Chapter Five - Sober Morning After

By the time the car stopped it was dark out. It'd been getting dark entire fifteen minute drive, but it seemed to get dark quicker than it would've in DC. "Maybe I should come find you tomorrow morning," Chip said as they stared at their world from the street some Mulder had grown up on.

Mulder gave him a slightly annoyed look. "It's going to take us time, Chip. You don't think that we're going to magically come up with a solution after a good night's sleep, do you?"

"I know, it's just..." He wrung his hands. "They don't have a lot of time."

The agents stared at him. If anyone knew how little time the infected people had it was them. After all, they'd seen what happened when the infection had been allowed to progress, and this boy hadn't.

"Chip, why don't you come back here around six tomorrow night?" Scully suggested, earning a questioning look from Mulder. "We probably won't have anything going by then, but we can at least give you an update."

"Okay, yeah. See you tomorrow, then."

"Bye."

Chip's anxious face was the last glimpse of the other world before they stepped through.

The second time they crossed the divide was less jarring than the first, mostly because they knew what to expect. Still, Scully couldn't help but feeling a little dizzy once they were back on their own solid ground. She shook her head and willed it to clear.

"Well, that was interesting," Mulder remarked quietly.

"An understatement." Scully looked around and remembered that they were miles from their office. She winced a bit thinking of walking all that way. "If we do this again, let's drive here next time. We've still got a hike to get back to your car."

Mulder's car. It seemed like weeks ago that they'd driven into work together.

He took her arm when she stumbled over the uneven ground, and didn't let go once they reached the flatness of the sidewalk. People hustled past, and Scully marveled: to people passing by they probably just looked like a couple out on a walk. Not a couple who had spent hours in another dimension.

After what seemed like an inordinate amount of time, they finally reached the parking lot of the Hoover building. Mulder's car was not the only one in the parking lot, but there were only a handful of others left. Glancing at her watch she saw that it was closing in on ten o'clock. The two walks had taken a lot more time than she'd considered.

Realizing that Mulder was about to open his mouth, she took a preemptive strike. "Let's wait until tomorrow to rehash this, okay?"

"Okay," he agreed once they were in his car.

"All I want now is to go home and get some sleep." She glanced at him as he started the engine. "Sleep alone, I mean."

"Oh."

The hurt look on his face made her frown. "Don't be like that. I'm exhausted, all I'm going to be doing is really sleeping. At least I will after I call in and take a sick day."

"You feel sick?" Mulder studied her face with a concerned look.

"No. You're calling in sick too."

"I am?"

She nearly sighed in exasperation. "You are. You're going to retrieve what's left of the vaccine and meet me at my apartment before lunch tomorrow. Or did you expect that we'd get paid to wander off and look into this? It's not an official case."

"Oh, right. That's a good point. Around eleven then?"

"Sure, that's fine."

Mulder had trouble sleeping that night. He tried to lie down and shut his eyes several times, but to warring trains of thought made his mind a battleground, so he couldn't get any peace.

When he turned on the TV he caught part of a rerun of Father Knows Best and it immediately sent his mind spiraling towards one of those dueling thoughts. The little girl had called Scully Mommy. It probably wasn't something she'd been aware of, but Scully had flinched when the child threw herself at her legs. There had been a pained and shocked look on her face for just a second, then it was gone. She was good at throwing up a shield at the first sign that her defenses were crumbling, but he'd seen it for just that moment, even if everyone else had missed it. The child's innocent mistake had wounded her, and there was nothing he could do about it.

It broke his heart. But it also prompted him to promise himself that he would do what he'd been considering for a while - broach the subject of adoption with Scully after they were married.

And that was always how he thought about it - when they married, not if.

A long time before he realized that neither of them were going to find other people who understood their relationship, so all other romances were doomed to failure as long as they remained partners. And they couldn't stop being partners any more than they could stop breathing; as it was weekends apart were like holding their breathe past the point of reason.

Which served to make his other worry so painful to contemplate. He was terrified that once the dawn arrived, Scully's desire for reason would over power her belief in what her eyes had shown her. He didn't think that he could bear it if she denied everything they'd seen over the course of their admittedly strange day. In his heart he knew he believed that Chip's mother represented his best chance of getting his sister back. She wasn't exactly the sister he lost, yet identical to her in every way. And what's more, he was sure that if they compared notes, they'd find that their memories matched up until October 1972.

And the kids. He was still in awe to see how the genes of someone who looked just like him and just like Scully had combined to create two perfect little beings. Someone had to save their parents so they didn't end up orphans.

Which made him think of adopting a child with Scully again...

The Next Day
11:15 a.m.

Mulder was grinning at her when Scully opened the door to her apartment. "This fits the definition of 'before lunch' doesn't it?"

"Sure," she agreed, kissing him on the cheek. "What have you got?"

He was holding two paper bags. "In this bag is lunch. In this other one is the vaccine. I promise not to get them mixed up," he added with a grin.

"Let me have the vaccine." She held out her hands. "I hope this stuff is still good."

"Me too."

"I think we're going to have to go back sooner than we planned. I was thinking about that dead man in Phoenix."

"Any particular dead man?" Mulder asked and Scully didn't answer right away. "There was more than one stiff on that case." To his disappointment his indelicate wording didn't needle her. He was pulling their lunch out of the bag when she finally replied.

"The one that...thing killed, by bursting out of his chest."

"Oh, that dead guy in Phoenix."

"I seem to recall you telling me that the creature wanted heat, so that's why it went to the nuclear power plant."

"That's right. We decided that the heat was what made it gestate faster than all of the other examples you and I encountered."

She bristled a little at his use of the word "we." It was he and Fowley he was referring to, not to herself. "So we should get them to make sure that Fox and Dana are kept as cool as possible."

Instead of responding, Mulder just stared at her. It made her self-conscious, so she finally asked, "What?"

"Nothing. It's just that this isn't what I was expecting today."

"And what is that supposed to mean?"

"To be honest, I was expecting to get here today and have to plead with you to reconsider."

The look she gave him was a confused one. "Reconsider what, I don't follow."

"I was positive that you'd have concluded by breakfast that everything that had happened was a shared hallucination, or something along those lines."

Nodding slightly, she squeezed his hand. "I've got to keep you on your toes, Mulder."

"Oh, you do, you do." There was a touch of awe in his voice as he said it.

"There is one thing I have my doubts about, though. James said that he thought that the MMR vaccine protected the younger people from infection by the black oil, but how could that be true? We know that one of the victims in Texas was a twelve-year-old boy, and before that a child died at a bee out-break on a school playground-"

He held up a hand to interrupt her and grinned. "Great minds think alike. I knew those two cases would throw a monkey wrench into the theory so I did a little research..." He rummaged through the bag he'd brought their lunch over in and fished out a manila folder. "The child at school died from a reaction to the bee stings. And the victim in Texas never received the MMR."

"Mulder, that can't be right. You have to get the MMR before you can register for first grade in this country."

He shook his head. "You can get medical wavers for that in all 50 states, and most states allow for religious wavers too. The victim's cousin is autistic, so his parents refused to give him the MMR."

"But the study that purported to prove a link-"

"It doesn't matter if there's really a connection or not. Either way it does show why he was vulnerable to the black oil."

"How would they allow that?"

"Who allow what?" It was his turn to shot her a confused look.

"If your theory is correct then everyone under the age of twenty-eight would be immune. How could that have escaped their attention?" When he continued to look blank, she growled. "Don't make me say 'the aliens,' Mulder."

He shrugged. "I'm sure they don't know. They've taken so little notice of human activity that they've yet to realize that people have been working on a vaccine specifically against black oil infection for forty years. If they've missed that, I'm sure that an unintended side effect of a wholly unrelated vaccine has gone under their radar."

"What about the Syndicate? Do you think they know?"

"Have you noticed them kidnapping children to experiment on lately?"

"No."

"Then I think it's safe to assume they don't."

While Scully looked for something, Mulder scooped the remains of their meal into the trash. Though they both probably would have preferred a more leisurely lunch, Scully insisted that time was of the essence, so they'd rushed.

Scully opened her fridge and peered into the depths. "Do you think they'll have eggs there?"

"Why wouldn't they have eggs?"

"There's no Bill in that world, so obviously things are somewhat different."

"I see. But why would a more perfect world not have any eggs?" Mulder asked with a smirk.

"Funny. If we're going to make more of the vaccine, we'll need eggs."

"Oh. Why?"

"Eggs are one of the best mediums for reproducing antibodies."

"You know how to make a vaccine?" he yelped in surprise.

"I took virology in school," she told him. "So at least I understand the underlying ideas."

"You're one up on me." Mulder took her arm. "Let's hope that someone over there really knows about vaccines, because I'm not going to be much help. You could fit my knowledge of the subject into a thimble."

"Mulder, give yourself a little credit," Scully chided him. "Given what you know about the black oil, you'd be able to at least fill a shot glass."

"Thanks a lot," he grumbled good-naturedly.

"I did say at least."

Although she would never admit it after Mulder had expressed his worry about the subject, Scully was surprised that the shimmery void was still there when they tramped down to the spot they'd left the night before. It was there, and she had mixed feelings about stepping through it again, but she'd made a commitment so she steeled her resolve. It made her feel better when Mulder took her hand.

On the other side Mulder gave her a wry smile. "Do you suppose we can find our way back to my sister's, I mean Samantha's," he corrected himself, "house?"

"Do you expect me to treat that as a serious question? I could probably blindfold you and you'd still find your way back there."

"If I wasn't run down by a car, or hit by a kid on a skateboard." He gave her a sidelong look. "Now you praise my unerring sense of direction, but I distinctly remember one day two years ago while looking for a tanker that you doubted that I knew where I was going."

She smirked at him. "I was commenting just now on the power of your memory. I still don't think you're psychically able to find your way."

"Aww, and here I was hoping that you were convinced that I'm developing ESP. The gunmen told me chicks dig that sort of thing."

"I guess you're lucky that I accept your short-comings."

Before they knew it, they were on Chip's street.

And Chip seemed very surprised to see him when they show up at Samantha's house. "Oh, hi! I wasn't expecting you to get here on your own."

"Hope you don't mind," Scully said politely.

"Of course not. But what are you carrying?" Chip directed his question at Mulder.

They both looked down at the paper sack that Mulder was holding. "Eggs. Scully was afraid you wouldn't have any over here."

Chip looked puzzled. "Do you want me to make you an omelet or something?"

They both laughed. "You need eggs to grow a vaccine."

"Oh." Chip gave them an uncertain smile. "Do you have something to make one?"

"We might. You have any virologists over here?" Scully asked sounding hopeful.

"Sure. I bet James can put you in touch with one. I'll call him and tell him you're here."

"Good. Can you have him meet us at the hospital? We want to talk to him about changing how your aunt and uncle are being treated."

"Oh!" Mulder said suddenly. "While we are making demands, can you ask James if maybe he could find an old car to leave at his old house? I know walking is good exercise, but this is getting ridiculous."

Their 'nephew' smiled at Mulder and took the bag of eggs from him. "I'll see what I can do." Chip looked back. "Do you like French toast? Maybe I can get mom to make some tonight."

Less Than a Half-Hour Later

The fact that doctors at the hospital seemed reluctant to listen to her made Scully feel right at home. She couldn't count the number of times that she'd been tempted to end an argument with other doctors by pulling her gun on them. These doctors were no different. Stubbornness seemed to transcend dimensions. It made her wish that Mulder hadn't gone off with James to find somebody who could help them with the vaccine.

"Dammit. Have either of you ever treated this disease before?" Both the doctors reluctantly shook their heads. "Well I have. So how about you listen to the one person who has a damned clue about what this disease is like?"

"Inducing hypothermia to treat a disease sound wholly implausible," one doctor protested weakly.

Scully's thoughts returned to her gun, but she recalled clearly leaving it on her dresser. Trying very hard not to sigh, she growled instead. "Just. Do. It."

The second doctor gave her a doubtful look. "If you're willing to take responsibility-"

"We've talked to their family, they want them saved any cost. I'm sure if you asked nicely you can get consent, if covering your ass is what you're worried about. Their next of kin is right over there." Scully pointed in Chip's direction.

Doctors one and two scurried off to talk to Chip, leaving Scully to stand there staring into Fox and Dana's room. Stepping into the doorway her mouth folded into a frown. They didn't look good. She hoped that James, Mulder, and the virologist got there soon.

A short time later the doctors pushed past her into the room, and began shouting at nurses, finally prepared to carry out her instructions. At least that was something.

Hospital Lab

At first Scully thought that dealing with the virologist would be easier than dealing with the doctors at the hospital, but it quickly became apparent that despite the smiling face and eagerness to help, she too were set in her ways.

"It's nice that you have a sample of a vaccine for this disease," the virologist said cheerfully. "But that's not the most effective way to make more of a vaccine."

Scully gave her a puzzled look. "What is the most effective way to make more of a vaccine?"

"By taking the blood of a person who is immune to the disease, of course and straining it for antibodies." Which, she remembered from med school, is how they had tried to develop a vaccine for the flu in the 40's. "Do you know of anyone who's immune?"

Before she could answer no, Mulder spoke up. "Yes. Both doctor Scully and I been exposed to the disease and did not contract it."

"That's just great. Wait here while I go get some syringes and vials." She hurried off after giving them another bright smile.

"So what are we going to do with this?" Scully asked, rattling the bag that had the vaccine sample in.

Mulder shrugged. "My first temptation would be to give it to either Fox or Dana, but I don't think there's enough for that to be an effective use. And I'd like to think that it might be useful in our world if we ever have a mass infection too, so I think it needs to back into storage."

She nodded reluctantly. Her first impulse had been to give it to one of their doubles too.

"Okay," The virologist said when she returned with a metal tray full of blood taking paraphernalia. "Who wants to go first?"

Mulder rolled up his sleeve.

"How long do you suppose this will take?" Scully asked doubtfully. "Creating a vaccine from antibodies, I mean."

Looking up from the vial filling with blood, the virologist said. "About 24 hours."

"What?" Scully cast her an astonished look. "Vaccine creation takes much longer than that."

The virologist shook her head. "They did. But we've discovered within the past few years that super heating them provides a much more fertile ground for replication."

"That's wonderful," Scully said as she rolled up her own sleeve. "If you can make enough you should be able to create a vaccine to inoculate everyone in short order."

"If we get the antibodies from you, yes," the virologist agreed.

Staring at Mulder, Scully tried to telegraph a silent message to him. Maybe there is hope.

Samantha's House
Early Evening

There wasn't a lot else that they could do to assist the virologist after they'd given blood, so they took Chip up on the offer of going back to his house for dinner. Both of them dragged their feet a little. Mulder knew that he was nervous about spending more time with Samantha, but he was sure that wasn't Scully's problem. Her thoughts were probably on those kids. He hoped they were asleep when they got there.

It was a hope that was dashed immediately. All three of them were in the kitchen. Ezra was sitting in his high chair, dropping dry cereal on his older sister's head. It didn't seem to bother Mckenna since she was absorbed in playing with pots and pans at her aunt's feet.

Samantha smiled brightly when they walked into the kitchen. Both her apron and her right cheek were smudged with flour.

"Chip told me about the eggs, and I think I will take his suggestion of making French toast, if that's okay."

Both of them nodded their consent. "I love the idea of breakfast for dinner," Scully confessed. "It seems slightly naughty some how, like having desert first."

"We could do that," Samantha said with a grin. "I was counting on you saying yes, since I used a lot of the eggs to make a pound cake. I love them but they take nearly a dozen eggs each."

"They'd just go to waste if we brought them back home," Mulder told her. "So if you can come up with any other uses for them, feel free."

"Great. Why don't you guys help Chip entertain these two in the living room? French toast is quick, but they're getting bored of the kitchen."

Scully froze, which made Mulder wince in sympathy. Samantha's back was to Scully, so she hadn't seen the pain in Scully's eyes at the suggestion. He couldn't really get mad at Samantha, because she had no idea how painful a subject children were to Scully.

On the other hand, Chip had seen the look on Scully's face. "Mulder, here, why don't you take Ezra?" He put the baby in Mulder's arms before taking his niece's hand. "Let's go in the living room, Kenna."

"'kay," the little girl agreed.

"Um, can you direct me to the bathroom?" Scully asked while watching Mulder settle on the couch with Ezra on his lap.

Chip told her where it was, then looked at Mulder when she was out of the room. "Why do the kids upset her?"

"You're very perceptive, Chip. She can't have any, that's why."

"And she obviously wants some," Chip stated. "That's horrible."

"Yeah," Mulder agreed quietly. "From her point of view it must be very strange to see kids who look just like the ones you'll never have."

"She'd have them with you if she could, wouldn't she?" Chip's eyes were on Mckenna, who was playing with a doll. "So they really would look just like these two monkeys."

"I'd like to think so. Our relationship is new, but I believe it will last."

"Maybe you'll adopt."

"Maybe."

Chip lifted his eyes to Mulder. "If being around them is too hard on her I could feed them upstairs and put them to bed a little early."

Mulder shook his head. "I don't think she'd appreciate being coddled like that," he started when Ezra jumped in his lap. Turning his head he saw that Scully was coming back into the room.

Over the course of their meal, Mulder couldn't help but feel a sense of surrealism. If he put a little effort into pretending, it could be his real life. Over for dinner at his sister's house, while his nephew made silly jokes and entertained the two little ones in high chairs.

He glanced at Scully, who didn't seem to be flinching any more when the kids looked in her direction. Just a little more imagination and he and his wife were over his sister's for dinner, and they'd brought their kids too, who were being entertained by their cousin. Why couldn't it be reality? He nearly sighed.

"This is really good," Scully told Samantha as she helped herself to another slice of French toast.

"Thank you." Samantha beamed at her.

"Do you remember when we tried to help mom make Christmas cookies?" Mulder asked before remembering that he shouldn't extend his pretending to out loud.

To his surprise Samantha nodded. "Who could forget the mess a full bag of flour makes when spilled on the floor?"

"It wouldn't have spilled if you hadn't grabbed at the bag," Mulder accused playfully.

"Well, you wouldn't give me a turn to help, what else was I supposed to do?"

"Thank god that the vacuum had a disposable bag. Mom would have killed us if we'd tried to use the old one with the bag you had to empty."

"You mean thank god it was too heavy for us to lug up from the basement," Samantha corrected. "I seem to recall it was our first choice."

They both laughed and Mulder decided that he was right. There was something so comforting, so easy, about pretending that this was part of his real life. Glancing at Scully, who seemed more at ease than he ever would have expected earlier in the evening, he wondered if she was pretending too.