CHAPTER 12

Port of San Francisco
San Francisco, CA
11:59 AM PST

"What in the bloody hell …?" Cyrus' jaw dropped, he being at a vantage point in the driver's seat to see the smoke rising in the distance as they drove toward the ship port.

"What is it?" Mulder asked, craning to see from the back seat.

"Fire," Scully whispered, sitting next to him.

Cyrus pulled over, parking the car so that they were out of sight of the nearby port. "What are you doing?" Doggett asked.

"Something's not right, mate," Cyrus whispered, shoving his seat belt aside and throwing the car door open, Mulder quickly following suit.

"Where are they going?" Reyes asked, alone in the front in the passenger's seat.

"I don't know," Scully said, undoing her seat belt, "but I think we'll want to follow." She quickly exited the car and caught up to Mulder and Cyrus, who were still as they examined the scene they could now see below at the bottom of the steep hilled street. "Oh my God," she breathed, shocked at the scene they saw unfolding.

Immediately, the stench hit their nostrils, each one of them covering their mouths to avoid losing the tiny bit of food they had consumed hours ago from the awful odor of burning flesh. Mounds of bodies, corpses piled on top of each other like timber instead of human life, were being set aflame with large torching guns held by uniformed Censurians. They heard Doggett and Reyes join them, but they were too sickened and stunned to speak. "What in the hell happened here?" Doggett murmured.

"It looks like almost the entire ship manifest of people," Reyes whispered.

"Mulder," Scully quivered, "what if they were …"

"No," Mulder immediate said, shaking his head as he grit his teeth. "No, they're not …"

"But-"

"Look," Cyrus interrupted, gesturing to the large magnetite pillar Will had been chained to earlier. "The chains are broken," he noted. A surprised smile spread across his face, a small exhale of relief accompanying it. "He's done it," Cyrus murmured, still staring at the pillar.

"Who's done what?" Doggett asked.

"William," Cyrus replied softly. He turned to Scully, still smiling. "He's done it. He's begun the rebellion."

Scully's eyes darted from Cyrus' to the gruesome scene below. "I don't … I don't understand …"

"Those brave people gave their lives because William set an example for them," Cyrus explained. "Look," he said, taking Scully and moving her in front of him. "See those chains? Broken. No ordinary man could've done that. And no replacement is about to do it either."

They each paused in solemn respect as another group of bodies were saturated with white-hot flames. "He's right," Mulder finally said, staring blankly ahead in thought. "William's alive. These people died to make sure he would live."

The five standing out of sight above the horrific war zone felt both elation at the revelation of Will's probable health and safety, as well as torment of the inhumane treatment of the people below them, grieving for their dignity lost to heartless aliens. Immediately, Cyrus' meager smile turned into a frown, his heart weighed down by the unanswered question of where Cara and the children were. Even if he was wrong about Will, it was clear Will could potentially survive the fire. However, there were less assured that Cara or the twins could.

"We can't stick around here," Cyrus finally said, swallowing back his worries. He turned to Scully. "Dana," he said softly, "you've got to try talking to William. It's our only chance at this point."

With a quick glance over to Mulder, Scully nodded in agreement, separating herself from the group. The rest boarded the car, Mulder keeping a watchful eye over Scully as she milled about nearby in silence. Each were encouraged when they saw her head suddenly lift, her body freezing midstream in her pace. Mulder bolted from the car and rushed toward her, carefully examining her. "You okay?" he asked softly.

"They're alive," she whispered. "He just told me they are at the Sunset View Motel off of Five South on the coast."

Grabbing her arm in careful urgency, Mulder and Scully rushed back to the car, the SUV barreling off in the direction of the motel the instant they were inside and relayed the message.

Sunset View Motel
San Francisco, CA

Will expected the water from the sluggish showerhead to hurt on impact, forgetting the trauma to his body had been healed miraculously by his daughter and his son. Though his body was in perfect condition, the blood, dirt and sweat had dried and stuck to him, making him look as if he was still in massive pain. Reluctantly, he agreed to take a shower under Cara's advisement, knowing she was right when she insisted he would feel better once he did.

He spent more time than necessary under the spray of the water, recycled liquid mixing with saline as he silently wept under the drench. He went through the motions, washing both his body and hair with the tiny bit of soap he could find, his thoughts far away from the relief the cleansing brought. When he closed his eyes, he saw the faces of the people as he was being whipped, their horror evident even through his strained gaze. His right hand ran over his left wrist as he washed his arms, immediately reminding him of the valuable symbol he had so cruelly been robbed of. Though he was more grateful to have the three people the bracelet represented alive, safe and well, he ached at the precious cords being severed from him against his will. He would take them back, he promised himself. The Censurian who stole them knew how much they meant to him. Will was determined not to let the replacement have the satisfaction of the victory for much longer.

He heard her gentle knock on the door as he shut off the water, hoping his eyes weren't as red as they felt from his tears and stress. "Come in," he murmured, unconcerned with his state of undress as he pulled back the curtain, toweling himself off.

"I brought in your jeans," Cara said softly, closing the door and keeping her eyes off of Will and onto the neatly folded, yet blood-stained jeans she brought in. "The shirt was a lost cause."

"Well," Will said, wrapping the towel around his lower half as he stepped out of the shower, "I suppose I'll fit into the California scene by going shirtless, won't I?" His humor was weak; she knew it as much as he did.

For whatever reason, Cara could only manage a nod before she turned to leave. Will caught her wrist, surprising her. She met his eyes hesitantly. His grip was secure but loving. "Talk to me," he whispered. His state of undress, proximity and position in relation to her instantly reminded him of when he nearly attacked her mouth with his last January in another motel. The look in her eyes was far different, though.

"I …" Cara shook her head, unable to follow through.

"Tell me," Will urged, still holding her wrist against the wall she was backed into as he tipped up her face by her chin.

"I left you," she breathed with a shudder. "I left you there, Will! I left you behind! I …" She was shaking from her tears she tried to hold back.

Immediately he drew her to himself, wrapping his arms around her and kissing his favorite spot on the side of her neck where it connected with her shoulder. "You didn't leave me," he assured, his lips light as the fluttered over her skin. "I told you to go. You needed to keep the kids safe."

"Will, you're my husband … you were my partner! And I left you!"

"Listen to me," Will said with loving firmness, "you did the right thing." He pulled her away, seeing the resistance to his suggestion in her. "You did, Cara," he repeated. "You did the right thing."

"I thought I lost you," she admitted, releasing the tears in a sob she buried in his firm, bare chest. He held her close, stroking her blonde waves as he shut his eyes, knowing he had been equally as scared to think he'd never see her again, too.

"I told you I'd find you," he chose to say instead, choosing to remain strong for her so she could let the burden of guilt and worry go. "You did the right thing, Cara." He held her for a while, his hands wandering over the curves and edges of her body as he buried his face in her hair. "I'm here now," he whispered. "I'm sorry you were so scared. I wish … I wish you never had to go through any of this."

Cara pulled away, looking into Will's eyes as her hand found his stubbled cheek. "I'll do it all again if it means being with you," she replied.

He knew what she was implying. "They need a leader, Cara," he breathed, his tone darkening with the weight of the serious reality.

She smiled halfway, her fingers rearranging his still-damp hair. "There's no one better for the job than you."

He was pained as he looked down at her, his mind rushing over the yet unknown possibilities of what his choice meant for her, for Max, for Emma and for his parents. He captured her wrist that was attached to the hand that was in his hair, pulling it toward him and pressing his lips on the tender flesh. "Think about what you're saying," he begged, knowing she knew the gravity of her choice to support him but hoping to change her mind. "Just because this is my destiny … it doesn't mean it's yours."

She was taken back by his words. "Will," she said softly, feeling his lips linger over her wrist, "I'm not leaving you."

Will shook his head. "I can't … I can't bear the thought of the possibilities, Caraline," he breathed with a shiver, squeezing his eyes shut.

"I'm not leaving you, Will," she insisted, her voice firming up.

"This isn't like before," he argued softly. "This is war, now. War, Cara." He shook his head. "I won't let you stay."

"Will, this isn't your choice," she argued back, beginning to feel defensive. "Besides, we're stronger together and you know it."

"I refuse to let you or the kids stay," Will dictated.

She pulled her wrist away from him. "And I refuse to leave," she retorted. "Will," her voice was confused, "why do you keep doing this? Why do you keep trying to protect me?"

"Because I care about you, Cara!" Will snapped.

"Then let me fight with you," she snapped back. "If you love me, then let me live my destiny."

"This isn't-"

"YES, WILL!" Cara shouted. "THIS … This right here, this is my destiny. This is what I chose. I chose you, Will. YOU! That means I chose everything about you, including this." She paused, searching his eyes. "I'm not hiding, Will. I'm standing by you until I can't stand anymore."

"What about Max and Emma?" Will asked, feeling his pulse elevate with his fear and anger at Cara's stubbornness.

"What about them?"

"They need a parent, Cara!" Will said with a exasperated gruff.

"And they'll have two," Cara said firmly back. "Two who will show them what life is meant for - to live, not to hide!"

"No," was all Will could managed, feeling like he was ready to explode.

"Will, where would you be right now without the help of others?" Cara asked angrily. "People gave their lives so you could fight. A man gave everything he had to help you escape. Shilah risked his life trying to find us, to find you. Max and Emma … your children used their power to save your life!"

"NO!" Will yelled, knowing he caught the attention of his children, whose murmured voices immediately silenced on the other side of the door. "I WON'T DO THIS TO YOU! I WON'T LOSE YOU!"

The tension was heavier than the humid air that settled around them from the shower Will had taken, each locked into their viewpoints with unmovable conviction. Cara heard the front door to the room open, the familiar voices of Mulder and Scully speaking quietly with Shilah. "We're done here," Will stated, his jaw locked as he stared down at Cara.

"I'm not," Cara replied, eying him before she headed for the door. She felt her wrist caught by his powerful hand again, this time trying to yank free. He refused to let her go. "Let go of me," she warned. She was beyond irritated when he didn't. "I said, let go, Will," she growled, still fighting against him.

"No," he said softly, catching her eyes. His other hand found her other wrist, grabbing it tightly. He quickly pressed her against the wall, closing the gap between them as he secured her wrists at the sides of her head up against it. He kissed her forcefully, the anger still surging through him though his resistance had crumbled from what she said. He knew she was right, but it killed him to think about what might be for her should she follow him into battle. She resisted at first, but then allowed her anger to subside when she realized he was relinquishing his control, facing his fear of what was to come in the immediate future.

The kiss grew and morphed, each feeling the pain the other exposed, each baring more rawness of their fears as they embraced. Will tried to part from Cara only to return to her lips twice more, feeling as if he couldn't have enough of her in that moment. Somewhere in the back of his mind, he knew he heard voices other than their childrens' or Shilah's. Yet, everything became covered in a rich fog of lust, the torment he felt from fearing he'd never be able to taste her again as his back was sliced into nearly a dozen times surfacing. "Will," he heard her breathe in much a way that drove him deeper into his blur, his lips traveling with express tickets southbound on her skin. "Will, your parents … outside …" She was a more than willing prisoner of his as he braced her onto the wall, but she knew she had to be the stronger one. Will was attempting to lose himself in her, and she knew it. It was his comfort, his reassurance. She needed to deny him of it for now, though. He would have to remain in his mind for a while longer. She moved abruptly away, seeing him breathing deeply. "Will …" she whispered, catching her breath. "Your parents …"

She saw the words register in his eyes; it had been so long since either of them saw Mulder or Scully. Simultaneously, they remembered the kids and Will scrambled to put his boxers and jeans on, though dirty against his freshly-washed skin. When he buckled his belt, Will took Cara's hand and led her out of the bathroom, his brown hair dried in a haphazardly frenzied posture.

She felt Will's grip tighten when he saw his mother and father, and she willingly pulled her hand away, slipping into the back corner of the room where the TV was lurking on, embracing the two small children watching it. "Come on," she whispered, "let's go see Grandpa and Grandma."

"Really?" Max said with wide eyes, too absorbed in the cartoon to take in the thoughts of his paternal relatives who had just arrived.

"Yeah, really," Cara said with a smile, flicking off the TV.

"I'm scared," Emma admitted softly.

"Don't be," Cara soothed, her hand stroking her daughter's cheek.

"What if they don't like me?" Emma whispered.

Cara shook her head. "That's absolutely impossible, Emma," she replied. "Do you know why?"

"Why?"

"Because you're the best little girl in the entire world."

"Come on!" Max urged, tugging on Cara's hand as he dragged her toward Shilah, who stepped aside to give Mulder and Scully a better look at the twins.

Both Mulder and Scully froze in shock at the sight of them; Emma clung to Cara's leg with hesitation while Max walked over with a smile. "Hi," he said with the bright assertiveness of a child, sticking his small hand out to Mulder, "I'm Maddox William Mulder. You're my grandpa, so you can just call me Max."

Will grinned as he stood off to the side, watching the interaction between Max and Mulder, seeing his father squat down to Max's level. "Well hello there," Mulder said, taking Max's hand and shaking it, his smile wider than it had ever been. "I believe we have met before, though."

"Yeah," Max said with a nod, "but I just wanted to make sure you remembered who I am."

"I could never forget you, Max," Mulder murmured, hugging the boy, who gratefully embraced him back.

Max turned to Scully, whose eyes were filled with tears. "Hi, Grandma," he said as she squatted down next to Mulder. Max looked into her eyes, puzzled. "Why are you crying?" he asked. "You don't like me?" he added with a whisper.

Scully's arms flung around the boy, hugging him with intensity. "Oh, no, Max. I'm crying because I love you," she replied, stroking the boy's hair that felt just like her son's that she had embraced moments before.

Still low to the ground, Mulder looked over at Emma, baffled by her beauty, her bright shiny copper-red curls and sharp green eyes stunning him into silence. "Hi, beautiful," he whispered tearfully, feeling himself on the brink of losing it. "It's okay, Emma," he urged gently; she tightened her grip on Cara's jeans. "Do you like to sing?" Mulder asked, everyone now watching how Mulder spoke with Emma, who nodded her head to his question. "What's your favorite song?"

"Mister Sun," Emma whispered.

Mulder grinned. "That's a great song."

"You know that song, too?" Emma asked innocently with shock. Mulder nodded. "Do you know what your hands do?" she asked, her fingers slowly unclenching Cara's jeans.

"No," Mulder said softly, with a small frown. "No one ever taught me."

"I can taught you," Emma said excitedly.

"Teach," Cara corrected gently.

"Teach," Emma repeated. "Grandpa, I can teach you, but you have to sing so you can know what your hands do."

"Deal," Mulder said, feeling a tear slip from his eye as he saw Emma's grip completely release from Cara, her tiny frame moving to him. She proceeded to show him the entire song, Mulder willingly singing and moving his hands into the shape of a sun as he listened to her precious voice. Everyone was crying by the time they were done, and Mulder was rewarded with an embrace by Emma.

"You're not spooky," she said quietly. "Max said people call you Spooky, but you're not spooky."

Mulder laughed heartily, giving Emma a hug. "Well, thank you," he replied, kissing the top of her head.

Emma turned to look at Scully. Her jaw dropped with her innocent revelation. "Mommy!" Emma whispered. "Grandma has hair like me!" Emma's eyes were wide as she carefully touched Scully's copper waves that hit her collarbone. "Mommy, Grandma is a ginger too!"

Everyone laughed, wiping away the tears of joy that they each shed. "Emma," Cara said though she smiled, "that's not a good word, remember?"

"Oh," Emma said. "Sorry." Her face dipped down with sadness.

"It's okay, sweetheart," Scully said, giving Emma a big hug as Max found his way into Mulder's arms. "I love your hair." She stroked the curls, fresh tears finding her.

Both Mulder and Scully stood, a child in each of their arms as their eyes fell on Cara. They noticed how she had lost weight and her hair had dulled from the lack of the New Mexico sun that had brightened it. Yet both were overjoyed at the sight of her, each pressing a tender kiss on her cheek as they embraced her with love. "You're an amazing mother," Scully whispered, knowing what the words meant to Cara, who burst into tears. Scully wrapped Cara in her arms, pressing her and Emma to herself with ferocity, unable to stop her own tears from falling.

"No, I'm not," Cara cried, shaking against Scully's shoulder.

"Listen to me," Scully said firmly, stroking Cara's hair. "What you've done for them … what you've given them and risked for them … There couldn't be a better mother for them than you." She smiled tenderly at Cara, who smiled back through a quiver.

"Grandpa," Max said as Scully and Cara slowly parted, "I'm hungry."

"When did you eat last?" Mulder asked softly, looking to Will.

"Lunchtime," Max said.

"Yesterday," Will added.

"Well that won't do," Mulder chided, setting Max down. "I'll go grab the bag of food. I'm sure there's something left. If not, we'll get you some."

"Can I come with you?" Max asked.

"Actually," Mulder said, glancing from Will to Cara, "we brought some friends with us here. They would love to meet you and your sister. I'll go get them and the food, okay?"

Max nodded in approval. "Okay."

Mulder looked to Will, who gave him a small nod, watching Mulder leave. Will knew Cara had completely forgotten about Cyrus in light of everything that had happened recently; he glanced over at her, quickly feeling nervous. Cara was still distracted with Scully, they talking about how Max and Emma had developed so quickly and what their favorite things were and what they hated, Scully surprised at the many inherited tastes and personality traits the children shared with her and Mulder. Max found himself at Scully's feet, bragging about his many accomplishments to his grandmother with pride while Emma was singing softly to herself in Scully's arms as she played with Scully's hair, Scully swaying gently to the nonexistent music Emma heard and vocalize to.

Doggett and Reyes entered moments later, the small motel room beginning to feel cramped. The children were quickly introduced, each seeming to take to Doggett and Reyes with relative ease. During the process of them catching up with Cara, Mulder tossed Will a fresh tee shirt and new jeans. "Change," he said with a grin, not yet aware of what had happened to Will only a short time before. "You smell alright, but your pants are another story."

"Thanks, that's sweet, Dad," Will said back with a grin. He then sighed. "We lost everything," he murmured regretfully, most upset by losing the kids' toys. "Dana was in there. Max's basketball too."

"Dana?" Mulder asked.

"Emma's doll," Will explained. "The dark-haired one you gave to mom when she was pregnant with me."

"Scully named her Dana?"

Will shook his head. "Emma did." He saw how Mulder was confused. "We never told them about you," Will whispered. "We were too scared that it would somehow lead to your exposure. But … Emma just knew the doll should be named Dana."

In silence, Will slipped into the bathroom, Cara finding herself observing the children interacting with Shilah, Doggett and Reyes alongside Scully. Mulder carefully slipped next to Scully, whispering gently into her ear, knowing Cara was watching. "Cara," he said, taking a step closer to his daughter in law. "Cara, there's someone you need to meet."

Cara's heart stopped; she instantly remembered the email she and Will had fought over what seemed like forever ago. She felt nauseous and on edge immediately, knowing she was emotionally clamming up. "I …" She shook her head, her teeth clenching her lip in fear.

"Cara," Mulder encouraged with a gentle squeeze of her hands, "he's … he's been through a lot. He's come a long way to be here."

"How do you even know what he says is true?" she demanded softly, searching Mulder's eyes. "I mean, for all we know, he could be one of them!"

Mulder shook his head. "He's not," he whispered. He saw her try to pull away. "Just … give him a chance, alright?" Mulder asked. "He just might surprise you."

Cara's eyes glanced toward the bathroom, feeling reluctant without Will's presence. Her eyes shot to the front door when it slowly opened, the afternoon sun cutting through the room and into her eyes. A tall, broad figure filled the space that was made; she felt his eyes peer straight through to her. The man took a step closer into the room, staring at Cara as his facial features became visible to her. Her lips parted; she was overwhelmed.

He had her father's eyes.