Life Reclaimed (5/6)
by Donna Honeycutt and Vickie Moseley

Mulder had fallen into a deep sleep so the 
sound of his son's voice seemed to be in a 
dream.  "Dad!  Dad!  They're coming!" 
 
He tried to find the tent, tried to find the tree 
house, the beach, but all he could see was a 
deep and dark gray fog.   
 
"Who, William?" he shouted. 
 
"Mom and somebody she calls Walter," William 
replied.  "But I don't know if they'll get here in 
time." 
 
At that moment he felt bright, hot sunlight on 
his face.  He squinted but could only make out 
the silhouettes.  He remembered the voices, 
though, as they boomed over his head. 
 
"Is he dead?" 
 
"No, he's breathin'." 
 
"Don't look like it." 
 
"Probably broke a rib or two.  That's OK, won't 
matter much in a few minutes." 
 
He was roughly hauled to his feet and dragged 
out of the shed.   
 
It was hard to see at first, the light was so 
bright, but his open eye adjusted after a few 
minutes.  There were several people standing 
around, some in flowing robes of white and 
pale blue.  The women were wearing scarves 
covering their heads but their faces were 
visible.  He saw Eddie -- William -- wearing silk 
garments, some kind of robes.   
 
The boy stood wide-eyed between a woman 
and a man wearing a totally ridiculous (under 
other circumstances) headdress and robes.  
The robes and the headdress were made of 
silk, embroidered with the designs on the boy's 
robe but the threads appeared to be spun gold 
and silver.  The headdress looked vaguely 
Egyptian and was completely out of place amid 
the earthmovers and bulldozers scattered 
around the area. 
 
The man in the headdress smiled as Mulder 
was dragged before him and tossed at his feet.  
Mulder landed on his side, but struggled to at 
least a sitting position. 
 
"At long last, the son will fulfill his father's 
destiny!" he called in a loud voice to the 
assembled crowd.  He leaned over a little and 
spoke directly to Mulder.  "My father would 
have loved to see this day, Mr. Mulder." 
 
Mulder swallowed against a tongue swollen 
from thirst.  "Do I know you?" he rasped. 
 
"Oh, I'm sorry!  Please forgive my lack of 
manners.  I'm Jacob, Jacob Josepho.  Now do 
you now who I am?" the man sneered. 
 
"'Fraid not," Mulder admitted.  Josepho -- that 
name meant nothing to him.  But suddenly he 
heard William's voice in his head.   
 
'He's the son of the man who tried to kidnap 
me when I was a baby.  Who wanted you 
dead,' the boy supplied.  'The man who made 
Mom believe she had to send me away.' 
 
"Oh, wait," Mulder gasped.  "Yeah, I remember 
you.  You're nobody." 
 
The robes did not deter Jacob's lightning fast 
reflexes as his foot shot out, catching Mulder 
directly in the chest, right at his broken rib.  
Pain exploded and he grayed out for a few 
moments.  
 
***** 

Scully followed Skinner as they approached 
the fence.  They were moving quickly, 
crouching trying to watch everything at once.  
All of the activity, all of the guards seemed to 
have been moved to the entrance.  Once there, 
Skinner hoisted himself up on the chain link to 
give a quick look around.  There was no one in 
sight and he nodded to Scully.  She checked 
her weapon, then they both climbed up and 
over the fence, dropping to the ground on the 
other side.  The disturbance, whatever it was 
had saved them.

It was dying down now as the guards strong 
armed everyone out of the complex.  Skinner 
silently pointed to a large truck and they 
hurried to it, crouching down 
beside it to look around.

"I'll go west and meet you closer to those 
trailers.  That has to be where the people that 
stay here live.  Scully, be careful."

***** 
 
Mulder fought to draw a breath into his lungs.  
His ribs, previously just on fire, were now 
burning a hole through his side.  After a few 
moments, he was pulled upright by two of the 
goons who'd used him for 'rushing' practice the 
day before before.  His gaze fell on William.  
The boy looked terrified, sheet white and 
chewing so hard on his bottom lip there was a 
tiny spot of blood.   
 
Forcing himself to calm down, Mulder closed 
his eyes and thought hard.  'It's going to be 
OK, kiddo,' he assured the boy silently.  'I've 
been in worse spots and she always gets there 
in time.'  When he looked at William again, a 
little color had crept back into his cheeks and 
there was a faintest smile on his lips, just a turn 
of the corners of his mouth.  Mulder nodded 
and winked his one good eye. 
 
"The prisoner will prepare for his trial!" Jacob 
shouted loudly.  He nodded to some people 
standing near the front of the crowd and they 
stepped forward.  Forming two lines, the dozen 
men and women stood just to Jacob's left and 
looked at Mulder without expression.  William 
was led to Jacob's right hand. 
 
"Read the charges!" Jacob said loudly and 
smiled as a woman left the crowd and brought 
a rolled scroll up to read it. 
 
"He has infiltrated a craft and caused the 
deaths of thousands of our alien brethen," read 
the woman in a strained voice. 
 
"Kill him!" shouted the crowd. 
 
"He has thwarted all attempts to regain the 
planet, through means many and varied." 
 
"He must die!" screamed a woman and the rest 
of the crowd cheered her on. 
 
"He has attempted to stop the rightful owners 
of this planet from reclaiming what is theirs by 
denying his son's true destiny." 
 
All eyes in the crowd turned to William and 
then as one they all cried out "Kill him NOW!" 
 
Jacob turned to William and laid his hand on 
his head.  "Do you understand why this man 
has to die?  He's not really your father, you 
know.  Your father is one of the rightful owners 
of this planet.  Your true father will come and 
help you lead his return.  You must not weep 
for this man, for he is dirt under your feet," 
Jacob recited as if from a script. 
 
William wasn't listening, he was starting to cry.  
Mulder shook his head slowly and tried to 
reach the boy's thoughts. 
 
'Don't worry, kiddo.  Don't listen to him.  You 
are my son and I'm so very glad I found you.  
No matter what happens, I want you to always 
remember -- none of this was your fault.  
These people are deluded, this man is evil and 
anything he does, he does alone.  You have no 
part in this.  I want you to close your eyes and 
know that I will always love you.' 
 
"Daddy!" William cried out aloud and struggled 
to break from Jacob's firm hand on his head.   
 
Jacob grabbed his arm and shook the boy.  
"Didn't you hear what I just said, Child?" Jacob 
growled.  "He tossed you away like an old 
shoe!  He and his bitch have thought nothing of 
you for years!  You belong to us now!" 
 
'William, don't struggle!' Mulder thought 
frantically.  'Don't give anything away.  I don't 
want them to hurt you.  Remember, you said 
Scully was coming.' 
 
The boy stopped wriggling, but the tears still 
streamed down his cheeks.  'I love you, 
Daddy,' Mulder heard clearly in his mind.   
 
He nodded once, just a drop of his chin but it 
sent the message.  'I love you too, kiddo.  More 
than you'll ever know.' 
 
"Take him -- now!" Jacob sneered to the two 
thugs holding Mulder up.  By this time 
breathing was becoming more and more 
difficult and Mulder was dragged over to a 
small platform with two thick posts about seven 
feet apart.  There, he was handcuffed to each 
post just above shoulder height so that he 
hung, literally, between them.  With his arms 
outstretched and no strength to lift himself up, 
he could only manage very shallow breaths.  
The baking hot sun was brutal on his back and 
head. 
 
Jacob smiled down at William.  "We must go 
now to meet your new family." 
 
But William was having none of it.  He pulled 
his arm from Jacob's grasp and flung himself 
toward his father.  "Noooooo!" he screamed 
and, as Jacob and the men tried to pull him 
back, he kicked, scream, and bit at them, 
flailing about with an almost inhuman strength.  
It was the mother of all meltdowns for the small 
child, and he had the ferociousness of a tiger. 
 
At William's scream one of the woman shouted 
out to Jacob.  "It's moving!  The craft is 
preparing to open!" 
 
Jacob just barely heard her over the child's 
screams.  "Quickly, to the tent!" he shouted to 
the followers and they all converged on the 
awning protecting the excavation hole. 
 
"What about the boy?" shouted one of the 
thugs who'd tied up Mulder. 
 
"He'll come soon enough.  There isn't much life 
left in Mulder anyway.  When his cause is lost, 
the child will come to us.  But now we have to 
hurry or we'll miss their appearance to us!" 
 
*******

Scully couldn't see Skinner or Drummy.  She 
had to trust they were where they said they 
would be.  There was no time for anything else.  
With the last of the workers gone, the guards 
had returned to the area near the tent and 
taken up a ceremonial-like stance around 
some structure she couldn't see clearly. 

From her vantage point she spotted a young 
man decked out in some sort of robe emerge 
from the tent and, shit, William was with him, 
dressed in a miniature version of the same 
damn robe.  Where was Mulder?  She couldn't 
spot him in the crowd, but he had to be here.  If 
only she could do what Mulder did and contact 
the boy somehow.  Whatever she was doing 
was obviously unsuccessful.

The man in the robe suddenly lifted his arms 
and spoke.  From this distance she couldn't 
hear him clearly and started to move a little 
closer.  Before she could, the crowd parted into 
two lines and she gasped as she finally spotted 
Mulder, being dragged by two goons.  He 
couldn't stand and seemed only semi-
conscious.  The crowd roared an answer to 
whatever the robed man had said, every eye 
now on Mulder or him.  She could move closer 
but she couldn't reach Mulder unseen.  She 
didn't know what kind of marksman Drummy 
was, but if they all three made a hit with every 
bullet they had, they couldn't take out all of 
these people.  The illegality of that move not 
even brushing her conscience.

"He has thwarted all attempts . . . " She didn't 
hear the rest but a woman screamed out "He 
must die!"

We'll see which one of you does, Scully 
thought savagely moving even closer.  Her gun 
was in her hand now, though she didn't 
remember drawing it.

The robed one continued to shout and the 
crowd roared back at him.  She took advantage 
and moved closer still.  Ed-William was crying 
now.  He had to be scared out of his mind with 
all of this and he'd bonded with Mulder.  She 
had no idea if he'd ever made a connection 
with any of the people he had stayed with after 
the death of his adoptive mother, but she knew 
without a doubt that he had connected with 
Mulder.  How much more trauma could the boy 
stand?

The goons dragged Mulder, apparently at the 
robed one's instructions, up onto the structure 
that she hadn't really paid any attention.  There 
they handcuffed him to the beams. Good lord, 
he was pilloried!  He couldn't even stand and 
his breathing seemed shallow.

The man took William's arm and started to lead 
him toward the tent, but William shrieked "No!" 
and began fighting, kicking, biting, and 
screaming in a total meltdown.  Scully watched 
as this young boy completely overcame the 
men trying to corral him with his temper 
tantrum.

"It's moving!  The craft is preparing to open!" A 
woman screamed and the robed man's head 
came up.  Scully couldn't hear his voice over 
the other yelling, and the sound of the craft 
starting up as she had heard one other time, 
but he turned his back on William and hurried 
toward the tent.  Obviously someone asked 
him about the boy, because he looked back 
disdainfully and said something.  The men 
dropped the boy then, allowing him to scamper 
toward the pillory and Mulder.

As Scully watching in shock, everyone 
streamed into the tent, leaving Mulder and 
William alone in the hot sun.  It was past time 
for caution, she ran then, moving toward 
Mulder begging him to hold on for just a little 
longer.

The noise from the tent was deafening now, so 
she didn't worry about any sound she would 
make racing to Mulder's side.  He was 
handcuffed; she had to get him free and 
quickly.

She spotted Drummy to her left; he'd been 
watching the same scene and knew Mulder 
was in trouble.  He was also racing toward 
Mulder and the boy, his gun in evidence.

Scully jumped up onto the platform and 
realized that William was trying to hold Mulder 
up, so that his full weight was not on his arms.  
She wanted to throw her arms around the boy 
and thank him, and she would, but first things 
first.  "Mulder, I don't know if you can hear me, 
but I'm here.  Skinner and Drummy are with 
me.  We'll get you out of here."  She had no 
handcuffs or key, she was already checking 
where the chains were attached to the poles.  
Damn it!

"I've got him."  Drummy was beside her now 
and had Mulder's dead weight on his 
shoulders.

"Do you have a key?"

"Yeah, I think, check my right pocket.  Damn, 
he doesn't look this heavy," he grunted.

Skinner had joined them now and took the key 
that Scully had located and released Mulder's 
right hand.  Drummy grunted again, but held 
his weight.

"We have to hurry!" William yelled then.  

Scully turned to look at him and realized that 
the sound from the tent had increased in pitch 
and volume.  "Oh God, Walter, hurry!"

He fumbled with the lock on the left hand for an 
instant, then it was free and Skinner wrapped 
one of Mulder's arms around his shoulder and 
he and Drummy headed toward the main 
entrance, holding Mulder between them.

"Come on!" Scully had William's hand clutched 
in her own and they were racing after them.

"Wait!"  William dug in his heels, dragging her 
to a top.

"No, we have to get out of here.  That thing's 
going to take off and we could be burned."

"No, I can't let this one get away. We have to 
destroy it!"

Scully's eyes widened.  What kind of 
destruction would that bring down on them?

"We have to get away from it.  We're too 
close."  She saw that Skinner had turned to 
see if they were following him, slowing down.  
Drummy was forced to halt as well.

"It'll be okay.  Let me do this!"

"William, no, come on!"
 
"If you're scared, go on!"

Scully looked down at him.  "No, I could never 
leave you.  I've finally gotten you back.  I'm 
never leaving you again."

William's eyes widened at those words.  "You 
want me?"

"Oh God - " her next words were lost in the roar 
of noise and she grabbed William, shielding 
him with her body.  The wind blowing not 
outward, but back toward where the tent had 
hidden the excavation, nearly threw them to 
the ground and she saw Skinner turn, forcing 
Drummy and Mulder back towards them.

"Help me!"  William screamed over the wind. 
 
"How, what?" Scully demanded. 
 
"Close your eyes and HATE IT!" William 
ordered. 
 
Scully shook her head -- it sounded ridiculous.  
But then she was bombarded by all the pain of 
the last eight years and more, all caused by 
these same people, this race intent to take 
over the planet.  Her own abduction, Melissa's 
death, her cancer, Emily all flashed before her 
eyes.  When she saw herself standing beside 
Mulder's grave, then kissing him goodbye with 
a tiny William pressed between her, she felt 
she could stand no more.  The final insult was 
when she stood searching a deserted site just 
like the one they were in, desperately seeking 
her baby.  With all that rushing through her 
mind and her soul, it was easy to turn it all into 
a rage that she had never allowed herself the 
freedom to feel. 
 
"We need him!" William shouted.  Scully 
understood and staggered over to take hold of 
Mulder's hand.  It was limp and it frightened 
her.  She wanted to check him over, but 
William was shouting again.  "NOW!"  Drummy 
and Skinner lay him on the ground at Scully's 
feet and stood watching.   
 
Mulder had been in darkness, but for just a 
brief moment he surfaced.  The sun was no 
longer beating down on him -- the sky was dark 
as pitch.  He could feel the wind blowing over 
him.  But more than anything else, he could 
feel Scully's and then William's hand where 
they held him.  A thought brushed his mind -- 
we have to stop them . . . we can stop them . . .  
Focusing on that thought, he concentrated as 
much of his remaining energy as he could.  
They had taken Samantha, they had destroyed 
his family -- he was not going to let them 
destroy the family he had now.  With all his 
might, he wanted them gone. 
 
Skinner and Drummy had staggered back 
fighting the wind and were hanging on to the 
pillory posts in an effort to keep from being 
blown toward the tent.  It seemed the hole was 
sucking in everything within a mile radius 
around it.  Skinner had seen Scully grab for 
Mulder's hand.  William had Mulder's other 
hand and the three formed a triangle with 
hands held and eyes closed.  Skinner was 
about to try to ask what they were doing when 
the wind stopped as suddenly as it had 
started.  The air around them took on an 
electric charge.  Drummy and Skinner both 
looked at each other as they felt the hairs on 
their necks and arms rise.  It was difficult to 
breathe for a second. 
 
There was a bright light, followed by an 
enormously loud crack that reverberated 
around the desert.  In the light, the tent 
shimmered then seemed to disappear into the 
hole.  Everyone that had run into the tent 
disappeared down the hole as well.  Skinner 
winced as his ears popped and he saw 
Drummy rubbing his own ears.  Mulder, Scully 
and William looked at each other for a moment 
and then Scully and William collapsed on 
Mulder's chest, their hands still clasped. 
 
Drummy was the first one on his feet.  He 
looked toward the hole, took a few tentative 
steps toward it and then thought better of his 
actions.  The hole was emitting a greenish 
smoke and it didn't look at all healthy.  "What 
the hell," he shouted because he couldn't hear 
a thing. 
 
Skinner shook his head.  "We need to get them 
out of here," he said loudly, pantomiming his 
words to be understood.  All three appeared to 
be unconscious. 
 
"I'll call for a chopper," Drummy said, starting to 
pull out his cell phone, then realizing the futility 
of that action.  "Or maybe I'll just text the 
regional," he decided, quickly typing into the 
tiny keypad. 
 
William was the first to come around.  He 
looked up at Skinner and smiled.  "It's gone," 
he said simply. 
 
"What's gone?" Skinner asked, his hearing 
beginning to return, but still not understanding 
everything that had taken place. 
 
"Their ship.  It imploded.  It's gone.  And now 
they know we can destroy them.  They won't 
bother us anymore." 
 
It was the most Skinner had ever heard the boy 
utter.  Hadn't Mulder said he was 
uncommunicative?  "Oh," he said, nodding his 
head even though he was just more confused.  
"That's good." 
 
William's smiled grew even brighter.  "Yeah.  
It's very good, but now we need to get Mom 
and Dad taken care of.  I think it wore them 
out." 
 
Plains Medical Center 
Clovis, New Mexico 
6:15 pm 
 
Eddie -- William, Skinner reminded himself, 
was fast asleep in the reclining chair between 
the two beds.  Mulder hadn't awakened, but 
had been treated for his injuries and 
dehydration, and admitted.  Scully was still 
unconscious, so the decision had been made 
to admit her for observation.   
 
Drummy had been calling at regular intervals 
with reports from the site.  The hole in the 
ground resembled a large crater.  There was 
no sign of any craft, nor had any of the more 
than three dozen people who had entered the 
tent reappeared.  More than that, a local 
geologist had reported residual radiation near 
the hole and the Department of Homeland 
Security had taken over the investigation.  In 
truth, Skinner was more relieved at that news 
than anything else. 
 
Skinner smiled as he looked over at the boy.  
He was wearing a white t-shirt that Drummy 
had given him and a pair of running shorts that 
were way too big and held on with a safety 
pin.  He'd wanted out of the elaborate robes 
the minute they had arrived in town, but 
refused to leave his parents to go find new 
clothes, even though he'd been reassured they 
would both recover.  Mulder's recovery might 
take a little longer, three broken ribs and a 
concussion took a while to heal.  Scully was 
just finally getting her beauty sleep after two 
days of constant worry and travel, not to 
mention taking down an alien craft with her 
thoughts. 
 
At least that was the story William had told 
him.  That the three of them combined had 
'destroyed' the alien ship with their thoughts.  
Skinner would calmly tell the child he was 
confabulating -- if he had a better explanation.  
As it stood, Skinner just hoped it was the end 
of the threat he'd lived under for several years. 
 
"I'm hungry," came a voice from between the 
beds. 
 
"You should be.  You didn't eat lunch," Skinner 
admonished.  He watched the boy look over at 
first Scully and then Mulder.  "The doctor thinks 
they'll be asleep for a while longer.  We could 
go down to the cafeteria . . . " his voice trailed 
off when he realized from the look on William's 
face that he was not going to win that battle.  
"How about if I run down and see if there's 
anything I can bring back?" 
 
William gave an enthusiastic nod. 
 
"Any requests?  Peanut butter and jelly?  
Baloney?  Hot dog?"  At the last item, the boy's 
face lit up like a Christmas tree.  "I better get 
there and back before Scully wakes up or she'll 
skin me alive for feeding you junk food," he 
sighed. 
 
"Uncle Walter?" William called after him.  
Skinner turned and waited.  "If you bring me an 
apple and a carton of milk, that should make 
her happy."  
 
Skinner smiled.  "Good idea, William.  I'll do 
that.  If one of them wakes up -- " 
 
"Call Sherry out at the desk, I know," he 
assured him. 

When the elevator doors opened to take him to 
the second floor cafeteria, he encountered 
Agent Drummy.  "I'm making a run down for 
some food," Skinner explained.

"He still won't leave their sides?" Drummy 
asked.

Skinner nodded.

"Mind if I tag along?  I seem to have missed 
lunch," Drummy said casually.

"Sure.  I'll even buy," Skinner offered.

As they stood in line in the almost deserted 
cafeteria, Drummy got up the nerve to ask the 
questions that had been burning inside him all 
day.

"Sir, what happened out there?  I mean, yes, it 
was a kidnapping and yes, we got the victims 
back but -- "

Skinner shook his head and sighed.  "It would 
take all night to give you the long version and 
I'm pretty sure you wouldn't believe half of it."

"Look, I know I wasn't always the most 
supportive when Dakota started nosing around 
in those files, but what I saw today . . . Try me," 
Drummy challenged.

"Let's find a seat and I'll give you the short 
version," Skinner suggested.

They found a deserted corner and Skinner 
waited for Drummy to settle in.  "OK, why don't 
you just ask me your questions and I'll try to 
give you the answers.  But I have to warn you -
- the two people up in that room are the only 
ones who know everything and I really don't 
want to bother them when they wake up."

"Understood," Drummy agreed.  "OK, let's start 
with this one.  Who the hell was that dude in 
the funny robes and why were all those people 
following him?  Who is this Hopeson thing?"

Skinner nodded.  "That question is actually one 
of the easy ones.  When William was a baby, a 
cult -- a cult that believed that an alien race 
was coming to take over the planet -- 
kidnapped him .  The leader of that cult was a 
man named Josepho.  The 'dude in the funny 
robes' as you put it, is his surviving son."

"Josepho, the father, is dead?"

"Yes.  He died about the same time Agent 
Scully and Agent Reyes arrived at an 
excavation site very like the one out in the 
desert, except it was in Canada."

"That's what Scully was talking about," 
Drummy mused aloud.

"Yes."

"So, this cult -- they believed these aliens 
would come and take over and what -- make 
the world a better place?"

Skinner smiled ruefully.  "To be honest, I don't 
know what they expected to get out of the deal, 
except maybe survival.  I think you can 
understand that their mental state was 
somewhat questionable."

Drummy nodded and snorted in agreement.  
"But that explosion -- implosion -- whatever the 
hell we saw out there.  That wasn't anything 
I've ever seen and I did a stint in the Marines."

Skinner looked away for a moment, then 
turned his gaze back to Drummy.  "That -- I 
believe that was the alien craft.  I believe it was 
destroyed."

"How?  Self-destruct button?" Drummy asked.

Skinner shook his head again.  "Honestly, 
Agent, I haven't a clue.  But I suspect those 
three people, Mulder, Scully and their son, had 
something to do with it."

"So, when the boy -- Eddie, William, whatever 
his name is -- when he said it was over . . . "

"I pray he's right," Skinner said simply and 
gathered up the food to take up the room. 
 
*****

Plains Medical Center
8:45 am
 
Mulder came awake slowly, to the sounds of 
whispers.  He looked over to his left and what 
he saw made his heart nearly burst with joy.  
William was cuddled up on Scully's bed.  Her 
arm was around him and they were talking 
quietly.  Every once in a while, one of them 
would giggle or just smile.  Scully hugged the 
boy close and ran her hands down his arms as 
if to warm him -- or just hold him close.  It was 
the most beautiful picture Mulder had ever 
seen and he memorized it and placed it 
delicately next to the other picture in his heart -
- the one of the three of them when William 
was first born. 
 
He hated to interrupt them, but he was feeling 
just a little left out of the fun they were having.  
"Hey," he rasped and winced when he figured 
out talking hurt his ribs.  He swallowed and 
tried again.  "Can anyone get in on this par-
tay?" 
 
Scully's smile doubled and with William's help, 
she eased off the bed and came over. 
 
"No, Scully, I didn't mean -- " 
 
"Shush, Mulder.  I'm only here for observation," 
she scolded.  "How're the ribs?" 
 
"On a scale of 10, about a 6," he admitted. 
 
She glanced over at the clock on the wall.  
"You're due for some meds in about 15 
minutes.  Think you can hold out that long?" 
 
"Sure," he confirmed.  "So, what were you guys 
talkin' about over there?"  By this time, William 
had found a way around the bed rail and was 
settling in next to Mulder.  Scully tried to hold 
him off, but Mulder shot her a look and she 
relented. 
 
"We were comparing other hospitals you've 
been in," Scully said dryly. 
 
"I think I'm offended by that topic," Mulder 
deadpanned back. 
 
"You get hurt alot, Da--Mulder." William looked 
up at him and for a second an odd expression 
passed over his face.  He still wasn't looking 
Mulder in the eyes, but was staring at the 
lightboard above them. 
 
"Not any more.  Well, recently maybe, but not 
for a long time," Mulder hurried to correct any 
false impressions.  He tilted William's head 
toward him and tried to meet the boy's eyes.  
"What happened to calling me Dad?" 
 
William held his eyes unnaturally wide and 
looked at Mulder's eyes for an instant before 
focusing on his chin.  "Can I?"

"I think I'd like that."  Mulder looked over at 
Scully and she shrugged but he didn't like the 
look in her eyes.  "Where's Skinner?" he asked 
Scully.   
 
"He's in the lounge, watching highlights from 
the baseball game last night.  He didn't want to 
disturb us." 
 
"Why don't you go out and keep him company 
for a minute, Will," Mulder suggested.  "Just for 
a minute or two, OK?  I need to talk with your 
mother." 
 
The boy looked unsure, but scrambled down 
the bed and out the door.  Scully stood beside 
the bed, looking unsure herself. 
 
"What's the matter?" he asked. 
 
She was biting both of her lips between her 
teeth and looked on the verge of crying.   
 
"Scully?" 
 
"I . . . I want to keep him," she choked out.  
"But I don't know . . . " 
 
"Scully, he isn't a puppy.  He's our son.  I didn't 
think there would be a question," Mulder 
sputtered and then realized how hard this was 
for her.  She was crying openly now, tears 
falling from her cheeks. 
 
"I had no idea.  When I gave him away, I 
thought -- I thought he'd be safe and I wanted 
to believe that.  I had to believe that to go on.  
But Mulder, he wasn't safe." 
 
"I know," he said, taking her hand and pulling 
her closer.  "But we can keep him safe." 
 
"But will they let us keep him?" she sobbed.  "I 
gave him up for adoption.  I severed all 
parental rights.  I have no standing in the eyes 
of the law."  She swiped angrily at the tears on 
her chin.  "I'm nothing to him anymore." 
 
"Scully, is this you talking or your fear?  You 
had reasons for giving him up, yes.  And I've 
never doubted that choice or your reasons.  
But many of those reasons have changed.  
We're not apart now.  We're together.  And as 
for William -- I would think we could build a 
better life for him than what he's had for the 
last three or four years." 
 
She shuddered and then nodded her head. 
 
"Right now, he's in foster care.  Do you think 
anyone is going to adopt him away from us?" 
 
At her worried expression, he knew the truth.  
She still didn't think herself worthy of being a 
mother.  He sighed.  But, how long had it taken 
him to accept the fact that he was worthy of her 
love? 
 
He reached up and wiped the tears from her 
face.  "Look, you let me worry about the 
details.  Right now, there is a little boy who is 
part of us, created by us, with our DNA, and he 
needs a family.  But more than that, I think we 
need him in our lives.  The rest, well, the rest 
really doesn't matter."

continued in part 6, Epilogue