getting out, she turned back to quickly shoot a wink and a smile to her partner. "Goodnight John," she smiled broadly as she shut the car door, "and try not to take things so seriously all of the time." Then, with a short wave, she turned and made her way into her apartment building

Silently watching her go, Doggett could only stare after her wondering how he could possibly be able to work side by side with her every day without spending the entire time remembering just how electrically magical her lips felt underneath his own. Sighing as Reyes disappeared inside the building, he started the engine and pulled out to drive away, muttering to himself, "Now you've gone and done it, John old buddy. You'll never get that woman out of your system now. Good luck trying to keep it professional with her at work-you'll need it."

Hours before sunrise, Marita arose from her bed, finally giving up on any idea she had of getting a good night's rest. After turning on the news channel and slowly savoring her first cup of coffee, she slowly stretched herself and resolved to get back to business. Wrapping her silky robe tightly about her otherwise scantily clad body, Marita opened the door to her annoyingly cramped apartment to retrieve her Sunday Post. She knew it was there because she'd just heard that obnoxious paperboy unceremoniously thump it against her door. If it wasn't so bloody early, she probably would have given him hell for it. However, she didn't want to draw attention to herself by awakening her neighbors at 6:14 am on a Sunday morning. As it was, she glaringly scowled at the boy as he returned down the hall, making his way to the elevator.

"Mornin' ma'am," he quipped with a cheerful grin as he passed by, "Don't see too many people this early. Guess most of 'em aren't up yet."

"Yeah. No thanks to you and your insipient thumping," she tersely growled in response as she snatched up her paper before slamming her door shut. Damn kid. For the life of her, Marita could not comprehend just what it was about children that made so many women go ga-ga over having them. Personally, she'd never liked kids and certainly never wanted one of her own. As far as she was concerned, they were all just a bunch of whiny, lazy, and disrespectful brats who appreciated nothing but still thought they deserved to have everything handed to them on a silver platter. If she had her way, they'd all be locked up until they were 21-that way she wouldn't have to deal with them. Shaking her head with a sigh, Marita turned from the door and headed into the kitchen. While she could still dimly remember a time when she'd felt quite differently, the horrific knowledge and experience she'd already gained in her relatively short life had taught her the pure folly and sheer naiveté, of her earlier, childish hopes and dreams.

Sauntering over to her kitchen table, Marita sat down and meticulously spread out the newspaper as she sipped her second cup of morning coffee. She hadn't slept well at all. Although she'd resolved to forget about the maddening puzzle of what the Consortium wanted with Fox Mulder, she couldn't get it out of her head no matter what she'd tried. After her shopping spree had failed to tear her thoughts from the matter, she decided that she would lose herself in the DC nightlife and go home with the first handsome stranger that struck her fancy. Although she had a wide selection of prospective "suitors" to choose from, none of them succeeded in distracting her sufficiently. Even the one she went home with didn't do anything but provide a brief release of pent up aggression. In fact, once their animalistic passions were finally spent, she abruptly got up, got dressed and wordlessly left-completely ignoring her conquest's pleas to at least know her name. As she walked out his door, she felt nothing. He was just another nameless, faceless stranger-just like she herself was and always would be. After all, the Syndicate had taken care of that for her. Not only had she lost everything and everybody that she'd ever cared about, but now she didn't even have her own name anymore either.

Biting her lower lip in bitter resentment, Marita forced herself to take a deep breath and bury those emotions deep inside as she turned the pages of the newspaper. She knew she was being ridiculous. Her life wasn't empty. It was essential to the very survival of the human race. Moreover, she was in complete control of herself. Emotions and sentimentality had no place in her existence-especially not in light of the higher purpose that she and all of the other Consortium members had sworn to serve. Finally she had reached a stage where she felt lifeless and bloodless, made out of stone like a statue-and she was glad for it. Feelings were only a liability in this business. Krycek had made sure she learned that lesson the hard way a long time ago. Now, with him out of the picture for good, there was nothing left that could penetrate her deep layers of permafrost that, over the years, had penetrated to her very core. Because of this fact she actually viewed Alex's death as a good thing. After all, it was what finally froze her heart solid and made her untouchable and invincible. Now she was completely autonomous and self-reliant. She didn't need anyone or anything-which was also a good thing because she knew only too well that the only person she could rely upon was herself.

As a smug smile slowly spread malevolently across her otherwise lovely face, Marita knew full that her imperviousness to sentiment and the invulnerability it afforded would enable her to rise to the top of the Syndicate. Like a shooting star, she would quickly surpass the remaining idiotic old fools and younger backstabbing ladder climbers-that is if only she could figure out just what it was that they wanted with Fox Mulder. Turning the problem over and over again in her mind, she searched for the answer while she mindlessly skimmed the news and turned the pages. She was confident that she had all of the pieces. It was just a matter of fitting them together in the right combination to excavate the larger pattern. As she continued to mull the facts over, she turned to the Post's classified advertisements-her eyes scanning for the all too familiar signal. They were not disappointed as her eyes quickly found just what they were searching for. The ad read: LOST: Foxhound w/tags "Smithy" (201) 220-0845

"Well, it looks like our Fox has taken the bait and sprung our trap," she mused aloud with an almost malicious smirk. Naturally, she would call the number later on just to make certain that it wasn't a legitimate ad. Still, she was more than confident that Fox Mulder had placed the ad. After all, she knew full well that nothing on this planet, or any other for that matter, could keep Fox Mulder from meeting with her-especially if it meant he would uncover some new scrap of information that might help him in his obsessive, never-ending quest for answers. "Wife and child or no," she thought with a malevolent grin, "Fox Mulder's first and only passion is his single-minded pursuit of the truth. We can always count on him for that."

Just then, a deliciously insidious idea struck her. If she wanted to figure out just how the pieces fit together, all she had to do was simply follow Fox Mulder and keep track of exactly what he did once he viewed the tape. She imagined that he would make a beeline straight for some anonymous source and the gig would be up. Taking in a sudden breath, the pieces had unexpectedly fallen into place for Marita-or so she thought. "Thanks for being such a dependable dupe Mr. Mulder," she grinned with malevolently gleaming eyes, "I'll be sure to remember to thank you when I'm finally in charge-which shouldn't take too long now."

As the dawn's first light streamed gently into their family room, Mulder stirred slightly in his sleep and slowly began to waken from his peaceful slumber. Blinking himself awake, a wry grin spread across his face as the memories of his and Scully's night in front of the fireplace slowly returned to him. With her curled up beside him, smiling and sighing softly in her sleep, he quickly realized that they must've fallen asleep where they lay after they'd completely exhausted themselves in each other. Turning on his side to face his sleeping wife, Mulder couldn't help but smile as he tenderly gazed at her sweetly upturned face and the gentle expression it bore. It was moments like these that made everything worthwhile.

Overnight, a slight chill had tinged the air inside their usually warm home. Mulder figured it must be because they'd turned the fire way down and the flue was open. Sitting up slowly so as not to disturb her, he gingerly reached over Scully to turn up the fireplace's softly glowing gas-log flames. As Mulder slowly drew back his hand, a slight accidental brush against Scully's hair was just enough to rouse her from her sound sleep. With a delicate sigh, she stirred slightly, catching Mulder's attentive gaze. Spellbound, he watched a Scully's eyes slowly drift open to focus on him and a dreamy smile spread across her lovely face.

"Good morning beautiful," he grinned down at her tenderly, awestruck by just how moving-almost spiritual-it still was just to wake up beside her, "How'd you sleep?" Okay?"

"JUST fine??," Mulder chuckled as he raised his eyebrows in feigned insult and injury, teasingly implying that she was assessing more than just how well she'd slept on their makeshift fireside mattress, "That's ALL you can say?"

Giggling softly with a smirk at Mulder's playful jibe, Scully sleepily decided to reciprocate. Deliberately playing the part of the stereotypical bored but dutiful wife, she closed her eyes and sighed with a yawn, "Well, it was okay. What more can I say?" In reaction to her seemingly lackluster response, Mulder's trademark hurt puppy-dog look sprung almost instantly into his eyes as his mouth dropped open slightly in stunned disappointment. Seeing this as she opened her eyes, which now held a playful glint, she knew full well that she'd gotten him good. Grinning up at him wryly as she reached up to gently caress his face, Scully laughed mischievously, "You have to admit that I got you good that time."

"Why, you little minx!" Mulder sputtered incredulously-a playfully indignant gleam springing into his eyes as his mouth widened into a broad smile before he grabbed Scully to tickle her mercilessly, "I'm gonna make you pay BIG TIME for that!"

"No!!" Scully laughingly cried as she tried vainly to fight off his playful but overwhelming attack. Laughing uncontrollably, try as she might, she couldn't free herself from Mulder's ticklish grip.

"Do you surrender," Mulder laughed tauntingly as he pinned her down and continued to tickle her furiously, "or do I have to torture you even more, you devil woman?!?"

Finally ending his assaultive barrage of tickling, Mulder lovingly gazed down at Scully as she continued to giggle softly and tried to catch her breath. Slowly narrowing his eyes, with a mixture of playful sincerity, he softly murmured, "You know, you shouldn't tease about that, Scully. Guys are sensitive about that sort of thing."

Looking up at him with a wry smirk, Scully skeptically raised an eyebrow and saucily chuckled, "Mulder, I would almost buy that argument-that is IF you hadn't been able to get me so revved up that I was ready, willing and eager to impetuously ravage you right there on our front porch without any regard to the VERY REAL possibility of getting caught."

"Touché!" he laughed, conceding her point as he bent to kiss her tenderly. Then, as their lips parted, he rolled onto his back and wearily chuckled, "Well, so much for sleeping in. After that little burst of activity, I doubt either of us will be able to fall back asleep now."

"Not necessarily," Scully observed with a sly little grin as her hand glided provocatively across his chest, "we just need to think of something to do that will completely wipe us out again."

Suppressing a devilish grin of his own, Mulder decided to play it innocent-as if he had no idea what she was suggesting. He figured that she'd earned at least a LITTLE BIT of payback for teasing him so cruelly. Tucking his hands behind his head as he stretched out on his back, he looked at the ceiling and distractedly murmured, "You know, I think the ceiling needs painting." Turning his head to look at her, Mulder smiled innocently into her eyes as he continued, "Do you think that would tire us out sufficiently?"

Grinning wryly back at him, Scully knew exactly what he was up to-and she actually found it quite stimulating. Truth be told, she thoroughly relished the challenge of having to work for it every once in a while. "Well, that might work," she huskily replied as she slid her hand down to delicately run her fingers along his inner thigh, "but I think there's something else we could do that would be a lot more fun and a lot less..."

"Messy?" Mulder interrupted with sudden but feigned enthusiasm for the ceilings, "Not to worry. We've got plenty of drop cloths in the garage left over from when we painted Will's room." Then, pouring it on thick, he continued, "You know, if we got up right now, I'll bet we could be done before lunch time." Despite his words, in reality, Mulder was having a very hard time not reacting to Scully's feathery touch but he didn't want to give in just yet. That would make it far too easy for her. Willing himself to think of anything but her hand on his skin, he resorted to silently reciting the alphabet backwards to keep his mind off Scully and her sensually meandering hand.

Smirking in delicious frustration at Mulder's seemingly non-reaction, she upped the stakes by wickedly shifting her hand upward and closing the distance between their lips before huskily whispering, "Now, you know that fresh paint gives me a headache." Then, delicately brushing her lips against his, she pulled back slightly, her eyes filled with desire, as she continued with a suggestive wink "besides it's a little too cold in here for painting, don't you think?"

For a split second, Mulder was completely overtaken and transfixed by Scully's ingenious strategy. Knowing full well that he wouldn't be able to look at her and simultaneously hold his aroused impulses in check, Mulder sighed with a smirk as he deliberately turned his eyes back toward the ceiling. Pretending, with extreme difficulty, not to even notice her overtures, he made every effort to sound casual as he replied, "Well, I DID just turn up the fire, so it should warm up pretty soon."

Intuitively sensing that the cracks in Mulder's resolve were beginning to widen, Scully smiled to herself as she deliberately short-circuited his plans for resistance by slowly and sensuously slipping one leg up over his waist before seductively sliding herself on top of him. Then, sitting up to give him a full and unobstructed view of her well-toned body, Scully couldn't help but grin in earthy satisfaction as she saw intense desire creep helplessly but steadily into Mulder's gaze. "That's a pretty convenient way to heat things up," she crooned mischievously, batting her eyelashes at him rather coquettishly as she reached up to run her fingers up through her own hair, pulling it back into a makeshift ponytail before letting the tresses drop to cascade flatteringly around her face, "and energy efficient too." Then, leaning forward with her lips again dangerously close to his, Scully balanced herself by gently gripping Mulder's wrists in her hands before suggestively smirking, "but are you sure you still want to paint the ceiling right now?"

With that tempting sight staring him in the face, any remnant of willpower Mulder had left instantly disappeared-quickly becoming a distant memory. With a gentle sigh and a wry grin, Mulder finally relented and gazed up at her with unabashed lust. Freeing one hand from her grip so he could reach up to run his fingers through Scully's auburn tresses, he breathlessly replied, "No...uh...I think that can... wait a little while longer."

"Hmmm," Scully purred triumphantly as she savored her victory as well as the deliciously tingling sensation of Mulder's hand in her hair, "So what shall we do with ourselves in the meanwhile?"

"Well, now that you mention it," he chuckled suggestively, his eyes sparkling with desire, "it IS still a bit cold in here. Maybe we could work on sharing some body heat."

"In that case," Scully grinned down at him devilishly as she released his other hand and leaned back to pull a blanket up over them before snuggling down on top of him to nuzzle into his neck, "Allow me to warm you up. I hear this is the next best thing to sleeping bags falling from the sky."

"Oh really?" he smirked skeptically, raising an eyebrow as a lascivious grin spread across his face.

"Uh-huh," Scully murmured as her lips slowly traveled up the sensitive skin of Mulder's neck, "Only this time, you won't be making me sing."

With both hands now free, Mulder took this opportunity to give Scully a sensual bit of her own medicine as he seductively countered, "Don't be so sure about that. I bet I can get a couple of high notes out of you before too long."

Hours later, after having fallen back to sleep in front of the fireplace once they'd worn each other out, Mulder and Scully again woke in each other's arms. This time it was already after 9 am. After having breakfast and quickly cleaning up from the night before, the rest of their day proceeded in much the same way as the early morning. Treating it like a mini-honeymoon, they spent the bulk of the morning and afternoon teasing and gratifying each other while simultaneously "christening" almost every room in their house-something they hadn't been able to do with Will around.

By early evening, however, the two of them were thoroughly worn out. Soaking restfully together in their massive bathtub, Mulder had gently wrapped his arms around Scully from behind as she exhaustedly reclined against him in the softly steaming water. For about an hour, they simply lay there, wordlessly enjoying each other's company and the comforting warmth of the sudsy water. Finally finding the strength to speak as he kissed her hair gently, Mulder wearily murmured, "I didn't ever think I would ever say this to you Scully, but I don't think I can take any more. You're killing me."

"How so?" she replied softly, with a weak but wry grin as she gently grasped his hands under the soothing water.

Smirking devilishly, Mulder nuzzled his face into her hair as he whispered, "Well, for starters, I'm sore in places that I never even knew I had."

"YOU'RE sore?!?!" Scully playfully countered with a snort, "You've got some nerve there, Mulder. I seriously doubt that I'll be able to walk normally for at least another week."

Laughing out loud as he pictured Scully trying to walk ever so carefully across her classroom so that her students wouldn't notice any change in her movements, Mulder replied with a chuckle, "Well, be that as it may, I don't think I'll be able to get up out of this tub for another three days."

Grinning to herself at the idea of Mulder being "tub-ridden" for half a week, Scully giggled slightly before gently but soberly reminding him, "Well, you'll have to get up before then. Otherwise, we'll have a pretty irate pair of FBI agents knocking on our door tomorrow morning."

"True," Mulder stoically replied with a sigh. He'd hoped she would forget all about what he'd agreed to do until at least tomorrow morning. In retrospect, he realized that goal WAS pretty unrealistic considering how Scully's mind worked, but he still wished he could've kept her mind off the subject just a little bit longer.

"Besides," Scully added with a sigh of her own, "I can't stay in here with you much longer if I'm going to catch the late Mass tonight."

Squeezing her tightly, Mulder understood only too well, without her ever having to say it, that she had extra reason to go and pray tonight. "I can still call it off if you want," Mulder murmured softly against her cheek, wishing with all his heart that there was something he could do to put her mind at ease.

"Don't be ridiculous," Scully replied softly, "Doggett and Reyes have everything all arranged and under control. Besides, they gave their word that you would be safe. We have nothing to worry about."

Knowing that she was trying to convince herself as much or more than she was trying to persuade him, Mulder turned her gently in his arms so that he could look deeply into her eyes. "Scully," he whispered passionately, "I swear to you that I will come home to you tomorrow, and the next day and the next-until you're sick to death of me and we're both so damn old and decrepit that we couldn't leave each other's side even if we wanted to."

Giggling softly at Mulder's words, Scully sighed as she gently shook her head, "Oh, Mulder."

"Look," he continued with a playful grin, trying his best to make her smile, "You're not getting rid of me that easy. It'll take a lot more than some Consortium bimbo to tear me away from you and Will. So don't even think about trying to start things back up with old Skinman-cause you aren't going to be available. Got it?"

Grimacing up at him with a widening grin, Scully teasingly laughed, "Aw, but I thought you wanted Will to have the chance to get to know his REAL daddy better."

"Hey, you told me it was the pizza guy, you wanton ho!" Mulder countered with a chuckle, relieved that she seemed to be feeling better.

Laughing out loud at Mulder's ridiculous accusation, Scully playfully splashed water into his face, giggling, "Now, is that any way to talk to the mother of your children?!?"

"Child," Mulder corrected, gently giving her a squeeze. Then, with a playful wink, he added, "that is unless you already know something that I don't, Dr. Scully."

"And on THAT note," Scully laughed as she slowly extricated herself from his embrace and rose to get out of the tub, "I need to start getting ready for Mass."

"Oh sure, blame it all on the Church. What a gyp!" Mulder teasingly protested as he playfully splashed water at Scully's back, "Running off just when the conversation is getting interesting."

Grabbing a towel from the rack as she stepped from the tub, Scully playfully snapped her towel at Mulder and stuck her tongue out at him before turning away to dry herself off. Then, after a few moments, she looked back at her husband and hesitantly started to speak. But then, as if she'd suddenly thought better of it, Scully abruptly stopped and turned away before any words came out.

Puzzled by her uncharacteristically odd behavior, Mulder knitted his brows together quizzically. Although her back was to him, he could still see her face in the vanity mirror. However, her eyes were downcast so he couldn't really tell what she was thinking. Getting out of the tub, he grabbed a towel of his own and wrapped it around his waist before he went to Scully and gently laid a hand on her shoulder. "What is it, Scully?" he asked with concern as he took the towel from her hands and gently began drying off her back.

Looking up at the sound of his words and the touch of his hand, Scully tentatively met Mulder's gaze in the mirror. Hesitantly, almost nervously, she began, "Mulder, I didn't want to ask...because...I...I know how you feel about it but...I was hoping..." Breaking off for a moment as she cast her eyes toward the floor, Scully took a deep breath and re-composed herself before continuing, "I was just hoping that...maybe...given the circumstances...you would be willing to..."

"Go with you to Mass tonight?" Mulder finished her sentence as he gently turned her to face him and guided her chin upward so that he could look deeply into her eyes. Seeing both hope and fear there, Mulder's heart literally ached at the sight of the latter in her eyes. "Scully," he whispered tenderly, eager to take that fear away, "I would do anything you wanted if it would make you feel better about tomorrow."

As her eyes filled with tears, Scully looked up at Mulder with immeasurable gratitude before wrapping her arms tightly around his waist. Burying her face into his chest, she hoarsely whispered, "So you'll go with me then?"

Enfolding her in his arms and nuzzling his mouth against the top of her head, Mulder softly murmured into her hair, "Of course I will, Scully." Then, with a playful grin, he again guided her face up to his and chuckled, "Just don't be disappointed when it doesn't take. Deal?"

"Deal." Scully thankfully grinned up at him, suddenly and inexplicably feeling quite relieved. Somehow, just knowing that he would go with her made her feel considerably less anxious about what tomorrow morning might bring. Yet, despite her immediate sense of relief, a shadow of doubt and fear still lingered in the back of her mind-just waiting to resurface.

Monday morning and Scully's alarm went off at 5:00am just like it had every weekday morning ever since they moved into this house. However, this time it was different. Instead of silently creeping out of their bedroom so as not to wake Mulder, she could see from the sliver of light coming from underneath their bathroom door that he was already up and getting ready for his early rendezvous in DC. Turning on her bedside lamp and rising slowly to her feet, Scully slowly made her way toward the bathroom. Turning the knob, she opened the door to see that Mulder was almost ready to go. Already showered and shaved, he was all dressed up in a dark suit and fiddling with his tie in frustration.

Looking up and seeing Scully standing in the doorway, the annoyance quickly faded from his face, replaced with a bright smile. "Hey Scully, can you come here and help me with this?" he chuckled as he turned back toward the mirror to smirk at himself, "It's been so long since I've tied a tie that I'm out of practice and can't seem to get it right." Unknotting the tie and tugging it from around his neck, he held it out to Scully as he winked playfully at her.

Moving numbly toward him, she took the red speckled band of material from his hand and slowly looped it around his neck. Looking up at him, she smiled weakly before turning her full attention to his tie. Tying it in a perfect half-Windsor, she then smoothed down his collar and stepped back to look at him. Now, since Mulder almost never had an occasion to wear a suit and tie, she hadn't seen him like this, literally, in years. She imagined that if she went with him to DC back to that basement office, it would be just like time had stood still and he had never left. With that thought, for the first time, a new fear crept into her heart. Worried about more than just his safety, she now also feared that, once he was back in the game, he might just regret having sat out on the sidelines for the past four years.

Stepping forward to kiss her gently but quickly, Mulder turned back toward the mirror to inspect her handiwork. "That's perfect, Scully," he winked and grinned at her in the mirror, "from now on, I know just who to come to whenever I have to wear a tie." Although he hadn't realized it until that very moment, Mulder was more than a little surprised to find just how excited he was at the prospect of going back to the FBI building-even if it was just a one-time visit to do a favor for a friend. Then turning from the mirror to take Scully's hands, he looked tenderly down at her with a broad smile and gently murmured, "With that long drive to DC and Monday morning traffic, I'd better get going soon if I'm going to be at the Hoover building by 8 o'clock."

Until that very moment, Scully had been deliberately avoiding eye contact with her husband because she didn't want him to see just how much she still feared for his safety. Yet, now as she looked up into his eyes, she couldn't stop the tears from filling her own. Being so caught up in his excitement to be finally going somewhere and doing something again, Mulder hadn't noticed until that very second just how distraught Scully actually was. "Scully," he whispered as his hand unconsciously rose to softly caress her face and his eyes filled with concern, "You know, it's not too late. I can still call this off if you want me to."

Grimacing as she fought back her tears, Scully mustered a smile as she half-chuckled, "What? And cost Doggett and Reyes their only lead on what the Consortium is up to-not to mention making you miss out on all the excitement and intrigue? I'm not going to let my irrational fears stand in the way of that."

"Excitement and intrigue?" Mulder replied in incredulous confusion, "What are you talking about?"

Responding to Mulder's obvious surprise at her latter observation, she continued with a weak grin, "I don't need to be an Einstein to see how excited you are about being involved with the X-Files again."

Blinking for a moment at her words, Mulder shook his head slightly as he pulled her into his arms. "Oh Scully," he murmured softly as he stroked her hair and gently rocked her back and forth, "You've got it all wrong." Then, pulling back to look deeply into her eyes, he continued, "I admit that it is kind of exciting to be playing FBI agent again for a day. But you have to know that's all it is-a one-time deal. I wouldn't want to go back to that even if I could. I've lived that life already and it doesn't hold any intrigue for me anymore." With a sigh, he again caressed her face as he whispered, "I thought you understood that, Scully."

"I do," she whispered breathlessly as she sadly looked up into his eyes, "It's just hard to watch you go knowing the kind of dangers you might be facing." Then, breaking from their embrace to wipe her eyes with her fingers, Scully took a deep breath before looking back up at Mulder with a new resolve in her eyes, "Please, don't mind me," she stated evenly, "I'm just being overprotective of you. Nothing's going to happen. I know that now." Taking Mulder's hand and leading him down the hallway, she firmly continued, "So, right now, I need to let you get going before I make you late."

Stopping in the foyer, Mulder intently watched Scully as she fished for his charcoal gray overcoat in the front hall closet. He knew full well that she was only putting on a brave front for him but, from the resolve in her eyes, he could also very clearly tell that she didn't want him to call her on it until after this whole episode was over. Biting his lower lip to keep his passionate words of concern for her from spilling out, he could only stand there in silence as she finally found his trench coat and drew it slowly from the closet.

Silently handing it to him as she looked hopefully into his eyes, she softly, almost pleadingly, whispered, "Just promise me one thing."

Gazing at her, his eyes full of love and genuine concern, he breathlessly replied, "Anything Scully. Just name it."

Staring stoically at his forehead because, at that moment, she couldn't quite handle looking into his eyes, she quietly rasped, "Promise that you'll call me on my cell as soon as it's over. Don't worry about what time it is or interrupting my class-just call me because I NEED to hear that you're safe and out of danger. Okay?"

Pulling her into a tight embrace, he passionately murmured into her hair, "You've got it." Then pulling back to stroke her face one more time before he had to leave, he grinned down at her and whispered, "I love you G-woman," before backing away to pull on his overcoat.

"I love you too ex G-man," she poignantly whispered as she quickly moved to the door and soberly opened it for him. Looking at her carefully, Mulder knew by the way she wouldn't make eye contact that it would be easier for her if he just went quickly. With a long sigh, he took her hand and gave it a gentle squeeze before he walked out the door. Watching him go as he passed into the garage and headed toward their SUV, Scully hoarsely called after him, "Be careful and drive safely."

Turning back to look at her as he reached the car, he smiled gently and assuringly, "You too." before opening the driver's side door and getting inside. Although he didn't take his eyes off her as he buckled himself in put the keys in the ignition, Scully still wouldn't look into his eyes as she leaned stiffly against the door jam.

Like a statue, Scully watched stonily as Mulder opened the garage door, pulled out of the driveway onto the street and remotely closed the garage door behind him. As she let the door close behind her, Scully darted back to their bedroom as she finally gave up on trying to hold her emotions in check. As the tears she'd been holding back for what seemed like an eternity streamed steadily down her face, she knew that now she was completely helpless to stop their flow. In no condition for a morning run and with something infinitely more important to do, she stumbled with tear-blurred vision over to her dresser to retrieve her grandmother's rosary from her jewelry box. Clutching it desperately in her hands, she strode over to her and Mulder's bed before tearfully dropping to her knees beside it. Sobbing as she clumsily unfolded the chain of linked beads in front of her, she pleadingly whispered, "Please God...if you're listening...please keep him safe...don't let anything happen to him...please..."

6:57am and Mulder was about 10 miles from downtown DC. Unfortunately, he was also stuck in the gridlock of early Monday morning traffic. According to the radio traffic report, it would be at least another 45 minutes before he would even get to Pennsylvania Avenue and still another 15 to reach the Hoover building. "It's a good thing I left so damn early," he muttered to himself with mild annoyance as he scanned the dial for something decent to listen to. Finding nothing, he turned the radio off in disgust.

Left to his own devices, Mulder's mind quickly wandered back to the topic it had dwelled upon since he'd left the house almost ninety minutes ago. During the entire drive up, Mulder couldn't stop thinking about Scully and how afraid she was for him. Even now, he couldn't get his mind off her and the look on her face as he pulled away. He hadn't realized until that very moment the terrible toll his agreeing to help Doggett and Reyes was taking on her. Wondering if he should call her, Mulder tentatively pulled his cell phone out of his front coat pocket. Then, realizing that she was undoubtedly already on the road by now and that hearing his voice would probably only make it harder for her to hold things together, he thought better of it and tossed his cell on the passenger side seat. "Oh Scully," he murmured quietly, as he unconsciously shook his head in regret, "I should never have put you through this again."

Deciding that anything was better than the noise of traffic and the deafening voice of his own conscience, he turned the radio back on and listened to the mindless drivel of the morning deejays. After tolerating a few minutes of their inane chatter, Mulder hit the seek button a few times before coming across Rusty Tyler's morning talk show. Although he wasn't the least bit interested in the show, the host's name sparked his memory. It suddenly occurred to him that he never told Russ that he wouldn't be there to meet him at the preschool for their usual Monday morning workout. "Come to think of it," Mulder mused to himself, "that loser never called me back about 'Charlie' either." Quickly checking his watch, Mulder figured that Russ would undoubtedly be up by now since he had to get the twins ready for preschool-so it wouldn't hurt to give him a call. Turning his car radio way down, Mulder picked up his cell phone and hit the speed dial button for the Spangler residence.

After the phone rang two or three times, an unexpectedly female voice answered, "Hello?"

"Julia?!" Mulder asked, somewhat taken aback in surprise since, according to Russ, she was normally on the road into DC this time of the morning. Quickly recovering himself, he continued, "Hey, it's me. I hope I'm not calling too early. I honestly didn't expect you to be home still."

"It's okay Fox," Julia grinned, instantly recognizing the voice of her husband's best friend, Fox Mulder, "We were up at the Cape this weekend and knew we wouldn't get back until pretty late last night-so I planned to take a half-day today to recuperate before heading in. But don't worry, we've already been up for about a half hour trying to get our little two hellions ready for Miss Shelby's."

"Uh-huh," remembering with a smirk how Miss Shelby's flirtatious receptionist had been chasing after Russ, Mulder grinned wryly as he chuckled, "So you AND Russ will BOTH be taking the boys in today, huh?"

"Yeah," Julia replied, narrowing her eyes with playful suspicion as she discerned the bemusement in Mulder's voice, "Is there something funny about that?"

"Oh, no-not at all," Mulder laughed as he imagined just how Julia would react if that lusty receptionist made any more advances toward Russ. Then, struck by a purely devious idea, he continued, "Say, can you do me a little favor, Julie?"

"And just what would that be?" she replied rolling her eyes and shaking her head in amusement. She knew full well that, just like Russ, Fox only called her Julie when he was up to no good. Why didn't the two of them ever catch onto just how obvious it always was whenever they were trying to pull something?

Oblivious to Julia's suspicions, Mulder smirked gleefully, "Will you be sure to say hello to the receptionist for Scully and me?"-all the while picturing the look of abject horror on the receptionist's face at the knowledge that, not only was MRS. Spangler acquainted with the Mulders but that she also probably knew all about her inappropriate overtures to both men. Suppressing a laugh, Mulder did his best to sound innocent and sincere as he inched his car forward and added, "Yeah, the last time I chatted with her, she DESPERATELY wanted to borrow something of Dana's-so if you could just say hello and let her know that we're BOTH thinking of her, I'd truly appreciate it."

"Will do, Fox," Julia replied graciously but with a wry smirk and a chuckle of her own. As a seasoned prosecutor, she immediately caught onto what Mulder was trying so hard not to refer to. So that little trollop was trying to move in on Dana's man too, eh? Grinning widely, she decided to let him know that Russ had already filled her in as she laughingly continued, "You know, I've been meaning to explain the legal meaning of the word "no" to that little piece of work for some time now-particularly in terms of how it applies to other women's husbands. Since it sounds like she's been trying to pull the same thing with Dana's...uh...property, I think you've just given me all the reason I need to explain to her in no uncertain terms the kind of liability both she and the Shelby Academy could incur if she doesn't immediately cease and desist. In fact, now that I'm thinking of it, I may just serve her with appropriately intimidating legalistic papers to just that effect."

"Busted!" Mulder laughed out loud. So, Julia already knew all about Miss Shelby's lascivious receptionist and had already made up her mind to deal with her swiftly and severely. Although he'd always liked Julia, now Mulder could see exactly why she and Scully had hit it off so well and so quickly. After laughing heartily at her plan for a few seconds, Mulder paused to catch his breath and wipe his eyes as he added, "Damn Julie, you're vicious!"

"Hey," she chuckled playfully in response, "they don't call us lawyers 'sharks' for nothing, you know. Anyway, by the time I'm through with her, she'll be wishing she'd gone with Depends instead of a thong as her underwear of choice."

Cracking up again in amusement, Mulder smirked, "Well, I don't suppose there's any way I could persuade either of you to carry a camcorder so that the moment is forever preserved for posterity-or at least until Scully and I could see it-is there?"

"I'll see what I can do," Julia replied, shaking her head and trying not to laugh. Then, with a gently teasing tone in her voice, she continued, "But I suppose you didn't call just to sic me on the receptionist, did you? You wanna talk to Russ?"

"Yeah," Mulder replied as he watched the cars ahead of him inch slowly forward, "Even though he's off the hook for not getting back to me, I still gotta talk to him. So, could you put that leper on the phone for me?"

"Well, I would," Julia smirked as she glanced toward her and Russ's steamy bathroom, hearing the sound of running water, "but he's in the shower right now. Do you want me to have him call you back when he's done?"

"Nah," Mulder replied with a shrug, "Just tell him that I can't make it to our workout this morning because I have to go and do something in DC. I'll just catch up with him this afternoon when I pick when I pick Will up from preschool."

"Sure thing, Fox," Julia grinned as she wrote down the message. Then, struck by a sudden thought, she quickly added, "Oh, could you ask Dana to give me a call when she has a chance? We're supposed to meet for lunch sometime this week and my schedule is already filling up quickly. I want to be sure to squeeze her in, so the sooner she gets back to me the better."

"Will do, Julia," Mulder reply as he slowly maneuvered his car to the passing lane-which seemed to be moving faster. Briefly wondering if he should ask Julia to call Scully now to see how she was doing, he considered whether or not some words of support from Julia might help her right now. However, upon a moment's reflection, Mulder realized that Scully would probably prefer not to get ANY phone calls before hearing back from him that everything went well and that he was perfectly fine and completely safe. "Take care," he sighed distractedly as his troubled thoughts again centered on Scully.

"You too," Julia smiled, oblivious to Mulder's concerns as she hung up the phone, "Bye, Fox."

"Later," Mulder replied softly before shutting his cell and replacing it in his front coat pocket. While he'd been talking to Julia, traffic seemed to have slowed to a snail's pace, and even though he was now in the fast lane, Mulder wasn't going anywhere fast. Strumming his fingers impatiently on the steering wheel, Mulder wished he could simply will the cars ahead of him to move faster. The rush of excitement at being a part of the X-Files again had long since worn off. Now, all he wanted was to get whole thing over and done with as soon as possible so he could call Scully and put her fears to rest. "It'll be okay, Scully," he murmured to himself as if he were somehow communicating telepathically with her, "Nothing will happen. I promise you."

Putting on her makeup in front of the poorly lit bathroom mirror, Marita swore to herself as she accidentally brushed her mascara wand against her cheekbone. "Damn it," she muttered as she took a tissue from the vanity and dabbed it quickly against her tongue before wiping the small streak of mascara from her face. For some reason, she was inexplicably jittery about her meeting this morning and it was annoyingly manifesting itself in her shaking hands. Inspecting her now flawless face in the mirror, Marita couldn't understand just what had gotten into her. "The way you're acting," she bitterly scolded her reflection, "You'd think you were a rookie on her first assignment or something." Then looking hard at herself in the mirror, she narrowed her eyes menacingly and loathsomely bit, "Cut it out. You're acting just like a chick."

Abruptly turning from the mirror and storming out of the bathroom, Marita crumpled the tissue in her hand and tossed it into the wastebasket as she made her way into her the bedroom. Moving over to her wardrobe, she drew out a dark green suit and tossed it onto her bed before retrieving a pair of hose from her top dresser drawer. Sitting down, she slowly pulled them up over each leg as she desperately strove to calm herself. Ever since she woke up this morning, the tiny hairs on the back of her neck had been standing on end and, no matter how hard she tried, she couldn't shake the feeling that someone was watching her and that something just wasn't right. "You're being ridiculous," she angrily admonished herself as she stood to pull on her skirt, "You've done this and much worse more than a dozen times before. This meeting isn't any different. It's not like you haven't baited and manipulated Fox Mulder before-or that you won't do it again."

Shaking her head with a heavy sigh, Marita impatiently strode over to her full-length mirror to pull on her blazer and slide a pair of black pumps onto her feet before dispassionately inspecting herself. Concluding that she looked stunningly flawless as always, she mechanically turned on her heel and quickly marched herself into the kitchen. She hadn't had any coffee yet. Undoubtedly that was her only real problem-and she could fix that easily enough. Muttering to herself bitterly as she poured her first cup of coffee and glanced over at the oven clock, Marita tersely growled, "Drink your coffee and snap out of it. You have a job to do and, by god, you're going to do it." Then taking her coffee cup with her as she moved to her living, she slipped the videotape back into the envelope she was to deliver to Fox Mulder. Taking a deep breath, Marita deliberately softened her tone as she spoke gently, more assuringly to herself, as if she was giving herself a pep talk. "You'll deliver this package and await further instructions, just like you were told to do. So what if following Mulder wasn't part of the deal? The Consortium will be none the wiser. Once you see what he's up to, all you'll have to do is just bide your time until the right moment comes. Then, there will be no stopping you. Just look out for you and the rest will fall into place. Just ignore this case of nerves and you'll be just fine."

Feeling better already, a sly, diabolical smile spread slowly across her lovely face as she looked at the wall clock and whispered, "Just a matter of minutes now Mr. Mulder. In just under an hour, the process will begin and, before too long, you'll be answering to me."

Meanwhile, in a remote location, the image of Marita sipping her coffee in smug satisfaction played across one of several large video monitors. Listening intently to her words, a man wearing a telephone headset silently watched her as he simultaneously took notes on her every move. Then, pushing a series of buttons on his keypad, he waited for a voice to answer on the other end before speaking, "Sir. Reporting that like Ms. Covarrubias is proceeding exactly as expected. We will continue to monitor her progress and report back, as instructed, should the situation change."

"Thank you. I'll be sure to take that into consideration," Kersch responded tersely before he abruptly brought his forefinger down on the disconnect button to end the call. Without hanging up the phone, he quickly hit 9 to get an outside line before dialing the number that he already knew by heart. As the familiar voice responded at the other end of the line, Kersch's eyes darted around his empty office as he self-consciously lowered his voice to report, "Sir, our final surveillance shows that everything is still a go."

"Thank you Alvin," Spender replied smugly as he took a leisurely draw from his cigarette, "I knew we could count on your cooperation."

"Shall we proceed as planned then, sir?" Kersch responded evenly, with only the slightest tinge of anger and hostility coloring his voice. Managing even that took every ounce of self-control that the Deputy Director possessed.

"By all means," Spender crooned triumphantly, immediately sensing the subdued fury in his subordinate's intonations as he indifferently hung up the phone. It was all going perfectly and in accordance with his grand design. Now, that he had everyone right where he wanted them, it was only a matter of time before all of the remaining pieces would likewise fall into place. Once that happened, he would be free to act as he saw fit-completely unfettered by the old fools and rules of the Consortium. Crushing out the remnants of his cigarette, Spender couldn't help but smile to himself in perverse satisfaction, "Soon Mr. Mulder. Soon you'll learn exactly what destiny has in store for you."

8:05am and Monica Reyes moved slowly around John Doggett's basement office, checking out the books on his shelves and leafing indifferently through the filing cabinets. Looking at her watch in mild impatience, she wondered just where her partner could be. After all, Fox Mulder was supposed to be meeting them both here in just under ten minutes. Yet, she and Doggett still hadn't discussed the final game plan for just how the rendezvous with Marita Covarrubias would play out. It wasn't like John to keep her waiting and she just HATED being unprepared. Plopping herself down in Doggett's chair in mild frustration, she sighed heavily as she slowly spun herself around a few times before putting her feet up on the desk and leaning back as she crossed her arms in front of her. Then, looking up at the ceiling, she noticed with a smirk the forest of pencils that still hung precariously over her head. Struck with a mischievous thought, Reyes grinned as she turned her eyes back toward the desk. Eying a couple of pens laying invitingly atop Doggett's desk planner, Reyes lowered her feet to the floor before stealthily snatching one and glancing back up at the ceiling with a wry grin. "Here goes nothing," she murmured to herself as she prepared to try her hand at impaling a pen through the ceiling. But, just as Reyes lowered her hand for momentum, she heard the familiar footsteps approaching hurriedly from down the hallway. With a sudden impulse to hide her vandalous intentions, Reyes quickly put her feet back up on the desk as she slid the pen up her sleeve before crossing her arms carefully in front of her.

Rushing around the corner, somewhat out of breath, Doggett caught sight of Reyes and started slightly. "Monica," he breathed as he took a quick glance at his watch, "I'm glad you're here. I just finished briefing the surveillance and sniper teams. They're already on their way out to the Smithsonian. But, since we're involving a civilian in this, A.D. Follmer decided at the last minute that he wants a copy of the strategic plan on his desk before he'll give his final authorization." Then grabbing a bound report from his desk, he continued, "So I need to high-tail one of these up to him ASAP. You stay here and wait for Mulder, okay? " With that, Doggett rushed back toward the door

"Wait a minute," Reyes countered with sudden confusion as she abruptly pulled her feet from the desk and leaned forward heavily on her elbows, "Why is HE involved? I thought Skinner was in charge of us AND this operation."

"The order came down from Deputy Director Kersh himself," Doggett bit tersely as he turned back to face her, "Follmer is in charge of this one." His anger and frustration were evident as he rolled his eyes and snorted, "Just another hoop Kersh wants me to jump through-that's all."

Shaking her head at the terrible memory of the last time Follmer was given purview over what would have normally been an x-file, Reyes narrowed her eyes as she slowly but suspiciously countered, "Are you sure about it being that innocuous? Remember what happened the last time Kersh put Follmer in charge? They were using Dana to obtain one of those alien artifacts and she nearly lost Will permanently in the process."

"I know," Doggett replied testily as he again moved toward the door, "Don't think the implications of that haven't crossed my mind. But, right now, I don't have time to discuss the issue." Then, as he crossed the threshold, he turned back and added, "And, just so you know, I'm pretty sure that's not a coincidence either," before heading down the hallway.

With troubled thoughts, Reyes shook her head and turned her eyes to the floor as she pondered the new turn the situation had taken. Just what was going on here? Were she and Doggett putting Mulder in more danger than either of them had realized? Crossing her arms back in front of her with a frown, Reyes had an overwhelming feeling that something just wasn't right. Those two, Kersh and Follmer, were up to something-she just didn't know what. Unfortunately, it wasn't very likely that she or Doggett would be able to figure it out before they all had to be at the Smithsonian. Certainly, if the goal was to keep them off balance, Kersh and Follmer had planned this one perfectly. Now, she and Doggett were faced with the unenviable choice of calling the whole thing off and wasting thousands of taxpayer dollars or possibly putting Mulder in worse jeopardy than he'd already signed on for. Pounding her fist on the desk in frustration, the pen that Reyes had stowed just moments earlier came tumbling down out of her sleeve. Narrowing her eyes angrily at the ceiling, Reyes grabbed the pen in frustrated anger and didn't stop to think before she hurled it up at the ceiling, angrily biting, "Take that Kersh!" Although the force of the pen colliding with the ceiling panel was enough to drive it through the gypsum surface, it also jarred nearly all of pencils loose-causing them to fall down around her ears like a rain shower. Defensively raising her hands to protect herself as she quickly turned her face downward, Reyes furiously growled, "MOTHER F..."

"Whoa!" came a familiar voice, teasingly interrupting her from the doorway, "Such language and destructive behavior?! I'm shocked! Looks like I picked the right time to get outta here after all!"

Looking up with a sarcastic grimace to see Fox Mulder leaning nonchalantly against the door jam with his arms folded in front of him and a devilish grin on his face, Reyes raised an eyebrow at him and smirked, "Yeah, yeah. Tell it to someone who'll believe you." Over the past three years, the two of them had developed a playful rapport with one another. Although they'd had a difficult start, as time passed, both she and Mulder began to see just how right Scully was about how much they had in common. Now, bantering back and forth like old buddies, they felt a kind of weird kinship with one another that neither could explain. It wasn't sexual in any way, but still, it was always there. Yet, despite that omnipresence, neither of them questioned it. They simply enjoyed the fact that they each had found a kindred spirit-a believer.

Putting a hand to his chest in mock surprise and indignation, Mulder playfully raised his eyebrows in faux incredulity and laughed, "Are you questioning my integrity Agent Reyes?"

Deliberately eyeing the ceiling with a grin, Reyes made a face at him as she teasingly continued, "Well, I have it on good authority that, not only are you the one responsible for defacing bureau property, but also for using a few choice expletives on government time. So, I don't wanna hear it!"

Grimacing as he shook his head and shrugged his shoulders as he moved forward from the doorway, Mulder laughed, "Hey, I didn't come here to be abused-I can get plenty of that on my own." Casually plopping himself down in the chair opposite her on the other side of the desk, he continued with a grin, "See if I ever agree to help you again! I've learned my lesson-no good deed goes unpunished."

Narrowing her eyes and grimacing at him, Reyes quickly countered, "My heart just bleeds for you Fox. So abused and unappreciated-it's a wonder no one has written a country and western song about your horrible life!"

Laughing out loud at Reyes' remark, Mulder simply shook his head. Then, after a few moments, he nodded toward the ceiling and then the pencils strewn randomly atop the desk and gently smirked, "So, what did those innocent ceiling tiles do to incur your wrath, Agent Reyes?"

"Augh! Don't even get me started on the Deputy Director and his little lap dog!" Reyes scowled as she rolled her eyes at him.

"Let me guess," Mulder replied as he stretched out in what used to be Scully's chair and rested his feet on the edge of the desk, "Kersh put Follmer in charge of this little rendezvous and now, not only do you and John have to dance to his tune, but you're also wondering just how much danger you've just inadvertently put me in. Am I right?"

Staring back at Mulder in disbelief, Reyes could only gape at him for a moment in incredulity before blurting, "Damn, Fox. Are you psychic or something?"

Grinning broadly, Mulder chuckled heartily as he countered, "Nah, I just ran into Doggett as I got off the elevator. He filled me in." Then, in response to Reyes' narrowed eyes and playful smirk, he laughingly continued, "Sorry to disappoint-guess I'm not so spooky after all."

Snorting with a laugh, Reyes shook her head with a grimace before continuing more soberly, "Well, then you know that we'd understand if you wanted to back out of this. John and I more than a little concerned by Kersh's replacing Skinner with Follmer on this one. I'm sure Dana told you what happened the last time he did that."

"Yeah," Mulder nodded stoically, wincingly remembering Scully's tearful description of the horrible events that had taken place during his many months in hiding. Then, taking a deep breath and looking Reyes directly in the eyes, he replied, "But I just don't think THIS change is a cause for much concern."

"What do you mean?" Reyes countered in confusion, more than a little surprised by Mulder's seemingly cavalier attitude.

"Well," Mulder replied carefully, very much aware of Reyes' abject disbelief, "Even though, for a long time, it seemed like Kersh was out to get us and shut down the X-Files, I think he was actually trying to help. I mean, if ole Alvin wanted me dead, he could've easily arranged that a long time ago. After all, he was the one who first warned us about the very real danger I faced after Will was born. He didn't have to do that. He could've let me die."

"Maybe," Reyes countered skeptically, "but what about that whole mess with Comer, the artifact and Will's kidnapping?"

"Well, I don't think that he fully understood what he was dealing with until it was too late," Mulder replied thoughtfully, "once he realized Will was in danger, he did everything he could to help save him."

"So, you don't think you have any added cause for concern here?!" Reyes raised her eyebrows in incredulity.

"Honestly?" Mulder replied with an assuring grin, "No, I don't." Then with a wry smirk, he leaned back in the chair, put his hands behind his head and chuckled, "See? I'm nowhere near as paranoid as everyone says I am."

Shaking her head with a grimace, Reyes replied, "I don't know if I think you're amazingly insightful or simply just crazy, but if you still want to go through with this, I doubt there's anything I can do to talk you out of it." Then, with a chagrined smirk, she continued, "I just hope Dana doesn't hear about this. If she did, she'd kill me for not putting a stop to the whole thing."

"Mum's the word," Mulder laughed with a nod, "Besides, I think I would be the one to suffer the brunt of her wrath. Don't you?" Then, shrugging nonchalantly, he added, "Anyway, I drove all the way up here. Rather than wasting a trip, we may as well see what Ms. Covarrubias thinks is so important that she just HAD to meet with me." Then, leaning forward and taking one of the fallen pencils from where it lay on the top of the desk, he grinned mischievously as he continued, "otherwise, the only thing we'll have to show for this little excursion is the re-forestation of the ceiling down here." With a smirk, he leaned back and tossed a pencil up, point-first, so that it stuck in the ceiling tile above his head. Then, smirking to Reyes, he grinned in satisfaction, "It's all in the wrist."

Reyes chuckled as she teasingly countered, "Yeah, it has to be pretty limp, right?"

"Excuse me?!" Mulder replied incredulously as a wide grin spread across his face, "This coming from the woman with the lamest throwing arm I've ever seen?!"

Looking over at him with defiant self-assurance, Reyes gingerly took a pencil from the desktop and flipped it up to the ceiling where it stuck. Smirking triumphantly at Mulder, she wryly drawled, "You were saying?"

Grabbing a handful of the stray pencils from atop Doggett's desk, Mulder grinned back at her as he teasingly dared her, "So, you think you can beat the Mulderator, eh? Well, whaddya say? Best of ten?"

"You're on!" Reyes replied with a gleeful laugh as she assembled her own arsenal of pencils.

Minutes later, when Doggett returned to his office, he was more than a little surprised to find Mulder and Reyes engrossed in their playful competition. "It's six to five in favor of the Mulderator," Mulder teased Reyes using his best announcer-type voice. They were both completely oblivious to Doggett's presence as they each prepared to lob yet another pencil up toward the ceiling. "Will she be able to come from behind to pull her ass out of the fire," Mulder continued to taunt her with a grin, "or will the Southwestern Siren choke and suffer the bitter agony of defeat?"

In response, Reyes sarcastically raised her eyebrows at Mulder before she let her pencil fly. As it stuck point-first into the ceiling, she shot Mulder a victorious grimace before she caught sight of Doggett gaping at them in astonishment from the doorway. "D'oh!" Mulder laughed before expertly lodging his own pencil into the gypsum ceiling-totally unaware that they'd been caught red-handed defacing Bureau property. That is, until he saw the Reyes' eyes widen and he followed her startled and embarrassed gaze to the door.

"The Southwestern Siren?!" Doggett smirked at the red-faced pair as he stepped into the office, "Wait'll Agent Scully hears about this one, Mulder. She'll never let you outta the house again." Then, shaking his head playfully as did his best impression of an exasperated father, Doggett muttered with a grin, "Boy, I can't leave you two alone for a minute can I? You're worse than a couple of kids!" Looking up to survey their handiwork, he snorted and added, "At least now I know who's responsible for my ceiling's chronic case of lead poisoning." Then shooting Reyes a rather disapproving look, he pointedly continued, "I thought you two would have more serious things to discuss-with it being so close to show time and all."

"Aw Dad," Mulder countered playfully, doing his best to mimic Will's whine, "You never let us have any fun!"

Ignoring Mulder altogether, Reyes looked sheepishly up at Doggett and hesitantly replied, "Uh, we were just blowing off steam...that's all." Then, suddenly struck with the perfect legitimate excuse, her demeanor changed completely as she confidently, if not smugly, continued, "Besides, we couldn't very well get started until you got back-being that you didn't deign to fill me in on the final details before you left."

"Well, we can talk about it on the way over there," Doggett replied, grabbing his overcoat from the top of a filing cabinet, "Follmer finally signed off and gave us the green light to go ahead." Then with a sullen grimace, he added, "but he also insisted on playing an active role. So he's coming along."

"He's WHAT?!?" Reyes replied in abject incredulity, her rising anger completely blotting out her previous amusement, "That rat bast-

"Temper, Agent Reyes," Mulder chidingly interrupted, trying to calm her with a small dose of levity, "You wouldn't want our debonair rookie AD to overhear, now would you?"

Scowling back at Mulder wordlessly because she knew he was right, Reyes sourly turned her eyes back to her partner and curtly demanded, "Well, where is he anyway? Don't tell me we have to waste even MORE time waiting for him." With frustration coursing through her veins, it never even occurred to Reyes just how the thinly veiled anger in her voice might affect her partner.

"He's already on his way over there," Doggett replied just as tersely, deliberately avoiding eye contact with Reyes, "He said he'd hang back until we've made contact with Ms. Covarrubias. Meanwhile, we'd better get going if we don't want to miss the next train." Then, looking directly at Mulder, Doggett stoically explained, "We'll be taking the Metro so as not to draw attention to ourselves. "

"And so we can split up more unobtrusively once we get to the National Mall," Mulder added soberly, as he slowly stood. Biting his lower lip as he thought again of Scully and her fears, a shadow passed across Mulder's face as the potential gravity of the situation-a reality that he'd been so desperately trying to keep out of his mind-finally struck him. In a half-hearted attempt to make light of it, he limply grinned, "It may've been a while, but I still know the drill." Then, resigning himself to the inevitable, Mulder sighed heavily as he nodded toward the door, "Shall we, then?"

"Wait a minute," Reyes objected protectively as she sprung to her feet, "I think that we should give some serious consideration to calling this whole thing off. I mean, we have no idea if this whole thing is some kind of set up." Then looking directly at Mulder, she continued somewhat less vehemently but with unwavering conviction, "No offense Fox, but I gave my word that I wouldn't let anything happen to you. Even though you seem to think that we have nothing to worry about, I just can't go along with it-NOT after everything that happened the last time. SOMETHING just isn't right here and I, for one, am not willing to put your life at risk for this."

Completely taken aback by Reyes' impassioned words, Mulder and Doggett could only blink in surprise for a moment before looking quizzically at each other and then back at Reyes. Speechless for a few seconds, Doggett took a deep breath before turning his eyes slowly to Mulder and sighing heavily, "It's your call Mulder. If you want out, then just say the word and you're out. It's as simple as that." Then, looking at the clock on the wall that already read 8:25, he stoically added, "But if you still want to go through with this then we need to get going right now."

With both Doggett's and Reyes' eyes now fixated on him, Mulder turned his own toward the floor and was silent for a moment. A flurry of thoughts and emotions raced through his mind. Thinking of Scully and Will, part of him wanted to take this chance to bail out of the whole thing. In fact, he knew that, if she were here, Scully would undoubtedly urge him to do just that. Yet, at the same time, another part of him was suddenly more than certain that he had absolutely nothing to fear. Although he couldn't explain it, deep down inside he suddenly just knew that he wasn't in any danger. Although it was only a vague feeling that he couldn't quite put his finger on, he was just as certain of that fact as he was of Will, Scully or anything else that mattered in his life. Besides, he soberly told himself, if he turned and ran now, he would miss what might be his last opportunity to confront his own worst fear-losing himself in the obsession of the truth.

Taking a deep breath and raising his eyes toward Reyes, Mulder moved forward and placed a hand gently on her shoulder as he spoke. "Look Monica," he softly countered, "I understand where you're coming from. Believe me, if I were in your shoes, I'd probably be raising the exact same objections." Then looking directly into her eyes, he continued with deliberate certainty, "But I have an overwhelming feeling that I just can't shake-that this is something important-something that I NEED to take part in." In response, Reyes narrowed her eyes and wrinkled her brow in confusion as Mulder paused briefly before continuing, "Look, I can't explain it, but I KNOW that you know what I'm talking about because you've felt the same kind of thing yourself. All I can tell you is that I am not in any danger. I can just sense it. I need for both you and John to trust me on this. Okay?"

Reyes said nothing as she stared dumbfounded into Mulder's eyes. Yet, gradually, a silent but visibly perceptible understanding seemed to pass from his gaze into hers. A few seconds later, Reyes wordlessly lowered her eyes, nodding her assent.

Dumbstruck by this wordless, seemingly telepathic communication between these two people who hardly knew each other and who had spent next to no time together, Doggett could only stare at them for a moment in mute incredulity before forcibly snapping himself back to reality. "The clock is ticking, guys," he urged as he tapped impatiently at his watch, "so, if we're going, we need to go RIGHT NOW."

"We're coming," Mulder replied as he gave Reyes' shoulder a gentle squeeze before turning from her to head toward Doggett and the door.

Noticing that Reyes still remained rooted in place as Mulder came up along side him, Doggett was somewhat concerned as he gently but firmly called to her, "Monica? You coming or not?"

Snapping out of her silent reverie, Reyes blinked and quickly replied, "Yeah, I'm right behind you. Just hold the elevator for me while I get my coat."

"Sure thing, just step on it," Doggett replied as he looked at Mulder and shrugged before the two of them disappeared down the hallway, leaving Reyes in the office alone to ponder what had just happened.

As she distractedly slipped her overcoat on over her shoulders, Reyes could only shake her head in troubled confusion. Just how had Mulder had been able to alleviate her concerns with only his gaze? Although he'd already stopped talking, she could swear that she'd heard his words continuing on in her mind-comforting and assuring her that everything would be alright and that she would be able to honor her promise to Dana. It was as if he was telling her that all she had to do was wait and see just how right he was. As Reyes fastened the belt of her coat around her waist and moved to the hallway, she knitted her brows together and reflected on the odd sensation that this experience had evoked in her. It was strange but somehow familiar-like something from her past that had been cherished yet long ago forgotten. As Reyes' pulled the office door shut behind her, she strained to remember just where and when it was that she'd had that feeling before. Yet, try as she might, it remained just beyond her grasp. Perplexed, Reyes again shook her head and deliberately forced the issue from her mind as she made herself focus all her energies on the task before them. Running to the elevator where Mulder and Doggett were waiting with the door propped open, Reyes ducked inside and looked at Mulder quizzically as the doors slid closed and the elevator began its ascent.

"What?" Mulder replied with a crooked grin and a raised eyebrow in response to her obvious stare. "Do I have something hanging out of my nose?" he continued half-seriously, not knowing just what was wrong as he self-consciously raised a hand to rub his finger under his nostrils.

"No," Reyes replied distractedly, "I just..." Suddenly unsure of just what it was that she was going say, her voice simply trailed off."

"You just what?" Doggett interjected as he wrinkled his brow in concern. "You okay there, Monica?"

"Yeah," Reyes murmured distractedly before returning her gaze to her partner. Instantly more grounded and focused, she blinked a couple of times to regain her composure before grinning and continuing, "I just think that, if we all get through this in one piece, Dana doesn't need to know that any of us had any misgivings. Agreed?"

"AGREED!" Mulder and Doggett nodded vigorously in unison as the elevator doors opened. Pouring out into the lobby, the three of them headed toward the Pennsylvania Avenue exit and quickly made their way to the nearby metro stop. They would have just enough time on the short ride the National Mall to go over their final plans before splitting up to play their individual roles in the drama that was about to unfold.

Loitering in front of the large African elephant display under the rotunda of the Natural History Museum, Mulder jammed his hands into the pockets of his over coat and nonchalantly turned to survey his surroundings. It sure was crowded-even for a Monday. The tour buses visiting the Smithsonian and surrounding monuments had literally lined the streets around the Mall and completely clogged Constitution Avenue. For Mulder, it seemed like every one of those tourists had chosen this very moment to converge on the Museum of Natural History. Sighing heavily, he mumbled, "Great, just what we needed. You'd think it was a holiday or something."

Looking up toward the dome to get his mind off the almost oppressive crowd, Mulder spied several men and women in suits and seemingly on their own mulling almost aimlessly about the second level observation terrace. "Jeez guys," he muttered acrimoniously to himself, "Do you think you could make it any more obvious that you're with the Bureau?!?" Shaking his head, Mulder gaze dropped down a floor and toward the Pacific Cultures exhibit. There he caught sight of Reyes and Doggett standing hand in hand and doing a pretty good job of pretending to be a couple engrossed in each other in front of the display of an ancient sailboat. Impressively, despite their role-play, they still managed to keep at least one eye trained on him at all times. Grinning to himself, Mulder could barely suppress a chuckle as he silently mused, "You two may not be sticking out like sore thumbs-but that's only because playing the hopelessly in love, young couple isn't much of a stretch for you."

As a large group of school children clamored past him toward the dinosaur exhibits, Mulder slowly strolled around the elephant to get out of their way and ensure that the various Agents still had a relatively unobstructed view of his position. Glancing back at Doggett and Reyes, he recalled their hurried subway discussion. Once Marita arrived, he was to keep her distracted so that Doggett and Reyes could approach unnoticed. Then, by the time Marita realized what was happening, it would be too late for her to slip away into the crowd. After successfully handing her off to the Agents now assigned to the X-Files, Mulder's involvement in this assignment would end and he would be free to call Scully and head back home. Sighing, he knew just what a relief that would be-especially to Scully.

Having come full circle around the large pachyderm, Mulder paused a moment by its raised trunk to reflect on his wife's words. Although Scully's fears and description of what happened at the train station all those years ago still lurked ominously in the back of his mind, Mulder knew that the Bureau had taken every possible protective precaution. Although he didn't have a weapon or link himself, every agent on this detail was armed and connected with one another for two-way communication on an open Bureau channel. Nothing should be able to get past them. Besides, he still had that inexplicable yet unshakable feeling that he had absolutely nothing to fear.

Smirking as he turned his gaze back toward the National Mall entrance, Mulder began to wonder what could possibly be keeping Marita. In the past, she'd always been compulsively early. Yet, according to his watch, it was already 8:45 and she was still nowhere to be seen. "C'mon Marita," he muttered impatiently as he fidgeted with his tie, "Let's get this over with. I don't have all day." Sighing heavily, he rolled his eyes as he noticed another supposedly "undercover" Agent loitering conspicuously across from him near the entrance to the Early Life exhibit. "Oh brother," Mulder groaned as he rubbed his forehead with one hand before letting it slide down to cover his pursed lips, "No, you're not with the FBI." As he watched the relatively young man anxiously eye his watch and tap his foot, Mulder wondered if this was the rookie AD that Doggett and Reyes seemed to harbor such hostility toward. "If he is," Mulder thought with a grimace, "I can see why the Bureau promoted him. How else would they be able to keep him from blowing surveillances?"

Just then, the Mall doors swung open and another couple of large tour groups loudly filed into the lobby-filling almost to capacity. As the crowd moved slowly between him and the various exhibits, bottle-necking at the stairs, Mulder was suddenly aware that he could no longer see any of the Agents stationed on the ground floor. "It doesn't rain, it pours," he muttered to himself as he moved to take another round around the elephant display. Yet, just moments later the fire alarm unexpectedly blared and the overhead lights went out. Starting at the sudden noise and darkness, Mulder's eyes slowly adjusted to the reddish glow of the emergency lights as he wondered if he should stay put and remain where he was. Then, as he watched the sea of unfamiliar but nervous faces passing before him, the little hairs on the back of his neck stood on end and Mulder immediately realized that if he didn't move, he would be little better than a sitting duck. Although he was still convinced that he wasn't in any real danger, he decisively turned to make his way toward where he'd seen Doggett and Reyes just moments earlier. After all, it was better to be safe than sorry.

Yet, just as he started to move, an unexpected hand firmly gripped his shoulder and forcibly pulled him back. Wheeling around, Mulder was immediately confronted by Marita's cerulean blue eyes and her taut smile glowering up at him. Regarding him with an imperious gleam in her eyes, Marita roughly pulled him down to sit beside her on the marble edge of the elephant exhibit. Mulder was more than a little surprised by her unexpected strength as Marita continued to grasp him tightly and smugly whispered, "Why Mr. Mulder, it's been far too long."

"Agent Reyes!! Agent Doggett!!" Follmer called, somewhat panic-stricken, into his receiver as the almost deafening noise of the alarm sent a flurry of bodies stumbling frantically past him in the meager half-light. With his eyes, he desperately searched the crowd for Mulder and bit, "I've lost sight him. Do either of you have him?!"

"No sir," Doggett replied anxiously as he and Reyes strained to maintain their positions against the onslaught of people pushing past them toward the stairs and the Constitution Avenue exit while simultaneously stretching and craning to locate Mulder in the ever-growing crowd, "We lost him too!! Should we move in, sir?"

With cool presence of mind, Reyes calmly interjected over the confusion and cacophony of noise, "Hold on a second. Does anyone up on the rim have a clear view of our man?"

"Yes," responded of one of the male Agents stationed on the observation deck, "I've got him. He's still in front of the elephant-just standing there waiting. Everything seems--"

"Belay that!" interrupted the strained voice of a female agent on the other side of the rotunda, "Our target has just made contact. Repeat, the target has made contact with our man! She's got a hold of him..." The woman's voice broke off as Mulder and Marita disappeared from view. Groaning, she angrily barked, "DAMMITT. I lost them!! Agent Reed, do you have them?!?!"

"Jesus!! None of us have a clear view," gasped another male Agent, now running for the stairs, "Somebody get down there right now!! He's in trouble!!"

Drawing their weapons, Doggett and Reyes took one quick but terrified look at each other before simultaneously diving into the crowd.

"Damn it! How did she get past you!?!?" Follmer growled angrily into his receiver at the Agents under his command as he pushed forward into the oncoming human waves, "Doggett!! Reyes!! Move in NOW!!"

Holding her gun up close to her face as she struggled through the tangled mass of panicked people trying to quickly exit the building, Reyes tersely bit, "We're already headed in, sir. Making our way to Mulder's last known location. Stand by."

"DOES ANYONE HAVE A CLEAR SHOT?!?" Follmer roared as the surging tide of terrified visitors pushed him helplessly toward the Mall exit.

"No sir," Agent Reed wailed almost helplessly into the receiver, "We've lost them both completely. They're gone."

Face to face with Marita for the first time in almost five years, Mulder was quick to reply with a sarcastic response. "Too bad it couldn't have been longer," he shrugged nonchalantly with a hard smile that was just as disingenuous but came across as much less contrived than Marita's. Nodding toward the throngs of panicked tourists that hid them, he continued somewhat angrily, "I guess we have you to thank for this little mob scene. Hopefully, no one will get hurt. But then, after all of the horrible atrocities you've happily taken part in, I suppose a bit of mayhem is little more than light entertainment for you."

Smirking as she nodded toward the observation deck, Marita's eyes glittered darkly as she very pointedly countered, "It seemed a bit crowded in here, especially given our understanding that these little talks were for your ears only-a fact which you seem to have forgotten. So, I reasoned that a little...diversion...was in order."

Not wanting to waste an instant more with her than was absolutely necessary, Mulder's expression visibly hardened with thinly veiled contempt as he bit with forced casualness, "Just what do you want, Marita? What's so important that you just HAD to meet with me-not to mention terrorize innocent civilians?"

As an almost malevolent fire burned behind Marita's icy gaze, she moved forward to brush his cheek with her lips as if they were two old lovers who's simply chanced across one another's path. Gingerly weaving her arms through Mulder's, she smiled knowingly, "My, my. Aren't we argumentative? I'm beginning to wonder if I can still trust you. Maybe this was a mistake after all..."

Suddenly incensed by both her gall and nauseating familiarity, Mulder angrily shoved her hands away as he narrowed his eyes and tersely bit, "After that little stunt you and Krycek pulled, I don't think you have ANY right to complain. Going back to Bellefleur nearly got me killed, not to mention what it did to-" Suddenly realizing what he was about to say, Mulder stopped himself just short of mentioning Scully.

Gently patting his arm with her gloved hand, Marita gave a short, brittle laugh. She knew full well what he was about to say but, rather than exploiting that particular vulnerability, Marita remained focused on the task at hand. "Still holding a grudge for that little misunderstanding?" she smiled almost triumphantly, "Really Fox, we never told you to go and get yourself abducted. You did that all on your own." Then standing, she took his arm and tried to pull him to his feet as she laughed, "Why don't we go for a little walk? Then I can give you some information that you will find most...illuminating."

Remaining defiantly rooted in place, Mulder glared up at her and sourly countered, "I have a better idea. Why don't you go take a flying leap off a short pier?"

With an icy smile that sent a chill up Mulder's spine, Marita again let out a short laugh. Then, bending down and leaning forward with her face ever so close to his, Marita venomously hissed, "Let me put it another way. Come with me now or your happy little family will pay for it later. It's your choice."

Standing at the front of her classroom, Scully wrote briskly across the board as she lectured to her forensics students about the importance of properly and carefully preserving biological evidence. Although she could do this lecture in her sleep, Scully had always known that there were few things more boring than an instructor who wasn't into the subject matter being taught. Determined to constructively apply her pent up fear and anxiety, she used it to keep her voice from drifting into a mechanical monotone. Earlier that morning, after she'd finished her rosary and pulled herself together, Scully had forced herself to stop thinking about Mulder and what he would be doing today as she showered, dressed, and made the relatively short drive to Quantico. Keeping herself occupied with busy work once she got to the office, she'd managed to get through the excruciatingly slow minutes before her 8:30am forensics class. Once she was in front of her students, however, she was quickly able to snap into autopilot teaching mode and focused on the subject matter at hand. A little more than twenty minutes into her lecture, Scully's approach at dealing with her anxiety was still working remarkably well as she prepared to move onto the different types of precautions that need to be taken with the various forms of biological evidence.

Yet, as the hands of the wall clock miserly ticked away the precious minutes from 8:52 to 8:53, all of that changed. Suddenly, a chilling wave of shivers passed inexplicably down her spine as she felt that prickly, foreboding feeling of the tiny hairs standing up on the back of her neck. An overwhelming sense of imminent danger burst into her consciousness and she knew only too well that her safety was not the one at stake. Stopping abruptly in mid-sentence, Scully couldn't help but gasp "Mulder!" as she whipped around to face her class like some unseen force had spun her like a top. As she did so, she lost her grip on the dry-erase marker she'd been using and it went flying across the room, propelled by centrifugal force. Startled, some of the members of her class jumped in their seats while others just gaped at her in incredulity, their pens suspended in mid-sentence above their notepads. Momentarily losing her footing, Scully then stumbled forward but was quickly able to catch herself on the demonstration table in front of her.

"What is it Dr. Mulder?" one of the students at the front of the room queried as she jumped to her feet and genuine concern spread rapidly across her face, "Are you alright?"

Yet, just as quickly as it had come, the overriding sense of danger and dread had gone-swiftly dissipating into nothingness. Confused and somewhat disoriented, Scully sheepishly faced her worried students, several of whom were now also on their feet and ready to render whatever assistance she might need. Taking a deep breath as she blinked herself back to reality, Scully anxiously bit her lower lip before slowly responding, "Yes. I'm fine. Just a little vertigo there for a second." Then, looking at their concerned faces, she forced a broad smile and a casual demeanor as she continued, "Why don't we take five? That'll give us all a chance to regroup so we can refocus on our upcoming discussion of luminol."

Eyeing her warily, the students slowly began to file out of the classroom and into the hallway. Quite a few of them stopped by on their way out to ask Scully if she was sure she was okay. Nodding with feigned levity, she brightly replied, "Nothing that a little water won't fix," before turning away from them to retrieve her bottle of Evian from her briefcase. However, after the last student left the room, Scully immediately dropped her facade that everything was fine as she frantically reached for her cell phone. Although she desperately wanted to call her husband-if for no other reason than to just hear his voice, she knew too well that such an act might put him in even more danger. Dialing the FBI switchboard instead, she impatiently waited for the operator to pick up. When she finally answered, Scully quickly replied, "A.D. Skinner's office please." Connected moments later to his secretary, Scully didn't even let the woman finish her greeting before barking, "This is Special Agent Dana Scully calling and it's an emergency. Please connect me with the Assistant Director immediately. It's URGENT that I speak with him right away."

"Scully did you say?" replied the secretary somewhat taken aback by her caller's demanding tones. Then, checking the written instructions that her boss had left, she quickly continued, "Yes Agent Scully, he's been expecting your call. I'll patch you through to him."

"Thank you," was Scully's curt reply as she walked across the room to retrieve her marker.

"Sir, it's Dana Scully," Scully began haltingly, for the first time wondering if it was possible that she was overreacting, "I'm sorry to bother you like this but..."

"You're worried about Mulder," Skinner replied gently, finishing Scully's sentence for her as he simultaneously tried to soothe her obvious anxiety.

Sighing heavily, Scully wrinkled her brow and realized how desperate she must be sounding. Taking a deep breath, she calmed her voice considerably before continuing, "I know this may sound silly sir, but I just had this overwhelming...feeling... that Mulder...well...I'm afraid that something has gone terribly wrong." Pausing a moment to weigh her words, Scully rubbed her forehead with her free hand before finishing, "I know you can't tell me anything about the operation, sir. But, since you're in charge of it, I was hoping that you could just give me some assurance that my fears are groundless."

Knowing full well that he could not truthfully give such assurances now that Follmer had been given full charge of the operation, Scully's words resonated almost painfully in Skinner's ears. However, from the fear he heard in his friend's voice, he knew he had to tell her something. In that moment, Skinner made the split-second decision to lie through his teeth rather than confirming her worst fears with the truth. "Look Dana," he breathed with deliberate seriousness, "Everything's under control. I promise you." Then, chuckling almost playfully in a concerted effort to hide his own dark fears that were growing by the second, Skinner continued, "It's a good thing you two aren't working for me anymore. I don't think I could've handled this hand-holding detail on a daily basis-especially not from both of you." Looking at his watch, Skinner softly added, "Is that good enough for you, Dana?"

Feeling incredibly foolish, Scully nodded as she sighed in relief, "Yes, sir. Thank you for putting my fears to rest. I'm sorry to have bothered you."

Standing from his desk and pulling his overcoat from the back of his chair, Skinner tightly laughed, "We'll let it slide this time Agent-just don't make a habit of it. Okay?"

"I won't, sir. Goodbye," was her reply before she hung up the phone. With Skinner's assurances fresh in her ears, Scully began to relax and again forced the darkness from her mind. She told herself that she was just being irrational and that her mind had been playing tricks on her. Taking a deep breath, she pulled herself together and snapped back into her professional teaching mode as the first of her students slowly returned to the classroom.

Meanwhile, Skinner had already pulled on his trenchcoat and was headed out his office door. Stopping briefly at his secretary's desk, he brusquely spoke, "Cancel or reschedule all of my appointments for the morning. Something's come up that requires my immediate attention. I have to leave right now."

"Will you be back this afternoon, sir?" was his secretary's confused reply as Skinner turned his back on her and headed toward the door.

"I hope so," Skinner called tersely over his shoulder as he walked into the hallway. Hurriedly striding to the elevator, he jammed his fingers into its rapidly closing door and squeezed himself inside. Hitting the first floor button, he impatiently waited for the doors to close and the elevator to begin its slow descent. His suspicions about Follmer and Kersch had grown exponentially since Scully's call. As the elevator moved sluggishly down toward the first floor, Scully's fears weighed heavily on his mind. After supervising the two of them for over seven years, Skinner knew only too well not to take such intuitive or premonitory matters lightly when Mulder or Scully were concerned. Now, his gut told him that he needed to act and act fast. Of course, in reality he was just playing a hunch, so he couldn't justify telling Scully any of this. After all, she was well over an hour away and there was absolutely nothing she could do to help. Right now, telling her would be little better than torture. Besides, he could be wrong about the whole thing. No, it was best to keep her in the dark for now-unless something happened that she needed to know about. With any luck, that "something" would never come to pass-not if he had anything to say about it.

Stepping quickly from the elevator, Skinner reasoned that taking the metro would undoubtedly get him to the Smithsonian a lot quicker than driving. The question was: would it be in time? He hoped for Mulder's and for Scully's sake that it would be.

Taking a long draw from his cigarette, Spender grinned maniacally as he remotely watched Skinner anxiously depart the Hoover building. Eyeing the video transmission on his computer monitor, he couldn't help but chuckle to himself as he softly mused, "Ah, all the pieces are falling into place. Just one more card remains to be played." With that, he turned his attention back to his wall of video screens. Focusing on the Smithsonian surveillance transmission, Spender smirked with delight as he watched the ongoing drama unfold.

"Excuse me?!" came Mulder's startled reply as he glared viciously up at Marita's cold eyes, "What did you say!?!"

Squinting toward the observation deck, Mulder couldn't see any of the Agents that had been milling about just minutes earlier. Meanwhile, the crowds of panicked tourists seemed to have only grown in size and he knew only too well that, if he went with Marita, it would be next to impossible for the Agents to track them through the confusion. But then, he also had to think about Scully and Will. Weighing all of this in a fraction of a second, Mulder made up his mind. Setting his jaw as he stood to face Marita, he coolly bit, "You win. I'll go. But if anything happens to them, I'll kill you with my bare hands. Do you understand me?"

Smiling wickedly, Marita's icy blue eyes flashed triumphantly as she laughed, "I knew you would come to your senses and see it my way." Then weaving her arm through his, she steered him into the crowd, Marita continued, "Come now. We have business to attend to."

"If only I had a gun," Mulder thought bitterly as they disappeared into the massive throng of people.

Pushing their way through the crowd, Doggett and Reyes finally reached the spot where they'd last seen Mulder but he was nowhere to be found.

"Damn it!!" Doggett swore as his eyes darted frantically about the crowded rotunda, "We lost him!" Then, almost yelling into his receiver, he moved forward into the finally thinning crowd and desperately barked, "Does ANYONE have him?!?!" Silence was the only response.

Biting her lower lip as she almost frantically turned full circle to scour the massive room for Mulder, Reyes eyed the dwindling crowd and suddenly gasped, "Outside! They must've gone outside!" Then, as an overwhelming instinct took over, she bolted toward the Mall entrance, yelling to Doggett, "COME ON!! We have to find them before its too late!!"

"I'm with you Monica," Doggett shouted, momentarily blocked by a woman and her stroller, "Just go! I'll catch up to you!!"

Looking back at Doggett in confusion, Reyes paused only momentarily before she abruptly turned and dashed outside. Exiting the building, she now found herself perched atop the massive marble steps that led into the Museum of Natural History. All at once Reyes caught sight of an odd circular building across the Mall and slightly to her left. Although she couldn't explain it, a feeling of deadly certainty welled up inside her and she suddenly just knew that's where she would find Mulder. "Doggett, I think I know where they're headed," Reyes gasped anxiously as she strode quickly down the steps through the crowd. Getting no response by the time she'd reached the bottom, she paused momentarily and rather impatiently repeated, "Doggett?!?" Again hearing nothing, she continued toward the distant building and yelled into the receiver, "JOHN, ARE YOU THERE?!?!?" Yet, she still got no response. "Damn it," she murmured in angry frustration. Rather than wasting any more time trying to explain herself or risking the consequences of pulling the other Agents away with her if she was wrong, Reyes made the split-second decision to follow this hunch on her own and began sprinting toward the building as if an unseen but irresistible force was pulling and compelling her forward. Reyes was so focused and intent on her objective that she didn't even notice when her earpiece and receiver slipped and fell away from her to land with a resounding thud on the ground.

Meanwhile, Doggett was still hung up in the lobby, trying to get past the panic-stricken woman and her frightened children. "Agent Doggett," came Follmer's anxious voice over the communications link, "Where's Monica? What is she doing?"

Finally getting past the human obstacles, Doggett hustled to follow Reyes as he hurriedly and somewhat impatiently replied, "We're taking the Mall exit and searching the crowd outside, sir. May I suggest that you and the rest of the team cover the remaining ones and fan out into the crowd to find Mulder before it's too late."

"I'm giving the orders here Agent Doggett. Not you." Follmer corrected rather tersely, clearly annoyed that Doggett seemed to be usurping his authority.

"Sorry, sir," Doggett replied with thinly veiled anger as he passed through the doorway to the marble steps leading directly to the grassy Mall, "I'm just trying to get Mulder back unharmed in the most expedient way possible. Isn't that what you want sir?"

Recognizing that Doggett had him on an open channel with the entire team listening, Follmer grudgingly acquiesced. Recovering himself, Follmer evenly countered, "Yes Agent Doggett. You and Reyes search the crowd at the Mall entrance." Then, trying to give some semblance that he was indeed in charge of the situation, he quickly ordered, "Agents Reed, Schuler and Bonanno, you cover the Constitution Avenue exit. Ramirez, Halon, Yakimora and Chang, you're with me to cover the sides."

"Self-serving ass," Doggett thought acrimoniously as he scanned the crowd for Mulder, "He doesn't give a damn about Mulder. The only thing he cares about is getting one step closer to the Director's chair." Shaking his head angrily, he then began to physically search the crowd. After several quick but unsuccessful combings, Doggett was about to radio back to the team that he was going back inside when he frustratingly turned his eyes down the Mall toward the Capitol Building. By pure chance, he spied Reyes at a distance, sprinting at full tilt toward one of the other museums in the Smithsonian complex. Making a split second decision, Doggett tore through the crowd after her-assuming she had caught sight of where Mulder and Marita were headed. "Monica!! Monica!!" he shouted into the receiver but he got no response.

Moments later, he saw why. Her receiver lay on the ground-evidently having fallen off during her mad dash across the grassy Mall. Disregarding it as he quickened his pace, Doggett briefly considered whether or not to call the rest of the team in. Erring on the side of caution, he tried to raise Follmer or any of the other Agents over the link but it was to no avail. His receiver was now completely dead. Either he was out of range of the rest of the team or he'd unknowingly damaged it as he'd pushed his way through the crowd. "DAMN PIECE of CRAP!!" he shouted angrily as-without breaking his stride-he tore it from his side and hurled it to the ground. Then, refocusing his full attention on Reyes, Doggett was more than a little surprised at how fast Reyes was moving. He was actually having a hard time keeping sight of her. "Way to go Monica," he thought proudly as he charged across the well-manicured grounds, "I knew you wouldn't let us down."

Clapping his hands together in sheer delight, Spender didn't even bother to suppress his glee at the fortuitous turn of events as he watched the monitor displaying Doggett rapidly tearing away from the Natural History Museum and his discarded communications link. "Perfect," he purred almost malevolently as he rubbed his fingers together before flipping a switch on a nearby control panel, "There's no need for me to jam your communication signals now. Is there?" Then, turning his attention to another screen, he watched Mulder and Marita sit tensely on a bench in front of a modern sculpture that more closely resembled a child's erecter set than art. "Amazing what they'll call a masterpiece nowadays," Spender murmured smugly as he leaned forward to listen intently to what was about to transpire.

/p>As she'd led him across the Mall and up the winding steps to the Hirshhorn Museum of Modern Art, Marita had been completely silent to Mulder's increasingly hostile inquiries about where they were going and what she wanted from him. Instead, she would only flash her wickedly sparklingly blue eyes up at him with a wry smile and make some evasive observation about the weather, the meandering tourists or his suit. Finally catching onto her game, Mulder dourly became deathly quiet as he realized that Marita wouldn't answer his questions until she was good and ready. Since she held all the cards, there was nothing he could do to change that.

As the pair passed silently into the glass walled, first-level hall in front of the enormous central fountain, Marita expertly guided Mulder through the Hirshhorn building and up its gently sloping stairwell to the second floor gallery. Gliding gingerly over to a well-sculpted bench, Marita released Mulder's arm to take a seat. Lifting an elegant hand, she silently gestured to the seat next to her before she smiling triumphantly up at Mulder and haughtily commanding, "Please, Mr. Mulder. By all means, make yourself comfortable."

Snorting in disgust and disbelief at her unmitigated gall, Mulder could only gape at her with sheer hatred for a moment before bitterly shaking his head and obediently taking a seat. "You really take the cake!" he blistered angrily as he glared at her, making no attempt to hide his fury, "You threaten my family and then have the nerve to tell me to get comfortable." Then lowering his voice to a barely audible whisper, he leaned in close to her and throatily growled, "I won't be comfortable until either you people leave me the HELL alone or every last one of you is DEAD."

Laughing out loud at Mulder's words, Marita smirked with a wicked grin as she chuckled, "Oh, Fox. You have such a flare for the melodramatic." Then, turning to face him, she looked pointedly and directly into his eyes as she smugly continued, "You know as well as I do that you've missed this life more than you could ever admit to yourself or your long-suffering wife. Why else would you be here now-making her relive all of the horrible fear and anxiety you put her through while you were gone?"

At the sound of Marita's astute words, something broke inside Mulder-shattered by the truth. Unexpectedly stung, he abruptly turned away from her and fixed his gaze on the hideous metallic sculpture before him as he angrily bit, "You don't know what you're talking about." Yet, deep inside him, Mulder suddenly became aware of just how on target Marita really was. Friendship or no, there was no good reason for doing this to Scully again. He'd been deluding himself to think otherwise. The realization hit him like a freight train and cut him to the bone.

Marita's lips curled maliciously into a triumphant smirk as she quickly read the meaning laid bare in Mulder's hardened features. Deciding to leave that poisonous barb work its way deeper on its own, Marita deftly changed the subject as she gently laid a gloved hand on Mulder's knee and brightly chuckled, "Besides, I never threatened your precious Dana or Will. I simply advised you of the truth-that they would be the ones to suffer if you refused to hear me out AWAY from the prying eyes of Bureau lackeys." Then patting his knee, she laughingly continued, "You really should listen more carefully, Mr. Mulder."

Snarling angrily as he violently brushed her hand away, Mulder narrowed his eyes at Marita and seethingly bit, "That's enough of the mind games! Tell me what you came to tell me and go!! When you're done, we're done! Got it?! I NEVER want to hear from you again! Do you understand me?!?!"

Taken aback somewhat by Mulder's unexpected words, Marita was quickly able to mask her surprise behind the implacable mask of her lovely face. Yet, never in all of the years of their dealings together had she seen such an impassioned determination behind his eyes. Considering for the first time that Mulder might have actually gotten past his lifelong obsessions with the alien conspiracy, Marita smiled wickedly as she realized that that it really didn't matter. Mulder's new family would permanently bind him to the quest he had begun so long ago. Smiling knowingly--even overconfidently--into his eyes, she leaned forward and smugly whispered, "You say that now, but only time will tell if you really mean it. I think you know which side I'm betting on."

Gaping back at her in incredulity, Mulder exhaled heavily in angry exasperation before shaking his head. "Screw you, Marita," he growled as he abruptly stood to go, "I don't need this crap." He was about to tell her that being the Consortium's pawn wasn't his job anymore and that she either needed to contact someone else or forget the whole thing when she quickly sprung to her feet and firmly grasped his arm-stilling both his words and departure with her unexpected but painfully strong grip.

"Mr. Mulder," she hissed as she clung with almost inhuman strength to his arm, "I have a job to do here and you AREN'T leaving until I've done it."

"Like HELL I'm not!!!" he angrily barked as he shook her off by violently jerking his arm away from her. Virtually yelling at this point, he caught the attention of several of the other museum patrons who, assuming that he and Marita were simply having a loud lover's spat, eyed them both with a strange mixture of concern, embarrassment and curiosity. Ignoring these onlookers, Mulder continued to rage as he pointed an angry finger at her and barked, "You can tell your people that I'm through!!! Now, LEAVE ME THE HELL ALONE!!" With those words, he turned to walk away from her.

"Then you've sentenced your son to a fate worse than death," Marita coolly called after him in a voice that was only loud enough for him to clearly hear and understand. While she sounded deadly serious and genuine, in reality, she was only playing a hunch. Although she really didn't have any facts to substantiate that claim, she was gambling that playing this card would be enough to bring Mulder back and enable her to complete her mission.

Stopped cold by this latest jab, Mulder turned back toward Marita with a violent fury in his eyes. Slowly striding back to her, he stopped only when his face was mere inches from hers. With barely controlled anger, he evenly hissed, "You leave him alone or so help me..."

"I'm TRYING to help you," she interrupted with a sudden passion that equaled his. Then in a strained, almost breaking voice, she stammered, "I just...want to help you...and... your innocent little boy." With a convincing look of desperation in her eyes, she then pleadingly gazed up at him-silently begging him to stay and hear her out. In reality, it had been so long since she'd dealt with him that Marita had forgotten-almost until it was too late-that the most effective way to manipulate Mulder was to play on his natural protectiveness and chivalrous nature. That, apparently aside from his family, was the biggest chink in his armor. Letting her eyes fill with tears as she silently admonished herself for her memory lapse, Marita hoped that a little display of feminine emotion would be just enough to give Mulder pause and let her pull this assignment out of the fire.

Completely thrown off balance by Marita's unexpected change in demeanor, Mulder hesitated-suddenly unsure what her intentions really were. Striving to hide his indecision, he quickly averted his eyes to gaze dispassionately at a painting on the far wall as he tersely bit, "If that's true, you sure have a funny way of showing it."

Filling her eyes with a false expression of gratitude and relief, Marita sighed and breathed easy, knowing her strategy had worked. Backing away from him and returning to the bench, she wordlessly pulled the manila envelope from her pocket. Silently holding it out to him, she looked pleadingly into his eyes--beckoning to him and urging him to take the package from her.

Still unsure, Mulder approached slowly as he cautiously eyed the envelope in Marita's outstretched, gloved hand. Looking suspiciously from her to it and back to her, he skeptically asked, "What's in there?"

"Everything you need to know to keep your family safe," she replied in convincingly earnest tones with just the right mixture of fear, tears and concern in her eyes.

Sighing heavily and then taking a deep breath, Mulder knew that, if there was even the SLIGHTEST chance that Will was in danger and that Marita's information could save him, he had to look. Tentatively, he reached out his hand to take the package from Marita. Meanwhile, Marita strove to keep any traces of triumph from playing across her face as she thought with smug contempt, "Men are so easy." As Mulder's fingertips brushed the maize-colored paper of the envelope, she was more than confident of her final victory. Yet, at that very moment, all of Marita's well made plans came crashing down about her ears.

"Mulder, NO!!!" screamed a woman's voice from the top of the stairwell nearly twenty yards behind him. Startled by this unexpected sound, Marita lost her grip on the package and it tumbled to the floor as Mulder quickly whipped around to see just who was there.

Reyes stood at the top of the stairs-a fiery look of angry determination dominating her countenance. Drawing her weapon, she rapidly strode toward them. "Federal Agent," she roared at the top of her lungs, "Everybody get down!!"

Yet, rather than obeying, most of the people who'd been milling about the gallery surreptitiously observing the "lover's quarrel" simply panicked. Some of them screamed while others ran and still others simply froze in place. Because of this, Reyes no longer had an unobstructed view of Mulder and Marita. With no clear shot and a panicked crowd on her hands, Reyes could only quicken her pace as she charged forward through the frightened tourists.

Not one to miss an opportunity, Marita took full advantage of the confusion and quickly sprung to her feet to affect her escape. Seeing this, Reyes doubled her pace as she shouted to Mulder, "STOP HER!! DON'T LET HER GET AWAY!!"

Reacting instantly, Mulder spun back toward Marita. She, however, took immediate advantage of the fact that he was momentarily off balance and gave him a violent shove backwards into the ugly sculpture before taking off in the opposite direction. Luckily for her, the force of Mulder's falling weight was enough dislodge the monstrosity called modern art-sending both of them crashing to the ground and briefly incapacitating him as he tried to free himself from the wreckage.

Fleeing as quickly as her high-heeled feet would carry her, Marita quickly glanced behind her to gauge exactly how much of a threat to her freedom that Mulder and Reyes now posed. Seeing Reyes pulling Mulder from the ruins of the steel and chrome nightmare, Marita confidently concluded that they would be unable to catch her before she could disappear into the crowd of tourists and make her way to a metro stop. Turning her eyes back to the path ahead of her, she bolted down a gallery corridor that led to an emergency exit. Marita knew that once she reached that door not only would her freedom be secure but it would also trigger the fire alarm-causing even more panic and confusion amongst the crowd of tourists and making it nearly impossible for anyone to trace her. "So long, suckers!" she triumphantly laughed aloud as she quickly rounded the corner that led to her freedom.

Yet, as she did, she literally ran head-on into A. D. Skinner. Solidly gripping her by the shoulders, Skinner grinned smugly down at her and laughed, "Why Ms. Covarrubias, fancy meeting you here. Perhaps you'd be good enough to accompany me down to the Bureau and answer a few questions. There are a lot of people who'd like to talk to you."

"NOOOOO!!!!!!!!" Marita screamed in angry frustration, completely losing her composure as she violently struggled against him. Desperate to escape, she frantically kicked at him and clawed his face-the latter connecting and drawing blood. However, it was all to no avail. He was far too strong and skilled for her to overcome-especially in her current frenzied state.

Wincing as his own blood slowly slid from the four slashes Marita had raked across his cheek, Skinner deftly but none-too-gently spun her around to face the wall and quickly cuffed her hands behind her as he chuckled, "You seem to misunderstand me, Ms. Covarrubias. That WASN'T a request." Then forcibly walking her back in the direction she had just come, he grinningly continued, "And, I'm sure you'll be happy to know that you've just added assault on a federal officer to your list of charges. Congratulations."

"AUGH!!!" Marita screamed in desperate frustration as Skinner proceeded to read her rights. She had failed and there was no doubt that she was as good as dead. Failure and capture was one thing that the Consortium NEVER tolerated. As Mulder and Reyes simultaneously ran up, real tears of fear and desperation sprung into Marita's eyes as she fully realized exactly what the future would have in store for her.

"Oh, how quickly things change and how the mighty have fallen," Spender laughed with genuine amusement as he watched Marita being led away in the custody of the FBI. Adjusting the view screen to focus on Mulder and Reyes, a devilish smile spread evenly across his face. Watching Mulder rub his neck and talk with Reyes, Spender smugly chuckled, "Ah Mr. Mulder, if only you'd held out just a little bit longer, you'd have found what you were always searching for. But now that it's right in front of you, you aren't even looking. How deliciously ironic."

Then, turning his attention to Reyes, his voice lowered to soft whisper as he gently crooned, "Have you figured it out yet, my lovely? Do you have any idea of the secrets you carry locked deep inside you? You have the answer to so many questions and you don't even know it." Then taking a long draw from his cigarette and slowly releasing it, he breathlessly murmured, "But you will, my darling little girl. I promise you. You will."

After only a few minutes, the Hirshhorn Museum was literally teaming law enforcement personnel. As several Agents led Marita away in handcuffs, Skinner turned to Mulder and Reyes standing in front of the wreckage of the former modern art 'masterpiece." Smirking, he laughed, "So, I save the day again, eh? What happened?"

"Marita Covarrubias and her Syndicate. That's what happened," Mulder grimaced, shaking his head ruefully as he continued to rub his neck, which was still aching from his involuntary collision with the now ruined sculpture.

With unmistakable self-reproach in her voice, Reyes picked up where Mulder left off and murmured, "She somehow managed to cut the power and set off the fire alarm-causing sheer panic amongst the legitimate tourists. In the ensuing confusion, we lost Mulder and Marita. Once they got outside..." Reyes' voice trailed off briefly as she imagined all the horrible things that MIGHT have happened as a result of her lapse in vigilance. Then, shaking her own head with a grimace, she added with a sigh, "We were real lucky that you came along when you did, sir."

Placing a comforting hand on her shoulder, Mulder could readily see the guilt she felt and tried to alleviate it, saying, "Monica, my leaving with her was never a part of the plan. There was no way you could've anticipated what happened. Don't blame yourself for what I did."

Grateful for the gesture, Reyes looked up at him and smiled weakly. Still, she couldn't shake the feeling that she was somehow responsible for almost losing him. Although her oath to Scully contributed greatly to her sense of self-blame, there was something more that Reyes' couldn't quite put her finger on. Both shadowy and from the past, it continued tear at her and her conscience for having almost cost Mulder his freedom or even his life.

Oblivious to Reyes' inner turmoil, Skinner furrowed his brow in confusion and quizzically interjected, "Why DID you go with her, Mulder? What were you thinking?!?!"

Looking Skinner directly in the eyes, Mulder sighed heavily and bit his lower lip as he slowly replied, "She threatened Scully and Will, saying that if I didn't go with her, they would pay the price." Shaking his head apologetically as he shrugged helplessly, Mulder lowered his eyes to the floor and softly continued, "I wasn't doing much thinking after that."

Nodding soberly, Skinner lowered his own gaze, understanding for the first time exactly how and why Mulder had done what he did. Patting Mulder on the shoulder as, Skinner gently replied, "Well, I can't say that I would've done any differently in your shoes." Turning to follow the officers escorting Marita from the building, Skinner abruptly grimaced, "I'm going to back so I can be the first one to question her. For all our sakes, we need to get to the bottom of whatever game she's playing." Walking from them, he muttered, "I'll see you both there." Then, unexpectedly, Skinner stopped in mid-stride, turned back to Mulder and stoically added, "It's just lucky that I saw you coming in here when I did. A second later and I would've missed you altogether."

Grimacing as he nodded his agreement, Mulder looked at Skinner and whispered, "Thanks Walter. I really owe you one."

Noticing for the first time the guilt evident behind Mulder's eyes, Skinner deliberately tried to lighten the mood. Calling over his shoulder with a teasing chuckle as he walked away, Skinner smirked "I'll just add it to your ongoing and ever-growing tab. At the rate you're going, I'll be able to afford that retirement condo in Maui after all."

Finally cracking a smile, Mulder chuckled with a lopsided grin, playfully retorting, "Hey, how 'bout you put your godson through college instead? You should have enough pesos stashed away to pay for Harvard by then!"

In response, Skinner smiled, shook his head and waved over his shoulder as he headed down the stairs behind the prisoner and her captors. "Keep on dreaming Mulder," was his reply.

Turning toward Reyes with a grin after watching Skinner disappear, a thoughtful but quizzical series of expressions crossed Mulder's face. Gazing down at Reyes' upturned and still slightly concerned face, Mulder furrowed his brow as he shook his head in confusion, murmuring. "I thought for sure that I was completely on my own-especially after the stampede that fire alarm caused."

Lowering her eyes almost immediately, Reyes strove to hide the enormous guilt she still harbored. Desperately searching the floor for words, her eyes suddenly focused on the package Marita had dropped minutes earlier. Reyes quickly moved toward it as she took out a pair of latex gloves and slid them over her hands. Furiously blinking back tears as she stooped toward the package, she huskily whispered, "I know, Fox. I know."

Hearing the strain in her voice, Mulder frowned, realizing that she still was blaming herself for almost losing him. Trying to sound positive, he quickly added, "Monica, I'm just grateful you found me when you did. Otherwise, I might've been toast." Then walking over to Reyes as she crouched to retrieve the bulky manila envelope, Mulder did his best to sound casual as he asked carefully, "Just out of curiosity, how did you do it?" His eyes intently searched her face for an answer while an abstract hunch began to take shape in the back of his own mind.

Taking the package in her latex protected hands, Reyes squinted at the team of Agents and DC cops now swarming the second floor gallery and successfully fought back her remaining tears before smirking up at Mulder. "That's a tough one," she grimaced as she searched for the words to express her inexplicable intuition and instinct. Although she knew that Mulder was the one person who MIGHT just understand it, she was still more than a little reluctant to admit what she'd experienced. The truth was she had no good reason for knowing where to find him. She just did. There was no explanation for it. Taking a deep breath, she prepared herself to tell Mulder this and wait for his reaction as she stood to her full height.

Luckily, at that very moment she was spared from giving an immediate response. Having encountered Skinner on the stairs and briefly interacted with him about the apprehension of Marita Covarrubias, Doggett had just reached the top of the stairs. Catching sight of Mulder and Reyes, he quickly made his way over to them just as Reyes sighed heavily, about to answer Mulder.

"Mulder!" Doggett called as he strode quickly toward them, "Boy, am I glad to see you still breathing and all in one piece."

"Not half as glad as I am to be seen," Mulder smirked as he turned to face Doggett, "Nice of you to join the party."

"Well, I couldn't let you two have ALL the fun," Doggett replied with a grin. Then, noticing the demolished sculpture at their feet, he teasingly chuckled, "Jeez guys, modern art isn't my favorite either but I don't think that justifies smashing it to bits."

"Ha. Ha," Mulder retorted with a laugh before shooting a grin to Reyes, "As much as I'd like to take credit for it, the lovely Ms. Covarrubias is the responsible party."

"And her deliberate destruction of federal property is a charge we can use to hold her until we get some conclusive results back on the fire alarm, power outage and contents of this package," Reyes added confidently, having regained most of her composure with the change of topic.

Wrinkling his brow as he nodded toward the envelope in Reyes' hand, Doggett continued, "Is that why Marita wanted to see you, Mulder?"

"And we shouldn't either," Reyes quickly interjected, "That is, not until after the bomb squad and forensics have a chance to go over it."

"Right," Doggett nodded as he flagged down one of the passing evidence collectors to relieve Reyes of the package, "We can't be too careful."

"This is what the perpetrator was trying to hand off to Mr. Mulder here," Reyes authoritatively instructed the technician as she gingerly placed the package in his large evidence bag. "We need to have it checked for biohazards, explosives and forensic evidence before the contents are examined and catalogued. Be sure to follow the top priority protocol and forward the results to A.D. Skinner immediately."

"Yes, ma'am," the tech nodded respectfully before sealing the bag and setting off to deliver its contents to the FBI labs.

"That package should give us some valuable leads as to what that Syndicate has planned," Doggett murmured as he watched the tech leave, "even if Ms. Covarrubias doesn't want to talk." Then, turning back to Mulder, he continued, "I assume you want to take part in the questioning and hang around until we find out just what she was trying to give you."

"Actually," Mulder replied carefully, looking sidelong at Reyes, "I really don't give a damn about that. What I'd really like to know is how you guys knew where we went." Then, turning back to Doggett, he playfully added, "You didn't happen to turn 'Spooky' did you, John?"

"Not the last time I checked," Doggett laughed. "Besides, I didn't have anything to do with finding you. Monica gets all the credit for that one. I was just following along."

Snapping the latex from her hands, Reyes lowered her eyes and somewhat tersely bit, "I just got lucky, John, that's all." She really DIDN'T want to revisit this topic right now, especially with her ever-skeptical partner standing right there. Although Reyes knew she was being completely irrational and contrary to her own nature, just thinking about her intuition suddenly sent waves of both fear and dread coursing through her. Because of that, the last thing she wanted was to discuss what had happened. At that moment, all she wanted was to just forget her little bout of clairvoyance had ever happened.

Oblivious to Reyes' obvious discomfort as he faced Mulder, Doggett chuckled, "Nah, Mulder's the one who got lucky that you're so fast on your feet. Then turning to Reyes, Doggett teasingly continued, "You never told me you could move so fast! Wish we'da had you in our starting line up back at ole' NYU. The other team woulda never had a prayer."

Seizing the opportunity to divert attention away from how she knew where to find Mulder, Reyes decided to play it to the hilt. Blushing slightly as she grinned and cast her eyes toward the floor, Reyes grimaced a little as she raised her intensely sparkling eyes to meet her partner's gaze and teasingly countered, "Jeez John. You really now how to pay a woman a compliment, don't you?" Then mimicking his New York accent, she heartily laughed, "Jeez Monica, ya shoulda been a football player."

Smirking back at her with a playful grin, Doggett replied, "Hey. That's a big compliment that I'da thought a modern woman like you would appreciate."

Picking up immediately both on Reyes' strategy as well as her and Doggett's less than subtle flirtation, Mulder understood that it was better to let Reyes off the hook for the time being and revisit the issue later. Letting Reyes believe that her strategy had worked, Mulder grinned widely like a Cheshire cat before he laughed at the pair, "Oh, if only Scully were here to see this."

"See what?" Doggett and Reyes asked in confused unison, not understanding what Mulder meant.

"See the proof that we were right about you two all along. She'll be sorry she didn't get to witness the show firsthand," he smugly chuckled. Barely able to contain his amusement, Mulder gleefully continued, "Hey, I wonder if the Smithsonian does weddings. I mean, as long as the Bureau pays for today's damage, I don't see any reason why the two of you can't have your nuptials right here. I hear that the cherry blossoms on the Mall are lovely in the Spring..."

Narrowing her eyes as she raised an eyebrow, Reyes playfully but pointedly interrupted, "Speaking of Dana, shouldn't you be giving her a call right about now? She needs to know that she can finally breathe again."

"Oh God," Mulder breathed as his face turned ashen and he abruptly realized what Scully must be going through waiting for his call. Completely forgetting his earlier mirth and taking his cell phone from his coat pocket, Mulder quickly stammered, "Can you two excuse me? I REALLY need to call Scully right now."

"Take your time, Fox," Reyes responded as she steered Doggett toward the stairs, relieved to finally be out of the hot seat, "We'll be downstairs waiting for you."

"No, you go ahead," Mulder replied as he hit the speed dial for Scully's cell, "I'll catch up with you later."

In response, Reyes nodded while Doggett simply shrugged in confusion. As they headed down the stairs, Doggett turned to Reyes and whispered, "Should we wait anyway? I mean, how will he get back into the building without us?"

"I imagine the same way he did this morning," Reyes countered gently. Truth be told, she really didn't want to share the metro ride back to the Bureau with Mulder and risk his pressing the issue of how she knew where Marita had taken him. "No," she continued carefully, trying to convince herself as much as she was trying to convince Doggett, "I think we should give him a little time to absorb what happened. He'll be along when he's ready." What she didn't say was that she hoped, by the time Mulder was ready, he would've long forgotten to question how she found him. As the two of them quietly made their way to the Mall and the Metro stop, Reyes tried desperately to push from her mind the long-forgotten fear and pain her recent revelation had evoked.

As the last of her students slowly filed past her and into the hallway after class had ended, Scully stared stonily at the wall clock. It was only 9:30. Not even an hour had passed since she'd phoned Skinner with her fears. Yet, despite his assurances, she couldn't keep her mind from Mulder and what might be happening to him at that very moment. While she'd forced herself through her lecture, now that it was over, Scully had nothing to distract her from her horrible imaginings of all that could be going wrong. As the last students disappeared into the corridor, the stealthy fear that had silently gripped her heart suddenly and ferociously overpowered her senses as she became suddenly and keenly aware that she'd still heard nothing from her husband. As the classroom door creaked shut, a series of ghastly images flashed through her mind in a flurry-each worse than the last. Finally alone and unable to take the horror of her imagination any further, Scully's veneer of control and detachment finally broke.

Desperate to maintain control of herself, Scully angrily growled "NO!!" as she slammed her hand down on the table before her with enough force to break two of her well-manicured fingernails. While this released some small bit of her tension, she quickly paid for the respite as the impact sent tingling waves of pain shooting up her fingers. Wincing, she shook her throbbing hand before gently rubbing it with the other. Taking a deep breath and forcing the last of the terrible scenes from her thoughts, she quietly admonished herself for letting her irrational fears get the better of her, muttering, "Stop it, Dana. He'll be fine. Skinner said so himself. He wouldn't lie to you about that. Not when it's so important." Biting her lower lip as she packed up her briefcase to head back to her office, Scully steeled her resolve to hold it together until she heard some definitive news. At this point, she knew that she'd done all she could and, besides more praying, there was nothing more to be done but wait.

After regaining a modicum of her composure, Scully fled the classroom and made her way into the hallway, headed straight for the refuge of her office. Dodging and deliberately avoiding the passing cadets and faculty as they hurried to their classes, Scully finally reached her haven. Quickly taking the keys from her pocket, she unlocked the door and silently slipped inside. Without turning on the light, she slammed the door shut behind her before heavily leaning her back against it. Before, it had been relatively simple to maintain her composure. After all, she could never permit her students to see her fear or even betray to them any sign of her inner torture. Yet, now that she was alone, there was no one to pretend for. Closing her eyes tightly, the cracks in her facade finally gave way and she felt the bitter tears of anxiety welling up in her eyes. Fighting them back, she blinked rapidly in a futile effort to keep them at bay. In the darkness, she gazed blindly about her office with tear-stained vision, trying in vain to stifle her despair. Yet, as her gaze fell upon her desk, the dam suddenly burst and all of her emotions came crashing down around her.

The red light on her phone flashed frantically, indicating that she had several messages waiting for her. At the sight, Scully's heart jumped to her throat and she gasped as a single tear escaped, sliding down her cheek unabated. Swallowing heavily, Scully told herself that it didn't mean anything. Anyone could've called her about any of a number of things. Why, sometimes she had half a dozen voice messages, none of which were ever anything of consequence. There was no reason this should be any different. And yet...and yet...

Taking another deep breath, Scully forced herself from the door and across the room. Clumsily laying her briefcase across her desk, she numbly sank into her chair, gazing stonily at the disquieting beacon on her phone. Closing her eyes, she breathlessly whispered, "It's nothing," as if she could somehow make it true by the sheer force of her will. Slowly opening them and reaching hesitantly for the phone, she carefully lifted the receiver and propped it between her head and shoulder. As the dial tone blared in her ear, Scully reached out to dial in her access code and retrieve her voice mail messages. But, she didn't have a chance to finish. Just as she was punching in the first number, a sudden and unexpected ringing startled her, making her jump and simultaneously drop the receiver. Confused for a moment, Scully realized that it was emanating from her briefcase. All at once she understood that her cell phone was the source. Tearing frantically at the latches, she threw the case open and anxiously fumbled to bring the phone to her ear. "Scully!" she answered breathlessly, suddenly afraid of who it might be and just what the caller might have to tell her.

"Oh sure," the beautifully familiar voice on the other end of the line teased, "Married for three years and my name's STILL not good enough for you. I see how it is."

"Mulder," Scully sighed, as the anxiety instantaneously melted from her face, replaced by an overjoyed smile of relief. Closing her eyes, she released her tears to stream freely down her cheeks as she gratefully whispered, "Thank God you're okay. I hadn't heard from you. I...I was so afraid...that..."

"That you'd be stuck with me for another twelve years?" Mulder chided playfully, "Yeah, I know. Sorry to disappoint you."

Reaching for a tissue, Scully resolved no hide the extent her anxiety had reached from her husband. Shaking her head with a mournful giggle, Scully sniffled, "Oh God..." before quickly wiping her eyes and responding with a grimace, "Yeah, that's it. Maybe next time you can try a little harder."

However, despite her attempt at humor, Scully's voice betrayed the fact that she'd been crying. Hearing this, Mulder's brow furrowed deeply as bitter pangs of guilt and regret pierced his heart. Profoundly sorry for having caused her pain, his tone softened to a whisper as he pursed his lips together before earnestly breathing, "Well, not to disappoint you twice in one day, but there won't be a next time. I won't do this to you EVER again, Scully. I promise you."

Covering her face with one hand as the tears now flowed even faster, Scully realized she could never hide anything from her husband as she softly sobbed, "Oh Mulder...I..."

"I'm serious Scully," Mulder huskily murmured as he sank down onto the same bench he and Marita had occupied just minutes before. Watching the sundry police officers and agents scouring the scene as Marita's scalding words about Scully haunted him, he solemnly continued, "I wish I'd never put you through this. It wasn't worth it. I can see that now. I'm just sorry that I didn't realize it sooner." His voice cracking slightly, he somewhat hoarsely continued, "Can you ever forgive me?"

Instantly recognizing the deep emotions behind her husband's voice, Scully's brow furrowed as she wiped the remnants of her tears away from her eyes with the thumb of one hand and whispered with concern, "What happened Mulder? Are you okay?"

"Nothing, I'm fine," he stoically whispered, not wanting to break news of the morning's events to her over the phone. Taking a deep breath before looking at his watch, Mulder smiled faintly as an idea struck him. "How about I tell you over lunch?" he murmured somewhat more brightly, "I can be at Quantico by eleven." Then, with a teasing lilt in his newly invigorated voice, he continued playfully, "What do you say, Agent Scully? Will you let me abduct you for about an hour or so?"

"You know that I will," was her hoarse response. Then, smiling broadly at the idea of seeing Mulder so soon, Scully added, "How about we meet at that little diner just outside the front gate? That way we don't have to waste any time trying to get you on base and we should be done in plenty of time for you to pick up Will and for me to get to my 12:15 class."

"It's a date," Mulder grinned broadly in happy anticipation of seeing her. Then standing from the bench to head toward the stairs, Mulder frowned slightly as he remembered that something still stood in his way. Taking a deep breath, he made deliberate effort to keep his tone light as he continued, "I just have to do a stop back at the Bureau to take care of a little unfinished business and then I'll be on my way."

"I'll be waiting," Scully smiled, oblivious to Mulder's subterfuge as she felt the horrible weight of the day falling from her shoulders, "You drive carefully, okay?"

"I will," he replied tenderly before earnestly whispering, "I love you, Scully."

"I love you too Mulder," was her soft reply. "See you soon," she murmured gently before hanging up the phone. Looking about her office with new and hopeful eyes, Scully's heart felt light, even jubilant. Standing up from her desk, she opened the blinds and let the sun shine in, flooding the previously darkened room with almost blinding light. It perfectly mirrored her emotional morning. Just moments before, she'd been lost and forlorn in the darkness of despair. Now, knowing that Mulder was safe from harm, she almost believed she could fly. Looking down at the green courtyard below her window, Scully couldn't keep her smile from growing wider and wider. For the first time since Mulder agreed to help Doggett and Reyes, she felt young and alive. It was finally over and now this beautiful day could only get better.

Turning from the window and back toward her desk, her eye caught the still rapidly flashing light from her voice mail. "Well, you'd better get your feet back on the ground and get some work done," Scully scolded herself with a smile as she moved to retrieve the receiver from where it had dropped on the floor just moments earlier. Relaxing into her chair, she settled in to restart her day by retrieving her voice mail messages to see just why she'd gotten so many calls.

Meanwhile, back at the Hirshhorn, Mulder folded his cell phone into his coat pocket as he made his way down the stairs. Although a smile played across his face as he contemplated seeing Scully, his countenance darkened with the realization that one thing stood in his way. His lips curled downward at the task before him. Truth be told, he would've rather just be on his way home to Scully and Will instead of going back to the Bureau. However, the nagging suspicion that lingered in the back of his mind had only grown since Doggett and Reyes had gone, making it all the more imperative that he clear the air as soon as possible. Since he'd made up his mind that he was finally finished with the whole conspiracy once and for all, Mulder wasn't about to bring any remnants of it back home with him. Although Reyes undoubtedly wouldn't want to talk about it, Mulder knew that he had to force the issue with her and get to the bottom of just what it was that she was trying to hide-both from herself and everyone else. Heading to the Metro stop, he resolved to sort it all out before going back home to his normal life.

Watching the DC goings on from his distant headquarters, Spender just had to laugh at the predictability of it all. "Can't bear to be parted from your beloved for more than a few hours, can you Mr. Mulder?" he crooned bemusedly as he took a long draw from his cigarette. Smirking knowingly at Mulder's image as it played across the monitor, he exhaled slowly as he continued, "But you aren't going to her just yet are you? No, you still have one more little truth to pursue, don't you? As if a fox could ever give up the chase." Grinning smugly, Spender chuckled to himself, "It's in your blood Mr. Mulder just as much as it is in mine. Accept it just as you must eventually accept the truth that you are most afraid of." Then deliberately crushing out his cigarette, he sighed, "But I suppose there's still plenty of time for that. Isn't there?" Directly addressing the screen, Spender ominously whispered, "Enjoy the time you have, Mr. Mulder, for there isn't much left."

Turning abruptly away from the screen, Spender's eyes fell upon the telephone next to him. He'd delayed the inevitable long enough. Picking up the receiver, he dialed the regrettably familiar number to the Shelby Academy. Finding it busy, he moved to the next number on his list. This time he got a ring.

"USS Pershing. This is Chief Petty Officer Ryan speaking. How can I help you?" crisply answered the alert voice on the other end.

"Yes," Spender crooned matter-of-factly, "Captain William Scully please. It is a matter of the utmost urgency."

Chapter 19

Reyes paced restlessly about the basement office, trying to make some sense of just what was wrong with her. She knew Doggett didn't understand why she had been silent during the short ride back from the Smithsonian or why she'd so adamantly begged off participating in the interrogation of Marita Covarrubias. Why would he? How could he? Grimacing at the memory of the past few minutes, Reyes could now see that he was only trying to be helpful and supportive when he pressed for her reasons. Yet, at the time, she could only feel cornered, defensive and under attack. Reyes turned her eyes toward the floor, remembering with shame and regret the bewildered, hurt and confused look on Doggett's face after she'd snapped at him, forcefully demanding that he leave her alone and stop treating her like a suspect. She'd literally seen his protective wall of professionalism spring up behind his eyes as stood there stunned before tersely biting, "Fine. Suit yourself Agent Reyes." With that, he angrily turned on his heel and stalked down the hallway away from her. That was nearly ten minutes ago but she still couldn't get her mind off it.

In retrospect, Reyes knew that her words had hurt him badly. If only she could relive those angry few minutes, she would change everything and take it all back. Instead of barking at him, she should have opened up and trusted him with the truth of the horrible turmoil and confusion she'd been enduring. She would tell him all about the irrational fears she'd been harboring ever since her inexplicable premonition that brought to light a connection to Mulder. But now, after her hasty, ill-conceived words, that was all but impossible. Shaking her head, Reyes wondered how she could ever make it up to her partner. Sinking into Doggett's chair, she sighed heavily as she whispered, "Oh John, I am so sorry. But how can I ever make you understand when I don't myself?"

Sagging forward, she rested her elbows on Doggett's desk as she buried her face in her hands. What was wrong with her? She'd had premonitions before but they'd NEVER frightened her like this. It just wasn't like her to close herself off to the possibilities that her unusual gift would bring. Yet this time was DIFFERENT. It was as if some impenetrable barrier of fear had suddenly sprung up inside her, keeping her from exploring exactly what was behind her latest intuitions and how they tied her to Fox Mulder. Lifting her head and biting her lower lip, Reyes sighed heavily in frustration as her eyes distractedly scanned the desk before her. All at once, her eyes fell on one of the stray pencils that still lay strewn about the desktop. Picking it up, she held it up between the thumb and forefingers of her two hands. Recalling a little self-hypnosis trick that she learned years ago, Reyes resolved to open the locked gates to her subconscious. Intently focusing her attention on the yellow strip of wood and graphite, she anxiously pursed her lips together in concentration.

After several minutes of effort, her peripheral vision slowly started to fade and blur as her mind began to drift and she entered a trance-like state. Fuzzy images swam before her eyes as they slowly closed. In her mind's eye, the yellow of the pencil became a blinding yellow light, brighter than the sun. Yet, rather than warmth, she found herself inexplicably surrounded by a biting cold. As the vision became clearer, she realized that she was held motionless in what seemed to be an icy spotlight. Outside the chilling circle of light, there was only darkness.

Confused, Reyes struggled find a rational explanation for the nonsensical images that were filling her mind. Was she on blackened stage? She certainly never remembered being on one. But no, spotlights were hot not cold. It had to be something else. Frowning slightly, Reyes strained to make her mental images clearer. Where was she? Pushing herself deeper into the recesses of her mind, Reyes slowly came to realize that, in her vision, she was not standing but lying in the light. Was this an operating room? That was possible. After all, she DID have her tonsils removed when she was still very young. Could that be it? There was also all that time she spent in the hospital after her car accident. Maybe that could explain it. Yet, playing her own devil's advocate, Reyes reminded herself that she didn't have surgery then-only slight trauma and a drug-induced coma. Moreover, since when were operating rooms kept so cold and pitch black save for one spotlight? No, a hospital stay wasn't the answer either...

Suddenly, an image broke through the clouds of her mind-an image that sent chills up her spine. Strangely, it was her feet. They weren't as they are now. Instead, they were bare and a lot smaller. But that isn't what horrified her. What she saw BEYOND her feet made her tremble with fear. In her vision, they weren't planted firmly on the ground or resting on a bed or table. Instead, they were levitating above the darkness, being pulled steadily toward the source of the harsh yellow light. As a terrible panic gripped her heart, the lines between past and present blurred into one another as Reyes' mind howled in horror and agony. As she headed deeper into the bright light, she screamed frantically but absolutely no sound came out. Hopelessly lost in her vision of the past, Reyes' mouth subconsciously formed the same words that she'd shrieked so long ago while the pencil she gripped so tightly in her hands snapped from the tension.

"I'm here Monica!! I'm here!! Snap out of it!!!" yelled a concern-tinged voice back in the distant world of reality. Whoever it was, he sounded as if he were at the bottom of a well. Yet, the sound of his voice, resounding in her ears like a thunderclap, was more than enough to snap her back to the present. Blinking herself back to the here and now, Reyes felt strong hands gripping her shoulders and shaking her vigorously. Coming to, she was more than a little surprised to find herself face-to-face with none other than Fox Mulder.

"Fox?" she asked in hazy confusion, "What are you doing here?"

With significant fear and concern in his eyes as he crouched in front of her, Mulder quickly scanned Reyes' face for signs of trauma before quickly responding, "Never mind that now. Are you alright!?! You seemed a bit...uh...possessed...there for a minute. What's going on?"

Still a little shaky, Reyes turned her eyes toward the floor and stammered, "I...I... was just..." As her voice trailed off, Reyes covered her face with her hand. She really didn't want to talk about what happened-least of all with him. Not that she had anything against Mulder. It was just that, despite their rapport, they were little more than mere acquaintances. This was something that she could barely bring herself to think about-let alone talk about with a near stranger. Moreover, none of what she saw made any sense. If she didn't understand what it meant, how could anyone else? Biting her lower lip, Reyes decided to lie as she softly murmured, "I just had a migraine. Sometimes it gets really bad, almost like a seizure, before the medicine kicks in. That's all."

Seeing through her deception almost instantly, Mulder raised an eyebrow and sighed heavily. Whatever that was, it seemed to have passed and Reyes certainly appeared to be fine now. Moreover, she was aware of her surroundings and definitely lucid enough to try to cover up whatever it was that she'd been doing. As the anxiety and fear melted away from his face, Mulder stood and leaned back against the edge of Doggett's desk. Taking a deep breath he noticed the two pencil halves in her hands and knew immediately what had happened. Taking them from her, Mulder shook his head before cutting directly through her subterfuge, "Monica, if you're going to lie, you really ought to at least make it convincing."

Completely dumbstruck and taken off guard by Mulder's unexpected frankness, a look of stunned shock passed over Reyes' face. Looking up at him and doing her best to muster a look of righteous indignation, Reyes opened her mouth to protest but slowly closed it again as she saw the unmistakable skepticism behind Mulder's concerned expression. Lowering her eyes again, she humbly nodded in defeat, silently admitting her guilt. "I was just...just..." Reyes stammered, searching for the words that wouldn't come.

"Practicing a little self-hypnosis?" Mulder finished her sentence for her. Grinning softly as she again looked at him with stunned amazement, Mulder gently murmured, "You don't get a PhD in psychology without being able to recognize an hypnotic trance when you see one." Then, holding up the pieces of the broken pencil before returning them to the desk, he added, "Besides, your accoutrements were a dead give away."

Grimacing, Reyes chuckled a little before she shook her head with a weak grin. "There's no putting anything past you is there, Fox?"

"They didn't call me Spooky for nothing," he replied with his characteristic lopsided grin. Then furrowing his brow in concern, Mulder soberly continued, "Self-induced hypnosis is a dangerous pastime, Monica. What exactly were you trying to do?" Then, trying to put her at ease with some levity, he playfully added, "and don't tell me you've started smoking again and are trying to quit."

Still trying to put him off, Reyes teasingly responded in kind, "Why? Don't you think self-improvement is a laudable goal? If I didn't know better, I'd say you're sabotaging me!"

Shooting her a scolding look, Mulder narrowed his eyes and pointedly replied "Yeah, and you're evading the question."

Under Mulder's intensely serious gaze, Reyes' pretence suddenly fell to pieces and she could no longer look him in the eyes. "I know," Reyes whispered as she diverted her gaze toward the filing cabinets against the wall behind her, "I just...I mean...if I'm going to talk about this, it should be with..."

"Someone you trust and are close to, not just a mere acquaintance like Dana's husband," he grinned gently, finishing her thought for the second time in as many minutes. As she quickly lifted her eyes to meet his and opened her mouth to protest, Mulder waved his hand to stop her as he broadly smiled, "It's okay Monica. I understand and there's no offense taken."

"But it isn't that I don't trust you," Reyes quickly replied, earnestly pleading her case, "That's what's so weird. I feel like I could trust you with anything-even though we barely know each other. Now how does that make sense?"

Nodding, Mulder slowly lowered his eyes to the floor and murmured, "I don't know, but I feel it too." Then looking back up at Reyes, he put a reassuring hand on her shoulder as he continued, "Maybe it's because we both love Scully and value her judgment so much. Since she completely trusts both of us, it only makes sense that, subconsciously, we would feel like we can trust each other too."

Smiling weakly, Reyes nodded as she cast her eyes back toward the floor, "Yeah. Maybe."

"Look." Mulder smiled gently, "Whatever the reason, it doesn't really matter right now. What DOES matter is that you talk to someone about what's bothering you-and do it soon." Giving her shoulder a gentle squeeze before releasing it, Mulder stood from the desk and continued, "You don't have to talk to me, but I want you to know that I'm willing to listen. Sometimes, it's easier to talk with someone who's a little more removed. That way, you're not so afraid of them judging you." Then, moving to sit in the chair opposite her across the desk, Mulder playfully added with a grin, "Heck, I won't even charge you the going rate for professional counseling."

Smirking back at him, Reyes sardonically replied, "How magnanimous of you. Who knew you could be so damn altruistic?"

"Not really," Mulder chuckled, "You're one of Scully's closest friends. If you're unhappy, she's unhappy. I don't want her to be unhappy. So you see, I'm really only looking after my best interests." Then, much more seriously, he looked Reyes directly in the eyes before slowly adding," Besides, I suspect that what's troubling you IS the exact same thing that I came here to talk to you about."

"What do you mean?" Reyes replied, wrinkling her brow in surprised confusion, "You didn't come here to be debriefed or take part in Ms. Covarrubias' interrogation?!"

"No," Mulder replied as he leaned forward, "Like I said, I don't care about that. What I DO care about is how exactly you knew where to find me. That IS what your little delve into self-hypnosis was all about, isn't it?"

Shocked by his uncanny insight, Reyes just stared at him with her mouth agape, too stunned for words.

Taking her reaction as affirmation of his suspicions, Mulder closed his eyes, nodded and took a deep breath. If he was right on all counts so far, chances were that he was also right about his last suspicion. Exhaling slowly, Mulder opened his eyes and looked soulfully into Reyes.' Both worry and concern were apparent on his face even before he found the strength to softly murmur, "Monica, have you ever experienced missing time? Do you have nightmares where you are enveloped by an icy light but surrounded by total darkness? Was there ever a time when you woke up from a sound sleep convinced that there was a presence in the room with you even though you were completely alone?"

Searing needles of fear stabbed at Reyes' pounding heart as she stiffened at how accurately his second question described her vision. Anxiously she interrupted, biting, "That's enough, Fox. Just what are you driving at?!?"

"Monica," he whispered, his face full of empathy and sadness, "I truly hope I'm wrong, but I think that you are an alien abductee."

At first she just stared at him, her mouth wide open, not quite believing her ears. Then, shaking her head in utter disbelief, Reyes unexpectedly burst out laughing, releasing the anxiety that had been building up inside her ever since she'd returned from the Smithsonian.

Looking at her quizzically, Mulder could only wait patiently for her fit of laughter to pass. Although he'd grown accustomed to such reactions during his time on the X-Files, it had literally been years since someone had laughed in his face like this. Truth be told, he wasn't quite used to it anymore. Still, he knew that bemused denial was an all too common initial reaction for abductees. "It took Scully a long time to come to terms with and accept her abduction," Mulder thought soberly as he forced the sharp pangs of ridicule from his mind, "this really isn't any different. So cut her some slack." Sighing heavily, he resigned himself to whatever other derisive evasions Reyes would undoubtedly come up with.

Meanwhile, finally catching her breath, Reyes wiped a tear from her eye as she continued to shake her head. With a broad grin on her face, Reyes looked up at Mulder choked, "Oh, Fox. Now I KNOW you're crazy."

With a slightly wistful smile, Mulder tilted his head subtly to one side and continued to gaze at her with sympathetic patience before he gently replied, "How's that, Monica?"

Grimacing, Reyes rolled her eyes and quickly snorted, half-chuckling, "Oh come on!!! Next you'll be telling me I'm a castaway from the Queen Anne or from some other ship lost in the Bermuda triangle!!" Truthfully, she expected him to join in on her amused laughter, admitting that it was a good joke. Yet, only silence greeted her. After a long, pregnant pause, she lifted her gaze to meet Mulder's. Seeing the unwavering conviction behind his eyes, Reyes suddenly realized that he wasn't joking or teasing her. Gaping at him with abject disbelief, she breathed, "You're serious?!" half-observing and half-questioning, not quite believing it could possibly be true.

"Well," Mulder began slowly, "I've seen this kind of thing before." Then, taking a deep breath, he somberly reminded her, "and so have you." Exhaling heavily, Mulder continued to gaze steadily into Reyes' eyes as he softly added, "You also know that it wouldn't be the first time this has happened to someone working on the X-Files."

"Yes, but..." Reyes quickly stammered in protest, but her words trailed off as she realized that Mulder did indeed have a point. Not liking it one bit or even daring to acknowledge it, Reyes quickly cast her eyes toward the floor searching for some reasonable counter to his seemingly logical supposition. She knew that his interpretation would certainly explain her horrifying yet nonsensical vision. But, for Reyes, the pieces just COULDN'T fit together. She WOULDN'T accept it. Stretching for an alternate explanation, the most obvious defense suddenly occurred to her. Looking back up at Mulder almost triumphantly, she almost bitingly countering, "Yes, well there's just one problem with your little theory, Fox."

"Which is?" Mulder replied with a serene confidence, as if he somehow already knew that her objections wouldn't hold water.

Disconcerted for a moment by the look in Mulder's eyes, Reyes regained her composure before replying with equal but defiant confidence, "The answers to your questions are a resounding no." As Mulder continued to gaze at her gently, his expression completely unchanged by her revelation, Reyes falteringly continued, "Fox, there are no gaps in my memory...I remember everything from when I was a little girl right up to the here and now. I have no missing time."

Sighing heavily, Mulder's eyelids drooped momentarily before flashing open. His eyes, a mournful certainty behind them, unexpectedly pierced Reyes' defenses, causing her heart to jump into her throat. Instantly seeing the panicked fear that his unshakable conviction had generated in his friend, Mulder's gaze softened considerably before he leaned forward and gently grasped her hand across the desk. Knowing this would be difficult for her, Mulder chose his words carefully and said them with deliberate care. "Neither did I, Monica," was his simple, near-whispered response that cut her to the bone.

Stunned by this unexpected candor, Reyes felt a horrified chill sweep up her spine. She knew all too well that Mulder was an alien abductee-she'd seen the evidence firsthand. Yet, if Mulder didn't have any missing time or memory gaps, then that meant that not all abductees did. So, if THAT were true, it was also possible that she....

"No. It can't be true," she whispered tightly, closing her eyes and shaking her head slowly, as if doing so could somehow block that inconceivable horror from penetrating her mind and sinking into her conscious thoughts.

Sympathetically taking her hand in both of his, Mulder's brow furrowed deeply with concern as he gently squeezed her hand. "Monica," he whispered softly, "I'm not saying that it's a forgone conclusion, but I do think that there IS something to my suspicions. You wouldn't be reacting this way if there wasn't."

Her eyes, rapidly filling with tears, now opened to gaze silently at Mulder. Reyes could barely keep her body from trembling in fear. She could never remember feeling so frightened before. In all those times in her career when she'd faced death, while she'd been afraid, it had NEVER like this. Before, she was always able to think on her feet and act decisively to protect herself and everyone around her. But this was different. Now, she felt completely paralyzed and helpless, like a small child who was lost and alone, desperately needing someone to find and protect her-to tell her what she should do. Silently, her mind screamed for an answer as to how and why she'd suddenly become so frail and, in her eyes, weak. It wasn't like her to be so needy. What was it about Fox's words that had suddenly and inexplicably transformed her from a strong and assertive woman into a petrified little girl?

Seeing the terror behind Reyes' gaze and intuitively sensing her exceptionally delicate state, Mulder squeezed her hand even tighter as he whispered, "I really think you need to do something about this."

"Like what?" came Reyes' throaty, barely audible response as she strove to hold together her threadbare facade of self-control.

Subconsciously patting the back of her hand, Mulder gently but firmly replied, "I know someone who specializes in this sort of thing. Dr. Heitz Werber. Scully and I have both worked with him in the past. He can help you to explore any repressed memories you might have and tell you once and for all whether or not I'm right. Either way, you'll get to the bottom of what's going on." Like a protective father, Mulder softly whispered, "Monica, you should see him. I can make all of the arrangements for you so you won't even have to give it another thought until you meet with him. What do you say? Will you let me help you?"

Like a dutiful daughter, Reyes silently nodded her assent, although her mind was now swimming in the stormy seas of her vision, Mulder's words and the abject terror both had evoked. Yet, despite that, one question resounded in her mind over the almost deafening foment and fervor. As her heart pounded in her chest, Reyes was powerless to keep her tears from spilling over as she put her question into words and hoarsely whispered, "Why, Fox? Why did you bring this up to me now?"

Biting his lower lip as he cast his eyes to the floor, Mulder sighed heavily before whispering, "Because, against all odds and despite the meticulous cares Marita had taken, you and you alone knew exactly where she had taken me. You didn't have to stop and weigh the evidence or even think about it. You just knew, with the same kind of unwavering certainty that I have now." Then, raising his eyes to meet hers, he softly continued, "THAT tells me that you and I are tied together by alien abduction."

"But, I don't understand," Reyes whispered breathlessly, anxious of Mulder's response, "What does one have to do with the other?"

Pursing his lips, Mulder breathed, "Well, one thing that I learned in Oregon was that I am linked, on some subconscious level, to the other alien abductees. We all shared an inexplicable connection just like you and I seem to have now."

"But why can't there be another plausible explanation?" Reyes stammered, desperate to convince both him and herself that he was wrong, "I mean, what about simple clairvoyance or ESP? Aren't those just as possible as alien abduction?" Then, leaning far forward and grasping both his hand in hers, she almost frantically continued, "You know that I've had premonitions before. How is this time any different?!"

"Monica," Mulder replied with a mildly scolding glance from under his brows, "Can you honestly say that ANY of your previous intuitions have EVER terrified you the way this one has or driven you to such extremes as self-hypnosis?"

Lowering her eyes to the desk in front of her, Reyes knew that he was right. Releasing Mulder's hands and sinking back in her chair, she could barely shake her head in response to his question.

Nodding with a sigh, Mulder softly continued, "Honestly Monica, I can't think of any more logical explanation for how you knew where to find me or for your recent behavior. Can you?"

"No," Reyes answered stonily as she stared numbly at Mulder, her voice a hoarse whisper, "I can't."

Standing from his chair, Mulder laid a comforting hand on her shoulder before gently reassuring her, "Then it's settled. I'll call Dr. Werber on the way back home and set up an appointment for you as soon as possible. If you want, I can arrange for Scully or John to be there. And if you don't feel comfortable letting either of them know about this just yet, I'd be happy to go along too." Then trying to lighten the mood, he added with a playful grin, "and I won't even charge you for my consultation."

Grinning soberly, Reyes softly grimaced, "Gee, thanks," as she acrimoniously turned her eyes to the floor, her troubled face darkened by her visions of the past.

"Hey," Mulder replied, putting on his best fake British accent in imitation of Monty Python in the hopes of eliciting a smile from his troubled friend, "We'll have none of that now, Lassie, or else I'll have to sing you the last song from 'The Life of Brian.' And believe me, you'll want no part of that."

Chuckling as she looked up at him with a genuinely bemused grin, Reyes dryly replied, "Oh I don't know. Now that you mention it, that MIGHT just do the trick. How does that song go again? Always look on the bright side of life?"

Deliberately taking an obvious and exaggerated look at his watch, Mulder laughed as he countered, "Well, while I'd love to indulge you, Agent Reyes, I have a lunch date that I'll be late for if I don't leave right now."

Nodding in understanding, Reyes teasingly conceded with a playful and knowing grin, "Yeah, Dana's put up with more than enough from us for one day, so I won't keep her waiting by holding you to your word. So hurry up and get out of here before I change my mind."

"Yes ma'am," Mulder replied as he jokingly saluted and headed toward the door. Then pausing at the door, he looked back and added somewhat more seriously, "and no more hypnosis until you meet with Dr. Werber, okay? Your cries really freaked me out-and I have experience with hypnosis. I can only imagine what seeing you in that condition would do to poor Agent Doggett."

"Cries?" Reyes replied, knitting her eyebrows together as she vaguely remembered that, during her trance, her mouth had been moving but, as far as she could tell, no sound was coming out.

"Yeah, it was pretty scary," Mulder shuddered at the memory, "I could hear you screaming as soon as I got off the elevator. It's damn lucky I got here when I did, because otherwise, no one would've heard you all the way down here. Who knows what would've happened if I hadn't come along."

Confused but hoping to get any additional insight into the meaning of her vision, Reyes pressed further, "Well, did I say anything?"

"Nothing I could make out at first," Mulder answered thoughtfully as he crossed his arms and leaned against the door jam, "but by the time I got to the door, you'd actually started calling me."

"Calling you!?" Reyes replied in confusion, knowing full well that Mulder wasn't a part of her vision, "What exactly was I saying?"

"Not much," Mulder replied glancing at his watch and starting-he was REALLY going to be late if he didn't leave right now. Briskly, he continued, "You were just screaming 'Help me Fox' over and over again. Kinda like a broken record." Then, deliberately pointing at the wall clock over Reyes' shoulder Mulder added, "Look, can we continue this later? I really don't want to keep Scully waiting."

Swiveling around to see the time, Reyes' eyes widened slightly as she realized just how right he was about having to leave immediately. "Go. Go," she replied, waving her hand at him as she turned back to face him, "Give Dana my best and be sure to thank her again for us."

Grinning broadly at her latter suggestion with an unmistakably mischievous glint in his boyish eyes, Mulder waved goodbye as he laughingly replied, "Don't worry, I'll be SURE to give her a proper thank you," before disappearing down the hallway.

Shaking her head with a grin as she turned her attention back to the desk in front of her, Reyes chuckled to herself at how overtly smitten Mulder still was with his wife. It was good to see. Truth be told, she liked being reminded that, sometimes, people really DID live happily ever after. "Maybe you'll have a relationship like that too someday," Reyes hopefully mused aloud as she picked up one half of the discarded and broken pencil and twiddled it between her fingers.

Distractedly regarding the yellow strip of wood and graphite, Reyes' brow furrowed slightly as her mind irresistibly wandered back to her alarming vision. She thought it was more than a little strange that she'd been calling for Mulder when she had no way of knowing he was there. "Maybe it was just your subconscious conveniently integrating this morning's events to fill in the holes in your memory," she muttered to herself as she pondered the meaning of what she'd seen and what she'd apparently said, "Either that or Fox is right and we really DO have some kind of residual connection from some mutually shared experience." Instantly feeling her chest tightening and muscles constricting anxiously at the thought, Reyes forcefully shook her head. "Stop it. Just stop it," she told herself as she abruptly stood and tossed the broken pencil back onto the desk, "There's no sense in working yourself up when there's nothing you can do about it yet. So just don't think about it-at least not until you have to."

Resolved to get her mind off the subject, Reyes quickly strode to the hall, turned off the office light and slammed the door shut behind her. The Covarrubias' interrogation was undoubtedly still in its early stages. If she joined Doggett and the others now, she could easily play catch up and still have a substantial role in getting their prisoner to open up about what she wanted with Fox Mulder. "That should do the trick," Reyes murmured to herself as she pushed the button and impatiently waited for the elevator, "There's nothing like a little interrogation to focus your attention and keep your mind off your problems." Taking a deep breath as the elevator doors opened and she stepped inside, Reyes pushed all other thoughts from her mind as she pushed the buttons that would send her on her short journey to the questioning room and the enigmatic Ms. Covarrubias.

Having completed his phone call to Captain Bill Scully some time ago, Spender bemusedly watched Agent Reyes muttering to herself on her relatively short elevator ride. Taking a long draw, he momentarily turned his attention away from the view screen to tap the end of his cigarette into his ashtray. Turning back toward the monitor as he took another puff, Spender softly murmured, "Honestly Agent Reyes, I'm surprised. You and Mr. Mulder have all of the pieces right in front of you. Yet, neither of you are able to see what's staring you in the face. I must say, I am more than a little disappointed." Then, taking another long draw before crushing out the cigarette entirely, he stood and malevolently chuckled, "But no matter. Soon, you'll both have much more important things to worry about."

The buzz of his secretary's page stirred the Deputy Director from his deep musings. "Yes, Mia. What is it?"

"Sir, Assistant Director Follmer is here to see you-he said at your request."

"Send him in," Kersh tersely bit as he closed the file folder over the documents that he'd been pondering for what seemed like an eternity and slipped them quietly into his desk drawer. He was rapidly running out of options and it was only a matter of time before the axe finally fell. The question was: on whose neck would it land? Forcing himself to relax, Kersh put on his best authoritarian face. If the next few minutes played out like he'd planned, he could at least ensure that it wouldn't be his head on the chopping block.

Tentatively, A. D. Follmer eased the door open and cautiously peered into his superior's office. He'd received his summons to meet with the Deputy Director post haste upon returning from the Smithsonian operation. Follmer guessed that Kersh must've gotten word of the Covarrubias debacle and wanted some answers. However, having just debriefed his surveillance team, Follmer had barely found time to catch his breath before he was on an elevator, mentally throwing together an accounting of the morning's events that wouldn't cast him as a complete incompetent. Taking a deep breath, he mustered up all of his bravado before pushing open the door and stepping confidently into the room. "You wanted to see me, sir?" he brightly smiled with an air of self-assuredness as he breezed into Kersh's office.

"Sit down Assistant Director Follmer," Kersh scowled up at him from under his glasses, "sit down and wipe that simpering grin off your face. We both know that you have nothing to be smiling about."

Taken aback by Kersh's directness and unaccustomed to beings spoken to in such hostile and condescending tones, Follmer sank stunned into the chair opposite the Deputy Director, crestfallen with his bravado shattered. Confused, he hesitantly asked, "Sir?"

Crossing his arms in front of him as he leaned back in his chair, Kersh impatiently growled, "I believe you know exactly what I'm referring to. Something about involving a civilian in a strictly Bureau operation and nearly getting him killed in the process?"

His mouth dropping open in surprised shock, Follmer quickly mustered a protest, "Sir, Fox Mulder was never really in any danger..."

"Fox Mulder had NO business being involved in the first place!" Kersh sprung forward in his chair menacingly, tersely interrupting with a voice that literally seethed with barely-controlled anger. "Do you realize the kind of liability the Bureau would have borne if ANYTHING had happened to him?!?!"

"But sir," Follmer shakily stammered, "It wasn't MY plan. It was A. D. Skinner and Agent Doggett who..."

"YOU signed off on it, didn't you?!?!" Kersh abruptly cut him off as he snatched a file folder from atop his desk and unceremoniously tossed it at Follmer, "Or is that not your signature on the approval papers?!?"

"I...I mean...they..." Follmer faltered as he stared at the incriminating pages, desperately stretching for any words that might absolve him of any culpability, "If it wasn't for Doggett's questioning orders AND Skinner's interference..."

Clearly not interested in hearing any more excuses, Kersh abruptly cut him off, "It's a damn good thing A.D. Skinner showed up when he did or else we'd have even LESS to show for this little fiasco than we already do!" Then, glaring at Follmer across the desk, Kersh bit evenly, "Besides, the last time I checked, a supervisor bears ALL responsibility for his subordinates actions-especially when he or she signs off on it." Then pointedly narrowing his eyes at the quaking A.D. before him, Kersh venomously continued, "Every cadet learns that at the Academy, Mr. Follmer. Why didn't you? Were you asleep that day?"

"No sir," Follmer fumed silently, furious at both his treatment and the Deputy Director's insults. However, not having the stomach or the wherewithal for a direct confrontation, Follmer could only bite his tongue to hold it in check.

Confident that he had thoroughly unnerved the young Assistant Director, Kersh deftly went in for the kill. "And what about this Covarrubias person," he shrugged with irritation, "Who is she and what on earth did she want with Fox Mulder?!?!"

Dumbstruck, Follmer stared back at him for a moment before sputtering, "Well...ah...she contacted Agent Doggett requesting a meeting with Mulder. To what end, we don't know..."

"YOU DON'T KNOW?!!??!" Kersh raged, rising fury apparent on his face, "You mean to tell me that you wasted BUREAU resources and put civilians' lives at risk without ANY GOOD REASON!?!?"

"Yes...I mean...no sir," Follmer stammered, unable to think clearly or articulate a reasonable response under the Deputy Director's unexpected barrage of hostile questions.

"Whichever it is, Mr. Follmer," Kersh sighed heavily in seemingly angry disgust, "You need to make up your mind BEFORE Ms. Covarrubias' attorney gets here, or else you'll be explaining yourself to more than just me." Smiling inwardly, Kersh was confident that he had accomplished his immediate goals: establishing plausible deniability and displacing blame. Should anyone question it, Follmer could now be called as a witness to attest to the fact that, based on the content of this interaction, the Deputy Director had absolutely no detailed prior knowledge of Marita Covarrubias, her agenda or the FBI operation that culminated in her capture. Certain that he had firmly secured both an airtight alibi and an easy out, Kersh glared over his glasses at Follmer and suspiciously added, "and you'd BETTER tell me that we actually have a legitimate reason for holding her."

Taken off guard by this latest assault, Follmer defensively stammered, "Um...well...we have destruction of federal property and felonious battery for starters. We also hope to link her to the false fire alarm and the power outage at the Smithsonian, but we're waiting for the forensics team to get back to us. Regardless, we have more than enough right now to legally keep her in custody."

Scowling at the A.D. across his desk, Kersh narrowed his eyes as he spat, "Are you TRYING to be funny Mr. Follmer?!?"

Unsure how to respond, Follmer haltingly replied, "No sir, ...I...uh..."

Bitingly interrupting, Kersh growled, "You know as well as I do that those charges are flimsy at best. They will never hold up at trial. More importantly, they're not OUR jurisdiction. You'd better come up with something better than that or else I'll have no choice but to order her release."

"But sir..." Follmer helplessly protested.

Completely ignoring Follmer's words, Kersh brusquely continued, "And IF I have to do that, Mr. Follmer, I will PERSONALLY hold you responsible. This happened on your watch and you fell asleep at the wheel. I am not about to put my ass on the line for someone who doesn't have enough sense to cover his own. Have I made myself clear?!"

"Crystal clear, sir," Follmer smoldered, dumbstruck with impotent anger.

"Good. Now get out of my office and don't come back until you have either a real case against or answers from Ms. Covarrubias."

"Yes sir," Follmer tersely replied, leaping to his feet and immensely relieved at finally being given leave to go. Turning on his heel, he strode to the door and stalked out of the Deputy Director's office. Shooting a freezing glare at Kersh's secretary as she started to speak, Follmer stormed down the hallway to his own office a short distance away. As he entered his anteroom, he brushed past the waiting agents as he angrily barked to his young secretary, "Sarah, cancel all of my appointments for the rest of the day and hold all of my calls!! I DO NOT want to be disturbed. Is that clear?"

"Yes sir," his confused and befuddled secretary replied as she helplessly turned her eyes toward the group of agents that had been impatiently awaiting the A. D.'s return. After hours of making excuses for her boss to the people who had been waiting all morning, she knew it would not be an easy thing to just 'get rid of them' now that they knew the A.D. was back. Taking a deep breath, she mustered up all of her courage before addressing the now visibly hostile group.

Meanwhile, completely unconcerned about his secretary's plight as he slammed the door shut behind him, Follmer strode to his desk with clenched fists. Furiously pounding them on the hard wood before violently sweeping the files from atop his desk onto the floor, he angrily surged, "DAMN YOU Agent Doggett!! You and your little stunts really made me look the fool today. Well enjoy your laugh while you can because you and your little buddies are going to pay dearly for this. I'll make sure of it. I promise you!!"

For several angry moments more, Follmer tightly gripped the edges of his desk with white knuckles, his face contorted in barely controlled fury. However, as the slow minutes passed, the fierce emotion melted from his face, leaving only a coldly vicious expression in its place as the wheels in his head began turning. Standing upright and regaining a modicum of composure, Follmer smoothed down his slightly disheveled hair and straightened his tie before coolly picking up the telephone receiver and swiftly dialing his secretary's extension.

"Sarah," he drawled with his usual boyish charm, "I wanted to apologize if I was a little curt with you when I came in. I'd just gotten a rush assignment from the Deputy Director that needed my immediate attention. However, that's no excuse for being rude to you. I didn't upset you, did I? I'd never forgive myself if I did."

Having just finished with the last of the A.D.'s irate morning appointments, Sarah had been about to go check on Follmer to make sure that he was alright. "Oh no sir," she replied, her heart filling simultaneously with both relief and joy, "I knew that something important must've come up and that you had to have had a very good reason." Truth be told, Sara positively worshiped her boss and had been absolutely crushed by the idea that he was angry with her. Now that she knew his earlier wrath had nothing to do with her, she was absolutely relieved.

"Well, I'm still sorry and I wanted to say so," Follmer crooned sheepishly, taking full advantage of her trusting naiveté, "I truly hope that my appointments weren't too rough on you when you gave them the news. If anyone singed you, just let me know and I will handle them personally." Grinning to himself at the smoothness of his manipulation, Follmer knew only too well that if he was able to inspire her loyalty and exploit her obvious admiration, she could prove a most useful scapegoat later on should he need one.

"Oh, no sir, they all were very good about it," Sarah blushingly exaggerated, not wanting to trouble him on her account, "I had no problem rescheduling them all for later on in the week."

"Good," Follmer replied with devious sweetness, "I don't know what I'd do without you, Sarah. Keep up the wonderful work." Then smirking to himself, he deliberately paused a moment before adding as if it were an afterthought, "Oh, and Sarah?"

"Yes sir?" she eagerly replied.

"We brought in a suspect earlier today and her interrogation should be beginning momentarily. Would it be possible for you to find out what room that is being held in so that I can attend?"

"Right away, sir. It will be my pleasure."

"Thank you, Sarah. I would be completely lost without you," Follmer replied before hanging up the phone. Smugly rubbing his hands together, a malevolent grin played across his face before he stood to pick his files up from the floor. "Soon, Agent Doggett," he mused to himself, "you'll get what's coming to you very soon now."

Chapter 20

Marita sat stonily in the chair, her cerulean blue eyes fixated on the roughened toe of her black pump, which had been badly scuffed during her scuffle with the Assistant Director-who now sat directly across the table from her. They'd been sitting like that in near silence for almost an hour. With the video camera silently rolling, they'd read her Miranda rights and attempted to elicit her response to several questions but it was all to no avail. Marita wasn't talking. She knew she didn't have to and she wasn't about to say anything without her lawyer present. Having gained control over herself and her earlier fears, Marita assured herself that, as long as she said nothing and revealed nothing, there would be nothing to fear from the Consortium. She knew her attorney would quickly make short work of the paltry charges leveled against her. Besides, if she kept her head throughout all this, it would undoubtedly impress upon her superiors her irreplaceable value to their common cause. All she had to do was pass this last endurance test.

Slowly raising her eyes to meet Skinner's penetrating stare, an evilly bemused gleam crept into Marita's icy gaze. Eyeing the fresh wounds her nails had inflicted upon his face just a few short hours before, a hard, brittle smile spread across her face as an idea slowly occurred to her. She saw no reason why she couldn't toy with these morons and amuse herself at their expense while she waited for her attorney to show. Frostily Marita smiled sweetly at Skinner before observing, "Since my five-hundred dollar pair of Adrienne Vittadini shoes are now completely ruined, I assume that the Bureau will reimburse me for the cost of their replacement."

"Excuse me?! I didn't quite get that," was Skinner's startled response.

"Yes you did Walter," Marita smugly replied with a disarmingly confident glint in her eyes. She knew only too well that by throwing and keeping her interrogators off balance, she would be able to sidetrack and stall them long enough for her attorney to arrive and put an end to the entire proceedings once and for all.

Narrowing his eyes with a scowl, Skinner tersely replied, "You're facing a host of charges, Ms. Covarrubias. I'd think you'd have more important things to worry about right now than your scuffed shoes."

"Besides," Reyes added with a smirk as she gently closed the interrogation room door behind her before leaning nonchalantly against the wall, "Replacement for those obvious designer knock-offs would be more along the lines of 50 rather than 500 dollars."

Grinning over at the newly arrived Reyes from where he leaned cross-armed against the wall at the edge of the room, Doggett chuckled to himself as he shook his head in amusement. Leave it to Monica to somehow turn the conversation, however inappropriately, toward fashion. However, as he turned his eyes back to Marita, Doggett was more than a little amazed and impressed by Reyes' cleverness when he saw how dramatically his partner's seemingly innocuous words affected their prisoner.

Instantly, Marita's expression changed from one of cool detachment to a look of incensed indignation. Angrily raising and eyebrow at Reyes, Marita nodded toward her and quickly retorted, "This coming from a bureaucratized fashion victim who seems to think that leather of ANY kind or shape is the new black of career wear."

"Maybe," Reyes countered with a knowing grin, "but even I know that box-toed, block-heeled pumps are much more suitable accessories for property destruction, assault, battery and flight than those pointy-toed roach-killers from last season that you're sporting."

Narrowing her eyes venomously at Reyes, Marita snorted her sarcastic reply, "Sorry Joan, but when I got dressed this morning, assaulting Agents Mulder and Skinner WEREN'T a part of my original agenda. Neither was running from you."

"Actually, that was battery that you committed against them," Reyes corrected with a smirk.

"WHATEVER it was I did to them" Marita haughtily glared back at her, "I didn't plan for it and dress accordingly!!"

With a victorious gleam in her eyes as her trap was sprung, Reyes smiled broadly at Marita as she gestured toward the video camera and replied, "Ah, so now you DO admit ON RECORD to battering BOTH Fox Mulder and Walter Skinner as well as to unlawful flight to avoid arrest and destruction of federal property. Wow, that's a pretty hefty price to pay just to defend your choice of footwear." Then, as she crossed the room to stand next to Doggett, Reyes chuckled lightly and shook her head as she added, "Really Ms. Covarrubias, your vanity is showing."

Within a matter of seconds, Marita's face turned from smugly confident to ashen white, her mouth gaping open in stunned shock as she suddenly realized just what Reyes had cleverly tricked her into admitting on the record. Worse still, since she'd already been Mirandized, it all counted and could be used against her in court. That meant she had just unwittingly signed her own death warrant. The Syndicate didn't tolerate such flagrant mistakes and she knew that now they would NEVER let her live to reach trial. Numb as the final realization sunk in, Marita could only stare wild-eyed at the table as her chest tightened and her breath came in short gasps.

Meanwhile, Skinner and Doggett both smiled broadly in genuine appreciation of how masterfully Reyes had cracked Marita's armor and left her wide open to further questioning. Now, the answers to all of their questions were there for the taking. In truth, both men were thoroughly impressed. It would never have even occurred to either of them to attack Marita on that front-one which any fashion-conscious woman could clearly see that she was vulnerable. Clearly, Reyes was more adept at interrogation than either of them had ever suspected or given her credit for.

Having reached Doggett's side, Reyes leaned over to him and whispered loudly with a wink, "See, I told you that shopping wasn't a complete waste of time." Looking back at her as he shook his head in amazement, Doggett could only grin in sheer astonishment before they both turned their attention back to the interrogation.

Expertly exploiting the opening that Reyes had just bored through Marita's defenses, Skinner swiftly pressed, "Ms. Covarrubias, we now have you on record admitting to four separate counts-two of which are serious federal offenses. That list will only grow once we get back the forensics results linking you to the power loss and false fire alarm. Plus, there's also the contents of that envelope you were trying to pass off to Fox Mulder left to be examined. By the time we're through with you, you'll be facing 20 years minimum, so I strongly suggest that you cooperate with us."

Recognizing that her only slim chance for survival lay in protecting the Syndicate's interests by taking as much personal blame and responsibility for the entire episode as possible, Marita bit her lower lip before slowly turning her gaze back to the Assistant Director. It was time for plan B. Deliberately letting her eyes fill with frightened tears as her lower lip quivered ever so slightly, Marita reasoned that direct manipulation and deception would be her best bet. Darting her eyes rapidly around the room before finally allowing them to resettle on Skinner, she looked pleadingly into his eyes before she hoarsely whispered, "I...I'll talk...but you'll have...to...to...promise to...protect me..."

Taken aback by this new, seemingly scared and vulnerable side to their prisoner, Skinner's face unconsciously softened with helplessly protective pity. "It's part of our job to protect you, Ms. Covarrubias," he gently assured her with genuine but expectant concern, "But you HAVE to tell us whom you are afraid of specifically. From whom do you need protection?"

Again looking around the room nervously, as if she were suddenly afraid, Marita lowered her voice to a mere breath and her eyes widened maniacally as she hissed, "Why, from the ALIENS of course!!!"

For a long moment, all three of them simply gaped at her, speechless in incredulity. Finally breaking the silence, Doggett groaned, "Oh, Jeez!" as he rolled his eyes in disgust.

Seconds later, Skinner slumped back in his seat before sighing heavily and taking off his glasses to rub his eyes. Replacing them on his face, he muttered resignedly, "Okay, Ms. Covarrubias, tell us about these aliens."

"Oh, please!!" Reyes protested angrily, springing forward from the wall, "You're NOT buying this little psycho routine, are you sir?!?

"Or the alien mumbo jumbo," Doggett added with equal disbelief.

"Pipe down Agents," Skinner commanded as leaned forward and waved his hand at them to be quiet. Then crossing his arms in front of him, he raised an eyebrow and continued, "Please, go ahead and tell us all about them."

Inwardly amused by her three interrogators' respective reactions, Marita knew all too well that this strategy, if she could pull it off, was the only thing that would save her from almost certain extermination by the Syndicate. If she could convince just a few of the authorities that she was mentally incompetent and in need of psychological care-or at least get them to question her mental stability-they would chalk up all of her words and behavior to the delusions of a madwoman. Deliberately putting on her most serious yet terrified expression, she hesitantly began, "W-w-well, they have been using me for several years now. I didn't want to believe it was possible, but it's true. Somehow, they've gotten inside my head. Now they're in my mind all the time. They talk to me...and they...make me do...things."

Rolling his eyes for a second time, Doggett muttered under his breath, "Great. Now she's hearing voices." Shaking his head, he leaned over to Reyes and whispered, "Nah, she's not going for the 'Looney Tunes' defense."

"Tst!!!" Skinner hissed as he shot both of them an angry look before returning his full attention to Marita, "Please continue, Ms. Covarrubias. We're ALL listening."

Sighing heavily, Doggett crossed his arms and gritted his teeth as he leaned back against the wall. This would be a VERY long and fruitless interrogation if Skinner continued coddling the suspect like this.

Speaking as much to the video camera as she was to Skinner, Marita paid no attention to Doggett or Reyes as she nervously licked her teeth before whispering loudly, "I think they use carrier waves bounced off our own communications satellites to project their commands into my brain!"

Showing no demonstrable reaction to her words, Skinner stonily nodded as he pursed his lips to avoid saying what was really on his mind. Then, in true Joe Friday form, he stoically continued, "Please, no supposition, just the facts ma'am. How long have these aliens been affecting you?"

Widening her eyes and darting them about the room first, Marita pleadingly gazed at Skinner whispered frantically, "I told you!! For years!! For years!!"

Raising an eyebrow, Skinner purposefully regarded her with mild surprise before responding, "In the 90s, you occupied a highly sensitive position at the UN. Were you under their influence then?"

"Not...not in the beginning..." she stammered convincingly, as if the memories were overwhelmingly difficult and painful.

"How about after Fox Mulder initially contacted you about what he'd found in the cornfields of Canada?"

"I...I don't know," Marita whispered as, on cue, her voice cracked and her eyes began to fill. Although she would never admit it, even to herself, the tears were actually real, coming from her own genuine and desperate desire to save her own skin.

"So you're saying that ALL the times you provided him with information-INCLUDING the when you and Krycek tricked us into returning to Bellefleur--all that time up through to today you were under alien control?!"

"You must understand!!" Marita passionately blurted, "I didn't WANT to set up poor Fox like that-either then or now-but they MADE me do it!" Then, as she allowed a single tear to slide down her otherwise flawless face, she falteringly continued, "I...I couldn't help myself."

"So, let me get this straight," Doggett interrupted with a healthy degree of skepticism, unable to contain his disbelief any longer, "your defense is: the aliens made me do it?!?!"

Nodding in agreement with her partner, Reyes sarcastically added, "C'mon Marita. You can do better than that can't you?" Then, with a crafty glint in her eye, she deliberately baited their suspect for a second time, continuing in disgust, "Or are you telling us that you are just a helpless female who was simply too weak to resist those terrifying 3 and a half foot tall aliens?"

Although Reyes' words hit their mark and raised her ire, Marita was not about to fall for that ploy a second time. It became immediately apparent to her that getting Agent Reyes and her partner out of the room needed to be her top priority if she wanted to survive her capture. Instinctively knowing the perfect way to turn the tables, Marita quickly resolved on what she considered to be a brilliant course of action. Turning her eyes slowly toward Reyes, Marita deliberately let the floodgates open and the tears stream freely down her face as she softly replied, "You of all people should know that it's true. You couldn't resist them either."

Taken completely off guard by Marita's pointed words and how eerily they paralleled both her vision and troubling conversation with Mulder, Reyes could only gape at her for a moment, her face draining of all color. After a moment, she defensively blurted, "Excuse me??"

"You cried like a baby," Marita, deliberately shifting her tone, chirped in a dreamily sing-song voice, "but then again, I suppose you practically were one at the time, weren't you?" Able to maintain a convincing veneer of psychosis throughout, no one in the room could tell just how immensely gratified Marita was by the terrified horror apparent in Reyes' whitened face, Visibly and uncharacteristically unnerved by this description, Reyes sprung from the wall and breathlessly demanded, "Just what are you talking about??"

Cryptically, Marita replied with ironic but deadly certainty, "I don't need to tell you. You know. You were there," before distractedly turning back to Skinner and hazily sighing, "They'll be no living with her now. You see, once they know about the aliens and what's being done to them, they can never go back." Satisfied that she had deftly pushed Reyes' buttons, Marita figured that she wouldn't have long to wait before her last words provoked some response. She had no idea how right she was.

Within a split second of hearing Marita's words, Reyes furiously charged forward her hands poised to strike, shouting, "I'VE HAD JUST ABOUT ENOUGH of YOUR MIND GAMES!!!"

Fearing that his partner might actually assault the prisoner, Doggett reacted quickly. Leaping forward, he caught Reyes practically in mid-air and forcefully pulled her back and away from Marita.

Struggling against her partner's vice-like grip, Reyes almost hysterically seethed, "DAMN YOU!! YOU TELL ME WHAT YOU MEAN!!"

Shocked by Reyes' seemingly incomprehensible overreaction, Skinner could only gape at her for a moment in abject incredulity before authoritatively growling, "Control yourself, Agent!!"

"She knows something," Reyes gasped in impotent protest, her body shaking from tension and frustrated aggression, "and I want answers!!" Then glaring at Marita, she hissed, "I'm going to get them if I have to beat them out of her!!"

Stunned, Skinner turned his attention to Doggett and nodded toward the door, barking, "John, get her OUT of here!!"

More than a little pleased with the response her words had elicited, Marita conscientiously kept any traces of smug satisfaction from surfacing in her otherwise dazed and vacant expression. Now that two of the three interrogators were effectively out of the picture, she could focus all of her attention on convincing Skinner of her dementia. Leaning way back in her chair to stare at the ceiling with her arms extended skyward for effect, she nonsensically began singing as she slowly rocked back and forth, "Rock-a-bye baby, on the tree top. When the wind blows the cradle will rock..."

While Marita continued to sing the lullaby, Doggett maintained a tight grip on Reyes' arms as he steered her toward the door. "C'mon Monica," he calmly murmured in her ear, "Let's go." Keeping hold of her as he gently steered her out the door, Doggett tried to calm his partner but to no avail. Changing gears once they emerged into the hallway and the door swung shut behind them, Doggett veneer of control dissipated as his anger finally got the better of him. Releasing Reyes' arms, he barked, "What was THAT all about?!?! Are you TRYING to get yourself suspended?!?!? What the HELL has gotten into you Monica!?!?!"

Shaking her head, Reyes desperately tried to calm herself down but she just couldn't reign in her tumultuous emotions. Raising her hands in a conciliatory manner, she angrily hissed, "John, NOT NOW!!" before she hurriedly began to stride away down the hallway.

Momentarily stunned by her abrupt departure, Doggett quickly caught up to her and grabbed her by the shoulder. Turning her to face him more roughly than he'd intended, he angrily bit, "Oh no you don't! You nearly cost us this case in there and I DESERVE an explanation for it!!"

Unable to meet her partner's gaze, Reyes deliberately looked away from him. She knew he was right but she just couldn't explain right now. Everything was far too close to the surface for her to maintain control over herself. She needed time. "Please let me go," she pleadingly whispered hoarsely as her eyes began to fill.

Instantly reading the expression on her down-turned face and recognizing what it meant, Doggett incredulously replied, "Oh, don't tell me that you're buying her load of crap now!!!!" Then, seeing that she was, he threw his hands up in frustration. Exasperated, he countered, "You're playing right into her hands-you know that, don't you!?!? You may as well hand her a get out of jail free card!!"

"John, please," Reyes falteringly whispered as she desperately fought back her tears. So much information and so many pieces fitting together, it was just too much for her to handle right now. She just wanted to be alone but, at the same time, she knew she needed help.

Seeing the turmoil on his partner's face and noting how her chin had begun to quiver, Doggett suddenly understood that there was much more to this than was meeting the eye. Lowering his voice to a tender whisper, he gently touched Reyes' arm and softly breathed, "Monica, something's bothering you and it isn't just this lady's line of bull. You know you can trust me. Tell me what it is and I can do something about it."

Raising her eyes to stare stoically at Doggett's lips, it occurred to Reyes that the one person whom she wanted to help her and hold her was the man standing in front of her offering to do just that. Biting her lower lip lower lip as she marshaled her resolve, Reyes took both his hands in hers and squeezed them tightly. Lifting her tear-stained gaze to meet his now exceptionally concerned eyes, she slowly opened her mouth to confide in him everything that she'd learned that morning but she was unexpectedly cut short.

"Am I interrupting something, Agents?" came an arrogantly smug voice from a ways down the hall.

"Follmer," Doggett growled under his breath as he instantly recognized the familiar intonations of the rookie A.D. and turned to eye him with thinly veiled revulsion.

Sauntering triumphantly toward them, Follmer snidely continued, "For your sake, I certainly hope that I haven't just stumbled upon anything untoward or that violates Bureau policy on fraternization. I'd hate to have to recommend disciplinary action against you."

Immediately Reyes dropped Doggett's hands in a vain attempt to hide their newfound intimacy. Blinking furiously to hold her tears in check, she abruptly turned away to retreat down the hallway in the direction opposite to Follmer. She hadn't gotten more than a few steps when...

"Agent Reyes," Follmer called after her knowingly, "That's a dead end leading only to more interrogation rooms and the broom closet. The elevator's this way." Then with a self-satisfied laugh, he added, "So, unless you intend to do some janitorial work, you're probably headed in the wrong direction."

Stopping in mid-stride, Reyes narrowed her eyes and set her jaw before tersely doing an about face and heading back the way she came. As she passed Doggett, Reyes was acutely aware that she couldn't look at him or see the intense worry that she knew would be present in his eyes without losing it entirely. So, she forcefully focused her attention on the path directly in front of her.

Doggett fumed silently at the A. D.'s insensitive jabs, but knew that it would be much easier for Reyes if he didn't make a scene about it. Seeing the determination in her eyes, Doggett also fully understood that, for Reyes' sake, he needed to let her pass unimpeded. Still watching her as she continued on the dozen or so feet down the hall toward where the Assistant Director stood grinning at her. Doggett could only hope that the A.D. would have the foresight and consideration to just let her go.

Unfortunately, Follmer couldn't be bothered with either and he presumptuously reached out and took Reyes by the arm, whispering, "Monica, you know I care about you. You trusted me once. Tell me what the problem is and I can help you." Then carefully eyeing Doggett who was well beyond the range of hearing, he continued, "All I ask in return is that you open your heart and let me back in."

Scowling back at him, Reyes growled almost under her breath, "I suggest you let go of me, Assistant Director. Sexual harassment charges won't help you climb into the Director's chair."

"Maybe," Follmer crooned softly, tightening his grip on her arm, "but it's your word against mine and I can firmly establish that we've had a past sexual relationship that was mutually consensual-or did you forget that little video we made back in '97?" Then, looking her up and down suggestively, he continued, whispering, "We sure didn't need any fireworks that Fourth of July, did we?"

Tearing her arm away from him in disgust, Reyes angrily shouted, "F-CK YOU, BRAD!!" before storming off down the hallway.

Smirking bemusedly, Follmer called after her, "I believe you already did!!" Then, shaking his head, he turned around to face Doggett, who, having seen his partner's violent reaction, was rapidly closing the distance between himself and the rookie A.D. Cracking a smile, Follmer laughed, "Women! Try to do them a favor and look what it gets you!"

"What the hell did you say to her!?!?" Doggett demanded angrily, forgetting for a moment that he couldn't assault a highly placed Bureau administrator.

"Whoa, Agent Doggett," Follmer countered assuredly, "You'd better just calm down and take a second to rethink that tone of yours. I just offered to help her deal with whatever's been troubling her, but as you saw, she was none too appreciative."

"I wonder why!" Doggett replied sarcastically as he turned his attention some distance down the hallway to where Reyes stood, furiously stabbing at the elevator button with her thumb.

"Oh you know Monica," Follmer continued confidently as he put a hand on Doggett's shoulder to keep him from following Reyes, "she's always been a little, shall we say, high strung?"

"Funny, I've never noticed that," Doggett answered impatiently as he watched Reyes angrily pacing in front of the elevator doors as she waited for them to open, "She's always been one of the most balanced and well-adjusted people I know."

Snorting, Follmer snidely replied, "And I'm sure you'd know all about 'adjusting' and 'balancing' her wouldn't you, Agent Doggett?"

Whipping his full attention back toward Follmer, Doggett angrily bit, "Excuse me?!?! Just what the hell is THAT supposed to mean!?!?"

"Oh, nothing," Follmer laughed with a lascivious grin, "Just that we seem to have something in common. I'm sure we both know all about Monica's...ah...acuity...in terms of 'balance' and just the way she likes to be 'adjusted.' Nice little tool bit isn't she?"

Instantly infuriated by what Follmer's unsavory words implied, Doggett narrowed his eyes and clenched his fists. Roughly grabbing the A.D. by the collar with one hand and raising the fist of the other, Doggett seethed, "You dirty BAST.ARD!"

"Careful, Agent Doggett," Follmer grinned at him confidently, "Assaulting a superior officer is one of the quickest ways to find yourself on the unemployment line. And where would our little Monica be then? Soon back in my arms, I should think."

At that very moment, the elevator doors opened with a clear ring and Reyes angrily stalked onto it, slamming her fingers onto the close doors button before hiding her face against the wall to sob bitterly.

Angrily releasing Follmer in disgust, Doggett venomously spat, "If you were on fire, you still wouldn't be good enough for her to spit on." Then, without wasting another second, he tore down the hallway, desperate to catch the elevator and Reyes before it was too late.

"You keep telling yourself that, Agent Doggett, if it makes you feel better," Follmer chuckled heartily as he watched Doggett reach the elevator mere seconds after the doors had closed. Then, laughing even harder as he saw Doggett frantically pushing the elevator button, Follmer bemusedly scoffed, "The stairs are to your right, John. Maybe if you hurry, you can still catch her."

Shooting Follmer a dirty look, Doggett quickly headed off to his right, disappearing into the stairwell in a desperate attempt to catch up with his clearly distraught partner. Meanwhile, Follmer couldn't help but laugh hysterically at the hilarity of the whole scene.

Finally catching his breath from his hearty fit of laughter, Follmer sighed heavily as he straightened his tie. He was more than a little proud of himself for having just killed two birds with one stone. "Now all I need to do is dispose of Skinner," he mused smugly to himself as he opened the door to the interrogation room, "and I can finally be left to have a mutually satisfying and career-enhancing one-on-one with this mysterious Ms. Covarrubias."

Perched anxiously at the counter atop a highly polished chrome and cherry-red leather stool close by the diner's entrance and cash register, Scully impatiently stirred her vanilla diet Coke with her straw. As she heard the door open behind her, accompanied by the chimes of the tiny customer service bell that adorned it, Scully quickly whirled about in hopeful expectation. She was more than a little disappointed when she saw that it was only a couple of BDU clad Marine Corps officers from the nearby base instead of Mulder.

Sighing heavily as she looked at her watch, she silently admonished herself, "You're over ten minutes early Dana. Mulder couldn't get here from DC that fast even if he was on the Concord, so calm down. He'll be here as soon as he can." Yet, despite this sound logic, Scully couldn't keep her fingers from tapping in eager anticipation of seeing her husband again. After that nerve wrenching morning, all she wanted to do was wrap her arms around him and never let him go. Turning back to face the counter, Scully softly mused, "You know, a watched pot never boils, so stop thinking about it or else he'll never get here!" With that thought, she resolved to divert her attention somehow. Gazing distractedly about the 1950's retro diner, Scully smiled in childlike delight at the varied array of 50's paraphernalia literally covering he walls, shelves and counters. Posters from all three of James Dean's movies as well as a litany of cheesy 3-D and sci-fi thrillers adorned the walls. From the first time she came here, she knew that Mulder would just love this place. Catching sight of their "Plan 9 from Outer Space" poster from the corner of her eye, Scully blushingly grinned at the memory of Mulder who, while sitting on his old leather couch and pondering the Micah Hoffman case, admitted to her that he'd watched that film 42 times. How mercilessly she'd teased him about it! But little did they know that the best irony was yet to come. At the time, neither of them would've ever guessed that the 43rd time Mulder saw that movie, they would be snuggled up together on that same leather couch, naked under his Navajo blanket as lovers.

Grinning devilishly at the thought of that night and the delicious sensations it's memory evoked, Scully decidedly turned her attention away from the poster and back to the menu. After all, that particularly sensual memory only augmented and intensified her almost desperate desire to see her husband again. Sighing heavily for the second time in as many minutes, Scully resigned herself to examining the diner's listing of 50's fare. Although she already knew that she was having the chicken salad, she still studied the menu carefully, amusing herself with trying to guess what Mulder would order when he arrived. Still engaged in this activity, she heard the door ring open behind her a second time a few minutes later. Glancing quickly at her watch, Scully could see that she still had at least another ten minutes to wait. Not wanting to deal with the disappointment of it not being Mulder again, she didn't even bother turning around to see who it was.

"Excuse me, ma'am," Mulder's familiar intonations lilted directly behind her, "I'm from the FBI, the Fine Body Inspectors. I'm afraid I'm going to have to ask you to assume the position."

The second she heard his voice, Scully's face lit up like a Christmas tree. Quickly turning around with a wide smile, she literally launched herself into his waiting arms. In her exuberance, Scully's body hit Mulder with enough force to make him stagger backward a step and nearly knocked the wind out of him. Squeezing him with all of her might, she joyfully cried, "Mulder!"

"Whoa!" Mulder laughed, grinning broadly as he recovered his balance and happily wrapped his arms tightly around his wife. Pleased immeasurably by her enthusiastically overt display of affection, he nuzzled his face into her hair, chuckling, "Wow! If I'd known that line would evoke such a positive response, I'd have used it while I was playing the singles scene."

"Mulder, if you'd have used that line before now," Scully smirked up at him teasingly with sparkling eyes as she gave his tie a gentle tug, "You'd STILL be playing the singles scene.'

"Ouch." Mulder smiled down at her playfully, his own eyes glittering with love and adoration as he gently caressed her face, "Scully, you really know how to hurt a guy."

Winking up at him with a mischievous pout, Scully saucily replied, "Hmmm, you didn't seem to mind that too much yesterday."

Grinning even wider as his face flushed slightly at the heady memories her words stirred, Mulder looked down into his wife's beautiful eyes before flirtingly chuckling, "Hey now, I thought we were meeting for lunch, NOT some tawdry little fling. I'll have you know that I'm not that kind of guy."

"Yeah. Sure," Scully replied with a teasing grin as she gently broke their embrace to playfully steer Mulder to the counter. Pulling him by the hand to sit down beside her, she laughingly continued, "Try telling that to someone who doesn't already know better."

"Why, Agent Scully," he replied in mock astonishment with a sparkling gleam in his eyes, "I'm sure I don't know what you mean!"

Raising her eyebrows at him skeptically, Scully peered up at him from under her lashes and suspiciously replied, "Riiight," before grinningly handing him her menu.

Squeezing Scully's hand gently as he winked impishly at her, Mulder glanced quickly at the menu before brightly quipping, "Well, I know what I'm having."

"The bacon cheeseburger?" Scully predicted confidently.

Narrowing his eyes at her playfully, Mulder laughed, "BZZZT. Wrong answer. But thanks for playing."

"Well what then?" Scully countered, slightly embarrassed and very surprised that she'd guessed wrong.

"The tuna melt. After all, I just turned 45 and I'm not a teenager anymore. Besides, as you're SO fond of pointing out, I need to start watching what I eat. Right?"

Wrinkling her nose, Scully narrowed her eyes at him as she chuckled, "But Mulder, you know as well as I do that there's probably just as much saturated fat and cholesterol in that fried sandwich as there is in any cheeseburger."

"Well in that case," Mulder drawled teasingly, tenderly reaching out to softly stroke Scully's face, "the bacon cheeseburger it is-but only because it's doctor's orders."

Shaking her head as she smiled gently at her husband and reached up to cover his hand with her own, Scully teasingly murmured, "You're incorrigible. You know that don't you?"

"Ah, but you wouldn't have me any other way." Mulder smiled warmly as he gazed lovingly into the enchanting wonder of her deep blue eyes.

"No, I wouldn't," she sighed serenely, happy just to have him near. Truth be told, both of them were simply basking in the warmth of each other's presence, grateful beyond belief that the morning's bizarre events had not cost them anything but a few hours. For several seconds, they just sat like that. Words were completely unnecessary. It was as if some enchantment had befallen them, making them both perfectly content to spend the next hour simply gazing into one another's eyes. However, when the waitress came to take their order, the spell was broken and the pair suddenly snapped back to reality.

After they placed their order, Mulder's mind drifted back to his harrowing experience with Marita Covarrubias. His face darkened considerably as Mulder realized that he needed to tell Scully about everything that had gone wrong at the Smithsonian that morning sooner as opposed to later. While he hoped beyond hope that it wouldn't ruin Scully's appetite, part of him knew better. Perhaps if he could hold out until tonight...

As if she was reading his thoughts, Scully looked up into Mulder's clouded eyes and interrupted his musings, hoarsely whispering, "Mulder, I already know that something went terribly wrong this morning. I could feel it. So, please, don't try to shield me from it. Just tell me. I need to know."

Nodding as he looked tenderly into her now moist eyes, Mulder understood completely, without even having to ask, why it was so important to her to hear every last detail, no matter how gut wrenching it might be. Taking a deep breath and letting it out slowly, he took both of Scully's hands in his and hesitantly began.

A loud chime told Reyes that the elevator had finally reached its next destination. Wiping her eyes quickly with the back of her hands, she didn't turn her tear-stained face from the wall until it had come to a complete stop and the heavy doors began to slide open. Taking a deep, she prepared herself to face whomever might be about join her with some made up quip about a severe allergic reaction that would more than explain her somewhat disheveled appearance. Yet, as she stoically faced forward, Reyes was surprised to not only find no one there but that she had arrived in the basement non-stop. Not bothering to question her luck, Reyes didn't even try to keep her hardened mask of composure from falling away as her she stepped from the elevator and her tears began to flow anew. Instinctively, she knew she needed to find a quiet and secluded place where she could pull herself back together. The LAST thing she wanted was for anyone to see her like this-especially that damn Brad Follmer. Bolting from the elevator, Reyes darted down the darkened hallway to her one sure refuge-Doggett's office. As she slowly grasped the door handle, she prayed that it wouldn't be locked. Luck was on her side again as the door creaked open in her hands. Moving forward into the darkened room, Reyes quickly shut and locked the door behind her to ensure her solitude. Deliberately, Reyes kept the lights off so as to hide both her presence and tears from any unexpected visitor. Her grayish and gloomy surroundings perfectly mirrored her mood. As faint sunlight streamed into the room from its single narrow window, her eyes slowly adjusted to the dimness as they scanned the familiar room.

So many times she'd spent endless hours in this very room playfully debating countless cases with her partner. Yet, all the while, she never had the slightest inkling that she could be a part of the biggest x-file of them all. Staggering forward, she leaned her hands heavily on the back of her usual chair. Nonsensical bits from previous cases came rushing back to her, suddenly making complete sense. It was as if the missing lynch pin had suddenly been found and it all was beginning to fall into place. Closing her eyes as if to shut the memories out, Reyes angrily berated herself, muttering, "Stop it! You don't even know for sure that any of it is real," as if saying it out loud would somehow make her believe it. Yet, inside she knew that there was something more to her vision, Mulder's concern, and Marita's words than irrational fear and paranoia. They were all pieces of the puzzle that were just beginning to come together to form a larger picture. "No!" Reyes resolved to herself with seemingly immovable determination, "I'm not going to think about it. It's just too far-fetched." Yet that resolve was hopelessly splintered the second she opened her eyes and they immediately fell on Mulder's "I want to believe" poster that still hung on the far wall. That sight brought back with all too vivid clarity the undeniable reality of the day's events.

Turning abruptly as if to flee from the horrible thoughts that simple image evoked, Reyes ran into the glass-enclosed semi-room off to her right that Doggett now used mainly as storage. Coming to a stop in the middle of it, she stumbled her way through the darkened sea of boxes to reach a small open space in the far corner. Squeezing her eyes shut tightly as the tears streamed helplessly down her face, she leaned heavily against the far wall in a vain attempt to banish the day's events from her mind and regain control of her swirling foment of emotions. Yet, it was no use. Too many things had piled up on her-the revelations about her past and losing it with Marita, not to mention having her nose rubbed in her mistake that was Follmer. At this moment, it was more than she could bear. The dam had already burst and now there was no stopping the flow of tears. She now had no choice but to let them run their course and exhaust themselves from the source before she could even begin to think about getting back some semblance of control. Sliding down the wall to the floor, bringing her knees to her chest and burying her face in her hands, Reyes sobbed bitterly--isolated and alone in the gloomy half-light of the dank basement office.

Chapter 21

By the time their food arrived, Mulder had only just finished telling his story. Lowering her eyes, blinking hard several times and taking a deep breath, Scully momentarily regarded her chicken salad with obvious disinterest. Having understandably lost her appetite, she shook her head, pushed the plate away and heavily sighed, "I knew it was bad, but I didn't realize how bad."

Squeezing his wife's hand gently, Mulder's brows knitted together as he softly tried to reassure her, "It's over, Scully. I can promise you that it will never happen again."

Looking mournfully up into his concern-tinged eyes, Scully hoarsely whispered, "How can you be so sure, Mulder - especially after everything she said about Will?"

"That was nothing but more of their lies," Mulder snorted quickly-too quickly-as a flash of anger skipped across his face. Shaking his head almost in denial, as if willing himself to not entertain any other interpretation for even a moment, Mulder bitterly replied, "I doubt Will is anything more to her and her Syndicate than just a convenient tool for manipulating us." Then looking deeply into Scully's watery eyes as he covered her hand with both of his, every last trace of anger melted away from Mulder's expression and his face softened considerably as he gently continued, "Don't play their game, Dana. It will eat you alive if you let it. Trust me. I know."

Lowering her gaze as she closed her eyes, Scully nodded slowly in grudging agreement as she gently bit her lower lip. They'd had this conversation before-- right after the whole "super soldier" conspiracy had been exposed and it was finally safe for Mulder to come home. Both of them agreed that the unusual abilities William exhibited during Mulder's long absence had absolutely nothing to do with the Syndicate or its lies. Countless other explanations and phenomena they'd encountered in their years on the X-Files fit the facts much better than Knowle Rohrer's ridiculous assertion that Will was the product of artificial genetic engineering facilitated by the implant in Scully's neck. After all, DNA tests proved beyond any shadow of a doubt that Mulder and no one else was Will's biological father. That fact alone was enough to prove once and for all that their miracle boy was conceived via natural means, NOT through some alien technology. While Will did have some genetic anomalies, it was only slightly more than in the average child-certainly nothing to be concerned about. With these facts in mind, Mulder and Scully concluded together that Will was simply a normal child with some paranormal abilities. Yet, even those seemed to disappear upon Mulder's return, leaving Scully to question if she ever really saw them in the first place. After all, the mobile's movement could've just as easily been caused by a draft from the AC vents as anything else-especially telepathy from her young son. Moreover, long before Will was even a gleam in either of his parent's eyes, they'd both seen firsthand how those strange metallic alien fragments could hurl themselves across a room, propelled by some unknown force. Thus, it naturally followed that what she and Reyes had seen after Comer's attempt on Will's life didn't necessarily have anything to do with the child either. Confronted with these realities, Scully just couldn't justify holding onto the belief that Will was special for any reasons beyond being the miracle culmination of her and Mulder's love.

Looking back up into Mulder's eyes with tear-clouded vision, Scully told herself that he was right. Smiling weakly, Scully tried to lighten the mood as she mustered a limping half laugh, "So, just what was in that stupid envelope anyway?"

"I have absolutely no idea," Mulder gently grinned down at his wife in reply, certain that his answer would surprise her. Smirking at Scully with a teasing glint in his eyes as a jolt of shocked surprise whipped across her face, he laughingly continued, "See, I told you I didn't care about them or their lies anymore but you didn't believe me did you?"

Her mouth agape in disbelief, Scully just stared at her husband for a moment, completely speechless. "It's not that," she stammered incredulously, "but don't you think it's important for us to know exactly why Marita was trying to contact you?"

Placing his hand reassuringly on Scully's shoulder, Mulder softly replied, "No. If was only to spread more lies, do we REALLY need to hear them? That would only put us through more unnecessary agony for no good reason." Seeing the shadow of doubt behind her eyes, he lifted one hand to tenderly caress Scully's face before he continued with gentle confidence, "Look, if it turns out to be anything we need to know, John and Monica wouldn't leave us twisting in the wind. They would tell us. Skinner would make a point of ensuring it. Will's his godson for Christ's sake. If there were any real danger, we'd be the first he'd tell." Then, edging Scully's plate back over to her with his other hand, he softly continued, "If there's any cause for concern, they'll let us know soon enough." Carefully searching Scully's eyes for any further signs of doubt, Mulder tenderly added, "So don't go looking for trouble where there is none. Okay?"

Nodding her assent as she smiled back up at him weakly, Scully softly murmured, "I never thought in a million years that I'd ever live to see the day when YOU would be telling ME to forget about the plots and plans of the Consortium and just let it go." Then with a smirk, she wryly teased, "Are you sure you're feeling alright?" Raising an eyebrow at him as she eyed him with mock skepticism, she put her hands on her hips and playfully continued, "Just what did you do with my husband?!?"

Grinning broadly, Mulder laughed out loud at her teasing implication. "Think I'm an alien replicant, eh?" he chuckled in bemusement, genuinely relieved that Scully was able to joke about it. Then, as a truly wicked thought crossed his mind, he decided to act on it. Taking Scully's face in both his hands, he laughed, "I'll show you!" before firmly planting a very short but passionate kiss on her unsuspecting lips. As they parted mere seconds later, Mulder couldn't help but smile. He'd caught the faint but unmistakable expression that so briefly flashed across Scully's face indicating her substantial disappointment that their kiss was over so quickly. Grinning down at her with sparkling eyes, he gently pressed his forehead to hers and playfully whispered, "Now, could any replicant do THAT to you?"

Smirking back up at him with a mischievous glint in her eyes, Scully saucily countered, "Well, you know, there WAS that time out in the Arizona desert when the alien bounty hunter was trying to kidnap Gibson Praise and pass himself off as you. Did a pretty convincing job of it too as I recall."

Grimacing back at her, Mulder chuckled softly as he replied, "Ah, I should've known that prim and proper routine you were pulling during our first six years on the X-Files was all just an act. You wanton, ho, you!"

"Well, now that you know," Scully grinned with a wink and a giggle as she gave his hand a gentle squeeze before shifting back toward the counter, "I don't have to keep our forbidden love a secret anymore."

Rolling his eyes with a teasing grimace, Mulder wrinkled his nose slightly before turning his attention to his cooling bacon cheeseburger and fries, laughing, "Ah, well I think that's enough sordid replicant imagery for sitting-that is unless you're TRYING to make me lose my appetite."

Snorting at his words with a bemused grimace, Scully gingerly removed her paper napkin from under the silver knife and fork before spreading it delicately across her lap. Regarding her plate of chicken salad, Scully judiciously decided to drop that line of teasing in favor of allowing Mulder to enjoy his lunch. Picking up her fork, she thought it best to change the subject and her natural curiosity and observant nature supplied her with a ready substitute. "Mulder," she casually drawled as she took a healthy bite of lettuce, "if you weren't following up on Marita Covarrubias, why did you need to go back to Bureau headquarters. Was it for debriefing?"

"No," Mulder shook his head as he replied with his mouth full. Rapidly swallowing his bite of cheeseburger, he continued to answer, "I needed to see Monica." Then, suddenly remembering his promise, he dropped his sandwich back onto his plate, briefly patted himself down and looked around the counter for something to write with. Finding nothing, he looked at Scully and distractedly added, "and that reminds me. Don't let me forget to make an appointment with Dr. Werber before I leave. I THINK I still have his number stored on my cell phone."

Swallowing hard, Scully eyes widened in shocked surprise as she exclaimed, "Dr WERBER?!?!" Then knitting her brows together, she quickly looked around to see who might've overheard her outburst before continuing in a loud whisper, "Mulder, why do you want to talk to HIM?!? I thought you said we had nothing to worry about!"

Taking a quick sip of his soda, Mulder shook his head again before turning his full attention back toward his wife and explaining, "No, it's nothing like THAT Scully. It's not for me. It's for Monica."

"Monica?!?" Scully replied with a frown, "But what would SHE need to see him for?!?" In response, Mulder just looked at her with sad and melancholy eyes as he waited the mere seconds it took for her to come up with the answer on her own. Tilting her head in confusion, Scully could only stare back at Mulder in concerned incredulity, her horrified expression silently screaming the question that raced through her mind.

Sighing heavily, Mulder closed his eyes briefly before slowly returning them to Scully's frightened gaze. Covering her hand with his as he looked steadily into her eyes, Mulder whispered, "Scully, this is her secret to share with you if she chooses to but..."

"SECRET?!?!" Scully interrupted impatiently, eager to know what she could do to help her apparently troubled friend, "Mulder, Monica is one of my best friends. If she's been through anywhere near the hell that I went through, then I need to be there for her!! You HAVE to tell me what you know so that I can help her!!"

Raising his hand in an effort to calm her protective impulses, Mulder nodded as he softly and soothingly whispered, "I know, Scully. I know. I'll tell you what little I can." Then looking directly into her worried eyes his tone became deadly serious as he continued, "but you have to promise not to confront or push her about it. Doing that would do much more harm than good. You know that, don't you?"

As Scully silently nodded her agreement, Mulder took a deep breath and sighed heavily before slowly beginning, "Okay then, here's what I know."

The long black car pulled up to the dock almost directly in front of the gangplank of the USS Pershing. As it rolled to a stop, one of the Marine guards quickly stepped forward and opened the back passenger door. Stepping from the car with an air of assured arrogance, Spender took a long draw as he strode up to the gangplank while retrieving a set of expertly falsified credentials from his front coat pocket.

Flashing them briefly to the reception officer before replacing them, Spender impatiently barked "William Crowley, NSA. I'm here for Captain Scully. He should be expecting me."

"Yes sir," the ensign stammered as he gestured nervously toward the gangplank, "Right this way."

"Thank you," Spender replied tersely, exhaling his smoke directly in the rattled junior officer's face as he dropped his cigarette to the ground and crushed it out under his heel before brushing past him and up the narrow ramp leading up to the carrier deck. With a smug grin, Spender knew it was only a matter of moments before his brilliant plan would be set in motion. Once it started, no force in the universe would be able to stop it. Soberly, he murmured to himself as he climbed the steep incline, "Not much longer now, Mr. Mulder. Enjoy your normal life while you can. In very short order, it will all come crashing down around your ears. Nothing can prevent that now."

Slightly out of breath, Doggett quickly rounded the stairwell corner, finally having reached the second floor. If anyone were keeping track of such things, he'd have set a new worlds record for the number of flights of stairs covered in two minutes flat. "Hang on, Monica," he murmured to himself as he grasped the doorknob to exit the stairwell, "I'm on my way." Emerging into the extremely crowded and busy hallway, Doggett dodged in and out of the foot traffic that jostled and pulled him in the opposite direction. "Must be lunchtime," he muttered in frustration as he glanced quickly at his watch, understanding instantly why Agents and support personnel alike seemed to be exiting the Hoover building in droves.

Struggling against the human tide, he finally reached the large cubicle bay where Reyes was assigned to keep her desk. Passing from the hallway through the large set of double doors, Doggett craned his neck to see if he could spot his partner over the tall jumble of partitions without having to actually enter its maze like set up but no luck. He couldn't see her. "She could be sitting down," Doggett muttered acrimoniously to himself, knowing that he couldn't conclude that she wasn't there. So, pursing his lips, Doggett embarked on his quest to find Reyes' desk in this sea of cubicles-and hopefully her along with it.

"I knew there was a reason I never come up here," he grumbled to himself after the second time he got lost down a blind alley. Doing an about face and coming back the way he came, Doggett spent another few minutes searching before he finally found the right niche. Yet, as he rounded the corner to face her desk, Reyes was nowhere to be seen. "Great!" he growled, throwing his hands up in exasperation, fearing that she'd already left the building and he'd missed her altogether.

Turning around in frustration, Doggett noticed that people were still straggling past on their way to lunch. Impulsively stopping a rather young Agent who was passing by on his way to lunch, Doggett grabbed him by the arm and hurriedly demanded, "The woman who works here, Special Agent Monica Reyes, have you seen her in the last couple of minutes?"

Somewhat startled by Doggett's unexpected interrogation, the young man raised an eyebrow and shrugged before replying, "Sorry sir, I haven't seen anyone in here and I wouldn't know Agent...uh...Reyes did you say? Anyway, I wouldn't know her if she fell on me."

"That's just wonderful!" Doggett snorted as he released the young Agent's arm and shook his head in dejected frustration. Turning back toward Reyes' desk, he waved the young man off as he distractedly muttered, "Well, thanks anyway. Sorry for the trouble." Forgetting about the perplexed young man behind him, Doggett pondered where Reyes might've gone. If she wasn't here, where was she? Unfortunately, Doggett was so worried about his partner that he didn't even notice the obvious.

Pausing for a moment, the young man cursorily studied Doggett's body language and quickly recognized growing concern plainly evident on this stranger's face. Sighing as he glanced quickly at his watch that showed he was already late for his lunch date, the young man took a deep breath of resignation and sighed regretfully before interrupting Doggett's musings, "Look, it seems like an emergency. Maybe, I can help you find this Agent Reyes." Then pointing at the chair in front of her desk, he continued, "I mean, we know she hasn't left the building because she didn't take her jacket, holster or sidearm with her. So that really narrows our search." With a grin, he added, "I may not know her if she fell on me, but I can certainly lend a hand if you need one. With two of us looking, we can find her in half the time."

After blinking heavily and wondering for a brief moment how he could've possibly missed such obvious clues, Doggett realized that he REALLY need to slow down if he wanted to be of any help to Monica once he find her. And now, thanks to this sharp young Agent, he knew exactly where to look. Taking a deep breath and slowly letting it out, he then turned toward his young Samaritan with a relieved and grateful smile, "No that's okay, Agent...uh..."

"Pendrell, sir."

"Agent Pendrell," Doggett continued, patting the young man on the back, "Now that I know she's still here, I think I know where to find her," before hurrying off in the direction he thought would take him back to the hallway.

"Uh, sir?!" Pendrell called after Doggett after he headed off in the wrong direction, "I think you're headed the wrong way. You wanted to get back to the hallway right?"

"Yeah, I do," Doggett laughed at himself as he turned and backtracked to Reyes' cubicle and the young Agent Pendrell.

"Here sir, let me escort you to the hall," Pendrell chuckled as he gestured toward the correct route and lead Doggett through the maze of cubicles, "This layout is really tricky. Then, once you finally figure it out, they go and change it on you. Sometimes I think it's worse than being trapped in an Escher!"

Chuckling at Pendrell's clever joke, Doggett grinned thankfully as they made their way back to the double doors, "Thanks. That's Two I owe you now."

"Think nothing of it, sir," Pendrell replied with a grin, "I'm happy to help out wherever I'm needed."

"Well, we sure could use more Agents like you Pendrell," Doggett nodded as they reached the hallway, "And instead of sir, you can call me either John or Doggett. All those 'sirs' were making me feel old."

Holding out his hand to Doggett, Pendrell replied, "Pleased to meet you Agent Doggett. Now that I have a name, I'll go ahead and leave a note on Agent Reyes' desk to let her know that you're looking for her-in case she comes back here before you find her."

"Good thinking, Pendrell" Doggett replied as he shook his hand, genuinely impressed by the young man before him. Then squinting at Pendrell for a confused moment, Doggett continued, "Your name sounds familiar. Didn't you..."

"That was my older brother, sir," Pendrell replied with a slight grimace, "Killed serving the Bureau in the line of duty back in '97 when I was a freshman at Penn State." No matter how many times it happened, Pendrell still hadn't really gotten over the shock of being so persistently confused with Shawn.

"Oh...I'm sorry," Doggett stammered, taken aback slightly and momentarily feeling somewhat awkward. Recovering quickly, he added, "Well, I'm sure that he would be very proud to have you following in his footsteps." Then, turning to make his way down the hallway, Doggett continued as he waved to Pendrell over his shoulder, "If you ever need anything, give me a holler. The name's Doggett-spelled just like it sounds with two g's and two t's."

"Thanks, sir...I mean...Agent Doggett. Good luck finding your Agent Reyes," Pendrell called after him before slowly turning away and heading back toward his desk. Shaking his head, Pendrell couldn't help but teasingly berate himself. "Adrian," he chuckled as he made his way back through the sea of partitions, "being the Good Samaritan and living up to Shawn's reputation is all well and good, but not when it means standing up the hottest babe who's ever given you the time of day! You'll be lucky if she ever speaks to you again!"

Reaching into his coat pocket, he retrieved his cell phone and the number for his lunch date. Dialing it quickly as he headed into his own cubicle to write Doggett's note, he listened to the phone ring a couple of times on the other end before a woman's voice, with just the slightest hint of impatience, slowly answered, "Hello?"

"Leyla? It's Adrian Pendrell. PLEASE don't hang up on me..."

Shaking her head slowly as Mulder finished describing his sobering conversation with Reyes, Scully covered her face with one hand before numbly murmuring, "My God. Do you think she was taken by the Consortium, like me...or by the aliens themselves..."

"Like me?" Mulder finished Scully's sentence for her with a weak, half-hearted grin. "I dunno," he shrugged with a somber grimace, "but if I were a betting man, I'd say it was by the aliens themselves. How else could we have this weird connection?

"I don't know either," Scully muttered as she knitted her brows together, "but there's GOT to be more to her remarkable intuition than just that. It seems too simple-like there's something missing here."

"What, you mean OTHER than the big red warning label that should come with an assignment to the X-Files?" Mulder laughed with a brittle teasing voice that held just the slightest touch of acrimony and sarcasm, "Warning: this job may result in alien abduction, subjection to horrific medical tests and severe psychological scarring." Angry that yet ANOTHER Agent on the unit he rediscovered was probably an alien abductee, Mulder shook his head in disgust before deliberately trying to cover these bitter emotions with another half-joking quip, "Gee, maybe I should get John an appointment with Dr. Werber too. You know, just to be on the safe side."

Shooting Mulder a mildly disapproving grimace, Scully ignored his last comments before continuing, "What doesn't track for me is that, both times we were there, you never had ANY kind of connection with the alien abductees in Bellefleur."

"But that's where you're wrong, Scully," Mulder interrupted, "I DID have it the second time we were there."

"When was this, Mulder?!?" Scully asked in surprised and skeptical confusion, "We talked about EVERY single aspect of that case at least a dozen times before you were taken-and you never once mentioned this mysterious bond to me."

"Well that's because it didn't happen until..." at the realization, Mulder's voice unexpectedly trailed off. He suddenly recalled something he had overlooked before. The pieces actually hadn't fallen into place until that very moment when unknowingly Scully reminded him of the timing.

"Until?" Scully prodded anxiously from the edge of her seat, urging him to finish his sentence, "Mulder, it didn't happen until what??"

Snapped back to reality by Scully's mildly impatient tone, Mulder blinked hard, recovering his train of thought before slowly continuing, "Until I stumbled upon the hidden spaceship and stepped into the light with the other abductees. That's when I first felt the psychic link with them...the Hoeses, Gary Cory, Billy Miles, his father...all of them." Then turning to Scully with a dazed look in his eyes as he began to realize the implications, he forebodingly continued, "Scully, it was only when we were all together ON THE SPACESHIP that I first became aware of the connection we shared. I took it as a given that we would always be connected but I never actually felt it again."

"Even though we saw Billy Miles several times after that?"

"Yeah, I'd just assumed that I didn't have a connection with him anymore because of his physical transformation but I never actually TESTED that supposition."

"And you couldn't because you never encountered any of the other abductees again," Scully nodded, grasping what Mulder was driving at. Then, squinting slightly as she furrowed her brow, she confusedly continued, "So what are you saying, Mulder? That you, Monica and all the rest of us are on one giant spaceship?"

"No," Mulder replied, shaking his head vigorously, "I'm saying that I think you're right. There's got to be more to our connection than just a shared abduction experience." Then furrowing his brow as he clasped his hands together and raised his forefingers to his lips, he pensively murmured aloud, "But how can we test that?" Suddenly struck with an idea, he looked intensely at Scully, like he had so many times before while they were assigned to the X-Files, before pointedly continuing, "Did any other abductees survive and NOT turn into alien replicants-I mean, besides me?"

"Yes...Teresa Hoese did," Scully slowly responded, immediately aware that Mulder intended to test his theory by contacting any survivors that might remain, "Jeremiah Smith healed her-good as new, at least as far as I could tell. We found her in Absalom's compound just before we...before we..." Scully's voice faltered at the sudden and overwhelming memory of discovering Mulder's lifeless form-cold, mutilated and abandoned, all alone on the overgrown and indifferent forest floor. As helpless tears sprung into her eyes, she blinked quickly to hold them in check as she cast her eyes to the floor and hoarsely continued," ...before we found you." Confronted with this memory and evidence that Mulder seemed to be getting caught up in the chase all over again, Scully couldn't help but wonder if history would repeat itself.

Seeing and hearing Scully's anguish at reliving that horrific experience was like a double-edged knife gouging through Mulder's heart. Frowning deeply as his forehead furrowed in a bitter mixture of empathy, guilt and regret, Mulder grasped Scully's hand tightly and desperately searched for any words that might allay the impact of those memories as he softly murmured, "Scully...I..."

"Mulder," Scully forcefully whispered as she desperately tried to contain the unexpected emotions her thoughts had evoked, "I'm okay." Wiping her eyes furtively, she softly continued, "I just get a little emotional whenever I think about that night. That's all. It's no big deal, really." Yet, despite her protestations, she was still unable to meet her husband's concerned gaze. Scully rightfully suspected that her words didn't convince Mulder any more than they did her.

Not buying it for a second, Mulder lifted one hand to tenderly caress Scully's face before gently guiding her chin upward so he could look into her eyes. Wincing as the pain he saw in them instantly became his own, Mulder's earnest and impassioned plea sprang quickly from his lips. "Scully, let's drop this whole thing right now and just let Dr. Werber do his job. After I call him, we'll have done all that we can AND all that we should." Biting his lips as he desperately tried to persuade her, he continued, "Look, for all we know, I'm completely off base about Monica and her intuitions. It wouldn't be the first time I was wrong..."

Looking tearfully into her husband's worried eyes, Scully smiled weakly and tried to reassure him by making light of the situation. Sniffling with a chuckle, she grimaced "Gee, Mulder. If I had known that all it took was a little waterworks to get you to back off of something, I'd have just started crying instead of always trying to convince you to take a more scientific approach."

Narrowing his eyes at her in scolding bemusement, Mulder softly snorted with a grinning smirk, "You know what I mean, Scully. IF it turns out that Monica was abducted, THEN we can look into how else we might be able to help her. In the meanwhile, we should just be supportive friends and leave it at that. There's no reason for us to be chasing down abductees, aliens or anything else...that is, OTHER than our rambunctious little preschooler." Then, with smile, he gave Scully his trademark puppy-dog eyes and half-hopefully, half instructively whispered, "Okay?"

Smiling gratefully and adoringly into the eyes of the man whom she could never deny anything, Scully grinned weakly and softly replied, "Okay," before gently caressing Mulder's cheek. For a long moment, they simply gazed into one another's eyes, with a silent assurance passing between them. Then, as the entrance bells chimed distractingly behind them and broke the spell, Scully glanced at her watch and quickly observed, "And speaking of that rambunctious preschooler, we'd better finish up and get going if we're going to pick him up on time."

Slanting his head in mild confusion, Mulder skeptically regarded his wife and grinned with a chuckle, "We? What's this 'we' stuff? You suddenly turn French or was that the royal 'we'?"

Smirking in amusement at Mulder's wordplay, Scully grinningly countered, "Neither. I'm coming with you to pick Will up."

"You are?" Mulder replied, taken aback in genuine surprise, "But what about your class? Don't you have to teach at noon?"

"Twelve-fifteen," Scully corrected with a mischievously knowing glint in her eyes, "but not today." In response to Mulder's quizzical expression, she explained with a sly grin, "I got a message on my voice-mail from Section Chief Camden's secretary instructing me to take the afternoon off. When I called his office to confirm and find out why, she patched me through to Camden himself. He told me that he'd heard from HQ about this morning's ordeal and thought I might appreciate being able to see you sooner as opposed to later, so he's having Agent Tucker cover the rest of my classes. I'm free for the rest of the day." Then, with feigned wide-eyed innocence, she coquettishly continued, "Didn't I tell, you?"

Narrowing his eyes with an extremely pleased grin as he gently squeezed her hand, Mulder playfully chuckled, "No. It must've slipped your mind, huh?"

Perfectly mirroring his expression, Scully smiled broadly as she saucily countered, "Must have." Then squeezing his hand in return, she continued, "The way I see it, if we leave in the next couple of minutes, we'll have enough time to swing by the house, drop off one of the cars and change out of these clothes BEFORE we pick up Will. How's that sound?"

Seeing a suggestive glint creep into Mulder's eyes as a wry grin spread across his face, Scully could see that he was more than fine with the plan. Leaning in close, Mulder huskily whispered in her ear, "Scully, does the word 'nooner' mean anything to you?"

Gently biting her lower lip with a grin of guilty pleasure, Scully softly purred, "Hmmmm. I think I have a vague and passing acquaintance with it, but maybe you should refresh my memory on that subject when we get home."

As their eyes met to silently confirm their sultry rendezvous, Mulder grinned at Scully suggestively before turning, raising his hand and calling to the waitress, "Check please!"

Saucily taking a French fry from Mulder's plate and swirling it in his catsup before sensually feeding it to him, Scully slowly rose to her feet and chuckled, "Well, at least now we can say that something good finally came out of this whole mess."

"Yeah," Mulder agreed with a grin as he stood and took out his wallet to leave some cash on the counter, "Next time we see ole Skinman, we need to be sure to thank him 'cause I'm almost positive that he's Camden's anonymous informant and our unknowing benefactor."

Grimacing with a slight flush, Scully deliberately stepped forward to straighten her husband's tie as she looked up into his eyes and seductively purred, "Mulder, we could stand her talking about Skinner and how grateful we are to him OR you could get me home and teach me all about these mysterious 'nooners.' Which is it going to be?"

Grinning down at her lasciviously, Mulder instantly got her message. "Skinner?" he asked in mock ignorance as he gently took Scully by the arm and quickly guided her toward the door, "Who's that? Never heard of him."

Sighing heavily in frustration, Skinner rubbed his forehead with one hand as he slumped backward in his chair. Marita hadn't let up on her psycho routine once in the hour since he'd ordered Doggett to get Reyes out of the interrogation room. Absolutely nothing had changed in her demeanor, not even when A.D. Follmer had come in and taken a seat beside him. Shaking his head as he grimaced at Marita's latest tirade on the aliens and how they'd "programmed" her to interfere with Fox Mulder's every move, Skinner glanced over at the junior A.D. to gauge his reaction.

Follmer sat fixed and motionless, wearing a seemingly perplexed and incredulous expression that Skinner would best describe as numbed shock. He simply stared at Marita with unreadable and clouded eyes. Genuinely bemused by Follmer's stunned silence, Skinner leaned over to gently chide his junior colleague, "And I'll bet you thought this assignment would be a career boost instead of a career bust."

Turning his eyes slowly toward Skinner, Follmer gave a slight and enigmatic smile before responding with a snort, "Too bad Fox Mulder didn't stick around. Sounds like this is right up his alley." Then, looking at Skinner with what appeared to be earnestly genuine consideration, he leaned in and added with a whisper, "Walter, you look like you could use a break from this. You've been at it for what-at least a couple of hours now? Why don't you let me take over here while you go and grab some lunch? Then you can come back fresh. What do you say?"

Wrinkling his brow at Follmer as just a hint of suspicion panged in his gut, Skinner raised an eyebrow with a smirk and only half-jokingly countered, "You trying to get rid of me Assistant Director?"

Grinning broadly, Follmer laughed heartily before replying with a smirk, "Hey, suit yourself. I just thought you'd heard enough of aliens and conspiracy to last several lifetimes."

Grimacing, Skinner couldn't help but chuckle at Follmer's astute and accurate observation. He WAS hungry-extremely hungry and, since it had already been such a long day, he could REALLY use some coffee. Plus, Marita's inane drivel was truly beginning to wear on him and he worried that, soon, he might lose his veneer of detached self-control if he had to listen to it for much longer. But then again, he'd seen firsthand how Follmer never did anything that wasn't self-serving and in his own best interest.

Still questioning his junior colleague's motives, Skinner bit his lower lip as he looked at their prisoner then at Follmer and back to Marita. As he watched Marita anxiously rock back and forth as she kept her eyes fixed on the two-way "mirror" on the wall, it seemed readily apparent to Skinner that their subject wasn't the slightest bit interested in the young A.D.-especially after Skinner had given her his word that Follmer wasn't an alien sent to kill her. Surely, she wouldn't say anything to Follmer that she wouldn't say to anyone else-and even if she did, the video camera would capture it all. Besides, Skinner rationalized to himself, Follmer WAS an FBI Assistant Director and they WERE in FBI headquarters. What damage could Follmer possibly do if he left to take a short break, grab some food, stretch his legs and clear his mind?

Reassuring himself with the knowledge that all of their interactions would be caught on videotape, Skinner sighed heavily before slowly nodding his assent. Reluctantly deciding to give Follmer the benefit of the doubt, Skinner slowly stood from the table and stretched his neck and back, both of which popped and cracked from the fatigue of spending the past few hours in that exceptionally uncomfortable interrogation room chair. He hadn't realized until that very moment just how tired he was. Taking off his glasses with one hand and rubbing his eyes with the other, Skinner replaced them on his face before making his way to the door and distractedly muttering, "I'm just going down to the cantina. I should be back within a few minutes. Be sure to let me know if she does or says anything new."

"Sure. And you're welcome." Follmer called after him, correcting his colleague's poor manners with a knowing smirk.

Turning from the door, somewhat blearily, at the sound of Follmer's seemingly teasing rebuke, Skinner raised an eyebrow and wearily mumbled, "Yeah, thanks Brad."

"Don't mention it," Follmer replied smoothly, with just the slightest victorious glint in his eyes, which all the while remained fixed on their prisoner. As he heard Skinner leave and the door swing shut behind him, Follmer waited for a few moments before turning to make sure that his colleague had indeed gone. Seeing that he was alone with the prisoner, Follmer grinned smugly to himself as he quietly rose from the table without making even the slightest sound. Having strategically chosen his seat for its location in the camcorder's blind spot, he was more than confident that it would capture none of his movements. Silently gliding up behind the stationary video camera, Follmer gingerly slipped a pen from his breast pocket and used it to hit the camcorder's "pause" button.

Taking a moment to make sure that the recording had actually stopped, he then quickly strode up to the mirrored one-way glass and pressed the intercom buzzer. "Hello? Is there anyone in there who can get me another tape?" Waiting patiently for a response, Follmer buzzed a couple more times before he was satisfied that he was completely alone and unobserved with Marita.

Then, turning to face her with the smug and gloating smile of victory, Follmer rapidly charged forward as if he were going to shove her to the ground. Instinctively reacting, Marita sprung backward from her chair-knocking it over as she maneuvered around the table so that it was strategically placed between her and Follmer. Her heart pounding from the adrenaline rush, she carefully eyed the A.D. she prepared to defend herself from the attack that she presumed was coming.

Regarding Marita with obvious amusement, Follmer grinned malevolently as he menacingly leapt forward toward the table and mockingly shouted, "BOO!"

Startled, Marita jumped back defensively before realizing that he was only toying with her. Narrowing her eyes angrily, she suddenly understood that she had fallen right into his trap. His unexpected "attack" had tricked her into momentarily dropping her facade of lunacy. Yet, at the same time, he'd taken the care to turn off the camcorder so no record of her reaction existed. Just what was he up to? Marita pondered this issue as she stared venomously at the young A.D.

Laughing while he righted Marita's recently vacated chair, Follmer grinned at her as he pulled it over to the wall, chuckling, "There was no need to get up. But since you have," before standing on the chair seat. As an extremely perplexed Marita watched him, Follmer slipped on a latex glove before reaching to stop the wall clock that hung there. Jumping down from atop the chair, he then pushed it back toward the table and gestured toward it, grinning, "By all means, please sit, Ms. Covarrubias."

Although she had no plans to comply, as Follmer moved around to his side of the table, Marita had little choice but to retreat to her own.

Grinning at her devilishly, Follmer deliberately looked her body up and down before nonchalantly observing, "Well, at least I know your name now-which is more than I did Saturday night." Follmer lounged into his seat before smugly continuing, "Marita, is it? You could've at least told me that much after you screwed my brains out. It might've helped us to avoid this...ah...unsavory...situation that we have now found ourselves in." Chuckling in self-satisfied amusement, he added, "Imagine the irony. Saturday, I was nothing more than a conquest to be used up and tossed aside, but today I am in complete control and hold your fate in the palm of my hand. What a small world."

Glaring at him with sudden but seething hatred and disgust, Marita slammed her hands on down the table and leaned in angrily before growling, her words tinged with venom, "Enough with the hurt and abandoned lover routine. You didn't seem to mind it much at the time, so just cut to the chase. What do you want from me?!?!"

Leaning back in his chair with an unmistakable expression of victorious satisfaction spreading rapidly across his face, Follmer's voice lowered to a near whisper and his eyes glittered ominously as he replied, "I want in. I want to be a part of your Syndicate and you, my lovely paramour, are my ticket to the inside."

Stepping from the elevator into the darkened basement hallway, Doggett immediately felt his heart sink. From the looks of things, Monica wasn't down there. "Maybe she's in my office," he murmured to himself, desperately trying to hold onto the belief that she was still somewhere in the building and within reach of his arms that ached to comfort her.

Lengthening his stride, Doggett quickly reached the door to his office. Trying the knob, he found it locked. "Damn," he murmured under his breath. This didn't bode well for Reyes being inside. Shaking his head slowly before leaning it dejectedly against the cool surface of the door, Doggett sighed heavily in a mixture of worry and regret, "Monica, where are you?"

Fishing the keys from his pocket, he fumbled in the gloomy, half-light for the lock. Finding it and finally opening it, he rattled the lock to free his keys before flipping on the overhead light. Looking cursorily about the room, he saw no trace whatsoever of his partner. Jamming his keys back into his pocket as he moved over to his desk, Doggett stopped just short of it, sinking heavily into the chair that Reyes normally occupied. Glancing quickly about the room for ideas, his eyes settled on the desk in front of him and the scattered jumble of pencils that still littered the top of it. Noticing one that was snapped in two, Doggett leaned forward and took half of it in his hand and examined it closely. He hadn't noticed any broken pencils before. Could Reyes have come down here after all? If she did, why didn't she stay?

Leaning his elbow on the armrest and bringing the pencil up to his face, he tapped it gently against his lips as he pondered where else Monica might have gone. For a few moments, he quietly sat there trying to figure out what she might've done next.

Then, all at once, he suddenly took note of the flashing red light on his desk phone that indicated he had voice mail. Instantly, Doggett was struck by the obvious option to which both his worry and concern had previously blinded him. Reaching into his breast pocket for his cell phone, he quickly hit the speed dial button to call Reyes' on hers. Raising the receiver to his ear, he listened to the phone begin to ring on the other end of the line. At that same moment, Doggett was startled to hear a single contemporaneous ring emanating from somewhere in the storage room adjacent to his office.

Rising slowly from his chair, Doggett quickly hung up his cell phone and placed it on the desk as he squinted toward the darkened storage area. "Monica?" he called tentatively as he made his way toward the entrance, "You back there?"

Listening for a moment but hearing no response, Doggett narrowed his eyes in perplexed confusion. Someone or something was in there, he just didn't know what. Reaching to turn on the storage room lights, Doggett resolved to have a quick look around and find out just what it was that he'd heard. However, just as his hand closed in on the switch, it was stilled by Reyes' unexpected words.

"Please leave the lights off, John," came Reyes' raspy, tearful whisper from her newly exposed hiding place somewhere in the gloomy darkness. As soon as her cell phone went off, Reyes knew that Doggett would find her. Still, she'd wanted to delay the inevitable as long as possible. Now, there was no way to avoid his seeing her in this helpless state. All she could do was mitigate the impact by imploring him to preserve her protective cloak of darkness.

Peering into the shadowy maze of boxes and files in the direction from which his partner's fragile whisper had come, Doggett helplessly furrowed his brow as he instantly heard the anguish laid bare in her frail voice. Moving forward slowly, he took out his pocket flashlight, turned it on and gently called to her, "Where are you, Monica?"

"Back here," came her hoarse response from the far recesses of the room.

Turning the thin shaft of light toward the sound of her voice, Doggett caught sight of Reyes huddled in the corner, raising a hand to shield her tear- streaked face from the all too penetrating light.

"John..." she pleaded, wordlessly begging him to turn off his flashlight before he saw her bloodshot eyes and tearstained cheeks.

"It's as good as off, Monica," he replied, instinctively anticipating her request as he hurriedly stumbled over boxes to reach her, "Just let me get to you first. Okay?"

"Okay, John," Reyes murmured softly, burying her face in her hands.

Finally clearing the last box, Doggett rushed to Reyes. Crouching on the floor in front of her, he quickly turned off the flashlight and laid it atop a nearby box. Gazing tenderly at Reyes in the dim half-light, Doggett reached out and gently took her hands away from her face. Even in the darkness, he could still see the horrible grief and anguish that marred his partner's expression.

"What's going on, Monica?" he whispered breathlessly, his voice full of fear and concern. In all the years he'd known her, Doggett had never seen Reyes like this before--reduced to tears, cowering and afraid in a dark corner. In that split second, a seemingly endless stream of horrific scenarios that might explain her current state tore excruciatingly through his mind. Noting her avoidance of direct eye contact and down-turned face, Doggett understood immediately, without even having to ask, why she hadn't answered him earlier. She didn't want him to see her like this. Squeezing her hands tightly and desperately wanting to comfort her in any way that he could, Doggett pleadingly murmured, "Please, tell me what's wrong. What happened?"

Her face contorted in pain, Reyes softly bit her quivering lower lip as she slowly raised her reddened eyes to meet his gaze. "Oh, John," she wincingly sighed, her voice breaking completely as fresh tears poured down her face, "I can't. I can't. Not now. I don't want to lose you."

Furrowing his brow as his heart ached to see her like this, Doggett quickly moved forward, without thinking, to protectively cradle her. "That will NEVER happen, Monica," he earnestly whispered with unwavering certainty as he gently rocked her in his arms, "I promise you."

Like a wall crumbling to the ground, Reyes fell into him as she slid her arms tightly around his waist. Clutching him almost desperately, she mournfully breathed into his shoulder, "How can you be so sure? You don't know what I've done or where...where...I've..." Overcome with emotion, Reyes' voice broke off completely and she was unable to finish.

Sliding to sit on the floor next to her, Doggett gingerly pulled Reyes into his lap-all the while holding her as she sobbed. Softly, with words that came naturally and directly from his heart, he whispered into her hair, "None of that matters. I know YOU, Monica, and I love you. That's ALL that's important."

Doggett had hoped those words would comfort her. Instead, a more violent torrent of sobs racked his partner's body as she clung to him even tighter. Confused at first, it took Doggett a few terrified moments to realize that he actually HADN'T made things worse. Instead, his words finally let Reyes completely let go and give up trying to hold back or hide the full extent of the anguish she was feeling.

Softly stroking her hair as he held her close, he patiently waited the long moments for Reyes' sobs to subside. As they did, Doggett murmured gently against her cheek, "Tell me, Monica. Tell me what it is. Let me help you."

"I wouldn't know where to start," Reyes sniffled hoarsely, wiping her eyes with the back of one hand as she burrowed herself deeper into her partner's lap.

Gently guiding her face up toward his, Doggett smiled gently down at her and whispered, "How about at the beginning? That's always a good place."

Grimacing at his words, Reyes mustered a weak smile as she nodded slowly in agreement. She knew Doggett was right. She had to trust him with the whole truth from the beginning and let the chips fall where they may. Laying her head on his shoulder, she hesitantly began with the simplest part of the story, "John, you remember that I was assigned to the New York field office?"

"Yeah," Doggett replied slowly, wincing slightly at the painful memory of how they'd first met while investigating Luke's abduction and murder.

Taking a deep breath, Reyes continued, "Well, you never met him then, but Brad Follmer was assigned there too...I mean, at the same time." Biting her lower lip, she marshaled as much courage as she could before hesitantly forcing herself to add, "John. Brad and I, we were...I mean, we became..."

"You two became involved. You were a couple," Doggett nodded, taking extreme care to hold his emotions in check and keep his opinion of Follmer from even slightly coloring his responses.

"Yes," was Reyes shame-filled yet stoic reply.

"Monica," Doggett replied softly as he reassured her with a gentle squeeze, "I already figured that much out. Follmer's made no secret of his interest in you and he hasn't exactly been a gentleman about your past either."

"I know," Reyes sighed hoarsely as she snuggled her face into Doggett's chest, "he can't seem to let me go now-even though it's been over for years."

"That's because you were the one to break it off, right?" Doggett murmured gently as he continued to comfortingly stroke her hair with his hand, "ole' Brad just doesn't like it when he's not the one in control."

"Yeah," Reyes grimaced, immeasurably grateful that her partner's natural ability to quickly and accurately size up people had spared her at least some explanation. Yet, Reyes knew that there was more to the story than even Doggett, with all of his streetwise experience, would be able to guess. "But John," she added in a thin whisper, "you don't know the half of it."

Taking a deep breath, Reyes steeled her resolve before pouring out the entire story of her involvement with Brad Follmer-including how he'd persuaded her to let him videotape one of their sexual encounters. Tearfully, she told him how Follmer now held that over her head, forcing her to keep quiet about the inappropriate advances he'd been making toward her ever since she was assigned to the Hoover building and the X-Files. "That's what he whispered to me in the hallway outside the interrogation rooms," she sniffled as she buried her face in Doggett's shoulder, "There's no way I can come forward with a sexual-harassment complaint and not look like some kind of jilted and vindictive ex- lover."

Listening to her words, Doggett could feel the anger welling up inside him. He already knew that Follmer was a rotten apple but he had no idea just how rotten. Treating ANY woman that way was well beyond the limits of either his tolerance or comprehension. Doing it to Reyes was ten times worse-enough to make Doggett want to charge up to the A.D.'s office and beat him to a bloody pulp before chucking him headfirst out his lofty fourth story window. Stiffening his neck and back slightly, Doggett bit the inside of his cheek to hold those violent impulses in check for his partner's sake. He knew perfectly well that giving into those feelings couldn't help anyone and would only make things far worse. So, Doggett kept his tongue but held Reyes that much closer.

Completely caught up in telling her story that she was all but oblivious to her partner's inner turmoil, Reyes sobbingly continued, "But John, that isn't the worst part."

"There's more?!?" Doggett blurted incredulously, dropping one hand to the floor before he could stop the words from coming out. Catching himself before he said anything else that might upset her, he took a deep breath and sighed heavily. Gently kissing the top of Reyes' head, he lifted his hand to caress her face before softly adding, "I'm sorry. Please keep going."

Biting her lower lip again as she squeeze her eyes shut, Reyes had reached the most difficult part of her story. Sighing, she nodded mournfully, "You need to know the reason why I ended things with him in the first place." Pulling back from Doggett, she slid out of his lap and onto her knees so that she could peer through the darkened gloom into his eyes. Looking at him intently, she slowly whispered, "John, Follmer's dirty. I saw him taking a bribe from a mob operative just before I left New York. We never discussed it and I never told him that I knew he was on the take. I don't know what it was for or how long it had been going on. All I know is that money changed hands and it was going from organized crime straight into Brad's pockets."

Stunned to silence for a moment, Doggett's eyes widened and he shook his head in disbelief before muttering in incredulity, "My God! THAT kind of allegation is in his file and he STILL made A.D.?!? I know they always say 'it's who you know and who you blow' that gets you promoted but that one REALLY takes the cake!!!"

Flinching as if struck, Reyes quickly cast her eyes toward the floor.

Seeing her reaction and suddenly hit with a horrible sense of foreboding, Doggett slowly reached out to Reyes' face and guided her chin upwards so that he could read her expression. At first she resisted meeting his penetrating gaze, but after a few moments, she helplessly relented and raised her eyes to look almost pleadingly into his. Staring quizzically into Reyes' dark, soulful eyes, Doggett furrowed his brow in confusion before hesitantly questioning, "Monica, you DID report it, didn't you?"

"No, John," she whispered hoarsely as a fresh tear fell down her cheek, "I didn't."

"I see," Doggett replied evenly, withdrawing both his hand and gaze from her face. Nodding slowly, he closed his eyes and leaned his head back against the wall, pursing his lips as he grasped exactly what her words meant.

Terrified by what his reaction seemed to communicate, Reyes quickly stammered, "John, you have to understand, back then, I was a lot more na

Frantically grasping Doggett's hands, desperate for him to understand why she hadn't reported what she'd seen to the proper authorities, Reyes pleadingly continued, "John, you HAVE to know that if I had it to do all over again, I would have turned him in the second I left that restaurant. Please believe me."

Yet, despite her fervent plea, Doggett still did not open his eyes or meet her gaze. Nodding slowly at the volumes she perceived his silence to be speaking, Reyes sank back on her heels in defeat and released his hands. Closing her eyes as her chin quivered ever so slightly, she tearfully whispered, "But you and I both know, the reality is: I didn't do my job. I was young and stupid. I made a huge mistake and now we all have to pay for it. That's my fault and I don't blame you for feeling different about me now."

"Monica," Doggett whispered as he finally opened his eyes and gently reached out to take her hands in his, "I won't lie. This is a lot for me to take in right now. But you gotta know that it doesn't change anything between us. Not for me anyway."

Opening her eyes to gaze gratefully into his, Reyes' face contorted in a bittersweet mixture of pain and relief as she sobbed, "Oh, John..." before falling into his waiting arms.

For several long minutes they just sat there in silence, Reyes letting her tears flow freely and Doggett holding her in his arms and trying to digest everything she'd told him. A lot of things were falling into place for him now that didn't make sense before. Yet, other things, like Reyes' extreme reaction to Marita's seemingly innocuous words, still didn't make any sense. It seemed obvious to him that there was more bothering his partner than what she'd already said.

After several more minutes had passed, Doggett carefully broached the subject. Tenderly nuzzling his face into Reyes' hair, he thoughtfully whispered, "There's more you want to tell me isn't there."

Slowly raising her head to look up into his concerned eyes, Reyes quietly answered, "Yes, but it's not about Brad and it's not important that we get into it right now." Then cracking a weak smile, she tried to lighten the mood, adding with a pitiful half-chuckle, "Besides, I think I've done more than enough crying for one day. Don't you?"

Wincing at the pain still readily apparent in her voice, Doggett decided it was better to relent for the time being rather than force the issue and put his partner through anything else that day. Gently pulling Reyes into a tighter embrace, he softly whispered, "Yeah, I'd say so."

"Thank you, John," she whispered thankfully against his neck, incredibly grateful for the warm comfort of his arms around her. Safe in his embrace, she could almost forget the one thing she hadn't told him. Yet, outside their tiny circle of love and warmth, her fears and Mulder's suspicions still lurked in the darkness, waiting to envelop her again...

Chapter 22

F or a moment, Marita just gaped at him, stunned beyond words by Follmer's presumptive gall and momentarily thrown by his seemingly inexplicable knowledge. How could he know about the Consortium's continued existence? Didn't the Bureau believe it to be all but destroyed? And what about her? What did his revelation mean for her chances of surviving this whole disastrous fiasco? Shuddering at the implications, Marita became acutely aware that she'd gone right from the frying pan into the fire.

As she unconsciously sank into her seat, Marita marshaled her energies, turning them all toward thinking quickly. How could she turn this situation to her advantage? Deliberately making it seem like she was having difficulty finding her tongue so as to buy time while an abstract strategy began to rapidly take shape in the back of her mind, she slowly raised her eyebrows in an almost convincing display of ignorance. After a few more moments she tersely stammered, "Syndicate? I don't know what you're talking about."

With a short, brittle laugh that only thinly masked his almost malevolent impatience, Follmer leaned forward on the table and condescendingly sighed, "My dear, in case you haven't noticed, the clock is ticking and we don't have time for your perfunctory denial games. Suffice it to say that I've taken a healthy interest in Fox Mulder's former pet project and have read every x- file case. It didn't take long for me to see that the 'shadow government' and 'conspiracy' he constantly railed against was real and that you are a part of it." Then, leaning back in his chair and eyeing his prisoner with a smug grin, he confidently continued, "So please, just drop the charade and let's get down to the business of how you are going to persuade your colleagues to welcome me with open arms."

Narrowing her eyes in a calculated show of angry resentment, Marita incredulously bit, "You CAN'T be serious."

Grinning smugly as he casually propped his elbows on the armrests of his chair and self-assuredly strummed his fingers together, he laughingly countered, "Of course I can. You seem to forget, I'm the one holding all of the cards here, not you. I could just as easily expose your pseudo psychosis as I could make this pesky videotape disappear and your inadvertent little confession right along with it." Then, licking his teeth and raising his eyebrows somewhat suggestively at Marita, he almost lasciviously crooned, "That is, IF I chose to. It's your choice my dear."

It took every fiber of her being for Marita to hold in her absolute revulsion at the young A.D.'s implication. Instead, she resolved to put that furious energy to good use in her upcoming performance. Slouching her shoulders forward as if her resolve had finally broken, Marita closed her eyes and shook her head ruefully, sighing, "Look, assuming that there actually IS some sort of clandestine 'Syndicate' that I just happen to belong to--and I'm not saying there is--what makes you think I would have any pull whatsoever to get you in?! For all you know, I am just some disposable mule sent in to do their dirty work and who can be cut loose at a moment's notice."

Shaking his head with a laugh, Follmer clapped his hands together slowly and laughingly bellowed, "Bravo, Ms. Covarrubias. That's really an Oscar- caliber performance, but what do you take me for?" Then leaning forward to gaze pointedly at her with his darkly glittering eyes, he continued, "You've been linked to the X-Files and Mulder's 'alien conspiracy' since 1995. Pretty impressive longevity for a throwaway 'mule' don't you think?" Then, leaning back and eyeing her with a healthy degree of almost lustful admiration, Follmer crossed his arms and thoughtfully mused, "No, they've invested a lot in you. They wouldn't simply discard such a prize without a pretty powerful cause."

Countering with a brittle snort of her own, Marita haughtily laughed, "Come now, Mr. Follmer. You're an Assistant Director with the FBI. Surely you're familiar with the operations of the Mafioso crime families. They do away with their uppermost members at the drop of a hat. Why should this supposed 'Syndicate' of mine be any different." Then, with a truly wicked gleam behind her eyes, Marita deliberately twisted the knife in deeper as she innocently continued, "Besides, I know only too well from your pre-coital Saturday night bravado that you WERE assigned to the New York field office before rising to your current rank. You must've had at least SOME...ah...encounters...with mob operatives during ALL that time."

His lips curling violently downward at the detailed knowledge her words implied, Follmer glared defensively at Marita for a split second, wondering for the first time just how much she might know about him. Then, recognizing her brilliant diversionary ploy, Follmer quickly forced himself to smile graciously and take a relaxed posture as he chuckled, "My, you're quite the little poker player, aren't you?" Genuinely delighted and intrigued by the enigmatic beauty before him, Follmer sighed bemusedly before continuing, "While I would thoroughly relish continuing with this little dance of deception, we just don't have the luxury of time right now."

Abruptly standing from his seat, Follmer nonchalantly walked from his side of the table over to the wall behind Marita where the motionless clock hung. Looking up at its stilled hands, he turned back toward her with a crooked but pointed grin, "Skinner can come back at any moment and I am unwilling to risk more than another minute one you. So decide. Do we have a deal or don't we?"

Having cautiously watched his approach and prepared her defenses, Marita was more than ready for him. Exploiting his obvious sexual interest in her, with measured but suggestive tones, Marita raised her eyebrows slightly and almost saucily replied, "And just what would that deal be?" To enhance the steamy effect of her otherwise innocuous words, she deliberately shifted her legs from under the table to give him a clear and unobstructed view before slowly crossing them so that her already short skirt inched up just a little higher.

Taking the bait and moving toward her with a devilish glint in his eye, Follmer leaned in very close so that his face was mere inches from hers and huskily breathed, "That I help you out of your little predicament and you get me into your ... organization..." Then raising his own eyebrow, he suggestively added, "amongst other things..."

With concerted effort, Marita deliberately put on the best, most seductively aroused expression she could muster as she gazed steadily up into his eyes with a sultry grin. Jutting her lips forward slightly under his, she coyly murmured, "Well, since you've left me little alternative, I have no choice but to agree to your...proposition." It was all she could do to keep from spitting in his face.

Narrowing his eyes slightly in an almost Pavlovian response to her smoldering visual stimulation, Follmer closed the distance between them even further as he chuckled softly, "Don't make the mistake of thinking you've fooled me for even a moment, my dear. Sweetening the pot with the promise of a return visit to your.'wellspring'. is just a feeble and obvious attempt to divert me from what I'm really after." Then, as his eyes slowly traveled down her neck, over her body and back up again, Follmer moved in even closer, whispering huskily, "Not that the knowledge will keep me from partaking of your delectable sweets, mind you." Without warning, he deftly slid his hand down to Marita's knee and ran his fingers slowly up her exposed inner thigh.

Startled breathless at the unexpected electric jolt his brazen touch sent sizzling throughout her body, a low, earthy moan helplessly escaped Marita's lips. Suddenly, she found herself no longer playacting as Follmer's hand slithered its way up under her skirt. This treacherous physical reaction was definitely not a part of her plans but, for the moment, Marita was powerless to stop it. Worse still, although she hated Follmer completely, a significant part of her didn't want him to stop. Swept up in the moment, Marita forgot what was at stake as she couldn't help but respond to his touch. Running her tongue along her teeth in anxious anticipation of what might happen next as her heart pounded in her chest, she edged her lips closer to his so that they were now only mere millimeters apart. Now, incomprehensibly, she wanted his hands all over her--the consequences be damned. She hadn't felt anything like this in a very long time--not since...since...Alex. Surrendering to her sudden desires, she faintly realized that this young A.D. was very much like another, even more dangerous lover from her past-- Alex Krycek.

Watching Marita's aroused expression change in the blink of an eye from counterfeit to genuine, Follmer smiled broadly, with self-satisfied pleasure and gratification. "So we have a deal then?" he murmured softly as his lips moved to travel slowly down the tender skin of her neck.

"Yes.yes." Marita gasped helplessly as her chest heaved in sudden and overwhelming desire.

"That's my girl," he breathlessly whispered, momentarily permitting himself to fully enjoy her deliciously erotic responsiveness. Then, reigning in his lustful impulses and resisting the formidable temptation to continue, Follmer deliberately quashed his own arousal with the thought of Skinner's imminent return. Taking a deep breath, he murmured, "Like I said, understanding one another's motives won't keep either of us from enjoying the full measure of physical pleasure that the other has to give." Then, deliberately eliciting one more breathy gasp from Marita with a mere shift of his hand, Follmer suddenly stopped cold just as quickly as he had started. Unceremoniously withdrawing his hand and standing to his full height, he grinned down at her and slowly drawled with a bemused grin, "But only when the time is right." Then pointedly turning his back on her, he returned to the wall to thoughtfully gaze back up at the motionless clock.

Blinking as she was abruptly snapped back to her senses, Marita sat stunned for a moment before slowly turning her eyes toward him. What had just happened there? Full of bitter and embarrassed self-reproach, she angrily growled, "As if there would ever be another time."

"Oh, there will, my dear," Follmer crooned softly but smugly from across the room, "Your.ah.intense. physical reaction positively guarantees it. Yes, in spite of your angry scorn and wounded pride, there WILL be another time. You'll be unable to stop yourself."

"We'll see about that!" Marita muttered bitterly, half under her breath, as she abruptly turned her gaze away from him and toward the floor. She swore to herself that she would be damned before she ever let that dirty scoundrel touch her again.

"Yes, we will," Follmer grinned confidently as he raised his eyebrows suggestively. "But in the meanwhile," he nonchalantly continued as he moved forward to grip the back of Marita's chair, "If you would be so kind as to let me borrow this, I can set this timepiece in motion and restart the video camera. Meanwhile, you can resume your very charming display of dementia before the ever diligent and industrious A.D. Skinner rejoins us." Then, with a devilish gleam in his eyes, he added with a chuckle, he added, "After all, we do have a deal now."

Quickly getting up from her chair as Follmer pulled it away, Marita raised an eyebrow but said nothing-- all the while thinking, "We'll see about THAT too."

"That bastard. I can't believe it," Bill murmured under his breath, shaking his head in incredulity as he turned page after page of pictures showing his brother-in-law sitting, talking and walking arm in arm with a curvaceous blonde. Stopping on an image of the woman kissing his sister's husband, Bill Scully angrily threw the stack of black and white prints down on his desk in disgust. Looking up at 'NSA Agent Crowley' with bitter fury, he sourly bit, "I always knew that freak show would break my sister's heart but I never figured it would be with another woman-not a human one anyway!"

Inwardly grinning at the versatile utility of his surveillance system as well as the serendipitous fortuity of capturing Marita and Mulder's entire Smithsonian encounter, Spender deliberately put on his most concerned expression as he stoically continued, "It's much worse than that Captain Scully. This woman is a Russian operative who is pumping Fox Mulder--no pun intended--for the Bureau information he is privy to because of both his past employment with them AND your sister's current position." Then, slowly drawing a cigarette from his pocket and placing it gingerly in his mouth, he struck a match to light it before continuing, "I don't need to tell you what valuable commodities the FBI emergency response plan and training program would be on the black-world open market. So you can see, this is not merely a personal affair or indiscretion. It's a matter of national security."

"That's just wonderful," Bill growled sardonically, to distracted to even take notice of Spender's smoking as he glared at the photo of Marita brushing her lips against Mulder's cheek, "not only is he lunatic and an adulterer but he's a traitor as well." Then, picking up the glossy print, he bitterly narrowed his eyes at the image before looking up at 'Crowley' and demanding, "Just how long has this been going on?!?"

Convincingly seeming reluctant and hesitant, Spender slowly stammered, "As near as we can tell, sir.it's been several years."

"I KNEW IT!!!" Bill growled, slamming his hand down on the desk, "DAMN HIM!!! That son of a bitch!!!"

Raising an eyebrow in slight amusement at Bill Scully's offhanded swipe at love of his life, Spender coolly took a long draw from his cigarette and slowly murmured, "I regret that I had to show you these, Captain Scully, but it was necessary to convince you that your brother-in-law is a liar and a fraud on several fronts. Certainly, he does not have your sister's best interests at heart." Pacing slowly in front of Bill's desk, with an air of urgency he pointedly continued, "Now that you know, sir, can we count on your cooperation?"

"Yes. Of course," Bill muttered distractedly, bringing up a hand to massage his forehead in the hopes of alleviating the terrible headache he was quickly developing, "I'll do whatever it takes to nail that philandering bastard to the wall." For the first time in his life, he truly hated being right. Although he'd always despised Fox Mulder, Bill Scully never wanted this for his baby sister.

"Good," Spender replied as he gathered up all the photos save the one in Bill Scully's hand, slipped them back into his briefcase and made his way to the door. Turning back with an almost malevolent glint in his eyes, he casually added, "Oh, and Captain Scully, you can't breathe a word of this to your sister nor to anyone else for that matter. If you did, it would irrevocably compromise our operation. You DO understand that, don't you?"

"Well," Bill sighed heavily, turning his attention away from his visitor and toward his window and the open sea, "There's no need to worry about that. She wouldn't believe me even if I tried to tell her. So, there would be no point in breaking this confidence." Then turning his eyes sadly back toward his cigarette-smoking guest, he somberly continued, "You can rest assured that your secret is safe with me."

"Excellent," Spender murmured as he took another long draw from his cigarette, "then we will be in touch soon with your final instructions. Thank you again for your cooperation, Captain Scully." Then stepping into the hall and pulling the door shut behind him, Spender finally let a wide smile of satisfaction spread slowly across his face. Everything was going according to plan. Now all he had to do was wait.

Meanwhile, left alone in his office with the incriminating photo, Bill gazed mournfully at it as he slowly shook his head in bitter sorrow and regret, whispering, "Oh Dana, I am so sorry for what you're about to go through.but you can't say that I didn't try to warn you."

On the road headed toward the preschool, Scully looked knowingly over at Mulder with a wry grin. Taking his eyes from the road for just a moment to steal a quick glance back at her, a sheepish smile slowly spread across his face when their eyes briefly met. Turning his attention back toward the road with a happy and satisfied glint in his eyes, Mulder lifted his right hand from the steering wheel and reached over to gently grasp Scully's left hand, softly murmuring, "So, did I explain the concept of a 'nooner' adequately enough or do you think you'll need another demonstration?"

With a broad smile of her own, Scully gave his hand a gentle squeeze and teasingly countered, "Oh, I think I'm beginning to grasp the concept now, but I'll definitely need some more 'one-on-one' tutoring from the professor-just to make sure I have it right."

"Hmmmm," Mulder grinned mischievously, flipping on the turn signal with his left hand as their SUV rolled to a stop at an intersection, "I think that can be arranged. Given how.ah.productive.today's 'lesson' was, I think we should be able to come up with some additional 'exercises' that will easily fit into your busy schedule."

Turning her eyes toward the road with a wry smirk, Scully squeezed his hand again. Recalling with a wide grin how, after she pulled into their garage, Mulder had met her with a somewhat disappointed expression in his puppy-dog eyes, she playfully teased, "And YOU thought there wouldn't be enough time for our private demonstration."

His cheeks flushing slightly at the heady memory of her unexpected response to what he'd assumed she'd think was bad news, Mulder grinned broadly as he turned the car southward and chuckled, "Well I'm extremely glad you cleared up the confusion and set me straight on that issue."

Recalling with guilty pleasure the look of astonished arousal that spread rapidly across Mulder's face as she'd wordlessly taken the remote from his hand and shut the garage door with it before forcibly pushing him back into the driver's seat of their SUV, Scully blushed slightly. Giggling softly as she gingerly reached over to refasten the top button of Mulder's shirt before straightening his disheveled collar and retightening his tie, she coquettishly teased, "Even though it meant we didn't have time to change clothes."

"ESPECIALLY because it meant we didn't have time to change clothes!" Mulder laughed with a wide grin that was even more devilish than the last. Although it had been only a few minutes since they'd finished, Mulder still found the knowledge that Scully was now going 'commando' under her prim and proper business suit QUITE stimulating.

Knowing exactly what he was referring to, Scully bashfully smirked with a soft, almost shy, chuckle, "See, I told you that thigh-high hose were a good thing--regardless of what they look like."

Remembering the erotic thrill of running his hand up the back of Scully's stocking clad leg as she expertly balanced herself between him and the steering wheel and ravaged him with passionate abandon, Mulder couldn't keep from grinning as he replied, "Well, you sure made a believer out of me." Then, looking over at his wife with a wink, he playfully continued, "And I'll certainly never look at getting into this car the same way ever again. You've totally spoiled it for me. Something will always be sorely lacking from now on."

Suggestively raising an eyebrow at the promising possibilities, Scully glanced back over at him and wryly smirked, "Hmmm, I guess you'll just have to return the favor sometime. After all, fair's fair."

"THAT can DEFINITELY be arranged," Mulder licentiously chuckled before quickly adding with a snort, "Just so long as no unexpected horns are involved."

Shaking her head with an embarrassed giggle at the memory of how Mulder's hand had accidentally slipped from her back to land roughly on the middle of the steering wheel--causing the horn to blare loudly at the MOST inopportune moment--Scully laughingly murmured, "Definitely. Next time there will be NO unintentional sound effects."

"An on that note," Mulder sighed regretfully as he pulled the SUV into the parking lot of the Shelby Academy, "As provocative as this discussion is, I'm sorry to say that we'll have to drop it until later 'cause we're here."

Glancing quickly at the dashboard clock as the car rolled to a stop in a parking place, Scully undid her seatbelt and observed with a smirk, "And with five minutes to spare." Then, looking over at Mulder with a wry grin, she raised a hand to smooth down his tousled hair as she saucily continued, "Just enough time to erase all traces of our insanely wicked little romp."

With a impish grin of his own as he slyly reached over to refasten the top two buttons of Scully's blouse, Mulder softly chuckled, "Well, maybe not ALL traces." Then, in response to Scully's quizzical look, he quickly explained, "There's someone in there who needs to be taught a lesson on just what happily married means."

"Oh, you mean that lusty secretary?" Scully laughed, rolling her eyes in amusement as she reached into the glove compartment and got out a handiwipe to wipe the minute traces of her lipstick from Mulder's face and neck that had been all but invisible in the dim half- light of their closed garage. "Yeah," Scully continued with a snort as she focused her attentions on cleaning her husband's neck, "Julia told me ALL about THAT little piece of work." Then, after she finished scrubbing, Scully gave Mulder a teasing punch to the arm before playfully adding, "I wondered when you were going to do something about her! I was beginning to think that I was going to have to handle that little tart myself."

"Now THAT would be interesting to see," Mulder replied, waving his eyebrows at her suggestively. Then, in response to Scully's narrowed eyes and skeptical expression, he continued, "But seriously Scully, that's why I didn't want EVERY trace of our front seat.recreation.obliterated. To show her that I'm more than satisfied by who I have at home."

Raising her hand to thumb at his now perfectly smoothed collar, Scully smirked as she laughed, "Well Mulder, I'm glad to hear you say that, because I think I got some lipstick on your collar."

Grinning broadly as he peered into the rearview mirror to take a look, Mulder saw the unmistakable and very prominent reddish lipstick stain on the front of his collar right where the material met the skin of his neck. Quickly turning to his wife with a wide smile, he laughed, "Oh Scully, that's PERFECT!!" Then, as he was struck with a truly devious idea, he shot Scully a devilish look and grinned, "Now, can you do me a favor?"

"What?" Scully cautiously replied with a giggle, instinctively guessing what Mulder had in mind.

"Put on some lipstick. I want there to be absolutely no doubt whatsoever exactly whose shade it is."

Reaching into her purse and taking out her tube of lipstick, Scully smirked over at Mulder and giggled, "You're terrible. You know that don't you?" before applying an uncharacteristically generous coat to her pouty lips.

"And you love me that way," Mulder chuckled with a teasing grin as he took the keys of the ignition, unbuckled his seatbelt and got out of the car. Then, rounding the SUV to join Scully on her side of the car, Mulder offered her his arm and continued, "Shall we?"

"Sure," Scully replied as she took his hand and let him help her down from the SUV. Then, noticing for the first time that his fly was still partially undone, she pointedly nodded toward his belt buckle, and giggled, "Mulder, I know you want to put this little trollop in her place but I really see no need to be so cruel as to rub her nose in what she's not getting. So please, X Y Z before we go inside. Okay?"

Zipping his zipper with a grimace, Mulder shot Scully a wink and playfully pouted, "Aw, you're no fun!!"

Rolling her eyes with a grin, Scully laughingly replied, "Oh no! You're not going to start THAT argument again are you?!"

"Hmmm, that all depends on what you'd be willing to do to prove me wrong," Mulder countered with a suggestive smirk as he waved his eyebrows at her for a second time in as many minutes.

"Augh! You're insatiable!!" she laughed with a grimace. Then, shaking her head with a slight blush, Scully took Mulder's hand and pulled him away from the car, chuckling, "Well, why don't we start with picking up our son and go from there, okay?"

Sliding an arm around her petite shoulders as they walked toward the building, Mulder gave Scully a gentle squeeze and teasingly whispered in her ear, "The thrill is gone."

"Yeah, right!" Scully countered with a playful jab to Mulder's ribs as they made their way through the parking lot to the front doors of the Shelby Academy. Still basking in the warm afterglow of each other, they were completely unprepared for the changes that awaited them inside.

Chapter 23

"Hold it right there," barked a burly looking security guard who was positioned just inside the entryway, "Can I see some identification please?"

Taken aback by this unexpectedly brusque reception, Scully stumblingly slid her arm from around Mulder's waist while Mulder's slipped down off Scully's shoulders as they each fumbled for their ID.

Having found hers first, Scully quickly flashed her badge to guard and quizzically asked, "What's going on here officer?" Rudely ignoring her question, the security officer remained silent as he checked the list for her name. Growing a little annoyed by this complete lack of professional courtesy, Scully slid her badge back into the front pocket of her blazer and added somewhat impatiently, "Look, I'm with the Bureau. Is there a problem I can help you with?"

"No, ma'am," he countered rather tersely as he continued to scan the list, "just some new security precautions that the owner thought were in order." Then shaking his head as he looked up from the list, he gruffly added, "I'm sorry, ma'am, but there's no Dana Scully on my list. I'm afraid you'll have to leave the premises immediately."

Taken aback even further, Scully just stared at him for a moment before angrily whipping out her badge again and pointing to the her signature block before rather abruptly observing, "Perhaps you missed my FULL name. It's Dana Scully Mulder. So why don't you look again under Mulder?"

Double-checking the list, the guard quickly found her name this time. Looking back up, he dispassionately droned, "Okay, Mrs. Mulder, you're clear. Please proceed to the front desk to register your fingerprints and get your parent identification card."

Wrinkling her brow in surprised incredulity, Scully turned to gape at Mulder in the hopes that he could provide some explanation.

Meanwhile, retrieving his driver's license from his wallet, Mulder could only shrug back at her in complete ignorance. Handing over his ID to the less than friendly guard, Mulder tried to lighten the tense atmosphere by whistling with a laugh, "Fingerprints? What is this, a Gestapo training camp for the Hitler youth?"

"No Mr.ah.Mulder," the guard replied suspiciously as he thoroughly studied the picture, name and face before quickly scanning the list for one Fox Mulder, "We just take the security of the children in our care very seriously." Finding him on the list, he nodded toward the front desk before handing back Mulder's license and grunting, "You're clear, sir. Please step over to the front desk to get your prints and card." With that, the guard quickly dismissed them and moved on to the next set of parents who had entered behind Mulder and Scully.

Stunned as they walked away from the front door, they couldn't help but shake their heads in confusion. Stopping short of the front desk, Scully pulled Mulder aside and heatedly whispered almost under her breath, "What the HECK is going on here, Mulder?!?!"

Looking around the drastically changed preschool with a frown as he noticed the new grillwork on the windows as well as several surveillance cameras that hadn't been there before, Mulder softly, almost warily, replied, "I don't know, Scully. It sure wasn't like this on Friday. I have no idea what's going on here." Then, catching sight of someone who should be able to give them an answer, he took Scully by the arm and pulled her along with him as he moved forward, murmuring, "But we're DAMN SURE going to find out!"

As they hurried toward the classrooms, Scully quickly caught sight of just who Mulder had spied. Anxious to get some answers herself and knowing that Russ Spangler's word was as good as gold, Scully also quickened her pace and she and Mulder simultaneously converged on Russ, reaching him at almost exactly the same moment.

Meanwhile, having been chatting with another parent, Russ hadn't noticed his friends' approach and wasn't even aware of their presence until he suddenly felt Mulder's hand firmly grip his shoulder. Quickly turning to face them, a warm smile of relieved recognition stole across Russ' face as he chuckled, "Hey guys!" Immediately noticing Mulder's unusually formal attire, he laughingly continued, "Man, what's with the monkey suit?!?!"

Opting to give Russ the short if not completely truthful answer, Mulder, eager to find out what on earth was going on with the Shelby Academy, quickly replied, "Just some business in DC this morning. Nothing major."

Laughing as he turned to Scully, Russ had to remark on her unexpected presence as he teasingly continued, "And just what are you doing here, Dana? Not playing hookie from the FBI to check up on Fox's dealings with everyone's favorite lusty receptionist are you?"

Unable to resist Russ' contagious relaxed playfulness, Scully rolled her eyes with a grimace before muttering with a chuckle, "Hardly." Then deliberately turning the conversation in the direction that she and Mulder were most interested in, she good-humoredly gazed around at the new security accoutrements and casually asked, "So, what's going on here? Are they on the lookout for America's most wanted?"

"Yeah," Mulder grinned, giving in slightly to the friendly exchange, "You wouldn't believe the early start some of those criminals are getting nowadays." "Well," Russ drawled slowly, taking a somewhat more serious turn, "Let's just say that I am VERY glad to see you two here to pick up Will."

Rolling his eyes at the unpleasant memory, Russ shook his head soberly before he continued, "Well, for starters, Maggie had one HECK of a hard time getting through security to drop him off this morning. So much so that I SERIOUSLY doubt they would've let her pick him back up."

Frowning deeply as his brows knitted together, Mulder exchanged a quick, concerned glance with Scully before incredulously blurting, "You're kidding!!"

Simultaneously perplexed and irritated by this news, Scully rapidly added, "What exactly happened?!?!"

Shaking his head and wincing slightly as he recalled the morning's unusual events, Russ sighed heavily before sympathetically replying, "Well, we were ALL taken off guard by the drastic changes that greeted us when we got here this morning. I mean, you shoulda seen the line to get our ID cards!" Then grimacingly he added, "Julia was sure fit to be tied!"

"Go on," Mulder gently urged Russ to continue, seeing the agitation growing behind Scully's eyes.

"Well, when Maggie got here, the security pukes were suddenly all over her because she's not listed in their records as a `primary guardian.'"

"But she's on the emergency contact list AND authorized to pick him up!!" Scully protested hotly, instantly incensed by the unmitigated nerve of the Academy's security personnel, "I know because I signed the paperwork on her MYSELF!!" "I know, I know," Russ nodded in agreement, simultaneously but unconsciously raising his hands in a conciliatory manner to show Scully that he was on her side and definitely NOT the enemy here, "And THAT fact is a big part of what saved the day." "What else did?" Mulder asked quizzically, narrowing his eyes slightly in confusion.

"Well, the fact that Julia's a lawyer who knew that you two had designated Maggie as an alternate pick up for your son sure didn't hurt."

"What? Did she have to threaten them with a lawsuit or something?!?" Mulder asked incredulously, raising his eyebrows in genuinely shocked surprise.

"Damn near!" Russ confirmed with a chuckle, "Having an attorney for a wife can be pretty damn convenient sometimes." Then, noticing the increasingly strained expression on Scully's face, he quickly continued, "But don't worry, Dana. There weren't any problems after that."

Shaking her head angrily, Scully cast her eyes toward the floor and shook her head as she sourly murmured almost under her breath, "I can't believe this crap! What the hell is going on here?"

In an effort to soothe and curb his wife's obvious rancor, Mulder slowly, almost subconsciously, raised one hand to gently massage the back of Scully's neck, as he pressed Russ for more information. With a heavy sigh, he continued, "So, do you have any idea at all what prompted these.ah.extreme.changes?"

"Yeah," Russ replied with a nod and a snort, "I think it was that weirdo that was here on Friday. The same one you called me about." Then racking his brains to remember exactly what the stranger was called, he hesitantly murmured almost to himself, "What was his name? Buyer.Byers? Lender maybe?" Then, shaking his head as he finally gave up, Russ thoughtfully continued, "I don't know. It was something to do with money." Then looking back up at Mulder with a half-hearted grin, he added, "It'll come to me in just a sec. I just need to stop thinking about it." Shrugging, Russ laughed, "Meanwhile, at least we can now rest assured that our kids are safe from any more mysterious visitors."

Then, seeing that Scully's anxiety was growing rather than abating, Russ deliberately tried to lighten the mood with a little humor. Grimacing down at the laminated photo-ID card clipped to his collar and sarcastically added, "So, being the modern G-woman, whaddaya think of all these new `security precautions?' I'll bet you love them even more than I do."

Having just noticed it that very instant, Scully took the badge in her hand and gave it a closer look. Squinting back up at Russ in confusion, she asked perplexedly, "What is this? Some kind of security pass?"

"Apparently, that's EXACTLY what it is," Russ shrugged as he rolled his eyes with a grimace, "Supposedly, from now on, no one can get in or out without one."

Turning the card over in her hand, Scully wrinkled her brow as she noticed that both Russ' signature and thumbprint were on the other side. Showing it to Mulder, who could only shake his head in disbelief, Scully sarcastically remarked, "Jeez, and I thought the Bureau had security precautions!! What do they think this is? NORAD?!?! I've NEVER heard of ANY school going to such extremes-not even the one where the President's kids go!!!"

"Oh just wait," Russ warily laughed with a grimace, "It gets even better. In addition to scanning your fingerprints, they also take a retinal scan-just in case you lose your card!!"

"You're KIDDING!!" Mulder blurted, hoping desperately that Russ was just pulling his chain.

"I wish I were, man," Russ countered soberly, "So, you two had better go get your cards if you want to be able to pick up Will without having to go through the third degree."

"We'll just SEE about THAT," Scully barked as she defiantly narrowed her eyes and angrily stalked toward the receptionist's counter.

Catching his wife gently by the arm and turning her to face him, Mulder softly murmured, "Hold on just a second, Scully."

"WHY?!?" she demanded angrily, a shade more loudly than she intended as she shook her arm loose from his gentle grip. As a couple of parents turned to stare disapprovingly at her in a mixture of embarrassed but morbid curiosity at the domestic argument that seemed to be ensuing, Scully self-consciously lowered her voice as she growled in a near-whisper, "NO One is going to tell ME that I can't pick up MY OWN SON!!!"

"I realize that," Mulder countered gently, "but we also need to consider how much safer Will is now that these precautions are in place."

Looking up at Mulder quizzically, Scully paused a moment, narrowing her eyes slightly before anxiously breathing, "Just what are you saying, Mulder?"

Gazing down at her with a mixture of sadness, fear and regret with just the slightest hint of guilt, he soberly whispered, "In light of today's events, maybe these changes are a GOOD thing."

Taken aback by Mulder's words, Scully slowly lowered her gaze to the floor and blinked heavily for a few moments as the full meaning of what he'd said sunk in. Taking a deep breath and letting it out slowly as a thousand tiny arrows of fear struck her heart, she again raised her eyes to Mulder's and tightly whispered, "Do you really think he's in danger?"

Pursing his lips tightly as his eyes betrayed the internal anguish he was suffering, Mulder hoarsely replied, "I don't know."

Listening to Mulder and Scully's entire exchange as if it were completely in Greek, Russ eyed them both warily before slowly interjecting, "Look, I don't know exactly what either of you is talking about here but I DO know that Julia and I seriously considering pulling the twins out precisely BECAUSE of all the changes. I mean, this is supposed to be a pre-school, not a prison. How can our boys be kids in this environment? Personally, I think you'd be better off getting Will outta here too."

Sighing heavily and gazing mournfully into Scully's eyes before slowly turning to face his friend, Mulder did his best to sound nonchalant as he half-heartedly grinned, "Thanks Russ. Well definitely consider that option." Mulder was about to suggest that Russ let them take a private moment to discuss this further and that he get back to them with anything he found out about alternate pre-schools. However, he never had the chance to get those words out and they were rendered completely irrelevant by what Russ said next. "SPENDER!!" Russ quickly interrupted with a proudly triumphant grin and unconscious gesture of victory. "Excuse me?!?" Mulder bit almost defensively, taken completely off guard by this unexpected interjection-his lips turning sharply downward at the instant recognition of their longtime adversary's alias. "Spender!" Russ continued with a wide smile, completely oblivious to the ramifications and connotations attached to that surname, "THAT was the name of the guy that was here Friday." Then, playfully elbowing Scully, he laughed, "See, I told you I would remember. I just needed to stop thinking about it for a minute." Aghast, Mulder and Scully could only stare at him, their mouths agape in utter disbelief, as the color all but drained away from their faces. Both were completely speechless as a sudden, overwhelming sense of panic sent a horrifying icy chill through both their hearts.

Completely taken aback by the wave of shocked horror that spread quickly over his friends' faces, Russ eyed Mulder and Scully warily as he knitted his brows together in perplexed concern. "What??" he queried cautiously.

Finally finding his voice after a momentary pause that seemed like an eternity, Mulder hoped beyond hope that he'd simply heard Russ wrong as he anxiously stammered, "Spender? You DID say SPENDER, right?"

"Yeah," Russ countered with a slight edge in his voice, more than a little confused by Mulder's inexplicably tense, almost hostile, expression and tone.

Setting his jaw and doing his utmost to remain calm, Mulder urgently pressed, "What did he look like? Can you describe him?"

"Sure," Russ replied warily, "Older guy, I'd say about late sixties or early seventies with salt and pepper hair." Then nodding toward Mulder, he continued, "He was just a little smaller than you and had the most piercing eyes." Shuddering at the memory, he added, "That guy really creeped me out."

"Do you remember anything else about him?" Scully interrogated tightly, instantly recognizing the near perfect description of CGB Spender but trying in vain to maintain some semblance of casual normalcy.

"Yeah," Russ nodded, acutely aware that his friends had, in the blink of an eye, transformed from his relaxed and playful friends, Fox and Dana, to hardened, no-nonsense FBI Agents Mulder and Scully, "He positively reeked of cigarettes-so much so that it was nauseating."

Blanching at this news, Mulder pursed his lips tightly and nodded evenly, "I see." Then, looking at Scully with intense but thinly veiled agitation behind his eyes, he huskily breathed, "All that and he went by Charlie too."

"CGB," Scully nodded stoically as her eyes darted helplessly about the room and she tried desperately to convince herself that it was all just a bad dream, that Russ had gotten the name wrong or that they had no real cause for alarm. However, as her motherly instincts took over, her level of anxiety rose exponentially. Within seconds, Scully's breath quickened and sheer panic began to set in. Unable to hold it in any longer, she vigorously seized Russ' forearm in what rapidly became an excruciatingly tight grip. Desperate for ANY reason to doubt her and Mulder's conclusions, Scully frantically demanded, "His name was SPENDER!??! You're ABSOLUTELY SURE about that?!?!"

Tearing his arm away from her defensively, Russ became more than a little annoyed with them and their seemingly unjustified third degree. Wincing in pain and frustration as he rubbed his reddened arm, he snarled, "Yeah, I'm sure!! The guy's name was Spender!! Problem with that?!?"

As, before his eyes, Mulder and Scully grew even more ashen than before, Russ suddenly realized that something was DESPERATELY wrong. "Guys." he began tentatively, about to offer any assistance he could. However, he didn't have the chance to finish his sentence before Scully cut him off.

Shaking her head with a near-wild look of terror in her eyes, something finally gave way inside Scully as she fiercely bit, "That's it! We aren't staying here another minute!! I'm getting Will out of here RIGHT NOW!" Turning abruptly away, she started immediately for the nearby classroom door and her young son who innocently played just beyond it-undoubtedly completely oblivious to the apparently imminent danger.

For the second time in as many minutes, Mulder caught his wife by the arm and forcibly stopped her. "Mulder, LET GO of ME!!" she barked furiously as she pulled in futility against his strong grip.

"Scully, please," he hoarsely murmured, desperately trying to maintain control his own fomenting emotions as he simultaneously tried to help his wife do the same, "try to calm down for a second."

"CALM DOWN!?!?!?" Scully bellowed in angry incredulity as she whipped around to face him. No longer giving a damn what the parents around them thought, she almost hysterically roared, "That's OUR SON in there!! Who knows what that bastard might've done to him!?!? We HAVE to find out!!" Narrowing her eyes at Mulder as she tried in vain to free herself, Scully didn't care what she said as long as she could get to her son. At that moment, that goal was all that mattered, so she angrily bit, "Or DON'T YOU CARE!?!"

Stung deeply by her unthinking and hurtful words, Mulder sighed heavily as he bit his lower lip to reign in his temper. Taking a deep breath, he stared unwaveringly into Scully's eyes and evenly replied, "Of course I care, Scully. But I ALSO care about how our reactions might affect Will." However, as fear and panic took its toll on Mulder's self-control, angry indignation inevitably crept into his own rising voice. More harshly, he continued, "If we ran in there and frantically tore him away like a couple of crazy people, he would be absolutely terrified and probably scarred for life!" Degenerating into near- yelling, Mulder venomously hissed, "The psychological damage we'd do to him could be much worse than anything else that MIGHT happen in the five minutes it would take for us to reasonably pull ourselves together - or DIDN'T YOU THINK ABOUT THAT?!?!"

Flinching as if struck, Scully quickly cast her angry and wounded eyes toward the floor. She knew, of course, that Mulder was right about this one but she couldn't quite bring herself to meet his gaze now. The pain, anger and fear were all too fresh.

Closing his eyes briefly as he shook his head in deep regret, Mulder sighed heavily before re-opening them and gazing sadly down at his wife. "Look," he began slowly as he took both her hands in his and gently brought them up to his lips, "I'm sorry. I didn't mean to yell at you and I know you didn't either." Then softly kissing the back of her hands, he murmured against them, "We're both worried and upset, which is all the more reason for us to try to calm down before we see Will. We don't need to make things any worse for him than they already are." Looking mournfully at her downturned face, he hopefully whispered, "Okay?"

Slowly nodding her agreement as helpless tears filled her eyes, Scully looked up at Mulder, wordlessly pleading for him to somehow comfort and reassure her. As a single tear streamed down her face, she hoarsely whispered, "Mulder, if there's even as much as a SCRATCH on the back of Will's neck, so help me, I'll kill that monster with my bare hands."

Pulling her tenderly into his arms, Mulder held her tight as she fell helplessly into him. Gently rocking her as he stroked her hair, he softly whispered, "Not if I get to him first."

Fearful of disrupting their tender reconciliation- especially given the volatility of the past few moments, Russ remained silent as he watched his friends share a long and silent embrace. Unfortunately, other bystanders were not so considerate.

"Is there a problem here, folks?" gruffed another burly security guard as he rapidly closed in on them from his position at the front counter.

"No, no," Russ, being quick on his feet, instantly interjected, "Everything's fine here. Just a little misunderstanding, but it's all good now."

Eyeing Russ skeptically, the guard turned toward Mulder and Scully and pointedly continued, "I heard shouting. Is everything under control?"

In response, Mulder nodded silently as he held Scully closer and tenderly kissed the top of her head.

However, not satisfied with just Mulder's word, the guard turned his attention to Scully and continued, "Ma'am? Everything okay?"

Briefly looking up from Mulder's chest, Scully tearfully glanced at the guard and gave a short nod before again burying her face against her husband's shoulder.

"Okay then," the guard grumbled with obvious disapproval. If parents would argue like that in public, he could only imagine what they did in front of their poor kids. Scolding them with an air of detached superiority, he pointedly continued, "We'll let it slide this time but next time we'll cite you for creating a disturbance. Those kind of scenes aren't conducive to a healthy learning environment for anyone's children. So please keep your domestic problems out of here from now on."

"Yes, sir," Russ quickly interjected before Mulder could give the guard a piece of his mind, "Will do. It'll never happen again."

Eyeing Russ with genuine annoyance, the guard tersely bit, "Be sure that it doesn't" before turning back to Mulder and Scully and continuing, "Go ahead and take a couple of minutes to compose yourselves. Then you need to register at the front desk and get your ID cards before you can leave."

Anticipating Mulder's sharp words and intercepting them before they ever had a chance to be heard, Russ quickly and heartily laughed, "Of course, sir. I'll deliver them there personally. You have my word on it, sir."

Rolling his eyes in utter contempt as he turned his back on Russ and walked away, the guard sarcastically muttered, "That's just wonderful, buddy. I feel so much better."

In response to this latest slight and with the guard no longer looking at him, Russ emphatically flipped him the bird with sardonic toothy grin-effectively demonstrating that all of his earlier respectful conciliation was just an act. Then, turning back to Mulder and Scully, Russ looked pointedly at them. As Mulder met his gaze, he raised and eyebrow and only half-jokingly chuckled, "Okay, now you KNOW I don't play the Tom for just ANYONE and not without a DAMN GOOD reason. So, d'ya want to tell me what's going on here or what?"

"Yeah, I do," Mulder nodded stoically. Then, eyeing the security cameras he softly continued, "Just not in here, okay?"

"Okay," Russ agreed, trusting Mulder's judgment. Understanding that the two of them undoubtedly needed a quiet moment or two alone, he quickly added, "Look, why don't I get the twins and wait for the three of you out front. How does that sound?"

"It sounds great," Mulder replied gratefully as he held out a hand to Russ, "Thanks man."

"Don't mention it," Russ laughed as he firmly grasped Mulder's hand in friendship, "You know that Julia and I will do anything we can to help-just like you guys would for us." Then, releasing Mulder's hand, he playfully pointed a finger at him and scolded, "Now don't go losing your temper with any more guards or forget to get your IDs cause I doubt my natural charm could bail you out a second time."

"Right," Mulder grinned in appreciation as Russ turned and made his way toward the classroom to pick up his boys, "We'll keep that in mind. Thanks again."

Finally as alone with Scully as he could be in the middle of a maximum security pre-school, Mulder tenderly petted her hair as he softly whispered, "How are you holding up?"

"He was dying, Mulder." Scully tearfully whimpered against her husband's chest, "Over five years ago, Spender was dying. He's supposed to be dead now, Mulder. Why isn't he dead?"

"I don't know," Mulder whispered softly, sickened by the horrific possibilities that flashed through his mind, "But we can find out."

Gently caressing her face and brushing the strands of hair away from it, Mulder pushed all of those nightmare images from his mind as he tenderly murmured, "By calling John and Monica and giving them another line of questioning for their new prisoner. That's how." Then, pressing his forehead against hers, he continued, "We'll get to the bottom of this, Scully. I promise you."

"I know," she whispered as she gazed steadily into his eyes and her main source of strength, "I'm just.afraid."

"Well," Mulder responded slowly, "if you're ready, we get our IDs and retrieve our son like nothing happened. Then, we meet Russ out front, make a couple of phone calls and go from there. How does that sound?"

"Like a plan," Scully nodded, pulling back from Mulder to quickly wipe the tears from her eyes, "let's do it." Then, taking his hand as they walked slowly toward the front desk, she asked with some trepidation, "Do you think it's safe for us to go back home?"

Sighing heavily, Mulder squeezed her hand gently as he softly replied, "I honestly don't know. Let's get Skinner's take on that after we talk to Doggett and Reyes. Once we've done that, we can make a decision. Okay?"

Nodding slowly, Scully almost inaudibly murmured, "Okay," as she prepared herself to don, for the second time that day, her long unused mask of cool detachment and control. Locking her fears and anxieties away behind a protective wall, Scully honestly wondered how she'd ever been able to live like that day in and day out. That was exactly what her existence had been during all those years before she and Mulder finally settled down to forge a normal life for themselves and their tiny son. Now that she'd had that life for nearly three years, Scully was truly afraid that everything would go back to the way it was before and, even more alarming, that she wouldn't be able to handle it. Gripping Mulder's hand tightly, she resolved to not think about that right now. Instead, she would focus her energies on taking it all one step at a time and getting her tiny family through this nightmare of a day safe, sound and in one piece.

After several excruciatingly long minutes of suffering through paperwork, scans, questions, and verifications, Mulder and Scully finally received their identification cards and were cleared to proceed to Will's classroom. Silently, numbly, the two of them moved quickly toward the door, all the while dreading what might await them on the other side. Pausing just short of the threshold, Mulder pulled Scully to a stop, turned to her and whispered, his voice full of concern, "Are you sure you're ready for this? I can go in alone if you want me to."

"Mulder, I'm fine," came the canned stoic reply that he'd heard more times than he could count while they were partners on the X-Files, "Let's go." It was a familiar phrase, and yet, at the same time, it had been such a long time since he'd heard that distantly removed quality in Scully's voice that she now almost sounded like a stranger. Recognizing instantly what the change meant - that she was now resorting to her old ways of holding everything inside -Mulder winced at the horrible realization. He could literally feel the safe and secure life they had so lovingly built together slipping helplessly away through their fingers. Even worse, he had brought it on himself but was now powerless to stop it. As a result, Mulder's guilt, regret and anguish were nearly unbearable as the two of them passed through the doorway.

Standing quietly amongst the other parents, Mulder and Scully anxiously held hands as they scanned for their son amid the group of children happily putting away their toys amid the unobtrusive battery of surveillance and security gadgetry. Brightly painted bars now graced the classroom windows while rafter-mounted video cameras, cleverly and playfully disguised as a varied menagerie of mechanical vultures, silently surveyed the scene with their unblinking electronic eyes. The casual observer would hardly have noticed the changes, easily mistaking them for wonderfully creative decorative elements. But not Mulder and Scully. They knew the truth.

"MOMMY!!! MOMMY!!!!" cried a jubilant voice from the sea of children. Starting at the sound of Will's unmistakable voice, Scully could see that, through the crowd of parents, he had caught sight of her and instantly began racing toward her.

As an expression of relief spread helplessly across Scully's face, she released Mulder's hand, crouched down and welcomingly opened her arms wide to receive her tiny miracle boy. As Will joyfully leapt at her, she caught him in mid-air and pulled him in tightly before she standing to her full height. Hugging him close, Scully closed her eyes as relieved and terrified emotions simultaneously coursed through her. "Oh Will," she whispered hoarsely as she clung almost desperately to her son, "Mommy's so happy to see you. Did you know that?"

Wrapping his arms around her neck with a glow of honest adoration shining in his clear blue eyes, Will innocently giggled, "Yeah, I know, Mommy. I missed you too," before hugging her back as tightly as his tiny arms would allow.

At these words, Scully's eyes fluttered open and began to fill with uncontrollable tears as she tentatively and stealthily slipped one hand up to feel the back of Will's neck. She couldn't feel anything unusual but that didn't mean that nothing was there. She'd never been able to feel any difference on the back of her own neck either.

At that precise moment, as if reading her thoughts, Mulder stepped into Scully's line of vision. As they exchanged a silent glance, she instantly understood his intention and slid her hand slowly into their son's hair, scooping it out of Mulder's way. For a long, uncertain moment, Scully held her breath, waiting for an answer. Carefully she watched Mulder's expression for any signs or changes as he moved Will's collar out of the way to visually inspect that tiny expanse of vulnerable skin.

"Hey!!!" Will bellowed loudly, feeling the tug at the base of his neck and turning in Scully's arms with a wide grin to see what was going on behind his back. "Daddy!!" he cried enthusiastically in instant and delighted recognition. Then, with a playfully teasing lilt in his voice, Will continued, "You don't need to check me for Cooties!! Weren't 'cha paying attention? Mommy said North 'merican Cooties don't like kids!!"

"Sorry Slugger," Mulder warmly grinned down into his son's eyes with just the slightest hint of masked anxiety behind his own, "I guess I just forgot."

Straining eagerly to reach his father, Will pulled away from Scully without thinking, expectantly holding his arms open for Mulder as he giggled, "See. I'm not the only one who forgets stuff sometimes."

Gently taking the boy from Scully's arms and squeezing him tightly, Mulder tenderly replied, "No you're not."

Meanwhile, having reluctantly and painfully relinquished Will from her embrace well before she was actually ready to, Scully desperately searched Mulder's face for an answer to the driving question that still burned in her mind.

Looking softly into Scully's eyes as he held Will close, Mulder shook his head ever so slightly from sided to side, indicating that there were no marks whatsoever on the back of their tiny son's neck.

Sighing heavily in relief, Scully gazed soberly at father and son as she briefly pondered their next move. Taking notice, from the corner of her eye, of Ms. Shelby and her receptionist fielding questions from other concerned parents, Scully resolved that she would take this opportunity to get some answers as to how and why C.G.B. Spender had been granted access to her precious son.

Taking a deep breath and plastering a forced smile across her face, Scully quipped in an almost imperceptibly brittle and tight voice, "Sweetie, Mommy needs to talk to Ms. Shelby for a minute but Russ and the twins are out front, so why don't you and Daddy meet them outside and go play with them in the park across the street?" Then, noting Mulder's raised eyebrow but deliberately choosing to ignore it, she quickly continued, "I'll meet you there in a few minutes after I'm done here. You don't mind waiting for me, do you Sweetie?"

"No, Mommy," Will replied with a quick smile, not seeming to notice the barely audible tension in his mother's voice, "Tyler and Jamal are my bestest friends!!" Then, looking thoughtfully into his mother's eyes Will sweetly added, "That is-next to you and Daddy."

"Good," Scully smiled weakly as she gently reached out to stroke her son's face, "I'm glad to hear that, because you and Daddy are my best friends too." As those last words escaped her lips, she finally raised her eyes to meet Mulder's penetrating gaze, silently pleading with him to not raise any objection.

Looking back at her warily with a mixture of concerned skepticism, Mulder sighed heavily before realizing that Scully's steady gaze was also assuring him that she was more than up to the challenge of calmly, coolly and rationally interrogating Ms. Shelby about the insidious stranger whom she had allowed into their midst. Without question, he suddenly understood not only that Scully truly could handle it but also that she desperately NEEDED to get these answers for her own peace of mind.

Silently nodding his acquiescence, Mulder held her gaze for a brief instant longer to wordlessly wish her luck before returning his full attention back to their small son. "So, you ready to go play some more?" Mulder forced himself to chuckle as he turned and headed toward the front doors.

"You betcha!!!" Will happily giggled, seemingly completely oblivious to the tension, stress and anxiety that had now taken hold of both his parents.

"Good," Mulder replied softly, the wheels turning in his own mind and churning out a litany of horrific possibilities at a furious pace, "but before we do that, there's some important questions I need to ask you. Is that okay, Slugger?"

Meanwhile, as the pair moved away from her, Scully remained rooted in place, taking a few moments to prepare for what she had to do. Steeling her resolve and stifling her anger as she deliberately stiffened her backbone, Scully slowly began to move forward toward the vacuous Arlene Shelby and her equally vapid receptionist. As she closed the distance between them, Scully deliberately reminded herself that, while she could remain intent on getting answers to all of her pertinent questions, it was paramount that she simultaneously maintain tight control over her ferociously protective temper and motherly instincts. Reaching into her front pocket for her badge and ID as she strode forward, Scully forcibly pushed her flurry of emotions back behind their protective wall and got herself into character.

Although they both saw her coming and desperately tried to avoid her, Scully effectively cornered them by cutting off their only escape route. Deliberately holding up her credentials so that both women could see them, Scully greeted them a warm and pleasant- albeit completely insincere-smile as she began, "Ladies. My name is Special Agent Dana Scully Mulder and I have a few questions that I'm hoping you'll be able to answer. They regard a certain individual wanted by the FBI whom I understand you've granted access to this facility."

"I.uh.I." Ms. Shelby shakily stammered, her eyes completely transfixed by the shiny badge in Scully's hand, "About this morning.I."

"Since I also happen to be William Mulder's mother," Scully continued briskly, refolding her wallet and replacing it in her pocket as if completely uninterrupted, "You can see that I have an additional personal interest in this matter. So, the more cooperative and forthcoming you are now, the more expediently we can resolve this situation in a manner satisfactory to all parties concerned."

"Yes! Of course Mrs.ah.I mean Agent Mulder," Ms Shelby sputtered awkwardly as she nervously gestured for Scully to follow her, "Please come this way. We can speak more privately in my office.please, follow me." Then, noticing her receptionist's none too subtle attempt to slip away unnoticed, Ms. Shelby squeaked defensively, "You too Valerie. Agent Mulder wants to talk to you as well."

Stopping in her tracks, Valerie silently obeyed her employer's command as she eyed Scully with a panicked mixture of fear and guilt, genuinely worried that she might now be made to suffer for her sexual overtures toward Mr. Mulder.

However, little did Valerie know that her conduct was the last thing on Scully's mind as she wordlessly followed the pair into Ms. Shelby's office. All she could think of was getting to the bottom of Spender's involvement with the Shelby Academy and exactly how much exposure he'd been given to her tiny son.

Having returned from his highly productive masquerade as NSA Agent Crowley just in time to electronically witness the explosive revelation about his less than secret visit to the Shelby Academy, Spender smirked with bemused satisfaction at the immediate results. "Oh Mr. Mulder, you and your lovely wife are beyond predictable," Spender chuckled as he'd watched Mulder and Will leave the building while Scully began to interrogate Ms. Shelby, "a fact that will absolutely guarantee our ultimate victory." Then, taking a long draw from his cigarette, he gingerly crushed it out before turning his attention to another set of monitors and murmuring, "Now, let's just see if that's a family-wide trait."

Sitting stonily at his desk, Bill Scully tried desperately to focus his attention on his duties. Yet, no matter how much he willed himself to ignore it and push the image from his mind, his eyes kept drifting helplessly back to the surveillance photo that proved his odious brother-in-law's philandering ways. Narrowing his eyes angrily at the sight, Bill furiously snatched it from atop his desk and slammed it roughly into a drawer.

"There," he growled bitterly to himself, "out of sight, out of mind." Yet, even as he sought to refocus himself on the smattering of officer and enlisted performance evalutations requiring his review and signature, he found that even this old adage just didn't apply. Finally giving up all hopes of finishing with this paperwork today, Bill sighed heavily before forlornly burying his face in his hands.

He already knew that there was absolutely nothing he could do to help either his sister or her son. Agent Crowley's instructions had been explicit. He could tell no one, not even the Naval intelligence-even though he was duty-bound to do so. The fact was that there was nothing he could do or say without jeopardizing the government case against Mulder. Bill Scully was completely helpless, powerless to take action and he didn't like it one bit.

Shaking his head, he murmured softly, "Damn it Dana. Why did you have to marry that freak show in the first place?!" Slamming his hand down on his desk wrathfully, he raged, "Why couldn't you just listen to me!?!?" Angrily standing from his desk and stalking to the window, he stared toward the open sea and furiously bit, "Damn you Fox Mulder. You'll pay for this. I swear it!! I'll be damned before I let you corrupt Dana's innocent little boy with your terrible example." Sagging heavily against the window ledge, he sighed, "He'd be better off in an orphanage or being adopted. At least then he'd be safe from you."

Suddenly and all at once, like being struck by a lightening bolt, an idea came to him. There WAS something he could do AND still honor his pledge to the NSA. He could use his knowledge of Fox Mulder's lunacy to ensure that at least Will was protected from his father and removed to a safer environment. Bill knew that once he'd taken that drastic step there would be no going back. However, he'd also never been confronted with irrefutable proof of the very real threat that Mulder posed to his son either. In an instant, his mind was made up. Turning quickly from the window, he seized the telephone from his desk and quickly pressed the button to summon his Yeoman.

"Yeoman, get my staff aide in here on the double," Bill barked tightly, "I've got a very important tasking for her and time is critical!!"

"Yes, sir. Just a moment sir," he stammered, taken aback by the Captain's uncharacteristically harsh demeanor. It just wasn't like Captain Scully to be so abrupt-at least not without VERY good cause. Edwards was about to ask him if there was a problem that the crew needed to be made aware of when he caught movement out of the corner of his eye. "Sir, I believe that Lieutenant Polanski is just coming through the door," the Yeoman quickly continued after only the briefest of pauses, "Yes sir, she's right here."

"Well, don't just sit there telling me about it! SEND HER IN!!!" Bill growled impatiently before abruptly slamming down the phone.

Listening to the now blaring dial tone, Yeoman Edwards sat stunned for a moment before gazing sympathetically up at Lt. Polanski-who was all but oblivious to how her day was about to go down the toilet.

Whistling a cheery tune, Polanski looked down at the Yeoman and smiled, "Good afternoon, Edwards. How's your day going?"

Shaking his head slowly, Yeoman Edwards sighed heavily, "Better than yours will be, I imagine." Then, in response to her quizzical look, he continued, "Not to greet you with bad news, L.T., but the Captain wants to see you on the double and it doesn't sound good."

"I'm not sure," he responded slowly, "But ever since the NSA was here, the Captain's been on the warpath."

"The NSA!?!?" the raven-haired Polanski blurted in incredulity, "They have no purview over Naval operations or intelligence!!

"I have no idea why they were here," Edwards replied shaking his head ruefully, "but I'm afraid you're about to find out." Then, looking from Polanski to the door and back again, he softly grimaced, "He's waiting for you, ma'am."

Still shaking her head in disbelief, Polanski furiously bit, "Another second or two won't matter, Yeoman!!" Then, lowering her voice considerably as she made a concerted effort to calm her increasingly anxious tone, Polanski continued, "Look, this is a serious violation of protocol. Why wasn't I informed?!? As the official intelligence officer on this ship, I should've been apprised of ALL issues involving security!"

"It was Captain's orders that you NOT be informed, ma'am," Edwards wincingly replied, suddenly concluding that Polanski's deliberate exclusion must mean that she was responsible for a security violation and now the subject of an investigation, "I'm sorry."

"I see," Polanski stoically flinched as the same realization suddenly hit her. Recovering her composure quickly, she tightly murmured, "Thank you, Yeoman," before stiffly making her way to the Captain's office and bracing herself for what she expected to be a long chewing out for offenses as of yet unknown.

Knocking tentatively on the door, she heard the Captain impatiently bellow, "Come in!!" Turning the knob, she shot Edwards one last worried glance before pushing the door open and stepping inside.

To Polanski's surprise, Captain Scully stood by the window, his back to her, transfixed by the approaching storm clouds that loomed ominously on the horizon. "Shut the door behind you Polanski," he growled tersely, not even turning to greet her.

"Aye aye, sir," she responded, instantly complying with his command. Then, cautiously moving toward his desk, Polanski stood at attention with a salute and respectfully continued, "You wanted to see me, sir?"

"Yes," he replied tightly as he balled his hand up in front of him into a clenched fist, "It's a matter of utmost urgency." Finally turning toward her, Bill noted her obvious anxiety and immediately surmised it's cause. As a matter of form, he returned her salute before deliberately softening his tone and sighing, "At ease, Lieutenant. You haven't done anything wrong."

"Sir?" she asked quickly as if the idea had never crossed her mind even though relief was plainly evident in her voice.

Grimacing slightly, Bill felt a slight pang of regret as he wished that he had taken more care to ensure that his personal problems didn't adversely affect those under his command. Deliberately shaking it off with shrug, he pointedly continued, "I just need you to set up a meeting for me-the sooner the better."

"Of course, sir," she replied, deftly taking the Captain's appointment book and a pen from her Briefcase. Flipping it open, she shifted the NSA issue to the back of her mind as she continued, "with whom did you want to meet and under what timeframe?"

Turning back toward the window, Bill sighed heavily before soberly replying, "Children's Protective Services and today if possible."

Looking up from his schedule in confusion, Polanski hesitantly replied, "Sir, do you mean Family Social Actions? Only they have purview over military personnel and their dependents."

"No, Lieutenant," Bill replied evenly as he stared dispassionately out at the increasingly violent waves, "this is a purely civilian matter but it also requires my official attention and intervention."

"Aye-aye, sir," Polanski responded slowly, shaking her head ever so slightly. Experience told her that something wasn't right here. First a visit from the NSA, then this-it just didn't add up. Perhaps if she could get more information, she could learn exactly what was troubling her Captain and why he had seemingly disregarded proper procedure. "Sir," she began with an extreme effort to sound casual and nonchalant, "If I may ask, is this related to your earlier meeting with the representatives from the NSA?"

"No Lieutenant," Bill growled, his tone becoming increasingly hostile at the mention of his meeting with the NSA, "you MAY NOT ask."

"Very good sir," Polanski back-pedaled quickly, "I will immediately set up a meeting for the earliest available time and brief you on the final arrangements post haste."

"Thank you, sir," Polanski quickly replied. Although it would be all too easy for her to simply leave, she knew that she had to broach the impropriety of the NSA visit. Nervously sliding the appointment book back into her briefcase, Polanski took a deep breath before speaking again, "Sir?"

Glaringly turning from the window, Bill was more than slightly annoyed by her continued presence as he impatiently bristled, "Was there something else, Lieutenant?"

"Yes, sir," she began firmly, marshalling all the courage and fortitude she could muster. She knew she would need it. After all, she WAS about to inform her Captain and direct commander that his actions constituted a violation of security protocol. She knew full well that bringing it to his attention alone could effectively end her Navy career. Taking a deep breath, she steeled her resolve to do her duty and went on, "Sir, I must respectfully report that representatives from the NSA have apparently contacted ships' personnel for reasons unknown and with the senior intelligence officer intentionally kept uninformed."

Turning abruptly away and closing his eyes heavily, Bill exhaled slowly before slowly responding, "I already know that, Lieutenant. Just as you already know that I was the personnel contacted-as my Yeoman undoubtedly informed you."

"Yes, sir," Polanski confirmed with a nod before pointedly continuing, "and I am also duty bound to point out that the handling of this contact was in direct violation of Naval regulation and procedure."

"I am aware of that too," Bill replied evenly, shifting his weight uneasily from one foot to the other, "Rest assured, Lieutenant, that it was done for legitimate reasons that do not reflect on either you or your performance as the ship's senior intelligence officer or as my staff aide."

"I see, sir," Polanski replied slowly, now certain that something was desperately wrong. Biting her lower lip slightly, she stonily continued, "I trust, then, that you have already followed procedure and sent an incident synopsis through the proper intelligence channels reporting this highly unusual contact and circumstance."

"Since it involves a personal matter," Bill answered slowly, "The applicability of that requirement hadn't occurred to me until just now." With deliberate and calculated coolness, he carefully continued, "Thank you for pointing that out, Lieutenant. Now, if that was all that concerned you."

"Actually, sir" Polanski interrupted, even more convinced than before that something was terribly wrong, "There is one more item that I am compelled to apprise you of." Polanski was acutely aware of Captain Scully's reputation. Although he was the youngest Captain in the fleet, Bill Scully was also widely considered the most ethical, meticulous and "by the book" one as well. She knew that there was no possible way that he would have ever forgotten about or violated security procedure unintentionally. The knowledge that it also involved a personal issue only confirmed and reinforced her suspicions that something was very much amiss.

"Sir, just that, as ship's intelligence officer, I must also report this incident and its handling to command intelligence."

"Of course, Lieutenant, you must perform your duties. expect no less from you," Bill responded slowly as he narrowed his eyes at the darkening horizon, "Just make scheduling my meeting your top priority. Understood?"

"Very well, then," Bill bit tersely, "Contact me as soon as you've made the arrangements I've requested. Until then, you're dismissed."

"Thank you, sir," Polanski nodded again and quickly exited the room, greatly relieved that the whole unpleasant encounter was finally over. Now all she had to do was schedule the appointment and pen her report to command intelligence. While she never doubted her duty, in this case, she was not looking forward to performing it. Truth be told, she really did liked and respect her Captain. She certainly didn't relish being the instrument of his potential ruin as she might have done with other past commanders. So, with a heavy knot growing in the pit of her stomach, she retreated to her office to do her duty.

Meanwhile, staring out at the rapidly approaching storm clouds, Bill pondered his decision and the lengths to which he was willing to go to protect his sister and her son from Fox Mulder. He'd already committed a security violation and risked his command by meeting with Crowley without following standard procedure. Yet, once he knew that the topic for discussion dealt with his brother-in-law, Bill didn't need to hear anything more before he unequivocally agreed to Crowley's terms. Now, he almost wished he hadn't because, once he knew the truth about Mulder and his wholesale betrayal of both his country and his family, Bill Scully had no choice to take whatever action was left available to him. Having done so, it now looked like that decision would bring down a security investigation and inquiry on his head as well as most probably cost him his commission if not his freedom.

Shaking his head, Bill silently berated himself. He should've realized that Lieutenant Polanski's own ethical standards and her ready knowledge of procedure and regulation would compel her to take action of her own. He couldn't blame her for that. Yet, at the same time, he realized that she was the most expedient means for accomplishing his immediate goals. He couldn't, in good conscience, have taken a slower route-even if that course was safer to himself and his career. Not when the welfare of his family was at stake.

"Oh Dana," he murmured softly as he sagged against the window frame in defeat, "If only you'd listened to me from the beginning, then I wouldn't have to go to such lengths to prove that I am only protecting you." Shaking his head sadly, he whispered, "Maybe after you get past your anger for what I'm about to do, you'll recognize the extent of my sacrifice and finally see who truly loves you and who is just toying with your heart."

Laughing out loud at this latest development, Spender clapped his hands together in sheer delight before chuckling, "Perfect!! Beautiful!!" Then, lighting up a fresh cigarette, he took a long draw before directly addressing the screen with hearty bemusement, "It would seem predictability DOES run in the family after all. You couldn't have handled this situation more perfectly than if I had written the instructions for you myself." Rubbing his hands together in eager anticipation, Spender turned his attention to his computer and began to type as he held the lit cigarette between his lips and distractedly muttered, "Now, it's on to phase two."

Passing through the front doors of the Shelby Academy and almost defensively clutching Will in his arms, Mulder quickened his pace as he veered off to the right, away from the parking lot and toward the spacious but secluded park just east of the school. Excruciatingly mindful of his surroundings for the first time in years, he anxiously scanned the overcast area for anyone who might be watching. Seeing no one, he quickly looked both ways before crossing the side street into the tree-lined park. Pulling Will in even tighter, Mulder didn't realize just how strong his frantically protective his grip was.

"I'm sorry, Slugger," Mulder grimaced apologetically as he stepped up onto the curb and slightly loosened his vice-like grasp on the squirming boy, "Is that better? You okay?"

"Yeah," Will mumbled dejectedly as his father took him over to a park bench, "I'm okay." Then regarding the bench with the disdain of a child, he poutingly continued, "I thought we were gonna play with Tyler and Jamal."

"We will in a minute," Mulder reminded him gently as he sank onto the bench, "but there's some things I need to ask you first. Remember?"

"Yeah," Will sighed in disappointment as he turned his eyes downward, "I remember."

Furrowing his brow as he shifted Will into his lap, Mulder read far too much into his son's demeanor as he gently guided the boy's chin upward and softly but urgently murmured, "Will, what's wrong?" As a flurry of dry leaves swirled around Mulder's feet, he looked deeply into his son's eyes, searching for an answer. All at once, a horrific suspicion formed in his mind stemming from his own brief abduction by Spender and the Syndicate. Will may not have a chip in his neck, but that didn't mean that cigarette-smoking fiend didn't do something else just as bad. As a wave of terrified panic tore through his heart, Mulder breathlessly whispered, "Did someone do something bad to you?" Noting Will's confused delay and mistaking it for frightened hesitancy, Mulder anxiously added. "Even if they told you not to tell anyone, I promise that you can tell me. You have nothing to fear, I'll keep you safe. I swear it."

"No Daddy," Will finally replied with a rueful sigh, "nothing bad happened." Biting his lower lip as he perched upon his father's thigh, he looked woefully into Mulder's eyes and sadly whispered, "But you're upset about Charlie's visit and now you want to ask me about him. Don't you?"

Stunned by this unexpectedly insightful question, Mulder gaped at Will in incredulity for a moment before sputtering, "Y-yes. I do, but just how did you know that, Will?"

"I just did," Will replied with the same somber matter-of-factness of a surgeon informing her patient's family that the operation was not a success, "the same way I know you're scared of Charlie now just like he's afraid of you."

Shocked breathless by Will's words, Mulder could only stare at his small son as his own heart pounded frantically in desperate confusion and concern. Was Will able to read minds now? If so, had Spender done something to him to make that possible? These circumstances were far too eerily similar to what he had experienced after he and Scully had come into contact with the rubbing of that strange African artifact over five years ago--too similar for comfort. If the same thing was now happening to Will... Mulder just couldn't bear to consider the possibilities.

Taking a deep breath and reigning in his panicked emotions, Mulder had to literally force the words out as he whispered hoarsely, "Will, I'm not afraid of HIM. I'm afraid of what he might've done TO YOU." Then, biting his own lower lip, he anxiously breathed, "You have to tell me. Did Charlie do anything to you? Did he touch you in any way? Did he give you anything?"

Looking soulfully into Mulder's eyes as he gently reached out to touch his face, Will softly continued, "No Daddy, he didn't do anything to me. We just played. That's all. We just talked and played." With his eyes filling, Will tearfully pleaded, "Please, don't be afraid. You gotta believe me Daddy."

"I do, Slugger," Mulder breathed quickly, protectively pulling Will in close and gently kissing the top of his head, "Of course I believe you." Then, taking a deep breath and letting it out slowly, Mulder hung his head helplessly, searching desperately for a way to further broach the subject of "Charlie" without upsetting his son even more. Steeling himself for an answer that might cut him to the bone, Mulder deliberately tried to sound casual as he hesitantly continued with a tight grin, "Playing and talking is good, Slugger. Can you tell me what you two talked about?"

"Just stuff," Will murmured distractedly, a tiny grin spreading across his face as he instantly forgot all about both Charlie and his dad when he caught sight of a small gray squirrel burying an acorn under a nearby tree.

"Like what?" Mulder pressed gently, trying to keep the urgency from creeping into his voice as the color drained slightly from his face.

Turning in Mulder's arms to watch the furry creature scamper across the park toward another distant tree, Will stood up on the bench, craning his neck to see as he nonchalantly replied, "like my painting, the swings, your playgroup and his."

"HIS playgroup?!?!" Mulder blurted incredulously, as the image of C.G.B. Spender skipping merrily around a circle of children momentarily sprung into his mind. However, that amusing picture quickly melted away as he soberly realized that it was only Spender's euphemism for the Syndicate. His expression darkening considerably, Mulder pursed his lips and continued, "Did you talk about anything else?"

Straining to see around his father as the squirrel bounded just out of view behind him, Will distractedly continued, "Just about the Spanglers and..." Having finally regained his view, Will abruptly stopped in mid sentence as his lips suddenly curled violently downward into a horrified frown. In that moment, he saw a sleek black Tomcat stealthily creeping toward the unsuspecting squirrel.

"...and?!?!" Mulder, oblivious to the creature's plight, pressed with an anxious edge in his voice.

"DADDY!!!" Will suddenly screamed, jumping forward and almost tumbling over his father's shoulder as the feline edged perilously closer to the feverishly burrowing squirrel.

"WHOA!!" Mulder jumped, reacting quickly and catching Will before he toppled over the back of the bench. Whirling around with Will clutched tightly in his arms and prepared for a fight, Mulder finally caught sight of what was causing such extreme anxiety in his small son. Sighing in relief, he looked down at his almost hysterical son.

"That cat's going to get my squirrel!!!" Will cried anxiously, "STOP HIM!!! HURRY!!!"

Affected by Will's terrified words, Mulder didn't even have to think-instinctively knowing he had to act. Quickly setting Will down on the bench, Mulder snatched a broad stick from the ground and hurled it toward the crouching cat with all of his might. Although he missed completely--with the stick careening harmlessly into a nearby shrub--the sound was enough to startle the cat and send the now spooked squirrel scurrying up a nearby tree. With the element of surprise now lost, the cat glared hatefully at Mulder before imperiously sauntering away into the underbrush as if nothing at all had happened.

Relieved immensely to see his squirrel chattering and flicking its tail in the treetop, now safe from danger, Will sighed heavily before looking up at his father with eyes full of love and adoration. Throwing his arms around Mulder's waist, he gleefully cried, "D'ya see that cat run!??! You're the best Daddy in the world!!"

Breathing his own heavy sigh of relief that Will's outburst wasn't the result of anything more serious than a squirrel in peril, Mulder covered his face momentarily and took a deep breath in an effort to calm his already frayed nerves and slow his pounding heart. Letting that breath out slowly as the last vestiges of his adrenaline rush passed, he stooped down to face his small son who now stood atop the bench seat. Laying both hands firmly but gently on Will's shoulders, Mulder softly breathed with a weak grin, "Will, I know you were worried about the squirrel but PLEASE, unless you are hurt or in danger, don't EVER yell like that again. Daddy's heart just can't take it. Okay?"

With wide-eyed innocence and complete ignorance of what a horrible toll his frantic outburst had taken on his father's nerves, Will softly replied, "Okay Daddy." Then, turning his eyes mischievously toward the park's swings and jungle gym, he impishly continued, "Are we done with questions now?"

Smiling faintly at his son's endearing charm, Mulder slowly sat beside him and softly murmured, "Not quite yet, Slugger. Almost though."

Playfully rolling his eyes with a grimace that was very much like his mother's, Will plopped himself down next to his father, gently patted Mulder's hand and half-moaned with a grin, "Okay Daddy. What else do you want to know?"

Struck in that moment by how very much Will was like Scully, Mulder winced at the excruciatingly bittersweet emotions that coursed through him. Here was their miracle child--the child they had both longed and prayed for--and, for the second time since Will's birth, he felt powerless to protect him. Casting his eyes toward the ground as he blinked back his sudden and unexpected tears, Mulder hoarsely whispered, "Just a couple more things." After a moment he looked up into Will's questioning eyes and, his own heart full of dread, softly continued, "It's VERY important that you be truthful now, Will. Did Charlie SHOW you anything?"

Will silently shook his head no, his eyes full of concern. Nodding soberly, a little voice in the back of Mulder's mind told him that he should dig a little deeper. Trusting his instincts, he quickly rephrased the question, "Well, did he TELL you anything?"

"Yeah," came Will's innocently shrugged reply as he tugged at his shoelace until it came untied.

Biting his lower lip in anxiety and slight exasperation, Mulder took a deep breath before reaching out to retie Will's shoelace and patiently continuing, "WHAT did he tell you, Slugger?"

"Not much," Will sighed as he glanced longingly at the playground equipment behind Mulder, "Just that smoking's bad for you and that I should listen to you and Mommy."

"Really?" Mulder wrinkled his brow in genuine surprise as he finished off the knot. That was definitely NOT the answer he was expecting. "Anything else?" Mulder asked with his eyebrows still slightly contorted in disbelief as he preventively double-knotted Will's other lace.

"Nope," Will replied, shaking his head firmly. Then, as he watched a number of Canadian geese land at the far end of the park, Will distractedly added "Charlie wouldn't tell me about being my real grandpa-EVEN after I asked."

"Your REAL grandpa?!?!" Mulder blurted incredulously, instantly frozen by this unexpected revelation. Looking deeply into his son's eyes, Mulder's narrowed slightly as his own dark suspicions regarding the true identity of his own biological father quickly raced through his mind. Painfully aware of Teena Mulder's long silence on the issue, he carefully continued, "What are you talking about, Will? You know all about Grandpa Scully and Grandpa Mulder. Mommy told you that they're both in heaven. They are the only grandpas you have. Who else is there to ask about?"

Looking down at his fidgeting hands as if knowing he shouldn't have mentioned it, Will slowly responded, "Charlie. Charlie thinks he's your Daddy and if THAT's true, then that makes him my grandpa too." In response to the look on his father's face, Will's voice faded out with a tentative whisper, "Doesn't it?"

"Did HE tell you THAT?!?" Mulder demanded with a slightly bitter edge tingeing his otherwise gentle voice.

"No," Will shook his head sincerely, "He wouldn't tell me anything--he just got mad." Then, more sheepishly, he continued, "But he didn't have to 'cause I knew it all the same." Slowly looking up into his father's eyes, Will softly added, "and when I asked, it upset him just like it upsets you now."

"I see," Mulder replied stoically, realizing that the mounting evidence pointed to his suspicions regarding his and Scully's miracle child being true. Looking steadily into Will's eyes, a hesitant question, the answer to which he was afraid he already knew, formed on his reluctant lips. "Will, you seem to know an awful lot of things that no one's told you about. Can you tell me how you've been able to do that?"

Sighing heavily, Will gently grasped Mulder's fingers in both of his tiny hands and softly whispered, "No Daddy. I don't know how I know this stuff. I just do."

Looking steadily into Will's eyes, Mulder bit his lower lip as he reluctantly decided to test his theory and focused all his thoughts on the question that burned in his mind.

For a long moment, Will just stared back at him-with an intensity and seriousness of expression that was well beyond his years. Then, as tears welled up in his eyes and a stunned look of frightened disappointment clouded his tiny face, Will immediately started to hiccup as he started to cry, "Yes, Daddy <hic>. I could hear what you were thinking <hic>."

From the second that Will's hiccups started, Mulder knew his son was EXTREMELY upset-more so than he'd EVER seen him before. The last time Will had gotten hiccups, they'd found that poor dead bird in the back yard but even then, Will hadn't been as unnerved as he was now. Simultaneously perplexed and gravely concerned by Will's unexpected reaction, Mulder quickly pulled him in close, rocking him gently as he softly murmured, "It's okay. It's okay. I'm not mad at you. You don't need to be worried. I'm not angry." Then suddenly realizing that there might be a very REAL and legitimate reason for this seemingly inexplicable overreaction, Mulder softly stroked Will's hair as he very carefully continued, "Why DOES that upset you, Slugger?"

Looking up at his father as the tears brimmed over his lashes to stream down his tiny face, Will hoarsely whispered, "Because you <hic> couldn't hear my answer." With a mixture of crushed grief and horrified terror coloring his tiny face, Will sobbingly continued, "Now you're going to be <hic> afraid of me and I don't want you to be <hic> afraid of me!! Please Daddy, I'll do ANYTHING, just <hic> don't be scared <hic> of me!!!"

Blinking hard and wondering where on Earth Will's inexplicable belief might've come from, Mulder was even more confused than before. Acting quickly to calm his son's fears, even though he didn't fully understand them himself, he passionately whispered in a voice that quivered slightly with emotion, "Will, I promise you. I will NEVER be afraid of you. I love you more than ANYONE else in the world. That will NEVER change. Okay?" Then gently guiding his son's face up toward his, Mulder searched Will's watery eyes for that unconditional love and trust that had always been there. With a thankful sigh, he was relieved to see that it was still there, unwavering.

"Okay, Daddy," Will sniffled quietly, believing in Mulder with the unquestioning faith that only a child has.

Grateful that Spender's unwelcome visit at least hadn't cost Will that, Mulder resolved to get to the bottom of his son's fears. "Why would you think that I would suddenly be afraid of you now, Slugger? Just because you can read my thoughts but I can't read yours?"

"Well, that's why Charlie is so afraid of you- isn't it?" Will stammered softly, "because he can't hear your thoughts either?"

"No Slugger," Mulder replied gently, trying not to upset Will any further, "Charlie and I knew each other a long time ago-before you were ever born. Mommy and I found out that he did some really bad things to hurt us and the people we love. THAT's why he's afraid of me, because I know what he did."

"But, if he's your Daddy and he's afraid of you, doesn't that meant that you'll..." Will stammered hesitantly as his hiccups resumed, "that you'll be <hic> afraid of me someday too?"

"No. No. Of course not," Mulder quickly reassured him with a tight hug as he kissed the top of the boy's head, "That will NEVER happen Will! I promise you!" Then, taking a deep breath as he composed himself, Mulder carefully chose his words and strove to keep his still smoldering hostility toward Spender under control before continuing evenly, "Besides, no matter what he thinks, Charlie...THAT MAN...was NEVER my father." Looking steadily into Will's widened eyes, he firmly finished, "Grandpa Mulder was the only Daddy I ever knew. So he and Grandpa Scully are your ONLY REAL grandpas. Okay?"

"Okay Daddy," Will replied softly, burying his face in Mulder's chest to hide his confusion.

Meanwhile, holding Will tightly and staring up at the cloudy sky, Mulder couldn't keep bitter tears from filling his eyes. For the first time since he and Scully had resolved to forge a normal life after having convinced themselves that their need to search for the "Truth" ended with the super soldier conspiracy, Mulder was truly afraid. Not for himself, nor even really for Scully--but for their tiny little boy as well as the entire world he inhabited. Shaking his head regretfully, Mulder knew instinctively that Spender's presence and continued existence not only revealed the man's continued unnatural obsession with the Mulder family but also suggested that the threat posed by the aliens was FAR from over. How else could Spender still be alive and well and stalking his family?

As the possibilities flashed through his mind, Mulder fearfully wondered if he and Scully had been wrong all along--that the alien conspiracy didn't end with their and their allies' deliberate contamination of the world's water supply with magnetite. They'd all thought they'd been so clever to take a page from the Colonists' own strategy book and use it to defeat them. Certainly, the immediate aftermath showed their plan's immediate and dramatic success. After all, it had destroyed virtually all of the highly placed replicants on the planet with one fell swoop. But what if that hadn't been enough to drive the Colonists away and force them to lose interest in the now "polluted" earth? Mulder could only shudder at the prospect of his surgically induced, apocalyptic vision of the alien invasion coming true. Suddenly, he felt very much alone.

"Yeah Slugger?" Mulder replied, blinking back tears for the second time in as many minutes before looking down at his innocent little boy.

"Can we go find Russ and Tyler and Jamal?" Will looked up at him hopefully, "I'd really like to play now."

"Me too," Mulder replied wistfully, wishing with all of his heart that he was wrong about what Spender's presence meant while, at the same time, knowing full well that he wasn't. Rising from the bench and gently standing Will beside him, Mulder took his tiny son's hand in his and led him further into the park, softly murmuring, "C'mon, let's find them so you have a chance to play before Mommy gets back." Meanwhile, in deep in his soul, Mulder wordlessly and desperately prayed to anything that might be listening to please let his horrific vision of the future not come to pass.

At that moment, the clouds suddenly broke, bathing the entire park in a brilliant shaft of sunlight. Mulder barely noticed, squinting slightly into the bright afternoon sun as he turned to scan for Russ and the twins. Spotting them quickly, Mulder grinned down at his son, trying his best to sound normal, "There they are, Slugger. Why don't you go play with Tyler and Jamal while I talk to Russ for a little bit, okay? Mommy should be along soon."

"Okay Daddy!!" Will cried cheerfully as he ran off toward his favorite playmates. Meanwhile, a somber expression clouded Mulder's face as he prepared to tell Russ the full truth about his and Scully's past and how they now desperately needed his and Julia's help to fight the future.

Shaking his head in exasperation, Skinner couldn't believe how long Marita had been able to maintain her charade of lunacy. It had been a long day already- made even longer by her transparent mind games. Yet, she gave no signs of weakening or breaking in the past hour since he'd returned from the cantina with his cold sandwich, lukewarm coffee and stale chips.

"So, let's take this from the top again, shall we?" Follmer sighed heavily as he exaggeratingly stretched his back and rolled his eyes at Skinner to give a convincing show of frustration, "You said the aliens forced you to stalk Fox Mulder and feed him false information for the past ten years. Right?" Deliberately keeping his self-satisfaction from surfacing on his face, Follmer was more than a little impressed with himself and his ability to make a bargain with their suspect while, at the same time, completely snowing Skinner. He was more than sure that his counterpart had no idea where his true loyalties lay.

"YES!!! YES!!!" Marita cried in impatient anxiety as her eyes darted wildly about the room-thereby fulfilling her obligatory role and bargain with Follmer, "Haven't you been listening to anything I've said!?!? They've been controlling me." Becoming almost hysterical, she frantically shot out a finger toward Skinner and screeched," .and before long they'll control YOU TOO!!!" Although you would never guess it from her agitated appearance, Marita was simply biding her time for the right moment to take full advantage of her supposed "deal" with the younger A.D. While he may've thought he had her just where he wanted her, the truth was, she was just waiting to spring her trap.

"I'm sure," Follmer replied with a smirk as he raised an eyebrow. He was about to give a further display of his 'annoyed skepticism' when the exterior door unexpectedly opened and a pair of very young Agents stepped into the interrogation room.

Startled by the sight of both A.D Skinner and A.D. Follmer interrogating a prisoner when any average field agent could do it, the male Agent stammered awkwardly, forcing his female counterpart to quickly interrupt and explain their presence. Speaking directly to Skinner, she stridently began, "Sir, you asked to be informed when forensics had completed their analysis of the package our Ms. Covarrubias' attempted to hand off to our operative, Mr. Mulder?"

"Yes, Agent Carrera," Skinner replied, standing from his chair to face her and simultaneously stretch his aching back.

"Well sir," Carrera responded, fishing a sheet of paper from the file folder in the male agent's hands, "Here's the synopsis of their findings. Not much to report on, only a videotape the content of which runs along the same lines as the 'alien autopsy' ilk."

"Alien autopsy?!?" Skinner retorted, immediately realizing its potential significance to the Mulder family as he brusquely snatched the paper from the startled Agent's hands, "Let me see that." Quickly scanning the summary and immediately dissatisfied with the scant amount of information it provided, Skinner looked up and tersely demanded, "Where is this videotape now?"

"Down in the analysis division," Carrera replied quickly, looking quizzically at her partner and wondering why the A.D. was suddenly so interested in a third-rate imitation of a decades old media stunt.

"Good. So it's still intact," Skinner muttered as he pulled his blazer from the back of the chair and slid it over his shoulders, "I want to see it right now- personally." Quickly gulping down the remnants of his stale coffee, he crumpled the Styrofoam cup in one hand and dropped it in the garbage can before heading toward the door without another word. Then, turning back to Follmer as almost an afterthought he added, "You can handle the interrogation from here on out can't you Follmer?"

Smirking triumphantly at the prospect of being left solely in charge of his new and enigmatic but extremely valuable ally , Follmer leaned back in his chair and crossed his arms smugly before chuckling, "Sure Walter. I think I can manage."

Ignoring Follmer's disrespectful familiarity, Skinner rolled his eyes with a slight snort before turning back toward the door and laughing, "Good. Operating unsupervised and without backup should be a nice change of pace for you, Follmer. Do well and maybe you won't need me to bail you out next time."

Immediately, Follmer's lips curled violently downward in angry displeasure at Skinner's offhanded reference to the morning's near fiasco. Despite his rising temper, he said nothing. After all, there were still two junior Agents present and he didn't want to tarnish his reputation with any reaction other than good-natured amusement.

Disregarding Follmer and speaking directly to the pair of Agents as he crossed the room, Skinner firmly commanded, "Carrera. Pendrell. You're with me." In response, the pair of young Agents instantly moved to follow him.

Still maintaining her facade of insanity while silently watching the A.D.s' subtle, testosterone driven pissing contest end abruptly before her eyes, Marita suddenly realized exactly what Skinner intended to do. He didn't just want to examine the tape, he was planning on viewing its contents. Instantly, Marita knew that she had to do everything in her power to keep Skinner from viewing that tape while she was still under arrest. He was the One person in a position of power who would understand exactly its implications for the Mulder family and be able to do something about it. Although that particular eventuality was an expected outcome of Marita's plan-especially once Mulder started grading the papers from his class-being in FBI custody and available for further questioning when it happened definitely WASN'T. The game plan had changed dramatically and she needed to delay the inevitable until after she was free. Thinking quickly, she realized that perhaps being forced into an uneasy alliance with an arrogant and dirty A.D. could work to her advantage. After all, his expectations were something she could now exploit.

Suddenly leaping to her feet as Skinner's hand closed on the doorknob, Marita counted on the element of surprise as she lunged forward and threw herself across the table. Taken off guard, Follmer was to slow to catch her. She'd almost succeeded in reaching Skinner but fell just inches short when Follmer finally struggled to his feet and grabbed hold of her. Now, seeming to be totally out of control as she desperately clawed at Skinner who remained just beyond her grasp, Marita frantically shrieked, "NO!! YOU CAN'T LEAVE ME ALONE WITH HIM!! HE'S AN ALIEN!!!! HE'LL KILL ME!!!"

Reacting quickly, Skinner immediately took a defensive posture while Carrera and Pendrell's hands each instinctively went for their weapons. Follmer, rapidly forced Marita, face-first, to the ground and subdued her with an arm lock. Furious at having been taken by surprise, Follmer took his bitter frustration out on the person nearest to him as he glared up angrily and barked, "CUFFS!! Pendrell, give me your handcuffs, NOW!!"

"NOOOO!!!!!!" Marita simultaneously screamed at the top of her lungs in a voice half-muffled by the hard tile floor against which Follmer pressed her doll- like features as she kicked violently to free herself.

Dumbstruck for a moment by the sight before him, Pendrell paused momentarily before reacting to Follmer's command. Quickly taking his cuffs from his belt, he rapidly tossed them to the young A.D. who caught them in one hand.

"Delay like that in the field," Follmer seethed menacingly at Pendrell, his ego still smarting from his lapse in vigilance as he deftly snapped the cuffs on Marita before roughly lifting her to her feet, "and you may as well lay down in a grave next to your 'sainted' older brother right now!"

Taken aback by the A.D.'s vitriolic words, Pendrell's mouth dropped open in disbelief before he stammered in a scalding mixture of anger and shame, "I'm sorry sir. It won't happen again."

"Make sure that it doesn't," Follmer bit in disgust as he clamped his hands forcefully over Marita's struggling shoulders and tried unsuccessfully to return their prisoner to her seat. Angry and somewhat rattled by his inability to overcome Marita's fierce resistance, Follmer impatiently growled, "Pendrell, Carrera, your assistance please!"

Springing forward, the pair instantly moved to help him and the three of them managed to sit Marita down in Follmer's newly righted chair.

"SKINNER!!" Marita shrieked wildly, completely ignoring her captors as she struggled ferociously against Follmer's grip, "DON'T LEAVE ME LIKE THIS!! PROTECT ME!!! PLEASE!!!"

Regarding her coolly, Skinner turned from the door and slowly walked back toward her. Closing in on her and stopping just inches from her pleading eyes, he carefully studied her face with the detachment of a surgeon. Within seconds, he saw exactly what he suspected would be there. At the recognition, a sly grin unconsciously stole across his face. It was plain as the nose on his face that, this time, Marita's fear was genuine. The question was: why? Quickly drawing his own conclusions on the issue, Skinner knew instinctively that there was something on that tape that she didn't want him to see. Instantly, he understood that the sooner he saw that mysterious videotape, the better.

Looking wryly into Marita's icy, cerulean blue eyes, he softly drawled, "Why Ms. Covarrubias, if I didn't know better, I'd say that you're trying to keep me here as part of your own dark agenda." As his crafty grin grew even wider, he gently crooned, "You should be more careful. One might just get the impression that you're perfectly lucid after all." With that, he abruptly turned his back and again headed for the door.

"SKINNER!!!" Marita screamed after him desperately, "DON'T LEAVE ME ALONE WITH HIM!!!"

Stopping in mid stride, Skinner turned and smiled knowingly, "Don't worry, Ms. Covarrubias. I won't." Then addressing the two Agents, he continued, "Carrera, you stay here with the A.D. and keep our frightened prisoner company. Pendrell, you're with me."

Just then, the door opened and two more agents, who had been observing from behind the two-way mirror in the adjacent room, burst in to render their assistance.

Barely able to suppress a chuckle at the absolutely perfect timing, Skinner smirked at Marita as he headed out the door, "There. Now you have more than enough people between you and our young A.D. That should more than assuage your concerns." Hesitating for just a moment, a very confused Pendrell quickly nodded to his partner before following closely behind.

"Nice of you gentlemen to finally join us," Follmer bit sarcastically at the newly arrived pair. As the Agents sputtered nervously in an effort to explain their delay, Follmer silenced them with a dismissive wave of his hand. "Don't bother with excuses. At the moment, we have much more pressing concerns."

Looking down at the now cowering Marita with a furious glint in his eyes, Follmer resolved to teach her a lesson that she wouldn't soon forget. She wouldn't get out of their little deal so easily. With a slightly imperious tone in his voice, he turned toward his Agents and began, "This prisoner is obviously unstable and we just aren't equipped to deal with the kind of violent and delusional behavior she's been exhibiting. So to protect our Agents and Ms. Covarrubias from herself, it would seem that the best thing would be to take her down to county. There, they have the proper type of restraints and can also give her a formal psych evaluation." Then, turning his eyes pointedly toward Marita, Follmer stridently commanded, "Prepare the prisoner for transport. I want her ready to go within the hour."

Starting, the two male agents immediately sprung into action. However, Carrera remained perfectly still, with a confused expression on her face as she gazed quizzically at Follmer.

Taking notice of Carrera's conspicuous delay as the two male Agents diligently prepared Marita behind him, Follmer raised an eyebrow at her and pointedly continued, "You must have a question, Agent Carrera, because I KNOW you wouldn't deliberately ignore a direct order."

"Yes, sir.I mean.no sir.I." Carrera shakily stammered as she desperately sought to explain herself and her inaction. She knew that it must've seemed like insubordination to the young A.D., so she really needed to say SOMETHING. Taking a deep breath and letting it out slowly, she forced herself to calm down as she hoarsely continued, "I DO have a question sir."

"WELL SPIT IT OUT CARRERA!!" Follmer bit, narrowing his eyes angrily, "We have work to do."

"Y-yes sir," Carrera replied quickly, considerably flustered by the A.D.'s hostile tone, "I know sir. It's.it's just that.that."

"Sir, it's just that A.D. Skinner was the arresting officer and the Agents of record on this case are both under his direct supervision."

"Well, sir," Carrera continued tightly, bristling slightly under the A.D.'s condescending tones, "Shouldn't he be consulted or at least apprised before we transfer her? Bureau policy dictates that."

"I don't need YOU to lecture ME on Bureau policy, Agent," Follmer growled tersely. Then, realizing that his demeaning approach was drawing the unwelcome and negative attention of the other two Agents, he quickly changed gears and took on a much more understanding and soothing tone. "Look," Follmer continued smoothly, steering Carrera toward the door as he gently laid a hand on her shoulder, "I know you're only a year out of the Academy and still a bit green, Carrera. Not as bad as Pendrell, mind you, but green all the same. So, I know you're not as familiar with how the Bureau operates in practice as the rest of us. Let me assure you that this is completely routine." Then seeing a hint of doubtful uncertainty behind Carrera's eyes, he turned on the charm and added with a grin and a chuckle, "But, if it would make you feel better, you can go ahead and contact A.D. Skinner just to let him know what we're doing. Hopefully, he won't be too annoyed by the interruption."

Unsure of herself and now questioning her footing in Bureau policy, it took Carrera only a few seconds to back down. "No, sir," she stammered weakly, "That won't be necessary." Then, retreating into the hallway, she softly finished, "I'll go fill out the transfer paperwork."

"Very good Carrera," Follmer called after her with a smug grin, "We'll meet you down there as soon as we've finished securing and prepping the prisoner for transfer." Although he was smiling broadly at her, Carrera's unmitigated gall at questioning his authority internally incensed Follmer. "Damn uppity little bitch," he thought venomously as he distractedly turned back to watch the two Agents stand Marita from her chair and hustle her into the hallway, "That little girl needs to learn the consequences of pissing into the wind." Silently pondering the best way to teach Carrera that lesson, Follmer quickly trailed the trio as they headed down to prisoner processing.

Meanwhile, being led forcibly to the elevators, Marita had a difficult time maintaining her frighten demeanor while simultaneously keeping any signs of victory from creeping into her expression. The game had played out better than she could've ever hoped. Follmer was too distracted with trying to teach both her and the spirited Agent Carrera a lesson to realize that he'd fallen right into her trap. At the same time, Skinner had been all too easily duped into believing that she was more concerned with keeping the contents of the video from him than securing her own freedom. These facts, coupled with the A.D.s' mutual animosity, did much to forward her plans. Now that she was on her way out of FBI headquarters and to the MUCH LESS secure County mental hospital, she had a golden opportunity to make good her escape. All she had to do was be patient and wait. It was only a matter of time before Follmer made yet another arrogant mistake-a mistake that would cost him dearly.

"You're kidding, right?" Russ skeptically snorted with a grin and half-laugh after Mulder finished telling his tale. Watching their boys playing safely on the park swings only a few feet away, Russ was quite mindful of his friend's past pranks as he continued with a chuckle "No offense, Fox, but it's just like you to try and pull my chain with another wild story about your crazy FBI exploits." Then, shaking his head in disbelief, he laughed, "Aliens, clones and replicants, eh? Sure, and I'm Luke Skywalker and ET all rolled into one!"

"Russ," Mulder replied slowly in a deadly serious tone, "It's all true-every last word. I swear." Then recognizing the familiar smirk spreading helplessly across Russ' face, Mulder's heart sank. All at once, he knew that he'd pulled one too many pranks during their three year friendship for Russ to easily believe him now-especially considering the seemingly ridiculous subject matter. With genuine desperation in his eyes, Mulder earnestly pleaded, "Look, you have to believe me. I'm not making this up and we really need your help!!"

Eyeing Mulder skeptically, unsure of whether or not the fear he saw in his friend's eyes was genuine or just another put on, Russ raised an eyebrow and tried to discern the truth with his trained gaze. "So, you REALLY expect me to believe that this Spender weirdo is part of a worldwide conspiracy to prepare the planet for colonization by aliens and that YOUR son, little Will, is the key to all of it?!?"

"Yes," came Mulder's deadpan reply, with only the slightest hint of passionate desperation behind his eyes. Truth be told, Mulder was still reeling from the horrific realization that he himself had come to only minutes earlier. While he was doing his best to come to terms with it, if Russ couldn't believe him, then odds were that few others would.

While Russ could plainly see the turmoil in his best friend's eyes, he couldn't help but doubt Mulder's sincerity. After all, Fox was the consummate actor-especially when it came to practical jokes. No, he wasn't going to be reeled in THAT easily. Mulder was going to have to do much better than that if he wanted to pull one over on Russ this time. Then, out of the corner of his eye, Russ unexpectedly caught sight of Scully emerging from the Shelby Academy with a scowl on her face.

Squinting toward the park as she angrily shook her head, Scully quickly spotted them and began to move rapidly in their direction, pausing only to look both ways before crossing the street.

"I'll tell ya what," Russ chuckled playfully, nodding toward Scully and certain he was about to call Mulder's bluff, "if your better half comes up with this same line of bull, I'll THINK about believing you." Holding out his hand and not expecting to be taken up on the offer, he grinned, "Deal?"

"Deal," Mulder replied soberly as he turned to watch Scully storming toward them. He knew full well that she would completely corroborate everything he'd just told Russ. Hopefully, Russ would believe their incredible story once heard it from Scully's own lips.

"Mulder, that woman is a COMPLETE MORON!!" Scully growled angrily as she crossed the park green toward the two of them, "I don't know why we ever brought Will here in the first place."

"Not good news, I take it," Mulder grimaced as he could read the irate disgust in Scully's expression from even that distance.

Shaking her head with a fair amount of acrimony, she slowed her pace as she closed in on them and barked, "Spender was posing as a prospective client-claiming he had a grandson that he would soon be taking care of." Not realizing the horrific chill this news sent up Mulder's spine-particularly given his earlier conversation with Will, Scully hotly continued, "But it gets even better. He wormed his way even further into her confidence by posing as an interested suitor who was more than happy to supply her 'modest little business' with the most state-of- the-art security equipment available." With a disgusted snort, she added, "and all at wholesale cost to boot!"

"You mean HE'S the one behind all the heightened security!?!?" Mulder blurted incredulously. Then, after a moment's pause and with a definite note of trepidation in his voice, he continued, "Why the hell would he do that?"

"He had the PERFECT opportunity to take Will if he wanted to. I mean, he had virtually unlimited access to the facility. By heightening security, he made it all but impossible for him to make off with anyone-let alone Will. Why do that if you're planning an abduction?"

"Well, isn't it obvious?" Scully responded with a raised eyebrow and an unconscious shiver, "He wanted to keep tabs on Will's schedule-to know when you would drop him off, pick him up, and when he was most vulnerable." With a simultaneously angry and fearful look in her eyes, she soberly continued, "He was casing the place and ensuring his access to our son, Mulder, plain and simple. So that when the time was right, he could..." She broke off with a shudder, unable to finish that horrific thought.

"No, I don't think so, Scully," Mulder disagreed, shaking his head thoughtfully as his brow furrowed deeply, "If that were true, he could've done it much less obtrusively so that we would be none the wiser until it was too late. We BOTH know that."

As the vivid memory of how the super soldiers had kept her under observation for years without her even knowing flashed across her mind, Scully instantly understood exactly what Mulder meant. Nodding her assent slowly, she had no logical choice but to accept his interpretation.

"No," Mulder continued, "he SPECIFICALLY wanted to draw attention to the fact that Will is well-guarded and under constant surveillance at preschool." Then, narrowing his eyes in confusion, Mulder helplessly sighed, "The question is why?"

"Not to butt in," Russ interjected thoughtfully, having heard more than enough from Scully to believe everything that Mulder had told him, "but maybe this guy was just trying to make sure that Will stayed put. You know, protect the valuables by keeping them where they belong-out of reach."

His lips curling downward at the thought and its resultant implications, Mulder slowly replied, "You may be right, Russ, but that implies that there's something OTHER than the Consortium with a vested interest here. Was he just trying to keep Will in or keep something else OUT?"

"Oh, God," Scully gasped tightly, the fear readily apparent behind her eyes, "The magnetite. It could have settled out of the water supply by now." As the color drained from her face, she hoarsely whispered, "You don't think that the super soldiers have returned, do you?"

"Maybe. Maybe not," Mulder replied soberly, "It could also be a defense against an alien bounty hunter, the faceless rebels or even a rival faction of the Syndicate. I mean, you know how secretive the Russians were about their breakthrough with the vaccine. Who knows to what lengths our fellow human beings would be willing to go to save their own skin?!"

"Surely not to the length of harming an innocent child!?!?" Russ blurted in helpless incredulity. During all his years with the DEA, he'd never seen anything approaching that degree of heinousness. Even drug dealers and suppliers had their limits.

Knowing in vivid detail the dark deeds perpetrated against the Mulder and Scully families by Syndicate lackeys, Scully blinked back tears as she cast her eyes to the ground and hoarsely bit, "Yes. That and more."

Exhaling slowly, Mulder bit his lower lip before looking sadly into his wife's watery eyes and softly murmuring, "We can't go it alone this time. We need help."

"Well, you have mine and Julia's," Russ stated firmly, as he laid an assuring hand on each of their shoulders, "I guarantee it. No matter what it takes, we're both here for you."

"Thanks, Russ." Mulder smiled weakly, "I can't tell you how much that means to us."

"Hey, what are friends for if not to help their best buds get to the heart of a global conspiracy?" Russ grinned broadly, trying to lighten the somber mood before their innocent boys picked up on it. Then playfully winking at the two of them, Russ turned to head toward the boys as he chuckled, "Now, why don't I go and collect our little band of ruffians while you two call in the cavalry."

Mulder smirked in genuine appreciation of Russ' astute observation, perception and instinct-skills that his friend had undoubtedly acquired and honed during his time with the DEA. Then, looking at Scully as he pulled the cell phone from his front coat pocket, Mulder stoically sighed, "You want to call John and Monica while I buzz Skinner?"

"Yeah," Scully murmured softly as she pulled out her own cell phone, "I just hope, for everyone's sake, that we're just being paranoid." Yet, even as the words escaped her lips, Scully knew all too well that her hope was futile and their fears were more than justified.

Without her even having to say it, Mulder knew that too. But that knowledge couldn't change the most desperate wishes of both their hearts. Looking wincingly into her eyes as he gently raised a hand to caress her cheek, Mulder wistfully sighed, "Me too."

Exchanging that silent, mournful gaze, they both knew for certain that, not only was their normal life over, but that they'd never had it in the first place. Undoubtedly, it had all been just an illusion-a beautiful dream from which they were now being jolted awake by the reality of their situation. Only now, they would have to pay the price for having dared to dream.

Sitting stiffly in her usual chair busily "de-racooning" herself with the aid of her compact mirror and a handiwipe, Reyes now felt more than a little embarrassed by how completely she had lost control of herself and her frazzled emotions. Although she trusted Doggett completely, that wasn't the point. She'd never become so unhinged before in her entire life-especially not at work. She wasn't usually so damned emotional and certainly didn't want Doggett to now think she was some kind of fragile little flower that needed protecting-particularly given the new turn their relationship had taken in the past few days. Grimacing at herself in the mirror, she murmured acrimoniously, "Nice going, Monica. If you thought John was protective of you before, you're in for a rude awakening. You ain't seen nothing yet."

Only a few minutes earlier, the two of them had emerged from the darkness of the adjacent storage room. For what seemed like mere minutes but was actually a little more than an hour, Doggett had simply held her as she sobbed in his arms-finally releasing all of her pent-up anxiety from the highly stressful morning. While she had admitted her darkest, most shameful secrets to Doggett, Reyes had still been unable to bring herself to tell him the full truth of why Marita's words had so unnerved her.

Knowing that she still had a lot more to tell her partner, Reyes shook her head slowly and muttered to herself, "Just wait until he hears the rest of the story. He'll never want to let you out of his sight again."

At least she was still able reassure herself with the fact that this particular discussion could wait for another day. Now, as her stomach began to rumble from hunger pangs, Reyes was, for once, extremely glad to be the beneficiary of Doggett's highly protective nature. Shortly after gingerly sitting her down in her chair and kissing her tenderly on the forehead, Doggett had gone to pick up their take-out lunch. Instinctively knowing that Reyes wouldn't want to emerge from the safe haven of his office with reddened eyes and a tear-streaked face, Doggett had taken it upon himself to phone in their order to the corner deli while they were still huddled together in the darkness.

Giving Reyes a gentle squeeze, he'd looked down at her and softly whispered, "You getting hungry, Monica?"

Nodding weakly against his chest, she'd said nothing as she wrapped her arms more tightly around his body.

Taking out his cell phone with one hand and extending its antenna with his teeth, he hit the speed dial to order his standard Rueben and her favorite seafood pita wrap. Minutes later, Doggett slowly walked a still sniffling Reyes into light of the main office before deliberately volunteering to pick up their take out order as a somewhat transparent excuse to give her a little privacy while she pulled herself back together and repaired her ruined makeup.

Now alone with her thoughts in the lonely office, Reyes gave her face one final inspection as she reflected on her earlier conversation with Mulder and the inexplicable link that they seemed to share.

Frowning into the mirror, Reyes' eyes darkened as she pondered how they could possibly be connected-especially given that they'd been acquainted with one another for more than four years. If some strange bond had been there all along, why had it taken such a long time to surface?

Snapping her compact closed with one hand and slipping it into her pocket, Reyes stood to gently stretch her fatigued neck and back. Bending backward slightly to pop her vertebrae back into alignment, Reyes looked up at the forest of pencils on the ceiling. She couldn't help but grin at how childishly playful she and Dana's husband had become in the space of just a few minutes-just like a couple of overgrown kids. She imagined that such frivolity must be what it would've been like to have a brother.

Suddenly wishing that she hadn't been an only child, she wistfully smirked up at the ceiling, "Wow, I'll bet you would've made a great brother, Fox."

Then, as she slowly righted herself, Reyes' eyes glided from the ceiling and down the wall, coming to rest on the bank of filing cabinets lined up across from her. Gazing at them quizzically, a shadow quickly passed over Reyes' face as it occurred to her that Mulder actually DID have a sister-a sister who had disappeared mysteriously decades earlier and was now presumed dead. "God," she murmured as she guiltily straightened her back, "I can't believe I forgot about that."

Suddenly, an inexplicable curiosity about the adored little girl who had been Fox Mulder's boyhood playmate and longtime obsession overtook her and Reyes crossed cautiously to the filing cabinets that beckoned innocuously to her from the other side of the room. As if drawn by a magnet, her eyes sought out the "M" drawer where any files on Mulder's missing sister would be stored. Exhaling heavily, she softly whispered, "Jeez Monica, this is really none of your business. Just let sleeping dogs lie."

Yet, despite her own admonishing words, Reyes' hand still drifted helplessly to the drawer pull. She just couldn't resist the sudden and inexplicable urge that tugged at her consciousness. Taking a deep breath, she tightened her grip on the cool metal handle and gave it a gentle tug. As the drawer slid open with a creaking clang, the file folders crashed forward with a small billow of dust.

Squinting through the scratchy cloud as she waved her free hand to disperse it, Reyes knew that she should just shut the drawer and forget the whole idea.

After all, it WAS Mulder's affair and one that had long been over and done with-undoubtedly forgotten.

Yet, Reyes couldn't help herself as she reached tentatively into the cabinet and righted the askew folders. Thumbing through them slowly, her hand slowly came to the one that was labeled 'Mulder, Samantha.' Given that it was the only file marked Mulder in the entire drawer, she correctly reasoned that this was undoubtedly the one she was looking for.

Biting her lower lip, Reyes suddenly felt a tiny shard of apprehensive fear slice through her. But why should she be worried? What could she possibly have to be afraid of here? It was just the file of a girl who had died tragically a very long time ago.

What possible ramifications could it have for her in the here and now? Dismissing the pangs with a deliberate shrug, Reyes firmly squared her shoulders and quickly pulled the file from its resting place.

Laying it gingerly across the top of the drawer and remaining files, Reyes flipped Samantha's case file open and faced the mysterious ghost child from Mulder's past. She wasn't quite prepared for what she saw.

Looking up at her from the pages of the dusty portfolio, Samantha Mulder's image stared back at Reyes and transfixed her instantly. Samantha wasn't exactly what Reyes had been expecting-not that she could have actually articulated what she WAS expecting.

She was more than a little surprised to see that the little girl before her had none of the terror or fear she'd always presumed would be there. Based on Scully's brief description of what she and Mulder believed the child must've gone through before her ultimate death, she just expected that Samantha Mulder would have a haunted look about her-as if she somehow had some premonition of her ultimate fate.

Instead, the little girl's deep blue eyes were dancing and jubilant. Her rosy cheeks framed by long black ringlets simply glowed with happiness and joy.

She seemed like a tiny puppy or kitten that was completely overtaken with the abject joy of simply being alive.

Then, all at once, it hit her. Those eyes, that face, it all seemed too eerily familiar for comfort.

Quickly pulling the compact from her pocket, Reyes again flipped it open and carefully compared her own face to the decades old photo of Samantha Mulder. It was unquestionable. Even though she was a grown woman, Reyes could clearly see that bore a striking resemblance to that little girl.

Jarred somewhat by the uncanny likeness, Reyes tore her eyes from the picture to quickly scan the brief paragraph that comprised the case summary on the opposite page. Noting a reference to a report by one Dr. Heitz Werber, warning bells of recognition instantly went off in Reyes' mind. That was the exact same Doctor that Mulder had told her, just hours earlier, that she needed to see. Fumbling in her haste with the yellowed papers, she quickly turned to that particular page of the file, kicking up another small cloud of dust in the process.

Reading it voraciously, Reyes learned, for the first time, the full details of Fox Mulder's treatment by Dr. Werber and the startling facts his hypnotic regression sessions had revealed. Reyes' stomach tightened into a small knot as she read the detailed description of how Samantha had been taken from their family home-carried off into the night by a blinding beam of light as she screamed desperately for her brother who was he was frozen in place and completely powerless to help her.

Acutely aware of the remarkable similarity between Mulder's hypnotic description and her own recent vision, Reyes could hardly breathe as she turned to the next page of the case file. What she saw there stole her breath completely away.

Looking up at her from the dusty pages were the faces of two smiling children-the same girl and an older boy. Instantly, she knew from the resemblance that the boy was Fox Mulder and that this must be the same image that Scully said he'd kept on his desk for years. All at once, she could see the terrible toll that Samantha's disappearance had taken on the boy who would later become Dana's husband. Even though Mulder had been through with the FBI and the X-Files for several years now, Reyes had never seen such a relaxed and carefree look in Mulder's eyes as she did in that decades old picture. Looking quickly at the dates listed on the report and on the back of the photograph, she could see that only a few days separated the two events. With that knowledge, Reyes' heart simply ached to see the image of the boy Mulder had been before...before.

Yet, as Reyes continued to gaze at the picture, she slowly realized that there was much more to her pain than mere empathy. It was an overwhelming sense of loss-a personal loss that made no sense to her whatsoever.

Deliberately turning her attention from Fox to Samantha, Reyes carefully scrutinized the girl's face-intent on finding some clue to her own inexplicable feelings. The girl's expression was virtually identical to that of the previous photo.

Nothing seemed to have changed. She was about to give up on her hunch when, suddenly, Reyes saw something that she hadn't noticed before. Looking intently into Samantha's eyes, she discerned just the slightest hint of a dark shadow reflected in the girl's otherwise happy gaze. It was the exact same shadow that Reyes had seen in her own gaze just moments earlier.

That recognition coupled with the other seemingly impossible similarities sent a horrific chill racing up Reyes' spine.

Taken aback by her own physical reaction, Reyes abruptly slammed the folder shut to banish the now haunting image of Samantha Mulder from her sight.

Standing there clenching the sides of the cabinet drawer in her shaking hands as she strove to catch her breath and slow her racing heart, Reyes vehemently told herself that it was nothing more than a mere coincidence. Reigning in her terrified impulses, Reyes tried to reason with herself. After all, she could mentally account for ALL of her childhood-from her first day of preschool to her last day of high school. She had no missing time. There were no gaps in her memory. Moreover, Samantha Mulder had disappeared at the age of eight whereas she could remember events from early childhood-well before she was five-and they had absolutely nothing to do with Mulder or his family. Therefore, it was simply impossible for her dark fears and suspicions to be true.

But then again, Reyes thought-playing her own devil's advocate, she'd actually never seen any pictures of herself as a child. Her adoptive parents had told her that all of their family pictures-including those from her infancy through her twelfth birthday-had been lost in a flash flood that all but destroyed their Mexican valley Hacienda back in '79. Yet, despite their assurances that she had indeed seen those pictures on numerous occasions before their destruction, she couldn't remember them-no matter how hard she tried.

Thinking more about it, Reyes COULD picture the red leather photo album and vividly recall her parents' wedding picture but when it came to images and keepsakes from the early milestones in her own life, everything came up fuzzy. Her first day of school, her first communion, school plays-all of that was shadowy and uncertain. For example, while she could say with certainty that her third grade class had put on a production of "The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe," she couldn't say for certain what her costume was or even which part she'd played. Was that information simply lost in the jumble of her life experience or did its absence mean something?

What if her memories were only false ones planted in her mind by the same people who had taken her from her original family? The possibilities were frightening.

"Stop it Monica," she growled angrily to herself as she banished these horrific thoughts from her mind, "you're being ridiculous. If your suspicions were true, it would have to mean that your parents have been lying to you for your entire life and I just am not willing to accept that possibility. It's just impossible!" Besides, she reasoned silently, logically, Martha's Vineyard was just too far from Texas and Mexico. It seemed highly unlikely that ANYONE would go to that much trouble to hide a missing girl-especially given the number of kids that turned up dead in a ditch or sold on the black market in any given year. Why would anyone be bothered to ensure that one lost little girl amongst thousands had a "happy" ending with a prosperous family?

Slamming the drawer shut and resolved not to think about it any more, Reyes turned around just in time to see Doggett come through the door with their lunch.

"Well you're lookin' a lot better," Doggett laughed with a lopsided grin as the door swung shut behind him.

"Gee, thanks!" Reyes smirked with playful sarcasm as she leaned back against the filing cabinet, deliberately putting on a bright smile to cover her own troubling thoughts, "you really know how to make a girl feel confident about her looks."

"Yeah, well it's all part of the job," Doggett laughed as he crossed over to his partner with a bemused grimace. Then, handing Reyes her sandwich and drink, he continued more seriously and with a hint of concern in his eyes, "but even your 50 megawatt smile can't hide the fact that something's still bothering you."

"Oh no you don't," Reyes laughed as she retreated with her food over to Doggett's desk and took a seat in her regular chair, "You aren't going to make me talk on an empty stomach."

Narrowing his eyes playfully as his gaze followed her across the room, he countered, "Well, the last time I checked, human beings WERE capable of having lunch and talking at the same time. So, I just thought."

Looking back up at him saucily as she took a large bite of her seafood wrap, Reyes, with her mouth full, interrupted him, "Can't talk, John. Eating." As she spoke, small bits of food spewed from her mouth before she embarrassingly covered it with a napkin.

Rolling his eyes with a mildly disgusted grimace as he sat down to unwrap his Rueben sandwich, Doggett replied with a snort, "Jeez Monica, Miss Manners' got nothing on you."

Grinning up at him from over her sandwich, Reyes shot him a wink, swallowed hard and laughed, "This coming from the man who thinks that relieving oneself into an empty Coke bottle is perfectly acceptable when on stakeout!?"

Laughing out loud and nearly choking on his bite of sandwich, Doggett retorted, "Aw, you're just jealous cause you can't do it." Then, with a chuckle, he continued, "Besides, when you are in an area where winos and druggies shoot up, vomit and defecate on the street at will, pissing into a bottle in the privacy of your own car is positively refined."

Now it was her turn to smirk in mild disgust as she haughtily replied, "Ugh. John, I AM trying to eat here!" Then, with a playful wink, she crooned before taking another bite, "So stop talking and put that mouth of yours to a better use before I have to come over there and take matters into my own hands."

"Yes ma'am," Doggett laughed with a flushed grin-deliberately letting the unintentional albeit glaring sexual connotation of her words pass by seemingly unnoticed as he took another bite of his Rueben, "You won't hear another word from me."

"Good," Reyes smirked with her mouth full, realizing from Doggett's reddened ears how her last words must've sounded. Shrugging it off, Reyes couldn't help but be relieved. She knew full well that Doggett had seen right through her avoidance and subterfuge but was still letting it slide-giving her all the space and time she needed to tell him the rest of her story.

She was also happy to see that Doggett wasn't walking on eggshells either. He'd continued to give as good as he got-telling her without saying a word that his opinion of her and her capabilities hadn't changed just because her emotions had briefly gotten the better of her. Grateful beyond words for his understanding, Reyes grinned over at Doggett before turning her full attention back to her sandwich. It was strange, but with John in the room, all of her fears seemed to just melt away into oblivion.

Falling into an easy and comfortable silence, the two of them quietly enjoyed their lunch and one another's company as the minutes ticked by.

Yet as the two of them were finishing their meal and Reyes was about to suggest that they return to Marita and the interrogation room, the shrill ring of Doggett's cell phone abruptly shattered their relaxed tranquility.

Taken somewhat by surprise, Doggett grimaced apologetically at Reyes as he reached for his phone.

Not even bothering to check the LCD before answering it, he flipped it open with an eye roll and, in a voice that reflected his mild annoyance, he replied, "Doggett."

Perplexed and concerned, Reyes watched as Doggett's expression changed drastically-from one of impatient inconvenience to outright worry and concern.

Meeting Reyes' quizzical gaze, Doggett looked confused but extremely anxious as he interrupted the caller, "Hold on a second. Slow down Dana. Just what are you saying?"

Dana? So it was Scully calling, Reyes mused to herself. Raising an eyebrow, Reyes confusedly wondered, if Scully was in some kind of trouble, why she hadn't phoned her instead of Doggett. After all, the two of them were much closer than Dana ever was to Doggett. Then reaching for her own cell phone, Reyes suddenly remembered.

Trying to keep his voice calm, he replied, "Monica's right here. She's fine. She just had her cell phone turned off-that's all. So, don't worry about her, okay?" Then taking a deep breath, Doggett stoically continued, "Now, tell me again from the beginning.

"WILL AND SPENDER?!?!" Reyes' mind reeled as she heard the words but didn't want to believe them. For a moment, Reyes prayed that she'd heard wrong as her heart plunged into the pit of her stomach. She and Doggett had just discussed the Spenders on Friday.

Instantly, she knew that any involvement of that family with Mulder and Scully's small son could not be a good thing. Quickly dropping the remnants of her sandwich on the desk, Reyes jumped to her feet and furrowed her brow in concern as she anxiously motioned for Doggett to hand over the phone.

Vigorously waving her hand away as he shook his head with a deep, almost snarling frown, Doggett continued to listen intently to what Scully had to say while Reyes could only sit by and wait helplessly for news of what had happened.

"Okay. Okay," Doggett replied, nodding his head in agreement even though there was no way that Scully could see him, "That sounds like a good plan. I'll get a couple of teams out there ASAP-one to the preschool and one to your house. Meanwhile, you and Mulder need to get some bags together, retrieve Will from your friend and get here on the double. The Bureau will be able to set you guys up in a temporary safe house while we figure out what we can do."

After a long pause that, to Reyes, seemed like an eternity, Doggett continued, "Good. Good. So Mulder's talking to Skinner right now? Then, we'll touch base with him before we do anything else."

Then shaking his head ruefully, Doggett added assuringly, "Don't worry Dana, we'll get answers out of that woman one way or the other. I promise."

Then, after a short silence, Doggett rubbed his forehead with one hand as he sighed, "Okay then, be careful and we'll see you here soon," before hanging up the phone and gazing soberly up at his partner.

The adrenaline pumping through her veins as her heartbeat deafeningly pounded in her ears, Reyes stared expectantly at Doggett before blurting, "WELL?!?! What happened?!?!"

Standing quickly from his desk and pulling on his blazer, Doggett bit his lower lip as he darted out the door, "C.G.B. Spender. That's what happened.

Slamming the office door shut behind her as she anxiously trailed down the hallway after her partner, Reyes bit angrily, her voice full of worried concern, "Well I got THAT much, John!! What I need to know are the details and what we're planning to do about it!!!"

"I'll fill you in on the way there," Doggett replied tersely as he repeatedly stabbed at the elevator call button with his forefinger, his own voice laden with terrible worry and dread.

"ON THE WAY WHERE!?!?!?" Reyes bellowed furiously, dangerously teetering on the verge of completely losing her temper from the pent up anxiety and concern at being inexplicably kept in the dark.

"On the way to get answers out of the one source of information we have available to us," Doggett turned and replied evenly as the elevator doors chimed open, "one Marita Covarrubias."

Staring at him numbly as he stepped onto the elevator, Reyes was rooted in place, her mouth agape but completely stunned into silence.

"Monica, we don't have time to waste. You comin' or not?!?" Doggett demanded impatiently as he waited, staring menacingly at her from the elevator.

"Yeah," Reyes replied quickly, jumping aboard just as the doors slid shut, "I just.I didn't.oh God.poor Will." Reyes voice trailed off in sudden empathy for Fox and Dana. After all the two of them had been through, they more than anyone deserved the generous measure of happiness they'd finally found. Now, that was all being swept away and they might be powerless to stop it.

Reading Reyes' stricken expression, Doggett suddenly realized just how harsh he had been and instantly regretted it. Dana and Fox were her friends too and Reyes was undoubtedly just as worried as he was-if not more so. After all, Reyes had been the one to deliver Will, so if either of them had a bigger investment in his future it was her. Taking a deep breath, Doggett quickly hit the button that would take them to the top floor before he gently laid a hand on Reyes' shoulder and murmured, "Look, I'm sorry for being a jerk back there. It's just that we don't have a lot of time right now and."

"I know," Reyes interrupted carefully, looking squarely into Doggett's eyes with an honesty and strength that spoke volumes as the elevator slowly began to move, "and I understand completely. So let's not waste any time on apologies that could be better spent helping our friends. So, fill me in.

Minutes earlier, down in the electronics analysis lab, Pendrell knew that trouble was brewing. He could feel it. Heck, even the most casual observer could easily see that the longer A.D. Skinner watched the confiscated videotape, the deeper the furrow in his brow became. Yet, for the life of him, Pendrell could not figure out why Skinner found this cheesy, third-rate sci-fi knockoff so disturbing. From what he could see, it was nothing more than a cheap attempt to persuade the general public that UFOs and alien abductions were real and that, for some unknown reason, aliens really were trying to mate and reproduce with human beings. Obviously, the claims were simply ridiculous, but Pendrell knew all to well that any population that made Jerry Springer a star would also undoubtedly buy this load of crap-hook, line and sinker. Truth be told, Pendrell would have found the whole thing laughable and definitely a waste of Bureau time and money if not for the A.D's clear concern that seemed to grow exponentially with each passing minute of footage.

And there was good reason for that anxiety too. As Skinner intently watched the grainy images play across the screen, he knew instinctively that this tape held the key to what Marita and her Syndicate ultimately wanted with the Mulder family. Obviously, he would need to question her again about these new revelations. However, before he did that, he first needed to decide whether or not to immediately warn Mulder and Scully of the imminent danger they seemed to be in or wait until he had more facts about what exactly he could do to protect them. However, as the tape drew to a close, his cell phone rang, rendering his ponderings on that particular issue moot.

"Skinner," he barked as he answered the phone, angered by the unexpected interruption.

"Sir," came the familiar but decidedly anxious voice on the other end of the line, "It's Fox Mulder. I'm sorry if this is a bad time but we REALLY need your help."

"Mulder?" Skinner breathed in surprise, "I was just about to call to see if you and Scully could come in for." Quickly thinking better of alarming them any more than they obviously were, he corrected himself," .for a debriefing." Then, wrinkling his brow in concern, he slowly continued, "Fox, what's wrong?"

Listening to Mulder briefly relay the afternoon's strange events and his and Scully's speculations regarding the possible return of the alien replicants, faceless rebels or other inhuman threat, Skinner could literally feel the tiny hairs on the back of his neck standing on end. The worst eventualities and fears he'd imagined while viewing that videotape seemed to be coming true right before his eyes and he didn't know what he could do to stop it. Yet, despite those imaginings, nothing could prepare him for what Mulder would say next.

"Skinner, the smoking-man is alive. He was behind all of it and he's had access to Will for God knows how long!"

"Oh God," Skinner whispered breathlessly, remembering all too well the ruthless brutality of the man he'd once served under. Suppressing his own horrified disbelief, he quickly assured Mulder, saying, "Look, we're going to handle this. The Bureau will protect all three of you. I personally guarantee it. How soon can you get here?" Then, in response to the unexpected silence from Mulder, Skinner quickly added, "or do you need us to send out some Agents to pick you up?"

"No, we're okay," Mulder replied softly, extremely relieved to hear that Skinner not only believed him but that he would do everything in his power to help them, "Scully and I are sending Will ahead with a friend while we go home to pack a few bags and take care of the dog." Stammering for a moment, Mulder slowly explained, "We didn't want to bring Will home and then have to explain to him why we couldn't stay. He's been through enough as it is." Then, taking a deep breath, he continued, "Besides, we don't know where Spender is or if he's been watching our house..."

As Mulder's voice trailed off, Skinner could hear the sheer agony that his friend was going through.

Quickly moving to reassure him, Skinner kept any traces of anxiety from coloring his voice as he confidently responded, "Don't worry, Mulder, we'll take good care you and your family. You have my word on it."

Mulder was so grateful for the promise of Skinner's help that he didn't even stop to consider why the usually skeptical A.D. had so readily accepted his interpretation of the facts and agreed that the three of them were in grave peril. "Thanks Walter," Mulder breathed in immense relief, "That's three I owe you."

"Don't mention it," Skinner replied, standing from his chair and moving toward the elevator, "Just get here as soon as you can."

"We will," Mulder nodded stoically, "Will should arrive in about an hour and a half and Scully and I will be there about 20 minutes later."

"Good," Skinner muttered as stepped onto the elevator with Pendrell following closely behind, "Meanwhile, I'll get in touch with Doggett and Reyes and fill them in so that we can coordinate the most appropriate response."

Glancing over at his wife who was engaged in her own highly animated phone conversation, Mulder responded with a grimace, "Actually, sir, Scully's on the phone with them right now."

"Perfect," Skinner replied as the doors slid shut in front of him and Pendrell hung on his every word, "That'll save us some precious time. You three get moving. We'll have teams out there to scour both locations and the surrounding area within the hour."

"Thank you again sir," Mulder exhaled in relief and noticing for the first time that he had unconsciously relapsed into his old custom of addressing Skinner as 'sir' instead of Walter, "We'll see you soon."

"Just take care and calm down. Everything will be fine. I promise," Skinner lied through his teeth, desperate to assuage his friend's very real fears-even if only for the short term, "It'll all be over soon."

Slowly closing his cell phone, Skinner leaned heavily against the railing and soberly turned to Pendrell as the elevator began to move. Softly he murmured, "You haven't had much time doing interrogations or being in the field have you?"

"No sir," Pendrell replied, immediately standing at attention as if he were a soldier about to be yelled at by his drill sergeant.

Biting his lower lip and looking at the floor before raising his eyes to watch the numbers of the passing floor slowly rise, Skinner grimaced, "Well, get ready Pendrell, because you're about to get more time on both than you ever believed possible."

Back in his solitary lair, Spender listened carefully to each exchange between FBI personnel and the Syndicate's frightened quarry. Knowing instinctively that the time had finally come for him to roll the dice and expose his hand-at least partially-to the alien colonists, Spender took a long draw from his cigarette and pondered the implications for a moment.

Then, moving quickly, without any more thought and with only a few keystrokes, he sent the signal that might just end the world as he knew it. Then again, it might just save it too.

After Follmer had essentially bullied the very junior Agent Carrera into complying with his irregular orders and disregard of protocol, he informed the two agents escorting Marita to out-processing that she not only posed a threat to herself but to others and therefore must have both wrist and ankle restraints. With those heavy manacles snapped roughly onto her limbs, the fastest locomotion Marita could manage was a limping hobble, which essentially forced the two male agents to practically carry her down the hallway behind the smugly grinning Follmer.

From the onset, Marita could plainly see that the odious A.D. was taking immense pleasure describing in vivid detail the varied array of indignities that their prisoner would suffer once they'd firmly ensconced her at County mental hospital. Although he was speaking to the two agents as if she wasn't even there, Marita knew full well that his words were meant exclusively for her ears.

"Then after delousing," he chuckled mirthfully with an almost malevolent glint in his eyes, "comes a body cavity search. Shortly thereafter our little lovely will lose all her beautifully manicured nails in favor of a more.ah.shall we say 'austere' style." Laughing at his own turn of phrase, Follmer added, "After all, they can't have her clawing out those sultry baby blues of hers in a fit of madness-- or anyone else's for that matter."

Narrowing her eyes slightly in annoyed disgust, Marita smirked to herself, "Obviously this idiot hasn't done his homework." She knew full well that the Bureau maintained an enormous case file on her that detailed her own horrific experiences at the hands of the Syndicate itself. After having been exposed to the black oil and months of quarantine in the bowels of the CDC without adequate food, sleep, or sanitation, she had long ago lost all self-conscious worries about her physical state. The threat of such indignities held no power over her. She was beyond that now-- completely removed from caring. Compared to what she'd already been through, County would seem like a picnic-never mind the fact that she wouldn't be there for long anyway.

"Hopefully, they won't put her in the psycho ward's general population," Follmer continued, apparently extremely impressed with himself and his 'vast' knowledge of the public mental health system, "otherwise, she'll have to contend with all the scum the DCPD pulled off the streets--and you know just how interested those types would be in her." Then glancing over his shoulder to wink at her, he put on more sober tones as he added, "It would truly be a shame if she ran afoul of one of those nutcases who just happened to be partial to pretty, young blondes."

And on and on it went all the way through the hallway, down the elevator and to the waiting vehicle. Now, as the two men half-carried her toward the transport's gaping maw, Marita could see that she would be riding in a nondescript fleet van. With the standard benches lining both sides of the prisoner compartment, the usual cage separation between that and the driver's compartment had been custom replaced with a factory- installed metal wall. With a barely perceptible shrug, Marita presumed that this deviation from the norm was merely a precaution designed to reduce the risk of prisoner escape and thought nothing more about it. Then, out of the corner of her eye, Marita glimpsed the familiar young female agent rapidly approaching them from the opposite side of the garage. Rolling her eyes, she braced herself for whatever Follmer would do next to belittle and humiliate the spirited Carrera.

"Sir," Carrera called to Follmer as she closed in on the van, "I've filed all the Bureau copies of Ms. Covarrubias' transfer paperwork. Everything's in order, so, as soon as you give the go ahead, we're ready to go." Then, holding out the clipboard she carried, Carrera eagerly reported, "and here are the papers we need to have signed by County personnel once they take custody of the prisoner."

Waving the two male agents into the van to secure their prisoner, Follmer began a whole new round of intimidation on the unsuspecting junior agent as Marita watched silently. "So, what was the problem?" Follmer quizzed Carrera with a shrugging nod, as he took the clipboard from her hands.

"Oh, I'm sorry," the A.D. stammered seemingly in surprised embarrassment, "I just assumed that...since it took you such a long time to complete such simple paperwork...that you must've encountered a problem." Then putting a hand warmly on Carrera's shoulder, he softly continued, "I apologize, Carrera. My mistake."

Then abruptly turning away from her, Follmer casually ordered the returning male agents to the front to serve as drivers. "Be sure to follow protocol," he called after them, "and put on some Kevlar. Vests should be behind the front seats."

Then, turning back to the young agent and taking a couple of bulletproof vests from the van's interior storage rack, Follmer laughed as he handed one to her, "You're with me, Carrera. After all, regulation requires that we have at least one female officer accompany the transfer of any female prisoner."

"Yes, sir," Carrera nodded quickly as she donned the unwieldy piece of body armor. Even though she wasn't at all familiar with the requirement Follmer mentioned and was more than certain that there was no such regulation regarding the transfer of female prisoners, she complied instantly with Follmer's direction-- stepping into the van without a moment's hesitation.

Following closely behind her, Follmer pulled a pair of black leather gloves from his pocket and slid them over his hands before securing the doors from the inside. Sitting next to Marita, he ordered Carrera to sit opposite them on the other side of the van. Then, giving a few hard raps on the metal divider, Follmer signaled to the two male agents that they were ready to go. As the van slowly pulled away from the curb, Marita continued to watch silently as Follmer's mind games went on unabated.

"So, this is your first prisoner transfer, Carrera?" he mused aloud with a self-satisfied smirk.

"Yes, sir," she replied quickly, blinking in surprise at his seemingly incredible insight, "How did you..."

"It shows," Follmer interrupted with an air of superiority, "Badly." Then, amused by the young agent's now crestfallen expression, he continued condescendingly, "Really Carrera, you'll have to do MUCH better than this at mastering regulations and protocol if you hope to make a career out of the FBI."

"I see sir," Carrera replied evenly as she bit her lower lip and cast her eyes to the floor. At first she had been intimidated by the A.D., but now she was starting to bristle under Follmer's snide and undeserving criticism. Finally pushed beyond the point of taking it any longer, Carrera held her tongue but resolved to talk with her section chief about the A.D.'s seemingly hostile and inappropriate comments as soon as they returned to the Hoover building. She would also make a point of asking about all of the fictitious regulations that Follmer had been spouting.

"Good," Follmer replied slowly-almost ominously, narrowing his eyes as he read the unmistakable intentions on Carrera's downcast face, "I'm glad you do."

For several long minutes, they rode on in silence. "This guy definitely has issues with assertive women," Marita silently thought as she pretended to cower in the corner, "You'd better watch your back Carrera. He's got his knives out for you now." Not that Marita really cared about this spirited young agent, she just hated it when men felt threatened by a strong woman and tried to bully them because of it. While it was hard not to intervene and put the obnoxious A.D. in his place, she wasn't about to let that personal pet peeve interfere with her own charade.after all self- preservation was much more important than making a futile statement for womankind.

Then, unexpectedly, Follmer broke the silence, pointedly interjecting, "You're NOT armed, are you, Carrera?"

"Well, y-yes sir," Carrera stammered, completely taken off guard and extremely confused by the sudden interrogation, "I AM armed. It's standard procedure to BE armed at all times when on duty."

"EXCEPT when you are riding with a prisoner in a transfer situation," Follmer hissed in seemingly frustrated exasperation.

"Sir?!?" she countered with a deep frown, almost positive that the A.D. was wrong on this one, "I don't think that's correct."

"Really?" Follmer retorted with an incredulous snort, "Well, then I guess it's a good thing you're not in charge of prisoner transfer--otherwise the Bureau would have prisoners wresting the weapons away from their captors left and right."

Knitting her brows together, Carrera took a deep breath before she carefully responded, "Sir, with all due respect, I believe that you are mistaken. Regulation clearly states."

"CLEARLY the mistake was to give you such an important assignment" Follmer interrupted angrily, "and I'm beginning to wonder if it wasn't also a mistake for the Bureau to take you on as an agent in the first place."

"Since you obviously can't handle the responsibility that accompanies it," he interjected tersely, "you can't be entrusted with the use of deadly force." Then, expectantly holding out his gloved hand, Follmer demanded coolly, "Your sidearm, Agent Carrera."

"But sir," she stammered helplessly as she shook her head, not quite believing her ears, "this is highly irregular and I don't..."

"YOUR SIDEARM, CARRERA," Follmer reiterated with a furious glare and a venomous scowl, his hand still extended, "That IS an order. Or would you like to add insubordination to the list of offenses that will get you thrown out of the Bureau?"

Yielding to the pressure, Carrera reluctantly removed her pistol from its holster and slowly handed it over to the A.D.

Silently watching their interactions from where she continued to "cower," Marita could see that Follmer was up to something, but for the life of her, she couldn't figure out what. Surely he was aware that, once Carrera reported his erratic behavior, he would quickly be hauled before a review board and possibly put on suspension pending a formal inquiry.

Taking the cold, blued steel in his hands, Follmer visually inspected it-virtually caressing it with his eyes. "A Baretta nine millimeter with a four inch barrel," he softly observed, looking Carrera imperiously in the eye, "Not exactly standard issue, is it?"

"Um...no sir," Carrera blanched apprehensively, now wondering if he would also add violation of Bureau firearms policy to his list of bogus allegations. Clearly, her best bet was to try to keep him calm by being as compliant as possible until they returned to Bureau headquarters. Taking a deep breath, she slowly began to explain her choice of weapon, "The...uh...full sized pistol is to large for my hands. I-it lowers my aim too much...so...I...I substituted this instead."

"No matter," he smirked triumphantly before popping the clip to see how many rounds the petite pistol held, "You needn't worry yourself about getting into trouble over this. That's actually the LAST thing you should be worried about."

"Sir, the magazine's fully loaded with twelve rounds," Carrera anxiously interjected-suddenly desperate to get her firearm back from the A.D. Although she couldn't explain it, every fiber in her being told her that she was in imminent danger. Then, in response to the coldly vicious look in Follmer's eyes, she hesitantly continued, "So...um...if you're finished inspecting it...m-maybe I could have it back?"

"You'd like this back Carrera?" Follmer smiled almost malevolently as he snapped the clip back in and pulled back on the slide to pop a round into the chamber.

"S-sir?!?" Carrera blinked hard with a slight quiver in her voice, "Um.you just put a live round in the chamber and the safety is off."

"Hmmm, so I did," he observed with a grin as he looked quizzically at the pistol. Then, pointing the muzzle directly at her, Follmer laughed in strangely perverse pleasure, "Okay, Carrera. You can have it back now. Here it comes."

As both women simultaneously realized what Follmer was about to do, Carrera's mouth dropped open in shocked disbelief as Marita flung herself forward out of the corner, screaming, "NO!!!! DON'T!!!"

But it was too late. No sooner had the words escaped Marita's lips than Follmer dispassionately discharged a round into Carrera's startled face. The explosive shot was almost deafening. Half a second later, Marita's body collided with Follmer's outstretched arm as Carrera's blood sprayed the inside of the van and the smell of spent gunpowder permeated the air.

"DAMN YOU!!! WHAT THE HELL DID YOU DO!?!?" Marita shrieked as the van swerved sharply off the road before screeching to a halt- violently throwing them both to the floor in the process. Instantly Marita knew that the two male agents must've heard the deadly shot and were now undoubtedly calling in for back up while slowly rounding the van to cover the only means of escape. Turning in dread to assess Carrera's condition, Marita could plainly see that she was dead-with the back of her head splattered across the wall behind her.

"You thought you would be able to get out of our little arrangement, didn't you, my dear?" Follmer crooned devilishly down at Marita from where he'd landed atop her body as he casually wiped small droplets of blood from his face. Then nonchalantly reaching down to pluck a small bit of brain from Marita's blonde tresses as he picked himself up off the floor, he smugly continued, "But this little demonstration wasn't JUST to get your attention. You now know that you're not dealing with a mere amateur here. Moreover, this nasty little business puts you in a very tight spot with precious little wiggle room."

"What do you mean!?!?" Marita hissed furiously as she struggled to right herself, "You're the one who killed her!! Not me!!"

"That's not the way the responding officers will see it," Follmer snorted with an air of confident superiority, "all they'll see is a fellow officer tragically cut down in the line of duty-and a woman to boot." With a maniacal glint in his eyes, he smugly chuckled, "You should be aware that the average street cop doesn't react too kindly to that kind of stimulus." Then, laughing out loud, he continued, "Heck, the last 'cop-killer' brought in by the DCPD was pronounced DOA at the station-even though he was apprehended in seemingly perfect health."

Immediately grasping his intention to frame her for Carrera's murder, Marita could feel her lips go numb as they curled downward in abject revulsion.

Noting her simultaneously horrified and disgusted expression, Follmer grinned smugly, "Plus, your little gambit for the gun also means that you are now covered with gunpowder residue-certainly enough to show that YOU fired the fatal shot. So, the forensic evidence will back up my version of events rather nicely." With a self-assured laugh, he added, "A plot worthy of your own Consortium, don't you think?"

"And you expect this will help you become a part of it?!?!" Marita raised her eyebrows in repulsed incredulity, "DREAM ON, Follmer!!"

"Well, that's all up to you my dear," Follmer crooned smoothly, "It's still within my power to let you escape from this ugly little mess virtually scot- free." Then, glancing toward the door, he smugly continued, "But you'll have to decide quickly, because I imagine we'll be having company VERY soon."

Literally shaking in incensed anger, Marita held up her still cuffed hands and her eyes filled with unadulterated loathing as she bit, "I'm NOT going to play ball with you. I'll take my chances with the police and County." Laying down face first on the floor and stretching her arms out in front of her, she hissed, "Besides, you'll have a hard time explaining the bullet trajectory and pattern of blood spatter once a forensics team gets a hold of this van."

"Hmmm, you may have a point," Follmer nodded thoughtfully. Then, taking a defensive position in the corner previously occupied by his lovely prisoner, he continued, "Thanks for the heads up. You've just dictated the course of events for the next few minutes-so enjoy the show."

Not understanding Follmer's cryptic words or what exactly he was planning to do, Marita maintained her position of surrender on the floor as she heard pounding on the exterior of the van's doors.

"FBI!! Throw down your weapons and come out of the van with your hands in the air!!" came the stern and commanding voice of one of the two male agents who were now just outside the doors-weapons drawn and prepared for a fight.

"The situation's under control but we have an agent DOWN!!" Follmer yelled in seemingly frantic tones, "So call and ambulance and get your asses in here!! We're losing her!!!"

Given the all clear from the A.D., the two agents glanced quickly at one another before rapidly re- holstering their weapons and shoving open the doors to the van so that they could render their assistance to the wounded agent. As they simultaneously stepped onto the van, two clear shots rang out, cutting them down just as quickly as they had surged forward to help their fallen comrade.

Stunned by both the gunfire and the eerie silence that immediately followed, Marita slowly lifted her head and was immediately shocked by what she saw. Both agents lay crumpled on the floor in front of her, a bullet hole through each of their foreheads. Turning in horror to face Follmer, Marita was completely shocked by the bemusement evident on his face.

"The problem with bullet-proof vests," Follmer laughed almost maniacally, "is that they don't do anything to protect you from a shot to the head." Then, as every trace of mirth instantaneously disappeared from his expression, he quickly moved to Marita and lifted her roughly by her golden hair. Putting the barrel of Carrera's pistol under her chin, Follmer venomously whispered, "Now, my lovely, it's time for you to decide. Are you going to honor our deal or do you die right here, right now? Choose!"

Breathless and in pain, Marita hoarsely replied, "You win, Follmer. It would seem that I don't have any other choice."

"No, you don't," Follmer replied tersely as he unceremoniously released her hair, sending her crashing back to the floor face first. As Marita recovered herself, he slipped a lock pick from his pocket. Quickly, he freed Marita from her bindings. Then, glancing out the van's open maw before turning back to her, he whispered, "We're only about half a block from a metro station. You should be able to make it there on foot no problem. And with the lunchtime traffic, it should take the DCPD another couple of minutes to get here." Then, striding over to Carrera's lifeless body slumped over on the bench, he reached into her coat pockets and retrieved her wallet and creds as he continued, "So, if you lose that bloodstained overcoat, you should be able to make it there unnoticed."

"You're just letting me walk away?!?" Marita gaped in incredulity as she rubbed her aching wrists.

"Not without a price," he replied with an eye to the street as he handed her Carrera's property, "You're my ticket into the Syndicate. We have an agreement. Don't forget that."

"And just how do you expect to explain all of this?" she gestured toward the three bodies with a snort of disbelief as she quickly pocketed Carrera's wallet and badge, "You can't exactly claim that Carrera went postal on you!!"

"That's where you come in, my dear," he replied, handing her Carrera's pistol, "You'll give me a good whack on the head with this beauty-enough to knock me unconscious. Then, all this will easily be explained away and you will have escaped into the faceless lunch crowds without a trace. But do it quickly--the police will be here any minute." Then, in response to the skeptical look on Marita's face, Follmer grinned, "Oh come now, my dear, I'd have thought you'd enjoy giving me a good pistol-whipping--especially given how thoroughly I've bested you."

"Think so?" Marita replied coolly taking the gun in her hands as she stood. Simultaneously she raised an eyebrow and the pistol into Follmer's face.

"Yes, my darling girl," Follmer replied nonchalantly as if the gun were nothing but a toy, "You see, if do ANYTHING other than what I've just outlined, it'll certainly be curtains for you." In response to her narrowed eyes and obvious disbelief, he continued with a laugh, "You see, IF you turn me in and I lose my position at the Bureau, not only will I be of no use to the Consortium, but YOU will have compromised yourself AND their operations. I doubt they would look too kindly on that. In fact, your life expectancy would undoubtedly be reduced to no more than a few minutes if you took that route."

"You could," Follmer chuckled confidently and seemingly unfazed, "but if you kill me and pass on this wonderful opportunity, I'm sure your superiors will be none too pleased with you either." Looking up at her with a smug grimace, he continued, "Funny how they always seem to know exactly who did what when and to whom even when there seem to be no witnesses."

Suddenly, the sound of distant sirens reached their ears. Glancing toward the door, Follmer nodded at Marita and laughed, "They're coming, so whatever you're going to do, you'd better do it quick."

Grinning smugly, Follmer put his hands up and, assuming she had finally accepted his plan, chuckled, "I knew you'd see things my way." Then, smiling down at her, he continued, "Should I bend over to give you a better angle of attack?"

"No," Marita replied icily as she narrowed her eyes in disgust, "I have a better idea." Lowering the firearm considerably, she took aim and smiled sweetly up at Follmer before dispassionately discharging the weapon right into his groin. As Follmer doubled over and screamed in agony, a sinister grin spread across Marita's face as she triumphantly murmured, "Hmmm, I guess you're right. Bullet-proof vests DON'T protect you from a head shot, do they?"

"YOU BITCH!!!" Follmer shrieked as he fell forward to his knees, clutching at his privates in agony as a torrent of blood quickly flowed from between his fingers.

Smirking in delight at his intense suffering, Marita smugly laughed as she raised the pistol high over her head, "Okay, Follmer. NOW we have a deal. Survive this and you'll be a part of the Consortium. Just consider this little experience to be your first lesson in Syndicate 101." Then, as she brought the heavy weapon crashing down on the back of his head, she finished, "Trust no one."

Certain the A.D was now unconscious, Marita quickly slid out of her bloody overcoat, tossing both it and Carrera's pistol onto the floor, before turning to sprint from of the van. Without a single look back, she quickly disappeared into the busy DC streets, her mind focused on just how she would explain the days events to her superiors-assuming she lived that long.

Stepping from the elevator together , both Doggett and Reyes were more than a little surprised to be greeted by a visibly furious A.D. Skinner. At his side stood one clearly panicked and distraught Agent Pendrell, who appeared to be simply beside himself and at a complete loss for what to do.

"Sir?" Reyes began with concern, taken aback by Skinner's deep scowl and reddened face, "What's wrong?"

Brusquely moving forward despite the fact that both she and Doggett were still in his way, Skinner bristled angrily, "A.D. Follmer! THAT'S what's wrong!!"

Unaccustomed to seeing this wrathful side of Skinner, both Agents jumped aside as he pushed his way through onto the elevator they had just vacated only seconds earlier.

"What the hell happened??" Doggett interjected in perplexed confusion as he wheeled around to face Skinner who said nothing as he stabbed a finger angrily at the "door close" button. Shooting out an arm to stop the elevator doors from closing, Doggett stared at Skinner--wordlessly demanding an answer with his own exasperated and implacable scowl.

Momentarily incensed by Doggett's audacity, Skinner's eyes narrowed into a furious glare and his nostrils flared threateningly as he impatiently exploded, "MARITA'S GONE!! Follmer took her to God knows where and the longer you delay me here, the less time we have to find her and get some answers!!" Then, degenerating into yelling at Reyes as much as he was at Doggett, he sharply continued, "So, if you two REALLY want to help Mulder and Scully, I suggest you both either get back on this elevator or STAY THE HELL OUT of MY WAY!!!"

Without a moments hesitation as they quickly exchanged nodding glances, Doggett and Reyes moved as one back onto the elevator.

Pendrell, stunned breathless by the overtly hostile exchange he'd just witnessed, stood dumbstruck- staring at the three of them with his mouth agape. Surely this wasn't how senior Agents interacted with their direct superior on a regular basis.

After a moment, in response to Pendrell's shocked gaze, Skinner, Doggett and Reyes all turned to look at him quizzically.

"You comin' or not, Pendrell?" Doggett grimaced impatiently at the young and inexperienced agent as the doors began to close.

Snapping out of his dumbfounded silence, Pendrell stammered, "Y-yes sir," as he sprang forward onto the elevator before the doors slid shut with a clang.

As the elevator began its slow descent to the fourth floor and the A.D. office suite, Reyes turned to Doggett with a growing lump in her throat as the practical meaning of Skinner's words began to sink in. If Marita was actually gone, then so were their chances of getting answers about what Spender was up to. Glancing up into Doggett's eyes, she saw the same worried concern behind them that she knew was in her own. Helplessly, Reyes' heart sank into the pit of her stomach as she realized how, in the space of a few short seconds, their prospects for helping Mulder and Scully had shrunken considerably. If they didn't find Marita soon, the best they could hope for was some new development that would lead them to the truth-and considering the Syndicate, she knew that was about as likely as them somehow finding Samantha Mulder alive and well after all these years...

Dead silence reigned as Mulder steered the SUV away from the Shelby Academy and toward the house that, from the day they bought it, had always been their safe haven. Now, it was little more than a bleak reminder of everything they'd lost in the past 24 hours. Scully couldn't bring herself to say anything as she stared numbly out the passenger window and tried her best to fight back the inevitable tears. Likewise, Mulder couldn't find the words to express either his feelings or where the three of them could possibly go from here. The day's events weighed heavily on both of them and the emotional strain was almost more than either of them could bear.

Only minutes earlier, they had reluctantly handed their only child over to one of their most trusted friends. Russ had selflessly agreed to transport their precious miracle boy directly to the safety of the Hoover Building while they remained behind to risk returning home to gather everything they would need during their indeterminate stay at a Bureau safe house.

"Thanks for doing this, Russ," Mulder had sighed heavily as he moved Will's car seat into the back of Russ' BMW, "I can't tell you how much it means to us."

"I think I understand," Russ replied soberly, his gaze drifting wincingly toward Scully who, some distance away, held Will close in her arms like she never wanted to let him go, "If I even THOUGHT that someone was threatening my boys, I don't know what I'd do." Then, after Mulder finished buckling the extra car seat into the "Beemer," Russ looked his friend directly in the eyes and gently laid a reassuring hand on his shoulder, adding, "Don't worry Fox, I'll get him there safe and sound. You have my word on it."

"I know," Mulder murmured softly, doing his utmost to keep the pain and anguish from showing on his face as he stood from the car, "It's just that I never expected this." Shaking his head in bitter regret, he leaned heavily on the open car door and whispered in a voice tinged with emotion that threatened to boil over out of control, "I truly believed that it was all over-that the threat was neutralized and we were finally free." Grimacing toward the park's swirling fall leaves before gazing almost forlornly at his wife and child, "But now I can see that I was just deluding myself." Angrily berating himself, he slammed his fist onto the top of the car and in a near sob, hoarsely mumbled, "I should've seen it coming."

"Fox," Russ interjected with firm compassion, "Don't beat yourself up about this. Hindsight is 100 percent but you're NOT a mind reader. You CAN'T predict the future-no matter how much you want to. You did the best you could with what you had. You had no way of knowing that these...these 'people' would come back from the grave." Then, lowering his voice to a sympathetic whisper, he continued, "Sure, if you knew then what you know now, you would've done things differently. Wouldn't we all? But you can't change the past. All you CAN do is take steps in the here and now to protect Will's future-and from where I stand, that's EXACTLY what you're doing. "

Russ' words were like the deafening thunderclap that precedes a downpour. Hearing them forced the raging storm clouds in Mulder's heart and mind to break-- making him acknowledge the fact that he wasn't a superhero and couldn't have reasonably expected any better of himself. With his simple and heartfelt speech, Russ was also telling him not to waste time blaming himself-that he had much more important things to worry about. Slowly, Mulder realized that Russ' words not only absolved him of responsibility but also gave him permission to forgive himself for making decisions that now seemed incredibly naive and stupid. Quickly averting his gaze to hide the tears that sprung unexpectedly into his eyes, Mulder nodded stoically as he bit his lower lip, whispering, "Thanks, man."

"Don't mention it," Russ gently patted Mulder on the back, "you'd do the same for me." Then, turning to gather the twins, he called to them with a wide grin, "Alright astronauts, who's ready to strap in for liftoff? T-minus 3 minutes and counting!!"

"ME!!" Jamal cried, racing toward his father as fast as his tiny feet would carry him.

"No ME!!!" Tyler bellowed, doing his best to outrun his brother and beat him to their father's waiting arms.

Watching this carefree and playful interplay between father and sons, Mulder couldn't help but contrast it with his own situation. Mournfully turning his gaze back toward Scully and their small son, he saw how desperately his wife held Will close to her, as if she feared she would never see him again. That sight sent a chill through Mulder's heart and all the guilt and regret the Russ had all but banished moments earlier came flooding back with a vengeance.

Now, as he wordlessly drove on toward their empty shell of a home, Mulder could only wonder if Scully blamed him for all of this and now hated him as much as he hated himself.

But, what Mulder couldn't know was that, as she continued to stare out the passenger window, Scully was struggling with the same self-hate, doubt and reproach that he was experiencing.

Scully's mind kept being helplessly drawn back to her poignant goodbye with Will. Having maintained a tightly protective grip on their son as she walked him slowly toward Russ' car, Scully had honestly wondered where she would find the strength to let their tiny boy go-strength she hadn't had before...

Softly, in a slightly quivering voice, she'd spoken to him about how their plans had changed, "Now, you're going for a ride into the city with Russ and the twins to meet some friends of ours." Smiling weakly, Scully put on a brave front for Will's sake as she continued, "So be on your best behavior, okay? We'll be along before you know it."

"But WHY can't I go with you and Daddy?" Will tearfully pouted, as he gazed pleadingly into his mother's guilt-ridden eyes, "I don't understand."

As his innocent words stabbed at her heart, Scully's unwavering mask of stoicism was the only thing that kept her from breaking down completely. As it was, she had to blink back tears as an almost imperceptible wince briefly flashed across her otherwise immutable face. Pursing her lips, Scully did her best to sound excited and cheerful as she stammered, "Well...because...Russ is taking Tyler and Jamal to see a VERY special place and we thought you'd like to go along."

"Where's that?" Will sniffled with a skeptical expression that bore a heart-wrenchingly close resemblance to "the look" that had always been her own trademark.

"What's so special 'bout THAT place?" Will dejectedly countered, wrinkling his nose and rolling his eyes with a persistent pout.

"Well," Scully sighed, biting her lip as she desperately stretched for ANY reason why Will should be excited to the Hoover Building, "It's where Mommy and Daddy first met. So, just think, you might not even be here if it weren't for that building."

"But I wanna go home with you and Daddy," Will wept as the tears started to stream down his tiny face. Not understanding in the least why he couldn't stay with his parents, he continued with a sob, "I missed you all weekend, Mommy. Didn't you miss me?"

Unable to keep her own eyes from filling, Scully quickly pulled Will in even closer to hide her tears as she hoarsely whispered, "Of course I did. We both did. But that's not the point." Then, marshalling all the strength she could muster, Scully again bit her lower lip, took a deep breath and continued more firmly, "The fact is, you're going with Russ and the twins right now and that's final. So, I don't want to hear any more arguing about it. Do you understand me, Will?"

Pulling back to stare quizzically at Scully, who now sounded much more like a stranger than his own gentle and loving Mommy, Will's lower lip jutted out prominently and began to tremble as even more tears hung in his tiny, wounded eyes. Softly, he whispered his acquiescence, "Yes, Mommy."

Unable to bear the hurt confusion in her son's eyes, Scully's stony facade crumbled and she could no longer keep her own burgeoning tears at bay. As a single salty drop slipped over her lashes to plunge down her face, Scully knew that, if Will pressed her any further, she wouldn't be able to hold out any more. She would lose control and break down completely-and there would be nothing she could do to stop it.

Seeing the glistening drop wind its way slowly down his mother's cheek, Will quickly looked up into her now cloudy eyes in surprised confusion. Gazing at her intently for a few moments, his mournfully rejected expression suddenly disintegrated into one of empathic concern and regret.

Immediately noticing the drastic change on Will's face, Scully's heart stalled and her eyes widened slightly as she anxiously whispered, "Will, what is it? What's the matter?!?"

"Mommy," he began slowly, with a profound seriousness that was well beyond his short years, "Don't worry. I'll stop. I won't make you cry anymore. I promise."

Taken aback by her son's astoundingly mature attitude and words, Scully was stunned speechless for a moment. Quickly regaining control of herself and suddenly but inexplicably able to blink back the balance of her tears, she gently ran a hand through Will's hair as she softly kissed him on the forehead and whispered gratefully, "Thank you Sweetie." Then, resuming their short trek toward Russ' car, she somberly continued in a voice laden with conflicting and tumultuous emotions, "Mommy loves you very much. You know that don't you?"

Wrapping his tiny arms tightly around her neck as he tried desperately to shut the now palpable fear out of his mind, Will softly replied, "Yes, Mommy. I do." Then, pulling back from her again, he looked up into Scully's eyes as he added with a tender smile, "and I love you too."

"Oh, Sweetie," Scully mournfully rasped, already second-guessing her and Mulder's plan and momentarily overcome with fear for their future and Will's safety, "Daddy and I will be there to meet you as soon as we can. I promise."

"I know, Mommy," Will replied matter-of-factly, as if there were never any question about it, "Don't be afraid. Russ will keep me safe."

Staring at her son with her mouth slightly agape and wondering how he could possibly know what she was thinking and feeling, Scully was about to ask Will what he meant by that when she was unexpectedly interrupted.

"Hey there, Slugger," Mulder grinned down at his precious son as he tousled the boy's hair in a concerted effort to sound cheerful, "Did you and Mommy have a nice talk?"

"Yes, Daddy," Will replied with a wide grin. Then, with a convincing lilt of excitement in his voice, he stretched out his arms to his father as he jubilantly continued, "I can't wait to see where you and Mommy met!!" Then, with a little grin at his mother, he added with a giggle, "You know, I wouldn't be here without that building."

"Really?!?" Mulder raised his eyebrows in genuine surprise, expecting there to be at least some resistance, on Will's part, to their plain. Taking Will from his mother's arms, Mulder kissed the top of the boy's head as he put on a bright smile and laughed, "Well, then you'd better get going, huh?"

"Yeah," Russ interjected with a wide grin from over Mulder's shoulder, "Tyler and Jamal are already strapped in and ready for lift off. The only thing we're waiting on is you, buddy."

"There. You heard it straight from mission control," Mulder grimaced slightly, doing his best to keep his face from betraying his inner turmoil while, at the same time, wondering if his efforts made any bit of difference in light of his son's newfound abilities. Reluctantly handing Will over to Russ, he continued, "Time to lift off. We'll see you there, Slugger."

Giving his dad a thumbs up and a broad smile as Russ strapped him into his car seat, Will giggled, "T minus 10 seconds and counting."

As Russ carefully shut the back passenger door, Will waved cheerfully to his Mommy and Daddy, knowing full well that the two of them were only putting on their brave smiles for his sake as they slowly waved back. Although he didn't understand his parents' inexplicable guilt and fear, Will instinctively knew that he shouldn't ask about it and figured that the only thing he could do was make it as easier on them by blowing them kisses and smiling brightly.

For Mulder and Scully, however, the sight of their seemingly happy son was melancholy and bittersweet. They knew only too well the horrible danger that he now faced. The thought of it terrified them and made it all the more difficult for them to smile and wave at him as if nothing was wrong. When Russ finally stepped in between them and Will's window, both were relieved that they no longer had to keep up their valiantly brave, albeit stiff and brittle, front.

"Look, I'll take good care of him," Russ assured them as he read the fear and anxiety behind their eyes, "We'll get there safe and sound. I guarantee it." Then, glancing back at the car, he soberly added, "After all, my boys are on the line here too."

Realizing for the first time the immense risk they'd asked Russ to undertake with their seemingly simple request, Mulder and Scully exchanged stricken glances before Mulder sputtered, "Russ, I didn't even think about that. If you want to back out, we'd..."

"Just stop right there, Fox," Russ interrupted, cutting Mulder off with a wave of his hand, "Will is like a third son to Julia and me-just like Tyler and Jamal are to you two. Not only am I happy to take the risk but there's no question that I want to. So, it's already decided." Then, with an upbeat chuckle and a sly grin as he moved around to the driver's side of the car, Russ added, "Besides, I have no intention of letting anything-including this cigarette smoking fool-get in our way. So keep your chins up and I'll see you there in a few."

In response, Mulder and Scully could only grimace thankfully and wave to Russ as he got into the car and pulled away. However, as the BMW disappeared from view and they were finally left alone, a strange and awkward silence descended between them-like an insurmountable wall that neither knew how to breach.

Although Mulder knew that he had to tell Scully about their son's new abilities and the implications, he just couldn't find the words to break it to her. Meanwhile, for her part, Scully couldn't bear to face Mulder as her own guilt and terror threatened to overwhelm her and rob her of her only defense-self control. Abruptly turning away, she quickly retreated to their SUV, leaving Mulder, plagued by his own self-doubt and blame, trailing slowly behind her.

Having reached the car, the two of them took their seats in silence. As Mulder turned the key in the ignition, he stared straight ahead, knowing he couldn't continue to keep Scully in the dark like this. Willing himself to tell her the frightening truth about their son, he took a deep breath and let it out slowly. Putting the SUV into gear and pulling out of the parking space, he hesitantly murmured, "Scully, I think I know why Spender was monitoring Will."

"Why?" she replied evenly, remaining completely, almost unnaturally, still-like a deer caught in the headlights. Although she manifested no external signs of it, her heart filled with alarm and a terrible sense of foreboding at what Mulder would say next.

"Because he can...." Mulder began tentatively as he pulled the car out onto the open road, "Will is...well...he...I mean..." Faltering, the words momentarily eluded him and his voice broke off before he could tell her. Shaking his head, Mulder resolved that he had to get it out one way or another. Just say it and get it out in the open once and for all. Taking a deep breath and quickly exhaling it, he awkwardly blurted, "Scully, Will can read minds just like Gibson Praise. THAT'S what they want with him."

As the images of all the horrific things the Syndicate had done to Gibson Praise flashed like lightning through her terrified mind, Scully quickly turned to face her husband, her eyes flooding with disbelief and fear.

But, desperately afraid of what he might see in her gaze, Mulder kept his own eyes on the road ahead. Although he knew he was being a coward, with all that was happening, he just couldn't bear to see the blame and condemnation that he believed her eyes would hold. After everything else, that sight-confirmation of his worst fears-would completely break him.

Meanwhile, taking Mulder's refusal to look at her as a clear signal that he blamed her as much as she did herself, Scully blinked quickly in an effort to hold in check her tears of hurt rejection. Abruptly turning her eyes forward onto the oncoming road, Scully squared her shoulders and hid her pain behind a mask of scientific detachment.

And so it was that they settled far too easily into the detached and uncomfortable professionalism that had so-often characterized their interactions on the X-Files whenever insecurity had come between them. Just like when Scully refused to join Mulder on his crop-circle hunting trip to England or when he continually seemed to favor Diana Fowley's judgment over her own, they both ignored the proverbial elephant in the room in favor distancing themselves from one another and retreating behind their long unused but tried and true individual defense mechanisms.

As such, keeping her eyes stonily focused on the passing streets and buildings, Scully finally sighed in skeptical disbelief, "But Mulder, that's impossible. Will was genuinely surprised when I brought Walter home. If he could read my mind, then he would have known when I left for work that morning that I was planning to bring a puppy home." Yet, even as the words of protest escaped her lips, she knew that Mulder's revelation more than explained her earlier, seemingly inexplicable interaction with their son.

"I don't think the ability is as fully developed with Will as it was with Gibson when we first met him," Mulder sighed heavily, as he carefully negotiated a left turn at a busy intersection-all the while striving to control his own self-reproaching thoughts, "Remember that Gibson was 12 years old then and had several years to grow into his ability. Will's not even four yet. Maybe his brain is just now developing sufficiently to let him begin to use his natural abilities."

"NATURAL abilities?!?" Scully retorted in abject incredulity and much more harshly than she'd intended, "What the hell is THAT supposed to mean?!?"

"Well," Mulder stammered as he stopped the SUV at a red light, "Remember that I DID have a similar episode just before you went to West Africa--when we were investigating Solomon Merkmallen's murder and Dr. Sandoz's subsequent disappearance." Then sighing heavily as the guilt started to overwhelm him, Mulder hoarsely whispered, "Maybe it was passed on somehow, through my genes."

"Oh God..." Scully half gasped as her mask of stoicism cracked under the pressure and she quickly turned to face the window in a last ditch effort to hide it, "I don't want to hear any more."

So they rode on in silence, the chasm between them growing ever wider. Mulder took her seemingly bitter words and refusal to talk as a stinging indictment of his guilt, while Scully was more than certain that Mulder blamed her for not anticipating this obvious eventuality and taking the appropriate steps to keep their son safe. Both were being completely irrational, but their own pain, suffering and self- loathing blinded them completely to that fact.

Now, as they drew closer to their once happy home, helpless tears flowed from Scully's eyes and she wondered if perhaps she HAD been wrong to keep William all those years ago. Was it selfish of her to want to raise her and Mulder's child given all of the dangers he faced precisely because of who his parents were? While Mulder was in hiding and in terrible moments of weakness, she'd actually contemplated how Will might be better off with someone else. Adopted out to complete strangers with no connection to her or Mulder, perhaps Will would've had a real chance at a happy and normal life, free from the terrors that his parents' world had to offer.

Yet, at the time, Scully had come to the conclusion that doing so would be no better than sending lambs to the slaughter. After all, supposed anonymity didn't keep the alien replicants from finding her in Georgia, the Syndicate from knowing every intimate detail of her life, or the alien cult from kidnapping him. So, why would it be any different for otherwise anonymous adoptive parents? Scully told herself that at least she knew exactly what they were up against and could put up a real defense against it. The same could not be said for some innocent couple who were completely oblivious to the impending doom faced by the entire planet. No, the safest place for Will was by her side. Although, deep down inside, she always knew it was true, so many times it just didn't seem like it.

Then, just when things seemed to be at their worst and Scully was at her weakest, Mulder had returned and the issue was rendered moot. Once they'd impregnated the world's water supply with magnetite, they were all finally free from all the dark shadows that followed them. Or so they thought...

Now, after everything that had happened, Scully wasn't sure of anything anymore. Maybe she HAD been selfish to keep Will by her side. Maybe she'd just been deluding herself and it really WOULD'VE been better for Will if she had given him up. At least then he would now be safe and secure instead of having to go into hiding and be torn away from his home. As the tremendous guilt overwhelmed her, Scully couldn't control the continual flood of tears as they ran down her face and she strove to covertly wipe them away with her right hand. Yet, despite her mask of stoicism, a barely audible sniffle still betrayed her innermost turmoil.

However, that almost imperceptible sound was more than enough to seize Mulder's full attention. Hearing it immediately, Mulder glanced over at his wife as they turned the corner onto their street. "Scully," he whispered tentatively, putting his heart on the line and taking a chance, "Russ will take good care of him. You know that."

"I know," came her hoarsely whispered reply as she stonily continued to stare out the window in a futile effort to hide her tears.

Pulling the car into their driveway as the garage door opened, Mulder looked at Scully with hopeful tenderness. His brow furrowed, Mulder shifted the gears to neutral and engaged the parking brake before turning to her with eyes full of worried concern.

Yet, Scully wouldn't meet his gaze. She just couldn't. The guilt was too strong.

Suddenly at a loss for what to say and with his overture seemingly rejected, Mulder quickly withdrew the keys from the ignition just as he withdrew behind his own defensive wall. His eyes falling to the floor, he broodingly murmured, "We need to move quickly." Then biting his lower lip and grimacing at the overwhelming guilt and insecurity he was experiencing for the first time in years, Mulder strove to shut off his emotions just as he shut the garage door. Turning his attention to his seatbelt, he quickly undid it as he wincingly sighed, "I'll pack a bag for Will and get Walter ready if you'll get one together for me while you pack yours."

"Sure," Scully replied numbly, almost vacantly, as she slowly exited the vehicle. Would Mulder ever be able to forgive her weakness? Would Will?

Without words, the two of them glided silently into the house. Scully headed toward their bedroom as Mulder first went to his office. Reverting to his worn, nearly forgotten pattern of losing himself in work, Mulder turned on his computer so he could divert his attention with his University email messages. As he waited for the machine to boot, he drifted to the back door to let Walter in. Opening it, he found Will's weekend bag carefully stowed on the back porch where Maggie had left it as Walter came bounding up to him and into the house. As the waggling puppy pranced about his feet, Mulder stooped to softly pat him on the head, whispering, "Hey boy," as he wistfully wished that their lives could somehow go back to being as simple as they had been that morning. He would give anything to have that existence back again.

Then, shaking his head to banish the pointless and hopeless desires of his heart from his mind, Mulder moved slowly to Will's room where he proceeded to gather up four or five days worth of clothes. Then, unceremoniously dumping the contents of Will's bag into the laundry bin, he briskly stuffed the stack of clean clothes into the empty suitcase. Catching sight of Will's favorite teddy out of the corner of his eye, Mulder couldn't help but feel a tiny panging twinge as he remembered the abject joy on Will's tiny face the day that he and Scully had given it to him. Snatching it quickly, he stashed into the bag, out of sight and out of mind. His task completed, Mulder zipped the bag shut and carried it with him back into the living room as Walter trailed slowly behind him, sensing instinctively that something was wrong.

Stepping into his adjacent office, Mulder quickly pulled up his University email account and, after checking his messages, sent his students a general mailing telling them that he would be incommunicado for the next few days because of a family emergency. Finishing that, he proceeded to download the small batch of late papers that remained to be graded to a floppy disk. It was a lucky thing that he had posted the grades the night before after he and Scully returned from Mass, he mused silently to himself- almost managing to forget his own swirling foment of emotions, otherwise he'd have a lot more to explain to his department head than just an unexpected absence. Finished downloading the files, he ejected the disk from the drive and shut down his computer. Heading back into the living room, he carefully slid the disk into the front pocket of Will's bag before taking it out to the SUV.

Returning to the kitchen, Mulder set about gathering up Walter's travel pack as Scully emerged from their bedroom carrying two overnight bags. Still not meeting his gaze, Scully stared at the floor as she softly murmured as she distractedly picked up the car keys from the counter where Mulder had left them, "I'm gonna put these in the car. You about ready to go?"

"Yeah," Mulder looked at her wincingly, his heart aching uncontrollably to have her be so close and yet so far away, "I just need a second to get Walter into his harness and put his things together. I'll meet you out there in a minute or two."

Nodding stoically, Scully headed to the garage without another word. Although she desperately wanted to run to Mulder, take him in her arms and beg him to love her again, she didn't. She couldn't. After all, how could she ever hope that he would forgive her when she couldn't forgive herself?

Meanwhile, finally finished gathering up Walter's travel supplies and having just snapped on the pup's body harness, Mulder was about to head out to the garage when the phone rang. Glancing quickly at the caller ID as he moved to grab the phone, the LCD read "NO INFORMATION AVAILABLE"

Although he contemplated just letting it ring, he was struck with the thought that it might be Skinner or Doggett calling on their cell phones with something important-so he really should answer it. Reaching for the nearby cordless, he picked it up on the second ring before tersely responding, "Mulder," as he made his way back through the house one last time to make sure that he hadn't forgotten anything.

"Ah, Mr. Mulder," came the all too familiar croon of C.G.B. Spender from the other end of the line, "What a pleasure to hear your voice again after so many years. It's been a long time hasn't it?" Having vigilantly monitored his surveillance equipment from the moment he'd sent out the computer signal, Spender was fully aware of Mulder and Scully's plans as well as the gulf of misunderstanding and miscommunication that widened between them with every passing moment.

"Spender," Mulder growled, instantly recognizing his nemesis' familiar intonations as his own eyes narrowed in sudden rage, "You've got a hell of a lot of nerve calling me after everything you've done to us, you SON of A BITCH!" He was about to give Spender a well-deserved piece of his mind when he was abruptly cut off.

"We can skip the pleasantries, Mr. Mulder," Spender tersely interrupted with a seemingly bemused snort, "This isn't a social call."

"Oh really!?!?" Mulder bit snidely, about to toss off a sarcastic remark when he was cut short a second time.

"We have no time to waste on your rapier wit, Mr. Mulder. You and your lovely wife are in serious danger," Spender interjected with just the slightest hint of impatience as he took a short draw from his cigarette. Peering cautiously out the window of his second story observation post as he waited for the inevitable arrival that must be only minutes away by now, he continued, "Gather up your belongings and leave immediately. You need to get out of there as soon as possible"

Reaching his breaking point, Mulder snorted in sarcastic disbelief, "Why's that? So you can have another chance at our son!?!? I don't think so!!" Suddenly, in one fell swoop, all of the anger and animosity Mulder had been directing inwardly at himself flared outward at this ready and more than deserving target. With barely controlled fury, he ferociously snarled, "You'd better hope and pray that I don't get my hands on you. So help me, it'll make what the aliens put me through seem like an Oriental massage in comparison."

Looking out from his vantage point, Spender's eyes widened in anxiety as he caught sight of an approaching vehicle. Watching a long dark sedan slowly wind its way up the street, Spender knew instantly that that they were quickly running out of time. Eyeing it apprehensively, he impatiently ordered, "As much as I'd relish hearing your plans for me, there's no time for this right now. Suffice it to say that your son will very soon be an orphan if the two of you don't do EXACTLY what I tell you!"

"Oh, right," Mulder bit skeptically, "You lie at the drop of a hat, have manipulated us for years, tried to kill us both on half a dozen occasions--then return from the grave to stalk my family and you expect us to jump whenever you call!!?! Get real!!"

"It's a simple choice, Mr. Mulder," Spender bit, as his own emotions momentarily got the better of him, "live or die. Do as I say and you will both live. Disregard my instructions and you WILL die."

Exhaling heavily through flared nostrils, Mulder rolled his eyes in skeptical disbelief as he bit, "Give me one reason why I should believe ANYTHING you say."

As the long black car came to a stop in front of the Mulder household, Spender jumped to his feet apprehensively. This would not do. After all the years of hard work and sacrifice, he was not about to let it all disappear down the drain just because of Fox Mulder's pigheaded stubbornness.

Then, with a supreme effort, Spender managed to regain his composure. He still had a few tricks up his sleeve and he simply pulled out the most convenient one as he crooned almost sinisterly, "Because, not only do I know what your son is, but I can also lead you to your long-lost sister. That's why."

A short pause, that seemed like an eternity, followed as Spender waited for Mulder's answer. "Sorry Smokey, you've played that card one too many times," Mulder quickly retorted with a snort. Then, with a bitter laugh, he added, "Besides, I already know EXACTLY what Will is AND that Samantha is DEAD. She has been for a VERY long time."

"YOU may THINK you know," Spender countered tensely as he watched a large, imposing figure get out of the car and slip ominously up the driveway toward Mulder's front door, "but you have no idea." Even from behind, Spender knew exactly who was paying the Mulders a visit--knowledge Spender couldn't keep from coloring his normally cool and collected voice with a stain of urgency as he fervently added, "And your sister IS still alive, Mr. Mulder, but you WON'T be unless you follow my instructions RIGHT NOW!!"

Picking up instantly on the unmistakable anxiety in Spender's voice, Mulder couldn't keep a grin of smug satisfaction from playing across his face. With a sarcastic lilt, he chuckled, "So what? After years of trying to kill us or drive me crazy, you're NOW worried about our safety, eh? How sweet of you. We had no idea how much you cared." Then, with an angry sneer, he continued, "To what do we owe this miraculous change of heart? Don't tell me that, in your twilight years, you've finally found love."

"NEVER MIND THE REASONS WHY," Spender frantically yelled as the figure reached the door, "GET IN THE CAR AND GET THE HELL OUT of THERE!!"

At the unexpected arrival, Walter's ears perked and he crept stealthily to the door-but Mulder never noticed.

Thoroughly enjoying how the tables seemed to have turned, Mulder smirked in gratification as he chuckled, "Wow, sounds like I hit a sore spot, but don't mince words, Smokey. Tell me how you really feel."

Then, as if on cue, the doorbell rang-eliciting agitated peals of barking from Walter.

Hearing both over the phone and through his surveillance equipment, Spender blurted in near panic, "Do NOT answer the door! Get out of there now, before it's too late!!"

His interest and curiosity now piqued, Mulder moved with a grin toward the front door, laughing, "Too late for what? For us to put an end to your mind games, manipulations and conspiracies once and for all?" Then more seriously, he narrowed his eyes and venomously added, "You've never been interested in saving anything but your own sorry ass. This isn't any different." With that, Mulder abruptly hit the disconnect button on his cordless, hanging up on Spender as he quickly moved toward the heavily carved oak of the beckoning front door.

Listening to the blaring dial tone, Spender acted quickly-moving rapidly about his well-stocked and fortified observation post to implement his emergency backup plan.

Meanwhile, as he stepped up to the door, a tiny voice in the back of his mind warned Mulder that, despite Spender's track record of deception, he should still approach this situation with a healthy degree of caution. Looking through the peephole instead of immediately opening the door, Mulder's face suddenly fell and he was thankful that he'd listened to that voice-for what he saw on the other side completely horrified him. "Oh my God," he gasped as he backed away from the door in disbelief, dropping the phone to the floor and yelling, "Scully GET OUT of HERE N...!!"

But before he could finish his warning cry, the heavy oak front door exploded inward-blown off its hinges by an enormous force. Whatever it, it was so strong that the door collided with Mulder, knocked him backwards and pinned him to the slick tiles of the foyer floor.

Stepping imperiously through the now open doorway came the unmistakable form of the alien bounty hunter. Immediately taking notice of Mulder as he desperately scrambled to pull himself out form under the weight of the door, the bounty hunter quickly planted a large foot on it to keep his quarry trapped in place. "The boy," the bounty hunter demanded flatly as he applied additional, exponentially growing, pressure to the over 100 pound door and, de facto, to Mulder's body ensnared beneath it, "where is he?"

In response, Mulder involuntarily cried out in agony as he suddenly felt something snap in his chest under the ever-increasing pressure. As searing pain shot through his body, he found himself having to gasp for air as he hoarsely rasped, "He's not here!!!" Praying to anything that might be listening that Scully had heard his warning and was now making good her escape, Mulder desperately tried to stall for time as he choked and coughed, "and you'll never find him you son of a bitch!!"

Leaning in close and grabbing Mulder by the knot of his tie, the alien bounty hunter frowned his displeasure as he hissed, "Tell me where he is and I promise that you will die quickly."

"Very well," the bounty hunter evenly retorted as he forcefully gripped his immobilized victim's throat.

Then, at that moment, from the living room charged the almost forgotten Walter-growling and barking with the fur on his back standing on end as he bared his teeth menacingly at the alien invader.

Ignoring the adolescent pup altogether, the bounty hunter slowly squeezed Mulder's throat in one hand as he stoically glowered down at him, "Remember that I gave you the chance to end this quickly." Instantly, Mulder's labored effort to breath became a life or death struggle as he could feel his airways slowly being closed off.

Unable to stand idly by as this foreign entity assaulted his master, Walter instantly sprang forward, his jaws splayed open, ready for a fight. Completely unprepared for this attack, the bounty hunter instantly released his grip on Mulder as the ferociously enraged pup sank his teeth deeply into the alien's throat.

Defensively, the bounty hunter rolled off the door and onto the floor as he grappled with the furious, seemingly rabid dog. With the alien's weight no longer on top of him, Mulder quickly struggled to free himself. Desperately he tried to pull himself out from under the fallen door but it was to no avail. He couldn't seem to catch his breath and oddly lacked the strength to budge the massive door or try to move underneath it. Moreover, the pain in his chest was simply excruciating-increasing exponentially the harder he tried to free himself.

Finally getting a firm hold of Walter, the bounty hunter tore the snarling dog away from his throat before hurling it full force into the far wall. With a sickening snap and horrible yelp, Walter hit. Both horrific sounds immediately told Mulder that the poor dog's back had instantly been broken. Dropping limply to the floor with a pitiful whimper, Walter still didn't give up. Desperately, with his front legs-his back ones now completely useless-he tried to pull himself forward to help his fallen master.

Dispassionately regarding the wounded animal, the bounty hunter stood and strode over to him before reaching down to mercifully snap the poor dog's neck. Then, turning his full attention back to Mulder who continued to hopelessly struggle under the weight of the door and the sharp pains in his chest, the alien smirked in seemingly malevolent bemusement. Leaping full force onto the felled door, he growled in a near whisper, "Rest assured, your death will not be so easy."

The impact of the alien's full body weight forced a desperate cry of agony from Mulder's now numbed lips.

Standing over him menacingly with all his weight now on the felled door, the bounty hunter again reached down, took Mulder by the necktie and jerked him upright partially-as much as the door would allow. Helplessly gasping in response to the searing needles of pain that shot through his upper thorax, Mulder could barely catch his breath and knew that he would soon pass out as his vision began to tunnel. Then unexpectedly, from behind the bounty hunter, he suddenly saw a shadowy figure charge forward quickly with a swift, almost desperate, stabbing motion.

Instantly, the alien bounty hunter cried out in agony. Rearing up in pain and spasming violently, he desperately grabbed at the back of his neck. Then, seeming to give out, the alien collapsed forward as if dead-his body falling diagonally across the door. All at once, everything was eerily silent and still.

As his vision cleared and he was able to take in a few gasps of air, Mulder strained to see over the bounty hunter's shoulder, desperate to know just what had happened. Finally raising his head sufficiently, Mulder could see a highly polished wood and silver handle protruding from the back of the alien's neck. Then, raising and refocusing his eyes, he thought he must be dreaming when he caught sight of a visibly agitated Scully, her hands still shaking, behind it. Relieved beyond words to see her, Mulder hoarsely rasped with a grin, "See...and you...you thought... we'd never...use that ice pick."

Narrowing her eyes at him with a half-scolding, half- worried grimace, Scully quickly moved forward as she stoically countered, "We can apologize to Byers for all the teasing about his useless wedding present later-that is IF we get out of this in one piece." Pushing with all her might to get the bounty hunter's weight off her trapped husband, Scully managed to roll the alien's body off to one side. As it came to rest against the wall, Scully, her pulse racing, then turned her full attention to her injured partner.

"Mulder," she whispered anxiously as she clinically assessed his vital signs and condition with a physician's eyes, "Are you injured? Can you move?"

"I...I don't know," Mulder coughed as he struggled to catch his breath, "I heard.something...crack.when he...jumped on me. It hurts.like hell. I.think that ...maybe a rib's...broken." As he spoke, Mulder noticed for the first time that a light misting spray of warm fluid now accompanied his words.

Frowning deeply as she immediately recognized his symptoms, profound concern colored Scully's blue eyes as she quickly wiped her fingers across Mulder's moist face. Holding up her hand to show him the smear of blood that now streaked her fingertips, she anxiously whispered, "Mulder, you're aspirating blood. We need to get you out of here and to a hospital as soon as possible."

"Well." Mulder coughed with a slight gurgle, "I guess...on the...good...bad...scale...that's a bad...right?"

"Ssshhhh," Scully admonished softly as her eyes began to fill, "don't try to talk. I'll get you free and then we can get out of here." Knowing that Mulder had suffered from massive blunt trauma to his chest, Scully understood just how vital it was to get him to a hospital immediately. Using her entire body weight to push the heavy oaken door aside, Scully slowly but carefully inched it across Mulder's battered body so as not to cause any additional damage.

Excruciatingly close to freeing him, with scarcely more than another eighteen inches to go, the door abruptly came to a halt-accompanied by an unexpected low groan. Looking up, Scully's heart froze as she realized that the door was stalled hopelessly against the body of the fallen alien. Craning his neck to look, Mulder saw the exact same thing. Even worse, as they turned to stare at each other with widened and terrified eyes, both Mulder and Scully instantly came to the horrific realization that, since the sound hadn't come from either of them, the bounty hunter WASN'T dead.

"Get...out...of here...Scully!!" Mulder vehemently urged in a choking and panicked rasp, "You have to...protect Will!!"

"I WON'T leave you, Mulder!!" she retorted with a frantic mixture of frightened anger as her mind raced to come up with a solution and a single tear trickled helplessly down her face, "I'm getting you out of here!!" Then, deciding on a course of action and positioning herself at the edge of the door, she tersely continued, "I'm going to lift this up and I need for you to pull yourself out from underneath it. Okay? Can you do that?"

"Scully," Mulder coughed, desperately afraid for her safety as he saw one of the bounty hunter's hands begin to twitch, "It's impossible. GO NOW!! We...don't have.time..."

"DAMN IT Mulder!!!" Scully shrieked in near hysteria as the tears now streamed down her face unabated at the prospect of losing him forever, "FOR ONCE IN YOUR LIFE, JUST SHUT UP AND DO WHAT I TELL YOU!!!"

Truly stunned by her emotional outburst, Mulder could only nod in silent acquiescence as Scully squatted down and prepared herself for biggest physical challenge she'd ever faced in her life. Pausing a moment as she swallowed hard, Scully looked deeply into Mulder's eyes.

As their eyes locked, in that instant, all of the self-loathing, doubt and personal insecurity they'd felt since leaving the Shelby Academy disappeared. Their irrational fears about what the other now thought of them simply melted away, replaced by the undeniable love and self-sacrifice that each had just shown for the other. At that moment, they both realized that they'd never had anything to fear on that count. As that knowledge and understanding passed silently between them, the look in their eyes said it all-communicating volumes with words rendered completely unnecessary.

Then, blinking rapidly to keep her tears of relief from obscuring her vision and interfering with the task at hand, Scully forcibly tore her gaze away from Mulder's eyes. Grimacing slightly as she softly murmured, "Okay, let's get you out of here. On the count of three." Looking back at him for acknowledgement, she waited for a signal. Then, in response to his silent nod, she continued, "Right. One...Two...Three!" On three, she lifted with all of the strength her petite frame could muster. Beyond all reasonable expectation, the door moved significantly, rising several inches off the floor and freeing Mulder's trapped body.

At that precise moment, Mulder used his arms to push himself slowly out from under the massive door with every last ounce of strength he possessed. The effort was so excruciating that he nearly passed out from the pain but, somehow, he was able to keep inching his way to freedom.

"H-hurry!!" Scully gasped as her strength, pushed to its limits, rapidly began to give out and her face turned deep shade of red from the strained exertion.

Slowly sliding the last few inches, Mulder was finally able to swing his legs free with one final burst of exhausting effort. Finally free, quickly, he coughed "I'm free...Scully...let it go."

Unable to hold it aloft for another second, Scully immediately let the door drop and it fell to the floor with a crash as Scully collapsed exhausted on top of it.

Then, looking weakly over at Mulder with a faintly teasing but totally exhausted grin, Scully took a moment to catch her breath as she smirked in relief, "See how easy.things would go if.you'd just do what I say every once in a while."

Smiling back at her feebly, Mulder was about to answer with an equally smart-ass reply when a second moan from the alien bounty hunter reminded them that they weren't out of the woods just yet.

Stumbling to her feet, Scully quickly scrambled over to Mulder and fervently tried to drag him toward the door. However, in her exhausted condition, they weren't getting very far very fast.

Squatting next to him as she put his closest arm over her shoulders, Scully wrapped one arm around his waist and, careful not to put any pressure on his chest, pushed them both to their feet. With a groan, Mulder managed to keep from falling forward onto his face but it took a great deal of effort. The pain was so intense that Mulder was truly afraid that he might black out. However, leaning heavily on Scully's shoulder and keeping his mind focused on Will, he was able to take the few steps that now seemed like an expansive distance from the foyer into the kitchen and toward the garage.

Hobbling this way as fast as they could, together, Mulder and Scully finally made it into the garage. As she helped Mulder to the car, Scully couldn't bring herself to tell him that she could hear the alien bounty hunter struggling to his feet as the door to the garage swung closed behind them. Quickly lying Mulder down in the back seat of their SUV and carefully strapping a couple of seatbelts across his body to keep him from making his injuries any worse with movement, Scully barely gave him time to pull in his feet before she slammed the door shut and darted into the driver's seat.

"I love you Scully," Mulder coughed in a hoarse whisper as she slammed the driver's side door shut.

Locking all of the doors with a touch of a button, she did her best to keep the fear and worry out of her voice as she earnestly replied, "I love you too, Mulder."

Glancing back at him quickly as she strapped on her own seatbelt, Scully could see that Mulder had completely lost consciousness as a small pool of blood began to form on the upholstery from where it trickled down the side of his face out of his slackened jaw. Fumbling frantically with the keys, Scully was acutely aware that time was not on their side. Not only was it only a matter of seconds before the bounty hunter came after them, she also had to get Mulder to an emergency room fast. If she didn't...Scully shuddered at the thought.

Finally finding the right key, Scully quickly slid it into the ignition and started the car. She was just reaching for the garage door opener when their luck ran out.

Like a bolt of lightening, the alien bounty hunter crashed through the door they'd passed through just seconds earlier-his eyes full of cold fury. For a stunned moment, their eyes met as predator and prey stood stonily regarding one another--momentarily frozen in place. Then, without warning, the bounty hunter pounced forward onto the hood of their SUV. Simultaneously, Scully shifted the gears into reverse, released the parking brake and floored the gas-sending their vehicle crashing out backwards through the still closed garage door. In a shattering shower of wood, metal and fiberglass, the SUV careened out of their driveway and onto the road. In the hopes that it would dislodge their unwelcome alien passenger, Scully gave the steering wheel a hard turn to port as she hit the brakes, both of which barely kept them from colliding with the other cars that lined their otherwise quiet residential street.

Looking up with her heart pounding deafeningly in her ears as the vehicle came to a stop, Scully was horrified to see that the bounty hunter was still splayed out on the hood of the SUV, his hands gripping the metal valley between the hood and the windshield. For a split second, she sat in petrified disbelief, too stunned to move. It was beyond her comprehension just how it was humanly possible for him to have maintained his grip after all of that. But then again, he wasn't exactly human...

Reading the shocked terror on his quarry's face, the bounty hunter moved quickly to take full advantage of her momentary inaction. Pulling himself so far forward that only the windshield and a few inches of tense air separated him from Scully's astonished face, he raised a fist and prepared to slam it into the reinforced glass before coolly chiding her, "The boy. Tell me where he is and I will make your death a swift and painless one."

Narrowing her eyes at him in silent fury, Scully said nothing as the bounty hunter's powerful fist collided with the glass, sending spidery cracks shooting across the windshield in every direction. Snapped back into action by the impact, Scully angrily slammed the SUV into gear and floored it. As their velocity increased, it not only kept the bounty hunter from blasting his way through the glass with any more blows but it also forced him into the defensive position of simply maintaining his tenuous grip. Moving from 0 to 85 mph in a matter of seconds on a residential suburban road, the potential dangers, consequences and eyewitnesses didn't even cross Scully's mind as she snarled almost maniacally at the alien encroacher before calculatingly slamming hard on the brakes.

Bucking forward from the extreme force as her tires skidded and screeched to a halt, Scully's seatbelt kept her body in place before slamming it powerfully back against the bucket of the driver's seat. Immediately, she raised her eyes to see if her tactic had worked.

Completely unprepared for the abrupt stop, the alien bounty hunter couldn't keep his grip. Scully's calculated maneuver had sent him careening off the hood and onto the street in front of her.

Her eyes glittering venomously, Scully didn't waste a single instant or give him a chance to recover as she quickly turned the tables on him. Immediately, she hit the gas, deliberately plowing the SUV straight into the startled bounty hunter who had only just begun to right himself. After two sickening thumps told her that she'd already passed over his body, Scully hit the brakes and looked over her shoulder to assess the damage. Although he was obviously debilitated, the bounty hunter was still moving- crawling toward the side of the road. That was simply unacceptable.

Slamming the gears into reverse, Scully, with malice aforethought, deliberately backed over him. In fact, she nearly chuckled in delight at the two additional thumps that sounded under her SUV as it passed over his body for the second time in as many minutes.

Looking over her steering wheel through the splintered glass of her windshield, Scully surveyed the slimy green smear that was the alien bounty hunter with almost inhuman satisfaction.

Shifting gears one last time, Scully now carefully steered the SUV away from the quivering green mass that was already beginning to reconstitute itself and headed toward the nearest hospital with an emergency trauma team and medevac helicopter. "Hold on Mulder," she whispered breathlessly as she pulled her cell phone from the front of her coat, "We're all gonna make it. I'll make sure of it." Then, hitting her speed dial, Scully impatiently listened to the ring on the other end as she steered the SUV into the waning afternoon sun and helplessly waited for someone to pick up.

Having borne silent witness to the entire bone- chilling events both inside the Mulder household and on the open street, Spender was more than a little surprised and impressed by the level of ruthless savagery to which the mother of his grandson had been able to rise. Striding quickly to where the alien bounty hunter had fallen and was quickly recovering, he mused to himself with a chuckle, "Had I known depths you were capable of descending to, Agent Scully, I might've just recruited you into the Syndicate instead of simply using you as an unwitting pawn."

Finally reaching the injured alien, Spender glared down at him as he bit in disgust, "So you've failed yet again. Although, I shouldn't be so surprised. Your people have never seemed to be able to fully grasp the threat that Mulder and his family pose to your plans."

Ignoring him with clear indifference, the bounty hunter continued to repair his crushed legs as he coolly observed, "They were warned. That much is clear. The boy was not there. The parents served only as a decoy." Then turning to glower up at Spender with obvious suspicion and animosity in his eyes, he hissed, "Mulder is your child. You have motive to protect him and his family. Clearly you are responsible for their escape."

Laughing out loud, Spender took a cigarette from his pocket and slowly lit it before retorting, "Ridiculous. No man on earth has worked harder nor sacrificed more to further your colonization agenda than I have." Taking a long draw from his cigarette and exhaling it slowly, he continued, "Or have you forgotten that I gave up my own wife and murdered my only legitimate son to keep your precious secrets safe?"

"That is immaterial," the bounty hunter replied as he began work on his shattered hips, "You were never as invested in that family as you are in the Mulder family." Then, popping one hip back into place, he dispassionately continued, "I will report these conclusions to my superiors and they will decide what is to be done with you."

Taking another long draw, Spender grinned slightly in amusement before pulling a small vial from the front pocket of his overcoat. "I thought you might say that," he crooned smugly as he slowly twiddled the vial between his fingers and triumphantly eyed the brilliant blue liquid inside. Pulling the stopper, he smiled victoriously down at the temporarily stricken alien and murmured, "which is why I took every possible precaution." Pouring the vial's contents over the bounty hunter's body, he laughed, "You won't be reporting anything, my friend. I'll be reporting YOUR FAILURE."

At first, the bounty hunter simply disregarded Spender and his puny vial of insignificant liquid with a scoff. Yet, within a matter of moments, he could feel that something was desperately wrong. Within seconds, the alien had begun to scream in agony as his body inexplicably began to dissolve around him. It operated so quickly that even his cries never left his throat-his vocal cords melting away. The last thing he ever saw was Spender's malevolent smirk as he took one last draw of his cigarette before tossing it onto the brownish-red puddle that had been his body. Then the flames came.

Smiling wickedly as the remnants of the alien bounty hunter burned in the middle of the street, Spender quickly turned to take his leave. It was broad daylight and, even though it was the middle of the workday, he knew full well that it was only a matter of time before busy-body housewives looked out from their gingerbread windows to see what was going on- assuming they hadn't already. Striding quickly up the street to his secret stronghold, Spender resolved to make good his escape well before local law enforcement showed up to investigate. His plan was all coming together and coalescing now. Just a little more time was all he needed.