“Déjà Vu”
by Andra Marie Mueller

Part 7

HOOVER BUILDING

Arriving at FBI Headquarters, Jessica and Doggett made their way to Kersh’s office, only to encounter Scully and Mulder in the hallway.

“You got summoned by Kersh, too?” Mulder prompted.

“Unfortunately,” Doggett answered, “and accordin’ to Skinner he requested that Jess come with me.”

“What does he want with Jessica?” Scully queried.

Mulder gave his wife a knowing look. “If you wanted to find out for certain that John is John, who’s the first person you’d go to?” he asked rhetorically.

“I retract my question,” Scully responded dryly.

Skinner joined them then, materializing from Kersh’s office and giving the foursome faint smile.

“Good morning everyone,” he greeted. “Thank you all for coming.”

“Did we have a choice?” Mulder asked drolly.

Scully and the Doggett shot him admonishing glances but Skinner ignored him as he addressed Jessica. “Kersh has asked to speak with you first, Captain,” he said. “Privately.”

“Why privately?” Doggett prompted.

Jessica answered before Skinner could. “First rule of interrogation, Sunshine,” she replied. “Separate the suspects and make sure their stories match.”

“Or maybe he just wants to push my buttons,” Doggett muttered.

“And you say I’m paranoid,” Mulder said.

Jessica and Scully exchanged resigned looks at their husbands’ banter before Jessica followed Skinner into Kersh’s office. The Deputy Director was seated behind his desk, and flashed her a smile of greeting.

“Good morning, Captain Doggett,” he said. “I appreciate you agreeing to meet with me.”

“I assume that your desire to meet with me was prompted by John’s return?”

“Yes,” Kersh confirmed. “I’ve read the reports furnished to me by A.D. Skinner and Agent Mulder. By all accounts John’s survival is nothing short of a miracle.”

“One which you’re not inclined to accept at face value,” Jessica added.

“According to the DNA tests conducted by Agent Scully, he is indeed John Doggett. But while I may not be as familiar with the X files as A.D. Skinner, I’ve seen and heard enough over the years to know that there is a chance Agent Doggett is not who he appears to be.”

“Really…and who or what is he if not John Doggett?”

“I believe the term Agent Mulder prefers is ‘bio-engineered super soldier’,” Kersh replied. “Or perhaps even the alleged alien bounty hunter who impersonated Agent Scully and Agent Mulder in Arizona seven years ago.”

“You honestly believe that?”

“It’s no greater a leap of faith than watching your husband be burned alive and then having him return thirteen months later with merely a few scars to show for his ordeal and accepting that it’s him,” Kersh answered.

“I’m curious, Deputy Director, do I strike you as a stupid woman? Or one who is especially naïve? Because you seem to be intimating that I would have to be one or both of those things to believe that John is John.”

“Not at all, Captain, but I know how much you love your husband, and I know how loyal you are to Agent Mulder. It is possible that those two factors – combined with your own desire to have it be true – are overriding your common sense and allowing you to accept this man as Agent Doggett.”

“Even if that were true, I fail to see why that would concern you.”

“Contrary to popular opinion, I didn’t dislike Agent Doggett, and truth be told I had a great deal of respect for him. That is why I find it troubling that those closest to him are willing to accept this man at his word.”

“DNA doesn’t lie, Mister Kersh. The tests proved conclusively that he is John Doggett.”

“So Agent Scully says. But she is a medical doctor as well as a federal agent, so it would not be out of the realm of possibility for her to have…misrepresented…the test results. Or these mysterious doctors that he credits with saving his life could have mentally reprogrammed John to turn him against his family and friends.”

Jessica exchanged an amused look with Skinner before replying, “A conspiracy theory worthy of even Fox.”

“Or perhaps a truth you don’t want to acknowledge.”

The beautiful blonde released a sigh. “Odd as it may seem on some level I honestly believe that you are telling me these things because you’re trying to protect me,” she said. “But frankly I don’t have the time or patience to humor you. Whatever my feelings are for my husband, my desire to protect my children is just as strong. If I had any doubt about the validity of John’s identity I never would have allowed him within a hundred yards of Samuel and the twins. Neither would Fox, Dana or A.D. Skinner for that matter. Because while you may have a ‘great deal of respect’ for John, those of us who truly care about him know that he would have died a thousand times before allowing anyone to hurt us, or allowing them to force him to do so.”

It was clear that Kersh was still not entirely convinced, but nonetheless he let it go as he rose to his feet. “I admire your loyalty to your husband, Captain Doggett,” he replied. “John’s a lucky man to have a wife who loves him as much as you do.”

“I assure you it goes both ways.”

“Thank you for your time, Captain. Give my regards to your mother.”

“I’ll do that.”

Rising to her feet, Jessica exited the office and rejoined the others in the hallway.

“That was fast,” Scully said.

“Not fast enough,” Jessica responded.

“What did he say to you?” Doggett asked.

“Nothing worth repeating, but I think Fox’s paranoia is catching.”

Skinner rejoined them then, flashing Jessica an apologetic smile as he did so. “I’m sorry about that, Captain,” he said. “I didn’t expect him to be quite so blunt about his misgivings.”

“Don’t worry about it, Walter,” Jessica deferred. “Kersh is Kersh; I’m used to him by now.”

Skinner shifted his attention to the others. “Well I hope the rest of you are, too, because it’s your turn.”

Doggett glanced at his wife. “Are you goin’ to head to your precinct?” he asked.

“Actually I’m going to stay here and wait for you,” she answered. “Kersh can have his fifteen minutes but after that you’re all mine.”

Doggett responded with a small smile before following Skinner, Mulder and Scully into Kersh’s office. Skinner remained standing near the door as the three agents settled themselves in chairs in front of Kersh’s desk.

“John,” Kersh greeted informally. “Welcome back.”

“Thank you, sir.”

“Care to tell me where you’ve been for the last thirteen months?” the older man prompted.

“I was in a private medical facility in France undergoin’ treatment for the various injuries I sustained in the explosion last year,” Doggett replied. “I don’t know for certain how I got there, or who actually runs the clinic, but the doctors there saved my life.”

“I’m curious as to how you managed to avoid being discovered there by the people who were responsible for the explosion,” Kersh mused. “They obviously went to a great deal of trouble to destroy the warehouse in D.C. last year with you and Agent Reyes inside of it. One would think that they would have done whatever was necessary to ensure they were successful.”

“We all thought they had been,” Mulder interjected. “Jessica and I were eyewitnesses to what we believed was his death. Why would the people behind the explosion have any reason to doubt his own wife and brother-in-law?”

“Why indeed?” Kersh responded rhetorically, and glanced at Scully. “Dr. Scully, I understand you performed a DNA test to verify that Agent Doggett is who he claims to be.”

“Yes, sir,” Scully confirmed. “I had two of the technicians in the forensics lab verify my findings to eliminate any suspicions regarding their validity before I presented them to A.D. Skinner.”

“So it is your contention that the man sitting next to you is indeed John Doggett.”

“Yes, it is.”

Kersh looked to Mulder. “Agent Mulder, how did you find out that Agent Doggett was alive and in the French clinic?” he asked.

“I was contacted by an anonymous individual who told me that John had somehow survived the explosion and been taken to Paris,” Mulder clarified. “This person had enough information about the events of that day and John’s injuries that I knew his story was at least partially legitimate. I went to France and when I arrived at the clinic, I discovered John was there.”

“And you just took him at his word that he was John?”

“He provided me with sufficient personal information that convinced me he was telling the truth,” Mulder allowed.

“What about these mysterious doctors that you credit with saving your life?’ Kersh directed at Doggett. “Do any of them have names, or are they able to be contacted?”

“No, sir,” Doggett said simply.

“Of course not,” Kersh muttered. “Well, in light of the fact that everyone closest to you – including your lovely wife, who was rather passionate in her defense of you – believes that you are indeed John Doggett, I am forced to reach the same conclusion. Am I correct in assuming that you wish to resume your position here at the Bureau?”

“I would like to return to the X files, yes,” Doggett confirmed.

“Very well. It will take a couple of days to get your security clearance reinstated and process the paperwork to reverse the report of your presumed death, but everything should be in order by the end of the week.”

“Thank you, sir.”

The agents rose to their feet and bidding Kersh farewell, exited his office.

“So what’s the verdict?” Jessica prompted.

“I don’t think the Deputy Director is entirely convinced I’m really me,” Doggett answered, “but he is gonna let me return to work.”

“How soon?”

“Accordin’ to him all the paperwork to reinstate me should be completed in a couple days, which will give me a chance to spend some quality time with you and the kids.”

“How are they handling your return?” Scully asked.

“Better than I did,” Jessica interjected wryly.

“So what’s on your agenda for the rest of the day?” Mulder asked.

Jessica glanced at Doggett. “Well I think the first order of business is to do some shopping and restore your wardrobe,” she said.

“Might I suggest a ‘Property of Jessica Doggett’ T-shirt in a nice shade of blue to match his eyes?” Mulder queried lightly.

Scully and Jessica shook their heads as Doggett shot Mulder an ‘I am not amused’ glare.

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

PARIS, FRANCE

In his office, Laurent was reviewing the results from a recent experiment when the telephone rang. He glowered at the intrusion, but knowing the only people who knew his telephone number were the same people who knew of the clinic, he reluctantly crossed over to his desk.

“This is Laurent,” he greeted curtly.

“Bon jour, Doctor,” a raspy voice greeted. “I’m glad you are still there.”

“Monsieur Spender,” Laurent said. “I am pleased to hear from you. I was worried that perhaps your father’s comrades had retaliated for your part in Agent Doggett’s return home and killed you.”

“I’m sure that it would probably give them great pleasure to do so,” Spender replied, “But they’ll have to find me first. And I have become very adept at being invisible.”

“So to what do I owe this phone call? After you delivered our message to Agent Mulder, I did not expect to hear from you again.”

“I am calling to warn you that the Baron intends to destroy your clinic the same way he destroyed the one in Washington. He’s worried that Agent Doggett’s revelation of its existence will bring unwanted attention to your work.”

Laurent sighed. “Somehow I am not surprised,” he said. “No doubt he has all ready ensured that the records of my research are safely stored elsewhere so that it can continue. I am curious, however, as to how you came by this information.”

“Let’s just say that not all of Stuckhold’s people are as loyal as he thinks they are and do not approve of what has been done to me and my siblings,” Spender evaded.

“Speaking of your siblings, I presume that you chose not to tell Agent Mulder that he and the lovely Captain Doggett are in fact the offspring of your father and Teena Mulder?”

“The revelation would serve no purpose, and as it obviously has not prevented the Syndicate from continuing to target them and their families, I see no reason to reopen old wounds.”

“I understand. I thank you for the warning about the Baron’s intentions, Monsieur Spender. I hope our paths will cross again someday and perhaps I can undo some of the damage that was done to you.”

“I hope so, too, Doctor.”

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

FALLS CHURCH

Some time later, Jessica and Doggett were home, their shopping complete after purchasing half a dozen suits and accessories along with just as many casual outfits. Never fond of being fawned over, Doggett had been less than thrilled at having to be poked and prodded in order to get the suits fitted. But after much cajoling from his wife, he had reluctantly allowed the tailors to do their work. The couple was now in their bedroom, with Doggett sprawled on the bed as his wife changed into more comfortable clothes. As she slid on a pair of jeans and her well-worn “Property of John Doggett” T-shirt, Doggett caught a glimpse of the evidence of her ordeal following Samuel’s birth.

“That’s new,” Doggett remarked, and at Jessica’s puzzled look, gestured at her stomach. “That scar wasn’t there a year ago.”

Jessica flashed him a small smile. “You’re very observant,” she said.

“Just admirin’ the view,” Doggett responded. “What happened?”

Her smile faded. “I was nearing my eighth month with Samuel when I began having abdominal pains that became increasingly stronger over the course of a couple weeks. Eventually I suffered a complete abruption of the placenta from the uterine wall and was hemorrhaging internally.”

He shot her a concerned glance. “That’s what happened when you had the second miscarriage all those years ago and almost died,” he recalled.

“I would have died this time if I had been alone,” Jessica told him. “Thankfully the Gunmen were here visiting and were able to get me to the hospital very quickly. The doctors were forced to deliver Sam by Cesarean, and in order to stop the bleeding they did an emergency hysterectomy. The timeliness of my hospitalization and Fox’s availability as a blood donor saved my life.”

A flash of anger at himself surged through Doggett, and briefly flickered across his face. Recognizing it in his expression, Jessica gave him another smile. “Don’t start blaming yourself for not being here, John,” she chided gently. “You wouldn’t have been able to do anything to prevent it.”

“Maybe not, but I should have been here to be by your side when it happened.”

Her smile widened, and closing the distance between them, she lifted a hand to lightly trace one of his surgical scars. “Obviously you were busy getting a few souvenirs of your own.”

Doggett froze under her touch, the casual contact causing a spark of awareness to flare between them, and their eyes met as the air suddenly crackled with sexual tension. Keeping his gaze locked to Jessica’s, Doggett slowly pulled her head down to kiss her, but just before their lips met the ring of the doorbell broke the mood.

“Son of a bitch…” Doggett growled under his breath

“Saved by the bell,” Jessica muttered, and quickly headed downstairs, shadowed by Doggett. Stepping over a slumbering Spooky sprawled by the front door, Jessica walked over to open it. The Gunmen stood on the porch, and smiled at Jessica in greeting before spotting the large dog asleep directly behind her and the men gave him a wary glance.

“I don’t suppose you could put him in another room until after we leave?” Langley asked.

“I hope you’re referrin’ to the dog, Langley,” Doggett responded dryly.

The Gunmen froze at the sound of his voice, as Mulder had not yet had an opportunity to tell them of Doggett’s return.

“There’s no way I just heard who I think I just heard,” Byers replied.

Jessica smiled. “You mean to tell me that after all these years of associating with Fox you don’t believe in ghosts?” she asked.

Swinging the door all the way open, she stepped aside to give the Gunmen a full view of the living room, and their eyes widened in astonishment at the sight of Doggett. Careful to avoid Spooky, they stepped inside the house and walked over to stand a couple of feet away from Doggett.

“Agent Doggett…” Langley said. “You’re alive.”

“Obviously.”

Frohike shook his head. “First Mulder and now you,” he muttered. “Doesn’t anybody in this family stay dead?”

“It’s nice to see you too, Melvin.”

Byers took a step toward him and extended his hand. “Welcome back, Agent Doggett,” he declared. “I’m glad you’re still with us.”

Doggett took Byers’ hand in his. “Thanks, John.”

Langley glanced at Jessica. “Well, Captain, it looks like Santa Claus brought your gift early this year.”

“Actually it was more Fox’s doing,” Jessica replied, “but I’m still pleased with the end result.”

“So where the hell have you been for the last thirteen months?” Frohike asked.

Doggett exchanged a look with Jessica before answering. “I was in a private medical facility in France,” he revealed. “The doctors there were able to save my life with their use of advanced medical technology, but it took a year to repair all the damage and restore my face and hands.”

“Advanced medical technology,” Langley echoed. “Sounds a lot like the ‘alien technology’ stuff that Burlinski guy was rambling about when he set you up last year.”

“I don’t know if it was alien or not, but it gave me back my life, and that’s good enough for me.”

“I trust that your beautiful wife has introduced you to the newest member of your eclectic little family?” Frohike prompted.

“If you’re referring to Samuel, then yes.”

“Fox initially led him to believe that Sam was my new live-in lover,” Jessica told them.

Byers glanced at Doggett. “And you bought that?” he asked rhetorically. “They must have scrambled your brains if you honestly believed Captain Doggett could have moved on.”

“Or maybe the lack of constant exposure weakened his resistance to Mulder’s warped sense of humor,” Frohike countered.

“There is that,” Langley allowed.

“As long as we’re on the subject of my son,” Doggett interjected, “Jess told me that your bein’ here saved her life and Sam’s when she started havin’ the miscarriage. That’s a debt I can never repay, but thank you.”

The conversation was interrupted by the arrival of the twins, who had come downstairs in search of their parents. Discovering the Gunmen, they promptly ran over to give them exuberant hugs.

“Are we still going to the zoo today, Uncle Melvin?” Grace asked of Frohike.

“You’re not going anywhere unless you get yourself back upstairs and put your clothes on,” Jessica told her. “Is Samuel awake?”

“Yep,” Matthew confirmed. “He’s lying in his crib watching Georgia eat his stuffed animals.”

Doggett gave his son a knowing glance. “I was under the impression that a certain young man was supposed to have put those in the toy chest before he went to sleep last night,” he said.

Matthew responded with a sheepish, guilty look, and Doggett forced himself not to smile as he continued. “Go upstairs and get the toys away from Georgia, then get dressed so you and your sister can head to the zoo.”

“Okay.”

Grace and Matthew retreated back upstairs just as the phone rang, and Jessica glanced at Doggett. “You can take care of feeding Sam, and I’ll get the telephone.”

“Yes, Ma’am.”

The captain shook her head and Doggett headed up the stairs as Jessica walked into the kitchen to answer the phone. “Hello?”

“Good morning, Jessica,” Elizabeth’s voice greeted. “I hope I’m not disturbing you.”

“Not at all,” Jessica responded.

“I tried to reach you at the precinct, but I was told that you had taken a couple of days off to deal with some personal business, so I decided to try and catch you at home.”

“What can I do for you?”

“I was hoping you would agree to meet with me,” Elizabeth said. “There are some things I need to discuss with you, and the sooner the better.”

Jessica stifled her automatic refusal, knowing that it must be something of some import for her mother to have contacted her for the first time in five years. “When and where?”

“If you can manage it, I was hoping we could meet at my office, perhaps in about an hour?”

“I’ll see you then.”

Replacing the phone in its cradle, Jessica stared at it in silence for a minute before turning to face the Gunmen. “Well that was interesting,” she remarked.

Doggett returned then, shadowed by Georgia and cradling Samuel in his arms as the infant happily chugged away at his milk bottle. “Who was on the phone?” he asked.

“Believe it or not that was Elizabeth.”

“Elizabeth called you at home?” Doggett prompted.

His wife nodded. “Apparently she has some things she ‘needs to discuss’ with me, and the sooner the better.”

“Quite a coincidence that she wants to set up a meetin’ barely a day after I get home,” Doggett mused.

“Maybe, but she wants me to come to her office, so she’s not setting me up for Stuckhold.”

“I still don’t like it,” Doggett returned.

“Try not to worry, Sunshine,” Jessica replied. “I have a large gun and I know how to use it.”

“Very funny, Jess.”

“If you’re really that worried, just come with me.”

“That sounds like a very good idea.”

“I’m going to change clothes,” she said, and glanced at the Gunmen. “Gentlemen, have fun at the zoo, and if you feed my children more than two hot dogs each I’ll feed you to Spooky and Semper Fi.”

On that note, the captain disappeared up the staircase, and Doggett waited until she was out of earshot before addressing the Gunmen.

“I don’t know about you boys, but personally I don’t think Elizabeth wants to see Jess just to give her the inside track on the inauguration,” he said dryly.

“What do you think she wants with Captain Doggett?” Langley asked.

“I don’t know, but I sure as hell intend to find out.”

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

SENATE BUILDING

Almost exactly an hour later, Jessica and Doggett arrived at the Senate Building after dropping Samuel off at Sarah Caldwell’s house, where their niece Kim had agreed to baby-sit him for the afternoon. Uncertain whether or not Elizabeth knew of John’s return and would be expecting him to be with Jessica, the couple had decided to err on the side of caution and had managed to find one of Doggett’s old FBI ID badges to bring with them. It took a few minutes to complete the security clearance, and then one of the Secret Service agents escorted them to Elizabeth’s office.

“Excuse me, Senator, but your daughter and son-in-law are here,” he told her.

“Thank you, James,” Elizabeth responded, and waited until the agent left the room before addressing the Doggetts. “Jessica, John, thank you for coming.”

“Why am I not surprised that you’re not surprised to see me?” Doggett asked rhetorically.

“Who do you think arranged for you to be rescued from the warehouse and taken to France last year?” Elizabeth returned.

“How kind of you to tell me that my husband was still alive,” Jessica said tightly.

“And what would you have done if I had, Jessica?” Elizabeth countered. “Gone to France to find him and leave your children home alone? I don’t think so.”

“How convenient that you have an answer for everything,” Jessica responded. “So what was so important that you asked me to come see you?”

“Part of what I intended to tell you was that John is alive,” Elizabeth said, “but obviously that’s something you all ready know.”

“Why the change of heart?” Doggett interjected. “Thirteen months ago you were perfectly content to let Jess believe I’d burned to death in the fire.”

‘Thirteen months ago I wasn’t entirely sure you were going to survive,” Elizabeth returned. “But once I knew you were going to make a complete recovery, it was imperative for me to tell Jessica you were alive. My colleagues were less than pleased by your rescue and I wasn’t sure what they had planned for you now that you were again a threat to them.”

“Well it seems to me that by tellin’ Jess I’m alive you’d be makin’ her a target.”

Elizabeth flashed him a small smile. “I’m not quite as ‘in the loop’ as I used to be, but I am fairly certain that my colleagues no longer intend to go after Jessica. After the fiasco in Mexico four years ago they know better now.”

“What did you hope to accomplish by revealing to me that John isn’t dead?” Jessica prompted.

“Perhaps a small measure of redemption for allowing him to be taken from you in the first place,” Elizabeth responded. “But since John himself managed the revelation than it will have to be the thought that counts.”

Jessica and Doggett exchanged a look at Elizabeth’s remark before the latter said, “You said that tellin’ Jess I’m alive was only part of the reason you asked her to come here. What’s the other part?”

“Frankly I was hoping to persuade her to convince you and Agent Mulder not to pursue the investigation into the warehouse explosion.”

“You can’t be serious,” Jessica protested.

“My colleagues quite obviously would prefer to see John dead, and at this point they’re willing to bury you beside him if they think it will deter Mulder from interfering with their business.

“That sounded suspiciously like a threat, Senator,” Doggett responded evenly.

“It wasn’t a threat, John, it was a warning. I no longer have the power to protect you or Jessica if you and Mulder continue to pursue this. Whatever all of you think of me, I still consider Jessica my daughter. I don’t want her to suffer if someone she loves is really killed.”

Jessica glanced at her husband but said nothing, unwilling to concede Elizabeth’s argument aloud. Doggett, however, knew that his mother-in-law was right and reluctantly admitted it.

“Keepin’ Jess from gettin’ hurt in any way is my priority also,” he allowed. “Considerin’ that I’m only standin’ here now because you care about her too, I’m gonna leave you out the investigation. But my friend and partner did die in that explosion, Senator, and one way or another somebody’s gonna answer for that.”

Without giving Elizabeth a chance to respond, Doggett gently but firmly placed his hand in the small of his wife’s back and led her from the room.

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

TBC