Still Out There

by revery

COMPLETED PostTruth, 18 year old William Van De Kamp sets out on a search to find his biological parents, and discovers what they worked so hard to protect him from.

5. Part 5

"Still Out There"

Written by: revery

Plot: Post-"Truth" After the death of his father, 18 year old William Van De Kamp receives a message from a mysterious man saying that his father has died, his real father, Fox Mulder. William sets out in a search for his biological parentage and the truth they worked so hard to uncover.

Disclaimer: I don't own the X-Files or anything that has been created by Chris Carter or 1013 Productions. I only worship.

Part Five- Emerge

PARENTI MEDICAL GROUP

Georgetown, Maryland

11:42 am

18 years earlier

Fox Mulder chewed with his mouth partially open to compensate for the size of the bite he had just taken from his burrito. He swallowed and took a long draw from his soda. He did all this while staring out his car window at the building across the street. A pain of regret stabbed him. He should have been with his son, instead of on a stakeout. But he and Scully agreed that after a week he would go into hiding until it was safe for him. Being the one person who could subsequently bring down the entire FBI had finally caught up with him. Not to mentioned the fact that the Super Soldiers were after him as well. He had only one job to do for Scully before he disappeared from their radar. One that she didn't even know about.

Dr. Parenti's office had closed after the doctor's death. Mulder shuddered impulsively, thinking of Agent Doggett finding Dr. Parenti's head in a jar of formaldehyde. He was waiting for the nursing assistant to leave, he checked his watch, which he hoped would be soon. All week Agents Doggett and Reyes, the latter just been assigned to the X-Files, kept an eye on the office building. They reported that one nurse was opening the office and spent the day turning away patient who had not yet heard of the doctor's demise. At noontime, the nurse locked up for lunch and returned again an hour later. Mulder had a good window of time to break into the office, steal Scully's pregnancy records and get out undetected.

Ten minutes and a burrito later, the nurse came out and locked the door. Mulder waited until she drove off in her car before he exited his own vehicle and jogged across the street. He went around the side of the building, into the alleyway, where he found the emergency exit. He picked the lock carefully, let himself in, and waited for the security system to reset itself before closing the door.

He made his way to Dr. Parenti's private office, past the room that once was filled with specimen jars of fetuses with birth defects amongst other curiosities, Mulder suspected. Parenti's desk was for the most part cleared of his personal effects, lined against on wall were three filing cabinets. He pulled open the top drawer of the nearest cabinet and exhaled a bit of relief when he found it still meticulously organized and labeled. The first cabinet was a bust, only containing tax and accounting records. In the second cabinet he found Scully's in-vitro fertilization records from the previous year and in the "S" section of the last cabinet he found her pregnancy records.

Mulder heard the front door handle jingle and he collected the files and headed to the back. He hustled down the alley and when he stepped out onto the sidewalk he nearly collided with a young woman.

"Oh I'm sorry," he apologized quickly.

The young woman shook her head and smiled to show no harm done, "its okay. I'm fine."

Mulder nodded and continued to his car. He got in and started it. He looked up and got a better glimpse at the woman her ran into. She was short, had shoulder-length dark hair and a warm natural tan, but he paid most attention to the anguish in her dark eyes. He drove off with the young woman in his rearview mirror.

7 Months Later

January 7, 2002

Weed Hope, New Mexico

Mulder sat back and skimmed the laptop screen in front of him. Satisfied, he clicked "send" and the e-mail was on its way through the world wide web. He switched off the computer and stretched; the letter he wrote took more time than anticipated. It was an important letter, more than important it was personal, and emotional, it took some effort from him to not divulge into great detail of his life without her lest it fall into the wrong hands.

A knock at the door and the doorbell ringing stirred Mulder out of his chair.

"I got it!" He called over his shoulder to his housemate in the other room.

"Okay!" A male's voice on the cusp of puberty replied.

Mulder reached for the doorknob and pulled it open. "Can I help you?" He asked then frowned. Standing on the stoop of the small desert abode was a familiar looking woman.

The woman seemed relieved when she saw him answer the door. "Yes. You're the FBI man."

Mulder narrowed his eyes, "Who are you?"

The woman shook her head, "I'm sorry. My name is Carmen Baker, you knew my fiancé, Eric Hosteen."

Again, Mulder was surprised. He dimly recalled an Eric, but the name Hosteen rang a big gong. It was a name he was most likely not to forget. Mulder looked the woman up and down, noting the bulge of her midsection. "Please come in," he said stepping aside. The woman entered the house with Mulder behind her, closing the door.

"Gibson!" He called out. "Come here." He showed Carmen to the couch where she sat. Mulder sat next to her and a moment later, Gibson Praise appeared. The teenager looked quizzical at first and shot a glace at Mulder who nodded an okay. "Carmen this is Gibson."

Carmen smiled politely at Gibson and looked at Mulder. "Are you his father?"

Mulder became uneasy about how to go about explaining his situation with Gibson. Gibson however, came to his rescue, answering for him.

"He's my uncle," he told her. "Staying for a few days."

"Oh," Carmen nodded. "I bet you're wondering how I found you," Carmen said to Mulder.

"It's crossed my mind," he replied.

She smiled. "Eric's talked about you. He said you were given a miracle."

"The Hosteen family saved my life before," Mulder confirmed. "How is Eric?"

"Nervous," Carmen laughed.

"Becoming a father will do that," Mulder agreed. "When are you due?"

"Soon," she said. "That's why I needed to find you. I was a patient of Dr. Parenti," Carmen explained.

Mulder's eyes grew and he shifted. "Is that why you were there that day?"

"Yes, you see," she caressed her stomach protectively, "I went to Washington because of my job.

"What did you do?"

"Government Development. My father is president of the Toadlena-Two Grey Hills Chapter of the Navajo Nation. My work in Washington involves dealing directly with the FBI. It was there I found out I was pregnant. I was referred to Dr. Parenti through work. After seeing you there I knew my suspicions were substantiated."

"What suspicions?"

"The rumors of the pregnant women," She said matter-of-factly. "Women who claimed to be abducted by aliens, left barren, then conceived miraculously."

This was an all too familiar tale for Mulder, but he still had questions. "Why after seeing me?"

"Eric told me what he found in the desert, what you came for," she said.

"You were abducted," he presumed.

"No. I believe my situation is a bit different."

"How?"

She nodded to Gibson, "Maybe he can tell you."

Mulder looked back at Gibson who was staring intently at Carmen and now was surprised. "What's she talking about?"

"Your friend has been reading my mind throughout our conversation, to make sure I was telling the truth," Madeline explained.

Mulder's mouth opened a little in astonishment. "You can read minds."

She smiled and shook her head, "No, I can't. I can feel him inside my head. It's hard to explain because it has nothing to do with alien abductions."

"Because you were never abducted. You already have alien DNA, like Gibson."

"And I will pass it down to my baby," she confirmed. "You, Mr. Mulder, were infected a few times," she smiled.

"Any precognition, clairvoyance?"

"Some, but only since I've been pregnant," she smiled. "She's a girl."

"Telekinesis... Moving objects?"

She shook her head.

"I think you should come back to DC with me. I have friends who can help you."

"When?"

"We'll leave tomorrow."

Washington D.C.

Carmen's Apartment

Mulder opened the door to Carmen's room. He went to the window and peeked out. Carmen stirred on her bed.

"It's all right," he told her. "Go back to sleep."

Carmen nodded and shifted her arm over her tummy protectively. She didn't fall asleep though, she watched Mulder. All night he kept a diligent eye on a car parked on the street.

Train 112

Mulder glanced at his watch. It read 11:26 pm. Thirty-four minutes and he'd see Scully again. Whatever her troubles were, sounded close to his own. The intercom crackled as the conductor spoke. "We are approaching the station in five minutes, folks. Please gather your belongings if you are departing with us here at Bethesda. For those of you continuing on to Baltimore, ETA is 2:05 am."

Mulder checked his watch again and looked behind him. There, not more than six rows to the left of him was Knowle Roher, a supposed dead man. It had been him who was parked in the dark car last night.

At 12:01, the conductor came on again as the train sailed by the station. "We're having a bit of difficulty at the Bethesda station. We've been given the green light to continue onto Baltimore. Those of you departing at Bethesda will be compensated when we get to Baltimore."

Mulder knew something had gone terribly wrong and that he'd never make it to Baltimore. His only chance was to go now. Unfortunately the only way to go on a moving train was out. Mulder stood up and made his was to the Emergency Exit. Knowle Roher stood as well and began to walk towards him. Mulder looked out at the scenery speeding by, took a deep breath and jumped.

He landed hard on his left foot and rolled over the gravel. He stood up quickly and looked back. Knowle Roher hadn't followed him out. Mulder had this little victory. He timed his jump near perfect, landing near the Manville Quarry. He slid down the embankment. His ankle began to tighten so he favored it as he walked.

Suddenly, he heard a car drive across the gravel not far from him. He began to run across the quarry.

"Mulder!" He heard a familiar voice call from behind him. "Mulder!" He recognized the raspy New York accent as being Agent John Doggett's. Mulder turned around. "Mulder, it's John Doggett!" Mulder deliberated for a second about letting Agent Doggett know what was going on. The second passed and he continued running. He had to get back to Carmen before Knowle Roher did.

Washington D.C.

Carmen's Apartment

Mulder knocked on the door. Carmen answered it and Mulder limped into the room.

"What happened to you?" She asked seeing his disheveled appearance.

"I jumped off a train," he replied.

"You jumped off a train?" She repeated.

"Yeah," Mulder looked around. "We should go tonight."

"But what about your friends?"

"You'll have to meet them another time, but right now I have to get you somewhere safe."

She frowned, "What's going on?"

"Last night a man followed us. He was there again on the train. I thought he was j just after me, but he would've found me sooner had that been the case. I believe he was waiting for you."

Carmen's breath hitched and she nodded. Her eyes watered as she caressed her belly.

"It's okay," Mulder said soothingly. "I won't let anything happen to you."

She smiled at him, her eyes were sad. "Promise not to let anything happen to my baby," she said to him.

Mulder nodded and placed his hand on her shoulder. "I promise." He nodded to her room. "Get a bag together."

Carmen nodded and disappeared into her room. Mulder winced as he put weight on his tender ankle to amble across the room and look out the window. A car pulled up across the street and Knowle Roher got out.

Mulder wasted no time in running into Carmen's room and grabbing her hand. "Let's go," he said, not giving her time to grab her half-packed bag.

They ran down the stairs, for Carmen being close to nine months this was not easy. They got into her car, Mulder in the driver's seat and took off.

"What's happening?" She asked out of breath.

"He came back," Mulder replied.

"The man?"

"Yes," Mulder said "But he's not a man, he's a…" Mulder didn't finish his sentence. A car rammed into them from the back jarred them forward. Mulder check the rearview mirror and saw Knowle Roher in his car, trying to force them off the road.

"Hang on!" Mulder shouted and accelerated. Roher sped up as well and rammed them again.

Carmen screamed and before Roher could smash into them again, Mulder slammed on the brakes and turned right. Roher followed them, closing in on them. The brakes squealed again as Mulder made another sharp turn. For the moment he seemed to have lost Roher. He looked over at Carmen whose face was twisted in pain.

"Carmen?"

"My water broke," she said more calmly than he thought she would.

"There's a hospital not far," he told her. "Everything's going to be all right."

Mulder pulled up to the Emergency Bay without any incident. He figured it wasn't his good luck that they had lost Roher when they did.

Mulder helped Carmen out of the car and into the hospital. "I need some help here!" He called out.

A male doctor and a nurse with a wheelchair came to their aid. "Is she in labor?" The doctor asked.

"What does it look like?" Carmen shouted as she settled into the wheelchair. The four of them were joined by a female doctor and another nurse. They wheeled Carmen down to the elevator and filed in.

"Are you the husband?" The female doctor asked when they got out.

Mulder shook his head, "No."

"The father?"

"No I'm…

The female doctor cut him off, "You'll need to wait in the waiting room. Juanita?"

One of the nurses took him by the arm, "I'll show you where it is sir."

Carmen screamed again and the other nurse wheeled her through a set of double doors.

Mulder shrugged off the nurse. "But..."

"She'll be in good hands," the male doctor said, putting his hand on Mulder's chest to stop him and went into the delivery area.

Juanita took him by the elbow. "This way sir."

Mulder gazed at the double doors. He could hear Carmen's agonizing screams. He looked at Juanita. She smiled at him. "I'll come get you after, okay?"

Mulder nodded and followed her to the waiting room.

A little over 10 hours later, Juanita came back to tell him that Carmen was asking for him. Mulder knocked softly on the door of Carmen's room and entered. Carmen was lying propped in bed. She gave him a tired, but serene smile.

"You're stayed," she said.

"I didn't have much better to do." Mulder set a small basket of flowers by her bed. "How are you feeling?"

"Like I just gave birth," she said wryly. "They took her to the nursery to run first check-ups."

"A girl?" Mulder asked. "What did you name her?"

"Madeline," Carmen replied.

Mulder nodded, "Pretty name."

Carmen tilted her head. "What is it?"

Mulder sighed, "I wasn't with my son when he was born. His mother…" He paused.

"You're trying to protect them," Carmen said. She placed her hand over his. "He's still going to need you, Mr. Mulder. One day, he'll need you more than he's needed anyone." After a moment of them understanding each other, Carmen cocked her head to the door. "Go see her, I'll be here."

Mulder gently squeezed her hand in his and smiled. He walked out of the room, nodding at a honey-haired nurse going into Carmen's room. He went down the hall to the nursery where three other newborns were.

A young female nurse in teddy bear decorated scrubs smiled at him and mouthed "name?"

"Baker," he said and the nurse shook her head. He said "Hosteen" and she nodded. She picked up a baby girl wrapped in a pink blanket under the nametag: "Hosteen, Madeline. She turned to him showing off the baby. Mulder looked through the glass at the quiet infant. She gave a big yawn for one her size and opened her large eyes which were dark. He recalled a scene much like this of his wriggling pink son in a hospital in Georgia.

After a good five minutes of watching baby Madeline drift off into sleep, he headed back to Carmen's room. Two nurses and a doctor bumped past him and he noticed them rush into Carmen's room. Mulder jogged after them.

When he entered the room the medical team was all clustered around Carmen's bed, shouting orders at each other. He stood in the doorway. The doctor said "grand-mal seizure" and "eclampsia". Another nurse pushed Mulder from behind with a gurney. He moved aside and watched them transfer Carmen onto the gurney. It was the first time he saw her and she was shaking violently.

"What's happening?" Mulder hollered over them, but they paid no attention as they wheeled Carmen out forcing him out of the room. He jogged after them. "Where are you taking her?"

"Sir you'll have to wait elsewhere," the doctor said to him.

"First tell me what's happening," Mulder snapped back.

"Ms. Baker's having a seizure due to labor," the doctor explained.

"She was fine a minute ago. A nurse came in to check on her."

The doctor ignored him and they went into a trauma room. "You'll have to wait outside," the doctor told him and left Mulder outside the trauma room.

Mulder watched helplessly as they worked on Carmen. He heard the monotonous pitch of the heart monitor flat line and saw the doctor took the paddles and shocked her. Carmen's chest jolted up and down but still the ominous tone continued.

Another twenty minutes ticked by and they gave up. A nurse drew a white sheet over Carmen's body. They all came out one by one, only the doctor and a male nurse stayed to clean up. Mulder pushed the trauma room door open and stared at Carmen's still warm body.

The older doctor put his hand on Mulder's shoulder, "I'm sorry sir. She was suffering from what we call eclampsia. The patient suffers from a series of convulsions not attributed to anything else."

Mulder shook his head. "I don't understand."

"It's very rare. Usually occurring in first-time mothers and usually after they've given birth. It's lucky that she did have her baby before. During pre-eclapmsia the infant can die."

"Not that. There was a nurse. She came in. I saw her when I brought Carmen in. She was in Carmen's room before this happened."

The doctor frowned. "I'm not sure at where you're getting at, sir."

"A nurse," Mulder raised his voice. "There was a nurse who gave her something that provoked the seizure."

The doctor's expression suddenly became sympathetic. "This is a terrible loss sir and I'm sorry, but if you have a complaint to lodge I suggest you speak with an administrator." With that said he walked out.

Mulder stood there, not knowing what to think or do. He pushed back the sheet to expose Carmen's face. She seemed peaceful despite what violence was just performed on her body. Mulder didn't dare touch her or anything and soon he remembered his promise to her. His mind began to race with all the possible theories he could think of. The last one settled on the baby. Mulder jogged off back to the nursery. It was there his suspicions were confirmed. Not more than forty feet from him was the older male doctor and the female doctor who had delivered Carmen's baby talking quietly. They were soon joined by the nurse he had seen before. The light-brown haired woman. They asked her a question and she nodded. He ducked into the nursery before they saw him.

"Sir you can't be in here," the nurse said to him.

Mulder turned around and saw it was the same nurse from before. He ignored her and went to Madeline's crib. He carefully lifted her up.

"What are you doing!" She exclaimed.

Mulder turned to her, "This child is in danger. There a man who's coming for her. I need to get her out of here now."

The nurse stared at him. "I'm calling security," she declared.

Mulder simply walked out of the nursery, unfortunately, two security guards stopped him before he made it out of the maternity ward.

"Sir we have to ask you to put the baby back," the beefier guard said to him.

Mulder looked down at Madeline. "I'm sorry, but I made a promise." Mulder began to walk towards them, the security guards looked as if they didn't know what to do. Mulder walked as fast as he could out of the hospital as carefully as he could. There were shouts of "security!" and "stop him!" but no one dared once they saw what he was carrying.

He got into his car and started it. He held Madeline, who was still fast asleep against his chest and drove off without incident.

Two Grey Hills, NM

Mulder closed the door to his car and walked around it. He opened the other door, unbuckled Madeline from her car seat. He walked up to the small house and knocked on the door. A 24 year old Eric Hosteen answered the door.

"Hello," Eric said. "Can I…" he stopped when he recognized the familiar man. "The FBI man," he said. "What brings you back out to the hills? More aliens?"

Mulder smirked a bit. "Something like that." He gestured with Madeline in his arms. "I'd like to meet someone."

Eric looked at the bundle Mulder had for the first time. His breath hitched and he couldn't speak.

"Carmen died, during labor," Mulder said, feeling only a bit of guilt for lying. "This is Madeline. Your daughter." He passed the infant into Eric's arms.

Eric looked at the baby girl and back at Mulder. His eyes filled with tears. "Thank you."

Mulder nodded and walked back to his car.

MOUNT WEATHER COMPLEX

Bluemont, VA

June 11, 2019

6:44 am

Shaker let himself into the room. Madeline had her arms crossed on the metal table with her head down on top of them. She didn't stir as Shaker sat across from her.

"How are you feeling today?" He asked in a genial tone.

"Screw you," she muttered hollowly.

Shaker reached across the table and picked up the digi-file. "I take it you read it all. Find it compelling?"

She lifted her head up. Her eyes were still red and a little puffy from a night of crying, but they stared at him with a cold menace. "You should publish it. It's a great work of fiction."

"You still don't believe it?" He asked.

"My mother was not an alien. She didn't give me alien genes."

Shaker leaned forward. "Why do you think your friend turned himself in?"

"To protect us," she replied without hesitation.

Shaker smiled. "That's what he said. And I believe he believes that. But you see, I know that what Will really wanted were answers. He's more like his father than he'll know."

Madeline turned her head away. Anger boiled up inside her. In a quick flash she saw Will running and black-eyed men chasing him. She saw Shaker screaming at a man with a gun pointed at him. She saw the red-haired woman from England crying. She looked back at Shaker. "Why us? Why Will? Why me? Why Gibson?"

"You were born for this."

"And you, Shaker? You're human." Madeline cocked her head to the side, "But then again you're not. They created you, made you what you are. A bastard son. No father, no mother, just a shell with stolen memories."

Shaker stared at her, chills ran up and down his spine. "You…" he coughed to clear his dry throat. "Your abilities aren't mind-reading."

She shook her head, "No." She leaned forward. "But then it doesn't take a mind-reader to see fear. I know…You're not afraid of me, Shaker. You're not even afraid of your bosses. You're afraid of what's going to happen when Will finds out what you did to me."

Shaker's face paled marginally, but still paled. He glared at the Navajo girl in front of him. "I think it's about time you answered some questions," he said. He walked out of the room, leaving her alone once again.

Eric Hosteen's Residence

Two Grey Hills, NM

Monica rubbed her head and sighed. John was on the other end of the phone line and had just finished telling her and Roe what he had witnessed in the airport in New York.

"Where would they take them?" Roe asked.

"I don't know," Monica confessed to him. "They could be anywhere by now."

"I think we should call them," John said on the speakerphone. "We should call them now."

"Yeah I think…" Monica trailed off. Roe looked up at what had caught her attention.

"Monica?" John asked. "Monica what is it?"

"Hold on," She told him. Monica looked over at Roe. "Do you have your gun?"

Roe nodded, "Yeah, and a back up."

"Give me one."

Roe handed her the one out of his ankle holster and got up and got his that was sitting in the drawer by his bed. "Outside," he whispered.

"To the left," Monica said. She slowly cocked the hammer back on the snub-nosed revolver.

The both of them crept towards the door, Roe took the lead position and Monica backed him up. Just when Roe was about to open the door, it burst open and knocked him back to the ground. His gun spun out of his reach.

Monica stared in horror at the man in front of her, for a moment she almost didn't believe her own eyes.

"Shoot him!" Roe yelled.

Monica didn't hesitate as she pumped five useless rounds into the man. She could hear John shouting over the speakerphone and could only imagine the panic he was feeling. The Alien Bounty Hunter was pushed back only steps by the bullets and began towards her when he suddenly stopped. From behind him there was a click and then a loud bang. The man crumpled to the floor in front of Monica.

Monica gasped and stared at the Alien Bounty Hunter then looked up at the doorway. Monica exhaled the tension that had just built up from the attack. She got up and brushed herself off. She nodded to the couple at the door then remembered the John was still on the phone. She grabbed it up, disabling the speaker and spoke. "John, stay there. We're coming to you."

Mount Weather Complex

Will paced back and forth in his room. He had already tested the windows and doors, but they were magnetically and electronically sealed. The last series of tests they ran left Will too drained to move anything. He sat on his bed and reached for the pen on the tray. It shuddered but that was it. He sighed in anger.

He needed to get out of there. For a second he considered calling Shaker and asking for a short furlough. He snickered at the thought of the look on Shaker's face. He looked at his reflection in the mirror across from his bed then back to the window. After a moment, Will shook his head and laughed a little in disbelief. He never thought about the mirror being anything other, but just then realized it was a two-way. The reason for the buzzing in his head was that someone was constantly close to him. At that moment, there was no buzzing so that meant no one was near.

Will stood up and walked over to the mirror. He tapped it and it thumped hollowly. He stood back and examined it. He was pretty sure it was neither bullet proof nor shatterproof. The only problem was he didn't have a loaded gun or have something heavy enough in the room to throw at it. He stood up to it again and thought. If he could somehow mentally fracture it without it bursting all over the place and cutting him up fierce…

Will stepped back a few paces and concentrated. His head still hurt tremendously from before, but he shrugged it off. The cracking sound came almost as a relief bell. The mirror was split through the middle.

It took the better part of an hour but Will had gotten enough cracks in the mirror to be able to break without much force. Will grabbed the pen from the desk sat on his bed and concentrated on it. The pen began to spin in his palm, it rose out of his hand, still spinning and Will sent it straight through the mirror.

The effect was that of the windshield of a car. It splintered all over, but the tint and being made of fiberglass kept the glass from shattering on the floor and making noise. Will stood up and pushed the mirror. It wobbled and landed on the floor of the other room with a crunch.

Will climbed through the gaping window. He tried the door and it slid open easily. He began down the hall, there were no guards or doctors or personnel to stop him. Will wasn't sure where he was going but he vaguely recalled the elevators being somewhere in the direction he was heading. He knew he'd have to take the elevator up more than two floors, but he resisted taking it. He found the stairs and bounded up two flights and opened the door to the 1st floor.

There was quite a bit more activity on this floor. People bustled past, but none paid attention to the teen in the pale blue scrubs. He took the chance and walked out onto the floor. He walked quickly and purposefully, mimicking the people around him. He passed a room where two guards were stationed on either side of the door. The guards' heads snapped over at him as he walked past and Will stopped in his tracks. Their eyes were all black but they looked right at him. Will started walking again and the guards followed him until he passed and they went back to staring straight ahead.

Will became aware of the buzzing as soon as he was around all the people but when he passed that room someone shouted incoherently into his head. But what was clear was the intensity and the pain the voice was in. Will looked around for an exit and found none. Four black-eyed guards jogged in unison towards Will and he flattened himself against the wall. As the guards to passed Will he heard Shaker's voice over one of their radios.

When they passed him Will started to the elevators ahead. Suddenly, the guards stopped, turned and started after him. Will looked back and broke into a run, pushing people into the way of the coming guards. He made it to the stairs next to the elevator and ran up them. The guards were a few meters behind him. He made it out of the building and into what seemed like a hollowed out cavern.

Cars, vans, and large semi-trucks were moving in and out of what looked like the only exit. The guards were still behind him and he reached out and mentally moved a trash dumpster in their way. It worked and Will jumped onto the back of a passing truck.

Will rode the truck down the mountain and jumped off when he got to a main road. His head was pulsating faster than he was breathing. He stuck out his thumb and walked along the edge of the road, hoping that anyone would stop for him. Unfortunately, the road he was on was a service road to the complex. Will jogged down the road to the highway, vehicles sailed past him but he wasn't interested in hitching a ride anymore. Across the ways, he could see the neon sign of a fuel station.

He walked into the store and realized he looked like an escapee from a mental asylum in his pale blue scrubs. Nevertheless, Will went up to the counter. The clerk looked up at him and nodded.

"Can I help you?"

Will nodded, "Can I use your phone? I, uh, locked my keys in my car with my phone and everything."

"Come through the back and you can use the one in the storeroom," the clerk said genially.

Will smiled, "Thanks."

"No prob," the clerk led him through a locked door and pointed him to the storeroom.

Will picked up the phone then stopped. He didn't even know what number to dial to contact Madeline or Gibson, or even John and Monica. He sighed and took a chance on the only number he did know.

Two Grey Hills, NM

The PDA in Roe's pocket trilled and he jumped. He looked sheepishly at Monica and the couple. "Excuse me," he said and went outside.

"Hello?" He answered.

"Hello?" A somewhat familiar voice came back to him. "Who is this?" It demanded.

"Who is this? You called me," Roe retorted.

"Where's Madeline?" the voice asked.

Roe frowned. "Will?"

"Yeah…"

Roe's stomach tightened and he felt guilty for not being more enthused about Will being all right. "It's Arthur Roe. Where have you been?"

"I decided to get out and see the world," Will growled sarcastically. "I was really bored with all the running and hiding."

"Settle down, it was just a question," Roe said.

"Fine. Let me talk to Madeline."

Roe didn't say anything. He wasn't sure if he should. If he told Will that Madeline and Gibson had been kidnapped, most likely by the people who were after him, he might go on a rampage. "Listen Will we're all heading to Washington D.C. There's a place there, some kind of safe house of John and Monica's. Meet us there."

Will had a terrible feeling in his insides. He could tell Roe wasn't telling him something, but he couldn't get into it with him then. "Fine. I'll meet you all in D.C."

Washington D.C.

John sat in a chair, his knee bounced up and down restlessly. Roe had just called him to expect Will. Before John could ask any questions, Roe hung up. John was in the dark, not a position he liked being in. He felt helpless, like he did at the airport when he watched Madeline and Gibson being hauled off in Hazmat vans accompanied by over two dozen men and women. Then there was that woman, he had seen her before, but she had been lying on the ground in a pool of red blood and green goo. And the man whose car she had got in, now he was sure after getting a closer look. He had definitely seen a dead man, twice.

Weak rapping came through the door. John stood up and went to the peephole. Will was standing there, his arm against the door to prop himself up. John unlatched the locks and slowly opened the door. Will nearly collapsed into his arms.

"Easy there partner," John slid his arm under Will's to support him. "Let's get you seated."

"I walked here," Will said hoarsely. "My legs hurt."

"I'll bet," John said and nearly carried Will over to the chair he had been sitting in. "I'll get you some water."

Will nodded and when John returned with a bottle of water, he nearly drank it all in one gulp. "John," he said, "where's Madeline?"

The hesitation John made before replying gave Will his answer. "They took her didn't they?"

John looked so remorseful that if Will didn't know better he would say he was to blame. "And Gibson," he said. "They took both of them."

Will closed his eyes. The buzzing in his head had been from Gibson, only he was too far to hear him. "They're there. At the place I was at. He lied to me."

John put his hand on Will's shoulder, "Go get some rest in the room over there. You need it."

Will nodded, he felt the imminence of his defeat. Soon Shaker would come for him again and they would have all three of them to do with as they wished. Will crept to the room and was soon fast asleep.

Mount Weather Complex

Bluemont, VA

Madeline was lying on the bed in a sterile room. It wasn't an operating room, it was hers, the one that Shaker had lead her to like she was a guest in their hotel. What they don't do in hotels is strap their patrons in their bed. After Shaker left, two nurses came in and tied her down, citing that she was a flight risk or some such thing. Then they hooked up electrodes to her head and an IV to a vein on her arm. She wasn't being medicated so she figured it was for later.

As she lied there, she had flashes. Flashes of Will running, of the red-haired woman crying. There was one of Gibson, hooked up to machines like she was, his head was being drilled into. The flashes were brief and Madeline's head hurt after each one. She tried to think of anything else, it seemed that when she concentrated one would come slowly and not suddenly as before.

She thought of the few days before, when Will had kissed her. His emotions mixed with hers, and there was desperation, uncertainty, some jealousy on his part, and finally the strangest sensation of completeness. Madeline knew that they were young, she was 19 and he was 18 and yet she knew that she had found her soul mate. When Madeline thought of this she had another flash. Her and Will were kissing, caressing each other in a room not unlike hers. They were on the bed being watched by about a dozen men and women, all taking notes and just watching.

Madeline opened her eyes, greeted by the white ceiling above. "Oh god…" she whispered to the empty room. She closed her eyes and began to cry silently.

In the room adjacent to hers, Shaker watched through a two-way mirror. The Bridget-clone stood with him. She looked at the monitors and made a note.

"She's thinking about him," she said with a flat tone. "It spikes whenever she does."

"She's in love," Shaker said. "And so is he." He sighed, "It's started."

Washington D.C.

Will woke up with a start. The buzzing in his head set off another alarm and he thought the Alien Bounty Hunter was near again. He got out of bed and went into the other room. John wasn't there.

"John?" He called out.

The toilet flushed in the bathroom and John came out wiping his hands on his jeans. "You okay, Will?"

Will nodded, "Yeah I just… felt something."

John frowned and suddenly someone knocked on the door. Will immediately tensed and John gave him a reassuring glance. "Take it easy, kid. I don't think bad guys knock."

Will nodded, easing just a bit. John, who wasn't all that positive himself the bad guys weren't on the other side of the door, opened the door.

"Monica!" He said with relief. Will's stomach unclenched.

John and Monica embraced and kissed. They let go and Roe came in. John shook his hand. Roe looked over at Will and it took every ounce of Roe's willpower not to glare at him. Will wasn't so restrained.

"William?"

Will turned around to see a short woman with brilliant red hair that was streaked with white. Her blue eyes shone with tears.

"William?" She whispered again, hoarsely.

Time ticked by in slow, deliberate increments as Will and this woman stared at each other. Still he couldn't quite place her familiar as she was to him. Tears were running down the sides of the woman's face. A brief hazy memory of this woman singing to him flashed in his mind. He sang the words of this song in an equally hoarse, tentative voice.

"Oh!" She gasped; her hand flew to her open mouth. She rushed toward him and embraced him tightly. "Oh my William… my sweet boy," she hugged him fiercely and sobbed into his chest.

He hugged her back just as tight and breathed in a faint scent that he dimly remembered.

John, Monica and Roe quietly left.

The woman finally let go and looked up into his blue-green eyes. She smiled and gently stroked his face with both hands. "My William, I have missed you everyday."

"So, you're my mother. My real mother," he said.

Dana nodded, "I know I haven't given you a reason to think so," she stopped and exhaled, "but you have to understand one thing." Her voice broke. "I never wanted to give you up, but I had to make a choice and you needed to have as normal a life as possible. One away from danger and death."

He nodded, "Just in the past week, I've seen and done more things I can't begin to explain."

She smiled softly, "Welcome to my world."

"You can call me Will, if you want."

"Okay," she smiled. "You just… you look so much like him."

"My father?"

"Yes."

"Um…A man came and told me that my biological father is dead. He said that I needed to find out who I was, who I am."

Dana looked puzzled, "William… Will, your father's not dead."

"Who's not dead?" A man voice came from ahead of them.

Will turned around and was greeted by a vision of himself. Only in this vision he was older, grayer. The man who had just came through the door looked like Will with a face was lined characteristically by age and eyes that sparkled green.

The man blinked and stared back, "William?"

Will nodded.

The man grinned and hugged him as tight as his mother had. "I can't believe this." He let go and held Will at arms length to study him. "You look like your mother."

"Everyone has been saying I look like you," was all Will could say.

The man nodded absently, "I guess so." He smiled, "You have your mother's eyes though." He brushed hair from Will's brow.

"They said you died."

He laughed, "How many does that make, Dana? Four?"

"This is definitely the fourth time."

"The fourth time, what?"

"That Fox Mulder has been pronounced dead."

"Fox," she said, putting her hand on his and giving him a scolding look.

He turned back to William. "She only calls me that when I'm in trouble," he told him with a hint of a mischievous, boyish grin.

Will smiled back at his father then looked away.

"What is it?" Dana asked him.

"I'm… I had good parents. They loved me very much and now they're dead because… of me," Will stammered.

Dana empathized with her son and Mulder put his arm around him. "Look at me, Will," he said seriously. "You aren't responsible for anything that happened to your parents or to your friends, or even to you. It isn't your fault."

"Isn't it?" Will asked stepping out of Mulder's touch. "I'm some kind of freak or alien or thing that people just want to mess with." His chin quivered. "They changed me."

"Will…" Mulder reached for him, but Will backed away.

"Look," Will said and looked at the chair in the room. Mulder and Scully watched as the chair moved back and forth then finally lifted off the ground. Scully gasped and Mulder blinked in incredulity.

Mulder recovered first and nudged Dana who looked as if she was going to begin crying again. "William…" Mulder struggled for the right words, Dana answered.

"You were born with that," she said. "They didn't change you."

"They didn't?"

"No," she shook her head.

"I couldn't do this before," Will said. "He said… they were coming after me because of you. Because of who I was."

"We were both infected with Alien DNA before you were born. Your mother was experimented on by the government as was I," Mulder explained. "Your mother was barren and through a miracle conceived you. It wasn't an immaculate miracle by the way. A year after you were born, a friend of sorts, injected you with a substance called magnetite. After that you weren't able to move things. That's when we decided to give you a normal life. So in a way you were created."

Will felt his knees begin to give but focused to stand. "So everything they told me was true. My blood, my DNA, is different. And they're going to use it to save everyone."

Mulder and Scully shared a look. "They aren't going to save everyone. They're going to kill them."

"I don't understand."

"The reason… one of the reasons I gave you up was because we had discovered what the government had been planning. They were going to create a race of alien-human hybrids to be slave to the aliens when they arrived on Earth. This conspiracy went to the highest of levels within the government."

"Then why is some Alien Bounty Hunter after my friends."

"What friends?"

"Gibson Praise and Madeline Hosteen. That's the reason I gave myself up, so that the government guys would leave them alone, but then there was a man named Jeffrey Spender at the complex who told me an Alien was after them."

"Jeffrey Spender?"

"Yeah, who is he?"

"My brother," Mulder said. He turned to Scully. "They have him and the others."

"Wait," Will frowned. "You mean they already have Gibson and Madeline?" The walls and furniture in the room began to shake. "They have her there?"

Mulder looked around and Scully touched her son's arm to gently calm him. It worked. Mulder whistled, "That's some power, beats precognition." He sighed, "Well, let's talk to John and Monica and see what kind of plan we can come up with."

"I'm gonna go and sleep for a bit," Will said. "I'm really tired." He disappeared into the other room.

Mulder nodded and opened the door for Monica, John and Roe to come back in. "Dana?"

"I'll be right there," she said to Mulder and followed Will.

Dana knocked on the half-closed door. Will didn't answer and she opened the door. Her son was sitting on the edge of the bed.

"William?"

He didn't move, he stared at the plain gray carpet. Dana's stomach knotted. As happy as she was to be reunited with her son, the pain he was so obviously feeling stung her as only a mother could understand.

She went over and sat next to him. Not too close, those she wanted to keep touching him, to reassure herself that he was really there.

"When is my birthday?" Will asked.

Dana blinked. She wasn't ready for that question, nor was she ready for the evenness and openness of his voice. "May 22, 2001," she replied. "Why?"

"I'm a year older," he said. "You wanted me to have a normal life?"

Dana nodded, "I wanted so much for you to be normal, to live a normal life with normal parents."

Will grunted. "I'm sorry I'm such a disappointment."

"No!" Dana exclaimed. "You could never… You weren't a disappointment." She looked away, "I was." She let out a shaky sigh. She firmly took his chin in her hand and faced him to her. "You are my miracle," she said. "I love you so much and a part of me died when I gave you away. I could only hope you would have a good life."

Tears stung Will's eyes, he touched his mother's hand on his face. "I did, and I guess I have you to thank for it." Will put his arms around Dana and hugged her. "Thank you," he whispered.

Dana closed her eyes and tears leaked out down her cheeks. "Oh," she said wiping her eyes and smiling at him, "I think of anything to say."

Will smiled back, "How about we save my friends and expose a conspiracy?"

Dana laughed, "Oh you're definitely your father's son."

MOUNT WEATHER COMPLEX

Bluemont, VA

Madeline was lying on her bed. She wasn't strapped down but she had no desire to stand up. The doctors had left a few hours ago and she felt more miserable than she thought she could feel. Her eyes were still red and puffy from the hour-long crying session she had. First they had injected her with something, then the flashes came almost instantly. With every flash came extraordinary pain. She had vision after vision of the future, or rather what could be the future.

Another flash came, and she saw Shaker walk in with the cold Bridget-clone. The pain in her head wasn't as torturous as before. Not more than five minutes later, Shaker and Clone-Bridget walked in.

"Go away," she said.

"Have you had anymore visions?" Shaker asked.

"No," she told him.

"Are you sure?"

Madeline glared at him and sniffled, "I saw you die," she said. "I saw my father die and my friends. I saw Will die too. You want to know how?"

Shaker raised his eyebrows, "Do tell."

"I killed them. Except you," she said. "She killed you."

Shaker cast a wary eye at the Clone-Bridget. "Her?"

Madeline went back to staring at the ceiling. "If I tell you will you go away?"

"If you tell me."

"No."

Shaker glared at Madeline. "Why did you kill Will?"

"Because I had to."

"Why?"

"You said you'd go away."

"I lied," he said. "Tell me."

Madeline was quiet and Shaker sighed irate. She curled up in a ball, her back to them. Shaker nodded for Bridget to leave and she did. Shaker sat on the edge of her bed.

"You don't like her, do you?

"She's not human."

"She's a clone."

"She was never human."

"I don't like her either."

Madeline turned to face him, "You're going to let me go."

"Why would I do that?"

"You like me."

"Not particularly."

"Because they're coming."

Shaker stared at her and suddenly Madeline screamed. She writhed in pain on the bed. Shaker held her down. "It's going to blow up!" she screamed. Shaker's eyes grew wide and he let go of her and left the room. Clone-Bridget was waiting outside.

"What happened?" She asked.

"They're coming," he said before pulling out his gun and squeezing two rounds into her head and neck.

Will strode through the entrance to the complex. Four guards were there and stood in front of him to block his way. By him thinking it, the guards flew back. He turned around and signaled the rest of the group.

Roe and John walked ahead, both shouldering large duffel bags they nodded at Will and disappeared into the cavern. Dana and Monica appeared next.

"Gibson was on the first floor with two guards," Will told them.

Monica nodded and smiled at Will. Dana exhaled and gave her son a fierce hug. "Be careful," she said.

He patted her back soothingly. "I will."

The women left through the elevators and Mulder stood next to Will. "Come on," he said and Will and he took off.

They weaved their way through the complex, avoiding guards and doctors. "How do you know where to go?" He asked Will.

Will shrugged, "I just do."

They were about to exit the stairwell onto the fourth floor when the buzzing came in Will's head. "Something wrong?" Mulder asked.

Will grabbed his head and wrenched back. "Will!" Mulder whispered. He grabbed his son and held him upright. "Will what is it?"

Will groaned. His face was contorted; excruciating pain tore through his brain. "There are people," he gasped. "Hurting. Scared. There are so many…" He screamed and Mulder tried to hush him.

"Where? Will, what room?" Mulder asked.

"At the end of the hall," he sputtered in agony. "Oh god…"

Mulder nodded, "Okay, stay here. I'll go get Madeline. Just stay here."

Will couldn't protest as his father left him in the stairwell.

When Dana and Monica had found him, Dana had a terrible flashback. She remembered telling Gibson that she'd protect him, but she had failed miserably and he had known. Now, Monica and Dana each had an arm under Gibson and were practically dragging him out of the complex.

They got out to the car lot. John and Roe were waiting in a van. John slid open the door to the van and called for them. Roe got out and helped them get Gibson into the van.

"Hey Gib," Roe said. "How you doing?"

"My head hurts," he said.

John chuckled, "Well, you got a hole in it."

Gibson tried to laugh but groaned. "Not the first time."

Dana looked out anxiously for the others. "They should already be here."

"They will," Monica said to her. "They're coming."

Mulder slipped into the hallway, unnoticed. There were no doctors, no guards, nobody in the halls. He walked quickly to the last door and found it unlocked. Mulder stood back in shock in the room. Lined up against the walls, in what looked like large drums of liquid were people. All were curled in fetal position, tubes ran into their mouths, feeding them or helping them breathe.

But it wasn't this that shocked Mulder, it was that he saw himself, or rather clones of him, in at least five of the liquid-filled containers. Two of them in the group were almost fully-grown versions, the other two seemed to be adolescent or teenage, and the other was a baby, not more than a year old it looked.

"Son of a bitch," he said.

As he walked through the room, there was another set of five clones, this time they were clones of Dana Scully. Another grouping of a light-brown haired woman. The last grouping of five was indistinguishable, the clones were all children-sized yet, but they were male.

Mulder walked by the large desk and found notes and digi-files. He set his bag down and he skimmed through them. Tests to clone subjects #022131 and # 022132 failed. More testing concluded that both subjects can not be cloned. Tests to clone subject #022133 were more successful. Amount of time for a mature clone recommended at 10 years. Mulder switched to another file. Subject #022131 and subject #022132 must conceive and produce a child naturally...

A noise disrupted Mulder and he looked to see who was there. "Hello?"

"Fox?" Jeffrey Spender appeared from behind a container. His hair was shaved and there were burn marks symmetrically aligned on either side of his face. His eyes were wide, like he had too much caffeine. "What are you doing here?"

"My son was taken," Mulder replied.

"William," he whispered. "He escaped."

"His friends are here still."

"The mind reader and the girl," Jeffrey nodded. "She's on the next floor."

Mulder inhaled, "Did you read these files?"

Jeffrey nodded again. "They were testing them. Trying to clone them. But they can't be cloned. But they can be bred."

"Who?"

"William and the girl."

Mulder stared at Jeffrey. "They want to breed my son and Madeline?"

"They want to create the perfect alien-human hybrid."

"To do what with?"

Jeffrey stared back at Mulder like it was the simplest explanation. "To harness in the next rung of the evolutionary ladder."

"By using people? By using my son as a catalyst?"

"Of course. It is your son that has alien DNA. They created him for that purpose. And the girl is his counterpart. His other half."

"But she wasn't created. Her mother had alien DNA."

"As did you once, and Dana. They knew that, so they used it. The girl was a fortunate accident."

Mulder looked back at the clones in the tubes.

"They knew where your son was the moment Scully gave him up. They didn't count on the injection of magnetite you had me give him. So they waited until his body could endure the cleansing treatment, or until they found her."

"It's all been for nothing."

"Don't be so fatalist," Jeffrey scoffed. "There's still time left."

Mulder looked up at his half-brother, "Come on, we have to go."

"I can't."

"What?"

"I'm already dead Fox," Jeffrey said. "I died in that basement in Washington, killed by our father."

"Jeffrey, I don't have time for dramatics," Mulder said impatiently. "We're bringing this hellhole down and we're leaving."

"I understand that, but I know too much now. I've been subjected to their tests and I've read their files. You have to go, you have to save your son this time."

Mulder looked at Jeffrey and understood. "Thank you," Mulder said sticking out his hand.

Jeffrey nodded, and shook Mulder's hand. "Good luck."

In the stairwell, Will forced himself to get up off the floor and climbed the stairs to the next floor where Madeline would be. Will pushed open the door to Madeline's room. She was crumpled in the corner of the room. Her hands were covering her head and shaking.

"It's gonna blow up," she repeated over and over.

Will swallowed the growing lump in his throat. "Madeline?"

She looked up at him. "Will?" She said in a tiny little girl voice. "Will, you can't be here."

Will went over to her and reached out but she cowered back. "It's okay," he said. "I'm gonna get you out of here." He put his arms around her and picked her up. Suddenly, there was a low rumble, then the lights went out and alarms began to blare loudly. The bombs John and Roe placed were starting to go off.

Will ran down all the stairs, adrenaline pumping through his veins and he kicked open an emergency exit door to the cavern and saw light flooding in from the entrance. He hoisted Madeline up to get a better grip on her and began towards their escape. Will got about three meters before he felt the buzzing and Madeline gasped in his arms. A second later he heard the click-click of the hammer of a gun being pulled back.

"No," Madeline whispered. "Just keep walking."

"I don't want to shoot you boy, but I will, make no mistake about that," Shaker said.

Will looked down at Madeline's pleading face. He set her down on her feet and caressed her cheek to console her. He turned around to face Shaker and walked forward. Shaker pulled the trigger twice. Madeline crumpled to the floor and Will stopped. The bullets hit the floor in front of him.

"As I said," Shaker pulled the trigger back again. "I don't want to shoot you. I'd rather save the bullets."

Mulder skidded to a halt. Will was standing in the middle of the room in front of Madeline so that it looked as if he was shielding her from someone. Mulder looked and the color in his face drained and every hair on his body stood on end.

Mulder took the gun out and ran out to his son and the man who had him hostage. He held the gun up, pointed squarely at the man's head.

"Krycek," Mulder spit out the words like it had a bad taste. "Well you haven't aged a day," Mulder said humorlessly.

He smiled, a spark lit in his hazel-green eyes. "Some people are just blessed," Shaker-Krycek replied.

"Or some people are just evil bastards who'll sell their soul for a good enough price," Mulder shrugged. He looked at Shaker's left arm. "Nice hand."

"Good to see you've kept that sarcastic candor all these years." Shaker's own satirical smile widened, "I missed that."

"Can't say the same," Mulder said. "What else did you get for it?"

Shaker clucked his tongue, "No no. If I tell you now I don't get to see the look on your face when you discover the truth."

"Tell me and maybe I'll consider not shooting you this second," Mulder said.

"Shoot me Fox. You know you'll just see me again and again."

"I promised myself I'd live long enough to kill you Krycek. And I will."

"Oh Mulder, I'll be living long after your bone dust is gone."

Realization passed over Mulder like a cold wave. "Skinner shot the real Alexander Krycek. Shot him in the head. You're a clone."

Shaker nodded, "You really are smarter than you look."

"That's what they tell me. So how…"

"C'mon Mulder you used to be good at this. They have the technology, they can rebuild you, make you better, stronger…" He laughed. "They programmed Alex Krycek's memories into me."

Mulder cocked the gun. "Then I hope they program my clone to hate you as much as I do."

You don't hate me Fox," Shaker told him confidently. "You like me being your foil."

"You tried to kill my son. I should put a bullet through your head. Again."

"No," Shaker shook his head. "I only facilitated his capture and treatments, and then they made me wait until he learned what he is."

"He's a boy!" Mulder shouted. "You took away his future!"

"I gave him back his past," Shaker said firmly. "I showed him the path to the truth."

"Spare me the over-dramatized reveille. You're nothing more than an over-glorified hit man. You always were," Mulder viciously growled.

This didn't affect Shaker. He kept talking. "Your aliens came a long time ago, before December 22, 2012, before your son was born, before your father gave up your sister, hell before Roswell. They began their colonization and the government did what it could to resist them. You were always looking for the truth Fox, and when you found it you couldn't handle it." Mulder's resolve was wavering. Shaker nodded. "You know what I'm talking about. The government you fought against, the one you wanted to expose was only trying to protect us. The hybrids were never meant to be slaves, they were meant to be resistance fighters, along with the other aliens, we were to be soldiers in a revolution."

Mulder contemplated the Krycek-clone's feverish spiel. Slowly he squeezed the trigger of the gun. Two bullets whizzed through the air, one lodging itself in Shaker's shoulder, the other passing through his left lung. The clone shouted and fell back. Mulder stepped up to him and aimed at his head. "Now you're spouting off insanity."

"Kill me Fox. Please end it." Shaker inhaled and exhaled erratically, "Your son will never be normal, but he'll be safe." He grabbed Mulder's gun barrel and shoved it to his head. "Kill me!" He screamed.

Fox Mulder tightened the grip of the firearm in his hand, then he let go and dropped his arm down to his side. "No," he said. "I don't value your life over that of a cockroach, but I'm not going to kill you."

The Krycek-clone stared at Mulder. Just then another bomb exploded close to them. Debris began to fall overhead, Will scooped Madeline up and called out to his father. "Let's go!"

Mulder took one last look at the clone of Alexander Krycek and followed his son. The Krycek-clone scrambled for his gun, but before he could pull the trigger, two shots rang out. One caught him in the back of the head and the other in the back of the neck. Will and Mulder whirled around and saw Dana standing there with he gun smoking.

"Where the hell are you going?" She asked them.

Will and Mulder looked at each other and shrugged.

National Protection and Investigation Bureau

Washington D.C.

The heels of his shoes echoed down the empty hallway. He turned the corner down another empty hallway and his shoes clicked until he reached his destination. He straightened his tie and opened the door.

The board members were already seated at a long table before him. He nodded a greeting to all of them in general and laid a paper file on the table. He stood back and clasped his hand behind his back.

"Director Follmer," the woman started, not bothering to look at the file. "You've been the head Director of Special Projects for close to ten years now, is that correct?"

Brad Follmer nodded, "That is right."

"And you are prepared to take responsibility for the mishap at the Mount Weather Complex?"

"No ma'am, I am not." There was a low murmuring amongst the members. He glanced over all of them. "Nor do I think 'mishap' is the proper word."

"Well, we are all subjected to our opinions, Director Follmer," she said. "What are you taking responsibility for?"

"The destruction of the complex."

"Are we to believe that you were part of the group that attacked the private and highly classified complex?"

"No ma'am," Follmer said. "I myself have just discovered the kinds of experimentations that were occurring at the complex. If the complex hadn't been destroyed I would have shut it down myself."

"And yet yours is among the names of those who endorsed the projects."

"I was led to understand that the complex was continuing on the research of extra-terrestrial life as so department has been working on."

The man to the left of the woman grunted. "The X-Files are dead, Director Follmer. Along with all that worked on it."

The woman ignored him and continued, "As far as we know, Director Follmer, it was."

"But did you know the so-called researchers at the complex were experimenting on human subjects?"

The board members all looked at each other, "As a matter of fact, Director Follmer, we did," she replied.

Brad Follmer frowned. "I'm sorry?"

"We became aware of the situation after the second year when clone developers came to us with an idea."

"I-I'm having a hard time understanding, but why was I, as head of Special Projects, not informed."

"We can't disclose those details with you at this time."

Follmer nodded curtly. "You'll find in my detailed report, which I also have copies of, cites my late knowledge about the goings-on at the Mount Weather Complex, and that my opinion is that whatever went on there was a gross misuse of the NPIB's time and expense."

"That will be noted, Director Follmer."

"You will also note that if you require a letter of my resignation from my post, I have one ready, awaiting only my signature."

"We don't think that will be necessary, Director."

"You haven't read my report yet, ma'am."

The woman took off her glasses and looked Follmer in the eyes. She wasn't an intimidating woman, she seemed more like teacher than head of a major government operation, but right then Follmer understood why she had been elected the head of the National Protection and Investigation Bureau.

"Director Follmer, unlike my colleagues, I pass judgment on those who I believe have warranted it. Now, it is because of your closeness with those who worked on the X-Files that partly earned you your position."

"Perhaps, ma'am, it is because of my involvement with those people that your plans have failed."

"Are you trying to tell us Mr. Follmer," the man spoke up, "that you've been in contact with those people?"

Follmer shook his head, "Of course not. The X-Files is dead, along with all those who were involved with them. Besides, I would never betray the government's trust."

The woman nodded, "Thank you, Director Follmer. I'm sure we've taken up enough of your time."

Follmer turned around and walked out of the room. He got back to his office and closed the door. "Everything is taken care of," he said to the door.

Monica and Roe who were sitting on the couch stood up as he turned around. Monica went over and gave him a hug, "Thank you."

He smiled at her, "Now we're even," he said. He sighed, "You should get out of the country if you know what's good for you."

Monica nodded, "We will."

Roe shook Follmer's hand, "I'll drop you a line, Uncle Brad, let you know where we're at."

Follmer shook his head, "Have I taught you nothing Artie?"

Roe grinned and he and Monica left the room.

Chipping Norton

Oxfordshire, United Kingdom

3 months later

Will sat on a rock near the garden on the grounds of his parent's home in England. It was a gray-skied day and had been drizzling since morning. He would have to get used to the weather. His father stepped out of the house and saw Will sitting alone and walked over to him

Mulder sighed, "British weather," he commented. "You'll get used to it."

Will chuckled, "I was just thinking that."

Mulder settled next to Will. "You send in your application to Oxford?"

"Yeah, yesterday," Will replied.

"Still interested in Astronomy?"

"Actually I was thinking about molecular science."

Mulder grimaced, "Really?"

"Yeah," Will leaned back on his palms. "Genetics, DNA… I thought it might come in handy someday."

"I suppose so," Mulder mused.

"You think I can do it?"

"I think you can do anything you put your mind to."

"You have to say that."

Mulder shook his head, "No I don't."

They sat quietly for a few moments. A light shower watered the ground and when the sun peeked out from behind the clouds, the grass shimmered around them.

"Ever since I was a kid I have been looking for an explanation to everything," Mulder said softly. Will tilted his head to listen. "I couldn't rely on hard, cold science because there was so much that still needed explaining. There were miracles and contradictions that science couldn't always explain. So I sought out the truth. And when I finally did find it, I realized that I had given up too much to obtain it, and I was in danger of losing the one thing I still had. Your mother doesn't know this, but I regret her following me. I am responsible for her having to give you up, for her abduction and the illness that left her barren. I almost got her killed a hundred times… but she still never gave up on me. I guess that was her obsession."

Will knit his brows, "Do you really believe that?"

"Sometimes I really do."

"Well, I think you're dumb."

Mulder threw back his head and laughed. "I guess I am." He looked with a fatherly love into his son's eyes. "There was only one thing I never cared if I got an explanation for or not."

"What was that?"

"You," he said. "You were the one miracle I believed in with my whole heart and mind. The miracle I still believe in."

Will nodded, "And fate?"

"I think most of what happens is out of our hands. There was a reason 28 years ago that a rookie FBI agent was assigned to debunk the work of an intense, some said paranoid, fellow agent. Only to believe his ideas as well. He would open her up to possibilities beyond the explanation of science and reminded her of what it was to have faith in the unseen and she loved him for that. In return she taught him what it was to be human and not a shell or a crusade and he loved her for that. So yeah, I do believe in fate, son. Fate is what brought us together, what gave us you and returned you. Fate is what brought you to her."

Will looked at his father. "So what do we control?"

Mulder gazed out and saw Madeline standing at the doorway, looking around for them. He stood up and tousled Will's hair. "The moments."

Will watched his father walk back to the house. He passed Madeline and the two said hello. Will watched the wind blow her hair back. She looked like she did in the dream. He stood up and she saw him, their eyes locked, and they smiled.

"My name is William. I was born for two reasons. To prove that an alien-human hybrid could be born naturally and to stop the men who began this project. For over 70 years these men covered up the greatest conspiracies in history. They eliminated every person who got close to discovering the truth, until an ambitious, young FBI agent was determined enough to expose the truth. The men would never be successful in killing him as the one thing that couldn't be corrupted happened: love. However, they used this to their advantage. They took the young and ambitious FBI agents' love and manipulated it. And so I am the product of pure love between two people and the fears and lies of the men who tried to destroy their spirits and failed."

The End.

A/N: That's it. I apologize for not making this sooner, but classes started and I had little time to work on this. It was really fun writing this. It was my first X-Files fanfic, and I'm thinking about doing some more. Thanks to all who reviewed and all who liked it.