*There are mentions of 9/11 here in this chapter. I don't know how some people will react, but they're there.*
Enjoy!
At the Unremarkable House Byers and Langley look for bugs and destroy any they find while Monica sits with Frohike as they analyze the cd that Scully gives them.
"What are we looking for?" Monica asks not familiar with binary code or any coding languages. Turning toward her from his spot by a lamp in the study, Byers explains that the cd they want contains encrypted data to both Mulder's e-mails to Scully as well as information about the Cigarette Smoking man. Walking in from the living room, Langley states there are no more bugs while Byers tells him the same. Instead, the men go in search of a floppy disc they know Scully hides in the study as well that contains older information. Leaving when the phone rings, Monica answers it happy to hear that Scully is staying with Maggie for the night. Hanging up, Monica tells the boys where Scully is staying.
"That leaves us all night to work," Frohike announces as he continues to analyze the cd. With a sigh of relief a few hours later, the man announces that the thief took the wrong cd.
"Good," Monica states before asking what is on the other cd. Frohike simply shrugs before ejecting the cd and turning off the computer. After a moment, Byers asks, "Did we check the computer for bugs?"
When Scully comes back later the next morning, she is immediately met with Monica and the Gunmen asleep in her living room. Scully sets William's and Audrey's car seats on the floor and looks at her friends, a little disappointed she has to wake them up. Within five minutes Audrey is asking for a snack and Frohike is easily the first person to wake up. Once he becomes oriented to his surroundings, he asks, "The cd you gave us is the right one. Do you know what was on the other one?"
"Um, family photos," Scully answers while placing William on her hip and leading Audrey to the kitchen. Looking back at her friend, Scully asks Frohike, "Did you check the other cd?"
Following his friend, Frohike answers, "I did. Everything is there, but um, I think it would be safer for all of you to be under one roof. There are a few things that Langley and Byers picked up on while we looked through the floppy disc you hid.
Swearing under her breath, Scully asks if one of the gunmen can pick up Chloe.
Forgetting that her mom was going to drive her back after their girls' weekend, Chloe asks Anna if she can stay with her. Eager to hang out with her friend, Anna happily accepts. The pair are enjoying their time together, and Anna is excited to see a bit of the old Chloe in the midst her the family chaos Chloe is going through. After spending the day at the mall, the girls are giggling as they walk inside the building, but stope when they are approached by a tall man with blonde hair and glasses.
Anna is immediately on guard and is a little startled when he friend smiles widely at the man.
"Uncle Langley!" Chloe exclaims happy to see her uncle. Surprised at how much Chloe really does resemble Mulder, Langley almost has to do a double take. Hugging the teen, Langley states, "I tried to call the apartment. Your mom wanted me to pick you up. Well, me and the boys."
"You're sure you know him?" Anna mutters to her friend. Laughing, Chloe answers, "Yes. I've known them since I was a baby. He's an old friend of my dad's."
Nodding, Anna leads Langley toward her apartment where Chloe can pick up her things. Heading off with her uncle, Chloe gets in the car and is surprised to not see either Frohike or Byers with him.
"Where's everyone else?" Chloe asks as she buckles her seat belt. Laughing, Langley answers, "We aren't joined by the hip you know."
Talking happily about her day, Chloe tries to explain to her uncle what she buys at the mall. Langley laughs at Chloe's stories and as he drives closer to the Unremarkable House Langley feels awful knowing the scene they are both about to walk into. Pulling into the drive, Chloe is immediately suspicious by the other cars in the driveway. Entering the house is another issue. As soon as she enters the house, Chloe knows something is wrong.
Hugging her oldest daughter as soon as she sees her, Scully is happy to have all her children under one roof. Noticing Frohike and Byers' distracted behavior, Chloe asks her mom what is wrong. Kissing Chloe's head, Scully answers, "Let me get your brother and sister to sleep and then we can be told everything.
"Okay, the kids are asleep. You have at best forty five minutes," Scully states an hour later coming downstairs with the baby monitor. With everyone sitting in the living room, Byers begins, "Dana, this is not an isolated incident. We think that they will come back."
"Who?" Chloe asks worried. Closing her eyes, Scully hates that her sixteen year old has to find out about the break in this way. Letting out a breath, Scully turns to her daughter and explains what happens. Swallowing, Chloe asks, "Would it be better if we stayed at Dad's apartment?"
The chorus of "No" shocks the teenager who asks, "When do you think the person will come back?"
"We don't know. Hopefully not again, but I think it would be best to be prepared."
Knowing the break in will not be an isolated event after trying to tell herself that her family will be okay immediately sends Scully into protective mode. Immediately, Scully tells Chloe to go upstairs and unpack her suitcase. Starting to argue, Chloe is met with the stern gazes of five adults. Realizing how serious the situation is, Chloe reluctantly does as she is told. Leading her friends into the study, Scully launches into a plan of action. At one point in the conversation, Scully heads upstairs to get William from his nap and brings him into the study with her. For some reason that Scully is not about to question, Audrey stays asleep. Continuing the plan with the Gunmen and Monica they all decide to have extra security but for now Scully is going to keep her children with her.
After that day, Scully throws herself into her children trying to plan the best seventeenth birthday for Chloe. With Mulder being gone and a break in, Scully knows she needs to plan something to distract the teenager. On the phone with her mother one night toward the end of August, Scully finalizes details for Chloe's birthday with her mother stating, "I'm going to go with Chloe on Tuesday to pick out the cake. That will give us time to pick it up by Saturday."
"I think she'll love it, Dana. Do you know who all will be going?"
"Anna, her other friends, obviously, Kyle, and I asked Ellen if she wants to come over with Trent. That's selfishly more for me," Scully adds with a laugh. Hanging up with her mother a few minutes later, Scully places the receiver in the cradle before locking up for the night.
When Tuesday arrives, Scully is preparing for her first class of the day when another teacher walks into the office. Looking up, Scully notices her colleague's face.
"Dana, you need to turn on your radio."
Raising an eyebrow at her co-worker, Scully turns on the radio and is surprised by the lack of static. What she hears next causes her stomach to drop. A reporter is announcing a plane hitting a World Trade Center building. Looking up at her colleague, the pair share the same terrified looks. It's not long after they hear about a second plane.
Classes are called off for the day and Scully makes her way to the campus daycare immediately. She wants to get home with her kids, but the city is practically shut down. There's rumors of a plane hitting the pentagon. No one can leave on the metro and traffic is jam packed trying to evacuate the city. With no other options, Scully takes her children to the X-files office where Monica is waiting. The babies are blissfully unaware of what is happening, but Scully's mind is racing thinking about Chloe. All military and government buildings are essentially on lock down, and even though Chloe goes to a public school, the majority of the student's parents work for the government in some capacity. Calling the school, all Scully manages to get is a busy signal.
Chloe is trying to get ahold of her mother, but the lines at the payphones are long with other students trying to get through. After an hour, Chloe calls her mom's cell phone. By the end of the school day, Chloe and her friends are released from school and the quiet is deafening. No one wants to speak and Chloe decides to get in her car and drive home. Traffic is still heavy from earlier in the day so Chloe makes her way toward her dad's apartment. At four forty five, Chloe walks into her dad's apartment and immediately calls her mom.
"Chloe, where are you?"
"I'm at Dad's," Chloe answers and both breathe a sigh of relief. Telling her daughter she will meet her at the apartment, Scully with Monica in tow take the babies to Mulder's apartment. As soon as Scully enters the apartment, Chloe is attacking her in a hug. Monica behind them holds Audrey in her arms and smiles at the sight. However, William from his carrier reminds everyone of his presence. Scully goes to take care of her son while Chloe lets Monica and Audrey inside the apartment.
"Are you okay?" Monica asks the teen. Nodding, Chloe answers, "School was really hectic. No one did much and the tvs didn't stop playing."
Motioning toward the television in Mulder's living room, Monica asks, "You can't stop watching?"
Shaking her head, Chloe sighs before taking her sister and hugging her to her never so happy to see her baby sister.
Chloe decides not to have her birthday that weekend. Instead she, Scully, and Monica decide to play a movie to forget about the world outside. Monica takes Chloe's old room while Chloe sleeps with Scully in Mulder's old room. The babies are with them as well. Scully has a hard time keeping any of her children away from her tonight.
The family, and the entire country, seem to go through a mental fog for the next week. When it lifts, Scully knows that she needs to see Mulder sooner rather than later. Talking to Monica one night, Scully asks if she can set up a meeting with him soon. Shrugging, Monica answers, "That's probably a question for The Boys."
Sighing, Scully states, "I just need to see him. I shouldn't have told him he could go."
"You told him he could go?" Chloe asks from the kitchen entry. Turning toward her daughter, Scully is about to say something when Chloe eyes darken. The look in her daughter's eyes scares Scully a little. Her daughter has never acted this way before.
Before anything else can be said, Chloe is on her way upstairs. Leaving Scully, Monica decides to go upstairs and talk to Chloe knowing the last person the teen wants to see is her mother. Knocking on Chloe's door, Monica asks what she is doing.
Throwing clothes into her duffle bag and items into her backpack, Chloe glares at Monica as well.
"Chloe, you need to talk to your mom. You don't know the whole story."
Raising her eyebrow, Chloe answers, "Mom sent Dad away. She told him he could go. Do you know what he's like when he gets obsessed with something? Do you know how many times they have fought over trying to make sure Dad didn't go off the deep end? And now my mom LETS him go? No. I'm not taking it."
"Chloe," Monica begins not wanting to hurt the teen and genuinely caring about the friendship they share. The agent is stuck between helping the teen and abetting the teen. In a huff, Chloe makes her way out the door and to her car. Showing up at Anna's an hour later, Chloe is finally able to break down and cry.
Leading Chloe to her bedroom, Anna lets her friend cry for a while until she falls asleep. Getting a glass of water to set on the bedside table, Anna is surprised no one has woken up yet. The next day, Chloe sits down with Anna and her family for breakfast laughing inwardly at how normal the sight is. This family is complete, but her mother had to send her father away. Rachel and Adam are at a loss on how to handle the situation, but know they need to inform Dana that Chloe is with them.
"I'll come get her," Scully states grabbing her keys. Shaking her head knowing how she was with her own mother, Rachel reasons, "It's Thursday. Why don't you let Chloe stay the weekend with us? She probably just needs space."
Pinching the bridge of her nose, Scully sighs answering, "Okay. Just, tell her I love her?"
"I will," Rachel states before hanging up the phone glad she does not have to deal with any of this with Anna.
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