Title: Doom Child
Author: Neoxphile
Category: Babyfic, Mulder POV
Feedback: neoxphile@aol.com
Spoilers: Season 9 up through "William"
Disclaimer: CC owns the characters, except the mystery baby.
Notes: For the "Mulder AU Babyfic challenge"
** Please join the challenge! The rules are at www.geocities.com/mulderscreek/challenge.html
Summary: The question I pondered is this: Are the seeds of the world's destruction sewn into their souls, or can upbringing overcome?
-Prologue-
Scully nearly had a heart attack the night I got back. Twice, actually, both times my fault.
I thought I could sneak into the apartment without waking her or William, but I was wrong. It just wasn't obvious at first.
Before I left, we put most of my things in storage, and broke the lease on my apartment. The fish, however, moved in with her. It was pausing to check on them that reminded me that stealth was not my strong suit. Echoing the snap of the tank's light going on, I head the click of a gun's hammer being drawn back.
" Turn around slowly."
I nearly grinned. Same strength in her voice as always, even after a year on her own, even after the shaking events she told me about in her last e-mail. " Scully…"
" Mulder!" She gasped, safetying her gun. " You nearly scared me to de-" Trailing off suddenly, she must have realized I wasn't alone, even though my companion hadn't made a sound. Scully gave me a hard stare that I could see clearly, despite the low watt bulb in the tank being the room's only illumination. " What is that?"
Her tone put me on my guard; 'what?' didn't sound particularly friendly. " I thought William could use a playmate." I said, keeping my own tone light.
She didn't smile. " Whose baby is it?"
" She's mine." The edge in her voice made me hold the baby to my chest even more protectively.
" Are you saying she's your daughter?" Scully choked on her words, which made me feel bad, since the baby was young enough to raise that suspicion, but no less wary.
" No, she's not my daughter. But she is mine."
-End of prologue-
**
When I left Scully and William, I hadn't intended to return to them bring home a three-week-old baby, but life is like that some times. At least my life is like that; I just assume that other people's lives are like that too.
" How is she yours?"
" Finders keepers?"
" I want a serious answer, Mulder."
After I just stared at her for a minute or more, she seemed to give up. " What's her name?"
" She doesn't have a name."
" All babies have names."
" Her designation is XX00032. That's not very catchy, but I haven't thought of something more appropriate, yet." I replied, shifting the baby in my arms, which were beginning to feel pins and needles.
" Is she healthy?"
" She seems to be."
" You haven't had a doctor examine her?" She asked, her voice mildly scolding.
" I've been sort of busy, what with trying to get back to you and all."
" I suppose I could examine her." She said reluctantly, reaching out for the baby. How like her to push aside anything involving emotions in favor of calling attention to something practical.
I pulled away. " Promise me that you won't try to hurt her."
" Mulder! She's a baby, why would I hurt a baby?"
" Just promise me."
" Fine. I promise not to hurt the baby." She said, rolling her eyes a little. "try to" I mouthed, but she didn't notice. Still feeling more than a little trepidation, I agreed to hand the infant over for examination.
After she fetched a doctor's bag I didn't even know she owned, she pulled out a changing pad - must have been William's- and unrolled it on the floor so she'd have a safe place to examine the baby. I was glad she wasn't going to do it on a table, since I had the idea that the baby might be able to roll off, despite her tender age.
Scully tugged gently on the girl's fingers and toes, moved her limbs, examined her eyes and ears. Listened to her heart…She muttered at me as she worked, mostly about me being a ninny if I thought she would ever harm a child. The muttering stopped, however, when she rolled the baby on to her tummy, and got a good look.
" Mulder, her neck! She's-"
I cut her off. " I know what she is, Scully." I said, picking up the baby and cuddling her. " Now do you see why I made you promise?"
Scully didn't say anything in reply, she just stared at the baby's neck until I covered up the knob that protruded from the soft baby skin with the fingers of one of my hands.
**
" Get rid of that thing." Scully hissed at me.
" Scully-"
" I am not kidding, Mulder. It's dangerous, and you know it."
" She's three week old, do you really think she's capable of hurting you?"
" It's not me I'm worried about. Don't you worry about your son?" She muttered darkly. " Or have you completely forgotten about William?"
" Do you honestly think she could harm a toddler?" I retorted angrily. I didn't think she'd be thrilled about the baby, but I didn't think she'd be so irrational about it. " She's as helpless as any other baby her age."
" Like you would know." She smirked at me. It wasn't an attractive look. " You didn't stick around to find out."
" You were the one who insisted I leave." I reminded her. " You said it would keep William safe, which is what scared me into going."
" Well, it didn't." Her eyes blazed angrily, fixed on the baby. As if anything that had happened was her fault. " I almost gave him away, Mulder."
My heart leapt into my throat. " What? When?"
" Two months ago. I filled out the paperwork, and handed him over to foster care. They took him away…placed him with this earnest, terribly naive, defenseless couple. You have 45 days to change your mind. I brought him home a week later, because I couldn't bear the thought of him being out there without us. Your half brother convinced me that he'd be safer without us, but how could he be? The super soldiers can find anyone anywhere…" She paused, and gave a brittle laugh. " And you've brought one into my home."
My home, not our. I realized then there wasn't going to be any reasoning with her, not that night. Careful not to drop the baby, I pulled out my cell phone and flipped it open. We'd done so much traveling over the years that I'd managed to memorize the numbers of several hotels. " Hi, I'd like to reserve a room for the night. I have an infant with me so I'll need a crib…thanks, we'll make it before the check in time ends."
She stared at me the entire time I was on the phone, not saying a word. " I'd like to see William before I leave." I said shortly.
" He's asleep."
" I won't wake him."
With a show of great reluctance, she opened the bedroom door. He was sound asleep in his crib, sprawled on his belly. My mother had pictures of me sleeping the same way. Looking down at him, I couldn't believe how big he'd gotten. And he wasn't bald any more. Scully had told me that his hair had turned red, but even when we'd been in contact through e-mail she'd been too paranoid to send pictures to me.
She hovered like I was going to snatch him away. Did she really distrust me that much, or was it her reaction to everyone who got near him? I was hoping for the latter.
" Scully, you have my things… do you know where the box of baby books are?"
" I think so, why?"
" I'd like the book of baby names, if you can find it."
Five minutes later, I left the apartment with the book tucked under one armpit and the nameless baby in my arms.
Author: Neoxphile
Category: Babyfic, Mulder POV
Feedback: neoxphile@aol.com
Spoilers: Season 9 up through "William"
Disclaimer: CC owns the characters, except the mystery baby.
Notes: For the "Mulder AU Babyfic challenge"
** Please join the challenge! The rules are at www.geocities.com/mulderscreek/challenge.html
Summary: The question I pondered is this: Are the seeds of the world's destruction sewn into their souls, or can upbringing overcome?
-Prologue-
Scully nearly had a heart attack the night I got back. Twice, actually, both times my fault.
I thought I could sneak into the apartment without waking her or William, but I was wrong. It just wasn't obvious at first.
Before I left, we put most of my things in storage, and broke the lease on my apartment. The fish, however, moved in with her. It was pausing to check on them that reminded me that stealth was not my strong suit. Echoing the snap of the tank's light going on, I head the click of a gun's hammer being drawn back.
" Turn around slowly."
I nearly grinned. Same strength in her voice as always, even after a year on her own, even after the shaking events she told me about in her last e-mail. " Scully…"
" Mulder!" She gasped, safetying her gun. " You nearly scared me to de-" Trailing off suddenly, she must have realized I wasn't alone, even though my companion hadn't made a sound. Scully gave me a hard stare that I could see clearly, despite the low watt bulb in the tank being the room's only illumination. " What is that?"
Her tone put me on my guard; 'what?' didn't sound particularly friendly. " I thought William could use a playmate." I said, keeping my own tone light.
She didn't smile. " Whose baby is it?"
" She's mine." The edge in her voice made me hold the baby to my chest even more protectively.
" Are you saying she's your daughter?" Scully choked on her words, which made me feel bad, since the baby was young enough to raise that suspicion, but no less wary.
" No, she's not my daughter. But she is mine."
-End of prologue-
**
When I left Scully and William, I hadn't intended to return to them bring home a three-week-old baby, but life is like that some times. At least my life is like that; I just assume that other people's lives are like that too.
" How is she yours?"
" Finders keepers?"
" I want a serious answer, Mulder."
After I just stared at her for a minute or more, she seemed to give up. " What's her name?"
" She doesn't have a name."
" All babies have names."
" Her designation is XX00032. That's not very catchy, but I haven't thought of something more appropriate, yet." I replied, shifting the baby in my arms, which were beginning to feel pins and needles.
" Is she healthy?"
" She seems to be."
" You haven't had a doctor examine her?" She asked, her voice mildly scolding.
" I've been sort of busy, what with trying to get back to you and all."
" I suppose I could examine her." She said reluctantly, reaching out for the baby. How like her to push aside anything involving emotions in favor of calling attention to something practical.
I pulled away. " Promise me that you won't try to hurt her."
" Mulder! She's a baby, why would I hurt a baby?"
" Just promise me."
" Fine. I promise not to hurt the baby." She said, rolling her eyes a little. "try to" I mouthed, but she didn't notice. Still feeling more than a little trepidation, I agreed to hand the infant over for examination.
After she fetched a doctor's bag I didn't even know she owned, she pulled out a changing pad - must have been William's- and unrolled it on the floor so she'd have a safe place to examine the baby. I was glad she wasn't going to do it on a table, since I had the idea that the baby might be able to roll off, despite her tender age.
Scully tugged gently on the girl's fingers and toes, moved her limbs, examined her eyes and ears. Listened to her heart…She muttered at me as she worked, mostly about me being a ninny if I thought she would ever harm a child. The muttering stopped, however, when she rolled the baby on to her tummy, and got a good look.
" Mulder, her neck! She's-"
I cut her off. " I know what she is, Scully." I said, picking up the baby and cuddling her. " Now do you see why I made you promise?"
Scully didn't say anything in reply, she just stared at the baby's neck until I covered up the knob that protruded from the soft baby skin with the fingers of one of my hands.
**
" Get rid of that thing." Scully hissed at me.
" Scully-"
" I am not kidding, Mulder. It's dangerous, and you know it."
" She's three week old, do you really think she's capable of hurting you?"
" It's not me I'm worried about. Don't you worry about your son?" She muttered darkly. " Or have you completely forgotten about William?"
" Do you honestly think she could harm a toddler?" I retorted angrily. I didn't think she'd be thrilled about the baby, but I didn't think she'd be so irrational about it. " She's as helpless as any other baby her age."
" Like you would know." She smirked at me. It wasn't an attractive look. " You didn't stick around to find out."
" You were the one who insisted I leave." I reminded her. " You said it would keep William safe, which is what scared me into going."
" Well, it didn't." Her eyes blazed angrily, fixed on the baby. As if anything that had happened was her fault. " I almost gave him away, Mulder."
My heart leapt into my throat. " What? When?"
" Two months ago. I filled out the paperwork, and handed him over to foster care. They took him away…placed him with this earnest, terribly naive, defenseless couple. You have 45 days to change your mind. I brought him home a week later, because I couldn't bear the thought of him being out there without us. Your half brother convinced me that he'd be safer without us, but how could he be? The super soldiers can find anyone anywhere…" She paused, and gave a brittle laugh. " And you've brought one into my home."
My home, not our. I realized then there wasn't going to be any reasoning with her, not that night. Careful not to drop the baby, I pulled out my cell phone and flipped it open. We'd done so much traveling over the years that I'd managed to memorize the numbers of several hotels. " Hi, I'd like to reserve a room for the night. I have an infant with me so I'll need a crib…thanks, we'll make it before the check in time ends."
She stared at me the entire time I was on the phone, not saying a word. " I'd like to see William before I leave." I said shortly.
" He's asleep."
" I won't wake him."
With a show of great reluctance, she opened the bedroom door. He was sound asleep in his crib, sprawled on his belly. My mother had pictures of me sleeping the same way. Looking down at him, I couldn't believe how big he'd gotten. And he wasn't bald any more. Scully had told me that his hair had turned red, but even when we'd been in contact through e-mail she'd been too paranoid to send pictures to me.
She hovered like I was going to snatch him away. Did she really distrust me that much, or was it her reaction to everyone who got near him? I was hoping for the latter.
" Scully, you have my things… do you know where the box of baby books are?"
" I think so, why?"
" I'd like the book of baby names, if you can find it."
Five minutes later, I left the apartment with the book tucked under one armpit and the nameless baby in my arms.