38.

Washington DC

5pm

Scully had changed out of the suit and into a black summer dress and strappy sandals. The heat was unbearable considering hours before she had been wearing thick clothes. Mulder had watched her for some time, not sure how to react, as she did with him. How did you explain why you couldn't answer the marriage proposal until the next day? Samantha had begged them to go into the sunshine again, which, reluctantly they had. Scully was trying to explain but Mulder wasn't grasping the information too well. Neither had she at first but he needed to know. At that moment she couldn't think of anything better than marrying him but tomorrow her feelings could be nothing more than friendship.

"I don't get it, Dana, explain it to me, slowly."

"The chip in my neck was added to, right. It effects my emotions."


"That part I get."

"It alters how I feel about you."

"So?"


"Apparently it is broken."

"And what does that mean?"

"I'm on love with you. I'm not supposed to be able to love you. The chip controls that."

"So, its broken and you love me? If it were ok you wouldn't?"

"Yes."

"What happens to us when it's taken out?"

"I hoped that I still feel the same as I do now."

"What if you don't?"

"You HAVE to make me, Fox. Promise me that you'll make me love you again. I couldn't bear it."

"Hey, calm down. I promise, ok?"

"You swear?"

"Yes. You know I do, frequently!"

"Fox… please. Its important to me that you do this."

"Dana, hon. you know I will do anything you ask. I love you."

"And I love you. I just wish it could mean more. Right now it could be a lie."

"Right now, you love me, and come tomorrow you will be feeling the same and unfortunately for you… you'll feel the same for the rest of your life!" he smiled at her and she grinned hoping he was right.

6.30pm

Samantha was still eyeing her Mom with suspicion. Scully wondered why. Perhaps it had been the length of time spent away from each other. Or the fact she had grown close to her Father in recent months. Scully couldn't place it. The talk of the chip had unnerved her little girl, Scully surmised but it wasn't just that. There was something else. Something Samantha wasn't telling them.

"Mommy. Get it out of you." Samantha said as Scully crossed the living room towards the kitchen.

"Samantha. The chip is coming out tomorrow. Now please lets not mention another word about it, ok?" Samantha walked over to her Mom defiantly. Samantha  felt compelled to do so as if her world depended upon it.

"Not the chip Mommy. What in there!" Samantha's hands pressed hard against Scully's belly. Suddenly blue electricity-looking lines fizzled across Samantha's hands and around Scully's abdomen. Both screamed. Mulder looked up from his seat at the table to see Scully falling to the floor and Samantha apparently conducting some kind of electrical light at her Mom's belly.

"What the…" he said "Samantha, stop it." he strode across the room to try and break up the situation.

"Daddy, I can't!" the blue fizzled harder form Samantha's hands. Mulder tried to break the contact but got shocked in the process. He didn't know what to do. There was a humming noise which increased with every move Scully made.

Samantha was in tears at hurting her Mother, Scully was screaming in agony holding her belly. She couldn't move from the floor every time she tried to get up the light increased its intensity forcing her back down against the ground.

"Help me!" Samantha called.

From nowhere a buzzing sound was heard behind Mulder. He turned around. William was seated cross-legged in a chair his palms raised towards Scully. Green electricity lights flickering across his palms and began shooting at Scully who continued to cry with the agony. William's face creased with concentration, as was Samantha's although her face was covered damp from crying.

"GOD!" Scully cried the pain etched across her voice. It felt like hot knives cutting to the centre of her body. She looked up and saw William.

"William?" he nodded before her head lolled back, with more pain, Samantha and William exchanged glances.

"Samantha, do what you have to do." He said softly "You have to. It'll save your Mom." She nodded. Mulder couldn't believe his eyes. That was his son! Their son was shooting green lights at Scully and causing the utmost pain ever. He was helpless to do anything. Every time he went near Scully or Samantha the lights shocked him and scorched him.

"Power of three!" Samantha said watching in horror as purple light began to fizz across Scully's hands. Scully raised her hands confused by what was going on. The light was passing from her belly to her hands and back again. She couldn't believe or understand what was happening. She didn't want to. All she knew was that it hurt like the flames of hell licking at her delicate skin. It was then she felt the growing warmth between her legs, the sticky oozing of something coming from within. It felt like she was giving birth only much worse. It was like she was being forced to expel something from within her body.

"Oh GOD!" she moaned. Mulder looked on unable to do anything. Those electrical things wouldn't let him near Scully. "What's happening to me?"

"I don't know. I just don't know!" Mulder said as he heard the squelching, above the increasing noise of the lights, of something and saw the blood ooze onto the carpet. Not ordinary blood but thick, dark gunge of the deepest red that looked almost black. Mulder watched both fascinated and horrified as a little creature emerged from beneath Scully's dress.  It stood up on its legs and seeing Samantha it screamed the most high-pitched, ear-splitting scream Mulder had ever heard. Scully looked up and saw it.

"A clone?" she questioned not quite understanding what was happening.

Her palms were forced outwards so the flow of light was directed at the creature. Suddenly the three colours wound around the clone. The colours squeezed it tightly in a whirlwind effect. It screamed as if on fire. All of a sudden a bang was heard and it was gone. The bright electrical colours and William, too, had disappeared as if a dream had occurred. There was nothing on the carpet. No stain. Scully finally sat up, catching her breath, and Samantha rushed into her arms. Both were silent. Mulder and Scully exchanged worried glances.

Nuzzling her daughter's neck Scully lifted them both up off the floor and on wobbling legs she took Samantha upstairs. Her children had just saved her from that thing that had been growing within her. She wasn't sure how or why it had been inside of her but she felt that somewhere she would find an answer. Shaking her head she reassured Samantha that she was ok and not in pain anymore. The truth was she hadn't felt this well since before her abduction. She couldn't deal with what had happened right now. She had to take her daughter to bed and then discuss the next day's events with Mulder. 'Priorities', she thought, 'Priorities. Samantha, Mulder, the chip then this….'