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Title: Their Father's Murderer Summary: This is about...the next generation. Takes place about thirty years from now on.
Sam barely looked up as his sister Katie entered the office. He was concentrating on the report he was writing on their last case. Katie leaned over his shoulder to take a look at it. "Another case like this and I'll jump out of the window. Out of frustration," she commented. "We're in the basement." "Well, I'll take the elevator up to the highest floor," she sighed. "Don't tell me you're not frustrated." "What's the use? Won't help us any." "Yeah, I know. You're right as always. It's just...I'd like to work more on Daddy's files." "Katie, we've been through this before. You know the arrangement we have with A. D. Carter. We solve the cases he gives to us to his satisfaction, and in return we get to work on some of our own." "Why are you so eager to do everything by the book?" "I'm not. I'm just trying to do what's best for us." For about the hundredth time that day Sam ran his hands through his already tousled brown hair. "You know, Katie," he continued. "It's time you got over Daddy's death." "I don't want to get over it! Never forget what you promised your mother, Sam. You swore to her you would take revenge for his death!" "I know I promised her. And I intend to keep that promise. That's not what I meant." "Then what did you mean?" "Well... mom always felt responsible for his death. And you act like you do, too. Not that you really believe you are. You were seven years old when he died. But...hell, I don't know! I know how you feel, though." "I still miss him so much. It's been twenty years, and I can still hear his voice, still fell my hand in his..." Tears glistened in her eyes. She tuck a starnd of reddish hair behind her ear. Sam was beginning to say something when the phone rang. He picked up the receiver. "Mulder." "Mr. Mulder. I knew your father." "Who is this?" "I need to talk to you. You and your sister." "Who is this?" "Please. It's important. I can't tell you on the phone." "Okay. Where can we meet you?" "Lincoln Memorial. One hour." The connection was broken. "What was that?" Katie asked. "Dunno. A man. Sounded kinda old." "Old?" "Yeah. He wants to meet us. Said he knew Daddy." "Well, let's get going." Sam smiled at his sister. The spark that he knew so well had returned to her eyes. It was a spark of excitement that always showed when she expected to learn something important. Something significant. An hour later they sat on the steps of Lincoln Memorial and looked out over the pool. Sam watched the people that walked by them but didn't see anyone suspicious. Five minutes later an old man of about eighty years approached them. He watched them for a long moment, standing about ten feet away, his expression wistful. "Sir?" Sam finally addressed him. The man walked up the stairs, then stood in front of them. "You both look so much like your parents," he told them. "It's unbelievable. It's like they never died. They live on. That makes me happy. I'm sorry I haven't contacted you sooner." "Why haven't you?" Katie asked. "I'm old. I didn't want to stir up the past. Too many painful memories." "You said you knew our father," Sam reminded him. "Yes, I did. And your mum. I knew them very well. I loved them." "Who are you?" "My name is Skinner. Walter Skinner." "I know that name," Sam said. "You were our mother's and father's superior." "Yes, that's right. But not half as capable as an FBI Agent as your parents. I could have done so much more for them..." The man's voice was barely a whisper. "Sir? Why did you want to meet us?" Katie asked him "I know who killed your father." "What?!?" Sam and Katie exclaimed at the same time. "And you...you didn't tell us?! You kept it a secret?! Why the hell did you do that? And our mother? She didn't know. She'll never know. It was all she wnated, to find out who killed him!" "Agents Mulder, please, calm down..." "Calm down?! You sorry son-of-a-bitch, how could you do this?" Sam raised his fist. "I'm sorry," the old man said. "I didn't tell your mother because I was afraid she would get killed as well if she tried to take revenge." "Then why do you tell us now?" "My life will be over soon. I had to share this knowledge. I wanted you to know." "Who did it?" Sam asked quietly. "His name is Jeffrey Spender. He was your father's half-brother and the son of his biggest enemy. He was believed to be dead. Killed by his own father, who was also the father of your father." "Our father was killed by his own brother?" "Well, there's nothing to prove that he really was his brother. It's not been confirmed." "Where is he now? That guy. Jeffrey Spender." "I saw him a few days ago. By coincidence. He passed me on the streets but he didn't recognize me. I followed him and found out his address. I wrote it down for you." The man handed Sam a note. "He must be over sixty years now. And old man, like me." "Why are you doing this?" Katie asked. "I don't want you to kill him. Go to him. Tell him who you are. He'll know the moment he sees you anyway, I think. Ask him for the truth. Let him tell you his story. And why he killed your father." Having said that, the old man turned around and walked away.
They were back in their basement office. Neither of them had talked on the way back. They were both still too shocked by the old man's story. Katie finally began to speak. "Do you believe that story?" "Yes, I do. From what mom told us Walter Skinner certainly was in a position to have access to this kind of information." "So you think that Jeffrey Spender who is allegedly our father's half-brother, killed Daddy?" "There's only one way to find that out." Sam stood up. "Let's pay a visit." Half an hour later the two FBI Agents stood in front of Jeffrey Spender's apartment door. "Do you think this is the right address?" Katie aked. "The name on the door says Jim Gibson." "He pobably changed it." Sam raised his fist and banged on the door. "Mr. Gibson!" he called. "FBI. Open the door, please." A key was turned in the door, then it opened slowly. "What do you want?" A voice asked from inside the darkened apartment. "Mr. Gibson?" "Yes?" "We need to talk to you. My name is..." Before Sam could finish his sentence a light was turned on inside so they could see the man standing on the other side of the threshold. And he could see them. His eyes widened in shock. "I know who you are," the man said once he had recovered his voice." "You do?" Katie asked "Yes ma'am. Though I don't know you names." "Agents Samuel and Katrina Mulder," Sam said. "May we come in?" "Please." The man led them into a small living-room adn asked them to take a seat on the couch. "Can I offer you a drink?" "No, thanks," Sam replied. "Ma'am?" "No, thank you, Sir." "Mr. Gibson," Sam began his interrogation. "Is that your real name?" "I suppose you already know it's not." "Jeffrey Spender? Is that your name?" "Men like me don't have a name. Only aliases." "But Jeffrey Spender is one of your names?" "That's who I was once, yes." "Sir, do you know why we are here?" Katie asked. "I think I do. I expected xou to come. Someday. You're lucky I'm still alive. - So...how did you find out?" "Find out what?" "Well...about me?" That's not the question here?" "So, what is the question?" "Why you murdered our father." There was a long silence. "You came here to ask me why I murdered your father?" the old man asked then. "You're not denying it?" Sam was surprised. "Why should I? You know that it's true, you wouldn't believe me if I denied it, would you?" "No." "I don't know how much you know about this. What your mother told you about it... By the way, how is your mother?" "She died last year." "I'm sorry to hear that." "Sure you are." "You don't believe me? I liked her. I liked your father as well. He was my brother, you know. My half-brother, to be honest, bur still... my brother. But that's a long story. I'm willing to tell it if you're not afraid to listen," the old man offered. "Go ahead." "I didn't like your father at first. Like many others I thought he was...well...'out there', you know. Your mother was okay, just a bit too much under his influence, maybe. However, there came a time when I had to realize that your father was right about everything he believed in. Back then I was in control of the X-Files and secretly working with my father. I didn't want that anymore. When I realized what my father had done - to my mother and to the world - I began to despise him. I hated him and I didn't want to have anything to do with him. I did what I could to help your father to get back on the X-Files. My life was ruined, my reputation, my job, everything... Then my father shot me. I wanted to die for I had nothing left to live for... but he wouldn't let me. He took me with him. The gunshot wound wasn't lethal but they found my blood and assumed that I was dead. And I was, in a way. I became a man without a name, working as an errand boy for my father. Meanwhile the plans for the colonization didn't work out the way my father had planned, so he decided to side with the alien rebels. By that he managed to prevent colonization and to get rid of that whole alien problem. I never believed it would work but it did. My father saved the world." The old man didn't sound proud when he said that. His voice was filled with disgust. "That was when your father found us out," he continued. "He had proof that there was life in this universe other than our own. He wanted to go public with that knowledge. But my father, *our* father, didn't want people to know. He thought it was better for them not to know, and since the whole colonization problem was out of the way, why get people all confused. He thought there was no need for the world to know. So, one day he came to me, handed me a gun and said, 'Time to kill your brother'. I hadn't known he was my brother up to that point. I was desperate, I was delusional because my life was turned upside down. I knew my father would kill me if I didn't take this order. I should've let him. But I didn't. I killed my brother. Your father." They sat in silence for what seemed like eternity. "I'm not gonna feel sorry for you," Sam finally said. "I don't expect you to. I don't want you to. You can kill me if you want. I would understand. Anyway, my life has been over for a long, long time." "I'm not going to kill you." "Because it's worse for me to be alive? But it's what you wanted all the time, isn't it? Take revenge? Find your father's murderer and kill him?" Sam didn't answer. "Sir, do you know what you did to our mother?" Katie asked. "Her life ended the day our father died." "I know. But your father was a hero, and heroes don't live. He was a tragic hero but still...a hero. And your mother...she loved him. And he loved her. He should have given up his quest for her. Maybe he would still be alive." "She didn't want him to," Katie explained. "That's why she felt responsible for his death. She never wanted him to give up the life he led. His work. He would have." "And now you two continue their work. Their mission, or whatever it was," the man said. "We try to," Sam replied.
Four days later, Sam was at his apartment when the phone rang. "Samuel Mulder." "It's Katie. Hi, brother." "Hi." "I...I just realized something, and I had to tell you at once." "What is it?" "The old man...Jeffrey Spender...he said that we continue our parents' work, and before taht he said that our father was a hero and that heroes have to die?" "Yes?" "Maybe he was trying to tell us something." "Excuse me? What do you mean?" "mom and dad, they never had a real life because their work was so consuming. They could've been happy together, they could've lived a long and wonderful life but they never gave up their quest." "Do you think they could've given up their work? Do you think they would've been happy without it?" "I don't know. But that's not my point." "What's your point, then?" "We're about to make the same mistake. We don't have private lives, all we care for is our work. I mean...I'm not saying we should quit but...maybe try and live a little. - What do you think?" "Maybe you're right."
Sam stood at his parents' grave and looked at the inscriptions. Fox William Mulder Dana Katherine Mulder, née Scully 'Only love lasts forever.' They may not have been happy for a long time, Sam thought. But they always loved each other. They had a love few people ever find. Maybe Katie is right. Maybe it's not their work we should continue. It's their love. We should try to find that in this world and not alien life somewhere else. Knowing that he was right, Sam smiled at his mother's and father's grave before he turned around and walked away. The End
Author's Notes: I'm not completely satisfied with the ending. This story practically wrote itself, so I had no idea how it should end. Hope you liked it anyway. If you did, please let me know. Thanks for reading.
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