Thank you to everyone who reviewed and added this to their alerts. It means a lot guys. :)

Okay, so really I could have cut this chapter in half, but then that means I would have to cut the next chapter in half and then. Well, you would have two episodes over four chapters. Not going to happen - then again, I would be ahead. Nope. Not happening.

So this nearly killed me and by that I mean it was painful sifting through page after page of transcripts to which I have to thank the X-Files Transcripts Archive ... because it would have taken me so much longer if it were not for them.

I hope I've done an okay job, there were a few points were I just got sick of it. So I apologize and on the topic of apologies, I haven't edited. I really didn't have time to write the chapter so considering that it's done we shall just leave it at that.

Part 33

The Coming Storm

Things were bad. He could just feel it, and although he and Scully were back on cosy terms he could feel that bad times were ahead of them.

Lying in the quiet room, Scully sleeping peacefully by his side, Mulder took another chance – one he had taken a few times in his few weeks of being back – to just watch his partner, her face relaxed in sleep while he let his hand ghost over her protruding stomach.

He couldn't believe it. That this was happening, he couldn't believe that she had to go through so much of it on her own. He couldn't help but wonder what set this child's heart to beat, how exactly it came about. She had tried her last chance and it had failed, they knew it had. But yet, here she was, his partner sleeping peacefully and eight months pregnant.

He couldn't help but shake the feeling that things were not what they thought they were and worst of all he didn't know how to calm that feeling before Scully caught on. He didn't know what to tell her, he didn't know what to tell himself. And worst of all, he didn't know how to protect his children.

[…]

"You're telling me my house is being taken over by a bunch of clucky women?" Mulder tried to raise a brow as he watched his partner flutter about the kitchen, her mother in the other room doing the exact same thing. "And you want me to leave?" He stood with his back against the sink, his arms crossed over his chest while his right hand held an apple to his mouth, only making his cocky look worse.

"Yes. Now get out." She swatted at him with a wash cloth, a not too pleased look on her face. "Seriously Mulder, leave. Go do something, antagonize Doggett at work, something that doesn't involve being in this house, take Danni with you if you must." The man shook his head as he told the petite woman that that simply wasn't as fun as it would to stay in the house.

Maggie Scully appeared from the dining room with a frilly dressed and awfully patient and subdued Danica. "Fox, as much as I am glad you are back. This baby shower happens to be 'No boys allowed', now scat." Maggie leered playful as she ushered the man out of the door.

He pouted over his shoulder as the older woman followed behind him his daughter and partner in tow, "Scu-lay!" He pleaded with one word but the woman just shook her head. With her hands crossed over the top of her belly she gave him a firm look while she followed through with her mother's pushiness.

"Bye-bye Daddy." Danica giggled as she noticed the demeanour shared between her mother and grandmother. The man started with a slack jaw at the fact that even his own daughter wouldn't side with him. He really should have known better.

With Mulder out of the house Maggie Scully turned to her daughter with a huff. "I really wish you would just tell us the sex, Dana. It would make things a whole lot easier." Scully grinned to herself as she turned and returned to the kitchen to get the tea she had been making. "Did you hear me?"

Danica stood against the door jamb as she watched the interaction between mother and daughter with a desirable interest. "Yes, I heard you, Mom" She offered a sigh, with a cheeky grin. "For about the thousandth time, you can wait. Didn't you have to wait with us?" Of all the people she thought would be understanding about her desire to wait Dana Scully thought it would have been her mother. But it turned out that Maggie Scully was far less patient than the eager little girl. Danica just flounced around believing it was a boy because that was what she wanted. Her mother just couldn't settle on one, or so she had thought.

"Well, I know it's a boy. I can just tell by the way you're carrying. It's a boy!" Her mother offered with a flourish as she set about the house playing with blue and pink baby decorations.

With a shrug she followed her mother, Danica at her hip. "Well, see, you obviously don't need me to tell you because you already know."

Her face was hopeful, on the verge of complete excitement when she spoke. "Then it's a boy?" Letting a cunning grin slip faintly across her face Scully raised her mug to her mouth intent on a sip of the cooling tea, but also enjoying watching her mother squirm and her daughter hold her breath. "Oh," Maggie sighed catching on to her daughter's game. "it's the least you could tell your mother, considering everything else you're keeping a secret." She had a point there and Scully knew it. She was yet to tell her mother who the father was and although she knew her mother thought it was Mulder, Maggie also knew about the IVF treatments. It was an open court, but a very small one. She couldn't help it, she wanted to keep things close to her chest in fear of something going wrong.

The sound of the doorbell ringing pulled both the woman from their silent argument and set Danica off to sit on the stairs beside her little cat to wait patiently for Jessica and Molly. "We told people noon, right?" Scully tossed her mother a look. Amongst the small amount of women invited each of them knew about Scully's express need for people to arrive exactly on time.

Maggie hummed as she waited for her daughter to answer the door. She knew the face of the forty-year-old redhead, but her daughter hadn't and recognizing the tensing in Dana's shoulder's Maggie jumped forward to help her out. "Hi, Lizzie. Let me give you a hand with that." She reached for the bouquets of pink and blue flowers. "I asked Lizzie to help out today." She directed with a scolding look towards her daughter.

Easing off, Scully shook her head and started again with a less than impressed attitude. "Oh. Hi." She moved out of the way for Lizzie to step into the foyer. She smiled weakly at Danica who sat on the steps with her head in her hands. Lizzie congratulated her before walking confidently through the dining room, promptly announcing that the flowers were going to need water. Staying behind by only a few steps to address her daughter's annoyed look. "Mom," She whispered. "… what do we need help with?" Her question was for the party but also referring to the fact that she didn't live alone.

Maggie shrugged with a meek look for her daughter's distaste. "I don't know. It's just, well you shouldn't have to worry. You have to let people do it for you. She's a very highly recommended baby nurse, by the way." Scully would have pitted her mother's looking out for her until her last comment.

The day went on and even though she treated her mother with the utmost irritation she loved her and was glad for everything she had done. Lizzie had also provided to be of great help and Scully had agreed upon her mother's insistence. It wasn't until later in the evening, after Mulder returned that she realized Danica had been off put since the shower had started.

The seven-year-old sat happily on the kitchen island, her legs hitting against the sides as she swung her legs. She had her father standing to her left and her mother sitting to her right, Polly was under her feet hoping the child would drop some vanilla ice-cream on the floor for her. Mulder had posed the question towards the little girl's emotions when the problem came up. Danica had been quiet all afternoon; Scully had just assumed that it had something to do with the little girl's disappointment towards her friend's inability to be there with her. But Mulder had asked the question and thus was rewarded with information.

"I don't like Lizzie Gill." She shook her head while she played with the ice-cream and sprinkles in her bowl. Danica announced the name as though the woman was actually some girl in her class, which initially what was Mulder had thought. When he voiced that opinion Danica shook her head erratically. "She was here today. Grandma said that Mommy needs help and people need to do things for her. But we do things, Papa! We made dinner and we did it good and it wasn't even take-out!" He stopped the girl so she could breathe for a moment. "She looks mean." The girl offered, deflated.

"Danica." Scully shifted so the girl could see her. "Sometimes people look a certain way, but they're not like that. You can't judge people after only meeting them once."

The girl didn't look impressed, "But Miss April …" She started and Mulder watched as his partner rolled her eyes. He had only heard reference to the girl's teacher once, but obviously to Scully there had been more than one time for her. "said that first impressions are the ones that last. I didn't like Lizzie, Mommy what if she's a baddie and you and Papa have to put her in jail?!"

Standing from her place at the counter Scully took the half empty bowl from the child. "That's enough sugar for you, Little Lady." She bopped the girl's nose as Mulder helped her down. "Go brush your teeth, lights out in ten minutes." The girl pouted theatrically as she shuffled past her father's legs. "Danica, Lizzie is just here to help out while Papa's out, doing – well, he should be looking for a job. That's all. Now go." She shooed the child towards the stairs.

"What if she's right?" Mulder asked, concern lacing his features. "I trust, Danni. If she has a problem with someone I am going to believe her."

Rinsing the dish Scully put it aside before regarding her partner with her hand on her hip. "Mulder, all someone has to do is say 'boo' in your year and you're on about aliens. Danica's seven; she has a problem with a different person every week. Lizzie's great, it'll be fine. Danica's just upset, Molly was sick and she couldn't come today." Mulder shrugged, he promised himself he wouldn't be over protective about anything, but Danica always spoke the truth … well most of the time. She wouldn't go labelling people she just met as bad unless she felt that she had good reason to.

That worried feeling was back again and he couldn't shake it.

[…]

He was up the next morning before either of the women leaving the downstairs of the house to himself. Making his morning coffee and a piece of toast Mulder sat down to flick through the television channels. He settled upon an early morning news show, when just as quickly as he had sat down he was ready for the day and out the door.

He wanted to hate himself for knocking on the door belonging to Special Agent John Doggett that morning, but he had to have someone else in his little worry party. He couldn't do it alone, not after this morning. Someone else had to know. After being invited in Mulder moved straight for the television remote, hoping beyond hope that he could find what he had seen that morning.

He breathed a thankful sigh when the image of a burning building finally buzzed across the screen.

'… exclusive footage of a medical research clinic in Germantown, Maryland, which burned down last night in what firefighters characterize as an accelerated blaze. Accelerated because of the white-hot intensity of the fire, which officials are now calling a definite case of arson …'

Turning from the television Mulder regarded the other man. "Zeus Genetics. That ring a bell?"

Doggett nodded, of course it rang a bell, the number of times panic slipped over Agent Scully's face when something turned up about that place, a man had to remember the name of it. "Yeah. That's where Scully believed they were doing tests on women – putting alien babies in them or something like that – against their will. Wasn't ever completely explained."

Hitching his hand towards the television Mulder spoke smugly, "Looks like somebody's attempt to make sure it never will be."

"I'd say that's more than an attempt. Looks like there is going to be nothing left."

[…]

It just wouldn't end. One thing led to another and the more they uncovered the worse he started to feel. Every time he found a lead he found that it was connected to Scully. He knew she had nothing to do with the burning down of the facility, but the idea, the fact that it was burnt down to hide something made him worried that there was a connection to his heavily pregnant partner. Perhaps this baby wasn't a miracle after all.

No matter how much he loved the chase and proving his superiority to Agent Doggett, Mulder found himself worried for the woman whom of which he knew was in the house alone with the rather peculiar Lizzie Gil.

When Billy Miles turned up with bumps along the back of his neck, Mulder's blood ran cold. He found himself on edge for the rest of the night and had to fight the urge to call his daughter and partner. He had to figure it out, everything that was going on was happening for a reason, but he couldn't quite put his finger on it. And that terrified him.

He didn't have time to figure it out, to piece the puzzle back together before he found himself unconscious. By the time he came to John Doggett was shrugging him out of the car and tying to drag him up the front path of his Alexandria home.

The front door swung open light from the foyer poured out along with a jumping child, calling out something that Mulder hadn't quite heard through his foggy mind. It wasn't until he was sitting at the kitchen island that his mind zeroed in again.

Scully was fluttering about him, making a fuss over the gash on his head. "Hold still, Mulder. This should just about do it." She pulled bits and pieces out of first aid kit that was hardly used. Danica was a delicate child, although not much could be said for her father. He winced with the pain and called out openly watching while his daughter, who was sitting on the island, laughed at his pain.

Tilting his head he smiled up at the familiar face that was never too far when he was in pain. "I see why you gave up a career in medicine for the FBI, Scully. You've got manos de piedra." He laughed at his own reference to the 'hands of stone' boxer. She apologized while she playfully swatted at his nose with an antiseptic soaked cotton ball. "Imagine if he really connected." He jeered towards John Doggett who was watching from beside Danica.

"Who?" She shot Doggett a look, warning the man that if Mulder didn't answer satisfactorily he would have to step in.

"Billy Miles." Mulder shrugged his shoulders.

"Billy Miles? He did this?" Picking up a towel she crossed to the freezer in search of an ice pack.

Sensing that his partner didn't believe him, Mulder pointed to Doggett. "Ask Agent Doggett. He saw him."

Doggett shook his head, "If you ask me, the kid was whacked out on something Whatever it was, he's feeling no pain."

"Ask me, the kid isn't a kid." Mulder pushed. He had gotten along with Doggett for most of the day but now, seeing the man interact with his family, Mulder was feeling a need to push him out. He had to admit, he respected the man for looking out for Danica and Scully like he did but now he was back and although there was something coming bigger than him, he felt the need to prove himself.

Doggett scoffed. "Oh, don't tell me he's an alien." In an attempt to shut her partner up Scully handed him the ice pack and a towel. Still in the frame of mind to prove he was the better man Mulder took only the ice and left the towel in his partner's hand. She dropped it in the little girl's lap causing a soft giggle to spread through the room.

Turning to Danica before he placed the ice to his cut he bowed his head a little, "How's it look?" He asked her. She shrugged and asked if it hurt while she shifted to place the ice on his head. "Nah, nah. It's fine really, Papa's a big manly man, nothing – ow!" He shrieked at her when the cold hit the coming bruise. Danica laughed softly, as she pressed a small kiss to her father's temple. Turning back to the issue at hand Mulder's voice slipped back to the serious. "He is a type of alien. A human replacement. One who looks human. Look at his strength. The way he took those slugs." He was speaking mostly to Doggett; no one in the room had seen what they have seen.

"I've seen plenty of guys whacked out on chemicals, keep on coming." Mulder knew the man had a point, but he was also missing the bigger picture.

"Well, then, you're ignoring who Billy Miles is. You, of all people, Agent Doggett who is supposedly running the X-Files."

"You're ignoring the fact that he bled red blood. Now, every single X-File I read – and I read them all, Mulder – what you call 'aliens' bleed green, right?"

Mulder heard a huff; turning to greet the face of his partner he dropped the ice to the counter. "Right, bed time for the little pumpkin!" He called with a clap of his hands as he reached to help the pouting girl off the counter.

Danica locked her ankles behind his back, refusing to be put down. "No." She told him. "I want to stay up with Uncle John, I don't want to go to be alone." He readjusted her on his hip as he moved for the stairs. "Lizzie is still here." She whispered in her father's ear as she wound her arms around his neck.

Setting the girl down at the top of the stairs he crouched down to her level. "Danni, your mother has been assured that Lizzie will be of great help. I trust Mom more than anything in the whole world, if she trust's Lizzie then we are right to do so as well." Danica offered him a pout but failed with her intentions of avoiding bed. "Look, you don't have to go to sleep right now, but you can't be up and about." The girl nodded. "I'll come back up in a minute with coco and a book, yeah?" Danica nodded, her thumb against her mouth. With a kiss pressed to her forehead she turned begrudgingly and walked down the hall.

Returning to the kitchen Mulder's hand skirted across his partner's back. "Well," He returned to their original conversation. "Billy Miles is a whole new deal. He's an alien abductee who was returned after hideous procedures were performed on him. And who miraculously returns to so-called perfect health when his body completely sheds its skin." Mulder drew his attention from Doggett for a second to watch his tired partner shrug into a chair.

"Same thing happened to you." He pointed out with a tilt of his head knowing that he had gone unnoticed by the man before him.

"Same thing would've happened to me if I'd been left alone." Sensing that his eyes were on her Scully tilted her head to look up at the man, her eyes fluttered tiredly and with a soft glimmer of pain. "If Scully hadn't treated me." He pointed out for a second time.

Never one for liking attention Scully lowered her head and asked a question that had been plaguing her mind. "What I want to know is what Billy Miles was doing at that medical office."

"Same as when he torched Zeus Genetics and destroyed their experiments with alien biology and the doctors performing them."

Crossing her arms over her chest Scully glared at him pointedly. "And what were you doing there … Mulder?"

He held the look of a guilty little boy caught tearing out the pages of his mother's books. "Looking for answers."

She knew it was a copout, that was always his answer and an ambiguous one at that too. "To what?" She pried pushing him to give her the truth, even though the pain on his face told her she didn't want to know.

"One of those doctors was your doctor." He answered sheepishly; his shoulder's tucked in defensively. Scully let out a soft growl that sounded an awful lot like his name. "Listen, Scully," He pleaded. "I'm sorry, but I just need to know that this baby of your is going to be all right."

She had to admit she liked that he was concerned, but he was scaring her the last thing she wanted to think was that this child was not her own. "My baby is fine, Mulder. I've had it checked over and over again with my new doctor that I trust implicitly."

Mulder didn't get the chance to reply when the sound of feet hit his ears from behind him. "Oh, I'm sorry, Dana. I didn't …" Lizzie Gill started as she avoided the eyes belonging to the man of the house. Scully waved the woman off, letting her know that it was in fact fine.

"Danica's scared of her." Mulder pointed out, more to the other man hoping that he would join his side more so than his partner.

"It's okay." Scully mumbled. It was bad enough that she didn't want Lizzie around, but she was doing as a courtesy to her mother, she didn't need her daughter and partner in her ear reminding her that it was a bad decision. "She's just helping me out here at my mother's insistence." She told John, the man becoming middle ground for the other two to fight across.

Taking a few steps Mulder crouched in front of her his eyes burning with sincerity. "That's … that's all I'm trying to do. Just make sure nothing happens to you; that this baby you're carrying is born without any surprises."

Getting up she pushed on his chest. "Just stop it, Mulder. It's unnecessary strain." Her eyes pleaded with his, unmoving until he nodded his head in agreement while his hand slipped into hers and squeezed it firmly. She recognized the look in his eye, he was promising compromise but he wasn't going to follow through.

Easing her mind, then sneaking around behind her back.

But even though she knew that, and she had known it well. Scully found herself put at ease. It wasn't until the next afternoon when she ran from the shower to answer the phone that she felt the panic bubble and the need to rip his throat out strengthen.

"I need to see you." Mulder's voice came through the phone eliciting and exasperating sound from Scully. "I've got Skinner with me. It's not something that can really wait." Her heart rate quickened, not only at his words but due to a sound behind her that she couldn't place. "It's about your pregnancy. Skinner's got some questions based on some new information."

Gripping the towel wrapped around her just that little bit tighter she allowed herself to play into her partner's fancy. "What? … Mulder, what are you talking about?"

He let out a huff, frustrated enough to show it to her. "Evidence of interference by someone." She slipped the phone back into its place without another word. There was a rustling coming from the bathroom behind her, the door closed, not the way she had left it.

She stalked towards the door knowing very well it wouldn't be the mischievous Danica. That girl could get into trouble with the best of them, but she always forgot to close the door and could never stop giggling for too long. "What are you doing?" She asked panic rising again as she found Lizzie in the bathroom a pill bottle in her hand. "What do you think you're doing with these?" She grabbed for the bottle and yanked it from the stunned woman. "Who are you? Who are you?!" She yelled fury burning in her eyes while panic nipped at her throat.

"Mom!" Danica called from the bedroom door way, her voice curious and panicked. "Mommy?" She called again, her hand poised on the door. She refused to walk into the room, she hadn't heard her mother yell, not like that before and although curiosity was always nipping at her heels she knew enough about panic and worry to steer clear. "Mama?!" She called again, her voice cracking as tears gathered in her eyes.

"Danni, call Dad. I need him." When her mother didn't appear from the bathroom Danica chanced a step into the room, her curiosity giving her courage.

"Is it my baby?" She asked, her voice shaking as she reached for the phone on her father's dresser.

Scully ducked out of the bathroom, her eyes leaving Lizzie for a second. "Danica, call Papa." She growled. "He needs to come home right now with Uncle John."

[…]

He was surprised at how composed she was. She had cried in his arms for a moment while Danica was in her room and Doggett was dealing with Lizzie. She had held him tightly and cried, but after that his Dana Scully had become tougher than nails despite what was going on. She was pissed. Incredibly so, at no one more than Lizzie. He could have guessed she was annoyed with her mother to for bring that woman into their home, introducing her to both herself and Danica, jeopardizing them both. But she held it in, carried on like a trooper and tried to comfort the upset little girl who wouldn't move further than her father's arms.

"Everything is absolutely as it should be, 100%." Her doctor assured them as she gave Scully a smile before turning to the man standing beside the door. "The pills you were worried about were just vitamin supplements. Nothing harmful. Nothing you'd be afraid to give any expectant mother. I know it doesn't make sense but it's a relief, I'm sure." The doctor left silently allowing for Maggie to fill her space in the room.

Maggie was by her daughter's side in a second, guilt written across her face. "I am so sorry, Dana. I brought Lizzie into your home. This is all my fault." Scully refused to look at her a part of her mind blaming her mother, Maggie moved in for a hug and her daughter let her. "I'm so sorry. You know I'd never let anything happen to you. I'd never knowingly let anybody hurt you."

Hugging her mother back she nodded. "I know, Mom."

She squeezed her daughter's arms. "I'm so worried about you. You keep everything so bottled up." She gave her mother a brief nod as her eyes connected with the man standing in the doorway, a small redhead on his hip. He gave her a worried smile and whispered words that didn't reach her ears but she understood it all, her mouth twitched in response a smile on the verge.

Their moment disappeared as quickly as it had been there. Skinner had rushed down the hall, asking on her health and offering the disgruntled Danica a smile and a bop on the nose. "She's fine," He told the man as he stepped out of the doorway while Maggie helped Scully put on her coat. "according to her doctor. Apparently, it was a false alarm. Whatever this woman was up to …"

"I told you she wasn't good Papa." Danica mumbled, her head removed from her father's shoulder at the sight of candies in Walter Skinner's pocket. The man surrendered his goods while Mulder watched on with his partner's raised eye brow. "There's always candies when I'm sad." She grinned softly. "Jelly baby?" She held up an offending orange one for her father to take.

Mulder grinned at the girl, his teeth crushing the jelly baby in his mouth. "I should listen to you more often, Liebechen." He repeated Skinner's friendly action with his index finger as he bopped the child's nose playfully.

"We won't be able to hold the woman based on those findings. But Agent Doggett's been talking to her. I think you ought to hear what she has to say." Scully was by his side by the time Skinner had finished, her hand was mere inches from touching his arm but the people present made her pull back.

Mulder turned to his partner with large eyes and a silent question to go. She told him to stop looking into whatever it was that Billy Miles was up to, and he hadn't. Now he was taking the politeness to ask if he could talk to the woman who had invaded their home and tried to hurt her. When she gave him a small nod he reluctantly set the somewhat settled Danica down on her own legs even though the girl protested weakly, her little eyes fluttering with a mad desire for sleep. He kissed the top of Danica's head before moving to do the same for Scully. A silent thanks and a promise to be home with answers.

He left them in the doorway to the hospital hallway begrudgingly, his head hung and his heart burning for the Truth.

Lizzie Gill ignited all the lights, she had just the right story, all the facts and the worried expression to go with it. He stood back while she spoke, mentally scolding himself for the images of wringing her throat. "What do you mean by success?" Skinner asked when she started talking about cloning human DNA.

"Alien babies." She spoke as though it were the most natural thing and not something that was making Mulder's blood run cold. "Birthed by human mothers desperate to conceive. They didn't live more than a couple of days, but tissue and stem cells is what we were after for other experiments."

Raising his hands to his temples Mulder reconsidered his asking to come and speak to Lizzie now. He had much preferred to be at home with his dysfunctional and odd little family while John Doggett worked up the courage to tell him what they were now hearing. "What other experiments?" He spoke through gritted teeth. The woman was a fiend when she spoke next. She didn't know what they were doing exactly, but her excitement at the fact that it was something good made him sick to the stomach. "What did you do to Scully?" He asked her calmly at first.

"We were trying to protect her." For some reason none of the three men in the room could see the truth in her words.

Mulder leant against the table, his weight forced down on his hands as he got as close as he could bear to her face. "What did you do to her?!" His voice took on the sound of a protective father as he spat his words at her with a growl. Lizzie just shook her head, panicked with the sound of his tone. "Tell me what's wrong with her!" He slammed his hand down against the table as he got a little closer, the protective mammal wanted to bear his teeth and growl again. "Tell me what is wrong with her baby!"

With a hand on his shoulder Doggett braved pulling the man back from the woman. "Listen to her. What she's saying."

"There's nothing wrong with her." She told the man almost triumphantly. "That's what I'm trying to tell you. The child she is carrying is very special One could only hope to create that in a lab. A perfect human child but with no human frailties." He was so proud, of something so vulgar being done to another being. To his flesh and blood. His family had been a part of the agenda of show governments for far too long now, now it had to end. He held the eye of the woman his partner had trust for a moment before turning and storming from the room.

[…]

"What?" She asked as she settled into the comfortable couch with a book. She could practically hear his mind turning and his nervousness as he shifted his weight from foot to foot. "What's wrong?" She asked when he moved to stand in front of her, his nervous energy radiating from him in waves.

"Where's your mom and Danni?"

She tilted her head before she answered, her eyes trying to search his body for answers. "Danni's up stairs asleep, Mom just went …" He didn't let her finish when he helped her up from the couch and with his hands on her lower back helped her up the stairs.

"Whatever you can't get elsewhere, just throw it together. I'll get Danica ready." Making to the level ground before the stairs split to the second level she stopped him. Her hands on his chest as she pushed away from him.

"Mulder, to go where?" Panic seeped into her voice as he helped her up the last few steps. "No, just stop!" She stopped him again, this time raising her voice enough to wake the child who was sleeping just down the hall. "Can you tell me what's wrong?" She pleaded as a hand slipped protectively over her stomach. "Is it something to do with my baby?"

He shook his head ridding her fears in an instant and pulling them back with the same speed. "No, ou, your baby is fine. It's you who's in danger now, Scully." He pulled a travel case out from under the bed and dropped it on top of the covers.

"From who?" She asked before realizing she should have asked it differently. "Mulder, from what?"

He lowered his head like a scolded dog. "I don't know, I'm not sure." He told her with large eyes. He hated that he didn't have the answers for her. "I'm not sure about anything. I know I got to get you out of here."

Scully reached out and grabbed his arm, a huff left her lips as she left the weight of the world against her shoulders. "Look, Mulder. I can't take this! I can't live like this – as, as the object of some unending X-File. I have other things to worry about now."

"This isn't about the X-Files, Scully. It is only about you." It had been about her for years. "Now, you're going to have this baby and I'm going to do everything I can to protect it. I just can't do that here." She glared at him for a moment, her mind unable to decide if she was going to side with him or be a pain on purpose. Taking in a deep breath she huffed and then turned for the dresser. "Great, I'm going to get Danica's things." She agreed with a silent nod as the man ran off, his nervous energy still present in the room.

He had managed to pack Danica's things significantly faster than she had done her own. He was helping her shove things in a bag when his phone rang. Doggett's information on the missing Billy Miles wasn't making the day any better. "Agent Doggett …" Mulder's body was rigid when he spoke. He inched slowly out of the bedroom checking the dim hallway for signs of life.

"I know. Something's wrong. Something doesn't make any sense." Mulder hummed into the phone as he reached for Scully's hand. Tugging his partners hand he pulled her out into the hallway and down to Danica's room. With the back of his foot Mulder pushed the door open cautiously.

The night light that shone next to her bed filled the room with a soft glow. But, as quick as both adults could blink the light was out, as was the one from their bedroom. "Mulder?" She whispered as he let go of her hand. The man ventured into the child's room in order to collect her bag and to scoop the sleeping child into his arms.

She fell into step in front of him, as he carried Danica and her bag the well-loved Schatz barely holding on to his fingertips while Polly followed at his feet meowing in protest of her friend's removal from their bed.

Having mastered the ability to carry a sleeping child he held one hand out in front of him, a heard breath away from his partner's back as he watched her painfully attempt the master staircase without help while eight months pregnant. She cursed the stairs and his decision to fall in love with that house. Despite the tension that had filled the home within a split second of the power going out Mulder couldn't help a chuckle towards Scully's ramblings.

He didn't tell her when he saw Billy Miles stalk past the dining room window. Instead he kept pushing her across the hallway and out the front door. Helping her waddle to the car Mulder made sure she was in before he rounded the car and slipped the heavily sleeping Danica onto the backseat. Slipping into the driver's side he turned the key in the ignition but was received with a series of clicks. He slammed his hands against the steering wheel.

They weren't going anywhere, not if the car wouldn't start.

Scully's hand on his arm caused Mulder to sit up with a jolt. A few feet from the hood of the car stood Billy Miles.

His heart leaped into his throat at the sight. He tried to start the car again, and failed. Scully was muttering something under her breath while he kept twisting the key. He heard the car doors lock and knew that his partner was trying her best to protect them. "I don't think that matters much, Scully." He huffed trying again as his foot hit the pedal.

Giving up while his mind tried to jump ahead of him Mulder held his eyes with that of the young man. He didn't see the car until it had hit the boy and even then he had to blink a few times to make sure his mind hadn't imagined it. "We haven't got much time. Get in!" Alex Krycek stepped out of his car and hurried the partner's over with his hand.

Mulder shot a curious look to his partner before he got out of the car and jumped to grab the sleeping child from the back of the car. "Mulder?" Scully asked, her voice worried as she slipped out of the car as quickly as she could.

"Let's go!" Krycek called as he kept a steady eye on the struggling Billy Miles.

"Papa." A little voice whispered in his ear, frightened and quiet. "That man is moving." He cursed himself silently, he hadn't thought about Danica waking up, nor did he know how to explain what was going on. With his left hand he held her closer to him, forcing her face away from the creature that was no longer man. She squirmed in his arms desperate to be put down and relieved from his tight grip. Her struggling only made her father hold her tighter as they rushed for Krycek's car.

[…]

Tension was running on high among the group of people collected in Skinner's office. Scully had taken her place on the couch, Danica nestled beside her suddenly frightened of her father's tight grip that left a mark on her thigh. She was whimpering quietly, her head hammering and her heart racing. She sought her mother's comfort but only found more tension there.

Krycek kept his air of superiority over the others. He in fact had more information than any of the other men. With her hand over her eyes Scully tried to block out their words it was one thing to know that it was happening and another entirely to have it happen to herself.

"What do they want with her?" To say she hadn't been listening at all would have been a lie, she heard every word and her mind was running with the possibilities.

She removed her hand from her face. "They want my baby." Her answer was simple, her exhaustion was something so much more complicated and every single ounce of being was radiating that exhaustion. "Why?" She looked at Krycek pointedly, her free hand running absentmindedly through Danica's hair. The girl had found sleep, but it wasn't restful. It was so far from it.

"Your baby was a miracle. Born of a barren mother's barren womb."

"Are you saying they're afraid of it?" Of all people, Mulder was starting to have trouble believing it all.

"They're afraid of its implications. That it could somehow be greater than them. Something more human than human."

Her hand was back on her forehead as she shook her head, her temples throbbing softly. "I don't believe this." She whispered to herself but everyone heard.

Pointing a finger at Krycek Skinner spoke, "You wanted to destroy her child."

"I wanted to destroy the truth before they learn the truth." He corrected.

Mulder quirked a brow, "That there's a God … a higher power." He was mocking, but he couldn't stand the look on his partner's face. She believed this child a miracle by no other terms and she ever right to install a faith upon her God and trust that fact. Now someone's used that faith in order to use her.

A huff came from the corner of the room where Doggett had taken his place. "I don't believe this crap;" He threw and apologetic look towards Scully for his cuss. "I don't believe you're all sitting around here listening to it even when you know this man's a liar. Worse than that!"

Mulder felt the urge to step forward and introduce him to the X-Files officially, but Krycek cut in first. "You can believe what you want but I don't think you can take the chance that I'm wrong." There was a pause as Mulder tried to will belief into everyone there, begging for this chance to be taken for the sake of his family. They had risked so much already that night and even Danica was scared of him for the moment. "There is no hospital that's safe enough. She may never even make it out of this building."

Doggett had had enough of the attitude, of the forcefulness and all round cheery conversation. He could see Scully's pain as much as everyone else, but he knew that she did not need to hear that there was a chance she wasn't going to leave that building. "Why don't you just shut up?" He threated softly cutting a look towards the tired redhead.

Understanding the other man's point Mulder stepped up. "Agent Doggett. Get on the phone. If we're going to get Scully out of here we're going to need some help.

[…]

It had taken hours, but finally Doggett had managed to get Monica Reyes into D.C. receiving cellular confirmation from the female Agent he stepped back into the hall as he hung up in enough time to see Scully being escorted down the hallway, Danica awake again and in her father's arms almost reluctantly as Krycek followed behind them.

"If I'm so full of crap, why all the precautions?" Krycek asked smugly as he followed them down the hall.

Turning at the elevation Skinner grinned, "Precisely because you are so full of crap, Krycek."

Krycek caught the eye of a scowling Mulder as they let their language fly without realization towards a child present. "Careful now Walter, you're going to teach children bad habits." He moved to take a step into the elevation but was stopped by Skinner's hand.

"Your ass stays here." Alex was forced to watch the group disappear behind sliding doors a frightened little girl in her father's arms and a steeled Dana Scully as she fought back harder urges than she had ever before felt.

With Reyes and Doggett in the garage and having spotted Billy Miles down there two, the small family and Skinner were rushed back up to the fifth floor. Krycek was standing around with a smug grin. "Hey, look who's back."

Skinner glared. "He's in the building."

"What do you want me to do?" He shrugged as Mulder held his hand out to prevent the elevator doors from closing on them.

"You're going to protect them." Mulder announced as he put Danica down on the ground and with a hand on the small of Scully's back guided the shocked woman out of the elevator. "You listen to Alex, Danica. If he doesn't look after you and Mommy there will be hell to pay." He told the sobbing girl as she reached her hands out for him to pick her up. But he didn't. She looked like the little girl he rescued in Russia in that moment, her eyes were large and wet pleading with him to give her something safe. "It'll be okay." He told her as he shrugged her bag off his shoulder. Handing it to the little girl he pressed a fond kiss to her cheek and then another to her mother's.

He didn't remove his eyes from Scully's as the elevator doors closed on him, the shock and fear in her eyes was too much, but perfectly enough to push him to end this.

Danica stifled her tears when the leather clad man picked her up and dropped her on his hip. She didn't know what to think, but found herself confused as to why the other adults didn't seem to like the man. She didn't relax in his arms; instead she kept herself alert, but none the less appreciative off not having to walk when she could barely form sentences. "I can't promise everything is alright." Krycek spoke as Scully took Danica's things and put them in Reyes' car. "But he's going to try his best. Even though you don't know what this child is, he's still a dad. He'll do anything for his family." He slipped Danica into the back seat and held the door open for Scully.

She smiled softly, her hand on his arm. "Thank you. You didn't have to help us, but you did. Thank you." He nodded his head, kindness melting away at his cruel soul and it cracked a little harder at the sound of a child's choked sob. The imaged paired with the noise made him want to go back and change his choices all those years ago.

A little girl sat on the back seat of a car in the dark of an underground garage. Her red hair framed her face while tears smudged her cheeks, her eyes were the color of turquoise and her cries made his chest ache. This girl was the daughter of man he swore he would help take down and now he was glad for all those times he didn't as she stared at him, her little fingers clinging to a brown teddy in her lap, her lips and voice asking for her Papa like her very life depended on him joining her on the back seat of that car.

But he didn't come.

That wasn't the plan.

Instead the child was left to cry on the backseat as she was driven away from the building and only further towards the storm.

Considering Billy Miles and well everyone is after Scully it probably wasn't the smartest decision to leave Danica with her and Krycek. But as we all know she would probably be better off with Scully then running around with Mulder. And I made Krycek a bit of a softy … but who isn't upset when children cry? Wait, don't answer that.

Anyway, drove myself insane with this one and part two is next – what joyous fun.

I am in dire need of reviews this week guys, this chapter nearly killed me and like I said before there's another one to come. Let me know if you liked it – I know, personally it lacked in a few places.

Until next week,

A