Sam I Am

By Hummbugg
hummbugg@hummbugg.com


Disclaimer: All credit to CC and Co.
Rated: PG

Summary: My thoughts on a possible 'Samantha returns' scenario.


X


It was the phone call to end all phone calls.

"Scully."

"Are you Special Agent Dana Scully with the F.B.I?"

"Yes. May I ask who's calling?"

"Agent Scully I'm Officer Bencic with the D.C.P.D. I've
been trying to get a hold of your partner for the better
part of an hour."

"Agent Mulder is currently in a meeting. Is there
something I can help you with?"

"We have a woman down here at the station. She has no
identification on her. She says her name is Samantha
Mulder, she asked us to contact either you or your partner at
The X-Files division of the bureau."

"Uh Agent Scully? Are you there?"

"I.. I -uh- yes. I'm here. Don't let her leave. Don't tell
anyone who she is or why she's there. We're on our way."


X


Mulder squealed into the parking lot and hastily pulled into
the first available space.
He was out of the car and jogging toward the twin glass doors
before Scully had even unbuckled her belt.
She sprinted wildly to catch up.

"Wait! Mulder wait! Stop for a minute!"

She reached his side and jerked hard on his arm, pulling him to
a halt. He whirled around, hands raised as if to shove her away.

"Before you go charging in there just give me a minute ok?"

"There's nothing to talk about." He started to turn. She
scrambled around him to stand directly in front of him.

She poked him hard in the chest. Her face taut, ready for battle.

"You've been tricked like this before. You need to keep your
head in there."

"I need to get IN there."

"Damnit Mulder! Listen to me. You don't know if it's really
her. I just want you to think about this rationally.
Please don't let them sweep you up in their web of lies AGAIN.
Things have been calm at the office lately,
they're not trying to shut us down for once. Don't give them
any ammunition."

"Scully you're either coming in with me or you're not. Whatever
the case just get out of the damn way."

She stood momentarily, her mouth a circle of shock. She had
never been on the receiving end of THAT particular snarl.

He shoved her out of the way with his shoulder, causing her to
stumble backwards unsteadily on her too high heels.
By the time she had straightened herself Mulder had yanked open
the door and swept through the entrance.
She watched as his coat billowed out behind his rapid stride.


X


"How do I know that you're telling the truth?"

The woman in the interrogation room sighed.

"Look what reason do I have to lie? I just told you everything
that I know."

"How do you know so much about me?"

She sighed again.

"About two years ago my memories returned. I kept them to
myself for awhile.
I started following your work, that's how I came to know of
Agent Scully.
I didn't know how to approach you. I was scared. I didn't want
either of
you harmed because of me. My husband, he's in on it, the
project, everything.
When he found out that I remembered my former life as Samantha
Mulder he tried
to have me killed. I emptied my bank accounts and took my son.
We've been on the
run for six weeks. I can't ask my former contacts for help
because they're in on it
as well. I don't want to drag you into this Fox, but I have no
where else to turn.
If you could somehow secure for me a few pieces of fake i.d. I
can start fresh.
Move to some remote town where they will never think to find
me. I just want to give
my son an honest life, without all these damn consipracies
hanging over his head.
I don't want the childhood we had for my son."

Scully hadn't said a word until now.

"Are you willing to take polygraph and DNA tests?" Scully was
willing to believe, in the scientific evidence of course.

Samantha's green eyes filled with tears of gratitude.

"Yes. Anything to prove the truth."


X


Samantha Mulder was indeed Samantha Mulder. She looked nothing
like the clones
Mulder had come into contact with; more lies dangled like a
carrot in front of his face by insidious old men.
The real Samantha was tall and lean with sleepy green eyes and
a lazy smile. Even standing on flat feet she towered
over Scully, she was roughly three inches shorter than Mulder.

Samantha currently sat with her long jean clad legs folded
beneath her. Her son sat perched on the top of her thighs,
his eyes darting wildly between Mulder and Scully. He was four
years old, his little cherub face framed by a mop of unruly
chocolate colored hair.

Mulder had noticed the instant fascination the kid had for
Scully. Every so often he would shoot her a shy smile.
No doubt about it, the kid had his partner wrapped around his
little finger. It had only been twelve hours.
"You want something to eat sweetie?" Scully had a soft almost
girlish tone of voice she used when speaking with children.
It was incredibly sexist of him but in the rare moments he
witnessed her around children an image of her standing pregnant
in a kitchen surrounded
by a half dozen screaming giggling kids sprang to mind. She
would have made an extraordinary mother.. if only.

"Agent Scully you don't have to worry about feeding us."
Samantha's legs unfolded and she stood from her place on
Scully's couch, balancing her son on her hip.

"Dana, please and it's no trouble."

Samantha smiled gratefully but shook her head. "The longer I
stay the more dangerous it becomes, for both of you."

She gazed at the two of them for a long time.

"I never thought I'd find a brother.. well at least not until
the memories returned." A sad, wistful smile broke across her
face.

"You're a good man Fox Mulder. I know through information I've
been gathering that you never gave up on me. I wish with all my
heart that things could be
different for us. I'll contact you when I reach my next
destination, and we'll discuss a pick up location for the i.d.
you're organizing."

She looped an arm around Mulder's neck and pulled him into a
brief embrace.

When she released him she cocked her head to the side and
flashed him that coy smile he remembered from when she was eight
years old.

"Until next time big brother."

She turned to Scully. "Thanks for everything. Take good care of
him for me."

She paused at the door, allowing her son to wave a sleepy
goodbye to the couple then slipped out into the hall, softly
pulling the door closed behind her.


Mulder sank onto the couch with a defeated sigh.

"Not quite the reunion you imagined?"

His laughter was bitter. "Not even close."

"Want some tea and sympathy?"

"Sure, thanks."

Scully started to make her way to the kitchen, but his hand tugging
insistently on her fingers stopped her. She turned, her eyes
questioning.

"Scully.. earlier my behavior was less than-."

"It's okay Mulder. No harm done."

He bowed his head gratefully and to her surprise he brought the
back of her hand to his lips to place a soft kiss on the smooth
ivory skin.

"You do take good care of me you know."

"I know. It's all in the job description."

"I hope it's not just all in the job description."

Their eyes linked, message received loud and clear.

She smiled shyly and pulled her hand from his.

"Herbal or Plain?"

"Surprise me."

She turned and resumed her journey to the kitchen. He stopped
her once more, this time with his voice.

"Thank You for making her feel welcome. Even if it was only for
a short time."

"Family is always welcome in my home."

He caught the unspoken meaning behind her words.

"In that case you better make it a hot chocolate with an extra
marshmallow on the side."

He grinned at the roll of her sweet blue eyes.

Life for Fox Mulder may never be perfect, but his sister was
alive and in contact with him, he had the x-files and best of
all he had a brainy beauty to keep him in line.


THE END.

WHADDYA THINK? MORE MORE MORE?

Feedback: I live for the stuff.



Title: Sam I Am 02
Author: hummbugg
E-Mail: hummbugg@hummbugg.com
Disclaimer: All credit to CC and Co.
Rated: PG

Notes: Most of this is dialogue. I loooooove dialogue.


X


The Gunmen had done a fine job of creating a new identity
for Samantha Mulder and her son. Frohike had been tempted
to ask Mulder if he could tag along for the ride.
He kept his curiosity to himself. The less he knew the better
in the long run.

Scully had insisted on accompanying Mulder to Samanatha's
destination. He had flat out refused but she won him over
with long winded lectures on the importance of having
someone there to watch his back. She knew Mulder had only
agreed to shut her up.

They were eight hours into their journey and had another
three days of driving ahead of them. Mulder had rented a
non descript blue Taurus using a false drivers licence the
Gunmen had made for him. They used cash for their pre-trip
and on the road purchases. The less of a trail they left the
safer Samantha would be.

Scully had been a fairly quiet passenger. She knew Mulder
had his reasons for wanting to do this alone, and out of
respect for that she made herself as scarce as she could manage
inside the interior of the car.

She watched his hand leave the steering wheel and make its
way toward her lap. It hovered just above her upper thighs,
his hand was waving over her lap like he was looking for
something.
She realized with a start what he was after.

She bent forward and pulled the one pound bag of sunflower seeds
balanced between her feet up onto her lap.

His eyes flicked over briefly.

"Thanks."

He reached inside the plastic and drew a handful of seeds out.
Once his window was opened he started splitting and spitting.
She listened to the soft crunching, watching as his lips and
tongue
parried with the shells.

"How do you feel?"

Her too silent voice finally filled the space around them.

He shot her a puzzled look before turning back to the road ahead.

"I feel fine. How do you feel?"

She was thoughtful for a moment. He helped himself to another
handful
of seeds while waiting for her response.

"I feel like.. this is so familiar."

He nodded, agreeing with her.

"And yet so new."

"New?"

"Yeah. We have done this a thousand times over the last few
years.
You and me on the open road, risking life and limb to find
answers
and expose truths. We've done this many times because of
Samantha.
It feels new to be doing this FOR Samantha. It feels.. nice."

He understood. It felt the same for him.

"Our lives are so.. different and complicated.
Other people find their pleasure in such different ways, such
trivial ways. Isn't it funny that we feel a sense of completion
and satisfaction in driving cross country to deliver fake
documents
to an abductee?"

Mulder grinned.

"Would you really want a normal life Scully? Now that you've
seen so much."

"I can't have a normal life because of what I've seen. It
doesn't mean I
don't want one."

"What is it about a normal life that calls to you?"

"Safety, security, the ability to trust."

"Scully you know as well as I do that innocent civilians aren't
any safer than you or I."

"Don't you at least miss the false sense of security?"

"No. I honestly don't."

"What about other aspects of normal life? Don't you miss being
able to go home
at the end of the day and have someone waiting for you?"

"I come home at nine o' clock most mornings. There's usually
always someone waiting
there for me."

She smiled at him affectionately.

"You know what I mean Mulder."

"Yes I do. Maybe it's you that doesn't know what I mean."

This was definitely delving into dangerous territory.
She knew it would be wise to discontinue the path of
conversation, but her curiosity pressed her forward.


"Enlighten me."

He spat a shell out the window.

"Tell me what the difference is between going home every night
to a wife and coming to work every morning to you?"

"There is a huge difference. You can't compare the two."

"Why not?"

"Come on Mulder, as socially challenged as you are, even you know
the difference between a wife and a partner."

"Okay.. I will concede but only slightly. There is a difference
between
a wife and a partner. You sleep with one and you work with the
other.
Other than that you point out to me any differences."

She rolled her eyes. "I don't wash your dishes and pick up your
dry cleaning."

"Aah I have to point out that we have both picked up each
others dry cleaning
on the odd occasion."

"Okay fine. I don't live with you, I don't clean up after you,
I don't do your laundry"

Her smile was smug.

"No but we spend the better part of every day together, you're
ALWAYS cleaning up
after me don't even try to lie about that and you're right you
don't do my laundry,
you do the expense reports instead."

He laughed at the unimpressed expression he caught from the
corner of his eye.

"Think about it Scully. We eat together, work together, laugh
together, cry together.
We do just about everything together. The only time we're away
from each other is on the
odd free weekend or vacation. Or at the end of the day when we
each go home. How can I miss
the companionship that comes from a 'normal' life when I
already have a companion
in my not so normal life?"

"Whatever Mulder. Wives and partners are completely different.
I'm not convinced."

He laughed at her typical stubborness.

"You know I'm right. The only difference is the intimacy. We're
lucky you know?"

"How?"

"Look how many married couples fail to make their relationships
work. Most married couples
don't take the vows seriously. Instead of rolling with the
punches together they end
up fighting each other. We always roll with the punches
together, even if we're coming
from two different directions."

"I think most married couples these days get married for the
wrong reasons. They don't give
themselves enough time to establish a foundation."

"Exactly. People rush into the thrill of intimacy. Once the
honey moon bubble bursts and they
really see each other for who they are, they find that they
don't like what they see after all."

"For once we agree on something." A smirk played around her lips.

"That's why we're lucky. We see each other for who we really
are."

"You have to admit that sometimes we don't always like what we
see in each other."

"You're right, but unlike most people we take our vows
seriously and we overcome our difficulties."

"Our vows Mulder?"

"Unspoken but no less significant."

"I don't remember taking any vows."

"That's why they're unspoken. Actions speak louder than words
Scully.
You've shown me on many occasions the depth of your loyalty to
me and
to the work. Every day we're making vows; to trust, to honor,
to obey.
I don't need a wife, I have a Scully instead. I'll even let you
in on
a little secret."

"I'm all ears."

"I'd rather have a Scully anyday."

He was delighted to see her trying to hide a coy smile.

"Even a Bill Scully Jr?"

Her smile morphed from coy to wicked at point one of a second.

"Only if you agree to marry me. Having a wife would certainly
take
the edge off having a Scully in that little scenario."

She laughed delightedly.

"I love how you manage to piss my brother off even more than I
do."

He glanced briefly at her in surprise.

"You don't get along with Bill?"

It struck her as odd that for someone who knew her so
completely, he really
didn't know that much about her at all.

"Bill and I have never seen eye to eye. As kids we were overly
competitive when
it came to outdoing each other. It went beyond sibling rivalry.
Imagine Bill's
surprise when his snotty little sister joined the F.B.I."

"I can't believe that you were ever snotty."

"I saved it all for him."

He chuckled. "I bet once you learned a few moves you used to
beat the shit out of him."

"I'll never tell."

He reached for another handful of seeds, diverting just before
he reached the bag to settle his hand warmly on her knee.

She licked her lips and exhaled softly.

"Whaddya say we do what all normal people do when they're on a
road trip in the middle of the night."

"What are you talking about?"

"I saw a sign. There's a truckstop in another two miles. Why
don't we grab some coffee and a couple of
trucker hats to go."

His thumb ran over the top of her knee cap in a brief caress
before he placed his hand back on the wheel.

He was wearing that foolish grin he wore whenever someone
mentioned Elvis.

"Coffee sounds great."

"I'm buying you a trucker cap Scully."

"No Mulder. You're not."

"Oh yes. I believe I am."

"Save the money and buy me something extra nice for my birthday
if you bother to
remember this year." Her tone was amused.

"Consider this a gift in advance."

"Mulder there is no such thing as a gift in advance."

"Sure there is I just made it up."

"Don't be so juevenile."

"Don't be so boring."

He pulled into the truck stop and cruised smoothly into a
parking space.

Once out of the car they stretched their cramped limbs.

"Is your butt numb Scully?"

"Yes, not that it's any of your business."

He grinned. "Mine too."

They began to make their way to the entrance. On pure impluse
Mulder held his hand out to Scully.

"C'mon Scully. Lets go be 'normal'."

She slid her smaller hand into his and he squeezed her fingers
warmly


X


The following night:


"C'mon Mulder, wake up."

"Mmmm gimme five more minutes wake me up then."

She smiled down at him. He had reclined the passenger seat to
around halfway
and was sprawled out in sleepy long limbed glory. "You can
sleep for a few more hours
if you wake up for just a couple of minutes."

There it was; that girlish tone of voice.

He cracked his eyes open and squinted at the face looming over
his.

"This better be good."

"We just passed through a small town. I found a motel."

He was awake now. His fingers clumsily unclasped the belt and
he sat up, running his fingers
through his sleep tousled hair. "No we've got to keep moving.
I'll drive you sleep"

"Mulder we've been driving non stop for over a day. We would
cause a serious
accident. She knows it's going to take us a few days to get
there. We just need
to make sure we arrive in one piece."

She had a point and he was exhausted.

"C'mon we'll get a couple of rooms a hot shower will-."

"No. Just one room."

Her eyes widened slightly.

"Scully we're using our own cash and it needs to stretch. We
can't get two
rooms every time we stop. There's no bureau funding behind this
little excursion."

He had a point too and she was too desperate for hot water to
care.

"Fine one room. Lets go."

After checking in and hefting their bags into their room they
realized that one room in
this case meant one bed. Both of them carefully side stepped
the issue by not bothering
to mention it.

After some time had passed Mulder was convinced that she was
going to remain locked in the
bathroom all night. She wasn't the only one dying for a shower
and a fresh change of clothes.
Finally she emerged wearing pale blue pajamas, her damp hair
pulled off her face in a pony tail.
The little scattering of gold freckles across her nose and the
small beauty spot above her lip
were visible without their usual covering of make up.

She perched on the end of the bed next to him, watching as he
surfed through the channels.

"I was about to kick the door down. I thought the flukeman had
returned."

She nudged him in the ribs with her elbow.

"I left you a couple of drops of hot water. Go make the most of
it."

"Generous to a fault aren't you? A dead seat G-Woman with a
heart."

She laughed and snatched the remote from his hand.

"No peeking at the triple x channel until I get back."

She rolled her eyes at the leer he tossed from the bathroom door.

Mulder was having way too much fun teasing her. This time there
was no other
motel room to escape to. Should she be excited or annoyed?

Deciding that she should be asleep, she crawled to the top of
the bed and slid beneath the covers.

Maybe if she fell asleep before he finished his shower it would
be like they hadn't shared a room at all.

No such luck.

She laid there, her eyes glued to the bathroom door, her body
tensed in preparation for the eventual
slide of his body into the bed. After long minutes of running
water the sounds coming from the bathroom
ceased. The brushing of teeth began. She still had a few minutes.

Calm the hell down Dana. You're both here for the same reason;
to get a good nights sleep. In a soft warm bed.
Together in a soft warm bed, fresh and scrubbed pink from hot
showers, smelling sweet and relaxed.
Would he stay right on the edge or stretch out beside her in
the middle? Would he touch her?
Involuntary shivers raced up and down her spine. How long had
it been since she'd shared a bed with a man?
It seemed like forever since she'd felt the intimate warmth of
shared body heat beneath a blanket. Images of Mulder's
chest pressed to her back flooded her mind like chilli and
honey. Hot and unbearably sweet.

The bathroom door swung open. Sweats and a t-shirt. She would
have screamed if his chest was bare.

Her eyes tracked him as he shuffled around the room, depositing
change on the bedside table, laying his wrist watch
next to the coins. All the things a man did at the end of the
day. It was so normal and yet completely abnormal.
Finally he lowered himself to the edge of the bed and turned so
his back wasn't to her.

"You look tired Scully."

At least he didn't say 'You look horny Scully'

"I'm exhausted."

"I know I said I didn't want you to come with me, but thank you."

"Anytime."

He smiled then reached out the switch off the bedside lamp. The
room fell into darkness and a moment
later she felt the bed shift and dip to accept his length. She
wondered if her body would be as
welcoming of him as the mattress was. His long legs stretched
out luxuriously and he released a deep contented
sigh. "Oh man is my back loving this. Shame we don't have any
magic fingers eh Scully?"

She smiled in the dark.

"Magic fingers always run out too quickly."

"Are you saying the magic fingers have no staying power?"

She heard the leer in his voice.

"No I'm saying they're a waste of money."

"You're no fun Scully."

"And you're a comedian. It works."

"Yes it definitely does."


X


It took her awhile to drift off but once she did his eyes had
free reign over her face and shoulders.
Her side of the bed was bathed in moonlight. He took the
opportunity to study her.
Her face contradicted itself wonderfully. The sharp point of
her chin flowed softly into a well defined,
yet entirely feminine jaw. He appreciated the way she was
simultaneously sculptured yet soft.
Her full mouth was soft and slack in sleep, her lips were
slightly parted, the barest glint of pearly teeth
peeking out at him. Her mouth looked like a ripe strawberry,
waiting to be savoured.

Maybe two rooms had been a good idea after all.

There is a difference between a wife and a partner. You sleep
with one and you work with the other.

His words circled lazily, tickling the edges of his mind.

So this is what it was like to sleep with Scully.

This is what it would be like if they were 'normal'.

Don't you miss being able to go home at the end of the day and
have someone waiting for you?

"No but I miss having you like this at the end of every day and
I don't even know what it feels like."

Her eyelids fluttered then lifted to reveal the sleepy blue
beneath.

"Mmm what's wrong?"

"I said I miss having you like this at the end of every day and
I don't even know what it feels like."

"Huh?"

"Yesterday in the car you asked me if I miss being able to go
home at the end of the day and have someone waiting for me."

Speedy Scully didn't take long to catch up. Her stomach flipped
almost nauseatingly. Her heart pounded so fiercly against
her chest she thought it would surely burst through her ribcage
to land on the bed between them.

"What are you saying Mulder?"

"I'm saying that there seems to be some pretty good perks to
having your partner as your
significant other."

"Mulder you're half asleep. Do you have any idea what you're
saying?"

"No YOU are half asleep. I'm wide awake. I know exactly what
I'm saying."

"Go to sleep Mulder."

"Scully you're not getting around this conversation."

"No I'm not because you are going to sleep."

"Scully-."

"Mulder we've been on the road for days. We're stressed out,
we're covering our tracks
and we've been having some really weird conversations amidst
the highway hypnosis.
We're not used to sharing a bed it's natural that you may feel
this way at this moment.
Just go to sleep you'll feel much clearer in the morning."

"Scully-."

"Mulder please don't do this."

"Why?"

"I just told you why."

"Well that's not good enough. I want a real reason."

"Mulder-."

"I mean it Scully. I want the truth."

"Look my reasons are the truth, I don't want your judgement
affected by our situation.
I don't want to hear what you have to say right now because you
may regret it tomorrow.
If you're absolutely certain about this now, you'll still be
certain in the morning and
we can talk about it then."

"You uh you don't include me in your thoughts of a normal life,
that's it right?"

She sighed. When she finally spoke her voice was low.

"Did I say that?"

"Not in so many words.."

"Not in ANY words. Damnit Mulder! Why can't you ever just let
anything go?"

"I told you I want the truth. If you're afraid that the truth
will hurt me that's your problem not mine.
I want it anyway; good or bad. If your visions of a normal life
don't include me then just tell me
and we can go to sleep and I'll stop annoying you right now. I
promise."

"In the event that you may regret and choose to withdraw any
statements or actions that you
intend to make tonight, I think it's wise for us to postpone
said statements and or actions to
a later time when we're both clear and ready to deal with the
outcome."

"Don't you dare pull that on me!"

"Then don't push it with me!"

"Then stop making me push it with you."

His voice was a dark growl. She watched has he rose on an elbow
and loomed over her to get right in her
face. "Get away from me Mulder." Her own growl matched his.
"Then tell me you don't want me."

"Mulder get out of my damn face."

"Tell me you don't want me."

"I'm warning you."

"Tell me."

"Just stop it."

"Say it!"

"I can't alright! I can't. Are you happy now?"

"Now tell me, if you want me, why are you holding me back."

"I just.. I just don't want to get hurt okay? I don't want this
to be a product of our overwrought emotions. We just got your
sister back.
That's a huge emotional rollercoaster we're going to be riding
for awhile.
I don't want to be believe in something that you may feel
wasn't really there to begin with."

"Do you believe that I'd hurt you?"

"Not intentionally but-"

"Do you trust me?"

"You know the answer to that."

"Do you love me?"

"Mulder don't do this please I just told you I-."

"Do you love me?"

"Mulder stop! Please I need some time. We need time."

"You can have all the time you need, just answer the question."

"It's not a good idea-."

"Scully just answer the damn question! DO-YOU-LOVE-ME?"

She bit her lip and turned her face. "You know I do."

His eyes softened and he placed a kiss on her turned cheek.

"What makes you think that I don't feel the same?"

"I.. I'm just.. god I hate this word.. I'm scared. I've sort of
resigned
myself to my fate and I'm afraid to change it."

"What fate is that?"

"Being alone."

"Oh Scully." Another kiss to her cheek. "Just because I've been
slow to move ahead it doesn't
mean that I don't love you. I'd never willingly leave you
alone." He rubbed his cheek along hers
like a cat. "I was cautious at first, then I got comfortable.
I'm comfortable with you and that's
amazing because I'm not really comfortable with too many other
people. I've always trusted you enough
to let my guard down. I'm trusting you right now because I know
you feel the same way."

She turned to face him and his arms slid around her, drawing
her into his chest.

"I know that we're both very private people, and it's goint to
take some time for us to
grow accustomed to this. We took the first step by being honest
and that's good enough for now.
I don't like making promises that I can't keep but there is one
promise I can make to you;
I will definitely not regret this tomorrow or ever."

"I hope so Mulder."

"I believe so."

 Title: Sam I Am 03
Author: Hummbugg
E-Mail: humbug@hummbugg.com
Website: www.hummbugg.com
Rated: PG
Disclaimer: All credit to CC and Co.

NOTES: I'm sure you will be pleased with the turn of events.
Not everyone gets a happily ever after.

There had been no wild out pour of untamed lust.

One perfect kiss had been pressed upon her lips.

Sweet and chaste and full of promise.

Sometime during the night she had rolled over to her other
side, he had pulled her back against his chest and by morning
his long legs had wound around her shorter but no less perfect
limbs.

Waking up was slow and exquisite. The golden rays of morning
sunlight filtering in through the window bathed her face in a
warm wave of awareness. Her eyes blinked open. Everything felt
right and for the longest time she just lay there content to let
the tranquility of the experience wash over her. Far off in the
distance she felt a large warm hand rubbing lazy circles over
her stomach. Slowly she came back to greet reality with a
pleased sigh. One very familiar nose nuzzled into the hair at
the nape of her neck. She felt him inhale deeply.

"So this is what you mean when you say normal?"

The sleep graveled voice at her ear sent an electrical current
singing through her veins.

"Mmm Hmm."

"I think I'm starting to understand your attraction to normal."

Another deep inhale.

"You smell so good." His arms tightened around her middle as he
pushed his face further into her sleep tousled hair.

She felt his erection pressed against the curve of her ass.

Hoo Boy was she in trouble.

Very deliberately she rolled her hips and ground her rear into
the hard flesh. Scully was rewarded with a soft gasp from the
man behind her. She smiled knowingly.
"Good morning Mulder." Her full throated purr coaxed a smile of
his own.

He wanted nothing more than to stay in that bed with her all
day and turn her purring into panting. Unfortunately the details
of their completely abnormal lives had to be considered before
everything else. He had to postpone the beautiful events that
had the potential to unravel right here in this crappy motel
room.

"I bet Frohike would happily sacrifice his left nut to be me
right now."

Mission accomplished. The crackle of morning lust between them
softened a little and he felt her affection for him radiating
through her amused chuckle.

"On the road again. Goin' places that I've never been. Seein'
things
that I may never see again,
And I can't wait to get on the road again."

His off key singing drew out a few more delighted chuckles from
his partner.

"C'mon Scully. We've got a highway to pound. Get those little
legs moving."

She rolled her eyes and drew the blanket back.

"Do you have any idea how much I hate it when you say that?"

She sat up and shot him what could only be classed as 'the look'.

He grinned and kicked the blanket down to the foot of the bed.

"I can't imagine why. You've got such cute little legs."

His arm shot out and his fingers tickled lightly against the
sole of her foot.

She snatched her leg away and scurried out of the bed, but he
had heard the involuntary giggle. "Have you got ticklish feet
Scully?"

The years of tickle torture that her brothers had put her
through had been more than enough for one life time. "No." Her
eyes were dancing, she was lying and he knew it.

"You better get in that bathroom and be ready in ten minutes or
I'm going to choose not to believe that."

"And just what makes you think you can start ordering me
around?" The side of her mouth threatened to curve up into a
smile.

"When have I not ordered you around?"

Her eyebrows shot up.

"In that case you better use that ten minutes you allotted to
go and get me a coffee. Make it a large and I want cream and
sugar this morning. Oh and see if you can hunt down a bagel with
cream cheese while you're at it."

His grin followed her to the bathroom door.

"Yes M'am."


X


One Day Later:

Samantha had directed them to meet her at the Wink-o-Sleep
Motor Inn.

Blissfully stretching their rubbery legs they made their way to
room number six and knocked lightly on the door

"Who is it?"

"It's Mul- Fox."

The door cracked open and Samantha's face peered out at them.

With a relieved smile she admitted them to her room. Her son
sat perched on the edge of the bed watching late night cartoons
on the television. His face turned to see who had just stepped
into the room. When he saw Scully a delighted smile spread
across his innocent features. Mulder watched as an identical
smile passed over Scully's face.

"Hi Michael."

"Hi Dana." His sweet voice chirped over the soft drone of the
television.

"Thanks for doing this. You have no idea what this means."

Samantha and Mulder shared a brief embrace before he pulled
away to hand her a thick envelope filled with fake birth
certificates, a drivers license and a passport.

"Where are you planning to go?"

"I wish I could tell you but its best that I don't. I don't
know how long it's going to be before I can contact you again. I
can't afford to raise any suspicions. You two taking time off
work and disappearing for a week is bad enough."

"Don't worry about water cooler gossip. They've been talking
about us for years."

Samantha's laughter broke the tension. "You think they'll
probably figure you two ran off to Cancun for a dirty vacation?"

Mulder realized delightedly that Scully was blushing.
"Something like that."

"I think they know you better than that Mulder. They probably
figure that you got us quarantined in some random facility in
the middle of god only knows where."

"That too."

"I don't have much but there's some left over Chinese if you
guys are hungry." Samantha indicated with her hand the cartons
of take out sitting on the small table for two.

"We ate on the way over. Thanks anyway."

Their exchange was interrupted by the door crashing open.

Before either Mulder or Scully could draw their weapons three
assailants dressed in black entered the room, their guns trained
individually on the other three adults. Mulder and Scully's eyes
widened as they recognized one of the men as Alex Krycek.
Samantha's eyes were as equally wide when she recognized one of
the other men as her husband.

"Krycek what the hell are you doing here?"

"They've come to kill me." The resignation in Samantha's tone
didn't mask the tremble of fear.

"You have no idea what you've found Mulder. I suggest you keep
your mouth shut and let us do what we came to do."

"Daniel why are you doing this? I'm your wife; don't you see
how wrong this is?"

"You're my assignment 'Kate'. You already know that."

"My name is Samantha damnit! You KNOW that! I gave you a son!
You're going to kill the mother of your child?"

"Don't delude yourself. I told you the truth about the kid,
right before you got away."

"I don't believe you."

"Krycek what is going on here?" Scully's voice was low and
calm. There was no need to agitate the man pointing a gun at her
forehead.

"This woman has to die."

Samantha was fighting the sobs threatening to escape from her
chest. Her wide eyed gaze was fixed unwaveringly on her husband.
"Daniel please don't do this. Assignment or not you know you
loved me at some point."

Daniel's face remained frozen but the swirl of emotion in his
eyes went unmasked.

"This is the nature of the business. This is LIFE. You are what
you are and the kid is what he is and I can't change that. You
have to die Kate. It's the only way to stop what you know will
happen."

Mulder was helpless. Trapped to the one spot by the gun pointed
right between his eyes.

"Why do you want to kill her? Haven't you people already done
enough to her?"

"Oh Mulder. You don't know the half of it." Krycek seemed
amused by the situation.

"Then tell me. Damnit Krycek if you're going to kill my sister
I deserve the truth!"

"She's a successful alien human hybrid. Just like Cassandra
Spender. Whatever your sister has told you it's not the truth."

Samantha's head whipped over to lock her gaze with Mulder.

"There are some things I have kept from you for your safety but
everything that I have told you is the truth."

"Don't you see Mulder? If the aliens find out about your sister
invasion will begin immediately. She needs to be eliminated from
the game. She's a danger to all of us, including the kid. I'm
sure once you find out the truth about the kid you wouldn't want
to do anything to put him in any danger."

Scully's eyes flicked over to Michael. He was hiding beneath
the blanket, one eye peeping fearfully over the edge, watching
the man pointing the gun to his mother's head.

"Is he another Gibson Praise?" Scully's question was directed
at Krycek.

It was Daniel who answered.

"Four years ago she was impregnated. Her memory of this was
wiped and she believed that she had conceived naturally."

"I don't believe you Daniel."

"Believe what you want 'Kate' but it's a fact. That child is
not yours and it's not mine."

"Then who's is he?" Mulder's voice broke their exchange.

"Go on tell your 'brother' the truth."

"It's not the truth!"

"Obviously your sister has left out a lot of the details to her
tragic story."

"Just cut the bullshit Krycek and make your point."

Krycek's eyes met Scully's as a smug grin possessed his face.

"The kid belongs to you and Mulder."

As her mouth dropped open the air in the room seemed to
disappear.

"You're lying." Mulder was furious that they would play this
card with Scully.

"Our friend the cigarette smoking man has a lot of access to a
lot of doctors and a lot of genetic material. You have both been
in a position where you were at the hands of these men. I know
Agent Scully has some idea what was done to her. As for you
Mulder there are details of your visit to Ellen's air force base
oh so long ago that you were too drugged out to remember."

"Cigarette man figured a useful bargaining chip wouldn't go
astray."

They were horrified. These men had created a life, a
combination of the two of them to use for their own insidious
devices when time called for such a measure.

"No! You're lying!" Samantha was sobbing openly.

"Look I don't plan on telling ANYONE who am I am and what I am.
I just want out. He's my son, I gave birth to him. I have no
intent to air anyone's dirty laundry. I just want to bring up my
son, away from all of this. I just want a new life. A normal
life.
You don't have to kill me. Please just let me go."

Krycek ignored her.

"I think it's in everyone's best interest that the kid be with
his real parents. What do you say Mulder? You take the kid and
the lovely Agent Scully and leave us to do our job."

"You'll have to kill me first Krycek. I won't walk away and let
you kill my sister."

"Suit yourself. Stay and watch."

The shot from Daniel was muffled by the silencer attached to
his weapon.

"Samantha!!"

"Mommy!!"

Both Mulder and Michael screamed when the blood burst from her
head. She teetered for a split second then her knees crumpled
and she hit the floor. Michael began to scramble from the bed.
With a child like oblivion to the guns still raised he began to
run to the dead bleeding woman on the floor.

"Mommy! WHY DID YOU SHOOT MY MOMMY!?"

He was screaming as he barreled forward. Scully's arm shot out
to catch him just before he reached his mother's body. She
pulled him to her and pushed his face into her shoulder. No
child should have to witness such cold brutality. He screamed
and kicked and fought against her.

Mulder's hand lunged to his holster. Just as he drew his weapon
out Daniel fired another shot which caught him in the shoulder.
He went down with a cry of pain.

"Mulder!" To hell with the gun pointed at her, she ran to her
partner's side. Trying to keep a firm arm wrapped around the
hysterical four year old, she began tearing at Mulder's shirt
with her other hand.

Two of the men carried Samantha's body out of the room and
Krycek followed, drawing the door closed behind him.

MORE TO COME
end Ch 3