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Title: A Wonderful Life Summary - How does what we do effect others? She jerked awake, breathing heavily. A nightmare? She didn't remember a dream but it must have been bad. She tried to calm herself. "Dana? Are you okay?" She scrambled from the bed. Who the hell was he and why was he in her bed? What had happened? "Dana? Relax, you had a bad dream. It's okay." He too had left the bed and was approaching her slowly, arms spread - to reassure her or grab her? She broke for her bedside table and jerked the drawer open - her gun was gone. "Please wake up, Dana. You're scaring me. I'm not going to hurt you, Sweetheart. Please." He backed away from her giving her room. She straightened up and faced him. Whatever was going on she needed to regain control. She should be able to hold her own against him. She took in his appearance. This man was 5'9," maybe 5'10," blond hair long enough to curl at his ears and concerned blue eyes. He wasn't armed, that was fairly obvious since he was wearing only shorts. He must work out, his shoulders and chest were pretty well defined and he had a thick thatch of light hair on his chest. "Who are you? What are you doing here?" She hadn't gone out and even if she had it wouldn't have been to a bar or anyplace she might pick up... no! "Dana, it's me. It's Jim - your husband, Dana." She jerked back at that startled. "What are you talking about? I don't know who you are." He sat carefully on the edge of the bed. "I don't know what's happening Dana. I'm your husband, Jim Landers." Her eyes narrowed but she didn't interrupt him. "We've been married five years. I'm not sure what to say, Honey. You haven't had a nightmare like this since you were carrying Bill." What had he said? And who was Bill? He read the confusion in her eyes. "Our son, Dana. He's almost three." She shook her head at that. Now she knew he was lying. "That's not possible." It was a whisper. "Maybe that's it, Dana? The nightmare, the confusion - maybe you're finally pregnant again." He couldn't disguise the joy in his eyes or the despair that grew there as he recognized the pain and horror in her own eyes. "Dana, please. Try to get some rest, maybe you'll feel better, more yourself, in the morning. I'll... I'll sleep in Bill's room. Please try to sleep. Please Dana, I'm scared for you. I won't bother you. If you're not feeling better in the morning we'll call Larry." "Larry?" "He's your friend and co-worker...a doctor." "I'm a doctor?" Thank god they hadn't taken that from her too. "The best pathologist at Georgetown." There was a pause as they watched each other. Finally he sighed, "I'll be just down the hall if you need me. Please Dana, call me if you need anything. I'd never hurt you." He turned then and went out the door, leaving it open. She hurried to it, shutting and locking it behind him. Whoever was orchestrating this knew her. That shot about a son and a possible pregnancy - whoever it was knew her vulnerable points. Where was Mulder? Was he looking for her? She had to find him. There was a phone here, it might be tapped but if it gave Mulder the chance to trace the call it didn't matter. Dialtone! She quickly dialed his number. It rang twice, then "The number you have dialed is not a working number. If you feel you have reached this number in error... " She hung up on the mechanical voice. Not a working number. What had they done with Mulder? Where was he? What had happened to him? There wasn't a lot she could do from here tonight. She'd have to wait until morning. She might as well try to rest; she had no idea what would happen next. She dressed to prepare herself for whatever came, then lay on the bed and tried to relax. She did sleep a little, but was awake when the man calling himself Jim knocked on her door. "Dana? Are you awake? I have coffee for you. Please open the door." His eyes lightened as she opened the door. "It's decaf, in case you are pregnant. I remember how careful you were before." When she refused the cup his face fell again. "It's safe, Dana." He took a drink himself. "Dana?" She took the cup from him and he heard her almost inaudible, "thanks." He gave her a faint smile. "You... you say we have a son?" Jim nodded. "Where is he?" "At your mother's house. Melissa and Carl are in town with Tammy and Greg. He wanted to spend with night with his cousins and your mother thought that was a great idea." "Melissa? Melissa's alive?" She managed to get the coffee cup to the dresser without spilling any. "Alive? What do you mean? She's fine. We saw her yesterday." Stay in control, Dana. He could say anything. You know he's done his homework, but it's just words. There's no three-year-old boy here; you've only his word that Melissa is alive. You know that's a lie. He's only planted the idea you might be pregnant - there's no obvious proof of it. Don't let him do this to you. Get out now and find Mulder. She stepped around him and glanced around for her purse. "Dana, please. You're in no shape to go to work. Let me call Larry, tell him you're not coming in and... and that he should come see you." "No. I have to check on something. Don't try to stop me." "Dana." His eyes were filled with tears. They'd hired a good actor, but it wouldn't work. She knew the truth. She wasn't crazy or delusional; she was Dana Scully, Fox Mulder's partner. She'd never been married, she couldn't have children and Melissa had been murdered by mistake instead of her. These were truths, now she had to find Mulder and expose the people trying to drive her crazy. She tried her key on the car parked directly in front of the townhouse and it fit. She drove around the corner and stopped, watching to see if anyone followed her. While waiting she went through her purse. No FBI ID, no gun. She had some cash and credit cards in the name of Dana Landers. The joint checking account for James and Dana Landers had a healthy balance. Oh god! A picture of a little boy with strawberry blond hair and big blue eyes. Was he hers? No, that was impossible. No more pictures, they were too easily doctored. She stuffed everything back in her purse. She had to find Mulder. She drove to the FBI building and joined a tour to get inside. It was easy enough to slip away from them, as well as she knew the building. She stole a pad off of a desk, holding it to obscure her visitor's badge. She hurried to the basement, to t heir office. His name wasn't on the door and it wasn't locked. She opened the door cautiously - storage? This was no office and from the dust had never been one. Where the hell was Mulder? Was he in DC? Hell, was he alive? Her heart clutched at that thought. She stumbled back to the elevator. Now what? An empty desk gave her access to a phone. The switchboard - they'd know if he were supposed to be here. According to them he was on the fifth floor - Siberia. But he was here, that's all that mattered. She slipped off the elevator on fifth. If you looked like you knew what you were doing, no one bothered you. She hesitated, orienting herself on this unfamiliar floor. There he was! Oh, he did not look good. Had he been sick? How had he gotten those lines in his face and he was a little hunch ed over - not standing erect. That was gray in his hair. What had happened to him? He spoke to no one as he made his way to his office; he didn't even look at anyone. Well, that hadn't changed. She slipped into the office as he was closing the door. "What the hell are you doing?" "Mulder, do you know me?" "What?" His eyes were wary and more than a little pissed. "Mulder, please. Tell me you know who I am!" "Listen lady, I don't know what's going on here, but if this is some kind of a joke, it's not funny." She clutched the side of the desk to stay on her feet. "Hey, are you okay?" "No, no nothing's okay." She sank into his chair and he looked at her carefully for the first time. This was one lovely woman, obviously under a lot of stress, but still beautiful. Strange he wasn't usually attracted to redheads and she was too short, but those eyes seemed to hold him. They were full of tears, but she hadn't let any fall. Nice body, perfectly proportioned - great Mulder, at least you haven't done anything out of character, like grow up. "Look, Miss... uh..." "Scully. Just call me Scully. We need to go somewhere we can talk." "Yeah, right. Your place or mine?" He was trying to lighten the mood. "Yours. And we need to take your car." He gaped at her. "Come on." "Wait a minute, Scu... Scully? Is that right?" She nodded. "I... I don't know what to say." "We can't talk here anyway. Please Mulder, I need you to listen to me." Why the hell was he still in here? This had to be another horrible practical joke from some of his more psychotic fellow agents. So why did he find himself nodding and taking her arm? "I'll listen, but... " "That's all I'm asking Mulder." She headed out the door. He noted she knew her way to the parking garage and picked out his car with no prompting from him. Had she been stalking him? And why did that thought not bother him too much? Well, the phone number might be different, but the apartment was basically the same, a little messier but the couch was here. She never thought she'd be so happy to see the damn thing. She headed immediately for the cabinet where he kept his videos . They were there. She closed the cabinet and turned to face his saucer-sized eyes, making no comment on them. "Have you had the apartment swept for bugs lately?" "What? It's not exactly been necessary. Can I get you anything?" If she wasn't going to mention the videos he certainly wasn't. "No, I'm fine." She settled herself on the couch, relaxing slightly for the first time in hours. "Okay." He joined her on the couch; "You want to tell me what's going on?" She took a deep breath. "Look at me, Mulder. Do you really not recognize me? I'm Scully, Dana Scully. I'm your partner - we work together on the X-Files. Tell me you remember me, Mulder." His eyes had narrowed at the mention of the X-Files. He leaned toward her, "Who sent you here? What kind of joke is this? How did you hear about the X-Files?" "No one sent me. The X-Files is what we do, Mulder. For five years now! Mulder, please!" "Keep talking." "Five years ago, Section Chief Blevins assigned me to you. You were working in the basement. I was assigned to debunk your work because of my background in the hard sciences and medicine. But it didn't work out their way. I couldn't debunk the X- Files or you. Together our solve rate is incredible. I've seen things I can't explain, but we, together we..." "You think we've working together for the past five years?" "Well, not all the time. They closed the X-Files for awhile when we got too close to the truth. We still managed to work together covertly. Then I was abducted." He jerked back from her at that. "I was missing for several months, then returned t o you in a coma. I nearly died, but your strength pulled me back." His face was more drawn now and more pale - was he listening or in fear because he'd allowed an insane woman in his apartment? She plunged on, desperate to make him understand. "Shortly after that I found an implant in the back of my neck. I had it removed, but then I developed cancer. You save me again, Mulder. You found another implant and when you talked me into putting it in my neck, the cancer went into remission." She searched his face and her shoulders slumped. "You think I'm crazy." She buried her face in her hands. "Wait. I didn't say you were crazy. I don't know what's going on though. Let's see, five years ago. Yes, I'd found the X-Files, but I've never had a chance to look into them. I worked in the VCS then, profiling." "Monty Props." She looked up at him. He gave a slight smile. "Yeah, that was a tough one." He didn't think about how she would know that. "Others followed. It was rough." "You let yourself get too close. That's why I discourage it so." "Then I'm extra sorry you weren't around. About four years ago I had a breakdown. I was out of work a couple of months. When I got back I plunged right back in." "Oh Mulder." She was gripping his hand. "The second breakdown convinced them I needed a different assignment. I was out nearly six months that time. Now I work domestic, wire taps, but hey, I didn't lose my pension." The bittersweet smile nearly brought her back to tears. If she'd been here this wouldn't have happened - she could have protected him from this. What had they done? "So, where have you really been all my life?" That did elicit a shaky sob. He squeezed her hand and she drew a deep breath. "I woke up in the middle of the night last night, from a bad dream, or something. There was a strange man in my bed. He said his name was Jim Landers and that he was my husband. He said we'd been married for five years and have a son, and... and may be having another baby." His eyes tracked to her stomach but he kept quiet. "I never saw him before Mulder. I don't even know if he really thinks he's telling the truth. I didn't see a child though there was evidence of one. Why can't I feel anything for a man I'm supposed to be sharing my life with? Am I going crazy?" "I doubt it, but I don't have any answers for you. I need to think about this." "Did you ever find Samantha?" That caused the blood to drain from his face. "How do you know about Samantha?" "You told me, Mulder. On our first case. I came to you afraid and you made it better. It was the beginning of our partnership, our trust in each other. Mulder, how do I forget that and live in this life? I don't know if I can." She rose from the couch. "Wait!" He reached for her. "I'm just going to your bathroom." She stopped and turned back towards him. "When your father was murdered..." "My father's not dead," he interrupted. She froze - his father hadn't been murdered, Melissa hadn't been murdered. So many deaths because they had been together. Because of them Melissa hadn't lived to bear two children, and she'd had no children herself. Why couldn't they be together and still have... still have... He watched the blood drain from her face and reached her before her body hit the floor. She came to with Mulder leaning over her. "Scully? Can you hear me?" "I'm okay." His hand on her shoulder forestalled movement on her part. "When did you last eat? I know you missed lunch." "I don't know. I had half a cup of coffee for breakfast." "Jesus, Scully! No matter what's going on you have to look after yourself. You said yourself you may be pregnant." "I'm not. I can't be Mulder. During the abduction, tests were conducted that ... that left me barren." "Murders, abduction, cancer, sterility - that's the life you want to get back to?" "Maybe I am insane, but Mulder, that was my real life, with you." He wasn't sure what to say to that. Whoever this woman was, she was already under his skin. He'd protect her to the best of his abilities. "Listen, I want you to stay here. I'm going to go get something for you to eat. Just stay here." "Will you come back?" "Hey, it's my place." She closed her eyes. "Will you be okay while I'm gone?" "Sure." She wasn't able to say any more. He nodded and reached for his jacket. If she wasn't mistaken he was already standing straighter. There had to have been some good from their partnership. She had to find some positives. Her eyes fell on his computer. Maybe she could find out something. She searched her memory for dates and locations of past cases. Eugene Tooms! She booted up his computer and began her search. He returned carrying a pizza box and a paper bag. "You look like the veggie pizza type." She smiled, "Yes, but you aren't." "I'll survive. My system should be able to withstand the shock. This is for you too." At her questioning look he added, "I figure you don't have a toothbrush with you." She took the bag from him and opened it. "Or a pregnancy test?" "You need to know. It affects what you do, how you proceed with whatever happens next." "I'm not pregnant, Mulder." "Fine. Are you afraid to prove it?" She stiffened at that and rose from the couch, the bag in her hand. "Sometimes I forget about that Ph.D. in psychology." "You know about that too?" "Oxford? Sure." She started across the room, then stopped. "Was Phoebe there?" "God, you even know about Phoebe?" "Great. You have no memory of me, but that bitch still gets a response." She turned on her heel then and stalked into the bathroom. He sat there with no possible retort, only a bemused look on his face. He roused himself and found clean plates for the pizza. He had to search, but finally located some tea bags for her. "Can I help?" He hadn't heard her come up behind him. "Well?" Maybe it was none of his business, but he was curious as hell. "I don't know yet." "Okay. You want tea?" "Sure. I... I gave you this, so you'd have some when I came over." "Actually, I think this was here when I moved in. Come on, you need to eat." Even with the vegetables, he out ate her three slices to one. "You need more than that." "It's plenty for now. Maybe I'll have more later, if you leave me any." He stuck his tongue out at her without thinking. She grinned and rose to put the plates in the kitchen. How could he possibly be this comfortable with a strange woman let's face it, a very strange woman - in one day? She wasn't right, he knew exactly where he'd been for the last five years - he remembered every horrendous moment of it. But he could n't help but know that his life would have been better if she really had been there. He shook that thought off, she was obviously delusional, but not, he thought, dangerous. He looked up to see her watching him for the doorway, apparently reading him like an open book. He could feel the color rising on his face. She turned back drying her hands. When she returned he asked, "What's with the computer?" "I, uh, I was checking on some cases we didn't handle in this reality." "And?" "It looks like our partnership wasn't all bad, Mulder. We did do some good. Tooms got his fifth victim, the mother of three and vanished. A strange being that was nicknamed 'flukeman' killed over a dozen people in Newark before he was captured and killed. You and I caught him after only two deaths. Young black men are still disappearing in Philadelphia and the bodies that have been found are leeched of all pigment. There's no mention anywhere of Samuel Aboah. "In Cleveland, seven women are on the list of missing and three have been found in such an advanced state of decay that it has to be Virgil Incanto. Here in Washington, Nurse Innes finally committed suicide after killing four more women after we had been called in, but since we were never called in... And most recently is the outbreak of an extremely virulent form of smallpox in Payson, South Carolina. I'm sure there's more, but I found these almost immediately." "I don't understand." "It's cases we solved, lives we saved because we were together. Not everything was taken from us... " Her voice trailed off. He knew he had to broach the subject again. "Aren't you going to check?" He nodded toward the bathroom. "I already know the answer." "Mind if I check then?" She shrugged. "Go ahead." He wasn't gone long, then rejoined her on the couch. "See I told you..." she started, then looked at his face and stopped as the breath left her body. He held out the small plastic stick to her. "No... no. . ." It was barely a whisper. Rather than analyze his movement, he gathered her to his chest. He was afraid she was slipping into shock. "Scully? Breathe." "I can't... I don't know him! Mulder, I don't know that man! I don't want his baby, I only want..." she froze, she couldn't say that. She couldn't admit that, even to herself. Now what was she going to do? His finger under her chin lifted her eyes to his. No! She closed her own eyes, she couldn't face him. "Scully." His arm tightened around her. "Scully, I don't know what's going on, but whatever it is, I'm so glad you came looking for me today. Whatever happens, I believe this is the best day of my life." She opened her eyes then and saw the truth of his words in his own. Nothing could keep them apart, whatever was done to them, they'd find a way back to each other. "You look tired. You should go on to bed." "I need to call Jim. I don't want him calling the police." He nodded and started to stand to leave her some privacy. "No, please don't go." He settled back on the couch while she called information to get what was supposed to be her own home numb er. The phone was answered before the first ring was completed. "Hello!" "Jim?" "Dana, are you okay?" He sounded frantic. "I'm fine. I just wanted you to know I was okay and not to worry." "Not to worry!" Now he was obviously angry and exasperated. "Where are you Dana? Let me come get you and bring you home." "Not yet. I still need some time." "How much time? Dana, you're not well. Let me look after you, please." She could hear some commotion in the background. "Bill wants to talk to you." Before she could refuse, the voice of a young boy said, "Mommy? When are you coming home?" "Bi... Bill? I'm not sure. Did you have a good time last night?" "Yeah! Grandma let us stay up late, but Tammy's bossy." "Lit... little girls can be like that. I'll try to get home soon, Bill. Let me talk to your Daddy please." "Okay, love you." "I love you too, Honey." Her nails were digging into his hand but he didn't try to loosen her grip, she seemed to be in so much pain. "Jim?" "I'm here. Did you mean what you said to him?" "Jim, please give me this time. I'm very confused." "I haven't said anything to your mother or Melissa. They think you're consulting on a case." "Thank you." "Do you have any idea...?" "No. But I'll be in touch, I'll call you tomorrow." "I love you Dana. I need you, we need you, to come home." "Good bye." Mulder took the phone from her shaking hand and replaced it. After a couple of minutes he spoke, "You need to lie down. Come on, let me help you to bed." "You have an actual bed?" She was trying to focus on here, on now. Not keep hearing the voice of a child that might be her son echoing in her ears. "Sure I do, I just don't use it often." He wasn't at all sure she'd be on her feet if he let go of her. Once he sat her on the bed he scroughed through his drawers and came up with a Knicks t-shirt for her to sleep in. She gave a faint smile. "I think I slept in that the last time I was here." "Did that happen often?" "Never in that way." His face fell a little. "I think that was my fault too. Could you stay in here with me? Please, I don't want to be alone right now." "Whatever you need, Scully." He was hooked and landed, it didn't matter who she was. He left the room long enough for her to change and returned as soon as she called to him. He started to move a chair closer to the bed. "No, I need you closer than that tonight, Mulder." He actually looked a little frightened at that. "Don't worry, I'm not trying to seduce you. And you won't get me pregnant. I just need you to hold me. Please?" Eager didn't even cover it, but was it a trap? No, this woman wouldn't do that. "Sure, let me change." She nodded and he took some clothes in the bathroom. He returned shortly in t-shirt and sweatpants. "Which, uh, which side do you want?" "It doesn't matter." "Okay, come here." He crawled into the bed and spooned her up against him. "You're shaking, are you cold?" "No." He didn't pursue it. Eventually she did relax and her even breathing told him she was asleep. He never slept anyway and he was very comfortable - probably the most comfortable he'd ever been in this bed. He let his thoughts drift back over the day. This woman knew things most people didn't. Things he couldn't imagine anyone even wanting to find out about him. Why had he thought of her as short? She fit perfectly against him. Of course, the fact that she was another man's wife, carrying another man's child, should weigh heavily in his thoughts - why didn't it? This wasn't his style. Of course he hadn't had much of a style in years. She jerked in her sleep and his arms automatically tightened around her. "Mulder... please..." she was whimpering, but he realized she was still asleep. "Muld... no. No!" she woke, shaking again. "It's okay Scully. I'm right here. Are you okay?" "I'm... I'm fine." She was staring into the darkness. "That feels like the first lie you've told me." "I will be okay." "Right now I'm worried about you physically." She didn't comment. "Scully, how are you feeling?" "I've felt better." "Is it the pregnancy?" "I don't know. I have no memory of ever being pregnant before. Please don't worry about it." Her tone told him the subject was closed. "Just remember, if I let anything happen to you I have to answer to this Jim Landers. Do you think I can take him?" He grinned down at her. "I don't think you have to worry." "Go back to sleep Scully. I'm right here." She woke the next morning knowing immediately it was Mulder's arms cradling her so protectively. She tried to analyze her physical sensations - nausea? Not really, nor an upset stomach - just a mild cramping. But she was definitely going to wet the bed if she didn't get up. His arms tightened around her in his sleep. "It's okay Mulder. I'll be right back." He mumbled, but released her. When she returned he was awake and watching her. "You okay?" She started to say yes, but a wave of dizziness made her grab the door facing. He was beside her instantly. "It's okay, I was just a little dizzy." "I'll make you some tea." "Thanks, that would be nice." He sat her on the bed. "I am okay." "Good. I'll be right back." He eyed her one more time before leaving the room. He knew in his mind he had never seen her before yesterday, but in his heart he knew she didn't look at all herself and definitely not well. At least she'd gotten a little rest last night. He put the water on for her tea and looked around to see if there was anything here he could offer her to eat. No, he'd have to go pick up some things. "Mulder?" He hadn't heard her approach. "Mulder, I... ohhhh." He turned in time to see her drop to her knees, her arms around her middle. He knelt beside her. "Scully?" "I think... I think there's a problem." An understatement if he'd ever heard one. "Just relax." He gathered her into his arms. "I'll get you to the hospital. Just hang on Scully." "Mulder... " She clutched at his t-shirt and the world went dark. She woke to crisp sheets and the unmistakable aroma of hospital. What was she... ? Memory flooded her. "Mulder!" "Right here. I'm right here, Scully." She felt his hand close over hers and she took a shaky breath. She couldn't look at him yet. "Did I lose the baby?" "What?" She opened her eyes then and saw the confusion on his face. She saw something else there too, but even tired those deeply etched lines were gone from his face and she couldn't see any gray hair. His body was filled out with muscle and he just looked at least ten years younger. Was she... ? "Do you know who I am?" "Well I thought I did. What baby?" "Don't... it was just part of a dream." "Or nightmare?" She looked into his eyes then and nodded slightly. "What happened to me?" "I don't know. You didn't show up for work on Wednesday. I went to your apartment and found you unconscious on the floor. They said you were in a coma but your tox screen was negative and there was no sign of trauma." "Is Melissa dead?" He nodded slowly, at a loss to follow her train of thought. He watched tears form in her eyes. "I think what happened to me was a gift." "A gift? I don't follow." "To show me how things really are. I do have a life Mulder, a good life. The things I thought were missing don't mean what I thought they did. I've done a lot of good with you, more than I ever knew. If I hadn't joined the FBI, become your partne r, I wouldn't be who I am today. And this is who I want to be." "Scully, I've cost you so much." "I know that's what you believe. Maybe I did too, a little. We were both wrong. This is what should be, you and I together. I'm positive of that now." "What was your dream Scully?" "I need to process it myself first Mulder. But I will share it with you. I'll share it all with you Mulder." His eyes widened in wonder as she brought his fingers to her lips. She kissed his fingers as he watched her but kept silent, his mind reeling at the possibilities ahead. The End
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