Reyes tossed her glasses to one side and rubbed her temples. She had a headache and it was no wonder given what she had just put together from records and searches on the Internet. Mulder had spent the morning going through the newer x-file cases, the ones that he wasn't familiar with, he thought maybe there could be a connection between a case here and what was happening now.
Doggett had stayed quiet at his own desk catching up on paperwork. All three were nervous about their meeting with Kersh and what was really the motive behind Mulder's reinstatement. Despite them all having so much on their minds, Doggett and Mulder both noticed when Reyes showed signs of frustration at her desk. Afraid of crowding her Doggett stayed quiet and was glad when Mulder asked her what was wrong.
"I've been going through the things in this box that Sophia left me. Most of it is just family keepsakes, but there was a newspaper in there from when I disappeared when I was four. It talks about another three children of the same age going missing all within the same year, and none of them were returned to their original homes. Through more recent files on the Internet and other online newspaper articles I've found that they were all adopted, each one in a different state. They all believed that they were alien abductees and belonged to MUFON."
"So take their addresses and we'll see if they have anything that can help us."
"I can't."
"Why not?"
"Because they're all dead." Mulder and Doggett looked at each other before looking back at Reyes as she sat looking on the verge of a breakdown.
"When did they die?"
"Does it matter?" Mulder could sense Reyes' frustration with his question, but there was a good chance that it did matter.
"Yeah, I think it might."
"Within the last year. So, what does this mean? Why am I still alive?"
"Because none of the others had Bill Mulder as their father."
"Not this again. You still think that the almighty Bill Mulder being my father is why this is all happening?"
"I do, and until you can prove me wrong I wont change my mind."
"Well then give me time. And I will." Monica stood up and walked off as fast as she good. She never thought that by having just one extra person in the office she would find it so hard to breathe.
Doggett looked at Mulder and stood up from his own desk. Mulder watched him and assumed he was going after Reyes.
"Are you going after her?"
"Who me? No. Couple of weeks ago I'd be out there already. But she wants me out of her way, so I'm out of it. Until she gives me the green light I'm just some guy she works with."
"That's a little harsh."
"That's the way it is. Believe me it's not my choice."
"She'll come around, and speaking of women coming around I have to disappear to talk to Scully. I'll be back for this meeting with Kersh ok?"
"Sure. I'm not about to boss the infamous Agent Fox Mulder around in his own office."
"This is your office now Agent Doggett. I'll see you in a couple of hours."
"Sure. Hey Mulder, do you think there's anything in these other people being dead?"
"No I don't."
"How do you know?"
"I don't. But I have a very strong feeling that all those other people confirm is that Monica was abducted when she was four years old, and that the reason behind it was who her father was."
"You think she believes that?"
"I think she does. And that's why she wont talk about it." Mulder walked out of the office and Doggett looked around the empty room. He'd have done anything to make Reyes talk about this with him. But right now he was so relieved that Mulder was going to be around to make sure they were all communicating about this together, and that Monica was that little bit safer with her big brother around.
When Scully heard the door open she looked at William who smiled over her shoulder. Mulder was home.
"Daddy!" He ran over to Mulder and was scooped into the air. Mulder was glad for the chance to work out what he was going to say to Scully. The longer her could stand holding his son and thinking the better. Scully watched them both trying to smile and look calm, when inside she was a nervous wreck. The sooner she told him the better; she couldn't keep this to herself. She didn't want to, she went through her first pregnancy without Mulder, and she didn't want that to happen again.
Mulder walked over to her still holding William and he kissed her softly before putting William down and watching him run back to the TV.
"So, where've you been?"
"Umm, would you be mad if I said at work?" Scully frowned slightly not understanding what Mulder meant.
"What are you talking about?" Mulder took Scully's hand and they walked into the kitchen. Scully was concerned, she was panicking that he had found something out about William, or the people that now seem to want to harm him.
"Scully, just think about what this means before you yell at me and accuse me of not caring."
"Mulder enough with the cryptic clues, just tell me what's going on!" Mulder paused, something was wrong and it was something Scully wasn't telling him, he could just feel it, but right now he had to tell her his news.
"I'm back in the bureau."
"What are you talking about?"
"I went into the FBI this morning with Monica. I've been reinstated by Kersh, with a clean record and all we know is we have to be in a meeting this afternoon."
"Who's we? Who the hell have you been conspiring with about our lives?"
"I haven't conspired with anyone Scully, I asked Monica to get me in to talk to Skinner, then he told us what was going on. Agent Doggett, Monica and I have to be in with Kersh this afternoon."
"To talk about what? How to go behind your partners back and make decisions about their lives without consulting them?"
"No, Scully please, don't overreact."
"Overreact? Are you serious? You go and get your job in the x-files back without even thinking about telling me, and I'm not allowed to overreact? You know what, I think I'm under reacting!"
"Will you just take a second to think about our family! And consider that I'm doing this because I have to, because it's the best way I can protect our son, and my sister!"
"I know that, but I told you that I didn't want you to do this, and you haven't even considered how I might feel have you? I can't handle this again Mulder, I can't handle the risks on working down in that office."
"Well it's not you taking the risk! I'm the one down there, I'm the one who'll be fighting to keep the people I love safe and alive!"
"Oh I see, so you really didn't think about me at all did you? Because now you have your son, and your sister, and your precious x-files back."
"That's not what I meant."
"I know exactly what you meant Mulder. Well you go ahead and protect your family. I might not be blood related but so help me God I love you, and I can't imagine ever not loving you or even remember a time when I didn't. So I'll let you get on with everything that you want to Mulder, I'd hate to stand in your way." Scully grabbed her coat from the hat stand and left the apartment without looking back.
William looked at his father as Mulder stared at the door Scully had just left them through. William walked over to his father and tugged on his trousers. Mulder looked down and smiled at him.
"Looks like you're coming to work with your old man William, I'm sure that'll impress your mom."
"Where's mommy?"
"I don't know. But she'll be back, I promise." Mulder kissed Williams soft head of hair and made some lunch praying that Scully would come back before he had to leave and get back to the bureau.
