The Truth, Then and Now by FatCat Feedback: Fatcat33047@yahoo.com Rating: PG (just words) Category: V, Challenge fic for The Nursery Files picture challenge. See picture A. Spoilers: Various other fan fiction story lines and the second X-Files Movie (Is this really turning into a series?) Archive: As you wish, but please keep my name attached. Summary: Mulder is further enlightened by a welcomed truth Disclaimer: They aren't mine nor anyone's but the people claiming the residuals. No beta was insulted by this. Conceived and written 11/8/10 XXXXX "Mulder are you still up? What are you doing?" Dana Scully-Mulder stood in the doorway of their office-den as she waited for her husband to answer. "I'm just going through another one of the tapes we found, Scully. This is one of the older ones the guys restored." "Are you alright? Do you want me to stay with you?" "No, that's okay," Mulder said as he walked to the doorway to give his wife and partner a kiss goodnight. "I'll be up in a little while. I just wanted to check this one out." "If you're sure," Scully said. "Yeah, I'll be fine," he said with a shrug. "I don't see how there could be anything more shocking than the first one I listened to." "Don't be long; it's lonely up there without you." Mulder kissed her again and watched her head back up the stairs. "I love to see you but I love to watch you walk away, Scully!" he teased. When she sniffed and turned off the hall light at the top of the stairs, he walked back to the desk, ready to get to the restored tape. He donned the headphones and flipped the machine on. (Just like last time there's the sound of hissing as the tape starts then the sounds of angry, unintelligible words. As they drew closer . . .) "I won't have it." "Of course you won't have it Teena. I'm not asking you to birth it. It's not a baby, it's a lab experiment and it's not ready yet." "No, I mean I will not allow one of those things in my home." "Teena, for God's sakes! It's mostly human and looks just like any other child." (The sound of stomping and heavy breathing.) "Get it through your head right now! I. WILL. NOT. ALLOW. ONE OF THOSE... THAT ... THING. ANY. WHERE. NEAR. MY. CHILDREN." "Teena ..." (Sounds of clothing rustling, then more slamming, stomping and harsh breathing.) "No! Stay away from me! You're not going to use me again." "Teena, don't pull away. You know you want me." "No! I do NOT! Have you no shame? Bill's just outside!" "Bill's blind drunk, passed out on the deck. Even so, he wouldn't dare stop me." "Well, he might not, but I will. I do. My children will be home any minute. They're just down at the beach." (The sound of steps walking away.) "Alright, Teena. I get it. The dutiful wife and the loving mother." (The sounds a mild struggle.) "Clayton! Stop it!" "I'm not good enough for you anymore?" "Clayton, you never were!" (Louder sounds of a struggle, then...) "You got away with raping me before, and look what happened? I swear I'll never allow you to touch me again. I don't care who knows. Your sweet talk and threats are wasted on me." "Samantha." "What about Samantha?" she said fearfully. "That's what our liaison got you, your daughter." (Silence, then the sound of a match striking) "Don't smoke that in here." "When did you give up cigarettes?" "I haven't smoked since the day I found out it was you who raped me." "Oh, so brave; so quick to point a finger and assign blame. I just gave you what you wanted; what your sterile husband asked me to give you once David disappeared. I gave you a beautiful little baby girl and you've never even said thank you." (The sound of a hand striking flesh.) "Thank you! How dare you? You drugged me and raped me!" "Careful, Teena. So far you've amused me, but I can make a call and both your beautiful children could disappear and never be found. Better yet, I could send you to our 'friends' and see how much you and Cassandra have in common. How do you think Bill would cope with raising your two little bastards alone?" "You're despicable! Don't you dare threaten my children. How could you send you own wife away like that?" "It was a decision that had to be made. Just like the one you're making about raising one of our clone triplets." "I can't. I won't. What if it was injured and its green blood hurt one of my children." "You're sure? Your participation in this program would mean no further obligation on Bill or your parts are required." "I've given everything to your precious 'program' I intend to give. I lost my husband to it, didn't I? I just want to be left alone with the children. You'll have to find somewhere else to raise that trio of abominations." "Very well, but remember. This was your decision." (The sound of footsteps leaving, a door slamming and then of gentle sobbing.) "My babies, my babies!" (Several minutes hissed past then a modest commotion could be heard.) "Mom! We're home! Fox helped me find shells for the wind chimes I want to make," a clear, sweet voice called out. "We wanted to stay longer, but we're hungry! What you got for us to take back down to the beach?" Mulder was surprised to hear his own almost-grown boy's voice. (Sniffing noises then a throat being cleared. In the background the sound of a refrigerator door slamming and cabinets being opened and shut.) "That's nice, Samantha, Fox! Did you take off your shoes before you came in the house? Hungry are you? Hold on, I don't want you messing up my kitchen. I'll come and pack you a lunch to take back; I have some bologna." (The woman's voice faded as she moved out of the room. The silence went on for a few minutes then the hissing of the empty tape and the click of the machine as the tape ended.) Fox Mulder sniffed a time or two then wound up blowing his nose and wiping his eyes. He pulled the tape off the machine and reverently wound it up before putting it back in the protective metal container. Flipping off the lights, he climbed the steps in the dark, turning left at the top towards Will's room. He stood in the doorway watching his son. He wasn't surprised to feel Scully's small warm hands rub his back then hug him close to her as she moved up beside him. "Checking to make sure he's really here?" "Yeah, kinda." "Mulder?" "Mom did love us, Scully, but she wasn't the type of woman who could be openly affectionate." They looked at Will for a few moments longer, then Scully pulled on him, trying to get him to go to bed with her. When he resisted, she asked, "What's on your mind, Mulder?" "I guess I'm worried that I'll be like my parents; not able to let Will know how much I love him." "Oh, Mulder," she said as she moved to face him, hugging him tightly. "You're a great father. You're loving and patient, and show him how much you love him every day. If anything, you're going to spoil that boy beyond belief." Mulder smiled and hugged her back. "I do love him, Scully, and I love you and 'little bump', too." He rubbed her baby belly. "I just hope Will understands that even though we weren't around him when he was little, we've always loved him." Scully pressed her forehead against his chest. "I worry about that, too, Mulder. My Mom says he's young enough to forget almost everything that's happened to him so far, so I guess it's from now on that's important." "Yeah, some psychologist I am; I know that. I just wish I believed it." "You do, you will. I'm sure. It's just hard to believe that everything's worked out for us so well. What was on the tape tonight that brought these doubts up, Mulder?" "It was something that happened the summer before Samantha was abducted. Just another piece of the past I'll tell you about tomorrow." "Well, here's a news flash for you, Mulder. I'm tired and sleepy now and Will has a big day planned for tomorrow at the beach. I need to get some sleep and that means I want you in bed with me." "Face it, Scully. You just want to use me as a pillow so you can get comfortable by propping the bump up on me." "That's the truth, Mulder. In fact, truer words were never spoken."