32.

Scully looked up at the clock, it was 00.09am and she was still wide-awake developing her genetic mutation of the clones. No one would realise until it was too late. Revenge was sweet. They had taken her, taken her ova and now she was getting her own back against those that had plotted to destroy all of her chances of happiness. Scully smiled evilly at her plan.

She was creating the perfect clone, a clone that would die should it breathe in oxygen.

The lab was abandoned apart from her and the buzzing of the laptop. She enjoyed the quietness of it. There were no interruptions from questions and explanations. She could concentrate and work hard on her little sideline project. Scully stopped typing and found the clone cells that were in the lab fridge. Putting on her breathing apparatus she began her work.

The Zigoran's had all donated a pint of blood each, 9768 pints of blood to be exact. It was more than enough to get the experiments under way. Scully mixed one clone straight away with the blood but the other she injected her 'revenge' tactic into the cell before implanting the DNA. Gently she placed the fertile cell into the blood and watched it grow.

Perfect' she smiled as it began multiplying at the expected rate. In a moment it was the same size as its sibling only it contained the genes to stop invasion from future generations. They would find out when it was too late.

"I hate to do this little one…" Scully said scooping it, with her gloved hand, from the blood. As she did so it tried to breathe in the air within the room but gagged and began struggling as it became starved of breath. Scully watched it, a tear in her eye, as it began to die upon her hand leaving nothing but a dead body. She had the result she had expected but it was never the less sad. She felt awful. Destroying something she had created. Scully placed it back in the blood and watched to see if anything happened. Nothing. The body floated in the blood.

"Sorry. Please forgive me… Rest in Peace." She said softly before returning to her workbench.

Collecting all of the cells Scully began injecting them with the genetic manipulation drug. It was a painstaking process and took until 2.30am, but it was worth it. Scully put the cells into the fridge then headed to her room to sleep. Then she would wake in an hour and a half to watch Mulder's verdict. Closing her eyes as she hit the pillow Scully faded into a deep, peaceful sleep with a smile dancing merrily upon her lips.

Washington DC Criminal Courthouse, courtroom B.

10am

Mulder was nervously stood at the table Samantha at his side, beside her sat Skinner. Doggett, Reyes and Scully's Mom were seated behind him. Bill had made an appearance earlier that week to show Mulder's flaws to the world making sure that he was considered 'unstable' and 'incapable' of caring for his own child. He'd just about coped. Scully would have kicked Bill's butt for what he was trying to do. She probably would when she returned home. WHEN she came home? When would that be? He still wondered if she was all right and if she was being tested. He could envisage the torture she could be going through. Not for a milli-second would he consider that she might be testing clones.

Scully was watching the scene on the TV. It was 'live' she couldn't believe that she was wide-awake after just an hour and half's sleep. She studied Mulder's face and how Samantha was holding his hand for support. She had grown and Scully felt the pang in her heart at having missed the growth spurt from her child.

"I love you so much, Mulder, I hope you know that." She said tenderly as she watched him silently taking stock of the situation.

He turned around stunned as if he had heard something or someone. Then he looked at Samantha who whispered something into his ear. He nodded and kissed her on the head just as he would have Scully. A solitary tear ran down Scully's cheek as she observed the naturalness of Mulder's action. She saw on the desk the black book that was distinctly marked with a silver '6' Scully took a deep swallow. He had her journals. He must have read them all if he had '6' on the desk. She hoped he hadn't read it through yet. She'd been really angry with him in it, especially towards the anniversary of his leaving her.

As she watched she felt the pain cross her stomach again. It hadn't ever really disappeared but it seemed worse right now. Scully placed her hand upon her stomach and rubbed the pain in an attempt to relieve her suffering, it wasn't working. The fear of losing Mulder seemed to be affecting her 'condition' and it grew as the judge turned to the jury for their verdict.

"We, the jury, find the defendant Mr Fox Mulder guilty for the charge of manslaughter and also guilty for trespassing upon Government property. We also find him guilty of absconding from custody."

"Thank you." Judge Reynolds said before starting to work out her punishment. "We break for an hours recess to allow for my deliberation upon this case. Guards take Mr Mulder downstairs." This meant a glorified prison cell but he knew why… they didn't want him to escape again!

"Daddy?? Where are they taking my Daddy?" Samantha cried as she tried to run to her Father but was prevented by Skinner's arms around her tiny frame. Scully's tears broke free as she heard Samantha's words. "Don't take my Daddy from me… I need my Daddy. I want my Daddy. Please?? You can't take him. DADDY!!!!!"

Samantha's cries echoed through the court and no matter what Maggie Scully tried nothing was working. These tears were the product of having no Mother or Father around and there was nothing she could do.

"Sammie, baby, Daddy will be there in a hour. Calm down, baby, you are breaking Mommy's heart." Scully said to the TV her own tears choking her. Samantha's head jerked away from her Grandmother as if hearing Scully's words she looked around.

"Mommy?" she said softly.

"No sweetie" Maggie said, "Nanna is here."

"I heard Mommy. Where is she?"

"She isn't here. We don't know where she is sweetie."

"I heard her though." Maggie just hugged her grand daughter. She couldn't think what to say to her grandchild.

"Nanna will look after you, baby, Mommy loves you." Scully said making Samantha look around again but say nothing to her grandmother. "Mommy is watching you on TV. I love you baby. Remember that, ok?" she saw Samantha nod her head and hug her Grandmother back. The tears were gone but it didn't mean her trauma was over just yet.

Rising from her bed Scully went to find something to eat from the breakfast room. It was more like a gigantic hall littered with numerous tables. One or two Zigoran's were there already. Breakfast followed a canteen ritual of joining a queue with a tray. Scully picked hers up and slid it along the rails. Cooked breakfast was the menu for the morning unless you wanted cereal, which she didn't. It consisted of eggs, bacon, sausage, etc. It was a completely cooked but amazingly grilled selection for everyone to choose from. Taking her tray with her Scully headed back to her room where she could eat and watch the trial in peace. Another trial was being shown in the break. Much to her disapproval but then it wasn't what everyone wanted to see, was it, some poor child being consoled for an hour.