Last Wish
Part 9
By
Trycee
Time-Line: Alternative Universe. Season 10 After Home Again and before My Struggle II.
Disclaimer: This is written for fun, not profit.
Scully sat back down on Mulder's lap and placed a hand on Williams forehead as he closed his eyes, his medicine kicking in, allowing him to sleep. Mulder pulled Scully to him as she leaned over their sons bed, fascinated at his every breath.
"What did you find, Scully?", Mulder whispered, rubbing her arm as she leaned against him. "I found that all of us...William. Me and You too, Mulder, have Alien DNA," she whispered.
Mulder glanced down at her, whispering back. "So, both of us passed on a mutated gene?"
"Yes, two parents with Alien DNA which caused it to turn on in him. That's why he's special."
Mulder rubbed her arm as his mind raced. "What do we do?"
"I honestly don't know. His blood is killing him. Its poisoning him. "
"Yeah..."
"I think...", she said, trying to work out Williams condition. "The cure would be to use Stem Cell Therapy."
"They said they tried that before," Mulder said into her ear.
"But, we have what they did not."
Mulder rubbed her arms. "Blood from his biological parents. I'll donate it."
"I don't think either of us can donate it. His blood is tainted because of us. I need to get direct blood donation from a family member so I can start him on stem cells. It needs to be a direct family member collected through Apheresis," she spoke, as she turned the ideas over in her mind.
"What family member? Who? Your mom?"
"What?", she said, lost in thought.
"I said, What family member?."
"I don't know but certainly not my mom. She's too fragile," Scully said, more to herself. "Whoever it is, they would have to be willing to donate. It's a long shot, Mulder, but I think I could give him stem cells using familial blood, just not from us. We have to do something, I mean, after all, we are the reason he is like this."
"We are not the reason, Scully. They are. We loved each other and we created a beautiful boy together. He is beautiful, Scully. Just like you."
"And you as well," she sighed as Mulder kissed the back of her head.
She leaned into him and then Scully suddenly jumped up. "We need to speak to them."
Scully approached Williams adoptive parents who were asleep, cuddled up against each other. Scully reached out and shook Mrs. Van DeKamp. "I'm sorry but I need to talk with you", Scully said, waking them up.
"Something happen?", Mrs. Van DeKamp asked, alarmed.
"No", Scully said, reassuringly.
"William's blood disorder. I think I might have a lead. I will have to use donated familial blood and try Stem Cell Therapy and I may also need to give him infusions afterwards."
"I'm sorry. What?"
"I want to try Stem Cell Therapy."
"We did that already," Mr. Van DeKamp said.
"Yes, but you were using donated blood, which is why his body rejected. He needs familial blood. I also discovered two genetic mutations that was passed down to him from both his father and I. Something the other doctors would not have known to look for. We need to use stem cells to attack the mutated genes."
The Van DeKamp's looked at each other trying to understand what she was saying.
"Our blood can't be used," she said, glancing back to Mulder. "Fortunately, we have several of William's blood relatives that are living. I'll call them to see if they will donate so William won't reject it and it can attack the mutated genes from his father and I. I think it could work."
Mr. Van DeKamp shook his head. "He's weak. He's very weak. Besides, we tried this already."
"I know but like I said, I found the mutated genes that the other doctors could not find. And we can get family blood. This could make him feel stronger. Make him feel better. It's better if the donated stem cells come from a family member."
"We have to think about it..."
"What is there to think about?", Mulder said, his voice rising as he stood up, walking towards them.
The Van DeKamps looked at eachother. Mr. Van DeKamp's face turned a shade of red. "Like I said, we'll think about it."
"No! There's no thinking to it."
"Mulder!", Scully fussed, but he continued.
"This could possibly save Williams life!", Mulder fumed.
"We need time to think!", Mr. Van DeKamp yelled. "We're tired. Our son is sick. We have to now deal with YOU. Give us some time to make a decision."
"No!", Mulder said. "This is OUR son."
"MULDER!"
"And his life needs to be saved!"
"Your acting as if we're his babysitters!", Mrs. Van DeKamp said angrily. "We're NOT. We raised him when you didn't want him."
Scully's eyes darkened and she turned towards the elder woman, her eyebrows raised as she crossed her arms in front of her. "We wanted him! We've ALWAYS wanted him. We didn't toss him out like trash. We were in danger and to SAVE HIS LIFE, I entrusted him with you. But, we will NOT sit by and let our son die when we may have a way to save him."
"Your forgetting that you have no rights to him!", Mrs. Van DeKamp huffed.
Mr. Van DeKamp stared at an irate Mulder. He grabbed his wife's arm."Hun, let's not go there," he said, pulling at her arm.
She whipped around towards her husband. "Why not?", she screamed.
"Because I never gave up my parental rights," Mulder said, staring directly at Mrs. Van DeKamp. "Your adoption of MY SON is illegal. My paternity was established in the hospital in Atlanta," he said, glancing at Scully who nodded in agreement. "I was gone when William was adopted. I didn't know he was adopted until I returned. I didn't interfere because I was concerned about his safety just as I am concerned NOW about his safety."
Scully touched Mulder's arm and then turned towards the Van DeKamps who had grown suddenly pale.
"Are you threatening a custody battle?", Mrs Van DeKamp choked out.
Mr. Van DeKamp grabbed his wife's hand. "We need...to go get some dinner. We're hungry and irritable and we just need to get something on our empty stomachs."
"That's a good idea," Scully said, gripping Mulder's arm. She glanced up to Mulder and searched his eyes, trying to calm him. "I think we'll do the same. While William's sleeping."
Red Faced, Mrs. Van DeKamp sighed. "Okay. We'll go down to the cafeteria."
Scully pointed towards the nurses station through the glass window. "Stop at the nurses station and pick up some vouchers. You shouldn't have to pay for any food while here."
"Thanks," Mrs. Van DeKamp said.
Scully nodded and they both watched as the couple left. Scully touched Mulder's meaty arm, trying to calm him with her touch. "What did they mean they had to think about it?", she said, shaking her head.
"If I need too, I can get Skinner to step in."
"We're not there yet," Scully sighed. "They love him. That's clear. They're not us, Mulder. They aren't as quick to react as we are."
"I know but it's a simple yes or no, Scully. This is OUR sons health."
Scully touched his hand, holding it tightly and searching his eyes. "Calm down. Like they said, maybe they are just cranky. Besides, it can't be easy for them to go from the sole parents to now dealing with us. Our values clash. Our religious beliefs clash. This can't be easy."
Mulder sighed as he stared down at Scully. "Perhaps your right."
"Let's give them a chance, Mulder. Let them get their food."
"Food sounds good right now, Scully."
"I'll order us up some subs, alright? I haven't eaten since this morning. I thought today I would ditch the E.R. and meet you at the office. Little did we know...", she said, turning back to look at William asleep. "I can't lose him again, Mulder."
He placed his hand on her shoulder. "I know..."
"I've been thinking about him as a baby," she said, in a small voice. Mulder kneaded her neck. "What age?"
"That time when you were gone and it was just me and William. How lonely I felt. Little did I know that not having either one of you would be worse."
She pressed her head into Mulder's chest and he held her tightly. "And then when you came back we didn't have him and the pain has grown deeper over the years, Mulder. All the worry. All the wondering. The Guilt. And here we are, with our son and we have to basically ask permission to treat our own son..."
Mulder sighed, "You know, I feel so hopeless right now."
"You do?", she said, looking up into his eyes.
"Back in the day, Scully, I would've been running off across the world trying to find who was responsible for his illness but the Syndicate are all gone now. Cancer Man is dead, the rest of the Old Syndicate are all gone too."
"Mulder," Scully said, searching his eyes. "The most important thing you can do right now is to be here with William. Because I'll have to go to the labs and do other things. I need you to be here."
"Yeah, well," he said, looking down at his clothes. "I'll need to go home to shower and change."
"There's a room here," Scully said. "We can share a room and we can get someone to pick up your dry cleaning too."
He nodded. "Alright."
Scully could see the hope of a THEM in his eyes and she smiled back warmly, letting him know she wanted that too.
"I'm getting hungry myself," she said, pulling away from him and reaching for her cellphone."I need to call in those subs. I can hear your stomach growling."
Mulder smirked and then sat back down. He reached out his hand and touched his sons arm. This was the first time they had been alone with their son altogether since the first day they had brought William home. Scully ordered the food and sat down beside Mulder. She was hoping as she knew he was that the Van DeKamp's took their time in the cafeteria. They needed this time with just them and their son.
Their subs eaten, Mulder and Scully continued to watch William as they sat side by side, his arms draped over her shoulder. The door opened suddenly and Mrs. Van DeKamp stopped in front of Scully. "I know you are wondering why we said we'll think about it. It's not that we don't want to save Williams life. We do. We love him. It's just that things are happening so fast. We typically take our time to make decisions."
"We don't move quickly," Mr. Van DeKamp interrupted. "This is all so... We have always done everything we could to save him. So, yes, of course...we'll do it."
Scully smiled. "Thank You," she sighed in relief. "I need to step out and make a phone call."
Scully stepped out into the hall and then dialed a number. The phone rang several times before the person picked up. "Hey Bill..."
"Hey," Scully's brother answered on the other end. "Haven't heard from you in a few weeks."
"Bill, I need you, Matthew, or Charlie and his boys to come to D.C. Your all direct relatives."
"Why? What's going on? Is it Mom? Is Mom okay? I just spoke to her."
"Mom is fine. But that's not why I called you. I called you because William is here," she laughed as she smiled.
"William?", Bills voice rose. "Your son William? But, how? When? How?"
"He's sick," she said, closing her eyes. "Bill, I need your help. This is something neither I nor Mulder can do for him."
"Your son...is sick? With what?"
"He needs stem cells therapy and possibly donor lymphocyte infusions. Whoever is the match, it might take nearly over a week of shots to just get prepared. I would need to collect the stem cells through your blood."
"Can't you get donated blood from someone there? I'm in Germany, Dana."
Scully pursed her lips, as she became irritated. "BILL, I need the stem cells collected from a relative. There's less risk if it comes from a direct relative. Mom would've been my first choice but she's too weak."
"I didn't say I wouldn't," he sighed heavily.
"This is my sons life," she gulped.
"Dana," he replied. "We'll be there. I didn't mean to make it sound like I wouldn't do it", he said, guiltily. "I'm not sure about Charlie. Did you call him?"
"You are the only one that speaks to Charlie," Scully answered. "Mom, nor I have spoken to him in absolute years."
"Well, Charlies' boys, Junior and Patrick I hear from pretty often. My son, Matthew, his wife and kids are stationed with us here in Germany. I'm retired but I still have some pull."
"Pull whatever strings you need to pull, Bill. My sons life is depending upon one of you being a match."
"But...hold on. What's wrong with him? Where did he come from?"
"His adoptive parents brought him in as my patient. He has a unique blood disease. His blood is attacking him, poisoning him. It's similar to what killed Emily."
"But...But, why?", Bill stuttered.
"It has to do with what happened to Mulder and I. When we were taken. William has mutated genes he got from the both Mulder and I. But, with you or Matthew or Charlie's boys, there's a chance that at least one of you will be a match and I can use your stem cells to fight the mutated genes."
"I'll contact Charlie's boys but they haven't seen their father in years."
"Even if it's just you and Matt," Scully said. "Mulder doesn't have any family members left. I can only call on you."
"I'll get a hold of Matt's Commander. He and I were both Lieutenants at the same time. He's a buddy of mine. I'm sure he'd have no problem letting Matt off of duty for us to fly out there. We'll all be there as soon as we can, sis."
"Thanks Bill," she sighed in relief. "I know it'll be a long trip from Germany."
"Dana," he exclaimed. "We're family," before hanging up.
Scully's thoughts changed to her youngest brother Charlie. They had been close as kids, being one year apart. They grew apart the older they grew. Scully barely saw her youngest brother after she went off to college and he had married his high school sweetheart right after graduation before leaving for the military. When Charlies' sons were younger she would babysit them when they came into town. But, Charlies often had to relocate when the Navy sent him around the world and she saw him less and less. But when they did, he was the same jovial Charlies he'd always been.
But then Charlie changed for the worst after serving a tour of duty outside the waters of Iran. As a career Naval Officer, he found that when he returned home, the Navy had suddenly retired him. He'd felt betrayed by his government and without noticed, he'd packed up on his wife, Jill, his sons and grandkids, disappearing from the entire Scully clan for several years now. Charles now occasionally contacted Bill but only when necessary. He was estranged from their mother, Margaret Scully too. Scully hadn't known why. Their close-lipped mother never spoke about her argument with Charlie, only choosing not to even mention Charlie's name.
Scully turned and looked through the glass door at her son laying in the bed, the monitors blinking and his father by his side. Scully clasped her hands together and squared her shoulders. Bill and Matthew were coming and for the first time in several days, she had hope that there was a cure for their son.
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