Thank you to those of you who read, reviewed, alerted and favorited. Every single one of you rock!

I've been involved in enough custody battles and spoken to solicitors to know that this isn't how this crap works. It's a tiring game of Tom and Jerry – you get nowhere fast and its months, sometimes a year before things are "settled" and then someone goes and trudges through the dirt and you can find yourself wading through it all again. I'm NOT going to write it like that over the next few chapters. Not only is it a bore, it's a pain to re-live. So I'm sorry for things that are wrong and all that jazz, I care. I really do, but I honestly can't be bothered.

Anywho, enjoy.

Part 15
Runaway Baby

He hadn't slept all that well that night, he tossed and turned in the bed he hadn't slept in for years. The enormity of the empty house seemed to echo into his dreams; it was haunting his movements throughout the home further influencing his desire to leave. But it was far too late, he'd moved everything into the house, practically shoved his entire apartment's belongings into one room but besides from that he'd probably return to the empty apartment if it wasn't for the fact that he'd already handed over the key. He had to commit. He had to realize that there was life beyond his little old apartment. Perhaps that was why he'd surrendered the key so early; he had no way of going back now.

Instead of heading towards his apartment when he couldn't sleep, Mulder busied himself in unpacking his kitchenware no matter how little of it he had. With that done he focused on cramming every piece of furniture into the master bedroom.

Scully was surely going to laugh at him when she saw what he'd done. With the empty boxes he'd built walls around his makeshift "apartment" making it seem as though the master bedroom was really the only room in the whole house. Grow up, Mulder. Be a man. He heard his internal voice retort, but he didn't want to be a man. He wanted to be a brooding seventeen-year-old boy whose band broke up the same day that he found out his parents were getting divorced and that his girlfriend was cheating on him. Sure, no one wanted that angst but at least then it was somewhat acceptable to scream at random people as he passed them in the street. – Wait, that was never acceptable. He just didn't care that he did it.

But he wasn't seventeen-years-old, he was thirty-six. He couldn't act like a hormonal young boy whose life was still yet to set its course. No, his life already had a course; he was just trying to give up on following that little old yellow brick road that was going to surely lead to heart ache.

The little amount of sleep he did get that night, caused him to be half comatose that morning when the doorbell sounded through the house, causing his fatigued body to jump. He was going to have to get used to a doorbell instead of a firm knock. Stumbling through the kitchen where he'd been perched at the island with a mug of coffee. He'd discarded his empty life in the kitchen and attempted to stand straight and look alive.

Pulling the front door open Mulder was left to greet nothing – just the cool morning breeze that drifted up the driveway from the open street. He shrugged his shoulders not having the spirit nor the care to don his usual paranoid curiosity. He turned at an average early morning speed and moved to shut the door. Just as he did so Mulder noticed that morning's paper was already residing on the front step. Picking up the paper, he turned his back on the world and let the door swing shut allowing for him to lock it once it clicked into place. It wasn't like his tiny apartment, he couldn't casually leave the front door unlocked, he'd never notice if someone made their way into his home with an unwanted invitation.

Slapping the paper down on the kitchen island he shuffled his feet to search the nearby cupboards for a box of cereal he knew he had. Since having Danica living with him, Mulder found that he actually needed to have stocked cupboards and a full fridge it wasn't appropriate to give her coffee in the morning and a singular muffin at lunch, let alone feeding her Chinese for dinner every night. He stepped up his game. Grew up. And now that little habit of necessity couldn't be shaken off, once his cupboards started to resemble bear – he shopped.

He dropped the box of cereal to the island as he moved for the fridge and the cabinet that he knew he'd place his bowls in. Raising his arms above his head in a stretch Mulder let out a yawn before he moved to grab a bowl. Something about the newspaper seemed odd to him and he quickly pushed the idea of breakfast to the back of his mind as he circled the kitchen island to inspect the same thing he'd been receiving for years.

But, there was something different about this paper – something he hadn't gotten before. A corner of yellow poked out of the pages of grey where it had been wedged. Tugging carefully on the paper he pulled it out from its sheathed position. There on an A4 piece of paper, written in black magic marker held a series of instructions something about a chip and Scully, his head was spinning too much for him to even consider reading the paper properly. He'd told the smoking man that he'd chosen Scully over Danica. Mulder knew immediately who this had come from. Skinner had once warned him not to deal with the devil, but something told Mulder that he wasn't going to pay for his life on this one, that the "devil" in question wanted to help. And even if there was something waiting later on down the track as long as he had Scully Mulder couldn't have cared less.

Stuck down to the piece of paper was a metallic cylinder as long as his pinkie finger and as thin as a straw, he pulled it back from the paper to inspect it in his fingers, he thought better than to open, trusting that the contents held what the paper said it would. All he had to do now was convince Scully and her doctor to put it in the back of her neck. That was going to take some talking to convince her, but he knew Scully, she would trust him no matter what, she just had to make sure he wasn't trying to mess with her.

Putting the cylinder aside he made a mental note to stop by the hospital later on in the day, not that he really needed to remind himself to do that. He'd go no matter what turned up at his doorstep that morning.

He turned back to his cereal without another thought, it was going to be one of those mind numbing days again, but with a little progress for Scully he knew he wouldn't mind the day. Pouring milk into the bowl full of half a box of cornflakes, Mulder set himself on the island edge, opting to sit on the bench than lean in front of it. Reaching for the notepad that sat behind him he jotted down a reminder to buy a set of bar stools for the kitchen island.

He was only halfway through his cereal when his phone started to ring. Jumping off the bench he put the bowl of cereal down in order to answer the phone in a much needed haste. He had expected the call to be Scully or the Gunmen but when he heard Skinner's voice on the other end his hopes plummeted. "Where is she?" His superior's voice was rough and irritated.

Furrowing his brow Mulder pulled the phone back to look at it before he responded. "What?" That singular word held so much confusion. When Skinner forced that Mulder knew exactly what he was talking about he found himself starting to pace. "What's happened, Sir?"

"Danica's missing" Two words, two words that shattered his world completely but brought the tiniest bit of hope. If Skinner was calling looking for her, that meant she left the care of the people who came to collect her. He was worried that she was out on her own, but was glad that she wasn't under their care. He'd spoken to her once or twice about finding a police officer if she was lost and telling the officer his name. Although he never thought she'd leave his sight, maybe she was a little under prepared.

"I can promise you, Sir. I had nothing to do with this. I don't know where she'll be." Skinner scoffed on the other end of the phone.

"Her parents are out looking for her, Agent Mulder surely she's looking for you. I find it hard to believe that you have nothing to do with this." Mulder shook his head as he told his superior yet again that he had no idea the girl was gone and again, that he didn't know where she'd go. Skinner ended the call relieving Mulder from having to explain himself for the third time.

Checking over his attire Mulder ran for the stairs, he wanted to go looking for her, but in all honesty he didn't even know where to begin. Besides, it wouldn't look to right if he was the one to find her. Changing hastily into a pair of jeans, grey shirt and his leather jacket Mulder was racing back down the stairs as he patted down his pockets checking about for his phone and car keys. He stopped to check the time as he locked the front door behind him on the way out, cursing softly he pulled his phone out of his pocket and dialed a number he'd newly committed to his memory.

Carlyle Jebsen picked up on the second ring the phone call completely bypassing his secretary. "Hi, Jebsen. I kind of can't make it to our appointment, something's come up with Danni and I want to go looking for her." Mulder was about to click the phone of without letting the solicitor respond at all. But the other man cut him off before he had time to disconnect.

"If you really want her back, Mulder. I think it's for the best that you come in, we want to set up this case as quickly as possible." Fox Mulder had known Carlyle Jebsen for years, the two of them had been friends in high school, under the school counselors ruling after Fox's life started to fall apart when Samantha disappeared. The only problem with their friendship – Carlyle Jebsen never let Mulder get away with anything. "Come in Mulder, and we'll talk about it here. You're just bullshitting to get out of it." Feeling like a scolded child, Mulder nodded as he mumbled into the phone agreeing with the man that had been his friend for years.

It took him half an hour to get to the office building that belonged to Carlyle Jebsen and his employees. The man had set up a great business for himself, and to make things better, he was great at what he did. Mulder didn't have to sit in the neatly decorated waiting room when he walked in the front doors; the girl who sat at reception buzzed him in straight away. His old friend greeted him with a warm smile and a fierce "man" hug before he offered Mulder a seat his warm smile still in place.

Mulder had told his friend everything over the phone the night before as he begged for help, for a way into making a custody case out of all of the mess he'd made. Jebsen hadn't given him a straight answer on the phone, just a few grunts and a hum here and there as he muttered 'we'll see what we can do' a few times. Now that Mulder sat in front of him he realized that more years had passed than what he thought, Jebsen didn't run the law firm the last time they spoke and now they sat in the directors' office. He didn't know where to start but was glad when Jebsen started for him.

"You don't have any way to prove she was abused do you?" He asked softly as he flipped through a note pad on his desk. Mulder shook his head; it was as though he was sitting in the principal's office being asked why he hit Jimmy Wallace in the nose, again. "No pictures" Mulder shook his head, again. "You mentioned she had nightmares for a while, any proof of that?" Again, Mulder shook his head for the first time. "I believe you, Mulder. I always have, no matter how crazy your stories were back in high school, there was always truth there. But a jury isn't going to be so likely to believe you, nor a judge. We can't pull up these things and you have no photographic proof."

Mulder looked up at him with wide puppy dog eyes, as though somehow that little look could will Jebsen to fake it until they got Danica back in Mulder's arms. "My partner, she'd met Danica quite a few times. She'd been there once when Danica was having a nightmare, she helped me calm her." To be honest, Mulder couldn't be all too sure if that had happened or not, but it couldn't hurt to say it, just in case.

Mulder couldn't sit still the entire time Jebsen explained to him the way things would happen if they got a hearing out of the information he had. Mulder mentioned that it was James Pearson that helped him forge Danica's documentation and if he was spoken to discreetly they would have a witness to Danica's state of mind only hours after she was pulled out of the Russian camp. If everything went according to plan and Jebsen got the meetings he needed Mulder would have word about a hearing within two days.

His leg was shaking as he tapped it repetitively on the ground, he was interested in what Jebsen was telling him, and he knew it was important, yet he found himself begging for a distraction. That distraction came as his phone started to ring in his jeans pocket. Fishing the cell out, he excused himself from Jebsen's conversation in order to answer it.

"Is this Fox Mulder?" A voice on the other end asked. Mulder was cautious to answer unaware as to who exactly was asking. Throwing caution to the wind he replied in the affirmative. "This is Officer Laurence Charles for the Metropolitan police department, we have a little girl down here by the name of," Mulder held his breath as he heard the officer pull the phone away from his mouth to ask the little girls' name again. "Danica. Danica Elisif Mulder." He repeated and Mulder could hear Danica on the other end making sure the man repeated her full name. Letting out the breath he was holding Mulder confirmed that she was indeed his daughter and that he'd be there momentarily to collect her.

Jebsen looked at his friends gleeful face with confusion, a silent question was burning in his eyes but Mulder answered it before he could even ask. "This morning, when I called to say I couldn't come. It was because I was told that Danica went missing from the care of her 'parents'. That phone call just then was from the police they've found a lost little girl who's looking for her papa." He stopped to breathe and to pick up his coat that was on the back of a chair. "That's me."

Jebsen looked at him with a worried expression. "I better come with you, you'll have to return her to her parents and they're going to think you've had her all along." Mulder nodded slowly allowing for the man to follow him out of the office. "Aside from the fact, that technically" Jebsen gritted his teeth on that word, "you did kidnap her. This could be a pretty easy case. I mean, their daughters missing for three months and they don't even put out a missing persons in their own country, but they come straight to America and the FBI headquarters in D.C. And you're not hurting Danica, you've actually improved your life a lot since I last saw you." Mulder tossed the man a look as they both stepped into the elevator. "What?! It's true, you used to be a mess with this crazy goal that had you looking over your shoulder every two minutes. Now, you're relaxed, antsy because you don't have her with you but relaxed. Now, if you hadn't changed much I would be worried and this little girl; she trusts you and you mentioned her nightmares stopped, that's progress. We just need to prove these people aren't her parents and that you're the best person for her to be with at the end of this all." Mulder nodded trying to school the expression that so desperately wanted to jump up and down like a teenage girl receiving tickets to see her favorite boy band live.

They made it to the police station in record time, yet even though they drove carefully Mulder climbed the buildings front steps with the adrenaline of someone who'd successfully escaped a car chase. Pushing the doors open he was greeted to the loud shriek of Danica's accented voice, he hadn't seen her until she came crashing into his legs. He swooped the little girl up into his arms and crushed her with a bone tight hug. Wet tears started to burn through his shirt and Mulder could help but to pull the little girl back so he could look at her face.

She muttered something in German over and over, he words came out like it was all a horror story and she was shaking her head. She didn't want to go back. Mulder thanked the police officer for finding the young girl and offered up a small and believable explanation as to why she'd ended up so far away from him.

Walking out of the building with Jebsen following closely behind as he took note of the bond shared between the two. Danica had gripped her arms around Mulders' neck and showed no sign of letting him go. Stopping on one of the steps Mulder sat down and shifted the little girl so she was sitting in his lap. Prying her arms from around his neck he pulled back to look into her deep blue eyes, his thumbs working at swiping her tears away. "You shouldn't have ran away, Danica." His voice was stern but the little girl just looked at him as though she had no idea what she was talking about.

Tilting her head to the side like an inquisitive puppy Danica pursed her lips, "Schatz?" She asked softly as she raised her thumb to her mouth.

Mulder shook his head as he tried to keep his face stern. "Schatz is looking after Dana." Danica tilted her head a little further as she contemplated what he'd said. Her next request was to go home but by then Jebsen was interrupting, suggesting that perhaps it was best to return her to her parents for the time being.

When Danica didn't get the answer she was looking for she tilted her head to the other side and started again, this time with a different question. "Dana?" Mulder watched her for a second just simply taking in her face just in case he never got to see her again after this day. "Papa, we see Dana?" She asked again softly as he blue eyes poured into his hazel. He nodded softly as he stood, adjusting the girl so she sat on his hip Mulder took the steps two at a time as he headed for the care completely forgetting Jebsen was with them.

"Mulder, what are you doing? We need to call someone let her 'parents' know where she is." Pulling the backdoor to the car open Mulder set Danica onto the car seat that he still hadn't taken out of his car. Buckling her in, he kissed her cheek softly as he brushed back her hair before shutting the door and climbing into the drivers' side.

"You can come with us if you want, Jebsen."

The drive to the hospital wasn't a long one, but the walk down the corridors it held seemed to go on forever, Danica was happy to walk, but she also liked to lead and she had no idea where she was going. It took quite a few wrong turns but eventually they found Scully's room. Mulder bent down to Danica's height and told the little girl to knock. As she did so Mulder pushed the door open slowly, revealing a sleeping Scully and a what seemed to be pissed off Bill reading a book.

Mulder smiled apologetically as he led Danica into the room by her shoulders and steered her to the other side of the bed, away from Bill. Even Mulder couldn't help the smile that spread across his face as Bill's jaw dropped at the sight of the little girl that shared so many of his sisters looks. With some help from Mulder Danni climbed up onto the bed and whispered something into Scully's ear. Scully mumbled softly as she shifted in her sleep, when the realization dawned on her a wide smile split across her face and her arms moved to wrap around the little girl tightly.

Even in the slightest of movement Mulder could tell that his partner wasn't well, her movements were slowed even with the excitement of having the little girl in her presence. Danica had sensed the older woman's' health and was happy to lay still while Scully hugged her as tight as she could. "How?" Scully whispered, her back now to her fuming brother as she lay on her side with Danica tucked into her chest, the little girl playing softly with her fingers.

"Someone," Mulder leered as he looked pointedly at the little girl. "ran away." Scully searched his eyes for the truth, not believing that the little girl would run away on her own accord. "No seriously." He assured her. "I thought before I did the noble thing and turned her over that she could come and see you. Actually get the chance to say goodbye this time."

Scully shook her head softly as she moved a hand to run through Danica's hair. "Mulder, I ah," She heard the room door click and didn't have to look up to know that her brother had left the room. "I knew." Her words shook slightly as she refused to look him in the eye. "When I went back to the office, after Danica was in hospital. I heard Skinner talking to someone, I, I should have told you." Mulder shook his head. "No, I knew someone was going to take her away and I didn't say anything about it." Again he shook his head, this time pairing the action with reaching out for her hand.

"Scully, please don't beat yourself up. What would have happened if you told me?" She knew the question was rhetorical but that didn't stop her from telling him that he'd do something stupid. "Exactly. At least this way, I have a chance to fight. I have a friend waiting outside, he's going to compile a hearing." He tried to catch her eyes as he spoke, tried to convey how much he hadn't minded.

Sure, he was a little pissed that she knew and didn't say anything. But now wasn't the time, not when she was sick, when Danica was sitting so patiently in between them. Not now, he wouldn't get mad. He understood.

"Schatz?" Danica asked softly as she sat up and crossed her legs, looking desperately for the bear. Smiling softly, Scully pointed to the bedside table where the bear sat patiently. Mulder handed the stuffed animal and the little girl squeezed it tightly to her chest, in much the same manner that both the adults had done to her. "You keep him." Danica held the bear out to Scully after one last tight hug. "You look after him?" Danni asked sweetly, she already knew the answer and she suspected that both adults were in desperate need to care for something in the absence of her presence.

She had learnt about the comfort of an animal, a special little something to cuddle. She'd learnt of that through her parents. From the littlest of the memories her mind could acquire she remembered the cold of the room they had to live in, the little girl and her family who shared. She remembered her mothers' stuffed bunny, the whispered words of its protection as she shoved her in a narrow closet and shut the doors. She remembered her mother telling both herself and Elsie that if they squeezed the rabbit hard enough, they'd fill it with their love.

It was there, in her three-year-old mind that she decided she was to do the same thing. Scully needed Schatz more than she did, obviously. She pulled the bear back into her arms and squeezed it tightly, willing confidence and compassion into the inanimate object. Danica held the bear out again; this time her face pleading, she'd lasted the night without the bear, which had ultimately been a first since the toy was purchased for her. If she could last one night, who knows how much longer she could last. Being a young child her optimistic mind told her that her papa would save the day and get her back. He was her prince charming trying to find his princess and at the end of it all they'd live happily ever in their great big house and she would have her bear back, she knew it.

A tap on the door drew Mulder's attention away from the girls in front of him. The tapping had belonged to Jebsen, he had poked his head ever so slightly through the crack he'd produced when he opened the door. "I think, it might be time for us to take her back. You don't want mass hysteria." Mulder turned to Scully with large eyes, he didn't want to tear the girl from her, not like Klaus had done, but he had to take her.

Scully looked up at him, she'd heard what Jebsen said and in that time she'd squeezed Danica to her chest as tight as she could, if this was the last time she was to see the girl safe and happy she was going to hug her like the world was ending. Her eyes connected with his, a silent promise that she wasn't blaming him as he helped Danica stand as he pulled her into his arms. The girl was capable of walking, but he couldn't will himself to let her leave his arms. "I'd come with you if I could." Scully whispered softly knowing this was hurting him as much as it was tearing her apart. Mulder nodded softly, he already knew that. "Bye baby." Her voice was tender as it cracked on the last syllable. Danica had reached down to hold her hand and hadn't let go until Mulder started walking towards the door.

She was calm that had surprised both the adults, not a single whimper left her lips but a smile didn't grace them either. Mulder didn't know whether to be proud of her courage or scared that something was terribly wrong. She'd been quiet since he brought her into Scully's room and although she talked there her words were still fair more gentle and less rushed than what was the usual pace for the young girl. He wanted to stop at the door and address his concerns to his partner, but thought better of it, now he was stalling. Checking over his shoulder as he moved to walk out of the door, Mulder found his partner, with her back to him and her arms curled around the little girls' bear. He knew he had to take her back that this wasn't his fault, but at the same time he felt responsible for causing his partner heartache, yet again.

It was going to be a long trek one that was going to be impossible to get her in and out of the car, more on his side than hers. But he had to grow up, be a man and let her go with the hope that one day he could get her back.

Again, not my best. But school was back this week and I'm so behind already not to mention I have to study for my finals that aren't that far away - but I have to write. So, both shall suck until I get a grip on everything. :)

Until next week,
Annaliese