Redemption (6/26)        
by GeorgeHale

Rating: R
Feedback:
			
Classification: Colonization/Mythology/MSR/William, post
I.W.T.B. Canon.
Spoilers: Left, right, & center. This is best served if you
REALLY know your X-Files.

Disclaimer: I wish I made this. This has been my catharsis, five
years in the making. Maybe it can be one for you, too.

Warning: Violence, Gratuitous employment of the 'Our little
sailor' clause (swearing,) Fluff with two 'f's, Cheesy dialogue,
Friendly Ghosts, Melodramatics, Plot devices, Fiji Mermen
(no, not really,) Angst, Blasphemy, Dehydration via crying,
Scientific Whammies, Plams, Lots & Lots & Lots of...Bees,
Magical Growing Scully Cross Chain, Red Herrings. It's going
to get strange and ugly before the end.

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VI

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"In one word, Queequeg, said I, rather digressively; hell is an
ideafirst born on an undigested apple-dumpling; and since then
perpetuated through the hereditary dyspepsias nurtured by
Ramadans."

- Herman Melville, Moby Dick

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Mulder sat on their improvised bed beside Scully and gently
kissed her cheek. "Hey, I'm sorry to wake you up."

Scully murmured something unintelligible but turned and
looked at Mulder with sleep-glazed eyes. "Hmm? What is it?"

Mulder found her beautiful in her rumpled state and couldn't
help but brush a stray lock from her forehead back behind her
ear. "Kid has a headache. He didn't feel it was anything major,
but I wanted to let you know."

Scully thought a moment before sitting up. This cot was killing
her and she longed for a real bed.

"How long have I been asleep?" She hastily reached for her hair
tie and pulled her hair back.

"A few hours...Scully, do you think his brain is reacting to the
lack of Phenytoin? What if he ends up like I was?"

"After you were exposed to the ship artifact?" Scully seemed
very much more aware.

Mulder nodded, and Scully thought about the possibility. She
had been so busy seeing that the virus was eradicated from his
system that she hadn't thought much about the effects of
removing the drug. She chastised herself for losing track of it in
the midst of everything else.

"I'll have to see." She started to stand up, but Mulder caught her
hand.

"Dana, wait."

Scully looked at him quizzically, wondering why he was
holding her up and changing the tone of their interaction by
using her first name. "What is it?"

"I told William. He knows now. We don't have to lie to him
anymore and...his ability is returning."

Scully paused, unsure whether to sigh with relief or berate
Mulder for revealing the truth without her. "How did he take
it?"

"He threw a glass against the wall when I lied to him. He's not
sure what to think right now, and that's normal. I think he
believed me once I finally broke down and told him the truth. I
showed him the bloodwork."

"He shouldn't be throwing anything."

"He didn't use his arm."

Scully didn't want to think of the implications in Mulder's last
quip, not in light of what might be happening. "First things
first. Let's see about this headache."

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Returning to the room, Scully studied the brain monitor in the
dark and sent the most recent data to the lab to be printed.
William lay motionless with his eyes screwed shut and his
hands clenched tightly at his sides, illuminated only by the dim
lights of the machinery in the room. The migraine had
deepened. Noises in his head had become louder and increased
in frequency. He didn't recognize the added voices of the man
and woman at first.

"His brain activity has increased since earlier. Mulder, this is
way above baseline." There was a shared look of fear between
them as Scully paged Dr. Threadgoode.

"William, can you hear me?" Scully moved to the head of the
bed, grabbing a doctor's pen light from the table. "Can you
open your eyes?"

In William's head, the woman's voice was stronger now, closer.
It was becoming difficult to respond, but he finally forced his
eyes open and stuttered. "Feel weird... never had a migraine
like this...hear weird noises." He winced as Scully checked the
dilation of his pupils. The light was blinding.

Mulder stepped closer now, concern etched deeply into the
lines that creased his forehead. "Do they sound like voices?"

"I don't know. Yes...loud. Body won't..."

Mulder's fears regarding William's experience relating to his
own were confirmed. His temporal activity was increasing as
the Phenytoin worked its way out of his system. William's body
would eventually shut down if they didn't find a way to slow
his brain down. Mulder felt his gut churn and tried to keep his
voice calm.

"Listen, William, I've experienced what's happening to you.
You're going to feel like you're trapped in your body, but it's
just your brain taking over. We're going to solve the problem
and help you feel alright." Mulder grabbed the boy's hand and
squeezed it lightly.

Theo came through the door, sound and bristled fury in a
bathrobe. "What happened?"

Scully indicated the E.E.G. monitor. "Look at this."

Theo, older than he appeared, removed his bifocals and
examined the display. "Doesn't seem possible. And what the
hell is this glass doing all over the floor?"

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"Mulder?" Scully nodded, indicating they should step outside
the medical chamber. In the adjoining room, she leaned against
the wall. "Until we can figure out a better solution, I think we
need to put him back on the Phenytoin."

"I thought it had long-term side effects."

"Potentially, but he's certainly not showing any signs or
symptoms of that, which I admit is odd. The faster we get it
back into his system, the better. Don't get me wrong, I don't like
it at all, but it's better than the alternative. I never experienced
what he's dealing with, Mulder, but you have. I just can't think
of any better options right now. What do you think?" Scully
yawned and stretched her arms over her head, still feeling the
effects of being woken suddenly.

"If you think it's the best course for now then do it. I trust you."

"Alright."


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*William's view of the world turned white as dreams replaced
his vision of reality and the pain that throbbed in his skull.
Upon a hill, he walked through knee-high grey grass toward the
apex, compelled by curiosity to see what might lie on the
horizon. As he neared and his hands skimmed over the tall
sleek blades, he marveled at a lone bold dandelion that stood
defiant against the wind, outlined against the sky and a single
ancient oak tree, bathed in golden sunset light. The grass
circled around it circumspectly in geometric formations,
defining its place. Finally standing beside it, out of breath,
William gave it a wide berth and beheld the land below him. 

The plain was overcast, the sun now having set all the sunsets
of his life. Dark shadows shifted over the land. A storm was on
the horizon, lightning and thunder disrupting the calm.
Scanning the landscape, his eyes were drawn to the ocean in
the distance and the beach that met the surf. Squinting, he
noticed a man on the beach and the vision suddenly zoomed
closer. The strange sensation made William lose his balance
and step back, but strong arms caught his shoulders behind him
and helped him regain his balance.

"Hey, I've been trying to find you." It was the man. Fox
Mulder. The man who claimed to be his father. "Where have
you been?"

William spun, disoriented, searching for the hill he had just
been standing on. He pointed far into the distance to where he
viewed the lone oak high on a cliff, but Mulder seemed unable
to follow his gaze. William noticed the high mounds that
surrounded them now, elaborately crafted sand ships that
stretched down both sides of the beach as far as the eye could
see. 

Mulder reached down and started shoveling at the base of one,
destroying its foundation. "Help me?" William regarded the
ships with awe and bent down to help Mulder dig. 

They worked together for hours, silently, and William was
discouraged that their effort seemed in vain. The mound they
had attacked still stood and the boy felt tired. A hand ruffled
his hair and William met Mulder's eyes, disheartened.

"Don't despair. This quest is not ours alone. We are only the
first, not the last."

From the sea, Scully rose and joined them with a pail and after
meeting their glances and smiling as if she were joining them
for a picnic, set to work. A bald man in eyeglasses came next
carrying a shovel, also from the sea. Then a trio of gentlemen
came bearing their arms as martial artists. With the exception
of the woman, he did not know any of the individuals. It was
then he saw the wave of people coming from the sea, bearing
instruments to assist in the destruction of the great sand ships.
He did not recognize any of these people either, but Mulder
seemed to know them all. A boy just older than him who
seemed to bring the tide with him. A solemn, quiet girl, not
quite his age. He nodded to each gratefully as they set upon the
ships with zeal. The wind was stronger now, the dark storm
clouds in the sky set to break. The distant roll of thunder sent
gulls fluttering and calling. 

"Hope is faith extending its hand in the dark." The hand that
extended to him was Dana's. William considered and searched
for meaning in her fiery countenance, the blue eyes that seemed
to match his own, but felt none would be forthcoming unless he
accepted her offer. 

Their darkest, deepest fears were here, rising below the waves.
They were coming to engulf the Earth in the depths of their
secrets.

Grabbing Dana's hand, he completed the circuit and Mulder's
hand came to rest on his shoulder as lightning cracked and
filled the sky with blinding flashes in rapid succession.*

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William's eyes flew open as the drug tore his thoughts away
from his subconscious. The pain was terrible, but the boy could
move voluntarily albeit slowly, and he was dazed, unsure
where he was. Jaw clenching, he tested each toe and every
finger. His eyes shifted as the signals from the outside world
conflicted with the images of his subconscious mind. "Mom?"

Scully's heart skipped a beat as she shut off her penlight and
gripped his hand tighter. She knew he hadn't been thinking of
her as he came out of the fog, but didn't care. "I'm here,
William."

William's vision cleared and he focused on the woman, who
sighed in relief. Her voice had a comforting, unique timbre
against the others mixing now in the background.

"Hey...welcome back." Her voice betrayed her and she
hurriedly wiped a few tears from her eyes. "You really had us
worried there." He still had her worried, but at least he was
conscious again. It had been several hours before the drug had
the desired effect, and Scully was deeply troubled by the high
dosage it had required. She sat down beside him in the chair
Mulder had occupied earlier, though she pulled it closer to the
bedside.

"How are you feeling?"

William sat up slowly, rubbing his temples. "Like Abraham
Lincoln."

Scully ducked her head and smiled, realizing now that William
had developed his Father's dark sense of humor.

"You think so?" William thought the voices would drive him
mad but he heard hers clearly and it made him ache when he
realized how beautiful she was inside and how much she was
secretly hurting on his behalf.

Scully looked at him, full of questions and despair as William
considered her. Had he realized that he had questioned
something she hadn't said out loud?

"I can tell you're worried about me, the drug, that I won't be
able to accept you...so many things. Try not to worry. I know
you're just trying to help me...It will be okay."

Scully's baffled expression portrayed her question.

"I can feel you thinking. I know you know what I'm talking
about. It's finally beginning to make sense." William closed his
eyes.

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As Scully and the other doctors continued working on a
solution for William's condition, he continued to regain his
strength as the treatment stabilized his immune system and the
Phenytoin stabilized his brain, suppressing his abilities. He was
able to eat again as the swelling decreased and was back to
walking, if only to pace the short hallway that separated the
quarantine unit from the rest of the bunker. He was
exceptionally tall for his age, and Scully hadn't realized this
until she saw, depressingly, that he already stood taller than her
if only by a smug inch.

The reunited family bonded and Mulder and Scully came to
know their son for the young teenager he was developing into.
Mulder and William seemed to share a natural affinity that
Scully was nearly jealous of, but she could not help but smile
when she noticed a new similarity between the two.

After Scully inspired him in telling her Father's old Navy
stories to William, Mulder had a novel brought from his pack
that made Scully laugh aloud when revealed. As they sat
passing time, William intoned the characters of Moby Dick as
he read to them the opening chapters of the tragic story of the
white whale and one man's obsession.

*"...Whenever I find myself growing grim about the mouth;
whenever it is a damp, drizzly November in my soul; whenever
I find myself involuntarily pausing before coffin warehouses,
and bringing up the rear of every funeral I meet; and especially
whenever my hypos get such an upper hand of me, that it
requires a strong moral principle to prevent me from
deliberately stepping into the street, and methodically knocking
people's hats off - then, I account it high time to get to sea as
soon as I can. This is my substitute for pistol and ball. With a 
philosophical flourish Cato throws himself upon his sword; I
quietly take to the ship. There is nothing surprising in this. If
they but knew it, almost all men in their degree, sometime or
other, cherish very nearly the same feelings towards the ocean
with me..."*