Prepare to cry. Maybe... Unless you're CSM. Tag to Redux II.
Enjoy!
With Mulder and Scully's investigations, Chloe gets a call from the office telling her that Maggie will pick her up. Coming into the dining room from doing her homework, the preteen stops when she hears Maggie and Scully's brother talking in the kitchen.
"Mom, you've been sucked into this just as much as Dana," Bill complains.
"What are you talking about?" Maggie questions as she begins dinner. Shaking his head, Bill nods toward the other room. When his mother raises her eyebrow, the man explains, "You're babysitting his kid!"
"Her name is Chloe and she has done nothing to me or you for that matter. I take care of her when her father and Scully need me to."
"How often, huh? This Mulder guy has to have parents somewhere," Bill huffs. Sighing, Maggie replies, "You will simply have to deal with all this, Bill. At the moment- -"
She is cut off by the phone which Bill leaves the kitchen to answer. Sneaking out of the dining room, Chloe asks, "Do you need any help?"
Nodding, Maggie has the girl to grab the rolls out of the freezer. The adult and preteen are silent for moment until the twelve year old asks, "Why doesn't Bill like my dad?"
Exhaling, the once red head, now brunette, turns the burner down on the stove. Choosing her words, Maggie says, "Bill is very protective over Dana. After my Bill died, Bill felt he had to take over as best he could."
"Does any of it have to do with Missy, too?" Chloe questions softly. Shrugging, the surrogate grandmother replies, "Maybe? I'm not too sure. Have you done all your homework?"
"No," The preteen groans knowing it is only Tuesday. Smiling, Maggie nods her head toward the dining room where Chloe leaves her backpack replying, "Go do it."
With a sigh, the girl walks into the living room taking the long way to the dining room. Seeing Bill standing with his hand slack on the phone, Chloe asks softly, "Are you okay?"
When the man dismisses her as if in a trance, the twelve year old follows him at a small distance. She stops in her tracks when she hears Bill says, "Mom, Dana's in the hospital."
Her eyes wide, Maggie walks out of the kitchen and grabs her coat while telling her surrogate granddaughter to do the same.
An hour later, Chloe walks into the hospital room with Maggie and Bill to find her father holding Scully's hand. Watching as he kisses her cheek before leaving, the brunette follows her dad into the hallway.
"You said she was fine," The preteen begins causing her father to turn around.
"Chlo–"
"No, you lied to me!"
"I didn't lie! She told me the same thing she told you," Mulder angrily replies before sighing and replying in a calmer tone, "Go in there with Scully, okay?"
"You're not coming in?"
"Not right now. I have something I need to do."
"More than being with Mom?" Chloe spits. Pausing, Mulder takes a breath before explaining cryptically, "What I'm doing should save her. You have to trust me, okay?"
Nodding, Chloe walks back into the hospital room trying not to cry. Hearing her father's tone, the youngest Mulder knows not to challenge him.
"Hey, baby. Come here," The patient motions seeing the twelve year old re-enter the room. Unaccustomed to the term of endearment she is given, the girl walks toward the woman as she notices Bill roll his eyes.
"Don't be upset okay?" Scully whispers in the girl's ear. A tear escapes the preteen's face as she buries her head in the crook of the red head's neck.
"I don't want you to die," The child croaks.
"I know. But, you and your dad have to be strong okay? Make sure he takes care of himself."
Chloe sniffles and nods not wanting her mother to leave so soon.
A couple hours later, Chloe finds her father come in with a vial that he hands to his partner. He explains the contents before looking over at his daughter. Knowing this is about her cancer, the red head looks over at Chloe and asks, "Do you want to stay in here?"
The girl nods as her father finishes his explanation. Chloe looks up at her father hopefully. He smiles softly at her as Bill comments, "'Crazy. This is crazy."
"'Crazy in what sense? In that it might save your sister's life?'" Mulder shoots back his eyes blazing. Annoyed, the oldest Scully child replies indignantly, "'You're not a doctor. You have no place in even suggesting this .. this science fiction...this'- -"
"'This is not science fiction'," The agent cuts off. Livid, Bill exclaims, "'You've never heard of it!'"
Ever the peace keeper, Maggie replies, "'Bill... I think there's an obvious... difference of opinion.'"
"'Yeah'," The man huffs.
Noticing the argument start to heat up, the patient sasys, "'I think ... that everybody here has their heart in the right place. But I need it to be my decision.'"
"'Dana...'" Bill falters.
Knowing her brother means well, Scully tells her brother, "'I know you're only looking out for me, Bill. But I don't think you have all the facts.'"
There is a small pause due to the tenseness from the siblings until Maggie asks, "'Don't you think you should listen to your doctor?'"
"'Yes. I am,'" The red head answers.
"'Would she have to stop her conventional treatment?'" The man asks hoping the doctor is in favor of his idea. To the agent's delight, Scully's physician replies, "'To be honest, at this point... the only approach I have left... with her particular cancer is quite unconventional.'"
There is a pause as Scully answers, "'I'd like to try this.'"
With the doctor about to administer the vaccine, the visitors leave the room. Worried for her mother, Chloe stands closer to Maggie whose arm holds her securely.
Throughout the night, Chloe mostly stays by Scully's bedside much to the disappointment of the red head's brother. Noticing the icy exchange that seems to only come from her brother, Scully asks to have a moment alone with the twelve year old. Her head on Scully's bed, the twelve year old feels the red head smooth her hair back and tries not to cry.
"What's the matter?" Scully asks softly knowing the girl is simply trying to stay strong for her benefit.
"Okay," Chloe mumbles adding, "Dad isn't here."
"I know, but he's doing something really important. I know you don't understand, but it could fix everything," Scully replies. Looking up at her mother with tears in her eyes, "Like your cancer?"
The woman hesitates not wanting to give the child false hope. Instead, the red head replies, "We'll see."
Sleeping on the sofa the girl claims after much debate over her not leaving Scully, Chloe wakes up a little when she hears the door open. Seeing her dad, the girl sits up a little. Seeing his daughter, Mulder bends down to her.
"Go back to sleep, okay?" He asks. Too tired to argue, the girl puts her head back down on the pillow. She comes close to falling back asleep when she hears her father kneel on the floor and cry.
Chloe cries herself to sleep before waking up to the nurse coming in at five in the morning.
"How are you feeling, Ms. Scully?" The nurse asks as the woman wakes up. The red head gives a groggy reply as she notices a hand slip into her hers. Turning her head, Scully smiles as she says, "Morning, Sweetie."
Smiling a little, the nurse asks Chloe, "Do you want something to eat?"
Shaking her head, Chloe answers, "No, thank- you."
"Alright, well tell me if you need anything, okay? My name's Tamara," The nurse says. Nodding, Chloe and Scully thank her. Turning to the girl, Scully asks, "Why don't you get some more sleep?"
"Can't," Chloe mumbles. The rest of the morning, the twelve year old stays with her mom. Going to the bathroom an hour later in the bath located in the hospital room, the girl hears someone come in. Washing her hands, the twelve year old is about to open the door when she hears her father's voice. However, she stops himself when she hears him says, "'I've been offered a deal, a deal that could save my life in a way. And though I'd refused the deal earlier, I left here last night with my mind made up to take it.'"
"'A deal with who?'" Scully asks wondering what her partner is doing. Shaking his head, Mulder replies, "'It doesn't matter, I'm not taking the deal, I'm not taking any deal. Not after what happened this morning.'"
Doubly worried, the patient asks, "'What happened this morning?'"
"'Section Chief Blevins directed me to implicate Skinner. To name him as the man inside in the FBI. Who may have deceived us both. And if I name him, they'll protect me.
"'Are you going to name him?'" She questions.
"'No.'" Mulder replies.
"'Then they'll prosecute you'," Scully answers factually.
Knowing where their conversation will lead, the man replies, "'Yeah, they have evidence against me, they know I killed that man.'"
Still wanting to help him, the red head pleads, "'Mulder, even with the ballistics evidence, I can still be the shoot...'"
"'Scully, I can't let you take the blame. Because of your brother, because of your mother, and because I couldn't live with it. To live the lie, you have to believe it. Like these men who deceive us, who gave you this disease. We all have our faith, and mine is in the truth'," Mulder replies cutting his partner off.
"'Then why'd you come here if you'd already made up your mind?'" Scully questions softly.
He grins broadly at his partner and laughs as he replies, "'Because I knew you'd talk me out of it if I was making a mistake.'"
Hearing the door open, the red head notices Father McCue and holds her partner's hand tightly.
"'You'll be in my prayers'," Scully whispers softly.
"'Have the Father say a few Hail Mulders for me, okay?" He jokes kissing her on the cheek before he leaves. Quickly following her father, Chloe calls out his name. When he turns, he sees his daughter nearly in tears. Nearly breaking down himself, Mulder holds out his arms for his daughter. She sniffles before going to her father to hug him.
"I'm scared, Daddy," Chloe says softly as they sit on the bench outside Scully's hospital room. Stroking his daughter's hair, Mulder replies, "I know. I'm sorry for bringing you into this."
"It's okay," The twelve year old mumbles. The man's heart nearly breaks knowing his daughter's words are far from okay. The father holds his daughter until the priest comes out. Nodding at the pair, Father McCue says, "Scully wants to see you both."
Going in the room, the Mulders watch as the red head tries to sit up and look as professional as she can. Looking at the pair, Scully says, "In the event that I die, I have a will in the top drawer of my nightstand. Mom knows about her share, and she is fine with what I've put down for you both."
"Scully," Mulder pleads knowing his plan will work. Believing it will work. He watches his partner shake her head saying, "Chloe, I want you to know that you will always be my daughter. I have money put aside in a trust for you for when you're older. Also, anything in your room you want to keep? Take it."
Mortified, Chloe shakes her head not wanting to think of Scully's death. About to continue, Mulder gets a call on his cell phone. Remembering his hearing, the man goes over to Scully in case it's the last time he sees her and kisses her on the cheek saying, "You're going to live, Scully."
Smiling a little, the red head replies, "Thank- you, Mulder."
Standing up, Mulder kisses his daughter before leaving the hospital room with a grief stricken Chloe behind.
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