CHAPTER NINE

John Doggett rushed down the stairs and turned the corner to see Skinner and Scully clutching onto each other, staring at the TV screen in the dark corridor. He prepared himself for what he was about to see. He couldn't believe that they had found him.

"Hey." He said in a small voice as he hurried towards them. Scully stared at the screen with wide eyes, her hands still placed on the picture of her son. Skinner turned to face him.

"John, we need you to get on the next plane to NYC. Can you do that?" He asked him.

"Of course." Doggett said in surprise, then looked at the image himself. He shook his head in disbelief. He couldn't believe he was looking at the same boy that he had known as a baby. "I can't believe that's really him. It's great news Dana, great news."

Scully turned to look at him, finally tearing her eyes away from the image of William. She smiled at him happily, tears glistening in her blue eyes.

"I know, it's amazing isn't it?" She gushed. "But John, he's so frightened. He doesn't understand why he is not affected."

"He also mentioned that his adoptive parents are dying." Skinner said grimly, gauging Scully's reaction at his words. He was not sure that she had accepted this yet. He glanced at her cautiously, waiting for her to respond. The color drained from her cheeks and she swallowed nervously, weighing up her options.

"Go to him, and tell him all about me and Mulder. If he takes the news well, I want to speak to him on the phone." She said in a low voice. Skinner looked at Doggett with wary eyes.

"Dana, I will do my best. You know that." He said gently.

"I know you will. I have to stay with Mulder, or I would come with you."

"All right. I've booked the flight." Skinner interrupted, lowering his phone and putting it back in his pocket. "Any news from Monica?"

"Nothing. The number was dead." Doggett said sadly. Skinner sighed and Scully shifted uneasily on her feet, turning back to the television but to her overwhelming sadness, she saw that William was gone. She felt tears prick her eyes again as she felt the loss of not being able to look at her son again..

"Agent Scully?" Einstein's voice carried over them, calling from the busy ER. "Agent Scully?" She called again. "Where are you?"

"Here Agent Einstein!" She called back to her, walking towards her voice. She needed to remain focused, she had people to help.

Not just Mulder.

The happiness she felt now that she had been given the most amazing gift of seeing her son again spurred her onwards.

Einstein appeared in the hallway and turned to face them. She appeared to be out of breath and she rested her hands on her knees to gather herself. Scully hurried towards her now, guilt clouding her thoughts.

"I'm sorry I left you. Is everything all right?" She asked, Skinner running up behind her.

"No, it's all right. It's not that." She said breathlessly. "There's a woman here to see you. She said her name is Monica Reyes."

Scully felt her heart jump into her throat and her cheeks reddened with fury. She felt a sickening feeling in the pit of her stomach.

John Doggett was already running past Einstein and towards the ER, before anyone could answer her.

Scully turned to look at Skinner, who was looking at her with knowing eyes.


John Doggett raced into the ER, scanning the area as fast as he could. Every brunette he saw he would pull round to face him, desperately looking for any sign of her..

Finally he saw her, her long black overcoat nearly touching the floor.

Her face was so familiar it almost made him smile, but he stopped himself when he remembered the betrayal. There was something different about her. Her face was sterner and she looked deeply unhappy. Doggett saw that the light had appeared to have disappeared from her soul.

He took a deep breath and paced towards her, past the doctors and nurses that surrounded him. He pushed forward and finally reached her as she stood near the reception, her head hung low.

"Monica?"

He finally got the courage from within to speak. He could feel his heart racing uncontrollably. He wasn't sure what he was about to say but he knew that he wouldn't be able to control his emotions.

She looked up at the sound of his voice in disbelief. Turning to look at him she gasped in shock, her face reddening in surprise. She opened her mouth to speak, but nothing came out. Doggett bit his tongue as he saw her reaction, he knew it was one of guilt.

"John..!" She exclaimed finally. Doggett heard footsteps from behind him and he saw her look over his shoulder and her cheeks reddened further as he knew that Scully and Skinner were behind him. "Dana… I… don't know how to.." She started with great difficulty.

"Save it Monica." Scully snapped icily. "What do you want?"

"I… I wanted to speak to you. I'm so sorry about everything. Ever since I saw you I have been feeling terrible, and now since all of this went down..' She said, looking down at her feet in dismay, 'I felt the need to help. I have to help you, please let me do something..!" She said desperately.

Doggett softened slightly as he saw the tears glistening in her eyes. He shifted slightly as she turned to look at him again, taking in his familiar features. She managed a small smile of delight at the sight of him. "John.." She breathed. "I can't believe you are here! I can't believe I am standing in front of you right now! And with Dana? And Skinner? How did you-" She started.

"We bumped into each other. It was pure coincidence, but there's no time to talk about that now. We have an emergency." John said, his tone softening slightly.

"What?" Monica asked in shock. Scully flinched as Monica looked at her with wide eyes.

"Mulder." Scully blurted out, her lip trembling. Monica froze, knowing the answer. "He's dying."

There was a deathly silence as Reyes swallowed down the information, a dreaded feeling looming over her.

"He… he didn't take the deal..?" She said in a small voice, and placed her hand on the reception desk for support as she felt the guilt crash over her once more.

Scully felt her heart break again as she thought of Mulder, dying upstairs in a hospital bed. She wanted to get back to him desperately.

"No Monica. He didn't. He's not like you." Scully spat out icily, tears clouding her vision again. She was so sick of crying today. She blinked them away in frustration.

"Dana… I… I don't know what to say." Monica said, deeply saddened. Scully looked away from her and closed her eyes, the anger almost at boiling point inside of her.

"Listen Monica, Mulder needs stem cells from William to survive. We know where he is. I'm going to go and find him and tell him the situation." John said to her. Monica nodded silently and looked at Skinner for answers, but he looked away from her angrily and placed a supportive hand on Scully's shoulder. Monica got the message. She had taken it too far this time. Who could blame them?

"Let me help you. Please." She begged.

"What about the smoking man?" Scully snapped.

"He doesn't know I'm here. I got away from him, I wanted to show you that I am sorry, and that I want to help."

"Are you in danger Monica?" John asked suddenly, worry clouding his mind. Monica looked into his eyes and saw concern.

"For god's sake." Scully snapped, running a hand through her hand in frustration. "I'm going to check on Mulder. John, please find my son." Scully said, brushing off any concern for Monica and turning to Doggett. He nodded sincerely in acknowledgement and Scully turned away from them all, desperate to get back to Mulder upstairs. Skinner stood between them awkwardly as they looked at each other.

"Flight leaves DC in one hour John. You'd better get moving." Skinner said in a low voice.

"Sure thing."

"I'll come with you. I want to help. Anything I can do.." Monica quipped in desperately. Skinner paused for a moment, knowing that Scully wouldn't like it, but he knew that John needed as much help as he could get, and Monica could be very persuasive.

He sighed heavily, pulling his glasses off his face again and rubbing his temples.

"Fine. But I swear to god, if you do ANYTHING at all to mess this up…" Skinner raged, glaring at her. Doggett grabbed Monica by the arm and she gasped in surprise.

"I'll deal with her myself." He snapped over him, glaring into her brown eyes. Monica felt her heart rise into her throat as her old partner glared into her soul. "Don't worry Skinner. I will make sure she doesn't do anything stupid. Come on Monica, let's get out of here."


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