Wambli-Part 14/18
Summary and disclaimers in Part 1
*****
"I just want you to think. Think of Mulder when you met him.
Think of the promise in the life in front of him. Think of
him now. And then try and stand there in front of me, look
me in the eye, and tell me Mulder wouldn't bust his ass
trying to save you."
"I'm thinking, Agent Scully. I'm always thinking."
Episode 7x04-The Sixth Extinction-Amor Fati
*****
Somewhere in Western Kentucky
It was nearing sunset at the old cabin, but neither Scully
nor Diana were preparing to sleep. They had worked out a
plan earlier in the day, talking softly to one another,
usually with the water in the faucet running at the same
time. The running water acted as coverage for their voices
in case they were being bugged, and soft words were used
instead of whispers, which could be picked up by
surveillance equipment much easier. Then, they had both sat
back and waited for nightfall.
Their guards never entered the building or tried to
communicate at all, but they were a constant presence
outside. Both of the women knew their routine already; they
knew when the guard changed, how many there were at certain
times, and where they liked to stop and rest from their
pacing. They had also learned how many times, and at what
times, they checked into their base, which they believed was
nearby, but not too close. They were prepared to escape. Now
they just had to wait until it was dark.
The radio was playing again and Scully was sitting on the
couch, her head back, trying to doze and rest up for what
she knew would be a long night. Diana sat quietly next to
her. The air in the room was charged; it had been all day.
But Scully felt the tension increase dramatically, and she
opened her eyes, knowing Diana was about to say something.
Mulder had worked with her long and hard during the last
five years, helping her to read her own, natural intuition.
He believed she was, and always had been, an empath. It was
what made her such a good doctor.
Diana finally spoke. "How did Fox know about Paul?"
Scully turned her head and looked at her. "You're kidding,
right?"
Diana met her eyes with her own, and they were dead serious.
"He was an FBI agent, Fowley. He wasn't so blinded by love
or passion that he couldn't see through you."
Diana winced and turned away. "I never wanted to keep it
from him."
Scully just laughed, not believing the woman one bit. Paul
Ricardo had been one of the many ghosts from Mulder's past;
he was the last ghost Mulder had finally told her about,
nearly three years into their marriage. She hadn't been
surprised Mulder had kept the story from her; after all, he
hadn't even told her about the fact that he and Diana had
been married until just before their own wedding. But now
they kept no secrets from each other.
Paul Ricardo had been a fellow agent and profiler. He and
Mulder had started a good, solid friendship soon after
Mulder had started with Violent Crimes, not knowing at the
time that the man and Diana had been lovers several months
earlier. When Diana had been assigned to DC, she had
immediately started a romance with Mulder. But her feelings
for Paul hadn't died, either, and the two had started seeing
each other secretly, both aparently feeling no guilt about
deceiving their friend Mulder. Mulder had been totally
oblivious to the whole affair...at that time.
When he and Diana married, Mulder believed she had tried to
stay away from Paul. But apparently, it hadn't worked. She
and Mulder spent their days re-establishing the X Files, and
Mulder's obsession with them grew. As did his suspicion
about his wife and his friend. But Mulder believed deeply in
marriage, and he was determined to make it work. He was also
too afraid to confront Diana with what he knew because he
feared it would make her leave him. And he was terrified of
being alone. So he ignored what he knew, and focused on the
X Files. Then, the baby had happened.
Since they had married, Mulder had let Diana know how much
he wanted children, but Diana wanted to wait. Her career was
her focus, now, she told him, and he respected her wishes.
But he continued to hint every now and then. He desperately
wanted a chance to be the father his own father had never
been. He knew he could be a wonderful dad. And having
children just might make up for his past losses.
When Diana got pregnant, Mulder didn't find out right away.
She didn't tell him. And he knew why; the baby wasn't his.
He and Diana had used protection every time they were
together, and while it was a fact that their methods weren't
100% foolproof, he knew the baby was Paul's. When Mulder
discovered her secret, he set out to confront her. He didn't
mind if the baby wasn't his, but she was his wife, and he
refused to share her or the child with another man. She
would have to promise never to see Paul again, and to
pretend the baby was his. But before he could tell her he
knew her little secret, she had an abortion. That had been
the final rip to his already shredded heart. He had watched
from his car as she and Paul left the clinic together,
relief evident on their faces.
Mulder had never told her he knew. About Paul. About the
baby. He had become completely absorbed in his work. It was
his coldness that had finally driven Diana to Europe. And he
couldn't say that he was anything but relived, despite the
pain of being abandoned once again. He had told Scully that
he often thought of the baby that hadn't been born. About
its potential. How he could have loved it, no matter that
it wasn't his.
He had told her this the night she had miscarried. And as
she lay in his arms in the hospital bed, she had cried for
him, for her own baby, and for the baby that might have
been.
"Why did you do it?" she said softly to the woman next to
her. "I know you loved him. Why did you hurt him so?" She
turned her ice blue gaze on Diana. "First cheating on him,
then taking away the baby, then leaving him. Not even trying
to talk to him, to get him to open up to you. He would have,
if you had tried. But you didn't. You gave up, just like
that, and left."
All color had drained from the other woman's face. "He knew
about the baby?"
Scully simply nodded. "He hated himself for not facing you
with the facts, but after the abortion, I don't think he
really cared anymore." She didn't tell Diana that she was
more of a cause of Mulder's obsession than Samantha's
abduction was. Searching for his sister was simply his way
to cope with a past he never wanted to repeat.
"It wasn't his," Diana whispered. It was an excuse.
"He knew that!" Scully snapped. "It didn't matter. You were
his wife. You were supposed to love him, in sickness and in
health, 'till death do you part. To *honor* and *cherish*.
Not break, then leave the broken pieces behind."
"If I hadn't, you wouldn't have been able to pick up those
pieces, would you?" Diana's voice sounded sad.
Scully gave a short laugh. "I didn't. He picked himself up
on his own. Quite well, too, I might add." She stood from
her seat on the sofa. "But I saw the cracks. Cracks that are
still there, though they are hard to see, now. I've helped
heal them somewhat, and the children have helped even more.
But they're still there, Diana. Because of you."
She watched as the other woman stiffened, preparing to
become defensive. "I never..."
She stopped suddenly as Scully's body began convulsing. Her
eyes glazed over, and her body began quivering wildly. She
fell to the floor as her knees gave out, but the twitching
continued.
"Scully?" Diana asked as she stood. "Scully?" she said
louder. Then she ran over to the woman on the floor,
grabbing her, trying to still her quivering body. "Help!"
she screamed, panic filling her voice. "My God! Help!"
One of the guards rushed into the cabin. "What the hell?" he
mumbled as he saw what was happening. "Chuck! Get in here!"
"Please!" Diana yelled. "Get a doctor!"
"What happened?" the man asked as he kneeled next to the two
women. The redhead's eyes were open, but sightless. Saliva
flowed freely out of her open mouth. Chuck came in the door
behind him, his expression confused.
"I don't know," Diana gasped. "We were talking. Arguing. She
stood up, and the she just started seizing." She turned her
tear filled eyes to the men. "Please. You have to help her."
Chuck stepped in close, reaching for the radio at his hip.
He raised to his mouth.
"Don't let her die."
At Diana's words, the world tilted for Chuck. The seizing
woman had suddenly grabbed his leg and pulled it out from
under him. At the same time, the brunette reached over and
plucked his companion's gun from its holster and, using its
butt, cracked him on the back of the head.
Scully swung up and around the man she had knocked down,
clasping her fists together and bringing them down hard of
the back of the man's head. The fall, combined with her
swift attack, knocked him out.
Both women stood panting as they watched the two men on the
floor, waiting for any sign of movement.
"Nice job," Diana said. "You even had me fooled for a
moment."
Scully winced as she wiped saliva from her chin. "I've seen
enough in my time that it wasn't too hard to fake." She
looked over at her 'partner'. "Now, let's tie these guys up
and get the hell out of here. We only have two hours before
they're due for their check-in."
************************************************************
"It's not the finally detailed insanity you've come to
expect from me..."
Episode 3x06- 2Shy
*****
The Four Musketeers, as Cat had so quaintly named them ("I
get to be Aramis," Justin had declared), found CGB Spender
just after midnight. Monroe had made contact with the man
earlier in the day and had scheduled to meet with him in a
secluded warehouse in Alexandria at 10 P.M. Justin had
waited, with the others hiding just outside, but the old man
never arrived. At 11, the quartet headed home, but not
before discovering a car sitting near the back of the
warehouse. The driver, a frightened looking young man, told
them he had let his boss out an hour earlier.
"What's your bosses name?" Mulder had asked him.
"Hell if I know!" the kid had exclaimed. He pointed them in
the direction the old man had gone, which was away from the
warehouse, and the four began to head in that direction. It
had taking more than an hour to find him. Mulder was shocked
by what he saw.
The infamous, all-powerful Cigarette-Smoking Man was sitting
on an old crate, in the middle of an alleyway, smoking and
mumbling to himself. Cautiously, Mulder approached him.
The man's eyes, dull with age and fatigue, raised to meet
his as he walked forward. "Mulder?" Spender whispered.
Mulder stopped in front of the man, nodding his head in
response to the weak question.
"But you can't be here. You're dead."
Mulder felt his brow furrow in confusion. "I know. You
killed me, remember?"
"No, no!" the old man argued. "I would never kill you!
You're my son!"
Mulder heard the sounds of nervous shifting coming from the
people behind him. Mulder felt his own face heat at the
words; not in embarrassment, but in anger. "No, I'm not," he
said simply, keeping his voice neutral.
CSM laughed. "Oh, you poor boy. All I ever wanted for you
was power and respect, the same things I had. But you had
neither for so many years. But you have it now, don't you?
Power in your little county in Indian Country. Respect from
all the people under your care." He squinted his eyes. "But
how is that possible, if you're dead?"
Mulder turned to look at Skinner, and the AD gave him a
shrug in return.
"He's crazy," Cat whispered.
"I AM NOT CRAZY!!!!!!" The old man jumped up from his seat
at Cat's words, dropping his cigarette to the ground. His
face had turned crimson as he screamed. "YOU KNOW NOTHING,
LITTLE GIRL!"
Mulder automatically put his hand on the old man's shoulder.
"Hey, easy. Just chill." He used a soothing voice, knowing
instinctively that the man would listen to him. He also knew
Cat was right in her assessment. Cancer Man had lost control
of his mind.
"I'm not dead," Mulder continued as the old man sat back
down. "Remember? You helped me get away. With Scully."
"Scully?" The man squinted up at him. "Is she here? She
shouldn't be here! They'll kill her!" He stood again. "The
children! You must protect the children!"
"They are protected," Mulder continued. "They are very
safe." Again, he pushed the man down on the crate. "But I
need to know where Scully is."
"No," CSM said, shaking his head wildly. "She's safe. I had
her and Diana taken to a safe place."
"But *I* need to be the one to keep her safe!" Mulder
demanded. "I need her with me."
"They won't allow that," the old man said. "Not if you're to
take my place. They don't want you together. They never
have." He began laughing again. "Together, you were
unstoppable. Together, nothing could destroy you." He looked
up into Mulder's eyes. "Aren't you glad I picked her?" He
giggled maniacally. "I thought she would control you. I
never imagined she was the other part of you."
Mulder leaned back. "I will never take your place," he said
with conviction.
"Then they will kill you, too."
Mulder stood silent for a moment. "Where's my wife?"
CSM just looked up at him, a small smile on his weathered
face. But he didn't say a word.
"I know."
Mulder and the others turned at the sound of the voice. The
young driver stood there, still nervous, but trying to be
brave. "I drove them there," he said.
"Where?" Mulder asked, just as the CSM shouted, "Quiet,
boy!"
The kid looked at CSM with agitation, but then answered
Mulder's question. "Kentucky. A little town called Willow
Ridge."
"SHUT UP!!!!!" CSM had risen again. This time, Mulder didn't
gently push him down. Instead, he shoved him hard.
"Sit down!" He turned back to the driver. "You'll tell us
how to get there?"
The boy nodded and gave them a quick set of directions. With
one final look at the subdued man next to him, Mulder turned
away. He told the driver as he left, "See that he gets to a
hospital, would you?" Then, he turned and walked away,
ignoring the screams emanating from the man behind him.
"MULDER!!!!"
************************************************************
"You think you can hold me?"
Episode 5x09-Kitsunegari
*****
It took them less than 45 minutes to hike to the nearest
town, but it was one of the longest 45 minutes of Scully's
life. Clouds had settled in thick over the countryside,
making the late August night chilly...and dark. Too dark.
Though they stuck to the main road, they quickly dived into
the bushes whenever a vehicle came by, which fortunately
wasn't very often. Scully still feared capture at any
moment, and the fact that she didn't trust her traveling
companion did not in any way ease her tension.
The discussion they had had earlier, combined with her
'seizure', had brought about a raging migraine, and Scully
feared it was bad enough that she would not be at her best
if cornered. Which meant she had to put a small amount of
faith in Diana, something she was loathe to do.
When they reached the little town called Willow Ridge, they
set out to find a vehicle of their own. But the little rural
community was even smaller than Lincoln, and the only car
they found was sitting on cement blocks. "You want to drive,
or shall I?" Diana had asked her with a small smirk. Scully
had simply responded with a glare.
The sound of a motor caused them to duck behind the small
service station they were next to. An old pickup truck
chugged up to the little house next to the station. It's
driver, who had to be at least half a century older than the
30 year old truck he was driving, got out and shuffled into
the house. A couple of Black and Tan Coonhounds jumped out
from the back and plopped themselves down on the porch in
front of the door.
"God," Diana whispered. "Why did I have this sudden image of
'Deliverance'?"
Scully had to stifle a laugh. Biting her lip, she moved
forward toward the truck. Diana grabbed her arm and pulled
her back.
"What are you doing? Those dogs aren't going to just ignore
you!"
"Maybe they don't have to," Scully said, pulling away from
the taller woman. As she neared the house, Diana's
prediction came true. Both dogs immediately got to their
feet and began baying at her, tails wagging, tongues
lolling. Scully smiled at them, keeping her hands out away
from her sides, fingers spread. "Hi, guys!" The tail wagging
speeded up.
The old man appeared in the door, telling his dogs to hush.
"Can I help you, missy?" His expression was wary.
Scully smiled at him. "Hi. I am so sorry to bother you this
late, but my car broke down just down the road. My friend
and I," she turned and nodded her head at Diana, who had
slowly followed her, "we were on our way to a friend's place
and kinda got lost. Boy, were we glad to find you." She
laughed softly, keeping her expression open and as honest as
possible.
"Don't you city folk got cell-phones or something?"
Scully felt a real laugh emanate from her chest. "Well, I'm
not exactly city-folk. I'm from South Dakota. In fact, this
area reminds me a lot of home. My home town is a little
bigger than this, though." She looked about her with
appreciation.
Slowly, the old man smiled. "Most places are a lot bigger
than Willow Ridge, but we got ourselves a post office, so
that makes us a town."
"I'm surprised more people don't live out here. It's
beautiful." Scully hoped she wasn't lying. After all, she
hadn't seen any of the countryside in daylight.
"Yeah, well, it's still no place for your car to quit in the
middle of the night." He sighed. "I could let you borrow my
phone, but we don't have any mechanics or nothin' nearby, so
I don't know as that would do you any good. You'd just have
to wait until morning for them to come."
"Oh, I can't do that!" Scully said in a distressed voice.
"My kids will be expecting me tonight!" She turned to Diana.
"I told you we shouldn't have gone out on our own! Now, my
baby girl is going to be crying all night because she misses
her mommy!"
"Your kids in Owensboro?"
Scully nodded. "Yes. They're with my husband. We thought it
would be nice to leave them with the guys for the day and
have some 'girl' time together." She crossed her arms and
did a very good impression of a pout.
The old man bit his lip, thinking. Then he smiled. "I'll
tell you what. Why don't you borrow my truck? You all can
bring it back in the morning when you come to pick up your
car."
"Oh, we couldn't do that," Scully said. "We can't just take
your truck."
"Please," the old codger insisted. "I don't want to think of
them kids going to bed cryin'."
"Thank you, so much. How much do we owe you?"
"Nothin'! Nothin' at all," he exclaimed as he ushered them
to the pickup. Scully slipped into the driver's seat as
Diana hopped in the passenger door.
"Can I have your phone number in case we can't make it right
away in the morning?" Scully asked.
The old man recited his number, then warned them, "Just
drive careful. She can be temperamental."
"Oh, I will!" Scully gushed, starting up the motor. "Thank
you again!"
Diana, in the passenger seat, looked at her with an
astounded expression as they drove off. "I can't believe
that! He didn't even ask for your name! He trusted you, just
like that!"
"There's proof that there still are honest people in the
world," Scully said with a smile.
"Yeah, well you showed him. Stealing his truck right from
under his nose."
"I am not stealing his truck," Scully argued. "We'll drop it
off in the first town we get to, call him and tell him where
it is, and *then* we'll steal a car. From someone we don't
have to talk to, of course."
Diana looked at her for a while in silence. Then, she
suddenly began to laugh.
Scully couldn't help it; she laughed, too.
*****
End 14/18