Maniacal was the only way to describe Scully's driving, and she knew it. But it wasn't an agent hired by the federal government to obey, defend and uphold the laws of traffic and the laws of the realm that drove the car. It was a mother racing against time to save her daughter from imminent danger and irreversible harm. And ultimately, wasn't it her responsibility to protect her daughter and keep their family safe? Didn't fall to her? Meena's safety had been her concern before the day she was born. For the nine months she carried her under her heart and in her soul she worried about her, protected her and almost died for her. And if it meant her life now, today, in order to save her daughter's, she would gladly give it.

Her only stop had been at the filling station to ask directions to Notting Hill and to buy a map. She knew she should call Mulder, she knew she never should have left without telling Mulder, but that morning's headlines only proved to her that time was running out, just as it had abruptly ran out for Sir Gregory and his family.

Just as it could abruptly run out for her and her daughter.

Time had been a cruel and petty thief in her life for as long as she could remember; stealing bits of time here and there, threatening to stop suddenly and end her life with on sweep of the clock's second hand. Time had deprived her of her father, taken away her sister, kept her away from Mulder, in a heartbeat, in a second, in a flash. "But not this time," she thought. "I won't allow it. Not my daughter."

She knew she should call Mulder, but that would require she stop along side the road, as it was illegal in Great Britain to drive while using a cellular phone. She wasn't even sure she had turned on the cell phone, and did not want to pull over to look. She didn't have the time.

And so she drove, passing farms and cottages, valleys, hills and lakes until she reached Notting Hill. She drove around as long as she could, searching every face, every street until traffic, both pedestrian and auto, slowed her down. She then parked the car, and continued her search on foot, walking down every street, going into to every store, searching every face for the one she most wanted to see.

Her daughter's.

At ten thirty, she found herself across the street from the bookstore where she had last seen her daughter and her grandson. For the first time since her arrival, she stopped. She took the time to hope against all hope that she and the fates could come to a compromise; she hoped against all hope that fate would be kind and let her see them one more time. What she saw, however, was not what she had expected at all.

Krycek, going into a store with her daughter.

****************************************************************************

Meena had spent the night on the couch, unable to really sleep. She didn't know anything about the man who claimed to be Drew's long-lost uncle, the man who had spent all night under their roof. Early in the morning, Nigel awoke from a bad dream, and Meena raced upstairs, certain that her baby was in danger from the man who had invaded their home. When she entered the nursery, she discovered the only terror her young son faced was the horror of a wet diaper in the middle of the night.

And so, after she changed her son's diaper and quieted his fears, she went downstairs to the couch, and stayed there, watching infomercials and reruns of old game shows on the Tellie. She told herself it was because she couldn't sleep, and because she didn't want to wake Drew. But the real reason was that she was standing sentry, and she knew it. But wasn't it her responsibility to protect her child? Didn't it fall on her to watch over her family? Apparently she couldn't depend on Drew to do it; he was too smitten with what seemed to him to be the obvious - that a total stranger was his blood kin.

She would what she needed to do to protect her son, without hesitation and certainly without apology.

She didn't turn to face Drew as he came downstairs, rather she focused on the morning talk show. "You didn't spend the night down here, sweetie, did you?" Drew said as he stood behind her. He leaned over to kiss Meena on the top of her head. "The baby was fussy last night," Meena replied. She didn't really feel the need to go into the real reason why she spent the night downstairs, especially if it would just start another argument.

"You should have gotten me up, sweetheart," Drew replied. "I would have gladly gone."

"Well then, I guess I'll know for next time," Meena replied as she got up from the sofa.

"Will you get breakfast started? I'm going to go up and check on Nigel...."

"Actually, he's fine and wide awake now."

Meena looked past Drew to the stairs, where Drew's newly discovered relative stood with the baby. Meena was certain everyone could hear the beating of her heart in her chest. It took every ounce of strength for her not to loose her composure and thus betray her fear and concern. "I took the liberty of looking in on our little tyke. He was awake and happily cooing away. He seemed to want to join the party, so.... I hope you don't mind indulging a doting uncle."

Meena amazed herself by walking calmly over to Drew's uncle, and taking her son in her arms.

"No, not at all," she replied steadily. "It must be about time for a diaper change for him; let me take him for a moment..."

"I can do that, honey," Drew replied, but Meena cut him off. "I'd really rather you start breakfast instead, Drew. I know I could use a cup of coffee, and I'm sure our guest wouldn't mind a bite to eat."

"Actually," Drew's uncle began, "I was hoping I could take you out for breakfast. I know I've caused a bit of a disruption and, well.... I'd like to thank you in some small way for your hospitality." Drew spoke for both of them before Meena had a chance to answer for herself. "It's no trouble at all, Uncle Alex, but let us take you out."

"Don't you have to go to work this morning?" Meena asked. "I'll call and take the day off," Drew replied. "I'm allowed. Besides," he continued, "what good is it to be the boss's son if it can't get you a day off once in a while?"

******************************************************************************

Mulder sped along the highway in an effort to make up for lost time; Scully had at least an hour and a half head start on him. He thought in some small corner of his psyche that if he made a Herculean effort he could reverse time, that he could force fate to give him back the time he had lost. But he knew that was impossible.

Mulder tried to reach Scully on her cell phone as he drove, ignoring the law that forbade anyone to use their cell phone while driving. He was fully prepared to explain it was an emergency should he be pulled over.

And it was.

"Come on, Scully - pick up!" Mulder pleaded as the phone rang. The ringing stopped for a moment, and Mulder thought he had finally gotten through to his wife. "Scully..." he began. "The cellular customer you are trying to reach isn't available," the mechanical voice replied. "Please press or say `one' to leave a message, or please try your call again later."

"One," Mulder replied impatiently. "Scully," he began when he finally got through....

It was at that moment that his tire blew.

"Damnit!" Mulder cursed as he tried to steady the car. It took both hands for him to bring the car to a stop, and he was forced to drop the cell phone on the floor. It slid between the seat, just out of Mulder's line of vision, and remained on when Mulder got out of the car.

His connection to Scully's cell phone did not break until after he got out of the car, and began to change the flat tire.

******************************************************************************

Geoffrey opened the door to find the courier from Overseas Parcel and Delivery standing on the doorstep. "Can I help you?" he asked. "Uh, yeah," the courier replied. "Got a package here for a `Mul...' He stopped a moment, unable to read the shipping manifest. "Cripes!" he exclaimed. "You'd think they'd learn how to write a bloody shipping label - can't make this out. Think you could have a go at it?"

Geoffrey took a look at the package. "It seems the last letters on the name are washed out; it appears," he said as he looked at the tea stain on the courier's uniform shirt, "that someone spilled something on it."

"Well, it weren't me, if that's what you're thinking," the courier shot back. "I got it that way from the dispatcher. Wait; maybe the other package has it on it - you got two for this address..."

"Well, that won't do you much good, because I can't accept either of them," Geoffrey replied. "All packages addressed to this address must go to the field office for Scotland Yard first for clearance."

"You mean I've got to go to bloody Scotland Yard first?!" the courier exclaimed. "I'm sorry mate; took me long enough to get here as it is. You're not the only delivery I got, you know..."

"Your office, as does every other courier service knows that any packages delivered to high ranking Yard officials must be inspected by the Yard first. Now, I'm sorry, but you'll have to go through the proper channels."

Geoffrey shut the door before he could hear the courier use his choicest swear words to curse him and the ground on which he walked. The courier walked back to his truck in a huff, and whipped out his electronic tracking clipboard. He clicked "yes" under "package refused" for both packages.

He left Brittlegate, taking both vials of the antidote for Meena with him.

********************************************************************************

Meena fumed as she sat next to Drew in the car. Unbeknownst to her, after he called into to work to tell them he would not be in, he called the babysitter and asked her to come over. The sitter was waiting when she brought the baby back downstairs from his diaper change, and after she had taken a quick shower.

"I think it will do us good to spend some time with Uncle Alex without the baby," he replied before Meena could question him. "Please let's not have a rowe in front of the sitter," Drew whispered as he stood next to her.

"Yes, of course," Meena replied coolly. "We wouldn't want that. And of course we wouldn't want any unwelcome distractions while we get to know and hear all about Uncle Alex. I, for one, will be completely and utterly enthralled..."

It was ten o'clock when they reached Notting Hill. Just as they pulled into the center of town, Drew's cell phone began to ring. He pulled the car over into a car park and answered the phone. "Drew here," he answered, and suddenly a frown crossed over his face. "But isn't this something that can be handled by...? Oh, very well. I'm on my way."

"What is it?" Meena asked. "The office. It seems as though there's some type of crisis that only I can handle, and I need to go in for a bit."

"That's too bad," Drew's uncle began. "Well, I suppose we should head over there then, and I'll take the car," Meena replied. "Actually, I was thinking I'd drop you and Uncle Alex off here, and I'd meet you when I was done." Drew answered. "No sense in the two of you not having a good time on my account."

Meena was thoroughly convinced that the man who sat next to her had taken complete leave of his senses.

"Drew," Meena began, but was interrupted by the blaring of a car horn. "Sweetheart, I'm blocking the entrance to the car park. I promise - I'll pick you and Uncle Alex up as soon as I'm finished." The horn began again. "Please darling..." Drew's Uncle Alex opened the car door. "We should probably get out of the car before the driver behind us pulls us out by force."

Meena got out of the car, barely resisting the impulse to angrily slam the car door behind her.