The hospital was a dreary brick building set off about half a mile from the main road. It had a relatively small parking lot that contained only three cars besides Mulder's. The area around the building was unlit, increasing the ominous atmosphere around the two agents. Scully half-expected a storm to suddenly began brewing. A lightning strike to the top of the building would be highly appropriate.

Fortunately, no freak storms occurred as the two made the short walk to the front doors. Unlike the doors of most hospitals, the front door was not made of glass; in fact, it was a large, wooden object that looked as if it weighed twice as much as Scully. Mulder turned the knob, leaning his weight into the door to push it open. With a groan of protest, it swung inward, revealing a dimly lit, linoleum-floored hallway. "Looks like it's open," Mulder remarked. He stepped back to allow Scully to enter first. As soon as he entered the hospital behind her, he muscled the door closed again and surveyed his surroundings. The walls were white and bare, and the floor was white and blue checkered, darkened by dirt and grime. Mulder saw no signs of a waiting room or receptionist. "Maybe we're supposed to find our own way," he speculated, his eyes still roving.

"That'll be difficult since neither of us has any idea where we're going."

"That way." Mulder pointed down a side hallway which had even less light than the one in which they currently stood.

"Why that one?"

"Because we have to go somewhere, and it's as good of a place to start as any."

"I swear, Mulder, if you get us lost-"

"Relax, Scully, I won't get us lost." He led the way down the hallway, pausing to glance at the patients through the small privacy windows in the doorways. After a minute or so, the clicking of heels on the linoleum announced the arrival of someone else. Mulder and Scully glanced up to see a stern-looking nurse staring at them, her lips pursed in a disapproving frown. Her graying blond hair had been pulled into a neat bun, and the only word Mulder could think of to describe her uniform was sterile. It had none of the bright colors he had seen on the uniforms of other nurses; it appeared that the uniform was meant only to be functional.

"Who are you two? What are you doing here?" the nurse questioned.

"We're here to see Dr. Peters," Mulder told her, smiling politely.

"It's late. You'll have to make an appointment and come back at another time."

Mulder reached into his coat pocket and extracted his badge. "This is an urgent matter," he told the woman. "Now, I would appreciate it if you would direct me to his office."

"What does the FBI want him for anyway?"

"I'm afraid we can't tell you, ma'am," Scully answered. She could see the frustration brewing on Mulder's face, and she knew he would not remain placid much longer.

The nurse glanced at the two of them, still appearing suspicious, but she did eventually raise her arm to point down another hallway. "It's the fourth door on the right. But I hope this is important; Dr. Peters does not like to be interrupted when he is in the middle of something."

"Trust me, it's very important," Mulder said, already heading toward the hallway. It was relatively easy to find Dr. Peters once they turned onto the hallway; his name had been engraved on a black plaque which hung beside the doorway. Mulder raised his hand to knock, but Scully stopped him when a familiar smell reached her nostrils. "Morleys," she announced, sniffing the air.

"Looks like the elusive bastard gets around," Mulder commented, rapping his knuckles on the hard wood of the doorway.

"So is Peters part of the plot, too?"

'There's one way to find out."

"Yes?" a voice called from inside the office.

"Dr. Peters?"

"Yes."

"I'm Agent Mulder. I have a few questions for you; I was wondering if I could have a minute of your time." Mulder somehow managed to keep his voice even though he was now quivering with murderous rage. He had suspected that Peters was in league with the Cigarette Smoking Man, but he had not been sure of their connection until Scully had smelt the cigarette smoke. Now, there was no doubt in Mulder's mind that Peters had a hand in his sister's death.

There were a few seconds of silence, and Mulder called again. "Dr. Peters?"

"I'm coming. It just takes me a few seconds." The door opened, revealing a brown-haired man in his late forties. He was tall and thin and wore a stained white lab coat open over a light blue shirt and black slacks. His clear, intelligent green eyes quickly took in the agents, and a number of creases appeared on his brow. "How can I help you?" he asked. Though he seemed outwardly calm, Mulder noticed his pink tongue dart out to wet his thin lips, a sign that he was nervous.

"We wanted to know what you know about Samantha Mulder."

"I'm sorry, I don't know anyone by that name."

"That's funny considering your signature is on most of her medical records."

"I have no idea what you're talking about."

"I'm talking about this." Mulder held up a few sheets of paper that he had grabbed from the folder. He did not know exactly what they described since they were written in the incomprehensible jargon that only doctors could understand, but he did know that Peters' signature was at the bottom. "That is your signature is it not?"

"I'm sorry, I can't help you." Peters started to close the door, but Mulder placed a firm hand on it to stop him. Now, the anxiety had spread further across Peters face. He glanced up at Mulder, who had a good four inches and twenty pounds on him, and his eyes widened in fear.

"Actually, I think you can. For starters, you can tell me what happened to Samantha."

"I told you, I don't know-"

"Don't lie to me!" Mulder's hand slammed into the wall beside the door, causing it to shake. Scully half-expected plaster to rain down on her from the force of his blow.

"I'm not lying."

"You are, you miserable scum." Mulder pushed the door further open, stepping fully into the office. Peters backed up in front of him until he ran into the desk. Peters was obvious not an organized man; his desk was stacked with papers and folders, and the file drawers around the room were stuffed to the point of overflowing. It did not look as if any of the drawers would close.

"No, I promise-"

With a roar of rage, Mulder lunged at Peters and grabbed him around the neck before the smaller man could retreat. Unlike Spender, Peters did not retain his calm as Mulder lifted him bodily off the ground and slammed him against a nearby wall. One of Mulder's hands splayed across Peters' chest, holding the man a couple inches off the floor while his other hand remained firmly pressed against Peters' windpipe. "Tell me what happened to Samantha!"

"She's dead," Peters coughed. "She died three years ago."

"From what?"

"Complications from the birth of her third child."

"Where are they now? Samantha's children."

"I can't tell you."

"Tell me or I kill you." Mulder's icy tone clearly indicated that his statement was not an empty threat.

"You won't kill me. They're coming for you. They know you're here. It's only a matter of time before they come and find you."

"Trust me, I have plenty of time to kill you." Mulder removed his hand from Peters' chest, allowing the older man to slide down the wall until both his feet were resting on the floor. Still, Mulder's hand encircled Peters' neck. Using his left hand, he drew his gun from its holster and pressed it to Peters' temple. "Now tell me where the kids are," Mulder growled.

"Downstairs," Peters said, his voice unnaturally high. "Room 32."

As soon as Mulder received the location, he released his hold on Peters and turned, motioning for Scully to come with him. They left the office with Peters watching them, massaging his sore neck.

Mulder set a quick pace as they searched for stairs or an elevator—anything which would take them to the basement. Finally, they found a door at the end of the hallway which opened to reveal a set of dusty cement stairs. "It doesn't look like anyone ever uses these stairs," Scully remarked as they started down. Mulder pulled out his flashlight to combat the darkness of the stairwell, choosing not to respond to her observation. He did not want to imagine what he might find in the basement.

The stairs opened onto a darkened hallway, and Mulder began to quickly stride down it, sweeping his flashlight from one side to the other so that he could read the numbers on the doors. Finally, he found a door with "32" stenciled on it in peeling black paint. Mulder reached for the handle and turned it, realizing almost immediately that it was locked. He continued to jiggle the handle for a few seconds, pushing on the door as hard as he could, hoping that he could somehow force it open. He only stopped when Scully gently pushed him aside, relieving him of his knife in the process so that she could knife the door.

In no time at all, she had pushed the bolt aside, and the door opened to reveal a darkened room. Scully groped along the wall for a moment before discovering a light switch. When she flipped it, a single dusty bulb hanging in the middle of the room illuminated, revealing a scene which made both agents doubt humanity.

Three scrawny children lay huddled together in a single, twin-sized bed covered with soiled white sheets. The bed was the only piece of furniture in the tiny room which resembled a prison cell, from the cement floor to the cinderblock walls. The air smelled strongly of urine and feces, and Mulder caught sight of a filthy bucket in one corner of the room from which he imagined the smell originated.

Mulder did not spend long looking at the room, for there was not much to look at. Instead, he focused his attention on the three children who were now gazing at the two agents with a mixture of apprehension and dislike on their faces. Having read the file, Mulder knew that they were three, four, and five, but he never could have guessed their ages by looking at them, for they all appeared much younger. They were obviously malnourished; the boys wore only tattered shorts, and their skin was so tight around their chest that Mulder could count their ribs. Both had distended stomachs, and Mulder could tell that their sister was in a similar condition due to the sheer nature of her shirt.

Despite their sickly appearance, Mulder could tell immediately that the three children belonged to Samantha. The young girl looked exactly like Samantha had when she was younger, from the long face to the piercing, hazel eyes, to the long brown hair (which was currently tangled and matted with sweat and dirt). The two younger boys shared many features with their sister though Mulder had to admit that they also looked a lot like he had. One of them even appeared to have the same birthmark on his left thigh that Mulder had. Like their sister, their mostly nude bodies were streaked with dirt and grime, and their hair was unkempt and longer than that of most young boys. Looking at the three kids in front of him gave Mulder a sudden urge to go back upstairs and finish off Peters, but he resisted this impulse, knowing that he had precious little time to get the kids out of the building.

Scully had obviously come to the same conclusion, for she started toward the children. The effect was immediate. The girl began to shriek, her voice louder than Mulder had imagined it could be. "It's okay," Scully said, shouting to be heard over the noise. "We're not going to hurt you. We just want to help."

Either the girl did not understand or did not trust them, for she continued to scream. Scully looked back at Mulder who was at as much of a loss as she was. Neither was quite sure how to handle the emotionally-scarred children in front of them. "I'm your uncle," Mulder told the kids, also moving closer. "Your mother was my sister. I loved her very much. I can't be with her any longer, but I do want to help you three. I know it's what your mom would have wanted."

The girl must have comprehended at least part of what Mulder said, for she stopped screaming and regarded him carefully. Her hazel eyes shown with wisdom far greater than that of most five-year-olds. Mulder looked to Scully, pleased with himself. They were making progress. "Good. Now, this is my friend, Dana. We're going to get you out of here, okay?" He stepped next to the bed and immediately felt a sharp pain in his arm. Looking down, he noticed that one of the boys had bitten his forearm. And despite the boy's small stature, his jaws were strong.

Mulder bit his tongue to prevent a stream of expletives from escaping his mouth. He knew shouting curses would only frighten the children further. Instead, he looked down at the boy with an expression he hoped resembled a smile. "You remind me a lot of your mother," Mulder said, his voice soft and reassuring. "She used to bite people all the time when she was younger if she didn't get her way."

Obviously, Mulder's calm reaction was not what the boy had expected, for he removed his teeth from Mulder's arm and stared up at the man with a curious expression. "Okay, guys, we're going to have to get out of here. I'm going to carry you so we can move faster, okay?" Mulder looked at the kids who gave no response. Leaning over, he picked the two boys up. Immediately, the one who had bitten him began to kick and scream, and Mulder held on as best as he could, avoiding the flailing limbs. "Scully," he grunted as the young boy's foot connected with his chest.

"I've got her," Scully said, picking up the girl. Luckily, she did not begin to scream again. Instead, her eyes took on a distant, hopeless look. Mulder noticed that the other boy, who seemed to be older, wore the same expression.

By the time they reached the stairwell, the younger boy had stopped kicking and screaming. They ascended the stairs in eerie silence; even the sound of their footfalls seemed to be dampened. When they reached the top, Mulder turned away from the office, knowing the building would have some back entrance. As he suspected, a turn brought him to a metal door that looked better suited for a warehouse. Using his shoulder, Mulder pushed it open and stepped out into the cold night air.

Immediately, Mulder realized something he had neglected before—the temperature was in the single digits, and the kids were all wearing next to nothing. Mulder could already feel the boys beginning to shiver; with no other option, he tucked them against his chest, using his jacket to cover them as best as he could. He and Scully walked quickly to the car, happy that the parking lot was unlit. As Mulder unlocked the car and bent to put the boys in the back seat, he noticed that two more cars had entered the parking lot. Quickly, Mulder shed his jacket and used it to cover the boys before shutting the door and sliding into the front seat. Scully was already sitting in the passenger seat, so Mulder wasted no time in starting the car and pulling out of the parking lot.

The ride home was quiet. Scully attempted to talk to the three kids, but they all remained silent, staring straight ahead with wide eyes. Though Mulder could tell they were still frightened, they also seemed curious. He doubted that they had ever been outside the hospital before, so everything was a new experience for them. It was no wonder that they were scared. The only response they gave the whole trip was to cuddle closer together underneath Mulder's coat which easily covered all three. Still, they were shivering, and Mulder continued to turn the heater up, hoping to coax all the warmth from it that he could.

The motel was still when they reached it, likely because it was just after two in the morning. As soon as Mulder parked, he walked around back to carry in the boys. Both still gazed ahead with wide-eyed apprehension. As Mulder picked them up, he noticed a dark spot on the seat beneath the younger one. He supposed it was only to be expected; after all, the three children were all frightened. Making a mental note to clean up the mess later, Mulder followed Scully into the motel room.

Scully's first stop was the bathroom. She set the girl on the tiled floor and began to run the water, testing the temperature with her hand. All three children watched in quiet fascination as she stopped up the tub and it began to fill with water. Of course, the silence was not meant to last. As soon as the tub was half-full, Scully shut off the water and reached to the girl who immediately began to fuss again. "Shh, honey, it's okay," Scully assured her. "I just want to give you a bath. Trust me, you'll feel better afterward." Still, the girl continued to yell. Gently, Scully pulled her closer and removed her meager clothing before lifting her and placing her in the tub. After a few seconds, the girl seemed to realize that Scully was not going to hurt her, and she quieted. Her head swiveled around as she surveyed the water in which she now sat. She cupped some in her hand, allowing it to run through her fingers. Eventually, she came to the decision that the water was okay, and she settled back into the tub without any further fuss.

Seeing that their sister had not been harmed, the boys were much more willing to enter the tub. The children were still small enough that all three fit in together, a fact for which Scully was grateful. She doubted that they would be willing to be separated. As she began to gently pour water over the girl's head using a Styrofoam coffee cup, Mulder entered the bathroom. "I ordered a couple pizzas," he announced. "I thought they might need something to eat."

"Good idea."

"You need some help?"

"That would be good."

Somehow, they made it through the bath without incident. As Scully and Mulder dried the children, Scully marveled at the difference something as simple as a bath had made. Though they still appeared malnourished, the bath had seemed to restore some health to the children. A knock at the door announced the arrival of the pizza, and Mulder exited the bathroom to pay the delivery boy. After setting the pizza on the bed, he grabbed three of his old t-shirts and walked back into the bathroom. "I know they're going to be huge, but it's all I've got," he told Scully, holding the shirts out to her. Nodding, she accepted the t-shirts and dressed the kids in them.

The boys were practically tripping over the shirts as they walked back into the main room. The girl was only slightly better off; the t-shirt still hung off her shoulders, making her seem even thinner than she was. "I've got pizza guys," Mulder told them, indicating the two boxes. They regarded the boxes curiously before looking back to Mulder. Opening the first box, Mulder pulled out a slice and brought it to his mouth, taking a large bite. "Yum," he said, rubbing his stomach for emphasis. The girl seemed to understand his demonstration, for she also picked up a slice and took a tentative bite. Mulder saw her eyes light up when the pizza hit her taste buds, and he smiled broadly. "Dig in, guys." Her brothers followed their older sister's example, and soon all the kids were happily munching away on pizza.

By the time they finished their meal, the kids and Mulder had polished off a pizza and a half. All three kids were covered in tomato sauce and cheese, and Scully shook her head when she saw them. "I hope you didn't like those shirts much, Mulder," she remarked, returning to the bathroom for a washcloth. She cleaned the kids up as best as she could with the cloth before tossing it in the sink. "Okay, you three, I think that's enough excitement for today. It's time for bed." Setting the pizza boxes aside, Scully pulled back the sheet and blankets from the bed, allowing the kids to climb in. Once they all seemed comfortably settled, she pulled the blankets up around them and turned off the lights. "Night, you three. I'll see you in the morning."

Mulder and Scully met in the bathroom once the kids were tucked into bed. Closing the door, Mulder flipped on the lights and took a seat on the side of the bathtub, facing Scully who was already sitting on the toilet. "What are we going to do about the kids, Mulder?" Scully questioned.

"Keep them," Mulder said as if it was the most obvious answer in the world.

"Mulder, they are not stray puppies. They're children! Children who have been through God knows what horrors and who are going to need a lot of care."

"They're not just any children, Scully. They're Samantha's children."

"I know, Mulder, but taking them in is not going to bring Samantha back."

"If Charlie and Kaitlin or Bill and Tara died, would you take in their kids?"

"Of course."

"Exactly. These kids are my flesh and blood. I can't just abandon them."

"Mulder, we don't know where these children came from. We know that they someone wanted them to be born, but we don't know why. We don't know who wants them."

"From the looks of things, nobody wanted them. Look, Scully, I need to protect these kids. I can't let anyone else do that. You have to understand."

Scully sighed and closed her eyes. "I knew this case was going to bring some changes. I just didn't know it was going to give us three more children."

"So you agree? We're taking them in."

"I don't see another choice."

Mulder's face broke into a wide grin. "I love you, Scully."

"I love you, too, Mulder."

"Now let's go see if we can find some space in that bed."