Category: X-Files/Quantum Leap crossover fantasy

Rating: R for some scenes

Characters: Fox, Walter and a huge cast including Dr Sam Beckett, Al and Ziggy

Series: No – see below

Spoilers: None intended

Summary: Fox has a chance to save Skinner. If only he wasn’t fifteen.

Archive: Just tell me where it’s going

There’s some violence, and later a chicken dies. Be warned! Of course, there is a happy ending. The thing about the newspapers I completely made up.

Title Frontiers – the conclusion (my version)

‘Pack your things Fox.’

‘I won’t go.’

‘Yes Fox, you will. I want you to be ready when Mr Cator comes.’

Fox stamped around the house collecting his few belongings together as slowly as he could.

When he was done, Skinner came up behind him and turned Fox to face him. ‘Fox, I want you to promise me you’ll behave. Mr Cator is a very wealthy man. You’ll have everything you want. Nice clothes, a good education…’

‘I just want to stay here.’

‘You’ll see. This time next year you’ll have forgotten all about me.’

‘I won’t! I’ll never forget you.’

Skinner ruffled Fox’s hair. ‘I’m sure Mr Cator will let you come visit me now and then.’

‘You could come to visit me.’ Fox said, suddenly excited at the idea of keeping some contact with Skinner.

Walter knew just how likely that was. Not wanting to upset Fox, he settled for: ‘We’ll see.’

They both looked at the door as Cator banged on it. ‘Skinner! I’ve come for Fox.’

Skinner hugged Fox tightly. ‘Remember what I said. Behave.’

‘Jump in Fox.’ Cator waved a hand at the empty seat in the carriage.

Fox looked from Skinner to Cator and back to Skinner. ‘Bye.’

Skinner forced a smile. ‘Bye Fox.’

‘Any time you want to sell up, Skinner, you just let me know.’

Skinner didn’t reply and Cator said nothing else, snapping the reins until the carriage disappeared over the hill.

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

‘Mom, stop worrying. I’ll be fine.’

‘What if he’s dead?’

‘Mom!’

‘He drank after Sharon and the children died. What if he’s drunk?’

Dana sighed heavily, finished hitching up the horse, and climbed into the carriage.

‘Dana, wait!’

Her mother hurried back into the house and re-emerged carrying a basket. ‘Here. Take him some food. I doubt he’ll have eaten properly the last few days.’

Dana smiled. ‘I’ll be back before dark.’

Mrs Scully frowned. ‘You’ll be back long before then young lady. The Skinner farm isn’t that far.’

Dana flicked the reins and the horse started forward.

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

‘What do you want?’ Skinner looked up from the chair he was assembling.

‘Mr Cator wants to buy your farm.’

‘I know. It’s not for sale.’

‘He’s prepared to make you a very reasonable offer.’

‘I already told him, now I’m telling you. My farm is not for sale.’

Cator’s man was heavier than Walter, but years of riding around enforcing his boss’s rules had left him sluggish. Years of working on the farm had given Skinner the strength and agility of a much younger man. So when the bigger man took a swing at him, Walter ducked easily. But he didn’t return the blow. Instead, he took a step back. This apparent cowardice enraged Cator’s man and he bellowed in rage and rushed Walter. The two men rolled onto the floor of the barn. As he tried to push the heavy man off him, Walter felt the man’s head connect with one of his tools which had been piled up neatly but were now scattered across the dusty floor. His hand went immediately to the man’s scalp, and his fingers came away sticky with blood. Shocked at what had happened, Walter was just getting to his feet when he heard Dana Scully’s voice outside the barn.

‘Walter? Where are you?’

Emerging from the barn, Walter’s bloodstained clothing and battered face were a frightening sight.

‘Walter, did you have an accident? Let me look.’

‘Dana, please, just go.’

Ignoring Walter’s pleas, Dana walked quickly across to him, then, as she was looking at his hands for the source of the blood, she saw past him and into the barn. ‘Walter, what happened?’

Numbly, Walter muttered: ‘It was an accident.’

Dana hurried into the barn. ‘Help me get him inside.’

Between them they carried the man into Walter’s front room. Dana felt carefully for a pulse. After a few minutes, she looked up. ‘He’s dead.’

Walter dropped into a chair, his head in his hands.

‘Walter, tell me exactly what happened.’

So he did. Everything from Cator coming for Fox to the heavy coming to force him into agreeing to sell the farm.

Dana sighed. ‘I’ll go into town for the sheriff. It was an accident. No-one’s gonna blame you Walter.’

Walter didn’t look up. ‘Cator owns this town Dana. I’m going to hang for this.’

Dana crouched down in front of Walter, making sure she had his attention. ‘I won’t let that happen. Now just stay here until I fetch the sheriff.’

Walter nodded slightly. ‘I’m not gonna run away from what I did.’

Dana smiled. ‘Good. I’ll be as quick as I can.’

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

With the promise of five dollars if they did as Cator said, several dozen men were waiting for Walter when the sheriff bought him into the jail. They shouted, banged on the walls, and surrounded the place. Nervously, the sheriff paced up and down outside Walter’s cell. ‘Don’t worry Walter. You’re safe in here. I’m just gonna ride into the next town and find a judge to hear your case.’

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

Cator broke into the sheriff’s office and found the keys to Walter’s cell. Unlocking the door, he jerked his head. ‘Out.’

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

Lying on the ground, curled into a tight ball to try and protect his body from the boots which thudded into him, Walter forced himself to keep as still as possible. The one time he had fought back, grabbing the boot of one of the men and pulling him onto the ground, he’d been hit with Cator’s cane until he passed out. He decided it wasn’t worth it, and hoped that if the men around him thought he was unconscious, they would stop. They did. Long enough to pull him to his feet, ignoring his cries of pain, and tighten a rope around his neck.

Cator nodded to two of his men. ‘The sheriff’s away on other business. He’s confessed. Let’s get on with it.’

Turning to Walter, Cator asked sarcastically: ‘Any last requests Skinner?’

Skinner nodded towards Fox. ‘Take good care of the boy.’

Cator nodded brusquely. ‘Let’s get it done.’

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

From his high vantage point in Cator’s carriage, Fox would have been first to see Doctor Scully arriving in her own carriage. Only he was fast asleep.

A hand over his mouth stifled his surprise at being woken suddenly. He turned to see who his ‘attacker’ was. ‘Alex!’

‘Shut up. They’re gonna hang your pa. You got a gun?’

Sadly Fox said: ‘He’s not my father. He’s dead.’

Jerking his head towards Walter, Alex whispered: ‘Yeah? Well he’s not. Come on!’

‘Stop!’

Cator turned, angry at the interruption, even more angry at the sight of the doctor.

‘Keep out of this Miss Scully. It’s none of your business.’

‘That’s Doctor Scully, Mr Cator. And, yes, it is my business. Let him go.’

Cator laughed. ‘Want to tell me how? And just when you became a real doctor, missy?’

Ignoring the words and the tone, Dana said carefully: ‘Walter didn’t kill your man. The head wound he sustained wasn’t sufficient to kill him. He probably died of a heart attack.’

Cator laughed. ‘Go home Doctor Scully.’

Dana looked across to where Walter stood, the noose around his neck. ‘Walter!’ She ran towards him, but Cator caught her and held her until she squealed. ‘You’re hurting me.’

Despite his dire circumstances, Walter shouted: ‘Let her go Cator.’

After a moment’s hesitation, Cator released Dana’s arm. ‘This ain’t no place for a woman. Now go on home.’

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

Fox followed Alex down the far side of the carriage. They couldn’t be seen by anybody, and everyone was concentrating on the argument between Cator and Scully and paid no attention to the two boys. Fox stood up, lifted the rifle to his shoulder and shouted: ‘Let him go!’

Cator turned, identified Fox, and laughed. ‘What you gonna do, boy? Shoot me?’

‘If I have to. Now let him go!’

Fox didn’t notice the two men coming up behind him until it was too late. The rifle was pulled from him and one of the men grabbed his arms, pinning them to his sides while the other wound rope around Fox’s upper body. He shouted and struggled, but soon gave up.

‘Let him go!’

Cator sighed. Another youngster. But this time none of his men were close enough to disarm the boy. Who seemed to be looking everywhere at once. ‘If you shoot me boy, they’ll hang you instead.’

‘Fair trade, I’d say.’ Alex called.

Dana went across to Walter and unhooked the noose, untied his wrists and stroked his cheek tenderly. ‘Are you okay?’

‘Aside from nearly getting hanged?’

‘Yes.’

Walter nodded. ‘Yeah I’m fine.’ He walked across to Alex. ‘Alex, go with Fox. Take the carriage. Ride into the next town. Find the sheriff and bring him back here.’

Handing Walter the rifle, Alex ran to the carriage and was soon disappearing in a cloud of dust.

Cator called: ‘Who d’you think they’re gonna believe, Skinner? You or me?’

Before Walter could reply, Dana said sharply: ‘Me.’

Alex and Fox managed to bring back both the sheriff and a doctor. Who confirmed Dana’s diagnosis of the reason for the thug’s death. Definitely not the slight scrape which had barely broken the skin on his scalp.

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

The sheriff rode out to the Skinner residence to tell Walter the good news. Cator had given up his battle to adopt Fox, leaving the way clear for Walter. Who was also planning to adopt Alex. His real parents had been more eager to give him up than Cator had been to lose Fox. For them it was one less mouth to feed, one less set of clothes to find. Two things Walter hadn’t told Alex about his conversation with the boy’s parents.

Dana appeared from inside the house. ‘Evening Sheriff.’

‘Evening Miss Scully.’

Dana looked at Walter, who smiled.

Gently, she chided: ‘Mrs Skinner, sheriff.’

The sheriff smiled. ‘Sorry ma’am. No offense meant. You got a good one there.’

Dana nodded. ‘Oh he knows Sheriff.’ The three of them laughed until Fox and Alex appeared, wondering what all the noise was about.

‘Hey kids.’ Walter put an arm around Fox and Dana’s arm went around Alex’s shoulder. ‘They’re quiet cos I made ‘em kill our dinner. Time they both learned food doesn’t come ready prepared. You’re welcome to join us. There’s plenty.’

The sheriff smiled. ‘Don’t mind if I do.’

Cutting up the slices of chicken on his plate, Alex paused. ‘I wrung its neck.’ He said proudly.

‘I helped pluck it.’ Fox said with a little less enthusiasm. He had pulled only a handful of feathers from the still-warm corpse before running off to throw up.

‘Did not!’

‘Did too!’

‘Boys! Be quiet or leave the table.’

The two boys were instantly silent. Walter’s stern voice and their own hunger settled them immediately.

The sheriff laughed. ‘You two sure will have your hands full.’

Dana’s hand went to her midriff. ‘Even more so when the baby’s born.’

The sheriff smiled. ‘Congratulations.’

Looking across to the two boys who were pulling faces at each other across the table, Walter said: ‘We’re hoping for a girl.’

The three adults laughed, and the two boys stopped what they were doing, annoyed yet again to be left out of things.

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

‘Boys, get ready for bed now.’

‘Okay Dad.’ Fox slid off his chair, narrowly avoiding being tripped by Alex’s outstretched foot.

Dana saw him and snapped: ‘Alex!’

Dropping his head in what was almost certainly not genuine contrition, Alex mumbled: ‘Sorry mom.’

Skinner got up. Putting his hands on the boy’s shoulders, he pushed them towards the back of the room. ‘Boys, your mother’s having a baby. She’s gotta take things easy. You acting up isn’t gonna help her, okay?’

Fox spoke first: ‘We’re sorry.’

Alex nodded. ‘Yeah.’

Walter mussed two heads of thick dark hair. ‘Now go get ready for bed.’ Both boys walked away, each casting a quick glance at the belt which hung on a hook on the wall.

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

‘What’cha doing Dad?’

Skinner looked up from his bench. ‘Carving a crib.’

Fox came closer. ‘Can I help?’

‘Me too.’ Alex was, as usual, not far behind his ‘brother’.

‘Sure. I’ll show you how to fix the base together.’

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

Walking past the half-open barn door on her way to collect eggs, Dana heard the three voices and smiled to herself. Calling through the door, she shouted: ‘Breakfast’ll be about twenty minutes. Make sure you wash up before you come inside the house.’

After a few seconds, she heard:

‘Yes Mom.’

‘Okay Mom.’

‘We’ll be right in Dana. Go on back in the house. The boys and I will make the breakfast, won’t we boys?’

This time there were two voices in unison: ‘Yeah!’

Walter laid the intricately carved end piece of the crib carefully on the bench. ‘Come on boys, you heard your mother. Go wash up.’ Alone, he spent a couple of minutes smoothing off the carvings. The foxes in various poses, some half-hidden by carved vegetation, made him smile. The realisation that he had no idea what to carve on the other end, to represent Alex, faded his smile.

Five months later…

‘It’s a girl.’

The doctor came out of the bedroom and the three people outside smiled with relief and excitement.

‘Can we see her?’

‘In a little while Fox. Your mother needs to rest up a little first. Have you thought of any names?’

Walter nodded. ‘Yes. We’re going to call her Sharon Melissa Skinner.’

The doctor nodded understandingly. He knew Dana had lost her sister to the same disease which had taken Walter’s entire family.

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

Lying in his bed, staring at the ceiling, Fox felt restless. Not at all sleepy. Despite the late hour and the events of the day. His whole body felt tingly, as his arm sometimes did if he leaned on it for too long. He slipped quietly out of bed and walked to the door. As he unlatched it, he felt a hand on his shoulder. ‘Couldn’t sleep son?’

He looked up. ‘No Dad.’

The two men looked out at the night sky.

‘How far d’you think the stars go, Dad?’

Skinner blew out his breath. ‘I dunno son. A long way. Maybe so far that no-one’ll ever find out.’

Fox sighed. ‘Maybe I could.’

Skinner laughed gently, mussing Fox’s hair absently. ‘Yeah son. Maybe you will.’

Fox said crossly: ‘Beats having to kill chickens.’

Skinner laughed again. ‘It sure does son. Now come on back to bed. It’s cold and I don’t want to have to face your mother if you catch a chill.’

Since Sharon’s birth, Dana was different. Calmer. Gentler. But if either of her boys did something wrong, she was angry as she’d ever been. Privately Fox and Alex agreed she was actually worse.

Fox turned and walked back towards his bed. As he did so, he felt the same tingly feeling he’d had earlier, only a hundred times stronger. Before he could move, the room around him shimmered, and he blinked several times, sure he was dreaming.

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

‘What the Hell..?’ Mulder woke suddenly, almost rolling off the couch. He must have fallen asleep watching TV. His cell phone’s insistent ringing had jerked him awake. ‘Mulder.’

‘Agent Mulder, I’m sorry to bother you so late…’

Recognising the voice, Mulder mumbled: ‘It’s okay Dad.’

‘Mulder, it’s Skinner.’ The sharp voice and loud volume startled Mulder and he managed: ‘Yes sir. Sorry sir. What can I do for you?’

‘I have a few queries on your expenses. Would you like to cancel your trip to Wyoming tomorrow, or shall we make another time?’

Still slightly dazed, Mulder suggested: ‘I could come in now sir.’

‘No. I’m just on my way out. I could drop by your place on my way home. I’m guessing you didn’t keep a copy of the report you submitted?’

Sheepishly, Mulder muttered: ‘No sir.’

Sighing deeply, Skinner said resignedly: ‘I didn’t think you would have. I’ll be about thirty minutes Mulder.’

‘Yes sir.’

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

Fox looked up from his laptop. Almost eleven pm, and there was someone at his door.

Cautiously, he walked to the door and looked out. The Gunmen were there, together with another man he didn’t recognise.

‘Hi guys.’

‘Hi Mulder. This is Dr Beckett.’

The stranger put out a hand. ‘Sam.’

Mulder shook his hand. ‘Fox Mulder.’

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

‘Could I go back and come back here after a few days?’

‘To visit? No, I don’t think so. Particularly as we have no idea how you got there in the first place.’

‘But you said you always changed things. I did too.’

Beckett said: ‘From what you said, you wouldn’t have if that other kid hadn’t come by.’

‘Alex.’

‘Yeah. So…Al…what do you think?’

The Gunmen exchanged a look. The scientist guy was talking to himself again. Probably schizophrenia caused by the frequent time travel he said he’d experienced.

‘Al says he can probably drop you at the right place, he’s just not sure about the right time. You said you read some newspapers. Do you have any idea what year it was?’

‘I’m not sure, but one of them was the Iowa Announcer dated 29^th February.’

Sam turned. ‘What?’

Fox waited while Sam had a conversation with the person only he could see.

‘Al says the Iowa Announcer changed its name to the Iowa Chronicle in 1886. And 1885 was a leap year, so there would have been a 29^th February.’

Fox smiled. ‘So that kinda narrows it down, right?’

‘Do you have any idea what time of year you left?’

‘Spring, early summer. It was getting warmer.’

Beckett sighed. ‘You do understand that even if we can get you back there, there’s no guarantee you won’t get stuck there.’

Fox shrugged. ‘Okay.’

‘Al, can you ask Ziggy how long we’ll need to work all this out?’

The five men waited for a few seconds.

‘Here’s my lab address. Come over Monday night. That should give us enough time to make the calculations.’

‘Thanks. I really appreciate this.’

‘I think you’re crazy. Most of the time I couldn’t wait to get back.’

Fox nodded. ‘I thought that. For a while. Then I realised I was happier there than here. Oh, one more thing. Will I be in both places at once?’

Beckett shook his head. ‘No. It’s an alternative universe, not a parallel one, as far as we can work out. You can’t be in both at once.’

‘So I should just disappear from here?’

‘Yeah. If you think people will worry, you should tell ‘em you’re going abroad or something.’

Fox thought for a moment. ‘I don’t think anyone other than Scully would even realise I was gone.'

The realisation that there was virtually no-one who would miss him made him sad. Then he remembered something else. ‘Will I still remember things? Cell phones, email - that kind of stuff. It drove me crazy for a while last time.’

‘No. At least I never did. But then I always got wherever it was in the accelerator. You might be different.’ Beckett smiled. ‘I’ll see you Monday. If you change your mind, give me a call.’

Fox shook his head. ‘I won’t.’

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

‘Hi Scully.’

Scully looked up, then frowned. ‘Mulder. Rough night?’

‘Yeah kinda. Scully, would you miss me if I was gone?’

‘Mulder, what’s wrong?’

‘I’m leaving. Monday I’ll be gone. You won’t ever see me again. I’m just on my way up to see Skinner now.’

‘Where are you going?’

‘Iowa.’

Genuinely concerned that this wasn’t simply a joke, Scully was frowning. ‘What’s in Iowa Mulder?’

Adjusting his tie, Fox smiled at his partner. ‘Home, Scully. My home.’

‘Mulder…’ Scully realised she was talking to herself.

‘Have you thought carefully about this Agent Mulder?’

Fox nodded. ‘Yes sir.’

Skinner put the sheet of paper aside. ‘May I ask what you will be doing?’

Fox thought for a moment. ‘Working on a farm.’

‘Whose?’

‘Someone a lot like you.’

Skinner frowned. If Mulder was having some kind of breakdown, he was relieved it would be away from the building rather than in it. ‘Someone like me. And you’re going voluntarily?’

Fox laughed. ‘Yes sir.’

Skinner stood up, extending his hand. ‘Good luck Agent Mulder.’

‘Thank you sir. Oh, one more thing. Have you ever been to Iowa?’

‘Not for a while. My great-grandparents used to own a farm there. One day a freak earthquake destroyed the farmhouse and several acres of the land around it. I heard my parents talking about it one time and I asked my Mom about it. She told me what had happened and that the family didn’t talk about it. Or the compensation money my great-grandparents got. Now it’s part of a military complex. Why?’

Mulder shook his head slightly. Earthquake. Compensation money. Military complex. He forced his mind back to the present. ‘Just…curious sir.’

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

Fox could hear the strains of ‘Happy Birthday’ coming from inside the house. Although it had been extended, the house was instantly familiar. As were the voices from inside. Grateful for his trip to the costume hire place, Fox looked down at his ‘authentically-aged’ shirt, trousers and boots. Then he walked up to the door and knocked.

The door opened and Skinner looked at Fox strangely. ‘When did you start waiting to be let in son?’

‘I…um…’

‘Come on, we’re just about to cut Alex’s cake.’

‘Mom, I’m eighteen now. I’m too old for party games.’ Alex griped.

‘Nonsense young man. Fox, come and help your brother and sister get into the spirit of things.’

Fox looked around at the spread on the table. ‘When it’s my birthday, will I get all this?’

Skinner mussed Fox’s hair. ‘When you’re eighteen? Sure. But that’s another three years son.’

Fox dropped into a chair. Three years. Alex was already eighteen and he was still only fifteen. Then he saw the calendar. 1888. And already the first nine months of the year crossed off, a day at a time. Resignedly, he said: ‘Well, it could have been worse I guess.’ Not realising he’d spoken out loud, Fox felt his father’s hand on his shoulder. ‘Ready for some cake son? Your mother baked it specially.’

Fox got up. ‘Yeah Dad.’

Everyone stopped what they were doing as a small tremor shook the walls. Skinner sighed. ‘Damn’ earthquakes. First chance we get, we’re moving outta here. They’re building some new town a few miles from here. What do you think?’

Fox half-closed his eyes, reaching for a thought that wouldn’t quite come. ‘I…um…’

Frowning, Skinner looked down at Fox, lifting the boy’s chin. ‘You okay son?’

Fox swallowed hard. ‘Yeah Dad I’m fine. Really.’

‘Okay, go fill out that skinny frame with some chocolate cake.’

The smile that passed between them, unseen by the other three people in the room, left Fox in no doubt. He was home. And this time he was staying for good. Hopefully.

‘Then later on you can tell me why you’re wearing a whole different set of clothes from those you had on at breakfast.’

Fox closed his eyes. ‘Oh no.’

Skinner’s soft chuckle left Fox a little relieved. His father seemed more amused than angry. Fox would think of something. After he’d had a piece of cake. Maybe there would be another tremor and his father would forget about his change of clothes. Yeah right.

End

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