Part 23
Friday 2/17
Its about 10 AM the next morning when Scully wakes up on her mother's sofa. She sits up and stretches. She smells bacon and eggs cooking and is surprised to see her brother Bill walk out of the kitchen. "Hey there Sis. How come it always takes a tragedy to see you?" He sits down on the couch and gives Scully a peck on the cheek.
"Where is Tara", asks Scully.
"She's changing Matthew. I swear that kid goes through a gross of diapers a week. I think I'm going to need a second job just to pay for them. Its all worth it though." He laughs to himself.
"You're lucky you have him", says Scully looking at her lap.
"So whats this that Mom tells me? Mulder is missing? Are you sure he just hasn't gone out on one of his wild trips in pursuit of the truth without telling you?"
"Yes, he has been kidnapped", says Scully tearing up again.
"Well maybe its good you get away from that loser for a while anyway. He seems to have a power over you that I don't like", says Bill giving Scully a disgusted look.
Scully stands up suddenly. "Bill, I've wanted to tell you this since the first time you met Mulder. Shut up! You don't know him like I do. He is one of the most sincere and gentle people I know. Sure, he talks about aliens and conspiracies, but the more I experience and the more I learn from him I wonder if maybe everything he talks about is the truth!" She runs upstairs to her old bedroom and slams the door.
"What did you say to her?", asks Maggie coming into the room with an apron on. Tara follows behind her and then drops off to go upstairs.
"Oh, she is all upset over that Mulder guy. I don't trust him. He's probably off fighting some imaginary monster or something. Either that or he's run off with that girl Scully talked about - whats her name? Jade Afterglow or something?"
"Bill?", says Maggie.
"What?"
"Shut up. Dana loves Fox and you will have to accept it. He is a good man underneath all of his little quirks. Your sister's happiness is the most important thing that you need to concentrate on right now. Between the career change, the stress of her job, the abduction, the cancer, finding out she can't have children she is lucky she hasn't had a mental breakdown. Worse yet all of the times Fox has been missing or presumed dead she has had to have answers for everything that he has done. This time he may really be dead and it could be the breaking point for her. You will accept him understand?"
"I'll try Mom. If he comes back.", sneers Bill.
Meanwhile upstairs Tara has knocked on Scully's door. "Dana, its Tara can I come in?" She hears a soft 'Yes'. She finds Scully lying across the bed on her stomach. "I know how you feel, but you can't dwell on it. We are all here to support you." Scully turns and gives Tara a look. "Yes, even Bill. He may not adore Mulder, but we all know what a big part he plays in your life. We all consider him family and we are all praying that he will be returned to you safely. I know you don't probably feel up to it, but Mom tells me that you and Mulder chaired a special ball for Saturday. I think you should still go since you both worked so hard on it. I wondered if you would let me take you shopping to pick up a new gown for it. Mulder wouldn't want to see you unhappy Dana. Come downstairs and afterwards we'll go to the mall and see what they've got."
Scully bites her lip and nods as Tara wraps her arm around her.
*****************
In a cellar somewhere in DC Mulder lies tied up. He estimates that its Friday, but he is not quite sure. His estimation comes from watching the sunrises and sunsets from a small window. He knows that CSM is behind this, but he can do little as the knots are so tight. His gun has been taken from him and his limbs have all fallen asleep. He wonders what demands have been made and hopes Scully doesn't do anything stupid in her pursuit to protect him. If he survives this one he knows there is something that he has to finally do.
Just then the door to the cellar opens. Krycek comes downstairs. "How are you doing down here", he asks as he approaches with a dipper of water. Mulder drinks the water offered him.
"The service is terrible. I ordered a filet mignon an hour ago and it hasn't arrived" jokes Mulder. His body may not work but his mind is still sharp despite the searing pain on the left side of his forehead.
"I just wanted to tell you that our demands were met. Your pretty little partner supplied us with just what we wanted. The translation to your harddrive. You thought you were pretty smart incripting everything didn't you. Well we've got it open right now and let me tell you Agent Mulder we're really impressed with the progress you've made during the last ten years. Its too bad that we couldn't work out a little deal and you could come to work with us. But then we're not so attractive are we?" He gives a wink to Mulder.
"Go to hell", says Mulder from the floor.
"Yeah, I'll probably be going there someday", says Krycek heading for the stairs. "Fear not, you've only got about twenty-four more hours. Twenty-four more hours until you get out of here or twenty-four hours before you die?" Krycek raises his eyebrows and goes upstairs.
Mulder closes his eyes and drifts off to sleep.
Friday 2/17
Its about 10 AM the next morning when Scully wakes up on her mother's sofa. She sits up and stretches. She smells bacon and eggs cooking and is surprised to see her brother Bill walk out of the kitchen. "Hey there Sis. How come it always takes a tragedy to see you?" He sits down on the couch and gives Scully a peck on the cheek.
"Where is Tara", asks Scully.
"She's changing Matthew. I swear that kid goes through a gross of diapers a week. I think I'm going to need a second job just to pay for them. Its all worth it though." He laughs to himself.
"You're lucky you have him", says Scully looking at her lap.
"So whats this that Mom tells me? Mulder is missing? Are you sure he just hasn't gone out on one of his wild trips in pursuit of the truth without telling you?"
"Yes, he has been kidnapped", says Scully tearing up again.
"Well maybe its good you get away from that loser for a while anyway. He seems to have a power over you that I don't like", says Bill giving Scully a disgusted look.
Scully stands up suddenly. "Bill, I've wanted to tell you this since the first time you met Mulder. Shut up! You don't know him like I do. He is one of the most sincere and gentle people I know. Sure, he talks about aliens and conspiracies, but the more I experience and the more I learn from him I wonder if maybe everything he talks about is the truth!" She runs upstairs to her old bedroom and slams the door.
"What did you say to her?", asks Maggie coming into the room with an apron on. Tara follows behind her and then drops off to go upstairs.
"Oh, she is all upset over that Mulder guy. I don't trust him. He's probably off fighting some imaginary monster or something. Either that or he's run off with that girl Scully talked about - whats her name? Jade Afterglow or something?"
"Bill?", says Maggie.
"What?"
"Shut up. Dana loves Fox and you will have to accept it. He is a good man underneath all of his little quirks. Your sister's happiness is the most important thing that you need to concentrate on right now. Between the career change, the stress of her job, the abduction, the cancer, finding out she can't have children she is lucky she hasn't had a mental breakdown. Worse yet all of the times Fox has been missing or presumed dead she has had to have answers for everything that he has done. This time he may really be dead and it could be the breaking point for her. You will accept him understand?"
"I'll try Mom. If he comes back.", sneers Bill.
Meanwhile upstairs Tara has knocked on Scully's door. "Dana, its Tara can I come in?" She hears a soft 'Yes'. She finds Scully lying across the bed on her stomach. "I know how you feel, but you can't dwell on it. We are all here to support you." Scully turns and gives Tara a look. "Yes, even Bill. He may not adore Mulder, but we all know what a big part he plays in your life. We all consider him family and we are all praying that he will be returned to you safely. I know you don't probably feel up to it, but Mom tells me that you and Mulder chaired a special ball for Saturday. I think you should still go since you both worked so hard on it. I wondered if you would let me take you shopping to pick up a new gown for it. Mulder wouldn't want to see you unhappy Dana. Come downstairs and afterwards we'll go to the mall and see what they've got."
Scully bites her lip and nods as Tara wraps her arm around her.
*****************
In a cellar somewhere in DC Mulder lies tied up. He estimates that its Friday, but he is not quite sure. His estimation comes from watching the sunrises and sunsets from a small window. He knows that CSM is behind this, but he can do little as the knots are so tight. His gun has been taken from him and his limbs have all fallen asleep. He wonders what demands have been made and hopes Scully doesn't do anything stupid in her pursuit to protect him. If he survives this one he knows there is something that he has to finally do.
Just then the door to the cellar opens. Krycek comes downstairs. "How are you doing down here", he asks as he approaches with a dipper of water. Mulder drinks the water offered him.
"The service is terrible. I ordered a filet mignon an hour ago and it hasn't arrived" jokes Mulder. His body may not work but his mind is still sharp despite the searing pain on the left side of his forehead.
"I just wanted to tell you that our demands were met. Your pretty little partner supplied us with just what we wanted. The translation to your harddrive. You thought you were pretty smart incripting everything didn't you. Well we've got it open right now and let me tell you Agent Mulder we're really impressed with the progress you've made during the last ten years. Its too bad that we couldn't work out a little deal and you could come to work with us. But then we're not so attractive are we?" He gives a wink to Mulder.
"Go to hell", says Mulder from the floor.
"Yeah, I'll probably be going there someday", says Krycek heading for the stairs. "Fear not, you've only got about twenty-four more hours. Twenty-four more hours until you get out of here or twenty-four hours before you die?" Krycek raises his eyebrows and goes upstairs.
Mulder closes his eyes and drifts off to sleep.