The Truth is Out There--Scene 40 from XF3
by Lolabeegood

E-mail: lolabeegood@gmail.com
Distribution: Archive freely with my name attached.

Rating: R
Categories: S, R
Keywords: Mulder/Scully romance, Post-IWTB
Spoilers: IWTB
Summary:  The truth is something Mulder & Scully may have 
to pay a steep price for.

Author's Notes: 

Ever since I watched IWTB I have thought of the ideal way to 
start and storyline a third movie.  So, after much thought and 
deliberation I have a series of scenes that I have written for 
the third XF movie.  The scenes will not necessarily run right 
after each other but they are in sequence.  They are more like 
scenes I would like to see in the XF3 that develop character, 
tie loose ends, and add plot interest.  

I do not own the characters and I don't make any money from 
this.

Enjoy!

***********************************

Scully breathed a little easier once she cleared Memphis 
traffic.  The last thing they needed was a fender-bender or 
accident of any kind to draw attention to them.

Patrick sat uncomfortably in the backseat of the car.  He had 
been watching the same scenery off and on for hours now.  He 
hadn't slept much, hadn't eaten much when they stopped for 
breakfast, and felt very raw and irritable this morning.  How 
did he end up here?  What did he do to deserve this?  He 
looked at his mother driving in the front seat.  She was 
focused on the road and had not even acknowledged his existence 
this last half hour.  He looked at Mulder asleep and hunched 
against the passenger door of the car.  He shifted every few 
minutes in his sleep and mumbled incoherently from time to 
time.

"I'm bored" Patrick groaned from the backseat.

"Do you want me to stop and buy you another movie to watch or 
some new comic books?" she asked smiling.

"No" he shifted uncomfortably in his seat "I can't handle 
another movie and I feel queasy when I read while you or Mulder 
is driving."

"Sorry" she said genuinely "it won't be much longer, and  then 
we'll stop for a day or so, I promise."

"This sucks" he said kicking the back of the armrest.

"Patrick...I know that sitting in this car for all these hours 
has not been much fun."

"Much fun?" he asked.

"Okay, any fun but...we need to get somewhere safe."

"And Colt is safe?"

"For now, it is."

"Is this what I have to look forward to?"

"What?" she asked, already knowing what he was implying.

'You know' his voice said in her head.

"Patrick, it's only been 3 days...I...I don't know what 
you expected but..."

"I didn't expect this" he said honestly.

"Well, I don't know what you want me to say" she said 
defeated.

Patrick thought of his mother, the one who used to bake him 
a pie for when he came home from school.  The one who dressed 
up like Mrs. Claus for his school's Christmas Celebration.  
The one who tickled him until he practically peed his pants, 
but never long enough that he did.  The one who smelled of 
oranges all the time.  Then he looked at the woman in the front 
seat.  She was not the same kind of mother.  He would never 
have that again.

"I want you to find out who killed my parents" he said 
harshly. 

The word 'parents' stung her.  She had to remind herself that 
he was still hurting, that to him they would always be 
'parents' and that she and Mulder were still something 
'other'.  

"We will find out..."

"All you've been doing is trying to protect me" he said 
coldly "you don't care about my parents."

Her eyes watered with unshed tears and she found herself 
licking her lips, looking for the right answer.  Secretly she 
was a little happy they had died, because it brought her 
son back to her.  He may have never looked for her if the 
tragedy had not occurred.  She wasn't happy these were the 
circumstances that brought him to her, she wasn't happy her 
son was adrift in the world away from the only parents he 
had know.  But, she was happy he was with them.  It was 
selfish.  True, but selfish. She was ashamed of her feelings.

"You're happy they're dead" he said with venom "what kind of 
mother are you?"

"A great mother" Mulder said groggily from the passenger seat 
as he sat up.

"Mulder, it's..."

"No, Scully, it's not okay" he said turning toward the back 
seat and catching Patrick in his gaze "your mother...your 
mother would do anything for you, has done everything for 
you, don't ever doubt her commitment to you"

"She was so committed to me..."

"Stop" Mulder interrupted, glaring at Patrick "Scully, pull 
over."

"Mulder, I don't think it's the..."

"Pull over, damn it" he snapped at her.

"Fine" she said through clenched teeth.

The car veered off onto a side road and Scully pulled it to 
a stop.  Mulder got out of the car and walked around to 
Patrick's door.  He opened it.

"Come on, Patrick, out" he said gently.

"What? Are you going to shove me to the ground ag..."

"Just get out of the car" Mulder said softly. 

Scully opened her door and got out to stand beside Mulder.  
She had no idea what he was up to, but the gentleness of his 
voice spoke volumes to her about intent.

Patrick slowly unfolded himself from the back seat and raised 
himself out of the car.

"I'm out" he announced to the pair.

"Come with me, son" Mulder said as he put his arm around Patrick 
and steered him toward a clearing next to the road.  

Scully followed close behind them.  She watched as Mulder lead 
Patrick to a tree sitting on the edge of the field.  When they 
got to it Mulder stood leaning against it with one arm.

"Patrick" he started gently "you have been through more in the 
last few days than any other kid will go through in a lifetime.  
Your parents were killed, and I'm very sorry you saw what you 
saw."

Patrick starred at his feet and started to sniffle.  Tears dripped 
off his cheeks.  

"No child should have to live through the changes you have."

Patrick stood silently, absently kicking at the hay lying loose 
at his feet.

"But son, they were your parents and you loved them.  I don't 
doubt that for a second.  And we are not trying to replace them, 
but, we can also be your parents.  Choosing to be happy with us 
is not betraying their memory, do you understand?"

Patrick nodded slightly.

"In fact, if that was me, and I was killed, it would bring me a 
lot of peace to see my son being loved and cared for by people 
who would do anything for him.  Do you think your father would 
feel the same way?"

Patrick shrugged his shoulders.

"Do you think your mother would be happy your birth mother was 
taking care of you, and loving you?"

Patrick raised his teary eyes to look at Scully who was standing 
speechless next to him.  Tears running quietly down the sides of 
her face.

"Yes" he squeaked. 

"Then, let us love you Patrick.  Because we already do" Mulder said 
with a cracked voice "We will find the people who killed your 
parents.  But, let us be your parents from now on.  It won't be the 
same because we are different people.  I'm sorry for that, but 
it's true.  But don't ever doubt that we love you, and that we will 
do anything for you."

Scully reached out to Patrick and drew him into her arms.  "I 
really am not happy they are dead Patrick" she whispered "I'm just 
happy to have you, and those two things are unfortunately linked."

"I know" he cried into her embrace. 

She held him for quite some time while sobs raked over his body.  He 
cried for his mother, for his father, for the loss of his innocence, 
for the uncertainty of his future.  He cried until there were no 
more tears left.  When he raised his head finally he noticed that 
both his parents were holding him.  He hadn't even noticed the set 
of strong hands that held him equally as tight as his mothers.  He 
felt truly safe and happy for the first time in days.  

********************************

The end scene 40