Title: Family 4

Rating: PG.

Disclaimer: Well, all these fun folks from The X-files (Mulder and Scully and everybody) definitely do not belong to me(No matter how much I wish it). They belong to Chris Carter, Ten Thirteen Productions and Fox Broadcasting and are used without permission. No copyright infringement is intended and no profit is being made from their use.

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*"Fox, what are you thinking?" Fox Mulder smiled at the woman that was sitting across from him. She had long brown hair and laughing hazel eyes, both Mulder traits. Her face was young and free from age or stress wrinkles; her body was lithe and lanky, as his own; and her mouth was curved in an outrageously wide grin that matched her brothers. "Not much, Sam. I'm just thinking about you and our childhood. I miss you. I missed not being able to beat up my friends when they would have tried to date you. I miss not having you around to pester me like all good little sisters should."

"What about Dana?"

Mulder's smile weakened a little at the mention of his ex-partner's name. "Doesn't she keep you company?"

Fox shook his head, "No, Sam. She is no longer my partner."

"But she is your friend."

"Yes."

"And something more?"

Fox shook his head. "My best friend. She is the only person that believes me; the only person that helps me find you; the only person I trust right now."

"The only person you love?"

"Love. Sam what are you talking about? Scully is my friend. My best friend. Nothing more.."

"The best friends make the best lovers, big brother." The younger woman grinned mischievously at her older sibling. "You know, now that you and she have been separated at the Bureau you can explore the feelings that you have. She has them too. I know that. Here let me show you."

Samantha Mulder grabbed her older brother's hand and led him through the brightly-lit diner to the meadow outside. Fox raised his head slightly, catching a whiff of the scented springtime air. There was a slight breeze that rustled the tall grass in the wide-open field. He could hear a small laugh and a collection of sighs from a little clearing about ten yards away. As the brother and sister broke through the grass surrounding the clearing, Mulder's gaze fell on two people entwined in each other's embrace. Immediately he recognized his friend, Dana Scully- her auburn hair giving her away. It took him slightly longer to recognize himself as the man that held her. His mouth fell open and went dry. Samantha smiled and brushed her hands across his jaw. "Brother, I'm going to leave you now. Don't worry I'll come to visit again. But right now, I think you want to explore this phenomenon a little more closely. Good bye."

She vanished into the far reaches of Fox Mulder's dream mind as he found himself no longer observing himself and Dana. He was now a part of the action. He could feel his muscles flex as he pulled the petite woman closer to his chest. Her lips under his were soft and moist, making him want to sink deeper into them. Scully was sighing in between their kisses and was running her hands through his hair. He felt himself moan as she shifted her body to run her hands between them. He felt himself grow hard beneath her ministrations and captured her mouth in a devastating kiss. "Scully."

"Shh, Mulder. Don't worry. I'll never leave you.."*

Fox sat up on his couch and immediately doubled over with a shaky sigh. What the hell was he doing? This was Scully about whom he was dreaming. What on earth had possessed him to think that way about her? He rose shakily to his feet and ambled into the kitchen. First stop was at the sink to run a glass of water; the second was to the front door to get his paper. He sipped the cool liquid for a moment, hoping that the coolness would help to relieve some of the tension that was in his body. It wasn't working. Frustrated, he slammed the glass down, splashing water everywhere and stormed into the bathroom. He turned on the shower, full blast on cold and started to strip. Cautiously, he raised his eyes to look at his reflection in the mirror. "That is Scully, you bastard. Partner, and friend, don't you remember?" With that he stepped into the shower and allowed the cold water to do what his mind couldn't. "Shit! I hate cold shower."

Dana Scully moved up to the two way mirror and stood next to her father. Through the tinted glass in front of her, she saw her niece seated on a small plastic chair, playing with a doll. The child stroked the hair in a soothing rhythm and was quietly humming to herself. Next to Brittany was a young woman, her therapist, who was trying to get Brittany to talk about the events that had unfolded barely a month before.

"Now, Brittany, we are going to talk about the dreams that you have been having recently." Dr. Victoria Simmons shifted her seat and tucked her long skirt under her. "Nothing can hurt you now; the man that hurt you has been put away. You can tell me about the dreams. Only by bringing them to light can we get rid of them. Do you understand?"

Brittany stuck her thumb in her mouth and nodded solemnly.

Dana breathed a sigh of relief and turned to pace to the opposite wall where her brother was leaning. The older sibling's eyes were clouded with a barely concealed pain. Scully knew that her brother had been up every night with Brittany and was still trying to give the boys' equal billing in their care. On top of that he was still working. She placed a hand on his arm to reassure him that she was there and that she would always help him. "She'll make it, Bill."

He smiled a sad smile down at his sister. "Yeah, she's your niece after all." Bill sighed and crossed his arms over his chest. His eyes returned to his small daughter who was now describing a large monster to the doctor with her hands. "I think we have it okay here, Dana. You lunch is almost over. Better get on the road; wouldn't look good for you to be late back from lunch at your new post."

Scully nodded quietly and straightened her suit jacket. In reality, she was a little exasperated with herself. When she was working the X-files, she was never late back from lunch; never in late in the mornings; never left early from the office. The work that she had been involved with was interesting and all-encompassing; often she would stay twelve and fourteen hours only to realize that she wasn't tired. Now that she had been reassigned to Quantico, she found herself almost looking for excuses not to be in the classroom. It wasn't that the work of teaching wasn't rewarding, or that the work was too easy- it wasn't; it was just that it wasn't working with Mulder. "You're right, Bill. I'm going to hit the road. I'll be over after my four o'clock class to get the kids and take them home."

He nodded his thanks as his younger sister glided across the room and out of the door. -------------- Quantico Academy 2:50pm

Dr. Dana Scully sat behind her desk in her office and skimmed over the notes for her afternoon class. It would be a simple exercise in cranial anatomy and the proper procedure for the removal and classification of the brain. Simple stuff. Boring stuff. She shifted and tucked her hair behind her ear. Her eyes fell upon an envelope that was neatly residing on the corner of her desk blotter. Her own careful handwriting adorned the cover. It closely resembled the file folders that she had handled while assigned to the X-files. With a sigh and a smile, she thought, maybe that was because it was about the X-files. Dana had had the folder for a week and she still hesitated to contact Mulder about it.

Opening the cover, she idly fingered the ripped memo paper that it contained. The paper itself had been shaded in with a pencil in order to raise a previously written message. In faint lettering she could make out only a few words: Purity Control New Griddock, NH. TWA 1201 May 5, 1993 She knew what the message was saying. She knew that she had to contact Mulder. But, she also knew that in telling Mulder, he would immediately embark on a quest to dig to the bottom of the conspiracy. It was too soon. Too soon following the shut down of the division. A move on the men that controlled the strings would effective bring to an end any attempt later to open the files again. But she owed him. She owed it to their partnership, if not to herself, to be truthful and up front about this. Nodding slightly, she closed the file. There would be no backing out now. Glancing at the clock, she noticed she only had three minutes to get to her class. Grabbing the file and her briefcase, she bolted for the door. -------- 4:30 PM FBI Headquarters

Fox Mulder walked between the closely huddled desks in the surveillance bullpen and slumped into his chair behind the desk that he had been given a very short time ago. It wasn't like his little office, he decided. It didn't feel right to put his legs on the desk; it didn't feel right to leave his sunflower seeds around; it didn't feel right that he was surrounded by everyone but Scully. Scully. He hadn't stopped thinking about her since that dream that he had been having when he had awakened that morning. Fox sighed, placing his arms down on the desk and lifting a hand to message his nose bridge. Four long weeks- it had been four long weeks. Since the closing of the division, he had only talked to her once. It had been to tell her that they were shut down. Other than that, the only contact that he had had with her was the letter that he had sent to her mother. He smirked thinking about the note.

Simply, he had told her that they needed to be excessively careful in their communication. They were only to meet in the Watergate parking garage after hours, and only if there was a break in the case that they had been working on when the X-files had closed. She would put a post-it on his picture of Sam on his desk and turn it face down if she wanted to meet. He would call and leave a message about dry cleaning. It was a good plan. Great plan, except for one thing. There had been no break, and, therefore, no Scully. He picked up his coffee cup and made to get out of his chair, when he noticed it. The picture. It was face down on his desk. With a smile, he placed his coffee cup down and picked up a few transcripts. He rose and went for the door.

"Where are you headed to, Spooky?" one of the older agents asked as Fox neared the door. It just wasn't like Spooky Mulder to be leaving at a decent hour.

"Gotta hot date." Mulder shot back over his shoulder as he walked out the door.

7:00 PM Watergate Garage

Fox folded his arms over his chest and looked at his watch again. He had been waiting 2 hours. Belatedly he thought that maybe the picture had just fallen over and there was no message from Scully. He was just going to resume his frantic pacing when the interior door slid open to reveal a diminutive figure. A smile graced his lips as he realized that it was indeed his small partner. "Where the hell have you been?"

Scully allowed a small grin as she crossed the space to him. "Hello to you too, Mulder." Some things never change, she thought. "I had to drop the kids off at Mom's for the weekend. I didn't expect that you would find the picture that fast."

"And why not, Scully? It is on my desk." He quipped back. "What's up?"

Scully crossed her arms across her chest with a slight huff, filled with indignation. The feeling, however, passed quickly. She should have expected no less; Fox Mulder always went for the investigation first before pleasantries. "I have some information for you from our last case." She hefted the manila folder in her hand so that it was level with her chest.

He nodded, quickly and concisely. Scully was being very to the point, almost curt. There was a slight distance between them that hadn't been there when they were partnered. For a minute he was confused and then it dawned on him that perhaps she was that way because he was all business. It was hard, he thought, to look at her the same way when your mind has been working overtime thinking very unprofessional thoughts about her. He took the folder. Quickly and without comment, he opened and perused the contents. A slight grin crossed his features and he lifted an eyebrow towards her. "Hey, Scully."

"Hmm."

"What are you doing this weekend?"

"As in, right here and now, Mulder? Nothing." She allowed a small grin and lifted a hand to stop the rest of his tirade. "I already discussed with Mom about the kids. She's got them for the weekend. Bill has off from work and Dad is feeling fine. Bags are packed and are in the car. We're going to New Hampshire then, I presume."

"Well, ex-partner." He said quietly, "It looks like you and I are taking a personal vacation to the Northeast. Split up and take rendezvous plan B." He motioned to the doorway. "I'll see in at the nearest Holiday Inn tomorrow at 10 AM."

With that small amount of comment, Mulder put the folder under his arm and sauntered away toward the exit door. Dana watched him go with a small look of annoyance that quickly melted into a look of amusement. It was like old times again. She turned on her heel and left the garage. ------- Home of Margaret and Bill Scully 9:00PM

"How could she do that?" Charles Scully was leaning back in a kitchen chair, arm around the one leg that he had resting on the seat. The look of disbelief and displeasure was evident on his features. Sullenly he shook his head. "She took off to New England with that ex-partner of hers. I thought she was rid of him completely."

Bill Scully, Navy Ret. looked over at his youngest child. "I'm surprised that she told you about going, Chuck."

Younger Bill Scully raised his head from his coffee cup where he had hung it minutes before. The tone in his father's voice reminded him about the time that had been out all night with his senior prom date and he had found them in the back seat of the family sedan. It was the tone of an adult that wasn't happy with one of his children. His mind was immediately back on the conversation.

"What do you mean, Dad?"

"After you helped set in motion the machinery to separate the two of them, that's what I mean."

Charles sat back and steepled his hand under his chin. "It was necessary, Dad. Dana was getting hurt; she was not the same person that she had always been. Mulder was just plain bad for her."

Bill shook his head in disbelief and got up to put his mug in the sink.

"Chuck, I appreciate that you acted out of a feeling of protection for her, but regardless. Out of respect for her and her life.. you should have left it well enough alone." Bill Scully stated to his son.

Charles locked his jaw and ground his teeth. Years of adulthood and maturity could not keep his Scully temper from surfacing. "How can you say that? Her involvement with this guy, not to mention her involvement with the FBI, has led to Marge's death and Brittany's rape. She's hurting. She's hurting herself and us."

Bill had been leaning over the sink during his brother's tirade. At the mention of his daughter's name, the coffee mug that he had been holding in his hands was hurled into the sink. Shards of porcelain went everywhere in the sink, leaving trails of blood on his hands. He began to shake in anger. Bill Scully saw his son's reaction and held up a hand to stifle the argument that he knew would start. "No need for violence, Bill. Chuck, I told you that I understood your need to protect your sister. I have felt the same feelings too. Never have I agreed with her choice of professions. But out of respect for her and loyalty to her, I support her. How she chooses to live her life is no choice of ours; we have no control over it. Marge's death has no bearing on the situation, as does Brittany's rape. As far as I am concerned they were unfortunate occurrences, ones that I wish had never happened. Marge made her own decisions. Brittany is an innocent and it was purely the choice of the bastard that raped her that the violence occurred. It still remains that you betrayed your sister and a man that both your mother and I look upon with fond feelings and respect."

Charles stared at his father in disbelief.

Bill Scully continued, shifting himself on the chair. "I'm sure that all will be forgiven and forgotten eventually. After all, you acted out of love. However, right now, I think that you should leave. Don't get me wrong, Chuck, I love you. But right now, I'm angry." With that the older man pushed himself out of the chair and went to his elder son. "How's the hands, Bill?"

Charles knew that he had been excused, quite bluntly in fact. He raised himself quickly and straightened his shirt. "Choosing a man like that over your own son. That is unforgivable." He muttered and stalked out the back door, slamming it to mark his exit.

Bill winced as he ran his hands under the water, cleaning his cuts. "Of all the cowardly things."

His father shook his head, indicating silence. "He isn't a coward, Bill. He is trying to do what he feels is right. He just made a poor choice. This situation will clear itself. I know Fox Mulder. He knows that Chuck was the weak link, and he won't let it happen again. Like his father, he is, when it comes to things like this. Will cut off his nose to spite his face if it keeps what he holds sacred safe."

"You knew Bill Mulder?" Bill was increasing surprised by his father. This new turn of events was totally out of left field. His father handed him a towel and he wrapped his hand in the terrycloth.

The elder Bill nodded and smiled. "It was a long time ago. You were just a baby. We were friends from the Bay of Pigs invasion. Ship mates. Stayed friends for a while, probably until after Dana was born. Around that time, right after Samantha was born, Bill began to drink heavily. Took out all the problems in the world on his son. We just drifted apart. I haven't heard from him in years. He wasn't a terrible man, just allowed terrible things to happen. I'm glad that Fox turned out as well as he did."

New Griddock, NH. 9:30 am

The young redhead leaned back against the car and rubbed her arms under the Navy sweatshirt that she wore. Her hair was thrown back into a makeshift ponytail; her face was devoid of makeup, she looked like a young woman enjoying a New England summers morning. To a passerby, had anyone bothered to look, she would have seemed like an impatient lover or an annoyed wife as she checked her watch every five minutes. That was not the case, however. Dana was waiting on Mulder. She was neither a lover nor a wife, but something in between.

Fox Mulder emerged from his room on the second floor, rubbing a towel through his hair. His face broke into a wide grin as he saw his friend leaning against his car in the lot. "Hey, Scully. Be down in a minute."

Dana stifled a yawn and gazed back up at her ex-partner. "Mulder, do you have coffee in there?"

"Of course." He shook his head, spraying the remaining drops from his hair. "Why, you want some?"

Scully was already on the stairs at his affirmative answer, and before he had a chance to finish the question she was in front of him. "Two things, Mulder, just two that I learned in medical school. How to cut up people and how to drink way too much coffee. May I please have some?" Her blue eyes were half-closed in sleep.

"Sure thing, Scully." He answered, stepping aside to allow her into the room. He grabbed her upper arm as she passed him. Dana slowed, startled by the contact that she hadn't had in a month. "Did anyone follow you?"

She shook her head, tilting it to the side. His hazel eyes widened in amusement as he watched her studying him. "No. No one followed me, Mulder. But, I'm letting you know that the next time we have a rendezvous, you are going to be the one to drive all night."

He lightly laughed and released her arm. Quietly he shut the door.

Inside, Dana was efficiently moving around the efficiency, gathering cups here and coffee grinds there. Within five minutes, she had a steaming cup of coffee in front of her and was reclining on one of the armchairs next to the windows. Mulder collapsed in a chair opposite of her and put his feet up on the bed. After allowing her a few minutes respite to enjoy her caffeine, he turned to her and started.

"I checked with the Lone Gunmen before I left. They searched all the records that they could get their conspiratheorist hands on and found only one establishment up here that could possibly contain Purity Control. The New Griddock Cancer Research Center. It is about ten miles walking distance as the crow flies from here, west. They gave me the name of the principle scientist in charge, a Dr. William Ludwig. German national reestablished in the U.S. after the Second World War. His expertise is in genetics and gene therapy. Had some tenuous ties to the State Department up until ten years ago. It is a good lead, Scully. Where did you find that paper?"

Dana raised her eyebrow at him over the rim of her cup. Her hands were considerably warmer and she could actually feel the caffeine moving into her blood stream. "At that storage building that you took me to; the one that you said was cleaned out. I went back the other morning and conducted a search. Found that paper in the corner of the main hallway. I thought that it was strange, finding a clue out in the clear like that."

He nodded, pulling on his lower lip with two fingers. "That is a little spooky."

Scully snorted into her cup. "So when do we leave?"

"Oh, I don't know, Scully. In order to use stealth as a weapon, we should leave towards the afternoon. Probably should hike the last five miles at least, also. That leaves us maybe three to four hours to kill. You want to take a shower? Get something to eat?"

Dana's eyes brightened at the prospect of a shower and she got up quickly. As she passed through the interior door, she cast a glance at Mulder over her shoulder. "Yes, please. A shower will do nicely." With that, the door slid shut and the room was silenced for a minute. Some time later, a sound of running water filled the room. Mulder had leaned back in the chair and his eyes were shut; his mouth hanging slightly open. He was simply relaxing to the sound of the shower. The noise got louder as the door opened again and a pair of jeans were tossed out into the room, barely missing his head. As the breeze from the passing clothes blew across his face, Fox opened one eye. Only to see a bra headed his way too. "Mulder, can you keep these out there; the moisture in here will soak them and I have to put them back on." With that the door shut again.

He looked down at the collection of clothes at his feet and sighed. His mouth was dry. His pulse was up. Oh yeah, for all intents of purpose, he was aroused. He made for the door, thinking to himself that he needed to get some fresh air; it wouldn't do to have his partner exit the washroom and find him in a state of arousal. As he passed the mirror over the chest of drawers, he caught his reflection in the eye. There was a slight blush in his cheeks and a sheepish gleam to his eyes. There was also a good amount of hair growth on his face. Then it hit him. Scully was no longer his partner. She was a friend now, a co-worker. A woman. He ran his hand on his face and made a decision. Quickly, before the voice of reason could awaken and make him change his mind, he crossed to the bathroom and opened the door.

Scully could hear the door open and shut. From behind the curtain, she continued to wash herself; knowing full well that Mulder would let her know if he was going to compromise her position. "Mulder, are you in here?" she called.

"Yeah, Scully. I really need to shave my face before I leave the room. I look like a bum. Is that okay?"

"Um hmm." she breathed, getting a mouth full of water. "Just don't use all the hot water."

"Whatever." Mulder answered and unpacked his shaving kit.

Dana lathered her hands again and started to wash her arms. This wouldn't be a problem, she decided. Just think of Mulder as one of my brothers; using the bathroom at the same time she did. It used to happen all the time when she was younger and living at home. However, as she wet her hair, she began to picture her partner, naked from the waist up leaning over the sink. Steam would be billowing around him, causing a thin layer of sweat to form, much like the beginnings of arousal. She could almost hear the draw of the razor across his face. She had to see what he was doing, if her visions were correct. Dana leaned around the curtain, pulling it to cover the breasts and settled her eyes on her partner.

Mulder was indeed leaning across the sink, his face no more than five inches away from the mirror. A thin layer of sweat did indeed cover his torso, allowing it to gleam in the soft light of the bathroom. His muscles were moving in tandem as he pulled the razor across his face, trailing another hand behind to feel the residue. Fox's legs were braced apart and his crotch was resting against the sink. Well, he's making the act of shaving into an erotic adventure; Dana thought to herself and moved to drop the curtain back. Her eyes brushed with Fox's in the mirror. He had stopped the shaving and was holding her gaze.

Mulder's eyes swept over her face and landed on her lips which were slightly trembling. He smiled lightly. One thing he would not do was make a pass at a woman while she was in the shower. "So, Scully, how is the family?"

Dana let the curtain go and settled back under the stream of water. "Fine as can be expected. Everyone from Mom to Brittany has been looking for you. They had hoped that you would be coming around to visit..."

Mulder nodded, returning to his shaving. "I know, I miss them too. Speaking of Brittany... what is happening with the perp that accosted her?"

"Didn't I tell you? They caught the guy. It sure has helped with Britt's therapy. She can open up more now that she is aware that he can't come and hurt her. She's making some headway. " Dana washed her hair and opened her eyes as the last of the water from the locks ran clean. There, she thought, that wasn't so bad. It was just like having my brother in the bathroom with me. Scully reached for the towel around the corner of the curtain as the material brushed up against her chest, drawing a sharp intake of breath from her. Her breasts were aroused, not to mention, as she could tell from the slight shakiness of her legs, the rest of her. She hung her head. Brother, my ass, she thought.

Mulder finished shaving and turned to leave the room. "I'll be waiting for you," he said as he left the room and shut the door. ------- 11:00 AM Martha's Vineyard, MA

A shaky hand and a glass of scotch; not a good combination, thought Bill Mulder as he raised the glass to his lips. Slowly he drained the contents, reveling in the warmth that spread throughout his body from the fiery liquid. The sunlight from the summer sun was piercing the gloominess of the porch. As he turned his head, he could see the lines of dust floating freely in the streams of light. Like a museum, this place, he thought as he reached for the bottle again to fill his glass. Alcohol is great for numbing pain. Alcohol is great for clouding your mind. What alcohol is not good for is to replace the emptiness in your chest at the loss of someone you love. His slightly clouded gaze lighted on the calendar that hung next to the desk. June. The last time that he had talked to his son was two years and four months ago. Shortly after Fox had found that blasted corner room in the Bureau. The boy had never listened to a word he had said; never heeded his advice. Conceited, arrogant boy. Still he missed his son. It had been too long. However, Bill Mulder had never been one to make the first offer of the olive branch. No, he would wait until his son called to him. Bill looked down at his glass that was mysteriously empty again. Sighing, he reached for the bottle and almost dropped it mid pour when the phone at his elbow rang. Slowly, he put the bottle down and picked up the receiver.

7:00 New Griddock, NH.

Not for the first time, Dana Scully cursed the shortness of her legs. Mulder was hugging the exterior wall of the clinic and was impatiently waiting for her to join him. They had entered the small compound of buildings that was the clinic in sweep fashion. Leap frogging, so to speak. Both had their guns drawn and were cautiously approaching the main door. Scully could feel her pulse in her hands pounding against the gun. As she slid in next to her partner at the wall and leaned around him to check the remaining yards to the door, she became frustrated. There had been no resistance; there were no personnel. She nodded to Mulder that it was okay and sped across the short distance to the wall next to the door. Mulder joined her seconds later and poised himself in front of the door. Without a countdown, Mulder kicked the door in and entered.

The first thing that struck Fox as strange was the fact that no alarms had sounded at the breaching of the parameter nor at the forceful entry. Scanning the quiet hallway, he pocketed his gun. Scully eyed him for a second and then followed his lead.

"Scully, this is probably really irrelevant, but it appears that the compound/clinic is deserted." Fox said causally as he scanned the posters on the wall.

Dana nodded, chewing on her lip thoughtfully. "That's what I was thinking. Although, in a strange way, it makes perfect sense."

Mulder nodded, turning toward her in the pale light. "I think the lead that you found in that hallway was a plant. No... I know what you are thinking... I don't think it is a trap. I think..."

"That it was planted by Deep Throat?" Dana closed her eyes for a second.

He nodded as he moved down the hallway, trying door after door. "He must have gone back to the storage facility after we left that morning. He knew he was being followed and probably knew that he would be killed. You know that information that he gave us that morning? It wasn't the full picture. I know that is what we will find here, Scully. The full picture of the truth. If he was indeed followed, there was no way that he could possibly get to us the information that is stored somewhere here. So..."

"He went back to the site after that morning; after he knew that it had been cleared and cleaned and left this piece of paper so that we would find it..."

"He knew that we would be looking for answers. Hence the message." The door that he was trying swung open. "Let's see what we can find, shall we?"

Mulder stepped through the door. Dana glanced around at the hallway and the door, finally deciding that it was clear and followed him into the darkness beyond. ------ Residence of Maggie and Bill Scully

Bill hung up the phone and sighed. It had been years since he had talked to Bill Mulder and he had been surprised that he had had as much in common about which to talk. He turned the conversation over in his mind, remembering the surprise in his friend's voice when he had told him that Dana and Fox were working together.

"No shit, Bill. My son and little Dana."

"Well," Scully had chuckled, "She isn't all that little any more; she's only about four years younger than Fox. They've been working together for a year and a half. Couldn't separate them if you tried. Best partnership I've ever seen."

"Better than what ours used to be?"

Scully could here the tension on the other end of the line. "Fortunately, yes. Your son is very protective and driven. He compliments her perfectly."

"I'm glad that you see good in him, Bill....

"He is a good man. He is his own man..."

Bill Scully sighed again and walked into the kitchen. Maggie was standing at the sink, completing the daily chores. He hugged her from behind. Maggie was quiet as she felt hot tears rolling down her neck. She silently reached up and placed a hand over his and stood still. He hadn't cried like this since he had found out that his friend had betrayed him. It was good to cry, she thought, it cleansed the soul.

Mulder rubbed his eyes wearily. Of all the times to forget his glasses... now had to be one of them. He laid his other hand on the pile of files that stood next to him. He had gone through three-fourths of his pile. Scully was on the last one of hers. The paper chase through the records had revealed that they were medical records and doctor's reports. What you would expect from a clinic. The only thing that appeared out of the ordinary was the type of people that were mentioned in the files: senators, generals, CIA. This place obviously had a profound client base.

Scully set aside the last file and reached for one that Mulder hadn't gotten to yet. It was a personnel file dealing with immunizations and doctor reports. She skimmed through the think stack of paper, looking for anything out of the ordinary. It was then that her eyes fell on a familiar name: Mulder, William. Scully inhaled sharply and glanced at her partner. He was again engrossed in his investigation and hadn't noticed a change in her. She continued: Mulder, William Married: Ester Mulder Children: Fox William, Samantha Ann Children immunized at Chilmark Elementary School, Martha's Vineyard, MA. Doctor attending... Scully again gasped; the name of the doctor was the same as the man that she and Mulder had just investigated in the last case. Under the neatly typed information there was an entry by a physician, in the typical doctor's scrawl. Both children exhibit extensively high intelligence quotients. It is recommended that they be investigated further as taking part in Purity Control.

Dana shut her eyes and the folder and leaned back against the file cabinet. An answer of sorts. And a slew of questions. Her eyes squeezed tight in pain for a second imagining what Mulder would think when he saw this file. She picked up the file and rose to her feet. With a sudden thought, she reached down into the pile that sat next to Fox and searched through until she found a file that was emblazoned with an S.

Mulder rose to his feet next to her as she pulled on his jacket. "Come on, G- man. I found something. Let's take it with us back to the hotel and see what we can come with, shall we?"

Fox gaped at her for a minute and then followed her out of the dark room that was lightening with the approaching dawn. ------ Countryside, NH. 5:00 AM

Scully was walking as quickly as she could. She could hear Mulder crashing through the underbrush behind her. "Scully."

Dana continued ahead. Fox sighed; she was running almost as if she was being chased. He reached out a hand to stop her. "Come on, Scully. Slow down... there are no lions here. What's gotten into you?"

She turned around quickly, almost throwing him off balance. "I just think that you would rather be indoors when we finally discuss this..."

Mulder looked at the file that she held in her hands. "What haven't you told me, Scully?" he voice raised a little. "Is this something important? What are you hiding?"

Dana shook her head; "I'm not hiding anything. I just wanted to get somewhere where we could talk about this in safety...." She began to walk forward again, only to growl in frustration as Mulder lifted her from behind and locked her in a powerful embrace. "Like hell you're not hiding anything from me. Tell me." He locked arms around her waist and held her up off the ground against his chest. He softened his voice a little. "Don't be a tease, Agent Scully."

She wiggled a little in his arms and was rewarded with an amused look from him. "Don't give me that look, Mulder. I could make you regret the day that you were born..."

"Not too much trouble, I already do."

She frowned at his and sighed. "I just found a couple of files that give some answers. They talk about your father and Sam...."

His eyes clouded over and he leaned back against the nearest tree, still holding her in his arms. Slowly he sunk to the ground, pulling Dana down with him and holding her tight. "What exactly did you find?" he croaked.

In the light of the setting full moon, she held up the file so that he could see it. Quietly he scanned the information. His eyes became more tortured and his breathing more shallow. She lowered the file slowly; Mulder didn't even notice the movement. He was in another time and place. Remembering the times that he and Sam had gone with their mother to the school to get their shots. Doctors nodding at each other over his head. Sam getting poked and prodded just a little more than what was completely necessary. His mother wringing her hands nervously as the doctor approached her. Innocuous things... meaning really nothing to a young boy, but everything to the man that he had become.

Scully eyed him from his lap. Realizing that she was not in his line of vision at the time and willing to wait until he came back. She settled back on his lap and watched the morning sun break through the bush.

A little while later, Mulder realized that his feet were asleep from weight that was pressing into his thighs. Slowly he came back to the present, seeing the new light, feeling the needles under his body and the weight of his partner's body on his lap. He shifted his gaze to the woman that he still had his hands around. Scully was still leaning against his chest and in her hands she held the other folder; the personnel folder encompassing the S's. It was open and was clutched against her chest. Her eyes were closed; she appeared to be asleep. Mulder pried the folder back, almost afraid of what he would find. He scanned the contents quickly: Scully, William Married: Margaret Scully Children: William David, Jr., Melissa Jane, Dana Katherine, and Charles Samuel Children were inoculated at San Diego Naval Base, San Diego, CA. Doctor attending: Dr. James Reton William David and Dana Katherine exhibit above average intelligence quotients and it is recommended.... Damn it all to hell, Mulder thought, reading the same comment that had been written in his father's file. His anger caused his legs to move slightly and Scully woke up from her light nap to look into his face.

"Hey, Scully." Mulder raised one of his hands to brush her hair back from her face. "I was missing you here."

She muffled a smile in the back of her hand and stifled a yawn. "I see you saw my father's file, too." Her voice caught a little at the end and she faced away. "You know, I've thought for a while that possibly there was some other connection between the two of us that we didn't know about before. I mean..."

"That there are just to many coincidences in our lives. Yeah, I've thought that too. But, Scully, this isn't proof. Your father was an employee of the federal government, just like mine. These are compilations of federal employees' immunization records. But still, the mention of your and my names in reference with Purity Control is just a little too...."

"Spooky?"

"Yeah," he answered, a lopsided grin lighting his face. " Something like that." He stroked her hair back with a light repeated motion that was soothing. "I think we found some answers here; but I think we've found more questions to be investigated than anything. What I did find, though, is a reason to talk to my father again. That bastard is going to have some questions to answer."

Dana nodded, relaxing back against his chest. Fox returned his arms to his embrace of her, pulling Dana closer to his chest. He settled his chin on her head and looked off into the distance. Time passed slowly. Scully took a deep breath and started talking.

"I'm going to have to talk to Dad about this. He needs to let me know what this is about. How my name and Bill's got into this file. And Charles...." she hung her head, "I know that he had something to do with this separation. I've got to deal with that too."

"I know, Scully. I know." He tightened his arms in a protective manner. "But I want you to remember that I'm here. I'm still your friend. You can still call me or bug me, nag me... whatever would make your day complete." Dana punched his arm. "Seriously, though, just because they split us up professionally, doesn't mean that they split us up on a personal level also. We'll get through this."

"Thanks, Mulder." Dana smiled and raised his hand to her lips, kissing the back of it. "I appreciate that." She sighed. "However, right now, we need to get going."

Fox nodded. "Sounds like a plan, Scully. Could you shift a little to the right? I can't feel anything below my knees." --------- Two days later Mulder's apartment

Fox lay on his couch, staring idly at the ceiling. Family does nothing but give you heartache, he thought and shifted. He had spent the last day on the phone trying to get his father. Finally, a half-hour ago, the phone had been answered:

"Hi? Dad?"

"Hello, Fox. To what do I owe this call?"

The voice on the other end sounded hollow, tortured, and gruff. Mulder sighed: nothing changes.

"It's been awhile, Dad. I wanted to call you to see how you are doing. To talk. To ask when it is a good time to come see you."

"Have you talked to your mother recently?"

"No."

"You should go and see your mother, Fox. She misses you."

"Okay, I'll come up to the Vineyard and see the both of you...."

"This wouldn't be a good time for me to see you, Fox." Mulder bit down on his lower lip until it hurt. "When has it ever been a good time, Dad?" he asked with an edge to his voice. Hell, he thought, this is going nowhere. "Sorry. I just really need to talk to you. I have some questions for you that might help in a line of investigation that I am following right now."

"Questions about..."

"Sam. Her abduction. Our childhood."

"We've been over this a thousand times."

Fox's mouth tightened into a flat line. "I've asked a thousand times. Never once have you given me an answer."

"You were the one watching her, Fox. You should have all the answers you need right there. I have to go. See your mother soon." XXXXX

Now here he lay on the sofa, staring at a ceiling that ceased to intrigue him. The guilt that had always plagued him was back in force, gnawing at the depths of his stomach. Anger was also there, though. Anger at his father's stonewalling techniques. Sidestepping, tap-dancing around the question. The investigator in him realized that this was simply a way to draw off the heat of guilt. His father was guilty of something, of that he was completely sure. But was it a crime of involvement or in association? Was he directly responsible for Sam, or was he indirectly responsible through ignorance? These were the things he was trying to answer; things he needed answered. He looked at his watch. It was almost time to meet Scully and accompany her to her family's house for Mike's birthday. He knew that Dana was going to ask her father about the records. He sincerely hoped that Mr. Scully would be better to his daughter than his own father had been to him.

Home of Bill Scully, Jr.

Maggie Scully lit the remaining candle on the cake and stood back to enjoy the glow. Her eldest grandchild was turning ten. She felt younger than she had when her own eldest child had turned ten. Outside, in the back yard, the three siblings chased each other. Only occasionally did little Brittany fumble and get a glazed look in her eye, and then her older brothers would pull on her and she would come out of her daydream. Bill and Brittany's doctor, Victoria stood over underneath the willow watching the children play tag. Maggie liked Victoria. She liked the frank honesty that shone in the woman's eyes and she liked the obvious protectiveness that she felt toward Brittany. And, Maggie was quite sure Bill liked it too. As she went to pick up the cake and carry it out to the back porch, her eye caught on two other forms sitting the very back of the yard on the bench swing. Even from the distance she recognized Fox Mulder's lanky form and her daughter's slight one. They had had a talk with Ahab earlier in the evening. The talk had upset both father and daughter, but as it had ended, the two embraced and it was clear that any breach would he healed. She pushed open the door and stepped outside. -------

Dana sat forward on the swing and rested her hands on the wood. The wood was cool in the summer evening and it soothed her. The conversation with her father earlier that night had not been fruitful. He had explained a few things; a blessed few things. He had admitted to his children getting shots in the Naval Base in San Diego. He had also admitted to that fact being included in government files. Ahab told her that he had no previous knowledge of Purity Control. He had also said that he knew Bill Mulder as a friend from the Bay of Pigs Invasion. Beyond this, however, he did not elaborate. Dana was sure that there was more to the story and she was also certain that eventually her father would come forward and tell her the rest. But, for now, she had to be content with the story as it was told to her.

"A penny, Scully? Or should that be a dime for your thoughts now?"

She smiled slightly, "Inflation? "

He nodded and moved his arm from where it had been resting on the back of the swing. Funny, he thought, how having his arm behind Scully had become second nature. Fox swept errant strands of her hair back from her face with his fingers and let his hand drop to her shoulder. "Thinking about your Dad?"

"Mm hmm." she answered, leaning back again, resting against his arm. "I know that he his holding something back. Something important...." she got quiet and gazed silently at the children that were crowding around her mother with the cake. There was so much happiness there; even with the recent tragedies, there was happiness. She wanted to be over there, holding Mike's hand as he blew out the candles. She wanted to let the children know that they had a family that loved them and that all was safe...but something held her back. The look in her father's eyes as she asked the questions had told her that there was so much more to know. It was her father's life, his past; however, from the moment that she saw hers and Bill's name in the file, it had become her past too. "It hurts, Mulder." was all she said.

He nodded and pulled her a little closer against his side. Dana took that as encouragement and began speaking again. "I have always had implicit trust in my family. Then I find out about Charles. Then I find evidence that questions my faith in my father.... I feel like everything is crumbling."

Fox sighed and turned himself to look at her in the eye. In the twilight of the summer evening, her eyes had taken on a deep, stormy hue of blue. He felt a twinge in his chest deeper than one that he had ever felt. His friend was going through the same loss of scantuary that he had as a younger man. But he couldn't let her go to the depths that he had. "Scully, listen to me. I know that you and Bill are mentioned in that file, just as Sam and I are. But you and Bill are still here. You two weren't used or abused for the `greater good' of the project. In that, I hold faith that your father isn't involved in anything, or if he were, that he had the sense to abandon it early on. He is a good man. I know that. If there is anything that I can do right in the world, it's judge character. He has his reasons for holding back. And, someday, I know that he will let you know what happened. As for Charles... well, I can't say I trust him. But he is your brother. And, from what Bill was saying, he acted out of protection for his sister. The thought behind the action I can understand. But I much rather would have had him hit me than separate me from you. Love him, Dana. Just watch what you say to him about your life in the bureau."

Through his talk, Dana's eyes had lightened. After he was finished, she reached out and held his hand. "I find that hard to do... my family was always the ones that I turned to in hard times. But... I guess it is the final stage of adultdom that I have to reach, trust in myself. And the ability to love without that complete trust."

Trust me." She looked in his face, seeing a determination that had been gone lately. "Dana Scully, I will always consider you my partner. Always."

She smiled and kissed him on the cheek. "Mulder...."

The quiet interlude was interrupted with the squeal of young children and the arrival of two plates of cake. Little Sean plunkered down in the little space that existed between the two adults and began to eat his cake. Mulder sighed and looked down into the earnest face, only to be stared back with the characteristic Scully blue eyes. "Hey there, buddy."

"Hi Uncle... umm Mulder."

Dana smiled and leaned forward to wipe icing off of Brittany's face near her ear. "Were you and Aunt Dana kissing?" Sean asked, putting down his empty plate on the ground.

Fox choked a little on his cake. Where in heaven had that come from? Dana was stifling a snicker in her napkin. "Your Aunt Dana kissed me on the cheek, just like she does when she tucks you in bed."

"But you're not in bed."

"No, I'm not."

"So why was she kissing you?"

Good question. Mulder cocked his head to the side and looked over at Scully. She averted her eyes.

"That's okay, Uncle Foxy. I can tell you why. Wanna know? She was kissing you because she likes you."

"Likes me, huh?" Mulder's amusement was reaching an all time high. Dana got up from the swing and took the plates to the trash.

"Mmm hmmm. She likes you like Dad and Mom liked each other."

Fox looked over at Dana bending over to tickle a heap of little child near the trashcan. Brittany got up and streaked away from her screaming in the joy of the chase. Scully bent to tie her shoe and looked back over at the swing. She saw a tall lanky man, relaxing back next to a child and thoroughly enjoying himself. The grin that lit his face was unlike any that she had ever seen before. Sean had let the cat out of the bag. It was amazing how small children could repeat and relate almost everything that had ever occurred in their earshot. She should have never told her mother that the reason she was so depressed about leaving the X-files was not the loss of work, but the loss of Mulder. She hadn't said that she loved him. But Sean had read between the lines.

Fox looked back down at Sean as Dana broke off her eye contact with him. "Well, buddy, I like her too." ---------- 10:00 PM Home of Bill Scully, Jr.

Bill Scully, Sr. watched as Mulder helped his wife collect cups and plates from around the living room. Dana had recently gone up the stairs to read the children their stories and tuck them into bed. After both jobs were done, she and Fox were leaving for the city. He could no longer look at Fox and say that he was simply his daughter's coworker. He was a friend of the family in the true sense of the word. Mulder approaching him took him out of his reverie.

"Sir?"

The man nodded. He knew something was going to be said that was going to mean something to the both of them.

"Whatever you did or didn't tell Dana tonight... I don't want to know... but I have a small piece of advice. Advice from a man that has been there. Don't keep it from her indefinitely. Tell her someday.. tell her it all. Don't give her a reason to question your love as well as your trust.. it will kill her." Mulder's hazel eyes crinkled fondly. "I know you. You love your family. And you're a good man."

Ahab smiled uneasily, thought for a moment, and then let a full grin light his face. "I will, someday."

Dana came down the stairs and went into the kitchen to say goodnight to her mother. Ahab watched her for a second and then watched Mulder follow her with his eyes. "I could say the same for you, son."

Mulder lifted an eyebrow.

"Tell her someday.. don't let her question... anything about you. And your father. Don't shut the door on him completely." The older man held out a hand to him. Fox gripped it warmly. "The Yankees have a game on this weekend. Bill and I are going to watch it..."

"I'll have to see, Scully and I need to figure out how to handle this friendship thing and still keep a safe distance." He gnawed on his lower lip. "But if I can, I'll be here."

"Is distance necessary?"

"She and I are still in danger, yes. We need to be separate for a while until everything dies down."

"Take care of her, Fox."

Mulder smiled as Dana and her mother came toward the two men. He was happy to see that the same look of happiness crossed the older man's face. "Always, Mr. Scully, always." ------

In the quiet of the board room, Charles Scully felt out of place. The heavy paneling of the room and the darkness of the drapes and furniture made it feel as though the sun was being extinguished. The added smoke in the room did nothing for his eyesight.

"So, you are telling me that the two of them are still together?" The man in front of him asked with a heavy English accent.

"Yes, they are, sir. It seems that Fox Mulder can't leave my sister alone."

"That is very interesting. Very interesting indeed. We'll take it from here, thank you, Mr. Scully."