CHAPTER 13

Scanning Scully's eyes, Mulder replied, "William, how could it be your children?" He knew his question served two purposes - to help him better understand his son's feelings on the subject and to clue Scully in as to their son's fear.

"I know it sounds insane, Dad," Will said, disgusted with himself at the thought. "But hear me out. Gibson said he could talk to the child or children when Cara first found out she was pregnant, right? So why can't I? If the children are like me, why can't I hear anything they're saying?"

"Are you sure you've been focusing your abilities-"

"Yes, Dad. I've had eight years of practice now. I know how it works."

"Has anyone led you to believe anything negative about them?" Mulder asked softly, his eyes back on Scully, who shook her head; Mulder nodded in response, knowing she wasn't to blame if so.

"No, no one. Dad, I … I just don't see who else it could be."

"Have you expressed your concern to Cara?"

"God, no," Will whispered. "I don't … can't do that." He swallowed, hoping to wet his seemingly perpetually dry throat. "I know Mom said she showed signs of rape, after her initial physical examination." Will's voice was weak; it was a subject he had resisted for obvious reasons, now seeming to have to confront it head-on. "Dad, I didn't hurt her. I know I didn't. Even if I'm stronger than I realize, it … it couldn't have been me who bruised her and tore her like that. We were … She was …" Will sighed, not able to finish his thoughts, sickened by the possibilities he had to consider in that moment that he thought no one else ever seemed to.

"I know," Mulder said softly, his voice pained for his son.

"I love her, Dad. I wouldn't hurt her."

"I know."

"The bounty hunter initially said Cara would be useful in their repopulation efforts. I thought it was an off-color comment intended to rile me up when he first said it, but since Mom's findings, it's weighed on me."

"It's not typical behavior for them."

"Fine. Then it was someone else. But I sure as hell know it wasn't me."

Mulder sighed, shutting his eyes as he tried to process Will's concerns, forgetting his son had access to his ever-clouded mind, though he knew the distance between them helped to mask his thoughts. "Wait," Will said softly. "You know something."

"William-"

"You know something, Dad. What is it?"

"All I know is that nothing should be discounted. Whether Cara was raped or not, the fact remains that we both feel there's at least one leak among us. And whoever it is, they are to be exposed," Mulder replied, hoping it was enough.

It seemed to be. "I have to figure out a way to kick Joy out," Will said with a sigh.

"Why don't you leave that to me?" Mulder asked. "Your mom and I made a break out here, which I think warrants a trip back home."

"What kind of a break?"

"A clean sweep of the formulated vaccine in lab testing against the various strains of Purity we've constructed."

"That's great, Dad."

"We'll catch a flight in a couple days, once we wrap things up here."

"Alright."

"William?"

"Yeah?"

"Try to keep your hope," Mulder advised gently. "The children you share with Cara are much like you when your mother was pregnant with you. You were thought by many to be something you weren't, but you proved to all of us that you're far beyond what we could have ever hoped for, a true miracle for us. Try to believe in them. Whatever hesitation you're feeling, remember that they can't protect themselves from the games that are being played. Perhaps they just need your trust."

Will watched Cara as she now looked up at him through the kitchen window, smiling gently at him as she dried her hands on the red dish towel she held. "I will," he said, wanting to badly to believe in his father's words of advice, but finding his hope hard to cling to.

Trading Post
Near Shiprock Territory, NM
05:54 PM MST

The last month and a half had been nearly complete torture, Joy's days consisting of being within arm's reach of the only thing she ever wanted but not being able to claim it for herself. She tried to contain her desire for Will, but knew she was suspected by Cara given the silent treatment she had used with her most of the time. It didn't bother Joy that Cara held jealousy for her - after all, Cara should be concerned. Joy hadn't stuck around for six weeks in the middle of God knows where for nothing. Will would be hers, it was just a matter of time - now, she just had to up the ante with some reverse psychology.

Klim had advised her to focus on obtaining Mulder, since it was the most likely scenario of success. With him and Scully constantly gone, it became increasingly difficult to predict when was a good time to organize the invasion of the settlement being arranged by Klim. Today, she had gotten word from Klim that he arranged it for early the morning of the 23rd, pending Mulder and Scully's location, since they recently had gotten word of Cara's plan to leave in the middle of the night on the 22nd.

Though it may have appeared that she held alliances with different parties, Joy was solely focused on her own personal gain, taking resources wherever she could so that she could have Will to herself, consequences for the others be damned. Will seemed to be warming up to her, which she was glad for. Over the last week or so, he had even initiated conversation with her, which was something no one did prior. She didn't have to read his mind to know his heart was still with Cara, but soon she was to be removed from the picture, and then her opportunity to strike would present itself; Joy had confidence that her powerful magnetism would easily sway him to her.

She had played the part, making nice with the locals and fitting in as necessary. The women seemed to take more easily to her than she imagined, though she hadn't given them a reason not to. Even the men seemed to warm up to her, though she knew it was mainly the younger teenaged boys who were captivated by her beauty and charm - and with Will's recent behavioral shift, she felt confident that the position she was setting herself up in would soon pay off.

Clutching the six pack of Will's favorite lager she knew he was fond of as well as three pints of ice cream, she climbed back into the truck with the women she had come with, driving back to the settlement with a smile. She was hoping her peace offerings would give her the in she needed with Cara, but especially with Will.

Later, when she arrived back at the cabin, she found Cara in the kitchen preparing some food. "Oh, no group dinner tonight?" she asked, smiling as Cara turned.

"Not tonight," Cara replied, managing a smile as she returned to chopping the peppers she had just washed.

"Well, that works out," Joy said, taking out the ice cream to show Cara. "I thought you and the babies might like some ice cream."

Cara was taken back by the genuine tone Joy used and the shyness of her smile as she tucked the ice cream in the freezer near her. "A little bird told me you were fond of peanut butter, so I got you vanilla with peanut butter swirl." Joy turned, looking at Cara, seeing her surprise.

"Thank you," Cara said softly, the realest smile she had ever used around Joy forming on her mouth.

"I also picked William up some beer," Joy continued, stowing it in the fridge. "I figured it saved him a trip, since he said he was going to town tomorrow for it." Joy turned toward Cara. "That way, you two can just relax together over the weekend."

Cara had all-together stopped chopping the peppers, stunned into silence as Joy took a step closer. The usage of his full name as well as the attempt to ease their lives hadn't been overlooked by her. "Look," Joy began hesitantly, "I … I know how hard this has been for you, especially, and I just wanted to say that I'm sorry if I ever made you feel uncomfortable." The knife hovered over the pepper Cara held in place, still frozen in shock. "I guess I just envy you, and I let it get the best of me. But, no one could be more perfect for William than you. I see how much he cares about you. God, I think any girl would chop off a limb to have what you do with him." Joy laughed gently. "Anyway, I just wanted to offer that to you. I hope we can … get to know each other better."

Cara's throat was dry; she knew her mouth had been opened the entire time Joy spoke, not able to move enough to close it or rest the knife down she held as she was continually stunned by Joy's actions. Joy glanced down at the peppers. "Need help?" she asked, turning to the sink to wash her hands. "I'm not too bad in the kitchen and I do have a knack for retrieving things." She laughed. "My ability comes in handy that way."

"Uh … sure," Cara managed, coming back to her senses as she resumed chopping. "I'm making fajitas tonight." She turned, looking at Joy. "I hope that's okay."

"I love Mexican," Joy replied, drying her hands and coming to stand by Cara's side. "Alright, what do you need?"

"Um … how about grabbing me an onion from the fridge?"

"You've got it."

Cara felt her heart racing as she tried to process the sudden shift of gears Joy had showed her. She could only come up with two conclusions as a cause or source for the change, the first being that she was actually being genuine, coming to the understanding that Will didn't care for her in that way, and the second being that Joy and Will had something to hide, that he was now concerned about kicking her out to hide a dirty truth of an affair. Overwhelmed by the second option, Cara became distracted and hit her finger with the blade of the knife, slicing it cleanly open instead of targeting the pepper she held. "Shit," she grumbled, yanking her hand away as she squeezed her eyes shut, the pain surging with the blood to the opened wound.

Joy heard her and turned, onion in hand. "Oh God, are you okay?" she asked frantically, seeing Cara move to the sink to rinse her wound.

"Yeah, I'm alright," Cara replied, letting the cold water assault her cut, still shaking from her second hypothetical reason for Joy's attitude adjustment.

Without asking, Joy moved quickly to the bathroom, retrieving bandages and ointment, rushing back into the kitchen. "Here, let me see it," she offered gently, observing Cara pressing a paper towel on the wound in an attempt to clot the bleeding.

"I'm okay."

"Come on," Joy insisted, taking her hand and examining it.

"Really," Cara said, feeling her body tense as Joy touched her, "I'm alright. It's just a little knick."

Joy was focused, properly applying the medicated ointment to the wound and sealing it in two directions with the bandages. "There," she said proudly, "all fixed."

Being taller than her, Cara looked down at Joy, seeing her smile even radiate in her eyes. "Thank you," she whispered.

"No problem," Joy said, taking the supplies back into the bathroom. "I think you're off chopping duty, though," she added as she walked away.

"No, I'm alright," Cara insisted. "I don't think the peppers got dirty but I'll wash them just in case."

"And ruin my beautiful medical work?" Joy teased, taking the chopping board before Cara could have it. "No way. I've got it."

Suddenly feeling ill, Cara sat on the kitchen stool, watching dumbfounded as Joy cleaned the vegetables, then began working on the onion. "Why don't you rest?" Joy asked. "I mean, you are literally carrying around two people twenty-four-seven." Making eye contact, Joy's lips parted. "You look pale, Cara," she said softly, coming toward her and feeling her forehead with the back of her hand. "I didn't think you lost that much blood, but maybe you should lay down."

"No no no," Cara said, standing. "I'm fine, really. I …"

Will entering through the back door took Cara by surprise. "Will," she said softly, still feeling nauseous as Joy continued to exam her forehead.

Will's eyes widened in a panic as he saw Joy tending to her. "What happened?" he asked quickly, rushing toward Cara and taking her hand. Cara tried to move her mouth to speak, but was too overwhelmed with mental images of Will kissing and touching Joy sensually that words left her.

"She cut herself," Joy said softly. "I bandaged her up, but then she looked pale. I'm not sure if she should be standing up, really."

"Alright," Will said, grabbing Cara into his arms easily, lifting her, "come on. Let's get you in bed."

"Will, I'm fine!" Cara protested, fighting against him, though it didn't seem to matter. As he rested her on the bed, she immediately sat up, breathing shallowly as she looked into Will's eyes. "Will, I feel like ..."

"Are you feeling ill?" he asked, concerned.

"No, I mean … I feel like there's something you're not telling me."

Will leaned away from Cara, still looking in her eyes, his mind immediately on the conversation he had just had with his father. "Cara-"

"Please," Cara whispered, "just … tell me the truth."

"The truth about what?"

"You know what."

"No, I really don't, Cara."

"You and Joy," she said, her voice shaking. She saw Will shut his eyes, his head hanging. "I deserve to know the truth," she continued, fighting the tears that were filling her eyes. "I mean, I … I can understand if the connection is too strong, but … at least give me the decency to know that's why you want to kick her out."

Will's head shot up. "What?" he asked, baffled.

"Will, I know you. You don't 'all of a sudden' have feelings. Hell, it takes you years to have feelings sometimes," Cara stated. "Something is being hidden and I just feel like … I feel like the secrecy you've both decided on is worse than just hearing the truth."

Will shook his head. "Cara, I … we … nothing has ever happened."

"Then why didn't you answer me earlier?" Cara asked, swallowing. "You refused to tell me something, I know you did. And I saw you talking on the phone before she came back. I'm not an idiot, Will!" Cara was angry now, standing from the bed. "Then … she comes back, bearing gifts like she's a fucking magi or something and 'all of a sudden' wants to be my best friend? I'm not buying it!"

Will stood, taking Cara's hands into hers. "Cara, nothing is going on between us. I promise you."

"What is going on, Will?" she demanded.

"There is nothing between us!"

"Then what are you hiding?"

"I needed to talk to my father alone, is that alright with you?" Will asked, his anger now surfacing as a result of his guilt, still holding on to the belief that the children that rested between them in Cara's womb weren't his.

"I don't care if you want to talk to someone other than me, Will," Cara corrected. "But I know you're holding something back from me, and I'm not stupid. I know what it has to do with."

Before he could respond, she stormed out of the bedroom, sliding her sandals on before throwing open the front door. "Cara!" Will yelled, cursing under his breath as he ran after her. "Damnit, Cara! Wait!" When she refused to listen, he grabbed her arm, halting her and turning her toward him. "I'm concerned," he said softly, swallowing as he tried to find the courage to reveal his secret. "I'm … concerned about what we don't know that occurred during your capture."

She stopped fighting against him as she listened, still tense in Will's arms. "What do you mean?" she asked.

"I …" Will shut his eyes. "Cara, you were raped." The words assaulted her ears - it wasn't something they ever discussed, but something they knew was highly probable. He held her cheek with his hand, stroking it with his thumb. "I … I am just …"

"You … don't want to … be with me because of that?" she asked, feeling hurt.

"No!" Will assured. "No, no, no. Listen to me. There's only two things that have affected me because of that, and you're not one of them."

"What are the two things?"

"The first being that I personally want to tear apart whoever did it to you with my bare hands."

She saw the rage behind Will's eyes as he explained himself. "What's the second?"

A scream coming from the distance startled both of them, and Will's mouth opened in shock as he saw two unfamiliar men approaching with large weapons. "Get in the cabin and arm yourself!" he yelled, shoving Cara toward their home.

"Will!"

"Get inside and get the gun! NOW!"

Terrified for her husband, she turned and ran back toward the house as fast as she could to retrieve his gun for him, feeling the weight of the children inside of her slow her down. She climbed the stairs quickly, throwing open the door. "Joy!" she yelled, bursting into the kitchen. "They're here!"

Joy's eyes widened, and she dropped the utensils she had been holding, shutting off the stove quickly. "Cara, get William's gun and lock yourself in the bedroom," Joy ordered, rushing to her bag and grabbing her gun and knife. Seeing Cara hadn't moved, she took her arm, pulling her to the bedroom. "I'll help William! Now stay here and don't come out until we get you." She pressed William's gun that was loaded with magnetite bullets into her hand, slamming the door behind her as she rushed outside, quickly moving the large cabinet in front of the door with her mind, knowing it was heavy enough to block Cara in. "Shit," she mumbled under her breath as she tore down the stairs. Double-crossing bastard! she growled in her mind, thinking of how Klim must have gave her bad information about the 23rd as she approached Will, who was ordering people to stay inside. "Will!" she yelled, gaining his attention briefly.

"Protect Cara!" he ordered, turning his focus back on the men who now approached.

"She's safe. She has your gun." Joy said. Her eyes grew wide as the two men stopped in front of them.

"You know what we want," the tallest of the two said, looking at Joy. "Hand Joy over and no one gets hurt."

"Not gonna happen," Will said firmly, partially blocking Joy.

"We can do this the easy way or the hard way," the man continued.

"I enjoy a good challenge," Will retorted, seeing the replacement smile.

"Suit yourself."

The door to the cabin closest to them burst open, another tall replacement gripping River tightly in his arms as he lifted him down the stairs. The boy screamed, and Will's eyes widened in horror. "Let him go!" Will demanded.

"Give us Joy, or the boy dies," the man in front of Will said, eyeing him.

"Will …" Joy whispered behind him.

"Let him go," Will ordered again, his fist balling up beside him. Will focused his energy on the man who held River, managing to knock him backwards as River was tossed from his arms. "RIVER, RUN!" he yelled, seeing the boy rush behind and past him. As Will attempted to force the man in front of him down in the same fashion, he felt resistance and tried to push further, yelling in pain as he slumped to the ground.

"Will!" Joy screamed as the man picked him up by the throat. She rushed to help him only to be deflected by the second replacement, crashing to the ground in a heap. She saw him over her, feeling him grab her roughly and pull her to stand as the other held Will tightly, Will trying to break free as he attempted to press the man away from him.

Will panicked, pushing as hard as he could against the equal strength of the replacement who held him, finally feeling the release of his throat as he was tossed to the ground, hitting the stone underneath him hard as he was blasted backwards by the man who nearly suffocated him. Will stood quickly, readying himself to attack again when he groaned and hunched over in pain, seeing the magnetite the replacement held in his hands as he stepped toward him. "Not so super, are you?" the replacement asked, watching with a smile as Will was influenced by the rock every time he tried to move closer, Will only gaining inches as he suffered through the pull of the magnet to try to free Joy. "It's nice to finally have more power than the golden child," the replacement continued, amused at Will's struggle.

With a final blast, the replacement threw Will backwards against the nearby cabin, his back cracking and splitting the wood as he was nearly impaled by the planks of the porch. The replacement shoved the large chunk of magnetite at Will, hitting him squarely in the head, rendering him unconscious as the blood dripped from the cut the rock had made.

Cara tried to use leverage to move the large cabinet that was full of books away from the door as she pressed her back against it. She cried out in pain as she knew she strained too much, holding her womb as she felt the pull inside of her. "Will!" she yelled, tears flowing down her face. She tried pressing again, unable to free herself from the room. As she kept trying, she heard the front door open, and she immediately froze, her grip tightening on the gun as she listened to the footsteps near her. She stepped away from the door, locking her aim on it as she waited, hearing whoever it was moving the cabinet and now twisting the knob. She cocked the gun, ready to shoot whoever it was, gasping in shock as she saw Shilah's face. "Shilah!" she breathed, lowering the gun.

"Shima!" he said, looking relieved that he had found her. "River said you were in danger."

"Will!" Cara tried to rush past Shilah but he caught her arm.

"Young Fox is safe," Shilah said, looking at Cara.

"Where is he?" she demanded.

"John is caring for his injury while he is unconscious," Shilah explained, seeing the horror on Cara's face.

"What about Joy?" she asked, still feeling Shilah's tight grip on her arm.

Shilah looked down. "They took the Raven Woman," he said softly. "She's gone."

"Jesus, Nick! You really hurt me back there!"

Miles away from the settlement, Joy rubbed her arm as she sat in the SUV they had driven away in, her eyes angry as she glared at the man next to her. "I had a show to put on," the man named Nick replied gruffly. "Guess you need to up your dosage."

"Why the hell didn't Klim tell me about this?" Joy demanded.

"Klim figured the more realistic, the better," the replacement who had knocked Will unconscious said, his eyes fixed on the road as he drove.

"Yeah, well I had it handled," Joy sneered.

"This is better," Nick said. "After you call William for help, he will leave the settlement unprotected."

"He'll never leave Cara alone, despite what I say," Joy grumbled, annoyed with Will's devotion to the Shield.

"He won't need to," the replacement next to the driver explained. "She'll already be gone. His hand is forced in your favor."

"Huh," Joy said sarcastically, smoothing her hair. "I never thought Klim cared so much."

"And by the time they realize, it will be too late," Nick continued with a smile.