Chapter 1
The crisp night air was cooling against their flushed faces. They ran swiftly in-between trees, dodging roots and vines. The only sound was their footsteps and heavy breathing which seemed to cut through the silence. It was as if the woods themselves told the intruders they were not welcome.
William ran with ease, falling back from the group to make sure everyone made it. He watched his father's long legs move as if he wasn't working at all, and his mother's short legs working twice as hard. His gaze shifted to Leslie, who ran alongside Trent. Her long brown locks streamed behind her and cool wisps of air puffed from her mouth in time with her steady breaths. He felt a twang of guilt for leaving her.
The guilt was quickly shoved away when his mind suddenly tuned in on several voices. His mind swirled in sync with three or four other minds. He could hear their plans. He knew they were near and they were looking for them.
"Stop! Everyone Stop!" William hissed.
Everyone slowed and turned their heads to him in alarm. He motioned with his arm to come closer.
"They are coming, they are close. Hide and clear your minds. Think of the woods if you must think at all." he told them.
They all scattered, their eyes quickly snagging the best hiding area. Mulder led Scully to a thick patch of bushes. Scully winced as the branches scraped at her face and arms as they dove down.
Leslie and Trent took cover behind a large rock which was under the roots of an ancient tree. William and the two protectors laid flat in the overgrown weeds and grass across from the bushes Mulder and Scully hid in.
Every sound that nature made was magnified by their fear. William heard them approach nearer and nearer. He cleared his mind as he had taught himself to do long ago. He could make out four figures standing close to each other, guns propped in their ready hands. They stood for a long time, sensing the minds of the others.
William pulled the stiletto he had tucked into his boot and he crawled behind the four Kinliens. Mulder tensed as he saw his son stand slowly behind them. William lunged at the closest and shoved the sharp metal into the back of his neck. The Kinlien fell to the ground, green ooze bubbling out of the wound. The other three spun around and faced their King. William used all of his energy and slammed two of them into a large rock with his mind. The one he didn't throw, he lunged at, stabbing the metal into his neck.
Mulder's eyes grew large with wonder as he watched his son move with such precision and confidence.
Soon there were four bubbling bodies littering the path. William wiped the sweat from his brow and retracted the stiletto, stuffing it back into his shoe. They all stared at him, taking in the sheer realization of how powerful this boy they all once knew had really become.
"We must continue on. They will send more." William stated softly, walking ahead of them this time.
Chapter 2
John stood outside the entrance of the underground facility, nervously scanning the woods for signs of his daughter and the group. He heard the crackling of the earth beneath several running feet. He gripped his gun and poised himself.
His grip lightened when he saw the faces of the group emerge from the darkness the tress provided under the moonlight.
"Were you followed?" John asked, as he held the door open for all of them.
Once they were all inside, they breathed heavily and Leslie answered her father, "No, but they know we have William."
He glanced at William, holding his gaze with an icy stare. William didn't have to be a mind reader to know that John Doggett was not happy with him.
John led the group into his office where Monica was waiting. She hugged William and softly placed a kiss on his forehead. He smiled and touched her cheek.
"There are new dangers hanging over our people now. We have to hold an assembly and announce William's presence and what that means for everyone," John said.
"When?" Leslie asked, shifting her weight between feet.
"Tomorrow first thing, I hesitate to even go that long," John replied.
"Why not now?" William asked.
John looked at him blankly.
When he didn't answer Leslie stepped in. "Yeah Dad, why not now? It isn't very late, and this is an emergency after all."
John looked at Monica and she nodded.
"Ok then, sound the alarm" he stated.
Chapter 3
Mulder stood in between William and Scully on the stage. He was surprised at how calm William was and at the lack of emotion that Scully was displaying. It was as if she shut down after William mentioned Emily. He himself was shocked at the news, but he didn't expect this reaction out of Scully.
The large room was packed full of people. The noise level was deafening due to the nervous babble of the crowd.
John held his hands up to motion for silence. After a few moments the crowd died down and all that could be heard were a few coughs and the shuffle of feet.
"I'm going to be straight with you all. The colony is in danger," John announced.
Alarmed whispers were sounded throughout the room.
Mulder looked at William and was startled to see him staring back at him. It was like looking into Scully's eyes, but they were, at the same time, unfamiliar to him. He wanted to feel at ease around his own son but he felt wary of him.
Don't be wary of me, Mulder. I remember nothing of you but I know so much about your life. I respect you. My father had nothing but warm words about you and Scully.
Mulder blinked rapidly once William left his mind, who had turned his attention back to the crowd. He then looked at Scully who was tapping her thigh with her fingers like she always does when she's nervous. He took her hand in his and gave a soft squeeze. She didn't look back at him but she allowed her hand rest in his.
"The Kinlien King has abandoned his people to join our own," John told them.
This time there were no whispers. It was dead silent.
John continued, "This means the Kinliens will be searching for him. We are in more danger than ever before. A vote will be held. Should we stay and fight or should we relocate to a safer place. Think about it. Discuss it with your family and friends tonight and tomorrow, a decision will be made".
Chapter 4
William walked to the room that John gave him, not meeting eyes with anyone he passed. He was questioning himself. Did he really want to put all of these people in more danger just because he wanted to be with his family? His whole life he has been selfish. So selfish that he didn't know what was right anymore.
He opened the door and walked over to his bed.
"So you grew a heart" a voice said.
He spun around to meet big blue eyes.
"Emily" William murmured.
He reached out to touch her hand but she moved away from him. He flinched and remorse was written all over his face.
"Don't look at me like that. Don't act like you care. You left me! You left me William." Emily sobbed, letting the tears fall freely down her face.
"I'm sorry. I'm so sorry. I thought of you every day. You have to know that my decision wasn't made lightly" William pleaded, stepping closer to her.
She crossed her arms over her small frame and bit her lip. Her light brown hair fell across her face as she looked down.
"You were all I had." She whispered.
"I know. But Emily, I'm back. I want you to meet someone. Will you meet someone for me?" he asked.
"Who?" she asked, wiping her face.
"Our mother" he replied.
She froze and her mouth formed the word 'what', but no sound escaped.
"I'll get her" he told her, placing his hands on her shoulders. She shrugged him off but didn't protest.
He walked down several halls until he found Mulder and Scully's room. He knocked on the door and was greeted by Mulder.
"William?" Mulder said.
"I need Scully to meet someone" he said, looking past Mulder.
"You want me to meet who?" Scully asked, appearing by Mulder's side at the door.
"Emily. She's in my room waiting for you. I'll wait here so you two can have some privacy. If that's ok with Mulder." Williams said.
"Of course, Scully?" Mulder asked, looking at his emotionless partner. She nodded and walked past them towards William's room.
She hesitated before opening the door. The pain in her heart was so unbearable. Suddenly the door opened before Scully could open it herself. She was face to face with Emily.
Emily sheepishly looked at Scully and said, "I was chickening out."
Scully nodded and replied, "I was about to myself."
They silently took their seats at the little table across from the bed. Emily stared at the wall while Scully stared at her hands.
Finally Scully spoke, "I…I don't understand. I thought you were dead."
Emily licked her lips several times before answering.
"I don't know much of what you are talking about but let me tell you everything I remember. Everything that I know."
Scully nodded, and looked at her daughter's face. She had grown to be so pretty. She looked so much like Melissa but she could also see more of herself in her. The chubby cheeks she had when she was a little girl had thinned out and her nose had taken the exact shape of Scully's nose.
"When I was little, my mom and dad always told me I was made different than everybody else but that was just because they wanted me so bad. They said that Mom wasn't able to have kids so they had to borrow a part of another lady. My dad explained to me that I was half him and half another woman that was kind enough to share a part of her so that my mom could be happy and love me" Emily began.
"They used my egg and your father's sperm. Who carried you?" Scully asked.
"My godmother, Hannah. She was my mom's best friend" Emily answered.
"Oh" Scully whispered, wondering where this was all going.
"I had a troubled childhood. I was abducted many times. There were tests. I later found that I was being taken to be cloned. They were using my DNA to make other Emily's. I think that the Emily you met wasn't me. I don't remember you. She was me, but wasn't me." Emily tried to explain.
Scully nodded, understanding. This was what happened with Mulder's sister, Samantha.
"I was the original. My mother and father were killed and I was sent to live with a man. I learned later that he was part of the government that was abducting people to clone them. They let me go later when they realized that something in my DNA wouldn't work correctly with the alien DNA. It was making the clones sick. They would die like the Emily you must have met."
Tears were falling down Scully's face and Emily met her eyes.
"How did you and William learn of each other?" Scully asked finally.
Emily frowned at the mention of William. She sighed and replied, "Once colonization hit, the man that took care of me after my parents were killed took me to another man. Walter Skinner, William's father. We boarded a ship that housed you and Mulder. Me and William were told that we were half brother and sister. We knew we shared the same mother but no one shared answers as to who that woman was."
"Skinner, was he a good father to William?" Scully asked, already knowing that he was.
"Yes, he was wonderful. I miss him a lot. I still have hope that…he, you know…is out there somewhere trying to get back to us." Emily answered.
Scully nodded.
"My husband would like to meet you I'm sure. Perhaps tomorrow I can introduce you?" Emily asked.
"You are married?" Scully asked.
"Yes, married with a child. I guess that would make you a grandmother."
Scully's eyes widened.
Emily chuckled and said, "It is kind of strange how it is unsure of anyone's true age around here. We are around the same age and you are a grandmother".
Scully smiled and nodded.
"I'd love to meet your family." Scully said.
"Tomorrow then. My daughter's name is Aurora." Emily told her, standing up.
"Aurora" Scully repeated softly.
Chapter 5
William stood awkwardly in the doorway of Mulder's room.
"Come on in, sit", Mulder told him, taking a seat in one of the chairs.
William walked in and sat down in front of Mulder.
"You are curious about me" William finally said.
Mulder nodded, crossing his arms over his chest and leaning back in his seat.
"What would you like to know?" William asked, arching his eyebrow in a Scully fashion.
"Why did you leave everyone that you loved. What made you betray everyone?" Mulder asked.
William scratched his forehead in a Mulder fashion and replied, "I felt like a freak growing up. I wasn't normal. I felt like I was alone. I became bitter of anyone that was normal, unlike me. Voices would come into my mind in the middle of the night. They would tell me that I was meant to be something great. I was meant to rule a new race, people just like me. They said that I was the only one with a link to both races. I knew this was true because I am the only one that can contact them."
"Contact who?" Mulder asked.
"The aliens. They can contact any of the Kinliens but only I can contact them. I am unsure why but my powers are greater and stronger than any of the others. I think that is why they wanted me as their King." William explained.
"You said earlier that you knew about me and Scully, but you never knew who your real parents were?"
"It is common knowledge to all that exist here that Fox Mulder and Dana Scully would return one day and the Resistance would win once and for all. I never believed it because I wasn't going to let it happen. I think that was the plan. The men that you knew of, the one's that started all of this and included your own father, I think they wanted humans to prevail." William said, thoughtfully.
Mulder nodded, everything making sense to him. "My father once told me it was all planned this way so that I could live and those that we love will be returned back to us."
William nodded and said, "They knew the aliens wouldn't understand that I would drop everything for parents I had never met."
"That's what makes them so different than us I guess." Mulder said to himself.
"If it is to work as planned, humans will prevail."
Chapter 6
Once William and Scully returned to their own rooms, Mulder held her in a tight embrace.
He stroked her hair and listened to her breathe into him. His chest warmed quickly where her mouth rested.
He didn't ask her about Emily because he could tell by the way her body relaxed into his that everything went fine. She looked up into Mulder's eyes and sighed deeply. He kissed her lightly on the forehead before releasing her.
"I'm going to take a bath" Scully told him.
He nodded and said, "I'll run the bath water for you".
While he prepared her bath she undressed and put on her robe, letting her long hair fall loose. She entered the bathroom to find Mulder kneeling by the bath water, idly running his fingertips through warm liquid.
He smiled up at her and said, "It's all ready for ya Scully."
She smiled and dabbed a toe into the water, moaning in delight. Mulder stood up to leave but Scully grabbed his arm.
"You can stay if you want, Mulder. Keep me company." She told him. His eyebrows shot up in surprise. They had been intimate before of course but it was all still new.
"I need to shave anyway" Mulder replied.
As Mulder turned his back to her to retrieve his shaving cream from the drawer, Scully shed her robe and sank into the delightfully hot bath water.
Mulder snuck a peek at her in the mirror. Her eyes were closed and her arms were draped lazily over the sides of the bathtub. Her long hair fell in drapes over her breasts and her face glowed under the steam rising from the water. He had a strong urge to get into the bathtub with her. God knows it was big enough for the two of them.
Scully opened her eyes and met Mulder's in the mirror.
"You can join me if you want."
He smiled and said, "Miss Scully, you read my mind."
He got undressed and brought the razor with him. She sat up a little, making room for him to sit on the opposite side. Their legs brushed up against each other as Mulder sank down into the tub.
Scully took the razor from his hand and scooted towards him. She sprayed a dollop of shaving cream into her hand and with the other hand she pulled Mulder's face closer. He shivered under her warm grasp.
She rubbed the shaving cream on his face and lifted the razor towards him. Mulder grasped her wrist before she could make contact with his skin and said, "I know it's been a long time since you have gotten to use a scalpel, so please don't get carried away."
Scully hummed a short laugh and began to shave his face. She worked in long slow strokes, rinsing the razor in the water when she needed to. His body relaxed and his vision faded into a blissful haze. Her face harbored close to his and he could feel the heat radiating between their skin. Once she was finished she examined her work as she used her palms to wipe away excess cream.
She then used her little feet to push herself back to her side and she dipped her head back into the water to get her hair wet. Mulder leaned back against the tub and watched her under heavy lids. He watched her stomach muscles flex as she moved from side to side, getting her hair fully wet.
She resurfaced and shampooed her hair. Once she was done and rinsed it she asked, "Will you cut my hair?"
"Yeah sure but don't blame me if I butcher it" he replied, grabbing some scissors that were in a nearby drawer.
He placed his hands on her shoulders and moved her towards him. Her feet brushed up under his thighs.
He parted her hair and pulled it all to the front on each shoulder. He looked at her and asked, "Now how short are we talking?"
She sighed thoughtfully and replied, "Something like before. However you liked it."
He chewed the inside of his cheek, eyes narrowed. When he mentally picked his favorite Scully-do he raised the scissors to her hair. She closed her eyes and shivered every time the cold blade made contact with her skin.
"Ta-da," Mulder murmured, touching her lightly under her chin.
She opened her eyes and looked into the mirror. She smiled and tried to remember when she had this exact length.
"Taken from one of the only times I've seen your hair wet from before. I knew I couldn't go wrong," Mulder said.
She pondered when he had seen her hair wet and then thought, Ah…when we had to shower after Agent Fowley contained us.
She shook her head from side to side, enjoying the lightness.
"Now lets just hope I got it even," Mulder said, leaning back.
"Doesn't matter, I just couldn't stand all of that hair."
He smiled a small smile and closed his eyes.
As soon as his eyes were closed he felt a presence in his mind.
I hear them, they are coming
Who is coming?
My people. Hurry, help.
Mulder's eyes shot open and he leapt out of the tub.
"Mulder?!" Scully exclaimed.
"William said they are coming. Hurry" Mulder yelled from the room, where he was throwing on clothes.
Scully rushed into her clothes as well and they bolted down the hall and almost crashed into William and Leslie.
"We need to alert my parents" Leslie said breathlessly.
Williams face was pale and sweat dripped down his forehead. Scully grabbed his arm as he swayed.
"Will?" She asked, feeling his head.
"There are so many of them, it hurts to listen," he muttered, rubbing his temples.
"Then don't listen, you have to help us fight," Leslie said as she rushed down the hall to retrieve her parents.
They all burst into John and Monica's room. They sat up groggily and John asked, "What is it?"
"They're here."
Chapter 7
An alarm sounded throughout the facility. People nervously rushed around, trying to gather weapons and conceal their families.
John reminded everyone that the only way to kill them is to stab them in the back of the neck. He warned that their blood was toxic and to attack with extreme caution.
John led the group into a large room that held a huge screen. He voiced a command for it to show main camera and the screen came to life, showing a clear view of what was going on outside of the facility.
"I don't see anything," Scully said.
"Wait…there," Leslie pointed to the tree line.
It appeared as if the tree line was moving in small waves. They all watched, wondering what they were seeing until the camera zoomed slightly in. There were Kinliens, hundreds of them, walking side by side towards the human facility.
William screamed and fell to the ground, his hands tearing at his head. Leslie rushed to his side.
"Will! Stop it, stop listening, stay with us!" Leslie shook him.
He panted and looked up, "They are planning to kill every one of you. They have torch-sticks and knives. They'll burn us out and slash you all."
"Oh God," Monica whispered.
John tossed them all stilettos and said, "Not if we kill them first. We'll move to the back of the facility, get all of the women and children who need to out into the south woods. The rest will stay and fight."
Monica gently pushed Leslie towards the door and said, "Go! Get them out of here, lead them to the woods."
"But Mom, I want to stay and fight," Leslie protested.
"Go!" John barked.
She ran from the room without looking back.
John then announced on the speaker for all willing to fight to join in the back assembly room and to quickly break into groups.
Mulder stared at the stiletto in his hand, clenching his jaw. Scully squeezed his arm before following John's lead out of the door.
Once everyone was in the assembly room John raised his hands to quiet the nervous people.
"We don't have much time. If you don't have a stiletto, get one from the weapons room. My daughter is leading your families into what we hope is a safer area than here. Fight hard," John said.
Just as he ended and people began to move out of the room, water shot down from the sprinklers above them.
"We're on fire!" Mulder yelled, seeing the smoke pour in from the halls.
"Everyone out!" John yelled.
It was mass panic as people pushed out of the doors. Mulder stopped to help one young boy up after he was pushed over. Scully grabbed onto Mulder's shirt so she wouldn't loose him in the panic. The smoke was getting heavy, causing her eyes to water and her chest to constrict.
Finally they made it outside where others were grouped together, nervously scoping the tree line.
William grabbed Scully's arm and spun her around. She looked questioningly into his eyes.
"There are more waiting for the others in the woods. Leslie and the others are in danger. Will you come with me?" he asked.
Scully hesitated.
"Emily and Aurora are with them!" William exclaimed.
Mulder grabbed Scully's other arm and said, "You aren't going there alone."
"Mulder, you need to stay here and fight. I have Will to help me if I need it," Scully reasoned with him.
Mulder nodded, even though his gut told him not to let either of them go into those woods. He watched them flee towards the darkened trees but a scream turned his attention back to his group. The Kinliens were now rounding the sides of the facility towards them.
"Are you Mulder?" a man who stood nearby asked.
"Yeah" he said, not taking his eyes off of the nearing Kinliens.
"I'm Tim, Emily's husband, you ever killed one of these things?" Tim asked.
"Somethin like that," Mulder muttered, readying himself.
He looked over at John and Monica who nodded. There were so many of them and they were all so calmly making their way towards the humans. His heart pounded in his chest and his thumb ran lightly over the stiletto handle. He heard clicks of metal springing from the stilettos all around him. He clicked his own, bringing it out in front of him.
The Kinliens were streaming into the crowd and all hell broke loose. Mulder backed a little as the first one lunged at him. He fell to the ground, the Kinlien raising his fist up high. Before the large hand made contact with his face, Tim struck his stiletto into its neck. Mulder shoved the Kinlien off of him.
"Thanks," Mulder said as he stood and plunged his own weapon into another Kinlien's neck. They worked side by side killing one after the other. The men around them weren't doing as well. The Kinliens were too strong and numerous.
Bodies littered the ground of both kinds. Not many of either side were left. Mulder found John kneeling over a body. Tim continued to fight off the few Kinliens that continued to attack as Mulder ran to John's aid.
"What is it?" Mulder asked, peering over John's shoulder.
Monica laid grasping her stomach. Mulder knelt on the other side of her and removed her hand from her stomach. Blood seeped from a wound. He placed his hands on her stomach and looked up at John, who's mouth was slack.
"What happened?" Mulder asked, trying to concentrate on anything but the sticky warm liquid gushing between his fingers.
"The bastard cut her open," he replied, shaking his head in disbelief.
"Mulder!" came a strangled shout. He looked up to see Tim being choked by a Kinlien.
"Put pressure," Mulder told John before leaping up, stiletto ready.
He ran up behind the Kinlien…but one second too late. Right before Mulder's weapon pierced through its skin, the loud crack of Tim's neck sounded. Both bodies fell to the ground, Tim's neck laying at an odd angle.
Mulder grimaced and leaned down to close Tim's eyes with a soft brush of his fingertips. He then stood up and looked around him. The Kinliens had turned back, figuring they had killed off more than enough of the humans. The ground looked like a sea of red and green.
"Mulder…help me," John called out.
Mulder walked over to John who's hands were completely drenched in Monica's blood. Her face was pasty white and her eyes struggled to stay open.
Mulder didn't know what to do. He looked back at the facility that many people were now working on to put out the fire. The fire was pretty much out and the air was thick with smoke and the tangy smell of human and alien blood.
"Inside…where is the hospital?" Mulder asked.
John looked up and replied, "The south side..maybe it is unharmed."
They worked together to pick Monica up as gently as they could manage. John held her in his arms and Mulder laid one hand on her stomach, trying to keep pressure on her wound. They made their way into the facility which had cleared of most of the smoke.
Their shoes squished on the soggy and ashy flooring. People lay injured on the floor while others ran around, trying their best to regain some control of the hectic situation.
They found the sick bay and laid Monica on one of the empty beds. Mulder ran around the room, gathering bandages and other supplies.
Mulder then stood next to John who was holding her wound beneath his fingers again. The blood was slowing, and Mulder feared this was because there wasn't much left for her to bleed. He pulled apart her shirt, revealing her pale, blood-stained skin.
"Where is Scully when I need her," he muttered, swabbing away as much of the blood as he could so he could see the wound.
"Stay with me Monica," John commanded, removing his hands from the wound so Mulder could work.
He swallowed a gag when he saw how deep the wound went.
"Pour the disinfectant," Mulder told John.
Monica whimpered as John dabbed the disinfectant onto her.
"Mulder!"
Mulder spun around to see Scully enter the room, William and Emily behind her.
"Where's Leslie?" John asked, moving out of the way for Scully.
"She's coming, she's helping Trent, he broke his ankle," William replied.
Emily held a small girl in her arms that had bright red curls and tears streaming down her face.
"Can you please hold her? I have to find my husband!" Emily exclaimed, thrusting the girl into Mulder's arms. He held her close, patting her back, only causing her to scream out pleas to her mother.
"Wait!" Mulder yelled after her.
"John, she needs blood," Scully said, frantically closing up the wound with stitches.
Leslie and Trent walked in, Trent limping unsteadily next to Leslie.
"God it was awful," Trent gasped.
"Shhh, Aurora, please be quiet," William told the little girl in Mulder's arms.
"What happened out there?" Mulder asked, handing Aurora to Will.
"Most are dead. They killed the children right in front of their mothers and they killed the mothers right in front of the children. Not many lived, but I see the same goes for this side," William replied, stroking the little girls head.
"Tim..he's dead," Mulder whispered.
"Oh no," William gasped. Will opened his mind and searched for Emily's. She was in so much pain it caused him to almost tip over.
"Whoa there," Mulder said, taking the girl back from him. She kicked wildly.
William sprinted outside to find Emily rocking back and forth on the ground. She was sobbing, calling out her husband's name.
"Emily," William said, placing a hand on her shoulder.
"I HATE YOU!" She screamed, standing up to face him.
He stumbled backwards in surprised.
"You did this. You killed us all," She shouted, pushing him as hard as she could. He fell to the ground on top of a pile of dead Kinliens.
"That is where you belong," she hissed harshly, running back into the facility.
He watched her flee as a tear streamed down, tracing a path down his bloodied face.
Chapter 8
John gripped Leslie's hand.
"Daddy?" She asked.
He smiled to himself. She hadn't called him by that since she was a little girl.
"She'll be ok," he assured her.
They were sitting side by side next to Monica's sleeping figure. Scully had managed to stop the bleeding and from what she could tell, there were no organs damaged but she had lost too much blood. She warned them that Monica would have to rest for a long time because her body was far too weak to endure anything more.
William walked into the room and came up behind Leslie. She turned to look up at him and he offered a small smile.
"Food's ready," he told them.
Leslie got up and followed Will out of the room. She stopped at the doorway and said, "You coming Daddy?"
"No, I think I'll stay here…with your mother," he replied, never tearing his eyes off of Monica.
Leslie lowered her head and followed Will down the hall. Before they reached the dining area he stopped and faced her. She looked up into his sullen eyes and she saw for the first time the pain that was encompassing his soul.
"Leslie, I am sorry," He told her, tears threatening to spill.
She shook her head, "No, don't be. You were amazing out there. If it weren't for you, more would have died."
"I mean for leaving you and then causing this whole war," he explained, bowing his head in grief.
"I'm just glad you are back on the right side," she murmured, tugging at his hand.
He looked down at their touching hands and then back up at her face. She smiled and leaned into him, resting her head lightly on his chest. He wrapped his arms around her, and rested his chin on her head.
They stood like that for a long time until, finally, Leslie pulled away and walked past him into the dining area. She looked at all of the sullen faces of the few that remained. Her heart wrenched at the realization that mankind was even more scarce than before.
She spotted Scully and made her way over to the table that held Mulder, Trent, Emily, and Aurora. William followed soon after and they took their seats next to Mulder and Scully. William tried to catch Emily's eyes, but she wouldn't dare look his way.
Mulder watched William eat. He took the moment to really look at his son. He still found it unfathomable that this person was half himself and half of Scully. He could see them both in this one person. It was as if the best of himself and Scully had mingled into this one person. He then felt saddened that he never got to raise this boy. He never got to teach him the things he was taught by his own father.
William caught him staring at him.
You seem to stare at me a lot.
You seem to talk to me in your mind a lot.
Fair enough.
Are you ok?
Don't worry about me.
I guess that's what father's do.
William smiled and lowered his eyes back to his plate.
"Aurora, please eat for me. You have to eat," Emily was trying to coax her.
The little girl stubbornly stuck out her bottom lip and shook her head.
"So that is your granddaughter Scully?" Mulder asked, trying to fathom the idea of having a granddaughter at Scully's age.
"Yes, she's a handful," Scully smiled at Emily.
Emily smiled back and said, "Me and Tim were always wondering where she got this red hair from but now I know."
Mulder watched Aurora sneak a piece of food into her mouth and she smiled shyly at Mulder when she realized he was watching her. He smiled back and made his Mr. Potato Head face at her. That earned him a peal of laughter. They all looked at her in surprise as she merrily continued eating, a huge grin on her face.
He felt Scully's hand on his arm and he looked down at her. She was looking adoringly at Aurora. He smiled and planted a kiss on the top of her head.
Chapter 9
Leslie woke up with a start. She gasped for air and realized she was tangled in her sheets. She must have had another nightmare.
She slid out of bed and tied her robe around her, stepping into the hall. She made her way down to sick bay and found that William was sitting next to her mom.
"Hey," she softly greeted.
William didn't look at her. He didn't even move. Leslie, confused, walked closer to him. She found that his eyes were closed and his hand was gently placed on her forehead. She knew he was trying to pry into her mother's mind.
He removed his hand and looked up at Leslie.
"Her mind is active, she's ok. She's dreaming about Earth the way it used to be," he told her.
She nodded and pulled up a seat next to him. He took her hand in his. They sat there in silence, staring at Monica's sleeping body.
"My Dad has been working all night at trying to contact the ship," Leslie told him.
"What ship?" he asked.
"The one we were all on before it was attacked. He has hope that Skinner will answer back," she replied.
"No luck?" he asked.
"We'll all die eventually if we don't get off of this planet," she whispered.
"I have faith in Skinner. He was the bravest man I knew," William said, the emotion evident in his voice.
"I'm loosing my faith William. I'm loosing hope," she sobbed.
"No, Leslie, don't ever let go of that. There is always hope."