Chapter 3
Dana Scully threw open the door to the apartment she shared with her ten year old son. The blinds were closed and the only light came from the television set. 'The Lazarus Bowl' was two-thirds of the way finished. Her mind wandered back to the days when it was still possible for her to relax like that. Relax with Mulder. Mulder. William had said he had said he was coming back. That didn't make sense even in her own mind.
William sat on the couch watching the screen flitter away in front of him. He had never been one for watching TV. He always said all he wanted to do was sit down and watch some crazy sit-com, but he never did. Late at night, if he didn't have school the next day, he would watch old sci-fi movies with her, but that was all.
Maybe it was the fact that the movie was loosely based on facts that had happened to her and his father. Maybe it was the fear in him that made him float popcorn to his mouth. In any case she dismissed the idea completely and sat down next to him.
"Tell me what happened, William."
"I got on the computer after you left. I looked some stuff up, ya know, this and that." He blushed, but the gloom of the room hid it, "I was just getting off when I received an e-mail from Dad. I read it, it was like all the others, ya know? Anyway, something compelled me to scan through the rest of the document. I'm not sure what, it was just old e- mails. Then, in the last e-mail, I saw this number. One number was in the front of each word in this sentence. It was obviously a phone number, it had to be. I went to call you, cause I panicked and then the phone rang. It was Dad, he said he was coming home and that his number was in the last e-mail he sent, and that he needed to talk to you and…and…"
He broke down then, sobbing almost uncontrollably. Dana stared off into space, digesting the information she had just been fed. 'Think about this rationally, Dana,' she thought. There had to be an explanation. Maybe he knew something she didn't, something that couldn't be told to a ten-year-old boy.
She stood up and started walking toward the computer. She centered herself and prepared for the worst. She was just about to sit down when she heard a small, fading voice behind her.
"I'm sorry mom, I had to."
She turned and saw her son fading into nothingness. No wonder he had been watching TV, reading would be to hard for his concentration. He was somewhere else, projecting himself into the room. "William, please don't."
"I'm sorry, I can't keep this form too long. It's too hard. There's too much I need to do where I am. I'll be good mom, and I'll try to be home before school starts." He faded completely then leaving only the bowl of popcorn and the sound of the TV to comfort her.
"William!!" Her scream died away, and she quickly turned to the computer. She signed on and hunted down the e-mail Mulder had sent his son. It didn't take long for her to find the phone number, and to realize it was not the one he had give her nine years ago. She hadn't expected it to be. A quick Internet search allowed her to pin point the area code, something she knew her son had done.
She was just about to leave when a rational thought finally crossed her mind. She went back to the computer and checked her mail. Her inbox was full, and one had Mulder's address attached to it.
Dana,
I just sent an e-mail to William, if he's smart he'll find my new number in it. Don't allow him to go looking for me, it's still too dangerous. If I don't get a hold of you when I call, know that I will be coming home in a month. Until then keep an even closer eye on William. I love you and William, and will see you as soon as I can. Remember, don't let him look for me, but he can call now, whenever he likes. There won't be anymore phone taps.
Yours always
Mulder
It wasn't encrypted like most of the e-mails he sent, which led her to believe him. But William was gone. If only she hadn't left him alone today. There was only one thing she could do. She picked up the phone and called Agent Dogget.
Dana Scully threw open the door to the apartment she shared with her ten year old son. The blinds were closed and the only light came from the television set. 'The Lazarus Bowl' was two-thirds of the way finished. Her mind wandered back to the days when it was still possible for her to relax like that. Relax with Mulder. Mulder. William had said he had said he was coming back. That didn't make sense even in her own mind.
William sat on the couch watching the screen flitter away in front of him. He had never been one for watching TV. He always said all he wanted to do was sit down and watch some crazy sit-com, but he never did. Late at night, if he didn't have school the next day, he would watch old sci-fi movies with her, but that was all.
Maybe it was the fact that the movie was loosely based on facts that had happened to her and his father. Maybe it was the fear in him that made him float popcorn to his mouth. In any case she dismissed the idea completely and sat down next to him.
"Tell me what happened, William."
"I got on the computer after you left. I looked some stuff up, ya know, this and that." He blushed, but the gloom of the room hid it, "I was just getting off when I received an e-mail from Dad. I read it, it was like all the others, ya know? Anyway, something compelled me to scan through the rest of the document. I'm not sure what, it was just old e- mails. Then, in the last e-mail, I saw this number. One number was in the front of each word in this sentence. It was obviously a phone number, it had to be. I went to call you, cause I panicked and then the phone rang. It was Dad, he said he was coming home and that his number was in the last e-mail he sent, and that he needed to talk to you and…and…"
He broke down then, sobbing almost uncontrollably. Dana stared off into space, digesting the information she had just been fed. 'Think about this rationally, Dana,' she thought. There had to be an explanation. Maybe he knew something she didn't, something that couldn't be told to a ten-year-old boy.
She stood up and started walking toward the computer. She centered herself and prepared for the worst. She was just about to sit down when she heard a small, fading voice behind her.
"I'm sorry mom, I had to."
She turned and saw her son fading into nothingness. No wonder he had been watching TV, reading would be to hard for his concentration. He was somewhere else, projecting himself into the room. "William, please don't."
"I'm sorry, I can't keep this form too long. It's too hard. There's too much I need to do where I am. I'll be good mom, and I'll try to be home before school starts." He faded completely then leaving only the bowl of popcorn and the sound of the TV to comfort her.
"William!!" Her scream died away, and she quickly turned to the computer. She signed on and hunted down the e-mail Mulder had sent his son. It didn't take long for her to find the phone number, and to realize it was not the one he had give her nine years ago. She hadn't expected it to be. A quick Internet search allowed her to pin point the area code, something she knew her son had done.
She was just about to leave when a rational thought finally crossed her mind. She went back to the computer and checked her mail. Her inbox was full, and one had Mulder's address attached to it.
Dana,
I just sent an e-mail to William, if he's smart he'll find my new number in it. Don't allow him to go looking for me, it's still too dangerous. If I don't get a hold of you when I call, know that I will be coming home in a month. Until then keep an even closer eye on William. I love you and William, and will see you as soon as I can. Remember, don't let him look for me, but he can call now, whenever he likes. There won't be anymore phone taps.
Yours always
Mulder
It wasn't encrypted like most of the e-mails he sent, which led her to believe him. But William was gone. If only she hadn't left him alone today. There was only one thing she could do. She picked up the phone and called Agent Dogget.