The Principal was a heavyset man who sweated profusely in his nylon shirt.  He barely acknowledged the two agents as they approached his desk.

"Mr Reilly, Dawson Reilly?" Mulder asked reaching for his badge.

"Yes. That's me. Who else would be I my office on a Sunday?" he replied with a snort.

"I'm Special Agent Fox Mulder, this is my partner, Special Agent Dana Scully."

"Thank you for agreeing to meet with us sir," Scully offered "But we would have been happy to meet you at your home."

"My house? On a Sunday?" Dawson shook his head laughing, "No thank you."

                Exchanging glances Mulder and Scully sat down opposite Dawson.  Mulder took out a small black notebook from his pocket.  Searching for a pen he took the one that Scully offered and began the questions.

"Did you know Liam Maguire before the abduction?" he asked ignoring Scully's frown at his terminology.

"I knew the family.  We are a small community, Mr Mulder, not much happens with out everyone knowing."

"I understand that Liam sat equivalency test before starting here.  Could we see them?"

Dawson rolled away from the desk and over to a large filing cabinet behind him. 

"He scored an above average result…Ah here we go." He pulled a thin file from the drawer and handed it to Scully. 

"What classes has he enrolled in?" Mulder asked leaning in closer to Scully to see the file.

"English Lit, History, Physics, Music and Tech Drawing.  In this school we have made Mathematics, Art and Phys. Ed mandatory.  He takes all of those classes as well."

"How does he perform athletically?" Scully asked speaking up for the first time.

"Extraordinarily.  Mr Roberts says he would be fit for any sport he wished and well able for it but Liam refuses to try out." 

                Dawson sipped the glass of water that rested on his table.  Looking from one agent to the other he took a deep breath.

"I dunno what you think you are gonna find but it ain't here.  Liam is a good kid.  He works hard and I've had nothing but good reports about him."  Dawson blurted out his hostile tone making them look up intently.  "I just think that the good Lord saw fit to heal this boy and return him to our flock and now all I see is you coming to take him away for tests."  Dawson Reilly's face reddened as his anger diluted his voice. 

"We don't want to take him away, sir, we just want to know what's happened.  We want to find out why Liam went missing only to return fully healed as you out it," Scully said her voice soft as she tried to calm him down.

"Mr Reilly," Mulder began, "We are here to find answers, answers to where Liam has been, what happened to him, why he no longer seems to show signs of autism…these are questions that need answering."

"I understand the strain on you community, but without answers the matter can never be put to rest." 

                Dawson stayed silent and stared back at them.  Glancing between the two he let out a heavy breath and relaxed his shoulders.  "I am sorry for my outburst, I just don't want to see the family hurt any more." He said wiping his forehead with a hanky.

"No problem," Mulder said standing and shaking his hand, "We'll be on our way.  Thank you for all your help."

                Holding the door open for Scully, Mulder followed her out to the car.  Dawson watched them leave from his office window.  As they pulled out of the car park Dawson picked up the phone and dialled a number he knew well.

"Hello?,,, yes, it's Dawson.  They just left…I dunno where they are going…what? No, they've been destroyed, I gave them the new ones… yes sir" Slowly he hung up the phone a leaned back in his chair.  He reached into the top drawer of his desk and pulled out the gun.  The metal felt cold and hot against his quivering lips.  His tears flew freely onto his cheeks but the only sound came from the gun as he pulled the trigger and his body hit the floor.

* * *

"I still think we should go see the sheriff" Scully said aloud knowing that Mulder would persist.

"Aren't you curious?" Mulder looked directly at her, his eyes switching between her lips and her eyes.  Loving they way her lips parted slightly as she thought of her comeback he watched.

"Of course I'm curious but I want to do it right. Turning up to someone's house unannounced on a Sunday isn't the right way to do it."

"Well Scully where is your sense of adventure?" he said smiling warmly at her.

"I think I left it back in DC." She said softly looking down to her lap.

                As if noting her weariness for the first time Mulder stopped smiling. "Hey," he placed an unsure hand on her chin and made her face him. "You okay?"

"Yeah, I'm fine.  I just haven't been sleeping"

"I can take care of this if you want to go back to the motel…" Mulder offered regretting the words even before the came out but unable to stop them.

                Scully frowned and shook his hand away.  Pushing her hair behind her ear she climbed out of the car. And reached for the briefcase from the backseat.

"Right now, I'd like nothing more than to leave you out here to walk the 15miles back to the motel but I'd only have to hear about it later on.  And I don' think Skinner would look kindly upon my actions." 

                She marched forward towards the house and Mulder jogged to catch her before she reached the door,  "Sorry Dana, I just thought-"

"No Fox, you didn't, leave it. I'm fine."

                The house was small and seemed to be empty.  No replies came to their knocks or calls.  Testing the door Mulder found it to be open.  With a quick glance to check how deep Scully was frowning he entered softly.  To his left he found a large dining room, the table set for six people.

"Looks like we're having company over." Mulder quipped desperately trying to ease the tension.

"How do you know?"

"Liam Maguire lives with his parents, Robert and Louisa, and his sister Sarah.  That makes four."

                Noting the amount of religious paintings and crafts Scully was drawn to t a large figure of Jesus that stood over the fireplace.  He stood almost 4 feet long with his arm opened in that well known welcoming gesture.  It was all plain white except for the eyes, which were painted green.  At the base of the figure a plate was screwed on.  Running her fingers over the writing Scully read "L.M March 1st 1998"

"Hey Mulder, Look at this"

                Mulder who had been walking through the kitchen came back and stood behind her.

"Jesus."

"Yeah I know it is Jesus, but look at the writing."

"L.M. 1998"

"Liam Maguire.  1998.  Wasn't he reported missing in 1998?"

"Then how could he have made it?"

"But they are his initials."

"It could be a shrine for him." Mulder said.

"If he made this then there was no kidnapping…no abduction" Scully replied, angry at his dismissal.

                Mulder said nothing.  Looking closer at all the paintings and figures he saw that they were all dated during the period of Liam's disappearance.  But before he could point it out to Scully he heard the door opening behind him.  Turning sharply his hand falling to his gun automatically he saw the family of Maguires watching them.

"I believe you are the FBI agents."  The father stood tall almost a full foot over Mulder.  The suit he wore was heavy and seemed unnatural to him.  Behind him a smaller woman stood, sporting a dress that had seen many Sundays and patches.  Each one of her arms went protectively over her children's shoulders.  A son whose height matched hers and hadn't quite grown in to his father's suits and a young girl who Scully guessed couldn't have been older than six.

"Yes Sir. I am Special Agent Fox Mulder and this is my partner Special Agent Dana Scully."  They both showed their badges but Robert Maguire didn't even glance at them. 

"You know who I am.   This is my wife Louisa, my daughter Sarah and this…" He placed his hands on his son's shoulders and propelled him forward towards the agents. "This is Liam," he said showing him off like a prize.

"Hello Liam, my name is Dana Scully.  My partner and myself would like to talk to you if that's okay with you."

"Yes Ma'am."  His voice was flat and unsure.  His eyes darted between them and finally settled on Scully's.

"Would you like to talk here?" she asked gesturing round the room.

"We can stay with you son," his father said "if you like" he added almost anxiously.

                Not missing the tone Mulder glanced at Scully who also heard it.

"No father. I'd rather go alone. We can go to my room." He said his eyes never leaving Scully's face.  He led the way up to his room where he sat on the end of the bed.  The room was bare.  A bed sat in the corner with an overflowing bookshelf beside it.  The walls were painted a soft cream and held only a crucifix that hung over the bed.  Scully stood in front of Liam as Mulder browsed through the titles of books. 

"There are some lovely artefacts down stairs.  Your family must have a strong faith."

"It's one of the things we share."

"I've always found great comfort in it" she said fingering the chain that rested round her neck.  He made no reply and she decided to change the topic.  "How's school?"

"Don't you already know?"

"I've seen your grades but I meant how do you like it?"

"It's fine." His voice was even and he stared at nothing.

"Do you remember much about Jackson Memorial?"

                As the words came out Liam's eyes connected with hers.  He stared at her, fury bubbling beneath their cool green surface.  Scully took a step back from their intensity and placed a hand over her gold chain.  Noting the tension Mulder came closer to Scully and placed a hand on her lower back.

"Scully? You okay?"

                Liam continued to stare, his eyes unmoving he stood away from the bed, closer to Scully.  She watched, unable to look away she put her hand onto her gun and undid it from its holster.

"Scully? Dana..." Mulder shook her softly and covered her hand with his own.

                At that moment Liam looked away and walked towards the door.  "I'm Hungry." He left the room.

Scully shook her head and rubbed her eyes.  Looking round the room she saw Mulder watching her closely, a strange expression on his face.

"Are you okay?" he asked her, still holding her he kept his arm round her back.

"Yeah…I'm fine…I just…"

"Let's get out of here." She nodded at his suggestion and allowed him to lead her back to the car.  He jumped into the drivers seat and pulled away from the house.

"It was like you were hypnotised." He said watching the surprise on her face get covered with confusion.  "You went for your gun," he added softly, almost as if he didn't want to tell her.

"I did?"  She watched out the window, softly fingering her chain.

"I don't know what you were gonna shoot, but after our little tété á tété I didn't want to find out!" he smiled weakly.

"I'm tired," she said to no-one.

"We'll be back at the motel in no time."

                She smiled over at him, wishing she could say, wishing she could tell him the immense feeling of power she felt by looking at Liam's eyes.  She was going for her gun but not to shoot Mulder, maybe to finally be able to rest, finally being able to let go, to be free…