Title: Remember When?: Perfect
Author: Jen Zoromski
All other information is in first chapter
Author's Note: Sorry it has taken so long!!!! I've been very busy. Thanks so much for all of the feedback and the continued support. You guys are awesome. Well here's more to the story.
Enjoy!
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October 12, 2002
1:07 a.m.
Somewhere in Virginia
Looking at the wooded area off a gravel road in a the middle of Virginia no one would have ever expected humanity might begin and end in this very area. No government buildings in sight, only a simple four walled shack bearing the entrance to an underground facility.
The SUV creeps slowly along the under-paved road with the headlights off. Mulder, Scully, John, and Monica all hold their breathes, waiting. At first nothing is visible in the dark night. No stars. No moon. No light.
"It's too quiet," Mulder whispers looking over at Scully and taking her hand into his.
She smiles at him weakly.
"You okay?"
"I'm fine," Scully whispers rubbing his hand gently and giving him a bigger smile.
Mulder nods and looks ahead, apprehensively out at the darkness. Nothing.
"What are we waiting for?" Doggett questions from the back seat.
"A sign."
"A sign?"
Mulder smirks, "Doggett do you really think that I'd let everything rely on a sign?"
Doggett shakes his head with a smile on his face, "Didn't think you'd stoop that low."
"At least not yet," Scully finishes smirking at Mulder.
"Actually we have two ways to go."
"But Mulder, we didn't come to a fork in the road," Scully replies.
"Figuratively we didn't, but literally we have. If we go to that bunker and it's the wrong one or the wrong place then they are going to know what we're up to and they'll stop it."
Everyone is quiet in the SUV. Just the four adults. Four people who are going to change the course of history and of humankind. William is in the protective care of Skinner and Amy, far away from the confrontation that they are about to face. Far away from the sacrifice they might have to make.
"Mulder, I don't think that we have a choice," Scully replies softly.
"I don't want to put your life in danger, Scully. I don't want to lose you."
"You won't."
"Everything is at stake," Monica pipes up.
"Its either this or the end of humanity."
At that moment the clouds in the starless sky moved aside for a brief second showing the twinkling stars at the beauty of the night.
"Mulder, I know you're paranoid, we all are, but this feels right and we have to do this."
"Are you sure, Scully?"
"I want our children to be able to grow up, to see the world, and to live a long happy life. I want us to grow old together and to die of old age and not from some mutant virus from aliens trying to take over the world."
"Scully, have I told you how much I love you?" Mulder asks laughing at what she just said.
"I'm serious, Mulder."
"I know, so am I."
"All right then lets go."
A silent agreement is made between the two couples and they all get out of the car, walking towards the shack in the middle of the field. Walking towards a destination where life will be saved or everything will be lost.
Mulder takes Scully's hand, holding on tight and not letting go. So many emotions could be felt between these two. The tension between all four is immeasurable as they know its either now or never.
Doggett reaches the door first and slowly puts his hand on the old brass knob, looking back at the other three for any eager signs to leave. There are none. He opens the door and they find themselves in a small entryway with a stairwell leading into a dark basement.
"Ready?" Doggett asks.
They nod and he heads down the stairs with the three following him. At the bottom of the dark stairwell a red light is anchored to the wall next to a large iron door.
"Nobody home?" Mulder quips.
Doggett tries the door. It opens, creaking at the hinges. They all take a deep breath in -- not wanting their appearance to be known -- not yet at least.
They hurry inside and close the door behind them. A low lit hallway is in front of them with two tunnels going opposite directions.
"Well here's your fork in the road, Scully," Mulder whispers, trying to remain calm.
"Which way do we go?" Monica inquires.
"Right." "Left."
Mulder and Scully say in unison -- laughing at the prospect.
"I say we go right," Mulder tells her.
"I think we should go left," Scully counters.
"How many times have I been wrong, Scully?" Mulder inquires.
She arcs her eyebrow and gives him the 'Scully look' which she has been giving him for nine years. Instinctively, she places her hand on her expanded stomach, "This one time I think I'm right."
"All right we go left then."
They head down the corridor. Everything is quiet. The only sound is the steady dripping from water in the pipes above their heads. It is nothing what they thought it would be. No posh living quarters, and still no military guard or any kind of personal.
Lights are hooked onto the walls -- giving off a minimum amount of light. Ahead of them it seems to get brighter and there is another door with words "RESTRICTED AREA, TURN BACK NOW."
Mulder tries the doorknob.
"Locked," he mutters.
"Now what do we do?"
Doggett pulls out a lock-picker and hands it over to Mulder.
"John, how'd you know?" Mulder asks playfully.
"Just thought it'd be your thing to do."
Mulder starts to pick the lock -- nothing. It's not working.
"Damn," he mutters again.
Loud footsteps echo on the other side of the door. Everyone scatters behind the door and out of sight as the door opens abruptly.
It's dark in the hallway, but looking closely the large black man opening the door is very familiar to them all.
"Who's out there?" he whispers.
Nothing.
He opens the door further and looks around. His gaze stops on the corner where all four of the adults are huddled up -- trying to hide.
"Agent Mulder? Is that you?" Kirsch asks fiercely.
Mulder moves into the light, giving Kirsch a huge grin. "I bet you didn't expect to see us again."
"You must come inside now," Kirsch tells them, "or you may never get in here."
"What are you talking about?"
"The alarm's been activated. They know there are intruders."
"Where are they?" Mulder asks.
"We'll discuss it later. You need to get in here NOW!"
The couples obey following Kirsch into another darkened hallway. The hallway winds in front of them and then it comes to another door. Opening the door the couples are met with light and a huge medical facility in front of them.
"Welcome to the CDC's underground medical facility."
"You were involved with all of this too?" Mulder inquires, looking at him skeptically.
"Why do you think that both Skinner and I had so much interest in the X-Files -- your work is what this division has been trying to find for years."
"So our work actually mattered?" Mulder questions.
"Believe it or not, Agent Mulder, a lot of people kept an eye on your work."
All is silent as they head deeper into the facility.
"Question for you, sir," Doggett starts.
"What?"
"The enemy is right next door aren't they?"
"Yes," Kirsch says.
"Why, sir?"
"Because you need to keep you friends close and your enemies even closer."
"Is everything set to make the vaccine?" Scully asks.
"It is. All we need is the DNA from the amniotic fluid. We have the best doctors on hand to do the procedure. Let me show you where you will be sleeping, the first thing in the morning we'll do the procedure."
2:16 a.m.
Scully lays in Mulder's arms, having a hard time falling asleep. She shifts, turning to look at his apparent sleeping form. He shifts, too, laying his hand protectively over her abdomen.
Mulder opens his eyes with a small smile on his face, "Hey."
"Hey," Scully whispers.
"Can't sleep?"
"I'm worried."
"I know."
There is silence for a long time. Mulder caresses her cheek, tracing the lines of her lips and then leaning in to kiss her.
"Are we doing the right thing, Mulder?"
"The vaccine?"
"No, giving our children up," Scully whispers biting back tears.
"I hope so," Mulder replies pulling her closer to him.
"I've already given William up once before, I don't know if I have the strength to do it again."
"It's for their safety."
Scully's quiet for a long time, "I don't want to look back at my life and regret not having the chance to raise our children."
Mulder pulls her closer to him, both starting to cry openly at the prospect of their lives in front of them.
"John and Monica are good people and they'll keep Will and the baby safe. We don't have that guarantee."
"I know."
"I'm sorry, Scully. Sorry that I put you in this situation after nine years. Some days I wonder what it would be like to just be any other normal sap who thinks that 2012 is just another year on the calendar, and not the prospective end of mankind."
"But you're not, we're not," Scully pauses placing her hands onto his face, "I don't regret anything we've done. I'd rather know and have the opportunity to change the future and be with you."
"I love you, Scully."
"I love you too."
Mulder kisses her again, pulling her into his body and holding on tight. They are in their own perfect world for now. Nothing can touch them or harm them. Not now. They are safe in one another's arms. And for once in a long time they drift off to sleep dreaming of the future and the hope.
TBC
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More to come! Please R&R
Thanks
~Jen
