Chapter Sixteen
Scully paced endlessly in a small hospital room two nights later, fingering the rim of her coffee cup. It was her sixth cup that night, but no matter how late it was, she would not sleep. Not with Kayla laying there like she was. Not when she had come so close...
Scully hadn't left the room, Mulder had done all the official police business with the men who had abducted and nearly killed Kayla. Scully was thankful the doctors were able to save Kayla's life, but she had remained unconscious for two days! The doctors hadn't recognized the serum those men were pumping into Kayla's body, and still hadn't figured out what it was. Scully didn't know either, she hoped today, those men had finally talked.
For the first two days, Bender was the only one who would talk, but his knowledge about everything was limited. He was clearly not one of the head honchos. He only knew what he was told, and the other two men, Muffs and Skolski, weren't talking. Mulder had spent all day both days talking to them together and apart, trying to get a confession, an explanation, but nothing.
Scully didn't really care - they were caught before they had killed Kayla. Scully just spent her time in Kayla's hospital room, waiting for her to wake up. She wanted Kayla to wake up knowing she was safe. Scully had already contacted the State Home, but Terri had been too busy to come out. She was just glad Kayla was alright, and Scully promised she would keep her updated, which Terri was thankful for.
Today, Scully sat with Kayla, and when she was sure she was alone with her, she pulled out Kayla's favourite book, Pride and Prejudice and read a couple of chapters to her. She wasn't sure if Kayla was even able to hear her, but it brought Scully comfort anyway.
Some time that night, Mulder came in with an exhausted look on his face. He had been at the prison all day, interrogating Skolski and Muffs. He was tired, but seeing Scully and Kayla made it all worth it.
Sighing, he pulled up a chair to sit next to Scully.
"How's she doing?" He inquired, pointing at Kayla. He noticed Scully looked exhausted too.
"The doctors tell me she's doing good. They think she'll wake up soon. They still can't explain what happened, Mulder." Scully replied in a tired voice. Mulder nodded.
"Well, maybe they don't know, but I do. Muffs and Skolski broke today. They told me everything, separately, and they're stories match up."
Scully turned and stared at Mulder incredulously. For two days, she had not thought about the story behind what had really happened, because her first concern was Kayla, but now that she knew Kayla was going to be alright, and the men had talked, she wanted to know everything.
"Bender was right, they are taking orders from someone. Skolski told me they received orders 16 years ago to inject Janette Reynolds with an experimental dose of YH493. That's what he called it, but anyway, it was only meant to be an experiment. When I asked Skolski who he got his orders from, he said they never saw them, most of their orders were by telephone but there was one time where they did have to meet them, to get the serum. I asked him to describe the man who dropped off the serum. Skolski said he was wearing sunglasses and gloves. But then, he say the guy's eyes. He said they were pitch black, no whites. Skolski claims they weren't human. Muffs agrees and Bender already confessed that. Scully, don't you see? I was right, there was extra-terrestrial involvement." Mulder explained. Scully pushed that thought aside. It wasn't all making sense quite yet.
"They were ordered by strangers to inject a random woman with some experimental lot?" Scully asked, pulling Mulder back to the point.
"Yeah, they were just ordered to inject her. Nothing else. So they broke into her home and injected her. Marzulli's was created by the same people who ordered these three guys around. They really were working for the lab, but it was all a fake. It was all for this experiment. But these guys said they had no choice. They were forced to inject this woman and that was it.
"Until a few days ago, when they were contacted by the same people. They were ordered to find the girl who Janette was pregnant with when she was injected and to take her. Whoever their boss was knew all about Kayla, and her powers."
"Powers?"
"The three guys knew about it. Her ability to see the future. Their boss, the people who ordered them to kidnap Kayla and inject her mother 16 years ago, wanted Kayla's power. That's why they had Skolski, Muffs and Bender kidnap her. Once their employer knew about Kayla's abilities, they knew their experimental drug had worked. Muffs said their boss never expected it to actually work, but once they knew it did, they wanted it."
"Mulder, do you have any idea how crazy that sounds?" Scully asked as she massaged her temples tiredly. Mulder shrugged.
"It gets better," he continued, "Skolski told me their boss had a machine all set up at the safe house. THey were left instructions on how to use it." Scully felt her heart fluttering, as she remembered Kayla as white as a sheet, hooked up to that machine while her whole body shook. Scully swallowed.
"What was the machine for?" She asked nervously.
"According to Skolski, it was designed to drain Kayla's psychic abilities. The big boss wanted Kayla's powers; the machine was meant to contain them in a test tube, so to speak. They didn't care that it would kill her." Mulder said witha sad look at Kayla. Scully's eyes widened.
"So they actually meant to kill her?" She asked angrily. Mulder shook his head.
"Not directly. They didn't necessarily want her dead, they just wanted the abilities and Kayla wouldn't live through the extraction. When the machine said '95% Complete,' it meant they had successfully extracted 95% of Kayla's ability."
"It also meant another 5% and Kayla would have been dead."
"That's probably true, but thankfully, we got there in enough time. If what they're saying is true, Kayla's abilities are 95% gone. If my theory was correct, if the seizures are connected to her ability to see the future, then Kayla shouldn't have anymore episodes."
"Even if you are right, Mulder, how do you explain to a 16-year-old that her episodes were psychic, and that some extra-terrestrials created a machine to suck them out of her, and that's why she doesn't have anymore seizures?" Scully was incredibly skeptical, but Mulder, always the believer, smirked.
"Come on, teenagers are incredibly open-minded. Besides, Kayla loves to read. She's probably got a wicked imagination."
Scully breathed out and looked at Kayla.
"I think we should wait to tell her anything until we're sure."
"If that's what you think. You're her aunt, after all. But how much more convincing do you need?"
"Unless I see the 'aliens' for myself, the supposed 'black eyes,' I don't buy it Mulder. It's too...out there."
"That's where the truth is, Scully. If you just opened your eyes."
Scully didn't have a chance to argue, because it was at that moment that Kayla's eyes began to flutter, returning slowly to consciousness.
Scully waited, while Mulder stood back to give her some space. Kayla looked tired, and squinted her face weakly as she struggled to open her eyes. Scully felt tears in her eyes, seeing Melissa in front of her, but also seeing her neice, separate from Melissa. She had been hurt, and inside, it made Scully seethe with rage, but all that mattered to her in that moment was Kayla. She was safe and she was going to be okay. That was enough. For now.
Kayla's eyes met Scully's, as confusion was spread across her face. Scully managed a small smile.
"Hey." She whispered. Kayla breathed out.
"Hi." She replied in a quiet voice. "Am...I in the hospital?"
"Yeah, you are." Scully confirmed.
"Why?" Kayla was genuinely confused. She didn't seem to remember anything.
Scully paused.
"Don't you remember Kayla?" She pressed. Kayla scrunched up her brow as she tried to think back.
"We were at the police station. You let me come. We were just talking and...and I don't remember anything after that." Kayla paused. "Did I, you know, have an episode?"
Scully realized what was going on. Kayla never remembered what happened when she was having an episode. The men must have taken her while she was still in that state. Kayla didn't even remember being taken.
"Yeah, you did, but you don't have to worry about those anymore." Scully looked over at Mulder, who looked at her, surprised. "We don't think you'll have anymore." Now Kayla really looked confused.
"What do you mean? How?" She asked, gripping the edge of the blanket.
"Mulder can try to explain it to you later." Scully exhaled. She still wondered how Kayla would ever believe it. "Good news too, Kayla. The police caught the people who were after you. We'll explain everything when you're feeling a bit better. But you're safe now."
To Scully's surprise, Kayla didn't look happy, but rather disappointed.
"Isn't that good news?" Scully asked. Kayla looked up and nodded.
"Oh, of course it is! I'm glad I'm safe." She paused. "I guess it means it's time to go back to the State Home. I...I was really starting to enjoy...the hotel." The truth was, Kayla had grown attached to Mulder and Scully, having spent a few days with them. It sucked to think about returning to the State Home after having such good company.
Scully picked up on this and stared at the girl who was Melissa's daughter, flesh and blood. A wave of emotions flooded over Scully as she imagined dropping Kayla back at that place, where all the girls hated her. Again, Scully thought of Melissa and what she would do in this situation. The answer couldn't be more clear. Before Scully could even think about it in detail, she did exactly what Melissa would do if she were alive.
"I had a thought. It's your decision, but if you're interested, you could come check out Washington for a while. I mean, my apartment's pretty small, I work a lot, but there's a library close by and a really good high school. It could be a fresh start for you." Scully explained, feeling Mulder staring at her incredulously. He hadn't expected this. To be honest, neither had Scully.
Or Kayla, for that matter. She stared at Scully unbelievably, shaking her head.
"What, like, come live with you in Washington?" Kayla asked, making sure she understood exactly what Scully was asking. Scully nodded with a smile. Kayla looked confused.
"Will they let you do that? The State Home, I mean. Isn't there paperwork? I mean, they don't just let kids go with strangers." She pointed out. Scully swallowed. This was it. The moment for the truth had come. She could no longer keep it from Kayla. It was the only way this would all make sense to her. It was time, and Scully felt she was ready to finally embrace the truth that had been so difficult to accept.
Scully took in a breath.
"Well Kayla, they let it happen if there's a relative involved. That's why it won't be a problem for me to take you to Washington. Kayla, I'm your aunt. That's why I was the one who was told you were in danger. Before you ask where I've been all these years, I only found out about this a few days ago. I was given DNA results and everything. I didn't believe it at first. My sister was never pregnant, but it's true. She donated her eggs and you were carried by a surrogate. Kayla I know this is a lot to take in, and I'm sorry I didn't tell you sooner. I've been trying to come to terms with it too." Scully waited while Kayla took it in. She felt Kayla's confusion. It was the same shock Scully had experienced only days earlier when the mysterious envelope had shown up.
Kayla puckered her brow and cleared her throat.
"Your sister. You said she donated her eggs. Does that make her...my mother?" She asked. Scully smiled, imagining her sister as a mother.
"Yes. She would have been." She replied. Kayla seemed deep in thought.
"Does...does that mean...if I go with you to Washington, will...will I get to meet her?" She asked with the smallest hope. Scully felt herself deflating.
"Um, no, you won't be able to Kayla. My sister died...two years ago." She paused, as Kayla lowered her head. "I'm sorry." Kayla looked up and offered a small smile.
"You don't have anything to be sorry for. She was your sister. I never even met her. I'm sorry, agent Scully." She replied. Scully smiled.
"Thank you Kayla. I'm sorry you'll never get to meet her. But I can tell you all about her." She fought back her tears. "Her name was Melissa, and you look just like her."
And in a cramped hospital room, nearing the end of visiting hours, Scully shared every memory, every joy, every pain of Melissa's life with the girl who Melissa left behind. A legacy, a part of herself. Scully was glad to be sharing Melissa's life with her neice, who devoured it all happily, and in that hospital room, Melissa's memory lived on, both in word and in body.
The End!
A/N: So that's it for Kayla's story. Thanks for all your wonderful reviews. If anybody is interested in a possible sequel, let me know and give me any ideas you might have. It would be down the road, as I will only allow myself to write 5 fan fics at a time (LOL), but yeah let me know. Blessings on you all, and thanks :)
