Title: "Visions" part 2
Author: Riva
Email: DrScully@imneverwrong.com
Summary: A young girl who *sees* to much enters the lives of Mulder and
Scully.
Disclaimer, Authors Notes, etc.....can all be found at the beginning of
part 1.
------------------------AND ON WITH THE SHOW------------------------
"Visions" part 2
By Riva
Mercy Hospital,
Washington DC,
11:15 am
Agent Fox Mulder shuddered slightly as he walked past the hallway that
led to the IC unit at Mercy Hospital. He had been there one to many
times, either being treated for various injuries sustained to himself, or
frantically searching for the woman that now walked along beside him-
Dana Scully.
Of all the memories, Mulder still felt that the worst by far were those
dark days when he -they- had been forced to face the very real fact that Scully
might die from cancer. A cold chill coursed it's way down Mulder's spine as it
always did when he thought of it.
"Mulder?" Scully's voice sounded next to him. "What's wrong?"
{Good grief, the woman can read my mind.} "Nothing, Scully, just
memories."
Scully reached over and gave his hand a brief reassuring squeeze. He
felt disappointed when she let his hand drop a moment later.
"Section 5b." Scully stated, reading the direction plaque on the left.
"This is it, Mulder." She started to turn the corner, "Think Skinner will
be here to-"
"Agents Mulder, Scully!" Assistant Director Skinner called to them as
they rounded the corner, walking towards them with the expression of one
who has been kept in the dark too much, and has learned to hate it. "The
girl is just over there is room 207." He stated, walking up to them. "But
before you go in there, I want to know just what the heck is going on.
How does she know you? And just who is she? All she will tell us is her
name is Troi and she need to see the two of you."
Mulder and Scully exchanged a glance, unsure of how to answer their him.
"Well, sir," Mulder started. "I believe it's the same girl that Scully
and I met yesterday morning at the DCPD. She was being questioned in a
gang robbery that she evidently tried to prevent. We had just met her
when she was taken back to the Shelter where she lives. And frankly sir,
I have no idea why she's here or why she wants us."
"Well, Agent Mulder, the reason she's here is someone tried to kill
her." Skinner said bluntly. "An Officer Kane and his partner discovered
her lying unconscious in a ally, severely battered. She evidently fell
while trying to scale a 15 foot chain link fence, and then was kicked
repeatedly in the face and abdomen."
"Oh, God." Scully whispered, moving past Skinner and towards room 207.
"Can we see her sir?"
"I should say so. She perfectly conscious and verbal, in fact she's been
demanding to see the two of you since she opened her eyes. No requests
for family or anything." Skinner left the last sentence hang in the air
like a question.
"She doesn't have any family." Mulder answered automatically, pushing
past Skinner and following Scully into the room.
Scully entered the hospital room, and her breath caught in her throat
when she saw Troi. The girl lay propped up against the stark white pillow
on the bed, her eyes closed. Scully stared in horror at the ugly purpling
bruise on her cheek bone, and the deep cut in her lip that was beginning
to scab over. [who would do this?] Scully thought as she walked closer.
As she got close, Troi suddenly opened her eyes.
"Hey Troi." Scully smiled at her gently.
"Ms. Scully. You came." Troi smiled back weakly.
"Of course we came. Why wouldn't we? Are you okay?" Scully sat down next
to the bed and ran her hands gently against Troi's face.
Mulder stood in the doorway and watched the soft interchange. He smiled
to himself. It was plain to see that Scully was taking this girl into her
heart with open arms.
"Yeah, I'm okay. I just, um, went somewhere I wasn't supposed to." Troi
was saying to Scully.
"You seem to do a lot of that." Mulder said coming close.
"Just like you, Mulder." Scully smiled back at him.
"Agent Mulder!" Troi sat up straighter and grinned at him, then grimaced
in pain.
Mulder chuckled. "Better save the big smiles for later kid."
"Who did this to you Troi?" Scully asked, suddenly serious.
"Uh..." Troi's eyes darted around the room. "I don't know if it's safe
to tell you here."
Mulder and Scully both leaned in closer to Troi, Mulder pulling up
another chair. "It's safe Troi. What happened?"
"I- had another dream." Troi told them. "But this one was different than
any dream I've had before. I.." She stopped for a moment, as if wondering
if she should continue. "..saw men, in a room, talking. They talked about
you -both of you- so I knew I had to tell you."
Scully's eyebrows raised.
Troi continued. "But mostly they were talking about things I didn't
understand." A confused look clouded Troi face as she spoke, making a
vague motion with her hands. "..Merchandise, and Dates, and Colonization
and Projects. I didn't know what it meant."
Mulder and Scully exchanged a look. [the Syndicate]
"But I knew they were evil. I could feel it." Troi said with conviction.
"Anyway, I ran away from the Shelter that night. I couldn't stay any
longer." She looked at Dana with pleading eyes. "Don't make me go back
there Dana, please don't-"
"We'll talk about that later," Scully soothed. "Just tell us what
happened."
Troi slowly and haltingly choked out the rest of her tale. Mulder hands
tightened into fists when she described the man they called Krycek, and
how he had chased her. Scully's face too, was grim.
When Troi finished, Scully stood and reached out to touch Mulder's
shoulder. He took the cue and rose as well. "Troi, you need to get some
rest. I need to talk to Agent Mulder for a minute." Troi nodded, and the
Agents left the room.
Skinner stood up from his chair in the hall when Scully and Mulder
exited the hospital room.
"So what did she say?" Skinner asked.
"It's hard to explain sir." Scully said slowly.
"Well you had better start explaining Agent." Skinner said roughly.
"Weather you think so or not, I've put myself on the line for you way to
many times to be kept in the dark about something a teenage girl told
you."
Scully looked up at Mulder. He shrugged. Scully sighed.
"Sir, I think you should sit down."
AN HOUR LATER...
Troi was getting highly annoyed with the nursing staff at Mercy
Hospital. Eat your food, get some rest, take a pill, let us shoot you
full of drugs.....Troi was about sick of it. Just about the time she was
wishing a slow and painful death on the last nurse to leave, Dana and
Mulder came back.
This time though, Troi noticed, they were followed by the same man she
had spoken to earlier. What was his name? Skinner.
"Troi." Dana said. "You met Skinner right?"
"Yeah," Troi said.
"Well, Skinner is Mulder and I's department superior at the FBI,
and....our friend." Scully said. "We told him what you saw. You can trust
him, okay?"
The suspicious look on Troi's face lessened, but did not go away. Her
eyes turned to Mulder. He gave her a tight smile and nodded. That was
enough for Troi. "Okay."
"Mulder told me about your dreams." Skinner said. "I'm not sure I
believe him, but either way you are obviously in danger because of these
men." Skinner's face grew somber, and he looked away, thoughtful. "I've
dealt with them before. You might need protection." He looked back at
Troi. "So the question is- young lady, -what to do with you."
"Please don't-" Troi stopped as Scully put a warning hand on her arm.
"Agent Scully has already informed me that you don't wish to be sent
back to the Shelter. I can honor that wish- for now." Skinner's eyes
softened with compassion. "I realize you don't want to go back, but
eventually you have to. You are legally a ward of the state, and the
Shelter is where you have to be until another foster family can be
found."
"No foster family is going to be found." Troi mumbled at her chest. "I'm
a jip."
"I beg your pardon?" Scully asked.
"A jip. A reject. A problem child." Troi said bitterly. "It means you
have the label "Troubled teen" and "low-acceptance candidate" on your
case file, and nobody is going to pick you."
The adults in the room simply looked around at each other uncomfortably,
unsure of what to say.
Skinner cleared his throat. "For now however, because I feel your
current situation calls for it, I am placing you under protective
custody. Agent Scully had volunteered for this job."
Troi looked at Scully in wonder. "Really?"
"Well, if you can stand me." Scully smiled at her. "The hospital agreed
to release you into my custody late this afternoon, after they check you
out one last time."
Troi made a face.
"But I have to warn you," Scully continued. "I have next to no experience
taking care of kids." She smiled suddenly, "Well, that's not true. I
always have my experience with Mulder."
"Hey!" Mulder exclaimed, and Skinner snorted.
Troi grinned. "It's okay. I have *plenty* of experience taking care of
myself, so I'm not very high matinance."
"Mulder on the other hand..." Skinner quipped from behind his hand as he
left the room.
Mulder glared after him, then turned back to Scully with a pouty look on
his face. "I can *so* take care of myself Scully."
Troi stared in wonder as Scully burst out laughing. She had a sudden
intuition that she was witnessing something rare and precious. That it
was not often that this woman laughed, and when she did it was a treasure
to be cherished. [she's really beautiful] Troi realized.
"You wish Mulder." Scully shot back between laughs as she walked out the
door. Troi watched as Mulder eyes followed Agent Scully out the door,
before walking out himself, and Troi wondered if making her laugh hadn't
been his intention all along.
LATER THAT AFTERNOON....
"Are you sure about this, Scully?" Mulder asked, inquiry in his voice as
he looked closely at his partner.
"Sure about what Mulder?"
The two were sitting in the cafe at Mercy Hospital, sharing a caesar
salad while waiting for Troi's doctor to release her.
"Taking temporary custody of Troi." Mulder said simply, looking down at
the salad as he made another stab at it.
Scully looked up at him. "Why? I don't claim to know it all about taking
care of children Mulder, but I'm not incompetent, and Troi is very
self-sufficient..."
"That's not what I'm worried about Scully." Mulder interrupted gently.
"I saw the way Troi looked at you when Skinner said that you were taking
temporary custody."
"Oh really? And how was that?" Scully arched a perfect eyebrow.
"She looked at you like you were her savior. Scully, there is something
that girl is afraid of back at that Shelter. Whether it's loneliness or
something more tangible I don't know." Mulder heaved a sigh. "But
whatever it is, I can see she's is already developing a strong attachment
to you." He looked straight at Scully. "And you to her."
Scully started to open her mouth, but then closed it.
"Don't you think that when the time comes to send her back, it's going
to be...well...difficult??"
Scully started, then took a deep breath. "I thought about that Mulder. I
considered the possibilities." She averted her eyes. "But I also
considered....*other* possibilities." She looked back up at him. "I can't
explain it Mulder, but I feel very connected to this girl-"
"I know. So do I."
"...and...ever since...Emily.." Scully spoke haltingly, again avoiding
his gaze, "..I felt the need to...take care of someone. To love a child.
And Troi needs that." Scully shook her head. "It's ridiculous..."
"No it's not." Mulder shook his head.
"But it's impossible. They weren't even going to give me custody of
Emily..."
"You don't know that."
"...my own biological child. Why would they even let me be Troi foster
mother, much less *adopt* her. And I mean, Mulder! This is nuts! I can't
believe I am even *thinking* about this. It would be a complete and total
upheaval of my life! Even if she nearly 15. But...."
"But what?" Mulder asked.
"I feel like her time is running out.....as is mine."
Mulder shook his head, gaze resting on her from across the table. "You
are *far* from having your time run out, Scully. You still have plenty of
opportunity."
Scully looked up at him for a moment, a strange expression flitting
across her face for a moment.
His eyes caught hers, and suddenly the air around them seemed to grow
tighter, swirling full of *possibility* that neither had ever seriously
considered for a moment.
"Paging Agent Dana Scully."
The nasal voice sounded over the intercom, shattering the trance the two
agents had found themselves in.
"That must be my cue." Scully said, a slight quaver in her voice as she
stood up. She slung her coat over her shoulder and slipped her arms in
the sleeves. "Thanks for waiting with me Mulder."
"Anytime."
"You need a ride home?"
"Nah. You go get little Ms. Carter settled. I'll catch a cab."
Scully smiled warmly at him. "'K." She began to walk toward the
elevator, then stopped and turned around. "You going to come over
tomorrow? I won't be going to work."
"If you want me there."
"I always want you Mulder."
Mulder raised his eyebrows, and Scully flushed bright red at her slip
and stammered. "I- I mean- You're always welcom-"
Mulder shook his head. "It's okay Scully. I knew what you mean.
Besides," He said, leaning close as he walked past, "I kinda liked it the
other way." He strode on down the hall, leaving Scully breathless in his
wake.
Dana Scully's apartment
7:00 am,
2 weeks later
Washington, DC
"'Morning Dana!" Troi sang cheerfully entering the kitchenette in her
pajamas, hair slightly rumpled.
Scully looked up from her morning coffee and smiled. Troi looked happy.
It was good to see her look happy. The bruise on her face had nearly
healed, and the small scar was becoming less obvious. Her complexion had
become vibrant, and the girl's peculiar beauty was becoming visible.
Even so, the girl still rarely looked *happy*. There was a constant air
of sorrow that seemed to hang around her like a mist. Dana had already
dealt with the aftermath of one of Troi's dreams since she'd been there.
The girl had woken, screaming in darkness, and it had taken Scully a full
hour to calm her down. The next morning, the AM News had reported on the
12 person mass-suicide.
Scully had been shocked.
Troi hadn't watched it.
But this morning, Troi really looked happy. [Maybe I should tell her
now.] Scully thought.
"So what's up?" Troi asked, putting a bagel in the toaster and pouring
herself some orange juice.
[You know, she really is self-sufficient.] Scully thought. Other than
the dream, Troi had been almost no trouble. She just needed to be loved.
To belong to someone.
Scully bit her lip. Mulder had been right. Within two weeks time, she
had become incredibly attached to Troi. Attached enough to have called
Child Services Division last night to put in a request.
A request for permanent custody.
"Dana? Hello, earth to Dana?"
Scully looked up at Troi and smiled. "Troi, we need to talk."
Troi's face paled slightly. "About what?" She sat down carefully.
"Troi, I have been seriously considering for sometime what is to happen
next. You know that my temporary custody is nearly over."
Troi nodded and bit her lip and prepared herself for the worst. [[I've
decided to take you back early.]] Troi could almost hear the words.
"So last night I sent in a patition to CSD for permanent custody."
Troi just stared, stone-still.
"There isn't a very big chance that my petition will be accepted, you
know that. And I realize that I'm hardly the *normal family* you
envisioned yourself with. You could probably do lots better, and God
knows there are no guarantees with my job...with anything." Scully drew a
breath, realizing she was rushing. "So I wouldn't blame you one bit if
you didn't want to go through with this."
Scully looked at Troi, who was still unmoving, staring blankly into the
far-realm. Suddenly, the girl burst into tears. Scully was shocked. Troi
head went down on the table, into her crossed arms, as she sobbed, her
shoulder shaking.
"Troi!?" Scully got up worriedly. "Troi are you alright?"
"Yeah," -sniff- "I- I'm.." -sniff, sniff- Troi lifted her head and
looked at Dana with wet, glassy, shining eyes. "I never really thought. I
mean, I hoped, but I never really thought that you'd want me." The girl
took a deep shuddering breath as the tears again began to course their
way down her cheeks.
"Oh, Troi." Scully sighed and wrapped her arms around the teen, pulling
her close as Troi hung on to her as though she were her life-line. And in
Troi's mind, she was.
Scully surprised herself when she felt the dampness against her own
cheeks. Even in this moment, she couldn't help but think of her own
daughter, Emily, who now rested in another place. Scully raised her eyes
to the ceiling. She felt if she couldn't take care of her own child, she
could take care of a child who's own mother couldn't care for her.
Perhaps even now, in heaven, Troi's mother was with her Emily, looking
down on them. Perhaps this was meant to be.
From that moment, all of Scully misgivings about her choice dissipated
into the air like smoke. They would make in through somehow. It didn't
matter what the state of Virginia thought. They were going to win this
court battle, and Troi Anne Carter would not be left alone again.
Georgetown County Courthouse
Children's Services Division
9:00 am, Three weeks later.
Fox William Mulder half paced, half jogged the hallway in the CSD
division of the massive courthouse. He glanced down at his watch
nervously. He was late. Scully was not going to be happy.
Again, his mind drifted to wondering exactly why Scully had called him
down here. He hoped that nothing too serious had gone wrong with the
case. He knew how much this meant to Scully- not to mention Troi. He
remembered his defense of Scully's right to have custody of Emily, and
wished he had such a defense in this case. But even though he didn't, he
would argue any point if it meant Scully got what she wanted. He would do
anything to make her happy.
Anything.
Troi too. She needed somewhere to belong. Mulder had grown quite fond of
the kid in the weeks he'd known her. She was such a resilient person. He
often looked at her and wondered if maybe Samantha was still out there
somewhere, as a child grown up in the foster system, and how she would
have adjusted.
If he would ever find her.
A familiar thought.
He shook it out of his head and looked up at the door to his right, and
then double-checked with the piece of paper in his hand. The honorable
Judge Allen Franklen. This was it.
He pushed open the door and found himself in a small secretary's office.
As he entered, he saw Scully rise from one of the waiting chairs she sat
in and move toward him. Troi was also there, sitting cross-legged on her
own chair. She waved at him.
Mulder waved back, then turned his attention to Scully. "Hey, what's
up?" he asked softly.
Scully took his arm and led him back towards the door. "We need to talk,
Mulder."
[uh, oh. I don't like the way she said that.] Warning lights began going
off in Mulder's brain. "What's wrong?"
"Well," Scully shut the door behind them once they were outside, and
leaned against the wall. She sighed. "How do I say this?" She bit her
lower lip. "I-...We've reached a problem in the case. It took so long for
it to get through in the first place. Now that the judge has reviewed
it.... Well, to put it bluntly, we're not going anywhere." She took a
deep breath. "I negotiated, I've appealed. It's not doing any good.
Basically, it's the same problems as with Emily. High risk job....and I'm
single. Now the judge is willing to overlook the job factor because of
Troi's age, and the fact that she is low-acceptance child." Scully said
the last phrase with disgust, as though it left a bad taste in her mouth.
"But that's all."
"What do you mean?" Mulder asked.
"I mean, he won't over-look the fact I'm not married. It doesn't matter
that there are thousands of single mothers in this city, the cold, hard
fact is that the red-tape won't allow it. Luckily, Judge Franklen is
sympathetic, and he's given Troi and I away around that problem..." She
looked up at him. "But I need help."
"Uh..." Mulder looked confused. "What kind of help?"
"Judge Franklen says I don't actually have to be married...so long as a
second party signs the custody papers as the father."
"Wait a second.." Mulder looked incredulous. "You want me-"
"Just to sign a piece of paper Mulder, that's all." Scully reached out
to clasp his hand. "It's just for Troi. There's no entanglements between
us at all."
[no entanglements- too late for that] Mulder thought as little jolts of
electricity ran up his spine at her touch. "It's not that Scully, it's
that I don't know if I could- I'd make a lousy father, even as half-time
foster parent."
"Nonsense. Troi adores you. She's practically independent already, and
custody would be split 80-20, not 50-50." Scully's blue eyes caught his
hazel ones. "It's just a signature Mulder. Please."
[anything to make her happy] Mulder sighed. "Okay." He blew out a deep
breath. "I'll do it."
ONE WEEK LATER........
The verdict was out. Troi Anne Carter was now in the joint-custody of
Dana Katherine Scully and Fox William Mulder.
The court battle had been tense. Not because there were any other claims
on Troi, -no, in fact, the Shelter seemed to be glad to get rid of her-
but they battle waged was one that must be waged against *red-tape*, a
VERY formidable enemy.
But eventually, the protests sagged and gave in to the sheer
determination the emanated from the young girl who desperately wanted a
place to belong.
Mulder and Scully were surprised to see Walter Skinner show up at the
final hearing. Both had been nervous about how their superior would
react to the news about Troi, but the Assistant Director had seemed
non-plussed. He told them he had kind of figured something like this
would happen.
After the hearing, Skinner had walked up to them and warmly
congratulated Troi. He shook hands with Scully and then Mulder, pulling
him to the side as Troi and Scully continued out of the courtroom.
"I hope you know what you're getting into, Mulder." He said cryptically,
then walked off, leaving Mulder to catch up with Scully and Troi.
Once outside, Mulder unlocked the car, and they all climbed in. Troi was
smashed in the front seat between them, and was positively beaming.
Mulder glanced at her then at Scully. She, too, was smiling, but her
smile had more of a far away quality to it. Mulder stared at her for a
couple seconds, then cleared his throat.
"So? Where to?"
"Home." Troi's voice piped up quietly, her eyes beginning to brim up
with tears again. "Let's go home."
Scully turned to Troi and slipped a arm around her. "I agree. We can
celebrate later. For now, we need some rest."
"Home it is." Mulder said. Somewhere deep inside, he felt a twinge he
couldn't explain. Home. Her home. *Their* home now. But not *ours*. The
blue import sedan pulled out of the courthouse parking lot and cruised
down the street. Once they were out on the highway, Mulder risked a
glance at Scully. She was leaning back against the window, Troi tucked
against her side, staring off into space with a far-away look. Mulder
stifled a wistful sigh and turned his eyes back to the highway, letting
his mind wander.
It was getting harder and harder for him to quell the surge of
unprofessional emotions that threatened whenever he was around Scully
these days. So *much* had happened between them, and yet....[so close,
yet so far] Though it was a tired cliched saying, Mulder recognized it's
truth more now than ever. And what exactly had Assistant Director Skinner
meant by his comment earlier? [what AM I getting myself into?] Mulder
thought. [do I really know?] Whatever it was, he was sure he was already
in WAY too deep to back out know.
Mulder winced involuntarily. Just the thought of "backing out" -even
rhetorically- made him cringe. Made him remember that night outside his
apartment, and his desperate attempt to keep her from leaving. An attempt
to keep her as a partner, that had somehow swiftly escalated into an
attempt to keep her as something very different.
How many times his mind went back to that place. It was the proverbial
epoch in his non-professional life with Scully. So far.
[so far? you planning more, mulder?] His internal voice piped up once
again. For a moment Mulder wafted, unsure of how to answer, but then he
glanced over at Scully again, and found the surety he had been looking
for.
[you bet I'm planning more] He had tried to tell her once. Heck, he had
tried to tell her a hundred times, but in *words* he had tried to tell
her once. After Bermuda, and the dizzy experience with the 1930's Scully,
he had woken up to her beautiful blue eyes and the words had simply
tumbled off his lips. [i love you...]
[oh brother]
Two words had never crushed him so deeply. And yet the look in her eyes
had never given so much hope.
It was what he lived off these days. Hope.
Hope that he would find his sister.
Hope that they could find the truth.
Hope that someday, she could love him the way he loved her.
He glanced over at her one more time. Her eyes had fallen shut, and
peaceful smile playing over her lips.
[sigh] Hope.
Dana Scully's apartment'
Washington, DC
11:00 am
3 days later.
Troi Anne Carter was simply *infected* by a sense of excitement and
adventure. She stood outside in the chilled air of late October, rubbing
her arms through the material of her thin shirt. She watched the road in
front of Dana Scully's apartment impatiently.
[where IS agent mulder?] she thought, bouncing up and down on the
pavement to keep warm. She had been waiting for him to arrive since dawn,
when Dana had woken her and told her that they were leaving on a
surprised camping trip to the lake. Troi had been estatic. She hadn't
been on a camping trip since....well, memories were too painful. She had
confided in Dana sometime earlier that her father had loved to go
camping, and some of her earliest memories were of her and her parents by
a lake.
Dana had admitted to not having been camping in years as well. "Well,
not a *normal* camping trip anyway," She had said with a enigmatic little
smile. Troi had wondered what the story behind that smile was, but
whatever it was, she could bet that it had *something* to do with Agent
Mulder.
She bounced on the sidewalk again, shivering as the wind rushed it's icy
fingers through her cinnamon brown hair.
"Troi! What are you doing outside? I've been looking for you." Dana
Scully stepped out the door and walked up to Troi, "It's cold."
"I'm waiting for Mulder." Troi told her. "You said he was coming to pick
us up to go on the trip."
"He is. But not for another half-hour or so. Come back inside."
Troi shook her head. "I'd rather wait if that's okay Dana. All my stuff
is packed."
"I know." Dana responded, amusement crossing her face as she look at the
young teen. "Well, alright, suit yourself."
Dana turned to walk back inside, but was stopped by the sound of a
carhorn, and turned to see Mulder drive up in a awful green-colored
Volkswagen van.
"Oh, good lord." Scully muttered under her breath.
Mulder stopped the van and got out as Troi waved out a cheerful "hi" and
ran to greet him. Scully crossed her arms and walked toward him at a much
more sedate pace. "*Please* tell me you didn't get that where I think you
got it Mulder."
"Where?" Mulder looked at her with manufactured innocence.
"That's the Gunmen's car, Mulder." Scully said in a no-nonsense tone.
"True." Mulder responded with a deadpan expression.
"Who are the Gunmen?" Troi asked.
Scully sighed. "Troi, run get your bags okay?"
Virginia Highway 103
3 hours later
Dana Scully sat in the front passengers seat of the dilapidated old van,
not quite believing that Mulder would actually have the *audacity* to ask
to borrow the Lone Gunman's vehicle for the weekend. [but then, this is
mulder we are talking about,] Scully thought with a smile, [audacity is
his middle name] She turned her head slightly to look at the subject of
her thoughts, who sat in the drivers seat next to her. He was passively
looking out at the road, one hand on the wheel, the other cracking one of
the ever-present sunflower seeds between his teeth.
A small noise from the behind her caught Scully's attention. In the back
seat, Troi made a faint murmur and turned in her sleep. Scully smiled at
the young teen, then turned back around.
"She okay?" Mulder's question was soft.
"Yeah, she's fine." Scully whispered back. She sighed and directed her
attention out the front window. "It's still kind of unreal."
"What? That we're parents of a someone; age 14, and yet only met 5 years
ago?"
"Yeah..." Scully glanced at her partner. "Come to think of it, Mulder,
it IS unreal. I mean....no one does this. No one adopts a child with
their partner at the FBI."
"Well," Mulder countered. "We're hardly your typical partners."
Scully chuckled. "*That* is true."
"So...." Mulder started again, "I never got the chance to really ask
you, *Mom*.....how's life with the kid going anyway?"
"Would be better if it wasn't for the absentee father." Scully said
quickly, belatedly biting her tongue when she realized what she had
said....and how she knew Mulder would take it.
"Scully, are you coming on to me?" Mulder glanced at her with a teasing
sparkle in his hazel eyes.
"Rest stop, Mulder." Scully said suddenly, pointing out the window at
public stop that lay ahead. Mulder smiled and moved into the exit lane.
[whew. saved by the exit] Scully thought, as they pulled into the stop.
She watched as Mulder got out of the van, and headed toward the vending
machines and ice-box by the restrooms. He moved with the confidence and
agility she had always seen in him. For a moment, she allowed herself the
guilty pleasure of watching him, studying the way he moved. Scully felt a
small ache in her chest as he reached the ice-box, turning back to look
in her direction, wind ruffling his dark hair. Her heart turned in her
chest.
[why can't i just be honest with him? why can't i just say i love you?
or better yet, dana, why can't you let *him* say it?] Lord knows he
would. That much she could see. He would- HAD in fact, in that hospital
after the Bermuda Triangle. She had been so shocked and unsure she had
only muttered something -what was it? she couldn't even remember now-
before turning to flee the room. He hadn't said it again. She had briefly
wondered if it was a fluke, that it was just what she thought it was, a
combination of pain-killer and too much ingested water.
[then what about the hallway dana?] a small voice in her head asked her.
[what's your excuse there? fear? loneliness? heat of the moment?] Scully
stifled a sigh and squeezed her eyes shut. Her mind dished out a argument
a minute. [he doesn't really love you. not that way. he's your partner.
you have his respect, yes, his trust, yes, but not his love] Scully heart
contracted painfully. [but i want to believe!] it seemed to cry. [i want
to believe...]
But in reality, all the arguments, all the questions, came down to one
thing. Fear. Yes, Special Agent Dana Katharine Scully MD, was afraid.
Afraid to let herself love the person she couldn't live without. Afraid
he may not feel the same. Afraid if she let herself go, she might
over-shoot heaven and end up in hell.
She choked back the short laugh of bitterness that arose in her throat.
Yes, she was even afraid of Them. How they might use a relationship
against her and Mulder. She didn't know how, but that didn't stop the
fear from being there.
She opened her eyes as she heard the door pop open. "Hey Scully, can you
put these by your feet?" Mulder asked, holding out two bags of ice.
"There's no room in the back."
Scully smiled slightly and took the ice bags. "Sure Mulder." she said.
She felt the ache in her heart ease a little, as suddenly all her
spinning questions disappeared in his answering smile. "Whatever you
want."
Two Days Later
Oakwood Campground
Virginia
10:40 am
Troi emerged from her tent and stretched, her skin relishing the feel of
the hot morning sun as it beat down on her. She looked around the now
familiar campground, feeling the happiest she could remember.
It had rained the first two nights of their stay, but Troi didn't care.
The brilliant sunshine that now beat down on the place was worth it.
She still couldn't believe it was all real. In a few weeks time, her
life -and her outlook on it- had completely changed. The frustration and
the loneliness of the Shelter seemed so far away now. Even the
frightening encounter with the shadowmen and the man who tried to kill
her seemed to fade in her memory like the scars on her face. Troi turned
her face toward the soft blue of the morning sky. [mom and dad] she
thought, [if you're up there, thank you. thank you for looking after me.
i love you]
Troi bent to tie the laces of her sneakers, then ran over to where the
cooler lay a few paces away. She opened it and pulled out an apple,
jogging over to tap on Dana's tent a few feet away.
"Dana! Rise and shine! It's sunny! We can go to the lake today, right?"
A grumbling noise was her only answer, and the rustling of sleeping
bags. Troi grinned at nothing in particular, and left the tent area,
rounding the small row of baby evergreens to enter the main camp area.
"Good morning, Mulder!" Troi said cheerfully. She walked over to the
picnic table and sat down across from where Mulder sat reading a book and
picking over the remains of a half-eaten bagel.
"Well, look who's in a good mood!" Mulder gave her a small grin, and
took off his reading glasses. "Where's Scully?"
"Still asleep." Troi told him, munching on her breakfast apple.
"That woman never ceases to amaze me." Mulder muttered, half to himself.
"What do you mean?" Troi inquired.
"Well, it's just that I never would have guessed Dana Scully to be a
late sleeper. She always up at the crack of dawn when we're on a case."
Mulder stared over in the direction of the tent. "Just goes to show you
how little we really know each other." He said, a wistful tone in his
voice. He turned back to Troi. "Even after 5 years."
"What's it like having a partner in the FBI?" Troi queried. "I mean, I
know that sounds like a dumb, little-kid question, but I'm really
curious. I get the feeling that you and Dana aren't the normal type of
partners, are you?"
"No, no we're not." Mulder said. "We're more like...." He trailed off.
[more like what mulder?] Friends? Yes, but that seemed somehow
inadequate. Siblings? Now *that* would be a bald-faced lie. He certainly
did NOT think of Scully as a sister. Lovers? Well, yes....except for the
tiny detail of never having kissed her. Soulmates? Now there was a word
that kept popping into his head whenever he thought of Scully, but it was
forced back out as soon as it entered. He wasn't good enough for that.
Luckily, he was saved from further debate by Scully's entrance into the
picnic area.
"Morning Dana!" Troi said cheerily, seemingly delighting in the
exasperated glare that she received in return. Scully sat heavily on the
bench, leaning on the table and running tired fingers through her
sleep-mussed hair.
Mulder couldn't quite keep the grin off his face as he stood to retrieve
Scully a bagel. "Good morning, Sunshine." He said, walking around to her
and setting down the bagel in front of her. "Did you sleep well?" He
leaned close, and let his voice drop seductively. She straightened, and
picked up the bagel. "Yes. No. Why do I have the tent again?" Scully said
in a incoherent jumble. Troi laughed.
"Because you said you'd prefer it over a possibly bugged back end of the
van?" Mulder reminded her.
"Oh yes." Scully took a bite of her bagel.
Mulder couldn't help grinning. He'd never quite seen Scully like this.
She was still asleep really, and he wasn't sure he'd ever encountered her
when she was anything less than completely alert. Her movements were
languid and slow beneath her outfit of sweatshirt and jeans, and her eyes
were still soft and dreamy from the world of oblivion.
"Dana, since it's not raining can we go down to the lake after
breakfast?" Troi asked. "Please?"
"Sure, Troi, we ca-" Scully mumbled, then suddenly sat up. "Go *where*?"
Now *that* woke her up. Mulder thought.
"Down to the lake." Troi said. "I haven't been swimming in SO long. I
want us to go." She reached out and took Scully's hand pleadingly. "Come
on, it'll be fun!"
"Yeah, Scully," Mulder joined in. "It'll be *fun*."
Triangle Lake
Oakwood Campground
Virginia, 1:00 p.m.
"I have yet to be having *fun*." Scully called from her spot on the
grassy bank nearly forty minutes later. She adjusted the lawn chair she
sat in and looked down at Troi and Mulder who were both in the lake.
"That's because you're not in the water." Mulder told her with a cheeky
grin. Scully sighed. He could be such a little boy sometimes.
"No, it's because I'm too close to the water already." Scully shot back.
"I thought you liked the ocean, *Starbuck*." Mulder rejoined.
"*Ocean*, Mulder." Scully said firmly. "I see no ocean."
"Water's water." He said stubbornly.
"Oh, now *that* was intelligent." Scully rolled her eyes.
"Please, Dana?" It was Troi that implored her now. "It's not cold."
"I don't want to-" Scully stopped suddenly, looking up from her book.
"Where's Mulder?"
"I don't know," Troi looked around. Mulder had disappeared. Not a ripple
in sight. Scully got up and walked to the edge of the bank, expecting him
to pop up at any second.
Not a sound.
Scully's heart-rate picked up speed, even as her mind hastened to
reassure her. [he's probably just joking around] However, her feet
compelled her closer to the edge, peering over into the deep water with
concerned eyes.
*********SPLASH!!!!!*************
Without warning, Mulder shot up from under the water, grabbing Scully's
wrists and pulling her in with alacrity. Scully let out a startled yelp,
that was cut short as she fell into the deep water with a huge splash.
Seconds later she came up gasping, Troi's merry laughter meeting her
stunned ears. She felt Mulder's strong arms circling her, holding her
close, his own deep chuckled reverberating around her.
"Mul-! Mulder you-! Damn you Mulder!" Scully sputtered, attempting to
push her soaked hair from her face and wriggle from his grasp.
"Scully, watch your language." Mulder mock-admonished, releasing her a
little, a helping her scramble, dripping, back on to the ledge. Scully
just knelt there for a moment, catching her breath, as Mulder climbed up
after her.
"Having fun yet Scully?" He asked in a taunting voice.
Scully's eyes narrowed, a sly smile stealing over her face. "Yes I am
Mulder." She replied coyly, turning on him suddenly, and blithely shoving
him back into the lake.
Mulder let out a surprised cry, before hitting the water loudly. He came
up heaving, a look of shock and amazement written across his face. Troi
was laughing so hard she began to hiccup. Scully simply smirked at a
stunned Mulder, picking up his towel, and tossing it lightly into the
water after him.
Oakwood Campground Exit
9:30 p.m.
Virginia
The white van sat silent in the shadows at the edge of the gravel road,
except for the soft humming noise that gently emanated from the
interior. Inside, a blond man sat at the controls to a portable computer
system, sweat running down his forehead as he entered the sensitive code
into the mainframe. Once chance. He had to do this right.
Access granted. The man breathed a heavy sigh of relief. He was in. All
he had to do know was enter the proper coordinates, and the operation
could proceed.
As he began to enter the long string of numbers, he felt a twinge of
remorse for what he was about to do. But he quickly pushed it out of his
mind. The Project was all important, and *she* was a liability. No loose
ends could be left open, the future must be controlled at all costs if
Colonization was to remain effective once instigated. And that meant the
elimination of all liabilities.
Not a person, a liability.
He completed the code string and pressed the return key.
The numbers vanished into blackness.
Oakwood Campground
10:00 p.m.
Scully leaned over the campfire, stirring the coals to hasten their
burn-out. Ash swirled around in little patterns as the glow of the embers
burned itself out. When satisfied, Scully straightened, wiping a tired
hand across her forehead as she turned. She stopped when she saw Mulder
leaning up against the van, looking at her with a bemused expression.
"What?" Scully asked, cocking her head at him.
Mulder said nothing, but moved toward her, took her chin in his hands.
Scully's heart did a triple-beat and she froze. Slowly, Mulder ran his
thumb across her forehead, removing the soot that clung there.
"You rubbed soot on your face." His voice was hushed, hazel eyes bright
as her stared into hers.
"Thanks." Scully said tremulously, silently cursing her treacherous
voice. [stay steady would you! you can't let him effect your balance that
way!]
Almost as if sensing her discomfort, Mulder moved away, turning back to
the van and opening the back doors, leaving her feeling cold.
Mulder sat down in the wide expanse in the back of the Gunman's van.
They had converted into his sleeping space, as they had only had two
tents available. He reached in and unrolled his sleeping bag, settling
down on the edge.
Scully stood there in silence, feeling empty with his absence, but
steady again, her equilibrium returned.
Then Mulder held out a hand.
Her heart kicked into overdrive again. Her mind told her to tell him
goodnight, and leave. [the last thing i need right now is to loose
balance again] And she would. She knew she would. But her body was moving
forward as if in a trance. She reached out, and their hands touched.
Even as the now-familiar shudder of electricity shot up her arm, a
sudden clarity of thought hit her.
[what was i afraid of? nothing's going to happen. i trust him]
She smiled, and he smiled back. Scully sat down beside him, their hands
still clasped together. Silence surrounded them, but it was a comfortable
silence. Together, they stared out into the silent forest.
Oakwood Campground
10:00 p.m.
Troi snuggled into her sleeping bag, inhaling deeply of the pine-scented
air, with the last vestiges of smoke from the dying campfire wafting in
from the outside. She smiled. It had been a good day.
After returning from the lake and drying off, they had spent the rest of
the day just relaxing and having fun. Troi marveled at how easy she found
it to relax, -how easy they all found it. From what she had gathered,
Mulder and Dana had about as much peace and "normal people fun" as she
had in the past few years. Though there were awkward moments of
uncertainty, -moments that were inevitable with two people who were as
dedicated work-a-holics as those two- but all in all, they had passed the
day like a *almost* normal family. Dana mostly spent the day curled up
reading "Pride and Prejudice", as Mulder had taught Troi to play
baseball. She had been embarrassed to admit she had never played at
first, but when she watched herself send the ball flying over the tree
tops, it had all been worth it.
Troi smiled to herself. She felt something akin to hero-worship when it
came to Fox Mulder. She wasn't as close to him as she was to Dana, and
suspected she never would be. And yet, the man instilled in her a sense
of awe and admiration that she had never felt before. She found herself
constantly backing him up in any argument Dana and him had, found herself
wanting to be "just like Mulder". His job of working on mysterious files
at the FBI intrigued her....and she had just decided that someday she
would do the same.
Troi's smile turned bittersweet. She vaguely remembered having similar
feelings toward her real father when he was alive.
The thought of her real parents brought tears to Troi's eyes. She rolled
over and pressed her face into the pillow, shutting her eyes and willing
herself to remember. She was still recalling lost memories, when she
drifted off to sleep. Just as oblivion overtook her, a spectral sensation
of ice crept around her, and she shivered.
And slowly, the light fell across her sleeping form.
Oakwood Campground
10:30 p.m.
"...for years afterward I refused to eat celery." Scully finished her
story, laughing quietly. She sighed. "I was sure that that's what had
killed that poor rabbit."
"You never know," Mulder responded in a mock-serious voice. "Tainted
celery is a very serious problem." He was rewarded with a small chuckle
from Scully.
The two were laying side by side across Mulder's sleeping bag, legs
dangling out of the back of the van, open to the night air. Scully stared
at the ceiling, once again falling into silence. Mulder turned his head
to glance at her, and immediately found himself entranced. Her face was
pale in the wan moonlight, her light dusting of freckles just barely
visible in the half-light. Blue eyes upturned to the ceiling, a pensive
look on her face. She was obviously lost in thought, so he decided it was
safe to stare for awhile. Watching Scully when she wasn't aware of it was
a guilty pleasure that had began quite awhile ago, and he indulged
himself as often as he could. His eyes slowly traced the planes of her
face, re-memorizing what he already knew by heart.
Unconsciously, she licked her bottom lip. Mulder heart flip-flopped and
his pulse picked up speed. He turned resolutely back to the ceiling. Did
she have to do that? Didn't she know what that did to him? [no, of course
not idiot] his mind answered in a surly tone. [you made a art out of
hiding it from her]
Mulder sighed. It was so true. He HAD perfected the fine art of walking
that thin line that had always just *barely* separated them.
He looked back at her. Maybe it was time to step over that line. Maybe
it was time to take a chance and step out in faith, hoping against hope
that she would be there to catch him.
[...the only one I trust...]
"Mulder?" Scully said suddenly, cutting off his unborn words before he
spoke them. "Did you hear something?"
[what?] Mulder reeled from the unexpected question. "I- um, ah....No."
"I heard a humming noise." Scully sat up, senses alert. "It sounded...."
Without warning, a blinding light surrounded them, seeming to cut
through the ceiling of the van as if it weren't even there. Scully
covered her eyes, crying out as if in pain as the intense brightness
exploded across her vision.
Then, just as swiftly as it had come, the light was gone, leaving them
once again in darkness.
Mulder jumped to his feet abruptly, scrambling out of the van and
standing outside, searching eyes upturned to the sky, Scully standing
next to him. A million stars met their vision, but all was unmoving and
silent. Mulder's eyes went back and forth on the horizon, his hand coming
up to desperately clutch Scully's arm, as he swallowed hard, them looked
down at his watch.
10:45. It had stopped.
Scully's eyes scanned the perimeter of the camp, looking for a more
*grounded* explanation. What she saw, however, sent her heart straight to
her throat.
"Oh my God! Troi!!!"
Mulder whirled, the horror in his partner's voice sending cold chills
through him. [oh no-]
Scully bolted toward the clearing where Troi's tent stood, Mulder close
on her heels.
Troi's tent was burning, set aflame with a terrible scorching fire that
sparked and consumed the small shelter with a voracious appetite.
"Troi!!" The scream ripped from Scully's throat as she stood before the
inferno helplessly. Only the framework of the tent was left now, letting
them see clearly inside.
"Mulder! Mulder!" Scully cried, "She's not there! She's not there!" She
choked violently on the ash and smoke that filled the air. "Where is
she!?! Mulder, where is she!?!" The stark panic filled her voice. Mulder
barely heard her, his own thoughts racing, fearful. Light. Fire. Light.
Humming. Fire. Light....
TAKEN.
Scully turned back to the forest, desperately calling Troi's name, as
Mulder clutched his chest as if in physical pain, dropping to his knees,
head hung in shame, his hands clutching the ash covered ground in
helpless frustration. [taken. I failed. I failed her.] A horse cry
escaped from his throat even as the forest ranger's siren began to wail
in the distance....
Oakwood Campground
5:35 am
"Ma'am, I'm sorry. We've scoured the area thoroughly. There is no
evidence of kidnapping, struggle, or flight." The forest ranger looked at
Scully sympathetically.
Dawn was just beginning to glimmer over the treetops of the forest.
Scully and Mulder stood inside the small Ranger's office, complimentary
breakfast and coffee untouched.
"But there was no human debris in the fire." The officer continued,
giving her a hopeful smile. "Your daughter is alive somewhere."
Scully started to correct him, but fell silent. She didn't have the
energy. She didn't care what the man thought. And for legal purposes, it
was true. But she still didn't feel worthy to claim Troi as her own. She
hadn't been there to protect her. She hadn't been there.....
She looked over at Mulder who stood a few feet away, leaning up against
the door with his head in his dusty hands. Despite her exhausted
emotional numbness, her heart went out to him. [he must be in hell] She
knew what he would be thinking happened to Troi. Heck, even SHE was
starting to believe it. It was -as crazy as it sounded- the most obvious
thing. The light. The fire. Time frozen as a broken stopwatch.....
Scully resisted the urge to let loose a bitter laugh. Perhaps it wasn't
so amazing that she believed. Perhaps she had believed for a long time
now.
She walked toward him, suffering drawn to a common suffering like a
magnet. Gently, Scully took his hands form his face, and looked into his
hazel eyes. They looked dead. Empty. Scully felt tears pick her eyes
again. [oh, mulder.] she thought [please don't do this. don't blame
yourself] She pulled him in her arms, his head pillowing on her shoulder
as he clung to her like a life-line.
Outside in the still half light, the morning continued it's slow
arrival, bathing the world in dimness.
Out side Oakwood Campground
5:34 am
[Cold.
So cold.
Pain. Pain. Lots of pain. Too much.
NO. Got to wake up. Wake up.]
Troi fought against the darkness with all her might. Finally she could
open her eyes. She looked down to find herself lying face down in the
mud. She tried to move, but agonizing pain shot through her, stopping her
attempt before she started.
[where am i?]
Troi let out a lonely, tiny, frightened cry, choked by mud and siliva.
She tried to move again, and this time succeeded in rolling onto her
back. Immediately, the world spun around her, spiraling in a dizzy
circle.
[what happened to me?]
Slowly, the earth returned to it's normal equilibrium. Troi lay there in
silence for a moment, taking tentative stock of her situation. She was
cold and wet, and it seemed as thought there was not one place on her
body that didn't hurt. She was still wearing the sweater and sweatpants
she had on the night before.....or was it the night before. The world
began to swim again, and Troi shut her eyes tightly, trying to remember.
Nothing.
Nothing but pain, and cold, and light.
She drew in a shuddering breath and rolled, lifting herself shakily to
her knees.
Dana.
Dana and Mulder.
They would be worried. She had to get back to them. Looking around her,
she discovered she was in a ditch. Sluggishly, she pulled herself out of
the muddy trench, and pulled her slim body to her feet.
A gravel road stretched out before her in two directions.
A sinking feeling settled in her stomach. [oh, please god. don't let me
be too far from them] she prayed silently, whimpering a little as she
started off unsteadily down the road.
Oakwood Campground
6:04 am
Scully sipped the bland coffee mechanically. She didn't really taste it,
her senses nearly completely deadend as the morning stretched out into
eternity.
Eyes vacant, she stared out the window of the Forest Ranger's office.
Suddenly, a movement up the road caught her eye. [what?] She moved closer
to the window, watching closely as a approaching figure came into view.
Hope sprang unbidden into her heart. The figure on the road weaved
unsteadily, and dropped, then struggled back upright.
Scully dropped her coffee cup, unheeding the ranger's startled yell,
wordlessly sprinting toward the door.
"Scully!" Mulder started after her. "Scully what is-" He suddenly
stopped as he looked out the window. [oh...]
Scully hit the exit running, sprinting off the deck as the old screen
door banged shut behind her. The figure ahead of her looked up, and
dropped to the ground again. Sure now, Scully doubled her speed, Mulder's
footsteps now pounding behind her.
Scully dropped to the ground next to Troi, flinging her arms around her
and pulling her close, her breath ragged with joy. Mulder caught up with
them, dropping to his knees as well, and embraced both of them.
"Dana....Dana I was so scared..." Troi choked out in a faint voice,
clinging to her foster parent weakly.
"I know, I know, baby." Scully said, voice rough and cracked as she
rocked Troi back and forth, tears of relief streaming down her face. She
heard a small shuddery gasp behind her, and knew that Mulder was crying
too. She leaned back into him, willing her support and strength to flow
to him, and his to her.
The ranger and 2 paramedics came pounding towards them, the ranger's
homely face alight with joy. "Well, I'll be!" He said, taking off his hat
and wiping his brow. "See, Ms. Scully ma'am. I told you she'd be
alright."
"Yes, thank you." Scully smiled up at the ranger, as she allowed the
paramedics to take Troi from her arms. She and Mulder helped each other
to stand, leaning against each other for support. "Thank you."
The next day.....
Mulder closed his eyes, listening to the hum of the car engine as Scully
drove them back to DC. For once, Mulder had whole-heartedly turned down
the opportunity to drive. He was too exhausted.
And he needed to think.
The paramedics had checked Troi out thoroughly, and had declared her to
be in perfect heath, despite extreme exhaustion and metal trauma. They
had released her from the tiny local hospital 3 hours later, and the
three had spent the night in a little motel. The next day, they had all
agreed to immediately return to DC.
He didn't understand it. He thought he'd been sure what had happened to
Troi, but now, his conviction was vailed with confusion. Why had she been
released? It didn't make sense. Scully had been returned in a coma, near
death. Troi came back to them on her own two feet. True, she had
experienced time-loss, and had awakened in a unfamiliar place, but what
did that mean?
But that light....just like Samantha.....
He shuddered, his eyes unconsciously turning to his comfort.
Scully.
Dana.
His stomach twisted.
He had been on the verge of revealing his feelings when *it* happened.
Fox Mulder had never been one to put much stock in omens, but it was a
bit too *coincidental* for his liking. He looked over at her, floundering
in doubt. What if he was wrong for loving her? God knows he had brought
such poison to her life. But she had become his addiction, something he
couldn't give up, even if it was for the best.
So he would continue on in this line-walking.
After all, with nearly 6 years of experience, he had become good at it.
A Unmarked Apartment Building
Washington, DC
The man stood by the window, looking out across the street at the FBI
Headquarters that loomed nearby. Smoke from his cigarette curled around
him as he exhaled.
Another piece of business taken care of.
He smiled to himself, please with how good he had become at adapting to
"unplanned circumstances". This had been a VERY unplanned circumstance.
After all, there were only a few of HER kind in the world today. Most
were dismissed as lunatics, or their abilities were repressed by their
own fears. He had never counted on Mulder and Scully meeting one.
Much less that the girl would become family.
But they had *taken care* of it. The girl was now a *test subject* for a
new device.
All test subjects so far had zero survival rate.
It usually took awhile, -more time than the cancer even- but it would
happen eventually.
It was only a matter of time.
Troi Anne Carter's days were numbered.
Dana Scully's apartment
Washington DC.
12:15 p.m..
Troi awoke suddenly to find herself in a cold sweat. Not a unusual
occurrence for her, but she was surprised to realize she had not awoken
because of a dream.
Not a dream, but her head was pounding.....
She stumbled out of bed, and made her way to the bathroom, shuddering as
she hit the light switch, and the brightness hit her eyes.
[this headache's a whopper,] she thought, shakily taking a Advil,
tossing it down her throat with a glass of water.
She stumbled back to bed, and laid down, hoping she could get back to
sleep, in spite of the splitting headache.
But just as she lay down, the pain was suddenly gone.
She smiled, [the wonders of modern medicine]
But somewhere deep within her, a small knot of fear set in.
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------------------ T H E E N D ---------------------
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Yep! That's it! Liked it?? Hated it?? Please tell me what you think!!!
I'm not afraid of fire. [don't like it, but I'm not afraid of it] It will
be used to toast my sourdough bread.
Check out more of Troi Anne Carter in the up-and-coming ACCUMULATION
SERIES by Alien Girl and yours truly.
Oh, and I am leaving Troi's *problem* open for possible later
developments.
Sorry if you don't like that kind of thing.
WRITE ME PLEASE!!!
DrScully@imneverwrong.com
Author: Riva
Email: DrScully@imneverwrong.com
Summary: A young girl who *sees* to much enters the lives of Mulder and
Scully.
Disclaimer, Authors Notes, etc.....can all be found at the beginning of
part 1.
------------------------AND ON WITH THE SHOW------------------------
"Visions" part 2
By Riva
Mercy Hospital,
Washington DC,
11:15 am
Agent Fox Mulder shuddered slightly as he walked past the hallway that
led to the IC unit at Mercy Hospital. He had been there one to many
times, either being treated for various injuries sustained to himself, or
frantically searching for the woman that now walked along beside him-
Dana Scully.
Of all the memories, Mulder still felt that the worst by far were those
dark days when he -they- had been forced to face the very real fact that Scully
might die from cancer. A cold chill coursed it's way down Mulder's spine as it
always did when he thought of it.
"Mulder?" Scully's voice sounded next to him. "What's wrong?"
{Good grief, the woman can read my mind.} "Nothing, Scully, just
memories."
Scully reached over and gave his hand a brief reassuring squeeze. He
felt disappointed when she let his hand drop a moment later.
"Section 5b." Scully stated, reading the direction plaque on the left.
"This is it, Mulder." She started to turn the corner, "Think Skinner will
be here to-"
"Agents Mulder, Scully!" Assistant Director Skinner called to them as
they rounded the corner, walking towards them with the expression of one
who has been kept in the dark too much, and has learned to hate it. "The
girl is just over there is room 207." He stated, walking up to them. "But
before you go in there, I want to know just what the heck is going on.
How does she know you? And just who is she? All she will tell us is her
name is Troi and she need to see the two of you."
Mulder and Scully exchanged a glance, unsure of how to answer their him.
"Well, sir," Mulder started. "I believe it's the same girl that Scully
and I met yesterday morning at the DCPD. She was being questioned in a
gang robbery that she evidently tried to prevent. We had just met her
when she was taken back to the Shelter where she lives. And frankly sir,
I have no idea why she's here or why she wants us."
"Well, Agent Mulder, the reason she's here is someone tried to kill
her." Skinner said bluntly. "An Officer Kane and his partner discovered
her lying unconscious in a ally, severely battered. She evidently fell
while trying to scale a 15 foot chain link fence, and then was kicked
repeatedly in the face and abdomen."
"Oh, God." Scully whispered, moving past Skinner and towards room 207.
"Can we see her sir?"
"I should say so. She perfectly conscious and verbal, in fact she's been
demanding to see the two of you since she opened her eyes. No requests
for family or anything." Skinner left the last sentence hang in the air
like a question.
"She doesn't have any family." Mulder answered automatically, pushing
past Skinner and following Scully into the room.
Scully entered the hospital room, and her breath caught in her throat
when she saw Troi. The girl lay propped up against the stark white pillow
on the bed, her eyes closed. Scully stared in horror at the ugly purpling
bruise on her cheek bone, and the deep cut in her lip that was beginning
to scab over. [who would do this?] Scully thought as she walked closer.
As she got close, Troi suddenly opened her eyes.
"Hey Troi." Scully smiled at her gently.
"Ms. Scully. You came." Troi smiled back weakly.
"Of course we came. Why wouldn't we? Are you okay?" Scully sat down next
to the bed and ran her hands gently against Troi's face.
Mulder stood in the doorway and watched the soft interchange. He smiled
to himself. It was plain to see that Scully was taking this girl into her
heart with open arms.
"Yeah, I'm okay. I just, um, went somewhere I wasn't supposed to." Troi
was saying to Scully.
"You seem to do a lot of that." Mulder said coming close.
"Just like you, Mulder." Scully smiled back at him.
"Agent Mulder!" Troi sat up straighter and grinned at him, then grimaced
in pain.
Mulder chuckled. "Better save the big smiles for later kid."
"Who did this to you Troi?" Scully asked, suddenly serious.
"Uh..." Troi's eyes darted around the room. "I don't know if it's safe
to tell you here."
Mulder and Scully both leaned in closer to Troi, Mulder pulling up
another chair. "It's safe Troi. What happened?"
"I- had another dream." Troi told them. "But this one was different than
any dream I've had before. I.." She stopped for a moment, as if wondering
if she should continue. "..saw men, in a room, talking. They talked about
you -both of you- so I knew I had to tell you."
Scully's eyebrows raised.
Troi continued. "But mostly they were talking about things I didn't
understand." A confused look clouded Troi face as she spoke, making a
vague motion with her hands. "..Merchandise, and Dates, and Colonization
and Projects. I didn't know what it meant."
Mulder and Scully exchanged a look. [the Syndicate]
"But I knew they were evil. I could feel it." Troi said with conviction.
"Anyway, I ran away from the Shelter that night. I couldn't stay any
longer." She looked at Dana with pleading eyes. "Don't make me go back
there Dana, please don't-"
"We'll talk about that later," Scully soothed. "Just tell us what
happened."
Troi slowly and haltingly choked out the rest of her tale. Mulder hands
tightened into fists when she described the man they called Krycek, and
how he had chased her. Scully's face too, was grim.
When Troi finished, Scully stood and reached out to touch Mulder's
shoulder. He took the cue and rose as well. "Troi, you need to get some
rest. I need to talk to Agent Mulder for a minute." Troi nodded, and the
Agents left the room.
Skinner stood up from his chair in the hall when Scully and Mulder
exited the hospital room.
"So what did she say?" Skinner asked.
"It's hard to explain sir." Scully said slowly.
"Well you had better start explaining Agent." Skinner said roughly.
"Weather you think so or not, I've put myself on the line for you way to
many times to be kept in the dark about something a teenage girl told
you."
Scully looked up at Mulder. He shrugged. Scully sighed.
"Sir, I think you should sit down."
AN HOUR LATER...
Troi was getting highly annoyed with the nursing staff at Mercy
Hospital. Eat your food, get some rest, take a pill, let us shoot you
full of drugs.....Troi was about sick of it. Just about the time she was
wishing a slow and painful death on the last nurse to leave, Dana and
Mulder came back.
This time though, Troi noticed, they were followed by the same man she
had spoken to earlier. What was his name? Skinner.
"Troi." Dana said. "You met Skinner right?"
"Yeah," Troi said.
"Well, Skinner is Mulder and I's department superior at the FBI,
and....our friend." Scully said. "We told him what you saw. You can trust
him, okay?"
The suspicious look on Troi's face lessened, but did not go away. Her
eyes turned to Mulder. He gave her a tight smile and nodded. That was
enough for Troi. "Okay."
"Mulder told me about your dreams." Skinner said. "I'm not sure I
believe him, but either way you are obviously in danger because of these
men." Skinner's face grew somber, and he looked away, thoughtful. "I've
dealt with them before. You might need protection." He looked back at
Troi. "So the question is- young lady, -what to do with you."
"Please don't-" Troi stopped as Scully put a warning hand on her arm.
"Agent Scully has already informed me that you don't wish to be sent
back to the Shelter. I can honor that wish- for now." Skinner's eyes
softened with compassion. "I realize you don't want to go back, but
eventually you have to. You are legally a ward of the state, and the
Shelter is where you have to be until another foster family can be
found."
"No foster family is going to be found." Troi mumbled at her chest. "I'm
a jip."
"I beg your pardon?" Scully asked.
"A jip. A reject. A problem child." Troi said bitterly. "It means you
have the label "Troubled teen" and "low-acceptance candidate" on your
case file, and nobody is going to pick you."
The adults in the room simply looked around at each other uncomfortably,
unsure of what to say.
Skinner cleared his throat. "For now however, because I feel your
current situation calls for it, I am placing you under protective
custody. Agent Scully had volunteered for this job."
Troi looked at Scully in wonder. "Really?"
"Well, if you can stand me." Scully smiled at her. "The hospital agreed
to release you into my custody late this afternoon, after they check you
out one last time."
Troi made a face.
"But I have to warn you," Scully continued. "I have next to no experience
taking care of kids." She smiled suddenly, "Well, that's not true. I
always have my experience with Mulder."
"Hey!" Mulder exclaimed, and Skinner snorted.
Troi grinned. "It's okay. I have *plenty* of experience taking care of
myself, so I'm not very high matinance."
"Mulder on the other hand..." Skinner quipped from behind his hand as he
left the room.
Mulder glared after him, then turned back to Scully with a pouty look on
his face. "I can *so* take care of myself Scully."
Troi stared in wonder as Scully burst out laughing. She had a sudden
intuition that she was witnessing something rare and precious. That it
was not often that this woman laughed, and when she did it was a treasure
to be cherished. [she's really beautiful] Troi realized.
"You wish Mulder." Scully shot back between laughs as she walked out the
door. Troi watched as Mulder eyes followed Agent Scully out the door,
before walking out himself, and Troi wondered if making her laugh hadn't
been his intention all along.
LATER THAT AFTERNOON....
"Are you sure about this, Scully?" Mulder asked, inquiry in his voice as
he looked closely at his partner.
"Sure about what Mulder?"
The two were sitting in the cafe at Mercy Hospital, sharing a caesar
salad while waiting for Troi's doctor to release her.
"Taking temporary custody of Troi." Mulder said simply, looking down at
the salad as he made another stab at it.
Scully looked up at him. "Why? I don't claim to know it all about taking
care of children Mulder, but I'm not incompetent, and Troi is very
self-sufficient..."
"That's not what I'm worried about Scully." Mulder interrupted gently.
"I saw the way Troi looked at you when Skinner said that you were taking
temporary custody."
"Oh really? And how was that?" Scully arched a perfect eyebrow.
"She looked at you like you were her savior. Scully, there is something
that girl is afraid of back at that Shelter. Whether it's loneliness or
something more tangible I don't know." Mulder heaved a sigh. "But
whatever it is, I can see she's is already developing a strong attachment
to you." He looked straight at Scully. "And you to her."
Scully started to open her mouth, but then closed it.
"Don't you think that when the time comes to send her back, it's going
to be...well...difficult??"
Scully started, then took a deep breath. "I thought about that Mulder. I
considered the possibilities." She averted her eyes. "But I also
considered....*other* possibilities." She looked back up at him. "I can't
explain it Mulder, but I feel very connected to this girl-"
"I know. So do I."
"...and...ever since...Emily.." Scully spoke haltingly, again avoiding
his gaze, "..I felt the need to...take care of someone. To love a child.
And Troi needs that." Scully shook her head. "It's ridiculous..."
"No it's not." Mulder shook his head.
"But it's impossible. They weren't even going to give me custody of
Emily..."
"You don't know that."
"...my own biological child. Why would they even let me be Troi foster
mother, much less *adopt* her. And I mean, Mulder! This is nuts! I can't
believe I am even *thinking* about this. It would be a complete and total
upheaval of my life! Even if she nearly 15. But...."
"But what?" Mulder asked.
"I feel like her time is running out.....as is mine."
Mulder shook his head, gaze resting on her from across the table. "You
are *far* from having your time run out, Scully. You still have plenty of
opportunity."
Scully looked up at him for a moment, a strange expression flitting
across her face for a moment.
His eyes caught hers, and suddenly the air around them seemed to grow
tighter, swirling full of *possibility* that neither had ever seriously
considered for a moment.
"Paging Agent Dana Scully."
The nasal voice sounded over the intercom, shattering the trance the two
agents had found themselves in.
"That must be my cue." Scully said, a slight quaver in her voice as she
stood up. She slung her coat over her shoulder and slipped her arms in
the sleeves. "Thanks for waiting with me Mulder."
"Anytime."
"You need a ride home?"
"Nah. You go get little Ms. Carter settled. I'll catch a cab."
Scully smiled warmly at him. "'K." She began to walk toward the
elevator, then stopped and turned around. "You going to come over
tomorrow? I won't be going to work."
"If you want me there."
"I always want you Mulder."
Mulder raised his eyebrows, and Scully flushed bright red at her slip
and stammered. "I- I mean- You're always welcom-"
Mulder shook his head. "It's okay Scully. I knew what you mean.
Besides," He said, leaning close as he walked past, "I kinda liked it the
other way." He strode on down the hall, leaving Scully breathless in his
wake.
Dana Scully's apartment
7:00 am,
2 weeks later
Washington, DC
"'Morning Dana!" Troi sang cheerfully entering the kitchenette in her
pajamas, hair slightly rumpled.
Scully looked up from her morning coffee and smiled. Troi looked happy.
It was good to see her look happy. The bruise on her face had nearly
healed, and the small scar was becoming less obvious. Her complexion had
become vibrant, and the girl's peculiar beauty was becoming visible.
Even so, the girl still rarely looked *happy*. There was a constant air
of sorrow that seemed to hang around her like a mist. Dana had already
dealt with the aftermath of one of Troi's dreams since she'd been there.
The girl had woken, screaming in darkness, and it had taken Scully a full
hour to calm her down. The next morning, the AM News had reported on the
12 person mass-suicide.
Scully had been shocked.
Troi hadn't watched it.
But this morning, Troi really looked happy. [Maybe I should tell her
now.] Scully thought.
"So what's up?" Troi asked, putting a bagel in the toaster and pouring
herself some orange juice.
[You know, she really is self-sufficient.] Scully thought. Other than
the dream, Troi had been almost no trouble. She just needed to be loved.
To belong to someone.
Scully bit her lip. Mulder had been right. Within two weeks time, she
had become incredibly attached to Troi. Attached enough to have called
Child Services Division last night to put in a request.
A request for permanent custody.
"Dana? Hello, earth to Dana?"
Scully looked up at Troi and smiled. "Troi, we need to talk."
Troi's face paled slightly. "About what?" She sat down carefully.
"Troi, I have been seriously considering for sometime what is to happen
next. You know that my temporary custody is nearly over."
Troi nodded and bit her lip and prepared herself for the worst. [[I've
decided to take you back early.]] Troi could almost hear the words.
"So last night I sent in a patition to CSD for permanent custody."
Troi just stared, stone-still.
"There isn't a very big chance that my petition will be accepted, you
know that. And I realize that I'm hardly the *normal family* you
envisioned yourself with. You could probably do lots better, and God
knows there are no guarantees with my job...with anything." Scully drew a
breath, realizing she was rushing. "So I wouldn't blame you one bit if
you didn't want to go through with this."
Scully looked at Troi, who was still unmoving, staring blankly into the
far-realm. Suddenly, the girl burst into tears. Scully was shocked. Troi
head went down on the table, into her crossed arms, as she sobbed, her
shoulder shaking.
"Troi!?" Scully got up worriedly. "Troi are you alright?"
"Yeah," -sniff- "I- I'm.." -sniff, sniff- Troi lifted her head and
looked at Dana with wet, glassy, shining eyes. "I never really thought. I
mean, I hoped, but I never really thought that you'd want me." The girl
took a deep shuddering breath as the tears again began to course their
way down her cheeks.
"Oh, Troi." Scully sighed and wrapped her arms around the teen, pulling
her close as Troi hung on to her as though she were her life-line. And in
Troi's mind, she was.
Scully surprised herself when she felt the dampness against her own
cheeks. Even in this moment, she couldn't help but think of her own
daughter, Emily, who now rested in another place. Scully raised her eyes
to the ceiling. She felt if she couldn't take care of her own child, she
could take care of a child who's own mother couldn't care for her.
Perhaps even now, in heaven, Troi's mother was with her Emily, looking
down on them. Perhaps this was meant to be.
From that moment, all of Scully misgivings about her choice dissipated
into the air like smoke. They would make in through somehow. It didn't
matter what the state of Virginia thought. They were going to win this
court battle, and Troi Anne Carter would not be left alone again.
Georgetown County Courthouse
Children's Services Division
9:00 am, Three weeks later.
Fox William Mulder half paced, half jogged the hallway in the CSD
division of the massive courthouse. He glanced down at his watch
nervously. He was late. Scully was not going to be happy.
Again, his mind drifted to wondering exactly why Scully had called him
down here. He hoped that nothing too serious had gone wrong with the
case. He knew how much this meant to Scully- not to mention Troi. He
remembered his defense of Scully's right to have custody of Emily, and
wished he had such a defense in this case. But even though he didn't, he
would argue any point if it meant Scully got what she wanted. He would do
anything to make her happy.
Anything.
Troi too. She needed somewhere to belong. Mulder had grown quite fond of
the kid in the weeks he'd known her. She was such a resilient person. He
often looked at her and wondered if maybe Samantha was still out there
somewhere, as a child grown up in the foster system, and how she would
have adjusted.
If he would ever find her.
A familiar thought.
He shook it out of his head and looked up at the door to his right, and
then double-checked with the piece of paper in his hand. The honorable
Judge Allen Franklen. This was it.
He pushed open the door and found himself in a small secretary's office.
As he entered, he saw Scully rise from one of the waiting chairs she sat
in and move toward him. Troi was also there, sitting cross-legged on her
own chair. She waved at him.
Mulder waved back, then turned his attention to Scully. "Hey, what's
up?" he asked softly.
Scully took his arm and led him back towards the door. "We need to talk,
Mulder."
[uh, oh. I don't like the way she said that.] Warning lights began going
off in Mulder's brain. "What's wrong?"
"Well," Scully shut the door behind them once they were outside, and
leaned against the wall. She sighed. "How do I say this?" She bit her
lower lip. "I-...We've reached a problem in the case. It took so long for
it to get through in the first place. Now that the judge has reviewed
it.... Well, to put it bluntly, we're not going anywhere." She took a
deep breath. "I negotiated, I've appealed. It's not doing any good.
Basically, it's the same problems as with Emily. High risk job....and I'm
single. Now the judge is willing to overlook the job factor because of
Troi's age, and the fact that she is low-acceptance child." Scully said
the last phrase with disgust, as though it left a bad taste in her mouth.
"But that's all."
"What do you mean?" Mulder asked.
"I mean, he won't over-look the fact I'm not married. It doesn't matter
that there are thousands of single mothers in this city, the cold, hard
fact is that the red-tape won't allow it. Luckily, Judge Franklen is
sympathetic, and he's given Troi and I away around that problem..." She
looked up at him. "But I need help."
"Uh..." Mulder looked confused. "What kind of help?"
"Judge Franklen says I don't actually have to be married...so long as a
second party signs the custody papers as the father."
"Wait a second.." Mulder looked incredulous. "You want me-"
"Just to sign a piece of paper Mulder, that's all." Scully reached out
to clasp his hand. "It's just for Troi. There's no entanglements between
us at all."
[no entanglements- too late for that] Mulder thought as little jolts of
electricity ran up his spine at her touch. "It's not that Scully, it's
that I don't know if I could- I'd make a lousy father, even as half-time
foster parent."
"Nonsense. Troi adores you. She's practically independent already, and
custody would be split 80-20, not 50-50." Scully's blue eyes caught his
hazel ones. "It's just a signature Mulder. Please."
[anything to make her happy] Mulder sighed. "Okay." He blew out a deep
breath. "I'll do it."
ONE WEEK LATER........
The verdict was out. Troi Anne Carter was now in the joint-custody of
Dana Katherine Scully and Fox William Mulder.
The court battle had been tense. Not because there were any other claims
on Troi, -no, in fact, the Shelter seemed to be glad to get rid of her-
but they battle waged was one that must be waged against *red-tape*, a
VERY formidable enemy.
But eventually, the protests sagged and gave in to the sheer
determination the emanated from the young girl who desperately wanted a
place to belong.
Mulder and Scully were surprised to see Walter Skinner show up at the
final hearing. Both had been nervous about how their superior would
react to the news about Troi, but the Assistant Director had seemed
non-plussed. He told them he had kind of figured something like this
would happen.
After the hearing, Skinner had walked up to them and warmly
congratulated Troi. He shook hands with Scully and then Mulder, pulling
him to the side as Troi and Scully continued out of the courtroom.
"I hope you know what you're getting into, Mulder." He said cryptically,
then walked off, leaving Mulder to catch up with Scully and Troi.
Once outside, Mulder unlocked the car, and they all climbed in. Troi was
smashed in the front seat between them, and was positively beaming.
Mulder glanced at her then at Scully. She, too, was smiling, but her
smile had more of a far away quality to it. Mulder stared at her for a
couple seconds, then cleared his throat.
"So? Where to?"
"Home." Troi's voice piped up quietly, her eyes beginning to brim up
with tears again. "Let's go home."
Scully turned to Troi and slipped a arm around her. "I agree. We can
celebrate later. For now, we need some rest."
"Home it is." Mulder said. Somewhere deep inside, he felt a twinge he
couldn't explain. Home. Her home. *Their* home now. But not *ours*. The
blue import sedan pulled out of the courthouse parking lot and cruised
down the street. Once they were out on the highway, Mulder risked a
glance at Scully. She was leaning back against the window, Troi tucked
against her side, staring off into space with a far-away look. Mulder
stifled a wistful sigh and turned his eyes back to the highway, letting
his mind wander.
It was getting harder and harder for him to quell the surge of
unprofessional emotions that threatened whenever he was around Scully
these days. So *much* had happened between them, and yet....[so close,
yet so far] Though it was a tired cliched saying, Mulder recognized it's
truth more now than ever. And what exactly had Assistant Director Skinner
meant by his comment earlier? [what AM I getting myself into?] Mulder
thought. [do I really know?] Whatever it was, he was sure he was already
in WAY too deep to back out know.
Mulder winced involuntarily. Just the thought of "backing out" -even
rhetorically- made him cringe. Made him remember that night outside his
apartment, and his desperate attempt to keep her from leaving. An attempt
to keep her as a partner, that had somehow swiftly escalated into an
attempt to keep her as something very different.
How many times his mind went back to that place. It was the proverbial
epoch in his non-professional life with Scully. So far.
[so far? you planning more, mulder?] His internal voice piped up once
again. For a moment Mulder wafted, unsure of how to answer, but then he
glanced over at Scully again, and found the surety he had been looking
for.
[you bet I'm planning more] He had tried to tell her once. Heck, he had
tried to tell her a hundred times, but in *words* he had tried to tell
her once. After Bermuda, and the dizzy experience with the 1930's Scully,
he had woken up to her beautiful blue eyes and the words had simply
tumbled off his lips. [i love you...]
[oh brother]
Two words had never crushed him so deeply. And yet the look in her eyes
had never given so much hope.
It was what he lived off these days. Hope.
Hope that he would find his sister.
Hope that they could find the truth.
Hope that someday, she could love him the way he loved her.
He glanced over at her one more time. Her eyes had fallen shut, and
peaceful smile playing over her lips.
[sigh] Hope.
Dana Scully's apartment'
Washington, DC
11:00 am
3 days later.
Troi Anne Carter was simply *infected* by a sense of excitement and
adventure. She stood outside in the chilled air of late October, rubbing
her arms through the material of her thin shirt. She watched the road in
front of Dana Scully's apartment impatiently.
[where IS agent mulder?] she thought, bouncing up and down on the
pavement to keep warm. She had been waiting for him to arrive since dawn,
when Dana had woken her and told her that they were leaving on a
surprised camping trip to the lake. Troi had been estatic. She hadn't
been on a camping trip since....well, memories were too painful. She had
confided in Dana sometime earlier that her father had loved to go
camping, and some of her earliest memories were of her and her parents by
a lake.
Dana had admitted to not having been camping in years as well. "Well,
not a *normal* camping trip anyway," She had said with a enigmatic little
smile. Troi had wondered what the story behind that smile was, but
whatever it was, she could bet that it had *something* to do with Agent
Mulder.
She bounced on the sidewalk again, shivering as the wind rushed it's icy
fingers through her cinnamon brown hair.
"Troi! What are you doing outside? I've been looking for you." Dana
Scully stepped out the door and walked up to Troi, "It's cold."
"I'm waiting for Mulder." Troi told her. "You said he was coming to pick
us up to go on the trip."
"He is. But not for another half-hour or so. Come back inside."
Troi shook her head. "I'd rather wait if that's okay Dana. All my stuff
is packed."
"I know." Dana responded, amusement crossing her face as she look at the
young teen. "Well, alright, suit yourself."
Dana turned to walk back inside, but was stopped by the sound of a
carhorn, and turned to see Mulder drive up in a awful green-colored
Volkswagen van.
"Oh, good lord." Scully muttered under her breath.
Mulder stopped the van and got out as Troi waved out a cheerful "hi" and
ran to greet him. Scully crossed her arms and walked toward him at a much
more sedate pace. "*Please* tell me you didn't get that where I think you
got it Mulder."
"Where?" Mulder looked at her with manufactured innocence.
"That's the Gunmen's car, Mulder." Scully said in a no-nonsense tone.
"True." Mulder responded with a deadpan expression.
"Who are the Gunmen?" Troi asked.
Scully sighed. "Troi, run get your bags okay?"
Virginia Highway 103
3 hours later
Dana Scully sat in the front passengers seat of the dilapidated old van,
not quite believing that Mulder would actually have the *audacity* to ask
to borrow the Lone Gunman's vehicle for the weekend. [but then, this is
mulder we are talking about,] Scully thought with a smile, [audacity is
his middle name] She turned her head slightly to look at the subject of
her thoughts, who sat in the drivers seat next to her. He was passively
looking out at the road, one hand on the wheel, the other cracking one of
the ever-present sunflower seeds between his teeth.
A small noise from the behind her caught Scully's attention. In the back
seat, Troi made a faint murmur and turned in her sleep. Scully smiled at
the young teen, then turned back around.
"She okay?" Mulder's question was soft.
"Yeah, she's fine." Scully whispered back. She sighed and directed her
attention out the front window. "It's still kind of unreal."
"What? That we're parents of a someone; age 14, and yet only met 5 years
ago?"
"Yeah..." Scully glanced at her partner. "Come to think of it, Mulder,
it IS unreal. I mean....no one does this. No one adopts a child with
their partner at the FBI."
"Well," Mulder countered. "We're hardly your typical partners."
Scully chuckled. "*That* is true."
"So...." Mulder started again, "I never got the chance to really ask
you, *Mom*.....how's life with the kid going anyway?"
"Would be better if it wasn't for the absentee father." Scully said
quickly, belatedly biting her tongue when she realized what she had
said....and how she knew Mulder would take it.
"Scully, are you coming on to me?" Mulder glanced at her with a teasing
sparkle in his hazel eyes.
"Rest stop, Mulder." Scully said suddenly, pointing out the window at
public stop that lay ahead. Mulder smiled and moved into the exit lane.
[whew. saved by the exit] Scully thought, as they pulled into the stop.
She watched as Mulder got out of the van, and headed toward the vending
machines and ice-box by the restrooms. He moved with the confidence and
agility she had always seen in him. For a moment, she allowed herself the
guilty pleasure of watching him, studying the way he moved. Scully felt a
small ache in her chest as he reached the ice-box, turning back to look
in her direction, wind ruffling his dark hair. Her heart turned in her
chest.
[why can't i just be honest with him? why can't i just say i love you?
or better yet, dana, why can't you let *him* say it?] Lord knows he
would. That much she could see. He would- HAD in fact, in that hospital
after the Bermuda Triangle. She had been so shocked and unsure she had
only muttered something -what was it? she couldn't even remember now-
before turning to flee the room. He hadn't said it again. She had briefly
wondered if it was a fluke, that it was just what she thought it was, a
combination of pain-killer and too much ingested water.
[then what about the hallway dana?] a small voice in her head asked her.
[what's your excuse there? fear? loneliness? heat of the moment?] Scully
stifled a sigh and squeezed her eyes shut. Her mind dished out a argument
a minute. [he doesn't really love you. not that way. he's your partner.
you have his respect, yes, his trust, yes, but not his love] Scully heart
contracted painfully. [but i want to believe!] it seemed to cry. [i want
to believe...]
But in reality, all the arguments, all the questions, came down to one
thing. Fear. Yes, Special Agent Dana Katharine Scully MD, was afraid.
Afraid to let herself love the person she couldn't live without. Afraid
he may not feel the same. Afraid if she let herself go, she might
over-shoot heaven and end up in hell.
She choked back the short laugh of bitterness that arose in her throat.
Yes, she was even afraid of Them. How they might use a relationship
against her and Mulder. She didn't know how, but that didn't stop the
fear from being there.
She opened her eyes as she heard the door pop open. "Hey Scully, can you
put these by your feet?" Mulder asked, holding out two bags of ice.
"There's no room in the back."
Scully smiled slightly and took the ice bags. "Sure Mulder." she said.
She felt the ache in her heart ease a little, as suddenly all her
spinning questions disappeared in his answering smile. "Whatever you
want."
Two Days Later
Oakwood Campground
Virginia
10:40 am
Troi emerged from her tent and stretched, her skin relishing the feel of
the hot morning sun as it beat down on her. She looked around the now
familiar campground, feeling the happiest she could remember.
It had rained the first two nights of their stay, but Troi didn't care.
The brilliant sunshine that now beat down on the place was worth it.
She still couldn't believe it was all real. In a few weeks time, her
life -and her outlook on it- had completely changed. The frustration and
the loneliness of the Shelter seemed so far away now. Even the
frightening encounter with the shadowmen and the man who tried to kill
her seemed to fade in her memory like the scars on her face. Troi turned
her face toward the soft blue of the morning sky. [mom and dad] she
thought, [if you're up there, thank you. thank you for looking after me.
i love you]
Troi bent to tie the laces of her sneakers, then ran over to where the
cooler lay a few paces away. She opened it and pulled out an apple,
jogging over to tap on Dana's tent a few feet away.
"Dana! Rise and shine! It's sunny! We can go to the lake today, right?"
A grumbling noise was her only answer, and the rustling of sleeping
bags. Troi grinned at nothing in particular, and left the tent area,
rounding the small row of baby evergreens to enter the main camp area.
"Good morning, Mulder!" Troi said cheerfully. She walked over to the
picnic table and sat down across from where Mulder sat reading a book and
picking over the remains of a half-eaten bagel.
"Well, look who's in a good mood!" Mulder gave her a small grin, and
took off his reading glasses. "Where's Scully?"
"Still asleep." Troi told him, munching on her breakfast apple.
"That woman never ceases to amaze me." Mulder muttered, half to himself.
"What do you mean?" Troi inquired.
"Well, it's just that I never would have guessed Dana Scully to be a
late sleeper. She always up at the crack of dawn when we're on a case."
Mulder stared over in the direction of the tent. "Just goes to show you
how little we really know each other." He said, a wistful tone in his
voice. He turned back to Troi. "Even after 5 years."
"What's it like having a partner in the FBI?" Troi queried. "I mean, I
know that sounds like a dumb, little-kid question, but I'm really
curious. I get the feeling that you and Dana aren't the normal type of
partners, are you?"
"No, no we're not." Mulder said. "We're more like...." He trailed off.
[more like what mulder?] Friends? Yes, but that seemed somehow
inadequate. Siblings? Now *that* would be a bald-faced lie. He certainly
did NOT think of Scully as a sister. Lovers? Well, yes....except for the
tiny detail of never having kissed her. Soulmates? Now there was a word
that kept popping into his head whenever he thought of Scully, but it was
forced back out as soon as it entered. He wasn't good enough for that.
Luckily, he was saved from further debate by Scully's entrance into the
picnic area.
"Morning Dana!" Troi said cheerily, seemingly delighting in the
exasperated glare that she received in return. Scully sat heavily on the
bench, leaning on the table and running tired fingers through her
sleep-mussed hair.
Mulder couldn't quite keep the grin off his face as he stood to retrieve
Scully a bagel. "Good morning, Sunshine." He said, walking around to her
and setting down the bagel in front of her. "Did you sleep well?" He
leaned close, and let his voice drop seductively. She straightened, and
picked up the bagel. "Yes. No. Why do I have the tent again?" Scully said
in a incoherent jumble. Troi laughed.
"Because you said you'd prefer it over a possibly bugged back end of the
van?" Mulder reminded her.
"Oh yes." Scully took a bite of her bagel.
Mulder couldn't help grinning. He'd never quite seen Scully like this.
She was still asleep really, and he wasn't sure he'd ever encountered her
when she was anything less than completely alert. Her movements were
languid and slow beneath her outfit of sweatshirt and jeans, and her eyes
were still soft and dreamy from the world of oblivion.
"Dana, since it's not raining can we go down to the lake after
breakfast?" Troi asked. "Please?"
"Sure, Troi, we ca-" Scully mumbled, then suddenly sat up. "Go *where*?"
Now *that* woke her up. Mulder thought.
"Down to the lake." Troi said. "I haven't been swimming in SO long. I
want us to go." She reached out and took Scully's hand pleadingly. "Come
on, it'll be fun!"
"Yeah, Scully," Mulder joined in. "It'll be *fun*."
Triangle Lake
Oakwood Campground
Virginia, 1:00 p.m.
"I have yet to be having *fun*." Scully called from her spot on the
grassy bank nearly forty minutes later. She adjusted the lawn chair she
sat in and looked down at Troi and Mulder who were both in the lake.
"That's because you're not in the water." Mulder told her with a cheeky
grin. Scully sighed. He could be such a little boy sometimes.
"No, it's because I'm too close to the water already." Scully shot back.
"I thought you liked the ocean, *Starbuck*." Mulder rejoined.
"*Ocean*, Mulder." Scully said firmly. "I see no ocean."
"Water's water." He said stubbornly.
"Oh, now *that* was intelligent." Scully rolled her eyes.
"Please, Dana?" It was Troi that implored her now. "It's not cold."
"I don't want to-" Scully stopped suddenly, looking up from her book.
"Where's Mulder?"
"I don't know," Troi looked around. Mulder had disappeared. Not a ripple
in sight. Scully got up and walked to the edge of the bank, expecting him
to pop up at any second.
Not a sound.
Scully's heart-rate picked up speed, even as her mind hastened to
reassure her. [he's probably just joking around] However, her feet
compelled her closer to the edge, peering over into the deep water with
concerned eyes.
*********SPLASH!!!!!*************
Without warning, Mulder shot up from under the water, grabbing Scully's
wrists and pulling her in with alacrity. Scully let out a startled yelp,
that was cut short as she fell into the deep water with a huge splash.
Seconds later she came up gasping, Troi's merry laughter meeting her
stunned ears. She felt Mulder's strong arms circling her, holding her
close, his own deep chuckled reverberating around her.
"Mul-! Mulder you-! Damn you Mulder!" Scully sputtered, attempting to
push her soaked hair from her face and wriggle from his grasp.
"Scully, watch your language." Mulder mock-admonished, releasing her a
little, a helping her scramble, dripping, back on to the ledge. Scully
just knelt there for a moment, catching her breath, as Mulder climbed up
after her.
"Having fun yet Scully?" He asked in a taunting voice.
Scully's eyes narrowed, a sly smile stealing over her face. "Yes I am
Mulder." She replied coyly, turning on him suddenly, and blithely shoving
him back into the lake.
Mulder let out a surprised cry, before hitting the water loudly. He came
up heaving, a look of shock and amazement written across his face. Troi
was laughing so hard she began to hiccup. Scully simply smirked at a
stunned Mulder, picking up his towel, and tossing it lightly into the
water after him.
Oakwood Campground Exit
9:30 p.m.
Virginia
The white van sat silent in the shadows at the edge of the gravel road,
except for the soft humming noise that gently emanated from the
interior. Inside, a blond man sat at the controls to a portable computer
system, sweat running down his forehead as he entered the sensitive code
into the mainframe. Once chance. He had to do this right.
Access granted. The man breathed a heavy sigh of relief. He was in. All
he had to do know was enter the proper coordinates, and the operation
could proceed.
As he began to enter the long string of numbers, he felt a twinge of
remorse for what he was about to do. But he quickly pushed it out of his
mind. The Project was all important, and *she* was a liability. No loose
ends could be left open, the future must be controlled at all costs if
Colonization was to remain effective once instigated. And that meant the
elimination of all liabilities.
Not a person, a liability.
He completed the code string and pressed the return key.
The numbers vanished into blackness.
Oakwood Campground
10:00 p.m.
Scully leaned over the campfire, stirring the coals to hasten their
burn-out. Ash swirled around in little patterns as the glow of the embers
burned itself out. When satisfied, Scully straightened, wiping a tired
hand across her forehead as she turned. She stopped when she saw Mulder
leaning up against the van, looking at her with a bemused expression.
"What?" Scully asked, cocking her head at him.
Mulder said nothing, but moved toward her, took her chin in his hands.
Scully's heart did a triple-beat and she froze. Slowly, Mulder ran his
thumb across her forehead, removing the soot that clung there.
"You rubbed soot on your face." His voice was hushed, hazel eyes bright
as her stared into hers.
"Thanks." Scully said tremulously, silently cursing her treacherous
voice. [stay steady would you! you can't let him effect your balance that
way!]
Almost as if sensing her discomfort, Mulder moved away, turning back to
the van and opening the back doors, leaving her feeling cold.
Mulder sat down in the wide expanse in the back of the Gunman's van.
They had converted into his sleeping space, as they had only had two
tents available. He reached in and unrolled his sleeping bag, settling
down on the edge.
Scully stood there in silence, feeling empty with his absence, but
steady again, her equilibrium returned.
Then Mulder held out a hand.
Her heart kicked into overdrive again. Her mind told her to tell him
goodnight, and leave. [the last thing i need right now is to loose
balance again] And she would. She knew she would. But her body was moving
forward as if in a trance. She reached out, and their hands touched.
Even as the now-familiar shudder of electricity shot up her arm, a
sudden clarity of thought hit her.
[what was i afraid of? nothing's going to happen. i trust him]
She smiled, and he smiled back. Scully sat down beside him, their hands
still clasped together. Silence surrounded them, but it was a comfortable
silence. Together, they stared out into the silent forest.
Oakwood Campground
10:00 p.m.
Troi snuggled into her sleeping bag, inhaling deeply of the pine-scented
air, with the last vestiges of smoke from the dying campfire wafting in
from the outside. She smiled. It had been a good day.
After returning from the lake and drying off, they had spent the rest of
the day just relaxing and having fun. Troi marveled at how easy she found
it to relax, -how easy they all found it. From what she had gathered,
Mulder and Dana had about as much peace and "normal people fun" as she
had in the past few years. Though there were awkward moments of
uncertainty, -moments that were inevitable with two people who were as
dedicated work-a-holics as those two- but all in all, they had passed the
day like a *almost* normal family. Dana mostly spent the day curled up
reading "Pride and Prejudice", as Mulder had taught Troi to play
baseball. She had been embarrassed to admit she had never played at
first, but when she watched herself send the ball flying over the tree
tops, it had all been worth it.
Troi smiled to herself. She felt something akin to hero-worship when it
came to Fox Mulder. She wasn't as close to him as she was to Dana, and
suspected she never would be. And yet, the man instilled in her a sense
of awe and admiration that she had never felt before. She found herself
constantly backing him up in any argument Dana and him had, found herself
wanting to be "just like Mulder". His job of working on mysterious files
at the FBI intrigued her....and she had just decided that someday she
would do the same.
Troi's smile turned bittersweet. She vaguely remembered having similar
feelings toward her real father when he was alive.
The thought of her real parents brought tears to Troi's eyes. She rolled
over and pressed her face into the pillow, shutting her eyes and willing
herself to remember. She was still recalling lost memories, when she
drifted off to sleep. Just as oblivion overtook her, a spectral sensation
of ice crept around her, and she shivered.
And slowly, the light fell across her sleeping form.
Oakwood Campground
10:30 p.m.
"...for years afterward I refused to eat celery." Scully finished her
story, laughing quietly. She sighed. "I was sure that that's what had
killed that poor rabbit."
"You never know," Mulder responded in a mock-serious voice. "Tainted
celery is a very serious problem." He was rewarded with a small chuckle
from Scully.
The two were laying side by side across Mulder's sleeping bag, legs
dangling out of the back of the van, open to the night air. Scully stared
at the ceiling, once again falling into silence. Mulder turned his head
to glance at her, and immediately found himself entranced. Her face was
pale in the wan moonlight, her light dusting of freckles just barely
visible in the half-light. Blue eyes upturned to the ceiling, a pensive
look on her face. She was obviously lost in thought, so he decided it was
safe to stare for awhile. Watching Scully when she wasn't aware of it was
a guilty pleasure that had began quite awhile ago, and he indulged
himself as often as he could. His eyes slowly traced the planes of her
face, re-memorizing what he already knew by heart.
Unconsciously, she licked her bottom lip. Mulder heart flip-flopped and
his pulse picked up speed. He turned resolutely back to the ceiling. Did
she have to do that? Didn't she know what that did to him? [no, of course
not idiot] his mind answered in a surly tone. [you made a art out of
hiding it from her]
Mulder sighed. It was so true. He HAD perfected the fine art of walking
that thin line that had always just *barely* separated them.
He looked back at her. Maybe it was time to step over that line. Maybe
it was time to take a chance and step out in faith, hoping against hope
that she would be there to catch him.
[...the only one I trust...]
"Mulder?" Scully said suddenly, cutting off his unborn words before he
spoke them. "Did you hear something?"
[what?] Mulder reeled from the unexpected question. "I- um, ah....No."
"I heard a humming noise." Scully sat up, senses alert. "It sounded...."
Without warning, a blinding light surrounded them, seeming to cut
through the ceiling of the van as if it weren't even there. Scully
covered her eyes, crying out as if in pain as the intense brightness
exploded across her vision.
Then, just as swiftly as it had come, the light was gone, leaving them
once again in darkness.
Mulder jumped to his feet abruptly, scrambling out of the van and
standing outside, searching eyes upturned to the sky, Scully standing
next to him. A million stars met their vision, but all was unmoving and
silent. Mulder's eyes went back and forth on the horizon, his hand coming
up to desperately clutch Scully's arm, as he swallowed hard, them looked
down at his watch.
10:45. It had stopped.
Scully's eyes scanned the perimeter of the camp, looking for a more
*grounded* explanation. What she saw, however, sent her heart straight to
her throat.
"Oh my God! Troi!!!"
Mulder whirled, the horror in his partner's voice sending cold chills
through him. [oh no-]
Scully bolted toward the clearing where Troi's tent stood, Mulder close
on her heels.
Troi's tent was burning, set aflame with a terrible scorching fire that
sparked and consumed the small shelter with a voracious appetite.
"Troi!!" The scream ripped from Scully's throat as she stood before the
inferno helplessly. Only the framework of the tent was left now, letting
them see clearly inside.
"Mulder! Mulder!" Scully cried, "She's not there! She's not there!" She
choked violently on the ash and smoke that filled the air. "Where is
she!?! Mulder, where is she!?!" The stark panic filled her voice. Mulder
barely heard her, his own thoughts racing, fearful. Light. Fire. Light.
Humming. Fire. Light....
TAKEN.
Scully turned back to the forest, desperately calling Troi's name, as
Mulder clutched his chest as if in physical pain, dropping to his knees,
head hung in shame, his hands clutching the ash covered ground in
helpless frustration. [taken. I failed. I failed her.] A horse cry
escaped from his throat even as the forest ranger's siren began to wail
in the distance....
Oakwood Campground
5:35 am
"Ma'am, I'm sorry. We've scoured the area thoroughly. There is no
evidence of kidnapping, struggle, or flight." The forest ranger looked at
Scully sympathetically.
Dawn was just beginning to glimmer over the treetops of the forest.
Scully and Mulder stood inside the small Ranger's office, complimentary
breakfast and coffee untouched.
"But there was no human debris in the fire." The officer continued,
giving her a hopeful smile. "Your daughter is alive somewhere."
Scully started to correct him, but fell silent. She didn't have the
energy. She didn't care what the man thought. And for legal purposes, it
was true. But she still didn't feel worthy to claim Troi as her own. She
hadn't been there to protect her. She hadn't been there.....
She looked over at Mulder who stood a few feet away, leaning up against
the door with his head in his dusty hands. Despite her exhausted
emotional numbness, her heart went out to him. [he must be in hell] She
knew what he would be thinking happened to Troi. Heck, even SHE was
starting to believe it. It was -as crazy as it sounded- the most obvious
thing. The light. The fire. Time frozen as a broken stopwatch.....
Scully resisted the urge to let loose a bitter laugh. Perhaps it wasn't
so amazing that she believed. Perhaps she had believed for a long time
now.
She walked toward him, suffering drawn to a common suffering like a
magnet. Gently, Scully took his hands form his face, and looked into his
hazel eyes. They looked dead. Empty. Scully felt tears pick her eyes
again. [oh, mulder.] she thought [please don't do this. don't blame
yourself] She pulled him in her arms, his head pillowing on her shoulder
as he clung to her like a life-line.
Outside in the still half light, the morning continued it's slow
arrival, bathing the world in dimness.
Out side Oakwood Campground
5:34 am
[Cold.
So cold.
Pain. Pain. Lots of pain. Too much.
NO. Got to wake up. Wake up.]
Troi fought against the darkness with all her might. Finally she could
open her eyes. She looked down to find herself lying face down in the
mud. She tried to move, but agonizing pain shot through her, stopping her
attempt before she started.
[where am i?]
Troi let out a lonely, tiny, frightened cry, choked by mud and siliva.
She tried to move again, and this time succeeded in rolling onto her
back. Immediately, the world spun around her, spiraling in a dizzy
circle.
[what happened to me?]
Slowly, the earth returned to it's normal equilibrium. Troi lay there in
silence for a moment, taking tentative stock of her situation. She was
cold and wet, and it seemed as thought there was not one place on her
body that didn't hurt. She was still wearing the sweater and sweatpants
she had on the night before.....or was it the night before. The world
began to swim again, and Troi shut her eyes tightly, trying to remember.
Nothing.
Nothing but pain, and cold, and light.
She drew in a shuddering breath and rolled, lifting herself shakily to
her knees.
Dana.
Dana and Mulder.
They would be worried. She had to get back to them. Looking around her,
she discovered she was in a ditch. Sluggishly, she pulled herself out of
the muddy trench, and pulled her slim body to her feet.
A gravel road stretched out before her in two directions.
A sinking feeling settled in her stomach. [oh, please god. don't let me
be too far from them] she prayed silently, whimpering a little as she
started off unsteadily down the road.
Oakwood Campground
6:04 am
Scully sipped the bland coffee mechanically. She didn't really taste it,
her senses nearly completely deadend as the morning stretched out into
eternity.
Eyes vacant, she stared out the window of the Forest Ranger's office.
Suddenly, a movement up the road caught her eye. [what?] She moved closer
to the window, watching closely as a approaching figure came into view.
Hope sprang unbidden into her heart. The figure on the road weaved
unsteadily, and dropped, then struggled back upright.
Scully dropped her coffee cup, unheeding the ranger's startled yell,
wordlessly sprinting toward the door.
"Scully!" Mulder started after her. "Scully what is-" He suddenly
stopped as he looked out the window. [oh...]
Scully hit the exit running, sprinting off the deck as the old screen
door banged shut behind her. The figure ahead of her looked up, and
dropped to the ground again. Sure now, Scully doubled her speed, Mulder's
footsteps now pounding behind her.
Scully dropped to the ground next to Troi, flinging her arms around her
and pulling her close, her breath ragged with joy. Mulder caught up with
them, dropping to his knees as well, and embraced both of them.
"Dana....Dana I was so scared..." Troi choked out in a faint voice,
clinging to her foster parent weakly.
"I know, I know, baby." Scully said, voice rough and cracked as she
rocked Troi back and forth, tears of relief streaming down her face. She
heard a small shuddery gasp behind her, and knew that Mulder was crying
too. She leaned back into him, willing her support and strength to flow
to him, and his to her.
The ranger and 2 paramedics came pounding towards them, the ranger's
homely face alight with joy. "Well, I'll be!" He said, taking off his hat
and wiping his brow. "See, Ms. Scully ma'am. I told you she'd be
alright."
"Yes, thank you." Scully smiled up at the ranger, as she allowed the
paramedics to take Troi from her arms. She and Mulder helped each other
to stand, leaning against each other for support. "Thank you."
The next day.....
Mulder closed his eyes, listening to the hum of the car engine as Scully
drove them back to DC. For once, Mulder had whole-heartedly turned down
the opportunity to drive. He was too exhausted.
And he needed to think.
The paramedics had checked Troi out thoroughly, and had declared her to
be in perfect heath, despite extreme exhaustion and metal trauma. They
had released her from the tiny local hospital 3 hours later, and the
three had spent the night in a little motel. The next day, they had all
agreed to immediately return to DC.
He didn't understand it. He thought he'd been sure what had happened to
Troi, but now, his conviction was vailed with confusion. Why had she been
released? It didn't make sense. Scully had been returned in a coma, near
death. Troi came back to them on her own two feet. True, she had
experienced time-loss, and had awakened in a unfamiliar place, but what
did that mean?
But that light....just like Samantha.....
He shuddered, his eyes unconsciously turning to his comfort.
Scully.
Dana.
His stomach twisted.
He had been on the verge of revealing his feelings when *it* happened.
Fox Mulder had never been one to put much stock in omens, but it was a
bit too *coincidental* for his liking. He looked over at her, floundering
in doubt. What if he was wrong for loving her? God knows he had brought
such poison to her life. But she had become his addiction, something he
couldn't give up, even if it was for the best.
So he would continue on in this line-walking.
After all, with nearly 6 years of experience, he had become good at it.
A Unmarked Apartment Building
Washington, DC
The man stood by the window, looking out across the street at the FBI
Headquarters that loomed nearby. Smoke from his cigarette curled around
him as he exhaled.
Another piece of business taken care of.
He smiled to himself, please with how good he had become at adapting to
"unplanned circumstances". This had been a VERY unplanned circumstance.
After all, there were only a few of HER kind in the world today. Most
were dismissed as lunatics, or their abilities were repressed by their
own fears. He had never counted on Mulder and Scully meeting one.
Much less that the girl would become family.
But they had *taken care* of it. The girl was now a *test subject* for a
new device.
All test subjects so far had zero survival rate.
It usually took awhile, -more time than the cancer even- but it would
happen eventually.
It was only a matter of time.
Troi Anne Carter's days were numbered.
Dana Scully's apartment
Washington DC.
12:15 p.m..
Troi awoke suddenly to find herself in a cold sweat. Not a unusual
occurrence for her, but she was surprised to realize she had not awoken
because of a dream.
Not a dream, but her head was pounding.....
She stumbled out of bed, and made her way to the bathroom, shuddering as
she hit the light switch, and the brightness hit her eyes.
[this headache's a whopper,] she thought, shakily taking a Advil,
tossing it down her throat with a glass of water.
She stumbled back to bed, and laid down, hoping she could get back to
sleep, in spite of the splitting headache.
But just as she lay down, the pain was suddenly gone.
She smiled, [the wonders of modern medicine]
But somewhere deep within her, a small knot of fear set in.
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------------------ T H E E N D ---------------------
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Yep! That's it! Liked it?? Hated it?? Please tell me what you think!!!
I'm not afraid of fire. [don't like it, but I'm not afraid of it] It will
be used to toast my sourdough bread.
Check out more of Troi Anne Carter in the up-and-coming ACCUMULATION
SERIES by Alien Girl and yours truly.
Oh, and I am leaving Troi's *problem* open for possible later
developments.
Sorry if you don't like that kind of thing.
WRITE ME PLEASE!!!
DrScully@imneverwrong.com